I shook my head.

“Not yet. I know we're past the time we should be back, and we've still got things to do, but I need to heal and rest first.”

I was doing my best to ignore it, I wasn't even letting it show in how I held myself, but I was in no shape to do something new and dangerous. Now that I wasn't focused on consuming the cores inside me, I could no longer ignore the pain I was in. The broken bones of my shoulder felt like burning embers inside my body.

My mind also felt like an overstretched rubber band. Allowing all those Concepts to pile on as the air mana joined me had made sticking to the steps of my plan a herculean effort. For most of the experience my mind had been nearly completely subsumed by the mana. The plan had become the only remaining sliver of self that I had held onto. And I held onto it by the slimmest of margins.

I looked around at the shallow lake that existed where the stone forest had been. There wasn't a single tree left standing for miles, I hadn't even realized that the area of the winds that had joined me had grown that large. I was glad that Torill and I hadn't camped any closer to the forest.

If Torill had been in the area, I would have played with her like I had every other thing that could be thrown around. Kind might not have stopped me either because at that time flying around was the most fun thing to do, and all that mattered was what was the most fun. That's even if I recognized her as a person, something I wasn't sure I was capable of by the end.

If I had protective it might work. I was still undecided on that one. I had felt its effects when I channeled it, and I'd been able to manipulate its aim quite well. But Concepts were somewhat easier to wrangle when I channeled them than when they became a part of my being.

I shook my head, I was stalling. It was the first time that I can remember that I felt a reluctance to channel life mana. I wasn't mentally prepared to channel any more Concepts. Even life, the one that usually had the most subtle influences on me, seemed intimidating.

“Let's set up camp somewhere dry. I think I’m going to need to sleep this off.”

I started walking, without waiting for Torill to respond. Every step was excruciatingly painful, yet my instincts forced me not to limp. I couldn't keep myself from flinching slightly when my weight came down on that foreleg though.

“If your front leg hurts, why don't you shift to demihuman? I know you have that form.”

I glanced back at her, grunting as the movement caused yet another burst of pain.

“The last time I shifted with broken bones I passed out from the pain.” I sent, with annoyance.

“I've known some shifters that could pull off some downright unfair self healing as long as they had resources. That is something you can totally train for.” Torill said with her trademark bright smile.

I narrowed my eyes at the woman, her overly cheerful voice and constant smile grated on me. I was in no mood for the act she was putting on. I was certainly not feeling up to trying to figure out how manage the screaming pain that had happened after my fight with the fire wolf.

“I'll put it on the list. But not right now.”

I sent a transmission of everything I was feeling at that point, from the pain in my shoulder to the overstretched, overstressed condition of my mind. How I felt devoid of happiness after losing myself to joyous so thoroughly, and seeing a fake version of it on her face annoyed me. Kind protested, but I convinced myself she needed to know what I was dealing with.

Torill's face soured for a moment as she rocked back, almost losing her seat on the trunk. She regained her composure, and her radiant smile quickly.

“Woah! That was a little rude, you could have just told me, you didn't have to make me feel it. But I get it, you're in a bad mood. Let's speed this up though, you do know my primary roles in the guild are observation and healing right? I know a bone mending spell.”

She hopped down lightly onto the icy platform that surrounded me and started walking towards me, I was impressed that she didn't slip. As she drew closer I had to use the last remnants of my strained willpower, thankfully reinforced by survivor, to hold completely still.

To say that my instincts were reacting badly to being approached by someone I felt no connection with while I was injured, was an understatement. They screamed for me to attack or retreat. I couldn't stop my ears from flattening or my body from tensing up when she touched my wounded shoulder.

“Easy there, it's a whole lot easier if I touch you. Boy are you ever cold huh? It's like touching ice. Usually I'd say you should feel some warmth, but you'll feel whatever is comforting for you. I'm going to start now, don't move.”

Her voice was a soft and soothing pur, it helped more than she could know. When I felt her calling on mana, I was able to hold it together long enough for a soothing cool feeling to work its way down to my broken bone.

“Oh wow, that's not just broken huh? It looks like it was shattered. I see how you managed to put all the pieces back where they should be and held them together with mana. You even started fusing the smaller pieces back together!! Good work, you made my job easy.”

I hadn't consciously done any of that. It was entirely my instincts at work, and a good reminder that they were still very useful in a lot of ways. Even if I sometimes had to fight the bad decisions that they tried to push me into making.

The healing took a few minutes, during which my bone felt oddly tingly. I had to fight the urge to shy away from Torill's hand the entire time. When she was done I shot away from her.

“I'll meet you back at camp.” I sent, as I shifted to my sky terror form. I needed to get somewhere comfortable and at least somewhat safe. I felt neither where we were.

I heard her shout that she'd taken down the tent already, but it didn't matter. The site would be the safest place in the forest. My true form's scent was all over it. I'd also hunted anything big enough to pose a threat to me for miles. Being in territory that I had marked was enough to set my instincts at ease.

I laid down in my true form, in the cleared space of our old campsite, and heaved a sigh of relief.

The relief didn't last long though since I got the most terrifying System prompt I had ever received.

Congratulations

For taking actions in accordance with your class, making major progress on your contract, and slaying a Legendary monster, you have been rewarded by:

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Level up × 55

Strength + 220

Constitution + 275

Agility + 220

Dexterity + 165

Intelligence + 110

Wisdom + 55

Perception + 55

Free stats + 275

I had the time to gulp as a mountain of System mana descended on me, and I was thrown onto the back of the couch in my simulated apartment. Hash's delighted laughter filled my ears.

“Ah man! That was a damn good use of Mana's Friend! I can't believe how damn broken that makes you. We're definitely never making a wild mage with that boon again. But hey, it's fun to watch, so I'll let it slide for you. No fixes! At least not for thirty levels.”

I sighed, thirty levels. I only had thirty levels before I had to leave for a new place. With my levels uncapped, it could happen at any time. My heart ached, I wasn't ready to leave everyone I knew in this world.

“Ah shit, I don't want to miss out on that fight with your kin that the little lady set up for you. I mean I've watched mana beasts fight each other before, but never when one of them had a class. The defender almost always wins, I bet with the System's help you'll beat those odds. In the interest of seeing that work, I'll go ahead and set the System to bank your experience till that thing's dead. Shouldn't be a problem, the System has noted that she gave you a non-contract task there.”

I wanted to thank the fragment, but I was worried about how he seemed to be doing me a favor. He already said I owed him earlier.

“Shit, you just gotta go and think that, huh?”

He actually sounded frustrated, I wondered if I'd triggered some Concepts.

“Fuck you kid, you don't point that shit out. You know what? I'm tired of having you come in here every other day. This place is mine now. I'm shoving Randy's image and you into a default space. Have fun.”

The room and everything in it faded away, leaving me floating in an endless void. For a few tortuous moments I was surrounded by true nothing. It was unaccountably horrifying.

Then the glowing form of Randy appeared, and I had something to focus on. He floated through the void to hold my still trembling form in his arms. He hummed, and rocked me.

“Mortals aren't meant to experience true void. I keep telling him that. Don't worry, I'll fill this place with something before your next visit. You can't learn what I have to teach otherwise. Is there something you'd like? Where do you feel the most comfortable?”

I thought about his question, and was surprised to find that I had a very clear mental image of a place. It wasn't any place I'd been, not precisely, it also wasn't anything special. Just a clearing surrounded by a dense forest with a river running by it. I could almost feel the sun on my fur, the grass under my paws, the slight breeze. I could smell the scents of the trees and the hidden wildlife. I could hear the rushing water, though it seemed quieter than it should be.

“Well I want to be able to talk to you. You're really good at mental imaging. Maybe we can do something with that talent later. You may want to open your eyes.”

Randy had worked quickly, creating a place that the new me felt perfectly comfortable in. I was surrounded by my elements, which was something I hadn't even realized was important to me. I relaxed so much that I rolled onto my back in front of the person I trusted most. He was smart and kind enough not to touch me.

“I'm glad you're happy. Just relax, you'll have enough problems when you wake up.”

I huffed, I bet it was going to be a little disorienting for a while. I also had yet to eat the tree's core. I had to do that as soon as I finished leveling too, if I wanted to get the Concepts before they started decaying. The bag would slow the process, but I didn't think anything could stop it, and I really wanted those Concepts.

“I'd make the same choice. You don't get opportunities like that every day. I will caution you to not go looking for any more Concepts for a while afterwards though. You'll probably pick up a minor Legend when they start spreading the news of your conquest too. So you'll have a lot on your plate Concept wise.”

I nodded, and tried to follow his advice to just rest. It seemed to take a long time for the prompt to assign free points to pop up.

I chose to up my charisma to 250, I didn't want to waste points on it, but Torill was right, I needed to be as appealing as I could manage to normal people. The milestone would help. The rest I sent to perception, I didn't want to have to worry about that stat for a while.

I could have probably made better choices. Maybe things would have been easier if I'd propped up my lower dexterity to bring it closer to my other stats. But I didn't deal in fine movements much outside of painting. I didn't see the big deal. I was also still very tired.

I laid quietly in the grass enjoying the sun until I was sent out to my real body that was also laying in the grass under the sun. It honestly took me a moment to realize that I was back in the real world.

I heard Torill breathing, and had a quick glance at my stats.

Name Angel

Race : Spirit Beast

Level : 220

Class : Adventurer (Bestial Mana Shifter)

Str 776 Con 960

Agi 746 Dex 568

Int 620 Wis 513

Per 644 Cha 250

It was a lot, particularly my Constitution. If I wanted to, I could get the next milestone for that in the not too distant future. I wondered how it would impact my next class evolution.

Who was I kidding, the next time I leveled would be my next class evolution. I groaned thinking about it.

“You're done! Goddess but are you crazy, how the hell do you feel comfortable enough to level in the middle of the forest, alone? And so many levels? It was smart to dump most of your points into charisma, you'll have less to get used to.”

She paused, waiting for a response I didn't feel like giving her. I opened my eyes, and stretched, surprised to find that I was back in my true form.

I had grown again, so much so that my instincts actually wanted me to use Assume Form to shrink. I was a little afraid to move now that I'd seen how my stretch had put my legs out of the campsite entirely, they were currently between some trees. I pulled them back carefully, I didn't want to test my new strength.

I looked at Torill, she was staring at me with her mouth open.

“You know you're putting out an aura of your Concepts that literally anyone can feel? They feel so damn nice I could cry.”

It was the charisma milestone. I knew without even having to focus on it. It was an open display of who I was that no one could misunderstand. The System let me know that it was exclusively my soul's Concepts, and it judged this to be the most useful boon it could give me for my contract.

It made sense, no matter how pretty I looked, I was still a beast to humans. If they knew I was kind, and honest on an instinctive level, they would have an easier time accepting me.

I sighed. Speaking of Concepts.

“I'm ready for the core.”

“Not going to explain? Well fine, I get it. Good timing by the way, they stopped watching us a while ago. Pretty sure their seers ran out of mana.”

“Watching us? Who?”

“No idea, my spirit just said that we were being watched. Makes sense though, all the seers in the kingdom probably got the ol’ tingle when you killed the Legend. It's why I kept up my show. I know that was annoying you. So, I'm sorry.”

“Oh. Well, I'm sorry for being annoyed. I guess I should hurry with that core then, I don't want them to see what I'm going to do with it.”

“Ah, yeah. Here you go. What are you going to do with it anyway? You don't strike me as an enchanter.”

She pulled it out of the bag. I was glad I'd grown as much as I did, because it was a pretty big thing to down in one bite.

She gaped at me when I swallowed it.