Ethan looked at the wardrobe filled with two sets of clothing, tucked into the corner of his new room. His stay at the palace had come to an abrupt end, with both he and the princess agreeing his value as a stand-in for the prince would be severely undercut if he became a long term guest of the royal family. An unusual foreign Hunter might get special treatment for a time, but much longer and Ethan would become a subject of interest and debate.

As such, he’d secured a room in the Midway, a section of town where the commoners’ housing transitioned into the noble district. It fed into the narrative they were creating, in which he was from the East–which Ethan now realized was the equivalent of the coast of Canada and the US in his world. He’d been ‘rescued’ on the road by the knights, after the successful Flagras Hunt. The noble prince took pity on him, and had invested in Ethan’s future as an asset for the kingdom.

It was true enough that it wouldn’t be hard to sell, and explained his occasional presence in the palace, as well as his ‘friendly’ escorts, who were ostensibly helping him get used to his new allegiance. The fact that he already had a rare Bond, combined with Viridus’ relatively low Hunter population, explained why he’d been given temporary special treatment. Now it was his job to become ‘just one more Hunter’ out of hundreds, and try not to draw too much attention to himself.

The equivalent of middle-class lodgings helped with that, and Ethan was happy with the simple room, despite trading palace luxury for homespun coziness. Besides he’d stolen–rescued–the Garrus bust, giving him a little touch of continuity. Although he’d taken to speaking to Tomo a lot more than the mute statue.

“Having clothes to fit in with either end of society is nice, but it’s not really something I’m used to,” he told the little demon.

“You chafe at not being able to live as you please,” Tomo responded, not a question.

“Yeah I guess you’re right. I could be in worse situations, but expendable pawn is definitely one I’m not willing to entertain long term.” Ethan examined the clothes. The commoners typically wore simple browns and grays, where the nobles had taken to more colorful attire. The men’s clothing seemed closest to styles that would have been at home in India, possibly due to the temperate climate in the kingdom.

Loose fitting, and light material were the norm for pants, while something like suit-jackets were common for the upper body. They were high-colored, and buttoned on one side of the breast, and didn’t look bad, but they also marked you definitively as one of the upper class–or at least trying to be.

Finally Ethan grew frustrated, and mixed and matched a little. He went with dark clothing, with no jacket, instead leaving his white coat on. “I think I’d prefer to just wear armor,” he said, looking at himself in the small mirror. “Hunters seem to be able to side-step the class structure issues in most situations.”

“Then you need to Hunt,” Tomo said. “The finest armor will always be that which you have tailored from specific beasts. Your enhanced looting power will assist with this endeavor. But training first,” he finished sternly.

“Right, this is day one of the new normal. Okay, I think I’m going to start with Deevee, I feel they’re the Familiar I understand the least.” He sat in the middle of the room, in a meditative pose that felt relatively comfortable. The Devourer appeared a moment later, exploring the room before settling in the air in front of him.

Tomo’s specter remained, thankfully. Only one Familiar could be summoned at a time, but the Spirit-Familiar was always a part of him–even he couldn’t interact with the physical world unless channeled. Apparently the others could appear in specter form as well, but it required training from both Bonded and monster, and it wasn’t a priority.

“You must focus on your connection to the hydra,” Tomo said. “Feel the Bond Rune, feel its connection to your soul, and to your Familiar both. Follow that path with your consciousness…follow it to its ends, and allow Deevee to show you its nature.”

Ethan did as he was instructed, surprised to find it was less difficult than he imagined, and realizing that was likely the point. He pictured the Bond Rune in his mind–which wasn’t easy given its countless swirls and shapes. But even in the attempt, he understood that the rune felt almost like a doorway, and with a sliver of effort, his mind passed through.

He felt himself being pulled deeper into himself, his senses shifting and struggling to comprehend what existed within. It was more like a series of lights and sensations than a true space, but he had the unmistakable feeling of progress, like he was moving toward something. At the end of that ‘path’, he could feel his Familiar, waiting.

Faster and faster he seemed to surge forward, and then in a flash he found he was seeing out of many sets of eyes. He wasn’t in the room, looking at himself meditating, instead he was somewhere else. Somewhere the Dimension Devourer felt it belonged.

Ethan’s mind effortlessly split in numerous directions, as his many heads looked around, searching for prey. He was flying, soaring above the earth at remarkable speeds, watching it race past beneath him. There were mountains, oceans, lands of grass and lands of fire. The whole world belonged to him, and he could be anywhere.

Blue and white light flashed and he’d be somewhere new. Sometimes underground, sometimes just above the grass…sometimes in a world of lights and sounds he barely understood. Finally he smelled what he needed, and it wasn’t a rift, like Ethan had expected, instead it was another monster, with the distinct flavor of the Dimension Affinity.

Instantly his body separated, and abruptly he was an entire pack of sinuous draconic serpents. Some chased the unseen prey directly, flying into the forest below, while others disappeared into rifts, cutting off the meal’s escape. He could see through many eyes at once, control many bodies, and the food would be his.

Ethan’s body jerked awake and he rolled to one side, thrashing wildly as he slowly came back into his own mind. It was jarring to go from so many separate versions of himself into a single entity again, and he spent a moment just breathing, still straining to use senses that weren’t his own.

At last he looked up at Deevee, watching him curiously from nearby. Ethan could still taste the sweet flavor of dimensional energy as his many mouths clamped onto the monster that had been unable to escape him. “I think I understand you a little better, buddy.”

“A good start,” Tomo said as his spectral form reappeared. “Truly understanding another being is the pursuit of a lifetime, and you’ve only just begun.”

“Maybe I should try with Revan next,” Ethan suggested. It had been an addictive experience to live for even a few moments as a being so alien, and so powerful.

“Later,” Tomo replied, “it’s been two hours, and you have other skills that require our attention.”

“Two hours?” Ethan said. “It felt like minutes…I’ll have to watch that.”

“Indeed. Now, training has just begun; movement is next.”

Ethan nodded, having discussed the training regime at length the night before. He stood up and stretched cramped muscles, then looked out his East-facing window. “Let’s do this,” he said, shooting forward, Deevee soaring ahead of him.

Ethan dove through the open window head-first. There were people below, so with a flash he appeared on the roof of the next building, continuing his sprint. He jumped down onto the next street without hesitation, instinctively understanding that he could land unharmed. And so he did, even feeling graceful as his legs easily absorbed the impact.

He kept running, ignoring the townspeople staring at him in confusion. He tried to keep as much of a straight line as possible, heading toward the East wall. Ethan had been excited for this training, as it was designed not just to help him learn to traverse unusual terrain naturally, but also to get used to his new Dawn rank body.

Tomo has explained that reaching Dawn allowed each of his Familiars to bond to a core aspect of his being: mind, body, and spirit. Mind was difficult to feel, as it naturally grew more slowly than the other aspects–changing the way one thought and interacted with the world could be an overwhelming, even dangerous experience.

Still, the night before Ethan had utilized [Hydra’s Focus] to write two entirely separate notes for himself at the same time. That level of multitasking fascinated him, even if he couldn’t split his body in two. Tomo has claimed it would give him impressive skill in dual-wielding weapons, as well as fighting multiple targets at once.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

[Demon’s Soul] was harder to understand. It enhanced abilities Ethan had never experienced before, largely tied to the Astral. He had seen for himself though, that Tomo was able to hold back Familiars far more powerful than he was, and the demon had assured Ethan that they’d barely scratched the surface of what they would be capable of.

It was the Bond with Revan that was the most traditionally exciting, however, and the reason why Ethan was taking to the streets with such gusto. Everyone Dawn rank and higher would have a Familiar enhancing their body, allowing them to grow stronger, faster, and more durable as they ranked up. The Bonded monster would provide unique enhancements, however.

Vanguards like Valanor would Bond something especially durable, like Sylvie the showoff crab. The prince was supposed to have bonded something extremely fast, enabling him to fly over the battlefield. Ethan has been given [Guardian’s Bound], reflecting Revan’s agile nature. More than just agility, the cat-like ability enabled him to jump much greater distances and heights, as well as land on his feet unharmed.

It was harder to use than it seemed, and Ethan had barely managed to put it into use since reaching Dawn. The ability was always active, and theoretically if he fell from a height, he would land gracefully without effort. Convincing his mind that he could jump twice his own height–that took practice.

And that’s exactly what this was. Ethan soared over wagons, leaped up to ledges, and pushed himself to move and fling his body into increasingly ridiculous and exciting maneuvers. He gloried in the freedom of it, feeling the air rushing over his face as the world spun and swirled in his vision, yet always his legs seemed to be right where they needed to be as the ground rushed up to meet him.

At last the high walls rose up before him, and Ethan finally let himself slow down. He was sweating, and out of breath, having gone nearly fifteen minutes at a full sprint, including wild jumps and acrobatics. He’d been in good shape when he left Earth. Not the best version of the climber’s body he’d cultivated before med-school, but well above average. Dawn rank had enhanced that strength, but he could tell he had a long way to go.

Looking up at the fifty foot wall, he considered just what that entailed. As soon as his breath was back, he charged, leaping high and gripping onto the smooth surface with his climbing skill. He scrambled up like a spider, forcing himself to ignore the instincts he’d developed for choosing perfect holds. Just before he reached the top, he tried something he knew he wasn’t ready for.

Carefully letting go with his hands, he slowly stood out straight, perpendicular to the wall. He had to tense his entire body to do it, and only by standing sideways did he manage for more than a few seconds, but already he could tell this was something worth aspiring to. If he could fight on walls, ceilings, and more, he knew it would be a powerful advantage, and resolved to push his body until this was easy.

At the moment though, he gratefully allowed himself to release the skill, and fall a few feet before a rift deposited him safely atop the wall. The ‘get out of jail free’ card that was Deevee’s teleportation ability was crucial to his training. Only by knowing his Familiar was there to get him out of deadly falls could he push himself so hard, so soon.

Looking off the side of the wall at the drop of hundreds of feet, ending in massive stone legs of incomprehensible scale, Ethan grinned at what ‘pushing himself’ meant. He took a moment to enjoy the strange serenity that this world was capable of, the wind causing his white coat to billow out behind him. Then he let himself fall forward.

He was working on gaining enjoyment from falling. He’d had so many bad experiences that he was worried it would become a complex if he didn’t fight through it. And so now he tried to fall all the time, even when fighting monsters, as he’d done with the lutumstrider, turning gravity into an ally.

As the stone legs grew disturbingly close, he focused on Deevee, rift! His organs lurched inside him as the world reversed, and suddenly he was flying upward, angled toward the outside of the castle wall. He’d misjudged the distance, but a second rift completed the journey. He came out of it flying horizontally, his legs scrambling desperately as he attempted his first wall-run.

Prince of Persia, I am not, he thought as his hand failed to find purchase, and again he flipped over, needing to rift back to the top of the wall. He continued the practice for another hour or so, spotting some caves beneath the palace that he resolved to check out another day. At last he had to admit he was too exhausted to continue, and his mana was nearly depleted, his scars burning continuously like overtaxed muscle.

Soon he was walking back through town, stopping for food and drink on his way to the Guild Hall. He gave a friendly wave to an unfriendly Maggie, who would apparently be his chaperone today. Unlike Glenn, she stayed some distance back, which was fine by Ethan, who wasn’t interested in forcing awkward small talk.

This time when he reached the Hall, he resolved to truly understand the place. First he’d been rushed out by Valanor, then by Savilar and his own experience with the Astral. Now he wanted to put some names to faces, and make an effort to really feel like the Hunter he was becoming.

Thankfully the bartender was way ahead of him, as the day was slow and only a few tables were occupied. “Allo there, foreigner!” the man called with a wave. “I’ve seen you here with the First Shield and the leader of the Brightsouls, how are you making such powerful friends?”

Ethan smiled, moving up to the bar and taking in the large man with the mutton chops and balding head. “I wouldn’t call Valanor a friend,” he said lightly. “Just an angry work acquaintance. I’m Ethan Bishop,” he said, extending a hand.

The barkeeper put down the glass he was washing and shook the offered hand. “Charlie Dodger, barkeep and Guild Administrator, at your service.”

“Those two jobs go together?” Ethan asked.

“In larger kingdoms, probably not. The Guild is spread over the whole world, and some places have a hundred times the members we do locally. Here though? I serve more drinks than notices.” He gestured to the large board behind him. “Of course, the Tournament keeps me plenty busy when it reaches its height.”

Ethan looked up, and noticed the Brightsouls were in fifth place with 1287 points. “Leader of the Brightsouls…Savilar?”

Charlie nodded. “The Church’s team. They’re certainly one of the favorites this year.” He then placed a drink in front of Ethan. “On the house for a new member. Truth be told, our take from the notices makes the profit from drinks a bit redundant.”

Ethan nodded his thanks. “I have to say, Charlie, I don’t really understand this tournament. With so many monsters out there, how do the board stay so tight?” The first place team only had 1423 points, and the ‘Firehearts’ included the prince himself.

“Oh, we’ve had plenty of time to iron things out over the years. This is the one-hundred-eighty-seventh Tourney. It’s not as hard as you may think, we just adjust the point values of the notices each day, to keep things fair.”

“How so?” Ethan asked. “If I really want to compete, do I need to be careful which I pick?”

Charlie shook his head. “Nah, individual contributors don’t really need to worry. They don’t have a real chance anyway–uh, no offense.” Ethan laughed. “We just ensure that the most important Hunts are the most valuable, meaning those that keep people safe. That tends to mean lots of travel to distant towns and villages, and slow returns.”

“I see, they can’t just take all the easy notices and white out the weaker monsters?”

“Again, the travel time makes that a low reward prospect. Besides, there’s an unwritten rule that the Tournament can’t compromise what’s best for the Guild. If a powerful team took nothing but easy notices, leaving the real threats behind, they’d find themselves no longer a team soon enough.”

“Good rule,” Ethan said, nodding. “Is there an easy way to check my own points?”

Charlie nodded, pointing to the magic photocopier. “Notice-maker, just put in your Hunter’s Mark without a notice and it will make you a list of the scores. Had to get the Runic Guild to add that function when people started pestering me every day.”

“Thanks, Charlie, I think I’ll check it out.” With that he strolled over to the machine–drink in hand–and did as instructed. The paper it spit out had a few hundred names, and it took some time to find his own. “Seventeen points,” he said. “Nailin’ it.”

Tomo appeared next to him. “Do you truly wish to participate in this…tournament?” the demon asked.

Ethan sighed. “I’m not sure I have a choice. I need to prove myself valuable enough to keep alive,” he lowered his voice, “or get strong enough to leave the country in under a year. The Tournament is my best chance for both at this point. Besides, explore an ancient forbidden city? You’re talking to the only guy whoever entered your haunted tower.”

“My tower was not haunted. I lived there,” Tomo said.

“Don’t be ridiculous. You’re literally a ghost right now,” Ethan replied with a grin, and Tomo’s incorporeal face glared back at him. “Anyway, help me find some more notices. I want a bunch that will be good training, as well as a few aspirational ones.”

A few minutes later Ethan was leaving with a dozen new Hunts in mind, but stopped to say goodbye to Charlie. “Thanks for the help today, Charlie, it was good meeting you.”

“We’ll see eachother plenty,” the man replied with an affable smile. “Are you thinking of joining a team for the tournament? I could keep an eye out for openings for you.”

“I’m not sure yet,” Ethan answered, looking at the board. “Any of them hiring?” He indicated the top ten list.

Charlie laughed. “Well the prince’s team is set, you won’t likely be joining them. Brighthearts too, unless you’re more religious than you seem.” He read through the names, considering. “Most of the top teams have known each other for years. Firstbloods are all nobles, you won’t be getting in there. Pursuers are their rivals, all from common stock, but a full team.”

He rubbed the bare chin between his mutton chops. “I can inquire about the rest, but uh…respectfully, I know you just finished Bonding. They’re not likely to take you.” He shrugged apologetically, but Ethan just smiled. “Did you at least get your copy of the scores?”

Ethan nodded, holding up the paper. “I did! You’re right that it’s mostly teams though. Except for… ‘Stalker’? He has 347 points all on his own.”

“Don’t know him, but there’s always a few loners who do well.”

“Either way, thanks again. That copying device is amazing,” Ethan said.

“It’s the least of what them Runics can do,” Charlie said with wonder. “Always wished I had the time and money for it myself.”

“What do you mean? You can just…do it? I thought it was another Bond or something.”

“Not exactly, more of a study, with some very expensive supplies. Monster gems being the worst of it. But most Hunters try to pick up a little.”

Ethan grinned, “I think I have to go visit a friend of mine. Thanks again, Charlie!” Ethan left the hall, heading straight for Selina at the Runic Guild.