Before Xavier realized it, the countdown to Glut’s evolution was about to end. Merely ten hours separated him from reuniting with his companion.
He didn’t expect to jump into such intense fights without Glut, but the last ten days had been chaotic and filled with countless battles against the Kobolds.
Xavier returned to Logwood daily to fight the masses of powerful monsters and search for more survivors. He didn’t find many survivors, but he procured a large batch of Soul Essences and Cards.
At last, his Foundation was on par with the Foundation Orbs of his Father, Leyla and the other Card Holders, who focused on protecting the settlement. The others didn’t leave Haven often. Instead, they stayed near Haven and guarded their home, keeping the surroundings clear. Their primary focus wasn’t to grow stronger but to keep the surrounding monsters from invading Haven. They did have to fight a few monsters that occasionally charged at them, so in a way, their growth wasn’t stunted either. However, their progress wasn’t comparable to Xavier’s rapid growth.
His combat prowess and experience surpassed most by far at this point.
Foundation Orb
[Star of Vitality – Basic 100/500]
[Star of Strength–Basic 100/500]
[Star of Agility– Basic 200/500]
[Star of Dexterity – Basic 100/500]
[Star of Perception – Basic 100/500]
[Star of Energy – Basic 270/500]
[Star of Wisdom– Basic 170/500] – [+5] [+2%]
I need a break. That’s for sure. Fighting these scumbags every single day is so tiresome!
Even Kobold Shamans and Kobold Swordmasters weren’t strong enough to overpower Xavier. Xavier was strong enough to dominate most Kobolds after his Foundation Orb crossed 1000. Adding the versatility of his Card Deck into the play, Xavier had an easy time dealing with Kobold Giants and most Mutants.
Xavier would be fine if the Kobolds didn’t evolve more than three times. He fought a group of Kobolds who had survived three evolutions at some point. To be precise, he killed two members and gained 50ish Soul Essences, which he’d integrated into his Foundation Orb right away to overpower the remaining Kobolds.
Armor Break and Pierce Armor combined with Coat of Fire, Energy Blade, and Shadow Blade were powerful enough to slay most enemies as long as the opportunity to strike appeared. Xavier could create such an opportunity using Elemental Aegis, Stun, Thunder Step, and Dash.
His spatial awareness, combat experience, and understanding of Kobolds also helped a lot. If one of the many factors that decided the Kobolds’ fate hadn’t been present then, Xavier would have died.
Fortunately, he was unscathed and stronger than ever.
He returned with countless weapons and armaments procured from the Kobolds. The armaments were studied thoroughly, and after numerous failed experiments, the first breakthroughs were achieved. The Craftsmen experimented more and forged the first useful armaments with attribute boosts and unique effects. The first attempts failed, but the Craftsmen improved quickly. They were faster than Xavier expected.
Everyone was happy. The blacksmiths worked day and night in the forge to create sturdy metal gates that would withstand monster waves without giving in easily. They were crafted using whatever metal they could get their hands on and molten into a giant alloy that was then used to create gates, sturdy locks, and even metal chest plates for the frontline warriors. A team of carpenters salvaged wood from the fallen trees to restore roofs and doors while also working on replicating bows and arrows used by the Kobolds.
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All of the craftsmen were eager to replicate Kobold weapons and items and adapt them for human use. The forge was always on, the hammer clanging against the metal and beating it into the desired shape. In addition, a group of artisans and crafters combined all available materials to create vessels, containers and cooking utensils using stone, sand, metal and wood.
The rapidly growing population needed more objects to survive, so the craftsmen left no stone unturned to ensure that every basic need was met. But it was not just the artisans who had been busy.
The farmers had plowed and tilled patches of land, adding earthworms and mulch to the soil to slowly turn it fertile and planting seeds judiciously. They were not self-sufficient yet, but it was a start. Like usual, everybody started early in the morning and worked until the last rays of light dispersed, casting darkness all over Haven.
But tonight was special. It was the night before Glut’s evolution would be completed. Xavier rested soundly near the settlement’s outskirts. He studied the batch of Common and Uncommon Cards he’d procured in the last few days to determine which Cards he should link to his Card Deck and which Cards might be better used by others.
He was curious about some Uncommon Cards but was interrupted by a commotion before he could link them to his Card Deck.
His ears twitched when he heard a scream. At first, he ignored it, but then he heard it again and noticed that it was muffled and coming further away. That was strange. Everybody was instructed not to venture outside Haven post sundown.
Curious, he got up from the ground and walked outside his home to notice dim lights in an abandoned house outside their settlement’s border. He found that even weirder. Had a monster sneaked inside through the walls and dragged someone outside Haven? Xavier could not sit still, so he tiptoed towards the house, the door to which was partially open.
He had readied his blades to cut through the monster's hide, but the sound of humans stopped him. Slowly, he took a peek and was horrified to witness the scene.
Five men, all of whom were recent additions to their settlement, were bent over three women whose clothes were torn, trying desperately to get out of their holds. The men had pinned them to the ground and shoved pieces of cloth in their mouths to stop them from screaming.
The three women were crying and wriggling while three of the men had already pulled their pants down, their disgusting faces looming over the women who were begging to leave them alone. One of the bystanders noticed the door creak a little and turned his head to see Xavier staring at them in shock and horror.
“Fuck off,” He spat and turned his head away as if he had dismissed Xavier as an idle threat. The women also noticed Xavier and began sobbing bitterly, trying to beg him to save them.
He was seeing that one of the three men looked at him and gave his friend a sickening smile.
“Oh, don’t send him away.” Then he looked Xavier in the eye and motioned him to come forward.
“You are still a kid, aren’t you? Let me show you how to be a man. Come join us and-”
The man was struck with something before he could finish his sentence. Xavier was late getting back to his senses because he simply could not believe how some men could be so vile and depraved when every day they had to fight a battle of survival.
However, one quick look at the women told him that nothing terrible had happened to them yet. At least he had arrived on time. But that did little to calm him. If Xavier had been angry to find the men doing such heinous acts, he was livid that one of them suggested he join them.
Xavier’s face contorted into fury, and his hands swiftly conjured Air Bullets that sliced through the air and cut off their manhood in a single sweep. The three men fell to the ground, howling in pain as blood trickled down their legs while the other two ran towards their ‘friends.’
The women were petrified, but instead of screaming, they got up and huddled in a corner, trying their best to cover their bodies with their hands and torn pieces of their dresses.
“Get him,” The man who had invited him earlier shouted at his friends, who hastily turned around to attack Xavier, who looked around and scanned the surroundings. The room was small and overcrowded, with nine people inside, and the women were in no condition to aid him. He was on his own.
Luckily, his cards and foundation allowed him not to be overwhelmed. He shot more Air Bullets at them, but this time, they ducked. He was about to attack again when he noticed something glimmering on the left wall of the small room.
It was a small circle that slowly expanded and continued to glimmer. But he was left stunned when he saw men, not monsters, step outside the portal. Before he could get a good look at them, one of the new entrants threw something at him, something that shot through the air and cut into his skin.
Xavier’s senses were heightened, yet he could not see or hear what weapon had attacked him. His Lesser Danger Sense had made him look at the wall on which the portal appeared, but he was a second late to react as a dagger cut through his shirt and pierced his back.
He only stared in shock at the sudden events and realized a little late that something warm and sticky was running down his back.
The following notification shocked him even more.
[Potent poison has been detected. Paralysis has been applied.]
Huh?