A roar escaped his lips as he charged in, his fist already slamming against a lizard’s skull before it shattered to pieces within its scaly skin. Blood flowed from its open mouth, but Zeke finished its existence quickly with another punch at it, crushing whatever was smashed inside to mulch.

It felt good, that tiny sense of adrenaline coursing through his veins despite his split open knuckles and aching fingers. The pain helped him forget, and revitalized him for the next target.

Another lizard came running by, trying to avenge its fallen comrade. Despite that noble deed, Zeke noticed how it hid while its comrade was getting bashed on. For a moment, Zeke saw betrayal in the lizard’s eyes as he brawled it to death.

He didn’t care. He stopped caring after what he saw. The lizard ran at him, flexing its sharp claws as it slashed diagonally at him.

There were now a lot of ways for Zeke to fight, including his floating pens and runecrafting. But instead, he flared his enhancement runes, pouring the mana necessary for this encounter.

Medium Rune of Strength has been activated. Your Strength stat mirrored 98 points from your Spirit stat for the next minute.

Medium Rune of Dexterity has been activated. Your Dexterity stat mirrored 98 points from your Spirit stat for the next minute.

With both active stats flaring, his runes carved into his body glowed before Zeke twisted his torso to dodge the attack. He felt something else other than his stats helping him in this endeavor.

It was both his Kinetic Perception, allowing him to perceive how much stamina he had and could use, and something else he never thought he would have.

Unarmed Mastery. His fists flowed with his kinetic energy, however little it was, as he dodged each strike as though his body was not his own. Each missed swing the lizardman did, Zeke took advantage of that small opening and struck it at its chest or arms, wherever it would distract the monster long enough.

Before the lizardman could even counter in time, Zeke’s punch flew faster than his own mind could process–riddled with intense emotions that tore apart any logical thought he had.

Its fangs pierced the inside of its mouth as the uppercut hit its jaw before Zeke spun and dealt a fast roundhouse kick at its torso, kicking it away and making it crash to the nearby wall.

He was thankful for the mastery skill there. While his runes allowed him to increase his stats however he wished, there were still limitations. For example, in his current state, he could only enhance two stats at a time at half the power of his Spirit stat. Anymore and his mana could destabilize and he would have a bad time.

And he was still too inexperienced to fully bring out the full might of his entire Spirit stat to even just one of his other stats, so at most he could only pour in half. In other words, he should've had the amount of Strength necessary to kick a Journeyman lizard straight to a wall.

But his flow of kinetic energy through the mastery skill empowered his body, allowing him to bring out more power from his enhanced stats.

The lizard man's corpse let blood trail from the wall to the wooden floor, already filling the morbid chamber with about four more lizard corpses that he helped provide.

Zeke breathed rampantly, his beating heart echoing in his chest, asking for more blood and violence. But after that final outburst, his Mana reached 10% total so he had to take it easy. No matter how much he fought, or how many he killed, it won’t change their situation.

They were forced here against their will, and the almighty overlords that put them there didn’t care whether they lived or died. As proof by the skeletons they found, it was enough to tell that Zeke, Mikella, and Clara were all brought here to be pawns for some grand plan they have no idea what it could be.

He knew, deep down inside, that thinking stuff like this was pointless. They already made that kind of decision months ago, where it didn’t matter what they were sent here for. All they needed to think about is to stay alive and survive. But after seeing their fellow otherworlders in such a state, it brought his confidence in themselves down enough to make him doubt their future.

It’s one thing to decide how to live one’s life. If you wanna go and join the army, potentially having no choice but to join a war that could get you killed, that’s your choice. At the least, you knew the consequences when you made the choice to join the army.

At least it was your choice. But for them, they haven't made any choice. They were brought here and never knew the reason why. They were only told, just now by a damn angel, to reach Journeyman within two years and that was that.

It reminded him of someone else that he truly wished he didn’t. It reminded him of his mother–the same person that had taken control of his entire life without him ever knowing how or why due to his condition. Even though he knew that he had no other choice, it just brought him back to this same predicament. You had no choice, so others did it for you.

It sickened him. The last time he let that happen, he was disowned and forced to live out for himself without any support. No friends, no close relatives to help him–he was all alone.

He felt childish, thinking that at some point, he made decisions that led him to this… but he felt that his condition wouldn’t allow him to even if he was conscious of it. Just when he thought he had to sit through his life suffering the consequences of other’s choices, now he was forced again in another similar situation against his will.

Thankfully, he wasn’t alone. An incensed roar resounded as a nearby stone wall broke apart, revealing the furious Mikella carpeted in lightning. Her sword was currently stabbing through several lizard torsos at once, their bodies limp and burned to a tender crisp. She flung the corpses away from her, her roaring heard throughout the entire tower, perhaps the entire biodome as well.

Her head swiveled, her round, almost bloodshot eyes looking for more targets. Zeke pointed his finger over to the west where an opening resided to another hall. This particular hall had more lizards rushing forth, this time carrying pristine steel weapons at their clutches. Some wore longswords, others axes and spears.

None of them survived the incoming onslaught as Mikella flew straight through the incoming dozens of lizards, her lightning flashing and shocking everything around her. Zeke followed suit.

He flared his buffs and jumped up, using the momentum to carry him through to the air faster than his legs can run. As he was about to fall, he conjured a foot-sized barrier under his landing sole, causing him to step on and jump from the small barrier, repeating the action over and over.

He flew faster and carried himself well as he sailed through the small hills of corpses Mikella made in her wake. His eyes narrowed as the lightning began to fade at the distance and soon found himself in another chamber. This time, this chamber was filled to the brim with various tools of trade. Hammers for crafting, alembics for alchemy, but all of these tools were dusty and worn down, as if by time itself.

Mikella didn’t care at all for her surroundings, slaying and killing all the lizards who had the audacity just to be around her. Zeke watched as lightning flared in small jets, killing one lizard after another. However, at this state, Mikella’s self-awareness plummeted as a hidden lizard, using the cover of the flashes of lightning, appeared behind her and readied to stab at her side with its dagger.

Zeke stopped the attack with his barrier, stumping the flustered lizard enough for Mikella to notice and slice its head off in a matter of seconds. More lizards came by throughout this, and Zeke eagerly stopped them in their tracks, only to be slaughtered with no remorse.

This was the best way for Zeke to keep up with Mikella while she was on her killing spree. Were it not for his buffs, he would have a harder time keeping up and protecting her from the more powerful lizardmen coming after them. Though now he felt like his stat buffs were just to ensure he can keep up with her, it was better than anything he could think of.

The lizards kept coming, and Mikella kept killing. This entire ordeal kept going for the next half-hour as the army of lizards followed Mikella’s shouts and lightning like moths to a flame–and each burned just like one.

Several seconds passed after Mikella and Zeke killed the last lizard together, with Zeke coming in to punch the lizard brazen enough to try and cover Mikella with a full-body tackle before she managed to end its life right there with a stab through its throat. The two breathed heavily, their chest straining to breathe the excess oxygen their mouths try to swallow.

Sweat rolled down on their bodies as notifications flashed through their minds.

> Level Up! You are now Level 45. You gain 8 free points (8 FP total).

>

> You have gained +12 DEX from your class.

> You have gained +12 INT from your class.

> You have gained +12 SPI from your class.

…..

> Kinetic Perception Level Up! It is now Level 3

>

> You have gained +2 DEX from your skill.

> You have gained +2 END from your skill.

…..

> Unarmed Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 5.

>

> The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

>

> You have gained +4 STR from your skill.

> You have gained +4 DEX from your skill.

…..

> Parallel Thought Level Up! It is now Level 5.

>

> You have gained +1 INT from your skill.

> You have gained +1 SPI from your skill.

He gained a few level ups this time, and now he felt that he earned them, killing some of the monsters by himself. His Parallel Thought leveling wasn’t surprising, putting a lot of thought into protecting Mikella while also delivering his own blows to monsters.

His Unarmed Mastery leveling up five times was the only surprise, actually. But considering how much time and effort he put into developing his own fighting style while training and getting used to his buffs would certainly make a change. But despite all of these gains, he still didn’t feel any better.

Mikella also didn’t look that pleased. Even while breathing rampantly, her teeth bared as though she wasn't quenched. A woman dying of thirst despite the sea of blood she formed around her.

He held her shoulder gently and healed her numerous cuts and wounds.

Her Forced Regeneration was working as well as it could, but it was still low in power compared to a real healing skill. On the inside, he spotted the lightning still churning in her torso like a caged animal wanting to be released. And Mikella seemed eager to let it out of its cage once more. But even so, she forced herself to breathe slowly, causing her wild energy to cease in her system. She turned to him slowly, her eyes devoid of the joy she once had after going all out for so long.

“You okay?” He asked.

“...Yeah,” She answered. Surprisingly, she mimicked him. “How are you feeling?”

“...Still kinda pissed,” Zeke admitted, shrugging. Before they could continue down this spiral, the others returned back to them. Myra and Piker showed up along with the Journeymen, witnessing the scene with widened eyes.

“You guys good?” Myra asked as she ran towards them. “Mikky, you look… well, okay, I guess. You just got healed or something?”

“Yeah,” Mikella nodded. “Sorry, I’m still a little…” She trailed, using her hand to hover in the air.

“Hey, it’s fine,” Myra shook her head. “Still, I was getting a bit worried.”

“Thanks,” Mikella smiled. A first after the gruesome scene. “I am fine, though.”

“And you, Zeke?” Piker picked up next. “No overusing Mana?”

Zeke nodded. “I just really needed that. But I always made sure to keep a bit of it on me. The collar doesn’t like it when I go too far.”

He chuckled, pretending that the collar was a nagging teacher. Thankfully, everyone else followed along with a genuine chuckle of their own. Still, it was a constant reminder that he was still ‘on a leash’, so that also made him a bit antsy and upset.

“As long as it does its purpose, it’s fine,” Cloud stepped up, smiling softly. Then he frowned, turning to Zeke. “What… what did you get? Out of them, I mean?”

Zeke frowned, and Mikella stayed quiet. Before Zeke and Mikella left the room where the bodies were, Zeke had a thought in his mind and ran with it.

He went over to the corpses to try and loot them. It worked.

Normally, it wasn’t possible to loot from a corpse from the enlightened species. Species like humans, elves, and dwarves with their own intelligence and societies aren’t part of the system where they can be looted. The only way one can get their stuff is literally by taking it from either their person or their storage packs.

The fallen’s packs were right beside them, ignored after witnessing the skeletons, but they were taken just the same. However, it was possible that any skill they learned from skill books would be used up. But Zeke had a thought, and it worked.

It was possible that Zoan also intended for them to do this. If they had died, then as otherworlders, it was possible to gain the skill books they had learned, and treated like loot to gain.

To find out that it was possible made him feel like shit. It was enough for him to ignore what he had received when he looted them.

Still, Cloud had a point. While Zeke didn’t mean to disrespect the fallen, the fact was that he did it so that he could gain what they had earned, as they needed all the power they could get. Even if the skill books didn’t fit right with them, it was better to have someone else they trust to have them than to just… let them rot like that.

He opened up his storage pack, checking the inside with his senses. There, he pulled out a single book. Inside their packs were just several armor pieces and weapons, including swords and spears from the lizardmen, probably.

When he showed the book to everyone, Cloud pursed his lips. There was no excitement on everyone’s faces despite receiving a new skill book that would normally cost a lot of money to purchase. Still, Zeke continued.

“It’s called Metal Slash,” Zeke said, getting Mikella’s attention. “I think it’s an attacking skill that relies on metal aspected mana. I think it’s a pretty strong skill. But…”

Zeke shrugged at the group. “I don’t think I should learn it. What about you, Mikky?”

Mikella shook her head. “I’m fine without it either. I already have Heavenly Strike, and metal mana sounds like something that’s not good for me either.”

Once they got into the discussion, the two seemed oddly perked up. Even if the bodies were still fresh in their minds, that still wouldn’t stop them from enjoying what little joy that getting loot would bring.

Once they noticed that, Cloud smiled as he pointed over at Piker. “Then why not give it to Piker? That seems like a good skill to pair well with his ice-attunement and defensive build.”

“W-What? But…” Piker said, more surprised that he was mentioned. Zeke, however, tilted his head in realization.

“Ooh, good point.”

Without much thought, Zeke handed the skill book over to Piker. Piker just stared at it for a while before being insisted to take the book by Myra who kept jabbing his side with her elbow. He looked at the book in his hands, then back at the two otherworlders.

“...Are you sure about this?” Piker asked. “This book can be extremely valuable and–”

“Dude, just take it,” Mikella laughed, waving her hand. “There’s probably more stuff that we can find here. Right, Zeke?”

Zeke nodded as he smiled at the still bewildered soldier man.

Seeing how resolute they were, Piker closed his eyes and nodded once in respect and gratitude. “Thank you… truly.”

“Don’t make it weird,” Mikella teased with a smirk. “It’s just a skill book.”

“I keep forgetting that you guys don’t belong here,” Myra shook her head in dismay. “A skill book can be worth more than a house back at the Federation, you know.”

“Wait, seriously?” Mikella looked back at Myra, then back at Piker with a serious face. “I changed my mind. Give it here!”

Zeke knows better than to get in between despite Mikella playfully getting the book back, and Piker actually dragging it away as though it was a true treasure.

Zeke knows that she is still hurting, just as he was. So moments like these, where they were still alive and can enjoy the little things, was worth more than anything.

He felt slightly better about it. Then that small bout with the few dozen or so lizards was enough to flash a memory to the front of his mind.

“We haven’t seen the mini-boss yet,” Zeke said, catching everyone’s attention.

“Mini… boss?” Val asked, raising a brow. “A smaller version of a boss?”

“Hey, yeah,” Mikella realized. “How did we find our own mini-boss again? After crossing a lava pit, right?”

“Yeah, after going down several flights,” Zeke recalled, rubbing his chin. They were already ignoring everyone’s shocked looks at their words as he continued. “We’ve been going down, but we kept running into the lizards. We should be…”

Then he remembered something incredibly important. Before further thought, he snapped his fingers. “We need to find a pantry.”

“A kitchen?” Myra asked incredulously. “Why? You guys hungry?”

“Yeah, Zeke, why a–” Before Mikella could mimic Myra’s confusion, her eyes flashed in recollection. “Oh shit!”

“Yeah, exactly,” Zeke nodded. “Come on, let’s go find a kitchen.”

Before anyone could question them, Zeke and Mikella ignored the entirety of the chamber, leading everyone else with them.

About two hours passed since then. They were able to find a flight of stairs after several minutes of walking, but they also had to get over the numerous ambushes from the lizards. But after fighting so many of them, the team were already accustomed to their fighting style to the point that the Journeymen took a step back for the Experts to finish them off. This time, the two let Piker and Myra take the kills as they needed XP while they kept searching around.

Piker eventually learned the skill Metal Slash, and the process was apparently just as horrific as the last time. Apparently skill books, regardless of where they came from, would force a skill to be imprinted onto the brain of the user. Thankfully Zeke’s Recovery managed to stave off the effects of the skill imprinting.

And as a result, Piker had gained a powerful attack skill to go along with his defensive build, giving him not just defensive power but now offensive power to keep up with the other fighters.

Eventually, they found a room within the temple’s halls after going over several empty rooms. The doors were different from the metal doors before, being bigger and that there were two of them now. Everyone else stayed silent despite their growing curiosity as Zeke and Mikella worked together to open the heavy doors with their Strength, or modified Strength in Zeke’s case.

They swung the doors wide, revealing the large room before them. Several tables lined with cooking utensils and a large oven-like structure used for cooking. There were some pots and pans clattered to the side as well as some sharp knives in a well-lined manner across a small table.

However, the two quickly headed over to the dozens of barrels to the side, getting their attention.

“Okay, what’s going on?” Cloud asked, raising a brow. “Why take us here?”

“Just watch!”

Mikella shouted as Zeke carried the barrel over to the other side. She took off the lid without a care and chucked it to the side.

Cloud was the first to watch what was inside the barrel. He paused, staying still for an uncomfortably long time.

“Cloud?” Val asked, concern rising in her face as she followed her husband’s routine and checked inside.

She screamed so joyously that every soldier around grasped for their weapons.

“What is it?!” Myra asked as everyone else followed suit, only to gape in shock as Zeke and Mikella finally had their good moods returned.

What was inside was filled with randomly colored fruits. This time, in Zeke’s Recovery eyes, he could finally tell their worth. The attribute fruits had an incredible amount of energy swirling within them. But that wasn’t all. It wasn’t anything like magical, kinetic, or even life energy composed of the three resources. Instead, it felt something bigger, something more. A yellow, almost gold like energy swirled within them, compact and almost ready to break through the moment anyone bites into their juicy surface.

He realized what it was. It was the same sort of energy composed when killing a monster. It was experience points, or at least an aspect of it. An aspect so dense and compact that he was certain that he would gain something other than levels if he were to eat it.

So this was the energy that helped destroy the blocks in one’s status, allowing them to earn more points into a stat. He looked over at everyone, noticing their changes in expressions.

Cloud and Val were, of course, glowing with delight. Myra was almost drooling at the sight while Piker, usually the serious guy, had his eyes glowing like a kid in a candy store.

The frightening part of all this was Zacharia’s expression. For once, his stony facade broke apart, and a huge, frankly disturbing grin showed on his face.

Then, he laughed. He laughed so loudly that quite frankly, even Mikella had the urge to shiver. Zeke can’t really blame her for feeling like that.