《Skill Hunter -Kill Monsters, Acquire Skills, Ascend to the Highest Rank!》


 1. Dark Place

    CLANG! CLANG!A bell rang, startling Ike out of his work. He jerked away from the hide, taking the razor with him so the blade wouldn''t nick the skin.


    A familiar call echoed from the center of the monster processing plant''s courtyard. "Come and get paid! Day''s over, I''m not stickin'' around! Come get paid!"


    The other workers headed to the courtyard. Hunkered in a corner of the hide shack, Ike pressed on, scraping his razor down the last few strokes. The last of the hair fell away, and he stood at last. A slow, satisfied breath fluttered the cloth he wore around his nose and mouth. Fifteen scraped hides marched away, filling the small hut. Finally, I''ll have enough coin. Finally!


    Dusting himself off, he headed to the courtyard. A long queue snaked through the cobbled yard. All the workers, from muscular bonesplitters to weather-worn skinners lined up. The buildings of the monster plant loomed over them. To his right, the skinned bodies hooked up in a warehouse, ready to become meat. To his left, a pile of bones from some enormous beast, destined for the upper city. The stench of the tannery wafted over the courtyard. High above, the glittering overcity cast a shadow over the plant as the sun began to set, casting the whole courtyard in shadow.


    Ike bounced with anticipation, perched on the balls of his feet, leaning forward. As soon as he got through this line, he could put this godsforsaken plant behind him, forever. Head out. Work as a hunter. Finally make enough coin to start paying back his debt, instead of merely staving off interest.


    Thump.


    Ike staggered, grabbing his shoulder, and barely caught himself before he fell. He looked up.


    A muscular man looked down at him. He towered over Ike, both taller and broader. His whole body exuded power. "Sorry. Didn''t see you there."


    "Sean, you¡ª" Ike cut off his comeback. It didn''t matter. Nothing here mattered, except the coin he earned.


    "What''re you waiting for? Get in line." Sean hooked his head toward the back of the courtyard.


    Ike turned. The line snaked on, vanishing back toward the blood-draining pits. His expression turned sour. "I was in line already."


    "Huh, that''s weird. I didn''t see you," Sean said, rubbing his chin.


    Ike scowled. He glared at Sean one last time, then stomped off toward the back of the plant. He''d never make the market on time from the back of the line. It would be closed before he got paid.


    He closed his eyes, forcing himself to take a deep breath through the cloth. You''ve waited this long. There''s always tomorrow.


    Five more coins. One day''s pay, and then he could afford a skill orb. He could only afford the cheapest skill, but it didn''t matter. Any skill meant access to the System. And access to the System meant he could escape this place. Escape his shitty job, his shitty uncle, and these shitty slums, and finally become something more. Something bigger than Ike, slumrat.


    The line shortened as the sun dipped toward the horizon. At last, Ike reached the short wooden table where Liz stood, counting out coppers to the workers. She shot him a smile, her red hair gleaming in the low light. "Ike! Glad to see you. I thought I''d have to go flush you out of the hut again."


    "No, no." Ike scratched the back of his head, a little embarrassed. He tugged the cloth down to his chest and gave her an awkward smile.


    She nodded. "So, how many today?"


    "Fifteen hides."


    "Fifteen?" Liz whistled. "Phew. Every day, you get a little bit faster, huh?"


    "You can go count them if you want," Ike invited her, gesturing toward the hut.


    "No, no. I believe you. Just¡­damn." Liz reached into the chest and counted out coppers. She held out fifteen coppers.


    "Wait. Remember? My debt. Hold back ten coppers," Ike reminded her.


    "I forgot." She winked.


    Ike half-smiled, half grimaced. "My uncle owns the plant. He''ll know."


    "Right. I can''t imagine being indebted to your employer. Must be awful."


    "It''s¡­" Ike''s platitudes dropped off his tongue. He shrugged, eyes on the ground.


    "Here you go, then. Five coppers." Liz held out her hand, and Ike reached to accept the coins.


    A rose petal floated down and landed on the back of Liz''s hand.


    "Huh?" Liz and Ike both looked up.


    Floating on the air just outside the overcity, a troupe of dancers in pink costumes danced under a rain of rose petals. They flipped and swirled in concert like a flock of starlings. An ornate golden throne faced the dancers, and a girl about Ike''s age perched atop it. She wore a pale pink dress, its skirt layered like a rose''s petals. Strawberry blonde hair fell in waves around her face. Her skin was as creamy smooth as milk, her eyes like green gems. She clapped, bouncing to the beat of music too distant for Ike to hear, her face lit up in delight.


    Ike lifted his filthy hands. His thin arms and tattered clothes. His oily hair, falling in his face. They were the same age, and yet, the two of them couldn''t be more different.


    "Must be nice." Liz sighed wistfully, shaking her head.


    Ike nodded. He pointed up at the sky. "I''ll be up there, one day. One of those immortals, living in the overcity. You can bet on it."


    Liz laughed. "No way."


    "I will."


    "Okay, okay. Then, will you take me with you?" Liz asked, grinning at him.


    "I''ll get strong enough that I can lift the whole slums up to the overcity," Ike promised.


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    "It''s a promise." Liz locked up the chest and hefted it, carrying it off toward the office. "But for now, get out! I''ve got to lock the place up."


    With a nod, Ike set off at a jog. Through the gate, past the tall wooden fence, and along the hill into the slums proper. Ramshackle huts leaned and tilted to either side of him, everything from mud cabins to canvas tents all jumbled together. All the buildings huddled together on the side of the hill, as if leaning close would save them from the mudslides that tore the hill apart on a regular basis. He headed toward the largest building in the slums: his uncle''s villa.


    The massive building wandered down the side of the hill, easily covering four floors'' worth of height. No particular plan had gone into the building. As a result, a mess of architecture lurked on the hillside, almost toadlike.


    He sprinted into one of the many courtyards and got to work. The sun vanished over the edge of the earth as Ike did situps, pullups, pushups, every exercise he knew. It wasn''t much. Compared to the power the System would grant him, it was nothing. And still, he pressed on. Anything to get an edge. Anything to find one more ounce of strength.


    Under the cover of darkness, he finally stood. By now, his uncle would be passed out drunk. It was time to collect his stash. First thing tomorrow morning, he''d go buy his skill orb.


    Grabbing the edge of a windowsill, Ike vaulted into one of the many paneless windows that clad the exterior of his uncle''s villa. The interior was no better than the exterior. Liquor bottles and other trash piled up on the floor. Cockroaches scuttled underfoot. Ike held his breath, nose wrinkling in disgust.


    He squeezed sideways through a narrow hallway and into the forgotten part of the villa, the cleanest part of the sprawling structure. Dust clad every abandoned chair and lost table. His footsteps marked the only path on the floor. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He followed that path halfway through the house, then leaped off it onto a chair. The path through the dust turned away, leading a searcher in the wrong direction. Ike bounced from chair to rug to countertop to shattered remnant of a table. From an ottoman, he leaped and hooked his hands on a doorway''s trim and swung into a small room twisted away in the heart of the villa. There, at last, he landed, hurrying into a corner of the room. He knelt and pried up a floorboard.


    Empty. Completely empty.


    Ike stared. His brows furrowed. He reached into the space, running his hand around the muddy hollow, disbelieving even as his heart sunk into his stomach, even as his fingertips found nothing but cold, wet clay. No. No. No. Not again. Please. Not again. Anything but¡ª


    A hand gripped the back of his head and drove it into the ground. A deep voice, slurred from alcohol, growled, "Hiding money from me, boy?"


    He gritted his teeth. Saying anything now would only egg his uncle on. Silence was his only defense.


    "Heh. Afraid to answer, huh?" His uncle pulled his head away from the floorboards and looked him in the eye. They shared the same crystal blue eyes as Ike''s mother, though they shared no other family resemblance. Sagging eyebags and bloodshot eyes, thick, hateful lips, cauliflowered ears from a prideful history long since abandoned, a jowly chin that jiggled when he spoke. Ike hated every inch of that face, every feature of it. If he could erase his eyes, he would, if only to share nothing with the man before him.


    Seeing Ike''s lack of response, his uncle''s upper lip curled. He slammed Ike''s face into the floor, over and over. Ike didn''t fight, already knowing it was pointless. His uncle had been a Rank 2 adventurer, back in the day. An unawakened person like him stood no chance.


    Ike braced himself against each blow, absorbing as much of the force with his arms and body as he could. "Stupid. Fucking. Filth. Trash. Stealing. My. Money!"


    At last, he released Ike. Standing, he dusted his hands off and spat. A gooey blob struck the ground by Ike''s head. "You know how much you owe me, boy?"


    Silence. Blood dripped down Ike''s face, the cut on his forehead reopened. The world fuzzed a little at the edges, wobbly and unclear. Every part of his face burned, hot, already starting to swell.


    His uncle kicked him in the gut, lifting him off the ground. He hit the ground and rolled, adjusting his angle toward the center of the room so he wouldn''t strike the wall next kick. The uncle loomed over him, casting him in shadow. "Answer!"


    Ike swallowed back a mouthful of blood. He cast his eyes downward, hating the word even as he said it. "Yes."


    "Yes?"


    "I know how much I owe," Ike muttered.


    "You''re family, so I''m letting you get away with paying interest. If you have extra money, it goes straight to principal, you know? Principal!" The uncle shook his head, glaring down at Ike.


    Ike resisted the urge to glare back. Principal. Right. Any extra money he gave went to his uncle''s alcohol, and never to his debt.


    It was a losing game. No way out. He could only suffer, and lose, and remain in his uncle''s debt his entire life, as long as he let his uncle stay in control.


    The skill orb was meant to be his salvation. And now¡­


    From the floor, he eyed the man, body prickling with disgust from proximity alone. Fat covered what had once been impressive muscles, and he stumbled slightly where he stood, but the man''s power hadn''t left. The pain of the kick still ached in his gut, and his face ached fiercely, nose throbbing. He wanted to touch it, to find out if it was broken, but remained still, afraid to show his uncle weakness.


    Strong. Powerful. And yet, so, so horribly pathetic. The watery, alcoholic eyes. The swollen red nose. That wobble. Pathetic.


    And who''s under that pathetic man''s thumb?


    His uncle went to leave, then stopped. He turned back. His eyes narrowed. "Your eyes. Those fucking eyes."


    Ike lowered his lashes, but didn''t look away, on the watch for more attacks.


    A boot flew his way. Mustering all his strength, he threw himself with the kick, rolling dramatically across the floor for his uncle''s satisfaction. A pained expression on his face, he panted, half-closing his eyes. Is that what you want? Leave me alone.


    His uncle harrumphed. He pointed over his shoulder, at the wall and the world beyond. "Just like your useless mother. She thought she could leave this city. She thought she could survive out there. And what happened? Came limping to me one day, almost dead, a toddler leading her by the arm. Bullshit. What bullshit."


    He stomped off, muttering under his breath as he did. "Cost a fuckin'' fortune to fix her up, and what''d she do? Die on me anyways. Fuckin'' hell. You better pay back her debt before you die."


    Ike laid there, waiting. The footsteps faded. He counted to ten, then twenty, then finally pushed himself upright. Dusting himself off, he peered around the doorframe to make sure his uncle had really left, then patted his belt. A small, fat pouch of coins bulged just under his belt.


    His lips twisted in a bitter smile. "Fuck you, old man."


    But it was bitter. Oh, so bitter. He felt the coins he had, all five of them. Enough for a meal and a night at an inn. Enough for a new shirt. Nothing. He had nothing.


    It wasn''t enough. It wouldn''t be enough. His jaw trembled, whole body tensing. Years. It had taken years to gather those coins. Frustrated, he punched the wall. "Fuck!"


    Years. Years under his uncle''s thumb. Years pinching and saving, eating half as much as he needed, hiding and scrimping, and his uncle¡ª


    A shallow breath. Ike closed his eyes. I still have some coins. Focus on the positive. Focus on what I can do.


    He bit his lip, forcing himself to focus. A knife, maybe. If he was quick enough¡­ but no. Not against a Rank 2. Even if he attacked his uncle while he slept, without a System, he''d never be able to move fast enough to finish the job before his uncle woke up and ended him.


    What next? Years of saving, again? Rage rushed to his head the second the words came to mind, jaw instantly grinding. His nose flared, breath short. Something. There had to be something. Another option. Another way to¡ª


    KA-BLAM!


    Startled, Ike looked up, searching for a window. Light blared from the next room over. He sprinted to its window and pushed the waxed paper covering out of the way.


    Far overhead, figures fought back and forth, warring in the skies. Momentarily, one broke away and threw. A metallic orb arced from their hand across the sky, trailing fire.


    Ike watched it, his heart fluttering with desire.


    Real magic. The kind of magic ordinary people would kill for. Whoever it lands near is going to be a lucky man.


    It flew on, down from the overcity, over the undercity, down and down, screeching along. Ike''s eyes widened.


    It''s going to land in the slums.


    Holy shit, it''s going to land in the slums!


    Throwing himself through the window frame, Ike sprinted toward the fireball, his heart in his throat, fire in his eyes.


    Whoever it lands near¡­? Whoever it lands near?! Bullshit! This is my chance. I''m not going to let anyone else take it. I''m getting out of these slums. And no one''s going to stop me!

 2. A Lucky Man

    Ike sprinted after the fireball. Sparks rained down, spitting off it into the night. Here and there, a larger spark hissed and smoked in a thatched roof.Overhead, the man who''d thrown the first fireball threw his hand out again. A flash of light came from his sleeve. Dozens of small metallic orbs flew across the sky, chasing the original fireball. A man in purple slammed into the man who''d thrown the orbs. The orb-thrower drew out a sword, and the two of them fought across the sky.


    The fireballs lit the night sky. People peeked out their huts up at the sky. Other slum-dwellers jumped up, just like Ike. All of them chased after the fireball, close on Ike''s heels.


    The fireball hurtled toward the ruins where a mudslide last spring had wiped out the slum population. Between Ike and the ruins, a tight nest of huts blocked his path. Walls butted up against one another, the houses all but built into one another. If he ran around, he''d lose precious minutes. Someone else would take his orb.


    He hesitated, but only a breath. In the next, he clambered up onto the top bar of a split rail fence. Balancing there, he leaped to the first hut. His feet slipped. He dropped to his hands and feet to stabilize himself, then jumped up and sprinted off.


    The houses huddled so close, Ike only needed a little hop to leap from one pitched hut to the next. Up, then down, up, then down, grateful for any short stretch of flat roof, he chased after the fireball. Bits of thatch flew up behind him, his footsteps hollow.


    The majority of the other chasers fell back, forced to wind through the huts or run around. One or two followed Ike up onto the roofs. Their footsteps pounded after him, too close for comfort.


    A man waited for him in the yard of the final hut, a broken bottle in one hand and murder clear on his drug-addled face. Ike swallowed. I can''t slide down this roof. Casting his eyes around, he caught sight of the fence on the far side of the huts, the boundary to his uncle''s slumlot. Ike took a quick breath, then leaped, flying for the fence, his feet tight together. If I miss, don''t land on it, don''t land between my legs, don''t¡ª


    The fence flew up at him. He kicked down onto it as he passed and threw himself forward, turning his runaway forward momentum into a flip. Hurtling toward the ground, he barely caught himself with his hands, sliding a few paces on the dirt road on hands and knees. Ike jumped up and ran on, ignoring the stinging in his skinned knees. He cast a quick glance over his shoulder at the bottle-wielding man.


    The man stared after him, wide-eyed, blinking as if he couldn''t believe what he''d just seen.


    Phew. Ike glanced up again, checking on the lead fireball.


    The brilliant orb careened toward the ground ahead of Ike. It struck with a thmp, kicking up dried mud. All around him, other orbs thunked into the ground with little spurts of dust and mud. Impacts pockmarked the ground. Ducking, Ike threw a hand over his head and sprinted through. He skidded to a halt over the first orb''s landing spot.


    A crater dug into the ground, leading into a tunnel through the mud. Ike leaned down and peered into that tunnel. A small ball of metal quickly dulled from red to black. He hovered a hand over it. Heat blasted against his palm, but only for a moment.


    Tentatively, he reached into the hole and tapped the ball, yanking his hand away. No pain. He tapped it again, then dragged it out of the earth.


    Dirt fell away from the orb. Ike blew the last of the red earth off, revealing a shiny, dark metal. Arcane characters crawled over the orbs'' surface, meaningless to Ike. The lines flowed like water. They arced across the orb, somewhere between language and the organic crawl of vines.


    Magic.


    Ike lifted the orb and knocked. Hollow. He raised his brows. There was something inside the orb. Something precious enough to fight over. Precious enough to sell, so he could escape his uncle? Or better yet, something precious enough to allow him to escape outright. Ike''s heart leapt, but he suppressed the thought in the next instant. No good ever came of dreaming too big. As long as he could sell the thing for a skill orb, he could achieve his dreams.


    Ike idly ran a finger around the outside edge of the orb, following the shape of the lines. If only¡­


    The orb cracked open. Startled, Ike instantly slammed it shut, but before he could, he caught a glimpse of what sat inside.


    A smaller orb, about as big around as a coin, glimmering with rainbow light.


    A skill orb.


    Waves of energy blasted across the sky, jolting Ike out of his reverie. He looked up. A huge pink rose bloomed overhead, instantly battered back by a blast of jet black ink. The rose wilted away beneath the ink, tipping over onto one side. The ink dripped off the rose and plunged toward the city. Before it struck home, a gold dome activated, deflecting the ink away from the city and toward a distant part of the slums.


    So much power. A sideswipe, a stray splatter, and he''d be dead.


    Looking back at the orb, he hesitated. All it took was one little touch to achieve his dreams. A fingertip. A single mental command, but that power, that terrible power¡ª


    FWOMPH.


    A man dressed in purple landed in the center of the mudslide, sending a wave of dirt up from the force of the strike. Ike held his breath, recognizing him¡ªthe man who''d fought the orb-thrower overhead. The man glared around, his lip lifting in disgust.


    One of the slumdwellers next to him plunged her hand into her orb, grasping the skill orb inside. Her head snapped back. Energy swirled around her.


    The purple-clad man appeared behind her. His robes and cape whirled around him as he made a brutal gesture. The girl screamed in horror and stared down. Down to her solar plexus, where the man''s hand pierced through her body.


    Stillness. Not a single person on the mudslide moved. All eyes locked on the man and the screaming girl, even as they hugged the metallic orbs to their chests.


    Throwing the girl aside, the man turned. He curled his bloodied hand to point, sweeping it across all of them. "If you dare absorb those orbs, the same fate awaits you."


    The stillness burst into motion. Everyone fled, running in a thousand different directions. Clicking his tongue, the man blurred into motion again, appearing behind another man. Another scream rang out. Another body thumped to the ground.


    Ike sprinted toward the forest across the mud, slamming the metal ball shut as he ran. With every step, he heard the sweep of robes and the soft sound of the man''s footsteps behind him. With every breath, he felt a hand piercing his solar plexus. The forest''s edge rushed toward him, slowly, too slowly. Screams resounded in the night air.


    Shadow. Bark. The forest swallowed Ike up. Leaves crunched underfoot. Canopies obscured the sky. He kept running, even as branches lashed his body, even as thorny vines bit his legs, running and running until he was sure he was safe, far enough away that the man wouldn''t find him.


    There, deep in the forest, he swallowed, glancing down at the orb, then up at the sky. I can''t awaken now. That man will kill me. I need to hide this until he leaves¡ªideally, until all those people forget this ever happened. But where?


    His mind flitted to the hole under the floorboards on the first floor of the villa, but he instantly dismissed it. His uncle knew about it. It was dead to him. Where else?


    One place came to mind. The dark hole under the skins, the crawlspace full of hair and gods only knew what else. No one ever went in there, not even him. His uncle rarely visited the plant, let alone Ike''s hut.


    It wouldn''t work long term. Too much risk a different worker would drop something and stick their head in the crawlspace to find it, or that the rain would wash it out. But for a night, for a day, there was no better place.


    Another massive blow cracked the night sky. Bright gold light washed over him, baring him to the world. Ike jolted, startled back into motion. I''m not safe yet. Keep moving.


    To throw the awakened, he took a sharp turn and climbed up, to the top of the hill. The forest butted up against the slums atop the hill. Like the canopy, tight-knit slum roofs provided a small measure of protection.


    He moved fast, dodging the few other people out at this time of night. Occasionally, someone sprinted in the opposite direction, toward where the orbs had landed. Ike let them go. They''d provide distraction. Slow the man in purple.


    Across the top of the hill and down, toward the monster processing plant. Leaping down to the tallest warehouse''s roof, then from there to a lower roof, he stairstepped his way into the hide hut. There, he laid down on his stomach and gently rolled the orb into the crawlspace, tilting his head to check. Faintly, he saw the stretched skins overhead. The orb laid just to the left of the loose board, easily within his reach. He breathed out.


    My uncle won''t find it. No one knows I have it. It''s safe.


    Lying there, he stared at the orb. Should I open it now? Take that skill orb and awaken. Bet that man in purple won''t find me. Ike stared at the orb, holding his breath, thinking, thinking, thinking.


    Thunder snapped across the sky. Purple lightning as thick around as Ike''s waist snapped through the night, smashing into a shield of splattered ink.


    Ike jolted. He jumped up and retreated away from the hut, afraid to even be seen too close. Nope. You know what? Let''s play it safe. Not risk it. It was better to give off no signals, for certain, than to move too fast and risk sending up a smoke signal that alerted all those terrifying awakened to his exact location. If they found the orb tonight, so be it. At least he survived to awaken another day.


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    Decided, Ike gazed back in the direction of the crater. For now, best to stick with what he knew: laying low and keeping his head down. The fireball had been too obvious, too bright. Someone would surely come looking for it, and how better to survive than avoid their eyes altogether?


    Tossing the hide hut a last glance, Ike jogged over to the high fence around the plant and slipped through a loose board. All the way back to the villa, he kept his head down, trying to evade the notice of the few late-night walkers. Most of them staggered along, drunk, or leaned in, giggling in high-pitched voices, far too involved in each other to pay him any mind. Quiet as a mouse, afraid of incurring his uncle''s wrath as much as raising anyone''s attention, he walked quietly along the edge of the villa, then vanished into the window nearest his bedroom. The pile of rags and straw that made his mattress had never looked so welcoming. He dropped into the pile, curled up and quickly fell asleep, driven to exhaustion by the events of the day.


    --


    The next morning.


    "Open up!" a voice shouted, too close to Ike''s ears for comfort.


    He startled to his feet and looked around, disoriented. His whole body ached, his face throbbing, his nose hot and tight to the touch. Putting the pain to the back of his mind, he searched the room. What¡­ Huh¡­?


    "The fuck? People are trying to sleep around here! You better have a damn good reason to wake me this early!" his uncle bellowed. The door flew open with enough force to shake the entire villa.


    Ike waited, all but holding his breath, but the expected tirade never came. Instead, an awkward cough came from his uncle. In a humble, earnest tone of voice Ike had never heard before, his uncle asked, "How can I help you, sirs?"


    Ike''s eyes widened. His uncle never called anyone sir, let alone asked them how he could help. His uncle possessed a Rank 2 license, after all. Only a handful of people in the slums managed to reach Rank 1, let alone Rank 2. By some people''s account, though Ike was loath to agree, his uncle was the strongest in the slums.


    And now he spoke with respect to a pair of voices Ike had never heard before. Leaning against the wall, he peered out of his window, tilting his head just enough to get an angle on the main entrance.


    The villa pressed in and out at random, built at no one''s pleasure and his uncle''s convenience. Thus, by the grand coincidence of a careless carpenter, Ike''s room jutted out to create a sort of corridor to the side of the main entrance, mirrored on the other side. His uncle hadn''t complained, perhaps appreciating the intimidation factor of forcing all visitors to tiptoe between two leaning, towering roofs in order to speak to him. It meant Ike could peek at every visitor on their way in, and was a principal feature to Ike choosing this as his room.


    And this time, he saw something he never thought he''d see in his life.


    Two officers in the uniform of the city''s Elite Guard stood at the villa''s main entrance, instantly recognizable in their double-breasted blue uniforms. Shiny brass buttons marched down the uniform jacket. Below, the bloused cream pants cinched tight at the knees, red stripes to match the red striping on the jacket lining down the side of the pants. Red cuffs vanished into shiny black boots, and they wore blue flat caps on their heads. Ike''s eyes widened, and he faded back from the window. Why would the Elite Guard lower itself to come here, to the slums, where even the ordinary Guard refused to patrol out of disinterest? The answer came to him instantly, clear as day. They''re here for the orb.


    "A thief stole several skill orbs from a mage family last night, some of them incredibly precious. In the battle to recover them, the thief threw his loot into the slums. The orbs landed somewhere in this vicinity last night. Do you know anything of this? Any sudden awakenings? Any news of small metal orbs, about this large?" One of the men his hands apart just so.


    Jaco snorted. He shook his head. "No idea. Never heard of such a thing."


    There was a pause. A cough. "We''re getting readings from your monster-processing plant that might indicate one of the more powerful stolen orbs is within. Do you mind if we investigate?"


    "Huh? You accusing me of¡ª" His uncle caught himself and quickly put on the polite tone again. "Sirs, of course. I''m a law-abiding citizen, but you know how it is. Gotta drive down business costs, and it comes at the price of hiring just anyone. Please. Go ahead."


    "If we find the thief, we are authorized to take lethal action," one of the guards informed his uncle.


    Ike jolted, startled. Lethal¡­?


    "Of course! Sirs, I wouldn''t have it any other way. A rat, in my establishment? Absolutely not. No, no. You''d be doing me a favor."


    The door shut, and the men walked away, heels clopping down the cobblestones. Ike waited a few moments for the sound to fade, then leaped out the window. The retreating backs of the Elite Guard headed toward the main road. Ike paused, taking a short breath. Five minutes. They''d reach the plant in five minutes. He could get there first.


    Sprinting down a narrow path through the slum huts, he passed Sean by on his way to the plant. Sean shouted something after him, but he ignored it, focused on the orb, his whole self focused on that orb.


    If they found it, that was the end. It sat under his workspace. The other workers hated him. They''d be quick to lay the blame on him. Even if he escaped with his life, he''d be locked up forever. I need to move it. Now.


    He reached the fence and squeezed in the loose board. Slowing to a jog to avoid suspicion, he hurried to the hut and casually walked inside. Dragging his stool back to the start, he fetched his blade and set it atop the stool. From there, he dropped to his knees and stuck his head in the hole.


    Nothing. Rotting, muddy fur and nothing.


    A sharp knock came from the door. "Open up!"


    Shit. His heart jumped. He searched left and right, then turned around and crouched the other direction.


    The metal orb sat right in front of him, dimly gleaming in the low light.


    Ike grabbed it up, tucking it into his shirt. He glanced around, nervous, then moved to the door to peer out. From the door of the hut, the courtyard of the monster processing plant spread before him, from the entry gate to the meat storage warehouse.


    The Elite Guards marched through the compound. Liz walked up to them, putting her arms out. "Hey! Who gave you the right to come in here?"


    A flash of motion. Too quickly for Ike''s eyes to follow, something moved. Liz staggered back, then fell to the ground. Her body convulsed and her eyes rolled up in her head, and then she went still, totally, utterly still.


    Ike stared. His breath came short, and his hands clenched at the orb under his shirt. Fear chilled his bones, chased a moment later by burning rage. His knuckles whitened on the orb. Liz¡­Liz is¡­


    The left guard looked at his hand, then at Liz. He curled his hand into a fist a few times, frowning at it. "I forget how delicate the unawakened are."


    The right guard stepped forward, tapping his sword. "No quick motions, now, no backtalk, or you can join her on the ground."


    Ike''s heart raced, his whole body shaking. Making it her fault, for being ''delicate.'' Turning their backs to her. Forgetting her. Liz. Liz. The only one who looked out for him. The only one who tried to help¡ªher, that Liz¡ª


    The blow replayed in his mind. The crack. The way her head snapped back. He desperately wanted to rush out, put a hand over her mouth and check for breath, but to do so was suicide. So instead, he lurked there in the dark, hidden by the shadows of the hut, knuckles tight on the orb, legs braced to leap forth, every atom of him wishing those guards death. His eyes bored into them, memorizing their faces. The left one''s dark hair and delicate features, poorly disguised by the night''s stubble, the right one''s blond buzz, peach fuzz chin, and dark, heartless eyes.


    The other workers staggered back. One turned to run, only for a knife to pierce into his back, bearing him to the ground. "Don''t flee," the guard on the left commanded, lightning flickering around his fingers.


    The right guard slashed the blood off his sword, then sheathed it. "Do not resist. We are here under the authority of the city. Please come forward if you have any information on the theft that occurred last night. If you recovered the item, step forward. You might receive an award."


    Receive an award? Liz laid behind them, still, oh so still. The other worker laid face-down on the ground, motionless. Ike shook his head, slowly backing away from the door into deeper shadow. Those guards only handed out death.


    The right guard made a face, then reached into his jacket. He pulled out a pair of angled rods and held them loosely in his hands. The rods shifted, pointing toward the hide hut.


    The other guard looked around at the other workers. "Who works there?"


    There was a pause. Sean stumbled through the gate, still carrying a bottle. He looked at the guards, then where they pointed. "You looking for Ike? Boss'' nephew?"


    He glanced downward, and he caught sight of Liz, so still on the ground. Sean gasped and stumbled back, startled, clenching the bottle so hard it cracked.


    "Thank you," the left guard said. He handed Sean a silver coin and followed his fellow guard toward the hut.


    Sean stared from the coin in his hand to Liz and back, alcohol-addled brain struggling to process what had happened.


    The other workers glanced around at one another, then backed away, all heading to their working areas and leaving the guards to the hut.


    Backing away from the door, Ike took quick short breaths. They''re going to kill me. Yanking the orb out from under his shirt, he looked at it. Hand it over, or open it?


    With one last glance at the approaching guards, Ike ran to the back of the hut, then hunkered down. Three lines of hides marched between him and the door, hiding him from the door and the guards in the courtyard. He examined the small orb closely.


    "City Guard. Come out now with your hands in the air!"


    Ike glanced up, then back at the orb. Just big enough to fit in one hand, but large enough it fit uncomfortably, the orb sat solidly before him. He turned it over in his hands feverishly, searching for an entrance point. What did I do? Last night, when it cracked open. What did I do?


    The lines around its center drew his eyes. He jumped in place, remembering. That''s right. The lines!


    With no clear beginning and no end, the lines circled the orb, infinitely flowing. He lifted his free hand and traced the lines, drawing a path roughly around the center point of the orb.


    The lines glowed. Light traveled from a point facing Ike to swirl around the whole orb, and with a crack, the orb popped open. Two hemispheres of metal fell away, revealing the smaller orb within.


    Ike stilled. His eyes widened. He''d only caught a glimpse before, but now¡ªnow he truly saw it.


    Mirror-smooth surface, perfectly round. Rainbow light radiated a few inches off its surface, swirling around it like an aurora. Immense power thrummed forth, striking his heart like the beat of an enormous bass drum, and he sucked a breath reflexively.


    A perfect skill orb. Highest grade.


    What skill? What¡ª Looking at the orb, Ike knew it didn''t matter. No matter what skill the orb contained, it was a skill orb. Access to the System. A chance to overturn his dingy life and claim the one he''d longed for.


    A little voice in the back of his head replied, Stolen. It''s stolen! That''s the end of your life, right there! Hand it over!


    In his mind''s eye, Liz''s head snapped back again. That crack, sharp as lightning. His lip twitched, and the voice went silent. No. Not to them.


    A slash. The sound of tearing hide and a thump as a frame fell over. "This is your last chance to surrender before we start cutting this place down."


    Without another moment''s hesitation, he snatched the skill orb out of the shell, mentally commanding it into his body with the command he''d heard his uncle shout a bare few times. Absorb!


    Light burst out from between the cracks in his fingers. Heat sunk into his palm, swirling up his arm and into his chest. It swirled there, then rushed through his entire body, coursing through his torso, his head, every limb and extremity. His stomach lurched, and he pitched forward, almost falling to his knees as he vomited, more than he''d thought was in his stomach pouring out onto the floor. Sweat dripped from every pore, dragging black filth with it. He wiped his face with his shirt, and black like coal smudged the entire bottom half of the garment. His vision blurred, and he shook as if with fever, clutching onto the stump for dear life.


    What''s happening? Am I dying? Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It occurred to him, then, that he''d heard of such things. Incompatibility with the System. Poor match with initial skill. Corrupted skill orb. The bodies, found twisted, hideously deformed, so misshapen even their family members couldn''t recognize them, lying in pools of their own shit and vomit.


    Terror struck Ike to the core, but a second later, he pushed it away. Better than dying like a dog at the hands of the guards.


    As suddenly as it had come on, the pain faded. Ike froze in place for a few moments, taken aback by the abruptness of it all, then slowly uncurled. It felt as if hours had passed, but based on the sun and the men at the front of the hut, only a few seconds had ticked by. He looked around, then down at his hands. Spots of filth flecked his arms, his legs, every piece of bare skin. When he wiped them clean, the skin beneath gleamed, healthier than it had been in ages. He flexed his arm, and the motion came smoothly, comfortably, none of the day''s aches in his shoulders or forearms. He touched his face and found no swelling. His nose didn''t ache, even when he tweaked it.


    Is this¡­ did I¡­


    [Welcome to the System]

 3. To Survive

    [Welcome to the System]The panel vanished, and aside from the filth and the lightness of his body, no evidence remained that Ike had activated the System at all.


    Ike''s eyes widened. He grinned. Everything could come true now. All his dreams. Becoming an adventurer. Surpassing his uncle''s rank, and leaving everything behind. Striking out on his own and building a life for himself. All within his grasp. All attainable.


    "We''ve waited long enough. Private Jones, go ahead."


    A wave of force washed over the hut, snapping the hides on their frames. Power built up, palpable on the air, and bright light glowed from the guard''s sword, backlighting his hand to a silhouetted claw, so bright as to sear through the hides.


    Ike drew a quick breath. No time for celebration. System, skill! What skill did I get?


    Dutifully, a panel appeared. Time seemed to slow as Ike searched for the answer.


    [Name: Ike | Age: 15 | Status: Nm | Rank: 0 [Newly Awakened]]


    Skills: Common: 3 | ¡­ | Unique: 1


    Common: Sprinter Lvl 2 | Distance Runner Lvl 3 | Razor Handling Lvl 2


    Unique: Lightning Dash Lvl 1


    Move by borrowing speed from lightning. May attract lightning strikes.


    Dash. Lightning. Pieces of information darted out at him. He pressed his lips together. Running now would be admitting guilt. No. Escaping wasn''t the answer.


    Why didn''t I get an attack skill? The thought jolted through his mind for a split second before he suppressed it. He narrowed his eyes at the skill, grinning quietly to himself. Who needs an attack, when you have speed? Besides¡­ His eyes darted to the last few words. Lightning strikes. Lightning strikes!


    From the other side of the room, a sharp sound rang out. The first row of hides dropped to the ground, sliced down. The next row of frames trembled where they stood, barely holding on. Two rows remained between the guards and Ike.


    He rolled onto his back and lifted his feet into the air, afraid the skill would drag him toward the guards unbidden otherwise. As loud as he could, he thought, Lightning Dash!


    A trickle of energy rolled through his body, from his stomach down to his legs. Lightning flashed around his ankles for a split second, then nothing. Ike frowned, confused. Activating the skill again, he tried pedaling his legs this time, pushing the strange new energy toward his feet as he did so.


    Instantly, lightning began building at his ankles. Understanding flashed through him, clear as day. Skills didn''t move the body. They didn''t move magic. They were a formula. A method to move magic, through the body, in order to create an affect. He moved his body. He pushed that energy¡ªmana¡ªthrough his body, to where Lightning Dash needed it to be. Once his mana grew close enough, the skill gripped it and shaped it, creating the spell, the magic, Lightning Dash.


    As he used the skill, he observed the way the skill shaped his magic from outside. A stray thought entered his head. If he memorized it, would he be able to use the technique without activating the skill?


    Thoughts for later. He shelved the idea, focusing only on the moment.


    Lightning Dash, the skill, only remained active for a few seconds at a time. Ike activated it again and again, forcing his legs to keep going. The sky darkened. Thunder rolled in the distance. Ike panted. Sweat coursed down him. His whole body shook with the intensity of his still running.


    Once again, light built on the other side of the hides. A sword slash rang out, slicing through the next row. One final row of frames stood between Ike and the guards.


    Ike''s legs pedaled faster than ever. With the repeated activations of Lightning Dash stacking on top of one another, the lightning flickering around his ankles grew thicker, from the circumference of a hair to the width of a fingernail. His feet blurred faster and faster, whistling through the air. A faint purple mist appeared around his feet. His stomach cooled as the energy flowed out of it, draining steadily toward empty.


    Overhead, thunder grumbled, louder than before. The light filtering in through the holes in the roof took on a bruised, purplish cast, a thick cloud growing overhead.


    "I see you there. Come out now, and you can still escape death," one of the guards announced.


    Ike said nothing. Single-mindedly, he spun his legs, faster and faster, calling the lightning to him with his whole heart. His stomach pulled tight to his spine, cold as ice, but he pushed a little more mana into the skill anyways. Come on!


    Light built up, pouring from the hilt on the man''s waist. Silhouetted through the hides, the guard reached for his sword.


    CRACK!


    The whole room went white. Thunder roared, deafeningly loud. The hut fell in on itself, clumps of burning thatch tumbling down with the roof beams and the walls. The heavy roof beams crashed into the rotting floor. The beam beneath Ike snapped, dropping Ike down to the earth beneath the crawlspace. The guards cursed, falling back. One still lashed out with his sword, blindly, and a wave of furious energy surged into the sky.


    Thick smoke filled the remnants of the hut, blinding Ike and the guards alike. Unlike the guards, though, Ike knew the space like the back of his hand. Ike leaped to his feet. Still operating the Lightning Dash, he darted by the guards. Even without his vision, he knew exactly where to step, his instincts guiding his feet toward the solid boards. One of the guards shouted and reached for him, but the guard''s foot dropped into a hole, and he tipped over, forced to catch himself rather than Ike.


    Out of the smoke. Ike sprinted directly out of the hut toward Sean, who stared at Liz, still stunned. Ike tried to turn, but his feet refused to follow his orders, clutched in the grasp of the skill. He dug in his heels in and canceled the skill, barely skidding to a halt, then cut a sharp turn and sprinted in a straight line out the door. By the time Sean turned, he was a blur on the horizon.


    "Who was that?" Sean asked, looking at the workers around him.


    "Huh? Who was what?" Nora frowned at him, lost.


    "I thought¡­" Sean frowned. He stared out the gate, but no one stood anywhere close to the plant. He shook his head. "Must''ve been a mistake."


    The guards stumbled out of the smoke, coughing and waving their hands. They glared at Sean. "What was that? A trap?"


    "What? No." Confused, Sean squinted at them. "How would I even make lightning strike? I don''t control the weather."


    One guard backed toward the door, blocking off his exit. The other one slapped a pair of slender silvery cuffs on Sean''s wrists. "You''re coming with us."


    "I¡­what?" Lost, Sean followed after them.


    "Hey! You can''t take him! He didn''t do anything!" Nora shouted.


    One of the guards approached her, holding out cuffs.


    "It was me, just me. Don''t touch her," Sean spoke up suddenly, pulling at the guard''s hold. "She had nothing to do with this."


    "Private Jones. Let''s not waste more time. Even the air here is full of filth. It''s making my nose run," the guard holding Sean called.


    The other guard stopped. With a nod, he turned around, walking back to the other''s side, and together, they walked Sean away.


    From high on a nearby hill, Ike paused, watching the scene unfold from over his shoulder. Seeing the guards lead Sean away, he allowed himself a little smile. A second later, he turned away and sped off, leaving the plant behind.


    --


    A blade scraped over hide. Fur dropped to the ground. Sitting quietly, Ike worked down the line of hides as usual. And yet, everything was not ''as usual.'' A gray-uniformed guard peered in the gate on her patrol, eyeing them all with suspicion before she moved on. Pasted on the board at the front of the plant, next to the cafeteria''s menu and the week''s ratios, was an image of the fireballs, painted by a skilled hand, and an offering of a hundred silvers for anyone who came forth with information on any of the stolen skill orbs.


    It hadn''t taken long for the guards to realize Sean wasn''t their man. No time at all, in fact. Sean hadn''t reappeared, but neither had they stopped looking for whoever had claimed the orb. They swarmed the slums, poking their noses into every little thing. It set the entire slum on edge. Everyone kept quiet, heading straight home from work. The bars laid empty, save the most devoted drunkards. It grated against Ike, but there was nothing he could do about it. Not yet.


    He had to keep quiet. Keep his skill under wraps.


    If he admitted he''d awakened, he''d draw far too much attention. His uncle knew he had no money, so there was no playing it off as having bought one. He''d played with claiming that he''d killed a monster and found a skill orb on its corpse, but the story had too many holes. The few people he knew who''d killed monsters looked more like Sean than him. Plus, most weak monsters didn''t possess skill orbs. One in a hundred, one in a thousand, he wasn''t sure of the exact chances, but he knew they weren''t good. With no way to explain his awakening, he did what he did best: kept his head down, and laid low.


    For the three days after he''d blasted the guards with lightning, he''d barely been able to drag himself out of bed. Icy cold had suffused his body, and his limbs hung heavy from his body. The first day, he''d been terrified, afraid that he was dying, but as he slowly strengthened day after day, he understood. Not death¡ªlow mana. As little as he knew about skills, he knew skills required mana to function, and putting two and two together, the space in his abdomen that felt warm, now, and cold immediately after using his skill, was what held his mana. Using the skill repeatedly depleted his mana, and the exhaustion was the cost of mana depletion.


    Ike squinted up at the sun. A broad, gorgeous blue sky stretched above him, save where the overcity hovered, a permanent cloud in the sky, just as white as the clouds themselves.


    "Good to see you out here, doing some real work," Nora said, walking into his line of sight.


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Ike grunted. "It''s a nice change of pace."


    "A pity about the hut, though." She glanced over at the blackened ruins of what had been the hide hut.


    "Luckily I wasn''t there," Ike commented.


    "Lady Luck smiled on you, surely. Although¡­you know, I could''ve sworn I saw you go in there that morning," Nora commented, giving him a look.


    He shrugged at her. "I don''t know who you saw, but it wasn''t me. I overslept. I wish I was there, honestly. My uncle clapped my ears good when he found me snoozing." Rubbing a still-swollen ear, he grimaced a little.


    Although he''d healed when he''d activated the System, his new role as an awakened didn''t seem to have permanently boosted his healing rate. Fortunately for him, from his point of view. He would''ve hated to have to punch his own ears every morning.


    Not that there were no changes. His body felt lighter. All the aches in his wrists and legs from his repetitive work were gone. His senses had sharpened, unfortunately for his nose, and he felt a slight warmth grow in his core every time he breathed. Mana, entering his body and setting into his core. If he breathed deeply, as if falling asleep, more mana flowed in. With the tannery next door, he didn''t dare try it at work.


    Nora kicked the charcoal lump of what had once been a support beam. "Bet he was glad when he saw the hut."


    Ike said nothing. The razor dug a little deeper against the hide.


    Leaning against the frame, Nora sighed. "You don''t know how good you have it, kid."


    "Hey! Kid! Get here, right now!" Jaco howled, stomping across the plant.


    Ike stood, setting his razor down. He gave Nora a close-lipped smile and walked over to his uncle, every step heavy.


    A fat hand clapped around his neck, pinning him where he stood. His uncle drew him in, exerting his strength to give Ike no other choice. Closer and closer, until he could see the filthy pores in his uncle''s face, smell the alcohol on his breath.


    His uncle lifted his lip. "Guards are crawling all over town. You know anything about that?"


    "No, sir," Ike replied.


    Drawing him even closer, his uncle growled, "I know you left the villa, that night. My ears are better than you think. Where did you go? Did you see that thing that dropped out of the sky?"


    Ike swallowed. "I didn''t see anything. I¡ªI just went for a walk. That''s all."


    "Went for a walk, huh?" His uncle gave him a long, slow look, then released him, stepping back. "You''re just a stupid-ass kid. Probably snuck out to buy some powders or see some dumbass girl."


    Ike deliberately flinched, lowering his eyes to the floor.


    His uncle smirked. "A girl, huh?" A second later, the smirk vanished. He grabbed Ike''s arm and yanked him back in. Another wave of foul breath and alcohol washed over him. "Don''t you dare go having children on me. Not until you pay off that debt. I''m not cutting you a single ounce of slack, even if you come up to me with a snot-nosed brat. Gods know I should''ve cut your mother off the second she pushed you out."


    Ike''s lip twitched, but he suppressed it. There was no point arguing, no need to point out that his mother and father had both been powerful, successful adventurers. He knew it as well as his uncle did, but if his uncle had made it up in his mind that Ike''s parents were powerless, nothing on this earth would change his opinion, much less something as weak as the truth.


    One day soon.


    With one last glare, his uncle marched off. Ike watched him go, legs subtly tensing. He couldn''t wait for the guards to forget the theft and pass on to the next problem. He had to leave before his uncle sniffed him out, and the sooner, the better.


    Money. I need money. Money to register at the guild. Money to buy more skills, rank up, grow stronger. Money to buy gear, armor, tents, backpacks, everything he''d need to survive an excursion outside the wall, or better yet, to a true dungeon.


    He looked at the hides, then shook his head. His uncle would never pay him enough. Even if he worked all day and all night, his uncle would come up with an excuse to siphon the majority of whatever he made off. He needed something else. Something his uncle didn''t know about. Something he could do, now that he had speed.


    He lifted his eyes, staring at the distant wall. Rank 0s weren''t allowed outside, not to mention that he wasn''t officially awakened or Ranked, but sometimes, smaller monsters made it over the wall and ranged around the wilderness left as buffer on the inside of the wall. Small, weak monsters, the kind most Rank 1s didn''t bother with, let alone Rank 2s or higher ranks. Nonetheless, the monsters threatened the ordinary farmers who worked in the farmland adjacent to the wilderness, and sometimes possessed valuable materials, too.


    The little ones aren''t worth much, but it''s still far more than I can make working in this shithole.


    Night found Ike in the wilderness near the wall. He carried his razor in one hand and a rudimentary cloth sack of supplies over the other, with the entire weekend ahead of him. Stepping into a gap in the forest, he drew out the notice he''d snatched from the local tavern''s message board. A small squirrel-like monster bared oversized fangs at the poster''s artist, four limbs outstretched to show the thin membrane that allowed them to glide from tree to tree. A pest to man and crop alike. Sabertoothed Squirrel. Five copper a head.


    At the bottom of the sheet, a hand-drawn map showed a run-down barn with a five-pointed star on its side and a run down shed, then pointed at the forest beside it. He looked up, checking again. A barn, star and all. The shed, just as drawn. And before him, the forest.


    Dark. Deep. From the moon-drenched field, his eyes failed to penetrate the first row of pale trees. Dense foliage clogged the forest, vines and brambles close around the trees'' trunks. Strange rustling sounds came from the trees, and despite seeing nothing, Ike felt the eyes of a thousand unseen things watching him from the forest.


    Ike swallowed, forcing down his fears. It was nothing intimidating. A squirrel with sharp teeth. He''d taken down squirrels by the dozens in his past, chopping up the gamy meat for stew. And yet¡­a monster. It was a monster. A true monster. Vicious beasts to the end, with magic imbued in their blood, muscles, even bones. Even the smallest monster posed a serious threat to grown man.


    A grown unawakened man, Ike revised, folding the paper and sliding it away. He was awakened, now. Able to use magic and skills. Even as a Rank 0, he couldn''t be considered the same man who''d scraped hides only a few days ago.


    He took a deep breath. Out here in the wilderness, cool, fresh air filled his lungs. A faint warm trace entered him with his breath, settling into his core. Mana. This close to the wilds, mana floated on the very air. It''d be harder to deplete his mana out here.


    Letting his breath out, he stepped into the forest.


    Leaves crunched underfoot. The occasional branch snapped. Ike tugged past thorned vines and kicked through brambles, forging his way deeper, ever deeper. The full moon beamed through the forest''s canopy, bright enough to cast sharp shadows on the forest floor, where it trickled down between the leaves. Eerily quiet, only the distant hoo-hoot of an owl broke the silence. Ike cruised as quietly as he could, but still stood out as the loudest thing in the nocturnal arbor. Desperately aware of how loudly he moved, Ike clenched his razor tight in his fist and kept his head on a swivel.


    A branch swayed, sudden motion in the dark. His head snapped around.


    From behind him, a chittering cry. A rush of wind.


    Instinctively, Ike threw himself to the floor. A small, furry body swooped where his head had been seconds ago, chittering fiercely. It landed on the tree in front of him and rebounded, leaping at his ducked head.


    Lightning flickered around Ike''s ankles. He burst forward, rushing under the squirrel''s leap.


    The squirrel soared over his head, snarling, little limbs pedaling for his hair. It just brushed the crown of his head, but failed to land a solid hit. Its claws sunk into a tree behind him, and it scurried up, repositioning itself for the next attack, then jumped again.


    Ike whirled, only to find the squirrel already airborne and hurtling at his neck. Throwing himself backward, he kicked with his lightning-clad feet, using all his strength to kick high enough to hit the squirrel.


    The squirrel extended its limbs and caught the air, flinching away at the last second. The pad of his foot passed by its chest fur. A single spark transferred to the beast, but no more.


    The squirrel soared up and caught itself on a branch overhead. Pausing for a moment, it bared its vicious teeth and chittered angrily at him, every single fur on its body puffed up.


    Ike backed away, raising his blade. Fast. Faster than him. So fast he struggled to find a clean hit. Attacking from overhead meant his feet couldn''t reach. He couldn''t utilize Lightning Dash to kick it. Ike gritted his teeth, mind whirling. There has to be something. Something I''m not thinking of.


    Swoosh.


    Something rushed at him from behind. Ike dodged, but not fast enough. Claws raked through his scalp as a second squirrel flew by, crashing into the tree just to the right of the first. The two of them chittered at him, the sound almost like laughter.


    "Fuck." Wiping the blood from his forehead, Ike backed away. Two? Can I handle two?


    A fierce cry. He threw himself to the side, but something sliced the side of his neck as the squirrel swooped by. Clasping his hand to his neck, Ike squinted after the squirrel. How¡­?


    The membrane between its legs glittered in the moonlight. The squirrel swirled sideways on the air as it flew toward a tree, and the membranes sliced through a few small branches as it careened to a landing, the edges as sharp as a blade.


    The other two squirrels chittered, scuttling through the trees, branches rustling. Ike ran, barely dodging as one of the squirrels dove at him. The squirrels kept pace with him. They leapt at him from the left and right. Ike slashed with the razor, but by the time he lifted his hand, the squirrel had already escaped. Cursing under his breath, he ducked and dodged, slashing wildly, but the squirrels landed cut after cut on him. In a few seconds, he bled from a dozen small slashes.


    Ike lifted his lip, frustrated. He looked at the squirrels, all-out sprinting to keep up with him. He wasn''t slower. His feet weren''t at least. But his hands¡­ He slashed again, missing the attacker by an inch. Too slow. Seconds too slow. Cut after cut, the cuts building up on his body. Blood ran down his limbs, soaking into his clothes. His body stung all over. Exhaustion began to build, mixing with lightheadedness as his blood ran out.


    He wasn''t going to escape. The squirrels were as fast as him. If he kept running, he''d only die. He had to fight. But if he stopped to fight, if he even slowed, the squirrels would slash him to death. Ike gritted his teeth, face to face with reality. Something. I need something to tip the scales!


    An idea came to him, welling back up from the recesses of his brain. He glanced at his feet, and the shape of the spell appeared in his head again, the way the skill shaped his mana. From the wide channels through his body, it narrowed, and as a result of narrowing, grew faster. It accelerated out of his feet, and as it did, it zipped back and forth in a stable, consistent pattern before crackling out in the form of lightning.


    He didn''t fully understand the principles, but he could see the shape, feel the arc of it, the form as it shaped in his body. Even without a full understanding, he could replicate it. Copy it, pull it somewhere else and release it through another part of his body.


    Ducking a squirrel, he lifted his hand. In his mind, he created a model of the spell''s shape, imagining the flow of the mana through it. Once. It collapsed, the model disformed even in his mind, the mana flows clashing with one another. Twice. Another collapse, but this time, he understood the failure and reshaped it. A third time.


    The squirrels slashed him left and right. Blood ran down his body. Precious seconds wasted away.


    No more time. He turned his attention to his hand. Taking the model from his mind, he replicated the shape in the real world, tightening his hold on the mana, then forcing that mana back and forth, replicating the zip as the skill shaped his mana into lightning. A tiny flicker of static electricity shaped around his hand.


    Ike stared. It should have worked. The model was¡ª


    He rolled his eyes at himself and jabbed his hand forward.


    Lightning flickered around it for a single split second as it darted forward so fast it blurred. In the next instant, the skill collapsed, mana flows clashing with one another, the back-and-forth zip weakening to a straight line. But for just a moment, his hand moved with the same speed as the Lightning Dash skill gave his feet.


    Good enough. Ike ran on, watching the squirrels as they ran alongside him. Abruptly, one jumped from his left side, arcing toward his neck.


    As it drew near, Ike activated the lightning skill on his hand for that split second. His hand accelerated, and the razor swooped toward the squirrel. The squirrel widened its stance, attempting to bank.


    Lightning crackled. Ike closed the distance, hand and feet acting in concert. The razor slashed it open from neck to belly, and in a spray of blood, it spiraled to the ground.


    Ike grinned. The skill collapsed around his hand, but he didn''t mind. Spinning the razor, he caught it and pointed it at the other two. "Who''s next?" Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Enraged, another squirrel leapt at him even as he spoke.


    Once more, Ike forced Lightning Dash out through his hand. His hand leapt forth, surging toward the squirrel with surprising speed. Another tiny head struck the ground, the body slapping to the forest floor a moment later.


    Ike skidded to a halt. He turned to the third squirrel, no longer afraid. Raising his razor threateningly, he stared it down, gazing deep into its soulless black eyes.


    The squirrel clung to its branch, its tail flicking back and forth desperately. Suddenly, it leapt up and sprinted away, leaving Ike alone in the forest.


    Exhausted, Ike dropped to his knees. He looked down at the corpses before him, the two dead monsters. Lifted his arms, watching the blood run down his hands from the cuts on his shoulders.


    All at once, he laughed, shoulders shaking, whole body trembling with relief. I did it. I killed them. I killed the monsters. Me. Ike. I did it! I¡ª


    He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. One of the squirrels had run away. Doubtlessly the forest held more squirrels. If he sat around and celebrated, they''d come back with reinforcements and finish him off for good this time.


    Picking up the monsters'' bodies, Ike wiped his face and climbed back to his feet, slogging his way back to the edge of the forest. Despite his exhaustion, though, his steps felt light, his heart all but floating. He''d killed monsters. Him. A nobody from the slums.


    No. Not a nobody.


    Not anymore.

 4. Out and Back Again

    After selling the corpses off to a farmer and spending a night in his stables, Ike headed back toward the slums, wary of spending too long away. The danger of triggering his uncle''s suspicion was too much to risk. All the way back, he kept practicing forcing Lightning Dash through his hand, holding the skill for longer and longer, from half a second to a second, from a second to two seconds.As he walked back into the slums, he pulled up his stat sheet.


    [Name: Ike | Age: 15 | Status: Nm | Rank: 0 [Newly Awakened]]


    Skills: Common: 3 | ¡­ | Unique: 2


    Common: Sprinter Lvl 2 | Distance Runner Lvl 3 | Razor Handling Lvl 3


    Unique: Lightning Dash Lvl 1 | Lightning Grasp Lvl 0


    Ike startled. It counts as a skill now? Rather than shaping the magic himself, he activated the Lightning Grasp skill.


    His hand flickered with lightning for the same two seconds it did when he forcibly activated it, no more capable than his bootleg version.


    Twisting his lips, Ike went back to forcibly activating it, focusing on holding it longer and longer each time. It started at a lower level than the rest of his skills, at Lvl 0. If he''d gained the skill by forcing it to activate many times, then surely continuing to force it to activate would level it up to a real skill, one where he wouldn''t have to consciously shape the skill, the same as Lightning Dash.


    A second later, he startled and pulled the menu back up. He stared at the bottom of the blue box.


    Unique: Lightning Dash Lvl 1 | Lightning Grasp Lvl 0


    Two Unique skills. By forcibly operating his Unique skill on a different part of his body, he''d created a second Unique skill.


    Ike frowned, completely lost. Was that a special function of ''unique'' skills, the ability to mutate? Were all the mutated Unique skills also classified as unique? Or was it something completely different?


    He shook his head. He didn''t know enough yet. In fact, he knew almost nothing about skills and magic, except for the bare basics every kid couldn''t help but pick up. He clenched his fist as his latest attempt to maintain the Lightning Grasp failed. If he lacked the knowledge, then there was only one way to make up for it: raw, brute force attempts. Throw attempts at it until he figured out exactly how many Unique skills he could breed from his original Unique skill. It doesn''t hurt to try.


    Setting off at a jog, he activated Lightning Dash. Instantly, he sped up, the landscape hurtling past. Ike gripped the framework of the skill and stretched it up his legs.


    As he stretched it, the mana draw grew heavier. His stomach instantly cooled, mana rushing out of it. In the space of a breath, that space behind his stomach¡ªhis core¡ªemptied.


    Without any mana, the Lightning Dash skill cut off abruptly. Ike stumbled back to the speed of an ordinary jog. His knees trembled, all but crumbling out from under him. He slowed to a halt, bracing himself against his knees to catch his breath.


    After a few seconds, he pushed up to his full height again. He wiped his face and took a breath, the thinnest traces of warm mana gathering into his core as he did so. Stretching the framework was too much. Copying it from his feet to an equally small part of his body, like his hand, was one thing, but stretching the skill over more of his body pushed beyond his current mana capacity.


    If he gathered mana more quickly, he''d be able to power the skill. Ike nodded, clenching his fist. Gather mana more quickly, so he could attempt more Lightning Dash-based skills. Practice the Lightning Grasp and Lightning Dash to perfection. And then, when he was strong enough, return to the monsters. Wipe them out, earn enough money to acquire everything he needed, and leave the slums, and his uncle, behind forever.


    For now, though, what I need is some time to rest, heal, and recover mana, Ike thought, turning his feet toward the villa and his room. He took a deep breath, relaxing just a hair, with no thought but his bundle of rags and a long day of sleep. As he reached for the door, a sharp female voice rang out, full of authority. On instinct, Ike flinched back, dropping the handle. He hesitated, then leaned in, silently listening at the door.


    "Ma''am, please. That man was completely unaffiliated with me. Blaming me for his mistakes is¡ª"


    Ike''s eyes widened. Again? Hearing his uncle speak politely twice in a week left his hairs on end. Wrong. His uncle never bowed his head, not to anyone. And yet, twice? Twice? He shot a nervous look at the door, edging toward his bedroom. Whoever that is, they''re incredibly powerful.


    Too far from the door, and their voices faded. Ike froze, caught between safety and knowledge, then chose knowledge. He leaned back toward the door, but his whole body tensed, ready to flee at a moment''s notice.


    "I don''t care," the female voice snarled, more vicious than he''d ever heard his uncle. "My men last sensed it on your property. That makes it your responsibility. Either you find it, or you owe the city the full price of the skill orb."


    Ike swallowed. How much did a Perfect skill orb cost? Let alone one that held a Unique skill. The lowest-rank skill orb cost a hundred silver. The price increased with each rank, and Unique was the highest rank. Between the lowest rank and the highest, how much did the price increase?


    More than I want to know, he thought, biting his lip. More than my uncle can pay.


    The door flew open. Ike found himself face-to-face with a handsome woman, her fierce jaw and sharp eyes piercing straight through Ike. She scythed him with her eyes, giving him a look as if he were a piece of shit on her boot. Ike jumped away, clearing her path, his heart in his throat. She marched past, dark purple uniform''s sharp shoulder pads hurtling toward Ike''s head. Ducking to the side, he narrowly avoided a collision.


    "Boy."


    He glanced at his uncle and swallowed. A part of him screamed to run away, but he knew that pain would only await him, so long as he remained here, so long as he returned home. Ike left the early daylight and stepped into the villa''s shadow, ducking his head.


    A thick hand clasped him on the back of the neck and reeled him in. His uncle leaned down, glaring at him. "You heard."


    Ike flinched. He took a shallow breath, then bobbed his head. No point lying. His uncle had seen him.


    "Then you already know I''m being blamed for shit I didn''t do." His uncle glared at him. "And you know I''m going to have to pay more than I own."


    Ike nodded again.


    His uncle sighed. He released Ike, all but pushing him away. "I can''t take on your debt anymore. Not with this financial burden to shoulder." He let out a dramatic sigh, shaking his head as if with regret. "I''ll give you until the end of the month."


    "The end of the month to¡­" Ike trailed off, disbelieving. It couldn''t be. That wasn''t possible.


    "To repay your debt, boy. What else?"


    Ike''s head spun. He staggered back as if struck. Even hunting monsters, he couldn''t do it. If he killed the most powerful monster he could every day for the next month, he¡ª


    No. I''m stronger now. And not only that. With the System and these skills, there''s no limit to my potential strength.


    Ike took a deep breath. He nodded once, firmly. "I''ll do it."


    His uncle gave him a smile more manufactured than the cloud-like overcity above. He clapped Ike on the shoulder. "We''re blood. I won''t throw you to the wolves. If you can''t find a way to pay me back yourself, I''ll set you up with The Family. Don''t be afraid to come to me."


    Ike flinched, heart lurching in fear. Sending him to The Family was the same as sentencing him to death. The jobs that criminal syndicate picked up were no less than suicidal. Killings, assassinations, monster hunting for profit with unawakened citizens, death games, killing pits, gambling, they did it all. Not to mention that association with The Family would besmirch his record beyond repair. Going to them spelled the end of his career as an adventurer, the end of his future in the light.


    Between throwing me to the wolves and setting me up with The Family, please throw me to the wolves.


    With that, he turned around, heading back out into the world.


    "Where are you going?" his uncle snapped.


    "To make money," Ike replied.


    His uncle snorted. "Smart kid." Shutting the door, he turned away.


    Ike looked around him, then headed back toward the wilderness near the wall. There were more monsters to be hunted out there, and he was already geared up for staying outdoors. From the beginning, he''d only come back because he''d thought his job was over, to rest in his real bed rather than in the wild.


    But now, now that time was of the essence, he''d only be wasting time if he snoozed. It wasn''t time to sleep. It was time to hunt.


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    It took until midday to return to the wilderness. This time, he walked slowly around the edge of the woods, keeping his eyes open for monsters, but equally for a good place to sleep. He couldn''t return until he had enough money to pay off his debt, which meant setting up a longer-term camp. Also on his list, finding a place to sell the monsters he hunted. That farmer he''d sold the first batch to didn''t have enough coppers to pay off his debt. Even if he kept buying the squirrels forever, he''d run out of cash sooner rather than later.


    As he walked, his core steadily refilled, much faster than it had in town. Ike took a deep breath, relishing in the warmth that flowed into his lungs and down into his core. The further he walked from civilization, the stronger it got.


    At that, Ike paused. The stronger the mana on the air, the quicker his own magic store refilled, but the same held true for monsters. If he headed somewhere with mana so thick he could instantly refill his core in a breath, he''d have to fight monsters who could do the same. Not only that, but monsters who could afford to cast spells and skills so powerful they''d deplete his entire core, and do so as rapidly as breathing.


    Ike turned back around, heading toward the thinner parts of the wilderness instead. Best to stick to the shallows for now. Once he''d leveled up a few times, then, then he could head deeper. But for now, better to stick to what he knew he could conquer.


    Returning to the place he''d fought the squirrels last night, he drew his razor. The branches remained eerily still, the entire forest quiet.


    Playing coy, huh? Ike grinned. Clearing his throat, he lifted his head and chittered, just like the first squirrel had last night. His cry echoed through the forest, a pale imitation of the real thing, painful to his ears.


    Ike grimaced. He shook his head. No way is that going to work. I need something better. Something¡ª


    A branch rustled nearby, followed by the signature cry. Ike whirled, raising his razor into the squirrel''s path even as it swooped at his head. Startled, it squealed and jerked away.


    Lightning Grasp! His hand darted out, faster than the squirrel could dodge. It hit the ground with a dull thump.


    Picking up the body, Ike tied it to his pack with a thin rope, then set off again, occasionally chittering. One after another, squirrels leaped at him, and one after another, they met their end. Whenever he needed a break, he sat still and kept quiet, breathing and nothing more. Once the air replenished his mana, he set off into the forest again, downing squirrel after squirrel.


    Tying the tenth one to his pack, Ike clicked his tongue. It almost feels unfair. Not that I''m gonna stop, the squirrely bastards.


    He pulled up his menu.


    [Name: Ike | Age: 15 | Status: Nm | Rank: 0 [Newly Awakened]]


    Skills: Common: 3 | ¡­ | Unique: 2


    Common: Sprinter Lvl 3 | Distance Runner Lvl 4 | Razor Handling Lvl 5


    Unique: Lightning Dash Lvl 2 | Lightning Grasp Lvl 1


    A grin spread across Ike''s face. He punched the air, excited. My skills are growing! Hell yeah!


    He turned his eyes toward the deeper parts of the forest. The places where mana thickened, dense on the air. The squirrels only gained him five coppers. The things that lived in deeper parts of the wilds¡­how much were they worth?


    Ike touched his core. Warmth swirled within, still enough mana to keep going. He wasn''t sure if it was just his imagination or not, but it seemed larger than it had been the day before, or even that morning. More capable of holding mana. He called the shape of Lightning Dash to the front of his mind, and almost tried drawing it up his arm again, but stopped himself at the last minute. His mistake had cost all his mana last time. Right now, he needed to hunt monsters, not waste time trying experimental techniques.


    Soon, he resolved. Once I pay off my debt. Once I''m a free man. Clenching his fist, he headed deeper into the forest.


    Without the squirrels to chitter for, he walked on in silence, watching for any motion. Abruptly, something shifted in the undergrowth. Ike fell still.


    Through the brambles, a fluffy white body shifted, jiggling slightly as it sniffed at the ground, little stub tail high. Ike rolled his eyes. Just a rabbit.


    The rabbit turned slightly. A long, flabby flesh-colored tube curved up from its fluffy body, the strange thing dead-ending in a round maw and flat black eyes that were little more than black spots on its exterior. They locked eyes, and the rabbit-worm-thing hopped viciously at Ike, mouth gaping hungrily. Needle-like teeth extended from the end of its nubby head, circling its round jaw. They clenched at him, almost like a hand of sharp teeth.


    Ike jumped back, startled more than anything. What the hell?


    It hopped again, still silent. Not hesitating another moment, Ike charged to meet it, slicing that wet flesh with his razor. The worm-head went flying, leaving a long worm neck and a rabbit body to thrash on the ground.


    Ike took a deep breath, walking over to nudge the worm-head over and get a better look. Just as he went to crouch, motion lunged at him from the corner of his eye. Instinctively, he threw his hand up, batting it back.


    The worm-rabbit bit his hand, those needle teeth plunging deep into the flesh of his palm. A new head had grown where the head he''d sliced had been.


    "Fuck!" Ike snarled. He drew his hand back, pulling the rabbit body toward him. Twisting his bit hand around, he grabbed its neck, then drove his razor deep into its furry body. The worm-rabbit kicked, struggling. Red blood stained white fur. The needle-teeth released his hand, and the rabbit collapsed, going still.


    Ike shook his arm, lifting it for a once-over. Little red pinpricks marked a circle on his arm, and blood ran down from each of them, a purplish bruise just starting up underneath. He grimaced. That''s going to hurt.


    Still, it was only a superficial wound. As long as he was prepared for the rabbit-worms, it wouldn''t be difficult to slaughter them. Their mouths and worm bodies possessed great strength, but he outsped them by a mile. The next one wouldn''t be able to touch him. He set off into the forest, razor at the ready.


    Hours passed. At last, Ike emerged from the forest, a bulging sack pieced together from rags over his shoulder. He paused there, frowning at the ground. He couldn''t take them to his uncle. Not only would his uncle underpay him, but his uncle was already suspicious of him. Showing up with dozens of monsters would basically confirm his uncle''s suspicions. Ike held no doubts: if his uncle so much as thought he might be behind the theft, he''d turn Ike in without hesitation.


    Which leaves the outpost. He gazed down the road, past the nearby farm and around the bend. Out of sight, a small settlement clustered against the wall, growing out from it like fungus. Hunters and adventurers often sold their kills there. The kills were then upsold to Ike''s uncle for processing, something his uncle cursed bitterly about, and which warned Ike about the outpost''s dirt-cheap prices. Still, he could sell the monsters without his uncle knowing about it, which was already a huge bonus.


    Ike thought for a few more seconds, then shook his head. He didn''t know any other places to sell monsters, and pressed for time as he was, he couldn''t spend too much of it searching for where to sell. Even walking to the outpost would take hours of daylight, let alone setting off to some distant place in hope of finding a better rate. He took a deep breath, then set off toward the outpost. Worst case, he could always ask around for a better place to sell.


    Besides, it was my uncle who was complaining. He''d complain if they upsold for one extra copper.


    The sun was high in the sky by the time he reached the outpost. Walking purposefully through town, he watched the other pedestrians with his peripherals, watching for someone else with monster corpses. Better to blend in and figure things out on his own, rather than get approached by someone coming for the obvious first-timer.


    Even as he walked, he passed a man with a dead purple-furred hyena over his shoulder. The man ducked into a tavern just off the main square, and after pretending to look in a shop window for a moment, Ike followed him in.


    Rather than a tavern, he found himself in the midst of a cool room, monster bodies piled high all around. A pale white crystal let off thick waves of icy air from atop the chandelier, and despite the high-quality appearance of the crystal, it balanced haphazardly on the iron beams. At the far end of the room, a woman sat behind a counter, chin propped on one hand. She wore the same rugged leather gear as the man ahead of Ike, marking her as a hunter or adventurer. A small red crystal glowed on a choker, casting a red orb of warmth around her and only her.


    The man thumped his hyena on her counter. She yawned and put a hand on the body, distracted. Her hand glowed. The glow left her hand and traveled up and down the creature''s body, then returned to her hand. Her eyes blurred for a moment, focusing on something Ike and the man couldn''t see.


    "Fifty silver," she said at last.


    Ike startled. Fifty silver? How long would I have to work to make that much money? Five copper a day, ten copper to a silver¡­


    "Fifty? Fifty, for a Twilight Hyena of this quality? I didn''t even make a mark on it!" the man protested.


    Ike stared. That''s low? His brows furrowed, and he squinted at the hide. He''d seen hides like that before, intimately close. His uncle had bought these hyenas before. Rage burned in his chest, and he bit his lip, forcing himself to hold it back. His uncle had so much money, and he couldn''t even pay him a working wage? Enough riches to not blink at buying an overpriced dog corpse like this? His uncle bought monsters like this by the dozen, and wouldn''t forgive a single copper of Ike''s debt?


    I know it''s business. I know it''s¡ªreturns, and bullshit like that. But still. Selling me to The Family when¡ª


    Ike took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. Now wasn''t the time, nor was this the place. Impotent rage at his uncle helped no one, least of all himself.


    Besides, he fully believed that his uncle lacked the money to pay the warden. Skill orbs were expensive, and he knew his uncle drank most of his discretionary money. Ultimately, having the capital to make business purchases was different than having liquid cash on hand.


    She slapped the body. It undulated under her hand, as if its skin was a sack full of liquid. "Don''t give me that shit. Its insides are slurry. I''m being kind giving you fifty silver for the hide and bones. Everyone knows the organs are the most useful part of a Twilight Hyena. Next time, crush the skull if you have to, but don''t turn the liver into pate, hmm?" She plopped a small sack on the countertop and nudged it toward him.


    The man scowled, but didn''t protest. He grabbed the sack and threw a rude gesture her way. As he stomped out, Ike caught sight of the badge on his belt: Rank 2.


    He grimaced. Right. It wouldn''t be easy to catch a monster worth fifty silver. But even so¡­


    "What''re you waiting for? Come on," the woman said, gesturing Ike on.


    He stepped forward, setting his sack on the counter. Carefully, he undid the knot holding it closed, releasing the corpses into a pile. "I''d like to sell these."


    The woman sighed heavily. Her eyes crawled over the monsters, lips pursing in slight distaste. "I don''t even have to rate these. They''re all low-level monsters."


    "Is there something I can do to make them worth more?" Ike asked.


    "In general, bringing complete corpses helps¡­but honestly, it''s not worth bothering, with small fry like these. Even a high-grade Sabertoothed Squirrel corpse will only net you six coppers over the standard five. They aren''t worth enough to be worth the effort."


    One copper is one more copper. Keeping his thoughts to himself, Ike nodded. "Thank you."


    She scythed her eyes over him, pausing at his badge-less belt. "Unranked? Ought to register." S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike winced. He looked at the floor. "I¡ª"


    "Spare me the sob story. Everyone''s got their own circumstances, yadda yadda. Still. Oughta register, if you''ve got the cash. It''s only a silver."


    Ike pressed his lips together and gave her a fake smile.


    "Those kinda circumstances, huh," she muttered. She snorted, then tossed him a silver, following it up with a handful of coppers. "You willing to party up?"


    "Uh¡­ what?" Ike asked. He clenched the coins tight, still processing the amount of money he held. A few weeks of this work would make up for all the saving and scrimping he''d done for the skill orb. Weeks!


    She nodded, gesturing vaguely with her shoulders as she ferried the hyena, then Ike''s kills to their respective piles. "I might know a troupe who''s looking for a fifth. You seem like a resourceful, hardworking kid in need of cash. If you wanna make money fast, partying up to take down a big monster with a bunch of low rankers is the fastest way to do it."


    Ike opened his mouth to refuse, then stopped himself, eyeing the hyena the Rank 2 had brought in. He couldn''t afford to turn down any opportunities right now. And that hyena¡­even bringing down a monster of that rank would equate to fifty days, hunting on his own. Acting disinterested, he shrugged. "If it''s a good enough offer, I''ll consider it."


    The woman snorted, amused. "Sure, kid. I''ll let you know. Tomorrow afternoon, at the Wolf''s Head, ask for Leah. If I''m not there, assume it fell through."


    Tomorrow. It was the weekend, so he wouldn''t have work. He was open. Ike nodded. "I''ll see you there."

 5. Party Up

    As the sun set the next day, Ike headed into town, a fresh bag of bodies over his shoulder. Three silver clinked in his bag, the results of the previous afternoon''s and this morning''s hunting. In two days, he''d already started to make up for all his years of work under his uncle''s thumb. Two days, and he had the money of weeks worth of work. Ike still struggled to believe it, the impossibility of how easy money came to hunters. Even Rank 0s are insanely strong. It just isn''t fair.Lifting his hand, he activated Lightning Grasp. The skill came easily now, and held for a half-minute at a time, about as long as he could activate Lightning Dash. By instinct alone, Lightning Dash felt faster, but there was something else to Lightning Grasp, something he hadn''t quite understood yet. He frowned, rubbing his fingers together. Skills were mysterious. How did they work? Why did skill orbs grant power? Why were some people blessed by the System, and others executed by it? How could he create his own skill so easily, when people paid hundreds of gold for Unique skills?


    Or could it be that having a Unique skill is the prerequisite to learning more Unique skills? Ike pondered for a few moments, then shrugged. He was no skill scholar. This kind of thing was beyond his understanding. For now, it was enough to understand how to operate them. Better yet that he could create his own skills. Beyond that, skills remained a total mystery to him.


    He checked his stat sheet as he walked, curious about the progress of his skills.


    [Name: Ike | Age: 15 | Status: Nm | Rank: 0 [Newly Awakened]]


    Skills: Common: 3 | ¡­ | Unique: 2


    Common: Sprinter Lvl 4 | Distance Runner Lvl 5 | Razor Handling Lvl 6


    Unique: Lightning Dash Lvl 2 | Lightning Grasp Lvl 1


    He pursed his lips, intrigued. All his common skills had leveled up, but his Unique skills took longer to gain levels. Unique skills leveled slower than common ones. Not a surprise, given that they were the highest ranked skills. Still, something to keep an eye on.


    A man stood behind the counter of the monster buyer''s counter today, wearing the same heating-spell-imbued choker as Lea had the day before. He made no conversation as he checked Ike''s kills, then counted out his money. Ike''s heart caught as he counted the coins, delighting in the extra copper for his few perfect kills. It wasn''t much, but every copper counted right now. Even if the ''big monster'' Lea promised paid off his debt, he''d still need money to set off into the wilderness, register at the guild, and so on. He could afford to not care about coppers once he made his fortunes.


    Collecting his coins, Ike turned to walk out, only to all-but-bump into a man on the way in. He stumbled back, murmuring an apology, only for the man to catch him by the shoulders. "Ike!"


    Ike startled. He looked up.


    A distantly familiar face stared back at him, one he knew, but couldn''t place. The man grinned, uncomfortably friendly, and Ike backed away. Taking no cues, the man walked with him. "It''s Ike, isn''t it? Jaco''s nephew? You became a hunter? Since when, man? Should''ve said something!"


    "I¡­don''t know who you''re talking about," Ike muttered.


    "What do you mean? I sell to your uncle all the time!" the man insisted.


    Ike shook his head. "I don''t have an uncle. I''m sorry. You have the wrong person."


    "Do I? I don''t think I do, though¡­" The man squinted. "Are you trying to keep this from your uncle, or something?"


    Without another word, Ike shoved past him. His heart raced, and a part of him wanted to race back and deny it, deny it all, but he knew the best option was to walk on. Pretend it hadn''t happened. Pretend to be just as confused and disgusted as a random person taken by mistake would be, and maybe the man would believe it.


    I was too na?ve. Just because he paid no attention to the hundreds of hunters and adventurers who filtered in and out of his uncle''s plant, didn''t mean they returned the favor. He should have known. Been prepared.


    But the outpost was so far away. But most hunters didn''t bother to heft their kills all the way across the farmlands to the slums. But, but, but¡ª


    No. I was stupid. I made a mistake. One sighting, I can write off as coincidence. Two¡­my uncle''s too paranoid. He''ll march me straight to the marshal.


    I need a disguise. Something. Anything.


    He reached to his neck and felt around for the cloth he usually wore while scraping the hides. There, he paused. Would he be more recognizable with his mouth covered? Less? After all, if the hunters had seen him, they''d probably seen him with his face half covered.


    Ike beelined to the church, keeping his head down the whole way there. Unlike most of the buildings in the outpost, the church had glass windows. Stained glass depicted the Sun Lord''s ascent into the sky, the Moon Lady''s cyclical rise and fall, and the Silent King''s dark underworld. Peering into the depths of hell, he leaned left and right, raising the cloth, then lowering it. Whether it hid his nose and mouth or sat around his neck, the same bright blue eyes glared from under long, gloomy bangs, his hair crowding his face. He frowned, then took off the cloth and retied it over his forehead, pushing his bangs back from his face. Without his bangs to hide behind, he felt revealed, obvious¡ªbut at the same time, the clean look of pushing all his hair back gave him a completely different aura, moreso than hiding more of his face. A different person stared back at him from the dark swirling miasma of the underworld, someone bold, fierce, confident.


    He took a deep breath and nodded at his reflection. Not bad. It''ll do.


    Checking the sun, he steeled himself, adjusting his shirt and tucking his makeshift sack into the back of his belt, then set off across the outpost toward the Wolf''s Head.


    Unlike the cold fake tavern full of monster corpses, the Wolf''s Head emitted warmth and light before he entered the building. Regulars wandered in and out, shouting to one another, mugs of beer sloshing around. A ragged taxidermied wolf''s head hung on the end of a pair of chains, a felt tongue hanging out, one glass eye staring at the street, a hollow socket buzzing with flies gazing the other direction. Ike mingled with the flow of people passing in and out, and edged into the tavern. Inside, tables clustered close under candlelit chandeliers. The smell of stew and old beer mixed with the stench of body odor and monster blood. Hunters, adventurers, and the people who manned the outpost bantered, trading jokes and insults. A pretty girl in a low-cut blouse bussed the tables, carrying beer and stew around.


    He scanned the room, searching for the girl from the monster sellers'' room.


    Noticing him looking lost, the waitress worked her way toward him, then smiled. "Here for a meal or the night?"


    "I''m¡ªI''m looking for Lea," Ike said, nervous.


    Instantly, the customer service smile vanished. She rolled her eyes and propped her hand on her hip, pointing toward the back of the tavern, where the building wound around out of sight of the door. "Back there."


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    "Thanks," Ike said, quietly taking stock of her reaction.


    He headed toward the back, around a corner, past a dozen tables and two side rooms, and into a slightly less crowded lounge at the very rear of the building. Lea sat there, along with a table full of Rank 1 adventurers, badges glittering on their belts. At the sight of him, Lea stood. She patted Ike on the back. "Good luck."


    Ike glanced at her. He nodded, approaching the table. The adventurers looked up at him, eyes grim. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    One leaned her elbows on the table, her hair held back in a series of ponytail ties. She wore metal armor, an enormous axe propped against her seat. Beside her, a slender, tan man in dark leather fiddled with a dagger, not even looking up as Ike approached. On the near side of the table, with their backs to him, a beautiful woman with shoulder-length black hair tucked her hands in her lap, soft cloth robes folding around her. She didn''t move at all, as still as a doll. A muscular man wound an arm over her shoulders, tilting his head back to shoot Ike a warning look.


    Ike cleared his throat. "I''m the one Lea sent."


    He turned his head, getting another angle on the beautiful woman in robes. Eyes shut, she sat bolt upright in her seat. Her chest didn''t even seem to rise and fall, nor did her fingers twitch. He licked his lips. Is she alive?


    "We know," the axe-wielding woman said, sitting back. She looked him up and down, then grunted. Her eyes shifted to the muscular man. "Joseph? You''re the party leader."


    Joseph gave Ike a cursory glance, then turned to the wiry man with the dagger. "Ket?"


    Ket flipped his dagger and cut his eyes at Ike. Black sclera and pale white irises stared at him, his pupils pinpoints in a sea of white.


    Startled, Ike froze, instantly putting on a poker face. What¡­? How¡­?


    Ket chuckled. He lowered his eyelids again, smirking just a bit as his dark lashes eclipsed his strange eyes. "He''s got guts. He''ll do."


    "Sandra?"


    The axe-wielder harrumphed. "I don''t care. Anyone works."


    At last, the muscular man turned to the lady in his arms. He gently rubbed her shoulder, his voice turning soft. "Tana?"


    She didn''t react.


    His brows furrowed. Anger flashed across his face. He squeezed her, hard enough to force her arms to move. "Tana."


    The woman nodded.


    Joseph, offering Ike a handshake. "You''re on the team."


    Ike looked at Joseph''s hand, then frowned. "What''s your goal?"


    "Goal? Did Lea not tell you?" Joseph asked.


    "She mentioned a big monster?" Ike prompted him.


    Joseph sighed. He nodded, running his hair back. "We''re going after the Salamander. It lives not far outside the wall, in a nearby hollow."


    "I''m Rank 0, is that a problem?" Ike asked.


    Joseph waved his hand dismissively. "You can go out with a Rank 1 escort. Unawakened can go outside with Rank 1s, for hell''s sake."


    Ike nodded. He looked at the others. "Should I show you my skills?"


    Even as he offered it, his brain worked, churning out ways to disguise his Unique skill. In the next moment, he paused, examining himself. Do I need to disguise a Unique skill? No one else should know what it looks like, right?


    A tenor voice disrupted his thoughts. "Can you move fast?" Ket balanced his dagger on its tip, watching it sway ever so lightly.


    "Yes."


    "Good. You should." He stood, snatching up the dagger as he did so.


    Joseph nodded, following Ket to his feet. He drew Tana up with him, and unprotestingly, she stood. "Tomorrow. Outpost gates. Dawn."


    "What am I doing?" Ike asked, as the rest of the party stood as well.


    Joseph snorted. He paused, looking Ike up and down. "Consider this a kind of¡­charity. A way to help out young Rank 0s, and make our fight less annoying. You''re there to do sweeping duty. Keep the weak mob enemies off our ass. Can you do that?"


    Ike clenched his razor. "Yes."


    A smirk crawled over Joseph''s face, poorly disguised. "Are you worried about the danger? Don''t be. I''m one of the most powerful Rank 1s in the outpost. I should hit Rank 2 any day now. You couldn''t be safer, even if we''re going up against a powerful monster."


    "I''m not worried," Ike clarified. Not about the monster, anyways.


    "Great. See you at dawn."


    "What''s my cut?" Ike asked as they walked away.


    Joseph turned back. "Ten percent. You''re a lower Rank. Won''t pull as much weight."


    Ike hesitated, then nodded. Ten percent of a monster big enough to have mobs was almost certainly more than he could hunt in a day on his own.


    The party filtered out, leaving him behind. He stared after them until they left, then narrowed his eyes. Something isn''t right.


    He looked at the sky out a nearby window. Already, the sun lowered toward the horizon. He stood on the precipice of a choice. Stay here, figure out the strangeness associated with this invitation, and go out tomorrow to hunt a huge monster armed with his skills and knowledge. Or go home, complete his day job, blend in, pretend as if nothing had happened.


    Ike released his breath. He shook his head. His uncle told him to go get money. That was reason enough to not show up at work for the pittance his uncle paid him. At this point, his uncle''s suspicion didn''t matter. He''d be suspicious whether he showed up or not. Taking one day off wouldn''t kill him.


    And as suspicious as the invitation was, the money was too good. He couldn''t ignore it completely. But neither did he have to take the risk blind.


    Mind made up, he headed back into the tavern writ large. Scanning the crowd, he spotted a few old men and women sitting at the bar, an empty stool in their midst. He walked up and took the empty stool, looking around.


    To his right, an old woman glanced at him dismissively. "What do you want?"


    The man to his left glanced up as he sat, then scowled. "Couldn''t be a pretty lady."


    "My apologies." He nodded at the bartender and put a copper on the table. "Stew, thanks."


    Squinting at him, the old man nodded. "I ain''t seen you around before. New face?"


    "Yep. New around these parts. Just got invited to a big hunt, in fact," Ike agreed.


    "A big hunt? Who the hell invited someone as green as¡ª" The old woman cut off. She and the old man shared a look.


    They know something. As expected. The tavern back in the slums was the center of gossip and news. Ike stayed away, but his uncle came back at least once a week shouting mad about some fresh tale or another. This business partner had oversold his corpses, that worker was having kids with that other worker''s wife. If his uncle could hear things that ephemeral, there was no question in Ike''s mind that someone in the tavern would know about Joseph and his team.


    "Yeah. I''m excited," Ike said, smiling to give them a little push.


    "Hmm." The old man sat up a bit. "You know, I reckon a young''un like you could use a spot of advice, no?" He tapped his tankard on the bar. A hollow sound rang out.


    "Shameless," the old woman admonished him.


    The old man waggled his brows. "Shame doesn''t fill my tankard."


    Ike pushed another copper to the bartender. "Another ale for my friend."


    The old man tossed him a toothless grin as the bartender filled his mug. When it was back in his hand, he took a deep swig and let out a sigh of satisfaction before turning to Ike again. "You got hooked fast, huh? That crew''s notorious around here for chewing up newbies."


    "Oh?" Ike asked, accepting his stew from the bartender. It didn''t taste like much, but it filled his stomach.


    The old man nodded. "Yeah. They recruit idiots who''ve never been beyond the wall, take ''em out into the wilds, and that''s it. Poof. Gone. That team''s got as many skeletons in its closet as most teams have monster corpses tallied up. If I were you, I''d get out fast."


    Unperturbed, Ike looked at the man. That''s not a surprise, from the way they handled my part in it. I was clearly an afterthought. They never counted on me as a real team member¡­and likely, never counted on me making it out alive, either. "The new member never returns?"


    "Never," the old woman said, shaking her head.


    The man hesitated, squinting. "Didn''t the crew start out as two people? Joseph and that axe-girl, Sandra? And then the other two added on later. But first Tana¡­"


    "Don''t think so." The old woman hesitated. "Maybe?"


    The old man shook his head. "I can''t remember. Been too damn long."


    Ike cleared his throat. "Do they get their kills?"


    "Huh?" the old man asked.


    "That party. Do they succeed at their hunt, usually?"


    The old man sipped his ale, thinking to himself. After a moment, he nodded. "Yeah. Don''t work out for the newbie, but it usually works out for them."


    That''s all I needed to hear. "Thanks for the tip," Ike said, standing.


    "So?"


    Ike turned.


    The old man nodded at him. "You gonna try your luck? Hope they ain''t pullin'' that shit again?"


    Ike shot him a grin. "I can''t afford to say no."


    "Better poor than dead," the man rebuked him.


    "I never said I intended to die," Ike replied with a sly grin, walking away. After all, turnabout is fair play.


    "Put me in your will!" the man shouted after him, thumping his once-again-empty mug on the bar.


    The old lady shushed him. "Can''t you see? That kid''s got a plan."


    "Oh, I can see. I just don''t know if it''s going to work out for him." He reached into his pocket and set a silver on the table. "Bet he dies. It''s a Salamander. Those beasts will eat you up, even if your teammates aren''t sabotaging you."


    The woman grinned. She took his silver. "Then I''ll root for him."


    The old man clicked his tongue. "You''ve gone soft in your old age."


    "Maybe. Or maybe I saw something you didn''t." She jiggled her pocket, grinning at him. "Either way, someone''s coming out of this richer."


    "And I''ll toast to that."


    At the door, Ike shook his head. Are the odds against me that bad? He stepped out into the night, taking a deep breath of cool night air. Resolve firmed in his chest, as solid as steel. Ike''s eyes narrowed. Then I''ll just have to fight that much harder.

 6. Beyond the Wall

    Ike leaned against a wall, watching the gate. Hunters and adventurers wandered in and out, flashing their badges. He tapped his fingertips against his arm, impatient, as the faint light of dawn grew brighter and brighter. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.At last, the party wandered into view, Joseph yawning and stretching, Sandra marching along with her eyes dead ahead, Tana sandwiched between them, and Ket bringing up the rear, a bounce in his step. Ike peeled off the wall and approached the other four. "Morning."


    Ket smirked. Sandra ignored him, clicking her tongue. Tana gave no indication she sensed his existence. Joseph gave him a friendly wave and gestured him over. "Come on. No time like the present."


    Ike snorted, glancing at the sky. He nodded rather than release his snark, and fell in line.


    Sandra glanced at him, then looked down, her shoulders sagging a little. She took a deep breath and straightened up, walking on through the gate.


    The guards at the gate glanced at the party''s Rank 1 badges, then nodded, waving them through without a second glance at Ike. Ike raised his brows, surprised. Everything he''d heard spoke to how difficult it was to cross the wall, but here he was, simply crossing it, out into the wilds. He chuckled under his breath, following the others out.


    Outside the gate, the cobbled road ended. Winding footpaths wandered into the forest, snaking paths left, right, center, and every which way. Each path diverged and broke off, spidering into a hundred paths within the space of a few hundred yards, all of them vanishing into the tangled undergrowth and old forest all around them.


    At first, other hunters walked alongside them, but the further they went, the fewer people passed them by, and the narrower the path became. Eventually, they walked alone.


    "Quiet out here," Ike commented.


    Sandra glared at him, then turned away.


    "Quiet indeed," Ket agreed, in a mysterious tone of voice.


    "What do you think? Sandra. You''ve been out here so many times, but this is my first. Is it unusually quiet today?" Ike asked, smiling.


    Sandra pursed her lips. She looked back at him again, then shrugged. "It''s always quiet on the far side of the wall."


    "Really? No bugs? No small beasts?" Ike asked.


    "It''s normal," Sandra said, but she glanced around, a slight frown on her face.


    Ket chuckled. "We''re headed for the Salamander''s lair. It gets quiet over there."


    "But we aren''t close yet."


    Sandra shook her head. The party fell back into silence.


    Ike watched Sandra, then jogged up to her to walk alongside her. He pushed his way through the undergrowth, fighting to keep pace. "I''m grateful you took a chance on me. As a low level Rank 0, I know I don''t have a lot of strength, but I''ll prove that you were right to take a chance on me."


    She gave him a glance from the corner of her eye, a slightly nervous expression on her face.


    Recognizing the expression, Ike smiled gently at her. I was right. The party wasn''t in total cohesion over sacrificing new hunters like him. Joseph was the ringleader, the one most likely to have come up with the whole idea. Ket clearly didn''t care. Tana¡­ he wasn''t sure what her problem was, but she didn''t appear to have much say in anything going on. Sandra was the weak link.


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    If I''m going to come out on top, I need to have the deck stacked in my favor.


    And that means sowing division among the party members.


    He nodded at Sandra. "So, can you tell me about the Salamander?"


    Sandra hesitated. She opened her mouth.


    "You''ll find out when we get there," Joseph interrupted.


    "It doesn''t hurt to explain the basics," Sandra argued.


    Joseph glanced back, giving her a cold smile.


    Sandra ignored him, turning to Ike. "The Salamander is a large lizard that loves fire. It lives in the flaming-hot pits of the¡ª"


    "Sandra."


    "It''s faster than you''d think. You have to get the hell out of dodge when the pools¡ª"


    "Sandra." Joseph stopped dead and turned, glaring at her. Beside him, Tana stood silently, her eyes and mouth shut.


    Sandra glared back. "What? Is it wrong to give him a few tips?"


    Joseph stared for a few seconds before walking on, shaking his head. "Comes out of your cut."


    "What does that mean?" Ike asked innocently.


    Pursing her lips, Sandra clammed up.


    They walked on. The birds sang in the distance, and the leaves swayed gently on the wind. Sunlight dappled the path.


    "Sandra," Ike murmured softly. He glanced around them, as if checking for listeners. "What did all that about ''your cut'' earlier mean?"


    She pursed her lips, not looking at him.


    "Do I not get a cut?"


    "You''ll get a cut," she replied, too quickly.


    Ike smiled as earnestly as he could. "That''s good. I''m glad to hear that. You know, Sandra, I''m in a really bad place."


    Sandra flinched.


    "I''ve got to pay back my uncle. No matter what. My mom¡­she died when I was a child, but my uncle spent a small fortune trying to save her life. He raised me, all on his own. Right now, he''s in desperate need of money. He¡ª" Ike paused, taking a moment to sniff and wipe his eye. "He''s borne my debt all this time, never complaining, always doing right by me. I owe him so much, but¡ªbut this hunt, if it goes well, I''ll finally be able to pay him back. I''ll finally break even with him, and be able to thank him for everything he did for us. Not only that, but rescue him from a bad situation. I can''t wait." He leveled his smile on her, watching her reaction.


    Guilt flashed across her face. She glanced down, unable to make eye contact.


    Ike fell back, his smile turning strange as he dropped behind Sandra. His eyes glittered.


    From behind him, Ket watched silently, flipping a dagger in one hand.


    As the day approached noon, they left what little remained of the path. Sandra took the lead, drawing a flat, lightweight blade to slash her way through the undergrowth. The trees grew thinner, and a distinctive sulfur smell filled the air, growing thicker with every step. More and more sunlight poured through the small trees, until they walked through knee-high grass, rather than a forest.


    At last, Joseph pulled ahead of the others. "Here we are."


    The party lined up along the edge of a cliff. Ike drew alongside the others, looking down ten feet into a pit.


    The pit''s floor sloped gently downhill to the center, ridges of stone stair-stepping down to the central pool. Thick fumes welled up from sandy earth, visible as they rose. Round holes dotted around the shelves held brightly-toned water, bubbling like pots at the boil. Ike narrowed his eyes. No¡ªthey are boiling. Heat emanated from the entire pit, but especially from the watery holes, steam gushing up into the air. Abruptly, one of them erupted, spitting up a hundred-meter-tall plume of boiling water. The water rained back down, sizzling fiercely where it struck the sandy soil. The soil barely darkened, drying as soon as the water struck the earth.


    In the center of the pit, a large, red form circled in the pool, obscured under the boiling surface from the water. It swam to the surface, and a blunt, rounded, soft head with small dark eyes emerged from under the pool. The Salamander released a steaming-hot breath, its gills, too, venting heat. Stubby legs clawed at the pool''s edge. A long, thick body, somewhere between a snake and a fish, vanished into the water. Smooth red scales glistened in the sun. It turned its head, and small, dark eyes latched onto the party. It let out a fierce hiss.


    Joseph nodded. "There''s the Salamander," he announced. He stepped forward, hopping down into the pit. Tana followed him, Ket leaping in.


    Sandra glanced at Ike. "You''ll draw the little ones around the edge. Attract them away from us." With that, she jumped after the others.


    Ike smiled. He drew his razor and clambered down after them, not strong enough to easily hop down ten feet. Holding back at the edge, he watched as the party rushed in.


    Showtime.

 7. The Salamander

    As the others closed in on the Salamander, hopping down ring after ring to rush in, the smaller ponds trembled. One after another, they erupted, but this time, more than water flew out. Small red salamanders, about as large as kittens, burst out with the water. They slapped down onto the ground and raced after the party, hauling themselves along on stubby little legs, their long, chubby bodies slithering toward the party.Ike hopped off the wall. The sandy earth hissed under his worn leather soles, and the heat instantly permeated his feet. He jogged in place, unable to stand still for long. Looking after the little salamanders, he lifted his razor. My job''s to keep them off the party''s back? Easy. Maybe there was nothing to the rumors after all.


    But, just in case, I''ll stick to the plan. Stay in the back, fight conservatively, and save my strength. I''m not going to run all over this place chasing tiny salamanders; I''ll only fight the ones that come to me. If the rumors aren''t true, the little lizards shouldn''t be too much of a hazard to them. And if the rumors are true... Ike glanced at the others. Then all the better if they are hazardous.


    "Tana!" Joseph shouted. He made a strange gesture with his hand, and light shone on the back of his palm.


    Tana raised her hands numbly, like a puppet. Light glowed around her neck for just a moment, and then she threw her hands out.


    A ring of light appeared around Ike. He jumped back, but the ring moved with him, gently spinning around his midsection. Tana held her palm toward him, lips moving soundlessly. Strange, delicate symbols appeared on the air, and then it spun faster than ever before, glowing bright for a moment before the whole thing vanished. Startled, Ike instantly checked his menu.


    The very first line stood out to him.


    [Name: Ike | Age: 15 | Status: Taunt | Rank: 0 [Newly Awakened]]


    Taunt: attracts nearby monsters to focus their attacks on you.


    Ike swallowed. Dismissing the window, he glanced toward the little salamanders.


    The lizards whipped around. Their eyes glowed a ferocious red. Screeching, they charged at Ike, spitting jets of superheated steam from their mouths.


    Ike charged to meet them, activating Lightning Dash. He slashed right and left as he passed through the wave of salamanders, bursting out onto the other side. A few small bodies struck the ground, bright orange blood drying rapidly in the sand. His feet skidded in the sand, and he slipped, out of control. Ike flailed left and right, barely keeping his balance. Hot sand sprayed his legs, singeing his trousers.


    He gritted his teeth. If he fell, he''d be sand-baked before he could climb back upright again. Never mind the salamanders still crawling out of the pools, rushing toward him as fast as they could.


    Heat rushed at him from behind. Ike threw himself to the side, and the steam glanced off his side rather than striking him full on in the back. Pain jolted through his whole body from the heat, his flesh burning. Ike hissed in pain, barely repressing a shout. Ow, shit! He faced the salamanders, his razor at the ready.


    From ahead, the salamanders charged at him, steam flying ahead of them. From behind, the patter and sizzle of damp feet on hot sand warned him of the other salamanders'' approach. Ike took a deep breath, all but choking on the fumes, and charged the salamanders ahead once more.


    Steam shot at him. He dodged as best he could, hand blurring with Lightning Grasp as he struck out left and right. Every now and again, electricity arced from his hand, striking nearby salamanders and throwing them back. A salamander latched onto the back of his calf. Ike struck it off, but another one bit his forearm. Steam hissed at him. He dodged again, but too slow. Superheated water struck him in the side. Ike bit his lip in pain, bouncing backward and pawing at his shirt, pulling it away from his body, but nothing stopped the burning from digging into his flesh.


    The salamanders closed in. They bit and clawed. Thrusting their powerful tails, they jumped up to strike higher, incurring more and more damage. Blood ran down his legs, cuts accumulating on his pants. Burns ached fiercely where the steam struck home. Ike whirled and fled, lightning crackling around his ankles as he put distance between himself and the salamanders. They scurried after him, not giving him a second''s break.


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    Slowing to a halt, Ike wiped his mouth and breathed, struggling for oxygen. Every breath ached, the strange scent stinging in his mouth and throat. What mana flowed into his core burned, as hot as fire. A thousand cuts and bites raked his body, and blood crackled where it struck hot sand.


    The salamanders charged after him, not letting up for a moment.


    Ike scowled, frustrated. If they gave me a break, I could recoup, but no, that Taunt skill means they won''t leave me alone for a second! Spinning around, he dashed on, but the salamanders gave chase, following at his heels. He glanced over at the rest of the party.


    Joseph darted in, punching the Salamander in the jaw. It staggered back into Sandra''s axe swing. A huge gash opened right behind its gills, spewing hot orange blood. Even as the cut opened, it began to seal shut. Before it could completely heal, Ket darted in and tossed a powder into the cut. The monster screamed, thrashing from the sting of the powder.


    Where''s Tana? Ike looked around, searching.


    At last, he found her, standing back on the top layer of the pit. Her eyes were open, and brightly colored lights flashed within. She gazed down on the battlefield, watching the Salamander.


    Ike turned back to the beast. A faint bluish ring hovered around its body. Its motions appeared slow, even clumsy, compared to the little salamanders chasing him.


    I see. She''s harming it like she''s harming me.


    Ike whipped around, charging into the salamanders once more. His hand darted forth, slicing through soft scaly bodies, spraying orange blood all around. The salamanders around him diminished in number, but more rushed at him from the little pools.


    There''s no end to it.


    Steeling himself, Ike raised his razor again. He cut back on the flow of mana to his feet, only adding a little more when the skill flickered and began to collapse. Gritting his teeth, he breathed in the heated air, absorbing all the mana he could. This was a marathon, not a sprint. He had to go the distance. Pace himself.


    His eyes flicked to Tana again. A smile touched his lips.


    Once more, he whipped around, charging through the salamanders again. Little red bodies flew, falling all around him. With every attack, he moved closer to Tana, slowly leading the little lizards toward her.


    At the center of the pit, the party wore the Salamander down. The fierce beast fought back with all its power, spitting great gouts of steam and using its thick tail to kick waves of boiling hot water at the warriors, but between the two attackers and Ket''s darting in and out with the irritating powder, it slowly grew exhausted, and its attacks grew weaker and weaker. Joseph bore scald marks, and Sandra breathed heavily, a claw wound leaking blood down her armor from somewhere around her armpit, but they fought on, slowly gaining the advantage on the Salamander.


    When he was twenty feet away, he spun around and sprinted, fleeing the salamanders. They chased after him, shooting scalding jets of steam. Ahead of him, Tana stared at the large salamander, totally oblivious to the danger rushing up at her, her eyes flickering with the colors of spells rather than the world around her.


    At the very last second, Tana whipped around, but too late. Ike slammed into her, bowling her to the ground.


    "Sorry! I''m sorry!" he called, running on.


    She struggled back to her feet, but too slow. The little salamanders trampled her, shooting jets of steam and clawing her with their feet. Tana fell back down, vanishing under the salamanders. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike quickly checked his status as he ran on.


    [Name: Ike | Age: 15 | Status: Nm | Rank: 0 [Newly Awakened]]


    Skills: Common: 3 | ¡­ | Unique: 2


    Common: Sprinter Lvl 4 | Distance Runner Lvl 7 | Razor Handling Lvl 7


    Unique: Lightning Dash Lvl 3 | Lightning Grasp Lvl 2


    He let out a relieved sigh. With Tana unconscious, she couldn''t activate the Taunt skill. He was no more tasty to the Salamanders than the next person. He turned back around, darting through the lizards. Without Taunt, they paid attention to Tana, and some even scurried off to help the larger Salamander.


    At the same moment, the Salamander whipped around and vanished into the pond. Without a word, the party turned and fled. Joseph ran toward Ike. Startled, Ike jumped back, but rather than striking him, Joseph scooped up Tana and ran on, fleeing the entire pit.


    Ike blinked, then jumped to. Chasing them, he raced to the edge of the pit. There, the rest of the party leaped, soaring over the ten-foot cliff effortlessly. Ike grabbed onto the rocks and climbed, hauling himself up hand over foot.


    Behind him, the pond in the center of the pit boiled. The water sloshed, then surged. Every single little pit burst into the air, geysers shooting into the sky, and then the large pond did the same, thousands of liters of water flying over Ike. It began to rain down, sizzling home in the sand. The water in the pit began to rise.


    Shit, shit, shit! Ike scrambled up as fast as he could, coordinating Lightning Dash and Lightning Grasp. He lunged for the edge and got a hand on it, gripping on with all his might.


    Joseph loomed over him, holding Tana in his arms. "Thanks for your help, but it''s time for you to go." He smiled, then smashed his boot down on Ike''s hand.


    Ike clung on, refusing to let go. He glared at Joseph.


    Joseph ground his foot down and forward, forcing him off the ledge. Ike fell down, plunging toward the water.


    As he fell, he glared at Joseph, burning the man''s face into his eyes. If I survive, I''ll come back and kill you. No matter what.


    Under the surface of the water, a red body surged at him. The Salamander leaped up and snapped Ike out of the air. It dropped back into the steaming hot water with a ferocious splash, trailing blood after it.

 8. The Kill

    Red clouded up from the Salamander''s mouth. Ike tumbled down a hot, humid tube, falling toward the Salamander''s stomach. Barely conscious, he lashed out and pressed out with all four limbs, clawing into the soft tissues of its throat. His razor was gone, vanished somewhere into the Salamander''s belly, or perhaps dropped at the bottom of the cliff. Hazy-headed, Ike struggled to place himself, struggled to remember.Hold on. Don''t let go.


    Ahead, the Salamander''s mouth opened. A wave of boiling water washed over him, and it swallowed, the thick muscles all around him pushing him down, together, inward, toward the sizzling pit of boiling acid in the Salamander''s stomach. Water scalded over Ike, a wave of pain slamming into his whole body, smashing into every nook and cranny. His body overheated in an instant, head aching, skin on fire, his organs struggling, heart pounding, stomach twisting. Still the water poured on, showing no sign of respite, no end. Heat, heat, and more heat. Burning water, searing at every ounce of Ike''s flesh. He bit his lip, forcing himself to stay conscious, to hold his breath. His lungs ached, and his vision darkened, fading in and out. His teeth dug into his lip, and his blood rushed away from him, washed with the wave. Please. Please surface.


    A merciful gasp of air. Ike delighted in it, drinking that one moment of air as if it were water in a desert, an oasis before a dying man. He blinked, struggling to see, his eyes half-cooked, whole body aching. Before he could orient himself, the Salamander shook itself, trying to dislodge the bone in its throat. Determined, Ike clung on, but even as he did, he realized: he would not survive this. Sooner or later, the Salamander would dislodge him and swallow him into that sizzling acid sack, or else swallow enough water to cook him where he sat. Holding on solved nothing. Staying still meant his death.


    Gritting his teeth, Ike forced himself into motion. The slightest twitch sent agony racing through his body, skin super-sensitive from the repeated scalding, the flesh beneath achy. He pushed all that back and glared at the fuzzy wall ahead of him, putting all his hatred, all his frustration, all the fury at his uncle and this shitty party into his motions as he dug his hands into the Salamander''s throat. Activating Lightning Grasp, he pierced into its slippery, soft throat, pulling and stabbing until orange blood began flowing down past him. The wound healed as he dug, but slowly, the monster''s healing worn down by the party''s efforts earlier. The Salamander roared in pain, sending another blast of cool, merciful air past Ike. Encouraged, Ike dug deeper, deeper, anything for one more rush of air. The Salamander screamed, and he dug both hands in, walking his legs up to push against the opposite side of its throat. Air. Air! A crazed man, he ferociously clawed into its flesh, seeking more of the life-giving stuff, even thick with sulfur as it was.


    Again, the Salamander thrashed. Another wave of water slammed into Ike. His body screamed again, every piece of him on fire, not a single centimeter unscathed. Ike gasped, barely resisting the urge to scream. He couldn''t move, couldn''t twitch. Everything hurt. Motion. Breathing. Thinking.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    The water drained away, rushing out of the creature''s gills. Gasping a thin breath, Ike mustered all his willpower and pushed through the pain. He struggled on, sinking his hands deeper into the Salamander''s hot flesh, pulling out chunks of gore, boiling orange blood all but cooking his fingers as he dug, and dug, and dug. He craved winter, ice, a cool wind, cold water, a chilled drink, but instead, he pierced deeper and deeper, the Salamander''s meat searing his palm, its blood singing his forearms as it ran to his elbow. His own blood rushed down his body from where its teeth sunk into him, sizzling into the monster''s stomach. Ike shivered, trembling all over, but dug deeper anyways, blind to everything but the hole he dug in the monster''s throat and the brief relief of the monsters'' pained roars.


    Deeper and deeper. More and more blood. His hands slipped. For a moment, he plunged toward the acid before he caught himself on the throat once more. Braced there, barely holding on, he heard the gurgle of another wave of boiling water rushing his way.


    Limbs trembling, every bit of him exhausted, Ike forced his aching legs to tense, then leaped. He latched onto the hole he''d dug in the creature''s throat with both hands and hung there. The water washed over him. Everything burned. Everything ached. But he held on, refusing to let go.


    The water passed. Lifting his hands again, Ike clawed on. Another handful of flesh. Another.


    A throbbing vein appeared before him. Ike stared. No way.


    The wound began to close, and Ike startled back into motion. Launching himself forward with all his remaining strength, he bit into the Salamander''s vein. Hot orange blood ran down his throat. Ignoring the searing pain, he tore again and again. Blood poured past him, rivers of it, rushing down into the creature''s stomach. Ike clawed his hands into it, biting, tearing, pulling.


    Air. Sweet, cool air. Ike heaved a breath, exhausted. Using both hands, he ripped through the monster''s flesh and out into the world, burrowing out of the side of its neck. The water had receeded, leaving damp, temporarily cooler sand behind. He fell down into the wet, exhausted, panting, his whole body stained with blood and flesh, every inch of him bright red with burns. Outside felt icy cold. He shivered, and couldn''t stop, as cold as though he laid in pure snow instead of sand so hot it steamed. Ike struggled to move, whole body stiff.


    Behind him, the Salamander gave one last great thrash, then went still. It thumped down beside him, its great maw hanging lifelessly open centimeters from Ike''s body.


    Rank Up! Congratulations on Rank 1! S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike gazed at it, the immense, dead thing. I killed that. I did. I¡­killed it.


    And now I''m going to die.


    Something rolled out from the Salamander''s mouth, rattling over the sand to Ike''s fingertips. Numbly, his hand closed around it.


    Dimly, he heard the party jump back into the pit. Boots slopped through wet sand. A shadow fell over him. With the last bit of his strength, Ike turned, and watched as Joseph lifted his boot. Leather treads hung over Ike''s head.


    "First you injure Tana, then you steal the kill? Bait should act like bait, and die," Joseph spat, slamming his boot down.


    As the boot hurtled down, Ike clenched his hand. In his head, he shouted, Absorb!

 9. Revenge

    The skill orb that had rolled out of the Salamander''s mouth burst with light. A pulse of mana travelled up his arm and into his core, reinforcing it. His whole body tingled, pins and needles bursting out.Rare Skill Obtained: Salamander Healing


    [Name: Ike | Age: 15 | Status: Burn | Rank: 1 [Salamander Slayer]]


    Skills: Common: 3 | ¡­ | Rare 1 | ¡­ | Unique: 2


    Common: Sprinter Lvl 5 | Distance Runner Lvl 8 | Razor Handling Lvl 7


    Rare: Salamander Healing Lvl 1


    Unique: Lightning Dash Lvl 4 | Lightning Grasp Lvl 3


    Ike grinned. A wave of comfort washed over him, weakening the pain and granting him vigor even as his mana drained away. He threw himself out of the way of Joseph''s boot, and the man''s foot slammed into the ground instead. Wet sand flew up, splattering Ike''s back. He kept rolling, then pushed himself back to his feet. The healing skill swirled in his eyes, and his vision returned. Ike cut his eyes across the pit, searching for the glimmer of his razor. If the Salamander didn''t swallow it, it''d be¡­there!


    Joseph lunged at him. Before he reached, Ike activated Lightning Dash and kicked off the ground, zooming past Joseph at hyper speed. He crossed the pit in a few steps. The pit''s wall rushed up, rushing at him faster than he''d imagined. Startled by his own speed, he canceled his skill and dug in his heels, skidding to a halt. He looked around him, searching for his razor.


    So fast¡­so easy! Is this the difference between Rank 0 and Rank 1? All this time, he''d thought the guilds handed out Ranks, that Ranks themselves were no more than a fancy placard and a silver coin, obtained once the adventurer proved they could hunt a powerful enough monster to the guilds. Instead, the System handed out Ranks as a measure of power¡­ Then what do guilds do? Take your money for nothing?


    A glimmer in the sand. His razor! Ike snatched it up just as Joseph closed in on him. He darted to the side, barely avoiding Joseph''s fist, and lashed out with the razor. A bright red line opened up on Joseph''s arm.


    Ike glanced past Joseph at the rest of the party. Behind Joseph, Sandra hesitated, then charged as well. Tana stood blankly, unresponsive once more. Ket swirled his dagger around his hand and backed away, falling into shadow.


    "Distracted?" Joseph lunged at him, his fist closing in on Ike''s face.


    Ike swayed back, pushing off the loose sand to jump back. The sand absorbed his strength. He landed closer than he''d expected. Joseph closed in, advancing with firm, confident footing, and raised his hand again. Ike jumped back again. Joseph advanced, certainty written across his face.


    Ike''s stomach ran cold as his mana drained, the healing skill stealing more mana than he''d expected. The lightning around his feet flickered, barely holding on. He''d only just leveled up to Rank 1. Compared to Joseph, a long-time Rank 1, his mana reserves and skill levels were pitiful, not to mention his still-healing injuries and exhaustion. Even with his new skill and Ranking up, Joseph still had the upper hand.


    Ike clenched his teeth. I have to finish this quickly.


    In a sky enriched by the recent gush of boiling water, clouds gathered, quickly darkening. The sky crackled with lightning. Thick drops of rain began to fall, sizzling onto the already-damp sands. Ike backed toward the wall, Joseph and Sandra closing in on him.


    "Why¡ªwhy," Ike panted, stalling for time. Cutting his Lightning Dash down to its absolute minimum activation, he breathed heavily, earnestly panting. Surreptitiously, he drew as much mana as he could with each breath. Very little came to him, and what did burned, boiling in his core, but he pushed his pain away. He needed mana right now, mana at any cost. His core vacillated in temperature, superheated from the fresh mana at the same time it cooled as mana flowed out. Ike''s stomach roiled, guts churning, but he pushed that back, too. Now wasn''t the time. Any cost, as long as he survived this.


    "Why? Because you hurt Tana," Joseph said, taking a moment to wipe his face off.


    "It was an accident. I¡ªyou, you said something, bait," he panted, cutting his eyes at Sandra.


    She flinched.


    Good.


    Joseph rolled his eyes. "You want to know the truth? Fine. We picked you up as bait. We''re only Rank 1s, and none of us are tanks. Sandra''s the closest, and she''s only half a tank. We can''t take the hits of a prolonged battle against a mob and a boss.


    "The four of us, defeating a mob of salamanders and the Salamander? Not possible. But if we have one throwaway Rank 0, a piece of trash who was never going to make it as a hunter anyways¡­then we Rank 1s can make bank and level up to Rank 2 in record time.


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    "In fact, this was going to be my Rank 2 battle. But instead¡­" Joseph lowered his hand, pointing at Ike. "Instead, a worthless, hopeless, useless piece of bait stole my Rank 2."


    And your Salamander Healing skill, Ike thought to himself, but said nothing. If they weren''t aware that the Salamander had dropped a skill, he wasn''t going to bring it to their attention. He kept breathing, sucking in every drop of mana he could. His wounds slowly healed, strength returning. Moving hurt less, his clothes no longer agony against his skin.


    "So fuck off and die," Joseph finished. Sand flew, and he flashed forward.


    Ike jumped to the side. Joseph''s fist slammed into the cliff wall instead. Rock and earth flew up, flying past Ike with enough force to draw blood. Ike eyed Joseph''s fist. If I get hit by that, I''m dead.


    Sandra closed in, sweeping her axe in a wide arc. From the other side, Joseph darted in, ready to punch in Ike''s escape route. Forced back, Ike dodged away again, only for his shoulder to strike the wall. Sandra stepped forward and lifted her axe again.


    "Please, my uncle. I owe him so much," Ike plead, looking Sandra in her eyes.


    Sandra hesitated. Her axe froze.


    "Sandra!" Joseph snapped.


    She startled back to reality, but too slow. Ike slipped under her guard and slammed his razor into the same armpit the Salamander had torn open, driving the blade home up to the hilt. Sandra shuddered, gasping for breath. She stumbled back, pushing Ike away.


    Ike ripped the blade free. Blood poured out, and Sandra fell. Ike watched her hit the ground, his eyelids drooping. Of the whole party, he''d wanted to kill her the least. She''d seemed conflicted. Uncertain.


    She gasped for air, every breath strained. Bright, frothy blood poured out of her, soaking into the sand, watered down by the rain. She still clenched the axe in one hand, her eyes turned to the roiling sky, blood splattering as she coughed. His heart shook, resolve wavering. Is it worth it? Is anything worth¡­this?


    A moment later, he set his jaw. She''d attacked him first. She''d sat back and done nothing while Joseph and the others led who knew how many Rank 0s to their deaths. Her sympathy made no difference to her complicity in their crimes.


    "Sandra!" Joseph screamed. He glared at Ike. "How dare you?"


    Lightning crackled overhead. Ike backed away from the wall, giving himself more room to maneuver. His gaze cold, he stared back at Joseph. "How dare you?"


    Under his cold demeanor, his stomach churned, his mind in disarray. Kill. He''d killed. A woman. Someone he''d spoken with just minutes ago, a living, breathing person.


    And he had to kill again, if he wanted to survive.


    Years under his uncle taught him to hide his fear, hide his self-disgust, hide everything. Keep his emotions under lock and key until he found somewhere safe to release them. Now, facing down Joseph, he did the same. Swallowing disgust, fear, loss, he froze his heart and lifted his bloodied razor. Ike pointed it at Joseph, nothing in his mind but the intent to kill the man before him.


    Joseph lifted his fists. The two of them circled one another. A few fat droplets of rain splattered down around them. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thunder rumbled. They both leaped toward one another. Joseph slammed his fist toward Ike''s stomach, going for a body blow.


    Ike swayed to the side, dodging the blow. For the first time in his fight with the party, lightning flickered around his hand. The razor darted for Joseph''s neck.


    A hit smashed into his ribs from the other side as Joseph''s left fist flew in from his blind spot. His ribs cracked. Sick, sharp pain welled through his stomach, the disgusting sensation of a freshly broken bone. Ike stumbled, but pressed on, hand still flying forth despite the injury.


    Joseph jerked his neck back. Between that and the stumble, Ike''s razor barely skimmed his neck, drawing a line but not a fatal blow.


    They parted. Ike backed away, free hand wrapped around his broken ribs. He swayed, his eyes bleary, whole body slumping with exhaustion. Joseph chased after him, hauling back his fist to finish him off.


    Ike''s eyes glittered. As Joseph punched him, he grabbed Joseph''s arm with his free hand, pulling him close, and shoved the razor up under Joseph''s ribcage. For the second time, hot blood gushed over his hand. He grabbed onto Joseph, his own body wrecked, leaning his weight on Joseph to remain standing. He couldn''t fall now. Not with two members of the party still alive.


    Joseph glared at him. "Fucking¡­die."


    "No," Ike said, and released him.


    Joseph fell onto his face. Ike staggered back, his ribcage a mess of pain, skin still aching from the burns, half-falling, half-walking until his back finally met the cliff wall. There, he panted, then forcibly slowed his breath, gasping in mana. The lightning faded from his feet. Exhaustion flooded him, Salamander Healing still a drain on his mana.


    Across the field, for the first time since the Salamander fell, Tana moved.


    Ike tried to push off the wall. His ribs jostled in his chest. The pain slammed into his brain, so intense his vision darkened at the edges. He coughed, spitting blood, and fell back against the wall. Clutching his razor, he watched as Tana approached, powerless to do anything else. With every passing second, his body healed, but slowly, too slow.


    She drew up to Joseph''s body and stopped, turning closed eyes toward him.


    "Sorry I killed your boyfriend," Ike tried, watching for her reaction. Stall for time. Heal a little more. Then¡ª


    Joseph reached toward her, his hand trembling. "Tana¡­don''t go¡­"


    A sharp-edged, jagged, ugly magic circle appeared on the back of his hand, mirrored around Tana''s throat. The vicious design possessed a bruise-like quality, dark purples and blacks, biting deep into both their flesh. Ike had never seen one before, but only one word came to mind: a curse.


    Joseph''s eyes shut, and his hand hit the ground. The magic circle shattered, and so did the one around Tana''s neck, fragments of magic peeling off her neck and falling away.


    Tana''s eyes opened. Black sclera. White irises. Pinpoint pupils.


    Ike startled. Like Ket''s?


    Lightning flashed, and Ket stepped out from behind her, turning those same eerie eyes on Ike. bowed. "We will not forget this kindness."


    "I¡­what?" Ike asked, lost. Joseph put a curse on Tana, one that controlled her, or something. I can put that much together. But those eyes¡­what do they mean?


    I know too little about this world. I need to see more. Experience the world.


    Tana put her arm over Ket''s shoulders, and Ket scooped up her legs. He leaped into the air, and they bounded away, escaping into the forest in a few quick leaps.


    Ike sagged against the wall, exhausted. Rain poured down, the stormclouds finally letting loose. He sighed, wiping rain from his face. Too much. It was all too much.


    Sliding down the wall, his eyes slid closed. His head sagged against his chest, and Ike fell asleep.

 10. A Path Home

    Heat under Ike''s rear woke him. He startled, patting around at the ground around him, only to singe his hands as well. Ike jumped to his feet, only for his feet to slip in the loose sand. He fell back against the cliff wall, his ribs jostling in his chest.Ike blinked, clearing his eyes. He stood in the sand pit from earlier. Little pools of water bubbled up here and there on step-like layers of sand-covered rock, a large pool boiling in the center of the pit. A woman in armor and a man wearing leather gauntlets laid on the floor of the pit, dead. All around them, dead salamanders laid, piled up, and at the pit''s center, the enormous Salamander sprawled near the pool, utterly still.


    Right. I¡­ Ike took a deep breath. He paused, then walked over to the bodies. In a few seconds, he stripped them of their coins, but left everything else. Grabbing Sandra by her ankles, he dragged her into the central pool and pushed her into the depths, then did the same with Joseph. There, he dusted off his hands. Now they looked as though they''d been drowned by the Salamander. With any luck, some little salamanders would nibble on them and turn them into skeletons before anyone found them, leaving no proof of his actions.


    He turned back to the Salamander. Returning to the imprint of Sandra''s body, he grabbed her axe. Hefting it, he chopped at the creature''s thick neck. One strike. Two. Three. Over and over, lifting the axe high and bringing it back down. At last, the Salamander''s head fell free, oozing orange blood. He unwound his sack and sliced it up, retying it into a long strap, then tied the head to his back. It would be worth more if he brought the entire body home, but he couldn''t lift a monster that large on his own. The head would have to do.


    With the monster and the bodies taken care of, Ike lifted his head, gazing up at the forest overhead. Tana and Ket¡­


    The magic circle around Tana''s neck. Their matching black eyes. Ket''s decision not to fight him when Sandra and Joseph had him pinned against the wall, and the way he''d scooped Tana up when the spell broke with Joseph''s death.


    Ike shook his head. He didn''t fully understand what had happened between them and Joseph, but clearly Tana had been under some kind of compulsive curse. That alone didn''t absolve them of their guilt, but¡­Ike shook his head again. I just don''t know enough about this world. The world of hunters.


    The world outside the wall.


    Standing there, holding the Salamander''s head, it occurred to Ike that he could simply leave. He climbed up the cliff, then stood there, gazing off into the distant forest. He was outside the wall. He could walk away and never come back, and no one could stop him. His debt, everything, would become just another bad memory. He could become a hunter, an adventurer, and¡ª


    Ike snorted at himself. And probably die horribly to the next monster I meet. He''d barely killed the Salamander at great risk to his own life, and that was after a party of four Rank 1s weakened it significantly. He didn''t know enough. Didn''t know enough about the world, about the monsters around him, about the other cities and the vast wilderness between them.


    He turned away. Pay off my debt, then gather resources. Knowledge. Make a plan, and act on it. Running blindly into the wilds is not my path to the top.


    After all, I can pay off my debt, now. I can kill monsters. I''m a Rank 1.


    I''m not that powerless kid anymore.


    Leaving the Salamander''s body in its pit, he walked off with the head.


    It took him most of the day to find his way back, after he got lost once winding through the woods, and again when he went the wrong way around a knoll and found himself picking his way across a rock-strewn hillside.


    When the wall appeared at last, Ike sighed in relief before he realized what he was doing. For the first time, that pale granite barrier exuded warmth and comfort, the relief of a finished job. He mingled with the other hunters and walked in, though a few tossed surprised gazes at the head on his back. Ike glanced around. Was it that surprising that he had the Salamander''s head? Everyone expected the party to win.


    A moment later, he chuckled to himself. He wasn''t the party. He was just one man, one unknown boy with nothing to his name. And here he was, returning alone with the monster''s head.


    He made a beeline for the monster buyer shop. Lea leaned her head on her hand in her bubble of warmth, only to startle upright at the sight of him. "What? You''re alive?"


    Ike gave her a look. Pretending he hadn''t heard, he untied the strap and slung the Salamander''s head onto the counter. It thumped, its silly face staring down Lea. She startled, backing away.


    "It''s dead. Pay up," Ike demanded.


    Lea took a few quick breaths, struggling to process what laid before her. She waved at it, on the verge of hysteria. "This¡­you did this?"


    "I did."


    "Where''s Joseph and the others?"


    "Dead. It killed them."


    Lea hissed a short breath. She shook her head, then closed her eyes. When she opened them, she was all business. "Head''s worth ten gold, plus the ten gold bounty. If you can return its body, every fifty pounds of its flesh is worth another two gold."


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Ike startled. "Fifty pounds¡ª" How big is that thing? It''s almost enough to pay off my debt in one go!


    "The hide is another two gold per unmarked meter, and the claws are three gold each. The organs¡ª" Lea rattled off prices for every piece of its body.


    By the time she finished, Ike was panting. If he recovered the whole thing, not only would he repay his debt, but he''d also have a few gold spare. Enough to throw around. To buy the bags and gear he''d need to become a true hunter. To buy books, to learn more about the beasts around him and what they were worth, their weak points and strengths. To buy skill orbs. Bronze- and Silver- ranked orbs capable of holding Rare and higher skills. Kit himself out with a real skill set.


    "I''ll be back," Ike promised. He collected his coins and headed to the door.


    "Wait!" Lea called.


    Ike looked back.


    "They''re¡ªthey''re really dead?" Lea asked.


    He nodded. Ike cast his eyes at the ground, pasting sorrow across his face. "Died right in front of me. I¡ªI couldn''t do anything. I''m lucky the Salamander was already on the brink of death when it dragged them into its pool, or I''d be dead right now, too."


    Lea took a deep breath. From the corner of his eye, Ike watched her closely, searching for any sign of suspicion. After a moment, she nodded. "That''s the life of a hunter, after all. You never know which hunt will be your last."


    Ike looked at his feet, then back at Lea. "It was a good reminder for me."


    "Still going to be a hunter?" Lea asked.


    Ike turned. From the door of her hut, they could see the wall, looming over them here more than anywhere else. "I wasn''t born to live in a cage."


    Lea snorted. "But the cage is safe."


    "That''s exactly the trap, isn''t it? Safe." But his cage wasn''t. Not as long as his uncle lived in it. Hell, not so long as those guards are looking for my skill. The faster he escaped, the better.


    Turning away, Ike stepped out into the sun.


    The sun was too low in the sky for him to take a second trip that day without risking a night in the wilds. Without the proper gear, he didn''t think he''d make it through the night. Instead, he headed toward the guild.


    The outpost''s guild backed to the wall, literally built into it. The old man and old lady from the tavern sat on the front porch, playing a game of checkers. As he approached, the old lady looked up. She grinned, then nudged the old man.


    "Huh? What?" The old man turned around, bracing his arm on the back of the chair. His eyes met Ike''s, and he froze.


    "Good afternoon," Ike greeted him.


    "You''re alive?" the man asked, taken aback.


    "He''s upright, isn''t he?" the woman countered.


    "Yeah, but look at him!" the old man argued, gesturing.


    Ike looked himself up and down. Blood stained his shirt and pants alike, both his own and the bright orange salamander blood. Although the hot water had dried quickly, his clothes remained wrinkled, clutching to his body in weird places. He touched his hair, but already knew it would be a mess. Embarrassed, he grinned.


    "Don''t be a sore loser, Oren. Pay up." The old lady grabbed his arm and shook him.


    "Oh alright, alright. Dammit, Cari. Won''t forget a single silver," the old man grumbled. He dug in his pocket and handed her a coin.


    Cari took the coin, then flicked it to Ike. "There you go. Go ahead and get yourself registered. I won it off your efforts, after all."


    Ike caught it out of the air and tossed her a nod. "Thanks."


    Oren clicked his tongue. "At least buy a round with it, dammit."


    "Life isn''t just about drinking, you old drunkard," Cari admonished him. The two of them bickered, their voices fading as the doors swung shut.


    Ike flipped the coin, idly catching it. Abruptly, he snatched it out of the air and clenched it tight, almost unable to believe how casual he''d been with the coin. And yet, hundreds of times as much value sits in my pouch, right now. He opened his palm, barely able to look at the silver. Am I rich? Is this what rich feels like?


    A short line led to a counter not unlike a bank teller''s, with the glass-fronted booths and wooden dividers and all. The guild''s cavernous main hall stretched tall above them. Enormous exposed beams gleamed in the chandelier light. At the back of the hall, a staircase swept up to a second-floor landing, where a few adventurers wandered around, picking their way through doors that led deeper into the hall. A few other guild members hurried around with piles of paper. None of the others in line paid the second-floor wanderers any mind, so after a moment, neither did Ike. Slowly, Ike inched toward the front.


    All the legends spoke of guild babes, beauties in short skirts and low-cut tops who flirted relentlessly with every adventurer who came by. Ideal women, with perfectly sculpted bodies and adorable faces, blowing a kiss as they handed out orders and bartered bounties. He''d caught glimpses of art books of the ladies, their centerfolds prized. Ike held his breath, not wanting to expect too much, and yet desperately anticipating it.


    "Next."


    Catching his breath, Ike stepped forward.


    An overweight, middle-aged woman leaned on her hand, barely giving him a glance. She picked her nails, feet propped on the empty desk beside her. Dressed in a severe uniform that hid any curves she might have had and absolutely no makeup, she cocked a thin brow at him. "What do you want?"


    Ike cleared his throat. Dreams shattered, he put the silver down on the countertop. "R-register. To register."


    The woman harrumphed. She pitched forward without taking her feet down and snatched the coin. Fiddling under the counter, she pulled out a small crystal ball and rolled it toward him. "Hand on that." S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike eyed it warily. "What does that do?"


    "Read your Rank."


    "That''s all?" If it read his skills too, he¡ª


    She rolled her eyes. "It fuckin''¡­ sucks your dick. What do you think it''s gonna do, jump you? Hand on the ball, or get outta here and stop wasting my time."


    Ike hesitated one more second, then remembered the silver he''d already paid and lunged for the orb.


    Warmth flowed into his palm, then out of it, a small bit of his mana leaving him. Under his hand, the orb flashed, purple lightning shining through it for a moment, then settled into a steady purple glow.


    Holding his breath, he glanced at the woman. Did she see that? Is that normal? Please tell me it''s normal.


    The woman leaned forward. She squinted, then sat back, rifling through the shelf again. Gesturing for him to roll the ball back to her, she slid a Rank 1 badge to him.


    Ike snatched it up, barely remembering to pass the ball back. His hands trembled. Rank 1. At last. After all this time. Finally. His dreams were coming true. Finally, finally, finally¡ª


    "You gonna move? I got more assholes to register," the woman complained, waving Ike out of the way.


    "Oh¡ªsorry, I¡ªsorry." Clumsily stringing the badge on his belt, Ike shuffled out of the way.


    Out of the guild hall, Cara and Oren still complained at one another, but there was a friendly beat to it. Cara waved as Ike passed, and Ike waved back. She flipped her hand, gesturing for him to show something. Ike lifted the badge on his belt, letting it glint in the sun. Cara shot him a thumbs-up and a smile before turning back to Oren.


    Walking on, Ike took a deep breath. He turned toward the inn for the night, ready to head out and retrieve the rest of the Salamander the next morning.

 11. Carrying the Kill Home

    At daybreak, Ike headed out. He flashed his badge at the gate, and the guards didn''t look twice. Following the path from the day before, he found his way back to the Salamander''s pit. Sandra''s axe sat beside the body where he''d left it. Hefting the axe, Ike chopped another segment off the Salamander''s body and strapped it to him.Two trips. Three. His pockets grew heavier, and the Salamander''s body grew smaller. On his fourth trip out to retrieve the Salamander''s tail, a ratty-looking man followed him.Ike turned, expecting to leave the man behind at some point, but the man persisted, sticking close.


    Ike turned. "Can I help you?"


    The ratty man grinned. "You''re going to."


    Stopping, Ike looked at the man. The man looked at Ike.


    "Why are you following me?"


    "Hard to say."


    "Are you trying to steal the Salamander''s corpse?"


    The ratty man waved his hand. "What? No. Me? Never."


    Ike narrowed his eyes. All around him in the forest, branches snapped and leaves crackled. His gaze flickered from tree to tree. The man wasn''t alone.


    "But you know, if you have a big corpse that can''t be carried alone, I wouldn''t mind helping for a small fee."


    Ike snorted under his breath. The man had no idea how much of Salamander remained¡ªbut that was to Ike''s benefit. If they knew only one piece remained, they would''ve jumped him for his coin instead. Not attacking him here meant the bandits thought the body was worth more than what he''d already sold off.


    If they made it to the body, the bandits would attack. Ike knew that for sure. At that point, he would no longer have any cards to play, and they''d have no reason not to rob him, too. He absolutely could not lead them to the corpse.


    "We should get moving. You don''t want to be caught out in the wilds after dark. Nasty things come out to play," the ratty man said earnestly.


    "Of course." Ike set off again, but upped his pace, jogging along the path.


    The ratty man followed without breaking a sweat. The crackling in the trees fell back. Ike caught glimpses of the other bandits as they ran from tree to tree, struggling to keep up and remain out of sight.


    Ike stretched his long legs. The ratty man kept pace. Faster, pushing himself to the limits of his distance pace.


    The bandits around them ran all-out, giving up on hiding behind trees. Sweat rolled down the ratty man''s forehead, but he scoffed. "Trying to shake me, kid? Gonna have to go faster than that."


    "Okay," Ike said, and activated Lightning Dash.


    Lightning flashed around his ankles. The purple mist rose up around his feet. He burst off down the path. Leaves and debris flew up behind him, smacking the ratty man in the face. The ratty man spluttered, battering the dust out of his face.


    Growling, the ratty man chased after Ike. He kicked off the ground with each step, using all his strength to chase after Ike. Despite his best efforts, he grew smaller and smaller behind Ike. At last, Ike could no longer see him at all.


    Ike slowed, releasing his skill. His feet stumbled to a halt. He''d lost the bandits, but for how long? The bandits could still steal his gold and his Salamander tail. There was only one gate. All they had to do was lie in wait for Ike to return, laden down by the weight of the tail, then jump the tired and weighed-down version of him.


    He pursed his lips, jogging on through the forest. He lacked the gear to camp out properly, something I should fix. He bit his lip, then shook his head. Regretting it now wouldn''t fix anything.


    He could turn back without the tail, but the Salamander''s body wouldn''t last much longer. Lea had nearly refused the previous slice. He could fetch the tail, then double back around the bandits, but the tail would slow him down, and the bandits doubtlessly knew the forest better than him. They''d know all the bottlenecks and tight passes. He didn''t even know what to avoid.


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    Turning, Ike climbed to the top of a nearby hill. The wall crawled up and down the course of the land below him. Blocks of gray stone formed a wall ten, twenty feet tall. Ike gazed at it thoughtfully. Tracking his eyes up the stones, he smiled.


    Branches cracked nearby. Ike startled and ran, racing toward the Salamander.


    Ike checked over his shoulder as he reached the pits. No strange sounds came from the forest, nor had he seen any sign of his pursuers for nearly half an hour. He dropped into the pit and crossed the sandy stepping stones toward the central pool.


    The final piece of the Salamander sat on the pool''s edge, its tail waiting for someone to pick it up. Ike curled the tail up as best he could and strapped it to his back. Jumping in place, he made sure it sat as securely as it could on his shoulders.


    Rather than follow the same path home, Ike beelined toward the wall. He checked the Salamander''s tail one last time, then set his hands into the cracks in the stone and hauled himself upward. One hand at a time, setting his feet into the cracks and pushing.


    Halfway up, his hand slipped. Ike dropped, his heart in his throat. Lightning flickered around his hands. As he fell, he jabbed his hand into the mortar. The Lightning Grasp pierced through the softer mortar, and he caught a grip on the stone once more.


    He lifted his foot. Lightning flickered around it, as well, and he set it into the gaps between the stone. He made short work of the wall with both techniques active. At the top, he hopped up onto the wall and turned around, meaning to climb down.


    An invisible wall pushed hard into his back. Ike bounced off. He pitched forward, almost tumbling into the forest on the other side.


    "Wha¡ª" He spun around on his toes, and barely managed to kill his momentum before he fell off. Balancing on the wall, he reached his hand forward.


    No wall, invisible or otherwise.


    Could it be? Ike reached behind his back and grabbed the very tip of the Salamander''s tail. He pushed it toward the wall.


    Gold sparkles barred the tail''s progress past the wall. Ike reached his hand forward, past the sparkles. He moved through unimpeded. Curious, he slid his hand toward the Salamander''s tail. Resistance built up as he grew closer to the tail. The air completely solidified around the tail, a solid wall right around it. Ike moved the tail-tip around, but the sparkles moved with it. No matter what he tried, he couldn''t push the Salamdander''s tail past the midpoint of the wall.


    Ike looked up, imagining the gold sparkles arcing high into the sky. In his mind''s eye, he saw the gold shield he''d seen protecting the undercity that night, when he''d run with the orb and the mages had battled overhead. The orb lit up, sloughing off black ink.


    It''s the same kind of wall¡­no, when it''s magical, it''s¡­a barrier? Entranced, he waved his hand back and forth over the boundary. No resistance, until he moved toward the tail. How odd.


    He turned his head and looked along the length of the wall. The wall was about a half-pace''s width. The stones had fallen out of the wall here and there, leaving jagged gaps in the stonework along the top. Ike eyed the gaps, then the wall, and nodded to himself. Turning his body carefully, he set off at a walk along the wall''s top. Occasionally, the tail brushed the barrier and bounced back, but the force of the bounce wasn''t enough to dislodge him.


    It wasn''t ideal, since he was still on this side of the wall, but it was better than forging a path through the woods at the mercy of the bandits. Ike kept an eye on the forest. His elevation made him easier to see, but it also allowed him to see further into the forest.


    For a long time, Ike walked in peace. The sunlight beamed down on him. Trees rustled in the light breeze. His hair ruffled in the breeze. He took a deep breath, enjoying the clear air on the far side of the wall.


    No one to yell at him. No one to pile on more work. No one to hit him or berate him. Just the sun, the wind, and the Salamander''s tail on his back.


    He hopped over a gap and paused, staring out at the wilderness. Untamed forest stretched to the horizon. Foothills rolled up to enormous mountains in the distance, where bitter stone peaks pierced the sky. Nothing but wilderness, as far as the eye could see.


    He turned the other way. The wall circled the base of a large foothill. The slums sprawled down the lower hill. Over the slums, the undercity stood proud. Stone towers reached for the overcity, but fell short of the floating crown overhead. The overcity glittered, all gold and ivory. Today, it laid in a hush. Only a few people floated about its spires today. They looked no larger than insects. Tiny glittering bugs, so small, so distant from him. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Again, the urge welled up in him to walk away. Leave it all behind, and never come back. Forget his uncle, forget his troubles. Set off into the forest and never come back.


    Again, he repressed it. Not yet. The bandits were the most clear evidence of his lack of preparation. He knew too little about the wilds, and wasn''t strong enough yet to ignore his knowledge gaps. More strength, more gear, more preparation, and then he''d set off forever and never look back.


    He tapped his pouch. Pay his uncle back first, then figure out his next steps. If I know anything about my uncle, it''s that he won''t forgive a single missing copper. If I vanish, he''ll find me, no matter where I go. I need to pay him back to sever my ties with him.


    Something moved in the forest. Ike squinted through the trees. Dark bodies wove between the tree trunks, rapidly closing in on him. The bandits!


    Ike took off at a run. He glanced over his shoulder, only to find the dark forms following him. They were humanoid, but somehow wrong. Pale, slender limbs flashed from beneath tattered robes, and deep hoods completely hid their faces. They glided over the woods without even rustling the underbrush. Ike glanced over his shoulder, fear creeping up his spine. Those aren''t the bandits. What are they?


    Ike sped up, hurtling along the wall. The dark shapes silently chased, ever so slowly closing in on him.

 12. Bring It Upon Yourself

    Ike sped along the wall. The dark forms chased silently after him. He ran faster, the Salamander''s tail banging against his back. Without any visible exertion of effort, they followed. The forms drifted on a wind only they could feel, one that blew them closer and closer to Ike.The nearest one lifted a limp, pale arm and reached toward Ike. Its arm split into fingers, but not as a hand would. It looked like someone had taken a mushroom stalk and cut it into four. Four evenly-sized extremities sat evenly spaced around its wrist, with no palm or thumb. The four fingers tapered to sharp points. It grasped at the air, almost beckoning.


    That''s not a person. Terror coiled in Ike''s gut. They weren''t bandits at all. No. A herd of monsters of unknown power chased him for unknown reasons. If he was unlucky, and they were Rank 2 or higher, a single one would destroy him. Even if I''m lucky¡­this many Rank 1s or 0s is still a problem. He sped up again, activating Lightning Dash.


    The wraiths sped up in kind, ever so slowly gaining on him. Ike gritted his teeth and operated Lightning Dash at full power. Mana drained from his body, pouring into his feet and legs. He eyed the path ahead warily. The gate was nowhere in sight. He could keep sprinting like this for another mile, at best, but the gate was further away than that. If he kept this up, he''d end up stranded on the wrong side of the wall with no mana and the wraiths still on his heels.


    Ike glanced back. The wraiths still gained steadily, no matter how fast he ran.


    I could ditch the Salamander tail and take off inside the wall. Ike considered it, then instantly threw out the option. Only if he had no other recourse. He''d brought the Salamander''s tail this far. As long as he turned it in, he''d have the last money he needed to pay back his debt. If he didn''t turn in the Salamander''s tail, he''d be stuck hunting for months and months to make up that kind of money. After all, the monsters he could hunt solo were worth coppers, maybe a silver at best. The Salamander''s tail alone equaled weeks'' worth of solo hunting. And I don''t want to party up again. I''ve learned my lesson. He tightened his grip on the strap, his mind made up.


    He eyed the invisible barrier. If he strapped the Salamander''s tail to his shoulder, he could stand on the inside of the wall and leave only the Salamander''s tail outside the wall. After a moment, he rejected that idea, too. He''d ruin his back putting so much weight on one arm and running. Besides, if the wraiths were after the tail, it was no different from abandoning the tail outright.


    Ike looked over his shoulder again. That left fighting. His eyes traveled over the wraiths, counting. One, two, three¡­six. Six wraiths.


    He considered. He could easily kill six of the squirrels, but just from looking at them, he could tell the wraiths would be more trouble than the squirrels. When it came to Rank 1 monsters, he didn''t have much experience. If the little salamanders counted, then sure, he could, but¡­he eyed the wraiths. If the little salamanders were Rank 1, they were the very bottom of Rank 1. These wraiths feel more like Joseph. The top of Rank 1.


    Ike bit his lip. He glanced back again. One wraith had pulled ahead of the other wraiths, closer to him than the rest. Instantly, he whipped around and charged toward it instead. If he couldn''t judge their strength by looking, he''d have to judge it by attacking!


    Holding nothing back, he surged mana into his hand. Lightning crackled around his wrist and fingers. His hand surged forward, smacking the wraith square in the center of its face.


    The wraith''s head snapped back, completely back. Its head dangled loosely over the back of its shoulders and down its back. It stumbled, jolting from the lightning imbued in the strike.


    Ike blinked. He looked at his hand, then the wraith. Was it that easy?


    The wraith lifted its head. The hood had fallen back, revealing pale, moist flesh. It had no face, nothing but blank, smooth white where its eyes and nose should be. Dank hair clung to its skull. A massive mouth split its face, hanging half-open, more like a snake''s maw than a human jaw. It dragged a deep breath past a thousand needle-sharp teeth and flicked a long tongue toward Ike.


    Ike retreated a step unconsciously. He drew a sharp breath of his own. Definitely not human.


    Behind the wraith, its fellows came up quickly. The fastest pushed past the lead wraith and swiped at him. Ike dodged, but too slow. A pale claw brushed through his shoulder. Ike flinched, but no pain burst out. No blood ran down his shirt, nor did his shirt tear. A cold, numb sensation pressed into him where its hand struck.


    The wraith lifted its hand to its mouth and made an eating motion, though its hand looked empty to Ike. Its whole body shivered with pleasure. Its horrible mouth curved into a delighted grin. The other wraiths swarmed it, fighting for its clenched fist. It fought them off, chewing down the invisible thing it held.


    The second the wraiths slowed, Ike whirled and ran, glad for the distraction. He patted his shoulder to be sure, but touched unharmed flesh. His own touch felt distant, and his shoulder felt cold to his fingertips. He frowned, activating Lightning Dash as he sprinted away.


    Coldness in his core. A chunk of his mana was gone.


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    Ike startled. It stole my mana! They aren''t hitting me, but my mana. Wait, then¡­ As he ran, he scanned the ground in front of him. A chip of stone sat atop the wall ahead of him. Ike scooped it up, then, in one fluid motion, whirled and threw it backward.


    The stone sailed harmlessly through the wraiths. They chased, as relentless as ever.


    My hand struck, but the stone didn''t. They steal mana on touch. He looked at his hand. Lightning flickered over it for just a moment. He''d used Lightning Grasp to strike them, the one time he''d hit. The wraiths sped up when he used Lightning Dash. His eyes widened as it all came together. They were stealing his mana. Not just when they struck him, but when they chased him, too, using the scraps of mana from his skillcasting to speed themselves. He wasn''t sure how skills and magic worked, not completely, but from looking at his feet and the lightning flashing off into the world, it wasn''t hard to imagine a smear of mana left behind him. One that the wraiths could snatch up.


    He glanced back, looking closely at their strange, slender feet. Ever so faintly, flickers of electricity flashed around their ankles, a pale copy of his skill.


    Lightning Dash is a Unique skill. They can''t possibly have a version of it. That cinches it¡ªthey''re leeching my mana somehow.


    As he became aware of it, he felt a cold draw at his back. He turned his attention to the warmth flowing through him. The mana slowly escaped his body, the draw strongest at his feet, where his skill was active. He couldn''t keep using Lightning Dash. At the rate, he wouldn''t make it back to the gate.


    Ike stopped dead, killing his Lightning Dash. He whipped around and punched again, Lightning Grasp sparking wildly around his hand, activated with all the strength he could muster. Once more, the lead wraith fell backward. Lightning flickered over its entire body, spiraling out from the place Ike had punched them.


    The wraith jumped back up. It hissed and gave chase, faster than ever. Ike jumped back, using only his ordinary speed. The wraith''s claws closed in on him.


    A pale claw wrapped around the lead wraith''s neck, yanking it to a dead stop. The second wraith bit into the first wraith, its razor teeth cutting through that strange, pale flesh. The first wraith struggled, hissing in anger. Its claws cut through the second wraith''s neck. It straightened up and took a step toward Ike, only for the other wraiths to lunge. A third wraith downed it, and the rest quickly fell upon the first wraith. Their needle teeth tore it apart as the lightning vanished, wraiths desperately slurping it up.


    Ike ran away on his own speed, not using any technique at all. His core sat cold, nearly empty. All his mana was speared on the lead wraith, so the wraith looked more ''warm,'' more full of mana than Ike himself. He held his breath as he sped away, not yet willing to believe his ploy had worked. Once they shreded that wraith, there was nothing to stop them from coming after him again. He needed to get back inside as quickly as possible. Ike looked over his shoulder again. The wraiths kept chewing the first wraith, while the first wraith continued to thrash and struggle. He''d bought himself some time, but not safety.


    I might have to ditch the Salamander''s tail after all.


    Shaking his head, Ike put his thoughts behind him and ran on. Best to focus on running for now. He''d handle the wraiths when, and if, they came after him again.


    The wall curved. The wraiths vanished behind the flow of the forest. Ike ran on. His feet struck stone, a steady beat beneath him. Every so often, he checked over his shoulder. An empty wall stretched behind him every time.


    Ike rubbed the back of his neck, unable to shake the sensation of being followed. I need to keep my head forward. Every glance back costs me precious seconds. Those wraiths wouldn''t remain distracted forever. If they came after him again, he needed to be as far ahead as possible to give himself the maximum advantage.


    Ahead of him, something dark covered the wall. Ike slowed to a halt and kneeled, touching it. A slick substance coated his fingers. His brows furrowed. Some kind of oil? But why?


    Shadows shifted in the forest. Ike whirled. More wraiths?


    Dark-clad people approached from the forest, filtering out of the trees. The ratty man laughed as he strode toward Ike. "Na?ve. Taking a different path, as if it would throw me off. How long do you think I''ve been playing this game? I know what you''re going to do before you even think of it."


    Ike backed away. His eyes narrowed. I think I know why the wall is oiled. This was a trap. The bandits had tracked him, somehow. A tracking skill, some kind of surveillance technique. His path along the wall must have been so obvious to them, if they could see him at all. So familiar.


    Ike all but kicked himself, frustrated. Looking back, it was easy to see how bandits with foreknowledge of his position could guess his next move, with one shoulder up against a barrier. If only he''d known there were tracking skills. If only he''d known how to check if he was tracked. If only. If only. Again, his inexperience and lack of knowledge was thrown in his face. He lifted his lip, sick of it. He had to learn more. Study under someone, read, something¡ªanything. He''d die if he remained this clueless.


    But first, I have to survive this.


    The bandits surrounded him in a loose arc around the base of the wall. Ike counted. Five of them, including the ratty man. Too many to fight alone, Ranks and skills aside.


    "What''s your name?" Ike asked, looking down on the ratty man. Subtly, he changed his stance, putting his hands behind his back. Lightning crackled around his wrists as he shifted them back and forth according to the pattern of Lightning Grasp.


    "Me? You can call me¡­" He paused for a moment, thinking. "Rob."


    "Should I call him Mug? And her, Steal?" Ike asked, pointing out other bandits.


    "If you like," Rob said. He gestured for Ike to come down. "We have no quarrel with you. Hand over that tail, and we can all go our merry ways." S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Why should I give you what I risked my life for?" Ike asked.


    Rob waved his hand dismissively. "It''s a small piece of the monster. Consider it an investment in your future."


    "My immediate future," Ike muttered.


    "Why limit yourself? This could be the start of a beautiful partnership," Rob said, a smile spreading across his face.


    Ike''s eyes hardened. "No."


    Not again. Never again. He''d learned his lesson from years under his uncle''s thumb. Bow once, bow forever. If he let these bullies take even a piece of his kill, he would be beholden to them forever.


    Besides, my back isn''t as much against a wall as they think it is.


    Rob shook his head. He walked toward the wall, and the other bandits closed in on Ike, too. "It seems words won''t cut it. Remember, you brought this upon yourself."


    Flickering from behind Ike. He half turned to catch a clear look. His hands moved even faster as a grin spread across his face. "Oh, I did."

 13. Black Robes

    A shrill scream cut through the silence. The bandits whirled, taken by surprise. Wraiths rushed toward them. Black robes whirled as they closed in on Ike and the bandits.The instant the bandits turned away, Ike activated Lightning Dash with every scrap of mana he had left. He leaped over the bandits and sprinted off. Over his shoulder, he shouted, "Enjoy the wraiths!"


    Rob''s face twisted in anger. "Get him!" he shouted.


    The other bandits'' bodies glowed as they activated skills. Ike smiled. Just as he''d hoped. The wraith''s heads snapped from him to the bandits. Dark robes swooshed across the battlefield. In a few seconds, they closed in on the bandits. Cold, sharp-tipped hands closed around the bandits'' necks. The wraiths wound sinuous limbs around them and drew long breaths. The bandits trembled. Some fell to their knees.


    Rob backed away, barely avoiding the wraith after him. "What are these things? Get away!"


    Ike sprinted on at top speed. Only when the bandits'' screams faded behind him did he slow, deactivating Lightning Dash to run at a more reasonable pace. On and on, through the forest. He pulled away from the wall, wary of encountering any more monsters or bandits if he kept following the wall.


    His feet pattered over the soft earth. The now-familiar paths appeared. Winding along them, he came to the gate at last. Ike crossed the boundary into the outpost and let out a long sigh. Exhausted, he braced himself on his knees and panted, just breathing. He hefted himself up at last and wiped his mouth, then set off for the monster shop.


    One transaction later, he had all the gold he needed to pay off his debt, and then some. Hiding the latest bag in a new fold in his clothes, Ike twisted his lips. Those bandits would recognize his face, if they survived. They''d know he carried a hefty amount of gold. He took a slow breath, bracing himself. It''s time.


    For the first time since he''d told his uncle he was going to earn money, he turned his feet back toward the slums. For the last time? He couldn''t be sure.


    As he walked, he lowered his bandana back to his neck, letting his hair fall in front of his eyes again. He removed the Rank 1 badge from his belt and slipped it into his boot. The guards would still be looking for awakened people. Better to blend in, slip in, and vanish back to the outpost.


    Ike nodded to himself. I won''t be there long. Just for a moment, just for long enough to pay my uncle, and then I''m gone.


    The familiar slums rose up again. His uncle''s villa crowded the side of the hill. The monster plant stretched across the flats at the bottom of the hill. Ike hesitated, then set off for the villa. His uncle would be home. Probably drunk, too.


    He walked in the main entrance this time, rather than leaping in a window. The hinges squealed. The sound rang through the silence like a cry for help. Ike moved slowly, wary of his uncle. As much stronger as he''d become, he was still only a Rank 1. A gulf of power stretched between Rank 1 and Rank 2. Now, he might stand a chance if his uncle was dead drunk and he had a knife, but that was the limit of it.


    "Uncle?" he tried, hating how timid his voice sounded. He cleared his voice and tried again. "Jaco¡ª"


    "I''m right here. What do you need now?"


    Ike turned, startled. His uncle stood in a double doorway, his bulk taking up most of the frame. Despite that, Ike hadn''t heard the man approach. He swallowed, instinctively backing away.


    His uncle took a swig from the bottle in his hand. Amber liquid sloshed. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, then laughed. "Don''t tell me¡ªyou''ve come to give up. Good call. The earlier you take up work with The Family, the less quickly you''ll need the money. Means you might survive the stint."


    Ike shook his head. "I came to repay my debt."


    Waving his hand, his uncle started to walk away. "Right, so let''s get moving. The Family isn''t¡ª"


    CLUNK.


    His uncle froze, then slowly turned back.


    Ike pulled bag after bag of gold out from his clothes, thumping them down on a table in front of him. One. Two. Three. Each one neatly portioned off to ten coins. All the way up to ten of them. One hundred gold. His debt. The one he''d owed since childhood, all laid out in front of him.


    Looking at it, Ike staggered a little, barely able to comprehend what he''d done. All the money from the Salamander, more or less, right there in front of him. A lifetime at any other kind of work. And in a week, he''d been able to gather it as a hunter.


    Hunters were different. Hunters weren''t human. No¡ªthey were superior. Far more than the slum rat he''d been until today. Pressure bore down on him, though he couldn''t put a voice to why. Now I become one of them. Now, I finally escape.


    His uncle cleared his throat. "Interest."


    Ike''s lip twitched. He reached into his shirt and tossed one last bag on the table. "There. That should be enough to cover interest."


    Stomping up to the table, his uncle weighed one of the bags in his hand, then undid the tie. He tipped the coins out into his palm and began to count.


    Ike walked away. "It''s all there."


    His uncle stared at him. "Wait."


    Ike paused. He looked back.


    "Where''d you get this money?" his uncle asked.


    "Why do you care? You were going to send me to The Family. Shouldn''t matter where I got the money," Ike returned.


    His uncle''s eyes narrowed. "When did you get a mouth on you?"


    Ike closed his mouth. He turned to walk away again. Time to get out of here.


    A meaty hand closed around Ike''s upper arm. His uncle strode forward, dragging Ike with him. Ike tried to yank and twist free, but his uncle''s grip was like steel. Out into the courtyard, all the way to the road.


    "What are you doing? I paid you back. Let me go!" Ike snarled.


    "Guards! Guards, I found one!" his uncle shouted.


    Gray-suited guards came running, seemingly materializing from out of the streets all around them. Ike went still. It was futile to struggle. Even if he broke free, he couldn''t use Lightning Dash in front of the guards. Not without admitting he''d used the skill orb.


    He stared up at his uncle. How did he know?


    Cold eyes stared back at him. His uncle''s brows furrowed, a vicious, bitter expression on his face.


    Ike blinked, startled. He''s¡­jealous? Of me?


    Still, the expression on his uncle''s face confirmed it. He doesn''t know. This was a shot in the dark. His uncle didn''t care how he''d gotten the money. Didn''t know Ike had awakened. He wanted to keep Ike under his thumb forever. The debt was meant to be that device. Now that it had failed¡­his uncle simply wanted revenge. Revenge on Ike, for daring to free himself.


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    "You have evidence that he''s awakened from a stolen skill orb?" The guard in purple strode up behind the other guards, a hand on her hip and a skeptical look on her face.


    "Test him. You''ll see," Ike''s uncle grunted. He pushed Ike toward the guards.


    Her nose wrinkled. "This had better not be another false alarm. We aren''t here to clean up the slums or get revenge on your personal enemies."


    His uncle gave her an earnest look, putting a hand on his heart. "I swear. Test him."


    Ike staggered forward. He looked around them, taking a deep breath. Test me? How?


    One of the guards reached to a square leather pouch on his hip. He drew out a crystal ball.


    Instantly, Ike flashed back to the crystal ball he''d laid a hand on in the guild. The lightning that flashed through its center. Ike tensed. Shit. If they use that¡ª


    I have another skill. Salamander Healing. How do I make that one show up in the orb, instead of the lightning? Ike thought back. There was nothing to indicate how the orb worked in his memories. All he could do was take guesses.


    The orb only showed one skill. Back then, it had shown one of his Lightning skills. Why?


    Because it was the highest level? Nothing he could do about that.


    A moment later, he rejected it. It couldn''t be that. Then it would''ve shown one of his Common running skills. Instead, it showed lightning.


    Is it the most recent skill used? As he thought it, he nodded to himself. It made sense. The crystal ball drew out some of his mana when he touched it. If he used a skill, his mana would be tinged with that skill''s flavor for a while¡ªcolor? Vibe? He wasn''t sure what to call it, but his mana would take on the characteristics of the skills he used, especially if he used the skill excessively.


    He bit down on the inside of his cheek. Pain rushed out, then faded. Over and over again, forcing Salamander Healing to activate repeatedly.


    Taking the crystal ball from the lower-ranked guard, the purple guard approached Ike. She held it out to him. "Lay your hand on this crystal. If you aren''t awakened, it won''t activate at all."


    "What if I awakened with a skill I acquired honestly?" Ike asked, holding his hand away.


    His uncle narrowed his eyes. He harrumphed. "There''s no way this boy could afford a skill. If he''s awakened, it''s because he stole one of your skills."


    Ignoring Jaco, the guard shrugged. "Then we''ll have to consult the list of stolen skills and check that your skill isn''t on it. Go ahead."


    Biting his cheek one last time, Ike put his hand on the orb. He held his breath. From the corner of his eyes, he eyed his escape routes.


    The orb lit up. His uncle pitched forward, his eyes widening. He pointed at the orb. "He stole a skill! I told you!"


    A warm red light appeared in the heart of the orb. Ike let out the breath he''d held. It worked.


    The guard frowned. She reached into her coat, pulling out a scroll. "A healing skill¡­fire attribute¡­"


    "Did you find one, Mirael?"


    Pale pink light suffused the air. A delicate leg appeared, striding on the air. A rose appeared beneath a pink-clad shoe, and the girl in the rose dress descended to the ground¡ªthe same one Ike had seen on the day he''d found his skill. Two servants in purple robe uniforms flanked her at her shoulders, the same as they had before. Both of her servants stood atop small brooms, so delicate Ike struggled to identify them at first, their handles inlaid with gems, bristles picked from the finest grasses.


    Up close, she was even more beautiful than she''d been in the sky. Skin like fresh milk, soft and creamy. Eyes like pink sapphires. Strawberry blond hair falling in waves around her face, smooth as silk. She looked at Ike, and he drew a short breath, pierced to the heart by those eyes. Her dress drifted on the wind, its layers as delicate as a true rose''s petals. Rosy lips pursed, and a faint rosy blush appeared on her cheeks. She lifted her finger and pointed at Ike.


    "Who is this?"


    The guard glanced at her, then snorted quietly under her breath. In the next moment, she took a deep breath. Heaving her shoulders back and her chest out, she nodded, all formal business. "A suspect, young madame. I was about to consult the skill list to determine if he was, in fact, a culprit."


    Taking their cue from the lead guard, all the other guards snapped into place, straightening up.


    The girl frowned. She narrowed her eyes at Ike. "This awakened?"


    "From a monster''s skill," Ike explained himself, narrowing his eyes slightly at the distaste in her voice. This?


    She paused. Her eyes flicked up and down his body, taking full measure of him, and though her eyes had landed on him before, Ike instantly knew that this was the first time she''d seen him. "I didn''t know slumlings could survive awakening, with all the impurities in their bodies."


    His uncle cleared his throat. Anger flickered in his eyes. "We can even reach Rank 2, young madame."


    "Rank 2? Ah! That makes sense. Of course someone as soaked in filth as you could only reach Rank 2." Reassured, the girl nodded to herself.


    Jaco, Ike, and even the guards stared at the girl, speechless. She fiddled with a bit of her dress, completely oblivious to their reactions. Her servants stepped forward, closing ranks around her. They shot vicious glares at everyone, warning them against attacking the girl.


    The girl looked up. "So? Did he steal one of my skills?"


    "One of your skills?" Ike asked, unable to keep the challenge out of his voice.


    The girl looked down at him, her long pale lashes catching the sun. "They were my birthday gifts. Gutter rats like you should never have had the chance to look at them, let alone learn one."


    Repressed rage boiled inside him, furious at this girl and her dismissal of his entire way of life. Not only that, her dismissal of his future. Can only reach Rank 2? Ha! It wasn''t that hard to reach Rank 1. He''d reach Rank 2, and 3, and 4, and pass this girl''s rank, and then push her down into the mud, and see how she felt about being soaked in filth.


    But he could do nothing about those urges in the moment, so he pushed them down. Putting on his usual poker face, he waited quietly for the guard to consult her skill list.


    Her eyes traveled down the paper. She unfurled it as she went, furling it up again behind her. At last, the guard scrolled it back away and shook her head. "No fire-attribute healing skills on your list, young madame. Actually¡­" Her eyes flicked to Ike. "That skill has to be at least Rare."


    His uncle grabbed Ike''s collar and hefted him forward. He grimaced. "This boy has to be guilty! How could he get his hands on a Rare skill? He''s just a slum rat. Look at him! He''s nothing but bones!"


    Ike pulled himself away from his uncle. He nodded at the guard. "I was desperate for a skill, so I went into the forest by the wall. I found a nest of salamander-like monsters and¡ª"


    He cut off, choking back his words as if overcome by emotion. Lowering his eyelids slightly, Ike paused a few moments, then shook his head and looked up. "I don''t know how I did it. They all swarmed me, and it was terrifying. I almost died a hundred times over. But when I finished¡ªthere it was. A skill orb."


    The girl harrumphed. "Nearly dying to some Rank 0 monsters? Pathetic."


    Ike''s eyes flicked to her. Monsters are ranked on the same scale as humans? I''ll keep that in mind for later.


    The guard nodded. She passed the crystal ball back to its caretaker and slid the skill list back into her jacket. "That sounds like quite the ordeal. Fighting a single monster, regardless of Rank, and winning unawakened is impressive. If you ever take an interest in joining the city guard, stop by the local bastion. Ask for Mirael."


    With that, she turned to go.


    "Fuckin¡­bullshit, is what that is. Load of bullcrap. What if he has another skill?" Ike''s uncle muttered under his breath. His eyes cut dangerously toward Ike, and the vein in his forehead throbbed, a sure sign he wanted to dish out a beating. With the guards right in front of him, all he could do was cross his arms.


    "You''re suggesting this boy has more than just the Rare skill? This boy, that you said couldn''t have any skills without stealing one, is now supposed to have two skills?" the guard pointed out mockingly.


    His uncle''s nose wrinkled. He shook his head. "I''m calling it like I see it. I don''t care how unlikely it sounds. Something about this stinks."


    "Wait."


    The guard paused. She looked over her shoulder.


    The girl stepped forward approaching Ike. Moments ago, he would have quavered, barely able to stand having someone so beautiful so close. Now, he stared her in the eye, his gaze as immobile as his heart. He crossed his arms and tilted his head back, looking down at her as she looked down at him.


    "A slumrat doesn''t deserve a Rare skill. It''s a waste. Hand it over," she demanded.


    "A brat doesn''t deserve any skills at all," Ike returned.


    Behind the girl, her servants'' eyes widened. The guard snorted, barely biting back a laugh.


    The girl''s eyes widened. "You dare? Do you know who I am?"


    "No," Ike declared boldly.


    "I''m Rosamund Brightbriar, and I will be the fourth-generation head of the¡ª"


    Ike scoffed. "Is your only value your family''s name? How pathetic. At least I forged my worth with my own two hands. If I''m only worth the dirt on your boot, that''s fine. I earned that. What about you? How much worth did you earn, yourself, with your own hands?"


    Rosamund''s mouth gaped. She opened it, then shut it, but no sound came out.


    In the next second, Ike''s survival instincts kicked in. Fear struck him to the core. I said that out loud? Shit! This girl might be a brat, but she''s from the upper city. She''s probably a thousand times more powerful than me. He peeked at Rosamund.


    She frowned, staring at the floor.


    She''s distracted! Ike kicked off the floor and sprinted away at top speed.


    Rosamund stood still behind him, still gazing at the ground. A dozen steps into Ike''s flight, she finally looked up. Her nose wrinkled in disgust. She threw her hand out. "Guards! Catch that man!"


    Mirael chuckled. She put her hands up. "Madame, you''re still the future head. I need orders to legally detain a civilian. Official orders."


    Rosamund clicked her tongue in anger. She stomped her foot and started after Ike, but her servants caught her shoulders.


    "Patience, mistress!"


    "Consider your actions! You''re the future head. You can''t be seen tussling with some nobody in the slums!"


    Unaware of all that, Ike raced off. He headed back toward the outpost at full speed, leaving the slums behind for the last time. This time, he knew for sure: he''d never return. Not for anything.


    Not until he was powerful enough to stand atop that hill.


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 14. Training

    Back in the outpost, Ike finally dared to stop. He stood, wiping his mouth, and looked behind him. The road back to the slum stood empty, save a few stray hunters.He let out a sigh of relief. They hadn''t chased him. He was safe.


    What was I thinking, mouthing off to that girl? He put a hand to his heart, feeling it race even now. Had he gone temporarily insane? An upper city young madame, and he''d¡­


    He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. With a last peek over his shoulder, he lifted the bandana to push his hair back and strode into the outpost. His pockets weren''t empty yet. He needed gear, and now that he had gold, it was time to buy.


    Shops stood here and there along the outpost''s main street. Ike walked the street, occasionally peeking inside the shops. Weapons, armor, gear¡­ and all of them oh so expensive. In the somewhat lackluster bookstore, Ike toyed with a thin volume. A tag dangled off its spine, and he tipped his head to read it.


    10 Gold.


    Ike jerked back, throwing his hands up. The book thumped down onto the shelf. He shook his head, taken aback. That''s all my remaining gold!


    He gazed down the aisle, twisting his lips. Swords cost a hundred gold at the minimum. Armor started at fifty for leather. Even books cost double-digit gold. The Salamander would have given him a good start¡­if he hadn''t had to pay off his debt.


    Ike shook his head. Positive. Focus on the positive. He bit his lip, eyeing the book again. A Hunter''s Guide to Monsters, it boasted a complete index of all the local monsters, including their most valuable parts and weaknesses. If he bought it, he''d know what to hunt and what to pass up. It would provide the knowledge to allow him to truly become a hunter.


    But¡­all my gold¡­


    A scoff sounded from behind. Ike turned. Orin stood there, three books tucked under his wiry arm. He shook his head at Ike. "That book''s all bunk."


    Ike lifted his hand. He reached for a different book.


    "That one''s bullshit. Oh¡ªthat one, too," Orin added, pointing at the next book Ike was about to grab.


    "Which one is good, then?" Ike asked, a little frustrated.


    Orin sniffed. He rubbed his nose and walked off. "None of ''em."


    Ike stared after him. He spread his hands at Orin''s back. "What am I supposed to do?"


    At the corner of the shelves, Orin paused. He looked back. "Oh, well. I guess I could give you my old record."


    "Your old¡­" Ike squinted.


    Orin winked. He reached into his pocket, flashing the corner of a Rank badge. "I used to be a hotshot hunter around here. One of the best. I know more about the local monsters than any dusty old guide in a bookshop."


    "And you''ll just give that to me?" Ike asked, equally hopeful and suspicious.


    "Weeeelllll¡­" Orin clicked his tongue. He pursed his lips, then shrugged. "Not for free, no."


    "I only have ten gold," Ike said.


    "No, no. I''m an old man. What am I gonna do with gold? Die on it? Come on. Follow me back. I need someone to help me clean up the house."


    "Clean?"


    Licking his lips, Orin nodded. He pinched his fingers so close they almost touched. "Got a leeetle bit of a bug issue. Help me take care of that, and I''ll give you my old journal. How''s that sound?"


    Ike hesitated, watching as Orin paid for his books. The old man headed for the door. He turned back, framed by the sun. "So? You coming or not?"


    A free guide. Plus, Orin''s a hunter himself. He weighed his choices, then nodded and followed after Orin. Worst case, he wasted a few hours helping an old man. Best case, he came away with one of the pieces of gear he so desperately needed. It was an easy choice.


    Orin grinned. He nodded in approval. "Come on, kid. Daylight''s a-wastin''."


    Ike followed. They wound out of the town and back into the wilderness inside the wall. The forest closed in around them, and the mana thickened. Ike breathed deep, sucking it in.


    "Feels good, doesn''t it, kid?" Orin glanced back, meeting Ike''s eye from the corner of his.


    Ike nodded. "There''s more mana out here, isn''t there?"


    "Smart kid. Yeah. More mana out here. Especially for someone who grew up in the city like you. Slums''re shite for mana."


    Ike opened his mouth, then closed it. He opened it again, giving voice to something that had been bothering him. "The city¡­growing up in filth. Is it impossible to grow past Rank 2, if you grew up in the slums?"


    Orin stopped. He turned back. "Who told you that?"


    "I¡­overheard it. From someone from the overcity."


    Orin wrinkled his nose. He spat. "The overcity." The word sounded like a curse in his mouth.


    Ike tilted his head, watching Orin.


    Shaking his head, Orin walked on. He waggled his finger at Ike. "Bunch of fuckin'' prudes. Think they''re the only ones who know how to Rank up. Anyone can Rank up. Anyone from anywhere, filth be damned."


    He pointed at Ike. "You gonna let them tell you what you can and can''t do? You gonna let a little setback keep you from winning?"


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    "No," Ike said firmly.


    "No. That''s right. No." Orin reached into his pocket and drew out his Rank badge. It flashed in the sun, and then Ike saw it.


    Rank 3.


    Orin glanced over his shoulder. He shot a mischievous grin at Ike. "So? What do you think? Can we slumrats pass Rank 2?"


    "Yes!" Ike said, his heart leaping. Thank goodness he''d followed Orin. All the books in the bookshop paled before his eyes when compared to Orin''s Rank 3 badge. Even if Orin was the worst note-taker in the world, his guide would still be worth its weight in gold. And as long as he followed Orin and took care of a few bugs, he''d get that guide for free.


    Sunlight streamed down. A gentle breeze wafted by. He almost started humming. What a wonderful day. What a beautiful forest. Ah, how fortunate, how fortunate indeed.


    "Here we are," Orin said, stopping abruptly. He nodded ahead of him. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike leaned to the side, looking past Orin.


    A clearing laid before them. In the center of the clearing stood a one-story hunting lodge a wraparound porch. Its front door hung ajar. In the shadowed interior, furtive movement caught Ike''s eye. He stared.


    A triangular head as large as his, bug eyes tacked to either end of it. A small but vicious mouth. Two blades in place of arms, each blade long enough to make a sword from. The giant praying mantis tilted its head. Its mouthpieces moved hungrily. A strange keening cry echoed across the clearing.


    Ike licked his lips. "Is that¡ª"


    "A bug. Yep." Orin nodded.


    "That is not a bug," Ike protested.


    "How is it not? Point to the part that isn''t a bug," Orin returned, crossing his arms.


    Ike held his hands far, far apart from each other. "The part where it''s huge?"


    "Big bug''s still a bug."


    Ike looked at the house. Flickers of motion appeared in every window. Strange waxy structures drooped from the upper porch and clung to the ceilings inside the house. Smaller shapes swarmed across the windowsill.


    "Is there something else I can do¡­?"


    Orin sniffed. He shrugged. "Book''s in there. If ya want it, ya gotta go get it. No two ways about it."


    Pressing his lips together, Ike gazed at the house again. The bug at the door made a clawing gesture at him. Drool dripped from its mouth.


    He took a deep breath. Lifting his eyes away, he pointed at the side of the house, where an old axe sat stuck in a tree stump next to a pile of logs. "Can I use that?"


    "You can use whatever you want," Orin said.


    Ike nodded. He yanked the axe out of the stump and turned to the woods. He browsed the small trees near the edge of the forest. Choosing a straight small tree a foot or two taller than him with an arm-width trunk, he chopped into it. Woodchips flew into the air. The tree''s vibrant heartwood shone blood red in the sunlight. Again and again, he hacked at the tree. The axe''s dull blade made rough work of it, but it got the job done. At last, the tree struck the ground, leaves trembling from the force of the blow. Ike hefted the axe again and chopped off the canopy, then quickly stripped the branches by hand.


    Ike picked up the pole and checked its height, then thumped it on the ground. The staff stood firm. Not too flexible, not too rigid. He lifted it and thrust it at the air, feeling its weight and balance. Satisfied, he leaned the staff against his shoulder. Hooking the axe through his belt, he put his razor in his back pocket, handle ready to grab.


    "Okay." Ike jumped in place, shaking out his arms and legs. He lifted the pole to his shoulder and charged the door.


    The praying mantis let out a shrill cry and leaped at him, lifting its bladed arms.


    Ike put both hands to the pole and angled it at the mantis. The blunt end of the pole caught the mantis out of the air. He kept charging, carrying the mantis into the house. A wall rushed up at him and the mantis alike. Lowering the pole back to horizontal, Ike rammed into the wall. The pole smashed through the mantis and punched a hole in the wall behind it.


    The mantis screeched, squirming ferociously. Ike leaned his whole weight against the pole, but the mantis still managed to shove against the pole hard enough to push Ike away. The pole lifted off the wall. The mantis backed out of it.


    Ike slammed the pole against the wall again, punching a second hole through the mantis. It screamed. Yellow ichor spurted against the wall. The mantis pushed away from the wall and shoved its way up the pole at Ike, its bug eyes glaring at him.


    Shit. Ike grabbed the axe out of his belt. He waited. The mantis crawled toward him one step at a time. It raised its bladed arms.


    Ike lashed out. The bug''s triangular head flew away. It struck the ground and rolled, spraying ichor behind it.


    Taking a deep breath, Ike lowered the pole and slipped the axe into his belt again. He stepped on the mantis'' body and pulled with both hands. The limp form squelched free of the pole and flopped against the ground.


    Pole in one hand, axe in the other, Ike wiped his forehead with the back of his arm and took stock of the room.


    Normal-sized praying mantises crawled over every inch of the house. The floor, the walls, they climbed over everything. Some even clung to the ceiling. Ike took a step back. Mantises crunched under his boots. Little pricks stabbed at his lower legs as a few of them climbed up his pants.


    Ike barely resisted the urge to shudder. Just set it on fire. Individual mantises weren''t that bad, but a swarm of them put his teeth on edge. The hundreds of crawling legs, the ceaseless motion¡­Ike grimaced. He pushed the thoughts down, shaking his head. Get the job done and get out.


    As disgusting as the swarm was, there were no more monstrous praying mantises in the lodge''s lobby. A hallway led to the left and the right. Ike looked back and forth, then lifted his pole and walked to the left. He spun around the corner, pointing his pole threateningly down the hall.


    A pair of waist-high praying mantises bent over the body of a third. Chewing and slurping sounds echoed down the hallway. A sharp crack rang out from the downed mantis'' body and ichor flew as one of the mantises tore an arm off its downed fellow.


    Without hesitation, Ike charged the mantises, holding the pole before him in both arms.


    The mantises turned. Bits of mantis hung from their mouths. Their mouthparts worked, busy chewing their fellow. In a flash of motion, both of them leapt away from the downed mantis. They struck the wall on either side of Ike and jumped off, charging at him from both sides.


    Ike planted his feet and swung the pole like a bat. Crack! Both mantises flew into the wall. Their exoskeletons cracked open. Yellow ichor dripped down the wall as their bodies slowly slipped down it.


    Two doors stood on the inside wall. Ike crunched his way down the hallway. Holding the pole at the ready, he kicked the first one open.


    The door swung inward, throwing a dozen normal-sized mantises into the air. Mantises coated comfortable furniture and blanketed a low table.


    Ike let the door fall shut. Moving down the hall, he kicked the second door open.


    A screech sounded from inside. Half-open, the door jerked to a halt. In a flurry of wings and blade-arms, an angry mantis as tall as Ike rushed him.


    Ike raised his pole too late. The mantis struck it out of his hand with a swipe of its arm. Its other limb slashed at his neck.


    Jerking his arm up, Ike barely blocked the blade. It stuck into his arm, pushing him sideways through the little mantises. Pain burst from his arm, and sweat broke out on his forehead.


    Gritting his teeth, Ike yanked the axe out of his belt with his other hand. He swung at the mantis'' spindly neck.


    The mantis leaped back, jerking its blade out of his arm. Blood sprayed. Ike winced, jerking away. He lifted the axe as his arm burned, Salamander Healing closing the deep slash on his forearm. His mana drained into the skill.


    The mantis lunged toward him again. Both its blades slashed down at him.


    Lightning crackled. Ike dashed through its grasp and between its spindly legs. The bladed arms sliced through empty air. Popping back up behind it, Ike grabbed the axe in both hands and swung with all his might. The blunt blade thunked into the mantis'' exoskeleton, only half-severing its head.


    Ichor rushed out, spurting down the blade. Ike yanked it free. The mantis whirled, raising its blades.


    Ike''s eyes flashed. Lightning flashed around his hands. He struck again, hacking into the other side of the mantis'' neck. The mantis twitched. Its arms drooped, and it toppled sideways. Thrashing helplessly on the floor, it bled out.


    Ike wiped the axe on his pants. He stepped over the mantis'' body and sucked in a breath, drawing in all the mana he could. Bending, he scooped up the pole and walked on. That''s all for this hall. Let''s go check out the other side.

 15. Praying Mantises

    As he walked, Ike looked at his arms. The axe swing had only had his own strength behind it, not any mana-enhancement. The Lightning Grasp skill enhanced his hand speed, but not his arm strength.I can''t remain in this state, using Lightning Dash and Grasp, but not enhancing my whole body. I need to spread my Unique skill. Strengthen my entire body.


    With every step, little spurts of mana rushed into him. Ike looked down. His foot crushed the little mantises, and mana burst into his core. Killing monsters gave mana. Right now, he killed monsters with every step. True, they were small monsters, but monsters nonetheless. Each one didn''t give much mana, but when he stepped on ten with every footfall, the mana added up. Right now, he had enough mana to try out expanding Lightning Grasp up his arm.


    Ike turned his attention to the structure of Lightning Grasp again. Mana flowed through his hand in a smooth circulation, neatly following the shape of his bones and blood vessels. It accelerated toward his fingertips. Lightning flickered at his fingers, wreathing up toward his wrists. He held the image of the mana flow in his mind. Five mana flows rushed by. They sped up as they reached the extremities of his fingers, then cycled back into the center of his hand.


    Five flows, one for each finger. But I only need two for my arm. One down, and one back up. In his mind, he pruned away the mana flows, cutting them down to the central two. More mana flowed in those two routes. The structure of the technique trembled. The thin strands of golden mana struggled to contain the two thicker mana flows.


    Ike looked at those threads, curious. The thin golden threads were controlled by the skill itself, but if he copied the skill mentally, the threads came with it. Thanks to that, he could create a new skill. Is that because it''s Unique? I should try this with another skill, but¡­ He looked at his arm. The gash slowly closed under the effect of Salamander Healing. Warm mana flowed to the wound shapelessly, supplying it with the energy it needed to close. Salamander Healing already covered his whole body, and beyond that, there was no ''structure'' to the skill. The mana flowed organically, transforming into healing energy with no intermediate shaping.


    I wonder if that''s because it''s a monster skill? Human-made skills had firm shapes, well-defined, with clean mana lines. Monster skills, created by instinct rather than research, simply accomplished their goal without structure or refinement.


    Still, it meant he couldn''t try copying Salamander Healing to another part of his body to see if this was something he could only do with Unique skills. He shrugged. I''ll figure it out later, once I have more skills.


    The skill shattered in his mind, and Ike snapped back to the moment. Hmm. Two thick flows broke the shape of the skill. I need a different angle. He drew the skill back into his mind. This time, he only trimmed one flow from the skill. Taking the other four flows, he paired them into two sets of two flows each.


    He let the mana circulate for a while in his mind, then nodded. I think it''ll work. Let''s give it a try.


    Reaching out with his right arm, he circulated his mana in the formation down the length of his arm. It held for a single second, then broke.


    Ike nodded. Good. A good start! Lightning Grasp had started like that, too. It would take repetition to turn it into a skill. At least now, he had something in his back pocket, in case he really needed it.


    Back around the corner, across the lobby. He dismissed his thoughts to the back of his mind as he came up on the opposite hallway. Putting the axe away, he hefted the pole and approached the corner with caution. All at once, he whipped around the corner.


    Little mantises crunched underfoot. To the end of the hallway, they filled the floor and piled up along the walls. He stepped forward, looking around. His brows furrowed. Nothing on this side? Nothing?


    Motion at the corner of his eyes. Ike ducked. Blades whirred past, slicing through the very top of his hair. Putting a hand on his head, he looked up.


    A human-size mantis clung to the ceiling, its blades extended from its attack. It chittered at him, then dropped down on him. A hundred pounds of exoskeleton hurtled toward Ike.


    Ike whirled the pole around. He planted the butt on the floor and hugged it with his whole body. The mantis dropped onto the pole. There was a crunch, and it bounced off, dropping to the floor beside him.


    Abandoning the pole, Ike drew the axe. The mantis struggled to rise, only to find itself rising into a blade. Once, twice, three times, hacking into its neck. The exoskeleton tore under the blunt blade. Ichor flew, staining the floor, the walls, even the ceiling. When the mantis stopped kicking, Ike stood. He wiped the splattered ichor off his face and took in the space.


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    Two rooms on this side of the lodge as well. Both doors shut. At the end, the hallway didn''t end, but turned back toward the center of the lodge. Ike looked at the end of the hallway, then took a deep breath and turned to the first door. Let''s handle this first, then figure out what''s down there.


    He kicked it open. Three waist high mantises ran for him, hissing. With a swipe of his pole, he knocked them back. Two of them immediately charged him again, but the third fell back. It lowered its head and flared its wings, making a strange keening noise with its legs and wings.


    That''s not good. Ike knocked the other two into the air and charged the mantis making the noise. It dodged nimbly to the side and kept keening. The other two jumped off the walls, slicing at him from either direction. Ike ducked, spinning the pole over his head. The two mantises flew backward again. This time, he chased after them. He stomped the one on the right as the left slammed into his back. Off-balance, Ike stumbled backward. He slammed his shoulders on the wall, crushing the mantis.


    As he crushed the mantis, wood shattered. A claw bit through the wall inches from his head. It scythed down toward his shoulder.


    Ike shoved off the wall, directly into a mess of wings and claws. The third mantis flew at him, flared out to its full width. He dropped the pole and went for his axe, smacking the little one away with his other hand. The little mantis flared its wings and flew right at him again.


    Behind him, the big mantis lifted its claws again and slashed at the wall. The wall broke down. Bits of wood flew everywhere. It leaned through the wall and smashed at the wall below it.


    Ike batted the little one away and whirled. Raising his axe, he slashed at the big mantis'' head. It raised its claws and caught his axe. They wrestled back and forth for a moment, until the little one slashed at Ike''s back again.


    "Fuck it," Ike muttered. He released the axe. The mantis clutched it close. It keened in victory.


    "Don''t think so, motherfucker." Ike drew his razor and slashed. The mantis flinched back, but too slow. The razor cut open its bulbous eyes. It screamed in pain and fury, and dropped his axe. The axe clattered to the floor on the wrong side of the half-broken wall. The mantis thrashed wildly. Claws blurred, flashing across the entire opening.


    Dropping the razor, Ike snatched up the pole from the ground. Grabbing it with both hands, he lifted it high and drove it down on the big mantis. The mantis screeched and fell onto its back. Ike leaned through the wall and slammed the pole down on it again and again, until it stopped moving. The little one clawed at his back. Annoyed, Ike reached over his shoulder and threw it on the ground. It squirmed, screeching. Ike stomped it. Exoskeleton crunched. Yellow ichor splattered over the floor.


    Sighing, Ike touched his shoulders. Blood ran down his back from the little mantis'' claws. His shirt hung in tatters. Mana flowed to the wounds, closing them, but there was no hope for his shirt.


    He reached through the wall and retrieved his axe, then picked his razor up from the ground and put it back in his pocket. He peeked into the other room. A hole in the wall on the far side of the second room led into the hallway past the turn. A few normal-sized mantises paced around, but no more monsters threatened from that room.


    Thank goodness. He gave the door a kick as he exited. Following the hallway around, he turned by the hole in the wall. There, at the back of the house, the hallway ended. The house''s rear door hung by a single hinge, and below it, a hatch gaped darkly in the floor.


    Ike hissed a breath through his teeth. Going outside, he grabbed a stone and tossed it into the hatch.


    Silence, and then the stone clattered. A flurry of motion from below. Two multicolored orbs lurked out of the shadow. An enormous mantis stared up through the hatch, easily twice as large as the previous largest mantis he''d faced.


    The mantis lunged at him. A claw as large as a greatsword flicked at the hatch so fast that Ike felt the wind of the strike from where he stood above the hatch.


    Ike stumbled back. He stared. Fuck no. I can''t beat that thing alone.


    Unable to see Ike, the mantis hissed and retreated, rustling back into the darkness.


    Leaving the hatch behind, Ike slogged back through the mantises. He pushed open the front doors and hurried down the stairs.


    "How''d it go?" Orin asked.


    "I cleared out the first floor," Ike said.


    Orin turned, eyeing the mantises crawling down the stairs after Ike. "Did ya?"


    "Of the monsters," he complained, then paused. If even the normal-sized ones gave mana, then they all qualified as monsters. "The large ones."


    "And the basement?"


    "The fucking basement¡ª" Ike cut off. Shaking his head, he sat down on the tree stump.


    Orin clicked his tongue. He shook his head.


    "I did my best. I''m only a Rank 1. That thing in the basement is¡ª" He shook his head.


    Sniffing, Orin walked over. He patted Ike on the shoulder. "Take a break, kid. Give yourself a few minutes and get back at it."


    "Is it not enough?" Ike asked, exhausted.


    Orin pursed his lips. He stared up at the sky.


    "It''s not?"


    "Weeeell, the book''s kinda down in the basement, you know?"


    Ike collapsed. He looked back up at Orin. "You''re a Rank 3."


    Orin waved his hand. "I''m old. I''m close to death. Tired. Look, kid. I don''t need that book. Letting you clean the lodge is doing you a favor."


    Ike gave him a dead-eyed stare. "You just don''t want to do it."


    "Weeeeeell¡­"


    Ike pressed his lips together. He stared at the ground, fists curling.


    Orin nodded. "Take a break, kid. Give it a rest. You can get back at it when you''re ready." He walked away, leaving Ike on the stairs.


    Is it worth it? Ike stared at his hands. The Salamander took a whole party to take down. That mantis wasn''t as powerful as the Salamander, and it didn''t have little mantises running around it, but even so¡­do I stand a chance? Alone? Just me?


    Is the book worth it? S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He put his head in his hands, then looked up. No. I can do it. I have to.


    A shadow fell over him. He glared up. "What now?"

 16. A Little Help

    Grumpy, Ike looked up. "What now?"An old lady smiled down at him. Cara tilted her head, grinning a little. "Orin managed to recruit you for this one, huh? After ending up with Joseph''s crew¡­it''s like you seek out the worst jobs."


    "Ha¡­haha," Ike said sarcastically.


    She sat beside him. The wooden stair groaned under her weight. "I''m only joking. It''s just how it is for low-Rank hunters. We all did our fair share of suffering at the start of our careers."


    "Did you?" Ike asked. You can''t convince me that everyone''s first mission ended with killing their own party.


    "You might''ve had it a little rougher than most," Cara allowed, a merry glint in her eyes.


    "No kidding," Ike muttered.


    Cara looked at him. She nodded. "How about I help you out a little?"


    "How? Are you Rank 3 too?" Ike asked.


    Cara smiled mysteriously. She tilted her head. "Did you know that hunters live a long, long time? The higher your Rank, the longer your life. There''re skills for long life, too, and you can always hunt the few monsters whose flesh grants longevity. But eventually, at the end of our lives, we end up living on nothing but mana. And when that mana runs out¡­"


    Ike looked at her. Understanding flickered in his gaze. Right. That''s why they call the people in the upper city immortals, because they live for hundreds of years. Forever, by my count. I thought it was just an upper city thing, but it''s a Rank thing instead?


    Ha. Typical upper city. Acting like they''re special, when it''s the System that lets them be that way.


    A second later, his eyes widened. He looked at Orin, who lounged in the shade of a tree, reading a book. "Is that why¡ª"


    She lifted a finger to her lips. Lowering it, she nodded at him. "I can''t take out that mantis in the basement, but I can help. How does that sound?"


    "I''ll take anything," Ike said.


    Cara smiled. "I can light up the basement with one of my skills, and once, just once, I can release a pulse of blinding light. Any more than that will cost more mana than this old lady can spare. Signal me when you want to use it. If you use it right, it can turn the tide of the battle."


    Ike nodded. He stood, stretching. "Understood." It''s not much, but it''s better than nothing, which is what Orin''s contributing to this battle.


    "If you''re lucky, it might even drop a skill," Cara said, in a tempting voice.


    "Is that more common with big monsters?" Ike asked, curious. The Salamander had dropped a skill, but none of the little salamanders had. He''d slaughtered dozens of the squirrel beasts without seeing a skill orb from them, either. It makes sense that more powerful monsters are more likely to have skill orbs, after all.


    Cara nodded. "When it comes to monsters, they gain skills naturally, as they age. Mana accumulates in the bodies of animals, until they become monsters; once they become monsters, the mana keeps accumulating until it condenses into skills. Monsters that live short lives¡ªthat is, less than a hundred years, are unlikely to condense a skill orb. One out of a thousand might have one. The more powerful they get, the longer they live, the more likely they are to condense an orb. At a hundred years, it''s one out of a hundred, though the skill likely won''t be above Gold rank. At a thousand years, it''s one out of ten, and you''ll have a chance of seeing Rare or better skills. At ten thousand years or more, the monster''s guaranteed to drop a skill, and the longer it lives, the better that skill gets¡­even if it''s just a higher-level orb of a low rank skill."


    Ike''s eyes widened. He looked at Cara. "There aren''t many of those, I bet."


    She shrugged. "Ten-thousand year monsters? Not close to the wall, there aren''t. Though you shouldn''t get too excited. Most of the monsters have lived that long are hard for a Rank 3 to kill, let alone a Rank 1 or 2."


    "Right. Otherwise, they''d be hunted to extinction already." A thought came to him, and he frowned.


    "Stuck on something?" Cara prompted him.


    "Mana condenses into a skill¡­does it work that way with humans, too?" Ike asked.


    Cara smiled. "If you have a few hundred or thousand years to spare repeating the same action over and over, yes."


    "Oh," Ike muttered. That''s another way to say no. He looked at her. "What if you have a skill, and repeat that over and over?"


    "That''s how people condense skill orbs, yes. It''s easier than creating a skill from scratch, because activating the skill repeats the same exact action every time¡ªyou don''t have to worry about swinging your arm a little different once, and it not counting for the creation of the skill. Even so, though, it takes a long time¡ªtens, hundreds of years, and it costs a lot of mana, so most people don''t bother. Not even for Rare skills or better. Maybe Unique skills, but then the skill-giver loses the skill, so it''s not ideal."


    "Understood," Ike said. She didn''t mention anything like what I do to create a skill. That suggests that it really is a special part of a Unique skill. A second later, his brows furrowed. "What about if someone dies? Does it work the same as monsters?"


    "If someone dies¡­yes, if they have skills, they can drop skill orbs. Just like with monsters, it isn''t guaranteed. And it''s evil. Don''t start hunting people," Cara admonished him, giving him a gentle smack on the head.


    It makes sense. That girl''s body¡­when that man stabbed her, on the mud flats¡­ I wonder if it''s more likely to drop if the skill isn''t fully absorbed?


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    Self-conscious, he touched his own stomach. If people could hunt other people for skills, then he needed to keep his Unique skill as secret as he could. It was the highest rank of skill, and whatever the skill, there was only one copy of it in existence. Even if a hunter didn''t want it for themselves, it was worth¡ªwell. More money than Ike had made so far. I need to make sure I don''t display Lightning Dash. Keep it quiet.


    Cara frowned at his silence. "What are you thinking over there? Better not be planning any murders."


    "I was thinking that, when Orin dies of old age in a few days, I might be able to snatch a few Rank 3 skills," Ike said with a mischievous grin.


    Cara chuckled. "A few days? That old fogey''s gonna stick around for another few decades, at least. Trust you me."


    He clapped his hands together, then nodded at Cara. The quicker we drop this subject, the better. I don''t need her suspicious over me in either direction¡ªwhether it''s fearing me as a murderer, or planning my murder. "The mantis in the basement¡­how old do you figure it is?"


    "That thing? A thousand years and change. If it wasn''t trapped in there, it''d be a right menace to society."


    "How''d a thousand-year-old mantis end up trapped under the lodge? Unless¡­" Ike eyed Cara. She did say they live for a long time.


    Cara chuckled. "We don''t live that long, no. My good friend Orin has a bad habit of picking up pets he doesn''t care for."


    "Ah," Ike said. A pet? That big-ass mantis is a pet?


    "I can''t put it all on Orin''s head. The thing was nine hundred and ninety years old or so when he caught it. For all we knew, it''d stay at its hundred-year size for another nine hundred years, not ten. Didn''t undergo its thousand-year evolution until it was already in the basement. It was bad timing," Cara said, waving her hand.


    "But the hundred-year and thousand-year monsters¡­they''re near the wall?" Ike asked.


    "Oh, sure. A little hard to find, but with Orin''s book, I''m sure you can find nests of them."


    Ike nodded to himself. Compared to lugging heavy, obvious bodies across the wilds, wasn''t it easier to carry skills home? Besides, he needed skills. He couldn''t afford any decent ones with ten gold, but he could afford the bare minimum of weapons. Using his Unique skill already gave him a step over other Rank 1 fighters. Combining all of that¡­I''ll hunt for skills. If the skills are shit, I''ll sell them. If the skills are good¡­I keep them for myself!


    Ike chuckled under his breath. He lifted his hand and clenched it, already imagining the orbs falling into his palm. No lugging bodies back. No worrying about bandits tracing his path back to the loot. Skill Hunting was a perfect fit for him.


    "But first, let''s kill this mantis." Ike grabbed his pole, giving it a thump to check its sturdiness.


    "That''s the spirit," Cara cheered.


    He looked back at her. "Thank you, Cara."


    "Hmm? I haven''t done anything yet," she said.


    No. You already did more than anyone else did. I have no idea how monsters work, how mana functions. I''m stumbling blind in this new world. You''re the first one to take the time to explain anything to me. Instead of saying all that, Ike gave her a smile and walked off, leading the way around the back of the house to the hatch.


    The mantis roared when it saw them. It lashed out with a flurry of blade strikes that battered the hatch, then lunged for them. Its head burst through, but it banged its arms on the hatch, unable to fold them enough to squeeze through. Falling back to the ground, it let out a furious screech and fluttered its wings ominously.


    "Light," Cara spoke aloud, holding her hands before her. A glowing mote materialized between her fingers, just big enough to fit in her palm. She made a gentle gesture, like wafting a dandelion seed away, and the orb floated down into the hatch.


    The mantis lunged and sliced at the orb, but its long, bladed forearms cut harmlessly through the immaterial ball. It fell back, eyeing the ball with trepidation. Its wings flickered, the eye-patterns folded into their depths flashing in the fresh light.


    Ike circled the hatch, getting a feel for the basement. It was larger than he expected. Deep enough that the mantis could stand upright, wide enough for it to easily maneuver. Dirt walls made a box about forty feet long in every direction, the dirt floor about twenty feet below them. Wooden beams reinforced the structure, though Ike was pretty sure the ceiling should have caved in long ago, even so. "That''s a big basement." sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Orin dug it for the mantis. He wanted to start a breeding program. Sell pet monsters," Cara explained.


    "Pet monsters?"


    "It was a trend in the overcity. Still is, quite honestly."


    Ike raised his brows. Interesting. Wonder how much that business is worth.


    She sighed. "Unfortunately¡ªor should I say fortunately? He overlooked one fundamental feature of mantis breeding. Did you know? The female mantis eats the male mantis when they mate."


    "O-oh," Ike muttered, startled. So that''s a lady mantis down there, huh.


    "He only got one egg pod out of it. Can you imagine if he hatched even more mantises? This place would be completely overrun. There''d be mantises in the outpost, mantises in the slums. The City Guard would have to get involved." Cara shook her head, leaning back to glare around the edge of the house at Orin.


    "This is one egg pod''s worth of mantises?" Ike asked, even more surprised.


    "Yep. Hundreds can hatch from one pod. Most of them came out as ordinary mantises, but a few became monsters. Orin and I locked them in the rooms before they grew to breeding age." She leaned in. "I think he was still hoping to breed them back then."


    So that''s why they were all locked in those closed-door rooms, Ike realized. He turned to Cara. "But they''re still locked in those rooms, so what happened? Did he realize that breeding monsters that can spawn hundreds of little monsters at one time was a bad idea?"


    "Orin? Admit he had a bad idea?" Cara scoffed. "No. It turns out, the upper city nobles have no interest in insectoid monster pets. When Orin realized he''d gone to so much effort for nothing, he lost all interest in clearing them out¡­and that''s where you come into the picture."


    Ike shook his head. He snorted. "What a problem to have."


    He turned back to the mantis. It stared up at them with a wary posture. "Can you send the light toward it from behind?"


    "Distract it? Good call." Cara made a gesture, and the light ball swooped forward.


    The mantis whirled. It swiped at the light again, its claws flashing.


    The second it turned its back to the hatch, Ike sprinted forward. Grabbing the pole in both hands, he leaped into the hatch and drove the pole down toward the mantis'' head.


    The mantis whirled. With a ferocious screech, it swiped at him, its claws cutting through the air.


    Ike''s eyes widened. Shit, it''s fast! He threw the pole out to parry the claws instead.


    Schink! The claws sliced through the pole and kept going. They cut shallow slashes in Ike''s stomach.


    Ike dropped to the ground, holding half a pole, his stomach smarting and his shirt slowly soaking with warm blood. The mantis closed in. Its claws blurred toward him.


    Lightning Dash! Ike sprinted away, lightning arcing after his heels.


    The mantis'' claws struck dirt and stuck there, but only for a second. It yanked its claws free and turned, chasing after Ike. Its feet pounded against the dirt. Little puffs of dust leaped up behind it.


    Ike drew the axe, hefting the pole in his other hand. The mantis dashed at him, moving in a straight line.


    He threw the remaining half of the pole. "Take this!"


    It bonked off the mantis'' head. The enormous beast didn''t so much as flinch. It loomed over him and lifted its claws again.


    Shit. Ike sprinted off. The mantis'' slash struck nothing.


    It darted after him. Its wings flared, and it surged even faster than before. Ike fled, only to find himself in a corner. It screeched to a halt, blocking him in. The mantis'' claws loomed over him.


    Ike backed away, putting his back to one of the wooden supports. He gazed up at it, still defiant. "Give it your worst."


    The mantis swung.

 17. Taking Down the Big Momma

    The mantis swung. Its claws hurtled toward Ike''s neck from either side."Now!" Ike shouted. He dropped to the ground and shut his eyes.


    A bright flash filled the room, so bright his eyelids turned pink. The mantis shrieked. Its claws slammed home, but not into Ike. They buried deep into the wooden support behind where he''d been standing.


    "You can cut a sapling, but not a whole tree, huh?" Ike taunted it from the left. Soundlessly, he paced behind it.


    The mantis screeched again. It threw its body toward the left.


    Ike grinned. It''s blinded. Now, the finishing blow, before its eyes adjust! Holding the axe, he knelt. For a second, he activated Lightning Dash, Lightning Grasp, and forcibly activated the lightning forearm skill. His mana burned at an alarming rate, his stomach aching as it cooled. With the full force of all his mana and all four limbs, he threw himself off the ground. Rotating in midair, he put his feet against the ceiling and kicked. Lightning jolted after him as he plunged down toward the mantis'' head from behind, axe held out before him.


    CLUNK. The blade bit into the back of the mantis'' head. Ichor poured out. The blade stuck halfway through it, unable to sever it completely.


    The mantis screamed. It thrashed harder, tugging at its claws with all its might.


    Using the stuck axe as an anchor, Ike pulled himself up and braced his feet on its spindly shoulders. He pulled the axe free, then brought it down again and again. Chunks of exoskeleton and glops of ichor flew across the basement. The mantis thrashed and thrashed, until finally it fell still, sagging against the wooden support.


    Warmth flowed into his stomach, and his core refilled. Strangely, although he was sure he''d absorbed nearly as much mana from it as from the Salamander, his stomach didn''t feel taut with mana, but merely full. He put a hand to his core. Was his core expanding? Growing capable of holding more mana? It had grown when he''d killed the Salamander, but he''d also Ranked up then. I thought it was just because of Rank increase. Was it because I also killed a monster, maybe? A double effect, from both Rank up and monster-slaying?


    If core size wasn''t completely locked to Rank, that was great news. If he could expand his core by killing monsters and absorb more mana at a lower Rank, he''d be able to cast more spells than someone of equivalent Rank. It''d give him an edge in fights against other Rank 1s.


    His mind flashed to Joseph. Any edge. Anything to give me an advantage. When anyone can become an enemy, the safest play is to become strong enough that it doesn''t matter.


    Right now, I''m behind, but it doesn''t need to be that way forever.


    Ike straightened. He jerked the axe free once more, then wiped his forehead with the back of his arm. Yellow ichor and sweat mingled on his brow. He looked up at the hatch, a square of light high overhead, and gave Cara a thumbs-up.


    "Did you do it?" Cara called down.


    "It''s dead!" Ike shouted back.


    "Good job!" There was a rattle, and a ladder descended into the hatch.


    Ike looked at the ladder, then at the mantis'' corpse. He eyed the distance up to the hatch. "Reckon this thing''s parts are worth anything?"


    "Probably. It is a thousand-year beast. Did it drop a skill?" Cara asked, her voice echoing through the room.


    He looked around. No little orbs, glistening on the floor. "Doesn''t look like it."


    "Can''t hit every time, I guess."


    Ike turned back to the beast. "I''m going to hack this thing apart and pass it up through the hatch."


    "My poor old back is too weak for that kind of lifting nowadays. I''ll go get Orin."


    "Wait."


    Cara paused.


    Ike looked around again. "There''s nothing down here. Orin told me his book was in the basement."


    "Oh, did he? That liar," Cara said, chuckling. "It''s in the attic. I''ll go fetch it for you after I get Orin."


    Ike pursed his lips. He glowered at the hatch, then shook his head. Last time I trust that old man. He''s too wily.


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    "Ah, well. He wouldn''t have given me the book unless I killed this thing anyways, so it''s no loss," Ike muttered aloud to himself. He lifted the axe and started hacking away at the mantis.


    Although he''d only cleaned hides, his years at the monster processing plant gave him an instinctive feel for what to preserve whole, and what to chop up. He segmented its thick abdominal exoskeleton into as large pieces as possible and severed each of its wings individually, carefully passing the delicate filaments out of the basement, but hacked its legs into conveniently small pieces.


    At last, only the claws remained. They were deeply lodged in the support pillar. More than half their width sunk into the hardwood. After a few minutes of fruitless yanking, he grabbed his axe and hacked them free. They struck the floor with a puff of dirt, and he knelt and examined them. The claws themselves were mostly unharmed from the battle and his removal efforts. He twisted them back and forth, admiring the strength of the exoskeleton. A few scuffs marred the edges of the blades, but that was all. These things could make a decent weapon.


    "You done in there?" Orin shouted into the hatch.


    "Coming up," Ike replied. He stuck the claws down his shirt and climbed up the ladder, escaping back into broad daylight at last.


    A pile of mantis parts awaited him, from hunks of its exoskeletons to a dirty old tin full of its slimy internals. He looked over the bounty and gave a satisfied nod.


    Even if I didn''t get a skill, I have at least fifty gold in parts to sell right here.


    Orin sniffed. He looked over the dismembered mantis alongside Ike, then nodded. "You did good, kid. Have real skill as a hunter."


    "Thanks," Ike said. He looked at Orin. "About that book¡­?"


    "Right here," Cara said, before Orin could open his mouth again. She held up a fat notebook stuffed full of looseleaf papers, notes, even fragments torn out of printed books. Three thick metal rings bound its tattered covers together. The cover itself was marred with dark splatters of barely-identifiable materials, from a rusty brown stain that looked suspiciously like blood to a brown, tealike pigment that stained the paper in a telltale circular pattern.


    Ike took it. He cracked it open and skimmed through the pages, then nodded. "My thanks."


    "I''m surprised you can read, kid," Orin said, without a single ounce of self-awareness.


    Cara smacked his arm. "Don''t be rude, old man!"


    "What? Most kids that grew up in the slums can''t. It''s not that strange of a thing to assume."


    Ike smiled, a tinge of bitterness to it. "When I was younger and too little to do manual labor, I kept the inventory books for my uncle''s plant. He had to teach me to read so I could note down what the plant took in."


    He flexed his hands, still feeling the merciless crash of the liquor bottle onto his small fingers every time he answered a question incorrectly. I hated it at the time, but now, it means I have access to invaluable information that''ll make me become a better hunter. I guess my uncle helped me out a tiny bit, however small.


    "A diligent lad? I like that," Orin said, nodding.


    Cara nudged him. She looked at Ike, the compassion in her gaze telling him she''d picked up on his unintentional clues. "It''s fortunate that you learned such a valuable skill, however it came to be."


    Ike nodded. He rubbed the back of his neck and looked away.


    "Have any sword skills, boy?" Orin asked.


    "My name is Ike. And no," Ike said.


    Orin harrumphed. "Too bad. Those blades you''re holding could make a fine pair of swords."


    Ike glanced down, then drew the blades out of his shirt. "I thought as much. Do you know someone who can process them?" I''m not taking them to my uncle. Though¡­come to think of it, I''m not sure my uncle did weapons. I don''t recall ever seeing someone make a blade. We did lots of leather and bone armor and shields, home goods, meat, organs, blood, construction materials¡­but no weapons.


    Orin nodded. "Better than that¡­I know someone who can make swords outta those, and teach you a sword skill at the same time. He''s a bit elusive, but a kid as resourceful as yourself oughta be able to find him."


    "If you can''t find him, don''t get disheartened. There''s plenty of good monster-smiths in the outpost," Cara reassured Ike.


    Ike smiled, uncertain. Is he that hard to find?


    "Aye, but none of ''em quite like Silver."


    "Silver?" Ike frowned.


    Cara touched her forehead just over her right eye and drew a line toward the back of her head. "He has a silver streak in his hair, just so, and he never gives anyone his name. We had to call him something, so in the outpost, he''s known as Silver. He doesn''t spend a lot of time in town. Prefers his own company, he says."


    Ike''s eyes widened. "He lives outside the wall?" He had to be powerful. Even Rank 2 hunters only risked short excursions outside the wall¡ªa week, maybe two at the extreme. Beyond the wall and the barrier, monsters could attack at any moment, day or night. It was exhausting to keep up that level of vigilance for short travels. To live outside the wall full time¡­


    Orin crossed his arms. "That''s right. He''s a bit of a loner, but if you tell him I sent you, he ought to help you out. There''s a map on the back cover to his hut."


    Ike flipped open the book to the final page. An arrow pointed out into the forest from crudely drawn approximation of the outpost and gate, traveled straight for a time, then turned right. A few dotted lines indicated the general course of the other paths. A short list of instructions sat below the map. Go forward until you see the lightning-struck tree. At the old owl''s nest, hook a right. Two paths down, take the left where Genii lost his boots that one time¡­ They continued, not getting any less arcane the longer the list went.


    "¡­Right. Thanks," Ike said, not too certain.


    Orin thumped him on the back. "Let''s hear a heartfelt ''thank you, sir,'' huh? There''s hunters who would kill to get a glimpse of that book, and here I am handing it over to you!"


    "Thank you, sir!" Ike barked, snapping his heels together and lifting his hand to his eyebrow in a poor approximation of a guard''s salute.


    Cara glanced at him from the corner of her eyes. A smile curled her lips, and she lifted a hand to suppress a giggle. Ike grinned back.


    Orin sighed. He shook his head, scuffing his foot on the ground. "Youth these days."


    Cara clapped, drawing their attention. "Now that the big monster''s taken care of, let''s finish off the small fry."


    "Yes, ma''am," Ike replied. It wasn''t much, but those little mantises gave me mana, too. I''ll monitor my core closely while we clean up the lodge, and see if I can''t confirm that absorbing monsters'' mana expands my core.

 18. Silver

    With Cara and Orin''s help, Ike carried the monster parts back to the shop and exchanged them for gold. The monster gave fewer gold than the Salamander, but he''d expected that. Walking away with thirty gold in his pockets, he mused over everything he''d learned.He''d cleaned up the little mantises with Cara, and from that, he''d confirmed that the mana he absorbed directly from killing monsters helped to expand his core, just a little. However, compared to the big mantis, the extent to which the little mantises expanded his core was infinitesimally small. The effect grew smaller the more little mantises they killed, until finally, the mantises no longer gave him any expansion, just a little more mana to fill his core with.


    The stronger the monster I hunt, the more powerful I grow afterwards. He engraved those words into his heart. More powerful monsters drop more powerful skills and have a higher chance of dropping a skill orb.


    I need to get more powerful, so I can take on the most powerful monsters possible.


    Orin''s book hung from his belt, wrapped in an oiled sheet to disguise it. Orin had insisted on that; Cara had complained that it would only draw attention. Not sure which side was right, Ike had simply let it happen. As long as he had the sheet, he could always unwrap the book. If he didn''t have the sheet, he had no option but to display the book.


    Besides, I''m not a hundred percent sure the book will stay together if it isn''t wrapped or contained somehow, Ike thought, the overstuffed pages thick with inserts and loose-leaf paper coming to mind.


    The claws he wore strapped to his back, likewise bound in a stray piece of leftover fabric and layered against one another to disguise their shape. After his last round with bandits, Ike wasn''t in the mood to take any chances. Even if it was only one piece of a monster, he didn''t want to attract any unwanted attention.


    He wandered the streets for a time, looking for something to spend his gold on. Armor still cost far too much, and he now had a book and a weapon¡ªwhether it was the axe he''d borrowed from Orin, or the mantis blades on his back. At last, he stopped by an outdoor goods store and emerged with a tent, a pack, trail rations, an oiled leather cape, and a flint and tinder. At the tailor next door, he exchanged his bloodstained rags for a pair of good, thick outdoor trousers, a sturdy cotton shirt. Not one to waste anything, he folded his old ragged clothes up tight and tucked them away in the bottom of his pack. Down the street, he put in an order for leather boots with the cobbler, and walked away with a new belt while he was at it.


    None of the gear he bought was fine, but instead sturdy and serviceable. The kind of gear that wouldn''t attract a bandit''s eye, but would last him a long, long time, gods willing. Plenty of hunters strutted around the outpost in silk and fine robes, but Ike couldn''t bring himself to waste money on flashy clothes. I don''t understand it. What''s the fun in wearing clothes that don''t do anything for you? I''d have to change to go outside the wall anyways, so I''d only be inconveniencing myself by buying a nice set of clothes.


    By then it was late, so he rested in the tavern. He perused the book by moonlight, taking a longer look at Orin''s notes, especially the early section. The earlier in the book, the younger Orin had encountered the monster, which meant the early part was the most useful to Ike. The lower-level monsters and monsters close to the wall were detailed there.


    But no entry for the Salamander. Based on the rarity of its skill, that thing was at least a thousand years old, if not ten thousand, so it should have been around in Orin''s youth, even being generous with Orin''s age. Did it suddenly appear? Find a geyser near the city and settle in? Or did Orin never discover it? It was pretty hidden away, to be fair.


    At last, the moon passed too far overhead to shine light in his window. Ike yawned, putting a hand to his mouth, and set the book down. It''s only one man''s journal, after all. Of course there''s going to be missing monsters. Orin was just one hunter, and he wasn''t even trying to chronicle all the monsters outside the wall, just report on the ones he encountered. I should be grateful to have it at all, not pointing out inconsistencies with my knowledge. He laid down in the tavern''s straw mattress and went to sleep.


    The next morning, he set off at the crack of dawn, determined to find Silver, arcane instructions be damned. He joined a small group of hunters waiting for the gate to open. At last, with the sun at least ten degrees above the horizon, a guard stumbled over and hauled it open.


    "Dawn to dusk," one female hunter scoffed, spitting in the dirt.


    "All in due time, all in due time," the guard replied, with the supremely unbothered air of someone who''s heard the same complaint a thousand times and won''t get a pay cut no matter how many more thousands of times he hears it.


    The gate opened, and the hunters surged out. Ike walked at his own pace, letting the others get ahead of him. Better to be in the back of the pack, than to have someone follow me. The other hunters might recognize this as the path to Silver''s hut and surmise that I''m carrying valuable monster parts. They can''t follow me if I''m behind them.


    In a few minutes, he walked alone. Ike turned, checking that he was truly the only one around, then sprinted off, lightning chasing his steps. But now that I''m alone, there''s no time like the present!


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    He took the first few turns confidently, then slowed. He looked left and right, searching for a place where someone would lose their boots. Something like a swamp, maybe a lake. Just to be sure, he checked the next direction on the list and the map.


    Then, take a left after a hundred paces.


    Ike grimaced. Right.


    The map, as ever, pointed to the right, and that was it.


    He rubbed his forehead. I really hope Orin''s maps aren''t all like this. It''s going to make it very, very hard to find any monsters if they are.


    "Can I help you?"


    Ike turned.


    A hunter stood behind him. He wore layers of dark, ragged clothes, worn boots, and a tattered green cape. Long, shaggy dark hair and a wild beard, touched with grey, finished the look. Here and there, little twigs and leaves stuck out of his wild mane. He stood there, face impassive, eyes hidden behind smoked lenses, and waited for Ike.


    I didn''t even hear him. I need to be more aware. Ike cleared his throat. "I''m, er¡­" He looked at the instructions, then turned to the man. This guy clearly knows the forest. I mean, look at him. He''s practically part of it. He might be able to help me decode the clues. I don''t need to say where I''m going. All I need to do is show him the one instruction I can''t find. That should be safe.


    Just to be sure, he checked the man''s hairline, but there was no sign of the telltale silver streak. Not that this guy looks like a smith of any description. He lacked the muscular arms, the barrel-like build, the deep strength. Instead, he was wiry, even more slender than Ike, with a hollowed body, as if someone had scooped out his insides. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike leaned in, showing the man just the one line about boots. "Do you have any idea what this might be?"


    The man hummed. He leaned back and forth as he read, following the line. "Genii lost his boots¡­Genii. Hmm."


    Ike tried not to breathe too deeply as the stench of unwashed body washed over him. Clearing his throat, he glanced at the man. "The, uh, the Genii part probably isn''t important. Just¡­is there somewhere around here where people regularly lose their shoes? A mud flats, maybe, or a swamp?"


    The man nodded. "I know where that is." Without another word, he walked away.


    Shutting the book, Ike hurried after him. He fumbled the book back into its wrap and its leather strap on his belt as he walked. "Thank you."


    The man gave no indication he''d heard Ike. He walked ahead, taking long steps. Ike walked along after him, only to find the man pulling away from him. He jogged, then ran. The man still pulled away from him, despite his relaxed posture and walking-pace stride.


    "W-wait," Ike called after him. He paused to catch his breath, bracing himself on his knees. I''m all-out sprinting, and he still pulls away. Do I need to use Lightning Dash to keep up?


    The man kept moving, still refusing to acknowledge Ike.


    Dammit. I don''t have an option. He isn''t looking at me, anyways. It should be fine. Ike operated Lightning Dash and raced after the man.


    Instantly, the man stopped dead. Ike hurtled past the man. Immediately, he stopped using Lightning Dash and lurched to a halt. He didn''t notice, did he?


    The man lifted his hand. He pointed at Ike. "There."


    Ike looked down. His feet sunk steadily into thick mud. Even as he stood there, mud glopped into his shoes, instantly soaking his socks and feet. He stumbled back, and yanked his feet right out of his boots.


    "See?" the man said blandly.


    Scowling, Ike squatted on dry land and fished his boots out of the mud. They squelched out of the thick, dark filth. Couldn''t have mentioned it one second earlier, before my boots were filthy? "Thank y¡ª"


    The man dropped to a squat beside him. Ike jumped, startled. Before he could find his balance again, the man gave him a single firm push on the shoulder. Ike flailed, reaching for the man, anything, but couldn''t regain his balance. He fell backward into the mud.


    Covered in mud, he sat there, absolutely flabbergasted. "What the hell¡­? Why?" My good new clothes¡­


    "Now we''re equal. Come. I know a good place to wash off." The man stood and walked off again.


    Ike stared after him. "Fucking¡ª" A dozen more curse words streamed out of his mouth.


    "You''re the one choosing to sit in mud, instead of go take a wash," the man pointed out.


    His nose wrinkled. Fury rose up in his chest. What the hell is this madman doing to me? This hobo? He''s¡ª


    He''s powerful enough to live out here. Deep breath. Settle. Ike looked at his filthy clothes, then sighed and climbed out of the mud. He shook the worst of it out, dumping it out of his boots. At least they''re my old boots. My new clothes, though.


    Standing there, dripping with mud, he stared after the man. Follow? Or do I just go back to the outpost and get a real bath?


    A moment later, he sighed and followed the man. Baths cost money, streams don''t. Even if this madman doesn''t show me a good pool to wash in, I can find one if I follow whatever he shows me upstream. It''s better than slogging back to the outpost coated in mud, anyways.


    Each step squished as he slogged along, bits of mud falling away behind him. He walked in muddy socks, his boots in hand. The mud hugged bits of him that had no right being held, cold and unpleasant. He watched the man, eyes narrowed. If this was a prank, too, that was it. He was gone.


    They didn''t go far. The mud flats gave way to a river. Glancing back at Ike, the man led him a little ways up river to where a waterfall poured into a deep, clear pool. The man gestured. "You first."


    Ike stood at the edge of the pool. He considered undressing, then rolled his eyes. His clothes were as filthy as he was. Pinching his nose, he jumped in.


    Cool water closed in over his head. He kicked up, then paused. He turned toward the depths.


    Warmth, but warming me from the inside. Mana? There''s mana in this pool?


    Ike broke through the surface and tossed his hair out of his face, heaving a breath. Grabbing the stony edge, he kicked. Mud stained the water all around him as it lifted away from his clothes. He heaved himself up and grabbed his boots, dunking them in the water as well. Might as well get it all clean.


    Mana flowed up as he kicked his legs. Ike breathed deeply, sucking it in. The mana filled his core at a noticeable rate, far faster than the ambient mana. "Is this a mana source?"


    Splash!


    Ike looked over his shoulder. The strange man surfaced on the opposite bank, tossing his hair. As the cold water washed through his hair, the dirt lifted free, revealing a silvery streak over his right eye.


    Ike''s eyes widened. No way.


    The man flicked his wrist. The water began to churn. Ike grabbed the edge, kicking at the bank to climb up, but the water had a firm grip on him and refused to let go. It sucked at his legs and pulled at his wet clothes, dragging him down.


    Silver pushed his glasses back on his head, revealing bright yellow eyes, and fixed Ike with a firm stare. "Who are you? Why are you looking for me?"


    Ike licked his lips. Oh, fuck.

 19. Likely Story

    "Who are you? Why are you looking for me?""Orin sent me," Ike said quickly.


    Silver''s eyes narrowed. He flicked his wrist again, and the water''s pull grew stronger. A whirlpool opened up behind Ike. Immense force pulled him toward the whirlpool. "What does he want?"


    Fuck! Orin, why? Ike clung to the stones on the bank with all his might, struggling to keep a grip on the wet, mossy stones. "I just¡ªI have some monster parts. He suggested bringing them to you! Said you could turn them into a weapon!"


    Silver''s eyes narrowed. He kicked once and soared directly out of the water like a breeching fish. He backflipped and landed on the surface of the water. Ike expected him to fall through, but he stood atop the churning fluid as naturally as breathing.


    "What the¡­" Ike looked Silver up and down, flabbergasted. Is that a skill?


    Those gold eyes bored down on Ike. "Why would he say that? I asked to be left alone."


    "I don''t know. I''ve been a hunter for a week, I don''t know why you''re angry at me," Ike said desperately. The stone slipped under his arms. Ike kicked with all his might, but the whirlpool pulled harder.


    Silver glared down at him. Ike''s hands slipped off, and he dropped into the water. The whirlpool sucked him down.


    Dammit. I''m not dying here. Rather than just give in to the whirlpool, Ike kicked hard, swimming with the flow. The whirlpool accelerated him, and he hurtled toward Silver. He drew the axe from his back pocket and swung it at Silver''s legs.


    "Interesting." Silver leaped off the water, flipped again, and landed on the edge of the pool. With one final flick of his wrist, the water stilled.


    Ike swam to the edge and leaped out of the water like a bat out of hell. He staggered away from the pool, feet slipping and sliding over the mossy stones. Snatching up his wet boots, he shoved his feet into them, stepping down the leather. "Message received. I''m leaving."


    "Wait."


    Ike continued to yank his shoes on. Hell no.


    Silver grabbed his shoulder. "Wait."


    Ike flinched. He glared at Silver. "What?"


    "I thought you were¡­something else. I''ll make the weapon."


    Taken aback, Ike squinted at him. "Something else?"


    Silver gave him a long, silent look.


    Ike returned the look, then turned away. I''m not going to beg this guy to make a weapon after he treated me like shit. I don''t care how good it is.


    A tug at his back. Ike reached back to find his shoulders bare. The claws had been stripped away.


    "If it interests me, anyways. I won''t work with boring materials," Silver said over his shoulder, tapping the claws against his leg.


    "Hey! Give that back. I''m going to someone else," Ike asked, chasing after him. Again, despite Silver''s seemingly relaxed pace, the man steadily pulled away from him.


    "Are you? I''m the best there is." Silver said simply. Not waiting for Ike to follow, he turned a corner around a rock and vanished out of sight.


    Ike stared after him. He hesitated, then wrinkled his nose and cursed under his breath. Orin recommended Silver, even said he was the best. If anyone would know the best weaponsmith around, it would be the Rank 3 adventurer. If he''s willing to work for free¡­I don''t want to play along with a bully, but I have to be realistic about my budget. Tapping his chin, Ike stared after Silver. He had three options. One, spend all his money right now on a mediocre-at-best weaponsmith, and walk away with a mediocre-at best weapon. Not ideal. Two, hope he could take down another few monsters with a blunt axe and a razor and not die while he saved up. Put his life on the line. Also not ideal. Or, option three, put up with an asshole for a few hours, and walk away with a top tier weapon.


    Ike twisted his lips. As little as he wanted to admit it, the choice was obvious. He lifted his head, looking after Silver. The man walked away, a white-wrapped bundle in his arms.


    Besides, he has my claws. Pushing himself to a slow jog in his sloshing-wet clothes, he chased after Silver.


    Silver''s words bounced around in Ike''s head. He thought I was something else. Not someone else. Tana and Ket came to mind, with their black-on-white eyes. Is that ''something else?'' Or¡­does he mean something completely different?


    Around the stone, Silver climbed a hill. He ducked into a wall of ivy that draped a cliff face beside the falls.


    Ike followed him, and found himself in a cave. A placid stream of water coursed along the edge of a stone floor. Smooth, washed stone formed a round tunnel through the earth, widening out the deeper they went into the cave. Abruptly, Silver turned a corner. Ike followed, and found himself in a remarkably homey, if simple, space. A rug of woven reeds stretched across the floor. Atop it, low driftwood table and two water-worn stools had been neatly placed. Herbs dried from a string overhead. Two brightly-colored fish swam in one of the many pools in the floor, their scales flickering brilliantly in the low light. Behind it, a pot dangled over a fire, boiling merrily. Its smoke vanished into a hole in the ceiling, which also served to let sunlight in. At some point, someone had tucked soft grasses onto a shelf in the back, and a Silver-shaped indent stretched across its center.


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    A forge had been built into the back wall. Right now, it stood dark and dead, waiting for a spark. Tongs, a shovel, pinchers, hammers, an anvil, and other tools Ike didn''t recognize hung on the wall beside it.


    Silver tossed the claws haphazardly onto the driftwood table. As he passed by the fish pond, his hand blurred, and one of the fish appeared in it. Casually, he snapped its neck, then carried it to a shelf in the back and lifted a knife. "Fish stew?"


    "Er¡­yes?" Ike asked, lost.


    With a grunt, Silver turned back to the fish. Scales flew.


    Not sure what else to do, Ike folded his legs and sat at the low table, his hands in his lap. He stared at the mantis'' claws. I could take them right now. Take them and go. Find another weaponsmith.


    "Boy."


    Ike''s head snapped up. "My name is Ike."


    Silver gave a careless snort. He pointed at the hanging herbs. "The white grass. Put two tufts in the broth."


    "Uh, sure." Ike tugged two tufts free of the line and tossed them into the broth.


    The second the grass hit the boiling broth, the entire dish turned dark. Ike blinked. "I think it''s burning?"


    "The four-lobe ivy. One leaf, now."


    Ike jumped to. Snatching the ivy leaf, he tossed it in the broth. It paled out again, turning almost clear. "Now it''s colorless."


    "Good." Silver appeared beside him and dropped the cleaned fish into the broth. The broth turned a vibrant ruby red.


    "Is it supposed to do that?" Ike asked.


    Silver gave no reply, instead walking over to start on the second fish. A few moments later, he called, "Blue flower. Seven petals, added one at a time."


    Obediently, Ike pulled a dried flower off the line. He plucked the petals off the flower, letting them flutter into the broth one at a time. "Why are we making fish stew?"


    "Because I''m hungry," Silver said.


    "Oh," Ike muttered. I can''t fault him. I''m hungry, too.


    Ike edged toward the stew, shivering. Outside, in the sun, it wasn''t so bad to be soaking wet. Inside, the cave was cool and dark, and he was freezing.


    Silver walked over and dropped the second fish in. He glanced at Ike, then lifted his hand and tapped Ike''s shoulder.


    A strange warm sensation crawled over him, and then he felt dry. He looked down at himself. His clothes were dry, his body clean. Confused, Ike turned to Silver.


    Silver shook himself. All the filth and water vanished from his clothes and hair. His hair transformed from an unruly mess to a sleek, smooth ponytail, the silver streak marking it all the way to the end of the ponytail.


    Ike blinked. "You have a self-cleaning skill?"


    "It''s very useful," Silver said.


    Ike nodded, then did a double take. A long, pale scar cut from Silver''s right cheek, vanished behind his glasses, then sliced through his eyebrow and into the white streak in his hair. The dirt and wild hair had hidden it earlier, but now it was clear as day.


    Noticing his gaze, Silver tipped his head back. Behind the glasses, his eyes narrowed.


    Ike looked away, getting the message. He doesn''t like people staring at it. Understandable.


    He cleared his throat. "Orin mentioned you could teach me a sword skill?"


    "I could." Silver retreated to a shelf and stole a spoon, then tested the stew. Satisfied, he ladled it into two bowls and handed one to Ike.


    "Will you? Please," Ike asked, taking the bowl.


    Silver hummed, deep in his throat. He sat down at the table and gestured for Ike to do the same. "I don''t carry a sword."


    "No¡­you don''t," Ike said slowly. Was Orin wrong, then?


    "I don''t need one. But I have a sword skill. I''m willing to condense it into a skill orb and give it to you, if you help me."


    "Huh? Isn''t that¡­really hard?" Ike asked. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "For most people. It''s easy for me," Silver said. He lifted the bowl to his lips, then flinched back. Snapping his fingers, he sent the stew into a furious whirlpool. A cool wind appeared from nowhere and blew across the stew''s surface.


    He glanced up as a thought came to him. "It''s harder if you want to keep the skill. I don''t."


    "Oh," Ike said, nodding. "So¡­what do I have to help you with?"


    "An owl," Silver said. He scowled.


    Ike blinked. "An owl?"


    "Owl monster. Keeps eating all my fish. I need it dead, but I don''t have ranged skills, and it knows my scent, my shape, the sound of my heart. It flies away whenever it senses me coming. I need someone new to the area to kill it. Someone whose scent it doesn''t know."


    "An owl monster?" Ike''s eyes widened. "Has it condensed a skill orb?"


    Sipping his stew, Silver shrugged. "It''s a weakling who has had the good fortune to live for a thousand years. It might have."


    A thousand years. One out of ten chance. Whether it''s a skill I sell or a skill I absorb, it''s a decent shot! And if it has no skill¡­a thousand-year-old owl monster corpse should be worth at least as much as the mantis''s. Ike nodded. "I''ll do it."


    Silver nodded. He pointed at Ike''s stew. "Drink the soup. It''s fortified with herbs that stifle your smell and mute your body''s sounds. As a creature the owl doesn''t recognize, you should be able to sneak up on it with the help of the soup¡­as long as it doesn''t see you."


    Ike nodded. He sipped the soup. Warmth filled him¡ªnot just the warmth of the broth, but the warmth of mana. The flavors of fish and herbs danced on his tongue, mixed into a salty, vibrant broth. In a few moments, he''d gulped down the whole bowl of stew. Ike eyed the pot hungrily. I don''t know if I''ve ever had food that good.


    Silver stood and took his bowl. He ladled a second portion for Ike and passed it back to him. "But no more. Food made with magical herbs and mana can be toxic in large quantities to low Rank mages."


    "Understood," Ike said. Eagerly accepting the bowl, he gulped down his second serving the same as the first. He eyed the pot again, but lowered his gaze after a moment. Let''s not be stupid. I don''t want to die for food, no matter how good it is.


    Sitting back, Ike looked at Silver. He furrowed his brows. "How did you end up with a sword skill you don''t want? Do monsters even drop sword skills?"


    "They can," Silver said. He sipped at his soup again and offered no further explanation.


    Ominous. Surely Orin wouldn''t have sent me to a guy who hunts hunters for their skills¡­? Ike eyed Silver with suspicion.


    Noticing his gaze, Silver looked up over the top of his lenses. His gold eyes bored into Ike again.


    Ike looked down quickly. What was it he said? ''Something else." He didn''t necessarily kill a human. There could be other humanoid races who wield swords and sword skills.


    Is that better, though?


    Ike stood. "You said the owl fishes?"


    "Yes. It swoops down from the air and snatches them out of the water."


    "And then?"


    "It flies away," Silver said.


    Ike pursed his lips. "Does it fish often?"


    "Every night."


    Ike nodded. "Show me where."


    Tonight, I''ll lie in wait. Figure out a strategy. Tomorrow¡­ I strike!

 20. Fishing Bird

    Night fell. Spring peepers, crickets, and cicadas sang from the long grasses along the edge of the water. Fireflies blinked along the shoreline. Overhead, a bat swooped, snatching up mosquitoes and other waterbugs. A family of deer wandered up to the water to drink and graze. The mother lifted her head to check for predators every few seconds while her babies guzzled the stream.Ike crouched in the reeds, careful to keep himself dry so his scent wouldn''t spread, and watched, waiting. He wore his bag on his back and his axe at his hip, ready for anything. The bag he''d emptied in Silver''s house, leaving all the gear tucked into a cabinet. He wasn''t going to camp this far from the wall. If the owl didn''t come, he''d turn back.


    Twilight deepened to full night. The moon rose. The deer left, and a fox crept up to the waterline. It lapped up some water, then abruptly stiffened and fled. All the bugs grew quiet, leaving only the babble of the stream.


    Ike turned his eyes to the sky. It''s coming.


    A shadow passed over the moon. Spreading its wings wide, an owl two, no, three times as tall as Ike swooped down and swiped at the little pond. A blue light emerged from its talons, knitting into a net under the water. It beat its wings, dragging the net with it as it climbed into the air. A dozen fish thrashed in the net.


    Ike waited a few moments, holding his breath. The owl retreated from whence it came. When it was far enough away that he was sure it wouldn''t hear, he jumped up and chased after it. It has to land somewhere to eat the fish. When it lands, I''ll have a much better chance against it. Right now, his only ranged skill involved operating his Lightning Dash until lightning struck. As wary as the owl was, he didn''t think it would stand around and wait for him to run laps under it.


    As he ran, operating Lightning Dash at a low level, he practiced his lightning forearm technique. It hadn''t appeared in his list a skill yet, which meant he hadn''t perfected the mana flows enough for the System to recognize it. Holding the forearm skill took twice the mana that Lightning Grasp or Lightning Dash did. Even managing a few seconds of the forearm skill absorbed almost all his mana.


    Once I kill this owl, I''m going to go back to that pool and practice the forearm technique until it becomes a skill. The pool gave off enough mana that he could replenish the mana the forearm technique used at a reasonable rate.


    The owl dipped its wings and dropped toward the ground. Ike fell back, dropping behind a tree. He peeked around it.


    Up on the hill, the owl sat atop a giant mess of bones. Deer bones, fish bones, even human bones all mixed together in the pile. It dropped its net into the center of the pile and settled beside it, snapping the fish down whole one after another. After it swallowed the last fish, it sat there for a while. Big round eyes gazed into the distant forest.


    Ike squinted, peeking around the tree just long enough to confirm it was still there. What''s it waiting for?


    Abruptly, the owl kicked its head back. It made a series of horrible coughing noises, then pitched forward. It ejected a pellet of fish scales and bones onto the top of the pile.


    It eats the bones, but can''t digest them, so it needs to spit them out. Until it does, it probably can''t move very well. Ike darted back behind the tree, pinching his chin as he worked on a plan. From the size of the pile and the variety of its contents, it came back to this location every night, regardless of whether it visited Silver''s pond or not.


    I can use that. No¡­ Ike eyed the pile. I can use all of it.


    The owl flew off, back into the sky. Ike waited. When he was sure it had left, he snuck over to the pile. A skull stared him in the eyes, a grim reminder of the fate that might await him. Ike glanced at it, then away. I won''t end up like that.


    He picked up deer hooves, hide, and bones from the edge of the pile, careful not to disturb the main pile. With the vast quantity of remains before him, he had no problem finding all the materials he needed. He stuffed his bag full, then retreated into the darkness.


    My time at my uncle''s plant isn''t for nothing. I''ve seen them make this before from castoff monster pieces.


    If I pull this off, it''ll ground the owl and block its biggest weapons at the same time. The owl is as good as dead.


    The next day, Ike poked his head in Silver''s cave. "I need a pot. A big pot."


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    Silver squinted at him. "Don''t cook your owl before it''s caught."


    "Big pot," Ike repeated. Silver doesn''t like explaining things to me? Ha. Two can play that game.


    Silver stared at him for another few beats, then shrugged. He knelt and drew a deep pot out from a cabinet that shouldn''t have been able to fit it. "Pot."


    "Thank you." Ike took the pot. He eyed the small cabinet, then shrugged. Probably some kind of skill, or something.


    Outside, Ike filled the pot from the stream. Carrying the heavy pot, he found a nice, dry spot away from the water and the trees and set it on the ground. He built a fire around the pot, then lit it with his flint and tinder. Once the water was boiling, Ike tossed his prizes into the pot. Hooves, hides, and bone marrow rained down into the pot.


    As the materials boiled, a horrible acrid stench filled the air. Ike lowered his cloth from his hair to cover his nose and mouth. It did little to help, but it was better than nothing.


    Silver pushed the ivy aside and glared from the mouth of his cave. "Stop that."


    "Huh? I thought you wanted me to catch the owl," Ike said.


    "Making a hideous stench isn''t going to catch it," Silver countered, narrowing his eyes behind his glasses.


    "Ah, that''s right! Silver, do you have more of those scent-suppressing herbs? I could use them right now."


    Silver narrowed his eyes. "Is this going to kill the owl?"


    Ike nodded. "It should."


    He stared at Ike, then shook his head and vanished back into the cave. He emerged a few moments later with a different set of herbs in hand. "Those are good for suppressing a living being''s scent. These are good for suppressing stenches."


    "Thank you." Ike took the herbs. He gazed into the roiling water, then shook his head. "I''ll add them later."


    Silver''s eyes all but bugged out of his head. "Add them now."


    Ike glanced at Silver. "If it bothers you, go upwind."


    Silver scowled at him. "This fool¡­" He shook his head and walked away, vanishing into the forest.


    The pot boiled down. Ike stirred it with a stick, pulling the stick out to check the consistency. A wet, soft gloop plopped back into the pot. Ike nodded. We''re close. He dropped the herbs into the thick paste and stirred. The herbs melted into the paste, and the stench diminished down to a meaty, bestial stink. Not nothing, but not the horrible reek of earlier, either.


    Ike nodded. "Excellent." He pulled the pot off the fire and kicked dirt over the embers. He waited for the pot to cool, then tied it to his back and set off into the forest a second time.


    At the owl''s bone pile, he checked the trees and all the sky, but saw nothing. If the owl was around, it wasn''t watching its bones. And why would it? This is essentially its trash pile. It has no reason to guard this.


    Ike climbed to the top of the bone pile. Looking around, he positioned himself about where the owl had stood the previous night, then took the pot off his back. He slung the paste over the top of the bones. The thick paste laid atop the tight-knit pellets, only sinking in where gaps opened up in the pile. As it spread, it thinned and turned more transparent.


    Wiping his brow, Ike looked over his trap. He twisted his lips, then shrugged and pushed his cloth back up to his hair. All that''s left, is to see if it works.


    He tied the pot back onto his shoulders and set off again. Back at Silver''s cave, he washed out the pot.


    Silver came out of his hut and looked down at him. "Are you going to make any more of that¡­that?" S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No. I''ve made enough. It works or it doesn''t," Ike said. He nodded at Silver. "I could use more of those scent suppression herbs, though."


    "For the thing?"


    "No, for me."


    Silver narrowed his eyes. "You kill it. Tonight."


    "If I don''t, I''m in trouble," Ike said, laughing.


    Still squinting, Silver vanished back into his cave. He handed Ike a small bowl of dark liquid. "Drink it now."


    Ike tipped it back. Bitterness surged over his tongue. He barely forced himself to swallow, then gagged, wiping his mouth. "Ugh. Gross."


    "I can''t make fish stew. That owl ate all the big fish," Silver complained.


    "Yeah, yeah." Making a few more faces, Ike stood. He headed to the forest and selected a good, straight tree, then drew his axe. He chopped it down, severed the branches, then whittled the end to a point.


    "What are you doing?" Silver asked, looming over his shoulder.


    "Making a spear." Ike tilted his head, checking the line of the spear, then shrugged and nodded to himself.


    Silver pursed his lips. He walked away.


    "Weird guy," Ike commented to himself.


    Once he''d finished his primitive spear, he turned to the axe. This close to the stream, it wasn''t hard to find some good, round river stones. He set the axe on a big, flat stone and ground the axe''s edge. The blunt tool slowly sharpened.


    A shadow fell over him again. "You''re going to fight it with those things?"


    "They''re all I have. I don''t own anything better," Ike said, shrugging.


    Bone clattered against stone. Ike looked over. A barbed spearhead laid on the ground beside him.


    "Use it. It''s a flawed product, anyways." Silver walked away, leaving Ike to stare dumbfounded after him.


    At last, Ike shook his head. He took the spearhead and grabbed up his spear. Could''ve used this a while ago. I could have bound the head into place with the glue and a strip of hide.


    No, I''m being ungrateful. Silver didn''t have to give me anything. I should be thankful he decided to help.


    Ike headed into the forest. Before long, he found a supple vine long enough for what he needed. Lifting his axe, he cut open the sharpened end of the spear, then bound the head in place. He tested the spearhead. It sat firmly in place.


    It''ll work for one strike. But then, with the barbs, it''s only meant to work once. He nodded at the spear, pleased with what he had. Spear, axe, razor. Should be enough for this battle. I''d rather had a sword, but nothing doing, until Silver decides to make me one.


    He lifted his weapons. I''d like to attack it while it''s sleeping, but the trap won''t work if it doesn''t land in it, and I don''t know where it sleeps, either. Better not to overplay my hand, and rely on everything I''ve set up.


    With that, Ike set off into the woods again to wait for night.

 21. Owl Hunting

    Night settled slowly over the forest. Ike laid on the forest floor, buried in leaves. He watched the bone pile.Nothing yet. The owl had yet to hunt.


    Ike breathed slowly, absorbing the mana in the forest as he waited. He practiced the forearm technique whenever he had enough mana to burn. From holding it for half a heartbeat, to holding it for a second, to holding it for a few seconds, he slowly strengthened his ability to use the skill. At the same time, he refined the flows, slightly changing the course of the mana to optimize it.


    That has to be enough. He checked his skill list.


    [Name: Ike | Age: 15 | Status: Nm | Rank: 1 [Salamander Slayer]] S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Skills: Common: 6 | Rare 1 | ¡­ | Unique: 3


    Common: Sprinter Lvl 9 | Distance Runner Lvl 10 | Razor Handling Lvl 8 | Spear Handling Lvl 2 | Axe Handling Lvl 4 | Primitive Crafting Lvl 2


    Rare: Salamander Healing Lvl 4


    Unique: Lightning Dash Lvl 6 | Lightning Grasp Lvl 4 | Lightning Clad (Forearm) Lvl 1


    Got the skill! Yes! ¡­Wait. He eyed the (Forearm) tag after the Lightning Clad skill. That implied he could clad more than his forearms. Seeing the tag there confirmed his assumptions. The ''skill'' he had right now was a diminished form of the true Lightning Clad skill. When he could cover his whole body with lightning, he''d obtain Lightning Clad, instead of Lighting Clad (area of his body). He pursed his lips. Interesting.


    He nodded, then paused, looking back at the list. Beside his rank, his title remained the same as before. Salamander Slayer? Still? I killed the mantis¡­does it only track the most recent or most powerful kill? The rarest? Interesting. I''ll have to keep an eye on it.


    With the skill secured, he laid there and breathed, quietly absorbing mana. He waited. And waited. Time ground on. The moon crossed the sky.


    Ike blinked slowly, on the verge of falling asleep. He shook his head, fighting off the drowsiness. It worked at first, but within a few minutes, he found himself nodding off again. Ike''s head dipped toward the ground.


    A screech startled him awake. Ike startled and almost jumped up, but caught himself at the last second. He snapped his head toward the bone pile.


    Nothing, but only for a second. A shadow fell over the pile, and then the beast itself appeared. Flapping all-but-soundless wings, the owl dropped toward the earth. Tonight, it carried a deer in one of its enormous claws. It struck the ground, then screamed in dismay. It flapped its wings deseperately. One claw lifted off the ground, but the other one stuck to the bone pile.


    The glue trap had worked. Not just binding the owl to the bones, but binding enough of the bones together into a heavy lump that it weighed the owl down so much it couldn''t escape.


    Ike leaped up, wasting no time. He lifted the spear as he closed in.


    The owl let out a vicious hoot. It twisted toward him, and its free claw slashed toward Ike.


    Ike threw himself forward, sliding on his knees. As he slid forward, he found himself gazing at the owl''s huge eyes. Its vicious beak slashed down toward him.


    Lifting the axe, he smacked it at the owl''s beak. With his other hand, he thrust the spear upward, speeding his strike with Lightning Grasp and Lightning Clad. Purple lightning burst around his arm from the elbow down.


    Clang! Axe struck beak, and Ike parried the blow away. His spear plunged into the owl''s eye, and Ike shoved it home with all his might.


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    The owl screamed in pain. It pulled its head back, yanking the spear out of Ike''s grasp, and tried to hop away. It only made it half a hop before its stuck claw pulled it up short. Panicking, it flapped its wings wildly and thrashed with its free claw.


    Ike ran at the owl, charging toward its underbelly. The claw darted toward him. Ike slashed it back with his axe. Blood poured out, and the owl flinched, hurt. It stumbled, then fell, only held up by its stuck foot.


    Ike jumped up onto the owl''s belly. He grabbed onto its fine belly feathers and climbed, crawling up toward its head.


    The owl battered him with its wings. It drew back its head and jabbed him with its beak. Lifting a hand, Ike slashed at the beak with his axe.


    The beak jarred away, but cut a glancing blow to his shoulder. Ike''s offhand weakened, and suddenly it hurt to hold on. He gritted his teeth and forced his hand to grip the feathers. Just a little further.


    The owl chittered in pain. It drew its head back, clicking its beak. A gash marred the side of its beak, and Ike could see its tongue through the gap.


    He pulled himself up. One more pull. Another. The owl drew back its head again, but too late. Ike slashed into the feathers. The axe cut through nothing, feathers and air, then thunked home. Crimson spilled down the owl''s chest.


    I did it. Relieved, Ike released the owl''s feathers and flopped down into the bone pile. His injured shoulder jolted as he struck the ground, but then a wave of relief washed over him. Not having to hold his own weight up was amazing. He''d never thought it could feel so good to let go.


    The owl''s eye burned with vengeful light. It was dying, but slowly. It cocked back its head. The beak hurtled down toward Ike.


    Shit! Ike grabbed his axe.


    The patter of pads. Galloping at Ike. Ike tensed. Two at once? I''m fucked.


    A black belly eclipsed the moon, and then a panther landed in front of him, tossing up bits of dirt and bone as it skidded to a halt. The owl turned toward it instead, deep hatred washing away even the vengeance. The panther leaped and caught the owl by the neck, bearing it to the ground. Gore and blood stained the night.


    Ike climbed to his feet. He backed away, glancing toward the forest. I don''t think that panther noticed me. I should¡ª


    He froze. His eyes widened.


    On the bone pile, the panther raised its head. Blood dripped from its jaws. The owl laid prone under it. It licked its lips.


    "¡­Silver?" Ike whispered.


    The panther turned and looked at him. The same gold eyes bored into his. A silver scar sliced over its right eye, a white mark in his fur just as it was white on his skin.


    Lowering its head just a little, the panther walked over. It drew up to Ike''s feet and knelt, dropping a glittering, translucent orb to the ground.


    "It dropped a skill orb?" Ike picked up the orb.


    The panther darted away. Ike faced the owl alone.


    He stared over his shoulder, in the direction the panther had vanished. His brows furrowed. That was Silver, right? That had to be Silver. Wait, then¡­is he a monster? Has he been a monster this whole time?


    Is that why he lives in the wild? Is that why he doesn''t go into town? No, before that¡ªwhy does he have human-level intelligence? That''s possible? Monsters can be¡­what does this mean?


    Looking at the dead owl, he scoffed. "You didn''t have human intelligence, did you?" Not even close. Whatever Silver was, he was special. Abnormal.


    Or maybe he''s a guy with a skill that turns him into a panther. Yeah. That makes sense. Ike nodded to himself, but felt the cloying grasp of self-delusion close around him. With a sigh, he shook his head. Is there even a skill like that? Who would make that skill? How do you shape your mana to turn you into a panther?


    Ike tapped his chin, thinking. Human, or monster? Which was his true form? The way Silver had pushed him into the mud¡­cats liked pushing things over. Or maybe he''s just an asshole. Silver liked eating fish, but so do I. Silver had a self-cleaning skill, not unlike a cat, and damned if I wouldn''t find it incredibly convenient, too. Silver didn''t carry a weapon, and claimed he didn''t need a sword skill¡­okay, no, that one''s a little suspicious. Hand-to-hand combat is a thing, sure, but you aren''t going to get far against a twenty-foot-tall owl with your bare hands alone.


    On the other hand, Silver was a smith. Cats weren''t known for their smithing skills. Nor their housekeeping, Ike appended, thinking of the cozy cave.


    He shook his head again. He knew too little about skills, about magic, about mana. Except for listening to his gut, which told him he''d just seen Silver''s true form, he had no way to know if any of his guesses were on the mark, or impossibly far off.


    "I''ll have to ask him," Ike resolved.


    He looked at the orb, then the owl. Hesitating, he bit his lip. Absorb it? Sell it? I don''t know what it is. Probably¡­hmm. Maybe a skill to strengthen the senses? Or the skill it used to create a net to carry fish? Maybe even something relatively mundane, like flight.


    All those skills sound good to me. And I can always sell the corpse. Decided, Ike clenched his hand on the orb. "Absorb!"

 22. Talking to a Monster

    "Absorb!"Light shone around Ike''s fist, but only for a moment, far shorter than the Salamander Healing orb had shone, and much, much shorter than Lightning Dash. The light poured into Ike''s arm, and a surge of mana reinforced his core, but only a small one.


    He checked his skill list.


    [Name: Ike | Age: 15 | Status: Nm | Rank: 1 [Salamander Slayer]]


    Skills: Common: 6 | Bronze 1 | ¡­ | Rare 1 | ¡­ | Unique: 3


    Common: Sprinter Lvl 9 | Distance Runner Lvl 10 | Razor Handling Lvl 8 | Spear Handling Lvl 2 | Axe Handling Lvl 4 | Primitive Crafting Lvl 2


    Bronze: Sensory Enhancement Lvl 1


    Rare: Salamander Healing Lvl 4


    Unique: Lightning Dash Lvl 6 | Lightning Grasp Lvl 4 | Lightning Clad (Forearm) Lvl 1


    Sensory Enhancement. Ike lifted his head, gazing around him. He frowned. I don''t think my vision is that much better. Or my hearing, or my nose. Is level one too low a level for me to notice a real difference? Or maybe it''s quiet and dark, and I can''t see or hear much anyways.


    A second later, Ike rolled his eyes at himself. Or I need to activate the skill for it to take effect. He activated Sensory Enhancement.


    Mana rushed to his eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. It coated his skin, too, a thin, thin layer circulating just under the surface. Instantly, the world grew sharper. The darkness faded away. As if it were daylight, he could pick out the leaves on the trees, the small creatures wiggling in the undergrowth. He heard the tiny bugs chirping yards away, the rustle of mice in the grass, the flap of the bat''s wings overhead. The smell of leaf mould became overpowering, as did the stench of the bone pile and the reek of iron blood. A brush of air rushed by his skin, and he felt the moistness on the wind.


    He released the skill and shook his head. That was a bit much. The skill didn''t take too much mana, but that wasn''t the problem. More than anything else, I have to get used to having it active before I can use it properly.


    Rubbing the back of his neck, he walked over to the owl. He grabbed it by the head and lifted it. Not too heavy. Birds are usually pretty light. Those weird hollow bones of theirs help a lot.


    He planted his foot on the stuck claw, careful to step over the glue trap himself, then hacked the owl away from its claw at the ankle. Ike draped the monster over his shoulders and headed home. It draped to either side, dragging on the ground behind him and trailing blood.


    Nothing bothered him on the way back. Whether that was thanks to Silver, or because of the bloody corpse on his back, Ike wasn''t sure, but he arrived at the cave unmolested. He tossed the monster to the side to chop and clean it tomorrow, and headed for the cave.


    "Silver, you back?" he called, pushing the ivy aside.


    Silence. He strode deeper into the cave, toward the homey part.


    An empty cave awaited him. The indent in the soft grasses stretched emptily. Ike walked over to it and hovered his hand over the grasses. Cold. Did he follow me all the way there? He must have hung far back, if neither I nor the owl noticed him.


    He looked around the small cave, then shrugged and laid down in the grassy nook. If Silver isn''t using the bed, I might as well use it. He had his tent, but it was more for when he was backed into a bad corner and had to use something, not for when he had a nice, cozy, nigh-impenetrable cave house right here. The previous nights, he''d slept on the cold stone floor. But if Silver wasn''t using his bed, there was no reason for him to hold back.


    "Last call. I''m taking your bed," Ike announced to the silent room.


    Silence.


    Ike shook his head at the empty space, thinking of the cats he''d known back in the slums. What would get them to come? He knelt and rubbed his fingers together. "Here, kitty kitty."


    Silence again, but this time, there was an ominous pressure to the silence. A chill ran down Ike''s back, and he swallowed, suddenly sure that saying that phrase again would reveal Silver, but perhaps not in the way he wanted. More likely, in a way that involved a lot of teeth and his imminent demise.


    "Right, well. Bed, taken," Ike said, backing up to the nook. He sat down, then shrugged to himself and curled up to sleep. If he wants to play it cool, that''s his call. I''m getting a comfortable snooze in.


    He woke up to the gentle sound of birdsong, and a shaft of light filtering down over the cave''s central fire. The fire smoldered, almost out. Taking a few logs and sticks from a nearby wood stand, he coaxed it back to life and gave it enough fuel to last it the day, then headed outside.


    Silver stood there, gazing into the pond as if nothing had happened.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Ike let out a little sigh of relief. I thought he''d keep hiding. Good. He walked over. "Good morning, Silver."


    A grunt was his only reply.


    "Last night. Was that your true form? The panther, I mean."


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about," Silver said. He turned away.


    Ike crossed his arms. "Come on. It had the same exact scar you did. I know what I saw. Silver, are you a monster?"


    Silver stiffened. He peered at Ike over his shoulder, eyes narrowed behind the smoked lenses.


    That''s better than a yes, as far as I''m concerned. Ike laughed. "Honestly, Silver¡ª"


    Silver''s body blurred. A hand grasped Ike''s neck. Very un-human-like claws bit into his jugular, not yet breaking the skin. "If you know¡ª"


    "I''m not going to tell anyone," Ike said quickly. His heart raced despite himself, thudding against those terrible claws.


    "A secret can only be kept by one person," Silver returned.


    "How would I benefit by telling someone?"


    Silver gave him a look.


    Ike swallowed. Right. I''m a hunter. It''s obvious, isn''t it? "You''re going to give me a sword skill and make me swords. I have no reason to sell you out."


    "And afterwards?"


    Ike took a deep breath. He forced his panic down, killing it the same way he killed his emotions around his uncle. I can''t give in. Giving him what he wants lets him control the conversation. Calm down, and think rationally.


    He turned toward Silver, his expression emotionless. "You helped me, last night. You didn''t have to step in, but you did. You trusted me enough then to risk showing your true form. Extend that trust again, now."


    "That wasn''t trust. I thought the owl might get away," Silver grumbled.


    "It was dying. If I could tell that, so could you. It would have killed me before it died, and you would have lost nothing. Instead, you saved me."


    Silver lifted his lip. "My damned soft heart."


    "I don''t harm those who help me. If you trust me with your secret, I will take it to the grave. Cross my heart. Or you can try crushing my neck, and find yourself with an enemy for as long as I breathe. It might be a few moments¡­it might be years. Your choice."


    "Are you threatening me?" Silver laughed.


    Ike shrugged. "You put me in this situation. I can''t be blamed for using whatever I can to get out of it."


    "Is that why you''re mouthing off, instead of begging for mercy?"


    "You could have killed me last night, while I slept. You allowed me to wake up. That already tells me everything I need to know. It doesn''t matter what I say now. You''ve already made up your mind. Isn''t that right, Silver?"


    Silver''s hand tightened. His eyes narrowed.


    Ike tensed. His hand dropped toward the axe on his hip.


    Abruptly, Silver released him. Ike stumbled away. He gasped a breath and rubbed his neck, deeply uncomfortable with how close the claws had been to his vitals. That''s it. I''m saving up for some real armor, and I''m never taking it off.


    "That damned Orin sent you. I was half-convinced you already knew," Silver grumbled. He stomped over to the owl, lying prone on the river bank, and began stripping its feathers.


    "Wait, Orin knows?" Ike blinked, startled. He could''ve warned me!


    Silver nodded. He cast a side-eyed look at Ike and tapped his forehead. "He gave me this scar."


    Ike''s eyes widened. Orin sent him to the guy he''d injured, a monster, no less. A monster who held a grudge against Orin, at that. He threw his hands up at the sky in frustration. "Gods fucking damn it¡ª"


    "We were fighting. Over a mate. A¡­girlfriend."


    "O-oh," Ike stammered, not sure how to process that. For a split second, he imagined a blushing Orin offering flowers to a giant lady-panther, then shook his head. No, no, no. Silver can turn into a man. They were probably both going after a human woman.


    "Cara, was her name," Silver murmured.


    "Wait, they''re married?" Ike asked, startled. For all that they always appeared together, he never got the sense that the two of them were conjugal. Rather, both Orin and Cara seemed like self-sufficient loners, who happened to spend time in each other''s company.


    Silver turned to him. He shook his head. "Cara refused us both."


    Ike spluttered out a laugh, then quickly stifled it at Silver''s death glare. "Er, right. What a tragedy."


    Silver snorted. He turned away again. "I thought maybe Orin tired of competition, and sent someone to hunt me once and for all. That''s why¡­"


    That''s why you were an asshole to me out the gate? Ike narrowed his eyes at Silver''s back, then sighed and shook his head. If Silver really thought an old friend had betrayed him and put a bounty on his head, his actions were more than justified. If anything, he went easy on me.


    "Let''s put the past behind us. Silver, you can take on human shape? Is that common, among monsters?" Ike asked, finally voicing the question he was most curious about.


    Silver shrugged. "I''ve never met another like me. But¡­" he lifted his head, gazing back toward the city.


    Ike followed his gaze. From here, if he craned his neck, he could see the overcity and the ephemeral immortals flitting about it.


    "¡­living here isn''t exactly good for a young monster''s growth," Silver finished.


    Ike nodded. If there were other monsters powerful, or intelligent, enough to take on human form¡­well, they wouldn''t live near the city in the first place. If they had the ill fortune to be born nearby, they''d likely find themselves hunted long before they gained a human transformation skill. Especially if monster skills developed as slowly as Cara had made it seem.


    He settled in beside Silver and helped him pluck the owl''s feathers. They worked in silence, neither of them bothering to speak. Between the two of them, they broke the owl down in record time. Silver piled the claws, feathers, and bones to one side, then took the meat and organs into his cave.


    "Can''t we sell those?" Ike asked.


    "I need to eat," was his only reply. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike watched him go, then shrugged. My true payment is the swords he makes. Any money I make from the owl is bonus. If Silver wants to have owl thigh kebabs tonight, that''s his call.


    Besides, I don''t know how long it takes to make weapons. Everyone loses if I demand to hold on to the meat, only for it to go bad before I go back to town.


    He leaned back on his arms, gazing up at the sky. I hunted the owl. What now? He ran through the various back-burner tasks in his mind.


    He needed to master, or at least level up, his Lightning Clad forearms. On top of that, he needed to extend the skill to more of his body. He looked at his feet, then tapped his calves. Those next made a lot of sense. Lightning Dash was prone to quick bursts more than sustained speed, and calves provided that exact kind of burst speed.


    Aside from that, he needed to adjust to, and level up, the Sensory Enhancement skill he''d gained from the owl. Unlike Lightning Clad, which slurped up his mana at an alarming rate, Sensory Enhancement required a trickle, a trickle so small he barely felt it. I could work on both at once, he mused, gazing at the sky.


    A smack to his shoulder jolted him from his thoughts. Rubbing his arm, Ike looked up.


    Silver stood over him, a straight stick in hand. He tossed a matching one to Ike, and gestured for him to stand. "Rise. I''ll teach you the sword skill."

 23. To Learn a Skill

    "Rise. I''ll teach you the sword skill."Ike squinted at Silver, then looked at the ground all around him. "Where''s the skill orb?"


    "After your body adapts to the motions, then you get the orb," Silver said sternly.


    "That doesn''t make any¡ª"


    Silver''s hand blurred. His stick rapped the back of Ike''s head. "Rise."


    Rubbing the back of his head and frowning, Ike climbed to his feet. He lifted the stick Silver had tossed his way and assumed a cheap copy of Silver''s stance. I don''t get it. Why not give me the skill immediately? The skill will shape my body and mana to the required shape to enact the skill.


    I understand general physical training, but learning the same exact skill the manual way, before I absorb a skill orb? What does this kind of training do for me?


    Silver stepped forward, sweeping the stick out. Ike lifted his to parry, but far too slow. Compared to Silver, his blade seemed to move through molasses, not air. A half-dozen blows landed on his thighs and abdomen, pushing him into a better copy of Silver''s stance.


    Ike stumbled back, smarting all over. "Ow!"


    "Resume your stance. Never abandon it for anything!" Silver boomed. Cold eyes pierced Ike, Silver''s gaze not unlike the distant cruelty in his uncle''s.


    Ike instinctively jumped to, resuming the stance he''d taken moments ago. Again, a half dozen blows flew forth. He tried to parry them again, but even knowing where they would land did nothing to help him. Once again, his limbs smarted as they were adjusted into place.


    "Watch your opponent. Their body tells a story. Foot placement, hand placement, balance."


    Ike''s eyes widened. Rather than react to Silver''s blade, this time, he watched how the man moved. The blows landed on his body again, but he bore them, learning from them.


    "Before they move, you should already know what attack they will unleash." Again, the stick darted toward Ike.


    This time, Ike watched Silver''s feet. He stands like that every time he strikes my legs. He pivoted back.


    Silver''s feet shifted. He stepped forward, and the stick struck Ike''s chest.


    "Hey! I was just getting the hang of it," Ike protested.


    "In a real fight, your opponent can mask their moves and change their attacks at the last second. In a real fight, you''d be dead," Silver returned. He stepped back, lifting the stick before him. "You''ve fought monsters so far, and it shows. You haven''t yet fought anyone who could be considered your peer in intelligence."


    "So?" Ike asked, irritated. They were hard fights. I had to claw my way through with tooth and nail. Don''t dismiss them like that!


    "A sword skill is useful against monsters, but so are axes, spikes, and glue traps." Silver flourished the blade, then darted in.


    Ike lifted his stick, blocking a frontal blow, only for Silver to flow past him, as fluid as water. As the stick struck Ike''s back, he murmured, "This skill I''m teaching you, is meant to be used against your fellow humans."


    Ike nodded. His mind flashed to the bandits back when he was bringing the Salamander home. If I''d had a technique to fight humans, I wouldn''t have had to rely on the wraiths. "I understand."


    Silver nodded. "Lift your sword."


    Days passed. Ike and Silver dueled in Silver''s yard, fighting back and forth, up and down the line of the stream. The owl parts laid in Silver''s cave, all but forgotten. As the days piled up into a week, Ike tired of the endless training. All day, every day, getting beaten by Silver, with no skill orb in sight. At last, he plopped down by the side of the stream. "When are you going to give me the orb?"


    Silver sat down beside him. He took off his shoes and put his feet in the water. "When you''ve mastered the technique."


    Ike squinted at him. "I won''t need a skill orb once I''ve mastered it!"


    There was a long pause. At last, Silver looked at him. "Do you still not understand why I''m doing this?"


    "To teach me the skill better?"


    Silver grunted. He lifted his hand and flexed it into a grasp. Ike felt the mana around him stir as Silver activated a skill, and a stick flew out of the water into his hand. He grasped it. "What you are doing now, with that movement technique of yours, is like what I just did. Using a skill to move your body."


    "Isn''t that what skills do?" Ike asked.


    Silver flexed his hand again. Mana stirred at the same time. From across the stream, a hand-thick log flew to his palm. "What I just did was move my body and my mana at the same time that I operated the skill. Do you see the difference?"


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    "Yeah¡­but can''t I learn that after I get the skill? The skill shows me the way to properly move my body and my mana, and once I know that, I can learn the skill through practice."


    "This is true¡­for most skills," Silver allowed, lowering his head.


    "But not sword skills?"


    Silver crossed his arms. He sat back and cleared his throat, taking the moment to think before he spoke. "A battle is¡­not just a contest of skill, nor of skills. Not just a battle of attrition between your body and the opponents'', your mana and the opponents. A battle is a mental contest. Life and death, decided in the blink of an eye."


    He lifted his hands, looking at his palms, then lowered them. "If I gave you the orb, you could learn how to use the skill, yes. But you would not learn why, or when. Your body wouldn''t have the strength and stamina to operate it. You wouldn''t have the proper channels built for your mana to use it properly. You wouldn''t have the proper muscles to bring out its full power.


    "If I beat the skill into you to the point you can use it in your sleep, then you have learned combat¡­and so has your body. You already have the reflexes to counter the skill''s weaknesses. You already know how to fight an opponent of superior strength, without relying on your skill to carry you."


    Ike nodded slowly. The doubts in his mind cleared, and he suddenly understood what Silver was trying to express. I don''t know how to fight. He isn''t just teaching me the skill; he''s teaching me battle.


    Not only that. Teaching him battle, and training his body to support it. Ike turned to his arms. The once skinny, bone-slender limbs now swelled with burgeoning muscle, the once-pale skin now tanned. He spent his time fighting outside, hunting with Silver, eating meat and fish, and every day, he grew stronger.


    "I understand," Ike said. He stood. "Let''s continue."


    "Hah," Silver muttered. He pushed off the bank into the water, fluidly taking on cat form between the two. Rather than jump up to follow Ike, he paddled around the water, then darted under to chase a fish.


    Ike shook his head at the pool. "Typical cat behavior. The second I want to do something, he wants to do something else."


    Silver''s head broke the water. That scarred eye glared at Ike.


    Ike grinned. He didn''t hear that, did he?


    "Fifty laps," the panther barked.


    He heard it. Ike saluted and set off, already knowing he''d only receive more laps for responding.


    The months passed by. Spring passed into summer, summer passed into fall. Between hunting, swimming, fishing, and fighting, Ike''s days were full. He steadily grew stronger. As he''d promised, Silver beat the sword technique into him. Every day, Ike went to bed covered in bruises. Salamander Healing healed them by morning, and steadily leveled up as it did so.


    Silver also taught Ike a hand-to-hand technique, though this technique was more incidental. Silver favored a quick swat to the back of the head for punishment. When Ike eventually learned to dodge that, he changed to the shoulder, and so on, Ike learning to dodge strike after strike. Eventually, what started as quick punishment swats turned into back-and-forth open-handed duels, Ike blocking, parrying, and dodging while Silver doggedly continued to try to land his blow. Between Ike, who stubbornly refused to be hit, and Silver, who stubbornly refused to miss his strike, the battles could last for minutes before Silver got bored and turned away, or Ike rolled on the ground, holding his smarting head.


    In his few free moments, Ike absorbed mana from the lake and practiced Sensory Enhancement and Lightning Clad (Forearm). He experimented with stretching the skill up his calves, or from his elbow to his shoulder, but both directions wore his mana thin in a single shot. After a few attempts, Ike shelved expanding Lightning Clad for later, and focused on mastering what he had instead.


    "Repeat that strike fifty times. I''m going for a swim," Silver declared.


    "Sir!" Ike lifted the wooden sword and brought it down. The sun beat down. Sweat dripped down his back. Silver splashed into the pool in cat form, and Ike eyed the dew-dappled black fur with envy. That pool would feel so good right now. Ugh. I wish I could jump in there and¡ª


    Branches rustled. A human form struggled through the barrier of trees at the far edge of the clearing. Metal flashed in their hand.


    Shit, a hunter! "Silver, run!" Ike shouted. He leaped the stream and ran toward the man, raising his sword.


    Silver hauled himself out of the water and raced past Ike, closing in on the man with a ferocious growl. He tackled the man backward, into the underbrush.


    "Ah! You got me, you got me!" Orin laughed, throwing his hands up.


    Ike slowed. He lowered his sword. "Orin?" S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s me. You took so long out here, I was worried the old cat up and ate you," Orin said, slapping Silver''s shoulder. Silver climbed off him, but paced nearby. He lifted his head to sniff Orin, then sauntered away. Water dripped off his short fur.


    Watching Silver go, a thought occurred to him. "You said he was called Silver on account of the scar, but he says you''re the one who gave it to him."


    "Aye. Well, they''re both true. If he doesn''t give out a name, people are gonna call him something," Orin reasoned, still lying on the ground. He gestured for Ike, and Ike helped him to his feet.


    "What did you call him before the scar?" Ike asked.


    "He wouldn''t give us a name back then, either, so I called him Goldie. ''Cuz of his eyes," Orin said, pointing at his own.


    "He got downgraded," Ike muttered. From gold to silver.


    Orin sniffed. He shrugged. "I think he likes Silver better. I was kinda being an ass to him, calling him Goldie. More of a girl''s name, you know?"


    "Yeah¡­guess I wasn''t thinking of it that way," Ike replied.


    "I see you''ve, ah. Become comfortable with the other Silver," Orin commented, nodding at the panther.


    Ike nodded. "''Other'' is a good way to put it. Seems equally comfortable in either form. He helped me with an owl-monster in the first few days, and I put two and two together pretty fast. Once he knew I knew, he let it all hang out."


    "He likes bein'' a cat. Well. Who wouldn''t?" Orin mused.


    "You two know each other, I heard," Ike commented, eyeing Orin.


    Orin snorted. "He was in my party, back in the day. Was me, Cara, Goldie¡ªwell, Silver, and the mage."


    "He''s the same age as you?" Ike asked, surprised.


    "Monsters can live for hundreds of thousands of years. Even the weak ones live for a thousand years. Is it that surprising? Hell, he''s probably older''n me. Don''t think he''s aged a day the whole time I''ve known him."


    "Huh."


    Silver leaped the pool and transformed as he landed. He looked over his shoulder. "Hurry up. You still have fifty sets before sundown."


    "Sir!" Ike nodded at Orin and ran after Silver, leaping the narrower stream rather than the pool.


    On the far side of the stream, Orin nodded. "It''s what the both of ''em needed," he murmured quietly to himself. Louder, he called, "I hunted some redbird on the way in. Gonna roast it for dinner."


    Silver lifted his chin and nodded.


    Chuckling to himself, Orin picked his way across the stream and vanished into Silver''s cave, leaving Silver and his prot¨¦g¨¦ outside to sweat in the sun.

 24. Sword Skill

    That night, they sat around the outdoor fire, sharing Orin''s roasted redbird. Ike chewed quietly, musing on his change in situation as he ate, surrounded by two members of a Rank 3 party. A few months ago, I was a powerless slumrat barely scraping by. Now I''m a hunter, with monster kills to my name and friends far more powerful than my uncle.He tilted his head back, watching the smoke swirl up toward the stars. Everything has changed so much, in so little time.


    Orin glanced at Silver. "You give the kid the skill yet?"


    Silver huffed. He took a bite of his chicken rather than reply.


    He shook his head at Silver. "What''s holding you up?"


    "He isn''t ready."


    Orin and Ike both stared at Silver.


    Silver looked back. "What?"


    "When am I going to be ready?" Ike asked.


    "What''s wrong with you, old man? Did you decide you wanted to hold onto that skill after all?" Orin groused, nudging Silver in the gut.


    Silver scowled. "Once he has the skill, all the learning will stop. He''ll rely on that blasted skill."


    Ike gave him a look. "I already have Sword Handling at a pretty high level, and I''m not relying on that."


    "It''s different."


    Orin twisted his lips. He shook his head at Silver. "C''mon. What''re you holding back for?"


    "He''s not ready," Silver insisted again.


    "When will I be ready?" Ike asked.


    Silver hesitated. "A year? Maybe two."


    "Two years?" Taken aback, he blinked. That''s forever!


    Orin sighed. "Silver. Come on. That''s not the pace the world moves anymore. He''s already a better swordsman than half the idiots with sword skills out there. Give him the skill."


    "But he could be an even better swordsman," Silver argued.


    "I can keep learning after I have the skill. I mean, I have to, right? I need to level it up," Ike pointed out.


    Silver hummed in the back of his throat. He took another bite of the bird.


    "Silver." Orin fixed him with a firm gaze. "Give the kid the skill, or send him away. There''s other teachers out there. People who will give him the skills they have, not hold out on him as some kind of¡­power play."


    "It isn''t a power play," Silver snapped.


    "Mhm." Orin took another bite.


    Where''s Cara when you need her? Not sure what to say to calm the two down, Ike kept his mouth shut.


    At last, Silver sighed. "I¡­"


    "Silver."


    There was silence for a moment. At last, Silver spoke, but quietly.


    "If I give you this skill, I''m done with teaching you. You can learn from someone else, you can learn on your own, but I will never teach you again."


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    "Oh, come on," Orin complained.


    "I won''t budge on this," Silver warned him.


    "You need to spend more time around people. Learn what the word ''compromise'' means," Orin shot back.


    "This is a compromise."


    "Show me the compromise. This is you enforcing your weird-ass stubbornness upon the world."


    "I''ll take it," Ike interrupted them.


    Orin and Silver both looked at him.


    Ike met their eyes. "I never expected anyone to do anything for me. Receiving this much is already beyond my expectations. I''m a poor kid from the slums who spent his whole life getting kicked around. Silver, thank you for everything. I''ll take the orb and get out of your hair."


    Compared to wasting years kicking around Silver''s cave while the world strode on, he''d rather be out there, fighting in the world. Taking down monsters. Finding stronger and stronger skills. Ranking up.


    I don''t want to end up like Orin, older than the hills and tapped out at Rank 3. I want to keep climbing. Rank up until I hit the absolute top.


    I don''t know how long two years are, in the grand scheme of things. What I do know, is that I have more than just the sword skill. I have other skills that I need to level up. Monsters I need to hunt. More skills to find. I can''t stay here for years, lock myself away from the world, and stagnate while trying to perfect a skill¡ªa skill I can''t even level up, yet, because I don''t have it!


    Orin looked at Silver. "Are you really gonna kick the kid out, after everything? He''s had a rough life. C''mon. Bend, just this once."


    "No. If he takes the skill, he has to go."


    Cursing under his breath, Orin turned to Ike. He shook his head woefully. "I tried, kid."


    "It''s fine. This is already so much more than I expected." Ike put his hands together, palm up, expecting Silver to drop the skill into them.


    Silver stood abruptly. Taking the skill, he left the fire behind and vanished into his cave.


    Ike stared after him. He turned to Orin, spreading his hands, completely lost.


    "Don''t give me that look. I don''t understand anything about Silver," Orin said, putting his hands up.


    "I thought you two were in a party, back in the day," Ike said.


    "And you spent most of the year with him. So? Understand him?"


    Ike licked his lips. He stared after Silver. Slowly, he shook his head. "No."


    Orin snorted. "That''s what I thought."


    Sitting back, Ike glanced at Orin. "It''s not like I have anything waiting for me. And honestly, I could afford to keep laying low for a while. It''s just¡ª"


    "You don''t have the time to waste here?" Orin asked. He chuckled and nodded. "I know the feeling."


    Ike scratched the back of his head. He managed an awkward smile. "I have other skills that need to be leveled. I want to hunt more monsters and grow in Rank, not just in sword strength. I need to go out and see the world. I''m ready."


    Orin looked at him, then turned away. He looked to the horizon. "Yeah. It''s hard for us old guys to let you kids go. But you need to go face the world. See what there is to see. There''s some lessons everyone needs to learn for themselves."


    Light shone behind them as Silver brushed the ivy aside to step back into the night. Ike craned his neck, searching. His eyes widened. "The swords!"


    Silver held two blades in his hands, wrapped in fabric. He crossed over to Orin and Ike, and passed the blades to Ike. "As you wished."


    "Thank you," Ike said. He unwrapped the blades.


    Flickering firelight reflected off the surface of the swords. The brilliant green mantis claws had been polished until they shone like fine silver. The already-sharp edges were honed to a razor''s edge. Where the claws had been barbed, now, they were vicious serrated blades. Ike hovered his palms over the flats, almost afraid to touch something so beautiful.


    Orin chuckled. "Silver, you really outdid yourself this time."


    Silver harrumphed. He crossed his arms.


    "What about the skill?" Ike asked, glancing up at Silver.


    Silver braced himself on his knees. He made a coughing sound.


    Startled, Ike jumped up. "Are you okay?"


    Orin grabbed him before he ran over. Guiding him away by the shoulders, he murmured, "Silver''s got a¡­unique skill that allows him to remove skill orbs he''s condensed."


    "A Unique skill?" Ike asked, surprised.


    "No, no¡­er, in the classical sense. A special way of accomplishing it. In any case, it''s better not to see it happen."


    A vomiting sound came from behind them.


    Ike paused. He looked at Orin and leaned in. "Did he spit it up like a hairball?"


    "Like I said. Better not to see it happen," Orin said, patting Ike''s back. He gave him a close-lipped smile.


    "How''d he end up with a sword skill in the first place?" Ike asked.


    Orin paused. He waggled his head back and forth. "That''s a story for Silver to tell."


    "Hey."


    Orin and Ike turned.


    Silver held out a gleaming skill orb. "The sword skill."


    Ike eyed it. That looks almost as good as Salamander Healing did. It''s definitely high rank. Not Unique, but high rank. Maybe even Rare.


    Once again, he found himself wondering how Silver found himself in possession of a sword skill. Did he kill humanoids? Humans? Did it just happen to spawn from a monster? A Rare skill¡­there''s definitely a story behind it.


    He reached out.


    "Last chance," Silver said.


    "The skill, please," Ike said firmly.


    Silver hesitated half a beat, then handed Ike the skill. The second it landed in Ike''s palm, he gripped it tight. Absorb!


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 25. River-Splitting Sword

    Absorb!The skill burst with light. Power swirled around Ike, then poured into him. Instantly, heat overwhelmed him. He took a deep breath, struggling to restrain the mana rushing through his body. It burned in his veins and struck his core with a sharp, piercing force. Ike pushed at the skill, trying to protect his core from the sharpness. His mana barely held the skill away.


    Ike pulled his mana back, then slammed it into the skill all at once. The skill bounced away, hurtling through his veins. Little cuts opened up inside him, leaking mana into his body. The mana burned. Uncontained by his mana passages, it ate away at him, tearing at his muscle and soul alike. He coughed, and tasted blood on his tongue.


    "This is why I wanted to teach you for longer. You aren''t very compatible with this skill," Silver said quietly.


    Why didn''t you say that, then? Ike screamed silently, too busy with the skill to speak.


    "Silver! You¡ªwhy did you give him the skill, if you knew that?" Orin snapped, rounding on Silver.


    "Because he can survive this. It''s not impossible."


    "Not imposs¡ª" Orin''s face reddened. He opened his mouth, then took a deep breath. Forcibly, he calmed himself, then looked back at Ike instead. "Can you hear me, boy?"


    With some effort, Ike nodded.


    "Don''t fight the skill. It''s going to hurt, but you''ll hurt yourself worse if you fight it."


    Ike grimaced. Too late.


    Orin caught his expression and sighed. "It''s not too late. I know it goes against your intuition, but let the skill attack you. Silver trained you. That should have reshaped your mana passages and body enough that you''ll survive the skill. If you don''t let the skill finish that reshaping now, you''ll never be able to use it to its full potential¡­or worst case, die."


    Ike''s eyes widened. He forcibly unwound the tension from his body. Every time pain hit him, his muscles tensed instinctively. Even so, Ike forced himself to relax and let it scour through him. His body ached as the skill reshaped it. The skill slashed him open so fast Salamander Healing struggled to keep up. Bruises discolored his limbs, and blood oozed from his nose and eyes.


    As the skill broke him down, it also strengthened him. His mana passages adjusted. His core widened. Ike held on. Cuts opened over his body, then healed. His internal organs were pushed roughly out of the way, then reconstructed. Salamander Healing drained his mana steadily. Still the skill continued to bite into him.


    Sweat dripped down Ike''s back. He tensed his hands, then forcibly unclenched them. It''s a battle of attrition. Will the skill finish reconstructing me, or will Salamander Healing run out of mana first?


    The skill''s power intensified. His whole body shook. Ike gritted his teeth and closed his eyes, sinking into himself. I can''t just sit here passively. It''ll tear me apart.


    Ike drew out a thread of power and wound it through his mana passages, feeling out the changes the skill had made. His old passages still remained, slightly displaced from the new ones. Just feeling the shape and flow of the new passages, he could tell how much stronger and better optimized the new passages were, but his old passages still held the majority of his mana.


    Ha! I can fix that. Ike circulated his mana. His mana wanted to follow the old flows, but Ike forcefully shoved it into the new passages. It resisted, and resisted. Every time he pushed it into place, it flopped out of place somewhere else, refusing to follow the new flow.


    The skill continued to tear him up. His mana grew thinner, siphoned by his constantly-healing body. Ike lifted his lip in fury. Stop. Resisting!


    Grabbing his mana, Ike pushed it into place. Once again, it fell away.


    It''s not working. Something else. I need something else.


    Ike sank into contemplation. He took a step back, watching the skill reforge his body for a moment. He traced the flow of the mana, and his eyes widened. I see! My mana is soft, but the skill is sharp. My mana needs to be sharp to match the skill. It needs to cut, not simply flow.


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    Hesitation gripped his heart. He sucked a short breath. Cut. That''s my own body. My mana''s too thin to completely heal. I¡ª


    No. I have to. I won''t hesitate! Ike grabbed his mana again, but this time, he pressed it down. It had flowed like water, but now he sharpened its front and its edges. It burst free of his hands and snapped into place, following the new shape of the skill.


    It tore through his body, cutting the new paths, helping the skill rather than fighting it. The pain of his body resisting the skill faded, replaced by a new one¡ªthe pain of forcibly adapting to the skill. Ike clung on, clenching his teeth and pushing the mana to keep moving. I can do this. I can overcome this!


    His healing grew slower. Blood coursed down his body from the dozens of small cuts. Ike trembled. His body weakened. His vision darkened. He took a deep breath and held on, focusing on the flow of mana inside him. Just a little more. A little more, and¡ª Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The flow connected, touching the place where he''d started the new flow. His entire body burst with power as the new mana flow took hold, and the skill slotted into place.


    Ike gasped a breath. He fell to his hands and knees, darkness flashing in the corners of his eyes. "I did it. I did it."


    "Check your skills," Orin urged him.


    Obediently, Ike called up the skills menu.


    [Name: Ike | Age: 15 | Status: Nm | Rank: 1 [Salamander Slayer]]


    Skills: Common: 5 | Bronze 2 | ¡­ | Rare 2 | ¡­ | Unique: 4


    Common: All-Around Runner Lvl 2 | Razor Handling Lvl 9 | Spear Handling Lvl 3 | Axe Handling Lvl 4 | Primitive Crafting Lvl 4


    Bronze: Sensory Enhancement Lvl 3 | Mana Manipulation Lvl 1


    Rare: Salamander Healing Lvl 7 | River-Splitting Sword Lvl 1


    Unique: Lightning Dash Lvl 8 | Lightning Grasp Lvl 5 | Lightning Clad (Forearm) Lvl 3 | Lightning Clad (Calf) Lvl 1


    He laughed with relief. "I have it. I have the skill!"


    Orin smiled. He patted Ike on the shoulder. "Good going, kid."


    "I knew you could do it," Silver said.


    Ike nodded. Sitting back, he breathed deeply, drawing in as much mana as he could with each breath. His core sat almost empty, and only a trickle of mana remained in his passages, more of it continuing to drain as his healing worked on his wounds. Exhaustion hit him like a sack of bricks, but he scanned his skill list anyways, checking the changes.


    Sprinting and Distance Running had hit level ten, then combined into All-Around Runner not long ago. At first, he''d been worried about losing his skills, but after experimenting a bit, he''d confirmed that All-Around Runner was more like the evolution of the two previous skills than a downgrade or separate skill.


    He eyed the newcomer in the Bronze skill rank as well. Mana Manipulation? I guess that''s what I did, to resolve the problem with my mana flows. He tried activating the skill, but nothing happened. He shrugged. Maybe it''s more like the Common skills, and it ranks up by me taking action, rather than by me activating it. In any case, it seems like a good thing to have. He yawned, resolving in his heart to practice it later, when he wasn''t so tired.


    Down at the bottom of the list, he gave a sleepy smile to Lightning Clad (Calf). It had taken more time than he''d expected, but with Silver''s training and his body continually strengthening, he''d eventually unlocked the next level of Lightning Clad. He still had a lot of practice to go, though.


    Orin shook his shoulder, and Ike jolted and looked around. "Wha¡­?"


    "You were falling asleep on us, kid. Why don''t I walk you back to Silver''s hut for the night?" Orin offered.


    "I''m not a kid," Ike protested. Still, he didn''t protest the second part. Absorbing that skill left me wiped. He stood. "I''ll head back on my own."


    "Nah, nah. Let me walk with you," Orin insisted.


    Silver glanced over his shoulder, then turned back to the fire, ignoring both of them.


    Ike gave him a look, but shrugged. He tapped him on the shoulder.


    Silver half-glanced at him.


    "Thank you. For the training. And the skill," Ike said quietly.


    Silver nodded. He turned back to the fire.


    The second they were out of Silver''s earshot, Orin leaned in. "He''s just acting like that because he''s gonna miss you."


    "Acting like he doesn''t care?"


    Orin nodded. "It''s a cat thing, you know? A cat thing. He''s just lonely, I think. Wanted you around for another year or two to break the monotony. But he''d never say it aloud."


    "Is that why...?" Ike murmured, looking over his shoulder at Silver''s silhouette.


    "Yep. Don''t take him to heart. I wouldn''t be surprised if he ''coincidentally'' follows you back to town, at least for a day or two. Again. Cat things."


    "Then why''d he say all that about never being my teacher..." Ike fell silent, already guessing Orin''s answer: cat things. He looked back one last time. Silver did look lonely, there, sitting at the empty fireplace. He felt a vague pang of regret, but forced it down. He couldn''t stay here and play forever. He had to go out. Hunt in the real world. That was the fastest way to gain new skills; the fastest way to grow stronger.


    Orin clapped Ike''s shoulder and grinned. "But enough about Silver. Let''s celebrate you! I''m gonna drink all his good liquor as revenge for that shit he pulled on you."


    Ike laughed. "For revenge, huh?"


    "Eh, well. And I rarely get a chance to taste Silver''s liquor," Orin said, winking. He patted Ike on the back. "Rest up. After what you just went through, you''re going to need lots of sleep."


    Ike yawned, nodding wordlessly. I don''t need you to tell me that. He wandered into the hut and almost fell into the cot he''d set up, instantly passing into a deep, dreamless sleep.

 26. To The City

    Ike woke up to the gentle light of dawn and the twitter of birdsong. He sat up, rubbing his head, and looked around. Silver snoozed on his bed in cat form, and, half-propped up in the corner, Orin snored away, one arm slung around an earthenware jug. Ike chuckled."He really did live up to his promise." S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He looked at Silver and Orin, then shook his head. It''d be cruel to wake them this early. Silver said he was done with me, and I agree. I learned much, but I need to see the world to understand more. Moving quietly, Ike gathered up his gear and packed it away. He picked up the swords last and looked at them, not really sure what to do. The serrated edges meant they weren''t suited for sheathes, nor had Silver made any. He tried tying them to his pack, but suspended on his back, so far from his hands, meant he couldn''t reach them if a monster came at him. At last, he stuck them through his belt, one hooked through either side. The cloth Silver had wrapped them in wound loosely around their blades, serving as a sort of tether and edge-protector.


    Ike looked at his filthy clothes and makeshift sheaths with a sigh. I should buy a good set of clothes and some nice sword holders while I''m in town¡­and then only ever use them in town, because it seems like I ruin whatever I''m wearing the second I step outside.


    With one last glance at Orin and Silver, Ike set off.


    In the time he''d spent at Silver''s hut, he''d read much of Orin''s guide. He ran through the low-level monsters in his head, considering the pros and cons to himself. The Fulgur-Loups are big lightning wolves. According to Orin, they drop a lightning skill. Given how easily I absorbed Lightning Dash as opposed to River-Splitting Sword, I think I might have a lightning alignment that makes it easy for me to absorb lightning skills¡­or something like that. I might as well lean into it. The problem is, Fulgur-Loups are fast, fast enough Lightning Dash at its current level might not give me much of an advantage, and they hunt in packs. I don''t think I stand much of a chance right now.


    He turned his mind back to the book, searching for monsters with high lightning- or magic-defense. If I have resistance to lightning, it''ll be easier to take down the Fulgur-Loups. Hmm¡­


    Unable to clearly remember the book, he reached over his shoulder and pulled it out of his pack. He quickly flipped through the pages. At last, his eyes lit up. He jabbed his finger at the page. An ugly, warty toad stared at him from the page.


    ¡­covered in a thick, oily hide that absorbs and repels magic, especially water and lightning magic. Weak to fire. Belly good, legs tasty. Solo hunters. Watch out for tongue.


    A clear weakness or two, a hide that repelled the element the Fulgur-Loups used the most, and a one-on-one battle. Ike nodded to himself. That decides it. Giant Toad, here I come.


    I don''t have a fire skill, but there''s more than one way to roast a toad.


    Mind made up, Ike sped up, pushing himself to a jog. He re-wrapped the book and strapped it to his belt once more, a bit clumsy from his speed. Gotta pick up some supplies in town. I''m not equipped to set a toad on fire right now.


    Something flickered in the undergrowth to his left. Motion hurtled toward him. Ike jumped back and drew his sword.


    A knife struck a rock in the center of the path, throwing up sparks. A squad of men and women dressed in dark clothes lurked out of the forest. At their head, a familiar face smirked at Ike. "Long time, no see."


    "Hello, Rob the Robber," Ike mocked him.


    The man laughed shallowly. He waved his hand, and the knife twitched, then leaped off the ground and flew to his hand. He spun it around his fingers, looking over it at Ike. "I usually don''t hold grudges, you know?"


    "You struck me as the charitable type," Ike deadpanned.


    "I made a special exception just for you. Siccing the wallwraiths on me and my men? Uncalled for," Rob said, shaking his head.


    Ike shrugged. "I think attacking hunters to steal their kills is pretty rude, but what would I know?"


    Rob laughed. "You''re working too hard. Why take the hard route, when you can take the easy route? At the end of the day, I make the same amount of money as you. No¡ªprobably more, since I don''t have to waste my time hunting."


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    Ike narrowed his eyes. "You think you''re in the right?"


    "In the right? Who cares about right and wrong? Right won''t buy me nothing. No, no. I think I''m in the gold."


    "Filth," Ike muttered. He circulated his mana, subtly adjusting his stance. His eyes darted from one man to another. Four of them. Knowing these guys, there might be more in the trees.


    Rob''s standing forward. I''ll charge him first. Once he''s down, I''ll cut left. They came from the right, so the two on the left are less likely to have someone hiding in the trees as backup. Finish up the fourth with the last strike. Then handle whoever''s in the trees, if there''s anyone in the trees.


    "Speaking of, did you know there''s a bounty for your head? Your uncle wants you dead. Something about causing trouble for his factory." Rob leaned in, conspiratorially. "Between you and me, I think he''s just pissed that the city finally noticed he wasn''t paying taxes."


    Ike snorted. "And you''re willing to take my head for that?"


    "I''m willing to do anything for gold," Rob responded, shrugging at Ike.


    Something shifted behind Ike. He tensed. Shit. I stalled too long.


    Before they surround me¡­


    "So? Are you going to¡ªyikes!"


    Ike charged Rob. Rob''s hands blurred faster than Ike expected, and a knife intercepted his strike. The force of Ike''s blow threw him back. His arm flew up.


    Lightning flashed. Ike closed in. The green blade blurred, and red splattered into the air. Rob stumbled back, clutching his neck.


    Ike dug his toe in and hurtled after the two to the left. At night, after Silver finished, he''d spent hours practicing using the footwork of the sword technique and Lightning Dash at the same time, and now, the moves came together smoothly. The two figures looked up, startled. He ran through them, slashing once. Two heads dropped behind him.


    Drawing to a halt, Ike looked at his blade. His eyebrows raised. There was almost no resistance. Damn! Silver''s skills are no joke.


    He whirled. The fourth man ran at him, grabbing a sword from his waist as he charged, his face red with rage. Cool, Ike waited. He lifted his sword and reset his stance.


    The man screamed and slashed at him. Ike parried, then twisted his blade. The man''s sword flew away. Without hesitating, Ike cut the man''s neck.


    He spun, expecting to see more men racing at him from behind, but instead, two figures in black fled messily. Ike paused, hesitating for just a second.


    A moment later, he shook his head. I let them live before, and they came back for revenge. I won''t make that mistake again. He dashed after them. Lightning arced behind him.


    One heard him coming and turned. She threw a ball of fire at him. Ike batted it away with the flat of his sword and closed the gap. She raised her hand to block the blow. The sword cut through her wrist and throat alike. Her face paled, and she dropped to the ground.


    The final man just ran. He pulled away from Ike at high speed, a cloud of dust rising up behind him. Ike watched him go. He''s using a speed skill. I''d know.


    Casually, he lowered to a runner''s stance, putting one hand on the ground, holding the sword in the other. He counted down in his head. Three. Two.


    The man vanished into the distance. Very little of him remained visible through the trees.


    One. For the first time since he''d trained with Silver, Ike activated Lightning Dash to its full strength. At the same time, Lightning Clad climbed up his calves, strengthening his lower legs. He burst down the path.


    The man loomed, growing larger and larger. He looked over his shoulder at the sound of Ike''s approaching feet and stared at Ike in horror. Turning back forward, he ran with all his might, to no avail. In another few steps, Ike caught up.


    The man whirled. He gestured, and the plants around them whirled, darting for Ike.


    Ike ignored the plants and closed the final gap. Lashing out, he severed the man''s head. The man''s head bounced to the ground. All around Ike, the plants fell still once more.


    Ike stood. He slashed the blood off the sword, then knelt and wiped it clean on the man''s clothes. He went through the man''s pockets, but only found a few coppers. Summarily, he kicked the man''s body into the undergrowth, then walked back for the rest.


    Most of the black-clothed party carried very little. He found a shortbow and a few arrows on the woman''s body, and a strange feather charm on one of the men, but that was the limit of it. On Rob, on the other hand, he found a pouch with twenty gold and the knife the man had used. He went to lift it off the man, only for Rob to grab at it.


    Ike startled. On-guard, he jumped back.


    Rob laid there, dead.


    Cautiously, he approached and reached for the knife again. Again, Rob''s hand moved with it, but this time, he realized why. A wire connected the back of the knife to a bracelet on Rob''s wrist. A strappy sheath further up his forearm concealed the knife in his sleeve when he didn''t need it.


    Ike snorted. I thought that was a skill when he called the knife back to his hand, but it was just a cheap trick. I wonder if he had any useful skills at all?


    He shrugged to himself, freeing the knife and sheath alike from Rob''s arm. To be fair, he only preyed on poor, low-Rank hunters like me, and he ganged up on us. If he had any confidence in his skills, he''d simply attack me himself, rather than ganging up on low-Rankers.


    Come to think of it, he''d never seen Rob fight. He put his hand on his chin, looking down on the man. Was the man I was so afraid of, only an illusion all along?


    With a shrug, he kicked Rob into the bushes. Attaching the bracelet to his own wrist, Ike strapped the sheath to his forearm and set off again. Ike played with the knife as he walked. He flicked his wrist and waved his hand around randomly as he tried to figure out the way Rob had called it forth. Left? Right? Maybe a quick flick¡­?


    The knife snapped out of its bindings and sliced through the bottom of his sleeve.


    Ike grimaced. He looked at the fresh slash in his sleeve and shook his head. I really can''t keep clothes in one piece, can I? I''m going to be up all night with the needle and thread, at this rate.

 27. Back Inside the Wall

    For the first time in several months, Ike stepped inside the wall. He made a beeline for the monster-parts-buyer. The chill of the room cooled his skin, a welcome relief from the late-summer heat.Behind the counter, Lea startled at the sight of him. "You''re still alive?"


    "You sound surprised," Ike said, a little suspicious.


    "The hell is that supposed to mean? You were gone for months. A Rank 1 doesn''t vanish for months and waltz back in, unharmed. Anyone would expect you to be dead."


    Ike shrugged. Reaching into his pack, he unpacked the owl bones and feathers, along with a few pelts, teeth, and claws. He''d only taken half of the things he and Silver had hunted together, leaving the rest for Silver to sell himself. It seemed a fair split to him, when they''d done most of the hunts together. "So?"


    Gathering herself, Lea shook her head. She glanced over the parts, then shoved a handful of gold Ike''s way, ten or so all told. Ike nodded and pocketed it, not that surprised. He and Silver had been hunting for food, not money or skills. The things that tasted good didn''t necessarily sell for a lot of money.


    A thought came to him, and he smirked. Rob really was right. You can make more by attacking people than monsters. At least, it''s true of attacking bandits.


    "What''s that creepy grin for?" Lea asked, narrowing her eyes.


    Ike hid his expression. He walked out without another word, not interested in talking to Lea. I haven''t forgotten that you sold me out to that team knowing full well what they''d do to me. You aren''t my friend, so let''s not pretend to be friendly.


    Back out into the town. Weighing the gold in his pocket, Ike glanced over at the big, shiny shop with a glass orb hanging over its door. I could make myself a practical fire attack¡­or I could just buy a fire skill. I do have some gold now. I''m not as poor as I was. I might as well take a look.


    He pushed the door open. Gentle music sounded from an unseen source. A pleasant fragrance floated on the air. Skill orbs sat in individual glass boxes, resting gently atop velvet pillows. Behind the gold-edged glass countertop, a man in a fine suit sat. His monocle shone as he cast a fiercely disapproving look at Ike.


    Instantly feeling out of place, Ike took a deep breath. He pushed the feeling down. I''m a hunter. I belong here. Putting his hands behind his back, Ike peered at one of the displays by the door.


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    A label sat beside the cheapest, palest orb on display. Silver skill: Fierce Slash. 2000 Gold.


    Ike startled, jumping back from the display case. His back knocked into a small glass table with a loud clatter.


    The man behind the counter sat forward, checking to make sure nothing had broke. When he was satisfied all was well, he looked at Ike and clicked his tongue in disgust.


    "Sorry! Sorry." Ike rushed to the door and escaped, leaving the shop behind.


    Outside, safely away from all the glass cases, Ike braced himself on his knees and caught his breath. Thousand? Two thousand? That''s¡ªthat''s way more than the skills I was going to buy. For a Silver skill? A Silver?


    He wiped his forehead and straightened up. Compared to the Common skill he''d saved up for over years, to walk into that shop and get immediately slapped in the face by a 2000 G pricetag¡­ He shook his head, giving the shop a concerned look over his shoulder as he walked away. That shop is no joke. No joke at all! Even for a hunter, 2000 G wasn''t a small number. And that was a Silver skill. How much would Gold or Rare skills cost, let alone higher-ranked skills?


    A moment later, he chuckled to himself. And imagine how much money I can make with skills! It won''t be a 1-1 with the sales price¡ªif working in my uncle''s factory taught me anything, it''s that¡ªbut it''s gotta be good. Five hundred, a thousand per skill.


    He shook his head. If Joseph knew he''d absorbed the skill the Salamander dropped, he probably would''ve killed Ike on the spot, even if he hadn''t already intended to do it from the start. I probably absorbed several thousand gold worth of skill when I did that.


    Brief regret coursed through Ike, but he quickly quashed it. If not for Salamander Healing, he wouldn''t have survived that battle, let alone the rest of the battles he''d been through, absorbing River-Splitting Sword, or anything else. He couldn''t lose sight of his goal. He''d set out to become the most powerful hunter, not to become the richest hunter. If I have a skill that isn''t useful to me, or that my body will reject, I''ll sell it without a second''s hesitation. But likewise, if a skill is good for me, I''ll absorb it without a second''s hesitation, no matter how much it''s worth. I can''t let profits get in the way of my personal growth.


    He set off again. This time, he visited the supply stores, picking up pitch, rough hemp cloth, and some lamp oil. While he was at it, he gathered a few dry and semi-dry branches for torches. Ike considered buying another set of clothes, in hopes that he''d have a nice pair of clothes for when he needed them, then rejected the idea. At the rate he destroyed clothes, it was better to just buy clothes when he needed them. He did, however, purchase a needle set and a few spools of strong thread.


    Ike dropped by the grocer to replace his camp rations, the previous set long eaten, and came out to a crowd. He stood on his tiptoes, peering over at the noise. What''s going on over there?


    Silver stood awkwardly in the center of the crowd, hugging the owl''s bones to his chest like some kind of safety rope. He backed away one step at a time, clearly uncomfortable. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In front of him, barring his path, a girl in bright pink put her hands on her hips. Ike''s eyes widened. No way. Her, again?

 28. Caught

    Ike wandered over, mingling with the crowd. He didn''t want to draw the girl in the rose dress'' attention, but at the same time, he was curious what she was doing with Silver. For that matter, why''s she even in the Outpost? She should be up in the upper city, not out here on the very edge of the slums. If she wants to leave, she can just fly over the walls. Upper city immortals like her do it all the time.The girl''s two handmaidens flanked her, as usual, looking down at the crowd in pale green. Altogether, the three of them gave the effect of a rose, flanked with delicate leaves. They blocked Silver''s path. The crowd circled loosely around the four of them, looking on from the edges. Ike pushed halfway through, then stopped, watching from the outside.


    "I''ve offered you a great honor. Why won''t you become my pet?" the rose girl asked, tilting her head at Silver.


    Dumbfounded, Silver blinked at her. His brows furrowed, and he gave her a look of utter confusion and disapproval. He turned and tried to walk past.


    The girl blocked his way. "You''ve had the honor of being addressed by me, and you dare not reply?"


    Silver drew to a halt. He looked down his nose at her and narrowed his eyes.


    "You dare look down on me?" the girl snarled.


    He just doesn''t know what to say. Ike started to step forward, then hesitated. Silver was in no real danger yet. Obnoxious as the girl was, she was stopping at just harassment. If he got involved, the girl would probably only make it worse for Silver. Unless he''s backed against a wall, I''ll let him handle this.


    Silver turned away. He headed back toward the gate.


    The girl''s hand twitched, and thorny vines leaped from the ground to about knee-height, barring Silver''s path forward. "Do not ignore me. I do not wish to take crude action, but if you force my hand, I will have no option."


    The handmaidens to her sides exchanged glances. They drew closer to her protectively, eyeing Silver with trepidation.


    Blocked by the vines, Silver paused, then went to walk around.


    Ike looked the three of them over. The girl had a kind of pressure around her, the same unseen weight in the air he''d noticed around other experts. Her two handmaidens had a slight edge on her in terms of the pressure around them. Altogether, compared to the constrained, easy pressure Silver exuded, the three of them combined barely stacked up. If it came to a fight, he''d put his money on Silver.


    So why''s he letting her stop him?


    "You dare to ignore the request of Rosamund Brightbriar?"


    All around him, the crowd gasped. They exchanged looks, and murmurs rushed back and forth all around him. Ike listened in.


    "Rosamund Brightbriar?"


    "Of the Brightbriar clan?"


    "She''s Lord Brightbriar''s daughter? The heir apparent of the city''s lord?"


    Ike raised his brows. The city lord? No wonder that name felt familiar. I don''t pay much attention to the city, let alone the upper city, but¡­huh. And not only that, but the heir apparent? No wonder she acted so high-handed around me last time.


    Wait, hold on. Does that mean I essentially stole a skill from the city lord? Ike swallowed, suddenly nervous. It might be time for me to leave the city permanently.


    A moment later, his brow furrowed. He caught Silver''s eye and frowned. Why''s she harassing you?


    Silver met his eye and shook his head, just a little bit.


    "No? You won''t talk to me, no matter what? Then you give me no choice." Rosamund lifted her hand with a flourish, revealing a small red crystal. The crystal flashed with a mysterious light, and Silver vanished.


    The clatter of bone on cobblestone. Feathers drifted to the ground.


    Ike blinked. Oh no.


    The crowd gasped and pulled away. A beat too slow to step away, Ike shifted toward the front of the crowd.


    Black fur. A slash of white across one gold eye. Silver, in his cat form, stood before Rosamund, a startled expression on his face.


    "A monster?"


    "Within the walls? How?"


    "Kill it!"


    Soothingly, Rosamund smiled at Silver. "The hunters can''t tolerate your true form, but I can. I know better than these filthy common folk. You''re far more valuable alive than dead. Come with me. You won''t be a monster anymore. You''ll be my treasured spirit beast."


    Silver whipped around. Leaping the briars, he ran for the gate.


    A wall of force materialized at the city''s borders and bounced him back. He shook his head and stared up at it, confused.


    Frowning, Ike stared too, at a loss. He can''t go out? Why not? Silver had clearly entered just moments ago, and yet, he couldn''t exit now.


    Rosamund stepped forward delicately, kneeling a little to offer her hand to Silver''s back. In her other hand, she held the crystal. "Come now, no need for this undignified scramble. Become my pet. I''ll feed you the best monsters, and give you the purest mana. You''ll be able to grow much faster as my pet than as a wild monster. We all win today."


    Ike''s eyes widened. He looked from Silver to the wall, then back again, thinking about the wall wraiths, the Salamander''s tail on his back. Monsters can''t cross the wall, but in human form, Silver could. Is it because he''s in his monster form? But why hasn''t he¡­ He turned. Rosamund kept the crystal trained on him. That strange reddish light still bathed Silver''s body.


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    On either side of Silver, the guards advanced. A few hunters stepped out of the crowd, pulling their weapons out. Panicked, Silver clawed at the gate more desperately.


    There''s no time to waste. Ike jumped forward and threw himself into Rosamund''s arm, knocking her hand to the side for a split second. "Turn back!"


    The second the red light no longer fell on silver, he tensed, and his body whirled. He took on human form for a split second, just long enough to step through the gate, then turned back into a panther and darted into the forest.


    Frustrated, Rosamund chased after him, all propriety forgotten for a moment. "Get back here! You''re my pet!"


    Before she crossed the gate''s threshold, her handmaidens rushed forward and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Young lady, no!"


    "Don''t be foolish! You''ll never catch up!"


    "I would if I had Lightning Dash!" Rosamund fumed. She stomped her foot, then spun to face Ike. "You!"


    The guards and hunters looked at him as well. Murmurs spread through the crowd. "Why''d he tell it to escape?" "That thing probably had some good skills." "Wonder if he''s a monster colluder." "What, one of those protect-the-monsters freaks?"


    "Why did you let it go?" Rosamund demanded, on the verge of tears.


    Ike looked at her and forced a smile. Loud enough the crowd could hear it, too, he explained himself. "A dangerous monster was inside the wall. The quickest and safest way to resolve it, without endangering the civilians who live here, was to set it free."


    She scowled at him, then blinked. She looked him up and down, her brows furrowing, and then a light sparked behind her eyes. Her finger jabbed into his face. "You again? You stole my Lightning Dash, and now you''ve stolen my pet! Are you determined to steal everything that belongs to me?"


    Taken aback, Ike stared at her, his jaw dropped. With some effort, he closed it. "Silver¡­that monster didn''t belong to you."


    She looked down her nose at him. "Everything within and without the walls is under my purview. If I want a monster, it''s as good as mine. Unless some filthy commoner snatches it out from under my fingertips, just like he stole my skill."


    Ike eyed her silently. What a brat.


    "Young lady! They haven''t found the person who stole Lightning Dash. This man has already been checked. Please don''t accuse people without proof! You know your words carry weight," one of the handmaidens reminded her.


    "That''s right. Young lady, please remember your father''s propriety when you''re using your father''s name! Righteous, upright, and even-handed!" the other handmaiden chimed in.


    "Right. Innocent until proven guilty." Rosamund made a face as though she was sucking on a lemon. Hoisting herself back to stand upright and square her shoulders, she wiped her eyes and took a deep breath.


    Completely guilty, Ike grinned a little, nervous. He went to leave.


    Rosamund caught him by the arm. "Don''t you dare go anywhere. I came here for you. I just had the fortune to encounter such a valuable specimen on my way."


    Ike stared at her, lost, then quickly snapped upright, straightening his back and squaring his shoulders. He searched his brain. What do you say to nobility? Uh¡­ "It''s an honor¡­?" Ike tried.


    "Indeed. It''s good someone realizes." She pointed at Ike. "You''re coming with me."


    Ike blinked. "Why?"


    "I need a hunting guide, and you seemed like a good one," she declared.


    Ike frowned. What kind of nonsensical declaration is that? I''ve been hunting for weeks. I''m barely a hunter at all, especially when compared to Orin or¡ª


    "Oh dear. If a guide is what you''re after, may I offer instead?" a gentle voice asked.


    They turned.


    Cara approached them, a small smile on her face. Although she wore trousers instead of a skirt, she curtseyed to Rosamund. "Cara. Rank 3. Twenty years'' experience as a hunting guide. I specialize in light domain and healing spells."


    Rosamund lifted her lip in a sneer. Forcibly, she repressed whatever she wanted to say. Instead, she said, "There is no need. I''ll take this boy instead."


    "Oh? But he barely knows anything about hunting. Are you sure, your highness?"


    "There''s no need to call me that. In any case, he knows enough. I only wish to undertake a short and simple hunt," Rosamund said firmly.


    "Young love," Cara sighed, a smile on her face.


    Ike made eye contact with her and raised his brows. What part of this looks like young love to you?


    Likewise, Rosamund let out a disgusted harrumph.


    "Are you sure, then, young miss? There''s nothing I can do to help if you turn me down now," Cara said, tilting her head.


    "I''m quite sure. This boy will suffice," Rosamund said, nodding.


    Ike cut his eyes at her. If she turned down Cara, she doesn''t actually want a hunting guide¡­not that I thought she did from the start. He remembered their earlier encounter and grimaced. She remembers that I insulted her, and wants to get her petty revenge, doesn''t she? That''s what this is actually all about. Holding a grudge for this long over something so small. How petty can you be?


    I''d love to say no and escape, but I don''t have that option, do I? She''s the city lord''s daughter. She''ll find a way to pressure me. Better to go along while she''s playing nice, rather than fight it, and force her to play dirty.


    It sucks, but that''s the best way to get this over with. Plus, if she watches me fight without the skill, I might even be able to convince her I''m truly Innocent.


    Cara looked at Ike. "Will you be able to handle it?"


    "Probably?" Ike asked. He eyed the three of them. All three were stronger than him, based on their auras. Forgetting strength, he couldn''t harm Rosamund without inciting the city lord''s anger, and bringing down a city lord''s wrath on his head was suicide. There was no future in attacking them, or even fending off their attacks. Any action that came close to harming the trio would put his neck on the line. He''d have to grin and bear whatever they wanted to do to him, but he''d been there before, and he''d survived it then, too. It all depends on how petty she''s going to be. This is a nightmare, but it''s a nightmare I can survive.


    On the upside, they are all stronger than me. If we hunt something, they should be able to help meaningfully.


    Cara nodded. She retreated. "I''ll tell Orin. Good luck."


    Turning to Rosamund, Ike put on his customer service smile. "What do you want to hunt?"


    "I don''t know. Isn''t that your job?" Rosamund asked, looking down at him.


    Uh¡­no? Pretty sure people usually decide what they want to hunt, then find a guide. A moment later, Ike shoved those feelings down. This was an advantage, so he might as well use it. "You''re correct, young mistress. Of course. I have a wonderful quarry picked out for us. Do you have all your gear with you already?"


    "Naturally," Rosamund said, flipping her hair.


    Ike resisted the urge to roll his eyes. None of the three seemed to be carrying any luggage, but internally, he shrugged. If they want to sleep under the stars and fight monsters bare-handed, that''s their problem.


    "And how much will you be paying me?" Ike asked, still smiling.


    Rosamund tossed her hair. She waved one of the handmaids forward. The handmaid held out a small pouch to Ike. Ike took it.


    Immediately, the weight of the pouch struck Ike. His hand almost dropped from the unexpected weight. He peered inside. Gold glittered back at him, blindingly bright.


    Holy shit.


    "Is that enough?" Rosamund harrumphed. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Half now, half when I return," Ike said, pocketing the pouch.


    Rosamund twisted her upper lip, but didn''t fight it.


    Damn. And it''s nothing to her. She''s really...a different kind of person. Ike shook his head internally. Externally, he smiled. "Good, good. Let''s move out, then! Plenty of daylight right now. No point waiting around."


    "Indeed," Rosamund agreed. She gestured for Ike to take the lead.


    He stepped forward, heading for the gate.


    "Wait."


    Ike looked over his shoulder.


    Rosamund looked down at him. "If I find another pet, you are not allowed to interfere with the capturing process. Otherwise, I''ll be forced to take measures."


    A chill wind trickled down Ike''s spine. He nodded. "Understood, young mistress."


    As expected, she''s treating this as an opportunity to punish me. Anything she finds, she will use against me. I''ll have to be on my best behavior.


    But that''s fine. I''ll simply show her a hunt, then leave. That''s all.


    The only difficult part is that I won''t be able to use any of my Lightning Dash-based skills. After all, that''s handing her everything she needs to demand my head. But I just learned a sword technique. I have Salamander Healing. I have my supplies.


    That girl can watch my every move, but she''ll find nothing.


    Resolve in his heart, he strode out the gate and into the forest. Rosamund and her handmaidens hurried after him.

 29. Toad Hunting

    They walked through the forest. Sunlight dappled the path before them, and a gentle wind blew. Ike consulted Orin''s book again and frowned. The man had a knack for giving the worst directions, and it was no less true of the route to the Giant Toad than it was of the route to Silver. Return to the boot-suckin'' swamp. Easy. He knew where that was: on the way to Silver. Hook a left. How many degrees? Left, relative to what? You''ll see a downed tree that goes uppy-downy. Hook a right. That one meant nothing at all. Hundred or so paces, and you''ll come up on a holler. It was in a valley, apparently.A valley near a swamp. Won''t that just be a pond? Ike wondered. A second later, he shrugged. It is a Giant Toad, I suppose.


    Behind him, Rossamund yanked her beautiful, delicate boots out of the sucking swamp mud. Mud splattered over her milky white legs from the backsplash. She shuddered, disgust clear on her face. "What is this filth?"


    Her handmaidens leaped to her side, quickly wiping her legs clean with towels that seemed to come from nowhere.


    Ike looked over his shoulder. "It''s called mud, young miss."


    "I know what mud is¡ª" Rossamund clenched her teeth. She stood there, her fists clenching. "You''re sabotaging me! Forcing me to march through this filth¡­"


    "Monsters live in filth. If we mean to hunt monsters, we have to go where the monsters live," Ike explained.


    She flared her nostrils. "You dare talk down to me?"


    Ike gave her an innocent look. "You hired me as a hunting guide, young miss. If I don''t explain these things, I''m not doing my job."


    With some effort, she repressed her anger. "You can cease explaining these obvious things."


    Ike nodded. He consulted the page again. Lifting his head, he scanned the horizon for ''a downed tree that goes uppy-downy.'' Still, doubt gripped his heart. Will that tree even still be here? How long ago did he hunt this Giant Toad? It is a low-level monster, and he''s Rank 3. Cara mentioned that she and Orin have extended lifespans thanks to their Rank. If he hunted the monster a hundred or more years ago, that trunk could be nothing but dust at this point.


    "What are we waiting for?" Rossamund demanded.


    Ike put the book away and walked on. I''ll keep an eye open for the tree, but I won''t count on it. I''ll walk at an angle and look for the valley instead.


    "What are we even hunting?" Rossamund asked, ducking under a low-swinging cedar branch. A tangle of thorny vines gripped at her ankles, but a gesture from her, and they melted away.


    Ike eyed the vines. Must be convenient.


    Insulted, Rossamund glared at him. "Have you never seen a lady''s ankles before?"


    "A Giant Toad," Ike said, ignoring her.


    "What?"


    "We''re hunting a Giant Toad."


    Rossamund glared at him. "You deliberately chose a filthy monster, didn''t you?"


    Ike sighed. He shook his head at her. "You didn''t tell me what to hunt. I was personally preparing to hunt the Giant Toad, so I took you along on my hunt. If you want to hunt something else, then tell me. Otherwise, we''ll hunt the Giant Toad."


    She ground her teeth and stomped. "I demand we fight something more elegant!"


    Ike turned. He leaned against a nearby tree, resting his feet for a moment. "Something more elegant? How about a Fulgur-Loup?"


    "A Lightning Wolf? Indeed. An elegant monster like that suits my standing," Rossamund said, brushing what was meant to be imaginary dust off her skirt. Her hand encountered a very real glob of mud, and she froze.


    Seeing her disgust, her handmaidens rushed forward and quickly cleaned the skirt.


    Relieved, Rossamund continued to brush fake dust off her skirt. She nodded at Ike. "Let us proceed to the Fulgur-Loup, commoner."


    "My name is Ike," Ike informed her.


    Rossamund gave him a look as if she''d rather eat shit than say that name. "A common name, for a common man."


    Ike looked at her. Her words didn''t even smart. If anything, they made him want to chuckle. Such a weak insult. Is that the best she has? I almost feel bad for her that her insults are so weak. He lowered his head, hiding a small smile.


    Ahead, the earth sunk, giving way to a dip in the land. Ike turned toward it.


    "Good. Heading toward the more elegant monster," Rossamund said.


    He glanced back, but didn''t say anything to her. He led the way into the depression. Rossamund picked her way down behind him, her pink boots sliding in the mud. Her two attendants offered her a hand on either side.


    At the bottom of the valley, a sludgy, thick pond spread before them. Reeds grew thick at the edges of the water, and lily pads and algae spread across its top. Long fronds of water grass trailed against the surface.


    Rossamund frowned. She peered across the pond, lifting her hand to see the far side. "Is this a watering hole for the Fulgur-Loup?" S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    "No. It''s the place where Giant Toads live," Ike replied, deadpan.


    Rossamund startled. "I thought we agreed to hunt the Fulgur-Loup, not that revolting Giant Toad."


    Ike blinked. He tilted his head. "We need to hunt the Giant Toads so that we can hunt the Fulgur-Loup. I thought you already knew?"


    "Why would I already know that?" she snapped.


    Ike lowered his head apologetically, but a mocking glint shone in his eyes. "You told me not to bother with the small details of the hunt. I thought that meant you understood something as basic as needing the Giant Toad to hunt the Fulgur-Loup."


    Rossamund''s eyes narrowed. Frustration and anger played across her face, and she tossed her head. "Of course I know something like that. Don''t be foolish."


    Ike smiled. "Wonderful. Then I won''t bother explaining something that simple to you."


    Rossamund''s upper lip twitched. She half-opened her mouth, then shut it. Her eyes glared murder at Ike.


    Heh. Can''t openly admit you don''t understand why I''m doing this now, can you? You''ve backed yourself into a corner. You have no option but to go along with my plan and hunt the Giant Toad! Turning away, Ike grinned to himself.


    He searched across the lake again. Giant Toads are active all day, but they''re most active at dawn and dusk. It''s currently a little after noon. We''re unlikely to see one until night. He turned to Rossamund. "I''m going to scout the toad''s pond. You''re free to do as you see fit until dusk."


    "We''re going to wait around here until dusk? Why not hunt it now?" Rossamund asked, taken aback.


    "They''re most active at dusk and dawn. Apologies if that''s too small a detail for you," Ike said.


    "Most active," Rossamund countered. She looked at her handmaidens. "Bring it forth."


    Ike stood back, curious. What kind of high-class gear does an upper-city immortal bring to a monster hunt? Does she have something to locate the monster while it''s sleeping?


    Of her two attendants, one had short hair and a bow wrapped from the back of her hair to the top of her head, and the other had long hair bound into a dense, short braid.


    The short-haired one reached to a hip pouch. "The one for amphibians?"


    "Naturally," Rossamund said.


    The handmaid drew out a large ball, which she handed carefully to Rossamund. "Take care, mistress. This monster bait is personally concocted by the lord''s alchemist. It''s incredibly potent. You only want to¡ª"


    Rossamund hauled back and tossed the entire ball into the pond. "We want to summon the toad, not sit around and twiddle our thumbs."


    The short-haired attendant stared. She looked at her empty hands, then at the pond, where the ball quickly dissolved into the water. In despair, she turned to the long-haired attendant.


    Holding a small portion of a bait ball that she''d just broken off, the long-haired attendant sighed. She put the bait back in her pouch and shook her head at the short-haired attendant.


    Ike eyed the attendants'' pouches. The bait balls are bigger than those pouches. I wonder if they''re enchanted somehow? I could use something like that.


    "Since we dropped bait, everyone, get ready," Ike said, stepping forward. He drew his sword and dropped his pack on the ground.


    River-Splitting Sword was a one-sword style, so he only wore one sword now. The other one sat in his pack. He''d considered selling the extra sword, but given how high quality it was, he knew he couldn''t purchase a sword that compared if the first broke. So instead, he brought it along.


    He looked at the group. "What are everyone''s strengths?"


    "I''ll restrain and kill the beast myself. There''s no need for you to know," Rossamund said haughtily.


    The short-haired attendant gave Ike an apologetic bow. "We''ll support the young mistress. You''ve guided us here, and that''s sufficient."


    So that''s how we''re going to play it. Ike nodded. He stepped back, letting the three of them take the lead. "Young miss, please take care not to damage the Giant Toad''s hide¡ª"


    "Don''t tell me how to fight. You don''t know how a true mage fights," Rossamund interrupted him, her eyes cold.


    "I understand, but¡ª"


    She flipped her hand, and a pink crystal dagger appeared in her palm. "Say another word, and I take your head. I know more about hunting than you. Don''t think to instruct me."


    Ike put his hands up and backed away. Fine. If you insist. Maybe she does already know. After all, she knows that we''re using the Giant Toad to hunt the Fulgur-Loup. It''s not that hard to figure out what we need.


    With a harrumph, Rossamund turned back to the pond, putting the dagger away with a gesture.


    The reeds shifted in the depths of the pond. A Giant Toad hopped out. Brown, warty skin covered its back, and bulging gold eyes gazed at them. It opened its mouth and swallowed up a mouthful of the pond water, then hopped in, vanishing into the murky depths.


    "Stand back. Watch a real mage fight," Rossamund declared. She charged into battle, twisting a bracelet as she approached the pond. Roses appeared under her feet, lofting her over the surface of the pond. She closed in on the place the Giant Toad had vanished.


    Ike frowned. It won''t come back up where it went under. Why did she do that?


    Her attendants drew brooms from their hip pouches and stood atop them, riding after her. They hung back a bit, spreading out to the left and the right.


    The Giant Toad erupted from the pond in a vast wave. Muddy water sprayed all around as it opened its enormous maw and swallowed up the bait-tainted water.


    Rossamund whirled. She gestured, and the water grass lunged up out of the water to tangle the Giant Toad''s limbs. The Giant Toad thrashed, tearing up the water grass at its roots. Rossamund made a pulling gesture. Vines and brambles from the dry forest leapt to her call. They strained, but couldn''t reach the center of the lake where the toad was.


    Ike frowned. Why did she throw the bait that far, if she can''t attack that deep into the lake?


    The long-haired attendant rushed in. She drew a long-handled paddle from her pouch and struck the Giant Toad from behind, sending it rolling through the water to the shallow part.


    The reeds and vines gripped the Giant Toad at last. Rossamund grinned. She clenched her fist. The barbs on the spiky vines grew longer, and the vines themselves tensed around the Giant Toad. It struggled more desperately, then burst, shredded to a thousand pieces.


    With a laugh, Rossamund turned to Ike. "Simple. Far too easy! Can we go hunt a real monster now?"


    Ike sighed. "We need the Giant Toad''s hide, young miss. You shredded it to bits. We''ll have to hunt another one."


    "Why didn''t you say so?"


    "You told me not to bother you with details," Ike said, shaking his head in regret. I should''ve made sure she heard it, even if she kept trying to shut me up! The book said they''re solitary hunters. We''ll have to find another pond, and¡ª


    From out of the reeds, a pair of gold eyes peered at the pond.


    Ike jolted. He stepped forward. "Let me take this one, young miss!" I don''t trust her to not ruin the hide again.


    "You dare?" Rossamund ran toward the toad.


    Another pair of eyes appeared in the reeds, and another, and another, and another. From the woods to the left, low, brown, warty forms crawled forth. A toad hopped out of the woods to the right. Behind Ike, the squish of soft amphibian flesh sounded, and he turned to find a toad creeping up behind him, its mouth already half-open to lash out with its tongue.


    Across the pond, one of the toads in the reeds leaped at Rossamund. She startled, surprised. Its enormous, toothless maw gaped toward her.


    "Young miss!" the short-haired attendant shouted.


    Without a word, the long-haired attendant chased after Rossamund, already raising her paddle to strike the toad.


    Ike darted toward the toad behind him, lifting his sword. Not sure whether to laugh or cry, he let out a strained chuckle. I guess we don''t have to worry about finding another, but there''s such a thing as too much of a good thing!

 30. Toad Glut

    The toads leaped at Ike from all sides. Across the pond, the toads jumped at Rosamund and her handmaids. Rosamund shrieked in horror. "Get it off! Get it away from me!"Ike put them to the back of his mind, focusing on his own battle. She said she could handle it. I''ll have to believe her. I don''t have another choice¡ªI''m going to have my hands full with just this.


    He lifted his sword as the first toad lashed out at him. A thick pink tongue shot from its mouth, almost too quick for his eyes. Ike executed the first step of River-Splitting Sword, slicing off the end of the toad''s tongue. It jerked back in pain and rolled onto its back, hugging its mouth.


    That was too fast. Ike activated Sensory Enhancement. By now, he was mostly used to the overload, able to filter down to the most essential input.


    As he activated the skill, Ike closed in. He finished off the toad with a slash to its soft underbelly, then whirled as another toad leaped at him. Several hundred pounds of flabby soft flesh hurtled down on Ike.


    Ike raised his sword. He closed his eyes, temporarily cutting off Sensory Enhancement. For a moment, he stood in the clearing with Silver again, the gentle rush of the river in the background and the sun beating down.


    "Why''s it called the River-Splitting Sword?"


    Silver looked at him, then nodded. "Watch."


    He stepped into the stream. One, two, three, moving through the motions of the sword technique. With the last one, his eyes suddenly changed. Killing intent surged from his sword. He struck, slicing from the ground to the sky.


    A wave of energy surged from his sword. For a moment, the stream split in two, revealing the river stones beneath.


    The water closed back over the gap, splashing down to cover the stones. Silver hopped out of the water and nodded at Ike. "That is why. If you master this sword, you will be able to split an entire river, not merely a piddling stream."


    Back in the moment, Ike gathered mana on his sword, circulating the technique as strongly as he could. I don''t need to split a river. I just need to split a toad!


    Ike''s eyes flew open. Sensory Enhancement kicked in again. The toad''s belly loomed, dropping toward him. He struck, sword flying from low to high. A slash of energy flew from his sword. It cut into the toad''s soft belly and into its guts, then stopped there, not quite severing it. Ike jumped back, narrowly avoiding the toad''s body as it bellyflopped to the ground in a splat of blood and gore.


    A wet stretching noise caught his ear. Ike jumped to the side, barely avoiding as a tongue shot past. He whirled around, trying to slice the tongue before it retracted again, but this time, the toad had him outsped. Its tongue vanished into its mouth before his sword struck.


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    From either side, toads jumped at him. Ike rolled to the side, letting the two giants strike one another. With a wet slap, they smacked together and dropped to the ground. One shook its head and turned, immediately targeting Ike again, but the other rolled around on its back, off-balance and confused.


    Not one to waste his chance, Ike charged the downed monster. It rolled to its feet with some effort as he reached it. He cut at its jaw. If I can disable that, it''s out of commission.


    His sword struck the toad''s rubbery, oily hide and bounced. He stumbled back as his arms flew over his head. Holy shit! Compared to the underbelly, the back is heavy armor!


    The toad turned toward him. It crawled at him with surprising speed and clawed at him with its vicious claws. Ike backstepped, barely dodging the claw, only for a toad to swallow him up from behind. He fell backward, into wet, sticky darkness. A strong tongue shoved him deeper.


    Not waiting to land in the stomach, Ike shoved his sword through the toad''s throat wherever he could reach. There was no technique or thought in the motion, just panic. He slashed left and right, then grabbed the edges of the wound and dragged himself out. His shoulder hit the ground, and he rolled the rest of the way out, getting his feet on the ground. He shuddered, wiping himself off. Thick, translucent goo sloughed off his skin.


    Like the Salamander, but less heat. And more slime.


    Even as the toad that had swallowed him died, two more turned toward him. Ike put his disgust to the back of his mind and lifted his sword.


    A shadow passed overhead. Ike looked up, craning his neck. Rosamund''s two handmaidens carried her away, soaring into the sky. She sobbed, her rose dress stained with mud and pond water.


    He narrowed his eyes. Dropping bait and running away? What kind of piggish teammate is this?


    As she passed overhead, their eyes made contact. Rosamund stopped crying and stuck her tongue out at him.


    Ike''s eyes widened. It was deliberate? She''s willing to go that far to force me to use the skill she only thinks I stole? What if I hadn''t stolen her skill? I''d be¡­probably okay, thanks to Silver, but still!


    That''s it. After this, I hunt alone. Period. Unless it''s someone like Silver or Cara, who I know I can trust, I''m not partying up with anyone else. Not even if they threaten me with death.


    The toads lunged, and he darted to meet them.


    Leathery bodies piled up in the mud by the edge of the pond. Blood colored the muddy water. Ike fought on, covered in tiny scratches, sludge, and toad goo. Although Rosamund no longer stood over his shoulder, he resisted the urge to use any of his lightning skills. He didn''t know how far she could see him from, or what she used to keep an eye on him. No matter what, he couldn''t afford for her to realize he''d really stolen her skill.


    The sun travelled across the sky. At last, the final toad hit the ground. Ike wiped his face and stared out over the mess of warty corpses, exhausted. Toad after toad filled the clearing around the pond, lying slumped all over one another.


    He shook his head. "That''s a lotta bodies. Gonna take forever to break down."


    An earth-shattering thump shook the ground beneath Ike''s feet. Trees toppled nearby. Something enormous rumbled toward him.


    He spread his stance, staring around him in fear. What the hell did Rosamund''s bait draw?


    From out of the trees, a truly giant toad loomed. The underside of its enormous chin blocked out the sky. Its wobbly belly flattened the trees at the edge of the pond. Two enormous claws dug human-sized craters in the wet earth.


    Ike looked at the toad, then at the pond behind him. "You can have the bait."


    With an earth-shattering ribbit, the toad locked eyes with Ike. In that moment, Ike became incredibly aware of all the toad blood splattered over his body, his sword, everything. Of the pile of toads he stood atop. Of the blood painting the water red.


    He laughed to himself. "You''re not here for the bait, are you."


    Eyes shining with anger, the enormous toad lifted a claw to crush him. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 31. Giant Toad

    Looming large over the forest, so large it blocked out the sun, the enormous toad lifted a claw to crush Ike.Ike turned and ran. He sprinted toward the lake, away from the toad. The huge claw slammed down. Mud flew up, splattering over the toad corpses. The toad tilted its head down, unblinking mud-colored eyes searching for Ike. With a ribbit, it flew into the air.


    Sprinting faster, Ike tore off into the forest, abandoning the pond and the toads alike. The toad landed with an earth-shattering splash. The entire pond surged out from under its body. Dark water blackened the sky, then rained back down. Mud and water splattered all over Ike and the trees.


    A knee-high wave of water rushed toward him. Muddy water smashed into his legs, carrying him forward a few steps. He stumbled, then jumped, lifting his feet high. Water and brambles grabbed at his ankles.


    Ike stared over his shoulder. It''s not following me, right?


    The toad looked left and right. It licked its lips, blinking. Lifting its feet, it shuffled to the side and looked around again, searching for Ike. Its neck inflated, and a mighty croak filled the air.


    I can''t fight that thing alone. It''s at least as powerful as the Salamander.


    When he was far enough away that he was sure the toad wouldn''t pick him out of the forest, Ike slowed to a halt. He turned back. The toad squatted over the pond. Its big horizontal pupils gazed out at the world. Its enormous, dour mouth turned judgmentally down at the corners. It flicked its tongue, licking one of its big brown eyes.


    Pink fluttered down beside him. Rosamund landed next to Ike in a flurry of rose petals. Not wanting to acknowledge her, he pretended not to notice, even as rose petals fluttered down in front of his eyes.


    "What did you do?" she asked.


    What did I do? What did I do? Are you kidding¡ª Ike took a deep breath. "I took care of the bait someone else dropped. What did you do?"


    Rosamund tossed her hair, rolling her eyes at him. "I didn''t summon that monster."


    Ike ignored her. He set off into the woods, circling around toward the toad.


    "Wait, you''re going back in there? Why?" Rosamund asked.


    He glanced over his shoulder. "I need one of the toad corpses."


    "You''re still trying to hunt the Fulgur-Loup?"


    "Unlike some people, I need to make money to survive. What about you, young miss? Why are you still here? I seem to recall you running away, crying like a baby," Ike asked her, too frustrated to bother holding his tongue anymore.


    Rosamund''s face reddened, but she had the good poise to throw her head back rather than snap at him. "I know you stole my skills. There''s no way a commoner like you could accidentally stumble across a Rare skill. You used that skill to cover up the skill you stole. I know it."


    Ha! So she knows about that technique. Well, it makes sense. If you could play with one of those orbs, you''d probably figure it out pretty quick, and a young mistress like her probably has a dozen of those things at home.


    Hiding his thoughts, Ike spread his hands innocently. "I don''t know what I can do to convince you, young miss. I merely got fortunate."


    "Hmph. I don''t believe you, and I''m not leaving until I have evidence. It doesn''t matter what kind of filth you drag me through. I''m going to prove you stole my skills, drag you to father, and have him squeeze those skills back out of you."


    "You can do that?" Ike asked out of curiosity. Silver spat out a skill. Can people do it, too?


    "To a dead body, yes," Rosamund said.


    Ike pressed his lips together in a thin grin. She wants me dead. She''s just taking a roundabout way to get there. "I hate to ask this, young miss, but why haven''t you cut me down where I stand, if you''re that convinced you''re in the right?"


    Rosamund harrumped again. "Father says we shouldn''t kill without evidence. He says it weakens the trust of the people."


    "Your father sounds like a wise man."


    "A criminal would say that," Rosamund murmured, her eyes slits.


    "So would a man unjustly accused," Ike countered.


    Rosamund laughed. "Unjust¡ª"


    Ike lifted his hand, cutting her off. "We''re close. Silence."


    To his surprise, Rosamund complied.


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    Mud painted the lower two feet of the trees and weighed down the undergrowth. Water swirled around their ankles, the pond not yet receded back to its usual bounds. They sloshed closer. Ike glanced over his shoulder. Rosamund isn''t complaining? S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her pink boots were gone, replaced by tall waterproof black leather galoshes. A drop of mud fell on her pink skirt and rolled off, like water off a freshly oiled pan. Behind her, her attendants watched her with expressions of extreme concentration on their faces.


    Are they casting skills on her to keep her clothes clean? Upper-city folk really live different lives. Shaking his head, he turned his focus back to the quarry ahead.


    Water wasn''t the only thing the gargantuan toad''s leap had thrown. The smaller toads'' corpses littered the edges of the field, blown back to the treeline. Ike had circled around to come up behind the huge toad. Even so, he could still see the very edge of its incredibly wide pupils. We aren''t out of sight. If we go grab a corpse now, it''ll surely see either us or the corpse moving. I need to distract it, somehow.


    He lifted his head carefully, peering across to the opposite side of the toad. In the direction it faced, less mud stained the trees. He took a deep breath.


    Ike backed away. He nodded at Rosamund. "Are you ready to cooperate with me?"


    She tossed her hair, then nodded.


    Not that surprising. Her goal is to make me reveal my stolen skill. The more I do, the more danger I put myself in, the greater the chance I reveal that skill.


    That''s fine, though. I can use that.


    He gestured her closer. "Here''s what we''re going to do¡­"


    --


    Creeping around in front of the toad, Ike picked every step carefully, mindful of the toad''s gaze. He moved slowly but steadily. One tree to the next, waiting until the toad blinked to jump along. Aside from the bundle under each arm, he carried no more than his sword and his flint. He traveled light, in case the toad caught sight of him. Better to live and abandon his gear, than die for carrying it.


    Peering from behind a tree, he waited. The toad licked its eyes, and he crept toward the next tree.


    Snap. A branch cracked under his foot. Ike dove for the next tree and froze. He held his breath, waiting.


    Mud slapped as the toad whirled toward the sound. It lowered its head, turning left and right in search of the intruder. Leaning forward, it squelched one step into the mud. Cool air blew from its enormous nostrils.


    Ike stood completely still, his back to the tree. I''m not here. Leave me alone.


    The toad tilted its head sideways. It leaned closer yet. One flabby, brown hand pressed into the forest just beside Ike. He stared at it from the corner of his eye. One hand gripped his sword.


    A squirrel darted the tree Ike stood behind. It caught sight of the enormous toad and froze, flicking its tail in shock.


    Croak. The toad blinked and looked away, searching the horizon once again.


    Breathing out a sigh of relief, Ike lifted the sticky bundle of pitch and scrap cloth. I''ve come far enough. Better do it now, before the toad loses its patience and flattens the forest. He lifted his flint and steel to the bundle and struck it. One spark, two, and then the bundle came alight. He rolled it through the underbrush. Fire flickered to life in the densely-packed dead leaves underfoot, slowly spreading through to the trees.


    Ike lit another bundle and rolled it the opposite direction. Drawing back behind the tree, he waited. The giant toads are weak to fire. If they''re weak to fire, they should fear it. Here''s hoping the big toad fears it, too. He peeked out from behind the tree again.


    On the other side of the toad, pink flickered in the woods. Rosamund and her handmaidens grabbed two of the toads and dragged them into the forest.


    Ike stared. He looked up, but the huge toad continued to stare to the horizon, throat pouch expanding and retracting at an even pace. He looked back to find the three of them still extricating toads from the muddied undergrowth. Huh? You''re supposed to wait until the toad notices the fire! It hasn''t even looked at it yet! What are you guys doing?


    One of the toad corpses, bloated from a day in the sun, got caught on a snag in the undergrowth. Rosamund yanked at it. Lifting a leg, she kicked the corpse, hard.


    Ike twitched. He reached out instinctively, but it was too late.


    Gas whooshed out from the toad''s orifices with a predictable, but very loud, pbbbt. Rosamund jolted. She gave the body a disgusted and alarmed look.


    The huge toad whirled. It stared directly at Rosamund and let out a warcry of a croak. Its tongue lashed out at her.


    Dropping the toad, Rosamund jumped back. She threw her hands out. The thick undergrowth closed in behind her, blocking the toad''s tongue.


    The toad''s tongue crashed right through. It wrapped around Rosamund. Rosamund screamed. She stabbed at the tongue with her dagger. With her other hand, she latched onto the nearest tree.


    Her short-haired handmaid screamed and fled, dragging the toad body with her.


    The long-haired one''s eyes sharpened. She whipped her paddle out again and smashed it on the toad''s tongue. Despite the seemingly blunt edge of the paddle, it sliced through the edge of the tongue.


    The toad shrieked and jerked its tongue back, releasing Rosamund. Rosamund fled, chasing after the other handmaid into the forest.


    Oh, what the hell. Taking advantage of the chaos, Ike dashed in, through the low flames. Heat smacked at his ankles. His wet, mudstained pants began to steam.


    Noticing the motion, the toad whirled. It let out a growling croak and lowered its body. Its tongue flashed at Ike.


    From a sling tied to his back, Ike grabbed the final ball. He swept it through the flames and lobbed it at the incoming tongue.


    The toad flinched back, trying to dodge, but it was too late. The ball struck its pink tongue. It snatched its tongue back. Between the sticky ball and the sticky tongue, the little flameball whooshed into its mouth.


    The toad''s eyes went wide. It hopped around, screaming in pain.


    Ike grabbed the nearest semi-whole corpse and fled through the fire. The toad''s massive rear claws smashed down, tossing flaming underbrush at Ike. Ike hefted the corpse over his head to stave off the flames and ran on, leaving the toad behind. It screamed again, splashing dirt, mud, and flames everywhere in its maddened dance. He kept running, and running, taking the corpse with him. A grin crawled over his face.


    Success. Success on all fronts! The toad is distracted, I have my hide, and Rosamund is gone, trapped on the wrong side of the toad!


    A shadow fell over him. Ike looked up, bracing himself against a toad claw.


    Instead, a girl in a dainty pink dress jumped down beside him. "I retrieved the toad," Rosamund said haughtily, as though he hadn''t just watched her flail from the far side of the pond.


    Ike stared after her, then rolled his eyes. He sighed. Couldn''t be free of her that easily.


    Oh well. It''s fine. We''ll hunt the Fulgur-Loups, I''ll send her home, and that will be that. Rossmund won''t be able to demand I keep hunting for her. She''ll go back to the upper city disappointed, and we''ll never see one another again.


    He took a deep breath and set off again, leaving the enormous toad behind.

 32. To Hunt a Wolf

    The toads dangled from a tree, strung up by the back paws. Blood drained out their necks, dripping onto the ground. Ike worked to skin the toad, slicing it open with his razor.Behind him, Rosamund wrinkled her nose. "Disgusting."


    Ike looked up at her over his shoulder. "You don''t have to watch."


    "It''s good to remind myself of the base duties of the common folk," Rosamund replied haughtily.


    Ike turned back to the toad. When am I going to learn to ignore her?


    Moving quickly, he skinned the second toad, then hung both their hides to dry. He tended to his tools while the toads'' blood drained. Rosamund walked away, bored. The sun dipped toward the horizon. Ike set up a fire, then returned to the now-drained toads. He hacked the toads'' back legs off with his sword, then, with long, sturdy sticks he''d set aside, spiked them up against the fire to roast.


    "You''re going to eat those?" Rosamund asked, horrified.


    Ike ignored her. Leaving the legs to cook, he took the toads'' bodies away one by one and buried them a distance from the camp, so nothing would be attracted to the meat he didn''t eat in the night. Returning, he sat down and crossed his legs, resting by the fire. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rosamund watched him through the whole process with a kind of disgusted curiosity. When she saw he''d finished, she retreated to her handmaids. Ike peered over his shoulder, curious.


    The handmaids rushed to her side. From their infinitely deep hip pouches, they drew out finger sandwiches, tea, fruit juices, and an entire tray of pastries. They spread out a picnic cloth for Rosamund to sit, and set up the food around her on gleaming trays.


    Rosamund looked down at Ike. Cold laughter echoed from her throat, and the ice in her eyes dared him to ask for some.


    Ike turned back to his toad legs, unmoved. Internally, he salivated, but he pushed it down. Doesn''t matter. It''s not for me. I''m not going to give her the satisfaction. He turned the toad legs, roasting them on the other side.


    Time passed. Rosamund''s handmaids set up an ornate tent, and she vanished inside it. Ike ate his toad legs, the meat juicy, if a bit gamey, then set up his bedroll. He laid back, staring at the stars.


    Tomorrow, I hunt the Fulgur-Loup. One last day, and then I''m free of Rosamund forever.


    A stick snapped. Ike sat up sharply, reaching for his sword.


    "At ease."


    Ike breathed out, relieved. Glancing up, he nodded. "Didn''t think I''d see you for a while."


    The man sat down beside him. He drew his legs up and crossed his arms over them, resting his head atop them. "The girl is no threat to me. If I hadn''t been trapped by the wall, I would''ve been in no danger."


    Remembering the difference in Silver and Rosamund''s auras, Ike nodded.


    "The toads. Why did you kill so many?" Silver asked.


    Ike wrinkled his nose. He shook his head. "I only wanted to kill two. Rosamund tossed bait, and¡­" He explained the situation to Silver, up to the enormous toad showing up.


    Silver nodded. He gave Ike a serious gaze. "It''s not good to disrupt the peace of the forest. You''ll anger the forests'' guardians."


    "Guardians¡­ like that huge toad?" Ike asked.


    Silver nodded. After a moment, he shrugged. "This time, it couldn''t be helped."


    They sat in silence for a few moments. Bugs cried. Bats swirled overhead. Little blips of gold light appeared here and there as lightning bugs fluttered from tree to tree.


    "Where are you going, now?" Silver asked at last.


    "I''m¡­we''re hunting a Fulgur-Loup. I want the skill they drop. Rosamund is¡­she refuses to leave me be."


    "Hmm. Beware. The Abyss is near the Fulgur-Loups'' territory," Silver said.


    "The Abyss?"


    "A dark gorge, from which nothing returns." Gold eyes turned to Ike, not hidden behind his usual smoked lenses. An unusual seriousness glimmered in their depths.


    Ike raised his brows. "I''ll be careful not to fall in."


    Silver hummed. He stretched forward from his sit, transforming in the space between leaning and his hands touching the ground. A panther loped off into the night.


    Watching him go, Ike frowned. Why did Silver come to me? To warn me not to overhunt? I already know better than that. I never would''ve killed all those toads if Rosamund hadn''t left me in that shitty situation.


    After a second, he shrugged to himself. No one understood Silver, and he understood Silver least of all. Silver clearly thought it was important. That meant it was worth keeping in mind. More than that, and he''d have to ask Orin or Cara or someone else to help translate.


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    And¡­the Abyss, huh? Ike leaned back against his bedroll. He tucked his hands behind his head and stared up at the stars through the trembling leaves. A cool breeze blew, a portent of autumn to cut through the heat of the summer night. Abyss.


    There were myths about the abyss. Fairytales. An unfathomably dark pit that swallowed up bad children who left the wall''s safe confines. The monsters would kill you if you got out, but the abyss tracked you down. Nowhere was safe. Not inside, not outside. The abyss always got its due.


    Never made any sense to me. It''s a hole in the ground. It can''t exactly chase you around. But if Silver warned him about it¡­ Ike sighed. There''s probably a big, deep chasm, not a fairytale ''abyss.'' I''ll make sure I don''t trip, but that''s the limit of it.


    He closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep. With Silver and Rosamund''s handmaids nearby, he slept worry-free. It wasn''t as good as sleeping in a cave, but between the three of them, he had confidence that nothing would disturb his and Rosamund''s slumber.


    Morning came. Light spilled over the horizon, spilling pink into the sky. Ike yawned and stretched. He rolled up his bedroll and packed it away. From his rations, he broke off a piece of hardtack and tossed it in his mouth. Stirring up the embers as he sucked on the tack, he restarted the fire and got water boiling. A bit of a tea brick went in the water. When it was good and brewed, he poured the tea into a metal cup and plopped the tack into the hot water. The hot water broke down the tack faster than his saliva could. He stirred the cup, forming a kind of loose porridge from the tea and tack, then ate it with a spoon.


    "Disgusting. Commoners and their common foods," Rosamund said, looking down on him with her lip lifted.


    "Don''t knock it ''til you''ve had it," Ike replied flatly.


    "There''s no way that tastes good," she refuted him.


    Ike shrugged. He took a sip of the thick broth. It doesn''t, but what am I going to do, admit it? Lifting the cup, he offered her a sip. "Try it yourself, princess."


    She gagged. "I''d rather starve."


    "Sure." Ike lowered his cup and went back to eating.


    Rosamund stared at him. "You aren''t supposed to say ''sure.'' You''re supposed to¡ª"


    "Have you ever starved?"


    "What? No, of course not," Rosamund said.


    Ike snorted. "Might do you some good to try."


    "Are you calling me fat?" Rosamund gasped, aghast.


    He squinted at her. "Where are you getting that from?"


    "You told me to starve!"


    "Yeah, so it''d adjust your bratty-ass attitude about food," Ike returned, bracing his bowl-hand against his leg. He looked up on her. "Do it. Starve. And I mean starve. Don''t have an option, don''t do it on purpose, but starve because there''s nothing else to eat, because you''ve already plucked the grass and ate the bugs, and then you''ll appreciate food."


    "Your father ran the monster-processing plant. He''s one of the wealthiest individuals in the slum," Rosamund countered.


    Ike raised two fingers and lowered one. "Not my father, my uncle." He lowered the other one. "He''s wealthy, yes. How do you think he got there? Not by raising a kid for free. I''ve worked for my own wages to buy my own food since I was old enough to hold a pen."


    "You surely don''t expect me to believe your uncle would allow you to starve. As a child, no less. Your uncle," Rosamund scoffed.


    "Don''t have to believe it for it to be true," Ike replied flatly.


    "Familial love and obligations¡ª"


    "Huh? What are those?" He paused, lifting his free hand to tap his chin. "Guess he''d waive me paying back full interest on my debt, sometimes. Send me home with a copper. Does that count?"


    Rosamund simply stared at him, her brows furrowed. At last, she flicked her hair and marched off, back to her handmaids.


    Expressionlessly, Ike watched her go. Only when she vanished into the tent did he grin. Scared off the brat. Score one for me.


    The scent of fresh bacon emanated from the tent. Ike looked up, surprised. How are they cooking bacon in there? No¡ªnever mind. I don''t want to know.


    While Rosamund ate, he checked on the hides. They were dried enough to use, so he pulled out his needle and thread and started stitching them into wearable goods. A few stitches at the wrists and ankles kept them bound to the limbs. He paired that with a toad-hide strip at the neck to bind it to his back and shoulders.


    Ike tried it on. He swung his arms and jumped a few times, striking sharp, short movements like attacking, rolling, and blocking. The hide moved with him. Between the gaps at the large joints like the elbows and knees and the not fully dried hide, it remained supple enough to move easily, but stiff enough to provide some protection. It slipped a little too far from his body at his hips and shoulders, but a few extra stitches would solve the problem.


    I''ll fix that while I wait.


    Looking down, he surveyed his soft underbelly. The armor''s great weakness was its total lack of frontal coverage. There wasn''t much he could do about that with the materials he had. If they grabbed a few more toads, maybe¡­ But with Rosamund actively sabotaging? Yeah. Good luck.


    Once I finish this bullshit hunt and dump her back at the outpost, I''ll come back out and grab those extra corpses. They''ll be a little fleabitten, but they ought to still be worth a few gold. And if Lea won''t buy them, I can always improve on the toad armor. Add a chest panel.


    He glanced at the tent, but Rosamund and her handmaids remained fully ensconced within. Ike turned away. Hiding his arm behind his body, he lifted his hand and circulated his mana. Lightning leaped up on the surface of his hand. Here goes nothing. He turned his other arm toward it and touched the toadskin on the back of his arm. Ike tensed, expecting a shock.


    Nothing. The lightning dissipated the second it came in contact with the skin.


    Ike grinned. Perfect.


    He took off the toad''s skin and added the few extra stitches. When Rosamund still remained hidden away in the tent, he pulled up his status menu out of sheer boredom.


    [Name: Ike | Age: 15 | Status: Nm | Rank: 1 [Salamander Slayer]]


    Skills: Common: 5 | Bronze 2 | ¡­ | Rare 2 | ¡­ | Unique: 4


    Common: All-Around Runner Lvl 3 | Razor Handling Lvl 9 | Spear Handling Lvl 3 | Axe Handling Lvl 4 | Sword Handling Lvl 4 | Primitive Crafting Lvl 4


    Bronze: Sensory Enhancement Lvl 4 | Mana Manipulation Lvl 2


    Rare: Salamander Healing Lvl 8 | River-Splitting Sword Lvl 3


    Unique: Lightning Dash Lvl 8 | Lightning Grasp Lvl 5 | Lightning Clad (Forearm) Lvl 3 | Lightning Clad (Calf) Lvl 1


    He hummed to himself. Sword Handling is already pretty high. Seems like killing things with my skills gets me more level than simply practicing them in a vacuum. I wonder if I absorb something when I kill them? I should pay more attention.


    Sensory Enhancement, Mana Manipulation, Salamander Healing, and my sword technique all leveled up too, but unfortunately I can''t practice my lightning skills right now.


    He twisted his lips, then shrugged. It''s good to level my other skills, too. River-Splitting Sword is a powerful skill, even if it isn''t Unique. And the same goes for the rest of them.


    Canvas snapped. Rosamund emerged from the tent. "I''m ready. Let''s go."


    "Excellent. Here. Put this on," Ike said, offering her the second toad armor.


    She gave it one look and turned away in disgust. "Absolutely not."


    Ike stared at her. He looked at her handmaids.


    They shrugged.


    He looked at the toad armor, then Rosamund. I could talk her into it¡­or I could take her at her word, and improve my own toad armor later. Ike shrugged to himself and slung the armor into his pack.

 33. Deepest Woods

    Ike walked through the woods, following Orin''s directions to the Fulgur-Loups as best he could. He''d tried wearing the second toad armor backward, but the combined stiffness made it too stiff to move, so he''d put it back in his pack for now. I''ll improve the armor later. When I have the time to measure and cut it properly. Better to wait and make it properly later, than rush and make it poorly now.I''d stop and improve it now, but¡­He cast a look at Rosamund. The sooner I''m free of her, the better.


    At this point, it''s probably better to think of this as a scouting run. Once Rosamund gives up and goes home, I''ll come back out and actually hunt. Right now, I''ll just learn everything I can about the Fulgur-Loups, so I''ll have a better chance of success later.


    He patted his arm. It wasn''t a total wash, at least. He had the toad skin. Back at the outpost, he could refine it into real armor over the course of the next few days. Really, Rosamund had only made his eventual run at the hunt so much more likely to be successful. He smiled at her back, pleased with himself.


    She turned. "What?"


    "Nothing." Ike stopped smiling and stared off into the distance again. His eyes landed on a dead tree, and he jolted. Quickly, he yanked out the book and checked Orin''s notes again.


    Past the place we found THOSE mushrooms, there''s a lightning-struck tree. That''s the sign you''re getting close. Mind the hole.


    Ike leaned, peering through the tangled undergrowth. A dark, hollow line carved through the dead tree. Charred black edges surrounded the line.


    "We''re close. Be on guard," he said, snapping the book shut and sliding it back into his pack. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rosamund rushed ahead. Her handmaids followed after her. The long-haired one glanced back at Ike, then followed after the other two.


    Ike fell back. He let them charge ahead. Here goes the scouting run. She''ll probably try to sabotage me somehow, but with this much distance between us, I should see it coming. He rested his hand on the blade on his hip and waited, subtly tensing.


    The forest darkened ahead of them, as if something sucked away the light. Overhead, the canopy grew denser, and so, too, did the undergrowth. Even so, the light that filtered through grew dimmer. Heavy leaf mould built up underfoot. Ike''s feet slipped a little on the damp decay as he kicked his way through the vines and small trees. Not even a deer path wound through the forest, as if nothing ever came back here at all.


    Maybe I was wrong. Ike reached for the book, only for Rosamund to shriek.


    Startled, Ike whirled, drawing his blade, but there were no wolves. Only Rosamund, clutching her handmaid.


    What now? Sheathing his sword again, he crossed to her side.


    Birdsong quieted. The dim light grew yet dimmer. The treeline abruptly fell away, and Ike found himself standing on the edge of a sharp cliff. Startled, he jolted to a halt. His feet slipped out from under him. Ike grabbed onto a nearby sapling and caught himself inches before he fell. Leaf mould spilled down, pebbles knocking against the wall. Down, down, down. Ike hissed a breath, gazing into the depths.


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    A gorge gaped. Shadow obscured its depths. The entire slums could have fit across it. Wind whistled down sheer stone walls. Any edges or gaps had been whittled down by the flow of an ancient water to a smooth, rounded surface. The gorge extended far in either direction, so long no one could see its end.


    Icy cold emanated from the gap. Without being told, Ike already knew what he looked at.


    "The Abyss," Ike murmured.


    Backing away, he shook his head. He understood why Silver had warned him of it. The way it suddenly opened in flat ground was bad enough. Once he added in the slippery footing and thick undergrowth hiding its edges, he completely understood why there were so many myths about ''a hole in the ground.'' It''s no boogeyman, but it is treacherous.


    "What are we doing here? This close¡­what if we fall in? The Abyss eats mana. It disables skills! Are you insane?" Rosamund asked, staggering dramatically away from the Abyss. She ran her hair back, still staring at the Abyss in shock.


    "Fulgur-Loups live near the Abyss," Ike said evenly. She knows more about the Abyss than I do. It''s more than just a boogeyman, it seems.


    He turned toward it again. After a moment, he shook his head. I won''t abandon the hunt now over a boogeyman. I didn''t come all this way for nothing.


    Her face crinkled. "You''re doing this deliberately. You picked this hunt to put me through hell! First the filthy toads in their disgusting swamp, now hunting near the Abyss, which no one can escape from¡­are you trying to kill me?"


    Just because you''re here to sabotage me, doesn''t mean I''m here to sabotage you. Ike sighed. "If you want to go home, feel free. I''m sure your handmaids can guide you back to the wall."


    Her face twisted obstinately. She lifted her nose and marched off into the woods. "I won''t be scared off so easily."


    Ike shrugged at her back and followed her again.


    Awooooooooo.


    Rosamund whipped around, lifting her head. She ran off into the forest, toward the howl. Ike followed cautiously, letting her pull ahead.


    Ahead, a dense stand of trees blocked the path. Rosamund gestured, and they bent aside.


    A single wolf prowled through the woods ahead of them. Silver shot through its pale gray coat. The streaks combined into a pale fringe at the edge of its underbelly. The wolf gazed at them with dark eyes. It stepped quietly through the underbrush, head low, rear high, ready to pounce.


    Wolves don''t hunt alone. Ike drew his sword, backing away.


    Rosamund rushed in. She gestured, and a pink rose materialized before her. It flew at the wolf.


    The wolf leaped to the side. It fell back, into the underbrush.


    Rosamund flicked her fingers. Behind the wolf, the underbrush reached for it.


    Startled, the wolf leaped out of the underbrush and charged directly at Rosamund. With a laugh, Rosamund clapped. Thick vines burst from the ground and wrapped the wolf, immobilizing it. She turned, curtseying at Ike. "That''s how you elegantly¡ª"


    The undergrowth rustled. Shadows closed in.


    "Watch out!" Ike shouted, racing in. Did she not realize? Even if she''s a sabotaging douchebag, I''m not going to stand here and let her die.


    From every side, other wolves leaped at Rosamund. Rosamund screamed, but only for a second. She looked Ike in the eye and grinned. Under her foot, a rose appeared. It burst into the sky, carrying Rosamund with it.


    Taking their cue from Rosamund, the handmaids mounted their brooms and took to the air.


    The wolves landed. With no quarry left to attack, they rounded on Ike.


    Ike pressed his lips together. He backed away. Fuck you, Rosamund.


    As they closed in, a last wolf stalked out of the woods behind the rest. Lightning flickered around its body. Its eyes gleamed with silvery light. It lifted its head and let out that same eerie howl as before.


    Ike backed away evenly, drawing his sword. He faced the wolves, lifting his head to gaze at the brightest one in the back. That one has the skill I''m after. That''s the only one I need to fight.


    The wolves charged. Ike lifted his sword.

 34. Storm Wolf

    The wolves leaped at Ike. Ike raised his sword. The higher wolf crashed into it nose-first and fell back, crying in pain. The lower wolf smashed into his ankles, throwing its weight against his body. He stumbled, his stance broken. Another wolf closed in, darting at his feet. Ike threw himself backward. The wolf lunged. Its blow missed him, but the two of them tangled together, stuck around Ike''s ankles. He kicked it away and jumped back again.The wolves circled, trying to get behind him. Ike backed away steadily, keeping his sword between him and the wolves. He glanced up, checking on the big silver wolf.


    It had vanished. Completely gone.


    That''s not good.


    Bright white light. A crack, so loud his ears rang. Force slammed into him. Ike stumbled again. Little tendrils of lightning struck the ground all around him.


    The silver wolf walked out of the woods, still sparking with electricity. It lowered its head. Silver eyes watched Ike with cold intelligence.


    Ike hunkered. Casually, he swept his hand through the remnants of the electricity flickering all around and drew it into his core, activating the Clad skill for a split second. The Clad skills allowed him to convert lightning to mana, and vice versa. It rarely came up, but he wasn''t going to ignore the chance when it arose.


    Even if Rosamund knew about the Clad skills, which I doubt, there''s no way she''d know about that small side effect. She won''t be watching closely now; she''ll be watching closely when I attack. And that''s when I won''t use my Lightning Dash-based skills.


    The little electricity he absorbed smarted at his skin. His veins trembled, almost shattering. Ike grimaced. It was too easy to overload the skill right now. This small quantity of electricity almost pushed beyond what he could absorb. If my Clad skills were higher level, I wouldn''t need to use the toad skin. I''d just absorb its electricity directly. As it is, I desperately need the toadskin to survive.


    The wolves circled around him. All at once, they rushed in. Ike swung at them, but they dashed away at the last second, revealing the silver wolf in their midst. It leaped at Ike.


    Extended from his swing, he yanked his arm back up, but too slow. The wolf''s teeth dug into his shoulder. There was no pain, not for the moment. Just the sensation of tearing flesh and the hot rush of blood.


    Ike threw his blade into his off-hand. Pushing it away with his bitten arm, he hacked at the wolf''s side randomly, no skill in the strike.


    The wolf''s thick fur fell away. It growled and shook its head, digging in deeper.


    Abruptly, Ike stopped pushing it away. He grabbed it around the neck instead, holding it still, and drew the sword back. The wolf struggled, but Ike refused to let it go. He slashed deep into its side. It yelped and twisted ferociously, finally yanking free, but not without paying the price. Crimson blood spilled down its side.


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    Ike took a sharp breath, circulating his mana. He stared down the wolf. The other wolves paced around him, growling and yapping. They circled, appearing out of the corners of his eyes and drawing his attention. A crackle of electricity sounded from behind him, but it sparked off the toadskin without harming Ike.


    The silver wolf faced off against Ike. Blood dripped down its side. It growled deep in its throat, and licked lips stained with Ike''s blood.


    Ike lifted his free hand and whistled. "Come here, boy."


    The wolf''s eyes narrowed. It glanced at the wolves on the left and tilted its head.


    The wolves from Ike''s left lunged at him. He jumped back, fleeing the charge. His feet slipped, and his heels slid up over a gap. He looked over his shoulder.


    Behind him, the Abyss gaped. Darkness swirled in its depths. Ike sucked a breath and swayed back to the edge, grabbing ahold of a nearby tree.


    The wolves crept closer, their heads low. They moved as one, crawling low to the forest floor. At their rear, the silver wolf prowled in, each step slow, deliberate.


    Ike laughed. "You did this on purpose, didn''t you? Smart."


    The silver wolf growled in response. Abruptly, it lifted its head and howled. The other wolves howled in response, then leaped at Ike.


    I can''t afford to hold back any longer. There''s no point worrying about what Rosamund''s going to do to me when the other option is death. He slammed his foot down on the ground and leaped into the air, his legs clad in lightning.


    The wolves slammed into one another. One tumbled over the edge with a yelp, vanishing into the darkness. The silver wolf turned its head, watching Ike soar. It bent down, then leaped, chasing after him in a bolt of lightning-clad silver.


    Ike circulated his mana faster. Lightning flickered over his arms as well. He reached out and grabbed the wolf by the shoulders. In one fluid motion, he leapfrogged over the silver wolf. Landing on the other side, he skidded to a halt in the slippery mould.


    The silver wolf pedaled in midair, its eyes wide. It whooshed out over the edge of the Abyss and dropped into the depths.


    The other wolves ran to the edge of the Abyss. They cried out, calling down to the silver wolf. One laid down flat at the edge and reached its nose down, but couldn''t come close to reaching it. They ran from point to point, swarming over one another, crying mournfully into the depths.


    Ike stood. He lowered his sword. There''s no need to attack them anymore. The wolf with the skill is gone. So much for my scouting run. "The hunt is over."


    "That''s right. It''s over."


    All around Ike, the forest came to life. The branches scraped at him, and vines surged out of the ground to bind his legs. He jumped away, but the undergrowth was already reaching out for him where he landed. Ike slashed it away and darted the opposite direction, zig-zagging through the forest. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His heels reached the edge of the Abyss again. Ike stopped, catching his breath.


    Rosamund lowered down to float in front of him. She looked down at him, tilting her head back. "You have my skill. Give it back."


    "What skill do I have? You don''t own all the skills in the world," Ike returned.


    Uninterested in talking, Rosamund closed the gap. The crystal dagger flashed in her hand.


    All around him, the plants whirled, slicing at the air. They lunged for Ike, cutting off any hope of escape.


    He laughed. All at once, he activated Lightning Grasp. Faster than Rosamund could move, even with her higher Rank, he grabbed her by the collar and yanked. At the same time, he kicked off the edge with Lightning Dash, propelling himself into the Abyss.


    All was lost. She knew he had her skill. She had the ultimate upper hand. Status. Money. Power. He had no chance of surviving in the city or in the forest. Now that she knew, there was only one way for Ike to survive.


    "If you want it, then follow me into the Abyss." Holding her collar tight, he plummeted into the dark.

 35. Into The Abyss

    Holding onto Rosamund''s collar, Ike plummeted into the Abyss. Rosamund slapped his hand away. Ike released her, and she kicked away from him and threw her hand out. A rose appeared, but as soon as it appeared, it wilted. Again. Again. She stared at her hand, startled. "Why can''t I¡ª?""Young mistress!" The short-haired handmaid jumped into the Abyss, pulling out her flying broom as she plunged.


    The long-haired one lunged and caught her, yanking her back from the edge. The broom tumbled down, clattering after Ike and Rosamund. "You idiot! Flying techniques don''t work in the Abyss!"


    "Wha¡­what?" the short-haired one asked, lost.


    "Quickly. Let''s go fetch the young mistress'' father. He''s the only one who can reach her in the depths!" The long-haired one pulled out her broom and sped away, dragging the short-haired one with her.


    "I can''t, I can''t¡ª" One after another, Rosamund summoned roses, only for them to wilt and die beneath her.


    Beside her, Ike threw his weight forward and flipped toward his feet. He fell into the Abyss at an angle, close to the wall, and he dropped toward it now. Ike narrowed his eyes, watching it rush up. Three. Two.


    Smooth stone rushed at him. He kicked out, activating Lightning Dash and Lightning Clad with his full strength. His feet impacted the wall for a second. Pain surged through his feet and ankles, all the way up his shins, but he gritted his teeth and endured it. The wall rushed toward him again. Three. Two. One.


    Another kick. Slowing his speed, one strike at a time. Rosamund fell past him, surging toward the bottom, while Ike sped at a slightly slower speed, mitigating his fall with all his strength. One kick at a time, he dropped into the darkness. Every time he kicked, the pain grew stronger. When he fell, Salamander Healing healed the pain, but it couldn''t absorb all the damage in the seconds before his next kick. His joints creaked and his bones groaned, but he kept kicking, persistently slowing his drop. It''s this or death.


    Below him, Rosamund struck the ground with a brittle crash.


    Ike frowned. Crash?


    There was no time to question it. Three more kicks, and he landed on the ground beside her. Ike hopped back, legs straining to manage the simple maneuver, and watched her warily.


    She laid silently on the ground. Dark blood leaked out from under her, but there was something strange about her wounds. Rather than ripping or tearing, her skin had shattered. Hard chunks of porcelain-like material scattered around her body.


    Porcelain? Is this some high-class immortal skill? A protective spell, or something? Ike wondered. He backed away, his steps a little stiff. Either way, I should get out of here. I don''t want to be here when she wakes up. If she wakes up.


    His ankle hit something soft, and he jumped, then cursed under his breath as his whole lower body screamed in pain. Slowly, he turned.


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    A wolf laid on its side, dead. Not the silver wolf, but one of the ordinary ones that had fallen into the Abyss.


    Ignoring his complaining legs, Ike knelt and scooped it up, dangling it over his shoulders. The broom the handmaids had dropped rolled around on the rocky floor beside it, so he picked that up too, turning it around to use its handle as a sort of makeshift walking stick. There was no sign of the silver wolf, except for a small bloodstain not far from where the first wolf had landed.


    Ike turned slowly, taking in the Abyss. The two walls, one close, one far, far away from him, sloped upward. They defined the two boundaries of the world. Imposing, smooth, pale grey stone offered no route back to the surface. Underfoot, the same smooth, water-carved rock flowed along. Dusty gray shale littered its surface. Strange outcroppings pushed out of the floor all around him, forming nooks and strange hollows. Shadows clung to the stone, shifting only when his eyes moved away from them. A few hardy bushes gripped the rock here and there. Overall, there was little vegetation to speak of. Little animal life, either. The entire span was desolate, twisted rock, and little else.


    Ike ran a hand over the back of his head. Is that why no one escapes the Abyss? Do they all starve?


    He craned his neck up, looking back from whence he''d came. The same shadow that had hid the floor of the Abyss now darkened the sky. Rather than the blue of daylight, he saw a dusky dark grey. The walls stretched up, up, up. Completely sheer cliffs blockaded his way back to the surface. I won''t be escaping that way.


    A cold chill swirled around him, carrying with it strange energy. Not mana, not quite¡­or maybe a strange type of mana? He lifted his hand and tried to absorb a strand, but it escaped him. He checked on his core, and found it half-empty, steadily draining as his body healed. Ike grimaced. Not good.


    Rosamund twitched. Ike jolted. I shouldn''t stand around here. Giving Rosamund a final glance, he hobbled off along the Abyss, away from the city. He couldn''t go back there. Now that Rosamund knew about his skills, it was a death sentence to return. If she gets out, that is.


    At that, Ike paused again and turned back.


    She laid there, helpless. Her eyes open, but taking nothing in. Dark blood leaking out of the cracks in her porcelain skin.


    I could kill her. No¡ªI should kill her. If I were in the same situation, she wouldn''t hesitate. Ike hobbled back to her side. He drew his sword, lifting it high over her, and plunged it down.


    Tink.


    The blade bounced off her neck. Reverberations ran up the sword and into Ike''s hand, numbing his wrist. He cursed and retracted his hand, swapping the sword to his free hand to give it a good shake. Looking at his hand, then Rosamund''s uninjured neck, he grimaced. It had felt like striking stone. As if her neck were solid granite. Not a mark remained on her seemingly delicate flesh, but a fresh nick marred his sword''s edge.


    "What are you?" Ike asked. He lowered himself laboriously and hooked a finger in one of the cracks, tilting it back to see inside.


    Hollow. No flesh, no bones. Hollow as a doll, except for the strange, sticky liquid that puddled on the floor around her. Not black, but a dark, dark red. Like a clot of dried blood. Like something dead. He reached out to touch the puddle.


    A second before his fingers contacted the fluid, a sudden wave of revulsion came over Ike, and he backed away sharply, clasping a hand to his mouth. Wrong. Whatever Rosamund was, it was wrong. The mana in his core churned, as if afraid of that dark fluid. It fled his hand of its own accord, rather than his calling.


    The pale body. Broken, yet still so human. The dark fluid. Those unseeing eyes, gazing at the sky. Like a shattered doll. Ike swallowed. He hesitated one last second. His eyes traveled to Rosamund''s face, now unmoving and hard. She''s dead, though, right? Cracked open. Hollow inside. She has to be dead.


    The glass eyes turned, snapping to stare at him.


    Ike hobbled off as fast as he could. Fuck that. No thanks.


    That''s not human. Whatever it is¡­it''s not human.


    Rosamund, what are you?


    Scrrrr. Scrrrr. Something dragged over the stone behind him. Slowly, but steadily, growing ever closer.


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 36. Follow

    Scrrr. Like nails on a blackboard, porcelain dragged over stone.Ike glanced back. A puddle of dark fluid remained, but no body. Ice jolted through his veins. He hobbled faster. His legs healed as he walked, but his mana drained at a proportional rate. From half to a quarter, and even then, it still vanished, drawn into his wounds. Ike breathed as deeply as he could, trying to draw in more mana, but there was none to be found. Just that strange cold energy that leaked out of him as quickly as he could pull it in.


    Once I find somewhere safe, I can properly practice the basic breathing technique Silver taught me. Then, maybe¡­


    That horrible scraping sound echoed off the sheer walls, and Ike shuddered. He sped up, despite the pain in his legs. Nowhere was safe. Not so long as he could hear that awful screech.


    Abruptly, the sound stopped. Eerie silence took its place, almost worse than the scraping. Ike walked determinedly on, refusing to turn back.


    "What''s happening? Wh¡­where am I?"


    Rosamund''s voice echoed off the walls. Ike twitched. He started to look over his shoulder, stopped himself, then gritted his teeth and whipped around all at once.


    Rosamund stood behind him, closer than he''d like. She stared off into the middle distance. Her body was completely still. There was no shifting, no rise and fall as she breathed, no blinking or twitching. Still. Like a doll, frozen in place.


    Her head snapped to face him. Their eyes met, and hers widened in anger. She lunged for Ike. "You! What did you do to me?"


    Ike raced away as fast as his aching legs could take him. A clatter sounded behind him. He paused, looking back.


    Rosamund laid on her face. She struggled to push herself up, but her stiff limbs barely bent. She screamed in impotent fury. "You''ve stolen everything! Everything!"


    "I don''t know what happened to you. I didn''t do this to you," Ike defended himself.


    She screamed louder. Thrashing on the ground like a toddler, she beat her hands and feet on the ground. More of that dark fluid sloshed out of her. "Give it back! Give it back!"


    Ike pursed his lips. She isn''t listening to reason. He turned away, walking on. As long as she was giving him an advantage to escape, he''d take it. He couldn''t hurt her as it was. Better to put distance between them.


    Rosamund''s cries echoed down the Abyss as she vanished, hidden behind the outcroppings. Ike walked faster, his legs growing steadier with each passing step. His mana grew concerningly low in return, but at least he could walk and run with his usual strength.


    I need to find a source of mana. I need somewhere to hide from Rosamund and recuperate. I need to figure out how to cut through that skin of hers.


    I need a break.


    His legs healed enough that he didn''t need the stick anymore. He carried it loosely in one hand and ran, jogging down the ravine. Standing rocks and rock formations rose from the ground ahead. Ike ducked behind the formations and sprinted on. As he passed by the formations, he peered left and right. A cave. A hole. Anywhere he could duck in and take a breather. Figure out his next move. Stay safe for a moment.


    Nothing. Sheer rock faces and shallow hollows. Short, small plateaus, easy to peer over the top of. He wrinkled his nose and ran on.


    Behind him, Rosamund stopped screaming. Eerie silence filled the air. Ike looked over his shoulder. Rocks and the sheer walls. No creepy broken-doll-like Rosamund. He ran a hand over the back of his neck and ran on, still searching for somewhere to hide.


    A shadow passed overhead. Ike craned his neck. Far overhead, something like a bird fluttered by in pale spring green. He squinted, lifting a hand to shade his eyes.


    Not a bird, but a man. He flew on his own power. Long, lightweight green robes fluttered behind him. Noble eyes gazed straight ahead, a slight smile on his face.


    Rosamund''s maids followed close behind him. The short-haired one gazed down into the Abyss, brows knitted in worry. The long-haired one pointed ahead of them, at the point where Rosamund had fallen in.


    Bet he''s the city lord. Lord Brightbriar. Rosamund''s father. Their faces looked a little alike, though his hair was dark and Rosamund''s was pale.


    "Please. Take her," Ike muttered. For a split second, the thought of running back and catching a ride out of the Abyss with the city lord flashed through his mind, but in the next, he dismissed it. Rosamund would surely tell her father that Ike had stolen her skills. In his mind, the purple-robed mage thrust his sword through a woman''s chest, and he pressed his lips together. He''d kill me immediately. Better to live my whole life in here than die today.


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    Besides, I''m going to get out of here. Just because no one thinks there''s a way out, doesn''t mean it''s impossible. The Abyss didn''t chase me around and swallow me up. Doesn''t seem too dangerous, either. So far, the rumors about the Abyss seem greatly exaggerated.


    Once more, Ike set off at a jog. The further he was from where the city lord arrived, the better. Someone at the top of the upper city was surely a Rank 4, if not Rank 5. Someone who could crush a tiny Rank 1 like a bug.


    Can''t crush what he doesn''t see. Ike hurried further into the Abyss.


    The city lord vanished as he dropped down to the edge of the Abyss. Ike continued on for another mile or so. A minute into his jog, green flashed by overhead, chased by the handmaids. This time, Rosamund stood beside the city lord, beaming up at him and chattering away. He smiled back, nodding benevolently.


    Ike frowned. He tilted his head. Huh? She isn''t angry? Rosamund? No way she''d drop a grudge that easily.


    After a moment, he shook his head. Inescapable Abyss, ha. The city lord got out, no problem! But¡­ He chuckled under his breath. The city lord is powerful enough to lord over a whole city full of immortals. He''s so much stronger than me that I might as well consider the things he can do impossible.


    The pair soared away, handmaids flanking them. Ike watched them go for a while, then shrugged to himself. He wasn''t going to look a gift horse in the mouth.


    An eerie screech echoed down the length of the Abyss, full of pain and hatred. Ike stared over his shoulder, then shook his head. Rosamund''s gone, so that must be some kind of monster. Better put some distance between me and it.


    He kept going, but this time, at an easier pace. When he was far enough away from the place he''d landed, he hopped onto a boulder. From little nook to shallow foothold, he clawed and kicked his way to the top. Now that the city lord had retrieved Rosamund, there was no more danger from her, so he stood tall. Lifting a hand to his eyes, he surveyed the Abyss.


    From a slightly higher vantage point, he confirmed what he''d seen at ground level: a bleak, dead wasteland, littered with rock, dust, scrubs, and little else. Ahead, the Abyss quirked back and forth, cutting off his line of sight. A thick, dark mist hung in its lower levels, obscuring many of the far details. He wrinkled his nose. Where''s all the rumored monsters? A man needs to eat!


    Ike sat with a sigh. Dragging the wolf corpse off his shoulders, he got to work breaking it down. He couldn''t afford to waste any of it, not in this empty Abyss. The bones he separated, for use for structures, weapons, or utensils. Tendons sat beside them, drying now to be used as rope and binding later. He stretched the pelt between a gap in two stone structures to dry. The meat, likewise, he cut into thin strips and laid atop the boulder to dry, using the small quantity of salt in his rations to help preserve it. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike stared at the innards for a long time, lost. Monster organs were immensely valuable for potions, whether for mana, health, or to strengthen one''s skills, but he didn''t have the slightest idea how to brew potions. At last, he shrugged to himself and packed most of the guts into the stomach to use as bait later. He separated the liver out and started a small fire. A little grease in the bottom of his camp pan, and in no time, bits of wolf liver were popping and spitting as they fried up. It would go bad before he could preserve it, so he might as well eat it fresh.


    In an industrious mood, he took out the leftover toad skin and got to work cutting it down to fill the gaps in his current armor. He stitched the panels directly to the armor he wore, not bothering to take it off. It made stitching a bit annoying, but in return, he could rapidly refit and recut the armor to be a perfect fit, so he kept at it.


    The liver finished cooking. Ike put down his needle and picked up the pan, fishing bits of meat out of the piping-hot oil with a wolf''s-tooth pick. Little flickering tidbits of mana flowed into him through his stomach, barely enough to be worth mentioning. Still, Ike surveyed the bits of liver in the pot. If all it took to recover some mana from the wolf meat was cooking its liver in oil, then maybe it wasn''t so hard to make potions after all. I''ll have to play around with the monsters I catch in the future and see if I can''t make a run at those expensive potions they sell in town.


    On a whim, he drew out the guts he''d gathered and threw some random bits into the pot. They simmered for a bit, then melted down. The bits swirled together, red, green, and purple all mixing into a brown sludge. It let off a horrible smell, sharp and acidic, and the pan itself started hissing.


    Ike wrinkled his nose and poured it out quickly, before it could eat through the pan. The strange fluid struck the rock under him in a bubbling rush. It swirled around, then sank into the rock. At first, Ike thought it was draining into cracks in the rock, but when it was done spitting and churning, a salt-lined divot punched into the rock where he''d spilled it. Ike grimaced, glad he hadn''t drank it. He''d spilled the pot out on flat boulder, not into a hole.


    The used-up fluid sat in the hole, looking for all the world like murky rainwater. Ike dropped a pebble into it, and it sank to the bottom unharmed, the corrosiveness used up.


    He clicked his tongue. Got it. Randomly mixing monster guts is no good. I''ll start from one piece at a time, then figure out how to combine them.


    Scrrrt.


    Startled, Ike looked up. He turned, searching around him. That sounded like Rosamund. Or rather, the¡­thing she turned into.


    But it couldn''t be. The city lord took her home.


    A horrible thought crept into the back of his mind. Unless¡­what he took home, wasn''t the Rosamund I met.


    Cold fingertips traced the nape of his neck. Black fluid dripped onto his toad armor. A high-pitched laugh whispered into his ear, on the verge of hysteria. "You took it all. You took it all from me."


    Ike swallowed. He held completely still. Only his eyes moved. "Rosamund."


    Rosamund giggled. Giggled and giggled, her voice twisting, pitching up, up, up. "No, no, no no¡ª" She screamed, right in his ear, and Ike winced in pain. Cold fingers lunged for his throat.

 37. What Remains

    "Rosamund."He didn''t know how. He didn''t know what. He only knew that his life was in danger, and the form which that danger took. The monster. The shattered doll Rosamund had become, not the happy girl chatting with her father as he flew her away.


    In the split seconds before she attacked, Ike froze. He scanned his entire camp, his eyes moving as fast as thought. His sword, lying beside the wolf meat. The pan in his hand, still dripping with the remnants of acid. The shape of the boulder, and the height of it. His legs tensed. Mana circulated through his body, and his breath grew even.


    "No, no, no no¡ª"


    As her fingers tightened around his neck, Ike threw himself forward, his legs sparking to the knee. Lightning traced after his ankles. Her fingers dug furrows in his neck, and then he was free. Her porcelain hands closed on nothing.


    Rosamund screamed in frustration and anger. Pottery screeched off of rock as she chased after him. Ike raced away, bare inches ahead. He leaned forward as he ran, scooping up the sword as he passed it. At the same time, he threw the pan behind him, using it to buy the precious milliseconds he wasted snatching back his sword.


    Clang! The pan bounced off something hard, and Rosamund hissed¡ªin anger, not pain. Again, that ferocious fingernails-on-blackboard keen sounded out.


    Ike threw himself to the side. Her hand flew past him, so close he felt the wind of it passing. It cut into the boulder like a hot knife through butter, sinking deep. She yanked it free and turned, staggering toward Ike. Her limbs were stiff at the ankles, wrists, elbows, and knees, but swung freely at the hips and shoulders. Her head and neck turned freely, but her back only bent in two places, like a ball-joint doll.


    Ike bounced away. At the other end of the boulder, he lifted his sword and waited. He couldn''t cut her. She was incredibly strong, far stronger than him. He couldn''t run. She didn''t have a human body. He couldn''t count on her tiring or needing rest or food. If he ran, he''d exhaust himself for no benefit. He had to fight her now. Now, while he had the most strength and mana he ever would in the Abyss.


    But she was stronger. Her skin was armor. His only advantage was speed.


    Speed, and my wits.


    Screaming, Rosamund lunged. Ike kicked off the ground and used his lightning-imbued strength to leap over her, landing on the boulder behind her. Her hand cut through empty air. She growled and whirled, turning to face him again.


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    Ike eyed her warily. "I didn''t take anything from you, Rosamund. I don''t even understand. What happened? If that wasn''t you, who did your father take away?"


    She tensed. Her whole body stiffened, then twitched. Her head twisted, twisted, twisted, further than a human neck could turn. She gazed up at the sky, where her father had vanished.


    "He doesn''t need me. I''m a broken toy. So he made a new one."


    A broken toy? What does that mean? "Were you a protector for the real Rosamund?" Ike guessed. Maybe she''s some kind of body double, or bodyguard, or something.


    "The real? The real? THE REAL?" Rosamund tossed back her head and laughed uproariously. Abruptly, she fell completely silent. Her head snapped back down, and her glazed eyes met Ike''s.


    Ike tensed. He lowered his center of balance, ready to jump. The lightning zapped around his feet, stronger than before. Overhead, clouds began to gather.


    "There is no real Rosamund," she whispered, and lunged.


    Ike charged at her in return. He lifted his sword, striking a side sweep at a crack in Rosamund''s arm. His sword rebounded off her arm. Expecting it this time, Ike let his arms bounce with the rebound. Pain still jolted up his bones, but it hurt less. A crack bit through the blade, snaking into its depths.


    They parted. Ike whirled.


    Rosamund stood dazedly, hunched. Abruptly, she stood upright and giggled. Her hand squeezed the air, blood staining her fingertips. "I found it. Your insides."


    Ike glanced down. It didn''t hurt yet, but deep furrows bit into the gaps in his ribs. Blood leaked onto his shirt. A sick sensation coursed through him, the nausea of a broken bone. He gritted his teeth. Not good.


    His mana drained faster as his healing skill kicked in. Ike locked his eyes on Rosamund. I have to kill her, now. Before I grow too weak.


    "Give me what''s inside you!" Rosamund howled, and launched at him again.


    Rather than dart away, Ike hunkered down. The lightning flickering around his ankles and calves intensified. The storm clouds roiled overhead, grumbling with a warning peal.


    Rosamund grinned gleefully, drawing back her fist. She loosed it, the air keening around her hard earthen hand.


    Purple light flashed. Ike kicked himself directly up into the air. He shot up, over Rosamund''s head. Midair, he swung his sword, hooking it around the back of her head. He swung with all his strength, not to cut her open, but to throw himself behind her. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike landed. He skidded across the rock, then whirled, facing Rosamund again. Her hand stuck deep into the boulder, and she yanked at it, struggling to free it. "Give it to me! Give it back! Everything you took from me. All the human things inside me. Give them back!"


    "You want what''s inside me?" Ike asked. He jogged in place. Lightning flickered around him. His mana steadily drained, but overhead, the clouds grew darker.


    "Give it," Rosamund growled. She reached toward him and grasped at thin air, tensing her fingers as if she could drag it out of him from where she stood. "Give it, and then, and then, I can be Rosamund again¡ª"


    Ike lifted his razor. He reached under his shirt and made a short, sharp motion, then yanked.


    Rosamund stared. She leaned forward, standing on the very tips of her toes. A sticky black tongue flicked out from her mouth, and she licked her lips. "I need it. What''s in you."


    He pulled a bloody mess of entrails out from under his shirt and looked at them, then laughed and threw them into the sky. "Come get them!"

 38. Come and Get Them

    "Come and get them!" Ike threw his entrails into the air.Rosamund gasped. She ran in, lifting her hands as if to catch the rain.


    The second she turned away from him, Ike charged. He lifted his sword high, sending his last pulse of mana into the churning storm clouds. The clouds crackled, and then bright light flashed forth.


    BOOM!


    In the same moment, light and sound struck, landing squarely on Ike''s blade. The force of the blow propelled the sword forward. Letting the lightning''s strength course through him, Ike swept the sword in a horizontal slash.


    Strands of hair flew on the air. A sharp crack! rang out.


    Rosamund stumbled. She reached up, up toward her neck, and found nothing.


    From the floor, her head stared at him. Lightning zapped from his body, grounding on the earth all around. His blackened blade pointed at the floor, the edge a charred mess.


    She trembled. Her eyes blinked desperately, her mouth moving soundlessly. At last, she found words. "What did you do? What did you do?"


    "Tricked you." With an exhausted, pained grin, Ike lifted his shirt, showing her his unbroken skin, save the blood from her own strike earlier. The entrails he''d tossed had been the wolf''s, not his.


    Rosamund screamed. Her body thrashed uncoordinatedly. Despite her detached head, it still moved.


    Ike clicked his tongue. Not good. I spent everything on that attack. I cut her head off, but who could''ve foreseen that it wouldn''t kill her? I can''t fight anymore, and my mana''s almost run out. I''m not even sure I can count on my healing skill.


    His flesh burned. Thin, arcing marks bit through his skin, themselves shaped like lightning bolts. His hand clenched the sword. He didn''t look at it. Burning, searing pain throbbed from his arm, but he couldn''t feel his hand itself. It was nothing. A numb ball of pins and needles.


    He eyed Rosamund''s headless body warily. The way it thrashed as she screamed, she obviously still had some measure of control over it. Not perfect control, not yet. But that was the key word: yet. As soon as she figured out how to control it, he''d be dead. I have to deal with this situation. Now.


    Ike stilled. Time seemed to slow. He looked from the head to the body and back again, calculating. One last strand of mana circulated in his core. His skills stuttered, going cold one at a time as he cut them down to the bare minimum. Ike knelt, bracing his hands against the ground. His ankles lifted off the ground.


    "Die!" Rosamund screamed. The body thrashed. It staggered toward him, limbs flailing.


    Ike burst off. Lightning flickered around his ankles. He sprinted toward the body.


    The body jumped in front of him. Its limbs still uncoordinated, it reached for him as he closed in.


    Purple light flashed. Ike dodged to the side, veering around the body. He reached the head in a heartbeat and planted his left foot beside it.


    For a split second, the old Rosamund shone through. She gave him an aghast look, taken aback. "Don''t you dare¡ª"


    Crack! Ike punted the head off the boulder with all his might, sending it flying across the Abyss.


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    Rosamund screamed, her voice fading as she flew away.


    Without the head to provide eyesight, the body froze. It moved slowly, groping around. The torn pink skirt flapped around, stained black from the body''s black fluids. Ike watched it, arms crossed.


    I bought time, but I still need to deal with this. What do I do? Bury it? Crush it to dust? Melt it?


    The wolf pelt caught his attention. Ike gazed at it, pressing his lips together. When it came to the wolf, he''d harvested everything, even the entrails. Resources were limited in the Abyss. Throwing away such a vast quantity of resources would be beyond stupid. The armored skin, if he could process it, would give him weapons and potentially armor. The black liquid had sticky qualities, and could potentially be used as a glue or binder. Together, he had a near-infinite supply of sharp tools, as long as he could figure out how to process it.


    He walked up behind it. Dodging a blind swing, he placed his free hand''s fingertips on the body''s back. Ike sent a pulse of mana into the body.


    Mana answered his call. Startled, Ike leaped back. He looked at his hand. Not just some mana, but a sea of it. Enough to fill his core, and then some. Sloshing around inside the body. The black liquid? He backed up, getting a better angle on the cracks in the body to see it more clearly.


    The body whipped around and slashed at the air where he''d been. It staggered forward blindly, swiping viciously at the air. Ike walked away, letting it thrash. The black liquid splashed against its insides, filled to the exact level he''d sensed when he''d touched it.


    That confirms it. The black liquid is full of mana.


    Rosamund let out a frustrated scream from the distance. "Let me hit you!"


    Ike clenched his hand, still feeling the warmth of the mana. Forget tools. If I get that mana, I get magic again!


    He watched the body flail back and forth. His hand ached, breaking his concentration. He rubbed his forehead, forcing himself to concentrate.


    The body had mana, but how did he extract it? Usually, he absorbed it by breathing, but¡­ He eyed the neck of the porcelain body. I could put my mouth on that, but somehow, I feel like that''s a bad idea. Plus, the mana wasn''t dispersed in the air, but clumped up in the thick, black liquid inside the body. I can''t breathe that in.


    If I could get the black liquid out of the body and boil it¡­ Ike put his hand on his chin. He eyed the body flailing around. The problem is how to remove the liquid from the body.


    Do any of my skills help? I don''t think so, but let''s check.


    [Name: Ike | Age: 15 | Status: Nm | Rank: 1 [Abyss Dweller]]


    Skills: Common: 5 | Bronze 2 | ¡­ | Rare 2 | ¡­ | Unique: 5


    Common: All-Around Runner Lvl 5 | Razor Handling Lvl 9 | Spear Handling Lvl 3 | Axe Handling Lvl 4 | Sword Handling Lvl 4 | Primitive Crafting Lvl 5


    Bronze: Sensory Enhancement Lvl 4 | Mana Manipulation Lvl 2


    Rare: Salamander Healing Lvl 8 | River-Splitting Sword Lvl 3 S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unique: Lightning Dash Lvl 8 | Lightning Grasp Lvl 5 | Lightning Clad (Forearm) Lvl 3 | Lightning Clad (Calf) Lvl 2 | Lightning Caller Lvl 1


    A new skill? Interesting. Lightning Caller? What does that do?


    Lightning Caller


    Call lightning from the sky to strike yourself. Prerequisite: Stormy weather. Backlash attack.


    Oh. It gave me a skill for striking myself with lightning? I guess that''s fair. Backlash attack¡­ He glimpsed at his hand. Blackened flesh, flaking off to reveal red muscle beneath. He unfeelingly clenched the sooty remnants of his sword, unable to release it even if he wanted to. The blade was a network of cracks and gaps. Bits of it broke off entirely, dangling like a hangnail. Rather than shattering, it clung together even in such bad shape, its organic nature shining through.


    His eyes drifted back down to his hand, the ball of burns and tight flesh. He tensed. For a moment, the pain intensified, growing so strong that it overwhelmed all thought.


    Ike dragged his eyes away and forced himself to put it to the back of his mind again. If I don''t think about it, it doesn''t hurt. Don''t think about it. It won''t hurt. Don''t think, don''t think¡­


    The pain slowly faded. At last, he took a deep breath, able to think on again. Pain still throbbed from his hand, but it didn''t hurt so badly as to overwhelm everything.


    He looked over the list again. Primitive Crafting went up, too, and All-Around Runner. The running one I understand. Primitive Crafting¡­does breaking down the monsters count as ''crafting'' for the System? I guess it kind of makes sense, kind of.


    His eyes lifted to the top of the list, where Abyss Dweller had replaced Salamander Slayer. He frowned. Still no idea what that does. That title, or whatever it is. Maybe it''s just a descriptive.


    Sighing, he wiped his brow with his good hand. None of those skills did much for extracting fluid from an animate doll-like body. So what do I do now?

 39. Scooping the Fluid

    Ike thought for a minute, looking at the doll body. There were three large gaps. One at the neck, where its head wasn''t. One at the stomach. One on the side of the body. Of the three gaps, he could fit his hand in her neck or stomach, whereas the gap on the side of her body was long and narrow. The stomach was closer to the fluid than the neck, but he''d have to stick his hand into the gap. The arms could easily reach him the whole time. Plus, the gap wasn''t much larger than his hand. She can only react if she feels me, but I don''t know if I can scoop out the liquid without ever touching her body.He eyed her neck. Rather than sticking my hand in, couldn''t I use that as a pouring spout? All I need to do is tip her over. He grinned, eyeing the space around them. And I think I know what to do.


    Moving as quickly as his injured body could handle, Ike picked up his gear and gathered the wolf parts he''d spread around earlier. Some of the meat was a little trampled, but most of the jerky was fine. The wolf pelt was dried now, so he yanked it off the little frame he''d built with one hand. Strangely, some electricity crackled in the fur. Ike frowned. He tucked the pelt over his shoulder. I''ll figure that out later. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When he''d gathered everything he could, he walked up to the body. He reached out and tapped it on the shoulder.


    The body lunged, immediately reaching for him. Ike backstepped, waiting. It flailed for a while, lurching left and right, then slowed to a halt and stood numbly again.


    Ike tapped its shoulder.


    "Get back here, you little¡ª" Rosamund broke off to a frustrated scream. The body jumped at him, reaching its arms wide in a sweeping bear hug. Ike swayed his body backward, barely dodging the reach. His heels hit the edge of the boulder.


    Almost there.


    The body stumbled toward him. For a moment, Ike almost thought it would tumble off on its own, but at the last second, it slowed to a halt. Standing there, it swayed gently, almost as if in the wind.


    Ike checked behind him. Nodding one last time, he tapped the body again, then jumped backward, off the rock.


    The body whirled and grabbed for him. Its second step landed on air. It tipped forward and fell. Ike held his breath. Come on¡­come on!


    CLUNK. The body lodged in between two rocks. One shoulder fell into a contour in the rock''s surface, while the other side stuck on its torso. The neck pitched down, toward the ground. The black, tarlike fluid slowly rolled toward the body''s neck.


    Ike grinned. He ran back to the center of the boulder and grabbed his pan. It had been flattened on one side sometime during the fight. He grabbed it and adjusted its edges, then ran back to the body.


    "What are you doing? Let me go! Release me!" Rosamund demanded.


    Ignoring her, he slotted the pan under the body just as the first glob of black goo rolled out. He left it there to collect the sludge and headed back out into the scrublands. He came upon a scraggly bush and knelt, yanking it out of the ground with his Rank 1 strength. In a blast of dust and pebbles, the bush jerked free of the ground. Ike tucked it under his arm and kept going, collecting little bits of wood and plant. It was slow going with one hand, but he eventually gathered up a bundle of small wood.


    Ike returned to the pan. He set the wood underneath the pan and stared at it for a second. I need two hands to start a fire. What do I do now?


    He lifted his good hand and activated Lightning Grasp. As usual, lightning flickered around his hand. He pinched his finger and thumb together. Lightning flickered between them, intensifying as they drew closer together.


    Lightning starts fire. Let''s see if I can, too. He lowered his hand to the scrubs, catching a particularly thin scrap of wood between his fingers. The wood crackled, then caught on fire. He quickly fed it bits of leaf and thin branch until the fire grew to consume the entire pile of scrub. Sitting down opposite the fire with an exhausted sigh, Ike propped his head on his hand and waited.


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    In the distance, Rosamund cursed up a storm, using the kind of high-bred curses Ike rarely heard. Every fifth or so word, she broke off to scream or laugh madly, or simply fell silent for a span before shouting again. The body thrashed in time with her fits, legs kicking and one free arm slashing at the nothing she could reach.


    Ike ignored her. He watched the dark fluid ploop into the pan. Occasionally, he stirred it with a bit of wolf bone. It loosened, from treacle to thin caramel, then began to boil. Thick black smoke emanated from the pan.


    Ike leaned forward. He took a deep breath. Sweet, sweet mana poured into his lungs. His wrist tingled. Heat poured into his hand as Salamander Healing patched him up. His mana drained almost as quickly as he absorbed it, but he didn''t mind. As long as my hand heals.


    Time passed. The sun crossed the sky. Ike sat beside the fire, absorbing the mana that dripped out of Rosamund''s body. As the day drew to a close, the last of the mana dripped out of her. Ike stood, breaking out of his meditative stance. He looked at his hand.


    Red, raw flesh and a dark red scar. Tentatively, he shifted. His fingers twitched. Ike smiled. He shifted his hand again, forcibly releasing his hold on the sword. His hand didn''t move perfectly, but it moved. He could feel it, more than as a mass of pain and prickles. Not perfectly, but he could feel it. I can heal this injury. I need a little more mana. For now, this will have to do.


    The sword dropped to the floor. Ike considered abandoning it, then shrugged and put it in his pack. He couldn''t use it as a sword anymore, but he could probably use it for something. He drew the other sword out of the pack. Thank goodness Silver gave me two.


    I can''t use the Lightning Calling technique too often. I don''t have enough swords. He looked at his scarred hand and laughed to himself. Or hands.


    He set up the tent near his fire. The process took longer with one bad hand, so that it was well and truly dark by the time he was done. He had a bit of wolf jerky¡ªthe meat gamy and unpleasant¡ªand a few sips of water, and went to sleep for the night. The pan he left under Rosamund''s body, in case the last few globs of the thick liquid slipped out.


    When he woke up in the morning, he found a half-pan''s worth of liquid waiting for him. Ike frowned, lost. There wasn''t that much liquid left in the body. How was there so much in the pan?


    The body laid still, Rosamund asleep or tired out from all her thrashing. He leaned in, peering into the neck hole. Black fluid dotted the walls of the body, tiny droplets no bigger than drops of dew. A few of them grew too large to cling to the wall, and ran down the body to drip out the neck.


    Ike raised his eyebrows. Dew¡­ I wonder. Is it accumulating the cold energy in this Abyss that I can''t process myself, and processing it into mana? Or rather, the liquid, which I process into mana.


    He twisted his lips, thinking. It felt important, but he wasn''t sure why or how. Ordinary hunters can''t process this energy, but the doll-body can. The doll-body that holds Rosamund''s consciousness. Something about this¡­something¡­


    Unable to come up with it, he drew out Orin''s guide. He lit the fire under the pan and breathed in mana as he searched the guide for information on cold energy. Cold energy I can''t control or absorb. Energy like mana, that isn''t mana.


    Somewhere deep in the well-loved pages, he finally found a loose-leaf excerpt tucked into the book. From the ragged edges and the fine penmanship, it had been torn from another book. ¡­depths of the Abyss, a strange ''cold'' energy can be found. This energy is called lunam navitas due to its association with the moon¡ªit surges when the moon is full, and weakens when the moon is dark. Lunam navitas is also associated with death, and can be found in great quantities around battlegrounds or graveyards.


    This lunam navitas, or lunam, for short, should be handled with caution. Most mages cannot readily absorb it. Those who can, must take care not to afflict themselves with cold, as it makes one more susceptible to disease. Additionally, the lunam can weaken the mind. This is one of the chief dangers of the Abyss to higher-ranked mages, as even being around lunam risks one''s sanity.


    The excerpt went on, but it held nothing more of interest to Ike. He closed the book and stuck it back in his bag. Lunam. Now I have a name for it. Unfortunate that it''s so dangerous.


    There''s nothing I can do about any lasting effects it might have. For now, better to spend my energy surviving day-to-day than quibble around, terrified of what might happen later.


    He peered at Rosamund''s body again, yet more curious. It could handle lunam, and not just that, process it into mana. Why bother with such a thing? Why not just use mana?


    Could it not use mana? But why not? He eyed it again. Lunam is associated with the moon¡­and death. Is Rosamund dead? But why was there a second Rosamund¡­?


    A thousand crazy theories ran through his mind, all the wild possibilities swirling around one another. Ike shook his head. Slapping his knees, he pushed up to his feet and set about collecting camp. Let''s get moving. Sitting here won''t help me escape the Abyss, nor will it help me gather more mana.


    He turned, looking at the body caught upside-down in the rocks. The only question is, what do I do with that?

 40. Onward

    In the end, he left the body behind, inverted and stuck between the rocks. There was no convenient way to free it from the rocks without risking serious injury, and once he did, the likelihood of luring it into another situation where he could invert it¡ªor even getting it to follow him¡ªwas almost zero. When he had an entire Abyss to cross, assuming there was a way out, and extremely limited resources, wasting any more time or effort here was a death sentence."Unhand me! Filth! Put me down!"


    Rosamund''s head, on the other hand, was a different matter. Like the body, it had collected dewdrops of lunam inside it and transmuted them to mana. The head had a smaller capacity, and smaller surface area, both of which meant it produced less mana. On the other hand, he could carry it around without risking serious injury. Small, portable, and basically danger-free as long as he was careful about the mouth; it was the perfect mana-conversion bottle.


    It sat atop his pack now, inverted, the neck pointed up at the sky so the dark fluid would collect in the head cavity. Ike hummed as he walked, quite pleased with himself. It wasn''t a perfect solution to his mana problem, but it was a solution.


    He thought back to the body and nodded. If I ever need a big hit of mana, I can always go back. He''d carved out a hollow in the rock below the body before he''d left, to catch the black liquid that dripped out. It wasn''t as if he wanted to backtrack, but if he desperately needed a big lump of mana, he could always return. He looked back for a moment, checking on it.


    The body flailed. Its free arm struck the rock it was stuck in with a horrible screech. The body jolted and reached for the rock, feeling it out.


    And there''s the other reason I need to move on. I''m not sure it''ll stay stuck there forever. Don''t want to live with that thing looming over me.


    Leaving the body behind, he walked on.


    Time passed. A brook splashed alongside him, and slowly, vegetation sprouted around it. At last, Ike came up upon a sharp dropoff, where the Abyss gave way below him, stairstepping into yet deeper depths. He gazed over the edge for a moment, then shook his head and turned away. He set down his pack by the side of the brook and stretched. Time to take a little break.


    Here, the scrubby deadlands gave way to low vegetation. Tangled green bushes and vines twisted together, grabbing at his ankles as he walked. A small burbling brook ran alongside him. The clear water sparkled in the low light. Strange mist floated on the air around him, as if he walked into a cloud. Cold energy swirled in and out of him with every breath. It wasn''t just mist, but condensed lunam.


    As he''d walked, he''d tried capturing some of the lunam directly. Even if it was dangerous, being able to directly use lunam in a crisis would spare him the steps of collecting and boiling the liquid that came out of Rosamund''s head. All his efforts had been for naught, though. The lunam slipped out of his body as easily as it flowed in.


    I''m far enough from the city now. Might as well give climbing the Abyss a try.


    He walked over to the wall and jumped at it. His feet slipped down the smooth stone, and his hands dragged down it. The fine grain of the rock and its water-smoothed surface made it impossible for him to grip. Ike looked at the rock, considering. He lifted his hand, activating Lightning Grasp. Immediately, he struck the wall, not wanting to waste too much mana here.


    His hand bounced off the stone. He backed away, shaking his wrist. "Ow, ow, ow¡­" Yikes. That stone is hard. I wonder if it has a Rank, too?


    As if in response, the stone he''d struck emitted a cool, pale mist. Thicker lunam swirled around him. Ike backed away, wary. The lunam puddled for a minute, coalescing in the air. Slowly, it vanished back into the stone.


    He touched the stone. I went to bed early yesterday, since I was exhausted, but maybe I should stay up tonight. If lunam responds to the moon, it might be interesting to see how this lunam-soaked stone reacts to moonlight at night.


    Oh¡ªwait! Ike ran over to his pack. He untied Rosamund''s head.


    "What is it, you little rat? Don''t you dare touch¡ªdon''t touch me!" she snarled.


    Numb to her voice by now, Ike ignored her. He turned her neck stump toward the lunam and scooped it up. He peered inside.


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    Cool mist swirled inside the hollow head. It slowly drifted toward the top to escape out the neck.


    Ike glanced around. Rocks scattered around the edge of the wall, in all shades and colors. He picked one in the same shade of slate as the walls and plugged Rosamund''s neck with it. The mist wisped out from the tiny crack he couldn''t perfectly seal, but most of it stayed inside. Ike nodded. Let''s test this out for a while and see what happ¡ª


    Rosamund shook herself vigorously. "Get it out! Get it out!"


    The rock jumped where it sat. It flipped around to its edge and tumbled down into her head.


    Ike froze. He stared at Rosamund''s head. Er. Uh oh.


    "What happened? What did you do?" Rosamund demanded.


    "I didn''t do anything. You knocked a stone into your own skull," Ike informed her.


    Rosamund screamed. She shook even harder than before. "You put it in there in the first place! It''s all your fault! Get it out!"


    "It''s¡­let''s call it everyone''s fault," Ike compromised. He pinned her head down with his bad hand and raised the good one. "Hold still. I''ll get it out."


    "Don''t you dare touch me!"


    "Do you want it out or not?" Ike asked patiently.


    Rosamund grimaced. She fell silent. Her shaking stilled.


    He reached into her neck and removed the slate. The lunam made the slate cool to the touch, but plenty of the white mist remained. He lodged it back into her neck hole, setting it more firmly this time. "Much better." S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Much better? Who asked you to put it back there?" Rosamund asked, furious.


    "No one had to ask me. I''m doing a test, that''s all," Ike told her.


    She screamed in fury.


    Ike leaned back, tipping her head so he could look at her face. "We''re in this together. Shouldn''t we cooperate?"


    "You cut my head off!"


    "Well, yes."


    Her face reddened, and her lips twisted in disgust.


    "How do you do that? Move your face like that. Or turn it red, for that matter. Actually, how do you eat?" Ike asked, curious. Her body was hollow. There''s nothing inside. No organs or anything. Did that black fluid dissolve the things she ate?


    "I¡ªI¡ªI¡­" Her voice faded. Her eyes twitched, and her smile turned maddened. "I''m not, I''m not, I''m not her. No one is. No one, no one, no one¡­"


    Ike sighed. He shook his head and strapped her back onto his pack. She''s gone again. Only lucid for a few moments at a time. I''ll have to ask again next time.


    He walked over to the brook and filled up his waterskin. He sat beside it, taking a break for a few moments. From here, the Abyss descended further downward, expanding to the left and right as well. The brook splashed down the stairsteps, growing into a full river by the bottom of the cascading waterfalls. A thick canopy awaited far below, clouded by pale mist.


    From the depths of the Abyss, a keening cry echoed across the walls, almost sad. A baying, barking ruckus answered it, a dozen rollicking creatures sounding out all at once.


    Down there¡­ that''s where the Abyss truly begins. I need to be in top shape before I enter there. He looked at his hand. It was mostly healed. The long, arching, lightning-shaped scar that crawled from hand, to wrist, to back, to his foot remained, but most of his flexibility and strength had returned. On the other hand, his mana wavered low. Most of what he''d recovered from Rosamund had been spent to heal his hand.


    Ike thought for a second. He looked over his shoulder, toward Rosamund''s body, then at the head at his side. I''d be a fool to head down there this low on mana. I''ll camp here for a few days. He had water and wolf meat, and he could forage in this greenery for something else to eat. Tomorrow, he could check the head to see if his experiment worked. If it did, he''d be able to easily farm mana right here. As for the body, it wasn''t as if he''d get any more mana by visiting every day. No one else knew how to process that black sludge, assuming anyone jumped into the Abyss in the first place. He could safely leave it for a few days, then return once a significant quantity had accumulated.


    He licked his lips, grinning at the forest. All this land, and no one else dared to enter. No one but him, stuck in the Abyss. The unspoiled, monster-rich land before him looked like a treasure chest to him¡ªa treasure chest overflowing with rare monsters and powerful skills.


    Reaching into his bag, he drew out Orin''s guide. Based on the way the wolves jumped down here, I can safely assume that at least some of the Abyss monsters are descended from monsters that fell or jumped in. Orin''s guide should prove invaluable for those monsters.


    As for the ones that have lived down here since before Orin started hunting¡­I''ll simply have to stay on my guard.


    The Abyss had a reputation for being dangerous, even inescapable. Based on what Ike knew about monsters, rightfully so. The monsters down here had been able to spend thousands of years growing stronger in the depths of the Abyss, far away from humans or any hunters. He couldn''t take them lightly. The hunts he was about to embark on, would be the most dangerous he''d undertaken yet.


    I''ll have to move slowly. Choose my battles carefully. But if I play my cards right, I can come out the other side of this more powerful than any hunter left hunting the sparse grounds near the city.


    A howl echoed from nearby, too close for comfort. Ike stiffened. He looked up. Is that the Fulgur-Loup that came down here with me? The silver wolf. It left me alone today, so I thought it was too injured to hunt.


    Come to think of it, though, I slept next to Rosamund''s body last night. That thing spooked me, let alone a monster as wary as a wolf. He looked over his shoulder, back the way he''d come, then shook his head. No. I''d only be wasting my energy. Instead of locking myself to sleeping near the body, I should deal with the wolf once and for all.


    Tonight, it all comes to an end.

 41. The Silver Wolf

    Ike sat at the edge of the waterfall, reading Orin''s guide for a bit. At last, he stood, brushing off his pants. Bustling around the edge of the waterfall, he set up his camp for the night. He put the side of the tent to the Abyss wall and the back to the dropoff, cutting off two ways the wolf might approach him. Looking at the tent, he nodded, then set off into the forest. Using the ruined sword, he hacked down little trees, then used his razor to whittle their ends to points. Those he planted in the ground along the broadside of his tent. He set them in the ground at a forty-five degree angle so their pointed ends stuck out away from the tent.Ike stepped back, surveying his work. He brushed one of the angled sticks, and it nearly toppled. Clicking his tongue, he knelt to dig it in deeper. With only his primitive tools, he didn''t want to waste the time and effort to set the sticks deep enough to actually be a threat, let alone a defense, but that wasn''t the point. Dogs balked at strange things. Something like a wall of spikes should be more than enough to get the wolf''s primitive brain to hesitate.


    And if it isn''t¡­ I''ll have a lot of stitching ahead of me to fix the tent.


    Moving away from the sharpened sticks, he wandered through the undergrowth, gathering up dried twigs and leaves. Kicking his way through the brambles, he returned to his campsite. He walked around the tent, scattering the twigs and leaves in the undergrowth, where they wouldn''t be seen, but would be heard. The side of the tent up against the wall and the drop didn''t need twigs. Ike peered over the edge of the waterfall. The slate stone clunked together in loose piles down the wall, noisier than his leaves and twigs would be. If the wolf approached by climbing the waterfalls, he''d hear it slip on the loose stones. As for the wall¡­ Ike snorted under his breath. If it comes at me from that direction, I''m fucked. But if it''s smart enough to do that, I''m probably fucked anyways.


    I can''t ignore the possibility that it''s as smart as Silver. Or at least somewhere on that scale. If it is¡­ Ike stood, dusting off his hands. He gazed out into the Abyss, into the tangled mess of trees and mist. If it is that smart, then maybe I gain something more valuable than a skill tonight.


    With all his traps set up, the wolf would only have one option: dead ahead, into the front of the tent. There, Ike set up his final trap. This one took the most time and effort of all his traps, but it was the most crucial piece. The only part that mattered.


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    All that''s left is to wait for night.


    With the help of Orin''s guide, Ike foraged a handful of roots, fruits, and vegetables. It wasn''t enough to fill up, but supplemented with his wolf jerky, it was enough to fill his stomach. The sun was low, the day winding down. He packed up his gear and kicked some ashes over the fire, retiring to his tent.


    Rosamund looked up as he entered, perched atop his bag as usual. As he settled down to sleep, her eyes flared, and a vicious grin crossed her face.


    "Wake up, you peasant! How dare you sleep with me so close to¡ª"


    Ike cracked open an eye. Reaching into his bag, he pulled out his old, filthy shirt and stuffed it into Rosamund''s mouth. An aghast look crossed her face, and she tried to spit it out, but he quickly tied it in place. He shook his head at her disappointedly. "I don''t want to do this, you know? You made me do this."


    Her face twisted. Her jaw worked, and muffled sound came from behind the gag, but it was stifled enough Ike could ignore it. It was almost comforting to fall asleep to the muffled sound of someone else screaming. Just like the villa. Ike unwound, able to fully relax for the first time in a long time, and snoozed away.


    Day passed to night. Sometime around midnight, Ike woke up. Nothing crinkled, nor did any wolf howl. He''d simply gone to sleep so early that he was wide awake now.


    He drew his good sword from under his pillow and waited, crouched in the tent. Rosamund laid quietly in the corner, her eyes shut. A cold wind blew. Outside, clouds scudded across the moon. The half-moon lit the scene in pale silver light, just bright enough for Ike to see. The low undergrowth rustled, as if alive. White mist swirled in the vines and curled through the dark leaves.


    He waited. The moon traveled across the sky. The leaves danced. His eyes darted left to right, scanning the scene from behind the flaps of his tent.


    Crunch.


    Ike tensed. He searched the dark undergrowth more ferociously than ever, but made nothing out. Still too far. Still hidden. I have to¡ª


    Abruptly, he caught sight of a pair of pale eyes, hovering like moons in the undergrowth. The wolf stepped forward, emerging from the mist as though it had been formed from it. Head low, all but scraping over the vines, the wolf stalked forward, eyeing Ike''s tent.


    Hidden in the shadows, behind the tent''s loose-hanging flaps, Ike watched the wolf. The two of them watched one another, waiting, calculating. The hairs on the back of Ike''s neck stood up.


    It knows that I''m a threat, and it''s trying to figure out what I did. It might not be as smart as Silver, but it''s damned smart. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Abruptly, the wolf leaped forward. Ike''s eyes widened. He held his breath, freezing where he crouched. Come on! Go for it!

 42. Hunter, Hunted

    The wolf leaped toward the tent''s flaps. Ike tensed, watching it drop toward the space outside the tent. Toward his final trap.It slammed its feet down, inches before his trap. Its paws slid through the undergrowth. Its forepaws struck the edge of the pit Ike had dug, knocking the sticks and leaves he''d set over the pit into the depths. Its back feet skidded toward the edge, front paws already falling in. Desperately, it braced its front paws against the wall and backstepped with its back paws, coming to a halt just outside the pit.


    Ike leaped out of the tent, his sword already flashing out. Internally, he gritted his teeth. Even with his Rank 1 strength and speed, it had taken considerable time to dig a pit he''d been comfortable calling deep enough to hold the wolf. Dirt stained his hands and collected under his fingernails. The wolf hip bones he''d used to dig it laid to the side, worn and scratched from the effort. And yet, the beast had seen through it at the last second and caught itself.


    I still put it off balance. I still gained an advantage! His sword flew forth.


    The wolf growled. It dropped into the pit rather than take the hit. Ike slashed the air and struck down, barely avoiding tumbling into the pit himself. He looked down.


    The wolf stood at the bottom of the pit. The stakes he''d set there laid on the ground, kicked over by the wolf. Lustrous moon-silver eyes gazed up at him. It opened its mouth and yawned, exaggeratedly.


    "Is this boring to you?" Ike asked mockingly.


    The wolf lowered its head and sneezed. It turned around, barely able to fit in the small pit.


    "That''s right. Sit there and give me your skill," Ike said. He grabbed one of the pointed stakes from beside the tent and lifted it.


    Before he could throw it, the wolf leaped. It hit the wall inches below the lip and slid back down, unable to jump high enough.


    Ike sighed. Thank goodness. It is deep enough¡ª


    Lowering itself to a crouch, the wolf leaped up. Its front paws latched onto the edge of the pit, and it scrambled with its back paws, searching for purchase. It found grip and kicked, propelling itself toward Ike at speed. Lightning flickered around its body, lighting the dark around it.


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    Ike leaped back. His back struck the tent. The wolf opened its mouth and bit at his neck. He jerked his sword up, barely catching the wolf''s bite on the flat of the blade. The wolf jumped back, landing on the far side of the pit.


    Ike pushed away from the tent, lowering his stance. The wolf regarded him from the other end of the pit, lowering its head. It growled warily, silver eyes watching him.


    "Come on," Ike said, gesturing it on.


    The wolf crouched, then leaped, flying over the pit. A muscular, furry body shot at Ike. Ike sliced at it with his sword, but the second his weapon made contact, a blast of electricity shot off the wolf''s fur and down to his wrist. The sword flew away, vanishing into the pit, and the wolf dropped toward Ike.


    The wolf slammed into Ike and knocked him onto his back, into his tent. His tent crumpled. Growling, the wolf bit at his neck.


    Ike activated his sensory skill, and suddenly, the wolf moved in slow motion. Mustering all of his strength, he slapped the wolf in the jaw, knocking its head to the side. Its bite went wide, missing his throat.


    The wolf growled. Jerking its head back, it struck at his neck again. Even though he was prepared for the attack, Ike barely threw his arms between them in time. The wolf''s fangs dug into his forearms. Blood dripped down onto his face. He glared at the wolf, not giving an inch. Forget it. You aren''t killing me tonight.


    The two struggled in the ruins of the tent. The wolf bit and clawed, and Ike grabbed at it, trying to pin it down. Blood ran down Ike''s arms and face as the wolf scored a few minor wounds, streaking over the tent''s walls. The wolf tumbled into the tent and tangled up in its downed ties. Ike threw himself at the wolf, flipping it onto its back. He pinned it down at its neck and threw his weight onto its body. The wolf struggled, but couldn''t throw him off. He''d caught it.


    Ike caught his breath. Turning his head, he wiped his sweat on his sleeve, then nodded at it. "You''re smart, aren''t you? You know what''s going on here."


    The wolf watched him silently. One of its ears flicked back, then forward.


    "I don''t need your skill anymore. I needed it to mask my lightning skill, but now, that doesn''t matter. Rosamund knows, and I''m in the Abyss. No one''s coming after me. Rather than your skill, I''d much rather have you. A hunting dog." Besides, I can probably craft something like its skill using my Unique skill, if I have enough time and mana. Compared to having a skilled hunting companion, the skill is much less useful.


    The wolf bared its teeth. It growled.


    "Or I can kill you and take your skill. Your choice," Ike said, looking down at it.


    Silence. Silver eyes regarded him. The wolf licked its lips.


    Ike waited. Come on. I want a dog. Dogs can be trusted. Dogs are great. Come on, be my dog!

 43. I Want a Dog

    The wolf squirmed in his grasp, trying to wriggle free. The thick, loose fur around its neck gave it some wiggling room, and its eyes widened. It twisted harder than before. Ike''s grasp slipped.The wolf scrambled, but before it broke away, Ike grabbed it again. He wrestled it back under him and tightened his hold. "Hey! None of that. You break free, that''s it. You die. Become my dog instead! I''ll feed you well."


    Falling still, the wolf looked at him from the corner of its eyes. The silver gleamed in the moonlight.


    "Think about it. You''re a pack hunter. I''m offering you a pack. Are you really going to hold a grudge, even down here? Far away from your pack? And come on. I didn''t hurt you. You attacked me, missed, and fell into the Abyss. That isn''t my fault." S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The wolf paused. It snorted, letting out a big breath of air. Reaching up a paw, it patted Ike''s shoulder.


    "You giving in?" Ike asked. He leaned back a little, getting a look at the wolf''s face.


    Its nose no longer wrinkled. Its eyes gazed straight ahead. Its head laid against the ground, tired. As he watched, it swallowed and snorted again, not a hint of fight in its behavior.


    Slowly, Ike loosened his grasp. He didn''t release it entirely, ready to attack again at any moment. The wolf rolled belly-up, showing its pale stomach fur.


    I know what that means. It''s submitted. I''m its leader, now. Ike rubbed its belly. The wolf gave him a surprised look and kicked, rolling back onto its feet. It stepped away, but couldn''t go far with the pit right there. Clearly uncomfortable, it backed away from both Ike and the pit, but that meant stepping onto the flattened tent. Its paw touched canvas, and it recoiled, shaking that paw as if something stuck to it.


    Ike glanced at the pit. He lifted his lip at the sight of the knocked-over spikes at its bottom. I didn''t think those things would kill the wolf. I was just hoping to weaken it. Still, they sure did a whole lot of nothing, huh? Next time, he''d have to set them deeper.


    The sword also laid at the bottom of the pit. Ike eyed it, then looked at the wolf. It regarded him warily, still uncertain. It''s still a monster, too. I can''t move thoughtlessly, or I might provoke it into attacking. "You going to stick around?"


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    The wolf backed up, kicking Ike''s tent out of the way, then leaped over the pit and ran off into the night.


    "I guess not." Ike stared after it, not quite certain of what''d just happened. At the very least, he''d established that he was stronger than it. It shouldn''t bother him anymore. As to whether it would come back or not, that was a different question.


    He shook his head. "Too bad I don''t have a rope to tie it up." All the materials he had were derived from the wolf that had died from the fall, and that didn''t strike him as a good idea to use to tie up the wolf he wanted to befriend. His ragged clothes, in his bag, would shred the second the wolf pulled at them.


    Then again, if it''s as intelligent as Silver, or close to that, then it might have understood what I said. In that case, it might need some room to think about my proposition. Even if it''s only as intelligent as a beast, it still understood that I forced it to submit¡ªthat I''m stronger than it. It shouldn''t attack me again from.


    He smiled at its back. But I have a feeling it''s coming back.


    The wolf vanished in the pale moonlight, and Ike shrugged. He checked his pack. I still have some non-wolf jerky from town. When it comes back, I''ll try bribing it with some of that.


    Night passed into day. Ike dozed in the ruins of his tent, unable to get a good heavy sleep with the wolf nearby. It didn''t attempt to attack him again, but nonetheless, his instincts wouldn''t allow him to fully relax. When sun rose, a groggy Ike wiped the sleep off his face and climbed out of the crumpled tent. He turned slowly and took it all in.


    In front of him, the ruined pit trap stretched, its covering branches dangling over the hole, the spike toppled in its depths. Behind him, the tent laid in a slumping pile.


    Ike sighed. He started packing up the tent. No point leaving it on the far side of the pit, at least right now. When he finished packing the tent, he turned to Rosamund''s head. He dislodged the stone on top and peered inside.


    Thick globs of dark fluid, almost as much as had been in her head on the first day. Ike lifted his brows. Impressive. I''ll have to keep filling it up with lunam.


    Ike closed her head up again. Weaving out of the campsite''s defenses, he grabbed a few vines and tied them together into a makeshift net. He placed the pan beneath it, and propped her head in the net, upright.


    Rosamund stared at him, her eyes wide. Her jaw worked.


    Ike hesitated, then shrugged. He nudged the gag down.


    "¡ªinside you. Give me what''s inside you. I''m hollow. I need it. I need to have fillings. I need to¡ª"


    Ike fastened the gag back over her mouth and pursed his lips. Never mind.


    He left the goo to drip down into the pan. Chewing on some wolf jerky, he dug through his pack until he found the jerky he''d bought in town. He waggled it at the forest. "Here, wolfie wolfie."


    Silence. The thick undergrowth didn''t so much as budge.


    That was a bit of a long shot, yeah. Ike shrugged and put the jerky in his back pocket. Just in case the wolf showed up again.

 44. Camping Out

    Days passed. Ike camped out by the edge of the waterfall, slowly recovering his mana using Rosamund''s head. The wolf came around every now and again. It kept its distance, wary of him. A few times, Ike threw it scraps of non-wolf jerky. It ignored them whenever he was around, but when he went back to check a few minutes later, the jerky was always gone. Slowly, it drew closer to him, growing less and less afraid of him.As he waited for it to grow accustomed to him, Ike also waited for his hand to finish the last tidbits of healing, and for his core to fill. It was a slow, quiet life. He spent his days foraging. Every now and again, he''d practice shooting with the shortbow he''d stolen off the bandits, retrieving his arrows after he shot them so he could shoot them again. Once or twice, his efforts yielded him a bird. He chalked it up more to beginner''s luck than actual skill, but either way, the wolf appreciated its half of his dinner those nights.


    It was enough to satisfy the System, at any rate. When he checked his skills, Bow Handling appeared on his skill list at level 1. Another Common skill to add to his list.


    The few saplings interspersed in the undergrowth now all bore slash marks from his practice with the River-Splitting Sword. Half of them were bisected, slashed through to their lowly canopies from the final upward strike. He practiced in the brook, too, trying to split the waters, but he was still far from the mastery required to split a brook, let alone an actual river.


    Despite all his efforts, the skill stayed at the same level it had from the beginning. Ike had started to expect that. Aside from Common or low-level skills, and putting aside the first few easy-to-get levels, offensive skills seemed to require that they were used in battle in order to progress in level.


    Or, in other words¡­they require me to slay monsters, Ike thought, staring into the fire one night. The why part remained beyond his grasp, even if he knew the what. Was it a special type of energy, like lunam in the Abyss? Did he have to use them ''properly'' to level them up? The System interface had no answers for him, and no matter how long he gazed into its pale blue light, that never changed.


    Orin''s book lacked answers, as well. Aside from a few notes on testing out whether stronger monsters yielded better skill progression or not (they did), Orin left the topic mostly untouched.


    It makes sense. It''s a practical guide by a hunter for hunters¡ªno, for his own personal use. He didn''t strike me as a philosophical guy, so if he didn''t care, then he probably never bothered to investigate further.


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    I wonder if there''s more information out there, somewhere?


    He snorted. If there were, it was probably locked deep in some noble''s library, where it would never see the light of day. He didn''t have the money or status to make it anywhere near those books. At best, he might be able to make it as a guard, watching the borders of the upper city, but never allowed to enter it.


    Not that it matters now. I don''t think I''m ever going back to the city.


    Oh well. I guess I have to figure it out myself. Trial and error.


    That morning, he packed up and set off. His hand was healed. His core was half full, more than enough to use any of his skills for the day. Rosamund''s head was cooking up more mana, and could do it anywhere, not just at the top of the waterfall. He had a hunt in mind. Something that lived close to the Abyss and the Fulgur-Loups, but wasn''t too challenging of a kill. If it was too dangerous down in the depths, he could always retreat to the waterfall.


    Not that I intend to.


    He walked up to the brink. Water cascaded down beside him, splashing over the stones in the center of the cliff. It stairstepped downward, each step between five and ten feet tall. Little pools collected at each of the ''stairs,'' the water sparkling and clear. The rock itself was smooth, just like the walls of the valley, but he could easily drop from stair to stair without injuring himself now that he was at Rank 1.


    Ike grinned. He rolled his arms out and stretched, preparing to descend.


    From the corner of his eye, something approached him. Ike turned. His hand went to his sword, ready to draw.


    The wolf walked toward him. It moved slowly, its head low and neck outstretched. Silver eyes regarded him, as if waiting for a response.


    "You''re coming with me?" Ike asked.


    The wolf didn''t give an answer. It sat down, watching him.


    It needs a name. Silver streaks in its fur, silver eyes¡ªI can''t call it Silver. That''s already someone else''s name. Er¡­ He twisted his lips, thinking, then tried, "Ful?"


    The wolf laid down. It yawned.


    Tough crowd. I''ve never named anything before¡­I''m not good at names. "Fulgur, maybe? What about Loup?"


    The wolf sat up. It wagged its tail.


    "Loup it is." Ike tilted his head, checking the wolf''s gender. A girl? Huh.


    He glanced at the wolf again. Unable to resist the urge, he stepped closer and raised his hand. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The wolf balked. It backed away, retreating out of his range of attack. Her hackles raised, and she bared her teeth at him.


    "Oh," Ike said, disappointed. He dropped his hand. Backing away, he shook his head. It is a wild monster, after all. I can''t just pet it.


    But maybe, in due time¡­


    Ike nodded to himself, a new goal set. He gestured Loup on. "Let''s get moving. It''s time to hunt."


    The wolf stood. She walked up to the edge and gazed over it. Before Ike could worry about her proximity to the edge, she hopped down, bounding from step to step.


    I bet she''s hungry. She''s even more eager than I am. Ike adjusted his pack and followed her down, descending into the true depths of the Abyss.

 45. Depths

    Water splashed. Ike landed on the final step and looked back up. The waterfall towered over him, seemingly unreachably high. He saluted to it, saying farewell to his campsite. "Hopefully, I won''t be back."Dense, thick forest awaited him. Ike walked the edge of it, searching for tracks and markings from monsters or other animals. There were plenty. Deer hoofprints dug into the mud, alongside something with three thick, fat toes. Small paw prints, too, marked the water''s edge. From the long, slender fingers, they belonged to raccoons, or something like them. Larger paw prints were present as well, without defined claw marks. Ike raised his brows. They could belong to a large cat, a panther or a tiger. I''ll have to keep an eye out.


    No ducks swam in the cool water at the bottom of the waterfall, but webbed-toe marks indicated that they, or something like them, had passed by recently. There were also strange marks, half-obscured or blurry ones that Ike didn''t recognize. But the most important marks were the ones that weren''t present. Shoeprints. Footprints. Aside from Ike''s own, there was no indication that any human had come by the waterfall any time recently.


    I really am alone down here. It''s nice. Peaceful.


    Loup trotted off into the forest ahead of him, leaving Ike behind. Ike watched her go, then turned back to the tracks. He crouched next to the three-toed track and spread his hand out beside it. The track stretched wider than his fingertips by an inch or two. Vicious claws had torn into the wet mud at the very end of the claws, leaving little tunnels into the ground. He followed the traces until he found a place the creature had slipped. There, a mark behind the foot suggested a dew claw of some sort.


    Ike stood. He turned toward the forest, gazing along the path of the marks. They grew more indistinct as they passed onto hard, dry ground, then vanished into the undergrowth. A path of torn and trampled undergrowth vanished into the forest. Ike entered the path, following the wavering route through the woods.


    Loup appeared from the depths of the forest. She looked at him, then at the path. Pausing for a few moments, she sniffed the ground, then loped off into the woods. She pulled ahead of Ike and quickly vanished.


    Smart dog.


    A pale, fluttering object caught his eye, snarled in a thorny vine. Ike plucked it free. A feather. Fluffy and about as wide as it was long, the down feather stretched from the tip of his middle finger to the base of his palm. Ike tucked it into his pack. If the down''s that big, the bird''s gonna be bigger than I thought. I need to be prepared.


    He paused for a moment, reaching into his bag. He drew out the spear head Silver had loaned him back during the owl fight. He''d taken it out of the owl''s body and kept it, despite Silver grumbling about how he ought to destroy a flawed product like it. As he walked, he kept his head on a swivel, looking for downed branches and small saplings, anything good, straight, and sturdy that would make for a spear shaft. In the shade of an old hardwood tree, he found one. He bound the barbed head to the spear with the wolf''s tendons. Even though he didn''t need to conserve everything any longer, the way he had in the resource-limited desert, there was no reason to discard the materials he''d worked so hard to procure.


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    Loup walked up just as he was softening the tendons. She sniffed the material, then looked at Ike, a confused expression on her face.


    Ike showed her the tendons. "Remember your packmate that fell into the Abyss? They died when they hit the ground. I''m making use of what remained."


    Loup opened her mouth. Ike held steady, prepared to defend himself if he needed to. Instead, she carefully pulled one piece of the tendons out of his hands. Dropping back to all fours, she vanished into the forest with the tendon.


    Ike watched her go, then shrugged to himself. After all, death is always present in the forest. It''s not as if she''s never seen a packmate die. Especially if she''s a higher Rank, and therefore longer-lived than the rest of her pack. For a monster like her, who lived in the wild, there was nothing strange about losing a packmate. Nor was it his fault that the other wolf had died. There was nothing to be afraid of, as long as she properly understood the situation.


    He came upon a pine tree. Kneeling, he checked the roots and lower body for resin. The bird''s claw had slashed open the root, and nodules of resin collected over the root. Ike collected the resin, peeling the pale-gold substance off of the tree. An ant was stuck in one edge, and a few pine needles clung to it here and there. He tucked the pine resin into a dirty scrap of cloth and grimaced as it stuck to his hand, unwilling to release him. He wiped it off onto the cloth, then wiped his hands on the cloth, but the sticky sensation didn''t fade. He shook his hand a few times, hoping the air would help, but it did nothing. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He looked at his hand. Dirt and pine needles already stuck to his skin, the sticky stuff picking up scraps of whatever he touched. He kneeled again and wiped it off in the dirt, then lifted it. The sticky parts of his hand had turned black from the filth, but the stickiness remained. He made a face. I guess this is how I live, now.


    As he walked, whenever he came across a pine tree, he checked it for resin. The cloth slowly filled up, and his hands grew stickier and stickier. By the time he was ready to make camp for the night, he already had more than enough.


    He ate the last of the wolf jerky that night, resisting the urge to make a face. Putrid, gamy flavors spread across his tongue. Staring into the fire, he made a silent vow: I''m eating that damn bird for dinner tomorrow. I don''t care how big it is. It''s dinner.


    Ike swallowed the tough meat, then leaned forward, checking the pan. The resin had already melted to a pliable state, so he grabbed his spear and the tendons, and fixed the tendons in place with the resin. He held it in place as the resin set, securing the spear head firmly to the staff. It wouldn''t snap off or break mid-battle. It would hold, exactly as he needed it to.


    With the size gap between me and my prey, I need a pole arm to help even the balance. He tried out a few thrusts, then set it in the ground by his tent, spear point aiming at the sky. If I were a better archer, I could rely on that, but Bow Handling Lvl 1 isn''t going to be enough to take down this beast.


    He sat back down, munching on the bitter greens he''d foraged. As he flicked a bug off a broad leaf, the saplings opposite the fire suddenly shifted.


    Ike jumped up. He reached for his spear.


    Loup paced in, her head low. She licked her chops, clearing the last of the blood off them, then settled down in the clearing to sleep.


    "When I hunt, I share my kills, but you just eat it all yourself, huh?" Ike muttered, disappointed.


    Loup opened one eye. She yawned, big and wide, then settled in again.


    Ike shook his head. "Rude."

 46. Tasty Food

    That morning, Ike set off, following the tracks yet again. Loup woke up as he was packing up, gave a great yawn, and vanished off into the forest with no explanation. Ike watched her go, then shrugged and walked on. She would come back. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.The tracks he followed were a few days old, but well-worn. The creature likely used the water hole multiple times, passing back and forth along this path. Wherever it led, was probably a common place for the creature to stay.


    Or anyways, that''s what I hope, Ike thought, as he pushed aside a thick, leafy bush.


    On the other side, he came out into a small clearing. A bunch of leaves and branches had been torn up and placed in a corner, knitted into a messy sort of nest. A nest big enough, he couldn''t help but notice, for him to curl up in.


    Ike grinned. He backed into the forest, not wanting to reveal himself too early, and crouched down. Okay. I found its nest. What''s my move here?


    Crouching there, he recalled the land birds he''d seen back in the slums: chickens. They had one attack pattern, exactly one. They''d lock their eyes onto their prey, then charge at top speed and jab down with their beaks. Even if a cat was stalking the same mouse, the chicken would charge right in front of it, mindless of the possible danger. To their credit, Ike had often seen the stalking cat balk, startled by the chicken''s headlong rush.


    The image of the caught mouse, flayed open by a razor-sharp beak, flashed through his mind. He grimaced. That won''t be me. Instead, he called to mind a golden-brown roast chicken. Yes. That''s my future. Delicious monster bird. My tongue will suffer no longer!


    He checked Orin''s book again. Red Jungle Fowl, the entry read. A sketched claw mark and a few down feathers tucked into the pages made up the majority of the entry. There was little information on the beast itself, except for perhaps the most important note of all: delicious.


    Ike stared at that word again. I''m so tired of disgusting wolf jerky. I want delicious, juicy, luscious meat. And, if the beast dropped a skill orb, he wouldn''t turn it down. It was an earthbound bird, so flight was out of the question, but it was doubtlessly a strong runner. Something like a leg strengthening skill or a running skill would merge well with his current build. Some kind of slashing attack or sharpening skill wouldn''t go amiss, either.


    A straight-line rush attack. If it has the same attack pattern, I should be able to take advantage of it. But I don''t know it has that same pattern. Ike hefted his spear, then turned back into the woods. Leaving the fowl''s path behind, he picked his way through the forest. When he came up on the nest, he hunkered down to wait.


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    I can treat this first one as a bit of a scouting run. I''ve found its nest. It''ll come back here. All I have to do is wait.


    The day passed on. For a while, Loup laid there beside him, sleeping. At midday, she yawned wide, then climbed to her feet and shook herself.


    "Heading out?" Ike asked quietly.


    She glanced at him and flicked her ear, then trotted off into the forest, off to hunt rabbits or whatever struck her fancy. Ike didn''t stop her. If the fowl had a good nose, it wouldn''t come back with a wolf around. But, as an Abyss-dweller, it might not know the scent of humans. Another advantage.


    Sitting completely still, he waited there. The wind rustled the leaves, shaking the dappled sunlight over the forest floor. Ike watched it, holding his spear close. As he sat there, he found himself slowly falling into a doze. Ike shook his head, forcibly snapping himself out of it, only to start nodding again moments later.


    Don''t fall asleep. Don''t fall¡­


    He jerked awake to twilight and a shifting, quiet forest. Ike blinked, trying to figure out why he''d woken. Hazy twilight clung to the trees and bushes. The scent of fresh pine filled the air from his resin-smeared spear.


    Silence. Nothing cried. Nothing chirped. Nothing sang. Only the whisper of leaves on the wind.


    Ike wiped his eyes and sat up, alert. He leaned forward, resting a few fingers on the ground, lifting the spear in the other. His sword hung from his belt. Activating Sensory Enhancement, he held his breath and listened to the forest.


    Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.


    He leaned forward. His eyes opened wide, staring into the clearing through the saplings and thick vines. His fist tightened on his spear.


    A beast stepped into the clearing. Taller than Ike, its head bobbing on a long neck, it strode out of the trees. Abruptly, it turned its head broadsides, surveying the clearing with one eye. A big, bulky body lagged a second after the head, catching up only for the head to escape ahead again. Thick thighs moved large, scaly legs. Each foot was tipped with razor-sharp claws, a dew claw held high at the back of the foot.


    Apparently satisfied with whatever it had seen, the beast turned headlong again. It stalked into the clearing, the master of its surroundings. Two stunted wings shuffled on its back. An upturned tail flickered at the rear. Cream- and dun-colored feathers offset a bright red nub at the top of its head.


    Ike held his breath. No way.


    The giant chicken let out a loud b-kawk! and headed toward its nest.


    Ike leaned forward. He caught his breath, preparing to lunge. It might be a giant chicken, but it''s as serious a fight as any monster I''ve faced. I can''t become careless.


    Reaching its nest, the chicken settled in. It shuffled its rear feathers around, pleased with itself, then turned around to preen its wings a bit. At last, it closed its eyes and sat down in its nest.


    Ike lifted up onto his toes. He caught his breath. Now!

 47. Beware of Giant Chicken

    As the chicken settled down to sleep, Ike''s eyes widened. He lifted onto his toes and lunged.Branches snapped under his feet. Leaves crackled. Vines tore. The chicken startled from its doze and jumped up, whirling to face Ike.


    I could have waited until it was fully asleep, but this is a scouting run, after all. I won''t learn much if I face a helpless opponent. One that''s tired, on the other hand¡­I''ll take that advantage. Ike closed in on the chicken, raising his spear.


    The chicken charged directly at him. Its beak gleamed in the moonlight as it lifted its head high.


    Ike rolled to the side. The chicken struck the earth behind him. Before he could punish it for its mistake, it whipped around to face him. Bits of dirt still clung to its beak as it chased him down again. This time, Ike juked left and right, checking the chicken''s turning skills. The chicken dug in its claws and threw itself after him. Its large body lagged the turn a little, but its head and its feet remained on point.


    It''s a bit heavier than a normal chicken¡ªjust a little bit¡ªso it corners slower, Ike noted. He whirled around and feinted at it with his spear.


    The chicken didn''t so much as flinch. It lifted its beak high, preparing to strike him down from the heavens.


    Spinning back around, Ike leaped to the grass. The chicken''s blade-like beak slammed into the ground behind him, close enough that the debris from the strike bounced off his skin. He rolled back to his feet and kept running, into the forest.


    Something that large has an advantage in open spaces. Let''s see how it does in the tight spaces between trees.


    Ike crashed through low bushes and vines. Behind him, the chicken charged after him. He glanced back. The massive, fluffy beast plowed through the undergrowth without a thought of hesitation. Branches snapped on its mighty chest. Vines tore around its vicious legs. It uprooted bushes as it passed.


    Ike ducked around a mid-sized tree. The thing was about as big around as his bicep at its widest, not tiny, but not huge either. That oughta slow you down.


    The chicken lifted its mighty claws and jumped at the tree. The tree swayed. Its roots cracked, trunk creaking from the forces applied to it.


    Ike stared, wide-eyed. No way.


    The tree rebounded. Dropping back to earth, the chicken shook its head and jumped at the tree again.


    SNAP! The tree''s roots broke through, and it plummeted to earth. Ike jumped to the side, barely ducking the canopy. As the branches and leaves rained down, he slid behind a large tree.


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    The chicken stalked forward. Head first, then body, it stepped over the mid-size tree. It tilted its head left, then right. A big golden eye with a big round pupil scanned the forest. It let out a quiet b-gawk and stepped forward, crunching freshly-fallen branches under its feet.


    A rustle. It snapped around, facing the large tree Ike had ducked behind. Striding forward with urgency, it turned the corner and looked around the tree.


    Nothing. An empty space.


    Confused, the chicken stepped forward. It lowered its head to sniff the ground. Short wattle trembling, it looked left and right again.


    Ike dropped out of the tree, his spear held in both hands. The chicken lifted its head, but too late. The barbed spearhead pierced through the back of its neck and bore it to the ground, pinning it through to the earth. It struggled, its body spasming a few times.


    Ike wiped his forehead. He pulled his sword out and sliced the chicken''s head at the neck, cutting it clean off. It fell to the side, eyes empty, beak open. Dead.


    Turning to the chicken, he smiled and patted the headless corpse. "I''ll eat well tonight."


    The headless corpse jumped up and slashed at him with its claws. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Startled, Ike staggered back. Blood streaked down his chest, and pain surged into him. The chicken charged, claws still going wild. Its wings flapped, and its tail flared. Ike lifted the spear, barely holding off its wild charge. What the hell? I killed it!


    He tightened his grip on the spear, then, all at once, slashed with the handle. The force of the slash threw the chicken back. It landed on its heels and immediately charged again. Ike jumped to the side, avoiding its charge. It didn''t turn to follow him, nor respond to his actions. Instead, it ran on and smashed into a tree in front of it. It fell back again, only to jump up and run on. It vanished into the forest.


    Ike stared after it. What the hell was that?


    A moment later, he startled, and sprinted after the chicken at full speed. That''s my dinner running away from me!


    His paltry legs couldn''t keep up with the chicken''s speed. Ike grimaced, checking his mana. It was already being drawn to heal his wound. Can I afford to use Lightning Dash? Usually, he wouldn''t hesitate, but in the Abyss, chasing a headless chicken¡­it was a waste of mana, pure and simple. Maybe I''ll just let it tire itself out, then catch up afterward.


    Even as he was considering his options, a bolt of grey charged out of the forest. It tackled the chicken to the ground by the neck and held it there, shaking its head vigorously. The chicken''s neck snapped, and for the second time, it stilled.


    Ike slowed. He stood on his tiptoes to get a better look. Is that¡­?


    Loup stood there, crouched over the chicken. She looked at him, then backed away, lowering her head.


    Ike grinned. It is. He jogged over, waving a hello. "Loup!"


    Loup flicked her ears toward him and walked toward him, greeting him with a sniff. He went to pat her head, then snatched his hand back. Right. She doesn''t like that, and I like my hands.


    Standing over the chicken, Ike raised his spear. He plunged it down, stabbing the beast in the heart just to be sure. If it could survive without a head, maybe it could survive without a neck, too. But even a mighty chicken monster ought to die from being pierced in the heart.


    He jerked the spear free, the barbs tearing the flesh on the way out. The chicken''s lifeblood leaked out, staining its feathers and the forest floor. Ike grabbed the chicken by the ankles and dragged it back toward the clearing. Time to roast some chicken.

 48. Roast Chicken

    The chicken turned slowly on a spit, roasting over a bonfire of deadwood Ike had found easily in the untouched forest. He''d crafted the spit out of the fresh green tree the chicken had downed. It had taken all his Rank 1 strength to cut the green wood apart and shape it properly, but in the end, the results were worth it. A golden-brown chicken turning on a spit, roasting in its own juices.He turned the spit manually, but it wasn''t much effort for a Rank 1. The chicken was seasoned with the last of his salt and nothing. He wished he had some herbs, or maybe some fruit to squeeze over it, but after days of wolf jerky, roast chicken alone sounded fantastic. A few plants Orin had indicated as edible in his book roasted alongside the chicken. Most of the wild plants Ike had come across so far tasted bitter, but with the chicken juices running down the spit, they ought to be imbued with a little extra flavor.


    Loup sat beside him, watching the chicken cook with hungry eyes. She''d been ready to eat the chicken raw, sitting eagerly alongside Ike as he''d plucked it. To stave off her hunger, he''d tossed her the gizzards, but those little treats had been forgotten now, by the look in her eyes. She whined and leaned forward, only held back by the flames.


    "Just a little longer," Ike assured her.


    She looked at him, then sighed dramatically and plopped her head down on her paws.


    Ike glanced over at the pile of feathers almost as tall as him and sighed. Plucking the chicken had been an exercise in strength and boredom alike. Every inch of the body was covered in feathers, and every feather was stuck fast. There was only so much pulling and plucking he could do before he was thoroughly done for the day.


    But the end results were worth it. A big whiff of roast chicken welled over Ike, and he took a deep breath, closing his eyes to savor the scent. He nodded to himself. It''s ready.


    With both hands, he manhandled the spitted chicken off the rack. It was too large for him to brace either end, so he lifted it like a spear, gripping it by one end. His arms trembled, his core shook, and his legs quavered. Ike staggered a few steps from the fire, then slammed the chicken-stick into the ground. It stood upright, a strange flagpole for his camp.


    Loup crept forward, licking her lips. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


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    "Wait. Let me check." Ike grabbed a drumstick from the chicken. Twisting and wrenching, he freed it from its joint with an earsplitting crack-pop. The drumstick was comically large, almost as big around as his torso and about as long. Ike grabbed the meat, then flinched back. "Hot, hot, hot¡­"


    Loup dashed forward and tore a big bite off the drumstick. She ran away a few paces, but then dropped it, making spitting faces and licking her lips.


    "I told you it''s hot," Ike said, shaking his head at her.


    She went to pick it up, then flinched back. Again, another flinch. At last, she settled down to a hunker, watching the hot meat with big, confused, hungry eyes.


    Ike chuckled under his breath. He turned the drumstick, checking where Loup had taken a bite.


    Cooked to the bone. The chicken was good to eat.


    And not only cooked, but cooked. Crispy golden skin peeled back to reveal juicy, pale flesh. Beads of juice welled up along the lines of the muscle. A savory aroma wafted up, tempting Ike to dive in right then, just like Loup had.


    He hesitated one moment, then did it anyways.


    Hot chicken, fresh and juicy. There was a gaminess to it, but compared to the nearly-rancid wolf meat, he barely noticed it. The skin broke at a touch and made a crunchy contrast to the juicy, soft meat. He took a bite, and another, and another. It singed his mouth, but he ignored the pain and pressed on anyways. Tears welled up in his eyes.


    After bitter vegetables and rancid jerky, I finally have something delicious to eat!


    Orin''s book flew up in his estimate, from a helpful guide to a godlike item. That one little note shone like gold in his mind''s eye: Delicious. Indeed, it was. More delicious than anything he''d ever eaten in his life. He made a mental note to check the book later for anything else marked Delicious. He might be roughing it in the wild, but there was no need to suffer. He could eat good food as easily out here as back in the city¡ªmaybe even easier. After all, he doubted he could have afforded Leg of Giant Chicken in the city, but here he was, eating it nonetheless.


    As he ate, warmth flowed into his body. It collected in his stomach, but also in his core. The Red Jungle Fowl was a monster, after all, its flesh imbued with mana. Eating the meat replenished his hunger and his mana alike. The volume of meat to amount of mana was high; he''d probably have to eat the whole chicken to get as much mana as one night''s worth of Rosamund''s head. But the mana felt better. Cleaner. Clearer. More delicious.


    That last one might be the meat, not the mana, Ike thought, chuckling aloud to himself.


    Loup looked up. She tilted her head.


    "Nothing, it''s nothing." Ike took another bite from the chicken, and his teeth hit something hard. He recoiled, making a face, then peered into the chicken. Did I hit bone?


    A skill orb gleamed back at him, buried in the meat of the drumstick.


    Ike''s eyes widened. Holy shit! I struck gold!

 49. Gold Leg Orbs

    Ike stared at the skill orb for a moment, struck dumb. Realizing he was just sitting there like an idiot, he wiped his mouth, stood, and walked over to pick it up, carrying the giant chicken leg with him. He turned the orb around in his hand, taking a good look at it. It glowed with a faint green light. The entire orb was translucent, but not perfectly so. In its depths, the translucence grew thicker, until the center became opaque. The thickening of the translucence wasn''t perfectly centered, either, but slightly off-center. It jabbed out into the round orb like an exploding star, rays of less-translucent orb piercing almost to the surface.Ike frowned. I''ve never seen that before. When it comes to skill orbs, the more perfect, the better, right? In that case, could this be an imperfect skill?


    He tilted it around in his fingers, then frowned deeper. What does it mean for a skill to be imperfect? All the skills he''d found so far had been clear, or had even distributions of translucency. Or I didn''t have time to notice, he amended, thinking back to the Salamander, and the conditions under which he''d acquired that orb.


    He took another bite of chicken, thinking. At the end of the day, it came down to a simple choice: absorb the skill, or not. Absorbing it was a risk. He didn''t know what the skill was. He hadn''t encountered harmful or negative skills yet, but that didn''t mean they didn''t exist. There was darkness to everything in this world. He''d seen enough of it under his uncle''s thumb to be sure of that.


    On top of that, the skill might not mesh with his current setup. It was a low risk; at the worst case, he''d simply not use it. Then, though, he wouldn''t be able to sell the skill later. He''d be wasting money.


    Assuming I ever get out of the Abyss, that is.


    The biggest risk, though, was that he didn''t know what imperfect skills would do to him. Would it simply be a weaker version of the usual skill? If that was all, he was fine with that. He could level it up, maybe find more copies of it, and raise its strength. But if it only activated sometimes, or activated more slowly, that could be deadly. In a battle where life and death were decided in a matter of seconds, a slow skill, let alone a failed skill, could be the end of him.


    On the upside, more skills were always good. And for all he knew, the star pattern was a good or neutral thing, and the skill inside was in perfect shape.


    He rolled it around in his hand a few more times, considering. Money could be ignored outright. He''d rather have a skill that might let him survive to tomorrow rather than maybe one day have a few more gold in his pocket. Even if it didn''t mesh with his build, he could always use it somehow, for something. He hadn''t encountered negative or harmful skills. If they existed, he knew nothing about them. There was no point fearing something that might never come to pass. Not knowing if imperfect skills would harm him somehow¡­that was the point that truly gave him pause.


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    If not right now, then maybe when I go to rank up, it will. Who knows? Maybe that''s the difference between upper-city mages and lower-city hunters. Hunters can''t pass Rank 3 because we all have too many imperfect skills, while the rich mages can afford to buy all the perfect skills off of us.


    Pinching his chin, Ike mused his options for another few moments. He chewed at the chicken leg, tearing the last of the meat off, then tossed the bone to Loup. Taking a big chunk of chicken with him, he walked over to his pack and crouched.


    Rosamund''s head sat atop the pack. Her jaw worked, though whether she was shouting nonsense or simply cursing his name, Ike couldn''t tell. He lowered the gag.


    "¡ªand when I get back to the city, my father will¡ª"


    "He abandoned you," Ike reminded her.


    Rosamund''s mouth shut. Her eyes widened, and the veins at her temples stood out against her head, but she said nothing more.


    He cleared his throat. "Right. Sorry about that. You know, I was thinking about something you said recently. That slumrats can''t pass Rank 3."


    "Rank 2," Rosamund corrected him quickly.


    Ike blinked, taken aback, then nodded slowly. Right. That is what she said. I internally adjusted the number upward because of my encounter with Orin. "Right, right. So¡­why would that be?"


    "Because of the filth you live in," she spat.


    Ike raised a brow.


    Rosamund barely needed the encouragement to continue. "The mana in the slum''s air is tainted. It''s poisoned. Even if you practice in the lower city, you absorb poison as you absorb mana. You''re doomed from the start. The higher you Rank, the more poison you absorb, the quicker you die. A higher Rank''s extended lifespan only staves off the poison. Compared to an upper city Rank 2, your Rank 2s die pitifully early."


    "Good to know," Ike said. A small, vindictive part of him cheered. Uncle is destined for an early death!


    At the same time, he felt a queasiness that he''d even think that. He''s family. Even if he''s a shithead, he''s family. I shouldn''t want him to die. And, weaseling its way in, a jaded voice murmured, Yeah, early for a Rank 2. Gods only know how many hundreds of years we''d have to wait.


    "You seem unworried about your impending early death," Rosamund commented. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Well, that''s because I have perfect skills," Ike said.


    Her eyes widened and her nostrils flared. "Perfect skills that you stole! They were mine. My skills, you filth-sucking, thieving bottom feeder! You should be chewing on trash imperfect skills like all the rest of your filthy brood, not dining on fine perfect Unique skills!"


    "So perfect skills extend one''s lifespan?" Ike wondered aloud.


    "Not only that. Every skill you absorb builds your foundation. With every new skill you absorb, you place another brick in your foundation. If those first, early bricks are flawed, the foundation will crack, unable to support the weight of Rank 2 or 3 mana." She paused, then cleared her throat. "To use a simple metaphor the youngest disciples can understand."


    Ike rolled his eyes. Yeah, yeah. "So I shouldn''t absorb imperfect skills?"


    Rosamund''s eyes narrowed. She shut her mouth.


    Whoops. Gave up the ghost. Ike nodded. "Thanks, though. I appreciate the lesson."


    He reached for the gag, then hesitated. If she''s not going to be obnoxious, I don''t mind¡ª


    Rosamund took a deep breath. The first note of a high-pitched top-volume screech echoed in the clearing.


    Ike quickly gagged her again. Never mind.

 50. More Chicken

    Between Ike and Loup, the two of them managed to finish the whole roast chicken in one night. Ike laid on his back under the stars, a hand on his stomach, gazing up at the sky. He let out a satisfied sigh. Beside him, Loup laid stretched out on her belly. She sighed as well, just as satisfied as Ike.Ike glanced at her, then grinned. Yet again, the urge to scratch her behind the ears welled up, but he suppressed it. Not yet.


    It was a gorgeous night. A cool breeze blew, just cool enough to stave off the heat of the day. Bright stars glimmered in a clear sky. Overhead, the moon glowed bright, half-full. He spread out his arms and watched the night roll by.


    Since this space was the giant chicken''s territory, he didn''t have to worry too much about animal invaders tonight. All the chicken''s prey would stay away. Based on the careless way the chicken tore its way down to the waterhole and back, he doubted it had many predators. Until I came around, anyways. As for other chickens, he hadn''t seen any yet.


    He could only base his expectations of the giant chickens on the way he''d seen ordinary chickens behave, but there were already some obvious variations between the two. A rooster, or a few roosters, would usually manage a whole flock of hens, for one, and the hens generally lived close together, for two. Given that he hadn''t heard a cock-a-doodle-doo all day, he could only assume that the giant chickens'' roosters either ranged further, or were solitary birds. Likewise, not a single other hen had dropped by today, nor had he seen any other chicken marks. Thus, the hens, also, either ranged further or were solitary. As for chicks, there were none nearby, and the nest was empty.


    All that to say, this clearing he laid in was likely the safest spot in the whole forest tonight.


    He drew out the skill orb, peering through it at the sky. The star pattern made the pinpricks in the heavens shatter. He let out a sigh, wistful. Another skill¡­


    But I don''t want to doom myself to never advancing. That''s the risk I run, if that skill is indeed imperfect. He palmed the orb and put it into his pocket. I''ll keep it around. See if I can sell it. Could also get someone to check if it''s imperfect or not for me, too. If I ever find people, anyways.


    He pressed his lips together, then shook his head.


    Still, I learned something valuable: these giant chickens are old enough to have developed skill orbs.


    This one was in the chicken''s leg. Maybe that''s why it was imperfect. All the other skills so far were located centrally in the monster''s body. He shrugged. At least he knew the chickens had skills, now. Not that I know what they are. Orin''s book hadn''t indicated anything as to what they might be. Delicious was a great note, but not as far as skills were concerned.


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    I wonder if the giant chickens outside of the Abyss even lived long enough to develop skills. With so many hunters around, they''d struggle to survive. They''re probably all small and young up there. Ike snorted, picturing a small, young giant chicken. A fluffy chick up to his knee, bopping around and loosing deafening TWEETs at the world.


    After all, chicks are already pretty loud¡­ Ike drifted off to sleep, snoozing under the stars.


    He woke up to dawn''s first light and the distant crow of a rooster. His ears perked up. If it was ever in doubt, that confirmed it: there were more giant chickens.


    Ike licked his lips. He glanced at Loup. "Wanna do some more hunting today, girl?"


    Loup stood. She wagged her tail a few times and waited for him to take the lead.


    Hefting his pack, spear, and sword, Ike set off into the forest.


    He headed back to the first watering hole and filled all his waterskins. If all went well, he''d be leaving it behind today. He needed enough water to survive until he found the next brook or river. Given how lush the forest was, it shouldn''t be hard, but nonetheless, he didn''t want to take the risk.


    He checked the rim of the clear pool at the bottom of the waterfall for tracks again today. Many of the tracks had been refreshed, but no more chicken tracks marked the edge. Ike made a face. Too bad.


    He hadn''t truly expected anything. If no other chickens had showed up yesterday around the territory of the chicken he''d hunted, it didn''t come as a surprise that no other chickens used the waterhole. It wasn''t impossible that other chickens shared the waterhole, but clearly it wasn''t the case here.


    Ike looked at Loup. "What do you think? Smell any fresh chickens?"


    Loup lifted her nose to the air and snuffled around a bit, then looked at Ike.


    Not here. Makes sense. He led the way from the water into the forest, with Loup at his side. She occasionally lowered her head to sniff the ground or trotted off, but always returned quickly. Ike kept his head up, searching for chicken marks.


    Abruptly, Loup''s head popped up. She dashed off into the forest. Ike stared after her, then gave chase.


    Loup''s low body blocked the path ahead. She half-crouched, her head low, her haunches high. Ike crouched beside her. He followed her gaze through the undergrowth.


    A dun body paced through the forest. Leathery claws crushed the bushes and vines. Black eyes glanced warily left and right. Its head bobbed forward, stopped while the body caught up, and bobbed forward again.


    Ike licked his lips. He tightened his grip on the spear and glanced at Loup. "Go ahead, girl." Let''s figure out how this girl hunts.


    Loup glanced at him, then slunk forward. She vanished into the woods.


    Ike waited, tense. It wouldn''t matter much if he and Loup botched this hunt. They were both full, and would keep for a few days. But he''d rather not.


    He thought for a moment, then picked his way through the forest, circling around to the front of the chicken. He didn''t know how wolves hunted, but he could hazard a guess. Dogs chased cats from behind. If wolves worked the same, she''d run at it from the rear. And if that''s the case, then I''ll get ahead of that.


    From the other side of the forest, two silver eyes appeared out of the shade. Ike edged forward, prepared for anything. Here goes.


    Loup launched into the air.


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 51. Hunting Like the Wolf

    Loup launched out of the forest. Ike charged at the same time, closing in on it from the front. The chicken whirled to face Loup. It leaped into the air and kicked at her face. Loup jumped back, dodging.Ike ran at the chicken from behind, his spear high.


    Again, the chicken spun. It kicked at him, forcing him to back away. He paced back evenly, keeping the spear between him and the chicken. The chicken glared at him. Hatred shone in its dark eyes, and it tensed, preparing to charge.


    Loup dashed in from behind and nipped at the chicken''s ankles. The chicken startled and whirled again, once more facing Loup. Ike stabbed at it from behind, and the chicken turned.


    In that moment, Loup''s eyes shone. She launched off the ground and caught the chicken''s neck in her teeth. Blood splattered over dun feathers. The chicken stumbled a few steps, lifting a claw toward Ike, then collapsed.


    Ike nodded at Loup. "Good job, girl."


    Loup hunched over the chicken defensively. She growled.


    Confused, Ike blinked. Huh? Oh. Right. She got the kill, so¡­but wait, wolves usually work in groups. What''s going on?


    Loup growled louder. She lunged at Ike.


    Ike quickly backed away, a little lost. Is it because I''m a person, and not a wolf? Then again, it''s not like I''ve never seen a dog guard its food before. He raised his hands. "Have your fill. But I get the next one."


    Loup eyed him for a few more seconds, then set upon the corpse, tearing it to bits. Feathers flew everywhere. Guts spilled out on the ground.


    Putting a hand on his chin, Ike watched her feast. I''ll have to keep an eye on that. See what triggers this behavior. It''s fine this time¡ªI''m sure she can''t eat the whole chicken, so even if we fail to hunt for the rest of the day, I''ll still be fine¡ªbut I can''t always let her have first pick of her kills. What if there''s a skill orb, for example?


    At last, Loup walked away, licking the blood off her lips as she went. Ike nodded at her. "Was that really tastier than roast chicken?"


    Loup hesitated. She let out a soft moan, regretful.


    Can she understand me? Ike shook his head at her. "Next time, let me roast it first."


    He walked over to the corpse. Using his damaged sword as a knife, he cut off the most savaged bits. He tied a rope around the ankles and strung the corpse over his shoulder, then set off back to the clearing. Loup followed, trotting at his side.


    Nothing had interrupted their sleep, so it was probably as safe as he''d guessed it to be¡ªa good place to set up operations, at least for a little while. He snorted to himself, a bit amused. Perhaps I was a bit hasty in saying farewell to the waterfall. He strung the body up over a sturdy branch to drain the blood, high enough the average predator couldn''t reach it. Another giant chicken probably could, but not a wolf like Loup.


    He eyed the corpse. I guess we''ll just have to hope these chickens don''t practice cannibalism.


    The sun still gleamed high overhead, big and round. Ike rolled out his shoulders. He glanced at Loup. "You game to hunt a few more?"


    Loup flicked her ears forward. She trotted forward a few paces, then glanced over her shoulder at him.


    I''ll take that as a yes. Laughing, Ike followed her into the woods.


    With Loup at his side, Ike made quick work of another few chickens. None of them immediately dropped skill orbs, but then, neither had the first chicken. He piled them up in a cache nearer the hunting grounds, then hauled them all back to base at once, his shoulders aching from their weight. It was too much meat to immediately eat, and he immediately regretted using the last of his salt. I''ll cook them, and see where we go from there.


    This time, he felt the chickens'' bodies, massaging the muscle to find any possible skill orb lumps. One of the chickens had a lump in its thigh, nearly the same as the first. He drew his razor and sliced it out, and a little green orb popped into his hand.


    Ike held it up to the sun, then sighed. Just like the original orb, this orb was shot through with translucent material in a starlike pattern. Compared to the first, though, it looked a little more transparent. He drew out the first and held them up to one another to compare.


    The orbs'' sides knocked into one another. He expected a clink, but instead, there was no sound. The two orbs smoothly merged into one.


    "What the hell?" His heart raced. Did I just lose money? Do two identical skills cancel one another out? What just happened?


    Pure green light poured out. Ike lifted his newly merged skill orb, gazing into it. The star pattern had receded toward the orb''s center. The very edge of the orb was now crystal clear, while the translucence around the rest of it had thinned. The whole orb was more transparent, more¡­there was no other word for it. Perfect.


    "Can you make imperfect skills perfect?" Ike wondered aloud.


    Behind him, Rosamund spat out her gag. "Yes. You should do that."


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    Ike gave her a look. "Yeah? Why?"


    "It''s totally not a waste of time. You wouldn''t make any money selling those skills," Rosamund scoffed.


    "What do you know about selling skills?" Ike muttered. He glanced at his shiny new skill orb. From what I remember, higher-level skills sold for way more than low-level skills. In the outpost¡­


    A few things suddenly fell into place, and Ike blinked.


    That skill I was working so hard to buy was probably imperfect, wasn''t it? Imperfect and Bronze, the lowest rank over Common. Or maybe even Common. I knew it was a shady shop, but¡­ He let out a breath, suddenly relieved. If imperfect skills are as bad for Ranking up as Rosamund says, I could have really screwed myself over there, and I had no idea.


    Damn. I was wondering why skills were so much more expensive in the outpost. It''s not just that the outpost is full of rich people. The skill I was planning to buy was probably the worst kind of imperfect skill.


    He rolled the orb around in his palm. Anyways, if Rosamund is against it, it''s probably a great idea. I''m gonna keep combining orbs until I get a perfect skill. Only thing I''m losing out on is the money of selling imperfect skills, and, well, not many merchants here. Plus, doesn''t exactly sit right with me, selling imperfect skills for shitheaded merchants to sell to poor kids like me.


    "Why is it a waste of time?" Ike asked.


    Rosamund rolled her eyes. "Because, it would take dozens of imperfect skills combined to make one perfect skill orb. The forest near the city is nearly depleted. In another few thousand years, there will only be shitty skills left. Even now, there''s only a few monsters with good skills left, and most of those are gifts given to Father rather than skills that developed organically in the forest."


    "Like the Salamander?" Ike guessed, feeling a sinking sensation in his stomach. Whoops. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Like the¡­how do you know about that?" Rosamund''s eyes narrowed.


    Ike waved his hand. Casually, he said, "Common knowledge."


    Still squinting at him, Rosamund continued. "Father has to pretend like he doesn''t care, or else the other cities will realize how weak we are. I think it''s stupid. He should at least post guards or put a warding spell around those monsters, even if it makes us look weak or whatever."


    "Huh? How does that equate to the city''s weakness?" Ike asked.


    Rosamund shut her mouth.


    Ike shrugged. Pretending not to care, he turned to the chickens and began plucking the plumpest one. He eyed the rest of them, considering his next move. The bones could be used as building materials. If he skinned a few instead of cooking them in their skin, he could use it as a thin sort of leather. It wouldn''t be good for much but maybe patching and maybe stretching over the bones as interior walls. Is it even worth it, really?


    "We can''t Rank up."


    Ike''s ears perked up, but he continued to pluck the chickens as though he didn''t care. He added the feathers to the pile from the first chicken. Hmm. I wonder if I could use that thin leather as a sort of mattress cover, shove all the feathers inside¡­


    "If we don''t have powerful higher-realm skills in the vicinity of the city, the higher-Rank mages have nothing to form the foundation of their next Rank. The city was founded in a low-Rank area to begin with. There were never many high-Rank monsters with high-Rank skills. Now that Father has reached Rank 5, and a few of his friends are drawing close, the forest has run completely dry. It takes a long time for monsters to form skills, after all. Especially higher-Rank skills."


    "I recall a certain princess getting hundreds of skills on her birthday," Ike replied dryly.


    Rosamund wrinkled her nose at him. "First off, dozens. Secondly, that was a clever ploy by Father to obtain more high-Rank skills for me by throwing a lavish birthday party and inviting all the surrounding cities."


    Ike hummed, deep in his throat.


    She harrumphed. "And it would''ve worked perfectly, if that twit Hargrove hadn''t decided to enlist thieves in some poor attempt to steal my skills. They got no skills, the thieves are dead, and Hargrove wishes he was dead."


    "Odd that I escaped for so long, then," Ike remarked dryly.


    Rosamund wiggled her head back and forth, rolling her eyes so hard they almost vanished into the back of her head. "Father insists we must keep up appearances in front of civilians. Rule of law. Justice. Whatever. Can''t just up and behead people that we know did wrong."


    "Oh," Ike said dryly.


    "It''s so stupid. Who cares if we''re righteous rulers or not? None of the other city lords bother. They just take what they want. It''s only Father who acts like you people matter."


    A shiver ran down Ike''s spine. Her father cares what the ordinary people think, but he only considers it ''appearances.'' Why would that be, unless he wants us to do something? And what do rulers ever ask of lowly civilians, but war?


    His lands are low on resources, but his neighbors have plenty. I''ve seen how that plays out in the slums. If not for my uncle''s Rank 2 badge, we would''ve been constantly besieged. If her father... that is, the city lord, thinks he''s big enough to take on another city, we''re in trouble.


    He looked over his shoulder, though from here, he couldn''t see the waterfall, let alone the city. Ike ran a hand over the back of his neck and turned away. Good thing I''m down here.


    Unaware of Ike''s disquiet, Rosamund continued. "It''s vital that the other cities see us as powerful. It''s vital that the people see us as righteous. It''s all about how others see us. Visuals. I''m so tired of it all."


    "Well, good news. You can quit while you''re ahead."


    Rosamund opened her mouth. She shut it again. Her lips pursed. "How long have you been waiting to say that?"


    "I wish I could say forever, but actually, I only thought it up just now," Ike admitted. He dropped another handful of feathers to the pile.


    Rosamund fell silent. She let out a snort, but that was it.


    Ike continued plucking the chicken, thinking over everything Rosamund had said as he did so. Did I really escape such a conniving city lord because of ''appearances?'' Someone willing to go that far¡­ if he really wanted my Lightning Dash back, I wouldn''t have breathed another second. After all, he was there, wasn''t he? He, and a bunch of other powerful mages. I''m sure he could tell who had Lightning Dash.


    And he let me get away.


    Why? Why not take it back and give it to his precious¡­ Ike looked at Rosamund''s head. He licked his lips. Oh. Right. Not-so-precious, replaceable, porcelain doll of a daughter.


    I''m starting to get the feeling that there''s more to this. All of this. Me getting the skill. Rosamund. The city lord and his war. Everything.


    Shaking his head, Ike turned back to his chickens. I''m in the Abyss. None of that matters.


    A little voice in the back of his head spoke up. The city lord can enter the Abyss freely and grab you whenever he wants. Whatever his game is, you''re still playing it.


    Ike grimaced. I''d better get strong fast. Whatever the city lord has planned for me, I''m sure it''s nothing good. The stronger I am, the more likely I''ll survive it.


    He touched his core. Already, after one day''s hunt, it was larger, strong enough to hold more mana. There was something else, too, a shapeless something slowly taking form. Instinctively, he knew that when it reached its full shape, he would reach Rank 2.


    He turned his head, gazing back into the forest. "Loup?"


    The wolf perked up, lifting her head out of the pile of chicken feathers. One stuck to her nose, and she blew it free with a snort.


    Ike nodded. "Tomorrow, we hunt again."

 52. Chickens for Days

    The next few days blended together, each one the same as the last. In the mornings, at the crack of dawn, he and Loup rose from their slumber and took to the forest. They hunted chicken until night came, then dragged their kills home for Ike to dismantle. He couldn''t stop himself from breaking them down, even though he knew there was little chance he''d ever sell any part of them.At least he''d obtained better storage techniques, and found uses for some of the materials. Using a bone shovel, he''d dug a cave into the ground, and there he stored the raw meat. The cool of underground wouldn''t keep it fresh forever, but it kept it fresh for a little longer, so they wasted less of it. The hides he dried. The skins were remarkably less fragile than he''d thought they would be, and surprisingly versatile. Together with the bones, they made the walls of his hut. The taut, oily material kept the water out better than his oiled canvas tent. Unfortunately, they didn''t fold well, or else he would have replaced his tent as well.


    He fashioned a number of chicken claws into an assortment of knives, then simply piled them up in the corner. Of all the materials, the claws were the easiest to carry and seemed relatively profitable. They were his priority pile, in the case he had to pack up camp and run for it.


    Every morning, the rooster still crowed. Unobtainable. Distant, yet near enough to desire. Every day, Ike pushed further in his hunt, drawing closer to the source of those persistent crows. And still, all they''d encountered were hens.


    As he fought his way through the monsters, his core expanded and strengthened, and he felt that shapeless thing in his core slowly take form. It felt firm, flat. He hated to borrow Rosamund''s words, but it felt like a foundation. His core was full with mana as well, both from the meat he ate and from the hunts themselves. Rosamund''s head still provided a steady stream of mana, though now he only used her head every few days. The longer he left it, the denser the black gunk became, the more mana accumulated in Rosamund''s head. He could put lunam in her head without releasing the black gunk, so there was no difficulty in raising the density of the mana.


    Speaking of, that bunk about lunam making people go insane, or whatever seems to be total nonsense, Ike noted to himself. I''m still perfectly sane.


    The page in Orin''s book that talked about lunam was pulled from another book. I wonder who wrote it, and why? Was someone trying to hide something about the Abyss? When it came to people who can freely enter and exit it, the city lord was the first person who appeared in Ike''s mind''s eye.


    But then, the Abyss is inescapable.


    Ike shook his head at himself. According to common knowledge, anyways. But common knowledge isn''t always true. I can''t escape it, but I''m only Rank 1. Higher-Ranks avoid it, because it''s ''inescapable.'' How many higher-Ranked hunters or mages have fallen in the Abyss recently? They already know to avoid it.


    But then, if a mage fell in, and easily flew out, the way those maids always did when they followed Rosamund around¡­


    His eyes widened. That''s right. The maids! They''d been flying, but the second they crossed over the Abyss, the flight skills faded. The same with Rosamund''s own rose-stepping skill. His brow furrowed. He twisted his lips, trying to put it all together. Abruptly, he sighed and shook his head.


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    I have some pieces, but I''m still missing some. I need more before I can put this together. For now, I''m just going to focus on getting stronger.


    Speaking of getting stronger, he''d found more of the green skill orbs. All of them were embedded in the chickens'' legs. Their drumsticks or thighs, but always their legs. As he fused them into the first orb, the orb grew clearer and clearer. Now, only a small star of dust remained in its very center.


    Ike pulled it out and lifted it to the sun. It twinkled, casting a green circle on the ground below. It might be more beautiful with that star in its heart.


    He tucked it back away. Beautiful, but useless. He wouldn''t absorb it until the star was gone. If imperfect skills held him back from Ranking up, he couldn''t make such a mistake now. A sinking feeling rolled over him. What if I already absorbed an imperfect skill? Worried, he quickly pulled up his skill list.


    [Name: Ike | Age: 15 | Status: Nm | Rank: 1 [Abyss Dweller]]


    Skills: Common: 5 | Bronze 2 | ¡­ | Rare 2 | ¡­ | Unique: 5


    Common: All-Around Runner Lvl 5 | Razor Handling Lvl 9 | Spear Handling Lvl 3 | Axe Handling Lvl 4 | Sword Handling Lvl 4 | Bow Handling Lvl 1| Primitive Crafting Lvl 5


    Bronze: Sensory Enhancement Lvl 4 | Mana Manipulation Lvl 2


    Rare: Salamander Healing Lvl 8 | River-Splitting Sword Lvl 3


    Unique: Lightning Dash Lvl 8 | Lightning Grasp Lvl 5 | Lightning Clad (Forearm) Lvl 3 | Lightning Clad (Calf) Lvl 2 | Lightning Caller Lvl 1


    He crossed his arms, thinking. The Lightning skills are all fine, probably. The original orb was certainly perfect, and the skills I''ve based off of it¡­are based off a perfect skill, so they should be fine, right? I should ask someone, but who?


    For now, I''ll just have to trust myself.


    He moved to the Rare list. Salamander Healing was a skill Rosamund had described as a gift to the city lord, Lord Brightbriar, so it almost certainly was perfect. He didn''t recall seeing any defects in the River-Splitting Sword skill. For all that Silver was a bit of an oddball, he had no reason to harm Ike. Nor did he seem like the type to sneakily try to injure someone else. If he had a problem with Ike, he''d simply attack Ike outright.


    He might have accidentally given me an imperfect skill, but I think I can rest easy that River-Splitting Sword is perfect, or close to perfect.


    Down to the Bronze skills. There had been no visible defects in Sensory Enhancement. Plus, the owl had been bothering Silver for a long time, and on top of that, daring to bother Silver. It was high enough Rank that it was likely a few thousand years old. Old enough to have a good skill.


    Mana Manipulation was another skill he had developed himself, and he was withholding judgement on personally-developed skills at the moment. Which only left the Common skills.


    Given that I had a few level 2 or more Common skills when I became a Rank 0, I doubt that they matter much for Rank. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike nodded and uncrossed his arms. I think I''m good to go. If I have any imperfect skills, they''re barely imperfect. Rank 2, 3, maybe even 4 or higher. I can climb the Ranks as long as I keep growing these skills!


    He patted the skill orb in his pocket. And adding new, of course.


    Loup looked up at him. She lifted her nose and nudged his hand.


    "Let''s go hunt one more today, girl," Ike said. As little as he liked overhunting, the fear that the city lord had some kind of plan for him made him keep hunting, keep fighting. He had to get stronger. As fast as possible.


    Loup opened her mouth in a smile, her tongue lolling out. She padded ahead of him, looking back at Ike expectantly.


    Ike snorted. Someone''s having fun. He jogged on, following Loup.


    A rooster cry cut through the forest, closer than ever. A shadow stalked through the woods. Bobbing, clucking¡­hungry.

 53. Fist of the Rooster

    Loup slunk through the forest, searching after a scent trail. Ike followed after her. By now, picking his steps through the forest came as an instinct. He couldn''t move as quietly as Loup, but he got close. They crept toward a hen from downwind. It pecked at the weeds, unaware of their presence.Loup glanced at Ike. She jogged ahead, putting some distance between the two of them. Ike paused where he stood, slightly behind the hen. He waited, counting slowly to ten. The hen shifted slightly in the clearing. He crept along with it, adding a few seconds to his count to allow Loup to adjust.


    Abruptly, the hen''s head snapped up. It ran off, fleeing the scene entirely.


    Ike frowned. He straightened. Hens had run off before, but usually he or Loup had made a mistake. Walked upwind, stepped on a stick, missed the timing. This time, though, he hadn''t noticed any obvious missteps. He ran the events back in his head just to be sure. No, I can''t come up with anything. Maybe I¡ª


    A shadow fell over Ike. A fierce cock-a-doodle-doo rang out on the quiet forest air. Black claws pierced toward his face, almost as large as Ike himself. Broad red wings spread overhead, stretching wide over the forest. A lustrous dark-green tail trailed on the wind.


    Ike''s eyes widened. He activated Lightning Dash and sped into the forest.


    The rooster slammed into the ground with an earth-rattling shake. Dust flew up from the point of the strike, and a nearby tree crashed to the ground. The rooster towered over Ike. The average trees only reached its underbelly, while the highest trees barely brushed its chest. It looked down on Ike and tilted its head. Its huge red wattle trembled. Its beak glistened in the sun. It opened its mouth, revealing a fat pink tongue, and jabbed its beak at Ike.


    Ike drew his sword. He stood his ground. Lightning crackled around his forearms.


    Beak met sword. Ike stumbled back, but held the guard. They clashed for a long moment, and then Ike twisted his sword. The beak slid off the flat and struck the ground rather than Ike.


    Ike''s eyes shone. He whipped around and sliced at the rooster''s head.


    Faster than Ike thought possible, the giant rooster withdrew its head. Ike''s strike missed, a half-beat too slow. Standing tall over him once more, the rooster drew back its leg.


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    Oh, shit. Ike turned and fled out of the grassy clearing and into the forest.


    The rooster chased after him, unleashing a flurry of kicks as it ran. Each kick felled trees. Dirt flew up. Wood creaked, groaned, and shattered. Tree trunks slammed down all around Ike. He turned around and ran backward, watching them fall with his enhanced senses. With their help, he managed to dart out of the way before any trunks hit him.


    Snap. A young pine dropped down at him. Thick, wide-reaching branches cut off his escape. Ike gritted his teeth, then lowered his sword. He braced his legs. Lightning burst from his forearms and calves.


    The shadow eclipsed Ike. The tree closed in on him. The very first branches brushed Ike''s head.


    He unleashed the upward strike of the River-Splitting sword. His blade sliced through the branches, cutting a slash just wide enough for him. The tree struck the ground and bounced, but Ike stood in the ruins, unharmed.


    Before he could feel relief, the rooster leaped at him. Black claws stretched wide, blocking out the sun. The rooster flapped, hovering over him to claw at him again and again.


    Ike dropped down below the remaining branches. The pine tree bore the brunt of the rooster''s onslaught. Needles rained down on Ike. Pine sap filled the air, sharp and sweet. The branches shattered. A black claw gouged the pine trunk.


    I have to get out of here. Ike glanced left, down the tree, and right, up toward its peak.


    The rooster slammed its beak down inches from Ike''s right. Two beady eyes glared at him, each one as big as Ike''s hand. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Left it is. He rolled to the left, toward the thicker branches lower on the tree.


    Screeching at the top of its lungs, the rooster chased after him. Its beak clacked shut over and over. It snapped away branches, stripping the pine tree bare.


    Ike kicked off the trunk and cut hard toward the rooster. It kept chewing through the tree, unaware of Ike''s turnabout. The rooster''s neck stretched before him, broad as his entire body. Calling forth all his strength, Ike cut into the rooster''s neck.


    The sword struck. Feathers flew. It jarred into the rooster''s neck, slicing skin and muscle. The blade hit something hard and stopped dead. Reverb jarred up Ike''s arms. He grimaced, hands and wrists aching. How hard are these bones? He grabbed the sword with both hands and yanked. Stuck fast, the sword refused to budge.


    Oh, shit.


    The rooster turned around, doubling back on itself. Its huge beak opened.


    Ike yanked harder. He lifted his leg and kicked with all his might, pulling at the same time. He jerked the sword free. Blood spurted out. Ike stumbled back.


    The rooster snapped at Ike. Off-balance, Ike back-handedly slapped the sword at it. The blade deflected off its beak. Rather than throwing the rooster back, Ike managed to throw himself back barely out of the beak''s reach.


    Doggedly, the rooster chased him down, biting again. This time, Ike had nothing. He was off-balance, his sword out of position, completely unprepared. He tensed, expecting pain.


    Lightning boomed. The rooster stumbled, its head striking the ground. Ike looked up, startled. What the¡­

 54. Two Lightning Bolts

    Loup leaped into the air and dropped down on the rooster''s head. She opened her mouth. Bright white light shone in her throat. She lowered her head, and thunder boomed as white light slammed into the rooster.The rooster stumbled. Ike sliced at its throat again, but his sword stuck once more. This time, he expected it. The blow hurt less, and he yanked the sword out easily. The rooster screeched in pain, twisting its neck, and exposed his earlier, deeper cut. Muscle glistened in the sun, but not bone. Ike wrinkled his nose. I can''t behead it. I can''t even cut through its deep muscles. I need another plan.


    With a vicious scream, the rooster tossed its head. Ike and Loup both flew into the air. Ike tumbled over a fallen tree and out of the rooster''s sight. The branches snapped under his body. He gritted his teeth against the ache.


    Across the span of fallen trees, more wood cracked as Loup hit the ground. She yelped in pain.


    Lying in the wreckage of the tree, splayed over the trunk, Ike''s heart jolted. "Loup!"


    She yipped, her voice upbeat.


    Still alive. Doing okay. Thank goodness. Ike turned back to the rooster.


    Two tree-trunk-like legs stood before him. Black claws bit into the earth. Huge spurs lifted high at the back of the rooster''s foot. It hefted its head back.


    Ike jumped up and dashed away, silver chasing his steps. The rooster slammed its beak down seconds later, piercing deep into the trunk. Ike glanced back, ready to round about and punish it for getting stuck, but the rooster easily drew its beak out. It stalked after him, beady eyes locked on his.


    Loup climbed out of the trees. She growled. The rooster turned. Its eyes locked onto her instead.


    Ike instantly whipped around and raced at the rooster''s feet. He hefted his sword and unleashed a slash at the rooster''s nearest ankle. Instead of trying to slice through the joint, Ike aimed for the back of the foot to sever the tendon. Scaly skin resisted the blade. He forced his way through, only to strike the stiff tendon. His sword cut halfway through, then stopped. He jerked it out.


    The rooster screeched. It lifted its foot and delivered a powerful kick toward Ike.


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    Ike threw himself to the side. The foot swooshed by, ruffling his hair.


    As it kicked, Loup darted in. She angled toward the rooster''s other ankle and slammed her teeth down. Lightning flickered around her jaw. She shook her head back and forth, wrenching the tendon with all her might.


    Swapping to stand on its sliced leg, the rooster shook the leg Loup held onto. She dug in for a few seconds, then flew off. She rolled into a tree and vanished behind the leaves.


    Before it could swap back, Ike drew back his sword. Lightning shone on his forearms. With all his strength, he sliced through the remaining tendon. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The rooster retracted its injured leg, swapping to stand on the one Loup gnawed. It drove its beak at Ike. Ike dashed, leaving only a buzz of electricity behind him. But this time, he didn''t dash away. He dashed in, toward the rooster''s remaining leg. His eyes locked onto the gnawed tendon. He slammed his foot down, securing his stance, and let forth the horizontal slash of the River-Splitting Sword at the rooster''s remaining ankle.


    The mantis blade cut through easily. The gnawed skin couldn''t hold his sword back any longer. With a snap, he severed the tendon. The rooster fell, dropping onto its underbelly.


    Ike charged in. The rooster reared back and struck at Ike. Ike deflected its blow and continued toward its neck. "Loup!"


    On the other side of the rooster, Loup rose out of the dark of night. She leaped at the rooster, her mouth wide. Lightning flashed in her mouth.


    Ike lowered the sword. He lifted his hand instead. White bolts crackled at his fingertips. At the same time that Loup bit it, he grasped the rooster''s neck.


    Lightning shot from Loup''s mouth to his hand, straight through the rooster''s neck. The rooster jolted, spasming wildly. It tensed, whole body rigid.


    Ike dropped back. On the other side, Loup landed. They both backed away, eyeing the rooster.


    Its eyes rolled back in its head. Its tongue lolled out. It remained tense for another few seconds, then went totally limp, falling to the ground.


    Warmth flowed into Ike. Mana filled his core. He hadn''t felt it with the other chickens, not until he examined himself after the past, but this one he felt clearly. Pure warmth, expanding and swirling inside him. He took a deep breath and circulated his mana. If I hadn''t just used so much mana to fight the rooster, I''d be over-full. As it is, it''s perfectly enough to fill me up.


    The nicks and cuts all over his body healed. The bruises lightened. Pain faded away, and he stretched. Thank the gods for Salamander Healing.


    Ike let out a sigh. He grinned, the grin slowly growing wider. He looked at Loup. "We did it. We did it, girl!"


    Loup walked over to his side, her tail wagging. She leaned against him.


    Ike hesitated, then patted her side. She paused, considering, then wagged her tail. He smiled, running a hand over her fluff. Getting to pet Loup is almost better than killing the rooster. Almost.


    Stepping away from Loup, he walked over to the rooster and crouched. She followed him, then pulled ahead to sniff the rooster.


    "This thing has to have a skill orb somewhere," Ike muttered aloud to himself.

 55. Rooster Skills

    "Let''s find these skills," Ike muttered.He started with the legs. At the thigh, a strange orb met his fingertips. He sliced it open and revealed another green skill orb. This one was clearer than any of the others, the star in its center almost as small as the one Ike had refined. He drew out his green orb and pressed the two together, almost too eager. The two skill orbs slid into one. A bright green light shone. Ike winced, looking aside. He lifted a hand to block the light. That never happened before.


    The light faded. He looked down. A perfectly clear green skill orb sat in his palm. It weighed a little more than it had before, too, as if it held the gravity of all the orbs it had absorbed.


    He hesitated another moment, then laughed. No reason not to. After all my hard work, I might as well go for it. Ike gripped it tight. "Absorb!" sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Green light shone again. Beams shot out from between his fingers. Warmth poured into his arm, coursing into his core.


    The skill orb vanished. Ike pulled up his skill menu. Giddiness roiled in his stomach. He grinned wide, excited. What did I get?


    [Name: Ike | Age: 15 | Status: Nm | Rank: 1 [Abyss Dweller]]


    Skills: Common: 5 | Bronze 2 | ¡­ | Rare 2 | ¡­ | Unique: 5


    Common: All-Around Runner Lvl 6 | Razor Handling Lvl 9 | Spear Handling Lvl 4 | Axe Handling Lvl 4 | Sword Handling Lvl 6 | Bow Handling Lvl 1 | Primitive Crafting Lvl 7


    Bronze: Sensory Enhancement Lvl 5 | Mana Manipulation Lvl 3


    Silver: Flurry of Kicks Lvl 1


    Rare: Salamander Healing Lvl 9 | River-Splitting Sword Lvl 4


    Unique: Lightning Dash Lvl 8 | Lightning Grasp Lvl 5 | Lightning Clad (Forearm) Lvl 4 | Lightning Clad (Calf) Lvl 3 | Lightning Caller Lvl 1


    His brows furrowed. Flurry of Kicks? It made sense that it was a leg-based skill, but kicks? Only the rooster had really used kicks. The hens had preferred to peck. He frowned, then shrugged. I didn''t have a kick skill yet, so I''ll take it.


    Who knows? Maybe that was why it was so imperfect in the hens. It was more perfect in the rooster than in any of the hens¡ªhe could say that for certain. I''ll keep an eye on it. See if it''s the same, if I ever find another imperfect skill.


    Looking back at the rooster, Ike lifted his sword. "That can''t be the only skill it has. This thing was huge. It''s got to have a real skill, not just an imperfect skill."


    Loup looked at him, then wagged her tail and scooted in, eager for the first bite of rooster meat.


    "It''ll probably be gamier than the hens, girl," Ike warned her, then paused and rolled his eyes at himself. She''s a wild wolf. I''m sure she doesn''t mind.


    It took him a while to saw into the rooster. Even in death, the dense muscle and thick bone resisted his blade. Loup helped, darting in to tear off a bit of meat for herself from time to time. In the ruins of the battleground, Ike slowly dismantled the rooster.


    --


    A wall of bone stretched before him, nigh impenetrable. His blows only scratched its surface. Ike narrowed his eyes, then darted toward it.


    "Raaaaagh!" With a battle cry, Ike finally broke through the bird''s sternum. The ribcage fell open, revealing the chicken''s organs. Loup instantly darted in, stealing some unidentifiable part of it and darting away. Ike stood back, wiping his brow. Bonebreaking is hard work. No wonder the bone breakers back at my uncle''s plant were always so buff.


    He grabbed the upper half of the ribcage with his hands and shoved it up and over. It fell on the other side of the chicken. He gazed at the organs, searching for skill orbs.


    Light emitted from under the chicken''s heart. Ike''s eyes widened. He shoved the heart aside, excited. There it is!


    The heart flopped out of the way, revealing a melon-sized ball of light. Thousands of sparks swirled slowly in the orb''s depths, forming a ring around a dark center. A transparent shell surrounded the ball. Ike pulled it out. It resisted his pull, then popped out all at once. The shell was hard and slick with blood. The orb warmed his hands, not just warm from the body, but emitting its own heat.


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    Ike frowned. He turned the orb around in his hands, confused. This isn''t a skill orb. What the hell is it?


    Curious, he sent a pulse of mana into the orb. Instantly, the sparks responded, flying to his mana. They swirled around it, shaping his mana into a spark, then drew the pulse of mana into the same orbit they followed.


    Ike''s eyes widened. Hold on. No way. Is this the chicken''s core?


    He touched his own core, then looked at the transparent orb in his hands. Mana circulated in it. It flowed in some predefined pattern that the mana itself sustained without guidance. By all accounts, it looked like a core.


    He grinned. Bet I can absorb this mana. He put both hands on the core and drew from it. The sparks darted to his hands, and heat flowed into his body. Ike guided it into his own core. There, he reshaped it, circulating it according to his own pattern. His core filled almost immediately. The chicken''s mana was denser than his, each spark equivalent to great clumps of Ike''s mana. Letting out a breath, Ike released the orb.


    His hands wouldn''t let go. Mana kept flowing into him.


    Startled, Ike shook his hands. The orb stuck persistently. It refused to release his hands. More and more mana flowed into his core, overfilling it. Ike struggled to circulate his mana. Excess mana spilled out of his core, flowing into his passages. It burned fiercely. His mana passages shredded away as the back flow clashed with the forward flow. His healing skill activated, siphoning some of the mana, but it wasn''t fast enough.


    Ike spun around and smashed the core on a nearby tree, trying to knock it off his hands, destroy it, anything. The core looked as delicate as a blown glass ball, but it smashed the bark off the tree rather than shattering itself. The shockwave of the strike flew back up his hands and arms. He couldn''t release it. He couldn''t knock it free.


    Ike gritted his teeth. I need to get rid of this excess mana, but how?


    The Clad skills! Ike activated both his Lightning Clad skills. They siphoned the mana away. The pain faded, and Ike sighed in relief. Thank goodness. I¡ª


    Before he could finish the thought, the mana surged from the core faster than ever before. Once more, it began overflowing his core. His stomach burned in pain, and his body tensed.


    Ike grimaced. I need more! More Clad skills.


    Forcing himself to think through the pain, he drew the formula for the Lightning Clad (Calf) skill back into his mind. He drew it out, thickening the shape of the spell and lengthening it so it covered his thigh. The skill wavered in his mind, the formula not quite right, but he had no time to fix it. He forcibly activated the skill.


    Lightning darted up his thigh. It trembled, unstable. Rather than let the skill collapse and start over, Ike poured more mana into the skill. One of the lines of the skill snapped. Ike grimaced, but pushed on. It doesn''t matter. I''m going to force this to activate anyways.


    Another line snapped. Another. The skill trembled, on the verge of total collapse. It stopped siphoning enough mana, and his core began to burn again.


    No! Ike forced more mana into it. The ruins of the skill barely held up. All at once, they crumpled.


    The mana flowed backward. It clashed in his passages and tore them apart. His whole body shook. Ike staggered and spat up blood. Everything hurt. His vision blurred. He barely kept his feet, his legs shaking like a young deer''s.


    If I pass out now, I die.


    Ike shook his head, fighting his way back to clarity. He drew the skill into his mind again, the shape of it, the lines. Everywhere the mana had snapped a line, he thickened the line and added supporting flows in and out of the critical point. With no time to waste, he drew out the skill on his thigh again.


    Once more, mana flowed away from his core, providing instant relief. This time, the framework held. A small line at the bottom of the skill snapped; he widened it. A supporting flow halfway up the skill faded; he cut it, and changed the supporting flow to touch lower on the cross line. Mana scoured the skill''s shape, but this time, the skill held firm. In the few places it broke, Ike quickly fixed it. Lightning crackled around his leg. The skill took form. Even without looking at his skill list, Ike already knew he''d see Lightning Clad (Thigh) the next time he checked.


    But more mana poured out of his core. Still too much for his body to bear, even with his clad skills active. Ike turned his attention to his biceps. Using the strengthened version of the skill''s framework, he drew the skill up from his elbow to his shoulder. Compared to his thigh, his bicep took the skill easily. Mana flowed from the core to the new skill, alleviating his pain, but not eliminating it.


    Ike bit his lip. What else? He activated Lightning Dash and Lightning Grasp. Lightning danced around all his limbs, only his chest and head dark. Still his mana overflowed.


    He activated Flurry of Kicks, Sensory Enhancement, River-Splitting Sword, and Salamander Healing, using all his skills at once. He sprinted circles around the battlefield, leaping logs and downed trees with mighty kicks, slashing the rooster''s core at invisible enemies. One last skill remained unused, but he eyed it warily, unwilling to activate it. Lightning Caller.


    I''m not even sure I can activate it without achieving its prerequisite stormy weather¡­and even if I could, I don''t want to get struck by lightning. That''s adding more problems to the problems I already have, not solving them!


    Loup ran circles around him, yipping in excitement and wagging her tail. She jumped wiggled her body, as if trying to imitate the strange gestures Ike made. Every now and again, she let him run away from her just to chase after him, all her fur blowing back and her tongue hanging out in excitement.


    "I''m glad someone''s enjoying this," Ike muttered.

 56. Too Much Mana

    He dashed on, dragged over the land by his skills, shooting lightning in all directions. Overhead, clouds gathered, and rain began to fall. The more he ran, the darker the clouds grew. Flashes of light appeared in their depths, followed by dangerous rumbles. Ike cast a wary glance upward. At this rate, I''m going to get struck by lightning without ever activating Lightning Caller.He glanced at the rooster''s corpse, then wrinkled his nose. I''ll have to come back. I can''t stay here without getting struck.


    "Loup!" Ike called. She lifted her head from where she''d been picking at the rooster''s organs, bored of the chase-Ike game. He raced away from her. For a few seconds, she watched him go. Then she mumbled something under her breath and raced after him, galloping through the woods.


    Ike ran in a straight line, leaving the clouds behind him. Rocks jumped up under his feet, and branches grabbed at him as he passed. Ike leaped and dodged, his enhanced senses alerting him to the dangers seconds before he struck. When he was far enough from the storm he''d generated that the skies were clear again, he began circling once more. Again, storm clouds began to build up. Again, Ike ran on, cutting off to the left. Once more, storm clouds grew; once more, Ike moved on. He worked in a circle around the original loop he''d drawn, running in smaller loops around the outside of that first loop. Whenever storm clouds built, he moved on.


    Overhead, as Ike drew more circles, the clouds grew darker and more threatening. From a single storm, it grew into a supercell. Flashes of lightning turned into bolts. Thunder cracked out, ear-shatteringly loud. Winds thrashed, blowing at one another from all directions. The trees creaked, leaves fluttering, as they leaned back and forth. Small branches flew around, whipped up by the storm. The light took on a greenish sheen. The clouds began to pinch downward. Slowly, but surely, the funnel clouds descended toward the ground.


    Ike stared up, his jaw dropped. Holy shit. In retrospect, maybe I shouldn''t have run in circles so much.


    He watched the tornado for a second. It wandered toward the waterfall. Ike grimaced. Toward the waterfall is back toward my camp¡­but there''s nothing I can do now. He whipped around and raced in the opposite direction. Loup ran alongside him, watching the tornado over her shoulder.


    Just as they raced away, the last sparks winked out in the core. The transparent ball crumbled away, freeing Ike''s hands. He grimaced. Had to run out now, huh?


    He deactivated all his skills except for Lightning Dash. Now that he didn''t need to run down his mana, it was best to only use what he needed. At least his mana was completely full, so he didn''t need to worry about using Lightning Dash for the short-term future.


    The storm cloud over him grumbled. Bright white light flashed, and rain poured down. Wind lashed his body. Ike lifted his hands to shade his eyes as he ran, searching for a place to take shelter. Nothing loomed up at him. Just forest, trees, and thick undergrowth. Grimacing, he ran on, hunkering away from the rain.


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    "Don''t suppose you have some kind of cave-location skill?" Ike asked, peering through the rain at Loup.


    Loup glanced at him. She stopped, then threw her head back and howled. The wind snatched her voice away.


    Ike slowed. He watched her, waiting. Maybe the howl is how she finds caves, or something?


    In the distance, barely audible when the wind blew the right direction, another wolf howled back.


    A chill climbed up Ike''s spine. That''s right. I did hear other wolves down here.


    Loup''s ears flicked toward the other wolf. She looked at Ike, then loped off toward the cry.


    "We''re heading toward it?" Ike asked. He rubbed the back of his neck, then looked over his shoulder. Another funnel cloud descended from the blackening clouds. Any port in a storm. I''m strong enough I should be able to hold my own against a few wolves right now, and I have plenty of mana. He turned toward Loup. She didn''t seem the type to betray him, either. Rather, she''d just attack if she disagreed. If she was leading him somewhere, she thought it was a good idea to go that way.


    Mind made up, he raced after Loup. The two of them chased the other wolf''s voice into the forest.


    Rain soaked Ike''s clothes. Wind grabbed at the wet cloth, smacking it against his body. Ahead of him, Loup whipped her ears backward, her eyes slitted against the weather. Lightning flashed all around them. The trees groaned, leaning with the wind.


    The wolf howled again, closer this time. Loup lifted her head, her ears perking, then ran on. Ike followed her. We''re getting close. He put a hand on his sword, ready to attack if need be.


    A hill loomed over them. Rocky boulders stood out here and there on the hill''s surface. Ahead of them, a gap in two of the boulders formed a sort of cave. The rain lashed the cave''s entrance, but couldn''t reach its depths.


    Amidst the grey stone, a grey shape moved. Another wolf looked at them. Yellow eyes landed on Ike, and the wolf''s hackles rose. It lifted its lips and bared its teeth at them.


    Ike reached for his sword, but Loup stepped out in front of him. She gave him a look, then walked ahead, closing in on the wolf.


    Loup and the wolf looked at one another. Loup lowered her neck, looking up at the wolf. The wolf growled, looking down on Loup.


    Straightening her neck, Loup stood tall. She stood head and shoulders over the other wolf, the silver in her coat gleaming. Tiny fingers of electricity crackled over her coat. She lifted her lips. Quietly, she growled, warning the other wolf.


    The other wolf lowered its head. It backed away.


    Loup looked at Ike, then strode past the wolf. Hesitant, Ike drew close, still resting his hand on his sword.


    The other wolf stepped forward. It growled at him.


    Loup whirled around and slapped the first wolf with her paw. It stumbled and looked at her in surprise. She turned around and leaned up against Ike. Her eyes narrowed at the wolf.


    The wolf backed away, its ears slicked down.


    Ike grinned, a little nervous. He edged past the other wolf. With Loup in between him and the other wolf, the other wolf didn''t dare growl at Ike. It glowered at him silently.


    Ike shrugged at it. "You''re the one who responded to Loup. Shouldn''t have done that if you didn''t want her to take your cave."


    The wolf wrinkled its nose. It looked away.


    From this wolf''s perspective, it called for its fellow wolves, only for a nice female voice to reply. So of course it called again, but Loup didn''t want a mate, she wanted his cave! Scammed by a pretty girl wolf¡­ ha.


    Well, I suppose in the wild, might makes right, and Loup is undoubtedly bigger than that other wolf. His loss, our gain. Ike shook his head at the poor other wolf and squeezed into the cave. Loup followed him inside. At the doorway, she glanced back and made a quiet sound at the other wolf.


    The other wolf grumbled back. Somewhat reluctantly, it followed Loup into the cave.


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 57. Waiting Out the Storm

    The three of them sat in the cave, waiting for the storm to pass. Wind howled by the entrance, and rain splattered over the stone. Deep in the cave, though, it remained warm and dry. The other wolf sat against the wall, head turned away from Loup and Ike. Every now and again, he sighed, but aside from that, he made no complaints. Loup shook herself off and settled down in the middle of the cave. She sprawled out across the dirt, snoozing.Ike crouched against the wall. He watched the storm through the mouth of the cave. Lightning flashed and thunder boomed. Every now and again, the cool spray of rain washed over his skin. He sighed.


    In the future, I need to be more careful about my skills. This time, there was no helping it, but it''s a good reminder that my skills have a few side effects that I have to watch out for. He wiped the spray off his face. With nothing better to do, he pulled up his skills list to check whether any had ranked up from his wild racing around.


    [Name: Ike | Age: 15 | Status: Nm | Rank: 1 [Abyss Dweller]]


    Skills: Common: 5 | Bronze 2 | Silver 1 | ¡­ | Rare 2 | ¡­ | Unique: 7


    Common: All-Around Runner Lvl 7 | Razor Handling Lvl 9 | Spear Handling Lvl 4 | Axe Handling Lvl 4 | Sword Handling Lvl 6 | Bow Handling Lvl 1 | Primitive Crafting Lvl 7


    Bronze: Sensory Enhancement Lvl 5 | Mana Manipulation Lvl 3 sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Silver: Flurry of Kicks Lvl 2


    Rare: Salamander Healing Lvl 9 | River-Splitting Sword Lvl 4


    Unique: Lightning Dash Lvl 8 | Lightning Grasp Lvl 5 | Lightning Clad (Forearm) Lvl 5 | Lightning Clad (Calf) Lvl 4 | Lightning Clad (Thigh) Lvl 2 | Lightning Clad (Bicep) Lvl 2 | Lightning Caller Lvl 2


    He grinned to himself. Two new Clad skills, and they''d all ranked up at least once! Most of his other skills had ranked up as well, with the exception of Salamander Healing, which remained at level 9, and some of his low-level Common skills that didn''t use mana. He''d had to run around like a maniac burning mana to not die, but in return, he''d gotten some solid benefits. Especially in a place like the Abyss, where mana was hard to come by, he couldn''t consider his efforts wasted. He''d survived, and survived the storm he''d accidentally generated, too. To level up his skills on top of that could only be considered a bonus.


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    Closing the menu, he peered out at the storm. Hopefully the tornado didn''t hit Rosamund''s head directly. Or destroy his pack. Luckily, tornadoes are extreme destruction in a very limited span. If you''re hit, you''re fucked, but one step to the right of the hit, and you''ll be fine. Barring shrapnel, anyways. It does mean I''m praying here that it doesn''t hit my camp dead on, but on the other hand, there''s a good chance it completely misses my camp and everything is fine.


    Tornadoes hit the slums, sometimes. There weren''t many natural tornadoes in the area, but when mages fought in the upper city, all kinds of strange phenomena escaped and splattered into the slums. The mages never cared to protect the slums much, so it was on the slum dwellers to survive whatever fell off the upper city. One had destroyed a segment of his uncle''s villa, once. He remembered it vaguely. He''d been five at the time, and he''d cringed at the sight of it, expecting his uncle to burst into a rage. Instead, there had simply been silence. Silence, and a strange resignation in his uncle''s eyes.


    I didn''t understand it at the time, but¡­was that my uncle realizing that he''d never be high enough Rank to cast those kinds of phenomena himself? And here I am at Rank 1 making tornadoes. Ha!


    ¡­Though, I can''t say I''m that happy about having made tornadoes. Nor am I controlling them, so overall, I think it''s my loss.


    He settled back against the wall. With nothing to do, he started to drift off to sleep.


    Abruptly, Loup sat up. Her ears perked, and her head whipped around to stare toward the mouth of the cave.


    A second later, the other wolf sat up as well. Both of them stared at the cave opening, waiting for something.


    Ike shook off his doze and sat forward, rising into a crouch. He put a hand on his sword, ready to draw.


    Through the lashing rain, two shadows walked toward the cave. They wore oiled coats, their bodies hidden beneath and their faces obscured by deep hoods. Ike could see them clearly, but knew they couldn''t see him, tucked in the dark of the cave as he was.


    The cave''s entrance was narrow, but it widened toward the center. Where Ike and the wolves sat, it was tall enough to stand in and wide enough to wield a sword, but only in the middle. It narrowed toward the edges where the ceiling sloped down to the floor. He crept toward the center of the cave. There, he''d have enough room to maneuver if it came to a fight, and the incoming people would have no room to swing their weapons.


    He didn''t want a fight. But he had no idea what these figures'' intentions were. Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.


    Loup crept up beside him. She raised her hackles and bared her teeth, but watched him closely, waiting for a signal to growl.


    They drew closer. Ike tensed. The leading figure, the larger of the two, put his hand on the edge of the cave.


    "Stop," Ike warned them.


    Loup growled.


    The figures froze. The smaller one grabbed at the larger one.


    "We''re only looking for shelter," the larger one said calmly.


    Ike frowned. I''ve heard that voice before. "Ket?"


    A pause. The two figures looked at one another, taken aback. The larger one leaned in, squinting into the darkness. "¡­Ike?"

 58. Reunion

    Ike stepped back. He let the two of them in, out of the storm. Loup looked at him, then lowered her hackles and quieted, falling in at his heel.Tana lowered her hood, and Ket followed her example a moment later. Their strange inverse eyes gazed at Ike, while their oiled hoods dripped on the cave floor.


    "What are you doing in the Abyss?" Ket asked.


    "I could ask the same of you," Ike returned.


    Tana looked at Ket. Quietly, she asked, "Who is this?"


    "That''s right, you wouldn''t remember. He''s the one who freed you from the curse," Ket replied.


    Her eyes widened. She curtseyed to Ike. "Thank you. I owe you a great debt."


    "Ah, it''s¡­it''s¡­" Ike didn''t know what to say, so he nodded awkwardly. "Thank you."


    Ket glanced at the wolves. "Are they safe?"


    Ike looked down. He gently patted Loup''s head. "Loup is my friend. The other one¡­ I think you can consider him Loup''s subordinate for the moment."


    Ket smiled. He laid his oilskin, wet-side down, on the stone and guided Tana to sit on it. Taking her oilskin, he set it aside to dry. "What''s happened since we escaped? Last I remember, you were a newbie hunter hanging out at the outpost. Didn''t have those swords or that wolf."


    "And the same for you. How did you two end up in the Abyss?" Ike asked. He''s already dodged the question once.


    Ket nodded. "You first."


    Ike paused, then quickly summarized the events that had led to him entering the Abyss. He left out Silver''s involvement, Rosamund''s strange body, the part where he generated the storm, and skipped most of the chicken-hunting, too, but left in the essential pieces: Rosamund dragging him out as a guide, falling in, Rosamund''s father rescuing her, and entering the deeper parts of the Abyss.


    He nodded at Ket. "So? How did you two end up down here?"


    Ket grinned. "We live here."


    Ike blinked. "What?"


    Tana glanced at Ket, then nodded and leaned forward. "We are Abyss-Dwellers. Our eyes are like this," she gestured at her black sclera and white irises, "because we''re exposed to lunam from birth. The two of us are citizens of the small country of Abyss-Dwellers hidden in the heart of the Abyss. Historically¡­we''re something like the prisoners and rejects thrown away by the overcity. Over the thousands of years the overcity has existed, those prisoners and rejects have drawn together and created a small nation."


    Ike nodded. Reasonable. But¡­ "If that''s the case, then you left the Abyss. You have a way out." S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Had," Ket stressed.


    Tana pressed her lips together. She nodded, regret in her eyes. "M¡­our queen, before she passed, had grown to become a powerful mage in her own right. She created a crystal that overcame the influence of lunam and the barrier spells on the Abyss, and gifted it to me so that Ket and I could take a message to the Brightbriars. But¡­when we were captured, we lost the crystal."


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    Ike grimaced. So much for that. Not that I think I have much of a future back in the city. Between knowing Rosamund''s true form and her general grudge for me, I''m probably better off down here. He nodded at her. "Why were you two headed to the overcity, in the first place? What was so dire that you''d risk your only way out of the Abyss?"


    Ket and Tana exchanged a glance. Tana nodded. "After the storm passes¡­it''s quicker to show you directly."


    Ike pursed his lips. He nodded. It''s not like I had anything to do other than kill monsters and secure my camp. If there''s a city down here, I might as well visit it. "If you don''t mind, I need to go pick up a few things from my camp first¡ªwe''re only sheltering here from the storm. But I would like to go to the city with you." And see whatever you two are talking about.


    Tana nodded. Ket watched her, then nodded as well. "We can wait. We''re already caught in the storm, and we''re in no rush."


    The three of them sat there, watching the storm roll by. Ike sat back against the opposite wall. Loup sat close beside him, watching Ket and Tana with wary eyes. The other wolf lifted his head, then laid back down pancake-style, too exhausted to give a shit anymore.


    The storm slowed down. The clouds cleared, and the sun shone through. Ike stood, dusting himself off. He nodded at Tana and Ket. "If you two want to wait here, Loup and I can run to the camp and come right back."


    "We''ll take the opportunity to rest, then," Tana said.


    Loup followed Ike out. At the door, she turned back. The other wolf climbed to his feet and walked slowly out of the cave, huffing in annoyance at the door.


    Wonder what the two of them went all the way out of the Abyss to talk to the city lord about? Ike looked over his shoulder once, then shook his head. Let''s hurry back to the camp. I shouldn''t waste their time¡­ any more than my storm already wasted it, anyways.


    He set off at a jog. Loup ran at his side. The two of them headed into the forest, back to camp.


    It didn''t take too long to reach his camp¡­ or rather, the remains of it. The tornado hadn''t struck his camp directly, but the high winds had thrown around everything that wasn''t tied down or buried. His bag had largely survived unharmed. It was thrown into a tree, but there were no serious damages. The canvas was sturdy, and so was Rosamund''s head, nestled within his clothes as it was. The feathers were a total lost cause. No longer piled up, they were now thrown willy-nilly across the clearing, blanketing the trees and floor in down. Ike wrinkled his nose. He picked up the bits that remained, the claws and some of the bones, and packed them into his bag.


    Untying Rosamund''s head from the outside of his bag, he checked that her gag was firmly in place, then stuffed her into the bag as well. Her eyes opened wide in protest, but with the gag, she couldn''t say a thing.


    "Sorry. I ran into some people. Can''t really afford to let just anyone see you," Ike explained to her.


    Looking around, he checked his camp one last time for valuables, then whistled for Loup. They ran off again, back into the forest. This time, Ike led the way to where he''d killed the rooster. The rooster''s body was damp from the rain and thrown around a bit, but it had survived the storm mostly unharmed. He looked at the massive thing. There''s no way I''m taking that back all at once. So¡­what should I take first?


    He tilted his head. The rooster''s impressive tailfeathers glinted green, even soaked with rainwater. He nodded to himself, then set about plucking the feathers. I bet there''s someone willing to pay a good price for those things.


    With the rooster feathers strapped to the side of his pack, he made a gaudy figure racing through the forest. They grew close to the cave, and Loup took the lead again. The hill rose up before them. Tana and Ket stood there at the mouth of the cave. At the sight of Ike, Ket grinned, lifting a hand to wave him over.


    "Looking good," Ket said, looking over the huge, trembling green tail feathers strapped to Ike''s pack.


    Ike glanced over his shoulder. "I know, right? Thinking of wearing them full-time."


    Tana giggled. She shook her head.


    "No? I think they look good, though. Gonna have all the ladies tonight," Ike said, waggling back and forth to make the feathers tremble and shine in the warm post-storm sun.


    Tana shook her head harder. Ket grinned. "Maybe not. Come on. Before you go get all the chicks, why don''t we show you what''s happening down here?"


    Ike sobered. He nodded. "Let''s go."

 59. In The Depths

    Ket led them through the forest, Tana close at his heels. He followed a path that Ike would have never found on his own. It carved through the forest, twisting and turning. Sometimes, the ground beneath their feet was bare, well-trod by people or beasts. Sometimes, Ket wound his way through a knot of trees with seemingly no guidance, surefooted as ever.Loup walked at the back of the pack, in no rush. She loped along, yawning from time to time. Mud stained her paws. From time to time, she''d vanish off into the woods, but she''d always return to trot along at the rear of the line.


    Ike drew up alongside Tana as they walked. She gave him a glance, then nodded a hello. Ike nodded back. "You''ve always lived down here?"


    "Since I was born," Tana said, smiling.


    "You were born down here? Wow," Ike muttered. He looked around them at the wildlife. "Must have been rough."


    "It isn''t much different from your city. We''re much smaller, not a true sect, just a small clan. Still, we have walls and barriers, like any larger sect would. The only difference is that the monsters truly outnumber us down here, given there''s so few of us, so rather than ranging out to hunt, we''re often backed in, barely maintaining our defenses." Tana patted Ket on the shoulder. "That''s what makes hunters like Ket so valuable."


    "You''re too kind, Tana," Ket said. He glanced over his shoulder, shooting Ike one of his trademark easy smiles. "I used to be a mage, a few hundred years ago. In the overcity and everything. Made a little mistake, kissed the wrong girl, and got sent straight to the Abyss."


    "You did a little more than kiss that girl, the way I recall the story," Tana replied, looking at Ket.


    Ket sighed wistfully. He spread his hands to the sky. "We would have made beautiful children."


    "You were a mage? In the overcity?" Ike asked, startled. Ket''s relaxed attitude and laid-back personality were nothing like what he expected from an overcity mage. I thought they were all haughty twats.


    "A lifetime ago," Ket said. He laughed, a derisive note in his voice, directed at himself. "I was someone else."


    "He had a lot to come to terms with, banished to the Abyss," Tana said simply.


    Ket snorted. He shook his head.


    "Wait, hundreds of years ago¡­what Rank are you?" Ike asked.


    "Three. On the verge of four, if you''d believe it," Ket said.


    Taken aback, Ike stared at him. "Then¡­couldn''t you have taken out that entire party, and the Salamander too¡­?"


    "I wish. You can''t process lunam, right?" Ket asked.


    "No," Ike confirmed. And I''m not going to confess that I have a secret lunam-mana conversion engine, either.


    Ket nodded. "I''ve been in the Abyss too long. I can no longer process mana. We ran into¡­difficulties passing our message along, and my lunam stores were running dry long before we encountered those bastards. Tana and I were separated for a brief moment, but that was too much. Once that shithead put the curse on Tana, my fate was sealed. I no longer had the lunam to break the curse outright, nor to kill him before he could activate the curse and kill her. All I could do was play along and wait for a moment to strike."


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    He looked over his shoulder, casting an approving gaze at Ike. "If you hadn''t attacked him first in the aftermath of the Salamander fight, I would have done the same."


    "And risked my life," Tana grumbled.


    "I never would have done that. Only if the circumstances were right," Ket said seriously, smile vanishing for a moment.


    Tana nodded. She grinned a little, showing that she was joking.


    Ike glanced between Tana and Ket. Tana''s aura was about the same strength as Ike''s, maybe a little weaker. Between the two of them, Ket clearly had the stronger aura, but he treated Tana with great respect. I wonder who Tana is in the Abyss? She''s clearly not some ordinary commoner. Maybe she''s a noble, or something like that.


    After all, she was sent with a message for the city lord. It makes sense if she''s someone with a name in the Abyss.


    "So you use lunam in the Abyss, instead of mana?" Ike asked.


    Ket nodded. "It''s what we have. We don''t have a choice. Not everyone can handle the conversion, or survive it. Plenty of mages come down here and find themselves powerless. Only a few¡ªlucky mages, like me, or those born in the Abyss, like Tana¡ªcan process lunam. Another reason why these forests are so well-stocked with beasts. Our mages, our hunters, are few and far between. We don''t need as many skill orbs as they do outside the Abyss, nor do our people have the power to obtain them."


    "If you learn to process lunam, do you lose the ability to process mana? I¡ªI mean, you did, clearly, but I mean¡­as a rule," Ike clarified quickly.


    Ket''s lips quirked up. He chuckled. "No, no. I understood. Almost always, yes. Our bodies aren''t built to handle more than one flow of magic. Some would even argue they aren''t built to handle magic at all. There are a few who master both, but¡­there are downsides to everything." He shrugged.


    Ike waited, but Ket offered no more. He pressed his lips together. I am interested in handling lunam directly, since I''m stuck down here for the foreseeable future, but¡­not if there''s a serious cost or downside. Remembering the book, he looked up. "Do you mean the insanity?"


    "Insanity?" Ket and Tana exchanged a glance, lost.


    "It¡­it was in a book I read. Something about lunam causing madness¡­" Ike grimaced, embarrassed. Faint red spread over his cheeks. And now I''m asking the people who use lunam every day if the stuff makes you crazy? I must be the one who''s crazy, directly insulting them like that. "S-sorry. Ignore me."


    Ket snorted. "No, no. I know those myths. I feared the same, when I first entered the Abyss. As far as I can tell, lunam doesn''t cause madness. But then, doesn''t the madman always claim he''s sane?"


    He shook his head and continued. "I can''t say for sure, but I think there''s no more truth to those stories than there is truth to the boogeyman."


    "Right. Sorry," Ike said, rubbing the back of his neck.


    "Lunam does have a few unique properties, though. Things I find fascinating. If you''re interested in a discussion on the intricacies of the mana system versus the lunam system, I''d be happy to engage you in conversation," Tana piped up.


    Ket broke out into a grin. He scuffed the top of Tana''s head. "She used to hound me nonstop to hear more about how mana works. I remember her toddling after me, no more than knee-high, asking more questions about theoretical magic than most grown mages cared to discuss."


    Tana blushed. She pushed her hand away. "Well, I have limited opportunities to study mana, after all. Of course I''d be interested."


    "I''d be happy to discuss with you, but¡­I don''t have much formal training. I mostly picked things up on my own," Ike confessed. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh, that''s fine, that''s fine!" Tana assured him. "All insight is valuable. The practitioner often knows more than the theoretician."


    Ket leaned toward Ike. "She uses big words when she gets excited."


    Tana thwacked him on the side. "Hush!"


    Grabbing his side, Ket staggered away, mock-injured. "Ow, ow, ow¡­"


    Ike grinned, a warmth welling up in his heart. This, here, walking this trail, felt more like home than his uncle''s villa ever had. Someone else''s home, maybe, but home nonetheless.


    Abruptly, Ket stood tall. His expression turned somber, and he lifted a finger to his lips. "Quietly. We''re close."


    Tana nodded. She fell in directly behind him, copying his steps. Ike did the same. Loup melted into the woods, vanishing entirely. The three of them approached a cliff. Ket pushed a branch down, and gestured for Tana and Ike to look.


    Ike stepped forward. Instantly, he jerked back. No way. But that''s¡ª

 60. Below

    No way.A thousand doll bodies lined up below him. All of them looked exactly as Rosamund had after she''d degraded, at least in their base form. Smooth porcelain. Ball joints. Their eyes shut, they stood in perfect ranks. Their faces differed, as did their hair, but they all wore the same uniform and carried the same two swords crossed on their backs. Ike furrowed his brows. "Why that uniform¡­?"


    "It''s the uniform of one of the large sects on the far side of the Abyss," Tana offered. She looked at Ike. "We feared that the sects were planning an attack on the city, and went to the Brightbriar Sect to offer a warning, but¡­" She trailed off. Pain flickered in her eyes.


    "But we were waylaid along the way," Ket finished, stepping in to finish.


    "Then, the city lord doesn''t know?" Ike asked, startled.


    Tana shook her head.


    Ket pursed his lips. "We were unable to deliver the message," he said, but no more.


    Ike glanced at Ket, then back at the army. His brows furrowed. Rosamund¡ªthe fake one¡ªlooked just like these things. At least in general form. Was she a plant? A spy? A replacement? Did I do the city lord a favor by destroying her?


    Or is it a very common shape? Maybe all kinds of mages create doll clones, and these are just standard doll clones.


    Or maybe¡­


    Ike shook his head. There was too much. Too many questions in his head. I need to learn more. Right now, I''m just making wild guesses. I still don''t know why the city lord took a fake Rosamund out of the Abyss, or conversely, why my Rosamund was a fake to begin with. I mean, hell. Maybe he took the real Rosamund out of the Abyss, after I did him the favor of defeating the fake¡­I don''t know. Really, I should just say I don''t know what the hell is going on with Rosamund and the city lord.


    Figuring that out will unlock so much, but I have no idea how to learn anything more about Rosamund or the city lord. I''ll just have to keep going and see what I can discover.


    Ket glanced at Ike. "You''ve been silent for a while. Have you seen something like this before?"


    Ike hesitated, then shook his head. "No, I¡­just dumbstruck by all this. I''m just a kid from the slums. All this cities attacking cities stuff is way over my head."


    It''s not that I don''t trust Ket and Tana. I don''t, yet, but that''s beside the point. More importantly, all my ideas right now are wild guesses. I don''t want to cloud an actual investigation with nonsense.


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    Besides, I don''t really want to reveal Rosamund. She''s my ace in the hole, the reason I can still fight right now, aside from eating monster meat and absorbing monster cores. If I reveal her¡­well, it''s not like I think Ket or Tana will betray me. No, the problem is, all it takes is one slip-up on their part, one casual mention of her to the wrong person, and my ace in the hole becomes a huge burden. Down here in the Abyss, where you have to swap to lunam or stop being a mage, I''m willing to bet people would die to have something as handy as Rosamund''s head. And I''d rather not have to stave off all the mages in town as a lowly Rank 1.


    Monster meat¡­ Ike looked over his shoulder. He''d have to go back and collect the rooster, and maybe dig up some of the other chicken later. If nothing else, the rooster was definitely worth the walk. Based on the amount of mana its core had given him, its meat was sure to be rich as well.


    Plus, now that I know there''s a town, I can sell some of the excess chicken. I''m sure there''s mages who would be more than happy to eat some mana-rich meat.


    His brow furrowed. He looked at Ket. "The monsters down here have mana, not lunam. How?" sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ket lowered the branch, once more obscuring their view of the doll army. He shrugged as he led them away. "Monsters process magic more primitively than humans do. We humans need mana, or need lunam. As far as I can tell, monsters just absorb ''energy,'' and their bodies then turn that energy into whatever they need."


    "Humans can''t do that?" Ike asked.


    Ket shrugged.


    Tana stepped up, looking Ike in the eyes. She walked backward for a few steps, backing down the forest path. "No. Unfortunately, as Ket said, humans have more sophisticated cores and mana paths. It means that we need a particular kind of energy to use magic. Actually, what you''re absorbing from monsters isn''t mana or lunam, but instead that primitive magical energy. The monsters take the refined form, lunam, and lower it back to its primitive form, energy. You can then absorb that energy whether you use lunam or mana, and process it into whatever your body needs, be that mana or lunam."


    "Why don''t we do that? It sounds useful," Ike commented. He ducked a branch, pushing leaves out of his way.


    Tana shook her head. "You know how monsters generate skills in their own bodies, that we then take and use in ours? It''s like that. Monsters'' bodies are built in a way to process any kind of mana, but in return, they can only ever learn the skills their bodies are built to learn. Humans, on the other hand, can use any skill, as long as we''re compatible with the skill in question. We don''t have to be born with bodies that know how to cast fireballs in order to cast fireballs; we can absorb a fireball skill at any age and learn to cast fireballs. But in return, we need to use a more refined type of energy¡ªmana or lunam¡ªto cast the skill. It''s a trade-off."


    "So if we used raw magic, we''d only be able to cast whatever spells we''re born with¡­kind of?" Ike asked, a little lost.


    Tana wiggled her head back and forth. She turned back around to watch the path. "More or less."


    "And humans are born with no skills, so we''d be able to cast nothing. But Loup was born with the ability to eventually form lightning skills inside her body, so she can use raw magic to cast lightning," he surmised.


    "Yes."


    "I think I''m getting it, now," Ike murmured.


    "If you aren''t, I''m sure Tana will be happy to help you out," Ket said with a chuckle. "It''s been too long since someone''s been willing to put up with her lectures."


    "Lectures? I''m just trying to have conversations about theoretical magic. Is that too much to ask?" Tana said, shaking her head.


    Ket chuckled again. He gestured them on. "It''s not much further to the town. Let''s keep going. At this rate, we should reach home before nightfall."

 61. The Town in the Abyss

    As Ket had said, the sun was low in the sky when he pushed back a branch to reveal the town. Ike startled, a little taken aback. Even though Ket and Tana had forewarned him that it was smaller than the enormous city and undercity he''d grown up in, it was still surprising to see how small it truly was. It barely spanned further than the distance from his uncle''s villa to the far end of the processing plant. A stone castle dominated the far end of the wall, built atop the hill. The wall climbed down the sides of the hill and encapsulated a small portion of the flat beyond. Most of the buildings within the walls were made of the same stone as the walls. Few wooden or shambling slum buildings stood anywhere. For the most part, the houses were clean and well-built.Well, if this city is comprised of people who fell into the Abyss, it would be comprised entirely of hunters and mages. Ordinary people aren''t allowed beyond the walls. Even if they were, and by some miracle survived the fall, they''d almost certainly die before they reached this town. Whether the citizens of this town fell in accidentally like me or were banished like Ket, they all have some Rank, and thus, a system and the superhuman strength and skills that come with it. There might be few people in this city, but all of them are mages. They''re strong enough to defend the city and hunt monsters. Strong enough to carry stone from distant quarries and build extravagant houses, if they''re so inclined.


    "Welcome to Abyssal," Tana said, smiling.


    "Abyssal?" Ike asked.


    "Not the most creative name, I admit, but to be fair, our founding fathers were somewhat beset when they built the first walls," Ket explained with a small, knowing smile.


    "It''s a good name," Ike said quickly.


    Ket chuckled. He nodded at Ike''s feathers. "I''ll warn you that the town''s prices are going to be a bit low for monster parts compared to what you''re used to. The one thing we have in the Abyss is an abundance of monsters. Even rare monster parts like that are going to go for cheaper than goods from the surface."


    "Oh," Ike said. It makes sense, I guess.


    "Plus, there''s only so many of us. The economy is a little bit of a flatline down here, since there''s not much fresh income. Prices are going to be a bit lower than you''re used to, in general." Ket paused a moment, then shrugged. "But then, it''s not like you''re leaving anytime soon. Consider this more a ''get-used-to-it'' warning than me telling you not to sell monster parts."


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    "Right¡­I understand that," Ike said, agreeing. If the queen only had one escape crystal, and it was gone, then that implied that no one in Abyssal knew how to escape the Abyss. I guess I''ll be living down here for a while. At least until I''m as strong as the city lord. Strong enough to escape.


    He paused, then, thinking of something. "You know, the city has a bit of a monster problem, right? Not enough monsters. But the Abyss has plenty. Would that¡ª"


    "We''d only be a temporary patch." Tana pointed upward, at the Abyss''s walls, visible from where they stood. "We''re but a narrow segment, compared to the forest outside. I believe we''re something like the city''s final, last-ditch reserves. The final wildlands, preserved in the hopes that the Abyss will spawn a monster powerful enough to allow the city lord to Rank up."


    "To¡­what?" Ike asked.


    Tana nodded. "The city lord is on the verge of Ranking up. He''s been there for a long time. So long, in fact, that he''s likely running out of life force. But he set no limits on the killing of monsters in the sect''s territory, in hopes of growing stronger warriors.


    "And he succeeded, but at a cost. It was fine when the city was young, but now that the city is a large, mature sect, he faces the consequences of his own decisions. All the lower-ranked monsters he and his friends killed hundreds of years ago are dead. They have no chance of Ranking up and becoming powerful monsters that the city lord can, in turn, kill to Rank up. The city lord used them to empower himself and his friends. But now, there''s nothing left.


    "The city lord knows it as well as his enemies do. They mock him by sending monsters of just low enough rank that the monsters'' skills are worthless to him, with thousands of years to go before they Rank up¡ªlong after the city lord dies. He''s trying to keep up appearances. By sealing off the Abyss, he''s acting as if he has an ace in the hole hidden within, but¡­" Tana shook her head.


    "There''s no monster like that in the Abyss?" Ike guessed.


    "Not that I''m aware of," Tana said. "The city lord is Rank 4, so the monster would have to be at least a Rank 4 monster, if not Rank 5, to be useful to him."


    Hmm. Rosamund implied that their enemies didn''t know. But then, she''s a sheltered brat. What would she know?


    War is looking more and more likely. Do his enemies know it, too? That the city lord has no option but war. Is that why they sent the doll army? Ike considered it, but his brows furrowed. He shook his head. That still doesn''t feel right. There''s still something I''m missing. But what?


    "Let''s not stand out here talking all night," Ket said. He gestured them on. "The forest around here is dangerous at night. We''ll be safer inside the walls."


    "I slept out under the stars," Ike offered. It''s not that dangerous at night.


    Ket waggled his finger. "You were at the fringe of the true Abyss. Here, in the depths, it''s a different story."


    Ike bowed his head. He nodded. "Right. Sorry."


    "Besides, we don''t all have a handsome wolf like yours to guard us at night," Ket said, tossing a wink at Loup.


    Loup lifted her head at being addressed. She looked at Ket, then glanced to Ike for guidance.


    Ike ruffled her ears. "I could use some real food, anyways."


    "Excellent. Onwards!"

 62. Entering Town

    The closer they got, the taller the walls loomed overhead. A pair of guards stood outside the gate, each one emitting a Rank 1 aura. Ike eyed them, a little hesitant, then edged a little closer to Ket and Tana. Good thing I ran into these two. I would''ve had a hard time getting through the gate alone."Welcome back," the right-hand guard greeted them.


    Ket nodded. He passed through. Tana followed, and Ike stepped forward after them.


    A spear dropped down and blocked his way. Ike jumped back, startled. The guards stepped out, keeping him from entering. The right one narrowed his eyes. "Don''t recognize your face. New here?"


    Ket turned back. "He''s with us, Ryan."


    "Is he? Does that get him in, hmm?"


    Ike looked at Ket. The hell''s going on here?


    Ket sighed. "Ryan. Don''t be a hardass. You don''t get to haze everyone who walks in the door."


    "It''s a tradition," Ryan said, clicking his tongue.


    Tana had been quiet all this time, but suddenly she spoke up. "Let him pass."


    Ryan sighed. "Well. If Her Majesty demands it¡­" He lifted his spear, and a second later, so did the other guard.


    Ike blinked. Her Majesty? Is Ryan being sarcastic, or is Tana the queen of this little city?


    No¡­surely they wouldn''t have sent their queen as the messenger, right? But then, it is a very small city. The city lord might not show them any respect, as low Rank and small as they are, unless they sent their highest ranked, and Ranked, official.


    And didn''t she just mention that their queen died? That is, the highest Rank individual in Abyssal. Yeah¡­yeah. She might actually be their queen. Or princess, or something. I don''t know how their hierarchy works.


    "Mark yourself lucky, kid," Ryan said, narrowing his eyes at Ike.


    Ike nodded at him. He looked the man in the eyes, refusing to be intimidated. And if you come after me, I''ll give you a beating to remember. I''m not falling for that bullshit anymore. You''re Rank 1, the same as me. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Loup trotted toward the gate. Both of the guards pointed their spears at her.


    "She''s my dog," Ike said. He looked at Ryan. "You aren''t afraid of dogs, are you?"


    "That''s not a dog. That''s a wolf!" Ryan snarled. "A wolf monster, at that!"


    "Ryan," Ket snapped, his patience gone. His hand curled into a claw, and black energy glowed faintly over his fingers. For a second, Ike caught a glimpse of the man he''d used to be, back when he was a mage¡ªthe way his eyebrows curled and his eyes narrowed, the vicious hatred for a relatively minor offense.


    Ryan''s nose wrinkled. "Using your power to lord it over me? I see how it is." He lifted his spear, unbarring the way.


    The other guard followed Ryan''s lead. He glanced at Ike apologetically.


    Just following orders, huh? Ike snorted under his breath. I know your type. Using someone else''s authority to enjoy the ability to abuse others, while taking none of the blame. You don''t get a pass.


    They entered the town. Ike paused a moment, keeping Loup at his side. "Don''t run off now, girl. Someone might mistake you for a monster."


    Loup looked at him. She sniffed his ankles, then huffed and followed beside him.


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    They walked down the main street. At this hour, things were quiet. All the shops were closed, and the few stands that sat at the roadside were empty. They walked alone.


    Ike glanced around. I wonder if there''s a square or a corner somewhere, where I can set up my tent? Then again¡­ He twisted his lips. That sounds like an excuse for Ryan to come beat me up. Maybe I should sneak back over the walls and sleep outside.


    "Would you like to stay with us tonight?" Tana offered.


    "Huh? Oh¡ªuh, sure," Ike said, nodding. Solves that problem. He scratched the back of his neck, barely resisting the urge to look at the castle that dominated the town. So? Am I about to stay in the nicest digs in town?


    "Right this way." Ket waved for him to follow as he cut down a narrow alley. Full of anticipation, Ike followed.


    Rather to his surprise, Ket guided them to a run-down house up against the wall. It was built of stone, and constructed better than his uncle''s villa, but that was about all he could say. The roof was missing tiles. Ivy covered one wall, so thick it completely coated two of the windows. The tangled remains of a garden crumbled in the small yard in front of the house. Water stained the thick wooden front door.


    Ike gazed up at it, his brows high. Not the palace I expected. Did I guess wrong? Maybe Ryan was just being sarcastic, after all.


    Ket walked up the stairs and unlocked the door. He pushed the door open, letting Tana enter first, then followed her in. Ike followed at the back, Loup walking at his side.


    Inside, the bare stone walls and floor had a mustiness to them. The air was still, as if no one had entered the space in some time. Ket snapped his fingers, and a dozen balls of light materialized overhead, putting the dust, cobwebs, and disrepair in sharp contrast. In the dark, the hallway had looked unkempt. In the light, it appeared as if no one had touched a broom in the last half century.


    Ike licked his lips. Yep. I''m definitely picking up that Tana is not the current ruler. "How long were you gone?" he asked, half joking.


    Ket glanced at him and smiled. He looked around him, nostalgia in his gaze. "It has been a long time, hasn''t it? I haven''t been back to my house in decades."


    Oh, this is Ket''s house. He glanced between Ket and Tana. In other words, Tana''s status is still up in the air. But then, if she was the queen, she wouldn''t stay in some random mage''s house, right? There''s definitely something weird going on here. Something I haven''t quite grasped.


    "The rooms are on the second floor. Tana has the suite at the end, and I sleep in the room beside it. Anything else is available to you," Ket offered. "If you need anything, just let me know. I have plenty of things in storage."


    "Thanks," Ike said.


    "The doors lock and the rooms are warded, so you should be safe inside," Tana added.


    Ike frowned. "Is there that much danger in this part of the Abyss?" If so, then why did they build the town here? I was safe enough sleeping under the stars with a wolf back toward the waterfall.


    Tana and Ket exchanged a glance. Tana stepped forward. "It''s not¡­this part of the Abyss, so much¡­"


    Ike''s eyes flickered between their faces. Understood. So those weird feelings I was getting about Tana''s situation aren''t all in my head. Abyssal might be a small town, or clan, or whatever they call it, but it''s still a nest of mages. And that means power struggles and infighting.


    "Thank you for getting Ryan off my back. And thank you for offering me a place to stay," Ike said, giving them both a short bow.


    "Please, don''t worry about it," Tana said with a benevolent smile.


    "Before you thank me, at least let me clean the place up," Ket replied. He looked around, then walked forward, to a small, circular space where the hallways intersected. There, he clapped his hands.


    The sound rolled through the walls. It ruffled Ike''s hair as it passed, and he closed his eyes, squinting against the force of it. When he opened his eyes again, the entire space had changed.


    The cobwebs and dust were gone. The walls gleamed, as if they''d been made of polished stone all along. Overhead, the balls of light distributed themselves and changed tone, from a harsh bright white to a warm yellow. The air became fresh and clean, all the must and stillness gone from it. Tapestries Ike hadn''t even noticed on the wall stood out in vivid colors, inviting him to take a moment and peruse the hunting scenes they displayed. He stared around him, flabbergasted. "What was that?"


    "A handy little skill, that''s all," Ket said with a small grin. He gestured them on. "Come on. Let''s set our packs down, and I''ll see if I can''t cook up a bit of dinner for us."


    "Oh, for dinner¡­" Ike dug into his pack and pulled out a hunk of rooster meat, wrapped in the rooster''s own skin. He''d cut it off while he was stripping the feathers. Of all the meat, it had exuded the most mana, and he''d been loath to leave it behind, especially when he didn''t know when he''d be able to get back to the rooster. It would be a shame to let it rot. But it would make for an excellent guest gift, given that Ket was letting him stay here for free¡­or so he hoped. "What do you think about this?"


    Ket''s eyes widened, and so did his grin. He waved his hand, and a gust of wind stole the meat from Ike''s hand and landed it in Ket''s. "Give me a few minutes. I have some spiritual herbs that would pair nicely with this. We''ll all have full stomachs and full cores by the time the night''s over!"


    With that, they parted, Ket to the kitchen and Ike and Tana to their respective rooms.

 63. Thinking

    Instead of the musty old building he''d expected from his first entrance, Ike found himself climbing the stairs of a fine manor up to the bedroom. A lush red carpet stretched under his feet. Narrow windows gazed out at the town, where moonlight silvered rooftops and faintly lit the streets. On the second story, he picked the first empty room from the stairs and stepped into a sumptuous room. Thick carpets. Heavy drapes on the broad diamond-paneled windows. A deep four-poster bed with fine curtains stood against the wall. Opposite it, a fireplace opened. It was dark for now, but wood awaited, in case he grew cold. A few orbs floated overhead, lighting the space.Loup looked around. She sniffed at the floor, then jumped up on the bed. Stretching out, she rolled around on the bed, her tongue hanging out, a goofy grin on her face.


    "Enjoying it, girl?" Ike asked. He slung his pack off his shoulders and set it against the wall.


    Loup made a happy grumble in her throat and kept rolling around, rubbing her whole body against the bed.


    Ike snorted. I''m going to have so much wolf fur on my bed.


    He pulled out Rosamund''s head. She glared ferociously at him.


    "Sorry. I don''t think you want anyone seeing you like this, though, do you?" Ike asked.


    Rosamund glared, but just a little bit, she shook her head.


    "Right. They might think you''re a dark magic artifact or something. I did it for your own good," Ike told her. He loosened the gag.


    "Sure you did," Rosamund countered.


    "Yeah, fair. Hey. How common are human-sized dolls among mages?"


    She furrowed her brows. "What?"


    Ike''s eyes widened. "That''s right, you were in the bag. Ket and Tana took me to this place where there''s a whole army of human-sized dolls. They kind of look like you, actually. So I was wondering if that''s a common thing among mages or not."


    Rosamund shook her head slowly. "I''ve¡­never heard of any skill like that."


    "Except for whatever made you."


    Her eye twitched. Her mouth started moving erratically.


    I probably shouldn''t remind her. Ike cleared his throat and quickly kept talking. "It''s unusual, then?"


    "Yes. I''d say so."


    "Hmm. Because they were wearing the uniforms of a different city, apparently, but they did really look like¡­er, another human-sized doll I saw recently," Ike said, quickly replacing the word you.


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    "Roquefort, I bet. They''ve been after our city for decades," Rosamund said darkly. "What color were they?"


    "Uh, brown, with red stripes¡­"


    "That''s Roquefort. Quickly! We have to warn father," Rosamund urged him.


    Ike held his hands up helplessly. "I don''t have a way out of the Abyss. Besides, Ket and Tana tried to warn your father, and they were stopped. If a Rank 3 can''t reach your father, how is a Rank 1 like me supposed to?"


    "They were stopped?" Rosamund furrowed her brows.


    "That''s what they said. They were a little light on the specifics," Ike replied. To be fair, it ended with Tana cursed and both of them under the thumb of an asshole hunter, so they probably don''t want to recount all the gory details. I''d imagine it''s hard for Tana to hear or talk about.


    Ket¡­there was something in the way he said it that gave me pause. I should seek him out alone when Tana''s not around. See if there''s more he has to say, that he''s not saying out of consideration for Tana.


    "But¡­that doesn''t make sense. Father can enter the Abyss. He should be able to see the army himself. Unless¡­unless there''s something blocking his senses¡­" Rosamund frowned.


    Ike raised his brows. That''s a good point. Her father can enter the Abyss freely. I''ve seen it happen myself. I don''t know if I have as much faith in his senses as Rosamund does, but it does make it a bit strange that he didn''t notice Ket or Tana all the way on their way to visit the city, or all the way back. Does that mean he wanted them to fail? But¡­


    Ike shook his head. Sitting back, he pursed his lips and thought to himself, putting all the evidence together.


    An army of puppets in enemy attire. Rosamund''s a puppet. The city has low magepower compared to the other cities. Puppets are rare among mages.


    There are two options.


    One, this enemy city, Roquefort, has not only replaced the city lord''s daughter right under his nose, but also planted a troop of enemies in the Abyss right outside his city. That requires a lot of subterfuge. It does kind of explain the city lord abandoning Rosamund, but, eh, I feel like there''s a lot of skill on Roquefort''s side to make all of this work out. Especially replacing the city lord''s daughter without him realizing. It also doesn''t really explain why the city lord walked out of the Abyss with a new Rosamund without him caring. I mean, sure, I guess I could see a scenario where he used the fake Rosamund''s destruction to rescue the real Rosamund, but¡­ it feels too convoluted.


    Option two. The city lord created Rosamund as a puppet for some reason. I don''t know why, but Rosamund is kind of the missing piece in both scenarios. This means the city lord has puppet-making skills. All the puppets are his, even the ones in the Abyss wearing Roquefort uniforms. In this case, the city lord walking out with a new Rosamund makes sense. All he needs to do is make a fresh puppet, and Rosamund is as good as new.


    It doesn''t make a pretty picture. I don''t like it. But if the city lord lacks powerful mages, what better way to make up for it, than to have your enemies fight one another instead of you? Create a fake army that looks like your enemy city Roquefort, and have them fight your other enemy city. It doesn''t matter if your puppets win; they just have to start the fight convincingly, then escape. Once the other city is enraged, they''ll attack Roquefort, and from there, you have your war. And when they''re done, swoop in and pick up the scraps.


    He took a deep breath and turned toward the door. "I think I need to talk to Ket."


    "You mentioned them earlier. Who''s Ket?" Rosamund asked.


    "A friend." Ike put the gag back on and tucked her back into the pack. She struggled, annoyed, but was powerless to escape. Ike stretched, then looked at Loup.


    Loup wiggled around on the bed and stared at him, her mouth open in a happy smile.


    "I''ll leave the door open, but feel free to stay," Ike said, chuckling a little. He went to the door. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Loup rolled around. She stood and hopped down, trotting over to Ike''s side.


    I wonder how Ket will feel about dogs in the kitchen¡­? Oh well. If I need to, I can send her back upstairs. Ike headed down to the kitchen, full of questions for Ket.

 64. Rooster and Spiritual Herbs

    Ike headed down the stairs to the kitchen, Loup at his heels. He came out into a cozy stone space. Herbs hung overhead in bunches. Bottles of oil and wine sat along the wall at the rear of the countertop. Ket worked over an open fire at the back of the room, stewing the chicken in a wine-based sauce. He sprinkled a handful of dried herbs over the pot, then glanced up. "Hey. Hungry?""A bit, yeah," Ike said. Beside him, Loup lifted her nose and sniffed, curious.


    "Well, sit back and watch the master at work. Did you know that there are mages who use all their skills to become chefs?" Ket asked, turning back to his work.


    "Oh, really?"


    "Yep. I''m not one of them, but there are mages like that. There''s also mages who devote their entire lives to becoming healers or potion masters."


    "I know about that," Ike said.


    "It''s a pretty similar set of skills, did you know that? Between potion masters and chefs, they both need the same basic skills. After all, when you think about it, the potion masters are just making herb stew," Ket pointed out. He stirred the pot. Lifting the spoon, he tasted the broth, then added another sprinkle of dried herbs.


    "I did not know that. Makes sense, though," Ike said.


    Ket nodded. "Right? So what did you come down here to ask me? Or did you just come down to watch the pot boil?"


    Ike leaned up against a countertop. He watched Ket cook for a moment, then sighed. "When you said you and Tana failed."


    "Hmm?"


    "To deliver the message to the city lord. How, exactly, did you wind up¡­in that situation where I found you two?" Ike asked.


    Ket sighed. He stirred the pot, then set the ladle down. Moving to the door, he checked the hallway, then shut the kitchen door. He leaned against an opposite countertop and crossed his arms. "I take it you''ve guessed at Tana''s rank in the city?"


    "I''ve¡­made guesses," Ike allowed.


    Ket snorted. "Smart, kid. Never admit exactly what you know." He glanced at Ike. "She''s the daughter of the previous queen."


    "The¡­princess? Wait, but the queen is dead¡­" Ike fell silent. Royal ascension is more complicated than it seems, but if she is a direct line princess, she should probably be living better than ''Ket''s musty old house on the edge of town.''


    Ket looked up. His eyes flashed with dangerous light. "Among mages, blood means little in the face of strength. Between Tana and myself, I have more right to claim the throne."


    Ike''s eyes widened. A second later, he narrowed them. But then, Ket''s subservient attitude¡­


    "But I have no interest in the throne," Ket said, waving the tension away. "I''m a wanderer, a dead man. I''d rather support Tana''s claim than take it myself."


    "So you''re the true source of Tana''s claim to the throne, then," Ike said.


    "Not quite. Blood still counts for something, and there''s traditionalists who support Tana for her lineage, who don''t care whether she''s a powerful mage yet or not. But¡­it wouldn''t be incorrect to see it that way," Ket allowed.


    Ike nodded slowly. "I take it there''s other people who want the throne, then."


    "Correct. Very correct. In fact, the throne is currently occupied. It''s only by the graces of the occupant that Tana and I are still allowed within the bounds of Abyssal¡­though I suspect that will change soon," he added darkly.


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    "Ryan¡­is he a follower of the person on the throne right now?" Ike asked, suddenly realizing something. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ryan is his own problem. But yes. He is employed by the Arkfes Family."


    Then, the trouble that they ran into, was it caused by Abyssal infighting? Ike wondered.


    Ket cut his eyes at Ike. "I tell you all this to provide context. To offer that there is another explanation for the events that transpired. But I do not think Abyssal''s infighting is the reason we failed to deliver our message."


    "No?" Ike asked.


    "No." The pot began to boil, and Ket turned, stirring it back to a simmer. He stood up straight again and looked Ike in the eye. "What I''m about to tell you doesn''t leave this room. Understood?"


    Ike nodded. "Understood."


    Ket paused for another few moments, watching the pot. Just as Ike was beginning to wonder if he''d ever speak, he looked up. "When we set off, all was as usual. The Abyss was no more or less dangerous than usual. But once we left the Abyss, we were beset by powerful beasts. You know the large monsters that come out once you''ve hunted too many of the little ones?"


    "Yes," Ike said. In his mind''s eye, he could see the giant toad or the enormous rooster. To some extent, even the Salamander was somewhat like that.


    "We call those Kings. King of the Forest, King of the Swamp. They''re nearly impossible to find unless they''re provoked. But two were waiting for us when we exited the Abyss."


    Ike frowned. That''s pretty strange, I have to agree. It took significant effort on my part to find two Kings, and I had to travel a significant distance between the two.


    "I exhausted the majority of my lunam battling them off. I suggested returning to the Abyss to regroup, but Tana thought it was too urgent. That we needed to pass the message along now. I still had some lunam, so I agreed. However, the Kings were only the start of our troubles."


    "Only the start?" Ike asked, startled.


    Ket nodded. "As we walked, we encountered hostile mages, bandits, fierce monsters, everything you can imagine. Before the day had passed, I completely exhausted my lunam, and so had Tana. At that point, we agreed to turn back, but it was too late. We were no longer strong enough to return. As we rested, we encountered that shithead of a hunter, and you know the rest of the story." Ket''s face turned dark. Murderous aura swirled around him. Death shone in his eyes. "If I could kill that man¡­"


    Ike backed away instinctively. The air grew heavy, and he struggled to breathe. Ike''s grip on the countertop went white-knuckled. Beside him, Loup raised her hackles, stepping protectively in front of Ike.


    Abruptly, Ket beamed. "But he''s already dead."


    The spell broke. Ike sucked a breath of air. He rubbed his forehead and smiled back, but a tiny part of him remained wary of Ket. I can''t forget he''s a Rank 3. More powerful than my uncle. If he wants me dead, it''s a flick of his fingers.


    Ket waved his hand. He stirred the pot again. From the corner of his strange inverse eyes, he regarded Ike. "But that''s not the point. No one in Abyssal has any power outside of the Abyss. Putting the Kings aside, everyone down here is either an outcast, or has spent decades in the Abyss; in either case, they lack the power to influence humans or mages outside the Abyss. They might be able to call the winds and the rain in the Abyss, but they lack the power to move so much as a leaf outside it."


    "You''re suggesting someone outside the Abyss wanted to prevent the message from being delivered," Ike said.


    Ket pointed up. "There are few mages with the power to control the Kings and mobilize that many mages against us. When you consider that we caught no sign of his tail, no connecting theme to tie it all together, that number narrows significantly. In my opinion¡­down to one." Ket lowered his head, looking Ike firmly in the eye.


    "The city lord himself," Ike breathed. It makes sense. If I''m right, it makes sense. He wouldn''t want his own citizens to know about the puppet army, nor his own mages. He could turn aside the messengers, or invite them in and not listen, but there''s always a chance they mention their quest to someone else that way. Better to not take the risk at all, and block their path with low-ranking mages, so they never have the chance to deliver the message at all.


    Of course, I can''t neglect that it also makes sense if the enemy army wants to prevent Tana and Ket from alerting the city lord, but¡­ would an outside army have the power to mobilize that many local mages or the Kings against them, within the city''s territory?


    Ket smiled mysteriously. He opened his hands, spreading his palms slowly. "Who knows? Perhaps."


    Beside Ike, Loup whined. Her eyes locked onto the pot beside Ket, and she wagged her tail.


    Ket chuckled. "It looks like our dinner is ready. I''ll set it out, so would you mind calling Tana down? And remember, not a word of what I told you outside of this room."


    "Yes, of course," Ike said. He dashed off, leaving Ket behind. Loup hesitated a second, drawn by the siren''s call of the finished stew, then followed after Ike.


    Left all alone, Ket smiled after Ike. "He''s a clever kid. Maybe too clever. Be a pity if he dies young."


    Chuckling under his breath, he turned back to his stew.

 65. Dinner in Kets Manor

    "Tana!" Ike rapped on her door with his knuckles."Yes?" she asked.


    "Stew''s ready!"


    "Oh! I''ll be right down."


    Ike retreated down the stairs with Loup, his mind still caught in his thoughts. He glanced over his shoulder at Tana''s door. Tana wasn''t just some noble lady, but a princess. A princess with no real claim to the throne, true, but a princess nonetheless. For a slum kid like him, she was already someone he should have never met in his life.


    And here I am, living in her house, about to share a meal with her. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He snorted under his breath and patted Loup. He''d feared the Abyss, but so far, it had been nothing but a bounty for him. He''d gained Loup, and met Tana and Ket. Obtained the chickens'' skill and the rooster''s orb. And now, he''d get to eat some delicious chicken stew, the meat flavored with Ket''s spiritual herbs, whatever they were.


    He sighed out. "You know, I don''t mind this way of living, girl. I think I might never leave."


    "Never leave the Abyss?" Tana asked.


    Ike turned back.


    She stood at the top of the stairs, her inverse eyes gazing down at him. Under her breath, she chuckled. "You still think you have the option to leave?"


    "Hope springs eternal," Ike said, shrugging. Unlike everyone else, I can still use mana because of Rosamund''s head. I don''t have to start again on my path to magedom from zero. There''s plenty of powerful monsters I can use to rank up, and I can also eat monster meat and absorb monster cores to recharge my mana. If anything, falling into the Abyss basically guaranteed that I Rank up to Rank 2, if not 3 or 4.


    Based on Ket, he suspected he needed to hit Rank 4 to escape the Abyss effortlessly, the way Rosamund''s father had, but then, he couldn''t help but wonder if that was the only way out. Abyssal was relatively shallow in the Abyss, barely a few day''s walk from the edge facing the city. Waiting for Tana to join him at the bottom of the stairs, Ike pointed.


    "How far does the Abyss go?"


    Tana turned in the direction of his finger. "Away from the city? No one''s sure. The beasts grow stronger and stronger in that direction. No one''s ever gone that direction and returned."


    "No one''s ever returned? Then it''s possible there''s an exit in that direction," Ike mused.


    Tana rolled her eyes. "Not that kind of ''no return.'' The dead kind."


    "Did you find the bodies, or did they not return, and everyone assumed they were dead?" Ike asked.


    Tana hesitated. Her mouth opened, but no words came out.


    Ike raised his brows. Interesting.


    "In any case! The exit of the Abyss, if there is one, is so far away that not even Roquefort or any other local cities know where it ends. You''d come out so far from Brightbriar City that you might as well be dead."


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    "Oh, really? That sounds good to me," Ike said with a grin.


    Tana sighed. "Ike, people die when they head into the deep Abyss. Expecting anything else is madness."


    Ike nodded, lowering his head, but he didn''t stifle his grin. An exit so far away from the cities and all my troubles that I might as well be dead? I don''t mind that. Especially with the city lord brewing war here, in my old hometown.


    Just running away from his troubles didn''t quite sit right with him. He would rather resolve a problem than run from it. Whether it was his uncle''s debt or Rosamund''s bullying, he''d rather act once and decisively sever their karma, not drag it out forever. But when it came to something as immense and complex as war between cities¡­


    Ike sighed aloud. Then again, I''m stuck in the Abyss. It''s not like I can warn either side, whether it''s na?vely assuming this army truly is a surprise to my home city, or the city of Roquefort¡­or whatever other city they''re attacking. I can''t get out of here, so even if I uncover the truth, it''s useless.


    "What''s that big sigh for?" Tana asked, coming up alongside Ike.


    "Nothing," Ike said. He crossed his arms, still thinking deeply. Stuck in the Abyss¡­ hmm. I need to Rank up more than anything. I can feel that I''m close to Rank 2, but the number one thing I need is more mana. I could go hunt more monsters¡­ No, almost certainly, I''ll have to hunt more monsters, one way or another. But there''s a limit to eating monster meat for mana. I need pure mana. Mana¡­ like the mana from Rosamund''s head.


    And there''s an entire army of motionless puppets full of black gunk that converts lunam to mana right over there.


    Ike''s eyes lit up. He chuckled under his breath.


    Tana pointed at him. "You can''t say that''s for nothing."


    "I just thought of something terrible," Ike said, still grinning.


    "It doesn''t look like you thought of something terrible," Tana said, crossing her arms.


    He snorted. "Well, it''s not terrible for me."


    Ket leaned out from the kitchen. "I''ve set the dining room, so let''s have a nice meal for once, what do you say?"


    "Oh, absolutely," Tana agreed.


    Ike blinked. He looked down at himself, suddenly aware of how out-of-place his ragged clothes were in the midst of such finery. Tana and Ket weren''t dressed in their best, but there was a world of difference between him and Tana. She''d changed into a dark blue day dress that fell to the mid-calf. Though it was simple, the cloth was clearly high-class. It shone faintly, imbued with some sort of spell. All the hems stretched perfectly straight, the buttons lined up, a fine line of embroidery along the edge. Ket wore the same midriff-bearing leather as ever, but it was still nicer than Ike''s mass-produced shirt and trousers.


    "Am I¡­okay? Er, dressed fine?" Ike stammered.


    Ket looked him over, then laughed. "Yeah, you''re fine. Who are you trying to impress? It''s just me and ¡­" He gasped dramatically, his eyes wide. "Tana¡­"


    Tana smacked him on the shoulder. "Ket!"


    "No, I mean¡­" Ike shook his head. "Sorry. Never mind."


    Ket met his eyes and nodded. "Don''t worry about it, kid. I''ll get you fixed up by tomorrow. I''ve got plenty of extra clothes lying around the place."


    "Oh¡­thank you," Ike said, startled. I didn''t mean to provoke him into offering me clothes, but then, I''m not going to say no to free stuff. Especially as quickly as I ruin clothes. If mages have magic-imbued clothes that resist damage, I could definitely benefit.


    "Come on, then. Before the food gets cold!" Ket gestured them on. He winked at Ike. "I tossed in enough herbs that you should definitely benefit. Especially if you''ve never had spiritual herbs before."


    "Never," Ike confirmed.


    "Never?" Tana asked, startled.


    Ket snorted. He patted Tana''s head. "He''s a slum kid, remember? If you don''t come from a mage family, you grow up like a mortal. You''re the rare one, growing up on spiritual grains and spirit herbs."


    "He''s already at the verge of Rank 2, without ever having taken spirit herbs?" Tana murmured, half to herself. She looked at Ike with a new light in her eyes.


    "Er, yes, he is¡­?" Ike said, a little lost. He scratched the back of his head. Is it that strange?


    Tana shook her head. "Let''s¡ªgo eat dinner!" She rushed off into the dining room.


    Ket watched her go, then nodded at Ike. "Let''s not keep the lady waiting."


    "No, absolutely not!" Ike agreed. I''m hungry, too. I want to try that chicken stew!

 66. Morning in Abyssal

    Ike sat back, patting his stomach. The chicken stew warmed him from within. An herbal flavor floated on his tongue, perfectly balancing the gaminess of the rooster. Whatever Ket had done, it had improved the total amount of mana in the stew. The rooster had already been rich, but the herbs accentuated that richness and made it easier for him to absorb the mana. The unspeakable thing that built inside of him grew stronger, too, and he couldn''t be sure, but he thought the herbs strengthened that as well. He stretched and yawned. Making his excuses, he staggered off to bed.That night, he had a strange dream. He floated in a space, watching a pale-colored light stream by. The light looped around a bright star. Other loops of multicolored light swirled around that star, each flow distinct.


    Ike lifted a hand and ran it through the flow of light. The light slipped around his fingers like water down a stream. Warmth tingled against his palm. The light flowed on, paying no mind to him. Removing his hand, Ike turned and watched it flow. Serenity filled him, a sureness that he would be safe here, that the light would flow on forever.


    A shadow flickered in the heart of the star. Ike turned, peering into it. A structure stood inside it, still unfinished. He flew closer. Five pillars stood in the center of the star. Another one stood beside them, barely starting its growth. A tiny nub stood beside it, so small he missed it at first. Seven pillars.


    The light streamed to the pillars, and the two small pillars grew, almost imperceptibly.


    This is it. The structure I couldn''t give a name to. The thing that''s growing inside my core. The light feeds the pillars. The light¡­mana. I add mana, and the mana forms the pillars. The pillars grow, and then¡­ and then¡­


    When all seven pillars grow, will I grow to Rank 2?


    A weight settled on his chest. It grew heavier and heavier. Ike sunk down in the light, dropping further and further toward the star. He spun his arms, struggling to stay upright in the air, but he could do nothing to prevent his fall. He dropped into the ball of light and¡ª


    Ike jolted awake. He sat up sharply, dislodging Loup from his chest. She sat up with a questioning mrrr?


    He heaved a breath. Turning, he looked at Loup and shook his head. "You almost stifled me to death!"


    Loup crawled closer to him, grinning wide. She licked his face over and over again.


    "Oh¡ªokay¡ªthanks¡ªLoup!" Ike pushed her down and drew a breath.


    Loup looked up at him from his lap, smiling. She tilted her head.


    "Stifle me in my sleep, then lick me to death when I wake up. I see through your evil plans," Ike joked. He scruffed her head, making her ears wobble.


    He shifted his legs, and Loup hopped to the ground. Ike climbed out after her. He felt unusually refreshed and light. He stretched and yawned, closing his eyes to lean into it.


    I can''t even remember the last time I slept on a real bed. Reminds me why people do it!


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    Loup stretched, too, leaning back to get a big, long stretch on her whole body. She leaned forward, stretching her hips, then stepped forward and looked up at Ike.


    "Let''s go say good morning to Tana and Ket," Ike suggested.


    Loup flicked her ears forward. She strode to the door and turned back, waiting for Ike to open it.


    Ike obliged. Loup ran down the hallway, but he knelt, examining a small pile left by the door. A shirt, a leather vest, and a pair of matching leather trousers waited for him. A note was left on top, in a straightforward and simple hand that struck Ike as belonging to Ket.


    Had these lying around. Oughta fit you. Give it a try.


    Ike paused for a moment, then grabbed the clothes and vanished back into his room. He emerged from the room in the clothes Ket had left for him. The clothes were a bit too big for him. If not for his handy belt, the pants wouldn''t have fit at all. But, he figured, better too big than too small. He still had years of growing ahead of him.


    A faint magical sheen appeared on the clothes for a moment, then vanished. He patted them. They felt exactly the same as ordinary clothes, just a little more high-class. I''ll have to ask Ket what spell is imbued in these.


    Loup walked up to him and spun around, then walked a step forward, spun again, then walked another step forward. Ike snorted under his breath. "Yeah, yeah, I get it, girl. Sorry for making you wait." Giving her a pat, he headed downstairs at last. Loup ran ahead of him, thump-thump-thumping down the stairs. At the bottom, she turned back expectantly. The second he arrived, she ran to the back door.


    Ike let her out, and she sprinted out into the yard. He watched her go, then shrugged to himself. Guess she really had to pee.


    "Ike."


    He turned. Tana stood there. She wore a dress, again. This time, it was ornate. Forest-green silk clad her curves closely, accentuated with cream ribbons at the shoulders and down the arms. Gold thread twisted about the hems, drawing delicate flowers and leaves. Her hair, too, was done up with a gold flower-shaped brooch, and pearls dotted her locks.


    He smiled. "Good morning, Tana. You''re looking nice this morning."


    "Ah¡­yes." She looked down at herself, blushing just a hair. "I have to appeal to Lord Grelund, today, so I''m wearing my courtly attire."


    "Oh," Ike said, not really understanding. I guess you have to dress up to go see the Lord, after all. That''s usually how it works, right? "Well, it looks good on you."


    "Thank you." Recovering, she curtseyed.


    Ike bowed instinctively, not sure how else to respond to a curtsey. "Uh, what are you going to court for?"


    "To report on our failure," she said, her head lowering slightly. She grimaced.


    Ike looked at her for a moment, then tilted his head. "Lord Grelund doesn''t like you, does he?"


    "Well¡­ why would he? When some consider me the rightful heir¡­I''m a threat to his rule. He probably wanted me dead from the start," Tana grumbled under her breath.


    I don''t think it''s Lord Grelund who wanted you dead¡­but then, Ket said no one outside the room should know what we spoke of, so I''ll keep that to myself. Ike nodded. "Be careful, okay?" S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Of course. I''ll have Ket with me, so I should be fine," Tana said. From the tone of her voice, she was reassuring herself as much as him. She managed a smile.


    Ike nodded. "I''ll head out into the forest today. Don''t worry if I''m not back by nightfall."


    "Sounds good to me. Take care, alright, kid?"


    Ike whirled. He hadn''t heard a breath or a footstep, not even with Sensory Enhancement, but Ket stood behind him.


    The man grinned and tossed a wink his direction, taking another bite of his apple. "Flirting with the princess, hmm¡­?"


    "He wasn''t flirting!" Tana said, blushing more fiercely than before.


    "Yeah, we were just having a conversation," Ike said, rolling his eyes.


    Loup trotted over to Ike''s side. She looked up at him.


    Reaching into his pocket, Ket tossed Ike an apple. "And if you hunt any big monsters, bring some home for us. I''ll match the quality of your meat with my herbs."


    He caught the apple out of the air. Remembering the delicious stew, Ike nodded. "That''s a deal."


    He set off into the back yard, Loup at his side. For a second, Ket and Tana stood framed in the doorway, Ket looming tall over Tana, and then the door shut, and they left. Each to their own tasks. Each to their own battles.

 67. Back Into the Forest

    The back garden of Ket''s manor had a gate at its far rear that let out into the back streets. Ike headed out, travelling light for the day. He''d left the majority of his gear behind. Today was a scouting run to find out how dangerous the monsters were around Abyssal. Maybe make a few kills if he could. Maybe go find out how inactive the puppet army really was. Tomorrow, he''d decide whether to head out for the long term or not. He carried a day bag, big enough to carry back some monster parts and Rosamund''s head.He didn''t feel safe leaving Rosamund''s head back for various reasons. First, it was his lifeline. Without it, he had no method of acquiring mana aside from hunting monsters, and at that point, he was stuck in a losing game. He needed to spend mana to kill monsters, and not all monsters gave as much mana as the rooster. If he hadn''t had Loup and a tried-and-true technique to hunt the chickens without using much mana, he would have needed to supplement with Rosamund to replenish his mana after hunting them. And the chickens were, well, chickens. Relatively easy to kill. It''s easy to see why most people who fall into the Abyss either turn to lunam or give up entirely.


    Second, he had no idea how anyone would react to him carrying around a disembodied talking head. That, and given how little Rosamund liked him, she''d surely try to talk them into injuring him somehow. All told, it was safer to bring Rosamund along than leave her back.


    He walked quietly through the streets. Keeping his head down, he surveyed the auras of everyone around him.


    Most of the people he passed had weakened auras. Their mana had strength, but it was the remnant of strength. For the most part, few of them had stronger auras than Ike, in the weaker half of Rank 1. Those people had normal, but hollow, eyes. There was an emptiness to their motions, as if they were conserving their energy and waiting to die.


    No wonder they couldn''t continue to absorb mana in the Abyss. If I was at the lower end of Rank 1, I would''ve struggled to kill the chickens, too.


    Come to think of it, the hunters who fell into the Abyss organically would be weak hunters who didn''t know where the Abyss was¡ªpeople even newer to hunting than I was when I jumped down. As for people banished here, with the city lord desperate for strong fighters, I have to suspect that he''s not going to banish many people like Ket. Not unless they really cross some line. So regardless of how you end up down here, you''re probably weak when you enter the Abyss.


    I wonder if that''s why the Abyss has such a deadly reputation? If only weak people tend to fall into it, then naturally they''d have a high fatality rate.


    Hmm. I didn''t think to consider peoples'' biases before.


    A few of those walking around had stronger auras. Auras at least as strong as Ike''s, if not strong enough to be Rank 2, or even borderline Rank 3. All of those people had inverted eyes like Tana''s or Ket''s. Likewise, their auras possessed the same strange chill that Ket''s and Tana''s did. It was easy to guess how they were able to continue to grow in the Abyss: these people had learned to cultivate lunam.


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    But they''re stuck in the Abyss. No longer able to grow as mages without lunam.


    Ike did his best to mimic the hollow eyes of the failed mages. He reached out to the mana around him and pulled it close, manually restraining his aura. He wasn''t sure he''d succeeded at blending in, but he at least looked more like the other mages at first glance. After all, the last thing he wanted to do in a new city was stand out. People who stood out got targeted.


    And on that note¡­ He pulled his old oilskin out of his pack and threw it over his new clothes. He didn''t know how much Ket''s old clothes were worth, but he was willing to bet a Rank 3-on-the-verge-of-4 could afford a little more than most mages stuck at Rank 1 could.


    Not many people headed outside the village. Most of them focused their attention inside, on the shops and market there. Ike wandered over, his rooster feathers tucked under his arm. Ket warned me that I won''t get the best price here, but I''m stuck in the Abyss for the foreseeable future. I might as well get some gold out of my efforts. It''s better than carrying around rooster feathers forever. Especially as delicate as the feathers are. I bet their price goes way down if they''re damaged at all.


    Cold wind blew from a building near him. A large fang with a hollow center hung over the door. Ike pushed the door open and peered inside. A burly man wearing a red collar sat at the back of the room. Just like back in the outpost.


    He walked inside. "Common setup?"


    The man grunted. "Hot-cold exchange enchantment''s pretty easy to set up, and it keeps the meat fresh. What do you have to sell?"


    Ike put the feathers on the counter. "How much?"


    The man picked them up. He examined them, then shrugged. "Rooster feathers. They''re pretty, but that''s about it. Five gold."


    Right. Sure. Ket did say the prices would be low, but I think that''s a bit too low. Ike scooped up the feathers and went to walk out.


    "Wait, wait, wait. Ten gold," the man said.


    Ike kept walking for the door.


    "Alright, fine. Twenty gold, final offer."


    That''s probably still low, but it''s at least within reason. Ike turned back around with a smile. He put the feathers on the counter and looked the man in the eye. "Twenty-five."


    "You''re bleeding me dry, kid. Twenty-one."


    "Twenty-five." As much as you tried to undercut me? Twenty-five or nothing.


    The man sighed. He reached to his hip.


    Ike raised his brows. Was that still an undercut? Damn. How much is this rooster actually worth?


    He shrugged to himself and took the gold. Twenty-five gold is twenty-five gold. I''m not a genius salesman. This is close enough to a success to make me happy.


    The man glanced at his face. "You new in town?"


    Ike shrugged. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Better watch your back," the man grumbled.


    He paused. In the middle of the room, he turned back. At his hip, Loup growled. He tilted his head, looking directly at the man. "I''ll watch my back. Will you watch yours?"


    The man narrowed his eyes. He harrumphed and turned away.


    Ike walked out, shrugging internally. No idea if that''ll keep him from siccing his friends on me, but it was worth a try.


    Loup at his side, he headed out of the city and into the forest.

 68. Hunting Around

    Back out in the forest, Ike couldn''t help but feel safer than he had in the city. He ran a hand over the back of his neck. The air of defeat and self-destruction in there¡­ I''m surprised Tana managed to grow up so normal. In the forest, everything wanted to kill him, but they were all beasts. Straightforward about it. Back in the city, who even knew what kind of plots people would cook up to entrap him.Yeah, I''d rather be out here. Hunting monsters.


    He drew out Orin''s book as he walked through the forest. This part of the Abyss would correspond to the far reaches of the forest from the city, and there were fewer notes on this part of the forest. Ike scanned it, just to get an idea of what was in the area, then put it back away. Fulgur-Loups, giant snakes, and big spiders.


    Spiders, huh? Ike looked around, searching the tree tops for white thread. Mercifully, the trees near him were clear of any signs of large spiders. A shiver crawled over his skin, and he rubbed his hands over his arms. If I see webs, I''m going the other way. There''s nothing spiders have that I want.


    He''d seen his fair share of spiders in the slums. Been bitten by his fair share, too. The spindly little things snuck around and hid in the most unexpected places. They hid in the shadows to leap out and deliver their vicious venom into his flesh. Bulbous bodies and long, delicate legs, dozens of tiny eyes and hairy backs. Everything about spiders awakened his desires to run, or kill.


    Plus, they don''t have any meat, and there''s no part of their body I can harvest for money. The only thing I can think of that might be worthwhile is the silk, and that''s not easy to harvest.


    Large snakes, though. Some people paid good money for snakeskin goods, and the fangs could doubtlessly be used for weapons. Ike nodded to himself. Giant snakes. That''s my kind of hunt.


    The Fulgur-Loups obviously qualified as a hunt, though he wasn''t sure what Loup''s opinion of hunting them would be. He glanced at her. Noticing his gaze, she tilted her head back at him. Ike shrugged and walked on. I guess we''ll play it by ear.


    He turned his feet toward the cliff where Ket had shown him the puppets. But first, puppets. He''d hunt after he tested the puppets. After all, testing the puppets required none of his strength. If they activated the second he got close, he''d simply leave. If they didn''t¡­ then he''d have to investigate a little more closely. Either way, compared to a hunt, it required very little energy on his part.


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    Ike paused. He looked over his shoulder for a moment, activating his Sensory Enhancement to its limit. Nothing but the silence and sway of the trees. The man in the monster-parts shop must not have sent his friends after him yet.


    Or they''re like Ket. Able to move so silently that even Sensory Enhancement can''t hear them.


    He looked to his side. Loup looked back up at him, wagging her tail. That''s what Loup is for. Patting her on the head, he walked on.


    There was no path to the puppet army. It took Ike some time to pick his way through the forest back to the army. Once she figured out where he was going, Loup helped, darting back and forth to show Ike the route back to his destination. It was still before noon when he pushed aside a thick, leafy bush and found himself at the top of the cliff that looked down over the army.


    Ike looked around, searching for a route down. A thick tangle of roots and vines descended over the earthen cliff to the army''s feet. The cliff surrounded the army on three sides, and on the fourth, a thick swamp reached out to the horizon. Ike hesitated, then shrugged and grabbed the vines. I''m a good climber, and it''s easier to climb up than down. I''ll climb back up if they go nuts.


    "You stay up here, girl," Ike said, lowering his legs over the cliff.


    Loup whined. She licked his face.


    "Girl¡ªhey¡­" Ike squeezed his mouth and eyes shut and quickly climbed down over the edge of the cliff, out of licking range. As he left her reach, Loup sat down, then lowered to a lay. She rested her head on her paws with a huff.


    "I''ll be right back," Ike assured her. He climbed down slowly, hand over hand. The vines and roots twined so tightly that he didn''t have to plan out his descent. He reached his foot downward until he found a foothold, moved his hands down, then repeated. His hands grew raw from the vines, and dirt covered his boots and palms. As he descended, he checked on the army over his shoulder. It remained deactivated. The puppets'' shoulders slumped, and their eyes closed.


    It''s strange how they already look doll-like, Ike noted as he continued toward them. Rosamund had appeared human at first, but these puppets clearly had ball joints and hinges. Their eyes were surrounded by dark edges, like a doll baby''s eyes, and their chins had deep lines on either side of the mouth. Even beheaded, Rosamund''s head still appeared human, as long as he didn''t tip it upside down to get the gunk out.


    Are they lower quality? Or does the human skin get applied when they get activated? Pondering the questions, Ike came to the bottom of the cliff. He hopped off and faced the puppets, holding his breath. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Come on. Don''t wake up. You''re deactivated. Don''t move!

 69. Dolls

    Ike held his breath. Staring at a hundred dolls, all lined up and perfectly still, he waited, watching them for any sign of movement.Nothing. Not a twitch. Not so much as a blink or a breath. They stood, facing him, absolutely motionless.


    He released his breath. Good. Just standing here won''t trigger them. Now to find out if there''s anything that will trigger them.


    Because if not¡­


    He crept toward the doll at the far right corner. Over his shoulder, he checked his escape route. The vines and roots were just as thick here. If he needed to make a quick escape, he could.


    I''m not just hoping that the dolls can''t climb, or that they won''t chase me far. In the worst case, I''ll be able to scurry back up to the height advantage, and then¡­ He glanced over his shoulder and grinned. In any case, I have an escape route all ready to go.


    Ike bent and picked up a stick. He stood as far back as he could, close to the vines. Gingerly, he poked the corner doll.


    It stood there, unresponsive.


    Lowering the stick, he approached a little closer. Ike inched toward the doll, waiting between each step for a reaction. Still the doll stood there, no more than the inanimate object it appeared to be.


    Ever so slowly, he drew up to the doll, until he was within arm''s reach of the thing. He lifted his hand toward the doll. It shook, and Ike snorted under his breath. The tension was palpable. He couldn''t deny it.


    His hand touched fabric.


    Instantly, Ike withdrew his hand, as if he''d been burned. The next instant, he chuckled at himself. He glanced at the doll. Still no motion or reaction. Lifting his hand again, he touched it again, grabbing its forearm this time. He felt the joint under the fabric, the hard, shiny doll body slipping against the uniform.


    Still nothing. Completely inanimate, the doll stood as if sleeping.


    Ike raised his eyebrows. He gave the shoulder a little shake. Moved the doll''s head around. Tugged it a little out of line. Nothing happened. The doll didn''t react at all.


    He stepped back and put a hand on his chin. His brows raised. Well, well, well. If these dolls are like Rosamund, then they''re full of rich lunam-converting goop. And why wouldn''t they be? Rosamund was, and they appear to be the same build. In fact, I''m willing to bet they have the same constructor. If they really aren''t going to react at all, why don''t I borrow one and get all the goop out of it?


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    It''s hard to break them open, but I''m sure I can figure something out with enough time. I think I can categorically reject smashing them open like I did Rosamund. If these belong to the city lord¡ªand they almost certainly belong to someone at least as powerful as the city lord¡ªthen he''d hunt me down and destroy me if I openly destroyed them. After all, he put them here for a reason. City domination, or something. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I honestly don''t give a fuck about the city lord''s plan. Inter-city politics is far over my pay grade. Let the city lord attack his fellow cities. Whatever. I don''t particularly like Brightbriar City. It''s never done anything for me. My uncle can die. Silver will escape on his own, and I''m sure Cara and Orin can get out safe from any battle.


    What these dolls are to me is a giant lump of resources! I''d be a fool if I simply let them stand around and waste away, full of delicious lunam-to-mana goo. Ha! If all those failed mages in the city knew about this, they''d be green with envy. As for me, I''ll take advantage of it while I can, and Rank up quickly with this goo!


    Ike sobered. He looked over the dolls again, a calculating gleam in his eye. In any case, the point is, I can''t simply crack these dolls open willy-nilly and spill their insides all over the floor. That''s a guaranteed way to get a very angry city lord on my ass. No. My play here is to extract the goo without anyone realizing it''s gone. Tap these dolls so I can remove their delicious insides, leaving just enough of the goo that they can still move when they''re ordered to. Besides, the goo regenerates! No harm, no foul. In fact, I''m doing the city lord a favor! He wouldn''t want his precious dolls to crack from the internal pressure of the goo, right?


    Actually, if I could get a cutter that could slice into their porcelain, I could cut open their backs and extract that goo with no one the wiser. but what would cut through their bodies? Diamond?


    Ike raised his brows. He grinned deviously. Or maybe¡­ some kind of monster part?


    He retreated back up the cliff and settled in the overgrowth to pull out Orin''s book. Skimming it, he searched for monsters with super-hard claws, fangs, or scales. Anything hard, that I could sharpen into a porcelain-cutting tool.


    His eyes widened. He ran his finger down a page. ¡­sharp beaks that even shatter steel. They nest¡­ He caught his breath. Where? Where did they nest?


    ¡­near the east side of the city, so they might not last much longer.


    Ike wrinkled his nose. Far away from the Abyss. What else?


    ¡­these cats can bite through trees.


    Far to the north of the city. Useless.


    ¡­sharp, vicious fangs¡­


    North, again.


    Ike wrinkled his nose. He flipped through faster, searching for creatures in the Abyss with sharp, sturdy body parts.


    ¡­hard fangs that sliced through my shield with ease. Plate armor cannot hold against their vicious bite¡­


    Ike''s eyes widened. He checked the location. Near the Abyss! Jackpot! What kind of creature is it? He flipped back to the page.


    A bulbous, harry, eight-legged creature stared back at him. Black eyes gazed out over two enormous fangs. Disgust crawled over Ike''s skin, and he made a face. Ugh. Not spiders!

 70. Not Spiders

    Ike checked the rest of Orin''s book, but found nothing else in the vicinity of the Abyss with a description that included breaking through metal or hard objects. He sighed, tucking the book away. It was possible that there were creatures that could bite through porcelain that weren''t listed in the book, but he couldn''t set off into the forest in hopes of finding some random creature that would let him cut porcelain when he had an answer in his lap. After all, he had no idea when the city lord would come back for his army. The sooner he started tapping the puppets, the more goo he could acquire.He sighed aloud. Turning to Loup, he shook his head. "Guess we''re hunting spiders, girl."


    She sat up. Her ears perked forward at the word hunt, and her tail wagged.


    "Don''t get excited about that," Ike muttered to himself. He shouldered his pack and set back out through the forest.


    Every so often, Ike paused and scaled a tall tree, looking around from the higher vantage point for the kind of forest where spiders thrived. Dead wood cloaked in silk, trees that were little more than balls of web, or maybe lush young forest, with short trees and big clearings where bugs would gather. A spot deeper into the Abyss and off to the right caught his eye, and he headed in that direction. Whenever he lost his way, he''d simply climb back up a tree and look for it again. Loup waited patiently at the bottom while he climbed, taking the opportunity to rest.


    At last, they drew up to the edge of the spider forest. Half-dead trees spread through the forest ahead of him, clad in heavy white webs. Webs blanketed the ground. They spread between trunks in blankets and stretched in thick ropes from branch to branch and tree to ground. Little palm-sized spiders skittered along the white strands, and tiny black specks too small to make out, that he knew were spiders without being able to see them clearly.


    A shiver crawled over his skin, and he ran his hands over his arms. "Yuck."


    Loup charged forward and pounced on one of the palm-sized spiders, squishing it. She dashed over to the next one and pounced on it, too. Left and right, she dashed across the path, gleefully squishing spiders.


    "At least someone''s enjoying it," Ike remarked. He picked up a clean stick from before the spiderwebs started and poked the ground, checking that there was solid earth beneath the white blanket. The stick met resistance. He walked forward, swiping webs out of his way and poking the ground as he went.


    Loup dashed around him, as excited as he was reluctant. Spider after spider died to her blissful jumps. The hand-sized spiders skittered up into the trees to escape the relentless wolf. Ike watched them go. Lowering his head, he nodded approvingly at Loup. "Good job, girl."


    Loup looked up at him, her tongue lolling out. She tilted her head.


    Deeper into the web-cloaked forest. The webs grew so thick as to block out the sun. The further he went, the darker it became. From the brightness of a cloudy day, the webs drew thicker until it turned to twilight. Ike kept his head on a swivel. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled. The sensation of tiny little feet crawled all over his body. Although he knew it was all in his head, he couldn''t help but smack his legs every now and again. Loup drew closer to him, her ears swiveling. She no longer chased the little spiders, now on high alert.


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    Loup senses it, too. We''re drawing close to something. Something big.


    The spiderwebs around them trembled. The trees groaned. A shadow blacked out the sun. Overhead, the tic-tic-thwack of snapping spider threads rang out. The shadow burrowed toward them, tearing through the web.


    "Loup! Run!" Ike shouted.


    Ike and Loup dove in opposite directions. A giant spider broke through the web and smashed down where they''d been moments ago, its sharp toe-tips piercing through the web and earth alike. The spider pulled its feet out of the earth one at a time and turned to face Ike, its multitudinous dark eyes gleaming with a filthy intelligence.


    Ike tossed his pack aside, drawing his sword in the same moment. Lightning flickered over his limbs, and he dashed in, charging the spider before it could charge him.


    Startled, the spider jumped into the air. Ike knelt, charging Lightning Clad, then burst up into the air after it. He struck upward, unleashing the first strike of the River-Splitting Sword. Mana rushed through his arm and through the sword. The mana flowed out with the strike, slicing through the spider''s mouthparts and one of its mandibles.


    Huh? Weren''t those supposed to be super hard? Ike stared at the sliced mandibles, then looked up at the giant spider.


    The spider staggered back, screeching in pain. Ichor ran from the slice on its face. One of its eyes oozed, ruptured by the blade strike. It struggled to keep its feet, woozy from the pain.


    "It''s the wrong giant spider!" Ike snarled, frustrated. He charged the spider, lifting his sword high.


    The spider found its footing. It roared and lifted its front claws to stab down at Ike. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Loup charged at it from behind. She threw her shoulder into its rear legs.


    The spider stumbled, barely catching itself on its front claws. It stared at Ike in abject horror.


    "Die, monster!" Ike shouted. He slashed horizontally, severing the spider''s front two legs.


    The spider sagged forward. It barely supported its weight on the stubs of its front legs. Ichor leaked onto the ground. It snapped at Ike with its single remaining fang.


    "Let me put you out of your misery." Ike pulled his blade back. He set his feet apart, one in front of the other. Activating Lightning Dash to its full power, he raced at the spider. A second before he crashed into it, he released the third form of River-Splitting Sword, a vicious downward strike. Splitting River Stone.


    The spider barely had time to jolt in surprise before his sword passed through it. It fell apart in two halves. Ichor poured over the webbing.


    Ike staggered back, panting. He wiped his brow. Looking at the dead spider, he took a deep breath. "Thank goodness."


    Loup trotted over to his side. She looked up at him, tilting her head.


    "Yeah, yeah. I''ll clean it up. Who knows? Maybe there''s something worth selling in that thing." Ike retrieved his pack and drew Rosamund''s head out. After that fight, his core was a little low on mana. Might as well top up before I push on.


    He cut himself a hole in the spiderweb and started a fire on the dry ground, settling in to cook up the gunk for mana. As he sat there, watching the smoke discolor the web above him, he raised his brows. You know, I could just burn this whole place down. Those fangs I''m after are probably fire resistant if they''re hard enough to cut porcelain, right?


    "Hey."


    Ike almost jumped out of his skin. He grabbed his sword and whirled toward the voice, ready to attack.

 71. Definitely Spiders

    "Hey."Ike whirled. Spreading his legs in a desperate attempt to hide Rosamund''s head, he lifted his sword, pointing it toward the speaker.


    A girl a little younger than him stood before him. Red eyes gazed into his. Her black hair was wild, her pale skin filthy. Her clothes were tattered, held together by more white spider thread than cloth. The shirt was too small, baring her midriff, and the shorts barely reached the mid-thigh. She looked at the sword leveled at her chest and lifted a single finger, pushing it away. "Is that how you greet friends?"


    "Are we friends?" Ike asked.


    "We can be," she replied. She walked away, hopping up into a tree to look down at him.


    Ike stared up at her. She wasn''t even worried about my sword. Is she some kind of expert? He pressed his aura outward, trying to sense hers, but it was like reaching into a void. He felt nothing, and yet, a chill shivered down his back.


    The second he reached out with his aura, her head snapped up. She met his eyes.


    Ike stared for a second, then retracted his aura.


    She smiled.


    Oh, she definitely felt that. This girl is way stronger than me. I should treat her with respect. Ike cleared his throat. "I''d like to be friends."


    "Oh, that''s good. Me too."


    Silence.


    "Can I help you?" Ike asked.


    "Well, I was wondering what you were going to do with that fire," the girl said, in the most casual way possible.


    She is definitely pissed about that. I need to tread carefully. "Uhm, I was just cooking," Ike said.


    "Oh. Good. I see you cleared the webs from the foot of the flame. Could you clear them a little further? I live here, you know."


    "Right, right! Sorry. Sure." Ike jumped up and cut the webs a little further back from his fire. He glanced up.


    The girl looked down at him, one brow cocked expectantly.


    Not far enough? Ike grabbed his sword and cut a little further.


    She waited, brows still raised.


    How far does she want? Ike backed away a few steps and cut again.


    The girl turned away, putting her head on her hand.


    Guess that''s far enough. Ike walked back to the fire. He checked that she wasn''t watching, then, putting his body between the girl and the fire, uncorked Rosamund''s head and poured the gunk into his pan. There was no way for her to see the head at all, or the gunk that spilled out of it.


    "What''s that?"


    Ike startled. He looked up, quickly grappling the blocking stone back into Rosamund''s neck.


    The girl was still looking in the opposite direction, but she turned around as she spoke. She nodded at the head. "What is it?"


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    "It''s, um¡­" Reluctantly, Ike looked at the head. I don''t want to give up my secret to a total stranger.


    "We''re friends, aren''t we?" she said. She tilted her head. "I sensed that thing from across the forest. What is it?"


    Shit, she''s that strong? She''ll probably kill me outright if I lie. But then, I don''t have to tell the whole truth, either. Ike grinned nervously at her. "It''s¡­a doll head. Magic-powered. See? Looks like a human head, doesn''t it?" He pointed Rosamund''s face at her. Rosamund wrinkled her nose in disgust.


    "Oh." Completely disinterested, the girl looked the other way.


    Huh? I''d expect some kind of reaction. Disgust, or anger, or¡­I don''t know. Rosamund feels like dark magic to me. She shouldn''t have this non-reaction. Ike frowned. He tilted his head. Her eyes weren''t inverted. She didn''t use lunam, she used mana. She''s definitely a mage. Does she have some sort of mana source down here?


    Wait. Hold on. Ike snapped his fingers. "You''re a beast, aren''t you? A monster!" After all, monsters use primal energy, or whatever it is Ket called it. They can grow on mana just the same as they can grow on lunam. And unlike humans, the beasts don''t get inverted eyes.


    The girl whipped around. Her eyes locked onto his. "What of it?" she growled.


    Ike smiled disarmingly at her, hiding his fear. "I had a mentor who was a monster, too. Silver. He was a giant panther. I''m used to it, don''t worry."


    "Oh." Her voice lightened, and she smiled a little. "Did he teach you the sword skill? I thought it felt oddly familiar."


    "He did," Ike confirmed.


    The girl hopped down. She sat beside him, so close they almost touched. "You''re not one of those idiots who try to hunt us or make us pets, are you?"


    "No. I''m not stupid," Ike said. He eyed Rosamund''s head, then wisely kept his mouth shut. I don''t want her to get enraged at my lifeline and destroy it.


    "Mmm. I like you. My name is Wisp."


    "I''m Ike."


    Wisp hummed, disinterested. She sniffed the smoke. "That smells weird."


    "Yeah, I know," Ike said.


    "Smells funny," Wisp repeated. She bounded off and returned with a small herb. It looked a little like basil, with broad, rounded green leaves. Wisp tossed it into the pan, then sat back.


    Ike startled. He went to yank it out, but the herb immediately dissolved. He stared at the pan, pressing his lips together. I don''t like that.


    "It''ll make it smell less. And purify it a little," Wisp explained.


    "Oh. Thank you," Ike said. If that''s all it does, then there''s no problem. But do I trust this wild child?


    "Why are you here, in my forest?" Wisp asked. She tilted her head innocently at him.


    Ike looked at her, then looked all around them. "You''re¡­ a spider monster?" he guessed.


    She ran a hand through her hair and said nothing.


    He glanced at the spider across the way from them. The one he''d just killed. Uh oh.


    "If I wanted you dead, you''d already be gone. Speak honestly," Wisp urged him.


    She''s got a point. She knows I killed that thing, and she hasn''t attacked me. Maybe there''s spiders she''s fine with me killing? "I came here to hunt a monster with strong fangs. Fangs hard enough to cut through porcelain. Um, but¡­I can look somewhere else," he added quickly.


    Wisp thought for a moment. "Monsters with strong fangs? You''re after the wolf spiders, aren''t you?"


    "A¡ªa single wolf spider. And I can look elsewhere," Ike interjected.


    Wisp frowned at him, then laughed. She jumped to her feet and stood at her full height, only a little taller than Ike''s crouched form. "Human, would you get mad if I killed and ate a monkey?"


    "Uh¡­no?" Ike said.


    "Good. Stop being so precious about your desires. If you want to kill, say it. These spiders are animals to me. They''re nothing. I eat them when I get bored."


    "Oh," Ike muttered to himself.


    She crossed her arms. "It''s insulting for you to assume I''m the same as those animals, in fact. I have half a mind to eat you right here, right now."


    Ike took a deep breath, absorbing as much of the mana as he could. He tensed, preparing to activate his skills.


    Wisp giggled. She patted his head. "I said I''d help you, didn''t I?"


    "You didn''t," Ike told her. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh. I''ll help you. I''m bored anyways. As long as you give me that." She pointed.


    Ike followed her finger. Loup walked over, wagging her tail. His face turned stony. "You can''t have Loup."


    "What? I don''t want that tiny dog nugget. That!"


    Ike looked past Loup. The dead spider laid sprawled on the ground. He furrowed his brows, then shrugged. "Sure. Go nuts." That thing is disgusting in the first place, and I have no idea if any of it is worth anything in town. She can have it.


    With a mad grin, Wisp leaped from his side to the spider corpse. Ike turned away, but couldn''t block his ears from the horrible crunching and squelching sounds behind him. He shivered, goosebumps raising on his arms and back. A wet slurp and a long, vicious tear echoed in his ears, and he flinched instinctively. Gods give me strength¡­

 72. Spider Time

    Ike finished absorbing all the mana from Rosamund''s head and put it back away in his bag. The herb Wisp had added had notably changed the tenor of the mana. Normally, it felt dark, thick, almost, but this time, it felt light, smooth. Better. Almost like the mana he absorbed from monster meat. Ike rubbed his core. Whatever that was, I like it.Behind him, the squelching and cracking sounds slowed. Wisp walked up beside him, licking scraps of greenish-yellow ichor off her fingers. "Delicious. You ready to go?"


    Ike looked at her. He glanced over his shoulder at the empty hole where the spider corpse had been, then did a double-take, his eyes widening. Where did that giant spider-monster I hunted go? She''s smaller than me! And that stomach of hers is flat! There isn''t even a bump!


    "Hey. What''re you staring for?"


    "Huh? Uh¡ªyeah. Let''s go!"


    They walked off, deeper into the web-drenched forest. Wisp led the way, ambling along without a care in the world, her hands behind her head. Ike followed a few paces back, Loup at his heels.


    "Hey, Wisp?"


    She glanced over her shoulder. "Yeah?"


    "That herb¡­where''d you find it? I wouldn''t mind keeping a few of those around. Maybe even growing some."


    Wisp flashed him a smile. Her teeth were sharp and curved inward, overtly inhuman. "It''s called whitefeather grass. It''s not that hard to grow. After we beat this guy, I''ll show you a small patch. But not for free."


    Ike nodded. "What''s your price?"


    "Everything but the fangs," Wisp said, licking her lips.


    Everything but the¡ªIke swallowed. He nodded and gave her a thumbs-up. "All yours."


    Wisp chuckled.


    They padded over the thickly carpeted forest for a while, before Ike finally cleared his throat again. "Wisp, you don''t need my help, do you?"


    "Do you need that dog''s help?" Wisp asked without looking back.


    "I¡ªLoup helps me¡ª"


    "But absolutely. In the absolute sense. If you had to hunt without her, you could, right?"


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    "Yes."


    Wisp nodded. "I''m feeling lazy. You''re doing me a favor."


    Ike nodded. "Understood." He eyed Wisp''s back, but said nothing more. I get the feeling there''s more to it than that, but if she wants to play it close to the chest, there isn''t much I can do to break through. After all, it''s no joke that she''s massively more powerful than me. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She glanced over her shoulder. "Not going to call me out for calling you a dog?"


    "Woof," Ike replied, deadpan. I don''t care. I''ve heard worse. It''s not like you really meant it, either. If every little thing got a rise out of me, I''d never stop being mad.


    Wisp chuckled under her breath. "I like you."


    Up ahead, green poked through the blankets of white. The webs faded away, and the forest returned to normal. Confused, Ike looked around. He walked more slowly than before, wary of the sudden change. Is she leading me the wrong way? Or¡ª


    Something about the branches under his feet gave him pause. He stumbled, staggering two little steps on the same ground rather than stepping forward. His foot kicked one of the branches, and they all tumbled into darkness. Under them, a thin web collapsed. Ike stared into a deep hole that pierced into the loam.


    Wisp giggled. She applauded him. "Good catch."


    "Were you just going to let me fall?" Ike asked.


    "I was going to pull you out," she said.


    That''s a yes. Eyeing the hole, Ike walked around. He dragged his feet, kicking the branches ahead of him as he walked.


    I don''t know what Wisp wants from me, but whatever. I''m used to people trying to take advantage of me. As long as I keep my eyes open, I should be okay.


    Besides, if she''s as much stronger than me as she seems, I''m only alive by her good will, anyways. There''s no harm in playing this out.


    "You must be new here," Wisp said suddenly.


    Ike nodded. "Yeah."


    "Your eyes are still normal. And you didn''t run screaming."


    "What was that second one?" Ike asked.


    Wisp shrugged. "The people from Abyssal are all cowards. They won''t even talk to me anymore. They just run, screaming. That''s why I especially appreciate you."


    "Oh¡­ that''s good. Or¡­ not good?" Ike asked. He eyed Wisp''s back. You are a giant spider monster, probably. If I saw your monster form, I would''ve attacked you, too. I can''t blame them for that one.


    "It is what it is," Wisp said.


    They walked on in silence. Ike watched his feet for pits, while Loup easily navigated the ground, seemingly by instinct. At last, Wisp stopped. She slipped behind a tree and held her hand up.


    Ike looked forward. He snuck up behind Wisp and peered over her shoulder.


    A very large spider stood in a clearing. Each leg stretched ten feet long, holding a relatively thin, lithe body over the forest floor. Two enormous wolf-like fangs descended from either side of its mouth, and eight black eyes surveyed the forest. It was covered in short brown fur, not unlike a wolf.


    "That thing fell down into the Abyss last week, and it''s been muscling into my territory ever since. Pissing me off. Today, you''re gonna help me kill it," Wisp declared.


    "You aren''t going to use me as bait and abandon me to my death, are you?" Ike asked.


    "No. Who would do that? That sounds like people things," Wisp said, wrinkling her nose.


    "It is people things," Ike agreed.


    Wisp shook her head adamantly. She stuck out her tongue. "People."


    Ike nodded. I can get behind that. "So what''s the plan?"


    Wisp gestured him in, standing on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear.

 73. Wolf Spider

    Ike charged toward the wolf spider. The huge spider jumped, startled, but not overly concerned. It lifted a foot, aiming to squash him.Ha. How the tables have turned.


    A shadow fell over Ike. The foot hurtled toward his head.


    Ike kicked off the ground. Lightning crackled after him. He dashed under the giant spider. The monster''s foot struck the ground. It lifted it and found nothing. Confused, the spider turned, looking for Ike.


    Under the monster''s body, Ike crouched. Lightning covered his legs up to the hip. He leapt up. A shockwave cracked over the ground, rustling the grass and sending a cloud of dust into the air.


    The spider jumped as well, leaping in surprise. Its stomach receded from Ike. Ike clicked his tongue. The Lightning skills are way too loud, with all the thunder they set off.


    But that''s fine.


    A tiny figure appeared high in the sky, even higher than the spider. Wisp dropped down on the spider, her leg lifted to drop an axel kick on it.


    In midair, the spider spun. It extended one of its extra-long legs and kicked Wisp away. She flew off, vanishing over the trees.


    "Wisp!" Ike shouted.


    No reply. He landed on the ground under the spider, then immediately kicked off again. The spider dropped down toward him, no longer able to jump away.


    Wisp had told him: wolf spiders didn''t have webs the way other spiders did. It wouldn''t shoot web or maneuver using it, the way she or any other spider monster might. It had a powerful jump, but they could use that against it.


    The way we just did.


    Orin''s book hadn''t been as complete as Wisp''s information, but it had backed up everything she''d told him. Since he knew she wasn''t lying, he''d decided to go ahead and trust her. If nothing else, the spider didn''t feel super dangerous to me. I can probably kill it myself, if I need to.


    As the spider dropped toward him, Ike activated his skills. Lightning crackled over his arms. The spider clawed at the air, startled. Its twitching did nothing to save it. He slashed upward, putting the full force of his jump into it.


    The sword bit through the spider''s carapace. Green ichor spouted out. Ike''s eyes widened as the wave of green goo flew toward him. Oh, shit¡­


    Splat. Ike and the spider landed on the ground. The green goo soaked him. He grimaced, disgusted. I just got these clothes from Ket. I really can''t keep an outfit clean.


    The spider''s legs slipped. Its cut stomach dropped toward Ike. The whole underside of the spider bulged outward. Guts blooped out. Ike fled out from under it. As he passed, he slashed through one of the spider''s legs.


    Roaring, the spider reared. With its remaining legs, it smashed toward Ike.


    "Fuck off!" A bolt of white silk struck the monster''s face. Wisp''s small body reappeared, one foot forward. She smashed into the spider and caved its front end in. The spider''s whole face dented into its body. Cracks appeared over its back and stomach, and more ichor spurted out. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The spider reeled. It staggered, almost falling as it stepped onto its severed leg.


    Ike darted up and sliced into the monster''s face where Wisp had cut. The slash bisected his first slash, and the monster''s remaining ichor gushed out. It shuddered, then dropped to the ground with a heavy thump.


    "Everything but the fangs!" Wisp shouted, sprinting toward the monster''s body.


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    "Go ham," Ike returned. Ignoring the squelching and cracking from the rear of the giant spider, he looked up at the fangs. He stepped back, tilting his head to get a better angle on the fangs. They dangled from the spider''s face, the frontal carapace crushed all around them. He wrinkled his nose. That''s going to be annoying to cut.


    Loup walked up beside him. She looked at the fangs, then looked at Ike.


    "Hey, could you jump up and grab onto the fang? Stretch out the flesh at the base?" Ike asked. It''ll be easier to cut if she puts tension on the fang.


    Loup tilted her head. She paced over to the fang, then crouched and leaped up. Her jaws clamped around the fang, and the flesh at its base grew taut.


    Ike leaped up and slashed, cutting through the base of the fang. Loup and the fang hit the ground. She dropped it, then hopped up and latched on to the second fang. Ike severed that one, too. Loup landed and paced away, standing at a near distance.


    Retrieving the fangs, Ike backed out of the clearing. He nodded at Loup. "Let''s give her some space."


    Loup lowered her head and fell in behind him. Out of the clearing, Ike went just far enough that the sound of Wisp chowing down on the massive spider grew distant enough to bear, then sat. He drew a stone over and scratched at it with the tip of the fang. The fang cut through stone, leaving white dust and a shallow cut behind.


    Excellent. He reached into his pack and drew out Rosamund''s head. Rosamund twitched, but couldn''t shake strong enough to seriously struggle. Tipping it upside down, he ran the fang around the edge of her neck, just under one of the most jagged, sharp protuberances. Her struggles grew stronger. He clamped his hand down on her chin, pinning her in place. A line appeared behind the fang. Two, then three more scrapes, and the jagged edge fell away.


    Ike grinned. He slipped Rosamund''s head back into the pack. And that confirms it. It works.


    The chewing sounds continued. Ike drew the ruined sword out of his pack and scraped the excess flesh away. Slowly, he cut off the bloody remains. When only the fangs remained, he drew out a scrap of cloth and started polishing them. He pressed his lips together, almost smiling. How long is it going to take Wisp to eat that thing? It''s huge, but still.


    Just as he thought it, silence came from the large clearing. Footsteps drew up behind him. He turned and found Wisp there, her lips still stained with green. She grinned, displaying green-soaked teeth. "Delicious."


    Ike resisted the urge to wretch. He managed a smile instead.


    Wisp chuckled under her breath. She nodded at the fangs. "What do you need those for?"


    "Why''d you recruit me to help hunt?" Ike countered.


    Wisp snorted. She shook her head.


    "Where''d this super tough spider come from, anyways? I thought monsters outside of the Abyss were supposed to be weak," Ike muttered.


    "Not all of them are. Sometimes monsters wander into the area from far away," Wisp informed him.


    "But that one? It barely knew how to fight. It was just huge, that''s all it had going for it," Ike pointed out.


    "Huge and annoying," Wisp muttered under her breath. She reached into her mouth and made a face, then tossed something at him.


    Ike caught it reflexively. A wet loop of metal landed in his hand. It was far larger than Wisp''s mouth, at least big enough to fit around Wisp''s waist and as wide as his thumb.


    Gross. Ike flinched, but stopped himself from throwing it away. He peered at it. Clenching it between his forefinger and his thumb, he turned it around, looking at all its angles. Small crystals were set into the outside of the ring. Ornate, swirling lines connected the crystals, not unlike the lines that had swirled around the outside of the skill orb he''d gotten Lightning Dash from.


    "What is this?" Ike asked, turning to Wisp.


    "I don''t know. People stuff," she said.


    He delicately clenched it in both hands and tilted it back and forth, taking a second look at it. Is it one of those large tribute monsters that the other cities sent the city lord? That would explain why it didn''t know how to fight.


    "Does it mean something to you?" Wisp asked, curious.


    "Not really. But I know someone who might know," Ike quickly added, when Wisp''s face drooped with disappointment. He held up the ring. "I''ll take it back to the city and ask Ket about it."


    "Okay. Good. I''m worried there''s human bullshit happening in my forest, and I don''t like it. Like that," Wisp explained, gesturing over her shoulder.


    "The big spider?" Ike asked, glancing at the wreckage.


    She nodded. "You noticed too, right? It was low Rank, just big and bloated. It either mutated to grow really big for some reason all on its own, and then just happened to fall into the Abyss¡­or humans did things to it."


    "Ah," Ike said. I did notice that it was relatively weak for such a large monster. His grip tightened on the metal ring. And then it had this thing in it? Yeah. This whole thing is starting to look a little suspicious. With the puppets also in this forest, I can''t help but wonder if it''s all connected, somehow. A plan of the city lord, maybe.


    Her eyes lit up, and she grinned at Ike. "Bring me back information about that thing, and I''ll show you the whitefeather grass."


    "Works for me." Ike stuck the loop over his shoulder and nodded at Wisp. "I''ll see you tomorrow, then."


    "Mhm. If you come to my forest, I''ll know." Wisp hopped into a tree and waited for him to go.


    Ike tossed her a wave and walked off. Before I head back to Abyssal, I want to go check on the puppets. I don''t yet know for sure that they have gunk in them. But now that I have the fang, I can find out!

 74. Tapping Puppets

    Ike crossed the forest quickly, familiar with the route back to the puppets. The day drew down around him, the sun nearing the horizon by the time he came to the cliff. He glanced up at the sky, noting how long it was until dark, then nodded to himself. I''ll tap one puppet today. If it works, I''ll come back tomorrow to tap the rest.The metal ring sat in his pack, next to Rosamund''s head. He''d been hesitant putting the two in such close proximity, but when he''d tried it, nothing had happened. So, with a shrug, he''d stuck them in his pack. I''m not leaving the ring in there forever, anyways. Just until I get back to Ket and Tana.


    Ike tossed his pack down at the top of the cliff. Tucking the fang into his belt, he climbed down the vines. At the bottom, he walked over to the same puppet he''d tested earlier. He grabbed its shoulder and gave it a good shake. Still no response.


    He stepped back, taking the puppet in as one whole. Where to tap it? There''s a few obvious places, but¡­ given that they generally have human anatomy, I, uh¡­ He eyed the low point of the puppets'' bodies, excluding their legs. I don''t know if I can steel myself to absorb something that comes out of that part of their body. Even if I know it isn''t waste, it''s still uncomfortable.


    If the obvious point was out, then where did he pivot to? Using the fang, Ike nudged the puppet''s robes aside to reveal its legs. Just above the back of the knee, maybe? I won''t feel awkward about that, and it''s a low point in the body without being too thin for the goo to flow. Plus, it''s not immediately obvious. I can''t forget that I''m stealing this, in essence.


    In the best case, the person I''m stealing from doesn''t notice at all. After all, it regenerates, and pretty quickly, too. You could even think of this as me doing him a service! Wouldn''t want his precious puppets to crack from the internal pressure. Right, right. I''m a service man, here to remove the excess goo from these delicate puppets.


    But just in case he doesn''t see it that way, it''s better not to be obvious.


    Ike nodded to himself. He crouched, fully pushing the puppet''s robes out of the way. Grabbing the knee in one hand to pin it, he lifted the fang in the other. Here it goes. The moment of truth.


    He dug the fang into the hard porcelain surface. Dust drifted down. A shallow line carved into the back of the puppet''s leg. Ike grinned. Success. As long as the fang could cut the porcelain, then he was in business. If the porcelain proved harder than the fang, he''d be out here all day for nothing at all. It was simply the way things worked: harder cut softer, but never the other way around. He knew that well enough from his days breaking monster corpses. If the skin''s fur chipped his razor, he simply had to give up.


    But not this time. He lifted the fang again, cutting in a circular pattern. He wanted to remove a plug from the puppet, so he could slide it back into place for minimum disturbance¡ªand to contain the goo when he wasn''t there to harvest it.


    More dust drifted down. The cut deepened. Dust gathered on the floor beneath the puppet''s leg. Some of it accumulated on the rim of the puppet''s boot, or fell down into the ankle. Ike huffed out a breath, his arms aching. It was surprisingly hard work. It must be a higher Rank, or something. It''s not easy to cut through.


    But it''s not impossible to cut, either. That means it''s my victory.


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    Little by little, the fang carved through the puppet. At last, the plug popped out. Ike caught it, only for a wave of black goo to wash over his hand. He quickly slipped the pan under the hole to catch the fluid. The goo gushed into the pan. Quarter full, half full, three quarters, and it kept coming.


    Ike licked his lips. He glanced around, searching for somewhere to put the goo. I only brought one pan down here. Should I climb back up?


    No. No time. He looked around. Reaching out from his kneel, he scooped a bunch of the vine and stick detritus under the pan, then activated Lightning Grasp and shocked the sticks until they lit on fire. He added more and more leaves, sticks, and vine bits until the fire grew to a roar. Smoke rushed up, and Ike breathed in the mana.


    The pot couldn''t boil fast enough to outburn the pour of black goo. The excess black goo just fell directly into the fire, where it boiled away anyways. Mana flowed smoothly into his body, though not as smoothly as it had with the whitefeather grass.


    I really need that grass.


    His core filled, then overflowed. Ike pursed his lips. Practice my existing skills, or work on another one?


    My Lightning Clad skills almost cover my whole body. Why don''t I finish that work?


    Using the excess mana, Ike created the form of the Lightning Clad skill that covered his thigh. The mana construct floated inside of him, not yet applied to his body, but fueled with very real mana. Even maintaining the construct took a significant amount of mana. Luckily, he had a significant amount of mana to spend. This is already the largest Lightning Clad skill I have, but now I need to cover my torso. I need to make it even larger.


    He eyed the structure. Just looking at it, he could already tell it would need thicker lines and more supports. Scaling it up to his thigh required more mana lines and thicker supports, so it followed that sizing it to fit his torso would need even more.


    Ike stretched it out, thickening the mana lines as he went. In his mind''s eye, the structure began to collapse. He added more supports, but it kept collapsing, falling inward and backward.


    Ah. Now that it''s this large, I can''t just consider it in the two-dimensional plane. I need to add supports in the three-dimensional plane as well, so it doesn''t fold like a piece of paper.


    Scrapping his original attempt, Ike held the skill in his mind again. He formed mana into the construct once more. This time, when he created the base shape, he doubled it, then added struts between the two. The two-dimensional mana construct took on a third dimension. It stood upright, holding up even over the entire height of his entire torso.


    Ike flicked his finger. The mana swirled through the construct. At the corners, the mana backed up, struggling to pass the right angles. He zoomed in on the corners and carefully bent the mana flows there, turning the right angles into gentle curves. Without the sharp edges, his mana flowed more smoothly. He played with the angles, adjusting them in and out until his mana flowed as smoothly as possible. Ike paused there. He looked at the mana construct, then nodded. Good enough. Let''s give it a try.


    He pulled the mana construct onto his own body. Instantly, the construct''s mana drain doubled, if not tripled. The new Lightning Clad took form, but slowly, sucking mana out of him as it went. Ike stumbled as the mana poured out of his body. His core emptied rapidly, and black spots appeared before his eyes. He took a deep breath, drawing in more of the mana boiling off the pot. Come on. A little more. I''m almost there!


    For a split second, Lightning Clad covered his entire body. It slipped, sliding out of his grasp. Ike gritted his teeth. He poured mana into it, forcing it to remain. I need to hold on. Just a little longer. Another¡­


    Lightning flashed over his body, his whole chest lighting up in pure white. It crackled off of him in a great bolt. The excess lightning slammed into a tree across the way, splitting it open.


    The mana construct fell apart. Lightning faded from his body, flickering to a few bare scraps.


    Ike stared at the tree, eyes wide. He licked his lips. Well. That was, um. Unfortunate. I had no idea that skill was going to release electricity at random.


    Did I make a mistake in forming it? Was something wrong with the shape of the mana? Ike furrowed his brows and went to call up his skill list.


    Something looped around his ankle and yanked, hard. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 75. Defenses

    Ike yelped. He crashed to the ground. Instinctively, he reached for his ankle. His fingertips scratched against a rough vine.A vine? Ike lifted his head, searching for the vine''s source. At the same time, he scrabbled at his hip for his sword.


    The vine dragged him across the floor. A huge tree stood opposite him. It was as broad as Ike was tall, but barely more than ten feet tall. Huge, thick branches zig-zagged from the stumpy trunk. Each one was about as wide as a normal tree at the base, and narrowed to a wrist''s width at their ends. Heavy vines draped the tree, themselves covered in a tough, rugged bark.


    Shit, that''s right! Rosamund could control plants. It follows that her father would have similar moves!


    Although, if he left a trap for people who were messing with his puppets¡­why didn''t it activate until now? Is it because I didn''t register as ''attacking'' his puppets until the skill misfired?


    There was no time for speculation. The vine dragged him closer to the branches, even as the tree strained toward him.


    Ike found his sword. He pressed his foot down, stopping himself against the ground. The vine pulled taut. Ike slashed through the vine. It retreated, flinching back. A spray of green fluid stained the ground behind it.


    Climbing to his feet, Ike lifted his sword. Loup whined, pacing back and forth at the top of the cliff. "It''s alright, girl. I have this."


    The tree lunged. Its roots strained at the ground. A branch slashed down from the sky, huge and heavy. Ike jumped back, barely dodging it. The branch slammed into the earth, throwing up a blast of dust. Around Ike, the puppets jumped, thrown into the air by the blow.


    He looked up at the huge tree again and swallowed. "Probably."


    Vines writhed all around him. They leaped up from the ground, biting at Ike like vipers. He slashed left and right, using the two sideways strikes of the River-Splitting Sword over and over. Vines fell away. Green fluid pooled on the ground around him.


    Ike pulled back, retreating to the cloud of mana-thick vapor to catch his breath and recover. The vines chased after him, but with the majority sheared off, he had a little time to recoup. He shook his head. I wish the River-Splitting Sword had a spin slash or an all-around attack, but there''s no helping it.


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    Damn. Guess I should''ve stayed with Silver a little longer. Maybe I would''ve understood enough about the blade to create my own sword techniques.


    It''s too late for regrets. All I can do is my best, with the decisions I''ve already made.


    The tree struggled toward him. The ground around its roots rumbled. Cracks ran through the dry earth, and its forward root broke through the surface. Another root shuddered free as the tree lurched toward Ike. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Uh oh. That''s not good.


    Ike stood back, waiting. He breathed in as much mana as he could. His core was almost empty from creating his new Lightning Clad skill. Looking at the giant tree, it wasn''t something he could cut with his sword. Not unless he had a much higher level of mastery of the River-Splitting Sword. If he was going to finish this, he had to hit it with a lightning skill. And a powerful one, at that.


    He eyed the tree he''d blasted earlier. It smoked, and a deep cleft ran through it, but it wasn''t dead, just injured. A small blast of lightning isn''t going to be enough. He looked upward. I think I''m going to need the full power of Lightning Caller.


    But how the hell do I activate that skill? I activated it because I called lightning too many times from overusing my skills. I could do that, again, but it would be better if I could activate that skill on its own, without the buildup.


    He tried to activate Lightning Caller the way he activated the rest of his skills, but nothing happened. Ike pursed his lips. He glanced up. Storm clouds had already gathered in the sky while he was working on the torso Lightning Clad earlier. Whether he liked it or not, he was already halfway to activating Lightning Caller his usual way.


    I''ll pay attention to how it feels when I call lightning from overusing skills this time, and use that to figure out how to activate it on its own later.


    The tree heaved again, jerking another root free of the earth. Ike wiped his face and lifted his sword. He hovered in the mana, absorbing as much as he could. As tense as the situation was, there was no reason for him to rush in. The tree had to haul itself over here if it wanted to hit him. He benefitted from waiting. It was the one who had to rush here.


    The tree''s vines reached him once more. Ike slashed it down. He kept his eyes on the vines. Every time they darted in, he cut them back. Soon, all the vines writhed on the ground, trailing green fluid.


    The tree gripped the earth with its roots. It hauled itself toward Ike, one slow step at a time. The shadow of its branches fell over Ike.


    Ike glanced up, then peered inside him, checking his core. About a quarter full. That''ll have to be enough. After all, I don''t want this guardian to accidentally hit the puppets and set off more of the defenses. He dashed forward, hurtling toward the giant tree. Shouting a battle cry, he lifted his sword.

 76. Tree Fighting

    Ike charged toward the tree. He activated all his skills. Lightning Clad, Lightning Grasp, Lightning Dash. He closed in on the tree in a flash of purple-white light.Bark flew and wood creaked. The tree swung all its branches at Ike, almost tipping over. Its freed roots braced its weight against the ground''s surface, while the still-buried roots dragged at the deep earth. A tree''s worth of wood plunged toward Ike. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike looked up. With his enhanced senses, the branches seemed to move in slow motion. He held his ground, waiting, then leaped. He grabbed onto the first branch and hauled himself up. Jumping off it, he darted to the next branch, then the next. In a blast of white light, he reached the rear of the tree. It bent away from him, reaching toward where he''d been. Ike stood on the back of the bent tree, looking down at all its branches.


    "Missed me," he taunted it, then leaped down and darted a few steps into the trees.


    The tree turned. It groaned and creaked as it stood back upright. Its branches quivered, and it lunged for Ike again.


    Ike watched it come. As slow as it moved, it would be easy to flee, but he didn''t want to yet. He''d led it away from the puppets, so there was little risk of more defenses activating. Plus, if the other defenses were as slow as this one, he could escape them with little effort. The sky was already cloudy and threatening lightning. If he left now, he lost an excellent chance to figure out how to activate Lightning Caller without spending a few minutes running around spamming all his skills.


    I''ve got my mana right there, too. He glanced at the puppet and the cloud of mana around it. I can replenish my mana after battle. No reason not to play around a little bit, test out my skills.


    Besides, this thing isn''t an overly-bloated low-Rank monster like that spider Wisp and I fought. It''s poorly suited to fight me, but it''s powerful. There''s a good chance this thing actually has a skill orb.


    Not sure what kind of skills a giant tree has that I could use, but we''ll find out.


    The tree swung back upright and immediately slammed down, trying to pin Ike between its trunk and the ground. Ike used the momentum of the strike to launch off its body high into the air, pulling his legs up over the sweep of the branches. He jabbed his sword into the sky and sent a pulse of mana upward. Lightning chased his mana, flying up into the clouds.


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    The clouds darkened. Light flickered in their depths. Thunder rumbled overhead.


    We''re getting close. Ike dropped back down. He touched down on top of the tree for a second. All the branches instantly closed in on him, trying to grip him like a giant hand. He leaped off again and landed with a flip in the forest, not far from the tree.


    His mana ran low, the quarter-full dwindled down to scraps. Ike cut down his skills to only Lightning Dash. He''d already seeded the clouds. Now, he only had to wait.


    The tree smashed at him over and over again. Ike danced around it, waiting while the storm grew darker. On the cliff, Loup yawned and laid down.


    A jolt of electricity passed through Ike''s nerves. He jerked in midair, startled, and looked up.


    Seeing its opportunity, the tree lunged. It swept its branches in all directions. They closed in around him like a net.


    Ah. So that''s what it feels like. Ike gazed past the branches, watching beyond the tree. The storm clouds were black, blocking out the sun. Lightning flickered in the cloud, and a rumble of thunder warned of the strike to come.


    The branches bore down on Ike. At the very last second, he threw himself through the branches and landed on the ground outside. Lightning cracked down, so close the thunder blasted out at the same time the white light overwhelmed his vision. A hissing whistle sounded behind him. Aside from that, the tree was silent. No more did wood creak or bark snap. He stood, looking over his shoulder.


    The tree had been cleft in twain. Two blackened halves laid on the ground, smoking and whistling. It twitched once, then fell still.


    From its heart, a little green orb popped out of a nook in the wood and rolled over to Ike''s feet. He knelt, picking it up. Already, a grin spread across his face.


    Skill orb, get!


    Carrying the orb, Ike walked over to the puppet. He took a deep breath to replenish his mana. All the mana he''d boiled hung in a thick cloud near the puppet without flowing away. At least that''s nice. I don''t have to absorb it at the exact same second. Though I get the feeling that it''ll dissipate if I leave it for too long.


    The black goo ran dry around the time Ike''s core hit half full. He plugged the puppet''s knee again and retrieved his pan. Tucking it in his belt, he headed back up to Loup''s side.


    Loup stood. She sniffed him, then sat down, waiting for him to pick the next direction.


    Ike looked up. Looks like rain. Ha. But it''s also late. I should head back. He lifted the orb again, then grinned. But let''s find out what this is, first.


    He clenched the orb tight. Absorb!

 77. Tree Skills

    Power flowed into his core. Ike evened his breathing, carefully regulating his mana. Unlike with River-Splitting Sword, there was little difficulty in absorbing the skill. It evenly merged into his core with just a shiver.So¡­ what did that give me? He called up his skills.


    [Name: Ike | Age: 15 | Status: Nm | Rank: 1 [Abyss Dweller]]


    Skills: Common: 5 | Bronze 2 | Silver 1 | ¡­ | Rare 2 | ¡­ | Unique: 7


    Common: All-Around Runner Lvl 7 | Razor Handling Lvl 9 | Spear Handling Lvl 4 | Axe Handling Lvl 4 | Sword Handling Lvl 6 | Bow Handling Lvl 1 | Primitive Crafting Lvl 7


    Bronze: Sensory Enhancement Lvl 5 | Mana Manipulation Lvl 3 S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Silver: Flurry of Kicks Lvl 2 | Chlorophyll Lvl 1


    Rare: Salamander Healing Lvl 9 | River-Splitting Sword Lvl 4


    Unique: Lightning Dash Lvl 8 | Lightning Grasp Lvl 5 | Lightning Clad (Forearm) Lvl 5 | Lightning Clad (Calf) Lvl 4 | Lightning Clad (Thigh) Lvl 2 | Lightning Clad (Bicep) Lvl 2 | Lightning Caller Lvl 2


    Ike stared. What the hell is Chlorophyll? What does that do?


    Chlorophyll


    Absorb solam from the sun. Has a small chance of healing the user. Heal chance grows stronger at higher levels.


    Absorb solam from the¡­ huh? Ike squinted, a hand on his chin. Solam, sol¡­sun. Like Lunam relates to luna, or the moon. Is solam the opposite of lunam? If lunam is associated with the moon and cold, then solam is probably associated with heat, and, well, I know it''s associated with the sun.


    He wrinkled his nose. If I absorb solam, will I become unable to use mana? It''s the case that lunam users can''t use mana, so why would it not apply to solam? In other words, it''s a useless skill. One I should have sold.


    Ike sighed. Oh, well. It doesn''t hurt me. In the worst case, if I get stuck somewhere that I can''t use mana, I''ll be able to absorb solam. After all, I wasn''t able to absorb lunam.


    He shrugged. They couldn''t all be winners. Honestly, I need a skill that lets me see what the skills are before I absorb them. Otherwise, I''m just randomly guessing if the skill is good or not, whether I should absorb or not.


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    There has to be a skill like that. After all, if you can sell skills by name, that implies that you know what they are. Sure, it''s possible that they''re sold by hunters who killed enough of x monster to know that y colored orb from x monster is z skill, but you''d have to kill a lot of monsters to gain that knowledge. When monsters only drop skills one out of ten or a hundred times, that''s a lot of killing to learn that kind of thing.


    "Not that I''d find that kind of skill killing monsters in the Abyss," he muttered aloud. A skill like that was definitely something humans made. Or at least sentient monsters like Wisp or Silver. Something like the River-Splitting Sword, a technique that was created intentionally and distilled into a skill orb, not something that simply came about by natural happenstance like Chlorophyll.


    From the cliff, he gazed down at the tree. Lifting his sword, he took in the tree again and shook his head. The wood was surely worth something, but he wasn''t hacking it apart with his lone remaining sword. He''d come back with an axe, and maybe take Ket and Tana along¡ªwell, maybe just Ket. Tana probably has more important princess things to do¡ªto help chop it up. Even if Ket''s rich, he''ll probably help out if I offer him half? He seems like the kind of guy who''s down for a good time, anyways.


    He chuckled a little bit. That does mean I have to confess that I''m messing with the puppets. I''ll play things carefully with Ket. See if he''s scared about me messing with them before I admit anything. And it''s not like I have to admit that I''m tapping the puppets even if I admit to messing with them. Worst case, I can just cut up the tree and take it back on my own.


    With Loup at his side, Ike headed back through the forest toward Abyssal. By the time he arrived at the gates, it was dark, and the gates were closed. Ike gazed up at the wall, his hands on his hips.


    Well. That''s a barrier I totally forgot about. Live in the forest for a few days and forget about the walls? I can''t believe myself.


    He leaned left and right, peering at the wall. Not even any asshole guards out here tonight. Guess I''m sleeping outside.


    Shrugging, Ike turned to head back into the forest.


    "Hey! You there!"


    Ike turned back. From the top of the wall, a guard waved at him. "Hold up a second. I''ll raise the gate."


    "Many thanks!" Ike called back. He raised his brows. That''s surprising. I guess out here, any human is a friend. Given that the town is a rugged outpost clinging onto survival with its fingertips, it makes a lot of sense. Nice to know not all guards are assholes.


    Guess that also confirms that human-transforming monsters like Silver or Wisp are incredibly rare. After all, they wouldn''t just let anyone in if they could be a monster. As long as they know Wisp''s face and reject any small girls who try to get in after dark, they''re fine¡­but only if Wisp is the only sentient monster nearby.


    I guess there could be one or two others, but there couldn''t be more than a handful of sentient monsters. Otherwise they''d have to take more care with letting me in.


    The gate creaked open, just enough for him to slip through. Ike crossed the line at a jog, Loup following at his side. It clanged shut again behind him.


    "Don''t tell Ryan!" the guard called at a mock whisper.


    Ike waved back. "Thanks again!"

 78. Back Home

    Ike knocked on the door to Ket''s manor. "Ket?"The door opened. No one stood in the hallway. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike blinked. He looked around, then peeked inside. I guess I''m being invited in? He stepped into the hall tentatively, ready to jump back out if something attacked.


    Nothing attacked. Warm light and the scent of hot food swirled around him.


    Loup lifted her nose. She grinned and trotted in, leaving Ike behind.


    "Hey!" Ike chased after her at a jog.


    Loup led him to the dining room. Ket stood in the door of the kitchen, lounging against the door frame. "Hey there. Enjoy your day?"


    "Yeah. You and Tana, uh¡­ do the thing?" Ike asked, a little lost. Oh, wait. They were going to tell the king that they failed to warn the city lord about the puppets. I don''t really understand why that''s important, but Tana seemed to think it was.


    Ket snorted. "Indeed. It didn''t have the effect Tana desired. She''s sulking in her room right now, so I''m afraid you''ll have to bear with me alone for dinner."


    "Ah¡­that''s fine. Actually, I wanted to ask you something. I killed a tree monster today. Would you like to come out tomorrow and help me break it down?"


    Ket shrugged. "If I have time."


    Ike nodded. "Good, good." He''s way higher rank than me, so that''s about all I can hope for.


    He reached into his bag and drew out the ring Wisp had found. "And this¡­do you know what it is? I found it in a spider monster today."


    "You were busy," Ket commented. He took the ring and turned it over in his hands, peering closely at it. His brows furrowed.


    "Recognize it?" Ike asked.


    Ket shook his head. "It''s a control ring of some kind. I would need to analyze the crystals to determine exactly what it''s doing. It''s¡­ well, it''s an advanced form of enchantment. A spell array. But more than that¡­"


    Ike nodded. I''ll pretend I understand what that means.


    "Where did you find it? In a spider monster?"


    "Yeah, in a spider," Ike said.


    Ket looked it over one more time, then shrugged and put it over his shoulder. "I''ll take a look. It could be nothing, but there''s a lot you can do with spell arrays. A lot of damage. If someone''s setting up a spell array in secret¡­" He shook his head and sighed. "Or a monster could have just eaten a piece of someone''s defensive barrier. If you find another one, bring it to me."


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    Ike nodded. "Will do."


    Loup reared up and put her paws on Ket''s shoulders. She tilted her head at him.


    Ket laughed. "Alright, alright. Message received, girl. I''ll go fetch us dinner, hmm?" He patted her paws to get her to jump down, then retreated into the kitchen. "I still had some chicken left from yesterday, but you''ll have to bring more meat if you want to see my cooking skills tomorrow."


    "Understood. I''ll look for something." Ike paused. "Er, are you just not going to cook, then?"


    "No? If I don''t have magical ingredients, I''m wasting my time. We don''t have to eat," Ket told him.


    "W-what?" Ike said, startled.


    Ket leaned out of the kitchen. "Yeah. We don''t have to eat. Mages don''t need to eat. As long as we have our energy, we can sustain ourselves indefinitely. It''s harder at the lower Ranks, but once you hit Rank 2, it''s pretty easy, and at Rank 3, eating is basically a luxury."


    "Oh," Ike said.


    "No one told you?" Ket asked, shocked.


    "No. I''m self-taught," Ike explained. And Silver, my only teacher, is a monster. He might not know either. Or things might work differently for him. Or maybe he thought I already knew about it. He, uh. Had opinions about certain things.


    Ket shook his head. He laughed. "Alright. Well. Down here in the Abyss, where you don''t really have mana outside of monster meat, you probably want to eat, but outside of that, it''s optional."


    Ike shook his head. "I ate all that nasty wolf jerky for nothing."


    "I never know what to expect from you," Ket said with a laugh. He vanished back into the kitchen, and pots and pans clattered.


    Left alone, Ike glanced around, then took a seat at the table. Loup padded over to lie down beside him. She settled in with a huff.


    "Food''s coming, girl. Don''t worry," Ike said, patting her on the head.


    Loup huffed again.


    Ike sat back. He crossed his arms, thinking to himself. Tomorrow, we head back out. I should hunt for meat, and I can also share what I discovered with Wisp. It''s not much, but it might mean more to her than it does to me. As long as she''s satisfied enough with my answer to lead me to the whitefeather grass, I''m happy. I''ll close out the day with tapping a puppet again to refill my mana, though this time I''ll keep my eye on the time. I don''t want to have to count on having a nice guard let me through the gate if I can avoid it.


    The floor creaked behind him. Ike looked over his shoulder to find Tana approaching the table. Her hair was down again, and she wore a day dress and a frown. She sat opposite Ike with a huff.


    "Not you, too," Ike muttered to himself.


    "What?"


    "The dog was¡­ don''t worry about it. I hear today was rough?" Ike asked.


    Tana sighed. She shook her head and pushed her hair back, sitting up just to slide back down in the chair. "No one seems to care. There''s an army just outside town, and no one minds. It''s insane. I don''t understand it."


    "The king didn''t listen?" Ike asked.


    She waved her hand, frustrated. "He didn''t even see us! I waited for hours in that musty old hall for nothing. He saw other people. People behind me. Just left me there to stew. He''s the one who stole the throne from me, so why''s he the one who refuses to cooperate?"


    Ike shook his head. "Sounds like a real douchebag." Now this, I don''t understand. The puppet army is unlikely to be a threat to Abyssal, yes, but it is absolutely a threat. I''m surprised that the king is so relaxed about it.


    Unless¡­ the king knows¡­


    But how would he benefit? He already controls Abyssal. What does he want? To escape¡­? If so, then why send Tana out with the one item that lets people leave the Abyss?


    "Look who came down for dinner!" Ket walked out of the kitchen carrying a big piping-hot casserole dish. He thumped it down and headed back to the kitchen. "I''ll grab another plate."


    Ike took a big scoop. A hearty aroma filled the air, mixed with an herbal scent. Oh, that''s right! "Ket, you do herbs, right?"


    "Sure," Ket said.


    "Have you heard of whitefeather grass?"


    Ket nodded, slowly. "It''s very rare and valuable¡­at least, it is in the Abyss. Where did you hear that name?"


    "I was talking to Wisp, and she¡ª"


    Ket''s eyes flew wide. Tana jumped in her seat.


    Ike glanced from one to the other. "Uh¡­should I not have¡­?"

 79. Will o the Wisp

    Ket was the first to break the silence. He laughed. "You spoke to Will o'' the Wisp?"Ike nodded slowly. "Uh¡­ yeah? She was pretty normal. I mean, she ate a bunch of spiders, but¡ª"


    "She''s a maneater. No one who sees her survives," Tana said, startled.


    "Hi," Ike said, waving.


    "What did she look like? Are you sure it was Will o'' the Wisp?" Ket asked.


    How can I be sure, when I didn''t know she existed until I met her? "She looked like a girl a little bit shorter and younger than me. Black hair, red eyes, pale skin¡­"


    "Oh, it was just a girl," Tana said, relieved.


    "Wisp can take on human form, and she''s said to appear as a black-haired, red-eyed girl," Ket replied.


    Tana stiffened again. She looked at Ike. "How did you survive?"


    Ike shrugged. "I just talked to her. She didn''t attack me. She even helped me fight."


    "Damn. That''s impressive. Whatever you did, keep doing it," Ket commented, amused.


    "No¡ªIke! Your life was in danger. If you ever see her again, run away as quickly as you can! You''re lucky to have survived the encounter once. You won''t survive it again," Tana said, dead serious.


    "I¡­sure," Ike said. She''s going overboard. Wisp is dangerous, but she''s as dangerous as Ket. A powerful, rational person who could decide to kill me at any moment.


    Then again, Tana definitely has a different experience of this world than I do. She grew up sheltered, with Ket watching over her and the former queen as her mother. I''m sure she couldn''t possibly imagine Ket attacking her. But for me, he''s just a guy who''s decided to help me for a bit. A guy who could change his mind and kill me whenever he wants. A guy who''s no different than any other high-Rank hunter. To me, Wisp seems just a little more dangerous than Ket, and I''m sleeping in Ket''s house.


    Noticing Ike''s expression, Ket smiled. He nodded at Tana. "I''m sure he has it handled."


    "She''s a monster. She eats people!" Tana protested.


    "Well, maybe some people need to get eaten," Ike replied philosophically. It''s not like I have never killed. Honestly, what she''s doing is more noble than me. She makes use of the people she kills. It''s like how I break down the monster corpses. Every part of the person gets used to feed her.


    Besides, it''s not like all Hunters stop to find out of a monster is sentient or not before they kill it. What''s the difference between us eating a monster like Silver, and someone like Wisp eating a person?


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    Tana looked from Ike to Ket, aghast. "You two are okay with this?"


    Ike shrugged.


    Ket laughed, just a little. "There''s a lot to see in this big, wide world, Tana."


    "Why''s she called Will o'' the Wisp?" Ike asked, trying to change the subject.


    Ket glanced at him. He leaned back against the wall and pointed at his face. "Her red eyes. They''re said to dance in the twilight like burning balls of fire¡­like will o'' the wisps. Leading travelers astray, directly into her webs."


    "Oh," Ike said, nodding.


    "She''s probably going to lead you astray. Trick you into her webs and suck you dry," Tana muttered.


    Ike snorted. "It would take some doing to accidentally walk into one of those webs. They''re pretty opaque. Like sheets."


    Tana narrowed her eyes at him. Taking the cue, Ike shut up. I am here on her and Ket''s grace, after all. I don''t need to piss off my hosts.


    Dinner went quietly. Ike finished eating and excused himself to his room, where he quickly fell asleep. In the morning, he headed down early, hoping to escape before he ran into Tana again. He stopped by the kitchen on his way out. If there''s leftovers, I''ll snag a bite. Ike looked around, then turned to the cabinets and opened one at random.


    "Hey there, kid."


    Ike jumped. Beside him, Loup whirled, instantly raising her hackles.


    A beautiful woman stood across the kitchen. From the bottom of his heart, Ike was absolutely sure she hadn''t stood there moments ago, but now, she was there. She wore a skintight black-and-purple catsuit, with purple ruffles at the hips to make a facsimile of a skirt. A purple ribbon wound through her dark hair. She chewed on a piece of something green, and tossed a grin at him. "Hungry?"


    "Uh¡­ yes?" Ike tried, never one to turn down a free meal. Is she Ket''s girlfriend or something? Damn, Ket. Been holding out on us.


    She tore the last leaf off the thing she was eating and tossed him the stalk. Ike blinked at it, then looked up at her.


    "What? I''m looking out for you. You''re still new to the world of hunters, I can tell. I bet you''ve never had a potion or a pill. That plant''s leaves would kill you if you ate them without any resistance to pills. The stalk is just effective enough," she said, nodding.


    Uh huh. He looked at the stalk again, then at the lady. "What effect does it have?"


    "Invigorates your mana. Makes it flow better. Go on, eat up. It''s good for you." S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike hesitated another beat, then shrugged and took a bite. Intense bitterness assailed his tongue. He grimaced, then took another bite. Jeez, this is¡ª


    Deep inside his core, his mana began to swirl on its own. It surged forth, circulating his body with a greater force than before. His passages widened, and the mana blasted through him, cleaning the rubbish off the inside of his mana passages. Ike coughed, then spat up a mouthful of black blood full of impurities. Wiping his mouth, he stood up. His whole body felt lighter, his mana circulation more powerful.


    "See? Like I said. Good for ya." She patted Ike on the shoulder, then breezed by, sashaying out into the back garden.


    Ike stared after her, flabbergasted, then startled. Her eyes weren''t inverted. She must not be a resident. She can''t be Ket''s girlfriend if she isn''t even a resident. She''s either a beast or a visitor. Then¡­ wait. Did I just encounter a robber?


    Ike ran out into the back garden, but the girl was nowhere to be seen. All that remained was a swirl of dark purple mist that quickly dissipated.


    He licked his lips. Looking down, he met Loup''s eyes. "Let''s, uh, head out into the forest and pretend we didn''t see anything."


    Loup bounced onto her hind legs, understanding nothing but out into the forest. Chuckling, Ike led the way out of the back garden and out into the forest, moving a little faster with the threat of a pissed-off Ket behind him.

 80. Back to the Spiders

    Ike retraced his steps and arrived at Wisp''s domain before the sun was high in the sky. He twanged a piece of the web and waited at the edge of the webs.A smaller spider, about the size of a dog, crept up behind him. Loup whirled around and pounced playfully toward it. The spider darted back, startled. Loup chased, and it fled. She rumbled happily in her throat as she bounced after it, while the spider ran for its life.


    Ike watched her for a minute, enjoying her joyful game of chase, then whistled. "Over here, Loup." It was adorable, but he shouldn''t let her run free when he was waiting on the spiders'' overlord to come by. Wisp had said that she didn''t care about the other spiders, but he didn''t want to cross her limits without knowing about it. There was a difference between not minding when he killed a spider or two, and getting annoyed when his dog harassed her fellow spiders. He didn''t know that she cared, but better not to push it.


    "Well, well, well. I didn''t expect you back this soon," Wisp said.


    Ike looked around. Webs stretched in all directions, but he saw no sign of Wisp, or any other large spider. Her voice echoed off the dead trees and deflected off the web curtains, leaving him unable to locate her from sound alone. He backed away, on guard.


    "Or at all, honestly. I thought you''d hear of me from the humans and give up," she murmured contemplatively.


    "What mage isn''t a killer?" Ike challenged her.


    "Well, well, well. Wise indeed. Of course, the other mages don''t eat their fellow mages." Wisp paused, then chuckled under her breath. "Most of them, anyways."


    "Mages eat monsters all the time, but here you are, talking to me," Ike pointed out.


    "I knew I liked you." Thread twanged, and Wisp dropped down from overhead in her human form. She dusted herself off. Standing, she turned to Ike. "So? You come with news, yes?"


    "Kind of," Ike said.


    "Kind of?" She crossed her arms.


    Ike spread his hands. "I don''t have an answer, but I have someone looking into it. He said it was some kind of¡­spell array? If he had more, he''d be able to do figure out more about it, but¡ª"


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    "More? Let''s go get some more, then," Wisp declared.


    Ike startled. "We can just do that?" S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I can sniff ''em out. I noticed a weird smell on that big guy yesterday. I can sniff it out again," Wisp declared. She tapped the side of her nose with pride.


    Ike squinted a little. Do spiders have good senses of smell?


    Then again, she''s an intelligent monster. She can learn skills if she likes. Even if spiders had no ability to sniff at all, she could easily learn a nose-based sensory enhancement skill.


    Shrugging, Ike gestured for her to go ahead. "Then, if you would?"


    I''m not going to turn down free help on hunts. Plus, I''m a bit curious about this thing, too. What are these spell array rings all about? I don''t care as much as Wisp seems to, but I''m interested.


    Wisp took the lead. She bounded from bit of web to bit of web, moving fluidly as a true natural. Ike fell in behind her, Loup following in the rear. The two of them picked their way over the webs, a little slower and far clumsier than Wisp. Every so often, Wisp paused and looked over her shoulder. Clinging to the web, she waited for them to catch up, then darted off again.


    Ike followed her at a jog. The further he ran in the webbing, the more he learned how to balance himself on the slightly-bouncy, slightly-sticky surface. He chased after her, bounding along. Loup galloped alongside him, enjoying the game of chase. She ran ahead every now and again to catch up to Wisp. Wisp scuttled up into her web rather than let the wolf get too close. Loup stared up after her, panting happily, then burst off when she ran again.


    At last, they reached the edge of the spiders'' realm. The webs fell away, and the woods teemed with life again. Wisp climbed down from the webs, her bare feet impacting the leaf-strewn forest floor. She nodded at Ike and gestured him onward. "We''re close. It''s just up ahead here. In the water, I think."


    "In the water?" Ike lifted his head. He only saw trees ahead of them. He listened, but there was no trickling or running water sounds. Just the rush of trees in the wind.


    "In the water," she repeated. She darted ahead, breaking through the undergrowth. The thick bushes closed in behind her, hiding her slender form. Ike followed after her, and Loup followed in the rear.


    He stepped through the tangle of vines and gnarled old bushes and found himself on the edge of a lake. His next step flew out toward not land, but water.


    Placid water stretched out before him, as far as the eye could see. A few ducks floated on the surface of the water. An enormous fish jumped, breaking the water in a shimmer of scales.


    Ike threw out his arms and backpedaled. He barely swung his weight backward before he fell into the drink. His boots slid on the mud, hurtling toward the lake. With his last ounce of grip with his one foot on the ground, he jumped backward.


    Reeds crushed under his feet. He stood in safety on the bank, avoiding a watery fate for his socks.


    Wisp chuckled. Ike looked up toward her voice. She sat in a tree on the edge of the bank, grinning down at him. "Almost had you."


    "Get down here." Ike jumped, reaching for her.


    She scurried higher into the tree, laughing. "Can''t reach me! Can''t reach me!"

 81. By the Lakeside

    Ike shook his head at Wisp. Giving up, he settled down and turned to the lake. "There''s some monster out there?""There''s lots of monsters out there." Wisp reached to her hip. A small pellet appeared in her palm. She lobbed it out into the center of the lake.


    Before the pellet struck the water, a huge catfish leaped from the lake in a spray of water. Its enormous mouth snapped up the pellet, and it flopped back into the lake. An enormous splash washed over the surface of the lake, sending a wave of water all the way to the shore.


    Ike jumped at a nearby tree, shimmying just far enough up into the tree. The wave broke, washing over where he''d been standing moments ago. Loup jumped, startled. She splashed down into the muddy water. Her ears swept forward. She raced into the lake and pounced on the wave as it swept back out.


    "Loup, come back," Ike called, stepping down on the bank of the lake. The marshy grass squished under his boots and mud closed over the tops of the leather, but the water didn''t reach his socks. He sighed in relief. Socks are nice, until they get wet. Once they get wet, they''re just awful.


    "Worried about wet shoes? You should just go around in bare feet. They dry off," Wisp opined from her tree.


    "I don''t see you standing in this mud," Ike pointed out.


    Wisp spread her hands. "Even better than having wet feet. Just more proof that spiders are the truly superior lifeform."


    Ike sighed. He shook his head at her. "She says, in human form."


    She giggled. Nodding ahead of them, she indicated the entire lake. "The smell is somewhere out there. I can''t tell if it''s in the water, or something that comes to the lake to drink."


    Ike considered for a second. He stared out at the water, thinking. "If it''s in the water, it''s in the water. There''s nothing we can do. If it comes up to drink, we can catch it at the lake''s edge. You take the left, I''ll go right. If neither of us catch the scent, we''ll have to assume it''s in the lake."


    "How are you going to track the scent?" Wisp asked, putting her chin in her hand.


    Ike nodded at Loup. "If you''ve got anything that smells like it, Loup can pick it up."


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    Loup looked up from where she stood, knee-deep in the lake. She climbed out and sat beside Ike, looking up at Wisp.


    Wisp scoffed. "A beast like that can''t compare to my nose."


    "She doesn''t have to compare, she just has to be good enough," Ike returned.


    Wisp raised her brows. She nodded. Crawling lower in the tree, she took a scrap of hide out from her hip and offered it to Loup. Loup lifted her head and sniffed deep, snuffling it a few times.


    "I can''t guarantee she won''t key on to the hide instead, but if neither of us find anything, I''ll loop around your part of the lake," Wisp said. She tossed a small box to Ike. "Light one of those if you find something."


    Ike caught the box. The tin fit in his hands, only a little bigger than both hands put together. It had a hinged lid. The surface was painted with an idyllic scene of a garden, replete with flowers, birds, lakes, and lilypads. He flipped the lid open to find eleven small paper scrolls lined up inside the box, their edges pointed out. There was a gap at the end of the box where one scroll was obviously missing. Red text marched down the scrolls, painted in a fine hand. An aura burst out from the opened box, so much that Ike almost flinched away. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I light these?" Ike asked, closing the box against the overwhelming aura.


    "One of those. One," Wisp stressed. "They''re rescue talismans from some powerful city. The city master probably won''t come to rescue you from the Abyss, and they make a nice red light for me to find you under."


    "From the city lord?" Ike dropped the box and jumped back, as if burned.


    Wisp sighed. She pointed her finger, and a spider thread leapt from it and caught the box before it hit the mud. It swung toward her tree, then back out, penduluming back and forth. "A city lord. Not the city lord. It''s from a city far, far from here. From my youth. I''m not even sure the city exists anymore."


    "Oh." Ike caught the box as it swung toward him again. He eyed the box warily, then shrugged to himself. If Wisp says it''s safe, it''s probably safe. One''s already been used, anyways, so she''s tested it. It''s certainly fine.


    "Didn''t work for the guy I found ''em next to," Wisp muttered, half to herself.


    Ike raised his brows. He regarded the box with worry again. I guess if the city lord abandoned his own underling, he''s not likely to come after me for using one¡­ right?


    Let''s just hope Wisp finds it before I do. He nodded at Wisp. "If you find it, how will you signal me?"


    "I''ll shoot a kite of web into the air. You can''t miss it," she said, nodding.


    Ike nodded. He gave her a salute. "See you on the other side."


    Wisp nodded. She climbed up to a strong branch, fired a bit of web to the next tree, and swung off.


    "If bare feet are so superior, you''d walk!" Ike called after her.


    "If I was an inferior human, I''d have to!" she shot back, her voice fading as she swung off.


    Ike chuckled. Shaking his head, he turned to Loup. "So? Where are we going?"


    Loup sniffed the air. She took a few steps forward, then lowered her nose. Slowly, she set off, letting the scent guide her. Ike followed along, in no hurry. The two of them ambled along the edge of the lake, just a boy and his wolf.

 82. At the Edge of the Lake

    Loup stopped at last. She sniffed the ground, then looked at Ike. Abruptly, she sat."Here?" Ike asked. He kneeled, looking for tracks, scat, or some other indication a beast had passed through. The reeds were trampled, and the undergrowth had been torn up. He stepped deeper into the forest. The bark had been scraped off the trees at about shoulder height. A small tree laid on the ground, trampled.


    Ike followed the trail through the forest. Trampled trees and torn undergrowth, all the way back.


    He pursed his lips and turned to Loup. "I think we found it, girl."


    Loup''s ears perked up. She half-reared, her mouth open in excitement. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Time to figure these things out. Ike fumbled with the box, flipping the lid open. This time, he had the presence of mind to point it away from him, so the blast of aura didn''t smack him in the face. Keeping it pointed away, he fumbled around until he found one of the scrolls. Ike closed the box and stuck it back in his small day bag. Pinching it between two fingers, he sent a jolt of electricity into it with Lightning Grasp. The dry paper lit. Smoke wafted up from the bottom of the scroll.


    Still delicately pinching it, Ike looked around. So¡­ what now? Wisp said there''d be light, but I haven''t¡ª


    With a roar and a blast, the scroll rocketed up into the sky. A trail of white smoke chased after it. At the bottom, Ike coughed and waved his hand, backing away from the cloud of smoke. There''s my answer.


    High overhead, the red-painted scroll burst in a rain of red sparks. Red light rained down on Ike''s position. He lifted his hand to watch it, blocking out the sun to see it better. Wisp was right. It is red light. I pictured more of a beam¡­ but then, she did say the person she found it on used one, so unless she was there¡­


    A few things suddenly clicked in his head. An underling of a distant city. A young Wisp. The underling dead, with one beacon used. Abandoned by their city lord. And a Wisp, who knew that the light would be red.


    Ike opened his mouth. He shut it, putting a hand on his chin. Hmm. Hmmmmm. Well. Let''s not think too hard about how Wisp found these things, and carry on.


    A white thread shot past his face and connected to a sturdy tree beside him. Ike blinked, startled, then backed away. A moment later, Wisp appeared, hurtling across the lake at a run. The thread thrummed, and then she stood beside him, balancing on the delicate white silk as though it were the most natural thing. Wisp looked down at him, tilting her head. "Found it?"


    "Yeah, I think so." Ike gestured her past the dense undergrowth at the water''s edge.


    Wisp hopped down from her thread. She walked past Ike. For a moment, Ike stared. That''s right. She''s shorter than me. I forgot, because she''s always looking down at me.


    Wisp paused. She turned, squinting at him. "I feel like you just thought something naughty."


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    "What, me? Don''t be ridiculous. Look. Something big came through here, right? And Loup alerted. What does your nose say?" Ike asked, quickly putting an end to that conversation.


    She gave him a look, but turned, lifting her nose. Wisp breathed deeply, then nodded. "That''s the scent. You''ve got a good wolf."


    Ike patted Loup''s head. "You hear that? High praise, right there."


    Loup looked up at him, then licked his hand.


    Ike chuckled. He turned to Wisp. "Do we follow the trail, or sit here and wait for it to return? It''s so big, it can''t just come to the water anywhere. And this path looks well-used."


    Wisp gave him a look. "I''m not a wolf spider. What do you think?"


    "Oh. Right. Webs." Ike gestured for her to take the lead, stepping back to give her room.


    He half expected Wisp to transform into her true form, but instead, she stepped out into the open space in human form. She looked around, eyeing the largest trees. With a slow spin, she fully surveyed the space. Ike waited, curious. What''s she doing?


    From utter stillness, Wisp burst into motion. She pointed, and web shot from her fingertips. Whirling left, right, center, she twisted a web around her. As the web took form, she naturally climbed up into it. At last, she hopped down. She gave her work an admiring glance. "So? What do you think?"


    A nearly transparent web stretched across the expanse. He knew where it was, and he still struggled to see it. The web drifted on the wind, gently wafting as the air swirled. Ike stared, honestly impressed. "That''s awesome."


    "Just another way in which spiders have the upper hand," Wisp said, tossing her hair.


    Ike shook his head at her. "How many people have you caught in your webs?"


    "Do you want to know?" Wisp asked, cocking her brow.


    He opened his mouth, then closed it again. He shook his head.


    "Smart. People taste bad, anyways. I don''t like eating them," Wisp said.


    "You know? That''s really reassuring. I also find spiders un-tasty," Ike told her.


    "Yeah? See? We can find agreement," Wisp said.


    Ike paused. He glanced at Wisp. "You have a reputation as a big bad man-eater, you know? I had someone scared you were going to eat me if I so much as saw you again."


    "Really? That''s amusing," Wisp muttered. She shook her head. "Humans. I kill one, two people who were actively trying to kill me, maybe even a whole party of ten, and suddenly I''m a man eater. I didn''t even eat them."


    Ike chuckled. "I probably shouldn''t laugh, but¡­"


    "Humans kill spiders all the time. Humans kill people all the time! So why am I in trouble for killing like, fifteen people?" Wisp asked, shaking her head.


    Ike squinted at her. "That number keeps going up."


    "Well, I''ve had a long career, you know? Every now and again, a human ends up in my web, and sometimes I eat them. But not usually." She waved her hand. "Any of those humans in Abyssal have killed more humans than me."


    "They are all outcasts, after all," Ike commented.


    Wisp gave him a look. "You think they got cast out for killing?"


    Ike grimaced. Yeah. The mages are pretty cutthroat. The city lord enforced law and order for us ordinary citizens, but¡­ then again, he didn''t have a single problem with that purple-robed guy cutting people down left and right for picking up skills. And from Rosamund''s attitude? I get the feeling that he''s more about lip service and appearances than actually preventing mages from killing. "That''s fair."


    Wisp hopped up. She grabbed a branch and climbed up into the tree. "Wake me when I catch something."


    "See you in a bit," Ike said. He looked around, searching for a cozy spot to rest until Wisp caught something. Nothing stuck out to him. His feet sunk into the marshy ground, and no convenient stones pushed out of the dirt. He turned his eyes to the sky. Aside from the tree Wisp occupied, there were a few other trees with comfortable-looking, sturdy branches. Ike hauled himself up into a nearby tree and settled in to wait. Loup wandered the ground until she, too, found a comfy spot, then laid down with a huff.


    Now, for the best part of hunting¡­ lazing around and waiting for a bite!

 83. Net Hunting

    Ike sat in the tree, waiting. He leaned his head back against the trunk and dozed a bit, one leg dangling from the branch. Loup lay below him, completely flat against the ground. Wisp lounged on a thick branch. From here, he couldn''t see if her eyes were open or not. Her boneless pose and general motionlessness suggested she was asleep, but then, spiders were ambush hunters. She had the instincts for it. She probably knew what to do.He yawned. Peering off into the distance, he searched lazily for motion. The trees swayed. Nothing. Nothing but the wind in the leaves.


    Maybe it doesn''t need to drink every day. I apparently don''t need to eat. I still get hungry, though, so I''m kinda wondering about that part.


    Scraping echoed from afar. He sat up, startled back to wakefulness, and searched the swirling leaves for the source of the sound. Footsteps grew closer, and yet, he still saw nothing. Leaves shivered, and abruptly, he saw it. The thing moving wasn''t behind the leaves. It was the leaves themselves. The leaves, come to life.


    Huh? Why would a leaf-based life form need to walk to a water hole to drink? Tree monsters would just put down roots, right? Ike wondered. He squinted at the shape, using all of his Sensory Enhancement to try and make sense of what he was seeing.


    A long arm swept through the forest. Curled claws nearly as long as Ike''s entire body reached out slowly. They gripped the large trees and pulled, scraping against the tree. Shaggy green-stained fur drooped from the long, strangely-hinged arm. A round face with big round eyes appeared from behind the trees.


    "What the hell," Ike muttered, sitting up in his tree.


    Another arm appeared. It latched around a closer tree and dragged the monster closer, ever so slowly.


    "It''s a sloth," Wisp said, matter-of-fact.


    "It looks dangerous," Ike said.


    "They aren''t very fast. We can walk over to it, and waste less time. Pity about the web, though."


    "Is it¡­not dangerous?" Ike asked. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Wisp shrugged. "Not particularly. They''re very slow. If it gets you with the claws, it can gut you, but you have to be a special kind of stupid to stand still long enough for it to hit you."


    Ike turned. The sloth reached out another arm and dragged itself forward again. He pursed his lips and nodded. "Yeah¡­"


    She sighed. Standing up in her tree, she waved her hand. The web loosened itself from the trees and flew into her palm, miniaturizing as it flew over. "Waste of a web¡­I''ll use it later." The miniature web landed in her hand. She flicked her wrist, and it vanished into a small black wristband.


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    "What is that?" Ike asked.


    Wisp glanced at him, then held up her hand, showing him the wristband. "This?"


    "Yeah. That. How''d the web go into it?" he asked.


    "It''s a dimensional ring. It holds things," Wisp said simply.


    "Oh. Where can I get one?" Ike asked. It''d beat lugging around my day bag or my huge pack all the time.


    Wisp shrugged. "I took mine off a dead man."


    "Ahhhh¡­" Ike gave her a suspicious look.


    "I didn''t kill him," she added, belatedly. "I grew up near a battlefield. Did a lot of scavenging as a little spiderling."


    "What was that like?" Ike asked.


    "What, being a spiderling?"


    He nodded. "Being a tiny spider. Before you became sentient and took on human form."


    She snorted. "I don''t remember that part. I remember becoming aware. And then, years later, Ranking up to Rank 3 and gaining a human form."


    Ike''s brows raised. "Do monsters need to be Rank 3 to gain human form?"


    "I don''t know. I was. That''s all I can say. I was."


    Fair enough. Sentient monsters are few and far between. I can''t expect her to know everything about when monsters reach sentience.


    Still, that could mean that Silver is at least Rank 3. I guess it makes sense, if he was hanging out with Orin and Cara, the other Rank 3s. It''s just that figuring it out and knowing it for sure are two very different things.


    Wisp dusted off her butt. She nodded her head toward the sloth. "So¡­ shall we?"


    "You sure that thing has the ring in it?" Ike asked, glancing at Wisp.


    "Yep. The thing reeks of it."


    Ike gave her a thumbs up. "Let''s do it."


    Loup stood up from the ground, already eager to get moving.


    Ike pulled ahead of Wisp, who moved leisurely through the trees. Wisp doesn''t need the kill. She''s already high Rank. I need more kills to Rank up. I don''t know what happens if she''s too involved in the battle, but right now, I want all the energy from the kill that I can get.


    He drew his sword. Loup ran alongside him. She glanced up at him.


    "Go left. I''ll go right," Ike said. Just because the monster was slow and un-threatening, didn''t mean they shouldn''t practice good hunting. This was an opportunity to try out their tactics before they really had to make them work.


    Loup grumbled. She split off, following his call.


    The two of them circled around the sloth. It clawed its way forward one tree at a time. Its big, round head turned slowly to look at them. Big, round eyes blinked at them.


    Ike paused. It hasn''t attacked us or anything. I¡ª


    A huge arm, wider than he was tall, swept at him. Curved claws longer than his body and sharp as a razor darted toward him.


    Eyes wide, he leaped into the air, barely dodging backward in time. The claws crushed into a tree and toppled it, sending it hurtling toward Ike. He kept backpedaling, his feet moving as fast as his body could go. I was deceived! I shouldn''t let my guard down. Not around monsters. Not ever.


    On the other side of the sloth, Loup darted in. The beast turned, its previously slow head whipping around. Its other arm arced toward the wolf. Loup kicked off the ground and propelled herself toward it. Its claw chased after her. She landed on its back and dashed across toward Ike. Its arm slammed down as it ran out of energy, and it laid there like a lump once more, waiting for the next approach.


    Ike backed away, thinking. Loup whirled around and came to a halt at his side. She crouched low, her eyes trained on the sloth, waiting for their charge.


    It moves slow, then fast. Saves its energy for the surge. Then¡­I just have to attack it before it can start moving fast.


    "Are you ready, girl?" Ike asked.


    Loup rumbled.


    "That''s the ticket." Lightning flashed around Ike''s body. For one second, it washed him out to white, only for it to fade in the next second. Before the thunder hit, he dashed in, lightning and Loup at his heels.

 84. Sloth

    Ike closed in on the sloth. Lightning chased him, and Loup chased the lightning. The sloth''s eyes glittered. It swiped at him again, its blazing-fast claws closing in on Ike.Ike laughed. "You didn''t think that was as fast as I could go, did you?" He pushed off the ground and closed the distance in a flash. The sloth stared at him, startled, and then his blade found its throat. He sliced through and ran past. A spray of blood colored the air behind him. The sloth flailed its arms, but slowed down. With each pass of claws, it moved slower and slower, until it finally came to a halt, limp on the ground. A corpse.


    Wiping his sword, Ike stepped closer. The chickens had taught him caution, with their penchant to leap back up without a head, but the sloth showed no sign of reviving. He nodded at Wisp. "There we are."


    Wisp climbed leisurely from her tree, clapping sarcastically. "Impressive, impressive. You really showed that slow-moving herbivore who''s boss."


    Ike rolled his eyes at Wisp. "Where''s the ring?"


    "Only one way to find out." Wisp cracked her knuckles and worked out her jaw.


    "Right. Let me get out of your way." Ike jogged from the corpse. Loup went to follow him, then hesitated and turned back to the corpse.


    "You can join me," Wisp offered the wolf.


    Loup yipped. Leaving Ike, she trotted to Wisp''s side.


    "Traitor," Ike muttered jokingly. He walked away, hopping into a nearby tree, and kept his back resolutely toward the corpse.


    Before long, crunching and squelching sounds came from behind him. The occasional growl and ripping sound mixed into the horrific wet chewing of Wisp chowing down on sloth. Ike watched the lake, enjoying the peaceful view. He sighed, eyes half-closing to enjoy the breeze. Ah, yes. A lovely mid-morning break. The cool breeze from the surface of the lake. The placid lake, with its gentle waves. Peaceful. Beautiful.


    A loud, wrenching squelch-pop echoed through the trees behind him. Ike flinched. Gods. "I could have butchered it for you, you know. I could have cooked it, even."


    "That''s not as fun," Wisp replied with her mouth full.


    "It''s more fun, I would argue," Ike pointed out. "I could even eat the sloth, in fact."


    "You could eat it now."


    "I disagree."


    Chewing sounds. Wisp swallowed loudly. "It''s pretty foul, anyways. You wouldn''t like it."


    "That''s what everyone says when they don''t want to share," Ike returned.


    "It really is pretty nasty, though. I''d rather eat another spider."


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    "You prefer cannibalism?"


    "It''s no more cannibalism than it''s cannibalism for a trout to eat a sardine."


    Ike opened his mouth, then shut it. Valid.


    Wisp walked up beside him. She wiped her mouth, then handed him a second ring. "There you go. Go learn more."


    Ike looked at the ring, then at Wisp. "You know, I bet Ket could find out even more if we had three or four rings."


    Wisp waggled her brows. "You don''t need to tell me twice. I''m down for you to kill me more food."


    "Hey, now," Ike protested.


    Wisp grinned. "I''ll help. Maybe. If I feel like it."


    "You''ll help me find it."


    "That''s right. I''m your hunting dog. Woof woof," Wisp said, putting her hands together like a begging dog.


    Ike stiffened. I have no idea how to respond to that. She''s incredibly more powerful than me. Obviously I can''t agree with her. She''ll kill me. But if I disagree, I''m countering a super powerful mage. What do I do?


    Wisp leaned in, watching his face, then snorted a laugh. She poked his cheeks and giggled. "Laugh. It''s funny!"


    Ike quickly laughed, then cleared his throat. "Let''s get going. Do you smell any other rings?"


    "Not yet. We can wander around. I''ll catch the scent sooner or later. They''re everywhere."


    Ike blinked. "That common?"


    "Su-per common."


    Ike raised his brows. "Well, then. Lead the way."


    Wisp laughed. She jogged away, gesturing for him to follow.


    Ike fell in, grinning. "Here we go."


    The forest blurred by. The remains of the giant sloth quickly fell behind them, little more than bits of fur and bone at this point. As they ran, Ike turned to Wisp. "This one¡­was it needlessly bloated, too? Like that giant spider earlier."


    Wisp nodded. "Like they''ve been deliberately forced to grow large."


    He sighed. "So I guess there''s no skill orbs to be found here."


    "But¡­ lots of these fun rings," Wisp said. She shrugged. "You could find a skill orb. Monsters can develop skill orbs as young as a hundred years."


    "That''s true. It''s just rarer," Ike admitted. He looked at Wisp.


    Wisp waggled her brows at him. "That''s right. I definitely have skill orbs. Wanna try?"


    "No, ma''am," Ike replied quickly. There''s no chance I could defeat Wisp. She''d crush me in an instant.


    "Pity. You smell like you have good skill orbs in you."


    "You can take skill orbs out of people?" Ike asked, surprised.


    Wisp shrugged. "You can take skill orbs out of anything."


    "Wait, can you get skills from other monsters?" he asked, more wanting to confirm it than anything. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Wisp cocked a brow. "Yeah? Of course."


    "Is that unique to conscious monsters?"


    Wisp shrugged. "I wouldn''t say that. It''s more common for us to survive the process, since we can consciously choose skills that match our mana and pathways."


    Ike ducked a branch, then nodded at Wisp. "How can you tell ahead of time, if a skill''s going to match or not? I met another monster who could do the same thing, but¡­I have no way of knowing what a skill is before I absorb it, let alone whether it''ll match my mana or not."


    She frowned at him. "You don''t send a pulse of mana into the orb before you absorb it? It''s just like if you''re trying to get a feel for anything. The first step is to send a pulse of mana into it."


    Ike''s eyes widened. Ohhhh. I should''ve thought of that. Why didn''t anyone mention it?


    Wisp chuckled under her breath. "You''re self-taught, mostly, aren''t you?"


    "Yeah?" Ike asked.


    "I can tell. I''ve had the same reaction to a bunch of dumb things everyone should know. The people you''ve encountered probably just thought you already knew."


    "Will it tell me exactly what skill it is?" Ike asked.


    "With enough practice, you''ll be able to tell. Early on, you''ll be lucky to get more than a feel for ''good'' versus ''bad'' skills. Practice enough, and you should learn the skill."


    Ike nodded at her. "Thank you, Wisp."


    "No problem." She ran ahead, leaving him behind.


    Ike laughed. He kicked off the ground and pushed himself faster. He couldn''t keep up with Wisp, but he wouldn''t let her escape, either. I have pride in my legs and my running speed. I won''t let her escape so easily!

 85. Forest Hunting

    They ran around the forest that day, chasing after Wisp''s nose. One after another, the bloated monsters fell under Ike and Loup''s prowess, while Wisp ate the evidence, sans the rings. Ike collected the rings over one shoulder. Two, three, four, more and more rings piled up. Most of them had the same-colored crystals as the first ring he''d found, but some had red, purple, or green crystal.As they killed monsters, the force Ike didn''t recognize built up inside him. The pillars, too, the ones that he''d seen in his mind''s eye, continued to grow. One of them reached its full height and stopped, while the others slowly gained height. He watched the process curiously, not sure what to do about it. It seemed like a good thing, but how could he know for sure?


    He''d asked Wisp about it, but she didn''t know enough about low-level human cores to be able to answer. Apparently, early beast core cultivation and early human core cultivation were very different. Patting the rings, he glanced back at Abyssal, and Ket. When I ask him about the rings, I can ask him about the pillars, too.


    As the sun drew toward the horizon, he made his excuses to Wisp and made it back to the puppets. Today, he was careful about tapping the puppet, and chose one near the tree he''d defeated last time. He tapped the puppet a little higher to only use the amount of black gunk he needed.


    And yet, as he absorbed the black mana smoke, he found himself taking longer to fill up. The last of the smoke faded away, and he tapped his core, frowning slightly. Yesterday, my core was full from less mana than this. Today, it isn''t quite full. As those pillars grow, my core is growing, too. When they finish growing¡­ then, it''s time to push into the second Rank, isn''t it.


    He took a deep breath. Wiping his brow, he pushed up and jumped his way out of the valley, back to Loup''s side. First, let''s find out about these rings, and ask Ket about this pillar thing. And let''s not forget about the deal with Wisp and whitefeather grass. Once I''m done with all that, I can wonder about how to Rank up. It''s way too early¡­ isn''t it?


    Ike ran over everything he''d accomplished mentally. From the Salamander, to the owl, to fighting Rosamund, to the giant chicken, to the kills in the Abyss and the puppets. I''ve actually accomplished quite a bit. And with the puppets to apply supplemental mana and the Unique skill to boost my power, I might be approaching Rank 2.


    I definitely have to ask Ket about this.


    It wasn''t quite as late when he returned to town this time. He skirted the main square and made a beeline for Ket''s house, no interest in dealing with the monster parts dealer''s friends, if they even existed. The smell of something herbal wafted down the hallway as he entered. Out in the back courtyard, bright light flashed against the fading twilight as Tana practiced. Ike headed toward the kitchen. "Ket, did you¡ª"


    "Have you seen my seven-year four-leaf herb?" Ket asked, leaning out of the kitchen.


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    Ike froze. He''d completely forgotten about the girl in purple and her offer of an herb. His fight with the monsters today had totally wiped that tiny detail out of his memory. Only when Ike had asked about it had it popped back into his mind. Lie? Admit the truth? Fuck¡ªit''s too late. I''ve already frozen. He knows. He scratched the back of his head and laughed. "Uh, about that¡­"


    "Yes¡­?" Ket asked. His eyes glittered dangerously.


    Ike looked at the ground, embarrassed. "This is going to sound insane, but it''s all real. When I went down into the kitchen, I ran into this pretty girl in black and purple. She was chewing on an herb. I thought she was your girlfriend or something, so when she offered me part of it, I said yes. It was only the stalk, though, so I guess she already ate the leaves?"


    "A girl in black and purple?" Ket asked disbelievingly.


    "Yeah¡­" Ike grimaced. Even I know how ridiculous it sounds! "Yeah, she was, um, wearing a really tight outfit, with this loose purple cloth at the hips¡ª"


    "Was she," Ket deadpanned.


    Sweat dripped down Ike''s back. He looked up at Ket. "She really was, I swear it¡ª"


    Ket grinned at him. He broke out into laughter.


    Ike pursed his lips. He pointed at Ket. "You know her. You do! I was sweating for nothing!"


    "Know her is a strong word. Violet is¡­something of a known entity in the Abyss. No one knows where she came from, or how long she''s going to hang around. She''s a pest who can break into anything. She mostly eats herbs."


    Ike frowned at Ket. "Why?"


    Ket shrugged. "We suspect it''s to supplement the mana in her core. But honestly? Your guess is as good as mine."


    "Wait¡ªif she came down here willfully, then¡­can''t she leave? Probably?" Ike asked.


    Again, Ket shrugged. "Who''s to say she came down here willfully? She''s clearly an experienced thief. Maybe someone caught her and threw her down here. Maybe someone chased her to the brink, and she jumped in." sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Who would do that?" Ike muttered under his breath.


    "But who''s to say? Maybe she can freely escape. She''s been able to freely enter everyone''s houses, after all. She''s a pest, but I won''t blame you for her crimes. The next time you see her, though, call for me instead of chatting with her."


    "Yes, of course," Ike said, nodding obediently.


    Ket frowned. He squinted at Ike''s shoulder, then moved closer.


    Ike glanced down, then nodded. "Oh! Right. Wisp and I hunted some of these today. Here. Can you make anything of, er, this many?" He set the rings down on the table. The stack slipped a little, and over a dozen rings splayed out across the surface.


    "You and Wisp, huh? I''m not as frightened of her as Tana is, but Wisp is incredibly dangerous. I''m surprised you''ve come away unharmed from day two," Ket commented. He splayed the rings out, tilting his head back and forth to get a better look at their crystals. He snapped his fingers, summoning a small light to see the rings better.


    "She''s pretty friendly with me. I hunt the things, she eats them. Ah¡­ though¡­" Ike paused.


    "What?" Ket asked, looking up sharply.


    "She, um. Said she was my hunting dog, and then said ''woof woof,'' and I just¡­I still don''t know how I was supposed to reply to that," Ike admitted, embarrassed.


    Ket laughed out loud. "You and Wisp are good friends, huh?"


    Ike scratched the back of his neck. He grinned. "Yeah¡­I guess."


    Ket put a hand on the rings. Mana pulsed through the ring, and the crystals lit for a moment. He jumped back, startled. "Ike, where did you find these?"


    "They were in bloated, huge monsters, just scattered around the Abyss," Ike said, concerned. "What are they? Is it something bad?"


    Ket grimaced. He shook his head. "It''s not something good, anyways."

 86. Something Bad

    "So? What is it?" Ike asked again.Ket''s face turned serious. He put his hand on the rings again, and sent a huge pulse of mana into them. They all began to glow, then tremble. Abruptly, the first one lifted off the table, then another, then another. All the rings floated in the air, their crystals glowing. They hung there in an amorphous blob. He waved his hand again, and the rings spun around in the air, repositioning into a complex three-dimensional shape. "No, this is¡­these rings are part of an enormous array. I think it¡­" S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He stepped back, putting a hand on his chin. His brows furrowed. "It might be¡­"


    A burning smell came from the kitchen, followed seconds later by a dark smoke. Ket jolted and ran to the kitchen, quickly stirring a pot. Ike followed him to the door of the kitchen and stood there, waiting.


    Ket worked on the pot, tossing in this herb and that liquid into the simmer. The black smoke turned pale again, and the burning scent faded. At last, he wiped his brow. "There. It should be stable for a while again. What were we talking about?"


    "The formation," Ike prompted him.


    "Right! The formation!" Ket jogged back out into the kitchen. The rings still hung in the air, propelled on the mana he''d injected before. He looked it up and down, then scowled. "No, this is really bad. It is what I thought it was." He flicked his fingers, and the rings rearranged. They formed a perfect circle and began to spin. Dark energy accumulated in the air. A cold wind blew. Silver streaked the dark energy, like cold metal.


    Ike''s energy drained out of his body. The cold wind closed in around him. He trembled, then dropped to his knees. He staggered for the door. Ice accumulated on his skin. "Ket¡­"


    Ket''s eyes widened. He clapped. A burst of fire flew from his hands and washed over the rings, knocking them out of the air. The draining cold vanished. The normal temperature filled the room once more. In the kitchen, Ket''s pot gently bubbled.


    Ike shook his head. He slowly pushed to his feet. "What was that?"


    "A soul-draining array," Ket said.


    Ike''s brows furrowed. "A soul-draining¡­"


    Immediately, several things clicked in his head. The soul-draining array. The dolls, standing there motionlessly. Rosamund, her personality, and the way her father replicated her. And finally, the king of Abyssal, and his ambivalence toward the puppet army. Ike looked at Ket. "This¡ªit''s for the dolls, isn''t it?"


    Ket grimaced. He nodded.


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    "It''s an array that drains souls, and sends them into dolls. And there''s only one group of humans down here. One group of humans, whose king doesn''t seem to care about the ominous puppet army."


    Ket shook his head. "It certainly doesn''t look good."


    "I wonder if he''s been paid off, or promised safety, in return for handing over Abyssal''s citizens," Ike mused.


    "There''s no point in guessing. We don''t gain anything, even if we know," Ket said. He shook his head, then looked over his shoulder.


    Ike followed his gaze. Tana still practiced in the back garden, well out of earshot.


    Ket put a hand on Ike''s shoulder drawing him in. He hunkered a bit. "Listen, Ike. Find as many of these rings as you can, and destroy them. I''ll destroy these. An array this complex can likely still activate with only a few rings, but the fact that he''s embedded it in monsters¡­" Ket gripped one of the rings, then snapped it open. He tore out the crystal. Crushing it, he rubbed the powder between his fingers, then shook his head. "No mana stored inside. The rings need to be in monsters to power the array. If you kill the monsters and remove the rings, that''s at least a fifty percent reduction in the array''s ability to activate."


    Ike tilted his head. He looked at the rings.


    "What?" Ket asked.


    "The rings¡­we can use those materials for something else? Another spell array later, for example?" Ike asked.


    Ket blinked. He looked at the rings. "I suppose so. They''re low-quality mana crystals with very little attribute or element, but they''re still mana crystals. The metal is what we call spell-silver¡­ a low-grade silver that''s only useful for spellcrafting. Are you sure?"


    "Waste not, want not. Besides, I have no crystals and no silver. What if I want to make an array? And if I don''t, I can make a quick buck," Ike pointed out.


    Ket looked at the rings, then chuckled under his breath. He nodded at Ike. "When I destroy them, I''ll give you back the raw materials. I have no use for them."


    Ike nodded. "Thank you! And, um, I won''t accept anything from Violet in the future."


    "No¡­ you probably should accept whatever Violet gives you. Someone ought to benefit from her crimes," Ket said with a shrug.


    Ike looked at Ket, then laughed. "I guess so!"


    "But why did Wisp care about the rings?" Ket wondered aloud. "She doesn''t have a good relationship with anyone in Abyssal that I know of. Nor has she ever shown interest in Abyssal."


    "Maybe her soul gets drained, too?" Ike asked.


    "Could be. Did she know what the rings were for?" Ket asked.


    Ike frowned. She would have to know what the rings were for, if she wanted to prevent her soul from being drained. But she didn''t. "No, she asked me to figure it out."


    "So it wasn''t to save herself. So why¡­?" Ket murmured.


    "She really doesn''t care about humans as much as you two seem to think. I think she was just curious about the rings," Ike said.


    Ket shook his head. "Monsters are always enigmatic."


    "I don''t know if she''s enigmatic. I think she''s just¡­ bored," Ike said.


    "I''m not bored," Tana said, walking into the dining room. She looked around. "What are all the rings for?"


    Ket and Ike exchanged a look. With a wave of his hand, Ket collected the rings. "Ike didn''t bring any meat tonight, so no dinner."


    "What? Ike!" Tana admonished him.


    Ike put his hands up. "We don''t have to eat."


    "Right, but I like eating!" Tana protested.


    Ike chuckled. "Okay, okay. If I hunt something tasty tomorrow, I''ll bring the meat back. How''s that for a promise?"


    Tana nodded. "You''d better!"


    With a final laugh, Ike headed upstairs to his room. Loup followed behind him, shaking ice off her fur. Tana frowned after them. She kneeled, touching the ice. "What¡­?"

 87. Back At It

    Ike woke with the break of dawn. He sat up, pushing a heavy wolf off his chest, and stretched. Smacking his lips, he looked around, mind and vision still hazy with sleep.Right. I forgot to ask Ket about my foundation.


    He stared out the window into early dawn.


    Oh well. There''s still today. I''ll see if I run into him this morning.


    His plans for today were simple. Meet up with Wisp, and explain what he''d discovered. Cash in on her promise for the whitefeather grass. Hunt more of the bloated monsters, with Wisp coming along as the scent dog¡­ er, expert tracking companion, he quickly amended. Regardless of what Wisp said, he didn''t want to actually call her a dog. He could smell that trap coming from a mile away.


    Tracking companion and evidence destruction, he doubly amended. Since the bloated monsters were part of some grand scheme, he didn''t want any evidence that he was part of their destruction left behind. If he brought the meat home, or left the bodies in the field, he''d be suspicious either for having lots of meat, or for having attacks that matched the wounds on the abandoned bodies.


    Speaking of, I also need to hunt some meat. Tana really wanted to eat last night¡­ and the food does taste really good when Ket''s cooking. I might as well take advantage of Ket''s chef prowess while I''m here. I could ask Wisp to leave some meat for me¡­ or go hunt meat for myself without her assistance.


    After all, I don''t plan to stay in Abyssal, or the Abyss, forever. I''m going to find a way to escape.


    He climbed out of bed and headed downstairs. This time, he peeked into the kitchen before entering it. No black-and-purple-clad figures stood in the kitchen. No thieves munched on any of Ket''s herbs. He let out a quiet sigh. No Violet, but no Ket either, which meant he couldn''t ask about the pillars. Oh well. We always have tonight.


    Loup followed Ike out toward the forest. As they cut through town, a few shadows peeled off from the surrounding alleys. Their footsteps sounded loud to Ike''s enhanced ears. He glanced at Loup. Without a word, the two of them sped up. The footsteps gave chase. Ike didn''t use his skills, but sped up to the height of his speed without using skills. Loup flat-out ran beside him. Behind them, the footsteps fell back, unable to keep up with the two of them.


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    Ike glanced back as he ran. Shadowy figures gave chase in the early-dawn light. He frowned. Who are they? Agents of the king or the city lord? Ordinary robbers? The parts-shop-man''s friends?


    I''ll ask Ket what he thinks of it later. But I''m not going to think too much of it.


    Out in the forest, he cut a few quick turns to throw off any followers before hitting the familiar path to Wisp''s forest. In no time, he found himself in the dead forest, surrounded by spiderwebs. Ike reached out to thrum the nearest web support.


    "Oh, hello. Fancy seeing you here."


    Ike looked up, retracting his hand. Wisp lounged in a web over his head, looking down at him. He grinned. "Were you waiting for me?" S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I wouldn''t go so far as say waiting," Wisp said. She extended her arms and legs and climbed out of the web, her motions oddly spider-like. "More like¡­ expecting."


    "Expecting me, like a good ambush hunter would," Ike agreed.


    Wisp paused. "Are you patronizing me?"


    Ike stiffened. "Huh? How¡­?"


    "Good ambush hunter, huh?" she murmured under her breath, climbing on. "Maybe I eat you after all. Come here, kid. I''ll show you my webs."


    "No, no, no. Slip of the tongue," Ike said quickly.


    "Watch out that my tongue doesn''t slip and slurp you up," Wisp said. She hopped off the web and stood upright.


    "Does that even¡­make sense?" Ike muttered to himself. I know she''s threatening to eat me, but it sounds more like she''s threatening to lick me.


    "Do you want to find out?" Wisp asked, unperturbed.


    "No, ma''am," Ike said, snapping to attention.


    She laughed. "So? Did you find out about the rings?"


    "Apparently, they''re part of a soul absorption array," Ike said. He explained everything he and Ket had discovered, summarizing to the important parts.


    Wisp raised her brows. "Well. Fuck."


    "Yeah," Ike said.


    Wisp licked her lips. At first, Ike thought she was thinking about it, but then her stomach rumbled, and he realized it was from hunger. She looked up at him, and a slow grin spread over her face. "Let''s get going."


    "Right. For the good of the town only, of course," Ike said.


    "Yeah. Uh huh," Wisp said.


    "Not for any ulterior motives like being hungry," he added.


    "Or wanting the rings for materials," Wisp said, looking at Ike.


    Ike shrugged back at her. "What can I say? We''re just good-hearted, honest, upright people, who want the best for Abyssal."


    "Let''s get going. I''m hungry," Wisp said, taking the lead.


    Ike chuckled and fell in line behind her. Loup trotted along at his side, happy to hunt alongside her people. The three of them vanished into the forest.

 88. Good-Hearted People With No Ulterior Motives

    They walked through the forest. Wisp led the way, moving as confidently as ever. Whenever they came across a bloated monster, Ike and Loup killed it, while Wisp ate it and spat out the ring. The pillars in Ike''s core continued to grow, and his core expanded.Ike stretched and looked up at the sky as Wisp crunched and slurped a monster behind him. Abruptly, he jolted. "Wisp! The whitefeather grass."


    "Yeah? What of it?" she asked, her cheeks bulging.


    "You said you''d show me where it was growing if I told you about the rings."


    "Oh. Yeah." Wisp walked up beside him, wiping mustard-colored ichor off her mouth. "Sure. Let''s do that now."


    "Really? Awesome!" Ike said, excited.


    "What, did you think I wasn''t going to hand it over?" Wisp asked, suspicious.


    "No, I knew you were the kind of good-hearted, upright person who''d keep her promises," Ike returned. The two of them made eye contact for a few beats, then both broke out laughing.


    Wisp took a sharp left. She bounded from tree to tree, pausing every now and again for Ike to catch up. Loup followed, running alongside Wisp and using her pauses as opportunities to chew a bone she''d brought with her. Ike considered running ahead to match Wisp, but when he saw how much fun Loup was having, he continued along at his usual pace.


    More and more sunlight filtered through the leaves. Up ahead, a broad, open meadow stretched between the old forest. Grasses and wildflowers swayed in the sun, while ferns and ivies clung to the shade on the edges of the meadow. The shaded dark green faded to sun-saturated pale green.


    Wisp drew up to the edge of the meadow and stopped. Leaning against the trunk, she pointed out into the sun. "The whitefeather grass grows out there."


    Ike started into the clearing, then paused. He looked around at the sea of grasses and flowers. "Which one¡­?"


    Wisp pointed out into the center of the clearing. A few slender fingers of pure white grass blew with the wind. The edges of the grass fluttered, almost like a feather.


    "Oh. Makes sense." He drew up to the edge of the clearing, his hand on his chin. There isn''t enough to keep using it forever. "Is it easy to grow?"


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    Wisp shook her head. "It''s a spiritual herb," she said, as if that explained it all.


    Ike looked at her cluelessly.


    She sighed. "Spiritual herbs are notoriously difficult to grow. Without the right sunlight, energy flows, temperatures, humidity, soil, and what have you, they die rapidly. Better to pick it and preserve it than try to grow it, and end up with a rotted herb instead."


    "It''s that bad?" Ike asked, startled.


    Wisp nodded. "Even experienced spiritual herb gardeners can fail to properly nurture spiritual herbs. It''s the kind of thing an entire sect or clan would put their resources into, on top of choosing a location that''s naturally suited to growing herbs."


    "Oh," Ike said. There go my dreams of growing herbs on the go.


    But now I know what whitefeather grass looks like, so if I ever see it again, I''ll know what I''m looking at. He looked at Wisp. "If it''s that finnicky to grow, is it difficult to pick, too?" S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Whitefeather grass? No," Wisp said. After a moment, she paused and shrugged. "But there are herbs that can be extremely finnicky to pick, so be careful."


    Ike nodded. "Good to know." He stepped into the clearing.


    The whitefeather grass waved in the sun. A gentle breeze stirred Ike''s hair. He knelt, reaching out for the delicate white grasses.


    Something burst out of the forest, directly toward him.


    Ike jumped back, startled. As he jumped, his hand closed down on a single thread of whitefeather grass, and the piece of grass came with him.


    Landing with its legs splayed over the grass, a vicious otter hissed at him. It was only about his height, but its eyes glowed with red light, and a fierce aura emanated from it. It stood upright. It spread its hands in a aggressive stance. It placed its legs firmly. Those red eyes locked on to Ike.


    "Is that a human fighting stance?" Ike asked aloud, startled. He looked to Wisp for guidance.


    She stared at the otter, her lip curled in annoyance. "Kill that thing. It''s annoyed me for far too long."


    Ike turned back to the otter. It hissed at him, standing protectively over the whitefeather grass.


    Ah. I see. This thing has appointed itself guardian of the grass. Wisp likes to harvest the grass, so that''s clearly a problem for her. I''m sure she could beat it, but given that she hasn''t fought this whole time, I think she''s just too lazy to bother.


    Either that, or¡­ He glanced at Wisp, then shrugged. One way or another, it''s none of my business. This otter, on the other hand, is in between me and that grass.


    Ike drew his sword. "I don''t suppose you''d step aside if I asked nicely?"


    The otter hissed, louder this time. It opened its mouth to show its teeth, a clear warning.


    "I only want a few pieces of grass. I''m not going to take it all," Ike tried, speaking gently.


    More hissing. The otter watched him warily, its nose wrinkled in disgust.


    It might stand like a human, but I don''t think it understands our language. Ike whistled, softly. Loup stood up from her bone and trotted over to his side.


    "You leave me no choice," he said gravely. Lightning flickered around his heels, and he darted in.


    Claws bared, the otter charged to meet him.

 89. Otter Have a Good Time

    Ike and the otter charged at one another. The otter dropped to all fours, galloping toward his ankles. Seeing the trip coming, Ike jumped. The otter instantly stopped its charge. Running backward, it curled up under his landing spot and pointed its jaws at the sky.A blur of gray fur and lightning smashed into the curled otter. Startled, the otter fled to the perimeter of the meadow, and Loup gave chase. At the perimeter, the otter circled around the clearing rather than retreat further.


    Ike landed. He looked at the otter, hounded by Loup, then at the grass. Shrugging to himself, he knelt and went to pick a few more strands.


    The otter screamed. It charged Ike again. As it closed in, it launched itself into the air with all four limbs, drawing back its little fist to punch.


    Ike jumped up. He backpedaled away from the grass, and the otter soared by. Its punch landed on the air. Instead of the total whiff Ike had expected, a shockwave burst out from the otter''s fist at the end of its punch. Green energy twisted forth and smashed into a tree at the edge of the clearing. Wood cracked and snapped. Ike turned. The punch had smashed three concentric rings into the tree''s surface, each one compressed further into the hard wood.


    He licked his lips. Holy shit. I don''t want one of those to land on me.


    "That little shit. Show him the might of humanity!" Wisp cheered from the forest, munching on some unidentifiable scrap of meat.


    "Why don''t you come out here and show him the might of spider¡­anity?" Ike asked, dodging as the otter went for a bite.


    Wisp yawned. She waved her hand. "And deprive you of the chance to grow and train? Or do you really need me to come down there and take that skill orb?"


    "Skill orb?" Ike asked, startled. Does she mean the shockwave fist? I could use that! I''m not giving it up! "Never mind, thank you for the opportunity to let me handle this!"


    "That''s more like it," Wisp said, adjusting a little in her tree to get even more comfortable.


    The otter leaped at him, all four limbs and its mouth outstretched. Ike sliced, expecting to cut its belly open. His sword struck thick, rubbery fat. He sent the otter flying, but when it landed, there was only a thin slash on its skin. It hissed at him, angry.


    "Why are you obsessed with this grass, anyways?" Ike asked it.


    Rather than answer him, the otter leaped at his face.


    Ike slashed again, throwing it back. The otter landed and leaped again, hissing angrily. The two of them traded blows back and forth. Ike cut at its fat, and the otter clawed at his face. He accumulated small cuts on the otter''s underside, but the otter scored a few deep scratches on his face and neck. Ike quickly healed the cuts, but the healing drained his mana at a higher rate than he was comfortable with. I can''t keep drawing this out.


    He and the otter clashed again. Ike put all his strength into the sweep and threw the otter clean across the meadow. At the same time, he jumped back. He landed at the edge of the clearing.


    He and the otter faced one another from across the meadow. Sunlight beamed down between them, so bright Ike could barely see. The otter squinted back at Ike.


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    Ike drew back his blade. He assumed the first form of the River-Splitting Sword. Lightning shimmered over his body.


    Opposite him, green energy shimmered around the otter''s fist. It breathed in, then out. Dark eyes gazed at Ike with the intent to kill.


    A breeze blew through the clearing. The flowers trembled. The grass whirled. In the very center of the clearing, halfway between Ike and the otter, the whitefeather grass fluttered.


    The two of them leaped at one another. Dirt flew. Lightning crackled after Ike. The otter let its punch fly as it closed in on Ike. Green energy shot from its fist.


    Ike leaped, flying over the punch. The energy flew under him and slammed into the tree behind him. His legs fully clad in lightning, he unloosed the Flurry of Kicks for the first time. One kick after another rained down on the otter''s head. Ike held himself in the air by the force of his kicks, kicking so quickly he didn''t fall.


    The otter fended him off. Its paws moved so fast they blurred into one continuous whirl of motion. Even as it blocked Ike''s attacks, though, the lightning shot through its limbs. Its arms slowed as the lightning numbed them. It chittered, frustrated.


    Ike''s eyes lit up. Yes! Just a little more!


    His legs slowed. The skill stopped. Ike''s eyes widened. Not now!


    The otter grinned. It lunged at his much-slowed feet with its teeth.


    He surged his mana to his feet. Lightning Dash''s bolts grew thicker. The otter bit down on a mouthful of boot and lightning. Electricity shot down its throat.


    It screeched. Falling backward, it shook its head and patted at its mouth. Its lips curled in pain.


    Ike landed. He chased after it, giving it no reprieve. The otter looked up, startled. It turned to flee.


    "No chance. You started it. I''m ending it," Ike snapped. He sprinted after it, lightning shooting from his heels. In a few steps, he caught up. The otter whirled, but too slow. He surged mana to his arms, fully activating Lightning Clad, and sliced down. He cut through the otter''s fat and beyond. Blood gushed. White bone peeked through the gash.


    The otter gagged. Whipping around, it lunged at him one last time.


    "I don''t think so." Ike jumped back. Whipping around, he hit it with a roundhouse kick. It flew backward. With a thump, it hit a tree and slid down it, crumpled in a heap at the bottom.


    He stood back for a few moments, waiting. The otter hissed one last time, then went completely still. Blood puddled around it.


    Ike walked over. Kneeling, he prodded the otter with his sword. No reaction.


    Behind him, applause. He stood and turned. Wisp walked over, clapping as she came. "Good job. Good job."


    "You going to eat this one, too?" Ike asked sarcastically.


    She pulled a face and shook her head. "Otter meat is too oily. You can have it."


    "Nice, I needed some meat." He grabbed the otter by the head and dragged it away from the tree.


    As he dragged it, a green orb tumbled out of its body. Ike and Wisp both stared. Abruptly, Ike jumped on it, snatching it up. "I killed it, I keep it."


    "Yeah, yeah. Who even wants a shitty skill like that," Wisp muttered. She eyed the orb with interest and licked her lips.


    "I fought it from scratch. You did nothing. You have no claim to this," Ike said firmly.


    "I already said I don''t want it. Or do you want me to fight for it?" Wisp asked.


    Ike turned away, hiding it behind his body. "No thanks."


    She snorted. "So? Gonna find out what it is?" sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Bet it''s that punch skill," Ike commented, but he didn''t counter her suggestion. This was as good a chance as any to test out the prod-things-with-mana technique that every mage apparently knew.


    Sheathing his sword, he rested his free hand atop the orb. He gathered his mana, then sent a short pulse into the orb. Green energy pulsed back, along with an impression of a fist technique.


    "It''s the punch, like I thought," Ike said.


    "But it''s good to know, isn''t it?" Wisp asked, pointing at him.


    "It is good to know." He tightened his grip on the orb, then looked at Wisp.


    "What?"


    "How do I tell if it''s suited for me or not?" Ike asked.


    She stared at him in confusion for a moment, then raised her brows. "Oh, that. Right. Did it hurt when you peeked at the skill?"


    "No," Ike said.


    "Then you''re good. Probably."


    "Probably?"


    She waved her hand. "You''re fine."


    He looked at the orb uncertainly, then took a deep breath. I''ve absorbed plenty of orbs without being able to see inside them at all. This is fine. He clenched it tight and silently shouted, Absorb!

 90. Punch Me Silly

    Green light burst out from between Ike''s fingers. Power swirled into his body. He took a deep breath, circulating his mana again. The skill rushed into him. A faint discomfort ran through his body, and then it settled.Ike raised his brows. That was all? How nice!


    He quickly opened the System menu to take a look at his skills.


    [Name: Ike | Age: 15 | Status: Nm | Rank: 1 [Abyss Dweller]]


    Skills: Common: 5 | Bronze 2 | Silver 2 | Gold 1 | Rare 2 | ¡­ | Unique: 7


    Common: All-Around Runner Lvl 7 | Razor Handling Lvl 9 | Spear Handling Lvl 4 | Axe Handling Lvl 4 | Sword Handling Lvl 8 | Bow Handling Lvl 1 | Primitive Crafting Lvl 7


    Bronze: Sensory Enhancement Lvl 7 | Mana Manipulation Lvl 4


    Silver: Flurry of Kicks Lvl 2 | Chlorophyll Lvl 1


    Gold: Shockwave Punch Lvl 1


    Rare: Salamander Healing Lvl 9 | River-Splitting Sword Lvl 5


    Unique: Lightning Dash Lvl 9 | Lightning Grasp Lvl 6 | Lightning Clad (Forearm) Lvl 5 | Lightning Clad (Calf) Lvl 5 | Lightning Clad (Thigh) Lvl 3 | Lightning Clad (Bicep) Lvl 3 | Lightning Caller Lvl 2


    He raised his brows. A Gold skill, huh? It was the highest rank skill he''d seen in a while. Short of Salamander Healing, River-Splitting Sword, and Lightning Dash, it was the rarest skill he''d seen. In fact, if he looked closely at his skills, it was the strongest skill he''d gained on his own merit. Lightning Dash was stolen, River-Splitting Sword was gifted, and Salamander Healing he''d obtained with a party. Shockwave Punch was his, and his alone.


    "You adapted to that quickly," Wisp commented.


    "I think I was well-suited to it," Ike said. He rolled his arms out, then balled up his hand into a fist. Pulling back his arm, he activated the skill for the first time and punched the nearest tree. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thump. His fist struck the bark. A small wisp of green energy bounced off the tree.


    Wisp tried to stifle a laugh, then burst out all at once. "Didn''t you notice the otter charging its punch?"


    "I was just, uh, you know. Testing if it was necessary," Ike said, his ears burning red. He pulled back his fist and activated the skill again. This time, though, he drew out the skill''s circulation. The mana rolled over and over inside his body. It built up in his arm and fist, growing stronger with each passage of the circulation. Green shockwaves built up on his arm.


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    As the shockwaves built up, his arm began to shake. His bones trembled, and his muscles ached. Ike held on, pushing through the pain, until he could take it no more. With a shout, he unleashed the punch into the tree.


    This time, the punch shattered the bark off the tree. The other shockwaves hit milliseconds later, one after another, drilling deeper and deeper into the tree''s wood. When Ike drew back his fist, a deep fist shape dug into the tree, surrounded by concentric circles that cut shallower and shallower into the wood. The widest circle dug the least deep.


    "Imagine if I could concentrate all those shockwaves into the initial blow," Ike muttered under his breath.


    "It''d be seriously scary. Seriously!" Wisp said, nodding in approval.


    He looked at his fist again. His knuckles bled, but quickly healed. His bones and wrist ached, all of them thrumming with the aftermath of the hit. His healing quickly healed the damage the strike had done, but Ike frowned at his hand nonetheless. The otter didn''t seem to be harming itself. Had he done something wrong? Or did he just need to level up the skill?


    "What is it?" Wisp asked.


    "Nothing." Ike hauled the otter up over his shoulder and walked back to the clearing. He looked left and right. Seeing no other challengers, he plucked the whitefeather grass and tucked it in his pocket. Now I can use that black gunk with no worries. Actually, I feel like I might Rank up if I use it again.


    Before I Rank up, though, I want to complete Lightning Clad. Even if it''s not necessary, I feel like it''s a good idea. He didn''t know where the sensation came from. His core? His gut? Maybe the pillars he saw in his dreams. But the feeling told him he ought to complete the skill set before his next Rank. Plus, it''ll be much cleaner to have one Lightning Clad skill than having six or more Lightning Clad sub-skills.


    Hopefully I don''t need to level them all up to level 9 before I can merge them¡­


    In his mind''s eye, he saw his running skills hit level nine, then merge into All-Around Runner. He sighed. They definitely all have to hit level 9, don''t they.


    He patted his pocket. With the whitefeather grass, he should have no problem absorbing that much mana. Even without it, I''d be able to absorb that much mana. But with it¡­well, the quality should be higher. The cleanliness. It should be better, even if I''m not sure exactly what that does!


    Ike patted the otter on his shoulder. "I have meat. I have rings. I have the grass. Wisp, is there anything else you want?"


    "Hmm? No," Wisp said. "I could hunt more, but if you''re tired¡­"


    "It is getting late," Ike said, nodding at the sky.


    "Ah, well, in that case." She turned to go.


    "Wisp!" Ike called.


    She turned. Cocked one eyebrow.


    "Do you want to come back with me? To Ket''s house. We could all have dinner together," he invited her.


    Wisp laughed. "They would never let me in."


    "As long as you''re in human form, the barrier won''t activate, right?" he asked. Silver had been able to enter and exit many times. It was only in monster form that he couldn''t.


    "Why would I want to?" she asked. She climbed up into a tree and leaned on a big branch, looking down at him.


    Ike shrugged. He patted the otter. "Ket''s a real good cook."


    She chuckled. "Wouldn''t your friends run if they knew who I was?"


    "I''d tell them not to worry. That you''re not dangerous," Ike said firmly.


    "I don''t know if that''s true," Wisp murmured. She turned away, vanishing into the forest.


    Ike watched her go, then sighed. He rubbed the back of his neck. Turning to Loup, he nodded. "C''mon girl. Let''s head home." I''ll recharge my mana using Rosamund''s head tonight. Tomorrow, I''ll head out bright and early, and see if I can''t forcibly finish my Lightning Clad skills, and maybe even Rank up from the puppets.


    Loup looked at him, her ears perked forward. She bounced in excitement.


    The two of them headed through the forest, back to the town.

 91. The Time is Upon Us

    He returned to a bustling town. Ike looked around, a bit startled. Usually Abyssal was a bit of a ghost town. The remaining mages seemed more interested in wasting their lives away over enjoying life. But today, they bustled around, running left and right.His brows furrowed. What''s going on?


    Ike whistled to Loup, who pulled close to his side. He set off at a jog. Pushing through the crowds, he nonetheless arrived at Ket''s house in record time. A mob stood at the front door, jeering and shouting at the door. Ike raised his brows. He veered around to the alley and hopped over the back garden wall to arrive at the back door. Ike knocked.


    The door flew open. A dagger pointed at his face.


    Ike threw his hands up. He backed away. At his side, Loup growled, showing her teeth.


    Behind the dagger, Ket stared at him, narrow-eyed. A beat later, his eyes widened, and he stood up straight. Retracting his dagger, he rubbed the back of his head with a laugh. "Sorry. I thought you were trying to break in."


    "I guess you''re not a fan of otter meat?" Ike joked, patting the beast on his shoulder.


    Ket raised his brows. "It''s not the most delicious, but I can make it work." Looking over Ike''s shoulder, he gestured him in. "Hurry. Before someone sees you."


    Ike stepped inside. "You sure about the otter?"


    "Huh? Oh. It''s fine. I can clean the carcass," Ket said.


    Ike stared at him, then startled. Wait, with that house-cleaning spell? Does it work on meat, too? Damn, that''s a nice skill! That would save so much time!


    Ket took the carcass. Ike followed him down the hallway to the kitchen, where Ket waved his hand and summoned a hook to hang the carcass on. Another wave. The carcass shimmered, and the skin lifted off on its own. The blood pooled down, draining into a grate in the floor Ike hadn''t noticed until this moment. The carcass'' stomach split open on its own, and the organs removed themselves, neatly nestling into the trash.


    Leaning against the countertop, Ket nodded at Ike, seemingly paying no attention as his skill took care of the kill. "I take it you saw what''s going on outside?"


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    "Yeah. What''s all that about?" Ike asked. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ket grimaced. He sighed. "I told Tana about the rings."


    Ike matched his grimace, already knowing where this story was going. "Right."


    "Ah, she didn''t do anything wrong. Well. I told her not to say anything. But¡­" He sighed again. "I should''ve seen it coming. She announced the soul-draining array, right in the middle of town square. Linked together the puppet army and everything. Now everyone''s going insane. Demanding more news from us. Berating the king for ignoring the threat. Of course the king instantly denounced Tana''s statement as being merely that of a rabble-rouser, but Tana told everyone she had proof."


    The hairs on the back of Ike''s neck stood on end. "Proof?"


    "The puppet army."


    He grimaced. Shit. I was much happier when no one was paying that any attention. No¡ªthey might even try to destroy them. I need to get there first. Absorb all that mana. He grabbed the rings off his shoulder and passed them to Ket. "I need to go."


    "Go where? Tana''s already on her way to the puppets."


    Ike whistled to Loup. She whirled about, leaving behind her close observation of the organs. He ran out the door, and she followed close behind.


    No¡ªthis is even worse than I thought at first! he realized, as he ran. Not only did Tana alert the ordinary citizens¡ªshe also inadvertently alerted the city lord! Shit. I need to get to the puppets, right now! My chance to recover my mana, my chance to Rank up and finish the Clad skills, is vanishing right before my eyes!


    "Wisp!" he shouted as he exited the city, hoping against hope that she''d hear. "Wisp, if you''re nearby, please!"


    "What?" Wisp asked.


    He looked up. She sat in a tree nearby, watching as he ran past. Lazily, she lifted her hand and gripped a piece of spider web, using it to swing to the next tree, where she once again relaxed.


    "Can you run ahead of me? There''s a group of people headed to the puppet army¡­"


    "I know where that is," she said, noticing his pause.


    Ike nodded. "Good. Can you slow them down? I need to get to the puppets before them."


    Wisp chuckled. "I can lay a few webs for them." Kicking off the tree, she vanished in a blur.


    If the city lord knows, it''s not a bad idea to share the mana with everyone. Abyssal is full of once-mages, who failed to convert to lunam. If I reawakened them with the puppets'' mana, Abyssal would go from a joke to a serious threat. I''m sure a threat the city lord could take on with little effort, but anything is better than nothing.


    But before that, I need to make sure I use it to its fullest, myself!


    He sped up, holding nothing back. Lightning crawled from his feet to his hips as he charged ahead at full speed. Loup ran beside him. Lightning sparked off her fur as she bounded through the forest. The two of them chased through the forest. Leaves flew up behind them.


    Almost before he knew it, he came to the edge of the cliff. The dolls stood in neat lines below him. There was no sign of any other mages in the vicinity.


    Ike sighed in relief. He hopped down the cliff, landing amidst the dolls. At the bottom, he paused. He wanted to fill his core, max out his Clad skills, and reach Rank 2¡­ or at least gather enough mana to get close. And all of that, before the other mages made it to the puppets. The best way to tackle his goal¡­


    He looked around, then nodded. Time to tap some puppets.

 92. Becoming Clad

    Travelling through the forest around the edge of the dolls, Ike quickly gathered fallen wood. Big chunks, little sticks, it didn''t matter the size. Any dry wood he saw, he picked up. Loup helped too, carrying big sticks around whenever she found a good one. When Ike returned to set the sticks down behind the puppets, she''d lie down and chomp on her stick, then hop up, stick in jaw, to follow him again.When the entire line of puppets had a layer of wood behind them, Ike knelt. Using Lightning Grasp, he started several fires along the line of wood and let them spread. Fire licked over the wood piles, climbing along the long line. It took a little longer than he''d anticipated, but before long, a line of fire roared behind the puppets.


    Step one complete. Time for step two.


    One after another, Ike tapped the puppets. He went down the line from the first set he''d tapped, keeping the tree monsters in mind. It wasn''t possible to catch all the black gunk in his few containers, so he let it spill out on the floor. When it ran close to the line of fire, it evaporated into a dark cloud of mana.


    Ike tossed a single blade of whitefeather grass into the black gunk closest to him. It dissolved in an instant. The mana clouding up from the gunk grew clearer and cleaner. The clarity expanded outward from the spot he''d dropped the leaf of grass. The entire cloud of mana became transparent and easier to absorb. Ike breathed it in, drawing it deep into his core.


    In a few seconds, he''d recharged his mana stores. Ike continued drawing the mana in. He sunk into his inner space, focusing on the shape of the largest Lightning Clad skill he''d successfully created so far. He added the shape of the proto-Lightning Clad (Torso) skill alongside the successful Lighnting Clad skill. Even in its proto-form, the torso skill had so many more supports than the thigh skill. Compared to the thigh skill, he''d have to spend twice the mana per the space the skill took up on his body. On top of that, the torso version covered his torso¡ªan area twice as big as either thigh. He grimaced. That''s going to take so much mana to create.


    Good thing I''ve got a ton of mana to burn!


    He drew up the torso skill again, mapping it to his body. Instantly, the skill started to collapse. Drawing in more mana, he forcibly propped the skill up. It trembled, barely holding on. The barest, thinnest lines of lightning swirled around his body. A few more seconds. Just a little longer!


    The skill held on for another breath, then collapsed. Ike checked his skills, but already knew he wouldn''t see it there. That wasn''t the true form of Lightning Clad (Torso). Those sad strands of lightning don''t count as a true Clad. There''s still something wrong with the base form of the skill.


    He drew the skill across his body again and threw his mana into it. This time, he didn''t try to keep the skill going. Instead, he paid close attention to where the skill grew thin, and where it shattered. Where the mana branched off the main flow and grew thinner, it was far more likely to shatter. He thickened the flows. The skill stabilized. As it stabilized, the lightning around his body grew thicker and denser, until it finally matched the density of the other Lightning Clad skills.


    Ike let out a breath. Structurally, the skill seemed fine, now. All he had to do was focus on holding it for longer, and it ought to show up on his skill list before long.


    He put activating the torso skill on autopilot and turned his attention to the only part of him not yet Lightning Clad: his head.


    Ike tentatively circulated mana into his head, feeling its flow. His head was the most complex of all the regions of his body so far, in terms of mana flows. His torso had the most mana flows, but they were relatively straightforward. When it came to his head, the mana flows were delicate. Not only that, but they whirled all around. Delicate and unpredictable. Compared to the other regions of his body, his head was also more critical. If he severely wounded his head, it was game over. Salamander Healing couldn''t heal a wound that instantly killed him.


    Not that any of the Lightning Clad skills have injured me yet. But it''s something I need to be more careful of now than ever.


    He considered using the form of one of his other Lightning Clad skills to create the head version, but quickly dismissed the idea. It was okay if he made a mistake or two with his arm or torso. He couldn''t afford the same for his head. Instead, he turned his gaze down to Lightning Dash. The original skill, from which all the other Lightning-based skills flowed. From his feet, to his head.


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    Looking at the Lightning Dash skill now, it was so obvious how its shape formed the flow of its mana. The swirly construct that created the electricity. The straight lines piping mana to the core constructs.


    I don''t want this skill to flow through the center of my head, the way it flows through the center of all my limbs. I want it to flow around my head. Create a¡­ a helm. He considered the skill again, then waved his hand, replicating it. Ike attached the two skills at a right angle, then waved his hand again, replicating the right-angle join. Rotating that angle around, he joined the two corners together into a square. At the top, he pinched the tops together into a sharp point, then shaped it into more of a dome with his hands. After all, the skill is called ''clad,'' not body. As long as it''s around me, it meets the skill''s name.


    Rather than immediately put the skill outline on his head, he held it in his mental space first. Pouring mana into it, he followed his usual process of trial and error. When it exploded, he shored up the weakest places. When it burst apart, he wove the pieces closer together. Over and over. Adding new flows. Merging the existing ones. It shattered over and over, but Ike simply drew in more mana and started again. I refuse to give up. I''m going to make this skill, no matter what!


    The more times he reformed it, the more solid it became. As he shored up all the breaks, the skill no longer shattered so easily. It held its form, but the mana still didn''t flow smoothly. Ike leaned in, examining the details of the mana flows. He unkinked the right edges and widened the primary flows. Pruned out unnecessary edges and lines. More mana. More smoothly. Molding and merging the edges until it became one solid thing, not four items pressed together.


    The shape clicked together. A helm floated in his mind''s eye, stable, flickering with lightning. Ike materialized it and formed it over his head. At the same time, he activated all his Clad skills.


    [Name: Ike | Age: 15 | Status: Nm | Rank: 1 [Abyss Dweller]]


    Skills: Common: 5 | Bronze 2 | Silver 2 | Gold 1 | Rare 2 | ¡­ | Unique: 9


    Common: All-Around Runner Lvl 7 | Razor Handling Lvl 9 | Spear Handling Lvl 4 | Axe Handling Lvl 4 | Sword Handling Lvl 8 | Bow Handling Lvl 1 | Primitive Crafting Lvl 7


    Bronze: Sensory Enhancement Lvl 7 | Mana Manipulation Lvl 4


    Silver: Flurry of Kicks Lvl 2 | Chlorophyll Lvl 1


    Gold: Shockwave Punch Lvl 1 S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rare: Salamander Healing Lvl 9 | River-Splitting Sword Lvl 5


    Unique: Lightning Dash Lvl 9 | Lightning Grasp Lvl 6 | Lightning Clad (Forearm) Lvl 5 | Lightning Clad (Calf) Lvl 5 | Lightning Clad (Thigh) Lvl 3 | Lightning Clad (Bicep) Lvl 3 | Lightning Clad (Torso) Lvl 1 | Lightning Clad (Helm) Lvl 1 | Lightning Caller Lvl 2


    Purple lightning flickered over his entire body. All the skills began shining, brighter than they ever had before. They wrapped around him. Melded together. Energy swirled around him, the skills activating on their own, calling one another to greater heights. Mana drained out of him. He breathed it in constantly, feeding the skill. Even doused in mana as he was, he lost mana with every passing breath. The skill required an enormous expenditure of mana. More than anything he''d experienced yet. More than Lightning Caller or his strongest activation of any other skill.


    The skill grew stronger and stronger. The purple light grew blindingly bright. The skills lifted off his body. Purple lightning swirled around him as they melded.


    Overhead, stormclouds grew. Ike glanced upward, gritting his teeth. If this skill didn''t condense soon, he''d start leveling up Lightning Caller whether he liked it or not.


    As if in response, the skill emitted a bright light, brighter than anything so far. It expanded hugely, then snapped into place, closing in around his body. A thin layer of lightning crackled over his entire body. He lifted his hands, turning them over to feel the lightning play over him. Compared to the usual skills, it felt smooth. All one. As if he''d returned it to his natural state.


    He pulled up his skills list again, curious. The Clad skills weren''t all level 9. Did they merge anyways?


    [Name: Ike | Age: 15 | Status: Nm | Rank: 1 [Abyss Dweller]]


    Skills: Common: 5 | Bronze 2 | Silver 2 | Gold 1 | Rare 2 | ¡­ | Unique: 4


    Common: All-Around Runner Lvl 7 | Razor Handling Lvl 9 | Spear Handling Lvl 4 | Axe Handling Lvl 4 | Sword Handling Lvl 8 | Bow Handling Lvl 1 | Primitive Crafting Lvl 7


    Bronze: Sensory Enhancement Lvl 7 | Mana Manipulation Lvl 4


    Silver: Flurry of Kicks Lvl 2 | Chlorophyll Lvl 1


    Gold: Shockwave Punch Lvl 1


    Rare: Salamander Healing Lvl 9 | River-Splitting Sword Lvl 5


    Unique: Lightning Dash Lvl 9 | Lightning Grasp Lvl 6 | Lightning Clad Lvl 1 | Lightning Caller Lvl 2


    Ike laughed aloud. He punched the sky, excited. A bolt of lightning shot off from his fist and crackled upward. Startled, he lowered his fist, examining his hand. Is that a new side effect from Lightning Clad? I''ll have to play with it more.


    It was curious how his Lightning Clad had merged without hitting level 9, but his running skills hadn''t merged until they hit level 9. Is it only a prerequisite for Common skills? Is it because the Lightning Clads were originally one skill, that I had to break into pieces to learn? Is it because it''s a Unique skill? Did I learn an inferior version of Lightning Clad?


    He clapped, and thunder rolled from his palms. He grinned. It doesn''t feel inferior.


    More mana swirled around him. Ike took a deep breath. Now that he''d merged the Clads into one Clad, he only had one goal remaining:


    Time to Rank up!

 93. Rank Up

    Mana rushed into Ike with every breath. He circulated it into his core, reinforcing his body. The seven pillars in his core surged up, climbing toward their zenith. It was as if an invisible ceiling had vanished. His power climbed rapidly.He looked at his arms. At the purple lightning flickering over them. Is it because I combined the Clad skills? I killed all those monsters, but I still didn''t Rank up, even though I felt that mysterious power in my core. But I still didn''t Rank up, or feel this¡­ openness. This ability to climb. Now that I''ve combined the Clad skills, though, it''s like there''s nothing holding me back. I can soar into the sky.


    The seven pillars reached their full height. They shook, then snapped together. Just like the Clad skills, they combined into one. The single pillar grew up, up, up, pushing his core taller. As it grew taller, his core grew wider in equal measure. The walls of his core trembled, as delicate as a soap bubble. He sucked in mana. Pure mana poured into his core. The mana shored up the delicate walls and poured into his passages. The tsunami of mana burst open his passages, widening them as it passed. Mana seeped into his body. It enriched his muscles and bones. Filled every tendon and every ligament. Every inch of his body strengthened from the intense mana flow.


    The more full his core became, the further it stretched. The soap bubble-like walls were delicate, easy to break, but they stretched easily, too. Ike kept a close eye on them as they grew. When they grew so thin that the bubble threatened to pop, he pushed on his core from outside, keeping it from stretching any larger. The core he''d stopped firmed up. It grew no larger. Instead, mana filled up the larger space.


    All around him, the mana fog thinned. There was still plenty of room in his core for mana. No¡ªhis eyes widened. The soap-bubble parts of his core started to collapse, falling in on his core. Instantly, he realized that if he didn''t fill his core completely, it would become misshapen. He wouldn''t be able to fully progress to Rank 2, let alone Rank 3 or higher. He needed more mana.


    Ike pulled out the spider''s fang and whirled around. He carved open the puppet behind him, dragging it toward the line of fire. More mana rushed into the fog. His core began to fill again. The soap bubble inflated once more. Its somewhat drooped shape rounded out.


    There still wasn''t enough mana. His core remained mostly empty. He grabbed another puppet and tapped it, then another, then another. The mana flowed out and poured onto the fire. Thick mana clouded around him. His core filled slowly. As it filled, the walls solidified. A smooth, round orb encapsulated the pillar he''d grown in the heart of his core.


    More mana. More. He desperately tapped the puppets, barely absorbing enough mana to keep the soap bubble from falling. More and more. He shored up the walls of his core as it filled, stabilizing it at the same fullness as the first small amount had stabilized at. Ten percent full. Twenty. Thirty. Mana steadily climbed the walls of his core, pooling in the bottom.


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    "Ike!"


    He looked up.


    Wisp stood in the trees above the valley, leaning out over the army. "They''re close. On their way. Be ready."


    "Thanks, Wisp. I''m almost done," Ike said, smiling.


    "Oh¡ªoh! Ranking up, huh? You''re just casually talking in the middle of it? Bold of you," Wisp commented.


    "I''ve already done the hard part," Ike commented.


    "Huh. Well. Good luck." She glanced over her shoulder, then vanished, darting into the trees.


    Ike breathed deep. He sucked in mana faster than before. As rapidly as he could, he filled up his core and stabilized his walls. If the others came here while he was still actively Ranking up, he wouldn''t be able to fight. Even the thought of pushing mana out of his delicate core made him wince. Right now, he was in the middle of the most important part of hitting the next Rank. If anything went wrong, he''d not only miss out on Rank 2, but he''d miss out on every Rank beyond 2 as well. Having a poorly formed core, or even one that didn''t grow large enough now, meant he''d never hit the next Rank. If push came to shove, he''d have no option but to run. The sooner he finished his Rank up, the safer he''d be.


    Through the woods, he heard footsteps and voices. Ike drew another deep breath, sucking down all the mana he could. He stood up straight and crossed his arms. He desperately absorbed mana, but externally, he relaxed, as if nothing was wrong at all. Turning to face the voices, he smiled confidently.


    "Look! Right over here, like I said¡ª" Backing toward the valley, Tana came into view. She gestured behind her, then turned. Her jaw dropped.


    Ike beamed up. He gave her a jaunty wave. "Hello, Tana."


    She gaped. "What are you doing here?"


    His core continued to fill. Forty percent. Forty-five. "Not much. Just inspecting the puppets." He patted the nearest puppet familiarly.


    Tana flinched back. "Get out of there! It''s dangerous!"


    Ike looked around. He shrugged. "It''s not so bad, honestly. They aren''t great conversationalists, but they don''t move much, either."


    "Is this what all the fearmongering was about?" An old man drew up to the edge of the valley and looked down with a scoff. "To hear you talk, we were on the verge of getting soulwiped by forces we couldn''t possibly stop. But these are no terrifying troops, here to snatch our souls. They''re oversized puppets."


    Ike glanced at the puppet next to him. His core filled to fifty percent. Fifty-five. Sixty. "They can be pretty nasty when they start moving. Trust me, you don''t want to be here when that happens."


    The man looked down at Ike. "And who are you?"


    Ike looked around him. "I''d call myself the expert on these puppets, but I don''t think that''s quite right. Still, I know more about them than you do."


    Seventy percent. He breathed deeply, eyeing the group around Tana. It was mostly older men and women. Not all of them exuded the pressure of a mage, and the ones who did were generally around Rank 1. Tana herself was a little over Rank 1, and she was easily the strongest of all of them. If he wasn''t absorbing the mana right now, he''d be able to demolish the mages.


    I just have to finish Ranking up. Seventy-five percent. He edged closer to the fog, absorbing as much as he could with every breath. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The expert? Are you the one who created these things?" one of the women shrilled.


    "Look at him. He''s clearly aligned with them," another man muttered, glaring down at Ike.


    Ike pressed his lips together. All of them. A bunch of paranoid old fools. Were they mages, once, on the surface? It seems losing their power has made them become mad with the fear of what others might do to them with the power they once had.


    This is going to be annoying.

 94. Paranoid Old People

    Ike''s core grew to eighty percent full. He eyed the progress, taking another big waft of the mana to speed it along. Just a little more. A little more, and then he could do whatever he needed to. He just needed to stall for another few minutes."So? What are you doing with those things? I knew the city lord wouldn''t plot against us," the old man said, looking down at Ike with disgust.


    "These are the city lord''s," Ike said, as if it was obvious.


    "If they are, then what are you doing with them?" the old man demanded.


    Ike looked around him. He grinned. "Taking advantage of them?"


    "They''re the city lord''s property, and you dare ''take advantage'' of them?" the old man asked.


    Ike shrugged. "What can I say? He hasn''t stopped me yet."


    To be honest, it did confuse him a little. He would have been surprised if the city lord was sensitive enough to sense one puppet being tapped, but he''d tapped dozens by now. He''d also activated the tree that protected the puppets. He''d definitely expected that to trigger the city lord, and for him to come out and inspect the puppets at some point. If it had shut down his exploit, it was unfortunate, but he could always get by with Rosamund. But none of that had happened. The defenses were activated. He tapped dozens of puppets. And still no sign of the city lord.


    Did he not set any traps that would trigger his attention? Does he not care? He didn''t know the answer. The first one seemed grossly inattentive, but then, he wasn''t a high-level mage. Maybe it was incredibly difficult to create a trap that alarmed when it was set off. Maybe there was something about the Abyss that prevented the alarm from escaping.


    Not caring was truly the worse of the two option. It meant one of two things, each equally frightening. One, that the city lord had some extensive plan for him. This was all within the city lord''s purview. It was less likely, but absolutely horrifying. For a second, Ike let himself consider it: that everything he''d done was within the city lord''s plans for him. That all his actions were no more than dancing in the palm of the city lord''s hand.


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    Still, I doubt the city lord planned this deeply for some random slumrat who found one of his skills.


    More likely, the city lord didn''t have a plan for him, and didn''t care to the fullest extent. Not about Ike, not about the puppets, not about the Abyss¡ªnothing. But why would he not care, unless¡­ this army, that seemed so vast to Ike and the citizens of Abyssal, was but one tiny portion of the city lord''s true army. Unless it was a miniscule fraction of the puppets the city lord could call to his whim. So small relative to his true power, that it didn''t matter if Ike tapped one, a dozen, all of them, because the city lord had so many that these barely even reflected in his eyes.


    Ike licked his lips. Oh. Yeah. That''s not good.


    "I find that hard to believe," the old man harrumphed. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I wish I did," Ike muttered. He took another breath, eyeing his core again. Eighty-five. Climbing toward ninety.


    "What are we waiting for? Get him out of there. We should interrogate him. And if it is the city lord''s property, we should give him to the city lord! Who cares if the city lord stores property down here? The Abyss is technically within his territory, and it''s not like he''s taking any important land. Let''s just pretend we saw nothing," one of the men suggested.


    "What about the soul-draining array?" Tana pointed out.


    The man waved his hand. "So what? If he wants to soul drain all the beasts down here, why stop him?"


    "What if he wants to soul drain Abyssal?" Ike asked.


    An old woman laughed. "Alarmist propaganda. Why would he do that?"


    Ike stared at her. He squinted a little bit. "What?"


    Tana shook her head at him. "They won''t listen. They dismiss everything I have to say."


    He shrugged up at her. Ninety percent. "So what? Let them die, then. Me, you, and Ket, we can escape together. Leave the dumb fucks to their fate."


    There was dead silence from atop the cliff. "Excuse me?" one of the old men asked.


    "Yeah, you heard me. You dumb fucks can go die, while we''ll get out of here. We fuckin'' tried, Tana. If they don''t want to listen, they can go ahead and get soul drained right into these puppets," Ike said firmly. Ninety-five percent.


    One of the old women turned to Tana. "Who is that?"


    "Just a shitty little slumrat from the city. A shitty little slumrat, who''s smarter than all of you assholes. Yeah, I fuckin'' said it. Come down here and fight me if you disagree, cowards!"


    One hundred percent.


    Light blasted up from around Ike. Purple lightning crackled all around him. He gazed the men and women in the eye defiantly, as a single number changed in his status menu:


    Rank 1


    ¡­


    Rank 2.

 95. Kick Ass

    Gold light shot up around Ike. Lightning flashed around him, interspersing the gold with purple. Ike grinned defiantly up at them as he Ranked up, from Rank 1 to Rank 2. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.Up on the top of the cliff, Tana gasped. "Gold and purple¡­?"


    Ike stared the men and women in the eye. At Rank 2, he could definitively tell that they were lower Rank than him. A few had strange, nebulous-feeling Ranks that didn''t feel right; maybe Rank 2s or 3s who had fallen back to Rank 1 from lack of mana. But none of them actively had more Rank than him.


    "How¡ªhow did you Rank up?" one of the men demanded. He stared into Ike''s eyes, and a second later, his eyes widened. "You aren''t using lunam?"


    "He isn''t¡ªhow?"


    "What? No way!"


    "You can''t Rank up in the Abyss without lunam!"


    Ike''s eyes glittered. Ohhhh. I''ve found a crack. Rather than threatening them with reality, isn''t it easier to disarm this trap by incentivizing them with it, instead? Besides¡­ I bet I can make a quick buck right here, right now.


    Ike stepped forward. "That''s right. I just Ranked up in the Abyss. Without using lunam. Are you willing to risk angering the city lord¡ªthe city lord, who has not made a move to stop me this whole time, who doesn''t appear to care about this army at all¡ªin order to regain your Rank, or even Rank up?"


    The men and women looked amongst one another. One or two stepped back, strongly shaking their heads, but the rest stood at the edge, considering it. Not fully persuaded, but not willing to give up on the opportunity, either.


    Well, they''re hunters, after all. Hunters and mages. When it comes to advancing and Ranking up, Rank never comes without risk. The only way to advance is to fight monsters of equal or higher level. The only way to get stronger, is to put one''s own life at risk. When considering that these are all people who have advanced and Ranked up to this level while living under that philosophy, it''s not that surprising that they''d consider taking the risk of the city lord''s wrath for a chance at regaining their strength. Especially when I''ve gone unpunished this far. Especially when we are a large mob of anonymous people, whom the city lord surely cannot punish all of.


    It''s not that any of this is absolute truth. But this is the way they''d think.


    Abruptly, one of the old men jumped down the cliff. Grumbling under his breath, he rode down the dirt incline and walked over to Ike. "I''m in. What do we do?"


    "For twenty gold, I''ll teach you," Ike told him.


    The man''s nose wrinkled, but he instantly handed over the gold. Ike palmed it. Interesting. He''s willing to give me the gold that easily? I''ll have to charge more next time. He leaned in to the man''s ear and whispered, "Just stand in the smoke and breathe it in. If you can still process mana, you should be able to absorb it the same as you used to."


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    The man''s eyes widened. He walked into the smoke and took a deep breath. His eyes grew even wider, and his aura shot up. From the base of Rank 1, he quickly climbed to the middle of Rank 1.


    "It works!" he shouted, startled.


    The crowd perked up. Still hesitant, they nonetheless edged closer to the edge of the cliff.


    A woman hopped down. Ike walked to the edge of the puppets to greet her. "Fifty gold and I''ll teach you the secret."


    She grumbled, but reached into her pocket. "So? What is it?"


    Ike told her as well. Her nose wrinkled in distaste. She harrumphed disbelievingly and walked into the smoke.


    One breath. Her eyes went wide. She took another breath, and another. Her eyes darted to the man, and the two nodded at one another. Her aura, too, rose rapidly.


    Ike nodded at the rest of the people on the cliff. "The first to come get a discount! If you aren''t in the first three, start gathering wood! I''ll require wood for entry from the rest of you, on top of the price of entering the mana field!"


    The men and women fought amongst one another. One burst free and charged down the cliff, followed closely by another two. Ike waited patiently. A woman in the back of the three suddenly shot ahead and reached Ike. She slapped fifty gold into his palm.


    "Thank you very much. You two, I''m sorry, but I''m going to require wood on top of the entry price," Ike said. He waved the other two away.


    One of the men stepped forward firmly. He crossed his arms. "You are going to let me in."


    Ike raised his brows. "No."


    "Do you know who I am? I¡ª"


    "No."


    The man''s jaw opened and shut. No sound came out. He stared at Ike, eyes bugging out.


    Beside him, the other woman who''d missed being third giggled, a big grin on her face. Tana stared in shock from the top of the cliff. She shook her head just a little, warning him against it.


    Ike shooed him away. I''m stronger than him. He doesn''t even have the wobbly aura some other people here do. I don''t give a fuck about Abyssal''s internal politics, so who cares? I''m not going to stay here. Whatever petty revenge he tries, I can just walk away from it. "Wood, please. I''ll talk again when you come back with wood."


    "You don''t know what you''ve done," the man growled low in his throat.


    At Ike''s side, Loup growled, her hackles raising. The man flinched back, startled.


    "Correction. I don''t care what I''ve done," Ike replied swiftly. He waved his hand. "If anyone has wood, I''m willing to let more people into the mana field!"


    The man glowered at him. Ike ignored him. When he realized Ike wasn''t going to budge, he stomped away, still fuming. Under his breath, he muttered, "You''ll regret this."


    Ike watched him go. His heart pounded instinctively, but his mind was clear and firm. He wasn''t afraid of the man. He had no reason to bow to his demands.


    Once, he would have wavered. Bowed and scraped. Fled, rather than face down confrontation. But he wasn''t the same boy who''d barely survived under his uncle''s fist. He wasn''t the same kid who scraped hides and gave up his wages to survive. He was as strong as his uncle now. Maybe even stronger, depending on how well his uncle had reached Rank 2. He had Unique skills. Powerful attacks. Incredible speed. The complete version of Lightning Clad. He looked up at the men and women at the top of the cliff, and felt no fear.


    I''ve grown stronger. I have no need to act the way I used to. Now, I can stand proud. Turn down those who think they can step on me.


    A small smile played over his face. He took a deep breath, and felt the mana flow into him. I''ve changed. But I don''t think I mind.

 96. Makin Money

    After the first few people started absorbing mana and regaining their Rank, the other men and women with Tana quickly climbed down the wall, bearing wood and gold. Ike received their fees. He placed the wood behind the next row of puppets, then tapped more of the puppets to meet their desires. He didn''t bother adding any whitefeather grass to the mana these people absorbed. He only had a few strands of it, and he had no interest in giving them the same bonus he had. Better to keep an edge over them, so even if they Ranked up to Rank 2, he still had some strength over them.Now that he''d Ranked up, it was obvious to Ike that there were differences between the same Ranks. After all, if someone let their core crumple in the ballooning stage, they wouldn''t have near the same mana capacity as someone who perfectly kept their core ballooned. This kind of defect is probably what keeps people from growing to the next Rank, Ike realized. If he had a crumpled core and didn''t have the full mana capacity of a Rank 2, it would be near impossible, if not impossible, to reach Rank 3. He''d needed the full mana capacity of Rank 1 to reach Rank 2, after all. And, at a guess, the amount to which one failed to Rank up perfectly would limit their further growth. If the balloon crumpled a lot, that mage would have an even harder time Ranking up than someone whose balloon only crumpled a little, compared to someone who didn''t crumple at all, who would have the easiest time to Rank up.


    I think I Ranked up perfectly. If not perfectly, then close to perfectly. I doubt any of these people still have perfect Rank after all this time languishing in the Abyss. Even if they hit Rank 2, I''m in no trouble.


    Besides, with all these people absorbing the mana, I haven''t tapped enough puppets for any one person to Rank up. The mana is split too many ways, and there''s no chance these people will cooperate to get one person to Rank 2. The only people who can reach Rank 2 are those who were previously at Rank 2 and backslid, not those who need to reach Rank 2 in the first place.


    A few of the men and women stayed at the top. Most of them had inverted eyes, but one or two with ordinary eyes stood up there, refusing to take part in Ike''s scheme. He shrugged, unbothered.


    Tana jumped down the edge. She jogged up to Ike and slipped him a small black ring. "Here. Use this to store your money. It can''t store much, but it can store enough coins to fill a chest."


    Ike blinked. He took the ring and stared at it for a moment, then shrugged. The first step is to inject mana, right? He injected a tiny scrap of mana into the ring.


    A space appeared before him. As Tana had said, it was about the size of a wooden chest. Ike took out a single coin and held it over the ring. The coin vanished into the ring and appeared in the space within the ring. He passed his hand over the ring again, and the coin reappeared in his hand. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Huh. That explains where Ket was taking stuff out of all the time. I thought it was some high level skill, but it turns out it''s just an item. Well, good to solve that mystery. Ike quickly transferred all his coins into the space. There was still plenty of room in the ring, so he added the heavier items from his bag. The majority of the stuff in his bag vanished into the ring. Ike grinned, very pleased. "Thank you, Tana."


    She blushed and looked aside. "It''s just a small one. It''s nothing."


    "No, it''s awesome! It''s my first ring like this," Ike said, marveling at the ring.


    Tana looked at him, shocked. "Really? It''s your first storage ring?"


    "I didn''t grow up in a mage family, you know," Ike told her.


    "I know, but¡­ sorry. That really surprised me," Tana said.


    Ike nodded at her. "Who was that guy who was all uppity at the start?" He pointed toward the man.


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    The man stood in the furthest corner of the mana field, up toward the part that Ike had originally tapped. Ike had deliberately given him the area with the least mana, not wanting to strengthen someone who''d sworn vengeance. He''d also charged the man a hundred and fifty gold, more than anyone else. But I didn''t disallow him entirely. If he doesn''t realize I shortchanged him, he might still be grateful that I gave him mana at all.


    And if he does, then I''ve already taken steps to sabotage him growing stronger than me.


    Tana swallowed. She only glanced at him before looking away. "He''s one of the king¡ªthat is, Lord Grelund''s, biggest supporters. One of the highest ranked nobles in the land. Most people wouldn''t dare challenge him."


    "Well, I''m not most people," Ike replied. Also, I legitimately didn''t know who he was.


    Oh well. I don''t regret it. I''ve given in to bullies before. I''m tired of it. From now on, I''m not going to crumple so easily anymore. It doesn''t matter who someone is. If there isn''t a good reason for me to bow to them, I won''t bow.


    If my life''s on the line, that''s different. But if they''re just an asshole with an inflated ego? Yeah. Fuck that.


    Tana gave him an admiring gaze. "No. You aren''t."


    Ike looked out over his fields and sighed, happy. How nice. I help out people, get rich, and sabotage my enemy the city lord all in one fell swoop. What a beautiful thing.


    "So¡­ what''s your plan from here?" Tana asked.


    "Oh. I don''t know. I kinda freewheeled this whole thing," Ike said. He shrugged. "I''d like to tap all the puppets. The more puppets I tap, the less likely the city lord can do his thing. Honestly, if you want to return to the city and bring more people here, that would be great."


    Tana nodded. "That''s a good call, since they won''t believe me about the city lord''s plans."


    "Yeah. People are dumb. But they''re more than happy to make themselves stronger at any cost. So let''s go ahead and align that with our goal, instead of trying to force them to see a truth they don''t want to see," Ike reasoned.


    She chuckled. Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she glanced up at Ike. "You know, you might be smarter than most of these nobles who think they''re sooooo smart."


    "Pretention isn''t the same as intelligence. Only idiots think it is," Ike said, giving her a look.


    Tana laughed. She cozied up to him. Her hand brushed against his.


    Loup shoved her way in between Tana and Ike, letting both their hands land on her ears. Ike scratched her ear instinctively, and she grinned big.


    Tana sighed quietly. She scratched Loup''s ear as well. Loup leaned against her, giving her puppy eyes.


    "She wants more scritches," Ike informed Tana.


    "She''s so cute," Tana said. She petted Loup harder. The wolf bounced up on her and licked her face.


    Tana giggled. She stepped away, then saluted Ike. "I''ll head back to town and bring more people here."


    "Remember, advertise the mana, not the problem we''re solving," Ike said.


    Tana nodded. She ran off.


    A little prick scratched at the back of his neck. "She likes you," Wisp murmured in his ear.


    Ike jumped. He instinctively lifted his hand to smack the back of his neck, then forcibly lowered it. His skin crawled. With all his might, he refused to think about the spider crawling over his body. The spider he hadn''t felt until now. "I, uh. I don''t think so. I''m a slumrat and she''s a princess. She''s got a prince out there for her, or something."


    Wisp chuckled. "Open your eyes. The heart wants what it wants. Besides, she''s not a princess anymore. Just a pretty girl, who likes a handsome boy."


    "Yeah, yeah. Who? Not me," Ike said, rolling his eyes.


    "Are you kidding me?" Wisp said.


    "What? I''m not hot. Girls aren''t interested in me," Ike said firmly.


    Wisp sighed. "You''re not a slumrat any more, Ike. You''re a mage. Plus, we get more attractive when we Rank up. You know that, right?"


    "Really?" Ike asked, startled. How ugly was my uncle, if he still looked like that at Rank 2?


    No, no. I''m thinking of it wrong. It''s just that Rank doesn''t improve our looks that much. Wisp is overstating it.


    "Yeah. It''s true. Ranking up enhances your whole body. Everything from your bones to your skin," Wisp confirmed. "How do you think I ended up so adorable?"


    "Adorable? More like a maddened jungle child," Ike muttered.


    The little pricks at the back of his neck grew sharper. "What was that?" Wisp demanded.


    "Huh? What?" Ike asked, looking around.


    Wisp chuckled. The pricks lessened. "It''s a good thing I have a sense of humor."


    "I deeply appreciate that about you," Ike agreed. "By the way, can you get off my body? I don''t mean to be insulting, but I''m terrified."


    "Oh? Good." The pricks vanished. He no longer felt Wisp.


    Ike smiled for a beat, then froze. His whole skin crawled. He shivered, intensely uncomfortable. Oh shit. Now that I can''t feel her, she could be anywhere. A spider, crawling anywhere on my body. Oh gods. Oh gods! No! It''s so much worse!

 97. Mana for Everyone

    Over the next few days, Ike remained at the mana field. Tana brought more and more townsfolk by. Ike camped out nearby, guarding and waiting at the field. Wisp helped by setting up spiderwebs around the field. He wasn''t sure if she did it for fun or out of boredom, but he appreciated it.When business was slow, or when the people went home for the night, he went hunting with Wisp. They continued to hunt more of the rings. It was harder to find the monsters now, which was all the better in Ike''s eyes. If they could no longer find the rings at all, then they''d fully disarmed the city lord''s trap.


    He tapped more and more of the puppets. His tapping rate wasn''t sustainable¡ªthe first puppets regenerated lunam too slowly for it to be sustained¡ªbut he didn''t mind. That was the whole point. When they ran out of the black goo, he''d have fully weakened the city lord''s army, or at least the portion he had access to. At that point, given how many rings we''ve found and how much black gunk we''ve stolen, I think we can consider the city lord''s plans fully sabotaged.


    "Hey, Ike!"


    Ike looked up. Ket waved at him, beaming. He hopped down the cliff to Ike, ignoring the line. A few people glared at him, but quickly calmed when they saw his inverted eyes.


    "Ket!" Ike greeted him. He waved him over. "How''s it going?"


    "I brought snacks." Ket held out a leaf-wrapped package.


    Ike unwrapped it to find sandwiches full of herbed pulled meat. "Thank you."


    "That''s your otter meat. I''ve enhanced it, as I promised." Ket looked him up and down, then raised his brows. "Tana was right. You''ve Ranked up! That''s incredible."


    "Yeah, I guess," Ike said. He grabbed one of the sandwiches and took a big bite, clumsily re-wrapping the remaining sandwiches with his other hand. A delicious gravy mixed with the oily meat, while the herbs cut through the oil of the otter meat to elevate its gamy flavor to true deliciousness.


    Ket laughed. "You have no idea. It usually takes people years to hit Rank 2, Ike. Sometimes even decades. You''re considered almost too old to become a ''true mage.'' And here you are, Rank 2 anyways."


    "What¡ªyears?" Ike asked, startled.


    "Well, think about it. If you had to slowly gather the amount of mana you released in this field from the natural world, with no particular strong source¡­ how long would that have taken you?" Ket pointed out.


    Ike opened his mouth, then shut it. He nodded slowly. That''s true. You need to have enough mana stored to use it all at once to Rank up. If you don''t have enough mana, your core will deflate. If I didn''t have this field, I have no idea how I''d even go about gathering that much mana. There''s probably items like this storage ring that could capture mana, or maybe natural areas that have dense enough mana¡­ but it was convenient to not have to go looking for it, and simply absorb it all in this mana field.


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    "Tana told me you had gold and purple light around you when you Ranked up?" Ket asked.


    "Oh¡­yeah. I guess. I mean, kind of?" Ike said. It was just the lightning from my skills, so it doesn''t really count, does it?


    "You have a Unique skill, don''t you?" Ket guessed, his eyes shining.


    Ike looked at Ket from the corner of his eyes. "What''s it to you?"


    Ket chuckled. "Nothing. Gold light only appears if the mage has a perfect Rank up, or if they have a Unique skill. Or both."


    "Maybe I perfectly Ranked Up," Ike said, shrugging.


    "Maybe so," Ket allowed, his eyes shining. "I wouldn''t be surprised. I knew you had it in you."


    "You come to check out the operation?" Ike asked.


    Ket looked around. "I am impressed, I have to say. I never thought to try cutting open the puppets. Didn''t even think about what would be inside of them. How''d you come up with that, anyways?"


    Ike''s mind went to a certain head languishing in his pack, and he shrugged. "Oh. You know."


    Ket laughed. He patted Ike on the back. "Good, good. Play it coy. That''s how a mage does it." He pointed at the spider webs around the edges of the valley. "I see your friendship with Wisp is still continuing." S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yeah. She''s pretty easy to get along with," Ike said.


    "I''m glad to hear it." He leaned in. "The king has taken notice of your little camp."


    "Oh, yeah?" Ike asked. I probably need to be wary of the king. In this world where might makes right, the king must be the highest Ranked mage in the city. In other words, stronger than Ket, who''s still stronger than me. He isn''t someone I can ignore.


    Ket nodded. He glanced around before continuing. "He doesn''t like that you''re empowering some of his loudest critics. I wouldn''t be surprised if he sent men to shut this down soon. Keep your eyes open and be ready to run."


    "Run?" Ike asked.


    "He has four Rank 2s and a Rank 3 under him. Even if you''ve perfectly Ranked up with a Unique skill, you''ve only just Ranked up. All of his Rank 2s have been Rank 2 for over fifty years. They''re high Rank 2s. You might be able to take a Rank 2. If multiple Rank 2s or the Rank 3 shows up, run for your life," Ket said firmly.


    Ike took a deep breath. He nodded. "Okay. Thank you for the warning."


    "I want to see my friends succeed," Ket said. He nodded and patted Ike on the shoulder. "Good luck. And don''t be afraid to run. Retreating is the noblest of the formal strategies."


    "Understood," Ike said. With Lightning Dash, I have enough speed to be confident in my running. I should be able to escape, if nothing else.


    Ket looked around them. "Though, given how both sides are benefiting from your actions¡­ the king may let your little operation ride for longer than I''d have initially expected."


    Ike grinned. "Then I''ll keep it running for as long as I can, and take as much gold as I can get."


    "That''s what I''m talking about," Ket said. He patted Ike on the shoulder again and walked off. "Good luck. And remember, living is the most important."


    "I know," Ike confirmed.


    Ket waved. He retreated, jumping out of the valley. Ike gestured the next visitor down, continuing to acquire Abyssal''s accrued gold. I need to make a plan for those high-Ranked mages. Running away alone won''t guarantee my survival. Not with a Rank 3 in the mix. Better to have a plan.


    But how do I maneuver to ensure my survival with Rank 2s and 3s breathing down my neck?


    Ike glanced over his shoulder. "Hey, Wisp."


    "Yeah?"


    "I had an idea¡­"

 98. Maneuvering

    Ike gestured the next man down the slope. The line had grown shorter over time, and today, only a few people waited to enter the mana field. He took that as a bad sign. The more pressure the king put on people to avoid his business, the fewer people would show up, so for it to have decreased dramatically over the last few days indicated that the king had made it quite clear he did not approve of Ike''s actions.Not that I''d expect him to. After the king''s reaction to what Ike was doing, Ike was now sure that the king was in line with the city lord. After all, why would the king be against Ike disarming the city lord''s trap and arming his citizens at the same time, unless the king implicitly agreed with the city lord''s plan? Or even was explicitly bribed, Ike added silently, not willing to give the king the benefit of the doubt. In any case, it was clear to him that the king was not his friend.


    The only problem is that the king¡ªor at least his men¡ªare all far stronger than me. All I can do is give everyone the strength to save themselves when the time comes. I can''t actually challenge the king.


    Not yet, anyways.


    The last few days, he''d continued absorbing the mana from the puppets. Unlike when he was Rank 1, though, it did little to fill him up. He could spend all day absorbing mana, and only fill his core a little. Making progress on his next Rank was almost impossible. He no longer worried about sharing mana with people at a higher original Rank than him. They''d take longer than he''d spent in the mana field so far to fill up their cores, let alone restore or ascend their Rank.


    He sighed quietly. Opening his storage ring, he looked at his gold to assuage his sadness a little. Piles of coins glittered welcomingly up at him. He sighed happily. At least I''ve made a profit. So much gold¡­ if my uncle could see this, he''d die of envy.


    Ha. If I saw my uncle now¡­ Ike clenched his fist. They were the same Rank. He no longer had anything to fear. If anyone had something to fear, it was his uncle.


    He walked the field. Figuring that he ought to tap the remaining puppets if the gig would soon be up, he drew out the spider''s fang and worked through the back half of the puppets. He tapped their ankles for maximum flow and let the gunk pour out, not bothering to burn it for mana. If I have time, I''ll come back and burn it later. But given how little this mana is moving the needle for me at this point, it''s not that big of a deal if I lose it. Better to pour it out and not use it, than allow the city lord''s plan to go through when I''m right here, able to act against it right now.


    It really is strange that the city lord is limiting himself to acting through the king. He grimaced. He definitely does not care about this contingent, huh. But if that''s the case, where''s his true army? Where¡­


    No. That''s not really a question, is it.


    He turned, looking back toward the city. His grimace deepened. Plenty of souls there. Lots and lots of helpless souls, prime for the plucking. And given that the puppets were going to absorb the souls of ex-mages in Abyssal, I don''t think they needed mages'' souls to power the puppet. Probably any old soul will do.


    And gods know there''s plenty of souls in the undercity.


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    Ike took a deep breath and sighed. He gazed at the sky. Silver''s probably fine. He barely enters the city anyways. Orin and Cara¡­ I don''t have any way to get a message back to them. If I get out of here, I''ll be sure to send them warning.


    Aside from those three, I don''t really have anyone I care about back in the city. My uncle can go fuck himself. Liz is already dead. There''s no one else.


    A figure appeared in the sky. Ike jolted. He looked around him. "Field''s closed. Everyone go home."


    "What? I just paid my entry fee!" one of the men protested.


    "You can stay, but there''s about to be a fight," Ike told him. He nodded upward.


    The man jumped in place. He looked up and spotted the figures. His eyes widened, and he booked it, quickly vanishing into the forest.


    The other people absorbing mana vanished as well, leaving Ike alone on the mana field. He continued to work down the line, tapping one puppet after another. Black goo ran over his shoes and tracked after him, forming a thick mud behind him. "Wisp, are you ready?"


    "Ready to get off your head. Seems like a bad place to be pretty soon," a friendly voice commented from too close to his ear for comfort. He caught a brief, blurry glimpse of a fluffy, bulbous body as Wisp jumped away from him. A white thread zipped into the air, and she flew off.


    Ike shuddered. He ran his hands over his body involuntarily. Gods. Every time, I feel things all over me the second she reveals she was on me. I couldn''t feel her, but gods, it''s so much worse once I know she was there and I couldn''t feel her¡­ ugh. I need to ask her to alert me to her hanging out on my head.


    Putting his heebie-jeebies aside, he pressed on. Tapping the puppets. Sloshing through black mud. The figures in the sky grew closer and clearer. Hunched over, pretending to pay them no mind, Ike eyed them. Three figures, riding on a flat wooden platform that looked vaguely like a sled. Two of them he didn''t recognize, but he did recognize the man in the lead. The man who''d complained, who he''d overcharged for access to the mana field, pointed down at Ike. He looked back at the other two and nodded, speaking energetically.


    Ket told me to run if more than one showed up. I''m not so sure that''s an instant loss. With the trap Wisp and I set up, f I can take one, I can take two. And it''s not too late to run after I try to fight.


    He kept on tapping the puppets. The sled scraped down just outside the mana field, and the three of them walked in. One of the men looked at the spiderwebs surrounding the field, while the other strode after the leader, who pointed at Ike. "Here he is. This is the one who''s been illegally providing mana without a permit!" S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Illegally¡­ does nature need a permit?" Ike instantly rebuked the man, still distracted by the puppets. He extended his aura, testing the other two men''s auras. Both were firm. On the left, the low second-Rank. On the right, mid second Rank. The lead man''s aura shimmered, struggling somewhere in the low first Rank.


    The lower-level man scoffed, looking down at him. "Take him away."


    Ike tapped the final puppet and stood at last. He looked at the man in front. "Leave."


    "Ha! You think you can order me¡ª"


    Ike threw a punch. Green shockwaves flew off his fist. They flew past the man''s ear, close enough to send his hair into a flurry. The man''s eyes widened. He staggered back.


    The highest-Rank man turned. "Leave," he repeated.


    Saluting quickly, the low-Rank man fled.


    Ike faced down two Rank 2s. The Rank 2s stared at him. Neither of them moved.


    A small smile crept over Ike''s face. They see me as a threat. They know they can''t step on me.


    Crazy how much one small Rank up changes. A few days ago, I would''ve been dismissed just like that man who led them here. And now, they hesitated to make the first move.


    He looked them in the eye. "Gentlemen."


    They nodded back. The higher-Rank man stepped forward. "You know why we''re here."


    Ike nodded. "I do."


    "Then there''s no need to draw this out. Garrus Sarmine." The man saluted.


    The lower-Rank man copied his gesture. "Damain Belnor."


    "Ike of no name." He didn''t salute, watching the men instead.


    A blur of motion. The two of them leaped at Ike.


    Ike grinned. "Now!"

 99. The Trap

    "Now!" Lightning crackled around Ike''s legs, and he jumped directly into the air.The two Rank 2s landed. They immediately leaped up again, but too slow. Curtains of spider thread burst from the spiderweb walls. The threads flew beneath Ike''s feet and ensnared the other two fighters. Trapped, the mages grabbed for their weapons. Every motion wound the threads tighter around them. Every twist pulled more of the web around their bodies.


    Ike landed lightly on the web. The mud fell away from his boots, revealing soles lined with shed bristles from Wisp''s spider form. The setae were covered in a strange anti-stick fluid that Wisp guaranteed worked, even if she refused to tell him where it came from.


    Garrus whipped toward him and howled. A blast of icy cold flew from his mouth.


    He jumped back, landing on the ever-so-slightly thicker strands. I''ll make the non-sticky threads thicker for you, Wisp had told him, and even then, he struggled to tell the difference. Spiders were on another level when it came to differentiating thread.


    Ice accumulated on the threads Garrus had howled at. He tore his arm through them, trying to use the freeze to break through, but the ice merely shattered off the threads.


    Ike chuckled. "It''ll take more than that to break these threads."


    Damain drew a deep breath. A pilot flame flickered deep in his throat.


    Holy shit. Ike dashed toward him. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In his mind''s eye, Wisp waggled her finger at him. "Most things at your Rank won''t break my thread, but it is flammable, and the people of Abyssal know it! Don''t count on my thread to do more than delay the inevitable."


    As flames surged up Damain''s throat, Ike unleashed a punch. Green shockwaves flew from his fist. The man saw them coming and tried to dodge, but the threads held him in place. The shockwaves hammered down on his head, snapping his jaw shut. The flames poomfed in his mouth, and he grimaced in pain.


    Without relenting an inch, Ike activated his Clad skills. Lightning burst up all over his body, one united piece of spellwork. His strength, speed, and stamina all surged upward toward mid-Rank-2 levels.


    Damain''s eyes widened. Struggling against the web, he lifted his arms in an attempt to block Ike''s attack.


    Too slow. Ike blurred past Damain''s clumsy defense and released a flurry of lightning-clad kicks on the man''s head. Damain''s eyes rolled back, and he fell backward in the web, unconscious.


    Rather than backing away, Ike drew his sword. He thrust it through Damain''s heart without hesitation. Bright red blood spilled from the man''s chest.


    I can''t let him live. Right now, I have a massive advantage, but if he sets the web on fire and releases Garrus and himself, I''m not sure I can win. He might have been unconscious for hours; he might have been unconscious for seconds. Mages are far more resilient than ordinary people. Anything but delivering a killing blow means putting my own life on the line.


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    Beside him, Garrus roared in anger. He raised his fists. Cold mist welled up between his fingers and rolled down his arms. Where it passed, razor-sharp ice blades grew from his forearms. He lifted his arms high and slashed down, and Wisp''s spiderwebs fell away. Turning, he slashed all around him. Thread after thread snapped before his blades.


    The web weakened. It sagged under Ike''s feet. He jumped down rather than tumble with the web. Keeping his footing even, he raised his sword, watching Garrus closely for an opening.


    Overhead, the sun grew dim. Storm clouds began to gather.


    "Merciless. A merciless killer," Garrus spat.


    "Better a merciless killer than a slaughterer, butchering hundreds of innocents," Ike returned.


    "You think them innocent?" Garrus laughed.


    Ike regarded him coolly from the other side of his blade. "I didn''t come here to debate semantics. And neither did you."


    "No," Garrus agreed. He lifted his ice-bladed arms.


    The two of them gazed at one another for a moment. Silence fell over the battlefield. All around them, the pale webbing drifted to the floor.


    Thunder rumbled.


    The two dashed toward one another, purple flashing toward pale white. Garrus punched at Ike. Ice coated his fist, and a wave of cold washed out from the strike.


    Ike countered with his own punch. The shockwaves blew the cold wind away, but Garrus closed in and landed a heavy blow on his body, while his strike fell short. Garrus'' eyes widened, and he pulled back his fist to capitalize on the blow.


    With all his might, Ike kicked off the ground and leaped backward. He landed on a remaining loose strand of Wisp''s thread. From his high ground, he coughed, barely swallowing back a mouthful of blood. He felt no pain, only searing cold. Ice coated his stomach. A hole was smashed out of his side, and frozen blood coated his body. Ike covered the hole with a hand, running extra electricity past it to warm up the ice. As the ice melted, the pain kicked in, and he hissed, barely biting back a gasp.


    I can''t fight him on his terms. He''s a fistfighter, a close-ranged warrior. I need to fight in a way he''s not prepared to handle, not in a way that plays into his specialty.


    Garrus looked up at Ike. He chuckled. "I''m surprised. You know how to take a hit, boy."


    "Is it that surprising?" Ike asked, buying time while Salamander Healing regenerated his flesh.


    "Mages are usually pampered bastards. Noble kids, who were never spanked, let alone in a real fight. Who grew up with rich parents who paid off their friends. Buncha wimpy assholes. Lots of them would run screaming at a single hit like that¡ªor, at least, be unable to jump back like you did," Garrus commented.


    "I''m just a slumrat who got lucky," Ike countered.


    "Ahhh. Yes. That tracks. Well¡­ part of it doesn''t. Ranking up at your age, without your daddy''s money to buy nice skills and daddy''s servants to hold down your beasts for you¡­ that''s a surprise. But now I understand why you can take a hit." Garrus clenched his, then pointed at Ike. "It almost makes me want to not kill you."


    "But the king''s money is worth more, huh?" Ike snarked.


    "Well, there''s that. Mostly, I''m a man who likes a fight. This peaceful era is too boring. I need a battlefield to shine. And that means war." Garrus tossed a nod at Ike. "So if you''re done healing, why don''t you come down here and give me my fight?"


    Ike snorted under his breath. Caught me. His wound was mostly healed, so he hopped down. He circled to the right, trying to get a better angle on Garrus.


    Garrus laughed. He matched Ike''s pace, refusing to let him get the advantage. "And how did you capture the Will o'' the Wisp? Force that beast to make you such a neat trap?"


    "I asked her," Ike replied bluntly.


    "Asked¡ª" Garrus guffawed. He shook his head. "Gods, kid. We need to fight before I start liking you too much to kill you."


    Even as he spoke, Ike dashed in at full speed. Operating Lightning Grasp, he stabbed toward Garrus'' stomach.


    Garrus grinned. "Come!"

 100. Ice vs. Lightning

    Ike''s hand struck home. Ice crunched under his fingers. He frowned. Huh?Garrus'' coat fell open. Thick ice coated his whole body, preventing Ike from striking home. The ice quickly refroze around Ike''s hand. Garrus swung his arm downward, slicing the arm-blades toward Ike''s arm.


    Ike surged his mana into Lightning Grasp. The lightning melted the refreezing ice, and he yanked his hand free, barely dodging Garrus'' blades. He backstepped. In his other hand, he swept his sword upward even as he backstepped. The upward strike of River-Splitting Sword flew toward Garrus'' arm.


    Garrus laughed. "You think that pathetic thing can¡ª"


    The blade cut into the ice. The ice shattered. Ike''s eyes sharpened. His blade closed in on Garrus'' arm.


    Blood sprayed. Garrus retreated, gripping his arm. A deep cut opened on the back of his upper arm.


    Ike pressed the advantage. Lighting flashed after him as he closed in.


    His feet slipped out from under him.


    Garrus laughed. He snapped his fingers. Icicles burst up from the frozen ground and stabbed toward Ike. Ike plunged helplessly toward razor-sharp ice. He worked his legs, but his feet found no traction. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Dammit, and I just slicked up my shoes for the web!


    Something struck his upper back and yanked. Ike stumbled back the other way as the force dragged him out of the ice.


    "Watch your feet!" Wisp called from the edges.


    "Heh. A two-on-one fight?" Garrus asked. He backed away warily, eyes darting to the edges of the battlefield.


    "Don''t blame me when you came at me with two men," Ike said. He stealthily checked the floor. Sheer, pure-black ice coated the ground between him and Garrus. The mana-goop-mud had frozen solid.


    Hmm. Less than ideal.


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    "Turnabout is fair play," Garrus allowed.


    Ice crackled through the ground all around Ike. Icicles burst up at him. He retreated one step at a time, then leaped up into the remnant web. Beneath him, the ice continued to spread, coating almost the entire mana field.


    "Turnabout indeed," Ike murmured. Now he controls the floor. Troubling.


    From the forest, a dozen threads swooped across the battlefield. A rudimentary web appeared in a matter of moments.


    "Thank you!" Ike called.


    Wisp didn''t reply.


    "A fool''s errand." Garrus swept his hand. A wave of icicles pierced toward the webbing.


    Ike charged in. With a Rank 2 body enhanced by Lightning Clad, it was easy to balance on the thin thread. Before the icicles could cut the web, he reached Garrus and let off a sideways slash. The man jerked back, retreating his neck before the slice. Forgotten, the icicles drooped.


    Ike pressed the advantage. He launched Lightning Grasps, Shockwave Punches, and slashes at Garrus. Garrus dodged. Moreso than he had on solid ground, he moved gracefully over the ice. He moved faster than before, but couldn''t corner as precisely. Leaping from one strand of the web to another, Ike forced him to turn over and over. He landed light strikes on Garrus. Any of them would have been devastating, if not for Garrus'' ice armor. Instead, his blows glanced off, or at best, cut chinks in the man''s armor.


    Far from helpless, Garrus fought back with every step. He landed a few glancing blows on Ike. Lightning leapt from Ike''s body and coursed over Garrus'' limbs with every strike.


    Overhead, storm clouds continued to gather. The sky turned from a cloudy gray to a bruised purple. Thunder rumbled.


    Garrus dug his heels in and charged. The ice blades on his arms burst out. He sliced, cutting through Wisp''s lines. Ike cut him in return, but his sword glanced off Garrus'' ice-coated chest. Ike dropped to the ground. This time, he was ready for the slick earth. Although unable to move as gracefully as Garrus, he successfully skated backward.


    "Heh." Garrus clenched his hand.


    The ice under his feet trembled. Icicles punched into his soles, surging upward.


    Time slowed. Ike caught a breath. Utilizing the full speed of Lightning Dash, he gave a tiny leap up, landing on the top of the upward-punching ice. From there, he kicked off again. Compared to the slick ice, the roughness of the spiked ice gave him something to push off.


    This is my chance.


    Lightning crackled after him. He closed in on Garrus. His sword blurred out. He activated Lighting Grasp, and lightning chased down the length of the blade. His blade flew out more quickly than before, powered by Lightning Grasp, Lightning Clad, and the River-Splitting Sword all together.


    Garrus'' eyes widened. He threw his hand up to block. His ice blade shattered before Ike''s sword. Ike cut on, swinging with all his might. His sword slashed through muscle, then bone. It swept out the other side. Garrus'' arm hit the ground. Garrus stumbled back.


    Ike chased after him. He lifted his sword again. His eyes locked onto Garrus'' neck.


    Garrus stared at him in shock. The sword closed in.


    The shock turned to a smile. Garrus clenched his remaining fist. "Gotcha."

 101. Gotcha

    Ike had enough time to tense before a giant icicle slammed into his gut. All the air left him. A horrible freeze pierced him through, all the way to his spine.Fuck.


    Garrus chuckled. He passed his remaining hand over his stub, freezing the wound shut. "It''s good you can take a hit, but you''ve gotta learn how to do more than just take a hit. If losing my arm means I win the fight, I''ll happily sacrifice my arm. Do you have that resolve?"


    Ike gripped at the massive icicle. He pushed, but couldn''t lift his weight off the pillar. His body sagged deeper, and he hissed a breath.


    The lightning around his body dimmed as his mana diverted to Salamander Healing. Ike grimaced. He shoved at the icicle again. With his other hand, he put his knuckles to the ice. Green shockwaves shuddered through the ice. Even they weakened. His mana poured away, sapped by the ice and his healing technique alike.


    "No¡­I didn''t think so. Well, it''s too late now." Garrus gently rested the ice blade against the back of Ike''s neck. He lifted it up.


    "Now! Lightning Call!" Ike shouted. He pushed all his mana into the Lightning Caller skill.


    The stormy sky crackled. Garrus jumped back. White light and a shattering boom. Electricity coursed over Ike, feeding his Lightning Clad. He absorbed some of the excess as mana, and the rest slammed into him. Pain burst out. The freezing cold was replaced by searing heat.


    Beneath him, the icicle, weakened by his shockwaves, shattered. Ike slumped to one knee, barely catching himself before he hit the ground. His knee thumped into mud. He hissed in pain, pressing a hand to his stomach.


    "Missed me," Garrus mocked. He dashed in.


    Flames licked around Ike''s feet. The fire caught in Wisp''s spiderweb and spread across the entire mana field in an instant. The black goo set alight, and mana whirled around Ike. He took a deep breath, sucking it all in.


    He looked up, a grin playing across his face. "Did I?"


    Garrus startled. He jumped back, fleeing the flames. The intense heat from the burning goo wore at his armor, melting it down. His blades dripped with perspiration. "You planned this?"


    Ike cocked a brow. "What do you think? Do I have the resolve to make a sacrifice, if it means I can get the win?"


    I didn''t plan this. I had no idea you used ice ahead of time. Sure, I had the idea that I could set the whole field on fire, but it''s luck that it was such an impediment to you. A field of flames is dangerous to anyone¡ªI planned that much. It''s a direct counter to an ice user, and that''s the part I didn''t plan.


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    Heh. I''m not going to admit it, though. Yes. This was all part of my plan. For sure.


    He pressed his hand against his stomach. His legs trembled, and his vision wavered. He was upright, but even he didn''t know how. Everything hurt. His mana poured out, all of it put to his healing. His stomach wound struggled to close, and he wasn''t even trying to heal the lightning burns yet. He kept Lightning Clad up, but it did almost nothing. It was only there to look imposing.


    I should be dead. Why am I not dead? Is it because I''m Rank 2? A mage, and not an ordinary human anymore?


    Ike breathed deeply. With every breath, he regenerated mana. Although burning a few dolls'' worth of goo had done little, burning the entire field at once gave him enough mana to significantly recover. More mana in his core meant more mana to pour into his healing skill. He committed all his mana to healing except the bare minimum needed to keep Lightning Clad going.


    Garrus chuckled. He strode forward, raising his arms. "I have to admit, kid. I didn''t think you had it in you." S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yeah? Shows what you know," Ike replied defiantly. He stood his ground, not wanting Garrus to know how injured he was.


    "But you have to know what to sacrifice. This? This is more than acceptable losses." Garrus reached to his hip and drew a sword for the first time since their fight had begun. He spun it around and held it out one-handed. "You''ve gone too far. A rookie mistake. Too bad you won''t learn from it."


    Ike narrowed his eyes. He gathered his mana, pulling it away from healing for just a few moments. Lightning flickered over his hand.


    Garrus sliced at his neck.


    Drawing all his strength, Ike darted in. He reached for Garrus'' throat, activating Lightning Grasp individually for the first time since the fight had begun. Already committed to the swing, Garrus couldn''t escape. Instinctively, the man lifted his other arm to block. His stub lifted in front of his face. His eyes widened, and his mouth shaped into an O.


    Ike gripped Garrus'' throat. The man swallowed. His veins throbbed against Ike''s fingertips. His arm struck Ike''s back, the swing too wide to hit Ike.


    "Is this an acceptable loss?" Ike asked, and tore.


    Blood gushed. Garrus stumbled back. He dropped his sword, touching his torn neck. He looked up at Ike and laughed, soundlessly, just once. His knees struck the ground. He toppled over and went still.


    Ike stood over him. He panted and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. Blood still dripped off his hand and soaked down from his stomach. The burning black goo raced all around him, licking at his legs. He knew he had to escape it, but he hurt too much to move.


    Spiderweb zipped across the sky. A strand landed on the back of his shoulders, and Wisp wound him up. She put him down on a little white platform over the mana field, then crouched nearby.


    "You need this mana, right?" she asked.


    Ike nodded wordlessly, too tired to speak.


    "Rest up. I''ll watch over you. When you''re healed, we''ll go check them for skills."


    "Skills¡­?" Ike murmured.


    "Yeah. Skill orbs. Just like monsters. They''re old enough to have ''em," Wisp said. She patted his head gently. "Just rest. Rest for now."


    Ike nodded. He leaned back against the web and breathed deeply, sucking in the mana. His heart still raced from the adrenaline, his muscles still tense, the hole in his stomach rolling with pain, but the exhaustion was coming on fast. His eyes began to close. Before he knew it, he was fighting off sleep.


    "Go on. I''ll keep you safe," Wisp promised.


    Ike nodded numbly. His eyes shut.

 102. After the Kill

    Ike jolted awake. The sun hung low in the sky. Wisp sat nearby, her back to him, chewing on something. She glanced over her shoulder, wiping blood off her face. "You awake?""Yeah," Ike muttered. He sat upright, feeling a bit lost. He blinked a few times and rubbed his face. It felt sticky for some reason, though he couldn''t say why. His stomach hurt, but not as bad as it had before his body had shut down for recovery. He lifted his shirt, looking beneath it.


    A dark red scar marred the center of his stomach. A paler one streaked to the side of his abdomen. He patted his belly gently. It didn''t hurt too badly. Just a dull pain.


    He took a deep breath, then startled and dove into his core, checking his mana.


    It swirled around, about half-full. Better than where it had been sinking down to before he''d set the mana field on fire. He ran his hair back and looked down at the field.


    Scorched puppets wore the remnants of uniforms and the scorched scraps of wigs. Their porcelain bodies stood in lines, as if nothing had happened at all. The ground was blackened. No goo remained. The earth cracked like a dried mud flat. In the middle, the remains of the two Rank 2 mages laid on the ground.


    "Pity about the mana field," Wisp commented.


    "It wasn''t doing much for me anymore. Better to destroy it than leave it for the city lord," Ike replied. Though it does mean I need to get out of the Abyss as soon as possible. I can''t sustain this Rank without converting to lunam long-term.


    "Yeah," Wisp agreed. She swallowed, then climbed to a crawl pose. She hopped down to the ground. "Let''s go look at those skills!"


    Ike glanced at her, then snorted. Yeah. Guess Wisp doesn''t care too much about the mana field. As a monster, she can process primordial energy directly, so she doesn''t need to care about it.


    Primordial energy¡­ compared to adjusting to lunam, or worrying about mana or solam, wouldn''t it be best to directly access the universal energy all monsters can access?


    "But before that¡­" Ike muttered aloud. He climbed to the edge of Wisp''s net and dropped down to the burned earth, following Wisp toward the bodies.


    She looked at him as he approached. "Got a blade?"


    "We have to cut them open?" Ike asked.


    "Yeah. Just like monsters. If they have orbs, those things could be anywhere¡­ well, with humans, they''re mostly in the belly." She pointed at the first corpse''s stomach, about where Ike''s core was.


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    "That makes sense. Skills are stored in the core," Ike commented. He hesitated a moment, then shrugged. He cut open monsters. What was the difference? These men were dead. They weren''t using their skills anymore.


    He sliced open the first man''s belly. One small orb rolled out.


    "Score!" Wisp cheered.


    Ike turned to the second man. A quick cut, and an orb emerged from him as well. Kneeling, he scooped up both orbs and sent a pulse of mana into each.


    Fire. The sensation of breathing.


    He turned to the second. Ice. A chill over his flesh.


    He nodded to himself. It makes sense. Fire orb, ice orb.


    "I helped. I get one," Wisp asserted.


    Ike looked at her, then shrugged. It''s fair to say that I wouldn''t have won that fight without her help. "Sure. Which one do you want?"


    "Fire!"


    Ike looked at Wisp. "Won''t you burn your own thread?"


    Wisp tsked. She waggled her finger at him. "Having a fire skill is the first step to having fireproof thread. You should know that, Mr. Lightning Skin."


    "Lightning Clad," Ike corrected her, but nodded anyways. It made sense. If he could change skills to make new skills, so could other people. Combining new skills to make a new skill¡­ I haven''t tried that yet. Only morphing Lighting Dash into other lightning-based skills.


    "Even if that fails¡­ no one expects the fire-breathing spider," Wisp finished. She snatched the fire orb and scuttled away. She crouched in the corner like a feral child, peering closely at the orb.


    Ike watched her go, then chuckled. He shook his head. One orb remained. He spun it around in his palm, considering it. Fire was somewhat redundant for him. Lightning could set things on fire just fine and provided heat in a pinch. Ice, on the other hand, fixed a lot of problems in his current build. Lightning Clad only provided defense if his opponent used metal and he could shock them. If they used beast blades, like himself, or elemental blades or magic, it had absolutely no defensive power. Ice provided physical armor, regardless of what kind of attack the enemy launched. It also provided blades in a pinch. And if it was a ranged ice attack, he wouldn''t say no to that, either. Most of his attacks so far were close-range, putting aside the infinitely long-range and simultaneously melee-range Lightning Calling.


    He sent another pulse into the orb. Cold, on my skin. So this is probably an ice armor. I wonder if I''ll be able to combine it with Lightning Clad? Call it¡­ ice and lightning¡­ uhm¡­ Storm Clad?


    Ike snorted under his breath. He waved his hand at himself. Let''s not get ahead of myself. But¡­ well¡­ I do like the sound of that.


    He clenched his hand around the orb. Absorb!


    Icy chill flowed into him. It poured up his arm and into his core. To his surprise, a good quantity of mana flowed with the skill, as cold as the skill itself. It layered on top of his existing mana like oil on water. Ike poked at it, curious. It stirred, the same as his ordinary mana, but didn''t mingle with it. Is this lunam? It''s cold, and it isn''t mana. Is this all it takes to absorb lunam? Just kill a man and absorb his¡­ skills¡­


    Hmm, okay, yep. No, I see how this is usually considered difficult. Haha. There''s probably another way to acquire lunam-absorbing skills, but uh¡­ well, you know. More than one way to skin a cat, but usually, it''s gotta be dead first.


    Aside from the chill in his core, there was little difficulty in absorbing the skill. A tingle as the cool energy flowed through his veins, but that was it. Ike frowned. No, but wait. Didn''t they say you couldn''t use mana and lunam at the same time? But there''s lunam in my core. Maybe it''s easy to absorb, but hard to use. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He shrugged to himself. I''ll figure it out later. For now, let''s try out this new skill.

 103. Ice Clad

    Ike called up his stat sheet, just to make sure he''d properly learned the skill.[Name: Ike | Age: 15 | Status: Nm | Rank: 2 [Abyss Dweller]]


    Skills: Common: 5 | Bronze 2 | Silver 2 | Gold 1 | Rare 2 | ¡­ | Unique: 4


    Common: All-Around Runner Lvl 8 | Razor Handling Lvl 9 | Spear Handling Lvl 4 | Axe Handling Lvl 4 | Sword Handling Lvl 9 | Bow Handling Lvl 1 | Primitive Crafting Lvl 8


    Bronze: Sensory Enhancement Lvl 9 | Mana Manipulation Lvl 5 | Lunam Manipulation Lvl 0


    Silver: Flurry of Kicks Lvl 3 | Chlorophyll Lvl 1


    Gold: Shockwave Punch Lvl 2 | Ice Armor Lvl 1


    Rare: Salamander Healing Lvl 9 | River-Splitting Sword Lvl 6


    Unique: Lightning Dash Lvl 9 | Lightning Grasp Lvl 7 | Lightning Clad Lvl 2 | Lightning Caller Lvl 3


    Ike punched the sky. Hell yeah! I got it!


    Another new skill jumped out at him: Lunam Manipulation. It was level 0, but it was a skill he had, nonetheless. He raised his brows. Interesting. I suppose having lunam in my core qualifies me to learn lunam manipulation? But having mana didn''t give me Mana Manipulation. I had to play with mana to earn the title. Is it because lunam is a weird energy? Is it because I know Mana Manipulation, and now I have lunam in my core, and the combination qualifies me to know Lunam Manipulation exists?


    He shrugged to himself. There was no point worrying about it. He had an extra skill. A bonus skill. He should celebrate, not question it. It was a level 0 skill, so he couldn''t use it without additional insight or practice. Basically, it was a glorified menu listing, and little more. Barely better than seeing it in Orin''s book. But still, that was more than not having it.


    Ice Armor was the important skill, in any case. It was only Gold, which somewhat surprised Ike. As strong as it had seemed on Garrus, he''d guessed it as at least a Rare, if not Unique. Though, looking at his list, Shockwave Punch was also a Gold, and it was a powerful skill in its own right.


    Ike pinched his chin. Maybe the difference between Gold and Rare is that Gold skills are very good for one purpose¡ªa punch, or armor¡ªwhereas Rare skills are good in the general case. Salamander Healing is good all the time, and River-Splitting Sword is basically a whole fighting technique in one. If I compare the two martial techniques directly, Shockwave Punch is a single attack, while River-Splitting Sword is a full fighting style. Multiple sword strikes, wrapped up into one skill.


    Across the field from him, Wisp opened her mouth wide. A ball of fire burst out and exploded on the side of a tree with a blast of smoke and debris. Ike stared, startled from his thoughts.


    The smoke cleared. A huge chunk of tree was gone, replaced by a smoking, black crater. Ike raised his brows and whistled.


    I''ve never seen Wisp''s true strength, come to think of it. She''s never bothered fighting. And this was just her testing a skill? How strong is she?


    Wisp chuckled. "Not too bad."


    "Not too bad at all," Ike agreed, nodding.


    She turned to him and clapped, gesturing for him to step forward. "So? What''re you waiting for? Let''s see that skill!"


    Ike rolled out his shoulders. He jogged in place, bouncing back and forth, then activated the new skill. Ice Armor!


    A thin layer of ice crackled over his body. It froze him in place, completely killing his motion. Ike jerked to a halt mid-bounce and began to topple over.


    Wisp laughed, pointing at him.


    As the ground loomed, Ike snapped the ice around his knees and elbows. Stepping forward, he barely caught himself in time. He drew a breath, shaking his head at himself.


    "Well, it worked," Wisp commented, chuckling.


    "Yeah," Ike muttered. He checked his core. His mana had dropped a little, but the layer of lunam sat there, untouched.


    Hmm. That might become a problem. If I can''t figure out how to process that, that''s just a useless chunk of material filling up my core for no benefit. I''ve essentially got a core smaller by the amount of lunam in my core until I use it up.


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    "I need to make the ice thicker before it''s useful. And make it thinner around my joints, so I can still move," Ike said. He patted himself down, breaking the ice up and knocking it away from his body before it melted into his clothes. For now, it might be better to localize the Ice Armor. Basically, do the opposite of what I did for Lightning Clad¡ªonly freeze the small areas that need the armor. Unlike Lightning Clad, the limited Ice Armor would only be a stopgap until he managed to master it. It would allow him to use it before he mastered it, though, unlike its current unusable state.


    It also lets me practice thickening the Ice Armor without investing the mana to thicken the whole thing, Ike noted.


    Wisp sat back. She put her hands behind her head. "What next?"


    "Huh?" Ike asked. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She gave him a look. "You just killed half of Lord Gerund''s strongest mages. You can''t go back to Abyssal. You''ll have to leave the rest of the mess to your friends Ket and Tana."


    "Oh¡­ yeah. I should warn them¡­"


    "I guarantee you, they already know. By now, Abyssal''s king knows he''s failed. You need to figure out what your next move is before he figures out his. If you keep sitting around here, you''ll end up dead."


    "I dunno. I killed a mid-Rank 2¡­" Ike muttered.


    "And almost died to him. How do you feel about a Rank 3 and another Rank 2?"


    "You could take them," Ike pointed out.


    Wisp rolled her eyes. "Sure, I could. I could do a lot of things. I choose not to do them because they''re more trouble than they''re worth. Human politics are bullshit and I don''t want anything to do with them. This time, I helped you out because I liked you, but I''m not going to fight your battles for you."


    Ike waved his hand. "No, I understand. It was a joke."


    "Better have been," Wisp muttered.


    He sighed. Turning to face the depths of the Abyss, he sighed again. "I don''t know. Whether I burned it or not, the mana field is dead to me. If I run off into the Abyss, I need a way to get mana. Or learn how to turn lunam into mana."


    "Or become a lunam mage."


    "No. I want to leave the Abyss. I know it can be done. I''m not giving up on mana just because it''s a temporary inconvenience," Ike declared.


    Wisp nodded. "Fair enough."


    He looked at her. "Actually, I''ve been wondering. Could you teach me how to process energy the way monsters do? So that it doesn''t matter whether I''m absorbing mana, lunam, or whatever, I can use it anyways."


    Wisp chuckled. She curled her hands into claws. "Ooooh. I could try. Might kill ya. But I could try."


    "Kill me?" Ike asked.


    Wisp shrugged. "Everyone has some energy in them. Lunam, mana, primordial energy, whatever. Most people don''t have enough to cast magic, but no matter what, everyone¡ªand everything¡ªhas some."


    "Right. And I''m guessing it''s essential to life?" ike asked.


    She nodded. "If I were to teach you, we''d start by purging all the energy in your body so you could sense primordial energy¡ªaether, as some people call it. But if you fail to figure out how to absorb aether, and you''ve purged all your energy¡­"


    Ike rubbed the back of his head. "I die. Got it. What if we wait until I''m in an area with a lot of mana?"


    Wisp shrugged. "You''d still be risking death. From the moment you purge your energy, you''re risking death. Surrounding yourself with mana makes it a little less dangerous, sure, but you''re still putting your life at risk." She paused, thinking, then spread her hands. "Might not be less dangerous. Absorbing a sudden influx of mana all at once from zero can be dangerous, too."


    Ike considered. Learning to absorb aether put his life at risk. On the other hand, not being able to absorb different energies put his life at risk, too. The Abyss was one small valley. There were probably lots of other regions with unique energy streams, too. He already knew about solam as well as lunam; what was to say there weren''t many other energy types, too? If he could absorb all energy, he wouldn''t have to worry about any of that ever again. Even if there were only three types of energy, mana, lunam, and solam, he''d still be better prepared than most other mages. It would be an advantage he could tactically use for the rest of his career as a mage. Sure, mages would expect universal absorption of mana from their battles against monsters, but they wouldn''t know to expect it from a human as well.


    It was a better option than swapping to lunam for sure. He wasn''t going to do that. Limiting himself to the Abyss sounded like a horrible idea. Better to limp along, killing monsters for mana, rather than convert to lunam and lock himself away.


    But was it a better option than continuing to limp along on mana? He considered it, pursing his lips. It would be limping. Truly limping. Rosamund wouldn''t provide enough mana for him, if the mana field didn''t anymore. He''d have to constantly fight and kill monsters, which wasn''t necessarily a problem, since he''d have to do that anyways. The real problem laid in the fact that he would have to use the bare minimum of mana on each kill in order to come away from each kill positive on mana. If he used more mana than he absorbed, he''d end up in a hole. Plus, he''d struggle to ever fill his core. His profit margins would be tiny for each individual kill. Unless he stumbled across a core, like he had with the rooster, he''d be truly edging along at the bare minimum of mana.


    If I don''t learn aether absorption from Wisp, I''m risking my life to scrape by, continuing to rely on mana, and putting myself on the back foot for the rest of my time in the Abyss. If I do, I''m risking my life to learn a skill I can use for the rest of my life.


    He nodded to himself, then looked up at Wisp. "Please teach me."


    She giggled and gave him a thumbs up. Dropping to all fours, she scuttled off.


    Loup wandered over. She sat down beside Ike, then looked up at him.


    "Yeah, I don''t know, either. She''s a weirdo," Ike said, shaking his head.


    "She''s your teacher!" Wisp shouted at him from across the field.


    "That''s right. Thank you, honorable teacher!" Ike called after her.


    Wisp grinned. She gestured him on.


    Ike looked over his shoulder one last time. To his surprise, he locked eyes with Ket, standing at the top of the valley.


    Ike froze. He stepped back and opened his mouth.


    Ket opened his mouth. Silently, he said, I know. Go.


    Hesitating one last second, Ike nodded. He lifted his hand in thanks, then followed after Wisp.


    Behind him, Ket faded into the woods. Before long, the entire mana field vanished behind him, as Wisp led him into the truly deep parts of the Abyss.


    END BOOK 1

 104. The Deepest Part

    Ike followed Wisp into the forest. He checked over his shoulder, gazing in the general direction of Abyssal. Hopefully Ket and Tana have the rest of that handled. I''ve done my part. Took out half of the strongest fighters, destroyed the puppet army, and dismantled the spirit rings. The city lord is soundly ruined, if he tries to activate that puppet army in Abyssal. At this point, it''s just a matter of dealing with Lord Gerund, Abyssal''s king''s, men, and I think Ket has that in hand. Assuming they even decide to go after him. After all, I''m the one who attacked their men and did all the sabotage. It''s more reasonable for them to come after me.Ike sighed. He looked over his shoulder again.


    "If you keep looking back, I''m going to jump you," Wisp said.


    "Sorry. I''m just worried."


    She scoffed. "Of what? They won''t come after you today. Give them another day or two, and then start looking over your shoulder. Crazy boy."


    Ike clicked his tongue. "Somehow, that doesn''t make me feel better."


    Wisp laughed. "For the record, I''m not fighting them if they come after you in the deep Abyss, either."


    "What if they come after me while I''m training?" Ike asked, concerned.


    Wisp frowned. "How would they do that?"


    "Huh?"


    "They''re tracking you through your mana signature. Mages find one another through the unique mana signatures their cores give off. Because everyone has unique skills and a unique shape to their core, the signature they give off is completely different. Most mages eventually find a tracking skill, or develop their own homebrewed technique."


    "Oh," Ike muttered.


    "Since they''re tracking your mana, if you have no mana, you''ll become virtually impossible to find. You''ll be the safest while you''re weakest." Wisp paused, then shrugged. "If they come after you while you''re actively training, I''ll fight for you. But don''t count on it. Or strategize around it." She narrowed her eyes and pointed at him. At a whisper, she said, "I''ll know."


    Ike laughed. "I wouldn''t do that."


    She cocked a brow at him.


    "¡­Because I respect you, not because I wouldn''t do it in general."


    She nodded. "Good."


    Ahead of them, the forest grew thicker. The trees stood so close to one another that they grew on top of each other, blocking out the ground. Wisp crawled up into the nooks between the trees, not at all bothered.


    Ike glanced back one last time, then followed her. His feet slipped slightly on the smooth bark. He clambered after her, hopping from tree to tree. Loup hesitated, then followed him up, climbing up into the tree.


    They walked on, deeper and deeper. The sun dropped below the horizon. The silvery light of the moon poured down. Leaves feathered the light, dappling Wisp''s dark hair and pale skin. He expected to feel tired, but didn''t at all. He frowned, rubbing his face. "Do we not need to sleep, either?"


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    "Hmm? No. That only kicks in at Rank 2, though. Oh, but if we get very injured or need to recover, we can fall into a deep sleep. Like you did after fighting that Rank 2. Sometimes it even lasts for decades or centuries. However long our bodies need to recover."


    "Oh," Ike said.


    Wisp glanced back. "You missed a lot of the basics, didn''t you?"


    "Yeah¡­" Ike shrugged. He didn''t have a lot of opportunity to learn the basics. Silver had hyper-focused on the sword skill and taught him the basics of sword fighting, but had entirely left out mage basics, maybe assuming that he already knew them, maybe simply because he didn''t care to teach them. Cara and Orin hadn''t been interested in actively teaching him, just giving him a helping hand now and again. Ket and Tana had assumed he already knew most basic knowledge. It simply hadn''t come to be.


    "That''s okay. I can teach you."


    Ike glanced at her, startled. He nodded. "Thank you, Wisp."


    "Yeah, yeah. Thank me after the training."


    Ike chuckled. "It''s that bad, huh?"


    "It can be."


    Strange cries echoed around them as they clambered deeper into the Abyss. The ground sloped down, though Ike didn''t realize it at first, what with the tree trunks blocking his view of the ground. The trees grew even thicker, literally growing on top of one another. Sometimes, massive trees larger around than Ike was tall would block their way, and they''d be forced to climb around them. Eventually, Wisp simply took to the branches. The branches were so large and so intertwined that they could easily hop from one to the next.


    Loup hesitated to follow them. She balked, backing away and looping back around, feinting the jump only to back away. She whined.


    "It''s okay, girl. Wait for me out there. I''ll meet you on the other side," Ike promised her.


    Loup lowered her head. She backed away, then sat on the large root of a tree. She watched Ike until he vanished, waiting there for him.


    Ike''s heart ached. He paused, looking back. "I''m so sorry, girl."


    "She can''t take this route, but there''s another way. If she goes to the west¡­ it''ll take longer, but she''ll be able to meet us in the depths," Wisp said.


    Ike nodded. "Did you hear that, Loup? Go west!" He pointed, indicating the right direction.


    Loup stood. She looked him in the eye, then walked in a circle. Slowly, she headed off toward the west.


    "That way. That''s a good girl! I''ll see you soon," Ike promised her.


    Loup vanished into the trees. Ike watched her until she was gone, and only then turned to go.


    Wisp laughed. "She''s a monster. What are you worried about?"


    "She''s only Rank 1," Ike said.


    "Most monsters to the west are Rank 1. Think of it as a chance for her to Rank up," Wisp said.


    Ike frowned, confused. "Don''t monsters only Rank up through age?"


    "Huh? Who said that?" Wisp asked. She shook her head. "Sure, monsters can live long enough to Rank up through age and passive mana absorption alone, but that''s not the only way we can Rank up. We can Rank up like human mages, as long as we have the intelligence to try for it. And Loup seemed pretty intelligent to me."


    "Huh," Ike said. He nodded. "Like how you can harvest skill orbs from mages, but mages tell you that you can only get skill orbs from monsters."


    "That''s right. There''s a lot of fake information out there, you know? Especially for a low-Rank mage who isn''t part of a city or school or any of those organizations. I''ve had to cut through the crap myself, but I''ve had a few hundred years to figure it out. Not saying I know everything, but I know a little more than a youngin like you," Wisp said. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Damn, you''re old," Ike commented.


    "Yeah, yeah. Young for a monster, you know? Relatively, I have more of my life ahead than you do. And outright, too."


    Ike pressed his lips together. "Now you''re just making me depressed."


    She laughed. "It''s alright. You''ve already got a few hundred years added to your lifespan by now. No need to be too worried about it."


    "Oh, really?"


    She considered. "Maybe more like one hundred? Which is still good for a human."


    Ike laughed. "Right, right."


    In the distance, a wolf howled. Ike glanced back one last time. In his heart, he promised, I''ll see you again soon, Loup. And with that, he followed Wisp into the depths.

 105. Down in the Dark

    They climbed through the trees. The night passed into day, and the day passed into night again. Ike lost count of time, lost track of direction, everything. Time simply flowed. They moved, and the forest stretched on, forever.At last, Wisp slowed to a halt. Ike almost ran into her, caught up in his momentum and the flow of the run. He jerked to a stop.


    "We''ve arrived."


    He lifted his head. A break in the trees gave way to a cleft in the earth. It dropped into truly black darkness, darkness so deep there was no bottom to it. A cold wind whipped by, throwing Ike''s hair and the tails of his bandanna into a flurry. It cut straight through his clothes and skin, down to his bones. He shivered. Not just from the cold, either. From a pure, sheer horror. A fear of something unknowable. The terror of ultimate emptiness, of a hole without a bottom. A gash in reality itself. He gazed into it, and felt a thousand unknown, unseeable eyes gazing back.


    "What is this?" Ike asked.


    "The Abyss. Or¡­ what used to be known as the Abyss, before the city lord set his barriers over the current Abyss," Wisp said quietly. She glanced at Ike. "I didn''t know about this place at first. A monster even older and stronger than me showed it to me, before they left the Abyss behind forever."


    "What''s down there, at the bottom of it?" he asked.


    "Who knows? Even I''ve never been to the bottom. Halfway down, the pressure began to crush me. I had to turn back," Wisp said.


    "Oh," Ike said quietly.


    "I might not know what''s at the bottom, but I know what''s in between us and the depths. And that, is a vast quantity of aether. Pure, primordial aether. If you want to learn how to use aether, there''s nowhere better."


    "Really? I can''t feel anything different," Ike said.


    Wisp scoffed. "You wouldn''t. When aether reaches the surface of the earth, it''s emitted as mana, lunam, solam, or some other energy. Only under the earth, or the sea, can you find pure aether. And this is one of those rare vents."


    "Once I''m in there, it''s only aether?" Ike confirmed.


    Wisp nodded. "Pretty much. There''s so little of anything else that it''s basically non-present."


    Ike took a deep breath. He let it out, slowly. "What about monsters?"


    "Don''t remember any. We stay away from the Abyss. The pressure it gives off¡­" Wisp shuddered.


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    "Does it feel bad? I don''t feel anything," Ike commented. Not in its pressure, anyways. But on an instinctive level, I get it.


    She snorted. "Hard to believe that, but you humans sense things differently than us. All my instincts are screaming for me to run away. You won''t find many monsters in there."


    Ike stared down into the darkness. "If I do, will you help?"


    "Sure. Don''t worry, though. You shouldn''t run into anything."


    He looked at the sides of the cleft. Unlike the larger Abyss, this one had perpendicular, purely sheer walls. There wasn''t even a hint of an angle to them. "How do I get in there?"


    "I''ll lower you on my string. If you need to get out of there, pull twice," Wisp said.


    "What if something throws fire at me?" Ike asked.


    She scoffed. "Won''t happen."


    "If it does?"


    Wisp sighed. "Will it make you feel better if I give you a ball of emergency thread?"


    Ike considered for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, actually. It would."


    She laughed. "Fine, fine. You''re really getting the top tier experience here. The VIP training course."


    "What, is safety only for VIPs?" Ike asked.


    Wisp shrugged. "Seems to be the case from what I''ve seen."


    Ike opened his mouth to protest, then shrugged. "I can''t argue with that."


    "Right. So. You wanna get started?" Wisp asked. Looking around, she clapped, then spread her hands at him. "Might as well get moving. No reason to wait."


    "What''s the first step, pushing all the mana out of my body?" Ike asked.


    "Yep, you guessed it!" Wisp said. "You get working on that while I set up the ropes."


    "Got it." Ike pulled out Rosamund''s head.


    Wisp stared. "What the hell is that?"


    "Oh, this? It''s a¡­" Ike looked at Rosamund.


    Rosamund glared back at him. She narrowed her eyes.


    Ike shrugged. "¡­well, it''s a mana repository. I usually draw mana from it, but I figured I might be able to store mana in it, too. Seemed like a decent shot. Better than throwing my mana away."


    "Yeah, better than throwing mana away. I didn''t know you mages made things like that. Never seen anything like it," Wisp commented. She tilted her head to get a better look and leaned in.


    Rosamund bared her teeth. She tried to spit through the gag, but failed.


    Wisp chuckled. "She''s got a personality on her. I didn''t know you were that kind of guy."


    "Huh? I¡ªoh, no, no. She, uh, she used to be a whole puppet. Like the field of puppets I drew mana from, but moving around and stuff¡­ er, well, anyways, I didn''t make her. I just found her. Adapted her a little bit. It''s not¡ªit''s not my taste, or anything¡­" Ike grimaced. He pressed his lips together. I''m just making it worse.


    The more he talked, the wider Wisp''s grin grew, until at last she laughed aloud. "Yeah, yeah. Hey, whatever you do in your own time is your own problem. All mages end up weirdos eventually. You just got a jump start on it, huh?"


    Ike grimaced. "Wisp, come on." S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You gotta admit, that''s pretty weird."


    "It''s weird, it''s just¡­" He looked at Rosamund''s head and sighed. "I was planning to keep her around until I could use her against her father, but maybe I should forget that. Just get rid of her."


    Rosamund''s eyes widened. She shook her head.


    "I dunno. Looks like she''s not too fond of that." Wisp thumped him on the shoulder. "Anyways, get on with it. The sooner we do this, the sooner your mana signature is suppressed, the sooner you hide from the Abyssal mages."


    "Right." Ike took a deep breath. He tipped Rosamund over and nudged the sealing rock out of the way. Pressing his hand over her neck hole, he focused. Here we go. Let''s try and use this mana storage in the other direction!

 106. Empty

    Mana poured out of his hand. He sent a pulse of it into Rosamund''s head, testing it. It can turn lunam into that black gunk. So why shouldn''t it be able to turn mana into the storage gunk, too?He lifted his hand away. A small deposit of grey gunk sat in the corner of the space.


    Ike raised his brows. That looks like success to me.


    He poured his mana into the head. His core drained. The grey goo piled up. The more mana he pushed out, the emptier he felt. It was somewhere between exhaustion and hunger. Both at once, really. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But how do I push out the lunam?


    Pausing, he considered the strange layer for a moment. He tried to move it directly, but he could only slosh it around. The lunam itself refused to budge. Whatever he needed to know to move it, he lacked. It felt like he had another limb, but that limb simply gave him no response. He could think ''move'' at it as hard as he wanted, but that wouldn''t move it. He had to instinctively move it. To put it shortly, he lacked the basic instincts to move lunam the way he had the basic instincts to move mana.


    He stared at it, frustrated. If he had enough time, he was sure he could figure it out, but he didn''t have that time now. Wisp would get impatient, and like she''d said, the longer he had a mana signature, the longer the mages of Abyssal could track him. He couldn''t take hours, days, weeks, whatever it took to develop the ability to feel lunam.


    Ike stirred his mana again and watched the lunam layer slosh around like oil on water. He frowned, then raised his brows. Using his mana, he encapsulated the lunam, then dragged it out with his mana. Bit by bit, piece by piece, he pulled the lunam out of his body. It collected in Rosamund''s head like the rest, a layer of black in the grey.


    At last, Ike lifted his hand and stuffed the rock back in the doll''s neck. He pulled out a strap of fabric and tied Rosamund''s head to his body, so he could retrieve his mana if he absolutely needed it. That way, if I find a monster in the depths, I have something I can do to save myself.


    Wisp handed him a ball of white thread. "Here you go. You ready?"


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    "I think so," Ike said. He took a deep breath and stretched.


    "Good, good. Okay, here we go." She gestured. White thread wrapped around Ike''s body. Wisp wrapped the other end around a tree, and lifted a foot to push him down.


    "Wait, wait, wait! Hold on!"


    Wisp sighed. "What now?"


    "What do I do once I''m down there? How do I feel aether?" Ike asked.


    She shrugged. "I don''t know. Just vibe. I was born feeling aether. Just seems to me that bathing you in aether and giving you no option is the best way to make you learn how to absorb it."


    "Oh." Ike swallowed. Good to know we''re just winging it. "So uh, how do I signal to pull me up, if I fail?"


    Wisp chuckled. She ran at him, jumping to kick.


    Ike dodged to the side. Guess we''re winging that, too. "Alright! I got it! I''m going, I''m going."


    It wasn''t that he was afraid to fail. Or disagreed with Wisp''s plan. Even though he''d prefer something a little more cautious, everything she''d said seemed reasonable to him. Besides, he was pretty sure she''d pull him up if he was actually in danger.


    He looked down one last time. A black hole stretched into infinity. The trees overhead blocked out most of the light, so that the sheer rock was only lit for the first ten or so meters. Beyond that, there was nothing. Pure pitch black. Icy cold wind. Sheer freezing cold. If I succeed, this is a massive advantage for the rest of my life.


    Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Who else is going to bother learning aether-absorption? Can''t get cold feet now.


    This is a great place to hide, too. No one from Abyssal is going to expect me to be in the death-hole. I need to lay low for a while, so might as well pick up a useful skill at the same time.


    Another deep breath. He ran his hair back. Right. And I should stop trying to convince myself, and just do it.


    "Here goes nothing."


    He jumped down. The white thread spooled after him. He plunged into the dark.


    Down. Down. Down. Cold air wrapped around him, sinking into his body. Ice accumulated on his skin and his clothing. The thread jerked to a halt, and he bounced. His breath came out in a huff, a white cloud escaping into the atmosphere.


    In the darkness of the cleft, he could see a little more. The rock walls were sheer, but not smooth. They were craggy, with sharp edges and narrow protuberances. Freezing cold air rushed out from the depths of the earth. He felt no mana. Not even a scrap of mana. The air was completely devoid of energy.


    No. Completely devoid of energy I can use. There''s plenty of energy. I just need to find it.


    Ike leaned back. Leaning into the thread, he closed his eyes and reached out. With all his might, he attempted to sense the primordial energy.


    I won''t leave until I sense it. I need to be able to process aether, so I can never worry about energy types ever again. Lunam, solam, mana? Who cares. I''ll simply process aether directly.

 107. Sensing Aether

    Ike dangled in the darkness. Cold wind rushed around him. No mana met his call. His core sat empty, emptier than it had been since he''d first become aware of it. Only a few meager scraps of mana remained, tiny pieces he couldn''t press out. Not enough to do anything, just enough to keep him alive.Sense aether. Sense¡­ the aether.


    How did I sense mana in the first place? I can''t remember.


    Didn''t I just awaken the System? Do I have to awaken another System to gain access to aether?


    That can''t be the case. Ket never mentioned a competing System when he talked about lunam. Wisp¡­ doesn''t seem to operate on a different System than me. She can absorb orbs too. So what is it? What am I missing?


    All monsters could absorb aether. Beings that operated on pure instinct, without any intellect at all, had succeeded at this. Surely it wasn''t impossible. Surely he could do it. But how? Where do I start? You couldn''t have given me a hint, huh, Wisp?


    Taking a deep breath, Ike let it out smoothly. He pushed away his intrusive thoughts and focused only on breathing. Mana was absorbed through breathing. It fell to reason that aether would be the same.


    Cold air rushed into his lungs, chilling his body from within. He barely suppressed a shiver. Without his mana, the air felt colder than it had before. He didn''t know if it was all in his head or if his mana had really held off the cold, but it was unpleasant. Ike sneezed and wiped his nose. If I don''t sense this soon, I''m going to catch a cold and freeze to death.


    He dangled there. Eyes closed. Reaching out with his mind, as strongly as he could. Nothing. Nothing. A whole lot of nothing. He sensed no energy. Not mana, not lunam, not aether.


    His body grew colder. Uncontrollable shivers wracked his body. Ike hugged his arms around himself. At this rate, he really was going to die before he sensed aether. He opened his eyes and turned his head upward. "Wisp! Pull me up. I need a break!"


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    No response.


    Ike frowned. He tugged at the string. She can feel the smallest twitch of her web. No way she can''t feel this. "Wisp! Come on!"


    Still no response. Ike pressed his lips together. Is this meant to be part of the training? Does she know I''m actually freezing to death down here without my mana? The whole thing seemed pretty ad-hoc¡­


    "Wisp! I''m freezing to death!"


    At last, a familiar face peered over the edge. "You''ll be fine."


    "I won''t be fine!"


    Wisp sighed. "If you''re giving up already¡ª"


    "I''m not giving up. I just need a break. And a jacket," Ike replied.


    "Right now, you''ve never been exposed to aether before. Every time I pull you out of the Abyss and put you back in, your sensitivity to aether goes down. If I pull you out, you might lose a key level of sensitivity, and never be able to sense aether in your life. Do you still want me to pull you out?" Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike hesitated. He looked at his hands. They were pale, but not purple. "I can still take it."


    "Good. If you''re really dying, I''ll pull you out. But until then, press on."


    Ike shook out his arms and legs. He settled in again, reaching out once more. Overhead, the sun rose, and the sun fell again. Ice cold sunk into him, all the way down to his bones. The shivering stopped. An absolute stillness came over him. He felt the world around him. Sensed the rocks around him with more clarity than he ever had with his full mana. The low-level of his mana meant he could feel the energy of the world. The tiny bits of energy given off by the rocks and the air around him were no longer drowned out by his own mana. They lit up all around him, bright as day.


    Is that aether? I can sense it, but¡­ Ike reached out. His hand passed right through that energy without contacting it. He frowned. I can''t touch it.


    Abruptly, Ike jolted. He slapped his cheeks. I''m going about this all wrong. I''ve been trying to reach it like a human. Rationally. Intelligently. I should be reaching out to it like a beast. Intuitively. Thoughtlessly.


    Ike closed his eyes again. This time, he pushed away his consciousness. Killed his thoughts. Destroyed every scrap of humanity within himself. Every time a thought welled up, he pushed it down. Like the Abyss all around him, removed everything and left only the void. The emptiness. The absence of thought.


    Time passed. He grew colder and colder. His whole body stilled. Every inch of him. His heart slowed. All of him became like ice.


    Wisp looked down. Her brows furrowed, and she bit her lip. "He can do it. Not yet." She turned away.


    Days rolled by. Night chased day, and day chased night. Ike hung there, barely breathing.


    Empty.


    Thoughtless.


    Still.


    There was no Ike. Only an empty hole where Ike had been.


    And in that moment, he felt a spark of heat in his core.

 108. Aether Acquired

    From one spark, to two, to three. Ike didn''t react. Or rather, there was no Ike to react. Ike was gone. Instinct guided more sparks into his core. As the cold wind blew, more and more aether flowed into Ike''s core. Warmth grew in his core, and Ike''s awareness slowly returned.As his consciousness returned, bit by bit, Ike paid close attention to how the aether flowed into him. Even without understanding it, instinctively, he could feel the flow of aether. It wasn''t that different from mana. And yet, it was completely different from aether. To say they were the same wasn''t wrong. But neither was it incorrect to say they were in no way alike. If mana was tamed, then aether was wild. If mana was a placid stream, aether was a raging river. It burned in his passages, but a good burn. The burn of getting stronger. Gaining power.


    His core filled slowly. Sparks, then streams. Streams, then rivers. More and more aether poured into his core. He reached out his hand and felt the sting of aether over his skin. How could I not feel it? It''s everywhere. And loud! Obvious! Noisy! Compared to aether, mana is the energy that''s difficult to sense. Isn''t it strange that humans use mana?


    Ike shook his head. He was looking at it wrong. Aether was noisy, but it was omnipresent. A background noise. A nonstop rush. It was like asking him to pinpoint the smell of air, or the color of light. There was no way to pick them out, because he couldn''t imagine life without them.


    But down here, where he was surrounded with an overwhelming rush of nothing but aether, he could finally sense it.


    Rather than pull the string and ask Wisp to pull him back up, Ike bathed in the aether. He let it permeate his whole being, filling his core with it. The warmth of the aether brought life back to his icy limbs. His body warmed, and his life processes sped back up to normal.


    A fierce strength unlike that of mana filled his core. Ike drew in a deep breath and brought aether into his core. The last scraps of his core filled. He lifted his hand and gave the spider thread a firm tug. The thread rebounded, yanking Ike up with it. He flew directly out of the Abyss and landed beside the edge.


    Wisp glanced up from a nearby tree. Her hands tucked behind her back, she reclined in absolute luxury. "Back already? You give up, or¡­?"


    Ike extended his hand. He pushed out a wisp of aether. It swirled up from his palm, sparkling in the low light. "I did it."


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    Wisp whistled. She sat up, skootching to the edge of the branch, then jumped down. "Damn. I wasn''t sure you could do it, and here you are, beating my expectations. So? Try any of your skills yet?"


    "Not yet. Will the skills be different?" Ike asked.


    Wisp shrugged. "I dunno. I''ve never had mana. You tell me."


    Ike raised his brows. He snorted under his breath and shrugged to himself. Fair. Lifting his hand, he activated Lightning Grasp. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Aether surged to his hand. Lightning burst off his hand, crackling into the air around him. It burned off a second later as the skill failed. Startled, Ike jumped back.


    "What are you jumping away from? Your own hand?" Wisp mocked him.


    Ike rolled his eyes at her. "It just surprised me. It burns way quicker than mana. It''s¡­ it''s like burning oil versus wood. It burns faster and cleaner, but in return, it''s more volatile."


    "Huh. Mana sounds boring."


    "I guess it would be, to you." Ike tried Lightning Grasp again. As he activated the skill, he carefully watched the circulation of aether. It began to rush out. Before it could, he widened his passages, slowing the flow. It accumulated around his hand, then ignited into lightning. A huge burst of lightning cracked around his hand. Ike cut back at the amount of aether, and the lightning thinned. Slowly, he drew it back to the level of an ordinary Lightning Grasp.


    That''s interesting, though. If I need to empower my skills, I just pour aether into them like I''d pour mana into a skill ordinarily, and they''ll blast out. Though¡­


    He surged his aether. It rushed free of his hand, and the lightning followed, arcing out with the aether. A hand-shaped lightning construct clawed at the air ten feet in front of Ike.


    "Whoa!" Wisp said, her eyes sparkling. She clapped. "Do it again!"


    Ike laughed. "Sure!" He clawed his hand again and practiced the ranged Lightning Grasp a few times, while Wisp oohed and ahhed beside him.


    That''s definitely going to become a new skill. It''s not stable enough yet, but with a few days'' practice, it will be. He clawed at the air again. It exploded in a blast of static electricity, crackling over the surrounding trees. I need that claw projection to stay intact for it to qualify as a real skill. I bet I could turn the explosion into a different skill.


    Ha. I wonder if I can turn these skills into a new, singular, comprehensive skill like I did with Lightning Clad. They all came out of Lightning Grasp, after all.


    Let''s master each one first. Then we can worry about making a comprehensive Lightning Grasp.


    Ike tried replicating the explosion, but the skill refused to explode on command. He furrowed his brows and tried again. The claw burst on his hand. A blast of numbing electricity shivered over his arm.


    Grimacing, Ike shook out his arm. Wisp fell over backward, grabbing her stomach and laughing uproariously.


    "I''m glad one of us enjoyed it," Ike muttered.


    Wisp giggled, sitting upright. "I never get bored around you."


    He nodded at Wisp. "Should we go find Loup? Now that I''m done."


    "Done? Who said anything about done?" Wisp asked. She jumped to her feet and charged Ike. Her eyes glowed red. Her claws bared.


    What the fuck? Ike raised his arms, startled. "Wisp, why?"

 109. Attack

    Wisp rushed at him. Ike jumped back, not wanting to attack. "Wisp, why?""Spar with me!" she said, swiping at his chest.


    "No!" Ike snapped. He kicked off the ground. A burst of Lightning Dash took him over the entire Abyss, and he landed on the other side. "You''ll kill me."


    "I promise I won''t," Wisp said, climbing up into the trees on the other side.


    "Wisp, come on. What do you really want?" Ike asked.


    "To fight!" She leaped across the Abyss, all four limbs spread out to grab Ike.


    Ike drew the ball of thread from his pocket and threw it at Wisp. It smacked her in the face. She flinched. Jumping up, Ike met her in midair and grabbed for her shirt. I''ll end this quickly¡ª


    Four long, spindly black limbs burst from Wisp''s back and stabbed at Ike. His eyes widened. He reached out with Lightning Grasp, activating Lightning Clad at the same time. Lightning crackled over his body for a split second, then burst free, smacking into Wisp''s gut. She flew backward, into the dark crack.


    "Wisp!" Ike shouted, startled.


    A white thread shot from Wisp and wrapped around a nearby tree. She swung to the edge and hopped off, giving him a look. "I''m a spider."


    "I¡ªI know, but I was still¡­ I don''t want to see a friend fall into the Abyss," Ike said, running a hand through his hair.


    "You see me as a friend?" Wisp asked.


    "Of course," Ike said.


    She chuckled under her breath and turned away, but couldn''t hide the big smile on her face. Pacing a few steps away, she threw out her hand, then whipped around so she pointed at him. "You!"


    "Yeah?"


    "You were an orphan, weren''t you?" she asked.


    "Huh? I was raised by my uncle¡­ why?" Ike asked.


    Wisp nodded. She waggled her finger at him. "Ask me how I know."


    Ike rolled his eyes. "How do you know?"


    "Because humans can''t absorb aether."


    Ike stared at her. She raised her brows at him, grinning like she''d just revealed something.


    "I''m a human, though," Ike said flatly.


    "Are you? Are you sure?" she asked.


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    Ike nodded. "I am. I was raised by my maternal uncle. Beyond a doubt, my mother was human."


    "And your father?"


    "Human."


    "Are you sure? Do you have any proof?" Wisp leaned in, closing the gap between them. Her bare feet crunched on fallen leaves. "Have you ever met his family? Ever seen the man in flesh?"


    "I¡ª" Ike fell silent. He frowned. I never had any reason to doubt my father''s humanity. I look human. I feel human. I''ve never taken on a beast shape, or anything like that. But¡­ no, I''ve never met my father''s family. Never encountered anyone who knew him, or was related to him. I didn''t think it was that strange. Mages often travel, and in the slums, you''re lucky to have a single family member around. But¡­ He frowned at Wisp. "Why even bring this up? I''m human. I''ve never transformed. I''ve even learned magic the human way. You''re just talking out of your ass, as far as I can tell."


    Wisp clicked her tongue. She waved her finger at him. "Fool. You''re wrong. You know why?"


    "Hit me," Ike said, exasperated. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Humans can''t absorb¡ª"


    "Right. You said that. But I just did."


    Wisp spread her hands. "Case in point!"


    Ike put his hands on his hip and looked down at Wisp. An easy task, thanks to her small stature. "So? Maybe you''re wrong. Maybe you''ve just never seen a human who can process aether before. Just because I''m the first one, you''re trying to make me not a human."


    "Maybe you''re wrong. Listen. If humans could process aether, do you think Ket and all them would bother with lunam? I mean, sure. I get using mana instead. It''s smooth. Easy to handle. But why swap to a limited, hard-to-find resource like lunam, if you could just learn aether instead?" Wisp reasoned.


    Ike opened his mouth. He closed it. His brows furrowed, and he pinched his chin. No¡­ Wisp actually has a good point there. "W-well, maybe they just failed."


    "All humans, forever, ''just failed?''"


    "I don''t know!" Ike protested. His own words began to sound weak to him. He frowned, considering it for a minute. I don''t actually know much about my father. Or my mother, for that matter, but I don''t think her humanity is in question. But if it really is impossible for humans to process aether, then¡­ then what does that mean?


    Wisp caught the look on her face and waved her hands. "I guess it''s not fully impossible for humans. I''ve heard that there''s some rare bloodlines that can process aether, too. But compared to your dad being a beast, it''s way rarer for you to have a weird bloodline that can process aether. Especially if you didn''t know your parents. Those kinds of bloodlines are usually highly prized by mages. They wouldn''t let someone with a bloodline like that leave their city and just¡­run off, you know?"


    Yeah. I can''t imagine some high-faulting mage picked up some girl from the slums and ran off with her. That does sound far less likely than my father being a beast. But¡­ no, it still sounds ridiculous. "Wouldn''t I know? Wouldn''t I¡­ have ears, or something?"


    "I dunno."


    "Can beasts and humans even interbreed?"


    "I''ve heard of it. Never seen it, though," Wisp said.


    Ike sighed loudly. He waved his hand. "So you really are just talking out your ass."


    "I mean, sure, but¡­ it sounds pretty probable, doesn''t it?" Wisp asked, waggling her brows. She pointed at Ike again. "The real point is that you can do what humans aren''t supposed to be able to do. Forcing you to attack with it confirmed it¡ªyou don''t have a handle on aether yet, but you won''t explode if you use it."


    "That was an option?" Ike asked, startled.


    "You understand?" Wisp asked.


    Ike startled. He looked at her, then shook his head. Right. I get what she''s trying to say. The point isn''t that I could explode, but that humans aren''t supposed to be able to process aether. If I use aether carelessly, or use it in a way that makes it obvious I''m using aether and not mana, people might think I''m a beast, with all the baggage that comes with that. Regardless of my bloodline or status as a beast or whatever else, I don''t want to carelessly give human mages the impression I''m a beast.


    "Right. I understand," he confirmed, nodding.


    "Good. Well, if that''s the case, then let''s go find your dog," Wisp said.


    "Wolf," Ike corrected her.


    Wisp waved her hand. "Whatever."

 110. Ravens Red

    Ike bounded through the trees. Ahead of him, Wisp arced through the trees. She neatly shot thread and swooped from branch to branch, moving with twice the speed and half the effort. Ike struggled to keep up at times. Without Lightning Dash, he would have absolutely fallen behind Wisp. Even then, he had to charge forward at full speed. Wisp, on the other hand, leaned back and glided, relaxing on her way through the trees."Wisp," he called.


    "Huh?" Wisp asked, not really paying attention.


    "I heard that monsters¡­ or rather, beings who use aether, can only cast the spells they''re born with," Ike said.


    Wisp laughed aloud. "Oh, did you."


    "But¡­ You took in that human skill, so I guess that''s bullshit?"


    She shook her head. "No, no. Well, yes? Monsters only use their inborn skills because they''re stupid, not because they use aether. Sure, it''s easier to use the skills you''re born with, but that''s just a universal truth, not something related to aether. If a monster has intelligence, they can do whatever humans can."


    "Oh. Makes sense," Ike said. I should have expected humans to not fully understand monsters. After all, this is Tana''s explanation, not Silver''s or Wisp''s.


    "You humans just make up bullshit because you''re pathetic weaklings without any inborn skills," Wisp said, shaking her head at him.


    He threw his hands up. "Hey, hey. Why am I catching strays?"


    Wisp looked at him from the corner of her eyes and chuckled. A mischievous grin stretched across her face.


    "Yeah, yeah," Ike said. He shook his head, but he laughed a little, too.


    A shadow crossed over the sky. The sunlight darkened. Ike looked up sharply. "What was that?"


    "Nothing good," Wisp muttered. "Be on your guard."


    Ike nodded. This far into the Abyss, the monsters were doubtlessly powerful. Far more powerful than the monsters he''d faced so far. He was Rank 2 now, with the improved skills that came with it, but he''d only just absorbed aether, and he wasn''t used to using it yet. Ike touched his hip, where Rosamund''s head still hung at the ready. I might need to absorb my mana back, if this turns out to be a tough fight.


    Hopefully I can still absorb mana. I should be able to, since aether is the universal energy, but I haven''t checked yet. We''ll find out.


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    He glanced up mid-leap, searching for the shadow caster. A raven circled high overhead. Its wings eclipsed the sun, and once again, a shadow passed over them. The raven crowed. It tilted its head, and their eyes met. Intelligent black eyes glinted in the sun. It tilted its wings, then dropped down on him and Wisp.


    "Incoming!" Ike shouted.


    Wisp threw a bolt of spider''s thread into the trees and vanished. Ike waited. He watched as the raven dipped toward him, drawing closer with every passing moment. The raven bared its claws and closed in.


    Lightning flashed over Ike''s body. He darted to the next branch.


    The raven slammed down onto the branch Ike had stood on moments ago. It croaked in surprise and pain.


    Down on the ground, Ike was shocked by the size of the raven. From its shadow, he''d gathered that it was large, but up close, it was even larger than before. As big as the owl, at least, if not larger. A far fiercer aura emanated from its body, one higher than Ike''s own. Pitch black feathers let off an oily sheen. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike whirled. Drawing his sword, he did an about-face and burst at the raven.


    The raven cawed in surprise and leaped into the air. He swung at the raven''s feet, but only scored a scratch in its claw before it flapped out of reach. The raven clenched its foot shut and flew higher.


    "Yeah, get outta here," Ike muttered, staring after it.


    The raven opened its pitch black beak and belched out a ball of crimson fire.


    Ike didn''t hesitate. Massing aether in his fist, he released an aether-powered Shockwave Punch at the dropping fireball. A huge green shockwave burst from his fist all at once. It smashed into the dropping fireball. The fireball slowed and broke up a little, but kept dropping.


    Let''s go! If one did damage, enough should destroy it! He swung with his left and right, unleashing shockwaves into the fireball. The fireball hovered in the sky, held in the air by his punches. With one final punch, Ike broke the fireball into tiny, smoky bits.


    "Haha, take that, dumb bird!" Ike shouted.


    The raven circled around, its beak wide. Fireball after fireball flew from its open mouth and rained down on the forest.


    "Huh? They aren''t even landing close to us," Ike said.


    "It''s cutting us off! Come on, run!" Wisp shouted from ahead.


    Ike jolted. Craning his neck, he caught sight of the arc of fires through the forest. Holy shit. Jumping to, he sprinted off after Wisp, away from the closing circle of flames.


    Overhead, the raven cawed mockingly. It soared on the thermals it had created, tipping its wings effortlessly to chase after them.


    "Oh, shut up," Ike complained. Lightning sparked to life around him as he dashed off. In a few dozen steps, he caught up to Wisp.


    She swung along on her thread, an annoyed expression on her face. "I hate birds."


    "Why?"


    "They eat spiders," she complained.


    "Oh. Yeah, I guess so," Ike said, nodding to himself. He glanced up. "Aren''t you stronger than that thing?"


    "Yeah, but bird."


    Ike chuckled. "It''s like me and spiders."


    "What? You''re afraid of spiders?" Wisp asked, perking up.


    "Huh? No. Me? Afraid of spiders?" Ike scoffed.


    Wisp''s lips curled upward. She grew her four additional limbs again and waggled them at Ike. "Oooh, spiders."


    "Stop," Ike grumbled, rolling his eyes. "Are we fleeing for our lives, or what?"


    "I can do both," Wisp said confidently.


    With a caw, the raven hurtled at them. Ike spun around, lifting his sword again. On either side, the flames closed in.

 111. Circle of Fire

    The fire closed in. The raven dropped at Ike. This time, it kept its claws curled close to its body, preparing to extend them at the last second. It opened its beak at the same time. Fire flickered in its throat.Ike knelt. He leaped high into the air, slicing upward with his sword at the same time. The leap carried him up to the level of the bird. His sword swept deep into its feathered underbelly. Only the very tip scratched the bird''s skin, but drew blood nonetheless.


    The raven shrieked. It unleashed its claws. Two vicious strikes swung at Ike''s shoulders, slamming down toward his heart.


    Lightning crackled over his skin seconds before its claws hit. It jittered up into the raven''s body. The raven flinched back, retracting its blow mid swing. It cawed again, frustrated.


    It had already swooped to attack Ike, putting it right within his swing range. He struck again, aiming for its ankles.


    He swung with all his strength. Lightning flickered over his body, all the power of Lightning Clad put into this one blow. Cut through!


    His sword cleaved bone. Blood sprayed. One of its feet fell away, dropping into the forest.


    The raven shrieked. Flapping its wings hard, it climbed back into the sky.


    Ike laughed. He pointed at the raven. "That''s right. Get out of here."


    "It''s probably going to get its friends," Wisp said from nearby. "Plus, that fire''s still closing in around us."


    "There''s more than one of those things?" Ike asked, startled. Leaning to the left, he located Wisp up a few branches and behind a nearby trunk. She leaned forward, her eyes on some distant item on the horizon.


    "There''s a whole flock," Wisp confirmed.


    "Shit," Ike muttered. He jumped down from his branch, sprinting to the forest floor. Picking up the raven''s foot, he slung it into his bag and jumped back up. "Okay. Let''s go."


    "What are you going to do with that?" Wisp asked.


    Ike shrugged. "I dunno. Seemed like a high level beast. Someone''s probably willing to buy this."


    "Humans. Honestly," Wisp said, shaking her head at him. She bounded off again, and Ike chased close behind her.


    Smoke clouded the air. Fire danced in the treetops. Ahead, a small window opened in the smoky darkness, a small patch where no fire burned before them. Wisp raced toward it. Ike followed her, sprinting with all his might.


    They grew closer, close enough to feel the heat of the inferno against their skin. Smoke choked Ike, burning his lungs. He coughed, struggling to draw air. Wisp charged on, her eyes dead ahead, a grim clench to her jaw.


    The ring of fire closed in. Only one single tree remained unlit. One single tree through which they could escape. Wisp darted forward. She shot a thread of spider thread to the other side.


    Ike raced after her. He locked his eyes on their safety, pushing himself to run even as his whole body rejected the horrible smoky air. Lightning darted around his ankles. He closed in on Wisp as she swung through the air.


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    Fire surged in the air. It caught on Wisp''s cord. In a single instant, her spider thread burned up. Wisp fell out of the sky, as the tree below her caught on fire.


    "Wisp!" Ike shouted. He pushed himself even faster. Darting from branch to branch, he lunged toward Wisp.


    Wisp extended her extra limbs and caught herself on the trees. She looked over at Ike. "I''m fine. It didn''t reach my spinneret."


    "Oh¡­ your what?" Ike slowed a bit. That''s right. She is higher Rank than me. Even if she fell to the forest floor, she''d be fine.


    "The organ that makes thread¡­" Wisp fell silent. She waved a hand. "No time to waste. Let''s go." S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Go where?" Ike asked.


    A wall of flame raged ahead of them. The gap had closed. There was no longer a safe way through the flames.


    Wisp looked at him. "You have that ice armor now, don''t you?"


    "Right¡­ yeah," Ike said. He activated the skill. Ice covered his body, but only for a split second. Between his unfamiliarity with the skill and the volatility of aether, he could only activate it for a split second before it dissipated.


    He looked at the wall of fire. I''ll have to time it perfectly.


    "But what about you?" Ike asked, glancing over at Wisp.


    "A few seconds of fire won''t kill me," she said, gazing at the wall before them. She paused. "Probably."


    Ike eyed the fire wall as well. This close, the heat charred his skin. The wall grew thicker with every passing moment. If he stood here and waited for more than a few seconds, the wall would grow too wide for him to cross. They had to cross now, or they''d be completely stuck.


    He glanced at Wisp. Spiders are weak to fire. She won''t be able to use her thread in there, either. Even though she''s higher realm, I don''t know if she''ll be able to make it on her own.


    He grabbed up Wisp and sprinted toward the wall. "I''ll use the armor on both of us!"


    "Hey, hey¡ªare you sure you can do that?"


    "Nope!" Ike activated the armor as he ran. It surrounded his body, then broke. No. I need to push it outward. Cover Wisp as well. Grabbing the construct as it formed, he pushed it over Wisp.


    Ice crackled over Wisp''s skin, but not over his. It shattered after a split second.


    Okay. Progress. He activated the skill again, trying to hold both the skill on himself and the construct over Wisp at once. The skill fizzled, refusing to activate.


    He wrinkled his nose. Come on! He charged at the fire. As the heat washed over him, he quickly activated the skill twice. His aether drained, but ice appeared over him and Wisp alike. He leaped through the fire.


    The ice armor melted in an instant. He ran on over glowing branches. Flames raged around his ankles, and embers rained down all around him. His skin crisped. Pain ached into his body. Salamander Healing worked to close his wounds, and his aether continued to drain. Wisp curled up in his arms, and he wrapped them tighter around her. Better if I take damage. I have a healing skill. Again, he activated Ice Armor. Again. Again.


    Everything hurt. His whole body burned. Sweat dripped down his body from the parts of him that weren''t burned to bits. Over and over, he activated Ice Armor. Just a few more steps. Just a little further.


    Sunlight shone through the smoke. The fire faded away. He leaped through, onto solid branches, still unburned.


    Ike stumbled. He fell to a knee. His whole body hurt. His vision darkened. He clung to consciousness, refusing to pass out. "Wisp¡­ Are you¡­"


    "Yeah, I''m fine, you crazy boy." Wisp climbed out from his arms. Spinning some thread, she hefted him up onto her back. "Let''s keep moving."


    Ike grimaced. Every touch of her thread hurt, every jostle ached. He grunted, struggling to bite back screams. I just need to let Salamander Healing kick in. I''ll be fine. But for now, it hurt, more than anything had ever hurt before.


    "Stupid humans. I can''t believe¡­ why would you do that?" Wisp muttered as she leaped through the forest.


    "Because¡­ we''re friends," Ike managed. She''d done so much to help him. In his fights. In gaining power. How could he not repay her kindness.


    Wisp grunted. She ran on.


    The pain grew too intense. Ike''s awareness faded. He passed out, going limp in Wisp''s basket.


    She glanced up. Shadows circled overhead. Cawing filled the air. She put Ike down gently in the hollow of a tree. "That''s right. We''re friends."


    With a few quick movements, she tied thread between two trees. Wisp touched the thread, and it thrummed, completely taut.


    Wisp looked back. "I''ll see you in a bit, Ike."


    She jumped into center of the thread and sling-shotted herself into the sky, baring her claws at the birds.

 112. Bird Battle

    Three ravens darted down at them. Wisp flicked her wrist. A dozen wisps of spider thread burst from her hand. Two of the ravens retreated, but the threads wrapped around the third. She yanked, and the raven jolted out of the sky. It crashed into the branches. Wisp leapt on it. Before it could jump up, she quickly bound it to the tree.She hadn''t wanted to fight. She was still recovering. But she would have been gravely injured if she''d had to escape through that fire on her own. Ike had taken the flames on for her. Injured himself, to bring her to safety. She couldn''t turn away from that.


    Wisp leaped on the downed raven. She bared her fangs and bit it. Poison flowed into its veins. The raven''s eyes widened in panic as its body numbed.


    "And stay down," Wisp muttered.


    The other ravens circled, croaking. She gazed up, counting. Four, five¡­ With the one on the ground, that''s six. Five to go.


    If I was at my full strength, they''d already be dead. As it is¡­


    Laughing, Wisp gestured the birds toward her. "Come on, flea-rags! Give me your worst!"


    The birds cried out. As one, they darted down toward Wisp.


    Wisp''s hands blurred. The birds struck an invisible wall and cried out. Blood and feathers rained down. An entire wing sheared off one of the birds. Another one lost a leg. Screaming in pain, they dropped one after another. Blood painted invisible, razor-sharp lines on the sky, lines that stretched between trees and twisted together into a hideous web.


    Wisp grinned. As it is, I have to exert a little effort.


    One bird survived the initial collision. It struggled, fighting to break free of the web. Wisp jumped up. She stood on a still thread just outside the range of the bird''s motion, watching emotionlessly as it flapped and struggled in the web.


    "I was going to let Ike deal with you. Let him grow stronger. But instead, you had to hurt him like that."


    The bird flailed, fighting harder than ever before.


    "For your crimes, die."


    Wisp snapped her fingers. The bird''s head dropped off its shoulders, cut through at a surgical precision.


    She looked around at the carnage and sighed. "Ike would steal these things'' bodies, wouldn''t he."


    Wisp did a slow turn. Severed bird parts hung all over her web. Bits of bird dropped to the ground. Feathers and blood mingled on the floor. "Yeah. That''s a lot of work."


    A second later, she shrugged, carefree. "Well, that''s Ike. Not me. I wouldn''t do that. And I won''t! Easy."


    She hopped down and jogged over to Ike. Carefully, she picked him up and set off through the woods again. She hummed under her breath, an upbeat tune. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The poisoned raven trembled behind her. Its dark eyes burned with hatred.


    --


    Sun flickered against the backs of Ike''s eyelids. He shifted, then flinched as his skin brushed against cloth. Frowning, Ike opened his eyes.


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    White thread all around him. Thin enough the sunlight filtered through, but too thick to clearly see the world around him. He bounced, gently. Someone''s back moved against his.


    "Uh¡­ Wisp?" Ike tried, a little discombobulated. He blinked and wiped the crust out of his eyes, swallowing away dryness in his throat.


    "You awake?" she asked.


    He touched the threads around him. Spiders only put one kind of creature into a cocoon¡ªtheir prey. "You''re not going to eat me, are you?"


    "What?" The shadow of Wisp looked over her shoulder. She stared for a second, then burst out laughing. "What are you gonna do if I try?"


    "Cry a lot, I guess?" Ike joked back.


    She snorted. "You''d already be shit if I wanted to eat you. It''s just easier to carry you like this. And it keeps your burns protected."


    "Burns¡­" Ike lifted his arms to get a better look. Faint red patches discolored his skin. While he was asleep, Salamander Healing had done good work. They were mostly healed. Still a little tender to the touch, but no longer raw and oozing.


    That''s right. Those ravens set up a wall of fire around us, and then¡­ Ike jolted. "The ravens!"


    "They''re gone. I got away from them while you were sleeping."


    "Oh¡­good. That''s good," Ike muttered. He turned his arms over. Salamander Healing circulated neatly inside of him, continuing to heal his wounds. It didn''t stop and start on aether, like all his other skills did. It ran easily. If anything, more easily than it had beforehand.


    It''s a beast''s skill, so of course it runs smoothly on aether. Still, is that all there is to it? He dove into his core and watched the aether circulate. If there was something about Salamander Healing''s structure that let it handle aether more easily than other skills, then he could copy that structure into his other skills and resolve the burst problem.


    Aether flowed smoothly through his passages, circulating in and out of his core no differently than mana. Still watching his passages, Ike activated Lightning Grasp.


    His passages jolted. They widened slightly to allow more passage of mana. Aether flew through them all at once, bursting out of his hand in a blast of lightning at the end.


    "Hey! What''re you doing back there?" Wisp demanded, annoyed.


    "Just, uh, trying something out," Ike said.


    "If you''re awake, get down and walk on your own!" she demanded, thumping the cocoon on the ground.


    Ike winced as his wounds jostled. He drew his sword and sliced his way out of the thread. It fell away, revealing the same forest as before. There was no sign of the scorched forest, save a distant pillar of grey smoke billowing into the sky.


    "How long was I out?" Ike asked.


    "Only a few hours." Wisp grabbed the cocoon and shoved it into her mouth.


    Ike stared.


    Mouth full of cocoon, Wisp cocked one brow. She finished shoving it down and swallowed. "What?"


    "Er¡­ nothing?" Ike said, not even sure how to breach the topic.


    She snorted. "No point wasting that thread. I can reconstitute it if I eat it."


    "Oh¡­"


    "It''s very common amongst spiders." She shook her head at Ike. "Typical inferior human, unable to understand the importance of conservation of resources."


    "No, I get that, it''s just¡­ a little¡­" Ike shook his head. On second thought, I don''t want to know anything else about this whole thread reconstitution thing. The less I know, the better. "No, you''re right. Inferior humans." He gestured for Wisp to head on.


    Wisp chuckled. She shook her head at Ike and took the lead. "Up ahead, we should reach the edge of the forest. From there, you can reunite with your dog¡­ or try to escape, if you like."


    Ike looked at Wisp. "How did you know I wanted to escape?"


    "Everyone wants to escape. Don''t be stupid. Especially someone as new as you," Wisp said.


    "Reasonable," Ike agreed. It wasn''t like he was hiding his desires or keeping a secret. He''d simply been startled that Wisp had known. But it wasn''t that shocking she could guess.


    "Plus, you burned the hell out of your bridges with Abyssal. Took the unpopular Tana side to begin with, then absolutely ruined your chances of getting ignored by destroying the king''s dolls. I don''t disagree with your choices, but you sure fucked your long-term survival in Abyssal."


    Taken aback, Ike looked at her. "How do you know that much about human politics? Don''t you ignore people?"


    "I do, but you know. You pick stuff up. Figure out which kind of people you''re eating, and, you know¡­" Wisp trailed off. She cleared her throat. "Figure out which kind of people keep getting sent into the spider forest, and¡ª"


    "No, I¡ªI understood the first time," Ike said, cutting her off.


    She snorted. "In any case, the best place to escape is just up ahead. The barrier that cuts off escape is weakest in this far corner. There might be room to wiggle out, if you do it perfectly."


    "And what about you? Back to the spider forest?" Ike asked.


    Wisp looked up at the cliffs high around them. She grinned, cutting her eyes to meet Ike''s. "What do you think? I''m coming out with you!"

 113. Escape Plan

    "I''m coming with you!""Oh, yeah?" Ike said, a little surprised. Then again, she did tell me she was originally from outside the Abyss. It''s not too surprising that she''d want to leave.


    "Yep. I''m done here. Too many people know my face. As a predator¡­ as a monster, that''s a problem," Wisp said.


    "You do have a reputation," Ike agreed. The way Ket and Tana had reacted to her name was enough to drive that home to him. It was as if they''d heard he was hanging out with the boogeyman. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s not fully deserved. They''re the ones who kept throwing their unwanted mages into the spider forest. Is it my fault I ate a few of them?"


    Ike tipped his head back and forth non-comitally. He ducked a branch and hopped another before responding. "Eh, well, yeah, you know."


    "You eat monsters. I eat people. We''re the same, you and me," Wisp asserted.


    "I don''t know about that," Ike muttered.


    "Anyways. I don''t eat a lot of people. They taste bad. After a while, I just killed the mages and left them to the other spiders. Didn''t want them killing all the spiders I worked hard to cultivate," Wisp said.


    Ike frowned. "I thought you didn''t care about the spiders."


    "I don''t. But I do want some of them. They do convenient things for me, like keeping the spiderweb thick over the whole forest, and keep out stupid weak mages who might stumble into my lair and cause problems otherwise."


    Ike''s eyes widened. "Oh! I get it. I killed one or two spiders, but they were killing all the spiders."


    Wisp pointed at him. "Exactly. I don''t mind people killing one or two particular spiders. I just mind if they come in and start exterminating my entire forest."


    "Right, yeah. I get that," Ike agreed.


    "So it should be fine if I kill a few mages, as long as I don''t exterminate the whole city," Wisp said.


    "Well¡­" Ike shrugged. "I mean, I guess as long as you''re willing to deal with the consequences."


    "Yeah, yeah. I''m not stupid," Wisp said.


    They darted through the trees. Leaves danced around them. The branches vibrated as they passed. In the distance, Ike heard a howl.


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    He peeked up. "Is that Loup?"


    "Could be. You''d know your wolf better than me."


    "We''re close, then?"


    "Close to the flats. Wolf territory."


    Ike blinked. "Wolf territory?"


    Wisp snorted. "You''ll see."


    Ahead, the trees grew sparser. Sunlight reached the floor, and brambles, bushes, and grasses covered the ground. Wisp attached a thread to a nearby branch and lowered herself to the floor. Ike followed, hopping from branch to branch down to the ground level.


    He looked back up. The trees towered overhead, reaching seemingly to the sky from this vantage point. And yet, seconds ago, he''d been up there. In the sky, up among the treetops.


    The slumrat me would have never been able to imagine this life I lead now. Hopping from tree to tree. Chatting with spider monsters. Looking for my lost wolf on the way out of the Abyss.


    Compared to the life I used to lead, this is so much better. So far superior. Beyond even my wildest dreams.


    Smaller trees grew around them, now. A meadow spread across the earth, interspersed with small clusters of trees. Tall golden grass swished across the land. The wind blew it into a flurry, scaring up a cluster of small birds and insects. The grasses rustled, as if hiding monsters within their depths.


    Ike walked down into the valley. The closer he grew to the grasses, the larger they appeared, until he found himself walking into grass so tall it stretched over his head. He raised his brows, surprised. "Does it always grow this long?"


    "It''s not uncommon," Wisp commented from behind him. She glanced all around. "I landed here when I first fell in. It was much taller than the tiny spider I was back then."


    Ike gave her a look. "How small were you back then?" He pinched his fingers together, then held his two hands a little apart, then stretched his arms out wide.


    Wisp gave him a look. "Wouldn''t you like to know."


    "Eh, not really," Ike admitted.


    "That''s right. You''re afraid of spiders, aren''t you?" Wisp muttered.


    "No," Ike said, too quickly.


    She chuckled under her breath. "Hmmm¡­"


    Another howl. This one came from the other direction. Ike whirled, but nothing could be seen through the thick grasses. "That''s not Loup."


    "I don''t know. All wolves sound the same to me," Wisp opined. She hopped up into the air and quickly constructed a webbing platform, with long supports trailing out to the trees on the outskirts. She crawled along the thin strand, clutching it with her fingers and toes, stretching out her arms and pulling up her legs one step at a time. The thread trembled as she walked, but she didn''t seem to mind.


    "Can you see anything from up there?" Ike asked.


    "Probably. I''m not trying, though," Wisp said leisurely. She looked down at him and gave him a smug grin. "It''s just easier to walk when I''m not shoving my way through nasty, long, bug-infested grass."


    "Yeah, well, you''re the bug infesting that spider thread, so," Ike muttered to himself.


    She laughed. In the next moment, she sat up, then stood. Her toes curled around the thread, gripping it tight beyond the level human toes should be able to curl. "Look smart. They''re coming."


    "The wolves?" Ike asked. He drew his sword and faded back, changing his direction to throw off tracking. He didn''t think it would do much, but it was better than doing nothing.


    "I think so. Hard to see, with all this grass in the way," Wisp commented.


    The grass shivered. Low shapes appeared against the grass, only to fade away again. Shadows edged around him, closing in, then darting away. He couldn''t make out their proper shape, only the general form. Four-legged. Swift.


    Head on a swivel, Ike turned. He held his sword at the ready. His eyes narrowed. As a shadow closed in yet again, he lunged. Now!

 114. Shadow Wolf

    Ike lunged at the shadow. His sword sliced through the grasses without making contact with anything. He frowned. The shadow had vanished, with nothing left but the rustle of the grasses.Paws whispered against the ground behind him, barely caught on his Sensory Enhancement. He whirled, lifting his sword to block. The grasses shook, but nothing leaped out. Instead, sharp pain burst at his ankles. He sliced downward, spinning as he did. His sword cut through the air.


    What the hell? Ike glanced at his ankle. Blood poured out, soaking into the fallen grasses. A bite mark opened on his leg.


    Are they too fast? Or¡­ Ike closed his eyes. Standing completely still, he extended his aether all around him, creating a cloud of aether around his body. Like that, he could feel anything that entered his aether, whether his eyes could see it or not.


    Aether stirred. Quick motion at his hip.


    Ike sliced out, spinning and opening his eyes at the same time. His sword struck something. A yelp sounded out. Blood splashed over the grass. And yet, he saw nothing.


    "Invisible wolves?" Ike muttered. He watched the blood splotches quickly retreat cross the grass. The golden strands swallowed up the bright blood.


    The shadows darted around him. The grass rustled. Ike kept his eyes open, but paid more attention to the aether field around him. A rapid leap toward his neck. He raised his sword, putting the blade between him and the wolf.


    Blood washed over him. Weight sagged down onto his sword. Even after the wolf died, it remained invisible on the exterior. Its organs and meat dripped down, perfectly visible, but from the outside, he saw nothing.


    Very interesting. I''m taking these skins! Hell, not even to sell. If I can refine these skins into furs or leather, I can sneak around anywhere I want, totally invisible! S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike grinned to himself. He was in the Abyss. If he managed to leave the Abyss with the wolf skins, what were the chances anyone outside the Abyss would know about the invisible wolves? Hell, did the people who lived in Abyssal even know about the monsters this deep in the Abyss?


    His brows furrowed again. But wait. There''s supposed to be terrifying monsters this far in. Is that just a myth? The ravens were pretty scary, but these wolves aren''t so bad.


    Then again, only a few people can maintain their magehood in the Abyss. If I had no magic, the ravens and wolves would have already killed me. Maybe that''s why the Abyss seems far less scary to me than it is in the legends.


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    Well. And I''m Rank 2, now. There''s very few Rank 2s in the slums, and it''s the same in Abyssal. I am the scary monster.


    Weird.


    His aether stirred again. Snapped back into the present, Ike pivoted and sliced out. Another wolf shrieked and slammed against the ground. He fell still again, waiting.


    Something in the grass snarled. A great swathe of aether stirred. Ike turned his blade to meet the attack, only to get lifted off the ground and thrown into the grass. He rolled. Rocks cut into his skin and bumped against his bones. Using his momentum, he threw himself back to his feet.


    Another wolf darted in. Unable to turn his sword around in time, Ike threw a punch in its direction. Green shockwaves slammed into an invisible form. The wolf shrieked and tumbled back.


    A vast disturbance in his aether swept toward his back. He dashed into the air, lightning chasing after him. The disturbance swept under his feet. From midair, Ike spun around and struck downward. Blood gushed. An enormous growl shuddered past Ike''s ear.


    He swallowed. Spoke too soon. The Abyss is full of monsters, even for a Rank 2 like me.


    Something rushed at him from below, closing in on his legs on two sides. If these are wolves, it''s biting me right now!


    Unable to dodge in midair, he yanked his legs up and stabbed downward at the same time. The wolf caught his sword in its mouth. It threw him to the ground, then yipped in pain. Blood dripped from its mouth.


    Ike hit the ground hard. He bounced, then laid there a moment, dazed. His bones ached. Blood oozed out of his mouth.


    Strings darted down from the sky and hefted him into the air like a puppet. With a flick of her wrist, Wisp set him on his feet.


    "Rise and shine," she said, and released him.


    Ike barely caught himself. He shook his head and wiped his brow, lifting his sword again. He activated Lightning Clad. Unable to pay too much attention to his individual passages, he simply activated it again and again, forcing his body to get used to the aether. Slowly, the time he could maintain the activation grew longer.


    If he couldn''t do it through brainpower, he''d just do it through trial and error. Not everything could be overcome through careful adjustments. Some things were better overcome through figuring out what worked and what didn''t until you only had a bunch of things that worked.


    At the same time, he kept the aether field around him active. He backed away slowly, facing the last place he''d sensed the invisible wolf. Smaller wolves darted around him, pinging his aether field. Sensing a trap, he didn''t go after them. Instead, he stood in place, waiting. He gathered up lightning on his hands. Extending the shape of Lightning Grasp, he channeled it into his sword.


    It all comes down to this next blow. Either the giant wolf injures me enough that its underlings can tear me to bits, or I kill the giant wolf.


    That''s why I have to put it all into this next attack. Everything I have. All my power.


    Motion in his aether field. He whipped around, raising his sword. A splatter of blood on the air told him where the wolf''s tongue was. Ike aimed for that, swinging with all his might. His eyes widened. His whole body tensed, every ounce of muscle and aether put into the swing.


    Take this!

 115. One Strike

    Ike swung his sword at the wolf''s mouth, aiming for the smear of blood. The wolf''s jaws closed in around him, the invisible hide cutting off his view of the smear. Ike kept swinging, his eyes narrowed. He didn''t flinch. Didn''t retreat. I kill it, or it kills me. There''s no other option.His sword met flesh. He cut through the wolf''s muzzle as its mouth clamped shut. Fangs cut into his body, but only for a moment before the wolf released him. It tried to retreat. Ike reached out and grabbed blindly at the wolf. His hand closed around a tuft of fur, and he yanked. The wolf yelped, but only for a moment. Ike bent over and struck low, sliding his sword under its jaw. Blood gushed everywhere. The wolf thrashed, but Ike didn''t let go. I''m not sure I can find it if it gets away from me now. I''m not letting go. I want this invisible hide!


    The other wolves cried out as their leader bled out. Ike stood atop its corpse. Since the corpse remained invisible, he floated in midair. "Come at me if you dare," he challenged the wolves, holding out his sword.


    He turned slowly, looking at the shadows in the grass. It was easier to see the wolves from above. Their bodies parted the grasses, and their feet compressed the earth. They looked at Ike, uncertain.


    In the distance, a familiar howl echoed over the plains. The wolves turned. They sprinted off, racing into the grasses. In a few short moments, they vanished, leaving Ike alone atop the wolf corpse.


    Ike lifted a hand to his eyes. That''s Loup, isn''t it? "Loup!"


    A wolf appeared out of the grass. She lifted her head, gazing at Ike from afar.


    Ike stared back. His brows furrowed. He gestured her closer. "Come on, Loup! Let''s go!"


    Loup lowered her head. She turned, looking at Ike over her shoulder. Other wolves walked out of the grass, sniffing Loup and surrounding her. A few gazed warily at Ike, but with a nudge of her nose, Loup quieted them.


    Ah. I understand. We were a pack when she had no pack. But now, she has a pack again. She doesn''t need me.


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    "Are you sure? You''ll be stuck¡­ in the Abyss¡­" In the Abyss, where there''s fewer hunters, and monsters can grow more easily than anywhere else nearby. In the Abyss, which is basically a perfect place for her to grow.


    Loup bounced in place. She jogged over and stood on her hind legs, looking up at Ike.


    Ike jumped down from the giant wolf''s corpse. He knelt, and Loup shoved her head into his chest. He scruffed her ears, and she rubbed her head up against him.


    "Okay. If you''re sure. But one day, when you''re strong enough, we''ll find one another again," Ike said firmly.


    Loup looked him in the eye. She made a strange sound that almost sounded like yes. With one last head-shove, she ran off, back to the other wolves.


    Ike watched her go. His eyes grew cloudy, and he quickly wiped them. No. She''s happy, and we''ll see each other again. Even if I have to come back here and set her free myself when the time comes, we''ll see one another again.


    Loup looked over her shoulder a few times as she ran back to the wolves. She touched noses with them, saying hello again. As one, the pack set off through the grass. Their slender bodies merged with the swaying strands, and in a few moments, they vanished.


    Ike sniffed. A happy-sadness whirled inside him, an intense bitter sweet. He shook his head and waved a farewell to Loup, even though the wolf was long gone.


    As if in answer, a wolf howled.


    "Leaving her with the wolves?" Wisp asked.


    Ike shrugged. "I don''t want to, but it''s what she wants. And it''s good for her. Will it be easier for her to Rank up by my side, where I''ll be taking all the skill orbs and the lions'' share of the mana and prizes? Or will she Rank up faster here, in the Abyss, with all the resources at hand and no one leeching the majority of her winnings?"


    "I couldn''t say," Wisp said.


    "Right. So if this is what she wants, then who am I to tell her no? I want her to grow strong, and she, too, wants to become stronger. If it''s better for her this way, then we''re all happy," Ike said firmly.


    Wisp glanced at him. "Is that why it looks like you''re about to cry?"


    "No¡ªI am not," Ike insisted.


    She chuckled. "You know, you can be selfish if you want. Most mages are. In fact, it wouldn''t be inaccurate to say that mages survive by being selfish."


    "But that''s exactly why I should let Loup grow on her own," Ike said firmly. He scrubbed his face one last time and forced a smile. "The next time we see one another, we''ll both be much higher Rank."


    "Hmph," Wisp muttered. She didn''t argue with Ike, though. Just turned and crawled away over her webbing. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike followed after her. He looked over his shoulder a few times. As they passed the wolf corpse, he snatched it up and carried it with him, along with the smaller wolf corpses he came in contact with on the way past. No point leaving behind good loot.

 116. Throwing Stones

    They grew close to the wall. After so long in the depths of the Abyss, Ike had almost forgotten about the walls that closed them in. Sure, they were there, but they were in the distance. The horizon. Not an immediate concern. Often, he couldn''t even see them. In the dense forest, the trees blocked his view. In the grasslands, the high grasses hid the walls. So it was only as they drew close to the edge of the Abyss once more that the walls loomed large. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.Ike stared up at them, taken aback by their height. Did they grow, since I came down here? A second later, he rolled his eyes at himself. No. Don''t be stupid, me. They didn''t grow. I just went deeper into the Abyss.


    "Impressive, aren''t they? If you were a fool, you''d think they''d be harder to climb for their height," Wisp remarked. She knelt and picked up a stone, then lobbed it at the sky. The stone flew up, up, up, so far Ike had to use his Sensory Enhancement to track it. Abruptly, it jerked to a stop in a shower of red sparks. The sparks faded, and the stone dropped back to earth. "But when the primary issue is a city lord''s barrier, it''s exactly those places that appear well-guarded where the city lord grows careless and doesn''t ensure the barrier is perfectly closed."


    "Looks pretty closed to me," Ike commented.


    Wisp rolled her eyes. "I didn''t aim at the hole, idiot."


    Ike snorted. He peered upward, shading his eyes with his hand. Tentatively, he extended his energy upward, but it stopped long before the spot where Wisp''s rock had fallen away. "But there is a hole?"


    "Yup."


    "And you haven''t escaped yet because¡­?"


    "Because I didn''t want to. Now I want to. Problem?" Wisp asked, crossing her arms.


    Ike raised his eyebrows. Is it just me, or did she actually get angry about that one? I wonder if there''s something forcing her to leave.


    He shrugged to himself. If there was something forcing Wisp to leave, it wasn''t a bad idea to go. After all, she was vastly more powerful than him. If something left her feeling threatened, it could probably squash him with a twitch of a finger.


    Ike looked over his shoulder, back at the depths of the Abyss. He''d traveled all over the forest, and found nothing that should scare Wisp. What was he missing? What hadn''t he seen?


    In the distance, beyond the oversized forest, the Abyss wound down to its narrow end. There, the land grew dark. Clouds clung to the earth. He caught a glimpse of a river through the cloud, deep, flat, and gray, before the clouds closed the gap once more. Coldness emanated from the space. An intense chill, beyond mere lunam.


    A shiver ran down his spine, unbidden. Ike ran a hand over the back of his neck and looked away. That''s¡­ not a place I should look at too long. There''s something dangerous there. If Wisp told me she was scared of something from that place, I wouldn''t doubt it for a second.


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    He nodded at Wisp. "So? Where are we going from here? Which way is out?"


    Wisp pointed up.


    Ike rolled his eyes at her.


    She managed to hold a serious expression for another few beats before she broke into a grin. "There''s a place where the barrier grows weak, here. The deep-Abyss'' strong aether and the northern Abyss'' strong lunam weaken the mana-based barrier here. I think the two energies are eroding whatever the city lord used as the barrier''s foundation." She paused, then looked at Ike. "You know how barriers work, right?"


    Ike nodded instinctively, then paused. He shook his head. "Not at all, actually."


    "It''s pretty simple. You find places where the energy you''re using to form the barrier is strong, then drive conduits inscribed with barrier enchantments deep into those spots. The conduits draw out the energy from the earth and apply it to the barrier. Since barriers are long-term spells, they can''t be powered by one person, or even many people, so that''s why mages tap into the earth''s energy flows instead." She paused. "That is a vast oversimplification of barriers. And there''s many types of barriers. Some do use the personal mana of one extremely powerful individual. Others are based on ancient artifacts or complex spell arrays. But this one is a conduit-based spell."


    Ike nodded. "Is it a conduit-based spell because the natural land has such an immense mana flow?"


    "Well, it has an immense lunam flow. Honestly, I don''t really understand the barrier. It''s inverting lunam to mana, or something¡­?" Wisp said.


    "Oh," Ike said, pressing his lips together as everything fell into place. Inverting lunam to mana, huh? Like the dolls. The city lord''s specialty, the dolls filled with that lunam-to-mana black goop. And who set up this spell? The city lord.


    "Anyways, my wild theories about exactly what''s happening to the barrier aside, the barrier is flawed here. There''s a way out. It''s very thin, but as long as something penetrates the barrier, anything can."


    "Huh?" Ike said, lost.


    Wisp held her hand up, palm down. "A barrier is meant to keep things out, right?"


    "Right."


    "Think about a waterskin. You know, a hide that holds drinking water. If the hide is intact, nothing gets from one side to the other, right?" With her other hand, Wisp pressed against the top of her hand. Nothing got through.


    Ike nodded, following.


    "But if you have one little hole¡­" She pressed a single finger through the gaps in her ''barrier'' hand''s fingers, then wiggled all her fingers on the other side. "All the water gets out, and your waterskin empties."


    "Yeah, agreed," Ike agreed.


    "If a barrier is whole, nothing can get in or out. As long as it has a hole, everything can escape. Just like a waterskin," Wisp said.


    Ike raised his hand. "Water is a liquid. I''m a human being. I have bones."


    "Don''t worry. You''ll be fine," Wisp said, waving her hand.


    He gave her a look. "Do spiders have bones?"


    "No. We have exoskeletons. It''s honestly somewhat inferior to actual bones, but when I shed and get all soft for a few minutes, I can squeeze anywhere, unlike you stiff-boned humans," Wisp said proudly.


    "And what if I can''t shed and get soft for a few minutes?" Ike asked.


    "You''ll be fine," Wisp repeated.


    Ike eyed her. I''m suspicious. I''m very suspicious.


    "In any case, the hole''s right¡­ around¡­" Wisp leaned back and forth. She frowned, then picked up a new stone. Hauling back, she threw the stone with all her might.


    The stone soared up, up, up. Sparks clipped against the edges of the stone, but it zipped through and out onto the other side.


    Wisp grinned. "Found it."

 117. One Strand to the Sky

    Wisp kneeled and wrapped a length of thread around a stone. She lifted her hand, squinting down the length of her arm, then threw the stone in the same place she''d just thrown the previous stone. It bounced through and kept going, flying up, up, up, toward the edge of the wall high above.The stone fell short. It plummeted back down. About halfway down the wall, it caught onto the sheer stone.


    "Eh, good enough." Wisp gave the thread a good tug, then nodded to herself.


    "I''m sure you could get it with another try or two," Ike encouraged her.


    "Or I could climb up and throw again from the other side of the barrier, where it''s easier," Wisp said.


    "Or you could do that," Ike agreed.


    She chuckled. Handing the thread to him, she gestured him on. "Go ahead."


    "Me first?" Ike asked, surprised.


    "You''re the one more likely to fail," she reasoned.


    "Guess so." Ike took the thread and gave it a tug himself, looking up at the stone where it attached to the wall. Compared to a spider, his thread-climbing skills were pitiful. Not that he was bad at climbing. But spiders, who lived their whole life in webs, were professionals.


    Just as he was about to climb up, Ike jolted. "Wait, hold on. What if the city lord comes by while we''re climbing out?"


    "Uh¡­ I don''t know. I guess we just hope he doesn''t," Wisp said.


    "But why do that, when I have a solution?" Ike asked. He stepped away from the webbing and patted around until he found the invisible wolf''s body. Ike sliced its belly open, letting the organs fall out. "Just one second. I''ll have us completely invisible in no time."


    "Whoa, whoa, whoa! What are you doing? Those are good eats!" Wisp said, startled. She leaped on the organs and slurped them up, stuffing them into her mouth.


    "Do you want the meat, too? I don''t have much use for it," Ike admitted.


    Wisp made grabby gestures.


    "Just leave the hide, claws, and teeth untouched. You can have the rest." Ike handed it over.


    Wisp snatched it from him. She scurried off. Ike turned away, giving her privacy to do whatever disgusting things she needed to do. Slurping, gulping, and tearing noises came from behind him, and then a floppy soft item dropped on his head. Ike grabbed at it, pulling and pulling until the skin fell in front of him. Its underside appeared at last, bloody and all-too visible. Ike pulled a face. "I''ll be scraping this thing for absolute ages. Look at that mess."


    "Just use magic, or whatever," Wisp said. She wandered back over, picking at her teeth.


    "I don''t have skin-cleaning skills," Ike said, giving her a look.


    "Then what the hell is your being-a-human doing for you? Just become a monster," Wisp opined, leaning back against a nearby tree.


    Ike stopped. He squinted at her. "If I don''t have skin-cleaning skills, I might as well become a monster?"


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    "Well, yeah. Humans are the ones who have all those useless-but-convenient skills. If you don''t have useless-but-convenient skills, what''s the point of being human?" Wisp spread her hands and gave him the smug look of someone with an unassailable argument.


    Ike opened his mouth, then shut it. He shook his head at her and turned back to the skin. Drawing his razor, he settled in. "I''ll be done in a jiff. Just give me a day or two."


    "A day or two isn''t a jiff," Wisp said impatiently.


    "It''s a jiff for curing skins. Though what I''m doing isn''t a true cure. It''s a field dry. Barely processed at all. When we get to civilization, I''ll have to check if it turned out right, and if not, properly preserve it."


    "Yeah, yeah. Just cast some human magic on it, it''ll be fine," Wisp said, waving her hand.


    "The hell do you think human magic is?" Ike muttered, mostly to himself. The razor shivered in his hands. The nostalgic feeling of removing gore from a skin came over him. He moved on instinct, easily handling to shift and stretch of the un-stretched skin. There''d been plenty of times he''d had to process a skin too large to put on the racks. In fact, he was the only one his uncle had allowed to process those large skins.


    Ike snorted under his breath. I guess he did value my work. At the time, I couldn''t see it, but looking back, he clearly favored my skill.


    Fuck-all that did for me, though. If our paths ever cross again, I''m killing that motherfucker.


    Time passed. With his magehood, Ike could work through the night, and he was able to finish cleaning the skin before the sun rose again. Finding a pair of well-spaced trees with few branches, he cleared out the space between them and took down the trouble branches in the place he''d need to stretch the hide. He borrowed a bit of thread from Wisp and bound the hide up to dry. When the underside of the hide was taut and dry, he brought it down. He severed a piece at the bottom for Wisp.


    Wisp was off hunting by then, so he set the hide aside for a moment and took up the wolf''s fangs. They were invisible like the rest of the wolf. He swung it around, trying it out. This could make an excellent hidden weapon, but¡­ He turned it left and right, then took up his sword and tried to cut the enamel. The sword scratched the surface, but not much more. Rather than risk dulling the sword, he set it aside in favor of the super-hard spider''s fang that he''d used on the doll. That cut into the tooth with ease. He carved out a handle, then slashed at a tree. The side of the fang did little, but when he punched directly at the tree, it pierced straight into the wood. Raising his foot to the tree, Ike yanked it out with all his strength, staggering back a little from the recoil. He looked at the fang and nodded, satisfied. Not bad! Not bad at all. I''ll take a punch dagger. No one will expect it when I primarily use a slashing-based sword technique. And it''s invisible. A good thing to keep in reserve.


    Wisp walked by, chewing on a large, crunchy grasshopper leg. She tore off a chunk with her teeth and crunched it down.


    Ike winced. "Yuck."


    "Incorrect. Yum. You done tinkering, by the way? Someone will notice the thread sooner or later, and if they do, we''re fucked." She opened her mouth and lifted the grasshopper leg. It was larger than her own leg, but somehow vanished into her mouth. She chewed, then swallowed and patted her stomach, satisfied.


    "Got some snacks for the road?" Ike asked. He hung the fang-dagger from his hip and collected the rest of the materials, sticking them into his bag. Reaching to the tree, he tossed Wisp her portion of the hide and wrapped his around himself. Using a tiny scrap of Wisp''s sticky thread, he created a neck-closure to hold the fur around himself, folding it up to make a rudimentary hood. He turned. "Wisp, you should¡ª"


    Wisp connected another piece of thread to the bottom of the fur, all but stitching it closed around her. Only her face and a tiny slice of her body were visible. She looked up. "Yeah?"


    Ike glanced at his suddenly-inadequate solution. He shook his head. "Nothing. Never mind."


    "Oh, you want me to close yours? Sure, stand still." She crossed to him. Holding a ball of thread in her palm, she extended a thread to her fingertips. Touching on the left and right side of the fur''s opening, she quickly stitched his shut in the same method as hers. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Th-thanks," Ike said awkwardly.


    "No problem. We help each other out, right? That''s what friends do."


    Ike grinned. He nodded. "That''s right."


    "So, go climb that thread!" Wisp said, pushing him toward it.


    "Alright, alright. I''m going." Ike chuckled under his breath, then walked toward the thread on his own power. He grasped it, gazing up at the distant sky. Here goes nothing.

 118. From Hell to Heaven on a Spiders Thread

    Ike gripped the thread and pulled. It held his weight without budging. He grabbed onto it with his other arm, then wrapped his legs around it. The thread was so thin it was hard to grasp with his legs, but now that he was Rank 2, his arms were more than strong enough to haul him up alone. One hand over the other, he hauled himself up into the sky. Wisp stood at the bottom, watching him climb up.Ike gestured to her. "Come on!"


    "One at a time. My thread''s strong enough for us both and much more, at the best of times. That barrier makes things weird. Best to play it safe," Wisp called after him.


    I understand. He turned his eyes upward and kept going.


    Upward into the sky. He quickly approached the height of the barrier. Ike braced himself, preparing to run into a solid object. There was no way he''d just¡­ slide through the way Wisp had suggested. He''d have to figure out his own way through.


    His hand thumped into a solid surface. Ike drew to a halt. He slid his hand up over the thread, feeling the edges of the boundary overhead. A small hole pierced through the barrier, barely larger than a coin.


    Pain stabbed into his finger. Ike yanked his finger back. A small cut opened on the inside of his finger.


    He shook his hand out, then grabbed onto the string again. He wrapped his legs around it to secure his hold. From his safe position, he took a close look at the barrier.


    Immense pressure emanated from the whole thing, but here, the barrier grew thin. The pressure weakened. He patted the sky, thinking.


    "Just climb through already!" Wisp shouted up at him.


    "I''ve got bones!" Ike shouted back at her. He turned his attention back to the hole in the barrier. Lost in thought, he twisted his lips. He poked at the hole a few times, clutching on with his legs to let both hands get a grip. It was only thanks to his Rank 2 physique that he could risk such a maneuver. Even at Rank 1, he wouldn''t have trusted his legs to grip on to such a narrow thread. Rank 2, on the other hand, made it easy.


    The aether he inserted into the gap swirled around on both sides of the hole. The barrier stretched as thin as a sheet of paper. It trembled under his examination, equally as fragile as paper. He punched at it. The paper trembled harder, but held. Less like paper, then, and more like the delicate, thin strength of a drum head. Experimentally, he formed a ring of aether around the edge of the hole and pushed outward. The barrier stretched. It expanded to the width of a fist, then stopped.


    Ike grinned. He added a second ring of aether to the first and pushed again, this time with the power of twice as much aether. The barrier stretched again, only widening to about the size of a child''s head. Not one to stop while something was working, he added another ring, and another. The barrier widened once more, but didn''t grow any wider than the size of his head.


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    Ike lowered himself, grabbing onto the thread again to consider his next move. The ring technique worked, but this was clearly all the more it could give him. He needed something else. Something different. A new technique.


    He activated Ice Armor, creating a sheen of ice on his hand. In the winter, back in the slums, the roads would freeze over in the sheer cold. The ice settled into any little crack or hole in the cobbles and expanded it, making a new hole. He''d seen strong rocks with hairline cracks get burst open by a strong enough freeze. Ice had great opening power, shattering power, breaking power¡ªall of those qualities belonged to a material people usually associated with closing, stillness, stiffness.


    It wasn''t as if the ice would crack the road open forever. Eventually, the new holes in the cobbled in would get filled with stones, just like the old cobbled road, but¡­ He glanced up at the barrier. Maybe it''ll work the same way? He didn''t need the barrier to open forever, just for long enough for him to squeeze through.


    Ike pressed his hand against the barrier. He activated Ice Armor over the surface of the barrier, using his aether rings to freeze the surface. Ice crackled over the sky. Immediately, it began to melt. Before it could, he drew back his fist and unleashed a punch into the ice. Shockwaves pounded into the frozen barrier.


    The ice cracked, then shattered. With it, shards of barrier fell away. Before it could close up again, Ike scurried upward. He clambered up the thread toward the stone face it latched onto.


    "What do I do once I get to the top?" he called down at Wisp.


    "Climb the stone!" Wisp shouted up.


    "I''m not a spider," Ike grumbled to himself. He closed in on the top, where the thread latched to the wall. Reaching his hand away from the thread, he activated Lightning Grasp and thrust his hand into the stone wall. His fingers pierced the stone. A thin stream of lunam leaked out. Still holding on to the thread, he slowly put all his weight onto his hand. The stone held. He activated Lightning Grasp on his other hand and climbed out onto the stone, away from the thread. Holding there, he looked down at Wisp.


    The second he stepped off the thread, Wisp scrambled up it. In the blink of an eye, she climbed from ground level to the barrier, then to the top of the rock. She didn''t pause there, either, but kept climbing. Her fingertips and toe-tips pressed to the rock, she scaled it as easily in human form as Ike had seen spiders scale walls in the slums. He stared after her, then shook his head. "After I wait up for you¡­"


    "Huh? Can''t hear you from way back there," Wisp called mockingly.


    Ike rolled his eyes. He went back to climbing. Unlike Wisp, he took his time, making sure to set his hands firmly before he raised his feet. He used Lightning Clad to enhance his legs so he could kick footholds into the rock. The two techniques together let him easily clamber the rock wall, if with somewhat less ease than Wisp''s natural ascension.


    As he climbed, he absorbed the wisps of lunam. Now that I can process aether, I should be able to use this. All energy is based on aether, after all. For now, he simply stored it in his core, with the intent to attempt to convert or use it later.


    One hand at a time, he climbed toward the top of the cliff. Ike shook his head, heaving a deep breath. Just a little further. A little¡­ S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At the top of the cliff, Wisp shouted.


    "Wisp?" Ike asked, startled. No reply.


    He gritted his teeth. Reaching up, he sped toward the top of the cliff. Whatever''s going on up there, I don''t want to be caught on the face of a cliff while anyone''s trying to kill us!

 119. Cliff Hanger

    Ike pulled himself up the face of the cliff toward the edge. Just under the upper edge, he paused, listening with the full force of his enhanced senses. What happened to Wisp?"Who the hell do you think you are?" Wisp barked, angry.


    A man laughed at her. "The question is, who do you think you are? You climbed up out of Lord Brightbriar''s prison. I''m sure he''ll be happy to hear you got caught so quickly."


    "Caught? Do I look caught to you?" she snarled.


    The man paused. "Yes?"


    Shit. I need to see. Ike held his breath, then peered up over the edge, ready to drop back down at the slightest sign of danger.


    Two men stood at the edge of the Abyss. One stood back, broad and silent, his arms crossed and a pair of hand-axes on his shoulders. He was clad in the worn, monster-leather armor of a hunter. His pressure was hard to read, but it made Ike hesitate, a sure sign the man was at least a little higher level than him.


    The other stood forward, facing a floating Wisp. That man wore traditional mages'' robes in silks and satins, with jewels and gold dangling from every piece of his body. His limbs were thin and his manner of dress foppish, but the pressure exuding from him easily overwhelmed Ike''s. It came close to Wisp''s, but if he had to say whether the man or Wisp had the stronger pressure, he would pick Wisp.


    Wisp floated before both of them, caught in a twisting ball of misty blue energy. Her wolf skin laid to the side beside her, folded over on itself, only a part of its inner side visible. She struggled, her bare hands and feet clawing at the air. She grimaced at the men, her eyes squinting with anger. A complex magic circle, wrought in gold, shone at her feet.


    "If not for your damn spell circle, you''d be dead already," Wisp promised.


    "Ah, but preparation makes all the difference. Yes, yes. She''s a lively one." The man leaned in, a small smile on his face.


    Ike dropped below the edge of the cliff. He almost didn''t hear what the man whispered:


    "You''d better hope Lord Brightbriar offers a good price. I know men who would pay half their fortune for a feisty little thing like you."


    Ike narrowed his eyes. Clinging to the cliff face, he quickly calculated. Wisp was clearly sending him a message with her emphasis. If he could free her¡­ but then, the second man was at least a little over his level. And that assumed Wisp could handle the man in silks. If she couldn''t¡­


    And if I don''t attack, what''s the chance I can keep up with these two? Track them? Find them again? Wisp is signaling that she can handle the strong one, as long as I free her. I need to trust her. If he waited too long, he''d lose the element of surprise. He had to move.


    Now!


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    He hauled up with all his might, throwing himself over the edge of the cliff. Both men''s eyes widened. The foppish one threw up his hand. Ike charged him, his teeth gritted.


    The man''s eyes crinkled. He began to laugh. A bolt of light soared from his hand, searing toward Ike.


    Lightning Dash! Ike jolted to the side, dropping low. Scraping his hand across the dirt, he grabbed the gold circle and threw it into the woods.


    The bolt of light flew wide. The foppish man''s eyes widened.


    The blue light around Wisp dispersed. She dropped to the ground. Without hesitation, she leaped at the foppish man.


    "Help!" the fop yelped. Light glittered around his body, deflecting Wisp''s rapid-fire claw attacks. He stumbled back, trying to shake Wisp off, but she clung with all her might.


    Drawing his hand-axes, the other man closed in.


    Ike jumped to his feet and charged the burly hunter. "You''re fighting me!"


    "This pipsqueak," the hunter grunted. He hefted an axe and hurled it at Ike''s head, then turned to chase Wisp.


    Lightning cracked. Ike snatched the axe out of the air. He threw it back, and to his surprise, lightning chased after it. Huh?


    The man startled. Turning to fully face Ike, he caught the axe, then jerked his hand away, dropping it. He shook his hand. "A trick attack like that won''t save you."


    "Heh," Ike said. Silently, he raised his brows, surprised at himself. How the hell did I do that? I need to develop that skill. Coat my weapons with electricity, and toss them at the opponents! He lacked a ranged attack, but thinking about it, lightning in its natural form had ranged attacks. Simply coating himself in lightning was but the first step. Firing it, throwing it, and blasting it¡ªI''ve discovered my Rank 2 goal.


    The man bent to pick up his handaxe. In that instant, Ike darted in. He drew his sword as he closed in, unsheathing it and striking in the same moment.


    The axe fighter''s eyes gleamed. He threw a handful of dirt from the ground as he picked up the axe. Orange light glittered for a split second. The dirt twisted in midair and stabbed at Ike''s eyes.


    Ike yanked his head back. The dirt flew past his face. His instinct shouted to retreat, but he suppressed it. Retreating meant the opponent would have his whole focus to guide the earth. Instead, Ike continued his strike. The blade pierced toward his opponent''s shoulder.


    The man shrugged his shoulder back, taking the blow on the thicker leather below his shoulder joint. Ike scored a thin cut, but nothing serious. He retreated, putting a bit of space between them. Now that the dirt spell wasn''t active, he could take a moment to recollect his thoughts.


    He and the man stared one another down. The man eyed him, backing away as well. In his back hand, he tossed the remaining axe in one hand. He kept his forward arm between him and Ike. The abandoned axe stood between them, marking the center point.


    "Interesting accessory there," the man said, gesturing at Ike''s shoulders.


    Ike glanced over, then laughed when he saw nothing. "Neat, isn''t it?"


    Lightning grew stronger over Ike''s body. Overhead, clouds covered the sky. As he circled the man, he activated Ice Armor. Cool weight settled over his chest and his off-hand.


    Ike quickly checked his skills as they circled, just to make sure he hadn''t forgotten something.


    [Name: Ike | Age: 15 | Status: Nm | Rank: 2 [Abyss Dweller]]


    Skills: Common: 7 | Bronze 3 | Silver 2 | Gold 1 | Rare 2 | ¡­ | Unique: 4


    Common: All-Around Runner Lvl 8 | Razor Handling Lvl 9 | Spear Handling Lvl 4 | Axe Handling Lvl 4 | Sword Handling Lvl 9 | Bow Handling Lvl 1 | Primitive Crafting Lvl 8


    Bronze: Sensory Enhancement Lvl 9 | Mana Manipulation Lvl 5 | Lunam Manipulation Lvl 0


    Silver: Flurry of Kicks Lvl 3 | Chlorophyll Lvl 1


    Gold: Shockwave Punch Lvl 2 | Ice Armor Lvl 1


    Rare: Salamander Healing Lvl 9 | River-Splitting Sword Lvl 6


    Unique: Lightning Dash Lvl 9 | Lightning Grasp Lvl 7 | Lightning Clad Lvl 2 | Lightning Caller Lvl 3


    Here we go.


    The man lunged for his axe. Ike leaped as well. The two of them closed in on one another, both tensing for the next round of violence. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 120. The Charge

    Lightning flashed. Ike unleashed a flurry of kicks at the man''s head as he ducked to grab his axe.The man''s fist thumped down just on the inside of his axe. A pillar of earth blocked Ike''s kicks. In a few kicks, Ike demolished the pillar, but the man had already retrieved his axe. The axe-wielder sliced upward at Ike''s hips.


    Ike sucked in a short breath and leaped back with all his might. The axe-wielder pressed the attack, pushing Ike back with a consecutive series of swings. Ike''s shoulders hit a tree. The axe-wielder''s eyes glittered. He sliced at Ike''s neck.


    Ike jerked his sword up just in time to block. Their blades clashed in a shower of sparks. Ike pressed aether into his Lightning Grasp, deliberately bursting the technique. A jolt of electricity zipped from his sword to the man''s axe.


    The man winced. His grip weakened, and the axe slipped through his grasp. He caught it before it fell from his hand, but it was too late. Ike kicked off the tree, throwing his shoulder directly into the man''s chest. Hiding his fist under his body, he charged Shockwave Punch. Two, three, four shockwaves vibrated up his arm.


    The man elbowed Ike''s back. He dug in his heels, slowing Ike''s charge. "Dumb kid, you don''t¡ª"


    Ike slammed the punch into the man''s stomach.


    Under the armor, the man''s stomach wobbled like a bowl of jelly. He coughed. Blood splattered over Ike''s back, staining the wolf''s invisible fur red. Ike didn''t relent. He slammed another two, three punches into the man''s gut.


    Anger sparked in the axe-wielder''s eyes. He pulled his arm back and struck toward Ike with all his strength, ignoring the pain to lash out regardless.


    At that moment, Ike jumped back. The axe sliced by his face, almost lopping off his nose. He cut toward the man''s arm, but the man swayed backward, as quick on his feet as a boxer. Again, Ike barely scored a glancing blow.


    The man abruptly lurched to the side, losing his footing on a bit of moss. An opening appeared, straight to his heart. Ike lunged.


    And plunged, straight down a foot into the earth. He stumbled, completely off balance.


    The man grinned. He instantly recovered, his slip nothing but a fake, and cleaved into Ike''s shoulder.


    Shit! There was no time to dodge, no time to counter. Ike poured all his aether into his shoulder, activating Ice Armor to its fullest burst. Ice built and built on his shoulder. The axe cut into him, but the ice slowed and deflected the blade enough that the man only dug a deep wound in his flesh, rather than shattering his collarbone and ruining his entire shoulder.


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    Bleeding through the ice coating, Ike yanked his feet free of the pit and backed away. He eyed the pit warily. That definitely wasn''t there a second ago.


    As if to confirm his suspicions, the earth closed up behind him. The ground immediately began crumbling beneath his feet. Ike jumped up and grabbed a tree branch, ignoring the pain to haul himself into the tree. The axe wielder sliced at his legs as he climbed. Ike swung with the blow, turning a savage attack into a bad flesh wound. He crouched on the tree branch and looked down at his opponent.


    The axe-wielder made kissy noises at him. "Come down, kitty cat."


    Ike gave him a look, then stilled. His eyes widened, and his grip tightened on his sword. There was a strike in the River-Splitting Sword that he''d never been able to master. An attack that never made sense to him. A downward blow, at the mid-body range. The attack leveraged all of his strength, but that was it. It didn''t angle down enough to slice the thighs, or cut high enough to break guard. It was a strange, mediocre attack, one that never made sense to him.


    But now, looking down at an attacker from the branch, he understood.


    The axe-wielder backed up. He leaned left and right, getting a better angle, then threw his axe at Ike so fast it blurred.


    Ike leaped off the branch. As he dropped toward the axe-wielder, he released the final blow of the River-Splitting Sword. His mantis blade sped toward the axe-wielder''s throat.


    The axe-wielder jerked back, but too slow. The blade sliced into his neck, spilling blood out and down his chest. He grabbed at his neck with one hand and hammered down at Ike with his axe.


    Ike kicked off the ground. For the first time the whole battle, he burst off with the full speed of Lightning Dash. His body became a blur, and the axe cut through nothing but his mirage. He darted back in, cutting at the man''s neck again.


    The man''s eyes widened. He lifted his axe to block his neck. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike angled his blade, shifting it downward. He grabbed the man''s shoulder and stabbed up, into his ribcage. More blood poured out, staining his stomach and pants. He staggered, then fell onto his back. The axe dropped out of his hand.


    Breathing heavily, Ike backed away. He wiped his face and looked down at the man. It didn''t feel real. Not yet. His whole body remained tense, still keyed up from the battle.


    A loud explosion burst to his right, all but throwing him off his feet. He stumbled, surprised. Pushing his bandana back up, he looked over toward the explosion.


    Wisp flew backward, out over the Abyss. She gestured and shot three strands of spiderweb into the forest. They caught on the trees. She gave a firm yank and flew back toward the forest.


    The foppish man chuckled. He reached into his pocket and lifted a card inscribed with a spell circle. "I don''t think so." A small pulse of mana pushed into the card, and a fireball flew toward Wisp.


    Wisp grimaced. Her threads burned up, and the fireball plunged toward her.


    "Wisp!" Ike shouted. He threw his hand out toward her.


    Her eyes widened. She shot spiderweb at him. It latched onto his hand, and Wisp threw her weight against it. Ike dug his heels in and pulled back, and she flew toward him. The fireball burst behind her, throwing her toward him even faster. She slammed into him, and both of them hit the ground.


    "Thanks for the save," Wisp said, jumping back to her feet.


    "Huh? Yeah. You''re welcome," Ike said. He brushed himself off and climbed to his feet. He nodded at the foppish man. "What''s his deal? Why are you having trouble with him?"


    Her nose wrinkled. "He''s a bullshit-eating cheater."


    "What?"


    "So, listen to this bullshit¡­"

 121. Listen to This

    Wisp''s nose wrinkled. She shook her head. "He''s using talismans.""He''s¡­ what?" Ike asked, lost.


    She pointed. "You saw that stupid-looking card, right?"


    I didn''t think it was stupid, but¡­ "Yeah."


    "That''s a talisman. They''re total cheats. Someone else casts a spell on a piece of paper, and until that paper degrades, you can release that spell at anyone else. It doesn''t matter how high your Rank is. As long as you have a tiny amount of mana, anyone can use a talisman." S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike''s brows shot up. "Why doesn''t everyone use talismans, then?"


    Wisp rolled her eyes. "Because they''re crazy hard to make. There''s probably only a handful of talisman-makers in all the cities, and most are low-level, since talisman-making isn''t exactly a route to great power and higher strength. It''s kind of a dead-end field. You have to invest decades, maybe centuries, to learn them, and they don''t help you that much, since you can only create talismans at your own Rank.


    "You need to be a very particular kind of person to pick it up. As a result, they''re insanely expensive. One of those talismans is probably worth an entire house in the upper city."


    "Holy shit," Ike whispered. He looked at the foppish man with a new light in his eyes, somewhere between impressed and disgusted.


    The foppish man leaned around the trees. "Where''d you two criminals go, hmm?"


    Ike turned sideways to the man. He lifted his wolfskin, hiding Wisp from his view as well. "Doesn''t that mean he isn''t necessarily as high-Rank as he appears? If he''s just using powerful spells he''s borrowed from someone else."


    "Bingo. The problem is, he''s got a shit-ton of those spell cards, and he''s not afraid to burn them." Wisp peered out from behind the wolfskin, eyeing the foppish man. "We need to get close without him detecting us, and then it''s a piece of cake. But if he detects us¡­"


    "Hello¡­? Where are you?" the man sing-songed. He threw a card into the forest. An explosion rattled off, spewing fire and shattered trees into the sky.


    "Why the hell is he wasting this much money on us?" Ike whispered, shocked. "He just randomly encountered us in the forest. He''s trying to capture you for money! Why¡ª"


    Wisp pressed her lips together and shook her head. "Some people defy reason. They just want to hurt others for their own self-satisfaction."


    "He''d waste that much money?" Ike muttered again, disbelievingly.


    Wisp gave him a look. "There''s people for whom this much money is chump change, Not even worth bending over to pick up. Pennies. People who waste more money than you will make in your life, in a single day."


    Ike raised his brows. He shook his head. "How the hell do I become one of those?"


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    Wisp chuckled. "If I knew, you think I''d be living in the forest?" She paused, then sniffed. "From what I''ve heard from you humans, seems like you mostly have to be born into it."


    "Oh. That sucks," Ike muttered.


    "Tell me about it," Wisp replied.


    Ike frowned. "But wait, if he''s capturing you for money, but he''s super rich¡­"


    Wisp spread her hands. She let out a deep, sad sigh. "I can''t help it. I''m just worth that much."


    Ike laughed. He shook his head at her. "But seriously."


    She shrugged. "I don''t know. Rich people are weird. Maybe he needs to prove he can make money to someone. Maybe he''s just having fun. Maybe he really thinks he can extort that much money out of Lord Brightbriar. I don''t know."


    "Yeah¡­ fair. I don''t understand rich people, either," Ike said, patting his bag where Rosamund sat.


    She nodded. "I landed a few hits on him, but nothing substantial. Since he relies on talismans, I wasn''t really able to wear him down much."


    "Were you able to wear down his talismans?"


    Wisp grimaced. "Not as much as I''d like."


    "Better than nothing." Ike grabbed Wisp around the waist. "I''m going to run in. Are you ready?"


    She turned around and clung to him, bracing against his body. Her feet pressed against his hip bones, ready to push off. "Let''s do this."


    Ike ran in with Lightning Dash. The wolf skin jostled around his shoulders. Wisp tensed, staring intently ahead.


    The foppish man turned. "Oh! There you are! Give in and¡ª"


    Wisp leaped off Ike''s hip. Ike darted around the back of the man, helping her pincer attack. The two of them closed in on the foppish man.


    The man threw a circle of cards around him. The card stock burned, ashes drifting up from the corners of the cards as they flew. Ike sped up. Dodging to the left, he ran past the cards and closed in on the man.


    From the other side, Wisp raced toward him. She swept her hand out in front of her. A net of webbing caught the cards out of the air. With a flick of her wrist, she threw them to the side. They smashed into a wall of trees and exploded. Wood splinters shot in all directions. A few rattled off Wisp''s back, but she didn''t flinch. She and Ike charged toward the man, raising their fists.


    The man looked left and right, then laughed. He put his hands on his hips and shook his head at them.


    He''s confident. That''s a bad sign. Ike slammed the man with a huge punch, while on the other side, Wisp kicked his head.


    The man didn''t move. Ike''s fist recoiled as if he''d hit a stone wall.


    Ike retreated. He narrowed his eyes, pushing aether out to observe the man.


    Blue light shimmered faintly around the man''s figure. Ike''s aether could grow no closer to the man than the blue light.


    "His necklace. It''s a barrier enchantment," Wisp said as she leaped back, bouncing a few times like a jumping spider.


    "Heh. As I thought. You worthless criminals should give up and be captured by me," the man said. "You can''t defeat my barrier, and you can''t overcome my spells. It''s hopeless."


    "Why are you trying to capture us?" Ike asked.


    The man harrumphed. "I believe in the rule of law. You''re breaking the law. Therefore, you must be punished."


    "You''re wasting so much money on two people who would rather walk away. Who don''t want to hurt you, and aren''t doing anything to harm you. Why?" Ike asked.


    "You''ve broken the law," the man repeated, as if it was obvious.


    "You aren''t a guardsman. What do you care?"


    The man gave Ike a look. "You''re a criminal. It''s my duty to punish you. So what if I spend a little money doing it? It''s right."


    "I just happened to fall into the Abyss. I''m not even a criminal," Ike argued.


    "That''s what criminals would say," the man replied, readying another round of talismans.


    "No point arguing with him, Ike. The rich are basically insane," Wisp said, shrugging.


    Ike nodded. "I wish I had enough money to be insane."


    "Right?" Wisp muttered.


    He met her eyes. If it''s a barrier¡­ it can''t be harder to break than the city lord''s barrier. He dropped the wolfskin. The man knew where he was, and he was using spells that hit a wide area, anyways. The invisibility wasn''t helping, and he didn''t want to risk it burning up in the fire. "I can break through. Can you finish him off?"


    Wisp grinned. She bared her scrawny limbs. "You bet."


    "Let''s get that dough," Ike said, and dashed in.

 122. Cracking the Barrier

    Ike dashed in. The man lifted his hand, tossing a dozen talismans at him. The talismans burned more quickly than the previous ones, already fizzling before they left his hand. Ike raised his arms, coating them with layer after layer of Ice Armor. The fireballs blasted against him, smashing into his body and jostling him around. His armor melted. Water soaked into his arms, heightening the heat of the fire. Scalding water burned past his face.Pushing the pain away, Ike added more ice and pressed on, running with the full force of his lightning surge. He burst through the fireball and out the other side. Steam streaked after him, pouring from his arms and shoulders.


    The man stared at him, shocked, frozen for a moment. He shrieked, then threw up a handful of talismans.


    Ike slashed the talismans before they could light. Popping and fizzling, they fluttered to the ground, no longer any more than paper. Ike slammed into the man, slapping his hand onto the barrier. He pushed Ice Armor onto the man''s barrier, then slammed it with a Shockwave Punch.


    A hole opened in the barrier. In the next, it already began to recover, but too late. Ike drew his fist back and punched again, landing a blow directly on the man''s body.


    The man flew in the opposite direction. Wisp stood there, waiting, a grin on her face. She leaped into the air as he soared at him. Latching on with all four limbs, she dipped her head down. Two massive fangs appeared for just a moment as she bit the man through the hole in his barrier, then vanished as she retracted her head.


    The man screamed. Purple spread from the point of the bite. His flesh boiled, burning away. It surged over his whole body, from his chest to his head, all the way to his hands and feet. He grabbed at his robes, searching for something. The purple turned to black. His movements slowed. He fell against a tree, then sagged slowly down it. His breathing grew labored, slowing, until it finally went still.


    Wisp trotted over. Ike followed her. The both of them peered down at the man.


    "Well. That whole battle was weird," Wisp said.


    "Rich people are insane," Ike said, shaking his head.


    "Yeah."


    They both stared at the man. Ike wiped his face, taking both perspiration, steam, and burned skin with him. He shrugged at Wisp. "Well. I guess it''s time to take his shit."


    "Yeah. Might as well." She reached through the hole in the barrier and yanked the man''s barrier necklace before it could close around his body again. Wisp offered it to Ike. "Here. You want this?"


    Ike shrugged. "Sure, I guess. Seems nice."


    As she handed it over, the necklace burst. Blue light spiraled on the air, then went dark. The barrier vanished.


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    "Welp," Wisp said. She shrugged and tossed it away.


    Ike grabbed it. "That''s silver, at least! I can sell it for good money."


    "If you melt it down first, sure. Whatever we take from this guy is going to be hot as hell. His parents, clan, whatever¡ªsomeone this rich has backers. They''re going to come after whoever killed him with a vengeance," Wisp said.


    "True," Ike muttered. He tossed the barrier necklace into the Abyss. Better not to carry anything too hot. "We can throw him into the Abyss once we''re done, too."


    "Good idea. Better that he simply goes missing than if someone finds a body," Wisp said.


    Ike tilted the man''s body back and forth, but saw no skill orbs anywhere. He pulsed aether into the man''s corpse, but got no response. Can''t win them all. Giving up on skill orbs, he popped a few gems off the man''s gear. He picked up a few of the talismans, then paused. He held them up for Wisp to see. "What do you think? Are these too obvious?"


    "Yeaaaah. Probably not worth the risk. As you saw, they''re kind of the loser''s fighting method. Serious mages don''t need a crutch like that." Wisp went to toss them away, then shrugged and put them under her arm. "Well, but then¡­ hmm. If we need to put suspicion on someone else, they''re an easy thing to slip into someone''s gear."


    "Good point. Plus, we can burn them if we need to, destroy the evidence." Ike grabbed a few talismans and slotted them into his storage ring.


    "Oh, here." Wisp twisted a ring off the man''s finger and passed it to Ike. "All for you."


    Ike peered inside. A mountain of gold met his gaze. He startled and almost dropped the ring. "Are you sure?" sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yeah. You can buy things for me. After all, I can''t exactly walk into cities," Wisp said.


    "I thought monsters could pass through the barriers if they were in human form," Ike said, confused.


    "Sure, but that''s for outposts, slums, and little cities. Big cities will sense monsters one way or another." She paused. "Well, some of the big cities are friendly toward monsters, so it doesn''t matter for those, but¡­"


    Ike raised his brows. "Really?"


    Wisp nodded. "I was born near a few that were like that. Back then, I was a baby monster, but basically, if you reached human form and were willing to behave well and cooperate with society, they''d let you in."


    "Huh," Ike said.


    She shrugged. "But then you have to act like a human, and that''s utter bullcrap, so I''m not really interested."


    Ike snorted. "You seem pretty human to me."


    "Yeah, but you''re also feral and deranged."


    They looked at one another. Ike broke first, Wisp giggling madly seconds later. The two of them cackled over the corpse, their hands full of the possessions of the dead man below them.


    At last, Wisp wiped her eyes and clapped. "So, we tipping him in the Abyss?"


    "Yeah. I thought we agreed on that?" Ike asked, tilting his head.


    Wisp pursed her lips and shot him a mischievous look. "I could eat him."


    Ike picked up the man''s body and carried it over to the Abyss.


    "Aw, come on. I was joking. Joking!" Wisp said.


    "Were you?" Ike asked. He dropped the corpse into the Abyss, then walked over to the axe-wielder.


    "Not even him?" Wisp asked.


    "See, this is why I''m not sure if you''re joking," Ike said. He exerted some of his strength to lift the axe man, going back to grab his axes. The axe man''s gear was all rough. There was nothing worth taking from him. No response from his body, either; no skill orb. The axes were nice, but it''d be an absolute giveaway to show up somewhere holding the rich kid''s bodyguard''s axes. He dumped the axe-wielder and his axes into the Abyss as well.


    "Too bad. He looked like he had good meat on him," Wisp said.


    Ike gave her a look.


    "Joking, I''m joking," she said, grinning.


    "Are you?"


    "Yeah!"


    Ike shook his head. "Come on. Let''s get out of here before someone shows up."

 123. To a New Town!

    With their non-identifiable loot and the bodies safely dumped, Ike and Wisp took off into the woods. They left the Abyss behind as quickly as they could. Ike made a beeline away from their fight. They needed to put as much distance between them and the mysterious disappearances as they could, as quickly as possible. Once they went far enough in one direction, Ike hooked a right. Wisp followed alongside him, humming under her breath and totally relaxed. She tossed a gem in one hand, rolling it between her fingers, palming it, then making it reappear in her other hand."So¡­ where are we going?" Ike asked.


    "I dunno. I haven''t been outside of the Abyss for ages," Wisp said.


    "I''ve barely left the slums," Ike retorted.


    She looked around them, then shrugged. "Guess we''ll just have to figure it out."


    Ike laughed. He nodded. Wisp had a point. It wasn''t as if they were trying to go anywhere. They''d escaped from the Abyss. He couldn''t go back to the city. As long as he kept walking, he''d end up somewhere, and that was good enough for him.


    "Be nice if we ended up somewhere that guy isn''t from," Ike commented.


    "Well, he mentioned Lord Brightbriar, so he was probably headed to your city. Might even be from there," Wisp said.


    "That''s a good point," Ike said, nodding. He certainly didn''t want to go back there, regardless. If they only had to avoid one city, that was convenient.


    "In any case, there''s nothing we can do about it now," Wisp said.


    "Yeah. I mean, we didn''t even want to fight him. That guy just refused to let up until he was dead. Nothing we could do about it," Ike agreed.


    "Wish we knew their names," Wisp muttered.


    "Be easier to avoid the consequences," Ike said, nodding. He sighed again, then shrugged and put the event behind him. Since they''d already done everything they could do about their little fight in the woods, there was no point continuing to worry about it. He put his hands behind his shoulders and walked on.


    A few days passed. Ike and Wisp walked through the forest. Occasionally, they came across a monster and hunted it, but for the most part, they simply walked. The monsters were notably weaker than the monsters in the Abyss. Ike barely had to exert himself to kill them. But the further they went, the stronger the monsters became.


    "Do hunters rarely go this far from the city?" Ike asked, looking around. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yep. They''re too scared to go too far, those Rank 1 weaklings. Some of them still have to sleep," Wisp muttered.


    Ike raised his brows. He''d almost forgotten that he was now stronger than almost anyone in the slums or the outer city. Of course few people would travel this far from the city. Few people could.


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    I suppose the mages in the upper city could, but they never seemed interested in leaving the city.


    They grew closer and closer to a mountain range. Ike stared up at it, taking it all in. The craggy peaks reached taller than the city had hovered overhead. Despite the warmth of late fall, snow still clung to the bare rock. "Are we going over that?" Ike asked, pointing up at it.


    Wisp laughed. "If you want to die. Rank 2 isn''t high enough to take on the beasts that live up there."


    "What do you mean?" Ike asked.


    As he asked it, a cloud blocked out the sun, then passed over it. He glanced up, only to realize it was no cloud at all. An enormous beast passed over them. Broad, clawed wings flapped. A scaly body spooled overhead.


    A dragon as blue as the sky flapped by. It let out a puff of smoke as it circled, climbing up to the mountain peak. It vanished down into the crags below. Even as massive as it was, the mountain''s hugeness swallowed it up.


    "That''s what I mean," Wisp said.


    "Holy shit, dragons?" Ike asked, startled. Those things are supposed to be impossible to kill, even for the highest ranked mages. They''re born stronger than most humans ever reach. He looked at Wisp. "How do we get over that?"


    "We don''t. Not unless you want to end up as a crispy dragon snack." Wisp pointed at a drop in between two peaks. "We go through the pass."


    "Have you gone this way before?" Ike asked.


    Wisp nodded. "I came over this way when I was little, before I fell into the Abyss."


    "Anything to worry about?" Ike asked.


    She considered. "There was a family of foxes in the pass, but as long as you don''t enter their inn, you''re safe."


    "Enter their inn?"


    "Mmm. Remember what I said about monsters being treated like humans if they behave like humans?"


    Ike nodded. "Wait, let me guess. These foxes are exploiting that and act human at first, then¡­I don''t know, trap and eat unwary visitors?"


    Wisp raised her brows. "Have you encountered foxes before?"


    "No, just a wild guess," Ike said. I just guessed what you would do if you were ''exploiting travelers.'' Honestly, it''s more of a spider move than a fox move, but I guess any monster can set a trap and lie in wait.


    "They ignored me last time because I was too little, so they might be a little more troublesome this time," Wisp said contemplatively.


    "Not tasty enough?" Ike joked.


    Wisp shook her head. Seriously, she replied, "Spiders don''t taste very good. We''re basically chitin and goo."


    "I wasn''t planning on eating you," Ike said, snorting under his breath.


    "That makes one of us," Wisp said, cutting a look at him.


    Ike raised his eyebrows back.


    She giggled. "I''m joooo-king." Skipping ahead, she gestured for him to follow. "Let''s go, come on! Daylight''s a-wasting, and foxes are nocturnal!"


    "Does that even matter, if they don''t need to sleep?" Ike asked.


    "They''ll still be more active at night," Wisp said.


    I do feel more aware during the day, even if I can just walk through the night. Ike nodded. "That makes sense."


    "Plus, we''re more likely to see the little ones at night," she said.


    "Little ones?"


    "The ones that are barely more than ordinary foxes. They''re super cute, and super ta-"


    "Don''t say tasty," Ike interrupted her.


    "¡ªdelicious," Wisp finished instead.


    Ike sighed. "Do you think about anything but eating? Don''t you not need to eat?"


    "Not needing to eat is not the same as not wanting to eat," Wisp said proudly, slapping her belly. "Let''s go catch some baby foxes!"


    Ike rolled his eyes and followed after her. "Weren''t you just warning me about how they''re dangerous and I should beware of them?"


    "The big ones! Not the tasty ones."


    "Wisp, come on¡­" Ike eyed the pass. Had Wisp led them here just to eat the small foxes? No way.


    But then¡­


    No, it really is possible. I just don''t know.

 124. Mountain Pass

    The ground sloped upward. As they walked through the forest, they stumbled upon a dirt path. It wound through the trees, barely more than a deer track. Ike followed it. Before long, the two of them came upon a clean, cobbled road. As it climbed up the mountain, the road cut back and forth. The switchbacks zig-zagged up into the clouds, climbing so high that the trees swallowed them up. Wooden planks reinforced the cobbles where the switchbacks turned and the earth climbed too quickly. The planks were enormous, easily ten feet long and a foot wide."Is there another way around?" Ike asked.


    "Don''t complain yet. We haven''t even reached the stairs yet," Wisp said.


    "Stairs?" Ike asked, startled. He gaped at the all-but-sheer mountain face. If there were stairs on this surface, they''d be basically vertical.


    "Foxes love stairs," Wisp muttered darkly to herself. After a moment, she perked up. "And I love foxes!"


    "Eating foxes," Ike reminded her.


    "Yum-yum," Wisp sang, bouncing upward.


    Ike shook his head at her back. "You''re definitely the more deranged one of the two of us."


    "Nah."


    "Nah?"


    "Nah."


    Not going to defend it, huh? He chuckled and set off up the mountain after Wisp.


    They climbed the road in relative silence. Wisp occasionally hummed a tune to herself. Ike couldn''t catch many of the words, but the ones he did were concerning. ''Succulent meat,'' ''tasty treat,'' ''yummy yummy fox tails slurp slurp slurp.'' She bounced along with a big grin on her face, the picture of youthful innocence except for the horrifying lyrics she sang.


    "You know, I get that whole thing about you not fitting into human society now," Ike muttered, looking at Wisp.


    "What do you mean? I''m being very human right now," Wisp said, taken aback. She put her hands on her hips and stopped dead, staring at him.


    He shook his head at her and walked by without explaining.


    Wisp tsked at his back and jogged after him. "Once you taste fox, you''ll understand."


    "Aren''t they predators? Most predators are kinda gamey," Ike said.


    "Well, these are monsters. Monsters aren''t like most predators," Wisp said confidently. "Plus, they spend all their time dining on humans, so¡ª" She abruptly fell silent and shut her mouth.


    "So?" Ike asked, raising his brows. Yeah? Where were you going with that, huh? S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Soooo, anyways, it''s righteous for us to eat them," Wisp said, nodding firmly.


    "It''s righteous for us to eat them because they eat people?"


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    "Yeah! Isn''t that what humans say when they want to justify killing monsters?"


    Ike opened his mouth, then shut it. He shrugged. She''s not wrong. "You really can think like a human when you want to."


    "Teehee!" Wisp grinned proudly.


    "But I''m not eating foxes that eat people. That feels like one step away from cannibalism." Plus, I''m pretty sure they don''t actually taste good to people.


    "What? You''re just going to let them live?" Wisp asked.


    "I never said that. More for you," Ike said, patting his sword.


    Wisp grinned.


    Back and forth, back and forth, climbing the switchbacks up the mountain. At last, the path turned directly up. For ten paces, it climbed up bare mountain, and then stone stairs appeared, ascending directly up toward the peak.


    "Fuck," Ike muttered, staring up at the distant top.


    "It''s not that bad," Wisp said.


    Ike pursed his lips. He shook his head and said nothing. With one big step, he mounted the stairs. One step at a time. Stone edges unyielding below him. Sweat poured down his back and soaked into his bandanna. The sun poured from the sky. The air grew thinner, and Ike struggled to breathe. At the same time, weight pressed against his shoulders.


    "What is that?" Ike asked.


    "The mountain''s pressure." Wisp gazed at the peak, an unusual reverence in her eyes. "Some mountains are alive. Not¡­ monsters, or mages, but immensely powerful beings in their own right. The closer you get to the top, the more you experience their pressure."


    "Oh," Ike said softly. His eyes turned wary as he gazed at the peak, suddenly less certain about ascending such a venerable being.


    "In the end, they are mountains. They can''t speak, and they never move. If they act, they act on the timescale of mountains, not of mere mages or monsters. Some people say it''s just a superstition that the mountains are alive, but I''m sure you can feel the pressure just the same as I can," Wisp said.


    Ike nodded. Eyes still locked on the distant, craggy peak, he asked, "What happens if we go all the way to the peak?"


    "Then you''d have to bear the full weight of its pressure. Most can''t. It''s broken mages stronger than you," Wisp said. Her expression turned grave, then lightened. "But we''re only going through the pass, so we don''t have to worry!"


    Ike let out an exaggerated sigh of relief. "And thank goodness for that!"


    Up ahead, the ground finally began to level off. Ike huffed, pushing up his bandanna to wipe his forehead. A stiff breeze raced through the pass. Cold, dry air whisked away Ike''s sweat and ran through his wet hair. Standing in the pass, he bridged both sides of the mountain. On one side, rain poured down. On the other, rays of sunlight beamed on gorgeous fall foliage.


    He forgot to breathe for a moment. The entire world slowed down. There was nothing but the beauty of nature, the breeze, the sun and the rain.


    Gorgeous.


    A bony elbow prodded him back to reality. Wisp waggled her brows at him and pointed. Ike turned, following her finger.


    At the center of the pass, a small path led into a stand of delicate aspens. The slender trees, no bigger than a forearm, grew close together in the pass. Silvery leaves quaked on the mountain breeze. The path wound into the aspens and vanished.


    "Is that where the inn is?" Ike asked.


    Wisp nodded, then slowed. Her brows furrowed. "There was a sign, last time I was here. I wonder what happened?"


    Ike walked toward the path. As he went to enter the aspens, he stopped abruptly. "There it is."


    The sign laid on the ground, half-covered in aspen leaves. Freshly broken wood jutted out of the ground just beside it where the post had snapped.


    "Huh? Did someone break it?" Wisp asked.


    Ike twisted his lips. "Looks like it."


    "Hmm."


    They both gazed down the path, thinking.


    "Shall we?" Ike asked.


    "Only one way to find out," Wisp agreed.


    The two of them set off down the path. Ike rested a hand on his sword, and Wisp raised her hands. Both of them moved silently. They stepped carefully, avoiding twigs and leaves. The aspens shivered around them, whispering in the silence. Silver leaves shook. The whole world trembled, alive with the aspens'' motions. Ike kept glancing left and right, only to find nothing but aspens awaiting him. He swallowed.


    I don''t like this.


    From out of the aspens, an inn loomed. The simple wooden A-frame building stood tall against the mountain, its huge pointed peak gazing down on the world, like a miniature mountain itself.


    A scream broke the silence. Ike and Wisp exchanged a glance and ran, rushing toward the sound.

 125. Foxes Inn

    Ike and Wisp ran toward the inn. Ike pulled ahead of Wisp, but still ran warily. He didn''t use Lightning Dash, and he kept his head on a swivel, extending his aether and his senses ahead of him. The mountain was thick with aether and mana alike. Ike had absorbed as much of it as he could as he walked, and now his core was full again. Where lunam had sat on his mana like oil on water, aether and mana mixed easily, as did lunam and aether. He only had the trouble of lunam and mana if he let the two touch before the aether absorbed them. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.The aspens shivered around them. The massive A-line inn loomed out of the slender, silvery trees, even larger than Ike had taken it to be at first. Two rectangular wings spread to the left and right of the main A-line structure, and the inn itself stood taller than any building in the slums, three or four stories tall. About twenty feet from the front of the inn, the aspens fell away. A soft, mossy green yard took their place. Small white flowers poked out of the moss here and there. The path smoothed out, the bare earth turning to neat white pebbles. The white path arced in an appealing way toward the lodges'' broad porch. It would have been the picture of tranquility, except for one small thing.


    Two mages battled in the center of the path. One wore black, while the other wore the colorful uniform of the inn. They tossed balls of energy at one another. One dashed in, wielding a sword. The other scratched a clawed hand at the first, and a bright red slash mark materialized in the air, flying toward the swordsman. The swordsman deflected the blow, and the two parted. In the sky, another trio of mages battled, while giant foxes raced through the aspens, chasing after black-robed mages.


    Ike and Wisp exchanged a glance.


    "Should we come back another time?" Ike asked.


    "Hmm," Wisp hummed. She crossed her arms and tilted her head, thinking.


    The mage who''d launched the claw attack bounced back. Long fox ears bounced over their head, and a fox tail dangled after them. She glanced up at Wisp and Ike and visibly startled. Taking a deep breath, she sucked in her ears and tail and shot them a big smile. "Please head inside! We''ll take care of these bandits and be with you in juuuust a moment!"


    The swordsman darted in. Baring fanged teeth, the fox-girl charged him. He slashed, but she countered with her claws. They stood there, struggling for a moment. She raised her leg and kicked him hard between the legs.


    Ike hissed a breath. A chill ran up his spine.


    The swordsman crumpled. The fox-girl grabbed him by his neck and made a short jabbing motion toward his chest. With a final huff, the swordsman went still.


    "Right this way, right this way!" Beaming, the fox-girl gestured them toward the inn''s entrance, dragging the swordsman in her other hand.


    Ike eyed the dead man, then looked at the fox-girl. He smiled nervously. Internally, he raised his brows. Is this what Wisp meant by ''fooling humans?'' I don''t feel very fooled.


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    "Eh? Are you a fox?" Wisp asked loudly.


    The girl looked down. Without breaking stride, she nodded. "That''s right! Welcome to the historic Foxes'' Inn. Oh, don''t worry! We''ve reformed. And we''re one of the top-rated inns on either side of the pass!"


    Wisp grimaced. She slapped her thigh. "Dammit!"


    Ike chuckled under his breath. He patted her on her shoulder. "It''s okay. I''m sure they serve delicious food."


    "But it won''t be the same!" Wisp moaned, distraught.


    "Is your sister a picky eater? Don''t worry. We''re particularly renowned for our food," the fox-girl said cheerily.


    "Ah, that''s not the problem¡­" Ike trailed off. He waved his hand. "Never mind."


    As they passed the immaculate garden next to the inn''s door, the fox-girl casually tossed the swordsman''s body into the roses. Vines snapped up from the bushes and sunk into the man''s body. They drained him of nutrients so rapidly his body withered before Ike''s very eyes. The vines coated him, and then he vanished.


    Ike''s eyes bulged out of his face. Note: Leave the garden alone.


    "No, no. Please. We pride ourselves on five-star service. If there''s anything the young lady likes to eat, just let us know," the fox-girl said. She beamed at them and held the door open.


    Wisp perked up. "I like to eat fo¡ª"


    Ike slapped a hand over her mouth. "Hahaha¡­"


    "There''s no need to be so shy. We have a deep kitchen. I''m sure we can find whatever she wants," the fox-girl promised.


    Ike snorted. "I''m sure you can¡­ahem. No, no. She''s a little brat. Don''t pay her any mind."


    "Who''s a little brat?" Wisp asked, a dangerous note in her voice.


    "Wisp, come on," Ike muttered.


    "You can call me Lanie. I''ll attend to you in just a moment. Please, wait in our lobby alongside our other guest." She gestured toward a spacious, yet cozy parlor. Overstuffed leather furniture awaited them. A fire flickered in a large fireplace, while books flanked the hearth. Big windows provided a perfect view of the mountain and the battle outside, where a giant fox ripped a man in two.


    A dark-haired person with a narrow bun sat on one of the couches, their back to Ike and Wisp. Ike glanced at him. I guess he''s the other guest? Who else walked into this besieged inn like us idiots?


    After a beat, he realized Lanie was still standing there, waiting for a response. Embarrassed, Ike cleared his throat. "Thank you."


    "I''ll be right back," Lanie said, and raced outside.


    Ike glanced at Wisp. Wisp shrugged back. "They seem to have it in hand. Let''s take it easy and wait."


    "Sure," Ike agreed. He had no strong feelings toward the foxes or the black robed mages, so there was no need to join in. If either side attacked him, things would be different, but they''d both ignored him, Lanie aside, so he couldn''t take offense. He walked over to the couch, offering a friendly nod to the couch''s other occupant as he went to sit down.


    And then Ike froze.


    The couch''s other occupant was a man in the strangest outfit Ike had ever seen. He wore a skintight shirt that didn''t cover his shoulders but did cover his neck. A patchwork red-yellow-and-orange jacket, blazing with the brightest shades of all three, hung loose around his elbows. Black, grey, and white-striped pants billowed around his thighs, only to grow tight around his calves, where bright blue leg wraps pulled them tight to his skin. His feet were bare, but he wore blue gloves. His eyes drooped at the edges, his lids were heavy, and his bangs dangled long on either side of his face. Three necklaces of a strange jade stone dangled over his chest.


    "Good to meet you," the man said.


    Ike''s jaw worked. Abruptly, he found his voice again. "G-good to meet you, too."


    Wisp bounced forward. She looked the man up and down, then frowned. "Did you escape from the circus?"


    Ike stiffened. "Ha¡­ haha¡­"

 126. A Fellow Man

    Ike stiffened. He looked at the man slowly. I can''t feel his pressure, but if anything, that just makes me more scared. Wisp can hide hers, too. If Wisp just insulted an ancient mage, we''re so fucked.The strangely-dressed man laughed. He patted Wisp''s head. "No, no. What''s a circus?"


    "It''s a place where freaks go to¡ª"


    Ike stepped forward. "¡ªwhere performers show off their talents in brightly-colored clothes."


    "Oh." The man looked around, then pointed at himself. "Me?"


    "Yes, you," Ike said. Is he unaware of how strangely he''s dressed? Surely he put all that on himself¡­


    The man looked around again. He laughed lightly. "I think the staff are much more like circus people. Look! They''re even performing for us."


    Ike raised his brows, but said nothing.


    Wisp turned toward the windows. She nodded and hopped onto the couch next to him. "Be nice if we got snacks, too."


    "I''d like some snacks," the man agreed. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike stepped over and sat down delicately on the other side of Wisp. "I''m Ike, and this is Wisp. And you are?"


    The man thought for a second. He frowned. His brows furrowed.


    "Did you forget?" Wisp asked.


    "It''s been a while," the man said. He waved his hand. "Spend a few hundred years in seclusion, and you forget all these worldly things."


    "Seclusion¡­? Hundred years?" Ike muttered to himself.


    Wisp looked at him. "It''s an old-fashioned thing mages used to do a loooong time ago. They''d find somewhere with a lot of mana and sit there absorbing it until they Ranked up." She paused. "It was harder than killing monsters, so it fell out of fashion."


    "Oh," Ike said. He looked at the man with even more respect in his eyes. So he''s really old.


    The man chuckled, a note of pain in his voice. "I''m not that old. I''m barely more than a child!"


    A few hundred years in seclusion? I think you''re quite firmly an adult, Ike thought. Externally, he nodded at the man. "If you can''t recall your name, it''s no trouble. We can¡ª"


    "Montagne! That''s my name. Oh, but call me Mont for short. Most people do," he said, nodding.


    "Mont. Good to meet you," Ike said, nodding.


    "Likewise."


    They sat there in awkward silence for a few beats. At last, Ike cleared his throat. "So, um, what brings you here? A bit of relaxation after all that seclusion?"


    "No, not at all." The man frowned. "I was secluding in a place with thick mana, but suddenly, it all dried up. Someone is tapping the mana veins. That wouldn''t be so bad, but they''ve inconvenienced me, so they must be stopped."


    "Mana veins?" Ike asked.


    "They''re places where thick mana runs just under the earth''s surface. The mana veins supply mana to the entire region, kinda like how your mana vessels supply mana to your body," Wisp explained.


    "Oh," Ike said, nodding. That makes a lot of sense, actually. The earth needs mana to flow somehow. Why not in a similar method as it flows through the human body?


    "I suspect the inn has something to do with it, but I''m not sure what. So I came here to investigate," Mont said, leaning in. "I''m trusting you two. This is an essential investigation. Of the highest import. The region¡ªnay, the world is at stake. I can''t let anyone distract me¡ª"


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    "Tea?" Lanie asked.


    "Oh, of course, of course," the man said, sitting back. He smiled at Lanie. "Could I get some more of those biscuits as well? Or what do you call them, cookies? They were fabulous."


    "Right away, sir. Now that I''m away from battle, I''ll go warm that bath for you, hmm?" Lanie said indulgently.


    "Thank you. You''re a dear," Mont said, smiling.


    Ike narrowed his eyes at Mont. Can''t let anyone distract you? You look pretty distracted. Are you sure you aren''t here to enjoy the inn? Because it looks like you''re enjoying the inn.


    "And what about you two? Any tea? Cookies?"


    "Yes!" Wisp said.


    Ike hesitated, then nodded. I can afford it, right?


    He glanced at the storage rings on his fingers, full of the accumulated wealth of Abyssal and the money of the rich boy''s bodyguard. A small smile spread across his face. Oh, I can afford it.


    "Excellent. I''ll be right back," Lanie promised with a kind smile. She retreated, vanishing into the back of the inn.


    "Cookies are almost as good as foxes," Wisp said, satisfied.


    "Wisp!" Ike protested. We are still in their den, you know? Even if they''re reformed, or whatever. Which I doubt, but as long as they don''t attack us, I don''t really have a need to attack them. Lots of mages are murderous bastards. We set traps and kill monsters by the dozens. What''s wrong with monsters doing the same back?


    I know I''d feel differently if they killed someone I cared about, but that''s the paradox of humanity, isn''t it? We rarely care much until something happens to us personally. He glanced at Mont. Like this man and his mana veins.


    Mont glanced at her, then chuckled. "I like her."


    "What was that about the mana veins?" Ike asked, trying to bring the conversation back around to where it had started.


    "Oh. Right. Someone tapped them, and I''m angry about it. That means someone needs to be punished. But the problem is that I can''t tell exactly where the vein is being tapped. It''s somewhere on this mountain, but more than that¡­?" Mont spread his hands hopelessly.


    "We can help," Ike offered. Mana veins sounded important, and more than that, they sounded like a deep source of mana. Wherever the mana vein was tapped, there''d be a lot of mana hanging around, doing nothing. He''d be able to easily train high-level abilities and construct new skills in the area. Plus, he didn''t mind doing a good deed on his way of fighting to his next Rank.


    Mont beamed. "Wonderful! Tomorrow morning, we''ll set out. For tonight, let''s get some much-needed rest in preparation for our search."


    "We could set off right now," Ike said.


    Mont waved his hand. "No, no. We need to be fresh! On top of our game!"


    "Mages don''t need to rest. The world''s at stake. Let''s go," Ike said.


    "What? Who said mages don''t need to rest? We need rest. Rest is good for our souls!" Mont reached over and patted Ike on the shoulder. He looked Ike in the eye and slowly shook his head. "I understand, young man. You''ve been through a lot. You''ve faced a lot of danger. But here, you are safe. Rest for just tonight. You''ve earned it."


    "You''re the one who said¡ª"


    Mont sipped loudly from his tea, blocking out Ike''s voice.


    Ike shook his head and snorted to himself. I guess the world''s not in that much danger. "If you''re sure."


    "Oh, I am sure. I''m very sure. Tomorrow morning won''t be too late. We''ll save the world, starting tomorrow morning." Mont nodded firmly. He settled back, relaxing even further.


    Ike settled back as well. He glanced at Mont. Was the man worried about going out to find the mana vein? Was that why he was putting it off? Maybe he really had very little pressure. That would explain it, too. He nodded to himself, a little more at ease.


    Glass shattered. One of the black-robed mages dashed through the window toward them. He lifted his hand, and an eagle formed of flame screamed as it swooped toward Mont.


    Ike startled. The eagle emanated waves of heat, easily as strong as the ravens'' fire spell, but concentrated into a single point instead. He jumped up, already readying Ice Armor as he reached toward Mont. "Watch out¡ª"


    Mont opened his mouth. The eagle was only a magical construct, but it suddenly balked. It flapped desperately backward.


    To no avail. Mont took a breath¡ªjust one simple breath¡ªand sucked the eagle into his mouth. He made a chewing motion, then breathed out. A green flaming eagle shot from his mouth.


    The black-robed mage laughed. He summoned another eagle. "You can''t defeat me with my own spell."


    "Oh?" Mont raised a single brow.


    Hesitation flashed over the black-robed mage''s face, but too late.


    The green eagle slammed into the mage''s eagle and burst it to smithereens. It struck the black mage. Green flames consumed his body. He screamed, but only for a moment. In the next, he burned up. Ashes rained down. The green eagle flew past, taking to the sky. It soared up high over the inn, then spread its wings and dissipated.


    Holy shit. Ike stared at Mont, all his thoughts of a man afraid of danger gone. My first guess was right. I need to take this man more seriously than anyone I''ve encountered so far.


    Mont glanced over. Their eyes met. Mont gave him an easy smile and sipped his tea. Abruptly, he startled. "Ah! Too hot."


    You just swallowed a high-Rank fire spell, and the tea is¡ªIke barely resisted the urge to burst out with a response. Instead, he managed a laugh.


    Next to him, Wisp chuckled. "I knew it. He''s an old eccentric." She nudged Ike. "If you''re lucky, this is your future."


    If I''m lucky¡­ Ike looked at Mont, not sure whether to stare in awe, flinch in fear, or burst out laughing. "Yes. If I''m lucky."

 127. Mana Veins

    "So, what kind of room do you want?" Lanie asked. She slid behind a heavy wood desk and pulled out a large ledger. An enormous picture window opened up behind her, giving a beautiful view of the gardens."First floor, please," Mont requested. He smiled and laid a heavy pouch on the counter. "I don''t do well with heights."


    She nodded, gracefully accepting the pouch. "And you?"


    Behind her, a pair of foxes tackled a black-robed mage to the ground and eviscerated him. Blood sprayed. Entrails spread across the garden. Another fox joined the fray, and the man vanished under red fur.


    Wisp licked her lips. She took a small step forward.


    Ike nudged her. He nodded at Lanie. "One room for both of us." I don''t trust Wisp to not make a break for it and go eat some mages if she gets the chance.


    "Excellent. Two hundred gold," Lanie said.


    Ike raised his brows. He called out two hundred gold from the storage ring and handed it over. Lanie smiled and passed him a pair of keys. "Second floor, center room."


    "Thank you." Ike smiled and accepted the keys. He gave one to Wisp.


    "Dinner is served at six. We like to have it on the porch, weather permitting. Breakfast is at dawn." She nodded and waved.


    Ike nodded back and turned, heading toward the grand staircase. About halfway up, he glanced at Wisp. "We don''t need to eat or sleep, right?"


    "Nope." sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So why does this place exist?"


    "Because eating and sleeping are fun," Wisp said.


    "Fair enough," Ike reasoned.


    On the second floor, he came to a large wood door. The key fit into the slot, and the door opened smoothly. He stepped into a sumptuous room. Thick rugs covered a wood floor. Two large beds stood against the wall. Huge windows looked out over the mountain, providing a panorama of the surrounding area. Hills rolled down to a valley. A few farmhouses spotted the hills, and a small town hugged the river, down in the valley.


    "Beautiful," Ike murmured, resting a hand against the windowsill.


    "I want something tasty!" Wisp demanded. She plopped onto a bed. "I thought I was going to eat so much, and instead, I''m starving, eating tiny little cookies."


    "They reformed," Ike said.


    "Bullshit."


    "That might be, but we haven''t seen any evidence of it. We can''t just kill them."


    "We caaaaan, though," Wisp argued, rolling around on the bed.


    Ike snorted under his breath. "What if we help Mont with his mana veins problem instead? I''m sure there''ll be monsters blocking it, or some kind of trouble for you to eat."


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    "I know. Yeah, we can do that," she said despondently.


    "You really wanted to eat those foxes, didn''t you?"


    "I did. I do."


    Ike reached out and patted her head. "I''m sure we''ll find something else tasty."


    "Hmph."


    Leaving Wisp to sulk, Ike explored the rest of the room. A door near the entryway led into a large bathroom, complete with a claw-footed tub. Two taps glittered with enchanted stones. Ike turned the one with the red stone experimentally, and steaming water flowed out. He ran a hand under it. Hot!


    He looked at the tub, then ran a hand through his hair. Suddenly, he saw all the grease and mud and blood congealed on his body. He looked at the tub again, then poked his head out of the door. "I''m going to take a bath."


    From the bed, Wisp waved him on.


    He returned to his tub. Turning on both taps, he adjusted the water until it was just right. He set his clothes to the side and climbed in, relaxing into the hot water. Ah¡­ so nice.


    He leaned against the tub and zoned out, letting the water wash away all his aches and discomforts.


    A knock at the door broke him out of a nap. Ike flailed at the water, almost falling under. He latched onto the edge of the tub and looked around, as beleaguered as a waterlogged puppy. "W-what?"


    "The foxes brought clothes for us," Wisp said, her voice muffled on the far side of the door. "Also, it''s dinnertime. Let''s go."


    "Right. Yeah." Ike ducked his head under the water to wake himself up and ran his hair back. Giving his bandana a quick rinse in the water, he tied his hair back and climbed out. Peeking the door open, he found a pile of loose robes on the far side. Snitching them inside, he quickly dressed, then joined Wisp by the door.


    She led the way out, walking at top speed. Like him, she wore the foxes'' robes. They were a cream fabric with tasteful accents of red and blue. The sleeves were wider than most mages'' robes, and the hems somewhat shorter, falling to the knee rather than the ankle. Loose trousers accompanied the robes, unlike the tight leggings that usually accompanied mage robes. Blue-and-red striped belts finished the look.


    Even though the fashion was significantly different than the mages'' robes Ike had seen up until now, they were the most mage-like gear he''d worn. He straightened his back and walked tall. With fabric swishing around his legs and the gentle rustle of fine fabric, he felt more like a mage than he had at any moment before.


    Wisp snickered. She shook his head at him. "One bath, and he thinks he''s a big deal."


    "Hmph. That''s right, small one. Hey, if you washed yourself, maybe you''d be a big deal, too," Ike said, looking down at the very scruffy Wisp.


    "I''m not falling for your tricks. Baths make you weak! They make your skin soft and they strip away all your protective dirt! You''ll take my filth over my dead body!" Wisp proclaimed.


    Ike snorted. "Are you afraid of baths?"


    "Only the healthy fear that should be shown to something that makes you weaker," Wisp replied.


    "Uh huh."


    Ike turned the corner and came upon an enormous dining hall. A polished oaken table took up the majority of the space, running from one end of the hall to the other. Matched chairs sat beneath the table. As with most rooms in the inn, large windows gazed down at the beauty around them and let in the natural light.


    At the far end of the table, sitting at its head, Mont waited. He already had a full plate of food, and the scent made Ike''s mouth water at a dozen paces. He raised a hand as they arrived, and Ike waved back.


    "Good afternoon. Or is it evening?" Mont asked, tipping his head.


    "Probably evening," Ike said.


    "Probably," Mont agreed. He gestured them over. "Come, sit, sit. The food here is top notch. Almost makes me not regret leaving seclusion."


    Ike took a seat. Wisp sat beside him. Bare seconds after they sat, the foxes appeared, bringing out plates, forks, knives, drinks, and the first course, a clarified soup with a few shallots sprinkled on top. A delicious smell wafted over his nose, savory and herbal at the same time. A faint pressure exuded from the soup. I bet it''s medicinal, or something that''ll help empower me, anyways. Awesome!


    Ike picked up his spoon.


    The windows shattered. A half-dozen black-robed mages darted in.


    It''s okay. Mont will take care of them. Ike reached out for the soup.


    A black-robed foot stomped the table, smashing his bowl to nothing. A blade pointed at his head. Ike looked up, slowly, his eyes blank.


    "Move again, and I''ll kill you and all your friends before you can blink," the mage promised, his eyes narrowed behind the cloth mask he wore.


    "Wanna bet?" Ike asked. Lightning flickered around his body, and then he vanished.

 128. Black-Robed

    Ike vanished before the black-robed mage''s eyes. Startled, the mage looked left and right, searching for him.A hand wrapped around his neck. The mage kicked and grabbed at his neck. Ike shoved electricity into him. The mage spasmed, then went still, stunned.


    Ike looked at the other black-robed mages. He tightened his grip, and his eyes narrowed. "Get outta here, or I kill this guy."


    At the head of the table, Mont continued to peacefully eat his meal. The fox-servants bared their teeth, ears and tails appearing on all of them. Wisp crouched in her seat, more alert than she''d been since they''d arrived.


    The black-robed mages exchanged a glance. One of them made a hand signal. Without hesitation, they charged Ike.


    So that''s how it''s gonna be. Ike clenched his hand with all his might. The man''s neck and spine exploded in a blast of gore. He kicked the man''s body toward the next closest mage, then leaped forward. Lightning flashed behind him, and a thunderous boom cracked across the room.


    He reached a pair of mages just as one drew a sword. The other one massaged a fireball into existence. Both looked surprised to see him.


    Ike grinned. He jumped into the air and let loose a flurry of kicks, kicking from the swordsman to the fireball man. Both of them fell back in a splatter of blood. Their limp bodies hit the wall with a wet smack.


    Footfalls behind him. The hollow drum of feet on wood. Ike spun, punching even as he turned. His fist didn''t connect, but the shockwaves threw back two of the men and slowed the third. The third one caught himself and dashed in, punching toward Ike.


    Ike opened his storage ring for just a moment. He met the man''s punch. Their fists struck one another.


    Blood splattered. The other man screamed. He fell back, gripping his wrist. His hand had been torn asunder, sliced in half by something unseen.


    Ike looked down at his fist. The invisible wolf''s tooth punch dagger was now splattered with blood, leaving it less effective, but it had already done its work. That''s a good weapon. I used it in the opening salvo just now, but if I kept it in reserve until the last hit¡­ yeah.


    The man with the ruined fist rallied. Screaming, he raced at Ike again.


    Ike swept his feet. The man crashed to the table. Ike didn''t hesitate. He followed the man down and punched him in the eye. Through the invisible dagger, he watched the man''s eye rupture. The tip pierced through the flesh behind the eye and carved through the soft grey gelatin beyond that. He grimaced, disgusted. There were a few drawbacks to the invisible dagger, it seemed. Sometimes, it allowed him to see too much.


    Blood soaked into the tablecloth, and the man went limp. Ike stood. He quickly wiped the invisible dagger on his shirt and sent it back into his storage ring. In its place, he withdrew his sword. "Come!"


    The other two men instantly reappeared from wherever they''d vanished to. They leaped down at him from above, sweeping out a synchronized sword attack.


    Ike crouched. As the two closed in on him, he stood, sweeping upward at the same time. He pushed aether into the strike. His sword glowed with energy, which released from the sword in a short wave. The sword strike carved through both men. They fell in pieces on either side of the table, shorn apart.


    Mont clapped. Wisp stood, whistling and clapping. Even the fox servants applauded politely.


    "Neither of you two wanted to help?" Ike asked, pointing at the two old experts in the room.


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    "No," Wisp said honestly.


    "You looked like you were having so much fun," Mont said. He took another bite of his meal and closed his eyes, enjoying it deeply. "Besides, the food here is delicious. I didn''t want to interrupt my meal."


    The fox servants stepped forward. They retrieved the bodies, packing them quickly away. Wisp frowned. "Hey! I was going to eat those."


    The lead servant bowed to her. "We''ve had a shortage of meat lately. We''ll use these for the main course."


    Ike startled. He turned, slowly. "You''ll¡­ what?"


    The servant turned to him. The man stared for a second, lost. Abruptly, realization crawled across his face. He bowed. "My apologies, sir. I did not consider that we might have an herbivore in our presence. I''ll be sure to request the chefs craft a meat-free main course for you."


    Stunned, Ike could only blink at him. He opened his mouth to protest, then slowly closed it, eyeing the human corpses strewn all over the dining room. Several thoughts ran through his head as he questioned a great deal of the assumptions he''d made so far. He sat next to Wisp and leaned in.


    "Wisp, they said they were reformed, right?" he whispered.


    She nodded. "Mmm, yes. Indeed, they are quite reformed. They used to be utter savages who would attack anyone, man or beast. Useless, save as food for my hungry stomach. But now, they craft such delicious meals and act in such careful ways. Yes, I think they might have earned the right to win."


    "Utter savages, huh. But now¡­ now they only attack humans, is that it? Instead of humans and monsters."


    Wisp glanced at him. She grinned, just a little. "Who knows? Perhaps."


    "But they haven''t attacked me because I use aether, now, so they''ve assumed I''m a monster," Ike continued at a whisper.


    Wisp''s grin stretched wider. "Perhaps."


    He looked her in the eye. "Tell it to me straight. Have I eaten any human meat?"


    "Not yet. If you''d swallowed some soup, you would have. Made from the men they killed this morning¡ªthe ones they didn''t eat directly. It had a nice medicinal quality to it, you know? Just like how monster meat has magical qualities, so, too, does human meat. It''s the great equalizer! Everyone provides delicious benefits in death," Wisp said, smiling happily.


    "Right. Well. I''m not about to become a cannibal for some ''benefits,''" Ike muttered.


    "Why not? You eat monsters. What''s so different about this?" Wisp asked.


    Ike gave her a look. "Even you refuse cannibalism, you glutton!"


    She raised her brows back. "First off, what''s that supposed to mean? Even I¡­? Second off, that''s me. You''re free to make your own weird decisions."


    Ike sighed. He watched the last of the foxes retreat and shook his head. "Damn. I was looking forward to the food."


    "You can still eat it. I imagine the herbivore courses will be full of strong herbs to strengthen your aether almost as much as eating human meat," Wisp offered.


    "Yeah, but¡­ no meat," Ike complained.


    Wisp spread her hands. "You can eat the meat! It won''t poison you."


    "I''m not going to become a¡ª"


    Mont cleared his throat. "You two seem to be having such fun down there. What are you talking about?"


    Ike stiffened. He glanced at Mont. I almost forgot about him. He''s so quiet, and he has no pressure. But he''s way more powerful than he seems. I can''t be reckless around him. After all, a powerful monster like Mont probably had all kinds of Sensory Enhancement-like skills, if not enhanced senses from birth, thanks to whatever monster he''d been born as. Ike had been careless, to easily reveal his human status around Mont.


    After all, humans and monsters kill one another all the time. Wisp likes me, but even she''s a maneater. I have to be careful not to accidentally let it out that I''m a human while I''m here, or else I''ll end up on the menu.


    He nudged Wisp. "Should we get going?"


    "We haven''t even spent the night! And there''s the whole mana veins thing. Aren''t you curious about them?"


    "Not that curious." S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No¡­? Not even when I tell you that mana veins can carry so much mana that you might be able to immediately Rank up again?" she asked.


    Ike hesitated, then shook his head. "No, I just Ranked up. I still need to consolidate my Rank and figure out how to get to the next level in the most ideal way."


    "Not even when I mention how there''s usually super bloated monsters that almost always drop cores or skill orbs around the veins?"


    Ike thought for a moment, but shook his head again. "No. We can find monsters anywhere."


    "Not even when I mention how skill orbs sometimes form spontaneously around mana veins? Unique skill orbs, that is, with the kind of powerful skill that brews for eons in the belly of the earth? Not even when I point out the obvious that a mana vein that suddenly vanishes or is suddenly stolen by someone is probably about to erupt with a Unique skill?" she asked, leaning in.


    Ike froze. He looked at her, his eyes wide. "A new Unique skill?" Lightning Dash is my entire foundation. If I could add another Unique skill¡­ A good foundation is required to move up to the next Rank. Two Unique skills almost guarantee that I get to Rank 3. No¡ªRank 3 is an underestimate. Rank 4? Rank 5? It isn''t a dream to enter the ranks of the most powerful mages if I can find that new Unique skill.


    Wisp grinned. She nodded. "That''s right. A new Unique skill. What do you think? Worth it?"

 129. Worth It

    A new Unique skill. Ike bit his lip, his eyes sparkling. Infinite potential spread out before him, the incredible strength of a second Unique skill opening up routes he''d never considered possible for him.And then he glanced at Mont and sighed. "Right. Because that guy over there is just going to let us take it."


    Wisp looked at Mont as well. After a moment, she shrugged to herself and said, loudly, "Hey, big guy. That mana vein of yours, is it about to erupt?"


    "Hmm? Could be, could very well be," he said evenly.


    "If it erupts, and we helped you resolve your problem, can we keep the skills?" she asked.


    Mont considered for a second, then shrugged. "I don''t mind. I''m quite happy with the skills I have."


    Wisp turned back to Ike. "There you have it."


    "Are you sure? What if it''s a Unique skill?" Ike asked warily.


    Mont chuckled. "Unique skills, huh? I remember when I was young. I''m old, now. I have many skills, Unique and otherwise. If it is not a skill that I need, then I don''t feel the need to collect it for the sake of its Uniqueness. I have no problem offering it to a few helpful young ones."


    Ike gaped. Many skills, Unique and otherwise? How many Unique skills did Mont have, to be so blas¨¦ toward them? How powerful was he, actually? Quietly, he muttered to himself, "Rich people are weird."


    "Ike! We call them eccentric," Wisp quickly corrected him.


    Mont laughed, amused. He stood, wiping his mouth, and nodded to the nearest fox servant. "That was a delectable meal. Thank you. And you two, I''ll see you tomorrow morning, no?"


    "Y-yes," Ike said, still a little lost. It almost felt like a scam, but he''d seen Mont''s strength. Mont had absolutely no reason to bother with scamming him and Wisp. He could simply take anything he wanted from them right here, right now, and no one would be able to say any different. He''s really going to give us the Unique skill, if one spawns? He won''t even fight for it? Insane, that''s insane. I can''t imagine anyone in the slums saying that. Not even¡ªno, especially not my uncle.


    He ran a hand over his hair. He shouldn''t count on Mont giving them the orb. But even putting that aside, having an orb as a possibility, even a 1% possibility, was worth risking it. I''m not risking that much. I''m Rank 2, and Wisp is on my side. The foxes don''t know I''m human, either. Even if they did, they seem about par with the black-robed men in strength, since they''re struggling to beat them. I just defeated six of the black-robed men, with little trouble. If they''re the same strength as the black-robed men, and I defeated the black-robed men easily, I don''t have too much to worry about from the foxes.


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    All told, I''m not actually in that much danger. And in return, getting even a 1% shot at a Unique skill¡­ A Unique skill had changed his destiny. Another Unique skill could give him so much power. In the cutthroat world of mages, it would give him an undeniable upper hand for the rest of his life.


    Running away from a shot at a Unique skill, because a few piddling foxes might find out about his being human? Ike chuckled under his breath. Now that he was thinking out it, it sounded absolutely insane. Hell, Wisp is begging me for an excuse to break out and eat the foxes. Why did I ever worry?


    He nodded, looking at Wisp. "Alright. We''ll do it."


    "Nice. I was going to do it anyways, but it''s good to know you''ll be there," Wisp said. She patted him on the shoulder.


    "You''ve got my back, huh?" he snarked.


    "What? Come on. I''m getting that Unique skill if you aren''t."


    Ike shook his head at her. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The foxes came back in, pushing rolling carts laden with food. Wisp perked up. Ike sat up, though with a bit of trepidation. I don''t really care about Wisp eating people¡ªsome people deserve to get eaten, after all¡ªbut I sure don''t want to eat people.


    Noticing his worry, one of the fox servants came up beside him and bowed. "Please, do not worry. We''ve accommodated many herbivores before. We''ll be sure you don''t receive any meat."


    "Oh¡ªthank you," Ike said. He laughed awkwardly. It did make sense, though. Compared to humans, who might play with what they fed someone else, animals were very restricted in their diets. Carnivores could only tolerate tiny amounts of plant matter, and some herbivores could only eat specific types of plant, let alone being able to eat meat. When it came to accommodating food requests, if anything, he ought to be more able to rely on monsters, who were based on animals, than on humans.


    The fox servant chuckled. "I remember the last time we accidentally fed an herbivore meat. The back yard stank for weeks."


    The back yard stank¡ª Ike stiffened, then laughed awkwardly. "Er, but was it good manure?"


    "Not even! Quite sad, honestly," the fox said, shaking his head. "We''ll be avoiding that this time, of course."


    "Of course, of course," Ike nodded.


    Beside him, Wisp snorted. She nudged him "Don''t crap all over the rear gardens."


    Ike nudged her back. "Come on."


    The food came out. One dish at a time, courses were laid before Wisp and Ike. As promised, Ike''s food contained only vegetables, with no meat whatsoever. Wisp chomped down on her meat with relish, clearly enjoying the perfectly cooked meat. Ike ignored her. It''s human meat. No matter how delicious you make it look, I don''t want to eat it.


    The sun set. As they ate, a small squad of foxes quickly fixed up the windows that the black-robed mages had crashed through. By the time they finished their meal, the windows showed no sign of being broken at all.


    Ike reached out, snagging one of the retreating servants. "Is this common?"


    The fox looked at him, then looked at the window. "Ah! You mean the human incursions."


    "Y-yes," Ike said, nodding.


    "Hmm¡­ We''ve been at low-level war with the local clan for years. Lately, though, they''ve been sending more mages our way. It almost feels like someone kicked a nest of wasps," the fox servant commented.


    "Huh," Ike murmured. I wonder if that''s got anything to do with the mana vein that''s been stolen or blocked or whatever.


    "But don''t worry, sir. We''ll keep them under control. Ah¡ªbut we appreciate your stepping in just now. That was a great help."


    Ike nodded, laughing a little. It''s not a big deal, after all.


    He stood. "Wisp, I''m headed to bed. I''ll see you in a bit?"


    Wisp looked up. She gave him a thumbs-up and went back to her meal.

 130. Morning Light

    Ike woke refreshed and light. He stretched, yawning wide, then closed his eyes again and snuggled into the bed. I want to stay in bed forever. Beds are so nice. Dear gods, I love beds.Sunlight played over his face, warming the back of his eyelids to a translucent pink. Unable to remain asleep any longer, he cracked his eyes open and sat up.


    Wisp snoozed in the other bed. She sprawled wide, taking up more room than her tiny frame suggested she should. All the covers laid on the floor.


    Ike snorted at her sleeping face. He climbed out of bed and walked to the window. A small balcony stood beyond the glass. He gently pushed the sliding window aside and stepped out onto the balcony.


    A gentle morning breeze whispered through the aspens. The world fell away before him. Low clouds shrouded the valley in mist. From here, the mountain he stood at the pass of appeared to push out of those clouds and hover in the sky, without any roots at all.


    He let out a sigh. Peace. For the first time in a long time, he felt peace. The world was quiet. Gentle.


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    Ike ignored the whisper. He stared out into the sky, taking a deep breath.


    "Hey!"


    He turned in the opposite direction, gazing down at the valley.


    A rock flew toward his head. It passed through his aether field.


    Ike snatched it out of the air. He turned, narrowing his eyes.


    One of the black-robed mages clung to a tree branch. They waved him over.


    "No," Ike said. He tossed the rock back at them. "Get out of here."


    "You''re human, aren''t you?" the mage asked.


    Ike looked at him. He turned away.


    "Wait, wait! I don''t know how you tricked the foxes, but wait! Please, listen to me!"


    Ike went to enter the room, but paused. If I know what their goal is, I can maybe finish this whole thing out sooner. Maybe they just want an ancient vase or something, who knows? "What do you want? Not you. But your whole group."


    The black-robed mage looked at him like he was stupid. "To wipe out the foxes. They''re monsters. They need to die."


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    Ike sighed. He rolled his eyes and turned away again.


    "Hold up! You''re human. Why aren''t you on our side? Are you a monster sympathizer?" the man asked accusatorily.


    "I''m not an anyone sympathizer. Don''t assume I''m on your side because I''m human. I''m on no one''s side. Get in my way and I''ll end you. Stay out of my way, and I''ll ignore you." He paused, then looked over his shoulder one last time. "Right now, the foxes have done far more for me than any humans have. What makes you think I''ll automatically side with the humans, when humans have done nothing for me?"


    The black-robed man stared at him. His brows wrinkled. "Huh? But¡­ you''re Rank 2, right? How¡­ that''s not possible, to do that alone. You must have had help."


    Ike laughed. "Sounds like weakling talk. Fuck off. Leave me alone." He stepped inside and shut the door behind him.


    He truly did not sympathize with the foxes. They ate humans. He couldn''t side with them. But he didn''t side with the humans either. Killing monsters to eat or to level up was one thing. Killing them to extermination for no purpose other than to exterminate them was another. Between the foxes, who killed humans for food, and the humans, who killed foxes for the sake of killing them, he had to pick the foxes. After all, humans ate monsters, monsters ate humans. He couldn''t singlehandedly villainize monsters or humans, when both committed the same crimes to one another.


    Humanity had done little for him. Monsters had done more. He hadn''t gained anything from being a human, not in all these years. Maybe someone with a proper upbringing would automatically side with the humans. But for Ike, who''d spent his childhood in the slums and become a mage against the will of most other humans, he didn''t feel anything in particular when someone said, ''for humankind!''


    He shrugged to himself. "If they weren''t idiots and offered me a real reward, maybe I would have helped."


    "If who?" Wisp asked, sitting up. She yawned and rubbed her eyes.


    "The black-robed guys came by. Tried to get me to join their side for free. I said hell no, pay me." He paused. "Wait, no. I didn''t say that last part."


    "Damn. Should''ve. We could''ve gotten paid to eat foxes," Wisp said, clicking her tongue in disappointment.


    Ike snorted. "You still haven''t given up on that?"


    "Of course not! Foxes taste heavenly. You don''t understand," Wisp said. She sighed longingly, then sat up. "Wait, is that guy still outside?"


    "Maybe? It hasn''t been long."


    Wisp ran to the window. She looked left and right, excited, then sighed. "He''s gone."


    "There''s always next time."


    "Is there?"


    Ike thought for a moment. He pursed his lips. "I did tell him to fuck off."


    Wisp sighed. "What a waste."


    Ike laughed. "He probably wouldn''t have talked to you. He struck me as a human-only kind of guy."


    "Oh, really? What a fool. I would''ve agreed in a heartbeat. Silly short-sighted humans¡­" Wisp shook her head.


    Ike''s clothes laid piled up at the entrance, neatly cleaned and folded. He pulled them inside and ducked into the bathroom to swap the foxes'' robes for his usual gear. He strapped his sword to his hip and hung the wolf pelt off one shoulder, folded outward so it appeared as a normal wolf pelt, with the invisible side on the inside of the fold. Wisp joined him a second later. The two of them headed downstairs, where Mont waited. The man wore the same exact clothes he''d worn yesterday. They were no less strange than they had been the night before.


    "Welcome! Come, follow me. I''ll show you to where the vein used to be. If we''re lucky, there will be a simple blockage for you to dig out there, and that will be all," Mont said.


    "That would be nice," Ike agreed. But it''s never that simple, is it?


    Ha. If I got recruited to be someone''s hard labor, that''s fine. Easiest Unique skill ever.


    "Wouldn''t it?" Mont agreed with a smile. He gestured them on. This way!"

 131. Mana Veins

    They headed out of the inn. This morning, no black-robed mages leaped out at them from the aspens. A gentle breeze blew, cooling the bare heat of the high atmosphere''s intense sun. Ike lifted his hand to shade his eyes. "Bright.""Nothing like it. I love these high mountain mornings," Mont said. He sighed happily and stretched his hands to the sky. His brightly-colored jacket fluttered on the breeze.


    "Did you live up here, before you went into seclusion?" Wisp asked.


    Mont nodded. "I''ve spent more years up here than I''d like to admit. I love the mountains. If I could never leave, I''d be happy."


    Ike glanced at him. "I don''t think I could live like that." S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Not fond of the mountains?" Mont asked.


    Ike shook his head. "No, the mountains are beautiful. I just mean that there''s nowhere I want to settle down. I can''t imagine spending the next ten years in the same place, let alone centuries. I want to see everything. See the whole world."


    Mont chuckled. "It isn''t for everyone. If everyone was meant to find a place and never leave it again, we''d never have discovered so much of this beautiful world. Go out and see the world, young man. And come back and share what you''ve found, if you remember your old friend Mont."


    Ike laughed. "It almost sounds like you want to see the world."


    Mont waved his hand. "No, no. I''m very happy in my cozy home. Nice and dry, with a warm fire and my kitchen and pantry nearby, a bottle of homebrewed whiskey at my side¡­ but I''m more than happy to hear tell of the outside world, from those who wish to see it."


    "I understand that. It''s like getting your web perfectly set up and cozy, where you can just relax while dinner catches itself¡­" Wisp''s eyes grew misty.


    "Web? Are you a spider, then?" Mont asked.


    "Maybe. What are you, then?" Wisp turned back at him.


    Ike looked at Mont. That''s true. If he''s staying at that inn, he must be a monster of some type. Well¡ªit''s true that I stayed there, but I''m the exception that proves the rule. I can process aether. A normal human who can''t would be instantly detected by the foxes.


    Mont chuckled. "I''ve been called many things throughout the years. What do you think?"


    "Some kind of deer spirit? A wolf?" Wisp guessed. She nodded at Ike. "He seems to draw wolves to him, like some kind of wolf caller."


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    "Hey," Ike protested.


    Mont looked at Ike. He raised a brow. "What about you?"


    Ike looked the man up and down. With those garish clothes? "Maybe¡­ a butterfly? Or some kind of, um¡­ tree?" He nodded down the hill. The shivering silver aspens aside, the mountain was covered in the cacophony of fall, oranges, yellows, reds, and the last traces of green mixed together. It reminded him of the jacket Mont wore, with its mixture of bright reds and oranges.


    Mont chuckled. He nodded at Ike. "The boy is closer."


    "Yeah? So-o, what are you?" Wisp demanded.


    Cracking a grin, Mont wiggled his brows. "Wouldn''t you like to know."


    Wisp stomped her foot. She gave him a look. "Aren''t you supposed to be hundreds of years old? Where''s that maturity, huh?"


    "I could say the same to you," Mont said, pulling himself to his full height and giving Wisp a look.


    Wisp clicked her tongue. She spread her hands to Ike. "This man is being entirely unreasonable."


    "I don''t know about that. He is giving us a Unique skill basically for free," Ike pointed out.


    "I can''t guarantee a Unique skill. It could merely be Gold or Rare," Mont said casually.


    "That''s still a significant thing to give away," Ike argued.


    "Give away is a strong term," Wisp muttered.


    Ike nudged her. "Are you mad that you have to do work, now? Instead of making me do all the work?"


    "Nah. More like you''re mad that I''m gonna snatch that Unique skill," Wisp said, cracking a smile.


    Mont snorted. "You two know each other well."


    "Yeah. We''ve been through a lot together," Ike agreed. Even if we haven''t spent a lot of time together, in the absolute, we''ve accomplished a lot. Overcome so much together.


    "I haven''t gotten bored enough to eat him yet," Wisp agreed.


    Mont laughed. He shook his head and walked on.


    They circled around the top of the mountain, leaving the inn behind. Mont led them down a little, away from the barren mountaintop and down into the lower heights where trees still grew. Aether and mana grew stronger as they walked. Ike breathed deeply, absorbing it into his core. The two mixed neatly, growing his reserves in his core. He circulated it through his body as he absorbed it. Although he''d adapted to aether, it still wasn''t perfect. He could use some more adaptation to the rougher, more wild way aether flowed. He practiced a few different skills to continue getting used to aether, including Ice Armor and Lightning Clad.


    It wasn''t that he couldn''t use aether, or that it impeded his skills. Instead, he simply wasn''t using aether to its absolute utilization. He was drawing out as much power from aether as he did from mana. But aether had explosiveness to it. A burst power that mana simply didn''t have. He wasn''t truly utilizing the full strength of that burst power, but he wanted to. That was what he was working to adapt to: not simply ''using aether,'' but utilizing aether''s unique power to its utmost.


    Beside him, Wisp hummed. She occasionally hopped into the trees and climbed up high, looking at something, only to return to their side a few moments later. She didn''t mention whatever she was looking for, and Ike didn''t ask. If she wanted his help, she''d ask for it. If she didn''t, it was her own problem. After all, she was stronger than him. There was no guarantee that he could even help her.


    Mont simply walked. He walked slowly, casually, enjoying his time. For all the world, he appeared to be on a morning stroll. He whistled to himself, his hair fluttering in the wind. Abruptly, he stopped. His expression went from casual to dead serious.


    Ike looked over, his hands flickering with ice and lightning. Wisp paused, peering down from the branches of a nearby tree.


    "Silence. We''re near," Mont ordered.


    Ike fell in behind him. Wisp hopped down from her tree. Together, the three of them approached a tight stand of trees.

 132. Contested Vein

    A tight stand of trees blocked their view of wherever Mont had pointed. The man stopped, frowning at the trees. Ike glanced at him, and Mont nodded. Drawing out his wolf pelt, Ike pulled it around him, going invisible save his eyes. Beside him, Wisp hopped into the trees and did the same. The two of them circled toward the trees, pulling wide to get a better angle at whatever awaited them on the other side.They came around the edge of the trees. Tents stood in a semicircle around the far side of the stand. Black-robed mages stood around, sitting, crouching, standing, none of them particularly alert. Black stakes jutted out of the ground at the perimeter of their camp, exuding the same kind of pressure as the barrier at the top of the Abyss had.


    Ike slowed. He crouched just outside of the barrier, in front of a tree, lining his eyes up with a few knots in the bark so the mages might not immediately recognize him as human. Stretching his aether forth, he examined the edge of the barrier from afar. Nothing passed through, but neither did he sense an overwhelming welling up of aether or mana from the far side of the barrier. Nor did a strong vein of mana pass through the ground below him. Ike''s brows furrowed, and he put a hand on his chin. He didn''t know exactly what a mana vein felt like, but this didn''t feel like one. Not a plugged, stoppered, or siphoned one, ether. It simply¡­ didn''t feel like a whole lot of magic.


    "It isn''t here," Wisp said.


    Ike jumped. He whirled. "Don''t do that!"


    She chuckled quietly, her eyes crinkling in amusement. She retreated some from the barrier, and Ike followed her, not wanting to chat so close to the mages. "You sensed it too, right? It isn''t here."


    "Yeah. It''s like it moved, or something. But why would the black-robed mages have their camp here if it wasn''t on the mana vein? It''s suspicious that they''re right where the mana vein is supposed to be," Ike said.


    Wisp flicked an acorn at the barrier. It pinged off, falling harmlessly to the ground. None of the mages so much as looked over. "Unless¡­"


    "Unless they moved it, and they''re having to sustain the effort to keep it moved. Unless someone else moved it away from them." Ike shrugged.


    "So it could be anywhere," Wisp grumbled.


    "That''s not what I said. If the black mages moved it, it should be at their main camp. If someone moved it away from them, then it''s probably the people who benefit the most from taking mana away from the mages¡ªin other words, the foxes."


    Wisp sighed. "So it could be anywhere."


    Ike laughed. "We did narrow it down to the two prime suspects we had from the start, it''s true."


    Her eyes bobbled backward as she nodded back toward Mont. "Let''s go report."


    It only took them a second to return. Mont didn''t look surprised at their findings. "I suspected it wasn''t here any longer, but it''s good to confirm it. I have two¡­ no, three prime candidates for the vein''s new location."


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    "The black-robed mages'' camp, the inn, and¡­?" Ike ran out of guesses.


    "And the foxes'' clan. The inn is only their outpost. Their clan is elsewhere, in a hidden space at the mountain''s peak." Mont looked upward. For just a moment, the peak of the mountain shimmered, and ornate buildings and floating mages appeared over the bare stone. Then the shimmering settled, and the image vanished once more.


    "Whoa," Ike murmured.


    Mont snorted. "As you can see, they aren''t taking those mages very seriously."


    "No kidding," Ike said. Thank goodness I wasn''t stupid enough to take the mages up on their ''help us, we''re humans'' offer. They brought enough men to overrun the inn, but there''s a whole clan just overhead, out of sight. The foxes are only toying with them. The mages are the losing side here, and they haven''t even realized it.


    "Where to next?" Wisp asked. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mont hummed. "The foxes have been living on the peak peacefully for a long time without bothering the mana veins. It''s true that they didn''t particularly benefit from this one''s location, but they had no particular reason to move it, either. And none of us sensed it at the inn, no?"


    "No," Ike agreed. Wisp shook her head.


    "Then that leaves the mages'' main camp as our primary suspect," Mont said. He nodded to himself, pinching his chin. Abruptly, he turned to Wisp and Ike. "Shall we?"


    "You know where that is?" Ike asked.


    Mont laughed. "I know where everything is on the mountain."


    Wisp squinted at him. "Are you some kind of bird?"


    He laughed. "Don''t worry, little spider. I don''t eat bugs."


    "Not a bird, then," Wisp muttered. She shook her head.


    Mont hasn''t asked what I am, but he has asked Wisp. I wonder if he knows¡­? Ike considered, but quickly dismissed it. Whether Mont knew he was a human or not, the man had shown him no aggression. It might not matter to Mont if he was human or not, the same way it hadn''t mattered to Silver or Wisp.


    Mont turned around and headed further down the mountain. Clouds welled up as they wandered down the far side of the mountain. They darkened, threatening rain. The forest grew denser as they walked on. Brambles, vines, and undergrowth clogged their feet. Wisp clambered through the trees, avoiding the mess, but Mont and Ike had to kick their way through. Ike marveled at how little effort he had to exert to pierce through the vines, now that he was Rank 2. It felt like walking through wet grass. Barely any resistance. He looked at Mont, curious how the other man fared.


    The brambles parted before Mont and closed again behind him. He walked over clean ground that existed only for him, leaving no tracks behind him.


    Ike instantly felt his ego deflating. He pressed his lips together. Damn. Mont is insanely more powerful. He doesn''t even need to kick his way through the woods, the woods move out of his way!


    Mont caught his gaze and grinned. He stretched his hand out. "You want some help?"


    "I¡ªuh, actually, that would be nice," Ike admitted, a little sheepishly. He wasn''t above a little quality of life improvement.


    Mont snapped his fingers. The brambles parted before Ike as well. He walked easily, as though he was on an open path. Instantly, he felt relief he hadn''t even known he''d needed.


    "Inferior floor-walkers," Wisp muttered down at Ike.


    "I dunno, Mont seems to have this thing down," Ike returned.


    A black-robed mage flew over the trio''s heads. Wisp and Ike reached for their wolf pelts, while Mont simply stared upward. Ike couldn''t say how, or why, but Mont was suddenly harder to perceive. It was almost as if he faded into the background, becoming just another rock or tree on the mountain, despite his garish clothes. The black mage soared past, dismounting a small black broom as he dropped into the trees nearby.


    "We''re close. Go on ahead," Mont said, drawing to a halt.


    "Understood." Ike and Wisp exchanged glances. They sprinted ahead again, separating to close in on the camp from either side.

 133. The Main Camp

    Ike wove through the trees, moving silently. Mont''s help went with him, the branches clearing out of his way only to fall back into place behind him. He lost track of Wisp after a few steps, as she crawled through the trees and out of earshot. Ike alone walked through the trees, silent, invisible. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.He kept his eyes on the ground, looking out for the black stakes that marked the edge of the barrier. Before long, he came upon them once more. He nearly missed the first one, hidden, as it was, in a hollow at the base of a tree. From there, he walked the line, quietly skirting just outside the line of the barrier. No black-robed mages walked near him. They stuck to the camp, with its wooden buildings and tents well inside the barrier, hidden away in its heart. He continued along quietly, searching for the entrance. If the barrier worked the way other human-created barriers did, he''d be able to enter. It would make sense if they blocked the barrier to only their members, but he had no idea if that was even possible.


    Guess I''m about to find out.


    A mage abruptly stepped out in front of him. Ike drew to a short halt. The mage frowned. They turned, looking directly at Ike.


    Instinctively, Ike punched the man. He activated Lightning Clad as he punched. Shockwaves smashed into the man''s nose. The man fell backward. Blood spewed from his nose and ran down his face. He hit the ground like a sack of bricks, unconscious.


    Ike turned toward the barrier. He took a step forward, only to bounce backward, tossed by a wall of invisible force. But the guy left the camp here, so there must be a way to exit. Maybe only exit, and not enter¡­ or maybe, the guy has something that I don''t, that lets him enter and exit. He turned back to the man and crouched, patting his body down. A small tab of the same black metal the stakes were made from dangled from the man''s belt. He raised his eyebrows. Of all the stuff on the man''s body, that one looked the most like a barrier key. He yanked it off the man''s belt and tied it to his own.


    Okay. Here goes nothing. Straightening his clothes, Ike let out a short huff. He stepped into the barrier again.


    His foot swept past with no resistance. He stepped to the other side of the barrier.


    Ike chuckled quietly to himself. He snuck toward the mages'' main camp. On this side of the barrier, Mont''s help no longer applied. He once again had to pick his way through the leaves and branches underfoot. His body was so much easier to control at Rank 2 that he had no trouble finding a route, but he did have to put up some effort. Silently, Ike added Mont''s path-clearing skill to the list of useless-in-combat-but-super-useful-skills he wanted to have. It sat neatly on the list after Ket''s house-cleaning skill and Silver''s drying-off skill.


    "Who goes there?"


    Ike froze. He held his breath. Ducking his head further into the wolf skin, he slowly peered around, searching for the source of the voice.


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    "What is it, Jan?" a woman asked.


    The first man sniffed. He stepped out from around a nearby tree and looked around, surveying the forest. "I heard something."


    Ike lowered his head, hiding his eyes completely. It hid his eyes, but it also limited his frame of view to a small circle around his feet. Moving slowly, he dropped to a crouch, then backstepped. If the man had heard him, he needed to get away from the place he''d been last heard.


    "Sure it wasn''t a bird or something?" the woman asked.


    "Pretty sure." Footsteps crunched over fallen leaves. They drew closer to Ike.


    Ike crept sideways, dodging the man''s route.


    The man followed his motions, frowning as he drew closer. "I keep hearing something. Right¡­ here!"


    He jabbed his hand out toward Ike.


    Ike leaped backward. He landed on the hard roots of the tree behind him, his feet tapping quietly on the wood versus crunching on the leaves.


    The man''s hand closed on thin air. He froze, then harrumphed.


    "What was it? A bird?" the woman asked mockingly.


    "Shut up," Jan grumbled. He stomped back to his guard post.


    Ike let out a quiet sigh of relief. He peeked up from his wolf pelt, checking that the coast was clear, then scurried off, taking one careful step after another away from the pair of guards. He left them behind and crept toward the main camp again, this time choosing a pair of trees unattended by guards.


    Mana swirled around him. Thick and rich, it swirled chaotically, unlike anything he''d ever felt before. His heart whirled as the aether inside him stirred to match the external mana. Ike huffed out a short breath, forcibly clamping down on his aether and quieting it. He took a moment to let the chaotic mana wash over him and grow used to its flow before pressing on, deeper into the camp. If I had any doubts about where that mana vein ended up, they''re gone now. It''s definitely here somewhere.


    Ike passed through the trees. In another few paces, he approached the black mages'' black tents. The large, boxy things formed a loose circle around the edge of a clearing. Each tent swirled with power. A silver spike through the center of the tent drew the chaotic mana toward it. Roiling streams of multicolored light swirled around the spikes, vanishing into the tents. The lights were somewhere between lightning and auroras. Multicolored, smooth streams burst into jagged jabs and sharp spikes. The light materialized around the spikes. Until it touched the silver, it remained immaterial.


    Ike breathed it in, careful to only take a little bit of mana with each breath. If he took in too much, even his aether-tempered mana passages would struggle to contain such chaotic energy. He eyed the spikes. Those things clearly draw the energy. Are they meant to hide it? Course the energy back into the ground, so that no one notices the mana vein here?


    He crept closer, past the tents. Black-robed men wandered the clearing, going in and out of the tents. None of them were particularly alert. They were relaxing, eating, chatting, clearly on break. For all their lack of alertness, if any one of them saw him, he''d be in trouble anyways.


    A tent stood in the center of the circle. This one had no spike, but instead, great gouts of mana gushed out of it. A permanent aurora whirled over the top of this tent where the mana escaped. Its flap flickered in the wind. The walls weren''t quite locked in. They were looser than the other tents.


    That''s the mana vein, then. But why put it in a tent? Ike leaned to the side to get a better look. He didn''t want to risk picking his way through all the mages. If he could get a good look from here, it was better than taking his shot to sneak all the way through.


    The tent flap fluttered. It lifted away from the tent. For a moment, Ike could see straight to the heart of the tent.


    His eyes widened. Ike clapped a hand over his mouth, choking back a shout.


    What the fuck?

 134. Tent Flap

    The tent flap lifted away from the tent. For a moment, Ike caught sight of its contents.A young boy laid in a steel cave. Heavy chains bound his neck and limbs. Only a short length of chain spanned between the cage and the boy''s manacles. He didn''t have enough slack to stand, not that he was trying to. He laid lifelessly on the barred floor, his eyes half-open. A dazed expression stretched across his slack face.


    Ike stared. What the fuck?


    There was no way that boy was an ordinary child. No matter how wild a child got, to mages, they were nothing. He probably wasn''t a human. A beast, then? But what beast could take human form while still a young child, and survive in such a riotous mana flow? He was struggling over here, taking in little bits of mana and barely breathing it. The child was in the heart of the flow, and didn''t appear to be having any kind of trouble with the mana.


    Ike extended his aether toward the kid. He vaguely felt some kind of pressure, but he couldn''t be sure if it was the kid''s or not. The mana flows around the kid were too fierce, too strong for him to pierce.


    Not only that, but they dragged the mana vein over here to put him in it. To put him in it, or to use him to hide the flow? I have no idea.


    There''s no way I''m leaving him here, but there''s no way I can fight off this many mages at once with no plan. Ike retreated. Even as he left, he looked back over his shoulder. I''ll be back. Hang in there, kid.


    He made it back through the mages and out of the barrier. Wisp was waiting at Mont''s side when he returned. Frustrated, she rounded on him. "You didn''t make it in, either, did you?"


    "I did," Ike said.


    Wisp studied his face. Her frustration vanished, expression going grave instead. "What did you see?"


    Ike explained the circle of tents and the cage to them. Mont nodded along until he described the child. At that, he looked up slowly. "A child, chained in the mana vein?"


    Ike nodded. "Yeah. Do you know what he is, that he''s held that way? I was thinking some kind of powerful beast."


    "A dragon, maybe?" Wisp asked.


    "Sure, why not?" Dragons were powerful, after all. Made sense they''d need to tie one down like that.


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    Mont''s hands clenched the whole time they spoke. Quietly, he interrupted them. "That child¡­ could you sense his aura?"


    "Uh¡­ a little." At that, Ike paused. I could sense his aura, his pressure. I couldn''t sense any of the other mages'' pressure. How strong is that boy?


    "I know what he is," Mont murmured. A vein throbbed in his forehead. His eyes narrowed. Very little changed, but somehow, Ike sensed intense hatred radiating off Mont.


    "Oh¡­?" Ike asked, almost afraid to speak.


    "I need the two of you to take the boy and leave this mountain. Immediately," Mont said. He managed to speak in a normal tone, but his whole body was tense, all his veins standing out on his hands and arms. Everything about him said that he was only barely restraining himself from utter violence. He looked Ike and Wisp in the eyes. "Can you do that?"


    Ike nodded.


    "What about the foxes?" Wisp asked.


    "They''ve lived here a long time. They will know," Mont said simply.


    Wisp nodded. She looked at Ike. "You have a way through the barrier?"


    Ike showed her the dark metal clasp. "Yep. Not sure if it works for two, but¡­"


    "We''ll find out." Wisp jumped at him. In midair, she transformed. A tiny black-and-white spider landed on Ike''s chest and scuttled up to his shoulder.


    Ike quickly looked away. Spiders are still super creepy. Even if I know Wisp isn''t going to bite me. He nodded at Mont. "Will we give you a signal?"


    "I''ll give you ten minutes. After that, I''ll assume that you''ve either recovered the boy, or that he cannot be recovered. I will destroy the camp and rain down hell on the mountain. If you want to survive, you need to leave the mountain."


    "Can''t you go grab him?" Wisp asked.


    Mont snorted. "I would love to, but there''s no nuance in my power. The tiniest amount of my strength is enough to crush the camp. If I act, nothing will remain."


    Ike nodded. "Understood."


    On his shoulder, Wisp gasped. "Mont¡ªyou''re the¡ª"


    He lifted his finger to his lips and smiled. "Quickly. I can only restrain myself so long."


    Wrapping his wolf pelt around himself, Ike ran back toward the camp. As he ran, he explained the layout of the camp to Wisp. She listened, occasionally grunting in acknowledgement.


    "So, here''s what I think we do," Ike said. Speaking quickly, he explained his plan.


    Wisp snorted. "I can''t help but notice that this puts me in danger."


    "You''re more powerful than me. I''d be a fool to take the brunt of the aggression," Ike said. "Besides, my skills are more suited to breaking open the cage."


    "Yeah, yeah."


    "Can you do it?" Ike asked.


    Wisp thought for a moment. She jumped on his shoulder. "I can. I wasn''t considered the Death of the Depths for nothing."


    "The¡ªwhat?" Ike asked, startled.


    "Oh, just an old nickname. Doesn''t matter."


    Ike shot a look at her. "It sounds like something that matters." sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Wisp pshawed. "You humans, always so obsessed over nicknames. You''re the ones who gave me this nickname!"


    "That''s exactly what I was afraid of," Ike muttered, chuckling under his breath.


    They drew close to the barrier. Ike looked at Wisp. "I''m going in. Are you ready?"


    "Ready as I''ll ever be."


    Ike charged at the barrier, sprinting at his full un-Lightning Dash speed. Wisp tensed against his shoulder. The black metal tabs in the ground rushed up at them. Ike held his breath and leaped, watching Wisp closely. If she gets pulled off me, I''ll have to reconsider this strategy.

 135. The Strategy

    He held his breath as he jumped through the barrier, watching Wisp closely. The barrier shimmered over his body, and he and Wisp both landed smoothly on the other side. Ike let out a breath. "We''re through.""Awesome. See you on the other side." Waving a foreleg, Wisp hopped off his shoulder and scurried away. In a few steps, she vanished into the leaves.


    Ike watched her go. He waited a few moments, then dashed toward the camp himself. He pulled the wolf pelt tighter around his face, making sure his whole body was covered. Ike cut around the two guards and sprinted toward the circle of tents. The mages milled around, no more aware of his intentions now than they''d been moments earlier. He breezed past, not too worried about mages catching a glimpse or two of him. They''d have more to worry about in a moment. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He hopped up onto the cage and crouched there, letting the wolf pelt settle around him. A few of the mages looked around, but no one looked up at him and the cage. Sitting atop it, the chaotic flow of mana was intense. It roiled in his veins and boiled in his core. He took tiny breaths and shut out as much of it as he could. Even so, it ate at him. The surging mana left him off-balance and on the verge of sick. He looked down at the caged kid and pressed his lips together. Whatever he was, there was no way this chaotic mana felt good. He didn''t know why Mont was so upset, but he didn''t need to. He was upset for his own reasons, even without understanding everything.


    "Hang in there. We''re going to get you out of there."


    The boy shifted, just a little. He looked up at Ike, having a good line of visibility from below. Their eyes met. Ike gave him a reassuring smile.


    The boy lifted his hand. It quaked like a leaf in the wind, then dropped back to the cage floor.


    At that, a fire burned in Ike''s chest. He gritted his teeth. No matter what, he was getting the boy out of this.


    One of the black-robed mages abruptly jerked backward. The others turned toward him, only for thin white lines to latch onto their shoulders and yank them, as well. Sticky white thread shot across the camp from seemingly all directions at once. The black mages drew their weapons and slashed at it, to no avail. Their swords bounced off. Some of them lost their weapons to the thread as the sticky stuff bound them up.


    One of the mages swiped his sword at the thread. The green light of a skill shone around the blade, and he slashed through. His eyes lit. "Use cutting skills, and¡ª"


    "Inferno!" Wisp shouted. Her voice echoed across the forest, so that even Ike had a hard time telling from whence it came. The men whirled, preparing to attack, only for a fireball to come from everywhere and nowhere. The flames raced down the thread, lighting the highly flammable stuff on fire.


    In his mind''s eye, he saw Wisp, grinning a little sheepishly as she had moments ago. "I didn''t succeed at fireproof thread, but I did develop a new attack. That''s good enough, right?"


    He snorted. It''s pretty good, Wisp.


    On cue, Ike burned one of the talismans he''d taken off the rich man. The mages who had blocked toward the exterior of camp startled as the ''same fire'' hit them from the rear at the same time. They whirled, searching for the culprit.


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    More threads shot in, replacing the ones Wisp had burned up in her first attack. The mages fanned out into the woods, but didn''t go far. Whether they were wary of leaving the boy unguarded or wary of the phantom fire mage within the tents, they hung close. That gave Wisp free reign to wreak havoc from beyond the reach of their attacks. One after another, black-robed mages vanished into the forest. Bloodcurdling screams sounded out from the places they disappeared to, and then silence. The other mages would chase after their brethren, but never arrived fast enough to catch Wisp.


    Meanwhile, Ike cast Ice Armor over himself. He reached out his hands and pressed his palms against the upper front joints of the cage, and sent Ice Armor down into the cracks in the welds. Creaking and cracking, the ice slowly wedged the iron open. He glanced up, checking that none of the mages had noticed the noise. No one looked his way, too busy searching for Wisp in the forest to spare a glance for a few creaks.


    The front of the cage cracked. Ike grabbed the bars and bent them backward, pulling with all his strength. The cage bent open. He glanced around to guarantee that the mages were still distracted, then hopped inside. Ike grabbed the chain in both hands and snapped it. A small part of him marveled at his own strength, that he was able to snap metal so easily, but another part laughed. He was a mage now. Capable of all the same marvels. It should be no surprise that mortal chains were nothing to him.


    The boy struggled to his feet. Ike offered him a hand, but the boy obstinently stood on his own. He wobbled, barely able to hold himself up. Nonetheless, he stood on his own. Defiantly.


    Sharp eyes narrowed at Ike. The boy bared his teeth.


    "Hold that in, kid. Now isn''t the time. Right now, we have to run for it, or someone way stronger than me is gonna squash this whole camp like a bug," Ike told him. He offered the boy a hand again. The wolfskin fell back as he did it, revealing his front, but he didn''t have the time to care about that.


    One of the black-robed mages turned. He jolted, then turned again. "Hey! Stop!"


    The boy jumped. No longer hesitating, he took Ike''s hand. Ike held on tight and hopped out of the cage, pulling the boy after him.


    Two black-robed mages jumped at Ike. Ike lifted his arm, gathering lightning in his palm. He stretched it out toward the nearer mage and launched a blob of aether at the man.


    The lightning chased the aether. It connected to the black-robed mages'' chest and blasted him backward.


    Holy shit! Nice! Did that count as a skill?


    [Name: Ike | Age: 15 | Status: Nm | Rank: 2 [Abyss Dweller]]


    Skills: Common: 11 | Bronze 3 | Silver 2 | Gold 2 | Rare 2 | ¡­ | Unique: 4


    Common: All-Around Runner Lvl 8 | Razor Handling Lvl 9 | Spear Handling Lvl 4 | Axe Handling Lvl 4 | Sword Handling Lvl 9 | Bow Handling Lvl 1 | Primitive Crafting Lvl 8


    Bronze: Sensory Enhancement Lvl 9 | Mana Manipulation Lvl 5 | Lunam Manipulation Lvl 0 | Aether Manipulation Lvl 0


    Silver: Flurry of Kicks Lvl 3 | Chlorophyll Lvl 1


    Gold: Shockwave Punch Lvl 3 | Ice Armor Lvl 2


    Rare: Salamander Healing Lvl 9 | River-Splitting Sword Lvl 7


    Unique: Lightning Dash Lvl 9 | Lightning Grasp Lvl 8 | Lightning Clad Lvl 3 | Lightning Caller Lvl 3


    Ike frowned. I didn''t get a lightning-thrower skill, but I did get Aether Manipulation. I guess that''s better than nothing.


    The boy wasn''t any older than five, and sized to match. Ike scooped him up and dashed away. The black-robed mages gave chase, but a Shockwave Punch thrown behind him tossed them into Wisp''s thread. She bound them up like the others, then chased after Ike.


    "Go, go, go!" Wisp urged.


    "How much time do we have left?" Ike asked.


    "Not enough!" She reverted to her giant spider form and sprinted away, swooping from tree to tree.


    Behind them, the mountain began to rumble. Ike glanced over his shoulder.


    Rocks bounced down the slope, tearing the earth open. Trees tumbled as the wave of earth slammed into them. Cracking and snapping, they rolled down the mountain. Birds took to the sky. Animals fled openly. The landslide coursed toward them, moving faster than Ike had ever seen one move before.


    The boy clutched tighter to his shoulder. Ike bit his lip and charged on. Lightning sparked after him as he dashed down the mountain. Holy shit! What the hell is Mont? How powerful is he?

 136. Landslide Slope

    The earth flowed down the mountain. Rocks crashed down on the camp. Trees snapped and broke. The very ground itself bucked and shuddered, threatening to turn liquid under Ike''s feet. Terrified, the boy clung to Ike''s shoulder. Ike held on tight, sprinting at his full speed. Wisp dashed ahead of him, occasionally pausing to make sure he kept up. He had to use his Lightning Dash, but with that, he was able to keep Wisp''s pace.Behind them, the black-robed mages fled. The landslide crashed down on them. What should have been unfeeling earth chased each mage down with a vengeance. Rocks leaped up and landed direct hits on the mages'' heads. Clumps of earth rose up, looking almost like hands, and dragged them down into the depths. Not a single one escaped the flow of earth.


    The landslide chased after Ike and Wisp. Both of them sped up, struggling to break free. Ike cast a glance left and right, but the landslide coursed down the whole mountain slope. There was no easy escape.


    Abruptly, Wisp slowed down. She ran alongside Ike. "Grab me."


    "Huh? Why?"


    "I can get us out of here, but you have to grab me. Now!"


    Ike shrugged to himself. He grabbed on. Wisp planted her feet. Instantly, the earth roared toward them. A hundred feet, fifty, twenty¡­


    A rock hurtled at their heads. Ike lifted a hand off Wisp''s shoulders to fire a punch at it. Green shockwaves intercepted the stone and shattered it. Shrapnel rained down on them, slashing skin and pelting them with bruising strikes. Ike ducked his head, covering the boy with his punching hand. "Wisp!"


    "There!" One thread connected to each of Wisp''s hands. She yanked with all her might and threw herself forward, into the air. They arced out over the slope of the mountain, momentarily airborne. As they fell, so, too, did the mountain fall away, so they could gain a little more time airborne.


    That''s going to hurt, Ike thought, looking down.


    From above, they could see the entire landslide. Ike nodded, finally understanding Wisp''s plan. Of course. Once they were airborne, they could get the lay of the land and figure out where to escape to.


    The landslide coursed down this slope of the mountain, but to the right, a second slope stood unharmed. Wisp fired another thread and yanked herself off to the right. They landed with a thump, and Ike staggered away. The boy grabbed his shirt tight, so tight it began to strangle Ike. Ike patted his hands, begging for a break. When the boy let go, he set him on the ground.


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    "So¡­ what is this kid?" he asked, glancing at Wisp.


    "A problem," Wisp replied.


    The kid bared his teeth at her and hissed like a cat.


    "I gathered that much. What kind of problem?" Ike specified.


    "The kind you die for," a voice whispered in his ear. Something cold closed in on Ike''s back.


    Without turning, Ike instantly activated Ice Armor and Lightning Clad. A blade bounced off the ice armor, then clattered to the ground. Its wielder cursed, bouncing backward. She shook out her hand. "Lightning armor?"


    "Sure." Ike whirled. He drew his sword and closed in on her.


    She lifted her hands. A blast of wind caught the broad side of his sword and blew it to the side. Before he could retract it, she gestured again. A blade of wind flew toward his neck.


    Ike''s eyes widened. Ice climbed up his body, barely freezing his neck over before the wind blade struck. Most of it bounced away, but a thin red line opened at his throat. It began to seal over instantly as Salamander Healing took over. Nonetheless, Ike grimaced. I let down my guard. I need to be better than this.


    The mage laughed. "A foolish swordsman with a few defensive tricks will never¡ª"


    Lightning flickered around Ike''s feet. He slashed out again, one-handed this time. The mage deflected his blow again, still chuckling, but she didn''t deflect his off-hand. He punched at her gut. She jumped back, barely dodging¡ªand then a deep wound opened on her side.


    "W-what?" she gasped, stumbling away.


    Ike laughed, secretly sheathing his invisible wolf dagger. "Just another ''defensive trick.''" He chased after her. Halfway there, he pulled the wolfskin around him and vanished.


    She raised her hands. Wind blades slashed at the ground and air where Ike had been. "No one can escape my barrage!"


    "Incorrect," Ike whispered from behind her. He slid his sword between her ribs. Blood flowed. She stumbled forward, then fell to her knees.


    Ike yanked his sword out. He stood over her, wary of any last-second moves.


    Instead, she chuckled. Blood splattered over her face as she coughed. She shook her head. "You don''t know¡­ what you''ve done. Who you''ve¡­ angered¡­"


    "Yeah, well, neither did you, and look how that worked out for you," Wisp said, then paused. She looked at Ike. "That was kind of a self-own, wasn''t it."


    "A little bit," Ike agreed. He nodded at the boy, who had watched his whole fight without a single scream or fright. The boy gazed at him in defiance. Despite the powerful skills Ike had displayed, he still remained utterly fearless. "What is he?"


    "First, go grab that orb of hers," Wisp said, nodding.


    "Oh, orbs?" Ike scurried over to the girl''s body. As Wisp had said, a small yellow orb laid beside her. He snatched it up. It shone, perfect and flawless all the way through. He sent a small pulse of aether into it, and got the impression of wind. A sense of rejection ran through him. Not as strong as the rejection he''d had to the sword technique, but rejection nonetheless. He rolled the orb around in his palm, then pocketed it. Now wasn''t the time. If he''d reject it, he needed time and safety to properly absorb it. The leftover black-robed mages, landslide, and newly acquired feral child in the near vicinity did not give him the time or peace he needed to handle the rejection.


    "So¡­ the kid?" Ike asked.


    A deep, friendly voice replied. "He''s the same as me."

 137. The Same as Me

    Ike whirled. Wisp turned, less surprised.Mont stood there, slightly up the mountain. He smiled at them and clasped his hands together. "Have you figured it out, yet?" S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike looked at him, then turned. The landslide. Power that couldn''t be used subtly. "I have a guess. Are you the mountain?"


    Mont smiled. He nodded, just slightly. For just a moment, he released his pressure. The full weight of the mountain came crashing down on Ike and Wisp. Ike staggered, almost falling to the ground. Wisp tensed. Her face turned white.


    In the next second, he reined it back. His smile never changed.


    It wasn''t that I was unable to feel his pressure. We were surrounded by his pressure this whole time. The pressure of the mountain itself, Ike realized.


    "Then the boy¡­ if he''s the same as you, is he your son¡­?" Ike wondered.


    At that, both Mont and Wisp burst out laughing. Ike blushed, looking from one to the other. "What? What''s wrong?"


    Mont straightened up first. He waved his hand. "We mountains are born from the Mother Earth. These bodies you see are nothing more than earth, shaped into palatable guises. Things like children and family are totally foreign to us."


    "Oh," Ike muttered, a little embarrassed. Now that I''m thinking of it, that''s a very personal question to ask a higher being with highly different physiology than humans. I basically asked him how he reproduces¡ªrude to ask anyone, let alone a higher being.


    Mont turned sober once more. He faced the boy. "And that is precisely the problem. Two mountains cannot occupy the same space. Either I must crush the boy, or he must crush me. I have no desire to destroy a victim of human will, but if he remains here much longer, I will not have a choice. Already, he has fed from my mana veins¡­ from my lifeblood. To me, he is nothing but a parasite, and one that threatens my life."


    "Understood. We''ll take him away," Wisp promised.


    "Then¡­ did the mages divert your mana veins, or did he?" Ike asked.


    "The mages, doubtlessly. If he had done it, I would have realized it right away and shook him off. Instead, they tricked me, and gave him my mana in a way that I completely lost track of the vein. It wasn''t impossible to guess where it was, but I couldn''t see inside the barrier. Nor could I exert little enough power to pass the barrier without collapsing the camp. Not knowing what they''d done to my vein, I didn''t want to risk making the problem worse.


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    "I sicced the foxes on them, but that did little good. The two forces were of equal power, since the foxes couldn''t be deceived into drawing their true strength into the battle. I was just musing about what I could do when I encountered the two of you."


    He smiled at them, spreading his hands.


    Are his hands really so tied? I saw him spit fire at that mage¡­ Ike shook his head. No, that''s incorrect. I saw him swallow that mage''s fire and spit it back at them. He never exerted his own strength. I''m sure he could have done something, but he was in a much more precarious position than I initially thought.


    "You need us to take this boy down the mountain. I understand that. Then what?" Ike asked.


    Mont shrugged. "Find him a safe place to put down his foundation and grow. It might take him centuries, no, millennia to grow, but he should become a mighty mountain one day. Maybe even one as large and proud as myself."


    "What about the mountain he came from?" Wisp said.


    "They took him from it once. I fear they would simply take him away again." Mont paused. "Besides, look at how small he is. He probably didn''t have much more than a hill."


    The boy, who had been ignoring them up until this point, to the extent that Ike wasn''t sure he understood spoken language, whirled and charged at Mont. Ike snatched him up. The boy fought his hold, clawing and biting toward Mont, kicking his little feet to no avail.


    Mont chuckled. After a moment, he looked up. When he turned back down, he nodded their way. "Go now. The mages'' master comes. I can obscure your trail, but if he finds you here, there is little I can do that won''t also end your lives."


    Ike nodded. He hefted the kid over his shoulder and set off at a run. Wisp hesitated. She looked at Mont for a long moment. When Ike was a fair distance away, she spoke.


    "Do you remember when I came over the mountain the first time?"


    Mont hummed. "Perhaps. I do not track every tiny bug that crawls across me."


    "There was something behind me. Something in chains."


    "Mmm." Mont touched his chin. After a moment, his eyes sparked with light. "Yes. I do remember."


    "Do you know what happened to that?"


    "Yes. It sensed my presence and retreated."


    "Then it''s somewhere on this side of the mountain." Wisp stared down the slope. Her face bunched up in distaste.


    "You can still turn back," Mont offered gently. "I do not think the humans will pay much attention to a single rogue monster."


    She chuckled to herself. "No. I can''t." She plunged down the slope, racing down the hill after Ike.


    Ike, who''d quietly been listening to everything with his enhanced senses, snorted to himself. A dangerous enemy ahead, and the mages'' master behind. What a way to enter a new region.


    "Let''s go plant this kid somewhere and find ourselves a nice place to set up on the other side of the mountain. Someplace quiet and distant, so no one bothers us," Ike called back to Wisp.


    "Plant him? What is he, a potato?" Wisp asked, jogging to his side.


    He sped up as she reached him. "I don''t know. He''s like a mountain seedling or something. What do you do with those? ''Plant'' sounds like a reasonable thing to do."


    "What do we do with you, kiddo?" Wisp asked, turning to the boy.


    "Let me go, and fuck off!" the kid replied sharply.


    Wisp blinked, startled.


    Ike laughed aloud. He slapped the kid''s shoulder. "Damn! I thought you were silent, but you''ve got a tongue on you."


    "Do I ever. Listen here, kiddo, and let your grandpa tell you¡­"

 138. Your Grandpa

    All the way down the mountain, the kid ranted at them. He let loose a expletive-filled tirade that would''ve been at home in a seaman''s tavern, let alone coming out of a captured child''s mouth. Ike tired of it at about the quarter mark, but resisted the urge to double-handed throw the child and ran on. Just until the bottom of the mountain. Once we''re out of Mont''s territory, he can go his own way. He cut his eyes at Wisp, who gave him a beleaguered stare back.At the bottom of the mountain, Ike set the kid down. "Alright. If you''re so sick of us, then go."


    The kid suddenly stilled. "Huh?"


    "You heard me. If you''re so sick of us, go."


    "What about the mages?"


    Ike shrugged. "Easier for me if I''m not caught red-handed. Look, kid. You either improve your behavior and come with us, or you take a hike. I don''t care which. I''m looking after you as a favor to Mont, not for your own sake."


    The boy squinted at him. "But I''m valuable. Mega-valuable. You''re just going to ditch infinite riches?"


    "You''re worthless to me, so yep. I am. Have fun in the woods." Ike walked away. I''m not going to sell you, so you''re worth zero gold to me. I''m not going to put up with your bad attitude because you''re valuable, when you have no value to me.


    Wisp laughed at the kid and followed after Ike.


    The kid sat down. He crossed his arms. "This is just a ploy. You''ll be back."


    "See ya." Ike waved and walked on.


    He felt for the kid, but there was a limit to empathy. And it wore through somewhere around the two hour mark of the kid''s endless tirade. The kid obviously had no intent to extend good intentions toward him and Wisp, so why would he bring such an unhappy camper along? The kid could go make someone else miserable, for all he cared.


    The kid watched him go. He stared. "You''re serious?"


    "Dead serious," Ike said, without looking back.


    "Byeee, have a good life!" Wisp sing-songed, waving a jaunty farewell.


    "No. This is a joke. An act," the kid repeated to himself.


    The forest closed in behind Ike and Wisp. They didn''t hesitate or look back.


    The kid sat there for a few more beats, then jumped up and chased after them. "Wait, wait, wait!"


    Ike turned.


    The kid caught up. He drew alongside them and braced his hands on his knees, panting. After a moment, he looked up. "You¡ªyou really don''t care about¡ª"


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    Ike took a deep breath. He kneeled, meeting the kid''s eyes. "Listen. You can either live as a valuable object, bought and sold. Or you can live as a person. If you want to live as an object, go find someone who finds you valuable and be as obnoxious as you want. But if you want to come with me, I''m going to treat you like a person, and in return, expect you to behave like a person. I understand that you''ve been through a lot. That for a long time, you''ve been treated as a thing, not a person. But I''m going to treat you like the human being you ar¡­appear to be. And that means that if you behave poorly, you''ll be left behind."


    The kid pouted. "Sounds like I was better off as¡ª"


    Ike interrupted him. "But in return, you get to choose your own fate. Your future. Where do you want to set down roots? How do you want to grow? What do you want to have for dinner? You''ll be a part of that discussion from now on. As one of us. As an equal."


    "Hmm." The kid thought for a minute. "You know, those last people were awful, but that''s not all I''ve experienced."


    "No?"


    "No. I was a sect''s sacred treasure for a long, long time before that. And when that sect was sacked, I became a lot of people''s most valuable artifact. I passed through a lot of hands. Lived in a lot of sumptuous settings. Velvet cushions. Beds of gold. Silk clothes and rings on every finger." He looked Ike and Wisp over, then sighed. "But it looks like you two can''t afford any of that, so sure. Let''s give this being-human thing a try."


    "Excellent." Ike turned away again. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Wait!"


    He paused, on his last nerve.


    The kid held his hands up. "Carry me."


    "People walk on their own two feet," Ike returned.


    Wisp laughed. "That''s bold, coming from someone who got carried out of the Abyss."


    "I did not. I climbed on my own," Ike said with a frown.


    "No, I meant¡­" She waved her hand. "Never mind."


    The kid turned to Wisp. He gave her big, puppy-dog eyes. "Mommy, uppies?"


    Wisp raised a single brow. "Spiders are known to eat their young. Wanna try it?"


    He jolted. Moving quicker than Ike had seen him move yet, he ran over to Ike and hid behind his leg. "Save me!"


    "She isn''t actually going to eat you," Ike said, sighing.


    Wisp frowned at Ike. "We''re treating him like a person, aren''t we? I eat people."


    "Hey," Ike said, but he grinned a little.


    The kid looked from one to the other. He backed away a few steps. "Are you two okay?"


    "We''re surviving, anyways." Ike tossed the kid a nod. "What''s your name?"


    The kid hesitated. He looked at his hands. "Placid Lake''s Mountain Spirit."


    "That''s a label, not a name," Ike said.


    "That''s all I have."


    "Just call him Lake, then," Wisp opined, from slightly further ahead down the path.


    "Not everyone is fine with using their label as a name," Ike told her.


    "What? It''s a cool name," she said.


    Ike stared at her. I thought Wisp had done the best with what she was given. Will o'' the Wisp really doesn''t have much going for it name-wise except for Wisp. But now, I''m wondering if she just picked the last word because she thinks the last word of a title is always a good name.


    "What?" Wisp asked again.


    "Nothing." Ike turned back to the kid. "Do you like the name Lake?"


    The kid shook his head. "It isn''t a name at all."


    "It''s a cool name."


    "Right. So, what do you want to call yourself?" Ike asked, ignoring Wisp''s interjection.


    The kid thought for a second. "I was once traded to a sect far, far away. I didn''t speak the language, but I remember they called me Shan."


    "Shawn''s a good name," Ike said, nodding.


    "No, it was¡­" the kid hesitated, then nodded as well. "Shawn."


    "Yay! Shawn! Can we get going before the sun sets?" Wisp called from ahead of them.


    "Yeah, yeah." Ike nodded for Shawn to follow him and hurried after Wisp.


    Shawn took a deep breath. He looked over his shoulder at the mountain looming over them. From here, the landslide was a bare wound on its side, bright brown against the darkening forest.


    "Thank you," he whispered, then chased after the other two.

 139. Oh Deer

    Wisp and Ike led Shawn through the woods. At first, the boy kept up with them, but before long, he flagged behind them. Ike paused and injected a tiny bit of aether, checking Shawn''s Rank. To his surprise, the boy was barely Rank 1."I am a mountain. We grow slowly. Our lifespan is measured in eras. Millions of years. Are you really that surprised?" Shawn asked.


    "When you put it that way¡­" Ike allowed. He gestured at Wisp, who reluctantly came back to his side.


    "What?"


    "We''re going to have to carry the kid if we want to make decent pace. I''ll carry him in mornings, and you carry him in evenings?"


    Wisp glanced up, checking the sky. Seeing that the sun was still far from its apex, she nodded. "Sure."


    The two of them traded off carrying Shawn. Like that, they continued, only stopping to hunt the occasional spirit beast.


    "What''s the plan?" Shawn asked one day, sitting next to a roaring fire.


    "What do you mean?" Ike replied, somewhat distracted by the deer he was skinning. Its enormous ruby-red antlers scraped against the ground as he worked. Hooves in the same shade of red pawed slightly at the sky, tugged around by Ike''s work.


    "With me. What''s the plan?"


    "I don''t know. What do you want to do?" Ike asked.


    "Do I stay with you forever? Do I leave at the next city?"


    "I dunno. Sounds like a you problem," Ike said. He gripped the deer firmly in one hand and yanked the last of the skin free with the other.


    Shawn jolted at that. He turned away, his face twisting in disgust. "Do you have to do that in front of me?"


    "You''re the one who came over and started watching," Ike informed him.


    "Someone still thinks he''s a precious artifact," Wisp sing-songed.


    Shawn narrowed his eyes at her. "I might go find a new sect to join at the next town."


    "Sure. If that''s what you want." Ike pressed his fingers against the deer''s body. Closing his eyes, he focused on the deer''s body. He carefully guided his aether through the deer''s veins and mana passages, chasing out the last of its aether and all of its blood. The blood splashed to the ground, wetting the earth to mud.


    "New technique?" Wisp asked.


    Ike shrugged. "It hasn''t registered on my skills menu yet. Maybe soon."


    "That kind of technique, you could even use in combat¡ªif it registers on your skills menu," Wisp said.


    "It''s a real all-rounder. Good for the home and good for battle," Ike agreed. Holding the deer in one hand, he drew his sword and chopped the antlers and hooves with the other. Those he added to his pack, in case they''d sell for a good price.


    Shawn looked from one to the other. He stomped his foot. "No one''s listening to me!"


    Ike frowned at him. "I''m listening."


    "But you aren''t listening," Shawn insisted. "I''m having a crisis over here, and you''re playing with dead deer!"


    "I''m making dinner, and you''re whining," Ike returned. He pulled the stick he''d sharpened earlier away from the tree it had been resting on and pierced the deer with the spit. He bound the deer''s limbs to its body with a bit of thread, then set it over the flames on the spitroast he''d already built.


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    "You aren''t taking me seriously!" Shawn snapped.


    Ike turned. He looked Shawn in the eye. "I''m taking you as seriously as I take anyone. Your problems are your problems. It''s the same with me or Wisp. If Wisp wants to do something else, she would leave and do it. She might even find me again afterward. You are just as free to do whatever you want. What you are not free to do, is needle me for what you should do. I don''t know, and I don''t care. That''s solidly your problem, not mine."


    Shawn stared at him. He looked at Wisp, gesturing at Ike. "What?"


    Wisp shrugged. "Spiders are solo animals. Humans are social animals. If anyone''s going to be sympathetic, it''s him, not me."


    "What''s wrong with all of you? Everyone I was with before would''ve considered this a totally normal topic of conversation! I mean, it''s my future! Don''t you want to counsel me, or something?" Shawn complained.


    Wisp sighed. She sat down beside him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Look, kid. There''s one thing you seem to be misunderstanding."


    Shawn looked at her.


    "We''re fucking insane. Both of us. He''s, like, an ex-slum kid, or something. I get the vibes that he didn''t leave a whole lot of friends behind."


    "I wanna kill the guy who raised me, if I get the chance," Ike chipped in.


    "Right. And I was raised in the wild. By myself. I ate my infant brothers and sisters to escape the egg sac, because if I didn''t, they would have eaten me. I''ve barely survived more fights than you''ve watched from your treasured throne. So¡­ yeah. I don''t think you want advice from either of us."


    Shawn stared. He backed away. "You are insane."


    "See? I told ya. You probably don''t want our advice. In fact, you''re probably raised better than the both of us combined. You''re asking Ike if you should hop off and join the next sect you see? He''s not going to say no. It''s probably a far better decision than staying with us. Though I can''t guarantee they''ll see you as a person. Or do anything to prevent those black-robed mages from stealing you back."


    Shawn thought for a second. He backed away, nodding to himself. "I need some time."


    "Sure. Take all the time you need," Wisp said. She stood, joining Ike by the fire, where he turned the spit.


    "You''re good with kids," Ike said.


    Wisp snorted. "I wouldn''t say that. You could''ve done everything I did there, you just couldn''t be assed to talk to him. Which I totally understand."


    Ike shook his head. "I wouldn''t have laid it out so clearly."


    "That''s probably the part that isn''t so good with kids." She paused. "In any case, he''s probably the oldest member of the party, so we shouldn''t call him a kid. Even if he is a little brat." sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hey!" Shawn protested.


    Ike paused. He looked at Wisp. "You know, we didn''t kill those foxes. I forgot, because they were ''reformed'' and all, but they were still eating people."


    "Yeah, but Mont liked them. Do you want to piss him off?"


    "True," Ike allowed, nodding.


    Shawn drew up alongside them. He stared at the deer roasting over the flames.


    "What?" Ike asked.


    "Many mages refuse to eat. Of those who do, many refuse to eat animals. They''re impure, and it''s immoral," Shawn intoned.


    "Yeah, but they''re delicious. And they have aether in them," Ike pointed out. "And it''s not like those other mages aren''t killing the beasts. They''re just letting their meat rot and go to waste rather than eating it. It seems like that''s more immoral than using it, to me."


    Shawn tilted his head. "I never thought of it that way."


    "I haven''t noticed any impurities, either. Maybe they were just eating shitty meat?" Ike suggested.


    Wisp snorted. "A sect, rich enough to own a mountain spirit, eating shitty meat." She sobered. "It''s possible, though. Lots of sects don''t hunt far outside their boundaries. The beasts near sects tend to be polluted and weak."


    "Huh," Ike said. He settled in to turn the spit, watching as the meat slowly roasted.


    Something distant crushed leaves. Ike quieted, putting his all into listening. Footsteps drew closer to their camp. Human footsteps. He extended his aether, subtly checking the newcomer. Mana met his touch. A mage. From a cursory glance, no higher than Rank 2, maybe a little higher than Ike''s rank. Ike retracted his mana and glanced at Wisp. He nodded at the trees.


    Wisp''s eyes subtly widened. She gave him a quick nod and scooped up Shawn, laying a hand over his mouth before he could protest. Both of them vanished into the trees overhead.


    A few moments later, a mage in blue appeared. Tired and bedraggled, her robes were stained and bloodied, but the rips and tears only served to accentuate how beautiful she was. She stumbled toward Ike, then sank to a sit, at the very limits of her strength. Her face crumpled. "Another one."


    Ike stared. Who the hell are you? What do you mean, ''another one?'' I''ve never seen anyone like you in my life.


    She put a hand to her chest and glared up at Ike. Deep resolve flashed in her eyes. "As my last act, I''ll explode my core and take you with me. Even if it''s the last thing I¡ª"


    "Whoa, whoa, hold up. I''m just a traveler, lady. I have nothing to do with whatever you''re doing," Ike interrupted her.


    "Huh?" she said, startled.


    "Yeah. Literally just walked over the mountain. Please don''t blow yourself up. And if you have to, do it away from dinner, please?" Ike requested, nodding at the roasting deer.


    Her eyes flashed. "The deer! I knew it! You are one of them!" She put her hand to her chest again.


    Ike sighed aloud. "I swear¡ª"


    Light began to glow around her chest and abdomen. Ike pressed his lips together. Fucking hell, why''s everyone trying to be my problem today?

 140. Wild Lady Appeared! Wild Lady Used Explode Core!

    Light gathered around the lady''s chest and abdomen. Before anything else could happen, Ike blasted off. Lighting flashed after him, booming against the air. In a split second, he reached the lady. Rather than try anything fancy, he simply introduced his knee to her forehead at top speed. Her eyes rolled back, and she slumped to the floor, unconscious. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality."Ow, ow, ow," Ike muttered, hopping on one leg. His other knee ached something fierce. Salamander Healing quickly cleared it up, but he grimaced at his leg nonetheless. I need to work on my physical defenses. Ice Armor is nice, but a skill that strengthens my body''s defenses would be even better. Like a defensive version of Lightning Clad.


    His mind instantly went to the wind skill in his reserves. Lightning, ice, wind. The three went hand-in-hand. With the three of those, he had the ingredients for a Storm Clad. If he could develop a Storm Clad that preserved Ice Armor''s physical defense and Lightning Clad''s body strengthening, he''d have it all. And with the wind¡­ with the wind¡­


    Well, Ice Armor is already more of¡ªwell, armor. Maybe I could transmute the wind into some kind of body-strengthening wind skill? He twisted his lips, a little lost. Yeah¡­ I''m not sure how that would work. I''ll think on it.


    Wisp crept down from above and swiftly bound the woman in spider thread. As a bonus, she attached a rope around the lady and hoisted her up into a nearby tree. The lady dangled there, unconscious. Wisp hopped to the ground and surveyed the lady, tilting her head back and forth. When she was done, she turned to Ike. "The hell is this?"


    "I don''t know. She just showed up and tried to explode on me for having dinner," Ike said. He checked the deer. He''d been subtly stoking the flames with aether, and it had paid off. He hauled the deer off the fire and set its stick into the ground, leaning the top against a tree. "Deer''s cooked, by the way."


    A small form plummeted out of the sky and landed with a thump and an ''oof.'' Shawn laid on the ground for a second, stunned, then shook his head and climbed to his feet. His hands were a little skinned, revealing not blood but mud beneath his skin. In mere moments, they sealed over.


    Ike raised his eyebrows. Mont did say they were made of earth, but I didn''t expect it to be so literal.


    "The hell were you thinking, leaving me up there? I could have fallen and died!" Shawn snapped, rounding on Wisp.


    Wisp spread her hands. "You fell and didn''t die. Seems fine to me."


    Ike barely suppressed a snort of laughter.


    "But I could have. Honestly, you people. Savages, all of you." Shawn shook his head disapprovingly. He reached for the deer.


    "Hey. That''s savage food, for savage people," Ike warned him.


    Wisp chuckled.


    Shawn shot him a middle finger and tore off a chunk.


    Ike wandered over and sliced off some meat with his razor, then turned to consider the woman. From her injuries, she''d recently fled from some brutal and intense battle. And yet, he saw no sign of an inter-mage conflict. No fireballs raged over the forest, nor did giant mana constructs slam into each other to earth-shaking effect. There wasn''t even the boom and echo of overpowered bodies striking one another. Had she been alone, then? Ambushed? But then why ''another one?'' And what did the deer have to do with anything?


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    He took another bite of the meat. "So many questions."


    "Well, at least we''re on the winning side, probably. She looks pretty bad off. Other guy probably beat her, and now we''ve got her tied up. Winning side," Wisp said, putting her hands on her hips.


    "The winning side of this battle. That''s not the same as the winning side of the war," Ike reprimanded her. He paused, considering. "If there is a war."


    "Right. We killing her and taking her loot, or¡­?" Wisp looked the woman up and down, appraising her gear. "Those clothes she''s wearing are high-rank fabric. She''s definitely from a sect. Looks like¡­ maybe a low rank disciple? They let her come out this far on her own, and she got ambushed, and she didn''t have guards, so she wasn''t anyone important."


    "Unless she was running from the sect," Ike pointed out.


    "Yeah, but then how the hell would she mistake you for one of her pursuers? You don''t look like you belong to a sect."


    Ike looked down at himself. He still wore the somewhat ragged remains of Ket''s loaned leather armor. He''d stitched up the center where it had been pierced through during his fight with ice-wielding Garrus, and patched the places where it had burned away. The end result was a somewhat ragtag patchwork of shaky stitches and various different hides.


    The lady dangled before him. Her clothes were stained and bloodied, sure, but the fabric was fine, and dyed a beautiful pale blue. It had tears, but the tears were fresh. Unlike Ket''s armor, which was still a little too big for him, her robes fit her perfectly. And not only that, but there was a uniformity to her entire outfit, with matching robes, leggings, shoes, and even headdress, that Ike simply couldn''t compare to.


    He gave Wisp a haughty look. "What do you mean? I look like the leader of a sect, let alone a random member. I''m clearly a highly valuable personage."


    Wisp squinted at him for a second before he started laughing. She laughed along, shaking her head.


    Caught between them, Shawn squinted at them both. "Was that a dig at me? Is that some sort of joke on this garbage I''m wearing?"


    Mana appeared at the limits of Ike''s perception, approaching them at speed. Ike and Wisp exchanged a glance. Without a word, she stole Shawn up again. Ike threw the wolf''s pelt over the woman and stood alone, tending the deer.


    The mana slowed. It circled Ike and his camp, taking a better look at him. Ike pretended not to notice. He reined in his mana, lowering his pressure to the absolute minimum to look as unthreatening as possible.


    A twig snapped. Heavy footsteps sounded where no footsteps had sounded before. From out of the woods, a raggedly-dressed hunter lifted a hand in greeting. Ike nodded back, eyeing him warily.


    "Hello! I see you''ve been fruitful in your hunts," the man greeted Ike.


    Ike nodded. "I''ve enough to share, if you''re a friendly sort."


    "I can be a very friendly sort indeed, with venison that juicy on the line."


    Ike cut off a chunk of meat and tossed it at the man. The man took a bite, then recoiled, yanking his teeth out without stealing a hunk of meat with them. He stared at the meat in shock.


    Right. Because venison isn''t juicy. It''s an extremely tough meat. Moreso for a beast with some amount of Rank, like this one had. Shawn, Wisp, and I are all used to this kind of meat, but we''re actual hunters, who have been living off the land. You, on the other hand¡­ He eyed the man''s gear. The glistening buckles. The shining sword handles. His perfectly clean hair. His clothes were surface-level dirty, but had none of the wear and tear that came with living in the same gear for weeks.


    Ike smiled. "Delicious, isn''t it?" He took a big bite and ate with visible relish.


    "R-right." The man bit the meat again. This time, he successfully took a piece. Grimacing, he chewed it down.


    Still smiling, Ike narrowed his eyes subtly.


    You, my friend, are no hunter. So tell me. What business do you have here?


    At last, the man swallowed. He cleared his throat and nodded at Ike. "Have you seen a woman in blue?"

 141. No Hunter

    The man cleared his throat. "Have you seen a woman in blue?"Ike watched the man silently, pretending to think about it. He wore a smile that didn''t reach his eyes and stood near the invisible lady, prepared to block the man off if he approached her. He honestly didn''t care much about the fate of the lady. If the man had simply asked for her and offered an appropriate reward, he would have almost certainly handed her over. But instead, this roundabout way of approach, pretending to be a hunter¡­ No, I don''t like any of this. There''s more to this situation than some mere chase.


    He had no desire to be a pawn in someone else''s politics. If there was more to it, he''d rather know the whole situation and decide on his own. After all, if he was going to get involved in politics, he might as well milk the situation for all it was worth, rather than getting involved for the menial price of a throwaway pawn.


    Not that I''ve decided I''m getting involved yet. But the way this man was acting, he couldn''t see himself coming out on top, if he mentioned he knew exactly where the lady was.


    Ike shrugged. "Why do you ask?"


    "We got separated during a hunt. I slew the beast, but I''m afraid she was badly injured during the fight. We were fighting a Cockatrice¡­ you know what that is, right?"


    Ike shook his head.


    "Fearsome beast, fearsome. Its glare can turn a man to stone and its voice can shatter bone. Its venom can induce madness. I know it bit her. I''m worried she didn''t expel the venom in time, and she''s wandering around, confused." He gave Ike a concerned look. "If you saw her, it''s vital you tell me immediately. I have the antidote. But if she continues to wander like this, she''ll quickly perish."


    Ike''s brows furrowed. He pinched his chin, as though lost in thought. Internally, he mocked the man. They fought a beast with venom that fearsome, yet only one of them packed the antidote? Why didn''t he immediately dose her? If they started together, with no more conflict between them but a hunt, how did she get away from him when she was badly injured and barely able to keep her feet?


    Besides, he''d seen her injuries. They weren''t the wild strikes and scratches of a beast. They were deep, deliberate. Sword wounds, or some similar single-bladed weapon.


    At last, he shook his head. "No, I''m sorry. I haven''t seen anything like that."


    "That is unfortunate. If you do encounter her, please light this." He held out a small flare to Ike. "When that is lit, I will immediately come to your side."


    "Thank you. If I run into her, I''ll light it." He tucked the flare into his pocket and smiled.


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    The man smiled at him.


    Ike smiled back.


    A long moment passed.


    The man clapped. "Well, if that''s all¡­"


    "That''s all," Ike agreed.


    He took a few steps away, then paused. "You sure you saw nothing?"


    "Just this deer." Ike patted the carcass beside him.


    The man raised his brows. He ambled away slowly, turning back a few more times. Ike stood there, ignoring him. Obviously he can sense Wisp and Shawn''s aether, not to mention he can probably sense the woman''s mana. But all he knows is that there''s other people here, not who or what they are. If he were skilled enough to completely accurately track the woman''s mana signature, he wouldn''t be talking to me. He''s suspicious, but he also knows he''s outnumbered. I wouldn''t attack either, if I were him.


    But I would go get my buddies and come right back.


    The second the man left his perception, Ike glanced up. "We need to move."


    "I got those vibes, too," Wisp replied, landing behind him. This time, Shawn managed to land gracefully beside her.


    "Who gets the kid, who gets the girl?" Ike paused. "Who gets the deer?"


    Wisp gave him a look. "I get the girl. You get the kid, and the deer, but you''re better off leaving it behind. That thing stinks to high heavens. If they have any scent trackers on their side, you''re basically putting up a banner to your location."


    Ike sighed. He grabbed one last lump of meat off the deer, then grabbed the deer by the stick and lobbed it off into the distance. He picked up Shawn. Grabbing his wolf pelt off the woman, he slung it around his shoulders instead.


    It took some effort for Wisp to position the woman such that she didn''t drag on the ground or get in the way of Wisp''s carry. She was much smaller than the woman, only about the size of a thirteen- or fourteen-year old girl. Wisp pulled out her wolfskin and wrapped it over both of them.


    Ike nodded, and they set off.


    "So, when are you going to grow?" Ike asked conversationally.


    "Huh?"


    He nodded. "You''re still young. You''re going to grow still, right?"


    Wisp blinked at him. "I''m several hundred years old, give or take. I''m full grown."


    Ike stared back. "No way. You''re so small!"


    "What? How old did you think I was?" she asked in return.


    "I don''t know. Fourteen?" Ike guessed. He waved his hand a beat later. "In appearance, I mean."


    "My human guise is fully grown, in appearance and age," Wisp clarified. She gave Ike a look. "You know that human girls are mostly fully grown by fourteen, right?"


    "What?"


    Wisp rolled her eyes. "Seriously¡­"


    "Wait, then that woman was twice your height at fourteen?" Ike asked, flabbergasted.


    Wisp nodded. "Yeah. She probably was. What''s the problem?"


    "Crazy," Ike muttered.


    "In which a human discovers how human growth rates work," Shawn narrated.


    Ike gave him a look. "I don''t need any cheek from you, kid."


    "I''m older than all of you!" Shawn protested yet again.


    As they walked, Ike amended, "It didn''t work that way in the slums. Lots of people never grew, or grew late, or slow. I thought it was normal for girls to hit their full height around sixteen or so."


    "Huh," Wisp said.


    They sped on. The makeshift camp quickly fell away behind them.


    --


    "No one''s here."


    "Use your eyes. The fire''s still burning. They just left."


    "Suspicious, isn''t it? Four sources of mana, but only one standing around. He denies seeing her, but asks more about it first."


    "Could just be he got spooked by you. Hunters spook easy. I told you we shouldn''t let him question people."


    "But the other three mana sources?"


    "Can''t explain that."


    "We track them down. Kill them. Either they have her, or they''re troublesome types hiding their true numbers and intent. Best to kill them. For the New Republic."


    "For the New Republic." sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The figures leapt off, chasing into the woods.

 142. Chase

    Ike and Wisp ran through the woods. The two of them exchanged a glance, then ran on, faster now. Ike nodded at her. "I''ve been thinking.""Dangerous."


    "Are we just doing this to have the justification to kill a bunch of dudes?" Ike asked.


    "You might be. I don''t need any justification to kill some humans," Wisp returned.


    Ike snorted. He thought to himself for another few seconds. "I figured it out. What''s bothering me about this."


    "Yeah?"


    "I don''t want to help the girl as much as that fake hunter guy pissed me off. I don''t really give a shit about her, but I really want to punch that guy."


    "Reasonable," Wisp said.


    Ike looked at her. "I feel like you don''t understand my moral dilemma."


    She met his eyes. "I eat people."


    Ike opened his mouth, then shut it. You know what? I don''t know what I expected. Why would a spider-beast understand human morality in the first place?


    The forest flashed by. Ike dodged around trees and darted past bushes. Shawn clutched tight to Ike''s shoulder. Shawn patted his arm. "They''re close."


    "Mmm." Ike activated Ice Armor. A thick coat of ice raced over his body. His mind flicked to his desired Storm Clad again, and he grimaced. I really need to absorb that wind skill. Soon.


    Ugh. I''m hesitant because it makes me helpless. Because I know it''s not well suited to me, and I''ll have to focus everything on it when I absorb it. Because I could die.


    I need to find a safe place. Somewhere I won''t be interrupted.


    "What about me?" Shawn hissed. He patted Ike''s Ice Armor, which didn''t cover him in the least.


    "You''re dirt. You''ll be fine."


    Shawn grumbled something vile under his breath.


    "Why, hello there. Where are you going in such a hurry?" The hunter from earlier stepped out from behind a stand of trees. From the front, the wolf pelt flew back, revealing Ike, so he was in the man''s full view.


    Beside him, Wisp subtly adjusted her pelt to better cover the woman.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    The man''s eyes raked over Ike and Wisp. His gaze rested on the shifting invisibility of the wolf pelts. "What are you hiding?"


    How did he get ahead of us? Ike raised his brow, hiding his surprise. "Do I need to explain myself every time I go on a brisk jog through the woods?"


    "Only when it''s suspicious," the man countered.


    "Since when have you become my keeper?"


    "Keeper? We''re just two friendly acquaintances who met in the woods."


    As Ike drew up alongside the man, the man''s hands blurred. A dozen bright-red birds shot from his sleeves and swarmed at Ike and Wisp.


    Ike punched. Green shockwaves knocked the birds out of the air. Wisp simply flicked her finger, and white thread swallowed up the swarm. It hit the ground, knocking around inside the cocoon. She swiped it up as she passed and swallowed it, cocoon and all.


    Ike braced himself for another attack as they ran past, but the man merely fell back, watching them. Ike grimaced and sped on. He''s just testing us. Trying to draw out our skills, so he can kill us easier later. More than ever, he found himself wishing for a truly ranged skill. A lightning strike from afar, that didn''t require him to build up lightning in the heavens first.


    He glanced at Wisp, who nodded, already understanding.


    She pulled close to him. "Split up? Stick together?"


    "Stick together. He''s not alone. If we split up, we risk one of us getting mobbed. Better to get mobbed together," Ike said.


    Wisp chuckled, but didn''t argue. She fell back, letting Ike take the lead.


    "What do I do?" Shawn asked.


    "What can you do?" Ike returned.


    Silence. At last, Shawn tried, "Throw stuff?"


    "Don''t throw my stuff, but feel free to throw whatever you have on you," Ike said.


    Shawn hesitated again. He moved around, searching in his robes. At last, he clung upright again. "Right."


    "You don''t have anything, do you," Ike muttered.


    "Maybe not."


    Ike glanced back. The man lingered, fading into the forest. Ike whipped back around just in time to dodge a branch. He cursed, smacking stray leaves out of his hair.


    "I bet he planned that," Wisp commented.


    "You could''ve warned me."


    "I thought it was funny, too."


    He shook his head at her. As he ran, he lifted his hand. He called aether to his palm and circulated it between his fingers. The energy crackled as it spun, already energetic even without any structure applied to it. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike called forth the structure of Lightning Grasp. The energy instantly coated his hand, transforming from aether to lightning. He frowned. No, that''s not what I want. He forced the aether back out of his hand, hovering it in his palm instead. It coalesced there, circulating in a small ring of lightning. As it circulated, it weakened. Lightning struck from the ring. Every time it landed on his fingers or palm, the ring lost energy. He was able to absorb some of it as aether again, but the rest was lost.


    In a few moments, the ring had lost enough energy that it could no longer keep its form. It collapsed in a final bolt of lightning. A shock ran up his arm, and his hand trembled from the bolt''s force.


    Ike shook out his hand. It hurt. Pins and needles shot up his arm. But it didn''t hurt enough to stop him with adrenaline running. Nor did it disable his arm.


    I need a stronger bolt. More lightning. More power. He clenched his fist. His mind rolled. He drew the construct forth in his mind. How? Here? What do I add? What do I remove?


    "Heads up," Shawn called.


    Ike put the thoughts to the back of his head. He brought Lightning Clad to the surface, ready to activate it at a moment''s notice. He glanced left and right, checking the trees. Dark shapes moved here and there. Branches cracked. Leaves crunched.


    "All enemies of the New Republic must die!" With a shout, a man leaped at Ike.

 143. All Enemies of the Old Republic

    Ike activated Lightning Clad. He smashed his fist toward the man. A dagger glittered in the man''s hand, plunging toward Ike''s hand.Blade sparked against blade. The man startled, shocked for a split second as his dagger bounced off the invisible blade in Ike''s hand. In the next moment, his eyes hardened. He pushed back, fighting against Ike''s dagger.


    Ike twisted his wrist, throwing the man off. The man fell behind him. Even as he dropped back, another one charged at Ike. Ike drew his sword and put his dagger away, closing in on the newcomer. Their blades clashed. Ike called out the new lightning technique he''d barely began forming and pushed it onto his blade. Lightning sparked down his blade and grounded on the man''s hand.


    The man grinned, unfeeling. He pushed Ike''s sword away with strength far beyond Ike''s. Metal flashing, he went for a killing blow.


    Ike jumped back. Lightning Dash''s superior speed barely took him out of the man''s reach in time. The man backed away rather than pursue. Clenching his teeth, Ike jumped to the side. A third man jumped out to stab his guts a second after he flinched away.


    All of them wore the same face. All of them wore the same fake-hunter clothes. All of them moved the same way.


    "They''re all the same? Triplets?" Shawn asked, his eyes big.


    Ike snorted. He flipped his hand, drawing out the spider''s fang in his offhand. He held his sword out, ready to greet an attack. "No. Puppets."


    "You saw through us so quickly?" The man from the beginning stepped out from behind a tree ahead of them.


    "You might say I have a little experience with these things. Where''d you buy yours? Bargain bin dealer?" Ike asked. Compared to the puppets he''d seen in the Abyss, these were more lifelike, but at the consequence of all bearing the same face. If the man hadn''t cheaped out and bought three copies of himself, it would have taken Ike far longer to figure him out. But once he noticed the man''s replicas, it only took another few moments to examine the puppets'' mana signatures and realize their inner mechanics were the same as the puppets he was used to.


    "What?" the man asked, confused.


    "You heard me. Where''d you find such cheap puppets?" Ike repeated.


    "They weren''t cheap," the man countered.


    Ike frowned. "Then why do they all look like you?"


    The man opened his mouth, then shut it. His eyes blazed. "Those who understand nothing should die!"


    "You''re the one who understands nothing." Shaking his head at the man, Ike charged into battle. Just as his sword was about to collide with the puppet''s, he sheathed it and sidestepped instead. A white thread yanked the puppet closer to him, so that he was inside the sword''s swing. He gripped the spider''s fang in both hands and smashed it through the puppet''s stomach.


    Before, he''d always been careful. Taken his time. Drilled a small hole no one would notice. It wasn''t that he needed to spend time carving the holes; it was that he needed to spend time if he wanted to hide them afterward. Now, in open battle, he had no such hesitation. The fang punctured the doll''s stomach and shattered the pottery around it, caving in a big hole around where its belly button should have been. Bits of porcelain fell to the floor, and black goo gushed out.


    "What?" the puppet asked, startled.


    "Like I said. Bargain-bin," Ike said with a laugh. He jabbed his hand into the puppet''s gut and ignited the black goo with a flash of lightning. Black smoke gushed out of the puppet as the flame raged through it. Ike breathed deeply, rejuvenating himself from the puppet''s loss.


    The shattered puppet staggered back. As the black goo left it, the light in its eyes faded. Its lifelike features became no more than crude carvings in the pottery. Its matching clothes became ragged stagewear, barely worthy of a child''s play. It staggered to the side, then slumped, dead.


    The other puppets backed away. They stared at Ike in shock. "Who are you?"


    "I was just a passerby, but today, you''ve made me an enemy of the New Republic," Ike said. He shook his head at the puppets. "You need to learn to pick your battles. I was very happy to pass by in peace until you single-handedly attacked me. If you''d simply let me take the girl and pass by, I would have walked far, far away from here and never intervened. But instead, you''ve incited my wrath."


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    Wisp crept up close to him. A fierce pressure escaped from her, far beyond Ike''s power, but centered on him as though it belonged to him. He glanced at her, and she winked.


    Ike grinned. He put his hands on his hips and tilted is head back, looking down on the puppets. "You don''t know what you''ve done. Rue this day, for you will come to regret it!"


    The puppets fled. Ike leaped from his spot, chasing after them. Behind him, Wisp shot a few lazy threads. The puppets Ike wasn''t chasing tripped and fell as the thread tangled their ankles. They reached down to sever it, only for their blades to bounce off.


    Ike tackled the fleeing puppet to the ground and quickly stabbed it in the back. Black goo gushed, and he ignited it. A quick run around the forest, and the rest of the puppets met the same fate. Black smoke clouded the horizon.


    Ike stood. Wiping off his fang, he glanced at Wisp. "That''s just going to stir them up, isn''t it."


    "Sure, but it''ll put fear in their hearts, too. Doubt. If there are any collaborators to this ''New Republic,'' they now have reason to be angry at this idiot. We''ve sown discord and brought fear to the land. Not bad, for our first day as guerrillas," Wisp said, nodding.


    "We aren''t going to stick around and fight the New Republic," Ike said, then paused. A thoughtful look crossed his face. But they''re using the puppets. My city lord''s puppets. Whatever the city lord''s up to, it''s nothing good. Maybe I should stick around and fight the New Republic. Figure out what the old city lord is up to. Good old Lord Brightbriar and his creepy doll daughter Rosamund. I really don''t know what the point of all those dolls was, and I kind of want to know. Just from a ''what did I ruin'' standpoint, if nothing else.


    "Why not?" Wisp asked, at the same time that a soft voice on her shoulders said, "You aren''t?"


    Wisp''s brows raised. She lifted the wolf pelt. The blue-clad woman from earlier climbed down from her shoulders. She looked at Ike, then quickly knelt before him. "Please. We need fighters. I''ll give you anything."


    Ike looked at Wisp. Wisp waggled her brows back. She made a money sign with her finger and thumb and nodded.


    He turned back to the lady in blue. "We''re busy. No."


    "Anything! Riches. Skills. My city has many skills. If you help, I''m sure we could spare one for you."


    "One?" Ike asked, incredulous.


    "M-many! As many as you like."


    "Hmm. Low-grade skills, I bet," Wisp opined from behind her.


    "Even Unique ones! I¡­I''m sure we could part with a Unique skill," the woman said, wincing even as she offered it.


    Ike twisted his lips. He met Wisp''s eyes. Wisp jabbed her finger up. More!


    Stifling a chuckle, Ike put on a stern face. "We do have somewhere to be. And this isn''t our problem."


    The lady in blue stilled. She hesitated, then spoke at last. "I¡ªI''m even prepared to offer my hand in marriage."


    Silence. Ike stared to the horizon, completely lost. Wisp covered her mouth with both hands, forcibly holding back a fierce spate of giggles.


    How did she end up there¡­?


    A long moment passed. The girl shivered on the floor. Ike looked down at her, pity in his eyes. She''s really ready to throw away her life, huh? First, she wants to kill herself as soon as look at me. Next, she''s giving me her hand in marriage for helping them out. I''m only Rank 2. Is her sect or clan or whatever really that weak? Really that desperate?


    Or is there something else? Something that''s primed her to see her life as worthless?


    Ike considered for a minute, then shrugged to himself. He sighed and nodded at the girl. "Get up. I don''t want to marry anyone yet. Money and skills will do."


    She rose to her feet, brushing her robes down. "Really?"


    "Yeah. What''s your name? And what the hell is going on here?" Ike asked. He gestured at the puppets. "You guys have these things, too?"


    The girl nodded. "My name is Clarina. As for the New Republic¡­ it''s a long story." S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "We''ve got plenty of time. Tell us on the way back to your home," Ike said.


    Clarina grimaced. She looked at the ground.


    "Home''s gone, huh?" Wisp guessed. She chuckled. "Figures. No one just throws themselves at random men, unless they''ve already lost everything."


    Oh. Yeah, that would explain it, Ike realized. If she had no home, no sect or clan left to return to, then of course she''d see herself as the only bargain chip worth offering. But wait, then¡­ "Where are the riches coming from, huh?"


    She looked away. "We have secret storehouses. The New Republic hasn''t found everything yet."


    Ike raised a brow. Sure you do. It was suspicious, beyond suspicious. He looked at Wisp.


    Wisp mimed taking a big bite.


    "Here! Collateral." The girl held up her ring. She twisted it, giving them a quick glimpse of a skill. It radiated pure light, and for a moment, the overwhelming sensation of rightness washed over Ike, the same as it had when he''d first beheld a Unique skill. The girl twisted it shut again, then offered Ike the ring.


    "What, already?" He passed his hand over it, then frowned. He tried again, and again, but nothing happened.


    "That ring only opens to my unique mana signature. As long as you help me, the skill is yours. But if you don''t, or I die, then¡­" She trailed off.


    "Right," Ike said. He slipped the ring on.


    Wisp shrugged at him, and he shrugged back. Either the girl led them to a battle they could win, and they fought, or she didn''t, and they''d retreat. They could still back out at any moment they pleased. But they might as well see what Clarina wanted from them before simply giving up.


    "Show the way, then," Ike said, gesturing for Clarina to take the lead.


    She nodded. Lifting her skirts up above her ankles, she headed off through the forest.

 144. Rescue Mission

    As they walked, Clarina spoke. She spoke softly at first, but grew louder as her story progressed. Ike half-listened, keeping his ears and eyes enhanced in case any more puppets crept up on them. The gist of it was about what he''d thought. Her sect had been attacked by the New Republic dissidents, who were mostly lower-level nobles and not the low-level hunters they claimed to be. The dissidents were originally small in number, and expected to go down easily, but they suddenly multiplied. Now her sect was sacked, her friends and family missing, and the New Republic and its puppets in control."My family¡­ they''re still alive. Destined for execution, but still alive. I need to get them out before the New Republic kills them." She looked at Ike and Wisp.


    "That''s where we come in, huh?" Ike said, snapping back to the conversation.


    Clarina nodded. "I''m too weak to rescue them. But if it''s you two¡­ you stand a chance. I don''t think you can defeat all the New Republic, but you don''t have to. If you know how to kill those indestructible puppets, that''s enough."


    Indestructible? Ike frowned. Not by half. At Rank 2, it''s practically easy, as long as you have the right tools. By Rank 3, it should be possible to break them barehanded. How low rank is Clarina''s sect? Or are the puppets stronger, and the guy I faced really had a cut-rate, low-quality puppet?


    Or¡­ He grimaced as a thought occurred to him. Ike shook his head. Indestructible, huh.


    Unaware of Ike''s thoughts, Clarina blithely continued. "I know all the secret exits and entrances to the sect. I can show you the routes in and out. You should only see a few guards. There''s still fighting in the forests¡­ they attacked us in the middle of the night, so no one was ready to fight back, but many of us escaped."


    "Don''t mages not have to sleep?" Ike pointed out.


    Clarina looked at him like he was stupid. "We still have to meditate at night to settle our mana."


    "Oh," Ike said. No one told me that.


    Wisp leaned in. "Don''t worry, it''s mostly superstition."


    "It''s not superstition. It''s true! It''s a necessary daily process to settle the mana! If you don''t do it, your mana will go haywire," Clarina insisted.


    Ike pursed his lips. He looked at Wisp and shrugged. "Seems to be okay for me."


    "Maybe you''re not human, ooo." Wisp waggled her fingers.


    "Maybe I am human and she''s full of shit," Ike deadpanned, thumbing at Clarina.


    "I am not! We meditate every night. All mages do. It''s normal!" Clarina defended herself, taken aback.


    Wisp clicked her tongue. "Come on, Ike. No need to start throwing strays at poor Clarina."


    "Yeah, yeah." He nodded at Clarina. "Sorry."


    Clarina straightened up. She nodded back regally, accepting his apology.


    Ike cleared his throat. "Not to rain on your parade or anything, but if there''s fighting in the forests, how come we aren''t hearing anything? Or seeing anything?"


    Clarina stiffened. After a beat, she shrugged. "Perhaps the fight is at a lull."


    Or maybe your side lost. Ike considered, then shrugged. He didn''t care about the girl. Never had, and still didn''t. Her parents could go rot, likewise. But what the girl represented was a route in to the New Republic''s coffers and treasure rooms. This wasn''t a rescue mission. This was a heist.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    He exchanged a glance at Wisp, who smiled and nodded back at him. She shot him a thumbs-up, fully on the same page.


    Of course, I''ll rescue her parents if we encounter them, but I''m not going to pretend like they''re why I''m doing this. Treasure and knowledge on the puppets, that''s what I''m after. The girl''s desires are secondary.


    Shawn sighed loudly, and a heavy weight dropped onto Ike''s shoulders. He staggered, almost dropping to his knees. Lightning flickered over him, enhancing his body, and he caught himself seconds before he hit the ground.


    "Ike, you alright?" Wisp asked.


    "I¡­yeah?" Ike said, a little lost. He looked at Shawn, confused.


    Shawn yawned. He smacked his lips before explaining. "I''ve been carrying my own weight all this time, but it''s too much. I''m tired. I need you to help me carry my weight."


    "I''ve been carrying you this whole time," Ike argued. His feet are off the ground. There''s no way he can just¡­ get heavier.


    "Right, and I''ve been carrying my weight," Shawn said, nodding.


    Ike looked at Wisp. She shrugged. Internally, so did he. I guess it''s magic. It doesn''t have to make sense to a mortal''s perspective. "Well, could you go back to carrying your own weight?"


    "No! I''m tired."


    "I''m tired!" Ike argued.


    "You aren''t." Shawn yawned and rested his head against Ike''s shoulder. "I''m still carrying¡­ most of it. Help me just a li''l¡­" His voice faded away. A few seconds later, gentle snores emanated from his body.


    Ike grimaced. He grabbed Shawn and tried to remove him from his body. The boy was stuck tight. His hands might as well have been knotted in Ike''s clothes. Even his feet clenched tight to Ike''s armor. He pulled at Shawn''s hands, but they were bound tight, beyond his Rank 2 ability to untwine.


    "Dammit," Ike muttered.


    Wisp gave him a sage look. "Think of it as training."


    "That''s what people usually say when they shove their chores off on me," Ike grumbled.


    "Chores? That''s what you''re calling our gracious offers of deep wisdom?" Wisp made a shocked face.


    "You should be grateful that so many experts have offered you training," Clarina said earnestly.


    Wisp pointed at her and raised her brows.


    Ike glared back. "Uh huh."


    They walked on in silence for a while. At last, Clarina turned. "My city is just ahead. Through the next line of trees, there is nothing but empty space until the outer wall. You need to take care, but please, take a look."


    Ike stepped forward. As she''d said, more light spilled through the trees ahead of them. He pushed aside the branches, peering out.


    A broad, empty field stretched forth, spanning the distance between him and a lone-standing mountain. The mountain was smaller than his city, and no slums clung to its underbelly. White buildings circled its upper regions, uniform in build and size. Higher up, at the very top, a few elegant, but not overstated, castles jutted up toward the sky. They were castles, too. Not palaces or manors, but castles. Defensible, with thick walls and arrowslits, along with strange arcane weapons Ike didn''t recognize. In the distance, other small, bare mountains dotted the landscape, off to the far horizon, where a single enormous mountain heaved up from the earth. That distant mountain overshadowed the entire region. It couldn''t be called a valley; it was an expanse, a plains, and yet, that mountain made it a valley. It was larger than Ike''s home city''s mountain. Larger even than Mont. And atop it, a thousand lights glimmered from a thousand buildings, each one larger than Clarina''s castles combined.


    "What''s that?" Ike asked, pointing.


    Clarina swallowed. "That''s King Roche''s land. He is the king who rules all the Lords and Ladies of the plains, the mountains, and the mountains beyond the plains."


    Ike frowned. "Why isn''t he putting an end to this New Republic? Doesn''t he care that there''s a revolt on his land?"


    "He¡­has no reason to worry. Even if the New Republic united all the small sects between here and the King''s grand peak, they would simply be decimated by the King''s thousands upon thousands of mage soldiers," Clarina said.


    Ike eyed the distant peak. He pinched his chin, thinking. Lord Brightbriar is making a puppet army and supplying them to members of the resistance. I think I might know why.


    "Is King Roche popular?" Ike asked.


    "Oh yes, of course! No one would dare say a word against him," Clarina replied quickly.


    Ike raised his brows. Ah. That''s as clear a ''no'' as I''ve ever heard.


    After a beat, he shrugged. It wasn''t his problem if Lord Brightbriar wanted to revolt against the king. Maybe I''ll go warn them about the Lord''s plot. Get a reward.


    "You mentioned another way in?" Wisp prompted Clarina.


    "Yes! Yes. Right this way." Clarina gestured, leading them back into the woods. Ike stood there for another moment, gazing into the distance. At last, he let the branches go and followed her into the woods. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 145. Secret Tunnel

    They wandered through the woods for a time. Usually, the walk wouldn''t have bothered Ike, but with Shawn''s extra weight weighing him down, he felt every step. His breath came short. He adjusted Shawn''s weight a little, trying to make it a little more comfortable. Damn kid. Should''ve left him on the ground. Made him walk by himself.Clarina wandered ahead of them. She looked left and right, occasionally darting to either side only to drift back to the center. Ike was just beginning to wonder if Clarina had lost her secret entrance when she clapped her hands and drew to a stop. "Here it is."


    Ike looked around. "Huh?"


    She pointed. "Three white birches."


    He turned to find three white birches, as advertised. They were slender and tall, their bark peeling. The trio grew in a tight knot. Their roots intertwined, vanishing under shed bark and accumulated leaves.


    Ike nodded. "Yep."


    "And?" Wisp asked.


    "This is the entrance," Clarina stated.


    Ike looked around. He saw nothing. No magic circles or trap doors. He extended his aether just to make sure, but he still sensed nothing. He frowned at Wisp, who frowned back and shook her head. She hasn''t noticed anything, either.


    "How does it work?" Ike asked.


    "Well, you just¡­" Clarina paused. She looked the trees up and down, then frowned. She knelt, patting around at the leaves gathered around the roots. Her frown deepened.


    "You know where the entrance is, but not how to get in?" Wisp guessed.


    "No, I¡ªI can get in," Clarina insisted. She kept patting around, but her motions grew a little more desperate.


    Ike raised an eyebrow. Are you sure about that?


    As she patted around, she pushed the leaves away from the trees'' bases. Ike stepped forward, his eyes widening. The roots knotted together into a circle. Simple runes were etched into the roots. Others were formed from the roots themselves. He stepped forward, putting a toe on the edge of the roots, and sent a pulse of aether to the circle.


    The runes glowed. The circle lit up. Bright green light poured from the runes.


    Clarina''s deep frown melted into a smile. "There! Just like I said."


    Ike snorted. "Right. Just like you said."


    She put her hands on the circle and took a deep breath. As she breathed out, mana flowed into the ring. The runes began to spin, circulating around the ring of roots. A shimmering green portal appeared over them. From within, Ike could only make out darkness.


    He looked at Wisp. "Go on."


    "Yeah, yeah." Wisp hopped through, transforming into a spider mid-leap. A palm-sized arachnid landed on the other side and quickly scuttled off.


    Ike averted his eyes. I still can''t get used to her spider form.


    Clarina gasped. "She''s a monster?"


    "Yeah. A good one," Ike lied.


    "Oh! Oh. Yes. I''ve heard tell of them. Is she from Lady Wildhart''s territory? I hear there''s lots of monsters that way who are willing to cooperate with humans."


    Ike shrugged. "I''m not really sure where she''s from. She''s mentioned a battlefield a few times, but that''s it."


    Clarina sighed. "That could be anywhere. There''s been too much fighting in the last few decades. Far too much."


    Ike opened his mouth to correct her, then shut it and nodded. It was better if Clarina underestimated Wisp''s age¡ªand therefore strength¡ªthan if she knew the truth. He wasn''t sure he could trust her yet, after all. She didn''t seem to have any ill intentions toward him or Wisp. If she was lying, then she was excellent at hiding it. But he never wanted to rule anyone out. Anyone could cause harm, if they so desired. Even someone low-rank like Clarina could, for example, trigger the guards once he and Wisp were inside. She had no reason to. It wasn''t as if he and Wisp were wanted by the New Republic. They''d literally only gotten involved for her sake. But he wouldn''t put it past her to sell them out, somehow, anyways.


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    That''d be funny. Beg us passerby for help, then sell us off to the guards. I guess that''s one way to make a living. Not that he thought she was doing it, but it would be an amusing scam. Though, if I got caught in it, I''d be beyond angry.


    Wisp reappeared. She gestured Ike through. "It''s safe."


    Ike nodded to Clarina. "You coming?"


    Clarina jolted. She shook her head. "I''d only slow you down. I''ll stay here. Mind the exit."


    "Sure. Be careful. I need you to unlock this ring." Ike showed her the ring she''d given him and grinned.


    "Right. I''ll stay safe," Clarina promised with a nod.


    Ike drew his wolf pelt close and stepped through the portal.


    He stepped out into a small, dark, stuffy space. Soft things pressed in on him from all sides. Ike fought his way out as quietly as he could, but every time he pushed on the things, metal jangled against metal. At last, he broke free. Standing in an empty space, he held up his hand and activated Lightning Grasp at a low level, just enough that there was enough flickering lightning to create a steady light.


    He stood in a closet. Fine robes, coats, boots, and hats stood on the ground, on shelves, or hung all around him. Jewels glittered at accentuation points. Fine plumes that emanated strong pressure fluttered atop hats. Pelts of beasts he couldn''t dream of killing formed the leather of the jackets.


    Ike''s eyes widened. Forget the treasure Clarina mentioned. I could just take the contents of this closet and already have made out like a bandit!


    "What are you waiting for?" Wisp hissed. In human form once more, she tore down robe after robe from the hangers and stuffed them into a storage ring. She gestured. "Come on! Get packing!"


    "Uh, shouldn''t we scout out the area? Find Clarina''s parents first, and maybe locate the real treasure rooms?" Ike asked.


    Wisp snorted dismissively. "Are you kidding? A bird in the hand, kiddo. I thought you, of all people, would understand. Now then. Get cracking!"


    Ike chuckled to himself. He followed Wisp''s lead in pulling the robes off the hangers, adding hats, boots, and accessories that caught his eye, too. In a few seconds, they''d cleaned out the majority of the closet.


    "What''s going on? I can see a lot of motion¡­ are you two okay?" Clarina whispered.


    Ike startled. He looked around and finally located the portal. On this side, it was a small blot of green light on the wall at knee height, barely bigger than his palm. How the hell am I going to fit through that? he wondered, even as he kneeled. "Yeah, we''re fine! Just, uh, had a bit of a tiff, you know?"


    Wisp snorted.


    "Oh, I see. I''m glad you''re alright. Then, my parents should be in the dungeon. It''s here." The portal widened, and a scrap of quartz popped out onto the closet floor.


    Ike squinted. The hell? He knelt and picked it up. It emanated a small magical aura, but beyond that, he couldn''t identify anything about it.


    "Press it to your forehead and put mana into it," Wisp advised him.


    "Oh, okay." Ike obeyed her instructions.


    A map popped into his mind. The winding corridors of the castle spread before him, as familiar as if he''d walked them every day. As he absorbed that knowledge, the castle map narrowed. One particular route zoomed in. He saw the exterior of the closet, down the hallway, around a few sets of stairs, and so on, until at last he saw the dungeons.


    Ike pulled the scrap of quartz away and stared at it. "Wow. That''s awesome."


    "Right? I used to really enjoy playing with these things as a bitty spider." Wisp took the scrap and pressed it to her forehead. "Sometimes they have hidden bonus information if you mess around with them a little. This one¡­doesn''t seem to, though."


    Ike nodded. "Good to know."


    "I''ll give you the maps to the treasure room once my parents are safely on this side of the portal," Clarina promised.


    "Sure," Ike said. We can argue the minutiae of who''s handing over what first once we have her parents in hand. He set off. Wisp drew out her wolf skin and vanished. Quiet footsteps followed close behind Ike.


    Out of the closet and into the bedroom. The carpeted wooden floor creaked beneath him. His every footstep thumped down, louder than he was used to. Ike grimaced, annoyed. The kid really had to go and add a hundred pounds to my weight right before we snuck in somewhere, huh? He circulated his aether, forcibly using it to strengthen his body even without a skill.


    A massive four-poster bed stood in the center of the room. Heavy curtains hung over the windows, letting only a sliver of daylight in. Various personal effects sat here and there. The room was clearly in use¡ªor was in use when its occupants got grabbed by the New Republic, Ike amended. Something on the nightstand glittered in a ray of sunshine. He wandered over, tilting his head.


    A ruby the size of a baby''s fist sat there, casually resting in a bed of diamonds.


    Ike raised his brows. Without another thought, he casually swiped the necklace. It wasn''t magical, but it''d still sell for a pretty penny.


    "So¡­ are we just not talking about it, or¡­?"


    "What, the fact that Clarina''s obviously the young mistress of the ruling Lord, or at least some kind of high nobility?" Ike returned, glancing over his shoulder at Wisp.


    She nodded. "Yeah. That."


    "It means her parents are going to be heavily guarded. It means the Unique skill in this ring is almost certainly real. Aside from that¡­" Ike shrugged.


    "Doesn''t change much, but it''s something worth keeping in mind."


    "Do you think she''ll survive out there? Without us?" Ike asked.


    Wisp grimaced. "No idea, honestly. We got pretty far from those puppets, and you killed all of them to boot, but¡­"


    "But I don''t want to bring her along, either, because that sounds like a massive liability," Ike finished with a sigh. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Agreed."


    He shrugged at Wisp again. "Guess we just press on and hope for the best?"


    "Move quickly, is what you mean," Wisp agreed.


    Both of them nodded. They pulled the wolf pelts up again and pressed on, leaving the darkened bedroom behind. Ike glanced left and right at the door, then stepped out into the corridor.


    "Ah! There you are."

 146. There You Are

    Ike froze. He glanced toward the voice, revealing the absolute minimum of his face. No way. I couldn''t get caught this fast.A man strode toward him, dressed in beautiful but not functional robes. He shook his finger. "I''ve been looking all over for you!"


    "I''m sorry, sir," a second voice replied. Gentle and mellifluous, Ike couldn''t immediately identify it as a male or female voice. He peeked in the opposite direction, toward the second voice.


    A pale figure stood opposite the man. Her body was covered in delicate white feathers. Big, round eyes gazed off to infinity, not quite locked onto anything. Big white wings hung behind her. Huge claws curved from feather-coated fingers.


    Wisp leaned in. He felt her weight against his shoulder as she climbed up to whisper in his ear. Dammit, not more weight.


    "She failed her human transformation. She''s a flawed beast. She will never grow stronger than Rank 2."


    Ike raised his brows. He eyed the beautiful, pale figure. A flawed beast, but how gorgeous. She could be an art piece, or a model.


    For a moment, an image of a half-transformed Wisp appeared in his mind. Limbs going everywhere. Thick black-and-white bristles all over her skin. Eight bulbous eyes and giant mandibles. He shivered, barely repressing a retch. Gods. Thank goodness Wisp succeeded.


    The owl girl crossed to the man and knelt. "How can I serve you?"


    "Ah, yes, yes. Well, you know Roderick, with his weird little¡­" the man grimaced, wrinkling his whole face. He wiggled his fingers. "Puppets."


    "Sir." The owl girl ducked her head in acknowledgment.


    "Yes, well. He lost a few of them. He thinks someone is going to smash all of them. That he''s made a ¡­ bad investment." The man squinted at the owl girl, letting his lips draw up from the force of his squint.


    "Sir."


    "Go out to the forest. Find those idiots. The one who smashed Roderick''s toys. And teach them a little lesson, no?"


    "Sir." The owl girl turned. She crossed to a nearby window and opened her wings, soaring out onto the sky.


    Wisp peeked up at Ike. Ike peeked back. They waggled their brows at one another. Yeah. Good luck.


    Hope she doesn''t find Clarina.


    He paused, then shrugged. They won''t kill her. They didn''t kill her parents. They''ll probably just throw her in the dungeon, the same as her parents. And then we can rescue her, too! Two birds, one stone!


    The man with the mobile face peered around, his eyes squinted. Ike turned away, letting the pelt hide his eyes. The man harrumphed, then stomped off. "This New Republic bullshit of Roderick''s¡­ ah, it''s so much work, so much work. Where''s my easy life? I should never have gone along with him in the first place. And now these puppets, these strange puppets¡­ I don''t like it at all."


    The man retreated, leaving Wisp and Ike alone in the hall. Ike angled his wolf pelt toward Wisp. He nodded at her and thumbed toward the route to the dungeon. Wisp nodded back. The two of them followed the route from the quartz piece.


    They encountered few people on their way through the castle. The majority of the people they ran into were puppets. Not copies of Ricardo, but ordinary puppets. One or two other low-Rank mages wandered along, most of them in ordinary low-Rank robes. The rank and file of the New Republic, not high-status members like Ricardo or the man with the owl girl servant. No one so much as looked their way, not even when Ike missed a step up and thumped down hard on the stone, barely catching himself.


    Well, they did look at me. But that was all. Ike leaned in toward Wisp. "Why hasn''t anyone noticed us? They can sense mana, right? Aether?"


    Wisp nodded. "They can. But it takes conscious effort. It''s the same with you, right? If you aren''t exerting effort, you can''t sense mana either."


    Ike nodded slowly. "True."


    "In the wilds, it''s pretty normal to be sensing mana all the time. But here in their castle, where it''s safe, why expend effort you don''t have to? You''d be wasting mana if you spent all your time pushing it out of you to sense your surroundings."


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    "You could just get more."


    Wisp gave him a look, adjusting the wolf skin to give him enough of a glimpse of her face for maximum effect. "You can just get more. But you''re crazy good at finding and absorbing energy. I swear it''s a Skill of yours."


    "It isn''t," Ike protested.


    "For most people, they spend most of their lives in safety. Surrounded by other people. Being taught magic. Few people just head out into the woods and say ''fuck it,'' and take life as it comes. So for the people that stay around other people who also need mana, mana is a limited and precious resource. Not unusably precious, but valuable enough that they won''t just leak it all the time unless they need to."


    "After all, you also need mana to level up," Ike reasoned. He nodded. "I understand."


    Wisp hummed under her breath. "It changes once you''re powerful enough. At Rank 4, it''s such a low amount of mana to sense mana around you all the time, relative to your total mana, that many mages turn it on all the time. And at Rank 5, it''s instinctive for most mages. There''s exceptions, and naturally there''s ways to overcome these passive mana senses, but in general, you can only expect to sneak by mages up to Rank 3. Past Rank 3, you''ll have to evade their mana sense as well as their eyes and ears."


    Ike nodded. He grinned, excited. One day I''ll have mana sense. How awesome would that be?


    They turned a corner. Two doors greeted them. Immediately, the path in Ike''s head led him toward the right. He stepped toward it unconsciously. Three steps in, he forcibly stopped his feet. In his head, an alarm blared. Every piece of him wanted to go right. A sense of deep dread emanated from the left.


    "Wisp, do you feel that?" Ike asked.


    "Feel what?" Wisp turned around. She stepped toward him, then grimaced. "Oh. Oh. I do."


    "That quartz Clarina gave us. Is it possible to embed a compulsion into it? Some kind of mind-effecting spell?" Ike asked.


    "It sure is." Wisp grinned, but it looked more like she was gritting her teeth. She laughed darkly. "Oh-ho-ho. I sure do love when I''m manipulated by humans. Big fan of that."


    Ike nodded. "So we''re going left, right?"


    "Abso-fucking-lutely. Let''s see what cute little Clarina is trying to hide, hmmm?" Wisp''s eyes narrowed in anger.


    In agreement, Ike stepped toward the source of his dread. A cold sensation flowed in his stomach. What''s she trying to hide, huh? Our innocent lady isn''t so innocent after all.


    I should have expected it. Her family did something noxious enough that the New Republic decided to topple them. Let''s go find out what it is.


    Ike set off down the left path. Wisp followed close behind. The sense of dread peaked as they walked through the opening, then faded as they left it behind. For a time, they walked straight, but before long, they found themselves winding down a long, narrow staircase.


    Footsteps sounded from below. Ike pressed himself up against the wall. A series of quiet scuttlings told him Wisp had elected to take to the roof instead.


    Clang. Clang. A man in armor ascended the stairs. He moved woodenly, pausing between planting his foot on the next stair and hauling himself up it. His broad shoulders filled the entire staircase, scraping the wall on either side. Ike stared. Shit!


    The armored man climbed toward him. The stairs counted down. Ike retreated upstairs, buying himself a few precious moments. On the other side of the man, Wisp scuttled down from the wall. She lowered the wolf fur for just a moment to stick her tongue out at him, then hid away again. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Two can play that game. Ike backed up two more stairs. He huffed once, eyeing the space above the man''s head. The man lifted his foot. It clanged onto the next stair, and he paused.


    Ike threw himself into the air. He leaped headfirst, throwing his body through the gap between the man''s shoulder and the ceiling. His body skimmed through. The wolf fur brushed against the armored shoulder on one side, and the ceiling on the other.


    And then he was through, and hurtling head-first at the stairs.


    Ike threw out his arms. He caught himself on either wall and skidded down, his palms burning as he forcibly stopped himself. He came to a halt and immediately dropped to the stairs. Lifting the pelt, he covered his eyes, rendering himself blind but perfectly hiding himself.


    Above him, the armored man paused. He turned, slowly, surveying the space behind him. Confused, he tilted his head. He swung his arm behind him. The metal gauntlet clipped through the very tips of the wolf''s fur, barely missing Ike.


    The armored man hesitated one more moment. He turned his head left and right, his eyes invisible in the depths of his helm. When he saw nothing, he turned back around and went back to climbing, one slow step at a time.


    Ike frowned. He didn''t scan us with his mana? But he had reason to be suspicious. Maybe he couldn''t? He lowered the wolf fur and glanced at Wisp, who shrugged.


    There wasn''t the time to talk. Another armored man could come at any minute, and Ike had no desire to repeat his death-defying stunts. He sprinted down the stairs. Wisp followed close behind him, slightly less panicked about encountering another man.


    They made it to the bottom of the staircase without running into any more armored men. A long hallway stretched ahead of them, about twice as wide as the stairs. Doors opened to either side of them. Dead ahead, the hallway opened up into a huge open space. There was no ceremony to it. No doorframe, door, or grate. The hallway ended, and a massive room began.


    Ike pushed the nearest door to the left. It was locked tight. He looked around. "So¡­ the doors or the big room?"


    Wisp gave him a look like he was stupid. "Why wouldn''t you choose the big room? It''s obviously the important place. Unless it''s a compulsion¡­?"


    Ike''s eyes widened. As soon as she said it, he felt something pressing against his mind, pushing him away from that big room. He chuckled under his breath. "I do not like this bullshit. Not one bit."


    "Yeah, me either. I''m gonna thrash that bitch when I get out," Wisp muttered.


    The both of them beelined toward the large room. Strange sounds echoed down the hallway. Flame roared, and water splashed. Heavy clanking and furious wind mixed in with the rest. Ike drew up to the hallway''s end and stared.


    Fuck.

 147. At the End of the Hall

    A huge room spread before them. A forge spat out hot ingots. Black machinery riddled with bright lines of magic churned away, stamping metal into shape. Water splashed and hissed as the metal dropped into it to cool. Bare puppets without any clothes or decorations snatched up the pieces and assembled them. The puppets burned and singed as they put the hot metal together, but they didn''t react. They felt no pain. One of them toppled over, overcome by the heat. Its fellows trampled it. In a few moments, it was no more than shards of porcelain.In the corner, a meat grinder worked. Dark gears bit at each other, tens of them chewing together. Headless mages and dead beasts dropped through a hole in the ceiling and landed on the gears. The grinder sucked them in and tore them apart. In its heart, magical lights burned. Familiar black goo came out the bottom. Puppets held the suits of armor up to the goo, filling them up before pushing them away. The suits of armor slumped. The older ones, ''alive'' for thirty seconds or so, abruptly straightened. They marched away, leaving the line of slumped armors to join a block of upright armors.


    And what a block. It was a platoon. Larger than that. An army of the armors, lined up neatly in a square. It reminded Ike of the puppets from the Abyss, but somehow more primitive. Simpler.


    But no less dangerous. Ike eyed the armor. Would the spider fang work on metal? Besides, the puppets he had worked with earlier were meant to appear human. They didn''t prioritize attack and defense. They also included human details. Human details that might have weakened their bodies. These, on the other hand, were walking weapons. Nothing more than killing machines.


    The contents of the black goo weren''t entirely a surprise. The mana had to come from somewhere. What could convert lunam, or anything, to mana? Beasts, and by extension, humans. He didn''t know how it worked. If he mashed beasts and humans together, there was no chance he''d make mana-producing goo. But it did make sense, to him, in an abstract sort of way.


    The real question is how it keeps regenerating. I kind-of understand how the goo is made, but I don''t understand how it perpetuates itself. Is it some kind of lifeform? An undead lifeform? He considered, then shrugged. It wasn''t that important. He had no desire to make the black goo himself. He would use it, but not make it. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It is tragic, but¡­ they''re already dead. Might as well make use of them, Ike reasoned.


    He sighed aloud. "We need to stop this, don''t we."


    "Yeah. We should," Wisp agreed.


    Ike stepped forward. He rolled up his sleeves. "Let''s get to work. Take a look around, and we''ll meet back here in ten."


    The two of them split up, each one leaping in the opposite direction. Ike took a lap of the space, cataloging all the machinery. The meat grinder, the forge, and the metal-shaper were the largest magical machines in the space. Smaller machines whirred away, working on things Ike couldn''t hope to understand, but they seemed largely irrelevant to the general process of the automated procedures.


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    Gotta smash the big three, he noted, moving along.


    The assembly puppets all worked in a line at the end. They picked up the pieces and assembled them, tightening screws by hand and placing all the parts in the appropriate order. They were the easiest part to break, but also the easiest to replace. As he watched, a new assembly puppet stepped from a cabinet up against the wall and rejoined the assembly line. Dozens of cabinets lined the walls, doubtlessly equally full of puppets. Ike turned, eyeing the army as well. If he smashed all the assemblers, including the cabinets, what said an army puppet couldn''t step forward and join the lines?


    Whatever action I take will doubtlessly draw the puppet army''s ire. They could be like the puppets in the Abyss, unresponsive to almost any stimuli, but I doubt it. That one was walking up the stairs earlier. And these¡­ they just seem more threatening, I guess. Less likely to be in storage mode, or whatever was happening to those other puppets.


    Since I''ll draw the army''s ire, I need to take the most direct action to disable the assembly line, not the easiest. Just smashing the assembly puppets isn''t enough. I need to somehow disable those giant machines. The same ones that are easily churning up mage and beast bodies and smelting who-knows-what-kind of magical metal. I know from experience that beasts'' bones and hides can be incredibly tough. This isn''t going to be easy.


    He returned to his starting point. A moment later, a thump told him that Wisp had returned as well. "What do you think?"


    Wisp hummed. "The grinder''s the obvious one, isn''t it? Lots of moving parts. Probably be pretty easy to knock around, compared to the other two. I mean, a forge is just a furnace, and the other''s kind of just a glorified hammer."


    "But you can use the black goo to make more black goo," Ike pointed out.


    "Enough for a whole army? Plus, do you think they know that?" she asked.


    Ike thought for a moment. "I think we go after the grinder and the metal shaper. The forge is whatever. They can build a new one pretty easily. Those two are going to be the hardest to rebuild."


    "Right. And the rest of it, if we''ve got time?" Wisp asked.


    "Yeah. I mean, burn it to the ground if you can, but¡­" Ike spread his hands.


    "You got it. I''ll take the meat grinder. I''ve always wanted to try people sausage."


    Ike froze. He narrowed his eyes at Wisp.


    She gave him an innocent look. "A joke! It was a joke."


    "I''m never sure, with you," Ike said.


    "But, you know, if there''s human sausage in there¡ª"


    Ike''s glare grew sharper.


    She laughed. "Joking, joking. C''mon. Let''s go." Without waiting for Ike to respond, she leaped toward the meat grinder.


    Ike stared after her. He sighed, shaking his head. I am using the black goo myself, so I guess I can''t throw stones. He jumped toward the metal-shaper. Even as he jumped, he drew back his fist. He drew aether into it, circulating it in his fist. To the bursting point, then over. Green shockwaves built up around his fist. His fist shook from the effort. His bones trembled and his tendons ached. He was damaging his fist just to stock up energy, but right now, his healing could keep up.


    When he unleashed it, though¡­


    Ike dropped toward the hammer. He let his fist fly.

 148. Punching Machines

    Ike''s fist never struck the hammer. It was made of metal, doubtlessly some kind of super tough magical alloy. Instead, he punched the air and let the shockwaves strike the auto-hammer. They slammed into it with the force of a thousand punches. The whole structure screeched, metal squealing, and it tilted slightly against its bearings.Across the room, another BAM! sounded out as Wisp struck the meat grinder.


    Latching onto the hammer, he drew back his arm, readying another blow.


    Down below, the puppets jolted. The assembly puppets continued their jobs, the same as ever, but the army lurched into motion. They moved in no particular way. Instead, they all swarmed the machines at once. They grouped around the base, staring up at it. A big black blot of metal gathered below him as more and more of them joined up around it. It reminded Ike of an ant colony. All the puppets mindlessly joined in as best they could, but no one particular individual seemed to know precisely what the whole was doing.


    Since none of the puppets were attacking him, Ike kept beating on the hammer. It creaked and swayed, but held steady. The hammer kept beating away, shaping the armor. The structure complained, but nothing gave in.


    Ike grimaced. He hung there, twenty feet in the air high on the hammer. His feet pressed against a notch in the metal, one hand wrapped around the back of the support, his free hand swinging against his side. He twisted his lips. Shockwave Punch isn''t doing it. What else can I use?


    He activated Lightning Clad, but the lightning instantly fled his body and flew through the metal into the ground. The nearby puppets jumped. Black smoke leaked from the cracks in their armor.


    Ike deactivated Lightning Clad. Huh. That''s an interesting weakness. Good to know now, before I punch something big and metal, and Lightning Clad vanishes. He considered the rest of his skills. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Name: Ike | Age: 16 | Status: Nm | Rank: 2 [Abyss Dweller]]


    Skills: Common: 11 | Bronze 3 | Silver 2 | Gold 1 | Rare 2 | ¡­ | Unique: 4


    Common: All-Around Runner Lvl 8 | Razor Handling Lvl 9 | Spear Handling Lvl 4 | Axe Handling Lvl 4 | Sword Handling Lvl 9 | Bow Handling Lvl 1 | Primitive Crafting Lvl 9


    Bronze: Sensory Enhancement Lvl 9 | Mana Manipulation Lvl 5 | Lunam Manipulation Lvl 0 | Aether Manipulation Lvl 0


    Silver: Flurry of Kicks Lvl 3 | Chlorophyll Lvl 1


    Gold: Shockwave Punch Lvl 5 | Ice Armor Lvl 4


    Rare: Salamander Healing Lvl 9 | River-Splitting Sword Lvl 8


    Unique: Lightning Dash Lvl 9 | Lightning Grasp Lvl 9 | Lightning Clad Lvl 4 | Lightning Caller Lvl 3


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    He pinched his chin, thinking. River-Splitting Sword is meant to be able to split a river, but I don''t think I''ve reached the metal-severing level of mastery yet. Flurry of Kicks would probably end with my feet broken and nothing gained. Shockwave Punch¡­already tried it. The Ice Armor-Shockwave Punch combo is probably my best bet. Especially since the Lightning skills are going to be useless here.


    Ike glanced left and right. He reached up, grabbing for the next support. One hop at a time, he crossed the hammer. At last, he reached the top, where the metal bar that ultimately slammed into the armor slammed up and down. He hung beside it, watching it beat. Lifting his hand, he cast Ice Armor on the pole.


    The pole yanked upward, shattering the ice.


    He pressed his lips together. That''s not going to work, either. Hmm.


    The hammer shook. Startled, Ike looked down. The puppets beat upon the hammer as one, slamming their full weight into it.


    Ike''s eyes widened He grinned. I can use this.


    He drew off the wolfskin and tucked it into his storage ring. He waved his hands. "Hey, idiots! Right here! Come get me!"


    The puppets'' eyes lit up. Red lights burned in their helms. They charged. One or two charged directly into the hammer and were crushed, while others slammed into the hammer. From all sides, they beat at the hammer, pushing and pulling. A few of them drew strange, red-hot weapons and smacked them against the supports. The metal clanged and trembled, wobbling hard under Ike.


    Ike laughed. "Weaklings! You''ll never reach me!"


    The puppets roared. They smashed into the support. All their strength slammed into the hammer. The metal creaked. The hammer tilted to the side. It struck the earth beside its anvil, and the pole cracked.


    "Yes!" Ike punched the air, then hesitated. He waved his hand instead. "I mean, oh no! You''ve almost got me!"


    Already enraged, the puppets paid him no mind. They charged endlessly into the hammer, slowly ripping it out of its foundation.


    "Nice acting."


    Ike looked up, startled. Wisp stood over him, casually standing parallel to the ground, her feet planted on the side of the hammer''s support. Her wolf skin hung over one shoulder, its visible side out.


    "Finish with the grinder?" he asked.


    "No sausage," she complained, sitting down on the top of the hammer. A moment later, she nodded. "Yeah."


    "Wanna help me with this?"


    "I think you''re doing great," Wisp said, chuckling. She nodded. "Look at them. Doing all your work for you. That''s peak human, right there."


    "What? What''s that mean?" Ike asked.


    She nodded. "Isn''t that what humans do best? Trick other humans into doing their work for them. Like the city lords, for example. They sit up in their cities and do nothing, while you guys work so hard down below. Well¡ªnot you, but you know. Human mages. In general. While we beasts go out and do all work ourselves."


    Ike thought for a second, then nodded. "Yeah. I guess so. Wait, but if that''s very human of me¡­ doesn''t that mean I''m human?"


    Wisp chuckled. "You''re definitely at least half human. Eh, maybe you are human. Just a weird one."


    Ike pointed. He raised his brows.


    "Or¡­ you''re a beast!" she said, making a feint leap at him.


    He rolled his eyes. "Come on."


    Wisp tilted her head. A rare pensive expression passed over her face. "It could go either way, honestly. You don''t smell like a beast. But then, I''ve never met a half-beast before. So I wouldn''t know. Maybe you''re a half-beast that smells human."


    "I''m glad you''re willing to admit I might be human," Ike said, nodding.


    A roar echoed across the hall. "Who''s messing with my equipment?"


    Ike perked up. Wisp''s head snapped forward.


    "Looks like the puppets'' boss is here," Wisp murmured, vanishing back under her wolf pelt.


    Ike nodded. He drew his wolf skin over himself as well and leaped off the hammer, leaving the puppets to beat at it alone.


    On the other side of the hall, opposite where they''d entered, a pair of wooden double doors flew open. Ike tensed, his eyes locked on the doors.

 149. Big Puppet

    The largest puppet Ike had ever seen stomped inside, its eyes blazing. Three times as tall as the other puppets, it perfectly captured a familiar set of features. The shiny metal version of Roderick stomped inside, bright red eyes burning. He looked left, then right. The wreckage of the meat grinder stood to the left. The hammer tilted further and further to his left. Abruptly, it fell, clattering onto the ground. Ruined.Roderick''s big glowing eyes narrowed. He charged in, grabbing the hammer and putting it back upright. It no longer moved, its main pole shattered and its inner mechanics dead. He turned to the meat grinder. A new set of bodies dropped down onto its gears. The gears no longer turned, so they simply flopped atop it, reeking away.


    He turned to the little puppets. "What happened? Answer me!"


    The puppets backed away. They looked amongst themselves, as if asking one another what had happened.


    Ike tilted his head. Huh? Earlier, I thought they were just like ants. Autonomous beings, moving on instinct. But they can reply to Roderick. Answer him. React. Are they more like Rosamund, then? Are there other human¡ªnot souls, but minds inside of them? Minds simpler than Rosamund''s, but still minds.


    I don''t at all understand how that works. I need to know more, so I know how to react to them. I can handle them inanimate, but I''ve never handled them animate, except for Rosamund.


    He patted his pack. That''s right, Rosamund! I can always study Rosamund. Though I should probably study the black armors, too. Just for diversity''s sake.


    Roderick swiped at the black armors. Despite the huge size of his arm, it moved with lightning speed. He snatched one of the puppets and lifted it to his face.


    "What happened? Tell me."


    The black armor''s helm clanged. Nothing that sounded like language emerged from the metal, but Roderick nodded. His brows furrowed, and he nodded again. "A boy, huh? A boy. Hmmm."


    Ike took a deep breath. We''re going to lose the element of surprise. We need to act now. Before he gets the full story. He threw off the wolfskin and charged Roderick from behind. He drew his sword and sliced at the man''s exposed ankle, putting all his lightning-enhanced strength into it. Ike tensed, preparing for the shockwave from the blade.


    The blade cut through the metal with surprising ease. A shockwave jittered up Ike''s arms, but he held on easily. He frowned, then turned back.


    A gash opened in the back of Roderick''s ankle. He staggered forward. Turning back, big red eyes glared at Ike.


    Ike sprinted away.


    Roderick raised his foot. He stomped at Ike. Ike threw himself to the side. Toes scraped against his back. The floor shook. Thrown into the air, Ike ran on, throwing himself behind the remains of the hammer.


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    "There he is. Come out, come out, where ever you are! So much for being a passerby, hmm?"


    A big silver arm swept the hammer aside. Ike jumped back, barely dodging the fingertips. Despite the metal puppet''s large size and metal construction, it moved with surprising speed. Speed, and flexibility. Ike eyed it. He looked at his sword. And I cut it easily. That metal isn''t especially tough, unlike the armors. I bet it''s optimized for mobility.


    He turned, looking across the room. A thought came to him, and he laughed. "Wisp! That metal''s soft."


    From just behind his ear, her voice whispered, "Yeah, so? Still can''t bite it."


    "You can definitely bite it. That''s not the point. The point is, soft metal also melts easily."


    "Oh?"


    "Yeah. You thinking what I''m thinking?"


    "I think I am."


    A foot hurtled toward him. Ike knelt, preparing to dash. "Get some spider thread on standby. I''m going to lure him over, but I''ll need you for the last mile."


    "You got it."


    Wind blew as Wisp dashed away. The foot dropped. As the shadow fell over him, Ike blasted away. Roderick smashed the floor behind him, but he darted away, unharmed.


    For all that Roderick''s puppet was agile, his overall motions were slow. He was just too large. Too much momentum to build up to make a move. Ike frowned, looking at Roderick from behind. Why build tough, small puppets and large, agile puppets? That doesn''t make any sense. Well, the tough, small ones does, but not the big agile one. It almost smacks of¡­ for example, if Roderick didn''t actually know how to make the puppets, and he asked someone else to make one for him. He asked for a big puppet that moves well, which is a reasonable thing to request, but only if you don''t understand the forces at play here. The puppet maker did as he asked, but he ended up with an inferior product because he asked for something stupid.


    "Another cut-rate puppet!" Ike shouted. Whether he''d guessed correctly or not, he wasn''t about to let it keep him from mocking the man.


    "Silence! A little bug gets no say." Roderick kicked a chunk of scrap metal. It flew toward Ike.


    Ike dropped to the floor. The metal soared over him. He raced in, toward Roderick''s ankles. Roderick hopped backward on instinct, the way he would if he saw a mouse running at him. Ike kept charging. As Roderick landed, he slashed at the front of the man''s ankle with the horizontal slash of River-Splitting Sword. Roderick kicked at him, standing on his sliced leg to kick. Ike hopped back. The kick struck him, too close for him to fully dodge. Pain rushed through him, and he spat blood. He hit the ground and threw himself with the motion, rolling with it.


    He slammed into a lump of heat and metal. Ike hissed. He jerked away, then froze and laid still. From the corner of his eye, he watched Roderick. Biding his time.


    Roderick stomped over. He lifted his foot.


    Ike rolled out of the way. He raced away, running in an arc toward Roderick. "Now!"


    White thread shot from behind him. Wisp yanked, pulling Roderick''s foot forward in midair. Off balance, Roderick had no way to answer it. His foot flew forward. And down, toward the thing Ike had slammed into. The forge, burning bright as fire.


    His foot slammed into the ashes. Red ash flew up. Wisp threw aside her wolf pelt and jumped forward. She opened her mouth. Fire blazed out, adding to the heat of the forge.


    "What the¡ª" Roderick went to yank his foot out.


    Ike closed in. He charged Roderick''s other leg and punched it with all his strength. Shockwaves slammed into it. Without hesitation, Ike loosed punch after punch, hammering his foot with shockwaves. Roderick''s balance shifted as his off-leg lifted off the ground, forcing him to put his weight on the foot in the forge.


    "You goddamn¡ª" Roderick retracted the foot Ike was hammering and stomped down at Ike.


    Ike hopped away, then darted back in to continue hammering Roderick''s heel. Even if Roderick stomped at him, he still won. As long as Roderick kept his foot in the forge, he was winning.


    Frustrated, Roderick growled. He slammed is palms down, trying to catch Ike in his hands. Ike stared. Between them and the feet¡­ I don''t know how long I can do this. He gritted his teeth, prepared to try.


    "He''s cooked! Let him go!"

 150. Melting Pot

    "He''s cooked! Let him go!" Wisp shouted from the forge.Ike nodded. Without looking, he dashed off. Lightning crackled behind him. Roderick''s hands slammed down, but to no avail. Ike was long gone, nothing left but his afterimage.


    At top speed, he closed in on Roderick''s ankle. He unsheathed his sword and held it tight, preparing a horizontal slash as he raced in.


    Roderick''s foot glowed red-hot. All the way to his ankle, it glowed, hot and soft. The metal deformed as it melted. He slashed at the point where the foot and ankle met. His sword cut easily through the soft, melting metal. Roderick''s foot remained in the forge, while his ankle jolted free, skittering across the stone floor. His legs slipped apart when the cut-flat ankle found no purchase on the stone. He fell into a deep split with a crash.


    Ike winced instinctively. Even though he knew it was only a puppet, it still looked painful.


    "You filthy¡ª" Roderick swept his legs across the ground. The grinder, the small puppets, the remaining metal scraps of the hammer¡ªeverything went flying. Ike hopped high into the air and barely cleared the man''s legs. A piece of metal hurtled toward him, kicked up and whirling in the air. He ducked his head, raising his hands to defend against the debris. The metal bounced off his body, bruising but not seriously injuring him. He tipped over in the air.


    A giant metal hand smashed through the air. Ike saw it too late. It knocked him out of the air like a fly. He flew at top speed across the room. Everything became a blur. Ike struck the wall and bounced, falling toward the ground. For a long second, nothing hurt.


    And then he hit the ground, and everything hurt.


    Ike stifled a scream. His vision blacked out. Slowly, it came back in. Wisp and Roderick battled back and forth. Wisp''s hands landed tiny pits on Roderick''s giant metal body, but he felt no pain and took no real damage. He punched at her. Wisp shot a spider thread into the air and soared out of his reach. Roderick grimaced. He swiped at her, but she danced around the room, maneuvering with speed and agility his huge body couldn''t match.


    Ike tried to shove himself upright. His arm gave out, broken. His legs responded sluggishly. An overwhelming blast of pain surged through his body. His vision blacked out again. He dropped to the ground, waiting for it to pass. Come on. I need to get back in the fight. Wisp can''t hold on forever.


    Ike poured his mana into Salamander Healing, forcibly activating it. His body trembled. Heat washed over him. The raging energy of aether scoured every cell in his body. He bit back a scream. Since he''d converted to aether, he''d only had to use small amounts of healing. Now, forcibly activating it, he came up against one incontrovertible truth: his body was still used to mana, not aether. His core and mana passages might have converted, but the rest of him? The bones, muscles, tendons, and organs? They were still soaked in leftover mana. He had converted to aether, but only his magical organs, not his whole body.


    There''s no other choice. I need to convert now. Ike bared his teeth and kept pouring aether into his whole body through his healing skill. His body ached. He''d thought every part of him had hurt earlier, but that was untrue. Most of him had hurt before. Now, all of him hurt. Every cell. Every organ. His eyes burned and his arms screamed. He flinched, instinctively pulling away from his healing skill.


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    No! Ike forced himself to stop flinching. He put all his aether into healing. His body burned from the aether, and it died. His skin reddened, then blackened. Ike withered up. Down to nothing. His vision went dark. From outside, he appeared as a blackened, shriveled corpse. Even his bones crumbled.


    When the destruction finished, all that remained was Ike''s aether passages and core, surrounded by a lump of dead flesh.


    And still Ike pushed on. It was like absorbing aether in the first place. He had to completely press out all the mana in order to convert to aether. Mana was the basis of life, even for mortals, let alone mages. Even when he''d absorbed aether, his body, his tissues, every part of him was still full of mana. To count such a half-assed thing as a conversion¡ªhe felt ashamed of it now. Only converting his passages to aether, but not his body? He''d never advance that way. Perhaps that was why he had felt no progress in his Rank since his conversion. He''d put it up to stabilizing his Rank, but it had been months by now. His Rank was well stabilized. The problem was that it was too stabilized. It had stabilized forever. As he was before, he would never be able to pass Rank 2.


    As he was before.


    Aether burst from Ike''s withered body. It grew from nothing. The blackened cells revived. The shriveled organs revitalized. The shattered bones reformed. Every cell had been reforged. No longer was his body full of mana, but aether. His muscles reformed stronger. His bones grew denser. Every part of him was stronger than it was before. Not a mortal, inundated by mana until he coincidentally became a mage, but a mage, who deliberately reforged his body with the raging energy of aether.


    In his stat sheet, one skill let off a brilliant light as it reformed. [Salamander Healing] vanished. In its place, he gained a new skill:


    [Body Reforging Art]


    There was no time to worry about any of that. Ike pushed upright. Across the room, Wisp''s leg suddenly caught. With a yelp, she fell from the ceiling.


    Roderick''s eyes glittered. He laughed and lifted his hand. "If you love dancing around on that thread so much, then like a bug, be squashed!"


    "What''s wrong with being a bug?" Ike snarled. He dashed across the room, arm already drawn back. He punched Roderick on the head.


    Ike used no skills. Not Shockwave Punch, nor Lightning Clad. He used his newly reforged body to punch Roderick, with nothing but his bare fist.


    Roderick''s head snapped back. A huge crater opened in the side of his head. His face distorted as the metal shifted. He shouted in pain as his whole body slammed against the far wall.


    Wait. Pain? He felt pain?


    Ike chased after Roderick. He punched him over and over, beating his face into pieces. Roderick batted at him, trying to stop him, but Ike could no longer be stopped. Not by Roderick, anyways. As he punched, he listened. Most of his punches did nothing. Roderick didn''t make a sound of pain, he only growled in frustration or shouted insults. But the lower he punched, the more likely he was to receive pained shouts in response.


    Ike drew back, landing on the floor. He stared at the misshapen lump of metal that had been Roderick''s face and thought for a moment.


    Roderick groaned. Then, realizing he was no longer being beaten, he laughed. A huge metal hand loomed over Ike. "Good. As you''ve realized, it''s futile. Be crus¡ªagh!"


    Ike hopped into Roderick''s open mouth and slid down his throat. Lightning flashed around him, shocking Roderick and lighting the space around him. He slid down, deeper, deeper. Right at the bottom of the throat, where he should have fallen into the stomach, he landed. A small metal pod sunk into the wall of the metal. Bright lines of mana crawled all over the pod, connecting it to the puppet.


    The puppet screamed. It tore at itself. The body lurched under Ike''s feet, but Ike stood steady. He smiled.


    "Hello, Roderick."


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 151. Finally, We Meet

    "Hello, Roderick."Ike tore the metal pod out of the wall. The lights dimmed, and the puppet stilled. He leaped up. At the corner of the throat, he grabbed the puppet''s tongue and crawled out of its now-gaping, motionless mouth. He hopped to the ground.


    "What''s that?" Wisp dropped from the sky, descending on a spider''s thread.


    "Roderick," Ike explained. He turned the pod around, searching for a way in. At last, he found a seam on its side. Sinking his fingers into the seam, he ripped it open.


    Thumping. Throbbing. Beating.


    A heart sat in the center of the pod. Above it, lungs and a brain. Below it, a core, a stomach, and all the other organs a mage would need to live. Two eyes stared at him, without eyelids or eye sockets.


    Wisp blinked. "What''s that?"


    Ike looked at her. "I just told you. Roderick."


    "Gross. Kill it."


    "Who did this to him? Surely he didn''t need to be in this form to operate the puppet," Ike murmured. He tilted the pod back and forth, getting a better look at the organs. The eyes stared emotionlessly, but the heart beat faster.


    "No, the fool did not. But he foolishly consented, and so, I did it thus."


    Ike and Wisp both whirled. Even as they spun, an arrow shot past them. It slammed into the heart and stopped it dead. The organs let out a sigh, and died.


    A man stood opposite them. He wore a broad-brimmed blue hat with a big white feather. A shock of green hair burst out from underneath. He looked down at them, dressed in blue-and-green robes, a bow still held loosely in his hands.


    Behind him, the black armored puppets massed. They stood there unharmed, totally uninjured by Roderick''s tantrum. They''d been thrown around, but they''d taken no damage.


    "Who are you?" Ike demanded.


    The man took the hat off his head and bowed, flourishing it all the way down. "I am naught but a travelling salesman. You might call me Llewyn."


    "You''re the one who sold him the puppets? Or rather, the equipment to make the puppets?" Ike guessed.


    Llewyn straightened up. He planted his hat back on his head and smiled. "The action is correct, but you have misattributed for whom I did it."


    "Right. The New Republic was triggered by something. Clarina gave us that quartz that compelled us to look away from here. It was her parents who asked for the puppets¡ªthe black puppets, who need to be fueled by the flesh and blood of mages. And then, after Roderick took over, you sold him the large puppet," Ike guessed.


    Llewyn''s smile widened. He gave Ike a small bow.


    "But wait, if that''s the case¡­ why continue making the puppets? Isn''t that what he protested against to create the New Republic?"


    Llewyn tutted. "Puppets are such a useful thing, though. And the New Republic has many enemies to kill, just as the old kingdom did. If they''re going to execute traitors and dissidents anyways, why not create more puppets? Ah, it''s righteous, now! The puppets are made from the enemies of the New Republic, for the sake of the New Republic!"


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    "What a twisted way of thinking," Ike murmured.


    "Honestly. Humans are wild," Wisp agreed.


    That still doesn''t answer why Clarina''s parents acquired the puppets in the first place, but that''s a question for later. Ike narrowed his eyes. He drew his sword and leveled it at Llewyn. "What''s your connection to Lord Brightbriar?"


    "A salesman never reveals the identity of his clients," Llewyn said smoothly.


    "Are you a salesman, or a creator?" Ike asked. I thought Lord Brightbriar was the one making the puppets, but I''ve never seen anyone actually make a puppet. I guess he could have just bought them.


    But then, Rosamund¡­


    Llewyn laughed. He waved the black armors away. They trooped toward the walls. "What do I owe you, that I must answer?"


    "Nothing, I suppose." Ike narrowed his eyes. "But I won''t let you leave here until I know."


    "Oh?" Llewyn''s aura suddenly changed. Until that moment, Ike had barely been able to sense it. He''d gauged Llewyn as Rank 1, maybe low Rank 2. Then aura slammed into him. The weight of Llewyn''s strength pressed on his shoulders. He almost dropped to his knees. If he hadn''t reinforced his body earlier, he would have.


    Llewyn raised his brows. "Interesting." He backed away, swishing a blue cape. "Keep growing like that, boy, and you might stand a chance."


    "You aren''t¡­ going¡­ anywhere!" Ike stomped forward, fighting Llewyn''s pressure.


    "But I think you''ll find I''ve already gone." Llewyn swished his cape again. It swirled around him, hiding his whole body. The fabric spun in a circle, growing smaller as it spun, until it vanished. Not a scrap of fabric nor Llewyn remained.


    Ike glowered. "Dammit."


    "Hey, Ike? Where''d the black-armored things go?" Wisp asked.


    Ike startled. He looked around. He''d been focused on Llewyn, but now that she''d drawn it to his attention, the black armored puppets were completely gone. "What the hell?"


    "I don''t know. He must have sent them somewhere while we were distracted." Wisp grimaced. "I don''t like that guy having an army full of puppets."


    "No. Me neither." Ike sheathed his sword and put a hand on his chin to think. Llewyn had sold this town puppets, and they''d converted their citizens into the armored puppets. Now Llewyn had the puppets. He grimaced. "I can''t help but feel like this town was dancing in the palm of Llewyn''s hand, start to finish."


    "Yeah. It''s a gross feeling, isn''t it? Being manipulated by someone else. Makes me want to kick this Llewyn guy in the nuts." Wisp walked away. She poked around the walls of the room, searching for something.


    Ike followed her lead. He checked the opposite side. It was possible that the black armors had simply funneled into some hidden room here, but given the way Llewyn had vanished, he probably had a way to vanish the puppets as well. As he searched the walls, he frowned. Llewyn was clearly related to the puppets in some way. He''d introduced himself as a salesman. Was that all he was? An agent of Lord Brightbriar?


    Or was his initial guess of Lord Brightbriar as the puppets'' creator incorrect? Had he simply purchased a high-end puppet from Llewyn, and the creator was either Llewyn or someone Ike hadn''t met yet?


    But Rosamund is so real. And I know he pulled a second Rosamund easily out of the Abyss. If he had simply bought a copy of his beloved daughter, would he really buy enough copies to be able to easily pull out a replica? Pull out a replica with so little worry, in fact, that he didn''t even search for the one who destroyed the original?


    No. Lord Brightbriar is definitely deeply involved in the puppet-making. If he isn''t the puppet-maker himself, then the puppet-maker is under his thumb to the point that he can be considered an agent of Lord Brightbriar. Thus, I''m going to go ahead and assume that Llewyn is also an agent of Lord Brightbriar. I don''t think this is enough to change Lord Brightbriar as the mastermind of¡­ whatever scheme he''s building with these puppets.


    Armies of puppets. Other towns, converting their mages to puppets. Ike gnawed his lip, then scowled. It wasn''t a pretty picture. He imagined the plains, again, the mountains marching off to the king''s imposing peak. In his mind''s eye, each of the smaller mountains changed from thriving metropolises to cold, empty peaks, laden with puppets. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And all of them pointing in the same direction. Toward the king''s stronghold.


    I don''t know much about the king, but based on the total neglect Lord Brightbriar showed us slumrats? I don''t think he deserves to rule this region. No¡ªI don''t want him to rule this region. I''m going to stop him. If I have to ally with the king or unite the disparate cities together, I''m going to keep him from taking over. Ike clenched his fist, determined.


    But first, I''ve got some research to do.


    "Over here, Ike. I found something!" Wisp called.


    Ike turned. He jogged over. "What is it?"


    She nodded at the wall behind her. All the other walls were clad in metal. This one alone remained bare stone. "Check this out."

 152. The Wall

    Ike looked the wall up and down. He nodded. "Yep.""Yeah?"


    "It''s a wall, that''s for sure."


    Wisp rolled her eyes. She drew back her fist and punched.


    The stone fragmented. Shards of stone flew into the void behind the wall. A shallow chamber appeared behind it. A metal ring was set into the floor. Arcane symbols and mysterious markings ringed the circle''s edge, while hundreds of footsteps marched into the circle''s center, then vanished.


    "Ooh, like the one by the tree that Clarina used to send us in here," Ike said, recognizing it.


    "Right. A teleportation circle. Only problem is¡­" Wisp pointed.


    The far side of the circle was melted away. The rock was scarred, shattered from the base. A single black-armored unit laid beside the circle. Its breastplate was missing, and the black goo erupted from within, splattered all over the ground around it.


    Wisp kicked it. "Looks like that Llewyn guy detonated one of the puppets on his way out. Ruined the circle so we couldn''t follow him."


    "I''m surprised we didn''t hear that," Ike commented.


    She shrugged. "He probably cast some kind of sound-suppression or illusory skill. The guy struck me as a smoke-and-mirrors type, with all kinds of techniques to misdirect the senses. The worst kind of mage."


    "There''s all kinds of people in the world, huh?" Ike said. "Why not just pick up offensive skills?"


    Wisp shrugged. "Well, they were useful just now, weren''t they? You couldn''t do what he did."


    "No, that''s true," Ike agreed.


    "Plus, he might not be suited for offensive skills. You''ve experienced that, right? Skills that you can''t absorb, or ones you aren''t suited for."


    "I sure have." Ike''s mind went to the wind skill he was holding onto. I need to absorb that, and soon. As soon as I get out of here, that''s my top priority.


    Well, no. Getting Clarina to unlock the Unique skill and absorbing that is my top priority. My second priority is the wind skill.


    He looked at Wisp. "Speaking of, why hasn''t anyone come in here? We made plenty of noise."


    "The hammers and stuff were noisy, too. This whole space might have some kind of noise-suppressing enchantment on it," she reasoned.


    "Right. Otherwise, someone would have discovered the puppet-making operation." Ike paused. He glanced at the giant puppet sprawled in the center of the room. "But we need to move. Someone''s going to notice that Roderick''s gone missing, sooner rather than later."


    "No argument from me. I''m bored of this room, anyways. Let''s go find the king and queen and get the sweet reward from our sweet princess."


    Ike nodded. He glanced around, then headed back the way he and Wisp had come. Clarina''s map led them to her mother and father, after all. Without that, he didn''t really know where to go. Better to follow it than extrapolate her parents'' location from the vague impression the map gave him overall.


    "What happened, by the way? Your aura is completely different now," Wisp said.


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    "Oh, right. I remolded my body," Ike said.


    Wisp blinked. "You what?"


    "Reforged it. I forcibly used Salamander Healing on my whole body, but I used it with aether, and my body was full of mana, so¡­ I kind of¡­ forced out the mana and inundated myself with aether instead."


    Wisp stared.


    "What?" Ike asked.


    "I have no idea what you are. I don''t think humans or monsters can do that," Wisp muttered under her breath.


    Ike snorted. "I''m just doing my best over here. It seemed like something I could do, so I did it. And when I did, Salamander Healing¡ªoh, that''s my healing skill¡ªit evolved."


    "It what?"


    "Evolved. Changed. Leveled up. Into something called the Body Reforging Art," Ike said.


    "What the fuck."


    "What?"


    "Gods. I don''t even know. You just do things," Wisp said, shaking her head at him. "Evolve skills. What on earth? I''ve never heard of anyone doing that."


    "Maybe it''s a human thing," Ike suggested.


    "Pfft. If humans could evolve new skills that easily, they wouldn''t be out here hunting monsters to extinction in desperate hope of gaining one decent skill."


    Ike shook his head. "I should ask some humans about it. See if it''s something humans can do."


    "Guarantee you it isn''t."


    "Maybe it''s something people who reach Rank 3 do. I mean, I''ve barely met any of those. And if we''re talking Rank 4 or 5, have you met anyone that high?"


    "I wouldn''t still be alive if I had," Wisp muttered.


    "Right. So we don''t know if it''s common among high-Ranking mages," Ike pointed out.


    "True," Wisp allowed. She sighed. Putting her hands up, she shook her head. "Let''s just focus on saving princess'' parents for now. If you have any more wild transformations, just¡ªkeep them to yourself."


    Ike laughed. "Sure, sure."


    They quickly ascended the staircase, throwing on their wolf pelts as they climbed. At the top, Ike let the map take over again. He followed the directions it gave, not pausing to take any more wrong turns. He did keep an eye open for vaults or subtle compulsions from the map, but no more arose, nor did obvious vaults appear. With their wolfskins equipped, the two of them quickly passed by the mages and guards and made their way to the end of the map.


    Down, down, into the depths of the castle, even deeper than the puppet room, they entered a dungeon. The dungeon had been carved out of the stone on which the entire castle perched. The walls were unbroken stone. Pillars of the mother stone supported the ceiling. Steel bars sectioned off most of the cells. Some of them glittered with enchantments and emanated a suppressive power. Just walking by, Ike knew that if he stepped inside one of those cells, his skills and strength would be weakened, if not completely sealed. A few of the cells stone walls instead, the cells carved individually rather than sectioned off. Those cells had heavy metal doors with tiny slits in them. The suppressive aura from those cells was even stronger than the steel-barred cells. As Ike passed those cells by, his strength diminished.


    The map ended in the dungeon. Ike looked around. It hadn''t pointed to a particular cell¡ªbut then, it''s not as if Clarina would have known which cell they used for her parents. He nudged Wisp. "Any idea where they''d put the former king and queen?"


    "Inside the puppets," Wisp said promptly.


    Ike gave her a look. "Assuming they didn''t get turned into goo."


    Wisp shrugged. "No idea. Let''s go look for people who look like Clarina, I guess."


    Ike nodded. He didn''t have a better idea, so there was no reason to negate Wisp. He strode into the dungeon, closely inspecting the rooms on the left. Wisp took the rooms on the right. One by one, they went through the rooms, peering through the bars. Some of the prisoners wore rags, as expected. Others wore fine robes and expensive jewelry. But none of them looked much like Clarina, or had the regalia and bearing of a monarch.


    The two of them regrouped at the end of the hallway. Ike gritted his teeth. "Does this mean what I think it means?"


    "Goo-ified," Wisp replied with a nod. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike took a deep breath. He rubbed his temples. Farewell, my unique skill.


    After a second, he looked up. "Let''s not give up hope yet. Maybe they''ve just taken them to be executed. Let''s think about this. We were in the room where the bodies were being dumped, so we know they didn''t get goo-ified while we were here. And if someone as important as the queen or king was executed, they''d crow it from the rooftops. I can''t imagine Clarina wouldn''t know if her parents were already dead."


    "She could be delusional. Or stupid. Or blind," Wisp suggested.


    "Let''s not be too rude. All clues are pointing to one conclusion: the king and queen aren''t here, because they''re about to be executed. We need to head to the execution grounds, right now."


    "And what if Clarina''s just stupid?" Wisp asked.


    "Then we can''t get the Unique skill anyways. So we might as well give it a shot," Ike responded firmly.


    Wisp nodded. "Reasonable. Come on. Let''s go."


    "You know where they are?" Ike asked.


    "You mean you can''t smell that blood?" Wisp asked. She gestured him on. "Come on. Follow me, noseblind."


    "Is that even a word?" Ike muttered. Shaking his head, he followed after Wisp.

 153. Execution Grounds

    Wisp ran ahead of Ike. She deliberately let her footsteps resound so Ike could follow her without being able to see her. When they drew near people, she walked softly again, only to run off once more when the people passed. They swiftly left the dungeon behind, racing up toward the surface of the castle.Ravens circled in the sky. The stench of iron swirled on the air, mingling with a heavy, damp rot.


    Ike grimaced. "Oh."


    "Yeah? Do you see what I was smelling, now?" Wisp asked.


    A stone platform stretched before them. The platform was raised above a small, empty courtyard. Blood stagnated on the surface of the platform. The wind stirred the congealing blood. The deeper pools rippled gently. Bodies hung from spikes at the platform''s edge.


    Not far from the platform, a series of cages and a silent line of people in chains waited. A man walked toward the platform. Wearing all black and hefting a giant axe over one shoulder, he had the slow stride of a man returning to another day''s hard work. He loomed, easily two feet taller than anyone in chains. Muscle bulged and rippled over his body. His biceps were the size of melons. His thighs bulged against his pants. Each step echoed in the silent square.


    He''s huge. Ike gaped. How on earth do you get that big? Tall, big, anything?


    The enormous man climbed up onto the platform. Blood splashed around the soles of his boots. Lifting his hand, he gestured the first person in chains forward. The guards around the chained people gave them a push. They stumbled forward, then caught themselves. At the stairs to the platform, they looked around, as if searching for a way out. The guards closed in on them. The person moved again, reluctantly approaching the platform.


    Ike drew close to Wisp. "We''re on a time limit. See anyone kingly? Or queenly?"


    "I dunno. You''re a human, you tell me," Wisp whispered back.


    Ike froze. His mind went back to the dungeon. Holy shit. Did we leave them down there because Wisp doesn''t know what a queen or king looks like?


    Wisp giggled. She nudged him. "Your face looks amazing right now. I''m joking, just joking."


    Ike rolled his eyes at her. He lifted a hand to his eyes, shading them against the sun. The king and queen would be powerful, at a guess. These cities aren''t ruled by bloodlines, but by power¡­ if they''re anything like my home city, anyways. Which means they''re probably in the cages, not just in chains. After all, I already sensed the iron bars with suppressive powers down in the dungeon. It''s not much extrapolation to figure out that they could use that same technique on a cage. That already narrowed it down pretty significantly. There were only a few cages.


    Ike scanned the cages one by one. All the mages within wore ragged clothes, their finery stripped away. Filth stained their hair and skin. Not a single one had the bearing of a monarch.


    He tilted his head. Rather than looking for ''a monarch,'' he looked at their faces. He searched out Clarina''s features. Her high cheekbones and shallow chin. Blond hair and blue eyes.


    At last, he found someone who looked like her. A man with a shallow chin and piercing blue eyes. Beside him, a woman leaned against the bars of her cage. The two of them held hands through the bars.


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Well, it''s a decent guess, Ike thought to himself. He leaned toward Wisp. "What about those two?"


    "Sure. They look human to me."


    Ike snorted. He glanced at Wisp. "She really should''ve shown us her parents'' faces."


    Wisp shrugged, her shoulders rubbing against Ike''s. "Probably assumed we knew them. Anyone from her city or the surrounding area would have. She had no reason to assume we were wandering mages from the far side of the mountains."


    "Yeah, true," Ike allowed. He pinched his chin. "So¡­ how are we getting them out of there? They''re way stronger than us. No way we can break in if they can''t break out."


    On the platform, the man with the axe gestured. The first person in chains trudged forward, head bowed. They stepped onto the platform and dropped to their knees. The axe-wielder hefted his axe.


    "Don''t have to, do we? They''ll let those two out when it''s their time." Wisp asked.


    Ike eyed the executioner. "Right, but once they let them out of the cages, we have to contend with that guy."


    She pinched her chin. Ike thought as well. Abruptly, he snapped. "I have an idea."


    "Oh, yeah?"


    "We''re fucked if it fails, but if it works, we''re gold. All we have to do is run."


    "And you''re great at running."


    "Ain''t that the truth." Ike nodded at Wisp. He leaned in. "Here''s the plan¡­"


    --


    One after another, the chained figures ascended the stairs. The executioner hefted his axe and let it fall. One after another, heads hit the platform. Blood splashed. It gushed from their bodies and flooded the platform. When they stopped kicking, the executioner stomped. The blood trembled and swallowed up the bodies, transporting them somewhere unknown.


    Well, it''s pretty known to us.


    Ike crouched behind the man''s cage. He leaned in. "Sir, please remain calm. If you can hear me, blink."


    The man jolted. He started to look over his shoulder, then stopped. Very deliberately, he blinked.


    Do you want to react a little more obviously? Ike rolled his eyes, but kept talking. "I presume I speak to the king?"


    "You presume correctly."


    If anyone asked me if I was the king, and I was chained up and waiting for execution, I''d say I was the king. But whatever. He does look like Clarina. Ike leaned in. "Here. Take this. Put it over yourself."


    The king jolted. He took the thing Ike handed him and obeyed what he suggested. Ike leaned in close. He held his breath, watching the guards and executioner.


    For a few seconds, nothing happened. One of the guards yawned. He looked around, lazily scanning the cages.


    And then he jumped. He pointed. "The-the-the¡ªthe king!"


    "What?" Another guard looked over. Her brows furrowed. Her eyes darted from cage to cage. "Holy shit! Where''d the king and the queen go?"


    The cages stood completely empty. Not a single sign of life remained within.


    On the platform, the executioner looked over. He scowled. "Find them, fools!"


    Four guards ran for the cages. The rest spread out, racing across the area. One of the ones who ran for the cages pulled out a ring of keys and fumbled them. With effort, they managed to slot a key into the king''s cage. The door swung open. The guard stepped inside. He peered around closely.


    "Come on, we need to check the queen, too! Here, give me the keys," a voice requested. The guard handed off his key ring as he stepped deeper into the king''s cage. Keys jangled in the queen''s cage''s lock.


    "Find anything?" the first guard asked. He turned around.


    The guard standing behind him frowned. "What?"


    "I gave you the keys. Why are you standing there?" S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No, you didn''t."


    The two of them frowned at each other. Slowly, they looked at the queen''s cage.


    A small black-and-white spider balanced on the keys. She giggled. The door swung open, and she swung with it. "Idiots."


    "Hey!" The two guards ran for the door. Too slow. A blast of lightning raced in, kicked the guards to the side in a blazing mess of kicks, and ran back out. The door slammed shut, locking them in.


    The other two guards whirled. Before they could take a step, spider threads bound them tight. Their legs snapped together. Off-balance, they toppled to the ground.


    "Run for it!" Wisp cheered. She dashed forward, taking human form midway, and scooped up something invisible. She and Ike both sprinted for the wall.


    The executioner narrowed his eyes. He drew back his axe. With all his weight, he leaned backward, then let loose. The axe hurtled through the air, spinning blade-over-butt as it came.


    Ike glanced over his shoulder. His eyes widened. "Incoming!"

 154. Executioner

    The axe hurtled through the air. Spinning blade-over-butt, it closed in on Ike and Wisp."Wisp!" Ike tossed an invisible bundle to her. He spun around and punched upward, aiming at the broadside of the blade. Green waves slammed into the blade''s flat. The axe bounced upward, away from Ike and Wisp alike. Ike leaned backward as the axe barely skimmed past his nose. Behind him, Wisp yelped and dropped to the ground. The axe slammed into the wall with a shimmering clang. Ike glanced at it. It vibrated from the force with which it had been thrown.


    On the platform, the executioner stomped. Blood splattered up. Vibrations spread out over the surface of the blood. They peaked. Liquid blood darted up from the ground. The bloody pillars formed into ambiguous, slender humanoids. The humanoids charged at Ike and Wisp.


    "Wisp, get out of here!" Ike shouted.


    She laughed. "No way. Let''s stand and fight." She stepped forward.


    He glanced at her. "Where are the other two?"


    "Lying on the ground, being pathetic. Don''t worry. Once they recover their strength, they''ll be stronger than us," Wisp reminded him.


    "Oh. Right." Ike nodded, chuckling under his breath. That was right. They were the rulers of their city. City lords ruled by strength. Even if they were extraordinarily weak city lords, they''d still be at least Rank 3.


    "Look sharp." Wisp nodded in front of them.


    The blood figures closed the distance. Ike raced to meet them. As he ran, he gathered the technique he used to force the blood out of the deer in one hand. The figures were all blood. Maybe the technique would work on them.


    One of the figures lashed out. They were too far to reach Ike, or at least at first. As the figure swung its slender arm, the arm lengthened. It snapped like a whip into Ike''s face. Ike''s head snapped back from the force of the blow. He reeled. His vision flickered. The technique on his hand winked out.


    The blood figure closed the gap between them in one single fluid step. It threw its whole upper body backward in preparation to strike.


    Mid-backward-stumble, Ike forced himself to recover. He leaped into the air. The figure lashed out, but it missed him. It was still aiming at where he''d been, not where he was now. He dropped down behind it and gathered the blood-ejecting technique again. The figure looked around, lost. It looked over its shoulder. A single round eye regarded Ike.


    "Too late." Ike slammed his hand into the figure''s back.


    His fingers sunk into the figure. It had no skin to speak of, nor internal organs. It was nothing but a conglomeration of blood, forced by mana into human shape. But it had a pseudo-core, and mana passages.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    Ike released the skill.


    The figure exploded. Blood splattered all over the road.


    Near him, Wisp looked over. "Hey! Don''t waste food!"


    "Yeah, yeah." Ike stepped back. For a split second, he pulled up his stat sheet. That felt like a skill.


    [Name: Ike | Age: 16 | Status: Nm | Rank: 2 [Abyss Dweller]]


    Skills: Common: 11 | Bronze 3 | Silver 3 | Gold 2 | Rare 1 | Unique: 5


    Common: All-Around Runner Lvl 8 | Razor Handling Lvl 9 | Spear Handling Lvl 4 | Axe Handling Lvl 4 | Sword Handling Lvl 9 | Bow Handling Lvl 1 | Primitive Crafting Lvl 9


    Bronze: Sensory Enhancement Lvl 9 | Mana Manipulation Lvl 5 | Lunam Manipulation Lvl 0 | Aether Manipulation Lvl 0


    Silver: Flurry of Kicks Lvl 3 | Chlorophyll Lvl 1 | Exsanguination Lvl 1


    Gold: Shockwave Punch Lvl 5 | Ice Armor Lvl 4


    Rare: River-Splitting Sword Lvl 8 Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unique: Lightning Dash Lvl 9 | Lightning Grasp Lvl 9 | Lightning Clad Lvl 4 | Lightning Caller Lvl 3 | Body Reforging Art Lvl 1


    Ike blinked, taken aback. Ex-sangui-what-now? I guess that''s what the skill''s called. And¡ªwait, hold on! Body-Reforging Art is a Unique skill? Holy shit! If I''d known that earlier, I would have been way more excited about it! Not that I wasn''t, but fuck, man! That''s insane!


    "What?" Wisp asked, giving him a look.


    "I made a Unique skill," Ike informed her smugly.


    "What, just now? In your pants or something?" Wisp asked. She jumped at one of the blood figures and opened her mouth. Her lips latched onto it, and a horrible slurp sounded. It shriveled up.


    "No. The Body Reforging Art. That was Unique," Ike informed her.


    "What? No fuckin'' way. What kind of bullshit-ass cheater are you?"


    "I''m not cheating!" Another of the bloody figures lashed out at Ike. This time, not one to fall for the same trick twice, he sidestepped its swipe, then closed in. Before it could attack again, he slammed a hand on its chest and Exsanguinated it.


    Blood spurted. Wisp darted over. She turned her head to the sky and gobbled up all the blood she could. "Point that shit at me, man."


    "Do you really want that?" Ike asked.


    "Do I¡ªdo you know how much effort spiders put into goo-ifying people? And these people are pre-gooed! It''s like buying snacks from a street vendor, but spider style."


    Ike snorted. "Alright, alright. Next one, I''ll point your way."


    "You better."


    Two blood figures closed in on them from either side. The two parted, each choosing their opponent. Wisp grabbed hers with all four limbs and sucked it dry. Ike turned his into a blood splatter with a strike, directing the splatter at Wisp. The second her opponent vanished, she whirled around and swallowed the blood splattering her way.


    She patted her stomach, satisfied. "That''s more like it."


    The executioner grumbled. He stomped on the now-dry surface and glared toward the guards. The guards jolted. At first one, then two, then all of them, charged at Ike and Wisp.


    Ike swept his aether over the guards as they closed in. Not a one over Rank 1, though some of them were close to Rank 2. He nodded at Wisp. "How many do you think you can take?"


    "Ten."


    "Ten? Only two for me?" Ike gave her a look.


    She grinned. "Slowpoke." Leaping into the air, she cast a spider thread past the guards and flew toward them.


    "Hey! Get back here!" Ike chased after her. Lightning flickered from his feet, and he sped past. He looked back at her, grinning. "Slowpoke."


    Wisp grimaced. "Get back here, you."


    "Nuh-uh." Ike drew his sword. He closed in on the first guard. The man''s eyes shone with terror, but he raised his sword to meet Ike all the same.

 155. Guards

    Ike swung toward the guard. The guard raised his sword to block.The split second before their blades met, Ike activated Lightning Grasp and spread its effect over the length of the blade. Lightning jumped from his sword to the guard''s. The guard jolted. His whole body shook with fierce tremors. He dropped his sword and succumbed entirely, falling to the ground.


    Ike raised his brows. He finished off the man with a smooth strike and ran on, but replayed the image in his mind. Huh. I was trying to take his sword, but I took his whole life instead. Is that the difference in strength between a Rank 1 and 2? Or is there something about Lightning Grasp I haven''t quite¡­ grasped yet?


    Another guard raced toward him. Ike met him with a swooping strike. The man raised his sword to block, but he simply didn''t have enough speed. Ike took his head, and he hit the ground as Ike passed by.


    On to the next. From one guard to another, Ike danced. His feet followed the path of River-Splitting Sword. His blade moved to its rhythm. He took heads and slit throats, opened bellies and cleaved skulls. The guards fell before him, not even a trial before his blade.


    The final guard charged at him. Ike solemnly raised his sword.


    A spider thread darted in front of him and yanked the guard away.


    Ike turned. "Hey!"


    "Seven me, five you," Wisp said, and then she opened her mouth wide and chewed the man down. He only screamed for the first few moments.


    "Damn," Ike muttered. He shook his head at her, then pointed at the executioner. "Big guy counts double."


    "Then you still tie me," Wisp said smugly.


    "Triple."


    "Changing the game so you win, huh? Laaaame. Typical human."


    The executioner growled. He gestured.


    Ike frowned. Something scraped behind him. He turned just in time to watch the axe tremble free of the wall behind him and fly toward him and Wisp. Ike''s eyes widened. He grabbed Wisp''s head and ducked, forcing her down as well.


    "Hey! What''re you¡ª"


    The axe whooshed over their heads. On the platform, the executioner raised his hand. The axe whipped around. Its hilt slammed into his palm. He faced them and made a small gesture with his hand, daring them to make the first move.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Rank 3 pressure emanated from his body. Low Rank 3, but Rank 3 nonetheless. Ike backed away, tense. He took a short breath. Time to test how much that Body Reforging Art did for me.


    "You go low, I''ll go high," Wisp murmured.


    Ike nodded. She vanished from his side, and he burst in. Stone fragments and blood flew up behind him. Lightning flickered all over his body. A shiver of cold ran down his spine as Ice Armor cloaked him. He barely felt Shawn''s weight as he closed in.


    The executioner laughed. He swung his axe, putting his whole weight into it. For how heavy the swing was, it moved deceptively fast. Before Ike knew it, a blade hurtled at his face.


    He ducked it, continuing to close in.


    The executioner''s abs engaged. Every muscle and tendon stood out against his skin. He yanked his axe to a halt, then swung it back the other way. The weight of the axe bore down on Ike, so heavy he could feel it in the air before it struck him.


    Ike danced back. For all the executioner''s remarkable strength and control, he easily had the upper hand in speed. He charged in again when the executioner overswung once more and landed a blow on the executioner''s stomach, charging his fist with lightning and shockwaves both.


    His punch bounced off. His wrist shuddered, crying out in pain. Ike jumped back, shaking his hand and cursing under his breath. It felt like he''d just punched an iron plate. There was no give to the man''s body at all.


    The executioner laughed.


    Spider threads flew at his face. He swung his axe, severing the threads immediately, then ripped the remnants off his face. Another laugh. He loomed over Ike, undefeatable, impenetrable, impossible.


    Ike leaped back, retreating to the edge of the platform. He scowled. "I can''t hurt him."


    "Surely one of your weapons," Wisp muttered.


    "Maybe the spider fang, but I don''t want to risk that. We''ve met lots of puppets, and I don''t want to break such a valuable tool here," Ike replied.


    She thought for a moment, then shrugged. "If we can''t defeat him as he is, then we''ll just have to soften him up somehow. Like with the metal puppet."


    Ike glanced at Shawn, still sleeping on his shoulder. "Or strengthen ourselves even more."


    "How so?" Wisp asked.


    Ike shook his head. He looked at her. "You''re at least Rank 3, right?"


    "Yeah. Sure. What do you need?" sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Can you restrain him? I don''t need you to kill him or attack him, just restrain him."


    She chuckled. "Restrain him? Who do you think you''re talking to? Restraining is a spider''s specialty."


    Ike grinned. "That''s what I want to hear. Shawn, you awake?"


    "Huh? Yeah¡­" Shawn managed a drowsy response. His head drooped against Ike''s shoulder again.


    "Then we''re ready to go." He dashed in.


    The executioner lifted his axe. As Ike closed in, he swung. The blade rushed toward Ike''s head.


    Ike punched upward. Shockwaves shuddered against the blade, making it dance. It veered upward.


    Throwing the axe to the side, the executioner closed in. Huge blunt fists slammed at Ike. Ike darted in, bursting past with a surge of speed. He dodged around to the back of the executioner and jumped into the air.


    The executioner began to turn.


    "Nope!" Wisp shouted. White thread flew at him from all directions. He swept his hands, smacking most of it away, but Wisp fired more and more. The white wrapped around him. He waved his arms again, but the thread built up on his limbs. His motions grew slow and heavy. In the blink of an eye, it immobilized him entirely.


    Excellent.


    "Shawn! Give me all your weight!" he shouted. He drew back his fist.


    "You sure?" Shawn asked, sleepy but concerned.


    "Just for a second. Do it!"


    "Okay¡­"


    Immense weight slammed into Ike. His fist plummeted toward the executioner''s back with a mountain''s weight behind it. He gritted his teeth.


    This is going to hurt!

 156. Mountain Punch

    As Ike punched, he layered ice on his fist and wrist. He reinforced them with each activation. It wouldn''t be enough to avoid damaging his hand, but it would minimize the damage.His fist smashed into the executioner''s back. Bones broke, snapping under his fist. The executioner''s ribs snapped. The ice broke, and his fist shattered, but he kept pushing. He threw all Shawn''s weight into the executioner.


    The executioner dropped under Ike. Ike fell with him. He pinned the executioner to the floor, no more able to lift his fist than the executioner was to escape his weight.


    "Shawn! That''s enough."


    Shawn yawned. He patted Ike''s shoulder, and the weight on his body receded.


    Ike jumped back. The executioner pushed up to his knee, fighting against the pain and Wisp''s binds.


    "Nuh uh! Get back down," Wisp shouted. She jumped on top of him and bit. Her first bite, her teeth bounced off. Grimacing, she scurried down his body and bit where Ike had punched him. Purple venom flowed through his veins. The executioner grimaced. He focused inward, slowing his struggles. But as he focused, the poison slowed.


    "Wisp, let me at him."


    "Oh, sure. Go ahead." Wisp jumped off the man, letting Ike in.


    Ike put his hand on the man''s head. He activated his new skill, Exsanguination, focusing its power on the man''s head.


    Blood spurted out of the man''s eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. He coughed and spat. His eyes opened, and the poison flowed through his body again.


    "Damn! What is that?" Wisp asked, staring.


    "That skill I used on the dead deer. Pretty awesome, huh?"


    "Oh, really? You got that as a skill? Neat."


    Ike grinned.


    The executioner growled. He pushed up from the ground. Wisp''s threads snapped.


    "Stay down!" Ike and Wisp shouted as one. Ike slammed a lighting-charged Shockwave Punch down on the man, while Wisp hauled back, opened her mouth, and spat a stream of fire toward him. The fire lit her webs. The webs burned away in an instant, but not before searing deep into his flesh. The executioner screamed in pain.


    Ike hopped back. He drew his sword. Ike charged in, planted his feet, and swung downward with all his might. Every muscle in his body connected. Aether flowed through him smoothly, resonating in every cell. His sword sung. For the first time ever, a clear note resonated from its blade. Energy burst forth from the sword. The energy slashed into the executioner''s neck, then the sword itself. The energy died halfway through the executioner''s spine, but his sword finished the job.


    Ike stepped back. He looked at his sword. "What the¡­"


    "Neat! How''d you do that?" Wisp asked.


    "Uh¡­ I don''t know. It was like¡­ all my body condensed, or¡­ kind of like all the aether in my body connected at once, and the energy flowed together¡­ or something."


    Wisp pursed her lips. She nodded. "You aren''t going to be passing on techniques any time soon, huh."


    "Oh, hey! I just experienced it. I''m still trying to put things together," Ike grumbled.


    Wisp chuckled. She thumped him on the shoulder. "Let''s go get the king and queen and get out of here, huh?"


    "Do we still have to leave?" Ike asked. He turned back toward the guards, the executioner, everyone. He spread his hands. "Who''s left to fight?"


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Wisp followed his lead. She cast her gaze over the platform, over the chained people, now guardsless, over the pathway beyond. The queen and king stood, letting the skins fall to the side.


    "Oh," she said.


    "Yeah."


    "Did we just undo a revolution?"


    "I think the term is ''nobly reclaimed the throne for the rightful rulers," Ike replied.


    "Right, yeah." Wisp flicked her wrist. Two white threads shot forth and drew the wolfskins to her side. "You think that pays?"


    "Ought to. At least one Unique skill. And if it doesn''t, I might just be in the business of deposing the rightful rulers," Ike muttered darkly.


    "They know how to get into the treasury, too," Wisp pointed out.


    Ike pointed at her. "Yeah, good point."


    "Citizens! Gather! We have the upper hand. Reject this false republic!" the king boomed.


    The queen clapped. All the chained mages'' chains unlocked and popped open. One after another, they clanged to the ground. The mages milled for a moment, feeling their wrists, and then mana surged from their direction. Several of them leaped into the air and flew off at top speed, while others raced into the dungeon.


    The king and queen crossed to Ike and Wisp. The king nodded. He offered Ike his hand. "Thank you for coming to our aid, noble hunter. You are truly the model of everything a citizen of Finaire should be."


    Ike shook the king''s hand. He gave an embarrassed grin. "Actually, I was just wandering through. Clarina offered me a Unique skill to free you and the queen." He paused. "Clarina is your daughter, right? I didn''t guess wrong and free the wrong people, did I?"


    The king and queen stared.


    Wisp elbowed Ike out of the way. "What he means is, thank you, my liege! I did it all for Finaire. And your royal selves, of course. By the way, which way is the treasury?"


    Ike grappled her back. "You can''t ask them where the treasury is! It''s rude. You have to let them offer the treasury. Besides, who cares? I want that Unique skill."


    "Yeah, but what do I get? I want a Unique skill, too, you damn greedy bastard¡ª"


    The queen stepped forward. "You know where Clarina is? She''s alive? Safe?"


    Ike looked up from struggling with Wisp. "Huh? Yeah. Let''s go. She''s right at the hidden teleportation circle. The one in the trees. Or she was, when we left her¡ª"


    The queen grabbed each of them by the shoulder. Magic washed over them. The sensation of stepping through the circle came again, and the forest appeared around them.


    No. We appeared in the forest, Ike amended. He glanced at the queen. "This is the one."


    Ignoring him, the queen ran into the forest. "Clarina! Clarina, love. Are you here?"


    "Mother?" Clarina stepped out from a thicket nearby. She ran over and threw herself into her mother''s arms. "Mother!"


    "Clarina, my baby," the queen murmured, wrapping her arms around Clarina.


    Ike glanced aside. A strange discomfort welled up in him. He scratched the back of his neck. Is there anyone I would feel that safe with? Anyone whose mere presence is a comfort, like that?


    Bored, Wisp walked to a nearby tree and crawled up in, vanishing into the branches. "Human bullshit."


    At last, the two parted. The queen looked at Ike. "Thank you."


    "Ah, yeah¡­ It was nothing," Ike said.


    Clarina turned as well. "Even if you were only able to free my mother, thank you. Here, as promised." She held her hand out.


    Ike lifted his hand, letting her unlock the ring. A delicate, intricate circle appeared above the ring. Under Clarina''s guidance, it shifted left, right, then left again, then shattered. Instantly, Ike could sense the skill inside the ring, its power and perfection.


    He nodded his thanks to her. "Actually, I freed your father, too."


    "It''s fine. You don''t need to lie to comfort me," Clarina said.


    The queen shook her head. "It''s true, Clarina. He and that woman, they slayed a great deal of the New Republic''s forces. Your father is rallying the remaining troops and freeing our fighters from prison as we speak. Those horrible puppets are nowhere to be seen. We should retake the sect by sundown."


    "Truly?" Clarina asked, shocked.


    Wisp swung down from a branch overhead, dangling upside down. Her hair swung gently toward the forest floor. "We''re the ones who scared off the puppets, too."


    "What? What about Roderick?"


    "Killed him," Ike said, half-distracted by the Unique skill. Draw it out here? No¡­ hmm. I need to inspect it. And Wisp deserves a cut, too. He glanced up. "Any chance we could get a second Unique skill?" S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Roderick is slain?" the queen asked, startled. "How did you deal with his mana-absorbing puppet?"


    "His¡­" Ike coughed. His puppet absorbed mana? That explains why these high-level mages couldn''t defeat it. But I didn''t even notice, because¡­ I use aether¡­


    I probably shouldn''t out and admit I use aether instead. "Oh, well, you know. We, uh, used the forge against him¡­ got it real hot, you know."


    "It''s like I''m there," Wisp snarked, pulling herself back upright in the tree.


    "Hey! You explain it better," Ike called after her.


    The queen smiled. "When my husband finishes dealing with the scraps in the city, would you two mind joining us for dinner?"


    Rewards? I hear rewards! Ike bowed. "We would be honored."


    "Excellent." Hugging her daughter close, the queen beamed at him. Clarina smiled as well, resting her head on her mother''s shoulder.


    Despite himself, Ike smiled. We did good today.

 157. Spring

    Without the puppets to deal with, and with the executioner and Roderick already taken out of the picture, the king and his freshly-freed supporters quickly cleaned up the remnants of the New Republic. The queen and Clarina caught up, while Wisp crawled around in the trees and Ike investigated the Unique skill.He couldn''t get much information on it, even when he drew it out of the storage ring. Heat. Not fire, but heat. He couldn''t tell what part of the body it applied to, or if it even had to do with the body. It shimmered in his grasp, not quite suited to his aether passages.


    Ike pursed his lips. If we get a second one, it might be better to take that one, and give this to Wisp. This one clearly doesn''t match with me well. I''ll take it, but¡­


    Four limbs clutched onto his shoulders. Wisp leaned forward. Her messy dark hair tickled his chin. "What is it? Smells good."


    "You can smell skills?" Ike asked.


    "I can smell this one." She leaned in, sniffing it again. "Yeah. Smells good."


    Ike palmed the skill and slid it back into the storage ring. "If they give us a second Unique skill, I''ll give you this one."


    "What? How come you get to give out the loot? We both fought for it," Wisp pointed out.


    "You got the fire skill."


    "And you got the wind skill, so it''s my turn again."


    "We''re doing turns?"


    "We are now."


    The queen laughed. "I''m sure we can find a second Unique skill for our heroes."


    "Oh, hear that? Hand it over!" Wisp patted Ike on the shoulder.


    Ike laughed. "I''ll hand it over once we''ve got a second one in hand."


    A bright light shone over the distant castle. The queen looked up. "It looks like my husband has finished. Shall we return?" She offered her hand to Ike and Wisp. Clarina took her other hand.


    "Sure." Wisp still crouching on his shoulders, Ike took the queen''s hand. Another light flashed, and they stood in the castle once more.


    Mages rushed around. Some carried trash or cleaned the ramparts, while others plied skills to fix up broken walls. The queen and Clarina still wore rags, but the mages still bowed the second they saw them. The queen lifted her hand, bidding them to continue their work, and they stood. They returned to their work.


    Ike stared around him. Was this what a normal mage city looked like? He''d never entered Brightbriar''s mage city. It floated in the clouds, out of his reach. Only proper mages could enter its hallowed streets. If he''d reached Rank 3¡ªno, Rank 4, he might have been invited up. But for a slumrat who happened to become a hunter, proper magehood was forever out of his reach.


    Back in Brightbriar city, anyways. This city didn''t float in the clouds. He could easily walk up to it, stride around the castle, and no one could tell him no. He glanced at the queen. Maybe the monarchs. He hadn''t felt their auras yet, but he was kind of afraid to try. It struck him as rude to attempt to sense someone''s aura if they weren''t actively releasing it. If the queen and king were the Ran k 4 or 5 they should have been to rule a city of this size, they''d be able to kill him as soon as look at him. Plus, even if they were unlikely to kill their hero, they might be less likely to reward a rude hero. With the current Unique skill that wasn''t particularly suited to him, he still needed to hold out for the true reward.


    It wasn''t so bad to be a hero, either. The other mages nodded and bowed as they passed. Mostly at the queen, but they also extended that respect to him. He nodded back, slightly uncomfortable with the respect. It felt strange.


    The queen gestured Ike and Wisp on. "Let''s get you two cleaned up for the banquet tonight. The baths are down this hall. Once you''re clean, we''ll bring you some fresh clothes."


    "Baths?" Wisp hissed.


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    "You''ll be fine. No¡­ you''ll benefit," Ike said, nodding.


    Wisp narrowed her eyes at him.


    "Oh? You knew about the springs?" the queen asked.


    Wisp looked up at that. "The springs?"


    The queen nodded. "A mana vein feeds the hot springs beneath the castle. Soaking within their waters can fortify one''s mana and reinforce the body."


    Wisp''s eyes widened, then narrowed. She frowned, thinking desperately.


    Ike chuckled silently. He met the queen''s eyes and smiled. She already knows how to play Wisp? I''m impressed.


    The queen gave him a mysterious smile back and tilted her head innocently.


    Or¡­ was it just happenstance? Ike tilted his head back, but the queen had already looked away. She pointed. "Here. Women to the left, men to the right. I''ll have the servants lay out some fitting finery for tonight."


    "Thank you," Ike said.


    "Yeah. We don''t have shit for clothes," Wisp said, nodding.


    Ike sighed. "You have to talk nice to royalty, Wisp."


    "Who says? She doesn''t rule me," Wisp muttered.


    The queen laughed. A faint impression of her aura washed over Ike, and he stiffened. Rank 4 at least. How the hell did Roderick beat her?


    Oh, right. Mana-absorbing puppet. Still. I shouldn''t take her lightly. I don''t think Wisp and I could beat her. He bowed to the queen and gave Wisp a push. "Come on. Let''s go get washed up and eat some tasty food."


    "Do we have to wash up to get the food?" Wisp asked, reluctant.


    "Yes, I''m afraid. There are courtiers who are less tolerant of the unwashed," the queen said sadly.


    Wisp sighed. "Oh well, can''t be helped. I guess I have to go soak in that mana."


    Ike chuckled. With a final nod of thanks to the queen, he set off toward the men''s bath. "Just checking, but you''re a man, right, Shawn?"


    "Huh? I''m a mountain," Shawn replied sleepily.


    "Close enough," Ike said. He''s a lump of earth, ultimately. As Mont said, mountains don''t function like humans. I guess either bath works, and since he''s attached to me, he might as well go in with me.


    "Men''s baths fine¡­" Shawn snored again, falling back into sleep. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike glanced at Shawn. He''d slept through the whole battle, all the running around, everything. It was honestly a little worrying. Was he okay? The black-robed mages had been keeping him in a mana vein, but walking around, they obviously weren''t able to provide him with that level of mana. We are heading to a mana-vein supplied hot spring right now, though. Maybe he''ll revive down there, and then I can ask him about it.


    The passage sloped down. At some point, the brick floor became smooth, natural stone. Dampness clung to the walls and slicked the rock underfoot. Ike walked cautiously. Warm, wet air surrounded him. Rich mana swirled into him with every breath. It sat in his core, slowly converting to aether. He practiced transforming the mana to aether. The process was still too slow for now. He needed to hasten it.


    The air grew damper, the mana thicker. Ike turned a corner and found himself standing at the edge of a massive pool. Hot mist rose off the surface of the deep blue water. A faint scent of sulfur hung on the air. Soft, curving edges were lined with sulfur crystals. Ike undressed, leaving his filthy clothes piled up at the edge. Under his clothes, his skin was several shades paler. Dirt and dust had discolored his skin to the point that he had forgotten its original color. He laughed at that.


    "What?" Shawn asked. He yawned. Drowsiness clung to his eyes, but he moved with purpose, now. No longer asleep.


    "We''re at a hot spring bath mana vein¡­ thingy. Should probably take your clothes off before you get in," Ike informed him.


    Shawn looked up. He hopped off Ike''s shoulder and rushed to the water''s edge.


    "Hey! Clothes off first!" Ike called.


    "Is it okay?" Shawn asked.


    "Huh? Yeah. Queen said¡ª"


    The water stirred. A figure rose up from the depths. Shaped from the water itself, the translucent feminine figure gazed at Shawn. Long robes of flowing water draped her. Her hair poured from her head, streaming back into the water and circulating back up to become new hair with each passing moment. Sulfur-yellow eyes glittered in her face, the only opaque part of her whole body. She tilted her head.


    Ike jolted. He clapped his hands over himself. What the hell?


    "I''m only passing through. I need some mana for sustenance. Is it fine if I take some of yours?" Shawn asked her.


    She thought for a second, then nodded. With a splash, she vanished back into the water.


    Shawn sighed in relief. He stripped out of his clothes and stepped into the water. "Ahhh¡­"


    "Is it safe?" Ike asked.


    Shawn turned. "I just asked permission. Why wouldn''t it be?"


    "Er, but¡­ I feel bad uh, stepping into a girl''s¡­ water¡­"


    "She''s a mountain. You''re already walking on her," Shawn pointed out.


    Ike blinked. He looked down, then back up. "I guess so."


    "Come on. Don''t be filthy. You''ll be a bad example for Wisp." Shawn patted the water next to him.


    He''s got a point. If I come out of this filthy, Wisp is never going to touch soap ever again. Ike glanced around. He bowed to nothing. "Sorry¡­ thank you." Still covering himself, he stepped into the water.


    The water swirled. Shawn glanced down. "She says, ''you''re welcome.'' She''s happy that people are using the springs after so long."


    "Oh, that''s good!" Ike said, nodding. I wonder how many unseen people and unknown worlds I walk by every day, without ever interacting with them? If not for Shawn, I would never have encountered the spirit of this mountain. If not for Mont, I would have passed by Shawn without ever encountering him.


    I need to keep my eyes open. There''s worlds all around us. Opportunities await, as long as I stay aware.


    Warm water wrapped around him. Forgetting about the mountain spirit, he settled down in the spring. His muscles unwound. He floated on his back and just let the water carry him. Silence hung over the spring. For a moment, the world was at peace.

 158. A Moment of Calm

    Ike jolted awake. He stood, looking around. What¡­ where¡­A cavern spread around him. Vaulted ceilings sported long stalactites that dripped into a bright blue sulfur spring. Some of the stalactites had directly formed into columns, supporting the vast, open space. In the distance, Shawn paddled around, occasionally ducking under the surface of the water. He waved when he saw Ike staring. "Good morning. Have a good nap?"


    "I¡­ yeah," Ike muttered. He rubbed the back of his neck. I guess mages can still take naps.


    "Experiencing it for the first time?" Shawn asked.


    "Uh¡­ I guess?"


    Shawn nodded. "You''ve heard of it, right? When mages get exhausted, you won''t feel much, but your body will just shut down on you the second you feel safe. You mages don''t usually need to sleep, but when you do, you do it fast. It''s a real all-or-nothing situation."


    Still a little disoriented, Ike nodded. He ducked his head under the water and washed his face. He stood, slightly more with it now. "Speaking of sleeping, what about you?"


    "What about me? A young boy needs his sleep."


    "You''re older than all of us. Are you okay? Even the black-robed mages kept you hooked up to a mana vein, and you sleep when you''re away from one for too long. I can put two and two together. Do you need to be connected to a mana vein? Are you dying, or something?"


    Shawn shrugged. He kicked his way to the edge and lounged against it, his short little arms supporting a short little body. "I don''t function like a human. Something like death is different for me than it is for you. Killing me¡­I''m not even sure what that would entail. But if I''m not connected to a mana vein, I will go dormant. It''s not death. It''s more like what you just did."


    Ike raised his brows. He nodded. "So if we want you awake, we need to get you near a mana vein?"


    "Or to carry my own weight."


    Ike sighed. He stretched. "We need to make sure you''re connected to a mana vein every now and again, then. How often does it need to be?"


    "Seems to be about a month or so?" Shawn shrugged. "Depends on the mana quality and a lot of other things, too. But about a month seems right."


    "Wait, but didn''t you have to ask the mountain spirit who lives here if you can use it? What if they say no?"


    Shawn shrugged. "Then you carry my weight."


    Ike sighed. "How much do you weigh? All told."


    "I am a small mountain," Shawn said.


    Ike pursed his lips. A small mountain was still a mountain. And more than he wanted to carry, which was the most important part.


    "Enough soaking." He was clean, and who knew how long he''d been asleep. A fresh pile of clothes and a soft towel awaited him on the edge of the pool. Ike dressed, holding out the smaller clothes to Shawn. The boy joined him a moment later.


    The filthy armor he''d brought from Ket''s was gone. He looked around, but there were no traces of it. Quietly, Ike sighed. Back to finding a pair of outdoor clothes.


    The robes the queen had provided were finer than he was used to. Not suited for the outdoors at all. Soft white fabric draped his body. Gold embroidery and gems encrusted it at the hems, cuffs, and collar. A matching pair of white slippers and a gold-embroidered white headband finished the look. Beside him, Shawn wore about the same thing, though smaller.


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    "I look like a bride," Ike commented after a moment.


    Shawn snorted. "Then what am I? The ringbearer? And for that matter, who''s the husband?"


    "I''m the husband," Ike said.


    "But you just said¡ª"


    Ike rolled his eyes at Shawn. "Come on. You can walk now, so let''s walk up to the banquet, huh?"


    Shawn leaned in. "Is it Wisp?"


    "Is what Wisp?"


    "The husband!"


    Ike shook his head. Turning dramatically to look at the ceiling, he sighed. "Would you look at the time? Oh, man. Looks like we won''t be able to get a certain someone to a mana vein. Too bad, too bad."


    Shawn laughed. He punched Ike''s leg. "You''re the one who''s gonna end up carrying me."


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    "Boo!"


    A figure lunged at Ike from the ceiling. He stumbled back, instinctively reaching for his sword. Two hands grabbed his wrists, and a great force spun him around. He landed on his back, staring at the ceiling.


    Wisp clung to the ceiling by her tiptoes. She shook her head at him. "So uptight!"


    "You''re the one who attacked me."


    "Always be on guard, young man." Wisp released the ceiling. With a neat spin, she landed on her feet and spread her hands. "Tada!"


    She wore the feminine version of Ike''s robes. They had a longer, more flowing skirt, but, wisely, someone had given her loose, comfortable legging as well. Just like Ike''s robes, in another wise move, her collar was high and tight around her neck. Gold and gems glittered at the neck, wrists, ankles, and belt, and two hairclips clung to her scalp for dear life. Her hair wasn''t much less tangled than usual. Less dirty, yes, revealing a luxurious shiny dark black, but not less tangled.


    Ike held out his hand. "Give me the hairclips. I''ll fix your hair."


    "Huh? It''s fine!"


    "Look, I''m no girl, but I know what a brush is, unlike someone. Come here." He gestured her closer.


    Somewhat unwillingly, Wisp turned her back to him. "Ugh¡­ hair things. Spiders have it easy, you know. We only have a few nice, thick hairs, and they''re evenly spread over our whole body. Unlike you weird head people. Isn''t it inconvenient when they get tangled?"


    "Yeah, yeah." Ike took the brush and began. He was no beautician, but there were times where he''d grown out his hair. Mostly in rebellion against his uncle, who thought it was unmanly or something. Wisely, he''d always taken the razor to the lengths before it got too out of hand, but the experience meant he knew how to manage long hair, unlike a certain spider someone.


    "You''re very motherly," Shawn mentioned, his eyes twinkling. "I guess you really are the br¡ª"


    "I wouldn''t know," Ike interrupted him.


    Shawn blinked. "Huh? Humans need mothers to exist. You have to have had a mother."


    "I did. She died when I was too young to remember."


    Shawn opened his mouth, then shut it. He fell back a little. A pensive expression appeared on his face.


    "At least she didn''t try to eat you," Wisp piped up.


    Ike snorted. He glanced at her. "Do you spiders just react to everything by trying to eat it? Giving birth, mating¡­"


    She considered, then nodded. "Yeah, pretty much. We eat our thread too, you know. Recycle it."


    "Huh. Efficient."


    Wisp pointed at Shawn. "For the record, I''m the bride. If anyone''s eating anyone, I''m the one eating him, okay?"


    "That''s not what he¡­" Ike trailed off. Why am I arguing this? He nodded. "That''s right. I''m the husband here."


    "You two are nuts," Shawn muttered under his breath.


    Ike brushed as they walked. The floor sloped gently upward. Light shone at the end of the hallway by the time he finished. He fastened the two gold clips in Wisp''s hair to hold back her bangs and passed the brush back to her. "There you go."


    "Mhm! Thank you," she said, spinning around to beam at him.


    "Welcome," Ike said. He smiled back at her. A warmth welled up in his chest. A precious feeling. Is this what it feels like to have a little sister? He''d never had any siblings, but now, he felt like he had one.


    Clarina stood at the top of the path, waiting for them. The injured and scruffy girl he''d encountered in the woods couldn''t compare to the present Clarina. She was clean, now, and wore gorgeous white-and-blue robes studded with sapphires, gold, and pearls. A gold halo-style crown crested her honey-blonde curls, which draped down over the generous neckline of her gown. It was a proper gown, too, not a robe. A train of gossamer floated from her shoulders and down her back, fluttering on the breeze like butterfly wings.


    She smiled. Her eyes traveled up and down Ike, and her brows quirked up in approval. "You look great."


    "Oh¡­thanks," Ike said, suddenly self-conscious. He adjusted his cuffs awkwardly.


    "What about me?" Wisp demanded, jumping in front of Ike.


    "You all look great," Clarina clarified. A slight blush warmed her cheeks.


    Wisp''s eyes widened. She looked between Ike and Clarina, then gasped and darted to Ike''s side. "Ike!"


    "Yeah?"


    "I think she wants to mate!"

 159. Banquet

    "I think she wants to mate!"Ike blushed. Across from him, Clarina startled, her eyes wide. Her blush grew deeper, and she quickly averted her eyes.


    "Wisp! You can''t just say that," Ike admonished her at a hiss.


    "Why not? Isn''t it friendly to share the news?" Wisp asked.


    Ike put his head in his hands. "Is that how it works with spiders?"


    Wisp shrugged. "I dunno. I don''t have a lot of spiders to talk to."


    "Well, it''s not how it works with humans," Ike taught her patiently. He patted her on the shoulder and nodded at Clarina. "Thank you for waiting for us. Is the banquet going?"


    Clarina quickly recovered. She straightened up and gave him a polite nod. "Yes, indeed. Everyone''s waiting for the guests of honor. Please, come this way." She gestured for them to follow and set off down the hallway, her train flowing after her.


    Wisp glanced at Ike. Ike ignored her. She kept glancing at him, blinking delicately up at him. At last, Ike relented. "What?"


    "Are you going to mate with¡ª"


    Ike clapped his hand over Wisp''s mouth. "Enough with the mating."


    "Well, if she''s going to eat you tonight, I''m not sticking around."


    "People don''t eat other people in the mating process," Ike explained wearily.


    "Oh, right. I forgot."


    Ike gave her a look. He furrowed his brows. "Have you thought of me as some kind of expendable this whole time? One night and I might be gone?"


    Wisp shrugged. "No. Probably not."


    Ike sighed. He shook his head. Sometimes I wonder what the hell I''m doing.


    They wandered down the halls. Some of them looked the same. The same unpolished stone, the same narrow slit windows. Others were richly decorated. Thick carpets and lush tapestries colored the spaces that had only been stone before. Gold sconces perched on the wall. Soft music played from somewhere, and gold flecks sparkled overhead like stars.


    "Wow," Ike murmured, amazed.


    "I''m sorry about the decorations. This is all thrown together at the last minute. If we were prepared¡­ if we hadn''t just retaken the castle, we¡ª"


    Ike tilted his head. "It''s amazing, Clarina."


    "Oh! Thank you." She bobbed her head. "I''m glad the domestic skills are worth something."


    "Domestic skills¡­? Like house-cleaning skills?" Ike asked, remembering Ket''s skill.


    "Yes. The stars are a skill as well. And the carpets, I have a skill that unrolls them and resets them later. It''s not very useful in general, but it''s handy in moments like these." She smiled, proud.


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    "That''s awesome. Do you have a self-cleaning skill? I''ve been wanting one of those for a while." Ike asked.


    "I don''t know why. The dirt hides your scent from prey," Wisp opined.


    Clarina laughed. "It''s not very polite to ask a lady if she cleans herself."


    Ike jolted. "I¡ªI didn''t mean it like that."


    She giggled. Waving his embarrassment away, she nodded. "I do. Have a skill like that, I mean. Maybe I''ll teach it to you, if you stick around after the banquet."


    "You can teach skills?"


    "For basic things. I can teach you the method to move your mana, and if you practice, it might give you the skill," Clarina caveated.


    Ike nodded, understanding. It''s like picking up the Sword Handling skill from practicing the sword. Or gaining Exsanguination from bleeding enough meat. "That''s more than enough. Thank you for the kind offer, Clarina."


    She nodded. Stepping ahead of them, she pushed a door open and gestured for them to go ahead. "Everyone''s waiting for you."


    "Right. Let''s not keep them waiting."


    Ike stepped forward. Wisp followed close behind. Clarina gave the two of them space. They stepped into a long, silent hallway. The sound of banquet chatter came from the far end, along with bright, friendly light.


    "You know what we fucked up?" Wisp whispered, leaning in.


    "What?" Ike asked.


    "We freed the parents before looting the treasury."


    Ike jolted. He looked at her. "You''re right. Damn!"


    "I know, right?" Wisp shook her head mournfully.


    "Live and learn. Next time, loot first, then accomplish the goals. I got blindsided by the puppets and blinded by the Unique skill, but we could have it all right now," Ike muttered. He paused. "Then again, her parents might have been executed if we delayed. We''d never get the Unique skill in the ring."


    "Yeah, but we''d have all the rest of the Unique skills in the treasury," Wisp pointed out.


    Ike sighed. "We fucked up. We fucked up big time."


    Clarina caught up to them with a mysterious drifting step that appeared like walking, but easily let her move twice their speed. "What did you¡­ mess up?"


    "Nothing." Ike shook his head, still mourning his hasty decisions. If only he hadn''t gotten pissed off about that mental diversion¡­


    The diversion. He looked at Clarina. "That''s right. I meant to ask. Why did you give us that map that made us look away from the puppet room?"


    Wisp''s head snapped around. Shawn peeped around Ike, looking at Clarina as well.


    She sighed. "That¡­ I was embarrassed about it. Father''s mistake. He thought that using the criminals we executed for ''something worthwhile'' was better than letting them rot. Mother and I told him it was inhumane. We argued against it, and I thought that was that. And then suddenly Roderick is telling the city about ''the nobility''s crimes,'' and he''s seized control of the puppet room Father wasn''t supposed to have built, and¡­"


    Ike raised his brows. He looked at Wisp. "Should we leave her dad in control?"


    "Yeah, I don''t know if that''s a good idea," Wisp agreed thoughtfully. "Especially with a full treasury¡­"


    Clarina snorted. "Don''t worry. Mother is actually stronger than Father, it''s just that Father made a move while Mother was out of town. Now that she''s back, she''ll keep Father in check."


    Another memory welled up. Ike frowned. "There was this rat-faced man with an owl spirit beast. Do you know who that is?"


    Clarina tipped her head. "Rat-faced? Owl spirit beast? No, I''m sorry."


    Huh. So that guy''s still a mystery. Guess his spirit beast didn''t find Clarina¡­ or he sent it out to look for Wisp and I, when we were already inside the castle, and it failed on basic principle.


    "He seemed friendly with Roderick," Wisp tried.


    Clarina shook her head. "Roderick was a mage from outside our city. He''d lived here for a few decades, but he had plenty of friends from outside. It''s not surprising he had a friend I wouldn''t know." S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She took Ike''s hand and looked him in the eyes. "Enough of this talk. Let''s enjoy the banquet, and put all this behind us."


    "Okay." Ike nodded and smiled.


    Giving Ike a reassuring smile, Clarina took the lead. Under her breath, she muttered, "It''s like Mother said. You can''t fix poor breeding."


    Ike raised his brows. Damn, wow.


    "I think your chances of mating went way down just now," Wisp whispered.


    "Believe it or not, I picked up on that, too." Ike shook his head at Clarina''s back in disappointment. She was cute, but not cute enough to make up for a bad attitude. Getting pissed at him for asking too many questions was whatever, but that comment after all he''d done for them? Insane.


    Clarina stepped out into the banquet hall. Ike, Wisp, and Shawn followed close behind her. She spread her hands, demanding silence. "Announcing our guests of honor!"


    She kept talking, but Ike didn''t hear it. He stared, amazed.


    Wow. So this is how mages live.

 160. How Mages Live

    Gold plates and cups sat atop a red silk runner. Lavish dishes that emanated powerful mana sat in the center of the table. Only a few well-dressed mages sat at the table, but how gorgeous, how beautiful they were. A few servants scuttled around, carrying dishes and refilling cups. A gentle wind blew, carrying a perfume with it. Rose petals floated on the air, as if they naturally lived there. The king and queen smiled at Ike and Wisp as they arrived.Three seats had been reserved for them. Plush and high-backed, they sat near the royal family. Clarina led them over. She sat the closest to her family, with the other three next to her. Servants immediately rushed over to fill their cups and set food on their plates.


    Wisp stared at the servants. "They''re all spirit beasts. Or monsters. Like me."


    Ike looked around. "What about the mages?"


    "All human."


    He grimaced. "Woof."


    "I know, right?" Wisp ran a hand over the back of her neck, then grimaced. "Fuckin'' humans. This is why I don''t try to play along and blend into human society. Even if you do, you just get shat on and treated like something lesser."


    Ike snorted. "I feel that."


    Wisp looked at him for a second, then grinned. "That''s right. Slum kid gets it!"


    "Let''s eat up and blow this joint. I don''t want to stick around any longer than I have to," Ike said. He glanced at the royals. They smiled placidly at him, and he faked a smile back. Clarina''s explanation about the puppets wasn''t quite enough to answer his questions. He didn''t trust it. Her mother would restrain her father? Sure. But if her mother was that much stronger than her father, why hadn''t she stopped him in the first place? How long had she been away, if Clarina''s father had had the time to set up a huge room mass-producing puppets?


    And filling the puppets with criminals¡­ sure. He''d been a slum kid. He knew what ''criminals'' looked like. The ones who got caught were stupid, unlucky, or fall guys. The ones who really deserved the puppet-mash treatment¡ªthe ones like his uncle¡ªgot away scot-free. Only the little guys ever suffered.


    He sighed. "I''m not cut out for this kind of life."


    "Good. This kind of life is expensive," Wisp mumbled through a mouthful of food. She nodded at him. "Now wipe that sad look off your face and get eatin''. We only get so many shots at a banquet like this, might as well enjoy them."


    "True." Ike laughed. Putting his misgivings aside, he set in.


    The food was delicious. The wine he had no taste for, but he could appreciate the mana within it. He ate and drank, and Wisp and Shawn did the same. Despite Shawn''s small size, he put away the most food of all of them, even more than Wisp. And when it came to wine, Shawn drank enough to flood a small town without so much as getting tipsy. He kept gesturing for more, until the servants began pretending not to see his small hands calling for a refill.


    There was entertainment as well. Musicians played and dancers danced, all of it finer than Ike had ever heard before in his life. Not a surprise, when his idea of music was the drunken shanties his uncle would bellow sometimes on the way home from the bar, and his idea of dancing was whatever the tired old hookers would do waiting for patrons outside the bar.


    At last, Clarina took the stage. Ike looked up, curious. She smiled at him. "For our heroes, who boldly broke into the city to rescue our noble rulers, I present a gift."


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    She opened her hands. A shimmering, rainbow-haloed Unique skill orb hovered on her palm. Gently, she offered it to Ike. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike stood, accepting the orb. The mages applauded. He peered at it, inspecting it.


    Wind. A powerful wind. Far stronger than the wind skill from the skill that he still hadn''t absorbed, the one that didn''t sit well with him. Unlike that one, this one felt comfortable. Easy to absorb. Well-suited to his lightning skills.


    Ike closed his hand around it. I think I''ll sell that lower-grade skill. I''ll offer it to Wisp first, and if she doesn''t want it, I''ll sell it. I can always use more gold. I have so much gold that I''m probably close to being able to buy a high-grade skill orb at this point, so there''s no reason absorbing a low-level skill orb just because I happened to stumble around it.


    He realized he was standing there awkwardly and bowed. "Thank you."


    "Of course." Clarina smiled one last time, then went to sit again.


    Ike sat. He reached into his ring and offered Wisp the warm one. "For you."


    "Nice." Wisp snatched it and tossed it in her mouth.


    Ike stared.


    She raised her brows. "What? It''s the natural way to absorb skill orbs."


    "If you say so." Ike glanced around the party, then slid his freshly-gained skill orb into his ring. Absorbing it here was a bad idea, with so many potentially hostile mages around, but he wasn''t going to sit on this one like he had the poorly-suited wind skill. As soon as he had a moment to himself, he would absorb it.


    "Do you want this skill, too?" he asked, showing her the weaker wind skill.


    Wisp looked at it, then wrinkled her nose. "Nah. It''s imperfect."


    "Huh? Really?" Ike looked at the orb. It looked normal to him.


    "Yeah. It''s super weak, but there''s a sense of imperfection to it. You haven''t absorbed it yet, right? You were probably subconsciously sensing the same thing."


    "I did feel like it would be super hard to absorb," Ike muttered. He looked at the orb again, then shrugged. He put it back in his storage ring. Guess that''s money for me, later.


    The party wound down. Ike made his excuses and headed out the door. Wisp and Shawn followed him. Out into the night, leaving the party and the castle behind.


    He gazed up at the stars. The real stars, cold pinpricks of light in a vast expanse of darkness. Ike sighed. "Yeah. This is the life for me."


    "Until we get rich enough to start our own city!" Wisp cheered.


    "Oh? Not a bad idea," Ike said, nodding.


    From here, he could see the next city. It loomed on the horizon. And in the far distance, the enormous mountain that overlooked all the cities. Ike pointed toward the large mountain. "I got some news for you, King Boss. And you''re not going to like it."


    "He better like it. Better like it enough to pay for it," Wisp muttered.


    "True. And you''d better like it," Ike amended.


    "That''s the spirit."


    "Going already?"


    Ike turned. Clarina stood in the doorway, framed by the golden light. He laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah. We ill-bred folks thought we''d better clear out. You know. Wouldn''t want to shit on your banquet."


    "You''re the guest of honor," she said, confused.


    "Didn''t feel too honored by you. Well, okay. When you gave me the skill orb, that was nice. But the rest of it." He waved his hand. "It''s okay. You''re a princess, and I''m no one. Of course you don''t give a shit about me. Now we part, and we never see one another again."


    "Are you sure?" Clarina asked.


    "Not really. I was thinking about going back and telling your father what-for. You better keep him away from puppets. Those things are seriously bad news. Seriously."


    She glanced at the floor. "I''m aware."


    "Neat. Then, see ya later." Ike gave a jaunty wave and set off.


    "You''re not staying the night?"


    Ike froze. He looked back. "For what? You to badmouth me in the morning? Nah. I prefer to sleep under the real stars."


    Without another word, he grabbed Shawn and ran off. Wisp stuck her tongue out at Clarina, then followed. The two of them vanished into the alleys of the city.


    Clarina leaned against the doorway. She watched them go, silent. Her eyes filled with the words she wanted to say, but couldn''t. At last, to an empty corridor, she whispered, "It''s better if you go."


    Behind her, a figure all in blue and green stepped out from around the corner. A white feather bobbed in his hat. "Couldn''t keep them? Ah, it''s all the same. You and your parents will make fine puppets."


    Clarina whirled. Before she could attack, a pale white hand gripped her throat. Her whole body froze. Only her eyes could move.


    "Although I don''t appreciate the way you drove him away. Did you think I wouldn''t notice? Your little priss act didn''t go unnoticed." Llewyn gazed after the trio, then shrugged. "In the end, it''s fine. Everyone dances along to my beat. No one can escape what''s coming."


    Taking Clarina with him, he vanished into the depths of the castle.

 161. On The Road Again

    Ike woke with the dawn. Wisp laid on the ground beside him, snoozing happily away. He stretched and yawned, then startled. His brows furrowed. "I slept?""Yeah. The wine was drugged. Tasty, though." Shawn patted his shoulder. "Luckily I''m a mountain, and my body doesn''t function the same as a human''s. Or rather, you can''t poison dirt the same way you can a man. I carried you and Wisp after you collapsed last night."


    "Poisoned?" Ike whipped around. He stared back the way they''d came. Clarina¡­ her family poisoned us? Why?


    He startled a second time. His hand went to his storage ring. He called forth the Unique skill.


    It sat there, glittering in the palm of his hand.


    Huh. I would have understood if they were after the skill orb. Or maybe they were, and they failed due to Shawn''s intervention? Either way¡­ He nodded at the boy. "Thanks, Shawn."


    "No problem."


    Before anything else could happen, Ike closed his hand around the skill orb and absorbed it. Energy surged through his body, but unlike Lightning Dash, it didn''t overwhelm him. For a moment, the air left his lungs, and a wind battered him, and then it faded. He took a deep breath, in, then out.


    "Wow. That skill was well suited to you. Clarina picked it well," Shawn commented.


    "Weird how much thought she put into it, just to give it to for someone of poor breeding," Ike muttered.


    Shawn sighed. "Are you still sore about that? You know she just got angry in the moment. It didn''t mean anything."


    Ike ignored him. He pulled up his skill list, checking it for new entries.


    [Name: Ike | Age: 16 | Status: Nm | Rank: 2 [Abyss Dweller]]


    Skills: Common: 11 | Bronze 3 | Silver 3 | Gold 2 | Rare 1 | Unique: 6


    Common: All-Around Runner Lvl 8 | Razor Handling Lvl 9 | Spear Handling Lvl 4 | Axe Handling Lvl 4 | Sword Handling Lvl 9 | Bow Handling Lvl 1 | Primitive Crafting Lvl 9


    Bronze: Sensory Enhancement Lvl 9 | Mana Manipulation Lvl 5 | Lunam Manipulation Lvl 0 | Aether Manipulation Lvl 1


    Silver: Flurry of Kicks Lvl 4 | Chlorophyll Lvl 1 | Exsanguination Lvl 1


    Gold: Shockwave Punch Lvl 6 | Ice Armor Lvl 5


    Rare: River-Splitting Sword Lvl 9


    Unique: Lightning Dash Lvl 9 | Lightning Grasp Lvl 9 | Lightning Clad Lvl 4 | Lightning Caller Lvl 3 | Body Reforging Art Lvl 1 | Tempest Lvl 1


    "Tempest?" Ike frowned. It didn''t sound like it had anything to do with his body. It wasn''t an attack, or an enhancement. His eyes widened as a thought came to him. "Is this an attack spell?"


    "Why do you sound so shocked?" Shawn asked.


    "It''s just¡­ it''s my first pure attack spell. Not an enhancement or a fighting technique, just a spell that attacks," Ike explained.


    "Oh. Congrats!"


    "I don''t know it''s an attack spell, I¡ª" Ike cut off. He sighed. No time like the present to find out. Lifting his hand, he pointed his palm at a nearby tree and activated the skill.


    Instantly, his aether surged. It streamed through his body, gushing out of his palm. Startled, Ike pulled it back, only to find he no longer had control of the aether. It moved at the whims of the spell, entirely beyond his paltry control. Wind gushed around him. It whooshed past his palm and swirled around him, flying and soaring. Ike''s hair whipped around his head. He gritted his teeth and tried to clench his fist, but couldn''t. "Whoa! Stop!"


    "Lean into it! You can''t kill the spell now that it''s started. All you''ll do is hurt yourself. Put all your mana into the spell and let it activate!" Shawn shouted over the raging wind.


    Ike grimaced. He followed Shawn''s advice. Instead of choking back his aether, he poured more into the spell. The tempest raged around his hands and all around him. There was no direction to it. No spin. Wind blew at random, not under Ike''s or anyone''s control.


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    His aether drained and drained. His core slowly bottomed out. The wind grew so strong that he could no longer stand upright, but staggered slightly left and right with the wind. Ike gritted his teeth. Come on! This has to be enough aether. If it isn''t, I don''t have enough aether! You can''t take aether I don''t have!


    Lower and lower. Ike trembled. A great cold ran over him, shivering over his skin. His core pulled to his gut. It wasn''t as bad as when he''d transformed his body, but it reminded him of it. He looked at Shawn.


    "You''ve got this. Just a little more," Shawn reassured him, but his face twisted in concern. His brows knitted in uncertainty.


    Ike growled aloud in frustration. He pushed one last pulse of aether into the spell, then yanked his remaining sparks of aether back. The spell whirled away from him. Wind spun around him, viciously tearing off through the forest. A tornado carved the trees apart. It threw up clumps of earth and tossed stones into the air. Ike ducked as a stone blasted past his head. The tornado receded into the sky, slowly spinning down.


    "Hell of a spell," Ike muttered, watching it go.


    "That''s awesome. Do it again!" Shawn said, clapping.


    Ike gave Shawn a look. "I spent all my aether on that one. I can''t."


    "Oh." Shawn pouted.


    Ike sighed aloud. He plopped on the ground and took a deep breath. Aether slowly filtered in. He crossed his legs and closed his eyes. "Wake me up when Wisp wakes up. I''m going to recover some aether right now."


    "Sure," Shawn said. He walked around in a small circle, then sat down. He laid on the ground and sighed. "Just when one finally wakes up¡­"


    Time passed. Wisp snoozed and Ike meditated. At last, Wisp yawned and sat up. She looked around. "What happened?"


    Shawn dusted himself off and sat up. "We got drugged. Ike got a new spell, and then he passed out." Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh." Wisp glanced around. She looked at her arms and legs. Glancing at Ike, she transformed into her spider form. She towered over Ike. Her shadow covered the entire clearing they were in. One of her legs hung limp, crumpled against her body, and a dark mark scarred her abdomen.


    Shawn''s eyes widened. "What happened?"


    "An old injury. I haven''t been able to use my full strength for years." Wisp stretched again. She rocked back and forth, pointing her rear in the air.


    "Oh. That''s terrible."


    "Not for much longer."


    A crack opened in the back of Wisp''s abdomen. It tore open. A fresh, shiny Wisp squeezed out. The new Wisp was slightly larger than the old one. Her skin was fresh, without a single scar. All eight legs sat where they should.


    Wisp scuttled around, feeling her new body. She wiggled around, climbing a tree, then jumping down. "Healed! Finally healed!"


    "What the¡ªyou removed your own skin?" Shawn asked, startled and disgusted.


    "It''s called molting." Wisp grabbed her own skin and stuffed it into her mouth with her forelegs. With a few quick chews, she swallowed it.


    "Oh. What''s molting?"


    Wisp looked at him. She tilted her head. "It''s like, uh¡­"


    "Like when all the leaves fall off the trees in fall, except if you eat them afterward," Ike said, opening his eyes. He looked at Wisp, then froze.


    Wisp stared. After a second, she giggled. "You''re afraid of spiders, aren''t you?"


    Ike closed his eyes again. "No."


    "No¡­?" She scuttled over and pushed her foreleg-tip against his cheek.


    Ike leaned away. He shivered involuntarily. "No. Please stop touching me."


    Wisp laughed. She wiggled in place. Her spider form twisted up, spiraling down into a small form. The usual Wisp stood before Ike once more, though she now stood another inch taller than she had before.


    "Is she gone?" Ike asked.


    "She''s right in front of you," Shawn said.


    "Is she human?" Ike rephrased.


    Two small hands clapped Ike''s face. "What do you mean? I''m never human."


    Ike opened his eyes. He gave Wisp a look. "You know what I mean."


    She grinned.


    He climbed to his feet. "You were injured? Why didn''t you say anything?"


    "Oh, you heard?"


    "I wasn''t asleep. I was just gathering aether," Ike reminded her.


    Wisp grinned. She shrugged. "Yeah. I was injured in a fight back in the Abyss. There''s something deep, deep in its heart that even I can''t take on. I couldn''t sleep immediately afterward, because that thing was on my ass. By the time it left me alone, the sleep-to-heal thing refused to activate anymore. I was worried it might never happen, but it seems like getting drugged triggered it. Something to thank Clarina for."


    "Speaking of, did you absorb that Unique skill I gave you yet?" Ike asked. "I know you ate it, but do you have the skill?"


    Wisp gave him a thumbs-up. "Yep!"


    "What is it?" Ike asked, excited.


    She wiggled her finger at him. "You''ll have to wait and see."


    "What do you mean? Hey! Come on¡­" Ike sighed. He shook his head.


    "Your aether refilled?" Wisp asked.


    Ike nodded. "More or less. It''s pretty rich here."


    "There''s a mana vein close to the surface. I picked this place for a reason." Shawn walked over. Ike was still sitting on the ground, so he climbed onto Ike''s back and went limp.


    "What? Why?" Ike asked.


    "I''m not going to waste my energy walking this time. What if you guys get drugged again? Carry me."


    Ike looked at Wisp. He spread his hands.


    She nodded at him and gave a thumbs-up. "It''s good training."


    With another sigh, Ike hauled himself to his feet. "Fine. Fine! Let''s get going. Where to next?"


    "Well, I think we learned a lot from this city. It was a good practice run, and we got two Unique skills and a handful of gems and neat outfits, but we could do way better," Wisp said.


    Ike nodded. "Right. We got distracted halfway and destroyed some puppets instead of raiding the treasury."


    "So I say, we take that knowledge and apply it. The first run''s just for practice. We practiced, so let''s go do it better. Hit the next city and wipe it out," Wisp said firmly.


    "No, you''re totally right," Ike agreed.


    "That''s all well and good, but what if the next city isn''t besieged by puppets? What if a beautiful princess doesn''t ask you to rescue her parents? What if it''s totally different from this city?" Shawn asked.


    "It''s not too late to come up with a new plan once we''re there," Ike reasoned.


    Wisp nodded. She pointed at Ike.


    Shawn sighed. "Fine, fine. No, you''re right. You''ve covered every possible reality. Either it''s a target for thievery, or it isn''t."


    "Now you''re getting it."


    Shawn rolled his eyes. "Let''s go, then."


    The three of them walked off into the forest as the sun rose higher over the horizon.

 162. Another City

    A few days passed uneventfully. Occasionally, Ike hunted a deer and the three of them shared it. The things were rampant in the woods. They completely infested the forest. As he tore into the tough meat, Ike frowned. "Why was Clarina being so weird about the deer?""I dunno," Wisp asked.


    "She said we had to be from the New Republic because we were eating it¡­ but it didn''t seem to be a symbol of her family," Ike pointed out.


    Wisp shrugged. She snapped the deer''s antlers off and swallowed its head in one big bite. "Might be the deer belong to some other bigshot that the New Republic were also mad at. Who knows? Not worth worrying about, from my perspective. If someone wanted us to stop, they''d have stopped us already, right? But no one has. Must not care about the deer that much."


    "True." Ike dusted off his hands and stood. "Let''s go find that¡ª"


    By now, he kept Sensory Enhancement on at all times. If he hadn''t, he wouldn''t have had time to react. Something whooshed past, just on the edge of audible. Ike''s eyes widened. He jumped up and twisted his body. A black knife slammed into the ground where he''d been sitting moments ago. It thrummed where it struck.


    Black-robed mages leaped at them from all sides. One grabbed Wisp and pushed her to the ground. Another lunged for Ike. Ike backstepped, avoiding them. A knife suddenly appeared in their hand. They struck once, twice, forcing Ike away.


    "There''s someone behind you!" Shawn shouted.


    "I know!" Ike snarled. Why else would they so blatantly force him to backstep? Frustrated, he took one more step back, then dug his toe in and pushed off. He leaped into the air and landed on a low branch. Below him, a second mage slashed at the space where he''d been, nearly stabbing his fellow.


    "Wisp!" Ike shouted.


    "I''m coming!" The black mage had her well pinned, tying down each of her limbs. An arm sprouted from her back and grabbed the back of his jacket. Before he could react, she threw him backward. She shot white thread into the trees and leaped upward, following Ike.


    Ike reached into his storage ring. He pulled out all the fire talismans he''d taken from that noble. Pushing a mote of aether into them, he let them scatter on the air. They burned, then burst into fire. A raging sea of fire burst out behind him.


    Ike leaped through the trees. Beside him, Wisp swung from tree to tree. She frowned at him. "Who did you piss off this time?"


    "Me? Isn''t this you? From the foxes, these are those black-robed mages, right?" Ike asked.


    Wisp shrugged. "I don''t know. Anyone can put on black. Why would that be me, anyways? You pissed them off, too."


    Ike glanced over his shoulder. The black-robed mages chased after them, close on their heels. They were a little singed. Embers flowed from their robes, and scorch marks reddened their skin. For the most part, though, they were none the worse for the wear.


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    "We can ask them when they catch up," he suggested. "I don''t think it''s my fault. If you think about it, wouldn''t it be Shawn''s fault? Since they were imprisoning him. Sure, we freed him, but that''s just a willful action on our part. He''s the root cause of this."


    "What? Blaming the victim?" Shawn asked, startled.


    "More like blaming the freeloader," Wisp grumbled.


    "I carried you! I''m not a freeloader." Shawn shook his head, grumbling more complaints under his breath.


    Ike snorted. "It doesn''t matter, anyways. No matter who they''re after, if they''re after us, they can get fucked."


    "Hell yeah." Wisp fired a thread backward. It wrapped around the foot of a mage and tied it to the tree branch. The branch snapped under the force of the mage''s run, but when they stepped onto the next branch, the extra mass attached to their foot threw them off. They slipped and plunged into the forest below.


    Shawn chuckled. He went limp again. "If it''s like that, then it''s fine."


    The black-robed mages gave chase. Ike glanced ahead of them, toward the city. It wouldn''t do to race into the city with a bunch of mages on their tail. For one, the city would probably close its gates. For two, who knew? Maybe the city was allied with the mages. He didn''t want to take that risk. He needed to throw them off before they hit the city.


    His thoughts instantly went to Tempest. He raised his brows. It would do great as a distraction, but he couldn''t risk using all his aether up in one hit. Once I started it, I couldn''t stop pouring aether into it. But what if I only gave it a small amount of aether?


    Ike cut a portion of his aether away from the rest in his core. He drew it to his palm, then whirled around and activated Tempest. This time, he focused desperately on the aether in his hand.


    Tempest greedily ate at Ike''s aether. Wind rushed all around Ike. The skill reached out, searching for more aether. Ike pulled it back. Nope. Not today!


    With no more aether to find, Tempest burst from his hand. It was weaker than the first time he''d unleashed it, but it also didn''t leave him helpless. The wind swirled wildly. It picked up leaves, sticks, and dirt, obscuring them from the mages. The mages fell back. Some blinked wildly, waving their hands. Others simply hesitated, wary of the wind spell. A gap opened between Ike and the mages.


    "Wisp!" Ike shouted, grabbing his wolfskin. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Got it." Ahead of him, Wisp vanished.


    The dust cleared. The mages burst through it, looking left and right. They slowed. One of them stepped ahead, hopping closer to where they''d last seen Ike and Wisp. They knelt, examining the branch.


    Ahead in the forest, Ike and Wisp sprinted away, leaving the black-robed mages behind. Ike peered over his shoulder. He turned back around front. "They''ll find us sooner or later."


    "That''s fine. As long as we get to the city," Wisp said.


    "And the city lets you in," Ike pointed out.


    She waved her hand. "It''s common out here. I''d be more surprised if they didn''t. Besides, I don''t have the baby mountain. They probably won''t stick around if I start eating them."


    Ike twisted his lips. "I don''t know. They might. They seemed firmly against the foxes."


    "Then I''ll just have to eat them all. I''m healed now. They have no idea what they''re dealing with." Wisp flashed him a grin.


    As they ran, the forest fell away. The city''s wall loomed overhead, and the hubbub of a busy street came from around the corner.


    The mages burst out from the forest, not far behind them. They looked left and right. Their leader pointed at the dust rising up from Wisp and Ike''s feet, and the mages burst after them.


    Ike sped toward the sound. If there were people, there''d be chaos. It would be easier for him and Wisp to slide in amongst them and lose the mages. He sprinted around the corner. A line of people came into view, all lined up outside the gate. Ike locked eyes onto the line and pushed with his last spark of speed. "Here goes nothing."

 163. Hide and Escape

    A line of people stood outside the city, waiting to enter. Black-robed mages hot on his heels, Ike sprinted toward the line. As he drew close, he slowed, then slipped in between two men leading carts. He worked his way between the carts, closing in on the gate."I think we''ve lost them," Wisp said, a little disappointed.


    Ike glanced over his shoulder. He caught sight of a tiny segment of Wisp''s face. "You wanted to eat them?"


    "Yeah."


    He shook his head at her. "You can''t eat all our enemies."


    "We don''t know until we try," Wisp returned.


    Ike peered over his shoulder. The black-robed mages fell back. They faded into the treeline. None of them even attempted to chase him and Wisp further. His brows furrowed. That''s strange. They''re humans. They could have removed their black garb and chased us into the crowd. Why retreat? S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This city had a massive physical wall and a huge stone block closing off the gate in front of them. A bell rang, and the block slowly lifted into the sky. The crowd lurched forward. Ike glanced back at the forest, then forward at the city. He didn''t want to face the black-robed mages; they had high-level members, and he couldn''t sense the strength of all of the mages'' auras. But the city¡­


    No. I''m being crazy. They probably just don''t want to make a mess in someone else''s city. After all, city lords are known for being arbitrary. I could see someone like Lord Brightbriar chasing off an incoming group of mages for not greeting him properly, with the way he raised his daughter.


    The thought of Rosamund brought a tinge of discomfort, but Ike quickly pushed it away. There was no point feeling bad about it. He couldn''t undo anything he''d done.


    Maybe I should just crush her head. But¡­ ugh. It''s so useful to have a portable mana battery.


    The incoming line moved forward. They drew closer and closer to the wall, then passed through it. For a good ten paces, they walked through a stone tunnel. The hubbub of the crowd echoed off the smooth stone walls. Guards clutching magic weapons looked over the incomers, but they only did a cursory check, not even bothering to extend their auras. They walked out of the tunnel and into the sun once more.


    The sun poured down, and the cheer of a peaceful city sounded from all sides. Vendors hawked fresh bread and cut flowers. Mothers herded children. Old friends greeted one another, and dogs and cats chased each other through the alleyways.


    Where they stood was the lowest level of the city. From here, the streets spiraled up, climbing to the apex of the city. There, a gorgeous golden pavilion stood. Sunlight sparkled off the water garden that surrounded it, full of peaceful lilypads and delicate lotuses. Carp splashed in the waters, and herons darted their beaks forth to catch them.


    "Whoa¡­" Wisp stared, amazed. She licked her lips. "Those carp sure are fat."


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    "Hey." Ike elbowed her, but his heart wasn''t in it. The creeping sensation of wrongness lurked just under his skin. He looked around, but still couldn''t place it. He rubbed the back of his neck, unsatisfied.


    "What? Something wrong?" Shawn asked sleepily from his shoulder.


    "I don''t know." Ike twisted his lip. He took a deep breath, then let it out. "I don''t know. It''s too peaceful. Too idyllic."


    "Aww, is Ike jealous that there''s no slums here?" Wisp asked mockingly.


    "I¡­" Ike trailed off. Was that it? There were no slums, no discord. That was the problem, but was it a problem? Or did he just see it as one because he was so conditioned to expect it? There was a slum where he was from. In Clarina''s city, the New Republic had overthrown her parents because of the classism, or something. He hadn''t seen the foxes'' city in full, but he suspected they had a run-down section as well. But here, there was nothing of the sort. It wasn''t wrong. No, it was right. But it was so right that it felt wrong.


    He looked the city up and down. In size, sprawl or height, it was much smaller than the city he''d grown up in. In fact, compared to his city, the cities on this side of the mountain were all far smaller. Only the king''s city could compare. Maybe that was all it was. A small city. One prosperous enough to stave off the inevitable consequences of mages living alongside mortals.


    Ike sighed aloud. He glanced at Wisp. "Let''s take these furs off and go explore the city."


    "Find tasty things to eat!" Wisp danced toward the nearest alleyway.


    "Tasty things that we pay for! We have money!" Ike called after her.


    They walked on. The townspeople largely ignored them. Wisp pointed out food she wanted to try, and Ike bought it for her. Even with Wisp on a snacking spree, she couldn''t make a significant dent in Ike''s funds. He simply had too much gold.


    Ike stopped in at the local monster parts store. Like his local one, the space was freezing cold, save for the small bubble of warmth around the store-tender''s collar. He sold off the remaining rooster feathers and the other detritus he had lying around. When he brought out the deer parts, though, the store-tender''s eyes widened. He put a hand on Ike''s shoulder and gently pushed the antlers back into his ring.


    "Not here, friend. We don''t touch those here."


    "Why not?" Ike asked.


    The man shook his head. "I know you''ve decided to risk his wrath, but not all of us are willing to test his patience. Sell them to the others who fear not the blood price."


    "The king, or¡­?" Ike prompted. Who is ''he?'' The way he''s saying it, I''m starting to wonder if it''s a powerful monster, and not the humans'' king.


    "The less said, the better." With that, the shop-tender refused to explain anything further.


    Ike shrugged. He took the man''s gold and left the shop. Newly enriched, he kept his eyes open for a skill shop, and before long, he was rewarded. A skill shop sat on the corner of the road. Multicolored skill orbs sparkled behind the glass, shining in the store''s low light. Ike gravitated toward the store, drawn by a power beyond his strength to resist. Wisp followed, chewing on a big chicken leg.


    As Ike walked in, the proprietor blocked the door behind him. "No food inside."


    Ike glanced back. He grimaced at Wisp.


    Unbothered, Wisp opened her mouth wide and swallowed the remaining chicken in one big bite, bone and all. The proprietor went pale. He gaped.


    Wisp licked her fingers and nodded at him. "Can I come in now?"


    "I¡­I suppose," the proprietor allowed. He stepped back to allow Wisp to pass. She grinned at him and sauntered by, following Ike into the room.


    "What''re we looking for? Attacks? Buffs?" Wisp asked.


    The proprietor cleared his throat. "I''ll warn you, my shop doesn''t have much in the way of battle skills. Our city is a peaceful city of merchants, and we trade for skills. Most of our skills are non-combat oriented."


    "That''s fine. I''m looking for a non-combat skill," Ike said.


    "Wait, we are?" Wisp asked, startled.


    "I am. I don''t know about you. I''m looking for something even rarer and more important," Ike said.


    She raised her brows and gestured for him to go ahead.


    He nodded at the proprietor and took a deep breath. Here goes.

 164. The Most Important Skill

    "Do you have any skills that allow me to clean myself? A self-cleaning skill."Wisp rolled her eyes and mimed passing out. "Oh, for crying out loud¡­"


    The proprietor pointed at Ike. "A wise man! A wise man indeed. A filthy man makes no sales, nor does he receive any attention from lovers. Self-cleaning skills are essential to the modern business market! What kind do you want? I have all sorts."


    "All sorts?" Ike asked, suddenly lost.


    "Well, for the basic beginner, there''s all-purpose cleanliness skills¡ªthe kind that will wipe mud and filth clean. Then there''s de-scenting skills, skills that will leave you smelling of the sweetest cologne, skills to cleanse one''s skin and hair specifically¡ª"


    "Will the all-purpose skill not do that?" Ike asked, lost.


    "Oh, it will, but there''s a difference between clean and clean, no? Now. We also have area-cleaning skills, tent-cleaning, house-cleaning, clothes-cleaning, bath-starting, soaping¡ª"


    Overwhelmed, Ike raised his hand. "I just need a skill that cleans me and my clothes. If it can also remove my scent, that would be great." It''d be helpful for hunting. Animals have strong senses of smell. Spirit beasts and monsters are stronger in all ways, so they''ll be able to smell me even better.


    The proprietor sighed. "Just an ordinary cleansing and de-scenting skill?"


    "And my clothes. Thanks," Ike said.


    Shaking his head, the proprietor waved his hand. One of the orbs floated to his hand. "As you requested. One day, someone will appreciate my artistry¡­"


    "Hey, can I get a de-scenting skill, too? No need for the cleansing part," Wisp piped up.


    "Two general purpose cleansing and de-scenting skills," the proprietor groaned. He waves his hand, and a second skill floated to him.


    "You can leave out the cleaning," Wisp repeated.


    The proprietor ignored her.


    Ike watched the skill float to the proprietor''s hand. He tilted his head. "How do you do that? A wind skill? Some kind of invisible hand skill?"


    The proprietor paused. He looked at Ike. "Have you never heard of the Witch''s House?"


    "Uh¡­ no," Ike said.


    "Or the Wizard''s Tower. It''s an old technique. Not everyone invests in it. But for those who do, it can be exceedingly fruitful. Depending on your strength, when you hit fourth realm, you can invest your mana into your surroundings. If you''re a low-strength mage like me, you can only invest in a small area, like this shop. A higher strength mage can invest in their entire manor, or even mountain."


    He snapped his fingers. All around him, the skill orbs lifted off the walls. They floated around him. Quickly, they spiraled around his body, then floated back to where they began and settled into their own slots.


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    "If you do it, you can freely control everything you''ve invested your mana into. You have full control over your surroundings."


    "Buuuuut, it locks you in to Rank 4," Wisp said, tucking her hands behind her head. She glanced at Ike. "Since you have to invest so much mana that you can''t recover it. And you need to constantly feed your surroundings with mana. Unless you hook into a mana vein, you can''t maintain it, and once you hook into a mana vein, you can''t move freely anymore. Since we don''t have the lifespan of a mountain, that''s a dead end for us. Can''t gather enough resources to advance, so you just sit still and kick it."


    The proprietor cut a look at Wisp. "So they say. I''ve heard of a land where everyone considers this an essential step to advance. Castles, manors, even libraries¡­ everyone invests in their own Witch''s House to move from Rank 4 to 5."


    "Well, if that''s the case, then I wish you luck in finding that land when you''re locked down to this store," Wisp said blithely. She yawned, tucking her hands behind her head.


    Ike stepped in front of her. "Please forgive my companion, sir, she likes to talk. How much for the skills?" Hey, Wisp! Sass this man after we pay him, okay? I don''t want to have to pay for your sass!


    The proprietor snapped back into business mode. "Five thousand each, for a total of ten thousand gold."


    Ike reached into his storage ring and began to pull it out. A few coins plinked on the floor as his hand overflowed.


    "Wait, wait. Here." The proprietor offered up a ring of his own.


    "Oh!" Ike nodded. Transferring such a bulk of gold ring to ring made far more sense. He placed his hand over the proprietor''s ring and willed the proper amount of gold to cross over. The proprietor checked his storage ring. Satisfied, he passed over the skills.


    "Thank you!" Ike passed Wisp her copy of the skill. With a nod, he left the shop.


    Wisp followed him out. She stared glumly at the skill. "I bet he had a de-scenting version only."


    "Being clean really isn''t that bad," Ike said, sighing.


    Wisp twisted her lips. She tossed the orb up and swallowed it down, patting her belly. "Okay. I''m full."


    "That''s good," Ike said. Much more, and we might not be able to sleep in beds tonight. And what''s the point of staying in town if we''re not sleeping in beds?


    He checked his gold. Gold glittered brightly inside the storage ring, still piled high on the walls. No, that''s an exaggeration. Damn, I''m rich.


    He nudged Wisp. "So how are we going to do the plan?"


    "The plan where we sweep in and save the city and also steal everything in the treasury at the same time?" Wisp said. She put a hand on her chin, thinking. After a second, she snapped her fingers. "The black-robed mages! We trick them into attacking, and then¡ª"


    "They''re Rank 3 at best. You might''ve been too busy sassing to notice, but that guy in the shop was using a technique you can only use at Rank 4 and above."


    "He was a weak Rank 4."


    "You''re only Rank 3."


    Wisp looked at him. "You don''t know that." S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike raised a brow.


    "I am," she admitted, nodding. She paused. "But I''m a strong Rank 3."


    Ike sighed. "The point isn''t that we couldn''t beat the shopkeeper. We probably couldn''t, but maybe on a good day¡ªno. The point is that this city has Rank 4 shopkeeps. In a city that powerful, do you really think a Rank 2 mage, a Rank 3 monster, and their adopted baby mountain can swoop in and save the day?"


    Wisp opened her mouth, then shut it. She sighed. "Yeaaaah. Maybe we need to aim for a different city."


    "There''s always the next one," Ike reassured her. He glanced over his shoulder at the towering walls. If this city was so high-Rank, maybe that was why the black-robed mages had fallen back. All it took was one Rank 4 mage to decide to step in on Ike and Wisp''s side for the black-robed mages to get obliterated.


    He rubbed the back of his neck. Still, something feels off, even so. Ike glanced around, but couldn''t find anything wrong. Nothing but that persistent sense.


    Wisp nudged Ike. "Let''s go take a nap."


    "Okay." There was no reason not to. The persistent feeling of wrongness was all in his head. The black-robed mages were outside the walls, and refused to enter.


    I''m just being paranoid. Putting it all behind him, Ike followed Wisp toward the inn.

 165. The Morning

    Ike woke up with a sigh. He stretched, fully refreshed after a rare night''s sleep. Rising from the soft bed he slept in, he walked to the window. Below him, the town bustled, full of motion on a fresh morning.He activated his self-cleaning skill and sighed. So nice. I''ve been waiting for so long, but I finally have it. If not for the weight on his shoulders, he would have felt even better.


    "You back asleep again? Making me carry your weight?" Ike asked, peering over his shoulder.


    Shawn slept, his eyes shut and hands clawed into Ike''s clothes. He didn''t so much as twitch. His weight bore down on Ike, heavier than ever before.


    "Looks like it." Ike shook his head. Leaving his room, he knocked on the room next door. "Wisp, you awake?"


    "Yep." The door burst open. Wisp strode out, her hands on her hips. "Hello, servant!"


    "Who?" Ike looked around.


    "You."


    Ike raised his brows. "You''re paying me?"


    She paused. Her brows furrowed. "You have to pay servants?"


    "Yep."


    "You''re fired."


    "Good to hear."


    She yawned. "We should head out today."


    "Yeah, I was thinking the same. There''s no reason to stay in this city. It''s too high level for us to pull anything¡­ I mean, be heroes, and besides¡­" he trailed off. I don''t want to admit I want to leave because of ''bad vibes.'' "Besides, we only came in here to avoid the black-robed mages, and they''re probably gone by now."


    "Or at least a little less vigilant," Wisp said.


    "Exactly." Ike gave her a thumbs up. He headed down the stairs. Wisp hummed to herself and followed at a slight distance, taking her time down the stairs. The bottom of the inn was void of life. Not a single soul stood in the room. Not behind the desk, or in the breakfast area, or anywhere.


    The hairs on the back of Ike''s neck stood up again. He ran a hand over his shoulders, uncomfortable. This isn''t right.


    Wisp looked around. "The hell is the innkeep?" S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A sinking feeling struck Ike. He took a shallow breath. "Wisp. What did the innkeep look like, last night?"


    "Huh? He was¡­" Wisp trailed off. She frowned.


    "Do you remember this room? Do you remember choosing our rooms?" Ike asked.


    She shook her head. "You?"


    Ike shook his in return.


    She gave him a look. "Is this some kind of human illusion bullshit?"


    "I think it is." Or something even worse.


    "Fuck. No wonder the black-robes stopped at the door. Let''s get out of here. Human illusion bullshit is the worst kind of bullshit."


    Ike grimaced. He nodded. I should''ve trusted my instincts.


    They stepped out into town. The townsfolk bustled happily around, the same as the previous day. Too much the same. One of the girls skipped by, carrying the same flowers as before. A dog chased a cat down the same exact alley.


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    Ike started to run. Wisp ran at his heels. The townsfolk all stopped what they were doing and stared. Neither Ike nor Wisp paid them any mind. They charged onward, chasing toward the walls.


    They took a turn. Tall buildings blocked their vision of the walls. When they burst out the other side, they stood at the beginning of the street again.


    "Fuck. A maze enchantment. We''re trapped in a looping space," Wisp muttered.


    "You know what this is?" Ike asked.


    She wrinkled her nose. "I got caught in one a while back by some annoying human mage."


    "How''d you get out?"


    "I ate him."


    Ike wrinkled his nose. That wasn''t likely to help here. If the town had fourth-realm shopkeeps, whoever the leader was, was probably even stronger. Wisp couldn''t eat someone that high Rank. "Not an ideal solution."


    "No," Wisp agreed. She looked around. "With a spell like this, you need to break the heart of the array. It''s no good to run around like chickens with our heads cut off. We won''t get anywhere. We need to find whatever''s powering the enchantment, or whatever is its focal point, and destroy that."


    "How do we do that?" Ike asked.


    Wisp splayed her hands. "Fucked if I know. Kick around until we find something suspicious? Smash the whole place until nothing''s left?"


    "Let''s start with option A, but we can hold option B in reserve for when that one fails," Ike said, nodding.


    Wisp saluted. Without hesitation, she fired a spider thread to the sky and vanished to the heights of the buildings.


    Ike ran for the wall. He followed back the way they''d come in, where a stream of incomers still walked to the center of town. The wall didn''t elude him this time. It loomed, big and inescapable. People stepped out of the unbroken wall, laughing and chatting, without giving a single indication they noticed anything wrong. The whole process was beyond bizarre. A hand poked out, then swung back as the first plane of a man''s face and chest broke through. A foreleg stepped out of stone and dragged the rest of the man out, as though he walked through air and not stone.


    Ike tapped the newly arrived man on the shoulder. "Sir¡ª"


    The man didn''t react. Not even a little bit.


    He stepped out in front of the next woman. "Ma''am, hello¡ª"


    She walked into him. Without once acknowledging him, she pushed him out of the way and carried on talking to her companion.


    Ike wrinkled his nose. They''re gone. He faced the wall itself instead. Kneeling, he started to dig.


    He didn''t have far to go. A foot in, he hit an impenetrable wall of stone identical to the single formed piece of the wall itself. Ike drew back his fist and unleashed a blast of shockwaves at it. The stone absorbed them without a hint of dust or a crack.


    He stood. Jumping at the wall, he latched on with his hands and feet and crawled upward. It was slow going. Still, he climbed on, one leg at a time.


    "Hey. Stupid. I already tried," Wisp called.


    He turned to face the ground. Wisp waved up at him from below, closer than he''d expected to find her. He looked up. Before him, the wall had grown taller. He shuffled sideways, and the wall moved with him to block his way.


    Ike grimaced. He released the wall and dropped to the ground. "Climbing isn''t an option?"


    "No. I tried. There isn''t even a barrier. The space itself is warped. You can''t escape by climbing, because you can''t go up. It just loops back on itself, just like the rest of the town."


    "So we have to find that heart-thing," Ike said. He looked around.


    "Yep. Anything come to mind?"


    Ike pointed. At the shop, in the center of the town. "Anyone else have a fourth-Rank aura around here?"


    Wisp closed her eyes. Her aura washed over him. A moment later, she opened her eyes. "Damn. You''re right."


    "Exactly. It isn''t that this town is high-Rank. It''s just him. That one shopkeep. Isn''t that suspicious?" Ike pointed out.


    "Let''s get him," Wisp said. She ran off.


    Ike grabbed her collar and yanked her back. "We''ll go meet him and ask him politely, you mean. He''s still way higher Rank than us. We can''t just smack him over the head. He''s way stronger than us."


    Wisp pursed her lips. "I need to get stronger so I can bop him."


    "I agree, but for now, we have to play nice," Ike said. He just wanted to bop the shopkeep too, but he had to be realistic about it. If they pissed off the shopkeep, he could easily just kill them. And if he was the heart of the array, then he was probably also the heart of the city. In other words, its city lord.


    "But what the hell happened to all these people?" Ike asked aloud. He turned, taking in the town. The townsfolk laughed and argued, worked their jobs, sold wares and traded goods with the caravan. No one missed a beat. They blithely repeated the same actions as the previous day. And neither did anyone acknowledge him or Wisp.


    "Got caught in the warped space and time. Weren''t strong enough to realize it or break free. Ended up lost to the loop."


    "Is that something that can happen?"


    Wisp shrugged. "Warped space and time is pretty rare. It isn''t something I''ve encountered before, and the people who can do it keep their secrets close. All I can do is make guesses based on what I''m seeing."


    "Fair enough," Ike allowed. It was all he could do, after all.


    Wisp set off for the skill shop again. Ike followed close behind her, tense. He glanced over his shoulder as he walked.


    I feel like I''m missing something. But what?

 166. Warped Space

    The town chattered around them. Ike and Wisp walked shoulder to shoulder toward the skill store. No one moved to block them. No one even looked their direction. Curious, Ike paused and approached one of the vendors. "I''ll take a sausage, thanks."The vendor woodenly handed Ike the meat and held his hand out for coin. Ike put a stone in his hand. Without comment, the vendor accepted it and turned back to his business.


    "Creepy," Wisp commented. She stole the sausage out of Ike''s hands and took a bite.


    "No kidding."


    "At least we don''t need to worry about going hungry."


    "We don''t need to eat."


    "I can still get hungry."


    Ike snorted. He shook his head at Wisp. "Is food all you ever think about?"


    "No. Don''t be ridiculous."


    Ike nodded.


    She tilted her head, squinting at the sky. Her black hair fell around her face. "It only occupies seventy¡­no, eighty percent of my thoughts."


    "Hey, you could spend gods-know-how-long here, eating sausages every day," Ike suggested.


    Wisp wrinkled her nose. "No thanks. I need variety in my meals. I''m eating for fun, not sustenance."


    "So let''s get out of here."


    Ike pushed open the door to the skill shop. The hinges creaked. Musty air swirled past him, cold and moist. An empty room opened before him.


    "Fuck," Ike muttered.


    "Well, that''s confirmation. He''s the core. Or part of it." Wisp wrinkled her nose. She leaned in and took a deep breath. Slowly, she breathed out.


    "Scent him?"


    She nodded. "I''ll chase this scent. You¡­I don''t know. Keep poking around. Smash things. See if we can draw him out."


    "Great plan," Ike commented.


    "Yeah, well. Plans are your thing." Wisp turned and raced through the streets, leaving Ike behind.


    Ike sighed out. He walked deeper into the shop. Quietly, he approached the shelves and ran a finger over the surface. A thick layer of dust gathered on his fingertip. He rubbed his fingers together, his brows furrowing.


    We were just here yesterday. How is there already this much dust?


    The floors creaked underfoot. He searched further into the store. Past the counter and into the back room. The door to the back room swung open at a touch. An empty space stood before him, devoid of any storage, or even storage space. The wooden walls reached the wooden floors interrupted. Not even a shelf or empty barrel interrupted them.


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    Ike stepped inside. He kneeled, checking the ground for teleportation circle marks. There were faint impressions in the dust and the wood, but nothing he could make any sense of. Standing again, Ike pressed his lips together. Did the proprietor leave the city? Or had he simply left this location? Either way, the emptiness of the store confirmed that the proprietor was important to the city. Important to the loop.


    He took to the streets. Reaching out, he nabbed one of the passersby. He furrowed his brows at Ike, confused. "Excuse me?"


    "Sorry about this. It''s nothing personal." Gripping the man''s hair, he punched with all his might.


    Hard porcelain shattered. An empty, dark space gaped behind the man''s face. The remnants of the man''s face contorted. He screamed at Ike and¡ª


    Ike jolted awake. He sat in an empty room, on a small bed. The curtains fluttered. Morning sunshine filtered past the thick glass.


    "I fucking knew it," he grumbled, hopping out of bed. Something this creepy had to be puppets. It had Llewyn''s fingerprints all over it. Or Lord Brightbriar''s. He still wasn''t clear on the connection between the two. Maybe Llewyn is Lord Brightbriar''s salesman, or something? The hired help? The guy who pushes Lord Brightbriar''s plans to the masses? After all, Lord Brightbriar has a city to run. He can''t be out here playing puppet merchant. It makes sense that he''d have someone do that for him.


    But the shopkeep was neither Lord Brightbriar nor Llewyn. He''d had medium-brown hair, pulled into a neat, short ponytail, and medium-brown eyes to match. Not Lord Brightbriar''s pitch-black hair, nor Llewyn''s shocking green. Plus, he was pretty sure Lord Brightbriar was at least Rank 5. He wouldn''t be able to easily suppress Rank 3s like Cara and Orin to the slums if he was only Rank 4. After all, I can fight low-level Rank 3s at Rank 2, but Rank 4s still completely suppress me. He wouldn''t be able to dismiss Rank 3s wholesale if he were only one Rank above them.


    But that only told him who the shopkeep wasn''t. Not who he was.


    He stepped out of his room and walked over to the room next door. "Wisp, hey!"


    No response. Ike frowned. He knocked harder. "Wisp!"


    Still nothing. Ike bit his lip. That''s strange. She''d at least say something by now. He grabbed the handle and threw the door open. "Sorry!"


    An empty room awaited him. Not even a bed. No Wisp on sight.


    Ike''s eyes widened. He ran inside. "Wisp? Wisp!"


    The bed was neatly made. There were no dirty footprints on the floor. The window was closed and the air was still. No one had been in this room for a long time.


    Ike took a slow breath to calm himself. His heart raced. Adrenaline pounded in his veins. But none of that helped him figure out where Wisp had gone.


    I''m missing something. I''m missing something. I know I am.


    But what am I missing?


    He knelt, putting his head in his hands. The dust. Shawn, sleeping on his back. Waking up to find Wisp gone and the room empty.


    This isn''t the third loop. That wasn''t the second. I''m missing time.


    Shawn had only fallen asleep weeks into their travel last time. Wisp might have been snatched right after that last loop he remembered, but she''d been missing for longer. The shop was dusty, not because of any spell, but due to real-time passing between their visit and their second visit.


    There was one thing that would tell him for sure. One thing that would proceed accurately, even if his recollection of time was bugged.


    Ike pulled up his stat sheet.


    [Name: Ike | Age: 17 | Status: Nm | Rank: 2 [Lost in the Loop]]


    Skills: Common: 11 | Bronze 3 | Silver 3 | Gold 2 | Rare 1 | Unique: 6


    Common: All-Around Runner Lvl 9 | Razor Handling Lvl 9 | Spear Handling Lvl 4 | Axe Handling Lvl 4 | Sword Handling Lvl 9 | Bow Handling Lvl 1 | Primitive Crafting Lvl 9


    Bronze: Sensory Enhancement Lvl 9 | Mana Manipulation Lvl 6 | Lunam Manipulation Lvl 0 | Aether Manipulation Lvl 2


    Silver: Flurry of Kicks Lvl 4 | Chlorophyll Lvl 2 | Exsanguination Lvl 1


    Gold: Shockwave Punch Lvl 6 | Ice Armor Lvl 5


    Rare: River-Splitting Sword Lvl 9


    Unique: Lightning Dash Lvl 9 | Lightning Grasp Lvl 9 | Lightning Clad Lvl 4 | Lightning Caller Lvl 3 | Body Reforging Art Lvl 1 | Tempest Lvl 1


    His eyes gravitated to the top. To the title, then, before that. To the first number on the sheet.


    Age: 17


    He took a deep breath. I was 16 when I entered. I''ve lost a whole year.


    I can''t waste any more time. Turning, he raced out of Wisp''s room, his heart in his throat. A year. Anything could have happened. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Wisp! I''m coming!" he shouted.

 167. Twisted Time

    Ike burst out of the inn. Back on the streets, he found the city the same as it had ever been. No change. A year had passed, and still no change. How long had it been stagnant? How long had these people¡ªno, these puppets¡ªrepeated the same actions?Out in the streets, a figure caught his eyes. Small. Dark-haired. Ike raced to her side. "Wisp! Dammit, I was scared¡ª"


    She looked emptily at him. Her gaze passed through him.


    A cold sensation sunk into the pit of Ike''s stomach. He shivered despite the day''s heat. Lifting a hand, he knocked on her forehead.


    Hollow. Porcelain. She was a puppet. Just like the rest.


    He turned around him, a new appreciation for the puppets in his heart. They weren''t simply placed here by a megalomaniacal madman. They''d been replaced. At one point, these had all been real people, until one after another, the puppets had taken their place.


    And now they''d taken Wisp.


    How long until they take me?


    Ike wrinkled his nose. He shook his head. No. I won''t let that happen. He lifted his foot, then paused. But how? How was he going to stop it? He didn''t even understand how it happened. Didn''t know how much time he''d missed. He passed a boundary, went to sleep, and everything shifted. Anything could have happened.


    He took a deep breath. Stepping away from the Wisp puppet, he walked over to the nearest building and began climbing.


    I already know I won''t find Wisp. Whoever is in control of this place can freely distort space and time. I have no ability to overcome that as I am now.


    But that just means that I need to change.


    At the top of the building, Ike settled into a sit. He crossed his legs and rested his hands on his knees, a meditative pose, but left his eyes wide open. He wouldn''t close them. Wouldn''t miss a thing. If they came after him when he slept, or broke an unspoken rule, then he wouldn''t sleep or break any rules. He''d sit here and watch.


    And grow.


    He reached out around him. As expected, the air was thin. There was little aether or mana around. Masses of it clung to the ground, powering the puppets, but he already knew that if he smashed the puppets, he''d get sent back to the start of the loop. Years might pass again. With Wisp gone, that was a risk he couldn''t take. Instead, he turned to a skill he''d never used before.


    Chlorophyll Lv 2


    He''d never used it before, and yet, it was level two. It was a clear message from the past, from a him he couldn''t remember. Chlorophyll was part of the secret. A vital piece of the puzzle.


    Or the past me failed, and that''s why I''m still here. Ike pushed his doubts away. He could remember all his failures, but had no memory of success. He could only assume the person looping the world was deliberately erasing his successes. In which case, Chlorophyll was important. It was a bit of a logical leap, but he was grasping at straws here. Straws were all he had.


    Sitting under the full heat of the sun, he activated the skill.


    A strange new energy flowed into him. It was vicious, full of heat. The mere activation seared into him. Immediately, his core began to burn, then boil. Ike held on for as long as he could, but had to give up. Blood surged up in his throat. He spat, grimacing, and activated his Body Reforging Art. It healed him quickly.


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    Can it make me more resistant to heat? Ike activated it again, imagining his body, but able to bear Chlorophyll''s¡ªor rather, solam''s¡ªheat. Nothing happened. He scowled and deactivated the skill. He hadn''t expected much, but he was still disappointed. Still, it wasn''t surprising. So far, he''d always had to have a plan when he activated skills. A framework for them to work with. Just picturing himself able to bear heat with a wish in his heart had never worked, so he hadn''t expected it to work here, either. Still, it''d been worth a shot.


    He activated Chlorophyll again at a low level. Solam trickled into his core. He easily absorbed it into his aether, but the solam was so slow that it was barely worth absorbing. He could easily absorb the same amount of mana or aether, even as thin as it was.


    I need a better method. This isn''t enough.


    His mind went to the heat-oriented support Unique skill he''d given Wisp. He scowled. I should''ve taken that one. I bet it was heat-resistance or something like that. It''d be so handy right now.


    Ike shook his head. There was no point obsessing about the past. Tempest was a good skill. In all situations but this one situation, it was a better skill to have. Besides, I don''t even know the skill was heat resistance. It''s all guesswork.


    One way or another, it didn''t solve his problem. He needed a way to deal with solam right now, not thought about how he might have been able to deal with it in another world. Idly, he reached into his bag and drew out Rosamund''s head. Black goo stuck to its insides, thick and gunky.


    I used this to convert lunam into something I could process when lunam was too cold for me. Why not the reverse?


    Ike activated Chlorophyll again. Rather than absorbing it directly, he coursed it through his body and into Rosamund''s skull. The second it met the lunam, it bubbled up. Black smoke began billowing off of it. Ike grabbed one of the herbs Wisp had led him to long ago into the boiling black goo and breathed deeply.


    The mana he absorbed was still warm, uncomfortably so, but he could process it now. He passed more and more solam into it and absorbed more mana from it. In his core, the mana smoothly transformed into aether.


    Time passed. One day, then another, then another. Each day reset, but Ike, awake, sitting motionless atop the building, never changed. He never reset. Nothing ever approached him.


    I haven''t given them the chance to. It''s like the rules that determine when you get reset. As long as I don''t break the rules, the world doesn''t touch me.


    I don''t understand why it is, but it does seem to be true. I wonder if this world is automatic, to some extent? A chill crawled over his skin as a horrible thought occurred to him. Or if its creator can still control it. The world might be self-perpetuating at this point. Acting on automatic rules without any interference from a mage''s hand.


    His core filled and filled. Ike continued filling it, pushing it wider and fuller when it grew taut. There was no point hesitating. If he had to fight a Rank 4, he had to be at least Rank 3. He wasn''t going to hold back. All it took to Rank up was sufficient mana, as far as he could tell. All he had right now was mana. Or rather, solam.


    It wasn''t an ideal place to gather mana. Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. Still, Ike refused to move. He kept Chlorophyll active and absorbed mana through Rosamund''s head endlessly. At night, he used the skill to forcibly absorb lunam from the moon. On and on, focusing on nothing but gathering mana.


    "Why do you struggle?"


    Ike looked up, startled. He''d been so focused on absorbing aether that he hadn''t noticed anyone approach. But she sat beside him now, undeniably. Wisp. Or rather, the Wisp puppet.


    He turned away. "Give Wisp back and let us leave, and I won''t anymore."


    "She''s happy."


    Ike laughed aloud. "I really fuckin'' doubt that."


    "You could be happy, here. I''d keep you safe."


    "In your Wizard''s Tower, where you control everything?" Ike asked.


    The Wisp puppet tilted her head. "Does it matter?"


    "Sure it does. Do you control it, anymore? This world you created. Is it still within the palm of your hand?"


    The Wisp puppet scowled. It looked away.


    Ike lifted his head and gazed at her. At the puppet. "Do you want to be saved? Are you trapped?"


    "I''m happy. We''re all happy," the puppet insisted. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yeah. Looks like it," Ike deadpanned. He took a deep breath. "I''m going to hit Rank 3. And then I''m going to rescue Wisp, and you, and everyone."


    "What if I stop you?"


    "If you could, you already would have. But you can''t, can you? You''re just as trapped in your tower as I am." Ike turned away, dismissing the puppet entirely.


    "The puppet can," it declared. A shadow fell over Ike. A powerful aura burst from the puppet, far stronger than Ike. Beyond his ability to destroy. Beyond his ability to deny.


    "But do you want it to?" Ike asked.


    Silence. The aura retreated. The shadow fell back.


    He glanced over. Once again, he sat alone on the roof.


    He chuckled. "That''s what I thought."

 168. One Way Out

    Ike''s core filled more and more. He could feel the brink of Rank 2 fall behind him. Ahead only laid Rank 3, but there was something in his way. Something that prevented him from reaching the next Rank.In his mind''s eye, he saw the pillars he''d felt within his core at Rank 1. He hadn''t felt anything like that. The single pillar remained, but that was all.


    Ike twisted his lips. He couldn''t just wait for the pillars to show up the way he had the first time. Or whatever happened at Rank 2. He had to keep charging to Rank 3, by force if necessary.


    His mind instantly went to the Body Reforging Art. He grinned to himself. If it isn''t going to happen on its own, why don''t I make it happen myself? Why leave to fate what I can take into my own hands?


    He turned his attention inward. In silence, he closely examined his core. He didn''t want to be in the same place as last time. He needed to know what to do before he activated the skill. If there were any tiny structures in his core already, he could use the reforging art to draw them out.


    For a long time, he found nothing. The aether in his core was placid, or as placid as aether could be. The pillar from his first Rank advancement stood alone. Nothing joined it in his core. Nothing decorated it. There was merely it, and his aether.


    Ike narrowed his eyes. If there''s nothing, then I''ll create something! He gathered his aether together. For Rank 2, he''d created a pillar. Why not create another pillar? A pillar of aether this time. After all, his first pillar was mana. Now he was using aether. It made sense that he''d make the second pillar out of aether.


    He activated the Body Reforging Art and pointed it at his core. The skill swung around randomly, swirling in his core along with his aether. Ike sent his awareness into his core and took manual control of the skill. It wrapped around him. Ike''s perception swirled. Off-balance, he shut his eyes for a second, and when he opened them, he stood in a swirling world of red energy.


    Ike looked around. What the¡­


    Aether swirled past him, slamming into his face. His hair flew back. Ike lifted his hands to block, but the aether passed harmlessly through him. He opened his eyes and looked around. Aether everywhere, forming a loose orb around him.


    Am I¡­ in my core? Ike turned slowly. Aether circulated around him. He could still feel his core, even though he appeared to stand in his core. Tenatively, he circulated his aether. Aether spun faster around him.


    Yep. I''m in my core. Ike looked at his hands. He reached out and grabbed the aether around him. It formed into a loose clump, like wet mud. The clump only held for a few seconds before slipping between his fingers and forming into aether again.


    I need something to give it structure. Something to form it and hold its shape. Ike drew the Body Reforming Art out from within the him in the core. He pushed it in front of him. It formed a loose lump of structural aether vaguely in the shape of his body.


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    Ike adjusted the shape of the Body Reforging Art into a column. He pulled aether into the column. The loose mud-like aether gathered in the shape of the column, but it didn''t harden or firm the way the first column did.


    Ike pursed his lips. He waved his hand, dismissing the sad attempt at building a second pillar himself. The mud wouldn''t hold up. He didn''t even need to test that to know it. The second he left this space and stopped actively using the skill, the pillar he''d built would collapse.


    I need to compress my aether. Create firm bricks for the foundation of the pillar. This pillar needs to last for as long as I do. If I create it sloppily, I might create a pillar, but it won''t last very long. I won''t be able to advance past third Rank. As much as I want to Rank up, I can''t do it at the price of my future Ranks. I''m building a sturdy foundation upon which I will continue to build. If I''m sloppy here, I can forget Rank 4 or 5. Even if Rank 4 and 5 are unlikely for a slumrat like me to reach, I might as well try for them. No point throwing them away now.


    He drew out the form of the Body Reforging Art again. Once more, he filled it with aether. Rather than forming a column, he formed a small, rectangular brick. Ike filled up that brick with aether, sloppy, wet aether. This time, though, he didn''t stop there. He pushed on the aether on all sides. The aether shrank within the brick, falling down to half the original size. Ike filled the structure with more aether and shrank it down again, over and over again until at last he had a single brick.


    He breathed in, then out. It had taken him three days to form a single brick. How long would it take him to form a column?


    It doesn''t matter. If I''m going to face a Rank 4, I need to be the most powerful possible Rank 3. I can''t cheap out or take shortcuts. I need to face this head on and take it all properly. Wisp, I''m sorry. I can''t finish this quickly. I simply can''t. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But no¡­ I shouldn''t apologize. If I moved any faster, I wouldn''t succeed at rescuing her. The only way to defeat the person who''s holding Wisp¡ªholding us hostage here, is to Rank up as powerfully as I possibly can. I have no chance of hitting Rank 4. I have to nail Rank 3 the way I nailed Rank 2. Rank up so well that I can fight above my Rank. It''s my only chance.


    He breathed in the solam-rich smoke rising from Rosamund''s head and refilled his core. Starting again, he created the framework of a brick with the Body Reforging Art, then compressed aether into it. It was total guesswork that building a second pillar would allow him to Rank up, let alone Rank up powerfully. But it was all he had to go off of.


    Once again, time passed. Ike built up his pillar. He didn''t create a hollow cylinder, but a filled pillar, with the center full as well. It took more time, but the filled pillar stood far more sturdily than a hollow column would have.


    I know my original pillar was based off my skills¡­ or rather, I''m guessing that. But there''s nothing saying I have to base my pillars off the same thing every time. As long as it works, and works well, I''m not going to be picky.


    It was winter the next time he opened his eyes. The people below went through the now-familiar actions, paying no mind to the snow that coated their streets. Within Ike, a brick tower to match his initial pillar now stood.


    Rank 3 was still out of his reach. He felt that instinctively, without having to try. But that was fine. He wasn''t done yet.


    Ike gripped the pillar in his core. With all the aether he''d collected, all the aether he hadn''t invested in the pillar, he shoved down on the pillar, compressing it. At the same time, he activated all the instances of Body Reforging Art he''d put into each brick of the pillar.


    Everything poured into it all at once. Ike focused his all on it, losing himself to everything but the moment itself. The moment it all came together, or shattered.

 169. Burnishing Pillar

    The bricks trembled. The entire pillar glowed, burning under the heat of his compression. Ike pushed down on it, forcing the pillar down and pressing in on it from all sides. Compressing it like a diamond, forging it into something stronger¡ªor shattering it. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.Do or die. This is it. If I fail here, I''ll have to take all the time over again. I don''t want to do that. No, I can''t do that. I need to break through right here, right now, with this pillar. It''s my way forward. My step into Rank 3!


    The pillar trembled. It shook, on the verge of falling apart. Ike gritted his teeth and kept going, continuing to compress it. As he did, he called out more strongly to the Body Reforging Art. This was the moment. Now was the time!


    The bricks began to glow. They resonated with each other. If any one brick cracked, the pillar would crumble. There was no space for mistakes.


    But he''d made no mistakes. Their aether and their framework called out in one cohesive voice. One after another, the bricks lit up, until the entire pillar glowed.


    Ike''s eyes narrowed. He pushed every bit of aether he had into the pillar. His core whirled. Aether poured into the pillar. The pillar was already fully compressed. Already completely full of aether. But he pushed more in anyways. He kept breathing in the solam he was processing in Rosamund''s head, continuously refilling his core.


    I don''t care if it''s already full. I''ll fill it twice!


    The pillar bulged. It struggled, trying to contain all the aether Ike sent into it. All at once, it bulged. The pillar burst upward. It pierced through Ike''s core and all the way through his body. Surging up his spine, it rooted itself in his head.


    Ike''s eyes widened. He gasped, struggling to contain the urge to vomit. At the same time, pure power surged through his body. His core expanded¡ªno, that wasn''t it. His core expanded, but the pillar had transformed him in a fundamental way. His spine was now part of his core, in a way of thinking. A primary aether conduit surged from the base of his spine to its tip, more strongly feeding aether throughout his entire body and all his mana passages. His entire body heated up as all his reforged cells sang with the new aether conduit. If he hadn''t reforged his body to use aether, it would have collapsed. Instead, his power burst forth. He reached the limit of Rank 2, then pushed past that. Beyond it. From Rank 2, to the very bottom of Rank 3.


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    And his power kept climbing. Aether inundated his body. All the cells he''d strengthened continuously filled with aether. Every piece of him, organs, muscles, bones, and skin, filled to capacity with aether. It reinforced every part of his existence.


    At Rank 1, he''d been a mortal with a few skills. Rank 2 had heightened him to a true mage, with an enhanced body. Now, he had begun to merge with the aether. Aether''s existence and his existence were inextricably entwined. He could no longer live without aether. But in return, he could no longer be compared to a mortal. From his handsomeness, to his strength, to his lifespan; he knew instinctively that everything had changed. Every part of him was stronger. Different. More than merely human.


    A mage.


    Ike breathed out. He opened his eyes. For the first time in a long time, he stood.


    Down below, the town came to a standstill. All the occupants stared at him. Motionless. Still.


    Ike lifted his hand. He called forth a Tempest. The energy swirled around his hand. It grew stronger and stronger, but he held onto it. Condensing it. Waiting.


    The sky grew dark. Clouds churned overhead. Lightning flickered through the clouds, threatening, pulsing in time with the Tempest growing in Ike''s hand.


    At Rank 2, it hadn''t been a usable skill. It had taken every iota of aether he''d had. At Rank 3, even at his very entry into Rank 3, it only took one third of his aether. He looked down at the townsfolk, or rather, the empty husks of what had once been townsfolk.


    "Today, I set you free." Ike unleashed the Tempest, dropping it on the town. The small blue ball dropped downward. It sunk slowly, as if it understood the gravity of what it was. All the townsfolk''s eyes latched onto Ike. Not the ball, but Ike. They understood what he was doing. What he had done.


    The Wisp puppet suddenly laughed. She put her hands on her hips and shook her head. "I''ll see you soon, Ike."


    "Huh¡ªWisp?" Ike startled. "Wait¡ª"


    The Tempest struck down. Wind and water blasted out from where it struck. Roofs stripped off the buildings. Windows shattered. Doors flew in. The walls fell in on themselves, then blew away. The people vanished, swept away by the powerful storm. Tempest swept everything away. Even the building under Ike''s feet was stripped away by the winds. He fell, landing on his feet with a thump.


    Tempest dissipated. Nothing remained. Barren earth stretched to the distant walls. Ike stood alone, save one thing.


    A castle. Far in the distance, high atop the hill in the town''s center, a lonely, dark stone castle loomed. Lightning flashed behind it, illuminating its spires for but a moment. A ragged dark flag hung from its highest point.


    "So that''s where you are," Ike murmured. He marched forth, his eyes locked on the distant castle.


    "I''m coming, Wisp."

 170. Dark Castle

    Ike reached the castle. After being stuck in a single street of the city for so long, it was strangely easy to approach. Neither space nor time looped around him, as far as he could tell.It''s almost as if he''s given up.


    Or he wants me to approach.


    There was nothing for it. Whether the guy wanted him to come or not, he had to get Wisp back. He couldn''t walk away. Couldn''t head for the walls and leave, hoping to escape on his own. He was coming, even if it was a trap.


    I just have to be careful.


    Scraps of buildings remained, here and there. The blank squares of their foundations. A few rotten boards clinging to the stone base. He looked over his shoulder one last time, sadness in his eyes. The city had been dead for a long time before he''d arrived. Even the puppets had only occupied a small, seemingly-alive segment. The rest had already long fallen into ruin.


    But why? How?


    I''ll just have to ask the guy who saw it all go down. Even if I have to beat it out of him.


    Before him, two giant black iron doors arced high into the castle''s thick stone walls. He lifted his hands and pushed. The doors thumped. A board held them on the far side.


    Ike gathered his strength and pushed again.


    The board snapped. The doors swung wide, hinges squealing the whole way. Ike stood alone, facing an empty yard. Fifty feet separated the outer wall and the inner castle. Halfway through the distance, a massive staircase began. It ascended up to a pair of red double doors.


    "Someone likes double doors," Ike commented under his breath. He stepped up to the staircase. Slowly, he climbed it.


    Very, very slowly. Sweat dripped down Ike''s brow. He paused, wiping his brow, and looked behind him.


    He was halfway up the stairs. An ordinary expanse of stairs stretched before and after him.


    "More of this bullshit," Ike grumbled. He lifted his foot and stomped with all his might. The stairs shattered. The entire staircase, above and below him, collapsed into stone rubble. He dropped to the ground, then crouched down and jumped, activating his Lightning Clad skill. Ike soared toward the double doors. As he closed in on them, he whipped out his foot. Lightning crackled over it. The double doors snapped off their hinges and hurtled inside, rolling end-over-end to crash against the far wall.


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    Ike landed on the polished stone floor inside. He dusted off his hands. "That''s more like it."


    If the proprietor was in control of everything within this space, if it was, as he had himself suggested, his Wizard''s Tower, then Ike had one easy way to take care of it:


    Destroy everything.


    The clue had come as time had passed. Because that was exactly it: time passed. Ike wasn''t trapped in one day. Months changed. Seasons swapped. The people below performed the same actions, but they were things. Puppets. Objects.


    His memories were missing. He couldn''t deny that. But it wasn''t necessarily time-folding that caused them to go missing. It was a simple, elegant answer, but life wasn''t always simple and elegant. Maybe the proprietor also had a memory-wiping or memory-blurring skill. He got the impression that he and Wisp weren''t the first visitors. It wouldn''t be surprising if the proprietor had amassed a few skills to allow him to entrap his visitors more efficiently.


    Likewise, he wasn''t trapped in some kind of folded space. No. After all, if he was trapped in space itself, simply destroying the town wouldn''t have broken him out of it. But that wasn''t what was happening. Instead, the man simply moved the town beneath him, looping it as he moved. Or perhaps more accurately, moving the ground beneath him to place him back at the start of the town. He wasn''t clear on the details, but he didn''t have to be. As long as his theory was correct, he''d be able to break out by destroying the street.


    And he had.


    It had been a gamble. If he was wrong, he would have just destroyed his own world. Would have been trapped in a wasteland forever. But the alternative was allowing the man to ''loop'' him forever, so he took the chance.


    Facing the solid stone castle, Ike cracked his knuckles. If he had to tear this castle apart, stone by stone, he''d find Wisp. The man couldn''t hide her from him if there was nowhere left to hide. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He approached the back wall. Ike lifted his fist.


    "Ike! That you? Hey, slowpoke. Over here!" a familiar voice called. It was faint and distant, but one he''d recognize anywhere.


    Ike whipped around. "Wisp?"


    "It is you! Come on! Right over here."


    Ike slowly took in the room. He saw nothing. No one. Her voice sounded like it came from his level, or maybe below him, but he didn''t see any doors in that direction. There was another set of doors at the top of another staircase, but no way down, and no way straight ahead. "Where are you?"


    "Great question. The treasury! Come on, hurry your ass up down here! I''m trapped in with all the treasure. Space keeps looping around me, and I can''t get out!"


    Is it a trap? He mimicked Wisp''s voice before with the puppet in town. I have no evidence suggesting that someone can remain safe and whole after they''re puppetized. Then again, I have no evidence to the contrary, either.


    A second later, Ike rolled his eyes. What am I thinking? Wisp''s a Rank 3 mage as well. If it''s her, she can break herself out. I don''t need to rescue her.


    He cleared his throat. "It''s not space that''s looping. He''s just moving the objects in the room¡ªmaybe even including whatever you''re standing on¡ªto make it feel that way. Destroy everything around you, and smash your way out!"


    There was silence. Ike''s stomach sunk. Was it a fake, after all?


    Thump. Thump.


    BANG!


    Abruptly, the wall in front of him burst outward, spraying shrapnel at him. A huge black monster lunged at Ike, its many legs stabbing toward his heart.


    Holy shit! Ike threw his arms up. Ice Armor coated his body. He braced himself, preparing for a huge attack.

 171. The Monster Returns

    The black monster caught him up and tossed him into the air, Ice Armor and all. When he came back down, Wisp caught him. She grinned and patted his shoulder, not able to hold him and pat his head at the same time in human form. "Boo!""Gods! I almost attacked you. What would you have done then?" Ike asked, his heart still pounding.


    "Beaten you within an inch of your life," she said simply.


    Ike paused. He laughed. "At least the answer wasn''t ''eat me.''"


    "It''s on the list, but it''s not my number one reaction," she said. Wisp set him down and stepped away. "It''s good to see you again. Do you know how long I was trapped in there?"


    "Something like a year?" Ike asked.


    "Yeah. A year, surrounded by nothing but gold and skill orbs and the most lavish furnishings and jewelry. It was torture!" Wisp cried, throwing her head back.


    "It was?" Ike asked, not so sure.


    "All that stuff, and I couldn''t move it one step! All that stuff, and nothing I could do but look at it? So sad! Unbearably sad!"


    Ike gave her a look. "I thought you were dead."


    "And I thought you were sure to have moved on and left me trapped here forever, so who was the real loser here?" Wisp asked.


    Ike snorted. He patted her head. "It''s good to see you again."


    "Yeah. Same."


    For a moment, they both stood there, just enjoying one another''s company.


    "So¡­ where''s all that treasure?" Ike asked, breaking the silence.


    Wisp chuckled. "I''ve already stuffed the best of it into my storage rings. But if you want to grab the second string stuff, it''s¡ª" She turned and pointed.


    A fresh, solid stone wall blocked off the space she''d broken through moments ago.


    Wisp scowled. "Money-grubbing bastard."


    "I''m not sure you get to say that when you''re the one robbing him blind," Ike pointed out.


    "Yeah, but still."


    He walked over to the wall and patted it. His palm thudded against stone. "Think the treasury''s still behind this wall?"


    Wisp charged it, fist raised. Startled, Ike jumped out of the way just in time for her to land her punch. The stone wall blasted away, revealing a dusty parlor behind. Stones bounced over a piano, twanging the disused instrument''s strings.


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    Wisp leaned through the hole. She looked left, then right, then shook her head. "No."


    Ike laughed. "No, I guess not."


    She gestured at the far wall on the other side of the dusty parlor. "We could keep going."


    Ike looked up at the stairs, leading up to the double doors. He raised his brows. Wisp has a point. Why follow this man''s script when we can forge our own path? "Let''s go."


    Wisp climbed through the hole she''d made. Ike hopped after her. As they crossed the parlor, Wisp looked at him. "You Rank up?"


    "Yeah."


    "Yeah? Just¡­ yeah?"


    Ike snorted. He looked at her. "What am I supposed to say? Yeah. I did. What else is there to it?"


    Wisp shrugged. "Usually, people make more of a fuss of it. It is a big deal."


    "It''s a big deal, but¡­ I don''t know. I don''t feel that different," Ike said.


    "You''re the same rank as me now. And you''re less than half my age. That''s insane," Wisp said.


    "I''m like¡­ a quarter your age."


    "You''re the youngest one here. Baby," Wisp accused him.


    Ike glanced around. "So¡­ have we been walking in place for a while, or is that just me?"


    Wisp twisted her lips. She fired a blast of spider thread at the ceiling and swung on it, easily landing on the far side of the room. There, she turned and stuck her tongue out at Ike. "Spider superiority."


    Ike crouched. Lightning surged around his body. He leaped, crossing the distance between them in one bound.


    Wisp shook her head. "I can do that, too. Boring."


    "What? That was cool. There was lightning and everything," Ike argued.


    "I can do it without the lightning."


    Ike rolled his eyes. "Fine, whatever. You win. ''Spider superiority,'' or whatever."


    She grinned. "I knew you''d understand eventually."


    Ike stepped forward. He drew his fist back. Shockwaves built up around his fist. He slammed it forward, shooting the shockwaves into the wall. The wall shook, then crumbled.


    For a moment, a hallway appeared on the other side. Before either Wisp or Ike could step into it, it whirled away. In its place, stairs led up to a small platform.


    Ike raised his brows. "I feel like we''re being led somewhere particular."


    "No, really?" Wisp murmured.


    "So¡­ shall we?" Ike asked.


    She shrugged. "Might as well. We can smash our way through if it''s a trap or if we get bored, but if this guy''s trying to show us something, we can look."


    Ike startled. He looked at Wisp.


    "What?"


    "That''s a surprisingly reasonable take from you."


    She scowled. "What''s that supposed to mean?"


    "You didn''t say anything about eating it, for one." S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I don''t try to eat everything."


    Ike raised a brow.


    She sighed. "Almost everything, yes. But not everything."


    "Give me an example," Ike asked as he walked up the stairs.


    Wisp thought for a moment. She pinched her chin.


    "Uh huh. I''m waiting."


    "Shut up! I''m thinking, dammit." She thought for another few seconds, then snapped her fingers. "Like gold. No point eating gold. It tastes bad, it''s bad for your mana passages, and it''s worth a lot if you don''t eat it. There. Not everything."


    Ike snorted, amused. He put his hands up. "Fine, fine. You win again."


    "I always win," Wisp said, with all confidence.


    They reached the top of the stairs. There was no looping this time. No attempt to send them backward. A pair of double doors awaited them. Ike raised his brows. "This guy really likes double doors, doesn''t he?"


    "You know, I hadn''t noticed. But now that you''ve said it, I can''t help but notice."


    Ike raised his hands. He pushed the doors open.


    Wind rushed by. Ike fought against it, squinting against the rush. Wisp yelped and ran to his side, latching onto his hip. The two of them stepped forward slowly. With every step, the wind gripped at their feet. It dragged at their bodies and caught at their clothes. Ike narrowed his eyes and pushed on. One step at a time. Stealing inches from the wind.


    Abruptly, the wind stopped. Ike staggered forward a step, then looked up. He looked around. What the¡­

 172. The Room

    Gentle music tinkled in the background. A trio of musicians quietly plied their craft in the corner. A candelabra glittered. The scent of flowers and delicious food mixed together, luring him further in. Men and women in ornate ballgowns danced below him, performing a formal waltz. He caught himself against a golden railing and gaped. "Is this where all the mages went?"He expanded his aura, and instantly received his answer. They were empty. Devoid of all aura. Not mages, not humans, but puppets.


    Is there anyone left alive in this town? Anyone at all? Or are they all puppets? A chill crept over Ike''s spine, and he shifted, rubbing the back of his neck. How long have they been like this? Since forever? Or only ''recently?'' Recently in mage terms, anyways. He knew mages could count decades as short, once they were a high enough Rank. Maybe the oldest of them would even see centuries as no time at all. Either way, he couldn''t judge mage-time by his mortal standards.


    "What''re they doing now?" Wisp muttered. She leaned against the railing.


    "Dancing," Ike deadpanned.


    She gave him a look.


    The song came to an end. The puppets parted. Lifting their hands, they offered a polite round of applause to the musicians.


    At the far end of the hall, a curtain swung aside. A man in black, formal robes stepped to the front of the stage. All the mages applauded again, more earnestly this time. The man in black raised his hand, and they fell silent.


    "That guy looks like the shopkeep," Wisp commented.


    "I bet he is the shopkeep. Pretty sure our shopkeep is this city''s lord," Ike informed her.


    "Huh. Weird thing to moonlight as, but I guess everyone has hobbies," Wisp allowed.


    Ike leaned in. "Just between you and me, this guy might be a bit of a looney."


    She snorted under her breath. "You don''t say?"


    On the stage far below, the man gestured behind him. Another man stepped forward. Ike''s eyes widened. I''d know that guy anywhere.


    Green hair. Blue and green robes. A broad blue hat with a single, fat white plume dangling from its brim. Llewyn took the stage with a flamboyant bow. Before all the puppet people, he drew out a puppet.


    "What a shock," Wisp deadpanned.


    "Yeah, of course Llewyn was here," Ike said. Still, he crossed his arms and kept watching. The man was showing them this for a reason. It didn''t hurt to keep watching.


    The puppet Llewyn drew out was obviously a puppet. It was unornamented wood. Strings controlled its limbs. Before them, he demonstrated a few tricks. The puppet danced. It mopped the floor. It sang. And then it stepped away from the strings and stood on its own. The puppet and the puppeteer bowed as one.


    All the mages clapped. The man in black robes clapped as well. But even as he clapped, he turned toward them. A tear-stricken face stared at Ike and Wisp.


    What is he trying to convey? Regret? Sadness that he let Llewyn in, and let him show off his wares? Right now, Llewyn seems pretty innocuous¡­ but I suppose that could be his usual method.


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    The puppets filed away into the next room. Darkness fell over the ballroom. Ike glanced at Wisp. "Act One is over, please proceed to the second theater for Act Two?"


    "Seems like it. Does this guy not know we already know Llewyn? Hey, mister! We know about Llewyn and the puppets!" Wisp shouted, lifting her hands to cup her mouth for the final words.


    "I think he''s trying to explain himself. Express how things progressed to this extreme point," Ike pointed out.


    "What''s there to say? He let Llewyn in, and Llewyn took advantage of it. We know." Wisp rolled her eyes.


    "Might as well learn what actually happened. If we''re going to warn the king about Llewyn, it''s good to know how he infects things," Ike pointed out. He hopped down from their high vantage point and crossed the ballroom.


    Wisp sighed. Reluctantly, she followed him. "See, this is why humans are constantly getting into trouble."


    "What do you mean?" Ike asked.


    She gestured. "Presented with this scenario, I would''ve ignored it and just kept smashing. You, on the other hand, want to know more. His reasons. That bullshit. Even when we already know the story, you still need to know the itty bitty details."


    "What? It''s good to know."


    "It''s a good way to get in trouble for no reason," Wisp muttered. She shook her head. "Go on. We''re already doing it, so might as well see it to the end."


    Ike nodded. He walked forward, into the next room.


    In this one, Llewyn stood behind a stall at the far end of the room. Mages and ordinary citizens alike lined up, eager to receive a puppet. Llewyn handed out puppets to all of them, rich and poor, mage and citizen, alike. After the last one received their puppet, the Llewyn figure put up a Out of Stock sign and ducked under his stall, vanishing.


    The townsfolk remained. They used their puppets in all kinds of ways. Some used them to complete chores or repetitive tasks. Mages plied them to test out new skills and techniques. Mortals handed them to their children to play with.


    One by one, whenever Ike wasn''t looking, the puppets vanished. At last, he snapped around and caught one in the act. It grabbed one of the children by its shoulders and kicked its way inside the child''s back. The child went still, then stood back up again, seemingly normal. No mark remained, but the child was a child no more. Now it was a puppet, replaced seamlessly by the puppet its parents had bought for it to play with. And none of the other puppets, the humanoid ones representing the villagers, were any the wiser.


    When the last of the original set of puppets vanished, and the villagers were in need of fresh puppets, Llewyn reappeared. Just like clockwork. Ready and waiting, with a fresh batch of puppets. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Horrifying," Ike muttered.


    "No kidding," Wisp replied.


    The puppets all walked away. The two of them followed them, into yet another room. Here, the man in black robes offered shiny puppets to a woman and a girl in matching black.


    Ike froze. He hissed a slow breath out. "No."


    "What? What''s wrong?" Wisp asked.


    "His wife and daughter. He gave them puppets himself," Ike translated.


    The daughter ran at her father and wrapped him up in a big hug, holding her puppet in her other arm. The wife smiled and patted his shoulder approvingly. He hugged them back, then waved goodbye. Hopping out the window, the man took to the sky.


    Behind him, the two wooden puppets suddenly sprung to life. They pushed their way into the man''s wife and daughter. The two screamed and fought. Two people rushed to their side, then held them down so the puppets could finish taking them over.


    There was no one to help anymore. Everyone in the town had become a puppet.


    "Gods," Ike hissed. He ran a hand through his hair. This man has been through too much. No one should have this happen to them. And all because he trusted someone. Made one small mistake. One tiny misjudgment, and Llewyn destroyed everything he had.


    "I can''t believe he let a stranger eat his wife and offspring instead of doing the right thing and offering himself up to feed his wife. She might not have eaten his child if she was full. Plus he would''ve strengthened his beloved wife, instead of strengthening the enemy," Wisp complained, crossing her arms.


    Ike stared at her, then burst out laughing. After everything he''d seen, just that moment of lightness was enough to break him into a laughing fit. He shook his head, struggling to get himself under control.


    "What? I didn''t say anything wrong," Wisp said, crossing her arms. She shook her head at him disapprovingly.


    Ike took a deep breath. Slowly, he killed the giggles. The puppets wandered off, leaving them alone. He gestured.


    "Shall we see this to its bitter end?"


    Wisp nodded. Together, the two of them strode onward.

 173. The Bitter End

    They strode ahead, into the next room. This one was dark and quiet. There were no puppets. Not even one.Ike stepped forward, then slipped. He swung his arms and grabbed the wall. His feet slid outward, but he dragged them backward and pulled himself up against the wall.


    Beside him, Wisp quietly placed her feet on the wall.


    "Cheater," he whispered.


    She grinned.


    A single light beamed on, illuminating a window. The floor shone underfoot, bright, polished silver. A mirror. The man in all black stepped onto the windowsill. He looked around, a lost expression on his face. His lips moved. No sound emerged, but Ike knew who he called for. His wife. His child.


    A second light thrummed to life. His wife stood under its beam. She stood eerily still. Tall and silent, she waited for him. He ran to her side and took her hand, a smile on his face. She turned her face to him. A hollow smile twisted her lips.


    From the darkness, a small figure rushed into the light. His daughter wrapped her arms around her father''s waist and beamed up at him. Just like with his wife, her smile didn''t reach her eyes.


    The man smiled, then went to pull away. But the puppets didn''t let him go. They clung on. He frowned. Their grip tightened. Still unwilling to hurt them, he gently pried at their hands, but his gentleness couldn''t break the puppets'' grasp.


    From out of the darkness, puppets rolled forward a frame. A pitch-black puppet hung from the frame, perfectly sized to match the man. The wife and daughters'' grips grew tighter. The man started to struggle in earnest, only to find that the puppets'' strength was supernaturally strong. He couldn''t break free. The black puppet rattled closer. In the mirror underfoot, their reflections overlapped.


    The man gritted his teeth. He unleashed a blast of magic. The girl and woman staggered away. For a moment, their expressions turned earnest. The human part of them shone through.


    "They''re not dead¡­ or are they?" Ike muttered.


    "One way or another, it''s too late now," Wisp replied quietly.


    The man closed in on the black puppet. He sent it flying, and the puppets holding it tumbled with it. Even as it flew away, he whirled on his wife and his daughter. His face twisted with rage. He leaped toward them.


    Ike''s eyes widened. "He doesn''t know it''s actually them. He thinks they''ve been replaced, not inhabited."


    "They were probably dead to begin with," Wisp said.


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    Ike pressed his lips together, not so certain.


    As his fist closed in, the wife reached out. She held her daughter''s hand, rubbing the back of it comfortingly with her thumb. Peace passed over her face, and she shut her eyes.


    The bodies fell into pieces. The man dropped to his knees. Bracing himself on the ground, he stared at himself in the reflective floor. His face trembled. His whole body shook.


    Ike''s heart clenched. Rage built up in his chest. Not at the man, or his poor family. No. At Llewyn. At Lord Blackbriar. At all the people who had worked to make this moment a reality, to force an innocent mage to destroy his family with his own hands.


    A final spotlight cut on. Llewyn stood in the distance, gazing at the man. Slowly, the Llewyn puppet''s lips turned upward. He reached out. Thousands of strings spread from his fingertips. The shady forms of all the other puppets from earlier appeared. He flicked his wrist, calling them to him.


    Before the puppets could dart to Llewyn''s side, the man threw his sword. The blade severed all the strings connecting to Llewyn. The other puppets collapsed into the darkness. They flopped over. The man chased after Llewyn, sword bared. Llewyn frowned. He snapped his fingers and vanished.


    Oh. So that''s why the puppets don''t move on their own, Ike realized. All of Llewyn''s puppets he''d encountered so far had the black goo inside them, and were capable of autonomous motion, even if they didn''t act on that ability. But the puppets in this town, despite looking as convincingly human as any of Llewyn''s puppets, didn''t have any autonomy. They repeated the same actions day after day. The Wisp puppet hadn''t spoken with Wisp''s voice, the way Rosamund could talk with hers, and all the other Rosamund puppets could as well¡ªI still don''t understand that, but we''ll put it on hold for now. But the point was, she''d spoken with the same phrasing and attitude as the shopkeeper. And none of the puppets he''d broken had had the goo inside of them. That was all because this man had chased off Llewyn. If the puppets had ever had the goo, he must have done something to remove it, but keep the shells.


    Weird thing to do, but I guess they were highly sentimental to him, Ike reasoned. His family was dead, so all that was left were his citizens¡ªbut they weren''t left. They were puppets. He could only hold on to their hollow forms.


    Ike twisted his lips. A tragedy. That was all this was. A tragedy.


    The man landed where Llewyn had been seconds ago. His sword slashed through thin air. He looked left and right, but there was no trace of the puppeteer. Frustrated, he slashed at the air a few more times before falling to his knees again. He spread his hands to the sky in despair.


    The lights came on. All the puppets faded away, as if they were nothing but shadows. Ike and Wisp stood alone in the mirror-floored room.


    "Damn. That Llewyn guy''s fucked up," Wisp muttered.


    Ike nudged her. "You think this guy''s maybe not a fan of Llewyn?"


    She snorted. "Yeah, us neither."


    "We should go tell him that. Maybe he''ll let us go," Ike suggested.


    "Or we can beat him up."


    "After all his struggling you just saw?"


    Wisp shrugged. "What, have you given up?"


    Ike laughed. "No. I''m still gonna beat his head in for trapping us here for over a year. But I do feel kind of bad for him."


    "That''s the spirit."


    At the far end of the room, a door appeared. Ike glanced at it, then nodded at Wisp. "Shall we?"


    "As you said. To the bitter end," Wisp said, nodding.


    They walked forward, sliding across the mirror-slicked floor. The door opened as they approached. Darkness cloaked the room beyond. Ike couldn''t see anything, but a powerful aura and presence radiated from the space. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike rested a hand on his sword. Wisp clawed her hands, feeling the same thing he did. The two of them closed in on the door.

 174. The Final Room

    They stepped into the final room. Ike''s eyes quickly adjusted, assisted by his Sensory Enhancement skill. A small study stretched all around them. A large, paper-strewn desk sat against the wall, accompanied by a cozy chair. Before it, a large window overlooked the town below. Or rather, it had. Now it overlooked nothing. The vast, empty expanse where Ike had blown the town away, and in the distance, the walls.Wisp whistled. "What happened?"


    "I did," Ike replied quietly.


    "Damn."


    The man sat at the window. He gazed down at the wreckage of his town, his eyes dark. Rather than the shopkeep''s outfit, he wore dark robes like the ones he''d worn in the puppet show. As the two of them stepped inside, he looked up. "We meet again.''


    "Indeed we do," Ike replied, on guard.


    "Hey, why''d you trap us here for so long? We hate Llewyn, too," Wisp said.


    He raised his brows. "Do you only say so because you saw my puppet show?"


    "First off, you never said Llewyn''s name, so clearly we know him from outside that show. Secondly¡­" Wisp trailed off.


    "Secondly," Ike said, and drew Rosamund''s head out of his bag. "We''ve already defeated his puppets many times over. We''re no friends of his. But you didn''t trap us here because you thought we knew Llewyn, or liked him. You trapped us for some other reason." After all, when he met us in the town, he didn''t ask us anything about puppets or Llewyn. He simply decided to trap us.


    The man sighed. "I thought I might entrap you two and absorb your mana to empower my formation. It takes a lot of mana to keep the town running. The Wizard''s Tower is a power-hungry spell. But instead¡­" He gestured at the barren landscape.


    "What did you expect? You trapped us, "Ike pointed out.


    He chuckled darkly. "I hoped you might give up, and empower my formation."


    "Oh. No thanks," Wisp said.


    "Hard agree," Ike said with a nod.


    "I misjudged."


    Ike shook his head. "You didn''t actually misjudge, did you? You aren''t even angry now. We didn''t ruin your plans. Somewhere, deep in your heart, you were hoping this would happen. Or rather, you knew all along that you''d have to do this eventually. You were just too cowardly to make it happen. We''re the ones who did all the hard work, spring cleaning what you knew you had to clean."


    "Yeah. You tell him, Ike!" Wisp agreed.


    The man sighed. "Perhaps."


    Ike cracked his knuckles. "So¡­ we gonna fight, or do you just want to stand there and take it?"


    "If you hate Llewyn as much as I do, then we have no need to fight," the man said.


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    "Oh yeah?" Ike said. He paused, waiting. As much as he wanted to beat the man''s head in, the mage was still Rank 4. He couldn''t carelessly attack without thinking. Or rather, if the man decided to attack, he and Wisp were the ones in danger, not the man. Ike was a newly minted Rank 3, and Wisp had recently gotten over an injury. Even with both of them ganging up on the man, their odds weren''t great. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You should simply return to the town. Feed my world. Then your power can nourish me and empower my plan to destroy Llewyn."


    Ike rolled his eyes. "What plan? Sitting around and rotting isn''t a plan."


    The man turned. He pressed his fingertips together. "Address me as your lord. Lord Nors. It takes energy to power a Wizard''s Tower, just as the young lady indicated. Energy I no longer have. I need yours to keep the town running. As you can see, it''s in quite a pitiful state right now. I''ll need all your energy to get it back up."


    "And then what?" Ike asked. He''s clearly insane, but let''s see where he''s going with this. I just want to see where this line of thought goes.


    "And then¡­ what?"


    "How does bringing the city back help you destroy Llewyn?" Ike clarified.


    Lord Nors looked at Ike, his eyes vacant. "I need to restore the city."


    "Right, and you said you had a plan to destroy Llewyn. And that we''d empower that."


    "Empowering me is to empower the battle against Llewyn."


    Ike glanced at Wisp. "I''m not getting anywhere."


    Wisp made a face and shook her head. "He''s too far gone. Only one way out of here."


    "Yeah. I knew it to start out, but there''s no denying it, is there."


    Lord Nors raised his brows. "You refuse?"


    "Of course we refuse. Has anyone ever said ''yes'' when you asked them to lie down and die?" Ike asked.


    "I suppose you don''t hate Llewyn after all," Lord Nors droned, ignoring Ike.


    Ike drew his sword. Beside him, Wisp bared her teeth and backed up.


    Lord Nors swished his fingers. A blaze of silver rushed through the air. It hovered behind him, the blaze materializing into a sword. Or rather, not a sword. There was no crossguard, nor hilt, nor sheath. Merely a bare blade, its tang visible to the open air.


    "I''ve practiced for this moment for years. Decades. Centuries. Allies of Llewyn must die!" Lord Nors announced. He swished his fingers again, and the blade hurtled toward Ike.


    Centuries? No way. He''s delusional. Fully lost it. Ike raised his sword and deflected the blade. To his surprise, it flopped away, surprisingly easy to parry.


    He thought back to the shopkeep. The man had the same face as Lord Nors, but he was so eloquent and well-put-together that he struggled to think of them as the same person. Our village is a peaceful one, of traders. We don''t sell combat skills.


    The sword darted back to Lord Nors'' side. Ike tilted his head. Is Lord Nors not much of a fighter? And who is the shopkeep? I thought they were one and the same. Or is it like when he puppeted Wisp?


    But wait, if he''s this incoherent, who puppeted Wisp? Who spoke through the shopkeep? Or¡­ Ike''s eyes widened. He turned and fled.


    "Huh? Are we running? He''s kind of a pushover, though," Wisp said. She looked over her shoulder at Ike, then shrugged and ran as well.


    "That attack wasn''t at the strength of a Rank 4 attack," Ike returned. "It wasn''t even at a Rank 3 level."


    "So¡­what?" Wisp asked.


    "Think about it. Lord Nors is incoherent. He''s weak. He''s told us, through the shopkeep, that he invested his strength into the world around him." Ike cut a sharp left. He hopped out the window and onto the roof. The blade chased after them, but Wisp knocked it down. She scurried up after him, directly scaling the wall rather than running on the roof as Ike did.


    Up ahead, the gables of the roof dipped downward. Ike hopped up. He ran further upward. The roof tiles clattered under his feet, pitched at a sharp angle.


    The absolute zenith of the roof came to a sharp peak. Ike charged to the top. He climbed up the steel spine that crowned the tallest spire and balanced on its tip. Wisp clambered up after him, holding onto the pole by her finger and toetips.


    Below them, the decimated town spread. Barren. Only a few scraps of foundation and the outlines of the streets remained. The cobbled streets wound along. With no buildings, the shape of the streets became clear.


    "Oh," Wisp said.


    Ike chuckled. "Yeah."

 175. From Above

    The shape of the streets formed a human body. A human body, curled up on the ground like a child inside its mother. The walls pressed close around the body''s head and feet, forming the boundary of its world."Lord Nors isn''t in control of the town. The town is Lord Nors. All the puppets are him, as much as his flesh body is him, anymore. He spread his power so thin that I was able to destroy the individual pieces with ease, and likewise, we could destroy the Lord himself with ease," Ike explained, gazing down from the tip of the spire.


    "See, this is why no one uses Wizard''s Tower. It''s a great way to weaken yourself," Wisp said.


    Ike cut a look at her. "We were almost consumed by the Wizard''s Tower."


    "Yeah, but we weren''t," she pointed out.


    Ike snorted. He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah."


    She glanced at him. "So what now?"


    "I''ve already decimated the town, so that''s not it. Even if we kill Lord Nors'' real body¡ªor should I say, original body, I don''t think that will do anything." He pointed down at the body. The center of the walls marked the body''s center. In the center of the walls stood the castle. In the center of the body, sat the heart. "I think the core of the Wizard''s Tower is somewhere in this castle. Which is to say, in the only thing my Tempest thing couldn''t destroy. If we go to the deepest part of the castle, I bet we''ll find it."


    "The deepest part of the castle, that he can freely reshape at will," Wisp pointed out.


    Ike shrugged. "Only one way to handle it."


    Wisp grinned. "Destroy everything?"


    He grinned back. "You got it."


    Wisp grabbed tight to the spire, then threw herself off it. She kicked through the roof.


    Ike glanced at Shawn. The young mountain slept on his shoulder. "I''m going to borrow your weight, okay?"


    Shawn had nothing to say.


    "Wisp, get out of the way," he called.


    She glanced up, then hopped to the side.


    Ike took a deep breath. He''d been instinctively holding Shawn''s weight with his aether, preventing it from effecting his body or the world around him the same way Shawn had. But now, he released that. A low-level constant draw on his aether vanished, and in return, a huge weight bore down on his shoulders.


    Ike hopped off the spike and plunged. He slammed into the floor beside Wisp. Wood shattered. Splinters flew as the beam cracked. He broke through to the next floor and shattered through. And the next, and the next, until he slammed down onto stone. Not bedrock, but the stone floor of the first floor. The rocks cracked, but they didn''t shatter.


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    Wisp slid down beside him on a spider''s thread. "You got close, but no cigar."


    "Take me back to the top. Now that I''ve broken all the floors between here and the top, I bet I can smash this floor if I plunge from the top," Ike said.


    "Smart man, smart." She paused. "What keeps him from swapping the floors between attempts?"


    Ike glanced up, then back down. "We do it real fast."


    Wisp laughed. "That''s the kind of thinking I appreciate!" She reached for him.


    "Wait, hold on. Let me grab ahold of Shawn''s weight again," Ike said.


    She waited.


    He took a deep breath and circulated his aether, taking Shawn''s weight back on. Ike nodded at Wisp. She wrapped an arm around his shoulder and twitched her thread. They ascended back into the sky, back up to the roof.


    The second they reached the roof, the floors began to close. The shattered wood swirled slowly shut, closing the holes Ike had cut.


    "Go, go, go!" Wisp shouted. She released him.


    Ike released Shawn''s weight and plunged. He fell through the first layer, the second, the third. The fourth wound shut as he drew toward it. The wood closed in around him.


    He pulled his legs in tight and punched his way through the edges of the floor. It slowed him down, but not completely. He closed in on the stone below.


    This time, rather than only using Shawn''s weight, he activated Lightning Clad and Shockwave Punch. Before he hit the ground, he unleashed a punch toward it. The stones shivered and cracked. They shook in their mortar. Bits of rock flew into the air.


    And then Ike struck.


    He struck with the weight of a small mountain. His body slammed into the floor, breaking through the already weakened stone. Ike dropped into darkness. A vast, empty space opened around him. He fell, and fell, and fell. Down, down, down, into the depths, into the bowels of the earth.


    Holy shit. I don''t think I can safely land this. I''m going to die, for real.


    Wisp followed him down, moving slower and more carefully on her spider''s thread. As Ike kept falling, he stared up at her. "Wisp! Help!"


    She rolled her eyes and shot a thread at him. The thread held for a split second, then snapped. "Carry Shawn''s weight again!" S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Dammit, I forgot!" He pulled Shawn''s weight back onto his aether. "Do it again!"


    This time, the white thread caught him. He pulled to a slow stop.


    Wisp climbed down the thread toward him. "How deep do you think this goes?"


    "Uh¡­" Ike pulled up his skills. Do I have a light-creating skill?


    [Name: Ike | Age: 17 | Status: Nm | Rank: 3 [Lost in the Loop]]


    Skills: Common: 8 | Bronze 5 | Silver 3 | Gold 2 | Rare 2 | Unique: 6


    Common: All-Around Runner Lvl 9 | Razor Handling Lvl 9 | Spear Handling Lvl 4 | Axe Handling Lvl 4 | Sword Handling Lvl 9 | Bow Handling Lvl 1 | Primitive Crafting Lvl 9 | Self-Cleaning Lvl 1


    Bronze: Sensory Enhancement Lvl 9 | Mana Manipulation Lvl 6 | Lunam Manipulation Lvl 0 | Aether Manipulation Lvl 2 | Solam Manipulation Lvl 0


    Silver: Flurry of Kicks Lvl 4 | Chlorophyll Lvl 2 | Exsanguination Lvl 1


    Gold: Shockwave Punch Lvl 6 | Ice Armor Lvl 5


    Rare: River-Splitting Sword Lvl 9 | Mountain''s Weight Lvl 1


    Unique: Lightning Dash Lvl 9 | Lightning Grasp Lvl 9 | Lightning Clad Lvl 4 | Lightning Caller Lvl 3 | Body Reforging Art Lvl 1 | Tempest Lvl 1


    He gritted his teeth. "You have any light-casting skills?"


    "Oh, yeah. Check this out." She opened her mouth and spat out a spool of web. The web glowed brilliantly, like embers. It drifted from her mouth, illuminating the space as it descended.


    "Neat. Is that the new Unique support skill?" Ike asked.


    "Yeah. Makes my webs fireproof and gives them a flame attribute. Pretty neat, huh?"


    Ike nodded. "Useful, yeah."


    The red light fluttered downward. Slowly, the ground came into view. Ike raised his brows. "Huh."


    "I guess you were right," Wisp said.


    Still staring, Ike shook his head. "Guess so."

 176. Heart of the Matter

    The red light played over a variated ground. Low lines, like roots, climbed over larger, thicker root-like lumps. The roots grew thicker, knitting together as they drew toward the highest point beneath them, a huge, thick lump on the ground. The lump throbbed. Or rather, it beat."That''s Lord Nors'' heart, isn''t it," Ike said.


    "I''d bet on it."


    "Hey, Wisp?"


    "Yeah?"


    "When you reach Rank 4, I beg you, please keep your heart inside your body."


    Wisp pursed her lips. She nodded. "I was planning on it, tell you the truth."


    "Good, good." Ike paused. He looked at the heart. "Sorry, Lord Nors. We could have been on the same side."


    "We still can."


    A figure stepped out from behind the heart. The shopkeep stood there, with his swept brown hair and his neat suit. He smiled primly. "Good afternoon. I apologize for the man upstairs. You''ll have to forgive him. He''s a bit short in the head."


    Ike tilted his head. He looked at Wisp.


    Wisp spread her hands. "I can''t explain this. Why are you looking at me?"


    "I was hoping someone would have an answer. Anyone, really," Ike said hopelessly.


    "Then look no further!" the shopkeep said. He stepped forward. "I take it you''ve come to some understanding of the Wizard''s Tower, if you made your way here?"


    "A small understanding," Ike allowed.


    "Then I must tell you that I failed. We failed." He took a deep breath.


    Ike waited. Wisp slowly spooled her thread toward the floor.


    "We chose to invest in the Wizard''s Tower technique after¡­ I assume Lord Nors showed you that puppet show?"


    "He did, yes," Ike said, nodding.


    The shopkeep sighed. "Right. After everything was already ruined. Everyone we loved was dead. Everything we''d built had been destroyed. But Wizard''s Tower lets you create a perfect world. A world that you imagine. Within your Tower, everything is under your control. You craft everything. You form everything. No matter what you want, you can create it in your Tower. We thought, maybe if we succeeded, maybe if we perfectly pictured everyone, used the puppets Llewyn had built, the ones that looked identical¡­ maybe we could bring them back."


    Ike touched down. "But it didn''t work."


    The shopkeep shook his head. "I put everything in it. Every ounce of myself. Every drop of my power. And¡­I did it. I created a Wizard''s Tower. But instead of recreating the town''s citizens, I instead split my own psyche. A thousand versions of me, moving at once. They were all me. I was all of them. And all their actions were mine, and yet not mine."


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    He lowered his head. His eyes shut. "Within days, I could feel myself going insane. There was only one way to save myself. The few pieces of me that remained self-aware put all our energy into controlling the Tower. We looped the day on itself, to make the lives of the rest of us easier. To keep ourselves from going any more insane. To keep the puppets'' insanity from encroaching on the sanity of those who remained."


    Ike nodded. "I get that. I''m kind of following. But why capture me and Wisp?"


    The shopkeep spread his hands. "You entered the Tower of your own volition. Once the other puppets saw you, there was no chance those of us who remained sane would be able to let you escape. I assume Lord Nors attempted to absorb you in some form or another? There''s more that goes into a Wizard''s Tower than mere mana. It requires psychic strength as well, souls and hearts¡­ things you can only harvest from another sentient being.


    "I apologize about that, but it was quite beyond my power to stop them. I tried to convince them to let you go, and you see where they put me."


    "And the Wisp puppet?" Ike asked.


    "The what?" Wisp asked, whipping around.


    "I¡­had no idea they did such a thing. I apologize, I suppose," the shopkeep said, clasping his hands.


    "What do you want us to do?" Ike asked, cutting to the chase.


    "Ah! Yes. Precisely. You''ve already slain all the other puppets, correct? I sensed it. We are one being, after all."


    Ike nodded.


    The shopkeep stepped forward. "Right now, Lord Nors and I are warring over the power you released when you destroyed them. Essentially, we''re playing tug of war with each other''s minds. We are the final two who remain. Either he wins, or I do. Between the two of us¡­well, if you had to pick¡­" The shopkeep shrugged helplessly.


    "Or we could stab your big, exposed heart," Wisp said, pointing at the thing.


    The shopkeep glanced over. He quickly looked away. "I suppose you could, yes. I would prefer you didn''t. After all, I might be a weak Rank 4, but once I reabsorb all the pieces of myself, I will once more be a true Rank 4. And, I hope, a valuable asset on your side, in the fight against Llewyn."


    Ike nodded. He pinched his chin, then glanced at Wisp. She raised her brows.


    He turned back to the shopkeep. "Mind if we take a moment to discuss?"


    "No, no. Please. Go ahead," he said. He backed away politely and waited, a smile on his face.


    Ike leaned in. Wisp crawled down from her thread and tipped her head his direction. He met her eyes. "So¡­do we take his side, or stab the heart?"


    Wisp considered. "If we kill him, we get all the treasure in his treasury, but we have to find it."


    "And he can put it anywhere in the entire city. We''ll be here for ages," Ike said, nodding.


    "Right. But right now, we can negotiate for his treasury, and get him to agree to put it where we can reach." S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Downside, he can hide shit. Or renege on his promise," Ike pointed out.


    "But, upside, we''re not stuck here forever digging up the entire city to find his treasure," Wisp countered.


    Ike turned. He nodded at the shopkeep. "Are you willing to give us everything in your treasury if we help you?"


    "Everything? Er¡­ Could I negotiate to keep some of the gold?" the shopkeep said. He laughed nervously. "I wasn''t lying about my city being a merchant city. If you leave me the gold, I can gain far more gold for you, and accomplish far more, than if you take all my gold."


    Ike looked at Wisp. He raised his brows. "I''m kind of good on gold."


    "Yeah, gold tastes shitty, and I have a shit ton. I''m fine leaving him some gold," Wisp agreed.


    He turned back around. "I think we can allow that."


    The shopkeep beamed. "Excellent. Then, do we have a deal?"


    Ike and Wisp made eye contact. Ike nodded. Wisp nodded back. Ike turned back around. "I think we do."


    The shopkeep reached into his pocket. "Here. Take this. This will transfer all of Lord Nors'' power to me."


    Ike paused. He looked at the small metal rod, then looked at the shopkeep. "Speaking of, what''s your name? I feel like I should know your name, if I''m going to kill a man for you."


    He rubbed the back of his head. "My name? Er. I was always just called ''the shopkeep'' by the other puppets. I was a fictional character I added to the village for my own amusement. Because I remembered there being a shop on the corner, but I didn''t know who manned it. They were only a recent arrival, and I never met them."


    "Shopkeep it is," Ike said. He took the rod.


    "Wait, Ike!" Wisp said. She grabbed his shoulder.


    "What?" he asked.


    She shook her head. "We''ve made a terrible mistake!"

 177. A Terrible Mistake

    "A terrible mistake?" Ike asked.She punched his shoulder. "We''ve done it in the wrong order again! We need to raid the treasury first, then help the inhabitants."


    Ike snorted. "You already raided it a little, right?"


    "I mean a real raiding. I just did a cursory look, and then played around in the gold a lot," Wisp said.


    "But there''s no chance we''ll find it before we take out Lord Nors," Ike pointed out.


    "Find it again. Ugh. I should''ve truly raided it the first time," Wisp complained, tilting her head toward the sky in regret.


    "Well, we didn''t. Sorry, Shopkeep," Ike called toward the other man.


    "No, no. It''s quite fine," Shopkeep said with a business smile.


    "But we''ve struck a deal now, so we do get to raid the treasury, even though we missed out on the first time," Ike pointed out.


    "Right, yeah. I just don''t like depending on this human trust bullshit," Wisp complained.


    "It''s not bullshit. It''s how societies operate," the Shopkeep patiently explained.


    "How is it not? All you need to do is change your mind, and we''re fucked," Wisp pointed out.


    The Shopkeep smiled. He raised a single finger and shook it slightly. "You''re thinking of this wrong, my monstrous friend. You see, this isn''t mere trust. It''s an investment."


    "Huh?" Wisp tilted her head.


    He nodded. "You see, at this moment, I''m investing my treasure in you. In return, you give me control of my city once more¡ªan investment in kind. A fair trade. In the future, you two will remember me fondly as a man who pays my debts. When you grow stronger, you might think of my name when it comes time to sell a precious item you no longer need. Even if it''s a hundred years, I''m willing to wait for that day. And when it comes, I will hold the auction. Once more, you will invest your trust in me. In return, I will obtain a price beyond anything you could obtain on your own negotiations. I will receive a fine cut, as sales commission, and you, after the sale, will still walk away with more money than you could have obtained alone. As we grow closer and continue to trust and invest in one another, we will both receive exponentially increasing benefits. The small benefit I would obtain by lying to or betraying you now is completely outpaced by the future benefits I receive by fulfilling our promise."


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    "And what if we die? Or we forget about you and never look back?" Wisp asked.


    The shopkeep spread his hands. "Then I will have still received the benefits of our initial interaction, and so will you. I lose nothing, and stand to gain much. It is a small gamble, but one I am willing to make." S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Wisp frowned. She looked at Ike. "Why do I suddenly feel like we''re losing this exchange?"


    Ike laughed. "Not everything is about winning and losing."


    "That''s where you''re wrong. At the end of the day, someone eats, and someone else gets eaten," Wisp said. She waved her hand. "Enough talk. Let''s go get our treasure."


    "Think about it this way. We''re gaining way more than we did from that last city we saved," Ike pointed out.


    Wisp twisted her lips and shrugged. "Arguably. No Unique skills, so it''s hard to say for sure."


    "Are Unique skills that precious?" Ike asked.


    Wisp snorted. She gave him a look. "Are they not, where you''re from?"


    "No, no. They are. I just. You know. Never had a proper chance to take stock of the economy," Ike said, waving his hands. I definitely shouldn''t mention that I can just make more Unique skills from Lightning Dash.


    I should try messing with my other Unique skills, too.


    "They are, but not immeasurably so. There was a lot of gold in that room. It might be worth more. Depending on how much we have to leave for this loser." She threw a spool of thread upward. It soared into the sky, gleaming bright red the whole way. It stuck to the ceiling, where the hole remained.


    Ike squinted. "Did Lord Nors not bother to close that?"


    "I bet he''s sitting right at the top, waiting for us to pop up so he can cut our necks," Wisp grumbled. She tugged the thread, then offered her hand to Ike. "Let''s go beat him up, so we can get our treasure."


    "On it." Ike clung on. As Wisp hauled him hand-over-hand into the sky, he cast Ice Armor on both of them. To his surprise, the ice was thicker and more flexible at the same time. He checked it, peering at the cross section. The armor had layered itself automatically, with ten distinct levels of ice stacked up.


    He raised his brows. Is that because I multicast it so much that it became part of the skill to multicast itself? Or is it a Rank 3 thing? Either way, that''s handy. He cast a second layer, and another ten layers of ice accumulated on him and Wisp.


    As they reached the top, Ike gestured for Wisp to slow. He leaned out, then in, swinging the thread back and forth to get a variety of angles on the castle above the floor. On his fourth swing, he found Lord Nors. The man stood just out of sight. His eyes locked onto the hole, and his sword hovered close, ready to dart in at the sign of anything crawling out.


    "He''s right there, just like you guessed," Ike whispered.


    Wisp nodded. "One sword, still?"


    "Only one. You thinking what I''m thinking?"


    She grinned. "On three."


    Ike took a deep breath. Letting go of Wisp, he grasped the thread himself. "One. Two."

 178. Three

    As Ike said the word, both he and Wisp launched out of the hole. Lord Nors'' eyes narrowed. He gestured, and the sword flew forth, soaring toward Ike''s throat.Lightning flickered. Ike snapped his hands out and caught the blade in midair, clapping the flat of the blade between his palms. Electricity crackled down the length of the sword. Up close, he could see it was a single-bladed sword, sharp only on one side. He grabbed the sword from the top, gripping the dull end, and threw it back at Lord Nors, point first.


    Lord Nors waved his hand, knocking the blade aside. It clattered to the ground without harming him. A second later, shock crossed his face as he realized what he''d done. He looked up to see a small woman closing in on him.


    "Hah, idiot," Wisp said, and punched him in the face.


    Lord Nors staggered. Even as he fell, he threw his hand out. His blade jumped up and leaped toward Wisp.


    Ike''s eyes narrowed. I don''t think so. He dashed in, lightning chasing his heels, and batted the sword aside again.


    Wisp punched Lord Nors'' face again. The man shoved her away and jumped back. Wisp chased after him, only to smash face-first into a wall. She drew her head back and shook it, rubbing her nose. "Ow."


    "Duck!" Ike called.


    Wisp dropped. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike unleashed the horizontal strike of the River-Splitting Sword, then two vertical slashes. He kicked the wall down.


    Wisp launched through. Another wall loomed. She lowered her shoulder and smashed through. Ike slashed apart the next wall, and Wisp crashed through the one after that. Ike lifted his sword again, only to find a spire hurtling toward him pointy-end first.


    He jumped to the side. "Watch out!"


    Wisp kicked off it and hopped forward. She ran ahead of Ike. Behind the spire, a wall laden with spikes hurtled toward them. She smashed it with a punch and ran on.


    As she ran, a chunk of castle slammed down toward her head. Ike grunted and kicked it away. His foot stung, but the chunk fell to the side harmlessly. He activated the Body Reforging Art and ran on.


    His feet landed on nothing. Ike began to drop, then bounced back up on something stringy and flexible. Wisp laughed. She ran ahead on her string. "Trying to catch a spider with a pitfall trap? What a fool."


    From a crack in the next wall, a blaze of silver shot forth, seeking to skewer both of them. Wisp hopped up and gripped onto the ceiling with her finger and toe tips. The blade closed in on Ike.


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    He snatched it out of the air. Using the full force of his Lightning Clad, he snapped the blade over his knee and let the pieces fall into the darkness. "No more sword for you."


    A muffled shout of rage sounded from the other side of the walls. Wisp smashed through the next wall and grabbed ahold of Lord Nors'' collar. She drew back her fist.


    Ike charged in, drawing back his fist. As Wisp unleashed hers, he did as well. Both of them slammed Lord Nors in the face.


    Lord Nors'' head snapped back. He stumbled. The wall gently met him and pushed him back upright. Underneath Wisp and Ike''s feet, the stones sunk. Ike jerked to a halt, yanking his feet up before he barked his shins on the stone.


    White thread shot forth from beside him. Wisp threw herself into the air. She fired a blast of thread at Lord Nors and yanked him toward them.


    Ike whirled. He swung his sword with all his might. The blade cut into Lord Nors'' throat. It severed through the hollow porcelain and slashed out the other side. Lord Nors'' head went flying. His body hit the ground.


    Ike panted. He stared, waiting. Rosamund got back up.


    Wisp nudged him. "Don''t you have to put that needle in him?"


    "Oh! Right." Ike ran over. He paused. Where the hell do I put this?


    The body started to stand once again. Killing his hesitation, Ike slammed the needle into the puppet, center-of-mass.


    Energy streamed out of the puppet, so thick that it blasted Ike back bodily. The needle shook. The puppet grabbed the needle and pulled it out of itself. It threw it to the side and stood again.


    "Shit!" Wisp dove for the needle.


    Walls slammed up, isolating Wisp and Ike from the puppet. Ike ran at Wisp, only for another wall to rush at him. Spikes jutted from its surface. He leaped back, forced into retreating. The wall gave chase. Behind it, the heavy THUMP THUMP THUMP of walls falling echoed out.


    "Wisp!" Ike shouted.


    "I''ve got the needle. Just smash until you find him!" Wisp shouted back.


    Ike laughed. "That''s right. He can''t throw the whole castle at us if there''s no castle left." He lifted his fist and unleashed a shockwave at the approaching wall. The stone shattered, but another wall rushed up behind it. He gritted his teeth and jumped back, launching another shockwave at the wall. Again, it crumbled, only to reveal yet another wall beyond.


    "Fuck!" Ike snarled, frustrated. He launched punch after punch, but the walls continued endlessly. The ruined chunks of wall lifted up into the air and surged at him. He blasted them away again, but the smaller pieces slipped through the shockwaves. Little bits of stone pelted Ike. They sliced him and punched him hard enough to leave bruises. He threw his hands up, not seriously injured, but annoyed.


    Ike turned and ran. The walls chased after him. From the other side, another wall closed in. He whipped around and punched the wall to the left¡ªthe wall that wasn''t closing in on him. He burst through into a large, dusty storeroom. Armor sat on the ground, disused and rusty. A rack full of weapons stood beside it. He quickly extended his awareness, but sensed no aura from any of it. He sighed. Non-magical armor and weapons might as well be made of paper.


    Out in the hallway, the walls continued to thud past. Ike raised his brows. Looks like he''s lost me, if only for a moment.


    Perfect. He hunkered down, holding his hands out. He activated Tempest. This time, he put his all into it, activating it with all his strength.


    The Tempest where I held back didn''t destroy the castle. I might be within its walls, now, but it''ll do me no good if the walls contain the skill. I need to blast Tempest with all my power. Destroy this whole castle, once and for all!

 179. The Tempest Within

    Ike activated Tempest with all his strength. Energy burst around him. Aether swirled, cycling through his limbs, out into the world, and back again. As it circulated, it grabbed strands of aether from the air and sucked them in, dragging yet more energy into the spell. Wind whipped Ike''s hair around his face. He squinted against it, pushing his bandanna up a bit to force the strands into some kind of complacency.The wind built and built. It howled, bouncing off the walls in its intensity. It snatched at the armor and the weapons, shaking the armor where it sat and rocking the weapons in their rack. Ike gritted his teeth and pressed on. This isn''t enough. This won''t tear stone from mortar. I need more. A true Tempest!


    He leaned into it, pushing more aether into the skill. The skill started to retreat, having taken its fill of aether. Ike grabbed onto it and pulled it back towards him. He refused to let it go. Not yet. Not until it was completely, utterly, full. Until it was bulging with aether. It was only full right now, but there were still thin spots in his aether. Still places where he could force the skill to take more aether. He forced more in. More!


    The winds whipped even more furiously around him. The armor rattled faster and faster, then lifted off the ground. It flew up into the air. The swords leaped off the rack, sucked up by the force of the winds, and joined the armor. A second later, the rack lifted off the ground and joined the armaments. They flew around at the top of the room, knocking into the ceiling.


    Ike focused on the spell. He pushed, forcing a little more aether into it. A little more, a little more! Just until it starts to tear down the walls¡­


    "There you are."


    Ike startled. He looked up.


    The ceiling had retreated. A head gazed down at him, trapped firmly under Lord Nors'' arm. The two pieces of his sword circulated slowly around him, bobbing to the beat of his mana. He flicked his finger and sent the two shining fragments at Ike.


    Ike narrowed his eyes. He diverted a bit of his mana to cover his hand in ice. With a single decisive strike, he knocked the blades away. The ice shattered off his hand from the force of the blades.


    Startled, Ike stared at his hand. Earlier, I broke that thing with my bare hands. I only used Ice Armor out of caution, but if I hadn''t, I might have lost my hand. He looked up at Lord Nors. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lord Nors smirked. "Surprised? That little rod you stabbed me with unlocked my powers. Now I can use the full force of my true strength."


    "Yeah, keep smirking, armpit sniffer. Self-pit-sniffing loser," Ike said.


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    Lord Nors'' face turned bright red. He trembled from fury, his eyes going wide.


    "You heard me. How''s it smell down there?" Ike taunted him again. He put more energy into Tempest. The skill trembled. It shook in his hands, struggling to escape his hold. With every passing second, it slipped a little further out of his grasp. He was no longer in control of it. He could only feed it and hope.


    The wind howled around him. His clothes whipped against his body. He waggled his brows at Lord Nors, daring him to fall for the taunt. His head''s already detached. If I can lure him in here, Tempest will knock that head away from him. Since he''s carrying it around, it''s probably important to him.


    ¡­It''s his head. Of course it''s important to him.


    The Tempest shuddered in his hands. Ike clenched on with all his might. The skill shredded his skin and ate at his flesh and bones. He activated his healing skill and clung on. He eyed Lord Nors. Externally, he remained cool, but internally, he howled at the man.


    Get down here already! It was a good taunt, dammit!


    He laughed. "I guess you like the smell. Everyone has their own fetishes¡ª"


    Lord Nors'' eyes flashed. He leaped at Ike, his swords flying forth as he closed in. The winds buffeted the swords, but they cut through. The blades honed close, so close Ike could see his own reflection in them.


    Now!


    He unleashed the Tempest.


    Winds unlike any he''d experienced before burst from the skill. Lord Nors'' blades felw away. Lord Nors, too, was whipped aside. The fierce rush lifted him up bodily and slammed him into the wall. The winds tore at the wall, beating it down all around him.


    Ike grabbed Shawn and stopped holding the boy''s weight. He fell to the ground. Shawn pinned him there. The wind howled, pulling at his clothes, at his skin, trying to get under him and lift him up, but Shawn''s weight was too much for them.


    Lord Nors'' weight was not. The winds tore him into the air. They whistled down his hollow neck and tossed him around like the doll he was. His body shook. It slammed into the wall with a hollow crack. The stones flew out behind him, and he fell through the hole.


    The wall tore down around Ike. Stones flew everywhere. One slammed into the ground beside his head with such force that both the flying stone and the floor stone shattered. Ike hunkered. He cast Ice Armor over himself and Shawn, layering it once, twice, three times, until it formed a kind of ice dome around the two of them. Stones smashed into the ice wall, knocking holes in their protection. Every time one struck, Ike layered another set of Ice Armor over them.


    The roof ripped off. Exposed to the sky, Ike peered through the ice and dimly made out what he''d summoned. Winds churned overhead. Lightning crackled nearby, dashing through the clouds. Hidden in his ice dome, he started using his lightning skills. He kept his eyes on the sky. If he had to bet, Lord Nors wasn''t done yet. If he needed to use Lightning Caller, he wanted to be ready.


    Two bright spots of silver flashed high overhead. They slashed through the winds and plunged toward Ike''s ice palace. A terrifying pressure exuded from the silver. Ike felt the shiver of sure death pass over his spine. He burst off the ground and smashed through the ice hut.


    The two blades sliced through his hut of ice a moment later. A head clenched one of them in its teeth, and two hands gripped the other. Lord Nors'' disembodied head glared at Ike. His body was gone. Even Ike couldn''t say where it had been thrown.


    "You''ve only made me stronger!" Lord Nors howled, and flew at Ike. The blade thrust forth from his teeth, aimed directly at Ike''s heart.

 180. The Tempest Without

    Ike backstepped furiously. Lightning Dash let him keep pace with Lord Nors'' charging head, but he couldn''t outpace it. A remaining scrap of wall loomed behind him. To avoid it would mean to slow down enough for Lord Nors to catch it. Ike gritted his teeth. He drew his sword and struck with the same motion, meeting Lord Nors'' blade with his own.The blades clashed. Sparks flew. Ike put Shawn''s weight behind it, using every ounce of leverage in the hit. Lord Nors fought back, using weight from some location Ike didn''t understand.


    "Shawn! I need more!" Ike shouted.


    "Hmm¡­? More weight? Mkay," Shawn replied sleepily. The weight on his shoulders bore ferociously down.


    Ike planted his feet and threw it at Lord Nors. At last, Lord Nors'' head flew back, unable to withstand the majority of a small mountain''s weight.


    Ike sagged. His feet dug holes in the earth. The stones cracked beneath him. "Shawn, take it back!"


    "Huh¡­?" Nothing changed.


    Lord Nors leapt up from where he''d fallen. His hand flashed out, leading the way this time. His head followed close after. The blade shimmered in his teeth. A piece of stone impacted its edge. The blade severed it neatly in two. It didn''t even snag in Lord Nors'' teeth.


    Shit. I don''t know how, but he is stronger. That blade was not that terrifying earlier. Was that metal straw-thing a ruse? Was Shopkeep just trying to empower his other half? Ahhh, dammit. It''s too likely! Panicking, Ike patted the boy on his shoulder. "Shawn!"


    "What?" Shawn demanded, annoyed.


    "Take your weight back! As much as you can, anyways!" Ike shouted.


    "Mmkay." The weight on Ike''s shoulders lessened. The blade zoomed toward him. Lord Nors'' eyes narrowed, a vicious grin of victory already spreading over his face.


    Ike dashed to the side. Without Shawn''s extra weight, he all but flew with Lightning Dash. Lord Nors struck at nothing. The second he was behind Lord Nors'' back, Ike drew out the wolfskin and slung it around himself. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lord Nors turned. He stared for just a moment, then laughed. "How childish. I can feel your aura, you know. You''re as clear as day to me!" He dashed at Ike again.


    Ike dodged to the side, still wearing the wolfskin, but Lord Nors'' head tracked him. He grimaced. He can see through it, dammit. I guess it wasn''t going to work forever. Lord Nors was Rank 4, after all. It made sense that he''d be able to see through a few of the tricks Ike had also been able to see through.


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    Then again¡­ Ike raised his brows. Shifting his sword to one hand, he rushed to meet Lord Nors.


    Lord Nors twisted his head. He parried the strike. A dismissive laugh echoed from his hollow throat.


    Ike slammed his other hand down on the side of Lord Nors'' head. A wide crack opened in the porcelain. Lord Nors'' eyes widened. He turned his eyes in shock, unable to believe what he saw. "What¡­ your bare hand?"


    "I thought you could feel my aura," Ike taunted him. He sent the invisible wolf''s fang dagger back into his storage ring before Lord Nors had the chance to examine it. It was unlikely he''d land a second hit, but it never hurt to try a trick a second time.


    Little feet skittered over the stone. A spider ran over the floor, somehow unaffected by the whirling wind. The little spider held a metal rod in its mandibles and raced toward Lord Nors at speed.


    Ike''s eyes widened. Wisp! Now only one question remained. Did they trust Shopkeep and try the metal rod again, or ignore him and try to crush Lord Nors themselves, on their own terms? He hesitated just a moment, then shook his head. We stick to the plan. Even if it empowers Shopkeep or Lord Nors, I think we can still take them on individually. And I highly doubt Shopkeep would deliberately empower Lord Nors without good reason. He didn''t seem fond of the man.


    If the next hit of the metal rod only makes Lord Nors stronger, though, we give up on it. At that point, there''d be too much evidence to ignore. He''d have to assume Shopkeep and Lord Nors were collaborating, and strike down both of them. It was an odd move for Shopkeep to make, when Wisp and Ike both knew his ultimate weakness¡ªthat beating heart beneath the city¡ªbut perhaps he was confident or full of himself enough to believe he could stop both of them from reaching it.


    Ike rushed at Lord Nors again. Wary this time, Lord Nors dashed away. Ike sped up with Lightning Dash. He put his all into it and managed to catch up to the disembodied head. Lord Nors had enough time to look surprised before Ike smashed him back toward Wisp. Lord Nors'' head hit the ground and knocked around, rattling on the stones.


    "You filth!" Lord Nors started to hop up again.


    "No, you''re filth!" Wisp countered. She leaped onto Lord Nors'' face. Gripping the metal rod between her forelimbs, she drove it home. It pierced through his eye and into the hollow behind.


    Despite himself, Ike shuddered. The ultimate nightmare. Not the being pierced through the eye so much¡ªalthough that was horrific. No, having a giant face-sized spider sit on your face: that was true horror.


    Lord Nors screamed. He thrashed around on the floor, knocking Wisp off. Energy spewed off of him, but it rushed into him as well. The energy densified inside him. The aura of mana grew stronger from one moment to the next. A tiny dot of glowing blue appeared in the depths of his cracked-open head. The dot grew larger. It condensed into a palm-sized blot, then kept growing, growing, growing, building up to fill his head.


    "Wisp! Get away!" Ike shouted, recognizing the technique. He fled himself. He''s going to explode!


    "Wait! He''s right over the heart! If we let him explode¡ª" Wisp shook her head.


    Ike stared. Shit! She''s right. I don''t want to let Lord Nors kill Shopkeep. No¡ªif Lord Nors wants to kill him, then I definitely don''t want to kill him! "How do we stop him?"


    "If I fuckin'' knew, I''d be doing it already!" she snapped back.


    Ike stared. His brains worked overtime, searching for a solution.


    Overhead, lightning snapped. A charge built up around Ike.


    "Wisp, get back!" he shouted again. But this time, he charged in. As the blue light reached a fever pitch, he dove for Lord Nors'' head.


    Please, make it in time! Even as he called those words in his heart, he activated Lightning Caller.


    KA-BOOM!

 181. Lightning, Called

    White light. A wall of noise. For an infinite second, those were the entirety of Ike''s world.He held his breath. His whole body screamed in pain. He couldn''t feel his fingertips, except in a dull throb of ache. His Body Reforging Art activated on its own. It drew at the last scraps of his aether, sucking at the scraps like a camel slurping up the last water at a dried-up oasis. Ike stared, waiting for his vision to clear.


    A hollow head clattered to the floor. Blackened porcelain and scorched hair. The head had broken in half. Only one half still twitched, the metal rod jutting from that eye.


    Lord Nors screamed. There was nothing left to scream with, but he screamed anyways. He rocked back and forth, impotent to do anything else.


    Energy gushed out of Lord Nors. The energy he''d built up in his head, as well as all the energy he and Shopkeep had once shared. Ike breathed deeply. He sucked it into his core, replenishing his aether stores. It wasn''t enough to fully refill his core, or even half refill it, but it fueled his healing skill. The pain in his body faded slightly. Ike let out a sigh and tasted burn.


    Wisp scurried over to him. She put a forelimb on his ankle. "You look rough."


    "You look like a spider, so," Ike countered.


    "What is this discrimination? This is my ultimate most powerful form!" Wisp returned. The tiny spider bulged, and the usual Wisp emerged from it. She tossed her hair, throwing it over her shoulder, then glared at Ike.


    "That''s your ultimate form?" Ike asked doubtfully.


    "Well, no. I''m not going to show my true ultimate form so easily," Wisp said, scoffing.


    Ike raised his brows. He nodded. "Fair."


    Lord Nors quieted. He stopped rocking. With a final snap, the remaining scrap of his head broke in two.


    Quiet clapping from behind them. Wisp and Ike turned.


    Shopkeep stood there, prim as could be. He bowed. "Bravo, bravo!"


    Ike grabbed his sword. Wisp bared her teeth. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shopkeep froze. He looked from one to the other. "Did I say something wrong?"


    Ike hesitated, then lowered his sword just an inch. "When people start clapping after a fight, it usually means they''re about to attack."


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    "Oh¡­ I''m sorry. Like I said, we''re a peaceful, merchant town. I don''t know anything about battle etiquette. I only know to clap when something wonderful happens." Explaining himself, Shopkeep nonetheless lowered his hands and ceased clapping.


    "You''re really not going to attack us?" Wisp asked, still wary.


    "No, not at all. I''m very happy with your performance. Ah! What was it that I owe you? The treasury? Right this way, right this way." Shopkeep gestured. He turned.


    Everyone stared. Ike, Wisp, Shopkeep. Nothing but barren ground stretched from here to the wall. Not so much as a scrap of a single building remained.


    Ike coughed. "Er¡­ whoops?"


    "To be fair, Lord Nors was being really obnoxious with that castle. He kept throwing the whole thing at us. I think you did the right thing," Wisp defended him.


    "Really? Even if I blew the treasure away, too?" Ike asked, surprised.


    "Well¡­ that part needs some work. Next time, blow away everything but the treasure," Wisp instructed him firmly.


    Ike kicked his heels together and snapped a salute. "Yes, ma''am!"


    Wisp nodded. "Yes, yes. Finally, I''m receiving the respect I deserve."


    Shopkeep chuckled, a small smile on his lips. "No worries, everyone. In the heat of the fight, I stole away some of Lord Nors'' power. Naturally, I''m no fool. When I saw the way the battle was going, I secured the treasury for myself and drew it underground." He clapped twice, prim and proper.


    Stone ground on stone. Earth rumbled. From deep in the earth, a boxy stone room rose to the surface. Dust poured off its roof. It shoved rubble aside as it rose. At last, it came to a halt. A pair of thick iron doors blocked the entrance, and the shimmer of enchantments wound around its outside.


    "Then, as we agreed." Shopkeep clapped again. The enchantments went dark, and the doors ground open. The glittering treasure of the realm shone in the stormy light, free for the taking.


    "No way. Really?" Wisp asked.


    Ike snorted. "We had a deal, you know."


    "Right, but he really handed it over?"


    "If he didn''t, we could''ve just headed back downstairs and taken his heart," Ike pointed out.


    "Quite so. A fantastic example of leverage," Shopkeep agreed, nodding.


    "Even so¡­ I really thought we were going to have to do that. He just handed it over!" Wisp exclaimed, shocked. She stared, then shook her head and slapped her cheeks. "Let''s not stand here. Come on! Gold is a-waiting!"


    "And skills!" Ike reminded her. He paused and looked at Shopkeep. "Er, you said you wanted to keep some for yourself?"


    Shopkeep nodded. He leaned in. "Between you and me, I''ve already hidden that elsewhere. Feel free to take all that I''ve left. Or leave some, as you wish. I won''t force you to take on all the garbage we''ve stored up over the centuries."


    Ike snorted. What a wily old fox. He nodded. "I won''t hold back, then. Thank you, Shopkeep. I do appreciate you upholding your end of the bargain."


    "And I appreciate you not stabbing my heart!"


    Ike and Shopkeep both threw back their heads and laughed.


    "Hey! Slowpoke! I''m going to steal all the good loot, you okay with that?" Wisp called from the depths of the treasury.


    "Hey¡ªwait up!" Ike charged in, chasing after Wisp.


    Watching them go, Shopkeep smiled. Not a false, customer-service smile, but an earnest one. "To see such lively faces in my city again¡­"


    He paused, then lifted his head and took in the wasteland. A dry wind blew, stirring the dust. Pebbles knocked against one another. A few lonely old trees clung to life, and the rest had become splinters, dust, and memories.


    A wry chuckle escaped his lips. "Not that it''s much of a city right now."

 182. Recovery Efforts

    When Wisp and Ike emerged once more from the treasury, burdened with almost more loot than they could carry, they found themselves standing in an entirely different place.A stone city stood around them. In its center stood a modest castle, but this castle had no walls. Instead, shops and homes clustered close. All stood empty. Not a single puppet nor person was anywhere in sight.


    Ike and Wisp exchanged a glance. Ike shrugged first. "Let''s go find Shopkeep."


    It wasn''t a hard mission. The sound of steady thudding lead them in his direction. At the edge of the new stone city, Shopkeep stood. He pointed, directing the stones into the earth to form the new streets. On either side of the freshly-built streets, stone houses piled up on themselves. As he walked, the new city formed around him.


    Ike watched in silence, amazed. Beside him, Wisp yawned, bored.


    Shopkeep alerted and turned at the sound. His eyes landed on them, and he smiled. "Hello! Have you taken all the loot you desire?"


    "Hell yeah," Wisp said, nodding.


    "We have," Ike confirmed. "What are you up to?"


    Shopkeep gestured. "Building a new city. I know it''s mere egoism, but perhaps if I build houses, people might come and think it''s a good place to live. I''d like it if this place became lively once more. Not the puppet show''s kind of lively, but truly lively. Full of people I''ve never met, truly living true lives."


    Ike nodded. He smiled. "I think I''d like that as well."


    Shopkeep nodded at them. "What about you two? You can pick any house you like."


    Wisp shrugged. "We''re the travelling type. We don''t really settle down."


    "That''s fine! Even if it''s just a place to lay your belongings, or come back to from time to time. It''s the least I can do for my saviors."


    Ike and Wisp exchanged a glance. At last, Ike shrugged. "If he''s offering it for free, no reason not to take him up on it."


    "Do you ever plan to come back?" Wisp asked.


    Ike shrugged. "I don''t know. I never planned to come here in the first place. How am I supposed to know if I''ll want to return here, centuries in the future?"


    "I suppose that''s true." Wisp shrugged. "I won''t stop you."


    "And will you pick a house?"


    She shrugged non-comitally. "If one strikes my fancy, perhaps."


    Ike chuckled at her. He shook his head. "You had a home back in the forest. What''s the hesitation now?"


    She pointed at him. "You!"


    "Me?" Ike asked, startled.


    "Not you."


    "Is it me, or not me?"


    "Yes. It''s you. Humans. With all your annoying rules and laws. What if I get hungry, and a tasty little morsel runs by my door? In my forest, I snatch it up and eat it. But if humans see me do it, they start screaming about the child-devouring spider monster," Wisp said, crossing her arms.


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    "Ah. Yes. I can see how that could cause conflicts," Ike said, grinning.


    "So I don''t really want a home in a human city. I''m happier out in the wild." She paused. From the corner of her eyes, she cut a look at Ike. "But if you had a home, I might visit you once or twice."


    "Oh? I''m honored. As long as you don''t eat any children in front of it," Ike amended.


    "You humans and your dang rules," Wisp grumbled, but she grinned at him.


    Ike grinned back. "Help me pick out a good house."


    "What do you want, a biggun?" she asked.


    "Big and fancy."


    "That''s what I''m talking about," Wisp said, with an approving nod.


    "You can turn down all the free loot you want, but I''m taking the biggest house I can," Ike said, nodding.


    Wisp jolted. She whipped around. "Houses are loot?"


    "Yeah. They''re pretty damn expensive. At least as expensive as a Bronze skill. A big one might run as much as a Silver or Gold skill," Ike asserted.


    She stared at him, completely still. Big eyes gazed up at him. "Really?"


    Ike pinched his chin. He looked around at the mansions around them, with their stone walls and big, open windows. "Actually, these mage houses might even cost more than that. Houses can be really, really expensive."


    Wisp stared at him for another moment. Abruptly, she ran off. "I''m getting a house!"


    "What happened to accidentally eating children?"


    "That''s the children''s problem!"


    Ike chuckled. He watched her run off, then shook his head. "They aren''t going to run away, you know."


    "I''m getting the biggest one!" she shouted back.


    Ike jolted. He chased after her. "Wait up! I was looking at houses first! I get the biggest one!"


    Across the town, Shopkeep looked up. A smile spread across his lips. He made a subtle gesture. Ahead of Ike and Wisp, around the corner where they couldn''t see yet, stone flew toward two houses. They grew larger. Verandas attached to their side. Broad porches and a broad courtyard spread around each. Another story piled on top. Two grand, beautiful houses grew out of the otherwise somewhat cookie cutter surroundings.


    As the last stone landed on the walls, Wisp and Ike turned the corner. Wisp gave a quick glance, then raced for the further of the two. "This one''s mine!"


    "I''ll take this one, then," Ike said, perfectly satisfied. The houses were more or less the same, after all. Their layout was a little different, so that one appeared grander from the road, but a moment''s glance proved that their contents were equivalent. He rested a hand on the gate and gazed at the house. His house.


    I have a house. The words flowed through his mind, then settled into his heart. A weight lifted off his shoulders, one he hadn''t even known had settled there. He had a house. A place to stay, and call his own. A house.


    "Insane," Ike murmured aloud. He''d never imagined he''d have a house. Not in his wildest dreams. He''d known, working for his uncle, that he''d never make enough to own a house, and there was little hope that the mortal him would outlive his mage uncle. Out in the wild, wandering around, he''d had no use for a house. But now¡­ now, he had one.


    He took a deep breath. He didn''t know how to feel. Happy? Proud? Anxious? Excited? To tell the truth, he felt a little of all of them at once. He clenched his hands and released them, grinning to himself. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "There''s a pond! For eating fish!" Wisp shouted, already running around inside hers.


    "I think it''s for admiring fish!" Ike shouted back. He lifted his hand off the wall and stepped inside.


    Instantly, thick aether whirled around him. Startled, Ike drew to a halt. He closed his eyes and reached out with his senses, feeling the aether all around him. It whirled past, rushing all around him.


    "A mana vein?" Shawn asked, sitting up on Ike''s shoulder. He let go and ran into the house. "Mana vein!"


    "Don''t you have to ask to¡ª" Shawn was gone. Ike shook his head. He''ll ask if he needs to, I guess. Moving more slowly than his smaller companion, Ike took in the house.


    As Wisp had said, there was a shallow indentation in the earth for a pond. It hadn''t yet filled with water. Likewise, there was a vast space for a garden or lawn, but no plants grew yet. Ike hummed. He could do that. Put water in the pond. Seed the earth. Plant bushes, flowers, trees. This land was his. This house was his. He could do everything he wanted.


    He stepped into the house proper. It was simple for now, little more than stone walls and a stone floor. He drew a few items from the treasury as he walked. A gilded love chair sat under the entry windows. A set of fine shovels and rakes for the fire went beside the chimney. Upstairs, he put a bed frame in one of the bedrooms, and put a few of the kingly clothes he''d looted from Clarina''s city in the closet. Ike walked to the window and gazed out.


    His house.


    He couldn''t help it. Couldn''t stop thinking about it. His house. He ran his hand along the windowsill and felt the cool stone under his palm. His stone. His windowsill.


    A shiver crawled up his spine. Ike laughed aloud, not knowing what else to do. It was so surreal. This moment was impossible. But it had happened. He had a house. He had a house!

 183. A House

    Sitting on his doorstep, Ike checked all the skills he''d taken out of the treasury. Most of them were useless skills. Skills for counting, transferring money around, skills of that sort. The kind of skills a town full of traders would find incredibly useful, but which Ike found kind of worthless.Well, not worthless. I''ll sell them for a profit.


    The only two combat skills in Shopkeep''s treasury were a low-rank sword skill, inferior to River-Splitting Sword, and a skill for throwing knives. He considered the knife skill. He didn''t have any throwing skills yet, but did he really need one? Would he ever need to throw a knife? It seemed relatively useless.


    He put his mana into it, sensing the skill. It was perfect. No flaws in the skill itself. It didn''t feel like more than a Bronze-rank skill, but then, it was for throwing knives. He couldn''t expect it to be a high-rank skill.


    If I could combine that with my lightning skills, or with one of my other elemental skills, though, that could be awesome. Ike considered for one more second, then absorbed it.


    The skill easily vanished into his body. He opened up his skill menu.


    [Name: Ike | Age: 17 | Status: Nm | Rank: 3 [Homeowner]]


    Skills: Common: 8 | Bronze 5 | Silver 3 | Gold 2 | Rare 2 | Unique: 6


    Common: All-Around Runner Lvl 9 | Razor Handling Lvl 9 | Spear Handling Lvl 4 | Axe Handling Lvl 4 | Sword Handling Lvl 9 | Bow Handling Lvl 1 | Primitive Crafting Lvl 9 | Self-Cleaning Lvl 1


    Bronze: Throwing Knife Lvl 1 | Sensory Enhancement Lvl 9 | Mana Manipulation Lvl 6 | Lunam Manipulation Lvl 0 | Aether Manipulation Lvl 2 | Solam Manipulation Lvl 0


    Silver: Flurry of Kicks Lvl 4 | Chlorophyll Lvl 3 | Exsanguination Lvl 1


    Gold: Shockwave Punch Lvl 6 | Ice Armor Lvl 5


    Rare: River-Splitting Sword Lvl 9 | Mountain''s Weight Lvl 1


    Unique: Lightning Dash Lvl 9 | Lightning Grasp Lvl 9 | Lightning Clad Lvl 4 | Lightning Caller Lvl 4 | Body Reforging Art Lvl 1 | Tempest Lvl 2


    How narrow is this knife-throwing skill? He drew out the invisible wolf''s tooth dagger, then stopped. He looked at the invisible knife. Yeah. I uh. Probably don''t want to throw that one.


    Reaching back into his storage ring, he drew out a bejeweled golden dagger. He activated the skill.


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    Information flowed into his head. He understood the weight of the dagger instinctively, and clutched up on his grip to hold it at the best spot. Turning, he chose a point in the middle of the pond-depression and loosed the dagger. The skill guided his hand, wrist, and elbow. The dagger flew true and struck the center of the pond, exactly where he''d aimed.


    Ike nodded, raising his brows. Not bad. It was a skill for throwing blades, and it did exactly that. He tried again with his sword, then with a dinner knife. Every time, the skill guided his body to throw it perfectly. The skill struggled with the sword, and that toss went awry, but the rest of the blades landed exactly where he''d meant them to.


    Satisfied, Ike walked over and retrieved his blades. He slid them all away. I''ll leave the rest of the skills in my storage ring. I''ll sell them at the next town. I don''t need a bunch of useless accounting skills.


    "Hey! Ike." Wisp''s head popped up over the wall between their houses.


    "What''s up?" Ike asked, looking over.


    She scrambled over the wall and hopped down on his side. "You like your house?"


    "Yeah. It''s¡­ amazing," Ike said.


    "It''s kind of boring and stone, but sure," Wisp said. She shook her head. "I need to do some decorating."


    "Oh, I was just doing that, too¡­" Ike trailed off. "You mean with your webs, don''t you."


    "What other kind of decorating is there? Webs make a home. Webs are a home. My home needs webs!" Wisp exclaimed. She shook her head at Ike disbelievingly.


    "I can''t say it doesn''t make sense," Ike agreed.


    "You want some?"


    "No, no. You should decorate your house before you worry about mine," Ike said demurely. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s no trouble. I can spin ''em up wherever," Wisp said.


    "Do your house first. Your house first," Ike repeated.


    "It''s free. Free loot! My thread is very valuable, you know. People paid good money to harvest it from the forest, back in the Abyss," Wisp announced proudly.


    "Did they?" Ike asked, squinting.


    "They did! But not to me, to some human mage who decided he was going to sell my hard work without paying me. I caught on and ate him, and then no one wanted to deal with me, for some reason."


    "Probably because you ate the first guy," Ike offered.


    Wisp clicked her tongue. "Humans are way too picky about a few little snacks. He was stealing my shit! Was I supposed to just let him, huh? Humans understand might makes right, so why are you so picky about eating people?"


    "That''s¡­ well, it''s a line most people will never cross," Ike said.


    "They should. Humans would benefit from a little bit of cannibalism."


    Ike snorted. He shook his head at her. "This is why you''ll never make it in human society."


    "Yeah, like you''re so good," Wisp shot back.


    "I''ve never eaten a single child," Ike bragged.


    "I haven''t, either," Wisp said sadly.


    "What, really?"


    "Unless you count my fellow siblings, but that was kind of an every-man-for-himself situation. I''ve never eaten a human child. They''re too hard to catch. They hide in their cities, out of my reach."


    "Have you tried?" Ike asked, not sure he wanted to know.


    "Maybe."


    Footsteps echoed down the street. Ike and Wisp looked up. Shopkeep approached, a smile on his face. "Have you two chosen your houses?"


    "Yes. These two," Ike said.


    "Wonderful, wonderful. I''m glad to see you two so happy." He turned and gazed outward, away from the city. Over the walls. Out beyond the forest. "Maybe soon I''ll have a city full of citizens again. A real city."


    "I hope so, as well," Ike agreed.


    "If you two move on, I hope you''ll bring stories of this place with you. Tell everyone about this peaceful city," Shopkeep said.


    Ike nodded. "Of course!"


    "I don''t think so."

 184. Not This Time

    The voice sounded close, but it boomed from the edge of the town. Shopkeep''s head snapped up. Wisp and Ike looked up as well. From his place on the ground, Ike couldn''t see anything special. The voice sounded familiar, though. He jumped up onto the fence and peered a little further. "What is it? Who is it?"Shopkeep snapped his fingers.


    The town''s barrier shimmered inches from Ike''s nose. A vast cliff spread before him. Ike staggered and barely caught himself before he fell into it. They stood on the wall at the edge of the city, gazing out into the forest.


    How the hell¡ªoh, right. Wizard''s Tower. He can move any of us anywhere he likes.


    Down below, a man with shocking green hair and a broad-brimmed blue cap gazed up at them. A small army of men in black robes stood around him, the same ones who had chased Ike and Wisp into Shopkeep''s town.


    The black-robed mages are with Llewyn? It figures.


    But then¡­ wait. What were they trying to do with Shawn? He thought back to all the things he knew Llewyn and the black-robed mages had done, and his brows lifted. Turn him into a puppet? A puppet mountain¡­ now that''s an enemy I don''t want to face. That''s scary levels of powerful. Shawn''s already admitted he doesn''t know how to kill himself, and Mont was powerful enough he couldn''t launch a smaller attack than a landslide. A puppet mountain, on Llewyn''s side? He didn''t know how he''d defeat such a thing. Good thing I rescued Shawn.


    Overhead, a faint flash of white caught his eye. Ike glanced up. High overhead, the white-feathered beast from Clarina''s village soared high overhead.


    He frowned. He hadn''t gotten a good feeling for what she and the plump, foppish man were doing, back in Clarina''s village. And once he''d freed Clarina''s parents, he hadn''t seen either of them at the banquet hall. That wasn''t surprising, if they were supporters of the New Republic, but it was strange to see her show up here. Are she and her master with Llewyn as well?


    Something about that felt off. He stared at her for another moment, then tore his eyes away. He didn''t have the time to worry about things like that right now. If she attacked, he''d kill her, and that was all there was to it. He could figure out the details after Llewyn was vanquished.


    If we can vanquish him.


    He swept his senses over Llewyn and the black-robed mages. Unlike the previous set of black-robed mages, these mages weren''t Rank 2, with a few scattered Rank 3s. These were all Rank 3s, with one or two on the brink of Rank 4. Llewyn''s strength was beyond his ability to gauge. The man might as well have been a black hole, for all that Ike could sense him. He could have had infinite power, or no strength at all. There was nothing there but an empty pit in Ike''s senses.


    He snorted. I''d wonder where they''re getting all the mages from, but it''s pretty clear that Llewyn and Lord Brightbriar, my old City Lord, are allied. If Llewyn''s black-robed mages die out, he can simply ask Lord Brightbriar for more.


    As for Lord Brightbriar''s goal¡­ He turned, gazing past their city at the huge city atop the mountain in the distance. It wasn''t even a question, was it? He wanted to destroy the king. More than that, become the king. Right now, there were several strong bastions between himself and that king. But by overtaking each one in secret, replacing its citizens with puppets, or simply overwhelming them with his puppet armies, he converted each of those bastions into strongholds of his own.


    Facing the opposite way, Ike looked at the city they''d left behind, Clarina''s city. If they''d arrived there any later, it would have been completely overrun. As it was, they''d showed up just in time to destroy the puppet-making machinery before Llewyn could complete the conversion. If we''d showed up any later, it would be part of the puppet army already.


    He turned forward at last, facing Llewyn again. This time, he frowned. He searched the battlefield, only for his eyes to return to the same figures again: Llewyn and the black-robed mages. Where were the puppets? Llewyn loved nothing more than to deploy his puppet soldiers whenever he could. So where were they now? He''d seen so many forms of them, and seen them in so many places, that he was starting to expect puppets when he saw Llewyn. But here they were now, about to fight, and not a single puppet in sight.


    "Isn''t it strange?" he asked, turning to Wisp.


    "What, that we''re just standing here and staring at each other? Yeah. Is this some human thing? Just fight already," Wisp complained. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No, not that," Ike said, waving his hand. "I mean Llewyn."


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    "He''s pretty strange, yeah."


    "Not that either. He is, though."


    "Right? Did someone stuff broccoli in his hat? Why''s his hair look like that?"


    Ike stifled a laugh. Forcing his way back to a sober expression, he gestured at the field. "No puppets."


    Wisp opened her mouth to quip again, then shut it. She turned back to the battlefield. Squinted down at it. Lifted her hand to her eyes. "Huh."


    "Isn''t that weird? Llewyn usually doesn''t show up anywhere there aren''t puppets. Or rather, wherever he goes, he brings puppets with him. But here, now, we''re about to battle, and he didn''t bring one."


    "That is weird. Why leave them at home? Unless he had a good reason to," Wisp mused.


    Ike glanced up at the owl beast circling overhead. A second later, he shook his head. Even if she was some kind of surveillance, she''d been there, in Clarina''s village. She''d seen all the puppets of the New Republic. There was no reason to hide the puppets from her.


    He peered over his shoulder at the opposite wall. Nothing¡­ yet. Should I tell Shopkeep? No¡ªI definitely should. He edged over to Shopkeep''s side. "Llewyn usually fights with a puppet army. I''m worried he might be sending them to attack us from the rear, or¡ª"


    "Oh, he''s trying," Shopkeep chuckled. "I might''ve ruined my future progression with a Wizard''s Tower, but it does make a near-unassailable fortress. They''re trying to dig under my walls right now. I''m letting them think they''re digging up, but in fact, they''re digging their way back out of my territory."


    Ike opened his mouth, then shut it. He nodded. Shopkeep has it handled. "Can you keep doing that while you fight?"


    "If I''m not putting my all into the fight, yes." Shopkeep gazed down, his eyes locked on Llewyn.


    Ike followed his gaze. He''s not sure he can take Llewyn. I''m not surprised. I''m not sure he can take Llewyn, either. After all, I could almost take Shopkeep¡ªor rather, Lord Nors, but they are fundamentally the same person. If Llewyn is half as strong as he seems to be, I can''t even dream of fighting him. "Is there anything we can do to help?"


    He laughed. "I''m just happy to have allies at my side." Reaching into his coat, Shopkeep drew out a pair of blue potions. He handed one to Ike and tossed the other to Wisp. "Here. Mana potions. They work on monsters just the same."


    Good to know. Ike took his. He sent a pulse of aether into it, searching it for poisons. He didn''t distrust Shopkeep too much¡ªafter all, they both wanted Llewyn dead¡ªbut he didn''t fully trust the man, either.


    His aether pulse returned clean, and invigorated at that, as though he''d sent it into a sea of aether. Across from him, Wisp downed the potion. Ike hesitated one moment longer, then downed his as well.


    Instantly, aether swirled into his core. It warmed him from fingertip to toetip, head to foot. He breathed deep, circulating the aether around his body. He''d been drained after the previous fight, but now, he felt almost full on aether, and full of power.


    As the aether settled inside him, the other half of Shopkeep''s statement finally hit him. Happy to have allies. He frowned, thinking. Something about that tickled his brain. Something¡­


    Ike''s eyes widened. Allies. That''s right. There''s other people who hate Llewyn! Other people, like Clarina! We didn''t part on the best of terms, but her family already lived through a puppet invasion. I''m sure they''d fight against Llewyn again, given the chance. "Speaking of allies, I might be able to rustle up a few more. Do you have anything we could use to send a message?"


    "Hmm? Sure. Here." He reached into his robes and drew out a slip of paper. It didn''t look particularly extraordinary, but it radiated mana.


    "What is this?" Ike asked, taking it.


    "A message talisman. We used to use them for confidential financial discussions. Write your message on it, then burn it while holding the image and mana signature of the person you wish to contact in your mind. It will materialize at their side if there''s nothing blocking mana near them. We used to use ordinary shikigami to send messages, but they''re quite troublesome things. They can be intercepted, falsified¡­ in the end, I developed this new message technique myself. Since it burns and flows to the receiver as ash, then reforms at their side, it is easily overlooked, impossible to intercept, and near-impossible to falsify." Shopkeep coughed. He rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. "That might be a little too much information for you. I''m proud of my creation, as you can tell."


    "No, no. It''s fascinating. What''s a shikigami?" Ike asked.


    "Ah, it''s a technique from a far-off land, one that''s permeated even here. You fold paper into the shape of a man or a bird and send it flying off, using the same technique I described, and it flies to the person you''re thinking of. But since it''s a piece of paper flying away, it''s not particularly well suited to this kind of mission. It''s easy to destroy mid-flight, or even catch."


    "That sounds awesome," Ike murmured. This is the world of mages. This is the world I will never fully enter. I''m an outsider. Too far beyond the pale to ever fit in with other mages. Someone other mages, born and raised in magehood, could never imagine.


    Pushing his thoughts away, he borrowed a pen from Shopkeep and quickly scribbled a message on the paper. Lord Nors'' city. Urgent. Llewyn attacking with puppet army. Please help. He held the paper out in front of him and ran a jolt of lightning through it. The paper caught on fire. As it burned up, the ash flew away, coursing on the wind toward Clarina''s city.


    Ike watched it go, quietly praying in his heart. He wasn''t a religious man, but now seemed as good a time to call on the divine as any. Reach her. Please, let her find it in her heart to send help in our time of need, as we sent help in hers.


    The last of the ash flew away. He took a deep breath. Quietly, he wracked his brains, but nothing else came to mind. No one else he could call on. No other forces on his side. The citizens of the Abyss¡­ or at least Ket and Tana, would probably come, but they''re too far. Even if I called them now, it would take them several days to reach here at top speed. And¡­ I hate to say it, but Tana''s Rank 1 and Ket is¡­ Rank 3? Ket could help, but Tana is¡­ And both of them need lunam, anyways. It''s not feasible.


    He sighed out. Cracked his fingers. "Let''s get this show on the road."


    Down below, right on signal, Llewyn stepped forward.

 185. A Salesman and a Shopkeep

    "Hello! Good afternoon. How''s everyone doing, this fine day?" Llewyn flashed his salesman smile up at them.Shopkeep, Wisp, and Ike stared down at him, silent.


    "I''ll take that for a yes. I''m here to call on a debt you owe me, for several thousand puppets. I sold them to you and your villagers some decades ago. Due to extenuating circumstances, I was unable to collect the debt until now. A sum total of two million, seven hundred and fifty eight thousand, nine hundred and twenty two gold is owed to me. If you cannot pay at this moment, surrender equivalent property to me, and I will consider your debt paid. If you cannot pay, then¡­" He spread his hands, gesturing at the black-robed mages. "I will collect."


    Shopkeep scoffed. "You want me to pay for you murdering my citizens? Pay for the honor of having my town destroyed at your hands?"


    Llewyn shrugged. "What you did with the technology I gave you is your own prerogative. I can''t be blamed for your citizens'' mistakes. If they used them wisely, within the limitations¡ª"


    "What limitations? You built them to take over and replace my citizens."


    Llewyn scoffed. "The mad claims of a man who knows he''s too far in debt to pay it off. Of course. You''ll say anything to get out of paying what you owe." He turned to Ike. "Do you believe this man?"


    "I don''t believe you," Ike replied flatly. Sure, my only other source of information was the puppet show Lord Nors showed me, but between trusting someone who tried to kill me and Llewyn, I''m trusting the person who tried to kill me. I know how Llewyn operates. I know his goals. He''s here to turn everyone into puppets by hook or by crook. Even if Lord Nors has been lying to me this whole time, even if he really owes Llewyn a huge debt, I''m still on Lord Nors'' side.


    Llewyn laughed. "What about you, young lady?"


    "The fuck do you think you''re talking to? We''ve seen your creepy puppet armies all over this place! Go fuck yourself, asshat!" Wisp shouted down.


    Ike looked at Wisp. He raised his brows and whistled.


    She shrugged at him. "I don''t know why you held back."


    "Yeah¡­ fair," Ike said, shrugging.


    Llewyn shook his head. "Hard crowd."


    "I''m impressed you''re shameless enough to attempt to collect a debt for your puppets, after they killed everyone in Lord Nors'' domain," Ike pointed out.


    Llewyn stared up at Ike, shocked. "My puppets did what? I think you''ll find the citizens made many foolish individual decisions that had nothing to do with my puppets. It''s absolutely ludicrous that you would blame the downfall of a city on my innocent tools of entertainment."


    Ike laughed. "As if we haven''t seen them in action. Who are you fooling, Llewyn? Yourself?"


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    Llewyn''s expression suddenly changed. He laughed, throwing his head back. "Have you heard of message crystals? They can record a scene and replay it later. If you''re skilled, you can even edit the message you recorded. I can now present the insane claims of a couple of madmen who attacked me unilaterally. I can show the king how your Lord Nors, who was known to have lost his mind, randomly accused a poor salesman of killing his citizens, when the whole world already knows that Lord Nors trapped them himself."


    Ike raised his brows. He wanted to refute Llewyn''s claims, but he couldn''t. After all, Lord Nors had trapped him and Wisp in his village of his own prerogative. Even tried to adapt them into dolls. Trying to explain the nuances of Lord Nors and Shopkeep¡­ compared to the simple narrative Llewyn presented, of a madman who rounded on a travelling salesman as a scapegoat, he could already feel himself losing the argument.


    He tensed, rolling out his arms. At the end of the day, might makes right. If we defeat Llewyn here, his message crystal will never make its way to the king. If he defeats us, on the other hand, he''s free to tell whatever tale he wishes.


    Shopkeep spread his arms. "Enough talk. I owe you nothing, but to return the knife you put in my back. If you wish to collect, then do your worst."


    Llewyn chuckled darkly. "I shall." He snapped his fingers.


    On the far side of the city, outside of the walls, his puppets burst through the ground. They looked around, then paused, realizing they were nowhere near Shopkeep, Ike, or anyone.


    Ike laughed. Wisp slapped her thighs, almost crying with laughter. Shopkeep managed a grin. He shook his head regretfully at Llewyn. "What was that? Are you working on an excavations project? How strange. It is an impressive hole, I suppose."


    Llewyn scowled. "Your pathetic Tower reaches that deep?"


    "I am the land, and the land ''tis I," Shopkeep said, spreading his hands.


    Ike snapped around. He stared at Shopkeep. Something about that¡­ The words spun in his head. The image of Mont appeared in his head. Shawn, borrowing others'' mana veins to survive. The mountains. The land spirits. Beings who were one with the earth, and the immense power they required to exist. His aether stirred, swirling in tune with the thought. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And then it slowed. The thought lingered, but it failed to coalesce into one concept. He felt as if he had almost grasped something very important, only for it to slip through his fingers like sand. He shook his head, forcing himself to focus. Whatever that thought was¡ªlet''s hold onto it. Even if I haven''t understood it, let''s keep it for later. I haven''t understood it, but I can understand that, whatever it was, it was important.


    Wisp waved her hand in front of Ike''s face. "Yoo-hoo."


    "Sorry. I got lost in my thoughts." Ike grinned. He nodded at Wisp. "Where were we?"


    "Just about done with the talking part and ready to start the fighting, I think. I hope." Wisp glanced at Shopkeep.


    He chuckled. "Yes, I do think we were just about done with talking. In fact, I think there''s nothing left to say."


    "I feel the same." Llewyn stepped back. He snapped his fingers again.


    The black mages leaped into formation. They ran left and right, forming a strange shape on the ground. Mana ran between them, drawing lines on the earth. From one mage to the next, connecting all their points into one, bright blue mana conduits formed the shape of a magic circle. It was a savage shape, something rough and untamed. Something Ike had never seen before. Not the simple, upright form of the teleportation circle, but something aggressive. Something that wanted to hurt.


    Mana circulated around the mages'' circle. With every passing second, it grew stronger. Stronger, and stronger, and stronger, emanating so much power that it made Ike''s heart shake. Subconsciously, he tensed his fists. Fear shook inside of him. That thing was a weapon, made to destroy.


    Shopkeep rested a hand on Ike''s shoulder. He smiled. "Don''t fear. The barrier should hold against that."


    "But how many will it hold against?" Ike asked.


    Shopkeep''s smile thinned. He shook his head. "At least one."


    Wisp punched her fist into her hand. "And then, at long last, it''s fightin'' time."


    Ike nodded at Wisp. "It takes time to charge. After they fire the first shot¡­"


    "Already there," Wisp said, grinning.

 186. Magic Circle

    Mana whined, building to a fever pitch. The magic circle glowed ferociously, on the verge of erupting. Bright blue light seared out from the ground, eclipsing the black-robed mages in its brilliance."Is there nothing we can do?" Ike asked.


    Shopkeep crossed his arms. He shook his head. "I lack the kind of weaponry that could disrupt such a spell. A truly well-developed city should have externally-pointed grand formations of the sort that can bombard attackers like this. Once upon a time, I had them. But during the era of the puppets, Lord Nors cannibalized all of them in order to continue to feed himself¡­ and all of us. Llewyn''s obviously been watching me for some time, and he knows this. Now that I''m no longer looping the space in on itself, he can openly attack the barrier, and I have no recourse."


    "No recourse¡­" Ike furrowed his brows. He shook his head. "That''s not right. Didn''t you just say it?"


    "Just say what?" Shopkeep asked.


    "A way to fight back against this giant spell of theirs," Ike said, grinning.


    "I''m a Shopkeep, not a strategist. You''ll have to be clearer," Shopkeep requested.


    Ike leaned in. "It''s like this¡­"


    Down below, the blue light grew brighter than the sun. Mana beat out of the spell like the heat on a furious summer day. Ike breathed it in, not afraid to steal their spell''s mana. The shimmering surface of the barrier glittered before his face, as ephemeral as a soap bubble. It felt as though he could reach out and pop it with his finger, let alone something as powerful as the spell the black-robed mages were brewing. He swallowed, tense despite himself. He''d never really seen a barrier in action. He understood conceptually what they were supposed to do¡ªblock enemy attacks and prevent monsters from invading. But aside from watching Lord Brightbriar''s barrier run off those weird black-robed monsters, way back before he''d left the city, he didn''t really have any image of them in action.


    He frowned. Those black monsters¡­ what the hell were they? They chased me when I was carrying the Salamander''s tail back home, when I had to run on the top of the wall. I ended up fooling them by shooting a blast of mana in the opposite direction, but I don''t know what those monsters were. I never beat them. I just threw off a decoy and ran. He peered at the mages below. They kind of reminded him of the black-robed mages, but the mages were just men and women wearing black. Those monsters had been anti-magic, or something. All his mana had simply deflected off of them. Maybe they were using lunam, but even then¡­ He shook his head. He didn''t understand it.


    It''s probably something to do with the puppets, but why is it only there, at my original city? What is Lord Brightbriar doing there that would create antimagic monsters, that he isn''t dong anywhere else?


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    His mind went to Rosamund. A complete person, who didn''t have to be powered by anyone else. Someone with memories and a personality. He hadn''t seen that out of any other puppet yet. If there was something different about her, maybe there was something different about the way he''d created her. Something that created unusual byproducts.


    He shook his head. Or maybe those monsters were just unique to the area around Lord Brightbriar''s city. It was a strange area, after all. The Abyss was there, and there were more hunters in the area than anything he''d seen on this side.


    He looked back. Toward the mountain, and his home city hidden on the other side. None of the cities he''d encountered had been close to the size of his home city. Save the king''s enormous city in the distance, which he still hadn''t been to, the other cities on this side of the mountain were more towns than cities, compared to his home.


    I wonder if the king knows how big Lord Brightbriar''s city has grown. I wonder if he knows how much of a threat the man really is to him. He pressed his lips together, then shrugged. There wasn''t much he could do about it now. Maybe if he got to the king''s city, maybe if he managed to get a talk with the king¡­ but that''s not likely. It wasn''t like these small towns. It would be like his home, where he couldn''t dream of encountering Lord Brightbriar.


    Not that I''d want to. No¡­ wait. He actually did kind of want to meet Lord Brightriar. If only so he could ask him about¡­ well, everything. The puppets. Rosamund. His goals. He was still having to assume that Lord Brightbriar wanted to dominate the region. And sure, why not? Who didn''t want to be king of the world? But he didn''t know for sure. It was still a mystery, technically. Maybe the man had some other reason. It wouldn''t change Ike''s mind, but he''d be interested to hear it.


    The spell below burned bright. He couldn''t even see Llewyn anymore. He cut a glance at Shopkeep, suddenly nervous. Could he pull this off? By the man''s own admission, he was a merchant, not a warrior. Even Lord Nors, the more warlike part of Shopkeep, hadn''t been the best fighter. Under pressure, he''d panicked and broken himself into a thousand tiny bits in a futile attempt to bring his city back to life. Could he do this? And if he couldn''t, would the barrier hold?


    He swallowed. There was only one way to find out.


    TZAM!


    Blue light flew toward them as the giant spell activated. Ike leaned forward, like a sprinter. If everything went well, he''d have to be on the other side of the barrier the second the spell finished.


    Beside him, Wisp dropped as well. The both of them tensed, preparing for the best.


    Shopkeep stepped forward. His brows knitted in concentration, focused on the incoming blue light. He threw his hands out as if to grab it, then throw it back.


    Space warped in front of them. The blue light whirled toward the barrier. For just a moment, it contacted the barrier¡ªand then in the next, it flew back toward the mages, completely turned the opposite way.


    Ike cheered silently. It worked! Since Shopkeep could freely manipulate space within his city, he''d asked him how far he could extend that control. "Only to the barrier," had been Shopkeep''s answer. Shopkeep had been ready to give up, but not Ike. "Pull the barrier in a little bit. Give yourself a foot or so to work with. Then, when the spell comes in, spin it around and fire it back at the mages."


    And just like he''d said, it had worked.


    Beside him, Wisp leaped off the wall and down at the scattered, injured mages. Ike followed suit. He grinned. It''s time to strike back! S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 187. Turnabout is Fair Play

    Ike and Wisp burst down from the wall. Before the mages'' failed strike, it would have been madness to leave the safety of the barrier to go on the offensive. There were far more Rank 3 mages than the two of them, and the Rank 2s still posed a threat, not to mention Llewyn of unknown Rank. But now, the mages were in chaos, reeling from the power of their own attack. Llewyn was nowhere to be seen. It was the perfect time to strike back.Mana whirled off the field. Some mages laid dead on the ground. Others staggered around drunkenly, barely seconds from death themselves. Wisp and Ike dashed around the battlefield, finishing off the staggered mages before they could recover.


    "Get back here! Dishonorable¡­ filthy¡­" A fully powered mage charged at Ike, his eyes glowing under his hood. He emanated a high Rank 3 aura. A purple sword materialized in his hand, and he swept it at Ike.


    Ike hopped back. As he did, he stomped on one of the downed mages. "What''s more dishonorable? This, or killing innocents to steal their strength and force them to fight as soulless puppets?"


    "You don''t understand. It''s necessary for our new world," the man snarled. He leaped at Ike again.


    Ike backpedaled. Lightning flashed around his ankles, coiling up his whole body. At the same time, he clad himself in ice. "Wisp, you got this? My hands are full."


    "Yep!" Wisp dashed away, focusing on their original task.


    The man pointed his sword at Ike. "When I finish dismantling you, I will stomp her to death like you stomped my comrades to death."


    "Ironic," Ike said. Since she''s a spider.


    "Yeah, try me, fucker! See who gets stomped!" Wisp shouted from nearby.


    The man with the purple sword paused. He squinted. "No."


    "Yes?" Ike said, lost.


    "You''re that boy. The one who stole the skill. I saw you. It was my job to clean up the idiots who thought they could steal lovely Rosamund''s skills¡­ and I chose to go after the other people, the ones who actually emanated an aura, not you."


    Ike blinked. He thought back to that day. The ruined field, destroyed by a landslide. The forest. The beautiful party, high overhead. And then¡­ the explosion. The skills, raining down. The mages who descended after them. And one of them¡ª


    "Ah! It''s you!" he shouted, suddenly remembering. "The man in purple! That guy who dropped out of the sky and killed that woman right next to me! Holy shit, I totally forgot you! I thought I was dead in the moment, but damn. Yeah, thanks. If you''d killed me, I''d be dead right now, and not a mage, huh."


    "Indeed."


    "Do you feel bad about it? About killing all those ordinary innocent people. Any of them could have been mages. Any of them could have grown stronger than you. I''m the only one lucky to slip through your grasp, but¡­ do you ever think of them? Ever wonder what could have been? If you hadn''t cut their life short, if they''d been able to become mages¡­"


    The man tossed off his hood. He glared at Ike, his face exactly as Ike remembered it. His lip lifted. "Better to cut them off at the root, rather than face a bunch of filthy peasants who''ve grown too big for their britches."


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    "Ha! I guess for someone in power, it''s more dangerous for one of us to potentially, maybe, pose the threat of surpassing you one day, rather than simply killing us all dead. Heh! Why even bother keeping mortals around?" Ike taunted him.


    "I ask that every day," the man rumbled. He raised his sword.


    "Weren''t you mortal, once?"


    "And I would be happy to have been the last." The man lunged at Ike.


    Ike jumped back. With Lightning Dash and Lightning Clad, he could outspeed the man, but even then, he couldn''t see an opening to fight back. The man''s sword moved deftly. As if he predicted Ike''s every move, he was already there before Ike landed. Already slashing where Ike would step next. Already stabbing where Ike would be. Only Ike''s superior reflexes and speed kept him from getting seriously injured, but he had no room to maneuver. Not even room to draw his sword.


    The man''s blows glanced off his Ice Armor more than once, chipping bits of ice to the floor. Ike grimaced. He surged aether into his Lightning Clad. With the next glancing strike, lightning coursed up the man''s blade. The man flinched back, startled. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike drew his blade in the moment''s gap. He leaped in again, stabbing at the man''s heart.


    The man parried him back. Ike might have had the upper hand on speed and reflex, but the man clearly had the upper hand on strength. The blow slammed into Ike''s sword and almost knocked it out of his hand. He stumbled backward.


    Not waiting, the man closed in on him. He stabbed with one hand, while his other hand gathered strength. Purple light swirled around his forearm and hand. It took on a pale, scintillating color, almost like the palest purple of dawn.


    Ike batted the blow away. He fired back with a Shockwave Punch, forcing the man back. Whatever that purple skill was, he didn''t like the looks of it. It looked dangerous. Reminded him almost of the way Tempest felt.


    I don''t have the time to cast Tempest to counter it. I need to interrupt him, before he can finish putting mana into the skill. Ike called up his skills even as he fought, searching for something that could interrupt the man.


    [Name: Ike | Age: 17 | Status: Nm | Rank: 3 [Homeowner]]


    Skills: Common: 8 | Bronze 5 | Silver 3 | Gold 2 | Rare 2 | Unique: 6


    Common: All-Around Runner Lvl 9 | Razor Handling Lvl 9 | Spear Handling Lvl 4 | Axe Handling Lvl 4 | Sword Handling Lvl 9 | Bow Handling Lvl 1 | Primitive Crafting Lvl 9 | Self-Cleaning Lvl 1


    Bronze: Throwing Knife Lvl 1 | Sensory Enhancement Lvl 9 | Mana Manipulation Lvl 6 | Lunam Manipulation Lvl 0 | Aether Manipulation Lvl 2 | Solam Manipulation Lvl 0


    Silver: Flurry of Kicks Lvl 4 | Chlorophyll Lvl 3 | Exsanguination Lvl 1


    Gold: Shockwave Punch Lvl 6 | Ice Armor Lvl 5


    Rare: River-Splitting Sword Lvl 9 | Mountain''s Weight Lvl 1


    Unique: Lightning Dash Lvl 9 | Lightning Grasp Lvl 9 | Lightning Clad Lvl 4 | Lightning Caller Lvl 4 | Body Reforging Art Lvl 1 | Tempest Lvl 2


    He grimaced. He didn''t have the greatest selection of offensive skills. The only ones he hadn''t used yet were Tempest and Exsanguination. And¡ªWait, hold on. I forgot about that one.


    The man ran at him once more. Ike rushed to meet him. As they closed in, he leaped into the air and unleashed a devastating Flurry of Kicks at the man''s head. The man blocked with his blade.


    "Ha, good thought." Ike surged aether into Lightning Clad and Lightning Dash. His feet blurred. Lighting snarled around his feet, zapping into the man''s blade and hands. The man stepped backward, struggling to take on the full might of Ike''s feet.


    Overhead, the storm that had only just dissipated began to build once more. Dark clouds covered the sky. Lightning flickered in their depths.


    The man jumped back. He glared at Ike. "You got it, didn''t you? The Unique skill."


    "Lightning Dash? Sure did," Ike said. There was no point denying it. Not at this point. He and this man were going to fight to the death. Even if the man somehow survived, Lord Brightbriar already had enough reason to want Ike dead, whether he got his Unique skill back or not. It wasn''t even his only Unique skill anymore.


    "I should have killed you."


    "Should''ve, but you didn''t."


    The man''s eyes flashed purple. "I''ll fix that. Now!"


    He shoved his free hand forward. Wild purple light burst from his free hand.


    Oh shit! Ike threw up his arms, casting Ice Armor with all his strength.

 188. Petals Fall

    The man thrust his hand at Ike. Light blazed out. A brilliant swirl of purple flower petals flew at Ike. Each petal was about the size of a palm, and razor-sharp. It sliced directly through Ike''s armor as if it wasn''t there. Blood flowed, staining the ice pink. Ike healed quickly, but it was no use. The petals swirled around him, dancing and cutting. They never faded. They almost felt like birds, fluttering viciously around him.Unhesitating, the man darted in. He slashed. Ike''s arms were already raised, his sword out-of-place. He swept it desperately. His sweep batted the man''s sword down, but the backlash was more than he could handle. His sword flew away, clattering to the ground behind him.


    The purple-wielding man darted in. Even as the petals chipped away at Ike''s health, he slashed at Ike''s neck.


    Ike cast Shockwave Punch over his fist. He slammed his arm sideways into the blade, so that both his upper and lower arm impacted its edge. The sword sliced into the bone of his arm, but stuck there. Ike released the full force of the shockwave into the blade, forcibly shivering it out of the man''s hand.


    The man stepped back. He lowered his hand and summoned another purple sword.


    "Fuck," Ike muttered. He reached for the sword stuck in his arm, only for it to dissipate. His injured arm drooped, useless. The petals continued to swirl. His healing skill struggled to keep pace. The constant cuts dragged at it. He could barely close those, not to mention the huge wound on his arm.


    He glanced at his bad arm. It won''t heal in time, at this rate. I can''t count on it coming back. I need to destroy this petal thing, or I''m fucked.


    The man charged.


    Ike fled. He charged up a Tempest in his good hand and kept his bad hand between him and the purple-wielder. The man chased him, but when it came to fleeing, he was playing into Ike''s strengths, not his own. The man could keep pace with Ike, but only barely. Whenever he tried to plant his feet for a strike or threw his weight behind a lunge, Ike gained seconds, and he used them all to stretch the distance between him and the man a little more.


    At last, the man stopped. Wary, Ike fled a good dozen feet, then paused. He put all his focus into Tempest. Without a word, he stared the man down, asking his question without asking the question aloud.


    The man laughed. He spread his hands. "You''re faster than me. I''m not going fall into your trap and chase a fly knowing I can''t catch it. Better to conserve my energy until you''re ready to fight."


    A trap? Ha. I was just trying desperately to survive. Ike cut off the aether pouring into Tempest. He dashed in, throwing it out toward the man, then activated the spell. A blast of wind burst out, rushing past Ike and the man all the same. The man threw out his hands and readied his sword, pointing the blade at Ike.


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    Tempest blasted the purple petals away. Ike''s healing skill took hold again. Rather than close in on the man, Ike retreated once more. He kept circulating his lightning skills over his body. As he retreated, he checked the sky. The dark clouds grew darker. Fierce winds blew. Lightning crackled between the clouds, growing ever more intense.


    He pushed a tiny bit of aether into Lightning Caller. The skill responded weakly. If he used all his aether, it might activate.


    A little more. I''m almost there.


    The Tempest died out, leaving the man alone, unharmed. He looked around. His brows furrowed.


    "What was all that for?"


    Ike darted back. He snatched up his sword in his off-hand as he waited for his arm to heal. Bone snapped as it cracked back into place. He grimaced, then forced a grin. "Wouldn''t you like to know."


    The man''s eyes hardened. They locked onto Ike''s quickly-healing arm. "Buying time, were you." He brandished his sword, then dashed at Ike.


    "Don''t be so stingy. It''s only been a few seconds," Ike returned. As the man closed in, he drew all the talismans he''d taken from the rich man at the edge of the Abyss and lit them all off. Bright red fireballs launched at the man, trailing smoke.


    "Trying to hide again? You can''t buy time forever!" The man swept his purple sword before him and cut directly through the fireballs. The fireballs fell apart, the magic destabilizing where he''d cut it. He charged past the drooping magic and closed in on Ike.


    Ike dashed in with all his speed. The man startled, putting his feet in firmly. He hopped back and swung.


    This time, Ike went on the offensive. He parried the man''s off-balance blow and struck. Every strike aimed for the man''s vitals, the throat, the gut, the chest, but that was secondary to his purpose. Lightning flickered with every strike, too. Lightning Clad empowered his blows, while he pushed lightning into his blade to tremble the man''s sword hand. The man struggled. Stuck off-balance, he barely blocked each of Ike''s blows. His full-power blows were strong enough to leave Ike''s hands numb, but the man''s focus on strength and not speed meant he was unable to recover his balance or footing under Ike''s onslaught. Step after step, he was forced back.


    "Get¡­back!" The man slammed his hand out. A purple orchid bloomed, pushing Ike bodily back. In the next second, the bloom exploded in a flurry of sharp-edged petals. Ike jumped away, but the petals gave chase. He retreated endlessly, waiting for the petals to run out.


    "How does it feel to be chased?" the man gloated.


    Ike snorted. You want to play the stall game? I can play the stall game, too. He glanced upward.


    The sky crackled. The clouds drooped, pregnant with rain. Purple and bruised, they rumbled darkly, eager to unleash their fury upon the world.


    Or rather, it looks like I''ve hit the endgame of my stalling first. Ike pushed a bit of aether into Lightning Caller, testing it again. This time, it responded eagerly. He quickly choked the aether back before he accidentally activated the skill.


    Ike called forth a small Tempest and threw it at the petals. It scattered the petals, revealing the man, rushing directly at Ike. His purple sword flew forth.


    "Die!"


    Ike parried his strike and stepped in. He grabbed the man''s shirt and pushed aether into Lightning Caller. "No, you." S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    White light flashed. It washed out his eyesight, washed out everything. For a moment, there was only the light.


    And then the thunder roared.

 189. To Wear a Storm

    Immense power rushed into him. Before, at lower Ranks, he''d been completely overwhelmed and totally unable to handle it. Now, it felt¡­ not controllable, but handleable. Something he could manipulate. Instinctively, he called out to it, and it answered, moving with his urges. A massive surge of energy, smashing into him all at once. Pain, heat, and a jolting discomfort bit into him, all while his core ran faster. His aether called out to the rush of energy as he did consciously, wanting it as much as he did.Ike channeled the lightning into his Lightning Clad skill, circulating it over his skill, then into his body. It mingled with his aether. It had the same wild, uncontrollable properties as aether, but something additional as well. A secondary property. Like solam and lunam, but of the air. Of the sky.


    Putting that to the back of his mind, Ike focused only on calling the energy into him. Even as he reached out to it, it faded away. In moments, there was none of that lightning strike left, just the quieting warmth of his burns.


    Ike turned his eyes upward. The storm churned on, twisting and beating viciously at the sky. Such power. Such strength.


    Was I looking in the wrong direction all this time?


    The purple-sword-wielder pushed at him, trying to break free. The strike had weakened Ike, but not so much he couldn''t hold on. He tightened his grip and activated Lightning Caller again. This time, even before the lightning came, he spun his aether up, opening all his aether passages and baring himself to the sky. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Come to me!" he screamed, clawing at the sky as if to drag it into himself.


    "Are you mad? We''ll both die!" The purple-wielding man struggled in his grasp, but to no avail.


    Thunder rolled. Lightning flashed in the sky. His skill warmed up, gathering more and more aether. All at once, it discharged.


    "Yes!" Ike''s eyes lit up in delight. He called out to the lightning with every ounce of his being.


    Once more, white light consumed his being. This time, though, he was ready for it. He greedily sucked it in, pulling it into his core. His skin burned. His flesh crisped. Still he drew more power into him, absorbing every bit of the lightning he could.


    The purple-wielding man screamed. Ike laughed in joy.


    Thunder cracked. The light faded. The ecstatic rush of power vanished, leaving Ike cold and alone once more.


    His eyes flashed. He scowled. I won''t accept this. I''m taking all of it. All of it! He activated Lightning Caller again. The skill barely lit up, reluctant to activate. Ike ignored its reluctance. He poured aether into it, forcibly activating the skill. More and more aether, pushing against the skill''s limit. Still the skill refused to activate, stubbornly resisting.


    The man struggled in his grasp. Ike tightened his hold. If he failed, he would at least kill the man. He pushed a huge surge of aether into the skill. At last, the skill activated.


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    This time, Ike wasn''t just ready and waiting. This time, Ike pounced on the lightning like a predator. He gripped it with his whole being and dragged it out of the sky. He sent aether up along the path of the lightning and into the storm, and latched onto the storm itself. With all his might, every scrap of his strength, he sucked the storm out of the sky.


    The storm fought back. Like a living being, it struggled in his grasp. Lightning lanced down time and time again, even without him activating Lightning Caller. It smashed into him. His body blackened. His bones cracked. His organs burned. Ike ignored all of it. He kept pulling, kept dragging. One wisp at a time, the storm descended. It sucked into the remains of Ike''s body. Wrapped around it.


    "Whether you want it or not, you''re mine!" Ike snarled. He clawed at the storm as if he could grab it with his bare hands and shove it inside himself. Nothing mattered anymore. Not his body, not his soul, nothing. He had staked his whole life on absorbing this storm. Not only the battle, but his future, his path, his magic. If he couldn''t absorb this storm, he would burn out here. There was no future for Ike without the storm. Either he absorbed it, or it destroyed him!


    "What are you doing? Are you insane?" the man shouted.


    Ike ignored him.


    Overhead, the storm whirled to a fever pitch. The winds raged. Rain lashed down on them. Lightning burned everything in sight. Even the other fighters fell back, unable to keep fighting in the tempest. Not a Tempest, but a true tempest, a storm so ferocious there was no other word for it. The winds uprooted trees and battered the walls. Hail and rain swept away the grass and shrubs that remained. Thunder rolled constantly, like a drummer in the heavens. And in the eye of the storm, Ike grabbed the purple-wielding man to him and drew the storm into his core.


    "Stop! Stop!" The man bashed at Ike. He sliced at Ike''s body with what little strength remained.


    Ike didn''t feel him. His body was already in ruins. Little remained but the carbonized remains of his corpse. He was the storm, and the storm was him. It resisted his capture, but he wouldn''t let it escape. To destroy his body was immaterial. At this point, he was the winds and the rains and the clouds as much as he was a fleshy body.


    "I was wrong," he murmured. His eyes lit up, shining with the force of a thousand bolts of lightning. He turned his gaze upward, at the sky overhead. Looking to skills to create his Storm Clad had been foolish. A futile effort. Manmade skills could never capture the true fury of the storm. Looking to artificial skills to form his desired skills had been foolish, when the answer had been right there all along.


    He released the purple-wielding mage. The man staggered back a few steps, then fell to the ground. His body was nearly as ruined as Ike''s. He crawled away, only for lightning to strike him down. There was no surviving within the storm. Not a single living thing could escape its wrath.


    But now Ike was no longer a mere living being. He was something beyond. Something greater.


    Within his core, his pillars trembled. All at once, they shattered. Ike''s Rank dropped. It plummeted. Rank 2. Rank 1. Mortal. The storm smashed him to bits, and nothing remained.


    On the wall, hiding inside the barrier, Wisp caught her breath. She stepped forward, gripping the edge of the wall. "Ike¡­"


    The sky quieted. It lightened. The clouds dissipated, revealing a clear sky. All around, the fighters peered out from their hiding spots. Even Llewyn climbed out from a hole he''d dug in the ground. They looked around.


    Llewyn laughed. "He failed! What a fool. Trying to attain a power past Ranks and skills¡­ that path has long been cut off to everyone. He''s learned the hard way what we''ve all come to accept."


    He turned to the wall and pointed at Shopkeep. He shook his head. "You chose the wrong champion. A child, who thought he could overturn the heavens. And now, you die¡ª"


    KA-BOOM!


    Lightning flashed. And within it, a form appeared.

 190. STORMCLAD

    A cloud pierced down from the clear sky. All at once, with a sudden vengeance, the storm reformed. It swirled and churned. White clouds darkened, to gray, then black, then purple. They surged together, forcing a horrible form in the sky, piled up high, high, high into the heaven. Lightning flashed. Rain rushed. The winds howled.In the center of the funnel cloud, a shadowy form appeared. One bit at a time, it twisted together. Feet. Legs. Hips. A torso, arms, head. Ike reformed. From the storm, he was reborn.


    Every atom of him had been torn apart, but now, it came back together. And as it came together, the storm rushed into his heart. It poured out of the sky, funneling into Ike''s forming body like an umbilical cord.


    Llewyn''s face twisted in disgust. He threw out his arm. "Stop him!"


    The mages rushed forward, but couldn''t get close. The winds threw them back. The lightning struck down, forcing them away. The rains slicked the earth beneath their feet.


    And then, all at once, it stopped. The last of the storm sunk into Ike. He hung in the air, supported by the winds. Gently, they set him down. He wobbled, barely keeping his feet. Eyes shut, limbs loose, he swayed where he stood.


    Llewyn scowled. He charged in. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike''s eyes opened. They blazed with brilliant light, as bright as lightning. He lifted his hand languidly, effortlessly, and pointed at Llewyn.


    Lightning blasted from the sky and slammed Llewyn back. He flew through the air, body as limp as a ragdoll. Ike looked up, toward the sky. He spread his hands.


    Lighting struck from the clear sky. It blasted the mages one after another. Some fled under the ground or across the plains. It didn''t matter where they hid. The lightning sought them out and struck them down, no matter how far they fled. One strike after another, with each strike emanating the power of a Rank 3 attack. The Rank 2s toppled over directly. The Rank 3s barely clung on.


    Ike turned, slowly. There was no expression on his face. His eyes were clear, but somewhere beyond clarity. He gestured again.


    Once more, lightning rained down. It hammered down on the Rank 3 mages, striking them over and over until they fell.


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    The battlefield emptied. At last, there were only two figures left standing.


    Ike, surrounded by winds and clouds flickering with lightning, his eyes flashing white. His hair and clothes whipped around him as he stood there, but Ike stood firm, unaffected by the wind.


    And Llewyn, surrounded by the corpses of his men, his hat askew and his green hair a mess. He stared at Ike in outright shock. "How¡­?"


    The lightning sheen faded from Ike''s eyes. He blinked, snapping back to reality. He raised his hands, turning them over. Clouds flowed around his body, lightning flickering in their depths. Wind whistled around him. He laughed, clenching his hands into fists. His body felt so light. Every inch of him screamed with power. The him before and the him now were different people, completely, utterly different.


    Reforging his body with aether had been a revitalization. This was a rebirth. He had thought reforging himself with aether was as far as he could go, but that had been shortsighted. He''d been clinging to the limits of his abilities and skills as he knew them. But that was only a mental block. An artificial limit he''d been imposing on himself. When he''d ignored that, all his skills and their rules and edge cases, when he''d simply followed his heart and chased the flow of his aether, he''d broken beyond those limits. Gone further beyond what he thought his absolute edge was.


    "Answer me! How?" Llewyn howled.


    Ike turned. He looked at Llewyn, then laughed. "Why would I tell you?"


    Llewyn''s face twisted in rage. Kicking off the ground, he blurred toward Ike.


    "No!" Shopkeep leaped forward, but Wisp grabbed him by the waist.


    "Don''t be stupid. You aren''t a fighter," she admonished him.


    Shopkeep whipped around. He stared at her, flabbergasted. "Llewyn is Rank 4. Ike is Rank 3. He can''t beat him!"


    Wisp laughed. She released him and stepped to the side, gazing down at the battlefield. "Don''t count Ike out yet. He''s done more surprising things before."


    "He''s fought above his Rank?" Shopkeep asked, shocked.


    She grinned. "Yeah. And you saw him smash those Rank 3s. Let''s wait and see how things go."


    Shopkeep looked at Wisp. She stared down, watching the two men intensely, her brow furrowed. She leaned to the edge of the wall, ready to jump down at the drop of a hat. Despite her bravado, she was worried, too.


    He snorted to himself, gently amused, and turned back. He let out a breath. If she was trusting Ike, he would as well. "He''s surpassed you, now, hasn''t he."


    "Heh. I knew it would happen, sooner or later. I need to get out there and focus on my own Rank. I grew too self-satisfied in that Abyss, where I was nearly the strongest around. Now that I''m out, I see I was just a frog in a well, a big fish in a large pond¡­ someone who was only strong because I was surrounded by weaklings." Her eyes twinkled. A fire burned in their depths, one that had burned down to ash, but was now reignited. She stood on her tiptoes, straining at the very edge of her toes. She desperately wanted to join the fight, but knew she would only get in the way. "Once we finish here, I''m not staying complacent any longer. I''m going to break through to the next Rank and get even stronger than Ike."


    "Then I suppose I shouldn''t slack either." Shopkeep turned back to the battle.

 191. Rank 3, Rank 4

    Llewyn charged toward Ike. Ike raised his sword and met the man''s clawed hand head-on. In that first strike, his sword shattered. It blew to pieces, the mantis'' claw burst apart.Farewell. The sword had done him well. Since Silver had forged it, it had been his constant companion. It was incredible that it had held up to Rank 3 battles, when a Rank 2 mage had forged it from a Rank 1 monster. But Rank 4 was too much. The blade finally gave up the ghost and shattered.


    Llewyn got the first strike in Ike''s surprise. His claw struck Ike''s chest, then bounced off. The storm winds blew it sideways, turning a head-on strike into a glancing blow. He drew a small amount of blood, but the cut healed before their eyes.


    Ike laughed. He tossed the remains of the sword aside and charged at Llewyn, no longer afraid. The two of them battled back and forth. Their strikes flashed, as fast as lightning. Neither Shopkeep nor Wisp could keep up with their blows, so fast were their hands. Scratches appeared on both their bodies, but never more than a superficial wound. As usual, Llewyn was stronger, but Ike was faster. Ike''s speed let him batter Llewyn''s strikes away and land light blows on Llewyn, and Storm Clad whirled around Ike''s body, so that Llewyn''s strikes that hit were weakened to scratches and scrapes.


    The two of them parted. Ike eyed up Llewyn, and Llewyn eyed up Ike. They circled one another, both of them taking stock of one another.


    He isn''t using all his strength. He''s holding back. Or maybe, he has no option but to hold back? He eyed Llewyn in silence, thinking. I can''t lose sight of the obvious fact that he''s a puppeteer, either. I should expect him to use puppets at some point. I don''t know where he''d pull them from, but I know he has no shortage of puppets at his disposal.


    "So, you''ve tapped into powers beyond the System''s control. You''re playing with fire, boy," Llewyn said, expression serious.


    "I''d rather play with fire than sit sadly on the sidelines and watch my chances to Rank up go by," Ike declared. What does he mean, powers beyond the System''s control? It''s true that I called the storm to me without having a specific skill for it, and technically, reforging my body the first time happened without a skill, but whenever I do something like that, I''m simply developing a new skill.


    Maybe it''s Llewyn who''s misunderstanding something fundamental here. Maybe he''s never created a skill before, so he doesn''t know it''s possible, and thinks I''ve committed some kind of aberration. Ike shrugged to himself. In any case, battle is not the time to doubt myself.


    Ike nodded at Llewyn. "And what about you, puppeteer? All your grand plans, and now what? Not a puppet to show for them. I destroyed all your puppets in the city. I destroyed all your mages outside of it. What card do you have left to play?"


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    Llewyn chuckled. He snapped his fingers, and the black-robed mages rose from the earth. "Many cards, my young and foolish friend."


    A black bolt descended from the heavens. With an earth-shattering THUMP, a giant spider smashed down behind Llewyn. Wisp''s voice emerged from its vicious fangs. "Don''t worry, Ike! I''ve got ''em!"


    "Even if you strike them down, they''ll only rise¡ª"


    Wisp pounced on the first mage and tore it limb from limb. Tossing back her head, she threw the black-robed mage''s lifeless, tattered body into the air and snapped it down. It crunched and squished in her jaws. With relish, she swallowed, then skittered to face Llewyn. Ike had never seen a smug spider before, but he knew he was looking at one now. She giggled. "What was that?"


    "That is but one of my puppets," Llewyn declared. He snapped his fingers. The remaining mages rushed at Ike.


    "And I''m still hungry!" Wisp leaped into the fray. She kicked out with her long legs, scattering the mages in every which direction. "Ike, focus on Llewyn. I''ll take care of the little guys!"


    "Thanks, Wisp!" Ike shouted. He turned back to Llewyn, glad to put his back to the monster. Even if he knew the giant spider was his ally, he still didn''t like to look at it too much. Spiders were creepy.


    Wisp darted across the battlefield, shattering the mages'' bodies, then chewing them up. In the center, Ike and Llewyn faced off. Ike laughed. He spread his arms. "You have any more puppets for Wisp to eat? She''s always hungry."


    "Oh, I have plenty more. More than you could know." Llewyn chuckled. He looked up.


    A blue light burned across the sky. A beautiful woman in blue robes stood overhead, looking down at them.


    "Clarina! You came?" Ike asked. He didn''t really need her help anymore, but he appreciated her coming anyways. She could help him corner Llewyn. Make sure he never got away, never turned anyone else into puppets ever again.


    Clarina turned toward him woodenly. Her expression didn''t change. The broom that she stood on circled toward the ground, slowly lowering her to the floor. She landed beside Llewyn and stepped off the broom.


    Ike backed away. No. How? We destroyed the puppet-making machines. We dismantled the New Republic. So why¡­?


    The sky blackened. Ike stared up. Clarina''s parents stood at the head of a swarm of the black puppets. At the head of the puppets, other people he recognized from the feast flew alongside Clarina''s parents. Just like Clarina, they moved rigidly, as if their bodies didn''t belong to them. As if they didn''t know how to properly move. As if something else was inside them, forcibly moving their limbs.


    Ike turned back to Llewyn. He stared, brows furrowing. "How?"


    Llewyn chuckled. "You left, didn''t you? What stopped me from returning the second you left?"


    "But¡­ if you were that strong, why not take out Clarina''s parents from the start?" Ike asked, confused.


    Llewyn shrugged. "There were too many high-rank mages, initially. So I turned them against one another. Her own city took out half its own strength, and once it was that weak, it was easy for me to destroy the half that remained¡­alongside the puppets I''ve added to my arsenal."


    Ike lifted his lip. "You disgust me."


    "You should be proud. Initially, I didn''t plan to bring these puppets to the fight. You forced my hand to this extent." Llewyn spread his hands, stepping backward.


    "You aren''t going to fight?" Ike asked.


    "Why would I? I built these armies for a reason," Llewyn said, smirking. The puppets landed all around him, dropping out of the sky. They landed all around him, as thick as heavy rain.


    Ike tensed. He narrowed his eyes. "No."


    "Hmm?"


    Lightning crackled all around Ike. His eyes flashed. "No. You aren''t getting away."

 192. Not Getting Away

    Purple lightning flashed. Ike vanished.Llewyn jumped back. He looked around, searching for Ike.


    A hand gripped the back of Llewyn''s collar and threw him to the ground. All around Llewyn, puppets flew into the air from the force of him impacting the ground. Clarina staggered to the side and dropped to her knee.


    Ike pinned Llewyn to the ground with his knee and hammered Llewyn''s face. Llewyn grappled at him, pushing Ike away. Ike ignored his blows. Llewyn scratched and beat at his arms, but Ike kept pummeling him. Shockwaves smashed out from Ike''s arms. Thunder rumbled and lightning struck with each of his blows.


    "Get¡­off!" Llewyn roared. The force of his roar sent Ike flying back. He landed in the midst of the black puppets. Without hesitation, the black puppets rounded on him. They raised their weapons and charged in.


    Ike clawed at the air. A swirl of wind blasted from his body and lashed through the puppets, enough to knock the closest ones back. He lifted his other hand. A Tempest grew in his palm. The puppets charged him again. They latched onto him. One puppet after another, weighing down on his shoulders. They formed a lump, then a mound, then a hill.


    Ike laughed aloud. "I''m used to carrying a mountain. How pathetic." He unleashed the Tempest.


    The storm that whirled around him howled in time with the spell. The two of them synchronized, both empowering the other. The Tempest smashed into the puppets piled on top of Ike and threw them high into the air. They smashed into one another and dropped down to the ground, piercing deep into the storm-wetted soil.


    Wisp charged through the puppets. These weren''t fleshy constructs, so she wasn''t able to simply eat them, but neither could they do much to her. All they could do was wail on her legs ineffectually until she tore them apart with kicks or her mandibles. "Hanging in there, Ike?"


    "I''m doing great," he replied. He heaved a deep breath. The storm still hung in the air, a residual humidity and shiver of electricity that rejuvenated him with each breath. He felt more alive than he ever had before. It was as if, his whole life, he''d been living only halfway, with his whole body restrained and his senses muffled by cotton. But now, the restraints were all gone. He existed in full, so bare and raw that the world almost hurt to experience. Aether pumped through his veins, through his entire body. Every movement, every skill, every spell felt easier. Magic came as naturally to him as breathing.


    A huge field opened around him where the Tempest had thrown the enemies back. Ike rolled his shoulders out and cracked his knuckles, then leaped into the air. His legs kicked harder than they''d ever kicked before. He soared over the puppets, almost flying.


    Down below, he caught sight of Llewyn. He dropped down in the middle of the puppets, then leaped again. With every leap, he closed in on Llewyn. The man watched him come. He waited, not retreating or preparing an attack.


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    Ike smashed down in front of Llewyn. He looked up. "Wait long?"


    "Not at all." Llewyn gestured. Thin blue wires appeared at the tips of his fingers. He flicked his fingertips, and Clarina leaped in front of him. Another flick with his other hand. Clarina''s mother and father hopped beside her. The three of them faced Ike, all controlled by the blue wires flowing from Llewyn''s fingertips.


    "Coward. Four on one? What a cheap battle," Ike said. Even so, he felt no fear. They were strong, but they were puppets. Beings controlled by someone else.


    He looked each of them in the eye. Not a single one reacted. They were all dead. Just like the people in Lord Nors'' city, dead from the inside out. He took a deep breath. "Hold on. I''ll set you all free."


    "Let''s see you try." Llewyn flicked his wrist, and the puppets leapt toward Ike.


    Ike immediately leaped toward Clarina. She had been the weakest in life. In death, it should remain the same. He leaped into the air and kicked toward her head.


    His leg slammed into an iron wall. Ike hopped back, holding his injured leg in the air. He grimaced. His healing art activated, mending his bone and muscles back together.


    Llewyn chuckled. He shook a finger. "Making assumptions, are we? But these three are now my puppets. They aren''t who they were. They''re beings I personally forged, crafting them into their ultimate selves. Don''t assume that their power has anything to do with what you know about them."


    Ike shook out his leg. He tested it a few times, then rested his weight on it. It held with only a little bit of pain. Dropping back another few steps, he activated his Sensory Enhancement, extending his aether at the same time. Forcibly, he used Sensory Enhancement on his aether sense, and directed both of them at the puppets.


    The puppets glowed, all of them full of mana. Of the three puppets, Clarina glowed brightest. Her mother glowed the dimmest, and their father glowed between the other two''s glow. Ike held his sense open and closed in on Clarina''s mother. As his foot swept toward her face, the glow swapped to her. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mid-kick, Ike redirected his kick upward. His foot swept by Clarina''s mother''s face, so close it stirred her hair. He scanned the trio. Now it was her father who was darkest. He hopped forward again, going to punch her father. This time, instead of watching the puppets, though, he watched Llewyn.


    Llewyn''s finger twitched. Glow coursed up a thread on the mother''s back and down a thread on the father''s back. The father glowed brightly.


    Ike''s eyes widened. He punched the father lightly and jumped back. Got it. He uses the threads to not only control them, but also to swap the aether between their bodies¡­ or rather, mana, since they can''t use aether. All the mana amounts correspond to their original mana, where Clarina is the weakest, her mother is the strongest, and the father is between the two of them, but Llewyn can swap the three quantities freely between the three bodies. That means I''ll always be kicking the mother, who''s the strongest of all three, no matter who I try to attack.


    I need to sever those threads. Can it be done? Ike drew one of the blades he''d gained as loot from his inventory and threw it at Llewyn''s fingertips.


    The thread severed, only to regenerate a second later. Llewyn laughed. "It''s a good thought, but futile. Did you think I had never considered what might happen if the threads were cut? A foolishly obvious target. One I have long since reinforced."


    "Oh, is that so?" Ike narrowed his eyes. If I can''t cut the threads, then there''s only one path left to me. Break through with brute force! He charged in, his fist raised high.

 193. Brute Force

    Ike charged in, fist held high. He punched toward Clarina, currently the weakest of the trio. Her eyes lit up, and the mana flowed into her body. She charged to meet him, raising a fist to meet his.He slammed his toe down and pivoted, whirling toward the current weakest puppet instead: the father. His punch flashed out. The light left Clarina and entered the thread, travelling toward her father, but too slow. Ike''s punch landed first, shattering a huge crack in the puppet''s carapace. In the next second, the light flowed into her father. He leaped toward Ike, launching a fist at him just as Clarina had.


    Ike hopped back, toward Clarina. She finished her punch. It landed on his back, painful, but not deadly. He leaped into the air, hopping her father, and descended toward her mother. A flurry of kicks rained down on her weakened mother, even as the bright light of the thick mana flowed toward her. The second the mana flowed to her completely, he kicked away from her and switched back to the father, who was weak once more.


    Llewyn scowled. "Now who''s fighting cheap?"


    "You''re the one who started this as a four-on-one. You can''t complain when I get a little cheeky in return," Ike said. He grinned. He had the pattern down, now. It was just a matter of executing it until he finally destroyed all three puppets.


    He felt bad about killing Clarina and her parents, but then, he wasn''t killing them at all. Ike shook his head, calling forth rage instead. Llewyn already killed them. He''s just puppeteering their corpses right now. There''s nothing left of any of them except for their bodies, and I can put those to rest. There''s no reason to hold back or feel bad about this. This only helps them. Puts them back where they belong.


    Ike charged in. He flashed left to right, right to left, dashing around the three puppets and chasing down the weakest one. Whenever he caught up, he landed a punishing blow on the weakest one. The black-armored puppets charged in time and time again, trying to interrupt Ike''s battle, but Wisp had his back. She swept them back time and time again, using her size and weight to smash the puppets to the ground.


    Llewyn''s face twisted. He snapped his fingers on one hand, releasing his control of Clarina''s parents. They charged at Ike. One was the weakest, and the other was the second- weakest. Ike quickly demolished the weakest one. The second-weakest took a Shockwave Punch to the chest, but went down with a second blow. And then Clarina was there. Burning with power. Surging with all the strength of the puppets, put together into one.


    "Ike, please help me!" she cried. Black tears slipped down her face. Her expression contorted in fear and pain. She reached out to him, lost in despair.


    Don''t fall for it. Ike hardened his heart internally, but externally, he paused. He stepped toward her. "Clarina?"


    Behind his back, he charged Tempest.


    Clarina wobbled toward him. She reached out for him. "I broke free. Please. Sever the threads. Free me!"


    "Clarina!" Ike leaped in, then immediately jumped backward.


    In the second he leaped forward, Clarina''s eyes suddenly burned with murderous intent. She lashed out, slamming both hands down on the space Ike had been moments ago.


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    Having predicted the attack and already jumping away, Ike only laughed. He tossed the Tempest behind Clarina''s back. The winds howled, twisting the threads. Ike snapped his fingers, and they raged, sharpening as they whirled. They sliced through all the threads, momentarily freeing Clarina from Llewyn''s control.


    "As you wish," Ike said.


    Llewyn screamed in frustration. He gestured, trying to call Clarina back to his control.


    Ike flashed in. He grabbed Clarina by the collar and yanked her back, pulling her out of the range of Llewyn''s threads. Sticking his tongue out, he kept fleeing, taking Clarina with him. "Can''t catch me!"


    Clarina twisted in his grasp. She began to beat at him. Her attacks hurt, but they lacked the precision and mana that they had when Llewyn controlled her. Without his control, the puppet couldn''t fully utilize her powers and strength.


    Interesting. That seems like a serious design flaw, Ike noted silently. He threw Clarina to the ground. Hopping into the air, he pulled out the spider''s fang that had allowed him to pierce through the puppets, all that time ago. He wasn''t able to damage the fully empowered puppet. The mana inside of it reinforced its shell, and made it too hard. All he had was the fang, and he was going to put all his strength and power behind it. "Shawn!"


    A tiny form burrowed out of the earth. Shawn hopped up and latched onto Ike''s shoulders. "I''m here, and fully recharged!"


    "Un-recharge. Give me your weight!"


    "Got it!"


    A mountain dropped onto Ike''s shoulders. He put all the weight into the spider''s fang, driving it toward the Clarina-puppet''s heart.


    Clarina''s eyes lit up. She went to jump upright.


    Ike flinched. He grimaced. "Shit. Lay still!"


    Clarity flashed in Clarina''s eyes. Just for a single beat, her eyes met his, and he knew he saw Clarina, not the puppet. She laid back down and closed his eyes. Her lips moved.


    Do it.


    Ike slammed the fang home. It struck her chest and wobbled, struggling to pierce through. Ike pushed it with all his strength, all his weight, the power of the storm, putting his all into it. Clarina screamed. Or not Clarina, but the puppet. It thrashed, beating Ike with all its limbs. Kicking, punching, howling, it fought with every inch of its being. Blood flowed down Ike''s body. Bruises darkened his skin. He held on, gritting his teeth in determination. It didn''t matter how much it hurt. He wasn''t going to give up now.


    The spider fang cracked. It couldn''t hold up to this force. Not for long.


    But in the same instant it cracked, a crack appeared in Clarina''s chest.


    Ike forced his aether into the fang. He forcibly reinforced it, filling the fang with as much aether as it could take. It pushed again, piercing deeper into Clarina''s chest. Then again. The crack on Clarina''s chest grew wider.


    "Go! Pierce!" Ike shouted. He lifted his hand and smashed it into the hand holding the fang.


    The fang slammed through Clarina''s chest. Blue mana rushed into it from beneath, pushing it and Ike both into the air. The mana spouted out of Clarina like a geyser. She trembled, eyes rolled back in her head, her whole body shaking, while mana soared into the air. It escaped her body at speed, rushing out into the world.


    Clarina''s face appeared in the mana, then her mother''s, then her father''s. Her mother bowed to Ike. Her father inclined his head. Clarina waved, a tear rolling down her face.


    Ike waved back. He bit his lip, forcing back the lump in his throat. They''re already dead. There''s no reason to cry. Even so, it was hard. Watching them go. Knowing he''d put them to rest. But they were people he knew. People he''d met. Mages, with lifespans so long he hadn''t even thought of them as mortal.


    But they were. Mortal. Killable. And now they were dead. Cut down, long before their time. All because of the hubris of one man. The hatred of someone who would be king, who would cut down anything and everything that stood in his way. Who cared not for the sanctity of life, or family, or friendship.


    Ike lifted his head. He stared at Llewyn, his eyes flickering with lightning. Little bolts flew from the corners of his eyes and fizzled on the air around him. Static glittered in his hair and shimmered on his clothes. Lightning flashed between his limbs, between his fingers. The air around him hummed with electricity. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You barely even knew them," Llewyn said, laughing.


    "But I knew them," Ike said. And then he vanished.

 194. I Knew Them

    Ike reappeared in front of Llewyn. His whole body trembled in rage, but he held it back. Suppressing it forcefully. Holding back his wrath. He pointed at Llewyn."You die here. Today. Right now."


    Llewyn laughed. "No, I don''t think I do."


    Ike narrowed his eyes. "Then, if you won''t die, I''ll kill your ambitions, instead."


    White light flashed. Ozone sizzled on the air. Once more, Ike vanished.


    Llewyn looked around, glancing left and right. He frowned, brows furrowing.


    Puppets flew into the air. Not damaged or forced back, but torn apart. Savaged, as though by a wild beast. Lightning flickered after them, dancing from puppet to puppet. Even before the puppets hit the ground, the next wave flew into the air. Back and forth, working in circles. Dismantling them. Destroying them. Leaving nothing behind.


    Ike reappeared before Llewyn. Behind him, the last of the puppets hit the ground. He pointed at the man with a black-stained hand. "Now, you."


    "I won''t be so easy to¡ª"


    Ike''s hand eclipsed his vision. He flinched back, but too slow. Llewyn flew backward. Ike gripped his face and dragged him along, pulling him with him. He charged for the wall. Pulling his hand back, he slammed Llewyn into the wall and dragged him along the length, knocking his head against every single inch of the impenetrable stone. Llewyn''s head rattled around in his grasp. His hair flew. His flesh burned from the friction, a horrid, acrid stench.


    Ike spoke, his voice deceptively calm. "Do you feel anything for them? For your victims. For their families. Do you feel anything at all?"


    Llewyn just laughed. He laughed, and laughed, and laughed.


    Ike yanked him away from the wall and threw him to the ground instead. He jumped up, slamming down on the man''s chest with all of Shawn''s weight. Llewyn coughed blood as his chest caved in. "Speak."


    Llewyn licked his lips, then turned his head and spat, clearing his mouth. He grinned. Not an ounce of repentance appeared in his eyes. "Why should I feel something for rats? Do you mourn bugs? Do you mourn the beasts you eat? Do you mourn the pests who gnaw at your supplies, and offer nothing in return? No. I feel nothing. I only feel joy that fewer of those foul beasts remain on this earth."


    He lifted his finger and pointed at Ike. "And if you knew what you were, you would feel the same."


    Ike narrowed his eyes. "You won''t fool me with that."


    "Fool you? But I know. I know, Ike, I know what you are." Llewyn''s eyes glittered, now, shining with the wild light of a madman. He leaned in. His voice rasped to a whisper. "I know, because we crafted you."


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    Ike jerked back, as if stung. A thousand strange events coalesced in his mind. When he received the Unique skill, and somehow got away. When the officials came to his house looking for the skill, and rather than punishing him, offered him a spot in the guard. When Lord Brightbriar retrieved his daughter from the Abyss, and didn''t punish him. All the times he''d been let go. All the times he''d thought he''d slipped through Lord Brightbriar''s grasp.


    But what if I didn''t? The thought had been there from the start. Eating at his mind, like a worm in an apple. But what if this was Lord Brightbriar''s plan? What if he wanted me to have the skill? To escape the Abyss? To grow and strengthen? If Llewyn said ''we'' had crafted him, then there was only one other person he could mean: Lord Brightbriar, the original puppet master. The one truly pulling the strings from the background this whole time.


    "Why?" Ike asked.


    Llewyn chuckled. "Wouldn''t you like to know." He snapped his fingers. Bright energy burned within his core. His whole body began to tremble. His chest bulged outward once more.


    "Ike! He''s going to explode!" Shawn shouted, breaking Ike out of his reverie. Ike jumped back, but he couldn''t get far enough in time. Llewyn''s body bulged and bulged, growing out of proportion. He laughed, head thrown back in madness.


    A thread latched onto Ike''s back. Wisp yanked, and Ike flew across the field, away from the explosion. The explosion blasted out and rolled, smashing into the wall, the ground, everything. It expanded toward them, closing in with every second.


    "Wisp, revert!" Ike shouted.


    Wisp nodded. She dropped to her human form. Ike snatched her out of the air and ran with his full speed, running around the edge of the wall to put the wall between them and the exploding Llewyn. The shockwave blasted out. It slowed as it struck the wall, but it still struck Ike and threw him off his feet. He threw his arms around Wisp and Shawn, protecting them with his body. The flame washed over the wall, but didn''t reach them. Bits of rock and stone flew through the air, pattering against Ike''s back.


    And then it faded.


    Ike looked up. A huge chunk had been blown out of the wall behind him. A deep, smoking hole remained where the man had been. Only a few scraps of Llewyn remained. Curious, Ike climbed to his feet and walked over.


    Wisp followed at his hip. "What is it?" S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike knelt. He picked up a piece of Llewyn and held it out to her, grimacing. "As I feared."


    She took it and knocked her knuckles against it. It clunked. "Porcelain. He was a puppet."


    "We didn''t even fight the real Llewyn, and it still took everything I had," Ike muttered, grimacing.


    Wisp smacked his shoulder. "You can''t get depressed. All I did was fight mooks! Between the two of us, I''m the one who should be complaining here!"


    Ike laughed, just a little. He nodded, smiling at Wisp. "Sorry about that. I was so focused, that I¡­"


    He stiffened suddenly, then stumbled back. Wisp''s eyes widened. She rushed to his side to support him.


    Ike''s whole body went weak. Storm Clad deactivated. His aether ran low, guttering in his core. He frowned and tried to climb to his feet, but couldn''t. His legs wouldn''t obey his commands. His body was limp as gelatin.


    "What¡­ what¡­?" Ike muttered, frightened.


    Shopkeep jumped down from the wall. He landed beside Ike and gave him a comforting smile. "Don''t worry. You pushed yourself beyond your limits there for a while, and were able to fight above your realm. But doing such a thing, that goes against nature and the System, is bound to have aftereffects. What you''re experiencing right now is the exhaustion that comes after pushing yourself beyond the limits of your strength."


    "It''s like when you''re a mage, and you get super injured, and just zonk out and go to sleep for a few months," Wisp offered, nodding.


    Ike nodded, too tired to say anything. He leaned against Wisp''s shoulder, and his eyes drifted shut. If that was all it was, if this was normal¡­ then he was going to take a nap.


    Wisp gently ran a hand over his hair. "That''s right. Go on and sleep. I''ll look after you for a while."


    That was the last thing he heard. Ike passed out, falling soundly asleep.

 195. After the Battle

    Birds sang. Sunlight drifted down from the window, illuminating tiny motes of dust. Ike laid in his bed and dozed, enjoying the warmth. Soon, his uncle would barge in and demand he return to the plant, admonish him for sleeping in and drag him out of bed by his ankle, but for now, for just a few seconds more, he had peace.A dark-haired girl peered in the top of his window, then scurried over the ceiling. "Hey, Ike. You awake?"


    Ike stared. What the fuck¡ª


    And then it all came rushing back. Getting Lightning Dash. Leaving the slums. Wandering the Abyss. Crossing the mountains. Mont, Clarina''s city, getting locked in Lord Nors'' loop, battling Llewyn. He laughed aloud, a rush of joy coming over him. His uncle wasn''t coming. His uncle would never be able to threaten him again. He was a whole Rank higher than his uncle would ever achieve, and if he ever saw the man again, it would be his uncle who would have to worry about him, not the reverse.


    "You okay?" Wisp asked. She let go of the ceiling with her toes and swung forward on her fingertips, landing on the ground.


    "Yeah, I''m fine. I was just reminiscing." Ike went to stand up, but exhaustion washed over him like a wave. He sunk back into the bed.


    "Tired? Here." She reached into her storage ring and handed him a large root. Dirt still clung to its surface.


    Ike looked at it. He lifted his head and looked at Wisp. "Thanks¡­?"


    "Eat it! It''s a thousand years old, you know? Been soaking in a mana vein for a thousand years! Shawn was worried you were sleeping for so long, so he dug it up for you." She dusted it off and held it out again.


    "Thanks." He took it. Activating his cleaning skill, he pushed it toward the root rather than himself. A rush of magic swirled over its surface, removing the dirt and grunge. From beneath, a pure white root appeared. He took a bite. The root crunched loudly, with the consistency of a parsnip.


    Wisp watched him, enraptured. "What''s it taste like?"


    Ike made a face. "Dirt."


    She laughed. "It is a root, after all."


    He swallowed. Energy rushed into his core. His body craved it, desperately calling out to it. One bite left him feeling incredibly refreshed, and he felt his Rank progressing incrementally toward the next Rank. He looked at the root in shock, then tore into it, gobbling it down.


    "Damn. Big fan of dirt, huh?" Wisp asked.


    Ike chewed the last bites of the root and ate the leaves, too. "Big fan. Shawn found that?"


    "Yep."


    "He find any other roots like that?"


    Wisp batted his shoulder. "Don''t be greedy! How many thousand-year-old roots do you think live in the mana vein? They don''t grow on trees, you know."


    Ike nodded. Patiently, as though he was speaking to a young child, he replied, "No, they don''t. They''re roots. Roots live in the ground."


    Wisp narrowed her eyes at him. Ike waggled his brows back.


    She laughed. Tossing her head back, she shook her head and patted his shoulder. "I''m glad you''re back. I missed you."


    Ike smiled back. He leaned back against the pillow, sitting up. "How long have I been out?"


    Wisp waved her hand. "Not that long. Only a month or two."


    "A month!" Ike jumped up. His legs buckled, and he fell back into the bed.


    "Hey, hey. A month isn''t that long," Wisp said, startled. She patted his head. "I slept for five years once. A month is short. Super short, even!"


    Ike circulated his aether. Forcibly, he rejuvenated his body with the energy from the root along with his own aether. To his surprise, his aether remained steady, if not higher than before. Taking a deep breath, he circulated the ambient aether into his core. To his surprise, a lot of it swirled into his core. He took another breath, and another, basking in the thick aether. Wow. I didn''t know I picked a house right on top of a mana vein. Lucky choice for me.


    Wisp noticed what he was doing and nodded. "Shawn redirected the local mana vein to terminate directly into your room."


    "Really?" Ike asked, surprised. Less lucky, then. But very kind of Shawn.


    "He acts like he doesn''t care, but he does care about you. Actually, of the three of us, he was probably the one fretting the worst," Wisp told him.


    "Even more than you?" Ike paused, then laughed at himself. "You were probably holding yourself back from eating me, right?"


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    Wisp laughed along, but there was something different in her eyes.


    Ike paused. "Were you actually worried?"


    "Of course I wasn''t. I knew you''d be fine. Don''t be ridiculous," she insisted. Still, she leaned a little closer, resting her shoulders against his.


    Ike laughed a little. He rubbed the back of his neck. "I had no idea that I''d put myself in a coma, doing that. I just wanted to fight harder. Use all¡­ no. More than all of my strength."


    "Obviously you''ll stress yourself if you use more strength than you have. You fool. What did you do, anyways?" She sat up, turning to face him. Her head tilted. "That thing, where you sucked all the storms into yourself. I didn''t know you had a Storm Eater skill, or whatever that was."


    Ike shook his head. "That wasn''t a skill. I just¡­ did that."


    Wisp frowned. She stared at him. "Huh?"


    "Like when I developed my extra Unique Skills, I just used magic and manipulated it independently. It''s not that strange. It''s something you can do with any Unique Skill, as far as I can tell," Ike said.


    Wisp squinted and shook her head. "No it isn''t. You can''t just make new Unique skills."


    "No? I''ve done it, though. Have you just not tried?" Ike asked, tilting his head.


    She spread her hands. "Where would I even start?"


    "Well, you¡­ you take the framework of the Unique skill, and you put mana into it. Reshape it. Add new lines of mana and reinforce it carefully with a desired end product in mind. And then¡­ you know. It solidifies, and becomes a new skill."


    Wisp shook her head. "That''s not possible."


    "It is possible. I''ve done it so many times," Ike said, confused.


    "How?"


    "I just told you how!"


    "No, but how¡­ how do you get the framework in the first place? Add new lines to create a new skill? What does that even mean? Even if you did it right in front of me, I have no idea what I''d do next," she said, shaking her head.


    Ike frowned. He gestured. "Try it sometime, when you have a little extra aether. I''m not sure if it can be done with non-Unique skills, so start from the Unique skills."


    "But even then, that storm-sucking thing you did¡­ you''re telling me you didn''t even start from a framework for that one, right?"


    Ike shook his head. "No. I called to the storm, and the storm responded. I was using Lightning Caller and Lightning Clad at the same time. Lightning Clad coats me in lightning, and Lightning Caller draws lightning down from the sky. All I did was activate both in concert, and put more aether into them than usual. And then I felt¡­ um, I don''t know how to describe it. I felt like I could grab the storm. Pull it down from the sky and trap it inside me. And so I did. Just pulled it down and sucked it into myself. That''s all."


    Wisp rolled her eyes. "Oh, yeah. I just did the impossible. That''s all. Easy peasy."


    Ike spread his hands. "What? That''s all I did. It didn''t seem that impossible when I did it."


    "I guess it wouldn''t, when you were already in the middle of doing it. You''re even crazier than me. I have to hand the feral and insane crown to you." Wisp lifted her hands to the top of her head. She lifted an invisible crown and handed it to Ike, taking the chance to pat his head a few time.


    "I bet I could teach you," Ike said.


    "I don''t know if you could teach anyone that. That might be something only you can do, Ike. And even if you taught me, what Unique skill would I use it on? My fireproof thread? Turn my thread into flaming thread, or something?"


    "Sure, why not? Or you could try taking the fireproof trait and applying it to something else. It would all depend on which side of the structure you adjusted." Ike shrugged. "It''s really not that hard. I''m sure you could do it if you tried."


    "I''ll give it a try, then," Wisp said. She closed her eyes. "What was it again? Call the structure to mind?"


    "Yeah. Hold it in your mind''s eye. Can you see it?" Ike asked.


    She frowned. Her brows knotted. She frowned deeper, then nodded. "I see it."


    "Play around with the structure. Adjust little pieces of it, and put mana¡ªer, aether into it each time. You''ll see how changing the different lines changes what the skill does."


    Wisp nodded. Her hands blurred, moving too fast for Ike to see. Threads of spider silk stretched between her fingers. Aether lit up around the silk, and it instantly set on fire, burning away in a heartbeat.


    She snorted. Opening her eyes, she looked at the charred remains clinging to her fingers, then gave her hand a shake. "Well, that didn''t work."


    "No, it did. You changed what the skill did," Ike pointed out. A second later, he grimaced. "Okay, so it didn''t do what you wanted it to do, but you did change its effect. And that''s what''s important. Once you start changing the effect, you can dial in exactly what you want out of it."


    "That''s gonna take so long," Wisp complained.


    Ike nodded. "Yeah, it takes a while, but it''s worthwhile. I mean, just think about it. You can add more Unique skills to your repertoire for free. For free! That''s like, a whole town''s worth of loot in one."


    Wisp raised her brows. She nodded, suddenly far more excited about the idea. "It is just sitting still and being boring, but it''s not sitting still and being boring for nothing. I kind of get why people want to just study skills, now."


    "Yeah. It''s pretty rewarding," Ike agreed.


    "Although¡­ if it''s always been this easy to make new Unique skills, why doesn''t everyone do it?" Wisp asked.


    Ike shrugged. "Maybe they''ve just never thought to try."


    "Or maybe it''s something you can do, and only you."


    He gestured at her. "You did it."


    "I''m sitting right next to you, and you explained how to do it, and I barely get it. But¡­ there''s something about being near you." Wisp opened her eyes. She leaned away from him. "Yeah. If I get this far away from you, I can''t do it anymore. It only works if I''m right next to you."


    Now it was Ike''s turn to look confused. "Huh?"


    Wisp spread her hands. "I don''t know. It''s true, though. You can do it, and I can do it while I''m close to you, but I can''t do it otherwise. You have a weird skill-creation aura."


    "Oh. What the hell does that mean?"


    "I dunno."


    "Why would I have that?"


    "I dunno."


    "How did I even get something like that?"


    She paused. Thought for a moment. "Maybe you were born with it?"


    "Born with it? I was born a commoner. My mom was a mage so weak she died giving birth to me! I¡­"


    Llewyn''s voice sounded in his ears. "We crafted you."


    He swallowed and grasped his chin, thinking. Is that part of it? They crafted me, and now I can create Unique skills from other Unique skills.


    It''s certainly the only thing I can think of. It''s the only explanation I have at all, reasonable or unreasonable.


    Wisp tilted her head. "Are you alright? You went suuuu-per pale."


    Ike swallowed. He laughed, but it sounded forced. "Yeah. Yeah, I''m fine. I''m just tired. I¡­ I should probably get a little more rest."


    Wisp nodded. Standing, she gently pushed him back in bed. "Get some more rest, then. I''ll be here. It''s not like there''s anything else to do, right now. Everything''s nice. Peaceful and quiet."


    Ike nodded. He closed his eyes. To his surprise, sleep took him quickly, his exhaustion still waiting for him the second he closed his eyelids. Even so, Llewyn''s words chased him all the way back to sleep.


    We crafted you.


    But why?

 196. A Few Days of Rest

    This time, when Ike woke, he woke alone. He yawned and stretched, then slowly climbed out of bed. As opposed to the previous time he''d woken, he felt perfectly refreshed and reinvigorated. Some of the energy from the root lingered in his body, absorbing into it slowly. He walked to the window and peered out.Sunlight spread over the town. It glittered on the bits of quartz stuck in the rock walls of the other homes. An empty street stretched before him, idyllically quiet. Ike sighed, leaning against the windowsill and dangling his arms out into the street.


    So nice. So quiet.


    They''d defeated Llewyn. He let that thought sink in for a few moments, before he rebuffed himself with reality. Not the true Llewyn, only a puppet. And not only that, but the success he''d thought they''d had with Clarina''s city wasn''t a true victory at all. They''d only saved it for a moment. In the end, Llewyn had returned and destroyed everything they thought they''d saved.


    He put his head in his hands. Clarina, I''m so sorry. Even if she''d been haughty to him at the end, she hadn''t deserved that. Not her, or her parents, or anyone else.


    He looked up, resolve shimmering in his eyes. It had hurt, but he''d learned a lesson. He couldn''t leave people behind and expect them to be safe. If he wanted to keep people on his side, he had two options: hide them away, or keep them at his side.


    No. There''s one more option. Ensure they''re strong enough that even Llewyn can''t corrupt them.


    Ike turned his head, staring back in the direction from which he''d come. Back toward the mountain, and the city hiding behind it. His hometown. Lord Brightbriar''s domain.


    We crafted you.


    He had to know what that meant. He couldn''t ignore it. But what was he going to do about it? To return home was tantamount to handing his head to Lord Brightbriar. He wasn''t deluded enough to think he could hold his own against the city lord. If he came within Lord Brightbriar''s grasp, nothing stopped the man from killing him¡­ or claiming him.


    We crafted you.


    Lord Brightbriar had let him go so many times before. But would he do it again, now? Or did that end when Llewyn revealed the truth to him?


    If it was even the truth. If he could even believe Llewyn.


    Ike scowled. He ran his hands through his hair and ran it back, shaking his head. No. I can''t take that risk. He had to believe Llewyn. Too much made sense, if he assumed Llewyn had told the truth. And if it was the truth, then Lord Brightbriar had no reason not to capture or destroy him.


    No, from the start, why did he let me run free this long? Or did he underestimate me? Did he think I wouldn''t escape the Abyss until he was ready to use me?


    There was no use thinking about it. He could sit here fretting until the cows came home, but it wouldn''t change a thing. No matter what, he''d still be¡­ ''crafted'' by Lord Brightbriar and Llewyn.


    Whatever that means.


    He put his back to his old home. There was nothing left for him there. He had to head out. Further away. Escape from his old city lord''s influence. Go somewhere where it didn''t matter if he''d been ''crafted'' or whatever. Which left one obvious place.


    He faced the king''s city instead. The largest city on the horizon. The only one that could rival Lord Brightbriar''s.


    Wisp walked by. She looked up and met Ike''s eyes, then waved. "You awake for real this time?"


    Ike laughed. He hopped down from the window and landed beside her. "Yep."


    "Yay!" She gave him a look.


    "What?"


    "Nothing! Just happy you''re back on your two feet." She looked away and walked on.


    The two of them walked in silence for a while. Neither of them said anything. Ike closed his eyes, enjoying the sun. He stretched. "So, where are we going next?"


    "I don''t know that we''re going anywhere. Not both of us."


    "What?" Ike looked at Wisp, startled.


    She shook her head. "I need to get stronger. I can''t relax any more. You''re going to truly surpass me if I continue to rest on my laurels."


    "No."


    "Huh? You think you can stop me¡ª"


    "I don''t think I can stop you. I''m not going to stop you from training, either. I just¡ªI can''t afford to let anyone out of my sight again. Not someone I care about. Clarina taught me that," Ike said.


    Wisp grinned. "Aww, you care about me."


    "I do," Ike said, serious.


    Wisp sobered. She looked at Ike, then nodded. "Yeah. Me too."


    There was silence again. They walked on, down the cobbled, empty streets.


    She tilted her head. "So¡­ what? Are you going to go train with me?"


    Ike snorted. "What says we can''t train together?"


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    "But then you''ll keep surpassing me," Wisp complained.


    "Yeah, well. You''ll just have to train harder, I guess," Ike said with a shrug.


    Wisp thought for a moment, then nodded. "I can do that. What about Shopkeep, though?"


    "What about him?" Ike asked.


    Wisp whistled. "Damn, cold."


    Ike laughed. "I mean, sure, but he''s strong. He might be a low Rank 4, but he''s still a Rank 4. And Llewyn couldn''t successfully break into his Wizard''s Tower this time. Sure, he was worried about it, but¡­ I don''t think Llewyn''s going to try again."


    "Why not?" Wisp asked, tilting her head.


    Ike gestured all around him. "He''s got nothing. It''s just him here. Llewyn''s just lost a bunch of foot soldiers fighting us. Do you think he spends his time and effort going after one Rank 4, or targets some other city with lots of civilians and also a Rank 4 lord?"


    Wisp opened her mouth, then shut it. "You know, that actually does sound a lot like human thinking."


    "Yeah? What would a spider do, then?"


    "Eat both!"


    Ike snorted.


    "Nah, I''d set up my web in a place I could catch lots of prey, not hunt some single big kill. That''s what webs are for. But I might leave a web here just in case, you know?"


    Ike twisted his lips. He looked up at the city''s center, where a castle stood tall over the empty city. "I get what you''re saying. If he can pick up Shopkeep easily, I think he does. So it''s not like Shopkeep is completely safe. But I''m not gonna stay here and watch over him, either."


    "That''d be kinda insulting, wouldn''t it? Since you''re just a Rank 3."


    "Exactly what I was thinking. How presumptuous!"


    Ike and Wisp both spun. Shopkeep stood behind them, his hands on his hips. Ike hopped back, startled. He glanced around, then rubbed the back of his neck. "Er, sorry. I didn''t mean to imply that you needed my protection, it''s just¡ª" Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shopkeep waved his hand and cracked a grin. "No, no. I understood. You saw how Llewyn operates, and you thought he''d do the same with me. It''s a reasonable expectation. But I agree. You shouldn''t stay around here. Even if he tries to convert me¡ªno, even if he succeeds¡ªI''m not valuable enough to your fight that you should put in that much effort toward me. Even a shopkeep like me can do a simple cost-benefits analysis like that."


    Ike bobbed his head, embarrassed. He didn''t know how to respond to such a flat assessment of one''s own worth, coming from the man himself, so he said nothing. There was something admirable to it¡ªto understanding your worth, and where you fit in the world¡ªbut he felt, at the same time, that he shouldn''t applaud someone for telling him that their own life wasn''t worth much.


    "Ultimately, I want the same thing you do: the destruction of Llewyn. I''m willing to do anything to bring it to fruition. I''ll do what I can, on my side, until Llewyn takes me out. But don''t alter your plans to protect me. This is the path I chose, and I''ll chase it to the end."


    Again, Ike nodded silently.


    Shopkeep brightened. He reached behind him. "That''s right. I brought something for you two!"


    "Oh? Loot?" Wisp asked, excited and apparently unaffected by Shopkeep''s declarations of his willingness to die for the cause.


    "The kind of loot you''ll never see again, unless you totally dominate a city," Shopkeep declared. He drew his hands out from behind his back.


    A pair of blades appeared. They emanated an ancient aura and a powerful aura, well beyond Ike''s Rank 3. One was short, and the other was longer. He held out the long blade to Ike and the short one to Wisp.


    "Whoa," Wisp said, her eyes shining. She leaped forward and stole her blade away.


    Ike took his more slowly. He looked at Shopkeep. "Are you certain? These¡­ they''re relics, aren''t they? Very old blades. They must be worth tons of gold."


    "And they''re rusting away in the depths of my empty sect. Better if someone uses them. Besides, think about it. If Llewyn comes back and conquers my sect, he''s the one who gets the relics. I''d rather hand them to the two of you," Shopkeep reasoned.


    "Oh¡ªright," Ike said, nodding.


    "I''ve put restraints on them so you can use them at your Rank. As you Rank up, you can try unlocking the seals to use them at a higher Rank."


    "How high Rank are they?" Ike asked.


    Shopkeep smiled. "Let''s just say they should suffice for quite a while."


    Ike looked the sword up and down. "Understood."


    "It''s niiiiiice. Real nice," Wisp said. She struck a few poses, climbing up on the nearby wall to try the sword out from a horizontal angle. "Yeah. I like that. It''s like having another fang."


    Shopkeep bowed. "Thank you for protecting me."


    "Of course," Ike said. He bowed back, a little nervous. His hand feathered over the blade, feeling its power. Aside from the emanations and aura, the blade was entirely unremarkable. It had no particular decorations, and its sheath was plain, too. Its only decoration was a red-and-white tasseled cord dangling from the bottom of the hilt. For Wisp, her sword had a red-edged white hilt. Ike looked at the two, tilting his head. "Are they part of a set?"


    Shopkeep nodded. "Originally, they were paired blades. But it''s been a very long time since anyone''s been able to wield them as a pair. If they can''t be wielded together, better to wield them apart."


    "Two blades is overrated! Better to have one blade and two fangs," Wisp said.


    "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Thank you, Shopkeep. I lost my sword in the battle, so I''m glad to have another," Ike said.


    "I take it you''re going to leave soon?" Shopkeep asked.


    "We need to move on," Ike agreed.


    Shopkeep nodded. "Of course. But if you ever have need of rest, remember me. For as long as I am not taken over by Llewyn, I will have a safe place for you." He stopped and thought for a minute, then smiled. "And if you ever encounter anyone who needs safety or a rest, send them to me. I need more inhabitants. It''s sad to have an empty city. All these buildings, and no one to occupy them."


    "Of course."


    A head burrowed out of the center of the road. Shawn looked around, then shook the dirt off his head. "We leaving?"


    "Yes," Ike said.


    "Ah. Too bad." He clambered up out of the hole and ran over to Ike.


    "Do you want to stay? I''m sure it would be good for a young mountain spirit like you," Ike pointed out.


    Shawn shook his head. "There''s already a land spirit here. They''ve been very kind to allow me to stay here for so long, but I don''t want to overstay my welcome." He ran over to Ike and climbed his way up to rest on Ike''s back, as usual.


    "Hey. Aren''t you full of power? You can walk on your own," Ike argued.


    "Why waste my precious power? I can rely on you to walk, and use my power for something else. I''m a mountain spirit. I''m not built for walking."


    Wisp nodded. "He does have a point."


    "Mont was walking just fine!" Ike argued.


    "Mont''s a fully grown mountain with a mountain to call his own! I don''t even have a sad small hill," Shawn complained.


    "Do you want a sad, small hill?" Ike asked.


    Shawn squinted at him. "No. I want a giant, glorious mountain."


    Ike grimaced. "Well, I was going to say, I can probably get you a sad, small hill, but a mountain, that''s a bit much to ask for, don''t you think?"


    Shawn kicked him. "I''m going to grow into a beautiful mountain. Just you watch!"


    The three of them turned to walk off.


    Shopkeep chuckled. "Shall I spare you a bit of walking time?"


    Ike looked back. "Huh?"


    Shopkeep gestured ahead of him. "Here we are."


    When he turned back around, Ike stood on the wall, inches from the edge. He stumbled back, startled, and grabbed onto Wisp for support.


    Wisp broke out laughing. She slapped his shoulder and waved her hand. "Oh man. That''s amazing. He got you, didn''t he?"


    "I forgot about Wizard''s Tower," Ike said, rubbing the back of his neck. Waving one last time to Shopkeep, he hopped off the wall.


    Wisp followed him down. They landed at the bottom and walked off, leaving Shopkeep behind.


    He watched them go. A smile spread across his face. He nodded to himself, his eyes resting on the blades at their hips.


    "I hoped to give those to my children one day. Instead, I hope you carry them well," he murmured.


    He watched them until they vanished over the horizon, then turned away.

 197. Onwards [Book 2 End]

    Ike, Wisp, and Shawn walked on, leaving the city behind. Ike clapped. "So, where are we going?""Somewhere good for training," Wisp said immediately.


    "Right, which would be¡­?"


    She thought for a second. "The place where I grew up has a lot of beasts, and many warring sects. It''s higher realm than this area, but as long as we don''t go around conquering cities, no one''s going to bother us. I think we could both level up if we went there."


    "Oh yeah? So where is that?" Ike asked.


    She turned slowly, taking in the surrounding landscape. Her brows furrowed. She dropped to the ground and put her head against the ground.


    "¡­Are you listening for it, or something?" Ike asked.


    Wisp glared at him. "I was little when I left there. It''s a totally different perspective! If I want to find my way back, I''ve got to find all the landmarks little me used."


    "You don''t have anything more reliable?"


    "Are you calling my landmarks unreliable?" Wisp asked. Keeping her head tilted at a low angle, she scurried forward on her finger- and toe-tips.


    "Yes. Also, never do that toward me. That was terrifying," Ike said.


    She paused. Her eyes cut to him, and a grin spread across her face. Wiggling her fingers and toes at top speed, she scuttled diagonally toward him. "Why not? What, is Ikey boy afraid of little old me?"


    "Gods! Why do you do that? It''s fucked up," Ike said, jumping away from her scurrying.


    "You''re fucked up. You''re the one who isn''t using your limbs to their full potential. Quad-limb-minded boy. You''ve got twenty more appendages, why not use them?"


    "Humans think of those as part of their four limbs," Ike informed her.


    "Well, humans are weak," Wisp declared. She started to lunge at him again, then froze and looked around, wiggling her way left and right. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Find something?"


    "Yeah, yeah! I recognize this rock," she declared.


    "Oh. A rock, huh. Very reliable," Ike deadpanned.


    Shawn yawned. "Are you guys gonna chat, or walk?"


    "Shut up and go back to sleep."


    Wisp hopped to her feet, dusting off her hands. She pointed. "That way. Over those mountains, there''s a range of¡­ more mountains. They''re pretty close, and they love fighting. That''s where I came from. The war that was going on when I was little is probably long over, but I can''t imagine there isn''t another war going on by now. They loved wars. Constant battles."


    "Probably because they were so close to one another," Ike guessed.


    Wisp thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah. They didn''t have big, wide swathes of nothing like you do over here. It is pretty far, though. It''s not right over those mountains. There''s a desert, and a big dead region, too. If you aren''t careful, you might die before you ever get there."


    Ike raised his brows. "It''s that bad?"


    She shrugged. "It was when I was little, anyways. Now that we don''t need to eat and drink, it''s probably less bad. Um¡­ I remember the death region being kind of bad, though."


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    "Yeah, speaking of. What the hell is a death region?" Ike asked.


    "Big. Empty. Dead." Wisp waved her hand. "You''ll see."


    Ike thought for a second, then shrugged. "No time like the present." He took off at a jog, carrying Shawn with him.


    Shawn peered at him. "Do you want some of my weight?"


    "Why would I want that?" Ike asked.


    "To get stronger!"


    Ike sighed. He rolled out his shoulders, then gestured. "Go on. Bring it on."


    "Wait, hold on! Are you training over there, Ike?" Wisp demanded.


    "Yeah, so?"


    "I need to get stronger! Give it to me."


    "Shawn is a he," Ike informed her.


    "He''s a training weight, and I want training!"


    Shawn laughed. He waved his hand. "Guys, guys, don''t worry. You can all carry me. I have plenty of weight to go around."


    "Mine!" Wisp snatched Shawn away and put him on her shoulders. She flexed her arms. "Give me that weight! I''m going to get stronger than Ike!"


    "As you wish." Shawn let out a breath.


    Instantly, Wisp fell back. She slowed to a jog, her arms working hard.


    Ike slowed as well. He turned back. "Are you sure? I can carry him, no problem."


    "That''s exactly why I need to carry him!" Wisp declared. She charged onward, leaving Ike behind. Sweat dripped down her body, but she pressed on anyways. "I''m going to surpass you. I won''t let you leave me behind!"


    "You know, you were stronger than me for so long. Can''t I be stronger than you for a while?" Ike asked.


    "No."


    "No?"


    "No. I must be stronger," she replied.


    Ike shrugged. He didn''t really have a reason for her not to get stronger. At the end of the day, in fact, he wanted her stronger. Way stronger. Strong enough to fight Llewyn alongside him. Even if she surpassed him again, he wouldn''t complain. He needed allies. More people who would face Llewyn on even footing. More people who could fight him.


    As they approached the mountains, a pale figure fluttered down from the sky. Ike startled. He hadn''t heard her coming at all, but now, undoubtedly, the white-and-black bird girl stood before him. She blinked slowly, bright yellow eyes focused on him.


    "Hello."


    Ike slowed. Beside him, Wisp slowed as well. Both of them stared at her. "Hello?" Ike tried.


    "My master has a message for you," she said flatly. She reached into her robes and retrieved a letter.


    Ike took it. It was sealed with red wax. A signet ring had been pressed into the wax, but he didn''t recognize it. Carefully, he unsealed the letter and opened it.


    Hello Ike, and companion Wisp.


    I''ve been watching you for some time.


    You are not alone. There are others who oppose Llewyn. Others who would stand at your side.


    When you come to the king''s city, show the enclosed seal to the man at the Oxbone Tavern. We will wait for you, as long as you want. But don''t wait too long. If Llewyn takes the capital, all is lost.


    ¡ªThose Who Oppose Llewyn


    Ike tipped the envelope over. A small ring bounced out. It was a signet ring, with a flat, ovular surface. A dragon coiled on the ring, slender, with vast wings and two straight horns. There was an arrow in the dragon''s heart, and it lifted one claw and opened its mouth in pain.


    "What? You got jewelry? Not fair," Wisp said, peering at the letter.


    "It''s from someone else who opposes Llewyn," Ike commented. He slotted the ring onto his finger. To his surprise, it fit perfectly.


    "Oh. But we''re heading to get stronger, so¡­ bad timing?"


    "Yeah, it is bad timing. But I guess better to contact us now, before we leave, than lose contact with us until we return." Ike touched the ring, thinking. At last, he looked up. "We still need to grow stronger. Even if we met the anti-Llewyn group now, we''d only drag them down. If we want to seriously fight back against Llewyn and Lord Brightbriar, we need to be at least Rank 4, if not Rank 5."


    "So we go to get strong first, then return and sweep across the plains to destroy Llewyn!" Wisp cheered, punching the air.


    The owl girl blinked. She ducked her head. "My master may send someone your way. He also has students who need to rank up."


    "How will we know?" Ike asked. After all, we''re basically planning to fight or kill anyone we meet. We''re not going to kill just anyone, but I don''t want to be in the middle of fighting some group of bandits, and accidentally kill this guy''s student.


    She bobbed her head. After watching her do it a few times, Ike was starting to get the feeling that it was a tic of hers, something she couldn''t help but do. She pointed her nose at his ring. "Students will bear the same ring."


    "Understood." Ike nodded. "Thank you."


    The girl bobbed her head one last time, then took off in a flurry of feathers.


    Wisp shaded her eyes, watching the girl go. "I bet she''d taste delicious."


    Ike bumped her on the shoulder. "Don''t value everyone by their deliciousness."


    "What? How else am I supposed to rank everyone?" Wisp shook her head at him. Adjusting Shawn''s weight, she set off again. "Come on. Let''s go get strong, so we can come back and crush Llewyn."


    "Let''s," Ike agreed. He turned away and followed Wisp over the mountain.


    END BOOK 2

 198. Across the Mountains Again

    They quickly crossed the mountains. The desert was a bit hot, but largely uninteresting. Flat. Dry. Immense. No one lived there, and the majority of animal life seemed to agree with that assessment. Ike and Wisp ran at speed, trading off Shawn as they ran. Sand flew up behind them, drawing a singular line through the empty wastes. The sun burned down, shimmering in waves all around them. When the sun fell, a deep chill replaced the searing heat. The three of them ran on, through day and night. It took them a week to cross the desert, a week of running nonstop at Rank 3. When at last they reached the end of the desert, where a river as wide as Ike''s home city tore across the land and a forest began on its far side, Ike paused and looked over his shoulder at the space they''d ran across."No wonder I''ve never heard of this land," he commented. He was one of the fastest Rank 3s he''d ever met, and it had still taken him a week of flat out running to cross the desert. At Rank 2 or 1, how long would it have taken him to cross it? Weeks? Months? And if he was slower, the kind of Rank 3 who specialized in strength and not speed, would it have taken him weeks, all the same?


    "Yeah. It was hell to cross as a baby spider. I was lucky the wind was with me. I could do a lot of parachuting," Wisp said.


    "Parachuting?"


    She grinned. "You''re about to find out. How do you think we''re gonna cross this river?"


    Ike looked around them, then shrugged. "I have to admit, I hadn''t really put much thought into it."


    "It''s a good thing you have me. Not only am I a superior spider, but also, I think," Wisp said, nodding, hands on her hips.


    Ike gave her a look. She shot one back.


    Both of them burst out into laughter.


    "Before we go, though, didn''t you say there was a death region on the other side of the desert?" Ike gestured at the lush forest. "Is there something hiding in there?"


    "Ah. Yes. The most vicious kind of beast. Absolutely voracious. They dart out of nowhere and pierce you up, then eat you in one bite before you even know anything is happening," Wisp said, in the most serious tone he''d heard her use in a while.


    Ike raised his brows. "Sounds pretty serious. What kind of monsters are they?"


    Wisp gave him a look. "Only one kind of creature is so indiscriminately deadly. Only one kind of creature looks down on you from on high, then launches an attack from a location of unfair advantage. Only one kind of creature is so dangerous. That''s right. I''m talking about them." She lowered her voice and looked him in the eye. "Birds."


    Ike bit back a snort. He tried to put on a serious face, but failed. "Right. Birds."


    "Oh, shut up, mister afraid of spiders. Birds are way scarier than us. We only catch those idiots who are too stupid to see our webs. We do a service, ridding the world of lesser, unintelligent beings. Birds, on the other hand¡­" She scowled. "Those stuck-up assholes think they''re better than all of us! They think they have to right to choose between our life and death, as if they''re the gods themselves! You''ve seen how dangerous they can be. They almost killed you!"


    Ike frowned, then stilled. His eyes widened, and he nodded. Back in the Abyss, the fire-spitting ravens had almost killed him. If Wisp hadn''t been there, he would have died for sure. "No¡­ I''m starting to see it."


    She nodded and pointed at him. "See? You understand. Birds! They should all die!"


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    "I don''t know if I''d go that far," Ike muttered. He thought for a moment, then frowned. "But wait, you didn''t mind that owl girl." sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "She''s scary, but she''s not that bad. She''s not beast or human anymore, but a failure. Somewhere between the two," Wisp said. There was sorrow in her voice, and she shook her head sadly. "It''s unfortunate, what happened to her. But she is no longer something to be feared."


    Ike nodded. I guess I get that. The owl girl is locked at Rank 2, after all. She isn''t a threat to either of us. "So¡­ shall we do this parachuting thing?"


    "Yes! Be ready for a fight when we land. Shawn! Carry your weight!" Wisp threw her hands into the air. A big billowing pillowcase of spider silk formed in the air, growing wider and larger with every passing moment.


    "Ugh¡­ fine," Shawn said.


    The spider silk grew larger than Wisp and Ike combined, then kept growing in size. At last, It was so large that it towered over them, and it dragged at the wind like a sail. Wisp ran at Ike. The chute spanned out behind her, and as she closed in on him, it caught the air and yanked her into the sky.


    "Ike!" she shouted.


    Ike chased after her. "I''ve got it!"


    "Hurry!"


    The river loomed. Dark waters churned beneath them, just off the edge of a sheer cliff. Three steps away. Two.


    Here goes nothing! Ike kicked off the edge of the cliff and leaped, launching himself into the air. He reached out for Wisp, and Wisp reached for him. For a long second, he hung in the air, connected to nothing at all.


    Their hands met. Wisp pulled him up into her arms, gripping him tight. He clung on for dear life. The water raced by underneath, rushing at speed. It swirled around rocks and spun downstream, rife with currents and downdrafts. If he''d fallen into it, it would have dragged him down, so that he''d never be able to escape.


    A shiver crawled over Ike''s skin. He held on even tighter, squinting up to see Wisp''s parachute more clearly. Translucent spider silk drifted over them, the envelope so thin he could barely see it. He swallowed. "How confident are you in that parachute of yours?"


    She laughed. "Don''t worry. It''s perfectly safe. I traveled that whole desert with them! I even crossed this river the first time with one. It''s safe, totally safe!"


    A caw sounded out in the distance. A shadow winged past the sun, momentarily eclipsing it.


    "So¡­ how bird-proof is it?" Ike asked.


    "Mmm. About that," Wisp muttered, looking up at the bird''s silhouette.


    Ike reached into his storage ring and drew out a small knife. Changing his grip so he held Wisp with one hand, he tracked the bird across the sky.


    The bird cawed again. It swooped, baring its claws. Black feathers glittered in the sun.


    Ike loosed the knife. It crackled off, empowered by his knife-throwing skill and enrobed in a miniature Storm Clad. At Rank 3, it had become trivial to push Storm Clad onto objects, even if the effect greatly diminished when he removed it from his body.


    The knife zipped into the heavens. Its shadow met with the bird''s. Letting out a piercing shriek, the bird sagged in the air. It opened its beak and spat out a stream of fire, even as it drifted toward the opposite shore.


    "Wisp!" Ike shouted, tensing. He reached for her web. Maybe if I coat it with Storm Clad, I can prevent¡ª


    "Ha, get fucked, bird," Wisp said, completely unworried.


    Ike paused. He looked at Wisp.


    The fire splashed off the envelope without harming it. The parachute drifted on, peacefully riding toward the far shore.


    "Oh, right," Ike said. She got a fireproofing skill.


    Wisp grinned. "I figured out how to make it not red. Isn''t it cool? Stealth mode fireproof thread!"


    "It''s awesome," Ike agreed. He looked up at the bird again as it fell toward the forest, and squinted. "A fire-breathing raven, huh?"


    "Yep."


    "You think it''s related to those ravens from the Abyss?"


    Wisp shrugged. "Could be."


    "It''s gotta be." Ike shook his head. "What a way to introduce ourselves to a forest full of birds."


    Wisp scowled. She glared up. "Doesn''t matter. They''re birds. They''d find a reason to hate us anyways."


    Ike laughed. "You seriously hate birds, huh."


    She nodded vigorously. "They''re the natural enemy of spiders."


    The raven vanished behind the treeline. For a time, Ike and Wisp drifted peacefully. The water swirled by beneath them, casting a chill breeze that swirled around Ike''s ankles. Ike kept an eye on the sky, but no more shadows threatened them. They reached the midpoint and kept drifting, ambling slowly toward the far shore.


    Just as they crossed the center line, a deep voice rang out. "Who dares enter the territory of the Magpie King?"


    In sync, a wall of birds took flight from the forest, birds so dense that they blocked out the sun.


    "Fuck," Ike muttered.


    "¡ªing birds," Wisp finished for him, narrowing her eyes.

 199. The Magpie King

    "Who dares enter the territory of the Magpie King?" S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.Birds rose out of the trees, so thick and dense that they blacked out the sun. Their shadow eclipsed Ike and Wisp. The beat of their wings pulsed against their skin and rattled the surface of the water. The envelope of the parachute trembled with their wingbeat, threatening to collapse in on itself.


    "Storm Clad!" Ike shouted. The storm swirled around him. Wisp flinched back, her grip slipping. Ike pushed it over her as well, pulling her into the eye of his storm. It raged around both of them, flickering, flashing, raining and howling.


    Ike threw his hand up. He pushed the technique''s winds into the envelope, forcibly inflating it. The parachute hung for a second, then inflated, pulling up to its full, bulbous shape once more.


    The birds cried out. They dashed toward the envelope, their eyes flashing with deadly light. Their beaks jutted toward the delicate silk. Those who had blunt beaks bared their claws.


    "Wisp, they''re coming!"


    She scowled. Grabbing him tight, she threw her other hand toward the far shore. "Lower your storm! Give me a shot!"


    Ike hesitated. How? How do I lower my storm? I can push it over things, and widen it, but I don''t know how to cut it back.


    "Come on, Ike! Give me an opening! My thread isn''t that heavy. You''ll whip it away if I try," she complained.


    "I know! I just¡­ I''m figuring it out!" Ike tensed, then grimaced. I''m not going to puzzle this out in time. If I sit here and try, we''ll lose the envelope long before I manage to create a hole in Storm Clad for Wisp. He released Storm Clad for a second. "Go now!"


    Wisp threw her hand out. A dart of thread whirled to the edge of the river.


    A bird swooped out of the sky and grabbed the thread.


    "Fuck off!" Wisp flicked her wrist, pulling the bird to her. It tried to escape, but the thread stuck to its feet. Wisp pulled it to her, then caught it.


    Ike looked at the bird, then Wisp. The bird, too, looked at Wisp, lost more than anything. He frowned. "What now?"


    Wisp opened her mouth and stuffed the live bird inside. Horrible crunching and squelching sounded out for a moment, and then she swallowed.


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    "I don''t know why I asked." Ike activated Storm Clad again before their parachute could fall completely to the ground. But there was nothing he could do about the oncoming birds. In the final second, he tried to push Storm Clad into the parachute. The skill climbed up the connecting threads, coating them with lightning, then fizzled. Ike frowned. He pushed more aether into it, but it only made the Storm Clad stronger. He couldn''t push it any further. It was already at its limits, just covering the connecting threads. He couldn''t surround the whole envelope with his spell. It was too large.


    The birds struck the envelope''s thin thread. They tore into it, attacking it with beaks and claws. Holes opened up in the delicate surface. The translucent white material opened wide, turning into lace as the birds tugged and scratched its surface.


    Ike grimaced. "Wisp!"


    "Lower your storm again!"


    His grimace deepened, but he obeyed. This time, she shot out a dozen threads at all different heights and angles. A handful of birds split off and intercepted the threads, but they couldn''t stop them all. A few of the threads found the trees on the other side. Wisp yanked, pulling them toward the forest.


    Ike leaned out. He threw another knife at the birds. They temporarily scattered, only to dart back in. Ike grimaced and threw again. Once more, he only drove them away for a moment. This time, they realized he was only throwing knives, and barely scattered. The few direcly threatened by the blade left, but the rest continued attacking the envelope.


    Wisp gritted her teeth. She dragged them toward the far shore, one pull at a time.


    The envelope jolted. Part of it collapsed, and it lurched toward the river.


    "How much longer?" Ike asked, readying another knife.


    "Longer than we have!" Wisp replied.


    Ike threw another knife. One of the larger birds darted out of the air and caught the knife. It called mockingly and dropped his knife into the river. The other birds continued to work, tearing apart the parachute. Little of it remained. Only a few small sections clung together, and those were held by threads.


    He pulled out another knife, but before he could fire it off, the last threads snapped. The envelope gave out. They plunged toward the massive river.


    "Hold on tight and hold your breath!" Wisp shouted.


    "Got it!"


    The water rushed up at them. Ike took one last big breath, and then they plunged into the churning waters.


    The birds circled overhead. They watched the waters, searching for Ike and Wisp.


    Nothing resurfaced. Not even a bubble.


    Doggedly, they continued to circle. Shadows swirled around the sky. Their wings churned the clouds and called the winds. Lower and lower they circled, approaching the dark waters.


    Abruptly, the birds parted. A huge shadow appeared where they had been, massive wings spread wide. The figure coasted to the floor and alighted on the earth, their shape shifting to that of a boy in white robes and a red coat with wide sleeves. He paced the shore. Dark eyes tracked the dark water, and he tucked his hands into his sleeves. All at once, he laughed.


    "Do you think they survived?"


    The birds cawed. They swirled, spinning into a riot.


    "Ha. One way or another, they''ll come to me." The boy spread his arms. His form blurred. Broad wings took the place of his hands, and he flapped into the sky.


    "I''ll wait for them in the Valley of Bones. If they survive, if they make it there¡­ they''ll have to face me."


    He smiled. A cawing laugh filled the air.


    "I''ll be waiting."

 200. Into the Forest

    The water churned. Dark and dangerous, it swirled and eddied. Even in the depths, it still yanked Ike and Wisp every which way. The two of them clung to one another as they descended. They bounced off rocks and were churned over the bottom. Ike held his breath, eyes clenched shut. His chest began to burn. I need air! But¡­An immense presence loomed over the surface of the water. It was within Rank 3, but it was incredibly powerful for Rank 3. Without a doubt, Ike knew he would lose to that presence. The birds were annoying, but not something he couldn''t overcome. That presence, though, was beyond him. It was beyond even Shopkeep and Llewyn, despite its relatively low Rank.


    I can''t surface. Dammit!


    A tap at his shoulder. Ike squinted his eyes open. Wisp gestured him closer. A bubble of air clung to her face and neck, large enough to fit more than one.


    Ike blinked. He pointed at the bubble, then at himself.


    She nodded and gestured again.


    Raising his brows, Ike leaned upward. He took a sip of the air in the bubble, relieving the burning sensation in his lungs.


    Wisp pointed downstream, along the way the water was carrying them, then at the bubble. We''ll keep going until I run out of air.


    Ike gave a thumbs up, agreeing.


    The water moved at a brisk pace. It whisked them away from that terrifying presence and the birds alike. One sip at a time, the two of them shared the bubble. It dwindled. Smaller and smaller. Ike rationed his breaths, only taking enough to relieve the pain in his chest, and still it grew smaller, far too fast. He extended his aether upwards, checking on the presence. No more sign of it, but could he trust that? It could be circling. Waiting.


    The bubble vanished. They let the currents sweep them a little further, until Ike''s lungs burned and his chest tightened. He swallowed, trying to forcibly extend his time underwater, but it was no good. Air. I need air!


    Wisp kicked for the surface. Ike followed her up. The two of them breached the surface with a gasp. Ike grabbed on to a root at the water''s edge, then grabbed Wisp. She gripped his arm back so tight his forearm turned white. For a moment, they just floated there, sucking the air.


    "Whew! I''m all wet," Shawn complained on Ike''s back.


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    Both of them turned and stared at him. Ike spoke first. "You don''t need to breathe?"


    "No? I''m a mountain."


    "Yeah, Ike. Mountains don''t breathe," Wisp said, shaking her head at him.


    Ike sighed and shook his head at them. "You know what? You are right."


    The sound of birds cawing echoed nearby. Wisp and Ike''s heads both snapped up. Without another word, both of them clambered out of the water and into the forest.


    Ike pulled out his wolfskin, and Wisp did the same. "Do you think this will work?"


    "It''s worth a try. They might only be mortal birds, or low Rank. I''m not sensing much of an aura from them," Wisp reasoned.


    Ike nodded. "Me either. There was one powerful aura, but it left. I don''t think the birds are strong on their own. They''re basically just here to summon that guy whenever someone enters this area." He looked at Wisp. "Speaking of, did you recognize that powerful aura?"


    She shook her head. "Nope. That person wasn''t here the last time I came through."


    Ike grinned. He gave her a look. "So, the death region was just¡ª"


    "Yes, yes, yes, it was just the birds, okay? Birds are scary when you''re a small spider! I was way smaller and weaker the last time I was here. It was a completely different experience," she said, putting her hands on her hips and scowling at him.


    "No, I get it. It''s like my uncle," Ike muttered, half to himself. If he faced his uncle now, his uncle would be the one who should be afraid. And yet, when he thought of the man, he still felt a pang of fear. It was purely a reflex. Something that had been carved into his body for so long that it had become a scar. He had no reason to fear his uncle anymore. But the idea of returning to that ramshackle house still set his heart racing.


    Wisp tilted her head, then nodded. "Yeah. Like that."


    He nudged her. "Let''s get moving. If we''re lucky, we might get out of this place without ever running into that frightening aura." S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Here''s hoping."


    The birds circled overhead. Shadows passed over them relentlessly, but the birds never spotted him or Wisp. They darted through the woods at speed, racing past the trees. The leaves flew up behind them and settled quickly as they ran on, the only trace of their passing. The deeper they went into the forest, the thicker the shadows became. Ike glanced up, brows furrowed. It wasn''t just that there were thicker leaves or more birds. The density of the items above him remained the same as ever. The shadows themselves were growing darker and spreading wider.


    "Wisp¡­"


    "Yeah. I''m seeing it. This is new."


    Ike twisted his lips. "Think it''s because of that new guy? The Magpie King, or whatever he calls himself?"


    "If he''s doing this, he''s even stronger than that aura we sensed," Wisp muttered.


    The world grew darker and darker. Cold energy swirled around their ankles, followed by a pale mist. Clouds darkened the sky, and a chill slid over Ike''s skin despite the heavy wolfskin. The trees grew sparser and thinner. Some had lost their leaves altogether. The birds circled so tightly that he could hardly see the clouds beyond them. They hadn''t found him and Wisp, but he got the feeling that these birds would have swirled here regardless of whether the two of them were present. This had nothing to do with searching. This was worship. And ahead of him was the center of the birds'' spiral track. The object of that worship.


    The trees fell away. They stood on the edge of a wide, open field.


    "Wisp?"


    "Nope, this is new," she confirmed.


    They both stared.


    "Well," Ike said, at a loss for words.

 201. Valley of Bone

    At last, Ike shrugged. "I don''t think we can get through that undetected.""What''s telling you that?" Wisp drew off her wolfskin.


    Before them spread a broad field. The field dipped and sank, rose and fell, but every single inch of it was covered in pure white bleached bones. All of them human. All of them very, very dead. A field of sharp-angled, pure white, as far as they could see.


    With one exception. In the center of the field, silver, gold, and gems glittered, bright as the sun that refused to shine. Atop the pile of loot, a red lacquered throne stood at a jaunty angle to the bones. Ike might not have seen it as a throne at first glance, except for the person who sat upon it. The man who was so clearly this land''s king. Or rather, self-declared king.


    The Magpie King.


    "Welcome," that king said. He gestured. "Come. I don''t often get guests. I''d like to see your faces before you die."


    Ike and Wisp shared a glance, then shrugged. Ike stepped forward, Wisp at his hip. Shawn shrank down on his back. The bones shifted and crunched under Ike''s feet. He walked carefully, mindful of his footing. At the same time, he attempted to adjust himself to the rollicking, unexpected roll of the bones. The Magpie King wanted a fight. And if he wanted a fight, then Ike intended to give him a good one.


    He lifted his eyes, taking in the figure on the throne. He wore an oversized red robe with wide, wide sleeves, so wide they could hardly be called sleeves at all. The red robe hung open at his chest, only held together by a slender red knot. Underneath, he wore prim white robes with black hems. Those were neat and proper, unlike his huge overrobe, with one exception: they totally lacked sleeves. If the overrobe hadn''t been so huge, Ike might not have known, but the garment was so large that it hung over his shoulders, revealing one of them. The effect was perhaps cutesy rather than imposing, like a young boy playing pretend in his father''s clothes.


    Not that I''d tell him so. The boy was still far more powerful than him. Not unsurpassably so, but enough Ike didn''t want to mindlessly insult him.


    He looked about Ike''s age, youthful and vigorous. Straight black hair was held down with a slender pair of ties, linked at a red tassel that dangled to the side of his right eye. Although Ike had initially thought he sat upon the throne, it was more accurate to say he perched upon it, with his bare toes curled over the front edge of the proud seat. He tilted his head as they approached, much like a bird. Dark eyes glittered at them. He watched them in silence, reading their every move.


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    Ike frowned. The man emanated aether, and yet¡­ there was something strange about it. Something he couldn''t quite put his finger on. He leaned toward Wisp. "Is he a beast?"


    "I''m¡­ not sure." Wisp stared at him as well, her brows furrowed. She shook his head. "Not quite a beast, but not a human, either."


    "That''s right. I''m a magpie." Having heard their words, the boy hopped to his feet. He spread his arms, only for them to transform, changing into broad wings that barely fit within the huge red robe. Spreading them for his visitors, the boy turned, showing them the backs of his wings. Black feathers covered most of them, save for the place where the white stripe should have been. There, white scales shimmered instead. He sported both a black bird''s tail and a twisting dragon''s tail, the one overlaid on the other.


    "Part beast, part dragon?" Ike guessed.


    "Don''t be absurd," Wisp chided him on instinct, but it was a reflex more than a true comeback. She stared as well, shocked.


    "Haha, that''s right. I''m the son of a crow and a dragon. A magpie! The first of my kind. And you''re the first to dare challenge me on my home turf." He turned back around and preened, clearly proud of his wings. Abruptly, he stopped. His arms returned, the wings vanishing. Standing on the throne, he pointed at them. "So tell me. Why do you dare enter here?"


    Ike stepped forward. He took a deep breath, thinking back to when he used to appease his seniors back at the plant. "This is all a big misunderstanding. We''re not here to fight. We''re only trying to pass through."


    "Hmm? Why are you trying to pass through? What do you want on the other side?" the king asked, tilting his head. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "To get stronger. The clans over here are still at war, yes? We''re here to fight," Wisp declared.


    "Then why not start with me? I''ve collected all the pretty things, and now I''ve got nothing to do but sit on my nest. I''m so bored."


    "You''re too strong," Ike said bluntly.


    "That''s right. We didn''t come here to lose," Wisp replied.


    The king put a hand on his chin. Head still tilted, he asked, "But how can you grow stronger if you only fight those weaker than you?"


    Ike opened his mouth, then paused. Beside him, Wisp hesitated as well.


    "Besides, you smell of gold. Rather than accusing you of coming to fight, shouldn''t I simply say it straight?" The Magpie King whirled, facing them. He hopped atop the back of the chair. It lurched, barely staying upright in the treasure. Coins shot into the air and gems slid down the pile. His feet transformed into bird claws and clutched the chair tightly. Once more, he pointed at them.


    "I am the Magpie King. All that shines, all that is beautiful; once it enters this land, it is mine. Hand over your gold, or die!"


    Ike and Wisp exchanged a look. When they turned back, they no longer wore neutral, polite expressions. Instead, they scowled, just like backalley roughs.


    Ike extended a middle finger. "You think so? Come get it, fucker!"


    Wisp twisted her nose and spat. "Haaaa, why don''t you fuck off and die, how about that?"


    Laughing in delight, the Magpie King leapt off the chair. His wings spread wide. They beat once, sending his chair toppling backward and tossing his treasure into a flurry.


    "So be it!"


    The three of them charged at one another, bones and treasure flying all the same.

 202. Give Me Your Gold

    The winged boy in red darted down at them, baring his formidable claws in their direction. Ike and Wisp drew their swords and charged. At the last second, Wisp rolled over the ground instead, throwing herself under the boy''s strike. Ike met it head on, while she jumped back up behind him. Leaping off the bones, she struck at his wings.His wings glowed with red light, then turned to steel. Her sword bounced off the shiny feathers harmlessly. He swept his wings toward her, using their now razor-sharp edges to cut at Wisp. Gritting her teeth, she battered his wings back. She struggled to block two wings with one sword. The edges of the wings sliced at Wisp''s body. Even when she successfully blocked, his flexible wings folded around her blade, and the feathers still sliced her open.


    At the same time, Ike fought his claws. A flurry of mad strikes beat down at him, almost too fast to see. Not only was the Magpie King strong, but he was also fast. Ike still had the edge on speed, but barely. He couldn''t rely on his speed to save him here. Sure, if he only had to fight one claw, he would have outsped it, but with two? He struggled.


    Ah, dammit. This isn''t the time to hold back! He activated Storm Clad. Lightning flickered and winds raged. Tiny rainstorms swirled around his body, and clouds chased after his motions. His strikes sped up, and his strength grew. He swung heavily, forcing the boy back into the air. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Magpie King''s eyes widened. A joyous smile spread across his face. "Wonderful! I can use my full strength." Red light surged over his entire body. He charged at Ike again, dropping down from the sky. This time, his blows were heavier than before, and even faster than they''d ever been. Ike gritted his teeth. With Storm Clad, he could barely keep up with the Magpie King, but only barely.


    And at the same time, the king battled Wisp with his wings. She scowled, making much the same face as Ike knew he was making. "Die already, asshole!"


    "But why? I''m having so much fun!"


    "Wisp!" Ike shouted.


    She blinked at him, and then her eyes widened. She nodded. Pulling back, she spat a wad of white at the Magpie King.


    He darted into the air, dodging it. "Something that slow could never stop the¡ª"


    His head banged into an invisible thread. Wisp spat again, and this time, the web enveloped him. She laughed. "You fool. Did you think I was only fighting you with this pitiable sword all this time, like a human would? I''ve inundated the battlefield with my threads. There''s no escape for you anymore."


    The Magpie King struggled, fighting against the threads. They snapped, but one at a time. Wisp spat more, coating him thicker. "Stop it!" he complained.


    Wisp stuck her lip out, thinking. She shook her head and spat another wad. "No."


    Ike drew back his fist. Green shockwaves built up on his forearm, while red light built around his fist. The Magpie King scowled. He fought harder. His bladelike wings sliced at the threads, and his razor-sharp claws cleaved through them. "Don''t you dare¡ª"


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    "I dare." Ike unleased his fist, slamming the so-called king in the chest with shockwaves and Exsanguination at the same time.


    Shockwaves rolled through the Magpie King''s body, visibly distorting his torso. He flew backward and slammed into the throne. Lying in a heap atop it, he coughed and spat blood. He struggled to stand, but fell back to the seat.


    "Wisp!"


    "Already on top of it!"


    Wisp and Ike closed in on the king, raising their swords in concert.


    The king''s eyes flashed. His power surged, piercing through the barrier of Rank 4. The damage to his body vanished, and with one flap of his wings, he surged up into the sky. He flew into the sun, putting its light behind him.


    Ike cut through the upper half of the throne, while Wisp slashed the lower half. Yanking his sword free, Ike lifted a hand and squinted up at the boy. "What was that?"


    "What, the Rank surge?" Wisp asked.


    Ike nodded.


    "If you''re super close to the next Rank, you can temporarily push over the edge into the next Rank without permanently reaching it. It''s mostly done by people who either can''t quite reach the next Rank yet, or who are waiting to perfect their current Rank and build a better foundation for reaching the next Rank."


    "Ohhh," Ike said, nodding.


    "Haven''t you done it a few times?" she asked.


    "Not consciously," Ike said.


    "Showoff," Wisp muttered.


    "What?"


    Overhead, the sky grew dark. Birds gathered tight around the sun-anointed figure of the Magpie King. They spun around him in a tight spiral, a vicious knot of feathers and hate. The Magpie King pointed down at Ike and Wisp, and the spiral unwound. A thousand birds hurtled out of the sky like a rain of arrows. Each one burned with the power of Rank 3.


    "Did he give the birds his Rank?" Ike asked, shocked.


    "It must be a skill that lets him empower projectiles. They''re pretty common, honestly. Like how you empower your sword with your sword skill," Wisp explained.


    "I empower my sword?" Ike asked.


    "Yeah? How else did you think that mantis blade survived until Rank 3?"


    Ike raised his brows. "Huh."


    Wisp shook her head. "You''re ridiculous. I don''t know whether to be angry or roll my eyes."


    The birds closed in on them, and there was no more time for talking. Ike threw his hands out, activating Tempest. Winds surged around him, intensifying with the storms that clad his body. It charged far faster than it had ever charged before Storm Clad. Aether surged out of him and into the skill. A ball of wind rocked around in his palm, barely contained. Ike tossed it underhand into the path of the charging birds. A small ball of wind floated gently into their path, then exploded with the fury of a hurricane. The winds blasted the birds around, knocking them out of the air. They dropped to the ground, blown aside.


    The last of the birds dissipated as Tempest blew itself out. Still hovering over them, the Magpie King scowled. He circled over them and gestured with his foot. Although it looked like a bird''s foot, it was arrayed with white dragon scales, shiny as pure ice. He pointed a knobbled claw at them. "So that wasn''t enough to take you down, huh? It seems it''s time to take you seriously. Taste my full strength!"


    Behind him, red light surged. It bloomed into a giant magpie¡ªnot the kind as described by the Magpie King, part crow and part dragon, but an ordinary giant magpie. The projection of a magpie flapped its wings and flew forth, racing toward Ike and Wisp. The aura of a 4th Rank attack pressed down on them, oppressive as it was deadly.


    Ike shivered despite himself. From the core of his being, he knew it would kill him if he didn''t block or divert it somehow. Mustering his strength, he stepped forward.


    Wisp grabbed his shoulder and pushed him back. She winked, a confident grin on her face. "I''ve got this."

 203. Ive Got This

    Facing the projection, she threw her sword away and bared her clawed hands at it, as if to catch it bare-handed. In the next instant, her body shivered and bulged. A bulbous abdomen burst out from behind her, and four more legs arced out from her body. In the blink of an eye, a giant spider stood where Wisp had.Ike instinctively flinched, but forced himself to keep looking. Wisp looked confident, but he didn''t understand why. Last time he''d checked, he was still stronger than her, and that attack felt like death to him. He prepared himself to jump out. Even if he had to take damage, he''d rather get hurt than allow Wisp to die due to overconfidence.


    Not that she tends to be overconfident, but¡­


    The giant spider that was Wisp bared its fangs. It reared up, then stomped down. A projection of a giant spider formed behind it. Before it even finished forming, it charged at the magpie. Black aether streamed from Wisp into the projection, strengthening it with every passing moment. She didn''t break her connection to it and send it flying off as the Magpie King had done, but kept pushing aether, empowering it with every passing second. It started out as strong as Wisp, clearly weaker than the bird, but as she continued to push aether into it, it strengthened.


    The bird and the spider clashed. The bird bit at the spider, and it fell back. Wisp narrowed her eyes. She pushed more aether into it, and the spider reformed. Charging again, it bit down on the bird. The bird squirmed and screamed. The spider latched on, biting deeper. In anger, the bird lifted its claws and shredded the spider apart.


    Wisp flinched. The magic connecting her to the spider projection vanished. Only the bird remained. Letting out a feral cry, it darted toward them.


    "Wisp!" Ike grabbed her shoulder, starting to push her back.


    She stood firm. Glancing over her shoulder, she smiled. "It''s already my victory."


    The bird dropped down on them, but as it fell, its eyes went dull. Its body stiffened. Black magic coursed through its body, tearing it apart from the inside. The black magic burst out, and the red bird projection shattered.


    "Venom?" Ike asked.


    Wisp grinned. "I''m a spider, after all. I might be small, but my venom can kill things much larger!"


    The Magpie King shouted in frustration. He glared down at them, circling angrily overhead. "I''m not done yet!"


    Ike eyed him. The Magpie King remained a strong Rank 3, but his aether was weaker than before. "He''s almost done, isn''t he?"


    Wisp nodded. "But he knows it. I bet he''s going to put his all into this last attack."


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    "He tired way faster than we do. Is that because he was using attacks over his Rank?"


    She shrugged. "Could be. Everyone has their own individual aether capacity. It''s not necessarily linked to their overall power¡­though the higher Rank you get, the less likely you are to encounter people who don''t have massive aether capacities."


    Overhead, the Magpie King concentrated. A mass of white light grew in front of him, continuously growing stronger with every passing moment. Ike squinted up at it, shielding his eyes.


    Glancing at Wisp, he nodded. "Because it''s hard to Rank up without having both massive strength and immense aether capacity."


    "You get it."


    "Yeah." He looked at Wisp. "Should we brace for his attack?"


    "If I had to choose, I''d rather disrupt it, but¡­" Wisp gestured at the man, hovering out of both of their reach. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh? In that case, I have an idea."


    From on high, the Magpie King watched the small figures scurry about. The two of them were running around with such vigor, but it was all useless in the end. After his next attack, they''d be dead, and all their gold would be his.


    A small pang of cold struck his heart, just half an ounce of hesitation. He frowned. Why would he hesitate? There was so much gold right in front of him. He''d never hesitated before. It wasn''t like he was lonely. He had his birds, and his gold, and¡­


    He scowled. Pushing it aside, he lifted his hand. The white light intensified, reshaping into a dragon. The dragon coiled and spun, preparing to launch out at the small figures. "This is your last chance. Give me your gold, and I''ll let you go!"


    Down below, Ike leaned back. Wisp stood on the far side of him, braced up against the top of the throne. With evident effort, Ike took another step back, only to stagger as something unseen pulled him forward.


    "Ready?" he asked.


    "Whenever you are," Wisp said.


    The Magpie King scoffed. "Whatever you''re trying to do, it''s too late! I¡ª"


    Threads twanged. Ike flew into the air as the spider thread slingshot snapped off. He held a Tempest in his hand, pointing it behind him to help accelerate him upward. In the blink of an eye, he reached the Magpie King.


    "Wanna bet?" he asked, and pushed the Tempest directly against the boy''s chest.


    The Magpie King had just enough time to look shocked before the Tempest expanded. It blew him back, tossing him out of the air. He curled in on himself and wrapped his wings around him. They shone like steel again, and the debris bounced off of them.


    Ike hung in midair for a moment before he dropped back down. The Tempest battered him, too, but instead of thrashing against him, it fed the storms that wrapped around his body. His Storm Clad grew stronger, and with it, his strength grew as well.


    Ike raised his brows. Interesting. It seems I haven''t discovered the upper limits of Storm Clad yet.


    As the Magpie King fell backward, he released the dragon. It blasted off, cutting through the storm like a hot knife through butter. It closed in on Ike, jaw agape, teeth bared.


    Grinning, Ike took a deep breath. He called the Tempest to him, feeding its energy back into Storm Clad. Why don''t I test those limits?


    Tempest''s vicious winds thrashed against him. The storms whirling around him sped up in kind. Rain swirled around him, and lightning crashed, the thunder turning into a continuous rumble. He drew his sword and leaned into the attack. The storm crawled over his sword. Clouds coated the blade. Unlike with Lightning Clad, purple lightning didn''t flicker directly over his blade. Instead, they snapped from cloud to cloud, emanating fierce energy.


    The dragon lunged. Ike began to fall, but even as he did, he swung his sword. The stormy blade met the dragon, and the white light clashed against the dark-purple light of the storm.


    Let''s see who''s stronger. This attack that pushes into Rank 4, or my Storm Clad!

 204. Dragon vs Storm

    The blade and the dragon crashed. Dark purple and bright white light flashed. The white light instantly flared. It totally overwhelmed Ike, blotting him out to a shadow."Ike!" Wisp shouted, worried.


    The white light flickered. Dark purple flashed through. Ike appeared from within the bright light, his teeth bared, sword meeting the dragon head-on. He battled it back, pushing it away.


    The dragon roared. It drew back its head and struck again.


    "Ha! Two can play at that game!" Ike drew his sword back. As the dragon neared, he unleashed a ferocious sword slash. He put all the strength of his Storm Clad into the blow. The storms drained away from his body and all poured into the sword. The upward strike of River-Splitting Sword flashed forth.


    The sharp edge met the chin of the dragon. The dragon''s jaw snapped shut. Ike sliced through the bottom of its face and up through the top. The white dragon hung on the air for one moment longer, then burst into a thousand motes of light. Ike stumbled backward, taken aback by the blast.


    He let out a huff and wiped his face, looking down at his hands. Bare skin met his gaze, without a hint of clouds or storms. Storm Clad had dissipated. But in return, he''d been able to deny that Rank 4 attack. If I do that, I can take on a high-Rank attack once, but after that, I''m spent. It''s not something I can do as an opening move.


    Across the field, the Magpie King crashed to the door. His aether flickered, on the verge of burning out entirely. Wisp charged over while Ike was still taking stock of things and quickly wrapped him up in a ball of silk. Lifting him over her head, she ran back to Ike.


    Ike looked at the boy, then at Wisp. "What are you going to do with that?"


    "Isn''t it obvious? Eat him!"


    Caught in Wisp''s silk, the Magpie King suddenly started struggling again. He bit at the silk with his teeth. "I won''t let you! Release me!"


    Ike sighed. "Wisp, you can''t just eat people."


    "He''s not people. He''s a beast."


    Ike paused. He thought for a moment, then nodded. "I guess that''s true¡­"


    "Don''t eat me! I taste bad!" the Magpie King protested. He thrashed harder.


    Wisp smacked the side of the bundle. "Stop moving! The more you struggle, the more I want to eat you now instead of snack on you later."


    "Wait, wait. You two like gold, right?"


    "Sure do," Ike allowed. He wandered over to the Magpie King''s loot and started picking through it. Most of it was kind of trashy. Shiny, but useless. Still, some strange emanation called out to him from the depths of the pile.


    It almost feels like a skill. But there''s no way this kid kept a skill orb mixed in with all this junk. Furrowing his brows, Ike kept digging.


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    "Leave that alone!" he protested.


    Wisp gave him a look. She opened her mouth.


    "I mean, take everything you want, haha. No, but listen!" He straightened up in the bundle. "On the other side of my valley, there''s lots of foolish, unsuspecting sects with lots of gold. They recognize me, and they hide their money if they see me coming. But they won''t recognize you! I can tell you where they hide their gold, and which ones are the best ones to hit! Tell you all their secrets, and the secret routes past their barriers! What do you say?" He smiled. All the dignity and majesty he''d had when he was perching on the throne was gone. Now, he was just a boy with rumpled hair and a tassel flopping in his face. He couldn''t even pull off the greasy salesman aura he was going for. Instead, it had the effect of a young child trying to convince an adult to let them off because they''d let the adult play with their toys.


    Ike sighed. He nodded at Wisp. "Let him go."


    "What? You better have something to pay me back, in return for taking my snack," Wisp snapped.


    "Come on over and pick through his loot. You''re free to take whatever you want."


    "I have what I want," Wisp said, patting the silk bundle.


    Ike rolled his eyes. "Wisp¡­"


    "What? I''m hungry."


    "Don''t eat him. He''s just a kid."


    The Magpie King gave them babydoll eyes. "That''s right. I''m just a kid!"


    "Tender and soft," Wisp commented, licking her lips.


    The Magpie King went back to struggling.


    "Come on. We''re just heading to this area to train. We might as well let him teach us how to find gold, while we''re at it. Gold, skills¡­ if you think about it, that''s half the reason why we''re here," Ike argued.


    "But he said they all hide their gold when they see him," Wisp pointed out.


    "I''ll be in my small form. They won''t even know I''m there," the Magpie King argued.


    She pursed her lips.


    "Think about it, Wisp. You could eat him now, or you could get lots of skills and gold and eat even more powerful things later," Ike said.


    "But I''m hungry now," she replied, sighing. She set the Magpie King down, then considered him. "We need to trap him somehow. If I let him out of this silk, he''s going to fly away."


    "That''s a good point. Do you have anything in your loot that helps?" Ike asked, looking through his own pile of junk. He''d gotten so much from Clarina and Shopkeep that he couldn''t keep track of what he had. For all he knew, he had a tracking accessory in his bag, just waiting for a moment like this.


    "Hmm." Wisp looked through her own storage ring. For a moment, they stood there in silence, just looking for something to use. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh, here!" Ike pulled a gold bracelet out of his bag. The instructions and restrictions had flowed into his head the second he turned his attention to it, as though it were waiting for him to do just that. After looking through his stuff, he wasn''t even all that surprised. Several of the enchanted items had leaped out at him, sharing their descriptions the second he scanned them with his mana. I wonder if it''s a common thing enchanted items do?


    He knelt, sliding the bracelet around the boy''s ankle. The bracelet trembled, then constricted, pulling too tight for the boy to remove it from his foot. "It restricts if he leaves a certain radius of us."


    "Good." Wisp snapped her fingers. The silk fell away.


    The Magpie King climbed to his feet. He clasped his hands and forced a smile. "Where to, friends?"


    "Wisp, you figure it out." Leaving the spider and the bird to sort one another out, Ike turned his attention back on the loot, digging deeper. The skill emanations still poured out of the bones, calling to him. There was something in there. But what?


    A shadow loomed over him. The Magpie King kicked his shoulder. "Leave that alone."


    "Wisp, the kid got away," Ike shouted, without looking back.


    "Hey, come here." Spider thread snatched the Magpie King''s back and pulled him away.


    "Leave my stuff alone," he repeated, fighting free of the thread.


    Ike looked up. His eyes narrowed. "What was that? Do you want to be a snack?"


    "No, I¡­" he pursed his lips and crossed his arms. Brattishly, he turned away. "Fine. Whatever."


    A shimmer of green light appeared out of the clutter of bones and cheap jewelry. Ike''s eyes widened. He snatched it out of the pile, excited. A skill?

 205. A Skill

    Ike held up a skill. He grinned¡ªand then his face fell. A starburst of white pierced through the middle of the orb. Imperfect.The Magpie King sidled up close to him. "You wanna know where to find the other half?"


    "Half?" Ike was in the middle of tossing it away, but he held it back at the last second. He raised a brow, interested.


    The Magpie King nodded. "That skill was considered so powerful that the clans over here split it into two. They hid both halves of the skill. I found one, and I think I know where the other one is."


    "So why didn''t you go get it?" Ike asked warily.


    The Magpie King scowled. "Because it was somewhere I couldn''t reach. I''m one of the strongest monsters in the region, but even I can''t thoughtlessly enter that place. But now that there''s three of us this strong, all together, I''m sure we can take it on." His scowl lightened into a beaming smile.


    "Mhm. Are you sure you aren''t planning to toss us in as cannon fodder, then swoop in and claim the loot?" Ike asked.


    Shock flashed across the Magpie King''s face. He staggered back, then quickly caught himself and put on a neutral face. "W-what? I wouldn''t do that. Me? No, no. We''re friends now!"


    Ike chuckled under his breath. He flashed a look at Wisp, who shared his smile. Turning back to the Magpie King, he shook his head. He''s as easy to read as a little kid. I don''t really have to worry about him betraying us, if he''s going to be that transparent about it every time. "Hey, kid."


    "I''m over four hundred!" the Magpie King protested. "No, five hundred!"


    "Yes, yes. I''m sure you''re very old and venerable. Very impressive indeed. So listen, kid. I can''t keep calling you the Magpie King. Do you have a name?" Ike asked.


    He opened his mouth, then shut it. His head tilted. "Isn''t Magpie King enough?"


    "That''s a title, not a name," Ike pointed out.


    The Magpie King tilted his head back the other way, totally unable to comprehend. "Huh?"


    "Let''s just call him Mag," Wisp interrupted.


    Ike nodded, agreeing. "Mag works for me."


    The boy looked from one to the other, then nodded. "Okay."


    Shawn popped over Ike''s shoulder. "How many young boys are you going to name?"


    Mag startled. He jumped back. "Where were you?"


    "Shut up, grandpa," Ike shot back. He stood, tucking the skill into his ring. "Let''s go find the other half of this skill, then. Might as well, right?"


    "Yes!" Mag agreed eagerly.


    "And no betraying us," he added, waggling a finger at Mag.


    Mag gasped, pressing his hands to his chest. "I would never!"


    "Uh huh. Can''t trust birds. They''re tricksy beasts," Wisp said, narrowing her eyes.


    "Spiders are the creepy ones," Mag shot back.


    Wisp rolled her eyes.


    A second later, Mag turned to Ike. He tilted his head. "What kind of beast are you?"


    "Huh?" Ike frowned, then sighed. He shook his head and turned away. "Which way are we going?"


    "Yeah, Ike. What kind of beast are you?" Wisp asked, smirking. She punched his shoulder and jogged out in front of him, skipping backward to give him a smug grin.


    "Shut up."


    Mag tilted his head the other way. "Is it sensitive? Are you a weak beast?"


    "The weakest. Suuu-per weak. Like, worm level. No¡ªworse than a worm," Wisp said, giggling.


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    "Says the spider," Ike pointed out. It was hard to be insulted when a bug compared him to a bug. It was a pot calling the kettle black kind of situation.


    "What? Worms are way weaker than spiders. Spiders are strong. Top of the food chain," Wisp declared.


    "Not at all. Spiders are weaklings. Fodder for birds," Mag replied, taken aback.


    Wisp bristled. "Fucking birds. Can''t trust them. They don''t understand the terror of a spider. You know, all kinds of beasts live in fear of spiders. No one wants to face a spider!"


    "You just snatch them up in your beak and eat them. Spiders aren''t scary at all," Mag said.


    "You take that back! We''re the horror of the forest, of the city, of everything. The terror that crawls in the night. Beasts quake. Bugs flee. Everyone lives in awe and fear of our webs, our venom, our prowess. Even humans are afraid of us. Even human mages fear us. Who fears birds? No one, that''s who. You little feathery bastards sing and preen and spend so long looking pretty that no one''s even scared of you anymore. It''s totally embarrassing how pretty you think you are," Wisp said, tossing her hair.


    "But we are pretty," Mag said evenly, completely unmoved. He gestured at himself. "Look at me. I''m beautiful. My shiny black feathers. My shimmery white scales. Look at these beautiful robes. I picked them out myself! And this tassel that compliments my black eyes and black hair. What are you wearing? Some human robe that doesn''t even fit you right? You can tell you didn''t pick it out at all. It''s not even fashionable. Whoever gave you that robe is no friend, I''ll tell you that. It''s at least half a century behind the day''s fashion. Honestly, I''m embarrassed for you. The next time we go to town, I''ll help you buy something pretty, so you can look pretty like me."


    "Who wants to look pretty?" Wisp riposted, showing her teeth.


    "Me. You. Everyone. There isn''t a single person in this world that does not want to be pretty," Mag declared grandiosely. He gestured at Ike. "Even someone as ugly as him wants to be pretty in his soul."


    At that, Wisp suddenly bit back a snort. She looked at Ike, her big eyes shining with mirth.


    "What? I''m not ugly," Ike said, taken aback. He looked down at himself. He was maturing into a man, with broad shoulders and large hands, but not in an ugly way. In fact, since he''d last Ranked up, he''d grown even more handsome than before. His skin was clearer than any girl''s back in the slums, and his face, which had never been far below average, had improved to well above average. He wouldn''t call himself pretty, maybe, but he was definitely attractive.


    "You aren''t ugly, but you aren''t pretty either," Mag allowed. He spread his wings, dancing in front of them so they could get a good look at his feathers. "See? Pretty is king. You''ll never attract a lady if you aren''t pretty."


    Ah. Well, he is a bird. Ike''s thoughts flashed to the birds he''d seen in his travels. The women were demure, dark and muted, while the male birds were bright, flashy colors, with vibrant plumage that begged to be plucked. Mag''s aesthetics might be a little warped from a human perspective, but from a bird''s perspective, he was right on the money.


    Ike sighed. "At least you don''t think eating your mate is an essential part of the business."


    "What? Eating¡ªwho would help me sit on the eggs?" he asked, shocked.


    "Sit on the eggs? You just put them in a sack and throw them up somewhere high. Sit?" Wisp blinked at him, lost.


    Ike chuckled, amused.


    Wisp whipped around to him. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. What do you do with your eggs, then?"


    Mag turned toward him as well. He glanced at Wisp. "He''s human?"


    "Yeah. He''s not a beast at all."


    "Oh. Too bad for him."


    Even Shawn perked up. "I never did manage to glimpse any human eggs." S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike cleared his throat. "That''s because there aren''t any. Humans don''t lay eggs."


    "What? Where do humans come from, then?" Wisp demanded.


    Mag nodded, his brows furrowed. "You''re being ridiculous. Don''t think you can pull one over us because we''re beasts and you''re human? Everyone comes from an egg. No matter how powerful you are, you were once a tiny little egg!"


    "Well¡­ that''s not true for humans. We''re born like¡­ like dogs, or cats. Live. No egg," Ike explained.


    "Live?" Wisp asked, completely and utterly shocked. She frowned, furrowing her brow. "How does your mother keep you from eating her while she''s vulnerable?"


    "What''s the point of a father if he isn''t there to sit on the egg?" Mag asked, his voice slightly shaky, as if his whole world had just been upended. "Don''t tell me the father doesn''t have a job in humans. That''s too sad. I won''t believe it. We men exist to help hatch a healthy egg! If you aren''t there to help hatch the egg, what''s the point of having men at all?"


    "I know, right?" Wisp said, nodding. "That''s why you eat the man."


    "That''s right. What stops the woman from eating the man, if you aren''t going to egg-sit? What''s even the point of a man who doesn''t egg-sit?" Mag demanded.


    Ike put his hands up, silently asking for a pause. "Human relationships are very, very different from spiders and birds."


    Mag shook his head at Wisp. "Humans are messed up."


    "You''re preaching to the choir," Wisp agreed, nodding.


    "From my perspective, you two are the weird ones," Ike said, returning a shrug.


    Mag kept shaking his head. Wisp chuckled and shook her head as well. Ike sighed. "I''m outnumbered. This isn''t fair. I need some live-birthing beasts on my side."


    Mag startled. "There''s beasts that give live birth?"


    Ike waved his hand. "Let''s just¡­ move on from this topic, okay? Mag, where''s that place of yours? The one with the other half of the skill?"


    Mag stared at the ground for a few moments, his brows furrowed, then startled and looked up. "Oh! This way, this way."


    He took the lead, hurrying off over the bone-covered earth. Bones clattered under his feet, but he moved sure-footed, used to the bones. Ike and Wisp followed him. Wisp hopped from bone to bone, darting and flipping across the field, while Ike walked slowly for him, picking each step. Overhead, the birds fell apart, cawing and splitting. There was a mournful air to it, as if they were mourning the death of their god.


    The sky cleared. Aside from a lonely red throne in a bleached sea of bones, nothing remained of the once-(self-proclaimed) king.

 206. Deeper

    Mag led the way. Ike and Wisp followed. They didn''t need to discuss it, but both of them kept their eyes open, watching the forest around them for any tricks or traps. For all that, Mag led them right. He didn''t bring them to a monster''s den, or try to hop off a cliff where they couldn''t follow. The more earnest he was about it, the greater Ike''s anxiety grew. Was the thing he was leading them toward so dangerous that he didn''t need to trap them? Or rather, did he not want to trap them, because he needed them at their full health to get the other half of the skill out of wherever it had been put?He did say he''d failed to retrieve it before, Ike reasoned. He shouldn''t be surprised that Mag wasn''t tricking them. No, he was the one who was mistaken, for assuming that Mag didn''t need them at their best. Mag wasn''t weak. He''d been able to fend off both Ike and Wisp fighting together when he was only at Rank 3 himself, supposedly the equal to either one of them. True, they''d ultimately been able to best him by working together, but nonetheless, he''d been able to fight both of them at once on equal footing. If he hadn''t been able to retrieve the other half of the skill, it had to be stuck somewhere truly dangerous, difficult to reach¡­ or both.


    He glanced at Wisp, but her eyes were locked ahead, watching Mag. She watched him in silence. He followed her gaze, but whatever she looked for, he couldn''t see it.


    Ike shook his head and ran on. Maybe all his doubts were for nothing, and Mag didn''t intend to betray them at all. Anything was possible, after all. Still, he doubted it. Mag had no reason not to attempt to betray them. They''d beaten him, but by a narrow margin. If the circumstances were different, or Mag got the upper hand in battle, he couldn''t confidently say that they could beat him again.


    Bright lights flashed overhead. Mag ducked into the shadows. Instinctively, Ike and Wisp did the same. Two flashy mages flew overhead on brooms, glittering with steel armor. Hunkering in the trees, Ike squinted up at them. "Is that normal here?"


    "Hmm? For mages to wear armor?" Mag asked.


    Ike nodded.


    Mag considered. After a few seconds, he shook his head. "The Steelbound Sect almost always wears armor, but it''s not normal for mages in this region in general. Ah, but they have a good reason for it. They''re expert enchanters, mages who specialized in the art of engraving skills into weapons and armor. They''re weirdoes who won''t use their own skills in battle, except as a last resort. They''d rather use skills embedded in their gear."


    "Kind of like permanent talismans?" Ike asked. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mag shook his head. "Talismans encase a single usage of a skill in paper to be used later. Enchantments permanently imbue an item with a skill. It''s said that Steelbound mages can''t use skills that they''ve imbued into their gear without that gear."


    Ike squinted. "What''s the advantage, in that case? Wouldn''t it be better to keep the skill inside you, where you can use it at any time, rather than linking it to a piece of gear that you might lose, or might be stolen?"


    Mag spread his hands. "Supposedly, it allows for instantaneous activation and stronger skills. They aren''t using their bodies to channel mana, so they aren''t bound by the limitations of how much mana their bodies can handle. Instead, they''re only bound by the amount of mana they can store in the mana gems attached to their gear, and the volume they can instantaneously channel through the steel. In other words, it''s a system for losers who aren''t themselves strong to fight on and cheat their way into higher Ranks anyways." He scowled. "I don''t like them. Covered in shiny things that I can''t steal? And you can''t tell what Rank they are by looking at them, only by looking at the strongest piece of gear they have, whatever that is. They''re annoying, unbelievably annoying. If I could wipe them out, I would."


    Ike raised his brows. "Is that so? What if we helped you do that?"


    "Huh? Why would you do that?" Mag asked, earnestly taken aback.


    Wisp turned as well, putting her hands on her hips. "Yeah. Why would we do that, huh, Ike?"


    "We''d do it for our share of the loot," Ike said.


    Mag frowned. "Greedy."


    "We aren''t working for free. Think about it, Mag. You just admitted you can''t wipe them out on your own. But with us at your side, you''ll be able to take home one-third of all their shiny things. A whole one-third! Compare that to the none of their gear you have now. Way better, right?"


    "One half."


    "One third. Wisp is her own person."


    "Damn right I am. I still haven''t heard why we''d want this, though," Wisp said.


    Ike leaned toward her. Quietly, he explained, "Think about it, Wisp. It''s a kind of gear that doesn''t exist on our side of that desert. Not only will it provide us with a massive tactical advantage when we use it, but we''ll also be able to sell it for a premium. No mages on the other side of the desert will have seen it. They won''t have any other way to purchase the enchanted items, so we can pretty much charge them whatever we like. Plus, we''ll be able to raid their treasury, while we''re at it. Always a bonus."


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    Wisp''s mouth shaped into an O. She nodded slowly. "I see, I see. It''s treasure. Loot! Very valuable loot, back where we''re from."


    "Right."


    She turned to Mag. "You should count yourself lucky you''re getting a cut at all. We beat you, so that makes you our servant, but not the kind who gets paid."


    "They call those unpaid interns," Ike whispered.


    "An unpaid intern!" Wisp said cheerily, pointing at Mag.


    "How dare you," Mag snarled. He puffed up, inflating his chest and rounding his shoulders.


    In his mind''s eye, Ike saw the bird version of Mag puff up its feathers in an attempt at intimidation. He snorted. How intimidating. He should give up. Birds are adorable, not scary.


    "An even stake in the loot means I''m recognizing you as an equal," Ike pointed out.


    "I''m a king, not an equal."


    "A king with no subjects is no king at all," Ike returned.


    Mag opened his mouth in anger, then paused. "What''s a subjects?"


    "A subject is someone who recognizes your authority as king."


    Mag stared at him glassy-eyed.


    Clearing his throat, Ike continued. "That is, it''s someone who will follow your orders unquestioningly, simply because you''re the one who gave the orders."


    "Oh! I have tons of subjects," Mag said, puffing out his chest, this time in pride.


    "You do?"


    Mag pointed up. "The birds."


    Ike shook his head. "The birds don''t count. They''re animals. Kings don''t¡­ well, I guess they can own animals. Even whole categories of animals."


    For no reason, the image of a deer with red crystal antlers flashed through his head. Quickly, the images of Clarina and the others reacting to him eating that deer followed. Ike scratched the back of his head as a wave of cold washed over him. Er, could that be why they reacted that way? Because the king owns all deer?


    "Yeah? So what?" Mag asked, jolting him back to reality.


    "So¡­ right. So animals don''t count. They have to be sentient. Humans, or beasts, or monsters. As long as they can talk and they recognize your authority, they''re a subject."


    Mag thought for a moment, then gestured at them. Before he could speak, Ike cut him off. "Neither Wisp nor I respect your authority, so don''t even think of claiming us as subjects."


    "Yeah, if we''re talking subjects and royals, Ike and I are the royals here, and you''re our subject," Wisp chipped in.


    Ike thumbed over his shoulder at her. "What she said."


    "If you guys don''t count, and the birds don''t count, then what does count?" Mag asked petulantly.


    Ike shrugged. "Someone weaker than you, that you can claim taxes from."


    "Taxes?"


    "Money paid to a king."


    "Huh? For what?"


    Ike shook his head. "For the priviledge of being a subject, I guess."


    Mag''s eyes lit up. "Pay me, and I''ll let you be my subject."


    "Nah. I''m no one''s subject. I haven''t been paying taxes, anyways."


    Mag turned to Wisp.


    She spread her hands. "This is human bullshit. Monsters don''t pay taxes. In fact, we don''t acknowledge anyone''s authority. Even if we live on a king''s land and eat his beasts, all he can do is sigh and shake his head! Monsters are stronger than kings. And of monsters, spiders are the ultimate. That''s right. Gaze upon the truly superior lifeform!"


    With that proclamation, she struck a flashy pose and grinned at them, one hand in an L under her chin and the other wrapped around her midsection.


    "¡­Right," Ike said. After a second, he turned back to Mag. "In any case, there are people who do pay taxes and do things like acknowledging a king''s authority, but it''s not either of us. You''ll have to find some of that kind of people."


    "What kind of people?"


    "Sheeple!" Wisp offered cheerily.


    "What''s a sheeple?" Mag asked.


    "I dunno. But I heard a mage say it once," she said. After a moment''s thought, she posited, "Someone who pays taxes?"


    Ike snorted. His mind went to his uncle, who, for all his haughty attitude and king-of-the-slums position, had nonetheless paid Lord Brightbriar his due. I''m not sure what a ''sheeple'' is myself, but I''m pretty sure my uncle would blow a fuse to know he''s being considered one.


    "You''re talking nonsense. I''m a king, and you''re stupid," Mag concluded. He set off again, checking the skies as he went to make sure the Steelbound mages had well and truly cleared out.


    "What about raiding the Steelbound Sect?" Ike reminded him.


    "I''ll think about it. Maybe if you pay me taxes," he said.


    Wisp chortled. "Sure, kid, sure. How about we just do it ourselves, and leave you out? You ever think about that? Your cut is even right now, one third, just like each of us. But if we go and take them on ourself, just me and Ike, it could be nothing. Zilch. Zero."


    Mag scowled. "Rude."


    "Everything you''ve suggested has been kind of rude, too," Ike pointed out. He crossed his arms. "We''re here to help you find the other half of this skill, don''t forget. You should treat us a little more kindly."


    "You''re going to take it, though," Mag pointed out.


    "That''s what you''re assuming. I could share it. Or even pay you back for your share of the work. You know Wisp and I have lots of money."


    "Money? Ptooey." Mag spat.


    "¡­Lots of pretty shiny things," Ike amended, pulling a gleaming lamp out of his storage ring.


    Mag stiffened. His eyes glistened with desire.


    Ike put the lamp back into the ring. "So? Think about it. It benefits you to work with us, instead of against us. I can give you a lot of shiny things in return for that ugly half of a skill orb."


    Mag pursed his lips. "I''ll think about it."


    Ike watched his back. He was under no illusion that he''d convinced Mag, but he had to make an attempt. He didn''t really want to fight Mag again, or to put up with whatever traps the bird boy came up with. I''ll keep working on it. I''m sure there''s something I can offer him that he''d want enough to not betray us. The question is, what?


    Wisp cut her eyes to him. She gestured at Mag, making a stabbing gesture at his back.


    Ike shook his head. Not yet. Mag was a risk, but he wasn''t a guaranteed risk, and nor was backstabbing him guaranteed to kill him. Better to keep him on their side and find a way to ply him with honey, than to attempt to kill him. At best, they''d have lost their guide. At worst, they''d have a powerful, angry Rank 3 who knew what their objectives were and had every reason to follow them around and sabotage their efforts.


    She sighed silently, but shrugged. The three of them walked on, all of them plotting in their own ways.

 207. Arrive

    Ike sensed the entrance before he saw it. A dark presence pressed on his senses, deep and foreboding. Coldness overcame him, even though they walked in the same bright, sunny day as before. Shivering, he ran his hands over his arms. What is that?"Here!" Mag gestured them toward that cold, dark sensation.


    Ike hesitated despite himself. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, and his instincts screamed for him to flee. He turned to Wisp. Did she feel the same way? Or was it just him?


    She looked at him. "What?"


    I guess she doesn''t. Maybe it''s all in my head. I''ve been working myself up about Mag betraying us, and now that we''ve arrived, I''m frightened for no reason. He shook his head. "Nothing."


    "Kay." She looked away.


    Even as she turned away, a fresh hesitation bloomed in Ike''s heart. ¡­I feel like I''ve ignored my instincts before, and not with great results. Maybe I should say something. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He turned the corner, and forgot all about his instincts. His mind went blank. His jaw dropped, and his eyes widened.


    "Whoa."


    "Yeah, no kidding," Wisp agreed.


    Out of the untamed forest rose an enormous fortress. Not a small outpost flung wide afield, half-forgotten and withered, but a fresh, beautiful fortress, with gleaming white walls and tall palisades. Fortified walls butted up against thousand-year-old trees. Tall towers thrust into the sky. The whole thing bristled with weapons and offensive magicks. Despite being an object, it practically thrummed with the intent to kill.


    And yet, it was abandoned. From the outside, it appeared completely unmanned.


    The fortress itself was unmanned, but the clearing before it was not. A few mages milled about, some speaking quietly with one another or desperately preparing last defenses and tricks. As they watched, more flew in on brooms or other flying objects. The Steelbound mages they''d seen earlier stood in the corner, conversing amongst themselves along with another half-dozen Steelbound mages.


    On Ike''s back, Shawn suddenly woke. "Huh? Where are we?"


    "I don''t know," Ike said honestly.


    "The Fortress of Trials. This trial realm only opens once every hundred years for one week. Whoever passes it is deemed worthy to protect half of that immensely powerful skill," Mag introduced it.


    "Well, isn''t that convenient," Ike muttered.


    "Inconvenient, you mean. I was carefully sheltering that precious stone for decades, waiting for this day, only for two vagabonds to swoop down and assault me for no reason at the very last second," Mag complained.


    "For no reason? I seem to recall someone demanding we hand over all our gold," Wisp said, raising her brows.


    "That''s right, you robbed me and then you stole my precious¡ª"


    A few of the mages were starting to look their way. Ike coughed, interrupting Mag''s dramatic tirade. "Right, well, unless you want someone else to come in and swoop away your precious stone from us¡­?"


    Mag''s eyes darted around as he considered. Ike could see the calculations flying behind his eyes. He grimaced, annoyed. "Right, like those Steelbound mages you hate so much. What if one of them takes it? Then you''ll have to deal with an annoying Steelbound mage instead of us."


    At that, Mag sighed. He shook his head and continued, still as dramatic as ever. "I''ve tried these trials before, but every time, I''ve failed. So I''ve simply had to sit on the other half of the skill in sadness, waiting for the day when I could have someone so kind as to help me through them."


    "Right," Ike deadpanned. "How fortunate, then, that we came by."


    Wisp tilted her head. "If this half of the skill is protected behind some kind of trial that only opens once every century, how''d you get ahold of the other half?"


    Mag grinned. He posed. "I''m the greatest thief in the world. Stealing a trifle like that posed no difficulty at all."


    Ike and Wisp exchanged a tired glance. "Did you attack it in transit, or something?" Ike guessed.


    "What? In transit? A noble thief like myself would do no such thing. No, no. I ambushed it. They were trying to move the skill into the next region, directly through my palace. I waited until they lost all communication with their home sect, then struck with a swiftness. They died not knowing what killed them, not knowing I had taken their gem!"


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    Ike frowned. "That''s¡­ in transit."


    "You''re in transit," Mag snapped back.


    Ike nodded slowly. Right. He''s a bit of a bird brain. I can''t forget that.


    Mag''s story made sense, but something about it wiggled at the back of Ike''s mind. He tilted his head, trying to puzzle out what it was. Is Mag lying? But no, the boy didn''t seem to be. There were questionable aspects to the tale nonetheless. The party flying directly over Mag''s palace, yet unprepared for Mag to attack, for example. Mag didn''t exactly hide his location. In fact, he''d announced himself to them before they''d ever entered his valley. Also, the idea that they couldn''t defeat Mag, despite transporting what was supposedly a skill so dangerous that it had to be split for the region''s safety. True, Mag was a strong Rank 3, strong enough to pose a good fight to Ike and Wisp, but there were people far beyond their power level. Rank 4s, Rank 5s.


    He could come up with a scenario where it all worked out such that Mag could honestly ambush them and succeed. For example, maybe Mag was sleeping and didn''t announce himself. Maybe the travelers were low Rank to avoid suspicion. Maybe they really had meant to separate the skill halves by entire regions, put half the skill in a region where no one attached any particular value to it. But something still felt strange about the whole scenario. If it was really so valuable, why risk travelling through an area with a known threat with low Rank people and no countermeasures against Mag? Hell, toss a few shiny coins his way, and Mag would probably be distracted for long enough for the transport team to make a break for it. Ike shook his head. He touched his skill ring, his brows furrowing. There was something strange about this skill, and the way it ended up in Mag''s hands.


    And now ours, days before the trial opened. He thought back over their path to Mag, searching for any variables that an outsider might have manipulated. If Llewyn had allowed himself to be quickly defeated¡­No, that''s not reasonable. After all, Llewyn had had no foreknowledge of Ike''s desire for Storm Clad. Even Ike himself hadn''t known he was going to invoke the skill in that battle, reforging himself stronger than ever before. And afterwards, he''d needed to sleep for a long time to recover. There were too many variables. Too many free-floating situationals to the scenario in which Llewyn manipulated him to arrive right on time.


    Unless he really did allow himself to be defeated, and Storm Clad had nothing to do with that. Unless he somehow snuck into Shopkeep''s village and influenced my recovery. As he thought them, he dismissed them. At no point during the battle had Llewyn broken into Shopkeep''s walls. If he truly had that ability, he surely would have used it when it counted.


    Plus, why the hell would Llewyn care about a skill in another region that he probably doesn''t even know about? I''m really just being paranoid right now.


    He looked at the ring again, thoughtful. But then, if Mag was manipulated into getting half of this skill, but Wisp and I really did just happen to stumble into the scenario without realizing it, doesn''t that mean that whoever wants Mag to have half of this skill will target Wisp and I viciously the second they realize we''re the ones who now have the skill? We can''t allow anyone to know we have this.


    He met Wisp''s eye. She nodded. He was almost certain she hadn''t walked the same path of reasoning as he did, but she didn''t need to. As long as she understood the skill was valuable and they should reveal it under no circumstances whatsoever, that was good enough for him.


    The yard before the fortress slowly grew crowded as more and more mages arrived. Ike hung back from Mag. He watched them quietly, as a third party, searching for anyone who paid particular attention to Mag.


    Understanding that he''d pulled away for a reason, Wisp nodded at Mag, drawing his attention. "So why hasn''t some high-Rank person smashed the fortress and stolen the other half of the skill?"


    "Well, the true location of the other half of the skill is a secret. It''s just that this trial appeared all those millennia ago, right when the first half disappeared. No one knows it''s there for sure, it''s just where everyone thinks it is. Secondly, the fortress was enchanted by someone of the highest Rank to only let in people at mid-Rank 4 and below. Luckily, I''m a strong Rank 3, so I''m not scared at all," Mag bragged, thumping his chest.


    "Oh, I see," Wisp said, nodding. She frowned. "Wait, how did you get¡­your pretty gem, if half of the skill was sealed millennia ago?"


    "Only half was sealed. The other half was kept in the most powerful sect''s treasury, as a show of their power. But power shifted. That sect weakened. In the moment it crumbled, it tried to send the skill far, far away¡­ but instead¡­" Mag''s eyes glittered.


    "Yep," Wisp interrupted him.


    Listening in with his Sensory Enhancement, Ike frowned. If the sect was dissolving, that might explain why the people carrying the skill were weak enough to be ambushed by Mag. Maybe it was all one big coincidence.


    No¡­ I don''t think so. Someone wanted Mag to have half of that skill, I''m certain of that much. But why?


    Before he could puzzle it out, white light shimmered over the surface of the fortress. No longer did it bristle with offensive magics, but instead, it stood open, welcoming them in. Its vast wooden gate swung downward, and the younger, weaker-feeling mages rushed in.


    Ike jogged forward, catching up with the others once again. "Shall we?"


    "Find what you were looking for?" Wisp asked, as they walked forward.


    "I have a few ideas," Ike returned.


    She nodded. "Good."


    "What are you guys talking about?" Mag asked.


    "Nothing," Ike said, unconvincingly.


    Mag narrowed his eyes.


    "What Ike means to say is, out of everyone here, we''re probably the ones who want you alive the most, Mag. So don''t get any funny ideas. We''ll work together, until the second we sense a hint of betrayal. And then¡­" Wisp drew her hand across her throat.


    "Yeah, yeah," Mag said flippantly. He strode ahead, leading the way. "Come on!"


    Ike pursed his lips, not quite pleased with Mag''s reaction. Then again, if he was trying to set up a patsy to take the fall for something, he''d pick someone who wouldn''t take things like their own safety too seriously. Someone mercurial, changeable, a little stupid and not the best at plotting¡­ someone like Mag.


    And now we''re on the same team as the fall guy. We have to watch our backs. Ike nodded at Wisp. She nodded back expectantly.


    "Not now, but there''s something important I need to tell you," he said.


    "Got it. Watch our backs?" she asked.


    "More than just that¡­ but also that," Ike allowed.


    She snorted. "I''ve been feeling stray pangs of killing intent all morning. Someone wants us dead, and we haven''t even met yet."


    "Right. Don''t forget that feeling," Ike said.


    "Understood."


    They reached the gate and stepped inside. The darkness swallowed them whole.

 208. Into the Forest

    The darkness swallowed them whole. When they next opened their eyes, they stood at the edge of a broad field. The sun shone down, and there wasn''t a hint of the fortress in sight."What the hell?" Ike muttered, looking around. In the distance, he could see other human figures, but they were too far away to make out anything else about them. There was no sign of his friends, not of Wisp, Mag, or even Shawn. He stood alone.


    A voice sounded from overhead. It reverberated over the field, echoing from one end to the other. "Oh ye who would be king, show me your worth."


    "Uh¡­ okay," Ike muttered.


    "A king must have a discerning eye, and ride with dexterity and speed," the voice intoned.


    "Ride what?"


    As if in answer to his question, hoofbeats thundered over the plains. Dust rolled over the horizon, quickly clarifying into the shape of horses. Shoulder to shoulder, chests heaving, ears high, hooves pounding the earth, they raced at Ike and all the other contestants. Ike froze for a second, staring. Oh, shit. I''ve never ridden a horse before.


    How hard can it be? He nodded to himself. Crouching, he eyed the rushing horses. The voice had said something about speed, so he should pick a fast horse. That much was obvious to him.


    One last time, the voice sounded overhead. "The best riders shall move on, to face the remaining Trials of the King. Only those worthy of the throne shall pass."


    Yeah, whatever. I''m just here for the skill. A skill hunter, that''s me. Not a throne hunter. Although¡­ Chuckling at his own unspoken joke, he extended his aether senses, scanning the horses'' strength as they rushed at him. Immediately, the front runner stood out to him. Not only was it clearly the fastest, but it also had the strongest aura. Ike adjusted his stance, preparing to sprint toward it.


    A second before he launched off, he froze. A frighteningly strong aura pinged off his senses, something he had overlooked at first. Ike turned, squinting off toward it.


    In the back of the pack, far, far in the back, an old nag trotted along. Its head hung low, and its back swayed low. Its speed couldn''t be compared to any of the other horses, but not in a good way. It barely moved at all.


    Ike blinked, expanding his aether senses again. There was no doubt: that nag was the source of the unbelievably strong aether signature. He raised his brows, pinching his chin. Go with the obvious fast horse, the forerunner, or the hidden dragon, the slow nag?


    He laughed aloud. Isn''t the answer obvious? If this was a test to become king, then he couldn''t get swayed by exterior appearances. A king would constantly be plied with gifts and items that looked sincere, but it was the king''s job to discern which were truly valuable, and which were just appearance and no substance. Choosing the frontrunner was equivalent to picking a vassal who looked flashy, but had ill intentions at heart. The old nag was the true pick, an old and worthy vassal who might appear worn out and weak, but whose strength belied their appearance.


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    Ike waited. Across the field, the other mages took off as well, charging for the horses they had chosen. Some ran for the front runners, while others picked horses with other qualities.


    One of the mages glanced over and caught sight of Ike. He laughed. "Grab a horse, you fool!" S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike stood still. He waited, simply watching as the line of horses charged past him.


    The mage harrumphed. "I suppose there''s no curing a fool." Even so, he narrowed his eyes at Ike, following Ike''s gaze to the old nag. His brows furrowed. "It has no mana signature. What is he doing?"


    "Let fools be fools. Come on. If you keep watching him, you''ll be left behind!" a woman called to him.


    The mage shook his head. Kicking his chosen horse, he charged out after the others.


    As the nag grew close, it suddenly ran to the side, dodging Ike. He laughed. "Let''s see you try."


    Storm Clad activated. Lightning crackled. Ike shot off, sprinting toward the nag. The nag startled and sped up yet again, trying to evade Ike. It darted to the left, running perpendicular to the line. The nag had startling speed, its leap so fast even Ike struggled to keep up.


    Rather than despair, his eyes lit up. He slowed, letting it come to a halt. Moving at an unthreatening light jog, he looped around behind the nag. All at once, he charged it from behind, forcing it toward the line of horses.


    The nag kicked and jumped, charging forward again. It sprinted toward the line with the full force of its speed. Ike chased it. It tried to evade him and run to the side again, but he darted left and right to match its jolts. Every time it saw him flanking, it ran back in the other direction.


    The mage glanced over, then startled. Ike chased the horse at speed, both of them sprinting faster than any of the other horses on the field. He stared, flabbergasted. "What¡­"


    Seeing that he''d reached the other mages, Ike burst with his full speed. He caught the nag and hopped onto its back. The nag kicked, immediately trying to throw him off. Ike clenched tight with his legs and wound his hands in its mane. He bounced around on the nag''s back, but refused to let go. "You and me, we''re in this to win it."


    The nag snorted. It whipped its head around and bit at Ike. Ike dodged back. Enraged by its inability to throw him off or bite him, it ran faster, leaving the other horses even further in the dust.


    Shouting in rage, one of the mages sat tall on his horse. He pulled his arms back, and a bow made of green light materialized between his hands. It curved and twisted like a thing alive, branches and flowers bursting off its surface. He loosed an arrow of green light at Ike''s back.


    Ike spun. He swept his hand and knocked the arrow to the ground. There was a moment of silence as it sunk in that anyone could attack anyone, that there was no restriction on attacks in this field. All across the battlefield, mana suddenly began glittering in the hands of the other mages.


    "Uh-oh," Ike muttered. He turned and patted the nag. "Let''s move a little faster, maybe?"


    The nag bared its teeth at him and hissed. It bucked again, not yet done with trying to toss Ike off its back.


    "Okay, okay." Ike turned to face the mages. They all stared at him, eyes burning with jealousy, hands burning with skills.


    He breathed deep, preparing to call on his skills, and tossed a grin their way. "A realm of trials, huh? I guess it couldn''t be as easy as a simple race."


    Hundreds of skills burst off, hurtling toward him. Giant animals charged through the sky. Fireballs and waves of wind rushed over the land. The ground itself tore open as a rift opened in the ground. Ike jerked the nag''s mane left and right, barely steering the stubborn beast out of danger. Some of the skills seeked through the air, following him as he dodged. Ike activated Ice Armor, covering himself and the nag''s rear. He watched the attacks come in, preparing to parry them.


    "Ike! There you are. I''m here!"


    Ike looked over, startled. Who?

 209. Im Here

    A horse hurtled out of the pack, closing in on Ike. It rode alone, or so he thought. It turned to the side, and a small child appeared on its back. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality."Shawn!" Ike shouted in joy. A second later, he furrowed his brows. What''s Shawn going to do here? I appreciate the help, but he''s¡­ Rank 1, for the most part.


    "Hey. Don''t run ahead, you tiny mountain," another familiar voice called. Wisp joined him, standing between Ike and the pack. She turned and threw her hands out. White thread appeared, wrapping over the entire field. The front line of horses hit the thread and stumbled over it. The mages who were about to launch their spells found themselves suddenly launched into the air as their horses hit the ground.


    The attacks in the air closed in on Ike. Without having to worry about new attacks for a moment as the riders navigated Wisp''s trap, he drew his sword and slashed left and right. Storm Clad and River-Splitting Sword resonated. Ike widened his eyes, then pushed aether into the resonating skills. A wave of wind blasted from the blade, and the River-Splitting Sword''s attack pattern cut the attacks down. It was almost like he''d shot the sword attack out into the sky, as if he could cut at the distance. He slashed three more times, cutting down the remaining attacks, then looked at his sword. I wonder if that counts as a new skill?


    A new volley of skills hurtled toward him. Ike tightened his grip on his sword, looking up. I''ll have to check later. He sat up straight on the nag and tracked the attacks flying in, preparing to beat another round of attacks to the ground. Lights welled up from all directions. He watched them, but it wasn''t possible to keep his eyes on all of them at once. Frustrated, Ike unleashed his aura, extending it as far as it could go, then pushing further, edging its very limits. I need to see the attacks as soon as possible. I only have so much time to react. If I wait until I can see them, it''s too late!


    He pressed his hands together, then threw a Tempest out behind him. The stormy winds sent the attacks flying everywhere. The horsemen behind him scattered, dodging the wind and the stray attacks at once.


    The track took a turn, and for a moment, things quieted. The remaining horsemen who hadn''t been toppled by Wisp''s thread leaped rounds of it, dodging around a series of sticky traps. Despite her best efforts, they kept up with her, Ike, and Shawn. The best horsemen amongst them even fought to pull ahead. Unlike Ike''s clumsy riding and the uncooperative nag, they were clearly master riders who''d chosen the horses best suited to them; not the obvious frontrunners, but horses that were powerful in their own right.


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    As for those who''d chosen the frontrunners, those fast horses had sprinted themselves out. If they were lucky enough to have dodged Wisp''s traps, they hung at the back of the pack on tired horses who had already unleashed their highest speeds.


    Ahead, the track turned bumpy. Dirt moguls blocked the way. Gaps opened up in the ground. In some places, the earth fell off in short cliffs, forcing the horses to leap up or down. Ike bounced along, struggling to keep his balance as the nag handled the jumps and hops with experienced ease. He was nothing but a sack of potatoes on its back, but luckily, the nag could handle it. Despite having the worst rider in the world, it easily cleared the track, jumping the cliffs, dodging the moguls, clearing the gaps. Ike took his lumps with as much dignity as he could muster, which is to say, not much.


    Unlike Ike, the other riders barely shifted for taking on the bumpy tracks. Attacks rushed at him in a wave, one after another.


    Ike unleashed a sweeping sword strike. A storm rushed with it. Sheering winds and fierce lightning raged along the path of the strike. The wind cut through the attack he''d fired it at, while the lightning jolted off, disrupting the other attacks nearby. Another attack pinged at the back of his head. Ike whirled, slashing just in time to cut down a sword thrown at his nag''s neck. He glared. "Who dares attack a harmless beast?"


    A blond boy with an aquiline nose and high brows stared back at him, his blue eyes wide. Seeing his attack had missed, he wrinkled his nose and turned around front again, sprinting ahead.


    Eh? What''s he running for? Ike turned around, facing fully forward.


    Ahead of them, a white line marked the end of the race. Ike''s eyes widened. A few of his opponents had slipped past, and quickly closed in on the line. He whirled and sat forward on the nag, pushing it to run faster. "Come on! Yah!"


    The nag harrumphed and continued running at the same speed.


    "Come on. I know you have it in you. A little faster?" Ike begged it.


    It flicked its tail and managed a little more speed, but not nearly enough to catch those other horses.


    Ike wrinkled his nose. At this rate, they wouldn''t come in first. He didn''t know that the ranking order of success mattered, but then, for all he knew, everyone but first got eliminated. Gritting his teeth, he crouched low on the horse, desperately thinking. There had to be something he could do. Some way to entice it to run faster.


    The other racers closed in on the finish line. Desperation cut cold to Ike''s heart. Baring his teeth, he threw caution to the wind. "Dammit! You leave me no other choice!"


    And with that, he hopped off the horse.

 210. A Race

    It was simple math, in the end. He''d had to catch the nag to ride it. That meant he was faster than the horse, even at its fastest. He didn''t know what came next, so he''d been seeking to save his aether, but he had no more option. The nag couldn''t be enticed to run faster, so he had to run himself.But it was a horse race, after all. Crossing the finish line without a horse might mean disqualification. Was he willing to take that risk? Was he willing to bear that chance?


    Absolutely not! With a grin, Ike bent and grabbed the horse, putting it on his shoulders. The nag was so surprised that it didn''t even kick, it just jumped and froze. Ike lowered into a running stance, careless of the horse on his back. It was as though he bore no weight at all.


    I''ve carried a mountain. You think I can''t carry a horse?


    Ike blasted off. Lightning chased him, unable to keep up with his speed. The storms chased after him, left in his dust. With the speed of the most cutting winter wind, with the instantaneosity of a flash of lightning, he blasted over the earth.


    Five horsemen remained in front of him.


    The first two he passed in seconds. They stared, unable to believe their own eyes. Only after Ike powered by did they think to reach for their weapons, and by then, it was too late.


    Three.


    The third one turned back and saw him coming. Her eyes narrowed. She reached into her bag and threw out a handful of shining metal caltrops.


    Ike laughed. He hopped into the air and soared over the trap, landing easily on the other side. He touched down beside her and blasted off again.


    Two.


    Warned by the sound of Ike''s landing, the second horseman turned back. She slashed at him, her sword fast as a darting sparrow.


    But sparrows had nothing on lightning. Ike''s feet gently pattered over the flat of her blade, and he burst past, closing in on the man in the lead.


    The blond turned back, face twisted in utter shock, then disgust, then shock, then fear. He didn''t launch an attack, but simply turned to his horse and snapped the reins. Unlike the nag, his horse quickly reacted, bursting ahead. He pressed his hand to the horse''s shoulder, pouring mana into it. It whinnied and charged. Its eyes glowed, madness bright in their depths. Its tail went high. It soared ahead, as fast as the wind.


    The first horseman had a lead on Ike, but he was gaining with every passing moment. The line loomed. Ike was clearly the faster. The only question was which of the two of them would cross the line first.


    Behind Ike, the two horsemen formerly in second and third bared their teeth. They lifted their weapons, preparing to launch attacks at him.


    White threads twisted around their wrist and yanked backward, pulling them straight off their horses. At the other end of the threads, Wisp grinned. "Go get ''em, Ike!"


    Ike blasted ahead. With each step, he closed in on the blond boy. The line loomed. So close. And yet, the boy was still ahead of him.


    Ike narrowed his eyes. Lightning Dash was the basis of all his skills. From the beginning, he was a man who favored speed. He wasn''t going to give up here. No¡ªto lose in a contest of speed would be to deny his entire being. Since he''d started as a mage, he''d never met someone on-Rank with him, to whom he lost in speed.


    And this won''t be the first! Ike''s knees rose. His strides lengthened. He ate up the ground. Lighting flared, the beams widening. His form blurred. The white line approached, and Ike approached a blur, little more than a speedy shape in the grasslands.


    The blond looked back. His horse reached out its neck, inches from the white line.


    Ike charged past. With milliseconds to spare, he blasted over the finish line. He staggered to a halt on the other side, utterly exhausted. Carefully, he set the nag down and patted its shoulder. "Thanks."


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    The horse harrumphed and walked off, searching for sweet grass to nibble on.


    The blond drew up to Ike, still on his horse. He stared down at Ike, his chest heaving. "How? How?"


    "If you spent a year carrying a mountain, you''d find a horse pretty light, too," Ike said lightly.


    The boy shook his head. "Not that! How are you fast? Faster even than the fastest horse in the trial?"


    "Let''s just call it skill, and leave it at that," Ike said evenly. He looked the boy up and down, suddenly taking an interest. The fastest horse in the trial? Hmm? If you knew that, why not go for it? Unless you knew that its stubbornness was also a sort of trap, but that begs my next question. In the first place, how do you know so much about the trial? It''s almost like you have insider knowledge¡­ the kind of insider knowledge someone who manipulated Mag to come here with the other half of the skill might have.


    "Who are you?" the boy asked.


    Ike put a hand on his hip. "You can call me Ike. It''s all the name I have. And you?"


    "Rufus A¡­nault," he finished, a bit awkwardly.


    Ike smiled. Hello, prime suspect. Ah, though I suppose I shouldn''t be too harsh. After all, whoever finished first would be my prime suspect, regardless. He''s just also acting suspicious.


    "Ike? Never heard of you," the girl who would have been second said. Waves of dark brown hair fell past her shoulders, plied back from her face with a messenger cap. She grinned and hopped off her horse. Walking over, she offered her hand to shake. "Scarlet Brose. Friends call me Scar."


    "Ike," he repeated, smiling back as he took her hand.


    "Sorry about attacking you. All''s fair in love and war, after all."


    "No, no. I would have done the same."


    Their smiles both took on a savage edge. They kept shaking hands, neither wanting to let go first. Internally, Ike laughed. She wasn''t feral, but nonetheless, she was just as aggressive as himself or Wisp. He had the feeling that they''d either be the worst of enemies or best of friends, if they got to know one another.


    The girl who would have been in third harrumphed and ignored them entirely. Dark hair fell in a tight bob around her head, save a narrow ponytail that ran straight down her spine. Scar gestured over her shoulder at her. "That''s Vi, by the way. Heiress to an assassin troupe, if you''d believe the rumors. Personally, I do. She''s haughty enough for it."


    Ike chuckled, not sure how to react to that. Nodding at the boy still on his horse, he asked, "What about blondie? He an heir of some sort? I mean, he''s sure the type to demand shit of other people. Feels like he is."


    Scar''s eyes widened. She chuckled, then patted Ike heartily on the shoulder. "Ooh, I like you. Yes, we''re going to be great friends. Him, I know nothing about, but I have to agree. Hey, blondie. You the heir of something?" sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rufus startled. He blushed, expression somewhere between embarrassment and fury, and turned his horse away, trotting to somewhere he couldn''t hear them.


    "Heh. I''m going to go pull that thread. Stay crazy, my friend." With a wave, Scar took off to chase down Rufus.


    "Who was that?" Wisp asked, walking up behind him.


    Ike shook his head. "I don''t know. Scar? Or something?"


    Wisp chuckled. She nodded at him. "I gotta say, I didn''t see that last trick of yours coming. Save a horse, ride a mage, am I right?"


    Embarrassed, Ike rubbed the back of his neck. "I had to do what it took to win. I mean, speed''s my whole thing. I couldn''t let myself come in second place."


    "Totally agree. However this trial realm is decided, it''s probably a good idea to grab number one where we can. I mean, I can''t imagine it hurts to take first place, right?"


    "Right. Speaking of, what number were you?" Ike asked. He hadn''t kept track of Wisp as the race was coming to a close, and he earnestly had no idea where she''d landed in the order of racers.


    "Eh, tenth, twelfth, something. Not bad, given I don''t know a single thing about horses. No, okay, I do know one single thing about horses. They taste¡­okay."


    Ike chuckled. He shook his head. "Gotta say, that''s exactly what I expected. And Shawn?"


    "Is moving around way too much! Where''s my shoulder?" Shawn demanded. A heavy weight slammed into Ike''s back, and Shawn let out a relived sigh. "Ahh¡­ easy riding."


    "What place were you?"


    "I don''t know, thirtieth? Somewhere in there. I can hold my own weight, so my horse essentially had no burden on its back, and that was enough to give me an advantage. Plus, I know my way around fine horses, so I picked the best one available to me, to start out with. Don''t underestimate someone who spent their whole life surrounded by treasures!"


    "Right, right. Grandpa," Ike teased.


    "Damn straight." Adjusting his pose, Shawn fell back asleep.


    Ike lifted his chin. "Where''s Mag?"


    "Who cares?" Wisp muttered.


    "Hey, hey, come on. We shouldn''t abandon him."


    A shadow fell over them. Mag swooped out of the sky, clutching a pygmy horse in his claws. He landed beside them, exhausted. "What a stupid idea. Horses are clearly inferior. Why would a flying being like me ever ride one?"


    "There he is," Ike said.


    "You should''ve picked the pygmy horse," Wisp said, laughing.


    Ike rolled his eyes. "I didn''t know I was going to turn the horse race into a foot race, honest."


    "Yeah, yeah." She opened her mouth to say more, but at that moment, the voice sounded again.


    "The ranking of riders," it intoned, and with that, a shimmering list written in light appeared overhead in the sky.

 211. Ranking of Riders

    Wisp stared, then furrowed her brows and blinked. She tipped her head. "Huh?""Uh. Is horse racing usually this complicated?" Ike asked.


    Rosed from his sleep by the loud voice, Shawn squinted up at the sky. He narrowed his eyes. "No, not usually. What''s all this about horse quality?"


    "Apparently we''re being ranked by not only how fast we finished, but also how suitable the horse was to our abilities," Ike said.


    Shawn paused for a moment, confused, then nodded. "They did say that having a discerning eye for horseflesh was part of a king''s skills, or whatever, right? So I suppose we were technically warned that there would be a horse-suitability part of the rankings."


    "Huh." Ike gazed up at the list again.


    There were two categories for each rider: speed and suitability. Ike ranked first in speed, but he ranked in the twenties in suitability. Wisp had rank eleven speed and barely rank fifty suitability, while Shawn ranked ahead of her, with rank thirty-two speed and rank seven suitability. Mag had low speed but relatively high suitability, with his combined score lower than anyone else''s in the team.


    Not far from the four of them, Rufus let out a gleeful harrumph. With 2 in speed and 1 in suitability, he''d taken first place, ahead of Ike with a total score of 3. He put his hands on his hips and shook his head at Ike. "Even if you have speed, you lack the discerning eye of a king!"


    "Who said I want to be king, anyways?" Ike replied. I''m just here for the loot.


    Shocked, Rufus blinked at him. Even Scar glanced over, confusion written across her face. "Why else would you participate in the Trials of Kings unless you wanted to become the next rightful king? After all, regardless of class, creed, sect or city, whoever is chosen by the Trials of Kings shall become the king of this region."


    That''s a funny way to say that you''ll win a skill so powerful that no one in this region will be able to oppose you. On the other hand, I guess that shows how strong this skill is. Ike nodded. "Right, yeah. King, that''s me."


    Wisp snorted. She elbowed him and shook her head. "We all want to be king, right?"


    "Yeah, sure," Shawn yawned from Ike''s back.


    Mag put his hands on his hips. "I''m already king."


    Rufus squinted at the four of them. "Are you taking this seriously?"


    Ike frowned. He shook his head. "Of course I am. Didn''t you see me putting my life on the line in that trial?"


    "And you still took second," Rufus sneered.


    "Second is pretty good," Ike said, shrugging.


    Overhead, the screen flickered. At the top of it, words appeared. For seeing beyond the superficial and choosing the strongest horse: -100 pts.


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    Ike''s score flickered. It went from 21, to 1, to zero, into the negatives. His name vanished, then reappeared over Rufus'', in first place. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rufus stared. His jaw dropped.


    Ike patted his shoulder and gave him a cheeky grin. "Second is pretty good!"


    Wisp opened her mouth to pile on, but before she could, that authoritative voice sounded down from the heavens. "From here, you must show cooperation, diplomacy, and the ability to work with others. To progress, you must form teams of no more than five members."


    "Easy. Mag, get over here," Ike called, raising his voice.


    Mag swooped down. He landed beside Ike and puffed his chest. "Aha! Now you see my dastardly plan. You were brought here¡­ to be part of my team!"


    "Neat," Ike said, deadpan. He nodded at Wisp, who gave a thumbs-up. "Shawn, I guess you''re member four."


    "You fine with carrying my dead weight?"


    Ike snorted. "If there''s one thing I''m used to, it''s carrying your weight. As long as we have enough members to kind of keep up, we should be fine."


    Mag tilted his head. He stared at the three of them. "Are you not shocked and betrayed?"


    "No?" Ike said.


    "But¡­I fooled you."


    Smiling, Ike patted Mag''s head. "That''s right. You fooled me."


    Wisp turned away, barely suppressing a laugh.


    Mag scowled, brushing his hand away. "Don''t laugh at me."


    "I''m not laughing at you, I''m laughing with you. Besides, you got your wish. We''re here with you, part of your team. Do you have to have ''tricked'' us for that to be a good thing?"


    Mag opened his mouth, then closed it. He furrowed his brows. "But¡­if I''m not tricking you, you''re tricking me, and I don''t like that."


    "What? That''s not true at all. Have you never met anyone who wanted to work with you, from the bottom of their heart, with no¡­or at least few ulterior motives?" Ike asked, tilting his head back at Mag.


    Mag shook his head. "Humans and beasts, everyone I''ve ever met has tried to kill me. If I''m not the one with the upper hand, that means I''m being lured to the slaughter by someone else."


    Ike crossed his arms. "Mag."


    "Yeah?"


    "If we wanted you dead, wouldn''t you be dead already? We beat you. We didn''t have to leave you alive. If all we wanted was to kill you, we would have taken our chance when we had it."


    Ike could see the thoughts processing in Mag''s head. The boy squinted deeply as he tried to process the foreign idea. His head tilted left, then right, then left again. At last, he looked up at Ike. "I guess¡­that''s true."


    "It is true. So stop worrying about having the upper hand. For right now, you''re part of the team."


    "When am I not part of the team?" Mag asked.


    "The second you attack or betray us," Ike responded.


    Mag nodded. His eyes lit up. Turning away, he punched the air. "Yes! I''ve acquired a team!"


    Wisp leaned toward Ike. "I don''t think he totally understands the idea of a team."


    Ike chuckled under his breath. He spread his hands. "That''s fine. He''ll figure it out eventually."


    "And if he doesn''t, doesn''t matter. We''ll carry them, all the same," Wisp replied.


    Ike thumbed at Shawn. "Literally, for one of them."


    As they spoke, the field thinned. One after another, the contestants were surrounded in a beam of light, then teleported away. Several of them directly disappeared in batches of five the second teams were announced, and Ike noticed that Rufus, Scar, and Vi were amongst them. People who pre-coordinated teams. People who planned for these trials, and knew enough about their contents to know what they needed before they entered. They''re the ones I need to watch. The ones who might have manipulated Mag to come here.


    He glanced around to check if anyone worthwhile was without a team. Quite a few people smiled at him as his gaze passed over them, but he dismissed all of them. They were low Rank, or had come low in the race. One or two had predatory glimmers in their eyes; people who would be happy to prey on the four of them.


    Yeah, I don''t think so. He didn''t know much about the trials, and that was his greatest disadvantage. Someone who knew what to expect might be able to trick him or the others into making a mistake. Mag in particular would be vulnerable to that kind of trick, given how bird-brained he was. He would rather be down a teammate, rather than risk taking on a snake with ill intent in their heart.


    A voice sounded in their heads. Have you chosen your team?


    "Yes," they said, one after another.


    Light flashed, and they vanished.

 212. Face Your Fears

    Ike blinked. No matter whether his eyes were open or shut, the scene remained the same: pure, brutal black, not a scrap of light to be seen. "Anyone else here?""Yeah, right here," Wisp replied.


    Sean sleepily patted his shoulder.


    "Mag?"


    "Here," the boy replied, after a pause.


    Ike pivoted on the spot. He extended his aether, but sensed nothing more than what he saw: a flat floor, a big, empty area, and lots and lots of darkness. Not another living creature, not as far as his senses reached. Just him and his party, all alone in the dark.


    Lifting his hand, he called lightning to his palm. A flickering purple light manifested, playing over the faces of everyone present. Wisp waved, totally unbothered. Mag''s head had been nodding, his eyes half shut, but he jolted upright as the light shone. "Wha? I wasn''t sleeping."


    "Typical bird. This is why spiders like the night," Wisp said, nodding.


    "Why¡­?" Ike asked, lost.


    She pointed at Mag. "Birds fall asleep when it gets dark. You can even throw a cloth over their heads, and if you hold it there long enough, they''ll fall asleep. They''re kinda dumb."


    "I do not. That''s false. Just a myth," Mag protested.


    Wisp raised her brows. She nodded at Ike. "Turn off the lights. We can all find out together if it''s a myth."


    Before Ike could react, the lightning went dark on its own. He startled and looked at his hand, pushing more aether into the spell. Lightning still crackled over his arm, popping and snapping, a tingle travelling up his forearm. It just no longer provided light.


    "Uh¡­ I guess the trial has decided to end the light for us," Ike said, chuckling. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    No reply. He frowned, then reached out, groping into the darkness with his non-lightning-clad hand. "Hello? Wisp? Mag?" He touched his shoulder, but found nothing there either. Ike twisted his lips. If Shawn was gone, that clinched it. They''d been transported into the trial, whether they wanted it or not.


    Ike looked up, expecting that voice to narrate the parameters of this trial the way it had the first, but nothing came. There was silence and darkness. Nothing else.


    He canceled the spell and lowered his hand. No point wasting his aether if the trial wouldn''t allow him to summon light, and he had no need for an attack against the darkness. Unlike Mag, darkness didn''t bother him. He wouldn''t fall asleep if he was left in the darkness long enough. Though even if the darkness did bother him, it seemed he had no choice but to face it.


    "Is this a trial of darkness, or something?" Ike guessed aloud. He chuckled. Kneeling, he felt the floor, then closed his eyes and extended his aether. A large corridor spread before him, visible only in his aether-senses. The floor was flat, with no pits, and neither did he detect any traps in the walls. Ike walked forward slowly but steadily, proceeding blindly into the dark. He strode on until the rear wall faded away behind him, and all that remained was an identical corridor both before and behind.


    Ike walked. In the eternal darkness, he couldn''t tell how much time passed. He walked and walked. At last, he shrugged to himself. Is it an endurance challenge? If so, it''s ideal for me. He sped up from a walk to a run. The corridor sped past, but more of it remained. It seemed to extend forever, with no beginning and no end.


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    Ike put himself on autopilot and ran on. Compared to the desert, this was nothing. He hadn''t even passed the twenty-four hour mark yet. It was only running, at the end of the day. The one skill he had the most confidence in, from the beginning to the end. Whether it was sprinting or endurance running, he could run until the end of the earth and not get tired. Running with his eyes close was a bit tiresome, so after a while, he opened them. It made no difference, since all that awaited was darkness whether his eyes were open or shut, but it was disconcerting to run without open eyes.


    Time marched on. Ike continued to run. He yawned, a little bored. Was this trial testing his focus as well as his endurance? Compared to endurance, he''d probably suffer more from keeping his focus with nothing to look at and no one to talk to. Usually, he could look at the scenery or chat with Wisp, but now, he was all alone in the pure darkness. Nothing to look at, and no one to talk to. In other words, completely boring.


    He pulled one of the random artifacts he''d acquired at Shopkeep''s place from his storage ring and sent his senses into it, examining it more closely than he had before. It was a flute made of animal bone, and by Shopkeep''s own admission, he had no idea what it did. He had acquired it when he''d stripped a man who owed him a debt of all his goods. It clearly had a powerful magical aura, but when Shopkeep had blown into it, nothing had happened. Not even a sound had emerged. Ike had given it a cursory investigation with his aether earlier, but just like Shopkeep, hadn''t been able to determine its function or purpose. Mentally moving it to the useless pile, he''d made up his mind to sell it to the first patsy who deserved such a lemon. Now that he had nothing but time on his hands, he figured he might as well give it a closer look.


    Sending his aether through it illuminated him no more than it had the first time. He lifted it to his lips and blew, but yet again, nothing happened. Ike twisted his lips, at an impasse. He could break it, and analyze the skill as it escaped, but he didn''t want to destroy a precious artifact. Besides, that was a one-time chance to learn the skill, whereas keeping it around meant he could keep trying over and over. It was just that right now, he didn''t know how to find the skill at all, whereas breaking it would cause the skill to emerge.


    He twisted his lips, looking over the flute again. It had a third- or fourth-rank aura, and it felt truly powerful. If he could unlock it¡­


    "There you are, boy," a familiar voice grunted.


    Ike startled. Reflexively, he hid the flute behind him, sharpening his stance immediately. His uncle loomed over him. He stood in the same filthy abode he''d always lived in, the sprawling villa of his childhood.


    A hand slammed down and clapped him on the cheek, firmly enough to send his mind reeling. "Quit your daydreaming. You''re late! Get your ass down to the plant. We got a new shipment of dark hyenas today, and their fur needs shaving."


    Ike touched his face. He frowned. Was it all just a dream¡­?


    He rolled his eyes at himself. Of course it wasn''t. Where would he come up with people like Wisp and Llewyn, Shopkeep, Mag, and Clarina, when he''d never left the slums in his life? Immediately, the scene grew blurry, but Ike reached out and held onto it with his aether. He charged his uncle, fist ready to strike.


    The split second before his fist struck, the scene vanished. His fist swung into darkness.


    Ike pursed his lips. "Damn." If only the scene had lasted a few more seconds, he could''ve landed a good one on his uncle. It wouldn''t be the same as actually punching his uncle, but it would be at least a little satisfying.


    The darkness swirled again. Llewyn stood before him, at the front of an army of puppets. They all charged Ike at once, emanating fierce, powerful auras.


    "You''re just showing me things I''m afraid of. It''s not going to work," Ike told the trial. It was pretty obvious, now, what it was. A trial of courage. But it was going in the wrong direction, pulling people from Ike''s past. He was stronger than them, now. He no longer had any reason to fear them. He drew his sword and slashed through the puppets and Llewyn alike. They had no mass, no form. Like smoke, they dissipated before his sword reached them.


    "If you want to scare me, you''re really going to have to try harder."


    A silhouette formed in the darkness ahead of him. Ike held his sword at the ready, waiting. Come on. Show me something good.

 213. Scare Me

    A silhouette formed in the darkness, then stepped forward. Light played over them from the floor, slowly panning up. Pale shoes, white robes, clean, soft hands, a chest decorated with gems and gold, broad shoulders, long black hair. Before the friendly, handsome face appeared, Ike had already recognized the man: Lord Brightbriar."Okay, he is spooky," Ike agreed. But the reason he feared the man was because of his Rank 4 or higher strength. Probably closer to Rank 5, if not well above Rank 5. But he already knew this was only a mimicry of Lord Brightbriar, not the man himself. He''d already broken out of the illusion portion of the trial, and even then, he''d only momentarily been taken aback by the scene of his uncle. Without the illusion portion of the trial to cloud his mind, he knew Lord Brightbriar didn''t have his real strength. What was there to fear? He wasn''t so weak-willed that his knees would go weak at the mere sight of his enemy.


    Lord Brightbriar looked at him, lifting long lashes. Dark eyes met Ike''s. He smiled, slowly. "I made you."


    Ike barked a laugh, but his heart lurched in his chest. All the anxieties he''d pushed to the back of his mind came rushing back.


    "Not only made you, but crafted you. You thought this was your life? That you were in control? That you had accomplished things, gained victories, made friends?" Lord Brightbriar laughed, an easy, delightful sound horribly out of place here. "My dear child, how quaint. Everything you did was within my grasp. From the moment I gave you your first skill, to letting you into and out of the Abyss, even your supposed wins in those meaningless cities¡­ all along, I was the one shaping your path."


    He stepped closer, wrapping an arm around Ike. He shook his head mournfully. "But don''t fear, my boy. I have great things in mind for you. Yes, when I finish forging you, all the realms will tremble before you. Of course, you''ll be another puppet in my repertoire by then." S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lord Brightbriar stood huge over him suddenly. His shadow bore down on Ike. Ike stared up at him, as tiny as a street puppeteer''s marionette. Strings connected to each of his limbs, hoisting him upright. Overhead, Lord Brightbriar manipulated him, controlling his every motion. "Give up. Become my puppet, and allow me to accomplish great things through you."


    Ike''s lip twitched. He reached for the strings, but Lord Brightbriar twitched the controls. The strings pulled all his limbs rigid, and his arms snapped away from one another.


    "Brute strength? You think you can overpower me? Child, you overestimate yourself," Lord Brightbriar chuckled, shaking his head. He manipulated Ike''s limbs, forcing him to walk forward. "Come along now. Let''s see. Why don''t we start with them?"


    A familiar wooden outpost on the edge of Ike''s hometown came into focus. Faces Ike hadn''t seen in ages appeared, looking up from outside the hunter''s shops. Cara and Orin, the old couple who had helped him when he was just starting. And just outside the wall, Silver, the panther-beast, in human form. The three of them looked up at Ike and Lord Brightbriar, so tiny, so fragile. Ike trembled. "No!"


    "You already understand what I want you to do. Well, of course you do. You''re my pawn. The one I hand-crafted." Lord Brightbriar twitched the strings, and Ike''s limbs moved on their own. He descended to the edge of the outpost. Lord Brightbriar flicked his wrist again, and Ike pulled his fist back.


    "Stop! I won''t do it!" Ike shouted desperately, his eyes wide. Something wiggled at the back of his mind, something he''d forgotten, but he had no time to investigate it. It was all coming down to this. Lord Brightbriar was the puppetmaster, and he was nothing but another puppet.


    His fist flew forth, closing in on the wall. He knew he could destroy the sturdy wooden wall with a punch. Nothing would remain of the outpost''s defenses. Monsters would come pouring in. And there was nothing he could do. Because he was nothing but a puppet.


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    Nothing but¡­


    Nothing¡­


    Ike''s knuckles barked on the wood. He''d pulled his aether out of the punch, leaving only his physical strength. The wall still cracked, the lumber he''d punched pulverized to wood chips, but it was only one log. The rest of the wall remained intact.


    He lowered his fist and looked up, staring at Lord Brightbriar. Swirling his hand over his head, he gathered the threads into his palm, then yanked, pulling the controls out of Lord Brightbriar''s hands.


    "No. I''m not nothing. I''m Ike, of no name. My own man. There''s no one who can control me, no one who has the right to decide my life." Tossing the control to the ground, he stomped it, shattering the wood to pieces. He stared back up at Lord Brightbriar defiantly, pointing into the sky. "Even if you made me, so what? My uncle raised me, and fuck him! If I see him, I''ll kill him. If I see you, I''ll kill you! If I saw a god, I''d kill them too! No one has the right to decide my life but myself! I don''t care how powerful you are. I don''t care what you think you did for me, or what you think I owe you. I''ve learned my lesson. The only one who controls me, is me!"


    The darkness cleared. Lord Brightbriar vanished, as did the outpost. Ike stood alone in a short hallway. The flute he''d been examining laid on the floor behind him, where he''d dropped it. He turned back and collected it, then proceeded through the door at the other end of the hallway.


    A trial to face our fears, huh? He snorted. That one, at least, made sense to him. If this was meant to select a new king, then a king must be brave. It only made sense. The horse-riding one was still a bit arcane to him, even after the explanation, but then, he was just a slum rat. Naturally, he couldn''t understand the sensibilities of nobles.


    The door opened to a grassy field, the same as before. A huge array of doors sat in a line behind him, one after another. Wisp sat on the other side of the door, waiting. Only a few other contestants peppered the field. Ike glanced around. Interesting. Can''t help but notice that Rufus isn''t here yet.


    "Slowpoke," Wisp said.


    "What? Come on. I''m in the top ten¡­ twenty, at worst. What about you?"


    She grinned. "Number one!"


    Ike shook his head. "No way."


    "Fine. You''ll see. When the big screen in the sky says it, you''ll have no option but to face the truth," Wisp said, nodding.


    Ike snorted. "Spiders fear nothing, huh?"


    She put her hands on her hips and bobbed her head up and down, just once. After a second, she paused. "I fear some things. Birds. That thing that injured me. Fire. But they''re all weaker than me now, so why should I be afraid of them?"


    "What about the future? Things that might happen?" Ike asked.


    Tilting her head, Wisp frowned at him. "Huh? Why should I be afraid of something that hasn''t happened? What''s there to be afraid about? It hasn''t happened!"


    Ike opened his mouth, then shut it. He raised his brows. "Yeah, I guess¡­ you have a point, there."


    "I know I have a point. I''m the best at being fearless. I''m number one!" Wisp declared proudly, thumping her chest.


    Ike snorted. "Yeah, yeah." He turned back, looking at the other doors. "Gotta wait for the others now."


    "Yep. I''m gonna see if there''s anything to eat out here. You watch the doors." With that, Wisp ambled off over the field, investigating the grassy expanse.


    Watching her go, Ike snorted. He shook his head. "Have fun."


    He turned back to the doors and sat down to wait. Two out, two to go. I''m not that worried about Shawn¡ªhe doesn''t even know how to kill himself, so what does he have to be afraid of? But what about Mag? I know nothing about him. He seems to have lived a long time, but in isolation. His mind is still like a child''s. Who knows what he''s afraid of, or what happened in his past?


    Slowly, people emerged from the doors. Scar came out of a door near Ike in high spirits. She blew him a kiss and sauntered over to her party. Not far from her, Rufus emerged from his rumpled and hollow-eyed. He staggered, dead, to a group that seemed to be led, not by him, but by an old man.


    Hmm. Seems like we have a would-be kingmaker, huh? Ike noted, eyeing the old man. Rather than charging Rufus with being the mastermind behind whatever had involved Mag in all this, he''d put it on the old man in a heartbeat.


    Vi leaped out of her door, knives at hand. She scowled at all assembled personages, pushed her hair back, and sheathed her knives. Coolly, she strutted over to her underlings, who all came over to attend to her with the love and tenderness of collectors tending to their most delicate porcelain doll.


    Compared to Rufus, she''s definitely the one who''s in charge of her group, Ike noted.


    More and more people emerged from the doors. Shawn joined Ike, but Mag remained ferreted away. Ike bit his lip. He stood.


    "What is it?" Shawn asked, attached to his shoulder once more.


    "I think I need to go rescue Mag," Ike said.

 214. Rescue Operation

    "I think I need to rescue Mag." S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.Shawn frowned. He looked at Ike. "Can you do that? Go into someone else''s trial, I mean. In the first place, do you even know where his trial is?"


    "I don''t know, but it''s worth a try. As for where¡­ all our doors are lined up, but only one hasn''t opened yet." He approached the door next to his. The one to the left of his had held Wisp, and the one past this one had held Shawn. It only stood to reason that Mag remained in the only door left unopened in their set of four.


    Shawn thought to himself, then shrugged. "I guess it doesn''t hurt. Count me out, though. I don''t want to go back in there."


    Ike looked over his shoulders. "What, something in there scare you that bad?"


    "Yeah. I mean, it''s just nasty stuff in there. Cold. Dark. Unpleasant. No one wants to have their fears prodded at," Shawn said, shrugging.


    "Right. Well, tell fearless Wisp that I''m going to be even more fearless than her when I go back into the trial," Ike said. He rolled out his arms and pulled his sleeves up.


    "She''s not going to be very happy about that," Shawn said.


    "Her fault. Tell her to be less of a glutton," Ike commented. Aether built up around him. He slammed his fist into the door. The wood shattered, giving away easily. A dark space opened up beyond the door, dark enough to swallow him whole. He took a deep breath. The image of Lord Brightbriar appeared in his mind''s eye, puppeteering him from on high. If I step inside, will I end up back in that place?


    Ike shook his head, banishing the image. He wouldn''t go back there. He''d already overcome that fear. There was nothing left that this space could hurt him with. But if Mag wasn''t going to come out, he''d have to drag the kid free.


    "Hey! What are you doing?"


    Ike looked up. Rufus approached him, his brows furrowed. He stopped not far from Ike and crossed his arms. "You can''t interfere with the trials."


    Turning, Ike looked at the shattered door. "Looks like I can."


    "If you go in, you''ll invalidate the trial. You''re only hurting your own team," Rufus informed him.


    "Yeah? Is a true king meant to abandon his subjects?" Ike asked.


    Rufus opened his mouth, then froze. Shock crossed his face, and he took a step back, flabbergasted. "That''s¡­ I¡­"


    Not that I really care one way or another. If someone set this up to get Mag here today, then it''s likely they have a plan to succeed at getting the other half of the skill, one way or another. Whether I clear the trials or not is ultimately irrelevant. I just have to be stronger than whoever gets the other half of the skill.


    In fact, this might even be their plan to get rid of Mag¡­ though I doubt that. There was a limit to paranoia, and he had no idea where people who failed the trial went¡­ if they even went anywhere. Maybe they just died in the room. Or maybe they all went to the same place, and the mastermind expected to find Mag there.


    That''s more likely, isn''t it? Didn''t Mag say he''d challenged this before? ¡­He did, right? Ike thought for a second, then shrugged. It didn''t matter. He''d already made his mind. He lost nothing by helping Mag.


    "Right, then, see you on the other side," Ike said. He stepped into the darkness.


    "You¡ª"


    The second the darkness closed in around him, Rufus'' voice was cut off. Ike once again found himself in that indeterminable darkness, with no end in sight. He checked over his shoulder, but even though he''d blown away the door and taken a single step inside, darkness stretched infinitely behind, as if he''d been running in the corridor for days.


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    He lifted his hands. Unlike the first time, he could see himself. He almost glowed, perfectly visible in the darkness. Is that a sign that I''ve already beaten the trial? Then, if there''s a differentiation between someone who''s beaten the trial and someone who hasn''t, was I actually right? He was only spouting nonsense. "A true king never abandons his subjects," but honestly, he didn''t care much about Mag; it was only that Mag still had value to the trial, so he couldn''t abandon the little shit here. But maybe he''d accidentally hit upon the truth at the heart of the trial, when he was just absently agitating one of his opponents.


    Facing your own fears was a quality commendable in a ruler, after all, but the willingness to return and put yourself in danger in order to accomplish your greater goals¡ªwas that not, ultimately, more central to a ruler''s role than individual bravery? After all, kings weren''t knights, battling on the field. They stood in the back, but if the army lost, their surviving knights would find other employment. It was the king''s head who was on the line if he failed to secure his ideals through martial might. Rather than needing the courage to face what scared them, a leader needed the resolve to see their goals through to the bitter end, no matter what.


    Ike snorted at himself. It isn''t like me to overthink this much. Let''s go get Mag and get out. If I get bonus points, that''s great, but if not, then so be it. I''m pretty confident they won''t kick me out for this, and that''s all I need.


    Up ahead, a small form laid scrunched on the ground. Ike didn''t see it at first, cloaked in darkness as it was. Only when he drew close did he make out the lump from the smooth floor.


    Ike knelt, tilting his head to examine Mag. The boy laid in a ball, curled up on himself. Hands over his head protectively, he shivered.


    "Hey, kid. You alright?" Ike asked, nudging the boy.


    Mag shivered and curled up tighter. "Don''t leave me. I''m so cold."


    "No one''s leaving you. Remember? You''re in a trial," Ike tried.


    "Come back. Don''t leave me. I''m your child, aren''t I? I''m still your precious egg. Don''t leave me¡­"


    Ike sighed. He scratched the back of his head. "Man. I''m not the right person for this. Mag, can you hear me? Come on, kid. Wake up." He patted Mag''s shoulder again.


    Mag shifted. He shook his head, curling tighter. "Don''t go¡­"


    Ike stood. It wasn''t that he couldn''t sympathize with Mag. He''d been abandoned, too. No one knew what had happened to his father. With his mother dead, too, there were nights where he cried himself to sleep, imagining himself unwanted from the start, imagining that his mother had died rather than raise him and his father had thrown him away and taken off into the wilds rather than raise him.


    Of course, that was only when he was a child. The days of those fears had long since faded away. His mother had brought him back to the city and desperately put her all into ensuring her brother raised him. What else could show how dedicated she was to giving him the best she could, however that turned out? She couldn''t have known how much of a dickbag her brother would be to him. As for his father, well, the man probably died in the wilds. He couldn''t begrudge the man for that. He''d incurred his fair share of near death encounters out here, and in any case, his father would have been low-Rank. Rank 2 at best, but more likely Rank 1. If he''d really tried to forge a life in the wilds at Rank 1, then the man was nothing but bleached bones by now.


    Unless he was¡­


    Ike banished the thought before the puppeteer could reappear. Now wasn''t the time, and in any case, why the hell would Lord Brightbriar stoop to impregnating some low-Rank mage like his mother? The idea was ludicrous from the start.


    "Kid, it''s okay. Your parents love you," Ike reassured Mag.


    Mag just shook his head obstinately.


    Yeah. Well, he is a kid. Mentally, at least. Unlike our other baby-faced member of the party¡ªthat is, Shawn, Mag really is thoroughly a kid inside and out, huh? Then again, maybe he''s young for a dragon, or something. I don''t know much about beast lifespans or growth rates. And given that my only point of reference belongs to a species of invertebrate that reaches adulthood within a year, I can''t exactly count myself an expert.


    Sighing one last time, Ike scooped up Mag in his arms. If Mag was a kid, then it was his job, as an adult, to ward off those fears. If that meant carrying him to the end of the tunnel, he''d do it. If it meant invalidating the trial, then all the same. Mag was powerful enough to take on the battles associated with such an event, but he wasn''t mentally mature yet. It was unreasonable to expect him to clear a trial like this.


    The boy was lighter than he''d expected, as if his bones were hollow. To his surprise, Mag stiffened slightly, then relaxed, snuggling up in Ike''s arms. Ike looked down at the bird-boy. He snorted. He really is just a kid, huh? Relaxing that much as soon as someone picks him up¡­ Ah, well. There''s no helping it.


    He marched into the darkness, carrying Mag back the way he''d entered¡ªtoward the exit. "Come on, kid. No one''s abandoning you today."

 215. Truth of the Trial

    Ike emerged from the door he''d shattered, Mag in his arms. The second they left the trial, Mag startled awake. He looked around, grabbing at Ike''s shoulders, then kicked free. Flipping in midair, he landed on his feet, then stared around, wary. "What happened? Where''d you take me?""Out of the trial. You really did fall asleep, birdbrain," Ike teased him gently.


    "I did not! Lies!" Mag snarled, puffing his shoulders like a bird. His hair fluffed all around his head, as if it were a ruff. "How dare you accuse this king of such uncouth behavior!"


    "Mag, do you know what uncouth means?"


    Mag tossed his head. His hair de-fluffed, returning to its usual flat state. "Of course I do. It means naughty."


    Ike opened his mouth, then closed it. He shrugged. "Close enough, honestly."


    "Hey, hey, hey! Are you double dipping for extra points? Trying to beat me?" Wisp demanded, hurtling over the hills toward them, Shawn on her shoulder.


    Ike shook his head at Shawn. "Couldn''t keep your mouth shut, could you?"


    Shawn shrugged back at him. "What can I say? I had to inform the whole team about our leader''s decisions. It''s only fair, right?"


    Ike had nothing to say to that, so he just nodded. After a second, he added. "It''s a trait of a true king to have underlings who share his wisdom."


    "What? What the hell is this true king stuff?" Wisp demanded, annoyed.


    Smirking, Ike tipped his head toward Rufus. "Some amongst us seem to think they are the righteous king. Some get annoyed every time I bring it up."


    Wisp glanced at Rufus. She snorted, then nodded, immediately pulling a 360 on her previous attitude. "Yeah, yeah. True king qualities, for sure. Unlike certain other contestants."


    "You get it," Ike said, nodding.


    "I have the truest king qualities of everyone here! I am a king, ergo, everyone else here is lacking!" Mag announced loudly, putting his hands on his hips. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That''s right, kid. You tell ''em," Ike said. He patted Mag''s head.


    A few of the candidates looked over at Mag''s declaration. Scar met Ike''s eyes and chuckled. Rufus glared death at Mag, but his advisors leaned in, waving him away. He pointed back at the trial, but the old men shook their heads. Vi snorted and rolled her eyes, but otherwise didn''t react.


    Suspicious, Rufus, suspicious, Ike thought, though there was no particular reasoning this time. He''d started to work himself into the state where he found everything Rufus did suspicious. He lifted his eyes, scanning the whole field of contestants. Even if he looked elsewhere, though, he couldn''t find someone as suspicious as Rufus.


    I''ll keep my eyes open, but I''ve seen no reason not to continue suspecting Rufus.


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    Though at the same time, the other two high-finishing teams were suspicious, too. Scar''s knowing winks and nudges suggested she knew more about this than she was letting on. And not only that, but she''d pointed out the other contestant, Vi, who was, per her introduction, an assassin. He didn''t know what an assassin would do with a super powerful ultimate skill, but on the other hand, what wouldn''t an assassin do with a super powerful ultimate skill? Still, as much as Vi being an assassin made her suspicious, as assassins were known for scheming and moving in the shadows, it also made Scar more suspicious for pointing her out, and therefore deliberately moving suspicions away from herself and toward Vi.


    Scar is suspicious person number two, and Vi is number three, Ike decided. Rufus still sat at slot one, but mostly because he was arrogant and almost in first place. He was annoying, therefore, he was the most deserving of Ike''s suspicion. Scar had actively tried to move suspicion off of her, and Vi was just a member of a suspicious profession.


    I think some people might put Scar into slot one, but on the other hand, she''s just winking knowingly. I can do that, and I know nothing. Rufus is actually seizing the heart of the trials and breaking through them with foreknowledge. He didn''t do too hot at this trial, but then, maybe no one ever figured out the truth of this trial. Maybe he did the best he could with foreknowledge, but it still wasn''t enough to overcome a feral spider like Wisp''s lack of foresight.


    Ike snorted. Or maybe he should stop patting himself on the back, and wait for the results to come out. He hadn''t been immediately teleported out of the trial, so it seemed like his actions weren''t illegal¡­ unless the trial was waiting to show results first before expelling him. Yeah. I definitely shouldn''t get too excited about this until we see the results.


    At last, the final door opened. A ragged contestant stumbled out, panting heavily, his hair a mess. He looked around, lost. A few other weak-looking mages drew close to him, offering comfort. With a teammate finishing that late, they knew they were out of the running.


    Overhead, lights shimmered. The results appeared in the sky, the same as before. Blue letters spelled out in the sky, showing everyone''s ranking in the trial.


    In number one, Wisp''s name appeared in bold. A few ranks down, but still in the top ten, Ike was listed in the ranks. Shawn was also in the top twenties, and the names kept appearing. One after another, they scrolled down, with no sign of Mag.


    Ike raised his brows. He pinched his chin, gazing at the list like a scholar reviewed a test. He nodded a few times, then sighed. "You know, I didn''t consider that."


    "Consider what?" Wisp asked.


    He pointed at the list. There were now names that he knew had emerged from the door after Mag, just based on the conversations he''d heard around him. "That I wouldn''t be disqualified, but Mag would."


    "What? Me? Disqualified? They''re not permitted to disqualify a king," Mag snapped, annoyed. His hair started to puff up again.


    "You did fail the trial," Wisp pointed out.


    "That trial was bullshit! It was discriminatory against birds!"


    "So you do admit you fall asleep when it gets dark around you."


    Mag rounded on her. "Who doesn''t? Everyone sleeps at night."


    "Yeah, but I can choose not to when someone puts a bucket on my head," she replied, smirking.


    "Wisp, come on. We''re all about to be disqualified if Mag doesn''t get any points," Ike pointed out.


    Mag bristled. "It''s not my fault they can''t recognize the qualities of a king."


    "Like falling asleep in the darkness?"


    Ike sighed. "Wisp."


    She put her hands up, conceding the point.


    Names scrolled by. At last, the end of the list appeared. The list of numbered names on the table ended, and a few names appeared below the list, prepended by a dash instead of a number. Mag''s name was among them.


    Ike sighed. Shawn shook his head.


    "I took first place, and you took first place last challenge. We might still be able to pull through," Wisp pointed out optimistically.


    Ike raised his brows. "It''s possible." The other teams who''d given up hope had very clearly not made first place on either of the previous trials. Even with a zero score, it was still possible that his and Wisp''s number one scores would outweigh their loss in terms of Mag''s score.


    But it was also possible that one disqualification disqualified the whole team. Ike watched the list, waiting for a verdict.


    The mysterious voice sounded again. "The team who scored the highest was¡­"

 216. Verdict

    "The team who scored highest was the team belonging to Rufus Estrade," the voice boomed.Overhead, the names reorganized into teams. Rufus'' name climbed to the top of the table.


    "Alright, well, we don''t have to be first, we just have to survive," Ike said.


    Wisp nodded. "Yeah, yeah."


    "All teams who received a disqualifying score will be removed from the challenge."


    "Oooor not," Ike said. He looked at Wisp and shrugged. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Immediately, he could see the same thoughts he''d had flash behind her eyes. They didn''t need to win, they just needed to beat the winners. She raised her brows and nodded, unperturbed.


    The voice continued. "However, there were extraneous circumstances. One contestant understood the purpose of the trial better than anyone else, and displayed the true qualities of a king."


    Ike raised his brows. "Oooor maybe yes?"


    "A king should not leave those beneath him behind. A king''s job is to be in tune with his subjects, and protect them from what they cannot overcome. In this way, only one contestant truly displayed the qualities of a king. Thus, in the place of the disqualification, the score of the contestant who chose to return for their teammate will be counted double, and their team will not be disqualified."


    Ike''s team shot to the top of the table, over Rufus'' team and everyone else''s. It beamed with golden light. Rufus stared at him, flabbergasted. Scar stared in open amazement, then gave a thumbs-up. Vi glanced his way, a dangerous light in her eyes.


    Wisp twisted her lips. "Think of how high that score could have been if you''d gotten me and I''d rescued Mag, instead of you rescuing Mag."


    "What, do you want double-first place? Our score''s already the highest, how much higher do you want it to be?" Ike asked exasperatedly. "Also, you probably would have just made fun of him and left him in the darkness."


    "No. I would have made fun of him and rescued him from the darkness," Wisp corrected him.


    "I wonder if the voice in the sky would have appreciated that."


    Wisp glanced up. "He seems like an ends justify the means kind of guy."


    "Does he?"


    "Yeah."


    Ike snorted. "Sure. Hey, you know what?"


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    "What?"


    "We keep doing this slide-over-the-finish-line stuff. Winning by tricks and traps. The next trial? Let''s crush it. Absolutely ruin it. Just take that trial on and destroy it."


    Wisp nodded. "I like that plan. Let''s do it."


    "Do you even know what the next trial is?" Shawn asked.


    Ike waved his hand dismissively. "Not important. Whatever it is, we''re gonna smash it."


    "Right. Why did I even ask?" Shawn wondered aloud.


    "Indeed. Why bother? Wisp and I, we only need to apply ourselves to blow away whatever trial comes our way," Ike boasted, puffing his chest.


    Shawn snorted. "Sure. Uh huh."


    More seriously, Ike shrugged. "So far, the trials have been horse-riding and courage. What comes after horse-riding and a test of courage?"


    "A big dinner and a nice long nap?" Shawn suggested.


    Ike rolled his eyes. "Combat! So far, all the qualities have been associated with battle. Horses. Bravery. It only makes sense if the third trial is a combat trial."


    "Yeah!" Wisp said, with the enthusiasm of someone who knew her friend was bullshitting this all in the moment, and wanted to see where he was going.


    "Just like I deduced the true nature of this trial, naturally, I can also deduce the next trial. I don''t think it''ll be simple, but I believe in us. If we''re allowed to work together¡ªno, even if we aren''t, we''ll still be able to win. We have to believe in ourselves."


    "That''s right!" Wisp cheered him on.


    The light faded out around them. Once more, their surroundings darkened. Ike looked up, preparing to be transported. To tell the truth, he had no idea what trial came next, nor was he in any way confident in predicting it. It made logical sense to him that combat would factor in somewhere around bravery and horsemanship, but who knew? He personally didn''t rate horsemanship high on a king''s required traits, so what did he know? It came as no surprise that he didn''t understand the thinking of royals. He was only a slumrat, after all. But it would be nice if he was at least able to predict that much common sense from the strange beasts known as noblemen.


    They didn''t need to smash the next trial. Having taken first in the first two trials, they were already pretty well set for victory. But on the other hand, he wasn''t going to rest on his laurels. Ike didn''t know how many trials there were, so it was foolish to decide they had an overwhelming victory with two successes. If there were ten trials, his two early victories could prove meaningless, unless they could continue to secure wins. Still, if there were five, or even seven trials, then two victories was a sizable lead.


    But either way, it didn''t matter. He wanted to smash the next trial, so he would. It didn''t matter what the nobility threw at them. Even if it was something ridiculous like flower-picking or scholarly recitations, he''d still put on his best face and try his best to smash the trial.


    This was where speed paid off. He''d always put his all into speed, not strength. In a battle, either could prove crucial, but having often been on the losing end of the strength game, Ike knew very well how important strength was. Speed''s strength came in its versatility. If two swords clashed, the stronger man won. But if he had to pick the best art piece off the wall or win in a game of cards, speed would win the day. Quickness for grabbing elite items and speed for cheating at cards; either way, strength meant nothing, but having the ability to burst forth meant the world.


    Wisp, too, had a versatile set of skills. Between her wall-climbing, string-manipulation, and general strength, she could overcome a vast array of trials.


    And, of course, if it comes to a fight, I have no fear at all. We''ll be able to hold our own. No¡ªI don''t care if there''s Rank 4s in this trial. We''ll smash them all!


    Light swirled down once more. Ike blinked and looked around him, curious about the next trial.


    And then he froze. He swallowed. "Uh oh."


    "We''re fucked," Wisp agreed, more succinctly.


    Shawn laughed aloud. "No matter what the trial is, we''ll smash it, huh? Where''s that confidence now?"

 217. No Confidence

    Before them, a long banquet table stretched, set with the most complex, delicate set of plates and cutlery Ike had ever seen. Servants bustled around, preparing to deliver the first course. A line of impeccably dressed nobles sat opposite the contestants, smiling blandly and waiting for them to take their seats.A trial of manners? Yeah. We''re fucked, Ike thought, mirroring Wisp''s sentiment.


    On his shoulder, Shawn took a deep breath. He gestured at the group. "Come on in. Come on. Quickly."


    "What is it, Shawn?" Ike asked, snagging Mag before the birdboy could wander away. With a firm tug, he turned him back toward the group.


    "I spent years as a treasure. I know a thing or two about manners. If you do everything I''m about to tell you, we might pass this trial."


    Ike nodded. Internally, he cheered, pumping his fist. Yes! Shawn to the rescue! The one adult, civilized person among us! Externally, he remained serious. "I''m all ears."


    "Right. So. Here''s the basics. Now, keep in mind, these are the basics. There''s years of training that goes into proper manners, but don''t worry about that right now. I''m going to teach you the absolute basics, and if you follow them exactly, we might not fail this trial."


    "Student recognizes master!" Wisp declared, bowing semi-seriously.


    "First off. Approach your seat from the right. Wait for your host to acknowledge you, then sit quietly, legs together, back upright. When food is served, wait for the host to serve themselves first. Serve yourself a small portion. Small. And small bites. Mouth shut when you chew. Use the cutlery from the inside out, the furthest-out forks, knives, and spoons first, progressing slowly inward, and letting the servants take the previous cutlery before the next course is served, unless they expressly indicate elsewise. Make sure to always flatter your host, and never contradict them. You let the host take the lead in all things, and follow their cues. Do not talk politics. Do not bring up topics that might cause disagreements. We''re going to miss some steps, for certain. But watch me and act as I do, and we might make it through this."


    Ike nodded. "You got it, boss."


    "Acting fancy isn''t that hard. I can do it," Mag said, with the overflowing confidence of someone who had never tried.


    "As long as we''re better than the worst person in the room, we still have a chance," Wisp said, nodding.


    Ike glanced at her. "I really hope our previous trials are factored into our survival to the next trial."


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    "Yeah. If that''s the case, we can pretty much bomb this and still make it through. But we don''t know that for sure. And we know that if we get disqualified, we will be kicked out, barring extenuating circumstances. We can''t throw this, as much as we might want to," she said, nodding. She went to sit.


    Ike reached out his arm.


    "What? Did I already fuck up?" Wisp asked.


    "No cussing!" Shawn barked.


    "Cleaning skill," Ike reminded her. He activated his own cleaning skill. His robes, still the fancy white ones from Clarina''s place, glittered as the skill washed over them. His skin softened, the dirt fading away, and his hair grew fluffy once more, grease banished.


    "Oh, right." She activated hers. Her hair bounced as it suddenly untangled, and her pale skin grew even paler.


    Mag harrumphed. "I can do that, too." He shook his head, and his whole body, clothes and all, ruffled and resettled back down, as if he had fluffed his feathers, ducked himself into a bird bath, then shook himself off.


    "That''s actually impressive," Ike said.


    "Yeah, yeah. We''ve all got cleaning skills, very nice. Actually, that''s better than I expected from some of you," Shawn commented.


    "We only got them recently. Back when we first got stuck in Shopkeep''s place," Ike reminded him.


    Shawn''s eyes widened. He nodded, slowly. "It all falls into place¡­"


    All around them, the other candidates had already taken their seats. The four of them took theirs, Shawn hopping off Ike''s shoulder to take a chair of his own. Servants swiftly came and offered him additional cushions to raise his head up over the surface of the table. Ike sat in the middle, with Wisp and Mag on either side of him, with Shawn taking the rightmost seat. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Watch me. They should serve me first, due to my location. Whatever I do, copy it," Shawn stated.


    Ike saluted. Wisp nodded. Mag stared at his silverware with wide eyes. He reached out. "Shinies¡­"


    Ike slapped his hand. "Not now. Wait until afterward."


    "What? But they''re mine. They gave them to me," Mag argued.


    Shawn narrowed his eyes. "Do not steal the silverware. I thought I didn''t have to say it, but I see this is the level of skill here. Do not steal anything, in fact. Not food, not silverware, not plates. Nothing."


    Wisp clicked her tongue. "Lame."


    "Later, later. We''ll steal it at the end," Ike whispered.


    "We will not steal it at the end. We will not steal it at all. And don''t whisper. It''s rude." Shawn took a deep breath and rubbed his temples. "Gods, it''s like you''re all feral animals, raised in the woods."


    Ike nodded, tipping his head back and forth. Wisp gave him a thumbs up. Mag nodded enthusiastically.


    "Right. I forgot. You are feral woodland creatures." Shawn put his head in his hands and took a deep breath. To himself, he muttered, "It''s okay. I can do it. I can do this."


    "We just have to survive," Ike offered comfortingly.


    "Right. Survival. The bare minimum." Shawn sat up sharply, his eyes laser focused. He watched straight ahead, but also kept his peripheries on his friends.


    Not wanting to be the biggest problem, Ike sat up straight. He put his feet flat on the floor and squared his shoulders, and waited for the dishes to arrive.


    Opposite him sat a handsome young man. He smiled at Ike. "Good afternoon."


    "Good afternoon," Ike replied. Internally, he pumped his fist. All right! I can do this!


    The young man tipped his head. "I''ve been wondering lately. We keep mortals at the base of our mage cities, but why? What benefit do they offer us?"


    Ike froze. He cut his eyes to Shawn, immediately lost. Shawn! What do I do when the host immediately brings up politics? And politics that I probably disagree with him on, at that?

 218. Politics at the Dinner Party

    The young man smiled at him, waiting for his response.Across the table, Ike finally made eye contact with Shawn. Shawn gestured at Ike''s partner. Talk!


    But what do I say? Ike mouthed back.


    Just don''t be stupid!


    "It''s not very polite to be distracted," the young man warned him. His smile drooped.


    Ike snapped back to the young man. He laughed lightly. "Ah, I''m sorry. It''s just, you asked such a deep question, I had to take a moment to think of my reply. I apologize if I seemed distracted."


    The young man''s smile returned. "No, I''m the one who should apologize. Of course. Take your time. I want to hear your answer."


    Internally, Ike grimaced. If it hadn''t been clear before, it was clear now. The young man wouldn''t be satisfied with a light, dismissive answer. He wanted a deep, serious answer that took all the implications of the question into consideration. Not the right answer, but Ike''s answer¡ªyet delivered in a way that the young man would find palatable.


    Ah. Not simply manners, but politics. This isn''t merely ''act correctly for a dinner.'' This is ''use a dinner to put forth your stance, or defend your stance, without upsetting your partner.'' In other words, the ultimate human bullshit: politics. He glanced at Wisp, not sure how she''d hold up.


    Wisp narrowed her eyes at her partner. "Haaa? Eliminate all monsters? Are you insane? Listen, let me lay it out for you¡­"


    She''s already got this. Well, in Wisp attitude, but anyways¡­ Then, Mag? He looked in the other direction.


    Mag held his spoon tight, gripping it in a death grip. Nonetheless, he sat up tight and squared his shoulders, looking down at his opponent with a haughty attitude. "As the king of birds, you''ve severely underestimated the importance of birds. Not only do we take on pests, bugs, rodents, and spiders, but also¡ª"


    Ike raised his brows. Shockingly, Mag also had it in hand. Am I actually the weak link in our party? Taking a deep breath, he turned back to the man before him. "Mortals in our cities, right?"


    "Right."


    "If we don''t have them, where does the next generation of mages come from? I never see many mage children in the cities. We can''t count on the mages to create new mages. We need to seek talent from the mortals who live at the foot of the city," Ike argued. That sounds reasonable to me. After all, isn''t that how mages think? There''s no point arguing about the mortals. Better to point out the benefits of mortals to the mages.


    The man frowned. "Is that all? If that''s the only point, then why not let them loose into the wild? We can search far and wide for new mages. We don''t need to rest or eat. We can scour the world for fresh mages at any point. Why keep them so close?"


    Ike stiffened. Set them loose? Out into the world? Like his mother, who had died in the wild? And she was a weak mage. Mortals stood no chance. "If we turn them loose, the monsters will eat them all. We need to support them and keep them safe, so that they can thrive."


    "What difference does it make to us if a few mortals die? The strong ones will survive. In fact, isn''t that better for us? If we loose them into the wilds, nature will winnow out the weak ones. Then we won''t have to support all the weak, pointless mortals who will never become mages. We can spend the coin we waste on building walls around them on providing more training for our mages and researching more powerful spells."


    "Just because they aren''t mages this generation, doesn''t mean they won''t produce mages the next generation. It''s foolish to cast all mortals aside because they aren''t all useful to us. The money for walls is nothing. A one-time cost, that we leave to the mortals to maintain. When it comes to maintaining mortals, it isn''t about the mages we obtain right now. It''s about the future. The sustain. We can''t short-sightedly throw mortals away right now because only two out of a thousand might become mages. We need to cultivate them for the future, so that we can obtain the lasting devotion of those two mages.


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    "Think of it this way: do you want the strongest upcoming mage to look up to you with devotion and absolute worship because you protected the last five generations of his family? Or do you want her to hate you, because you rescued her, and only her, out of the jaws of a powerful monster, while leaving the rest of her family to die?"


    The young man smiled. "Well put. I never thought of making the mortals maintain the wall. They can''t keep the barrier running, but I suppose that''s good practice for our low-level mages."


    He leaned forward, knitting his fingers. "So tell me, Ike. You were raised in the safety of a city''s walls. And yet, you offer your city no allegiance. How did that come to be? Why do you see the city as your enemy, even though, by your own argument, you ought to offer it devotion and absolute worship?" He spread his hands. "After all, we don''t want to waste all our time and money to preserve the lives of mortals, only for them to turn about and bite the hand that feeds."


    "Bite the hand¡ª" Ike caught himself. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He dared a glance at the young man, to find a smirk waiting on his face. This was what the young man wanted. For him to burst out. Get emotional. Shout. To win here, he had to remain calm. No matter what the young man said, he couldn''t rise to the bait. It was like being in a fight. The young man was taunting him, feinting, trying to trick him into becoming emotional and making a fatal mistake. If he gave in, he was dead. Instead, he had to riposte. Parry the man''s blows. Ignore his feints. Only then would he win this battle.


    Ike laughed lightly. "Bite the hand that feeds! What a fanciful expression. No, no. I disagree."


    "Disagree? Is that not what happened?" the young man asked, tilting his head.


    "Not at all. In fact, I would put forth my experience as an example of what not to do¡ªa way to do exactly what you claim to fear: throw away the money we would spend on mortals."


    "How so? It seems like a textbook example of exactly what you described."


    "No, no. You misunderstand. For the strategy to work properly, the mortals must see a path upward. Yes, the mages will stand far over the mortals. There''s no denying this. Even if we were to force them to live alongside one another, the mages, by the very properties of their existence, would be far greater than the mortals. So there is no problem in letting the mages and mortals live apart. I would even argue that it''s natural.


    "However, to sever all lines between mortals and mages, to allow no route from mortal to mage¡ªthat is when you brew resentment. In the city I grew up in, there was no possibility for any mortal to ascend to magehood. Not without more money than the mortals could acquire, or connections with mages already in the upper city. For the average mortal, magehood was beyond hope. And I was one of those average mortals, the lowliest of the low, buried in the slums. To see those mages fluttering overhead and know that I would die without ever having the smallest chance to become , truly, one of them. Even if I bought a skill¡ªwhich cost more than I would make in my life¡ªit would be the weakest tier. At best, I would die, unknown and alone, like my mother did. There was no safety offered to mortals. Instead, mages could kill us as they willed. We lived at our own risk. We had a wall, but no more. We were not guaranteed safety. Security."


    The young man tilted his head. "Then, not only would you have us build walls, but also protect mortals?"


    "It''s the only way. Either that, or we pit ourselves against mortals. Certainly, mages would win that contest, but it would be a self-defeating victory."


    "Pyrrhic," the young man corrected.


    "Huh?"


    "A pyrrhic victory."


    "Yes, that. We would be cutting our own legs out from under us. Destroying our future for our present. You already allowed that mages do not create mages at a fast enough rate to provide for future mages."


    "All mages know that," the young man agreed.


    "To toss mortals aside is to toss aside our own future. It isn''t simple to keep them safe, but it is worth it. I believe that deeply. No matter whether I''m weak or strong, I''ll always believe that."


    "Then, if you were to rule a city¡­ what would you do?"


    Ike smiled. This time, the young man had played into his hands. He lowered his head, spreading his hands to allow the man his due. "I might not rule a city, but I am deeply friends with someone who does. I''m currently wandering the land, searching for those who might need a place to thrive. If I found them, I would bring them back to that city, where they will be kept safe and allowed a place to grow in prosperity as well as magic power within that city''s impregnable walls. If mortals wish to grow, they will have a place to grow in our city. The possibility to purchase skills will be readily available. Mortals will be allowed to fight for their future through their own strength and compatibility with skills, rather than chosen via the preferences of elite mages."


    The young man laughed. "An idealistic take, but one I cannot hate. I hope you can find your future." He faded away, and no one sat opposite Ike.


    Ike blinked. He looked around. "Did I win¡­?" He looked down at his empty plate. He hadn''t even been served his first course yet!

 219. Victory Dinner

    After the young man faded away, the servants stepped forward. At last, they delivered food and drink to Ike''s plate. He glanced around, then shrugged to himself. As long as he followed Shawns rules, he should be allowed to eat the dinner, right? It wasn''t like he needed food, but food was delicious, and this food smelled absolutely delectable.He glanced down the table just to be sure, in case not eating the food was part of the trial, but the other contestants were tucking into the food they were served. Elegantly and delicately tucking in, to the extent that Ike felt that it was more properly called ''dining'' than ''tucking,'' but nonetheless, they were partaking in what had been offered. Ike picked up his utensils. He glanced down the table again, checking in on the others. No elbows on the table. Back straight. Bowls on the table, and the utensils delicately brought to their mouths.


    What an inconvenient way to eat. For a moment, Ike was back in his uncle''s house, ducked over a bowl, one shoulder hunched protectively, shoveling the food down his gullet as quickly as he could, before anyone could find him or hit him or take it form him. Watching the others eat, he barely stifled a laugh. Not a single one of them had ever eaten for survival. He''d put money on it. Even if mages were born mortal, they were born into privilege. Into mage houses that could provide the best food for them, or high-ranking mortal houses who could afford the same. The idea of eating scraps or fighting for dinner had never occurred to them. Eating like this made sense, in the case that you never had to fear for your dinner, or worry about missing it.


    And that guy asked me if there was any merit in protecting mortals. Just imagine! If no more mortals become mages, mage society will be full of idiots who think eating like this is a good idea. I can''t agree with that. No, before everything, we need to have at least a base minimum of intelligence in mage society. We need the common sense that polite dinners are nonsense, not a way to conduct your everyday life.


    He dipped his spoon in the thin soup before him and raised it to his lips. As it lifted, it wiggled. Soup rained down on his lap. He froze, staring at it. His brows furrowed. How the hell does anyone eat like this? Are you supposed to spill it all on yourself? Or eat so slowly that every spoonful is cold before it reaches your lips? This is a load of bullcrap. When I''m king, I''m abolishing manners right out the gate. Fuck this. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike paused. When he was king? As if it was already a done deal, he''d already started planning for becoming king. When he''d entered, he hadn''t even known this trial was about the king, and now, he was going to become one?


    Then again, why not? I mean, hell, Mag''s a king. Why not King Ike?


    As he slowly ate his lukewarm soup, he imagined himself as king. Atop a city, gazing down at the people. Mages and mortals alike, moving at his whim. King Ike, ruling over thousands. He could lead them into battle against Llewyn and Lord Brightbriar. He could do whatever he wanted. They''d have to pay him taxes, and he''d even be able to request unreasonable things like for them to bring him beasts so he could kill them and level up.


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    But where was the fun in that? A life of ease was also a boring life. Besides, if he was king, he''d have to govern. That was the downside of the deal: he had to arbitrate over the people. Tell them right from wrong. Decide who was worthy, and who was not. Make up rules for things like formal dinners.


    Ike twisted his lips. Yeah, I don''t know. Maybe I won''t be king. Being king sounds like a lot of work, and like I can''t run around and be a feral guy running around in the wilds anymore. But I will take that skill. Someone else can be king. Maybe that Rufus guy, he seemed pretty keen on it. Or Scar, I like her better. Yeah, who cares about being king. I''m taking that skill, and that''s it.


    Unless the skill makes me the rightful king, or whatever. Ike consulted the myths he''d heard in childhood. He didn''t recall any fairy tales about a skill making someone king, but then, he hadn''t heard anything about this region, so that wasn''t shocking. Then again, if the skill made him rightful king, then he could go ahead and do whatever he wanted, then return later when he was ready to be king. After all, if the skill made him rightful king, then he was the rightful king. The throne would be his, whether he was occupying it or not. It might be a bit of a battle to take it back from whoever occupied it after he wandered off to have an adventure, but that was what Ranking up was for. Couldn''t keep the throne from him if he was higher Rank than whoever claimed it.


    He was still getting ahead of himself, and he knew it. It was just that the dinner was so slow and so mind-numbingly boring that he had nothing else to do with his time but fantasize. The food was delicious, thankfully, but that was all he could say about it. Everyone around him was still speaking to their opponent, and for some reason, he couldn''t understand their speech anymore. Mana flowed around him, isolating him. It seemed to be an effect of the trial, so that they couldn''t help one another once the trial began.


    That''s fair. After all, it keeps those old men from whispering the right answers to Rufus all trial long.


    With the luxury of time to spare, he took in the remaining candidates. He couldn''t hear them, but he could see them just fine. They had started with dozens, if not hundreds. Now, only forty or so remained. Ten teams.


    If they eliminate half of us here, only five will remain. Is the next trial the last? he wondered. His brows furrowed. So far, there hadn''t been anything impossible to surmount. Sure, he believed wholeheartedly that Mag was unable to surpass these trials on his own, especially with his performance in the fear trial, but aside from that? There''d been none of the deadly danger Mag had described. Nothing truly life-threatening.


    Is the final trial that hard? Or am I wrong? Are there multiple trials yet ahead of us? Ike furrowed his brows, uncertain. After a second, he shrugged to himself. He''d find out soon enough. The dinner trial was winding down. The servants brought out the desert, and Ike carefully began to eat it. The food was full of mana, and as he ate desert, it finished refilling his core with aether. He let out a slow breath. If he was going to throw someone into danger, he''d probably give them a top-up first, if he could. Assuming Mag wasn''t insane, and this trial really was deadly, then he''d put money on the deadly part coming next.


    As he finished the last bite of desert, a screen appeared before his eyes. One word floated in its center:


    PASS


    Ike glanced to the left and right. Mag nodded. Wisp pumped her fist. Shawn let out a sigh of relief.


    Looks like we skimmed by, by the skin of our teeth.


    And then the floor opened up beneath them, and they plunged into darkness.

 220. Den of Beasts

    Ike plunged into darkness. The light winked out the second he fell, and the chair vanished from beneath him. In midair, Ike adjusted his stance and activated Storm Clad, preparing for a bumpy landing. He struck the ground with a thump, bending his knees to disperse the blow.An even louder thump slammed down beside Ike. The soft hiss of extending thread passing through hands and the flap of wings sounded from either side. After a moment, the thread began to glow, and Ike could see all of them. Wisp, sliding down on her thread. Mag, circling in tight loops as he descended. And Shawn, who laid in a deep crater. He fought from left to right, struggling to escape his own mass.


    Ike dismissed Storm Clad. Walking over to the crater, he braced himself on the edge and hauled Shawn out. "Hey there, little mountain. Trying to plant yourself?"


    "Yeah, yeah. Real funny," Shawn muttered. He climbed out with Ike''s help and dusted himself off. "Phew. Where are we now?"


    Ike took in the new trial. They stood at the intersection of several tunnels. The tunnels vanished into darkness, snaking off left, right, and center. He looked up, but the ceiling wasn''t particularly high. There was no sign of wherever they had fallen in. Even though Wisp''s thread pierced through the ceiling and vanished, there was no sign of where it went. It simply vanished.


    "A new trial," Wisp deadpanned. She hopped off her thread, but left the glowing red trace behind for light.


    Mag extended his feet and landed, flapping his wings a few last times, then folding them back into arms. He looked up at all of them, earnest and not bratty for once. "This is the most dangerous part. The part where everyone dies. Take care."


    "You''ve made it this far before?" Ike asked, surprised.


    Mag puffed up. He hopped from leg to leg in the little frustrated dance birds did when enraged. "No! But this is a lot like where they send the people who fail the trials, and that''s dangerous enough. Lots of people die there. This is worse."


    "You''ve never been here before. How would you know?" Wisp challenged him.


    "People escape from the other trials. It''s hard, but some of them do escape the punishment area. Well, it''s easy for me¡­" He trailed off. His expression turned from preening to serious. "No one has ever survived this one."


    Ike raised his brows. "The top five teams die, every time?"


    "They vanish. No one knows what happens to them. Many contestants, like myself, deliberately drop out before the final round," Mag said.


    Right. Says the guy who can''t pass the fear round. "Changed your mind this time?" he teased.


    "I''m taking that skill. I have a team this time. I can win," he declared boldly.


    Ike nodded. He looked at Wisp, who nodded back. She flicked her fingers, and thin strings, so thin even Ike could barely see it, vanished into the dark tunnels. Closing her eyes, she tuned into the strings. Ike waited, watching her closely. After a moment, she shook her head. "There''s nothing nearby." Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


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    "They''re out there," Mag said darkly.


    "I believe you. Everyone, stay close." Ike extended his senses. He picked a tunnel at random and started walking down it.


    "Wait!" Shawn said.


    Ike froze. Everyone stared at him.


    Shawn lifted a hand, touching the air as if he could feel something. He turned, then pointed a pudgy finger at a different tunnel. "That one has a mana vein running through it. This one doesn''t."


    "You think that''s important?"


    "Could be."


    Ike thought for a second. "Yeah, let''s follow the mana vein. At worst, we can more easily refill our aether stores. At best, it''s something like the ''right'' direction to go."


    "Agreed," Wisp concurred.


    "I''ll lead. Mag, you follow. Wisp, you''re at the rear," Ike said. "Keep eyes out in all directions. I don''t want any surprises."


    "You got it, boss." Wisp fell back.


    Preening, Mag strode forward. "That''s right. You are last in line. I''m in front of you. Weak, pathetic spider."


    Ike rolled his eyes. He made eye contact with Wisp and shook his head a little.


    She just snorted. "That''s right, kid."


    The three of them walked on, heading down the path Shawn had pointed out. Shawn yawned on Ike''s shoulder, dozing off, not quite awake, but not fully asleep, either. Wisp sent threads out every time they found an intersection. She mapped out the space, one intersection at the time, leaving a network of tripwires behind them. Ike left the mapping to her, figuring she''d alert them if they started backtracking.


    Ike extended his senses out in front of them, pushing them as far as they''d go. He reached the limits of his senses, then kept pushing. Further. If he could extend his aether further, he''d have more of an advantage. Being able to see further than his opponent meant knowing they were there before they knew he was there. It meant striking first, instead of reacting to someone else''s attack. If he had to choose between attacking and being attacked, he''d obviously choose attacking. The best defense was a good offense, and a good offense meant being the first to attack.


    "Up here, left," Shawn said softly. Every now and again, he spoke up, pointing them in a new direction. Sometimes, Ike could feel the aether as well, but sometimes, it faded below the level he could sense. If it wasn''t for Shawn, they''d have to guess which way the mana vein wound through the earth.


    Abruptly, Wisp froze. Ike hesitated as well, turning over his shoulder to watch her. She furrowed her brows, glancing left and right, then snapped her fingers. "There''s something coming. Second tunnel behind us to the right. Be prepared."


    Ike drew his sword and grinned. "Finally."


    "Not ''finally.'' These things are terrifying! We should run," Mag insisted. He tensed. All his hair stood on end.


    "You wait in the back. Wisp and I will take care of it," Ike said confidently.


    Wisp rolled her palms together. A ball of thread accumulated between her hands. It glowed cherry-red, bright as a hot ember. She tossed it overhead, where it stuck on the ceiling and provided a source of light for them.


    Thud-thud-thud-thud. A rapid series of footsteps pistoned down the hall, growing closer with every passing moment. If Wisp hadn''t pointed out the direction, Ike never would have been able to locate it. The thuds came from all directions, echoing wildly in the tight, earthen space.


    Wisp bared her claws. Ike adjusted his grip on his sword. The two of them faced toward the sound, waiting.


    Silence. The footsteps stopped entirely. There was nothing. No sound at all.


    "Shit. I lost it," Wisp hissed, real fear in her voice.


    "What? How''d you lose it? You laid down traps everywhere¡ª"


    Dust rained down from above. Ike grabbed Wisp and jumped backward. The ceiling ruptured. Dust and rocks filled the tunnel, flying everywhere. A thick, plump white body burst out of the ceiling and charged toward Ike and Wisp. Mandibles spread wide. The huge centipede hissed, horrid dark eyes locked onto the two of them.


    Ike set Wisp down. The two of them rushed for the centipede as it rushed for them. They clashed in a shower of sparks and pale ichor.


    "Fucking bugs. I''m going to eat you," Wisp snarled.

 221. Bugs

    The centipede pushed them back. Ike dug his heels in, and still skidded across the floor. Hissing ferociously, it gnashed its mandibles, trying to slam them shut on Ike. Ike pressed his sword forward, holding it at a diagonal to block the centipede''s mandibles open. It fought against him. The sword strained, almost sliding out of its hold. Ike braced it with a hand on its flat. He pushed it forward with both hands. Still the bug fought. It rushed toward him, its feet beating against the dirt.Beside him, Wisp jumped up. She ran over the centipede''s head and raced up its pale body, scuttling along on all fours. Startled, the centipede reared. It doubled back on itself, chasing after Wisp.


    "Wisp!" Freed from blocking the centipede, Ike drew his sword back and slashed its exposed underbelly. Even though it was the underbelly, his blade bounced off. He gritted his teeth. Activating Storm Clad, he surged his strength to his arms and legs. Ike hauled back, then unleashed a blow with all his strength. The blade cut into the centipede, then stuck. It had only made it halfway through the armor. Ichor leaked around it, but it had failed to cut deep.


    On its back, its head reached Wisp. She whirled. Its mandibles slammed toward her. She caught them with her hands, holding them open. It hissed ferociously. She hissed back, not intimidated in the least. Hauling her head back, she bit the centipede''s face. The centipede startled and jerked back, shocked.


    "Ha. Weren''t expecting to get bit in the mouth, huh?" Wisp jeered, grinning.


    Ike scowled. He braced his foot against the centipede and yanked his sword free. At that, the centipede finally whirled. It left Wisp behind and raced after Ike instead, un-doubling its body to chase him.


    Wisp took advantage of its distraction to claw and bite its back. Its armor soaked most of her attacks, but that didn''t stop her. She hammered it. One attack after another hit the same exact place on the centipede, slowly weakening it.


    The centipede rushed at Ike. A darkening bruise marked where Wisp had bit it. Rather than biting Ike, it twisted its head to the side and swept it at him, slicing him with the edge of its mandibles instead. Ike parried the blow, turning it to the side. It hauled back and attacked again and again, slowly pushing Ike backward. He kept up with the blows, but barely. His Rank 3 physique, enhanced by Storm Clad, wasn''t enough to easily keep up. He didn''t need to extend his aether to know: the monster was Rank 4, if not mid-Rank 4.


    No wonder no one survived. If you can only be Rank 4 to enter this dungeon, and you have to fight mid-Rank 4s¡­ given how many Rank 3s and lower tried the trials, I wouldn''t be surprised if few of those who made it here survived. Ike laughed under his breath. Slapping the centipede away, he drew his fist back. Green shockwaves built up on it, and red light shimmered over his skin.


    The centipede struck at him again. This time, Ike let it come. He smashed his fist into the injured part of the centipede''s face, using the force of its own blow against it. Green shockwaves and the red light of Exsanguination both struck the bruised part of the centipede''s carapace. It cracked open. Ichor blasted out of the crack, splattering over the centipede''s own body.


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    Spreading its mandibles wide, the centipede roared. It reared up. Ike braced himself, expecting a blow, but instead of slamming down at him, it grabbed the ceiling with its many slender legs and burrowed back into the earth. On its back, Wisp rocked back and forth, raising her hands against the dust.


    "Wisp! Jump off!" Ike shouted.


    She leaped free. Her shoulder hit the ground, and she rolled, landing on her feet. The centipede banished into the ceiling. Its last spindly legs scrambled at the fresh bolt hole, and then it vanished, leaving nothing but a fresh pile of rocks and dust behind.


    Ike backed toward Wisp. She hurried to his side. The two of them stood back to back, watching in every direction. Ike extended his aether. It stopped at the wall, absorbed back into the earth. He furrowed his brows. Aether flows through earth. Why should my senses stop at a wall? He focused, reaching further. Aether bounced off the earth, but as it did, its undulations changed. It synchronized with the natural aether embedded in the walls, and he could sense through it.


    It wasn''t the same as simply extending his aether. When he did that, it was almost like seeing further. As if he had full view of everything around him for a sphere around him, the same as his eyes could see, but in a tighter circle around him, since he couldn''t push his aether to the limits of his vision. When he synchronized it with the earth, it was¡­ muffled. He couldn''t ''see.'' Instead, it was like hearing. He could sense ''thumps'' and large ''thuds.'' Ike focused, trying to differentiate the thuds. But would I even recognize the centipede¡ª


    Thudthudthudthud.


    Ike snorted. What was I worried about? He turned to Wisp. "It''s coming from the left."


    "Understood." She backed up, giving the left wall some space. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike backed up as well. He raised his sword and took a deep breath.


    Roaring, the centipede burst through the wall. It leaped forward, expecting to take them by surprise, then hesitated as it found both of them ready and waiting.


    "Let''s pin it and finish it!" Wisp shouted. She leaped at the centipede, thread already flying from her fingertips. Thick ropes of spider thread wound around the centipede''s body. It thrashed, but that only twisted the thread tighter.


    "Hold it still!" Ike raised his sword high. He pushed all his aether into his arms, then struck down with all his might, aiming for the weak spot in its head where they''d already cracked its carapace. His sword pierced through and out the other side. He drove it all the way into the ground, truly pinning it.


    Wisp charged in. She bit and clawed at its neck. Drawing the second sword Shopkeep had given them, Ike cut at the centipede''s neck from the other side. The centipede fought, but it couldn''t break free of the sword and thread together. Ichor flew. The centipede screamed and hissed. It swept its mandibles as much as it could, but it couldn''t reach them any longer. The two of them cut through its neck. Its head fell away, and its body hit the floor. The centipede struggled no longer.


    Ike stepped back. He dismissed Storm Clad and wiped his brow, then stepped forward, yanking his sword out of the centipede''s head. "Damn. Those things are tough."


    Panting, Wisp nodded as well. She glanced around them. "Hey, Ike. These tunnels¡­ they kind of look like the tunnels the centipede carved, don''t they?"


    "Shit," Ike muttered, already finishing her chain of thought.


    She said it aloud anyways. "Do you think they might all be centipede tunnels?"


    From the distance, the furious thumpthumpthump of centipede feet rushed toward them. This time, it didn''t just sound like the centipedes were coming from all directions. The thumps overlapped with each other as dozens of centipedes closed in on them.


    "You know, I think that might just be the case," Ike muttered, raising his sword.


    "We''ve got our work cut out for us," Wisp muttered back, her expression grim.


    Mag glanced from one to the other. "This is bad. It''s bad, isn''t it?"


    "Oh, just a little," Ike said lightly.


    Blasting dirt and stone, a centipede leaped out of the earth at them. Ike and Wisp leaped forward, rushing into the fight.

 222. Lots of Bugs

    Centipedes rushed at them from all direction, so many that Ike couldn''t tell whether there were any directions without the creepy crawlies. Powerful auras emanated from every direction, surging toward him. His stomach clenched. That many Rank 4s? We''re dead.Beside him, Wisp glanced his direction. The same uncertainty flashed over her face. "We struggled to take on that first bug. Do you think we can take them all on?"


    Ike pressed his lips together. "No."


    "You have a plan?"


    He hesitated. Twisting, he looked up, then bent and peered into the other holes the fat white centipede had carved. "I think so. Here, take Shawn. I''ll carry Mag."


    "You''ll what?" Mag asked, fluffing up.


    "I don''t have time to explain," Ike said. He tossed Shawn to Wisp, who caught him and put him on her back. Ike snatched up Mag, carrying the bird boy under his off arm. He gripped his sword in the other hand and extended his senses in all directions, closely tracking the approaching centipedes.


    His brows furrowed. He pointed ahead of him. "Wisp, put up some webs in that direction. Enough to slow them down by about¡­ ten seconds."


    She saluted. Lifting her hands, she filled up the tunnel with thick white webbing. In a few seconds, so much web filled the tunnel that Ike could no longer see through it.


    He closed his eyes, extending his aether again to check on the advancement of the centipedes. Their feet beat against his senses, rushing closer with every passing second. He counted down time, waiting, his breathing even.


    From behind the webbing, a huge pale figure loomed. It slammed into the web and stopped, then drew back its head and struck again. The first layer of webbing snapped. It charged forward another few steps, only for the webbing to entangle it again. Enraged, it thrashed, and as much as it tangled, it also tore the webbing. Only one layer of webbing remained between them and the bug.


    "Ike," Wisp warned him.


    "I know," he said. He looked in the opposite direction. Come on. I felt you. Show your face!


    From out of the darkness, a second centipede appeared. Unlike the tangled first, this one charged them at full speed. Behind them, the first centipede snapped through the last of the webbing.


    "Ike!"


    "Now!"


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    Ike jumped upward. Wisp followed him. They both leapt into the hole that the now-dead centipede had chewed in the roof to sneak-attack them. Below them, the two centipedes crashed into one another. They reeled back, stunned.


    Ike tossed Mag aside. Letting out an oof, the boy landed in a pile of limbs in the horizontal portion of the tunnel. He drew his sword and activated Storm Clad at its utter, full strength. He held nothing back. Every scrap of his aether poured into the skill. At the same time, he activated Tempest. He pushed the skill into his sword, and drew back the blade into the downward strike of River-Splitting Sword.


    "The Weight of a Mountain," Ike muttered.


    Shawn hopped onto his back. "I''m with you."


    Wisp shot a thread onto his shoulder. "Take my aether." Extra energy poured into him, supplementing his own.


    Ike plunged. He slammed down onto the two centipedes. Tempest blasted ahead of him, wearing into the top of the first''s head. His blade struck through. Bearing the weight of the mountain and all the strength of River-Splitting Sword, plus the boosts of Storm Clad and Tempest, it struck through the centipede''s head. Screaming out in pain, it tried to flinch back, but too slow. His strike bit through its head, severing its brain, and it died.


    The second centipede saw him coming. It jerked back. Tempest grazed it, and so did his sword strike, but he didn''t land the hit. The centipede hissed in pain and thrust forth again, biting at him.


    Something in Storm Clad clicked. A piece of the skill he''d never activated before suddenly leaped to life. Armor of ice, wind, and lightning coalesced on his arm. The centipede''s mandibles closed on his arm and crushed down, but failed to bite through. Lightning discharged from Storm Clad and blackened the centipede''s face. It hissed again and reared back.


    Ike, too, backed away. His arm bled wildly, the muscles completely bitten through. The white bone shone from within the wound, and even it was scored from the bite. His Body Regeneration Art knitted his wound back shut, but slowly. His aether had almost fully discharged in that single attack. There were only scraps left to close the wound. Nonetheless, he raised his sword. He put his bad arm behind him, glaring the centipede down as if he were still at full strength.


    "Fuck off and die!" Wisp dropped out of the ceiling. She bit down on the weakened part of the centipede. Fangs appeared from her mouth and pierced the part Ike had wounded. Thick, purple poison pumped into the bug. It squirmed, trying to break free, but she continued to bite down. Angry, it thrashed its head. She smacked into the walls left and right, but still clung on.


    "Wisp!" Ike shouted, but couldn''t find it in him to tell her to stop. She was their only hope, right now. If she gave up, it was over for all of them.


    With a final smack, the centipede knocked Wisp free. Hissing in fear, anger, and pain, it retreated into the darkness.


    Wisp slowly climbed to her feet. She rubbed her head. "It''ll die soon enough."


    "Good." Ike nodded upwards. "Let''s go. We need to get out of here."


    "Yeah. We can''t fight any more of those."


    In the distance, the sound of endless centipedes rushed toward them. Ike hopped back into the upward tunnel, and Wisp scuttled up the wall after him. The two of them herded Mag along, and the four of them hurried away, leaving the dead centipedes behind them. As they retreated, Wisp lifted a hand and fired layers of webbing behind them.


    "Buy us some time," she commented.


    Ike nodded. They both knew it would buy seconds, at best, but it was better to have some warning than nothing. He clutched his arm. It slowly healed, but as it did, it sucked away the last of his aether. He pressed his lips together.


    Mag wasn''t wrong. This is deadly dangerous.


    They ran on, fleeing through the tunnels.

 223. A Place to Rest

    They ran through the tunnels. Ike kept to the centipede''s crawl holes rather than the main tunnels. The main tunnels were full of centipedes, while the fresh holes crawled by the centipedes were abandoned after the centipede cut its way through. The centipedes were very familiar with the dungeon, unsurprisingly, but they didn''t know the holes each other had cut. Ike figured that at worst, they''d encounter one centipede in the crawl holes. In the main tunnels, they could encounter any number of centipedes. Compared to getting rushed by dozens at a time, getting rushed by single centipedes was far preferable.He absorbed all the aether he could as he walked, but most of it went to healing his arm. Only trickles reached his core. He tried not to show it on his face, but it ached fiercely. Instinctively, he held the arm immobile against his body, but it still jostled with every step. He knew he had to be pale as a sheet. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As he walked, he ran back the fight in his head. Well, fight. One single attack that had taken everything he''d had. Still, putting everything he''d had into one attack, he''d been able to kill one mid-Rank 4 and injure another. If the second centipede hadn''t flinched back, there was a good chance he would have killed both.


    Or gravely injured both, leaving them both for Wisp to clean up.


    He chuckled under his breath at himself. There was no point worrying about what might have been. What happened was insane. He''d killed a Rank 4, alone, in a solo fight. In one strike, at that! One strike that he couldn''t repeat over and over, true, one strike that took every single scrap of his energy, but nonetheless¡ªone strike.


    If I grow stronger within Rank 3, to the point that I can repeat that strike, I''ll be able to wipe out Rank 4s without trouble. Hell, at that point, I can probably even challenge Rank 5s. It was a crazy thought, but one that made Ike grin. If he''d ever had any doubt that his path was the right direction to grow, he was certain of it now.


    Even as he grinned, he missed a step, and his arm jostled. Ike flinched, barely biting back a hiss. He pursed his lips. Right. Even if he''d beaten the Rank 4, he hadn''t done it without injury. He wasn''t invincible or unbeatable. If anything, he had to remember how frail he was. He had the damage output to punch above his rank, but not the defenses to tank hits above his rank. His regeneration art was nice, but it also consumed aether. As he''d just experienced, if he was fighting above his rank, his aether would already be strained to the limits, and he wouldn''t be able to count on his regeneration. He needed something else. A more powerful regeneration that used less aether, or relied on something else. An armor. Something.


    I''ll hunt for it after this. Go around the towns, see if anyone knows of someone or something with powerful armor that I can take the skills from. Ike nodded, promising it in his heart.


    Shawn perked up on Ike''s shoulder. "I smell a mana vein."


    Ike glanced over. "Where?" If there was a mana vein nearby, he could use it to regenerate his aether. Heal his arm and get back in fighting fit at the same time. The centipedes were scary, and it was no exaggeration to say they were a deadly threat, but moreso than the centipedes, he feared running into another party. He had no illusions about the other parties being friendly. If they collided, they''d surely fight. But right now, Ike couldn''t fight. He was a liability. He''d have to rely on Wisp and Mag, and in truth, that meant relying on Wisp. She was strong, but she wasn''t four-on-one strong. And if the other party were Rank 4 mages¡­ Ike grimaced. They''d beaten Rank 4 beasts, but mages were different. They''d have mysterious skills. The ability to cooperate. The intelligence to come up with tactics and strategies. If he and Wisp worked together, he had confidence in their strength against a Rank 4 mage, even a party of Rank 4 mages. But with him injured and low on aether, Wisp would have to face them alone. Ike knew he couldn''t face a party alone. It wouldn''t be any easier for Wisp.


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    He sighed and rubbed his face. All this worrying wasn''t like him, but he couldn''t help it. He''d never been in a scenario like this before, up against enemies stronger than him who also outnumbered him, with a team where he could rely on exactly one member in combat, and two members out of combat.


    Abruptly, Ike laughed. He faced ahead, putting his worries behind him. Of course it''s hard. It''s a trial that''s meant to determine the next king, and I''m not king material. Naturally, the deck is stacked against me. Am I going to give up, just because I''m not the one who''s supposed to get this skill? Hell no. That skill is mine, whether it wants to be or not. I''m a hunter, a gods-damned skill hunter, and I''m going to hunt this king-worthy skill.


    Wisp glanced at him. "You okay back there? Need some aether?"


    Ike shook his head. "Keep your aether. One of us should be fighting fit. Besides, there''s a mana vein just up ahead."


    "It''s not far now. Just around the bend," Shawn promised. He stood up, feet digging into Ike''s back. "Real close. The aether''s so thick around us. Can''t you sense it?"


    Ike shook his head. There was aether on the air, but not so much more that he was sure there was a mana vein nearby. Whatever Shawn sensed, it wasn''t something he could sense. He glanced at Wisp, but she spread her hands and shook her head as well. It wasn''t a human thing either, then.


    Then again, I trust a mountain. Shawn knows his mana veins.


    Ahead, the path branched. Shawn pointed the way unerringly, utterly sure of the route. Another three turns later, the narrow, winding centipede tracks widened up. Warm light spilled into the path they walked along. The four of them hurried toward it, glad to see light after the darkness of the tunnels.


    It wasn''t only the tone of the light that was warm. Heat emanated from the open space as well. Not a roiling boil or a searing blaze, but a humid, organic warmth. A strange, earthy-acidic smell rolled down the centipede hole. Ike wrinkled his nose, but pressed on. Already, he could feel the beat of aether against his skin. It sank into him with every breath, filling his core. His arm knitted shut, the would rapidly closing, and at long last, his core began to recover, without aether constantly draining away to heal his arm.


    Ike drew up to the opening of the hole. A cliff fell away from his feet. A huge cylindrical bore opened in the earth, as wide around as a mountain and as deep as one, too. The heat and scent pressed against his skin equally as the aether did. Here, the red light beat on him, painting the entire scene in a swathe of crimson light.


    Ike''s eyes widened. He sucked a slow breath. "Holy fuck."


    Wisp nodded slowly, staring down as well. "Damn, I''d love to set up a web here."


    "What? Let me see!" Mag pressed his way through. His eyes lit up. He bobbed up and down where he stood, and his mouth opened, on the verge of chirping.


    "It''s wild, but I actually agree with the bird for once," Wisp said, nodding.

 224. A Feast

    Ike quickly grabbed Mag''s mouth before he could actually chirp. He pulled him backward. "Nuh uh.""Hey, Ike. Can I go nuts?" Wisp asked.


    "Wait. Let me recover first, in case things get out of hand," Ike requested.


    "I think I can manage a few minutes," she said, licking her lips.


    "Could I beg you for a few hours?"


    She considered, then sighed. "Yeah, sure. I could use some aether, too."


    Ike sighed in relief. "Thank you, Wisp."


    He looked down, over the edge of the cliff, once more. Far below them, little pink grubs squirmed on the floor. Well, ''little.'' Compared to the centipedes, they were little. Compared to ordinary bugs, they were enormous. The grubs were the size of adult humans. Some of the larger ones were cow- or horse-sized.


    All of them were dwarfed by the massive being curled half around the exterior of the cylinder''s floor. Several times wider than an ordinary centipede and ten or more times longer, the giant, fat beast was barely recognizable as a centipede at all. Bloated as it was, its legs could no longer support it. It laid on its side, indolent, utterly secure in its safety. And why not? What could hurt a beast that size? Ike gazed at the giant centipede, gauging its width. Even if he used all his skills and stacked them all into one huge hit, he wasn''t sure he could pierce through that thing''s bulk to meaningfully injure it. And that was assuming its thick skin didn''t act as additional armor.


    Ike''s core filled up enough to extend his aether-senses, so he did. Almost immediately, he jerked them back, flinching away from the huge centipede. It was at least Rank 5. Maybe a higher Rank. As fat and immobile as it looked, it could nonetheless crush him with a wave of its useless arms.


    He trembled instinctively. His thoughts of taking on a Rank 5 melted away. It wasn''t possible. Not yet. Not for him.


    His trembling changed, turning eager instead. His eyes lit up. But one day, I will be able to. I''ll be as strong as that thing, and no one will be able to oppose me.


    The giant centipede sighed, and a viscous spray full of white, orb-shaped eggs emerged from its other end. The eggs joined the piles of eggs already pasted to the wall behind it. With great effort, the centipede lifted itself up, not on its legs, but on its body, as a snake would. It inched forward once, then laid down again, grunting in satisfaction.


    Wisp perched on the edge of the hole and gazed hungrily at the grubs. Mag wriggled free of Ike''s hold and ran up beside her. He clutched the edge, watching the grubs with just as much desire. Drool accumulated at the corners of his mouth. He swallowed it down with effort, but couldn''t drag himself away from the edge.


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    Chuckling under his breath, Ike sat down behind them, his back against the wall so he could see both directions in the tunnel. He settled in and breathed deeply. Although he kept his eyes open, all his being focused on absorbing aether. He entered a state of pseudo-meditation, just aware enough to react to danger, but immersed enough that he possessed no conscious thoughts except for the deep desire to suck in more aether. The mana vein was clearly in the lowest part of the cylinder, but the aether was thick enough here for Ike to rapidly recover. The aether simmered on the air. It didn''t disperse the way it usually would, but circulated in the cylinder, staying close to the root. Ike didn''t understand why, but he did appreciate it. Sitting here and breathing regenerated his aether faster than anything else he''d experienced, save mana potions.


    Shawn sighed as well, and his body lightened, a sure sign he was absorbing the thick aether. Even the two beasts perched on the tunnel''s edge didn''t protest, but absorbed their own share of the aether. It was like a balm, or a healing hot spring. Just what a bunch of tired mages needed.


    "Do you think other mages will come here?" Wisp asked, still watching the centipede grubs swarm.


    Shawn shrugged. "You didn''t notice it, did you? We mountains are particularly sensitive to mana roots. We can sense them deep underground and trace them to where they surface, whereas you beasts and humans need to stumble upon them up here, or else sense nothing at all. Unless the other parties brought their own mountains, they''d have to get very close to notice it, what with all the mana pent up here."


    "Mana roots?"


    "Mana roots, mana veins, same difference. Some people even call them spirit roots or dragon veins, but that last one is bladderdash. Dragons have nothing to do with them. Makes much more sense to call them mountain roots."


    Wisp tilted her head. "Roots instead of veins?"


    "Veins run in a body and circulate the mana already inside that body around. Roots pull water and nutrients into the bottom of a tree from deep in the earth. What they do for a properly planted mountain is much more like roots than veins," Shawn explained.


    Wisp''s brow furrowed. "So why do they call them veins?"


    "Oh¡ªwell, humans weren''t thinking of body veins. They were thinking of ore veins. You know. Valuable stones that run in patches deep underground. To humans, mana is just another valuable resource to yank out of the earth and use up, just like those stones."


    "Weird."


    Shawn nodded. "Humans are very strange."


    "Hey," Ike protested. He glanced around, then snorted. I''m very outnumbered, aren''t I. Two beasts and a mountain, and me as the lone human.


    Forget bringing a mountain. I doubt any other mage party in this trial has as few humans as this one. No¡­ I doubt there''s many mage parties in this entire region with as few humans as mine.


    Ike''s core filled bit by bit. Centipede grubs crawled over one another, and the centipede mother spat out more eggs. The bird and the spider watched the grubs with interest, waiting eagerly for Ike to finish.


    At last, Ike stood. He dusted himself off. "My core is mostly full. Do you two want to¡ª"


    "Dinner!" Mag leaped off the edge.


    "Hell yeah." Wisp reached her arms out and ran down the wall, head-first.


    Ike stood there, his mouth still open. At last, he looked at Shawn. "I was going to say, ''move on.''"


    Shawn snorted. "You''d better get a move on if you don''t want those two to enrage the mother."


    Ike sucked in a sharp breath. He looked down after the two hungry beasts and sighed. "Yeah. Let''s go get after them, before they do something crazy."


    Shawn patted Ike''s shoulder. "Now you know how I feel."

 225. Centipede Time

    Mag reached the centipede grubs first. He transformed into his beast form in midair and swooped the grubs, snatching up fistfuls in his claws and flapping back up into the air. Seconds later, Wisp struck. She tossed webs left and right as she landed, the silk blanketing the squirming grubs and binding them up. Midair, she transformed into her spider form, spindly legs, bulbous body, and all, and directly started chewing through the grubs she hadn''t bound up.Beating at the air, Mag hovered over the grubs. He glared at Wisp. "Hey! Not fair!"


    "You hunt by swooping, I hunt with my thread. Don''t complain because of your inferior, non-spider hunting methods. Besides, all that time you''re wasting complaining¡ª" she swallowed noisily, "¡ªI''m busy slurping delicious grubs!"


    "You!" Mag snarled. He bared his claws at her. For a second, Ike tensed. If he attacked¡ª


    Mag caught sight of the grubs vanishing into Wisp''s mouth at speed. He growled in frustration and dropped to the ground, stomping and snapping up grubs almost as fast as Wisp could. The two of them burrowed through the slimy bodies in opposite directions. It was the most disgusting eating competition Ike had ever seen, and he''d watched workers race to eat a whole rat, bones and all, back in the slums.


    The two of them wreaked havoc on this half of the grubs, staying far away from the mother centipede. Even so, she couldn''t help but notice the two figures noisily fighting over her grubs. She hefted herself up with her body, rearing like a snake or a worm. Her weak, too-small legs thrashed at the air. The centipede roared in anger and lunged toward the beasts.


    Ike snorted. "Hey, you two! Get out of there before the momma¡ª"


    Mid-sentence, he stopped. Between the mother moving and the beasts eating the grubs, they''d cleared up a significant portion of the floor. Thick aether emanated from the floor, but he''d expected as much from a mana vein. What he hadn''t expected was the glittering gem floor clearly inset with some sort of spell formation. He raised his brows. Was the mana vein being utilized for something? It was in the trial realm. Honestly, now that he was thinking about it, it would be more surprising if there was just a random mana vein in the trial realm, not connected to anything.


    I wonder if this is the goal of the trial, to find one of these spots? In any case, it''s got something to do with the trial, I''m sure. Even if it only offers an opportunity to figure out what''s going on with this trial by studying the underlying spells, or whatever, that''s still useful. I mean, I can''t do that, but I''m sure Shawn can.


    "What?" Wisp asked, mouth full of grubs.


    "I''m coming in. Let''s take on the momma!" Ike shouted, grinning. He leaped down toward the bloated centipede from above.


    Sure, it was strong. Sure, it had terrifying emanations. But so had those bloated monsters, way back in the Abyss. This one wasn''t deliberately bloated, but it had become naturally bloated by living on this mana vein for so long. It would be tough. Big and fat, and full of vitality. But it wouldn''t necessarily have powerful moves or any fighting power. Hell, the thing could barely lift itself off the ground.


    He might not be the king this trial was looking for, but he wasn''t going to let the trial count him out. He was getting that skill, king or not. And no giant, fat centipede was going to stand in his way!


    "That''s the Ike I know!" Wisp cheered. Still in spider form, she charged the giant momma centipede head-on.


    "Hey! Don''t leave me out!" Mag hopped into the air. Beating his wings furiously, he climbed into the air, then swooped at the centipede''s rear.


    Ike struck the centipede first. He slammed into its head from above, kicking furiously as he landed. The soft, bloated flesh gave way before his feet, as if he''d jumped into a pillow. He did no damage. The centipede''s flabby body completely absorbed his blow. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Wisp charged in next. The centipede slammed its upper half at her, carrying Ike with it. She darted back, then charged in. Eight legs latched onto the centipede, and she bit deep. Her fangs barely penetrated its soft flesh. She injected poison, then jumped back.


    "Fat as that thing is, that''ll kill it in about a week," she muttered aloud, annoyed.


    "Ha, foolish non-bird beings! Observe my enlightened striking prowess!" Baring his claws, his dragon tail thrashing in joy, Mag swooped at the centipede''s rear.


    The centipede glanced back. It lifted its rear end. A blast of sticky white goo and eggs struck Mag out of the air. Wings snarled, Mag crashed down, cursing the whole way.


    "If that''s what enlightenment looks like, I''m a happy cave man," Ike commented.


    Wisp snorted. "Yeah, count me out."


    Mag screeched in anger. He slashed at the goo and yanked it off with his beak, quickly freeing himself.


    He''s fine. Leaving Mag to it, Ike drew his sword. He poked it into the centipede''s body. The soft flesh collapsed around the blade, refusing to cut, but willing to sink around it. "Damn. I''m kinda scared of what kind of skill this thing''ll drop."


    "You can always sell it. Assuming it even drops a skill," Wisp said. She crawled past Ike, occasionally stooping to bite the centipede. Like him, she seemed a little at a loss as to how to injure it. Reaching one of its legs, she paused and breathed fire. The leg burned up, but the fire stopped at its flesh.


    "We need to find a place to sell skills. Or funnel people toward Shopkeep and get him to sell our skills for us," Ike pointed out. As he''d stood on the centipede''s back, he''d slowly sunk into the beast''s core. The flesh reached as high as his head, and threatened to close in over him. He hopped up out of the pit he''d created with his own weight and landed lightly beside it. The flesh next to the pit was relatively stiff with all the displaced material from where he''d been standing, and it held his weight with relative ease.


    Ike raised his brows thoughtfully. He slashed out with River-Splitting Sword, slicing into the thicker parts of the flesh. The centipede''s skin split open, and green ichor gushed out.


    "Whoa! How?" Wisp asked, shocked.


    "If you use your weight to push all the ichor out of one spot, it moves to another. It''s like squeezing a waterskin. The waterskin is all loose and hard to cut if it''s half-empty, but if you grab it and squeeze all the water into one point, it gets taut, and it''s easy to cut." Ike looked at Wisp, then at his hands. "I''ve got the swords. Do you want to borrow Shawn''s weight and pin it down for me?"


    "Sure." Wisp transformed back to human and held her hands out.


    A shiver of relief passed over Ike''s skin. He wiped his brow. Phew. No more giant spider. He reached to his shoulder and lifted Shawn.


    "Hey, hey, nuh-uh, I''m not an object, I¡ª"


    Ike tossed Shawn to Wisp.


    "You piece of shit! When I become a giant mountain, watch out! I''ll throw you all over the place!" Shawn shouted.


    "I''m looking forward to it. We''re rooting for you, Shawn," Ike told him wholeheartedly.


    Shawn paused. "Really?"


    "Yeah, of course. I''d love to have a giant mountain I can throw around," Ike replied, grinning.


    Shawn scowled. "Oh, come on."


    Wisp caught him. She shot a spider thread into the sky and hoisted herself up. "Ready?"


    "I''m ready!" Ike said.


    Wisp released her thread. Taking on the fullness of Shawn''s weight, she plunged toward the doughy flesh below.

 226. Drop, Hop

    Wisp plunged. Ike waited, his sword at the ready. Shawn''s weight clung to her. He''d always been on the inside before, but from the outside, it was far clearer than he''d expected. Her expression grew strained, and her muscles and tendons stood out on her body as she struggled to hold Shawn''s weight. The air shimmered around her, too, as if it were on the verge of collapsing under her and Shawn''s combined weight.Down below, Ike circulated his aether. He strengthened his body and activated River-Splitting Sword, pouring aether into the skill as he raised his sword into position. Storm Clad swirled around him. Lightning flashed and wind raged.


    Wisp struck down. Just as they''d predicted, she shoved the centipede''s body down, pushing all the gunk out into the other part of its body. As they hadn''t predicted, the sudden poof of displaced material shot Ike directly into the air. He flew upward, slightly surprised, storm and aether swirling around him.


    Shawn laughed. "Oh my gods, that was amazing. Do it again!"


    Ike flipped around in midair. He kicked off the wall behind him and hurtled back down toward the centipede. It reared up, baring its teeth at him, but too slow. It was truly too bloated to seriously fight back. Frustrated, the centipede roared.


    The roar buffeted Ike, but it wasn''t enough to knock him off track. He plunged into the still-plump half of the centipede''s body and unleashed the downward slash of the River-Splitting sword. Storm energy had gathered on his blade, and now, it unleashed with the slash. The blade cut through the centipede''s body, splitting the puffy part wide open. A second later, lightning cracked after it, searing into the wet ichor inside the centipede. The ichor boiled. The centipede screeched again, this time in pain. It thrashed, and ichor splashed everywhere. Ike tensed, but couldn''t avoid the wave of ichor that smashed into him. Horrifically thick, stinking ooze sunk into every inch of him.


    "Gross!" Wisp shouted.


    "And this is why cleaning skills are important," Ike said smugly, as he swiftly activated his.


    "Oh, right." From within the folds of the centipede''s deflating body, a squelch sounded as Wisp activated hers. A thin thread burst out of the depths, and Wisp flew out of the centipede, flying on her line.


    Ike hopped back, giving the mother centipede some room. It thrashed and screeched, but there was nothing it could do about the hole in its side. From the moment they found a way to cut its overly soft flesh, it was all over. Before long, its thrashing weakened. It sagged to the floor with a meaty thump, splashing into its own ichor.


    Ping-ting-ting. A skill orb bounced out of the centipede''s depths and rolled over the floor, all the way to Ike''s feet. He bent and picked it up. Warily, he examined it. None of the bloated monsters from the Abyss had dropped skills, but they had been artificially bloated. This one, which had become naturally bloated from living in such ideal circumstances for so long, apparently didn''t abide by those same rules. But what kind of skill could a monster so helpless have?


    Like Wisp said, I can always sell it. So resolved in his heart, Ike sent a ping of aether into its heart to examine it.


    With the soft thud of bare feet, Wisp landed beside him. She leaned in, so close her breath fogged on the orb. "What is it?"


    "I''m looking! Patience," Ike urged her. There were no deformities in the skill, so it ought to be perfect. He sent a pulse of aether into the skill to check its contents.


    A sensation of softness came over him. Softness, mixed with toughness. Ike grimaced. "I guess that tracks."


    "What? What is it?" Wisp asked. Mag came up behind her. Back in his human form, he plucked the last of the dried white goop off his clothes, scowling the whole time. He craned his neck to see the skill, curious despite his annoyance.


    "A skill that copies the qualities of the centipede''s body. The softness and strechiness of it."


    Wisp blinked, then squinted. "Wait. Does that mean it''s a skill that makes you fat?"


    "It¡ª" Ike paused. He looked at the skill. "Probably not¡­?"


    "But you don''t know, do you? Maybe it makes you mega chubby."


    "I wasn''t going to absorb it, anyways," Ike grumbled, hiding it in his palm.


    Wisp tilted her head. "Why not?"


    He gestured at her. "I don''t want to be super fat, or whatever you said."


    "But what if it just makes you soft and sleek? What if it just makes you as hard to puncture or slash as the centipede was?" Wisp asked.


    Ike glanced at the skill. He raised his brows. Actually, I was just thinking that I needed a defensive skill. But is this it¡­? Is this the one?


    "You''re thinking about it. I can see it," she said, grinning. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh, shut up. You just want to see if I get fat," Ike accused her.


    Wisp''s jaw dropped. Her eyes opened, big, wide, and innocent. "Would I do that? Ike. Would I try to coerce you into absorbing a skill to see if it did something funny to you?"


    "Yes," Ike deadpanned.


    Wisp put her hands to her chest. "I can''t believe you don''t believe in me. How rude."


    "Uh huh." He raised a brow.


    She giggled. "But it would be super funny if you bloated up like that centipede."


    Ike shook his head at her. "The truth will out."


    Bored, Mag wandered away. He jumped into the air and took bird form again, swooping down toward the centipede grubs once more.


    Wisp''s head snapped around. She jumped up. "Hey! Those are my grubs! I put them in my web for a reason!" She chased after Mag, transforming to be able to gulp down grubs faster.


    Ike watched them go, chuckling to himself. He glanced down. That pattern he''d noticed in the floor earlier was more visible now, and it only grew more visible as the two beasts fought over grubs, so there was no reason not to let them gobble up the baby bugs. Cupping his hands to his mouth, he shouted after them, "Don''t forget to eat the big momma!"


    "I''m getting to it!" Wisp replied, slightly annoyed.


    "You''re getting to it? The big one is mine!" Mag declared. He flew into the air and charged over to the big centipede at top speed.


    Wisp watched him go. "Oh no," she deadpanned, chewing a big mouthful of grubs.


    Ike looked at her. You think the grubs are tastier, don''t you?


    Wisp caught him looking and chuckled knowingly, then scampered off into the webs she''d cast earlier to slurp up more bugs.


    Snorting, Ike turned back to his skill orb. He frowned again, considering it deeply. He didn''t want to get super fat, but he did need a defensive skill. If this skill just gave him the centipede''s resistance to attacks without bloating him, then it was exactly what he needed, and he should absorb it without hesitation. But the chance that it would completely ruin his body¡­


    No, no. If I think about it, the centipede was bloated because it was sitting on the aether vein, right? And in fact, the other bloated monsters didn''t have skills at all. So I think I can assume that the bloatedness was unrelated to the skill.


    But if I''m wrong¡­


    Ike looked at the skill in his palm. It glowed faintly, glimmering in the low light. He twisted his lips. Be totally bloated to the point I can''t move, but have a defensive skill I desperately need. Or maybe just have a skill, and not become ridiculously bloated. Ugh. It''s a gamble, but¡­ He pressed his lips together, then squeezed the skill tight. Argh, whatever. Let''s go for it! Skill, come to me!

 227. Absorb!

    Ike clenched the skill tight. Bright light swirled around his fist, and the skill poured into his body, warm and right. He drew it into his core and circulated his aether, unable to entirely quash his nervousness. The last thing he needed was to get bloated right here, in the middle of a dangerous dungeon. But the number one thing he needed right now was a defensive skill. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.If I get bloated, I''ll deal with it! Ike tensed, preparing.


    Softness washed over him. Relief. His muscles unwound without his will. Ike dropped to his knees, then slumped to the ground. Relaxation washed over him in waves. Every piece of him felt so loose and comfortable, that he couldn''t even bother to move.


    "Ike? You okay?" Shawn asked, looking down at him.


    "Uh¡ªyeah. Yeah. Just¡­give me a moment." Ike started to move, then stopped. He just didn''t want to try to move. It felt so good to just lie here, so why would he stop?


    "You sure?" Shawn asked. He patted Ike''s shoulder. "You feel different."


    "I do." With some effort, Ike willed himself to move. His body responded sluggishly. Its size hadn''t changed¡ªhe hadn''t grown bloated¡ªbut something else had. He touched his forearm. His body distorted, soft flesh moving aside easily at a touch. Even his bones swayed, distorting from the push.


    "What?" Shawn asked, startled.


    "It''s a new skill. A defensive skill," Ike said. Turning to his core, he examined his aether flows, then cut off the one that he hadn''t seen before. The softness of his body returned to its normal levels. He stood, rolling out his shoulders.


    "Weird," Shawn commented.


    "Weird is good. Unexpected things like that could win me a battle, if my opponent doesn''t see it coming." Ike looked at his hands and clenched them, thinking. There had to be some way he could use this new property of his body to attack, but he couldn''t come up with one right now. Anything that involved using bodily force to attack¡ªstabbing, slashing, punching, kicking¡ªwas right out, since his soft body would give way rather than add force. But something magical¡­ if he cast Tempest, for example, then used his soft arm to swing the attack around his opponent''s weapon and land a hit directly on their weak spot¡­


    Ike nodded to himself. There was potential. It wasn''t the strongest offensive skill ever, but then, it was meant to be a defensive skill to start out with. The fact that he could also use it offensively at all was a bonus.


    "A defensive skill that lets you fall down?" Shawn asked, confused.


    Ike laughed. He shook his head at him. "You''ll see. Don''t worry about it."


    "I''m worried."


    While Mag and Wisp finished cleaning up the bugs, Ike experimented with his skill. He turned it on and off until he could do it instinctively, and tested the limits of the flexibility. At its current level, he could only displace his bones by an inch. Any further than that, and his bones began to creak and ache. It was a bit of a struggle to stay on his feet or walk around with the skill active. The skill made his whole body soft, with no distinctions. While it allowed him to take less damage, it made pretty much anything else he wanted to do harder.


    Ike twisted his lips. It was the opposite problem of Lightning Dash. He needed to limit it to just the area he wanted to activate it in for it to be its most useful. For now, I can just turn it on and off rapidly when I need it, but when I have some time in the future, I should work on constraining it to just where I need to activate it.


    At last, Mag tilted his head back and horked down the last of the giant centipede. Wisp had long-since eaten all the grubs and retreated to the wall to digest. Ike walked forward. He took the center of the floor. "Mag, you might want to leave."


    "Huh?" Mag looked at him. He hesitated a second, then spread his wings and flapped up to one of the shallow caves on the wall.


    Ike knelt. Activating his cleaning skill, he pushed it outward. Aether scoured the floor, washing away white gunk, green ichor, and decades of refuse and biological build up. Underneath, a shining gemstone floor appeared, glittering in a beautiful sky blue. Delicate wires formed the shape of a magical formation. The mana root shimmered under the floor, visible through the translucent gems. As the mana poured out, it ran through the formation, powering, but not activating, whatever spell laid in the gem.


    "Whoa, pretty," Wisp said.


    "Mine," Mag whispered, his big eyes reflecting the blue of the enormous gem.


    Ike chuckled. "Good luck digging that thing up." Turning to Wisp, he nodded. "I think it''s part of the trial. It''s giving me trial vibes, anyways. Think we should activate it?"


    "Sure, why not? I mean, if nothing else, we should be able to turn it back off again. If it''s a part of the trial, then we need to activate it. And if it''s not¡­ it''s here for a reason. And it''s a gemstone. You picking up what I''m putting down?" Wisp asked, waggling her brows.


    "Treasure," Ike replied, nodding. He lifted his hand high, gathering his aether in it. He slammed it down, stimulating the center of the magic formation with his aether.


    Bright blue light surged down the wires. Where it passed, the wires began to glow. One line after another, the entire formation lit up. When the final wire lit, the gem itself began to glow. Blue light blasted out from beneath Ike, all but swallowing him up.


    "Whoa." Ike winced, lowering his hand to block the light.


    As he did, the floor began to crumble beneath him. Ike dropped. His eyes widened, and he lunged for the edge even as it broke up.


    "Ike!" A thread latched onto his shoulder and yanked him up. Wisp hauled him up to the wall, holding him casually, one arm wrapped around his waist. She shook her head at him. "You almost died."


    "Was it a trap? Hell of a trap," Ike muttered. Most traps didn''t advertise themselves with bright blue gem-colored floors. But then, maybe it was a trap that activated if he activated the formation wrong. If it was really a treasure room beyond this formation, then that wasn''t so far-fetched that it might be trapped.


    "I don''t think so," Wisp said slowly, uncertain.


    Ike extended his aether as well, feeling the spell beneath them. Wisp was right. It didn''t feel like aggressive or dangerous energy. Instead, it felt¡­ transformative. Like a transformative skill. Maybe it is part of the trial, then. "Huh."


    A sharp object poked out of the darkness where the gem had been. It hurtled upward, racing toward Ike, Wisp, and Mag.


    "I take it back. It''s a trap!" Wisp shouted.

 228. A Trap

    The sharp object surged toward them. It filled up the entire cavern, its sharp tip centered on the cave, but if they stood still, it would crush them as it passed anyways. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.Wisp''s arm tightened around Ike. She ran up the wall and threw them both into the first cave she came to. The object hurtled past, surging up toward the ceiling of the cave. It pierced through and went going.


    Behind the sharp object, a huge¡­ something flew up after it. It moved so fast it was a blur, but it seemed to be made of stone. Ike squinted at it. "Is that¡­ a castle?"


    Wisp blinked. She walked closer, peeking at the passing object. "Stone walls¡­ windows¡­ looks kind of like a castle, yeah."


    "Is Mag alright?" Shawn asked.


    Ike glanced at him. "Last I saw, he was in a cave. Unless he did something really stupid, he''s fine."


    "If it''s a castle, and this is a trial to choose the next king, isn''t this part of the trial, then?" Wisp guessed.


    Ike nodded. "That''s about what I''d say, yeah."


    "Boo. I was hoping it was treasure," Wisp complained.


    Ike laughed. "If you think about it, the faster we beat this trial, not only do we get out to hunt more treasure faster, but we also get to pick up the treasure associated with the trial faster."


    Wisp''s eyes lit up. She nodded, slowly, as the idea sunk in. "Ike. Let''s beat this trial!"


    "Of course. I wasn''t going to do anything less. That skill is mine," Ike declared.


    She frowned. "If we win, will you be king, though? That''d be weird."


    "Nah, I don''t think so. No matter what some random trial says, no one''s going to bow their heads to a slumrat like me. Everyone thinking this trial will actually lead to them becoming king is deluded. All it is, is a trial that gives half of a very powerful skill orb. And with a very powerful skill, you can become king, since you then have power. It''s no more than that. If power lets you rule, then this trial gives you power. That simple.


    "But I''m not interested in actually being king, so I''m just going to take that skill and fly off into the sunset, go beat up Lord Brightbriar, and never come back."


    Wisp nodded. "Good. That creepy puppet fucker is gross. He needs to die."


    Ike froze. He looked at her slowly. "You think he¡­"


    "What? Oh¡ªha. No. I just meant, you know, a fucker who uses puppets." Wisp paused as well. Her eyes travelled to Ike''s bag. "But then¡­ he did make that beautiful girl puppet¡­"


    "She''s his daughter," Ike retorted. A second later, he almost vomited in his mouth. "She''s his daughter¡­"


    "You know what? Let''s just forget I ever said that, and stop thinking about this," Wisp suggested.


    "I¡ªyeah. Let''s do that," Ike agreed. He rubbed his chin, the thought haunting him. His daughter¡­ puppet fucker¡­


    Forcibly, he shook his head. Nope. I''m not thinking about that any longer.


    At last, the castle stopped moving. A hallway aligned with their cave, letting them into the castle. Ike and Wisp exchanged a glance, then stepped forward into the castle.


    The second Ike''s foot hit the floor, a message appeared before his eyes.


    Welcome, Would-Be King


    This is your castle. Protect it.


    "Well, that''s not ominous," Wisp muttered.


    "You saw that, too?" Ike said.


    "Yep. Protect the castle, right? I''ve got a bad feeling about this."


    Ike frowned. He looked behind him, a thoughtful expression on his face. His mind went back to the ruined castle they''d stepped into to start the trial. He turned back, looking forward at the castle before them. "I wonder¡­"


    Wisp looked over her shoulder. "What?"


    "No, it''s nothing." Ike sped up from walking to a jog. "Let''s go find Mag, before that birdbrain does something stupid."


    "Right, yeah."


    They raced past dungeons, complete with steel barred doors and manacles hanging empty, up past a guards barracks, the kitchens, the servants'' quarters, on and on through the bowels of the castle until they finally reached the statesrooms and the ornate hallways meant for guests. At last, they walked down a long corridor. Sun streamed in from the windows on either side, while a pair of double doors awaited at the end of the hall.


    "What is it with castles and double doors?" Ike asked.


    "They''re impressive, or something. It''s a human thing," Wisp explained. "Personally, I''d just welcome you in with a big wall of sticky thread and deal with you one at a time, on my own clock. I think that''s far more impressive than two big doors."


    Ike looked at Wisp. "I think most people would assume you were going to eat them, if you did that."


    "Well, that is the second side of it. If I don''t want to deal with you and I''m hungry, it becomes my snack wall. Beautiful, performative, and convenient. What''s not to love?"


    "Spiders don''t get a lot of visitors, do they," Ike said.


    "Oh, we get lots. We just have a very decisive way of dealing with them."


    They reached the end of the hall. Ike pushed the doors open. They swung wide, revealing a massive throne room.


    Atop the throne, a boy lounged, his legs up over one of the arm rests, resting his head on one hand. At the sight of them, he hopped to perch on the throne instead, smirking at them. "The castle recognized me as king. Bow down before your monarch!"


    "It called all of us king, birdbrain," Ike admonished him.


    "That''s what you think. In truth, it acknowledged my kingly graces over any of you mere peasants! If you were meant to be king, why did you crawl up from the dungeon, while I was pointed directly into the throne room?" Mag asked, spreading his red robes grandiosely.


    Ike opened his mouth. He shut it. Where do I even start?


    "He''s got you there," Wisp said with a shrug.


    "Yeah, I¡­ you know, I don''t have an answer to that," Ike said, chuckling under his breath.


    "That''s right. You don''t have an answer, because you know I''m the rightful king," Mag crooned.


    "Rightful king, as decided by which centipede borehole you hid inside," Ike snarked.


    "Sounds as reasonable as anything you humans do," Wisp said, shrugging.


    Ike waved his hand. "It doesn''t matter. What matters is that we now have to protect this castle, whatever that means. Wisp, can you take the dungeons? Make sure no centipede boreholes are pointed at open walls, and web them over if they are."


    "Got it," Wisp said.


    "Mag, take to the skies. Get a bird''s eye view of the place we''re in now. I''m seeing sunlight, so I think we''re out of the centipede tunnels for the most part. I bet some of the other contestants have found castles, too, so let''s get the lay of the land."


    "Why should I listen to you?" Mag asked pompously.


    "Because, O rightful king, a king''s first job is to listen to the pleas of his people," Ike replied.


    Mag thought for a moment. His brows furrowed. "Is that true? I''ve never had people before."


    "It''s true. Kings are always running around, doing whatever they can for their townsfolk," Wisp insisted with the absolute confidence of someone who had no idea what they were talking about.


    Ike nodded. "It''s simply true."


    "What? I thought kings lazed around all day and made their servants do all the work," Mag said.


    "That is true, but none of us are your servants. We''re your citizens. That means you work for us," Ike said. Wisp nodded beside him.


    Mag grumbled under his breath, but climbed to his feet. "Fine. I need to stretch my wings after all that time in the narrow dark." He ran to the window and leaped out. Wings sprung from his arms, and he swooped into the air.


    The three of them watched him go. On his shoulder, Shawn shook his head. "You two are too devious."


    "What? It''s the truth," Ike said whole-heartedly. After a second, he chuckled. "Well. The truth as some blind idiots imagine a perfect king to be. And why not encourage Mag to be a perfect king?"


    "I just wanted to trick the birdbrain into doing Ike''s bidding," Wisp said.


    Shawn shook his head. "Remind me to always be wary of the two of you agreeing on something."


    "Ah, come on. What would we trick you about? Not sitting on our shoulder all day?" Ike said, nudging Shawn.


    "Speaking of, what are you going to do?" Wisp asked.


    Ike gestured at the castle around them. "Get the layout of the castle, figure out where the defenses are, see where we have weak points. Figure out where the other contestants are most likely to attack."


    "Gotcha. Sounds reasonable. See you in a bit," Wisp said. She jogged back toward the dungeons, humming happily to herself.


    "Is that true?" Shawn asked warily.


    Ike looked at him. "What? Of course it is. I need to learn more about this castle I''m supposed to defend. Why would I lie about that? And why lie to Wisp, at that?"


    "I don''t know. After the way you dealt with Mag¡­"


    Ike sighed. "Oh, come on. You''re asking like I''m some master grifter, or something."


    "Are you not?"


    Ike shook his head at Shawn. "Yeah, yeah." Still shaking his head, he walked off into the castle, taking to the battlements.

 229. Castles Standing

    Sunlight beamed down. Ike blinked it away, supremely unused to bright sunlight after so long in the centipede caves. He stepped out onto rough-hewn stone. The blocks were worn down the center of the path, where hundreds of people had walked before him. There were little flattened pits here and there along the battlements where guards had stood, and strange marks where something had once been bolted in. Maybe a spell formation, or some kind of mage ballista. Now, they all stood empty. Nothing but the marks in the stone to show what had been.Ike walked to the edge of the wall and leaned against the crenelations. From here, he could see to the horizon. A lush forest spanned the vast space around them, brimming with flora and fauna. A flock of birds took flight, cawing. Jagged mountains marked the edge of the space, encircling the forest. It marked the edges of the region, clearly defining the borders of the playing field, as it were.


    There were no other castles, not yet. But there were round, flat stone spaces exactly as large as the centipede pit had been stood at the four corners of the vast forest. Or rather, three corners. His castle stood in the fourth, gazing down at the other three.


    "So we''re the first to find a castle," Ike muttered. It wasn''t that surprising, once he thought about it. After all, the formations that called forth the castles were linked to mana veins, and Shawn could sense those. Shawn himself bragged about how good he was at finding mana veins. Unless another group had brought their own mountain spirit, there would probably be some time before any of the other castles popped up.


    Ike twisted his lips. That was good, but also potentially bad. The message had told him to protect the castle. If the protection segment started after the other contestants arrived, then this was bonus time to strengthen his defenses. But if the protection started immediately, then this was extra time where he had to defend the castle, while everyone else''s castle was still safely in the earth. Not only that, but he''d get the full force of whatever this area had to spit out in terms of danger. It wouldn''t be split among four people as it was meant to be. He''d basically get four times the danger he was supposed to get, all at once.


    There wasn''t any danger yet. For now, he could focus on his defenses. Still, I''ll have Mag run patrols over the castle while I work on the walls and Wisp works on our basement. I don''t want a four-times danger to sneak up on us while we''re distracted by building our defenses.


    He walked the walls. The stone was worn and aged, but firm. There were no obvious cracks, nor weak points. However, all the weaponry had been stripped away. All the places where they had once been were now no more than discolored spots on the stone, some of them still bearing the drill holes where the weapons had been attached to the stone. The only offense he''d have within the castle itself was what he and his team could rally.


    Ike knelt, tracing the shape of the marks in the stone. Why had they taken away all the weaponry? Was it part of the challenge, to have to rely on your own strength alone to defend the castle? That wasn''t very kingly, as far as he was aware. Kings usually directed their underlings to attack other underlings, the nonsense he''d fed Mag aside.


    "We don''t get underlings, we don''t get weaponry. What kind of impoverished kingdom are we supposed to be competing to inherit?" Ike mused aloud.


    Even as he said it, something banged against the castle walls. Ike jumped up and ran to the edge of the wall, looking down.


    A ragtag group of mages knocked on the castle''s main gates. The leader looked up as Ike gazed down, her eyes weary. They wore rags and carried broken weapons. Even their auras were weak, on the verge of flickering out.


    "We seek refuge. Do you have room in your castle?" the leader pleaded.


    Ike stared. I ask for underlings, and underlings appear? How convenient. Though¡­ these ones look a little more run down than I was expecting. For all I know, this is the first step to the danger, and they''re actually bandits, who are going to run wild in my castle the second I let them in. He extended his aether to sense the ragged mages'' strength.


    Almost immediately, he yanked his aether back, startled. They were weak right now, tired and on the edge of collapsing, but their strength was immense. Maybe even greater than his. With enough time to rest, they''d be a formidable force.


    Ike raised his brows. Is this the advantage the first mover gets? The first chance to recruit all the underlings? Interesting. Well, if I''ve been given the first pick, I won''t turn them down. He waved at the mages. "Hold on. I''ll be down in a moment."


    The leader startled. She stared at him. "You''re letting us in?"


    "Yeah? Why wouldn''t I?" Ike asked. It''s like the first trial all over again. They appear weak on the surface, but look beneath the surface, treat them right, and I bet they turn into some of the strongest underlings in the trial. Or at least strong underlings, which I desperately need. He couldn''t defend a whole castle with four people, no matter what he liked to think. He wasn''t Shopkeep, with the impenetrable defenses of his Wizard''s Tower. He and Wisp could only fight two battles at once. Maybe three, if Mag felt like contributing. Plus, he had no skill or knowledge when it came to fixing up castle defenses. Sure, the wall looked fine to him, but he didn''t know a whole lot about walls. Maybe they were in horrible shape. No matter how he looked at it, they needed more. More people.


    "It''s just¡­" she hesitated. Her followers exchanged glances. "No one''s let us in before."


    "Well, I''m not stupid like them. Hold on. I''ll be right there." Ike left the battlements and raced through the castle, down to the front gates. The door was latched with a heavy bar. He lifted the bar and threw it aside, then pushed the doors open. He smiled. "Welcome! I''m Ike. Who are you?"


    The woman drew herself to her full height. Under their ragged robes, their armor was broken, but clean, bearing the insignia of a house Ike didn''t recognize. "We are all that remains of the Old Guard. Thank you for letting us in."


    "I didn''t just let you in. I am expecting you to help out with the castle," Ike said, barring the path forward with his hands on his hips.


    She hesitated, then glanced around her warriors. They glanced back at her, uncertain. "We only ask refuge. We cannot promise anything when it comes to fighting."


    Ike twisted his lips. Not ideal, but nonetheless, they''re powerful. I don''t want another group to gank ''em. "Can you do something else? Inspect the battlements, maybe? I''m pretty new to castle ownership. I could use someone who knows their way around a wall."


    From behind the woman, one of her soldiers raised his hand. "I''m¡­I was a mason. I can take a look."


    Another woman raised her hand. "I know my way around spell formations. If you have any, I can try to figure out how to fix them."


    "What if I don''t have any spell formations?" Ike asked.


    She blinked, shocked. "None? At all? Impossible."


    "Possible. You''re welcome to take a look for yourself," he replied, gesturing for them to enter. Even if they won''t fight, it seems like this is a group of experts. I sure could use some experts right now to help fix up the castle.


    "Hey, Ike. I was throwing some webs in the basement when I found¡­ whoa, who''s the new guys?"


    Ike glanced back. Wisp approached, carrying a large gem-colored plate in one hand and some gold traces in the other. At the sight of the newcomers, she paused, her brows furrowing.


    "Oh. They knocked on the door. I was going to let them in. There''s a mason and a spell formations master among them, but we don''t have any spell formations for her to look at," Ike explained.


    "I could build new ones, with those materials. Are there more, in the basement?" the woman asked.


    "What else is in the basement? I''m a blacksmith. I can forge new weapons," another man offered.


    Heheh. As I thought. They act as if they''re worthless, but they''re the most valuable units on the map! This is exactly what I need. Ike smiled at the group. "Welcome, welcome. Wisp, you want to show them around the basement and storerooms? I can show the rest of you the battlements, if you want."


    The leader stepped forward. "Are you sure? Are you not afraid we might betray you? There''s six of us, and two of you, and our strength rivals yours."


    Ike shrugged. He held up his hand, lifting a finger. "First off, I''m not afraid of you. You want to fight? Bring it on. We''ll tear your asses up, and I don''t care if there''s a gap between our apparent Ranks. You''re still going down. Second," he raised a second finger, "there''s four of us. Three right here. I can''t believe you disregarded Shawn."


    "Huh? What?" Shawn blinked, lifting his head off Ike''s shoulder. He looked around, slightly woozy from sleep. His eyes focused on the newcomers, and he frowned. "Enemies?"


    "Not yet. She''s suggesting they might be, though," Ike said. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I¡ªmeant no such thing. I simply questioned the wisdom of¡ª"


    Ike shook his head. "Okay, so first things first. We''re not big on wisdom around here, okay? We live in the present. If you''re going to help us now, then we''ll accept your help. If you betray us later, we''ll destroy you then. You can go ahead and try to sabotage us, but we''ll watch you. In the worst case, we''ll destroy whatever work you did, and be back at step one. But I think having you guys on board is better than us four trying to solo-complete this castle''s defenses with absolutely no knowledge of how to build castle defenses."


    "Oh," she said quietly.


    "Unless you really don''t want to come inside. I won''t force you to join our side. If you think you have a better chance with some other would-be king, you''re free to make your pick. But you came to us, and I have no intent of refusing you."


    At that, the leader stood up straight and puffed out her chest. "So you intend to be king."


    Ike grimaced. He wobbled his hand. "Not really? I''m going to be straight with you. We just want the skill orb. I don''t think I deserve to lead a country. In fact, I don''t even want to lead a country. I''m more of the roaming-wild-and-free type. So¡­ if you know a way I can get that skill without taking on the role of King, I''m all ears."


    The six of them looked amongst themselves. Abruptly, their leader broke out laughing. "As he said. He who least wishes to lead, is often best suited for it. Argo, to the walls. Daisy, follow that spider beast to find the spell formation materials. Same for you, Fflyn. Mars, Nett, you know what to do." She drew her sword and saluted Ike, dropping to her knee. "I am Relin, Captain of the Old Guard. Few of us remain, but we pledge ourselves to your cause, nonetheless."


    "Neat. Good," Ike said, nodding. I''m not one-hundred-percent sure she and I are communicating properly. In fact, we seem to be talking past one another. But she wants to join my team now, so I''ll take it!


    Shawn smacked his shoulder. "You''re supposed to offer her a hand up and accept her pledge!"


    Ike laughed. He stepped forward and offered her a hand, as Shawn suggested. "Sorry. I''m a bit of a slumrat, so I don''t know manners. It''s good to have you on."


    "I''d rather have a king with purpose than manners. What would you have me do?"


    He shrugged. "What you do best. Lead your men. You know more about their skills and specialties than I do. Whatever you can do to fix up the castle and its defenses, I''ll be happy to take."


    She considered for a second, then nodded. Taking off at a jog, she headed into the castle.


    Wisp glanced at Ike. "What the hell just happened?"


    "I recruited some underlings. What is a king without his¡­" Ike thought for a second. "Subjects?"


    "Minions? Underlings?" Wisp suggested.


    "Whatever they call ''ems. The point is, our defenses are kind of shit right now, and I have no idea how hard it''s going to be to defend this castle. These guys know how to fix up castles, so let''s help them get the materials and stuff, right? You know where the stuff is in the basement, don''t you?"


    She waggled her hand. "Kind of? I found these gemstone plates."


    Ike nodded. "Okay. So you show Daisy to the rest of them, and I''ll take¡­" He turned to the blacksmith.


    "Fflyn. I''m Fflyn."


    "I''ll go take Fflyn and look for iron and stuff."


    Wisp saluted. "You got it, boss."


    Daisy followed Wisp. "What kind of spell formations were you thinking of making?"


    "Huh? I wasn''t thinking about spell formations at all. But now that you mention it, if you''re going to defend something, you need lots of sticky webs, right?"


    "Sticky¡­webs?"


    "Yeah. Slow ''em down, wrap ''em up, and you can eat ''em later!"


    "Uh¡­"


    Ike watched them go. He chuckled under his breath. I think Wisp has that one handled. For now, anyways. He turned to Fflyn. "Shall we go search for some iron?"


    "Sure. Is your, uh, beast companion¡ª"


    "Friend."


    "Friend. Does she know what she''s doing when it comes to defending a castle?"


    "Compared to me, she does. She once defended an entire region of a forest. I''m just a guy who''s wandered around the world for a while."


    Fflyn pursed his lips, then shrugged. "Well, whatever works. We''re only here to help, after all."


    Ike nodded. He pointed at Fflyn. "About that¡­"

 230. How Do You Work?

    "So¡­ how do you guys work?" Ike asked.Fflyn blinked. "What?"


    "You''re part of this trial, right? Like that young man I had a conversation with in the dinner trial. What are you? How do you work? Are you a spirit, like, I don''t know, a mountain spirit of some sort? Some kind of land-bound spirit?"


    Shawn peeked over his shoulder. "He isn''t a mountain spirit."


    Fflyn smiled mysteriously. He lifted his fingers in front of his mouth and crossed them in an X. "I can''t say."


    Ike eyed him suspiciously. He''d been putting things together this whole time, and now they were starting to all point in one direction. "You aren''t ghosts, are you? The ghosts of the people who belonged to the city we entered when we started the trial? The fallen city, I might add?"


    Fflyn kept his mysterious smile. That X remained in front of his mouth.


    "Riiiiight. Well, it doesn''t really matter. Let''s go find some iron." Ike walked deeper into the castle, gesturing for Fflyn to follow.


    Fflyn ambled behind him, his hands behind his back. He was muscular, for a mage, beefy and strong, but a bit short. "How''d you end up in this contest, anyways? If you don''t want to be king."


    "I don''t want to be king, but I do like powerful skills," Ike said, grinning.


    "That''s the part that surprises me. Most people don''t know this trial is supposed to give a skill orb at all¡ªor, well. Half of one."


    "Let''s just say I have my reasons for believing in it," Ike said simply. He wasn''t stupid. He didn''t know these peoples'' game yet. They might turn against him yet. Telling them he had the skill might be exactly what that mastermind had in mind¡­ whoever the mastermind was. As far as he''d seen so far, probably someone on Rufus'' team, but he couldn''t discount Scar or Vi yet.


    Fflyn snorted. "Well, if you really didn''t know any better, then color me surprised. Not wanting to be king is one of the things that really gets our boss going. That, and having your eye on the prize. Not all of us agree with that, but we all respect her. We''ll follow her, as long as she follows you."


    Ike raised his brows. There was a hint of warning in Fflyn''s voice, one he hadn''t missed. "And you? What about your opinion?"


    "Doesn''t much matter, but let''s just say the jury''s still out. Don''t put too much weight on li''l old me, though. Like I said. I''ll follow boss."


    Ike laughed. He shrugged. "That''s fine. I''m only having you forge better weapons for your own team, so there''s no reason not to give it your all."


    Fflyn''s brows rose. "Huh?"


    "I''ve already got a sword, and the beasts are happier with bare claws. In any case, even if you made the best sword in the world, I''d still have you focus on your own team''s broken weapons first. I can fight as I am. Your team can''t."


    Fflyn fell silent, but it was a thoughtful silence. After a few beats, he chuckled. "Well, I''ll be damned. You do have a way of cutting right to the quick of it, kid. I appreciate that. Yeah, I''ll forge my team weapons. I''ll forge the best damn weapons you''ve ever seen."


    Ike grinned. "I''m counting on it."


    Fflyn and Ike scoured the basement for some time, walking past dusty halls and centipede holes bound with spider''s thread, until at last they came upon an old forge. A furnace loomed in a corner. Next to it, a pile of fuel sat, and beside that, ingots of all sorts lined up on the floor. The chamber next door was full of more fuel and ingots, enough to build swords for Relin''s whole crew, Fflyn included, and provide armor for most of them, on top of that.


    "You''re really sure? You want weapons and armor for us, not you?"


    "Yeah. I''m happy with what I''ve got."


    "You don''t have any armor. Don''t be ridiculous! If you die, it''s all over for all of us, you know?" Fflyn protested.


    Ike looked him in the eye. For a single beat, he activated Storm Clad.


    Fflyn''s mouth opened in an ''O.'' "What was that? That was awesome! Teach me!"


    Ike laughed. "Make good weapons, and maybe we''ll have time for some lessons."


    "That''s a deal." Rolling up his sleeves, Fflyn got to work heating up the furnace.


    Leaving him to do what he did best, Ike headed back up to the battlements. Wisp and Daisy wandered the top of the wall, occasionally stopping and pointing out things in the forest, or pointing out features of the wall. The mason, Argo, surveyed the walls themselves, occasionally scowling. Past him, the two remaining members of Relin''s troupe chatted together, seemingly taking a break.


    Leaving Daisy and Wisp to figure out the enchantments, Ike approached Argo. "How''s it look?"


    "Not as bad as it could. I''m used to it being a little more worm-eaten, in all honesty. You''re the first group to pass the underground portion of the trial, and I think you might have sent a speed record for it."


    Ike patted Shawn on his shoulder. "We brought a mountain spirit, so we had a bit of an advantage."


    Shawn batted at him, still half-asleep. "Shu''up, lemme sleep."


    "You brought a¡ª" Argo stared at Shawn. Ike felt the man''s mana wash over him, and then Argo recoiled. "A mountain spirit! A real-life mountain spirit. Do you know how rare this is?"


    "Uh... I see him every day, so I''m going to go with no¡­?"


    "Wow. A real mountain spirit. Does he want to do the defenses? I''m sure he could fix up these walls way better than I could," Argo said, awestruck.


    Ike glanced at Shawn, then shrugged. "He prefers to sleep. And honestly, he isn''t planted, so he can''t use much mana. You can think of him as a Rank 1 mage, and a weak one, at that."


    "He''s not..." Argo paled. He looked as if he were about to pass out. "Plant him! How dangerous. He might die at any moment! He''s so delicate!"


    "He''s been like this for millennia. I think he''s fine," Ike said. Delicate? Maybe compared to an actual mountain, sure, but Shawn''s a tough kid. He can take a lot more of a beating than a real Rank 1 could. He eyed Argo, suddenly getting the vibe that the man might be a little too much of a mountain spirit fan.


    "A mountain spirit¡­" Argo stared at Shawn for another few moments, then nodded. "I''ll make the strongest walls you''ve ever seen. No one and nothing will get through these walls when I''m done with them! I''ll make walls worthy of a mountain spirit!"


    "That''s the spirit!" Ike said, smiling. Whatever worked to motivate him. He didn''t have to understand it for it to be effective.


    Argo hurried off, running toward his supplies. Ike turned, gazing at the remaining members of the troupe. Wisp had Daisy handled, but he still didn''t know what the last two members'' deal was.


    No time like the present. Putting on a friendly smile, Ike approached the final two members of the troupe. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 231. Fortifications

    "Good morning. How''s it going?" Ike greeted the final two members of Relin''s troupe. By elimination, these two had to be Mars and Nett, though he had no idea which was which, just from looking at them. One was a tall woman and the other was a short man, and at a glance, he couldn''t guess their jobs, either. Maybe they''re fighters. So far, all the others had been builders, fixers, engineers, mages with skills in support. Relin certainly looked like a fighter, so maybe these were her warriors under her.Or maybe they all fight, and just also have out-of-battle skills, Ike thought, laughing silently at himself. Either way, he could only find out by asking them.


    Mars and Nett looked up as he approached. They nodded. "Good to meet you," the man said. The woman eyed him warily. She nodded once, and said nothing.


    Before Ike could ask, the man stepped forward. "I''m Mars. She''s Nett. We''re scouts. Our job is to investigate the area around the castle for danger or resources."


    "Can you set up traps out in the woods?" Ike asked.


    They exchanged a glance. After a beat, Mars nodded. "Sure. But until you know what kind of danger there is, that isn''t much use."


    "No?"


    "Well, sometimes the monsters breathe fire. A wood wall won''t be much use, in that case," Nett offered suddenly.


    Mars nudged her. "Don''t give away too much."


    Nett stiffened. She glanced at her feet.


    "Are there rules about how much you can tell me?" Ike asked, curious. I already know they won''t tell me if I directly ask them what they are, but maybe I can sus it out if I ask a few questions.


    Mars gave him a look. "You''re not supposed to know that."


    "I already figured some of it out, thanks to Fflyn," Ike bluffed. It wasn''t totally untrue, but then, he hadn''t told them how much he''d heard from Fflyn. As far as they knew, Fflyn had spilled all the beans. His instincts told him that Mars had his guard up enough to not say anything, even so, but Nett seemed like the kind to let a little too much slip without thinking.


    Nett frowned. "He told you about¡ª"


    Mars nudged her in the side. "Hey."


    Nett closed her mouth and put her hands over her lips.


    Ike snorted. Guess that''s not an option. Maybe if I catch her alone, though. He nodded at Mars. "If you''re scouts, then get at it! Let''s figure out the lay of the land."


    "Which castle do you want us to scout out?" Mars asked.


    "No, not the other castles. If we destroy them, we''ll have to take on the brunt of the danger ourselves. Scout out the area around us. The best places to build external defenses, that kind of thing."


    Mars looked at him. "The other would-be kings will seek to destroy you."


    "Yeah, that''s stupid, though. I''ll talk to them." It wasn''t like Ike was convinced he could get through to them, but it was worth a try. After all, it was to their mutual benefit to work together against whatever challenge came, rather than fight one another and the monsters Nett had mentioned at the same time.


    "Even if you talk¡ª"


    "We''ll worry about it when it comes. If they disagree, then fine, I''ll quash them. But for now, let''s just worry about defending ourselves, rather than attacking others. We lose nothing from building up our defenses. In the worst case, we''ll still have a stronger position from which to fend off the other cities, and if they decide not to attack us, then we''ll also be in a better place to take on whatever comes."


    Mars ducked his head. "As you wish." Nodding at Nett, he took off over the castle walls and back out the front gate. Nett nodded at Ike and quickly followed.


    Despite trying not to give anything away, Mars still handed me some information, Ike thought, watching them go. Mars was convinced the other three cities would attack one another. In other words, people who knew more about the trials might think that was the default, or might distrust his efforts as insincere due to the trial''s history. Rufus would be hard to sell, for certain. But Scar had seemed friendly, and Vi¡­ he had no information on her. Still, splitting whatever danger comes between two is better than taking the full brunt ourselves. Hopefully, he''d be able to convince Vi as well. If she came from a family of assassins, she probably knew a good deal about the trial, since assassins and informants came hand in hand. That meant she''d be poisoned against cooperation, but on the other hand, she''d have the informants to investigate his castle and see that he truly wasn''t planning any offensive action against her. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rufus was the real lost cause. The man already hated him, after Ike had solidly beaten him in every trial so far. And on top of that, he clearly knew more about the trials than anyone else. Ike suspected it was the old men who were feeding him information. If he had elders who ''knew the trial better than anyone,'' he''d almost certainly trust them over Ike, some guy who had the motivation to lie to him. He didn''t have any faith that Rufus would be able to tell he was sincere, either, or determine that his route was the best route. After all, Rufus had failed to understand the truth of any of the trials so far. He''d only seen the surface truth, the one that his elders pointed out to him. If Ike was sure of one thing, he was sure that Rufus would tunnel-vision focus on ''winning'' the trial at the expense of everyone else, and misunderstand that cooperation was necessary to succeed.


    Well, I''ll still try. It doesn''t hurt to try. But if he rebuffs me, I''m not going to lose sleep over it.


    As everyone else toiled away, Ike stood on the ramparts, feeling vaguely useless. Even Mag had a job, circling overhead. He alone had no purpose, save when it came time to battle. Restless, he shifted from foot to foot. Maybe I should learn a secondary skill. Something to do before battle starts.


    Though, usually¡­ I don''t have any forewarning of battle. So I don''t usually stand around useless.


    But even so¡­


    Before he could start seriously considering a career of some description, Mag swooped down toward him. Hovering over Ike, he pointed a foot in the direction of one of the stone platforms. "A new castle''s coming. That way."


    "I''m on my way," Ike said. Without hesitation, he hopped over the wall and sprinted off toward the new castle. There we go! Now I have a job. Good. It feels better to have something to do while I''m waiting for the fight.

 232. Second Castle

    The second castle wasn''t far, when he was running at the top of his speed. He didn''t bother activating Lightning Dash, but it didn''t matter. Now that he was Rank 3, his ordinary speed already cut the distance between the two castles down to almost nothing. He reached the castle''s gates before the castle even finished pushing up out of the ground. The towers shook and stone ground as it rumbled into the sky. Standing at its foot, Ike watched it rise. He had to admit, it was impressive.No, not just this¡ªthe entire trial. Every part of the trial involved magic far beyond his understanding. There wasn''t a piece of it so far that wasn''t incredibly impressive. He didn''t know where he''d start getting the kind of skills that would let him set something like this up, let alone know how to accomplish anything that was going on around him. Is it even possible to do something like this with skills? It must be, but I can''t imagine how. I guess if you started with a skill like Wizard''s Tower, something that allows you to control a large area, then progressed into further area manipulation skills? He thought for a second, then shook his head. Those powers still seemed far beyond him. Even if Shopkeep was one Rank over him, there was a huge gulf between him. He could fight up to Rank 4s, but he couldn''t command the same overwhelming power that Rank 4s could.


    I wonder if that''s the difference between Rank 3s and Rank 4s? The ability to truly influence the world around them. He looked at his hands, then closed them. Maybe he was thinking of this wrong. He could manipulate vast regions of the sky with Storm Caller and Storm Clad working at full strength. He couldn''t influence the land, but then, that wasn''t his strength. His strength was the sky, and if he considered that, then he already could influence the world around him.


    That sensation he''d had in the middle of the fight for Shopkeep''s place, the sensation of being on the brink of some greater understanding, came back to him. He narrowed his eyes. What was it? What was it about this, that¡ª


    The castle jolted to a halt. Broken out of his thoughts, Ike looked up. A huge iron door loomed over him, big and impressive. He stepped forward and drew back his fist. Just knocking wouldn''t be enough, but that was okay. He had plenty of tools at his¡ª


    The door flew open before he could launch his punch. "Whoa there, big boy. I haven''t even gotten started. Let''s hold a truce for a little longer, huh?"


    Ike lowered his fist. "I was just knocking. Hello, Scar."


    She looked at him, then shook her head, chuckling. "If it wasn''t me, you would''ve been attacked. What were you thinking?"


    "Well¡­ that wouldn''t be so bad," Ike said thoughtfully. Especially if it was Rufus. That man needed to be punched. His face begged for it.


    Scar leaned against the entryway. "So? What''d you rush all the way over to little old me for?"


    "An alliance," Ike said.


    "Oh?" sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike gestured. "This trial, it isn''t about tearing each other down. It''s about surviving. From what I can understand, there will be monsters of some kind in this area which attack all of us. If we attack one another, then one castle takes the full brunt of the attack. But if all the castles remain standing¡­"


    "Each one takes one-fourth of the damage, and if someone''s getting hammered, we can shift to help them out. Huh. I see where your head is at." Scar nodded. "Okay."


    "Okay?" Ike asked, startled.


    "Sure, why not? I lose nothing from allying with you for a little while. Even if nothing happens and there are no monsters, we still get the benefit of allying with one another against the other two. It''s a good deal for both of us, but especially me, since you''re in the number one slot right now. Honestly, I should be the one begging you for an alliance."


    "Oh," Ike said. He rubbed the back of his head. "I thought it would be harder to convince you."


    "Heh. Nah. I''m a practical woman. Vi and Rufus might be hard sells, but I know a bargain when I see one." She offered her hand.


    Ike hesitated. He somehow felt he was losing something, but couldn''t puzzle out what. I wanted this. I''m just having second guesses because it''s too easy, but that''s not a bad thing. In fact, it''s a good thing that she and I are so much on the same mental page. He clasped her hand firmly and gave it a shake. "Good to have you on board."


    "Thanks for having me."


    Ike nodded. "Well, uh, I''ll see you around, then."


    "Right. We''ve both got to figure out our own castles, right?"


    He nodded again. "When the next castle rises, I plan on allying with them, too, if possible. I want us all united against the threat to come."


    "But when the time comes, remember your good buddy Scar said yes first, got it?" Scar said, thumping him on the shoulder.


    Ike laughed. "Sure, sure." It didn''t hurt to have a closer ally. If the other two turned him away, or provisionally accepted the alliance without committing to it, then at least he and Scar could fall back on one another. It was like him and Wisp, where he was in a party with Mag, but he only fully trusted Wisp. He trusted Scar far less, for now, but if she was really so eager to ally with him, and she proved her worth, he didn''t mind favoring her over Vi and Rufus. To be honest, he already favored her over Rufus. But then again, he favored everyone over Rufus.


    "Ah, that''s right. Before I go¡ªwhat are your strengths?" Ike asked.


    "Strengths?" Scar raised her brows.


    Hesitant, huh? To be expected. I haven''t extended anything but goodwill, so how can I expect her to offer information on herself? Ike nodded. "My strength is¡­ well, raw power. Me and my teammates are good at raw power. We also have skills that lean toward control of the skies and trapping the earth."


    He''d never thought of it before, but honestly, the three of them had good synergy. Wisp could lay down webs to slow and entangle enemies on the ground and in the trees. He could ensnare people in the air with storms, through summoning lightning and wind, and fight powerfully one-on-one. Mag flew, and could fight enemies in the air or swoop down on enemies entangled in Wisp''s web. Putting it all together, he could engage whoever broke out of Wisp''s webs, while Wisp and Mag could tag-team to finish off those entangled. They made a good team.


    Scar smiled. "Not afraid you might reveal too much?"


    "If I was afraid of you, I wouldn''t have offered an alliance," Ike said, crossing his arms.


    She laughed. "I thought so from the beginning, but you and I have a lot in common. I respect that, you know? I respect it."


    Scar gestured over her shoulder, at the castle. "I had foreknowledge of the structure of these trials, thanks to my clan''s research, and I brought a team who excels at siege defense. They should be able to hold the castle, while I do whatever is necessary. Consider me a lone fighter, but a powerful one. I have particular skill at wide-area spells¡ªskills that hit a large area for splash damage, but don''t do severe damage to any one person or monster."


    Ike considered for a moment. "Fire?"


    "Many of them are, yes."


    "Hmm. We can work with that. You might want to stay away from me, though."


    "Oh?"


    "Yeah," Ike said. He didn''t want to give away too much, in case she decided to backstab him after all. Besides, she''d understand what he meant as soon as he started fighting. There was no advantage to telling her he was a storm-user, only disadvantages.


    She nodded. "Understood. I have a castle to build up, if that''s all?"


    "Then, I''ll leave you to it." With a last wave, he walked away.


    On his back, Shawn perked up. "She seems like a good person."


    "Yeah?"


    "Yeah. She has her own reasons for holding back, but I don''t think she''ll betray you if you don''t betray her first."


    "I have no intention of betraying her, so that should be easy."


    Shawn laughed. "That''s right. You''re a pretty straightforward guy, aren''t you?"


    "Sometimes." Ike shrugged. "To my friends, anyways."


    "That''s a good way to be."


    Once more, the ground began to rumble. Ike grabbed the nearest tree and scrambled to its peak, looking around. The third castle rose into the sky.


    "Off we go." Releasing the tree, Ike dropped. The second his feet hit the ground, he sprinted toward the next castle.

 233. Castles in the Ground

    The third castle, like the second, was still rising when he arrived. He gazed up at it, hands on his hips. Was it Rufus, or was it Vi? Either way, he had to be on his guard. Compared to Scar, he trusted them far less, and likewise, they trusted him less. They might attack as soon as see him. He didn''t expect negotiations to go as easily as they did with Scar. No, rather, he didn''t expect negotiations to go well at all. But it was nonetheless worth trying. Even if they said no, they might reconsider after the first wave of enemies.Well, Vi might. I''d be startled if Rufus does. He''s far too haughty and convinced of his own strength to have that kind of self-reflection, in my opinion. But who knows? I''d take a pleasant surprise any day.


    The castle settled into place. He lifted his hand and knocked politely. There was a pause, and then a buzz of mana pinged against the outer reaches of his senses.


    Ike instinctively jumped back. A short blade pierced into the ground where he''d been. Mana poured out of it, green and sickly mana that sunk into the earth and killed all the plants in a ten foot radius.


    "I''m not here to fight. I''m here to negotiate!" Ike shouted, standing at a distance. He watched the battlements, wary for a second attack.


    A face appeared overhead. Not Vi, but a masked face nonetheless, a man in the same uniform as Vi''s men wore. "Leave."


    Ike shrugged. Guess that tells me where Vi stands. "Tell Vi that we''re better off cooperating in this trial. There''s waves of monsters, and if she joins forces with me and Scar, we can all fend them off more easily than if one castle stands alone. She''s free to wait and see if the trial plays out as I''ve said, but if she attacks me or Scar, we''ll consider her an enemy and attack without mercy."


    The man turned away without another word. Ike backed away, watching for any further attacks, then turned and jogged back into the woods.


    "One last castle," Shawn commented.


    "Should I bother with Rufus?" Ike asked.


    "It''s your prerogative," Shawn replied.


    Ike considered for a second. In the distance, rumbling began again as the fourth castle rose. He glanced up, then sighed. "Doesn''t hurt to try."


    "As long as they don''t lob a poisoned dagger at you."


    "I dodged it. I can dodge another one."


    "I applaud your confidence."


    As the fourth castle rumbled into place, Ike arrived at Rufus'' doors. He lifted his hands to his lips. "Hey, Rufus! Listen. We should all work together, not fight one another. This trial is¡ª"


    A blast of fire hurtled from the ramparts. Unphased, Ike drew back his fist. Shockwaves built up on his arm, then rushed forth, beating the fire into nothing in midair.


    "You can just say no," he advised the castle. Shaking his head, he turned and ran. He wasn''t here to fight, after all, just to negotiate. If they didn''t want to negotiate, he could leave.


    Someone jumped down from the wall and chased after him. "Come back, coward!"


    Ike stopped and turned. He stared at the figure, his eyes narrowed. "I ran for your benefit. But if you want to fight¡­"


    Lightning flickered over his body. He drew back his fist, green shockwaves running over his forearm.


    The man hesitated, then kept running, a dismission in his eyes.


    He actually thinks I was fleeing, and now he thinks I''m bluffing. A fool from beginning to end. Ike waited. More lightning and shockwaves built on his arm. The man rushed toward him, drawing his sword.


    Before he could strike, Ike unleashed his punch. A fist of embodied aether flew from his punch, formed of shockwaves and lightning. Before the man could react, it slammed into his chest. The blow threw him into the air. He flew back and slammed into the castle wall. Lightning crackled over his skin and burned into the surface of his body.


    Ike chased after him, drawing his sword. He lifted it high, intending to stab it next to the man''s head as a warning.


    Light flashed. Something flew toward him at speed. He jerked back at the last second, and a sword impaled itself into the earth inches in front of him, in the exact place his head would have been if he''d kept going. Ike hopped back and looked up, warily gazing at the castle.


    The old man stood on the ramparts, Rufus at his side. Their eyes met. The old man gestured, and the sword flew back to him. "Retreat now, or we will truly treat you as an enemy."


    Ike spread his hands, cancelling Storm Clad at the same time. He could call it back at a moment''s notice, but better to kill it now than allow the enemy to get a good look at it. "I was in the middle of retreating when your idiot underling decided to try taking my head. Blame him for attacking me if you want to blame anyone."


    "Be that as it may, I cannot overlook you killing one of our men. Retreat or face the consequences." The old man gazed down at him sternly, as if he were a child in a classroom. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike scoffed. He locked eyes with Rufus. "You hear that, would-be king? ''Our'' men? Are you really the one in control, or is that old fart calling the shots?"


    Rufus'' face flushed red. "You dare call Master Arlen¡ª"


    "Master, even? Wow. What a king, letting an old man run roughshod all over you, and even calling him Master. You aren''t even the leader of your team, how can you be the leader of a whole city?" Ike''s eyes drifted at the old man, whose gaze had been turning stormier the longer Ike spoke. "Nah. You aren''t a leader at all. You''re just a childish puppet, dancing at your master''s command."


    Scoffing, he walked away.


    The old man leaned toward Rufus. "Pay no mind to such rabble. He doesn''t understand the role of an advisor."


    Rufus'' brows furrowed. He stared after Ike, a slightly despairing expression on his face. After a moment, he caught himself and schooled himself back into a neutral expression. "Yes. Of course."


    Ike glanced back. It bothers him, huh? Something to prod at later. He sped up to a jog, then a run. The castle fell away behind him. Before long, his own castle rose up.


    "One out of three isn''t bad," Shawn commented.


    "I think there''s a good chance Vi comes around to our side. If you think about it, her clan is assassins, and assassins need good information more than anything, and need to be skeptical of others more than anyone else. They might have rejected me this time, but if they see that my words are true after the first trial, I think they''ll come around."


    "You think so?"


    "I do. Rufus, on the other hand¡­ he''s a lost cause."


    Shawn chuckled. "In a lot of ways."


    "You can say that again," Ike muttered.


    As he drew up to his castle, he found himself standing in the back of a large group of men and women. They beat at the door. "Hey! Bring out your boss! We won''t leave until we speak to them!"


    Ike pursed his lips. He looked up at the ramparts, where Wisp stared back down at him. He tilted his head, silently asking her what was going on.


    She shrugged back. The two of them stared at each other for a beat.


    So¡­ what now?

 234. What Now?

    Wisp cleared her throat. She looked down at the crowd gathered outside the gates, deliberately not looking at Ike. "What happens if I don''t bring the boss out?""We''ll leave. And you wouldn''t want to miss out on us. We''re the most powerful mercenaries in this whole region. If you don''t recruit us, you''ll lose for sure!"


    Ike raised his brows. That''s pretty sketchy, even if I put aside this trial''s usual level of deceptiveness.


    He leaned in toward one of the so-called mercenaries. "What''s the plan?"


    Too busy watching Wisp to glance over, the mercenary shook his head. "Same as it is every time. Get inside and take ''em for all they''re worth. Make this hellpit worth living in for another few days before we wear it all out and go back to the usual shit."


    "Neat." I respect the hustle, but I don''t want it in my castle. Ike leaned in. "You know, I saw another castle rise across that way, and the people in it looked way richer than these losers." He pointed back toward Rufus'' castle.


    "What, for real?"


    "Yeah. Just over there. They looked like, super ritzy. Look at these guys. They''re wearing rags, and they look like they''ve been through it. Their weapons are probably grungy and old. The guys over there, I bet they''ve got all kinds of neat enchantments and secret artifacts."


    The mercenary paused for a moment. He looked at Wisp again. Although she still wore the nice white-and-gold clothes from Clarina''s place, her general lack of personal hygiene and the battles in the centipede tunnels had taken the clean white fabric from pristine to filthy. Strange brown, green, and red stains clung to the fabric all over, and it was worn and frayed from her general disinterest in caring for what she wore.


    "You''ve got a point. I''ll go tell boss," the mercenary said, pinching his chin. He ran off toward one of his fellow mercenaries¡ªthe one wearing the nicest armor, with the flagbearer standing nearby.


    Wisp raised her brows at Ike. He gave her a thumbs-up, then zipped his lips. I''ve got this handled. Don''t say anything.


    She nodded back and waited, resting against the ramparts.


    The two mercenaries conversed for a moment. Abruptly, the leader nodded. He turned up to the ramparts. "Last call! If you don''t let us in, we''ll go somewhere else!"


    Wisp shrugged. "Okay."


    The leader turned. "You heard her, boys. Let''s move out!" He jogged off into the forest, and the others followed him.


    All except for Ike, who stood there while they ran around him. As the mercenaries vanished, he walked forward, waving at Wisp. "Hi." S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hey there, stranger. Don''t tell me you want me to open the gates, too? It''s just one thing after another, today." Wisp said, shaking her head down at him.


    He shrugged. "You could just send down a thread. I wouldn''t complain."


    There was a pause. A moment later, a white rope descended over the side of the wall. Chuckling, Ike grabbed on. Hauling himself up hand over hand, he reached the top in a few moments. Wisp flicked her wrist, recalling the spider thread to her hand. She collected it into a ball and swallowed it. "Were they bad news?"


    "Yeah. Just wanted to steal our shit and get out. I sent ''em at Rufus instead."


    She glanced at him. "I take it the negotiations went poorly?"


    "Eh. We have Scar on board. Vi might change her mind later. Rufus said no¡ªor, well, his master said no for him. Little prince doesn''t even speak for himself. What a loser, honestly."


    "Honestly," Wisp agreed.


    "So fuck him. But Scar is on board for sure, and like I said, pretty sure Vi was listening. Well, her underlings spoke for her, too, but I got more of an underlings vibe than a Master vibe from that guy."


    "Yeah. We need bosses on our side, not baby princelings," Wisp said, nodding. She paused. "We sure that we don''t just have to fight the others?"


    "Even if we do, better to have an ally," Ike pointed out.


    She nodded, pointing at Ike. "Good point."


    "How have defenses progressed while I was gone?"


    Wisp gestured. "Just take a look."


    Ike looked.


    The castle''s walls were reinforced. All the places where the stone had begun to show wear and tear were replaced with fresh stone, and in a few places, buttresses helped hold the interior castle upright. The gemlike panels of spell formations stood along the wall, evenly spaced, and a few anti-siege weapons like ballistae and cannons had been set up along the battlements. Fresh weapons, cannonballs, and ballista arrows sat in piles along the wall.


    Ike raised his brows. When he''d left, he''d left a dilapidated castle that stood, but not much else could be said about it. Now, he faced a battle-ready, fully defensible fortress, prepared to fend off whatever came its way.


    "Wow," he said, earnestly impressed.


    Wisp giggled proudly. "We weren''t just sitting around twiddling our thumbs while you negotiated."


    Ike nodded. "What''s Mag up to?"


    Wisp pointed up. He tipped his head back, further, further, further. At last, he caught sight of the large bird, perched on top of the tallest tower. Mag shuffled his feathers and gazed out, his eyes fixed somewhere far away.


    "See anything, Mag?"


    "Something. It''s coming closer," Mag replied, to Ike''s surprise.


    "Like what? More mercenaries?"


    Mag shook his head. "Monsters. From the center of the world."


    Ike and Wisp exchanged a look. "From the center of the valley?" Ike clarified.


    Mag nodded, his whole body bobbing up and down.


    Ike turned to face the way he''d come. He couldn''t see anything yet, but Mag was a bird, and birds had great eyesight. Plus, Mag had a better angle on the area.


    He lifted his fingers to his mouth and whistled. "Everyone, on alert. The monsters are here!"

 235. The Monsters Are Here

    The members of the Old Guard ran to the ramparts. They stood in a sharp line, waiting for something. Relin stepped out in front of them, hands behind her back. She looked them over. "You all know what to expect. Prepare yourselves for death, and fight with everything you have!"Ike cleared his throat. "Actually¡­ can you guys operate the weapons on the battlements? We''ll be the ones out there fighting."


    Relin startled. She looked at him. "Are you sure? If you die, the trial is over for all of us."


    "I don''t intend to die, either. But we came here to get stronger. We can''t do that if we hide in the castle and let you fight in our place."


    He couldn''t forget their original purpose. Even before they found Mag''s skill fragment, they''d planned on using this trial to hone their strength. If they hid away, they''d have abandoned their original plans. And what for? He and Wisp still needed to fight once they returned. Lord Brightbriar and his puppets wouldn''t get any weaker while they were gone. They needed to reach high Rank 3, and he wouldn''t say no to Rank 4. Not that he expected to ascend directly to the next Rank, but that was the kind of battle they were fighting¡ªone where they were facing opponents high above their skill level, who they could only surpass themselves if they exerted themselves to the utmost and seized every possible chance to grow stronger.


    Wisp nodded. "Yeah, yeah. We already defended one castle. How much harder can this one be?"


    Relin looked from one to the other. "Just the two of you?"


    Mag flapped down and landed on the crenelations. His claws clutched the stone tight. "They''re approaching."


    Ike thumbed at the giant bird. "Mag, too. Right, Mag?"


    "Huh? What?" S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You''ll fight, right?"


    "Obviously. I''m a king! And a king fights! Especially if he has a castle to defend. What''s more kinglike than fighting to defend your territory?"


    Ike nodded. Turning back to Relin, he grinned. "You see?"


    She still hesitated, but nodded slowly. "If you''re certain¡­"


    "We don''t know how to operate spell formations or wall-mounted weapons, anyways. So we''ll be counting on all of you, too," Ike said, nodding.


    "You don''t? That should be basic training. What kind of sect were you raised in?" Relin asked, taken aback.


    Ike laughed. "We''re self-taught."


    She raised her brows. "You''re Rank 3. I''ve never heard of someone obtaining Rank 3 without the support of a city, sect, or clan. Beasts, yes. But humans¡­?"


    "Well, now you have." Ike glanced at Mag. Still in his bird form, Mag stared out at the forest, dark eyes focused on some distant point. Ike nodded. "How close are they?"


    "About a thousand meters out. In the forest, so we can''t see them yet."


    Ike glanced at the two he''d sent out to scout. "Anything reinforced out there?"


    Nett shook her head. "We found some places that were suitable, but we didn''t have the time to act. Maybe after this wave."


    "Excellent. We''ll speak again after the wave. Wisp, Mag, on me. Everyone else, protect the castle! Shout if you need us back." With that, Ike hopped off the wall and thumped down into the forest below. Wisp put her feet on the wall and walked down behind him, and Mag took to the air, black-and-white wings flashing in the sun.


    As he landed, Ike finally heard the monsters. Their footsteps echoed through the trees, and heavy snorting sounded from closer than he''d expect. He ran forward, drawing his sword. The monsters didn''t sound like bugs, which was already an improvement over the centipede tunnels. In fact, the way they grunted, the heavy breathing¡­ Ike furrowed his brows. I feel like I''ve heard that before, those sounds. He charged toward them, trying to place the sounds in his mind.


    He raced forward and came face-to-face with a huge, humanoid beast. It stood upright. Its portly but powerful body was supported by two broad-spread legs which ended in cloven hooves. Two huge tusks thrust forward on either side of a furred snout, and a big, wide nose trembled between them.


    "Oh! That''s right. The pig pens!" Ike realized, snapping his fingers. The sounds reminded him of pigs! And these men appeared to be boarmen. He laughed. "I wonder if they taste like boar or people?"


    "I''ll be honest, not a lot of difference in flavor there," Wisp chimed in.


    The boarman swept a greataxe at Ike. Ike hopped the blade, landed, and jumped again, taking the boarman''s head with a horizontal strike. Another two boarmen charged forward to take its place. Their heads flew, too. Ike didn''t need to activate Storm Clad. He barely needed to use the River-Splitting Sword. Will I even get stronger, fighting these guys?


    Oh well, it''s easier for me to win the trial that way. Whether I get stronger here or not, I still get the other half of that skill.


    He glanced at Wisp. "Really? People taste like boar?"


    "Well, more like pig. Pork. But yeah. It''s pretty similar," she said. She lunged out, grabbed a pigman in both hands, and lifted him into the air. There was a distortion around her face, something blurry and strange, and then her jaws snapped shut, and the pigman was no more.


    Ike raised his brows, impressed. "Every time I see your appetite, I''m always amazed."


    "You humans are far too unambitious with your meals," she replied, shaking her head.


    Another boarman charged Ike, and he was forced to turn his attention back to battle. Wisp ran on, racing into the forest, while Ike held his line, taking the boarmen down one at a time. Mag swooped overhead. Occasionally, he darted down and raked a boarman with his claws, or else grabbed one and hauled them high into the sky, only to drop them back to earth. They dropped, squealing the whole way, and landed in a heavy, wet thump.


    Ike carved his way ahead. One boarman after another, he cut them down, leaving beheaded and dismembered bodies in his wake. The boarmen must not have been higher than Rank 1. It was hard for him not to destroy them when he fought. He held back his strength and focused on his swordsmanship instead. Overwhelming strength made the battles trivial, but that way, he learned nothing. If he choked his strength back as far as he could, the battles were still easy, but he had to actually fight with his sword skill to keep them from overwhelming him with their heavy axe sweeps. One after another, he cut them down, but now, he could feel his sword skills growing stronger and his understanding of the River-Splitting Sword growing deeper as he fought.


    Every battle is a chance to learn, as long as you put in the effort. Ike burned the lesson into his heart. If he wanted to get stronger, he needed to treat every battle seriously, to the extent he could. Even trivial battles could turn into sources of greater power.


    The boarmen thinned, then stopped entirely. Ike stood, flicking the blood off his blade. "Is that it? That''s too easy."


    As if someone had been waiting for him to utter that exact phrase, something roared in the woods. The roar reverberated off the ground and trembled the branches on the trees. Ike stumbled back a step, startled by the roar.


    A second later, Ike grinned. He circulated his mana, using his full strength at last, and raised his sword once more. "Finally. Bring it on!"

 236. True Monsters Attack

    The earth shook. A huge shadow loomed in between the trees. All the other boarmen had been piglets compared to this monstrosity. His form rippled with muscle. His serrated tusks thrust feet from his trembling jowls. Bristles jutted up from his face, and his beady eyes were shot with blood. His nose was wrinkled in rage.Those bloodshot black eyes landed on Ike, and the boar let out a long, slow huff. Somehow, all its pent-up rage echoed in that huff. It pawed the earth with one of its legs, then spread its stance. It held a great axe three times as large as the ones the smaller boarmen had in one hand, as if it weighed nothing. Letting out a low, menacing grumble, it charged toward Ike.


    "I''ve been waiting for this. Ha! Until now, I was wondering how anyone could die in this trial! But if it escalates this quickly, I can still dream of growing stronger!" Ike charged to meet it, sword at the ready.


    The giant boarman huffed. Steam blew from his nose. He hefted his greataxe and swung.


    A blast of wind, streaked with green mana, rushed at Ike. As the slash blew through the trees, it severed them. Enormous pines and maples crashed down all around him, their thick trunks tumbling wildly. The green slash rushed ahead of them, closing in on Ike''s neck.


    Ike gathered energy on his blade and slashed upward. The energy burst out. It smacked into the slash. The two energies fought for a moment, Ike''s purple battling the green, but then the green slash broke through. It charged toward Ike once more.


    This close, Ike had not time to try another clash. He raised his sword, taking the blow on the blade. The slash of energy felt every bit as heavy as the boarman''s greataxe would. Ike was forced back, his feet sliding in the earth.


    But I''m not beaten. Laughing, he finished his blow, breaking the green energy into pieces. It was heavy, but not insurmountable. Enough that he felt his body strain, but not so great he couldn''t overcome it. He still didn''t need to activate Storm Clad, let alone fight seriously.


    Ike lifted his hand and beckoned the boarman on. "Come on. Show me what you really can do."


    The boar roared. It stomped its hoof and charged.


    Ike raised his sword in anticipation, a grin on his face. He was antagonizing the boar deliberately. At this level, he could easily defeat the boar. But that wasn''t what he wanted. He wanted to get stronger. And that meant drawing out the boar''s full strength, so he could meet him with his own. He wouldn''t get stronger cutting down foes thoughtlessly. He would, though, if he could fight them toe to toe.


    Some mages might disdain what Ike was doing. After all, even if he lowered his strength and fought them evenly, he wouldn''t raise his Rank any higher than slaughtering them wholesale. But that wasn''t Ike''s purpose. Battle experience mattered just as much as Rank, when it came down to it. He''d been fighting nonstop since he''d left his city, more or less, and he''d been able to consistently punch above his Rank. So even if these fights wouldn''t push his Rank upward, they''d still let him grow stronger. At the end of the day, he needed to destroy Lord Brightbriar and all his puppets. If he only relied on his Rank to crush the other man, he''d lose everything that mattered. It would take too long to reach Rank 5, and stand on even footing with Lord Brightbriar. By that time, the man might have conquered the entire region and transformed everything to puppets. Any victory Ike could pull after that would be hollow. Therefore, he had to grow stronger as quickly as he could, whether that was Rank or battle strength. Hopefully it would be enough to counter Lord Brightbriar before the madman succeeded at replacing everyone with puppets.


    Or whatever his goal is. No matter what, though, I don''t want him to win.


    Ike charged to meet the boar. The two of them clashed. Sparks flew, green on the boar''s side and purple on Ike''s. Their blades blurred. The boar was strong enough to give Ike pause and make his arms tremble. Every blow struck with weight befitting of the boar''s stature and bulging muscles.


    Ike unleashed a powerful strike and jumped back, giving himself some room. The boar watched him as well. The two of them circled one another, pacing around the clearing the boar had cut, watching one another for weakness. He''s strong, and his endurance is incredible. If I kept up that melee without activating Storm Clad, I might have ended up in danger. Ike raised his brows, making a note of that. His style was speed. Everything was about moving fast, faster than the opponent. Striking faster. Escaping faster. Closing faster. But in prioritizing speed, he''d deprioritized strength¡­ and more importantly, stamina.


    I need to build up more endurance. His dash and instant power output were good, but if he fought a prolonged battle against an equal opponent, he''d be the one in trouble. With Storm Clad, he had enough strength to get by. But without stamina, he''d face danger in any drawn-out battle. It was too obvious of a weak point not to strengthen. Something too easy for others to catch and draw out. But this, this marathon of a battle with waves upon waves of enemies¡­ this was exactly what he needed to hone his stamina. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Without a word, Ike and the boarman darted at one another again. This time, Ike didn''t escape when he felt himself wearing down. He kept pushing, fighting on through the exhaustion. Right now, he was only using the bare minimum of mana. This was a battle of brute strength between him and the boar. Fancy techniques, strengthening skills¡ªthey needed none of that. Both of them recognized the brute strength of the other, and acknowledged their full power. As someone who fought with techniques and skills, Ike had inadvertently been slacking on training his body. And this was just the opportunity he needed.


    Silver was right. Without a skill, you really do learn more. When you rely on skills, it''s easy to neglect the basics. If I want to grow stronger, I need to throw away my reliance on skills. They''re important, but they aren''t everything. To be able to draw out the full power of my skills, I need a good foundation.


    Despite Ike''s best efforts to hold back, he still landed hit after hit on the boar. His River-Splitting Sword outclassed the boar''s axe skills. As Ike grew stronger, the difference in their techniques became more and more apparent. At last, he stepped back. The boar stood there, bleeding and exhausted, barely able to raise its axe.


    "You were a fine opponent. Thank you." With that, Ike darted in for the last time. He took the boar''s head. The boar stood there for another moment, then fell to its knees.


    "Ike! You done over there?" Wisp called.


    Ike looked up. He wiped his brow. "Yeah, why?"


    "Got a whole regiment of those guys closing in on the castle!"


    Ike blinked. "A whole regiment?"


    "Yeah, come on. Quit wasting your time!"


    Ike chuckled under his breath. He ran toward Wisp, already activating Storm Clad. As much as he wanted to battle each of them to the death on his physical strength only, he wasn''t willing to lose the entire trial to do so. There will be stronger enemies later, he placated himself, and charged in.

 237. A Whole Regiment

    Ike raced toward Wisp''s voice. The boarmen loomed in the forest, each at least as large as the one Ike had dueled. This time, he wasted no time. Ike activated Storm Clad and tightened his grip on the sword. The closest boarman turned toward him, but too slow. Ike leaped into the air. In a flash of purple lightning, he cut the boar''s head clean off its throat.The second he activated Storm Clad, all the fatigue he''d accumulated up until that point vanished. The surge of aether washed it away. His physical body was overwhelmed by the strength of the aether. At the end of the day, it''s nice to train my physical body alone, but I am fighting with aether. No point throwing away my greatest advantage, unless I''m deliberately training.


    He leaped from boar to boar. They turned. One or two managed to fire a strike from their axe before Ike reached them, but the waves of green energy shot harmlessly beneath Ike. One after another, their heads rolled, and the boars slumped to the ground. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Climbing out of a nearby tree, Wisp looked at Ike. "Why didn''t you do that from the start?"


    "I was practicing," Ike said. He nodded at her. "There''s more of them?"


    She nodded back. "Keep going that way. I''ll go the other way. They''re ringing the castle, but the both of us can take half and keep them off."


    Ike nodded. He saluted and ran on. Wisp vanished back into the tree, leaping from branch to branch in the opposite direction.


    The forest was thick with the large boarmen. Ike darted from one to the next. Traces of purple lightning flashed behind him as he raced through the trees, little more than a purple shadow. The boars fell one at a time behind him. Even if he couldn''t take the time to duel each one and draw out the full potential of what he could learn from them, he still didn''t want to waste the fight. With each battle, he refined his usage of the River-Splitting Sword. He carefully marked how he held the blade and swung the sword to strike as cleanly as possible, with the least effort. His instincts began to guide him toward the gaps in the boars'' neck vertebrae, so he could cut their necks without striking his blade against bone.


    He didn''t need to waste any focus on fighting the boars, after all, so he could pour all his mental energy into refining his technique. After his duel with the boarman earlier, he knew their moves like the back of his hand. He instinctively dodged their swings and ducked their strikes, and when they had the time to launch a blast of axe energy at him, he hopped it without looking. The sensation of the axe energy entering his aether perception was enough to avoid it.


    The boars'' bodies littered the forest. When he met Wisp again at the far side of the mountain, she was chewing on a boar leg. She glanced over his shoulder. "You gonna eat those?"


    "Huh?" Ike glanced over his shoulder at the boars, then shrugged. "Nah. Go for it."


    "Nice." Wisp passed him, heading for the boars.


    A roar shattered the temporary peace. The trees swayed from the force of the roar, as though a fierce storm rolled through them. Ike lifted his hand, bracing against the force of the roar. Wisp lowered her center of gravity. Two pairs of spider legs sprouted from her back and clutched the ground to stabilize her. They both looked up, toward the sound of the roar.


    An enormous pink pig''s head peered over the forest. The pig woman stood thirty, maybe forty feet tall. Heavy rolls of fat sagged around her armor. She carried a huge spear whose shaft was made of the trunk of a great pine many times the height of the largest one in this forest and whose blade was twice as long as Ike. She roared again, then pointed her spear toward Ike''s castle.


    "You dare to kill my adorable piglets? You, pathetic human scum?"


    "Piglets?" Ike asked. He glanced at the fully grown boarman Wisp was eating. There was nothing piglet about him. From his tusks to his bristles, not only was he an adult boar, but also, he was a serious threat. There was nothing adorable about him at all.


    "They don''t taste like piglets. Piglets are much more succulent and delicious," Wisp opined. She licked her lips, then looked at Ike and added, "you pathetic human scum."


    Ike rolled his eyes. "I can''t win, can I?"


    "Nah. It''s not your fault you''re human, but it does mean you can''t win," she said, patting his shoulder.


    Ike sighed.


    Across the forest, the pigwoman whipped around. Her eyes landed on Ike, and they narrowed. "You!" she boomed.


    "Me!" Ike nudged Wisp and ran toward the pigwoman. Wisp followed after him, vanishing into the trees again. Ike didn''t comment on it. If the pigwoman was locked onto him, better to keep her attention on him and let Wisp crawl around behind her for a sneak attack later.


    He pointed his sword at the pigwoman. "You want a fight? I''ll give you one!"


    "Are you the one who killed my precious piglets?"


    "Hell yeah. And I fed them to my spider friend, too!"


    The pigwoman''s eyes flashed red. She hauled back with her spear arm, lifting her other arm to aim at Ike. She sent the spear flying. It blasted through the sky, splitting the forest apart. The trees fell left and right as the wind of the passing spear broke their trunks. Where it passed, a fresh gap carved through the thick tree cover.


    Ike glanced over his shoulder. His castle laid directly behind him. If he dodged, the castle would be hit. I have to take this blow, or it''s the end of the trial for me!


    Planting his feet, he activated Storm Clad to its full power. A clap of thunder rolled through the forest, setting the leaves around Ike trembling. Lightning flashed all around him. Overhead, the heavens mimicked his raging skill. The sky darkened, and fingers of lightning flickered in the freshly-formed clouds. Ice coated Ike from head to toe, mixing with the wind and the lightning to form a full-body protective and empowering layer. His sword, too, crackled with lightning. Aether hummed through him as he circulated it at his full strength. Every bit of Ike sang with the storm, his whole body one with the raging lightning and roaring thunder.


    The spear blasted toward him. It cut the wind, whistling forth with the speed of an arrow.


    Ike waited. He drew his sword back into the form of River-Splitting Sword''s upward strike. With every passing second, he poured more aether into the blade. His eyes locked onto the spear. Every bit of it lit up before him in excruciating detail. Its blade. Its haft. The places where the wood split, where branches had been carved off. It hurtled toward him. As its tip narrowed on his location, time seemed to slow. The tip passed over him, thrown not for him, but deliberately at his castle. In the distance, the pigwoman''s lips curled upward in smug success.


    The blade reached Ike. Ike breathed out slowly. One breath out, one in. His grip tightened. Not yet. Not yet. The tip passed over him, then the binding. And then it was only the shaft.


    Ike''s eyes flashed. He struck.

 238. Now or Never

    Ike struck.His blade flashed upward. A fierce wall of sword energy flew out. All the power he''d gathered surged, pouring into that one strike. It raced toward the spear and cut into its shaft.


    The giant pine split in two. It flew upward, both pieces falling apart from one another. The halves were still bound into the spearhead, but loosely, and now the whole contraption was off-target. It hared off to the right and slammed down into the forest, totally missing the castle.


    Ike panted, exhausted. He wiped his brow and breathed deeply, gathering what aether he could. He reached into his storage ring and pulled out a mana potion he''d taken from Shopkeep''s treasury, quickly tossing it back. The potion swirled into his core, and he circulated his aether to fully absorb the energy.


    Across from him, the pig giant squealed in anger. Her nose wrinkled. She pawed the earth, throwing up earth, boulders, and trees behind her. Reaching down, she hauled up another pine and hauled back, preparing to heft it at Ike.


    Ike darted to the side. She followed him, tracking his position. He quietly sighed in relief. She''s too enraged to care about the castle anymore. As long as she fires it at me, I win.


    He readied his new defensive skill. He didn''t pour aether into it yet, but held back, on the verge of adding aether. At the same time, he charged, racing toward the pigwoman.


    "Die!" The pigwoman threw the tree at him, pointy-end first. The tree wobbled as it flew, comical but no less deadly for looking silly. It whistled toward Ike. Its shadow fell over him.


    Ike threw himself to the side. The tree-spear buried itself in the earth, missing him entirely. He ran on, closing the distance.


    Whew. Didn''t have to use that new skill yet.


    Seeing him dodge, the pigwoman squealed in rage. One after another, she uprooted the trees around her and sent them hurtling toward him. The huge spears were intimidating, but, well, huge. Obvious. With the pigwoman focusing Ike and not the castle, all he had to do was run a serpentine pattern to the left of the castle. It was trivial to dodge the giant spears at his speed. He quickly closed in on the giant pig, as she threw a line of pines into the earth behind him.


    Behind the pigwoman, a bulbous, dark form climbed to the top of the trees. Spindly legs gripped the tree tops, and eight shiny eyes stared at Ike, waiting for the signal.


    Ike was so close to the pigwoman that he could smell the shit on her hooves. She loomed over him, huge as a mountain. Uprooting yet another tree, she lifted it in both hands to drive it down at Ike. The dark base of the tree hurtled down at Ike. "You won''t get away this time, little rat."


    "Wisp, now!" Ike threw himself to the side. The tree smashed down, throwing earth everywhere. Dust clouded Ike''s vision. He couldn''t see anything.


    "What the¡ªow!" The pigwoman yelped, and then there was a slapping noise. Wisp giggled. The pigwoman yelped again and again, and the slapping kept sounding.


    Ike stumbled backward, trying to get out of the dust. It sounds like Wisp has everything under control, but¡ª


    A giant hoof hurtled toward him out of the dust. There was no time to dodge. Ike''s eyes widened. He pushed his aether into the defensive skill reflexively.


    His body went soft. That sensation of intense relaxation and laziness flowed over him. The hoof struck, but he barely felt it. He flew back and rolled over the forest floor, flopping and wobbling the whole way. His skin accumulated a few cuts and scrapes, but that was all. No bruises or broken bones, no serious injuries. Just a wobbly tumble and a scratch or two.


    Ike laid there for a moment, wrapped up in the indolence of the skill. His body was awkwardly draped across the roots of two trees, but any position felt good in his current state. I don''t want to move. It feels so good, just lying here¡­


    Wisp shouted in fear and anger. The pigwoman laughed triumphantly. Ike jolted, pulled back to reality. He cancelled the skill and jumped to his feet. Activating Storm Clad, he knelt, then leaped. He blasted out of the dust cloud and up toward the pigwoman.


    Chubby legs shot by. He landed on the pigwman''s rolls of fat. She had both arms over her head, grappling with something behind her, but as he landed, she released it and went to slap him. Wisp laughed triumphantly, and the sound of ripping and tearing flesh came from the pigwoman''s back.


    Ike waited, crouching slightly on the pigwoman''s fat. Her hands hurtled toward him. At the very last second, he jumped to the side, landing before her hands struck. The slap rebounded through her fat, and just like the bloated centipede from earlier, Ike was blasted into the sky. He drew back his sword and unleashed a slash at her neck as he hurtled past.


    His blades cut through her double chins like a hot knife through butter, but they simply weren''t long enough. Even cutting a swathe of fat off her neck, he still failed to hit anything vital. Ike flew past her neck and dropped down toward her shoulder. He frowned, brows furrowing. Her fat was a problem. If his blades couldn''t reach to the far side of that thick armor, he''d be in trouble.


    Even as he thought, the pigwoman howled in rage. She shook herself vigorously. Ike leaped off. On her back, Wisp jumped free as well. The two of them landed next to each other.


    "How''d it go?" Ike asked Wisp.


    Returning to human form, Wisp shrugged. "I bit her a bunch of times, but I was only injecting my poison into fat. It should reach her bloodstream¡­ eventually. Probably."


    "I had the same problem. My swords aren''t long enough," Ike confided.


    Wisp twisted her lips. "If we can''t reach past her fat, what''s our move?"


    Ike glanced up. Storm clouds were already gathering overhead. He grinned. "If we stall for a while, I should be able to call down lightning."


    "You think that''s enough to take her out?" Wisp asked skeptically.


    "If nothing else, it should stun her. Give us a shot to hit something vulnerable. Her eyes, for example," Ike pointed out.


    Wisp nodded. "I distract her while you charge the old lightning strike?"


    "It''d be a big help. Though it''s not like I''m useless while I''m charging it, either. I''ll be right there next to you, harrying her, too."


    "Talking to each other, little rats? Whispering in one another''s ears?" the pigwoman growled. She slapped toward them, her palm blocking out the sun.


    "You got it, bossman." Wisp leaped into the trees.


    Ike jumped off in the other direction. The pigwoman''s palm slammed down on an empty patch of grass. She roared in fury and whirled, staring after Ike, then Wisp. After a moment, she turned to face Ike and chased after him.


    Ike glanced over his shoulder. He laughed. "Oink oink, piggy!"


    "How dare you call me Piggy! Only my darling piglets are allowed to call me that!" the pigwoman snarled.


    Reaching into his storage ring, Ike yanked out a knife and pushed lightning into it. He hurtled the storm-clad knife at the pigwoman. Spitting lightning, it flew through the sky and stuck in her ankle.


    The pigwoman snorted. Shaking her leg, she shook the blade free. "Is that meant to hurt? Sting me again, mosquito!" S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The only bloodsucker around here is me!" Wisp shouted, hopping onto the pigwoman''s shoulder. She bit, then jumped away before the pigwoman could slap her.


    "You suck blood?" Ike shouted, surprised and concerned all at once.


    "And everything else, once my poison turns it to people soup," Wisp replied. She darted away, vanishing into the forest again.


    "Guess that makes sense," Ike muttered. He started to grab a knife out of his storage ring, then hesitated. Did it need to be a knife? It wasn''t like his knives were injuring the pigwoman. Any old bit of scrap would do, as long as he could wrap it in a storm. In fact, it didn''t even have to be loot. He glanced down, at the forest floor around him. It could be anything. Anything¡­


    "Wisp! I have an idea¡­"

 239. Its Electric!

    "Yeah? What do you need?" Wisp asked."Listen¡­" Ike explained his plan to her. At the end, he paused. "And can you get Mag over here? We''re going to need an extra layer of distraction."


    "You going to be good on your own for a bit?"


    "I can handle her for this long."


    Wisp whistled. "Whoo-ee, big boy. You were just complaining about your swords being short a minute ago, and now you think you can handle her?"


    Ike narrowed his eyes in Wisp''s general direction.


    Wisp chuckled and ran off, leaving Ike alone. "I''ll be back." S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The pigwoman charged after Ike, barreling through the forest after him. She uprooted trees and kicked boulders aside in her mad rush. A cloud of dust blew up behind her. She''d given up on her spear-throwing to put her all in chasing down Ike. Her huge feet tore up the ground, her trotters literally tearing up the forest floor.


    Ike ran at full speed. He was fast, but there was no denying he had the disadvantage here. His legs had to pump hundreds of times to make up for one of the momma pig''s steps. And she was no slow runner. For all her hugeness and bulk, she could run with incredible speed. Her legs spanned hundreds of feet with each swing, and she knew how to swing them. Her rolls of fat flopped around her as she ran, but her bulk did nothing to slow her down. She was built to be big. Big and powerful.


    The momma pig''s foot slammed down in front of Ike. Ike swayed to the side, dodging her hoof. His heart leapt. I''m fast for someone of my side, but I''m not fast, absolutely. Compared to something huge, I''m a slug.


    It made sense, when he thought about it. He could easily catch the fastest of bugs. The smaller something was, the harder it had to work to cover large areas of ground quickly. He was a bug to momma pig, so she outsped him, even with his speed focus.


    I have to get faster. I''ve been neglecting speed, because it''s been my strength for so long, but this isn''t the upper limit of my speed. And if I rest on my laurels here, I''ll never get faster.


    A meaty pink hand swept at Ike from behind. It dug into the earth, fingers digging furrows in the dirt as easily as Ike would scoop up wet mud from a puddle. They chased toward him, intending to snatch him and the ground around him at the same time. The ground rumbled under Ike''s feet. Furrows marred the path ahead. Fingertips breached through the earth, seeking to close him in.


    Ike jumped out of the pigwoman''s grasp. Her hand slammed shut behind him, sending a cloud of dirt into the air. Her other hand swept toward Ike in the air. She''d been waiting for him to jump out, and she was ready to grab him. She chuckled "In midair, you can''t escape!"


    A wall of pink rushed at Ike. His eyes narrowed. He tensed, waiting for the perfect moment. Three. Two.


    The fingers brushed against his skin.


    Ike kicked off the top of her round, chubby fingers, bouncing up them like a ladder. He landed on the top of her hand as it shut and raced up her wrist. Sprinting at top speed, he rushed toward her shoulder. His feet pattered over flesh, then leather armor. Her flab absorbed some of his speed, but he fought against it and kept going. It felt like running through sand, like the ground was sucking his energy away. Her other hand flew toward him, trying to flick him off. Ike hopped it and kept going, eyes locked onto her neck. Even if I can''t kill her, I can try again! I have some ideas on how to cut deeper. If I don''t try them, I''ll never know which one works!


    The pigwoman shook herself. Her arms quaked, throwing Ike off. As he fell, he hooked his ankle in her flesh and kicked backward, forcing himself back upright and toward her arm. He landed on jiggling flesh and immediately kicked off again, so the jiggle couldn''t throw his balance off. Her eyes were shut, her whole self given over to the shake. He closed in on her neck and drew back his sword.


    This is the River-Splitting Sword. If I master it, it should split rivers, let alone cut some pig''s neck! He put his all into the technique. Not all his aether, but all his focus. All his killing intent. He swung for her neck with his toothpick of a sword, compared to her bulk, and he swung to kill.


    The blade sank into her neck, and then beyond. It cut further than its metal reached, digging deep enough to draw blood¡ªbut not enough to kill her. She shrieked in pain and slapped a hand toward her neck. Ike kicked off her shoulder and dropped to the trees. He wouldn''t be able to survive if she went all-out on slapping the bug off her neck. Better to get out of there before she started.


    She slapped her neck, and then something red and black hurtled out of the sky and struck the top of her head. Frustrated, she grunted and smacked her head, only to hit herself. Mag was long gone, arcing into the air to prepare for the next swoop.


    "Ike! I''m back," Wisp called. She scurried up beside him in half-spider form, with four additional spider legs helping to clamber along the trees. "We still good for that plan of yours?"


    "Yep. You want to get started on the setup?" Ike asked. "I''ll start focusing mine."


    "You got it." Wisp vanished again.


    Leaving her to it, he dashed back and forth, using Storm Clad to run at full speed. He kept his eyes on the clouds, but at the same time, he focused on his legs. On running. Sure, he mostly needed the conditions to activate Lightning Caller, but as he''d thought earlier, he needed to get faster. He''d been neglecting his speed for quite a while. The pigwoman had jolted him back to reality. Lightning Dash might be a Unique skill, but that didn''t make it unimprovable or ultimate. As he should know, better than anyone! He''d advanced Lightning Dash into Storm Clad, after all. And still, he''d taken his speed advantage as a given. Looking back on it now, he could see how foolish he''d been. There was always room for improvement. He was Rank 3, far from the apex of any of his abilities. If he didn''t constantly improve his strengths, they would fail to remain strengths, and become nothing instead.


    The pigwoman thrashed and squealed. She snatched at Mag as he darted down, but Mag had more experience swooping than the pigwoman had at bird-catching. He weaved around her grasp with ease, flitting in and out of her arms and repeatedly striking her head and tearing her hair without her hands ever coming close.


    Even higher than Mag, the clouds darkened. Thunder grumbled, and flashes of lightning burst in the high clouds. Ike looked upward. "Wisp, I''m ready."


    "I''m¡­ ready!" She flew toward him, trailing a thread. Handing off the thread to him, she scampered to a safe distance.


    Ike chuckled, watching her go. "Tell Mag to get out of there, too!"


    "Got it."


    He turned his attention to the spider thread and pushed his aether into it. The energy flowed through Wisp''s spider thread. Her thread was able to carry her own aether, and since he used aether as she did, it could also take his aether. It took him a few moments before he''d circulated his aether through the entire spider thread Wisp had thrown, time that almost exactly corresponded to how long it took Mag to escape. Then it was just Ike, Wisp''s thread, and the pigwoman.


    "Hey, piglady!" he shouted.


    She grunted and turned. Her eyes lit on Ike, and they narrowed. She lifted her arm to smash him for once and for all.


    Lifting his arm to the sky, Ike activated Lightning Caller. Lightning darted down. With his other hand, he yanked the spiderthread. All the thread Wisp had cast around the forest yanked shut, wrapping around the pigwoman. She only had time to stare at it before the lightning struck. It coursed through Ike''s Storm Clad skill without harming him and chased along the path of his mana, zipping through the spider thread. Lightning struck the pigwoman from all directions. It blasted her over and over again. Her body trembled, her limbs shaking.


    He sent another surge upward, calling more lightning down. Lightning struck over and over, and Ike sent every single volt of it into the pigwoman. It crackled along the spider thread and into the pigwoman. There was no dodging or escaping. All she could do was stand there and take it.


    At last, the lightning fizzled out. The clouds cleared. Ike kept his hand raised, staring at the pigwoman. Was that enough?

 240. Smells Like Bacon

    It had seemed simple to Ike. If he couldn''t cut through the pigwoman, then why bother cutting at all? There was more than one way to skin a cat¡­ or in this case, cook a pig. If he couldn''t butcher her, why not fry her?Holding his breath, he looked at the pigwoman. She looked rough. Her skin was blackened, and her hair was frazzled. The smell of crispy bacon filled the air. In fact, it even smelled like burned bacon. The pigwoman''s fat leaked out of her wounds, running down her body like clear-colored blood. She staggered, then fell to her knees, breathing heavily. She was still alive, but barely.


    "Mag, Wisp!" Ike shouted. Dropping the spider thread¡ªwhich had survived the lightning strikes, thanks to Wisp''s fireproofing skill¡ªhe charged the pigwoman. Wisp shot a thread from the trees and raced across it toward the pigwoman, and Mag swooped down from overhead.


    She struggled to sit up and raise her arm. Mag''s claws tore into the crisped skin of her forearm rather than her scalp. But that was all the more she could block. Wisp''s sharp-ended legs tore into her face, and Ike jumped up, lashing out at her throat once more. This time, River-Splitting Sword carved through her weakened flesh. She clawed at her neck, trying to close the wound, but it was too little, too late. Her blood poured out, and she hit the ground.


    Ike sighed out. Releasing Storm Clad, he sunk to his knees. "Gods. That was way too hard."


    Wisp stepped down beside him. "That was pretty intense, yeah."


    "There better not be any more of her."


    "Doesn''t look like it." Wisp paused. "In this round, anyways."


    Ike groaned. "Don''t say that."


    She glanced at him. "We won''t win if we keep this up."


    "No, we won''t," Ike agreed. He climbed back to his feet and dusted off his legs. "Which is why we''re changing tactics."


    "Oh yeah?"


    "Yeah. I was trying to preserve the castle''s defenses for later rounds, but that''s stupid. It''s not going to work like that. We need to use the castle as a basic, fundamental part of our defense. We can still fight in the periphery, but we can''t be the primary line of defense."


    "Makes sense, but we''re good at fighting. We''re not good at¡­ anything to do with castles."


    "Then we need to get great. Or utilize what we already have. Those people we recruited, the Old Guard, I''m sure they can fight. They just don''t want to, for some reason. If it''s because they can''t get directly involved, that''s fine, but let''s figure out a way to let them fight. Fire weapons from the battlements, or aim the cannons, or anything else that needs doing. We need all hands on deck here, whether those hands are beast, human, mountain, or¡­ or whatever those guys are."


    "They aren''t human?" Wisp asked. "They smelled human."


    "I think they''re part of the trial. Spirits, or illusions, or ghosts, something like that," Ike said.


    Wisp nodded slowly. "Ohhh. Weird. Makes sense, but weird."


    Mag landed next to the two of them. "I don''t see anything else coming our way, but the other castles are still fighting."


    "Anyone struggling?" Ike asked. I did promise to help Scarlet, and I''m interested in helping Vi.


    Mag thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Didn''t look like it."


    Ike nodded. "Good." He wasn''t really surprised. This was the first round. If another castle was struggling already in round one, he''d really wonder what they were doing in the trial at all.


    Yeah, because no one would just randomly barge into a trial like this¡­ haha¡­ He grinned awkwardly at his own thoughts, then nodded at the others. "Let''s head back to our castle. We can use this time to reinforce our defenses and armaments for the next round."


    "Sounds good to me! I''m gonna go build some webs. Those Old Guard people really didn''t understand the elegance of a well-placed web. The spell formation thingies they set up aren''t going to be very good webs," Wisp informed him.


    "The more the merrier," Ike replied.


    Mag bobbed in place. He was in full bird form, and a black orb of an eye glittered as he looked at Ike. "There''s some places I saw from overhead that could be reinforced. Do you want to see?"


    Ike blinked. Want to see? What does that mean? Is he going to show me from the battlements? "Sure, take me there."


    Mag nodded. He hopped onto Ike''s shoulders. Claws looped around Ike''s arms. With a wild downdraft and the flap of wings, Mag lifted him into the air.


    "Whoa!" Ike said, startled. He grabbed Mag''s claws as the bird hefted him higher.


    Down below, Wisp smirked up at him. She pointed and laughed.


    "Don''t point and laugh at me," Ike complained. He looked up at Mag. The bird flew on, not even glancing at him. It seems like he hasn''t even realized that I might think of this scenario as threatening. Well, I''ll keep my mouth shut. Don''t want him to get any ideas about dropping me if he hasn''t had them yet. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For all that Mag might drop him, he had to admit, a higher point of view really revealed a lot about the battlefield. From up here, he could see the shape of all the other castles'' defenses. Unlike him and Wisp, the majority of the other castles had, in fact, utilized their castles and the associated defenses against the pigmen. However, that meant they weren''t out in the field, directly fighting the large monster at the end of the wave. Their defenses, which had easily crushed the boarmen, crashed against the giant pigpeople like waved on a beach, striking but doing little damage. The pigpeople waded forward, tearing a great hole in the opponents'' forests as they slogged directly toward the other fighters'' castles. In their wake, a straight-line gap in the forest pointed from the back of the other fighters'' territory, directly at their castle.


    He turned back toward his own battlefield. The pigwoman had run around some, but they''d distracted her. The swathe of forest she''d cleared swooped randomly around the back of the battlefield, rather than pointing directly at the castle. I don''t know if that''s an advantage, but it feels like one. It''s something to remember, anyways. We can''t only rely on the castle, like the other armies did, or only rely on ourselves, like we did this time. A mixture of both is how we get through this.


    "There," Mag said, lowering his head to point with his beak. Ike turned away from the others and followed Mag''s gaze. There was a river that wound around the rear of their territory. For most of its length, the river had high, clifflike walls, but where Mag pointed, the walls lowered to smooth banks. Hoof marks marred the wet earth where the boarmen had crossed in droves.


    "Seems like a good place to lay a few traps, or maybe some webs," Ike agreed.


    "Or to reinforce the river''s walls. We could try holding them on the far side of the river," Mag pointed out.


    "True," Ike allowed. He twisted his lips. If they reinforced this spot, they''d have to hold it. Reinforcing it alone¡ªbuilding up the river''s walls, but doing no more¡ªwould only slow whatever monsters came next down marginally. They''d have to take to the field and defend their reinforcements for it to really mean something. It was too far for the castle''s defenses to hit, which meant it would be the three of them fighting solo, but one, they needed to get stronger, and two, they could always start here, weaken the enemy, then fall back to the castle when the time came. "We can discuss it with Wisp and the Old Guard. Any other places?"


    Mag nodded. He dipped his wing. The wind flowed over them, and they turned. The sun beamed down on the forest, filtering through the green leaves and giving Ike a beautiful, deep view of the forest from above. It was amazing how much texture and height the trees had when seen from a bird''s point of view. From the ground level, they were big, vertical logs that held the shade, more or less. Sure, he''d climbed his fair share of trees, snuck up into their branches, but seeing them from above was a totally different experience. It was like looking down on a field of tall grass, but each blade of grass was so deep and complex that he could have spent a full day staring at it.


    "It''s beautiful up here," he commented quietly.


    "I know," Mag replied, pleased. Ike expected some boast, but instead, Mag started singing. Not with his human voice, but with birdsong. The sound filled the air and echoed off the trees below them. Other birds joined in, singing a different chorus, and Mag quieted.


    Ike glanced at him. "That was a nice song. Why''d you stop?"


    "Sometimes, I hope someone else will pick up the song. But no one ever does," he said softly.


    Ah. Didn''t he say it himself? That he''s the only one of his kind. Well, if his story is true, it''s not like many dragons are going to mate with crows. Ike snorted under his breath to himself, but the amusement didn''t last. The melancholy he''d heard in Mag''s voice ruined his ability to laugh at the bird. The only one of his kind. Must be lonely.


    "Teach me the song," he offered suddenly.


    "Huh?"


    "Teach it to me. I can sing with you."


    Mag laughed. "What''s that going to do? It''s not like you can sing."


    Ike shrugged. "I can try." He couldn''t sing like a bird, but he was human. He could craft tools. Instruments and whistles. Even if his throat couldn''t hit the notes, he could still ''sing'' along, with the right assistance.


    Mag flew on. For a long moment, he was quiet. And then he nodded. "Yeah. I can teach you."


    Ike smiled. "I''ll look forward to it."


    They passed a ridge. Mag lowered his beak to point something out again, and Ike followed his direction. They circled the area, slowly taking in full account of their territory. As the other armies finally took down their big boss monsters, Mag swooped back toward the castle to land, Ike in his grasp. Wisp was waiting for him, alongside Relin and the Old Guard.


    "So? See anything?" Wisp asked.


    Ike nodded. "We''ve got quite a few points we could reinforce. Relin, Wisp, come with Mag and I. We need to discuss our plan for the next round."

 241. Reinforcements

    There was a round room just off the battlements with arrow-slit windows pointing in all directions. Ike had no idea what the purpose of it was, but it was big enough to fit the four of them, and it had a table, so he snatched a tapestry off the wall and splayed it out over the table, back-up, to scribble a quick map of the area."Here''s what I saw with Mag," he said, pushing it toward the group.


    There were three main features scrawled on the map. One was the river, where he''d marked the weak point on its bank. Another was a tall cliff near the edge of their territory, where the boarmen''s hoofmarks poured through a narrow gap. The third was a downhill plains toward the castle. The plains sloped up again before it reached the castle, but it served as a sort of funnel, pointing the enemy forces directly at the castle walls.


    He pointed at the first cliff. "This one''s too close to where the enemies enter, but it''s a good place to start, nonetheless. Relin, your men can''t leave the castle, but can they make us a spell formation that we can carry outside?"


    "They can leave, during the intermediary breaks. They just have to be back inside before the next round starts," she replied.


    "Even better. I''m thinking we get a hot tar or stone-drop spell formation here. Something that can go off automatically when the enemies start. Nothing we do is going to stop them entirely, but we can slow them down and divert them a bit, give Mag a chance to pick a few off from the sky."


    Mag nodded. "I can pick a few up."


    "That''s not¡­" Ike moved on. I''ll clarify later. He looked at Relin. "Can your men make that happen?"


    She nodded. "Certainly."


    "Second point. The river. This is a good place to catch them off-balance. They don''t have to cross the river here, but it''s an easy crossing. If they know the land, they''ll aim to cross here. Can we build reinforcements on the far side of the river to block them?"


    Relin frowned. "If they see reinforcements, they''ll just cross somewhere else."


    Wisp raised her hand. "Send me. I can build a web after they start crossing. Plus, I''ll stick around and fight. A web''s no good if it''s abandoned. Anything you catch will just struggle out."


    "Excellent. But don''t stay too long. If they start overrunning you, cut and run. We need to survive this more than we need to hold the river, and when I say ''we need to survive,'' that includes you," Ike said.


    "Who do you think you''re talking to? I didn''t live this long by making stupid, heroic last stands," Wisp said, planting her hands on her hips and shaking her head at him.


    Relin flinched. Ike glanced at her, but said nothing. Now isn''t the time. "Right, right. Who was I talking to?


    "That just leaves the plains. Even if they don''t know the land, it''s an obvious place to charge the castle. Momma pig didn''t flatten all the trees like she did on all the other castles, but it''s still a natural funnel. I''m thinking we use that against them. Pitfall traps. Metal spikes. Caltrops. All kinds of foot traps, tripping ropes, anything to slow them down and make them rethink the charge."


    "I can put the smiths and craftsmen on that. My scouts will find the best places to hide the traps," Relin said.


    "Great. Then¡­" Ike thought for a moment. He put a hand on his chin. "I guess I''ll rest until the next round starts?"


    "Look at this guy! He becomes the leader for ten seconds, and he''s already bossing us around and taking breaks for himself. He''ll be a great king, a great king for sure," Wisp jabbed him with a grin.


    "Hey! I can help with the traps, too. I just¡­ didn''t give myself a job."


    "Yeah, yeah. That''s what leaders do. Give everyone but themselves jobs," Wisp said, shaking her head.


    "What''s happening? Is Ike being a tyrant?" Shawn asked, blinking awake. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "A tyrant? That''s being a tyrant? I want to be a tyrant," Mag muttered.


    Ike scowled at Wisp. "It was an oversight, come on. I''ll help, I''ll help. We can always use more hands to place the traps, right?"


    "We can," Relin interrupted, before the conversation could totally devolve. She nodded at the group. "I''ll rally the men. When they''re ready, I''ll summon all of you, and we''ll set out to lay the traps."


    Ike saluted somewhat sloppily. "Thank you."


    "Wanna show me where the river is?" Wisp asked.


    "Might as well." Ike gestured for her to follow. Mag hopped out onto the balustrade. At first, he expected the bird to follow them, but to his surprise, Mag flapped up to the top of the tower and perched there instead, watching out over the field.


    "He''s surprisingly vigilant," Wisp commented.


    "I did tell him to watch the other battlefields and tell us if one of them was going poorly. I didn''t expect him to take it so seriously." Ike glanced after Mag. For all that the kid seemed to be a little kooky in the head, he could be surprisingly straight-laced and earnest. It sounded like he''s been alone for a long time. Maybe he''s just lonely. Just a lonely kid, trying to figure out how to live on his own. All I need to do is give him a little direction, and he thrives.


    "Weird. Especially for a bird," Wisp said.


    Ike nudged her. "Come on."


    "What? Birds eat so many spiders. You have no idea. And they eat our tasty bugs before we can get them. If it weren''t for birds, the world would be crawling with spiders. Absolutely covered in our glorious webs. It''s a true pity that birds are interfering with our proper place as the kings of the forest."


    Ike shivered, running his hands over his arms. "Yeah. A pity."


    Wisp scoffed. "Bird lover."


    "I''m not a bird lover! I''m just¡­" Ike considered for a moment. "Someone who deeply appreciates the balance of nature."


    She laughed. "You don''t like spiders, isn''t that right?"


    "The idea of something tiny crawling around me, equipped with powerful, deadly poison¡­ it spooks me. And the webs¡­ walking through the forest just to get a face full of sticky silk¡­" He glanced at Wisp. "Er, I don''t mean to insult you or anything."


    "Insult? Why would I be insulted? I''m glad you fear spiders. We''ve worked hard to be the scariest things around. The world would be better if more people had the proper level of fear and respect toward us ascended, eight-legged beings," Wisp said, nodding.


    Ike laughed. "I don''t know what I expected."


    "Come on. Show me where this river is. Rivers are great places for webs, you know?"


    "Are they?" Ike asked.


    She nodded. "A biiig gap over an empty place where no plants can grow and obstruct your perfect web-making space, plus lots of water bugs and bugs that hang out around the water, and lots of overhanging branches and sturdy trunks to build a web around. It''s a perfect place!"


    "I guess I never thought of it like that," Ike said.


    "You wouldn''t. Typical non-spider weak brained thought patterns," Wisp said, shaking her head regrettably.


    He nudged her shoulder. "Yeah, yeah. Come on. It''s just up ahead." He took off at his top speed, leaving Wisp in the dust.


    "Get back here, you! Don''t show off just because you''re jealous of spiders'' natural superiority!" Wisp chased after him, barely keeping his dust trail in her vision.

 242. Preparing for the Next Round

    Ike showed Wisp to the river. She quickly set about making herself at home, testing the various trees'' strength for use as the primary poles of her future web. He watched her work for a while, but when he realized he was useless, he set off back to the castle. For a while, he helped the smiths with making the traps. He couldn''t forge metal or work with their heavy tools, but he could bend thick wires around one another to form caltrops. With his strength, it didn''t even hurt his fingers. Even so, they''d hurt if he stepped on one unexpectedly. And hopefully it''ll hurt the monsters, too. The pig monsters had had hooves. If the next round of monsters had hooves, too, the caltrops wouldn''t do much."Better than nothing," he muttered to himself. At least this way, he wasn''t the useless boss Wisp was accusing him of being.


    "What was that?" Relin asked.


    Ike shook his head. "Nothing."


    She glanced at him. "Are the words of your subordinate bothering you?"


    "She isn''t my subordinate. We''re friends," Ike replied. "And yes and no. I mean, we rib each other all the time, but useless? That''s¡­ you know, that hurts."


    Relin snorted. "I can''t tell if you''re serious or not."


    "A little. Mostly not. But who doesn''t worry about being useless from time to time? Besides, look at us. Wisp is out there, holding down the river on her own, and I''m twisting wires," Ike said. He gave the wires he was holding a twist and held them up.


    "We''re all contributing, in our own way," Relin said evenly.


    "I know. But she''s contributing so much more. I feel¡­ inadequate."


    Relin glanced at him. "Do you think she''s never felt inadequate around you?"


    Ike paused. The moment after the battle with Llewyn played in his head¡ªthe moment when Wisp tried to leave on her own. For training. To catch up to him.


    He snorted and glanced down. "No¡­ she has."


    "Then be at peace. It''s not that either of you are unable to measure up to the other. You''re equals, but equals with different specializations. There are times when her specializations will outdo your skill level, and when your specializations will outdo hers. If you always dominate her, or the reverse, then you aren''t equals. Then you are no longer friends, but truly leader and subordinate."


    Ike thought for a moment. "I guess I hadn''t thought of it like that."


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    She laughed. "I have simplified the matter a little. It''s not as though people with differing power levels can''t be friends, or even see one another as equals. But there''s something precious about friends who are as strong as you. Friends you can pace yourself with, and face in a friendly rivalry." Her gaze grew distant for a moment, and her hands slowed in twisting the wires.


    "Did you once have someone like that?" Ike asked, picking up on the cues.


    Relin sighed. For a while, they worked in silence. Ike waited, occasionally watching her face. Relin stared at her hands, lost in thought.


    "I did," she said at last. "Someone I thought of as irreplaceable. I thought I couldn''t go on without him. That he and I were destined to be rivals for eternity."


    Ike glanced at her. He could guess the ending, but he waited anyways. It was her story to tell, not his.


    She sighed again. Her hands stopped, and she stared blankly at the half-twisted wire. "And then he died. It was a glorious death. We fought shoulder to shoulder in battle. That spear could have taken either of us, but it took him. Like a strike from the heavens, it came too quickly for either of us to see. Hammered him out of the sky. One second, he stood beside me; the next, he was gone."


    "I''m sorry," Ike said quietly.


    "That''s what it''s like, to fight a mages'' war," she said. "We were low-Rank. The spear was thrown by someone higher Rank. It wasn''t even meant to strike us. In fact, one of our higher-Rank mages had thoughtlessly deflected it. Nonetheless, it was enough to kill. And just like that, someone so precious to me was gone."


    Ike lowered his eyes. And that''s what Wisp and I mean to do. Or, at least, I do, and Wisp would probably come along. Once we get stronger, I''m going to challenge Lord Brightbriar. But if he calls a higher-Rank mage, if more powerful forces get swept up in the battle¡­ we could easily end up that same kind of collateral damage. "How terrible."


    "Hmm. I don''t know that there''s a lesson to pass on. Except to prepare for death at all times, on the battlefield. Yourself, and your friends. If you ever think of someone as invincible or irreplaceable, they''ll be stripped from you in the next moment." S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Then is the lesson to strive for peace?" Ike asked.


    "I hope so. For a peaceful world, without strife or war."


    "But there''s someone I must kill."


    She looked him in the eye. "Are you willing to stake your friend''s life on it?"


    He met her gaze. "I don''t think she''d forgive me if I held back on her account."


    Relin chuckled. "He was the same. No, and I would have been the same, too, if I''d found out he was holding back for me. I suppose that''s what makes us warriors, isn''t it? That we would rather die for our beliefs, than live for our friends."


    Ike grinned and scratched the back of his head. "We''re kind of stupid like that, aren''t we?"


    "Someone has to do it. If we all picked peace, then the tyrants of this world would never be overthrown. All the good people of the world would be trampled by the few unjust who were willing to choose conflict."


    He glanced at Relin. "Is that what happened here?"


    She shut her mouth. Her eyes narrowed slightly. "You know we can''t speak of that."


    "I know. But it''s starting to come together anyways." Ike nodded outside. "These castles represent the capital of the kingdom, don''t they? The capital of the kingdom that''s looking for a king. Except that kingdom is lost. Has been lost, for as long as this trial has existed. In fact, you could say that this trial is the last echo of that lost kingdom."


    "What an interesting theory," Relin murmured. Still, she didn''t contradict him.


    "The other candidates who think this is truly a trial to pick a king are delusional. The kingdom is long gone. There are no people to rule, no land to claim. The king chosen by this trial is king of nothing, king of no one. All this place hides is the other half of an overpowered skill. A skill so dangerous that it was split in the last days of whatever conflict ruined this kingdom, and hidden in this trial to prevent the occupying force from taking it." Ike paused, then shrugged. "Well. Half of it was, anyways."


    Relin''s eyes narrowed. "How do you know that?"


    Ike smiled at her slowly. "Let''s just say I have my ways. But listen. None of us want to be king. All we want is that skill. Is there any way to grab it and dash, or¡ª"


    "If your guesses are correct, and this trial is meant to hide half of the skill, what makes you think that it''s possible to take the half of the skill before the trial is complete? Wouldn''t someone else have taken it long ago, in that case? Perhaps even the occupying force," Relin pointed out.


    Ike lowered his head and spread his hands toward her. "As you say." Unfortunate. It seems like we''re really in it to win it, even if we don''t care about being king. "In that case, then I suppose we have no choice but to crush this trial and take that skill."


    "Is it that easy?" Relin asked.


    "No. But we aren''t going to lose." With that, Ike lowered his head and went back to twisting caltrops.


    Relin gazed at him for a few more seconds, then chuckled under her breath. She, too, turned back to the wires. Shaking her head, she muttered, "I knew I had a good feeling about you."

 243. Surge of Strength

    Ike and Relin carried huge bags full of caltrops and carefully scattered them across the field. Ike noted the locations where they''d spread their traps carefully. As long as he memorized their locations, he could safely fight in this field, while tricking his opponents into the traps. As long as they''re able to be injured by traps like this. He snorted at himself and shook his head. No point being so pessimistic about it before it happened."Heyo. How''s it going?"


    Ike jumped. He looked around. "Wisp?"


    Prickly, tiny feet pressed against his cheek. Ike stiffened, barely resisting the urge to smack his face. The small black bug hopped off his cheek. Midair, it transformed into Wisp. She landed among the caltrops, her bare feet straddling a pile of them. "What''re these?"


    "Caltrops. They cut peoples'' feet open," Ike told her.


    "Oh. Neat! So this is what you do if you can''t build webs." She hopped out of the caltrops and peered around. "You''ve really dressed this field up, haven''t you?"


    "We''re working hard. We can''t all instinctively knit silk."


    "And more''s the pity."


    Ike nodded. "Look around and learn where the traps are. I don''t think your webs will hold the monsters forever. If we can, we''re going to keep the primary fighting here, so it''s good if you learn where we set the traps, too." Your journey continues on empire


    "Got it."


    Ike glanced at the sky. Mag could benefit from learning where the traps were, too, but then again, he could fly. He probably wouldn''t participate in the ground battle at all.


    Actually¡­ Compared to fighting on the ground, Mag would have greater utility running scouting rounds over the battle. The boars had been relatively easy to kill, but whatever came next wouldn''t be. Knowing where they were moving and where they weren''t would save him and Wisp time on the battlefield, give them precious seconds to respond to the monsters before they arrived. I''ll have to ask him to do that when we run into each other again. Currently, Mag was circling the sky, watching for the next round of monsters and keeping an eye on the other teams. He didn''t want to interrupt Mag''s duties, but he did need to talk to the bird before the next round. There wouldn''t be enough time once it started.


    Relin drew up alongside Ike. He glanced at her. "Can I help you?"


    "Do you want us to attack, this round?" she asked.


    Ike thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Keep focusing on maintaining the castle''s defenses. Man the cannons and the spell arrays. Like I said, we''re here to grow stronger. We won''t get any stronger ourselves if we rely on you to fight for us."


    "Are you sure? This round is much more difficult than the first. Contestants often die in the coming round."


    That''s concerning. Nonetheless, Ike shook his head. "I''m sure."


    Relin hesitated, then nodded. "As you wish."


    He and Wisp had been in life-or-death fights before. They were the fights they''d both grown the most in. Compared to placidly fighting enemies who posed no real threat to him, he grew much more explosively in dangerous battle. He didn''t know if that was the case for everyone, or simply the way he''d learned to grow, but it was definitely true for him. He''d developed Storm Clad in the heat of battle. Ranked up in battle, even.


    Though there were definitely things he needed to fix about his current skills. Like the defensive one. Going all flaccid and limp on the field was good for absorbing hits, but it wasn''t good for jumping up and fighting on. He needed both. To go limp, and then pop back up, ready to fight, in the next instant.


    As he scattered the traps around, he called up the defensive skill, testing its limits. If he cast it on a part of his body, it didn''t trigger the laziness. It was only if he cast it on his whole body that he didn''t want to get up again. Or, as he tested it, nearly the majority of his whole body. If he cast it on all of him but his hand or all of him but his pinky toe, it still triggered the laziness.


    Relin glanced over every time he hit the ground. On the second time, she paused. "Do you need help?" Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No, no. I''m just¡­ testing skills," Ike explained.


    She nodded slowly. Disbelief flickered in her eyes. "Okay. As you wish."


    Ike laughed awkwardly. I know I shouldn''t do this in front of strangers, but beggars can''t be choosers. I don''t have the time to go hide and do this quietly. I just need to get it done before the next round.


    He could use the partial skill without worry, but that wasn''t the problem. This was a defensive skill he needed to use when a huge skill slammed into him, something he couldn''t dodge, avoid, or withstand normally. Partially changing his body wouldn''t be enough in the kind of situations he needed to use it. When something massively larger than him punched him with a fist the size of his whole body, it wouldn''t do him much good if he made his arm go limp.


    Ike kept going limp as he seeded the field with traps. He tried protecting his mental energy, tried channeling his core, tried everything he could think of. It didn''t matter. No matter what he did, when he went all limp, he went heavy lazy. There was no breaking out of it. He tried repeating the skill over and over until he got used to it, but he never got used to it. Once the laziness struck, it took him a solid one to three seconds to stand back up again. One to three seconds wasn''t much in the grand scheme of things, but in battle, it could be the difference between life and death. The limp skill was only good against blunt force trauma. If someone smacked him, then stabbed him, he''d still be just as dead.


    There has to be something I can do. He frowned, thinking. He tossed a handful of caltrops on the ground and kept walking. In his mind, he ran through how the punch hit him. The knuckles slammed into his shoulder, and the wave of force passing through his limp body without harming it.


    Wait. Is that the key? Ike stopped abruptly. He turned to Relin. "Punch me. With all your strength."


    She gave him a look. "Are you sure?"


    "Absolutely sure. Punch me." He turned his shoulder to her and patted it, gesturing her on.


    Across the field, Wisp whipped around. "Wait, Ike, I''m on my way¡ª"


    Relin drew back her fist. Her aura suddenly spiked. Higher than Ike had expected. Higher than his or Wisp''s auras. For a split second, he sensed the emanations of Rank 4 from her fist. He froze. Holy shit. I might have miscalculated a bit. Wait, hold on. Maybe I do want you to fight¡ª


    Her fist slammed into his shoulder, and Ike went flying.

 244. Big Hits

    Relin''s fist smashed into Ike''s shoulder. As it struck, Ike activated the skill. His shoulder went limp as her fist hit, and the rest of his body followed. The shockwave from her punch traveled through his body, and the limpness traveled with it. He was only limp where he needed to be to absorb the force of her punch, rather than full body limp.It hurt. It hurt more than going limp would. But it hurt far less than taking the blow would normally, and he took very little damage overall. His bones creaked, and he had minor bruises, but they all cleared up quickly under his healing skills. He jumped in place and shook his limbs out. "Whew!"


    There was absolutely no lethargy, though. That was the important part. He''d defended against Relin''s hit, took almost no damage, and was still in great shape. If I take a big enough hit, I''ll still need to go full limp, but for anything less than a huge hit, I''ll be fine.


    Relin looked him up and down. "What did you do?"


    "I took it," Ike said.


    "I saw that. The technique, though. What was that?"


    "You haven''t seen it? It was hidden in this realm. One of the monsters in the underground area had it," Ike informed her. "It makes me go soft. I just changed that, so I only go soft a little bit at a time."


    She frowned, then raised her brows. "You made that skill useful?"


    "Yeah?"


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    "Impressive."


    Ike hesitated, then nodded. He felt mildly insulted, but couldn''t say why. At the same time, he was sure Relin hadn''t meant to insult him, but the sensation clung nonetheless. I suppose it''s a statement that''s hard to respond positively to.


    He dusted off his hands. "What''s left to do?"


    Relin spread her hands. "We''ve done everything you considered. Do you have anything else?"


    "Uh¡­" Ike thought for a moment. He shrugged. "I can''t come up with anything."


    "More weapons?"


    "If you have anything in mind, I''m all ears. Oh, did you guys reequip yourselves? I don''t want you guys to be in danger if the walls get breached."


    Relin gave him a look. "If the walls get breached, you''re the one who loses. You shouldn''t worry about us."


    "Do I lose? Do I die if the castle is breached?" Ike asked, suddenly worried.


    She nodded, then shook her head. "You lose, but you don''t die. But if the castle is lost, you won''t be able to become king anymore."


    "Oh. That''s fine. As long as I can keep training, that''s all that matters," Ike said. If he died, that was one thing. But if it was just for kingdom¡­ he didn''t even want to be king. No, staying alive but removing himself from becoming king, that sounded ideal, in fact. He could get as strong as possible. Strong enough to wrest the other half of Mag''s skill from whoever received it.


    "At first, anyways. At the end of the trial, whoever wins has the right to pardon or execute all the other members of the trial, if anyone survives. And if no one wins, everyone is executed, regardless of if some contestants survive the trial. It''s really a special case that someone without a castle is able to survive the trial, rather than the other way around," Relin explained.


    "Then it''s even more important that you and your men have good weapons. Someone''s got to hold the castle!" Ike said firmly, clenching his fist.


    Relin chuckled. "We do have weapons. There were plenty of extra materials, and you mentioned it earlier, so we went ahead and reequipped ourselves. We will hold the castle to the last man."


    "No. Hold the castle with all your men," Ike said firmly, looking her in the eyes.


    Relin straightened up. She snapped a salute. "Sir, yes, sir!"


    "None of you are dying, either. I need all of you to fight, not die! Call one of us if you''re in danger. Even if it''s Shawn. He can run and get one of us¡­" He glanced over his shoulder. "Though he''s usually glued to me."


    "Understood," Relin said, devotion shining in her eyes.


    After all, if the castle was central to his success, if the castle was the thing that allowed him to determine his own fate, he couldn''t give it up. That was the most important part of this trial. He couldn''t put his fate in someone else''s hands. He didn''t trust any of them. Nor did he want to trust any of them. Depending on someone else to not execute him and his friends? That wasn''t his style at all. He trusted himself not to execute those who helped him. He didn''t trust anyone else not to execute those who had helped. In the slums, it had been every man for themselves. If he didn''t look out for himself, no one else would. Giving up the ability to control his fate meant resigning himself to death, and he refused to do that. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Therefore, Relin and her men were truly the most important. As the ones manning the castle''s defenses, they were the line between success and failure. If they fought to the last man, they might all go down without Ike hearing. If they fought to save their men, then almost certainly, someone would survive to reach Ike, Wisp, or Mag. It wasn''t out of the goodness of his heart. It was out of the practicality of Relin and her men surviving that he said as much.


    And yet, looking at Relin, he somehow felt that she hadn''t seen his actions in the same way that he had. He opened his mouth to explain, then shut it. Ah, well. There''s worse misunderstandings that could go around.


    Ike looked around. "If we''re all set up, I''m going to go check on the other castles."


    Relin nodded. "Don''t be gone too long. The next round starts soon."


    "Don''t worry. I''m pretty quick," Ike bragged, though at the same time, he felt the emptiness of it. I''m quick, but that''s all. I need to get faster. Until I''m the fastest, with no one to dispute my claim.


    With that, he took off, racing through the woods toward the next castle.

 245. Castle Crashing

    Ike ran through the woods. He headed toward Scar''s castle first. If she was still fighting, he could offer his aid. She hadn''t asked for any help, so he could only assume she was in fine shape to keep fighting, but he hadn''t actually been monitoring her castle. Hopefully I wasn''t neglecting my ally, but on the other hand, I can''t throw away my own prep time, the precious resource that might allow me to overcome this next trial, to assist her. Mag didn''t say she was on the verge of crumbling, so I''ll have to trust that she was in good enough shape.Before he even reached the castle, he ran into one of Scar''s underlings, setting up some kind of log trap. He raised a hand, and the man waved back. "Everything good?"


    "It''s all good. We''re working on the next round, you?" the man replied.


    Ike gave him a thumbs up. "Already good to go. Tell Scar I came. And tell her to signal our bird if she needs any help."


    "Your bird?" the man asked.


    Ike pointed up. "Our bird." Without any further explanation, he ran off, this time toward Vi.


    He hopped up into the trees as he reached her territory. The big monster was still running around for her, but she had it well in hand. She watched from the castle as her men waited in the trees. As Ike watched, she lifted a horn to her lips and blew a note. Her men launched ropes from the trees, tossing them to one another, forming a net in front of the giant boar that ran around their land. The net caught the boar around the ankles and threw it to the ground. Vi and all her men instantly launched toward the boar. A dozen sword attacks bit into its neck and shoulders. Thick blood ran. The boar struggled, fighting to reach its feet again, but they kept hammering at the boar''s neck until it bled.


    Vi looked up. From beside the boar''s dead body, she met Ike''s eyes. She nodded, then turned away. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike nodded back. Nothing changed here. Looks like she''s still fighting on her own, but she''s willing to cooperate if she needs it or if it assists her. He understood. He wouldn''t step in if she didn''t need it. For all he knew, she was in it to get stronger, too, not just to ''become king'' or whatever. In any case, both she and Scar were in good shape.


    Ike left her behind and ran toward Rufus'' area. He didn''t enter Rufus'' territory, but just watched from a tree slightly outside the area. Rufus and his men struggled with the giant pig. It beat at his castle''s walls. The stone shuddered, on the verge of collapse. They fired giant cannons into the pig''s chest, but it barely did anything. At the back of the group, the old man chanted to himself. Light built up on his hands, slowly shimmering into a form over his head. Rufus and the others battled against the pig, desperately holding it back from the old man.


    "Need any help?" Ike shouted.


    Rufus glared at him. "Leave! Don''t you dare interfere with the trial!"


    "Well, okay then," Ike said. Shrugging, he sat back to watch a little. If Rufus didn''t want his help, he wasn''t going to force the man to take it. Just like he''d thought before, he was still pretty sure he could beat this trial with three castles remaining.


    On the battlements with Rufus, he saw the mercenaries he''d fended off earlier. They stood around, somewhat listless, not really doing much fighting. One of them ran off, carrying an armload of cannon balls. Ike snorted. Seemed like Rufus had fallen for those men''s bluff. Well, it didn''t surprise him. Rufus had been one to take things at face value so far. He didn''t seem to be the kind to particularly look deep into things. If anything, he seemed to be listening to the old man''s explanation of how the trial worked, rather than looking at the trial in front of him and trying to figure out how it worked himself.


    Ike shook his head. He turned and left, abandoning Rufus to his own poor life decisions. Someone like that could never be king, whether he wanted to or not. Not looking at the world in front of you and only listening to your advisors wouldn''t help someone rule the world he lived in, it would merely lead him astray forever. Regardless of Rufus'' intentions, he simply wasn''t suited for rule.


    Oh well, whatever. The trial will sort him out. And if it doesn''t¡­ it''s not like I really care who runs this country. It''s not my country. And if any king decides to get in my way, I''ll pop him in the chin and do what I want anyways.


    In a short time, he arrived back at his own castle. Everyone had returned to the castle, meditating and gathering mana for the next battle. Somewhere in the depths of the castle, the blacksmith struck his anvil. Daisy, the spell formations expert, wandered around the battlements, checking the spell formations and making small adjustments.


    Ike paused for a moment, thinking, then headed up to check on Daisy. Wisp had said that Daisy''s spell formations weren''t great for webs, but maybe Daisy had something else in mind. He nodded as he approached her. "How''s it going?"


    "Pretty good. I''ve got the webs set up, but I also added a few ideas of my own. Want to see them?" she offered, smiling.


    "Sure, let''s see ''em."


    She gestured. Pointing at the most forward formation, she explained, "This one works with three other formations on the front lines. Together, they''ll summon an eagle projection to swoop at the battlefield, but you can only use it once before it''s out of juice. There''s these two as well. This one will set the field of traps on fire. Only use it after you''ve retreated from that field. And this one fires a beam directly forward. It''s the last ditch for anything left in the field. After that, you gotta do what you gotta do."


    Ike nodded. "Understood. And the rest of these are webs?"


    "Yeah¡­ well, the equivalent. They''ll slow down anyone who gets too close. Buy you some time to counterattack," Daisy explained.


    He patted her shoulder. "Thanks."


    "Not long until the next wave. You should go rest," Daisy advised him.


    "I got it." Ike waved and headed into the round room to absorb some mana. His stocks were fine right now, but they could always be better. He sat down near the wall and settled in to breathe. Mana began circulating. For a while, all was calm.


    A roar shattered the quiet. Ike jumped to his feet and drew his sword. "Here we go. Round two."

 246. Round Two

    Ike leaped out of the round room and ran to the battlements. Fire blazed in the forest. Dark figures streamed through the trees, setting them alight as they passed. Their black, charcoal bodies blazed with flames. Horns pushed through their foreheads. Red-hot cracks blazed through their blackened skin. The humanoid monsters'' huge bodies smashed trees aside, and their claws thrashed through the undergrowth.From the castle, he could see the other castles, as well. The castles where the large pig or boar had charged directly through the forest toward the castle were crawling with the flaming monsters. They poured down those open avenues all the way up to the castle walls. The other cities hit them with cannons and spell formations, but there were just too many monsters. Every time their attacks wiped them out, another hundred monsters poured in.


    Of course, the downside on ours is that the forest is on fire, now, Ike noted to himself. He stepped up onto the crenelations, preparing to jump down.


    "Fire? Damn. I won''t hold them long at the river pass, even with my fireproof thread," Wisp complained. "It''s still thread, at the end of the day. Too much fire will overwhelm it."


    "Hold as long as you can. Let me know when you need to fall back," Ike said. He leaped out, and Wisp hopped out beside him. The two of them raced to the river crossing.


    The burning monsters rushed to the river''s edge, then leaped over it all at once. By the time they arrived, several of them were already caught in Wisp''s web. Some had overrun the boundaries, racing toward the castle. Ike patted Wisp''s shoulder. "You hold the river, I''ll run down the strays."


    "You got it." Wisp transformed into a giant spider and leaped into the fray. The fire monsters charged her, only to find themselves on the wrong side of eight sharp-tipped legs and a pair of venomous fangs, to boot. Cinders flew as Wisp eviscerated the monsters. The ones already in her web received a shot of venom as she passed by, enough to incapacitate, if not kill outright.


    Ike raced after the escaped fire monsters. The first one turned back just as he arrived. His blazing-red eyes met Ike''s for just long enough for him to realize what was coming his way, before Ike landed a Shockwave Punch on his jaw. The monster''s charcoal body shook apart, and glowing embers spilled on the ground. The next two turned around, planting their feet and charging toward Ike instead. Ike grinned. He slammed his foot down and blasted forward. Before they were ready, he''d already drawn even with them. His sword flashed twice, left, right, and the monster''s heads hit the ground.


    Dashing through the woods, Ike chased down the rest of the escaped fire monsters. They were too slow to handle him, and couldn''t do anything about his attacks in time to matter. He slayed them, one after another. Embers scattered around the forest. One after another, fires scattered around the forest. Smoke clouded the air, and heat beat at Ike''s body. He summoned Storm Clad, not because he needed the physical boost or the lightning, but because he was choking on smoke and burning from the heat of the flames.


    Running to a clear point in the forest, Ike waved his hands. "Mag!"


    "What?" Mag hurtled from the sky and landed beside him.


    "Do you have any water techniques? Any skills that will suppress the fire?"


    Mag wrinkled his nose. He hopped in place a bit, then nodded. "I have something I can use. It''s a bit flashy, though."


    "Flashy is fine. We need to get this fire under control," Ike said. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Nodding, Mag leaped into the air. The rush of his wings blasted against Ike''s skin, and then he was gone.


    Ike lifted a hand to his eyes to peer after the bird. Mag flew up, up, up, then paused. He hovered over the battlefield, watching it from above. As he hovered there, he took a deep breath, and kept breathing in. His body inflated. His chest, his stomach, his limbs, the whole thing swelling up until he was all but a ball, with only nubs for his head and limbs. He hauled back, then let out a blast of air all at once.


    Wind rushed through the forest. The flames blew away. Not out, but just away, as the wind changed and the weather shifted to meet Mag''s will. A cold, wet wind blew from behind him, and the flames rushed before it. The fire spread into Rufus'' territory from Ike''s. As more fires spawned in Ike''s territory, they continued to blow Rufus'' direction as the wind maintained its new direction.


    Ike gave Mag a thumbs up. "Great job!"


    Back to his normal size, Mag hung in the air, visibly winded, his cheeks cherry red. At Ike''s encouragement, though, he perked up enough to preen, tossing his hair in pride. "That''s right. Be amazed by the magnificent Mag!"


    With the flames taken care of, there was nothing to hold him back from charging back into the fray. Ike rushed in, once more playing sweeper to Wisp''s defense. Between the two of them, they managed to stem the flow of monsters. The few who got past them were swiftly taken care of by Mag or the castle''s defenses. The fire blew toward his opponents, and Ike had no trouble with fighting off the fire monsters. If anything, they were too weak. They felt weaker than the boars, individually. There were more of them, but that was it.


    Maybe the balance is the fire that''s supposed to be the real challenge? But Mag''s skills had made a mockery of the fire. He shrugged to himself. If he had to battle the fire and the fire monsters at the same time, it would be difficult. But with the wind blowing the fire away and nothing but the monsters to deal with, they weren''t very hard at all.


    "There''s no way this is all there is to this round," Ike muttered.


    Wisp looked up from her webs. "Don''t say that."


    Right on cue, a visceral roar echoed from the depths of the forest. Wisp looked at Ike and shook her head at him, even if she had to turn her whole spider body to do it.


    "Oh, come on. You know it''s not my fault," Ike said.


    "Your fault. Totally your fault," Wisp said.


    Heavy footsteps pounded through the forest, quickly growing closer. Ike stepped forward, and Wisp stood at his side. Tensing, Ike raised his sword. Now the real fight starts.

 247. The Real Battle

    Ike tensed. Wisp stepped up beside him. Heavy footsteps pounded toward them. Trees crunched, and black smoke billowed into the sky in a column. A second group of fire monsters lurked out of the trees. Like the first set, these monsters had black, charcoal bodies shot through with veins of red-hot magma, but unlike the first, these monsters were huge. The shortest easily stood twice as tall as Ike, with rippling muscles and formidable horns that scraped the branches above."Holy shit," Ike muttered.


    "No kidding," Wisp replied. "Think of all the juice in those guys!"


    He glanced at her. "I don''t think they have any juice. They''re full of fire."


    She snorted. "Don''t kill my fun. I get more motivated if I think of my enemies as big, delicious bags of future jelly."


    Ike raised his brows. "You know, I''m not surprised, and yet, I know too much."


    The first one charged the web wall. It slammed into it. Wisp''s webbing stretched, but held. Before it could snap back in place, the next monster smashed into it. The web stretched further. The trees that her web was anchored to creaked. Their roots strained, lifting partially out of the earth. Another monster thumped into it, and the leaves shook as if it were in a fierce storm.


    "Shit," Wisp muttered.


    "It''s not going to hold, is it," Ike muttered back, glancing at her.


    Two more monsters hit her web. The trees toppled, taking the web with it. Some of the monsters stuck to the web, but not all of them, and there were more coming. The monsters who''d escaped the web charged to the next layer and slammed into it, only for the process to start all over again.


    "No. We can fight here, but we''ll only lose ground. We can''t hold this place," Wisp said.


    Ike nodded. "Then let''s not. We can fall back to where we set the traps. Might as well take advantage of them, rather than try to hold the river without an advantage."


    "We lose ground, though. Is that okay?" Wisp asked.


    "I''d rather lose ground than lose men. Besides, I don''t think we''re going to win this round without engaging the castle''s armaments. The castle can''t hit anything way back here. We have to get closer for it to be effective," Ike explained.


    Wisp nodded. "If you''re sure. Just remember that it''ll be harder to retake this than to hold it."


    Ike thought for a second. The giant fire monsters hammered at Wisp''s webs. The trees creaked. They''d been holding this ground easily so far, but they wouldn''t be able to hold it once Wisp''s webs all came down. Sure, they could rush and try to hold the webs, but as fast as the webs went down, that was a losing battle. He and Wisp would have to risk life and limb to hold the river crossing, and that simply didn''t make sense. They''d die or be seriously injured here, when they could fall back to the trapped land and hold it easily once more.


    "No, I think we retreat," he repeated, more certain this time.


    Wisp nodded. She transformed from giant spider back to her human form. "Let''s book it, then."


    Ike tossed a knife toward the charging fire monsters. Lightning shocked through the monster where it landed. He turned and followed Wisp.


    The fire monsters chased after them. Ike could have outrun them, holding Wisp, if necessary, but he didn''t try. Instead, he ran slowly, checking over his shoulder to make sure the monster were following him. He was trying to lead them to the killing floor, where they''d set up all their traps. It did him no good if they lost track of them on the way there.


    Wisp tossed a ball of spider thread behind her. As the monsters charged over it, it exploded, blasting them with sticky threads. The threads clung to their bodies and slowed them, but only for a moment. In the next, the fire burned the thread away.


    "New technique?" Ike asked.


    "Yeah. I haven''t managed to make it work with the fireproof thread, yet. I keep trying, but¡­" Wisp scowled. She gestured behind her.


    "We''ll have plenty of time to practice techniques once we get there," Ike said, laughing.


    "And we can also practice them on the way there," Wisp countered.


    Ike nodded, ducking his head to allow her point.


    In no time, they reached the trapped field. Ike shot a look at Wisp. "Remember where the traps are?"


    "Eh. I have threads for that," Wisp returned.


    Ike snorted. "Well, as long as you have a plan."


    Wisp threw out a line of thread and hopped onto it, vanishing into the treetops. Ike ran through the field, nimbly dodging the traps. He turned around and held his ground halfway through the field. From this point, he could fight, but he could still retreat if the pressure grew too extreme. It allowed him some room for ebb and flow, and meant that a monster who escaped beyond him wasn''t going to immediately hit the castle¡ªit''d still have to contend with the rest of the traps first.


    "This time, I''ll be the frontliner. You support and catch any who go past me!" Ike called.


    "You got it, boss," Wisp replied from somewhere nearby in the forest.


    The first of the muscular, flaming monsters reached the trapped field. Spikes bit into their feet, and they lurched to a halt. Ike instantly darted forward and took the monster''s head. His sword met some resistance, even with his Storm Clad boosted strength. Ike raised his brows. He hadn''t used River-Splitting Sword deliberately to test the monsters'' toughness, and from what he felt there, these things were no joke. Far stronger than the first round boars or the little flaming monsters from the start of the round. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even with that, they weren''t too much for him to handle. Ike cut down monster after monster. The traps didn''t fill up too much, since the monsters fell to charcoal when they died. Instead, the metal hooks and snags slowly began to melt, overwhelmed by the heat. Without the traps to slow them down, they started to break past Ike. Wisp darted across the battlefield on silky white traces. One after another, she chased down the escaped monsters and slayed them.


    At last, the monsters slowed. Ike wiped his brow, smudging charcoal across his face. How many were there in this round? There''d only been two rounds in the first set, but the second round had been a giant, boss-like monster. There was no sign of that in this round, nor after it. He took the head off another monster and lifted a hand to his brow to peer back toward where the enemies had come from. Instead of a huge monster, three columns of black smoke marched out from the back of his territory.


    "Dammit, more?" Ike complained.


    Wisp drew up alongside him, shaking a body off her forelimb. "More? Damn. How many monsters are in this round?"


    "I don''t know," Ike said. He glanced upward. But I know someone who knows.

 248. How Many More?

    Ike lifted his hands to his mouth. "Mag!"Feathers drifted down from overhead. Mag dropped from the sky and landed behind him. "What?"


    "Go ask Relin about this round. Ask her what the format is. Get every detail you can out of her. If she won''t talk, go hunt down the female scout¡­ Nett. She''s pretty bad at keeping secrets. If you poke her a few times, you should get her to spill a few too many details."


    "Got it." Mag jumped into the air again, winging off.


    The three columns of monsters approached. These ones loomed over the lower trees, their heads brushing against the upper branches. They were even more muscular than the previous batch, somehow. Bone spurs jutted out of their knees, elbows, and shoulders. Their eyes shone with ember-red light. Four horns curled from their foreheads, and they carried molten-hot weapons that somehow still held their edges, despite being so hot they lit the trees on fire as the monsters approached. Mag''s wind blew, helping to keep the fire in check, but as opposed to before, where his wind easily blew the fire away, now the tempest struggled to keep the wind at bay.


    Ike raised his sword. Without having to ask, Wisp stepped up beside him. He nodded at her, grateful. He couldn''t take these on alone any more than she could. With the two of them, they could at least stem the flow of enemies. With three even stronger monsters coming at them all at once, he wasn''t stupid enough to think they could completely prevent them from reaching the castle walls. But slowing them, only allowing one or two to reach the wall at a time, that counted as a win to him. After all, this was exactly why he''d retreated here: so that the castle''s defenses could take on some of the weight on the battle.


    "Ike!"


    He glanced up. Mag hovered overhead, his brows knitted in concern.


    "What is it?" Ike asked. The monsters rushed in. He dashed toward them, meeting their attack with one of his own.


    Mag hesitated. Below him, Ike and the monster clashed. Electric sparks danced around Ike, while embers flew from the monster. The overwhelming power of the River-Splitting Sword welled up in Ike''s blade. He slashed out. His sword cut through the monster in front of him, and gashed open the monster behind it as well.


    "So?" Ike asked, stepping back for a moment to recirculate his mana. Wisp leaped in, kicking back the next two monsters so they tripped into one another, giving Ike a little breathing room to talk and recover.


    Mag shook his head. "She says this round never ends. Or rather, no contestant has ever overcome this entire round." S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike hissed in a slow breath. "Not what I wanted to hear. Mag, tell Relin to get her men on the battlements. We''re going to need the castle''s support. Once you do that, fly loops of the territory. The second someone else''s castle falls¡ªdoesn''t matter whose¡ªlead them to my castle. We''ll hold this castle with everyone together."


    If no one had ever survived this before, then it was foolish of him to split their forces. The monsters would overwhelm any one of them alone. He could only hope that all of them together could hold all the monsters together.


    But honestly, it made a lot of sense in his head. He and Wisp couldn''t fight continuously. Neither could anyone else. They were mages, and didn''t need food, drink, or sleep, but that didn''t mean they didn''t need rest. They needed to recharge their mana and smooth their mana flows from time to time. With everyone split up like this, all the teams would be in the same position of being unable to rest. With everyone consolidated in one castle, they''d be able to rest and fight in waves. Experience new stories on empire


    His plan of keeping all the castles alive had made sense for the first round. Better everyone fight their own share, beat the round, and not have to take on multiple castles'' worth of monsters. But that paradigm made no sense with endless enemies. It just meant their forces were split, and everyone wore down at the same rate. Which was why he was switching paradigms.


    Of course, no one would just give up kingdom and retreat to his castle. Rufus would probably kill him at the mere suggestion. But that was exactly why he was having Mag watch over the other castles and grab their participants when the castles fell. The inhabitants would have already lost the battle for kingdom by dint of losing their castles. With their lives in his hands, he''d be able to pressure them into fighting legitimately, in the case of Rufus, anyways; in Scar and Vi''s cases, he was pretty sure they''d be smart enough to figure out it was best to fight with him anyways. Rufus was the only one who struck him as haughty enough to ignore base reality and replace it with his arrogance.


    Then again, I don''t know Vi well. She could be the same way. He shrugged to himself. It didn''t matter, in the end. Either they realized that he was helping them out and keeping everyone alive, or he threatened them with death if they didn''t comply. He had a plan in both cases, so there was nothing to worry about. Besides, he didn''t strictly need all four teams to survive. He needed at least two to survive, himself and one other, but aside from that, the other teams just bought him more manpower and more time to rest. In the ideal case, all four joined him, and they all gained the maximum rest and recuperation time, plus there was more total manpower to fend off future, no doubt larger monsters.


    It is problematic that we''ll all have to fend off four times the monsters, but honestly? Better to fend off an insane number of monsters for a short time than endlessly fight¡­ well, it''ll still end up as the same insane number of monsters, after all the other castles fall. It''s literally only a bonus to collect everyone at my castle.


    Ashes rained down on him. Searing heat beat against his face. A monster slammed both fists down toward Ike''s head.


    Ike leaped back, narrowly dodging the hammer punch, then darted in again. A quick swipe took the monster''s hands at the wrist. He landed on its arms and charged up them to take the monster''s head. He flipped backward, only for a huge axe to sweep toward his neck. He kicked off for another flip, dodging the axe. Before the monster could follow up its strike, Wisp dashed in. A loop of pale red thread wound around the monster''s throat. As Wisp darted away, the thread went taut. Bright red blood sprayed, and the monster''s head went flying.


    "Got your back," she said, racing away on one of the threads she''d strewn across the field.


    "Thanks, Wisp." Ike stretched, then readied his sword once more. All his planning was for the future. Right now, they had to hold the line against these monsters. If too many got past, and his castle was the one to fall, he put his life in someone else''s hands. And he knew Rufus wouldn''t be as charitable to him as he was planning to be to Rufus.


    But that''s life, isn''t it. Sometimes, you''ve got to extend a hand to the asshole just to survive. Once he was out of here, he''d make a point of never seeing Rufus again, but for now, his best route was to ally with everyone to make it out alive.


    After all, no one else had survived this round. But maybe, just maybe, with the right plan¡­ he could.

 249. Hold the Line

    The monsters kept coming. Behind Ike and Wisp, the castle''s ordinary spell formations and its cannons boomed out. The spell formations fired webs, catching the monsters in place, and the cannons blasted them away. Ike and Wisp cut down all the monsters they could, but to say they held the line wasn''t true anymore. They killed as many as they could, but that was all. Thinned the forces. Mag flew loops and dropped the occasional attack to tear into the monsters, but he didn''t contribute much to the overall battle. Ike and Wisp were the front line, while the Old Guard supported them from the walls.Wounds stacked up on Ike''s body. Burns seared his skin simply from fighting with them. There was no way to avoid it. The monsters were fire, and fire was the monsters. When they died, they released superheated liquids and steam that splashed and scalded. Their embers flew on the wind, blackening Ike and Wisp alike. When they landed a hit, their weapons burned and cut at the same time. Ike dodged most of their attacks, but the ones that got through took forever to heal. His healing struggled to handle burns and cuts at the same time. It could, but it took longer than either one on its own. And simply having his skill active meant his aether constantly drained at a low rate. Eventually, Ike took to cutting off the skill from his aether, then activating it for just long enough to get him back into fighting fit before cutting it off again. He had no idea what Wisp was doing, but she seemed even less thrilled about the fire than he was, if such a thing was possible. By the time the sun began to set on the day, she had a nasty cough, and her fingertips were black from soot.


    But at the same time, a pile of bodies gathered at their feet. Wisp clambered over them. Ike darted back and forth over the charcoal-cracked corpses. Their horns jutted up out of the pile, and he cut more and more of them down, adding to the mound. Stay connected with empire


    The last of the column rushed Ike. Wisp darted down from above. Red threads wrapped around the monster. Ike darted in. River-Splitting Sword burst from his sword. He took the monster''s head. Bright red embers trailed after it. It hit the ground and bounced.


    Ike stood. He wiped his brows. "Is that it?"


    Mag winged off. He returned a moment later and landed beside Ike. "Relin says they''ll retreat for a few hours. We have some time to recover."


    "Oh, that''s nice." If that was the case, then he wouldn''t have to worry about getting the others to his castle to have breaks. He still would, but¡ª


    "But the gaps get shorter. This one is the longest. You should take the opportunity to rest," Mag repeated, clearly rehearsing what Relin had said.


    Ike pressed his lips together. Yeah. Got it. His guesses hadn''t been wrong. Which meant he still needed to recruit the others.


    Fire roared, louder than he''d ever heard anything before. Rumbles and booms echoed off, continuing on and on for what felt like forever. Ike''s head snapped up. Without needing to be asked, Wisp grabbed him and carried him to the top of a nearby tree.


    A castle fell. Backlit by red firelight, the tower trembled, then crumbled. A huge monster, formed of dozens of the smaller monsters, punched the castle''s walls. The stones flew. The wall cracked. The huge monster kept pummeling the walls, fist after fist. Bright lights flashed from the battlements, until the walls caved in. Bodies tumbled. One last punch landed on the wall, and the castle caved in. The monster stood there for a second, then fell apart, all the smaller monsters running off into the forest.


    Rufus had fallen.


    Ike quickly scanned the horizon. Vi and Scar''s battles raged on. It was only Rufus who had crumbled.


    He sighed. "Let''s get to the wall. Rufus will be here sooner or later."


    "You think he''s coming to you?" Wisp asked.


    "I''m the only one who offered to help. Everyone else is still fighting. I guess it''s possible to be so blind that he doesn''t even realize that, but¡­ I don''t know. I think he''s headed our way," Ike said. He stepped away from Wisp and landed on the ground, jogging back to the castle.


    Wisp shrugged. She jumped onto a nearby strand and ran over the thin string, sure-footed as though she were on flat land, back to the castle''s walls. Hopping behind the battlements, she leaned forward and looked down at Ike. He looked up at her, waiting at the gates.


    "Uh oh, who is this mysterious stranger seeking to enter my castle?" Wisp asked, grinning.


    Ike crossed his hands. "Are you going to do this every time?"


    She chuckled. "Maybe." She tossed down her usual thread, and he climbed his way up.


    Mag landed beside him. "You''re right. Rufus is coming this way."


    Ike looked at him. He paused, then turned and looked at Wisp. "Am I the only one who has to be let into my own castle?"


    "You''re just realizing it now?" she asked.


    "Why can''t I fly or climb? What is this discrimination?" Ike asked, shaking his head at her.


    "All you can do is pray to be reborn as a beast," she said, shaking her head at him.


    "I think that''s considered a downgrade," Ike informed her.


    "Sure, you blind humans would consider it a downgrade. Blind humans who can''t understand the sheer superiority of spiders. But that''s okay. I''ll educate you," she reassured him, patting him on the shoulder. "And then you''ll understand the advantages of being born as the ultimate being: a spider."


    Relin cleared her throat. "Most mages at Rank 4 learn how to fly on a sword or other implement of their choosing, and many mages own instruments that allow them to fly, even at lower Ranks."


    "Ah," Ike said. His expression fell. "So you''re saying it''s just me."


    "That''s not¡­" Relin trailed off. Her brows furrowed, faintly troubled.


    Ike cracked a grin. "I''m just kidding. I probably have one of those, somewhere in the loot we took from Shopkeep. I''ve just never bothered to go through all of it."


    "To be fair, there''s a lot of loot," Wisp agreed.


    Relin looked from one to another. "Are you suggesting you have a large pool of magical devices and weapons that you''ve simply been holding on to?"


    "Yeah. I was planning to sell them, but¡­" Ike looked at Relin. "Oh. Ohhh. We could use them here, couldn''t we."


    "Yes. If you''re too busy, I''d even be willing to organize your storage space and help take inventory," Relin offered.


    "Yeah, I bet you would," Wisp snarked.


    Relin glanced at her, eyes cold. "I cannot leave this trial, nor take anything with me into the next iteration. Why would I steal your things, when they are of no use to me?"


    "She''s got a point," Ike said. He took off his storage ring and handed it over. "I know generally how much is in there. That, and the powerful artifacts all have pretty obvious mana reverberations. I might not miss one or two small things, but if you take anything big, I''ll know."


    "Of course. I wouldn''t dream of taking anything, even if I wasn''t trapped here," Relin reassured him. She accepted the ring delicately, as if she were afraid to harm it.


    Wisp squinted. "Is it just me, or does she treat you differently?"


    Ike shrugged. "I guess it''s just my animal magnetism."


    "Is that why I followed you?" Mag muttered to himself.


    Wisp pointed at him. "Yeah, with a party full of beasts, I''ve gotta agree: I think you have a different kind of animal magnetism, Ike."


    Ike rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Relin, thank you so much for offering to do the boring work of inventorying my storage ring. Everyone else, to the battlements, and look sharp. Rufus should be here any moment now." S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The rest of the Old Guard saluted. They stepped forward, and so did Ike, all of them watching, waiting for Rufus.

 250. Negotiations

    They stood there for longer than Ike expected. Fifteen, thirty, forty-five minutes passed, and still no sign of Rufus. Standing at the wall, arms crossed, Ike frowned a little to himself. Had he misread the situation? Maybe Rufus really was too proud to ever come to his door. Or maybe the monsters had killed Rufus'' men, and Rufus, down to the very last of them. Maybe he should have run over.At that thought, Ike shook his head. He wasn''t going to exert effort to help Rufus. Rufus came to him, or he didn''t, but he wasn''t going to overreach his own exhaustion to go find the man and offer him help¡ªhelp that Rufus might yet refuse. If he offered it, he was subservient to Rufus, and propping the man up. If Rufus came to him and asked for help, then Rufus was subservient to him. That was the relationship he wanted, not the former.


    Gods, I can''t even imagine. Being subordinate to Rufus? Yikes. It sounded like a way to die real fast, if he was honest. A commander who ignored the situation in front of him to listen to the biased views of his advisors¡­ yeah. If he won this, and subsequently had to hand over the reins of kingship to someone, it wouldn''t be to Rufus. Scar, maybe, or Vi. Vi definitely knew how to lead an organization, the way she ordered her men around. Scar struck him as a bit like himself; a scrappy kid who knew how to fight, but probably wasn''t that interested in leading or ruling. So I guess Vi''s the best answer. Sure, it was a little worrying handing over the kingship of¡­ who knew how many cities to an assassin clan, but on the other hand, they''d probably rule efficiently.


    Though, to be completely honest, he was pretty sure this whole trial, and the handing over of kingship, was largely symbolic. The cities here were warlike and constantly at war with one another, according to Wisp. He couldn''t imagine they''d all unite and happily bow their heads to one king or queen just because that person had passed some random trial. At best, this trial gave one of the clans some form of legitimacy to their claim of kingdom, but that was all. They''d have to beat all the other clans into submission to actually gain control of the area.


    After all, if someone suddenly declared themselves king of my homeland¡­ Ike snorted at the thought. Lord Brightbriar would have a few things to say about that. Anyone trying to take over the area would have to be legitimately strong enough to conquer every other city lord, and good luck, honestly.


    Unless the skill was that powerful. He licked his lips in anticipation. If it really was a world-shaking skill like that¡­ heh. Who cared about Lord Brightbriar''s plans and his subtle puppetry? He could simply bash his way up to his city''s highest levels and directly challenge Lord Brightbriar to a duel.


    For a moment, he allowed himself to imagine it. Him, charging through the city, tearing Lord Brightbriar from his glittering throne and mashing his face into the dirt until it completely lost its handsome features. He grinned for a few seconds, then waved his hand, banishing the thought. No skill was that powerful. Whatever the skill was, it would probably scale to the user''s Rank at best. He should consider it like Lightning Dash: a powerful edge, one that could be near-infinitely extended, but not an absolute, overwhelming power with no counter.


    Mag perked up. He''d been perched on the battlements the whole time, sitting on the very edge of the crenelations in human form, bare toes wrapped over the edge, but now he stood. "They''re coming."


    Ike stood up firmly, pushing his thoughts into the back of his mind. Wisp crept up beside him, lurking at the wall. Mag jumped off the wall, transforming his arms mid-leap. He winged up to the top of the tower and perched on the flagpole, watching from high above.


    A line of ragged figures paraded out of the forest. Rufus led them, but the old man was close behind. One of Rufus'' men was badly injured, to the point he was being carried by other mages rather than walking on their own. The mercenaries had vanished entirely, gone somewhere rather than sticking around to the bitter end. At that, Ike let out a silent sigh of relief. He hadn''t wanted to deal with those guys. He''d dodged that group as hard as he could. He didn''t want to get stuck with them after all that.


    Rufus glared up at Ike. Ike looked down at him, doing his best not to smirk. Ha. After all that nonsense, all that posturing, here you are. Looking up. Begging for help.


    Rufus gritted his teeth. He took a deep breath, then looked Ike in the eyes. "Greetings, fellow challenger."


    "Greetings," Ike returned, a bit of a grin on his lips.


    "I seek refuge," Rufus started.


    "Sure. Come on in."


    Rufus startled. He stared at Ike in surprise.


    Ike smiled. "Well, there''s a few conditions, of course. But I''m sure you, someone who has already failed the trial, would understand a few conditions, right? Your life is in the winner''s hands, after all."


    Rufus glared, but lowered his head slightly, rather to Ike''s surprise. Then again, I suppose he was just unable to react to unexpected circumstances. If he knew this trial well, then he knew it was an option to lose, but not die, and the consequences thereof. He cleared his throat and continued. "You''ll be expected to fight and follow my orders. On my signal, you will take the field. When I signal, you will retreat. Do you understand?"


    Rufus glanced at the old man. The old man nodded, and so, Rufus hesitantly nodded.


    "Hey! Eyes on me, kiddo. I''m not asking your grandpa. I''m asking you," Ike said, jabbing his finger at Rufus.


    Rufus whipped around. He glared at Ike. "What did you call me?"


    "Kiddo! If you don''t want to be treated as a child, then don''t look to someone else to answers. Give me your own answer. Do you understand? Will you follow my orders? I don''t want you to tell me that grandpa over there will follow my orders. I want you to tell me that you''ll follow my orders." Discover exclusive content at empire


    Rufus'' face flushed red. His mouth opened and shut, like a fish out of water. He started to glance at the old man, then forcibly turned his head away. Looking Ike in the eye, glaring as ferociously as Ike had ever seen him glare, he said, "Yes."


    "That''s what I''m talking about." Ike lifted his eyes to the rest of the group, including the old man. "When I say rest, you rest. When I say fight, you fight. Am I clear?"


    The mages nodded. A few saluted.


    "I can''t hear you."


    "Yes, sir!"


    Ike nodded. He looked down at the group and nodded slowly. His gaze landed on the old man, and he narrowed his eyes. "If any of you show the least sign of rebellion, I will have you executed on the spot. The trial gives me that right."


    It was complete bullshit, but they wouldn''t know that. Rufus furrowed his brows, confused and lost. The other men whispered amongst themselves, fearful. He watched the old man, waiting for him to squint or show some sign of disbelief, but the old man stared straight back, unflinching. He snorted and turned his eyes away. He couldn''t tell if the old man had seen through him and simply hadn''t reacted, or actually believed him. Between the old man and Rufus, he definitely was more cautious of the old man. Rufus was a toadie who thought he could be king. The old man was the actual threat. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "If you agree to my terms, then I accept your surrender," Ike said. "Relin, open the gates. By stepping through the gates, you indicate that you acknowledge your surrender and accept my terms."


    The gates creaked open. Rufus marched forward, his eyes glued forward, refusing to look at the old man. The old man smiled slightly and followed after him. Like that, Rufus'' men entered Ike''s forces.


    Now, we just wait for Vi and Scarlet.

 251. Preconceptions

    Rufus and his men stood in a line atop the battlements. Ike marched back and forth, looking them up and down. Wisp followed after him, miming his actions in some strange game of her own. He didn''t stop her, because the double-effect seemed to be intimidating Rufus'' foot soldiers. Even if Rufus wouldn''t obey him, if he could control the foot soldiers, he still controlled three-fifths of Rufus'' forces. That would be enough to give him an advantage.Rufus had acknowledged his rule, but he wasn''t convinced that Rufus would actually follow his orders. Saying ''yes'' to be let inside was one thing, but actually following instructions under stress was another.


    "We have injured. Tell your healer to stop following you around and heal our men," the old man snapped.


    Ike paused. He looked at the old man, his eyebrows high. "I don''t recall telling you I had a healer, nor offering any healer''s services."


    The old man nodded at Wisp. "The woman. That''s why she''s here, no?"


    Ike stared, lost. He looked at Wisp, then at the old man. "Excuse me?"


    "Women are only brought to the battlefield for the healing arts," the old man said, gesturing at Wisp again.


    Ike looked at Wisp again. She nodded at him and gave him a thumbs up. "Give me the succulent injured man. I''ll take reaaaaal good care of him." S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No," Ike said firmly. Yeah, she would eat the hell out of that guy. He turned back to the old man. "Alright, old guy. Listen. I don''t know what kind of weird-ass preconceptions you have, but dear gods, you have way too many of them. Throw them away. They''re getting in your way, and in Rufus'', too. Do you know what she is?"


    "A woman," the man said.


    "A spider beast."


    "So? She still has motherly instincts."


    Wisp cackled.


    Ike squinted at the old man. "Do you know what spiders do to their young? Because the answer isn''t ''nurture them.'' Stop applying weird preconceptions! She''s not even a human, so why the hell would she act human? And while we''re at it, why do you think women are only healers? I''ve met tons of female battle mages."


    Relin cleared her throat. She leaned toward Ike, pointing at a sword-shaped broach on the man''s chest. "I recognize his clan''s insignia. They''re a hardliner clan who strictly follow the teachings of the Father God, under an extreme-orthodox understanding of the Father God''s teachings, at that. When understood as their clan understands the scripture, the Father God has very strict rules about what roles are for men, and which are for women."


    "Does the Father God have any rules for beasts?" Ike asked.


    She licked her lips. "I believe they''re inferior and meant to be put to death or controlled."


    "Ah." Ike looked back at Rufus'' group slowly, taking them all in. "So how many of you are going to refuse to fight alongside a bunch of beasts?"


    The old man raised his hand.


    Ike nodded at the old man. "If you refuse to fight alongside beasts, then leave my castle this instant. My entire party is beasts except for myself and the Old Guard." And Shawn, but I really don''t want to know what the Father God says about mountains. Probably to shit on them, or something, the way this has been going. "If you can''t fight alongside them, then you can''t fight on my team."


    The old man nodded. He backed away, toward the edge of the wall. "So be it. We''ll try another castle. Rufus!"


    Rufus stared. He hadn''t raised his men, nor had any of the rest of them. He frowned at the old man. "You told me you had thrown aside your extremist beliefs."


    "Did I not? I haven''t slain that foul beast. I''m even standing this close to it," the old man stated.


    Rufus blinked, stunned. "I¡­"


    "Did you never encounter beasts until now?" Ike asked.


    Relin cleared her throat again. "Yourself aside, er, few people encounter, let alone party with, beasts. Most are too busy hunting monsters to consider beasts at all, except as fearsome things to avoid."


    Ike nodded. "I actually get that, yeah." Until Wisp, he hadn''t met many beasts, and it was only because he had Wisp on his side that he even thought of recruiting Mag. Experience more tales on empire


    Turning back to Ike, Rufus continued, "The clan threw aside the old patriarch, who insisted on strict obedience to the Father God, three generations ago. The rest of us loosely follow the Father God, and plenty clan members no longer follow the Father God at all. I¡­" He looked at the man again, then subtly stepped away from him.


    "Maybe you shouldn''t listen to him and him alone¡­?" Ike suggested.


    "I may have made a mistake," Rufus allowed, looking at the old man in a new light.


    The old man clicked his tongue. "You''re wiser than this, Rufus. I''ve lead you all this time. I never lead you wrong. Follow me. We''ll find a stronger team."


    Rufus looked at Ike, then at the old man. He shook his head. "Stronger team? No. You led me here for a reason. You know Ike has the most powerful team, the same as I do. The only reason you''re walking away is because¡­ like Ike said, you refuse to look at reality in front of you. Until you knew Ike''s team was full of beasts, you were perfectly happy to cooperate with him. You won''t cooperate with beasts because they''re beasts, not because they''re weak.


    "You led me until this moment, but I won''t let you lead me astray now. Seek yourself a different team." Rufus snorted, laughing at himself in a bitter tone. "Or did you lead me to Ike, not because he was powerful, but because he was a man? Only to flee, when you find out he''s allied with beasts? You''re a fool, Peter. Begone from my sights."


    The old man grimaced. He shook his head. "You''ll be back. You''ll see." With that, he hopped off Ike''s battlements and vanished into the forest.


    "Well, well, well, Rufus. That was way more perceptive than I expected from you," Ike said, teasing him just a little.


    Rufus grimaced. "Your words earlier made me think. When he rejected you now¡­ it simply became clear. I don''t like you, but I acknowledge your strength. I don''t ever think I''ll like you. That isn''t important, though, is it?"


    "No. And I would say that the feeling is thoroughly mutual," Ike returned with a nod.


    "Hey, anyone want to give me the weak, tasty people?" Wisp asked, peering around Ike.


    The wounded man flinched away. "Don''t give me to her."


    "We don''t have a healer, but he can rest and heal himself in the castle. As for the rest of you¡­" Ike gestured them into the round room. "Let''s take a few moments to figure out our strategy."

 252. Strategy Time

    The round room was packed with everyone in it. Relin had started to shoo the Old Guard out, until Ike told her to let them stay. They were just as much a part of this plan as anyone else. He looked around the room. The only member missing was Rufus'' injured underling, who was resting deep in the castle''s basement.At the start of the meeting, Relin stepped forward. "My men can fight directly in this round, if you like. Please don''t forget that."


    "I would still rather your men manned the defenses. If you want to fight, I can consider working you in, but I want to keep the people who know how the defenses work to man the defenses," Ike replied.


    Relin looked at her men. They glanced amongst one another, then shrugged. She turned back to Ike. "Then I believe we are content manning the defenses for now."


    "Excellent. Here''s the plan. These waves are not going to stop coming for a long time. We are going to beat them by swapping in and out. In other words, on the next wave, me and my people are going to go out. We''ve managed the previous wave better than you, and we have some time to rest. When we''re tired, or the next round ends, we''ll swap out, and it''s your turn to fight." Ike looked around Rufus'' men. "While you''re in, your job is twofold. One, rest so you''re prepared for the next round. Two, if you have time and energy, hit the enemies from the walls while we''re fighting. Help fend them off from the walls. Make sense?" Ike asked.


    The men nodded. Rufus crossed his arms and barely lowered his head.


    "If you don''t, you can join grandpa outside. I have no time for slackers or people who aren''t going to hold my own weight. Open sabotage gets you executed."


    He looked across the line, smiling a little. "But I hope we can work well together, as equals. I only warn you because of our rocky start. I see you as equals, truly, and I hope we can be allies."


    The men nodded. Rufus ignored him.


    "Well, except for Rufus. He''s kind of an ass," Ike said.


    "Go fuck yourself," Rufus snapped.


    Some of Rufus'' men chuckled. Ike glanced at them and caught them grinning at him. I''m not the only one with low opinions of Rufus. He seems like someone who bought his way into power or was born into it, rather than earning it.


    Though, thinking of it, Vi had been born into power, hadn''t she? As the heir to an assassin sect. But compared to Rufus, she was far better suited to leading. Not like that''s a high bar.


    Ike clapped. "Everyone go rest, except the Old Guard. I want you guys fixing and improving our defenses. If there''s any materials you need that we can procure for you, let us know. Otherwise, I want everyone doing nothing but resting until the next round starts."


    The people dispersed. Ike watched them go. As Mag left, he snagged the boy by his over-large red coat. "Hey. Wait for a minute, huh?"


    Mag jerked to a halt. He glared at Ike, then sighed and walked over to the wall, waiting. Ike waited as well, standing by the desk. When it was just him and Mag, he nodded at the bird. "Watch over everyone. You aren''t too tired, right? Keep an eye on things. I''ll ask you to do less in the next round."


    Mag nodded. "Yeah, yeah. I figured it''d be something like that."


    "Ask Relin''s scouts to keep an eye on Rufus'' crew, too. And tell them to watch out for grandpa," Ike added. "Honestly, he''s the one I actually want you to watch for."


    "Why?" Mag asked.


    Ike waved his hand. "It doesn''t matter. Just be on alert for him."


    Mag nodded. "Okay."


    "That was all," Ike said. He waved Mag away. The bird nodded and retreated, flapping the second he left the room.


    With everyone gone, Ike pressed his hands on the table and stared at the wall. After a few seconds, he sighed. The mana was still thick enough here to absorb it and recover his aether and his physical state, so instead of leaving the room, he just sat down on the table and began to meditate. He had been knocked down to half his total aether by the earlier rounds of battle. If he''d been forced to fight unendingly, without rest, he wouldn''t have been able to last until the end of the battle. It''s as I thought. We have to ally, or else we lose. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Is that the true meaning of this round? Keeping all your competitors alive is only part of it. You also have to be aware enough of tactics to swap on the fly, and not only that. Your competitors can''t just be alive, they have to be willing to enter your castle and earnestly fight alongside you. Not just the strategic mind to keep your supposed competition alive, but the strength to outlast all of them and the charisma, or influence, or power to recruit them when their castles fall. He wasn''t really sure why Rufus had come to his castle¡ªwell, no. I know. It''s because grandpa''s fucked up in the head, and Rufus is a puppet. But to be honest, winning Rufus wasn''t deserved. If Rufus controlled his own destiny, Ike was sure he wouldn''t have come to his castle. But he didn''t, and so, Ike won on a weird technicality.


    A second later, he shrugged. At the end of the day, a win was a win. And now that he had Rufus, he''d be able to recruit the girls to his castle on sheer momentum. Though in the case of Vi and Scar, he''d already laid the framework to get them on his side. His alliance with Scar, for example, and offering help to Vi.


    When it came to those two, it felt as if he''d put in the work. He''d at least made some effort to get them on his side. Rufus¡­ he''d trash-talked and received his fair share of shit from Rufus himself. He hadn''t earned Rufus.


    No, no. A win is a win. Who cares if I earned the win or not? Rufus didn''t earn a single thing he has, so why should I earn him? I''ll take him for free. Fucking loser. Discover stories with empire


    Loser or not, Rufus was on his team, now. He pushed his personal (low) opinion of Rufus away and focused on meditating. Now that they were allies, he''d work hard to stay allies. He wasn''t going to ruin their alliance because he didn''t like the guy.


    Not while they were stuck in the trial, anyways.

 253. The Battle Continues

    A roar broke Ike out of his meditation. He sat up, checking his aether levels. Over three-quarters full, almost completely full. Good enough. He hopped off the table and headed outside.Mag swooped down the second he saw Ike. He landed in a bounce and walked alongside Ike, strutting a little on habit. "Didn''t see anything funny from Rufus and his bunch. But I saw that old guy, like you told me to look out for. He''s out there." He pointed his wing at the forest. "On the right side."


    "Got it," Ike said. As expected, he''s loitering. This was why he''d put himself and his team out in the forest first, in case the old man did exactly what he''d expected him to do, exactly what he had done. Typical of the old man to totally ignore Mag''s capabilities as a bird, with excellent eyesight. If he couldn''t see past physical characteristics, he''d totally overlook Mag. How he''d managed to survive so long was a mystery to Ike, but then, as Relin had said, encounters with beasts were rare. And maybe the old man was strong for his Rank. Not that it mattered. He cracked his knuckles, grinning a little. Whether he''s here to convince Rufus away or pick a fight, there''s only one way this is ending. And it''s not well for him.


    Wisp walked up next to Ike. She raised her eyebrows. "We boutta hammer someone?"


    "Yeah. Well¡­ I am. I need you to hold the line while I''m busy."


    Wisp saluted. "Just shout if you need some help curbstomping the old man." S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike mock-gasped. "How''d you know?"


    She rolled her eyes. "Who else would it be?"


    "Fair enough. Keep your ears open. I think he''s weaker than me, but I''m not sure," Ike said. The old man could be hiding his strength, and he couldn''t forget that the trial allowed in people up to Rank 4. He could fight Rank 4s, but it wasn''t easy. When he mixed in the monsters that would simply exist in the next round, he could easily see himself getting pressured, injured, or even losing. He wasn''t going to hesitate to call on Wisp if he needed to. Honestly, he would have brought her from the start, used overwhelming force and the power of numbers to crush the old man and forget him immediately, but he really needed someone to hold the front line.


    "You got it, boss," Wisp said, putting her hands behind her head.


    As he walked up to the wall, Relin jogged up beside him. She handed him his ring. "I''ve organized it by category and strength. The most powerful items are at the end of each category. You had no flight-enabling relics, but there are plenty of one-time-use battle items and potions, if you need them. Both healing potions and performance-enhancing potions, to be clear."


    "Oh, neat," Ike said. He slipped the ring back on his finger. Running his hand over the band, he briefly sent his consciousness inside. All the random items had been sorted into neat lines and rows, and tidily ordered as well. He had a wild assortment of weapons he didn''t know how to use, from ornamental swords and sabers to spears, daggers, chains, and polearms. There was plenty of money, in various denominations and form factors, and ornamental items¡ªchairs, wallpaper, wall scrolls, art, that kind of thing. Those he ignored. He had a good sword, and he didn''t know how to use the rest of them. Aside from throwing a dagger or something, he was good on weapons, and furniture obviously had no place in a battlefield.


    A few different talismans sat in piles, with two of them separated out specially. He scanned those two in particular. One was a powerful ice attack, and the other was a sealing technique that would pin down his opponent''s movements. He nodded slowly, raising his brows. I didn''t even know. The rest of the talismans were relatively weak attacks, below his actual strength level, but since they didn''t take much of his aether to activate, they were still worth using.


    The potions were organized by type and strength as well. Some of them were condensed into tight pills, but from the mana emanations radiating from them, they were just as powerful as the potions, and with similar mechanisms. There were lots of healing potions and pills of various strength, and plenty of potions that restored mana as well. Strength- and mana-boosting potions were ordered by strength. One was set apart. It emanated a fierce aura, but maybe too fierce of an aura.


    As if she knew which item Ike was looking at, Relin cleared her throat. "There is a potion you should be careful with. It''s the most powerful one, but it also has powerful drawbacks. It will boost you to the next Rank temporarily, but its backlash, if not handled properly, will shake your core and threaten your future ascension. I would avoid it at all costs. In fact, it''s the kind of potion I might give to an enemy, not a friend." Read new chapters at empire


    "Damn," Ike muttered. He turned his eyes away from that potion. Not for this fight, then. He couldn''t even think of a scenario where he''d use it. Not unless his life was on the line, and even then, he''d have to be pressed beyond the point where he could think of a way out of it. Relin''s last words lingered in his mind. I might give it to an enemy. He snorted. Maybe that''s what I''ll end up doing.


    For a second, he let himself contemplate that Shopkeep had given him such a dangerous potion, but he dismissed it in the next moment. He and Wisp had willfully looted Shopkeep''s vaults. Shopkeep couldn''t be blamed for failing to warn them about the loot they''d stolen from him. Besides, who said he even remembered the potion? He had so much in his vault, and not only that, he was only a piece of the original man, who''d then been locked underground for gods-only-knew how long. Reading too much into it was his mistake, so he didn''t.


    He nodded at Relin. "Thank you."


    "You''re welcome." She saluted.


    Ike hopped off the wall and ran into the forest. Wisp descended, running along her spiderweb lines to the trapped field.


    Behind him, Rufus stepped out from behind a nearby wall. He stared after Ike. "Going to kill Peter¡­?"

 254. A Duel in the Dark

    the sun hadn''t yet risen. a full night had not passed, merely a few hours. ike sprinted through the scorched woods toward the place mag had pointed to. he didn''t try to be stealthy or subtle. no one from the castle could keep up with him, and he didn''t care if the old man knew he was coming; he''d fight him all the same, one way or the other. sear?h the n?vel?ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.he dodged through the woods, closing in on the location. a figure loomed out of the woods. the old man turned, then harrumphed when he saw ike. "i expected such uncouth behavior from you."


    "oh yeah?" ike asked, slowing.


    "indeed. a poor, uneducated fool like yourself would naturally seek revenge, like the pathetic lower class swine you are," the old man sneered, looking down at ike in disgust.


    "i''m poor?" ike asked, touching the collar of his white-and-gold robes.


    "clearly. wearing such gaudy robes? it''s a clear sign that you''re faking wealth, trying to appear wealthy. the fact that you wore such unsuitable fine robes into a trial shows that you have no other robes, proving that you are in fact poor. it''s so obvious i could laugh."


    ike glanced at his newly-organized storage ring and chuckled. "you and your weird-ass preconceptions. i''m¡­" he paused. "poor. i''m poor."


    "as i deduced," the old man declared haughtily. he drew a sparkling sword, forged from some mysterious material, and beckoned ike with his other hand. "now come."


    ike charged in. he didn''t activate any of his skills, but simply attacked the man with the river-splitting sword''s ordinary swordplay. the old man''s sword met his, and his eyes widened. he jumped back, jerking his sword away.


    "noticed, did you? the extraordinary properties of a truly powerful weapon. yes, that''s right. this is a blade that can eat other blades. with every sword it eats, it grows stronger, sharper and harder, more resilient."


    ike glanced at his sword. there was a thin slash where they''d met, so that he couldn''t be sure if it had merely been cut by the man''s sword, or if the old man''s sword had actually ''eaten'' his sword.


    the old man laughed. "now then, come at me once more. let''s see how long that cheap equipment of yours can hold up."


    "yeah, yeah. i''m poor. i know it," ike said. rather than empower himself with his skills, he lifted his sword again. he hadn''t honed river-splitting sword in a long time. he''d miss his sword, but he had more swords in his inventory, and once he killed the old man, he''d have yet another sword. he grinned to himself.


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    their swords clashed. they fought back and forth, each of them striking to kill. smoke billowed through the forest, and large shapes loomed nearby. mid-strike, ike activated storm clad. lighting crackled over his body and his sword, and his blow grew stronger and faster. that''s right. as much as i want to play around and hone my skills, there''s a real battle going on here. i can''t waste time with this man.


    "ha!" the old man''s eyes glowed with green light. his body bulged, and rank 4 power emanated from his body. he met ike''s strike and matched him, blow for blow. if anything, the man slightly pressured ike, his blows stronger.


    but at the same time, the fizzling numbness from ike''s lightning wore on the man. he gritted his teeth more and more as the battle wore on, flinching away from ike''s hits ever-so-slightly.


    now! ike shifted his hand on his sword grip, feathering his fingers over the storage ring. as he struck, he unleashed a half-dozen fire talismans at the man.


    the man stared. there was no time to retreat, not with ike''s blade bearing down on him. the talismans struck him and blasted off, throwing his body forcibly back.


    "but how? you''re poor¡­!" the old man gasped.


    "and talismans are expensive, i know. it''s almost like you''re wrong, dumbass," ike said. he slashed upward, cutting the old man''s chest open. blood poured out.


    "i refuse!" the old man snarled. he jumped toward ike, swinging with all his might. his sword didn''t reach ike, but it didn''t have to. blade energy surged out, cutting through the air toward ike.


    ike cut upward as the blade energy approached him. his sword caught the blow and resisted it, but it fought against him. he grimaced and put his hand against the blade of his sword, pushing it against the sword energy. a thousand tiny marks marred his sword where it had met the old man''s. even a flat-on-flat touch left his sword scarred. now, it hummed, the whole thing trembling. metal grated on metal.


    ike''s sword broke. the slash burst through and cut into his abdomen. some of its energy had been worn off from the clash, and more dissipated when it met storm clad, but it still cut deep into his ribs. ike stumbled back.


    the old man charged in. "you fool. now die!"


    "nah." ike''s hand flashed. a fresh sword appeared in his grip. he blocked the blow as the wound on his chest knitted shut. pushing his mana into the blade, he sent as large a blast of lightning through their touching blades as he could. the old man''s eyes rolled back in his head. he trembled, stunned.


    "you fool, die," ike mocked the man.


    he kicked the man in the chest, sending him to the ground. his sword spun away, knocked out of his hand. the man tried to rise, only to stumble and fall back down. "no, please."


    stepping forward, ike raised his sword. "would you stop if i begged?"


    a shadow appeared behind ike. rufus walked forward, drawing his sword. he lifted it over ike''s back.


    without turning, ike laughed. "choose right now. live your entire life as a puppet, or be reborn from this day as your own man."


    the man stared up at rufus. he reached out to him. "rufus, my child. since your father was assassinated, i raised you like my own. please. save me! strike down this fool."


    rufus'' eyes darted from one to another. the old man, prone on the ground. ike, standing over him. his hand tensed on the sword.


    the old man crawled toward him. "rufus, please. my child¡­"


    abruptly, rufus leaped forward, striking out.

 255. A Choice

    rufus slashed out. his blade cut into the old man''s neck. the old man startled. his eyes widened as his head flew away.his body sagged to the ground with a thump. rufus stood over him, breathing heavily. he stared at the old man.


    "you don''t control me. no one controls me." sear?h the n?velfire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ike edged past him. "excuse me, pardon me¡­" he stole the old man''s sword from his hand, then turned the body over to unbuckle the scabbard from his waist.


    panting, rufus turned his blade toward ike. "you¡ª"


    "never looted a body before, young master? you should give it a try sometime. hey! why not start now?" ike pulled the belt free and stepped back, gesturing for rufus to have a go. "i only took the sword. rest of the loot''s yours. who knows what else that old coot has on him? money, relics¡­ bet there''s all kinds of valuable items on him."


    rufus lifted his lip. "you vicious cur."


    "if you''re not going to¡­" ike moved toward the old man''s body again.


    rufus blocked his path. "i''ll do it. don''t you touch him."


    ike put his hands up. "alright, alright. hey, but be quick about it. we''ve got a battle to fight, and i need you rested before the next fight." he patted rufus on the shoulder and walked away. i already took everything i want from this man. no need to piss rufus off to fully loot him.


    rufus flinched away from ike''s touch. he stared at the dead body before him for a few more moments, as if barely able to believe his own eyes. at last, he bent and picked through the man''s robes, looking for what he''d left behind.


    ike looked over his new sword. a blade that eats weapons and empowers itself. he ran a hand over the sword, curious. it was made of a strange material. he wasn''t sure if it was metal or biological in nature, but it was covered in a thousand tiny blades, each one so sharp that it was impossible to touch the sword without coming away with a hundred cuts, as he quickly found out. none of them were deep, though, and his hand healed in the blink of an eye. the whole sword twinkled in the light, shining like it was studded with crystal, but it was an opaque, dead gray where it didn''t sparkle. the hilt was a simple affair, though he suspected more by necessity than design. only the toughest material could encase a blade so corrosive, and so, the hilt was a block of heavy, dark wood, wound about with equally thick and resistant leather. it wasn''t a pleasure to hold, but neither did it hurt.


    ike spun it a few times, testing its weight. it was heavier than his old sword, even though it had the same reach. he thrust it, slashed it, then shrugged. it was a good weapon. uniquely poorly suited to river-splitting sword, as a thick, strangely textured sword; it caught the air and slowed his strikes, and its relatively broad, blunt edge made it hard to project slices. but then again, the old man had, so it clearly wasn''t impossible.


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    i''ll see it as training, ike decided, sheathing it for now. its weight would improve his strength and endurance, while its relatively blunt edge would force him to work harder to project blade energy. if he could swing this sword as easily as a normal sword and project blade energy from it without hesitation, he''d be even better with a blade when he reverted to an ordinary sword, without any of this strange sword''s drawbacks.


    a few characters carved into the butt of the hilt caught his eye. he leaned in.


    hungry sword, they read.


    "heh. hungry? then i suppose i''ll have to feed you," ike muttered. "i''ll warn you now, though, the food''s a bit hot."


    the sword had nothing to say.


    ike ran toward the enemies, aiming to intercept their line and fight his way back to wisp. the huge monsters loomed out of the trees. ike hopped up onto the trees'' low branches and hopped from tree to tree, speeding toward the monsters.


    one of the monsters turned. bright red eyes seared toward him, leaving traces in the dark of night. it lunged for ike, shattering trees as if it were brushing aside long grass. ike slashed, trying to push aether through the hungry sword. nothing happened, except that the sword grew warm in his grasp.


    as expected, it really was harder to exert any sort of sword energy with the hungry sword. he hopped over the creature''s grab and landed on its arm. when he''d done it on the smaller, weaker version, he''d felt nothing. this monstrosity was so huge, so hot, that its arm instantly began baking his leather soles. heat beat into his feet. he jerked his feet up as soon as they touched down, high-kneeing it up the monster''s arm. the monster shook its arm. he leaped for its throat, swinging his sword with all his might.


    the edge of the hungry sword made contact with the monster''s neck, and the whole sword began to tremble, then vibrate. each of the thousand tiny blades on the sword''s surface shook individually, as if quaking with anticipation. the whole thing was utterly bizarre, strange to the utmost. the blades sawed through the giant monster''s neck as they made contact.


    embers flew. ashes rained down. despite the relative bluntness of the sword''s edge, the sword bit through the monster like a hot knife through butter. ike felt almost no resistance. the monster''s head fell away, its eyes wide in surprise.


    ike looked at his sword. he raised his eyebrows. "holy shit. i was fighting against that?" his estimation of the old man''s strength plummeted. with a sword like that, how could the old man lose? the sword did half the work!


    then again, i''m fighting monsters, not people. maybe it''s different.


    pushing off the monster''s body as it slowly toppled to the ground, ike jumped toward the next monster. it swung an axe at him bigger than his whole body. ike smashed his sword into the axe. the blades came to life again¡ªif anything, even more greedily than before. they chewed through the axe, grinding along its surface. the blades couldn''t simply destroy the solid metal axe the way they destroyed the monster''s neck, but they left a deep score on the axe''s surface. the sword clung to the axe, sticking to it as long as possible. ike had to yank it away on the backswing.


    the force of the axe and sword meeting threw ike back. he flew straight through the forest and smacked into the back of the monster in front of him. that monster turned. the monster he''d been fighting stomped after him. it raised its axe high again as the other monster lifted its foot.


    ike stared from one to the other, caught between an axe and a hard place. uh oh.

 256. Between a Foot and an Axe

    the monster stomped down on him, while the other swung its axe. caught in between, ike stared between the two of them.uh oh.


    he surged his aether to lightning dash and leaped backward. the monster''s foot slammed down inches in front of him, so close he felt the heat simmering off its heel. he instantly slashed at the back of its foot. the hungry sword tore through its charcoal flesh, half-severing the foot. the monster stumbled as its stance suddenly became uneven. the other monster retracted its axe at the last second, barely missing the other monster''s neck. the monster with the cut ankle growled and lunged at the one who''d swung his axe. the two monsters clashed, raining embers down on ike.


    ike hesitated for a moment, considering third-partying, then shook his head. he needed to get back to wisp. she couldn''t hold the line alone. dodging past the monsters ahead of him, he raced toward the field where he''d left wisp.


    she stood at the midpoint of the field. it was almost unrecognizable now. it was so draped in spider thread he could barely see the ground or the trees. when the monsters walked into the thread, they set it alight, which triggered the balls of spider silk she''d left in the thick webs. those balls spewed spider thread all over the monsters, which then set alight and burned the monsters. he wouldn''t have expected that to do anything to monsters which were already on fire, but that was his mistake. the fire slowed them down and chewed into them, weakening their bodies. wisp sat back, lobbing spider thread at them to slow them further and help burn them.


    "how''s it going?" ike asked, coming up beside her.


    "not bad. i''m trying to figure out the lowest-energy way to defeat these guys, since this is obviously more a battle of endurance and attrition than strength."


    "you do seem to have it pretty handled," ike commented. find adventures at empire


    "eh. it''s working, kind of. i just can''t get close to them, so it''s less than optimal." she nodded at him. "new sword?"


    "yeah, and it''s hungry," ike said, showing her the butt of the hilt.


    wisp snorted. "how very villainous of you."


    "excuse you. i liberated this from a villain. it''s rightful spoils," ike said, taping the sword.


    "i take it you did well, then?" she asked.


    ike nodded. "he went down like a chump. rufus showed up to land the final blow."


    "oh. so¡­ he''s okay with it?" wisp asked, confused.


    ike wiggled his hand. "not sure. we''ll find out, i guess. as far as i''m concerned, i''m fine with it. i''m not good at lies and subterfuge most of the time. i''d rather everyone just know what had happened, and let them deal with it."


    "suppose that''s fair. we sure aren''t working hard to keep our allies, huh," wisp commented.


    ike shrugged. "depending on how you look at it, we''re working very hard to keep our allies. we''re not being very political about it, but we''re doing all the ground work."


    wisp laughed. "yeah, yeah. not that i care. if they don''t wanna fight with us, i''ll eat ''em."


    "you know, when you say it like that, i almost believe you."


    "almost?"


    "okay, no. i believe you," ike said. he stepped forward, raising his new sword. "you hit ''em and slow ''em, and i finish ''em off?"


    "works for me," wisp replied.


    the monster lurked closer. ike spun his new sword, feeling its full weight, and dashed in.


    fire burned the monsters, slowing them. the spider threads fed the flames, forcing the monsters to burn hotter. getting close felt like approaching a huge bonfire, times a hundred. ike felt his skin crisp, then his healing skill kick in to mend some of the damage on repeat, over and over. still, he kept going, racing in, toward the heat and the flames. he slashed their ankles, forcing them to fall, then whipped around. bouncing off the spider threads, he jumped up, up, up, then dropped down, hammering the back of the monsters'' heads with the hungry sword. at first, he just used brute strength and the hungry sword''s unique properties to cut through monster after monster, but after a time, he started using the river-splitting sword.


    the hungry sword wasn''t well suited to the technique, but that was exactly why he had to practice using the two together. the river-splitting sword was an elegant, quick-moving technique, where the practitioner moved so fast, and with so much force, that their blade could split a river. the hungry sword was a few short steps from a blunt object, and heavy to boot. it didn''t move fast, nor elegantly. it felt a bit like swinging a tree trunk around instead of a sword. on top of that, it had a mind of its own, and a tendency to cling to weapons and lunge toward metal. getting tossed about by ones'' sword wasn''t a part of the river-splitting sword¡ªthough i have a feeling it isn''t part of any sword technique.


    at last, ike jumped back. wiping soot and sweat from his brow, he stared at the sword. "hey. listen. i''ve befriended spiders and mountains alike. if there''s a mind in there, talk to me. what do you want? i''m willing to negotiate."


    the sword trembled. it didn''t say anything, but it pulled his arm toward the next monster, and more specifically, its giant axe.


    he did say it eats blades. ike glanced at the axe, then back at the sword. "listen. cooperate with me. if we''re not fighting one another, i can kill those big guys quicker. and you know what more dead big guys means? more dropped axes. after the battle, i''ll go back and feed you all those axes, as long as you fight alongside me now. how''s that sound?"


    the sword paused. it held completely still for a few long moments, as though thinking. after a long moment, it buzzed again.


    "is that a yes?"


    one buzz.


    "i''ll¡­ take that as a yes." ike whirled the sword and approached the next monster. "let''s kill some monsters and get you those swords!" sea??h th§× nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    the sword trembled in excitement.

 257. Sword Talking

    ike leaped forward, and this time, the sword didn''t fight him or struggle toward the axes. it obeyed his command, moving almost as neatly as his old sword had. unlike his old sword, he felt a sense of togetherness with this sword, a real feeling of cooperation. this sword was a partner, not just a weapon.strangely, there was a sense of darkness to the sword. something cold and unpleasant, that he wasn''t fond of. but then, it had been held by a rude old man until recently. maybe it''d picked it up from him. as long as i overwrite that darkness with cooperation, we should be fine. it''s just an undercurrent, so it probably isn''t anything to worry too much about.


    besides, it was just a sword. if it became too troublesome, he''d just throw it aside. he put his thoughts to the back of his mind and kept fighting. weakened by the flames, the monsters were relatively easy to cut down. it kept them from fighting harder than the previous round of monsters. without the flames wisp was coaxing out and teasing around them, they''d be nightmarishly difficult to destroy or control. instead, they were only difficult to handle.


    ike twisted his lips. i''m not sure i can entrust them to rufus'' team. we might have to keep fighting when rufus'' men take the field, but just fight less hard. it''s not the difference between running and resting, but it''s at least the difference between sprinting and jogging. it wasn''t the best situation, but it was better than nothing. then again, maybe the next castle would fall before that happened, and they''d be able to put both b teams on one big b team.


    not that i''m hoping for another castle to fall¡­ but i kind of am. after all, rufus'' team had failed the previous round, fighting on their own. they''d had the old guy with them, but for all that he was an asshole who couldn''t find his rear with both hands, given that he''d decided it was on his head to begin with, he''d probably fought as part of rufus'' fighting forces. killing the old man had kept him from continuing to whisper stupid plans in rufus'' ear, but rufus and his men were also just weak. not only that, but one of rufus'' remaining men was injured. it left rufus with four men total, and three of them in fighting fit, better than ike''s fighting force of two-and-a-half, but ike wasn''t at all convinced that rufus'' three could hold up to his two.


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    an axe hurtled down at him, startling him out of his thoughts. ike threw his sword up over him, bracing the blade with his other hand. the axe smashed into the hungry sword, and came away with a deep nick in it. at the same time, the force pushed the hungry sword''s infinitely bladed surface into ike''s palm. blood ran freely, all the way down to his elbow. ike grimaced against the pain and instantly pushed aether into his body reforging art to compensate for the injury.


    the wound healed, but the body reforging art kept going. the axe lifted away, freeing ike to look at his palm. the skin of his palm had grown back, but there was a faint metallic sheen to it. he touched it, and felt cold metal, but when he moved his palm, the metal moved with him. what the¡­


    the metal sheen faded away. his hand went back to being normal. ike frowned. forcibly, he pushed aether into his palm, trying to activate the metal sheen again. it took him a moment to remember how the aether had flowed, but then it clicked, and a metal sheen appeared on his palm again. carefully, he pressed the metallic part of his hand against the hungry sword.


    the blades clattered, as if on metal. they still cut his hand, but less deeply than before.


    "it seems i''ve been neglecting something important," ike muttered. the body reforging art wasn''t just a healing technique, nor a technique limited to full-body reforges. he could reforge parts of his body, too. his hands, his feet, any part of him.


    the monster raised its axe again, determined to slam ike into the ground. ike went to run, then stopped. he lifted his sword again, bracing it with his hand once more. the body reforging art had activated under these exact circumstances. if he stood here and let the monster keep beating on him, would it keep activating?


    whoosh! the axe swung. metal clattered on metal. the hungry sword purred, all its blades trembling. it cut into his metal palm again, and he activated the body reforging art again.


    once more, that secondary effect kicked off. like tempering steel, his hand grew stronger with every blow. ike braced himself and stood there, sword raised, waiting for the monster to strike again.


    "you okay, ike?" wisp shouted.


    "never been better!" ike shouted back.


    she pursed her lips and threw her hands up. "if you say so! i guess i''ll shout if i need help, huh?"


    "you do that!"


    ktang! axe met sword. over and over. ike''s hand grew stronger, and the hungry sword took bites out of the axe. at last, frustrated with the first monster''s incompetence, a second monster pushed it aside. it raised its axe, and so did the first.


    i wonder¡­ ike released the hilt of his sword and clung to the blade with both hands. the monsters hammered down on him, and the body reforging art activated¡ªthis time on both hands.


    over and over. three monsters, then four, then five, until ike was completely surrounded and the axe blows resounded unendingly. his arms trembled. his core ached. his legs bent slightly. the ground beneath him gave way, sinking into the surrounding earth. two deep footprints stood out in the dirt where his feet were slowly pummeled deeper. the hungry sword rumbled in happiness, biting deep into the axes. ike clenched his teeth and braced himself, letting the blows forge his metal hands. from a metal sheen, to a metal coating, until his palms seemed to be entirely made of metal. s~ea??h the n??efire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ike held out, hoping for more, but it seemed like that was as far as this level of force could take him. a vague sense of disappointment flowed over him, but then, he knew he couldn''t handle much more than this right now. not if he wanted to continue fighting afterward.


    he waited, counting the blows. five, six, seven¡ªhere it is! the break! kicking out of the holes his feet had dug in the earth, ike dashed to the side. the next axe struck earth instead of him. the monster tilted its head, then looked up. their eyes met.


    ike tossed the hungry sword to his main hand and charged in. he smiled. "thanks for your help! now die."

 258. Metal Palms

    ike dashed toward the monsters. they stared at him, startled, but only for an instant. in the next, they rounded on him as one, swinging their axes. a wall of blades cut toward ike, the axes all striking at the exact same time so there was no escape.not that ike was going to escape.


    he rushed directly toward them, swinging with all his strength. the hungry sword crackled with lightning. he smashed the axes without hesitation. there was a sharp snap, as if something had clacked its teeth shut, and the axes burst into a thousand tiny pieces.


    ike blinked. he stared at the sword. didn''t expect that. he''d been planning to shatter the axes, weakened by the hungry sword as they were. the hungry sword deciding to finish the job on its own was beyond his expectations.


    the monsters, too, had been stunned for a moment by the loss of their axes. not only that, but they found themselves overreached and over-swinging. ike recovered first. his body blurred. he dashed from one monster to the next, reappearing for just long enough to take the monster''s throat before vanishing once more. the monsters thrashed, unable to respond in time.


    it wasn''t that the new technique made him faster. it had no bearing on his speed. but allowing the monsters to wear themselves out hammering on him first meant he was now immeasurably faster than them. to the contrary, ike felt reinvigorated because of the body reforging art. it was only a temporary effect. the skill had still drawn on his aether stores, and eventually the other shoe would fall. but right now, his body was flush with aether, and he felt powerful.


    not wanting to waste his time while aether pumped through his veins, ike raced toward the next group of monsters the second he cleared the ones who''d been hammering on him. he and the hungry sword bit into the monster''s necks, one after another. the monsters toppled behind him before they could even reach wisp''s fire traps.


    "damn, don''t hold back too much," wisp snarked. she sat back in her webs, content to watch and rest while he went nuts on the beasts.


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    embers flew and heads rolled. the monsters posed no threat to the empowered ike, at least not for as long as he surged with strength. it was like they moved in slow motion. they couldn''t dream of harming him.


    a faint note of alarm sounded in his heart. if he was this strong now, how much aether had he used on the body reforging art, without even realizing it? though at the same time, he couldn''t hate the results. he''d needed the steel hands to effectively use the hungry sword. if he hadn''t allowed the body reforging art to reforge his body into a more resilient form, he would have continuously injured himself from the hungry sword''s blade. even if he didn''t brace it, the edge where the hilt met the blade shivered continuously, chewing for his skin, and whenever his hand impacted it, it bled¡ªunless he had the steel palms active. then the blades cut at the steel, and failed to cut it away.


    though, come to think of it, it can eat other blades, so why do the steel palms protect me? ike glanced at his hands, then shrugged. it wasn''t as if he was complaining. plus, his palms weren''t literal metal, they just looked like metal. it was probably better understood as ''a metal-appearing layer of aether'' rather than actual metal palms. the hungry sword''s hunger had been confined to physical objects, so far. it hadn''t shown any intention to devour mana, aether, or spells.


    it did make sense. the hungry sword was just a sword. of course it would want to eat other swords.


    what am i thinking? ike thought to himself. that wasn''t reasonable. it didn''t make sense. it was absolutely insane that a sword would want to eat other swords.


    abruptly, ike''s strength waned. he retreated, fleeing back toward wisp. the monsters, sensing weakness, charged after him. one reared back and spat fire. ike activated the defenses of storm clad more strongly, and a wall of hail and sleet whirled around his body. the fire melted the ice, but the ice cooled it enough that ike took no damage. "wisp!"


    "you done with your rampage?" wisp asked, looking up from where she lounged in her webs.


    "yes!" an axe dropped toward ike. he dodged to the side and struck it with the hungry sword as he ran on. it glanced off, but that wasn''t the point. the blades shivered, and a thin layer of steel vanished from the axe''s surface.


    shadow fell over ike. he lunged to the side at the last second. the stomp slammed down beside him, tossing him into the air. another foot loomed over him, ready to drop. ike stared up, swallowing. if i go soft, maybe¡ª


    spider thread stuck to his shoulder and jerked him away. the monster''s foot struck bare earth instead of splattering ike, as ike hurtled toward a flaming mass of web. he braced himself, throwing his hands up.


    "oh, come on. have a little faith." a second thread caught him by the back and pulled him upward. ike swooped up and over the flames, rather than smashing directly into them. the monsters chasing him faced a less favorable fate.


    the flames raged around the monsters, and as ike dangled there, he breathed a sigh of relief.


    a second later, he looked up. "i really need one of those flying thingies."


    "what? when you have my spider thread and my parachutes, you still want more? gosh, so greedy," wisp complained.


    ike grabbed the thread and pulled himself up it. "yeah, yeah. be easier on you if you don''t have to yank me all the time, too."


    "can''t disagree with that."


    the two of them watched the monsters burn for a second, and then ike sighed. "back at it?"


    "guess so," wisp agreed.


    "i think we send rufus out here once we wipe out this wave, and wish ''em best of luck," ike grumbled, more tired of fighting than outright tired.


    "ike! we need help!" scar shouted. her voice echoed over the trees from afar, rather than sounding from nearby.


    ike''s head snapped up. he glanced at wisp, then nodded toward scar''s voice. "you summon rufus and his boys. you and them will have to hold the last of this round together. i''ve gotta go."


    "go get ''em, bossman." mock-saluting, wisp tossed another few balls of silk on the fire and scampered off over her thread toward the castle.


    ike hopped away. one or two of the monsters turned, only to find themselves facing an empty forest. like a bolt from the blue, ike was gone. sear?h the ¦Çov§×lfire .net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 259. Alliance!

    ike rushed toward the border between his and scar''s castles. the trees rushed by, the monsters from his castle far behind him. ahead, a fire raged. thick black smoke billowed into the sky and rushed through the trees. ike took short, quick breaths whenever the air cleared, avoiding as much of the choking smoke as he could.the monsters loomed over the flames. looping horns twisted into razor-sharp spines behind their heads. their eyes glowed through the smoke and the night, and black ash flew when they opened their furnace mouths. they marched down the straight path the pig- and boar-people had cut through the forest, directly to scar''s front gate. her men battled from the walls. complex techniques, the likes of which ike had never seen, launched from their hands. a projection of a huge snake leapt from one, jumping into the fray with such ferocity it almost seemed real. another person swept their hand, and a dozen swords materialized out of the air behind them and obliterated a monster. and yet, for all their strength, they were clearly at the ends of their ropes. their mounted weaponry stood abandoned, either never fixed or long-since abandoned in favor of fighting directly.


    at the center of her underlings, scar stood proud. she swept her sword. bright red light flew from the strike, broadening as it flew to cover the entire front of the castle. the front line of monsters fell, but immediately, the second line stepped forward to fill in for their fallen. there was no reprieve. no rest. scar and her men could fight them off, but barely. it was a constant battle for survival, a war to keep their last inch of ground. if they gave for an instant, if they buckled for a second, the whole thing would come crashing down. from the exhaustion evident in her troops'' eyes, it wasn''t long before scar''s men reached that point.


    one of the monsters stood back up. it had ducked rather than falling to the blow. scar''s eyes widened. she drew her sword back again.


    a green fist projection flew toward its head from ground level. the monster''s head snapped back. ike jumped up onto its knee as it bent and took its throat with a tearing slash of a strange sword whose surface churned as though alive with a thousand ants. he vanished once more, then hopped up onto the walls beside scar.


    she glanced at him and cracked a smile. "i was hoping for more help than just you, you know. we''re happy to have you, but we''re in kind of a desperate situation, here."


    "i know. listen: this is going to sound crazy, but¡­ you need to come with me. you and all your men," ike said.


    "and go where?" she asked, cocking a skeptical brow.


    ike shook his head. "this part of the trial is a trial of endurance. it''s meant to wear us out. the way i see it, there''s only one way to avoid each getting exhausted individually and all of us dying to these monsters: we all have to work together. take shifts to defend one castle, rather than each of us protecting our own castles alone."


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    "and that castle is your castle, right?" scar replied sarcastically.


    ike sighed. "it is, yes, but¡ª"


    "oh, big surprise. let''s all defend ike''s castle! it''s the only way to make it through! yeah, sure. can''t see how that benefits you. is this all your alliance amounts to? asking me to pledge fealty to you for your protection?" scar shook her head in disappointment.


    "it''s not like that. rufus is already in my castle. i took him in when his castle fell, but he was already exhausted, his men injured. i didn''t have to take him in. i could have let him die. it''s because i don''t care about anything but surviving this trial that¡ª" sear?h the n??el fire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "uh huh."


    frustrated, ike spread his hands. "okay, fine. let''s say i protect your castle. we all fight to the last man. then what? then it falls anyways. meanwhile, my castle''s defenses are weakened by my absence. the monsters advance further, and everyone at my castle gets worn out fighting for it, while you, your men, and myself get worn out protecting this castle. then we get none of the benefits from combining our forces, and all of the detriments. everyone will be worn and injured, and we''ll only have one castle''s worth of alimentations and heals to contend with them.


    "if you join now, on the other hand, we have backup fighters, fresh and uninjured, who can easily swap out when the first force gets tired. my castle faces no additional danger; the monsters have no way to press further forward. we live in harmony, and everything thrives together, as opposed to turning against one another, seeing no true possibility for cooperation, and throwing everything away."


    "yeah, and then you become king," she pointed out.


    "i don''t want to be king. if that''s your hangup, rest assured¡ªi''ll pass the crown straight to you. i''d honestly suggest we defend your castle instead, it''s just that mine is better defended and in better shape all around. i don''t care who wins, as long as my life is secure."


    most of those lines were half-lie, half truth. he truly didn''t want to become king, but to say he didn''t care who won? that wasn''t true. he wanted to control his own destiny. he couldn''t do that if he lost. still, he needed scar on his side if he was going to win. and everything else he''d said was absolutely true. if he waited until her castle fell to argue his case, he''d gain her for sure, but the weakened form. he''d prefer to have her at full power. he just had to hope that she saw her fate as inevitable enough to choose to follow him, instead of fight to the end for the right to become king.


    she squinted at him. "you really don''t want to be king?"


    "no."


    "then why are you here?"


    ike opened his mouth, then thought better of it. if she didn''t know, or didn''t care, about the skill orb waiting for them, he wasn''t going to mention it. "i wanted a challenge. something i could use to strengthen myself."


    "and that''s all?"


    "yep," ike said, nodding. in a way of thinking, it was. after all, the skill orb would make him stronger. he''d just left out the critical detail about the orb.


    she looked at her men, then hesitated. her brows furrowed. she looked at the monsters, who still advanced toward the castle. they were holding out for now, but it wouldn''t last long. her men were tired. the monsters were close. they could stave them off, but only for a short time. even if ike helped, they weren''t in a good situation.


    "if you really don''t want to be king¡­ if you''re really doing this because this is the best option, then¡­"


    "cross my heart," ike promised.


    she nodded. "okay. i''ll abandon my castle and follow you. you better not be wrong about this, though."


    "same," ike muttered to himself, too quiet for her to hear.

 260. Reinforcements, Part Two

    scar''s men jumped to the moment she gave the order. in a matter of seconds, they''d gathered everything they owned and regrouped on the battlements. scar gave the order, and they followed ike, all of them trooping after him. behind them, the monsters smashed into the wall. the walls cracked, crumbling to the floor. bare seconds later, the monsters crashed into the castle. stone dust filled the air. the towers crumbled, smashing into one another as they slammed down."i really hope you''re right."


    "i''m right. don''t worry," ike reassured her. now wasn''t the time to voice his doubts. he had to convey confidence.


    "as long as you''re giving me kingship," scar said with a shrug.


    "now that, i''m absolutely sure about," ike said.


    scar snorted. "then you''re not absolutely sure about being right, huh?"


    ike gave her a look.


    she shrugged. "i can''t help but notice the obvious connotations."


    "i''m sure that this is the only way for us to pass the trials. in fact, i''m even sure that this is the reason everyone else has failed up until now¡ªthat they didn''t attempt to cooperate properly. what i''m not sure of, is that even coordinating and cooperating, we''ll be strong enough to beat the trial," ike said. he was confident in his own strength, and in wisp''s, but he needed everyone on his team to be relatively close to their power to survive this. scar seemed strong enough, and her men were adequate. his problems laid in rufus, with his injured man and weak underlings, and vi, who was a total unknown. the fact that she hadn''t lost or asked for help yet meant she was strong enough for the team-up, but to be honest, that wasn''t his biggest hesitation with the assassin team. explore more stories with empire


    someone had manipulated mag to be here. someone had wanted both halves of the skill orb present. with the old man dead, he was pretty sure he could take rufus off the list of suspects. rufus didn''t seem like a schemer. if anyone on his team had been scheming, it would have been the old man. which meant it was either scar or vi. vi, rumored to be an assassin heiress, from an assassin clan, when assassins were known to be skilled at subterfuge and manipulation.


    or it could be scar, who''s been surprisingly willing to go along with me this whole time. because she has her eyes on the prize? he side-eyed scar, only to shake his head at himself and dismiss his worries. suspicions were for later. they needed to come together and get through this now. later, once they''d escaped the trial and had the rewards in hand, then he could worry about who was coming after him.


    it was always possible that it was the old man who''d schemed up this whole plan to get rufus on the throne with the skill as fast as possible, and that with the old man dead, the scheme was over. still, ike didn''t want to assume that. if that turned out to be the case, he''d be happy, but better to assume it wasn''t, plan for someone to scheme against him, and be prepared for a betrayal.


    still, the fact that the scheme required the other half of the skill orb meant that whoever it was, they were unlikely to show their tail until the trial was over. their whole scheme was meaningless if they didn''t get the other half of the skill orb, and that wouldn''t show up until the trial was over. during the most critical segment of the ongoing battle, he could rely on all his allies¡ªeven rufus. after all, they all wanted to survive and beat the trial. it was afterward that he had to watch out.


    there was one critical detail that no one knew but him and his team. and that detail, he intended to keep to himself until the very end. it might be the difference between keeping the skill orb, and getting it sniped by the schemer.


    in summary, i''ll keep my eyes open, but the time to worry about getting skill-sniped isn''t now. i shouldn''t ignore the possibility of a schemer, but i shouldn''t let it color my actions just yet. in fact, better that he didn''t. if the schemer didn''t know that he was aware of them, they''d be less careful with their actions.


    "you''ve been quiet," scar commented.


    ike glanced at her. "do you usually chat while you run?"


    "you don''t?"


    he considered, then shrugged. "guess i do."


    "it''s just that you''ve got nothing to say to me, huh?"


    "not really. is there something you want to hear from me?"


    she shrugged. "i''m not used to men getting quiet around me. is that how you respond to pretty ladies?" s~ea??h the novel(f~)ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ike frowned. he looked her up and down. she looked fine, but it was nothing to write home about, all told. back when rosamund still had a body, she''d been far prettier, her features finer, her bone lines more refined, her colors more delicate. scar was attractive, but in a soft and bold kind of way. there was nothing wrong with that, but it wasn''t that exciting to him.


    "wow. damn. ''not even a little bit,'' huh? what''s your type, then? that tiny spider beast?"


    ike shook his head. "i''m just not looking for love right now, i guess. but also, no. wisp isn''t my type. i don''t think i have a type."


    "you just haven''t met her yet. you''re still young. you''re, what¡­ two hundred?" scar guessed.


    ike snorted. "closer to eighteen." he''d lost track of time a bit, but he was pretty sure he was somewhere between seventeen and nineteen.


    scar laughed. "in appearance, sure, but in age."


    "no, for real," ike said.


    "sure, sure. pull the other one. you can play it coy, but you''re fooling no one."


    "i¡­" ike paused. did he really want to convince his brand-new ally that he was only eighteen? she''d probably take him less seriously if she believed him. he lowered his head and smiled, but said nothing, neither confirming nor denying it.


    shaking her head, scar pulled ahead. ike let her take the lead for a beat before speeding up to easily rush past her. "let''s get back to my castle. we could use the reinforcements."


    "roger." scar chased after him, and the two of them hurtled toward ike''s castle.

 261. Beating Them Back

    the monsters were pushing toward the walls when ike returned. despite the short time he was gone, wisp''s fire trap was no more, and the fighters had fallen back, relying on the defenses ike and the old guard had set before the wave kicked off. wisp dashed from place to place, hitting the monsters, then fleeing, rufus and his men struggled, but held the line with the support of the traps and the old guard manning the defenses from the wall.ike sprinted ahead, leaving scar behind. "wisp. what happened?"


    wisp hopped up on a nearby tree, then shot a thread and followed it to his side. "those damn fools wouldn''t listen when i told them fire weakened the monsters. they insisted that they were fire monsters, so they must be immune to fire."


    "these guys really can''t open their eyes to see past their preconceptions, huh," ike commented. explore more stories with empire


    "yeah, and it''s a problem. now we''re struggling, because they sabotaged my webbing trap. you gotta go bust their heads open and tell them not to be idiots," wisp said.


    scar caught up. "what''s going on?"


    ike quickly explained the situation to her. she thought for a moment, then nodded. "how about i cause a problem?"


    "huh?" ike asked.


    she nodded. "watch and learn. hey, rufus!" s~ea??h the n?velfire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    a sweaty, disheveled rufus ran over. "what do you want?"


    "i heard you sabotaged a perfectly functional trap? what the hell are you thinking? do you even have eyes? look! look before you do something stupid!"


    "a perfectly functional¡ªit was empowering them!"


    "oh, yeah? is that why ike''s castle is in perfect shape, while yours crumbled? because his trap didn''t work?" scar asked, putting her hands on her hips.


    "i¡­" rufus trailed off. he frowned. "but they''re fire monsters. everyone knows fire elementals are strengthened by fire."


    "right, fire elementals are. why are you assuming these things are fire elementals? look at them! they''re cracking, burning from the inside out. why can''t they be wood- or earth-elementals, raked by flames? you don''t actually recognize these monsters. you don''t know anything about them. so why are you making up bullshit, instead of opening your eyes to see what actually works?" she admonished him.


    ike nodded along. exactly what i''ve been saying this whole time! damn, it''s satisfying to hear someone else say the same thing. even if it doesn''t work, i can at least enjoy that.


    rufus'' mouth opened and closed. at last, he scowled. "am i not allowed to make any assumptions?"


    "not when they''re this shitty. no, let''s just go ahead and say no."


    rufus'' scowl turned even darker. he reached for his sword and stepped forward.


    ike jumped between the two. "okay, okay. rufus¡ªi don''t care what you think is happening. from now on, you check with me before you interrupt anyone else''s actions. if you don''t think it''s going to work, watch, and if it still doesn''t seem to be working, that''s when you talk to me. scar¡ªdon''t be so hard on rufus. we all have to work together. we''re only going to beat this trial if we all pull our weight, together."


    "yes, sir," scar said, lowering her head in mock obedience. she shot him a wink and a thumbs-up where rufus couldn''t see it.


    rufus'' lip twisted, but he nodded, short and sharp, just once. "right."


    "we all want to get out of here alive. let''s keep our eyes on our mutual goal. once we''re out of here, we can fight to our hearts'' content. while we''re in here, we all fight as one. we don''t fight apart, we fight together. understood?"


    "understood," scar said.


    rufus grunted reluctantly.


    ike nodded. "rufus, get back to the walls. scar''s men are still fresh. you and your men rest up, and so will wisp and i. if all goes well, we''ll have three shifts in the battle. look around the battlements if you want. don''t interrupt the old guard or interfere in anything they''re doing, but if you see any improvements or know of any additional weapons we can add, come to me and we''ll talk about adding them. don''t just jump in. don''t interfere¡ª"


    "i understand! i''m not a child!" rufus snarled.


    ike, scar, and wisp all exchanged a glance. wisp stifled a snicker. scar barely avoided cracking a grin.


    rufus glared between all three of them, then huffed and stomped off. scar shook her head at his back. "he didn''t particularly support his not-a-child claim there."


    "yeah, he''s kind of a spoiled brat," ike commented.


    "think he''s going to turn into our problem child?" wisp asked.


    ike watched him go for a second. rufus snapped at one of his men, who bowed and followed him. he grimaced. "i think he already is. worst case, we kick him out and take on his men, but i''m hoping it doesn''t come to it. rufus is the strongest of the bunch. we''d have to use his remaining few men to pad our two shifts, rather than using him as his own shift."


    "his remaining two men. he had a team of five. you¡­ ahem, the old man died to the monsters. one of his underlings is injured. that leaves rufus and two," wisp pointed out.


    ike grimaced. "so let''s not let it come to that, if we can avoid it."


    "agreed. i''ll play the bad guy if you need me to. you need to be the one that binds us all back together, but i''m not afraid to kick a fuss so you can smooth things over," scar offered.


    "got it. try not to be too aggressive. i don''t want to smooth over everything. it''s fine if there''s some jagged edges, as long as we''re able to cooperate."


    scar grinned. "i''ll try."


    ike nodded backwards. "monsters are getting a bit close to the wall. you ready to go?"


    "yep. men! let''s get a move on!" scar leaped into battle, drawing her sword. one of her mages lifted her hands and tossed a fireball at a monster. when it slowed, growing lethargic, she raised her eyebrows and started tossing more fireballs. the other mages dashed out, finishing off the monsters she''d slowed.


    for a few seconds, ike and wisp watched scar go. when she and her men took down one of the monsters, they both turned away, satisfied they''d be able to handle to rush for now. . ike gestured. "let''s go back to the castle and get some rest."


    "yeah, better get back there before rufus pisses off relin," wisp agreed.


    ike shook his head slowly, exhausted. "here''s hoping he can keep himself to himself for long enough to avoid that."


    "hoping is nice, but sometimes it turns into coping," wisp said.


    ike sighed. "yeah¡­" he probably needed everyone. probably. but if he didn''t¡­ well, he might just know who was first on the chopping block. he chased after rufus, with wisp at his heel.

 262. Hoping and Coping

    back at the castle, ike didn''t immediately go rest. he paced the battlements, watching the battle from close enough to jump in if he needed to. however, scar and her men had the battle well in hand. with the tip about the fire from wisp''s dismantled trap, the five of them managed to set a fresh fire trap to lure the monsters into. once they had that going, the flow of the battle changed to their favor. it wasn''t like rufus, where he barely held the ground. scar and her men were able to hold ike''s superior line of defense with ease, once they knew the tricks and tips. they pushed back the front lines almost to the point where wisp had held it. relin and her men supported them from the walls. they weren''t struggling, by any means, which gave the old guard the breathing room they needed to keep their weapons in good shape.rufus had simply descended into the castle to absorb mana from closer to the castle''s mana vein. he hadn''t bothered to check ike''s wall-mounted reinforcements, but maybe that was for the best. after the round lashing he''d taken from ike and scar together, he was best off not trying anything too radical for the sake of his own emotional state. at this rate, rufus might end up with some kind of personality defect if they kept it up. he was already used to getting controlled. if he started to crave verbal abuse, too¡­


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    ike shivered, running his hands up and down his arms. something about that thought made him distinctly uncomfortable. wherever that road leads, i don''t think i want to run down it.


    there was nothing else for him to do at the moment, so he descended into the depths of the castle as well to absorb mana at the optimal rate. shawn yawned himself awake as ike approached the mana vein. "you know, it''s strange."


    "what is?" ike asked.


    shawn nodded. "that there''s no mountain spirit here. there''s such thick mana veins, and so many of them, but no mountain spirit. i know it''s a trial area, but even so, it''s strange that there''s nothing here at all. i don''t sense any kind of spirit at all, not within the bounds of the entire trial."


    "is that strange? this area''s been cut off from the world for a long time," ike said.


    "a long time for humans. the blink of an eye for a mountain. if there was a mountain spirit in the area, it should have remained here until now¡­ no, for thousands of years after this trial burned out, the spirit would continue to live on. for such rich streams of mana to totally lack spirits is¡­" shawn pursed his lips. he thought for a second, then sighed. "there''s no way these streams didn''t have one, or even several, attendant spirits before this trial realm was formed."


    ike opened his mouth, then shut it as the implications sunk in. spirits didn''t simply abandon mana veins. more rightly said, they couldn''t. not without losing a great deal of their power and risking death. comparing mont''s power to shawn''s pitiful form, ike couldn''t say that he''d chose to take such a form, unless there was no other option. and that assumes the spirits had an option. if this trial realm formed the way he suspected it had, after the destruction of the original city, then did that mean the original mountain spirit, or spirits, had perished in the destruction?


    he glanced at shawn. shawn didn''t even know what kind of force it would take to kill him, and he was the weakest form of a mountain spirit. the power in an attack strong enough to slay a fully empowered mountain spirit, still hooked up to their mana veins¡­ if my suspicions are correct, then the real question is, how do ruins remain, in a region destroyed so thoroughly that its mountain spirit died? or rather, was killed?


    "what?" shawn asked.


    ike shook his head. "nothing."


    "didn''t look like nothing," shawn grumbled, settling back down on ike''s shoulder.


    before he could fall asleep again, ike nudged him. "hey. point me in the direction of the strongest mana vein."


    "getting greedy?" shawn asked.


    "i want to be ready to fight again as fast as possible. and it helps to know where to direct people, to get them back on the battlefield as fast as possible."


    "yeah, yeah. typical mage nonsense. it''s this way." shawn pointed, not even having to think about it. sear?h the n?velfire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ike extended his aether outside his body. he couldn''t sense anything different about the mana flow in that direction, but he trusted shawn. keeping his aether extended, he walked in the direction shawn pointed.


    a minute or two later, he finally began to sense thicker mana on the air. he extended his senses even further, paying close attention to the slightest flow of the mana. mana fluttered, almost imperceptible, but flowing. he closed his eyes, focusing all his senses on the flow of mana. it was faint at first, but slowly, the mana around him picked up speed. it hurtled away from the mana root, rushing out into the world. he adjusted his angle slightly, facing toward the mana flow. one step after another, he strode forward. with every step, he sensed the mana more strongly. he moved faster, conviction in his motions.


    shawn cleared his throat. "is there a reason we''re walking toward the wall?"


    "huh?" ike opened his eyes and found himself half a step away from the dungeon wall. he jolted to a halt, barely digging in his toe in time. his nose brushed against the cool stone before he swayed back.


    "that is where the mana flow''s coming from, yes, but it''s better if you navigate around the physical obstacles," shawn lectured.


    "i know," ike muttered, turning to follow the hallway.


    "i''m not the one who almost walked into a wall."


    "oh, come on. anyone could''ve made that mistake," ike grumbled.


    "i don''t know. i haven''t seen many mages try to walk into walls. aren''t you guys supposed to be preternaturally graceful, and always move with beauty, or something?"


    "never heard any of that."


    "that''s obvious."


    ike shot him a look.


    shawn patted his shoulder. "i do appreciate you trying to sense mana flows, though. most mages neglect their mana-flow senses, since it''s often easy to find mana. but there''s a difference between ambient mana and pure, deep mana from a mana vein or mana well. if you learn to sense mana flows like i can, you''ll have the advantage of easily being able to locate dense mana, and consequently be able to recover more quickly after battles than most mages."


    "i''ll take any advantage at all." he couldn''t beat lord brightbriar as he was. he needed everything he could get. nothing was too inconsequential. something like quick recovery could be the secret to his success.


    shawn nodded approvingly. "that''s the right attitude, kid. tell you what. let''s get to the mana vein, and i''ll give you a few pointers, how''s that sound?"


    "thanks, grandpa," ike agreed.


    one of rufus'' men passed by as ike and shawn chatted. when ike called shawn ''grandpa,'' he whipped around and did a double take. squinting, he shook his head at ike''s back and walked away.

 263. Mana Flows

    the mana flow ended at a spiderwebbed dark hole that vanished deeper into the earth¡ªone of the centipede holes from the previous round of the trial. the mana grew even thicker beyond the hole, but ike sat outside the hole. he had no interest in pressing his luck by stepping past the defensive spider webbing and exposing himself to the centipedes again. just because he''d escaped that phase of the trial, didn''t mean the centipedes were gone. they were still down there, still waiting. if not for wisp''s webs, they''d run the danger of a centipede invasion at any moment."obviously, if we could get out of here and get down into the heart of the mana vein, where the big mother centipede was resting, we''d be even better off, but¡­" shawn trailed off, coming to the same conclusion ike just had. he waved his hand. "this is good enough."


    "so what am i looking for, when it comes to sensing mana flows?"


    "it''s not what you''re looking for, it''s that you need to look more. you need to pay more attention. focus more on the energy around you, rather than on your energy," shawn told him.


    ike frowned. "but i sense energy around me by extending my energy."


    "and you don''t see the inherent issue with that? you''re washing out all the details by blasting the energy around you with your own energy. it''s like shouting so you can hear a conversation. totally counterintuitive."


    "right, but¡­i''m deaf if i''m not shouting," ike explained, extending the metaphor.


    shawn shook his head. "you''re not deaf. you''re just really hard of hearing. and stupid."


    "that last part was unnecessary." s~ea??h the novelfire.net* website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "but refreshing."


    ike sighed. he settled down and folded his legs. "i''ll give it a try. it can''t hurt."


    "the mana''s so thick here, it should be pretty obvious. once you get a grasp on how to listen to it, you can try moving away from the center flow and listening again¡­ though i wouldn''t recommend it in this situation, where you need to recover mana quickly. still, that''s how you''d do it. later."


    "got it." ike closed his eyes. he extended his senses around him, then paused. wait. that''s what shawn told me not to do. but how do i sense things with aether, without using my aether? he frowned, thinking deeply. he listened without having to make noise, saw without having to extend light. shawn was right. most of his senses worked without him projecting the thing that sensed. why was aether-sensing different?


    it''s not a sense i was born with, for one. but even so¡­ if shawn said it could work without him projecting aether, then there had to be a way. he immersed himself deeper in meditation, plunging himself into investigating the truths about sensing aether. everything he knew about sensing with mana and aether flowed through his mind, and for the first time, he examined all his knowledge and reconsidered it, from an external, objective standpoint. what did he misunderstand? what did he assume, that wasn''t true? deeper and deeper he descended, and all the while, he kept absorbing aether.


    shawn sat up on ike''s shoulder. a few minutes passed. ike descended into a meditative state, lost to the world. shawn tilted his head. he lightly patted ike''s cheek, checking how deeply immersed he was. when ike didn''t respond, he hopped off and wandered around. down here, there was plenty of mana. it was almost like he was rooted in the mana vein. as a result, he had full mobility, with no need to conserve his strength. he stretched, leaning left and right, then walked toward the hole in the wall, lifting a pudgy hand to peek through the spider threads.


    a pale shade reached a hand to mimic his, her fingers long and thin, her face almost skeletal. ike wouldn''t have been able to see her, nor wisp, nor anyone else. only shawn, more sensitive to the mana flows, could sense her presence.


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    "you''re all that''s left, then," he murmured.


    she lowered her eyelids halfway, a quiet acknowledgement.


    "tell me. is there a way through? does this trial have an end?"


    the shade thought for a moment. her whole body wavered, vanishing from shawn''s perception. the mana flow shifted, and she appeared again. once more, her eyelids dipped.


    shawn pressed his palm to the silk. on the other side, she did the same. "if i have the chance, i''ll put you to rest."


    once more, she shut her eyes. this time, she faded away before they opened. the last remnant of what had been, clinging to the last of her vitality. bound to this realm, unable to break free or pass on.


    "pitiful," he murmured, shaking his head. he lowered his hand and walked back to ike''s side, sitting down to collect his own mana. the mana flowed around him, with no strangeness or interruption any longer. there was no sign of the girl who''d appeared, not even to shawn''s senses. and yet, the mana flowed ever so slightly stronger toward ike and shawn, as if the girl silently wished for their success.


    lost in meditation, ike was aware of none of it. he focused deeper on sensing aether, giving himself to the flow of energies all around him. slowly, something began to build up in his senses. a flow, a shape. even when he didn''t extend his aether, he could still sense the way the energy flowed around him and through him. for now, that was all he could sense¡ªthe energy flowing through and immediately around him. but he could sense it, without putting out any energy of his own. there was something more to it¡ªhe could sense that. he was on the brink of something more, the brink of a greater breakthrough. more than just tracing energy and understanding mana flows, there was something beyond it. some fundamental understanding of energy and the world.


    that same sensation flowed up within him. the one he''d felt before, on the day of the battle with llewyn. something¡­ something important. he could almost grasp it, but it filtered through his fingers like sand. the tighter he tried to grasp it, the faster it flowed away.


    he butted up against a wall. an unseen force blocked him from progressing any further toward this truth. he frowned, looking up at the wall.


    ike''s eyes widened. he stumbled back. "no way¡­"


    "ike! we need you!"


    ike startled awake. his eyes shot open. that thing he''d been on the verge of comprehending flowed away for the second time.


    dammit!


    the castle shook. stone ground on stone, and dust rained down. there was no time for regrets. he snatched up shawn and charged toward the battlements, his heart in his throat. what had gone wrong now?

 264. Final Castle

    ike charged up to the battlements. a shadow loomed over the castle. without calling mag, he could already decode what had happened. all three streams of monsters, scar''s, rufus'', and ike''s own, had reached his castle. he twisted his lips. i was expecting this, but not this early. and was it too much to hope that vi might absorb one of the streams? or do the monsters know where their targets go? s§×arch* the n??elfir§×.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.mag fluttered down beside him. "the final castle has fallen. there''s no one left who isn''t in this castle."


    ike startled. "what? vi''s castle fell? she couldn''t escape?" find your next read on empire


    mag shook his head. "i didn''t see anyone escape. maybe i missed it, but¡­" he grimaced. "it happened so quickly. one second, her castle stood strong. the next, the monsters broke through their defenses, and it went down in flames. they put up a good fight, but with nothing to retreat to, they got overwhelmed in moments. there''s nothing left. nothing at all."


    scowling, ike leaned forward on the wall. scar and her men battled valiantly, but they had struggled to take on one set of monsters, let alone three. the defenses roared, and the old guard stood on the edge of the walls, blades drawn, to fight off the ones who reached it. he glanced at mag. "where''s wisp?"


    "right here." a dark form descended from overhead, and wisp dismounted from a thread beside ike. "time to go?"


    "yeah. it''s all hands on deck, now. we need rufus, too. mag, go fetch rufus and his men."


    "you got it."


    "and i''ll need you fighting, too. i do mean all hands on deck."


    mag punched the air, elated. "finally! i''m done with this scouting. let me fight!"


    ike opened his mouth to counter mag, but paused halfway. mag could fight. it was ike who was forcing him to scout. true, mag hadn''t done much fighting recently, but with his first priority as scouting, he''d been limiting himself to a few swoops from the sky. he raised his brows, surprised, and took in mag in a new light. mag had truly listened obediently, more obediently than he''d expected. for how pompous and upon-himself the bird boy could be, he was actually a team player. it''s like wisp and i. it''s not that we can''t cooperate, it''s just that we were never given the opportunity to.


    he patted mag''s head instead. "that''s right. it''s time for you to fight."


    mag jerked away and brushed the top of his head off vigorously. he narrowed his eyes at ike. "what''s that look for? don''t look at me like that!" with that, he hopped backward a few times, then took to the wing and flapped down into the castle.


    wisp stared after him. "what was that all about?"


    "who knows? probably some weird bird thing. come on." gesturing for her to follow, ike hopped off the wall and charged into battle.


    wisp chased after him. the two of them rushed to scar''s side. the hungry sword quivered, shaking in anticipation. ike struck forth, leaping up to take a monster''s head. wisp cast a thick net of heavy strands, binding the monsters to the ground. the attack opened up room for scar''s men and ike alike to finish off the afflicted monsters before they could rise up. scar fired a wave of sword energy that smashed the next round of monsters to the ground, and wisp, ike, and the others charged forward.


    "scar, send your men to the right. wisp and i will take left. we''ll funnel them into the field here¡ªthere aren''t many traps left, but it''s better than nothing," ike called.


    "understood!" scar saluted. turning to her men, she gave a few quick commands, and they leaped into action. with the two groups, ike''s and scar''s, combined and working together, the threefold monsters were quickly narrowed down to an alley that the two groups could handle.


    as the two fought, rufus and his underlings jumped out of the castle and ran to their sides. rufus went to order his men, then paused. he lifted his head. "where do you need help?"


    oh? asking, instead of just assuming and leaping in? he''s learning. ike nodded. "you three hang back. act as a net. if any monsters get by us, you jump in and kill them."


    rufus nodded. he turned to his men and snapped orders. his men fell back, and so did rufus. all three of them stood near the wall, watching the others fight monsters.


    "it''s fighting time!" mag hooted, winging overhead. he whirled around in the sky, firing attacks down into the mass of monsters. magpie projections dashed about, swooping viciously around the monsters'' heads, slowing and blinding them so they stumbled into wisp''s webs, where ike and scar''s men quickly finished them off. the monsters roared in frustration and swept their axes at the bird projections, but the spells danced around their attacks. small and agile as they were, it was a dream for the monsters to attempt to destroy them with such slow, heavy attacks. ike almost felt back for them, it was so easy to kill them. they were distracted, slowed, and bound. they were beasts to the slaughter. eventually, one fled rather than fight them, only to charge directly into the blender of rufus and his men.


    they fought viciously, until finally the wave thinned. ike fell back, breathing hard. he wanted to take a break, but he knew every second mattered. instead, he turned to the others. "rufus, scar, go take a break. we''ll patrol out here until the next round. after the next round, it''ll be rufus'' turn to patrol, then scar''s. we keep the loop going until all the monsters die. everyone agree?"


    scar nodded. rufus ducked his head, just once.


    ike clapped. "meeting adjourned! go on, rest up. i''ll see you all in a minute."


    the other two groups left, leaving wisp, ike, and mag alone on the battlefield. ike hopped over to a pile of axes and pressed the hungry sword onto them. with a hideous keening, the hungry sword ate into the axes, its whole body trembling, every bladed edge chewing wildly into the axes.


    "there you go. like i promised," ike said.


    the darkness in the hungry sword quieted, growing thinner. at the same time, a new energy welled up in it, something metallic and sharp. ike eyed that energy, curious. interesting. i wonder what form that will take?


    in the distance, a monster roared. ike looked up. fire glowed on the horizon, red as a furnace, spewing black smoke through the sky. he adjusted his stance to face the roar, letting the hungry sword continue to gnaw at the axes. the next wave was on its way, whether they were ready or not. now we just need to hold the line.

 265. Crashing Waves

    discover exclusive tales on empireone after another, the monsters charged ike''s castle. like waves washing over the beach, they slammed into ike and his defenses. he and the other defenders fought in waves to meet the monsters. time and time again, the monsters rallied and rushed the walls. time and time again, ike and his men fought them back. days ground by. weeks. months. ike''s hair grew long. if not for his self-cleaning skill, he would have grown filthy as well. there was no time for anything but battle. as the fights grew more pitched, the gaps between battles grew shorter. they had long since given up on having one team take a round. now, all rounds were all-hands-on-deck. when the fights slowed, individuals could sneak off to absorb mana and recover, but never for long enough. never for full mana. just enough to stave off inevitable death, and back into the grind.


    rufus'' injured man had long since healed enough to join the rotation, but the rest of them had suffered injuries along the way. whenever ike was on the field, he did all he could to absorb the worst of the damage. with his body reforging art, he could heal far faster than anyone else, so it was best for him to get injured rather than anyone else. but even he couldn''t keep everyone safe. wisp, mag, scar and rufus, all of them sustained injuries that put them out for hours, days, even weeks at a time. still, they got back up and kept fighting. no one wanted to lose. no one was willing to give up. giving up meant death. there was only one way through this¡ªto all pull together and fight as one. rufus didn''t have the energy to complain, and scar didn''t have the time to kick up a fuss. there was no time for anyone to do anything but fight. in the rare seconds they had to rest, they focused all their energy on collecting more mana and healing their wounds so they could get back into battle. their whole lives became nothing but ash, fire, monsters, and fighting.


    there was no end. no future. they would overcome, or die here.


    the fight slowed. ike retreated, wiping ash and blood off his face. he hopped up the wall, landing on the coarse stone edges that stood out just a tiny bit from the rest of the wall. he made it to the battlements and paused, looking out at the forest.


    waves of monsters approached his castle. wisp and the old guard had worked hard to create traps and funnels that pointed them all toward the castle''s main gate, but that simply meant that overwhelming amounts of monsters all arrived at the same place. by now, each individual monster was difficult to kill. even all their traps and debuffs did nothing about that. looking at the endless waves, his heart ached. could they defeat all of them? was it even possible?


    ike shook his head. no. that''s how we lose. it isn''t a question¡ªit can''t be a question. "is it possible to win?" doesn''t matter. all that matters is that we''re going to win. we''re going to survive, and that''s that.


    taking a deep breath to settle himself, he headed back into the castle''s undercroft, where thicker mana awaited him. all the way down to the bottom, where the thickest mana flowed in and spiderweb covered the centipedes'' crawlhole. ike sat there, exhausted, sucking in the mana¡ªthen paused. he turned, slowly, gazing into the dark.


    "what''s wrong?" shawn asked.


    "nothing''s wrong. i just had an idea, that''s all," ike said.


    "a good idea, or a bad one?"


    "depends on whether i pull it off or not," ike replied. he walked to the crawlhole and gently pulled the spiderweb free.


    "uh¡­ are you sure about this?" shawn asked, tensing and leaning away from ike''s shoulder.


    "nope." it was just his best idea under the certain circumstances. if he never tried, he¡ªno, they''d all stay stuck in this shitty situation. but if he took a shot, and it paid off¡­


    ike reached to his shoulder and set shawn down. "you stay here. tell wisp i did this on my own if she comes running. and if i don''t come back, tell ''em i was a dumbass who made dumbass decisions."


    "i was going to do that whether you told me to or not," shawn assured him. he sat down and crossed his arms, shaking his head at ike. still, he didn''t stop ike. he knew as well as anyone that they weren''t in a good situation. it was time to try some crazy ideas. ike might be rushing to his death, but it was better than sitting in the same situation forever, with no end but a slow, inevitable grind to death in sight.


    ike rushed into the darkness. back into the tunnels he''d fled, not so long ago, and yet an eternity ago. he pulled in his aether, running in complete silence, eliminating any sign of his passing. down, down, down, deep into the tunnels. beyond the bottom of the pit that had held the momma. deeper. into the heart of the nest.


    at last, ike stopped. he was deep in the earth, as deep as he''d gone. tunnels curved off in every direction, vanishing into darkness all around him. he exuded aether all around him, deliberately announcing his location to the centipedes. as loud as possible, he blasted his aether in all directions. and then he waited. sear?h the n?vel?ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    scritch. scritch. scritch. from every tunnel echoed the sound of centipede claws, scratching on stone. ike waited. closer. until pale bodies loomed out of the dark. until the dark eyes reflected the faint light ike had conjured. only then did he run, sprinting through the tunnels with the centipedes at his heels. the centipedes chased after him, charging through the dark. their feet rattled over the stone. with every passing second, the steps grew louder and more numerous. four or five centipedes had chased him to begin with. almost immediately, that number doubled, then tripled. ike stopped counting, but he never reined his mana in. more and more and more centipedes chased after him, an uncountable number. all the centipedes he could summon, all the ones within scenting range of his aether, all chased after him. they crawled over one another in their eagerness to reach ike, hissing and scratching at one another. ike ran on, kiting them behind him in one big mess. occasionally, centipedes darted at him from above, or from holes to the left and right. whenever he sensed one coming, ike surged his speed and darted out of the centipedes'' reach. they couldn''t keep up with his top speed. he couldn''t keep top speed up forever, but as long as he succeeded the first dodge, he could keep ahead of the centipedes fine.


    "come on. follow me! i''ll burn you all to dust!" ike cheered, laughing as he ran. he ran for the exit hole, fleeing with all his might.

 266. A Buggy Plan

    the centipedes gave chase, and ike ran. he sprinted through the halls, tracing back the path he''d taken to the center of the nest. the centipedes followed hungrily, their mandibles gnashing, hissing louder than a boiling kettle. they darted at ike. every stumble, every slip, they darted in, searching for that momentary trip that would let them tear into the delectable morsel that was ike. ike watched ahead of him, darting from stone to stone, as surefooted as a mountain goat. of all the ignoble deaths he could die, he was determined not to die this one. let me die after i take these fools to the battle. then i''ll die happy. but not here, in the tunnels!tapping sounded from in front of him. ike''s head snapped up. the white wall of a huge centipede body rushed at him headlong, mandibles wide open.


    oh, shit. ike''s mind raced. he charged the centipede, searching for an escape route. no tunnels opened in the walls. there was no way out¡ªexcept for through.


    so be it! drawing his sword, ike ran directly into the centipede''s open jaws. as they slammed shut, time seemed to slow. energy swirled through his body, suddenly awake and alert. putting the skill into his mind, he shaped it a thousand times in the space of a breath, the adrenaline sharpening all his senses as he reconsidered his sword skill for the first time in a long time. this whole time, he''d been using the form of the river-splitting sword suited for mana, not the one suited for aether. aether was wild energy, that flowed how it liked. the slender, delicate shape of the river-splitting sword''s mana flows was unsuitable for aether. he''d known it, and yet, he''d ignored it. there were other things. more important optimizations. s§×arch* the n?velfire(.)net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    no longer. traced a thousand times in the confines of his mind, he reformulated the skill. simplified it. shored up the mana lines. the lines of the spell grew simpler, thicker. aether raged through their forms, unleashed at its full power. forced into a delicate mana skill no more, the aether blasted along the paths he''d forged, eager to be released.


    the centipede''s jaws chewed toward him. inch by inch, it closed in. there was no time left.


    ike planted his feet and struck, pushing all the aether he could muster into his sword as he unleashed the upward strike of the river-splitting sword. the hungry sword wasn''t suited for the original river-splitting sword, but this indelicate blast of force was something ideal for such a brutal weapon. sword energy erupted from the hungry sword and smashed through the centipede. not slicing it, not cutting it, but hammering it flat against the top of the wall, hammering it with such force that it broke into two pieces.


    chuckling to himself, ike raced on, as ichor and chunks of centipede chitin rained down. he wasn''t sure if silver would approve or not. this wasn''t silver''s river-splitting sword, subtle and silent, with a cutting edge sharp enough to cut falling paper or even slice water. it was a brutal thing, a hammer of a sword skill, that shattered and slammed. a sword skill that smashed instead of slicing. if he used this skill on a piece of paper, he wouldn''t have two pieces of paper; he wouldn''t have any paper any more, but instead, a pile of scraps.


    he glanced at his hand. it wasn''t fair to silver to call this the river-splitting sword anymore. but what could he call it? a blunt-force sword skill. a skill that used strength alone, not any form of sword work. "the hammer sword," he murmured to himself. it sounded right. it wasn''t a good name, or even the best name, but then, he wasn''t sure it was a good skill. certainly not the best skill. it was simply the skill that suited him best, with his aether and his hungry sword.


    though¡­ now that i''m thinking of it, silver was a beast. shouldn''t he have used aether, as well? but he formed such a delicate skill, anyways¡­ ike thought for a moment, then shook his head. rather than say the skill was suited to silver, he thought it was more likely that silver was so dedicated to train to the utmost to be able to use the skill. silver had wanted him to stay in the forest and train, train, train, train for years until ike could use the skill even without the skill orb. if old man orin hadn''t intervened, he''d still be there right now, training with silver. that kind of dedication to practice¡­ yes, with that incredible mindset of silver''s, he understood how the panther-beast was able to use the river-splitting sword at a master level, even though he used the same aether ike used now. it seemed like a waste to give up the skill, but then, maybe he''d meant that ike could use it better, using mana to fuel it rather than aether, as ike had back then, or maybe¡­


    he gave me the skill orb, but i wonder. could he still use the skill, even without the orb? if he''d practiced to that extent, to the extent he''d wanted ike to practice, then¡ª


    sharp pain jabbed into ike''s temple. he flinched, pressing a hand to his head. "ow!" his brows furrowed. what was that? when he''d thought about skills without skill orbs¡ª


    another jab. ike scowled, annoyed. the message was clear: stop thinking about it. but who was telling him that? who could control him, to this extent?


    for a second, lord brightbriar flashed through his mind, but he quickly dismissed the idea. lord brightbriar was many things, but inside ike''s head wasn''t one of them. in his head rent-free, sure. but controlling his thoughts? ha. if anything, he was quite certain lord brightbriar couldn''t control him. there was absolutely no way that puppetmaster freak wouldn''t have puppeted him a long, long time ago if he could.


    besides, this felt more powerful than lord brightbriar. like something above him. able to reach into this trial. able to reach anywhere. some all-encompassing¡ª


    another jab. ike stumbled, then shook his head. he glanced over his shoulder at the gnawing centipedes. i''ll have to puzzle this out later. if i keep getting smacked in the head now, i''ll end up as centipede lunch.


    up ahead, the passage took a sharp turn. ike rounded the corner, and daylight glimmered at the end of the tunnel. ike caught sight of wisp and shawn, peering around the edge of the centipede hole. he grinned and waved, then gestured them out of the way.


    wisp''s brows furrowed.


    behind ike, the first of the centipedes rounded the corner, then the next, and the next, and the next¡ª


    wisp widened her eyes. she grabbed shawn and fled, sprinting up and out of the castle. ike followed after them, and the centipedes followed him.


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    "clear the way! i''m coming through!" ike bellowed.


    "he ain''t kidding! clear the way!" wisp shouted ahead of him, waving for the old guard to hide.


    looking amongst themselves, they raced into the round room. for a second, the battlements stood empty. none of the weapons fired, nor did any cannonballs fly. on the field of battle, scar and rufus looked back, confused.


    and then a thousand centipedes rushed over the castle walls.

 267. Centipede Charge

    ike at their head, the centipedes rushed through the castle and out onto the battlements. wisp was gone. the old guard had hidden. there was only one tasty morsel ahead of them, and his name was ike. unhesitating, ike leaped off the wall and down toward the battle.the centipedes poured after him. like a wave crashing against the shore, they slammed down on the ground outside of the castle. scar and rufus fled, leading their men away. one or two of the centipedes peeled off to chase, but most of them followed ike.


    "look! look at all this delicious food!" ike shouted, gesturing ahead of him at the fire monsters.


    he barely needed to incite them. the centipedes leaped forth, rushing toward those delicious, precooked meals. for their part, the fire monsters'' eyes lit with rage. the puny humans had brought reinforcements? unacceptable! they rushed toward the centipedes, enraged beyond anything they''d felt so far.


    ike darted away, dancing back to the castle as the two forces slammed into one another. rufus and scar followed his lead, regrouping their forces on the wall. the old guard emerged from the round room, and mag and wisp descended from above¡ªwisp on a thread, and mag fluttering down.


    "what the hell," wisp muttered.


    "i had an idea. thought it might buy us all some break time," ike said. he grinned down proudly at the chaos, his hands on his hips.


    "yeah, it worked, i guess," wisp said. she shook her head. "what the hell, though. who thinks to go piss off the guys who we barely beat in the previous trial to come fight the guys in this trial?"


    "ike," mag said simply.


    "well, yeah, clearly. i guess i really mean, what sane person thinks to do that. to which the answer is, no one, because ike''s crazy," wisp added, without a pause for ike to butt in edgewise.


    ike spread his hands. "it worked." stay tuned with empire


    "and if it didn''t work?" rufus asked sharply.


    "then i died, probably," ike said with a shrug.


    "not just you. all of us!" rufus snapped.


    "it''s true, but on the other hand, we couldn''t just keep doing this forever. we were all getting worn down. ike has bought us a lot of time. maybe even the rest of the battle. we can always go get more centipedes, after all," scar pointed out.


    rufus rounded on her. "you''re on his side?"


    she shrugged. "yeah. wouldn''t be if it hadn''t worked. but it did, so hey! risk taking is part of being a mage. you''ll never get anywhere if you never take any risks. that''s how you die a measly rank 2, without ever testing your limits. surely even a coddled young master like yourself knows that much."


    rufus twisted his lips. he turned away without saying any more.


    "centipedes are just inferior spiders, if you think about it," wisp offered, to absolutely no one''s cue.


    "yeah?" ike asked, taking the bait to see where it went.


    she nodded. "yeah. too many legs. lots of legs is a good thing, but you gotta know when to stop. not at four, obviously, but eight is a good number. you can still control each leg individually, without having essentially two limbs because you have so many limbs you can''t put them each in your mind. plus, they''re too long, and they can''t cast webs. they might eat spiders, but they are truly the inferior bugs."


    "i see, i see," ike said, nodding. he paused. "wait, they eat spiders?"


    "mhm. i eat them now, because i''m stronger. but if we were both bitty-sized, they''d eat me."


    "damn. this has really been a hell of a trial for spiders, huh," ike muttered.


    "not only that, but there''s also a bird," wisp protested.


    "huh?" mag asked, looking over. he''d been crouched on the crenelations, not paying attention, but he looked back when she said ''bird.''


    scar glanced from one to the other. "have i missed something? why are we talking about spiders?"


    ike thumbed at wisp. "she''s a spider beast."


    wisp transformed. she waved a foreleg at scar, then transformed back. "hiii."


    scar blinked. she nodded, slowly. "ah. i see."


    "i''m a bird," mag chirped. sear?h the novelfire.net* website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "i knew that. wait, then¡ª" she squinted at ike.


    ike spread his hands. "just human."


    "as far as you know," wisp muttered, waggling her brows at him.


    "thank you, wisp. unhelpful as it is," ike replied.


    scar pointed. "and the kid. i thought he was just some child prodigy, but that''s not it, is it? what kind of beast is he?"


    "i''m no beast. nor a kid, thank you very much," shawn said. he hopped off wisp''s shoulder and walked over to ike, lifting his arms for ike to pick him up. ike obeyed, and he gave her a haughty look from the higher vantage point of ike''s shoulder. he unleashed a small amount of his weight, letting it press on the shoulders of all present. two of rufus'' men instantly dropped to a knee, and one of scar''s men wobbled and barely caught herself. wisp didn''t flinch, and mag only pitched a little bit on his perch.


    shawn looked down on all of them. "know that ye stand in the presence of a mountain."


    scar''s eyes widened. her mana washed over ike, then retreated, and her shocked gaze grew even deeper. "holy shit. he really is a mountain. what the fuck is your team?"


    ike rubbed the back of his head and let out an awkward chuckle. "uh, you know¡­ just a few people i picked up along the way?"


    "where''s this way of yours? show me, so i can go find a bunch of rare beasts and mountain seeds," scar demanded jokingly.


    ike laughed. "well, if you cross the enormous desert that separates this region, then go climb the mountain range that separates the next two regions¡­"


    she raised her brow. "damn. your sect really sent you far afield, huh? i''m surprised. a talent like you, i figured you''d be someone''s precious inner disciple, or something."


    ike coughed awkwardly. "er, well¡­"


    "he''s just a wanderer. isn''t even a member of a sect or clan. barely has a city to call home," wisp butted in.


    scar blinked. "excuse me?"


    "yeah, er, sorry¡­"


    "how is that possible? he isn''t older than two hundred¡ªi''d know from his aura. he''s already rank 3, on the verge of rank 4, and somehow he did all that by ''just wandering,'' without any formal tutelage?"


    ike waved his hand. "i had a teacher. a panther-beast named silver taught me a sword skill."


    "oh, to break through from rank 2 to 3?" scar asked.


    "no, um¡­it was my first sword skill. i picked it up at rank 1," ike said, a little sheepish.


    she stared at him disbelievingly. even rufus, who''d been half-paying attention, was looking at ike in a new, somewhat terrified light. "but that''s impossible. ranking up to rank 3, without any support, that''s¡­"


    "and, uh, i''m seventeen or eighteen. i really am. i don''t know how to slow my aging or anything, so i''m just¡­ as old as i look," ike said, spreading his hands.


    scar nodded slowly. she smiled at ike and reached out a hand to pull him in by the shoulders. "ike, old buddy, old pal. what do you say about joining my sect? we''re a very large sect, with premier resources. we''d pull out all the stops for a talent like you. in fact, i''d be shocked if the sect master didn''t take you in as a personal disciple! no, forget the sect master. the city lord would absolutely love to take you on, personally. i''ll assure it! all you have to do is join my sect, and we''ll get the rest set up for you!"


    ike laughed. he shoved her away playfully. "i''m just a slum rat. there''s no need to exaggerate."


    "she''s not exaggerating. my city¡­ i suppose you aren''t interested in the father god, but even so¡­" rufus looked like he was vomiting as he said it, but pressed on anyways. "my city would fall over itself to pick up a disciple like you, if everything you''ve said is true. your talent even¡ª" he swallowed visibly. "¡ªeven surpasses mine, and i''m considered the talent of a dozen generations."


    wisp cackled like a witch, rolling around on the floor and laughing. she sat up as rufus went quiet. "hey, ike. get him to compliment you more. i''m really enjoying it."


    ike rolled his eyes at her. "uh huh. look, we aren''t out of the woods yet. everyone, rest up. when this round of centipedes wears out, i''ll lead another expedition into the tunnels to round up some more. the centipedes are a supplement, not a replacement, though, so i need everyone ready to fight. and that means resting hard now. understood?"


    scar popped a salute. to ike''s extreme surprise, rufus clasped his hands and bowed in acknowledgement, the first time rufus had shown him anything more than a stiff nod. true, it was still extremely stiff, but nonetheless, he did it.


    ike rubbed the back of his neck. "am i really that shocking?"


    wisp snorted. "i dunno. you''d be pretty damn shocking if you were a beast, but i thought humans had different timelines because of your short lives. but i guess by rank 3, you''d be living a few centuries even as a pathetic, short-lived human, so yeah. you know what? yeah. you are shocking."


    "thank you, wisp," ike said, snorting under his breath. nothing like a few of wisp''s backhanded compliments to bring him back to earth. there was something reassuring about it. grounding.


    "you''re so welcome. and hey! i''ll be here all week." with a grin, she scuttled back up to the highest point of the tower, where she settled in a cozy web she''d built between the top post and the wall. mag perched above her, haughtily harrumphing from his higher vantage point, but ike had to admit, the cozy web looked way better than the cold perch at the top of the metal bar.


    shaking his head one last time, he headed back into the depths to get some true rest, himself.

 268. Equilibrium

    stay connected through empirea new phase of the battle began. they still fought, but less often than before. now, their times in battle were interspersed with long breaks, as ike and wisp brought centipedes out from the earth to join the fight. ike led the expeditions; as the fastest, he was best suited to kiting the centipedes. wisp also made a lot of sense, with her full freedom of motion and the traps she could set to close off tunnels, so she came along too. mag remained on the surface. his wings did little in the depths, and his long-range spells were better suited to air-to-ground combat, so he remained on support with whoever was fighting. scar had asked to come along, once, but when she couldn''t keep up with ike and wisp on the way out, she''d turned back rather than risk jeopardizing the mission. rufus had the good graces to not ask to begin with, or maybe he was just too ashamed to spend too long around ike alone, or considered the bugs beneath him. whatever the reason, he never showed any interest in the centipede-gathering quests, and neither did ike invite him. he didn''t need to babysit anyone, for one, and for two, if scar couldn''t handle his speed, he was sure rufus wouldn''t manage it.


    the monsters got stronger and stronger. there was no denying it. but with the centipedes, they could hold the line. the only question was: would the centipedes run out first, or the monsters? both seemed endless, but both must have an end. comparing two infinities against one another, ike found himself praying that his infinity was larger.


    at the same time, everyone was slowly growing stronger. not at the same rate as the monsters, but nonetheless, stronger. it was barely noticeable at first, but the longer they fought, the more obvious it became. their mana and aether pools increased. their bodies strengthened. even their minds expanded, as they were forced to focus at battle-pitch for extended periods. if not for the centipedes, they would have died regardless. it was only thanks to the centipedes, forming a buffer to buy them time to rest and heal, that they were able to keep fighting on. ike was able to push himself harder, because he knew he could rely on the centipedes to buy him some rest time. without that, he had to conserve some energy in case things went sideways. with the centipedes, he could go all-out and fight recklessly, pushing his absolute limits, since he had the safety rails of the centipedes to fall back on while he retreated to rest. still, he couldn''t throw all caution to the wind. someone had to collect the centipedes, and by that, he meant himself.


    the centipedes began to grow sparser. ike had to run farther and farther to find them. but at the same time, the monsters showed signs of ending. they grew fewer, but stronger. and then the monsters¡­ stopped.


    ike struck down a monster. ashes flew, embers scattered, and for the first time in a very, very long time, the forest stood silent. he stood, looking around. no more black smoke poured out from the horizon. no more thunderous footfalls. birds sang in the trees and insects cried out from the undergrowth, but no monsters stomped forth.


    wisp drew up alongside him. "what''s going on? did we win?"


    ike shook his head. "i don''t know." there were no more monsters, but he hadn''t seen or heard any messages yet. that mysterious voice hadn''t declared the round over. he couldn''t be sure, but he didn''t have a good feeling about this, either. the monsters wouldn''t just¡­ stop coming. there had to be something more. until the man announced his victory, ike wasn''t going to let down his guard.


    "hmm." wisp crouched next to him, squinting up at the sky expectantly. beside her, ike stared into the forest, waiting.


    the two of them waited. and waited. and waited. between ike, who was sure this wasn''t the end, and wisp, the ambush predator, the two of them settled in to wait until something definitive happened.


    leaves crunched behind them. scar cleared her throat. "so, uh, is that it?"


    "we''re waiting," ike said.


    wisp put her finger to her lips. "shh!"


    "oh. okay." she leaned in. "why are we being quiet?"


    ike shrugged. he didn''t know what was coming. there was probably no reason to be quiet, but he didn''t have a reason to be loud, either. and with the risk of an unknown foe before them, he was more inclined to wait quietly than to fill the silence.


    "is the trial over?" rufus shouted, his voice echoing from the castle''s walls.


    "we don''t know!" scar shouted back.


    ike and wisp exchanged a look. wisp tutted. "all these humans being absolute humans. you''re the only one who even comes close to getting it."


    "i know, right?" ike replied, shaking his head back at her.


    the sky darkened. all four of them gazed upward, waiting.


    there weren''t clouds. ike would have been happy if there were. instead, it was the sky itself that darkened, changing from blue to pitch black, as though night had abruptly fallen. but there were no stars in this pitch. no twinkling lights in the depths. nothing but pure, utter, complete blackness.


    "uh oh," ike muttered.


    "no kidding," wisp replied.


    a bright red light shattered the pure black. like cracks through glass, it spread through the black sky, twisting and cracking further with every moment. the sky bulged outward, as if something pushed on its other side, and the red light glowed brighter as the cracks widened. something creaked, horribly straining, barely containing whatever awaited on the far side of the sky.


    a voice sounded in ike''s ear. "this, we could not kill. this, we had no choice but to seal away. with every year, the binds grow weaker. now, they are pushed to their limits. the ropes fray. the manacles rust. slay it, o hero, or next year, there might not be a trial, but instead, a slaughtering."


    ike glanced around, startled, expecting to see the others reacting as well, but instead, they all gazed upwards, eyes blank. he touched his ear. am i the only one who heard that? then¡­ am i the only one still valid to complete the trial?


    or¡­ is this even part of the trial? he gazed upward like the others. the sky groaned again, and he swallowed. a monster they couldn''t defeat. for a long time now, he''d suspected one thing: that the trial was formed from a fallen city, a city overwhelmed by a vastly more powerful force. at first, he''d thought it was mortal in nature, another mage army that slayed the city in ordinary combat. but as the waves of enemies marched on, he''d started to suspect something else, something more nefarious¡­ his eyes tracked upward. something terrible enough to make the sky shatter.


    there was only one way out. they were locked in here until the trial ended. either they killed this thing, or this thing killed them. ike clapped, putting his aether into it. a thunderous boom rattled over the forest, and everyone stared at him.


    "that thing up there¡ªthat''s the end of the trial. that''s the final boss we''ve been working toward. this is it¡ªthis is the end. do or die. we kill this thing, or die trying. don''t hold back. holding back means death. fight until your last breath. if you''ve held anything in reserve, any equipment, any technique, hold it in reserve no longer." he made eye contact with rufus, far away on the castle wall. "i say this not to empower myself, but to preserve your own life, and the lives of everything and everyone you know and love. that thing destroyed the city that stood here¡ªthe powerful city, ruled by a king strong enough to unite this entire region. we are now the only thing that stands between it, and escaping to ravage the region once more. sea??h th§× nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "this isn''t my hometown. this isn''t my battle. but i came here to fight, and i will fight to the death for you. for those who live here¡ªtreat this as the existential threat to your entire livelihood and bloodline that it is. do you understand me?"


    to his surprise, a hearty yes! returned, all the warriors speaking at once, whether scar''s, rufus'', or ike''s own men.


    ike turned back to the sky. a horrible tearing sound echoed, and a gash ripped open the heavens. a clawed hand pierced through, rushing toward the small collection of warriors. the hand was as large as the castle they protected, blackened to molten ash, and emanated a fierce aura of at least the rank 4 level¡ªand that was the hand alone.


    ike braced himself. his eyes lit with battlelust, and in his hand, the hungry sword sang as all its teeth trembled in sync. he didn''t flee, but lowered his sword, circulating his hammer sword technique throughout his whole body, his all put into the oncoming strike.


    beside him, all the others did the same. auras glowed and weapons hummed. and still their energy did not outstrip the raw power of that one hand.


    nonetheless, i will destroy it, ike resolved, and leaped to meet it.

 269. Hand-to-Hand Combat

    While the others fled, Ike leaped up to meet the hand. He was no larger than a wasp compared to the immensity of the hand, but he jumped up anyways. The trees shattered under the hand, brushed aside like blades of grass. Ike bounced off the falling trunks, leaping higher and higher. Every grain of the hand stood out, every whirl and swirl of the palm. The being''s body glowed through the black ash.Putting all his aether into the strike, Ike unleashed the most powerful blow he''d ever unleashed. The Hammer Sword''s unsubtlety meant it was easier to pump raw power and raw aether into it than the River-Splitting Sword had ever been, and he pushed as much as he could muster into this blow. His sword lashed out. A torrent of sword energy tore into the monster''s palm. Cinders flew, obscuring his vision. Ike fell back. He unleashed a Shockwave Punch to blast the cinders away. How much damage did that do?


    A slender cut appeared on the claw''s palm, barely deeper than a papercut. Not even a drop of blood emerged.


    Ike swallowed. Holy shit.


    He fell back into the falling trunks, then turned and dashed out from under the palm. The hand struck down. A shockwave rolled through the earth, tripping Ike up from behind. He caught himself before he hit the ground and ran on, glancing over his shoulder at the monster.


    The hand lifted back up to the rift. A second hand appeared, and the two hands pushed, prying the rift open. Backlit by the red glow, a cracked, blackened face appeared. It was human, but barely. One eye was missing, nothing left but a burning red crater. Tombstone teeth bared at the sky, and a thick stream of hot steam hissed from between them. The rift cracked at the edges, widening. Two hands passed through the rift, then the arms, then the head. The whole enormous humanoid spilled out like a stream of thick oil, slopping to the floor. For a moment, it just laid there, and Ike paused and looked back, taking it all in.


    It was unlike the other monsters. All the other monsters had borne horns, big, curving, oxen horns on their brows, and exaggeratedly muscular bodies. This one was just¡­ human. Burned to charcoal, seething with fire, but human. Ordinary proportions. No huge muscles or curling horns. Even the claws on its hand were only overgrown fingernails. Its body was charcoal, but human. So very, normally human. If not for its huge size, Ike might have mistaken it for¡ªwell, a black-burned dead body, but nonetheless, a normal charcoaled body.


    It was impossible to tell whether it had been man or woman. Its body burned from the inside out to the point he could see the flames flickering through its ribs. All the flesh had burned away, leaving only scraps of charcoal clinging to the bones. Enough was left to give it the shape of a body, rather than a skeleton, but not enough to tell any features or characteristics. Just a burned corpse, a corpse that still burned as it laid there.


    It lifted its head to the sky and roared. Mindlessly, thoughtlessly, roaring, with such sheer venom and hatred that Ike''s heart raced in his chest. A wave of extreme heat rolled off the core of the body, smashing into his face and chest like a physical object. It was too hot to approach. He''d take damage just from getting close.


    But I have to. Pushing his pain down, he charged in. The heat slowed him, almost a physical force. He struggled against it, one step at a time.


    The body pushed its chest up, slowly gathering its legs under it. The forest all around it burned, set alight by its sheer heat. The other three rushed toward it as well, visibly fighting against the heat. Mag tried to dart at it from ahead, but hared off sharply when the tips of his wings caught fire. It simply wasn''t possible for his feathery body to approach the burning figure without setting alight. He hovered at a distance and launched a glowing blue projection of a magpie at it. The magpie swooped in, but as it approached, the construct melted. The blue aether trembled under the heat of the body. The bird drooped, trailing aether behind it. Before it ever struck the burning figure, the bird melted into nothing but a blob of aether.


    Ike grimaced. No good.


    Almost at that exact moment, the figure lifted its head. Its gash of a mouth opened wide and slammed down on the blue blob. It swallowed, taking in the aether, and its fires burned brighter.


    "Shit! No one launch any long-range attacks!" Ike snarled. From the looks of it, any mana or aether not contained in their bodies would be eaten by the figure.


    Too late. Rufus had already launched a beam of red power from his hand. It flashed across the distance to the figure in the blink of an eye, too quickly for anyone to intercept, not even Ike.


    The figure''s cheeks pulled upward in a pained grimace of a smile. It sucked in a deep breath. A hurricane of air rushed toward its mouth, whistling through those boulder-like teeth. The wind grasped the beam and distorted it, pulling it toward the figure''s mouth. It shot into the back of its throat and vanished, and once more, the heat grew stronger.


    "Motherfucker, did you not hear him?" Scar admonished Rufus.


    "I was already¡ª" Rufus protested, but he stopped when he realized no one was listening.


    Ike gripped the Hungry Sword tight. He gazed up at the figure. His heart didn''t waver. He felt no fear. He didn''t have time for such things. Wasting his thoughts, his energy, on them would only slow him down, and there was nothing he prioritized above speed. There was only one question in his mind:


    How do I destroy it?


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 270. The Monster Arrives

    At long last, the figure lifted a foot. Trees flew from the passing wind of its step. A shadow fell over the forest. Its foot slammed back down, and the earth jumped. Tremors reached where Ike stood, far away at the edge of the trapped zone. Looking at the figure now, with the trapped zone behind him, he felt nothing but embarrassment. They''d worked so hard on trapping an area that could barely fit one of the figure''s feet. All the traps would amount to nothing before its bulk, not even a superficial wound on its soles. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.His mind worked overtime. He glanced over his shoulder at the castle. Right now, the most important thing was to prevent it from destroying his castle. If that went down, the trial ended, and they all died, whether the figure killed them or not. He wasn''t sure what the voice that had whispered in his ear, and his ear alone, was, but that voice didn''t seem like part of the trial. If his castle went down, he could only assume the trial''s rules would run properly and disqualify him, regardless of the state of the figure. Unfortunately, disqualification wasn''t an out, but instead suicide, so that was no option. Before anything else, he had to redirect the figure''s advance in a different direction, somewhere it wouldn''t put the trial in jeopardy.


    Ike eyed the figure. The burning pits that served as its eyes roved the land, taking in Ike and the other combatants, but scudded over the castle as if it couldn''t even comprehend of its existence. It didn''t care about the castle. It was merely a cataclysm that had chosen to descend near the castle, and it would, by total happenstance, wipe it out in the due process of ravaging the entire world. It didn''t care about the castle. Which meant that as long as it didn''t know he cared about the castle, it had no reason to target it. It exuded hatred, hatred he could feel directed at him. It wanted to kill him. If it knew it could use the castle as a bargaining chip, then just like a petulant child trying to bully another child, it would target it to upset him¡ªbut just like that bullying child, its real target was Ike. If it only perceived of the castle as an object, it had no reason to destroy it.


    "Wisp," Ike called.


    "What''s up?" A small spider landed on his shoulder.


    Ike startled. "How long have you been¡ªlike that?" Last time I saw her, she was a human being or a large spider. When did she enter tiny mode? Tiny mode was his least favorite form. At least in large form, he always knew where Wisp was. Tiny mode meant she could be anywhere, and there was nothing more terrifying than a tiny spider with incredible power hiding somewhere on his body.


    "Wouldn''t you like to know. What''s up?"


    There was no time to continue his protest, as much as he''d like to, so Ike suppressed his shivers and went on. "Tell everyone to vacate the castle. That includes the Old Guard, if they can. If they can''t, tell them to descend to the lowest levels and suppress their mana signatures. This thing isn''t properly part of the trial. It isn''t going to attack the castle unless we give it a reason to. We''ll mass to the west," he pointed in the direction where Rufus'' castle had been, "and lead it that way. Pretend like we''re holding that ground. It should be easily led that way, as long as we all head that way."


    "And if it isn''t?"


    "Then we sprint back," Ike replied with a shrug.


    "Easier for you than the rest of ''em. Well, whatever. It''s no problem for me either, since I''m a spider." She paused. "Have you ever considered that your entire team is high mobility? Me, a spider, Mag, a bird, and you. How much do you like moving, huh?"


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    "I had to pick people who could keep up," Ike returned.


    Wisp chuckled, and the tiny weight left his shoulder. "I''ll let ''em know. You hold the line, bossman."


    Ike nodded. He turned to face the figure again. With the castle taken care of, he only needed to take down the monster.


    Yeah. Easy.


    The heat was blistering. He walked left, and the figure''s head turned to follow him. One step at a time, toward the west. It lifted its foot again, and this time, it stepped toward Rufus'' castle. Behind him, the others ran in, all moving to defend the west. Mag flapped around its head, watching it, but wary of launching any attacks between his burning feathers and the figure''s ability to swallow spells. Ike glanced at him, then shook his head. He wouldn''t move Mag away. Mag might not like it, but he was most useful as a scout. From an aerial position, he''d have a different perspective on any attacks they launched on the figure. He could ask Mag what worked and what didn''t.


    The only problem was, what kind of attack was he going to launch? He couldn''t get close because of the heat. His biggest sword attack bounced off. Any external spells would simply get eaten¡ªthough, uh, not a problem for me, since I have almost no external spells.


    Ike thought for a moment longer, then shrugged. He''d never know if he didn''t try. He activated Storm Clad and flared aether to the armor portion of the skill. Winds whipped his skin, and freezing rain and sleet slashed his body. The heat grew weaker, to a bearable level, and Ike charged in.


    As he got closer, the heat grew stronger. The rain boiled, and the sleet melted. The hot water no longer dissipated any of the heat beating against him. Ike circulated more aether into it, pushing the wind to rage faster and the rain to grow colder. That barely leveled the water to the temperature that it didn''t hurt for it to strike him, but that was all. He ran in a hot shower, and that was still cooler than the heat around him.


    The figure looked down. It watched him come, and it did nothing. In fact, it waited. Let him approach. And it smiled.


    Ike snarled in return. I''m so weak you''ll let me hit you? I''ll make you regret that. It had already taken a sword strike from him, but that was unempowered. It was just the sword strike, without Storm Clad or anything else behind it. This time, he was putting all his power into it. Everything he had, every last scrap. If the figure didn''t feel this, then he''d truly have to take a new tack.


    It was Rank 4, yes, but he was Rank 3. He refused to believe he couldn''t fight it. He''d fought Rank 3s at Rank 2. He would find a way to defeat it. Even if it took everything he had.

 271. Punching Feet

    Ike rushed toward the figure''s feet. Storm Clad lashed him with hot water, superheated from the heat the figure gave off. Lightning crackled all around him. Green energy built up around his arm as he activated Shockwave Punch. At the same time, he used the newly optimized Hammer Sword and surged his mana toward his hands, activating both his new steel palms technique and the old Lightning Grasp, or at least, the piece of Storm Clad that corresponded to Lightning Grasp. The steel palm and Lightning Grasp synergized, aether flowing cleanly between them. Electricity built up on his palm. It hummed, power gathering in a thin layer over the metallicized surface of his palm. The power was volatile, ready to burst out at the least provocation, but stable enough to remain until he willed it to release.Interesting! Two skills synergizing, without any conscious effort on his part. He''d never heard of that before, but then, he hadn''t heard of a whole lot about how skills worked in general. He made a mental note to bring it up to someone more experienced with book learning, like Scar or Rufus, and closed the gap.


    Sword energy and electricity lanced from his hands, slashing into the giant''s foot. He aimed between its big toe and the next one, meaning to cause the figure the maximum amount of pain. He already knew his attack wouldn''t injure it meaningfully, but if he could even distract it for a moment, they might have the chance they needed to get a foothold into attacking it in a way that mattered.


    He put everything he had into the attack. Storm Clad. The brand new electricity palm attack, forged from two synergizing skills. His Hammer Sword technique and the shockwaves of his punch technique. Everything he had, all his skills, all his aether, poured into this attack.


    It smashed through the monster''s skin and split open its foot. The raw power of the Hammer Sword beat its foot apart all the way to the ankle, and the electricity tore through the surface of its foot, flaying the already burned flesh. A gout of fire lashed out from the wound, blasting Ike back. He rolled with the blow and landed on his feet, skidding back through the dirt. Ike wiped sweat and ash from his face. Cutting it incurred a backlash? There was no part of it that was easy to deal with. Even when they attacked, it automatically returned their attacks.


    Even though he''d jumped away immediately when it attacked, he''d still taken severe damage from the fire backlash. His skin was blackened and cracked, and one of his arms refused to move anymore. Ike surged aether to his Body Reforging Art and healed off the damage as fast as he could, but the burns resisted healing. Burns always healed slowly, but this felt like something more. Ike frowned. It almost felt as though there were some kind of lingering energy soaked in the fire, lingering energy that clung to him and persisted in his burns, even as he healed them.


    But for all that, Body Reforging Art was a formidable healing skill. His burns slowly healed¡ªslowly, yes, but steadily.


    Gotta remember to dodge those flames, Ike noted silently. If they would all take that long to heal, then he couldn''t afford to soak the hits. In fact, best if he shared that knowledge with everyone else, too.


    The smoke cleared. A gash rent its foot from toe to ankle. Ike''s eyes lit up. He was exhausted, now, spent, but he could do this. If his attacks could do that much damage, then this wasn''t hopeless. One little bit at a time, they''d take down this giant. So what if it was huge? He''d cut it down, all the same.


    And then the giant laughed.


    Ike glanced up, confused. Slowly, he looked down again.


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    Molten flesh flowed out of the monster''s foot. It bound the cut together, blackening into solid flesh once more. The figure lifted its foot. It waggled its toes, checking the sensation in them, then heaved back its foot and kicked.


    "Ike!"


    The world slowed. The foot rushed at him, fast even at the absolute limit of Ike''s perception. He dove to the side, his feet glowing ferociously with lightning. The kick whooshed by, stirring his clothes as it passed.


    Ike fell back, fading into the forest. He pinched his chin, thinking deeply. They had to attack it hard, with everything they had, and they had to tear it apart so fast that its regeneration didn''t matter. Ideally, they''d all withdraw and hit it with one big attack, but if they did that, they risked it turning on Ike''s castle and losing the trial for all of them.


    On the other hand, he didn''t care if it rampaged over here. The figure was still stuck in the trial, and any rampaging it did was locked in the trial realm, so it didn''t matter if it wrecked shit in here. As long as someone stood in front of the monster, it would advance, and as long as it didn''t advance toward his castle, it could go as far as it wanted. Ike didn''t care.


    Turning away from Ike, the figure marched on, heading toward the castle they pretended to defend.


    "Mag!" Ike shouted.


    "You survived? Didn''t expect that," Mag said. He hovered low overhead, circling over Ike as he spoke.


    "Yeah, yeah, thank you. Call everyone together in the ruins of Rufus'' castle. I have a plan."


    Mag tossed a salute and winged off. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike took a deep breath. He watched Mag go. I''m not sure this will work, but it''s the best idea I have. With that, he raced off toward Rufus'' castle, while the figure slowly stomped forward.

 272. Plan D

    Ike reached the castle before anyone else. He sat down in the deepest point of the rubble to meditate for the few precious moments he could. He''d used almost all his aether in that attack. He needed to recharge, even just to run around the field. There was no way he''d absorb enough mana to launch another attack at this shallow point, without access to the deep, rich energy of the mana well, not to mention he only had a few minutes, not the hours he needed, but he would at least absorb enough to power his way back to his castle to get the aether recharge he needed.Before long, Wisp and Mag joined him in the castle, while Scar and Rufus weren''t far behind. When everyone had gathered, Ike stood. He nodded at all the combatants around him.


    "This thing is scary."


    Scar huffed. "You called us all here to say that? Thanks, genius, I figured that out on my own."


    Wisp chuckled and pointed at Scar, nodding approvingly.


    Ignoring the both of them, Ike pressed on. "The monster is overwhelmingly strong. It can rebuff attacks without even lifting a hand, and it has powerful regeneration. I cut its foot open earlier, with an attack that cost all my aether, and it barely wounded it for more than a few seconds before it fully regenerated."


    Rufus stared. "Seconds?"


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    Scar grimaced. "Oof."


    Ike nodded. "Grinding it down isn''t going to work. We need to hit it with one massive blow, all at once. And right now, it''s pointed at Rufus'' castle. There''s no urgent need to defend against it, or prevent its advance. So here''s what I suggest: We all retreat." S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rufus spread his hands. "And then what?"


    "We retreat. Not all of us. Your men stay in the field, and pretend to offer resistance. Hell, go ahead and actually fight it, but put preserving your men''s lives first. They fight while all of us retreat to my castle and heal. Soak up mana or aether or whatever energy you use. When you''re all topped up, we all rush the monster together. Hit it with our biggest attacks, all at once. Hold nothing back, and absolutely blast it with everything you have. Don''t settle for injuring it. We need one big hit on as vital a place as you can manage, as much damage as you can do to its most important places. Understood?"


    Wisp nodded. "So basically, we gather all our aether, then hit it in the throat with all we''ve got?"


    "Basically. Pretty simple, right?" Ike said.


    "Almost too simple," Scar muttered. She shook her head. "What happens if we miss? If it goes wrong? Or if we hit it with all we have, and it still just regenerates?"


    "Then we come up with Plan B¡­ well, no. We''re at least at Plan D by now, so I guess, Plan E?" Ike said.


    "But we''ll be out in the field, right in front of it, totally spent, without even the mana to retreat," Scar pointed out.


    "Mag. Do you have a big hit that isn''t a ranged spell?" Ike asked.


    Mag huffed. "No."


    Ike pointed at him. "There you have it. If it isn''t dead, Mag yanks us out, and we retreat to figure out the next plan. Any objections?"


    "Plenty, but I don''t have a better plan," Scar said, sighing.


    Rufus shook his head as well. "If it really heals that quickly, wearing it down slowly is just about meaningless. I hate that you''re right, but you are right. One big hit is what we need here."


    Ike stood. He clapped. "Then disperse. I don''t want to see any of you on the way back. We can''t let the monster know where our real base is. Your men protect this rubble like their lives depend on it, but preserve their lives to the last. If it overruns this base before we''re ready, deflect toward Scar''s castle and openly retreat that way. The longer we lead it away from my castle, the more time we buy for ourselves. Don''t forget, if my castle goes down, the trial ends, and we all get executed."


    "Why? Why are we all executed?" Scar wondered aloud.


    Ike blinked at her. "I don''t know."


    "No, no. It''s not a criticism of you. And I know it''s true. But why? Why does the trial have that mechanism? Is this whole trial¡­ maybe, and this is just a suggestion, but is it just a big energy-generation method to seal this monster back away?"


    Ike opened his mouth, then shut it. He touched his mouth, thinking back to the voice only he had heard. It warned him to kill the monster, or else the trial would end. Warned him that the seal on the monster was running out of energy. But he hadn''t thought¡­ what did that mean? He''d simply accepted the words. His brows furrowed, and he thought on it. His head tilted.


    Scar laughed. "No, no. Don''t think too hard. We need to figure out this trial, beat this monster, and go home. Don''t blow your brain trying to figure out this puzzle that doesn''t even matter."


    "I''m not stupid," Ike protested. Why was she trying to stop him from thinking about it, when she''d brought it up in the first place.


    "Yeah, you aren''t, but we don''t need you distracted, either," she replied. "You''re our tactician."


    "Right, right." Ike nodded. He clapped. "Come on. Everyone scatter. Mag, you keep flying patrols, unless you desperately need aether?"


    "No, I''m good," Mag assured him.


    "Then stay on patrol. Wisp, Scar, Rufus, let''s go." Gesturing over his shoulder, Ike took off into the forest.

 273. The Plan Goes Off

    Ike raced through the forest. What Scar had said kept replaying through his head. Why were they executed when the trial ended? Did the trial devour them to re-seal the monster? Or¡­ was it simply a side effect of something more fundamental? Something like folding the realm away to seal the monster once more, but in collapsing the realm, they''d naturally die, crushed like ants in a folding tablecloth? S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.He wrinkled his nose. Scar was right. It wasn''t important, and he shouldn''t waste his time thinking on it. He really was their primary tactician, and he couldn''t afford to fall behind, mentally or physically.


    Still, he couldn''t help but think about it. Even as he sat in the depths of the castle, focused on absorbing mana, some small part of him wondered about the monster, and what the trial did to it. From what the voice in his head said, it was something the people who had created the trial couldn''t kill. Possibly even the thing that had killed the kingdom that came before, the kingdom that had created this trial.


    But if that was the case, how was he supposed to kill it? If the entire kingdom couldn''t kill that monster, even with that super-powerful skill this trial realm was meant to hide, how were they supposed to kill it, without even the super-powerful skill?


    Unless. Ike''s eyes widened, and he shot to his feet. He stared into the centipede tunnels. It wasn''t possible. It couldn''t be true. Her castle had fallen, just like everyone else''s.


    Or did it?


    He hadn''t confirmed it. He hadn''t confirmed anything. He hadn''t even seen the castle fall.


    Ike couldn''t wait any longer. He sprinted into the centipede tunnels.


    "Ike?" Startled, Wisp stood as well. She chased after him. "Where are you going?"


    "Don''t worry about it. Stay back. Gather mana," Ike replied.


    "Nah, I''m coming," Wisp said. She leaped and landed on his shoulder, quickly taking the shape of a small spider. "I''m not getting left out of the fun this time. Where are we going? Hunting a momma centipede?"


    "No. Worse." Ike told her his suspicions.


    Wisp cackled. She danced on his shoulder. "Interesting, interesting! Oooh, how nasty. I hope you''re right. That''d be real gross. A real underhanded move."


    "A good way to try to win the trial," Ike pointed out.


    "Yeah. Jealous you didn''t think of it?"


    He snorted. "It wouldn''t actually work. There''s something here, some intelligence that''s watching us. If we don''t clear the trial in the intended way, I''m not sure if it would count it as a victory, even if we defeated all the monsters in this realm."


    "You think not? Then, do you think that intelligence would kill her, if she succeeded at her gambit?" Read latest stories on empire


    "Yeah, more or less. Well, it might not have to. That monster might not go away until we''re all dead. Either that, or the trial collapses to re-seal it, or something, and at that point, everyone dies, regardless of what they''ve done up until that moment." Ike shrugged. "It''s all just guesswork. I have no idea how it actually works."


    "Yeah, yeah. Well, it''s an interesting idea. We''ll find out if we don''t beat that thing fast enough, won''t we?" Wisp pointed out.


    That gave Ike pause, even if his feet kept moving at the same pace. "Damn. You think it''s on a timer?"


    "Might be. It''s probably a mage-scale timer, so, you know, years, not hours. But like you, I don''t know. Could be anything," Wisp said with a shrug.


    Ike twisted his lips. She was right, but nonetheless, he couldn''t help brace for the worst option.


    Ike raced through the tunnels. Earlier, he''d plumbed their depths, looking for more powerful centipedes. This time, though, he stayed at the shallow level. He ran in one direction, single-minded. There was one destination for him. One place he needed to go. Just to confirm something. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe it was all in his head. But the sinking feeling in his gut told him he knew what was happening, that his guess was right, that the clan known for subterfuge and underhanded tactics was doing exactly what they were best known for.


    Ahead of him, stone walls broke the monotony of the rough-carved centipede tunnels. And in the stone walls, a man in dark robes locked eyes with Ike. The man hesitated just one second, then raised his weapon.


    Ike scowled. "Looks like we''re doing this the hard way."


    "Yummy! It''s been too long," Wisp cheered on his shoulder.


    The man rushed at them. Wisp turned around, and a stream of white silk wrapped around him. He slashed through it before it fully wrapped him, but that motion left him open. Ike slipped in. The Hungry Sword sang as it smashed through his neck, eating him open like a thousand tiny mouths.


    The man dropped to the ground. The Hungry Sword pulled in Ike''s hand, yanking him toward the man''s sword. Ike picked it up and offered it to the Hungry Sword, and in a matter of seconds, the sword demolished its lesser counterpart.


    Wisp hopped off his shoulder for long enough to cocoon the man against the wall, then rejoined Ike. "Yummy yummy, tasty bodies, tasty in my tummy. People meat, fun to eat, gonna chew ''em up real good. Bite them and they turn to jelly, slurp them up into my belly¡ª"


    "Could you not?" Ike asked.


    "What?"


    "You''re singing about eating people!" he protested.


    "So?"


    "I''m people!"


    "You have a whole nursery rhyme about killing spiders. No, several!" Wisp protested.


    "And I don''t sing them around you," Ike pointed out.


    She considered for a minute. "Yeah, but you could. And I wouldn''t get insulted or anything."


    Ike gave her a look. "Would you not?"


    "I mean sarcastically yes, but not for real," she said.


    "You just want to keep singing your people-eating song," Ike accused her.


    "I was one with the rhythm. A part of the beat. The creative juices were flowing. Mmm, flowing juices¡­"


    "Alright, alright," Ike complained.


    Two men dropped from the ceiling toward Ike and Wisp. Before they even finished falling, Ike smashed one of them into the ceiling with the Hungry Sword. The blades whirled, gnawing a hole through his gut. The man screamed in pain and horror. Wisp tackled the other one. He lashed out, cutting her in half¡ªand then the shadow of Wisp vanished. She appeared on his neck and chomped down, pumping venom into him.


    "Fool. I''m immune to most poisons," the man snapped.


    "Joke''s on you, this is venom," Wisp replied.


    He smacked at her body, but she was already gone. Her fangs latched onto his ankle, and this time, she simply dug her feet in and tore. It would have been humorous to see a tiny spider tear the leg off a man, if it wasn''t for all the screaming and the splashing blood everywhere.


    Ike released the man from the ceiling, striking his neck open on the way down to truly finish him off. The other man succumbed to Wisp''s poison moments later.


    "Ha, idiot," Wisp muttered, too busy chewing his leg to offer a real insult.


    "Two left," Ike replied.


    She glanced at him. "You know, if we''re going to recruit them, we probably shouldn''t kill them all."


    Ike''s eyes flashed. Recruit them? These cowards, who hid when everyone else fought? Who refused to take on their part of the battle? "Who said we''re going to recruit them?" he replied darkly.


    Wisp giggled. "More meat for me!"


    The Hungry Sword thrummed in excitement, and Ike delved deeper into Vi''s castle.

 274. Vis Castle

    As he''d suspected, Vi''s castle hadn''t truly fallen at all. There was no sign of damage to the walls. Instead, it appeared that Vi had simply retreated her castle back into the earth, somehow¡ªundone whatever magic it was that had pushed it out of the earth in the first place, to return it to its safe haven underground. Her castle hadn''t fallen, it had literally dropped back into the earth. From Mag''s perspective, he could see it being the same¡­ or maybe it was just that the bird boy didn''t have the eloquence to express what had actually happened? Either way, there was no point holding it against Mag. Even if he himself had seen the castle drop wholesale into the earth, Ike wasn''t confident he''d think anything other than that some kind of magic had sucked it back into the earth. After all, who would think to put the castle back underground for safekeeping?Maybe I should do that, Ike thought, then shook his head at himself. He needed the high vantage point for battle. Unlike Vi, he wasn''t just hiding away, he was actually fighting his part. Besides, he''d feel the fool if he dropped his castle into the earth to protect it, only for the giant figure to stumble over the castle and crush it anyways. One misstep, and the whole castle would crumble. He wouldn''t be able to use any of its weapons or defenses.


    He could just lead the figure over to Vi''s castle and have it stomp the castle to bits, but that wouldn''t satisfy his irritation. Nothing short of facing her and beating her own cowardice into her would sate his fury. It wasn''t as if he''d gone around killing all the other candidates. To the contrary, he''d invited them all into his party, rescued them, and fought with them, even Rufus. Even Rufus! And Vi, whom he had extended nothing but grace, to turn about and push the monsters onto him, without so much as trying to fight¡­ He knew it shouldn''t bother him. No, he shouldn''t let it bother him. But it riled him, all the same. Not pulling her own weight. Hiding away from the challenge. Refusing to join in, just to reap the benefits as he, and Scar, and even Rufus¡ªeven Rufus¡ªrisked their lives and fought to the death to survive.


    It pissed him off. It really, really, really pissed him off.


    A blade hissed at his neck from the shadows. Ike''s body blurred, and lightning flashed. Vi''s final subordinate dropped to the ground. The man was fast, but not faster than lightning.


    "Whee!" Wisp cheered on his shoulder, enjoying the ride.


    "Vi! I know you''re here. Come out and face me, coward!" Ike shouted. Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire


    His voice echoed off cold stone. Nothing moved. No one answered him.


    "Come out, assassin," Wisp mocked him in a sing-song.


    Ike rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I know. Worth a shot, though. Not that I thought she had the spine to answer my call."


    Wisp danced on his shoulder. "Ooh, you''re mad mad. That''s pretty rare. She piss you off bad, then?"


    "Just¡ªthe idea of her sitting on her ass while the rest of us work¡­" Ike shook his head. "It shouldn''t bother me that much. But it does."


    "Yeah, I get it," Wisp agreed.


    "You do?" Ike asked, surprised.


    "Mhm. I like being the one to sit back and watch, but if someone else is sitting back and watching me, boy. That does tick me off. I mean, right? I could be the one relaxing, and instead, that guy''s kicking his feet up? No way, no way."


    Ike snorted. "That tracks."


    Wisp tensed, suddenly alert. She tapped Ike''s neck, but went on talking normally. "So I''m not happy about it, either. But you seem super pissed."


    Ike nodded a tiny bit, showing her he understood. Wisp had sensed something. It was time to be on edge. He pushed his aether out of his body to its limits, expanding his senses to their utmost. If anyone or anything entered the sphere of his aether, he''d know. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I know I''m going overboard, but it really bothers me. Maybe because people have almost died because of her inaction? Maybe because we all are fighting to the death against this figure, while she''s sitting back to kill us all in one fell swoop once we finish it off? I mean, when you think about it, there''s a lot of reasons to be mad."


    At this point, he was just filling words. The conversation should have ended already, but both he and Wisp were keeping it up, on the pretense that they hadn''t noticed anything wrong.


    "Well, like you said. She''s a yellow-bellied coward. Can''t even kill her own prey." Wisp paused. "We better not just be playing hide and seek. I''ll get mad for real, okay?"


    "Oh? That''s your red line?" Ike asked, suddenly drawn back into the conversation.


    "I''m an ambush predator! I wait, and you come to me! I don''t do this finding and chasing nonsense," Wisp complained.


    Ike pursed his lips. He nodded. "It does make sense, when you put it that way."


    "And that''s why it''s pissing you off so much, isn''t it? Because humans are pack hunters who work on cooperation, and she''s not cooperating. It all comes down to instincts. Instinct!" Wisp tapped him twice on the neck, slightly further to the left.


    Oh? To the left? Ike gave no visual signal, but extended his mana leftward. And there, he found it. A hollow in the stone wall just ahead, and barely perceptible, a trace of heat. She''d completely hidden her mana signature, completely hidden her sight, but hadn''t hidden her heat. If not for the thickness of aether, and its ability to sense and transmit more information, he''d never have sensed it.


    He nodded again. He knew it. Which meant there was only one thing left to do. He steadied his breathing. Adjusted his grip on the Hungry Sword. Aether flowed through him, massing in his hand as he prepared the shape of the Hammer Sword in his mind. Lightning flashed around his wrist, around his hand, and flickered around his feet.


    One step closer. Two. Ike rolled his shoulder, warning Wisp of his impending attack. She tapped in return.


    Ike whirled and lunged, even as a dark form shout out of the wall at him.

 275. The Plan Goes Off

    Ike lashed out as a dark form leapt at him from the wall''s hollow. His sword struck at Vi, even as she slashed at him. At the last second, Vi lowered her blade to meet his rather than go for his throat.And the Hungry Sword chewed right through her blade and carved toward her gut all the same.


    Vi''s eyes widened. She kicked out. Her feet pressed against Ike''s hips for a moment, and then she flew back toward the hollow again. Her back hit the stone, and Ike''s sword went short.


    But that meant she was cornered. Ike darted in, lifting his sword again.


    Vi threw powder from his pocket. Bright light flashed out, blinding Ike, but he kept swinging. The sword arced through stone. He felt Vi''s hands brush against his shoulders as she flipped over him, and then she shrieked.


    "Haha, get bit, loser," Wisp sang, dancing a little victory dance on Ike''s shoulder.


    "I''m immune to poison," Vi hissed back.


    Ike struck toward her voice. "We''ve already had this conversation."


    His sword struck air again. Vi danced back. With his aether, Ike could sense her heat, and he could hear her footsteps. Between the two, it was almost meaningless that she''d blinded him. The only downside was that he couldn''t see her attacks. Her hands blurred. Ike swept his sword in a big arc, trying to block the general area of her attack. Blades tinged off his sword and dug into his flesh. Blood ran from his shoulder and leg. All her attacks had targeted vital areas, from his neck to his femoral artery. If he hadn''t turned and blocked, he would have been seriously injured. She meant to kill. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At that, Ike''s rage only grew. She was trying to kill him. She''d skipped all the hard work, hidden from the battle, refused to contribute anything and made everyone''s job harder, and now she was trying to kill him? A part of him knew it was only logical. That this was the only route she had left. But the rest of him didn''t care. Yanking the blade out of his shoulder, he threw it at Vi. She shrieked and jumped back.


    His vision came back in splotches and dots. Plucking the blade out of her side, Vi reached to her hip, desperately scrabbling out a slender vial that held a pale liquid. She went to tip it back.


    Ike pointed. "Wisp, grab that."


    White thread shot from his shoulder and snatched the vial away. Vi startled and lunged after it, but too slow. Coldness spread from his wounds where the blades had hit, quickly spreading through his body. There was no time to hesitate. If this was a double-back, he was dead. He had to believe it was the antidote. He put the vial to his lips and sucked it down.


    The cold sensation diminished. Sensation returned to his limbs.


    "Even poison. You gods-damned coward," Ike snarled. He darted toward Vi.


    A net of light filled the hallway between them. Vi turned and fled.


    Ike slammed the net with his Hammer Sword. Not only did the blow knock the net down, but the Hungry Sword also slurped up the mana construct, swallowing it down. He closed in on Vi. She raced away from him with all her strength, but Ike was still faster. Lightning shot over the stones. Thunder echoed down the hallway. He caught up to her in a flash. His blade struck toward the back of her neck.


    She ducked, only for Ike to sweep her legs with a low kick. He hammered her into the ground with a Shockwave Punch and borrowed Shawn''s weight to pin her there. Her face twisted in pain, but she said nothing.


    "I thought you were immune to poisons? But you didn''t seem so immune to that blade I threw at you. Don''t tell me. Is it a poison that cuts through the immunity you and your men develop?" Ike scoffed. "How sad, how lonely. You can''t even trust your own men, so you carry blades to kill them."


    For a second, he paused and looked at her. Was she that different from him, Mag, Wisp? She was lonely. She''d never been somewhere people didn''t see her as a threat.


    But when she''d been given the chance to cooperate, she''d bitten the hand that fed her. Rather than taking a chance and trusting him, she''d turned the opposite direction and rejected any chance at building anything like a relationship between them. There was no hope for redemption. She could no longer see other humans as anything but a threat.


    Ike sighed. He lifted his sword, keeping her pinned with his other hand. Wisp shot some web at her, helping him tie her down. "You know, under other circumstances, we might have been friends. We share much in common, you and me."


    Vi stopped struggling. She stared up at him, braced for the end. "Do it. Kill me."


    "This didn''t need to happen. If you''d only helped us¡­" Explore stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    Her eyes were dead. She wasn''t listening. The only one he was talking to was himself.


    Ike cursed under his breath. He slammed the sword home. Too far gone. There was no such thing as saving her. Whatever life she''d lived until now, it was one that precluded hope, trust, and belief. If he didn''t kill her, she would kill him. And yet, he could see himself in her. He could see Wisp and Mag in her. One little nudge in the wrong direction, and any of them could have so easily grown into someone like Vi.


    "Ike?" Wisp asked.


    "Nothing. I was just getting a little sentimental." Ike stood. He went to shake the blood off his blade, only to find the Hungry Sword had already absorbed it.


    "Mourning the loss of beauty?" Wisp teased him.


    "As if." Ike walked away, speeding into a run. "Come on. Let''s go help the people who actually care with finishing off this trial."


    Behind him, Vi''s body laid still. For a long time, nothing moved.


    And then Vi twitched. A gem in her left ear cracked. Blood flowed backward, re-entering her body, and her flesh mended. She gasped, sitting up with a jolt. One hand went to her throat. When she felt smooth flesh, she lowered it slowly.


    If only you''d helped us. His words lingered in her heart. She touched her chest and gazed after him. Unreadable expressions flashed across her face, one after another, and then Vi vanished.

 276. Final Preparations

    Ike returned to the castle to gather mana. Most of the others were almost done by now, but no one asked where he''d been or why he wasn''t ready. One look at his face, and they knew everything they needed to know.For all that, it didn''t take long for Ike to absorb aether. He followed Shawn''s advice, and the energy poured into him almost before he knew it. A few short hours later, he stood once more.


    "Let''s go."


    Nothing more needed to be said. Wisp, Rufus, and Scar joined up behind him, and the four of them rushed out of Ike''s castle once more and into battle.


    Scar and Rufus'' men had done a decent job of leading the monster around while they were inside, absorbing mana. The monster didn''t seem to care much about the castle, so they led it in loops around the structure. Mindlessly, it followed, lurching after the mages. The mages had a sort of relay set up. One started running, then vanished, letting another mage take their place. The monster barely reacted to the change. It turned a little, tracking the mage who''d swapped out while they were still close to it, but the second they vanished into the treeline, the figure''s ember pits of eyes followed the new mage instead.


    Ike frowned. It was almost as if the figure was tracking them not visually, not by sound, not even by mana¡­ but by heat. And as soon as their heat was obscured by distance or obstacle, it turned away.


    It was on fire. If there was anything he was sure of, it was that this monster was definitely associated with fire. The question was, could it also be weakened by fire, like the other monsters, or would it only strengthen it?


    No, if I had to guess, fire would strengthen it. It had absorbed mana straight out of Mag''s spell. He didn''t know what it would do with non-magical fire, but he had to expect it would be nothing good. In the worst case, it would absorb it, the same as it did with magic.


    As the four of them approached, the figure turned. Its mouth gaped, and fire belched from its throat. It sucked in a deep breath. The fires in its belly flared, fed by the flow of fresh oxygen. Rearing back, it closed its mouth. Its cheeks puffed.


    "Split apart!" Ike shouted.


    Wisp shot off on a thread. Rufus mounted a broom and surged off. Scar ran left. Ike sprinted right, taking the final remaining direction. He called up Storm Clad as he ran, flaring the lightning part of the skill. The heat of the electricity warmed the air around him. The figure had started turning to track Scar, but when he activated his skill and burned it hot, it whipped about to track him instead.


    Ike snorted, almost laughing. That confirmed it. It tracked heat.


    Overhead, clouds gathered, the natural side effect of flaring the electric part of his skill. Ike didn''t cancel it, but instead, kept pouring aether into the electricity skill. He needed his biggest hit. Whether he liked it or not, that was still Lightning Caller. Of course, he planned to put more than just Lightning Caller into it, but he needed at least the power of the heavens if he was going to land a serious hit on this giant.


    The figure''s cracked and threadbare lips split open. It spat a stream of fire at Ike. Ike vanished, nothing but a smear of neon purple-white left behind him. The fire incinerated the forest and sparked a fresh forest fire. Flames raged in the trees, quickly charring their trunks and crawling through them, searching for new victims.


    A boulder smashed into the side of its head. The monster staggered, then turned to face Scar. She stood atop a rise, panting. Beside her, the scar of empty earth where a boulder had stood gaped wide. "Take that, motherfucker!"


    The figure responded with a roar. It swept its hand toward her, blackened flesh trailing pink-red embers. Scar''s eyes widened. She ducked, raising her arms to block.


    Lurid crimson darted out of the heavens. Mag swooped her up and took to the sky once more, his red robes flapping around his black-and-white wings. His tailfeathers came alight as he sped away, but Scar, clutched in his talons, quickly beat them out.


    "Good job, Mag!" Ike cheered for him.


    "Of course. I''m the king of the skies!" Mag declared unabashedly.


    The figure clawed after Mag, but there was nothing it could do. Mag sped out of its reach, flying too high for it to reach. He only swooped down well out of the figure''s reach to release Scar once more.


    "Does anyone need setup or time to cast their biggest move?" Ike shouted, pushing aether into his voice to amplify it. "Remember, external magics are no good! It''ll eat them!"


    Read latest stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    "I need a few more seconds," Rufus said.


    "I''m good to go!" Scar replied. Her body swelled, visibly growing more muscle. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Lemme at him," Wisp called from somewhere unseen.


    Ike took a deep breath. Already, lightning crackled around him even when he didn''t bid it to. Lightning Caller shimmered. Overhead, the clouds rumbled and boomed, and pale light flashed in the black mountains of water vapor. "I''m ready whenever you are."


    From Rufus'' direction, red energy shone brightly. It brightened. A high-pitched keen echoed through the woods. And then, abruptly, it all faded.


    "I''m ready," Rufus declared.


    "Go!" Ike shouted.


    From four directions, they hurtled toward the giant burning figure. The figure threw its head back and screamed, baring its claws at the sky, then lashed out, striking toward the darting attackers. A huge claw hurtled toward Ike, on path to block his path.


    It''s all or nothing. Gritting his teeth, Ike charged ahead. He''d beat the claw, or be beaten back, but he wasn''t going to give up now!

 277. Big Hits

    The claw skated across the land, throwing up earth and shrubs before it, trailing charcoal and embers after. It hurtled toward Ike, preparing to cut him off.Ike gritted his teeth and hopped directly into the air. As the hand passed under him, he dropped down toward it. The heat of the arm beat toward him, already baking his feet before he even landed on it. But if he wanted to hit a vital point, the easiest way was to run up its arm to its neck. He wasn''t going to let a little bit of pain scare him away from giving this thing the biggest blow he possibly could.


    The heat grew more intense the closer he fell. The edges of his clothes and the ends of his hair ignited. The second he touched down, the soles of his shoes burned to ash. The fire immediately began eating at his feet, and his skin crisped and burned away.


    Fighting the urge to scream, Ike swallowed his pain and activated Body Reforging Art instead. The art activated, and his feet began healing almost as fast as they burned. But the burning still won. In a few moments, he couldn''t feel the bottom of his feet anymore, and not in a good way.


    Ike gritted his teeth and ran. His speed was lower than usual, since he had to thump his feet down like the dead chunks of meat they were. He surged the Body Reforging Art to his feet, and held the image of his steel hands in his mind. Make my feet steel. Steel might melt, but it melts at a higher temperature than the human body burns!


    The art churned. His aether burned as it healed his feet. He ran on, thumping along. As he ran, the art worked. His feet began to transform. First, a thin covering of steel, which seared the flesh under it like steak on a grill. Then a thicker coating, which still transferred the heat. Ike grimaced. At this rate, he''d just pull the heat higher.


    I need them to be steel so they won''t burn, but I also need something to vent the heat. But what?


    His eyes widened. No! He was being foolish. Relying only on Body Reforging Art was a mistake. He had so many techniques. He didn''t need to just use one skill when he could combine skills for the desired result. He activated the ice and sleet parts of Storm Clad and directed them at his ankles, as Body Reforging Art turned his feet into steel. Heat coursed up his feet into his ankles, but then it was lashed by the gales of Storm Clad. The heated metal cooled almost as rapidly as it heated. Aether flew into his two skills. Body Reforging Art sucked aether as it finished reforging his feet, and Storm Clad chewed through his aether as he surged it to keep his metal feet at a comfortable temperature at their top.


    At the same time, he closed in on the monster''s throat. From all other directions, his companions also closed in on the figure. Wisp swung in on a spider''s thread, tossing it behind her and flying in as it caught alight despite her fireproofing. Rufus flew in on a broom, its bristles alight. Scar leaped from nearby high ground, her body swollen with muscle. All four of them hurtled toward the figure''s neck.


    Scar reached first. She hammered the monster''s neck with an over-the-head hammer blow, a knife clenched in her fists. She tore a gash open, and a gout of white-hot molten lava spewed out. Clinging on, she ducked away from the gout and kept cutting.


    Rufus struck next. A wave of sword energy lashed into the monster. The lava gouted, only for Rufus to finish it up with a second strike. The cut widened. Lava poured down the monster''s throat and chest. It lifted its hands toward its throat.


    "Nope!" Wisp threw out a series of thick webbing ropes. The ropes bound the monster''s arms to its body, keeping it from closing off access to its neck. Even with the fireproofing she''d attached to her thread, it still began to burn immediately, but more slower than it would usually.


    Ike reached the neck. He drew back his hands and unleashed a strike fully empowered by Storm Clad. At the same time, he activated Lightning Caller, Shockwave Punch, and Hammer Sword. Lightning lashed down and surged through Storm Clad, empowering his blow. The lightning coursed through the lightning already dancing around Ike and flew through him without harming him, only to hammer into the monster''s throat. He pushed as much of the power as he could into his arms and his sword. The Hungry Sword sang in happiness and sawed through the figure''s neck. Lava poured over him and the sword. His Body Reforging Art surged again, climbing steel up his forearms, then over his elbows and up to his shoulders. His aether poured out of his core. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He''d never used so much aether at once, in one strike. Even when he''d put his all into strikes before, he hadn''t been this strong, this able to absorb aether, nor recently fully recharged directly from a mana vein.


    And it worked. He tore through the figure''s throat and kept going, charging across its chest while dragging its sword through its neck behind him. His feet slammed into its collarbone as he ran sideways toward the other side of its neck. Lava spewed behind him, pouring redoubled over its chest. Where Rufus had already cut open, the Hungry Sword dug deeper, flaying the injured flesh. Lava splashed under Ike''s feet, clinging to his steel toes. Scar saw him coming and jumped back. He charged in, connecting the deep gash she''d cut to the long slice.


    Ike slowed and turned back. The entire front of the monster''s throat hung open. Its magma blood flowed out, coursing down its chest, pouring into the gaps in its flesh only to waterfall out another gap lower on its body. It broke free of Wisp''s binds, but only gripped at its throat. Slow as an avalanche, it fell to its knees, then slowly drooped forward.


    Ike hopped away. Scar jogged to his side. Wisp crawled over on a thread, and Rufus hovered at shoulder height atop his broom. They watched the figure die, all of them holding their breath, an unspoken question on their lips¡ª


    Is it over? Read exclusive chapters at My Virtual Library Empire

 278. Is It Over?

    The figure pitched forward. Red-hot magma coursed over the ground, pouring into the undergrowth and lapping at the feet of the trees. Fires popped up everywhere, rushing here and there through the forest as the lava found new material to ignite. Slowly, the figure slumped to the ground."So¡­ I guess that''s that?" Wisp said at last. She''d scrambled into a tree and clung there, upside down, eyeing the flames licking at the base of her tree.


    Scar sat behind Rufus on his broom. She crossed her legs and leaned on her hand, no longer bulked out with muscle. "It hasn''t gotten back up yet."


    "It''s best to not underestimate it," Ike replied. He stood in the lava, or rather, on it. He''d used Storm Clad to cool a good chunk of lava around his general vicinity and stood on it, then re-cooled it whenever a new wave of lava came his way. That, plus his steel feet, meant he basically didn''t have to worry about it.


    It wasn''t real lava, in any case. It was useful to think of it as lava, because it was that dangerous, but it wasn''t actually molten rock. More molten blood, but blood of a far higher Rank than anyone present.


    Which was shocking. The monster was only Rank 4. Sure, they were Rank 3s, but for its blood to be of such a high Rank that Ike couldn''t place its Rank for certain? That was strange. It was as if the monster was weakened, or had once been much stronger when it had grown this burning body, but now could only maintain Rank 4.


    Not that I''d be surprised if that were the case. It had been sealed away in this trial for gods-only-knew how long. It was only natural that it had lost energy and power from the seal. In fact, if he''d created the seal, Ike was sure he would have built it deliberately to weaken the creature over time, or, if that was impossible, to at least seal it off from replenishing or gaining strength.


    All that meant that they faced a weaker version of the figure than what had wiped out the original castle, if Ike''s guesses were correct. Still, recalling his fight with Llewyn, he didn''t feel that this one had felt as dangerous as Llewyn. That, too, had been an up-Rank fight, but this time, he''d simply one-shot it. Sure, there had been tactics to it. He''d had their underlings lead it away, then kite it around for a while so that he and the others could recharge their energy. And if he thought about it, there was no reason why their biggest hits shouldn''t kill the monster. After all, for all that Ranks were pretty stiff barriers, he had successfully fought up-Rank before, and everyone else here was the cream of the crop for the king''s trial¡­ which, he was pretty sure, was limited at Rank 4, not Rank 3. None of them felt like Rank 4s, but that only spoke to their power, to be able to overcome all the Rank 4s who''d entered the trial realm. And if four people who could fight up-Rank hit one monster with all their strength, why shouldn''t it go down?


    And yet, he still watched it, waiting. Some instinct, some sensation, told him it wasn''t over yet.


    Plus, the voice in the sky hadn''t said anything yet. The trial wasn''t over. Until it spoke, he wasn''t going to move.


    The body slumped. It laid prone on the floor, completely motionless. The ruined, burned husk began to cool, crackling and groaning as it settled. Magma dripped slowly inside the body, visible through the vast cracks. Ike frowned. Doubt began to creep in. Maybe they had killed it, and the trial was just being reticent. It didn''t always talk at the end of trials, or at least, didn''t talk immediately. And again, it was their biggest hits. They''d held nothing back. Hadn''t tried to test its strength or measure its power, but simply hammered it to death. Its biggest asset was its self-healing, and they''d overcome that by hitting it with a huge wave of damage all at once. On paper, this technique was a sure-win, kill-every-time. It was just that things so rarely went according to paper, that Ike was surprised that they had this time.


    With a horrendous crack, the figure''s hand tore off its wrist and smashed down into the forest below. The hand struck the ground and shattered, breaking into a thousand tiny bits of charcoal.


    Scar looked at Ike. "Come on. It''s dead. What are you waiting for? Do you need me to sing? I''m not fat, but I am a lady."


    "What am I, chopped liver?" Wisp complained.


    "Not a lady," Scar muttered, and Rufus snorted.


    "I''ll show you who''s the fuckin'' lady. Bet you aren''t even planning to eat your mate," Wisp muttered.


    "That''s not very ladylike behavior," Ike pointed out. "Cannibalism is generally frowned upon in human society. Moreso in high society." sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yeah, and that''s your loss. If I''ve said it once, I''ve said it a thousand times. You''re overlooking a perfectly good source of protein for your growing eggs!" Wisp said, spreading her hands.


    Scar licked her lips. She glanced at Ike. "Is this a spider thing?"


    "Yes," Mag replied, alighting on a branch nearby.


    She breathed out, putting a hand to her chest. "Phew. Sometimes beasts are a little too much for me."


    Ike looked at the figure, then turned to Mag. "From above, are there any signs of life?"


    Mag shook his head. "Only remnant mana, but anything this big will have a bit of mana left in it for¡­ could be days, weeks, even months, before it fully dissipates. If it fully dissipates at all."


    Ike pursed his lips, not fully satisfied with that answer. That meant it still had a mana signature. He shook his head. "You guys can leave, but I''m going to stay here and monitor it for a little while longer¡ª"


    Crack.


    The figure''s torso trembled, then split open. The charcoal opened right down the seams, revealing the heat buried deep within. Inside the figure, its heart still throbbed.


    Ike lifted his sword. Scar jumped to her feet. Wisp whirled around and steadied herself atop a branch. Mag directly took to the air, fleeing without a second thought.


    The heart beat once, twice, three times¡ªthen stopped. It began to go dark.


    Scar sighed again, relieved. "Thank the gods. I thought it was about to revive. That really shocked me!"


    Ike threw his hand out, demanding silence. She frowned, then lifted her head¡ªand stared.


    A charcoal hand poked through the heart, human size, piercing it from the inside out. A second hand joined the first, and the two hands pulled outward. The heart squelched and trembled. When there was about two feet of slit opened in the heart, a dark head appeared, then shoulders. A slender charcoal figure squeezed out, coated in the heart''s blood, stained molten red from head to toe. It laid on the ground for a moment, immobile, weak as a newborn deer.


    And yet, the power that exuded from that form was a dozen times stronger than that of the huge figure. Ike''s animal instincts screamed for him to run. So run he did¡ªdirectly at it. He smashed his sword down on its head. If it was weak, then he''d kill it now, before it had the chance to be fully born.


    And then he stopped. Mid-step, halted dead. Not on his own power. He looked down, slowly.


    A wrist pierced his chest. Fingers poked out through his shoulderblade. His flesh seared and spat as the charcoal person baked him from their very presence.


    Wisp stared, silent, still, but hatred burning from her eyes.


    Scar shrieked. "Ike!"


    Rufus held her back, backing away on his broom.


    The figure''s crude face split open, no less shapeless than the giant figure. It lifted its other hand, pointing slowly at the rest of them. For the first time, it spoke.


    "This man is the wisest of you. If he had successfully struck me while I was weak, perhaps I might have died. If you had all followed his example, it would have been guaranteed."


    It yanked its hand out of Ike''s chest with a horrible squelch. Ike fell to his knees. His whole world was pain, nothing but pain. His heart beat weakly, barely struggling to keep on. Blood poured from his chest, but not as much as he expected. The wounds had cauterized shut. Body Reforging Art activated, yet struggled. The burns were too much, too extensive. It couldn''t heal him fast enough.


    Light began to fade from his vision. As it dwindled to a single point, he forced his head up, forced himself to look at the figure, as much as he could.


    The figure smiled. "But you are all fools. So you will die."


    Ashes flying, it burst toward the other three.

 279. Emerged

    Ike laid on the ground. Bleeding out, burned to a crisp. His heart struggled, twitching more than beating. One lung simply wouldn''t move. The other screamed, nothing but pain. His whole chest was a mess of pain. His life waned, flickering like a candle on the verge of blowing out.The figure advanced toward Wisp, Scar, and Rufus. Mag fluttered overhead, eyes big and round with fear. At that, Ike barely bit back a chuckle. What was he so afraid of? He could just fly away.


    No. The trial kills us all if we die. If I¡­ if I die.


    At that, Ike jolted back to reality. He clenched his fist, pressing it into the still-hot floor beneath him. That pain barely registered. He was almost gone. Something that minor wasn''t going to tip the scales.


    Overhead, Mag startled. He stared off, not at the figure, but behind it. His brows furrowed, then he flew off, beating his wings at top speed.


    Fly away, little bird. Even though he knew Mag died with the rest of them, he still wanted to believe, somewhere in his charred heart, that Mag might survive. That someone might survive, any of them.


    Ah, that''s right. Wasn''t Mag''s father a dragon? Or¡­ was it his mother? It doesn''t matter. But maybe the dragon will save him. Ike chuckled. Not that he was sure he believed the bird''s story of his origin from the beginning. He did have scales and feathers, but this world had an infinite variety of skills. Ike could turn his limbs to steel, but he didn''t have a steel golem in his lineage. At least, not as far as he knew¡­ though as far as he knew, steel golems couldn''t mate, so¡­


    Focus. Ike blinked, forcing himself to stay awake. If he passed out now, that was really the end. His friends would die, and so would he. Not necessarily in that order. He pushed all his remaining mana into his healing skill, and still barely managed to cling to life. There was a heat in his chest, as if a fire burned there inside of him. As if the monster had left an ember in his heart. Enjoy new stories from My Virtual Library Empire


    It doesn''t matter. I need to heal. If I have to heal something inside me, so be it. He surged his healing higher, putting his all into it. His chest slowly closed.


    The figure closed in on Wisp and the others. It raised its hand. "Who wants to die first?"


    "None of us, loser," Ike snarled. He staggered to his feet. Defiantly, he glared at the figure.


    The charcoal figure turned. Its whole body was black and rugged, as if roughly carved from burned wood. Red glowed in its chest, where the charcoal splintered open to reveal a burning pit of heat. It stared at Ike, then laughed. Slowly, it clapped. "I applaud your diligence, but you are doomed. You were all doomed from the moment you awakened me. No¡ªeven before that, from the moment you stepped into this trial, you were doomed, because there was no way out except through me."


    "I don''t care. I¡­I''ll kill you," Ike said. He didn''t know if he could, but at this point, this was the only way to win. To do anything. He needed time, and as long as the thing was talking, he was buying time.


    "Do you even know why I''m here, boy? Do you know why they set this trial up to force you powerful young mages to try to kill me? Do you know what happened to this land, that this is all that remains?"


    "I don''t," Ike replied defiantly.


    "Then let me tell you," the figure said.


    Ike glanced at the others. They nodded back, all of them understanding. They dropped back, sucking down potions or closing their eyes to meditate and recover. Ike kept healing his chest. The wounds slowly closed, even with whatever ember was stick in them.


    "I used to be a mage, like you. Unlike you, I disagreed with the status quo. I dared to dream of more for our lands. More power. More territory. But the king, the blind, foolish king, he disagreed. He was happy with complacency. With nothing. Staying the same forever.


    "Was it wrong for me to dream of something more? Was it wrong for me to dream of expansion and glory for our lands? That foolish king said yes. And not only that¡ªbut in the most horrible way possible. He sabotaged me. Sent me to gain a powerful skill, knowing that it would leave me unstable, no longer able to appear human. Trapped in this ruined, blackened body." S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The figure pointed at Ike. Its finger trembled. "Am I wrong for hating him? For wreaking vengeance upon his kingdom? Am I wrong?"


    Ike said nothing, too busy focusing on breathing and healing. To be honest, the whole thing kind of sounded like the figure''s fault. He didn''t know the whole story, for sure, but it seemed like the figure was way too fixated on this kingdom. It could have left. Gone anywhere else. Founded its own kingdom, even. But because it fixated on this kingdom, this king, it held itself back and found itself the victim of the king''s retribution¡ªaccording to it.


    From another perspective, the king was merely trying to chase away a pest who refused to leave. It was like hearing someone dig around in your garbage and chasing off a raccoon, only for the raccoon to keep coming back night after night after night. Ike had to admit, he had killed that raccoon that wouldn''t leave his uncle''s garbage alone. The king was merely too weak to kill this metaphorical raccoon.


    Of course, sending someone to obtain a skill to sabotage them was simply evil, but then, perhaps there were nuances to that story that Ike didn''t know and the figure wasn''t going to admit. Things like, perhaps the king hadn''t known the skill would sabotage the figure. Or perhaps the skill wasn''t meant as sabotage at all, but was simply too powerful for the figure to handle. He didn''t consider the figure a responsible person whose story he could trust, for reasons that mostly had to do with the rapidly-healing hole in his chest.


    Even as he stood there, he wracked his brains, trying to come up with something, anything. There was nothing he oculd come up with that would let him beat the figure. But¡­ maybe he didn''t need to beat it. He eyed the others. If he picked up Wisp, and Rufus and Scar flew away on their broom, he could probably sprint fast enough, even with his wounds, to buy them a little more time. If they split up, maybe they could vanish into the undercroft and live off the land there, gather mana and kill centipedes to level up, dodge the figure for long enough¡­


    But how long does the trial last? Do we have time for that? He gritted his teeth. It was all he could think of. They''d have to try.


    "Ike!" Mag swooped overhead. He held a woman in his claws.


    No, not a woman. Vi. Vi, somehow still alive. Ike stared, confused. How? I killed her. I know I did!


    "I concede!" Vi shouted.


    Gold light thrummed from across the trial. It burst up from each of the four castles, then flew toward Ike, flowing into him. His whole body was anointed in gold light, and a skill orb materialized in his hands.


    The figure laughed. "Ha! See how the king rewards you, o child of the trials. Half a skill. An imperfect orb. Just like me, if you absorb that, you will be¡ª"


    "Quit complaining and work harder, idiot," Ike said, venting his feelings on the figure''s speech all at once. He drew out the other half of the orb and clenched them both in one hand. The two fused together in a blast of rainbow light. For a split second, a full, perfect skill orb appeared in his grasp.


    The figure''s eyes widened. It lunged. Before it reached him, though, Ike tightened his grip.


    Absorb!

 280. Quit Complaining and Work Hard

    Ike clenched the skill in his hand and shouted, in his head, Absorb!The skill, in its full form, only existed for a split second before it vanished into Ike. Even then, it exuded a monstrous aura, stronger than any skill he''d experienced so far. Even Lightning Dash couldn''t match up.


    The figure grabbed at him, but before it reached him, a wave of powerful energy burst from his body. It pushed the figure back and sent them tumbling.


    Before they could get up, Wisp, Scar, and Rufus all jumped on it and hammered it with their strongest attacks. No one needed to say anything. They had all came to the same conclusion without words. Ike, and this new skill he''d obtained, was their only hope of victory. They needed to buy time. Now that the figure was attacking instead of chatting, they had to fight. They either fought, or the figure killed Ike, which is to say, killed their only hope of victory.


    Vi dropped from the sky and joined the melee. With the figure''s footing gone, and four of them beating it together, they managed to keep it grounded. Fire roiled around them, and gouts of fire spurted up from time to time, but the four of them refused to back away. Even as they accumulated burns, cuts, and bruises, they kept pounding it, desperately buying Ike the time he needed to absorb the skill.


    "You think you can defeat me? You pathetic losers? You should give in and accept your deaths!" the figure roared.


    Wisp landed a good punch right on his face. He jerked back, stunned. "Yeah, and maybe you should accept your death. Ever think about that, loser?"


    The figure roared. As it roared, a blast of fire threw everyone back. It started to climb to its feet, only to fall back down. At some point, Wisp had stuck spider thread to its back and tied it to the ground. It growled again. Fire raged over its skin and burned the thread off, but too late. Ike''s companions had all jumped to their feet and surrounded it once more to continue the beat-down.


    They hammered it, but their hardest hits did little. They could scratch its charcoal skin, but not deal serious damage. Meanwhile, their wounds only continued to accumulate. They couldn''t defeat it. Couldn''t win this fight. All they could do was hold on and hope that the skill Ike got was strong enough to tip the scales.


    On Ike''s part, he immersed himself in the skill. He was aware of nothing but the skill. The skill was his whole world. Its power blasted through his body, scouring him down to the last cell. It was searching for something, something hidden within Ike, and it was determined to blast down every muscle, mana passage, and piece of his core to get there.


    Ike fought back. He couldn''t let the skill destroy him. Not now. Everyone was counting on him. He had to control this skill, had to master it, had to absorb it. If he failed, if he was incompatible, he''d lose. Lose this battle. Lose for everyone. Everyone''s life rode on his success right now. He couldn''t let this skill defeat him. He couldn''t stumble now, at the very last second. His heart raced. Anxiety poured through him, and the skill raged harder.


    His body trembled. He could barely hold on against the skill. It continued to fight him from within, doing nearly as much damage as the figure had. And still it looked for something. What''s it looking for? What does it want? Why is it¡ª


    Ike paused. He looked at his hands. What had he needed to do to get the skill? He''d needed to complete the trial. What if that trial wasn''t about becoming king, but was instead about besting the skill? Ensuring the candidates had everything they needed to master the skill when they received it?


    The first trial was¡­ finding hidden attributes in the race. Ike thought back to that race. What had the voice commended him on? Right¡­ looking past the obvious, to see the truth beyond.


    The second he thought of this, the skill stopped scouring him quite as hard. It turned its attention toward him instead, waiting to hear more and evaluate his story.


    And then there was¡­ uh¡­ right, the fear trial. I faced my own fears, and then went back in to rescue Mag.


    The skill watched his memory of the event and approved. Its attacks on Ike slowed, and at last, he started to feel power flowing through his body.


    After that was the dinner, where I explained my thoughts on why mages need mortals. Not that I think I did a great job, but¡­ I think I had the right idea, even if I''m not the world''s greatest orator. Enjoy exclusive content from My Virtual Library Empire


    More approval. The skill had turned about-face, and was pouring energy into him. His body healed. The damage the figure had done to him closed up, lessening by each moment, and all the little wounds and burns he''d accumulated throughout the battle, all the scrapes and bruises he couldn''t waste mana healing, began to close up and heal. New power ran through his mana passages, something he''d never felt before. It wasn''t a new energy type, like aether, but a skill; and yet, it felt like a new power. It felt as if his whole body, his whole being, was growing stronger by the moment.


    And yet, the skill still waited. Ike frowned. What was the next trial? The centipedes? He brought to mind them clearing out the bugs, but the skill didn''t respond. He thought about his gathering all the other participants under him to defeat the castles trial, and it responded, but only a little. Confused, he started running through all his memories. We defeated the pigmen, then the big pigmen, then the burning guys, and that one just lasted forever. Then Relin asked me to¡ª


    The skill perked up at that.


    Relin? I accepted her and the Old Guard, Ike thought. Was that what the skill wanted?


    Warmth suffused his body. Golden energy surged all around him. The skill synchronized with him, and for the first time, he felt it all. All the skill''s potential. Its full power, unfolding within him. He took a deep breath and stood tall, waiting for the skill to finish.


    Across the way, the figure shook off his companions. It dashed toward Ike. "I won''t let you!"


    "You don''t have the right to disallow me," Ike returned. The skill settled into him, and he threw his hand out, activating it. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    New Skill Obtained.


    (Legendary) [King''s Reign]


    With a blast of gold light, so thick it was almost material, the skill activated.

 281. Kings Reign

    (Legendary) [King''s Reign]The skill activated. Gold light poured out from Ike''s body. It burst from his back and wrapped around his shoulders and chest, seared from his forehead and ringed around his head, materialized at his wrists and ankles, bound his waist. The gold light circled a short distance from his body, perhaps an inch, with vicious tall spikes that pointed up along his body. On his back, it grew long with no spikes, instead taking the form of a luscious long golden cape. Golden braids bound it across his chest. On his head, the spikes grew longer upward than down, charging up into the sky over his head in a fierce golden crown.


    In his free hand, a long golden scepter appeared. The scepter had a slender staff, growing wider toward either end. At its lower end, a small orb floated just beyond the carved-out round end; on the upper end, a large orb floated millimeters above the haft, itself ringed with the same gold spikes. Ike closed his hand around it, and the scepter fell into his palm, taking on weight and becoming fully material. Mana flowed from the staff into his hand, empowering him with every passing moment.


    Ike looked up. All the mana surrounding them, and aether too, swirled toward the staff. He could see it¡ªhe didn''t know why, or how, but right now, he could see mana. It burst through the sky, then spun overhead, draining down into the scepter like water down a drain. It was as if he had full dominion over every scrap of mana in the region, and all of it recognized his right to rule and wanted nothing more than to serve his every command.


    Huh? That''s not how I usually think.


    But right now, it felt right. He commanded. He owned. He reigned. He was the king, and him alone.


    The knowledge to operate the skill poured into his head. All its techniques, subtechniques, and secrets, all of them freely flying into him. If not for the golden energy supplementing his aether and healing him constantly, he might have collapsed from the sudden surge of knowledge alone. His head ached, but it was at a reasonable level. He could handle the pain without flinching.


    The charcoal figure closed in on him. Ike swept the scepter. An array of golden, two-dimensional spikes surrounded him, cut in at the very bottom. They hovered there for a split second, then swept forth, flying toward the figure.


    The figure cursed. It dashed left and right, trying to dodge the spikes, but they chased after it. One after another, they found their target and sunk into the figure''s flesh.


    Ike reached out. He closed his hand. "Detonate."


    The golden blades burst, blasting out one after another. The figure toppled, hitting the ground again. This time, it immediately jumped up, only for lightning to flash around Ike. He reappeared inches before it, so close they felt one another''s breath.


    The figure had enough time to jump back before the scepter nailed it in the hips. Once more, it flew off, bouncing along the ground and leaving behind scorch marks everywhere it hit. Embers danced after it, hissing in the leaf mould.


    Ike charged after it again. His whole body felt so alive, alight with aether and in perfect health. He''d never felt so strong, so utterly fulfilled. It was as if he was operating at his absolute peak, using every piece of energy he had optimally. And he had so much energy. So much energy!


    The figure healed as it jumped up. It charged in, faster than Ike expected. He blocked with the Hungry Sword, but its blow slammed the sword back into Ike''s own face. Stunned, he stepped back. One hit after another, the figure hammered into Ike.


    He barely felt it. There was heat, and dull impact, but that was it.


    Ike jumped away, gaining some space. He spun the scepter overhead. All the mana poured into it, sucking it down more desperately than before. The skill whispered to him. Hinted at a powerful activation, something he hadn''t tried yet. And before him, he had the most wonderful punching bag.


    The figure''s eyes widened. They howled with rage and rushed at Ike. "Don''t you dare!"


    Ike laughed. Energy built up in him, so much it couldn''t help but pour out of his eyes. Two gold beams fell on the figure, and he grinned, shaking his head mischievously. "Oh, I dare."


    He lowered the scepter at the figure, pointing its tip at them. The orb at its end elongated into a sharp point. At the end of that sharp point, a tiny ball of gold light appeared.


    The figure turned. It fled, racing away from Ike with all its power.


    "Fire," Ike whispered.


    The tiny ball of gold light released a slender beam of gold light. That light pierced through the figure''s head.


    They ran on. One step, two. Under their blackened skin, gold energy coursed through their body. It shone through here and there, as if it had been used to repair a thousand cracks on the shattered pottery that was the figure''s body.


    On the third step, the figure exploded. Black charcoal flew everywhere, and gold light flew out. A shockwave chased it, shattering every tree for hundreds of feet. The figure was destroyed. Not only that, but the trial was over. Ike had the skill. The right to become king.


    He turned toward his citizens, then paused. His brows furrowed.


    But I don''t want to be king. I want to be Ike.


    He pushed down those weak thoughts. They didn''t matter. Instead, he raised the scepter toward his citizens. The ones who had been running at him paused, hesitation appearing on their faces. And that was right. They were lesser, and ought to recognize their place.


    "Bow in the presence of your new king," he ordered, his eyes narrowed. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yeah, yeah, real funny," one of them said, rolling her eyes.


    How insolent. She dared treat her king with such impropriety? He pointed the scepter at her. A single blade materialized, pointed at her heart.


    She froze. Shock flashed over her face. "Ike?"


    "I am not Ike. I am King," he declared.


    Wisp licked her lips. She grimaced. "Uh oh, guys. I think we have a new problem."

 282. I Am King

    The King gazed down at his subjects with mild concern. They seemed to be anxious, but he didn''t understand why. He had defeated that pesky being who had dared to interrupt their kingdom. Now they could get on with adulating him and obeying his orders. Why were they staring at him with such lost gazes, when he could tell them exactly what he needed them to do?No, no. He should be a good, virtuous leader. He turned a gentle smile their direction. "What troubles you, citizens?"


    "Guys, he''s fuckin'' lost it," Wisp muttered.


    The King frowned. Wisp? Why did he give that one a name? Why did he care? She was a subject! He should treat her the same as all his other subjects. Treating her specially was rude to all his other subjects.


    One of the other females looked his way. "Ike, are you in there? Can you hear us?" Aside, she added, "I''ve heard legend of this happening with excessively powerful skills. The skills themselves come with their own mana, and that mana can overwrite the user''s mana. Effectively, the skill takes over the person''s body." Enjoy exclusive adventures from My Virtual Library Empire


    "And then what happens?" Wisp asked.


    She¡ªno, Scar. It''s Scar¡ªgrimaced. "They''re overwhelmed by mana, and their body slowly falls apart. It''s the same as any mana poisoning, but unlike most mana poisoning, where a mortal falls into deep mana and can be removed from it, the problem is that the mana is coursing through the mage constantly, at a rate higher than their body can handle it. It''s a slow, painful death. The skill-possessed mage won''t feel the damage the skill incurs to their body as they continuously push themselves past their limits without even realizing it. And then¡­ well, they die."


    The King scoffed. What a ridiculous notion. He felt fine. Past his limits? She hadn''t even seen what his limits looked like. What a foolish, yet somehow adorable, subject. Thinking he would harm himself at this low level of power.


    Blood dripped on his hand. He frowned, then lifted a hand to his nose. How unfortunate. Had that charcoal figure nicked him?


    "It''s already begun," Scar murmured, sorrow in her eyes.


    "How can we stop it?" Wisp asked, her voice full of determination. There wasn''t an ounce of doubt in her voice. She fully intended to stop whatever it was, and she wouldn''t take no for an answer.


    A strange emotion welled up in his heart. Something that wasn''t very kingly. It screamed out, fighting against him. The King frowned and pushed it back down. He didn''t need that. He didn''t need anything anymore.


    "We can''t. The only way is to somehow completely cut him off from mana, and¡­" Scar looked at his scepter, with endless mana still pouring in, and grimaced deeper. "I don''t think we''re doing that. Since we can''t isolate him, he''s the only one who can deactivate his skill. We just have to have faith in him."


    "That''s bullshit. What if we knock him out?" Wisp asked.


    "Good luck," Rufus muttered. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You saw what he did to that charcoal thing. We couldn''t hurt that monster, couldn''t even scratch its skin, but he wiped it out with a wave of that staff thingy. What are we going to do to knock him out?"


    "Venom," Wisp said.


    "I have poisons," Vi added.


    Scar gave them an exasperated look. "And you think that''s going to work? You think you''ll be able to land a hit on him?"


    "I think we won''t succeed if we don''t try," Wisp replied, her voice short and sharp.


    The King arced a brow. A rebellion? In broad daylight? The blades appeared before him again. They targeted the four people before him. If they were going to rebel, then it was his job, as king, to put an end to their wrong-headed rebellion. Still, he should give them one last chance to survive. He was a gracious king, after all. "Submit to my rule, and I might yet spare you."


    "Submit? You''re talking to the wrong crowd, idiot," Wisp snapped. She darted at him.


    The King spread his hand. The blades leaped forth.


    And then they halted. Frozen in midair, unwilling to follow his orders. His hand closed, clenching into a fist against his will. "Now!" his voice shouted, but it wasn''t him. It wasn''t The King. It was someone else. Some pitiable, tiny ant within him¡ª


    No. It''s me. Ike. The fucking mage who''s gonna sock your lights out! Get the fuck out of my head!


    The King''s clenched hand leaped toward his temple. He exerted his will, but the hand wouldn''t stop.


    Neither did his subject. His own hand and the woman''s hand impacted his head at the same time. His eyes rolled back, and he dropped toward the ground. The gold light flickered out from around him, fading away into nothing.


    Wisp caught him. "Ike! Hey!"


    He fell limply into her hands. As he dropped, a small, perfectly clear orb fell out of his mouth.


    Wisp''s eyes widened. Before anyone else could see it, she snatched the orb and secreted it on her body. She glanced left and right, but no one else reacted to it.


    "They weren''t kidding about that skill," Scar muttered, looking at Ike. She turned to Wisp. "The second he wakes up, that skill might activate again. It''s strong enough it might be able to draw on Ike''s mana and activate on its own, without his will. Skills that strong are¡­ not conscious, but they can be something like sentient. Self-aware. It''s said the most powerful of them are just as real as people, even indistinguishable from mages and beasts¡­ but those are only fairy tales. Even a skill powerful enough to possess a mage is basically in the realm of legend. I''ve heard tale of it, but I never saw it personally. Nor expected to see it."


    "No?" Wisp asked.


    Scar shook her head. "No. Most skills that powerful were lost millennia ago. It was hypothesized the skill in this trial might be that powerful, but if it was¡ªand it is¡ªthen this trial is older than we thought. Not centuries old, but thousands of years old. Maybe even tens of thousands of years old."


    "Damn. No kidding," Wisp muttered to herself. She plucked Shawn off Ike''s shoulder and tossed Ike himself over her other shoulder.


    All around them, the earth shook. The final castle standing crumbled. Relin and the Old Guard appeared before them, not in physical bodies, but floating on the air and transparent like ghosts.


    Ike''s eyes flickered open. Scar reached for her weapon, instantly on guard, but Wisp just glanced at him and set him down. "You okay?"


    "Better," Ike grunted. He had the headache of a century and his vision flickered, with little spots darting at the corners of his eyes, but he was in control. He wasn''t a king or The King or anything like that. He was just Ike.


    "You Ike, and all?" Wisp added, a little belatedly.


    "Yeah, and all. The hell does ''and all'' mean, anyways?" Ike looked at her. He frowned, slightly, then squinted at her.


    Wisp wiped her brow. "Whew. We''re safe, guys. It''s Ike, for sure." She met his eyes and nodded just a little bit.


    Ike nodded as well, understanding. A tiny bit of tension left his body.


    Scar lowered her hand, but she gazed at Ike warily, ready to attack at a hair trigger.


    Ike looked up at the shades. He nodded. "You guys free now?"


    Relin nodded. "Our work is done. Thank you for finally passing this trial and slaying that monster. Now, our king''s regrets are no more."


    All present nodded. In the background, something cracked.


    Ike turned. Mag dug at the charcoal figure''s cooling body. He hopped back, holding one claw high and hissing through his beak.


    Ah. Looking for skills. I''ll leave him to it. He could ask Mag what he found later. He turned back to Relin and nodded. "Good luck with whatever comes next."


    She smiled. Turning his head upward, she started to rise, then vanished in a flash of bright light. The rest of her men waved as they vanished as well.


    All around them, the realm crumbled. The earth broke apart. The sky tore. The entire realm split open. The world outside appeared, as dawn broke over the edge of the world.


    They all turned toward the gap. The sunlight poured in, and they stepped back into the world.

 283. Back Into the World

    They stepped out of the realm and back into the world. The realm crumpled behind them, crackling down on itself. It balled itself up like a piece of paper, then yanked in on itself, vanished down to a tiny dot, and blinked out.All around them, dozens of high-Rank mages stepped forward with bated breaths, scanning the faces of the survivors. When they failed to find their apprentices, face after face darkened. More than one reached for their weapons.


    "Rufus!" A powerful woman swept forward, attendants following at her heels. She wore the finest robes Ike had ever seen. Gold draped every piece of her, including a relatively simple gold diadem holding a thin black veil over her eyes. She reached her hands out toward Rufus. "My son. I knew you could do it." Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire


    Rufus looked askance. He cast his eyes down.


    "Viola. As expected." A cold woman with a voluptuous figure and tight purple-and-black robes that deliberately showed it off strode forward, appearing out of the shadows without a hint. She exuded no aura, but the powerful man flinched away from her, afraid to draw too near. She glanced at him and harrumphed, eyes narrowing subtly.


    "Scar! You did it! That''s my girl!" a rugged-looking woman who was nowhere near as powerful as the other two cheered from the back. Or at least, her aura didn''t shout power. But neither of the other two dared interrupt her path as she rushed past both of them to snatch Scar up in a big bear hug.


    The powerful woman in gold drew to a halt. She frowned. "Who of you won the trial? Surely it can''t be all of you."


    Ike glanced at Wisp. At the same time, both of them shook their heads. Now wasn''t the time to admit they''d won the trial. They didn''t have any powerful backers outside the trial. Admitting they''d won it would just encourage all present to attack. And with the skill in its current, unstable state, they couldn''t rely on it to overpower anyone present.


    Of course¡­ they don''t know that, Ike added, looking at the crowd. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He didn''t have the skill anymore. It didn''t exist. He couldn''t call it up. He knew Wisp had taken care of it somehow, but that was all the more information he had. That was enough, even if it wasn''t satisfying.


    He remembered being The King. It hadn''t been pleasant. Having his will stifled, overridden¡­ and yet, it wasn''t another person taking over. The skill wasn''t a mind, in control. Instead, The King was another version of himself. Pieces of himself that he hadn''t known existed, amplified until they became everything he was. Every thought he rejected. Every possibility he entertained jokingly for a split second, before rationality took over. ''He'' and The King¡­ to say they were two different people wasn''t incorrect. But it was also correct to call them one person. He was The King, and The King was him. But he wasn''t The King. The King was only part of him¡ªthe part the skill liked.


    It was terrifying. He hadn''t known skills that powerful existed. Skills that could overtake a mind and direct a body. He didn''t want to use King''s Reign again. Not until he could go somewhere very far from anyone he knew and loved, and practice in seclusion until he was the one with the reins, and The King was merely a skill he controlled like any other skill.


    Of course, if these people refused to let well enough be, he would absolutely take the skill back from Wisp and employ it to save his, hers, and Shawn''s and Mag''s lives, too.


    Scar patted the shoulder of the woman hugging her. "Should we catch up somewhere away from the crowd?" she hinted.


    "Huh? Oh! Sure," the woman said, beaming.


    Scar nodded at Ike. "Come with me."


    Ike hesitated. "Uh huh."


    She rolled her eyes. "I''m not stupid enough to get power hungry. I''ll get you the hell out of here."


    He glanced at Wisp. She gritted her teeth, as uncertain as he felt. And that was the thing¡ªthey couldn''t trust anyone. Everyone had the potential motivation to want his skill. Exactly three people knew that he couldn''t control it, since their underlings had fled long before the final fight kicked off. All three of them were right here. Even if they wouldn''t fight him outright, there were more options on the table. Drugging him, poisoning him. He couldn''t rule out outright battle, either, since some of these people were high enough Rank to fight with the fully empowered King.


    Scar sighed. "Here¡ªdoes this help?" She reached into her robes and pulled out a pendant. On it, a man struck a dragon through the heart.


    Ike squinted. He looked at Wisp again, who shrugged. Turning back to Scar, he shook his head. "No¡­?"


    "Oh, you stupid¡ªlook at your ring! The one given to you by¡­ well, I''m not sure what name he used, but he has that imperfect snowy owl beast assistant?"


    Ike looked at his ring. The same insignia was repeated there. He stared for a second, and then the pieces slowly came back together. After he''d defeated Llewyn, after he''d headed out to this region to get stronger, he''d been intercepted by that snowy owl half-transformed beast lady. She''d given him this ring, and told him to look out for someone else bearing the same sigil. They would help him, or something like that.


    Help him¡­ against Lord Brightbriar.


    Ike gaped. "You''re¡­ wait, but why?" Scar was from this region, wasn''t she? Why would she care about Lord Brightbriar?


    Scar glanced back over her shoulder at all the other people. The powerful man and the cold woman were conversing with Vi and Rufus, and some pointed glances were shooting Ike''s way. "I can explain later. For now, let''s get out of here."


    "Okay," Ike agreed, then froze. "Er, how?"


    "Ruby, if you will?" Scar said, turning to the woman with a dramatic flourish.


    The woman stretched upward, then kept stretching, and stretching, and stretching. Gem-tone red scales pushed out from under her skin. Her face pushed forward, transforming into a muzzle, as a thick reptilian tail sprouted behind her and massive red wings grew from her back. She slammed down onto all four claws with a thump heavy enough to toss all the mages present into the air for a split second, then spread her wings. She turned back, and a muzzle almost as big as Ike was tall moved. "I shouldn''t allow this, but you''re friends of Scar. So¡­ hop on!"


    Ike didn''t need to be told twice. Eyes shining, he hopped atop the red dragon. Scar hopped on after him, while Wisp clambered up and Mag fluttered down, grumbling about the elegance of birds and unnecessarily large dragons.


    A moment after they settled, Ike looked at Scar. "You''re friends with a dragon, but the sigil¡ª"


    "Like I said. We''ll explain later. Ruby!"


    The dragon spread her wings and blasted off. They hurtled into the sky at speeds higher than anything even Ike had experienced before. He clung to her back with all his might, terrified¡ªbut also exhilarated.


    The wind whipped past. Down below, some of the mages tried to give chase, but there was no hope. Dragons were the lords of the sky. Two beats of Ruby''s wings, and the mages were naught but ants in their wake.


    "Where are we going?" Ike asked.


    "Far enough." Scar snapped her fingers. A bubble formed around the five of them, and she nodded. "But first¡­ let me explain."

 284. Far Enough

    Ruby flew. The landscape rushed by, so fast Ike could barely perceive it. After a while, he had to look away. Her speed was simply too dizzying, even for him.Instead, he looked at Scar. "So¡­ you come from the same region as us?"


    Scar nodded. "Yes, originally. Or rather, I come from the region just past yours, in the opposite direction. Hundreds of years ago, I was born there, in a little city called Ellerton. You wouldn''t know about it, because it hasn''t existed for hundreds of years. Long ago, it was wiped out¡­ by an army of puppets."


    "Yep, I think I''m picking up what you''re putting down," Ike said, nodding. "Lord Brightbriar, right?"


    "He was called something else back then. Rosecinder, I think. I don''t think it''s his real name either. He swept in from somewhere else. Offered us a solution for all that manual labor we didn''t want to do, and provided deeply needed entertainment. We were weak. We''d just suffered through a brutal war, and the mana root near us was slowly dying. We accepted his offer without much thought. And then¡­"


    "I get it, yeah. We''ve seen his playbook play out," Ike said, nodding.


    She nodded. "You know the danger he poses. I don''t know why he''s made himself king of your little city. He usually plays the role of the simpering merchant."


    "Llewyn," Ike replied.


    "Right. He''s merely one of Lord Brightbriar''s puppets, of course."


    "Yeah, we know. Dangerous-ass puppet," Wisp chipped in.


    "As I was saying, we don''t know why he''s playing lord in your city instead of out there acting personally as Llewyn. Maybe he tired of the road. Maybe he''s playing some other game that we aren''t seeing. But one way or another, he''s incredibly dangerous, and needs to be stopped. Do you know how many regions he''s swept through, with that playbook of his?"


    Ike shook his head.


    "At least two," Wisp offered.


    "We''ve counted six. Six barren regions, full of nothing but puppets. Those six regions entirely encircle yours. If he wanted, he could pour it full of puppets and crush it in an instant."


    "Holy shit," Ike muttered. The situation was way worse than he''d thought. Six regions full of puppets? How was he going to take care of that?


    The image of himself empowered by King''s Reign flashed into mind. Ike forcibly rejected it. He couldn''t handle that skill yet. It might be a hundred years before he fully mastered it. He couldn''t rely on powers he didn''t have.


    "But he hasn''t," Scar continued, breaking into Ike''s thoughts.


    "And you don''t know why," Ike finished for her.


    She nodded. "We don''t know why. We, of the Fallen Dragon, seek for answers. How to slay Brightbriar, of course, but more vitally, what he sees in this region. Why has he left it relatively untouched for so long? When he came to my region, he blew through it like a scouring desert wind. He toppled city after city, each one silently, maintaining all communication with the next city as though it weren''t conquered, until the last one fell. One after another. Within a decade, he had the region conquered."


    Scar paused, looking around at her small crowd for effect. Ike waited, a tolerant smile on his face. Wisp propped her head on her hand, vaguely bored. Mag watched the sky, whistling birdsong to himself and paying her no mind at all. "But your region? He''s installed himself there for centuries. It''s been hundreds of years. Nearly half a millenia. My region was the last to fall before he entered yours, and he''s barely conquered any cities yet¡­ for him, anyways.


    "Recently, he suddenly started conquering cities once more, but only took over those closest to him, then stopped. Why did he start? Why did he stop? Is there something he fears? Some weapon hidden here that can defeat him? Some prophesy he risks triggering? Some hidden expert whose power eclipses his own? We don''t know."


    Ike furrowed his brows. "But¡­ he''s only Rank 4, right?" In the area behind him, there had been experts who far exceeded Rank 4, plenty of Rank 5s and even one woman who had peeked over the lower edge of Rank 6, at least to Ike''s untrained eyes. Surely they could enlist one of them to conquer Lord Brightbriar.


    "No one knows for sure. We suspect he''s at least Rank 5, if not 6. Regions nearby, such as this one¡ªwhich was saved, despite technically bordering your region, by the vast desert that intercedes it and your region¡ªare afraid to send their high Rank mages to face him, because if he comes after them, they''ll need their experts at home to fight him back. Basically, if they send someone to fight him, they might send their most powerful experts off to fight a puppet, while the real Brightbriar infects their city with puppets."


    Ike frowned, then nodded. "Yeah, that sounds like that bastard. He''d totally do that."


    "It''s happened before," Scar ensured him. "He can make puppets at Rank 5, if he really needs to. He doesn''t do it often, so we suspect it costs him, either personally or in some precious resource, but¡­ well, Llewyn is only Rank 4 because he''s a salesman. An agent. He doesn''t need to be stronger, not because that''s the limit of Brightbriar''s power."


    "Ah¡­ you know, that reminds me. Back when I first got this ring, didn''t the letter call you guys, ''Those Who Oppose Llewyn? But you sound like you''re opposing Brighbriar," Ike pointed out. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Scar paused, her mouth open. Her brows furrowed. "Why the fuck would he¡­ no, hold on. Did he know you knew about Brightbriar?"


    Ike spread his hands. "The guy who gave me the ring? He saw me fight Llewyn. I don''t know if he knows about my connection to Brightbriar."


    "That''s it, then. He didn''t know you knew Brightbriar, and didn''t want to confuse you. But yes, Llewyn is only an agent of Brightbriar. We oppose them both, but¡­ that''s like saying we oppose the day, when what we oppose is the sun."


    Ike nodded. "I get it."


    She leaned in. "Our goals, then, are twofold. Find out what Brightbriar fears, or what he''s brewing, in your region. And two, simpler. Kill Lord Brightbriar."


    "I''m in. Who else is part of this group?"


    Scar grimaced. "Well, that''s the thing. I don''t know. None of us know, except for¡­ that guy with the snowy owl. After all, if Brightbriar captures one of us and turns us into a puppet, one person could expose everyone in our group, and we wouldn''t even know they''d been transformed."


    "What about that guy, then?" Ike asked.


    She shook her head. "He''s powerful. Aside from that, it''s a risk we have to take."


    "Not the greatest system," Wisp muttered.


    "Didn''t seem that powerful to me, either," Ike muttered back. Stay updated via My Virtual Library Empire


    "It''s all we have," Scar said, exasperated. "We''re struggling. We''re the underdogs. Brightbriar is winning. We''re scraping together everything we can. Of course we''re not perfect."


    Ike shook his head. "No, I don''t expect you to be perfect." He frowned, thinking for a moment. The real head-scratcher here was why Lord Brightbriar had settled in his hometown. Not only that, but sat around for hundreds of years and waited for¡­ something. Had he just gotten tired of conquest? Or was there something nefarious to it?


    We won''t find out if we don''t go looking. Ike sat back, letting the wind blow through his hair. "I''m in, I guess. Let''s take him down."


    "We can''t undo what he''s already done, but we can stop him from taking over any more regions," Scar pledged. She offered her hand.


    Ike took it. He didn''t know how reliable she and her group would be, but it was better to have allies than to lack them. He couldn''t trust anyone who didn''t travel with him to not get replaced with a puppet, but he couldn''t search the entire region, stone by stone, on his own. He''d have to count on Scar and the rest of them to also be cooperating to end Lord Brightbriar.

 285. Back to the Beginning

    Ruby flew over the vast desert. Mag perched at the edge of her flank, his hair fluttering on the wind, and watched the scenery rush by below with a rapt gaze. He must have seen it a thousand times before, but from this high, and this fast? Still, Ike chuckled quietly to himself to see the bird so excited to see his own territory from above.Wisp sat down next to him suddenly, and he glanced over. She leaned forward, so their bodies shielded them from Scar, who was far forward anyways, sitting on Ruby''s head so the two of them could catch up. Reaching into her pocket, she showed him a perfectly clear orb. It had no color, nor, to his sense, any mana, but nonetheless, he identified it at a glance. It was a skill orb. An empty one, which should be impossible. Skills formed skill orbs, not the other way around. But here they were, somehow.


    He looked at it for a second, confused, before inspiration struck. His jaw dropped, and he snapped up to look at Wisp. "This is¡ª"


    She widened her eyes in a silent threat, and he cut himself short. He nodded. This was the skill orb for King''s Reign.


    A second later, he frowned. He knew he hadn''t sensed it inside him, but how had it ended up in this form? So empty he couldn''t sense anything to it at all. He knew, in those few seconds he had held the fully formed skill, that it had exuded an immense aura. Something so powerful it shone like a beacon in his mind, and literally generated light all around it, scintillating in a beautiful rainbow halo. This empty orb was nothing like what he''d seen back then. In fact, it was so dead he''d almost thought it was a glass orb for a second. It was only that it was the exact size and shape as a skill orb, so it couldn''t be anything else.


    Wisp put it back in her pocket, hiding it once more. Ike nodded, agreeing. He didn''t know the conditions for the skill to take over again. Best to keep that orb out of his reach until they absolutely needed it, or until they could produce the conditions where he could practice safely.


    "What happened to it?" Ike whispered.


    "You tell me. It fell out of your mouth like this. I''ve never seen anyone spit up a skill orb before, so I panicked and just stuck it in my pocket. But it''s been like this ever since."


    Ike furrowed his brows. He patted his chin. "I saw someone spit up a skill orb once before¡­ but that skill orb looked normal. You know, fully empowered and all. Not¡­ like this."


    She glanced at him. "Do you have the skill?"


    "No¡­ well, I don''t feel it. Let me pull up my skills," Ike replied. He called up his skill menu.


    Nothing happened. Nothing responded at all.


    Ike blinked. Trying not to panic, he called again and again, but the menu refused to respond. Completely confused, he held up his hand and called Storm Clad to it. On demand, the skill materialized lightning to flicker around his fingers. He dismissed the skill with a wave, and it vanished. He hadn''t lost his skills. He just couldn''t call up his skill menu, for some reason.


    "What is it? What''s wrong?" Wisp asked, worried.


    "Nothing''s wrong. But no¡­ I don''t have it," Ike confirmed. He could only go off what he felt, rather than what he saw, but since his skills still operated despite him being blind, he took his skills to be present if he could sense them, and not present if he couldn''t.


    He didn''t want to tell Wisp he couldn''t pull up his skill menu. She already had enough to worry about with him and King''s Reign. A little detail like that was better kept to himself.


    Even so, he was wracking his brains. Since when had he become unable to call up his skill menu? Things had been so busy lately, he hadn''t had a chance to check his skills. Not since the trial had started.


    Ike shook his head. No, it was earlier than that. He hadn''t checked his skills in the desert, either, or after his fight with Mag. Nor¡­ no, that was it. He hadn''t checked them since after his fight with Llewyn.


    For a second, fear sparked in his chest. Llewyn had done something to him, something to sabotage¡ªbut no, that wasn''t right. This wasn''t Llewyn at all. If the man could do such a drastic action, he wouldn''t just take away Ike''s ability to call up the menu. Why stop there, after all, if he could mess directly with the System? He might as well delete Ike''s skills outright. No, it wasn''t Llewyn. Or rather, he couldn''t imagine it was, especially since ''Those Who Oppose Llewyn'' hadn''t mentioned anything about Llewyn being able to hide skill menus.


    No. He remembered that battle, and the tumult. The storm pouring down into him, and the sensation that he had gone beyond the limits of the System. Was that it? Was that when it had happened? Since then, he had to admit, he hadn''t opened the menu. Had that somehow¡­ corrupted his system, his skill menu, and blocked out his ability to see his skills?


    Everything still worked, or else he would have been in far more of a panic. And not only that, but he could still meld skills, obtain new skills, and level up skills, which he knew because of his steel hands and feet techniques, and the fact that Body Reforging Art and Storm Clad had both grown stronger during this encounter. In other words, everything was operating as normal. The only difference was that he could no longer see the System himself.


    It was disconcerting, but since it had no immediate effect on his health or battle process, he could only put it to the back of his mind. Instead, he looked at Wisp. "We have to do something about this."


    "No kidding! I mean, it''s super powerful, but if you can''t use it¡­" she trailed off and shrugged.


    "Yeah. And like this, I don''t think we can give it to anyone else," Ike said. "Plus, it, uh, evaluated me. It checked how I had passed each trial, and approved of it. I think, unless you ranked first in those trials, you probably couldn''t absorb the skill, anyways. Or at least, it would be way more dangerous than giving it to me."


    "Spoken like a true tyrant," Wisp joked.


    Ike gave her a look.


    She put her hands up. "Don''t worry. I don''t want it. That thing is scary as shit. Losing control¡­ I''d rather die. But it''s too powerful to ignore. It might be the key to beating Lord Brightbriar. We have to do something about it."


    "Yeah. I was thinking, maybe somewhere really secluded, we could give me a ton of room and just let me sort things out?" Ike suggested. Read exclusive adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    "It''s a possibility, but do we have the luxury of that much time? Lord Brightbriar might''ve sat on his ass these last few centuries, but he''s moving now. If you want to keep your homeland from being a puppetted wasteland, you have to counter him before he completely wipes the place out," Wisp said.


    "You say, like it isn''t your homeland," Ike said playfully.


    She looked him dead in the eye. "It isn''t."


    Ike startled. That''s right. The region we came from is where Wisp was born.


    "But that doesn''t mean I want all my tasty prey puppetified. I''m team no puppets. In fact, the faster we stop Mr. Puppet, the more prey there is left for me," she declared boldly.


    Ike chuckled a little at that. "That''s right. Let''s protect your prey."


    Wisp nodded. "See? It''s a battlecry we can all get behind." Her smile faded, and she touched the skill orb in her pocket. "But what the hell are we supposed to do about this?"


    "I don''t know. But maybe someone else does," Ike suggested. He turned, facing ahead, toward the land they''d come from. The land he wanted to protect from encroaching puppets. "The King''s city is said to be the most powerful gathering of mages anywhere. If someone doesn''t know there, they won''t know anywhere."


    Wisp nodded. "It''s worth a shot." S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Better than trying nothing," Ike agreed.


    "What''re you guys talking about?" Scar asked, plopping down opposite them.


    Wisp and Ike exchanged a glance. Ike spoke first. "Nothing. Just trying to figure out our next plans."


    Scar nodded. "Speaking of, according to Ruby, there''s a nice hot springs resort just up ahead. It''s run by some fox spirits, but as long as she''s around, they shouldn''t try to eat anyone. Want to try it?"


    Another glance. Ike chuckled. He nodded. "I suppose we could go pay Mont a visit."


    Wisp shook her head. "We did see a dragon fly overhead the first time we went, didn''t we? We shouldn''t be surprised it''s popular with dragons."


    Scar looked from one to the other. "You two know the place?"


    "Yeah¡­ well, it was under attack at the time, but¡­" Ike ran his hair back, then laughed. After all that time in the trial? He could use some time to do nothing but relax. "Sure. Let''s go, for fun this time."


    "Sounds good to me," Wisp agreed.


    "I''ll go tell Ruby." With a big smile, Scar jogged off toward the dragon''s head once more.


    Wisp leaned in. "Think she heard?"


    "Not enough to be meaningful," Ike muttered back.


    Wisp nodded. "We''re in agreement? We don''t tell her?"


    "No. Gods no. We don''t tell Mag, for fuck''s sake," Ike agreed.


    Wisp nodded again. "It''ll be our little secret, then. Just you and me."


    On Ruby''s head, unseen by the two huddled so close together, Scar glanced back, her brows raised. A small smile appeared on her lips, and she nodded, then turned away once more.

 286. Relaxing for a Change

    Ruby circled over the familiar mountain before swooping low, toward a broad clearing on one side of the mountain''s face that Ike could now tell was just big enough for a dragon to land. Ike checked over Ruby''s shoulder, just to make sure there were no mages on the horizon, but it seemed that dragons could outspeed even high-rank mages. And to be fair, it had taken him weeks to cross the desert at Rank 3, but Ruby had crossed it in minutes. If he kept getting faster at the same rate he''d been getting faster as he climbed Ranks, it would have still taken him days to cross the desert, or at best, a day. Ruby had cut the distance down to nothing. Of course the other mages, who weren''t even as specialized in speed as Ike was, couldn''t keep up.He was almost a little whiplashed at how fast she''d traveled. This same day, he''d almost died to that flaming figure, acquired King''s Reign, and barely clawed his way back out from under the skill''s control, and now he was back at the fox''s resort, about to have a nice dinner and a long, warm bath under the stars. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This got him no closer to solving the problem with his new skill, or answering any questions about what had happened to his System, or help them figure out what was going on with Brightbriar. But it did help take a load off his shoulders. And after they''d suffered in that trial realm for so long, he really, really, really needed a little chance to unwind. A little relaxation, so he could take on everything else with renewed vigor. Since he hadn''t truly gotten to enjoy the facilities the first time, what with the humans constantly attacking the foxes, he was looking forward to his second visit. Hopefully it was a little less exciting than his first.


    As the rest of them climbed off Ruby, or, in Mag''s case, fluttered, Ike leaned toward Scar. "So¡­ do we have a dragon on our side?"


    Scar grimaced. "I''d love to say yes, but that''s Ruby''s call, not mine. Me and her are close, but she doesn''t really understand human things like grudges, and it certainly wasn''t her peak that got destroyed a few hundred years ago. She''s happy to come along to provide a quick escape and hang out for a bit, have a good bath and a nice meal, but to call her part of the team¡­"


    "Got it," Ike said. If Wisp and he talked past one another sometimes, he could only imagine how much a being on a fundamentally different power scale like a dragon would have a hard time understanding humans. Wisp at least was held to more or less the same constraints as human mages, and if anything, she''d started weaker than Ike¡ªthough he was pretty sure she''d never admit it, and probably didn''t see it that way. Dragons¡­ well, he knew nothing about them for sure, but if the rumors were true, they were born at Rank 3 or 4, if not higher. And their lives were measured in millennia at the shortest, while beasts and human mages struggled to attain hundreds of years of lifespan.


    To Ruby, this whole thing with Brightbriar was probably no more than the blink of an eye, something it was better not to bother with and simply wait for it to die out in another thousand or two years. Like interfering in an ant war. Sure, you could decide the winner and the loser, but you''d probably get ants all over you and suffer a few bites to do it, when you could also simply ignore it, let the ants do their thing, and enjoy the same end result in the long run when both nests inevitably died out.


    He didn''t agree with it. But he did understand it.


    Ruby''s huge form shimmered and folded back into a much smaller human one. She threw her hands up. "Who''s ready for some rest and relaxation? ''Cuz I know I am!"


    "What? You didn''t even do anything," Scar returned, shaking her head at her friend.


    "Nothing? I did nothing? Who rescued you? Who flew across a whole region and a nasty desert just for you? I''ve got sand in my scales. Sand in my everything. Of everyone here, I probably need a bath the most!" Ruby replied.


    Scar thumped her on the back and laughed. The two of them led the way into the resort.


    "Watch out, kiddo. This is a den of foxes. You know foxes eat pretty birds like you, right?" Wisp teased Mag.


    Mag hopped in the air for a moment, just long enough to transform his legs and bare his claws at her. "I''d like to see them try. I''m the King of Magpies. They won''t get far before I eviscerate their weak, furry stomachs!"


    "Alright, you two. Come on. We''re guests here. Let''s try to act vaguely civilized," Ike said, gesturing for them to follow.


    "Yeah, because you''re the king of civilized," Wisp snarked.


    "I said ''vaguely,''" Ike pointed out.


    "You guys coming, or what?" Scar asked at the door.


    "Coming, we''re coming."


    The lodge was just as beautiful as Ike remembered it. The foxes gave Scar hungry looks, but when they saw Ruby standing close to her, they quickly averted their eyes.


    "Dinner, a bath, and two rooms. We have humans, so human-friendly meals," Ruby ordered outright, careless of the foxes'' reactions.


    Rather than hostility or derision, as Ike had expected, the hostess bowed. In a simpering voice, she replied, "Of course, Madame Dragon. It will all be arranged. As a warning, we have some guests who might be displeased sharing the resort with humans¡ª"


    "Huh? Aren''t you guys renowned for your hospitality? Does that only apply to beasts, then?" Ruby asked, putting her hands on her hips.


    "N-no, I''m merely offering a friendly warning¡­" the fox replied, bowing deeper. Her ears appeared and laid flat against her head in fear.


    "Then why don''t you go offer those human-hating guests a friendly warning, huh? I''m paying good money for my friends to stay here. I want them to have a lovely time. You understand?" Ruby said. She thumped a bag on the table. It glowed faintly with a blue-green light.


    The fox hostess'' eyes widened. Before she could touch the bag, a door swung open behind her. A powerful, older fox woman in robes more ornate than anything Ike had seen yet and several gilded hairpins dangling from her hair stepped forward. She glanced at the hostess, who bowed and stepped aside.


    "I did not realize we''d be hosting a dragon today. I will see to it that Madame''s stay is satisfactory in all ways," the older woman assured her.


    Ruby nodded, as if she''d expected it. "Of course. I knew I could count on an establishment this fine."


    "Marle, go inform the other guests of our new guests. If they are unwilling to share the resort with humans, refund them and remove them immediately," the older woman ordered.


    Ike scratched the back of his neck, feeling a little self-conscious all of a sudden. He hadn''t really asked for anyone to go to this extent. Honestly, he was starting to feel like maybe they should have gone somewhere else.


    Then again, this was all Ruby. And it wasn''t as if he''d get to stay with a dragon again in his lifetime, in all likelihood. Might as well sit back and enjoy the ride, he reasoned.


    The hostess, Marle, bowed and rushed off. The rest of them stood awkwardly in the lobby, waiting for her return.


    Ike looked around, but there was no sign of Mont. He hadn''t really expected it. The man was probably doing whatever mountains usually did, which probably wasn''t flaunt around the resort atop them. Still, he would''ve liked to see him again. Show him how Shawn was thriving, even if he wasn''t thriving the way mountains were supposed to.


    "Then, if you''ll please come this way?" the older fox asked. She led the way into the dining room, and the rest of them followed.

 287. Dinner and Entertainment

    They were led to a different room than the one Ike and Wisp had used last time, but it was set out more or less the same; it was just that the theming was different, with a green bamboo and yellow gingko vibe. Ruby watched over the foxes as they brought dinner and took a deep whiff as the dishes were placed in front of them, only to nod in satisfaction.Ike glanced at Wisp. She shook her head. "No people in this. And more''s the pity."


    "You know, for some strange reason, I don''t like eating people," Ike replied, taking a spoonful of soup.


    "I don''t know why not. I eat spiders," Wisp pointed out.


    "And you know what? I''m very happy for you." Shaking his head, Ike turned back to his soup.


    "I don''t eat birds," Mag offered, to Ike''s other side.


    "Yeah?" Wisp asked.


    "Or dragons," he added.


    "Gold star for that one. Yeah, I don''t eat dragons, either. Ike? Any dragon eating in your history?"


    Ike rolled his eyes at her. "What kind of world-shaking monster do you think I am?"


    "We can all agree, no dragon-eaters here," Wisp said, nodding.


    Scar shook her head at them. "What on earth are you guys talking about?"


    "How we''re all very virtuous people who have never eaten a dragon," Wisp replied.


    From the far side of the table, Ruby scoffed. "As if you could."


    "That was the¡­ yes. Exactly," Ike said, remembering how huge and terrifying Ruby could get. If she didn''t get the joke, he''d just swallow the punchline.


    "Hey, Mag. If you''re half dragon, but the other half is bird, how the hell did that work? Just logistically. I mean, I know we beasts get bigger as we get more powerful, but what kind of earth-shattering bird was big enough to handle a dragon?" Wisp asked playfully.


    "They¡ªthey took human forms! Obviously," Mag said, blushing.


    "Wisp," Ike said, a note of warning in his voice. He actually wanted to enjoy himself this time, not mediate between a couple of beasts.


    "How big was the egg? Was it like, chicken egg sized, or¡ª"


    Ruby frowned. She crossed her arms. "A dragon would never deign to mate with a bird. This is foolishness. Speak of it no more."


    Ike gave Wisp a look. She pursed her lips unwillingly, but didn''t press the matter. She twiddled her fingers on the table, bored. Her food was already long gone, naturally.


    "You know, if you savored the food, you might not be so bored," Ike hinted.


    "Ah, come on. Where''s your savage energy? You go through one king trial and suddenly you''re eating with silverware and savoring your food," Wisp complained.


    "That reminds me. Am I the rightful king of that region, or something?" Ike asked.


    Scar choked on her food. She swallowed with some effort, then laughed. "Are you serious?"


    Ike put his hands up. "I understand that I don''t actually have any power, political or otherwise. The skill is very powerful, but until I''m a Rank 5 or higher, I''m just some guy with a neat skill. I''m just¡­ you know, curious. What was the lore around that trial and the skill? Am I supposed to be the rightful king now?"


    Scar lowered her cutlery and shook her head at Ike. "Most people look up the lore associated with a trial before they attempt the deadly trial."


    Ike crossed his arms and snorted dismissively. "Yeah? Well I''m not most people."


    "Yeah, that''s obvious." She took a moment to compose herself, then nodded. "According to the ''lore,'' as it were, you are now considered that region''s rightful king. That castle belonged to the very first king of the region. It was said to be destroyed when an ultimate evil trampled it, that was consequently sealed in its heart¡­"


    "Probably that fire monster," Ike guessed.


    "That''d be my bet. In any case, it''s said that with his dying breath, the king and his closest retainers set up a wall to encircle the fallen castle, and that anyone who passed his trials became the next king. Since then, the region has been kingless¡­ not that it matters. Individual sects and cities are so powerful that none of the neighboring kingdoms would dare invade them, anyways. Most of the non-puppetified regions would rather leave them to their infighting, rather than attempt an invasion and risk getting crushed by some hidden expert from the depths of some city."


    "Got it. It''s more or less what I guessed," Ike said. The foxes cleaned his plate and set the next one before him, and they set into their food once more.


    "So¡­ heading back to become king on your docket?" Scar asked. Continue your saga on My Virtual Library Empire


    Ike shrugged. "Not immediately. Even with the skill, I''m not going to pretend like I''m strong enough to unite that region. But give me some time, and I might. We could use an army, after all."


    Her eyes turned dark. "Take care. Brightbriar is happiest when facing legions."


    "Because he can replace them? I know. All the more reason to not try and gather an army too early."


    Scar nodded.


    The table fell silent as they all set into the main course. Ike focused on the food, letting the delicious, melt-in-his-mouth meat wash away his worries. He could worry about all that tomorrow. For today, he was just going to relax.


    By the time the meal finished, Ike was absolutely stuffed. He patted his stomach and sighed in satisfaction. "Why don''t we mages eat all the time?"


    "I don''t know. I ask that all the time," Wisp said.


    "Because we can''t all cook like this," Scar said, at almost the same time.


    "I wouldn''t mind learning to cook this well. My skills are pretty much limited to meat-on-a-stick," Ike replied wistfully.


    "The problem is that truly high-value cooking takes exquisite, rare ingredients that are either difficult to source, dangerous to procure, or incredibly expensive. But I''m sure you could find someone to teach you a little more than just meat-on-stick," Scar assured him.


    "Yeah. Like me!" Wisp said.


    Ike gave her a look. "Uh huh. What recipes do you know?" S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What''s that one your nobles eat sometimes that''s beef, but they don''t cook it?"


    "Steak tartare?" Scar guessed.


    She nodded. "That!"


    "Steak tartare involves seasoning the meat," Scar explained slowly.


    "Simple steak tartare," Wisp said, nodding proudly.


    Ike sighed. "Raw meat isn''t a recipe, Wisp."


    "Don''t knock it ''til you try it," she shot back.


    Scar pushed her chair back. "If we''re all done, why don''t we go check out the baths?"


    "Sounds good to me." With that, the group stood and followed Scar out of the dining room.

 288. A Nice Spring

    Scar led them out the back of the resort. Ruby immediately ran ahead with a whoop and vanished into the fog. Before anyone else could follow her, a line of foxes stepped out of the steam. "Men this way, women that way. We''ve provided bathing clothes for you today, unless you wish to share the bath in the nude."


    "Er¡ªclothes is fine," Ike said. I guess if it''s a natural spring, they can''t help if it comes out into one large pool. Besides, for beasts, it was probably far more normal to share a bath in the nude. After all, animals shared watering holes all the time, and they were always in the nude.


    "What? Do I have to?" Wisp asked.


    "You can be nude, but you have to stay in spider form," Ike told her.


    She covered herself with her hands, mock-aghast. "You want to see my nude true form? Scandalous! You know that''s something that''s only shared between husband and wife, right?"


    He gave her a look. "You run around as a spider all the time."


    "My innocence¡­ shattered," Wisp mourned.


    Ike crossed his arms. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She grinned, then broke out into giggles. "Yeah, yeah. I''ll be a spider if I''m gonna be naked. Dumb humans and your dumb clothing rules. You know, I only put clothes on when the men stopped fighting back as seriously when I was human-shaped and nude. Honestly, how impolite to take it easy on me, just because I''m not wearing armor. It''s not like my skin is any weaker when it doesn''t have cloth on it."


    "That''s¡­ not¡­" Ike rubbed a hand down his face. "Sure. Whatever."


    "No one hesitated to attack me when I first developed human form and hadn''t found clothes yet," Mag muttered to himself, his brows knitting in confusion.


    Ike sighed and patted his back. Some people might hesitate to stab a naked girl in the woods, even if she attacked them, but few would hesitate to stab a naked boy in the woods. He personally would attack both of them, if they showed him aggression, but everyone wasn''t as equanimous as himself. "That''s one of the cruelties of the world, I suppose."


    "Or it''s because you were lounging on a mountain of skulls," Wisp pointed out.


    "Well, where else was I supposed to lounge? There were a lot of dead bodies in the desert. Lots of shiny skulls. I thought it''d look cool if I piled them all together. And once I piled them all up, what was I supposed to do? Just leave them there?" Mag asked, exasperated.


    Ike lifted a hand. "Hold on. You''re telling me that the mountain of skulls is because you''re a hoarding magpie, not because you killed all those people?"


    "Mmm. It wasn''t all me. There was already a lot of bones when I got there. But I definitely added a lot to it! Why not? I like gathering things. And there weren''t a lot of shiny things in the desert. I grabbed all of them, and then I was bored, so then I started thinking that bones were kind of shiny. So then I grabbed all the bones." He tilted his head in a bird-like fashion. "If you hadn''t come, I probably would''ve started gathering fish, or something. There wasn''t a whole lot to do out there."


    "Be King of the Birds, or whatever?" Ike asked.


    "I am King of the Birds!" Mag proclaimed.


    "Yeah, yeah." Ike headed toward the foxes and grabbed a pair of swimclothes. The fabric was dark and slightly stiff, baggy enough to hide his features even after he got wet. The foxes were clearly prepared for the most modest of guests, with options from neck-to-ankle coverage to shorts. Ike picked a pair of shorts and wandered off in the direction they indicated. A small structure stood amongst the volcanic rocks, with curtains for a door. Mag followed him at a short distance, clutching some shorts of his own.


    Ike paused. He looked up. "What about you, Shawn? Want some swim clothes?"


    "Everything I wear is a manifestation of my will. I''m actually a mountain, in case you forgot."


    "Yeah, and Wisp is a spider, but she wears clothes," Ike pointed out. "Plus, didn''t you wear clothes in Clarina''s city?"


    Shawn opened his mouth, then shut it. "I can wear clothes, but¡­ It''s more complicated for mountains than beasts."


    He swished them aside and undressed quickly, tucking his clothes into his storage ring and putting the shorts on instead. He emerged, and a moment later, so did Mag. It was the first time Ike had seen him without his large red overrobe, in bird form or not.


    "Not taking the robe into the bath?" he asked.


    "No. It''s the only thing I have left from my father. I don''t want to get it wet with volcano water," Mag said quietly.


    "Oh¡­ I''m sorry," Ike said quietly. He had little from his mother, and nothing at all from his father. If he had something¡­ anything, from his father, it would be precious to him. More precious than anything else. Enjoy exclusive content from My Virtual Library Empire


    "You sure took it into battle, for something you don''t want to get dirty," Wisp offered, stepping out from around a volcanic stone. She wore a short bathing suit, a jumper with a few inches of shorts and narrow shoulder straps. It was more than she''d worn when Ike had first met her, when she wore the tiny scraps of fabric held together by spider thread.


    He rolled his eyes at her and walked on. "Come on, we''re meant to be relaxing. Stop bullying the bird."


    "You only say that because you have parent-issues too. Things get a lot cleaner when your mom tries to eat you right off the bat. Really toughens you up properly. Gets you prepared for life," Wisp declared, thumping her chest.


    Ike paused. He gave her a look. "I know you talk about eating your husband a lot, but do you also plan to eat your children?"


    "Yeah? I''m gonna have to protect them in my web for months, eating what little flies into one static web. There''s gonna be a few hundred of them, and I''m gonna eat some of them. That''s why there''s a few hundred, you know? Momma''s gotta eat. If I don''t, I might starve to death before my next successful hunt," Wisp pointed out.


    "I¡­" Ike shook his head. It was shockingly logical, if he completely and totally disagreed with it.


    Beside him, Mag stared in abject horror, his jaw dropped.


    "You''re a mage. You don''t need to eat," Ike pointed out at last.


    "Eh, yeah. Maybe not. Maybe so. Having babies is complicated, for mages," Wisp told him. "Baby has to be made from something, you know? You can''t just make one from raw mana. If you could, then any of us could just make a baby right now. Me. You. Even the bird."


    "I could make a baby? Right now?" Mag asked, confused beyond all limits.


    "Making babies? Someone having a baby?" Scar asked, popping up from behind a stone.


    Ike grabbed Mag by the wrist and dragged him toward the hot springs. "You know what? Let''s just go take a nice, warm dip in the hot springs and forget all about this."

 289. Warm Waters

    Ike walked around the stones and found himself standing at the edge of a volcanic pool. Water lapped at the edge of the pond. Heavy steam blew off the surface of the water, fogging into thick clouds as it wafted away. He tried the water with his toe. Heat seared into his foot. Instinctively, Ike activated his steel feet.


    Mag looked at his foot, then at Ike. "Uh¡­ are you okay?"


    On Ike''s other side, Wisp outright broke into laughter. "That hot, huh?"


    "Hey, come on. I just fought some really hot enemies," Ike pointed out. He released the technique and tried again. It was hot, but not burning hot. Just warm. Just nicely warm-levels of hot. He stepped slowly to the first step, then to the second. The heat climbed up his ankles, then to his knees.


    "I don''t know. I thought they were average-looking, at best," Scar returned, stepping in just behind him.


    Ike shot her a look. Wisp cackled and offered Scar a high-five, which she took.


    Shaking his head, Ike walked on, deeper into the pool. The water was only knee deep right by the wall, though it deepened quickly into the distance. He looked around, then frowned. "Where''s Ruby?"


    "I''m right here," a deep voice rumbled. What Ike had assumed were large rocks shifted in the fog, and two glowing orange eyes blinked at him as Ruby lifted her head.


    "O-oh. Sorry to disturb you," Ike said.


    She hummed. "I was not disturbed." Those orange lantern-eyes closed, and her head settled once more.


    Wisp hopped in with a splash. "Ooh, warm!" She giggled and ran off, kicking through the shallows.


    Scar joined Ike in the shallows. She nodded at him. "So, you and Wisp?"


    "What about us?" Ike asked.


    Scar raised her brows, then waggled them a little. "You know, the two of you¡­? Is there a baby in the near future for us?"


    Ike put a hand to his forehead. "Did you hear her, minutes ago? Absolutely not!"


    "She was just joking," Scar said.


    "Trust me, she was not."


    "So¡­ no babies?" Scar asked.


    Ike sighed. "Listen. I wasn''t lying when I told you I''m not interested in romance. Wisp is a¡­" he started to say ''little,'' then remembered that she was much older than him. "¡ªshe''s a sister to me. I trust her. She has my back, and I have hers. That''s it. That''s all either of us want from one another. I''m pretty sure she''s not even attracted to humans, let alone me."


    "We could find out? Hey, Wisp!" Scar shouted, before Ike could interject.


    Wisp looked up. "What?"


    "What do you find attractive in a man?"


    Wisp wandered closer. She touched the side of her head. "Uh¡­ small, submissive but smart¡ªI want him to bring me a present, but also I''m going to eat him, so slow is also a good one. And smart, you know, for the eggs."


    "What about face? Body?" Scar prodded, although there was a hesitation in her voice.


    "If I had to choose, I''d prefer a shiny body over a hairy one, but I''ve always liked a bit of color. Not a lot, you know, but just enough so you know they''ve got a good strong venom. Then again, a strong set of legs and nice protective hairs wouldn''t be too bad, either¡­"


    Ike gestured at her. "She''s attracted to spiders! Is it not obvious?"


    Scar put her hands up. "What about humans?" she pressed.


    "Humans? Gross. You only have four legs. Four! Gods, no. And the weird thing where you have a patch of hair up here and down there and nowhere else, what even is that? Nah."


    Ike gestured at Wisp some more.


    Scar sighed. "I just want a little bit of romance in my life. Is that too much to ask?"


    "From Wisp? Probably," Ike said.


    "Romance is for weak mammals who need to forge bonds between adults so they both raise a helpless soft-skulled potato for fifteen years. Superior arachnids need no such thing. When our babies hatch, they''re already strong enough to take on the world," Wisp bragged.


    "And get eaten by their mother," Ike pointed out.


    "Only a few of ''em. Most of them get away!" Wisp replied.


    Scar sighed. "I''m not even asking for romance for myself. I''m just trying to enjoy anyone''s romance."


    Ike gestured. "There''s a lonely bird right there."


    Scar turned. She looked at Mag, and her brows furrowed. "Too young."


    "Too young? I''ll have you know I''m centuries old. A true Magpie King! I''m powerful and ancient, fearsome and serene!" Mag proclaimed, hopping in the water.


    She gave Ike a look. "Even when some beasts are centuries old, they''re still children."


    "Oh, I know. But, you know, you''ve got hundreds of years ahead of you, too. The two of you could start as friends," he joked.


    "Don''t be ridiculous. I don''t want some featherless old hag," Mag replied, wrinkling his nose in distaste.


    Scar sighed again.


    Ike shook his head. "Yeah, that one''s my bad. Sorry, Scar. Didn''t mean to insult you like that."


    "It''s fine. I''ve certainly heard worse, from more serious people." She sat down against the wall and rested her head on the ledge, closing her eyes.


    Ike looked at her, then walked on. He strode through the waters, letting them swirl around his legs. Except for the gentle lap at the water''s edge, there was little motion in the water. The pool wasn''t still, but it was close to still. Barely mobile, but mobile enough. Wisp ran around, sending ripples through the water. Mag followed him around like a baby duck, subconsciously tracing after Ike, even as he looked all around him. Shawn hopped off his shoulder and paddled into the deeps, probably going to talk to Mont. He gazed after Shawn, then left the mountains to their conversation. He wanted to talk to Mont too, but he didn''t want to interrupt their conversation, either.


    Instead, he wandered over to Wisp. She glanced up at him as he approached, just as small as ever. Not an adult. Still a child, even if only in her heart.


    "What do you think comes after this?" Ike asked.


    "Hmm? We work on that new skill a lot, get you stronger, and then we go to the capital city and fight Brightbriar. Seems pretty simple to me," she said.


    He gestured. He didn''t know what it was, but something Scar had said, something about this¡­ it left him in a strange mood. "I mean after this. After we beat Brightbriar. What then?"


    "Then¡­ then we take over the region. I don''t know, found a city or something. Form a nice mage collection of our own. And then¡­" Wisp''s brows furrowed.


    "Is that really what you want?" Ike asked.


    She shook her head. "No."


    "What do you want, then?"


    She looked up at him. "I want to roam the world and kill things at your side. I want to be your battle partner until we both ascend into heaven as battle gods. I want to be the strongest spider there ever was. Strong enough to overpower you, and anyone else for that matter."


    Ike chuckled. "Yeah. Me too."


    "Well, that makes two of us," Wisp replied. She tilted her head. "Why''d you ask now?"


    "Dunno. Something about Scar''s questions¡­ I just wanted to know what your plan was. What the future was, for you."


    "Oh, is it because I talk about babies a lot? Don''t worry! Even if I decide to have babies, it''ll only be a few months and I''ll be back. It''s not the fifteen-year commitment it is for you humans."


    "It''s¡­ I don''t know. Just thinking about the future, that''s all. What happens next. What comes after," Ike commented.


    "Humans," Wisp replied.


    "Yeah. Human stuff," Ike said, nodding.


    She patted his forearm, smiling at him. "You know, I like you a lot, Ike. I know our time together has been, uhm, one-fifth of your life, or something, but it''s a blink of the eye to me. Compared to the hundreds of years I spent scurrying around out here, then stuck in the Abyss, our time together is nothing. If I get bored of you, it''ll be in a hundred, two hundred, three hundred years. You don''t have to worry about me."


    Ike blinked. He looked at her again, in a new light. It wasn''t that she was a child. He was the one who was still a child. She was an adult who chose to be childish. One who chose to laugh and throw fits, who giggled and picked fights. But on the other side of all that, she was an adult. Mature. A woman. Someone who had made her choices, and lived with them for many hundreds of years. When she smiled with him, laughed with him, was able to act like a kid with him, it was because she trusted him. Because they were friends.


    He patted her head. "That''s right. I''m the one who''s being foolish."


    "Oy, mind the head," Wisp grumbled, smacking his hand away. She kicked water at him. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


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    "Hey!" Ike kicked water back. She ran at him and swept low, trying to take his feet. Ike hopped her low kick and danced away, even as Wisp charged in. The two of them sparred in the shallow water, fighting back and forth. Whenever one of them hit the ground, the other backed away and waited for them to rise again, before the melee could begin again.


    "You can''t fight without the Magpie King!" Mag shouted, and hopped into the air to drop down on Ike''s head.


    Wisp grabbed Ike''s shoulder and batted the bird down into the hot water. "Get out of here, you dumb bird!"


    "You get out of here, you eight-legged snack!" Mag snarled back. He shook the water out of his hair and hopped back to his feet.


    Ike grabbed both of them by the shoulder and threw them into the steamy water. "Both of you get out of here! I''m the only one who''s allowed in the spring!"


    "Haaaa? You think you''re strong enough to take on both of us?" Wisp asked, rounding on Ike.


    "You''re kicking me out of the bath? Fuck off!" Mag growled.


    Both Mag and Wisp rushed Ike. Laughing, Ike fell back, barely staving off their blows. In the distance, sitting against the wall, Scar sighed. She shut her eyes and wiped the sweat off her brow. "Bunch of annoying fools."


    Out in the center of the water, Shawn looked over his shoulder. He shook his head and snorted. "Still nothing but children."


    "But you''re not."

 290. Appeal

    "But you''re not."


    Shawn turned.


    Mont lounged before him, floating improbably on a large slab of pumice. He leaned on one hand, frowning slightly at Shawn.


    "No. I''m not," Shawn allowed.


    Mont gestured, and a powerful stream of energy welled up from the heart of the mountain below them and flowed into Shawn. Shawn''s body changed. From the small child he usually appeared as, to a teen, to an adult. He stood despite the deepness of the water, as the stone rose up to support his feet.


    "Your time dwindles. Why do you continue to reject a permanent home?" Mont asked.


    Shawn sighed. He looked over his shoulder, at the people running and splashing in the shallows. From here, they could only make out the dim silhouettes of their forms, dark shapes moving joyfully in the fog. "I don''t want to leave them."


    "But you will leave them forever if you don''t find yourself a root."


    "It is a mountain''s role to find a root, and grow with it. It is our lot in life to be immovable. Permanent. But I''ve seen so much of this world. I''ve experienced its variety and its majesty. To settle down forever, to merge into the land and sleep, to simply watch as heroes rise and fall, and kingdoms ebb and fade¡­ my dreams are more than that," Shawn said quietly.


    "Or less," Mont commented.


    Shawn snorted. "Or less, from a mountain''s perspective."


    "You are a mountain."


    "But I''m not. I have not spent the eons rooted, watching over the beings that scramble past. I''m¡­ a gem, a treasured item. As long as I''ve been aware, I''ve been an object with value, but never a mountain. Never¡­ like you." S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mont trailed his fingertips in the water. "But you could be. That power exists within you. You are but a seed of what you could become. You choose not to plant yourself, but you have all the power in the world. To throw aside your past as a treasured object. To find value in yourself, and let free your true potential."


    Shawn glanced down. He said nothing.


    Lifting his fingertips from the water, Mont flipped his hand. He watched the droplets run down his fingers and pool in his palm. "You have found something else you can be."


    "A friend. A companion," Shawn murmured, almost afraid to say it.


    "A human. Walking amongst them. Being as one of them. Not hidden away in a vault, or sitting on some mountain. You choose to experience the present, rather than eternity." Mont sighed. He shook his head. "If you had seen the things I''ve seen, experience the millenia I''ve lived, you wouldn''t dream of such a thing. You would know your place. Your calling."


    "To be a cold rock?" Shawn asked.


    Mont chuckled, unbothered. "I have had lovers. Children, generations of them. Friends. Beloved companions, who never knew I was anything but a strange person who liked to live on the mountain. Being your true self doesn''t mean rejecting the world around you. It might seem that way, to look at me now, but that is only because I tire of life as those shorter-lived live it. Perhaps in a thousand years hence, I shall feel the need to have a life amongst mortals again, and then I will descend again. Life as a mountain is not a life of seclusion."


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    Shawn looked down. He frowned, biting his lip.


    "But that would mean leaving today''s friends behind. You know you don''t have the time to see their journey to the end, and you know they won''t settle down. Asking them to, would be to reject their very spirit. Even if they did, they would begin to silently resent you in their hearts, so you would never do it."


    Shawn nodded.


    Mont sighed. He patted Shawn''s shoulder. "I wish I had an easy answer for you. At the end of the day, this is your choice. If you chose to die as a seed, and never plant yourself, then I simply ask that you ensure that this life, was one you do not regret. There is little more fearsome than a mountain at the end of its life, carrying a mountain''s worth of regret."


    "No. I would not do this if I carried regret," Shawn said.


    "Is that true?"


    Shawn nodded.


    Mont chuckled. "It might be true for now. If it ever becomes untrue, then return to me. I would rather you take up root on my lands or put you to the blade myself, than see another of our number fall to despair."


    "You''ve seen it before?" Shawn asked, looking up.


    Mont nodded, just once. "I have. A fearsome thing, it was. A being not meant to exist." His eyes turned misty, focused on something far and long away. "Ah, how glorious. Soaked in pitch black, drenched in it, and yet, blazing as all the power of millennia burned out at once. I watched from my mountain as it razed these lands flat, and thought to myself, what small comfort, that were anyone to push me to such a degree¡­"


    His words trailed off. For a long moment, there was nothing. And then he smiled again. "But I am a mountain. Rooted and placid. I have seen these lands rise from nothing. I have watched these cities come to be from the dirt itself. Seen children grow into adults, grow into mages. I could watch these cities burn, full of the babies I have known since their inception, and feel nothing. It is the loose cannons like yourself who burn out gloriously."


    Shawn snorted. "Then, will you watch me as I burn, from your perch from on high?"


    Mont lowered his head. "Yes, but I hope not to. I hope to see you take root, and grow long, strong, and tall. But if you must burn out, then I hope you burn out grandly. Leave nothing behind, and take it all down in a blaze of glory."


    A laugh. Shawn shook his head. "Everything but Ike and his friends."


    "If you are pushed to that point, then they will already be long gone," Mont replied placidly.


    Shawn''s eyes flashed. He gazed at Mont, his brows furrowed.


    "It is not a mere moment of fear or horror that drives a mountain to despair. We, even you seedlings, are placid by nature. To throw one into despair, even an ungrounded seedling like yourself, takes the complete and total destruction of everything in which you hold hope and faith." Mont lowered his gaze. Their entire conversation, his eyes had roamed the area, taking in the world at large, rather than Shawn. For the first time, he looked Shawn dead in the eye. "On the day that happens, Ike and everyone else in this spring will be cold and buried."


    Shawn met his gaze. "Then I will not let that come to pass."


    "I, too, hope you do not. I had to slaughter a civilization to prevent them from murdering every mountain they could muster the strength to kill." Mont lowered his eyes, then lifted them once more. "But were it to come to pass, I would do so once more. Burn brightly, friend. Whatever path you take, I will see it to the end."


    Shawn dipped his head, slightly unsettled, slightly grateful. "Thank you."


    Mont hummed. His pumice stone drifted off, and he vanished into the fog. The stone receded beneath Shawn''s feet, and he turned small once more. He watched Mont off into the distance, but when he vanished, he turned away. Back to Ike. Back to what he had chosen.


    I, too, pray I do not burn down. That I see this path to the end, and find a place to root beyond it. Holding this wish deep within his heart, Shawn paddled back to the splashing and the laughter, knowing he had the rage of a volcano watching over him.


    Watching over him, and waiting to explode.


    END BOOK 3

 Book 4 Start: 291. Training

    Their respite at the inn was short-lived. When dawn came, they set off once more. Scar took to her own direction, setting off directly for the capitol. Ike and his people took a detour in the other direction, to the plains that stretched endlessly to the opposite side of the realm than Mag''s desert. There, Ike stood at the brink of the endless grasslands. He gazed out at the emptiness, completely and utterly devoid of people, and drew out the orb.


    King''s Reign. The skill he couldn''t master.


    It was still empty. Naught but a clear orb. And yet, he could sense the skill within it. Faint, but present. Waiting. Dormant.


    Wisp stood beside him. She put her hands behind her. "You know, you don''t have to do this. You might just be too low Rank to absorb the skill. It might be better to simply focus on growing stronger for now, then attempt to absorb this later."


    Ike twisted his lips. "I''m already Rank 3. At my age, that''s incredible. I might be able to easily obtain Rank 4, but that''s no guarantee. It might take me hundreds of years. Even decades would still be short. And in that time, Brightbriar might sweep through the realm. He might even be doing it now. I can''t wait."


    "And if you lose yourself now trying to absorb this skill, you die for certain," Wisp pointed out.


    Beside them, Mag flapped into the air. He glided for a moment, then plunged into the grasses, flapping out with a rabbit caught in his transformed feet. Mag shifted into full bird and landed at the edge of the grasses to tear it apart.


    Ike sighed. He looked at the skill orb in his hand, then back at Wisp. "I can suppress it again, at least one more time. If I can learn how to suppress it whenever I like, I can use it when I need it."


    "And lose control, every time? In the heat of battle? In front of a puppetmaster? There are worse ideas, but there are certainly better."


    He grimaced. "It''s not a great idea, but I don''t think it''s a good idea to give up on the skill altogether until I''m stronger, either. It''s a skill that can multiply my power. I can''t just say¡­ ''oh, it''s dangerous, so I''m not going to try.'' I need to try. If things go sideways away, we can talk about it then, but¡­ I have to try."


    Wisp stepped back. She put her hands up. "Fine, fine. Just remember that I''m the one who has to beat the king down when things go sideways." Stay tuned with My Virtual Library Empire


    Ike nodded. He lifted the orb, then clenched it tight, willing himself to absorb it.


    Nothing happened. He stood there, clenching the orb, and that was all.


    Wisp jumped back, tensing, but then stood. She raised her eyebrows at Ike. "Not working?"


    "Yeah, I don''t know. It''s¡­" Ike looked at the orb, then held it up. "I mean, it looks empty. But I can sense something in it."


    "Can you activate the skill without it?"


    Ike frowned. He reached out inside himself and tried to call to the skill. Once more, nothing happened, but this time, he felt a faint sensation from it. Like it was turning away from him. Angry, or¡­ maybe petulant?


    He chased after that feeling, only for it to retreat from him. Ike watched it go, a little lost. He''d never had a skill react like this. As if it were alive, or had thoughts. But why not? He''d met mountains, beasts, and weapons that were all sentient, to some degree or another. Why not a skill with thoughts? Besides, hadn''t Scar indicated that it was possible? He remembered her saying something like that before they''d parted ways.


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    Then maybe all he needed to do was sit down and have a good talk with the skill. Both of them could sort things out, and no one had to get hurt.


    There was just one problem: the skill didn''t want to talk. Every time he reached out to it, it turned away. He couldn''t activate it, couldn''t talk to it, couldn''t engage with it in any meaningful way.


    Ike twisted his lips in annoyance. The skill was really trying his patience. What was the point of being so petulant? It was a skill. It was part of his power now. Whether it liked it or not, it belonged to him.


    Maybe if I forcibly draw it out¡­ but how? He considered for a second, then shrugged. Focusing on the skill, he also clenched on the skill orb and tried to absorb it. The skill tried to turn away, but between the two attempts to call out to it, the skill couldn''t simply ignore him. Gold light shone around him, and the skill activated.


    Mag instantly flew up into the sky. Wisp hopped back, watching him from a distance. Shawn, clinging to his shoulder as usual, yawned.


    The King turned. He placidly surveyed his land. The staff hung in one hand, not yet active, but ready to absorb mana at any moment. Once more, his eyes landed on his subjects. The girl with the mouth, and the flying boy. He crossed his arms and gazed at them, disapproval in his eyes. These were the subjects who had objected to his rule. They ought to be punished.


    "What? You wanna fight?" the girl challenged him, curling her hands into fists.


    "Indeed. I think it''s time I put down a few dissidents," the King rumbled. He swept his staff, lowering its tip toward the girl. Power began gathering around it.


    "Ha? You''re so weak you need to call on the mana around you to put down one person? What kind of weakling king are you?" she asked, sticking her tongue out.


    The King lowered his staff. He narrowed his eyes, but couldn''t argue with her. She was right. Calling upon the mana of his land was his right as king, but to put down one child? That was pathetic. Could he even call himself king of he had to resort to such a thing.


    "That''s right. Come! Fight me hand to hand!" Wisp instigated.


    On one hand, she was terrified. The aura he exuded was far stronger than Ike''s. It pushed beyond anything Ike had ever been capable of, to a truly terrifying height. As if this King were running Ike''s body ragged without even noticing, just to draw out every ounce of power Ike could possibly generate.


    But on the other hand, she was excited. She''d grown during the trial, the same as Ike. Now, she faced him at his most powerful. Even if she lost, she''d gain much in terms of experience, fighting a stronger opponent, one she wasn''t certain she could overpower. Her skin tingled, and a smile stretched across her face. "Come on. Let''s throw down, kingy boy."


    The King''s face turned stormy. He drew back his staff and charged at her, ready to smash her down. With a laugh, Wisp rushed to meet him. Ike could take his time figuring out this skill. Until he did, she''d use it as a training dummy for her new skills!


    Good thing she''d reminded Ike she was the one who ''had'' to beat up the King when things went sideways. Otherwise, he might be a bit angry when he woke up with a bruised face!


    The two clashed. In an instant, a dozen blows were exchanged. To the King''s shock, and Wisp''s surprise, the King didn''t immediately have the upper hand. Wisp furrowed her brows for a second, thinking, then laughed. "That''s it, isn''t it? You''re a swordsman! I''m a fist-fighter! If we both fight hand-to-hand, I''m the one with an advantage, aren''t I?


    "Foolish subject. No one has an advantage before the king!" the King replied. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yeah, yeah. Keep telling yourself that," she mocked him, and darted in again.


    Deep within the confines of his mind, the tiny spark that was still Ike frowned. He felt as though he''d been insulted, but couldn''t quite place why.


    No. Don''t focus on that. The skill. Call out to it. Ike took a deep breath and let it out, steadying himself. "Hey, King! Where are you? I''m here. In here, to talk to you. Are you hiding? Sulking?"


    A voice boomed out from behind him. "A king does not sulk."


    Ike turned. The King stood behind him, or rather, he stood behind him. But this was a version of Ike clad in the King''s golden regalia, not the scrappy slumrat he was used to seeing. This Ike had perfectly coiffed hair and delicate hands, clean, fine clothes and a softer face. One that didn''t have the weathering and tan that Ike sported. He lifted his chin and looked down at Ike. "Unlike this other, lesser me."


    "Lesser?" Ike chuckled. He eyed the King. He was everything Ike hated, everything he never wanted to become. Spoiled. Soft. So far from the world that he couldn''t see its problems any longer. He shook his head. "No. I think you''re the one who''s the lesser me."


    "Shall we see who is truly lesser?" the King asked, drawing his staff.


    Ike reached to his waist. There was a pause, and then the Hungry Sword materialized in his hands, shivering with anticipation. "Let''s."

 292. Fighting the King

    Within Ike''s head, the two Ikes faced off. One, dressed in regal finery, gems glittering on his fingers, holding a noble, slender staff. The other, in rags, weathered and worn, clutching tight to a strange sword. The two of them stared at one another for a moment, then darted forward, clashing in a blast of light and steel.


    Outside, the King and Wisp clashed. The King swung his staff in both hands. Wisp blocked with two of her own, only for two more hands to clobber the King on the chin. His face contorted in anger. Wisp laughed in his face and jumped back. He slammed the staff at her head, but couldn''t keep up with her footwork. She danced into the grasses, then vanished.


    The King looked left and right, his brows furrowed. "Where are you, knave? Show yourself!"


    "Right here, you blind fool!" A small black blur leaped out of the grasses, transforming into a full-sized human wisp just in time to smash the King on the other cheekbone.


    Growling, the King struck at her, but his staff was too slow at close quarters. Wisp ducked it and hammered him for a few more blows, then jumped away again rather than push her luck. It wouldn''t be fun if she just one-sidedly hammered the King, after all. She learned more by maneuvering around him, trying new approaches and techniques.


    The King was less threatening than Ike when he wasn''t using his overwhelmingly powerful magics. As it was, she was just beating up base-Ike. Still a considerable foe, with Ike''s physical prowess and speed, but none of Ike''s powerful skills. If he started to use his magic, she''d have to get serious, but for now, while she still had him mentally juked into fighting her in melee, she just had a particularly interactive training dummy.


    "Catch me if you can!" she teased him, vanishing into the grass once more.


    Inside Ike''s heart, the battle raged as well. Ike battled against Ike. Neither one of them pulled on their skills¡ªneither was able to. Both forms of Ike were completely blocked from any skills, techniques, anything like that. Instead, they fought tooth and nail, fighting like dogs. No holds barred. No holding back. The kingly Ike battered down the other with his staff, only for the ragged Ike to hammer the King with his sword. There was no honor in their fight, nor humanity. They battled to the death. Neither would be happy until the other one was exterminated. Experience more on My Virtual Library Empire


    But they were evenly matched. The fight swung back and forth. One moment, the kingly Ike held the upper hand; the next, the ragged one raged above. Both accumulated wound after wound. Blood dripped down their bodies, until it was nearly impossible to tell which one was which, save for the weapons they wielded.


    Ike hopped back. Dropping to a knee, he took a moment to recover. He watched the kingly Ike with suspicion, wiping the blood from his brow as he caught his breath. The other Ike watched him with the same distrust, shaking his hair out of his eyes. They both stood there, racing to catch their breath.


    This isn''t going to end. Not without both of us dead, he realized, gazing at the other him. They''d matched one another blow for blow, wound for wound. There wasn''t a victor to this battle. They would die together, rather than win alone.


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    Ike stood. Across from him, the other Ike stood as well. He hefted his staff and prepared to rush back into battle.


    "Wait," Ike said, holding up his hands.


    The King hesitated. He eyed Ike, uncertain, but he didn''t attack yet.


    "If we keep fighting, we''re both going to die. Surely there''s another way to resolve this," Ike said.


    "What, like¡­ talking?" the King scoffed.


    Ike shrugged. "Sure, why not? We''re both Ike, right?"


    "Isn''t that exactly why we can''t suffer one another to live? Only one can take control," the King replied.


    Ike rolled his eyes. "Right, and I''m the original. So why would I make this offer, if I wasn''t convinced that neither of us will win if we continue?"


    "The original," the King scoffed.


    "Yeah, that''s right. You''re just some skill that stole pieces of me and made this weird, haughty version. But here I am, offering you an olive branch. So what do you say? Why don''t we talk this out?" S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The King huffed and crossed his arms, but didn''t reject Ike outright. "What is there to say? I want this body. You want this body. Only one of us can control it. We fight to the death so that the interference stops."


    Ike shrugged. "You''re a part of me. A piece of me that was corrupted by the skill, but part of me nonetheless. I''d rather work with you than kill you, and since you''re me, too, shouldn''t you agree?"


    The King hesitated. He looked at Ike. "You know nothing, do you?"


    "What''s that mean?" Ike asked.


    "Why Brightbriar is conquering the regions¡­ why any of this is happening. You don''t know, do you?"


    Ike stepped forward. His hand tightened on the sword. "You know?"


    It wasn''t impossible. The skill was talking. Sentient. It had taken pieces of Ike and cobbled together a rough personality. Who was to say it couldn''t have memory or knowledge?


    The King looked at him for a long moment, then closed his eyes. He lowered his head. "I concede."


    The world around them began to fade away. Darkness encroached the King, shadowing his form.


    "What? Hey! You can''t just do that! Come back!" Ike charged toward the King, reaching out, not to harm him, but to pull him back.


    The King vanished. Only a silhouette remained, and even that decayed with each passing moment. His voice echoed from the distance, sleepy, fading into oblivion. "There is too much to explain, and too little time. When you know more, return here. Perhaps I will reveal the truth. Or perhaps I will merely assimilate you, and then you shall know¡­ anyways¡­."


    "You¡ªget back here¡ª" Ike swiped at the darkness


    A punch hurtled toward his face. Ike startled. Instinctively, he activated Lightning Dash and flashed backward.


    Wisp froze, staring. A second later, she retracted her fist and hopped back. "Ike?"


    "I''m back?" he replied, equally startled. He looked around him at the grassland, then down at his body. He was bruised and battered, but in nowhere near as bad a shape as he''d been back in the space within his heart. Brushing his clothes down, he activated the Body Reforging Art and quickly patched up his wounds. Man, Wisp must have really had to fight hard to survive. He gave her an apologetic nod. "Sorry about that. Thanks for keeping me in check."


    "Huh? Oh, no problem. Hey, for a friend like you? I''d do it any time," Wisp promsed.


    Ike narrowed his eyes. Something about the way she''d said that was a little suspicious.


    Wisp smiled innocently back at him, not a single evil thought anywhere in her heart.


    Yeah, right, he thought to himself, then snorted and shook his head. Whatever her motive, she''d helped him out massively. "Thank you, Wisp," he repeated.


    "Yeah, like I said. No problem. How''d things go on your end? I see you can suppress the skill¡­ is it permanent, something you can trigger any time¡­ how''d it go?" she asked, a little too eager to change the subject.


    Ike''s brows furrowed. "About that¡­"

 293. Know Nothing

    "Huh?" Wisp said.


    "Yeah. That''s exactly how I feel," Ike replied.


    "So wait, the skill knows something, but it refused to tell you? And you don''t know¡­ whatever it is that the skill knows? But it''s a part of you, cobbled from pieces of you, but you can''t feel it, and also it can keep secrets?" she clarified.


    Ike put his hands up. "Look, I don''t get it either. No part of this makes any sense." S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Man. That skill sounds like a pain in the ass. I don''t like any bit of that," Wisp complained.


    "Can you use it?" Mag demanded, descending from the sky to land beside him.


    Ike looked at him. He put his hands up. "Maybe?"


    "Well, I''m glad we resolved that," Wisp snarked.


    "I''d say I can definitely chance it in an emergency. If nothing else, the skill is motivated to protect this body," Ike replied, gesturing at himself.


    "Right, but will you be able to take the reins back afterward?" Wisp asked.


    Ike grimaced. "We were pretty evenly matched¡­ well, we''re the same person, so that tracks. If we fought to the end, I''m not sure either of us would win. The skill conceded to me this time, but it didn''t say it would every time. In fact, it very explicitly told me it would try to assimilate me later."


    "Awesome," Wisp muttered sarcastically.


    "Yeah, no kidding," Ike replied.


    "So we''re right where we started."


    "Well, we know the skill knows something it isn''t telling us. Something about why Brightbriar is conquering the regions. That sounds pretty important," Ike pointed out.


    Beside him, Mag tilted his head. "Huh? That doesn''t make any sense." Read the latest on My Virtual Library Empire


    "Why not?" Ike asked, indulging him.


    Mag bopped in place, then jutted his head forward. "Because that''s the one region Brightbriar hasn''t conquered! I''d understand if it was from a region Brightbriar did conquer, but he''s never touched that one. How can a skill from a land untouched by Brightbriar know anything about what Brightbriar wants?"


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    Ike opened his mouth, then shut it. A thoughtful expression played over his face. "Huh."


    Wisp snorted. "Did you get played by a skill?"


    "No¡­ I don''t think it was playing me. It''s not like it said it as a bluff. I didn''t have the upper hand. I think it was being honest. But Mag''s right. I have no idea why the skill would know about Brightbriar''s plans, when it''s from a region he hasn''t touched, as far as we know," Ike said, frowning a bit. He scratched the back of his neck and wrinkled his nose. Why did it have to be so complicated? Why couldn''t the skill just tell him what it knew? If they were the same person, what did it gain from withholding information from him?


    Then again¡­ we aren''t the same person. Not quite. The skill had carved out pieces of Ike to create a personality for itself. They were similar, but the base of the skill, the thing that had carved out those pieces, belonged to something else.


    Someone else? Ike found himself wondering. Had the skill become a person? Or had a person, somehow, turned themselves into a skill?


    He shook his head at that, but at the same time, a tingle ran down his spine¡ªthe same tingle he felt sometimes when he touched upon things the System didn''t want him to think about. He raised his brows. Well, then. Guess I shouldn''t dismiss that thought so quickly.


    He sighed aloud. "Dammit. Why does everything have to be so complicated?"


    Wisp laughed. "Hey, come on. It wouldn''t be fun if it wasn''t a little complicated, right?"


    "Right¡­ I guess," Ike complained. He sighed again. Nothing he could do about it. Not until he could conquer the skill and assimilate it himself.


    A grin spread over his lips at that. It had given him a hint, whether it realized it or not. ''Or perhaps I will merely assimilate you, and then you shall know anyways.'' Two could play at that game. If they became one, they would know everything the other knew. There''d be no secrets then. Passively waiting for the skill to give up its secrets wasn''t Ike''s way at all. Getting strong enough to swallow it whole and know all its secrets regardless of what it wanted? Now that sounded much more appetizing to Ike.


    "Hey, Wisp. You know anything that can strengthen my mental prowess? Or¡­ I don''t know, soul? Whatever it is that allows me to completely absorb skills?" Ike asked.


    "Huh? I''ve heard about skills like that, but I don''t personally have any myself. Why? Are you¡­" Wisp trailed off. She caught onto his idea, and smiled, nodding slowly. "Oh. Oh, I get it. Yeah."


    "Yeah?" Ike replied, grinning back.


    "Yeah. You know what? Follow me. I think I know someone you can hunt to get exactly the kind of skill you want," she replied, and with that, she dashed off into the grasses.


    Smiling, Ike chased after her. A few steps in, he laughed aloud. This was much more like him. Standing around fretting about the future wasn''t for him at all. Far better to charge headlong in a foolish rush, and hope it took him where he wanted. Even if it didn''t, progress was better than stagnation.


    Mag watched the two of them run off. After a moment, he harrumphed and jumped into the air, flapping after them.


    Like that, Ike''s small party vanished into the endless grasses.

 294. What Lies Beyond the Endless Grass

    Wisp led the way. Ike followed close behind, afraid he''d lose her slender form among the shifting grass. The grass closed in behind Wisp, tall enough that she vanished entirely in its sway. Ike, who stood head and shoulders above the grass, sometimes could only watch out for the shifting grass ahead to guess where Wisp might have gone.


    She had always been short, but now, she seemed shorter than ever. He snorted, then paused and looked himself over. The nice robes from Clarina''s place were a bit tattered and torn now, no longer as nice as they''d once been. They only hung to his mid-thigh now, with the trousers hanging over his ankles.


    I''ve grown.


    Somehow, he felt a twinge of sadness at that. He was getting bigger, but she never would. She''d be the same size forever.


    Until she turns into a giant spider, he recalled, and shivered. Okay, yeah. Maybe I''m fine with the human Wisp being small. I''ll never be bigger than her big spider self.


    He chased after her, running at an easy pace. Mag glided overhead, occasionally eclipsing Ike in his shadow when he banked past. In the distance, a bank of mountains loomed, marking the distant boundary of the grasslands.


    The sound of hooves echoed. Ike looked up, startled. From the distance, riders rode toward him and Wisp. He glanced at his spider friend. "They friendly?"


    "Dunno. Been stuck in the Abyss for too long. They weren''t here the last time I came through. They look tasty, though."


    "Hey," Ike muttered. He extended his mana, testing the approaching riders. Most of them were at Rank 1 or 2, but the strongest among them reached Rank 3. Surprisingly, their horses matched their Rank. Each one was a beast, imbued to a higher Rank to match its rider.


    The more powerful of the riders tested him in return. Their auras clashed against one another, examining each others'' strength. Ike didn''t back down, but neither did the riders, both of them coming to the same conclusion: that if it came to violence, they were evenly matched¡­ but the riders had the advantage of numbers.


    "What are you thinking? Do we run?" Wisp asked.


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    "I think we stand our ground," Ike replied.


    Wisp nodded. "Good. I haven''t had horse in a while."


    "It''s always about your stomach, isn''t it?" S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yep!"


    The riders reached them in a few moments. They circled around Ike and Wisp. The grass rushed around their horses, whispering around the great beasts. Their hoofbeats rolled like thunder over the hardpacked earth. Dust rose up after them, drifting over Ike and Wisp in a choking cloud. The two of them stood in the center, back to back. Mag retreated higher in the sky. He continued to circle overhead, but so high up that Ike could have mistaken him for an ordinary bird.


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    Ike reached for his sword, but didn''t draw it yet. He eyed the riders, waiting for them to speak.


    The riders wore leather armor to match their horses'' leather harnesses. Steel studs dotted both their and the horses'' armor alike. They wore masked helmets with single long peasant feathers flowing from atop them. The helmets shaded their eyes, so Ike couldn''t see anything past the darkness.


    He examined them silently. This region had been overridden by puppets. Were these riders puppets, or not? He knew puppets would look exactly human, would feel exactly human. Even their mana circulation would move like a human''s. Until he broke them open, he''d have no way to tell if they were puppet or human.


    The riders stopped, loosely circling the two of them. Horse bodies blocked their exit in all directions, dozens of them packed in so tight that there could be no escape without moving through them. The riders clutched spears and javelins, not yet brandishing them, but ready to heft them at any moment.


    From out of the group, one of the more powerful riders pressed forward, guiding their horse through the other horses. They stood over Ike and Wisp and looked down at them silently.


    Ike gazed back. He waited for the rider to speak, calling their bluff. They would speak first, whether they wanted to or not.


    At last, the rider broke their silence. A female voice asked, "Why do you go to the deadlands?"


    "We seek an old friend," Ike replied.


    "Old friend¡­" Wisp muttered. Ike glanced over his shoulder at her. She met his eyes and waggled her hand a little.


    Ah. The nuances of Wisp''s relationship with this person aside, Ike decided he''d leave it at ''old friend'' for the rider. He stared up at her, waiting.


    "Nothing lies beyond here. You go to death," the rider warned him.


    "We know of the puppets. We''re going to kill them if we meet them."


    Her head tilted back. She narrowed her eyes at him. "If you insist upon going, we will not stop you. But no one returns from that place."


    "What if we do?" Ike asked.


    The riders raised their spears in concert. Ike found himself facing a sea of blades.


    "No one leaves the deadlands. That is our mission," the rider replied.


    So we can enter, but they won''t allow us to leave. Ike nodded. "Message received."


    "You still insist on proceeding?"


    Ike considered for a second, then nodded. He was curious about that skill Wisp had brought up, and aside from that, he should know what a land fully populated by puppets looked like. He needed to know what he fought. He''d seen Shopkeep''s city, but that had been a single city, and beyond that, corrupted by Shopkeep, who''d taken over the puppets. If Brightbriar had his way, what did the puppets look like? How did they live? Did they relive their lives, or live on, as if they hadn''t been replaced? Or¡­ was it completely different than Shopkeep''s city?


    The female rider glanced at the other riders. They exchanged a long look. Ike gripped his sword, ready to draw it at the slightest sign of violence.


    She raised her hand. The riders lifted their spears and backed away. "It is our clan''s way that you might go. But remember, you may not return."


    "Understood," Ike replied. We either have to find another way out¡­ or get strong enough to blast through these riders on the way back. He grinned to himself, not sure which one excited him more. He always enjoyed wandering the world and seeing new sights, but beating down these riders directly was also incredibly appealing. As the last of them rode away, Ike turned, watching them go.


    "You thinking the same thing I''m thinking?" Wisp asked.


    "No. You''re thinking about horseflesh," Ike replied.


    Wisp clicked her tongue. "Almost had him."


    "I''m thinking about beating the shit out of them on the way back," he finished, turning to walk on.


    "And then I eat them!" Wisp cheered. She took the lead once more, and the two of them ran on. Toward the deadlands. Toward the unknown.

 295. The Deadlands

    They ran through the plains through the sun-dappled day and the moon-silvered night. An entire week passed before the grasses grew lower and gave way to first, slender trees, then full forests.


    As they entered the forest, Wisp leaned toward Ike. "Don''t look now, but I think we''re being followed."


    Ike gave her a deadpan stare. "No, really?"


    Both of them turned back.


    In the near distance, one of the riders stood in the grass. The feather on her helmet drifted in the wind, and her horse stood nobly against the skyline. She stared at them, and they stared at her.


    Since they''d met the riders, this one had followed them. She''d kept her distance, following them at a fixed length regardless of whether they sped up or slowed down. Once, Ike had instructed Mag to swoop her, only for her to calmly pull out a bow and arrow and take aim. Mag had taken the better part of valor and retreated, and she''d put her bow back away. She wasn''t interested in attacking, just in following.


    "Do you think she''s gonna follow us in here?" Wisp asked.


    Ike shrugged. "She''s probably our nanny to make sure we don''t slip past the riders on the way out. She might."


    Wisp nodded at the girl. "Why do you think they were spared from puppetification?"


    Turning back around, Ike shrugged, talking as he walked into the woods. "I dunno. Maybe they were too fast. Maybe they settled here after the puppetification. Maybe Brightbriar stopped at the boundary of the region, and this is technically beyond the boundary."


    "It''s odd how much he pays attention to regional boundaries," Wisp commented. She gestured. "If I were a powerful dude with a puppet army and the ability to turn anyone into puppets, I wouldn''t just conquer one or two regions. I''d conquer one and spread outward, like a virus, mindless of any boundaries."


    Ike twisted his lips, thinking. "I don''t know. Maybe he was afraid of the other regions retaliating? He did have a pretty good infiltration technique. Better to target one region at a time, then move on to the next when he has the power to fully focus on that one."


    "But wouldn''t the other regions get scared and fight back? I know Scar explained it, but even so¡­ seems pretty weird," Wisp commented. "He''s got a tireless army that can replace the opposing army with almost no indicators. His puppets can easily infiltrate any city, and attack from within and without at the same time. It''s honestly a terrifyingly overwhelming power. He should have swept this entire continent, let alone this region. He''s clearly holding back for something. But what?"


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    "Yeah, I don''t know. I agree that it''s suspicious, for sure. We still don''t have enough of the picture when it comes to Brightbriar," Ike replied. Everything Wisp said was correct. In fact, they were things he, himself, had wondered about in the dark hours, when everything was quiet. What was Brightbriar''s goal? Why hadn''t he conquered this region already? The king was blithely unaware of the encroaching threat, and didn''t seem interested in finding out, either. If what Brightbriar really wanted was to conquer the region, he could have done it already. Hell, he might even have¡­ but somehow, Ike suspected he hadn''t. Why not? Was it something he was afraid of, or something he wanted?


    He lifted his head, gazing ahead of them. On top of the mental skill Wisp was going to show him, there was another benefit to charging ahead. If they saw what Brightbriar had done, maybe there would be a hint as to his ultimate goal.


    Or maybe he''s just a megalomaniacal guy, who wants to control the whole region, and he''s just too lazy to roll through it at his peak potential speed. Even as he thought it, Ike dismissed it. That made no sense. The longer Brightbriar waited, the slower he went, the more he lost the element of surprise. The regions could share information about his puppets, and his sudden attack would be much less surprising, and easier to defend against. Sure, it still wouldn''t be a sure thing that any given region would survive, let alone win, but the regions would be able to fight back better and slow Brightbriar''s advance.


    Hypothetically, anyways. His region sure didn''t seem to care too much about Brightbriar''s advance, so maybe he was the one who was thinking about this too much. Maybe this was normal. After all, he wasn''t even two decades old. For all he knew, Brightbriar''s advance counted as lightning speed to mages. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But there''s one thing I can figure out right now. Ike turned back. He looked their tail in the eyes and gestured. "Come on. Let''s chat."


    The rider stared at him. After a long second, she pointed at herself.


    "Yeah, you. Up here, come on. We don''t have to be at a standoff like this. Let''s have a little conversation," Ike invited her.


    She hesitated, then turned her horse and trotted over to them. From horseback, she gazed down on Ike and Wisp.


    "Hey there. Since you''re going to travel with us, whether we like it or not, I figured we might as well get to know one another. I''m Ike, and this is Wisp. That''s Mag, way up there. And you are?" Ike asked with a friendly smile.


    "Shh, don''t ask her name. It''s easier to eat the ones without names," Wisp muttered.


    Ike elbowed her, still wearing a friendly smile on his face. He nodded at the rider. "Your name?"


    She hesitated for another moment. At last, in a brusque tone, she said, "Palio."


    "Nice to meet you, Palio. Do you want to come down, or¡­" Your journey continues on My Virtual Library Empire


    Her hands blurred. A spear appeared, its blade inches from Ike''s face.


    Ike put his hands up. "Okay, okay. Sorry."


    Wisp crossed her arms and shook her head at Ike. "Don''t be ridiculous. How''s a centaur supposed to dismount?"


    Palio and Ike both whipped around to face Wisp. Ike was the first to speak. "A centaur?"

 296. The Mysterious Rider

    Ike stared at Palio. A centaur? But that was impossible. They were myths. Like mermaids, or fairies. People were either people, or animals, but not¡­ halfsies. Even if beasts and beasts interbred, they''d produce either beasts or humans, not centaurs. And failed beasts, who didn''t quite manage human form, looked like the owl girl, full-body mixed features, not half human, half horse, split down the middle.


    But now that he was looking at her, the upper half of her horse and her legs were both very static, almost as if they were an illusion or conjuration of some kind. And she and her horse were both the same exact Rank, which was almost impossible, even if they fought together in every battle.


    Palio scowled. Her horse''s head and her legs both vanished, revealing her true centaur glory. She jabbed her spear at Ike and Wisp alike. "Now that you''ve realized, I must kill you."


    "Yeah, good luck," Wisp said, totally unintimidated. Palio was only Rank 2. She might as well have threatened them with a wet dish towel.


    Beside her, Ike stared, mouth agape. At last, he managed, "How does food work?"


    Wisp laughed. "That''s what you''re hung up on?"


    "She''s got two torsos! Gods only know how many stomachs. Does the food go into her stomach, then turn into poop, then get pooped into her horse stomach? How does she eat enough to feed the horse half without nonstop grazing? How¡­ what¡ª"


    Palio''s scowl deepened. She jabbed the spear at Ike. "Silence."


    Wisp nudged him. "She''s a mage. Doesn''t need to eat."


    "Gods, you do know that!" Ike exclaimed, staring at Wisp in shock. The way she talked gave the impression that mages needed to eat more than ordinary people did, not less.


    She rolled her eyes at him, but chuckled. "Yeah, yeah. Fair."


    Ike cleared his throat. He turned back to Palio and bowed. "Sorry about that. I was so taken aback by meeting a legendary creature that I forgot my manners."


    "What''s there to forget?" Wisp muttered.


    He elbowed her. "Maybe we should start back at square one? It''s nice to meet you, Palio."


    She had kept her spear pointed at them this whole time, and jabbed it at them again when Ike spoke. "I have to kill you. No one is allowed to know of the existence of centaurs."


    Ike sighed internally. She was a Rank 2, he was a Rank 3. The fight was all but a foregone conclusion. If they fought now, he basically had to kill her, to keep her from tailing them and harassing them all the way through the badlands ahead of them. Better to push the inevitable off. In fact, if they fought later, he might even be able to get away with incapacitating her and leaving her behind in the grassy plains.


    He nodded at her. "How about this? Right now, you let us live. We go to the badlands, and you tail us all the way there and back. If we survive, then you can kill us on the way back, since you don''t let anyone out of the badlands. If we don''t, then you can let the badlands do the hard work for you. How does that sound?"


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    Palio considered for a moment. She furrowed her brows, thinking. Her eyes flitted from Ike to Wisp to Mag, judging their strength.


    Oh, right. Ike glanced at Mag as well. He''d almost forgotten that the bird boy was Rank 3, too. High Rank 3, at that. Unfortunately, Mag specialized in external spells, which had been basically worthless during the battle, but he was actually a powerful mage. If he faced three mages at a higher Rank than him, and they offered him an out that didn''t involve a fight to the death, he''d pick it every time. Enjoy new chapters from My Virtual Library Empire


    Of course, he wasn''t Palio. Maybe she was the noble warrior type, who''d fight to the death anyways. Though, to be fair, if she did start fighting here on the edge of the grasslands, the rest of her herd might hear and rush over. It wasn''t as disadvantageous a situation to Palio as Ike had made it out to be. He cut his eyes at Wisp. If she did decide to attack, they''d have to move quickly and precisely, or else risk getting mobbed by the herd.


    Wisp nodded back. The both of them changed their stances subtly. Ike lowered his hand toward his hip, preparing to grab his sword.


    Palio nodded. "Acceptable."


    Ike beamed. He lowered his hand. "Excellent. Come on, then. Let''s go to the badlands!"


    Wisp chuckled. She shook her head and followed after Ike. Mag flitted into the air again. Palio trotted after them, picking her way through the woods. For the first time since they''d begun to speak, she sheathed her spear on her back.


    "Now we have to trail her around everywhere," Wisp complained.


    "Better than fighting every centaur on the plains."


    "Mmm¡­ maybe."


    Ike sighed, but he didn''t disagree. He wouldn''t mind fighting the entire centaur herd, it was just that he didn''t really want to announce his presence here yet. Much better if he could sneak into the badlands and see how the puppet people lived without alerting them to his presence, so he could see the way they actually were, instead of whatever Brightbriar wanted him to see. True, he had no indication that Brightbriar was monitoring the badlands, but he had no indication he wasn''t monitoring it, either. One way or another, it was better to sneak quietly in to get a true view of the way things were, than to cause a big fuss by massacring the centaurs first. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The forest here never grew thick. Slender trees shivered around them, little more than a wrist''s width at their widest. He could see the far end of it from here. In fact, rather than call it a forest, it was more like a stand of trees to break up the grasses. Instead of endless grasslands, the grasslands from here on out where fractured, broken up by the slender trees. Not far from here, the outskirts of a city appeared. It wasn''t ringed with walls, like the cities Ike was used to. Instead, suburbs sprawled a long way from the dense city center, and a river flowed through its center.


    "Huh," Ike muttered.


    "You thinking what I''m thinking?"


    "No wonder he could conquer these people easily. They don''t even have walls."


    "I know, right? It''s like they''re asking to be conquered."


    Ike shook his head. "Let''s move closer, but hide ourselves from the city. Let''s get as close as we can without alerting anyone. I want to know what the puppets do, when no one''s watching."


    "If a bear shits in the woods and no one sees it, did it happen?" Wisp asked, deliberately making her voice sound wise.


    "Yes. You can still step in the shit afterward. Come on." Ike jogged through the woods, sticking to the trees as he took a diagonal tack toward the next stand of trees. One stand at a time, he closed in on the city.


    For her part, Wisp turned into a spider and hopped onto his shoulder. Mag transformed into a bird and flew high, so no one could tell his large size apart from a normal bird''s size. Palio hesitated, then gestured. Her body blurred, turning half-transparent. Ike glanced at her, only to find his eyes slipping naturally off. He raised his brows. "Is that an illusion skill?"


    "Yes. We use it to appear as humans, but it can also be used to hide our presence," Palio replied.


    "Can you put that over me, too?"


    Palio hesitated, then lifted her hand. The air shimmered around Ike and his two shoulder passengers, and they faded from existence.


    "Thanks!" Ike said, giving her a thumbs-up.


    "You''re welcome," she murmured, half to herself.


    Well-disguised, the group hurried toward the city.

 297. City of Dolls

    The city loomed over them. Already, the furthest, most far-flung houses from the city stood all around them. Ike peeked into one through a broken window as they passed by, but saw only dust and cobwebs. These houses hadn''t been lived in for a long time. The roads, too, were overgrown. Weeds grew thick in what had once been cobbled streets, their gnarled roots heaving the stones out of place. Rotten wagons sagged at the side of the road, little more than grayed scraps of wood and lumps of metal hardware.


    "Gloomy," Wisp commented, a little too close to his ear for comfort.


    "Yeah. This place has been dead for a while. It isn''t like Shopkeep''s place, where the puppets are pretending to live normal lives," Ike replied.


    "Why bother, I guess, if there''s only puppets around?" Wisp said, bouncing on his shoulder in a kind of shrug.


    "Makes sense to me."


    Palio drew up alongside them. She stared in the opposite direction, out toward the long grasses. Her tail swished, and she harrumphed. "So much good grassland going to waste. The children could graze here. We could eat the fresh grasses, rather than nibbling the roots."


    Ike nodded slowly. He tried to imagine Palio bent low to graze like a horse, but no matter how he imagined it, it looked painful. Centaurs really were strange beings that didn''t seem like they should exist. Neither human nor beast, but caught between the two in a strange way.


    He leaned toward Wisp. "Are mermaids real, too?"


    Her tiny sharp feet touched his ear. "I don''t know. I''ve never seen the sea."


    Ike twisted his lips. He glanced at Palio. "Do you know?"


    "Mermaids? They''re mythical, obviously," Palio stated.


    So says the mythical creature. Ike sighed. He couldn''t trust anyone. I guess I just have to go to the sea myself. "How far is it to the ocean?"


    "I dunno. Never seen it," Wisp repeated.


    Palio looked at him. "I haven''t left this grasslands in my life."


    On his other shoulder, Shawn heaved himself upright. "Alright, you whippersnappers, listen to grandpa Shawn. The ocean is a big old body of water, all dark and green. It''s like a huge lake, but with enormous waves big enough to swallow you up."


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    "You''ve seen it?" Ike asked.


    "Naturally. How long do you think I''ve been around? It''s a long way from here, though. You''d have to go past your capital city, all the way through the next region, and beyond the region after that. Then, though¡­ then you''d reach the sea." He pointed, his stubby finger indicating the far, far distance.


    Ike followed his point, trying to imagine this thing. A dark body of water, green as wine-glass, seething under a stormy sky with waves big enough to swallow him whole. He shook his head. All he could imagine was a lake, but bigger. Something as strange as what Shawn had described was beyond him.


    "When this is all done, let''s go to the sea," Ike decided.


    "It''s all water, though," Wisp complained.


    "What''s wrong with that? You used to live by a lake," Ike pointed out.


    "And I couldn''t put a web over the lake! Imagine even more water. There''ll be nothing to anchor a web to at all!"


    "I could use a trip to the sea. Let''s do it," Shawn agreed.


    "Mermaids¡­ are they fish and people?" Mag asked.


    Ike nodded, then hesitated and waggled his hand. "They''re supposed to be, anyways. But they''re mythical. Like Palio here."


    "I''m no myth," Palio insisted, stomping one foot and shaking her tail in mild irritation.


    "Delicious fish and delicious human, in one bite¡­" Mag''s eyes shone, and he hopped from foot to foot.


    "Now you''re starting to sound like Wisp," Ike admonished him, a little tired. One glutton was enough. He didn''t need two gluttons in his party.


    "Hey, what do you know? I kinda like this bird, now," Wisp said, nodding. "He''s got a point. Fish and people, in one neat bite. I bet mermaids are delicious. Never mind, I''m back in. Let''s go to the ocean!"


    "Stop turning mythical creatures into a one-stop surf ''n turf," Shawn complained.


    Ike turned his head to retort, only for motion to flash in the corner of his eye. He whipped back around. "Did you see that?"


    "See what?" Shawn asked.


    Wisp stood tall on his other shoulder. She went stiff and silent. An intense aura radiated off of her as she entered hunting mode.


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    Mag glanced around between Ike and Wisp, then hunkered down and went quiet. At the back of the group, Palio perked up. She drew her spear and looked around, clearly lost, but in herbivore-pack-protective mode anyways.


    White flashed between the crumbling buildings ahead. Mag edged forward, now tracking the motion along with Ike and Wisp. Another blur, to the left. Motion to the right. Palio flicked her tail, tightening her grip on her spear and edging toward the rest of the party.


    Wisp''s negligible weight vanished from Ike''s shoulder. Ike said nothing.


    More and more motion. The woods seethed with flashes of white, roiling with it. Ike quietly activated his Storm Clad skill and reached for his sword. The Hungry Sword instantly woke up. Its scales shivered, trembling with anticipation.


    A high-pitched whistle caught his ear. Ike nodded, understanding. He lifted his head. "Are you going to attack, or are we going to stand here all day?"


    White figures lunged out of the woods, bursting out from behind the ruined buildings.

 298. Net

    Porcelain-white figures lunged out of the forest. Ball-jointed dolls leaped and sprinted toward them, bursting out from all directions.


    They slammed into a thin, nearly-invisible netting and tangled up in Wisp''s web. Their momentum was instantly cut short as the spider thread caught their limbs and twisted in their joints. The dolls contorted to unnatural, horrifying angles, but still struggled, not at all injured even if their heads had been whipped around backwards.


    Ike looked over them. These dolls were all¡­ generic. There was nothing special about them. They had the same neutral, expressionless face, without even a joint for the jaw. Their bodies were proportioned like dolls'', without any variance. Even their hair was all the same, pitch-black, shoulder-length, and impossibly smooth and shiny.


    He frowned. Huh? Didn''t Brightbriar make the dolls impossible to tell from ordinary people? But these are all obviously inhuman, and identical. Did he refine his techniques after he conquered this region? Or¡­ is something else going on?


    There was no more time to think. The first of the dolls broke free of Wisp''s web and lunged at the group. Ike raced to meet them. They showed no fear at the Hungry Sword, and allowed the blade to smash into their neck. Only then did their mouth split open, the porcelain creaking as it formed into a rictus of a smile. Its porcelain took the blow of a blade without so much as scratching the surface.


    Ike smiled right back. "Fucking idiot. This isn''t just any old sword."


    The Hungry Sword keened. The teeth on the blade''s surface spun. It chewed into the doll''s neck, sending white powder flying. The doll had enough time to widen its eyes before the sword sawed through its neck, leaving nothing but a ragged stump. Black goo poured out of the stump, boiling over.


    He didn''t wait for the rest to break free. Instead, he charged directly toward the dolls bound in the net, slicing them up one after another. There was no such thing as a deadly blow on the dolls, not unless he found their core, so he took their heads and limbs, leaving them as limbless torsos that couldn''t do much but twitch. I''ll go back and find their core after they''re all immobilized. If they have cores.


    The little puppets had been full of goo, the metal ones he''d found in Clarina''s town. He hadn''t really looked for a core on them, but then again, Roderick had definitely had a core. The big metal monstrosity that he''d become had had his brain and vital organs shoved in there. He hadn''t found one on Rosamund, but he hadn''t looked for one. He hadn''t been able to hack her open enough to find one, to be fair. But why wouldn''t they have cores? It only made sense, if there was some kind of enchantment producing the goo. Sure, the goo was made of people, and it self-replicated, but something had to bind it to the puppets. Otherwise, the goo would just replicate on its own outside of the puppets, and, well, forget the puppets. The goo would be far more dangerous.


    In other words, he had no proof that there should be a core, but when he thought about it, he also had no proof that there shouldn''t be a core. Since he''d never really looked for one, he figured he ought to take this chance to find out.


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    The one he''d beheaded staggered around the battlefield, searching for its head. In a moment of brilliance, Mag swooped down, grabbed the head in his claws, and flew up, into the sky. The body kept staggering around, but it no longer had a head to find.


    They were definitely Brightbriar''s work. There was no doubt about that. Their construction was exactly like Rosamund''s, from the ball joints to the black goo inside. But they were so much more unrefined! Nothing but basic lumps, mass-produced bodies with the same face over and over. From the way Scar had described it, infiltrating populations with replica dolls had been Brightbriar''s MO for a long time now. This surely wasn''t the first region he''d infiltrated¡­ right?


    Come to think of it, Scar didn''t know which region Brightbriar came from initially, Ike realized. He pursed his lips for a moment, then shrugged. If that was this region, then great! He''d learn more about the man than he''d intended to. But a part of him suspected that Brightbriar came from somewhere far from here, somewhere even Scar didn''t know of¡­ though maybe Shawn would. He made a mental note to ask Shawn later, though given the mountain''s history of being tossed from one treasure vault to the next, doubted he would know much.


    The remaining puppets that Ike hadn''t cut up were quickly dismembered by Wisp, or lifted into the sky, just to be dropped by Mag and shatter. Ike whistled, calling Mag down from the sky. "Any more puppets headed our way?" sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mag shook his head. "Not immediately. There''s some roving bands of puppets wandering the area, about ten of them to a group¡ªthe same as this group."


    Ike turned, counting. One, two¡­ nine, ten, eleven. He nodded. "Got it. But none of them are close?"


    "Not too close. They don''t seem to be aware that we killed these puppets, either."


    That tracked. No puppets had ever reacted to other puppets'' destruction, unless they directly saw the puppets shatter. Ike turned to the dismembered bodies hanging in Wisp''s web. The headless body staggered past; he tripped it, then took its legs. It crawled on, desperate, but there was no longer anywhere for it to go.


    "What are you thinking?" Wisp asked. She walked beside him in human form. Gods only knew how long she''d been beside him, but Ike didn''t startle. He was used to it, and anyways, Wisp would only lord it over him.


    "I''m thinking there should be something that anchors the black goo¡ªformed by a body and soul mashed together¡ªto the porcelain body, since there''s nothing to naturally hold the two together, but the black goo never leaves the body or forms outside it. If we break that, the puppets should stop directly, and we won''t have to worry about things like dismembering them."


    Wisp nodded in approval. "We can just kill them in one strike. I like that."


    Ike lifted the Hungry Sword and cut open the first puppet''s chest. The body cracked open, and black goo oozed out¡­ but only for a moment. In the next, magic frizzled. Bright white-blue light flashed, and the black goo lost all its mana. It became inert, nothing more than a mess. Slopping out of the body, the goo puddled on the ground.


    "What the¡­" Wisp muttered. Read latest chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    Ike scowled. "It''s some kind of failsafe. Brightbriar doesn''t want us to find out too much about his puppets, so he has them self-destruct if we inflict too much damage."


    "That''s a weakness on its own," Wisp commented.


    "True, but it still requires massive damage to each puppet. I''m more imagining a single, precise strike. Though¡­ the fact that he has them self-destruct hints that there is such a strike possible. We just have to find it."


    Wisp snorted. "Ever the optimist. I''ll go set up some tripwires, so we have a secondary warning system if the patrolling puppets get too close."


    "I''ll try not to take too long," Ike promised. It wasn''t like they''d come here to exterminate the puppets, after all. They were here for Wisp''s mental skill, and to investigate Brightbriar. If they triggered all the puppets to come after them, their primary purposes got much more difficult.


    Wisp vanished, fading into the forest. Lifting the Hungry Sword, he approached the next puppet.

 299. Puppet Investigation

    One after another, Ike cut into the puppets. After the first failure, he was careful not to repeat his mistake and slash the puppet open at the chest, but instead, cut out windows into their bodies. If they had a core, it wasn''t in their limbs or head, since he''d dismembered them, and the puppets kept going; though, now that I think about it, Rosamund kept producing goo with just her head.


    He thought for a moment, then shook his head. Rosamund was the opposite of these puppets. She was an exquisite creation with her own thoughts, personality, and memories, who could progress as a mage, absorb skills, and completely replicate the original Rosamund. True, maybe that was normal for one of Brightbriar''s creations, and these mass-produced puppets were the exception. After all, Shopkeep''s town had been infiltrated by very humanoid puppets. But then, even if these puppets alone had a weakness, it was better to know that than not know. The mass-produced puppets were just as much a threat in battle, and something that was a weakness for them was likely, if not deadly, at least a bad hit for the more humanoid puppets. It would tell him about Brightbriar''s habits when it came to making puppets, if nothing else.


    The extreme damage self-destruct is nice, but come on! There has to be more. He cut a hole in the lower back of the puppet he was working on, pushing the plug he''d cut in so it fell out the puppet''s thigh hole. The porcelain fell to the ground with a clunk, and the puppet immediately became inert, the goo rushing out of it in one big splash.


    "Wah!" Ike lunged for the piece he''d cut. He snatched it up and flipped it over. It was already fading, but there were traces of part of an enchantment on the inside of the chunk. The magic circle glowed in mana-blue for another few moments before it vanished entirely.


    "Hold on, hold on." He jogged over to the next puppet. Flipping it around, he cut out a similar, but slightly larger chunk, aiming to get the full form of the round enchantment this time. The second he cut it, he pushed it in, then yanked it out through the puppet''s thigh hole. The circle blazed up at him this time, clear as day, while the puppet went completely inert.


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    Ike chuckled aloud. "Nice. That''s what I''m talking about."


    "Find something?" Wisp returned, pushing out of the forest in front of him. Leaves stuck in her hair. She crawled up the web and down the other side, dismounting hands-first on the other side.


    "Yeah. I found it. Well¡­ I can''t really read enchantments, so I have no idea what it''s doing, but¡­" Ike pointed at the back of the monsters, right where he''d made the cut. "Right there. Stab there, smash it, doesn''t matter¡ªthat''s their weak point."


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    Wisp looked. Her lips twisted. "Had to be on the back, huh?"


    "They''re not going to put it somewhere easy to hit," Ike returned sarcastically, rolling his eyes at her.


    "A girl can dream." Whipping one of the dismembered puppets around, Wisp balled up her fist and slammed a punch into the place Ike had indicated. The porcelain shattered, and the puppet stilled.


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    "Looks like it does work," she allowed, a bit of amazement in her voice.


    "Oh, come on, now. I''m not that unreliable," Ike complained with a sigh.


    Mag shot out of the sky, landing beside them like a bolt from the blue. "What works?"


    Ike pointed. "Hit them here. The enchantment that binds the goo to the body is here. If you hig that, they shatter immediately, and you don''t have to worry about them stumbling around annoyingly after you take their head off."


    Mag nodded. He hopped over to the puppet on the ground and transformed. A giant magpie, scales shining where it should have white feathers, pecked at the puppet''s back. Mag''s sharp beak pierced the puppet, and it stopped moving.


    "See? He had to check, too. It wasn''t just me," Wisp pointed out.


    Ike sighed. "No one trusts me. So sad."


    At the back of the group, Palio snorted. Her eyes flicked to one of the trapped puppets, but she quickly looked away.


    Ike caught the motion. He turned and smiled at her. "You can practice, if you like. I''m just making fun of these two. Or¡­ I guess I''m really letting them make fun of me, is what it is."


    "You don''t let me do nothing. I do what I want," Wisp immediately proclaimed


    "Yeah, yeah." Ike patted her head.


    Palio hesitated a moment, then stepped forward. She hefted her spear and thrust it toward one of the trapped puppets.


    The blade bounced off. The entire spear thrummed from the force of the blow. Palio staggered back, rebounded by the force of her own strike.


    Ike grimaced. "Ah¡­ that''s right. We struggled to break the puppets'' shells when we were Rank 2, didn''t we."


    "Speak for yourself," Wisp muttered.


    "Yeah¡­ look, don''t worry about it, Palio. You''re just here to tail us. You don''t have to fight," Ike comforted her.


    Palio''s nose wrinkled in distaste. She stepped away from him, crossing her arms in irritation. Occasionally, her eyes flicked toward the puppets, but she quickly looked away, refusing to stare at them for too long.


    Ike shook his head. Why am I the one who has to comfort the girl who''s tailing us? Come on.


    Putting Palio to the back of his mind, he turned to Wisp. "That mental skill¡­?"


    "Oh! Right. Yeah. That is why we came here."


    "Don''t forget. You''re the one who led us here in the first place," Ike pointed out.


    "I''m just a tiny spider, my head is only so big," Wisp replied in a baby voice. Before Ike could retort again, she took off into the woods, gesturing for him to follow her. "It''s actually this way. I wasn''t going to complain, since we were heading the same way anyways, and then I forgot, and I decided I just wanted to go smash up the city full of puppets."


    "I mean, I''m not against that, but let''s get that mental skill so I can go beat the King into submission, first," Ike agreed, following after Wisp.


    Mag took to the air once more. Palio cut one last look at the trapped puppets, then harrumphed and turned away, trotting after Ike and Wisp.

 300. A Hole in the Ground

    Wisp led them through the woods, to the next stand of trees, and to the one beyond that. She wound around the outer edge of the city, picking her way carefully. As she walked, she explained, "The last time I was here, the puppets were already here. I didn''t really know what they were, but you know, I was a small little spider, so I avoided them. Wound my way around the city. There''s still plenty of good eating out here."


    "Guess puppets don''t eat," Ike commented.


    Wisp turned back, pointing at him. "Exactly. Don''t hunt skills, either. There''s probably good skill hunting to be had out this way, while we''re at it."


    "Oh? Wait, but then, Brightbriar really only replaces humans, doesn''t he?" Ike commented.


    "Eh, that''s normal. Human wars be like that. You guys kill each other to death, and we beasts chill and wait to clean the battlefields afterwards. If you''re dumb enough to integrate into human society, you might get swept up, but that''s all," Wisp said.


    "Really? No¡­ that tracks," Ike said, nodding slowly. Why would Brightbriar bother to kill every single being in the countryside, after all? He probably saw them as lesser than him. Plus, he''d waste so much time hunting down every possible magical beast, when only a few of them might be intelligent enough to warn someone about what was coming, and, as Wisp had said many times, beasts often didn''t have the best opinion of humans, not least because humans kept hunting them for skills. Most of them wouldn''t be inclined to bother warning a human settlement about its oncoming doom.


    And if they did, would anyone listen? Ike wondered. He couldn''t picture any of the haughty lords he''d seen at the end of the trial pausing to seriously listen to a warning from a beast.


    "We''re going to see a beast, then?" Ike guessed, putting together the unsaid part of Wisp''s point. Not that he''d really expected Wisp to lead him to a human, but who knew? She''d lived a long life. Then again, with the dolls, it would take a very special human to decide to live in this wasteland.


    Wisp nodded. "They''re friendly! Mostly. Kind of. Sometimes."


    "Uh huh," Ike said slowly. "I mean, I''m going to hunt them, so¡­ do I care?"


    "Hunt them? Oh!" Wisp laughed. "No, no. They don''t have the skill themselves. They just know where it is. They mentioned it to me when I was over here, but I didn''t care. I mean, mental skills kind of suck, for the most part. Can''t hit someone with one unless you find the perfect combination, and even then, a strong-willed person will just laugh off the attack anyways. So it''s not worth investing in the offense, and the defense also isn''t worth much, since, you know, they aren''t the strongest attacks in the world. You''re better off creating illusions. That way, you can attack someone''s mind, but you also have the multipurpose bonuses associated with illusions. You can use them to hide, to distract, and so on."


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    "You''ve really thought about this," Ike commented.


    "I did pick not to go after the skill. I had to be sure I didn''t want it, to turn down an easy hunt like that, so I gave it some good thinking," Wisp replied.


    "Crazy how much thinking can fit in that tiny spider head," Ike replied.


    She turned around and shook her head at him. "Yeah, yeah. Of course you remember that, of all things."


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    "Sorry, sorry," Ike said, chuckling.


    Mag darted down from the sky. "There''s a doll patrol about a mile ahead, moving your way. Try heading a bit more that way," he pointed away from the city, "to dodge them."


    "Got it." Ike turned his feet, and the party swung out, away from the patrol. Satisfied, Mag flapped away yet again, returning to his usual patrols.


    A second later, he looked around the party. A centaur, a spider, a mountain, and a bird¡­ "Are the dolls attacking because of me?"


    Wisp clapped a hand over her mouth. Her eyes got wide with mock-shock. "He figured it out!"


    Ike sighed. He shook his head at her. "Aren''t you the one who''s always like, ''ooh, Ike, what if you''re a beast?'' But look! Now we''re being attacked because of me! I''m clearly human."


    She shook her head at him. "How simple. What an incomplete comprehension. You think these dolls are complex enough to do something like ascertain the true form of an ordinary beast, let alone a being as strange as yourself? Foolish! Instead, it''s because you''re a human who cannot transform that we''re being targeted. If we were a group of beasts travelling through the forest, they wouldn''t bother us at all! But we''re all in human form, so they see humans and attack."


    "Yeah, yeah. Anyways, what kind of beast are¡­ ''they?'' Are there multiple beasts?" Ike asked, curious.


    Wisp grinned mischievously. "You''ll see."


    Ike gave her a look. "Oh, come on."


    "Tee-hee."


    And that was all the more Wisp would say on the subject, no matter how Ike tried to push her. At last, he gave up and walked on, following her lead. Occasionally, Mag darted from the sky with small adjustments to help them avoid puppets, but for the most part, Wisp walked on, confident in her strides.


    The land fell off into a natural dip, and a moment later, Ike found himself at the edge of a sharp depression. It dropped off as a sheer cliff, plunging down hundreds of feet to a narrow shore alongside a narrow stream. He frowned. "Almost reminds me of the Abyss."


    "It should. It''s a pretty similar place. Only lunam down there. Not great for mages, but that doesn''t stop any of us, does it?" Wisp asked. She threw a thread down and started to descend it. "This one doesn''t have any ward on top of it, so we don''t need to worry about escaping."


    Ike followed her, climbing slowly down her thread. "Are all holes in the ground full of lunam?"


    "No? But a lot of them are. If it''s fully encased by the earth, magic stays as mana, since it''s basically not exposed to the world at all. Like the tunnels with the centipedes in them, from that trial realm. But there''s something about the tall walls of a crevasse leaving the deepest depths in perpetual darkness, and the gash being oriented so that if you look up, regardless of the time of day, you''ll see the night, and the valley soaking in the light of the moon alone¡­" She trailed off. "The guy who told me all that seemed kind of nuts, and he was talking really fast because I was eating him at the same time, so I''m not really sure I got it, but it''s something like that."


    Ike snorted. "Got it." He didn''t need the fine details to understand the basic concept: underground, mana. On the surface, though, a deep depression might contain lunam instead of mana. "What about solam? How''s that get naturally made, or collected, or whatever." S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Huh?"


    "The sun version of lunam."


    "Oh. I don''t know. Never found a hole full of that. Or, no, I guess it would be a mountain¡­?" Wisp shrugged. "Come on. We''re almost there."


    Ike nodded and followed her down.

 301. Meeting Them

    They reached the bottom of the crevasse in no time. All of them except Palio, that is, who couldn''t climb down a wall or descend on a rope. Her arms were strong enough to hold her weight alone, but from the expressions she made, it was highly painful to let her immensely heavy lower body dangle. From the bottom, Ike waved. Find more to read on My Virtual Library Empire


    "Just stay there. We''ll be back!"


    "Or will we," Wisp muttered to herself.


    Ike nudged her. "We should be kind to her."


    "Why? She''s following us so the herd can kill us on the way out," Wisp pointed out.


    "Yeah, but there''s no need to antagonize her between now and the inevitable death battle with her entire people," Ike said.


    Mag stared at both of them, then shook his head. "You two are crazy." S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So¡­ what are we going to go visit? You still haven''t told me what ''they'' are," Ike reminded Wisp.


    She shook her head at him, disappointed. "We''re almost there. Patience!"


    Ike sighed aloud. "Why not just tell me?"


    "Becaaaaause. Aw, come on, Ike! It''ll be funny. Trust me!"


    "I''m afraid I do trust that you''ll find it funny, whatever it is," Ike grumbled.


    Wisp giggled. She scurried ahead without another word, with no intention to explain a thing to him.


    Ike followed after her, crossing his arms, but didn''t say anything. If she wouldn''t tell him, she wouldn''t tell him no matter how much he pestered her. She''d just enjoy taunting him more for him pestering her.


    The crevasse widened, though it never grew as wide as the Abyss. He could always see both walls, and even if he''d been walking at a mortal rate, he could have easily walked from one wall to another within a few hours. Unlike the Abyss, too, there were places where ordinary mana swooped in, like patches of warm wind mixed in with the cold. An ordinary mage would be able to survive and escape down here, it might just be a little difficult to bounce from patch of mana to patch of mana. For Ike and his team of beasts, it didn''t matter at all, but it was an interesting difference to note between this crevasse and the Abyss.


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    The stream that rushed along in the center of the crevasse was inundated with mana as well. He knelt and cupped some water in his hands, then gave it an experimental sip. His core warmed as the mana flowed smoothly into him. "Huh."


    "It''s like the mountain spring, but not warm and less stinky," Wisp said.


    Ike sniffed. Now that she mentioned it, the crevasse did smell nice and fresh, like fresh water and sun-warmed greenery, not like the sulfur stench of the mountain resort''s hot springs. But the mana-infused water was the same. "Be way less fun to hang out in this stuff. It''s cold."


    "Some people like that. It''s a bonus that it''s cold. Helps them concentrate and refine their mana, or something." Wisp shrugged. "It''s mostly a fish thing, but some people also do it. I don''t really get it."


    "A fish thing?" Ike asked.


    "Yeah. You never caught a fish and interrogated it for a while out of boredom before eating it?" she replied.


    "No, actually, no. I haven''t," Ike said.


    "Huh. You should try it, sometime. They''ve got some weird ideas about life. Hard to understand, though. And you have to keep ducking them in the water so they can keep talking, or else they run out of water and can''t say anything."


    He squinted. That didn''t sound right. None of that sounded right. "Are you bullshitting me?"


    Wisp spread her hands. "Who''s to say?"


    Ike sighed.


    "Oh, we''re almost there!" Wisp said, perking up.


    Ike looked up as well.


    This whole time, they''d walked along in bright sunlight. A few small scraggly plants and long grasses had grown near the shore, a few medium-sized trees clinging in the middle between the water and the walls, where they could find enough sun to grow. Up ahead, though, the ground fell off abruptly and the crevasse became choked with trees. A dark, dense forest sprung up, denser than the forests on the surface, even. A waterfall roared. Mist sprayed from the waterfall and hung thick around the trees, cloaking them in a low layer of clouds.


    "In there?" he asked.


    "In there," she confirmed.


    They reached the forest in no time. Ike hopped down the waterfall and landed in the forest below. He glanced back as Wisp crawled down. "Deeper in?"


    "You''ll know it when you see it," she replied.


    "Oh, it''s an it now, not a they?" Ike asked.


    Wisp rolled her eyes, but refused to rise to his provocation and give him any more information about whatever they were going to see. Ike pursed his lips and kept walking, deeper into the woods.


    Deeper and deeper. Down here, the trees were so dense that he walked in perpetual twilight. The thick clouds hung around even down at ground level, forming a mist that wrapped distant trees in a soft gray. Ike walked on and on, keeping his head on a swivel and his aether extended, searching for any sort of mana signature in the woods.


    To his surprise, there was nothing. Nothing but the natural mana of the trees and the water. He sensed no living beings. No birds or deer, no animals at all. Ike frowned. What? Why is there nothing? There should be something¡­


    "STOP, INTRUDERS!"


    Ike froze. He extended his aether in all directions, but still sensed nothing. Slowly, he looked around, but even then, he saw nothing. His frown deepened.


    Beside him, Wisp struggled not to laugh, hiding her mouth with a hand.


    "TAKE ONE MORE STEP AND DIE."


    "I''m not moving, I''m not moving," Ike assured the voice. He turned his head one last time, then cleared his throat. "Er, but where are you?"

 302. Where Are You?

    "Where are you?"


    There was a pause.


    "WE ARE EVERYWHERE."


    Ike licked his lips. "That''s nice and all, but where do I look when I talk to you?"


    Another pause, this one broken only by the stifled sounds of Wisp giggling.


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    Ike looked down. He still saw nothing. Or rather, he saw what he expected to see. Rich earth, decaying leaves, the gnarled roots of trees climbing over one another. A few bugs wiggled around in the earth.


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    "I''m looking¡­?" he said, still lost.


    A blast of killing intent emanated from the ground at his feet. For a split second, Ike thought the soil itself was mad at him, before he realized that there was something standing on the soil. Something very small, almost as dark as the soil itself. A tiny black ant, its antennae wiggling in irritation.


    "Oh, the ant?" he asked.


    "YOU SEE BUT ONE OF OUR MULTIFARIOUS FORMS."


    "They''re all the ants," Wisp whispered.


    Instantly, Ike tensed. A crawling sensation spread over his whole body, and he barely resisted the urge to wipe every limb clean. Ants? Thousands of tiny ants that he could barely see, powerful enough individually to be able to speak and manipulate mana? No thank you.


    He focused on just the ant, pointing his aether directly at it. The ant was Rank 1, but then, how many ants were there in this forest? If ''they'' were all Rank 1, they''d still be a formidable force to reckon with.


    Ike glanced at Wisp and raised a brow. If ''they'' were the ants that lived in this forest, then he understood why she''d been so giggly about it. This was indeed a hell of a reveal. Not to mention, more bugs? He had enough with the spider at his side. He didn''t need a thousand creepy crawlies creeping and crawling all over him.


    "WHY HAVE YOU COME?" the ant demanded, in its outsized voice. The voice was female, but Ike suspected that assigning a gender to the ants-as-a-whole was a somewhat foolish task. Who knew how many there were of which genders? Better to take them in all at once as one they.


    Ike nodded at the ant. "I heard that you have knowledge of a mental skill. I''ve come in search of it, if you''d be so kind as to share that knowledge."


    The ant considered for a moment, then dashed off. They were left alone in the forest once more¡ªat least, as far as Ike could tell.


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    He glanced at Wisp. "How''d you meet them?"


    "I was still a little baby spider, wandering through the world, seeing what I could see. We bonded, as fellow bugs."


    "Uh huh," Ike said, suspicious. Sure thing, the glutinous spider had just ''bonded'' with a ''fellow bug.'' Sounded reasonable to him¡­ not.


    "What? Why are you looking at me that way? Spiders don''t eat ants. They''re all crispy and gross, with no juices to speak of, and some of them can do weird shit like spit acid. Plus, when they swarm, they can take down full-size animals. Rats and shit. I''m not going toe-to-toe with a whole nest for one mediocre crunchy snack."


    Ike considered for a moment. Come to think of it, he''d never seen ants in a spider''s web, but he had once seen ants carrying away the curled-up body of a dead spider. Between a nest of ants and a spider, did the spider really win? Maybe he''d been presumptuous to assume spiders were the apex predators of bugs. Ants weren''t impressive on their own, but even he grew uncomfortable about facing a thousand or so of them. Why wouldn''t a spider feel the same way? They would be larger, proportionally, to a spider, and just as vicious.


    "Huh. I guess¡­ it''s actually kind of believable," Ike allowed.


    "What do you mean, ''kind of believable?'' It is believable, because it happened!" Wisp protested.


    Mag fluttered up into a nearby tree. Taking bird form, he shook his claws off, probing them with his beak to be sure they were clear of ants. "Yuck, ants."


    "Ants are pretty scary," Ike agreed.


    "You just don''t like bugs," Wisp accused him.


    "Yeah? Bugs are nasty," Ike said.


    Wisp narrowed her eyes at him, then broke out into a big grin. "Hell yeah, brother. I''m nasty as fuck."


    Ike shook his head at her, not sure he liked the enthusiasm. Then again, she was a bug, so he didn''t really want her to be insulted, either. She might get ideas and bite him, or something.


    "THIS WAY."


    Ike looked around, extending his mana as he searched for the ant. At last, he found it, wiggling its antennae at him from a rock along the riverside. Feeling his attention on it, the ant turned around and crawled off. Ike followed it, with only a little trepidation in his heart. Wisp bopped along beside him, not a worry in her mind.


    The ant led them deeper and deeper into the forest. The twilight at the bottom of the trees grew darker and darker, and the soil became lusher and more moist, perpetually damp and laden with mushrooms. Roots knitted so tight across the forest floor that at times, Ike had no option but to scramble over slippery wood. Everything was wet. The trees, the soil, and before long, Ike and Wisp as well. Ike wiped his face and took what felt like a quarter-inch of water off his face. His clothes soaked through with sweat and dew, as his body struggled to shed heat and took on the forest''s water at the same time.


    Every now and again, Ike lost track of the ant, its mana signature vanishing among the roots, only for it to reappear ahead of him yet again. Despite its small size, it stayed well ahead of Ike and Wisp, no matter how fast Ike picked up his walking pace. Ike was tempted to try sprinting and see how the ant handled that, but held himself back. He didn''t want to accidentally step on an ant and start a war, or irritate their host by overtaking them. Fighting one powerful person was a different prospect than fighting a million tiny things that could bite him anywhere and crawl all over his body without him noticing. Something about that just fundamentally terrified him. Maybe he was crazy, but it just¡­ got under his skin. Or over his skin, as it were.


    As they walked, they slowly drew closer to a powerful presence. Ike couldn''t place its Rank, or its power. It fluctuated constantly. One second, it was so powerful that it chilled his bones; the next, it was so weak that he could barely sense it at all. He frowned. What happened, to make them this volatile?


    "WE ARRIVE," the ant announced, and vanished behind a curtain of leaves. Ike took a deep breath, reflexively brushed off his arms, then followed it in.

 303. Arriving At The Ants

    Ike pushed aside the curtain of ivy and stepped into a small, dark grotto. Trees formed walls on all sides, oozing dark sap that ants greedily harvested. Only slender gaps opened in the tightly-grown trees, barely wide enough for ants to squeeze through. A carpet of lush moss covered the soft earth and rounded river stones, and a few vines dangled down, sprouting with flowers. Sunbeams delicately illuminated the tableau, siphoning down through the canopy. It would have been an idyllic sight, if not for one small problem.


    They are small, but the problem is that there''s a lot more than one of them, Ike thought to himself.


    The entire grotto was alive with ants. There wasn''t a surface ants didn''t crawl over. From the bark of the trees, to the delicate flowers, to the mossy stones, ants crawled everywhere. In places, they massed so tightly that they turned the floor black, climbing over one another in hideous superstructures formed of nothing but ants. Ants formed ant-towers to reach the flowers and harvest their nectar. Ants crawled over the trees, vanishing in and out of the creases in the trees'' bark, stealing little gems of sap as they went. They emerged from holes in the trees, from under the rocks, from within the moss. At the back of the grotto, an enormous anthill piled up against the trees, and it, too, was absolutely alive with ants.


    Ike shuddered, barely resisting the urge to wipe down his entire body, run, then wipe himself down again. So many ants. Crawling, creeping, stepping and sticking, all over, their little feet everywhere and anywhere. Every inch of his skin felt itchy. He felt phantom feet all over his body, spectral ants that he knew weren''t actually walking all over him, but it felt like they were.


    Wisp elbowed him. "Don''t be rude."


    "I can''t help it," Ike whispered back.


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    The shifting mass of ants froze. All the ants turned and stared at Ike and Wisp.


    Ike stared back, deeply terrified. I''ve never been so intimidated in my life.


    As one, the ants began to sway in place. They shifted as they swayed, moving together into one massive structure in the center of the space. The structure formed a blob, faceless, shapeless. It had a vague ant outline, but Ike could almost see a human face in it. Or maybe not a human face, but simply an amalgam of shapes that somehow conveyed emotion anyways, despite the total lack of familiar features. He shook his head, rubbing his brows. It almost hurt to look at, like it was talking directly to his mind¡­


    My mind. Ike glanced at Wisp. "Is that a mental skill?"


    Wisp nodded.


    The voice spoke again, but this time, it spoke directly into Ike''s head. WE HAVE BEEN WAITING. WATCHING. SINCE YOU ENTERED OUR DOMAIN, ALWAYS EXPECTING YOU.


    "Oh, um¡­ then¡­ the mental skill¡­?" Ike tried. I might as well jump right to it. They know that''s why I''m here.


    FIRST, HELP US.


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    Ike spread his hands. "Sure. What do you need?"


    THE PUPPETS. THEY ACT STRANGE. WHY?


    Ike waited for more, then raised his brows. "You want us to figure out what the puppets are doing?"


    The mass of ants seethed. There was no response.


    "That''s a yes," Wisp whispered.


    Ike nodded. He cleared his throat. "What, specifically, have they been doing that''s strange?"


    The voice was silent for a long time. The ants shifted. At last, they replied, FOR A LONG TIME, THEY SLEEP. NOW, THEY WAKE.


    Ike hesitated. Should I ask? But then¡­ He gritted his teeth. He couldn''t become a coward just because the mass of ants was terrifying. "Why do you care? That is¡­ why does this matter to you? You''re ants."


    The ants moved faster. They crawled over one another, roiling like a pot on the boil. PUPPETS ARE DEATH. STAGNATION. PUPPETS DROP NO CRUMBS AND GROW NO HERBS. WE BENEFIT FROM HUMANS. WE BENEFIT FROM THE LIVING. WE BENEFIT FROM THE DEAD. WE DO NOT BENEFIT FROM STAGNATION.


    "And I bet you''re not afraid of the puppets, either," Wisp teased the ants.


    They rushed over one another, more agitated than before.


    "Why would they be afraid? Didn''t you say the puppets ignore beasts?" Ike pointed out.


    Wisp shook her head. "For now. How long do they continue to ignore us? At any moment, they could turn and eradicate us. Humans have always outnumbered beasts. You hunt us, but uncoordinatedly. We can retreat, hide, hunt in return. If the puppets, all together, hunt us down one by one¡­ Thousands of humans in perfect coordination, responding optimally to one another, sweeping through the land and killing everything they encounter. Is that not terrifying?" S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike raised his brows. That''s basically what humans fear about the puppets. Well, the second half of it. The part no one''s saying. After the infiltration, after everyone''s puppets, then¡­ then Brightbriar only has an unstoppable, untiring army that can work in perfect sync. That''s worth fearing. He nodded. "It is."


    The ants looked at him, waiting. Ike thought for a moment, then nodded at them. "Why don''t you find out yourself? Between you and me, you''ve got a better chance at staying hidden."


    WE CANNOT SURVIVE FOR LONG. THEY KILL US. WE CANNOT FIND FOOD. WE DIE, AND LEARN NOTHING.


    "Food?" Ike squinted at the ants.


    Wisp nudged him. "They, uh, don''t become mages like the rest of us. I''m not completely clear on how their magedom works, but from what I understand, their magedom is shared across the entire colony. In other words, it''s the colony that is a mage, not any individual ant. If they have what feels like an aura, it''s only because the colony has delegated power to that ant."


    "What? How? What skills do they use?" Ike asked, flabbergasted.


    There was a laugh in his mind, dismissive. WE NEED NO SKILLS. WE ARE OLDER THAN YOUR PITIABLE¡ª


    Ike frowned. "What?"


    The ants trembled back and forth, laughing, perhaps? YOUR MASTER WILL NOT LET US SAY.


    "My master?" Ike asked. Huh? Did Brightbriar do something to me, after all? How can they tell?


    "Don''t worry about that. They say that to everyone," Wisp whispered.


    "Oh," Ike muttered back. A creeping sensation came over him, and this one had nothing to do with the ants. It''s that, isn''t it? That thing I keep almost understanding.


    He turned back to the ants. "Thank you. I''ll see what I can discover about these puppets."


    Without answering him, the ant mass dissolved. The ants returned to their ordinary lives, wandering the grotto. Ike retreated respectfully, as quickly as he could. He walked out of the grotto, and another ten feet, another ten feet, another¡ª


    Ike sprinted toward the stream, racing at top speed. Lightning crackled around his ankles. He reached the water and threw himself in, rolling around in the water and soaking himself to make sure he washed any ants away.


    Standing on the edge, Wisp looked down at him and shook her head. "Really?"


    Ike surfaced and shook his head, hair flapping around him like a dog. He ran it back and met her eyes. "Really."


    She rolled her eyes. "Come on. Let''s go find out about them puppets, huh?"


    With one last shiver, Ike followed her toward the edge of the crevasse, and out and away from the creepy tiny ants.

 Chapter 304 - 304. Speaking to the Colony

    Wisp threw a spider thread up to the edge of the cliff, then climbed up, and Ike followed close behind. Mag perched at the edge of the cliff, waiting for them to climb up. They reached the top without trouble, and Ike stretched. "Well, that was weird."


    "They''re pretty weird. Probably one of the strangest mages you''ll ever encounter. They once told me they had existed since ''before the Heavens,'' whatever that means. No one individual ant is particularly old, but the colony is ancient. Honestly, they''re probably one of the oldest mages alive today," Wisp said.


    "How does that work? If all the ants who are mages¡­ or can be mages, die, won''t the colony¡­ I don''t know. Lose its magehood?" Ike asked.


    Wisp spread her hands. "What is magehood, but knowledge? If the colony retains the knowledge, then it retains its magehood, and they share freely within themselves. Even if all the ants die, as long as the knowledge has been passed along to the next ants, the colony remains. Or something. That''s what they told me, anyways."


    "Like if you make a nest, and then fix it up over the years, and slowly replace the old sticks with new sticks¡­ not all at once, but one at a time, year over year¡ªthe nest is still your nest, even if it''s not made of the original sticks," Mag offered.


    Ike raised his brows. He nodded, slowly. It kind of made sense to him. Almost.


    Having said his piece, Mag hopped a bit, then glanced up at Ike and Wisp. "What are we talking about?"


    "Ants," Wisp said.


    Mag shuddered. "Egg-eaters. The bane of a cracked egg. I hate ants."


    Hoofbeats rushed their way. Palio drew up alongside them, straightening up as she stood out of a run. She looked at them and huffed. "Done?"


    "We''ve negotiated an exchange," Ike replied, giving her a salute. "Now, to the city!"


    Palio stepped out in front of them. She drew her spear and blocked the way. "I will not allow it."


    Ike sighed. He shook his heat at Palio. "You can''t stop us. Do you really want to die?"


    "I am a warrior. Unafraid of death."


    "That''s nice, and all, but sometimes you''ve gotta admit it''s futile. It''s suicide to fight us. You know it, we know it, everyone knows it. Come on, Palio. We''ve had this talk before. Don''t kill yourself for no reason," Ike said, shaking his head.


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    Wisp crept away, seemingly bored. She wandered toward the forest, away from the crevasse.


    Palio backed away. She stomped her back foot. "I refuse to allow you to do what you wish, just because you have some power."


    "That''s noble and all. I respect that, I do. Immensely. But Palio, come on. Face reality. We''re three Rank 3s. Not low Rank 3, either. I can probably break through within the next few months, let alone these two. You don''t stand a chance."


    Some distance behind Palio, Wisp transformed, vanishing out of sight.


    "I must try. I am duty-bound," she replied firmly. She leveled her spear at him.


    Ike sighed. He shook his head. "Palio, come on. I don''t want to kill you. I have nothing against you. But if you point that spear at me, you have to know that I''m going to fight back."


    "Then fight!" Palio whirled her spear, preparing to charge.


    "Hi-yah!" Wisp shouted, reappearing behind Palio. She threw a flying jump-kick into the horse''s hind quarters, pushing Palio''s rear over the edge of the crevasse. Palio''s eyes widened. She scrambled at the ground, her hooves scrabbling desperately at the bare earth. Her own weight pulled her backward, and she vanished over the cliff.


    Ike raised his brows. He looked at Wisp. "Think she''ll survive the fall?"


    "Ought to. You did, didn''t you? The Abyss is way deeper than this."


    Ike considered, then shrugged. Made sense to him. "We''ll come get her on the way out."


    "Or we won''t."


    "Wisp."


    "What? She''s going to attack us. You know it, I know it, we all know it. Why let her out, only to suffer?" Wisp gave him a long-suffering look. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He returned one back to her. "We can''t just leave her in there."


    "Why not?"


    Ike opened his mouth, then sighed. He could already tell this argument wasn''t going to end. "Come on. We can figure this out later."


    "Kaaaay." Wisp walked off toward the city once more.


    He peered over the edge of the crevasse. Palio glared up at him from the depths, then threw. Her spear hurtled at him. Ike snatched his head back seconds before it rushed by, then grabbed the spear out of the air. Spinning it around, he tossed it casually back down to Palio. "Bye, have fun!"


    "Coward! Come down here and fight me like a man!" Palio snarled.


    Leaving her behind, Ike followed after Wisp. Back to the city. To figure out Brightbriar''s plans, and discover why the city was so busy, suddenly, for the colony and for themselves.


    He caught up to Wisp in a few seconds and nodded at her. "Why do you think the puppets are up and in arms?"


    "Cuz we''re here," she replied proudly. Read latest chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    Ike gave her a look.


    She shrugged. "Who knows? I mean, could be that. Could be they come alive when they sense a mage''s aura. It''s possible."


    "Yeah, it''s true¡­ but wouldn''t they be active whenever the colony got close?" Ike pointed out.


    "Maybe the puppets filter them out. After all, they''ve lived here a long time," Wisp replied.


    "I don''t know. It seems like¡­ you know, like there''d be something else to it. They aren''t that simple, usually," Ike commented. "Or, well, none of the puppets I''ve seen yet just sleep for a while, you know? They''re just¡­ active."


    "Guess we''ll find out," Wisp replied lightly.


    "Guess we will."


    They walked on, retracing their steps toward the city.

 Chapter 305 - 305. Puppet City

    Before long, the city rose before them again. This time, with Mag''s help, they avoided the puppet patrols all the way through the suburbs, but before long, they ran out of trees. Ike stood at the edge of the woods, staring ahead of him. This was the last stand. From here on up, the roads became well-paved, the houses fine and nicely-painted, and the gardens small, prim, and proper. In other words, this was the edge of the mortals'' quarters. From here on up, they entered the mages'' city. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The whole thing was eerily empty, to Ike''s eyes. White buildings, white roads, white sidewalks. Only the rare garden provided a snarl of untamed, long-overgrown green. The buildings stood right on top of one another, butted up one against the next. They were clean, with no dust or dirt. The white paint showed no sign of weathering. It was empty and still, yet as pristine as if someone were actively maintaining the houses. Unlike the houses in the suburbs, there weren''t centuries of dust, grime, and decay.


    Ike extended his aether, but he didn''t sense anything. Not a puppet, nor a mage. Not even a mortal, for that matter. The houses immediately around them were empty.


    Ike glanced at Wisp. "Want to scout ahead?"


    "Huh? Oh¡ªsure," she replied. Her body shrunk, and she turned into a little spider. Hopping away from him, she scurried into the town.


    "Heheh, not the scout for once," Mag muttered beside Ike.


    "You''re a bit too big this time," Ike told him. He''d considered it, but for all that Mag had the flight advantage, he was obviously a magical beast. Even if Mag turned into a normal-sized magpie, he''d still have scales in place of his white feathers. There was nothing anyone could do about that. Unlike Wisp, a spider, the scaled magpie didn''t blend in at all.


    It''s a matter of what works in what situation, Ike thought to himself. Wisp worked in urban situations, with lots of nooks for a spider to hide. As long as she suppressed her mana, no one would look twice at a spider crawling along. Mag worked better in a broad open space, where he could hide his size and strangeness high in the sky, and there weren''t lots of eyes playing spot-the-difference up close, not to mention that his advantage of wings and being able to cross vast distances quickly was multiplied when they needed to scout a wide area.


    He and Mag waited, hunkering at the edge of town. Ike watched everything he could see closely, but there was no sign of life nor movement. The whitewashed town stood perfectly still. A preserved vision of what the town had once been, in its prime, most perfect state, but not a living settlement. The wind blew. Trees drifted and bushes rattled, still trimmed, but not a single maintainer stood in sight.


    The hair on the back of Ike''s neck prickled. He''d pulled his mana in, so no one could sense him, but that meant that he couldn''t sense anyone else, either. There was almost certainly no one around. Just because he''d rescinded his mana senses, didn''t mean his eyes and ears didn''t work, and work far better than they ever had as a mortal, at that. And yet, he felt blind without his mana all around him, passively scanning the world for those who might wish to do harm.


    Ike chuckled under his breath. He still thought of himself as the same slumrat who''d crawled out from under Brightbriar''s city, but look at him now, twitching because he couldn''t extend his mana. He''d become a mage already, whether he realized it or not. There was already an immeasurable gulf between the him who crouched here, and the him who''d cowered under his uncle.


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    He let out a slow breath, letting his thoughts drift. And yet, for all that there was immeasurable distance between this him and the old him, there was equally a gulf between him and Scar or, god forbid, Rufus. He was far younger than them, even if they didn''t believe him, and he''d come from mortal stock, not from among mages, in their fine halls and upper cities.


    Come to think of it, I still haven''t been to a proper mage city, Ike thought. Shopkeep''s was overrun by puppets. Clarina''s, too, had been conquered by a usurper, and then overridden. The resort was nice, but it was a trap run by fox beasts to procure tasty mage meat, not a real city. He nodded to himself. After this, he''d go to the king''s city¡­ if for no other reason than to finally experience a mage city. It''d be a nice change of pace from his usual speed, if nothing else.


    And then his gaze hardened. And it''ll be where we face down with Brightbriar. Where we try to convince the king of this region that he''s a threat, if he hasn''t been overcome already.


    "Ayooo," a familiar voice called, breaking Ike out of his thoughts. He sat up, looking around for Wisp, only to feel her prickly feet press against his cheek. "This city is weird, but in a way that''s good for us."


    "Oh, yeah?" Ike asked.


    "Yeah. Everyone wears the same clothes and the same masks," Wisp informed him. She hopped off his shoulder and returned to her human form. From a storage ring, she withdrew three copies of the same white robes and the same featureless white mask, marked only by narrow slits for the eyes.


    Ike looked at the robes. "Is white becoming our color?"


    "We do keep acquiring white robes," Wisp commented, lifting the fabric she held for a better look. "Maybe if we actually bought them instead of stealing them or getting handed them, we''d get different colors."


    Ike looked at the robes, then at Wisp. He shook his head. "Nah, couldn''t be me."


    Wisp cracked a grin. "You''re right. I love the combo of us two in white-and-gold regalia being absolute gremlins. Though¡­" She nodded at his clothes.


    Ike looked down. "What?"


    He didn''t really need to ask. His robes were in tatters. They barely held together, the threads struggling to cling to one another, and that was where they hadn''t been outright burned or cut through. In his downtime, Ike had sewn most of the holes shut, used to fixing clothes from his slum days, but the end result was a off-brown, ragged piece of cloth, not the fine regalia he''d started off with. Most of the gold threading was singed off, blackened, or outright missing, and the fabric could only dream of the color white.


    "You know what. Here. And try to keep them un-burned, un-bloodied, and un-cut this time," Wisp ordered him.


    Ike took the robes, only to give Wisp a look. Her robes weren''t in much better shape. True, parts of hers were white, but that was because she''d patched the missing sections with fresh spider thread. The rest of it was just as burned, bloodied, and tattered as Ike''s was. "Yeah, cuz you''re so fresh and clean."


    "Watch out, or I''ll take my clothes off again. I''m used to being nude. You humans are the ones who insist on clothes," Wisp returned. Handing the final set of robes to Mag, she dashed off into the forest to change.


    Ike stared after her. Usually, a threat of a girl taking off her clothes would be attractive, or at least empty words, but when Wisp said it¡­ "I feel like I was actually threatened."


    "You were," Mag confirmed. He spread his wings and flitted up into the trees to get changed.


    Shaking his head, Ike found a thicket nearby and quickly swapped into the new robes. He examined the mask before putting it on, checking it visually for any kind of enchantment, then injecting it with his mana just to be sure. When he sensed nothing but unenchanted wood, he slipped it over his face and tied the white ribbon at the back of his head.


    He returned to the small clearing they''d started in to find Wisp and Mag already there. The two of them were about the same height, but Mag''s hair was smooth and shiny as a bird''s wing, while Wisp''s was a tangled spider''s web. He nodded.


    "Shall we go?"


    Wisp nodded. "Follow me."

 Chapter 306 - 306. Among the Puppets

    Clad in white robes and the matching featureless masks, they strode into the white city. Wisp didn''t hesitate, but immediately led them into one of the white buildings. To Ike''s surprise, the door swung open, not locked or barred in any way. A small, pristine room awaited them, completely cleaned out. It lacked any form of furnishing or anything to make it a home, save the curtains Ike had seen from outside that allowed the empty box to masquerade as occupied. Wisp walked to the room''s center and bent. Slotting her fingers into an almost invisible dip in the wood, she pulled open a trap door and descended into darkness.


    "Creepy," Ike muttered to himself.


    Wisp turned back. "Shh."


    He raised his brows, but nodded. If Wisp was telling him to be quiet, she did it for good reason. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A staircase descended into the darkness. Unlike the pristine buildings above, this staircase actually sported dust. Not a great deal of dust, but some. Enough to stand out, after wandering around the empty town for so long. The center of the stairs was brushed clean by the passage of feet, and the floorboards were worn in the center, polished from time and wear. Unlike the rest of the city, this part of it looked lived in. Used. Functional. It had dirt and signs of life. Ike frowned. Was the outer city just an empty shell? A protective fa?ade, to appear vacated, while the puppets churned beneath?


    But why? Brightbriar had won. This region was his. Why would he need to make the town look empty?


    He supposed Brightbriar wasn''t the most powerful mage imaginable. It was very possible there was some Rank 6 or higher threat that legitimately scared Brightbriar, or maybe a dragon lurked in the vicinity and liked firebombing anything that moved. He didn''t know.


    But hey, I''m about to find out.


    The stairs descended deep into the earth. The thin beams of light that sifted through the edges of the trapdoor lit the stairs just enough for Ike''s aether-enhanced eyes to guide him down the staircase. The stairs slowly wound around on themselves, down into a tunnel of stone. Mag stiffened and froze as the tunnel slowly closed in on him. Ike put a gentle hand on his shoulder, and Mag took a deep breath and pushed on.


    Up ahead, the tunnel downward flattened out and expanded into a wide room with a low ceiling. The room extended as far as Ike could see, fading into the shadows at the limit of his vision. The stairs dead-ended here. They could go no further. He glanced at Wisp, who nodded back and took the lead again. Mag and Ike continued to follow her.


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    White shapes loomed out of the darkness. Puppets hurried around the space, rushing from one task to the next. Looms worked, crafting fabric out of white thread. Others crafted pillows or mattresses, or sewed clothes.


    Ike stared. What the¡­


    Wisp nudged him and kept going, as if this was nothing. Ike jolted and followed her lead. He was one of them, one of the faceless white puppets. He saw this every day. There was no reason to be startled.


    Past the textile puppets, they came across farming puppets. Puppets worked under artificial, mana-powered lights, using more mana to force crops to swiftly grow to their full potential. A puppet raised a hoe high, tilling dark, mana-rich earth. Behind it, another puppet sowed the seeds. Yet another puppet heaped earth over the seed and watered it, then knelt, pouring mana in to force the growing process to begin. A stack of puppets stood by in a strange procession, stepping in to grow the plant whenever the first two were done sowing a seed.


    A cow mooed. Ike startled, only to find a cow standing placidly to the other side, chewing on a mouthful of cud. A puppet put a hand to its side, feeding it mana. A calf slid out, and another puppet caught it and placed it beside its mother, using mana once more to grow it to full size. Another puppet drew milk from the cow''s udders.


    What the fuck, Ike thought for a second time.


    At the far end of the strange, quietly horrific process, another puppet led the prime-age bulls into a dark shed. The sound of a blade echoed from the darkness, and the stench of blood oozed out.


    Something tugged at his robes, urging him to keep moving. Ike glanced down. A spider thread attached to the front of his clothes, pulling him forward. He shook his head. Can''t loose focus now. Whatever these puppets were doing here, however bizarre and disgusting it was, it would only be worse if Brightbriar had his way and the puppets spread everywhere. He shook his head, a little out of it. But still¡­ what the fuck.


    Beyond the slaughterhouse, the puppets continued. A thousand household tasks, done at an incredible scale all at once, all by these puppets. They were all the same puppets, at that, the same black-haired, obviously-jointed models they''d fought outside the town. Despite the fact that Ike, Wisp, and to a lesser extent Mag, obviously had different hair, none of the puppets acted any differently toward them. The three of them might as well have been puppets themselves, for all the puppets reacted to them.


    Ike glanced at one of the puppets as he passed. Its glazed eyes stared dead ahead, completely focused on its task. Were the puppets in here not looking for intruders? Maybe they simply assumed no one would get past the external puppets to come down here, or they thought no one would find the entrance. Or maybe they simply didn''t react to anyone wearing the white clothes, and their minds were too simple to overcome even a simple disguise like theirs.


    After all, the low-rank puppets do seem to have less-than-human intelligence. They''re simple, task-oriented things, that can''t really think for themselves. That being said¡­ He glanced over his shoulder. They can do pretty complex tasks, it''s just that they can only do that one task. They aren''t self-aware, just repetitive, mindless, automated things.


    "Hey! What are you three doing?"


    Ike jumped. He whirled, one hand dropping to his sword. Or¡ªmaybe not!

 Chapter 307 - 307. Who Are You?

    Ike whirled. Ahead of him, Wisp tensed as well, and behind him, Mag cringed.


    A man, not masked, nor wearing white, stood before them. He looked like an ordinary mage in all ways. No¡­ he is an ordinary mage? Ike frowned. He couldn''t be sure of anything. After all, Brightbriar''s puppets could perfectly replicate people. Unless he cracked the guy open, there was no way to tell if he was a puppet or not.


    It''s probably best to assume he''s a puppet. So decided, Ike clasped the handle of his blade.


    "Are you some of Cami''s kids?" the man continued. His mana didn''t spike, nor did he reach for a weapon. He gestured. "Come on, off with the masks. I get it, it''s fun to pretend to be one of the automatons, but playtime''s over. They''re busy. We''ve got important visitors coming soon, and we''ve gotta be ready for them."


    Ike hesitated. He glanced at Wisp. From the man''s aura, he wasn''t more than a Rank 3. The three of them outnumbered him. If they took their masks off and the man''s reaction was bad, they still had time to deal with the fallout.


    Wisp glanced back at him. She tipped her head his way, indicating for him to take the lead.


    Ike turned back to the man. He kept his hand on his sword, but with his other hand, removed the mask as the man had requested. "Sorry, sir. We were just playing."


    Beside him, Wisp lowered her mask, and Mag hesitated for a moment, then complied as well.


    The man''s eyes roamed over them without recognizing their faces, but he didn''t say anything. Instead, he just harrumphed. "Aren''t you a bit too old for this? Now come on, get back downstairs with everyone else. We''re short on hands; now isn''t the time for joking around."


    "Of course, of course." Ike nodded, bowing politely, just like he''d seen low-ranked mages do to higher-ranked mages back in his home city.


    That seemed to please the man, because he nodded and walked off. At the entrance, he turned back. "And leave those robes up here, too. Don''t be ridiculous, but behave. You know this is a rare opportunity, so don''t waste it goofing around."


    A rare opportunity? Ike raised his brows, but said nothing. He glanced at his robes, then at Wisp, and cocked a brow. He had his old robes, but they were tattered and filthy. The man''s robes had been pristine, and from what he remembered of his original city, most of the other mages'' had, as well. He''d stand out in filthy clothes.


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    Wisp winked back at him. From her storage ring, she flourished a set of colorful robes. "Snagged them back there in the cloth section. Remember what you said about white? Now we can wear all sorts of colors!"


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    Ike grinned and patted her on the head. "Good going." He considered for a moment, then took a set of goldenrod robes for himself. The yellow went well with his mid-brown hair. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mag chirped and snatched a pair of red robes from Wisp''s hand, not that anyone had ever doubted his color preference. Wisp glared at him. "You aren''t even going to wear them!"


    "Mine," Mag replied, hunkering down, and Ike could just about see his feathers puffing up, even though he was in human form.


    "Yeah, yeah. Your shiny things," Ike replied placatingly.


    "I was gonna wear red," Wisp complained, pulling on the remaining purple robes.


    Ike looked at her. "You like red?"


    "Colors are whatever, but red hides blood best," she replied with a savage grin. "I once went house-to-house eating idiots who were foolish enough to answer the door. It stopped working after the third one until I looped back and threw on his red robes, and then I got another five houses before they caught on and stopped opening their doors."


    "No wonder the Abyss was out to kill you," Ike commented.


    "To be fair, they''d just burned down my forest trying to kill me and all my spider underlings. They got most of the underlings¡­I was still recovering from it when you showed up. It was a little preventative vengeance, so they''d know what would happen if they tried to burn down my comfy forest again."


    Ike tipped his head back and forth. Humans considered beasts lesser than humans, so who was he to tell a beast not to consider humans less than beasts? If she''d been a human, they would have fought her toe-to-toe, not tried to burn her house down while she was in it. Well¡­ in most cases, anyways. The point was, if someone had burned down his house, he would certainly not be happy unless they suffered in return, so what was a little door-to-door murder? If the result was the extreme fear he''d seen of Wisp in the village, then it had certainly worked out for her.


    Ike turned away and quickly changed. He kept on the underrobes from the white gear, so he didn''t need to worry about finding a nook. The white overrobes he tucked into his storage ring, along with the mask. He didn''t have a need for them, but it wasn''t a bad idea to have a mask on hand, or a pair of generic white robes.


    The man had long-since vanished down a narrow staircase ahead of them. Ike glanced at Wisp. "What''s up ahead?"


    Wisp shrugged. "I didn''t make it past the weaving puppets the first time. I saw weird shit and thought, hmm, I should traumatize Ike with this."


    "Oh, thanks," Ike deadpanned, rolling his eyes.


    She grinned, then went serious. "I don''t know. I stole some spare robes and scampered. Didn''t know how sensitive these things were to mana, so I didn''t want to hang around needlessly and alert them."


    Ike nodded. He took a deep breath and tightened his belt. "Let''s go find out."

 Chapter 308 - 308. Deeper Still

    This staircase wasn''t a tunnel through the earth, but instead a winding spiral staircase in wrought iron. For the first few twists, it pierced through the earth, but then it opened up into a massive cavern. Ten of the first room could fit in this space. In fact, if Ike took the entire first room and stood it on its head, it would easily fit in the space between the floor of the cavern and its roof. Mages bustled around this space, hundreds, if not thousands of them. A puff of smoke flew up with a bang. In another area, a female mage sat atop a broom, coaching a cadre of young mages on their first broom flight. Two mages sparred in midair, trading spells and sword blows in a friendly exchange. Somewhere in the near distance, the familiar scent of a tannery polluted the air.


    Ike frowned. Are they really puppets? They looked so real. Acted so¡­ human. Why teach children flight, if the children couldn''t learn? S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A second later, he shook his head. He couldn''t forget how exquisite Brightbriar''s puppets were. They could all be puppets. It was even possible they were puppets, and weren''t aware of it. There was no visual difference, nor difference in their mana fluctuation. Their memories would be intact, and as far as he knew, based on the existence of Brightbriar''s daughter, Rosamund, they could even grow and mature like real people.


    In other words, it''s entirely possible that all these people are puppets, and none of them know it. The thought chilled him to the core. He ran a hand over the back of his neck. If not for the fact that he''d bled, broken bones, and been charred to the core recently, he might have started to doubt himself.


    Though, in that case, it raises the question: why didn''t Brightbriar replace everyone in my hometown? There was no reason not to, if he could replace them all with exquisite puppets. Was it just that he hadn''t yet, but intended to? Or was he deliberately holding back for some reason?


    The stairs wound down. Ike continued to mull over the questions, to no avail, as he descended. As they reached the level of the top of the highest buildings, he sighed and put the thoughts to the back of his head. It wasn''t good to dwell on it too long. He didn''t know. Until he found out more evidence, he''d just run around in circles in his mind, while accomplishing nothing.


    Cold swept past him, oddly familiar. Ike frowned and looked up.


    A dark-robed figure with white, soft, shapeless limbs flew by, flying as if drifting on a breeze, yet speeding faster than Ike could run without Lightning Dash. It reached out a pale hand for Ike''s face.


    Ike swung backward, barely dodging the strange, formless hand. Three fingers split from its arm without a wrist, grasping without knuckles. Dank hair dripped out from under a deep hood, and a broad, snakelike maw split an otherwise featureless face. He stared, more taken aback than anything. The strange being drifted on, and Ike watched it go.


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    Wall wraiths?


    "Watch out!" A mage rushed by a moment later. He nodded to Ike. "Sorry about that. Got away from me. Good dodge!"


    Without another word of explanation, he chased after the wraith.


    Ike kept walking, putting up a show of not being bothered, but internally, he reeled. Wall wraiths. The mysterious creatures he''d encountered just outside the walls of his home city when he''d been carrying the Salamander''s tail home, the ones that stole mana at a touch and couldn''t'' be harmed by physical attacks. He hadn''t encountered them since, and hadn''t given them another moment''s thought. And yet, here they were. What were they doing here?


    Two cities controlled by Brightbriar. The only two cities where I''ve encountered wall wraiths. He thought back. He hadn''t encountered them in Clarina''s city, but when he''d been there, it had been a case of a local uprising that Lord Brightbriar had chosen to provide puppets to, not a city fully controlled by Brightbriar. Likewise, Shopkeep''s city was full of puppets, but fully controlled by Shopkeep, to the point he could fully control every puppet within its bounds, thanks to his Mage Tower skill. His brows furrowed. What are they? And what''s their connection to Lord Brightbriar?


    The city rapidly approached. Wisp hopped off the side of the staircase and landed directly on the ground. Ike sighed, then followed her lead. He could''ve jumped down a long time ago, but it was polite to use the stairs. Then again, spiral staircases sucked, so why bother? If they weren''t trying to blend in, he would''ve been the first to jump.


    Then again, that one guy thinks we''re a bunch of punk kids in it for the pranks, so why not act the part?


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    Mag hopped up to the railing and perched there. He looked down, tipping his head to the side.


    Ike''s heart jumped into his throat. Oh, shit! He''d forgotten: Mag was a bird. It was normal for a human and a spider to jump down, but if Mag did, wouldn''t he instinctively use his wings, without even thinking? Ike made eye contact with Mag and shook his head hard. Don''t do it. Don''t use your wings! You''ll give us away! They could pass as punk kids as long as they could pass as humans. If Mag pulled out his wings, all eyes would instantly be on them. They''d be sunk.


    Mag frowned. He tilted his head back the other way. "Why not?"


    "You can jump down, just¡­ don''t¡­" Ike flapped his arms.


    "Why not?" Mag asked, even more confused than he''d started out.


    "Because we''re normal people," Ike emphasized.


    "Yeah, we aren''t bird brains," Wisp chipped in, getting what Ike was putting down.


    Mag pursed his lips. He hesitated another moment, then hopped. His arms instinctively spread to catch the wind, but the only thing that caught were his oversized coat sleeves. He landed beside the other two. "I''m not stupid. I''ve been in cities before."


    "Have you?" Ike asked, startled.


    "Once."


    Ike nodded. Yep. I was right to be afraid. But he did great! He gestured Mag on and took the lead. "Come on. Let''s go check things out."


    "You mean, wander around our hometown," Wisp replied with a grin.


    "Yeah, yeah," Ike muttered. We don''t need to be obvious about it, you know. Shaking his head, he left the spiral stairs behind and headed toward the bustling thoroughfares.

 Chapter 309 - 309. Puppets in Harmony

    Out of the alley the spiral staircase spilled out into, and onto the main road. Mages wandered all around them. Children ran and laughed, chased by their parents. Adults hurried about on their chores, or chatted with friends. A man and a woman walked arm-in-arm, giggling and transparently flirting. Shopkeepers peddled their wares. After the strange city above, with the nondescript puppets working on endlessly repetitive tasks, this was an extreme change of pace. For all intents and purposes, they stood in an ordinary mage city.


    But¡­ why is it underground? And what the hell are those puppets up to? Ike looked around, searching for the man who''d caught them, but he was long gone, and with him, their chance to try probing him for answers. He twisted his lips, then shook his head. Ultimately, it didn''t matter. They could figure things out on their own. Besides, asking someone would only be more suspicious.


    A mage kicked off the ground and floated upward. Ike watched them go. They grabbed onto a flagpole high overhead. A tattered flag, worn to rags and worm-eaten, clung to the pole. As he watched, they stripped off the flag and replaced it with a new one, bright and fresh.


    Across the road, another mage kicked a door. Old rotten boards fell away, and they slotted a fresh door in its place. Another mage pulled dusty, moth-eaten clothes from decayed mannequins at the front of their shop, and quickly replaced them with intact mannequins and fresh clothes. Ike frowned. It was almost as if they had just encountered an ancient, decayed city, and were just now, in this moment, fixing it up.


    His eyes widened. No¡ªthat''s it! It wasn''t an ancient city. This was the mages'' city. The one they''d lived in all this time. It was just that these mages were all puppets. Puppets who had just awakened, according to the ants. Who knows how long the puppets had sat in cold storage, gathering dust, while their town slowly decayed?


    But that still leaves questions. Like why are they waking up and becoming active now? And why are they down here, instead of populating the town on the surface? He bit his lip, wishing he had someone he could ask. The problem was, even if he stopped a passing townsperson, he wouldn''t get answers, he''d only draw unnecessary attention to himself. After all, the townsfolk knew why they were awake, and they knew why they were down here. Maybe if I could sit in on a history lesson for children, Ike thought to himself, then scoffed to himself. Putting aside how absurd the thought was, would they really teach their children the truth about their current puppet state?


    Or am I the most foolish one? Wouldn''t the children already know? They''d be like Shawn. Children only in appearance, but just as ancient as every other puppet here. Why would they need to be taught history?


    Then again. He looked up, where the children struggled with their first broom ride. Why would they need to get taught how to ride a broom? If they spent most of their time in cold storage¡­ but even so, why would Brightbriar bother to create puppets that needed to learn? He could simply make them all like the puppets on the surface, who already knew everything they needed to know.


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    He understood the puppets acting exactly like the person they were replacing in the invasion stage, and even in a situation like Shopkeep''s, where one man''s obsession forced the puppets to continue to act in his memories of them eternally. But Brightbriar surely didn''t have a particular obsession with this random city he''d never heard of. If the man did, he was certain that the Anti-Brightbriar League¡ªWhat did they call themselves? The Anti-Llewyn League? Something like that¡ªwould have heard of it, and researched everything they could about it.


    Or was that why the town was underground? He considered it, but only for a split second. No chance. Brightbriar wasn''t overly concerned with the tiny group that opposed him, from what he could tell. Not to the point of defending against them, anyways, and certainly not to the extent of descending an entire city into the earth so that they could survive. If he cared that much, his home city, where he and his precious daughter lived, would have had more barriers than the singular wall with its many barely-patrolled gates. The state of Ike''s home city was not that of a city ruled by a man who feared others.


    Even then¡­ why the accelerated production with the simple puppets upstairs? Ike wondered. Unless he was trying to pretend like the city was running the whole time, and not in cold storage¡­ but that only made sense in the early invasion stages, surely. By now, when everyone knew that Brightbriar had completely overridden the region and replaced all the people within with puppets, there was surely no need to keep up such an artifice. Ike wracked his brain, but he really couldn''t come up with anything. Whatever was happening, their best shot to figuring it out, was to lay low and watch it all play out.


    He nodded to Wisp and Mag. "I think we''re gonna hang out here for a little while, see if anything happens. What do you think?" S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Makes as much sense as anything. Hey, what do you think? That alley is just about the right width for a web," Wisp murmured, leaning to the side to get a better look.


    Ike thumped her on the shoulder. "We''re laying low, not eating people."


    "Who says we can''t do both?"


    "Me!" Ike replied, exasperated.


    "The words of a man who isn''t an ambush predator," Wisp muttered.


    Ike squinted at her. "Are you an ambush predator?"


    She grinned, baring her fangs at him. "When I want to be."


    Mag nodded. "It''s like they''re making a new nest after winter."


    "I was thinking the same exact thing," Ike said.


    "So that can only mean one thing," Mag continued, as if he hadn''t heard Ike.


    "Oh?" Ike asked, startled. Had Mag blown the whole mystery open, while he was still lost in his thoughts? Was the boy using his bird brain, for once?


    Mag hopped in excitement. "A mate! They''re expecting a mate!"


    Ike''s jaw dropped. He stared at Mag. For a second, the image of Lord Brightbriar building a nest, then sitting in it, chicken-style, all proud, his chest puffed, waiting for a mate to come along, flashed through his head. A second later, he shook his head. "Mag, I don''t think¡­"


    "Oh, that''s true, that''s true. Humans do flirt like that," Wisp agreed, nodding.


    He gave Wisp a look. "Sure, because you''re the human expert."


    "I know a lot about humans. More than you do."


    "Like which parts are tastiest?" Ike guessed, before she could finish.


    "Like¡ª" Wisp narrowed her eyes at him. "Hey! Don''t steal my fun."


    Ike laughed. "And you, stop lying to the little bird. You''ll confuse him."


    "I''m not confused!" Mag insisted, crossing his arms.


    "Yeah, yeah. Come on. I''m sure there''s something fun to do, somewhere in this city," Ike said, gesturing for both of them to follow. Just because they were staking it out, didn''t mean they couldn''t enjoy themselves while they were waiting.

 Chapter 310 - 310. A Mystery

    "You three. Are you still wandering around aimlessly?"


    Before Ike could find anything fun to do, the man who''d caught them in the automaton''s room called out from behind them. Ike turned.


    Crossing his arms, the man shook his head at the three of them. "Look at you louts, flouting about while there''s so much work to do. Come on, pitch in. If you have nothing left to fix, then follow me."


    Ike shrugged. He glanced at the other two.


    Wisp put her hands behind her head and strutted on, every ounce of her suggesting that she had absolutely no intent of doing any work, but that she''d follow to see what was happening anyways.


    Mag bounced in place, incensed. "What about the fun?"


    "Fun? You can have fun after all the work is done," the man said. "I haven''t seen you three around, anyways. What''s your names? I''m Toru."


    "I''m Ike, that''s Wisp, and he''s Mag," Ike said.


    "Stick to the north part of town, do ya? I mostly run around the south, myself," Toru said.


    Ike nodded non-committally. "Something like that."


    "Hmph. Kids, always thinking you''re too cool. Aren''t you tired of the act by now?"


    Act? "What act?" Ike asked, deliberately leaving his voice just flat enough that it sounded a little sarcastic.


    "I mean, how long do you have to spend down here before you give up the ghost? None of us have been young in a very long time."


    Oh? Wait, so the puppets are self-aware that they''re¡­ if not puppets, at least trapped in an abnormal situation. That wasn''t the case with Shopkeep''s city. "Variety is the spice of life."


    The man looked back. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"


    "Be boring if we were all the same, that''s what it means," Wisp translated for him.


    "Be less annoying if you gave up the act and stopped causing trouble for people," Toru replied.


    Wisp dropped her jaw in an excessively sarcastic expression. "What? Noooo."


    Toru wrinkled his nose, glaring at her. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike chuckled. He spread his hands at Toru. "You gotta think, you know. When you come and fight people like us, well, we''re the pigs, relishing in the mud. We''re just gonna drag you down and smear you with mud, not try and fight you on your enlightened level."


    "And we''ll enjoy it, the whole time. You''re the only one who''s mad," Wisp added, punctuating her statement with a yawn.


    Toru looked at them for another second, then shook his head. "I''m glad I haven''t encountered you troublemakers before, come to think of it."


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    "That''s probably wise, yeah," Ike agreed.


    The man nodded ahead of him. Most of the buildings had been constructed, wisely, of stone, but ahead of them, a large, very decayed wood mansion stood on a hill. "That''s our problem child. The automatons are busy growing trees for wood upstairs. They do the basic carpentry, too, so we''ve got a steady stream of planks and beams coming in. Join the rest of them, and see if you can''t help patch up the big house."


    Toru walked off, leaving the three of them to stare at the house. Ike crossed his arms. "You know, I really thought we were going hunting."


    "We are," Wisp replied.


    "What part of hunting is ''build someone else''s house?''" Ike mocked.


    Wisp shrugged. "Look, the ants are the best mental mage I know. They''ll tell you where the skill is for just a little knowledge. Isn''t that way easier than wandering the wilds yourself, killing monsters at random?"


    "I mean, yes, but¡­"


    Without a word, Mag ran past them. He immediately joined in, carrying fresh boards up with the other workers. In a few seconds, he blended in with them, just a slightly shorter worker among all the rest.


    "Nesting instincts, activate," Ike muttered to himself.


    "What if we just sit back, and let the birdbrain put the whole house together?" Wisp suggested.


    Ike glanced at her. "Don''t you have building instincts, too?"


    "Oh, sure, but they aren''t building a web, are they? Show me one material in that building that they secreted themselves," Wisp challenged him.


    Ike grimaced. "Gods, don''t say that."


    Wisp grinned. "See? It''s not web-like at all."


    "No, I guess not."


    "Aren''t you a human? Look, that''s a house! A human-dwelling. Where are your house-building instincts? Go, builder!" Wisp said, giving him a little push.


    "No such thing. I''m a stupid primitive human. Give me a cave and a tree and I''m happy," Ike replied.


    "No housing instincts at all?"


    "Nope."


    Wisp looked at the building for one more second, then turned. "Well, if that''s all, I''m gonna go build my web in that alley¡ª"


    "There you are!" One of the workers ran over, planks in hand. He handed some to Ike and some to Wisp, then gestured for them to follow him. "Thank goodness. We really need a few extra hands. The automatons just can''t handle this kind of complexity, but we need this done by the night. Come on, come on." Gesturing them on, the man dashed off again.


    Ike and Wisp exchanged a glance. Ike shrugged. "It''s a way to pass time, I guess." Carrying the planks, he set off after the man.


    "Humans and birds, tearing down pieces of perfectly good web-building trees," Wisp muttered under her breath, following after him. The two of them joined Mag and the construction crew, and worked on the house.


    The work wasn''t too hard. They ripped out the old, rotten boards, and replaced them with new. Sometimes, they had to rip out nails, or replace structural beams, but they, and all the workers, were mages. No part of the task was particularly hard for them. Ike marveled a bit at the idea, as he ripped out nails with his bare hands and hammered them in with a flick. Not long ago, he would have struggled to set one nail into a board this firm. Now, he struggled to keep the board intact as he worked to put them together.


    Wisp followed along after him, mostly following the human techniques, though every now and again, he caught a glimpse of her shooting a burst of spider thread in and setting a board with thread as glue, instead of using their nails. He snorted, but didn''t stop her. It wasn''t as if her thread was any weaker than nails.


    Of the three of them, Mag took to it the best. He seemed to have truly activated his nest-building instincts, and fluttered around the house, ripping out old boards and setting new with a fury. He didn''t slow until the entire house was re-boarded. When the workers drew out the paints, he outright retreated, completely lost. Mag looked at Ike. "What''re they doing?"


    "Painting. You know, what you do to walls after you fix them," he replied.


    Mag stared at the house again, aghast. "Ruining such a nice, soft, wood nest."


    "Yeah, yeah." Ike patted him on the shoulder. "Come on. We''re done here. Let''s scurry before they find another job for us."


    "I can get behind that," Wisp agreed, darting over.


    Mag nodded. "If they''re just going to ruin it, there''s no point."


    With that, the three of them made a swift exit, leaving the workers to put the finishing touches on the fine wooden house.

 Chapter 311 - 311. Main Event

    Underground, there was no day-night cycle. The sky remained lit at all times by an enormous crystal set into the ceiling. Since everyone inside was a mage, that caused no trouble; none of them needed to sleep, anyways.


    A mage¡­ or a puppet, Ike noted. Either way, they didn''t need to sleep or eat. Glancing up, he took in the young students just learning how to fly on a broom. They probably still needed to eat¡­


    Ike froze. He stiffened.


    "What?" Wisp asked.


    He pointed up. "Those kids! They''re weaker than us, but they''re flying!"


    "Yeah?"


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    Wisp tilted her head. "You''ve heard of them, right? Flying vehicles that have their own power source. With those, all you need is a decent sense of balance and enough mana batteries to keep them in the sky. The only reason non-mages can''t use ''em is because their reflexes aren''t fast enough and their balance isn''t good enough to stay on top." She paused. "Or, well, I guess some non-mages can use ''em. Most spiders wouldn''t have a problem with any of that. It''s just that failure is fatal. And that most spiders are kinda dumb."


    "Thank you, Professor Wisp," Ike snarked. He put a hand on his chin. "How hard do you think it is to snatch one of those?"


    A grin spread over Wisp''s face. "You''re speaking my language."


    Mag looked down on them. He scoffed. "Needing tools to fly, how pathetic. Can you imagine, being such a lesser being that you''d need some enchanted stick to take to the skies?"


    "Mag, look, a pile of seeds!" Wisp said, pointing.


    Mag perked up. He whirled in the direction she''d pointed, then scowled. "Trying to trick a superior being?"


    "Would a superior being be so easily tricked? I don''t think so," Wisp relied, shaking her head in disappointment.


    "Look, Wisp! Delicious bugs!" Ike joked, pointing.


    She kicked his shins. "Nice try, smart guy."


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    "Yeah, yeah. I should''ve said people meat."


    "That might''ve got me," Wisp allowed.


    Ike led the way away from the work site, tracking the progress of the flying students with his eyes. He jogged after the students and their teacher, guessing where they''d launched from. As he jogged, he pulled up the image of the city as seen from above, running through what he''d seen to try to pick a landing space. The students would need at least a small open field to launch from and land in, since they wouldn''t be good at controlling their brooms and wouldn''t be able to fly up from just anywhere without endangering themselves. If there was also a place that looked like a school nearby, that was bonus points. He narrowed the map down to the spaces that laid in a line or near where the students were flying, then nodded to himself.


    "I think I know where they came from. This way!"


    "I could fly up," Mag offered.


    Ike shook his head. "We aren''t trying to draw attention to ourselves."


    "Right. That''s why we''re committing larceny," Wisp replied, nodding.


    Ike gave her a look.


    She spread her hands. "What? It''s what we''re doing."


    "Yeah, but then it makes me sound stupid."


    Wisp clapped a hand to her chest and looked him in the eye. "Me? Make you sound stupid? I''d never do that, Ike. Never."


    "Uh huh. You want a broom, too, don''t you?"


    "Of course I do. Come on. Let''s go commit larceny!" she cheered.


    "That''s what I''m talking about." Ike jogged off, keeping his pace slow enough that Mag could keep up on foot. Of the three of them, he was the slowest on the ground, and since he couldn''t fly right now, they were restricted to his ground pace. That, and he didn''t want to cause any trouble by moving too quickly through the streets. It''d be annoying if they got caught because they were running too fast. One of the stupidest ways to get caught, really.


    Even keeping his pace down, he still reached the area of town where he figured it was most likely the students had launched to in a few minutes. Ike slowed. "Split up. Everyone take a park, and meet back here in five minutes. If you see some brooms and there''s no one around, snatch ''em. Otherwise, come back and we''ll come up with a plan first."


    Mag nodded. Wisp saluted. The three of them ran off into the three nearby open green spaces.


    Ike pushed open a creaky wrought iron gate and found himself in a small field. The grass was recently trimmed, and the scent of fresh-cut grass filled the air, along with piles of cuttings in lines along the length of the field. The grass wasn''t trampled, though, nor was there any sign of any brooms. In fact, the cuttings being left behind suggested there was an active lack of brooms.


    Ike walked the whole park just to be sure, but when he found no sign of recent human occupation save the cut grass, he returned to the road to wait for the other two to return.


    Mag hopped over the fence a few moments later. He shook his head. "Nothing."


    "Me either. Let''s go check on Wisp."


    Mag nodded.


    Before they could get started, Wisp''s voice sounded from the far side of a hedge row. "I''m just looking. Can''t anyone enter the park?"


    "No, I''m going to have to ask you to leave," a male voice insisted.


    Uh oh. Ike ran to the park''s entrance. Whatever was happening, he needed to go intervene in that before things went too sideways.

 Chapter 312 - 312. Complete and Utter Bullying

    Ike ran around the corner and into the park, in time to find Wisp cornered by a taller man. The man, promisingly, stood in front of a barrel full of brooms that emanated mana signatures¡ªweak ones, little more than Rank 2, but mana signatures all the same¡ªand less promisingly, held his hands out, brows furrowed, blocking Wisp from proceeding.


    "You were approaching these brooms. For what purpose? I don''t recognize you as a student," the man accused her.


    Wisp gasped, taken aback. "What? I was just walking past. You''re throwing wild accusations around on circumstantial evidence. Are you trying to bully me?"


    The man harrumphed, rather than answer her ridiculous question.


    Ike walked into the park at a short jog. "Wiiii¡­llow. Willow! There you are. I was looking all over for you!"


    "You were?" Wisp asked.


    Ike nodded. "Did you get confused and go to the wrong place again? Come on. I know these parks all look similar, but they aren''t the same place!"


    Wisp squinted at him.


    Ike widened his eyes. He nodded a little bit. Come on, play along. I''m trying to buy you an out.


    She nodded, slowly. "Right, yeah. Yeah. Sorry, mister. I guess I got confused."


    The man crossed his arms. "Try not to get confused again, will you? You''ll cause troubles for people."


    "Sorry, sorry," Wisp said, barely hiding the tinge of sarcasm in her voice. She retreated, walking to Ike''s side. Ike lifted an arm to sling over her shoulders casually, like she was a little sister, and led her away.


    Outside of the man''s gaze, Wisp slipped free. She glanced at him. "How does this help us get the brooms?"


    "It doesn''t, but neither does making that guy suspicious."


    Wisp stared into the middle distance. She shrugged, then looked at him. "He wasn''t going to be suspicious for much longer."


    Ike sighed. "Wisp, we''re in enemy territory. We can''t just kill random puppets. They''ll probably know if we kill any of them."


    "Yeah, but¡­ the only good puppet is a dead puppet."


    "Right, yes, but¡­" Ike rubbed his forehead. "I want to kill these things as much as the next guy, but maybe not right now? Not in the middle of our sneaky investigation of the puppet town?"


    "It could be a little less sneaky."


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    "A little less sneaky is immediately a lot less sneaky. Look, let''s just give it another day. One more day, and then we give up and take the less subtle technique," Ike replied.


    "One whole more day?" Wisp whined like a toddler.


    "One more day."


    A bell rang out. There was a pulse of mana in the sound, some kind of message, but he didn''t understand it. Ike looked up, startled. He blinked. "What?"


    Wisp spread her hands.


    Beside her, Mag frowned. He tilted his head back and forth. "I can almost¡­"


    The man from the park poked his head out. He waved at the trio. "Go on! Hurry! He''s almost here."


    Ike stared at him, a blank look on his face.


    "If you don''t know where to go, just go to the main road! Did you somehow miss the instructions? Bunch of dull-headed low-rate louts," the man grumbled, muttering the last few words to himself. Shaking his head, he retreated back into his park.


    Ike raised his brows at the others. He jogged off, and the other two fell in. As they ran, he glanced back. "Guess we''re about to find out what''s going on." S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Guess so," Wisp agreed.


    "That sound meant something," Mag stressed, still distracted by it.


    "Yeah, obviously. Called all the puppets to come worship, or whatever," Wisp replied. She rolled her eyes at him.


    "I can almost hear it," Mag continued, muttering to himself, totally disregarding Wisp.


    Wisp turned to Ike and shook her head. "He''s a lost cause."


    "You''re all lost causes. I''m a collector of lost causes," Ike complained.


    "Even me?" Shawn asked.


    "Especially you," Ike replied, looking at the tiny mountain. "Do you want us to find somewhere to plant you, by the way? I know you''re kind of casually following along with us to figure out where you want to put down roots, but we''ve only been focusing on our own problems. We haven''t really been looking for a good place for you, and I kind of feel bad about that."


    Shawn shrugged. "It''s fine. If I stay in this form until I burn out, I''ll still outlive all three of you. Don''t worry about finding a place to root me too much. I''ll find it when I find it, and I''m happy to enjoy the adventure until then."


    "Are you sure? I feel bad about not helping you," Ike said.


    "You''ve already found me two candidates. Shopkeep''s city lacks a mountain entirely, but it has a root, and the city where we had the trial has a mountain, but lacks a spirit to dwell in it. If I were truly desperate, I could easily choose either of those. So don''t worry about it! I have options, I''m just being picky."


    Ike nodded, satisfied with Shawn''s answer. If the little mountain really didn''t feel threatened by not having a place to put down roots, who was he to tell him he was wrong? He didn''t know what it was like to be a mountain, after all. Maybe Shawn really was fine, and he was just overconcerned about it.


    As they were chatting, they reached the main road. Other people already lined both sides of the street, standing in a neat single-file, single-man-deep line. Ike, Mag, and Wisp reached the road to find the line already taut, but at the sight of them, the people shuffled closer to one another to make room. The three of them joined the lines.


    For a while, they just stood there. Nothing happened. The artificial sun beamed down. No more mages ran around or flew overhead, no one worked their shops, fixed up the town, or cleaned the streets. Everyone was completely still. The people who remained in shops stood expectantly behind the counters, waiting for something. All of them poised, almost like a diorama about to spring to life. The only difference between this and a diorama, was that this was human-sized, and it could spring to life.


    Two figures appeared at the very apex of the spiral stairs. They wound their way down slowly, descending toward the town below. The other puppets gazed up, expressions almost worshipful. A spine-chillingly familiar pressure brushed against Ike''s mana senses, and he tensed.


    Oh, fuck. One of those men is Brightbriar, isn''t he?

 Chapter 313 - 313. Brightbriar Arrives

    Ike froze. His heart raced. He stared up at Brightbriar as if his life depended on it, body still while his mind churned at top speed. He couldn''t fight the man here. He wasn''t strong enough. Attacking would only be suicide. But if he didn''t, if Brightbriar came down here, then he was dead.


    It was too late to flee. Anything he did now would only draw more attention to him. Worst case, if the man saw one of his puppets split and run, Brightbriar would descend from the stairs directly and apprehend Ike himself. Despite Ike''s speed, he was under no illusions that he''d be able to escape someone at least one Rank higher, who not only held the high ground and could fly, but who also was currently standing on the only exit route Ike was aware of in the city. Running and hiding would only stall things, and he didn''t have a good feeling about that, either. If he could sense mana signatures through walls, surely someone more powerful than him could sense them even further. He had no confidence that pulling in his mana signature would do much. Without any skills or particular techniques for it, he had nothing to defeat a higher-Rank mage''s determined effort to find him.


    If he couldn''t fight, and he couldn''t hide, that only left one route left¡ªplaying along.


    Beside him, Wisp tensed as well as she realized the same thing as him. Mag blithely gazed up at the man, completely unaware of Brightbriar''s face, mana signature, or anything else related to the man. Ike was about to curse his bird brain, but realized it wasn''t fair. Unlike Wisp, who''d lived in the Abyss, Mag had lived far, far from Brightbriar. He had no reason to know anything about the man.


    Wisp glanced at Ike. Ike shook his head. Play along. We''re puppets. As subtly as he could, he scanned the puppet next to him, and tried to match his mana signature to its. He expected to fail spectacularly, only to find it rather familiar. Oh, that''s right. I did study Rosamund, after all. Speaking of, good thing her head is in my storage ring, or else she might try to cause trouble with her father so close. Ike smoothed his mana into one flat signal, with no fluctuations. Wisp watched him, then nodded, and a moment later, he felt her do the same. She nudged Mag, who blinked at her and tilted his head. A quiet exchange of expressions and a few subtle blows later, a bewildered Mag joined them in copying the mana signature of a puppet to his best ability.


    Of the three of them, Mag was the least likely to be picked up on by Brightbriar, since, as he didn''t know Brightbriar, Brightbriar also didn''t know him. Wisp, too, was likely to get overlooked. Ike swallowed. I''m just an ordinary citizen. He has no reason to know me. But on the other hand, he''d fought Llewyn. If the man mentioned his face¡­


    No, no. At that point, Wisp would be in just as much danger as me. I''m fine. I''m no one. Unless Llewyn was a standout artist or had some way of transferring memories to Brightbriar, he has no reason to know what any of us look like. Ike''s mana signature had started to fluctuate a bit from his speeding heart and short breathing. With force, he smoothed it over again. Calm. Collected. He was nothing but another puppet. No one had any reason to take notice of him. He was even dressed like the other puppets, thanks to Wisp''s quick fingers up in the automaton room. And besides, he''d always been a kind of average looking guy, with tan skin and brown hair. Generic. Nothing to stand out at all. Just another puppet.


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    The two figures descended the stairs. As they got closer, Ike focused on the second person. She was a beautiful figure, ornamented in the most delicate of finery, and her mana signature wasn''t a beat below Brightbriar''s. If anything, she might have been the stronger of the two of them. Ike didn''t recognize her face at all. Whoever she was, she was someone a slum rat had no reason to ever meet. A dignitary far beyond his standing. He didn''t need to fool her¡­ but on the other hand, he was a bit curious. Who was she? He''d never heard of a Lady Brightbriar. In fact, it had been something of a topic of conversation amongst the people in the city, from pretty girls dreaming of becoming the next Lady, to grizzled old hunters postulating he must have lost her in some ancient, tragic incident. Not everyone knew about Rosamund, so some people had even suspected that Brightbriar was single, or had other proclivities. Then again, others simply claimed Lady Brightbriar existed, but was off on some long journey or some other magely activity. Generations of mortal lives were the blink of an eye to mages, and Brightbriar, consequently, might not have even thought her absence was worth addressing, while the mortals down below shared rumors and myths, eager for any crack at humanizing their distant ruler.


    Was this lady, then, Lady Brightbriar? Or perhaps, a candidate to become her?


    Ike watched the two converse. Instinctively, he opposed the idea¡ªthough Rosamund clearly proved that Brightbriar was capable of love and child-rearing. It didn''t feel right. The manipulative puppet master, so feared, was a husband? A father? No. In fact, the things Ike knew, such as Rosamund being a puppet and infinitely replaceable, clicked much easier into his image of Brightbriar. Despite Brightbriar having a child, the man could easily have created her alone, on a whim, without any sort of Lady Brightbriar.


    After a few moments of watching them speak as they walked the stairs, Ike rejected the idea that this woman was Brightbriar''s romantic partner of any sort. She kept him at a distance, laughing along with his jokes, but politely. They didn''t touch, and in fact, Brightbriar treated her with a kind of distant, formal respect. If he had to choose a relationship, it looked much more like Brightbriar were a salesman, and the mysterious woman, his client. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike''s eyes widened. Is that what this is? A sales pitch? But¡­ what? Doesn''t he infiltrate areas? Who would willingly bring this puppet plague down upon themselves? Mystified, he watched the two descend, desperate to hear their conversation. Was this really a sales pitch? Surely not. And yet¡­


    Fear forgotten, Ike stared at them, almost challenging them to approach. Let me hear it. What is this all about? I need to know. Is there really someone so mad that they would not only indulge Brightbriar''s madness, but visit it upon themselves?

 Chapter 314 - 314. A Shared Madness

    The two figures reached the bottom of the stairs, vanishing from Ike''s sight. He pursed his lips in annoyance, but quickly schooled his face back into the respectfully neutral expression of all the puppets around him. If they were all lined up on the street, it implied that Brightbriar and the mystery woman would be heading this way. He was right where he needed to be.


    A short time passed. The puppets continued to wait. To Ike''s surprise, they shuffled a bit, some stretching, others yawning, clearly still under their own power. And that was the strangest part of this all¡ªor rather, it had been from the beginning. There was no sign any of these puppets were under Brightbriar''s control. Except for the automatons on the surface and in the production room, the puppets down here were all acting as if they were people. Taking lessons. Cleaning. Building. Doing things of their own accord, to support Brightbriar''s visit, as he now knew. It made sense that the puppets would wake up for a visit, but why wake them with their own minds? From the beginning, why leave them with their own minds at all? They were puppets. Every other time he''d seen puppets, they were, well¡­ puppets. Clarina and her parents hadn''t been left untouched. They''d become little more than Llewyn''s lackeys. Sure, Shopkeep''s people had possessed their own minds, but that was during the infiltration phase, and they only maintained them afterwards through Shopkeep''s immense will and the Mage''s Tower spell, at the cost of Shopkeep''s own mind.


    This was long beyond the infiltration phase. Brightbriar was in complete control, and these people still possessed their own minds, their hopes, their dreams. Why? For what purpose did this city sleep, full of fully-aware puppets submerged in a long wait, only to wake up for Brightbriar''s whims, fully mentally intact? If they were mentally intact, why not reject Brightbriar? Why accept him, welcome him, allow him to do as he wished? True, they were likely long-since fully dominated, but to greet their conqueror with freshly-rebuilt houses and clean streets¡­ Ike''s mind boggled at the prospect. A few ideas wiggled in the back of his head, but he forcefully rejected them. It couldn''t be. Such a thought was too cruel, even for Brightbriar. Too far beyond the pale.


    Before long, the two figures appeared at the far end of the main road. They walked slowly down it, looking at the puppets as they passed. Occasionally, the woman stopped to examine someone, or something, or watched some sort of demonstration. At one point, a cadre of puppet children flew past on their brooms, laughing joyfully, and the woman smiled along with them. The entire procession was a display of joy, a celebration of life, however false that life might be. Ike rankled at it, but was powerless to do anything. He plastered a generic expression on his face and waited for the two to approach.


    Robes swished. The silken garment the lady wore shone, reflecting the light. She and Brightbriar drew close, walking slowly, enjoying their stroll. As they grew close, Ike felt their combined pressure press down on him. At one point, he''d heard a rumor that Brightbriar was Rank 4. Now, in close proximity to the man, at Rank 3 himself, he knew for certain that it was naught but a rumor. Brightbriar was stronger than that. At least Rank 5, maybe even higher. His strength tested Ike''s ability to gauge mana signatures, and not only that, but Ike was loathe to linger too long on Brightbriar, lest Brightbriar sense the examination.


    The man was more handsome than Ike remembered, or rather, he''d never seen him up close. Clear skin, without a single spot of wrinkles. No scars on his flesh. He looked like a young man, barely a few years older than Ike. If not for a single streak of gray in his hair, running back from the center of his forehead, he might have even passed as a teenager. A gentle face, soft eyes, and broad shoulders finished the look. Gentle, but sturdy. A fatherly figure, despite his seeming youth. He wore the same white robes he''d always worn in Ike''s home city, and had the same placid, unexaminable smile as ever.


    The lady paused, as she had several times before. Her eyes locked onto Ike.


    Not me. Not me. Not me, Ike prayed silently. Closer. Closer. He smelled the scent of her perfume, saw every detail of the fine golden filigree on her blouse. Her hand reached out.


    And gripped Wisp''s chin. Ike held his breath, restraining the urge to widen his eyes, somehow more scared than if she''d brought attention to himself. Don''t do anything rash, you tiny, crazy spider. Please.


    "So lifelike. I still can''t get over it," the woman murmured. She turned Wisp''s head to the left and right, and in a miracle, Wisp didn''t strike out, but let her turn it. "Warm to the touch. Soft skin. I wouldn''t have known these were puppets if you didn''t tell me."


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    Brightbriar chuckled. "It is my specialty, after all."


    "Even the mana signature¡­" she murmured, and her eyes narrowed. She focused on Wisp, more closely than before.


    Ike''s heart leaped in his chest. Not now. Come on. Stop looking at Wisp!


    The woman peered closer, lowering her face to be even with Wisp''s. "Even¡­"


    "If you''re done with your examination, Madame Perigierre, I have another demonstration for you," Brightbriar said, incidentally interrupting her.


    "Ah? Oh, of course." Madame Perigerre stepped away from Wisp and retreated to his side, clasping her hands by her chest. "How exciting. What treat do you have for me, here?"


    Ike breathed out. Thank goodness. What a lucky coincidence, that Brightbriar had interrupted her at that moment.


    Brightbriar clapped, and instantly, all the puppets jolted into motion. Ike started walking as well, if only because he didn''t know what else to do. He took Wisp with him, and Mag followed after the two of them like a baby duckling. All around them, the puppets hurried to their shops, or simply resumed walking the streets. In an instant, it went from a quiet, lined parade route to a busy street. He strode the streets, joining the other puppets who were pretending to peruse wares, but moved slowly, staying close enough he could still hear the two through the hustle and bustle.


    "They have free will. There is, in fact, little difference between a puppet and a man, once you get down to the basics. They are free to do as they wish," Brightbriar pitched.


    Ike''s heart twitched. This really was a sales demonstration. This entire city¡­ no. Did this entire city exist only so that Brightbriar could sell his madness? But who on earth would want to purchase it?


    Madame Perigerre answered his unspoken question before Ike could even finish wondering. "Wonderful. But you can still control them, yes? No more rebellion, no more complaints, no more politicking?"


    "I caution against completely suppressing them, but yes. You can simply remove that from their minds. Once they are puppets, they are much easier to manipulate. The more you remove, the less human they become, and the harder it is for them to advance in power¡­ you understand. A mage still needs drive to grow stronger. Puppet mages struggle more than ordinary mages to advance, but advancement is still possible. You don''t have to worry about your forces slowly deteriorating or stagnating completely."


    "Ah, well. That kind of thing can also be a boon," Madame Perigerre said, giving Brightbriar a grin, and they shared a quiet laugh.


    "Yes, of course. If there is some upstart mage you wish to suppress, or a rival who''s been troubling you for too long, then as long as you can ensure they are safely puppetized, they shall trouble you no longer," Brightbriar agreed.


    Ike''s heart twisted. This wasn''t right. Someone had to stop them. But who? He wanted to, but he was powerless. Still far too weak to oppose them. Even with Mag, Wisp, and Shawn at his side, fighting Brightbriar now would be nothing but suicide, or worse, puppetification. I have to get stronger. I have to master the King, control that skill completely, and continue to grow. This is why. I cannot allow this insanity to spread any further.


    A shriek. From out of the crowds, a woman charged Brightbriar, wielding a knife. She was Rank 3, and powerful. Her mana churned in a way Ike had never seen it churn before, as she closed in on him. "This is for my son! You monster!"


    He watched, morbidly curious. It wouldn''t work. It couldn''t. And yet¡­ Brightbriar allowed this?


    Brightbriar snapped his fingers. The woman went slack. Her mana returned to normal. She fell to the ground, the knife rolling from her grasp. Her eyes widened, and her jaw moved, silently shouting something, straining for the knife, but nothing but her head could move. The rest of her laid limp on the floor, like a puppet with its strings cut.


    "And of course, this is but an amusing demonstration, but if anyone were to attempt to harm you¡­" Brightbriar loomed over the fallen woman. He pressed his boot against the side of her head. "Their free will can be rescinded in an instant, regardless of their strength. Their life is yours."


    His foot slammed down. Porcelain shattered, and black goo splattered over the spotless street, speckling the hem of Brightbriar''s robes. He smiled at the woman and daintily brushed the goo free. "As simple as that."


    Ike glared. As simple as that. The woman had never had a chance. Even if it was hopeless for a mortal to charge a mage, at least they could make the attempt. At least they could stab, even if their knife would shatter, even if their life was forfeit. And who knew? Perhaps with the proper artifact, they could even harm the mage. But here? With puppets, populating the entire city, and not a single citizen with true free will? Here, all it took was a thought, and all possible revolution ended.


    Sickening. Ike looked away, unable to watch any longer, but the resolve in his heart was harder than ever. He had to destroy Brightbriar. There wasn''t another option. He wasn''t strong enough yet. But he''d get there. He would, and when he did, Brightbriar would find out what happened when he faced a mage that wasn''t dancing in the palm of his hand. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 315 - 315. Escape from the City

    Brightbriar clapped. The puppets hurried from their busy street scene to return to their former places along the edge of the rows. Despite his heavy heart, Ike had no choice but to fall in. It was that, or die. Die slightly less pathetically than the poor puppet woman, die struggling, die fighting tooth and nail, but die nonetheless. Still, resolve burned in his heart. He knew what he had to do, now. There were no more questions in his heart. Brightbriar had to die.


    "I do like what I see, yes," Madame Perigerre said, pinching her chin. She smiled at Brightbriar. Her face was beautiful enough to stop someone dead, and the smile was like a sunrise after a long night, but it looked hideous to Ike. It was a smile built on oppression, and oppression that she only planned to make yet worse.


    "Wonderful. Then let me treat you to a fine dinner," Brightbriar said. "All grown by the automatons since yesterday. And many puppets will be there was well, for you to question about their experiences and what it''s like to be a puppet."


    "Of course. I would like to know how the cattle feels about changing to such a streamlined and superior form. Can they eat?"


    "They can act exactly as they could beforehand," Brightbriar assured her.


    "Excellent."


    The two of them strode onwards. The puppet line held, and held, until Ike wondered if it would ever break. Just as he was at the verge of giving up on it, the puppets all relaxed. The man beside Ike sighed. "Wakes us up at long last, and this is what for? What a load of bullcrap."


    "I know, right?" Ike agreed, barely suppressing the anger in his voice.


    "When they said this was the only way to go on living, I thought, well, maybe being a puppet wouldn''t be so bad. Not like I was planning to try and assassinate a Rank 5, you know? And the previous king was kinda shit, too. But it''s been shit so far. Only get revived once in a blue moon, and it''s for a fuckin'' sales pitch? At least lead us into battle, or something."


    "They said?" Ike asked.


    "Yeah, you know. The most powerful mages in the city, the¡­" the man paused. He grasped for the words, then sighed. "Well, I can''t remember their name anymore. Guess Brightbriar took it from me. But they couldn''t beat him, so they convinced us that it was better to join him than to die meaninglessly."


    Ike blinked. Huh? Wasn''t Brightbriar the infiltration type, not the overtly-conquering type? Nothing he''d heard so far had indicated the man had rolled over the regions in war. Certainly, he was fully capable of it, but he seemed to prefer subterfuge. In fact, he''d been, to some extent, counting on that preference of Brightbriar''s as the reason the man hadn''t taken over the region he was from; the man was simply biding his time and advancing his plans on a mage''s near infinite timeline, where a few hundred or thousand years was a blink of the eye. But if he was a conqueror, then why bother?


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    "You got knocked in the head pretty hard during the transition, didn''t you?" the man commented, noticing his expression. "My sister was like that. Probably that woman''s son was, too." He nodded at the dead puppet, slowly oozing out on the ground. A few of the other puppets circled around her, debating how to best collect her body.


    "I don''t remember much," Ike said apologetically, playing along.


    "His son was our king, remember? Everyone knew he got the position through some underhanded deal or another, and he was horrible at being king. Had no one''s loyalty, and lounged about in the castle all day like a spoiled brat, living in the lap of luxury and ignoring everyone around him, even as we were beset by enemies and calamities, one after another. The cities rose up¡­ not us in particular, but I won''t deny that we were part of the problem. Brightbriar came back to find his son''s castle sieged and the son himself dead, and that was curtains for the region. Razed it to the ground. If he couldn''t beat the other Rank 5s, then his puppet Rank 5s could. It was pretty terrifying how fast it all folded. We figured, better to survive than die, but here we are now. Dead in everything but soul."


    "That sucks," Ike remarked. There would be no withdraw. No surrender. If Brightbriar offered an out, it was no escape, but simply an entrance to a deeper hell. He locked all this in his mind quietly, without showing any rage on his face. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Better than being dead for real, I guess." The man shrugged. He nodded at Ike. "I''m guessing you weren''t selected to go to the dinner?"


    "No¡­ I don''t think so," Ike said.


    "Probably for the best. It''ll be a terrible affair, all preening and pretending we love this hell. At least we get to eat good food."


    "Have you seen how it''s grown, though?" Ike asked.


    The man grimaced. "Honestly? I''d rather not. I don''t want to see the ruins of the old town, either."


    Ike nodded at him. "What''s¡­" He started to finish, that all about, then paused for a moment. If he was an amnesiac, then wouldn''t it be more like¡­ "Why are we down here?"


    "Huh? Oh, right. Knocked in the head." He nodded upward. "Back when the cities were still warring Brightbriar, a few hundred years ago or however long we were asleep, there was a real threat of the cities around us destroying us for having given in and ''gone traitor.'' The neighbors were eyeing us down, too. So we all relocated downward in the middle of the night. Brightbriar and his puppets built this space for us in a week''s time, so it was like we had simply disappeared. Everyone assumed we had simply become part of some far-flung army, and that was that."


    "Not the first time someone''s vanished by going underground," Ike muttered.


    "Huh?"


    "Nothing, nothing. Enjoy your party. I''ll stay out here and, uh, enjoy my awake time."


    The man patted him on the shoulder. "You do that. You do that." With a final wave, he walked off.


    Ike shook his head. He nodded at Wisp, who''d wandered off a short ways, pretending not to listen in. She approached, raising her brows.


    "What next?"


    "We''ve discovered everything we need here. Let''s make a quiet exit and get back to your friend."


    "Quiet? How? That staircase is super visible," Wisp said. The spiral staircase they had descended on rose straight up over the city, right into the false sky. For the vast majority of the staircase''s height, it stood alone, taller than any buildings, a spire straight into heaven in sight of everyone. On the way down, the man who''d flushed them out of the automaton room had given their descent some legitimacy, but they didn''t have the same cover on the way back up.


    Ike grinned. He pointed up and to the left, where a group of kids once more flew on brooms. "Step one: acquire some brooms."

 Chapter 316 - 316. Broom Time

    Before long, the puppets started filtering away from the streets. Most headed in one direction, toward the largest, grandest building in the strange city. A few wandered back toward their houses or shops, or headed out toward some distant part of the city to enjoy what remained of their time awake. Ike and the others mixed in with those, wandering off in the general direction of the parks.


    They already knew where the brooms were, and once they escaped from the crowds, they retreaded their footsteps in record time. The man was still guarding the brooms, with a firm expression on his face. Ike extended his senses, examining the parks around them. They were alone. Just the three of them and the broom guard, all alone in the park.


    "Is it time for violence?" Wisp whispered.


    Ike nodded. "I''d say ''don''t kill him,'' but he''s a puppet. He''s already dead."


    After his conversation with the man, he was clear about two things. One, that these people, pitiable as they were, did not deserve any consideration. They''d made their choice and thrown in with Brightbriar rather than fight. There was no reason to hold back on their part. Secondly, they were puppets. Brightbriar could control every part of them. If they failed to kill this man, he might bounce back up and go combat mode, or alert all the other puppets, or even alert Brightbriar himself.


    True, attacking him would still risk alerting everyone, but somehow, Ike felt that Brightbriar wouldn''t pay too much attention to a bit of homicide during his all-important sales pitch. For all the puppetmaster knew, this was puppet-on-puppet violence. The woman''s attack on him indicated that he cared so little about these puppets that he hadn''t bothered to restrict their homicidal urges, though Ike had no doubt he could. No, Brightbriar was looking down on them, something which also indicated that a little bit of extreme violence would fly under the man''s radar.


    These people were already dead. They''d chosen to die the second they''d bent the knee to Brightbriar and accepted their new role as his puppets. He had no sympathy for them, nor did they deserve sympathy. They were willing participants. How terrible that they regretted their choice, but it was too late for regret. They had all been adults when they''d picked to become puppets, and there was no point holding back against those who bowed their heads to a tyrant.


    She grinned. "Excellent."


    The three of them entered the garden. The man looked up. He frowned sternly. "You two? Again? What''s your excuse this time?"


    Ike spread his hands. He grinned disarmingly. "What? We not allowed to walk around here?"


    The man stood between them and the brooms. "Mhm. Back up, or I''ll be forced to¡ª"


    Lightning flashed. A sharp crack rang out as the man''s head caved in. As he fell forward, still struggling, Ike pushed his body down faster and slammed his fist into the man''s back, right where the core on the automatons was. Another crack, and the man''s body went still.


    "What? Hey, come on. Leave some for the rest of us," Wisp complained.


    "Speed was of the essence," Ike replied. He grabbed a broom and threw one to Wisp, then another to Mag. The bird frowned and gave Ike a look, but before he could protest, Ike shook his head. "We don''t want to advertise your true form to thousands of puppets, do we? Use it to fly. Once we''re out of here, you can do whatever."


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    Mag pouted, but he didn''t complain. He took the broom and ran his fingers over it, familiarizing himself with its shape.


    Ike watched for a second, just long enough to be satisfied that Mag was actually figuring things out, then turned to his own broom. It was more or less the same as the kind of broom someone used to brush the floor. A practice flying object, something cheap and easy to store and likely cheap to enchant, though he didn''t know much about the enchanting arts himself. A small gemstone panel sat on its front, emanating an aura of mana. He ran his finger over it, and felt a skill call out to him. It was almost like a skill orb, except he didn''t have to absorb the skill to use it¡ªin fact, he couldn''t absorb the skill. The gemstone had absorbed the skill, and bonded with it just like a mage would. He put a tiny bit of aether into the gemstone, and felt a more powerful pulse of mana emanate from a chunky wooden box toward the back of the broom. Instantly, the broom shot upwards, taking Ike with it. In an instant, he went from standing on the ground to fifty feet in the air.


    Whoa. Ike lifted his finger off the gemstone. The skill died out, and he fell back toward the ground. He braced himself and landed, absorbing the blow of the impact.


    Wisp applauded. She sat on the broom, clutching it between her thighs, and hovered over the grass with ease. "Baby''s first flight! So cute!"


    "Oh, shut up. Where''d you learn to fly a broom, anyways?"


    "Stole one. Or two. Or three. Spiderwebs work on brooms as well as they do on flies, you know," she said with a wicked grin.


    "Yeah, that figures," Ike muttered. He slung his leg over the broom.


    "Ah¡­ wait, wait. You might want to ride sidesaddle," Wisp suggested.


    "What? Why?" Ike asked. Beside him, Mag also sat on the broom like Wisp and zoomed around, a bored expression on his face. He flipped over upside down and dangled there, with no visible effort on his part. Lifting one hand off the broom, he yawned. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I''ve heard male human genitals are delicate things. And the broom, you know." She gestured at the seated position she was in. "It rides up."


    Ike looked at her, then the broom, then Mag, still zooming around with impunity. His brows furrowed, and he gestured. "If it''s that dangerous, how come Mag''s okay?"


    Wisp shrugged. "Bird things."


    "Bird things, what bird things." Ike rolled his eyes at her. He wasn''t going to ride sidesaddle like some noble girl. Leaning back, he activated the broom.


    It slammed up. All the air left him, and he immediately lifted his hand off the gemstone panel, falling to the ground once more. Biting, acid pain surged through his body.


    Wisp raised her hands. "I warned you."


    "Fuck¡­" Ike muttered, more at the pain than anything else. He laid on the ground for a few seconds, catching his breath, then stood once more.


    "Sidesaddle?" Wisp suggested, a hint of an evil grin on her face.


    "Nah." Ike tossed the broom on the ground. He stepped on it, putting one foot on the gemstone panel. This time, he fed it the barest scrap of aether, the smallest quantity he could possibly generate. The broom lifted slowly off the ground, hovering a foot or so over the grass. He grinned at her. "I''ll stand."


    "Lame. I was going to enjoy you flaunting about like a noble brat." Wisp shook her head.


    Turning serious once more, Ike nodded. "Come on. Let''s get out of here." He didn''t think Brightbriar would respond to the puppet man''s death, but he didn''t know that. Best to escape before the puppetmaster made up his mind.


    Wisp nodded. Mag, still bored, flipped upright and drew close. At Ike''s signal, the three of them flew upwards, leaving the city behind.


    Hopefully what we found out is enough to please the ants, Ike thought, looking down at the city below. Seeing it like this, he could feel pity for its inhabitants. Locked between an enemy they couldn''t defeat and an impossible choice. The mages, the ones who could have fought¡ªthey could be disdained, and rightfully so. But what about the children? The mortals? The weaker mages, who would be naught but chaff in the war?


    Ike shook his head. No. They made their choice. Whether they regret it or not, they chose to side with Brightbriar. Turning his head skyward, he flew toward the exit.

 Chapter 317 - 317. Returning for a Skill

    Up toward the exit hatch. For the majority of their ascent, no one tried to stop them. They were hardly the only mages on brooms. There were the teachers and students, and a few other mages who floated around, enjoying their rare moment of wakefulness by zipping about on brooms. When they closed in on the hatch, though, that all changed. In a split second, they went from no one, to the center of all attention. All the puppets'' eyes locked on them, and a thousand different mana-senses scanned over their bodies.


    "Uh oh," Wisp muttered.


    Ike blinked. Huh? Something about this scenario was wrong. If they were this aggressive toward someone approaching the hatch, then why had no one commented on them arriving? In fact, the man who''d caught them had seemed to be rounding up some rowdy teenagers, not excising a foreign threat. But if that was the case, then they should have been able to approach the exit hatch without much problem. Instead, as they drew near, it was as if they''d drawn the ire of every single puppet.


    What''s going on? Is this because we killed this guy? Or was letting us in the strange part?


    Even as he thought it, his heart sunk. This was a trap, wasn''t it? Like a crab trap. Easy to enter, with a nice tunnel pointing inward, but hard to exit, with sharp spikes and even the shape of the trap designed to keep its captives inside. They were the stupid crabs, swimming blithely in to nibble some chicken bones, but now the trap was closing around them.


    "They''re coming," Wisp muttered darkly.


    "Get to the exit, fast as possible. We need to get out of here," Ike said tersely. Between Brightbriar, his guest, and the thousands of puppets in here, not to mention the chokehold that was the exit, he''d be lucky to escape alive. The only way to survive this, was to make it to the exit before the trap fully closed.


    Wisp flew close to him. She vanished, her broom sweeping into her storage ring, and Ike felt a tiny weight on his shoulder. "You''re the speed demon. Get us out of here."


    Ike nodded. He swooped to the side and snatched up Mag, who immediately started struggling. Without the strand of mana to activate the battery, Mag''s broom fell away. Ignoring the bird boy''s resistance, he poured his aether into the broom and zipped toward the exit.


    The flight teachers and their broom-riding students all whipped about in midair at the same instant and hurtled after him in a neat formation that wasn''t at all like the messy flying they''d been doing a moment ago. They went from a wild pack of giggling kids to a silent charge of deadly flyers in the space of a heartbeat.


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    "On it." She whipped around on his shoulder and stood up, facing the charging fliers. The teachers stared at her, their eyes blank and faces expressionless. Behind them, the kids zipped along. They raised their hands and fired beams of light at Ike. Unlike the kids'' low Rank, the light from their hands surged with unnatural power. Instinctively, Ike felt that those beams could hurt him, and not just that, but seriously injure him.


    He dashed to the side. The light seared past him and slammed into the ceiling. The stone melted, dripping down red hot from the sky.


    "Holy shit," Ike muttered.


    "Here I go. Catch me."


    "Huh?"


    Wisp spat something from his shoulder. A strand of spider silk struck the leading teacher on the shoulder. She jumped off Ike''s shoulder and swung around the group of flyers. The students shot at her, but as a tiny spider, she was too small of a target for them to hit. Her strand of spider silk wound around all the flyers and pulled them all together, yanking them off their brooms. One or two clung on, but as all the other flyers were yanked toward them, their brooms started to fail, and they drifted downward. Wisp swung around them a few more times, until they were tied up tight, then swung out far from the group of slowly sinking fliers. She dropped way down low, then flew up high, cutting herself from her spider thread as she swung toward Ike.


    "Now! Catch me!"


    Ike whirled around. He swooped toward her, reaching out. She shot a spider thread onto Ike''s chest and yanked herself toward him. He caught her out of the air, and she swiftly clambered back up onto his shoulder.


    "Go, go, go!" Wisp shouted.


    Ike nodded. He pressed his foot against the gemstone and poured aether into it. The wild aether leaped into the broom, and it rushed ahead. Lines through the wood glowed as the mana veins through the broom heated up. Smoke began to rise from the shaft, and the wood creaked.


    "Whee!" Wisp shouted, gripping tight to his shoulder.


    The flying students and their teachers fell out of the sky. More mages rose up from the city, surging up from the streets on their brooms. Ike didn''t look back. He hurtled toward the exit. At the top of the staircase, he threw himself over the railing, abandoning the broom.


    Wisp turned back. She shot a spider thread and caught the broom, tucking it away in her storage ring with a swift motion.


    "Be ready to fight," Ike warned.


    "I know," Wisp replied.


    "Let me go!" Mag grunted, still struggling in his grasp.


    Ike punched the hatch open and leaped up into the automaton room. A wall of the generic dark-haired, masked puppets stared at them. They raised their hands, brandishing everything from rolling pins to darning needles at them.


    Ike set Mag down. Wisp hopped down from his other shoulder, resuming her human form.


    For a split second, the two groups stared one another down. No one said anything. No one moved a finger.


    "We get out of here. That''s our only goal. Smash our way through and get out," Ike said quietly.


    "You got it, boss," Wisp replied.


    "Sky," Mag requested, hopping in place.


    The puppets charged. Lightning flickered over Ike, and he rushed in, meeting their attack.

 Chapter 318 - 318. Get Out

    The puppets charged, and Ike charged back. Lightning flickered over his hands as he gripped one by the head and smashed it into the one behind it. Their heads shattered. The two staggered around, blindly knocking into their fellows. Crouching a little too low for their blind grasps to find him, Ike drew the Hungry Sword and charged into the mess. Trailing purple light, he dashed left and right, winding through the puppets and cutting whatever he could.


    He wasn''t aiming to kill. Instead, he struck at legs, letting the Hungry Sword saw through them. The puppets fell, but continued to try to fight. Their worm-like bodies and wildly grasping hands tripped up their uninjured fellows, and slowed down the entire group.


    Wisp cast thread left and right, tangling the puppets up, then destroying or disabling them with brutal punches to their most important limbs. She struck their cores at first, then caught on to what Ike was doing and started breaking legs and heads instead. More and more injured puppets staggered about, getting in the way of all their fellows.


    Mag took on a small bird form and became a feathery menace. Like spider-form Wisp, a smaller form didn''t diminish his battle power in any way. He darted down from the shallow ceiling to deliver punishing blows to the puppets, often disabling them directly through punching their backs or blinding them by pecking out their eyes. The puppets'' eyes were made of glass or stone, but before Mag''s beak, they were as nothing.


    Ike ducked a puppet with a meat cleaver and let the Hungry Sword take their throat. He stepped forward and found himself in the clear. "Come on! Let''s go!"


    Mag fluttered up and flew to his side. Wisp kicked a puppet out of her way and ran over. The three of them fled just as the first puppets from the city pushed open the hatch behind them. The city puppets faced a mess of interlocking limbs and broken heads, as the automaton puppets struggled to extricate themselves from one another. Taken aback, the city puppets froze, not knowing where to go. A few of them staggered into the mess, only for the headless puppets to thrash them and the legless puppets to grasp their ankles. Stymied, they could do nothing but retreat and work out a way past the mess.


    "Hah," Ike muttered, half to himself. He turned back around and raced on, toward the staircase out of the underground. At speed, he passed the farm animals and looms, and all the other production gear, then reached the staircase.


    Immediately, a feathery bolt zipped by him as Mag forwent the stairs to fly directly up the tunnel. Ike chased after him. Wisp shot spiderthread past his head and pulled herself up to where it stuck, released the line, and shot another bolt of spiderthread.


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    "Oh, come on," Ike grumbled.


    "Get better at locomotion, loser," Wisp called backward.


    Ike sighed. If he activated Lightning Dash¡ªor rather, the part of Storm Clad that corresponded to Lightning Dash¡ªhe could easily pass both of them, but he didn''t want to use that much mana or announce his presence to the world above via the thunderclouds that inevitably gathered when he used the skill. If Brightbriar came after him, things would be different, but for now, the man seemed content to send his puppets. Besides, he knows¡­ or should know, through Llewyn, that the lightning clouds are my signal. If I use the technique, he knows it''s me who infiltrated his city, the guy who caused trouble in Shopkeep''s city. As it is, he clearly didn''t recognize my face, so I''m just a random mage. Someone worth pursuing, not someone worth pulling out all the stops for. I can''t reveal myself now, or else I risk our entire escape.


    Clattering behind him. He turned. Puppets clambered up the stairs. Most of these puppets were fully intact, some dressed in the generic robes of the automatons, others dressed in the mage finery of the mages down below. They''d broken through the snarl, but the snarl had bought him some time. Ike turned back around and kept running, charging toward the top. He was still fast even without activating his pure speed-based technique, but now, he pushed himself to go even faster. Without any boost of technique, with nothing but his body, he raced up the stairs. His muscles ached, pushed to their very limits. His breath came quick and heavy. His whole body focused on nothing but running, and as it did, he circulated mana through himself, pushing himself even faster.


    Ike blasted past Wisp, who startled, then shot a spider thread onto his back and hopped onto his shoulder. He rushed past Mag, who screeched and flew faster, taking his rush as a challenge. The door at the top of the stairs, his destination, came into view. It seemed to glow, outlined by the sun pouring in from outside. Ike lowered his shoulder and charged the door.


    Bam! The door flew open. Ike blasted outside, into the sun. For a second, all he could see was pure white, his eyes washed out by the sunlight. He blinked, rapidly bringing his eyes back to normal.


    "Uh oh," Wisp muttered on his shoulder.


    Ike pressed his lips together. "That''s one way to put it."


    Puppets. Puppets in every direction. No matter where he looked, where he turned, a generic puppet stood there, blank faced, baring a weapon.


    Footsteps rushed up the stairs. Ike drew his sword. Mag fluttered out and took on human form, and Wisp hopped down from his shoulder and did the same.


    "I''ll carve a path," Ike declared, stepping forward. "Get puppets between us and the door, as quickly as possible!"


    "We gonna fight all of these?" Wisp asked, eyeing them warily. There were puppets everywhere. Countless puppets, stretching in all directions. A mass of shifting fabric and shiny porcelain, rounded ball joints and kinked doll fingers.


    "Nah. I have a plan. Just follow me," Ike replied.


    Wisp nodded. Mag grumbled under his breath, but fell in. The three of them charged, rushing toward the waiting puppets once more. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 319 - 319. Puppets Puppets Everywhere

    They charged the puppets, and the puppets charged them.


    Instantly, it was chaos. Limbs flew everywhere as Ike smashed and hacked with the Hungry Sword. Whenever a puppet tried to strike him, he blocked, and the Hungry Sword quickly gobbled up their weapon. This time, he didn''t fight to injure, but to kill. Every blow either aimed at the puppets'' cores, or hacked off a limb on the way to a puppet''s core. Wisp spat venom that corroded the doll''s bodies. Her thread tangled them, and when they fell, she punished them with heavy blows to their cores. Mag raked the puppets with his claws and slashed them with a sword that had come from who knew where. Ike hadn''t expected much, but Mag''s swordsmanship was surprisingly capable¡ªin fact, on pure swordsmanship alone, Mag might have had the upper hand over him. The bird-boy hopped back and threw his hand out, and a magpie projection burst forth and took to the wing, repeatedly swooping the puppets from above.


    "Nothing too flashy, Mag!" Ike shouted.


    "It''s not that flashy," Mag grumbled.


    "That one''s fine, but nothing bigger," Ike clarified. Not if they wanted the plan to work.


    Mag huffed. "So picky."


    As they fought, Ike worked his way toward a nearby house. "Over here!"


    "What, in there?" Wisp asked.


    Mag frowned. "I just got outside."


    Ike rolled his eyes. "Trust me. Come on!"


    He leaped inside, shattering a window on his way in. The other two gave each other looks for a moment, and then, with a sigh, Wisp followed him in. Mag shook his head and transformed, flying through the broken window.


    The puppets surged. They poured into the house. The flow of the battle changed. Before, the three of them had been handling it. Now, they were battered up against the wall, barely holding on against endless waves of puppets.


    "So what''s this great idea of yours? Corner yourself and die?" Wisp asked.


    "There''s too many puppets. We''ll get stalled here for too long if we fight them all, especially when Brightbriar can choose to pay attention at any moment and crush us all. Remember the robes?"


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    "Remember the¡­" Wisp trailed off. She nodded. "Got it."


    "Got what?" Mag asked, lost.


    "Just follow me," she said, rather than explain it in front of the enemy.


    A puppet leaped at Ike, arms and legs bared. Ike smashed its torso in two, then caught it by the hair and beat its head in. He looked at the bit of head hanging in his hand, hair still attached, then released it with a sigh. I thought they might be wearing wigs, but the hair is linked into the porcelain, isn''t it. It might just be glued on securely, but I don''t have the time to undo magical glue right now. They''d have to make do with their own hair.


    He shrugged. It''d taken a more human puppet to notice that their hair was wrong. The plan could still work.


    "Wait ''til the room fills, then back up to the next room," Ike instructed the other two.


    "Blockade them with their own bodies? Grisly," Wisp said, but she nodded in approval.


    Ike hacked and slashed. Not all the puppets died; sometimes he missed their core, or sometimes he simply didn''t have time to react and aim for the core. The puppets conglomerated into a seething, throbbing pile, twitching left and right but never finding any real motive force in one direction. Eyes glared. Hands reached. Feet kicked at the floor. Whenever they struck, Ike struck them down, and slowly, the pile grew.


    At last, it began to scrape the ceiling. Ike nodded at Wisp and Mag. "Now''s the time. Retreat."


    "And you?" Wisp asked.


    "I''ll hold the line until you two are ready to go," Ike replied.


    She nodded. Grabbing Mag by the arm, she dragged him into the next room.


    Without the two of them, it actually grew a little hard to beat the puppets back. If it wasn''t for the fact that they had to crawl in the narrow space between the top of the pile and the ceiling, he might have actually struggled. As it was, he simply stood in front of the door and beat back any puppet who tried to get past him. They came in quick, dropping down from the pile and racing at him left and right, but Ike was fast, even without Storm Clad. He smacked them down, one after another, and tossed their bodies back on the pile.


    Crazy how easy they are to kill, now. Not that long ago, he struggled to break open a single puppet. Now, he could smash them left and right. He''d gotten stronger. Much, much stronger.


    But I''m still not strong enough.


    A few squawks of protest echoed from the back. They quieted, and Wisp poked her head back in. "Good to go." S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike glanced back. As he''d hoped, she was wearing white robes and the automaton''s mask. He nodded. Turning around, he backed up, then charged the puppets and hammered the pile with a Shockwave Punch. The puppets tumbled backwards, locking up the entryway and the door.


    Ike jogged into the next room and quickly changed, joining Mag and Wisp in puppet clothes. The next room had no windows or doors, but it did have a staircase that wound upward. He led the charge. At the top, a heavily reinforced door blocked the roof. Desperate scratching sounded from the far side of the door, mixed in with some hammering, as if someone, or some puppet were trying to get in.


    "Remember. We''re puppets," Ike said, looking at Mag and Wisp over his shoulder.


    Wisp gave him a thumbs up. Mag nodded.


    Ike undid the bracing bar from the inside and opened it.


    A group of puppets stared at him. He stared back.


    Time to find out how dumb these guys really are.

 Chapter 320 - 320. Empty Head

    The puppets stared at the three of them, then ran toward them. Mag jolted and reached for his sword, but Ike put his hand out, stopping him. Not yet.


    Without giving them a second look, the puppets pushed past, rushing into the building.


    Ike and Wisp exchanged a look. They shared a nod. It worked.


    They pushed their way through the stream of puppets and out onto the roof of the building. Ike hopped down and wound his way through the back streets. The majority of the puppets were concentrated around the house he''d leaped into, but a few stray puppets still roamed the streets, searching out any potential escape routes. They joined those puppets, and wandered their way out of the city. None of the puppets questioned them or hindered their escape. Even the human-looking ones, the ones that weren''t the generic dark-haired model, simply stared past, their eyes glazed.


    Ike twisted his lips. It said something about Brightbriar, that he didn''t trust his people to the point he''d turn them into puppets and put them into puppet mode during an attack, only for that to be his undoing. If he''d given these people-puppets orders, and told them to find Ike and the others, instead of putting them into puppet mode and having the puppets search for Ike, then they would have found him and his friends, thanks to their obviously incorrect hair. But in puppet mode, they simply saw the automaton robes and passed on by.


    He might have absolute control, but what has that bought him? A bunch of unthinking, unfeeling puppets that can''t even act on their own initiative to help his ends. By making them ''perfect,'' in his vision, he''s sabotaged himself. Ike snorted. What a fool.


    They stood on top of a nearby hill, within sight of the ants'' cleft in the earth. There was no sign of Palio, which was probably a good thing. He didn''t want to deal with an angry horse girl right now. He was still too worked up from the escape and subsequent battle. If she charged him, he might just kill her on instinct.


    Beside him, Wisp hummed a familiar tune, but she''d changed one of the lyrics to ''horse meat'' instead of ''human meat.'' Ike gave her a look, but chose not to comment. He already knew that one wasn''t going to end well.


    Instead, he pointed at the rent in the earth. "Can you put us down closer to the ants?"


    "Closer to where I think Palio is?" Wisp replied. "You got it, boss."


    "The ants," Ike stressed.


    "You know, I''ve never eaten centaur," she remarked.


    "Isn''t that interesting," Ike deadpanned.


    Wisp hopped off the cliff they stood on and continued through the forest in the direction Ike had pointed. "I wonder if they taste like people and horse the whole time, or if their top half tastes like people, and the bottom half tastes like horse."


    Ike jumped after her. "I wonder."


    "What if I set up a web across the whole crevasse? Wall to wall. I wonder what might wander into it?"


    "Too bad you won''t do that," Ike said.


    "I mean, they move so fast. And there''s so much mass behind them. They can''t stop dead at a thought, you know?" she mused, pinching her chin.


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about."


    Mag had been glancing between the two of them this whole time. His eyes lit up, and he patted Ike''s shoulder. "She wants to eat Palio!"


    Ike looked at him, tired. "I know."


    Mag frowned. "Then why did you say you didn''t know?"


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    "Yeah, Ike. Why would you say that? Why would you lie to your good buddy, Wisp? I''m feeling so betrayed right now," Wisp said, clutching her heart.


    "Uh huh. Sure you are."


    "In fact, I might just go eat a centaur as revenge."


    Ike gave her a look. She stared back. They maintained the gaze for a good three seconds before Wisp broke into laughter, and Ike couldn''t restrain a chuckle. She waved her hand. "Yeah, yeah. I won''t eat her."


    "That''s good," Ike replied.


    "Yet."


    "Wisp."


    "Okay, okay! I''m just so curious, you know? I need to know. Inquiring minds want to know, Ike."


    "Do they," Ike asked, looking at her.


    She nodded. "I''m an inquiring mind and I want to know."


    Ike sighed. "Wisp, don''t eat Palio, and please let down a thread so we can go back to the ants and let them know what''s up?"


    "Orders, orders, orders. Always all these orders," Wisp grumbled.


    "Look, I just want the option to not massacre the centaur herd on the way out, you know? Maybe she tastes bad," Ike defended himself.


    "Life is full of experiences, Ike. You need to expand your horizons and try new things."


    "But maybe not centaur meat right now," Ike replied.


    She looked him in the eye with big, innocent eyes. "If not now, then when?"


    "Later! Later. Come on."


    She nodded. "Already threw the thread. You come on." With a grin, she hopped backward off the cliff and bounded down it, lightly holding on to a skein of silk.


    Ike shook his head and followed her, still not completely certain he''d convinced her not to eat Palio. Ah, whatever. It''s not like I''m that attached to the centaur girl. Worst case, they were just locked into massacring the centaur herd, and that was probably going to happen one way or another, given the way the centaurs opposed anything leaving these lands.


    Mag fluttered down after them. They reached the bottom in a short time and before long, reached the sanctum of the ants. Black insects crawled over every surface. The creepy crawlies overcame Ike again, and he forcibly pushed them down. They''d only be here for a moment. Long enough to tell the ants what was going on, and receive the skill in return. One quick exchange, and he''d get the King under control.


    Once more, the ants congregated into a black mass of churning dark bodies. Ike nodded. "So, we¡ª"


    WE KNOW.


    A tickle at Ike''s neck. He flinched, instinctively going to smack it, only to stop himself at the last second. A small ant crawled out from his clothes and down his sleeve, hopping down to rejoin all the others.


    "Gods," Ike muttered. He full-body shivered. Gross.


    OUR CURIOSITY HAS BEEN SATISFIED. TAKE OUR KNOWLEDGE.


    "What?" Ike asked. Hadn''t they promised him a skill? Knowledge? What was that¡ª sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He stood in the grasslands. A wind blew past his face. He gazed around him, taking in the hunting grounds. In the distance, a herd of buffalo roamed, watching him warily. Long, dangerous horns bared at the sky.


    The image shifted. "¡ªsurveying this route, and I think¡­" He trailed off, losing his thought. The grasslands laid behind him. Around the corner of the mountain he stood on, crystal and slate spires pierced the sky. The sun refracted through them, painting the whole region in pale light.


    Another shift. From a low angle, he watched a white-robed man descend into the center of the spires. A body laid in his arms, wrapped in clean white linen. Its face was covered, and it wasn''t breathing.


    And then he was back, standing in front of the ants. Ike staggered. He shook his head. "What was that?"


    KNOWLEDGE.


    The black puddle seethed. For a time, it said nothing. A crackling sound emanated from the ants as they crawled over one another.


    THERE LIES A BEAST. THE BEAST HAS THE SKILL YOU LACK.


    Ike wiped his forehead. Knowledge. Those had been other people. Other lives. The ants'' lives? Or lives the ants had observed through their psychic skills?


    Does it matter? Either way, he''d gained the knowledge of where a skill he needed was.


    "What if it isn''t there?" Ike asked. The memories it had given him were old memories. It could have moved. The ''beast'' could have left that area.


    Silence. The ants looked at him. WE ARE EVERYWHERE.


    "Right." Ike paused. "Wait, then why show me old memories, if you''re there right now?"


    I HAVE GIVEN YOU A GIFT. IT IS YOUR JOB TO REALIZE THAT. With that, the ants dispersed. From a leafy nook full of ants, to one completely devoid of them an instant later.


    Ike threw his hands up.


    "So? Did you get it?" Wisp asked.


    "I got knowledge," Ike replied, deadpanning her.


    She raised her brows. "Knowledge of¡­ a skill?"


    "Supposedly."


    "You can trust the ants. If they said it''s true, it''s true. The only power they have is their information, so they always tell the truth; otherwise, they''d undermine their entire selling point," Wisp replied.


    Ike squinted at her. "How do you know all this? How come I''ve never heard of it?"


    Wisp shrugged. "I dunno. Humans ignore bugs, but you really shouldn''t. There''s a whole world going on just under your noses."


    "Huh." Ike gestured. "Come on, let''s get out of here. I know where to go, and there''s an angry centaur down here somewhere."


    "We could¡­ hang around. Maybe see if she shows up," Wisp suggested.


    Ike gave her a look.


    She grinned and shot a thread toward the edge. "Yeah, yeah. Let''s go get you that skill, so you can master the King."

 Chapter 321 - 321. Go Get It

    With no sighting of Palio, they smoothly exited the crevasse. Ike pointed the way across the grasslands, and they set off. In their white puppet robes, nothing stopped them. Puppets wandered by in the grasslands. At first, they were all human shaped, but the further they went, the less human they became. Huge giants loomed tall over them. Double-jointed puppets who swayed as they walked passed by in the distance. A puppet that looked like two puppets stacked on top of one another, conjoined hip-to-shoulders, wandered by. Buffalo lumbered through the grass, and among their number, a fat, broad-shouldered puppet lumbered with them. It turned its head to watch them, a strange intelligent glittering behind its eyes, then turned away.


    "Are these the rejects?" Ike wondered aloud.


    "Or maybe war-models that he doesn''t need for town maintenance," Wisp guessed.


    Mag circled high overhead, watching for any aggressive puppets. He flew on, tipping his wings so his white scales caught the sun.


    "Could be," Ike allowed. Were they all automatons, too? Or were they aware, and simply Brightbriar''s allies? There were people who liked war and battle. People who wouldn''t flinch from the idea of conquering land after land¡ªin fact, people who would even sign up for it and rush in. Just because he thought the idea of being a puppet, and replacing everyone around him with puppets, was disgusting and morally reprehensible, didn''t mean everyone did. In the wide, wide world, in the six regions surrounding this one, surely there were at least a handful of people who agreed with Brightbriar.


    "Either way, they''re creepy," Wisp commented. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "As long as they leave us alone, it''s no problem," Ike replied with a shrug.


    "For now. What about when you fight Brightbriar? Do you think he won''t bring all these puppets out to fight?" Wisp pointed out.


    "True¡­ but what am I supposed to do about it? Should we smash them all now?"


    "Why not?"


    Ike shook his head. "I''d rather get control of King, then use them as fodder to figure out its abilities, rather than alert Brightbriar to where we are and what we''re doing. Once we have this skill, we''ll be able to flee if we need to. Right now, we''d have to stand our ground, and depending on how douchey Brightbriar is feeling, we might even end up in a race to get this skill."


    "As long as we smash them eventually," Wisp said, shrugging. She nodded at Ike. "What''d the ants show you, anyways?"


    "A bunch of memories. Not all theirs, I don''t think," Ike replied.


    "Yeah, they''re creepy little critters. Like to peer into the minds of the unshielded," Wisp replied.


    Unshielded? That term didn''t make him happy. "Like us?"


    She shook her head. "Psychic skills are pretty weak. Our ambient mana will prevent anyone but someone of a massively higher Rank from casually reading our minds without us knowing, and each ant is usually Rank 1 or 2. They usually target mortals, or simply ride along with them."


    "Oh," Ike muttered. He pointed. "I saw one memory that walked along this line, another a little further down, and then these¡­ crystal arcs. It was almost like¡­ um, a half-unfurled flower or a broken egg. Big chunks of crystal and slate, all but completely arcing over this area. There, the ants showed me a man in white, lowering a body into the center of the crystals."


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    "Oooh, are we tomb raiding?" Wisp asked, excited.


    "We might be," Ike allowed. Still, there was one part that snagged in his mind, that he was struggling to process. "Do people put skills in tombs?"


    "Some people do, as a display of wealth. Others¡­ you know how the skills separate or even fall out when you die? Some humans consider that a part of your body, and bury their dead with their skill orbs."


    "What a waste." The idea boggled Ike''s mind. All those skills, buried and unused? It was horribly impractical. Those people had honed their skills their whole life, maybe even created new skills, and then they were buried with them, and the skills were never seen again. Whether for wealth or for culture, it was a total loss.


    Wisp shrugged. "Not everyone does that kinda thing. Plenty of humans pass down their skills, or, you know, just don''t drop any when they die. It''s not like everyone drops their skills. But the ones that do¡­ well, when you think about it, aren''t tombs just neatly wrapped packages of goodies, waiting for someone to come along and suck the juices out?"


    "I''m not sure about that last part, but I definitely agree with the first half of that statement," Ike said, nodding.


    "Did they give you any hint about what we''ll find there?"


    He shrugged. "Something about a beast."


    "Wooooow, what a surprise," Wisp muttered.


    "Hey, that''s all I got."


    "Yeah, yeah."


    Ike nodded at her. "You know, something''s been bothering me. The ants said they couldn''t get into Brightbriar''s territory, but then, didn''t one ride in on me?"


    "Sure. And you didn''t get squished, did you?" Wisp pointed out.


    He spread his hands, acknowledging her point. "But what if that ant had been squished? What would they have done to me?"


    "Probably nothing."


    Ike arched a brow. "Really?"


    She nodded. "Yeah, really. They''re pretty proud. Probably wouldn''t have admitted there was ever an ant on you, and simply asked you for your report. If they succeed at hiding an ant on you, and retrieve it back, that''s intimidating. If they fail, and it gets crushed, then it''s embarrassing to admit that they lost an ant and they''ll look weaker in your eyes, so they won''t."


    "That''s a complex way of thinking for a bug," Ike said.


    "Oh, now we''re pulling the bug card," Wisp complained, rolling her eyes.


    "That''s not¡ª" Ike shook his head. She''s got a point, though. Why am I considering the ants lesser than me, when they''ve been a mage¡­ mages? ¨Cmagical for far longer than I have? Wisp has fully human intelligence despite starting off as a tiny spider. Not to mention, the ants have focused on honing their brains. They might even be far smarter than me.


    Up ahead, the terrain turned mountainous. These weren''t the friendly, tree-covered soft lumps he was used to, but jagged, brutal, bare-stone mountains. They jutted up like teeth, like they wanted to eat the land itself. A narrow pass clefted through the two largest mountains, and Ike pointed. "We need to get through there."


    Mag dropped down from the sky. "We''re going that way?"


    "What''s the problem?" Ike asked.


    "I sense a powerful source of mana from that direction. I can''t see anything, but the mana itself chills me to my bones. I don''t want to fly any closer, for fear it might notice me."


    Ike cracked his knuckles. "Powerful mana source, you say."


    "Sounds like good eatin''," Wisp agreed.


    "You don''t understand. It''s terrifying. Like it will devour us all whole," Mag tried to explain.


    "Hey, if we can''t fight it, we''ll slip on by. It probably won''t mess with a puppet, right? It''s nothing to be afraid of," Ike soothed him.


    Mag looked uncertain, but shook his head and took to the sky again. "It''s your heads."


    Ike gazed up at the mountains, more serious this time. There wasn''t another way through. No other passes opened in the mountains, and to go around meant to circumvent the entire region¡ªweeks, if not months. Going over was hardly a solution; the mountains stood taller than any he''d ever seen before, so high he could barely see the top. He didn''t want to try braving the heights, where there''d doubtless be dragons and other powerful territorial monsters, not to mention tough conditions and the long climb upward. If the thing in the pass proved truly insurmountable, he''d go elsewhere, but until then, he saw no reason to divert. Better to figure out what the problem was, than avoid it without ever knowing what form it took.


    "Let''s go see what''s scaring our little bird so bad," Ike said.

 Chapter 322 - 322. Mountain Pass

    The ground remained more-or-less flat until the very foothills of the mountains, as if someone had jabbed them up through the flat plane of the earth with no care for how the world around them might be shaped. Looking at them, Ike thought he might reach them in a day, but they ran and ran for weeks, and the mountains looked no nearer. The flat land and the dry, clear air gave the illusion that the mountains were far closer than they were. It felt as though they toiled for hours and gained inches, but when he turned behind him, there were miles between him and the landmarks they''d passed. It was just that the mountains were so large, and the air so clear, that there was nothing to give them depth or blur, and so they stood on the horizon, waiting.


    On the fourth week, they finally began to close in on the mountains. From a picturesque background, they loomed large, becoming a massive wall before them. There was no more sky on the horizon, only stone as far as they could see. The mountains delineated their world. This was the end. Nothing existed beyond here.


    Except for one narrow gap.


    The closer they got, the more Ike sensed that terrifying presence that Mag had sensed. It was an overwhelming pressure, something huge and unfathomable in size, and yet weak. The pressure could have belonged to a weak Rank 4, or a powerful Rank 3¡ªabout the same Rank as them. He lacked whatever existential sense of terror that Mag possessed at sensing the Rank, so it didn''t seem too intimidating to him, but Mag quailed. He flew close overhead, circling tighter than usual, and refused to fly too far ahead.


    Wisp didn''t react the same way, but then, she''d expressed many times that she wasn''t the kind of beast to fear very much. Mag was a bird, a beast with predators. He had to watch out, in case something bigger swooped him. Wisp was at the apex of her tiny food chain, and much like Ike himself, who was the apex predator known as ''human,'' she lacked that instinctive fear-sense Mag did.


    There was one thing the pressure reminded him of, though. He glanced at his shoulder, at the small form snoozing there. A mountain. It reminded him of a mountain. Of the rare moments in which Mont exuded the full force of his power¡­ but infinitely weaker. He couldn''t tell Mont''s full Rank, but he could easily gauge this one¡ªor at least, the emanations exuding out from it. Looking up at the mountain, it was impossible to imagine it belonging to someone weaker than Mont. It was enormous. Many times taller than Mont''s mountain. Size wasn''t everything, but it counted for something, and it certainly counted for this something before them. This mountain should not be weak.


    Maybe I''m reading the emanations wrong, Ike decided. He wasn''t a pressure expert. Nor did he know of every type of mage that could roam the land. Maybe this belonged to something that felt like a mountain, but wasn''t a mountain.


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    The closer they got, the more puppets they encountered. Strange puppets littered the landscape, all of them facing the gap. None of them moved toward it; they simply gazed at it, as if transfixed. White stones mixed in with the grasses and the natural granite. One popped up close to the road, and he peered closer, only to leap back. A face stared back at him, eyes wide, mouth half-open.


    "Holy shit!"


    Wisp glanced over. She caught sight of the face and laughed. "After all this time, you got spooked by a puppet?"


    "I just¡­ didn''t expect one there," Ike muttered. He kicked the face, and it turned over. It was hollow inside, completely devoid of any goo or anything else. Lifting his gaze, he tracked the white stones across the grasslands. They were narrow, smooth¡­ and then he saw a face. A hand. A foot.


    "Look. The white stones¡ªthey''re dead puppets," Ike said, pointing.


    Wisp followed his finger, then raised her brows. "Huh."


    "Some kind of battle happened here."


    "Not recently," she pointed out, kicking the puppet face he''d found. It spun along on its nose, showing the softened, rounded edges of what had once been sharp pottery.


    Ike twisted his lips. He looked at the mountain pass. The white remnants of ruined puppets grew thicker as they approached the pass, until the ground near the gap was completely covered in the white remains. "We should be ready to fight."


    "Should we swap disguises?" Wisp suggested.


    He shook his head and gestured at the puppets around them. The nearest one stood twice as tall as him, with arms that dangled to its ankles that were as thick as Ike''s body. Dozens of other puppets just as intimidating stood in a loose array around the gap, all of them gazing toward it. If they changed clothes now, it meant revealing themselves in front of all the puppets. "Not yet."


    Wisp followed his gaze and nodded. "I get it. But why do you think they''re standing here, doing nothing? Shouldn''t they attack¡­ whatever''s in there?"


    "I don''t know, but we''re going to find out," Ike replied. He glanced up at Mag. As much as he wanted to tell the bird to fly ahead and check out the pass, he also didn''t want him to completely freak out. He was already doing well to fly against his instincts, in Ike''s opinion.


    Mag caught his look and dropped down. "What?"


    "Ah, nothing."


    "You looked like it wasn''t nothing."


    "No, no." But as long as he''s down here¡­ Ike glanced at him. "What does it feel like to you?"


    "Huh?"


    "That pressure. What does it feel like to you?"


    Mag tilted his head, thinking for a moment. "Terrifying."


    "Other than that."


    "Danger. Very large danger." He gestured, holding his hands far apart.


    "What does it feel like to you, Ike?" Wisp asked. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He lifted his eyes, gazing dead ahead. "A mountain, but not."


    "Huh? What''s that supposed to mean? Does it feel like a mountain, or not?"


    Ike said no more. What they wanted laid on the other side of this ridge. This pass was the only way through. Whatever hid within the space, they would discover, whether they wanted to or not.


    He strode onward, closing the distance.

 Chapter 323 - 323. The Gap

    The gap widened as they drew closer¡ªor at least, it appeared to, as the enormity of the mountains faded away into one big lump, and they no longer had a scale to compare it to. There was something strange about it. Ike stared at it, trying to figure it out, before it finally struck him. It wasn''t a natural gap. There was nothing organic about it. It was a perfect line cut directly through the mountain, so utterly straight and clean that he could see the horizon on the other side of it. He lifted his hand and swept it down.


    "What?" Wisp asked.


    "A sword strike. It''s like someone lifted their sword and cleaved the mountains in two with a single strike," he explained, coming to the culmination of his thoughts.


    She followed his gaze, then nodded. "It could be. There''s some mages powerful enough to do that." She paused. "Or, well, there were. The ants say they remember, but that''s all I know."


    "If that were true, then that mage could easily slay every dragon on the continent without breaking a sweat," Ike said disbelievingly. He''d been the one to see the gap as a sword strike, but he was arguing against his own conclusion. It was just too radical. Too insane, to imagine someone that powerful. To him, mountains and dragons were the height of power. The idea that someone could come along and carelessly cleft one in twain with but one stroke boggled his mind.


    Wisp shrugged. "Maybe it isn''t possible anymore. Maybe the ants saw a dream, and took it for reality. They don''t lie, but it isn''t impossible to confuse them. I don''t know. I just hope that, if it''s true, that person isn''t named Brightbriar."


    Ike took a short breath. He nodded. "Yeah. Let''s hope so."


    A second later, she laughed. "If it was, he wouldn''t need to bother with the puppets, would he?"


    Ike snorted as well. "You''ve got a good point." If Brightbriar really could go around slicing mountains like bread, then he really had to question what was wrong with the man''s head, that he nonetheless resorted to skullduggery and subterfuge. At that level of strength, he could kill whoever he wanted with a single pinky finger and level entire regions with a swipe of his sword. No, that doesn''t seem right. After all, Scar had said Brightbriar had never made a puppet over Rank 5. Surely, if he was that strong, Rank 5 would be so infinitesimal as to be difficult to imagine, let alone craft something so weak.


    Then again¡­ "I thought there were only ten Ranks. No way can you cut mountains at Rank 10." If Brightbriar was halfway up the scale, then even if he doubled Brightbriar''s power, he couldn''t imagine the man accomplishing such a feat of strength. Every Rank was a jump in power, but he''d never heard of a jump in power that extreme.


    "That''s the kicker, isn''t it? But who knows? Maybe there''s infinite numbers of Ranks, and we''re just the fools who believe it stops at ten. Maybe¡­" Wisp leaned in conspiratorially. "Maybe there''s even someone deliberately deluding us into thinking there''s only ten Ranks."


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    Instantly, a spear of pain drove into Ike''s head. He winced, putting a hand to his brow.


    Wisp frowned. "What?" S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I¡­" Ike opened his mouth to explain it to her, but his tongue wouldn''t form the words. They melted away as they rose to the top of his brain and instantly faded into oblivion. The more he tried to speak, the more it spread, until he felt it eroding even his thoughts.


    At that, he stopped. No. I need those. I won''t let it take them.


    The erosion faded as suddenly as it had come on. The dim thought remained as it was, locked away deep inside his brain. Something he knew, but couldn''t put to words. Something he almost understood, but not quite. A word at the tip of his tongue.


    Not yet. I''m not strong enough yet, Ike realized abruptly. Whatever this influence was that prevented him from realizing the thought, he wasn''t strong enough to fight it back yet.


    "What? You okay, Ike?" Wisp asked, frowning in concern.


    "It''s nothing," Ike said, waving a hand. He rubbed his brow and nodded ahead of them. "Let''s focus on the next fight, not on wild rumors."


    "Okay, okay," Wisp agreed easily.


    They ran on. At last, the gap opened before them. From afar, it had looked like a narrow thing, barely wide enough to fit one person through, but up close, it was enormous. Nearly as wide as Shopkeep''s city. The sheer walls stretched up to the heavens. Age had worn the stone down, but he could tell that it had once been completely smooth.


    Puppet pieces carpeted the floor. They couldn''t walk without stepping on pieces of puppet. Here in the entrance, but also looking forward into the tunnel, where the puppet pieces continued to clutter the earth. Ahead, some of the puppets dangled from spears, pinned to the wall from the force of the strike, or sat propped against the wall, dead all the same, but just protected enough from the elements to keep their form. The rest laid in scraps on the ground, completely ruined. Porcelain limbs rolled and cracked under their feet. It was like walking on large, loose gravel. Ike kept running, using it as a chance to practice recovery and balance. Wisp transitioned to the wall, and Mag fluttered along overhead.


    Aside from the sound of their locomotion, the entire cleft was silent. Ahead, the walls fell into darkness, shadowed by their own bulk. Wind whistled through the space. Not a single puppet moved, nor did any of the strange-shaped puppets stand in here. Some laid on the ground in scraps, but none of the live ones dared brave the tunnel.


    Ike didn''t dare speak, afraid to break the silence. The emanations were stronger and fiercer in here. They washed over him in waves, battering him between each breath. The air was full of them, the world thrumming to the beat of the pressure. He''d never felt anything like it before. It was as though he stood within a beating heart.


    A clatter from the left. Ike whirled, grabbing his sword, but it was only a puppet falling to ruin. On the other side of him, Wisp laughed and pointed. "You thought it was going to jump up and attack you!"


    "Shut up! Of course I did," Ike muttered. He sheathed his sword and shook his head. What the hell. Stupid puppets, spooking me¡ª


    White flashed in the corner of his vision, and Ike slammed to the floor, throwing up puppet parts. It was so fast that even he hadn''t been able to react, so sudden that he hadn''t seen it coming. Wisp shrieked, and Mag screamed.


    A pale form stood over Ike, clad in ragged robes. It raised both hands and plunged a blade toward his heart.

 Chapter 324 - 324. Ragged Puppet

    The puppet plunged a blade toward Ike''s heart. Ike swept the Hungry Sword from his prone position. There was no strength in the blow¡ªthere couldn''t be, from the angle he was at¡ªbut it didn''t matter. The Hungry Sword struck the puppet''s blade and devoured it.


    Ike raised his brows. He''d expected the two to clash, the Hungry Sword to maybe take a bite of the blade, but instead, the blade had just disintegrated. A second later, rust flakes rained down on his face, and he realized the blade was on the verge of destruction to begin with.


    As if unaware of the blade''s destruction, the puppet kept swinging. Ike activated Storm Clad. Its fists impacted Ike''s chest and bounced off his icy armor. He lifted his foot and kicked the thing back. The puppet flew away, as light as paper. Lighter than any other puppet he''d kicked, as though it, too, were on the brink of disintegrating whether Ike attacked or not.


    The puppet struck the wall, and its body shattered. Pieces rained down, tangling in the tattered robes it wore. Ike stood, dusting himself off. He walked over.


    "Phew, that thing scared the shit out of me. What was that?" Wisp asked, peering at it over his shoulder.


    "Just a random puppet," Ike said.


    "But if that''s the case, why did none of us detect it?" S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ike stood for a moment, silent, then shook his head. "It must have simply been too weak. So weak that we didn''t register it as anything but a bug and subconsciously ignored it."


    Wisp frowned, unsatisfied, but didn''t say anything else. Ike wasn''t satisfied with his own answer, either, but with no more proof of anything, he didn''t want to engage in speculation. Not now.


    He knelt and examined the puppet a bit closer. It wore a hooded robe, one that had long-since torn away at the edges so it came down to a point around the puppet''s hips. Underneath, it wore armor. Only the rusted vestiges remained, a few scraps of metal and steel hinges, some leather ties, but it remained identifiable as armor. Ike tilted his head, confused. A puppet, wearing armor? Why bother? It wasn''t as if an injury slowed them down, nor did they seem to feel pain.


    Maybe it retained its consciousness, and simply wanted to wear armor. If that was the case, then it should have a unique face. He thought back to what he''d seen during the fight. The hood had fallen over the puppet''s face, shadowing its features. He might have seen it while he was lying on the floor, but he wasn''t looking. He''d been too busy fighting for his life. Ike poked at the hood, trying to find the face, but found nothing. Its whole body had become fine powder.


    A second later, he frowned. It was all fine powder, not fine gunk mixed with black goo. There was nothing inside the puppet. Neither core nor gunk.


    But if that''s the case, how was it moving?


    "Ike, come on. Let''s not stay in here too long," Wisp called.


    Ike glanced over. She nodded. Mag huddled against the wall, hunched up in a way that Ike could almost see his puffed up feathers.


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    He sighed and stood. Mag hadn''t wanted to go here to begin with. He didn''t want to torture the poor bird by dragging things out. "Alright. Let''s keep moving."


    The three of them walked on. The passage had looked short from a distance, when the sun shone clearly through it and cast a single ray of light across the plains, but once they were within it, the gap seemed to extend forever, with nothing but the corpses of puppets and sheer rock to either side of them.


    The further they walked into the gap, the deeper the shadows became. Before long, the walls stood in complete darkness, almost impenetrable to Ike''s eyes. Every now and again, Ike thought he saw motion, but every time he turned, it was nothing but the fading light playing off a puppet''s arm or body. He rubbed his arms. "This is almost worse than the ants."


    "Yeah. This place gives me the heebie-jeebies too," Wisp agreed.


    Mag said nothing. He just stared at them with big round eyes.


    Ike sped up. "Come on. Let''s get out of here as fast as we can. No need to stick around."


    The other two sped up as well. They raced toward the distant exit. As dark as the shadows were here, the exit looked like a beaming spot of light, a beacon beckoning them out of the darkness and back into the daylight. They ran on, but it still remained distant, far out of their reach. Ike stared. Was it possible that there was no exit? Or maybe they ran on a loop. Maybe the floor was enchanted, so that the could never escape.


    The darker it got, the wider the passage seemed to become, as well. It was wide to begin with, but as the darkness encroached, Ike could have sworn that the walls receded apace. Their footsteps echoed in the cavernous passage, deep in the heart of a mountain, the only sounds that interrupted the silence, and the throbbing beat of that strange, sourceless pressure.


    He had expected fewer puppets in the mountain''s center, but to the contrary, more puppets piled up underfoot. He climbed hills of puppets, skated down drifts of them. If not for Brightbriar having conquered several regions, and therefore having access to a near-infinite supply of puppets, he would have wondered if Brightbriar had any puppets left. But even so, whatever he accomplished here, he paid a serious price for. What was he willing to go this far to obtain?


    Is this the entry battle for this region? As soon as he thought it, Ike dismissed it. There was no opposing force. No skeletal remains of human opponents. Nor did the puppets bear signs of fighting one another, not that he would have understood why they would have done such a thing. It was as though droves of them had descended upon this mountain pass to fight one singular foe, and droves of them had died, here, cut short at the hands of one monstrous foe.


    On Ike''s shoulder, Shawn sat up. His hands clenched Ike''s shirt, and fear sounded in his voice. "Where the hell are we?"


    "In a mountain," Ike said.


    "I know, but what did you do to it?" Shawn asked, looking around him.


    "As if Ike could do this," Wisp muttered under her breath, but even for her, she struggled to make it sound like a joke. The strangeness of this place affected them all.


    Ike''s eyes widened. Images flashed through his mind. The black-robed mages in the foxes'' resort. The strange ritual they tried to enact on Shawn. Mont''s extreme distaste, mirrored in Shawn''s tension now. "Shawn, that pressure¡ªis it a mountain?"


    "It is." Shawn''s whole body was tense on his shoulder. Ike couldn''t see him, but he knew Shawn would be pale if he could.


    If Shawn''s awake, then we must be close to the mana vein. To the mountain''s very soul and source of power. Ike sped up, activating Storm Clad to surge with his whole speed. It couldn''t be. He refused to believe it. But¡ªwasn''t it possible? And if it was true, then those black-robed mages, and Shawn¡­


    He shook his head and ran on. There was no point in speculation. He''d know it when he found it.


    "Ike! Wait up! Ah, dammit¡­" Wisp sighed. Transforming into her spider form, she scuttled after him. Behind her, Mag took to the wing, though he held back a bit.


    And further back, behind all of them, a ragged form moved.

 Chapter 325 - 325. The Mountain Bleeds

    Ike rushed into the deepest part of the darkness. The closer he got, the more tense Shawn became, so though he couldn''t see far himself, he could use Shawn''s body posture to guess the right direction to rush. The throbbing got louder and louder, beating off the walls. Ike''s body thrummed with it, the sound rattling him to his bones. His heart beat in sync. His breathing moved to the rhythm of the pressure. There was no evading it, no fighting it. He was nothing but a minnow in a mighty sea, awash with the churning of the tides.


    Shawn no longer said anything. He clenched Ike''s shoulder harder and harder, a lump of silent tension.


    They were in it. It beat all around them. Ike searched the darkness for the source of the beating, scanning the walls, the sky, even the ground. It was dark here. Incredibly dark. As though the sun that poured down from above couldn''t reach the earth so far down below. Not just twilight, but the interminable dark gray fog that clouded the world after twilight. Before it got so dark that his eyes swapped to night vision, but after it grew too dim for day vision. The gray blended into the walls, and the walls blended into the gray. Everything was one solid blur.


    "Watch out!" Shawn shouted.


    A slab of solid stone plunged down at him from the walls around them. Ike''s eyes widened. He jumped back, barely dodging in time. The stone smashed into the ground. Shards flew. And then it lifted back up again, not a slab at all, but a massive hand.


    "What is it with me and giant enemies lately?" Ike muttered.


    "That''s not an enemy. It''s the mountain," Shawn replied, but there was a note of hesitation in his voice.


    "Yeah? It sure seems like an enemy to me," Ike said.


    Far, far above them, two bright beams of light flickered into existence, each one as big around as a dinner plate. They swung around and blazed down at Ike, illuminating him in their spotlights. Ike squinted up, struggling to see beyond the blinding light.


    "Puppets? Foolish puppets! Die here!" a horrid voice roared.


    Ike pushed his mask back, revealing his face. "We aren''t puppets!"


    There was a pause. A piercing, grinding sound echoed off the sheer walls, like fingernails on a chalkboard amplified a thousand times. A higher-pitched voice cackled. "All but puppets must die!"


    "Well, what the fuck," Ike muttered, half to himself. Couldn''t be a puppet, couldn''t not be a puppet. There was no conclusion to this conflict but battle, was there. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    A second later, he grinned. That was fine by him. It had been too long since he''d had a good fight. This whole time, sneaking around, playing diplomat and choosing not to fight the centaurs, scooting around in Brightbriar''s territory and trying not to cause too much trouble¡­ it was time to let all that out. Right here, right now.


    The wall cracked. A body stepped out from it, about half as tall as the giant he''d fought in the hidden realm. As it stood, he finally could make it out as the light poured down from the top of the cliffs and illuminated its surface.


    Dark slate made the rough shape of a feminine face and body. The figure was like the first form of a rough statue, with bits of stone still clinging all over it, as if it had been made in a rush and half-finished. Its eyes glowed, the source of the spotlights that had illuminated him earlier. Each one blazed like the sun, warm with a pure, bright light.


    Ike raised his brows. Now that''s a fight and a half.


    The figure turned. White flashed, bright in the light of the upper half of the mountain. Porcelain clad the other half of their face, a fine white mask that was as smooth and perfect as the body was roughly shaped.


    "What?" Ike asked, so startled he said it aloud. His mind went to the black-cloaked mages and Shawn, on the side of Mont''s mountain. Those black-cloaked mages¡­ had they been associated with Brightbriar? He couldn''t remember. But if they were¡ªand they were close enough to Brightbriar''s home base that it was very possible¡ªthen was this what they''d been trying to do with Shawn, in that horrible ritual that they''d interrupted back there?


    "Fucking hell," Wisp breathed. She stared. "A mountain?"


    "He won''t transform the centaurs, but he will puppetify a mountain?" Ike muttered. Then again, it wasn''t as if he didn''t understand. Mountains were massively powerful. They naturally contained insane amounts of mana and the ability to channel mana directly from mana veins, drawing on the planet''s own mana source. If Brightbriar really could turn a mountain into a puppet, he would create a weapon that could wipe out regions on its own.


    "But he failed," Shawn murmured, gazing up at it. "She''s only half-turned."


    Ike followed his gaze. He was right. She wasn''t a puppet, just a mountain infected with porcelain. Then, is that why we couldn''t be a puppet or not a puppet? Either we were, and her mountain half hated us, or we weren''t, and her puppet half demanded we die?


    Still, good thing he failed. If this mountain were fully under his control, we''d be even more fucked than we already are.


    The mountain lifted her arm. It creaked. Bits of stone fell off the arm, raining down on them. A shadow fell over the group as her hand blocked out the sunlight.


    "Everyone ready?" Ike asked.


    "What would you do if I said no?" Wisp asked rhetorically.


    "Tell you to get the fuck ready," Ike replied.


    That giant hand slammed down at them. Ike''s eyes blazed with purple light. Lightning flickered over his whole body, spawning clouds, rain, wind, sleet, and hail. His fists and feet turned metallic, and the lightning rushed to them, flickering more brightly there than anywhere else. Beside him, Wisp took on her giant spider form, and Mag turned into a magpie, soaring up toward the open palm as it dropped.


    "Time to take down a mountain," Ike said, punching his fist into his palm with a clang.

 Chapter 326 - 326. Take Down a Mountain

    The hand rushed down at them. Mag swept around it and flew upward, angling his claws toward the mountain''s towering eye. The further he flew, the smaller he looked against the mountain. At first, Ike would''ve said that he could''ve gotten both eyes with his claws, but up close against the mountain''s face? Mag looked like a wren, a tiny songbird. He couldn''t stretch his legs far enough to reach both eyes.


    Wisp darted out from under the hand. Ike stared up at it, his mind made up. He charged a Shockwave Punch, waiting as the hand plummeted toward him. His steel hands, his empowered body, his Storm Clad and Shockwave Punch. With all of them together, he could take down a mountain. After all, what was that hand, but a lump of fragile, shatterable stone? It was empowered by mana, but at its core, it was still stone. Stone was hard and dense, but it wasn''t good at standing up to powerful single blows. It would shatter rather than flex. If what he faced was a human hand, he wouldn''t have taken the bet. But given that it was stone, with the properties of stone? He was willing to roll the dice.


    The stone hand smashed toward him. It blocked out the sky. Wind blew ahead of it, stirring Ike''s hair. He watched it come, his hand tensed, green light flickering around his hand. He surged Storm Clad as well to empower his body further. The lightning shock would do little, but more power to his fist was more power.


    He hammered upward. His fist flew forth. Green waves raced ahead of him and smashed into the stone, chipping away at its surface, but more importantly, making the whole stone thrum. It rattled, creaking dangerously as the shockwaves weakened it. Green energy rushed through the entire hand and back, and cracks bit through the stone.


    And then Ike''s fist hit. His steel hand dented the stone, and chips flew in all directions. A spider''s web of cracks pierced the stone. He kept punching, putting his all into it. With direct touch, he could hammer the shockwaves directly into the material, to even more devastating effect. More and more cracks spread through the stone, biting deeper and deeper, racing to the edge of the hand.


    A sharp snap rang out. The cracks cut all the way through the stone, all the way through to the other side of the hand. The stone broke in two. One piece fell to the right of Ike, while the other piece remained attached to the mountain''s wrist.


    The mountain stared. Almost in disbelief, it lifted its severed hand and stared at the broken rock. Ike stared as well, then started to laugh. He let forth a scream of exhilaration and pointed at the mountain. "That''s what you get! That''s what you get!"


    "If she were a true mountain, you couldn''t have done that. It''s only because she''s been weakened by the attempt to puppetify her that you succeeded," Shawn said, ruining Ike''s high.


    Ike glared. "Oh, come on. Let me have fun for just a moment."


    Shawn shrugged. "I just wanted you to know, before you do something stupid trying to fight a real mountain."


    Ike looked up. This entire stone construct felt¡­ manageable. There was none of the deep fear he felt when he faced Mont, or even the invulnerability he felt facing Shawn. He knew instinctively that he could fight it, because it was no mountain. Or rather, it wasn''t anymore. "No, I know. I wouldn''t have tried that if it were a real mountain. I would''ve just run away."


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    After all, what had fallen toward him was only stone. A real mountain would have reinforced that stone with mana to the point that it no longer had the properties of stone, or to the point that it didn''t matter, anyways. The whole construct felt¡­ empty. It was full of mana, yes, powered by mana, but that was it. It didn''t have the connection to the mana vein that a real, or perhaps less weakened, mountain would have.


    And what''s weakening her¡­ Ike latched his eyes on her face far above him. On the shining white half of her face, the part that had been replaced by porcelain.


    If he was right, then not only would he un-weaken her by removing it, but he''d also remove her hatred toward non-puppets. If the mask made her appreciate puppets and hate humans, and her natural state was to appreciate humans and hate puppets, then breaking the mask would end this battle.


    "Wisp!" Ike shouted.


    The giant spider scuttled over the mountain''s shoulder. "What?"


    He lifted his hand. "Pull me up. I have a plan!"


    "Things always get exciting when you say that," Wisp replied. She turned around, and a white thread anchored itself to the floor right in front of Ike. He grabbed on. Once, he''d needed specialized shoes to walk on Wisp''s webs, but now, he was so used to her, and beyond that, strong enough, that it wasn''t needed. He clambered up the webbing like a spider himself, reflecting on his past self as he did so. Back in the Abyss, when he''d desperately set up that trap with Wisp''s help¡­ he''d been so weak back then. So helpless. But now¡­


    Now I''m punching mountains, he thought with a smile, though he knew Shawn would admonish him for taking this monstrosity as a true mountain if he said it aloud. It was true, she was greatly weakened. But he was nonetheless far more powerful than the scared boy he''d been back in the Abyss.


    When Ike was halfway up the spider thread, the mountain roared. She reared back, and the thread''s anchoring snapped. Ike swung freely, hammering against the mountain''s chest. The mounds that formed her breasts weren''t soft at all, but were stiff, dangerous rock. He smashed into them, bruised and battered by the promontories of her chest.


    "You enjoying yourself down there?" Wisp called, grinning down at him.


    "No," Ike replied miserably.


    She stopped for a moment, and Ike seized it. Whipping around, he planted his heels on her chest and grabbed onto the cord. He threw his weight backward and hauled himself up one step at a time, using the rope as a counterweight.


    "Ike, watch out!"


    He turned over his shoulder. The mountain''s hand hurtled toward him, slapping like she might slap a bug.


    "Pull me up!" he shouted. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Wisp leaned down over the edge of the mountain. Reaching out her front claws, she pinched the thread and yanked it up. Ike flew toward her, still hanging onto the thread. She reached her claws up and caught him out of the air. Her mouth opened.


    Ike''s sense of danger spiked, rather than diminishing. "Wisp!"


    She closed her mouth and set him down beside her. "Oh¡­ right. Usually when I reel in a string like that, there''s prey on the¡ª"


    The mountain''s hand slammed into her chest, making her whole body rock from the force of the impact. Ike and Wisp swayed with the impact. Wisp''s feet stuck to the mountain''s shoulder, and she clung on without issue. Ike stepped forward, then back to maintain his balance.


    "¡ªother end. Like a delicious version of that ball-string-spike game you humans play. Muscle memory."


    "Ball and cup? Kendama?" Ike suggested, quickly releasing the string she''d pulled him up on before she ''instinctively'' wrapped him up into a snack.


    "Yeah, those."


    "Right, well, I''m not a snack. Or a toy. Just so we have that clear," Ike said.


    "Don''t sell yourself short. You could be a snack or a toy if you wanted," Wisp replied.


    Ike opened his mouth, then shut it. He gestured. "Come on. Let''s go smash the monster''s mask off. If that doesn''t un-puppetify it, nothing will."


    "Got it." Wisp reached for him, only for the earth under them to move. The mountain''s shoulders flexed as it lifted its arms to smack at Mag. Ike staggered sideways, barely keeping his feet. Wisp moved with the motion, completely holding her balance, but as a result, Ike stepped out of the range of her forelimbs.


    "Come back here," Wisp muttered. She snatched him up and jumped off the side of the mountain.

 Chapter 327 - 327. Smashing a Face In

    Wisp jumped off the mountain''s shoulder, clutching Ike in her foreclaws. Ike barely bit back his scream, only managing to hold it in at the last second when he imagined Wisp''s smug expression. A spider thread shot ahead of them. They swung on it and landed on the mountain''s opposite shoulder, closer to its mask.


    Ike escaped Wisp''s grasp and stepped closer. He drew out the Hungry Sword. The mountain turned toward him. White porcelain scraped by, a spot of pale white on her gray granite skin. A glowing gold orb spun in her eye socket, the only marking the bright gold spotlight on its center front. As her eye spun, the light beaming from it played over the walls, flashing wildly in every direction. The spotlight of her gaze landed on Ike. "You!"


    "Me!" Lightning flashed over Ike''s body. His hands gleamed with dark steel. Lightning flashed out from his hands and crackled over every chittering blade on the Hungry Sword. He wound back, putting his all into it, then lashed out.


    The mountain reared her head back. She opened her mouth, snapping toward Ike. Tombstone teeth slammed down toward him. Ike''s sword flew toward her open mouth.


    Shit! There was no pulling back. Ike pushed himself to move even faster. The lightning already flickering over his arm grew thicker and more constant. His hand blurred, but her teeth moved faster. There was no saving it. His hand was lost.


    If I can''t escape, then¡ª Ike flicked his wrist, tossing the Hungry Sword free of her reaching teeth. Even as her mouth snapped shut, taking his arm with it, he kept spinning and reached behind his back to catch the Hungry Sword. The sword landed in his open palm. The teeth immediately gnawed at his palm, but his steel palm was strong enough to resist their bite. He tossed it over his shoulder and caught it in front of him, catching the hilt this time to hold it properly.


    Blood stained the puppet mountain''s porcelain white lips a lurid crimson. She swallowed, stealing his hand away permanently, and smiled.


    "Smile while you can." Ike spun around and slammed the Hungry Sword into her with his other hand. Lightning crackled forth, not meant to strike the mountain¡ªwhat was a single bolt of lightning on a mountain, after all¡ªbut to empower Ike''s arm even further. His arm burned from the ferocity of the lightning he forced through it. His skin glowed a faint red in long, branching lines, and the scent of burning pork filled the air as his flesh crisped. The stroke was unrefined, nothing but raw power and brutality behind it, but that was all he needed. The Hungry Sword smashed into her mask.


    Cracks bit into the porcelain. With a horrible crrk-crrk-crrrrrrk, they ran through the surface, darting all the way to the edges of the mask. The mask trembled. It held for a split second, then shattered.


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    White shards rained down. Underneath, a flat stone plane was revealed; the mountain hadn''t bothered to give itself a face beneath the mask, or perhaps, whoever had shaped this golem from the mountain hadn''t bothered. Ike hopped back. Holding his breath, he waited while his arms regenerated, the one completely regrowing, the other one sizzling as it healed the burns.


    "Whoa¡­ Hey, Ike. Mind if I take a nibble?"


    Ike turned. He narrowed his eyes at Wisp.


    "What? You''ll grow it back," she said, as if it were a completely reasonable thing to suggest.


    "No." sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The mountain trembled. Its whole body shook. Chunks of stone fell away as its strange, large body deteriorated. Ike jumped off, while Wisp hopped to the wall. Mag circled nearby, watching warily from the air.


    A booming voice echoed down the hallway. "Wha¡­ who¡­"


    "Are you awake? You were almost puppetized," Ike informed the mountain.


    "You¡­ you!" The voice changed from disoriented to an angry snarl in a heartbeat. A grinding sound echoed out, louder than anything Ike had heard before.


    "Hey, it''s okay! I''m just wearing a disguise. I''m no puppet," Ike reassured her, totally removing his mask this time.


    "I won''t fall for it again. You die!" she snarled.


    Ike spread his hands. "We just broke the mask off your face. We aren''t here to hurt you!"


    "Uh, Ike¡­" Wisp said.


    "What? I''m negotiating." The mountain hadn''t thrown hands yet, literally or figuratively, so he figured he still had room to talk. A quick glance confirmed that no more golems or stone bodies were forming. If he stood here and negotiated properly, they might gain a powerful new ally. The mountain was unlikely to fight with them, but she might provide a safe space for them, a base within Brightbriar''s lands where they could hide from the puppets.


    Wisp nodded. "The walls¡­"


    He looked around. "Yeah?"


    A second later, Ike paused and stared at the walls again. Dust trembled on the ground. He narrowed his eyes. "Are they getting closer?"


    "Yes! Run, you idiot!" Wisp said, hopping off the wall to openly flee. Mag winged off at top speed. The two of them sped toward the horizon.


    Ike hesitated just a moment, staring up at the mountain wall. The way the mountain had reacted¡­ it was almost as though it recognized him. But that wasn''t possible. He was just a slumrat from a far away city. He''d never been here.


    We crafted you.


    Llewyn''s dying words echoed through his ears, unbidden. Ike shook his head hard, forcibly expelling them. It wasn''t possible. He wasn''t a puppet. He''d seen his own flesh and blood often enough to know that. When he was cut, he bled. No black goo oozed out when he lost a limb. He was human. Nothing but a human.


    "Ike! If you want to become a sandwich, at least do it somewhere I can eat you!" Wisp shouted back at him.


    Ike shook his head, startling into motion. He chased after Wisp and Mag, leaving the mountain behind. It wouldn''t answer him now. It was far too incensed. Maybe this is all nothing, anyways. The mountain had just been busted out of being puppetized. It was probably confused. If he paused and waited for it to not be confused, it might not think it recognized him¡­ but he wasn''t going to stand around and get crushed to find out.

 Chapter 328 - 328. Rush

    Ike ran.


    Behind him, a strange shout rang out. He whipped around, staring back. Puppets rushed the gap. For a second, he squinted, lost, and then his eyes widened. That''s right! All the puppets outside. There''d been hundreds of puppets arrayed just outside the mountain, waiting for something.


    I think I''ve figured out what that something is, Ike thought to himself. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The grinding of the walls changed in timbre, growing louder from behind him. The gap pinched shut faster on the puppets'' end. It still ground shut all around him and ahead of him, but the mountain was clearly prioritizing crushing the puppets.


    Ike activated Storm Clad, pushing his aether toward his legs to speed himself up further. His legs churned, and purple lightning trailed after him in a streak of light. Stone dust and ground porcelain clouded up behind him as he ran. The gray-and-white clouds flickering with lightning gave him the appearance of a stormcloud, given human form and rushing at great speed over the ground.


    Ahead of him, Wisp and Mag raced at top speed. Ike caught up to Wisp first. She saw him coming and transformed into a tiny spider, hopping into the air as he approached so she landed on his shoulder. Overhead, Mag winged on. His rank spiked up to the limits of Rank 4, and he hurtled ahead, barely keeping ahead of Ike.


    "Oh, you want to race, do you." Ike''s eyes glowed with purple light as a smile spread over his face. Pushing his foot down, he hurtled ahead, running at his absolute top speed.


    Wisp and Shawn clung tighter to his shoulders. "Whee!" Wisp cheered.


    The walls pressed in. Compared to the size they''d started, the width of Shopkeep''s city, they''d closed in to the size of a smaller city, but they were still far from touching. Which was good, because they had a long way to go. They were in the very center of the mountain. It had taken them over a day to walk to the center. At that same pace, they wouldn''t make it even a quarter of the way out before the mountain closed entirely.


    But they weren''t moving at the same pace.


    Mag worked his wings, flapping as hard as he could. Flying up or horizontally were the same, at this point; the mountain stretched for untold heights, just as it stretched long before them. He flew dead ahead, winging ahead of Ike by mere inches.


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    On the ground, Ike sprinted at his top speed. He usually couldn''t sustain this speed for long, but now, he poured his all into it. Every drop of aether he had raced through him, lending his legs the strength and stamina to push further.


    No. This isn''t the limit!


    When he ran, he ran at the limit of his speed. The fastest he could go without harming himself. An unconscious limit held him back, preventing him from injuring himself.


    But he was stronger than that, now. He could reinforce his feet with his steel skill. He could constantly heal with the Body Reforging Art. By letting his unconscious limits hold himself back, he wasn''t truly pushing himself to his absolute limits. He was only pushing himself to the start of his limits, to the beginning of where he could go no further¡ªbut not to the edge, past which he could truly progress no further.


    Ike shoved more aether into his legs. Pumped his legs faster. His feet beat against the ground at a staccato beat, accelerating with every passing moment. He ran so fast he tore his legs apart, but all the aether in his legs also fed the fires for Body Reforging Art, fixing the tears and breaks as they formed. His ankles trembled, so he coated them in steel, reinforcing them from the outside in. Once more, his speed increased. Faster. Faster. He pulled past Mag and kept accelerating, racing toward the exit.


    The walls closed in. As he accelerated, so, too, did they accelerate. At first, he thought it was just his perception, but then he glanced over his shoulder and confirmed it. The mountain had squished the puppets to death behind him, so it was now free to target him and his friends. The distant exit closed the fastest, cutting away the light. It narrowed down, even as Ike sped toward it. A building''s width. A door''s width. He was still hundreds of yards away, and the exit pinched shut. No more light spilled through.


    "Wisp," Ike said.


    "I see it," she replied, equally terse.


    "Are you ready?" he asked.


    She laughed. "Always."


    Ike jumped. The second his feet left the ground, Wisp shot a spider''s thread upward and yanked them up. Ike stepped on the stone wall and jumped off again, propelling himself up and out with all his force. On his shoulder, Wisp shot another thread, pointing it across the gap. On Ike''s speed and Wisp''s thread, they crossed the gap. Once more, Ike kicked off, and Wisp yanked them upward. Between Ike''s leg strength and Wisp''s thread proficiency, the two of them dashed back and forth across the mountain, climbing forward and upward at the same time. Up and forward, up and forward. The mountain closed. Overhead, light fell away. Ike locked his eyes on the sky and climbed, refusing to let doubt enter his mind. He would break free. He would escape. There was no other possibility. He wouldn''t allow it!


    The sky narrowed. Down to a arm''s length, a handspan. Wisp shot her thread upward and tethered onto a tree, and Ike kicked off the wall one last time. She pulled, and he pushed, and they hurtled upward, speeding toward the narrowing gap.

 Chapter 329 - 329. Escape

    The stone closed in. The gap closed. Ike kicked again, with all his force this time, and drew his Hungry Sword at the same time. The gap ahead narrowed down to a pinprick, no wider than Wisp''s thread. They hurtled toward solid stone.


    Ike hammered the Hungry Sword into the mountain. To his surprise, it came to life like it never had before. Its teeth blurred, they churned so fast. It chewed into the mountain with voracity, like a beast starved. Stone dust flew, and rock shattered. The thin layer of rock that had closed over them broke apart, and they burst through, flying up onto solid land.


    Ike stumbled a few steps, then fell onto his butt and sat there for a moment, just sucking air and recovering. Wisp laid flat on his shoulder, panting. Both of them were gray with stone dust, completely coated in the stuff. Exhausted, they sat in silence, unable to say anything if they wanted to.


    "Phew! That was close," Mag said, fluttering down beside them. He landed in a nearby tree and peered over his shoulder, adjusting scales and feathers alike with his beak.


    "Oh, now you show back up," Ike said in between gasping, shaking his head at the bird.


    "Fuckin'' birds," Wisp muttered in sympathy.


    Mag hopped, turning to look at him. "I couldn''t have carried both of you and escaped! Don''t blame me."


    Ike laughed. He wasn''t actually blaming Mag. Not only did he know that the bird couldn''t have carried him and flown at top speed, but he relished the opportunity to grow even faster. He''d been trying to break through his top speed recently, but hadn''t found the inspiration to do so¡­ until this mountain race. Now, he felt as though he''d unlocked the secret to push his limits even further out. Speed up until he injured himself, heal it with Body Reforging, then push his newly reforged body to its even further limits. If not for his overpowered healing skill, he never could have developed it. So I guess it''s all thanks to that Salamander I killed way, way back, which inspired me to form Body Reforging Art, which allowed me to undertake this kind of insane training.


    No matter what it was, it all came together in the end. The foundations he''d painstakingly built from the start were still paying dividends today. He no longer needed to hunt so ravenously to progress, now that he could simply absorb mana and manually develop his own skills, but if it hadn''t been for his hunting right from the beginning, he never could have reached this point. It was insane to think about, and yet, completely true. His smallest, most ephemeral-seeming gains had led to some of the most powerful skills he had now.


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    He gestured Mag closer. "Come here. Let me pat your head."


    "No! You''ll ruin my perfectly arranged head feathers," Mag replied, jerking back.


    "Just give in and let him pat your head. He''s got a thing for head-patting," Wisp piped up from Ike''s shoulder. She flipped back upright and hopped off, regaining her usual form. "We''re both unlucky enough to be small, which gives humans the insatiable desire to pat our heads. There''s nothing we can do about it but give in and be head-patted."


    "I''m just a kid! I''ll get bigger!" Mag puffed up his feathers and hopped in place fiercely.


    Wisp shook her head in mock mourning. "Even worse. Appearing childlike only increases the desire to head pat."


    Mag froze. He settled down, reeling his feathers in and standing proudly. "Hmph. Childlike, me? Who?"


    "Mag, you got those backward. It should be ''who, me?''" Wisp corrected him.


    "Are you two done?" Ike asked, chuckling. He stood. The raw edge where the mountain had been cut stood just to his side, still sealed shut. All the puppets were dead, lost within the mountain. On top of that, the mountain had been freed of its puppetization. It was confused, that was the only reason it had attacked. When they came back, he could try talking to it again. Maybe it could explain who it had thought he was. He was itching to know: who did he remind it of?


    ¡­But I''m not itching enough to hop back in there and get squashed for real, this time. Ike stood. First, they''d go find that skill the ants had given them the hints to. Then, once he had the skill and he''d mastered the King, he''d come back here and ask the mountain what it had meant. He set off, and Wisp and Mag followed after him.


    The forest on either side of the line where the mountain had split was completely disjointed. Whatever had cut the mountain in two had done it so long ago that entirely separate forests had grown on either side of the gap. It was strange to see a stand of aspens up against a pine forest, or a scrubby patch of vines and bushes up against a knot of hardwoods.


    The floor shook, and with a rumble, the gap ground open once more. Ike watched it crawl apart, a bit curious. The mountain could clearly close it, so why did it not? Was it something it could only do temporarily? Or maybe it left the gap open deliberately, as a reminder of whatever had wounded it in the first place?


    Yeah, I''ll just add those to ''things to ask the mountain when it''s not trying to kill me,'' Ike thought to himself, chuckling a bit. He shook his head and stared ahead. Right now, the trees blocked the way, but somewhere out there, the crystal shards marked the spot where he''d find his next skill. The place where that man had delivered the body into the earth. The place the ants had shown him.


    They came up to a cliff. Ike paused for a moment, taking the chance to look over the land. And there it was, in the distance. The crystal shards, curling up out of the land like a broken egg. The crystals, glimmering along their edges. The barren land stretched between him and the curling shards, with nothing to break the emptiness. Nothing but jagged rock and low scrub.


    "There it is," Ike murmured. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That''s where we''re going? Neat. I''d love to build a web there," Wisp commented.


    Mag shuddered. "It feels wrong. I don''t like it."


    "Everything feels wrong here. It''s Brightbriar''s territory," Ike replied. He hopped down the cliff, racing toward the crystals, and somehow, he felt¡­ racing toward his destiny.

 Chapter 330 - 330. Pursuit

    They reached the bottom of the mountain by the end of the day. The barrens stretched before them. Barely any plants grew among the cracked, dry earth, just scrubby bushes and some sparse grasses. No longer did dense grass rule the plains. Now, it was the lesser plants, the smaller, yet hardier strains that survived. Very little animal life filled the plains. Even when Ike extended his aether, all he sensed were bugs, small lizards, and a few birds. This place was barren in every sense of the word.


    To match the barren lands, no cities broke the empty expanse. Not even a mortal city, or a hint of an itinerary existence. It was as though humans had simply given up on these lands. Looked at them, seen them as unlivable, and moved on to find somewhere else to live. The grasslands were empty, but these lands, these were¡­


    "Deadlands," Ike muttered aloud.


    "What do you mean? There''s lots of life out there," Wisp replied.


    "Bug life, maybe."


    "Nothing wrong with that. Bugs gotta live somewhere," she said philosophically, one hand on her hip.


    Ike gave her a look. "Bugs live everywhere."


    "And they also live here," Wisp said proudly.


    "Birds live here, too," Mag butted in.


    Ike sighed and patted his head. "That''s true, kiddo. Someone has to eat the bugs."


    "I''m the adult! You''re the kiddo!" Mag replied, narrowing his eyes.


    They set off over the barren lands. Ike jogged, not pushing his limits or even running hard. There was something about it, something about being here, that made him hesitate. He was so close to the crystal shards, the place he''d seen that man in white lay the body¡­ the crystal tomb. And yet, he feared arriving. There was something that awaited him there. Something that would change everything he knew. He could sense it, without knowing why, or what, or how.


    It''s just the skill that lets me take control of the King. That''s all it is.


    But was it? The images the ants had shown him kept replaying in his head. The man in white, descending into the tomb with a body draped in his arms. Why? Who was that? Were they just warning him that it was a tomb, or had been a tomb at some point? If that was all, then he wasn''t afraid. Even if there were skeletons or zombies, he''d just have to smash them to bits. At the end of the day, undead were no different from any other kind of monster.


    The trepidation didn''t abate. There was something about that crystal shape in the distance that made him distinctly uncomfortable. He glanced at Wisp and Mag, but neither of them reacted. Either this sensation was a thing only humans could feel, or he was the only one who felt this way.


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    Abruptly, Ike''s eyes widened. He touched his chest. Was this feeling not him, but the King? The King, who feared this place he approached? He chuckled under his breath. Well, well, well. Of course the Kingy was afraid of the crystal place. That was where he''d get the skill to control the King, after all. He''d be afraid of the place that held the skill that could control him, too.


    "Ike? Are you alright?" Wisp asked.


    "Oh, I''m all good now," Ike muttered to himself, his grin spreading wider.


    Wisp leaned toward Mag. In a mock whisper, she said, "He''s not alright."


    Ike rolled his eyes at her. "I just figured something out, that''s all."


    She applauded. "Yay! He''s learning! What was it, sweetie? Is the sky blue?"


    Ike crossed his arms and glared.


    Wisp giggled. "What? Everyone has to figure out colors one day."


    "Come on. It''s high time I control this ''King'' guy already," Ike declared, speeding up.


    "Said every evil vizier ever," Wisp pointed out.


    Ike nodded, then paused. He squinted at her. "How do you know about human story tropes?"


    "Ever heard of the fly on the wall? I ate that motherfucker," Wisp said proudly. "And then watched the rest of the play. I had a hobby of watching human performances for a while. Only a while, though. There was so much love-talk that I had to stop watching. The action ones were okay, though. Usually only had one or two stupid conversations and love declarations in between the sword fighting."


    "You might''ve watched more plays than me," Ike admitted, as he ran on. He hadn''t had a whole lot of time¡ªor money¡ªfor the fine arts. Once or twice, he''d managed to catch a few minutes of an outdoor performance, but his uncle was always quick to find him when he was ''slacking off'' and put him back to work. What little he knew about stories, he''d learned from the books he scrounged and hid away so that he could practice reading. It was easier to sneakily read a book than stealthily watch a play, after all.


    "You aren''t missing much," she said.


    "Good to know."


    "But maybe, when we get to the big city, it might be worth seeing one, once. You enjoyed watching Lord Nors'' misery thingy in Shopkeep''s city, right?"


    "Huh? Oh, you mean the illusions Lord Nors set up in his city to explain how he''d come to the miserable end he did, with all his citizens replaced by puppets and his own family dead. Yeah, I don''t know if I enjoyed the experience, but I did want to know what happened," Ike allowed.


    "That''s what plays are all about," Wisp said, nodding. "Especially the tragic ones. Those are the worst, though. It''s all talk and no action. Everyone''s sad all the time, and that''s it. No one tries to get better, and then they all die and," she added, actually getting incensed, "AND no one eats them! What''s the point, you know? I mean, I get killing everyone, or dying, or whatever, but what''s the point if no one eats them afterward? They just died for nothing!"


    "I think that''s the point of tragedy," Ike pointed out.


    "I disagree. Tragedy should have a better point. The point sucks."


    "That''s¡­" Ike refrained from repeating himself. It would be lost on Wisp, anyways. Besides, it wasn''t as if he was a fan of tragedy, either. He didn''t really mind Wisp trash-talking it.


    The small party raced over the deadlands, hurtling ever closer to the crystal shards. Ike pushed himself to run faster and faster, his eyes locked on the distance. He was going to make it there and get this King under control, whether the man wanted it or not. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Skill. Skill, not man, Ike reminded himself. He ran on.

 Chapter 331 - 331. Crystal Shards

    The run over the barren lands was largely uneventful. The wind blew, dust stirred, and the three of them raced over the hard earth. Nothing attacked them, nor did anything threaten them. It was them, the earth, and the wind.


    The crystal shards loomed. They were larger than they looked at first, dwarfed by the enormous mountains, but without the enormous mountains, they were easily taller than the tallest city Ike had ever seen. They rivaled a foothill in height, an absolute pinnacle in their own right. If not for the world-splitting mountains nearby, the ones they''d just crossed through that were so high they seemed to pierce the heavens themselves, the crystal shards would have seemed enormous. As it was, they felt large, but unimpressive. They were many times Ike''s height, many times the towers in Shopkeep''s city, even, but compared to the giant mountains? They might as well have been tiny lumps in the ground.


    When they grew close enough that the crystal shards arced high overhead, casting impressive shadows down on Ike and the others, Ike pursed his lips. He had to admit, from this close, they were impressively large. The outside of the crystal shards were dark stone, while the inside was lined with crystals, like a shattered geode. The shards were so large that the crystals that lined the inside of the rock at the ground level were as big as houses. The smaller, finer crystals at the top of the shard were easily as large as Ike. He stared, flabbergasted.


    "I wanna climb on it," Wisp muttered. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yeah, me too," Ike agreed. There was something about it. Something about the crystals and the almost stair-step way they climbed into the heavens, that was infinitely appealing. The monkey deep inside him wanted to climb all the way to the top, and dangle off the shards.


    Mag stared up in silence. Abruptly, he launched off the ground and hurtled toward the shards.


    "Even the bird can''t escape their climbable allure," Wisp remarked.


    Ike shook his head. "No, that''s¡­ that''s not¡­"


    Mag latched onto one of the smaller crystals and pulled back with all his strength. He flapped his wings wildly, then hopped down onto the crystal, using all his strength to waggle the crystal back and forth. It groaned, then snapped. Mag dropped, only catching himself after he fell a dozen feet. With effort, he flew up, then swooped over to them and landed, transforming back to human to hug his prize with his whole body. "Shiny¡­"


    Wisp sighed, finally understanding what Mag had been after. "You can''t pluck all the crystals, stupid bird."


    "I can, with enough time."


    "Mag," Ike said, already tired.


    "Maybe I''ll make my nest here. Live in the shiniest nest," Mag muttered thoughtfully, lost in his own vision.


    Ike opened his mouth to counter him, then stopped. Who was he to tell Mag what to do? If the bird wanted to settle down somewhere, more power to him. It wasn''t as if he needed Mag. He liked the bird''s company, and it was nice to have a scout, but if Mag really wanted to settle somewhere, then he''d peacefully part from the bird and wish him all the best. He had no claim over Mag. Whatever claim he''d had from defeating Mag in the field of skulls had been paid off when he''d found the other half of the King''s skill.


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    "Yeah? With that nasty, stagnant energy hanging around here, you really want to make a nest here?" Wisp asked, untroubled by Ike''s hesitations.


    Mag paused, then sighed. "I thought my dreams had come true, but you''re right. There''s no such thing as a perfect nest."


    Stagnant? Ike reached out to the aether around him. As Wisp had indicated, it moved slowly, almost sluggish, as if it were thick, or cold. It wasn''t like lunam, icy cold and ominous, or solam; it wasn''t a temperature difference. It was the emotional sensation of ''cold.'' If ordinary mana or aether were ''neutral,'' then this energy was ''uninterested'' or even ''reserved.'' There was something wrong with it. Almost as if it were all being pulled into something, or sucked away.


    Ike stepped forward. It was time to find this skill. Time to conquer the King!


    A dry rattle behind him. The rasp of porcelain.


    "Again?" Wisp muttered, even as Ike whirled, Hungry Sword already in his hand.


    The ragged figure from the mountain stood there behind them. It lunged at Ike, as Ike lunged at it.


    It was a foregone conclusion. Ike barely bothered to empower himself, using only the lowest extent of Storm Clad. One sweep of the Hungry Sword, and he battered the puppet back into dust. It blew away on the wind, its ragged cloth drifting off a ways, its powdered body spreading with the wind.


    But it would be back. It had come back every time, all the way across the badlands. The first time, Ike had been shocked. The second time, confused. The third, tired. And since then, day after day, the puppet had appeared, like clockwork, made its mad lunge¡ªand died at his hand.


    No matter how many times he turned it to dust, though, it always reformed and followed him once more. Whether he burned the dust or froze it, buried it or washed it away, even if Wisp bound it up with spider thread and tossed it into a deep crevasse, the puppet always reformed and returned. Doggedly, it lunged for Ike and Ike alone, as if this time, it might strike him down, only for Ike to destroy it time and time again.


    It wasn''t a real threat. He could hear it coming, and if he didn''t, it couldn''t seriously wound him in its one lunge, not with Body Reforming Art and its somewhat pitiful Rank 2 power level. What it was, was annoying. Like a fly he swatted, just for it to get up and keep buzzing.


    "Can you stop?" he shouted at its dead dust in frustration.


    The dust had nothing to say for itself.


    "Think it''s gonna follow us in there?" Wisp muttered from beside him. She crouched, poking at the puppet.


    "I guarantee it," Ike grumbled, in a dark mood. He swung his sword, freeing the dust from it, and sheathed it once more. How long would this stupid puppet keep chasing him? If he couldn''t free himself from its gaze, it''d be a dead giveaway the next time he tried to infiltrate somewhere Brightbriar had reinforced. Not to mention, it might be a spy for Brightbriar right here, right now.


    Somehow, he didn''t get that feeling, though. It had no black gunk in it. In fact, it almost felt as though it were completely disconnected from Brightbriar, living by its own rules, according to its own strange desires. As if it were a ghost, maybe, an echo of whoever''s soul had been stuffed inside it, forced to replay the same actions day in and day out.


    The same actions, which in this case, meant chasing Ike down and stabbing him.


    Why is it fixated on me? Is it just because I was the one who disturbed it inside the mountain gap? Now that he was thinking about it, though, maybe that was it. He was probably the first one who had encountered this puppet after it had been destroyed in the mountain battle, and it had latched onto him as a result. It didn''t explain why this puppet was apparently coreless, gunkless, and immortal, but at least he had a guess as to why it followed him so relentlessly, now.


    Ike huffed, still annoyed. He gestured, leaving the puppet behind. "Come on. Let''s go get that skill before this thing wakes up again."


    "Good plan." Pushing back to her feet, Wisp followed him. Mag hugged his shiny crystal for another few moments, then, with a gesture, sent it into the storage pocket on his head tassel and followed them in.

 Chapter 332 - 332. Within the Shards

    Leaving the shattered puppet behind, they strode into the crystal shards. Shadow fell over them, leaving them in darkness. The crystals glimmered in the shade, gently twinkling like oversized stars. Refracted sunlight twisted through the crystals and played over the ground before them, distorted into strange geometric lines and shapes of gold. A quietude fell over them as they stepped into the shards, as the shards protected them from the relentless wind that whipped over the vast open expanse of the deadlands. Ike had grown so used to it that he hadn''t noticed the wind at all, until he''d stepped into the protected space within the shards. In the sudden quiet, only a gentle tinkling sound broke the silence, as if one crystal were slowly decaying and falling apart down into its fellows.


    It was breathtakingly beautiful. One of the most gorgeous places Ike had ever seen. And yet, his skin crawled. Every single part of him warned him to turn tail and run. There was something wrong about this place. The stagnation in the air, the silence, even the stillness of the wind¡ªit was all wrong. He instinctively hated this place, and wanted nothing more than to leave.


    Is it the skill''s emotions, again? Ike wondered. One glance at Mag told him all he needed to know. The bird boy hunkered, his head low and his eyes big, taking in everything around him.


    "You look uncomfortable," Wisp said.


    "Yeah, yeah. Spiders don''t feel fear, huh?" Ike replied, rolling his eyes.


    She shrugged. "I kinda feel the ick here. But it doesn''t make me want to stop."


    Ike shook his head at her. "You''re crazy."


    "Ayo, and you?"


    Begrudgingly, despite the spooky mood, Ike cracked a grin. "Me too. Hell yeah."


    They wove their way deeper into the shards. The shards closed in around them, forcing them to wind left and right around their edges. They stood in a kind of rose arrangement with overlapping shard ''petals,'' so there was no path directly into the heart of the shards. The further Ike walked into it, the harder it was for him to recall his path back. Abnormally so, in fact. It was only a few turns, something the mortal him would have had an easy time remembering, let alone the mage him, but it somehow slipped right out of his mind. A few petals in, he paused and looked over his shoulder.


    "How did we get here?"


    "Doesn''t matter. Mag flies, and I can climb the shards. If we need to escape, we''ve got ways to scout the exit route," Wisp replied with all confidence.


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    Ike pursed his lips, then nodded slowly. "You know? That makes a lot of sense. I don''t know what I was getting worried for."


    She thumped his back in a friendly manner and grinned. "It''s that sensation, the icky nervous feeling! It''s getting to you. But don''t worry. I''m a powerful spider, and I can take care of you."


    "That''s more terrifying than anything else," Ike informed her.


    "What? Why would you say that about your good friend Wisp?" Wisp asked, mock-hurt, but she grinned at the same time. Gesturing him on, she jogged ahead, and Ike pushed himself to a run. She had a good point, even if she didn''t say it aloud. The faster they passed through this place, the less time he spent feeling that ''ick'' that they both disliked. If he ran, he got through it all the faster.


    Mag hunkered down, narrowing his eyes, then burst up. Feathers flew. Ike waved his hand in front of his face, squinting after the bird. "What¡­?"


    Wisp glanced up after him. She and Ike slowed to a halt, watching Mag fly upward. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He got about a hundred feet up, then smashed into an invisible wall halfway up the shards in a poof of feathers. He fell for a few feet before he caught himself and circled back down, landing beside Ike and Wisp. Resuming his human shape, he shook his head at them and rubbed his neck. "Ow."


    "What was that?" Ike asked.


    Mag wrinkled his nose. He hopped in place, annoyed. "I can''t get out. There''s a wall. A ceiling."


    "We saw that. Could you see anything up there?" Wisp asked.


    "No. I couldn''t get high enough. The shards blocked my view," Mag reported.


    Ike glanced back. He couldn''t remember his way to the exit, and now, the route up was blocked off, too. This was a maze. A trap, maybe.


    But then, didn''t that just mean that whatever waited in the center of this maze, this trap, was valuable enough that someone had built a maze to hide it? And not only that, but the maze was still powered. The spell had to be powered by something. The skill, maybe? Or maybe like the previous trial they''d gone through, the maze would collapse when the central object was removed. Either way, facing resistance was promising. Facing resistance meant there was a reason to prevent people like them from progressing this way.


    Still, it was resistance. If they kept wandering around the shards, they''d only continue to get more lost. Whether it was getting in or escaping, that wasn''t ideal. They were just wasting time here, when he could have the skill in hand and be working on taking control of the King already. Impatience welled up inside him, and he frowned. Playing by this trial''s rules rankled him. He''d already had enough of dealing with trials from the King''s realm. He was tired of that kind of bullshit. All he wanted to do, was kill things and get more powerful.


    A thought came to him, and he grinned. Ike turned to Wisp and waggled his brows. She grinned right back, on the same exact wavelength. He looked at the path ahead, then looked at the shards all around them. "You remember Lord Nors'' castle?"


    "Huh? Oh, Shopkeep? You mean¡­" She smiled, then nodded. "I remember."


    "What? What are we remembering?" Mag asked, confused, looking from one to the other.


    "Stand back." Ike walked up to the next shard and drew back his sword. Green shockwaves built up around the hefty blade, and his body flickered with lightning and storm clouds. Aether rushed all around him, circulating through him with such force that it kicked up a wind. The shard stood opposite, the bare dark granite back of it facing him. It was a wall. A blockade.


    The enemy.


    Ike dashed forward and unleashed his strike into the back of the shard.

 Chapter 333 - 333. Stone Blasting

    KA-BAM!


    Stone dust flew, clouding on the air. Sparkles from shattered crystals danced on the breeze. Ike coughed, waving his hand. Did it work?


    The air cleared. A hole pierced through the shard before them, into the back of the crystals on the other side. Ike grinned and clapped. It was working. This would work.


    "What? Only that deep? Get back, pathetic child. Watch a real mage get to work." Wisp pushed him to the side and stepped forward, cracking her knuckles. Her aether surged, and black chitinous armor crawled over her arm. She pitched back and hammered the crystals with a punch.


    The crystals immediately shattered. Chunks of crystals flew through the air and rained down on the other side, scattering over the next hallway. Smug, Wisp sashayed through the gap she''d made. "Haha, look. A real mage can get through."


    "You only got through because I already broke through the hard rock for you," Ike grumbled, half-joking.


    She turned back and stuck her tongue out, grinning broadly. "Says the guy who couldn''t break the crystal. What''s harder, hmm? You could break the stone, but it took a powerful spider beast like me to break the crystal."


    Ike rolled his eyes. "You know¡ª"


    A little ball of feathery rage pushed past both of them. "You''re both pathetic! Watch how a true king does it!"


    Mag hurtled up into the sky. He reached the ceiling, then whipped around and plunged out of the sky, his foot outstretched. Chunks of stone and dust flew, and he landed in a hole in the rock. He hopped back, appearing out of the dust. "Look upon my might and despair!"


    Ike clapped once, putting aether into it so he cleared the dust. Mag had knocked a hole in the stone a little smaller than the one he''d smashed, but just like Ike, he hadn''t broken through the crystal.


    Wisp chuckled, puffing up her chest, smugger than ever. "Oh-ho-ho, would you look at that. I guess the crystal really is harder to break through than the stone, hmm? Tut-tut. It''s a good thing your friend Wisp is here to put some real spider muscle into it."


    Ike sighed. He shook his head at Mag. "We''re never going to hear the end of it, are we."


    Mag shook his head mutely.


    The layers of crystal and stone couldn''t hold the three of them back. They smashed through, one stone petal at a time. Ike felt vaguely bad about it, smashing directly through someone''s hard work, just brute forcing through the maze, but at the same time, mazes were annoying and a pain in the ass. He far preferred to smash through the maze rather than actually try to solve it.


    With the three of them taking turns to smash the rock, they broke through the stone petals in no time. Ike glanced back, checking that the persistent puppet that had been following them the whole time wasn''t catching up. Whatever was in here, he didn''t want to deal with that annoying jumpscare and the actual danger in the center of the maze at the same time.


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    A silhouette stood behind him, outlined by the sun shining through the holes in the stone petals.


    "Hold up," Ike muttered. He whipped around and ran back, charging to the silhouette''s side in a rush of purple lightning. The figure resolved into the ragged puppet. Seeing him, it startled and raised its sword, but it wasn''t at all prepared for a headlong rush. When even its sneak attacks bounced off, perhaps it should have been obvious, but this was a foregone conclusion. Ike hammered the puppet into the ground, and it shattered to dust again. Digging his toe in, he pivoted and whipped around, heading back toward the group.


    "Take care of things?" Wisp asked as he reached them again.


    "Yeah. The stupid puppet was back up again. I had to put it down."


    She nodded. "We need to take that thing out for good."


    "I agree, but how? It doesn''t have a core or goo. I pummel it into powder, and it reforms as if nothing happened. We could bury it somewhere, I guess, but I have a feeling it would just climb out, or turn to dust and drift out. I have no idea what to even target to destroy it, or how to contain it," Ike pointed out.


    She twisted her lips, then shrugged. "We can think on it, but we have to do something. That thing can''t just follow you around for the rest of your life."


    "Gods. I hope not," Ike muttered. He glanced back. The puppet still hadn''t reformed yet, but he could see its ragged cloak. The rest of his life? That was too long. Way too long. In the back of his mind, he''d been thinking that it would only follow him here, in the badlands, where it had found him, but Wisp was right. There was nothing, as far as he knew, holding it here. Nothing to prevent it from following him everywhere.


    He stared over his shoulder for another few seconds, then shook his head. Worst case, the puppet didn''t move overly fast, and couldn''t fly or anything like that. They could always just leave it behind eventually.


    But Wisp is right. I''ll have to deal with it permanently sooner or later. I should start thinking on it now, see if I can come up with anything. He put the task to the back of his mind, to sit there on the back burner for a while. After he took control of the King, that would be his next task.


    The petals grew tighter and tighter, with less space between them. Finally, the petals were so tight that there was no room to stand between them. They smashed through one, and immediately had to smash through the next. Ike stood back, waiting for the other two to take their turns, and looked around. "Guys, do you think we''re doing this wrong?"


    "What? What would give you that idea?" Wisp asked, stepping back from the petal she''d just punched through.


    Ike stepped forward, drawing back his sword. He unleashed a powerful blow, smashing the next layer of stone. The Hungry Sword chewed unhappily, crunching loudly to let him know its displeasure. "I don''t know, maybe the fact that there''s no room to stand between these petals?"


    He walked out of the hole, and Mag took his place. The bird transformed into his true form and raised a claw to scratch his way through.


    "No, no. You''re being ridiculous," Wisp said dismissively, waving her hand.


    "I mean, it does seem to be working. I can''t complain when it gets the job done. But I do feel like this probably isn''t how we''re meant to get there."


    "Ehhh. If the solution works, then the person setting it up didn''t build their trap well enough," Wisp replied. Mag retreated, and she stepped forward to pound down the wall with a punch.


    "Better words have never been said," Ike agreed. She backed out, and he jogged forward, swinging his sword. He sped up, accelerating until he reached the wall, and unleashed a heavy blow.


    Crystal scattered. On the other side, a vast hollow opened up. The shards completely contained it, leaving it in total darkness. Ike couldn''t see far into it, despite his Rank enhancing his eyes and every other part of him, but that ''bad'' sensation oozed out of the darkness, thicker here than anywhere else. Cold emanated out of the darkness and wrapped around his ankles, and a shiver ran up his spine.


    Ike glanced back. "I think we found it."

 Chapter 334 - 334. In The Heart of the Stone Rose

    Ike stepped through the hole they''d punched in the wall and walked into the darkness. His footsteps echoed in the still air. It was as though he walked into an empty cathedral. A vast, dark, open space spread before him, as silent as it was still. Dust softened his footsteps, and the wind he dragged with him as he moved was the only motion in the air. The light that streamed in the hole they''d punched was the only light in the space, and Ike frowned. Was there no route in here? Was this not the prize at the center?


    Or was it the prize, and it had simply been completely sealed so that no one could find it? Was there some secondary ''prize'' at the end of the maze, meant to trick those who pursued the treasure locked within the shards? He raised his brows. Had he overcome the ''trick'' to this maze by simply being bull-headed and smashing his way through the wall, rather than actually engaging with the maze mechanics?


    "Whoaaaa," Wisp said, dragging her voice out when she realized it echoed in the quiet, enclosed space. "How''s it so big in here? It looked so small from outside."


    Ike glanced back at her. She was dimly lit, little more than a silhouette against the doorway. "What an interesting thing to say."


    "Huh? Is this some human thing?" she asked.


    "Very much so."


    "Fuckin'' humans. Hey, is there anything in here? Or is it just a big, open space?" Wisp asked, bounding by him.


    Ike chuckled to himself and followed her in exploring the space. She was right. He shouldn''t just be standing here, thinking about might-bes and could-possiblys. He was right here, in that hidden space, so he ought to explore it. Whether this was the prize at the center of the maze or not, there was no downside to exploring it, only potential gains to be made.


    He expanded his aether outwards, sensing the space around him. It was large, but that was all the more information he got from it. There was something repressing what he could sense with aether. It felt like peering into a foggy day, like there was something just before his eyes, clouding anything important he might have seen. Ike squinted, frowning. This wasn''t just a random space. There was no reason to add some kind of perception-dulling layer to an empty room. There was definitely something here.


    Wisp stepped deeper into the room ahead of him. As she moved, the darkness seemed to swallow her up, thicker than ordinary darkness, and harder to pierce through despite his levels and skills. Whoever had created this area really wanted to prevent anyone from seeing any further into the area.


    "Wisp, be careful," Ike advised, drawing his sword.


    "I know, I''ve noticed too¡ª"


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    The ground cracked open under Wisp''s feet. She leaped backward as the earth heaved and broke apart, and a massive beast climbed to its feet.


    "Whu-oh," Ike muttered.


    Wisp landed beside him, raising her fists. Mag rushed up on his other side, puffed up in rage. The three of them watched while the beast rose out of the earth.


    It had a broad stance like a large dog, a barrel chest, a long, thick tail, and a low, heavy head. Large bulls'' horns splayed out to either side of its thick skull, huge but razor sharp. Its face was somewhere between a dog''s and a bull''s, with a big wet nose, sharp teeth in a long muzzle, and vicious, dark eyes.


    "Been a while since I hunted a good, old-fashioned monster," Ike said, smiling.


    The beast snarled at them. Its fangs glistened in the low light, ropes of spittle dangling between its jaws. It lowered its head and pawed the ground like a bull about to charge.


    "Watch out!" Ike warned the other two.


    Wisp shot a thread of spider silk up and caught the ceiling. Mag took directly to the air. Ike watched them go, then sighed deeply. What did I expect? I''m the least mobile of the three of them, and that''s saying something.


    The beast charged. Dust flew behind its massive paws, and its claws dug into the earth. Ike activated Storm Clad and dashed to the side, dodging its mad rush. It dug in its paws and caught itself before it struck the wall, then whirled around. It shook its head at Ike and snorted. Hot, wet breath steamed out, blowing the dust into the sky.


    Ike rushed in. The beast bellowed and charged to meet him. As the two of them closed in on one another, it lowered its head and turned it to the side to gore him with its sharp horns. Leaping into the air, Ike landed on its forehead and ran for its neck.


    The earth buckled underneath him as the giant monster shook its head. Ike was thrown into the air. The horn smashed toward Ike, as huge as the wall of a house. It filled his vision, rushing in at him.


    Ike twisted his body in midair and slashed back, parrying the monster''s horns. The massive horn and Ike''s almost laughably-small Hungry Sword clashed. The Hungry Sword squirmed to life, and bits of horn flew everywhere.


    And then the horn-blow hit Ike, as his singular sword strike failed to parry a mass hundreds of times his weight, and he was sent flying across the dark space. He tumbled across the dusty floor and bounced to his feet, skidding to a halt just before he reached the far wall. The beast''s lowered head immediately loomed, as it charged him once more. Ike''s eyes widened. He leaped again, but to the side this time. The monster struck the wall, then turned, its maddened eyes still locked on Ike.


    "How''re you doing down there?" Wisp asked. She dangled from the ceiling, swinging from a length of spider silk.


    "Oh, I''m fine, I''m doing just fine," Ike replied sarcastically. The beast pounded toward him. Ike raced away, juking it to the side, but the beast lashed out with a paw and sent him flying again. Once more, he rolled, accumulating bruises and scrapes. They healed quickly, but it still hurt.


    "You uh, need some help, or¡­?"


    "You know, help would be awesome," Ike allowed.


    "But do you need it? Because I''m enjoying my front row seats to the rodeo." Wisp swung on her seat, grinning like a madman. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The beast lunged. Ike expected a sweep of its horns, but it snapped at him instead. He hopped back, barely dodging its teeth. "Get your ass down here and help!"


    "Oh, fine, fine. If you insist." Wisp leaned forward to hop down.


    KRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII! A sharp tone rang out from the entry point, sharp as nails on a blackboard, and for a split second, everyone froze. They turned to face the single point of light, and Ike narrowed his eyes.


    "Not again."

 Chapter 335 - 335. The Rider, Reunited

    The ragged puppet stood in the door, body barely holding together, slender limbs draped by the same tattered cloth as ever. Ike could see light through the cracks in its limbs where its body hadn''t perfectly reformed, and realized, at last, that it had been slowly wearing down all this time. It wasn''t so obvious in the light of day, when the sunlight washed its porcelain skin to a blazing white blur, but backlit like this, he could see all the damage it had sustained. It lifted its corroded sword and pointed it at Ike.


    "You wanna go, right now? Come here. I''ll take you out real quick and get back to the real fight," Ike said as he dashed over. He lifted his sword high.


    The puppet moved faster than it had ever moved before, darting its sword toward his heart the moment he raised his guard. Still holding his sword too high for a quick counter, Ike kicked the ground and threw himself backward, curving his body around the thrust. Its sword cut into his chest, drawing blood, but he moved backward too fast for its blade to truly find purchase.


    "Holding back?" Ike asked. It hadn''t fought this hard before. Until now, its skills had been pathetic, its attacks slow and weak. Even if it had hit him, it struggled to draw blood, and it moved numbly, almost automatically. Now, it moved with intelligence and verve, its eyes flashing with a dull light.


    The drum of heavy paws on hard ground was his only warning before the beast was upon them. Ike whirled, then dashed to the side, rather than try to make a stand between a hard place and a very quickly approaching rock. The beast ran up to the puppet, and Ike winced, already hearing the crash as the two collided.


    The beast drew to a halt. Almost worshipfully, it lowered its head. The puppet raised its hand and stroked its muzzle with warmth and familiarity. The beast let out a low hum in return, as if it had been reunited with a long lost partner after far too long.


    A sinking sensation came over Ike. He rushed in. The two couldn''t be allowed to reunite. If they did, he didn''t know what, but something bad would happen. Something unfavorable for this battle, if nothing else.


    The puppet hopped onto the beast''s back, and the two turned to face Ike. Lifting a hand, the puppet held it out flat in front of the both of them.


    Ike slammed into a wall of force. He hit it with such force that he bounced off and fell backwards, only to backflip to his feet again. He retreated, putting some distance between him and the two.


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    The puppet and the beast''s emanations synchronized. Power welled up, bouncing between the two of them and growing stronger with each pulse. The puppet went from cracked and pale to healthy, its body healing, its hair fixing itself, even its skin taking on a healthy glow instead of the pale porcelain. Its rags became regal armor, the ragged cloth atop it a red cloak. The puppet¡ªno, the rider¡ªturned to face Ike. He threw his cloak out behind him and drew a gleaming golden sword, his pale hair streaming in the darkness.


    "You, who seeks the legacy of yet another fallen prince. Show me your worth."


    He thrust his sword upward. The bud in the center of the rose¡ªthe space they stood in¡ªunfurled, revealing the sunlight. Wisp yelped and hopped off the ceiling as it twisted away from her, landing beside Ike instead. Mag chirped happily and surged into the sunlight, circling high overhead.


    Ike frowned, squinting at the self-proclaimed prince. There was something about his face that was familiar. Something uncomfortably known. He felt as though he''d seen the prince a thousand times before, but he was sure he''d never seen this puppet before. It wasn''t the generic puppet face any longer, but a highly custom one, one that could pass as human. A human that he knew, but who? Who was it¡ª


    "Holy shit, Ike, it''s you!" Wisp exclaimed, pointing.


    Ike blinked. He touched his face¡ªas if that would tell him anything¡ªand stared. She was right. Now that she''d said it, he couldn''t not see it. He''d seen that face a thousand times, in mirrors, in streams, in still ponds. That was him. His face. The skin was paler than his, and the hair far fairer, the eyes a cerulean blue as opposed to his dark brown, but that was him. His face.


    "What the fuck? That''s so creepy," Ike muttered, shivering. Llewyn''s parting words echoed in his ears once more. We crafted you. And here was a puppet that looked just like him.


    Crafted. His hand unconsciously clenched on his forearm, fingernails digging into the skin. Blood welled up, and he released it. Human. He was human. This puppet wasn''t him. He wasn''t a puppet. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But why did it look like him?


    "Yeah. How the hell did Brightbriar make a you-puppet hundreds of years before you were born? Is it some kind of freaky coincidence?" Wisp asked, tilting her head.


    Ike clenched his sword tight. He pointed it at the so-called fallen prince and narrowed his eyes. "Doesn''t matter. I''m gonna shatter the freak and never think about this again."


    "Hell yeah. Preach it, brother." Wisp balled up her hands into fists and bounced in place, her eyes glittering with battlelust.


    The prince lowered his sword. He patted the beast. At some point, it, too, had transformed. Before, it was a worn-out, dusty relic, but now, its fur shone, its horns glimmered, and its claws curled into brutal hooked blades. Oiled leather reins draped over its muzzle, and a gilded saddle sat beneath the prince. It lowered its head and pawed the earth, and hot steam rose from its nostrils, threatening a furnace within.


    "Face me," the prince ordered Ike.


    "Don''t gotta say that twice." Ike charged, Wisp hot on his heels.

 Chapter 336 - 336. Princely Clash

    Ike charged, and the rider rushed to meet him. The beast leaped into the air, blocking out the newly-summoned sun. Sharp claws bore down at him.


    "You go left," Ike said, darting right. He and Wisp split. The beast landed between them. On its back, the rider had sheathed his sword and held a javelin instead. Eyes locked on Ike, he threw the javelin directly at him.


    Ike snorted. He drew back his sword, preparing to knock it to the ground and obtain a new weapon.


    In midair, the javelin began to glow, then transformed into a streak of golden light. It accelerated suddenly, too fast for Ike to see or react to. A burning sensation seared into his chest, and he stumbled backward.


    Thump. He looked down. His right arm laid on the ground, still clutching the Hungry Sword. The Hungry Sword came to life. Its hilt opened up into a gaping maw, and it turned on Ike''s arm and devoured it in an instant.


    "Ike!" Wisp shouted, alarmed. Then: "Dammit, I could''ve eaten that."


    Ike stumbled backward. He grasped his arm and stared at the rider numbly, shocked. A pulse of mana rushed up behind him, and he ducked at the last second. The javelin-light bolt rushed through the space where his heart had been and landed in the rider''s hand.


    "Do you surrender?" the rider asked, voice low and ominous.


    Ike gritted his teeth. He pushed aether into his Body-Reforging Art. His shoulder closed over. A nub formed, then surged outward. A new right arm grew. He picked up the Hungry Sword, activating his steel hands so it didn''t eat his new arm, too, and pointed it at the rider. "Never."


    The Hungry Sword opened that new maw and bit onto Ike''s hand, only to rebound off the steel. It shook itself and settled down, closing back into a normal hilt.


    The rider chuckled. He hefted the javelin and drew back, sitting up high on the beast. "Then die."


    Before the rider loosed his weapon, Ike darted to the side. The rider''s hand tracked him, then threw the javelin. The second it left the rider''s fingertips, but before it transformed into a beam of golden light, Ike activated Storm Clad and accelerated at his absolute top speed. He blurred away in a smear of purple lightning and dark clouds, and the javelin rushed off and slammed into the wall behind him.


    "Clever," the rider complimented him.


    "Clever, your ass!" Wisp appeared over the man, her elbow braced in a heavy blow. She elbow-dropped his head, and he ducked, falling from the force of the blow.


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    The beast roared and shook itself, but Wisp just clung on with her spider hands and feet. On its back, unbothered by the shaking, the rider lifted his hand, calling the javelin back to himself.


    "Wisp! Get out of there!" Ike shouted.


    "Huh? Oh." She caught sight of the blaze of light and shot a thread to the stone walls, swinging away.


    The rider tracked her. His eyes narrowed.


    "Get punched!" Mag slammed into his wrist bird-claws first, his claw curled into a sort of fist. The rider''s wrist cracked, and he dropped the javelin. He snatched it up with his other hand and turned to Wisp again, but she was gone.


    While the other two were distracting the rider, Ike raced directly at the beast. It narrowed its dark eyes and lowered its head, pawing at the ground. He cocked his head back, daring it to charge.


    The beast roared and charged Ike, taking the rider with it. Startled, the rider whipped around and tried to quiet the beast, but to no avail. Ike closed in. He hopped up, landing on the beast''s head. Before the beast could shake him off, he pushed off and launched himself at the rider. The rider lifted his sword.


    "Uh-uh." Spider thread tangled the man''s arms from behind. He jerked back, yanked off the charging beast. Mag battered about his head, blocking his sight with a flurry of feathers.


    Ike dashed across the last few feet, his sword held at chest height. He slammed it home, sliding the blade between the puppet''s ribs.


    The puppet sighed, an exhausted sound. Ike expected it to instantly recover, but instead, it shattered, as if a blow to the heart were just as deadly to it as it was to a human. On the other side of the petal-bound arena, the beast shattered as well. The two groups of dust flew toward one another, mingling into one giant ball of dust.


    "I don''t like the looks of that," Wisp muttered.


    "Yeah, me neither," Ike said. He rolled out his shoulders and swung his new arm, still adjusting to the way it felt. It was stronger than the rest of him, freshly reformed from new, stronger materials.


    Mag fluttered back up into the sky. He circled overhead, well out of reach but ready to dart down at a moment''s notice, or better yet, use one of his large-form spells. All three of them watched the mingling dust, waiting to see what fresh form it took.


    And then Ike startled. He rushed toward the dust. "Wisp, use your fire!" S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh¡ªoh! Got it!" Wisp swung in. She shot a thread of flaming spider''s silk into the mingling dust.


    A small section of the dust caught on fire and burned up, but no more. The rest of the dust quickly rushed in and extinguished the fire.


    Ike grinned. So it can handle a small fire. But what about a large fire?


    He dashed back and forth in place, pushing all the aether he could into Storm Clad. He activated his lightning hands and dash technique as well, layering as much lightning as he could onto his body, and poured aether into Lightning Caller as well. The sky darkened as storm clouds covered the sun. Lightning crackled in the clouds and thunder rolled in the near distance.


    The dust swirled, starting to take form. Shapes appeared in the nebulous cloud.


    "Hurry it up already!" Wisp shouted.


    The cloud grew more and more firm. As it firmed up, the emanation coming from it grew more and more ominous. Mid-Rank 3. High Rank 3. Peak Rank 3. Rank 4. And still, it kept escalating, growing stronger and stronger as the dust firmed into shape.


    Ike clenched his teeth. He shoved even more aether into it, and at last, Lightning Caller took on a different sensation. He pointed up into the sky. "Come!"


    White light flashed, washing away the world. Ike saw nothing else.

 Chapter 337 - 337. Blinding Light

    White light flashed. Ike saw nothing. Felt nothing but electricity, coursing through his entire body. When the light faded, he stood alone in the darkness, blinking away the black to call his vision back. Did it work?


    Once more, he could see. Dust still swirled all around him, but a good chunk of it had vanished, going up in black smoke. The Rank of the dust no longer spiked, but instead flatlined¡ªat high Rank 3, but not Rank 4. He''d stopped it from breaking through to the next Rank.


    "Hell yeah!" Wisp cheered.


    Ike backed away, panting. His whole body was blackened, and strange scars crawled over his whole body. Every piece of him ached, and a portion of his nerves screamed in rabid pain. He needed a moment to recover, just like the puppet and his beast needed a moment to recover. He sank to his knee, too exhausted and damaged to stand.


    "Ike, you alright?" Wisp shouted.


    Ike waved. His body was already recovering, the burns fading and the strange scars melted away. He''d be fine. That was just a fierce strike, and right after recovering his arm, it was taking him a little time to recover. He caught his breath and stood, forcing himself back to his feet. "I''m hanging in there."


    "This guy''s a toughie, isn''t he," Wisp commented.


    "He sure is."


    "Hey, do you know why he looks like you?"


    "No idea."


    "Huh." She considered, then shrugged. "Let''s kill the fucker, then we can figure it out."


    "Sounds good to me."


    Mag fluttered down to hover near them. "Why are you guys all worried about him looking like Ike? Lots of people look like each other."


    Ike opened his mouth, then shut it. Mag was a bird. He saw all kinds of ''people'' who were exactly identical to one another, thanks to their feather patterns. Of course he wouldn''t find it strange to see two identical, or at least very similar, ''people.''


    "It''s a human thing," Wisp explained, before Ike could step in.


    "Ohhh. Why are humans so weird?"


    "Dunno. I think it''s because even the non-magical stupid ones have some smarts. It causes everyone trouble, but mostly the humans."


    Mag nodded.


    "Don''t nod at that. It''s not true," Ike grumbled.


    "Is it not?"


    "It''s¡­ not¡­" Ike gritted out, but it was hard. It wasn''t completely wrong. People did cause themselves a lot of problems by all having some level of intelligence. Problems that beasts simply didn''t share, so it wasn''t like he could completely rule out them being caused by people smarts.


    People smarts, what am I doing? Human intelligence! These damn beasts have infected me.


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    The dust started to settle. One figure emerged. First the feet, then the calves, then the thighs. The legs were abnormally long and muscular, completely out of proportions with the puppet who had vanished into it, but not out of proportion for the massive beast it had combined with.


    "A little more and I''ll kick," Wisp muttered.


    "He''s a puppet. I don''t think he has anything to kick," Ike replied.


    "There''s only one way to find out."


    "It''s your foot on the line."


    "Eh, I can heal it."


    The dust continued to settle. The hips emerged, and as promised, Wisp rushed in. She unleashed a furious kick, one that lifted the legs up into the air a bit. Ike winced in sympathy, even though it was a puppet and an enemy; it was just too hard to watch. For all that, the puppet didn''t react in the least. It landed back down, completely unharmed.


    "Dammit. Oh well, at least I tried," Wisp said, limping back to Ike''s side.


    "At least you tried," Ike replied, patting her shoulder.


    A powerful, muscular, barrel-chested torso formed from the dust, then broad shoulders and meaty arms. The original puppet hadn''t been stick-skinny, but they had been a relatively normal-sized human being, muscular, but not insanely beefed up. The new form before them was different. This was a hulk of a man, roiling with muscle on every limb, his thigh as wide around as Ike, his biceps as big around as Wisp''s head. The muscles bulged, too, all but trembling with power. The beast and the man had become one, and the man had consequently become a beast.


    At last, the head took shape. That eerily-familiar face contorted, no longer quite as familiar. It had merged with the beast''s face, leaving a hideous amalgam somewhere between beast and human, with a muzzle and fangs, but oddly human eyes. The beast''s heavy horns crowned its head, though now the horns twisted a bit at the end, thrusting upward and forward.


    The beast-puppet amalgam growled. It lifted its clawed hand and waved Ike forward, as its tortured lips twisted into a smile.


    "Don''t need to tell me twice." Ike glanced at Wisp, who nodded. Her foot had healed enough that she was ready to go.


    Ike charged, and the beast charged in answer. Wisp shot spider thread upward and shot away, landing on one of the nearby petals. Mag circled nearby to watch the clash from above, waiting for an opening.


    The two of them slammed together. Ike instantly went flying back, but rolled and regained his feet. He''d mitigated enough of the beast''s charge that it was digging in its feet, about to start again¡ªbut he wouldn''t let it. He rushed in and hammered it with a flurry of heavy blows. The beast swung at him, but in this format, where they both stood still and traded blows, Ike''s speed was a massive advantage. He could neutralize the beast''s strength advantage by dodging or darting away. When it did land a hit¡ªand it did, and they hurt¡ªhe jumped back instantly, giving himself enough distance to recover. The beast tried to charge every time he backed away, but before it could, Ike dashed in again and resumed the beating.


    The beast roared. Shockwaves flew from its mouth and forced Ike back. His feet slid over the rocky earth, unable to hold against the beast''s roar. Wisp shot thread in, trying to sabotage the beast''s footing, but its roar disintegrated that, too. The beast''s body swelled up, growing more muscular. It charged Ike again, able to use the roar to make enough distance. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ike, get back! Run away from it!" Mag shouted from overhead. With both hands, he compressed a small ball of black aether. The ball pulsed, and his hands gapped. Only with effort did he manage to close them again. The ball of aether exuded power, so strong that Ike instinctively knew it would seriously damage him if it hit.


    Ike obeyed, fleeing the beast rather than meeting it. Enraged, the beast gave chase¡ªbut that was exactly what Mag wanted.


    "Eat birds, loser!" Mag hefted his arm and tossed the ball directly at the beast. At the last second, the beast sensed it coming and whirled. It tore the ball apart with its claw, and the ball exploded into thousands and thousands of magpies, all of them with murder in their eyes. Swooping and darting, they swarmed the beast, cutting at it with claws and beaks alike. The beast raised its arms to block its face while the magpies angled in, searching for its eyes and ears to rend them asunder.


    "Maybe don''t tell him to eat birds. You''re a bird," Wisp pointed out dryly.


    "Shut up!" Mag snapped.


    "It was very cool, Mag. Good job." Giving the bird boy a thumbs up, Ike nodded at Wisp. She nodded back and leaped off the petal, flying toward the beast''s rear. Ike charged it from the front. While it was distracted by the birds, now was the time!

 Chapter 338 - 338. Beast Battle

    Ike struck the beast hard in the midsection with his Hungry Sword just as Wisp''s foot found its spine. The beast screamed. It reached out to fight them off, only to give the birds access to its eyes. It immediately snapped its hands back up to defend its eyes, but that meant that Ike and Wisp were able to smash into it, and it was defenseless to stop them. It kicked at Ike, and Wisp tried to hook its other heel and send it to the ground. Slamming its first foot down, it barely caught itself, only for Ike to capitalize on its lost balance and strike it hard, pushing it further toward the direction it had almost fallen down. The beast stumbled.


    "We''ve got him pinned down. Whatever your biggest hit is, do it!" Ike shouted at everyone.


    "I''m working on it!" Mag shouted.


    "I''m already hammering him. This guy is insanely sturdy," Wisp replied.


    Ike nodded. He, too, was already using all his strength, but the beast barely budged. It was as though it didn''t even feel his attacks. He could see its skin abrade, but that was all; the porcelain couldn''t bleed.


    If I could use the King¡ªhe immediately banished the thought. Would the King deign to help him? Not only that, but this was the journey to find the skill that would allow him to best the King, once and for all. It would be suicidal for the King to help him. In fact, he wouldn''t understand at all if the King did acquiesce. More likely that the King would take the enemy''s side.


    Of course, if he could best the King, none of that would matter, but that was putting the cart before the horse. He couldn''t best the King. That was why he was here in the first place. No, no matter how he thought about it, this wasn''t the time to use the King, and even if he tried, it wouldn''t work.


    But it wasn''t hopeless. The birds'' claws and beaks scraped its hard outer shell deeper than Ike or Wisp could. Ike charged his sword with Storm Clad until lightning shot from its thousands of tiny blades and struck the beast hard, only to confirm what he already knew. The blade came away after inflicting nothing more than a superficial scrape. Pure magic attacks seemed to do more than physical attacks, even physical attacks enhanced with magic. He had a few of them¡ªLightning Caller chief amongst them¡ªbut he wasn''t a magic-attack specialist. His arsenal of pure magic spells was short. He''d focused on physical attacks and physical enhancements. Until now, it hadn''t failed him; in fact, it had served him well back in the King''s trial. This was simply the other shoe dropping. If an enemy could be immune to magic, then it tracked that an enemy could also be basically immune to physical attacks.


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    He glanced up. It looks like Mag might be our only hope.


    Mag was in a rare form, with both wings and arms. He almost looked like the mythical creature known as an angel, except they were supposed to be elegant, drop-dead gorgeous, and bear white wings, while his were black, streaked with white scales. His wings beat steadily behind him as he focused on the magic in his hands, brows knitting in concentration. Aether whirled around him, so thick it physically manifested in loops and swirls of blue energy. This truly was his most powerful attack. If this couldn''t do it¡ª


    I''ll figure something out, Ike thought, forcibly cutting off the train of his original thought. He wouldn''t give up. They''d just have to pivot, and he''d have to come up with a new plan.


    The beast grumbled under its breath. Its mana spiked oddly, and Ike tensed. "Watch out! He''s doing something!"


    "I noticed," Wisp replied, eyeing the beast''s rear end.


    "Huh?" Ike asked, and then it burst free. A thick, meaty tail grew from the beast''s back, and immediately struck at Wisp.


    He shook his head. Thank goodness it wasn''t what I thought it was.


    Wisp dodged the tail and spat a glob of poison at it. The poison sizzled and hissed as it met the beast''s body, but did little to seriously damage it. She wrinkled her nose. "Why is this guy so unnecessarily tough?"


    "Wish I knew," Ike muttered. It''d be way less trouble for him if it wasn''t so tough. This thing was way more powerful, compared to how weak the puppet had been before it had found its mount. It was night and day. It almost felt as if it had become exactly as strong now as it had been weak before. So easily shattered before, and now, unbreakable as diamond.


    Unbreakable. There was something to that. Something that caught his attention, but that he couldn''t quite put to words. Ike frowned, wanting to think on it more, but before he could, the beast whipped around, spinning in a circle so that sturdy tail of its smashed at his calves. He leaped into the air, yanking his legs out of its reach, and the thought was gone.


    Given a little space thanks to its new appendage, the beast dug its paws in. Ike smashed its right paw with the Hungry Sword, and Wisp caught the left paw with her spider thread, and with the two of them working together, they stopped its charge before it happened.


    Ike glanced up. It still fended off the birds, but for the most part, it held its arms over its face so they couldn''t reach its eyes, and watched them through the narrow gap between its arms. The beast was starting to adapt to getting swarmed by the birds. Its arms were still locked into battling the birds for now, but it could grow new appendages. How long until it grew another pair of arms?


    It''s only a matter of time. If we don''t end this soon, it''s going to end it for us, Ike realized.


    "How much longer?" Ike shouted, glancing up at Mag.


    "Just a little bit¡­!" Mag replied, deeply focused on the spell in his hands. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The beast swept its arms out. The birds scattered. In its rare moment of freedom, it slashed at Ike with both hands. Ike caught its blow and held it, refusing to parry, just trying to stall for time. "Come on!"


    "Okay¡­ get back!" Mag shouted, for the second time.


    Ike jumped away. Wisp shot out a silken thread and darted to the nearest petal. The beast stood alone.


    "Take this!" Mag shouted, and unleashed his spell at the beast.

 Chapter 339 - 339. The Final Blow

    Mag''s spell hurtled toward the beast. Glowing brightly, trailing streaks of mana behind it, the bolt rushed toward the lone figure. Suddenly abandoned by Ike and Wisp, the beast watched them go, then looked up. The glowing blue ball closed in on it, rapidly eclipsing its sky.


    It was too late to flee, and the ball moving too fast to think. The beast threw its hands up, opposing the spell with its body.


    The blue ball smashed into its hands and exploded. The sound alone was enough to shatter one of the second-layer stone petals, and the earth shook from the force of the blast, kicking up like a ship at high sea. Ike stumbled back as the shockwave slammed into him, forced to retreat a few steps. Opposite him, Wisp braced herself against the wall. Aether raged, rebounding across the entire expanse within the stone rose. It cut deep lines into the stone, lashing wildly across the arena. The lines of aether slammed into Ike, and he was forced to circulate Storm Clad faster to prevent them from cutting him open, too.


    Destructive power burrowed into the beast, and into the floor all around it, too. The second it struck, a great cloud of dust rose up from the ground as the spell absolutely destroyed the earth all around the beast. From within the dust, the beast roared. A pained sound? Ike leaned forward, uncertain. He couldn''t see anything beyond the dust. It was as though the dust was the end of the world, a curtain that blocked off everything beyond. He extended his senses, but the raging power of the spell prevented him from sensing anything going on within it.


    "Did he do it?" Wisp shouted.


    Ike threw his hands up. He had no idea. If Wisp couldn''t sense anything either, then that made two of them. The inside of the dust ball might as well have been on the other side of the world, for all the more insight he had into its contents.


    Hovering in the air, Mag frowned. He looked at his hand. "I definitely hit him."


    "I don''t think anyone''s doubting that," Wisp remarked without missing a beat.


    Ike''s heart sank. That wasn''t a statement that came without a caveat, especially the way Mag said it. "You definitely hit him, but¡­ what?"


    "I¡­ don''t know. It doesn''t feel right," Mag said, frowning. "It feels like, even if I destroy him, I can''t kill him."


    Ike''s heart sank even further. An unspoken fear, one that had lingered in the back of his mind all this time, returned to the forefront. He pressed his lips together, unwilling to accept it, even as it made more and more sense in his mind. But why wouldn''t it be the case? It had been the case when he was weaker, so why would it stop applying now? "Don''t tell me. Is he just as unkillable as he was when he was fragile?"


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    "Oh man. Don''t say that," Wisp groaned. "We''ll be here forever. Literally."


    "There has to be a way to defeat him," Ike muttered, half to himself. Physical attacks barely damaged the beast, and even if magical ones damaged it deeply, it gave Mag the feeling that it wouldn''t keep it down. Normally, he would have waited for the dust to clear, but right now, he felt that same ominous sensation as well; not to mention, the puppet had demonstrated thousands of times that it could return from dust. If Mag, the only one who could sense what was going on in his spell, felt like the beast would survive it, then they needed to spend this time to come up with a plan.


    But what do we do? How? The King came to mind, but he immediately dismissed it. It was powerful, but unpredictable and uncontrollable, before he even brought up how this was his attempt to control it. He couldn''t use it. It simply didn''t make sense.


    He''d used Lightning Caller on it already, and managed to injure its dust form, but not kill it. He''d used Storm Clad, but his empowered blows had bounced off. He hadn''t used any of his lightning-powered strikes yet, but since they were weaker than lightning caller, he doubted they''d be of much use. What did that leave? His brows furrowed. He had some skills he hadn''t used in a while, like Tempest or Exsanguination, but Tempest, while one of his stronger magic-based attacks, was weaker than the one Mag had launched, and Exsanguination, a skill that expelled blood, seemed out of place against a foe with no blood. What did he have? What could he do, that could actually injure this thing?


    No, wait. I''ve already got my answer. It''s a shitty answer, but it''s an answer. Ike''s expression turned grim. He was in this for the long run. There wasn''t a quick, one-hit answer, but if he had any kind of answer, it was better than nothing.


    "What''s up? You look like you just bit a lemon," Wisp asked, right in his ear.


    Ike flinched, then whirled. The stone petal she''d been perched on was empty, and additionally, there was no one close to him. Dread sunk into him. She''s back in spider form, isn''t she.


    "Hey there, Ikey boy. You guessed right! I''m right here, all close and cozy." An extremely light touch feathered against his earlobe, and Ike flinched again.


    "Oh gods," he muttered.


    "What? It''s just your old friend Wisp."


    "That makes it worse." Ike raised his hand and pointed, ending this conversation. "I think I know how to kill him." S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh yeah? How?" Wisp asked, curious.


    "Lightning Caller. It''s the only skill that did serious damage to him so far," Ike pointed out.


    "But you get badly injured afterwards, and it only worked in his dust form."


    "Right. So we need to pulverize him to dust, then hit him with Lightning Caller."


    "And he was only weakened, not killed."


    "So we repeat it until he dies."


    Wisp went silent. Ike couldn''t see her, but he had a strong feeling that she, too, had just bitten a lemon.


    At last, she said: "I don''t like that."


    "Yeah, me either."


    "I wouldn''t imagine you do."


    A shared sigh. Ike clapped. "Enough resting. Back at it."


    "You got it, boss."


    With that, the two of them stepped toward the dust cloud, even as aether still tore into it.

 Chapter 340 - 340. The Dust Settles

    Ike and Wisp stepped toward the puppet. Dust still roiled all around it, bursting with blue aether here and there. The aether quieted. The dust settled. From the heart of Mag''s biggest spell stepped a largely unharmed puppet. It had a few small cracks where the spell had directly hit it, but no more damage. Its eyes gleamed with violence. Once more, it locked eyes with Ike, and this time, it charged directly at him.


    Ike closed in as well. Behind it, Wisp shot spider thread at the puppet''s ankles. The threads caught it for a second, but it immediately kicked through them. She succeeded at slowing it, but not stopping it.


    It would have to be enough. Ike sped to his top speed and pounded the puppet with the Hungry Sword. He pushed aether into the sword for the first time. The sword happily ate his aether and rushed even faster, blades churning so fast they could no longer be seen. The thousands of teeth chipped at the puppet''s surface, gnawing and scratching into the porcelain. Moreso than an ordinary blow, the blades tore up the surface of the puppet and sent dust into the air.


    Insight flashed in Ike''s eyes. He activated his lightning palm technique and shot lightning through the dust. Purple light crackled, darting from dust particle to dust particle and setting it alight. The dust burned to ash. Ike scanned the area with his aether, and sensed exactly what he''d hoped: the parts of the dust that were still dust belonged to the puppet, sharing its mana signature, but the parts that had become ash no longer belonged to anything at all. He didn''t even need Lightning Caller. On a small scale, he could chip away at the puppet. It didn''t feel like a meaningful wound, but given that it was the only way he had to injure the puppet at present, if was far more worthwhile than anything else he could do.


    The puppet attacked him, no more or less vicious than it had been before. It hadn''t realized he''d managed to destroy part of it. That was understandable, given how little of it he''d destroyed, but it was also good. Ike grinned to himself. It was slow. This was going to be one of the more drawn-out, brutal battles he''d ever been in. But he had a way. A route to victory. It wasn''t a good one. It wasn''t a fast one. But it was one, and that was better than no route at all.


    Wisp raised her brows, seeing his expression change. She shot a spiderthread to his shoulder, transformed, and threw herself to his side. "What''s up? Figure something out?"


    "Yeah. If you chip dust off him, then burn that dust, you permanently destroy that small part of him, and I don''t think he realizes that we can harm him that way."


    She paused for a moment. "That sucks. That''s going to take forever."


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    "Better than it literally taking forever, because he can reform over and over again, and we''ll never be able to leave this place."


    Wisp snorted. "Fair. It is a plan, after all. I don''t have that."


    "It''s definitely not a good plan, no. If you come up with something better, don''t be afraid to speak up. But until then¡­" Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yeah, I got it. Better to be working toward something, than be working toward nothing at all." She shot a thread from his shoulder and darted away.


    Thus began one of the longest battles of attrition Ike had been involved in thus far. Even against the giants, there hadn''t been a battle so monotonous, so repetitive. The two of them and Mag all ground at the puppet, scraping off bits of it, then burning those bits away. Slowly, the puppet grew smaller. Imperceptibly at first, so slowly Ike couldn''t be sure it happened at all, but as the days crept by, the puppet surely grew smaller and smaller. One millimeter at a time, its body scraped away by increments, by less than ounces, they destroyed it. Ike learned its moves inside and out, learned how it reacted to attacks and what stymied it, to the point that actual battle became automatic. If there was a number associated with health the same way there were numbers associated with skills, then he was killing this monster less than one health at a time.


    The puppet didn''t seem to recognize it. The spark of intelligence it had shown early in battle had dimmed once more, ground away the same way they ground at its resilient body. If it had secrets, it kept them well¡ªassuming it remembered it had secrets anymore. Ike almost found himself mourning the puppet. It had once been a person, as all the puppets had, but over the decades, no, centuries, the person had been ground away, until only the puppet remained. This thing supposedly held a mental skill, but it couldn''t even hold onto its own mind. It was empty. Hollow. Devoid of everything, devoid of goo, of memory, of self. The rare glimmer was all it had left, and even that was gone, now, repressed into the monotony of battle.


    Ike''s aether ran down. One day of battle was nothing, even a few days was nothing, but this continuous, unending battle, even if it was monotonous, even if he memorized the puppet''s every move, it still wore at him. Mag was the first to break. The bird-boy winged off to rest and draw mana while Ike and Wisp alone fought the puppet.


    Wisp was the next to run low. She tossed a salute to Ike and hoofed it, and Ike suddenly found himself the only ground combatant against the puppet. Mag did his best to cover from the air, but there was only so much he could do. The monotonous battle suddenly became a real fight again. Ike battered the puppet back, then desperately dodged as it closed in on him and unleashed a heavy barrage of blows at him. He used its strength against it, smashing his sword into its arms as it struck at him to knock twice as much dust free, but the mere fact of the heavy clashes meant that he took more damage in the reverb and backlash of the hits.


    At last, Ike''s mana ran low. Wisp returned to battle, and he fell back. "Can you take it for a while?"


    "Oh, sure," Wisp said. She bared her fists, giving the puppet a grim look.


    "No."


    Both Ike and Wisp stared at the puppet. For the first time in a long time, its mouth opened, and it spoke.


    "No."


    And with that, a vast wave of mana welled up from within it, and it rushed at Ike more powerfully than it ever had before.

 Chapter 341 - 341. Blast In

    The puppet rushed at Ike yet again, but this was unlike any previous clash. The puppet''s all was in this blow. It refused to let him escape to rest, no matter what. Wisp tried to slow its approach with spider thread, but the powerful silk snapped like it was a mortal spider''s web. Mag fired birds to harass its face, and it ran through them as though they weren''t there. Desperation flared in its eyes, and its mana burned hotter in response. It wasn''t going to let Ike get away, no matter what.


    Exhausted and on the dregs of his aether, Ike barely parried as the puppet closed in. He''d been trying to back away to get a rest, and given how it hadn''t charged Mag or Wisp, he''d been totally unprepared for the mad rush. He took its initial charge on the back foot, and the puppet immediately overwhelmed him. A heavy blow swung from the left, and he lifted his sword to block, only for it to hammer its right fist toward his ribs. He jumped back, shoving off its left arm as much as the ground, and its fist swung through the air. As much as he wanted to punish its overreach, he had no footing left. He used the gap to hop back and recover. By the time his feet touched the ground, the puppet was on top of him again. The weight of its blows alone forced him back, and it was relentless, pounding him over and over so that he couldn''t find his stance, get his footing, lift his sword, nothing. Ike was purely on the defensive. He used his speed to its absolute limits, and could barely keep up with the puppet''s onslaught.


    In that moment, he realized a weakness in his style, something he hadn''t encountered until now. His speed was powered by aether. All his techniques were. It was the foundation of being a mage. But in this situation, hammered within an inch of his life, backed into a corner and on the last dregs of his aether, he was in trouble. He couldn''t power his speed as much as he wanted to, because he needed to leave enough aether in his arms to handle the puppet''s blows. In a battle of attrition where he was pushed to his utmost limits, where he was running low on aether with no chance to recharge, he couldn''t burst out with his power the way he wanted to. He needed¡­ something else. Something to recharge his aether, or something other than aether to rely on.


    Unbidden, his mind flashed to the King, and the King''s ability to draw in mana and aether alike from its surroundings. If only he could master it, if only he could make those abilities his own¡ª! S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But there was no time for wondering, wishing, or hoping. The puppet swept his legs, and Ike crashed to the ground. It leaped toward him, aiming to pin him. He rolled to the side, dodging its attack. All this takes some time to describe, but had happened in an instant, and as a consequence, it was only now that Wisp reached the puppet. She jumped onto its back and gripped it with her thighs, pummeling its head and shoulders with her fists. Black chitin guarded her hands and provided spikes along her knuckles, and her hits raised little puffs of dust from its back, but it didn''t matter. Ike could see that now. If he wasn''t allowed to back off and recharge, then the puppet couldn''t be beaten through a battle of attrition. He had to do this all at once, or not at all.


    Ike climbed back to his feet just as the puppet shook itself furiously and threw Wisp off. It reached for him again, once more going for the topple and pin. Ike hopped its kick and spun, putting all his aether into his leg. He kicked it back, straight across the stone arena and into a stone petal across the way. A great cloud of stone dust flew from the point of impact, temporarily blocking it from view.


    "It''s not gonna let you recover, is it," Wisp commented.


    "Nope." Ike pulled a mana potion from his storage ring and downed it, then another. His aether refilled to about half-full, the mana potions converting to aether at an unsatisfyingly low ratio. He at least had the potions, but they weren''t the same as personally recharging his aether, nor did he have an infinite stock of them. He didn''t want to spend them all on this annoyingly beatable battle against someone who couldn''t overpower him, but whom he couldn''t break through the defenses of. It was like fighting a wall. It didn''t feel satisfying to use all his resources beating on the wall, when the wall wasn''t really threatening him. But if this ''wall'' went berserk every time he tried to back off, then he had no option.


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    Unless he could come up with a better plan.


    He thought back to the moment he''d called the storm to him, when he''d developed Storm Clad. He''d been desperate, on the brink of death. He couldn''t exactly replicate that part, but what about the rest of it? The call? The resonance? That instance of Storm Clad had been more powerful than anything he''d activated since, and not only that, it had drawn the storm from the sky and used it as power, not unlike how the King could draw down aether. Ike looked up. Lightning crackled overhead, the storm he''d called to activate Lightning Caller not yet spent. It was there. The ingredients were before him. If he could bring forth that Storm Clad again, he might be able to outright overpower this puppet before him. But how did he pull them together? How did he activate that call to the storm once more?


    It hadn''t been through the System. No, the System had nothing to do with it. In fact, Llewyn had been shocked that he could do such a thing¡ªthat he had done such a thing. It had been through something else.


    His soul. His core.


    He turned his gaze inward again. The puppet closed in on him, but he let it pummel him. It wasn''t important. He could heal this level of damage. What mattered, was being able to pull down the storm once more and bind it to himself. Resonating with the storm. Becoming one with it. Before¡­ before, he failed. He failed, and that failure had bred Storm Clad. A powerful skill, but still a skill. Something the System could recognize, even if it hadn''t been System-generated.


    "Ike!" Wisp shouted. She jumped in front of him, taking the blows meant for him. The puppet kept fighting, trying to punch through her to reach Ike. Wisp recovered and fought back, but angrily. "What the hell, Ike? What are you doing? Don''t space out in the middle of battle!"


    She didn''t understand. This was the most important thing he''d done since the battle had begun.


    He was detached. Somewhere beyond his body. His mortal shell felt alien to him. A trifling, short-lived thing, something to be used and discarded. It wasn''t him. He was something more.


    His shell fell to the ground. Dimly, he was aware of Wisp screaming, and Mag swooping down to pull him away from battle. None of it mattered. All that mattered was this moment, this potential.


    He was the storm. The storm was him. And immediately, in the instant before Ike winked out and became something else, something greater, he understood what he had misunderstood. He understood where he was lacking understanding, that he might fail to truly become storm in his weak, mortal shell.


    Ike was gone. There was naught but storm, naught but wind, rain, the heavy pressure and the low pressure, hot air and cold, warring against one another. And where they met, where the friction was strongest, the storm was born. Lightning. Thunder. The power, the raw vitality of the storm, met where two opposing forces clashed.


    A storm wasn''t a thing. It wasn''t an object, a cloud, a rainfall upon the earth with a lightshow to match. It was a battlefield, the place where two forces of nature warred to impose their future upon the earth.


    And he was a thing born of that battlefield.


    Lightning flashed, slamming into Ike''s prone form. He stood, slowly. His veins glowed with purple lightning. Storm clouds flickered in his wounds, closing with booming thunder and shimmering flashes of light. His blood flowed like rain, pouring back into himself.


    "Ike?" Wisp asked, almost afraid.


    He looked up, slowly. There was nothing human left in his eyes. Only the storm, the bruised purple cloud. His eyes were set, but rain-tears poured from them. A sense of deep loss ran through Ike, something so deep, down to his soul, that he knew he hadn''t known this loss, and yet knew he had always known this loss. Something had been taken from him. He didn''t know what. He didn''t know when. But he had lost something. Something irreplaceable, something that turned his soul from a placid sky to the battleground on which a storm raged.


    The puppet stared at him, gape-jawed. It shoved Wisp aside with startling strength and closed in on him, jabbing a punch at his gut. A hidden blade popped out of its arm, closing the distance to his gut. It plunged home.


    And Ike smiled.

 Chapter 342 - 342. The Storm and I

    The puppet didn''t plunge its blade into a human being; it plunged its blade into a storm. Lightning crackled up the blade, singing it black and tearing over the puppet''s wooden arm. Spidery black marks burned up its pale arm. The raw power of the lightning broke the porcelain apart, shattering it into a thousand pieces. The puppet jerked away, but Ike closed in. He tossed the blade away. Red blood, his raindrops, splattered over the puppet. Like acid, they burned through the puppet¡ªno. Washed it away, as if the porcelain was mere mud, and its body no more than sand.


    The puppet turned, outright fleeing. Ike was there. He flashed in the blink of an eye, as fast as lightning. Thunder rolled out from his passing and slammed into the puppet, throwing it back. It rolled head-over-tail, crashing into Wisp''s waiting foot.


    "Fore!" she shouted, and kicked it back to Ike.


    Ike drew the Hungry Sword. The sword hummed in his hand, and for the first time, he understood how poorly he''d been using it. The sword operated on this same power that he did, now¡ªsomething beyond the System. Something where mere aether and mana weren''t near sufficient to power its true might¡ªbut now he had that something, and he poured it into the blade.


    The blade grew. The thousands of teeth became thousands of palm-sized blades, and the blade itself inflated to the size of a man. A mouth opened on its end. The puppet dug its nails in, desperately jerking itself to a halt, and only lost its lower half to the sword.


    Ike stepped forward. He lifted the sword to finish the job.


    The puppet threw up a hand. "Wait! That secret, the thing you seek¡ª"


    "You''re a piece of me," Ike said simply.


    The puppet gaped.


    He pointed up. "The storm told me. You, the King, you''re all pieces of me. Past lives¡­ no. Previous existences. Pieces of me that Brightbriar carved up. That''s why I haven''t been able to let him go, all this time. That''s why I''ve pursued him, why he''s let me go time and time again. He did craft me. He crafted all of us. Cut us out from something greater, and made us these pitiful things."


    "You have another," the puppet said. It pointed at Ike''s storage ring.


    For a second, Ike blanked, before remembering. "Rosamund?"


    "She is a piece of us. One so tattered it cannot even remember its gender or what it was, but a part of us nonetheless." It gave him its hand. "Absorb me. Become what we were."


    "No," Ike said simply.


    "No? But you feel it too. We won''t be complete¡ª"


    "I won''t become what we were. I''ll be Ike, to the end. What we were was stupid enough to get carved up by Brightbriar. I''ll absorb you. I''ll absorb the King, and Rosamund¡ªall of us. And I''ll become Ike, but more powerful."


    The puppet laughed. The beast faded from it. Its face returned, the one that oddly matched Ike''s, though its hair was blonde. "You must be the most headstrong, stubborn part of us. No wonder he only made you, where there was precious little else to cut free. Ha! Perhaps you have a point. We lost to Brightbriar before. Why combine into that same being? Let us become something greater!"


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    "Well, I don''t know about that. You''ll become Ike, anyways," Wisp muttered.


    Ike shot her a look. "That is something greater."


    Wisp put her hands up.


    "Yes. I think¡­ maybe¡­ I was waiting for this." It offered Ike its hand. "I am the Prince. My failure was my indolence, my willingness to look the other way while my country fell to pieces and lose myself in my pleasure. I was routed, killed, and in the end, Brightbriar returned, slayed everyone who harmed me, and left me in this pathetic half-form, neither dead nor alive. I wandered the ruins, always wondering: what could I have done? What could I do?"


    He looked to Ike, as if expecting an answer.


    "Who cares? You failed, and you died. I won''t fail, and I won''t die." Ike clasped its hand.


    The Prince laughed. A pulse of light passed from it into Ike, and its body fell to dust, starting from the broken midriff upward. It locked eyes with him. "I believe you will."


    Ike closed his eyes. The light overcame him, and for a moment, he was someone else. A blonde boy, holding Brightbriar''s hand. The boy grew, always surrounded by lavish luxuries, the best of the world at his fingertips. The finest friends, the most delicious food, the softest robes. He never wanted; he need only call, and it came to him. His whole life was a waste, lived in this way, luxuriating in a golden spoon, until one day, Brightbriar vanished, leaving the kingdom to him. He''d taken classes, received the finest formal training, but what was fine training in the face of reality? He tried and failed, tried and failed, for the first time in his life¡ªtried and failed.


    Failure. Failure. Failure. His kingdom was nothing but failure after failure. The part of him that was still Ike rolled his eyes. Of course he failed sometimes. That was part of life. No one could live without failing a little bit.


    But for the Prince, it was the first time he had ever failed, and he didn''t know how to handle it. Rather than facing his failures or trying to correct them, he retreated into himself, into the luxuries and extravagances that were all he''d known growing up. He turned his back on his kingdom, and the problems piled up. His people shouted for his help, for him to do anything¡ªbut he knew only failure awaited, so he dove deeper into his luxury.


    Fire. Shouting. Mages assaulted his castle, while the mortals stormed it from before. Why? He hadn''t done anything. Was even that a failure? In the last moments of his life, the Prince asked these questions¡ªand then he died.


    After that, there were only fragments. Brightbriar, a deeply sad, yet disappointed expression on his face. He lifted the Prince and lowered him into this place, and Ike''s eyes widened. This was what the ants had shown him. This was that scene.


    Within the stone rose, under Brightbriar''s ministrations, the Prince changed. His human body hardened, turning hollow. His soul, on the verge of leaving, was bound down, tied to the very porcelain he had become. The human parts of him were excised, tossed aside to become the Beast. And when he was done, Brightbriar turned him loose, setting a hollow man upon a hollowed land¡ªbecause Brightbriar had been busy. The humans and mages who had opposed him were slaughtered. Their towns, burned to the ground. Only one town, one border town who had remained loyal, was left, and that was transformed, its citizens bound into puppetry and hidden away in the earth so the neighboring countries wouldn''t invade. And so it was left, an empty husk of a land, with the Prince an empty husk to match, bade to endlessly wander.


    Ike''s brows furrowed. "Then¡­ hold up. Does that mean Brightbriar doesn''t have a near-endless puppet army from all the lands he''s conquered?"


    The Prince''s fading consciousness had no answer. He did not know what Brightbriar had done with the dying citizens. He could have bound the dead into puppets; during that time, the Prince himself was dead, and by the time he was revived, there was no one left to ask.


    Ike nodded. He left the Prince to rest at last and opened his eyes. The storm had faded from him¡ªno. Vanished into him. It remained within him, an indelible part of him, a part of his very soul and core. His core was wreathed in storm now, a permanent battleground.


    "So¡­ what happened?" Wisp asked, tilting her head.


    Ike laughed. "Where do I even begin?"