November 2, 2022

Day 13

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Rahul opened his eyes and saw a face.

A girl.

Maya?

Memories came in pieces.

An airplane vanished and a castle appeared.

Frogs died and Hawks flew.

People flew too, and then dropped to their deaths.

Carnage.

Then a fight. Another fight. Many many fights.

A half-metal crocodile. A jolt of pain and thrown into the air.

A tumble and a charge. More fighting, dodging, tripping, fear, and pain.

Rahul vaguely remembered.

I was fighting the alpha. With Matt, but then I made a mistake and fell.

But If I'm hurt then who's helping Matt?

Suddenly, everything came back all at once, and Rahul recalled the crack of the tail on his back so vividly that his hands immediately reached behind him and found.. smooth unharmed skin.

Realizing that his back had been healed, Rahul stood up urgently and tried to look for Matt, but instead found himself on the receiving end of a tight hug and many words of admonishment.

"Why are you such an idiot, Did someone hit you in the head when you were a kid? First, you rudely turned down my suggestion. A very sensible suggestion to think through things and fight smartly. As if that wasn't enough, you sprinted directly in front of the alpha and invited it to strike at you. To attack you! It's like you wanted to die. And you almost got your wish."

Rahul felt Maya's grip slacken as her anger dissipated and sorrow took over.

"Did you stop to consider what would happen if you got an injury that the health potion couldn't fix? We have lost so many people already. Only the eight of us remain. I can't afford to lose you."

Maya took a few shallow breaths as tears filled her eyes, and then she continued speaking.

"I miss my family so much. Don't you know how much it hurts, not having a way to contact them, not knowing... You guys are all I have here, the only thing keeping me sane. Don't be so reckless with your life."

Rahul felt a pang of guilt as he processed what Maya had said. He really had been reckless. He had a reason for his actions, but that didn't excuse anything. He could reach his goals while exercising patience and caution.

He had to survive, not just for himself, but also for his family, for his sister.

Rahul shook away the morose thoughts he knew would come next if he pondered on this any longer, and got back into the present. He absentmindedly stroked Maya's hair and spoke reassuringly, yet honestly.

"I'm sorry. I really am. I can't promise I won't take risks in the future, but I promise I will heed your suggestions, and every risk I'll take will be necessary and justified."

Maya wanted to protest against Rahul's hedging, his half-promise, but instead closed her eyes and decided to stay in his embrace for a second longer.

Before he would inevitably break away and head back to the fight.

Even covered in blood and clothed in rags, Maya felt safe and tranquil in his arms.

Rahul held Maya a moment longer, a short fleeting moment that passed way too quickly, and then reluctantly let go.

He looked around and took stock of the situation.

Matt was fighting the alpha while Charlie was firing arrows at the crocodiles streaming in from all directions. Rahul did not know where these crocodiles had come from and when they had started attacking, nor did he care. He would find out after they were all safe.

"I'll be careful, I promise. But I need to go now, Matt is fighting alone and needs my help."

Maya wiped tears from her eyes and shook her head.

"No."

Rahul gave her a puzzled look.

Maya explained.

"Matt will be fine. His presence has been helping him keep the alpha busy for the last few minutes, and unless something changes, he would be safe. If he starts to struggle, we will go and assist. As of now, Charlie is the one who needs urgent help. The crocodiles are coming in endlessly and he's been keeping them at bay so far, but he's used up all but the last two stamina potions, and can't keep it up much longer."

Rahul replied incredulously.

"Last few minutes! How long was I out! And what did you say about the stamina potions? I remember we had six bottles left. Charlie already drank four? Why haven't you been helping him if the situation is so dire?"

Maya did not like Rahul's accusing tone or loud voice, and took in a deep breath before she replied, in as even a tone as she could manage.

"Less than five minutes, I don't have any watch to tell the exact time. You were in really bad shape, and the healing potions worked slowly. While you were knocked out, Charlie killed more than 500 crocodiles, got a rapid-fire skill, reached level 11, and yes, used up four stamina potion bottles. He has also run out of his bundles of arrows and used up Matt's too. He's currently using yours and has mine in reserve."

Another deep breath.

"As for me, I have been helping Charlie by keeping you safe and making sure he can fight freely and without worrying about you."

Rahul looked around and saw the scorched reptile corpses strewn about, and understood what Maya meant. He immediately regretted his words and apologized yet again.

"Sorry for losing my patience. And thank you for..."

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

Rahul paused and searched for the right words, but Maya spoke before he could finish his sentence, her anger gone.

"I know. It is okay. I'm compassionate, but I'm not a fool Rahul. If I hadn't attacked them, the crocodiles would have eaten both of us alive, and then overwhelmed Charlie and Matt too. Trying to kill them painlessly is a dream, a luxury I'm too weak to afford."

Rahul was lost for words. Once again, he was saved from saying anything as Maya hurried him along.

"We can't keep chatting any longer. Are you feeling alright? Can you swing your sword?"

Rahul wasn't sure. He picked up his sword and tried to swing.

"I'm fine. My muscles are a bit stiff, but nothing a bit of stretching won't fix."

Rahul's idea of stretching was to run off to the forest and warm-up against the reptiles, but Maya understood his intention even before he voiced that idea, and the look she gave him made it clear what she thought about that.

"I'll stretch right here. Safely."

Maya smiled, and so Rahul started a quick warm-up routine that Captain Seki had taught them. While exercising, he noticed Maya hurl fireballs at a group of reptiles that had evaded's Charlie's notice and were sneaking closer. It took at least three fireballs to kill each crocodile.

Expensive.

Rahul looked at the clearing they stood in, completely devoid of any vegetation that could catch fire. Then he looked at the surrounding forest, quite flammable.

A wasted opportunity.

Rahul decided not to lament that any further. He respected Maya's decision not to set the forest ablaze, and was honestly grateful that she was at least willing to kill the reptiles with direct fireballs.

Rahul finished his warm-up and looked hopefully at Maya to get her leave.

She nodded and spoke.

"I will take over from Charlie and let him rest for a bit. He has earned a rapid-fire skill but it's taxing not just on stamina but also mentally. However, my fireballs aren't as efficient as his arrows, so you'll need to pick up the slack. "

Rahul nodded and Maya continued.

"Charlie suspects that the reptiles are spawning somewhere and will keep coming until the alpha dies. Hopefully permanently this time. He believes it would be best to let Matt engage the alpha for as long as possible and farm the approaching crocodiles for XP. Also, don't try to talk to Matt, his presence has put him in some kind of a trance and he can't respond. We didn't want to risk breaking the effect so didn't try any further. "

Rahul nodded, a bit surprised that Maya had agreed with such an ambitious strategy of farming for XP in a life-and-death situation. But then he recalled that Maya had always been a brilliant problem solver, and would have seen the merit in that plan. It was easy to forget given their recent circumstances, but as long as she didn't let fear cloud her judgment, Rahul was sure Maya would be a better strategist than all three of them combined.

He also decided not to voice his confusion over her remarks about killing the alpha permanently. Had they killed it already and it came back? He would find out later.

What else have I missed!

Rahul couldn't help but wonder as he ran toward the forest, shooting envious glances at Matt who was fighting the alpha effortlessly, with exactly the prowess that Rahul had hoped to acquire when he had recklessly charged ten minutes ago.

I guess Matt's presence is quite powerful too.

Just as Rahul ran into the first crocodile at the border of the forest, he had one last thought.

Why did I beseech Maya for permission to go fight? Since when is she in charge?

Then he forgot all else as his sword stabbed through the reptile's head and right into his brain.

You have killed a Level 9 Saltwater Crocodile. 90 experience earned.

Hearing that notification again was cathartic.

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Time lost all meaning as Rahul ran through the forest, killing crocodiles left and right.

After fighting the alpha, it almost looked like these reptiles were moving in slow motion. They were no threats, and as Rahul fought, his hands moved on autopilot, his attention elsewhere.

Keeping track of his kills, stamina, and experience.

He had killed 83 crocodiles so far, earning 6723 experience while using up 49 stamina.

With only two stamina potions left, Rahul was intent on finding the most efficient way to level up.

Character Overview Name Rahul Sharma Race Human (F) Class Melee Level 11 HP 220/220 MP 270/270 Stamina 221/270 Strength 39 (42.9) Endurance 27 Dexterity 27 Vitality 22 Intelligence 27 Presence

Name Momentum Level 1

56163/100000 experience to the next level.

6723 experience for 49 stamina. At this rate, his remaining stamina would net him only a bit over 30,000 experience, a little short of what he needed. If Rahul tried, he was sure he could incrementally improve his stamina consumption and get the 34,000 experience he needed for a level up.

But what then?

Rahul wasn't content to just get one level up out of this excellent farming opportunity.

He thought of Martin and frowned. Their situation was completely his fault. He was either incompetent or malicious, always forgetting to mention the most important things.

Rahul had really enjoyed hearing about the various phenomenon of the multiverse and how things worked, but now that he was actually inside the dungeon, he realized how much he and the team would have benefited from some actually useful advice on how to prepare before entering the dungeon.

It'd have taken Martin only seconds to tell them to pack stamina and health potions, and Rahul wouldn't have to worry about being so efficient right now.

No use crying over spilled milk.

Short of suddenly acquiring a new skill, Rahul only had two ideas that could work. The first was to use his built-up momentum to temporarily reduce his stamina consumption. Once the momentum ran out, he could build it up again, and then repeat that process.

It would work, but won't be particularly efficient. Rahul estimated he would get at most 15-20% more experience out of his stamina this way. It'll easily get him to level 12, but no further.

The second option was to use the Stamina Control Cold Trance.

Stamina Control 1 : Exercise control over the stamina flowing into your muscles when executing your attacks. This can weaken or empower your attacks while reducing or increasing stamina cost respectively.

Specialisations (1/unknown)

Cold Trance - Significantly reduced stamina use when attacking mechanically, relying only on muscle memory and abandoning any conscious thought.

Rahul never got another chance to use the cold trance specialization after he had inadvertently acquired and used it for the first time during the frog attack. He knew there were specific conditions under which it would be useful, and that the reduced stamina usage came at a cost. To be precise, it had imposed three limitations.

First, as the name trance suggested, Rahul wasn't lucid or aware of his actions while the skill was active.

Second, he was burnt out once the skill deactivated and needed a long recovery period.

Third, his range of motion and fighting techniques while using the skill was noticeably limited and restricted to simple repeatable movements.

It'd be a risky endeavor, and exceedingly difficult to get right, but Rahul knew he would have to somehow manufacture the perfect circumstances for this to work.

He had promised Maya he would not take unnecessary risks, but Rahul knew this was a necessary risk. He had no other choice.

They had no other choice.

A threat much bigger than any they had ever faced was looming on the horizon.