Chapter 10: Hunters

Day 120 Since System Integration

Trint used most of the 90 days the recruiters were in i11, outside the city fighting in the instances. Trint’s proficiency had been increasing, and at level 10, he was ready to tackle the middle range of the challenges in i10 safely. With the lifespan of only one year or 400 days in i10, there wasn’t a lot of time to hit the level minimum of 21 to ascend to i9. That wasn’t going to be an issue for Trint. He was already sitting at level 10 with some new stats to assign. With the added difficulty in i10 and instances from levels 1-21, he was ready to push fast to hit i9. Trent took a look at his current stats.

Trinten Atlas Henderson

Stats (Detailed)

Level 10: 14%

Stat Pools

Health: HP - 1000/1000 (Regen 100/min)

Stamina: SP- 1000/1000 (Regen 300/min)

Mana: MP- 1000/1000 (Regen 100/min)

Spirit: SpP- 100/100 (Regen 25/min) (Error: Updates not available at this time)

Soul: SoP- 100/100 ( Regen 1/min) (Error: Updates not available at this time)

Unassigned Points: Body (.75), Mind (0.75), Spirit (???), Soul (???)

Body

-Strength: 1.75

-Agility: 1.75

-Vitality: 1.75

Mind

-Memory: 1.75

-Wisdom: 1.75

-Adaptability: 1.75

The intermediate-term goal Pneuma gave Trint was to get to i7 as soon as possible. Trint pulled up the information for the subsequent four iterations.

I10: Levels 1-20 (1-year life span starting at arrival)

I9: Levels 21-30 (10 years life span starting at arrival)

I8: Levels 31-100 (100-year life span starting at arrival)

I7: Levels 101-200 (1,000-year life span starting at arrival)

Getting to level 101 seemed like a long way away. Pneuma explained that permanently unlocking his Spirit Stats would boost him beyond the normal current progression of stats. Pneuma explained some of Trint’s questions but never would tell him what he meant when he mentioned teaching him to hunt. Pneuma was mostly patient as Trint learned to use his skills. But Pneuma was relentless in his drive to see Trint push himself.

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The day before i10 would unlock, and ascension was allowed, Pneuma asked Trint to go deep into the wilderness, farther than he had ventured out before.

‘Pneuma, what are we doing out here? We have already passed a few level 10 Instances. They would have given us great Exp.’ Trint asked.

‘Trinten, you asked why I had purchased so much food and stocked it in your ring last week. I chose not to answer you and said to wait. This is why. Tomorrow we will progress to i10. But for today, we will push you to a new breaking point. I want you to see that your current strength level is still inadequate, and you must continue progressing.’ Pneuma said

‘Why so fast? It took me three months to get to level 10. And now you already said level 11 is no problem for me. How do you plan to challenge me before we hit i10?’ Trint was eager to keep pushing but figured there wasn’t much left to challenge him in this iteration.

‘Your skill growth has been satisfactory. I am pleased with how well you have adapted. But skills are not how you will burn down iterations and trample armies. It would be best if you kept us a secret until you reach your family’s influence. But once we reach them and even their lower kingdoms, we will be allowed to run free. Iterations are fun, but we will be required to reap the enemy armies like wheat. There soon will come a chance when I show you the power we can wield. Mana is thin and scarce here. Soon we will drink and swim in it. Then we will battle true evil, and we will not be the ones to feel fear. They will tremble in our presence.’ Pneuma was communicating these words, but also images came to Trint that were of a predator in the shadows. A powerful beast lurked in the dark just out of sight, and then a growl felt in his core like a low bass rumble came from the direction of the predator’s eyes.

‘Pneuma, are you somehow related to a beast, or monster, or whatever that presence I am feeling?’ Trint asked.

Pneuma grunted a laugh but didn’t answer the question. Trint was sure he had guessed right but hoped to know more soon.

‘Ok, run the iteration ahead. It is level eleven, and I want you only to use your sword, no skills. If you must, you may use [Mana Bolt] if you are in trouble. But you should be able to get through without it. If not, you will rerun it till you can without the active skills.’ Pneuma said. While Trint groaned in anticipation of the pain that this would cost him.

After three runs and many injuries, Trint could finish the iteration with only his sword. The final boss fight continued to challenge him with just a sword and no Mana use.

Pneuma was silent except when Trint failed to attack well and opened himself up to damage. But after the completion of the level 11 iteration, he said, ‘Good enough.’

Trint claimed the rewards and exited the iteration.

As he exited, Trint noticed it was dark. He checked the time and saw it was past midnight and technically a new day. They could now head back to town and ascend to i10.

Pneuma growled in annoyance.

‘What?’ Trint groaned, “I don’t want to rerun that. You said that was the last time. Since I didn’t use my skills. So don’t growl at me.” Trint finished that last part with a verbal outburst. He hadn’t spoken in a few days, at least.

Trint realized Pneuma was on edge and looked around. It felt like a sense he didn’t know he had was bristled like a dog having its fur standing up on edge in response to a threat or challenge.

There was a group of 4 people not too far in the distance and another pair close by. Trint scanned them and saw the ones he could see were level 10. But there were 6 of them that he could see.

“Hey, buddy, who you talking to? You got a friend in there with you? Hope you all did well in there. At least you survived, right?” The man nearest him, wearing a hood, asked while looking from Trint to his partner. He lowered his hood, revealing a smile with a few missing teeth and a blood smear across his chest.

“This may sound a little forward of me, but did you know the best way to get E-X-P?” He spelled out the letters for effect. His smile widened, but it was not kind. It was a predatory smile. He trusted his dominant power and was eager to take what he wanted. “You get exp from killing other people?” The remaining teeth were yellow and chipped. He still spoke with a false kindness, while speaking casually, of killing other humans like he was going to get groceries or check his mailbox.

“Yeah, we didn’t know that till a few weeks ago.” Chimed in the other man in a cowboy hat. “It was an accident, really.”

“Right! An accident.” The smiling man confirmed. “Lots of accidents in the last couple of weeks. Sure hope you don’t have an accident. There is a way to avoid them, you know. You could just give us everything you have on you, and we will let you live.”

‘Trint, there are more behind the instance entry, and they are circling as the other four are closing in while you have been listening to this human excrement speak. Take a few steps backward, keep your eyes on them and enter the instance.’ Pneuma directed with a growl.

‘Pneuma, they will be able to follow me in and kill me there. You said it takes too long for the instance to lock out another group.’ Trint’s heart rate was increasing, but he felt a calmness set in. By leaving, he had reset the instance, but they could follow him in if they made it in quickly after him.

‘Just do as I say and go in, run for the trees after the grassy field and wait halfway to the boss area. I will finally show you what it means to hunt.’

Without responding to the men and their unveiled threats. Trint took three steps backward and was gone from their sight, entering the level 11 instance. Eight men gathered in front and entered one after another.