This time, I ran almost an entire day, carefully avoiding human settlements. My general direction was known, and there was no need to interact with the locals. Besides, I wanted to solidify the progress I had made in maintaining three auras simultaneously.
Only a couple of hours before sunset, upon noticing an astonishingly straight wild rowan tree, about as thick as my arm and over five meters tall, I stopped and chopped it down. Then, using my dagger, I carefully split the thin trunk lengthwise, carved out the core, and cut it to the size I needed. I laid the resulting groove with the cloth that served as a bandage substitute in my travel kit, and after unfolding my shirts, I checked if this new "sheath" fit Boundless Pride.
When I touched the artifact sword with my fingers, I felt it wanted to talk, but I ignored its silent "sighs." I had no desire whatsoever to chat with an animated, sentient weapon, especially one with such a nasty character. So, with several more passes with the dagger over the remaining core, I ensured that Boundless Pride lay securely in the groove I had created, lined with thin fabric. Having confirmed this, I whittled away the excess from the outside, giving the trunk a more or less flat shape. Then, I carved notches for ropes, thus creating a temporary but sufficiently sturdy and functional case for storing and carrying the artifact sword.
When I finished this work, the sun had only just begun to set. Looking up, I surveyed the sky and concluded that the night promised to be bright enough for me to keep going. Gathering my belongings, I slung the new self-made case over my back and set off at a leisurely jog after the setting sun.
I ran slowly through the sparse forest, more focused on my training than on the road. The sun had set, but Seguna's light was sufficient to avoid tripping over stumps or roots. Moreover, the trees ahead didn't form a wall as they did in the Wicked Woods, and I could easily see the path nearly a hundred meters ahead. Therefore, I noticed the large bonfire someone had lit in a spacious forest clearing by a small stream long before I could make out human silhouettes. Slowing down to a walk, I contemplated whether to bypass the strangers' camp or approach and ask for directions. Quietly and discreetly, activating "Shadow Cloak," I crept closer, hiding in the night's semi-darkness.
Despite the late hour, a group of four people was not preparing to sleep or rest. Instead, they were training, paired off. All of them were about the same age, around twenty years old, and stood on the same step of the Spiral of Elevation – at Bronze. A few minutes of observation confirmed my guess. This quartet of travelers was clearly from Earth. Three guys and one girl. Two of the men wielded longswords, another practiced with a staff almost as tall as he was, and the only girl in their group handled a spear quite proficiently. Under the cover of shadows, I approached the campsite very closely, no more than thirty steps away, and again went still, trying to make out their faces in the firelight reflections.
Definitely earthlings. Three of them were completely unknown to me, but I recognized one of the swordsmen from the Last Cycle. Back then, he didn't stand out much, but he definitely survived until the beginning of the Invasion and, as far as I remember, died in one of the many battles against demons.
Their training brought a smile to my face. One of the earthlings apparently had a background in sport fencing and was now trying to transfer his old skills to handling a longsword. It must be said he was not doing very well. All those deep lunges with quick, long steps forward were almost ineffective against people in armor and even dangerous against many types of monsters. Nevertheless, this young man was trying hard and sharing his knowledge with the other group members. A brief observation of their activities showed that, despite their low rank, this group of earthlings was moving in the right direction in their development. For example, their mage had a skillset and spells even more advanced than mine at Wootz. Admittedly, that pointed more at the flaws in my development, but still, it clearly showed that these people were trying hard and did not intend to stop their growth.
As the quartet of earthlings engaged in another round of training sparrings, I waited for them to get absorbed in the process, then canceled "Shadow Cloak" and, straightening up to my full height, no longer hiding my presence, walked out into the forest clearing.
Well, attentiveness and alertness were not strong points for this group. I approached almost to the bonfire and stood there for nearly a minute, and none of the earthlings noticed me. They were all too engrossed in their training bouts and paid no attention to anything else. As I watched their activities, deciding how to attract their attention without startling them, a somewhat provocative plan formed in my mind.
"Who taught you such crap?" I loudly asked while standing relaxed, leaning on my spear. "Name me your teacher, and I'll spit in his face," I emphasized my words with a scornful smile and a spit next to the fire.
My remark struck the group of earthlings like a bolt from the blue. They immediately stopped and, without a word, turned towards me in unison.
"Don't do that," I nodded at the girl, who had shifted her spear so its tip pointed at my chest. "Or is that an actual threat?"
"No," the girl shook her head immediately, correctly assessing the color of the Guild sash that shone wootz on my chest. "Sorry." The spear in her hands changed position, its tip now dug into the ground, which involuntarily made me grit my teeth. Who treats their weapon like that?!
"Who are you, and what are you doing here?" I dropped my bags, surveying the frozen earthlings with a heavy gaze.
"What right do you have to ask us anythi..." One of the swordsmen, whom I didn't know, immediately exploded in anger but was cut off by the mage, who jabbed him with his staff and silenced him.
"When someone on a higher step of the Spiral asks, the juniors answer," I said calmly but firmly. "Who are you? You wear the Tunnellers' Guild's insignia, but you don't know the basics of courtesy."
"Apologies," the mage quickly grasped the situation and, shushing his companions, stepped forward, bowing slightly but respectfully. "We are not from around here and are unfamiliar with the customs of these lands. Strange magic brought us here recently."
"So you're one of those..." I pretended to think, trying to recall the word, and after a short pause, snapping my fingers, I continued. "Of sortudo?"
"Sortudo?" The swordsman, who apparently had practiced fencing on Earth, perked up. "I wouldn't call us lucky ones."
"What?" I blurted out involuntarily.
"In my native language, that word means 'lucky one,' and it doesn't seem very fitting to us."
Wow! So this word isn't from the mysterious language of the questers but one of the Earth's languages. Interesting! Moreover, its meaning... Intriguing. I'll have to think about that later.
"You're from the people who were transported by unknown magic to this continent and scattered across its expanse?" I asked a leading question.
"That's correct," the mage replied for all the earthlings, "but we're not sure if those sortudo you're talking about are related to us." He was cautious, and that was a good sign. It was interesting to see how long I could deceive them by pretending to be a local.
"I've met several representatives of the sortudo," I smiled, "and I can say that fate clearly favors them. They develop quickly, and some, like Brilliant Arien, have done a lot for the free city of Katiyer. So much so that she was allowed to create a recognized guild, and the local king granted her noble status." My voice lowered, "Rumors say she Elevated from Copper to Steel in just two months! An incredible achievement, worthy of the heroes of ancient legends." My words clearly piqued the earthlings' interest, though they tried to pretend otherwise. "So you don't belong to the sortudo?"
"We're not sure," the girl answered for all, "we're just hearing this name for the first time."
The spearwoman, it seemed to me, was the first to correctly assess that I posed no threat and definitely wasn't planning an immediate attack. Therefore, she relaxed a bit and looked at me without evident fear, her curiosity unmistakable. Moving her spear aside, the girl made something akin to a curtsy and introduced herself.
"I'm Isabel Boudicca from the Tunnellers' Guild."
Her chosen name suited her. She clearly had Spanish ancestry: olive skin, lithe figure, hair dark as night, and brown eyes. She could have been called beautiful, but her broad, swimmer-like shoulders slightly detracted from her femininity. The second part of her pseudonym was a clear reference to the Celtic warrior queen who, if I remember correctly, also favored the spear. After introducing herself, she glanced at her companions and motioned for them to remember politeness and etiquette.
"Arman Otville, tunneller," the fencer introduced himself.
"Kleber Murilu, tunneller," said the second swordsman with a light bow.
"Ged Ogion, tunneller," the mage, leaning on his staff, was the last to give his name.
While I wasn't sure about the swordsmen, whether they gave their real names or made-up ones, the spellcaster clearly chose his pseudonym deliberately. There was something vaguely familiar about the combination "Ged Ogion," but it was blurry, indistinct, maybe something I heard in a movie or read in a book, I couldn't remember exactly.
"Raven from Seyetl," I introduced myself. If the first part of my introduction caused the earthlings to exchange glances, the mention of an unfamiliar city seemed to calm them. "Sheriff of the Tunnellers' Guild." To prove my words, I tapped the Guild Sign on my chest with the nail of my index finger.
"Sheriff?" Arman's eyes widened in surprise, but I didn't detect fear in his gaze. "We haven't broken any laws!"
"I'm not after you," I brushed off his words, "just traveling the path of Sundbad and would have passed by had your training not caught my attention."
To demonstrate my lack of aggressive intentions, I sat on a log by the fire. Rummaging through one of my bags, I pulled out a piece of bread, broke it into parts, and offered the earthlings to share the meal. I positioned myself by the fire so that the left side of my chest remained in shadow, preventing those opposite me from reading the motto on my cotta. Because if they did, they would quickly realize that I was not a local but one of the earthlings. In principle, I had no particular reason to deceive them into thinking I was an inhabitant of Ain; it was simply interesting to see if I could pull it off. So far, it was working. Thanks to the memory of the future, even many locals took me for one of their own and did not recognize me as an outsider.
"Why is there something wrong with our training?" Arman Otville asked hurriedly after swallowing the offered bread, irritation apparent in his voice.
"The fact that you aren't wasting time is undoubtedly commendable," I said with a smile. "Especially your mage," I nodded at Ged Ogion, "many spellcasters think their main weapon is magic and forget about their staves." I sighed heavily, a bit theatrically. "In my experience, such spellcasters don't live long. But the sword skills you were practicing seemed questionable to me…" I continued, keeping my watchful gaze on the fencer.
"They are not questionable!" Arman retorted fervently. "It's just that this school of swordsmanship is little known in this part of Ain. But it's very effective!"
"Really?" I asked with light curiosity, standing up. "Will you demonstrate?"
Rising, I set aside my spear and extended my hand demandingly towards Kleber:
"May I borrow your sword? Just for a moment."
Kleber exchanged glances with his companions and, seeing their nods of agreement, handed me the weapon. Weighing the sword in my hand and assessing its balance, I made a couple of practice swings, then stepped away from the fire to an open area.
"I'm not sure…" Arman hesitated. "I might accidentally hurt you."
"No need to worry about that," I dismissed his concern. "You can fight at full strength. It's impossible to harm Wootz while on Bronze, even if you wanted to. I, on my part, promise to try not to injure you. And even if it happens, my stock of potions will heal any accidental wound."
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Arman's face showed slight doubt, but I could see he was incredibly curious to cross swords in a practice duel with one of the locals. Eventually, his curiosity outweighed the fear of injury. Nodding briefly, he stood opposite me, five steps away.
"Well, show me what your fencing school is capable of," I shrugged, lowering the weapon's tip to the ground.
Not responding verbally, Arman gave a short nod and, positioning his sword like a rapier, aimed directly at my chest. He clearly had a background in fencing on Earth. His movement was unmistakable, with the feet turning in a 'T' shape and short, shuffling steps. I gestured, inviting him to attack first. As expected, Arman cautiously initiated, maintaining a safe distance. His initial thrusts were tentative, but I evaded them without even raising my sword, simply swaying my torso. Deliberately, I matched a speed accessible to a Bronze, avoiding the use of auras. For a full minute, Arman probed my defense, trying to reach me with the tip of his sword. When that failed, he feigned a move and attempted a swift, sharp stab at my palm. This might have caught many locals off-guard, but I simply rotated my hand, taking his thrust on my guard.
"Too long," I uttered tersely. "While you fuss over one monster, others will have already flanked you."
Arman, stubbornly ignoring my words - which was the right decision - launched into a series of attacks across different planes. But since he was still keeping his distance, none of his thrusts reached me. I simply took a step back.
"Laces, laces, laces. They might look fancy, but are they effective?" I continued to comment on the sparring. "So far, I don't see it."
In response, the fencer became more aggressive and persistent. Forcing me to retreat a few steps, he, seemingly out of the blue, lunged deeply forward in a long stride, stretching his arm fully.
Anticipating this, I stepped forward instead of back, as I had before. My sword, with the flat of its blade, heavily struck down the earthling's blade from above. A longsword isn't a foil; it has a different balance and is almost twice as heavy. My forceful parry inevitably drove the tip of Arman's sword into the ground, just a few centimeters, but it was enough for me. Continuing the motion, my blade, like a skillfully tossed "skipping stone," bounced off his sword, flipped in the air, and struck the other side just as flatly against Arman's palm. My blow was not strong, but it was noticeable and painful. Nevertheless, the earthling did not release his sword, but he was still too slow to defend. My sword made a short upward motion and stopped at his open and defenseless throat.
I caught a glimpse of Isabelle turning pale and freezing in fear from the corner of my eye. But I had no intention of causing harm, and after holding my weapon at Arman's throat for a moment, I lowered the blade.
"Interesting technique," I comment. "But I still don't quite understand against what kind of monsters it can be used." When Arman stands up to his full height, I attack unexpectedly, striking not with the blade but with the hilt, knocking the sword from the earthling's hands. "Moreover, a sword is not just its edge or blade." Saying this, I don't stop moving, and my elbow freezes near Arman's temple. "And the body itself is also a weapon."
With a sharp sweep, the earthling falls to the ground like a chopped tree. Finishing this display, I help the guy get up and, grabbing the sword by the blade, extend the hilt forward, returning it to its owner.
"Nevertheless, there is definitely something in your school of swordsmanship," I say, pretending to ponder and scratching my chin. "Against many slimes, it might even be useful. And... perhaps against people. Those attacks on the hands were quite unusual and unfamiliar." I offer some encouragement to Arman as he rises to his feet. "I take back my words about your worthless teacher. It's the first time I've seen such a technique, and to create something new under this sky, one must be a true master."
"I'm no master," Arman says, getting up and brushing off the grass clinging to his clothes. "Just a negligent student who didn't train for long and never thought these skills would come in handy in life, so I practiced half-heartedly."
"Recognizing your own mistakes is already worth a lot," I nod. "But if no action follows this acknowledgment, then it is meaningless."
"Can I try?" Isabelle steps forward as Arman contemplates my words, nervously clutching a spear.
"Why not?" I smile openly and, returning to the campfire, pick up the Striking Whisper. "I'm always pleased with tunnellers who don't waste time and prefer training over drinking and merrymaking."
The first thing that strikes me is how the girl holds the spear. The angle at which she directs it towards me. She does it quite correctly. Either she managed to find a teacher and practice a bit, or she intuitively understands what needs to be done. Unlike the duel with the fencer, I initiate the attack this time. I act deliberately slowly, probing Isabelle's defense and assessing her level. My first thrusts, or rather the girl's reaction to them, show that she is still self-taught. Her hands work relatively correctly, but her footwork is no good.
During the first minute of our leisurely training fight, I could easily have struck her hands several times, but I deliberately avoided doing so, attacking only her torso. When the girl got used to this pattern, I suddenly closed the distance and, with a twist of the Striking Whisper, swept her legs out, causing Isabelle to roll over in the grass. I gave her time to get up, and as soon as she was back in the stance, I knocked her down again with the same move but executed from the other side. The third time, Isabelle didn't fall for the trick, earning a nod of approval from me. The longer I fight with her, the more clearly I notice that she catches on to everything quickly. Only two or three minutes have passed, yet her grip on the spear has slightly changed, and she's maintaining the correct distance more confidently. She must have four Stars of Talent in Spear; I can't explain her teachability and intuitively correct reactions any other way.
I spent much more time with Isabelle than with Arman, not so much sparring with her as demonstrating various techniques, transitions, and movements. I allowed her to attack on her own and showed her how to evade straightforward attacks. Then, I ended the training by making a series of thrusts at her knees, repeatedly forcing her to retreat and knocking her down three times.
"Not bad," I concluded. "You've got potential, but your footwork is a disaster. I'd recommend starting your warm-up with the Four Elements exercise or the Cardinal Directions one."
"I'm sorry, but I know neither," the girl replied, looking downcast.
"That's bad," I said, shaking my head sadly. "Those are basic exercises that should be learned as soon as possible. I'll show you the fundamental movements. By the way, they're useful for swordsmen and mages alike."
Without further delay, I moved to the center of the clearing and performed the beginning of the Four Elements kata several times. First, I did it at a normal speed, then much slower the second time, and even slower the third time, explaining each movement - from the correct rotation of the feet and the length of the steps to the accompanying meditation. Naturally, the earthlings couldn't replicate my movements correctly on their first try. After pointing out their mistakes, I called over the mage and, while the others practiced the basic movements, showed him the simplest blocks and strikes with a staff.
"A staff is the same as a spear," I explained, demonstrating various techniques. "Yes, it doesn't have a tip, but in the hands of a mage, a spear tip can be replaced with a spell strike." To prove my point, I performed a series of moves, finishing each air strike with a flash of "Discharge."
Credit must be given to this Ged Ogion. In less than two months on Ain, he managed to learn almost a dozen spells and techniques from various magical schools. Moreover, he even attempted to create a combat system that was comfortable for him. I was particularly interested in his arsenal, which included a spell like "Cleave," which I wanted to learn soon. As for Lightning magic, Ogion had little aptitude for it and didn't know the "Direct Lightning" spell that I needed.
After half an hour, seeing that the earthlings were performing the first quarter of the All Elements kata movements more or less correctly, I suggested taking a break and having a snack. When we sat around the fire on dry logs, I thought that my joke of passing myself off as a local was reaching a dead end. If I wanted to push their development even further, I needed to reveal myself. I just had to figure out how to do it without causing a negative reaction.
The earthlings shared with me some hot barley porridge with meat, and I contributed cheese, fresh bread, and a dozen boiled eggs to our late dinner. Waiting until everyone was engrossed in eating and somewhat relaxed, I sat up straight, removing the shadow from the left side of my chest and letting the inscription of my motto be visible in the bonfire light. Then I cleared my throat loudly, drawing attention to myself, and, with a mocking glance at the four earthlings, said:
"How did you manage to survive?" My question was met with puzzled looks, and I continued, "With such inattentiveness, how have the local predators not had you for lunch yet?"
"Uh?" That was all Kleber managed to say while the others fell silent, putting down their spoons and staring at me in bewilderment.
"I've constantly been right in front of your eyes, but nobody even paid attention…"
Having said this, I tapped the inscription on my cotta with the pad of my index finger. Of course, I was being cunning; until that moment, it wasn't easy to read it, hidden as it was in the shadows, but I conveniently left out that detail.
"Came. Saw. Conquered," Isabelle read aloud.
Her eyes widened, and she even covered her mouth with her hand.
"Uh-uh-uh…" Arman stuttered, blinking rapidly.
"Was there an equivalent of Julius Caesar in this world?" Ogion asked his companions in broken English, further confusing the rest with his question.
Watching them, I nearly injured my forehead, smacking it with an open palm.
"It seems my joke went too far," I said, shaking my head, also in English. "I'm just like you, one of those whom questers call sortudo."
"Questers?"
"One of us?"
"But!" Isabelle even rose up and, pointing at me with her finger, quickly spoke, "That's impossible because the guild sign can't be faked, and it shows that you're Wootz!"
"And what's so impossible about that?" I asked with a slight smile, tilting my head.
"We didn't sit still - we constantly developed, cleared dungeons, earned Achievements, and only got close to the Steel rank." The girl explained her point rapidly. "I can't believe someone could surpass us by two whole ranks in such a short time!"
"Ah, so many astonishing discoveries await us..." Saying this, I visualized the Symbol of my Core, showing that my Guild Sign was neither a fake nor a clever illusion.
"Unbelievable..." Ged Ogion whispered, not taking his eyes off the Symbol floating above my palm. "But it's really Wootz."
"And I'm likely not the only one among our kind standing at this rank." I winked at the earthlings. "At least, when I became Steel and demanded the quester to give me an Achievement for it, I was told I was far from the first sortudo to reach this Rank of the Spiral. From this refusal, it follows that there are those who develop even faster than me."
"I feel crushed..." Arman said quietly, dropping his head to his knees. "We tried so hard, and it turns out we are just common failures, lagging somewhere at the back."
"It's not that bad." I tried to encourage the earthlings. "You're not the first group of our kind that I've met on my journey, and if you really are close to Steel, then your development is at least not below average."
"Average..." Arman Otville said even more despondently, on an exhale, and his shoulders dropped even lower.
"We're really about to take the Steel Ranks," Kleber said. "We have just a little left, clear a couple of new dungeons, and that should be enough. We set out last night to look for them when we realized that each subsequent trip to the same dungeon yields less and less Achievements."
"Correct conclusion," I nod at his words. "The first expedition into a new dungeon yields the most rewards. A second one can still gather a few Achievements. But even a systematic and complete second clearing rarely brings even a third of the Achievements from the first expedition. So, going more than twice into the same dungeon, considering their weekly reset, is essentially just a waste of time for us." Not all the earthlings understood me, so I had to explain further. "We can't just stop developing and settle in one place like the locals do. Because, unlike us, the locals are not driven by questers."
"Questers," Isabelle repeated as if tasting the word. "It's from the English word 'quest,' meaning a task?"
"Game slang," Ged Ogion picked up her thought.
"Someone called these creatures that, and I found the name fitting," I shrugged. "If you have another name for them…"
"No, it fits, though I usually just curse at them," Kleber said with a wicked smile.
"We only realized two days ago that the third clearing of the same dungeon almost doesn't yield new Achievements," Arman sighed heavily. "We lost a week in vain, and I insisted on staying and going through a couple of dungeons we had already cleared once more."
"Mistakes happen to everyone. Especially when we know so little about the world we were brought into against our will," I spread my hands. "That's why, whenever I meet earthlings on my way, I always offer to exchange all that we've learned during the nearly two months we've been on Ain." I exaggerated a bit. "I offered this to you as well."
"We agree," Arman replied after the four exchanged glances.
"Then start," I said, picking up my unfinished bowl of porridge and a spoon. "I'll finish eating while you talk."
As I thought, this group of earthlings couldn't tell me anything new about the world of Ain. But listening to them made it clear what they know, suspect, and are utterly clueless about.
One of the foundations of my strategy is to encourage earthlings to develop so that by the time of the demonic Invasion, we are more prepared than in the Last Cycle. So, after listening to their somewhat disjointed stories, I picked up a sharp stick and, clearing the ground, began to draw.
"Well, my turn. Look, this is Ain, or rather the continent we were brought to. Of course, my drawing is very approximate. We are currently here." The stick in my hands points to a place. "If compared to Eurasia, it would be roughly where the Black Sea would be. I started my journey from here." I move the tip of the stick far to the right.
"Wow!" Kleber chuckles, correctly assessing the scale and distance.
"Yes, about where Hanoi would be. But, of course, I didn't cover all this distance on foot…"
Unlike the earthlings, who finished their story in half an hour, I spoke much longer. I explained the geography of Ain and described the general laws and orders. I talked about the dungeons and how to gain profitable Achievements besides clearing them. I hinted at potential dangers and explained the social structure of the local society. While doing so, remembering the questers' prohibition, I avoided mentioning anything I couldn't have learned in this Cycle. Using my own adventures as examples, I stressed the importance of exploring this new world.
"Don't discount the divine biographies either," I said, pulling out the Clasp of Pure Mind from my hair. "This artifact, which alerts you to the use of Mental Magic against you, I managed to barter for mere pennies. Because, unlike the trader who sold it, I had read the Book of Ishii and suspected its true value. So, reading the holy texts will certainly not be superfluous. You'll also understand the locals much better. And during breaks, sometimes there's free time, why not spend it reading? Especially since, for example, the Verses of Ishii and Stanzas of Elai are indeed very poetic."
Seeing a slight misunderstanding among the earthlings, I detailed the gods, altars, and Echoes. I explained that in this world, one can receive an answer to a prayer. And if you go against the divine will, you could incur a curse.
I spoke at length, often clarifying my words with examples. I answered numerous questions from the earthlings. I didn't think I was wasting time. This group seemed to me to consist of quite sensible and adequate people, and if I could help them even a little, it could be beneficial. Besides, warning the earthlings of possible mistakes and nudging them in the right direction, even without considering any future benefit, seemed to me a reasonable decision.