I stretched myself out languidly on the sofa of our base’s living room. This place had really only grown more homely over the past year. There were more decorations, from stands that housed paintings, to trophies of our battles and exploits. The place felt lived in, comforting, inviting. It had become much brighter, as we were able to afford the mana necessary to keep a variety of enchantments active. Supplies had continued to come from outside, not always delivered by my parents. Fiya and Salaire took turns visiting as well, almost more enthusiastic than my own parents. I felt a little bit bad for having taken away their partners from them for so long, but I was sure that they did enough to make up for that lost time. We didn’t always have the noise-canceling wind enchantments in place, and even without the specific Mutation, I’d found that my hearing was far better than what I had in my past life. I supposed the flesh Mutation just kind of enhanced everything, if only by the smallest amount.

“...Just as we thought. Your sword became a cursed weapon much more quickly because of how you used it, the very purpose of its existence as a sword. I suspect more subjective things were also at work, like what it meant to you, along with how exactly that influenced your magic.” Moonwash was examining my greatsword closely on the table. The shape remained the same, but the colors were definitely more sinister. The weapon gave off a distinct feeling of danger, which I supposed all weapons should give off that vibe, but this one even more so. There was something metaphysical at work, like instincts, or something similar to a level sense. The greatsword had a presence of its own.

She took out my knife. “In contrast, this has barely been infused with anything, despite you giving it a fair amount of attention. Which you have been doing, right?” The tone managed not to be accusatory, but this was Moonwash. She probably was being accusatory.

“Of course I have. I’m interested in this shit too.”

“Well then good. You've been threading it as well, right?”

“Yep! As tight as fabric.”

“Right. In which case, how then do goblin hordes make cursed weapons out of the most mundane of things? And so fast too.”

I shrugged. “You already said it yourself. There are more subjective things at play. You can’t quantify magic in that way. I think the quantity of the goblins play a role. Not just the overall amount of mana, but the numerous sapient beings with their own separate wills behind it. They have a singular drive for wickedness, and there’s probably some deep meaning behind a goblin horde in itself, just like how my sword means something to me. It’s just not replicable.”

“I’m not trying to quantify magic in its entirety. But there are trends, and those can be tracked. I’ll use whatever subjective means I can, and I will also use whatever logical means I can. Only then can I create at my best.”

Moonwash sounded more heated than I’ve ever heard her being, despite her voice remaining level. I only nodded at my friend and gave her the best encouragement I could.

“Yes! Go! Follow your dreams!” I clapped and did a little dance.

“Thank you. Also, that dance was objectively not good.”

“Ouch!” I clutched my heart and writhed on the rug.

I saw a smile on Moonwash’s face.

~~~

“We have a problem.” Baston’s voice echoed around the base as he descended from the stairs. Because that was exactly what I needed when I was in such a good mood. A problem.

And I’m not entirely joking! My day can only be made better by a good ass-kicking. Where I do the kicking, of course. Not the… not the other way around.

I was already shrugging on my armor before Baston could explain. It seemed like he wouldn’t get the chance to anyway, as the door to Luine’s room at the back suddenly swung open in that exact same moment.

“What problem?” she asked sharply. Of course she heard him from there.

“Adventurers. They’re about to find our base.”

“I see.” Luine required no further explanation. She disappeared up the stairs.

“That’s strange,” I spoke to Baston as I threaded my menace magic through my sword. Moonwash was similarly getting her gear ready. “Didn’t you take measures specifically to prevent discovery?”

Vegetation hid our secret base. The vines were thick and bushes ran deep.

“Yes. But a good rogue can still spot it. There’ll be tracks left over. An impact on the wildlife. And I believe the party coming to meet us this time are well into their level 20s, judging by what I could see of their gear.”

“I see.” I stepped up the stairs and Baston grabbed my arm to stop me.

“Where are you going?”

“Up there, obviously.”

“Were you not listening? There are high-level adventurers there.”

“I’m aware. Tell me more about them.”

He hesitated for a moment, but did as I asked. “Six of them in total. Five humans, unless if they are hiding something like you are. One with shield, two typical warriors, the aforementioned rogue, and a mage. The last is a centaur, and she’s carrying all their packs along with a small wagon. Her build seems more focused on strength than speed.”

“Okay. I got it.” I climbed up the stairs again, toward the big vault door set in what was previously a hole to the surface.

“Haell,” Baston called sharply. He grabbed my shoulder, and while his grip still remained gentle, I knew I could not shake him off. “What are you planning? What will you even do up there?”

“I… don’t know yet, honestly. I’m guessing Luine will just kill them, and I don’t like that. Not for merely sniffing around anyhow. The literal point is that they have no idea what’s going on in here. But this is my home too, and if there is going to be a fight, then I won’t sit back while she does all the killing and then claim that I am blameless and guilt-free afterwards. If there is to be a slaughter in defense of my home, a true home, then I will be at the frontlines fighting.”

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Baston stepped back, a bit taken aback, but he did not let go of my shoulder.

“...I wasn’t expecting that answer, honestly. You act so stupid most of the time, but then you have… these sort of moments.”

I thought that was approval, but I still could not move up as Baston continued to tighten his grip.

“I’ll talk to them first. I agree that we shouldn’t just outright kill them. We should try to negotiate.”

I nodded.

Baston continued. “You, stay here. I know now that I can’t stop you, you’ll just charge right in the moment I’m gone. So what I’ll say is that it’s better for you not to be revealed yet. Stay hidden, and if they leave peacefully, then you never have to come out. You’re trying to hide your existence, right?”

“I am, yes.” I finally allowed myself to relax. “And if they don't just leave? If peace is not an option?”

Baston sighed. “Well, then, I guess you’ll just do what you want…” he moved up to hatch and paused for only a moment to regard me one final time. “But Haell. These are people. People who are higher level than you. An entire evolution above! It’d be… traumatic, to get into a fight like this. If you even survive. So please… just don’t come out. Stay hidden. Be a child a little longer.”

That ship has long sailed.

“I’m sorry.” I shook my head. “I know it’ll be difficult, one way or another. But this has to happen at some point. The world won’t just leave me alone, and neither will I do the same for it.”

Baston gave one final grunt as the hatch slammed close slowly and soundlessly. The adventurers drew ever closer, and I opened the door a creak to hear even just a little bit of the conversation happening above. I was waiting for my signal to pounce.

Death. Conflict with sapients. War. That wasn’t something I could run from forever. Part of me wished to see how I’d react to such a traumatic event, sooner rather than later. It was best to know now if there would be issues, I was confident there wouldn’t be given that I’d killed before, if in a life long past. But if there was a problem, then I’d just have to resolve it.

Moonwash arrived next to me, clearly geared up for a fight.

“Are you sure?” I mouthed the question to her.

She nodded without a word, clutching tightly at her new staff.

It was a beautiful thing. An absolutely demonic affair of reds and blacks, with a focus that looked like three horns pointing at each other. I was very disappointed when I found out that it wasn’t for me.

I accepted my friend’s decision to fight. Part of me wished to shield her from this, but she’d already thrown her lot in with me, which meant that this battle here today was only the beginning. Every reason I had to fight applied to her too, and the girl–no, the woman now–could make her own choices.

I suddenly stilled, when I heard rustling from overhead. Multiple sets of feet.

A few tense moments passed.

“What brings you here, friend?” Baston asked, both warmly and on edge.

More shuffling. The clanking sound of armor.

“Oh, hello there… ishkawtan,” said the voice of a man. “I am here on official business from the Lord of Drumvale.”

That was the closest village here, if still a bit far away.

“I see. And what business would that be?”

“It is of no concern of yours.” The man paused. “Is there a problem with us going this way, ishkawtan?”

“No, not all. There is nothing here.” Baston hesitated. “As I’m an ishkawtan, which you are well aware of, I can tell your esteemed party that there is nothing to be found in this direction. Not for a long while.”

“I see.”

A tense standoff. Then footsteps of people coming this way. Baston shuffled, likely to bar their path.

“Is there a problem, ishkawtan?” Their supposed leader asked again, this time more sharply.

“No, not all.” His voice was cheerful, I knew that was not how Baston felt. “I’ve just already told you that there’s nothing to find here. I would hate for you to waste your time and delay on the Lord of Drumvale’s request.”

“That is none of your business. My scouts have told me there’s something here and–”

A push, a shove, and then all hell broke loose.

“AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!”

Someone screamed, hateful, a woman. I took that to be my cue and quickly ascended up the stairs.

I crested the final steps, and saw for myself a sight full of carnage. A man in thick armor was wrapped and punctured in vines as he desperately tried to cut his way through them. Another man, a human, their mage was entirely beheaded.

The shielder, another warrior, and a rogue were huddled together, looking worriedly around themselves as they tried to fend off all the vines. The centaur was charging straight for Baston, her packs abandoned, bruised and bleeding from many places.

A great heat was summoned right beside me. That was when Moonwash had climbed the steps, and she just started chucking fire blasts into the fray. It was not the product of her typical meticulous casting, but just one continuous barrage of flames, stronger than she should have been capable of.

It only added to the chaos. The brightness of the constant motion, the pain of the burns, and the way the fire clung to their forms.

I roared and broke into a charge myself. My sword streaked through the air, and dented the burning centaur’s gauntlet. She roared back at me, and pushed me away. I was back on my feet only a moment after, because no one dared to simply brush me away like a fly!

Demon eyes, intimidation, menace bullets. It was enough to give the centaur lady pause, and I struck her across the head, drawing a bloody gash across her cheek.

Skin flayed, and bone was exposed. She regarded me for a moment, before turning all that aggression against myself. I was already running away when she reared up and stomped where I once was. Vines erupted from around her, and that was all I bothered to observe, trusting that Baston had gotten her. I reached the three huddled combatants, their rogue already dead. Burning vines surrounded them, and they were frantic in their defense. The warrior slashed to the right, and only then did I see the faint shimmer of Luine’s passing. I did not know that she could turn legitimately invisible!

I target their greatshielder. I bashed against his shield, and I obviously lost. I staggered away, and did my intimidation combo again. Waves of my magic crashed against him, but most were absorbed by the armor. The fright still got to him, my enemy was thrown more off balance. I bashed into his shield over and over, my muscles aching from the strain as I pushed to the very limit of how much I could enhance them.

It was enough. The guy wasn’t able to support his ally, and Luine dueled the warrior one-on-one. He quite easily lost, his joints targeted by an unseen foe, until ultimately a dagger slid through his neck.

Luine reappeared and gave me a smile. We tag-teamed the final enemy. I kept the pressure at his front while Luine robbed him of his movement.

The man’s shield dropped to the ground, before I went on to savage his head. The helmet dented upon my repeated strikes, until it eventually crumpled along with the fall of my enemy’s body.

Luine was already gone. She finished off their struggling leader near Baston, and the centaur was already dead. She was impaled by a dozen roots punching through her armor, and burnt by one continuous flamethrower.

Moonwash leaned on her ominous new staff, clearly exhausted and tired.

What the fuck has she made, and why won’t she give it to meeee!!!