Kaname followed the dogs. It was quite easy to detect them, now that she was familiar with their presence, and noticed, they didn’t know who their targets were. They were sniffing in the back lanes, checking on the inns, but they never entered.
The inns hardly had defenses here, unlike the protected homes of the Garden.
She was racing against time, but over time, she noticed at least three dogs. It was a shame she didn’t know who controlled them, but with [camouflage], they couldn’t see her. They were looking, and each inn the dogs visited was home to one student from the Garden. That meant they knew that someone in the Garden was a hero, or related to a hero.
She followed the dogs for a while, and eventually, decided to cover her face with a cloth, and attacked.
The shards would help her master.
The dogs were weak, and a single, well placed strike with her charged wakizashi shredded them to pieces. It was the way she liked it, no retaliation, no witnesses. Each of the dark dogs were taken out quickly, and she collected three small fragments for her master.
With no more dogs in sight, she canceled herself and returned to her master.
[You’ve gained 3 fragments of divine energy. You now have 1 shard and 5 fragments]
“I didn’t see anyone.” Kaname said, back in the comforts of his master’s room for the night. “The dogs were looking, but I couldn’t find anyone controlling them.”
“That’s weird.” Ethan sat, and sighed. Gordeaux was still out there, hanging about at night. Lady Sara Argos had friends in the seniors and juniors, and she seemed safe. No one tried to attack her so far. It was really late, and Ethan decided to sleep.
***
Week 3, Day 3 & 4
The next two days, Ethan, Alia and Basil returned to the Glades of the Eternals, and spent their time soaking in the energies of the rift. Basil, finally, gathered enough energy after two days to actually step into the 2nd realm, but both Alia and Ethan didn’t even gain a single stage.
Ethan realized they were going to be stuck in this stage for a while, at least, until they invested in the mid-tier cultivation chambers, and it was something Alia shared.
“Guess this isn’t as useful as we thought.” Alia sighed. “Earning lots of GP and then investing our time in cultivation chambers is still the best way forward.” Basil nodded, and they all left. If the common-grades were not getting anywhere even after three days of soaking in these wild rifts, his rare grade would definitely take more time.
“Oh well.” Basil shrugged. “The fact that I still collected enough to get to the 2nd realm was still progress, and GP saved.”
“Yup. Merif won’t get to bully you so easily too.” Alia grinned.
“Ah yes. But I was told he has his eyes on you instead, Ethan.”
“Yeah. Zaram scared him off one day and I feel like he’s been trying to catch me ever since.” Ethan laughed. It’s a good thing they always stuck together, and the noble’s housing was all the way in the 2nd and 3rd district.
***
Kaname lurked in the glades, spying on David Vivan and Sara Argos over the same two days. These wild rifts were still beyond David Vivan’s personal ability, and so he formed a temporary team with some independent rifters, and some 3rd years.
There were only a few fifth years here, those that did not qualify for their 1st 5th-year excursion.
Beyond that, it was peaceful. Even at night, it was peaceful without the dogs.
***
Week 3, Day 5
“I want the two of you to attempt a rift without me.” Ethan said to Zaram and Matilda. If these rifts were rated for high 2nd realms to mid 3rd realms, a fighter and a ‘defender’ like Zaram or Matilda could handle it.
They couldn’t.
Zaram and Matilda were fairly evenly matched with the regular mobs of the rift one-on-one, but these wild rifts had larger numbers, and also had mini-bosses, so they were soundly thrashed by them.
It didn’t even take long for them to be soundly thrashed. Yet, one of the good things of his summons was that even if they were destroyed, he could summon them again and they’d be in perfect shape.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
He just wasted three hours of their time.
***
I still have a shard. Ethan thought, and looked at his abilities. He wondered what the other three goddess abilities did when they were upgraded.
If he needed more power, he should use the shard to power up either Kaname or Zaram, but without knowing what the other abilities did, or what ‘trees’ they led to, it was difficult to be sure. What if these other options also complemented their strength?
No, now was not the time to risk it. Kaname’s front and center with the heroines, and he needed her to be stronger. He also needed Zaram to be stronger to farm more of the rifts, but he was only 5 fragments away, and there is still a week before the rifts reopens.
He’ll have to get more fragments and experiment later.
[Assigned 1 fragment to Kaname]
[Overall level limit increased to 20. 5 levels gained ]
[Summon : Gold-Rank Ninja Kaname - Level 14/20 (+1 shard)]
[Skills : Body-replacement (log), Multi-strike, Camouflage, and Martial Arts (Master)]
***
Week 3, Day 6
“I think we should probably head back to the Garden. Feels like we’ve lazed for the past few days.” Basil commented the next morning. “There’s nothing much to be gained, since we are not actually rifting, and we’re not strong enough for the level 10-15 rifts.”
Alia nodded along and looked at Ethan hopefully. “I agree.”
Ethan sat down and thought for a moment. David Vivan, Sara Argos and Celeste Mirrorsong were here, but in the past two to three days, the dark agents have done nothing. Camelia and Violet were back in the Garden, and maybe there were dark forces there too.
If they went back, they could do some sparring, or use the cultivation chamber with what GP they had left. That would help them a little more than just hunting rifts. “Are there other ways of earning Garden Points?”
Alia sat. “You could work, or do stuff for the Instructors. Some of the tasks pay in Garden Points.”
“Ah. Then it made more sense for me to get some kind of job back in the Garden.” Ethan quipped.
“They don’t pay much. Max like.. 1GP per day. Maybe the instructors would pay more if you did some special tasks for them.”
“Ooooh!” Ethan nodded. Currying favors with the instructors of the School seemed exactly like the thing to do. He wasn’t very smart academically, but he could definitely be the earnest, try-my-best type of student. Those types were definitely popular with instructors, even if they were not ‘good’.”
The female brunette ribbed him. “You look like you have a plan.”
“Oh yes I do.”
“Don’t tell me.”
“I’m going to be the teacher’s pet.” Ethan said with a straight face.
“I knew it.” Alia rolled her eyes. Basil just guffawed, he couldn’t believe Ethan said it. “Ethan, seriously?!”
“If I get ahead, who the hell cares what they call me. Like Ewen said, all that matters is strength, and getting more GP is strength!”
Alia had a look of incredible disgust. “I agree with you, but damn that leaves a really bad taste.”
“You don’t have to associate with me that much!” Ethan laughed. “You don’t want to be friends with the teacher’s pet, right?”
“Oh something like that isn’t going to stop me from being your friend.” Alia said, and Basil nodded. “We’ll just keep teasing you about it.”
“You won’t for long when I get more GP!” Ethan laughed maniacally.
***
“Alright, the train is gonna leave in 15 minutes.” Alia said as she got tickets for everyone. The three of them sat down and waited, and noticed it wasn’t very crowded. The train was already parked, and they could board.
“Think most of the students are still going to stay in Fortuna for the rest of the week.” Basil looked around, the entire commoner’s cabin was almost empty. A few more students joined in, and some non-students as well.
Ethan made himself comfortable and read a small book he purchased from the shops of Fortuna. The train departed, and they zoomed through the tunnels beneath the Fortuna Mountains.
He didn’t feel a thing, and then two nobles walked into the commoner’s cabin. Alia was busy staring out the window when they approached, and then, sat opposite Ethan.
“You’re Ethan Blacktree?”
Ethan looked at the noble, and noticed they were familiar. Alia turned, and Basil was jolted from his nap. “Yes, that would be me.”
“Can we talk?”
Ethan paused.
“We won’t harass you, if that’s something you’re worried about.”
“Here?”
“Alone, please. We can talk in the dining cabin, there’s a private room there.”
“Commoners can’t go to the noble cabins.”
“They can, if they are invited.”
Ethan joins the two in the private dining room, and as he sat, he looked at the two nobles. One of them looked really familiar. “My apologies, but I don’t believe I have your names.”
“I’m Julius Storm, and this, my friend here, is Chase Sands.” Ethan nodded. Noble names. “I need your help.”
“My help?” Ethan had a strange, sinking feeling that he was drawn into a conflict he didn’t want to be a part of. Why did they single him out?
“Romantically pursue Lady Irina Altria. I’ll compensate you handsomely if you can win her heart. I’ll also provide you with information, like what she likes, and fund your dates.”
Ethan stared at the noble. Irina Altria? Wasn’t that Miss Whitetower’s love rival or something? That’s a noble, and if he remembered correctly, a member of a ducal house! “I’m sorry, why exactly would I do something like that?”
“Because, my fellow student, I’ll buy, and gift to you, a Titan-grade core of your choice if she falls in love with you. I swear on it, an oath if you want me to.”
***