While Ace ate his fill, Ford examined the monster cores. They were black with stripes of brown swirling within. Ford shoveled the thirty cores into her void with the rest of her cores. Ace finished eating quickly, and they all returned to the wagon, arriving within twenty minutes.
“We’re back at the wagon,” Ford said over comms, “head back when you’re ready.”
“Heard. We’ll be back after we finish our monster,” Farah answered.
“Same here,” Benet said a moment after.
Ford nodded and opened up her core inventory. She saw Max’s Torus core, which she got from the first dungeon, and killing the boss. “Hey, Max. Are you going to use the Torus core from the first dungeon?” Ford asked.
Max thought momentarily, “No, I need something with more ground aspects.”
“Mind if I use it?” Ford asked.
“No. Go ahead.”
Ford smiled and pulled out the massive core. Summoning her grimoire, which now looked different, she’ll examine it later. She placed the core on her grimoire, and it began to melt into it, filling the area with a horrible stench that smelled of pneumonia. After a minute, the core finished melting, and a notification appeared.
Grimoire Level Progression 100/100.
Progression from Antarctictite to Phosphophyllite complete.
Grimoire Level Progression at 0/100.
Skills have been upgraded.
Skill: Regeneration. Regenerate HP, bones, and limbs. Will not regenerate head. 12 HP/sec. Cost: 10 HP/limb. Time: instant. Level: 5/5.
Has changed to –
Skill: Regeneration. Regenerate HP, bones, and limbs. Will not regenerate head. 20 HP/sec. Cost: 5 HP/limb. Time: instant. Level: 5/5.
Skill: Embracing Pain. While injured strength is multiplied by five. Requirements: END: 50. Duration: 10 seconds. Level: 5/5.
Has changed to –
Skill: Embracing Pain. While injured, receive a x8 increase in Strength and a x2 increase in Endurance. Requirements: END: 50. Duration: 10 seconds. Level: 5/5.
Skill: Essence Enforcement. Send essence through your body to create a protective shield and increase Strength by times three. Requirements: INT: 25, END: 30, STR: 30, Skill: Essence Manipulation. Cost: 100 MN/essence, 50 MN/sec, 1 STM/1 KG of defense. 100 STM and 100 MN to recharge. Level: 5/5.
Has changed to –
Skill: Essence Enforcement. Send essence through your body to create a protective shield and increase Strength by x5, Endurance by x2. Requirements: INT: 25, END: 30, STR: 30, Skill: Essence Manipulation. Cost: 100 MN/essence, 50 MN/sec, 1 STM/1 KG of defense. 100 STM and 100 MN to recharge. Level: 5/5.
Skill: Berserkers Rage. Increase strength by x10. Increase Endurance by +100. Increase speed by x5. 200 HP/sec regeneration. Spells cost nothing while Berserkers Rage is in effect. Duration: 60 seconds. Requirements: END: 60, STR: 50, AGI: 40. Cost: 99% HP, 99% MN, 99% STM. Level: 1/1. Warning: HP, MN, and STM will not regenerate for ten minutes after activation.
Has changed to –
Skill: Berserkers Rage. Increase strength by x15. Increase Endurance by +150. Increase Agility by x10. 250 HP/sec regeneration. Spells cost nothing while Berserkers Rage is in effect. Duration: 60 seconds. Requirements: END: 60, STR: 50, AGI: 40. Cost: 99% HP, 99% MN, 99% STM. Level: 1/1. Warning: HP, MN, and STM will not regenerate for ten minutes after activation.
Skill: Hard-Shell. Harden your skin till it’s stronger than tungsten steel. Duration: lasts until the user dispels the skill. Requirements: STR: 50, END: 50, Blood essence. Cost: 200 STM/sec. Level: 5/5.
Has changed to –
Skill: Hard-Shell. Harden your skin till it’s stronger than tungsten steel. Duration: lasts until the user dispels the skill. Requirements: STR: 50, END: 50, Blood essence. Cost: 100 STM/sec. Level: 5/5.
Ford smiled at the changes to the skills, noticing all the little changes that benefited her. She then examined her grimoire. It now had a Fox with wings curled up in a ball with a pair of crossed battle axes behind it, and it shone with a light blue glow. Ford ran her hands over her grimoire, and Ee sauntered over to examine the grimoire as well.
She abruptly pulled it from Ford’s hands and examined it, ignoring Ford’s look of bewilderment and annoyance. Ee then tossed it back to her, “You’re going to want to get even more specific with the cores you want in your grimoire. The further you progress, the more changes there will be to your skills and abilities.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know,” Ford grumbled. She then settled in the back of the wagon, crossing her arms. She relaxed her body, and exhaustion overwhelmed her as she fell asleep.
***
“Oooh, new upgrades to her skills!” Tanashi exclaimed excitedly. “This will make things so much more exciting!”
Samael sipped a glass of the experimental drink Zee made. “This is some good alcohol. What did you call it again?” Samael asked, ignoring Tanashi.
“It’s called mead,” Zee answered.
Shurma chugged at a tankard of mead. Once she stopped for a breath, she raised it in Zee’s direction, “It’s good, but I don’t think I can get drunk off it.”
Zee shrugged, “Still in the prototype phase. So it’s to be expected. I’ll have to make some adjustments soon.”
“Agreed,” Samael said, raising her glass and drinking it.
Tanashi’s eye twitched, annoyed at the conversation that didn’t have anything to do with him or the game, and he shifted through his cards to see what he had. Then he smiled at one of his newer cards. “Oh, this is going to be fun,” he mumbled as he lovingly pet the card in his hand and turned his attention back to the screen in front of him.
***
Tendrils impaled Ford over and over again. She couldn’t move, she couldn’t breathe, she couldn’t see. But she felt everything. She felt the tendrils stab into her body and fill her with an ooze that ate away at her muscles and bones. She could feel them holding her down and squirming around her body as she struggled to breathe. Then one of the tendrils stabbed her eye, and she awoke with a start.
Looking around, she quickly took note of everything going on around her. The sky was clear and sunny, revealing the beautiful blue of the sky. The twins played a game with a deck of cards, hiding cards up their sleeves and cheating. Gimble sat with his grimoire out and read its contents, assigning skill and ability points.
Morgan sat next to him, making schematics for some machine he planned to build. Farah sat at the back of the wagon with Tanya, pointing out birds and teaching Tanya about each of them. Ee sat with her back to them all, widdling away at a wood carving, then she cut too deep, and she tossed the carving away, pulling a new one out and starting over.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
Max and Benet both sat at the front of the wagon, sleeping. And Lilly lay next to Ford, her head resting on Ford’s lap. She looked so peaceful at that moment and even more beautiful. Her long ears twitched as she dreamed, and she puffed her cheeks out a little as she breathed. She looked adorable. Ford calmed herself down with a few deep breaths and gently brushed Lilly’s hair.
Ford looked up at the sky and enjoyed the moment while it lasted, wondering when it would be ruined. She didn’t have to wonder long as the wagon lurched as Ace came to a stop. The sudden stop shook everyone awake, and Ford looked forward to see why Ace had stopped.
She stood as she saw a grassland of rolling hills covered in grass and flowers. Before that, a wide raging river bubbled and turned, threatening death to whoever may enter its treacherous waters. And before that stood two lone strangers.
Activating her Linchpin skill, she identified the first stranger. She wore a green cloak with blue and white stripes that obscured her face from view and tight, black leather clothes that fit her figure perfectly. She had a blue bow and aimed a glowing blue and white arrow at them, her arms perfectly steady.
Name: Luna ‘Ice queen’ Shantel
Level: 54
Weakness: none
The next stranger wore blue armor with silver highlights. Each piece of metal looked incredibly shiny. He had two swords on his hips, still sheathed, and golden blond hair peeked out from beneath his helm. Ford could only see his eyes behind his helmet, which shone blue from underneath.
Name: Lance ‘Ice king’ Shantel
Level: 55
Weakness: none
Ford quickly spoke over comms, “Lilly, Ace, get everyone across the river safely. I will keep them distracted and catch up with you.”
“Are ye sure ye can take ‘em?” Lilly asked.
“Nope, but I’m sure I can distract them,” Ford answered and jumped off the wagon, opening her skill trees and placing a point into Slight Of Hand.
Skill: Sleight Of Hand. Take an ability or skill point from someone else. Requirements: SOL: 20, AGI: 25. Cost: 10,000 MN. Level: 1/1.
“’eard. Be careful, though. They’re plenty strong enoof to kill ye.”
“Don’t worry about me. Just get everyone to safety,” Ford said as she summoned her Elemental blade into her left hand and her Willful dagger in her right. She then slowly approached the two strangers, neither of them flinching.
The moment she stepped past Ace, the arrow Luna had been holding released and hurtled toward Ford at an incredible speed. Ford didn’t move, however, and used Targeted Slaughter to create a small shield the size of her left eye one step before her. The arrow collided with the skill and burst into blue dust.
Ford charged forward, closing the distance between her and Lance. She made a diagonal slash and sent a blade of light at the man. He didn’t flinch, letting the attack hit an invisible field around him. Then Lance moved. He drew his swords and cut Ford’s arm off at the elbow before she could react, and Luna fired a volley of arrows that struck Ford’s heart. Ice exploded from the point of impact and covered Ford in a thick layer of ice, immobilizing her.
As Ford’s arm hit the ground, Lance sheathed his blades and scoffed, “That was too easy. It’s hard to believe these people killed a group of adventurers.” His voice sounded pleasant to the ear and dripping with arrogance.
Lilly ran up and hopped onto Ace’s back, “OI! Wonder twins! Cum ‘ere, I got somethin’ to tell you!”
Lance and Luna looked at each other and slowly approached. “What would that be?” Luna asked, readying another arrow.
Lilly leaned over, resting her arms on one knee and wiggling her finger to bring them closer, “It’s a secret. Cum closer, an’ I’ll tell ye.”
They slowly came closer, walking past the frozen Ford. “I guess I can indulge you since you’ll die soon,” Lance boasted.
“Be careful. One of them still controls the dog,” Luna said, and Ace growled, sparks jumping between the spikes of his antlers.
Lilly waved them closer and leaned in, “Ye missed.”
“I what?” Luna asked.
“She isn’t dead yet,” Lilly clarified. And Ford sprung into action.
She activated, Embracing Pain and Essence Enforcement with water and dark essences with half her stamina. She then flexed her body, breaking the ice around her easily, and willed her dagger to fly out of her hand and into Luna’s calf muscle. Luna screamed in pain as the dagger dragged her off her feet and far over the trees.
Ten seconds.
“Luna!” Lance yelled as he watched her being flown away. Ace then ran toward the raging river, and Lilly cast Essence Thrower, shooting a ray of ice at the water and freezing it solid as Ace ran across the improvised ice bridge. “Oh, no, you don’t!” Lance yelled and swung his blade, creating a blade of ice that flew toward the wagon.
Eight seconds.
Ford dashed in front of the blades taking the hit on her Essence Enforcement, receiving no damage. A trail of blood gushed out of her left arm from where he had cut her. She willed her Elemental to return, her severed arm still holding onto the sword hilt. She grabbed her arm and put it back on her stump of an arm. Her skin crawled and itched as it knitted itself back together.
Three … two … one.
Ford smirked, “You attack my friends. I attack yours.”
Lance dropped into a crouch and readied himself for a fight, “I’d like to see you try.”
Plastering a fake smile onto her face, Ford cast Slight Of Hand on the man twenty-six times, taking ten Intelligence points, ten Wisdom points, and six Agility points, “Catch me if you can.” She then ran in the direction of Luna, and Lance immediately followed.
He cursed as he noticed how fast Ford suddenly became but endeavored to keep up with her. Ford raced through the forest, weaving her way around trees with ease. Soon enough, Lance got close to her and swiped at her with his sword, severing her Achilles tendon. She screamed as she rolled her body to land on her shoulder and hit the ground at inhuman speeds. She felt her Essence Enforcement dissipate as the ground sliced up her skin.
Ford rolled out of the forest and stopped at the shore of a massive lake. She quickly got to her feet and sent a hundred mana into her clothes to fix them. She looked up at Lance, who looked a tad out of breath. Ford felt her Willful dagger appear in her sheathe, and she drew it, tapping the brim of her hat, making it morph into a helmet.
“What’s the plan?” Wrath asks.
‘Ware him down and survive,’ Ford answered.
“Very comprehensive plan,” Greed deadpanned, “So much detail.”
Looking at her mana, she read MN: 14,886/264,886. Clenching her fists around her blades, she let them go and float.
Lance looked between the floating blades nervously and said, “What? Are you some sort of Possessor? I didn’t know they could heal themselves.”
“You could say I’m a Possessor,” Ford answered. She summoned the rest of her blades and her sword, Smite. She grabbed the blade with both hands and readied herself for a fight, “You could also say I’m your worst nightmare.”
The collection of blades sped toward Lance, and he dodged each attack easily. Dancing around the blades as though he had been made of air. Ford charged forward and swung her blade with all her strength. Lance dodged and brought his blade down, stabbing Ford’s back and through her heart. Ford gasped at the slight sting of pain, de-summoning Smite and activating Embracing Pain.
Ten seconds.
She turned and punched Lance with all her strength sending him flying back along the shore of the lake.
Nine seconds.
Ford closed the distance between them in a second and unleashed a flurry of punches at Lance. Each one threw him back further and further. Then he landed on his feet, and a fist of water struck Ford in her stomach, sending her flying back.
Seven seconds.
Ford landed on her feet, and her blades flew forward. Each blade struck a wall of ice and stuck there.
Six seconds.
The ice wall shattered, and Lance charged forward, slashing at Ford with blades of ice and water. Each one cut Ford, giving her massive gashes on her body and freezing her solid.
Five … four … three … two … one.
Lance panted heavily as he walked past the shattered ice, swinging his sword lazily in circles. “I have to admit,” Lance said, “you put up one hell of a fight.”
“Lilly, how far are you guys?” Ford asked over comms.
“We’re –” Lilly’s voice cut out suddenly as they went past the limit of comms.
‘Good, they’re five kilometers away at least. Maybe more,’ Ford thought.
“But you insisted on fighting me, and where did that end you up? In an early grave,” Lance boasted, apparently monologing.
Ford didn’t pay attention as she looked at her mana. MN: 20,146/264,886. She needed more, and she searched through her spells franticly. Then she remembered Energy Release.
Skill: Energy Release. Passive ability. Use the MN you stored from the Mana Pool for other uses. Stored MN can be released at once in a ray. Level: 1/1.
And reading a mana pool of ten million, she smiled. “And now I’m going to kill you, ending this fight,” Lance said, raising his sword to cut off Ford’s head.
“Thanks for the heads up,” Ford said, activated Slight Of Hand, and took ten more INT, WIS, and twenty Agility. Simultaneously she activated the gravitational pull of her dagger. Lance flew backward toward the blade, along with a massive chunk of earth and water. He collided with the ever-growing ball of earth and was quickly buried under the rocks and immense pressure. Ford cut the mana flow as she collided with the rocks, breaking out of the ice encapsulating her.
She stood and de-summoned all her weapons, stepping away from the massive ball. She then turned and ran back in the direction she had come. She activated Essence Enforcement, giving her more strength, and ran faster to catch up with her friends.
***
Tanashi watched the short battle in astonishment with the rest of the gods. He then turned and examined his planet and saw the tiny divot in the ground. “That bitch!” Tanashi exclaimed, “She moved my planet and dented it!”
“Appears so,” Finn said.
“It is impressive she was able to do that,” Guargen said, admiring Ford, “I wish I had that much strength back when I fought.”
“That doesn’t matter!” Tanashi exclaimed, “The point is that bitch dented my planet!!”
“Oh, shut up!” Samael yelled, throwing an empty wine bottle at Tanashi’s head. He easily dodged it and looked at Samael quizzically, causing everyone to chuckle at his misfortune.
Tanashi crossed his arms and said, “Fine. I’ll shut up. Not like I can do anything about it now.”
“Don’t worry, Tanashi,” Zee said, pointing at the planet, “You can always kiss your ball and make it feel better.” This made everyone laugh, and Tanashi blushed furiously.