Meera frowned at her skills. "Most of my skills seem geared towards a warrior class than a stealth class."

Silas shrugged. "Well, that's what happens when you're not in charge of earning your skills."

That was more than she had gotten out of him all day. Ever since Cossus' death, he had grown quiet. Spoke only when spoken to. Though, his eyes spoke plenty. They surveyed every single thing. Every sound, no matter how small or inconspicuous, he would snap his head to it, trying to find its source.

They were almost out of the Forest of Rothedon. With her Eagle Eyes, she could see past the trees into the farmlands beyond.

Her heartbeat was faster with each step. After a week of stumbling around in the forest, being rained on several times, being chased by monkeys, and almost dying to a massive gorilla, they were finally almost there, and she could begin asking after his brother.

Even if he does have a six-month head start on me, I'll find him.

Meera thought about what Silas had said and replied, "But isn't that every class?"

"Hmm?"

"Isn't the system in charge of handing us our skill?"

Something of the old Silas returned. "Yes, but even if we cannot earn all of our skills, we can still choose our classes, and each class comes with a set of skills, and we can gauge what will be delivered to us through specific actions. For example, the general skills, if you were to learn swimming skills. It's a general skill, anyone can jump in the water, learn from someone who has the skill, and soon that skill will pop for you, but in your case, you would have to get lucky, and no matter how much splashing around you did. You wouldn't get it."

"How do you know that?"

The corner of his lips curled up. "The perfect example would be the Running skill. With how much running you've done in the past week. You should have easily gotten that skill and leveled it up quite a bit."

"I hate this class."

Silas chuckled. "But hey, you've gotten a fair share of skills in the past few days. Some of which are quite advanced, like Eagle Eyes. Those will be invaluable in your pursuit of being an—to be a stealth-class fighter. If that is what you still want."

"I do," she replied.

"A strong case could be made towards a warrior with the skills you've already earned."

"No, thank you. I plan to override them when I get stealth-based skills."

Silas held up his hands. "Okay, your choice. But I'll recommend getting a healing skill as soon as possible. Maybe once we're in the village, you can go to the village healer and try to—you know—accidentally cut them with your chakram."

Meera tried to guess the reasoning behind it. "If I can heal myself, I wouldn't need to waste money on potions or healers…"

"Correct! Not to mention, if you get a powerful healing skill—nothing you will find in that backwater village—but if you get one, you could become practically unkillable. Especially since not a lot of stealth skills involve the use of Mana."

Meera nodded. This was all good information. "Thanks, Silas. I don't know what I'll do without you."

He patted her back. "It's okay. You'll manage."

They walked silently until they reached the edge of the forest that evening. Silas had them camp in the woods, as it was almost a day's walk to the village from here, and they would leave first thing in the morning. They fell into their similar routine of setting up camp. She would help around as Cossus did his rounds. Something Silas said it was best they forgo this time, danger could only come from one direction, this time, aside from highway robbers, but they never came this close to the forest.

They had their meal and had finished cleaning up. Meera was burning to ask a question about her stat points, which she still needed to allocate.

"Silas, given our previous conversation, should I keep putting points into Dexterity, Agility, and Perception?

He raised an eyebrow. "Is that what you've been putting them in? What about Endurance?"

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"That as well. How do you think I've been able to run so much." She almost wanted to say play bait, but she was not ready to bring up those memories, and she needed Silas focused.

"Given your current skills, also put a few points into Power and Constitution. It was a good thing you were mostly hidden in the fight against the Alpha. It may not be so next round, and I will not always be around to distract such a creature."

Meera nodded. "Okay...are you planning to go somewhere?"

Silas sighed. "I was hoping to do this after we got to Belacre, but now's as good a time as any. Meera, Belacre, is as far as I'll go with you."

"What? Why?"

"You know of my history. Your quest will take you to many places, cities far and wide. I cannot risk those. A village on the edge of the world is as good as it will get for me. Cossus used to do the talking and get contracts while I mostly stayed back and kept out of sight. That will have to change, I guess."

His reason was solid, but that didn't mean she had to agree. "But Silas, I need you and your knowledge about the system and skills. How will I learn what you do without having you around to teach me?"

He smiled. "I'm sure you'll manage. Now, I suggest you allocate all your stat points and get a good night's sleep. We have lots of walking to do tomorrow. I'm going to do a quick round and will be back in a few minutes."

With that, he stood, effectively ending the conversation while pulling the ground from underneath her feet. She stared at his back as he walked away. How much longer did I expect him to travel with me? He was going to go his way, after all.

Silas returned a few minutes later and gave her the all-clear. She walked off to her tent without another word. It was petulant of her to do so. She understood his decision, but that didn't mean she had to agree with it.

She lay down in the tent with a huff and allocated her points as they had discussed.

[Name: Meera Singh]

[Age: 24]

[Race: Unnatural Human]

[Class: Image Stealer – Level 27]

[Class Ability: Reflection – Level 10]

Stats

[Health: 250]

[Stamina: 290]

[Mana: 110]

Attributes

[Constitution: 25]

[Power: 15]

[Dexterity: 27]

[Endurance: 29]

[Focus: 11]

[Agility: 28]

[Perception: 27]

Skills

[Ambush Tactics – Level 9]

[Monkey Fist - Level 12]

[Eagle Eye - Level 7]

[Night Vision – Level 1]

[Primal Power - Level 10]

[Unlocked]

[Unlocked]

[Unlocked]

[Unlocked]

[Unlocked]

General Skills

[Identify – Level 2]

[Mirror Affinity – Level 18]

[Climbing – Level 16]

[Tree Walker - Level 15]

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

The next morning, she had calmed down a little, so she was only slightly mad at Silas for leaving. They had breakfast in silence. After their meal, Meera was about to start the arduous process of breaking camp when Silas stopped her.

"I have something for you," he said.

"What is it? Another news that you're leaving right this instant."

He chuckled. "Still not over that, are you?"

"What do you think?"

"Meera, I'm sorry, but you know if I leave with you to find your brother, the savior. I will have so many eyes on me that you and I will die within the week. Us going our separate ways is best for both of us."

Meera crossed her arms and huffed. "Yes, I know it's for the best, but I still don't have to accept it."

Silas snorted. "Well, I hope you come to terms with it by the time we part ways. But we've still got a day or two till then."

That's not even that long! It was what she wanted to say but chopped down on her words.

"I have something for you," Silas said. "A gift for our time together and also because I don't want people raising their eyes when they see you walking in those strange clothes."

"What's wrong with these?" She looked down at her ripped and filthy clothes. Some blood stains had turned brown, and after taking a whiff of herself, she knew why he was giving her clothes. "Actually, don't answer that."

He reached into his bag and pulled out a pair of clothes. Their color was nothing fancy. They were rather drab colored, but anything was better than what she had on now.

"Is there a stream or something around here? I don't want to destroy these nice fresh clothes with my stench." Meera asked. Also, because a washroom is going to be asking for too much.

"I mean, we can get you a room at the inn in Belacre," Silas said. "They have a bathtub, usually."

"And hot water?" Meera asked.

"That's usually an extra seven silver coins, but after what we've earned, I'm sure, you'll be able to afford it."

"Last I checked, I only have something like seventy tails. That gives me only seventy silver coins. I don't know the world's economy, but I think I should conserve it."

"I'm sure you'll be able to afford it." Silas smiled knowingly.

Meera squinted at him. "What is it you're hiding?"

"Well, this was going to be another gift, but I'm giving you half of Cossus' kills and half the reward from the Alpha's kill. After all, you brought it down."

Meera's jaw dropped. She didn't even want to do that calculation. "I-I just—I don't know what to say."

"Say thank you and accept this gracious gift."

"Thank you."

"Good. As for your stench, you can take our remaining water and wash yourself off with a rag for now in the tent. So, you don't ruin the new clothes too much, and we'll get you a proper bath in the village."

"But won't we run out of water?"

"There's a stream a couple of hours out," he replied. "We'll refill there. Now, get to it. We're wasting daylight."

Meera rushed to the tent for her impromptu bath and a change of clothes.