Approximately halfway to the village, I slumped down beneath a tree, completely out of breath. I was just no, that I realized how close I came to dying. The times with the pursuit after Luke’s and the battle with the gangs boss were different. I had a plan and I executed it perfectly. This was the first time that I came to realize my mortality. Nothing went as expected. I thought that I prepared enough, but I forgot plenty. My main plan was to make a camp for the night, put up some rudimentary defences with scrolls, then in the next day leave 4-5 grenade below the burnt-out fireplace and ambush my targets there.

Being sneak attacked helped my ego calm down a bit. I began imagining myself a Godfather of a big organization, but now I came back to earth.

But enough with the negativity, let’s rest a bit and then go back to the village, breakthrough and inspect my loo.., I mean my new belongings.

++++++++++++++

Back at the village, I rented a room in the same in that I was in yesterday. Tomorrow, there will be a carriage ready, which will bring me back to Osmor.

I closed the door and then booby-trapped both the door and the window. I put a small gadget I bought in Osmor on the window and the door. If someone opens them, they will toss something to the floor. This something is one of my throwing soul shredders. They then fall on two magic scrolls. One has ‚soul shock‘, the other has ‚minor shock‘ on it. This should ensure, that it is not lethal, but still enough to wake me up, and if necessary, give me enough time to flee.

Then I made myself ready for the breakthrough, First I prepared a golden apple, which I brought for this reason. Then I meditated a bit to be in the optimal state at the breakthrough. The reason for this was not because my breakthrough would fail It would succeed, but with this, I can make the most of it.

Everything ready I eat the apple and initiated the breakthrough.

The first thing I felt was my soul swelling. Then a lot of the soul juice went into the main vessels, making a final reinforcement. While I backed in the feeling of utopia, I also noticed some mysterious process. This process slowly infused my main vessel with even more soul juice, and slowly, golden spots appeared on it. I also seem to comprehend a part of this infusing process. Speaking of benefits right? I don’t know what it might be good for, but better having it than needing it right? People, who breakthrough in a fight would never have noticed it.

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With this, my breakthrough finished. After the whole process, in the spur of the moment, I try to infuse even more juice into the main vessel through the strange process, and surprisingly something seems to happen. Not much by any means but something. It looks like that there are some differences in the foundation. The introductory book said nothing about this. Yeah, hoarding bastards.

The sensation is phenomenal, I can feel that my perception and brain have been enhanced, even more than what happened than in the breakthrough to the 1st stage of mage apprentice. I think that the soul path is very beneficial for the five senses. I likey.

Coming back from the heavens, I inspect the rest of my body. I was very shocked to find out, that somehow, my body received the ability to passively absorb arcana particles into my blood. Before I had the misconception that in nature, arcane mana doesn’t exist, now I know that it was simply unnoticeable by the previous me. In some way, it is logical. How can someone have an affinity with something non-existent? It’s like having an affinity with plasma in a world without them.

Now I take a look at my new possession. It includes three money pouches, the same amount of leather bags and some other stuff. But my most prized loot this time around was the mage level scroll. That shit is not something you can get every day. I safely stash that away into my robe. In the robes of the enemy’s were 11 magic scrolls of the apprentice level. The amount of money they had together amounted to 23 gold coins. A sizeable haul. Most of them came from the guy with the mage level scroll. There was some other stuff on them, most not important. They had 4 weak artefacts, which I overlooked earlier. One of them was a bracelet which helped with sneaking. I take that. Another was a defensive artefact, which needs some refuelling. This one helped the rich one survive. At least a bit longer that is.

The other two are weak amplification equipment’s. One for water and the other for light spells. The later seem rare, but none of the two is helpful for me, I can sell them to Nelton for some points.

Having gone through the loot, I pick up the 2 glass bottles with the beetles inside. Both of them are hibernating, but still alive. I got told, that they can survive like this for 4-5 days, so the small delay because of the carriage should not pose a problem.

++++++++++++

The next day in the afternoon. Back in the Tower.

I was standing in front of a counter in the arcane hall.

„what can I help you with?“ the bored receptionist asked.

„I want to complete a mission, “I said, and explained which one I took, I also showed the two bottles with the beetles inside. Seeing them, the receptionist got a bit more polite.

„Yes mister, The beetles will be going to mage Orlens hands. The rewards will be given after he verifies the beetles.“ With that, I left the beetles with her and she noted the progress into my amulet.

The thing I am the most sad about are the points in the amulets of the three bastards, unfortunately, I didn’t have the power to not kill them, and milk them of their points.

Back in my room, I put away my new belongings into the closet and then go back into meditation.

No break for the wicked.