According to Alan's calculations, even with their lost day, they were making good time crossing the second quadrant. With their fifth day in the tutorial almost gone, Alan estimated they would reach the third quadrant in another day or two.
Both Luméos and Aranya didn’t mind moving fast. Bobby did.
However, the former Boy Scout actively pushed himself. Sipping on his stamina potion every ten minutes allowed him to keep going, and this led him to an interesting revelation.
He said that at first, it wasn't obvious; even later, the effect was subtle. Bobby noticed that every sip chipped away at both his health and mana points.
Luméos courteously explained that potions stimulated two specific resources to recover a third one. This clarified why someone couldn't continue indefinitely without eating or sleeping. It also shed more light on Luméos's earlier explanation about meditation.
Bobby was enjoying alchemy a lot. He'd been trying to make different types of potions using various ingredients, including the mirabanis fructus, but the results hadn't been successful.
Speaking of bananas, they recently found a blue-colored mirabanis fructus. This one had a refreshing splash, almost like a mix between cucumber and blueberry. The azure blue segments had a cooling and calming effect that seemed to help Alan focus and maintain clarity.
Unfortunately, with no other food sources available, Alan ate one too many of these bananas, and found himself over-calmed. He hadn't realized the extent to which they'd made him passive until a small, TC 3, webweaver spider lunged at him. It was Bobby who reacted quickly, killing the spider.
The effect didn't last long, luckily. Minding their mirabanis fructus consumption, they continued through the jungle.
“Did you hear that?” Bobby asked.
Alan paused, listening intently. The scream came again, louder this time. It was clearly human. Other candidates!
“This way, come on!” Alan took off running towards the distress call, one hand on the hilt of his falchion. Bobby, Aranya and Luméos followed close behind.
Crashing through a wall of vegetation, the group emerged in a small clearing. Alan's eyes rapidly scanned the area, quickly taking in the scene.
There were three gigantic spiders, ones which Alan had never encountered before. Easily three times his height, their elongated tapering legs were built for speed and maneuverability. Powerful hind legs propelled the creatures in astonishing leaps and bounds.
Alan used his Identify skill…
[Jumpstalk Spider - tc 17]
[Jumpstalk Spider - tc ???]
[Jumpstalk Spider - tc ???]
Divine Insight Granted! You have identified many powerful beings, your [Identify] is now [Identify x2] allowing you to delve deeper into the mysteries of the universe.
Bobby had received this updated aptitude long ago. In fact, he’d managed to get his Identify skill to x3. Alan had been wondering how he could upgrade the skill himself.
Shaking his head slightly he focused on the situation.
The spiders had cornered two humans against a sheer rock face. Bodies of two other candidates lay motionless nearby. One of the candidates still standing was a young man with glasses and curly hair. He held some kind of metal staff defensively, but his hands shook.
The other was a teenage girl with sun-bleached hair, wearing a wetsuit. She held an ornate trident, etched with glowing runes. But her stance was unsteady, and she looked exhausted.
Alan charged one of the spiders without hesitation. Sensing his approach, the spider reared up menacingly. Alan rolled beneath its lunge. Springing to his feet and delivering a sweeping blow to two of its legs. The creature screeched in pain. Ichor sprayed from the severed limbs.
Noticing the new threat, another spider broke off its attack and scuttled rapidly towards Alan. Bobby and Aranya sprang to his side to support him.
Aranya stood in front of Alan.
“I want to fight this one alone,” Alan said, confidently. He looked at the spider woman and gestured toward the other spider
Aranya nodded and stepped aside.
Alan adjusted his grip on the hilt of his sword and circled his enemy, keeping his eyes on its spindly legs. Despite missing two limbs, the colossal jumpstalk spider sprang forward, jumping from tree to tree. In an instant, the monster became a blur of motion.
Thank god, I’ve got Resonance Reveal.
As was typical for Luméos whenever a fight broke out, he sat in a corner, playing the role of an uninterested spectator. While the god surely wasn’t afraid of anything, the closest Alan had ever seen him come to a fight was when two men tried attacking him, and one nearly lost an arm.
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I wonder if I’ll ever get to see his full power, or better yet, fight him. Alan thought as he vaulted over his opponent’s lunge. He slashed downward as he flew over it. His blade carved a deep gouge down the creature’s thorax but glanced off the hardened exoskeleton.
He had hoped to pierce through to the insides. But this carapace was thicker than their venomfang’s counterpart. Even with an oozing gash across its midsection, the spider showed no signs of slowing.
It came at him again and again…
He ducked beneath another swipe, then rolled around behind the spider. With a two-handed swing, Alan hacked downward at one of its rear joints. The blade missed.
He had also tried using mana blast. Twice. These jumpstalk spiders were much quicker than he could aim. He knew he needed his mana for Resonance Reveal or it would be over.
The spider landed a glancing blow off Alan's shoulder, numbing his arm. His sword tumbled from his limp fingers.
Not good. Clenching his jaw against the blossoming agony, Alan retreated several steps to collect himself.
His heart raced. He could hear its drum. He could hear it loudly in his ears.
He tried blasting the creature with a narrow Mana Blast, but only singed its bristled hair. His mana was running low. He needed a new plan, fast.
It started to rear up again when he felt his back suddenly drenched by a spray of liquid. Alan blinked in surprise. Had a spider drenched him in venom?
A notification flashed through his eyes. He was able to skim through it.
[Quad-Restorative Elixir - Restores health, stamina, and mana]
The effect was instant. Warmth spread throughout Alan's body, healing his wounds and restoring his depleted resources. “Nice one!” Alan yelled. He’d always been impressed by Bobby’s alchemy, but this time even more so. The alchemystic had made a potion that seemed too good to be true.
Bobby shot him a quick thumbs up, already prepping another concoction.
With his mana topped off, Alan prepared to shoot another blast of mana.
The focused beam of energy lanced out, searing into the spider's face. It reared back, screeching furiously as smoking holes bored through its clustered eyes. Blinded and maddened by pain, the creature charged forward recklessly.
Alan barely darted aside in time. The heavy impact as the spider barreled past vibrated through his chest cavity. He coughed, winded by the proximity. These things hit like a truck!
With the spider overextended from its wild charge, Alan seized the chance to hack off another leg with a desperate swing. “That's three down, five to go!” he muttered defiantly.
It didn’t make sense, the giant spider was suddenly moving even faster.
At its current speed, Alan could hardly track it with Resonance Reveal. This was what he’d been looking for. The thrill of the unknown, the taste of a new challenge—it was intoxicating.
For a long time, he had envisioned what he would do if he ever found himself in this situation. He'd hoped it would work, but he'd been scared to try it. Now was the time.
He waited for the spider to lunge again.
The spider seemed content to circle warily for the moment. Dark ichor dripped from its numerous wounds, spattering the ground below.
This thing doesn't fool around, Alan thought grimly.
In an attempt to taunt the spider, Alan stood up straight.
“Huh…dude. Are you okay?” Bobby yelled from a good 20 feet away.
He relaxed his pose and dropped his Falchion.
At that moment, the jumpstalk spider pounced from the tall tree with lightning speed. And it would reach Alan before the sword touched the ground.
The arachnid came down headfirst. Alan looked up. An uncontrollable and wild grin spread across his face.
Combination Unlocked!...
He ignored the notification.
Alan laughed as a frightening burst of mana exploded all around him—it was like a combination of bright fog and electrical sparks.
You have vanquished [Jumpstalk Spider - tc 18] — Myst has been assimilated.
The area around him looked like it had been struck by lightning. The spider fell at Alan’s feet, charred, unmoving, smoke coming from its form.
He just realized that some of his ribs must have broken during the fight. Despite the pain, he found it hard to contain his laughter.
Prodding his stomach and wincing he looked to his right as saw Bobby with his jaw hanging open. To his left Aranya had been standing by, waiting to intervene. She had dispatched her own spider with ease.
One left.
The two strangers were still battling fiercely against the third Jumpstalk spider. They could barely keep the spider at bay. The woman nimbly evaded the attacks, returning fire with blasts of pressurized water that seemed to annoy more than harm the spider. The man stayed on the move, unleashing shocks from his metal staff whenever openings appeared. But the harsh rocky terrain provided little cover or escape. Alan could tell they were tiring.
Alan bellowed and jumped as high as he could towards the action. His base strength had recently been raised to five and his Boon of Augmentation at x3 multiplied all of his stats by six, making his strength, effectively thirty. And well, he felt like his jump was, at least, three times higher than whatever an olympic athlete could jump.
It was high enough for Alan to land, falchion-first, on the unsuspecting spider's head with a smile.
A dying shriek rent the air as the mortally-wounded spider thrashed violently. Alan’s ribs groaned under the force of its death throes. He scrambled desperately out of range before the creature fully collapsed, crumpling into a lifeless heap.
You have vanquished [Jumpstalk Spider - tc 17] — Myst has been assimilated.
He breathed deeply, his heart filled with elation, as he turned his attention to the notifications floating before him.
Combination Unlocked! By synergizing [Spellweaving], [Boon of Manafestation], and [Boon of Augmentation] you have discovered the potent spell [Mana Explosion].
[Mana Explosion] - Release every ounce of your internal mana in an instantaneous burst, emanating from every fiber of your being. This unbridled surge overwhelms the vicinity with raw, uncontained magical energy.
Divine Ascension Achieved!
As you've woven the fabric of arcane knowledge and unlocked triad spells, the cosmos takes notice. Your essence transcends from that of a mere [Magic Initiate].
Class Evolved! [Arcanist] - A beacon in the vast realm of arcane mysteries. The universe applauds your commitment to the magical arts and grants you the title befitting your prowess. Let the arcane winds guide your journey. Embrace the limitless potential of an Arcanist!