Hm? What the?

I look around, confused. I could have sworn I felt…something just now. Some sort of energy, vaguely familiar to me.

“Is something wrong, Kai?” Asked Bea, who saw that I was acting oddly all the sudden.

I shook my head.

“No—I don’t think so….Did you feel anything just now?”

Bea tilted her head in confusion.

“I didn’t? Is there something in particular I need to look out for?”

I shook my head again.

“No, don’t bother. It might have been my imagination after all.”

Though, I’m sure it wasn’t. That excuse placated Bea though, and kept her from getting worried. A worried Bea is not a fun Bea.

I kept my senses open in case that energy came back and in the hopes that I might be able to identify it when that happens—no, if it happens. Meanwhile, the caravan was lumbering forward. I had heard that we were going to be stopping in the last town on this side of the border, then begin our journey through foreign lands on the morrow. Apparently, there’s also some sort of traditional feast that happens when the town wishes the travelling groups luck. So, after today’s travel, I can anticipate good food and alcohol waiting for me when we stop.

So, instead of the training I had been doing previously, I took a day off and snoozed in the carriage, using Bea as a fairly good lap-pillow. I became a little concerned that she was coming down with something, since her face looked a little red the whole time. I asked her about it though, and she hastily replied that she’s not sick.

I’ll be honest; I’m pretending ignorance or innocence here. It’s a bit fun to rile her up after all.

The day passed fairly quickly, even with nothing to do. There was a minor incident where a carriage wheel broke on one of the transports near the front of the caravan, holding the entire group up for about an hour while it was fixed. But, when you don’t have to be anywhere at a particular time, those little hold-ups don’t really matter much. We still made it to the town in the end, after all.

After that, things degenerated a bit, with groups from the caravan breaking off in every which direction to celebrate. Food seemed to appear all over the reasonably sized fortress town, along with ale and wine. Honestly, it was all a bit loud and obnoxious to me.

So, I nicked one of the wine bottles, and retired to a rooftop reasonably far away from all the other people. I drank straight from the bottle while looking back on my lives.

You know dying sucks. I can tell you that dying multiple times is worse, especially when there’s simply nothing else you could do. Either you’re too young to fend for yourself, too weak, or overmatched. I’ve had a few lives where I got strong, only to be cut down in my prime. I’ve had lives where I never got close to that prime. And then I’ve had a life where I did something stupid, and might as well have killed myself.

I think that if there’s anything I’ve learned over all this time, it’s that there’s no such thing as an infallible higher power. You have only yourself and luck to rely on. I try and live each life like it’s my last, since it very well might be. I might not be reborn with my memories again.

Ah, the bottle’s empty. I guess I drank it all without realizing. My alcohol tolerance must have soared through the roof recently, since I don’t feel it at all. Probably happened during one of those evolutions.

Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate getting stronger and all, but isn’t the way I’m doing it a tad ridiculous? I feel like one of those overpowered main characters from my days on Earth, like that dude with the red hair and massive sword, or that fictional hero with a massive armory that he can summon on a whim. Or that other guy, who can copy that armory.

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

It’s just been one rise in power after another lately. Some of them I’ve accomplished myself, like when I increased my mana density on that island, while others have simply…happened. I don’t know what causes them, which bothers me on some level. Hopefully, the libraries in the Central Kingdoms can answer a few of my questions, as well as help me to find the Continents again.

Though, I’m getting a bit impatient. I want answers as soon as possible. The problem is that we’re traveling as a part of a caravan, instead of alone. If it were just Bea and I, we could make the journey much, much faster. Sure, there’s the measure of safety afforded by a caravan, but other things are sacrificed in return. Also, I have no idea where to go in order to reach the Central Continents. I mean, I know what direction it’s in, but I have no way of knowing what roads are dangerous, which ones are fastest, or which ones are just all-around not good ideas. I could just make my way north-east, and trust in my skills past that point, but why risk it? Unless a better alternative presents itself, I’m sticking with the caravan.

I hunted down another bottle, and returned to the roof. This time, Bea joined me. She’s getting to know me pretty well, if the fact that she’s not trying to talk to me is any indication. We simply drank silently together.

----------------------------------------

The next day, the caravan rolled out again. Most people going with it also have bloody great hangovers from the partying last night. Regardless, a ragged cheer rose when we passed through the border station, and out of the kingdom. Even though we had been traveling for a while so far, this marked the true start of the journey. It would take a year and a half to reach the Central Continents.

Oh, and I soon found out exactly what that familiar energy had been.

It was Gabriel—or more specifically, the energy now being used by her. It looks like I’m not the only one who got a power-up.

Basically, things went like this;

It had been a few days since the border crossing. Bea wasn’t feeling too well, and elected to stay in the carriage while I went to do my daily training. Things went as usual for the first few hours, until I felt like someone was watching me.

Wondering about it, I wandered into an open field off to the side, and sat down among the tall grasses. I considered employing the strategy I had used against Bea during that first spar—where I threw my wakizashi at her. Then I thought better. I should just wait, maybe meditate a little. If whoever’s watching me plans on doing something, then that would be the best opportunity. If nothing happens, then I can just let them be.

So, of course this mystery person would begin creeping closer to where I was meditating. I sighed a little, and got back up. Let’s see…the person’s by the edge of the clearing right now. I can hear that their heart rate just shot straight through the roof, and smell the sweat on their palms.

Funny, I couldn’t do that before. Is it another effect of the recent level ups as well?

Anyway, their heart rate didn’t lower at all as I started walking in the direction of my watcher. It was a little funny, actually.

I stopped right in front of the petrified watcher, who turned out to be Bea’s little sister Gabriel.

“What are you doing?” I asked her flatly. My tail waved behind me slowly, showing off the knife-like tip it has. I also had one of my hands on the wakizashi pushed through my belt. I had left the nodachi in the carriage with Bea.

“Um…” began Gabriel, who was watching the tail. “I was….uh….curious?”

“Oh? Is that all? Why don’t you be curious elsewhere, okay?”

“I’ll do that.” She replied quietly, before scurrying off.

What had that been about?

----------------------------------------

Gabriel ran away gasping. She couldn’t believe what the deity residing within her had confirmed about Katariah. Only fourteen, and reaching for level 300?! What sort of monster makes that kind of mind-bending progress? What sort of natural talent is required to climb nearly 300 levels in so little time?! And that aura surrounding her—Gabriel nearly suffocated on the pressure from a fourteen year old. A fourteen year old!

“Calm down child. Things look grim, and we can’t have you doubting your own abilities.” Spoke the deity within me.

What do you mean, things look grim?! Is there something worse than her level and age?!

The deity picks up on my thoughts, and answers.

“Unfortunately, yes. It looks like this…Katariah has begun to awaken a draconic bloodline. She can no longer be considered a mere demon, but now a High Demon. They are but a short step away from the dragons of old, and must be handled with the utmost caution.”

So, she’s even worse than you first told me? I’m still not convinced that Katariah deserves to die. My only problem with her is that she’s taken all of Joseph’s attention.

“Of course she has to die. She’s the spawn of chaos, and sows it’s seeds. Any children she has will only add to the world’s woes, and her deeds will always have selfishness and greed hidden behind them. That’s the nature of a demon, and even more so the nature of a High-Demon.”

But then how am I supposed to vanquish an evil so much stronger than I am? With her talent, she’ll have left me far behind as soon as I’ve even approached level 300.

“Child, you forget that you have a God residing within your body. Your talent outstrips her own now, and you can easily catch up given enough time.”

Really? How long will it take?

“At most? A year and a half. Maybe even sooner, depending on how hard you work. Heroes and Temples are not made immediately, you know.”

Gabriel walked back to the caravan in considerable better spirits, already looking forward to her future strength.