( Author Note: Remember, the status doesn’t show up as a window, like in most stories here. Instead everything shows up in their peripheral vision when they want to see it. Stat and skill increases, do pop up in little windows though. That’s why I format it the way I do. If it really bothers people, please let me know. PS: I would love if I could align text both left and right on the same line. )
Day 8
{Max Mana +17}
{Strength +1}
{Endurance +2}
The next morning was a small disappointment, seeing that I only gained two endurance after all that running. In my tired state, I tried making the window go away, but all I did was open my status instead. Now, with the window near the bottom, and my status to the left, right, and top, it felt like I had tunnel vision.
“Just go away.” It was still dark, and too early for me to focus at the words in my peripheral vision. This time I stumbled on something though. By chance, when I mumbled that, I was looking at my title. Instead of my status going away, my title switched to “None”.
‘Wait, I can change things?’ That finally woke me up a bit. Careful not to wake Selena, I got up and grabbed my “Damascan Sword”. Once it was in my hands, I changed it to my liking.
‘Much better.’ This was a nice bonus to find. I quickly dressed and checked what else I could change. Unfortunately stats and skills were immune, but anything I wore, and any weapon I held were renamed. Also, somehow the status knew who the owner was, as I couldn’t change Selena’s sword.
The end result was something I was happy with:
{Taishi} {Title - Blood Soaked Loli}
{Level - 25} {Mana - 87/134} {Age 15}
{Jobs - None} {Condition - Normal}
{Weapons}
{Strength - 13}
Katana
{Toughness - 7}
Knuckle Blade
{Endurance - 27}
Knuckle Blade
{Dexterity - 25}
{Equipment}
{Intelligence - 45}
Combat Dress
{Combat Skills}
{Racial Skill}
Unarmed - 3
Neko Tail - 0
One Hand Blade - 4
{Movement Skills}
Off Hand - 2
On the Run - 1
Two Hand Blade - 2
From Above - 0
{Magic Skills}
{Unique Skill}
Kinetic Magic - 1
Selfless Blade - ∞
Fire Magic - 1
1 use remaining
Sustained Magic - 2
“What are you doing up so early?” I turned to see Selena sitting up in bed.
“Ah, good morning. I just realized I could name my stuff.”
“Oh? I guess I forgot to mention that. Could you let… Actually, we’re leaving today as a group. What do you think about letting each other see our statuses? Chi as well.”
“Can we? I just think about adding you right?”
“Yeah… There you go. You’ve really improved this past week haven’t you?”
Right then though, I was looking at Selena’s stats. Level 31, with over 30 strength and endurance, and level 12 shield skill. And sure enough she had tailoring at level 4.
‘Crafting skills!’ I figured there might be some, but I finally had confirmation. I might be bad at making things, but the thought of one day making my own weapons thrilled me.
Seeing that skills could go higher than ten, I asked Selena, ”Just how high can skills go?”
“If there’s a limit, no one’s found it yet. Occasionally someone will surface who’s gotten a single skill or stat over 500, or their mana over 100,000. It’s really rare though, and those people spend their whole lives getting that far.”
“Wow. I have a long way to go then.”
“Just remember, those people sacrifice all other things for those numbers. Imagine having 500 toughness, but only 40 strength. Or the reverse.”
“Oh, I’d be useless in a fight.”
“Right. Mana’s a bit different though. As long as you use all your mana once a day, you’ll get about 8 more the next day. It’s easy enough to do, but there aren’t many who can use tens of thousands of mana in one day.”
8 mana every day. That was good. I had worried about simple magic like fireballs costing 60 mana or more, but if I could end up with thousands of mana to use, that wouldn’t be such a big deal.
“Well, enough of that. I’m going to get some breakfast. Oh, I added some clothes to your pack for sleepwear. They’re new so don’t worry.”
Oops. I guess I forgot my night clothes were all Selena’s. While Selena was gone I had a look. Simple, but extra long shirts I could wear like dresses. Not bad. At least it wasn’t heart patterned pajamas or something similar.
When Selena returned, she brought more than just breakfast.
“Yay!” Like a whirlwind, Chi ran past and lunged for me. “Ooh, finally I can restore my Taishi reserves.” She said this while hugging my head. Needless to say I couldn’t say much as my face was being buried.
Thankfully Selena came to my rescue and pulled her off. “Lay off, Chi. We have to eat yet.”
“Aw, but we’re leaving at dawn right? Are you slowpokes gonna be ready?”
“Slowpokes? Who’s the one who bought and packed all your stuff?”
I just sat down and ate as they bickered back and forth. It was a nice break from being Chi’s target. Eventually the sky brightening ended it, and once Selena and I finished our food, we all gathered our things.
On our way out we said goodbye to the tired innkeeper, then headed for the well to fill up our waterskins. Just as we were finishing up with that a loud bell starting ringing from the west side of the city. A few seconds later similar bells responded from the other ends of the town.
“Shit.”
“Selena?” I was confused, but her face was pale.
Chi wasn’t much better. “Can’t we sneak out real quick?” From the square we could see each of the four town gates closing.
“Too late for that. Sorry Chi, but I think we might be stuck here another day or two.”
Okay, none of this was making sense. Before I could ask though, a loud voice boomed over the town, magically I assume.
“ATTENTION: ALL CAPABLE FIGHTERS TO THE WEST WALLS. ALL OTHERS ARE TO GATHER AT THE EAST GATE FOR EVACUATION. REPEAT: ALL CAPABLE…”
“What’s going on?”
“You’ll see soon enough little one. Chi, you should come with us in case someone needs healed.”
“Right.” Selena led the way towards the west walls, but what scared me was Chi. She had none of her usual energy.
‘Just how big a deal is this?’
The sun had risen, but it was only when we reached the top of the wall that we felt it. Most of those there already were town guards, but a few hunters also were there. All of them were looking out to the desert. It took only a moment to find what they were looking at.
Out in the desert, way beyond the shadow of the town walls, was a large mass of moving bodies kicking up a small cloud of dust.
Selena answered me before I could frame the question. “Goblins.”
“What? That many?” They weren’t even on the plateau.
“Chieftain.” Chi answered with just the one word, so Selena continued for her.
“Every once in a while a goblin chieftain spawns on the plateau. While he’s alive, every goblin and ogre within range gets dragged into his army.”
“Then these walls…”
“Yeah. These walls, and towns like this are built where they are to intercept armies like this before they reach more populated areas.”
‘So I was right in thinking it was a fort when I first saw Krale.’ “Wait, how does the army know where to go? Goblin eyesight is horrible isn’t it?”
“No one really knows how, but the chieftain knows where people are. That’s why hunter towns are supplied so well. If not enough people lived there, the armies might pass them by.”
So the town was bait. Both for the goblins, and for hunters to fight them off. Those who couldn’t fight were simply evacuated to minimize casualties. Overall, not a bad system.
Just then a guard captain yelled out to our section, “Everyone! Target the ogres first. The walls might be big but just one of those ogres can punch through if left alone.”
‘Holy crap!’ The walls had to be twelve meters thick at the bottom. A huge amount of stone, and just one ogre could break through? ‘Someone nerf those clubs.’
“Clerics, please standby for larger injuries. Do not waste your mana on anything that won’t immediately kill. I don’t want to lose anybody here, but if that means a lost finger or two, so be it.”
‘Crap crap crap. This really isn’t good.’
Just then I felt Selena’s hand grab my shoulder. “Taishi, what are you doing?”
“What?” I had no idea what she meant. I was just standing there.
“Your stats…”
“What? Oh!” My stats were slowly increasing. Not just them either, but all my skills, and even my mana were going up. “Wait, this is…”
{Selfless blade activated - 0 uses remaining}
“Taishi, did you just use that?”
“Um, what are you two talking about?” Poor Chi had no idea what was happening, so I belatedly added her to my list of people to see my stats. “Whoa! What’s going on?”
“Taishi, you hadn’t told her about that yet?” I just shook my head and looked back at the mob getting closer, trying to think. “Wait, are you thinking of doing that?”
It was weird. I wasn’t quite berserk like last time, but my mind was going faster than I could keep up with. Maybe it was because my intelligence was past 200 and still rising. Almost like a light switch being turned on, I suddenly put some things together.
“Hey Selena, take care of my pack, would you?” I shrugged my pack off and handed it towards her, marveling at how light it felt.
She had a very conflicted look to her, but Selena eventually nodded and took hold.
“Wait! Tell me what’s going on!”
“Selena, I’ll meet you at the east gate after all this.” I really didn’t want to waste more time, so when I saw Selena grab onto Chi, I moved.
And jumped.
SELENA - INTERMISSION
It was surreal, watching Taishi jump off the walls like that. Everyone yelled out in horror thinking she fell, but I knew better.
She’d be fine. It was just like our first hunt. She had grown so strong and fast that I couldn’t hold her back. At least this time she seemed to be a bit more in control.
Poor Chi though. I had to struggle to hold her back. I swear she would have jumped right off after Taishi.
Slowly the shouts around us turned from alarm to amazement. Taishi had landed just fine, and in perfect neko form.
“Someone get down there and retrieve that kid!” It was the guard captain who had yelled out orders earlier. I didn’t know her personally, but she held the same rank Jils did.
“Ma’am, that won’t be necessary.”
“What? Who are you to say that?” Ah good, I got her attention.
“Selena, daughter of general Fii. That girl is much stronger right now than you think.”
“The general? I’m sorry, but I can’t just take your word for it. My job is to make sure everyone lives. Including that kid.”
“So is hers, I think. Just watch.” As if on cue, Taishi, who had been running, stopped. She was a couple hundred meters from the ogres that made up the army’s front line. I forced Chi to watch as Taishi just rose her hand at the army…
...and produced the most devastating thing I had ever seen.
END - INTERMISSION
I landed in the most embarrassingly cat-like way possible. All fours.
“Crap. Oh well.” I could imagine the chaos that was going on atop the walls, but I had something to do. Or more accurately, someone to talk to.
“Tanas-sama. I know you’re there. How about a little chat?”
“Hello Taishi. Wonderful day isn’t it?”
I couldn’t help but smile at that guilty voice of his. Seeing no point in staying put as we talked, I broke into a slow run. “So, Tanas. You’re not going to tell me my appearance a week before this army was a coincidence, are you.”
“Ah, you got me. Yes, I chose the time to bring you here for this, but you nearly screwed it up by leaving so early.”
“Why then? It seemed like the town had this handled fairly well.”
“Well, there’s a visitor in town who’s crucial to some future historical events. Problem is, she’s a bit over confident and ends up dying here if the army reaches the walls.”
“So I’m here to protect one person’s life?”
“Well, I also thought it would be fun to see a little girl take out an army. Like those anime I loved back on Earth.”
“Flora really is just a show to you, isn’t it?”
“Just like it’s only a game to you.”
Right about then I stopped. The ogres in the front group would take a lot of time to take out. I couldn’t let them pass by, but fighting them would leave me open to archers.
“Hey Tanas. You don’t mind if I drop the -sama right? Anyway, I was thinking of doing something big. You don’t mind as long as I don’t teach it, right?”
“Sure. I don’t think you’ll find enough material for a nuke though.”
“Just watch, and don’t laugh if it doesn’t work, okay?”
By then my stats had stopped rising. Everything had been multiplied by ten. Even the skills I had at zero were now ten. Everything together gave me a level of 247. The best part though, even my mana was boosted.
With 921/1,340 mana, I figured I finally had enough to test the magic I had wanted to try since my first fireball.
I raised my arm towards the pack of ogres, and concentrated my mana into a specific place. I didn’t care if it was small, but all my effort was pushed into a grain of sand under the ogres. After I’d lost over 800 mana, I suddenly thought I should close my eyes. I did so just in time.
*FLASH* *BOOOM*
I opened my eyes and immediately threw up a shield as rocks and other things flew every which way. Where the ogres had once stood, now was the aftermath of a large explosion. When the light desert breeze finally blew the dust out of the way, all that was left of the advance unit of ogres was a crater of blackened glass in the ground.
“It worked!” I couldn’t believe it. It actually worked! I had converted a grain of sand into pure energy, resulting in an explosion equal to over a ton of tnt.
{Fire Magic +2}
“I think I know where you got that from, but please don’t overuse that.”
I had to laugh. “Hahaha, so you watched that one too, Tanas?”
“How could I ignore it with so many people using the term ‘One True God’? Just don’t use it near people, understand? Still, you have over half the army left.”
“Isn’t that enough? Or is that woman still in danger?”
“If any goblin makes it to the walls, she dies. Until they are dealt with, your stats will remain. Now, good luck. I’ll be watching from a bit higher up. If you survive I’ll try not to interfere with you anymore, so try not to die.” His presence faded, leaving me alone again.
‘I’m glad I’m in control now, but this might be too much for me.’ The problem was there were still hundreds of goblins left after my magic. But, if I could fight like I did when I went berserk...
Goblins are still just goblins. That’s what I thought when I finally charged into the army, sword drawn. With my boosted stats it wasn’t long before I was running through them, laying waste. I utilized my On the Run skill to its fullest, not even slowing down as I cut through limbs and torsos with my katana.
Once the goblins realized something was killing them, the archers began firing at me. They didn’t even care about hitting their own. If there weren’t so many I might have been able to avoid the arrows, but with at least a hundred archers I had no choice but to use my regained mana for shielding. It was a bit difficult to shield on the run, but I had plenty of incentive not to mess up.
After fighting this way for what seemed like hours, but was likely only a few minutes, I realized I wasn’t killing fast enough to maintain my shields. The archers would win. So I bee-lined it to where they grouped up.
Once among them, all hell broke loose. Any time I ran by an archer and didn’t kill it, it ran away only to begin firing arrows again. It was annoying, because the archers just spread out amongst the rest. Eventually though, I took out enough that I started gaining mana from killing faster than arrows took away from my shield.
Just as I was finally enjoying myself, out of nowhere a huge rock crashed into my shield, nearly eating up all my remaining mana.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
“Where the hell?” Looking in that direction, I saw a large goblin wearing smaller goblins’ skulls and holding a large knobby staff above his head. As I watched, a large rock broke from the ground in front of him, and came flying at me.
“Mage?!” I barely dodged out of the way. No one told me the chieftain was a mage! Rock throwing wasn’t too bad, but when I tried getting closer he began shooting flames from his staff.
{Goblin Chieftain}
{Level 34}
With low mana I couldn’t use magic to kill him, and if I didn’t keep slaying goblins, the arrows would start reaching me. So I spent a few minutes dodging boulders and finishing off the remaining archers. That meant I could lower my shield and start saving mana.
Finally, the chieftain stopped casting for a bit. The idiot was so angry at not killing me yet he threw his staff down and started yelling orders. I couldn’t let the chance pass by, so I ran and jumped. Aiming neck height, I slashed as hard as I could.
Needless to say, a level 247 versus a level 34 mage, I cut through his neck like paper.
CHI - INTERMISSION
Oh god. I couldn’t believe Taishi was still fighting. And why wasn’t anybody helping her?
I’m glad Selena kept me from jumping after Taishi, but I was still scared for her. Even after Selena told me about the unique skill Taishi had. Levels and stats don’t mean anything when you take an unlucky hit. An arrow through the eye could kill even the toughest dragon.
But still Taishi kept fighting. How could she do it? Wasn’t she scared?
People just watched. It was amazing, and heartbreaking. The whole wall was full of people, and no one was talking. Selena even had a smile on her face.
Then we saw a burst of flame. She met the chieftain! Everyone was calm, but now I had a new worry. “Selena?”
“What Chi? You calmed down now?”
“Forget that. Does Taishi know about the chieftain?”
“... uh oh.”
“Oh god.” She didn’t know. Why had no one told her?
END - INTERMISSION
“Why didn’t anybody tell me this?!”
Immediately after the chieftain was killed, a pause came to the battle. I thought it was finally over, but then every single goblin focused their eyes on me. Their now red eyes.
{Enraged Lesser Goblin}
{Level 14}
{Enraged Greater Goblin}
{Level 29}
They all had their stats doubled! And now they seemed to be dead set on seeing me dead. I tried my old method of running through them, but somehow it seemed slower than before. I was able to kill a bunch of them before I realized the problem.
My stats were dropping.
It seemed the wording Tanas used was specific for a reason. Now that the goblins were enraged on me, Krale was in no danger. My Selfless Blade skill simply ended.
Since my mana was also plummeting, I used what I had left as a big fireball to take out as many goblins as I could. It was similar to the fireball I’d used on our three person hunting trip, but bigger. I barely got out with my hair unburned. Even so, maybe fifty remained.
As I fought, I slowed down so much I could no longer run. The enemies had closed in all around me, and one brute even managed to knock my katana away.
“Damnit!” Thinking as quickly as I could, I used the mana I was regaining into a shield over my hair and back, and drew my knuckle blades. With my back covered, I focused on attacking and dodging to the front.
Duck here, stab there, dodge the big guy… It went on like this for a few minutes, but my mana was almost gone and I started taking hits to my sides.
I had to choose which attacks to avoid, and which I had to let hit me. It was too much to avoid them all. Soon I was turning in place, slowly spinning around as I blocked and parried what I could, and stabbed any goblin that looked open. I turned, faster and faster until I could see my hair whipping around.
It was fun! Even though I was hurt. Even though I kept getting cut by knives. I was having fun! I even started using my tail in the fight to trip or disarm the goblins.
After a short while, I could finally see the end. Only a small number were left, and even though they attacked relentlessly I had the upper hand again. I started trying kicks with my stabs, and though they lacked the power to injure, they were plenty enough to stagger or disarm.
It was amazing. It felt like I had five arms to attack with. And the whole time I was turning, this way or that. Finally the last goblin standing attacked right into my hair. I nearly cried out, but the knife passed straight though. Not just not cutting it, but ‘passed’ through. Just like my sword passes through the scabbard when drawn.
As I stabbed into my last enemy, I collapsed to the ground, panting. I would have just sat there, but I needed to know. I reached back and unclasped the scabbard.
No wonder I hadn’t lost any hair. There was a second symbol on my scabbard that kept activating every time a blade touched my hair. It didn’t stop cut on my back, but my hair was immune to cutting.
I silently sent thanks to Ven for her marvelous addition. It was barely visible, but it worked, and I loved it.
Then my vision exploded.
{Skill Unlocked - Shield Magic}
{Skill Unlocked - Battle Dancing}
{Unarmed +1}
{One Hand Blade +1}
{Off Hand +2}
{Two Hand Blade +1}
{Sustained Magic +1}
{Shield Magic +2}
{Neko Tail +1}
{On the Run +2}
{Battle Dancing +2}
{Title Unlocked - Blood Dancer}
“Oh. My. God.” Some increases seemed low, but since I had fought with more than a 200 level advantage for so long, I was NOT complaining. Instead, I was blown away at just how much I gained. That skill, battle dancing. ‘Is that what it’s called?’
Then the last line hit me. Blood Dancer. I looked down at myself, and sure enough I was soaked. I have no idea how I hadn’t noticed before, but I was covered from head to toe in blood. Even my hair was more red than blue.
“I... need to clean up. Ow! And Chi.” I stood up and felt all my cuts all over again. I had a couple deeper ones in my legs, but the rest were shallow. Even the ones that hit me hard in my sides weren’t deep.
‘Did my dress help with that?’ I looked, and was amazed to see my dress self-repairing. All the little cuts it had were soon erased as if they never happened.
“Wow, I’ve got to hand it to you Tanas. This dress is amazing. And to get a guy to say that is a feat.” I said that, but any more, I really didn’t feel like one.
Limping a little bit from pain, I went and found my sword before heading back to town. As I approached I could see all the silhouettes of the people still standing at the walls, lit by the mid morning sun.
“Damn, I was fighting that long?” Looking at the people staring though gave me an idea. Maybe it was stupid. Maybe a bit vain. I didn’t care. I just had the fight of my life, and I wanted to brag.
I set my title public.
When I got near, the west gate opened. Inside, the afternoon shift, south gate guards I had gotten to know were lined up. I didn’t really have the energy to talk so I just nodded to them, but they returned with a salute.
‘What?’ I expected questions, not salutes. Then Jils came out of the guardhouse. She just looked at me and smile, giving the same salute as the rest. ‘Girls stop, you’re gonna make me blush.’
Trying to ignore the stares, I walked to the well. My first task was to get clean, but after many buckets I realized it wasn’t so easy. My many cuts were still bleeding. I needed Chi, but I told Selena to wait at the east gate. I turned and, yup. It was open and two figures could be seen beyond it.
When I finally reached them, Chi was crying with a smile on her face, and Selena just looked proud. “I’m back.”
“Good work. Hey Chi, I think it’s your turn.”
I don’t think I’ve ever seen Chi that elated. Not before. Not since. Well, okay maybe a couple times since, but that’s neither here nor there.
She ran up and nearly tackled me to the ground with a full force hug. “Thank you for this meal.” That moment her healing took hold and I felt all the pain just wash away. Then the drool happened.
‘This girl has issues.’
“Ah, that felt goood…”
“Thanks Chi, but did you have to hug me? You got blood on yourself.”
“No, but I was gonna hug you anyway. Don’t do that again! That scared me, alright?!”
“Okay. I promise not to attack any more armies alone. Uh, can we move now? I’d like to leave before the shock wears off.”
Good old Selena understood and replied, “Yes, let’s go. You wasted a few good hours there. Chi, help me wipe her clean as we walk.”
“Yay! More touching!”
‘Oh dear.’ This was shaping up to be a crazy trip already.
The road was fairly good compared to the one south and west of Krale, so walking was easy. But with my tired self it was hard to keep a good pace. It didn’t help that Chi hung on to me like it was a date. We walked few couple hundred meters before Selena finally burst.
“Okay, I can’t wait anymore. How was it?”
Chi just giggled as though she was waiting for that.
“How? Well, it felt like I was cheating at first.”
“You took out the ogres so fast, but what did you use?”
“Ah, that was something I’m not supposed to share. Let’s just call it a big explosion and leave it at that.”
“Oh, oh! You used Selena’s arrow shield too didn’t you? She practically beamed when she saw that!”
“Well…” Selena looked away so I didn’t push her.
“Yeah, I had to use that. There were over a hundred archers and they didn’t care if they hit their own kind. It was all I could do to get the mana back.”
“Still, you seemed to be moving pretty fast down there for a while. Then you kind of stopped. What happened?”
“I killed the chieftain.” Maybe I let slip a bit of resentment, because Selena replied right away.
“Oh little one. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. Whoever kills the chieftain becomes the sole target of the rest. It also enrages them.”
“Yeah found that out the hard way. Their stats doubled. But that wasn’t why I slowed down.”
“Oh, I think I know where you’re going.”
Poor Chi was clueless again. “Huh? Then why? You weren’t tired with those stats were you?”
“As Selena probably guessed, once I knew they were all set on targeting me, my unique skill turned off.”
“Wha?! In the middle of all that? Why?”
“I was no longer protecting anyone. The skill only lasted as long as the threat to Krale remained.”
“That’s not all though, is it?” Selena looked at me knowingly.
“Well…”
“Oh face it. You started having fun didn’t you?”
I nodded and faced forwards, not wanting to say anything else.
Chi was having none of that though. “Fun?! How? You were still surrounded by loads of high level monsters! And with normal stats!”
“I can’t explain it Chi, other than it was the challenge I’d been looking for since I got here.”
“Yes. I felt that the first time taking on three ogres the other day. It’s a rush.”
“I don’t understand at all. How can you enjoy almost dying?”
“Chi, think of it like how you feel healing someone. Not everyone feels so good when healing, just like not everyone loves to fight. It’s just rare for it to be the kind of pleasure you feel.”
“Oh, okay Selena. I guess that make sense then. So does that mean Taishi will be looking for more fights like that? But wait! That was something God planned wasn’t it? He’s not gonna do that all the time is he?!”
“No, no. Chi, I had a short talk with him after I jumped. He said he won’t interfere anymore. He just wanted to prevent the death of someone.”
“Really? So, he won’t like, pluck you away to fight somewhere else?”
“Nope.”
“Yippee!”
“Taishi.”
“Yes Selena?
“Do you know who this person was?”
“Not a clue. It could have been a child for all I know.”
“Doesn’t that mean you didn’t have to that all that? You just needed to find that person and save her right?”
“Maybe, but I don’t think he wanted me to know who it was.”
“That’s not the only reason though.”
“No. Well, my skill had already activated, and somehow I knew I could do it. Plus, it was finally a chance to stand out as more than a kid.”
“Well, They will definitely be talked about the Blood Soaked Loli for a long time in Krale”
“No, Selena! Didn’t you see? She has a new title now!”
Chi was right. Along with the rewards of the battle I got a new title.
Blood Dancer
???? - INTERMISSION
How? How could I have found the right person so soon?
It’s incredible. At first I thought she was just an idiot, then an arrogant mage after that explosion. But she actually ran right into battle with just a sword.
A kid did that! What potential! And here I thought I’d be stuck with some muscle builder, or hermit hunter. Instead I find a kid with room to grow even more.
It’s just a shame she’s a neko. Mother might not like that, but I’m only doing what she told me, right? Who cares if she small? This little girl could probably take on my whole regiment, alone.
Now, if only that stupid innkeeper would get back here. I can’t even get my stuff from my room because she locked the inn during the evacuation. Stupid. How am I supposed to write to mother without my pack?
Oh well. I’ll just have to catch up later. It’s not like the kid knows I’m coming.
END - INTERMISSION
END OF ACT 1 - BLOOD DANCER
Companions’ Statuses:
{Selena} {Title - None}
{Level - 31} {Mana - 112/112} {Age 19}
{Jobs - Hunter} {Condition - Normal}
{Weapons}
{Strength - 36}
Steel Sword
{Toughness - 28}
Steel Shield
{Endurance - 35}
{Equipment}
{Dexterity - 20}
Leather Cuirass
{Intelligence - 30}
Leather Armguards
{Combat Skills}
Leather Pants
One Hand Blade - 11
Leather Boots
Heavy Shield - 12
Hunter Pack
{Magic Skills}
Crafting Skills
Shielding Magic - 2
Tailoring - 4
Sustained Magic - 1
{Chi} {Title - None}
{Level - 22} {Mana - 341/341} {Age 15}
{Jobs - Junior Sage} {Condition - Normal}
{Weapons}
{Strength - 13}
None
{Toughness - 10}
{Equipment}
{Endurance - 18}
Brown Cleric Robe
{Dexterity - 12}
{Intelligence - 42}
{Magic Skills}
Healing Magic - 8
Shielding Magic - 1
Kinetic Magic - 1
Fire Magic - 2
(Author Note: I hope you enjoyed this one. There probably won't be another chapter this action packed for a while, so if you liked that, sorry. This has only been the first act of 3 or 4 in the first volume, and I plan to continue for more if I can, so it won't be the last big fight, but Taishi won't be this overpowered for a long time, if ever.)
Anyway, thanks for reading!
EDIT: It may be a while for Act 2 to start. Life is getting hectic right now, and I need some inspiration to get started. To me, half of writing is reading other works for inspiration. Once that inspiration strikes though, the story just flows from there. Just know this isn't abandoned, not by a long shot. I just can't possibly produce a chapter per day nonstop.