Today was the day Levi was to leave the town of Beron. Was he nervous? A little. All he knew was the old, grey stone of the Victorian-esque town, the mountains to the back, and the forest filled with greenkins to the front.

But little did he know that in only one week, he had completely transformed. Not just in strength, but in mentality, as well. No longer did his head snap in every direction, leering at the forest's deep treeline in trembling fear of the unknown. No, he knew what was lurking. Greenkins. And he knew that he could kill them.

“We’re coming up on a party of greenkins,” Gregory said, glancing at Levi. “How about we let the little lad iron out the kinks from his new Tier?”

“Well,” Sera said, inspecting Levi as if he were precious goods. “Okay. They are less frightening than the monsters of the Krag, anyway.”

“That’s for certain,” Levi agreed. The greenkins he had fought against were in their teens. The chieftain was even Level 20 or so. However, compared to the hounds of the Krag, they weren’t as dangerous. The monsters lurking in the gods tombs were only around Level 6, and yet they were still as dangerous as a Level 15 greenkin.

“Even if you didn’t say that,” said Levi, “I’d want to fight them anyway.”

“That’s the spirit,” Gregory smiled.

Levi stalked forwards. The adult trio hung back, but by the tight grip on Sera’s sword, they were ready to intervene at a moment's notice.

After sneaking forwards for about 20 metres, Levi crouched down, and placed his hand on the compacted dirt underneath. The road of Beron had long ran out. Mana surged from his container, through his body, arm, and out through his palm. A simple, hot, circular runic formation spread out until it was about the size of a small hula hoop. Fully forming, the heat dissipated, and the red etchings seemingly vanished: a trait thanks to his Trap Making Skill. But Levi could see it. Perhaps only those familiar with magic could.

Levi inhaled, then shouted, “Alright you bastards, get over here!”

The moment his words ended, hissing screeches echoed from further in the forest. It wasn’t long before Levi spotted the shifting green flesh, and the red eyes glaring at him. The greenkins shot from out of the treeline, scrambling straight for Levi.

They weren’t completely dumb, however, as Levi noticed a few archers sneak behind trees to his right. Smiling, Levi moved a couple steps backwards, obstructing the view of the rangers from the thick trees. This was their hunting ground, but it was also their undoing.

Levi counted 4 greenkins. They were hurtling towards him at speed. A speed that any olympic sprinter could only dream of. Levi intently listened to their breaths, their screams, the beat of their heart.

The leader stepped foot onto his magical trap. Fire blossomed and bloomed and exploded. The first two greenkins exploded in a mangled mess of charred flesh and bone. The other two, unaware of what happened, were startled. Levi wasn’t. He charged under the guise of the billowing smoke from the grass being caught on fire. Clutching the shaft of his spear tight, he thrust it into the tender throat of the third monster.

Just as Levi’s target hit the ground, hands covering its throat, blood gurgling, the last greenkin smashed its club at Levi. There was no time to dodge. Instead, he covered his arm with hardened carapace, and took the hit head on.

The impact crashed into his arm, sending him off balance. But that was it. He recovered a second later.

He was face to face with the snarling monster. It had yellowed teeth, and something fleshy coloured was stuck in between its teeth. It’s breath stank something rotten.

Levi snapped the spear tip to the monster's face, but it ducked underneath.

An arrow whirled by Levi’s head. The archers had gotten in a better position. Levi quickly adjusted himself so that the archers would have to move once more.

The monster he was currently facing didn’t seem to understand what he was doing, so it charged at him again. If it had patience, if it had the smarts to understand tactics, it would realise what Levi was doing. It would bide its time for his friends to get into position, and stick Levi’s body full with pointed shafts. But it wasn’t intelligent. Crafty, maybe, but definitely not smart.

Levi aimed for the body this time, knowing that the greenkin would just dodge. The beast dashed to the side, dodging, and it was closer now. Levi felt the mana in his container listen to his commands. It covered his foot as he thrust his leg like a molten spear to the greenkins chest. It struck true.

The force blasted the greenkin backwards, tumbling to the ground. The potent fire ate away its flesh. The monster quickly smothered the flames, but Levi was already charging ahead.

An arrow sliced past his right arm. Levi grit his teeth in frustration, but he couldn’t pay the archers much attention; the greenkin in front of him seemed the most capable in combat. From the scars etched on its flesh, he could only make the assumption that it was.

The brawl continued for a while. Sure, he could use the power of his words to make the beast stumble, but that would be cheating. It was the greenkin, who had survived countless battles and hunts, against the newly awakened Levi of a single week.

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As the fight reached its apex, Levi was getting used to the fighting patterns of the beast. Bram’s teachings arrived in full swing. Levi faked the greenkin out with a move of his feet, then, like a viper punching, he thrust his spear into the monster's throat.

With having the greenkin’s back to the archers, it had provided a safety net for Levi. Now that the net had fallen, arrows continued. One of them slashed passed Levi’s cheek. Hot, wet blood trickled down from his cheek.

Heart still smashing against his chest from the previous fight, Levi hurled a condensed ball of fire straight at the two archers. It splashed against the tree they were hiding behind, showering them in blazing hot sparks.

Levi sprinted up to them, and finished the weaker creatures with a couple stabs of his spear.

You have defeated: Greenkin (Level 21)

| …

| You have Levelled up: 20->21

| You have 2 unspent Stat points.

You have obtained the Path Skill – Fire Control (★★): You have gained the deft control of the element of destruction — fire. Wield it to your heart's desire.

| You deal 20% more damage with fire Skills.

| Progress to next Level-up → 0/100,000xp

My mage skills really do level up quite quickly, don’t they? Levi thought, his lips curling.

Then, glancing at his current Stats, he decided to place 1 point into Magic, and another into Mana, bringing them both to 66 and 35 respectively.

As Levi wandered back over to the road where the adult trio was waiting, Levi delved into his thoughts about the fight he had just experienced. From the beginning, he went into it not trying to rely on his range, or his words. He wanted to get used to fighting in close proximity with monstrous creatures.

There were times where he would hesitate a little seeing the glints in their eyes, and that was what he was wanting to squash. Against stronger opponents, he couldn’t hesitate. Hesitation meant death.

Then there was his weapon: the spear. It was too light. Often when he thrust it, it felt like there was nothing in his hands at all. It took a little getting used to. So, if he wanted to improve that, he had to either acquire a heavier spear, or a better weapon in general. He was still undecided which path to take in that regard.

As they continued their travels, the same scene occurred every hour or so. Levi would battle the greenkins that reigned supreme in the forests, forging his combat techniques that Bram had been teaching him the night prior.

During his fights, it was made obviously apparent just how lame his skills actually were. Having relied on the power of his words before to make them move how he wanted, it was a very different experience.

If the greenkins knew how to dodge, Levi didn’t have the technique required to finish the fight fast. Against anyone, or thing, experienced enough in battle, he struggled. It was the difference in experience.

At one point, Sera wanted him to spot, noticing he was growing tired. But Levi objected. What kind of enemy would stop regardless if he was tired or not? None of them was the answer. Because of that, Levi forged ahead, fighting, despite his limbs growing weak and slow.

When he was truly too tired to attack efficiently, Levi finally used the power of his words. Just like that, Levi spent the next 6 days of travel; fighting, sleeping, training, and looking forward to the sights he had heard all about.

Gregory told him he was crazy, and that he knew other people like him–battle fiends. Whether that was true or not, Levi didn’t know. He was just trying to improve as much as he could, as fast as he could. It felt like he had a hidden dagger held at his throat. The Round Table, the monsters, they were all out to get him.

6 days in, and Levi gazed at the new Stat screen in front of his very eyes. It was evidence of his hard work. A wide smile crept up on his lips.

Levi Bedivere

| Birthright Tier: 2 – Apprentice

| Class: Mage

| Path: Inciting Pyro Trapper

| Job: Available at Tier 3

| Level: 29

| Titles: Otherworlder, Caller of the Round Table, Talent of an Arch Magus, Golden Tongue, Crypt-Hound Slayer, Prodigious Child.

Attributes:

| Strength: 21

| Vitality: 21

| Dexterity: 15

| Magic: 75

| Mana: 42

Skills:

Incite (★★★★)

Mana Control (★★★★)

Trap Making (★★★)

Meditation (★★★)

Fire Control (★★★)

Golden Carapace (★★)

And when Levi and his party finally broke out of the trees, there it was. A staggering scarred wall that climbed higher than most mountains Levi had ever laid eyes on. There were no sights of buildings within. The only evidence of human activity came from the smoke rising beyond those very walls, and the enormous gates that were clearly not made for ordinary men or women. Carriages and caravans were led beyond the stone doors, where armoured men guarded the entrance. Above, on the wall battlements, were colossal cannons designed for decimating titans. They definitely weren’t used for common greenkins, that’s for sure. In front of that, and all around the walls, were expansive fields of beige and green. Levi saw cattle, sheep, and donkeys ploughing the fields.

Levi heard a familiar tune: a steam engine's whistling roar. From the broadside of the wall, a hulking train emerged from a suspended railway track. The train was covered in thick plated metal. Warriors were tethered to the roof, weapons in hand, as if they expected a battle. In the centre of every 3 cars along, was a rotating cannon.

“Woah,” Levi exclaimed. “This is just an ordinary town?”

Gregory nodded. “Welcome to Ravens Pit, one of the many towns that still remain from the Forgotten Era.”

“Why’s it called that?” Levi asked, turning to the gentleman.

“You’ll know that when you see the inside of it, lad.”