Skulduggery
Once the group had returned to the Delver’s Guild, Pella left Devon with a healer and stormed off. The healer tended to Devon's shoulder wound, which had already been sealed up with the healing potion, ensuring that it was properly stabilized.
Janus stood awkwardly by Dario's side, unsure of what to do or say as the healer tended to Devon's injuries. He glanced uncertainly at Dario, silently grappling with the dilemma of whether to break the silence or remain quietly observant.
"I made a mistake," Dario admitted, his voice tinged with regret. "We’ll meet again a week from now,"
“And if Pella doesn’t come back?” Janus asked.
And if I don’t come back?
“We’ll figure out what to do if and when she decided not to,” Dario responded. “Now go and get some rest.”
Janus cast a final glance at Devon, weighing his options, before ultimately opting to make his way back home.
-
Experiencing mana depletion from [Mana Burn] was a completely different ordeal. Although Janus had exceeded his mana limit by only about 30 points, the regeneration process was agonizingly sluggish. He realized it might stretch into the entire night before his mana pool returned to zero.
Despite the overwhelming exhaustion gnawing at him, Janus couldn't suppress a wave of relief and joy upon seeing his father as he opened the door to their home.
"Janus! You're back," his dad exclaimed with a mixture of relief and warmth. "I was starting to get a little worried. And hey, where’d you get that robe?"
“Oh right. Dario got this for me. Extra protection.” Janus explained.
"Well, you know what I think about all of that," Janus' father sighed, his tone carrying a mix of resignation and concern.
They had a conversation a week prior. Janus had explained what was going on with Dario and his dad hardly approved. It wasn’t a fun talk, but his father accepted that Janus could pursue whatever he wanted.
“Well my classes got… canceled for a week.” Janus said.
“Really! That’s great news. I have a few days off. We can spend some time together.” His father replied.
Janus was happy to hear it. Since his father had started working on the rail line, they had barely seen each other.
His father already had some plans for the day. A family friend had recently butchered a pig and had some choice cuts. They headed out together to pick them up. Afterward, they talked about the rail line construction and Janus’ classes. He was careful to not mention anything about the dungeon.
After a few hours, the food was finished cooking.
Janus stabbed a piece of smoked pork belly with his fork and quickly devoured it, relishing its rich flavor as he chewed.
"So, level 21. You'll be passing me soon," his dad remarked.
“Dario has taught me a few things about quickly gaining levels. Besides, you were never all that interested in the System,” replied Janus, “You always tell me that I shouldn’t rely too heavily on it.”
"I suppose that's true," his father replied, his gaze drifting off into the distance as if lost in thought. “You know,” he continued, “One of the good things the System has given us is a longer lifespan.”
He pointed his fork at Janus.
“I don’t want you to lose those extra years by getting yourself killed in some dark cave. I expect you to die of old age!”
Janus wasn’t sure how to respond. The statement hit him like a brick.
“Yeah…,” he muttered.
They continued to eat and chat until Janus could barely keep his eyes open. With a murmured "goodnight" to his father, Janus headed off to bed, grateful for the comfort his room provided, but especially for the embrace of his blankets.
The next few days were uneventful, but restful. He whiled away the time with his father, taking walks through the station, eating at restaurants, and grocery shopping.
It was a well-needed rest, but Janus’ dad had to return to work. Janus himself was itching to test his new capabilities. He had restrained his excitement while in his father's company, and had barely even glanced at the new skill evolutions the System had granted him.
He sat at the desk in his room, stone quill in hand. Opening his journal, he willed for the evolved skill descriptions to appear in his mind’s eye.
[Spell Weaving]
Cost: 1 Mana per second
Cooldown: None
Description: You have mastered manipulating your own mana and the surrounding ambient mana. You have a more intuitive understanding of spell craft and can more easily create new spells.
Bonus Stats: 20 Int and 20 Wis plus 1 Int and 1 Wis per level
[Power Enhancement]
Cost: 20 Mana
Cooldown: 5 Seconds
Description: You have learned to use ambient mana to increase the power of physical and magical attacks, either for yourself or for an ally. For the next 10 seconds, the first physical or magical attack your target makes will deal [50%] increased physical damage.
Bonus Stats: 20 Int and 20 Str plus 1 Int and 1 Str per level
The [Spell Weaving] skill was a bit ambiguous, but [Power Enhancement] was an obvious upgrade.
I can use [Power Enhancement] on myself. I wonder if it would affect things like my replica arrow point and mana marbles.
He accepted the skill evolutions and checked his status.
Status Name Janus Alamy Class Enhancer Level 21 Guild None Life 458 Max Life 458 Mana 646 Max Mana 646 Stamina 505 Max Stam 505 Stat Total Base Class Skill Item Strength 43 21 0 22 0 Endurance 37 21 0 16 0 Dexterity 21 21 0 0 0 Intelligence 106 21 42 43 0 Wisdom 84 21 21 37 5 Skill Level Bonus Bravery 3 5 Wis / Lvl Writing 8 1 Wis / 5 Lvl Sprinting 7 1 End / 5 Lvl Spell Weaving 1 20 Int/Wis, 1 Int + 1 Wis / Lvl Pow. Enhancement 2 20 Int/Str, 1 Int + 1 Str / Lvl Mana Reinforcement 15 1 End / Lvl Mana Burn 10 1 Wis / 5 Lvl Empty --- --- Empty --- --- Empty --- ---
The difference in stats wasn't particularly significant, but Janus knew he needed to put [Spell Weaving] to the test. With a focused determination, he conjured the revealing light spell, which appeared effortlessly in his upturned palm. He marveled at how little conscious effort it took to form the spell.
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After all the trouble I had to go through before, this almost feels like cheating.
He began compressing mana into a point, and to his amazement, he found the process significantly easier than before. With [Spell Weaving] at his disposal, he discovered that he could handle more than twice the compression compared to when he was using [Mana Manipulation].
And it’s only level one. I need to test out my mana marbles and the replica arrow point.
Janus hurried over to the Delver’s Guild, eager to put his skills to the test. A rush of excitement surged through him as he effortlessly maintained five different replica arrow point arrays simultaneously. He was almost tempted to let out a triumphant cackle but quickly reined in his enthusiasm when he noticed a few Delvers watching him with curious expressions.
Well let’s give them a show.
He focused his concentration, compressing mana into a dense core before swiftly encasing it with a protective shell using [Mana Reinforcement]. With practiced precision, he plucked the resulting mana marble from the air and infused himself with [Power Enhancement]. Despite the drain on his mana reserves, the sheer exhilaration of working with mana so easily left him barely able to contain his grin.
Concerned about the potential risk, Janus decided it would be prudent to step back from the sparring platform before setting off the explosion, then after a moment of deliberation, he retreated even further, ensuring a safe distance from the impending blast.
He threw the marble, and in a perfect arc, it landed neatly in the center of the platform. As it hit the ground, Janus released the compressed mana.
He felt the shock wave before he could hear it. Even from nearly 10 meters away, it caused him to stumble. An instant after the shock wave, a massive whoosh reached his ears. But none of that compared the blue flare of the explosion itself. The afterimage was seared into Janus’ eyes.
Once his ears stopped ringing, he could hear people speaking from behind him.
“-uck was that?!”
“Stars. That skill is crazy”
“Imagine that going off in a tunnel!”
Janus turned to find his previous spectators engaged in animated conversation among themselves. The sudden attention felt overwhelming, prompting him to swiftly make his escape. After all, he didn’t really feel up for a conversation.
-
Arriving at home, Janus rushed upstairs and finalized some thoughts in his notebook. He had ideas about directing the blast of the explosion with a stronger shell of reinforced mana. If the shell was more durable, he would likely be able to contain more energy within.
The noise of his runescribe vibrating shook him from his thoughts. He reached over and read the message.
Yo, Janus! I’ve been hearing some crazy stuff about you. We have a job you would be a big help on. Good pay. 5 silver eagles. Meet us in the backwash.
Below the message was a crudely drawn map with directions. He had worked with them a few times, and there hadn’t been any issues. He even had to begrudgingly admit that he liked some of the Jacks. Fao could be crude and overbearing, but he was endearing in his own way.
It couldn’t hurt to figure out what the job was, at least. Fao wasn’t lying. 5 silver eagles was very good pay for a days work. And it could give him the opportunity to test his new skills.
-
Janus had meticulously copied the map from his runescribe to his journal, hoping it would guide him through the chaotic maze of the Backwash. However, to his frustration, the map proved to be of little help. Its lack of significant landmarks left him feeling even more lost amidst the tangled streets.
After nearly an hour of frustration, he stumbled upon a rectangular hole dug into the cavern wall. Above the entrance, something had been crudely drawn in chalk. It was a playing card—the jack of spades.
They don’t even have a door… Isn’t this supposed to be a casino?
This was the first time he had visited the Jacks headquarters. As he stepped into the corridor, he was taken aback by its surprising length. The hallway stretched out before him, seemingly endless, with the other end shrouded in shadows.
After a few brisk moments of walking, Janus reached the other end of the corridor. The dim light cast eerie shadows on the walls, adding to the mysterious atmosphere of the Jacks headquarters.
He nearly jumped out of his skin as a man suddenly came into view, his presence catching him off guard.
“Hey, who are you?” The man asked, his voice sharp.
He sported a neon green mohawk and was wearing a jacket with a spade stitched into the shoulder.
"I'm, uh, here for a job," Janus responded, his voice betraying a hint of nervousness. "Fao sent me a message."
"Oh, you're the [Enhancer] kid. Fao's been talking about you for weeks," the man remarked, his tone tinged with curiosity.
“Really?” Janus asked. “Is this place supposed to be a casino?”
The room beyond the dark corridor was sparsely furnished, with simple stone furniture and a sturdy counter occupying the space. A doorway led further inside, the dim light casting shadows across the bare stone walls.
“Moving company, too,” the man with the mohawk said, “My name’s Hal.”
“Janus.”
"Well, nice to meet you, kid," Hal said, offering a brief nod of acknowledgment. "Fao's in the back," he continued, gesturing with his thumb towards the doorway situated behind the counter.
Janus made his way across the room, his footsteps echoing softly against the stone floor, and passed through the doorway.
“Janus! I thought I heard you out there. Ya got my message then. Good.” Fao was in his usual good spirits.
“I wanted to hear more about this job.”
“Woah, woah. That can wait. I just identified you. Level 21! What are they feedin’ you?”
“Uh, I’ve been training. A lot. I think I told you about it around a month ago?”
“Sure, kid. I’ve never seen a jump like that training or no training. You’ve gone up 15 levels in a month! Hell, it just means you’re even better for this job,” stated Fao.
“Yeah, about that. What do you want me to do?”
“We got some juice on another gang. They found a nest and have been using it to beef their guys up. They’ve been catching up to us and givin’ us trouble. Even thought about just telling the delver’s guild once we heard about the nest, but the gang started pushing into our territory. Now it’s about sending a message.” Fao explained.
Nests were less serious than dungeons, but they could keep spewing out monsters if they weren’t dealt with. They were considered less dangerous than dungeons, but sometimes more dangerous monsters would be created. They were similar to dungeon bosses, but not quite as intimidating.
“I don’t want to, you know, fight other people. Not if I can help it,” Janus said.
“No man! That’s not what this job is. We know where the nest they found is. We sneak in, destroy it, sneak out, and we’re off scot-free.”
“And if we’re caught?”
Fao's expression turned almost indignant at the mention of discovery. "We get the fuck outta there! Don't worry about it, we got a guy. He'll keep us nice and discreet. You're there to pump us up when we reach the nest. We gotta get in and out quick," he explained hastily, his urgency palpable.
Janus couldn't shake off his uncertainty about the entire plan. The way Fao explained it made it sound far too easy. Surely, their rivals would be keeping a close eye on the nest? After the ordeal of the last dungeon, Janus wasn't sure he wanted to strike out without Dario’s support.
“What level are the monsters?” Janus asked.
“Between 15 and 20, the guys we’ve been dealing with were taking them out before they had even reached level 20.”
Janus deliberated. He had already helped Fao take out a more dangerous enemy back when he met the man. Now, he could even hold his own instead of just enhancing Fao’s attacks.
“Alright. I’m in.”
-
Including Janus, the group was only six people strong. Fao insisted that they needed a smaller group for their [Illusionist]s spells to conceal them all.
The [Illusionist] had concealed them as they went through a poorly maintained tunnel entrance. As Janus glanced at the others in the group, he found it strange—they appeared almost indistinct, as if the light simply bent around them. It was a disconcerting sight, one that added to the sense of unease lingering within him.
They dropped the illusion once everyone was in the tunnel. Fao led the way, [Torchstone] out, and checked a small piece of parchment every so often.
“We’re getting closer. You gotta hide us again Harry. We’re gettin’ close to the nest. Take the first right up ahead,” Fao explained and then held out a rope. “Everyone grab on. Don’t let go. If you do, we might lose track of you. And it’s easy to get lost down here.”