I didn't particularly need to hurry. I assumed that Katashi's behavior in this Cycle wouldn't be much different from what I remembered. Moreover, the Japanese armor I saw in the shop indirectly confirmed this thought, showing that the smith's logic remained the same as in the previous Cycle. This means that, for the next while, at least for a couple of weeks or even a whole month, Kay wouldn't significantly change his location. And even if I don't run headlong but just walk briskly, I should be able to see him tomorrow.
Furthermore, before meeting with Katashi, I should learn more about what he has achieved and what he's currently involved in. Not in terms of specific work but the direction he has chosen in this Cycle. That means asking people, looking at what he has already done – and, based on this information, preparing for the future conversation with the Japanese man.
To not waste time just thinking, I engaged in training. I worked on my auras, trying to increase the radius of the Perception aura, and also attempted to implement an interesting idea. Namely, to combine four areas of magical art - Light, Shadow, Illusions, and Runes - into one skill.
The first thing I needed to accomplish was to make the light from my new skill not just envelop my palm but be directed outward, like in a real flashlight. Achieving this turned out to be not too difficult. In less than an hour, I managed to project the light forward from my outstretched palm. As soon as I made steady progress in this, I used Illusion magic to imprint the Rune of Des on my palm, making sure that the light from the "Flashlight" didn't penetrate through this drawing. It seemed like a simple action, but even this presented difficulties, as the Light literally washed away the image created by the Illusions. Nevertheless, by directing more energy to maintain the drawing, I managed to keep the image for a few seconds before the Light erased it. The next step was to direct the light from the "Flashlight" onto a target and try to project the Shadow of the Rune's drawing onto it, creating a sufficiently clear shadow image. Then, after seeing the first result, I realized that I needed to imprint a mirror image of the Rune on my palm so that the final projection would be correct and could be attempted to activate not on my palm but on the shadow cast by the light flowing from my hand. I managed to do everything separately: focus the light into a cone, apply the Rune drawing on my palm, and even create a Shadow as a result. The problem arose with the focus of the shadow image. The shadow from the Rune's drawing was too blurry and unclear, which made the shadow-projected image of Des "not work." The shadow-cast rune refused to be stable, constantly shifting and losing clarity, making it impossible to activate.
It's quite possible that at night, especially under the light of Seguna, I might achieve better results, but for now, the outcome was not pleasing. Nonetheless, I continued training, hoping to create a powerful combined spell that, moreover, didn't consume much energy, no more than a regular Discharge. I also think that if I invoke my Affinity with Shadow, I might achieve a better result. But after the fight with the deykans on the forest trail, I decided to resort to the help of any Affinity as seldom as possible, to not strengthen the influence of forces like Shadow and Light on my soul. In a tough battle, of course, these restrictions can be ignored, but during training, it's better to refrain from such invocations. Maybe I'm being overly cautious, but it gives me peace of mind.
About an hour later, I realized that I had started off on the wrong foot. The first thing I should have done from the beginning was to check the feasibility of such a scheme. For this, I picked up a flat white stone about the size of two of my fists. Then, taking it in my left hand and applying the image of the Rune, I activated the "Flashlight." I managed to produce a relatively stable shadow image on the stone's surface at a distance of about twenty centimeters from my hand. I was just about to activate the shadow-imprinted rune when it occurred to me that it might be dangerous. If the rune worked, the stone would simply explode in my hand, and it would be lucky if it only caused simple wounds, but it could also tear off my fingers. Even if I put the stone on the ground, an explosion of the activated rune from such a short distance could still cause serious harm. The stone could shatter, and a fragment could hit me in the eye – an unpleasant and entirely possible prospect.
Discarding the stone, I found a birch tree and, after peeling off its bark, spread it on the ground. Then, sitting down next to it, I created the combination I had devised. And this time, the shadow-imprinted rune worked! But the effect was not quite what would have been achieved with a normal strike of the Des Rune. The explosion that occurred after activating the shadow rune was about three times weaker than that caused by touching the palm with the same rune. I don't know why, but apparently, the shadow of the Rune, for some unknown magical laws, is not capable of absorbing energy to the same extent as a rune applied by conventional methods. Nevertheless, even a third of the normal power is quite good, and such a spell can be pretty helpful in battle, at least as a disorienting or distracting tool. However, to make this combined magic I developed truly useful, I first need to increase the distance at which I can transfer the shadow rune - from the current twenty centimeters to at least three meters, and preferably even more. I hope that training or climbing the ranks of the Spiral will help me in this. Because even a weakened explosion of Des looks very tempting. If I could apply such a shadow directly on a person, over their full height, and activate the shadow rune. Even considering a threefold weakening from the "base value," it should give the opponent a strong jolt.
Of course, all this is still theory, and in practice, it might not be so smooth, but the idea definitely looked promising. Moreover, I came up with this combined magic myself, not taken from the memory of the future, and so I really wanted to perfect it.
Despite the technical failure and the likelihood that the spell's power would be less than originally anticipated, even after refining this magic, I continued my training. It was not just about perfecting this particular spell but also because this exercise simultaneously trained several aspects: Light, Shadow, Illusion, and Runes. In gamer slang, I was "leveling up" four areas at once, which was at least beneficial.
Additionally, I didn't neglect the development of my auras. I strived to increase the coverage area of the Perception aura, which was also very useful, as the faster you learn about an enemy, the more time you have to prepare for battle. This matter was far from simple, but I knew that with training, I could gradually achieve such an increase in the aura's radius. These varied training sessions also advanced my Mental abilities, albeit weakly and barely perceptibly, but there was definite progress.
To train without attracting attention, I avoided the main road, following a barely noticeable trail instead. To my right, the forest rustled quietly, and to my left stretched a hilly area overgrown with shrubs. I wasn't afraid of getting lost. After all, the Rur region isn't very large and is quite densely populated. Moreover, there are no impassable forests here, like on the slopes of the Great Ridge. Knowing the right direction, I would eventually find people and, if necessary, could ask for directions.
Sometimes, I stopped to apply the shadow rune to a tree and tried to activate it. Often it didn't work, as the shadow was too blurred. But occasionally, an explosion did occur. Not as powerful as from the touch of a palm with Des applied to it, but there was some effect. Moreover, I was fueled by the hope that when I managed to project the shadow rune more clearly, its destructive power would also increase.
After another relatively successful attempt, I approached the trunk of a birch tree and examined the result. Where the rune had been applied, the bark was stripped off, but the wood itself was almost unharmed. Just a few shallow scratches – that was the entire effect. Of course, if such a blow were to hit an enemy's face, it would be quite painful and could damage the eyes. But a human face is not a flat canvas, and the rune I projected loses its line clarity and doesn't activate, even if the shadow falls on a small knot on a tree trunk. So, I don't think I'll be able to pull off such a trick of applying a shadow rune to an enemy's face. Touching the damaged trunk with my fingers, I assessed the depth of the scratches formed by the small explosion. Unfortunately, they were no more than a couple of millimeters deep. Truthfully, a rather mediocre result.
As I removed my hand from the tree with a slight sigh of disappointment, I faintly heard someone talking. Apparently, deep in the forest, two people were arguing loudly. I couldn't make out the words, but by the pronunciation, typical for the Rur region, I figured they were locals. After a moment's thought, I headed towards the voices, wanting to pinpoint my location more precisely. As I delved deeper into the forest, I walked openly, not wanting to scare anyone. But when I got within fifty meters of the noise source, a phrase I heard made me stop and stretch my Perception aura to the limit. Sunset was a couple of hours away, but the shadows had already lengthened. Wrapping myself in the "Shadow Cloak," I silently glided forward like a ghost, from one tree trunk to another.
On the bank of a forest stream, by a small fire, heating something in a kettle, sat two men. Both were likely peasants, shepherds, or fishermen, dressed quite poorly. They wore simple bast shoes, undoubtedly indicating their low status. One was clearly over thirty, while the other was a bit younger, about twenty-five. Both were on the Iron Rank of the Spiral of Elevation.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
"Easier said than done," sighed the older one heavily. "'We should leave.' You have just a handful of sheep, a young wife, and no kids. But what about me? I just fixed up the house last year, relaid the roof, even went into debt. And where would I go with three kids, a pregnant wife, and a couple of scrawny cows? Maybe things will still work out?"
"Work out?" The younger one threw up his hands so suddenly that he spilled water from his mug. "Where have you seen it, for a baron to hand over our village to outsiders? And for a whole year at that! Oh, this is not without reason! We've never lived richly, only saved by the fact that the old reeve was lazy and content with the smallest share. I'm sure these outsiders will fleece us threefold! Just you remember my words!"
"Ah, youth," the older one sighed like an ancient elder, "are you afraid of work?"
"Me?" The second one was indignant. "I already toil from dawn till dusk like a mule at a well! But it's barely fruitful. Our land is poor, just clay and sand. This year, what I planted, that's exactly what I harvested! And if it weren't for the goats, fishing, and occasional bird hunting, I would have kicked the bucket long ago!"
"You need more goats or sheep, like Polan does. Look at him - he's living well. He herds sheep, and his daughters and wife knit wool."
"Ah, easy to say 'like Polan does,' but where's his grazing land? Right, almost next to his house, while mine, like most of the others, is across the Chattering River. And even if I go into debt to buy sheep, should I carry them across the river on my shoulders every day for grazing? In the morning there and back in the evening?"
"That's true... The baron allotted plenty of fields for our village, but most are on the river's other side. And the Chattering, though not wide, is fast, deep, and cold," the older one agreed.
"That's what I'm talking about! We're barely making ends meet as it is, and now we'll be toiling for strangers!" the young one exclaimed angrily.
"Maybe it won't be so bad. Four days ago, those tunnellers passed through our village, even stopped at the tavern and treated everyone. Then they left peacefully, not bothering anyone."
"Four days ago, they came as travelers, but today they returned as masters!" the younger one frowned.
By this time, I had gotten close enough to distinguish the facial expressions of the conversants, but as I was hidden under the "Cloak" and concealed in the shadows, they hadn't noticed me yet.
"We've lived normally for so many years!" The younger man slapped his thigh. "Yes, we were poor, but we were independent, relying on our own wits. The old reeve only cared about guzzling beer and groping girls, never meddling in village affairs."
"So maybe the outsiders... won't meddle either?" The older man's tone made it clear he didn't really believe what he was saying.
"The baron has sold us off like some kind of rightless slaves!" the younger one protested, immediately receiving a hefty slap.
"Speak, but don't overstep!" the older man raised his voice. "We are free people, but yes, the land belongs to the baron. As the old reeve used to say, we are, what's the word... lessees, yes! Such a tongue-twister."
"That's what I'm saying," the younger one rubbed his head, speaking much quieter now, "We need to leave."
"Abandon our home, huh?" the first one scoffed bitterly. "And who will pay off the debts? Do you think if you leave the village, they'll forget your debt for the grain you took in spring? Or do you want to get acquainted with the baron's whip?"
"Why have we been struck with such misfortune?" the younger one hung his head. "We've been living fine for years, and now this…"
"Maybe it's not all bad," the older man countered. "Those outsiders are Steel Rank tunnellers; they must have some silver in their pouches. Maybe they will pay for the work."
"As if they'd pay," the younger one frowned. "They'll make us toil as labor tributes, you can bet on it, not work for money."
The more I listened to the two peasants' argument, the clearer it became to me that the tunnellers, to whom the local baron, for some reason, gifted the management of the village, were earthlings. I didn't know why, but that's the feeling I got. And these thoughts didn't please me. I immediately remembered Scortzeni, who, in the Last Cycle, gained power over a small domain and, with a group of accomplices, established his rather savage order.
"Ah..." Waving his hand and sighing heavily, the young peasant resigned himself. "I don't understand, why our village? Why didn't the outsiders choose Throughford or Cloverton? They're not far, and their lands have Steel Rank dungeons, while ours doesn't have a single one."
"In Throughford and Cloverton, they have their own teams of tunnellers," the older one shrugged. "And it's not our place to guess." The peasant stood up and picked up a bundle of firewood lying at his feet. "Let's go, we've already stayed longer than usual. My Kiala will soon start worrying about where we've vanished. We left for firewood, and it's already been three hours."
The younger also stood up, extinguished the fire, and picked up two voluminous bundles, slinging them over his shoulder.
"Come on, let's go," the older peasant nudged the younger one. "The gathering time is soon; we'll find out everything then. Why speculate now, let's hear what the outsiders have to say, and then we'll think."
"It'll be too late by then," grumbled the younger but still followed the elder, muttering something indistinctly under his breath.
I waited a few seconds before following them, still hidden in the shadows, listening to every word. My mood, which had just stabilized after meeting the quester, was rapidly sinking again.
Why is it not enough for some earthlings to just live? They always need to feel power, to revel in it. And the village these two peasants came from was clearly impoverished, its inhabitants barely scraping by. Why would someone want to rule it except to satisfy their desires and ambitions at the expense of the poor population? Such people infuriate me. They'll do anything to rise above others and dump on those lower in status from their lofty position. Maybe I'm wrong, but nothing else comes to mind. Why would any earthling, let alone a whole group, want their own settlement? As some kind of base? That's foolish, as the village is poor, and earthlings can't stay in one place for long. At any moment, questers might appear, and they'll have to flee to complete their new assignments. Either I lack imagination, or indeed, someone wants to fulfill their base ambitions at the expense of the locals.
We hadn't walked a kilometer before the forest ended. The settlement from which the two peasants I met originated was indeed quite unimpressive. Small, crooked houses with roofs covered in straw and clay were scattered haphazardly, with no apparent system. The only relatively large building in the entire village was a tavern, which also looked old and unkempt. A glance at it made it clear that traders rarely visited here. Unlike the settlements I had passed earlier, there were no fields here; instead, the slopes of nearby hills were covered with wild shrubbery – it was evident that no one had even attempted to plant anything there. Apparently, the land around the village was far from fertile. So much so that the local peasants hadn't even tried to grow wheat.
Not wanting to step into the open, I observed the village for some time while remaining hidden. The peasants' behavior clearly showed their nervousness. This tension was especially palpable when the village head began gathering everyone at the entrance to the tavern. Thanks to my Perception aura, when the wind blew in my direction, I could make out individual words.
From what I overheard, I learned that the baron's sheriff had recently arrived, and the tunnellers were waiting inside the inn to read the lord's decree and explain the new rules under which the village would now live. With each passing minute, I liked the situation less and less. Of course, I could have simply walked past, as this situation didn't concern me directly. But the vivid image of Scortzeni in my mind, the tyranny he wrought with his team over the peasants once he gained power, prevented me from fleeing. Such people need to be put in their place, as even a couple of miscreants can tarnish the reputation of all earthlings, not just locally but much further afield. Rumors in Ain, just like on Earth, spread like wildfire. Moreover, according to the peasants, the new masters of the village were tunnellers, which meant I had a formal right to intervene as the Guild Sheriff.
I could have stepped out of the trees right then to, so to speak, interact with these "outsiders," but I decided to make my appearance more theatrical for a better and more memorable effect. Besides, my mood was already as low as it could be, and I wanted to vent some of the anger that had built up inside me, not just to explain to someone how wrong they were. Petty? Maybe. But my mood was really down in the dumps.
Waiting until the village head herded all the inhabitants into the tavern and went inside himself, I stepped out from under the shadows of the trees and walked confidently and quickly towards the inn. As I strode, a melody familiar from Earth played in my head. Humming it softly, I crossed the open space, quickly reaching the first houses. The children, not admitted to the meeting, scattered like a flock of startled dace, hiding behind humble wattle fences, peeking through the gaps between the dry branches to watch my approach.
Having reached the inn, I ascended the rickety steps and listened. At that moment, the baron's sheriff was just finishing reading the lord's decree about transferring the management of the village. As he concluded his speech and handed over to the new "managers," I kicked open the door and, like a lumbering bear, barged into the main hall, announcing:
"Hey, tunnellers, I've got news for you!" Inside the hall, a dim twilight reigned, and perhaps due to this, a tall man standing by the door, not seeing clearly, stepped towards me and reached out his hands, only to immediately receive an elbow to the chest and be sent tumbling, knocking over tables. I continued, "There's a new sheriff in town!" In complete silence, the crowd of people speechlessly watched as the sturdy man, flying about five meters, crashed into the wall. Then, all eyes turned to me, allowing me to finish the verse: "And none of you are to his liking!"[1]
In my school days, I, along with my class, went to see the play "The Inspector General," and my abrupt appearance was very much reminiscent of the famous silent scene from that play.[2]
[1] TLN: apparently, it is a reference to a song, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKcUQhnWZ2I.
[2] TLN: it is a scene where a group that was previously engaged in something gets stunned by something and remains frozen in their positions while coming from the shock. In the play itself, it was a meeting of the corrupt officials ruling a small town when they heard an announcement that an inspector was coming. https://literoved.ru/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/s1200-2.jpg