You have defeated: CryptHound (Level 35)

| …

| You have Levelled up: 18 -> 19

| You have 2 unspent Stat points.

Levi sat on the floor as the adult trio inspected the tunnel collapse. He moved his tired and pained thoughts to where he should place the next few points into.

The only reason he could influence the monsters of the Krag with his words was because he had placed all his stat points into Magic, sacrificing Mana.

However, the stronger the monster, the more mana he had to use to Incite it. From now on, he could place all his points into mana so that he was stronger against a crowd of weaker enemies. Or keep focusing on more powerful creatures by adding more Magic.

It was a difficult choice, so for now, he just placed 2 points into Mana. He needed a little more, at the very least.

You have defeated your first enemy of the Krag as an adolescent!

| You have been awarded 2 points to Mana.

Your skill has Levelled up → Incite (★★★★)

| Your words are 40% more effective.

| Progress to next Level-up → 1,432/150,000xp

That’s quite a jump in experience. It seems that the higher the skill gets, the more experience is required. Makes sense, Levi thought as he moved on to the next message.

You have obtained the Skill – Mana Control (★★★): From using a Mage Class Skill, you have learned how to control mana beyond regular means.

| Mana control is 30% greater.

| Progress to next Level-up → 862/50,000xp

The higher the Mana Control, the easier it was to influence living things with his words. Every star increase was music to his ears.

Levi, realising that the situation was a lot better than before (Ignoring the fact that they were buried alive), he sunk his mind into his Mana container. He used Meditation, and 3 minutes later, he had a full battery of mana to use. It was far better than the 10 minutes it took before. At higher levels, he could even recharge his mana in seconds–he hoped.

Of course, the downsides of this were that he had to fully integrate himself with his mana container, leaving him vulnerable to any attackers. It was only to be used when he 100% knew he was safe.

Sera had disappeared when he opened his eyes. She was most likely scouting the different paths in the mine, Levi guessed.

Gregory was helping Bram with his wounds. He glanced over at Levi, noticing that he was now focused.

“You’ve even learned Meditation?”

Levi glanced at his own wounds, cuts and scrapes were all over his flesh. “Yeah, while in that fight.”

Bram chuckled, seemingly used to the nasty wounds that were far worse than Levi’s. “Levi’s even more talented than some of the nobles back in the city, ain’t he?”

“Aye,” Gregory said, shaking his head. “Seems that way, little monster. By the way, what did your… that woman mean by the apostle wasn’t granted a wish?”

Levi tensed. Sera glared at the captain.

Gregory shook his head the next second. “Sorry. You probably want nothing to do with that anymore. I’ll leave it be. Not that it matters, anyway.”

Levi didn’t say anything, he remained silent. He couldn’t say anything, because Gregory would see his lies. But there were some other things he wanted to know.

“Those monsters… they look like the apostle. Why? Did the apostle summon them? And if we are in the Krag, then why do the Demon-Worshippers need to summon it? You said that apostles can enter the real world from the Krag, so can’t it just, like, do its own thing?”

Gregory tightened a bandage across Bram’s forearm. Levi detected mana within them. Gregory said, “So, apostles are strange in that regard. For an apostle to interact with the real world, many factors need to align. One of the main ways is entering through a crack in the Krag. But that happens once in a blue moon. I won’t go over the details, but all you need to know is that there are many hoops to jump through. Or–”

Levi interrupted, “Or you can just summon it, bypassing those hoops?”

“Aye,” Gregory said. “As for the little ones, I've never seen that before. Each apostle has their own unique power. It seems this one has the ability to spawn monsters, raising them to its own form. That’s why we were overrun.”

“You mentioned a crypt?” Levi asked.

“A crypt is a place where cryptomancer’s hunt,” he said. “They are also called grave-robbers for a reason. It’s a place where an old god has fallen, and so it is filled with the powerful beings' inheritance. It's a magnet for the greedy. Relic weapons, armour, wealth and... not to mention it's corpse."

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Levi grimaced.

Seeing that, Gregory smiled. "Aye, you think after they've gone through all the trouble of entering a crypt, they'd just leave its body behind? In a world where anything is an Ingredient, Levi, a god's corpse is the most valuable of them all. Think of the abilities you can gain from that? Unfathomable. However, these are dangerous places where death lurks around every corner. Those monsters were probably recently just eggs of different beasts. But thanks to the apostle, they hatched with the appearance of a hound.”

“It’s confusing,” Levi said, scratching his head.

“That’s the Krag for you,” Bram said with a wry smile.

Levi sat up. If it was a burial sight of an ancient god, then its inheritance was ripe for the picking, and so was its body. What kind of power would he gain if he fed it to his second Birthright? Sure, there were monsters, lots of them, but if they had plenty of dynamite, then why not? It was right there. They could get it before anyone else.

What kinds of items would they find? Gold? Ancient weapons, equipment? Levi’s hands turned itchy at the thought.

"So," Levi said, licking his lips. "What are these relics?"

"Relics," Sera spoke up, "are powerful equipment that harbour the gods energy. Each one of them. no matter their power, are incredibly rare. Not to mention powerful. Neither of us have one, and you'd be lucky to run into someone that did."

"Even if they did have one," Bram said. "They would never let it be known. They would disguise it, paint over it, so that no one would find out. After all, if someone knew you had a relic?"

"it wouldn't be good," Levi said gravely. “Why don’t we–”

“No,” Gregory interrupted, seeing Levi's greed. “Those monsters out there? Those are just drones. The trash. Each crypt is huge. We are talking about an area the size of a city. Each and every one. Forget monsters, each crypt has its own biome, shifted, and changed by the gods remnant energy. Most of them are poisoned. All of them are ladened with vicious traps.”

Bram spoke up. “For each crypt, various parties will form a powerful force to clear it. We are talking about the top families, kingdoms, kings–those sorts of people. Each force is around 12 to 20 powerful Sway users who are familiar with the Krag. That isn’t common to find. To hire those people? Expensive. Incredibly so.”

“But if people are so strong to delve into these crypts, why go to a top family?” Levi asked.

“Because although these crypts may hold powerful artefacts and treasures, there’s a chance for there to be nothing. Alongside that, these factions offer strong incentives,” Gregory said. “Whether that’s through insurance for their family if they were to die within, powerful equipment, or guaranteed payment incase of a dry crypt.”

“I see,” Levi said.

Levi asked more about the Crag.

Those in the Academy, if they were one of the chosen, in their final year, got the chance to go into a controlled crypt. It was yet another reason to join the Academy.

They theorised about what was happening, and what, or who, this person Kale’s mother was working with. It was fascinating listening to Bram’s and Gregory’s deduction skills. They branched from one topic, to the next. From one clue, to the other. The duo were talking about various families in the Imperial City, to guilds, and adventurers.

Then, Gregory took something out of his pocket. It was a red gem that strangely held a flickering flame within. He walked over and placed it in Levi’s hands.

“What–” Levi looked at it, focusing.

Birthright Ingredient (Rare) — Ember Shard: A gem that holds a magical Ember flame.

| Class: Mage

| Path: Pyromancer

“That Devil-Worshipper had it hidden in her pockets,” Gregory said with a pensive look. “Might have some sentimental value? Or not.”

Levi shook his head. He couldn’t remember it. He clutched it in his hands, not wanting to give it away. He needed strength if he wanted to survive.

A pyromancer gem of Rare quality was something he desperately needed if he wanted to go the spell slinging route. However, could he take it?

Perhaps realising Levi’s internal struggle of needed selfishness, Gregory shook his head. “Keep it, lad. Don’t feel too good plundering that off… you know–”

“My dead mother?” Levi asked.

Gregory shuffled on the spot, clearly uncomfortable.

Levi chuckled. “I’m okay. Joking.”

Gregory smiled. “You have a dark sense of humour.” He ruffled up Levi’s dust filled hair. “But seriously, you keep it. I don’t feel comfortable with it. And, consider it as a thanks for your help back there. You’re a brave lad. Braver than most of the little shits I’ve seen in the Imperial City, anyway.”

“Thanks,” Levi said. He wouldn’t argue with that. “What is it anyway? Is it valuable?” Gregory looked at him and Levi realised that at that moment, Gregory could in fact read lies. Levi was just testing the waters.

“I mean, I know it’s an Ingredient, but is it good?”

Gregory nodded. “Aye, it’s a good one. Everything in this world is considered an Ingredient. Look–” Gregory picked up a rock. “What do you feel when you see this? Focus on it, really focus.”

Levi inspected it, but he didnt raise the description of the Ingredient. No, he felt an aura around it. “It feels… strange?”

“Every Ingredient has that same feeling around it,” Gregory said. “But you have to stare it good and proper for it to appear. The better the Ingredient, the more pronounced that feeling is. Now look at the shard again.”

Levi placed his attention back to the gem, and rightfully, he felt a stronger aura from it. “Awesome.”

“And depending on which abilities someone has, they can even find out all the details an Ingredient has. Like it’s Sway, for example. Those folk take your hard earned coins for that service though. You can find them in most general stores in towns and cities. It’s an easy way to earn some money on the side.”

Levi nodded along. “So how much could I get for this then?”

“It would be worth a lot, Levi,” Bram added, breaking his silence. He didn’t really talk very much. If Levi was to place him, he’d be a kind and silent type. He continued with a smile noticing Levi’s confusion, “Kids don’t know the worth of coins nowadays.”

Gregory said, “Let’s just say that for any ordinary Sway user, getting their hands on an Ingredient of that quality… They’d have to save up for 10 years.”

“Damn,” Levi said, shocked. “So that’s why everyone wants to join the Academy?”

“Aye, you bet,” Gregory said.

Levi noticed a purple hue shining from one of the tunnels. Sera broke out from the darkness. She had a pensive look about her.

“There’s an entrance to a crypt,” She said, her lips twitching. “And it’s a big one.”