Apparently Marcus and Sieg had a campsite set up in one of the previous chambers the two men had explored in the few days they had been exploring the underground complex. They had given Leif directions and told him they would leave the tunnel doorways open.

Sieg grumbled about ‘trusting a monster’ but he didn’t seem to care enough to do anything about it. The man was complaining out of obligation rather than worry, and Leif didn’t really blame him.

Judging by how proficient Sieg was with his axe and the rapid progress at which he tore through the statue trials, Leif doubted he could touch the man, let alone win in a fight.

This is to say, when Leif received the newest flurry of system prompts an hour after they had left he had no idea what to do. He suspected both Sieg and Marcus were at a higher level, though just how high he could only guess.

Should he try to ask them? Wait, don’t they think I’m already level 30? And how would I even go about asking? There’s so much I don’t understand.

Leif sighed and focused on the one prompt he did understand. Two skills to choose from, both had something to do with stances. This didn’t seem like a difficult choice, a strong, stable footing would synergise far greater with his current fighting style and body than the offensive alternative.

Just weighing the feeling he got from [Aggressive Stance] to that of [Grounded Stance] made the choice straight forward.

You have gained the [Brawler] class skill [Grounded Stance]!

===

Grounded Stance I:

Aspects: Comprehension, Enhancement (body)*

Grants instinctual understanding of combat stances and their uses.

Grants a bonus to balance, footwork and stability while fighting in a combat stance in which you have proficiency, bonus increased by degree of proficiency.

===

Leif felt the change as he stood there, the forms he had been practising snapped into greater focus. Even while still and not in a stance he felt in more control. He took a step forward and fell into a combat stance.

The martial arts phantom dipped its head slightly as if in acknowledgement of his improvement. And it felt right, as if everything up until this point had been wild flailing. He moved through the early forms, his speed and precision blisteringly fast compared to just a minute prior.

As Leif worked he felt himself shift slightly to enhance his motions. Even without using [Amber Awareness] he could tell his basic forms were rapidly approaching a mastery he couldn’t have dreamed of even hours prior.

As he practised the basic forms the phantom performed different poses and movements, becoming more complex and intricate. He had reached this stage prior but had quickly made errors and faltered. This time he lasted two minutes of quickly escalating difficulty before his stance broke.

Leif breathed out and let his body relax. Maybe I should thank the goblin, ork, whatever he was. Almost killing me and smashing me through the ground is turning out pretty great.

His mind wandered to his animals, if Leif had known how close he had been to a goblin infested city he would have sent them far away. Wild animals weren’t incapable of protecting themselves, but he still felt responsible.

His body ached and weariness was creeping into his mind. He wondered how long a lack of sunlight would take to affect him. As he walked the maintenance tunnels of whatever this underground labyrinth was he considered the other system prompts he had received.

What would the advancement trial be? But perhaps more interesting, how did skill fusion work?

Choose two or more skills to attempt a fusion!

Warning! Success rate depends on proficiency and understanding of skills in fusion!

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

Additional skills after two increase fusion cost and amplify failure rate!

Newly created skills will be based on the primary skill and belong to its class!

Skills used in this process are lost after a successful fusion!

Primary skill: [None]

Secondary skill: [None]

===

Leif heard two familiar voices as he entered a new chamber. A tent was set up by the far wall with two figures sitting on the stone floor nearby. Sieg was holding a rounded device with an intricate metallic silver base.

A new voice came from the device, it was distorted and occasionally cut out. As Leif entered both men tensed slightly before relaxing.

“-it's hard to tell their exact numbers, we haven't gotten close since you were captured. A highly evolved orc is beyond our team's ability to handle, and that's working together." Came a male voice from the device.

“If it's a high first strata incarnate it's beyond all of us but Hera. Speaking of, she should be no more than a week away, give or take a few days. You know how it is.”

“We have two weeks of rations and that's if we don’t pace ourselves. There is also more than enough water throughout the different chambers” Sieg said. He adjusted the device and angled it towards Leif. “We picked up a…”

“An ally.” Marcus said through a mouthful of food.

“Right.”

“What is that thing?” Came the voice.

“It’s Planty.” Marcus said, smacking his lips. “Professional goblin slurper!”

My name is not ‘Planty’. Leif thought, though he couldn’t blame the man for coming up with something on his own. Not like I could tell him. Though Leif had tried to communicate through hand gestures and grunting.

It wasn’t very effective, amusing to watch though.

Leif could now see a face within the spherical object. The man was looking away and down slightly. He was bald and with a darker complexion than Marcus.

“Fucking hells guys. That’s a [Blight Spriggan], or some sort of variant. Those things are really dangerous. What level is it?” Came the voice, agitated this time. Leif stopped at the words, staring silently into the orb.

“Thirty, at least.” Sieg said, his tone grave.

“Kill it.”

“No!”

“I’m not kidding Marcus, I’m reading here that those things reproduce parasitically, they can turn you into one of them.” The sandy haired man just rolled his eyes. “They’re why the unclaimed lands are so inhospitable up north.” The voice continued.

“Right right,” Marcus waved the voice off, “Keep us posted and all that.” He grabbed the device from Sieg and somehow turned it off, he turned to Leif smiling. “Anyway I was thinking, you can’t talk because you don’t have a tongue? Why can’t you just make one with your gold skill?”

Huh?

===

“Eya”

“Ehya”

“Eey”

Early next morning Leif was practising making sounds. It was incredibly awkward, like talking with a dead fish lodged down your throat, Its floppy tail smacking the insides of your mouth. Its salty taste reminding you of the ocean and better times. This got away from me so let's move on.

[Amber Awareness] and [Gilded Body] were receiving massive workouts. Leif’s proficiency with both skills rapidly improving. As he did so Sieg followed the instructions of the axe statue, the man was getting better with each failed attempt.

During his speaking practice Leif had downtime. This let him contemplate what the first thing he should ask the two men if, or rather when he mastered talking.

What were they doing here? What was this place and why was it below the city? Who was the voice from the device?

Well, he supposed before anything he would start with introducing himself.

===

“Leaf? Really?” Sieg snorted. It was a few days later.

“Yes...” Leif said, the sound slurred and wispy.

“There’s no way.” Marcus laughed. “That cannot be your name.” The man was practically rolling around on the floor.

“It… is… name… why… you… laugh?”

“B-because,” Marcus chortled, wiping a tear away with a finger. “You’re a plant monster, and your name is Leaf. Like the thing that grows on trees.”

“Oh…”

“Sorry, sorry.” Marcus wheezed. “I don’t mean to be rude. Do- do you have a last name?”

“Vin…”

“Vine?” The sandy haired man gasped. “Are you seriously called Leaf Vine?”

Sieg choked on the water he was drinking.

Leif glowered internally. How the hell have I been a plant for over eleven years and not realised that? Am I stupid?