The Third Realm

Ten Realms Book 3

By: Michael Chatfield

Contents

Chapter: Alchemist Association Contest

Chapter: Trial and Error

Chapter: Tier-two Upgrades

Chapter: Setting a Stage

Chapter: On the Run

Chapter: Homecoming

Chapter: Path to Khusai

Chapter: Second Applicants

Chapter: Event in the Swamp

Chapter: Battlefield Trials

Chapter: Dervin Swamp Event

Chapter: Gaining Power

Chapter: Temple of Earth’s Divinity

Chapter: New Task

Chapter: Collecting Loot and Changing Plans

Chapter: Pet?

Chapter: Demon Breeder

Chapter: Coveting a Neighbor’s Goods

Chapter: Beast Mountain Trial

Chapter: White Orchid Trading Company

Chapter: A New Kind of Trial

Chapter: Start of One Journey, End of Another

Chapter: Mysterious Trio

Chapter: End of Beast Mountain Trial

Chapter: Pill Press and Human Glowstick

Chapter: ASS-kicking

Chapter: Different Attitude

Chapter: Khusai Comes into Sight

Chapter: Advancements

Chapter: Enemies Walk on a Short Path

Chapter: New Heights and Depths

Chapter: Second Trial Begins!

Chapter: Forces in Movement

Chapter: Alchemist Association Affairs

Chapter: Promotion

Chapter: Zatan Confederation

Chapter: Standing Together

Chapter: Lightning-Like Growth

Chapter: Resam Regional Headquarters

Chapter: Path of the Alchemist

Chapter Luring With Threats

Chapter: To Study, to Grow

Chapter: Gardener

Chapter: Enemy at the Gates

Chapter: Creation and Destruction

Chapter: Fight in the Front, Enemy Invading the Rear

Chapter: Opening Blow

Chapter: Journeyman Emerges

Chapter: Alchemist Trial—Complete!

Chapter: Alchemist Division Headquarters

Chapter: Academic Achievement

Chapter: Pill Preparations

Chapter: Shocking Increase

Chapter: Effects of Mana Channel Revitalization Pill

Chapter: New Boundaries

Chapter: Putting Down Roots

Chapter: Rise and Fall of Money

Chapter: Return to Alva Dungeon

Chapter: Reorganization

Chapter: Changes Come to Alva Dungeon

Chapter: A Step Forward, A Step Stronger

Chapter: Changes to Alva Dungeon’s Military

Chapter: A Firm Foundation

Chapter: Down to Basics

Chapter: Training Begins

Chapter: Looking to the Future

Chapter: Age of Factories in Alva Dungeon

Chapter: Final Touches

Chapter: Same Boys, Changed Men

Chapter: Alchemist Association Contest

“Buy your tickets here to see the Alchemy masters of Girus go head to head to compete for the right to join the Alchemist Association’s membership contest! Only fifteen gold a ticket!”

Erik and Rugrat looked at each other at the price.

“Worse than beers at a sports stadium,” Rugrat complained.

They moved to the gates into the city.

“Five gold,” a guard said.

Erik and Rugrat passed the man the money and he let them pass into the city.

Erik took in a deep breath. The city was cleaner than Kaeju and Taeman. No, that’s not right. There are more medicinal scents in the air. This kind of density, it can only come from a place where alchemy is used every day and alchemy ingredients can be found in abundance.

Erik looked around as they walked into the city.

The stalls in Taeman city had been focused on jewels and items to show off one’s wealth. The ones in Kaeju had been focused on ores, smithing tools and the like as they were closer to several mining towns.

In Girus, people were selling all manner of apothecary items, Alchemy tools and ingredients.

“Solution of concentration! Increase your concentration when working on your Alchemy skills, your tailor skills and others! No longer have your mind wander! One pot for seventy silver!” a merchant called out.

“Magical Adderall.” Rugrat snorted.

“I know people said that the Third Realm was dominated by alchemists but this is a bit crazy,” Erik said.

“Well, the Fourth Realm looks like it won’t be a walk in the park either,” Rugrat said.

Erik nodded. “The war realm, where heroes are born, strive and die.”

They moved through the crowds, taking in the city. Merchants tried to pull them over to their stalls, selling ingredients and stamina potions, but only a small percentage of the concoctions made in the third realm were sold there, most were sold to the fourth realm for greater profit.

The variety and number of ingredients and alchemy tools and paraphernalia took up over three quarters of the market with no lack of buyers browsing their wares.

Rugrat stopped in front of a large weapon store and looked at Erik. “Might as well see what people are fighting with.”

They entered the store, finding walls of weapons, swords, shields, daggers, bows, arrows and pikes. Helmets, armors, and boots could be seen as well.

“Leather and light armors.” Rugrat dismissed the armors in one shot.

He squinted, looking at the arrows and bows. He wandered over to a counter with different arrow types. He pointed at them. “See that hollow space there, the lining on the arrowhead? It’s meant to hold poison. That blade there, in the hilt there is a pressure sac that will push poison out of a hidden bladder in the hilt and push it into the carved channels of the blade. That weapon there has been made with a poisonous enhancer. The entire metal is poisonous, if one coated it with poison as well. Two poisons in one hit.”

Erik didn’t say anything, looking over the weapons.

“Enchantments can only yield one result, but we have dozens of poisons that will affect your opponent in different ways. All of our weapons are made to make it easier to poison your target.” The stall merchant’s eyes glowed as she heard Rugrat’s praises.

“The detail and craftsmanship—how were you able to get such fine channels without degrading the overall strength of the weapon?” Rugrat asked, interested.

“Mortal-grade iron chisels and blades were needed to lay out the designs and then passed over with Mana Blades. The slightest deviation and the channels would have been ruined, the weapon turned useless and losing its strength.”

Erik, who was just listening in on the conversation, was stunned by her knowledge. You’re not in the Second Realm anymore.

“Mana Blade?” Rugrat looked thoughtful.

The woman looked him over. “Are you a blacksmith as well?”

“Yes, but I haven’t seen someone use this Mana Blade on weapons before. Do you have any for sale?”

The woman smiled, as if looking at an adorable puppy. “We have them for sale but they are spells, not items. They are used by formation masters to carve into different materials easier. They can also be used to shape a weapon and add in finer details.”

“Do you have smithing items?” Rugrat asked, getting excited.

“We have a small selection of items that can be used in smithing as well. Do you want me to show you?”

“Please!”

She took them away from the arrows and down a hall with more walls of weapons and armors. They reached a simpler-looking wall that showed different enhancers on the walls as well as different types of woods, ores, animal tendons and so on. All the supplies one could need for smithing were on display. Off to the side, there was another table taking in weapons and items to be repaired.

A woman manning the counter looked up from the items she was putting away and smiled to the attendant who guided them over here.

“We are looking for a Mana Blade spell book. Does anything else take your fancy? We have a large array of enhancers, as well as iron and a limited amount of Mortal-grade iron ingots,” the attendant said.

Rugrat looked over the items on the wall, his eyes shining as if he were looking at the holy land.

After a few moments, Erik coughed and nudged Rugrat, returning him to the present.

“I’m sorry. What was that?”

The attendant and the woman behind the counter both laughed at his actions.

“Would you like to look at the different enhancers?” the woman behind the counter offered, pulling out a book.

“Please!” Rugrat said.

She put the book on the counter and opened it to the page with all of the enhancers that she had in stock.

Underneath each of them was a small description of what the enhancer did, and a small number off to the side, almost hidden.

Erik gulped as he saw the prices of the different enhancers.

Between them, Erik and Rugrat had two hundred gold. They had left the rest of their wealth in the Alva treasury for Alva’s expansion and to upgrade the different workshops and parts of the academy.

There were tens of enhancers but their prices went from sixty silver to two gold.

Seeing that Rugrat was absorbed in the list of enhancers and would be for some time, Erik cleared his throat to get the attendant’s attention.

“Is there anything that you would like to look at as well?” the attendant asked.

“I heard something about an Alchemy contest?” Erik asked, remembering the person yelling at the Ten Realms totem.

“There is a contest held once every six months. Second-tiered cities and below have a limited amount of spots per city. People fight for these spots and advance to the first tiered cities. They will have to compete against people from the first tiered cities. Then they will head to the regional headquarters to take the final test held at one of the Alchemist Associations regional headquarters.

“They will have to walk the path of Alchemy. Those who reach the end will become candidates of the Alchemist Association. Based on their ability, they can directly join the Alchemist Association. Some will remain candidates for the rest of their lives as they were able to walk the path but their ability isn’t high enough to be officially recognized by the Alchemist Association,” the woman replied.

“What kind of level of concoction would one need to make in the tier-one runnings?”

The attendant turned thoughtful. “Last year, the lowest someone used was mid-Apprentice-level concoction, with the highest a high-Apprentice concoction, reaching high Apprentice.” She nodded, confirming her thoughts.

“Only Apprentice?” Erik muttered to himself and looked back to Rugrat.

He missed the attendant’s apprehensive look.

The Minor Healing powder that I learned from Old Hei was a mid-Apprentice-level concoction. If I was to increase the efficacy, wouldn’t that be enough?

Erik paused, thinking on it. Am I thinking too small? This is a city with a lot of ingredients. Surely there are a few formulas that I can buy from the different vendors, right?

“The first tiered cities and the Regional headquarters, what is it like?” Erik said, making his tone turn excited.

The woman smiled and looked around, it seemed she was interested in the topic as well.

“Well as you know the second tiered cities and below might be graced with one low journeyman level alchemist, there are mid level journeyman alchemists in the first tiered cities, a high or peak journeyman level alchemist in the Regional headquarters,” Her voice turned into a whisper.

“The three division heads rule over the entire third realm, each holding one expert level alchemist,” She said in agitation.

“An expert level alchemist,” Erik didn’t need to fake his shock, his eyes shining in excitement.

“Though the division headquarters are much more exclusive than the regional headquarters, there might be millions of people in the regional headquarters, but the Division headquarters have ten million or maybe a million and less. Every person that goes to the division headquarters are people at the peak of the third realm!”

“When is the contest being held?”

“One needs to sign up and pass the preliminary tests within the next three days.”

“Are there any places that sell Alchemy formulas nearby?” Erik asked rapidly.

“There are several large establishments that sell Alchemy formulas,” she said quickly.

“Is there a Blue Lotus location here?”

“Those can only be found in tier-three cities and larger.” She looked at Erik in a new light.

“What are you going on about back there?” Rugrat turned around.

“I’m going to enter this Alchemy contest. Old Man Hei taught me all I know and he said that he would be returning to the Third Realm to pursue Alchemy once again. I want to see if I can find him again. I owe him a lot,” Erik said.

“What do you win from the contest?” Rugrat looked to the attendant.

“You can gain the pass to the second-tier city.”

“No money or anything else? That’s kind of cheap,” Rugrat complained.

The attendant coughed and the woman behind the counter looked shocked at his words.

“What? Isn’t it only entry into the Alchemist Association?” Rugrat shrugged.

“Each contest is different but first place can get Mortal Mana stones and a formula. The second will get Mana stones as well but a lower-grade formula. Third place will only get Mana stones. Fourth and fifth will just get a Mortal Mana stone or something of similar value,” the attendant said.

“It’s worth giving it a shot to see what these contests are like. Those places that sell formulas—would you be able to tell me where they are? Also, where could I do the test to qualify for the contest held here in Girus?”

***

Erik and Rugrat made plans to meet up later, with Rugrat buying a few different types of enhancers when Erik left for the few stores the attendant had listed out.

He made it to the first store. There were two sections. One had people gathering different kinds of ingredients and selling them to the people standing below. Then there was another section, with people taking out manuals and books that were secured in boxes that one could look through but had alarm formations engraved into them.

So many people browsing. Truly the Third Realm is a place of alchemists.

The place was packed asshole to elbow with those trying to get more ingredients or books.

Erik stepped into the line that went to the book counters.

“Have you heard? The lord’s son and daughter are both joining in on this year’s contest,” one of the people in line said to his friends.

The others all groaned.

“We only have five spots and they’ll take up two of the spots, leaving only three more spots for the rest of us. This second Alchemist Association application isn’t going to be simple to earn, that’s for sure,” another replied.

“Why do you think there are so many people coming to get ingredients? They’re all trying to increase the strength of their concoctions through practice so they pass the first round.”

“There are still the other rounds in the other cities and then the Path of Alchemy trial. It is not enough to just have the ability to make a Journeyman-level concoction. One needs to also know Alchemy ingredients, and mutations, to list them out in the books of ingredients!”

“If one knows an ingredient well enough, then it will be imprinted in their mind, you know. If one has the Mana stones to burn, then they can buy Alchemy ingredient technique books.”

“I heard that there was an information book of fifty Alchemy ingredients—went for three Mana stones!”

The others clicked their tongues or shook their heads.

“Only the large clans have that kind of wealth. Isn’t it cheating to get all of that knowledge from information books?”

“If you had that kind of money, would you be saying the same thing?” another shot back.

They all fell silent, clearly unhappy with the matter.

Seems it’s not all that easy to compete with the clans here either.

If he was able to understand all of the effects of the ingredient, then it was as if it would be imprinted upon his mind. Much like how Rugrat was able to imprint different items into his mind. If Rugrat knew the design to an intimate degree, how to form it, the strength, the way to make it, then it was burned into his brain.

If he scanned it and really understood it, he could rely on his own memory to craft it.

If Erik knew more ingredients, then it was possible for him to substitute them for others as he already demonstrated. He still hadn’t given up his idea of making an Alchemy concoction from simple herbs and resources that could be found in a market in a hope to reduce the cost of practicing Alchemy.

He waited his turn when he was called up to the counter.

“Hello. What might I be able to help you with?” The man smiled.

“Can I see a list of the formulas that you have for sale?”

“Certainly.”

A book was produced and Erik went through them all like a fat kid at a bakery.

An Apprentice-grade powder formula could cost one hundred gold to nearly two hundred depending on effects, ease to make, and the cost of the concoctions produced. A potion could reach up to four hundred gold; a pill, one Mana stone. The actual concoctions could be tens or hundreds of times cheaper, but if they were easier to make, then it wouldn’t be long till the alchemist made their money back and then some.

The more expensive the formula, the stronger the effects, the rarer it was and the greater return that the alchemist could expect.

If the formula was hard to make, then the price decreased, normal supply and demand at work here as well, some things are just universal.

To make money, first you need to spend it.

Erik gritted his teeth, looking through the book. He simply didn’t have the funds to buy these formulas. “Thank you.” Erik turned to leave.

The man’s smile at the counter dimmed as he snorted. “If you don’t have the money, then there is no need to waste my time as well.”

I can only rely on the formulas that I have to pass this test. I think I just need to get more ingredients so I can increase my knowledge of them. I won’t be able to beat anyone with just my Stamina, Mana, and healing powders. If I want to win, I will need to increase the efficacy to increase my score. I could recreate the Age Rejuvenation potions but I want to keep those a secret. I won’t be safe if people figure out I’m the creator of the potion. Even the Blue Lotus was moved and is interested in them.

Erik looked up. While he had been thinking on his plan of action, he had arrived at one of the registration booths for the qualification tests.

“Place your concoction on the testing square and your hand beside it,” a bored and tired-looking woman said, as if she had repeated the process over and over again till it was imprinted on her mind.

Erik took out a healing powder vial and placed some of it on the testing area. He placed his hand next to it.

A green light appeared on the upright machine and a medallion came out of the side.

“Passed. Here is your participation medallion. Next!”

They really are efficient. Erik left the testing area. Now I need to get some more ingredients so I can try to increase the efficacy of my concoctions.

Chapter: Trial and Error

Rugrat had purchased some fifty different enhancers, spending eighty or so gold on them all.

The most expensive purchase had been the thirty-five gold spell book.

He had taken his purchases and went to an inn, booking a room for three nights. He sent Erik the location and headed up to the room. He locked the door and took out the spell book.

==========

Technique Book: Mana Blade

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Do you wish to activate this Technique book? Doing so will destroy this Technique book.

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YES/NO

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==========

You have learned the spell: Mana Blade. Your spell book has been updated.

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Mana Blade

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Apprentice

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Create a Blade formed of Mana

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Consumption of Mana based on area and effect

==========

Rugrat held out his hand. Mana started to light up in his hand, threads of it wrapping together to create a simple blade in his hand.

Rugrat moved it around, feeling the substance of it.

He altered the knife, changing its appearance. He opened his hand, letting the knife drop. As it left his hand, it turned into motes of Mana, dissipating into the world.

He created another in his hand and pulled out a block of iron. Taking the knife, he cut into the block. It was hard but it worked.

He pulled the blade out and looked at the jagged line. “Well, ain’t pretty but it works.” He looked at the blade and focused on it.

Like he had done nearly a dozen times before, he focused on the Mana in his body, compressing it, sharpening it. He focused on that and then looked to replicate it in the blade.

After a few failures, he felt as if it worked and took the blade to the iron block. There was still resistance, but it was less. As though he was carving wood with a sharpened knife instead of trying to carve it with a butter knife.

Rugrat worked with the blade, cutting into the iron. He cut out a metal hilt and then started to add details and smooth it out.

Then he pulled out a Mortal-grade iron ingot and started to carve into it. Metal shavings were all over the table he was working on. The blade changed in his hand, allowing him to easily carve through the metal.

He was interrupted by a knock at the door.

Rugrat went to go and check it, finding Erik on the other side.

“You register yet?” Rugrat asked, still holding his half-carved ingot.

“Yeah. What are you working on?” Erik held up a medallion and shut the door.

“Nice. I’ve got a new idea. You got your pistol?”

“Yeah.” Erik pulled it out and handed it to Rugrat.

Rugrat took the pistol and went back to the table in the room. He put the ingot down and started to dismantle the pistol.

Erik left him to it as he moved to the chimney and put his cauldron on the hearth. Then he pulled out a few diagrams and put them on the table.

“What’s this?” Rugrat asked as he was taking the slide of the pistol off.

“Alchemy tools I need. A centrifuge to help separate out the different elements of a solution. A Bunsen burner that can run through monster cores or the like instead of relying on me. An automated stirring system to mix ingredients together.” Erik pointed to the different pieces of equipment.

Rugrat checked the rough drawings with interest. He had been working on armors and weapons for a long time. “It’ll be interesting to work on some of these, a lot of detailed work. I’ll need to see if there are formations I can find to spin the centrifuge or supply heat to the Bunsen burner. Might need to go old school and use some kind of substance or gas for the Bunsen.”

“If you make the stand, I can find a fuel,” Erik compromised.

“The centrifuge—if I have a geared system, say like what you would find on a bike? Then you would have to crank the thing but it would still spin and everything. Stirring system could be something similar. Resources for formations are still slim down here, so that means formations will be expensive.” Rugrat shrugged.

“We’ll make do. Anything you can get me and it works would be good. Saves me hours on preparing everything,” Erik said.

“Can do. And with this Mana knife, I’ll be able to make them easier.” A knife formed in Rugrat’s hands as he showed it off. “Realized that I had been focusing on beating the ever living hell out of everything I was working on, forming it into something, but with this knife I can use the compressed Mortal-grade iron and shape it to an even greater degree.”

“So what are you doing with my gun?”

“Going to trace out the slide with pencil, then cut it out of iron, then Mortal-grade iron. What took me days to make the specialized parts in these weapon systems before, will now only take me a few minutes or hours.” Rugrat grinned.

Rugrat put the slide against a fresh iron ingot and started to trace it out.

Erik left him to it and went to his cauldron and started to prepare some of the ingredients he had collected today in the market. He chewed on new ingredients he didn’t know of, hoping to imprint them in his mind.

“Crap, left arm went numb. If I have some of this black root and that eversahe petal...” Erik was consuming so many of them that his body was having a hard time trying to get rid of all the myriad effects in his body naturally.

He started using other ingredients to offset the effects instead of using healing spells as he was also using a Mana flame to prepare the ingredients in front of him.

His skin turned different colors; even his eyes changed as he kept on self-medicating. The effects of one offset the other and then led to compounding side effects.

“Pinch of ground Rafial leaf and stem of Iola bracken. Ugh! That’s horrible. Come on, keep focused. Wait—I didn’t think that the Rafial leaf would—” Erik stopped talking as information appeared in his mind. As he had discovered all of the effects of the ingredients, it was now imprinted on his mind, another success! Mixing it with the others had allowed him to see the hidden effects.

Some effects could be learned by consuming the item; others when mixing it; others, when it was turned into a concoction, it would be revealed. Trial and error, again and again.

Chapter: Tier-two Upgrades

Elise looked out at the academy, at the construction that was being carried out there. Before her eyes, blocks of material appeared and started to be added to the building in front of her.

They had built most of the structures, but they simply didn’t have the knowledge or the ability to make higher grade facilities.

Instead of relying on their own ability, they had turned to the dungeon system, allowing them to increase the tier and ability of the specific units. Like going from a shack to a shanty then to a simple house, then a huge house with style and form.

The Alchemy lab, smithy, cookhouse, tailors, woodworking shop, formation workshop, healing station, and blueprint office: all had been purchased and upgraded to tier two.

The upgrade cost one thousand gold each to go from tier one to tier two. They had bought the smithy and cookhouse upgrades first; then, as they had enough money, they purchased the others.

The tier-one facilities were just a place for basic crafting, but with the tier-two upgrade, items made within the facilities had a five percent chance of increased stats.

Metals that were refined in the smithy yielded more gems to be used by the formation workshop. Their flames had been upgraded, the smithy expanded and enchanting tables added.

The cookhouse had increased storage areas and an attached herb garden with a growing formation. Regulated temperature controls as well as formation-engraved ovens and heaters allowed the cooks greater control over the cooking temperatures.

Each of the new facilities also came with new tools. In an interesting twist, those who were learning about formations spent more time in the other areas of the academy, looking at their formations before trialing out their ideas and knowledge in the formation workshop.

“And so Alva Dungeon begins to grow once more.” Egbert moved over to Elise, his blue flame-like eyes watching the growing Academy with utmost satisfaction.

Elise looked over to the new houses that were being added in. “Just a few short weeks and we should have some new members added to our town.” She turned her head to Egbert, who was looking through the window beside her. “How is Qin?”

“She’s adapted surprisingly well to what she saw and experienced on the Metal floor. She’s throwing herself into her work more than ever before, she has such a strong spirit. Her brother comes around more often to check in on her, though. She has also planned to go and see her family in Chonglu with her brother in the coming weeks. With the book from Fizzleuip, she and Julilah have been poring over that information with the other formation apprentices. They’re eighty percent sure that they can fix most of the control formations in the Metal floor now,” Egbert said.

“I can’t believe that Storbon and Special Team One want to go to the battlefield dungeon already.”

“Fighting is what they trained to do. It won’t be long until they have the money required to access the dungeon. If we want to clear out the rest of the dungeon, this is one of the safest ways to decrease the number of creatures and train up our people quickly. We don’t advance if we don’t take risks,” Egbert said.

Elise let out a sigh.

As the assigned manager of the dungeon, she gained Experience as the dungeon grew. It had allowed her to raise her level twice. Erik and Rugrat might have passed the orders but they didn’t carry out the act of growing the dungeon, meaning that they didn’t get Experience for it.

“We’ve got to halt building for the time being, at least until the next harvest. We’re low on gold and can’t pay the extra wages right now. We’ve got the automatons working in the iron mine and the fourth trading group should be back soon. With the funds from the traders, the iron, or the grains, we’ll be able to pay for the rest of the upgrades and expansion.”

“What about the increased fees for the academy?” Egbert asked.

“Create a tiered system, like we have with materials. Buy the materials, or buy time in the higher level areas, or have it awarded based upon their progress, competitions between the different years and ability,” Elise said.

“I will write up a system and submit it to Taran.” Egbert nodded.

“Might as well test out my new assistants. Send it to them and see what they think of it. I’ll have another look over it after them and use it as a learning experience,” Elise said.

***

Storbon was working on his armor, the needle and thread moving back and forth through the material. He’d cut it open while sparring. As he’d taken one of his skills in tailoring, he’d brought it over to the workshop while he had time and had begun to repair it.

As he was working on it, one could hear the noise from the new sewing machines as people were stitching layers of material together, and the rows of yarn mills that were creating several types of cloth from modified base materials.

The newest product was called iron weave. It was from a special Metal-attribute plant that had been treated with an Alchemic concoction to make the material more flexible. It had been then turned into cloth. Its defensive ability was no less than that of a level sixteen beast’s hide while also being lighter and much more flexible.

The Novices were still working on the beast hide armor. There was still plenty left of it and it sold well on the market. Though the apprentices and few journeymen were now looking at the hybrid cloth types they could come up with.

People’s old stagnant skill levels had begun to soar again with the help of the new machinery.

Storbon got a message from Yao Meng as he just finished off his latest repair.

“We got the funds. Glosil has okayed it, with the stipulation that he be allowed to come as well. He wants to see what happens in the battlefield dungeon so he can better advise others who go in after us,” Yao Meng said.

“All right, when can we go?” Storbon asked.

“Two weeks,” Yao Meng said.

“Okay, let’s make a final list and see that we have everything.” Storbon spoke in a calm voice but nervousness, excitement—both of these emotions conflicted in his stomach, making him wonder whether this was the right thing to do and wish that they were leaving tomorrow. He knew that the feeling would only get worse as time went on.

***

Taran and Tan Xue were talking to each other as they sat at one of the enchanting tables, watching their people working the forges.

There were now more than enough forges to keep all of the smithing apprentices satisfied.

“I’ve put out a contract for the alchemists. It might take some time before we get anything useful, but they’re at least looking at making some enhancing powders for us now. I passed on the descriptions that you gave to me of the enhancers you know of and I gave them testers as well. Hopefully they can try to make some for our people to test out.” Taran fell quiet.

“How is your own smithing going?” Tan Xue asked.

“I am now able to make low-grade Journeyman weapons. Take a look.” Taran pulled out a two-handed axe and placed it on the table.

Tan Xue looked it over, lifting it easily. “Passable.” She nodded.

“I left off the enchantment. I figured that we can transfer these over to the formationers; they can try to find something to put on them. Even if they fail, it would be better than me trying it out.”

“It’s a complicated art. I only know the formation of might and formation of flame—one to increase the strength of the person using a weapon, and the other to give the weapon a Fire attribute.” Tan Xue pulled out a smithing hammer and gave it to Taran.

His eyes went wide as he looked at the hammer, seeing the green and red jewels embedded in the weapon and the way they glowed. Power seeped out of them and into the carved formation they were set in. The green jewels’ power seemed to channel into the handle through Taran as the red covered the hammer, making it glow slightly before the faint light disappeared.

==========

Your Strength has increased by 3%

==========

“Have you made it into the Expert level?” Taran asked in a quiet voice.

Tan Xue laughed. It was a hoarse noise at her own failure. “I haven’t. This is just a half-step Expert tool. I wasn’t able to draw out two innate specialties from the metal and it can’t be bound,” Tan Xue said. “I feel like I am on the cusp but I am just missing a little bit more. If I am unable to make a weapon of Expert grade before I am level thirty, then I will head to the battlefield realm to increase my knowledge. It’s a realm of blood and iron. Weapons always need to be built and maintained. There are a number of legendary smiths who have risen from the battlefield realm.”

“It would be dangerous,” Taran said.

“It might be, but I am a smith. If I am unable to progress, can I be called a smith anymore?” Tan Xue asked.

Taran couldn’t help but think about where he had been when Rugrat found him. How he had sat outside his smithy, smoking instead of pursuing his craft.

With Tan Xue, his determination had been given direction. Now he was coming to the limit of what she could teach and she had reached a bottleneck in her skill.

Taran made to hand back the hammer.

“Keep it. I intend to make some more, rewards for those who show their smithing ability. Hopefully I’ll be able to increase my own ability as well in the process,” Tan Xue said.

The smithy produced items that the overlords in the First Realm went wild for, items that could only be attainable in the Second Realm. Through the market interface, no one knew who they were and they set the prices.

Alva Dungeon was adjusting to the changes that came with the second-tier upgrade to their workshops, but there were already plans in place for the next upgrade to third tier. The upgrade from first to second tier was one thousand gold; from second to third, it would cost three thousand gold. When they upgraded, they didn’t know what would happen. It was an exciting and nerve-racking advancement.

Chapter: Setting a Stage

Erik walked towards one of the main stages where the competition would be held.

Girus was a large city and the competition couldn’t be held at just one place.

The victors from each stage would have their concoctions compared at a main stage before a group of Alchemist Association representatives from the city. Rugrat was with Erik while Erik had been working with his cauldron. Rugrat had made Erik a centrifuge, which was two spinners connected with a piece of string: one with a handle, the other with a tilting rotor that could hold several vials.

It wasn’t pretty but Erik had tested it and it worked.

He couldn’t go too fast or else it would start shaking, starting to mix them back up. It wasn’t perfect, but it should work and make things easier for him.

He had worked all three days, only stopping to rest the night before so he was in peak condition.

“Better get us those tickets to the next place.” Rugrat yawned and stretched.

“I’ll do my best.” Erik sighed at Rugrat’s “pep talk”.

He presented his medallion at the entrance for competitors.

“You have all of the necessary materials and gear?” A man who checked his medallion asked.

“Yes.”

“Proceed.”

Erik went past the man as he heard a commotion behind him. He had needed to wait in line but there were two people who walked to the front of the line, not worrying about the others. The man who had dealt with him bowed and moved to the side, not even checking their medallions.

“The twin alchemists of Girus! They’re both children of the city’s lord but from different mothers!” Someone said in a low voice.

Erik looked away from them and proceeded through the corridor that led into the central testing area.

It was shaped like a stadium, with the alchemists being in the middle and the viewers all around them. The ground had been divided up into workspaces.

There were a thousand different squares with numbers carved into them.

Erik presented his medallion again to a person waiting at the edge of the Alchemy stage.

“Three four seven. Don’t go into someone else’s area.” The man passed it back.

“Understood.” He nodded and went past the man toward the stage. He quickly climbed the steps and went to find his area.

Finding it, he pulled out the equipment and materials that he would need. All around him, alchemists were talking to their peers, meditating to clear their minds, looking over the notes that they had made, or arranging their stuff.

Erik laid out his gear and reviewed the powder he would be making in his mind.

Then he called up his last two notifications.

==========

Skill: Alchemy

==========

Level: 39 (Apprentice)

==========

Able to identify 1 effect of the ingredient.

==========

==========

67,789/700,000 EXP till you reach Level 26

==========

He had increased his Alchemy skill by two levels with all of his work at increasing the efficacy of the powders he had, but it was increasingly harder to increase the efficacy and increase his skill level.

I need one of those formulas and Mana stones to increase my skill.

He could hear the other alchemists talking about their competitors: Someone who came from this clan or another who was connected to this trading firm. Someone whose cousin’s uncle’s grandfather was this person or that.

It was all useless to him, he shook his head with a chuckle. He had only been in Girus for three days and he was hoping to be leaving it today if everything went well. If he did not succeed this time, then he would need to wait another six months before he could try again, and he would be able to train in a city that was brimming with ingredients and had plenty of formulas. The reason he wanted to go to the Alchemist Association was to, one, see what he could gain from them. If he was able to learn from them and grow, he didn’t mind wearing their emblem. If he was bound to them in a way that put Alva in danger, then he would leave.

The second reason was to see Old Man Hei again and thank him for his guidance.

Well, there was a third reason, but it wasn’t for some valiant or big reason. To this point, he had been working to be an alchemist and he didn’t have anyone to compete against. He wanted to see just how his skill matched up with others in the Ten Realms. He wasn’t aiming to hold anything back.

A smile appeared on his face as the monitors came around, making sure that everyone was in their right location before the master of ceremonies stepped up.

The entire stadium went quiet as they looked at the man wearing a cauldron badge on his chest with a gold emblem and two lines on it.

“Five of you will be heading on to the tier-two cities, aiming to make it into the Alchemist Association. The person who makes it into first place will gain the formula to make a mid-Journeyman-level pill and ten Mana stones. The second will get the formula for a mid-Journeyman-level potion and seven Mana stones. The third will get the formula for a mid-Journeyman-level powder and five Mana stones. Fourth place will get three Mana stones and fifth place will get one Mana stone. You will have four hours to create your concoction. Try your hardest. May the strongest alchemist win!”

Alchemists bent forward and started working, moving into the preparation stage. Flames appeared and started heating as knives slashed and mortar and pestles were put to work.

Erik looked around, his smile growing as he looked at them all.

“Let’s start.” He had already put the ingredients to the side, readying them all. He created two balls of Mana flame, gathering up the ingredients into them as a third flame warmed the cauldron.

He used his right hand to move the centrifuge, checking that it worked. One of the balls of flames disappeared, ash falling into a beaker. Erik opened a tap above it; the liquid dripped down onto the ash and then drained through a series of filters.

Most of the gear looked handmade and worked like it too, but still Erik was pleased with it.

It wasn’t long until he had finished the preparation stage and he was moving into the formation stage.

He took the prepared ingredients and checked on the heated cauldron, making sure that it was ready.

***

“Journeyman Di, what do you think of my daughter and son?” Lord Jonsain asked with a pleased smile.

“They are indeed proficient, taking their time in preparing the ingredients diligently to bring out the greatest of effects,” Journeyman Di said with a slight smile. He looked to be in his middle age but he had seen these kinds of contests for decades already.

His eyes looked over the rows of alchemists competing on the stage.

Although it was good to give face to the powerful figures in the region, he also used it as an exercise in searching out talented Alchemy youths in the future. His Alchemy had been stopped but if he was able to nurture or pass on a student to one of his peers who had a great ability, then he might find a path forward or gain more luxuries in the future.

Barely passable. He looked over the people on the stages. The children of the lord, although they wore flashy clothes and they looked to be mystical alchemists in their own right, cared more about the performance with Alchemy than true Alchemy.

Most were through the formation stage when he looked at one man. He was middle-aged, didn’t seem to care for the others, and unlike those who had flashy equipment, he had simple tools around him. They looked as if he had made them himself. He didn’t seem to care about his appearance either as he worked with his cauldron.

Journeyman Di focused on him. Although his tools looked to be elementary, his actions weren’t rushed. They were well rehearsed and practiced. And his cauldron...

That is nothing simple. It must be a decent cauldron. Much better than most of the others. Hmm, maybe something interesting will come from being here.

Journeyman Di’s interest increased as he continued to look over the stages one by one.

***

Erik didn’t care for the others all around him; he didn’t pay them any attention as he worked, he seemed to be utterly focused on the process at hand.

He tapped the side of the cauldron as his flames died down and a powder came out from the top of the cauldron.

He stored it in a box. He frowned and put the box to the side.

Then he looked up at the time. There was still two hours to go.

Since I’m here already, it would be a waste if I didn’t make some more healing powders. They only said that I would be judged on one of the things I made, so I can pick out the strongest one and give it to them.

Erik smiled to himself, cleaned out his cauldron and started again.

He thought back to how he had got his three formulas from Old Man Hei, how he had made Erik make repeated concoctions in order to pay them off.

Now Erik knew that it must’ve been a test. At the time, Erik was nervous to fail and excited at the challenge. Now he knew of the prices for those two formulas in the Third Realm and could figure out what they should have cost in the Second Realm. He knew that Old Man Hei was going easy on him.

So Erik did what he had done since he entered the Ten Realms: he grinded, making more and more of the healing powder. The weaker powder he would put in boxes off to the side, with one box being placed in the testing area, ready to be checked at the end of it all.

I’ve been able to get it to eighty-three percent efficacy. I think it’s not the way that I make the concoction but rather what’s in the concoction. Combining them, there is a loss of efficacy because the actual ingredients counteract one another on a small degree.

I have already made more than enough of the correct concoctions. I’ve still got an hour until the end. I can try to alter it a few more times with the amount of prepared ingredients I have left over.

Erik started to go through the ingredients used and then think of the reactions that they might be having to decrease the efficacy. It was something he had done many times. Now he started thinking of ingredients he could add to amplify the effects of the ingredients or allow them to be combined without a greater loss in ability.

***

“Look at that man over there—made boxes and boxes of powder. Shame to have failed at making his concoction so many times.” Lord Jonsain sighed. “Truly, it is better to spend more time on one concoction and make sure it reaches perfection.” Jonsain looked to his son and daughter with a look of pride as they took their time in making sure that they completed their concoctions.

Journeyman Di made a noncommittal noise.

Already a large number of the applicants had failed, burning up their ingredients, failing in the preparation stage.

Some were lucky enough to have enough time to try again. Others could only look at the merciless clock, gather their supplies and leave the stage.

It was hard to not get disheartened, failing in front of so many people.

Journeyman Di was looking at the interesting man from before. He had not made one concoction but dozens of them. He had made boxes of them and put them to the side, placing one box ahead of him to be tested.

He had changed it two times already.

Now he was having failure after failure. Journeyman Di was using a spell on his eyes to look over the stage; the man only frowned slightly, muttered to himself and cleared out his cauldron before starting again. He had prepared ample ingredients with his odd-looking tools and simply started again, adding in new items to the powder.

With just ten minutes to go, he pulled out a powder; he checked it and put it in a box and added it to the stack he had created.

There was an excited look on his face as he started to create another concoction.

Journeyman Di leaned forward. Seeing the man’s frantic movements, Journeyman Di could see that the man had made a breakthrough.

Not only did he make dozens of powders, he also made a breakthrough in them!? Journeyman Di’s eyebrow rose slightly as the corner of his mouth quivered.

Journeyman Di had seen many people attempting this very same test across hundreds of cities. He could tell who was working their hardest and who was showing off.

He could tell that the two children of Lord Jonsain were only as good as their teachers; they had drilled in the process of making their concoctions again and again. He had no doubt that they had laid out the different concoctions that they would make in the second round and been tested on the different standard ingredients and mutations to pass on the Path of Alchemy trial. There was no skill, only rote repetition. It could get one into the academy, but they wouldn’t be able to go that far.

It was the people who poured out their everything who were able to go further. They would not gain great fortune, but their fame and ability would be great.

Journeyman Di had been focusing on several people on the stage who could be nurtured into good alchemists. It was how he knew that the man on stage three four seven had been substituting new ingredients into his concoction; he was already intimately familiar with the concoction and he made it perfectly the first time, but he didn’t sit back but continued to make more of the concoction. By changing out the boxes, he must have improved it again and again.

If he doesn’t pass this round, then I should see about taking him under my wing and seeing if I can raise him up personally and apply for him to take the Path of Alchemy trial in a few years.

“Little Jing’er is almost done,” Lord Jonsain said.

The brother-and-sister duo’s hands moved, their robes serving to frame their features and actions, drawing one’s eye.

Jing Jonsain created a pill as her brother Luke created a potion.

They collected their products and placed them on the testing square, looking calm and composed, as if they could create countless others and remain untouched. They relaxed and waited out the remaining time.

“A pill and a potion—their skill is indeed high,” one of the lord’s advisors said.

Lord Jonsain laughed and smiled with the praise but his eyes were on Journeyman Di.

“It looks like they will easily be able to enter the second testing phase.”

“Thank you, Journeyman Di. I also think the same,” Lord Jonsain said with a bow to Journeyman Di.

Journeyman Di gave a simple smile and looked over the alchemists. The man made a second modified concoction. He looked pleased but he still put it with the pile of other boxes off to the side.

It looked rather comical: others had potions and pills but he had boxes and boxes of powder, as if he was selling them in bulk.

The timer hit zero as a gong was hit.

There were those who hadn’t been able to time their concoctions well enough and it had ended in failure. Others had finished but they were still nervous. The items all had to be tested, after all.

“Those who have failed, please leave the stage. If you have a successful product, please remain seated and a monitor will come along to test your concoction,” the head monitor at the front of the stages said.

More people left the stages, leaving just a hundred or so.

The monitor came over to Erik and looked at his workspace.

“This one.” Erik held out a box he had set to the side.

The monitor took it and went on to collect others before heading to a testing platform. A number of people were there with silver cauldrons on their chests, putting the concoctions into the testing formations and using their tools to check on the ability of the concoctions.

It might be hard for one to find out how to make a concoction from the finished product, but appraising them, finding out what they do, and their efficacy was much easier.

Lord Jonsain’s children were tested first, then the others followed.

It took a half hour before the results were checked.

Everyone was watching the monitors before they stood and apparently agreed.

“In first place is Jonsain Jing. In second place, Erik West. In third place, Jonsain Luke. In fourth...” The monitor kept on going and calling out results but there was an uproar in the stadium.

The lord’s two children were in first and third place, not first and second! Who was this second person?

Well, we’re going to need to get the hell out of here quickly. Didn’t think that this would be a big thing. Erik looked at the concoctions off to the side. His eyes rested on the two boxes of powder that he had finished last.

Though I have at least one new thing to test out and I should be getting that Journeyman-level potion formula and Mana stones.

“Third! How did I get third! I demand a retest!” Jonsain Luke demanded.

The head monitor cleared his throat, calming the crowd. “We went through the testing multiple times to check the result. He did not make a higher level item than yours but the efficacy was much higher, showing a high ability in Alchemy.”

Luke made to open his mouth again.

“Are you going against my ruling as a certified tester of the Alchemist Association?” The head monitor asked in a low voice.

Jonsain closed his mouth and curled his fists, but held in his anger. “No.” His answer was short and quick.

The monitor’s eyes stayed on him for some time before looking away. He was just some young kid, after all. It wasn’t abnormal for some of them to get hot-blooded in this kind of competition. The fact that he was also the son of the city lord allowed his arrogance to only grow.

“Will the top five come forward? The rest of you may leave.” The head monitor dismissed them.

Erik cleared up his workspace, taking in his tools and completed powders. I should be able to make some gold off these as well. Maybe I can get a few formulas and then, between those, pick out a formula best suited for my skills to have a greater chance of completion in the next round.

Even as he was calmly thinking of his next steps, Erik couldn’t help but smile. He had come out on top, after all. He was pleased with his own achievements.

He reached the stage with three others. The Jonsains were already standing there. Jing didn’t pay them any attention; they were nothing but flies to her. Luke glared at them, looking at the two men, Erik and another alchemist who looked down at his feet at Luke’s glare.

Luke’s eyes moved back to Erik, who simply raised an eyebrow.

Reel your neck back in there, or else I’ll do it for you.

“Lady Jonsain.” The head monitor passed her a gift box.

“Thank you, Head Monitor.” She bowed to the man, elegant and refined.

“Erik West?” the head monitor asked.

Erik stepped up to the head monitor.

The head monitor looked him over and passed him a gift box as well.

“Thank you, Head Monitor,” Erik said.

“Watch yourself,” Luke whispered as the head monitor glared at him, taking a box and pushing it into Luke’s chest.

Luke looked at the head monitor, who had moved onto fourth place, and then back to Erik as if it were all his fault.

Reminds me of my brother and sister back home. They had to be the top of the class and if they weren’t, then the people above them were their worst enemies and they would do anything to bring them down, kids are kids everywhere.

“Inside your gifts is a medallion to allow you entrance into the second part of the competition held at the second-tier city Khusai, controlled by the Willful Institute. The contest begins in three months. If you do not arrive on time, you will lose your spot. I now call this application contest to a close!”

Chapter: On the Run

Erik didn’t have time to check in his gift box. He stuffed it into his storage ring and left the stage, quickly following the other monitors.

Luke, staring daggers at Erik, sent a sound transmission.

Erik pulled out his own device. “Rugrat, I think it’s time we got the hell out of here. Let’s get some rides and start for this Khusai.”

“Willful Institute—you remember that lot?” Rugrat asked.

“Sounds familiar,” Erik said.

“Those are the pricks who chased us and I killed with a grenade before we entered the Beast Mountain trial,” Rugrat said.

“I thought that they were only in the Second Realm?”

“Looks like they’ve got more reach than we were expecting. Sending you a location. I’m going to grab a map. I’ll meet you there,” Rugrat said.

“Sounds good.” Erik checked the location that Rugrat had shared with him.

***

Luke stormed through the stadium, his butler coming up to him.

“Who is he?”

“We don’t know but he only made powders while the testing was going on. He made dozens of boxes of powders. I got a report from one of the monitors I know. He only made Minor Healing powder, low Apprentice grade,” Luke’s butler reported faithfully.

“I want him brought before me and I want him killed!” Luke yelled out.

“Yes, Young Master.” The butler looked to Luke’s personal guard as they walked out. He pulled out his sound transmission device and started to make some calls.

***

Didn’t take them long. Erik had changed his cloak to try to hide his identity but it looked as though it was useless. He saw people following him. They wore the symbol of Girus’s guards. People moved out of their way as they followed, not trying to hide their actions.

Erik picked up his pace and started to jog. With his tempered body, his jogging was faster than a full-out sprint from world-class athletes back on Earth.

The guards were stunned and yelled out to one another as they started to run after Erik.

I need to start doing things that are smaller profile. What a fucking little prick. If I come back here, I’ll bring him out and slap him in front of everyone like the little losing bitch he is. First, I need to get into the Alchemist Association. Then I can start to do something about this whole situation.

For once, I would like to leave a city without the guards or some bastard trying to kill me or steal something from me. Would be nice!

Erik ran out of the city, guards yelling at him as he did so. He made it through the gate in the confusion, reaching the stables outside. More guards had joined the original pack.

“Slow down! We have questions for you!”

“Your attendance is required!” another yelled.

Erik wasn’t about to listen to all of that as a stun spell sailed past his shoulder, hitting what looked like a llama, making it drop to the ground, paralyzed, with its eyes still moving around as if to question its sudden change in elevation and position in life.

“Sorry, dude!” Erik yelled as he jumped over the llama and into the paddock. The llamas were all yelling, as were their handlers who were walking them.

“Rugrat, where are you?!” Erik yelled as he moved through the paddock, people yelling after him as the guards started to thread their way through the animal stables. “Rugrat!”

Erik heard a whistle. Looking over, he saw Rugrat riding what looked to be a mix between a greyhound and a bear.

“Woo-hoo, motherfucker! Time to get out of Dodge!” A spell came sailing down from the wall and smacked into the ground sending up dirt. Arrows followed after it.

Erik ran and jumped, clearing fifteen feet as he grabbed onto the reins Rugrat threw him.

Erik saw fireballs and other magical spells coming at them in earnest.

“Will. You. Fuck. Off!” Rugrat yelled as he pulled out a crossbow, casting Explosive Shot on the bolt and firing it at an incoming fireball.

“Ohh, hot Betty down balon!” Rugrat sung as he smacked the back of the beast and it took off racing down the road.

Erik’s followed right after it as the exploding shot hit the large incoming fireball. The explosion tore at their backs as smoke filled the sky.

“What the hell are you singng?” Erik yelled.

“Black Betty, but I don’t know the words,” Rugrat said, humming the song, badly.

The beasts continued onward, cutting through the trees.

“Ah, shit,” Rugrat said.

“What?”

“Well, we’ve got land horse things—they’ve got flying ones!”

“Well, shit!” Erik looked back but he had a hard time trying to keep his balance on the moving whatever and looking backward.

A tree was hit with a bolt of lightning, burning it to a crisp. Rugrat had none of Erik’s problems as he turned to his right and fired with a crossbow before turning to his left and firing with another one.

“Urghk,” Erik cried out as he leaned forward in the saddle.

“You good?” Rugrat yelled.

“Just got sacked.” Erik tried to control his breathing as his anger grew and Mana started to circulate.

“I’ll fire a Mana Bolt—you shoot it and break containment!” Erik yelled.

“Fucking Fourth of July!”

“I’ll take that as a yes.” Erik held onto the reins and put his hand over his shoulder, glancing sideways.

Whump! A concentrated ball of Mana shot out of his fingers, flying into the sky.

Rugrat stood up in his stirrups, his body moving with the creature he was riding, as he held the reins in one hand and a crossbow in the other.

Unable to lay down Mana bullets for fear of causing more damage to his Mana system, he could only resort to his crossbows.

Crossbow bolts and Mana bolts met one another, turning into some explosive redneck sort of skeet shooting.

The sky turned a shade of blue as the explosions went off.

It was bad on the ground, but for the creatures in the air, the pressure and turbulence from the explosions—being so close to the tops of the trees, they weren’t able to avoid them at all.  Some of the people and creatures fell to the ground while others were burned. The barrage didn’t weaken, only grew stronger as there were fewer people to destroy the Mana bolts before they got close.

***

“Young Master, we need to turn back or we won’t be able to deal with these spells.”  Luke Jonsain’s butler was rapidly sending out blasts from his mage’s staff, trying to defend their transport that was letting out terrified noises, only barely listening to their commands, fighting them as it wanted to turn away from this path of destruction.

Luke let out an angered yell and waved his hand.

The butler glared at the beast tamer. He didn’t need anything else as he turned them away from the two departing on the ground. The Mana bolts fell silent after some time but it was nearly impossible to see them through the thick foliage.

“We know where they are going and we can place people around the city to make sure that they don’t get there and look for information on their whereabouts,” the butler said, calming the young master as things stabilized.

The young master’s eyes didn’t turn away from the departing duo.

“Some old peasant wants to fight me? Find where he comes from. If I can’t find him, then I will find his family!”

“Yes, Young Master, we will find them,” the butler promised.

Chapter: Homecoming

Elan Silaz was in his office when his aide rushed in through the door.

“Sir, Miss Qin and Yui are back!” he called out to his master.

Elan, who was about to reprimand his assistant, jumped to his feet, forgetting the papers he had been working on and making for the door. “Take me to her at once!”

“I’m already here,” Qin said as he exited his office, finding his daughter and son in front of him.

“Quick—go and get Wren,” he told the aide. He hugged them both and looked at them.

He had gotten a few messages from them saying that they were safe but it had been months since he had last seen them in person. It was only natural that he would wonder what they were doing.

It was only after he hugged them that he realized something was different about them.

“It looks like you’ve both increased in Strength rapidly,” he said, a bit shocked. Yui was level sixteen already while Qin was reaching for level twenty. It had to be known that she hadn’t even been level ten when she had left.

He didn’t know of anything in the First Realm that could make someone’s level rise so rapidly.

He took more time looking at their clothes. Although they were of a simple design, the materials they were made from were the best, the kind that would cost a king’s ransom if they were to go on sale.

“How were you able to get such gear?” He asked, his trader coming out as he looked them over.

“We have a lot to talk about and possibly a trade agreement to go over,” Yui said. “Though we’re not allowed to talk on some things,” Yui warned. There was an additional edge to him.

Seems that he has been training and he has found a cause that he believes in. Even erring on the side of caution instead of telling me everything.

Instead of being hurt, Silaz smiled.

“It looks like you two have grown up quickly. Come, your rooms will be prepared. We’ll have a dinner for your return and we can talk about everything then.” He smiled at them both.

“Thank you, Father. It is good to be home.” Qin smiled.

“It is good to have you back.” Elan smiled and his eyes wrinkled up. Others who knew him as the head of the Silaz merchant house would be surprised by his clear display of emotion. He was extremely hard to read most of the time.

“Brother, sister!” Wren said as he approached. He no longer looked like the playboy from before but looked more upright and solemn.

There was still a roguish side to him, but he had curbed his previous arrogant behavior. It seemed that the lesson of the Moon Healing House was not lost on him, nor was knowing how close he had been to making their same mistakes.

“Go and get cleaned up. I’ll see you all for dinner.” Elan waved them off.

“Yes, Father!” They all replied before Yui grabbed Wren and put him in a headlock.

“Look at you—all cleaned up and proper. Has there finally been a woman to put some brains in that skull of yours!”

“Yui, don’t mess up his clothes too bad,” Qin admonished.

“Just some brotherly love!” Yui said as Wren dutifully fought back against his elder brother, as was a younger brother’s fate in life.

Elan’s face turned serious as he looked at Yui. He was controlling his strength but there was a lot more hidden. And Qin—she had left with one open Mana gate; now she had four.

He buried this knowledge deep. Someone was looking after his children and looking to advance their ability.

Just who are Erik and Rugrat to know someone who deals with Mana Gathering Cultivation and Body Cultivation?

He thought back to when he had seen them. Both of them had simple auras, but there was a power hidden in them. He had been so excited by the possibility of Qin being healed and then, seeing her healed, he had not paid much attention to it. Now, seeing such changes in his daughter and son, the memories were brought back, fresh to his mind.

What kind of deal do they want to make with me?

He recalled the words that Yui had spoken and the changes in his and Qin’s eyes. They had faced hardships; it wasn’t easy to see as a father, but he knew that if he was to keep them hidden in the compound then they would never amount to anything. They would only survive as long as he was around.

Domonos, I hope that you are doing well, wherever you might be.

***

Lord Aditya’s eye twitched as he looked at the people lounging around his office.

Jasper had returned once again but he had brought another group with him. They looked to be simple people, Beast Mountain mercenaries. Their gear was well-worn and looked after; their items were placed not to look as ornaments but to be put to work.

Looking at them and being around them, one was bound to have a sense of danger.

Still, they were walking around his office, looking at various objects on display and looking out of the windows. One was reading a book, looking like an ethereal beauty save for the scar on her cheek and her battle armor.

A mote of light, a simple Fire elemental, floated around her, on the lookout for threats to alert its master.

Jasper sat in a chair, reading through a bunch of files. Another younger-looking man was reading through a pile of them as well.

Jasper looked at the common applicants while the young man was looking through those who were fighters.

He took several files and handed them to Jasper.

Jasper looked at the man askance.

“They’re the good ones without ties to people, determined, feel like they’ve been isolated, have something that they want in the immediate future and will stay around longer once they find a place to stay,” the younger man said.

Jasper nodded in thanks and went through his files. After a few more minutes, he combined a selection of files with the ones that the young man had given him back.

“These ones.” Jasper put the files in front of Aditya.

“Yes, Mister Jasper.” Aditya didn’t like being at the beck and call of these people, but they had a strength he hadn’t seen before. Even though he only made a percentage off the items that he was selling for them, it was enough to put any monetary issues at rest. It had led to him expanding his trading routes as he wanted to sell the higher level goods away from his trading city because it drew attention from others.

He had even sold a few of the items through the Blue Lotus, securing him a better position in their eyes.

Clearly they had a way to gain strength, a way to heal his leg. He had blindly pledged himself to them and he was bitter about it at times. But, overall, as long as he did what they said, they would let him operate freely.

He had gone through his extensive channels to look at people who were looking for work or a new place to go and were within the requirements that were put forward to him.

Only twenty-three had been selected. He knew that how they did would be a test on his competence and he wanted to make sure that he did well.

“Now there is one other issue,” Jasper said.

Aditya tensed, taking a second to relax. “How might I be able to help you, Mister Jasper?”

“Mana stones,” Jasper said.

Aditya had to blink and lean forward a bit, his eyes widening.

“We are in need of Mana stones. We don’t care how you get them and we are willing to pay the rate of one thousand, one hundred gold each. Failing Mana stones, we are looking to purchase beast cores. Grand and greater if possible, no variants. If you were to find a Mana cornerstone, the reward would be...” Jasper held Aditya’s eyes. “Sizable.”

“I can have my doves look into it,” Aditya said.

“Do so. Bring us the price necessary and we will bring you the funds.” Jasper stood. “We will be staying in the city for a few more days. Have those who are interested in our offer gather at this location, early in the morning on the fourth day.” Jasper passed over a piece of map.

Aditya used it with his map, creating a way point. “Understood. I will make sure it happens.”

“Have you got any beasts around here that are hard to kill or worth a lot?” one of the women in the group asked. She had been standing at the window, watching for outward threats.

“Uh, there are the bloodwing gliders that live in packs and are hard to defeat as they silently glide through the night, cutting their targets with poisoned talons before disappearing into the night again. A coven of them has been moving around the area. Their leather can be sold for high prices as well as the poison......if you know the right buyers...” Aditya trailed off.

“Poison has its uses as well,” Jasper said, putting Aditya at ease. He knew that not all of Aditya’s various business partners were technically legal, or good people.

“There is also a one-eyed Molbrek beast, a large humanoid beast, similar to an ogre, but malformed through something. It was wounded but it escaped, killed a high-leveled adventure party. I can have information sent over on it.” Aditya tried to keep the hope out of his voice. Both of these were issues to his trading outpost. Fewer people wanted to go hunting or move around at night, so it led to less items being bought and sold, decreasing the amount he made through taxes. And the people also came to him, asking for him to solve the problem.

“Sounds like something to do.” The woman looked to the younger man who had been going through the files.

“We need the practice and the gold wouldn’t hurt,” he said. “Have the information sent to us as soon as possible.”

“Of course!” Aditya said.

“How are things with the surrounding groups?” Jasper asked.

“There was a recent cult rising in the Deanka county. It spread to the Eranas kingdom, where it was eventually found. There were a number of people high up in the Deanka county that were won over by the cult, which has effectively taken over forty percent of the county.

“The surrounding groups are banding together and dividing up the county already. It looks like there will be an expansion and war soon,” Aditya said.

“You seem unperturbed,” Jasper said.

Aditya shrugged. “In my position, I have seen my share of local battles and wars. Power changes; new people move around. I adjust with the times. Weapons and armor are good things to stock, but food, water, horses, medical supplies? Those are the kinds of resources that make the most money. It will also be a good chance for you and your people. I can have my doves gather information on people fleeing the fighting, the kind of people who would be receptive to somewhere safe where they and their family could live and grow.”

“Indeed,” Jasper said.

“I will be sure to pass on any knowledge of big contracts. They would be for simple goods and items in bulk, but they would pay well.” Aditya licked his lips, not sure whether it might offend them.

“We would be interested in seeing these contracts as long as we can get more materials,” Jasper said.

“I have sealed three new contracts with large merchant houses that deal in resources,” Aditya said.

“Good. Our need will only increase in the future,” Jasper said.

***

Domonos wiped the blood from his face with the back of his hand, adjusting the blade in his left hand and gripping the armband on his right tighter. The gem set into the armband glowed brighter as Tujo tutted and played with his sword.

“Just some scrap from the First Realm thinking that you’re important because you’ve been able to claw your way up to the Third Realm? Shouldn’t you know your place by now?” the boy said with a cold look in his eyes.

He shot across the floor, his sword blinding as he released killing intent with each attack.

Domonos could just barely dodge the wind as well as the blade. The wind caught the edge of his shirt, cutting it and catching the skin underneath, leaving a bloody slice.

People sneered at his wounds. The people in the crowd came to see the mutt from the First Realm be beaten.

He let out a sharp breath as power rushed through his arm and a bolt of ice shot out from the arm bracer’s gems.

Tujo, who had been standing still like some kind of sadistic conductor, was thrown to the side with the blast.

Those watching frowned at Domonos’s ability to counterattack.

Tujo lashed out. His sword left streaks in the air as Domonos could no longer defend.

He dodged, but he was unable to duck the incoming wind blades. He turned his body, protecting his vitals but sacrificing the rest of his body.

He was hit again and again, driven backward. His blood colored the ground as he lost consciousness and dropped to the ground.

Tujo seemed apparently pleased as he moved up.

Domonos was startled and bloodied as he came to, unable to focus on anything as his body felt limp and weak.

“If I see your face again, then I’ll take a trip to the First Realm. I heard that there was a sister of yours left down there. Seems she is an invalid. Don’t worry—I would do you the favor of taking her out of this world,” Tujo whispered harshly in his ear before he cut off the bracer and took it.

“Your bracer will do nicely in helping me to take victory in the next fighting contest. Thank you for your assistance, Junior. Your pointers were excellent.” He laughed. It was cold and grating on Domonos’s ears as he coughed blood into the dirt. Domonos tried to get up, his entire body fighting him.

Tujo snorted.

“Here’s a pointer, for you, protect your head!” Tujo kicked Domonos viciously.

Darkness found him as he collapsed, not before a few more kicks hit his head.

Father, brothers, Qin’er—it looks like I will not be seeing you again in the future.

He wanted to destroy Tujo, destroy the Willful Institute filled with lies and deceit, taking everything from him and expecting him to not fight back. He was nothing more than where he was born from, in their eyes.

In the darkness there was nothing but sweet relief.

Chapter: Path to Khusai

Erik hadn’t looked at his notifications since the end of the competition. He was still on his mount as Rugrat led them through the forest, one following the other.

Erik was thankful for healing spells. Otherwise, the chafing would have been unreal.

==========

Skill: Alchemy

==========

Level: 43 (Apprentice)

==========

Able to identify 1 effect of the ingredient.

==========

==========

You have discovered the formula: Weak Healing Powder

==========

Has been added to your Alchemy Book

==========

“Alchemy Book? I’ve never seen such a damn thing,” Erik complained. All he had was some ability to never forget the ingredients that he had found out all the effects for. It was useful, but there was a reason he had copies of all his Alchemy formulas on him. He didn’t have them all remembered.

“Rugrat, when you imprint something in your mind, it’s there forever, right?” Erik asked.

“You mean like when I made that crossbow back in Alva Village?” Rugrat asked.

“Yeah.”

“Well, I guess it technically isn’t imprinting. Yeah, I got a good idea of how it worked and the complexities about it. Taran and I were getting ahead of ourselves. There is a thing called imprinting; it is supposedly something that comes with the higher level skills. That when someone makes something in the higher levels, because of their knowledge they can understand how to make something. So, say, I made a special hammer; if I made it close to perfect, like really close to perfect with another weapon, then the Ten Realms would download the blueprint into my head permanently and I could make that hammer all day and night. What I was seeing with the crossbow, well, I had just got my Simple Inorganic Scan spell—basically, well, it was like the Simple Organic Scan.” Rugrat shrugged.

“What was black and white before turned to color with sound—you could understand a lot more.” Erik nodded. It made more sense now.

“Yeah, I just never corrected anyone. Also, I don’t know what stage one would need to be at to be able to imprint actual products into their mind, like blueprints for me and formulas for you.” Rugrat conjured the Mana Blade and started playing around with it and making it take on different and new shapes.

In that case, then memorizing ingredients must be a subcomponent or smaller part of that memorization.

“Rugrat, you remember all the kinds of metals you work with?”

“Nope, I get to know the enhancers. If I can list out the enhancers, I’ll change the metal then—” Rugrat snapped his fingers next to his head and tapped on his temple. “Stored right in here.”

“Same, same, little different,” Erik said.

Rugrat took a long pull from a ceramic jug before letting out an ear-splitting belch. “Damn, had some good beer there, or mead, or...” Rugrat looked in the jug. “Whatever this is.”

Erik continued through his notifications. “Whoa, that’s not bad. Another quest.” Erik grinned.

==========

Quest: Alchemist Association Trial

==========

Congratulations! You have passed the first stage of the Alchemist Association, unlocking this quest.

==========

Requirements: Complete second trial

Complete Path of Alchemy trial

==========

Rewards: Become Alchemist candidate

150,000 EXP

==========

“I didn’t think that there would be a quest along with this. Seems like it’s not that easy of a task.” He couldn’t worry about it now; he was already on his path to complete the quest. He moved to the next notification.

==========

Skill: Riding

==========

Level: 7 (Novice)

==========

No bonuses at this time. You must prove your skills first.

==========

==========

91,541/700,000 EXP till you reach Level 26

==========

“So where are we going next?” Erik asked.

“Well, that was Girus of the Hechonate kingdom. Thankfully, we’re near the edge of the Hechonate kingdom, so aiming to get out of here first, then maybe a caravan heading the way we are. Also, we’re passing into a lawless area—you know, countries, or kingdoms and dynasties that aren’t too pleased with one another, so might be roving groups of bandits, soldiers, general lawlessness and stuff,” Rugrat said.

“That makes me feel much safer.” Erik pulled out his gift box and opened the top. “Having money again doesn’t make me feel all that safe, on the other hand.”

He pulled out a scroll that was in the bottom of the box, sending everything else back into his storage ring.

He rolled open the scroll, reading the title. “Potion of Enhanced Strength? Well, thank you, Girus.” Erik continued to read on, getting absorbed into the contents, only pausing to glance around as they cruised through the forest that was gradually turning darker.

Erik saw a weird looking ingredient growing.

“Wait a minute, let me just harvest this,” Erik said, getting off of his mount.

“Hurry up about it,” Rugrat was checking the map as Erik took a few tries to harvest the plant and store it away for later study or use. Erik got back up on his mount and followed Rugrat who was studying the map.

“Rugrat, where are we headed?”

“Dervin Swamp. Apparently good for ingredients, bad for the creatures. At least less people around?” Rugrat said.

“What about paths through?”

“There are a number of them. Also, with our scans, I think it will be a bit easier to pass through,” Rugrat said.

Riskier terrain but not dealing with large groups of people. Fuck, I hate swamps.

“I wonder if there are any gators. Could make some jerky,” Rugrat said, completely unfazed.

“I see another bunch of ingredients. I’ll just quickly harvest them.”

“Is this going to become a thing?” Rugrat asked.

“A thing?” Erik asked, a trowel in one hand as he walked over to the patch of ingredients.

“Nevermind, it already is.”

Chapter: Second Applicants

“It’s a shame that he wasn’t able to find any contacts we could get Mana stones from. We’re going to have to spend thirteen hundred gold instead of just eleven hundred,” Yao Meng complained to Storbon as they were walking through the forest outside of Vermire Trading Outpost.

“Do you just care about the gold now?” Storbon asked with a grin.

“No, but going from riches to paupers doesn’t feel good. I wanted at least a few more meals from the cookhouse.” Yao Meng made his lower lip tremble, even getting a laugh from Tian Cui and Setsuko.

They entered an opening where twenty-one people waited, surrounded by guards from Vermire.

Seeing them, the lead guard bowed to them and waved to the others.

They all departed quickly, leaving the group facing Storbon’s team and Jasper.

“Hello, my name is Jasper and I want to make you an offer. I see that two people didn’t want to come with us. If any of you aren’t interested in the jobs you’ve been told about, then you are free to leave as long as you agree to an oath to never tell anyone about this.” Jasper looked at the people.

Most of them had everything that they owned with them. There were men on crutches, others had bandages on missing limbs, their eyes sunken and dead.

There were young families who were thin as rails, just holding onto one another.

Older people who were stopped with the passage of time.

A woman stepped forward. “You offered us jobs and a shot at a new life and we want to give it a try.”

“Good. Then we just need an oath that we won’t hurt one another or try to bring harm to one another, then we can be on our way.”

They completed the oaths and everyone relaxed a bit more.

Storbon waved for his people to fan out. They would deal with any outward threats and protect them as they moved.

They were much slower than Storbon and his people who took care of threats in their path.

Those who had been in the Beast Mountain Range were surprised with the ease that they moved forward and the simple way that Storbon and his team talked to one another.

***

They passed through the last checkpoint into Alva Dungeon just a week later.

The dead eyes looked at the dungeon in wonder as the stooped backs straightened.

They were met by Elise’s assistants, who took over briefing everyone, getting them fed and checked over at the healing house.

Storbon returned to the barracks and found Glosil waiting for him.

“You ready?” Glosil asked.

“I hope so,” Storbon said.

“Get some rest. We go the day after next. I’m hoping that we kill enough beasts that you can get another round,” Glosil said.

Storbon nodded. Having to spend over a thousand gold just to try it out was a steep price, but what was gold against potential Experience and increasing their fighting skill?

***

Elise looked over the new townspeople who were eating the food supplied by the cookhouse. The people who had been wounded were being assessed by the healers and alchemists, who quickly went to work figuring out a way to heal them.

Healthcare was free in Alva. The healers and alchemists were paid a retainer fee to look after people. Though if someone wanted to modify their body for Body Cultivation or to open their Mana gates and advance their Mana Gathering Cultivation, then they would have to pay the healers and the alchemists separately.

The healers and alchemists were an odd bunch to the wounded, who never knew whether they would recover their limbs if an infection would settle in.

The healers and alchemists saw a way to improve their skills, and gain Experience through the endeavor to boot, a win-win situation.

Elise cleared her throat. The people in the healing house quieted down. The healing house was the same size as the old hospital and set up in a similar design, with formations that regulated the temperature and private areas where patients could be treated.

“You will be allowed housing rent-free for one month as you find jobs or pick higher education. Loans will be provided for those who wish them. You will need to take an oath against the loan to pay it back in the future.

“We have several schools here: smithing, Alchemy, tailoring, cooking, farming, healing, and more. Also, there are jobs to work in the iron mine, traders who go between cities or work in our trading squares. Then there is the barracks as well, where one can apply to be a defender of Alva Dungeon, learning new fighting skills.”

“What if we don’t find a job in a month?” a man asked.

“You will be evicted from your home. If you do not have a residence, then you will have to leave Alva Dungeon. If you are off trading, then you will have to make oaths to pay back the money that you owe. Otherwise, everyone will be taking an oath to never reveal Alva Dungeon to anyone who isn’t from the dungeon,” Elise said.

It was strict but these rules had been put in place to guard everyone. She saw people looking at one another; a couple held hands; a spark of life returned to an older lady’s eyes.

It was their first group, but Elise hoped for more. They had a lot of space and were meeting their demands. Now the only way they could grow was with more people pitching in and helping out.

Chapter: Event in the Swamp

Erik and Rugrat were on foot, leading their beasts as they used their scans to make sure that they were walking on packed ground instead of stepping into swamp water.

They’d stop every so often with Erik using his tools to gather different ingredients along the path.

The entire swamp air was heavy and stunk of decay and rotting.

Rugrat was slapping himself, trying to kill off the bugs that called the place home.

Erik was largely unaffected as he used poison on his skin to keep the bugs off.

They were covered in the nasty black mud from the swamp as they pushed onward.

Erik stopped as Rugrat was complaining, slapping himself and moving forward, talking dark things about Ten Realms mosquitoes.

“Do you hear that?” Erik asked.

“Hear what?”

“I think someone is in a fight.” Erik looked in the direction of the noises.

A lightning strike came out of the sky and slammed into the ground.

“Incoming!” Rugrat yelled. The two of them dropped to the ground. Their beasts were quivering and fought against their grip, trying to run away from the noise.

Lightning struck trees, causing them to explode and crash down.

Erik and Rugrat were covered in dirt, leaves, and bits of wood as they quickly got to their knees, scanning the area and looking for where the spell had come from.

“What in the hell was that?” Rugrat came back up holding his rifle, using the scope to look at where the lightning strike had landed. “Looks like some big kind of swamp creature made from trees. And there’s a band of people hiding behind a mage with a Mana barrier. The tree thing got hit and it’s burning slightly, but it’s still in the fight.”

Erik pulled out his spotting scope and checked the area.

The mage was a man wearing simple clothes. On his hands and around his neck, there was glowing jewelry.

Must be enchanted to increase his abilities.

The wooden creature leaped forward. There was a flash of light as a being of lightning appeared from the side and smashed into it.

The wooden beast let out a confused noise as lightning rushed over its body and burned. The lightning beast slashed out at it. It was small but its claws were sharp and fast. The lumbering wooden beast couldn’t react in time as its forelimb was hit, stripping vines and wood from its arm.

“Let’s go around,” Erik said. It wasn’t their fight and he didn’t want to get involved.

The wooden beast turned its head to glare at the lightning beast.

The lightning beast was already rushing forward. It jumped from stump to fallen tree and raked its claws across the wooden beast’s face, destroying one of its glowing green eyes.

The wooden beast let out a howl and charged at the lightning beast that was turning around to face it again for another rush.

The lightning beast dove to the side as the wooden beast tried to slow itself, slamming into a few trees.

Lightning flowed from the lightning beast into the water of the swamp, passing through and hitting the wooden beast. The lightning beast grew dimmer, its power falling.

The mage made some symbols with his hands as he drank down a vial of blue powder.

The others who had been hiding behind them were now moving. Arrows landed on the wooden beast as magical staffs were put to use, hitting the beast with elemental attacks.

The damage was piling up as the wooden beast tried to recover itself.

Purple binding chains seemed to come out of the swamp and hold the beast there. It fought against the bindings as the groups piled on their attacks.

Wood, moss, green ichor, and vines were torn apart and splattered across the ground as the wooden beast’s reactions grew slower.

Rugrat and Erik continued on their path, trying to circumvent the group. Unfortunately, their path was taking them closer to the fight as they avoided the murky waters that hid far more dangers.

The wooden beast let out a yell. Its arm extended crazily as it swung around. Using it like a whip, it smashed through the dead trees. The attackers jumped out of the way, but two weren’t fast enough and were sent flying, bloodied and bruised. One slammed into a tree; another fell into a dark pool.

The water started to move as a black slime rose out from the water and rushed toward the stunned person.

The people in the group yelled out as the woman started to rise.

The black slime jumped on her.

She started to scream as the slime started to dissolve whatever it came into contact with: her armor, her hair, her exposed skin.

It worked its way up from her boots, moving for her unprotected face.

“Clean!” Another woman’s voice seemed to command the very heavens as a white glow appeared around her.

A ray of cleansing light burned through the swamp, landing on the slime and the woman who was being consumed by it.

The slime was now being the one burned away.

It quickly released its prey and rushed back into the water.

The burned woman was in bad shape. A man with a shield rushed forward, grabbing her and pulling her away. She cried out in pain but he continued pulling her out of danger.

The wooden creature raised itself up on its hind legs, breaking the restraining chains. Wooden thorns covered in a dark-green poison shot out of its body in every direction.

Five people were struck with the thorns. The thorns had found purchase in two people’s skin. Their veins started to turn the same dark green as the poison, rapidly spreading through their bodies.

Two others were tossed backward but their armor had taken the impact.

One was the mage controlling the lightning beast.

The woman who had cast the holy light spell began to chant. The air shimmered and shook with power.

Erik kept on glancing over with his spotting scope, looking at the injured. “They need our help. Unless they’ve got some powerful poison cures, they’re going to die.”

Rugrat checked the situation, squinting. “All right.”

They moved quicker, now headed right for the battle. Their riding beasts didn’t seem so happy about their direction and started to fight against them but they pushed onward.

The summoner started to get up; the lightning beast stood still as the wooden beast charged forward.

The lightning beast seemed to compress down and shot forward. It pierced through the wooden beast but it was much smaller and dimmer than it had been before. It looked as if it were on its last legs.

Golden runes appeared from the ground and wrapped around the heavily damaged wooden beast, burning into the wood as it struggled against its holy restraints.

Erik and Rugrat were now close enough to hear the people in the group.

“We need poison cure potions! We need to kill the creature first or we’re all dead! It’s bound and debuffed! Hit it with everything you’ve got!” the holy woman yelled.

The melee classes, unable to fight up until now, charged forward, brandishing their different weapons as they laid into the beast. The dark wood that made up the beast turned green as it was covered in its own blood.

Mages cast buffs on the melee types as the summoner sent the lightning beast in again and again.

“Go pika-lightning!” the man yelled out.

Erik and Rugrat looked to each other.

“Uh?”

“You think he’s from Earth?” Erik asked.

“Use Slash! It’s super effective!” the man yelled out.

“Sounds about as nerdy as people from Earth can get,” Rugrat replied.

“Well, shit, didn’t think we’d find another person from Earth,” Erik said.

“Back off! It’s attacking!” the holy woman yelled.

The beast was still restrained, fighting against the holy runes that captured and burned into its skin.

It let out a roar as its feet turned into vines that shot through the ground and shot out where the melee fighters had been a moment ago.

“Sir! I don’t quite agree with your tone!” The summoner put one hand to his hip. “Pika!”

The lightning beast jumped up a tree. Its claws dug in as it climbed it in seconds before turning and jumping. It turned into pure lightning again and shot toward the wooden beast from above.

It was going all out as the wooden beast could only yell out. The lightning beast slammed into its shoulder and ran through its body. Lightning appeared around it in the pool of water it was in, being directed out and then back in to the wooden creature.

The other ranged attackers were unleashing all of their skills and attacks on the beast.

The holy runes fell away as the green light went out of the wooden beast’s eyes, smoke rolling off it as it collapsed into the swamp, splashing mud and water on those closest.

A tombstone appeared above it as the group started to relax.

“That is what I thought, sir!”

“Poison cures—does anyone have them!” the man who had pulled out the woman covered in black slime yelled out. The wounded were being looked over.

“We don’t have any,” the holy woman said.

“I might be able to help with that.” Erik stepped forward.

The whole group went on guard seeing him, raising their weapons.

The summoner looked at Erik and Erik looked back at him. Erik’s hands were up.

“You from North America?” Erik asked.

“Canada. You?”

“Colorado. I’m a medic. I can see about helping them.”

The summoner seemed to be debating something. The rest of the group looked between the two. “Shit, got some good friends from Colorado. Let him take a look.”

The others looked to the summoner before looking back to Erik, who was moving to one of the poisoned.

It seemed that they all trusted the summoner. They relaxed some but they didn’t put their weapons away.

“Don’t try anything funny,” a man with a two-handed hammer said as Erik got close to one of the people who was poisoned.

==========

Event Cleared!

==========

Weras, the corrupted forest spirit, has been destroyed, returning stability to the region.

==========

Erik waved the notification to the side as he saw the people in the party surrounded by a golden glow as they gained Experience.

==========

Event In Your Area

==========

Weras, the corrupted forest spirit, has been destroyed, but the other corrupted Earth creatures have marked the Yeanne Trading Group.

Escort the Yeanne Trading Group out of the Dervin Swamp.

==========

“That can’t be good,” Erik muttered to himself as he kneeled in the mud to get closer to the patient.

He cast Simple Organic Scan and started to look at the situation.

“Rugrat, I’m going to need your help!” Erik yelled.

“Hold the beasts, cover my ass, come help me,” Rugrat grumbled as he headed out of the forest.

The people gave him a wary look.

“Medic?” the summoner asked.

“Got my basic course,” Rugrat said.

The summoner paused before he looked at the poisoned man on the ground. “Go for it.”

Rugrat held out the ropes for the beasts to one of the party members. They took them in one hand, their other holding their blade still.

Erik didn’t want to expose that he was an alchemist. He had just met these people and although he wanted to help them, using healing powder on them after escaping Girus didn’t seem like the brightest idea.

He pulled on gloves, keeping his knee in contact with the patient to use his Simple Organic Scan.

The poison was passing through, paralyzing the target and then hitting them with necrotic damage, eating the tissues and bones it passed through, liquifying them.

Erik pulled out a scalpel and looked at the summoner. “I’m going to cut out the poisoned tissues. It’ll be easier to regrow it than fight off the poison running through their body.”

“Matt...” The holy woman looked to the summoner.

“Do it. We don’t have a choice, Clarissa,” this “Matt” said.

Rugrat started using healing spells on the others who were poisoned and the burned woman.

“I’ve got them stable,” Rugrat said as Erik took out Wraith’s Touch and covered the infected areas of his patient and started working, cutting out chunks of skin and muscle. A rotting smell filled the air and Erik grit his teeth.

He’d faced worse and worrying about a smell would only put his patient in danger.

He continued to cut.

The others looked on in horror as he cut out chunks of the person’s arm and side, cutting away the green rot and leaving large wounds instead.

Erik could see that the trauma was making her drop into shock.

“What’s your name?” Erik asked as he worked.

“Mm-mei. Am I going to die?”

“Mei, was it?” Erik asked.

“Yes.” The girl had tears in her eyes as she started to go pale with the loss of blood. “Cold.”

“You’re not going to die. I’ve dealt with worse. So how did you get into a fight with the swamp monster?” Erik asked as he finished cutting away the last of the rot.

He stored his scalpel and took his gloves off, not wanting any of the poison on them to infect her again.

“W-we were passing through, wanted to go this route instead of the roads. Bandits,” Mei said as the man watching Erik took in a sharp breath. Where bone and bloody wounds had been, it was now quickly regenerating and filling out at visible speed. The bleeding was stopped and color started to return to Mei’s face.

“Bandits a big problem around here?” Erik asked.

“Many people gather all kinds of resources here. If one can raid a caravan, then they don’t have to gather resources, just kill off the group,” Mei explained as her breathing got better.

With most of the poison out of her body and Erik using a mix of healing spells, the poison that had been traveling through her veins started to dim in color until there wasn’t any color showing through her skin anymore.

“Doesn’t sound very fun, but you’ll get to fight another day,” Erik said, as he checked his work.

“You got a healing powder or potion?” Erik asked the group.

“Yeah,” the man nearest Erik said.

“Give that to her. Should clear up anything left.” He moved to the other two people.

“You take the burn,” Erik told Rugrat as he was pulling on new gloves and pulled out Wraith’s Touch, putting the salve on the man who was shaking and coughing as the poison wreaked havoc inside his body.

Erik pulled out a scalpel. The man’s eyes went wide at seeing it.

“Don’t worry. Mei is healthy and fine, and you’ll be right as rain in no time. What’s your name?” Erik used a knife to take the man’s armor off and find the infected areas. He’d been struck in the leg and right armpit.

He looked at the man’s leg. He’d been hit there multiple times.

It only took him a moment to assess. Amputate. He pulled out a tourniquet and wrapped it around the man’s leg, pulling it as tight as possible. He made eye contact with Rugrat, indicating to the leg and his knife and then to Rugrat.

Rugrat grimaced but nodded. A Mana knife appeared in his hand.

“I’m going to have to get rid of some of the infection so don’t worry about it. Now keep your eyes on me, okay?” Erik moved to the man’s arm where he had been hit, away from the infected leg.

He rubbed salve on the man’s side as Rugrat moved closer, releasing the woman with the burns and creating a larger Mana knife; he sliced through the man’s leg. The others tensed up as a foul smell polluted the air once again.

Rugrat took the leg into his storage ring as Erik kept talking to the man, keeping his focus.

“Got you right through the shoulder armor, it did. Nasty piece of work, though not too deep in there, so should have you sorted out in no time. So you didn’t tell me what’s your name?”

“Jaidong.”

“Jaidong, is it? Do you feel any pressure?” Erik asked, working the entire time, carving out infected pieces from the man.

“No, just feel cold.” Jaidong started to cough.

Erik used his Simple Organic Scan. The infection was reaching Jaidong’s throat. “Healing powder!” he called out.

Someone passed him a vial.

He turned Jaidong on his side, putting him in the recovery position as he was coughing up a storm. If he didn’t heal his throat and quick, then he wouldn’t be able to breathe and he’d die.

Erik poured the healing powder into the wounds he had created. He packed the wounds with gauze and used Jaidong’s arm to keep the gauze in place.

He tore off one of the gloves and put it on Jaidong’s throat. He poured out Focused Heal. Jaidong was turning blue as he suddenly took a deep, gasping breath.

“That’s it, nice and easy. Big, deep breaths. You’re fine, okay? Don’t try to talk—just focus on your breathing, okay?” Erik said calmly, reassuring him.

He ran a scan through Jaidong’s body again. The infection in his side was being counterattacked by the healing powder; the infection in his leg was bad but it wasn’t nearing any vital organs.

Erik checked that the infection in his neck was sorted out and directed his Focused Heal into Jaidong’s lower body.

“Stamina powder or concoction?” Erik asked. Jaidong’s pulse was weak and his eyes were rolling back from Stamina fatigue.

“Here, I’ve got a potion.” Someone passed it to Erik.

Erik pulled out the stopper with his teeth.

Erik cast a couple of Simple Ranged Heals on Jaidong. The Simple Ranged Heals, unlike his Focused Heal, worked over a period of time, keeping Jaidong stable and leaving Erik’s hands free.

Erik checked it was working before releasing him. Pulling a needle out from his storage ring, he quickly filled the needle up, cast another Simple Ranged Heal, and checked to make sure that there was no air in the needle, quickly locating Jaidong’s vein and sliding the needle home.

He let out the Stamina Regeneration potion slowly.

“Need that over here. She’s good and healed but drained. Burns were everywhere.” Rugrat moved over to Erik.

“Go for it.” Erik passed the potion over as he checked on Jaidong. Erik’s heals were more effective and his breathing was more natural.

It looked as if he had passed out from Stamina fatigue in the end, though.

“Infection in the side is looking good. Healing powder is doing the trick. Lower body is still nasty, but clearing up with heals.” Erik didn’t hold back anymore now; with the Stamina Regeneration potion, he could heal without worrying.

Around Erik’s hand, light could be seen as he pumped Focused Heal into Jaidong. His leg started to regrow where it had been cut off. A small version of Jaidong’s leg appeared, looking like a baby’s leg and foot connected to a man.

Erik checked under Jaidong’s armpit, removing the gauze to see the recovering areas underneath. He used separate healing spells, knitting the layers back together.

“He’s good to go. I want to wait till he wakes up before healing the rest of his leg.” Erik pulled off his remaining medical glove, putting everything into his storage ring and wiping the sweat off his face. He went to check on the woman with the burns. Rugrat was checking on Mei so that Erik could focus on Jaidong exclusively.

The burned woman was asleep but her wounds had been healed.

“Just needs rest and food.” Erik looked to the others as he gave his assessment and stood back up.

If this was back on Earth, removing the leg would have been the last thing I would have thought of doing. But here in the Ten Realms, with healing potions and magic, as long as you have the gold for it and you’re in the right realm, then it’s no big deal.

Erik snorted and then looked to Matt.

A deep, bassy noise came from deeper within the forest.

“I think it’s time we got moving. We got marked by the corrupted Elkta and the others nearby will be closing in. They’re stronger in the swamp. Once we leave, if they choose to follow us, we’ll be in the clear,” Clarissa, the holy woman, said.

“We can put Mei and the other woman on the backs of our beasts. I can put Jaidong on my back if we strap him up,” Erik said.

Everyone looked to Clarissa before she nodded.

“Let’s get it done. Everyone else, watch out. I want to know if there are any Elkta trying to get close.”

“I’ve heard of people being able to regrow limbs with Alchemy, but aren’t those concoctions hard to find?” someone asked.

“Just shut up and be thankful that we ran into them and they’re willing to help,” another hissed.

Seems that recovering a limb in the Third Realm isn’t such a big topic, but still restricted to people who have the money and the resources. Erik kept this in mind as others helped Erik, strapping Jaidong to his back quickly.

Chapter: Battlefield Trials

Storbon moved his shoulders around in his armor as Ian pulled the leather bindings tight and tied them together.

“Good?” Ian asked.

“Good.” Storbon nodded as he checked his arm bracers and the rest of his gear.

“Can you get my side?” Ian asked.

“Got it.” Storbon pulled on the tongs running up Ian’s side. “Good?”

“Bit tighter,” Ian said.

Storbon pulled them more.

“Good,” Ian said.

Storbon secured it and pulled over the armor panel, using the Velcro—as Erik called it—to secure an armor plate over the opening.

“Have the feeling I won’t be taking this off for a while.” Ian smiled.

“Might be right on that,” Storbon said. In his armor, he felt larger and as if nothing could affect him. Bolstered by the armor’s innate abilities, and the different enchanted rings and the necklace he wore, his Strength had increased significantly.

He checked his leg holster for his small crossbow, the powder packs that could be torn open and poured into wounds, or water to be consumed. The vials could crack and break but the cloth packets had none of that issue.

He checked his dagger and grenades before moving in his armor, settling into it and making sure he had complete mobility. His helmet appeared in his hand and he pulled it on.

All of Special Team One were geared up or nearly there, making their last adjustments.

“Special Team Two would be pissed if they knew about the battlefield dungeon,” Tian Cui said.

“You seen the pouting faces of Special Team Three?” Setsuko asked as she adjusted her sword placement.

“Surprised they haven’t jumped us for the spot.” Yao Meng laughed.

“Once they have the gold, then they’ll be able to as well. Unlike some people, they didn’t go and earn bags of gold in the Second Realm,” Glosil said.

“Perfectly entrepreneurial,” Yao Meng assured Glosil, who rolled his eyes.

“The taxes weren’t,” Yuli complained.

“Seems someone has the trading bug.” Ian grinned.

Yuli shrugged. “You prefer I didn’t get us the best prices?” she asked with a playful smile.

“No, I bow to your marketing brilliance. Your tactics light up the way for me like a perfect golden coin,” Ian said.

The others laughed or shook their heads at his shameless praise.

“Boss, can we change out our tank? I think this one’s been hit in the head a few too many times,” Tian Cui asked.

“All right, you bunch of misfits, check your gear one last time,” Storbon said, ignoring Tian Cui’s words.

“For this operation, I will be in command. Glosil will be in second; Yao Meng after him. Our goal is to take our time, to improve on our fighting skills, get rid of the rust, level up and hopefully earn some good loot!”

They all grinned at his words. Even Glosil looked excited.

He had been hunting in the Beast Mountain and training at the barracks, but he hadn’t gone to the Second Realm. He hadn’t found opponents who were able to challenge him other than the people on the special teams.

Fighting people was a lot different from fighting beasts.

Beasts could have innate skills and abilities. Also, their natural skin and armor could be a lot stronger, their Strength and Agility higher depending on the type of creature they were and the purity of their bloodline.

“Let’s get going,” Storbon said, seeing everyone was ready.

They left their room. Special Team Three and those training in the barracks were there to see them off. Blaze was off watching the Beast Mountain Range.

“Save some of the beasts for us,” Niemm said with a smile as he and Storbon braced arms.

“I’ll do my best. No promises.” He laughed.

They quickly said their good-byes and headed off, walking toward the teleport pad.

Waiting for them there was a newly built building. It was a smaller version of the healing house. After the Metal floor incident and knowing about the battlefield floor, Elise had the building made with Blaze and Glosil’s recommendations.

There was also an area where a group of fighters were to stay to assist in case anything they didn’t want came through the teleport pad.

Egbert was with the medical and fighting team that were on shift.

He pulled out medallions from within a finger bone. “These are your admission medallions. If you are in danger, break the medallions and you’ll return to the teleport pad,” Egbert said. The medallions were silver in color, covered in a magical formation with a glowing crystal in the middle.

Everyone accepted the medallions and put them away carefully.

“Step on the teleport pad and I’ll send you to the battlefield dungeon. When you arrive, the beast that you fight will be randomized. Remember: there is not only the Metal floor; there are also the Earth, Fire, Wood, and Water floors. These areas have highly concentrated attributes, so it is possible that there have been new creatures not seen outside of the dungeon born in the lower floors. They have also probably grown stronger. Although their level might be low, their overall Strength will be high,” Egbert said.

Storbon moved his shoulders around, taking a deep breath and letting it out. He had spent all of his coin on Body Cultivation and had passed through four of the strengthening stages. He had also opened some of his Mana gates, firming up his foundation. While stats and attributes were good to have, increasing the ability of his base body had an accumulative effect. It was like a house: the stronger the foundation, the taller it could be built without issue.

With their training, their leveling up since the Metal floor, and their Body and Mana Cultivation increases, their combat power had taken another leap but they hadn’t been able to use it. Now, as they were getting ready to fight, they felt the nerves of starting, but also the electric thrill of adrenaline pumping in their veins to see just what they could do.

They all stepped onto the teleport pad without any shenanigans, eager to be about it.

Power that had been stored up in the Mana cornerstone reversed, coursing back down and into the powering formations, lighting up the road that led to the teleport pad. Power poured into the teleport pad that activated, sending the energy somewhere else, activating the battlefield dungeon.

The teleport pad lit up with power and hummed.

Special Team One pulled out their weapons and readied themselves.

“See you on the other side,” Storbon said.

There was a flash of blinding light and Alva disappeared.

They arrived in a room, facing a large door.

“All right, I can talk to you from here, but I can’t tell you anything that might help you clear the dungeon. Basically, just passing messages back and forth from you to Alva.” Egbert’s voice came through the room. It was the same room that Erik and Rugrat had been in when they were taking the Beast Mountain trial.

“Thanks, Egbert,” Storbon said. Hearing Egbert’s voice eased their tension a bit. When they were in the Second Realm, even if they wanted to talk to someone else, they couldn’t.

“Yuli in the rear. Ian, Glosil—up front. Tian Cui, Yao Meng, and me in the second rank. Setsuko with Yuli. Cui, if you see an opening, go for it—you don’t need to hold position. Yao Meng, you’re on first aid,” Storbon said, getting everyone organized and focused.

They had teleported basically in their formation but they oriented themselves to the door.

“Ian, want to knock for us?” Storbon asked.

“Sure thing.” Ian walked up and kicked on the door. The door opened slowly, revealing a molten lava world on the other side.

The temperature rapidly increased as they moved forward. There were islands of rock here and there, some floating in the sea of molten lava. There was a sulfur smell in the air as bubbles popped in the molten sea.

There was no sign of any other life.

“Detect Life scroll.” Storbon pulled out a scroll and tore it.

A greenish-white light went out in a sphere from Yao Meng’s scroll, passing through the rock and lava.

The green and white light revealed a long creature hiding in the lava, the light sticking to its body.

“Let’s go to the right, see if it knows we’re here,” Storbon said through his sound transmission device.

They moved to the right side and the long body of what looked like a snake moved, following them. Its head was just barely peeking out of the lava.

“All right, so it can tell where we are. Let’s set up defenses and prepare,” Storbon said.

Yuli pulled out a Mana Gathering formation and put it on the ground. Ian and Glosil pulled out ready-made barricades and slammed them into the ground, securing them. Storbon pulled out a ballista from his storage ring. Yao Meng and Tian Cui pulled out a modified ballista while Setsuko grabbed a repeating mounted crossbow.

It was mounted on the ground but one would sit above the ammunition, pulling on the crank handle to pull back the drawstring—using their legs and upper body to do so. A bolt would fall from the magazine into the breach; then, as the crank was pulled all the way back, the bowstring would be released, shooting forward.

It used the pulley system that Rugrat had created and used gears that could be operated by the pedals to move left and right, up and down.

There were seventy bolts in the magazine and a person could fire as fast as they could pull back.

It was currently the most advanced piece of emplaced weaponry in the Alva Dungeon’s armory. There was only one of them in existence and required the help of the tailors, blueprint office, blacksmiths, woodworking shop, Alchemy shop, and formations workshop. This would be the first battlefield test.

“All right, I’ll wake it up. Yao, can you buff the bolt?” Storbon took out a pot. He poured the gray sludge on the tip of the ballista spearhead.

Yao Meng cast a spell. Blue runes and lines appeared on the bolt as a frosty mist could be seen coming off the ballista bolt.

Storbon aimed with the ballista, using the Detect Life glow that outlined the snake lying in wait in the lava pool.

He took his time and fired the ballista bolt. It arced slightly and came down, piercing through the thin amount of lava and hitting the snake in its exposed nose.

The snake shot back into the lava in pain.

“Get rickety rekt!! Like a solid nineteen damage on that.” Storbon laughed.

The snake rose up out of the lava, exposing its black and red body. It hissed angrily, which was hard because it was a snake; they don’t really sound anything but angry danger poles.

The ballista spear was stuck in its snout as if a third fang. There was a patch of ice around it and threads of smoke from the wound as the poison entered the snake’s veins.

Coming out of the lava, they could all clearly feel a heavy pressure weighing down on them.

Level twenty-one. Storbon’s expression turned somber as the snake turned.

Diving into the lava, the ice effects that Yao Meng had added were reduced heavily.

“Setsuko, Yuli, bring it in. Ian, Glosil, hit it with ranged attacks. Cui, Meng, wait on my order!” Storbon threw hooks onto the bowstring and cranked on the lever at the back of the ballista, dragging it backward. A bolt whistled out at the snake, piercing its hide and going deep into its side.

Yuli stabbed her staff forward as Mana spears appeared around her, firing at the snake.

Setsuko used the pedals to get on target and heaved on the crank, firing and adjusting with her pedals.

The snake contorted in pain as Ian and Glosil used slingshots to hurl grenades at the snake.

It dove into the lava again as its wounds increased.

Storbon seated another spear and coated it in poison again, looking for the snake.

The snake launched itself out of the lava, sending lava everywhere, landing on the rocks and burning anything in its path.

It was seven meters long and a half meter in diameter.

The snake was weaving toward them. Setsuko adjusted onto target as Yuli’s spears changed to Water element and attacked the snake.

Storbon fired on the snake, grazing it and opening up its scaled hide.

“Cui! Meng!” Storbon yelled out.

They had been following the snake with their ballistae.

Cui fired first. The ballista’s payload wasn’t a spear but a series of them attached to a net.

The net opened up as it traveled. The spears drove into the snake and the ground, pinning it there as Meng fired his net. His net aided the first in trapping the snake, rendering it immobile as it struggled against its restraints.

“Damage it!” Storbon yelled.

Glosil and Ian yelled as they rushed out from behind their cover. The snake spat out poison at them.

Glosil dodged it. The poison acted like an acid, burning the ground where it fell.

Ian followed up with a shield bash. The snake’s head moved around with a loss of bearing.

Glosil’s sword stabbed out, finding gaps between scales to increase the internal damage.

Yuli and Setsuko adjusted their aim to miss them.

“Focus on the left side—leave the right open for us!” Yuli yelled out.

Glosil moved to Ian’s side, sliding under the snake. It dropped down, smashing him against the ground.

Ian let out a yell as his muscles bulged. Mana moved through him as he empowered his strike. His hammer hit the side of the snake’s head, making it snap up and to the side. There was a breaking noise as the snake’s jaw took on an unnatural curve. Ian’s hammer had cracked its scales where it hit.

Ian’s hit also threw the snake off Glosil.

He was roughed up but he rolled out from under the snake and jabbed at the area where Ian had cracked the scales, cutting deep as he turned and ripped his sword out, using his full body to do so.

Storbon fired his ballista, followed by Cui and Meng. Storbon and Cui missed, going high and low. Meng’s struck it in its open mouth, making it reel in pain, painting the floor in blood. It struggled against its bonds. Yuli and Setsuko continued their barrage, cutting and wounding the snake.

The Mana Gathering formation increased the amount of Mana around Yuli, increasing her Mana Regeneration and allowing her to cast more spells at a faster rate.

“Ian, hammer!” Glosil yelled, running out in front.

Ian tossed the hammer as Glosil jumped up. Using his strength, he used the hammer to hit the end of the ballista wedged in the snake’s mouth.

The ballista spear drove through the top of the snake’s mouth and into its skull.

It dropped to the ground as Glosil did.

Two more spears landed on its body but it didn’t move.

“You have passed the first level of the battlefield dungeon.” Egbert’s voice rolled through the Fire world. A tombstone appeared above the snake.

“Return to the teleportation room to head to the next level,” Egbert continued.

Everyone relaxed slightly, looking at their first beast as Experience started to flow into their bodies.

“Okay, let’s skin the sucker. Ian, Meng, Glosil, check the area to see if there is anything else of value on the floor. We spent a thousand gold to get down here—hopefully we can make some of that back!”

Everyone put their prepared weapons and defenses away as they set to work. Storbon helped with extracting the nets. They had been made from a special material and hadn’t broken, even with the snake’s struggles.

Meng and Tian Cui reloaded the ballistae with the nets as Setsuko and Yuli walked up and down the snake, talking about how to break it apart.

They worked together, harvesting everything useful from the snake’s body.

“Variant core, Fire, Mortal grade.” Yuli pulled out a monster core.

“Greater Mortal grade,” Setsuko called out, pulling another.

“Not bad. Only when one of the creatures reach the Fourth Realm will their monster cores combine together and they can attain an Earth-grade monster core,” Storbon said.

“Wouldn’t be bad if we could get five Mortal variants,” Cui said.

“That would be nice, but I don’t want to be fighting a beast from the peak of the Third Realm right now,” Storbon said.

“Be a story at least,” Cui said as she put away her ballista.

“We’ll go in the opposite direction of the others and search the floor.”

After it all, they gained about fifty gems as well as ore veins that Ian had taken a pickaxe to that were found across the floor. Then there were some plants that they might be able to transplant that they had sealed in jade boxes. Anything that looked different or valuable was cleared, pried, dug, and cut out.

They cleared out the snake and stored it in their storage rings. With the tombstone, they gained three potions of fire resistance, Journeyman grade, and each of them gained one hundred points that was added to their medallions.

Egbert already told them that when they broke the medallion they would be taken to a prize hall. Here, they could use these points to purchase something or enter into a lottery to get a random item; it might be worth more or less than the points they put in.

The points were bound to one’s soul, so when they entered any kind of dungeon with a prize hall, they could accumulate their points and try to buy something better later.

“How is everyone?” Storbon asked.

“Richer,” Meng said.

“I think I leveled up,” Cui added.

“Smell like fire snake,” Yuli grumbled.

“I think I have some of it in my hair,” Setsuko added.

Glosil shook his head. He seemed a lot more relaxed than normal. Without having to worry about being the boss, he was even having fun. “I leveled up, but I’m good to go.”

“Sorry, what was the question?” Ian asked, looking up from the ore he had mined.

“Next floor?” Storbon asked.

“Good to go,” Yuli said as Setsuko found the bit of snake in her hair and tossed it on the ground. The others agreed and checked their gear.

“Let’s go for it.” Storbon led them back to the room outside the gate.

The gate closed and the flame level disappeared as they entered a new room, this one with the door closed.

“Ian?” Storbon asked.

Ian moved to the door and kicked it.

There was a grassy hill and trees in the middle of the room.

Storbon pulled a Detect Life scroll, ready to tear it as they moved out of the room in formation.

A shrieking noise came from the hill as the “grass” started to move, picking itself up and charging toward them.

“Setsuko, kite it! Yao Meng, be ready to take aggro from her! Everyone else, hold your attacks!” Storbon put the scroll away and grabbed his spear as Setsuko took a potion to increase her speed and fired arrows at the moving pile of moss.

Its shrieking changed in pitch as it turned toward her. As it moved, it grew larger and stronger, but it was like a vacuum, destroying the ground that was underneath it.

“I’ve got it!” Setsuko called out as the floating moss rushed toward her.

She started running, keeping ahead of the moss and firing back at it.

“Ranged attacks—spread out. If it turns on you, pace yourself and stop attacking to let Setsuko or Yao Meng regain aggro,” Storbon yelled.

“Normal arrows only go through, don’t do much damage. Need to use attribute arrows,” Setsuko reported after having cycled through her arrow selection to find out more from their opponent.

“Area of effect attacks if you can,” Storbon said. They needed to grab the weaknesses of the floating moss and quickly. If they could find how to weaken and hurt it rapidly, then the fight was as good as over. If they couldn’t find a method, then this second level would be as far as they made it in the battlefield dungeon.

Setsuko expertly kited it around the open area, keeping it far enough away from the main party that they had time to react if they lost aggro, but close enough that their ranged attacks could still hit.

Yao Meng expertly switched off as she took a breather and downed a Stamina concoction.

The moss was getting smaller as it covered up its wounds, the old destroyed sections falling to the ground.

“It’s slowing,” Glosil said, hesitantly at first, but his words got everyone’s attention. “When it goes over the areas it has already traveled, its speed drops.”

Storbon looked at the dead lines that were left in the moss’s passage.

“If I was to make a guess, I think that the moss is consuming the energy of the plants it passes over, allowing it to move. Once it passes over an already consumed area, then it doesn’t have that much energy—it can’t pull from its environment and has to use its own,” Yuli said.

“Meng! Keep the moss over the areas it has already traveled. It should weaken and slow it down,” Storbon said through the party-linked sound transmission devices.

“On it, boss!”

Meng led the moss back to a dead patch of ground and it started to slow down. They continued to attack it, burning away more of the moss. It fell apart even faster than before.

The moss didn’t move to the greener areas filled with life, only pursuing Yao Meng, who only had to move at a slight jog.

Finally the moss fell apart and collapsed onto the ground in a mound of half-burned brown moss with a tombstone above it.

Yuli’s last spell was dismissed as a grenade went off.

“Looks like we cleared the second level,” Storbon said.

“You have passed the second level of the battlefield dungeon.” Egbert’s voice confirmed Storbon’s words.

Everyone was covered in a golden glow as Experience entered their bodies.

Glosil shook his head. He seemed a lot more relaxed than normal. Without having to worry about being the boss, he was even having fun.

“Don’t worry, we’ve got plenty more levels to go.” Yao Meng smiled and then looked at the brown mass by his feet. “How the hell do we harvest this?” Yao Meng crouched down, pulling out his alchemical tools as he started to test the leftover brown moss.

Chapter: Dervin Swamp Event

The group was moving through the swamp, their guard up as a ranger led the way.

“So when did you guys drop in?” Matt asked Erik and Rugrat in a low voice.

“Nearly over a year ago now. You?” Rugrat asked as Erik checked on the casualties. The rest of the group watched them closely.

“A year, maybe two, hard to tell times with different realms and seasons. It was all this government conspiracy, UFO stuff when I left,” Matt said.

“Do you know why it happens?” Erik asked.

“I’ve looked into it, went and talked to a few people and studied in a few libraries. No one knows why it happens. The Ten Realms has always had people in it. There aren’t just humans; there are other intelligent species, even half beast races and elementals. Looks like the Ten Realms just does it to add new blood and ideas into the Ten Realms. It happens randomly and the people are picked without any care for their physical status, age, position, or what they’ve done.”

“There are gods—maybe they’re the ones?” Rugrat asked.

“The gods are gods in name only. They’ve reached the pinnacle of the Ten Realms, but that doesn’t mean that they can control the Ten Realms, just parts of the population in it.

“Take the Alchemist Association or the Blue Lotus. It is known that the Alchemist Association was built by the Alchemy god. It has strict guidelines on who can join but if one wants to be tested on their skill, they must do so freely. The Alchemist Association is more like a university back on Earth. You can join the religion but you still have your job, house, and rest of your life unless you dedicate yourself totally and become a teacher, department head or whatever. If you’re tested and become a part of the Alchemist Association, you can still open your own sect, or join Alchemy sects. It just grades and says that you’re qualified while giving access to more items. Those resources aren’t free but they’re at least available,” Matt explained.

“What about the Blue Lotus?” Erik asked.

“The Blue Lotus has an incredible amount of power. Even the Alchemist Association members are highly respectful to them. I’m thinking that the god that made the Blue Lotus is a bit more powerful, or they have some immense powerful backing to be stronger than a god,” Matt said.

“How was Earth when you left?” Matt asked after a few moments.

“It was normal. People were getting used to it. Treat it like a new kind of cancer, just a death sentence for someone who gets the Two-Week Curse. Everyone knows about it. Few thousand people have gone missing by now,” Rugrat said.

“Have you met others?” Erik asked.

“No, you’re the first ones. Not many people make it past the First Realm and there are trillions of people over the Ten Realms. A few thousand people from Earth? Going to be near to impossible to meet them. You found anyone?” Matt asked.

“Only you,” Rugrat said.

They fell into an awkward silence for some time.

Erik cleared his throat. “So you’re a summoner?”

“Yeah, though I’m hoping to build up some contacts with the Sha people. They’re big in the Fourth Realm—war fighting group, have gunpowder weapons,” Matt said conspiratorially.

“Yeah?” Rugrat leaned in closer.

“They come down to the Third to get ingredients for their gunpowder—don’t really sell to outsiders. I don’t have that kind of ability with making the items. I was an architect back on Earth. How about you guys?”

“Basically a monk, healing, and punching,” Erik said.

“Ranged rogue.” Rugrat pulled out one of his crossbows and passed it to Matt.

Matt grabbed it and looked it over. A smile appeared on his face, seeing the geared system from compound bows back on Earth. “Well shit, how much you asking for?”

“Forty gold,” Rugrat said.

Matt looked it over. “I can do twenty-five.”

“Thirty-four,” Rugrat said.

“Thirty-two and you’ve got a deal.”

“Done,” Rugrat said.

Matt pulled out the gold and passed it to Rugrat.

A chittering roar came through the forest that made everyone’s hairs stand on edge.

“What the hell is that?” Erik hissed.

“It looks like the other corrupted Elkta picked up our trail,” Clarissa said.

“Pick up the pace. I don’t want to be stuck in no event. Leave it for the military types to bolster their Strength,” she said.

The ranger nodded and pushed on faster.

More growls and roars answered the first as trees could be heard breaking in the distance.

“Sounds like they’re not too happy.” Rugrat pulled out another crossbow.

“You got any more bolts?” Matt asked.

“Reloader, three gold; arrows, four gold per dozen,” Rugrat said.

“That’s nuts!”

“Demand and supply.” Rugrat looked back and grinned before pulling out a reloader and a quiver of bolts and passed them to Matt, who smiled even in the tense situation.

“What kind of creatures can you summon?” Erik asked.

“Shadow wolf, scarenn swarm, and variant lightning wolf that you guys saw,” Matt said.

“Okay.” Erik nodded.

There was a grunting noise from the side as a tree was launched, sailing through the air and slamming into one of the people in the caravan. They didn’t have time to scream as the tree trunk crushed their skull against a boulder.

A couple cried out and the others pulled out their weapons. One ran over the tombstone, taking their gear as their body started to dissipate.

An Elkta charged through the swamp. Its rotting body slammed through the trees and brackish water.

It wasn’t alone; four other Elkta could be seen approaching.

The group didn’t slow down as the ranged members started to hit the Elktas. They yelled out as their wooden bodies were hit but they didn’t stop, the pain only fueling their rage.

“We need to slow the Elkta, get some distance—break them down and hit them when they’re alone,” Erik yelled.

“I’m summoning my shadow wolf. It can hit them from behind and his attacks are stronger when unseen,” Matt said.

“Hold the ropes for the beasts,” Rugrat yelled, firing with his crossbow.

Erik raised his hands. Mana bolts shot out of his hands, tearing at an Elkta as it turned away, trying to stop the relentless barrage.

The Elkta continued right into their formation.

“Buffs!” a melee type yelled out. His body glowed red as Erik stopped firing on the Elkta with Mana bolts, revealing its burned and damaged body.

Buffs fell on the man as his aura jumped in power.

He ran forward. His hand slid over the blade, coating it in poison. As he dodged the Elkta’s front foot, his sword shot out, cutting off the Elkta’s leg. He jumped to the side, touching on a boulder and jumping above the Elkta. He grabbed the Elkta’s side, using the vines to gain purchase as he stabbed his sword into the Elkta’s side and then ripped it out, covered in green blood.

The Elkta tried to hit him but its missing leg made it tilt to the side. The swordsman jumped away and springboarded forward, again stabbing into the Elkta’s back.

He went for a third blow as the Elkta was having a hard time getting back up.

“Louie, get back here! It’ll be hard to move!”

Two more Elkta were rushing the formation. The other two were slower, but only just.

Rugrat turned, digging his feet in as he slid around. He pulled out two crossbows, applying Explosive Shot and firing the crossbows, storing them afterwards and taking out new ones, allowing him to fire as if he had a semi-automatic rifle.

There was no fear, no confusion on his face, just reaction, altering his aim to be in line with the Elkta’s movements.

The Explosive Shots hit true as the Elkta was leaping over a boulder. One hit it in the neck, another in the chest. The explosions covered it in poison and burns.

The Elkta’s roars were silenced as more bolts hit it in the arms and face.

“Covering!” Erik yelled as he was on a rise, firing at the same Elkta with Mana bullets. Each bullet cracked as it passed through the sound barrier. They were more compressed and powerful as they hit deep.

Matt’s shadow wolf appeared. It was thin, looking like a thing made from black vapor. Its claws shining as it cut at the Elkta, tearing out the back of its leg and making it fall forward.

“Moving!” Rugrat yelled. He turned and ran, bounding past Erik and covering one hundred meters in seconds.

Erik looked at the other Elkta that was closing off to his side. The rest of the group was dealing with it.

A holy bolt of light hit it, burning a hole in its front arm.

Arrows stuck out of it, leaking green blood. Louie, using his buffed strength, rushed in and used a bola. The weighted cord wrapped up the Elkta, causing it to slam face first into the swamp, falling into a pool and sending a wave of water forward.

Creatures that had been hiding under the water’s surface appeared, attacking the Elkta that had entered their territory, shredding its face.

“Covering!” Rugrat yelled, shooting past Erik.

Erik turned and ran toward him, seeing the group all fanned out, still running. Matt was with the two startled beasts, keeping them contained and checking on the wounded.

Erik put his hand on Jaidong. The man was stable, still unconscious as he was strapped to Erik’s back.

Erik didn’t even feel his weight anymore as he passed Rugrat and turned around again.

“Frag out!” Rugrat yelled. He hurled a grenade at a new Elkta that was passing the one Rugrat had peppered with arrows and Erik with Mana bullets.

The grenade went off as if it were a fifty-pound bomb.

The Elkta was pushed to the side, having to fight to keep its footing as it rushed forward, madness in its eyes.

Another entered the fight and directly used its thorn attack.

Matt let out a cry as he was hit, protecting the two beasts.

Erik gathered Mana in his hand and cast Simple Ranged Heal. The healing spell fell on Matt, reversing the effects of the thorn.

There were two others hit by the thorns. Erik hurled Simple Ranged Heal at them, but the group was coming to a stop.

“Group together!” Erik yelled.

“Covering!” Erik yelled as he fired on the second Elkta that was focused on Rugrat.

Rugrat turned and ran back.

“Do as he says. We’ll pull back slowly, lame these two, and then keep going!” Clarissa said.

The group started to move, two grabbing the wounded and pulling them back first.

“Covering!” Rugrat yelled.

“Moving!” Erik turned and ran back, passing him and heading for where the group was forming up.

Erik checked his Mana; it was nearly refilled.

He cast Hallowed Ground. A spell formation appeared on the ground for a second before a faint red mist materialized above the ground before turning into faint flames.

People started healing in the three-meter-wide area.

“Melee to the front! Ready yourselves!” Clarissa said.

“If the Elkta reach the circle, they’ll be burned,” Erik said, having to swallow. He was drained of all energy.

He turned and pulled out a grenade, pulling the pin and tossing it over Rugrat and putting it right in the Elkta’s path. “Move!” Erik yelled.

The grenade went off, cutting up the Elkta’s face and chest.

Rugrat used the cover to rush backward.

Roots shot out from one of the three lamed Elktas that were still ambling forward with their serious injuries.

They appeared in the Hallowed Ground, burning and slowing, as the melee types attacked them.

Erik smashed his fist into one that tried to spear him. It exploded as Rugrat passed him. He turned and went toward the Hallowed Ground. He’d recovered enough Mana; a surge of power rushed out of him as the Hallowed Ground expanded to four meters wide.

These Elktas are big targets but they can take the punishment.

Another person was struck with a root that shot through the ground, going through their leg.

Another cut the root, leaving the wooden root in the person’s leg.

The Hallowed Ground was burning the root away and healing the person at the same time but not everyone was inside the Hallowed Ground.

“I’m running out of loaded crossbows. I’ve got ten left,” Rugrat said to Erik, leaving him a silent question. Should I use my rifle?

Another Elkta unleashed its thorn attack as it rushed forward.

Matt was there in time to create a Mana barrier, stopping it from hitting everyone. He quickly downed a blue potion. The paleness in his cheeks faded as the shadow wolf appeared behind the charging Elkta and raked its stomach, leaving a trail of green blood as the surprised Elkta let out a cry of pain.

With the wounded, they could move but only slowly; if the Elkta caught up to them, they’d be done for. If the Elkta got too close, they could use their close-range attacks to reap lives.

“I’m going to need buffs. Rugrat, get ready.” Erik untied the straps connecting him to Jaidong. He looked to the mages but they weren’t casting any buffs, ignoring him and casting them on their own people.

“Clarissa,” Matt said.

“We don’t have enough to go around,” she said, clearly putting a line between them.

Erik let out a bitter laugh. “Fuck it.” He stopped supporting the Hallowed Ground. Without the strain, his Mana started to refill quickly.

He rushed out at the Elkta. Freed from his load, he could move swiftly. He jumped between trees, using them to get higher. He jumped over an Elkta’s head as it tried to swipe him back down to the ground. Erik barely got a hold on the Elkta. He wrapped his left arm in a vine and used his right to smash into the Elkta repeatedly. Under the repeated hits, he pierced the Elkta’s back and fired Mana bullets out of his hand.

The Elkta cried out in pain and reared up as Rugrat fired.

The round pierced through the Elkta’s head, blowing a dinner plate-sized hole through it, ending its yells.

Erik pulled out his green blood-covered hand. He paid no attention to the new tombstone and launched off, running at his next target. He dropped to the ground as its arm expanded, sweeping over his head as Erik hit rocks and tree branches.

Rugrat fired over Erik, hitting the Elkta’s other leg and dropping it. It slammed into the ground and flipped over.

Erik rolled over and got up, his legs forgetting how to work as he fought against the pain and discomfort.

He jumped forward and punched the Elkta in the head. Each of his hits flowed, with his muscles and his Mana empowering each other. His second blow pierced the Elkta’s eyes, making it cry out and nearly tossing Erik, who held on and used Mana Bolt inside the Elkta’s head.

Pure chaotic Mana surged into the Elkta’s head, causing it to explode and sending Erik flying backward.

He hit a boulder and slammed into the ground.

His vision was blurry, his head pounding. He spat out dirt and shattered teeth as he pulled out healing powders and poured them into his mouth.

The shadow wolf hit another Elkta, causing it to fall to the ground. Rugrat fired into it.

His rounds punched holes into it, but still it wouldn’t die.

The three that they had maimed were moving forward still, pressuring the group.

“With me!” Louie yelled out.

“Louie!” Clarissa yelled.

Louie didn’t care as he rushed forward, leading the melee types, passing Erik and striking out at the Elkta. One was hit and sent flying by the blow; another was crushed under an Elkta’s feet.

Erik grunted and ran forward into the chaos as spells rained down on the Elktas.

Erik used his strength to put the Elkta off-balance, opening them up for hits and taking their attention away from others.

Four more people were injured and one killed before they destroyed all of the Elkta.

Erik cast Hallowed Ground, organizing people. “Put the wounded into the Hallowed Ground. Protect outward. Give them Stamina and health concoctions if you have them.

“Rugrat, I need your help. I’ll triage; you stabilize,” Erik said.

“On it,” Rugrat said.

Erik’s head was starting to clear. His body hurt but he wasn’t critically injured.

People were brought in front of him. He ran through them, prioritizing them and passing them to others to be watched or stabilized by Rugrat if they were in a bad way.

Erik used his spells to pull the worst together. He didn’t heal them all the way, just making sure that they wouldn’t die and moved on.

It was some forty minutes later before he stopped.

“Why aren’t you healing them all the way?” Clarissa demanded.

“They’ll live and they’re stable. Stamina and health concoctions will sort them out. Not sure what might happen so I’ll heal them periodically but I want to have Mana to use in a fight,” Erik said.

Clarissa looked as if she wanted to say something but looked over to Rugrat instead, a hint of fear in her eyes.

“Oh, and we’ll need an oath by the Ten Realms that you never saw us,” Rugrat added.

He hadn’t missed Clarissa denying Erik’s request for buffs.

“I swear on the Ten Realms that I will not reveal anything that is related to Erik and Rugrat to any other soul without prior permission,” Matt said without pause. The light of the Ten Realms fell on him.

Clarissa grit her teeth and shot an accusatory look at Matt.

Louie followed up, with the others adding in theirs. Clarissa gave hers but glared at Erik as she did so.

“Didn’t think you’d side with a fucking Sha, Matt,” Clarissa spat before leaving.

Matt grimaced as he followed Clarissa. Some stayed to watch the wounded but the rest followed to have a meeting.

Rugrat whistled and circled his finger next to his head. “Loco.”

“Si,” Erik said and pulled up his notifications.

==========

Event

==========

You have killed the corrupted Elktas, the forest spirits of the Dervin Swamp. Investigate the Elkta and find out what corrupted them.

Clear the corruption from Dervin Swamp.

==========

==========

Skill: Hand-to-Hand

==========

Level: 46 (Apprentice)

==========

Attacks cost 20% less Stamina

==========

==========

Skill: Throwables

==========

Level: 28 (Apprentice)

==========

Your throws gain 5% power

==========

==========

Upon advancing into the Apprentice level of Throwables, you will be rewarded with one randomly selected item related to this skill.

==========

You have received the item: Flowing wave

+10,000 EXP

==========

Erik reached out and a glow appeared above his hand. The light resolved into a throwing spear with intricate carvings up and down its body that looked like flowing waves charging forward against the cliffs, their momentum unstoppable.

“It’s only Apprentice grade.” Erik sighed and put it away in his storage ring as he appraised it quickly. Pretty but not the strongest item he could get.

“Pay the man if you want a throwing spear,” Rugrat said as he had unloaded his rifle and was checking it.

Erik read out his last notifications.

==========

Skill: Healer

==========

Level: 57 (Journeyman)

==========

You have become familiar with the body and the arts of repairing it. Healing spells now cost 5% less Mana and Stamina.

==========

==========

219,739/700,000 EXP till you reach Level 26

==========

His healing skill was still increasing but he’d needed to heal more people with different injuries to increase his skill level.

He went back up to the event information.

Matt walked back from the meeting some time later.

“Matt, do you know where these screwed-up Elktas are coming from?” Erik asked.

Matt shrugged. “I don’t have a clue. We can take a look at the bodies, though. Also, Clarissa might not like it but they’ve agreed that you should get four of the Elktas of your choosing. If it wasn’t for you, two more would have died.”

“Do you know how to harvest Elktas and the useful bits?” Rugrat asked.

“I know a bit of how to take them apart. To the right person, they can be worth a lot. These ones are corrupted, so they’ve been absorbing Mana not to their Affinity, which has caused them to mutate. Makes them good fertilizer for mixed-Affinity plants. Alchemists are always looking for fertilizer. Might be best to just take them all and sell them. They’re worth a few hundred gold in total, not including the three monster cores it should have, and it should have at least one variant core,” Matt said.

“Let’s take a look,” Erik said.

They walked over to the Elkta. After a few minutes, they simply cut them up and stored them in their storage rings. They could clean them up and see which parts people wanted to buy later.

Matt had a dark look on his face as he smelled a piece of bark from the Elkta. “I think that these Elkta found something in the swamp with an Earth Affinity. The Elkta, finding the different attribute, went to go and find it and eliminate it and were contaminated.”

“Aren’t Earth and Wood the same thing?” Rugrat asked.

“The attribute system is lined up with the Eastern system, not the Western,” Matt said.

“Well, how the hell are we going to find that?” Rugrat asked.

Erik had a random thought and pulled up his titles. He used his ability Dungeon Sense. He looked off to the side. Four kilometers away, his Dungeon Sense had picked something up.

“Matt, do you want to come with us, or stay with your band?” Erik asked directly.

“I basically paired up with them for a job and to earn some coin. Clarissa tolerates me but she doesn’t like having another high-powered mage around—makes her feel threatened. If you’d be okay with it, I’d like to join up with you guys. I have some Sha contacts as well to help with weapons,” Matt said.

“Welcome aboard.” Rugrat slapped Matt on the back.

Matt stumbled forward but didn’t fall over.

“All right, we need to lose the group. Then it’s time to go hunting. Maybe we can upgrade our core again.” Erik gave Rugrat a look.

“A core core?” Rugrat confirmed. “Well shit, we need to get to that thing, though?”

“Yeah, but if we can get this, we can solve our money issue and strengthen our place, or we can take it over and make it a separate point for us to go to. I can do the test again at a later time,” Erik said.

“All right, I’m up for a challenge,” Rugrat said with a big smile plastered on his face.

==========

Event

==========

You have found the location where the Elktas were corrupted. Search the location.

Clear the corruption from Dervin Swamp.

==========

“This event is like the worst privacy settings I’ve ever seen on a phone and it doesn’t care. If I talk about dog toys, am I going to get blasted with ads?” Rugrat muttered.

“Phones—I haven’t thought about those in a while.” Matt laughed.

“Let’s go talk with the group and split.” Erik walked back toward where the group was, getting ready to move out.

Chapter: Gaining Power

Qin was in her old residence, looking out at the gardens as night approached.

“It feels strange, brother Yui,” Qin said, sensing Yui’s approach.

“What does?” Yui sat down in a seat opposite her.

They had dinner with their father and brother as well as a few of their old friends, only finishing a short while ago, but Qin felt different—strange and removed from it all.

“It feels like it’s home, but there’s a wall between it and me now.” Qin looked to Yui with a confused expression.

Yui took a deep breath and looked out at the garden. “That’s because this is merely the place that we grew up. It’s not our home anymore.” His voice was heavy, filled with memories and their past.

Qin fell quiet as she didn’t know what to say.

“You’ve become really powerful recently. Now I don’t think even I can defeat you.” Yui laughed, changing the subject.

Qin smiled slightly. With her being such a low level, being in the party that went to the Metal floor, her level had increased rapidly, jumping over ten levels in one shot.

“Are you okay from that trip? I know that it was hard on you,” Yui said in a soft voice.

“I’ve never seen anything like that, or been in anything like that before.” Qin paused, unsure what to say, how to convey it to someone who wasn’t there.

“You were scared, terrified, but alive; every action you took had a reaction. You had a purpose, a driving force, and it was electric to be part of a team that had real and direct impact. You were running at your peak performance, and it was exhilarating but that fear never left, it never went away, you just had to push it to the side?” Yui said.

Qin was shocked by his words. The feeling from back then gripped her stomach in fear but made her legs, arms, and chest flush with energy. “I want it again,” she said in a low voice.

Yui shook his head and laughed. “Then I think it’s time you learned a bit more about combat magics.”

“I want it, but I was useless there, just some girl from a compound who has been guarded all of her life. I wasn’t able to do anything to help. So what if I felt purpose in it and I wanted to help out? I wasn’t able to,” Qin said, dismissing his words.

“It is easy to feel powerless. I know I did. When I started, everyone was able to beat me up. There are still a lot who can. I can draw with a number of them, but their techniques, their abilities—they don’t hold anything back.

“While I was studying fighting quietly here, I wasn’t in real life-and-death fights. The defense of their village put them through those fights, opened their eyes to it. It was only when I was in the Beast Mountain Range and fighting beasts there that I felt the fear of nearly dying. The knowledge of just how much the people around me relied on me. How my actions could lead to them or me dying. You’ve got a great talent in magic. Your Mana Regeneration is alarming. If you could open more of your Mana gates, you’d be one of the top mages,” Yui said with no shred of exaggeration.

Qin was about to say something when Yui held up his hand, silencing her.

A few moments later and she heard it too. Footsteps. She smiled at their familiar sound.

“Dad?” she asked as Elan appeared on the balcony too.

“I was wondering where you two had gone hiding.” He moved to the chairs. “This has always been a peaceful spot.” He took his time to look over the garden and the small river and waterfall in its center.

“As it is after dinner, are you interested in the business proposal that we bring?” Yui asked.

“Seems that you are a merchant’s son after all.” Elan smiled at his son’s tactics, remembering his father’s lessons. “Fine. Tell me what the terms are.” He looked at Yui in interest.

“Monster cores for sale in bulk, including Mortal variants. Also...” Yui looked around and listened to make sure that no one was close. “Purchasing of Mana stones—twelve hundred gold for a Mortal-grade Mana stone. Negotiations are open for Mana-grade cornerstones,” Yui said, dropping the bomb in Elan’s lap.

He frowned, his look becoming deeper and completely serious. “For those kinds of resources...” Elan shook his head as he saw the looks his children were giving him.

“I have a few people I can ask about this kind of thing. Mana stones are a symbol of power. In the First Realm, they aren’t that useful for people and they’re hard to move. Most are sold to the Blue Lotus for a flat fee of one thousand gold. There have been kingdoms in the past that have propped themselves up on a Mortal-grade Mana cornerstone.”

Yui and Qin looked at each other. They knew that they were expensive and worth a lot, but then the resources that they were in contact with day in and day out were not simple nor cheap items. They had become numb to it.

Although Alva Dungeon was burning through these resources rapidly, the cost associated with them was comparable to what small kingdoms could produce.

Being away from everything and just in Alva Dungeon has screwed up my sense of scale, what with Erik and Rugrat going to the Third Realm, Special Team Two in the Second Realm, Special Team One in the battlefield dungeon and having returned from the Second Realm.

“So how long are you with us for?” Elan asked.

“Four or five days. We don’t want to fall behind,” Qin said.

Elan’s smile weakened and then grew brighter. “I’m happy to see you so strong. You’re more than old enough to forge your own future. Just know that you will always have a place here.” He looked to them both.

“Thanks, Dad,” Qin said as Yui nodded, both of them touched by their father’s sentiments.

***

Storbon and the rest of the party grunted as they made it back into the teleport room and laid down on the ground.

“Screw the Earth floor—everything is twice as heavy!” Tian Cui complained.

“Don’t forget twice as strong.” Ian took off his dented armor and put it to the side, rubbing his side as he took a healing powder.

It was their sixth opponent—a bren, a heavy creature with six limbs to distribute its heavy weight. Its skin was like a boulder’s, worn smooth from constant sandstorms.

It could thump on the ground, creating a small tremor to make people fall over, and it could call up a small sandstorm, sending it flying at its opponents, cutting them with the high speed sand driven by high winds.

Yuli, Yao Meng, and Storbon were all cleaning out their wounds and pouring healing powder into them.

They looked out at the desert land. Setsuko and Glosil were dealing with the beast, breaking it down as the others treated their wounds.

“All right, let’s see if there is any loot in the rest of the desert.” Storbon pulled out a scarf and glasses, putting them on to protect himself. Random sandstorms happened in the battlefield and getting sand in your eyes wasn’t a good time.

He checked his wounds and trudged back out into the sand, walking counter-clockwise, looking around for anything that might be valuable.

“Hopefully can find something good this time,” Storbon said. I wonder just what this stuff is worth.

He knew that the hides of the harvested creatures would be worth a fair sum based on his tailor’s knowledge. Yao Meng, with his background in Alchemy, said that the ingredients would be useful as well, but they couldn’t come up with anything like accurate prices.

They’d all gained at least a level or two since entering the battlefield dungeon. Glosil was quickly catching up to them in terms of levels. Being a lower level than them and the beasts, his Experience multiplier was rather high.

He’d left behind the skin of an officer and showed his fighting talent. Storbon thought that he might be able to beat Glosil in terms of stats, but not in overall combat strength.

“I hope the next one is a Water world,” Yao Meng said. “It’s the only one we haven’t seen yet.”

“We don’t have water-breathing potions and there’s no knowing if there will be any land on a water level,” Storbon said.

“Well, come on, then we wouldn’t have a chance!” Yao Meng complained.

“Egbert said that there should be some land but we don’t know how much,” Yuli said.

“Otherwise we make our own land, with Yuli creating an ice sheet for us,” Storbon said.

They were back in their combat mindset, fully engaged with the battle in front of them.

It was something that was hard to explain, but it pushed them all to remember their training better, to fight harder and increased their lethality through every means.

They looked like hell, but they fought like demons.

Hopefully we’ve passed enough creatures to allow us another round. I wonder what’s in the prize hall.

Chapter: Temple of Earth’s Divinity

“You really want to go with them?” Clarissa hissed as she talked to Matt. Louie and the other heads of the trading caravan were around as well, a look of disappointment in their eyes.

“I’ve made my decision,” Matt said, not backing down in the slightest.

“They might seem kind but they will turn on you in an instant,” Clarissa said. She might not like having another mage in the group but she knew the value of Matt. He was not only good with magic but also talented in other areas as well.

The rest of the heads all looked at Matt as well.

“Seems to be a running theme in the Third Realm,” Matt shot back. His eyes thinned. He was a nice and calm guy most of the time, but he wasn’t blind to her actions or what happened around him.

Clarissa closed her mouth and looked away as if she had been slapped.

“He’s a Sha though,” Louie said, concern in his voice. “They’re a group that lives for fighting and hold the most powerful empires in the Third Realm.”

Matt let out a laugh and shook his head. “We’re from the same place. They’re a bit south from me.”

The others looked at Matt in alarm. All of them were born and raised in the third realm but he didn’t hide that he was from somewhere else. They didn’t know if it was the first or third realm. Some of them looked down on him for it, others looked at him with praise making it this far.

The way he talked about Erik and Rugrat it made it seem like they were much closer than just a realm apart.

“Maybe he’ll even make me a gun, though sounds like he’ll want some coin for it,” Matt grumbled before shrugging. “Well, have a good one. I’ll see you later!” With that, Matt left.

None of them tried to hold him back; he had pretty much admitted that he was a Sha as well.

Matt went over to Erik and Rugrat, who had packed up their gear. They had sold their mounts to the caravan. With three of them, they couldn’t ride just the two beasts and they were walking toward a fight. The beasts might flee in the fighting, and they didn’t have time to worry about them.

“Fifty gold, not bad,” Rugrat said as Matt joined them.

“Okay, so, where are we going?” Matt asked as they started walking.

Erik used his sound transmission instead of talking out loud in case the others were listening. “We’re going dungeon hunting.”

Matt heard those words and his eyes jumped out of his skull as he stared at Erik and Rugrat in alarm.

Erik and Rugrat grinned as they walked, looking like old veterans once again walking into the breach.

“Don’t worry—it should be fun. Probably make some Experience and coin on it,” Rugrat said, using his sound transmission as well as he turned back around.

Erik was in the lead, casting a spell through his feet to make sure that they didn’t walk into any monster ambushes or walk into a swamp.

Matt looked back to the other group but they were already starting to pack up and leave.

“You coming?” Rugrat asked, seeing him lagging behind.

“On my way,” Matt said. “So, you said that you need to get somewhere. Were you looking for this dungeon?”

“Nah. We need to get to—what’s that place called?”

“Khusai,” Erik supplied.

“Yeah, Erik isn’t just a healer—he’s an alchemist as well. Made it through the first round of some application thing, needs to pass through the second part and then onto the Alchemist Association proper. Though we kind of offended someone. See, Erik here is actually good at something other than punching the fuck out of monsters. He placed second, upset the lord of the city’s son, so he—well, he chased us, probably wanted to do the whole I’m an arrogant prick rah rah, gimme my place ’cause I wanna be a big alchemist!” Rugrat’s voice turned to that of baby speak. “Yeah, so we got out of there, but now we need to get to Khusai.”

“Well, we can use caravans, though; sounds like this prick might be looking for you. Ran into it myself in the First Realm—when I had a knife on me, some fucker wanted to steal it. Keep your shit hidden. Anyway, there are also aerial rides that we can book from some of the cities, using those to travel to Khusai faster.”

“See, I knew it would be good bringing him along!” Rugrat said.

Matt rolled his eyes and smiled. It felt good to be with people from Earth, to have a connection with people again. He had moved between caravans and the realms, wanting to explore and see more. He knew that the Ten Realms weren’t kind and he knew that he’d face a lot of danger in the future, but he’d have a good time doing it.

***

“How are your Mana channels?” Erik asked as they were walking.

Matt looked to them in question as Rugrat responded.

“Had to use the rifle because they were strained to the limit,” Rugrat admitted, clenching his fist. “I think I tore them a bit. I was able to heal them, but there was scarring left. I’m not able to heal them with just spells now,” Rugrat said.

“We’ll find a way to fix it,” Erik promised. Matt nodded as well.

“Well, I like to be the bearer of good news: I can feel concentrated Earth-attribute Mana up ahead, not far now,” Rugrat said.

Matt readied his crossbow as Erik circulated his Mana, pushing forward.

It wasn’t long until he felt the change in Mana.

Using it as a guide, they moved forward, finding a large rock formation that looked as though it had been split into two. Swamp water drained into a hole that was revealed in the middle of it.

Where the swamp and that opening met, one could feel the Mana interacting. The pure Earth-attribute Mana was absorbing the Water-attribute Mana while the Wood element Mana was trying to break up and insert its power into the Earth Mana.

Although on a Mana sense it was chaos, in the middle of the swamp, an island of plants were flourishing, cleansing the heavy Water- and Wood-attribute Mana. The Earth-attribute Mana was stronger and it was advancing more but they were coexisting on the edges.

“As more of the Earth-attribute Mana is released, this swamp will be transformed and changed into a forest.” Erik looked into the hole. He could see light inside.

“We’ll make entry and see what we can find. We’ll see how far we can get. Then, Rugrat, I want you to use your Dungeon Sense, find us where that dungeon core is. Once we have that, we can control the dungeon or destroy it.”

“Sounds good,” Rugrat said.

Matt looked at the forest that was growing before focusing back on Erik.

“I can summon a shadow wolf to go inside and scout it out. It can’t report anything, but it’ll update our maps. There is a chance that it will be discovered, though,” Matt said.

“Worth it to get some extra recon,” Rugrat said. “Tight enclosed space.”

“Do it. The more we know, the better,” Erik said.

Matt started the summoning ritual and the vapor-like shadow wolf appeared.

“All right, Sally, go and check out that dungeon over there for me, will you?” Matt asked.

“Look, I know that Peter is a bully, but he’s your brother, all right?” Matt talked to the summon as he scratched behind her ears.

She let out a small yelp.

“I know. I’ll be harder on him. I need your help for something really important. You did so well with the Elkta. I want you to go into that opening there, go and find what’s on the other side. Could you do that for me?” Matt’s tone changed to dog talk as he gave Sally heavy petting.

“Yes. Who’s a good wolf? Yes, you are.”

Finally Sally walked off toward the opening, disappearing into the shadows before heading into the dungeon.

“So, summons—they like real creatures?” Rugrat asked.

“Well, you can go to certain holy places and find spirits there that can be summoned, or you can purchase them from different stores. Some people use them as beasts to do their bidding. They can, but then they don’t grow. With summons, you can use certain materials to help them grow, but they can also grow by themselves if they want to.

“They help me out and I give them Mana, but I don’t need to treat them like slaves. Summoned creatures leave once their owner is killed, but after some time, they want to act upon the world. They need a person to supply them Mana and summon them from wherever they are.”

Mat pulled out his map and was looking at it. As Sally moved through the dungeon, the map updated.

Sally went to the right. There was a locked door and then a portcullis.

“I can supply her enough power to change into vapor and enter the room, but then I won’t be able to support her long. And if there’s another door, I don’t think I’d be able to help her get past it,” Matt said.

“Let’s backtrack and see what we can find,” Rugrat said.

Sally retraced her steps and went through the halls. She reached a door. It took some time but she forced it open and entered a room. There were no other exits and she left the room, turning right. She traced out some more corridors before she reached another door. She passed it and entered the room.

“There’s danger! There must be something in there!” Matt said.

“Call her back. Get her to get the creature to follow,” Erik said.

“We’ll bring it out into the swamp. It’ll be weaker without the Earth attribute. I’ll get it into the swamp water. Rugrat, Matt—you hit it. I’ll keep it tied up and try to give you openings.”

“Take this.” Rugrat passed Matt a storage ring with loaded crossbows.

“Thanks.”

“Just don’t shoot me in the ass!” Erik moved to the split rocks, pressing his back to the wall. “Give me a description of it as you see it,” Erik called out.

“Got it!” Rugrat had moved to a new vantage point as Matt moved off to the other side with a loaded crossbow.

Erik tried to calm his breathing. Everything sounded as if it were too loud and that whatever was coming was sure to find out about him.

He circulated Mana through his body, ready to unleash it all in a moment. His muscles coiled, ready to act.

Sally flew out of the opening. A screeching noise could be heard.

Erik was reminded of pterodactyls for some reason.

There was a scraping noise as the beast seemed to have missed the doorway.

Erik felt the ground shaking as it ran forward.

“Looks like a fucking T-rex but has a face like a vacuum cleaner. Five talons. Lots of fucking teeth. And three eyes, top and both sides! Green!” Rugrat yelled out.

The beast shot out from the rocks, scraping the walls with its large body.

Erik rushed out at the beast but it seemed to know about him. Its barbed tail whipped out and hit Erik in the chest, sending him flying, smashing into a tree and rolling into the swamp.

It lost interest with the wolf and jumped with its two powerful legs.

Erik used his feet to push back, sliding through the mud and grime.

Rugrat and Matt opened fire.

One of the talons from its umbrella-like mouth hit his leg but the armor saved Erik as he was able to scramble up to his feet.

A grenade appeared in his hand and he tossed it. The creature seemed to know what it was; using its tail, it smacked the grenade away and hit Erik again.

It turned to face Rugrat and Matt. Its leg muscles contracted but Sally came in, latching onto the creature’s back leg, making it stumble forward instead of jump.

Erik had been tossed in the direction of the grenade and was scrambling through the waist-thick mud.

Matt was having a hard time landing hits. Rugrat missed a few times as well. The grenade went off, a fountain of mud and gas.

Erik rolled out of the mud as the beast’s talons tore into Sally, making her howl before Matt canceled the summon.

Anger seemed to make him shoot better as more of his arrows hit the beast that was bleeding from several hits on its scaled hide.

The beast let out a high-pitched roar, its umbrella-like mouth shaking into the sky.

Erik’s eardrums ruptured and blood came out of them as the world turned painful and confusing, his balance thrown off.

He fought to try to keep where he was going, throwing healing powder around his head in a bid to get it in his ear. He used Focused Heal and tossed Simple Ranged Heal at Matt. Thankfully, it was a lock-on spell and reached him as he was screaming out, rolling on the ground.

Erik jumped and grabbed the creature’s neck. “Hallowed Ground!” Erik called out. He needed the words to focus his mind. The spell appeared on the ground underneath him and the beast as he lurched to the side, trying to drag the beast down with him.

It held upright, stumbling but staying up as flames appeared on its body.

It tried to shake Erik off, its neck going from side to side.

Erik flushed his body with Mana, enhancing his power as he jumped up and threw his legs forward, causing the beast to flip on its side.

Its legs clawed on the ground as Rugrat fired into the beast’s stomach.

Poison could be seen spreading from the wounds. The beast fought harder as it seemed to know what was coming.

Erik was eye to eye with it, seeing the blind rage and fury in its eyes.

Erik rolled off and punched forward. The beast was just pulling its head up when it was met with a fistful of Mana Detonation.

Erik’s newfound hearing disappeared again as the beast’s head slammed into the ground and bounced back up, leaving a crater behind. Its eye shattered as the rampant Mana covered its body, poisoning it.

Erik had held back Mana Detonation when fighting the Elkta. He didn’t know the people in Matt’s group and he wanted to have an extra weapon against them.

Now he used it for the first time with his new armor and higher level. The power was incredible. Used in such close proximity, it was devastating.

Under his fist, the beast’s head deformed as Erik grew stronger, the beast being burned by the Hallowed Ground as Erik was healed by it.

“It’s dead! Erik!” Rugrat called out as Erik’s hearing started to come back.

He felt the flow of Experience enter him as he looked at the beast’s tombstone.

“Fucking dinosaurs?” Erik asked in an alarmed voice.

“Well, I guess. Kind of. I’m not a dinosaur tamer,” Rugrat said.

“Whoever tries to tame one of these is insane, or a goddamn legend with brass balls.” Erik stepped backward, dismissing his Hallowed Ground as his Mana started to come back at a rapid rate.

Matt also came down from the hill. Blood showed in his ears and he had an embarrassed look on his face. “Sorry, guys.”

“Don’t be. Shit happens. Didn’t know that it would have some kind of uber shit eardrum bursting attack,” Rugrat said.

“What the Southerner said.” Erik checked his storage rings. “Thankfully we were able to get the biggest damn storage rings. Still, we’ll need to break this up a bit to fit in the smaller ones.”

“You think you could call Sally up again and have her look past where ole t-rexy came from?” Rugrat asked.

“It’ll take forty minutes before the cooldown is over. Based off the map, though, it doesn’t look like there are anymore rooms in there,” Matt said.

“So we’ve got a locked room and one with a portcullis. What’s the word?” Rugrat said.

“Store this hunk of junk, then we get moving.” Erik took off his helmet and wiped mud off his face and some that had gone down his neck as best as he could.

“The hell is that?” Erik stopped his actions, hearing wings beating.

Rugrat looked where Erik was and pulled up his rifle, checking with his scope.

“I don’t see—” There was a lion’s roar in the distance, followed by other weaker roars.

“I hear something.”

“Thank you, Captain Obvious. No wonder you only passed high school.” Erik pulled his helmet on.

“Passed tenth grade—well, that’s what the recruiter said. They’re really good at making things up and putting you in uniform.” Rugrat’s tone turned from bragging to dark mutterings.

“And look at you, upstanding citizen now.” Erik shot him a grin.

Rugrat gave him the middle finger as Matt smiled.

Erik checked his notifications quickly.

==========

281,838/700,000 EXP till you reach Level 26

==========

“Now let’s go and see what’s down there.” Erik led the way, with Matt behind him and Rugrat taking up the rear.

They went through the opening, finding it joined near to where three other corridors connected to one another. They went to the left, where the beast had come from.

==========

You have entered the dungeon: Temple of Earth’s Divinity

==========

They continued on, finding an empty room with marks on the floor where the beast lived.

“There is something here.” Matt pointed at the ground.

Erik and Rugrat moved forward. Rugrat covered Erik as he cleared the dirt away with a shovel.

He hit something metal after just digging a few shovel flips to excavate the dirt floor. He scraped more dirt away, revealing a box.

Pulling it up, they checked it for traps.

“Looks clean,” Matt said.

Erik used the throwing spear from the doorway to open the chest. He broke the lock with it and knocked the top off.

He looked inside to find four scrolls. “Looks like spell scrolls.” Erik held them out to Matt.

“This is a Detect Undead scroll, Magic Aura scroll and Knock... holy shit.” Matt held the last scroll, eyes wide. “This is an Arcane Enchant scroll.”

“What do they do?” Rugrat asked.

“Arcane Enchant can enchant a weapon with a free enchantment slot. The result is randomized from a dungeon but this is a Journeyman-level enchantment. This, I’ve only seen it twice and it was being sold by the Blue Lotus. They can only be found in dungeons and although they can give you a low enchantment, there is a possibility to give a high level, powerful enchantment that hasn’t been seen in the Ten Realms for centuries. Even Apprentice-level enchantments—if their effects are good, then sects and schools will go to war to acquire them.”

Erik and Rugrat looked at each other.

“Well, hopefully it’s something good!” Rugrat laughed.

“What about the others? Detect Undead is pretty much self-explanatory.”

“Magic Aura basically allows you to place an aura on an item, making it appear to be enchanted. It’s used to fool people, though there are a few spells that can trump it. The Knock is a scroll to open up to two doors in an area of effect—has to be doors, not portcullis or magically locked doors.”

“Looks like we’ll be putting that to use sooner rather than later,” Erik said. “Okay, let’s go to that second empty room and then we’ll head to that locked door and portcullis.”

They went to the other room and found nothing. Then they retraced their steps and went toward the locked doors that had stopped Sally from advancing any farther.

Erik moved up to the portcullis. On the other side, there was a dimly lit room. The walls were covered in mold and there were signs of corruption as a foul smell of swamp reached him.

There was the sound of something shuffling about in the space, and Erik saw cracks in the ceiling where swamp water and roots from the trees above tried to enter the room.

Pillars held up the ceiling but some of them had given away, leading to the instability in the ceiling.

The creature that had been shambling around came into view. It looked like a scarecrow with long arms that hung down at its sides.

Its body had been made from boulders and dirt, but now it was covered in plants that broke and cracked the boulders, digging into the dirt.

Worms filled the cavities where its eyes had been and moved through its body. Its body was nothing more than a host for the Wood-attribute creatures.

Erik waved the others up and pointed at the creature.

“Momma Rodriguez used to say, do what they tell you, unless it sounds dumb. Then get the hell out of there. If you don’t, then I’ll beat the hell out of you and your commanding officer,” Rugrat said.

“She did make amazing candied yams,” Erik reminisced.

“I ain’t fucking going in there, man,” Rugrat said.

“Candied yams?” Matt asked.

“Like sweet potatoes with sugar goodness and marshmallows on top.” Erik could just taste them.

“Damn, heart attack waiting to happen.” Matt shook his head.

“But it tasted soo good!” Erik shot back.

“Erik, c’mon, man!” Rugrat said.

“Who said anything about going in there?” Erik said as the creepy scarecrow creature looked around the area. Made of mold and fungus, it shuffled forward slightly.

“Portcullis, perfect for resting your rifle on.” Erik smiled. “I don’t want to get my ass beat.”

“We are in the Ten Realms,” Matt said.

Erik looked right into Matt’s eyes. “Momma Rodriguez has ways, my man. Ain’t no Ten Realms going to stop her from crossing the divide to beat my ass because I got Rugrat hurt. Lady is like a damn tiger, bear, wildebeest Southern saint!”

“Damn right,” Rugrat said, both of them completely serious.

“Noted,” Matt said, not sure how to react.

Rugrat and Erik looked at each other before looking at the shuffling Earthen scarecrow mixed with the corruption of the swamp above.

“Damn, Momma Rodriguez could cook,” Erik said.

“Qualified for sainthood,” Rugrat agreed as he put his rifle’s barrel through the portcullis, aiming at the creature.

Erik slid his own hand through the bars as Matt moved to his other side, raising up a crossbow.

“Rugrat, if you’d do the honors,” Erik said.

Rugrat took his time, lining up the shot.

He fired. The pressure wave of the weapon hit everyone in the chest as the creature let out a wail and stumbled to the side, a chunk of plants and boulder missing.

Erik and Matt followed up. Matt’s bolt didn’t gain purchase while Erik’s Mana bullet left a black mark on the creature’s body.

All of them continued firing, filling the room with light and noise. The creature tried to run forward, but it lost sections and parts of itself. It tried to throw its fist forward in an attack. Its boulder-like hand flew forward and hit the portcullis, shattering as it had been weakened with the Wood creatures.

It lost its legs and head, crawling forward before it crumbled apart. The Wood-attribute plants and creatures started to wither as they lost their food source.

There was a massive noise from behind them. They all turned to the locked door that Sally hadn’t been able to get through.

“Move around it to the other side so we have a way out!” Erik said.

They skirted around the door as something on the other side was trying to get out.

The door broke down. A large, green-skinned creature with a single eye stepped forward toward them.

The ground broke underneath it, revealing a large pit.

The creature yelled out as it hit different rocks before settling at the bottom.

“Earth-attribute ogre,” Matt said.

“Sounds like a real charmer,” Rugrat said.

“They’ve got tough skin, can take hard hits, good at regeneration. Best to deal with them at range and bind them into place,” Matt quickly spoke.

The ogre had fallen all the way into the pit and was roaring up at them.

“I think we might have solved that problem,” Erik said after a few moments as the ogre didn’t appear again. He moved toward the pit beneath the door and looked down at the ogre there.

“Good thing we didn’t use the door.” Rugrat scanned through the doorway. There was nothing inside as green lights illuminated the space.

The ogre was roaring but it couldn’t get out of the pit.

Erik cast Hallowed Ground in the pit. The ogre continued to roar out as the red mist appeared and flames started to appear on its body.

Instead of increasing the range of the Hallowed Ground, he increased the effects. The damage piled up as the ogre thrashed around and tried to attack them.

It threw some rocks but they were back from the edge.

After some time, its cries ended and the Experience flowed in as a tombstone appeared.

Rugrat pulled out a wooden plank and put it across the pit.

Erik went first, touching the tombstone.

==========

Ogre bones x7

Ogre teeth x4

Tattered ogre leather x3

Mortal-Grade Earth-attribute Monster Core x2

Lesser Mortal-grade monster core

==========

TAKE/TAKE ALL

==========

Erik selected everything but the leather, and the ogre’s body started to dissipate.

He made it to the other side, checking the room. There were two doors on the right side, a few feet apart.

Erik checked them. One needed to be slid up and the other looked as though it could be pushed in.

He gestured to the door that could be pushed in.

The others went over to the door. They all inspected it but they couldn’t find anything wrong with it.

Erik kicked the door. The ceiling started to come apart, with boulders falling down.

Erik turned and jumped, grabbing the other two as boulders rained down on them.

They hit the ground as boulders kept falling.

“Talk to me!” Erik got up. He was battered but not in bad shape. He turned to face the doorway that they had been about to go through.

Rugrat groaned but got up. “I’ve got the door. Check on Matt.” Rugrat pulled out his shotgun and moved towards the door.

He went through the doorway as Erik watched, ready to assist if he needed.

“Clear!” Rugrat yelled out.

Erik turned to find Matt had been knocked out cold.

Erik cast Minor Heal Wounds as he checked him over. Blood came from the side of his neck, where a sharp boulder had caught him.

“Fuck. Spine’s smashed, head’s not good.” Erik poured Focused Heal into Matt’s head. He had a nasty brain bruise and what looked like the start of a brain bleed.

Rugrat walked over from the doorway he’d gone through, stepping over the boulders and holding his shoulder. “I’m good, look after him.” Rugrat groaned as he held his shoulder but otherwise was okay.

Erik pulled out healing powder and poured it on Matt’s cuts. As his healing fought to keep down the swelling, he felt the Mana draining out of him. Erik had to use Mana Regeneration potions as he worked to make sure he wouldn’t run out.

“Come on, you motherfucker!” Erik yelled. The brain injury was taking much longer to heal. Because of that, a brain bleed had started and the pressure on the brain was mounting.

“Rugrat, I’m going to need you to relieve pressure on Matt’s brain.”

“What?” Rugrat looked at Erik and then Matt.

“Just get ready!” Erik yelled.

“Fucking shit.” Rugrat continued to heal himself as he created a Mana blade in his hand, changing it to look like a scalpel and then started clearing an area on the ground.

Erik really didn’t want to do surgery on Matt’s brain. There was no knowing if they did that he would be the same person, even if they healed everything back to the way it was. It wasn’t an experiment Erik wanted to carry out.

Rugrat bent down to help, using his Focused Heal as well.

The two spells halted the progression of the swelling and the bleeding, containing it and stopping it. Then the damage started to reverse. It was a slow process, with Erik and Rugrat having to down Mana Regeneration powders to deal with the strain.

Finally, Matt started to groan as he came back around.

Minutes went by before Erik and Rugrat finished.

Matt was blinking rapidly, as if he couldn’t take in the light of the room.

“Guys, I can’t move my arms,” Matt said, starting to panic.

Erik knew about the break in his spine but it hadn’t been life threatening so he hadn’t focused on it.

He used Heal Bone to recover the vertebrae and then Focused Heal on the nerves.

Matt’s hand shot up as he could move it again suddenly. “Holy crap,” Matt said, his breathing rushed.

“Only a little broken spine, not much when you’ve got healing spells,” Erik said. I wish I could’ve been able to use this on my friends back home who landed badly parachuting or were hit by an IED.

“Be in working condition in no time,” Rugrat assured him and looked up to Erik. “I’m using a pole to open every other door from now on.”

“Agreed. Or a placed charge.” Erik used a healing spell on himself as he looked at the swamp mud-covered, dented, and scratched armor.

“We’ll head into that room behind the portcullis in fifteen,” Erik announced.

Rugrat checked his gear. Matt was shaky but he started reloading his crossbows, focusing on that instead of his near-death experience.

Erik, Rugrat, and Matt went over the pit and to the portcullis room that they had killed the shambling boulder creature in.

Erik and Rugrat forced the gate open. Matt rushed through, the other two following as the portcullis dropped with a bang.

The room was empty except for the body of the creature and its tombstone.

Matt looted it and checked its contents. “Earth, Wood Variant cores, one apiece, and a lesser Mortal core. Also has glittering dust, can be used as an enhancer. It’s a good catalyst for Mana.”

“Door,” Rugrat said. There was a rock door set into the wall. One had to be standing at just the right angle to see it.

Erik moved closer and looked it over for traps. “I don’t see anything.”

“Me either,” Rugrat said.

“Something looks odd about it,” Matt said hesitantly.

“Let’s try to open it with a piece of wood,” Rugrat said.

Erik used a length of wood, pushing on the door. It was, thankfully, unlocked.

“Stop!” Matt called out.

“What?” Rugrat asked.

“Arrow holes—it’s got an arrow trap,” Matt said.

Erik looked closer at what Matt pointed at. “So it does.” Erik put the length of wood away.

“Hammer time.” Rugrat pulled out a hammer and gave it to Erik.

Matt and Rugrat moved to the left side of the door, Erik on the right.

Rugrat nodded to Erik and he heaved the hammer. It smashed into the door, pushing it back. Erik took two more swings before the door opened all the way.

One could only hear the sound of rushing air as hundreds of arrows shot through the doorway, burying themselves in the room’s pillars.

“Shit.” Erik looked through the door after the arrows stopped. There was an arrow wall and a corridor beside it. Erik went first and moved past the arrow wall into the corridor.

“Good call, Matt.” Rugrat followed Erik in.

They went through the corridor and found a room cut off with another portcullis.

Erik opened it and the others went in.

There was a small room attached through an archway and a door leading out of the room.

Finding nothing, they looked at the door in front of them.

Erik once again stood to the side and smashed it open. They all entered the room. It looked to be a hall of some kind with trees holding up the high ceiling. They entered at the top of it, looking across at another door and down at two more doors entering the hall.

A scream came from above as a creature dropped from the ceiling through a hole and landed on the ground.

It was made of green vines and black mud. It looked vaguely humanoid without a head and had stick-like hands and feet made from black wood that had been sharpened into vicious claws.

It didn’t even move before it was getting hit with crossbow bolts, heavy rounds, and Mana bolts.

“Fuck you!” Rugrat yelled as they fired on the creature.

A black aura appeared around it.

Black vapor seemed to grow from the floor, covering the trees, and leaving an oil like substance.

A tree branch suddenly freed itself from the wall, whipping out and slammed into Rugrat, sending him flying before he had time to react.

He got his feet under him and came up shooting.

The creature that hadn’t been able to get up off the ground collapsed, the circle around it fading away. It was like a void as Earth-attribute Mana surged to replace the Wood Mana, leaving the creature and its tombstone behind.

Matt went and grabbed it.

“Swamp ghoul, Wood variant core, two greater Mortal-grade monster cores. Shrieking wood, four of them, and Refined Dervin Swamp mud?”

“Sounds alchemical.” Erik shrugged.

“Hardened wood buckler, Journeyman. Worn breastplate, damaged, but again Journeyman workmanship. Elvish work dagger, medium Journeyman work—that’s a collector’s item. Worth a good amount of gold.”

“Well, hopefully be enough for the liters of beer I need after being in this place,” Rugrat said.

Matt took it into his storage ring, the creature dissipating.

“Use your Dungeon Sense. Let’s see if we can find out where this dungeon core is,” Erik said.

Rugrat used his Dungeon Sense as the marker on their map reduced in size. It was east and a bit north of where they were and the doors in the hall only went north or south.

“Is that some kind of compass thing?” Matt asked.

“Something like that Rugrat said.

“Let’s take that door then.” Erik gestured to the door straight ahead of them and closest to where the dungeon core was supposed to be.

They repeated their actions from before, smashing the door down with a sledgehammer.

Erik looked to the other side. There was a dark area right on the other side of the door. Erik stepped forward and tumbled down a shaft.

He covered his head as he slammed against rocks and then came sliding out of a chute, hitting a statue.

He recovered as he heard wind. He jumped to the side. A glob of dirt hardened into stone in an instant as he heard another rush of air. He threw out light stones to illuminate the dark room, showing a room of different broken statues and two toad-looking creatures spitting out dirt from their mouths.

One’s tongue shot out and smashed into the statue near Erik, covering him in dust.

Erik fired Mana bolts at them and dove for cover.

The creature let out a pained yell. The other used its tongue, hitting Erik’s leg.

Erik gritted his teeth as the toad pulled his leg toward him. Erik rolled to the side, missing the other toad’s tongue as it slammed down where he had been.

Erik tried to fire on the toad dragging him but was thrown up into the air and slammed back down on the ground. The air went out of his lungs as the light zoomed in and out with his heart beats filling his ears.

He tossed a grenade between the toads.

One jumped away while the one holding Erik looked at it.

It went off, tearing it apart.

Bits of toad and ground filled the room, the dust making it hard to see.

The other toad started to vibrate, shaking the very floor, making it hard to stand.

A statue fell toward Erik. He grabbed it and jumped, unaffected by the shaking ground. The toad looked up at him in confusion as Erik brought the statue over his head as if he were doing the high striker at a carnival. The statue caved in the toad’s head and the room stopped shaking as two tombstones floated in the room.

Erik stumbled backward, covered in the mud-like substance the frogs were made of, flicking some of it off his helmet.

His sound transmission device was going crazy. Erik answered it, not listening to the chaotic incoming messages. “I’m good. Found some room. I have no idea what this place is,” Erik said.

“This is the Temple of Earth’s Divinity. I do not wish you harm, traveler,” a talking statue said. “Information updated. Identity: Dungeon Master. This is a naturally occurring dungeon looking to alter the surrounding area into an Earth-attribute area.”

“Why is it changing it to an Earth-attribute area?”

“The dungeon core rested at a position underneath the silver-peak tree. The dungeon core is purifying the Mana in this area but the tree is absorbing this Mana, exuding a heavy Earth-attribute Mana, creating more sections of this dungeon and new creatures to populate the area.”

“And the local residents are fighting back against the creatures coming from the dungeon?”

“Correct.”

“Where is the dungeon core?”

“It is located in the central room. If you make a right out of this room and then come to the entrance of the temple, you take a left, go through two rooms, and then it will be on your right side.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“It is my purpose,” the statue replied.

Erik pulled up his sound transmission device and talked to Rugrat and Matt, telling them what the statue told him.

He moved to the toads and checked the tombstones.

==========

Gold pieces x2

Amethyst

Mortal-Grade Earth-attribute Monster Core x2

Hardening dirt x15

==========

TAKE/TAKE ALL

==========

==========

Emerald

Ruby

Mortal-Grade Earth-attribute Monster Core x2

Hardening dirt x15

==========

TAKE/TAKE ALL

==========

Erik took all of the items as Matt and Rugrat entered the room.

They looked a bit rough for wear. Rugrat checked Erik over before moving to the door.

“I think I know where to go. Are there any traps on the path you detailed?” Erik asked the statue.

“There is a spike pit before the first door. The second door is also trapped. The door inside the dungeon core room is also trapped.”

“What kind of traps for the second door?”

“It is a pit trap.”

“Any beasts along the way?”

“There are greenflies moving in the first corridor.”

“Attributes?”

“Low health but highly potent poison and move in large numbers.” The statue talked, showing neither happiness nor sadness.

“What are you?” Matt asked.

“I am a talking statue. I will answer any and all questions asked me about this dungeon,” it said.

“Any more?” Erik asked.

“There is a purifier monster in the second room and gargoyles protecting the dungeon core and silver-peak tree.”

“What are the abilities of the purifier monster?”

“It emits Earth essence, consuming all other types of Mana and giving it the Earth attribute. It decreases the power of all attacks that are non-Earth-attribute spells and attacks. If one is within five meters, the Mana they absorb will have the Earth attribute, slowly blocking one’s Mana channels and decreasing the power that they can draw upon. It also moves rapidly, but it cannot see. It relies on the smell of other attribute Mana and movement to find its prey.”

“Weaknesses?”

“Anything that is Metal attribute, it has a great weakness to.”

“What level is it?” Rugrat asked.

“Twenty-seven.”

“The gargoyles—what are their abilities?” Erik asked.

“They have toughness, can attack multiple targets at once with their wing bash and claws. They also have Boulder’s Touch.”

“What is Boulder’s Touch?” Matt asked.

“It is an area of effect attack. Staying within three meters of a gargoyle, unless one has a high enough constitution, their body will slow and then become rock. The effect stacks: the more gargoyles or the closer they are, the faster the person will turn to stone.”

“How fast are they?” Rugrat asked.

“Slow once they get on the ground. Their speed comes from when they glide from their perches,” the statue replied.

“Check your gear, then we’ll move,” Erik said.

***

Rugrat was in the rear as they walked through the corridors, reaching the stairs that led upward to a large door.

Erik checked it. It led out of the dungeon and back into the swamp.

Rugrat heard the buzzing of the greenflies before he saw them shooting down the long hallway at him. “Cast Hallowed Ground!” he yelled to Erik as he raised the shotgun to his shoulder.

He fired, releasing his homemade Dragon Breath Brew. The hallway lit up as the greenflies were caught in the flame from the shotgun.

Erik cast Hallowed Ground as Matt summoned his lightning beast.

The lightning beast unleashed a blast through the hallway, as greenflies the size of a man’s fist dropped to the floor, filling it.

Rugrat felt the Experience entering him as they were all level twenty-five creatures. The hallway they were in left nowhere for their targets to run, but it also blocked them all in, giving them nowhere to hide as they were blasted apart by the party’s attacks.

The buzzing in the hall stopped after some time as Rugrat reloaded his shotgun.

“All right, on to the pit trap.” Erik took the lead, with Matt clicking on the massive amount of tombstones, taking everything from them.

“What do we get?” Rugrat asked.

“Variant Earth cores, Greater Mortal cores as well as stingers and venom sacks,” Matt said.

“That’s not much,” Rugrat said.

“There are like two hundred dead greenflies! Two hundred variant Earth monster cores—that’s at least twenty-seven thousand gold. Earth monster cores in the alchemist realm are not cheap!”

“Fuck—we’re in the money, let’s go!” Rugrat laughed.

“Head on straight. We’ve still got farther to go,” Erik said.

They tripped the spike trap and then went into the first room. There was nothing in it and they defeated the second trapped door and entered a corridor. At the end of it, there was an archway, leading into the second room.

Erik went around the archway and moved into the room. He had his rifle in his arms as he opened fire. “Target right!” Erik called out.

Matt was hesitant, but Rugrat pushed him forward into the room.

The purifier monster looked like a slime monster made from shifting sands as it rushed forward. The monster was already wounded. The ceiling was caved; burn marks could be seen around the room.

Where the purifier monster had been, a glow appeared as a wave of fire hit the monster in the back.

A wolf with broken wings was trying to get on its feet. Its body was badly wounded. It attacked the purifier monster from behind. Its attacks were weak and the purifier monster barely felt them as the attack dimmed once entering its five-meter-radius purified zone.

With Erik, Rugrat, and Matt pumping metal into the creature’s body, it was starting to fall apart.

“I’ve got it.” Rugrat got the creature’s attention with a body shot. He ran to the side as the others moved their point of aim, hitting the purifier monster as Rugrat pulled it away from them. He had to use all of his Agility to keep away from the creature as he dodged its claws that formed from its sand body, one after another.

Rugrat got a clear look at the other creature in the room. It was a wolf with wings. It had a determined snarl on its face even as it was broken, its body shredded.

Rugrat thought of his old dog George. The thought came and went as he moved out of the way of another attack and the firewolf attacked the purifier monster.

Rugrat braced himself and fired three times at the creature. It stumbled but started forward before an arrow went all the way through it and Erik’s round blew its sand-formed head off.

The monster dropped to the ground, turning into a pile of sand.

The firewolf looked at the others now, limping back into the corner. It roared at them, its blood covering the floor.

Rugrat held out his arms. “It’s okay, it’s okay,” Rugrat said, trying to placate it.

There seemed to be intelligence in its eyes as it looked at Rugrat. It snarled even as its wing moved in an aggravated manner. It had been torn apart by the purifier monster’s claws and brought the creature great pain to do so.

“Rugrat, what are you doing?” Erik demanded as he saw Rugrat’s actions.

“Reminds me of my old dog George. Just bear with me.” Rugrat put his weapon away. A sachet of healing powder appeared in his hand and a raw piece of meat in the other. He clearly put the powder in his mouth and swallowed, then put it on the meat. He tossed it forward at the beast.

It bared its fangs at Rugrat, who backed up several paces.

The wolf stopped snarling and moved toward the meat, smelling it while still staring at the three others.

It quickly snatched up the meat and tore it apart. After a few seconds, it let out a stunned noise as its body started to heal slowly.

It moved forward, seeing that the meat and powder were related to its recovery. It let out a short growl.

Rugrat pulled out more meat and poured more powder, tossing it to the wolf. He did this a few more times, then the wolf stopped testing the meat and caught it out of the air.

It was large, nearly four meters long from snout to rump with another two meter long tail and with wings nearly three times that size.

Rugrat continued feeding the beast as it got more comfortable with him and healed.

It moved to a corner and lay down as its wings were repairing, eyeing them suspiciously but not with outright hostility.

“Can’t see a dog in pain,” Erik said.

Rugrat shrugged and looked at the last door, where the dungeon core was supposed to be—and the gargoyles.

“If we lure the gargoyles out, use ranged attacks, Hallowed Ground on them, should wear them down?” Rugrat said.

“Sounds like a good idea to me.” Erik checked with Matt, who nodded.

“I’m with you guys.”

They moved to the door. It had been blasted open with fire and there was one dead gargoyle at the door.

Erik threw in light stones, showing two gargoyles on their perches.

Erik cast Hallowed Ground at the door’s entrance. He bolstered it twice, increasing the damage instead of range. Erik fired at one of the gargoyles.

They let out a high-pitched squeak and jumped down, gliding to the floor. The other followed as they dropped to the ground and had to hobble forward on their short legs toward the door.

They entered the Hallowed Ground, everyone holding their fire.

As they were about to exit, Rugrat fired, hitting one and sending it back into the Hallowed Ground. It had a chip on its body but it seemed unaffected by the heavy round.

Rugrat used Explosive Shot as Erik used his Mana Bolt, tossing the gargoyles back into the Hallowed Ground.

Rugrat made to fire but his gun jammed.

Matt was firing with his crossbow but it didn’t have the power to toss the gargoyle back.

Rugrat yanked on the cocking handle, trying to pull out the messed-up round as the gargoyle made it out.

Erik threw a blast at it, but it pushed it in the wrong direction.

A fireball shot across the floor as the firewolf hit the creature and put it back into the Hallowed Ground.

Rugrat pulled the round out and looked at the firewolf. It was looking away, as if it hadn’t done anything, lying down as if it were taking a nap.

So it went on: the gargoyles tried to attack them and they threw them back into the Hallowed Ground. They might be tough, but the flames from the Hallowed Ground attacked them directly. It was blunted by their bodies but when flames covered one’s mouth, eyes, and nose, how could they be easily ignored?

The firewolf watched and helped out here and there, but it would turn away as if it had done nothing when the party looked over.

Finally, the gargoyles fell down and tombstones appeared.

“Fuck dungeons,” Erik said as he released the tension in his body. He had to be completely focused on the gargoyles and their actions to make sure that they didn’t get out of the Hallowed Ground and rush them.

If just one of them was caught in their area of effect, being turned slowly into rock, it would be hard to save them and still defeat the gargoyle.

Erik gathered up the tombstones and shared the loot list with them.

==========

Sand of Earth x7

Gargoyle’s eyes x7

Lesser Earth Essence x3

Mortal-Grade Earth-attribute Monster Core x9

Lesser Mortal-Grade Monster Core x3

==========

TAKE/TAKE ALL

==========

There were no more threats in the area, just the firewolf that Rugrat was watching.

Erik went into the dungeon core room and then came back out. “You need to see this.”

Rugrat moved into the room and looked around and looked up.

The silver-peak tree had a healthy brown trunk to it, with green, brown, and silver leaves that moved around. The branches groaned with their heavy movements. Instead of being scary, it was relaxing; as one breathed in the air, they felt refreshed. The silver-peak tree was not just a tree of the Earth attribute—it was one of life.

“I’ve never seen anything like it, but it must be one of the legendary trees.” Matt looked at it.

The room was filled with its roots. Creatures moved in its leaves, glowing bugs that tended to nests and slept in the tree limbs.

It stood fifteen meters tall but the tree’s powerful aura made one feel as though they were looking at a tree that had seen the rise and fall of kingdoms, stretching up into the skies and looking upon the world impassively, as if time were a breeze through its leaves.

“It’s not only an Earth-attribute tree, it has Earth, Wood, Water, and Metal attributes,” Rugrat said. His Mana channels might be damaged but his senses toward Mana were highly accurate.

Rugrat thought for some time before speaking.

“It makes sense, when you think about it. The tree was here; the dungeon core below it supplied attributeless Mana, but the tree supplies four attributes: Earth, Wood, Water, and Metal. The Mana creates energy like fire, creating Earth, then the tree bears metal leaves. But there isn’t any metal around, so there is no way for this attribute to be reinforced. The metal tries to collect water, but we’re underground and the swamp is above us. So no water, and wood can’t exist because no water. This tree, buried in the ground, is contained by earth and thus Earth-attribute Mana must’ve bounced all of that together, creating the creatures we see and this place. If the swamp water was able to get in here, or more metal was present in the ground, then this area might have been reinforced with the four elements coexisting in harmony, with the fire, or energy part of the elemental equation being solved by the dungeon core’s attributeless Mana.”

Erik looked over to Rugrat, shocked.

“I read books, too, you know, and the five elements here are the law of the world. Plus, dealing with magic, I thought it would be good to look into them. So, now I’m talking about a tree in a dungeon.” Rugrat lifted up his arms as if he didn’t know how they had reached this stage in their lives.

“Basically, a pressure cooker of Earth attribute and then the Elkta cracked it open, and so did that firewolf,” Matt said.

“Yeah, he probably wants to be around it because with him protecting it, then he could create a harmony with it, increasing both of their power. Also, Mana is one hell of a drug for monsters. Enough Mana or valuable resources and time, they can awaken their bloodlines, increase their Strength and increase in level,” Erik said.

“So, what we going to do? Keep it or break it all down?” Rugrat asked.

“Well, we’re out in the middle of nowhere. There are creatures all around and we need a monster core. If we can take this tree back with us as well—I don’t know what it’s capable of growing right now but just being close to it, my Alchemy senses are tingling. We could add it to the garden just to increase the density of different attribute Mana types as well,” Erik said.

Rugrat nudged Matt. “See, might not have a plan when he starts, but he can pull one out on the fly.” Rugrat grinned.

Erik rolled his eyes and moved up to the tree. A screen appeared in front of him.

A glowing light could be seen moving through the tree before it opened. One could see that it wasn’t a single tree but three of them wrapped around one another symbiotically.

The dungeon core appeared in this opening.

“What kind of grade we got?”

“One Greater Mortal-grade dungeon core, a grade higher than the one we got from the desert dungeon.”

“That’s not bad,” Rugrat said.

“We’ll rest here. There are some more beasts in the dungeon but we’re controlling it now so none of them will attack us. We’ll be able to work on our gear, check our loot, and consolidate our Experience and skill gains,” Erik said.

Chapter: New Task

Delilah patted the soil back down around the purple-stemmed plant she was tending to. She checked its leaves before she stood up fully.

There were a few other alchemists and farmers moving through the Alchemy garden. It had now taken over a full growing field. It was Mister Fehim’s masterpiece. Each of the plants were arranged in a formation to increase their speed in growth and vitality.

When one entered the garden, there was a freshness in the air but there was also a heaviness in their Mana channels with the heavily concentrated attribute Mana.

Delilah saw Fehim talking to a group of farmers, before they went off to tend to their fields.

Fehim was a farmer originally, but the intricacies of the alchemical ingredients interested and drew him in.

He saw Delilah and walked over to her. “The amount of time you’re here, people will start to wonder if you’re an alchemist or a green thumb like me,” Fehim joked.

“I find it peaceful here. I worked on the farm as a kid. Here I can take my time, come to understand the plants and increase my Alchemy knowledge and enjoy the peace and quiet, what’s not to love?” Delilah smiled.

Fehim nodded and smiled, sharing a look. They both understood the satisfaction that came from raising a good harvest. There wasn’t a need to rush, just learn and adapt; the dirt and plants would tell them what they needed.

“There is still time for you to join the group that is going to Vermire to man the medical school there.”

“I have enough work to do here and I don’t feel like going back to cities too soon. I want to learn how to grow ingredients. Erik told me that I must learn from the ground up. I have even started to concoct a few things,” Delilah said.

“Well done! Which powders have you made?” Fehim waved for her to join him on his walk.

“Just the Stamina powder so far. I have read over Erik’s notes and read through the books, but reading and doing are two different things. I know it won’t be an easy path, but the more items I know in the Apprentice level then the easier it will be for me to reach into the Journeyman level. At least that is my hope.”

“Slow and steady wins out in the end,” Fehim said, reassuring her.

“The group that went to the battlefield dungeon—they haven’t returned yet?” Delilah changed the subject as they moved through the stunning plants along paths that divided out the distinct Affinities and the sub-Affinity gardens.

“Not yet. But Egbert is watching over them, so nothing bad should have happened to them,” Fehim said. “I’m sure they’ll be fine. Setsuko is a strong girl.”

Delilah laughed.

“She might be my daughter but she has her mother’s fighting spirit!”

“Well, I’ve taken up enough of your day. I need to detox and clean out some of the Mana that’s filled my channels,” Delilah said.

“Ahh, the true reason comes out.” Fehim laughed.

With all of the impurities in the garden, it blocked up and made Mana move sluggishly in humans. They had found that circulating your Mana while over a Mana Gathering formation to the dungeon core would pull out the impure Mana, feed it into the dungeon core to grow and also temper their bodies; their Mana would become purer than before and allow them to take in more of the attribute Mana.

“One should try to take advantage of every benefit they can find.” Delilah smiled.

Fehim smiled and she walked away.

“Don’t be scared of the cities. Not all of them will be like Taeman. Don’t feel like you have to just stay here—there are many other good places to visit,” Fehim said, stopping her in her footsteps.

Delilah paused before smiling back at him. “Thanks, Fehim.”

He simply nodded as she once again continued on her way out of the Alchemy garden.

***

Egbert looked up from the library and sent a message to the people standing guard at the teleportation formation.

“Expect arrivals shortly,” Egbert said. Through his connection to the dungeon, he could see what was happening in the battlefield dungeon in real time.

The group were fighting a Metal beast that shot out lightning from its mouth or called lightning down from the heavens. Instead of just hitting the targets, it created an area of effect that would stun and paralyze those who stepped in it. If it stepped into those areas, then it would start to recover from its damage.

The beast was a meter tall and three meters wide but it was made of floating rocks connected by lightning. Weapons were only moderately effective against the beast; spells and enchanted weapons had to be used to incur any lasting damage.

Ian was hit with a direct blast of lightning. He screamed out; smoke could be seen rising from him as he twitched on the ground.

Setsuko was jumping on the room’s ledges around the beast, firing arrows at it constantly.

Tian Cui appeared behind the beast, stabbing her poisoned blades between the cracks in the beast’s rocks. She connected with the lightning and was thrown backward, screaming through her gritted teeth.

“Come on!” Storbon yelled as he rushed the beast, taking its attention away from Tian Cui.

Glosil rushed up with him as Yao Meng used the ballista net. It landed on the beast but the lightning burned through the net’s material.

It stomped on the ground. The ground rippled with lightning that shot out like a wave, striking Storbon and Glosil.

It turned and unleashed a lightning strike from its mouth; the lightning was as thick as a man’s forearm.

A wall of rock and dirt shot up under Yuli’s guidance.

“Throw water on it!” Yuli yelled to Tian Cui.

Tian Cui rushed in and cut open a waterskin, pouring it on the beast.

It almost looked as though it grinned as the lightning around it reverberated, bouncing between the water and itself, growing in strength and amplifying the other.

A spark of lightning reached out to hit Tian Cui, piercing her armor. She dropped to the ground.

The beast turned slowly and walked toward her, ignoring the other attacks.

Tian Cui pulled out her medallion and crushed it in her hand. Light surrounded her as the beast made to speed up. It smashed at the light but it hit nothing but the ground.

“Break your medallions,” Storbon said, just getting up from the ground.

The others started doing so. Yao Meng had to help Ian break his. Storbon looked at the beast before he broke his medallion as well.

Egbert let out a deep breath, knowing that they would be safe as they were sent off to the prize hall.

==========

Battlefield Dungeon concluded. Energy restored to the dungeon.

==========

“Everyone, put down your books and look over at the dungeon core. You’ll want to see this!” Egbert’s voice reached through the library as he moved to the library window.

The wind seemed to be stirred up slightly as the dungeon core glowed a bit brighter. The stream of power headed to the Mortal cornerstone seemed to grow brighter as well.

Then the wind started to change color, turning brighter, becoming denser. It wasn’t wind but Mana being stirred up.

The Mana became more visible. A blue mist appeared above everyone. The density of Mana in the dungeon increased tens of times over as the trails of vapor lit up the sky, running like rivers to the ocean. They made a beautiful sight as they were captured by the Mana Gathering formations. Circles appeared in the sky, dots around them. Each circle ringed the dungeon core, with the Mana being compressed and conveyed forward.

It looked like wagon wheels inside one another.

The dungeon core lit up, brighter than ever before. The thread of pure Mana headed to the cornerstone expanded. A larger pillar chased it up as it hit the Mana storage formation. Powerful rumblings could be heard as that power was channeled into the Mana cornerstone. Clouds of pure Mana appeared around the Mana cornerstone as it expanded wildly. Light, brighter than the pseudo sun, appeared above the dungeon.

Egbert tapped into the dungeon as he felt the sheer power returning.

It wasn’t close to the power that the gnomes had controlled but it was something he feared might not ever happen while he existed.

Egbert looked at his old bones that started to lose their yellowed look and become stronger. Faint blue lines could be seen. The lines faded away as the contained Mana that the Ten Realms imparted onto them for completing their duty as a dungeon faded away.

The Mana was still contained within the Mana Gathering formations, being channeled directly into the Mana core.

People who had their Mana gates pierced to make them easier to open had a breakthrough; the creatures in the dungeon underwent bloodline evolutions, with some increasing their level from the sheer Mana filling the area.

Plants were brought to harvest as metals that were being refined became easier to raise a grade.

If one was to look at the dungeon core, they would see that it had grown slightly. But this slight change allowed it to refine more Mana than ever before, and it wasn’t done as it greedily drew in the Mana that had been gathered before it, consuming the Affinities and purifying the Mana above.

It had happened over just a few minutes and the gathered Mana was starting to dim down as the pillar of power on top of the Mana storing formation was reduced.

The Mana clouds around the Mana cornerstone were absorbed as the Mortal Mana cornerstone had grown, creating crystals on the area around it.

Egbert smiled as he looked up at the Mortal cornerstone.

“Enough pure Mana and you can change anything’s constitution.” He then turned his eyes to the teleportation formation where Special Team One was supposed to appear.

***

Storbon appeared before a kiosk with a screen of information on it. On the wall to the left, there was another screen.

Above the kiosk there was a sign: Prize Hall.

Storbon scratched his face as he looked at the screen of information on the wall.

=========

Storbon Price

Dungeon Points: 11,830

=========

I thought that it might be a bit more impressive. Maybe they’re different on the higher floors.

He walked up to the kiosk with the screen on it. His thoughts changed as he saw all of the items that one could get from the store.

There were items for all classes, as well as information, technique, and spell manuals. Skill blueprints, rare materials. Then there was the lottery side. One could pick an amount to put forward and bet, or they could pick from the preset levels. There were thirteen categories that one could bet on: from Novice; to Apprentice—low, mid, or high; Journeyman—low, mid, or high; Expert—low, mid, or high; and Master—low, mid, or high.

If one bet on a Master-low item, then they would at least get a Master-low item, nothing less, but there was a chance for them to get an item that was equal to a Master high-grade item. Though one couldn’t pick what item they would get: pills, blueprints, shields, swords, boots, pieces of cloth—it could be anything.

Novice was fifty points to bet on; Apprentice low one hundred; mid two hundred; high three hundred. Journeyman jumped to one thousand points; mid was three; high was five. Expert went to twenty-five thousand points. At that point, Storbon looked to the top. Master high-grade bet was five million points.

Storbon went back to the prizes that he could buy with his points.

First he looked at the different spears. His spear was good but when fighting the higher tier beasts, he needed more than to just enhance his own abilities; he needed a spear that could amplify its own effects.

He had heard of blades that could add a Fire attribute to an attack. When fighting against the magical beasts that could only be affected by magical weapons, Storbon had to use his magical staff to blast them, relying on the staff’s ability. It was only enchanted with a weak fireball formation and it ate through rubies like nothing. It wasn’t as strong as his own attack with the spear, whether in close or throwing it.

His eyes lit up, seeing the assortment of spears. He could buy three high-Journeyman-level spears for his money. He wanted to buy one but his thoughts moved to the manuals and information books. Tan Xue could already make high-Journeyman-level weapons; it was the formation she wasn’t able to make. If he could find a good formation blueprint, he could sell it to the dungeon, and get a spear from them, possibly. In the end, it would make the dungeon and himself stronger.

He picked out a mid-Journeyman-level formation that would allow someone to imbue their attacks with the ice element and several Apprentice-grade information books. The information books should bolster their Apprentice knowledge and they were relatively cheap, just a few hundred points. Unlike the people in the Ten Realms who drastically increased their prices for information, the Ten Realms itself was extremely fair with its pricing.

It was no wonder that people looked for dungeons so much: even just killing a few beasts, if they could get enough points, they could get an item or resource that couldn’t be found in the world anymore. If cultivated and sold, it could be a great boon!

With this in mind, Storbon looked over to the recipes. There were formulas, food recipes, and more.

Erik would tear his hair out if he knew he could get all of this from the dungeon. Storbon laughed dryly.

“I really don’t want to be the person to tell him about the rewards,” Storbon muttered as he looked at the effects of the available formulas.

There were poison powders to blind an enemy, potions to make one able to breathe underwater, pills to increase one’s Experience and level. Others to transform into beasts. Spell scrolls, dishes that would heal internal injuries and allow one to remain calm and satiated for a day, or increase their Strength and Agility.

He grabbed a low-Journeyman-grade healing potion, one low-Journeyman meat grilling food recipe, and then he went through the different blueprints for tailoring. Buying up several manuals at the Apprentice grade and one blueprint for a mid-Apprentice-grade pair of boots left him with one hundred and seventy-three points. He bought the lowest cost low-Apprentice-grade book, leaving him with just twelve points.

A part of him wanted to try to gamble it, but with so few points he didn’t think he would be able to get anything useful.

He purchased the chosen items off the list.

Items appeared all around Storbon. He picked them up and put them away in his storage rings. As he stored the last item, there was a flash of light and the kiosk disappeared.

He had his spear in hand as the light disappeared and he was looking at Alva Dungeon.

His team was all around him. A few were being tended to by the medics off to the side.

A light flashed behind him as Setsuko appeared with a pleased smile on her face.

Glosil appeared a moment later, a thoughtful look on his face.

They had entered the battlefield dungeon and made it out alive.

Ian was having his armor removed, oohing and ahhing as the alchemists applied a numbing agent while assessing with the healers who started to fix him up.

A medic came over to check him out.

“I’m okay.” Storbon moved off to the side. “Need a shower, though.”

“Part of policy. Plus, I’m trying to increase my skill,” the medic said.

Storbon shrugged as the man held his wrist.

He used a quick healing spell on Storbon. His right shoulder that felt tense eased up as he was able to move it again. The pain he had ignored reduced as well.

“Messed up the muscles and trapped a nerve. Good to go. Thanks for the Experience!” The medic grinned.

“Welcome to it.” Storbon smiled and gave him a thumbs-up as he went to check on the rest of the team. They were undoing the straps of their armor and finally coming down from the adrenaline-filled excursion.

“Well, damn, that was enough to take the energy out of anyone,” Setsuko said.

“Hrngh.” Tian laid down on one of the stretchers. “I’m taking a nap.”

The medics tended to her, alchemists and healers looking over her wounds. She’d dealt with most of it with healing powder and Wraith’s Touch but she was still bleeding from where she had been hit with the lightning blast and her hands were in bad shape.

Yao Meng pulled off his armor, put it down against the wall and leaned on it. “I’ll be fine to move in a bit.”

Storbon undid the side of his armor and pulled it off to the side, storing it in his storage ring. Feeling that weight off his body felt odd, as if the armor were a part of him. He turned, cracking his back, and sat down next to Yao Meng.

Glosil grunted as he took off his armor and sat down, leaning against his hands.

The medics looked at one another, not knowing what to do. They gathered up their gear and headed to the healing house. They were back and clearly fatigued; they could wait till later on to tell what happened in the battlefield dungeon.

Yuli slumped down and the two went back to back so they didn’t have to support themselves.

“You need a shower,” Yuli said.

Glosil turned his head to the side and sniffed his pit. “Eh, put it on my list to do.”

The others smiled and grinned as Storbon pulled out a plate of food. It was still warm, fresh from the oven as nothing aged inside the storage rings.

He took some food and passed it to the others. It went around, even getting Tian Cui to reach out and grab some, not moving her body the entire time. Setsuko rolled her eyes and passed it on.

“Looks like I’m off,” Ian said as he was being carted away by the medics, munching on some food.

“Come on, why does he get to be stretchered away?” Yao Meng complained.

“He did get hit with lightning,” Yuli said.

“I got hit with a river of it and I took one of those bone spikes to the leg!”

“We don’t talk about the bone spike creature,” Tian Cui said, to the ceiling.

The others all made grunts of approval.

“Come on. The walk to the barracks doesn’t get any shorter,” Glosil muttered. He stood as Yuli freely let herself fall on the ground, a look of pure fatigue mixed with pain at picturing what was to come.

“There’s fresh food, and a hot shower waiting for you,” Niemm said.

Everyone looked over to Special Team Three.

“Ah, look, it’s the cowboys! What’s up?” Yao Meng got to his feet with the rest of the party complaining and getting up.

“Come on, medics—put your backs into it. I want to beat them on the way back!” Tian Cui yawned as the medics started to carry her way toward the healing house.

“See you in a bit!” Storbon said as she was towed off, waving her hand limply back at them.

“So?” Niemm asked.

“That place is a fucking dungeon all right. Lots of beasties of all kinds to fight. Leveled us up a few times, but honestly, the prizes at the end are the good stuff. What did you guys get?” Yao Meng asked.

Words like weapons, armor, blueprints, manuals were all thrown out as they started their walk back to the barracks.

Storbon fell back with Glosil as they were walking.

“You did good, kid. Really damn good.” Glosil clapped Storbon on the back.

“Thanks, Captain. Was good to have you along. One hell of a sword fighter,” Storbon said.

“Still got a lot to learn. You’re good with your team. They respect you and listen to your commands even though you’re younger than most of them. You push yourself as hard as you can and they follow right behind.”

Storbon rubbed his head awkwardly in embarrassment.

Glosil saw the gesture and laughed. “I also think we made it far enough for you guys to get another chance down there, but I’m saying at least two weeks’ rest.” Glosil’s words held a note of warning.

“Understood,” Storbon said. If they were to go down there again and again without pause, they wouldn’t be in their peak condition anymore and they might screw up, getting someone hurt.

They’d had a number of hard fights but now they knew how to deal with a wide range of creatures. If they ran into them again, they would have a plan on how to defeat them.

Thinking on the good items that he had gotten from the prize hall as well, Storbon didn’t fight the smile that appeared on his face. Dungeon fighting wasn’t bad!

***

Aditya looked at the people entering the manor he had prepared. It had wide open spaces and multiple rooms on the bottom floor, with beds that had wheels on them.

The people who came in were all wearing masks over their nose and mouths, leaving only their eyes and above visible.

They wore simple but clean clothes. A woman waved at them, sending them into the segregated rooms. After some time, three people reported back to her before she went up to Aditya.

“Thank you for your hospitality. We will begin immediately. There are a number of injuries and people with ailments in the area,” the woman said in a serious and professional voice.

“I will get out of your way then. I have posted some guards outside and they are under your control if you need them.” Aditya bowed to her quickly.

Chonglu had three healing houses in its city, but it was a rarity due to the number of people going there once a year from the Second Realm, the Blue Lotus, and its trade routes.

Most cities only had one house of healing. For an outpost close to the Beast Mountain Range, it hadn’t happened before. Healing solutions were sold at a premium with the lifesaving nature that they held when fighting in the Beast Mountain Range. Having a healing house, people were sure to pay an astronomical fee to have someone to heal and care for them if they were injured.

Some healing houses could even reattach limbs or regrow them with enough coin and time! Aditya had seen the skills of the lord who had checked up on him and healed his leg partially.

With the healing house, he might be able to heal his people—recover their lost hearing, sight, or limbs. People from across the Beast Mountain Range would come just to see the healing house instead of traveling days or weeks to the cities that had them.

Aditya quickly left, seeing that they were busily preparing the healing house.

He looked at the sign that had been erected outside. He took in a cold breath of air, looking at the prices.

It wasn’t that they were too high, but they were so low that none of the healing houses he had been to before would have dared to utter them.

“Two coppers to be checked over and healed if within means; ingredients, solutions, and other items are to be provided or paid for by the affected.” Prices for the listed medicinal items were simple and rather cheap. They could be bought from the healers or other places. The fact that they would allow others to bring in their items to be used was unheard of.

Some healing houses upped the price on even cotton bandages, which were nothing more than thick cotton cloth.

People started to leave the healing house, two of them together heading out into the streets.

Aditya moved, following a group of them. They headed into the area where the mercenaries could be found. There were a number of them there already.

There was a mercenary who was suffering from a nasty infection of the leg.

He was yelling out and one of the healers walked up. A healing spell appeared over the wound as the dead and infected flesh was pushed out; the muscle knit together and the skin healed. The man looked at his leg, rubbing where the wound had been.

He dropped to his knees to thank the people.

“Two coppers.” The man smiled.

The other eagerly put it into his hand.

“We’re from the Alva Healing House. Two coppers for a checkup. Items and medical aid are more,” the healer said and continued on with their partner.

Aditya looked at Pan Kun beside him, checking that he had seen right.

“Lord, can they really do that?” Pan Kun asked, his hand unconsciously moving toward his head.

Aditya took out a gold coin and pressed it into Pan Kun’s hand. “Go and see if they can heal you. I’ll wait at the gates.”

“Lord?” Pan Kun asked in question.

“Go,” Aditya said, shooing him on.

Pan Kun ran to the healing house, where he was greeted and taken in to one of the side rooms to be assessed.

Aditya and his guards waited at the gate. All of them bore wounds from the Beast Mountain Range. If they could really get their wounds healed, it would give them a new life!

They waited as people came to the entrance of the healing house. They looked at Lord Aditya waiting there and then the healing house before the people from the healing house came up to them and talked to them. After some time, most of them went inside.

Some of the people who had gone in to be checked were bowing and thanking the people of the Alva Healing House as they left, their bodies healed.

Aditya was starting to get antsy. He wanted to know what was happening with Pan Kun. He saw the large man coming out of the healing house.

He came to the front of the door and kneeled down, putting his head to the floor.

“Thank you!” he said in clipped words, barely holding in his emotions.

The people of the healing house rushed to help him up.

He kowtowed to them three times before he stood up, not to be stopped.

He turned and walked toward Aditya, who looked at Pan Kun. His scar was gone, and his eye was returned. Tears fell from both of his perfectly healthy eyes.

He dropped to his knees and then kowtowed to Aditya.

“Thank you, lord, for your care and bringing the people of the Alva Healing House here!”

“Come, Pan Kun, have we not gone through a lot together, you and I? There is no need to be in the dirt!” Aditya said, his eyes watery. He pulled Pan Kun up to his feet, seeing the pure joy in the other man’s face.

“Let us go back to the manor! It’s time I gave out the bonuses! Tell everyone about the Alva Healing House!” Aditya said.

His people would be healed, bringing them closer to him and helping the Alva Healing House. He couldn’t see any issues with it.

He hoped that they would use their bonuses to go and get healed instead of wasting it all on partying and drinking!

Not like there’s much to save them from that.

He smiled to himself and went back to his manor. It wasn’t long after that guards from the city were moving to the Alva Healing House to be treated.

A line had started to form as the Alva Healing House cared for people. As the city slept, the Alva Healing House was still caring for people through the night, people coming on and off shift through the night so that they could heal others throughout the night.

***

Jennifer stood as another medic came into the room instead of a patient.

“William.” She pulled down her mask. It was meant to keep germs down, but it also hid their features so they would be able to switch out medics in the future without anyone in Vermire knowing.

“We’ve just had our fourth person break through in their skill and level.” William shook his head as he took off his mask as well, revealing a large smile.

“Good. I will have to return to Alva in a couple of weeks and this will be yours to manage. Remember, this is a place for people to put their studying to work, but it is also a place where people will come in close to death. Reading about medicine is one thing—dealing with the healing, the blood and trauma, or losing a patient is another,” Jen said.

William’s pleased smile turned serious as he nodded.

Jen had changed a lot after learning from Erik and seeing that even he couldn’t save everyone. The practical side of being a healer might bring the patient more pain in order to heal them of their affliction.

“Make way!” a woman yelled, her voice half ordering, half panicked.

William and Jen pulled on their masks and headed out of the room.

A woman and four others brought in a wounded girl.

“She followed us out onto the Beast Mountain and got caught by a red-tipped enar cobra. The solutions didn’t work! You’re the only ones we could come to!” the woman yelled in panic. Her hair color and that of the younger woman’s was the same.

“Bring her into the emergency ward!” Jen yelled. “I want blood, Stamina ready to go!” she ordered. She pulled on gloves and called the people forward, having them put the young woman on a bed. She was curled up, her muscles so tense that she was hard to the touch. Her eyes were closed; her face was red, turning purple. Her entire body seemed to be squeezing the air out of her as her teeth creaked under the pressure.

“Get me Touch of Sleep,” she told William, as she touched the woman’s forehead. The Touch of Sleep would knock her out and stop her muscles from clenching so tightly together.

The others watched on as the healing house moved into action. People gathered supplies and brought them over.

It was only a team of four people; the others continued on with their jobs, reassuring the other patients.

Jennifer cast Simple Organic Scan and looked into the girl’s body. The poison was moving through her muscles, tensing them up to the point that they couldn’t do anything. Though it was only the beginning stages of the poison, she could see that the woman’s muscles were suddenly going slack.

“What does the poison do?” Jen checked the woman’s pulse and indicated for one of the students to insert an IV into the young woman.

“It kills!” the older woman said.

Jen’s eyes moved to the men.

“It makes you tense up real bad then go slack. Muscles turn to mush—can’t breathe no more,” a man said.

“I need a breathing bag!” Jen yelled out. “Grade-three H injection!”

Grade one injections were solutions that they had cooked up; they worked but weren’t that powerful. Grade two were weak Apprentice-grade solutions. Grade three was the real deal. They had several alchemists on site to replenish their different pharmaceuticals if they needed it—hidden away, of course—but it allowed them to tailor solutions for their patients and increased their knowledge of the human body as well.

A table rolled over, with different medical tools including the Touch of Sleep and the Apprentice-grade healing powder mixed with water in a syringe.

She took the Touch of Sleep, wiping the salve on the girl’s upper lip. Her eyelids fluttered and she passed out, her body having an easier time of breathing as her muscles started to relax.

“Get them outside! We need room to work!” Jen said. “Her breathing is going to become a problem. We need to get a breathing bag on her to keep her going as we repair the damage and clear out the poison,” she said to the staff around her.

The group started to go outside but the older woman shrugged them off and pulled out a sword. “She’s my sister—I won’t leave her alone!”

“Will?” Jen asked, not paying the woman any attention. She was level seven while the weakest person of Alva Healing House was a level thirteen. One major realm different and much more skills and alterations to their body.

Will grabbed the woman’s sword and shook it till she let go.

“No weapons in my healing house!” Will put the sword into his storage ring as he grabbed the woman. She kicked and screamed but it was useless against him as he walked outside with her.

The poison was moving quickly. Jen used the healing concoction and put it into the line the other healer had set up.

The healing solution went right into her veins as Jen looked to the others. “All right, Focused Heal on the lungs and brain. I’ve got the lungs.” She looked at the woman with the breathing bag, which was a mask with a bag attached to it that one squeezed, forcing air through the mask and into a person’s lungs.

“On it.” The healer nodded.

“The rest of you, use Heal Muscle. The poison only seems to interfere with the muscle so it should save us from wasting energy and her Stamina.”

“Understood!” the others said.

“Let’s begin!” Jen looked to her work, casting Simple Organic Scan again.

The area lit up as the four healers poured in their heals.

“Down to twenty percent. Be ready on Stamina if we need it.” Jen made sure to look over the entire situation. If the girl didn’t have enough Stamina, then her body would start to go through Stamina fatigue and shut down. Keeping the balance was essential.

Thankfully, she looked healthy and they weren’t regrowing or restoring anything, so it wouldn’t be too bad; they just needed to give her the power to fight against the poison.

There was only the noise of the breathing bag and the light of healing spells as they moved across her body. The girl looked lifeless. Her skin appeared black and purple, as if bruised. It continued to spread in front of the healer’s faces.

“Her heart is failing!” one called out.

“Start chest compressions. Heal Muscle on just the heart! Come on, we’ve got this!”

The girl was now wholly reliant on them keeping her alive as her muscles had given up.

They carried on, not pushing more Mana as they knew it would send them into Mana fatigue and they wouldn’t be of help.

It was hard mentally knowing that they just had to hold on, that there was a possibility trying to do more would harm more than help.

“I’ve got good color returning!” one said.

“I’ve got a heartbeat, weak but steady!” the one who had been doing chest compressions called out.

“Remain focused on the heart. Come on now!” Jen said, cheering for the young woman.

Her chest started to rise on its own. The healer with the breathing bag pulled away, checking her breathing.

“Good airway. Breathing on her own!” The healer quickly put their hands forward, and applied their own healing spells on the woman.

The bruised look on her skin faded away as a more natural color returned to her skin.

“Okay, hands off,” Jen said after a few minutes.

The healers stopped their healing spells as Jen scanned the young woman. She didn’t find anything wrong with her. “Take a look and call an alchemist to check her over for hidden poisons.”

Another man wearing a mask came in a few minutes later. He did a few swabs and tests, looking into the young woman’s eyes and her throat before he checked her pulse and took a draw of blood.

He tested it a few times. “I’ll take this to run more tests but it seems that her body has built up the needed resilience to fight the poison. She might be halfway through the muscle tempering stage.”

Jen took a look at the girl and confirmed that her muscles had indeed become stronger with the poison.

“Thank you. Get me the test results as soon as possible.” Jen took off her gloves and moved to the door. She opened it to find a group of guards holding back the yelling woman.

“She’s okay—will need rest, food, and water. You can check on her now,” Jen said.

The guards looked at her for assurance and she nodded to them.

The woman rushed past her and into the room as the healers were clearing things up and putting them away.

William, who had been with the group, turned to her. “First day of the Alva Healing House.”

“I think we’re going to be rather busy.” Jen walked out of the emergency room, seeing the line of people still waiting to be seen.

She and William went up to the front door.

“Next two patients!” the person manning the door said.

William and Jen said their good-byes as they met with their next patients.

Chapter: Collecting Loot and Changing Plans

Erik and the others finally had time to sit down. As they did, Erik saw the notification button blinking at him angrily, trying to demand his attention.

He opened it, updated with a stream of information.

==========

Event

==========

You have cleared the corruption from Dervin Swamp and returned balance.

You have gained:

135,090 EXP

Event item token!

==========

==========

You have reached Level 29

==========

When you sleep next, you will be able to increase your attributes by: 20 points.

==========

==========

406,688/980,000 EXP till you reach Level 30

==========

He frowned at seeing that his hand-to-hand skill didn’t increase. He’d fought most of the creatures with his fists but the skill hadn’t increased.

Being so close to level fifty, where it would become a Journeyman-level skill, Erik took time to consider this.

It makes sense. I haven’t really improved in my techniques. If I just keep on making the same pill, I would eventually stop increasing my skill from making it too much. If I just punch or kick in the same manner, then my skill isn’t improving.

How do I improve my fighting, though? Join a martial arts school? There are technique manuals on increasing the ability of fighting, like the Growling Tiger technique that I incorporated into all of my fighting. If I was able to get another kind of technique, I could use that to increase my combat capability.

Erik was excited. He felt like his fighting skill in hand-to-hand had stagnated. He also knew the inherent weaknesses; unless he was face-to-face with his opponent, he wasn’t able to display his full strength. Sure, he had his Mana bullets and his Mana bolts to try to hit people at range but it wasn’t as strong as when he used Mana Detonation or imbued his body with Mana to increase his power.

He also needed to temper his body more. Being in close and fighting creatures in the Third Realm, he knew that one wrong move and they would be able to inflict serious injury on him. Even with his Body Like Stone, their hits were strong enough to leave behind internal bleeding and broken bones.

“More damn things to train,” Erik muttered. He was not looking forward to going through being tempered with flames. It didn’t sound particularly relaxing, or fun.

He looked over to Rugrat, who was feeding the firewolf. It was still wounded but under Rugrat’s care, it was rapidly healing.

He fished out a monster core and tossed it to the firewolf. The wolf looked at the core and then at Rugrat.

Rugrat nodded and waved toward the core, giving it to him.

The firewolf took the core and quickly swallowed it.

Power started to flow into its body, repairing its wounds as its aura also became stronger. Rugrat looked pleased and talked to the firewolf.

The firewolf took the praise, looking pleased with its advancement.

The two of them seemed to be forming a bond with Rugrat helping out the firewolf.

Matt had passed out on the ground, splayed over his sleeping gear.

He wasn’t a military man and he was strung out. Until now, he might not have had a good night’s rest in the Ten Realms. He had always been around people he didn’t know or weren’t from the same place as him.

Erik didn’t know what he would have done if it wasn’t for Rugrat pushing him forward.

Maybe he would have entered the Ten Realms without regrowing his limbs. Or the pressure would have become too much and he would have ended it.

He pushed those dark thoughts away.

He was here now, in the Third Realm, and overcoming that darkness gave him a deeper thirst for life.

“You two keep watch, I’m going to get some sleep.”

Erik closed his eyes and an old screen greeted him as he did so. Been some time since I last saw you. I wonder how long it will be before I see you again?

Erik looked at his character sheet and started picking out what to increase.

He felt as if he were on the cusp of opening another Mana gate. Once he did that, then he could hole another and work on opening that over time. If Rugrat’s backfire had taught him anything, it was that the Body Cultivation and Mana Gathering Cultivation were not things to be rushed. One needed to build up the momentum, resources, and power in order to challenge the cultivation.

He needed Strength to fight what came at him; he needed Mana pool to increase his Mana cultivation, condense more drops and then finally his core. He was also finding it annoying, the lag time between casting Hallowed Ground and then waiting to have enough Mana to increase the range or effects.

Hallowed Ground cost 175 Mana to cast. To extend or increase its effects, another 125 Mana was required. Every minute the Hallowed Ground was active, it had a base cost of twenty Mana. With each extension or increase in effects, another twenty Mana was required.

Erik did some rough math.

If I increase my Mana pool by seven attribute points then my Mana pool will reach 300 and I’ll be able to cast Hallowed Ground with an extended range or effect right away and it would take nine seconds until I can stack Hallowed Ground again.

Now that would drain me of all Mana, so if I increase it a bit more to deal with any issues, say add two points?

From a defensive point of view, the AOE Hallowed Ground was incredibly useful for buffing and restoring allies while harming and debuffing enemies. If Erik could hold his target within its range, he could create a Damage over Time, or DoT, adding on top of his and his allies’ attacks. It would also save him from rushing Simple Ranged Heals and give him more time to react to his allies being wounded. Strength and Agility would keep him alive and hitting hard. His Stamina could be augmented with healing and Stamina potions; healing repaired the muscle and removed lactic acid, allowing the muscle to recover. Converting his Mana into Stamina directly, he would reach a limit after a period of time, but it was more of a mental game with his nerves screaming out he needed to stop than actually requiring more Stamina.

Who would have thought military training would be good for Stamina?

He divided up his remaining stat points into his Mana Regeneration, Strength, and Agility.

He checked his new character sheet, confirming the changes.

==========

Name: Erik West

==========

Level: 29

==========

Race: Human

==========

Titles:

From the Grave II

Mana Lord

Dungeon Master II

Reverse Alchemist

Poison Body

==========

Strength: (Base 26) +34

==========

600

==========

Agility: (Base 19) +36

==========

275

==========

Stamina: (Base 29) +9

==========

570

==========

Mana: (Base 6) +26

==========

320

==========

Mana Regeneration (Base 10) +39

15.70/s

==========

Stamina Regeneration: (Base 27) +31

12.60/s

==========

***

Domonos no longer looked like the son of a wealthy merchant. His face was covered in bruises, cuts, and scars. The old wounds had been earned trying to race past the Second Realm and reach the Third.

The alchemists of the Third Realm might be able to do something about his sister’s problem and he wanted to build up a reputation with them.

Instead, he had been stripped of his arm brace, an item that he had acquired after hunting down a band of bandits that was plaguing the trade routes the Willful Institute protected. He’d assassinated their leader and gone on to kill the group over a night. It had allowed him to increase his Strength and Agility, being a Journeyman-level piece of gear.

Wearing the symbol of the Willful Institute—although others desired it, none of them dared to do anything.

Once he had reached the Third Realm, people from the Second Realm had passed word of his brace, creating envy in the higher-ups.

They, too, wore the same symbol and were seniors of the Third Realm sect while he had just ascended. With no backing, he had no one who he could go to talk about his grievances.

In front of him was a large sparring square. On it, groups fought one another, wearing the emblems of four different sects.

Each of the sects were powerful existences in the Third Realm. Their people were groomed to ascend to the Fourth Realm, the battlefield realm. Although alchemist and crafters might be able to stay to the rear, they supported the warriors and fighters who clashed on the front lines. Those fighters had to come from somewhere. The Third Realm had turned into a training camp of sorts, to ready people for fighting in the Fourth Realm. The sects were all aiming at one another but the ultimate ruler, called the Alchemist Association, wouldn’t have them causing trouble. This allowed them an umbrella to train the younger generation without fear of large disruptions. In the Fourth Realm, they were open to fight one another in life-and-death battles.

Domonos could only watch the fights, holding a towel and a water bottle. He had suffered multiple beatings as people looked to take his remaining gear. Now that his arm brace was gone, they thought that he might have more items. He had been goaded into battle after battle until he had nothing left.

Without any items to his name and being called on for battle after battle, he needed protection. Either this came from having standing or strength to back up his position, two things that he no longer had, or he had to subordinate himself to someone who had standing.

So he had bent the knee and pledged himself to serve Mistress Luo. She was one of the strongest in the institute, ranked in the top five. She took pleasure in making people her items to do with as she pleased. She never attacked or abused him but lured him in with a simple invitation. Now that he was hers, she liked to play with him, showing him off as her water and towel holder.

She had bewitching looks but no one was jealous of her playthings. That’s what the people who followed her were called.

All of their efforts were groomed to serve their master. Their contracts only bound them tighter to her as they would put down their lives for her if they needed to.

She used them for training so they were heavily scarred and bruised, but their Strength increased in order to deal with the wounds, serve their mistress, and serve as her training dummies.

Domonos looked at Mistress Luo. He frowned slightly as he looked at the woman fighting her.

Mistress Luo used a whip as her weapon while her opponent used a spear.

Domonos couldn’t help but look at the other woman. She looked familiar to him.

Mistress Luo’s whip snaked out; the other woman dodged it and rolled to the side. The whip missed her as it snaked back, leaving Mistress Luo open as the woman tossed her spear.

Mistress Luo dodged to the side as the woman ran forward, closing the distance. She ducked down, the whip missing her again as she swept Mistress Luo’s leg, dropping her onto the platform. She placed a knee in her chest, her fist shooting forward and stopping just inches in front of Mistress Luo’s face.

“Julia Oui might have come from the Second Realm but she is no weaker than Mistress Luo.”

“Weaker? I would say that she’s stronger and more of my type!”

“Are you looking for a wife or watching a sparring match?”

“Why can’t I do both?”

“I heard that she was able to get a fighting manual from a dungeon’s prize hall,” another added.

“A dungeon’s prize hall? I wonder what grade it was. It mustn’t be low for her to defeat Mistress Luo,” the second speaker said.

“Imagine the clan you could raise!” the wife searcher said, his eyes practically turning into hearts as the second speaker smacked him on the head.

“Don’t you have a mother to be your matchmaker!”

“Julia Oui wins!”

The woman got up off Mistress Luo and clasped her hands. “Thank you for your pointers.”

Mistress Luo had a face that could kill as she got up, barely containing her anger. “You may have made it into the Third Realm, but you’ll always be some bottom-feeder of the Second Realm. What man will want a girl who is nothing more than a brute!” Mistress Luo turned her head to the sky as she stomped away.

“Who says I need a feeble man who thinks he’s stronger than me. Don’t forget—this is only the Third Realm. There are plenty more above us. Having someone else establish your value, no wonder you will remain a princess of the Third Realm,” Julia said with a mocking tone, turning and no longer paying attention to Mistress Luo.

Mistress Luo didn’t turn back, but her expression darkened to a terrifying degree. She flung her whip at Domonos, causing him to cough from the force as he made sure to hold out her towel, accepting the violent attack.

She took her towel and slapped him so hard that it forced him to his knees and drew blood.

She didn’t seem satisfied, kicking him and sending him rolling back two meters. She kicked him a few more times, breaking bones and causing internal injuries.

“Pathetic.” She sneered and walked away.

Domonos slowly regained his feet, looking at the back of the woman. He remembered her now. She was one of the people who had come from the Second Realm to take part in the Beast Mountain trial!

He could only watch as she went back to the group of people from the Iron Spear sect.

People might meet one another at different times to see how far their paths have changed.

Domonos could only swallow his beating. He didn’t even have any medication to seal up the cut on his face as he followed after Mistress Luo, hoping and praying that there was a way for him to leave her contract and find a better master.

I will go to the Alchemy trials and see if there is anyone who might help my sister. If I can at least do that, then being under Mistress Luo won’t be too bad.

***

Lord Jonsain greeted Alchemist Di, personally serving him tea and sitting down.

“I was wondering if there was something that you could help me with?” Alchemist Di said.

“What is that?” Lord Jonsain asked. He had assumed there might be something like this. Alchemist Di rarely stayed behind long after a trial was conducted. He was a powerful figure and with his two children trying to enter the Alchemist Association, it was one way he could make the road ahead easier for them.

“I was wondering if you know about the man who placed second in the trial?” Alchemist Di mused. “I believe Erik West was his name.”

Lord Jonsain fought to contain and hide his emotions. He had heard about his son’s actions from his personal staff. He didn’t think of it much; after all, he was the overlord of this area. Whereas West was a man who, although he placed second, didn’t have a deep background, having only just arrived to the city and fled into the forest.

“I don’t know anything about him,” Lord Jonsain said apologetically.

Alchemist Di frowned.

“I-I can send people to look into his background immediately, if you desire? I wanted to meet with him personally but I have heard that he has left the city already,” Lord Jonsain said.

Alchemist Di waved his hand, dismissing it. “It is no worry. If he has already left, then it will be hard to get what I want. I hope that you send on any information that you find on him. I will head to the place of the second trial and hope to meet him there.” Alchemist Di nodded to affirm his plan.

For Alchemist Di to change his plans, what did he see in this Erik West? Luke, just what have you done? You better make sure that that man never makes it to the second trial grounds!

***

“Boss!” Han Wu entered the room where Roska was sleeping.

She jumped up, her staff in hand. “What is it?” she demanded, ready to fight.

“I found out about a dungeon! It’s called a raid dungeon and it can be found in the Black Scale Mountain nearby! I went to that Adventurer’s Guild and I saw that they are looking for people to join in on the raid. They’re promising a big reward!” Han Wu said.

“A big reward means a higher risk,” Gong Jin said as he was reading a blacksmithing manual in the open area of the house they had rented.

“What is this raid dungeon?” Roska’s staff disappeared back into her storage ring as she looked at Han Wu, her eyebrow arching.

He gulped. Seemed he realized he just woke Roska up from her nap.

“Apparently there is a beast that is trapped underneath the mountains. It has been sending out demons to attack people in the surrounding areas, bringing them back for sacrifices to increase its strength. The area militaries learned about it. Then they turned to the Adventurer’s Guild. The military might be strong but the Adventurer’s Guild can gather more Experts and not put the national strength of the surrounding armies at risk. Basically, we clear out the demons, then find whatever is sacrificing the people in the area, kill it and then we get Experience. A raid dungeon is declared when there is no restriction on the number of people who can go into the dungeon and the threat that it poses puts thousands of lives in danger. The Adventurer’s Guild sent in scouts and confirmed it is a raid dungeon. While the risk is high, the Experience can be even doubled and the rewards are enough to see some people into retirement. The Adventurer’s Guild will take care of it. All we have to do is qualify to join.”

“Sounds like it’s not going to be simple or easy.” Roska looked at the others.

Gong Jin closed his book, a smile on his face. “Is it ever? But we might learn something about dungeons.”

“I’m in,” Imani said.

Tully, who was reading a book on spear techniques, held her thumb up and then continued reading through her book.

“All right. Once Yang Zan gets back from gathering supplies, we’ll talk to him and go over to the Adventurer’s Hall to register.” Roska nodded. “Till then, I’m taking a nap!” With that, she turned Han Wu around, pushed him out of her room and closed the door with her foot.

Chapter: Pet?

Rugrat woke up, feeling a big head on his lap.

He scratched the neck of the head without thinking about it, ruffling up its fur as he started to wake up fully.

He looked down to find the firewolf’s head there, turning his head to get a better scratch out of it all.

“Huh?” Rugrat said as he started to wake up. It was a little bit longer before his brain kicked in fully.

Instead of jumping away, he scratched the firewolf’s head harder, with a big goofy grin on his face.

“Who’s a good boy? Yes, you’re a good boy. Do you like scratches? Yes, you do!” Rugrat pulled out a piece of raw meat and put it in front of the beast’s face.

He reached out with his tongue and took the meat, tearing it apart with his sharp teeth before licking Rugrat’s hand.

“That’s a good boy,” Rugrat said, playing with the massive wolf that was nearly twice his size.

Erik and Matt could only look and shake their heads.

“What will we name you, huh?” Rugrat asked.

The firewolf looked up at him in confusion.

“I’ll call you George after the most noble animal I know,” Rugrat said, nuzzling up to the firewolf.

It seemed to agree as it rolled onto his back, exposing his belly.

Rugrat took this as an opening and scratched George’s stomach.

George’s previous image of an all-powerful beast was erased as the big puppy had a pleased expression, his tongue hanging out of his mouth as he panted, his legs raised to the ceiling as his tail swept the floor clean.

“Looks like you found a new friend.” Erik got up from where he had been leaning against the wall.

George noticed the movement and rolled over, looking at Erik, ready to attack.

Rugrat played with the fur on George’s head. “Don’t do that. That’s Erik—he’s my brother,” Rugrat said in a stern voice.

George looked up askance, like a kid asking their parent whether it was okay.

Rugrat raised his eyebrows and waved over to Erik. George and Rugrat seemed to have a mental battle for a few minutes.

Finally, George went over with his head hung low.

“Hello, George.” Erik pat his head and then lowered himself to look over the wolf’s head. When he wasn’t snarling at people, he was rather...cute.

Erik used his Simple Organic Scan and looked through George’s body. He had seen the signs of fighting from before and he wanted to make sure he was okay.

He saw the bone breaks and wounds that were still prevalent. Erik used his healing spells, removing the injuries from George.

George’s pout turned into a look of excitement as he looked at Erik with shining eyes.

The remaining wounds on George were sealed and faded away as if they were never there. A new powerful aura spread out from George as he had broken through a bottleneck.

With Rugrat getting Erik to heal his worst injuries and then Rugrat continuing to pour in healing spells afterward to deal with minor injuries or those that had been left over time—even going so far as to give him a monster core—George had built up a tremendous amount of energy in his body. Now that the energy didn’t need to be used in healing himself, it poured out through his body, changing it.

George grew a little larger, his skin and bones tougher as his muscles became more pronounced under his fur coat. The color of his fur grew richer as he looked at them proudly.

Erik patted George on the head.

George moved forward, licking his hand and sniffing Erik, letting him pet him.

“Well, Rugrat, looks like you’ve got a new pet,” Erik said.

“Who’s a strong boy, George? Yes, you are!” Rugrat said.

George looked over, a proud look on his face. He went over to Rugrat, nearly tackling him to the ground as Rugrat played with the big firewolf.

Erik and Matt settled down to have some breakfast as the other two calmed down, Rugrat feeding George and himself.

“So, we getting a move on?” Rugrat asked.

“That’s what I’m thinking. Go to the nearest town that has long-range aerial caravans, take one going toward or to Khusai and try to get there in time for the trial,” Erik said.

“So, we going to destroy this place?” Rugrat waved at the dungeon around them.

“That is what I’m thinking—you?” Erik asked.

“Yeah. Not in a strategic location—going to be fighting with the damn creatures around here just to get out. Worth more if we take the resources and upgrade Alva.” Rugrat bit into a fruit.

“At the stops we make, we can try to sell some of the stuff and buy more items for Alva.” Erik looked to Matt.

“I do have a question. What is Alva?”

“Well, this might be a long story.” Rugrat shifted around as Erik took a swig of water.

Erik and Rugrat explained them becoming dungeon masters, taking over the dungeon. They didn’t go into the school or the Alva Village defenses, just the basics.

Afterward, Matt took an oath to not reveal the information to anyone who was not part of Alva Dungeon.

Matt was a bit shocked, but having come to the Ten Realms from Earth, the weird and bizarre just became an everyday occurrence.

With that cleared up, he shared his map with them, allowing them to pinpoint three cities close by. Two had possible aerial caravans. Whether there was anything going toward Khusai wasn’t something they could figure out before getting there.

The other option was portal guides. If they could find someone who had been to Khusai before, they could pay a fee for someone who had it in their addresses to take them there. It was a costly experience but they could reach the city in seconds.

With a plan in mind, everyone checked their gear and Erik went to the dungeon core that was floating between the silver-peak tree’s branches.

He held his hand out to the dungeon core.

==========

Dungeon Core

Grade: Lesser Mortal Grade

Linked: Temple of Earth’s Divinity

==========

==========

You have come into contact with a dungeon core. With your title: Dungeon Master, new options are revealed.

==========

Do you wish to:

Take command of the Dungeon

Remodel Dungeon

Destroy the Dungeon

==========

Erik put his finger on Destroy Dungeon and a new screen appeared.

==========

Destroy Dungeon: Temple of Earth’s Divinity

==========

You will receive:

1x Lesser Mortal-Grade Dungeon Core

27x Earth Essence

49x Earth Variant Mortal-grade monster cores

Earth purifier monster blueprint

Earth ogre monster blueprint

Earth ghoul monster blueprint

Greenflies monster blueprint

Silver-peak sapling

6x low-grade Earth-attribute Emeralds

Answering Statue

==========

Do you wish to destroy this Dungeon?

YES/NO

==========

“Yes.” Erik spoke aloud. The dungeon core disappeared and the silver-peak tree withered as the walls began to shake. The tree seemed to suck inward before becoming a single sapling about waist-high before it disappeared.

The walls and everything started to fall apart as the light that ran along the walls flickered out and everything started to collapse.

There was a flash of light and they appeared in front of the dungeon entrance that Erik had checked.

The dungeon collapsed; the swamp waters rushed in to reclaim it.

Trees that had been near death received the vitality of the Earth dungeon and were revived as the swamp quickly grew.

Erik checked his storage rings, seeing all of the items there. He had learned from the desert dungeon that more storage rings was always better, especially when one was destroying a dungeon.

Matt led the way as they left the dungeon ruins behind.

“I got monster blueprints as well,” Erik said to Rugrat as they were walking.

“Like to make monsters?” Rugrat asked.

“Yeah. The gnomes brought in a huge assortment of animals and spread them out to each floor, but they bred and tamed them. Maybe we could do something similar but with monster blueprints from other dungeons?” Erik asked.

“How do we get them?” Rugrat asked.

Erik pulled out a blueprint and looked at it. It showed the purifier monster.

=========

You have opened the purifier monster blueprint.

To create a purifier monster, you will require:

1 Mortal Mana stone

Weak Earth Essence

or

15,000 gold

or

12 Earth Variant Monster cores

The more resources used to create the purifier monster, the greater base stats.

*This blueprint will not be consumed on use.

**This blueprint can be used with dungeon respawn mechanisms.

=========

“Respawn mechanisms in a dungeon?” Erik asked aloud.

“I dunno.” Rugrat shrugged as Erik looked at him.

“Well, monsters and things can respawn in certain dungeons, right?” Matt said, overhearing them.

“They can?” Rugrat asked.

“Yeah. There are a number of exotic dungeons—some you go in and you clear out the monsters. They get harder and harder until you reach the boss. This is the most common dungeon. Monsters respawn to make it harder and so that every group coming through has to fight them, or at least some of them. These dungeons can get filled up with creatures, then they can escape and create a monster horde, crushing everything in their path and threatening settlements,” Matt said.

“Paints a rosy picture.” Erik nodded, sinking into thought. The dungeons seemed to be a method that the Ten Realms used to balance things out. Even being dungeon masters, they were learning as they went along.

“Though I hope that we can find some more of them soon! I had heard that they were a place where riches and levels could be found! I didn’t really believe it. It has taken me nearly two years to get to level twenty-four, then in one shot I jumped up to level twenty-seven!” Matt laughed, but Erik and Rugrat could tell it was his way of thanking them.

“Don’t worry—we’ve only got another eighty levels to go!” Rugrat said.

“Level one hundred?” Matt laughed. “Sounds like it would be interesting. Though it’s not the first five levels of a realm that are hard to get through—it’s the last five, which increase in difficulty. It is harder to rely on kills to get Experience but rather have to be made up in skills, or by consuming concoctions to increase one’s Experience. I think it’ll only get harder in the later levels!”

Chapter: Demon Breeder

Roska was breathing heavily as she looked at the demon breeder.

It was a massive creature that rose forty meters into the sky. It looked as if it was made from a black body that was covered in black flames, with purple rune tattoos that crisscrossed its body.

White chains held onto the beast, allowing it to move and attack anything in the room with its large upper body. But its lower body couldn’t be seen; a white circle in the floor wrapped around its midriff, capturing it.

Guttural words started to come from its lips as midnight-black and blood-red circles appeared and shot out to surround the beast.

“It’s creating summoning gates!” one of the leaders for the raid called out.

“Summoning gates team, prepare to move!” the leader for the summoning gate team one called out.

As the gates were being created, there was a period of time that they would grow stronger when taking damage. It was hard to hold yourself back, seeing them come down, knowing what would happen next.

The summoning gates’ spheres expanded into circular gates.

There was a massive intake of Mana from the portals. The black and red color in the center became darker before smaller summoned demons of all kinds appeared.

The demon breeder raised his head to the sky as power from the summoned demons entered his body. His health started to regenerate as the summoning gate teams started to move.

“Keep the demons off the clerics and mages!” the team leader reminded everyone as Roska and her party moved with them.

The melee rushed to meet the demon spawn. The mages buffed, healed, and supported them while raining down debuffs and attacks on the demons. Ranged helped out in stalling and controlling the demons as the melee slammed into them, pinning them in place with their bodies and creating a path forward.

The summoning gates would grow stronger and create more monsters if they were attacked with the wrong spell. Melee attacks were effective, but their attack power was minimal.

The fastest way to defeat the gates was to purify them: remove the impurities of the Mana and the spell became weak, collapsing.

Clerics and priests started chanting, calling down blessings, calling upon their gods, and creating spells of purification.

Just like cleaning the shower water. Roska dodged through the fighting with the rest of Special Team Two.

A demon imp stepped out of the summoning portal, letting out a high-pitched scream as it charged forward. Its small, pale body was covered in moving black and red tattoos; its only item was a black spear with a red aura.

Gong Jin stepped forward, smashing his shield arms together as he cast Shield Bash. He rushed forward, slamming into the imp and sending it back. It fell on the ground as Wu Han tossed out a grenade. It hit the imp as it started to get up, dropping it back to the ground.

Imani used her Shadow Step spell; her blades plunged down at the imp, aiming for its neck.

The imp used its small body to dodge. The blades cut its chest and left bloody lines as it got back on its feet and charged.

It was a level seventeen creature. It was bleeding heavily, but there was a craziness in its eyes that swam in red and black.

It charged forward, met by Tully.

Tully’s bored expression was gone as she met the imp, spear for spear. Tully had the techniques and strength on her side.

Yang Zan buffed her speed and sent a heal over at Imani.

Roska had reached the summoning gate and jammed her spellcasting staff forward. “Clean!”

It was if the world took a breath in, becoming quieter for a second as she had claimed all of the Mana in the surrounding area.

A spell formation appeared at the end of her staff for a second and then shot forward, encapsulating the entire summoning gate.

The Mana being drawn-in in thick red and black clumps were torn apart and dispersed as the summoning gate twisted and turned. A demon that was about to step out of the gate was torn apart. It screamed as the chaotic energies that made it were purified.

Cleansing spells and blessings all fell on the Mana gate.

Greens and blues started to appear, shooting out of the summoning gate, creating a Mana-storm.

The demon lord cried out in pain and the demons in the area around the summoning gate had their strength reduced.

“Summoning gate team two, three, and four—go! Team one, clear out the demons in your area!” the overall raid commander said, sending out the other teams.

As the first summoning gate fell, the strength of the demons would fall, allowing the other teams an opening to crush the other gates. If they could break them all in a short period of time, it could create a backlash on the demon breeder, losing more health than when he created the summoning gates.

“Demon breeder team one, slow your attacks. Demon breeder two, increase your attacks!”

The demon breeder was muttering words. His massive body was being attacked again and again but the power from the new demons was actually recovering his health instead of taking more severe wounds.

Still, if they stopped all attacks, it might recover completely and recover more of its previous strength. After all, it was sealed; if it had the power to break the seal, then its fighting capabilities would be intense and it might even escape the raid dungeon and attack the surrounding cities.

They had two teams working to try to slow the rate that the demon recovered at, alternating so that they could recover their Stamina and Mana while resetting their skill cooldowns to bring forward their best attacks.

Roska poured a vial of Mana recovery powder and water into her mouth as she continued to channel power through her spell. The summoning gate had shrunk and was decreasing in size rapidly with all the combined attacks.

The imp slammed into Gong Jin and flew off, with Imani appearing behind it and taking its head with her.

It fell apart into Experience—low summoned creatures only gave Experience—as Tully charged forward, spearing a demonized minotaur that was attacking another group. Han Wu threw out grenades toward the second summoning gate, injuring and tearing apart the demons there. They were trying to protect the area around the summoning gate and couldn’t leave a certain area, which made them harder to deal with when trying to dispel the gate, but easier when dealing with them at range.

The fourth summoning gate team got to the last target and were starting to attack the gate when the summoning gate in front of Roska compressed into a ball of blue and shot toward the demon breeder.

He let out a cry as his health dropped and his recovery decreased as well.

“Summoning gate team one, move to help team four!”

“Damn, the job never ends!” Han Wu fired a crossbow. The arrow exploded as it hit a demon, putting a hole through them; they dropped to the ground.

“Experience!” Gong Jin grunted as he blocked a demon flesh reaver’s dive, hitting the large bird-like creature to the ground as Tully stabbed it with her spear.

Gong Jin’s sword cut its screeching head off, making it go limp as it turned into Experience. Everyone was madly gaining Experience and levels as they were all partied together and the kills were divided up. If they could kill the demon breeder as well, it would be like adding rockets to a speedboat.

“Come on, we need to move to the fourth summoning gate.” Roska threw out darts in her hand. They turned into blurs as she cast telekinesis on them. Blue lines from the spell wrapped around the darts, turning them into blurs as they accelerated rapidly.

“Roska!” Han Wu yelled, gesturing with a grenade.

“Toss it!” she said.

He tossed a bunch of them up as Roska cast the spell Catapult. It was a new one she had learned; with Han Wu and her combined, it allowed them to create a kind of magical mortar.

The grenades arced into the sky, coming down in a group of five demons before exploding.

“And then there wasn’t a demon problem.” Han Wu reloaded his crossbow bolt on the move as summoning gate party one rushed to the fourth summoning gate.

***

“We got it in the time limit!” the raid leader said, his voice grim instead of excited.

There had been just too many people wounded and killed to be excited about it.

The demon breeder was crying out now.

“Everyone, damage! Summoning team two and three, hold back. If it tries any big skills or spells, you’ll need to disrupt!” The demon breeder was suffering from the summoning backlash, and its health was no longer regenerating but it was now able to move freely.

Its hand reached out, tearing several fighters apart with a swipe. A black flame appeared around the demon breeder, poisoning those who were close.

“Poison cleanse! Dodge the arms! Everyone, focus your attacks!” the raid leader called out.

Everyone was unleashing their most powerful attacks on the demon breeder. It was hard to focus on their attacks and dodge the massive creature at the same time.

“Summoning team three, disrupt it!” the raid leader called out as the demon breeder started to chant. Magical formations started to burn in the air; runes and shapes stained the sky within the dungeon.

Summoning team three had been holding back their attacks, keeping their strength in reserve.

They unleashed everything that they had, using all kinds of restrictive spells and attacks. Even with the team of nearly forty attacking, they only paused it for ten seconds. It was enough to cause the spell to fail and the spell’s formations to stop.

The demon breeder let out an enraged yell and turned on the summoning team. It was covered in massive wounds, with its bones and organs showing. One of its eyes was ruined. Its face was distorted from fighting and blood covered the area. The white restraining runes glowed, even under the covering of blood.

It unleashed a poison cloud and attacked the crowd. Its claws ripped through armor and left scratches on the floor as it swiped the attackers toward itself.

People yelled out in panic, as they were tossed into the bloody poisoned land around the demon breeder’s body.

They got up and tried running out. The healers tried to keep them healed as they fought the poison entering their body.

A few were able to make it out of the poison fog. Others were clawing at their throats and eyes as they slipped and fell in the demon’s blood, the poison entering the body easily.

The demon breeder slashed out wildly, its body turning red as it entered an enraged state.

Tully was throwing a spear when the demon breeder suddenly turned. His claws cut her legs off and caught on her chest plate, tossing her.

“Yang Zan, go get her!” Roska yelled. Her heart twisted, seeing Tully’s broken body and hearing her screams.

Imani coughed as she fell backward.

Han Wu grabbed her before Gong Jin took her and started to feed her healing powders. The poison had got into her cuts, infecting her body.

Han Wu was throwing out his grenades as Roska launched them into the demon breeder.

Its actions were becoming slower as the raid party was running out of energy, squeezing out everything they had and consuming anything that might increase their Stamina or Mana to carry out some more attacks.

The demon breeder dropped forward and slammed into the ground. A large chest appeared on an altar to the side as the beast started to fade away.

With it, the doors to the raid opened and messages could flow once again.

People collapsed on the ground. Others tried to find their party, or their wounded comrades.

Others celebrated or fell into despair.

Loss, victory—it was all swept up into one.

Roska looked to Imani.

“I’m good. Check on Tully.” Han Wu picked her up easily as the group headed over to Yang Zan and Tully.

Yang Zan was using healing spells as Tully had the presence of mind to pour healing powders on her lower torso where her legs had been ripped off.

Roska pulled out a Mana Regeneration potion and fed it to Yang Zan as he worked so he didn’t have to take his hands away.

Tully was in a bad way when Yang Zan looked to Gong Jin and Roska.

“I need you to cauterize the wound. She’s losing a lot of blood. If we can stop the wounds from bleeding, then we can save her and regrow the limbs later,” Yang Zan said.

“Give me your sword,” Roska said.

Gong Jin pulled it out and passed it to her. She pulled out a container of oil and poured it on the blade, lighting it on fire.

Gong Jin moved to Tully’s head, pulling out a bottle of Touch of Sleep and putting it under Tully’s nose.

She passed out as he looked to Roska. With the pain, there was a chance she might wake up from the Touch of Sleep so he held it under her nose, bracing her shoulders.

The metal of the sword turned red-hot as the flames died out.

“I’m starting,” Roska said, bracing herself.

Roska looked at what remained of Tully’s legs and pressed her blade to it. The sizzling sound and smell of burning meat filled the air as she made sure to cauterize the wounds completely.

Apothecaries and healers were wandering around, offering their skills for people with an additional convenience fee. People who were badly wounded were passed over. The apothecaries and healing house members were unable to help them, so they didn’t bother to waste their time.

Some priests and people of different faiths took their words and made out their wills, to be passed back to their families or loved ones.

Yang Zan only looked up after nearly twenty minutes had gone by.

“She’s stable, but the poison is deep. Thankfully, she tempered her body with poison so while it is deep, it isn’t as effective, with healing. I want to focus on clearing the poison, then we can look to regrowing her legs.” Yang Zan wiped the sweat off his head.

“Okay, let’s head back to the city. We’ll rest there until she’s good to go,” Roska promised, her brows pinched together in concern.

Yang Zan nodded as she turned to Han Wu.

“She’s fine. Got a lot of fight in her—a day and Imani will be fine,” he assured her.

Roska looked to Imani, who was pale with gritted teeth. She sure as hell didn’t look fine but she had been through poison tempering of her body and Roska knew that with the right medical treatment, miracles could happen in the Ten Realms.

“We’ll get a caravan. Yang Zan, Han Wu, you look after Imani and Tully. Gong Jin and I will protect you,” Roska said. “Gong Jin, come with me. We’ll go and find a caravan.” She got up.

Gong Jin nodded and followed her.

Roska kept her curled fists hidden from the others.

It had been her call to go into the raid dungeon. She wanted to know what it was so they could report back to Alva Dungeon.

She had heard of the dangers and she understood them. But hearing them and seeing them were very different things.

They were all prepared to lose people or to be killed themselves. At least that’s what they told themselves. But when it was your friend being hit by a massive monster and being poisoned or broken and battered on the ground, those lies that you’ve told yourself hurt like needles jabbing into your stomach.

No one was invincible; people died. Everyone accepted that risk, but one could only be so prepared.

Roska might be cold to others, but her team was her family, her people. They stood beside her, trusted and followed her word as if it was law.

All kinds of people were now arriving in the area outside of the raid dungeon. Roska could barely hold back her anger seeing all of the vultures.

Sure, they would heal people, for as much money as they could get out of them. Who wouldn’t pay it? What was money to your life?

“I need a caravan to the nearest city,” Roska said, moving up to a group of people with carriages.

Their eyes lit up as they looked at her. As Gong Jin showed up in his metal armor, their eyes narrowed. She could see the counters moving behind their eyes as they tried to think of a bid to get her to travel with them.

“I will pay seven gold, who wants it? Six passengers!” For what was just a few hours’ travel, it was a quick profit.

“I’ll do it for seven!” a man called out quickly. He had a couple of horses and instead of a carriage, he had a long cart with a cloth cover.

“Gong Jin, pay him. I’ll be back with the others.” She headed back into the raid dungeon quickly.

The merchants looked for others, calling out their prices to take them back to the city.

After the raid, the earnings wouldn’t be small.

Roska headed back to see that there were specialists from the local Adventurer’s Guild who were studying the demon breeder and figuring out the best way to harvest the different parts of its body.

She made it to the group and pulled Tully into a princess carry. Roska had tempered her body, so it was easy for her to do so. Yang Zan had been healing them and others the entire time and he was drained.

She knew that he was unlikely to sleep or eat much in the future as he looked after Tully and Imani, their lives in his hands now.

It would take time for the loot to be calculated and then split up between those that had joined in on the dungeon raid.

Once they were stabilized and they had their loot Roska had already decided it was time that they headed back to Alva.

Chapter: Coveting a Neighbor’s Goods

“You wish to sell this all to Alva Dungeon?” Elise put down the storage ring and passed it to Jasper.

“That is right,” Storbon said. Instead of seeing an excited smile on her face, there was a deep frown.

Jasper’s expression paled as he passed it over to Taran, who shook in excitement, almost unable to let go of the smithing blueprint in his hands, Egbert picked him up off of the ground slightly before he plucked it from Taran’s fingers, a pitiful look on his face.

Glosil and Blaze didn’t need to look inside it; they had a look on the trip over from the barracks.

Did we do something wrong? Storbon couldn’t help but think, seeing all of their grim expressions as he looked over to Yuli, who was beside him.

She looked as if she had figured out the reason for their expressions and looked as if she were in pain.

“Elise, we have to have these!” Taran said.

Jasper shot him a look that demanded he shut his mouth before he said something bad.

Taran reeled his head back in, confused at Jasper’s look.

“Do you not know the value of these?” Elise hissed.

“I don’t. There’s just no way to calculate it.” Taran’s words slowed down until they paused.

Elise let out a heavy breath and looked at Storbon and Yuli. “Glosil and Blaze should have told you by now, but with the power returned to the dungeon, there is enough for you to make another trip to the battlefield dungeon without paying. You’ve brought information manuals for several specialties for the departments within the academy, as well as blueprints and resources, some that we can’t even use right now for fear of wasting them. So this is the deal that I will propose: for the materials, those can be traded directly. For the books, Egbert will negotiate a price. For the blueprints and recipes, the first creation from these blueprints or recipes will be given to you without cost; every iteration of the blueprint or recipe that is created, you will get ten percent of the profits for thirty years. Does that sound fair?”

Storbon looked over to Yuli, who had a large smile on her face.

“I accept, though I would ask that the materials, could we auction them off if we want?”

“If you so desire, I don’t see why not.” Elise looked to Taran.

“The academy is a place of learning and a place for one to use the facilities to improve their skills. They get an allotment of resources if they are a student but people can still rent the facilities if they desire and students might want to try to create new items with non traditional materials. If it is their desire, they can do so freely. If the academy was to take on the buying and selling of crafter resources, I think that it would put the academy in a hard position and monopoly later on.” Taran looked over to Egbert.

“Rugrat and Erik were clear that the academy was meant to be a place of academic competition and achievement. Students who continue on and pass skill tests can gain access to more of their teachers’ time and resources, but this access is not unlimited and extra materials must be found by the student already.” Egbert’s voice was firm and clear.

Elise looked to Storbon and Yuli. “We’ll make a contract based on what we’ve said here today to pass back to the rest of your special team to see if they agree.” Elise sighed in relief.

Storbon and Yuli came to attention before Blaze dismissed them.

“What was with their expressions?” Storbon asked as they walked back to the barracks.

“The dungeon is always looking for new things—information materials, blueprints. Though we haven’t been able to find any since we came to the dungeon. Now we’ve got a pipeline of information manuals, blueprints, and more. We can ask pretty much any price we want to.” Yuli’s eyes shone.

“Why didn’t you press for more then?” Storbon asked.

Yuli grimaced. “Although I might be the trader of our group now, first and foremost we’re from Special Team One. We were trained by Erik, Rugrat, Glosil, and Blaze. Alva Dungeon is our home. This deal creates a template for all following deals.

“If we went for twenty percent, we might get it, but then Alva Dungeon is losing on a whole. It becomes too expensive to make the item, so there are less of it around. So we might have taken a small loss, but there will be more made in the future. The more money we make, we get a shot of money from the resources and books we sell. Then, long-term money from the blueprints and recipes. As the strength of the crafters grow and they make more items, then the more they use our items, and bingo, a cycle that gets bigger and bigger, with everyone getting a little something.”

“Huh, I didn’t think of that. It makes sense. Guess what they said is right—mages might know how to use their brains more often than not,” Storbon said.

“Thanks, boss.” Yuli rolled her eyes.

“Come on. Tian Cui said she’d meet us down at the cafeteria and I’ve heard that the cookhouse has come up with new honey-covered short ribs.”

“That’s why you’re the boss.” Yuli grinned as they headed into the expanding Alva Dungeon as more houses were being erected.

***

George could be heard above the trees, flapping his wings to get out of the swamp.

There was only enough room on his back for one rider, so they were forced to walk through the swamp.

Flies circled and bit Matt, Erik, and Rugrat.

All of them were numb to it. They were covered in mud and smelt like the swamp itself.

Erik stepped forward and tapped the ground. It was hard and packed down. He looked to either side. They had found a road!

“Not far now,” Matt said, checking the map.

They turned and followed him as George landed on the ground. It seemed he approved of the clean road and not the swamp.

After a few hours, they saw a trade caravan coming the other way. There were five wagons but nearly one hundred fighters around the caravans.

“The merchants all trade medicinal ingredients. If someone was to rob them, they might live out the rest of their lives comfortably. It is the reason that traders either move with a massive amount of guards or they go through unused paths. That’s why I was passing through the swamp instead of taking the roads. Safer dealing with the local problems than the bandits. The bandits know when anyone is leaving. Off the roads, you’ve got a chance to run into a beast but it isn’t that high,” Matt explained.

Erik and Rugrat looked at the guards. They all wore Journeyman-level armor. They looked on the trio with suspicion. Erik and Rugrat met familiar eyes, those that put their lives on the line regularly.

They nodded to the guards and retracted their gaze.

“Like the African copper run,” Rugrat said.

Erik looked up at the sky and then scanned the area. “Feels like years ago we were doing that security contract.”

Erik and Rugrat went silent. They had made it through that firefight, but not all of their crew was as lucky.

“There she is—Campbellville,” Matt said as a walled structure could be seen in the distance. It was up on a rise, the worn stone walls holding up against the swamp around it.

Buildings could be seen inside, dotting the landscape.

People were moving in fields around the city. Instead of raising regular crops, they were growing ingredients for different versions of Stamina Regeneration concoctions.

“Why are they growing ingredients instead of food?” Erik asked.

“They make more money making the concoctions. They can be sold in the Third Realm or, if taken to the Fourth Realm, they can go for a premium.

“The food for the Fourth Realm usually comes from the First and Second Realm. Cooks are rare to find here and one would have to pay a king’s ransom to get one. Most are hired from the lower realms.

“There are some of them in the Fourth Realm making meals to buff the fighters, but the Fifth Realm is dominated by cooks, apparently. They’ve got food and resources all over the place. Seems that they look down on the fighting in the Fourth Realm, or something.” Matt shrugged. “While the ingredients make more money, they come with their risks,” Matt said in a grim voice as he gestured to the walls. One could see the deep scratches and scars that were left on the walls.

“Beasts?” Rugrat asked.

“Yeah. They grow through consuming ingredients and consuming the ones they kill, as I’m sure you know.” Matt didn’t need to say anything else as they looked from the fields to the walls.

They reached the gate in short order.

“Forty gold to enter, and you’ll need to miniaturize your beast or leave it with the stables,” the guard said as they walked up.

A few of the people who were at the gate looked over, their gazes drawn to George, who was following behind them.

“Miniaturize?” Rugrat asked.

“One can get a special collar or spell to make their beasts smaller so they can stay with them. Only used on rare breeds of beast,” Matt said.

“Must be a new beast. I’ll give you one hundred and fifty gold for it.” The guard leaned forward.

“Not for sale.” Rugrat pat George’s head.

The guard’s lip lifted in displeasure but he accepted the money that Matt passed forward. “Don’t cause trouble.”

The group headed into the city.

“Campbellville is a tier-five city. It is basically used as an outpost for the adventurers who look for ingredients in the area, or farmers who cultivate their crops outside the walls.

“It is also along a number of trading routes, allowing it to prosper. Instead of being large Alchemy families, there are a few training schools here and the majority of the people are part of a different profession or herbalists who focus on raising and tending to medicinal ingredients,” Matt said as they entered the city. “Seeing as we don’t have a collar or a spell to make George smaller, we’ll need to go to the stables in order to register him and get him a place to stay.”

“Lead on. But I have a question. I know that this is called the alchemist’s garden realm, but aren’t there too many ingredients here?”

“Too many? More like not enough. To raise an alchemist, hundreds or thousands of ingredients will be needed, with many of them being destroyed in the process.

“Also, the Stamina potions aren’t the only things that are sold to the battlefield realm. Healing concoctions, Experience concoctions, Mana Regeneration, pills to increase one’s overall Strength, or enhance their abilities—all these are made in the Third Realm. With the raising of new alchemists and the never-ending need from the Fourth Realm, ingredients’ value only increases with time. It is why none of it bleeds down to the lower realms and why the Alchemist Association rules the Third Realm.

“To be honest, their actions not only bring in new blood to their association—they are the reason that the Alchemy skill has spread so much. While the end goal might be to join the association, many alchemists don’t make it far. That is not to say that they are bad alchemists, but they might have not had the resources or teachings, but with time they can learn. They can increase their skill, allowing the Alchemy skill as a whole to become stronger and gain knowledge. Competition, not mutual assistance, is what makes things grow here in the Ten Realms,” Matt said.

It wasn’t long until he found them a stable and talked to the handler. He negotiated the price down and then finally paid the man.

George didn’t look too pleased but Rugrat snuck him a common Mortal-grade monster core.

George took it and seemed a little less annoyed as he moved forward. The handler made to guide him, but George bared his teeth as he moved into the pen he would be held in.

“I’ll look to see what caravans are moving and look for a collar,” Rugrat said, clearly not happy being separated from George.

“In that case, I can look to try to offload some of our goods,” Matt said.

“What are some stores around here that might sell Alchemy formulas?” Erik didn’t have the funds earlier to buy a Journeyman-level formula, but now with his winnings from the first Alchemy contest, he had more than enough.

Erik snapped his fingers. “I forgot about the formula I have. I’ll go have a look at it.”

They headed in their separate directions, with Erik heading to a tea house.

People met up with one another, talking, reading, or watching the world go by outside the store windows. Erik ordered tea and went to the third floor, finding a place in the corner away from prying eyes.

He pulled out the box he had been given at the end of the contest. He quickly opened the box, whisking out the scroll and stowing the box away before the power of the Mana stones could leak out.

He drank from his tea, looking around as if he, too, was surprised by the sudden increase in Mana around him.

A few people looked over but then went about their own business. Erik settled down and pulled out the formula.

It was written on bamboo that had been sown together.

He rolled it out and started from the top, reading out the list of ingredients that were required and then through the precise steps to prepare the materials and concoct the formula.

Iron Skin, a potion that changes the skin, increasing its toughness for seven minutes; Stamina is spent at three times normal and health regenerates at twice the normal speed. Not bad at all!

He looked through the ingredients and winced.

The cooler the concoction, the more it costs. No wonder they gave away Mana stones to the winners. With the cost in ingredients an alchemist goes through, it can be called nothing but an allowance!

Erik took a breath before he read through the formula again and put it away.

It increases the toughness of one’s skin. So if I have Body Like Stone already, would it increase my Strength or not have an effect?

I need to find something that will increase my abilities and something that is easier to concoct for the next Alchemy test. Erik finished off his tea and stood, dropping the gold for the tea as he left.

He went down an alleyway and made sure no one was around before he pulled on a doupeng and headed towards the alchemist district.

It didn’t take him long to find a few Alchemy stores. He passed a few stores before stopping in front of one.

He looked around before entering.

The guards were both level twenty-eight, while the others were twenty-six or seven.

He entered the building to see a few people heading up to display tables to buy ingredients, sell their own products, or to buy books.

Erik went toward a counter with a selection of formula books behind the counter.

“Can I have a look at your books on Journeyman-level formulas?” he asked the woman at the counter.

She looked at the doupeng for a long second before smiling and nodding. She pulled out a small list and put it on the counter.

Erik looked over the list, reading the descriptions of the available formulas. He read them all before pointing to one. “I wish to buy this one.”

“Blood Sacrifice?” Her body jolted as she read the title.

“That’s correct,” Erik said.

The pill wasn’t kind; it was a mid-Journeyman-level pill. It would increase one’s Agility and Strength by ten percent, but it would consume their blood. It was meant as a final trump card to defeat an enemy or flee, giving them a surge of great Strength but at the cost of their vitality that they would have to recover later on with further concoctions or with the aid of healers.

“I would also like to see your Apprentice-level pills and potions,” Erik said.

She quickly pulled out lists and put them in front of Erik.

They had been using the low-Apprentice healing powder, Stamina and Mana Regeneration from the Second Realm. As they increased in level, Erik saw that the healing properties and the effects of the lower-grade concoctions were decreasing.

He purchased a high-Apprentice-grade healing potion and Stamina Regeneration potion, as well as a Mana Regeneration pill.

He scoured through the assorted formulas, trying to find something that might help Rugrat but his search came up with nothing.

“That will be 1,837 gold.” The woman at the counter smiled.

Erik pulled out two Mana stones and put them on the counter. She quickly accepted them and passed him back gold before she turned and went to get the formula books.

“Thank you for your business,” she said as Erik took the books.

Erik nodded and headed out of the store.

Feels good to have some money!

***

Erik, Rugrat, and Matt met up at a tea house as the day turned to afternoon. Erik hadn’t noticed it before but from the way the patrons were looking at them, it seemed that they had carried the smell of the swamp in with them.

“Were you able to find a caravan?” Erik asked.

“I was. I told them that we were a group of mercenaries looking to get to our next job. They accepted it on the spot. Seems being a level twenty-nine is a pretty good credential as a guard,” Rugrat said.

“Few people would be expecting an alchemist to lower himself to the position of a guard.” Matt nodded.

“The collar?” Erik asked.

“Well, I’ll need some money for that. I spent everything in Girus,” Rugrat said awkwardly.

“How much?” Erik asked.

“Two hundred and thirty gold,” Rugrat said.

“I was able to sell a few of the monster cores. I got rid of the normal monster cores and a ton of the Earth Variants.” Matt passed Rugrat and Erik a pouch.

Erik checked inside, seeing two Mana stones and several hundred gold. “Matt, this is too much.”

Matt leaned forward so that no one else could hear. “Earth Variants can go for three thousand; the rest came to about a thousand gold. You guys carried me in there. I might be okay with summoning but it wasn’t much use down there. If it wasn’t for you guys, then I wouldn’t have even known about it.”

“Thanks, Matt,” Erik said.

“No worries. Might not be that useful in a close fight, but I can sell the hell out of things and my appraisal skill isn’t bad.”

“I’ll go and get the collar for George then,” Rugrat said.

“When does the caravan leave and what kind is it?” Erik asked.

“It leaves in two days. It’s transporting locally produced items, mostly ingredients. We’re heading through two other cities with stops in both, then straight to Khusai. It’s run by one of the larger trading conglomerates in the Third Realm. Should take us five weeks to get to Khusai.”

***

Elan waved to Yui and Qin as they headed out of the gate, a number of complex emotions hidden beneath the surface.

“What are you thinking of, Father?” Wren asked.

“I’m thinking that it would be in our best interest to listen to your brother and sister’s strongly worded recommendations,” Elan said.

Wren looked at him in question.

“Their Strength has increased at a rapid rate, so where Erik and Rugrat sent them must not be simple. The items that they are asking for are not simple either. They have also asked us to look at gathering motivated people who are looking for a new life. They’re recruiting more people. I feel that a new power has arrived in our area and it would be best if we grab onto their leg and see if we can get some benefits out of it and help your brother and sister out while we do it,” Elan said.

Wren nodded. “I believe that we should hold off from trying to learn more and let the group establish contact with us as they want. If they have made their members take such oaths, I doubt they want people to find out more information than possible.”

He had grown since his last mistake. Now that there was just him, the pressure had rapidly increased. Instead of floundering and rolling over like he would have before, he had stood on his own feet and flourished, removing many of his old vices to focus on the business.

“It seems that you have been listening,” Elan said with a pleased smile.

Wren laughed awkwardly. He might act differently now but he knew he had done wrong in the past.

Chapter: Beast Mountain Trial

Lord Chonglu looked over to the totem in the middle of Chonglu. It started to glow as more people arrived from the Second Realm.

The Blue Lotus had already been advertising their auction made to interest the local nobles and the people from the Second Realm.

A wide range of families and groups that wanted to attract the attention of the higher realm sects sent over their people to try to establish friendships and apply to enter into their schools.

Chonglu looked over to the Beast Mountain Range. It was sure to turn lively in the next month.

***

“We have confirmed the arrival of the sects from the Second Realm,” Glosil reported to the rest of the council.

“We continue with our plan. No movement in and out of Alva Dungeon. All traders and people outside of Alva are to remain so. Egbert, let us know if you need any help in running the battlefield dungeon event,” Elise said.

“We should be fine. In fact, we might be better than ever before as the trading groups have passed out more tokens, increasing the number of people who have arrived. Also, Special Team Three will be joining in on this trial.”

“I wonder what their expressions would be if they knew that they were clearing out our dungeon and increasing our power.” Blaze laughed.

“I don’t think they’d thank us,” Elise said dryly.

The others grinned around the table. The sects and powerful groups were known for their high-handed ways. They just wanted to stay out of their way before, but now they were using them to clear out the annoying pests they had in the basement.

Elise smiled. She couldn’t help but feel it was a little funny.

“I still don’t like how they get the dungeon points and can use the prize hall,” Taran complained.

“They can only use it once a year while we can use it all year round. Though none of them are over level twenty, so they’ll clear out the small fry and we can deal with the big ones,” Glosil said.

“With enough power, then we can start letting the other parties into the dungeon to challenge it and increase their Strength,” Blaze said.

“For now, I don’t want anything to leak out about our presence. We’ll watch and observe, but we won’t interrupt.”

***

“Elder Rei, it is my honor to have you in my home once again,” Elan said as he personally greeted the elder leading the group from the Willful Institute.

“Mister Silaz, I am happy to say that your son has put his all into training and even made it to the Third Realm. I knew that he had great potential.” Elder Rei sipped the tea Silaz had served.

“It is good to hear that he is doing so well.” Elan Silaz smiled even as he sighed on the inside. Domonos had become more powerful, but he was now farther away.

The two of them made idle chatter, with Elan paying Elder Rei with some monster cores before he left to meet up with the rest of the party that had come to Chonglu.

***

Elder Rei looked at the bag of monster cores and put it into his storage ring, pleased with his gains.

He moved with the other elders through the Beast Mountain Range. There were few things that could harm them in the range but still, if they were ambushed by several beasts, it might be difficult.

“Does the Beast Mountain Range feel a bit empty?” one of the elders asked.

Elder Rei turned his head to the side. As they had passed through the Beast Mountain Range, they had found fewer creatures willing to attack them.

“The state of the mountain range matters little,” Elder Rei said as the Beast Mountain Range stage entered their sights.

It looked as if it had been repaired in stages and gave off a grand atmosphere as they stepped onto the large stage that no beast dared to desecrate.

The other elders from different sects stood there.

Elder Rei could only frown as he didn’t see Elder Oui. Both he and his Apprentice niece Julia had entered the Third Realm. He could only grit his teeth, wondering what item she had received from the prize hall to increase her and her teacher’s level.

Time passed but their students quickly appeared. A number of them had run into beasts but nowhere as many as the previous years.

“You over there, come out of the shrubs! What are you sneaking around for?” an elder asked, a bow and arrow in their hands as they pointed into the woods.

“I was told to come here.” A man came out of the bushes with a medallion held up.

“Audacious!” The elder sent out an arrow at the man.

The man was sure to get hit by the arrow before a bolt of lightning appeared in the clear sky, destroying the arrow.

“Trial participants from the First Realm will be protected by the Beast Mountain trial!” The commanding voice of the Beast Mountain trial rang out in the ears of everyone present.

Birds flew out of trees at the noise created by the trial as its words passed over the forest before another lightning strike descended in the distance.

One of the elders seemed to feel something was wrong and pulled a piece of jade out of his bag. It looked as if one of his sect’s students had been killed.

“Have you ever heard of a dungeon protecting people?” one of the elders asked their fellow.

“I haven’t. Maybe the rules of the Ten Realms have changed a bit? We should make sure to tell our students to not do anything reckless!”

The people from the Second Realm naturally looked down on those in the First Realm. If they knew that they would have to participate in the same trial, then they would undoubtedly try to kill them and take their medallion, giving it to their sect so they might earn a great merit for finding another medallion to enter the trial.

Time went on and more lightning strikes landed as people from the First Realm appeared in groups and as individuals. They grouped together, looking at the sects and trying to remain inconspicuous.

Elder Rei’s gaze passed toward them. People were creating groups to go into the trial with; it seemed that they knew the rules of the trial.

“Go and see how they learned of the trial and got their medallions,” Elder Rei told one of his juniors.

They clasped their hands and headed over.

Based on their numbers, there looked to be around a hundred people from the First Realm. There were only about fifty people from the Second Realm.

Once one lost their medallion, they wouldn’t be able to get any more. The number of spots in the Beast Mountain trial had only decreased in the previous years.

The junior returned with a frown on his face. “They said that they received the token with a letter. I was able to buy a letter from one of them.” He opened it and passed it to Elder Rei.

In the letter, it described what happened in the trial, the fact they would be going up against the dungeons beasts, the kinds of things they could get as rewards, and the location of the dungeon. It explained the payment of monster cores they would need to make to take part in the trial and the purpose of the medallion.

Elder Rei had never seen something like it before. Certain dungeons did pass out invitations or keys to certain people at different times, but these dungeons were incredibly strong.

Although no one had beaten the Beast Mountain trial, as long as one broke their medallion, they could escape.

What lays at the end of the battlefield dungeon?

Elder Rei had been coming to the First Realm for a long time now. Still, no one had completed the Beast Mountain trial. It seemed as if it would only call upon endless beasts to be destroyed.

Time went by as the people from the Second Realm and those from the First kept to their different sides of the stage.

The people from the First Realm kept a low profile; those from the Second Realm tried to oppress them but they couldn’t attack for fear of the lightning.

Finally the Beast Mountain trial began.

The people from the Second and First Realms offered up their monster cores.

The stage lit up with power and the Beast Mountain trial tower appeared.

People from the Second Realm rushed in; the First Realm headed in afterward, quickly trying to get away from the gazes the elders gave them.

They all disappeared and the tower disappeared as well, the stage dying down in power.

Elder Rei looked at where the tower had been. In the last years, it had never disappeared but remained there.

What changes has the Beast Mountain trial been through?

Chapter: White Orchid Trading Company

Roska paced outside the door. With their current funds, it hadn’t been hard for them to rent an entire house. Imani had recovered and the others were resting. The only other person awake was Yang Zan, who had ordered his party leader out of the room as she paced around, nervous about Tully’s condition. The poison was indeed deep but with the healing powders and Yang Zan’s spells, he was quickly dispelling it.

The door opened and a tired Yang Zan stood there. “She’s awake—groggy but awake.”

“Thanks, Doc,” Roska said as she entered the room.

He headed out to get some sleep. He had barely slept, surviving off Stamina Regeneration powders to keep caring for Tully.

Tully was looking around. Her eyelids seemed as though they weren’t under her control as she looked around the room.

“Tully, how are you?” Roska asked.

“Dizzy as hell. Damn, how long was I out for?” Tully tried to half open one eye, having a hard time getting rid of the Touch of Sleep’s effects.

“Nearly a week,” Roska said.

“Shit,” Tully said. “How bad?”

“Poisoned, lost your legs. Yang Zan is dealing with the poison in your body,” Roska said. “It got into your organs—was a bit nasty there, but at least you don’t have to temper your organs now.” Roska smiled.

“Yay,” Tully said, holding up her thumb as if drunk, dropping it back to the bed. “Can he fix the legs?”

“The poison was the worst of it. Now, with it gone and you tempered a bit more, you’ll be able to regrow your limbs faster. Add in healing, Stamina powder, and Yang Zan’s help, should be good to go in a few days, before we head down to the First Realm,” Roska said.

“Hrmm,” Tully said sleepily, her eyes closing as her breathing slowed down.

Roska smiled as Tully fell asleep.

Their time in the Second Realm was coming to an end. There had been some close calls but they were all okay and ready to go back to Alva Dungeon. She wondered whether Erik and Rugrat had made it back and what had happened to Alva Dungeon.

It weighed on all of their minds, as they left before the two were meant to come back.

***

Lucy was looking over the manifests and the route from Campbellville to Ausaln city when Boros walked in.

He was a middle-aged man. His bare skin was covered in scars and his nose was three times too big from being broken multiple times. He had put on some weight and the last few years of running security on caravans and being paid by them showed.

He had a big face and a wide grin that seemed to be permanently affixed as he walked around with his thumbs in his belt, resting on his twin small axes.

“How are we looking for guards?” Lucy asked. They kept a certain number of them on retainer, but most of them switched on and off for jobs, needing to go their own way and using it as a way that paid them and made the trip safer. It cut down the cost and could get her a number of decent fighters for a short period of time.

“We have all we need. Most of them are from other areas, few ties to here, though I hired one group without seeing them all,” Boros said.

Lucy looked up from her papers with a frown. “That’s not like you. Why would you do that?”

“The man is much stronger than me, got the smell of battle on him and the eyes of a veteran. The Mana moves with him as well. Even if he’s just running around with two useless people, he’s plenty strong,” Boros said.

“Where are they going to?”

“Heading to Khusai, looking if they can try to get a wealthy patron there, I guess.”

“Good place to make money.” Lucy nodded. She was going there for similar reasons. People would come from all over to the city, turning it not only into a hub of Alchemy but a hub of trade.

Alchemists were known for their power in concoctions and the amount of money that they were willing to spend on their profession.

“Fine. I trust your judgement.” Lucy looked back at the map.

“You still not happy with the news on the road from Ausaln to Mediev?” Boros asked.

“Jilest from the Ground Hog Trading Company told me that the banditry in the area has picked up. It looks like the two bordering sects, Flowing Wind Blade sect and Golden Orchard sect, are targeting each other. In the process, they’re targeting goods passing through the area for fear that they might aid their enemies.” Lucy shook her head and let out a heavy sigh.

Boros chuckled and patted the axe on his belt. “We’ve got silver status with the trading guild. Few people want to mess with that.”

Lucy nodded, but her frown didn’t go away. “We might but there are always idiots. The trading guild will move on our behalf if we’re attacked and report it. They’ll only investigate if we go missing,” Lucy said.

“You think that it will be that bad?” Boros asked.

“It’s my job to worry about the small things. We’ll see how things are once we’re on the road. Make sure that you have those spell scrolls close and distribute them out to our guards.”

“That’ll be expensive,” Boros warned.

“I’d rather burn money than our people’s bodies.” Lucy might be the younger of the two and her gear looked more polished, but there was true respect in Boros’s eyes. Few would know that he was not the strongest in the caravan but the second strongest and Lucy had saved his life multiple times. It was why he didn’t work for any other caravan anymore.

“Understood,” Boros said with a grim look on his face.

***

Erik, Rugrat, and Matt found an inn with baths. After removing the swamp stink, Erik pulled out his gear, cleaning and repairing it as best he could before sending it over to Rugrat to hammer out some of the spots he couldn’t fix.

Then he turned to the formulas that he had purchased.

He jotted down a list of ingredients, checking it against his own stash before he pulled on clean clothes and headed out into the city.

He went to the nearby Alchemy stores, purchasing multiple sets of ingredients as well as seedlings and saplings of the listed ingredients where he could.

Having the formula is good, but if we don’t have the ingredients in Alva to create it, then it’s going to be rather annoying.

Erik made strides to make it hard to find out his identity and changed his wardrobe more than a catwalk model as he went from place to place.

He burned through twelve hundred gold, but with that he was able to get nearly forty sets of ingredients for each of the new healing, Stamina, and Mana Regeneration concoctions.

It was an astronomical amount of money.

The costs have gone from about three silvers an ingredient set to ten gold, but then the effects are much stronger and the price has increased if I chose to sell. If I grew the ingredients, then it will drop from ten gold to just a few silver to pay for the alchemist gardener’s time.

He wondered how the Alchemy lab and garden was doing while he was away from Alva as he wandered back to his inn. He ate in his room and pulled out the formula for the healing potion.

A solution with powder mixed with water worked rather well, but about ten to twenty percent of the powder’s strength disappeared straight away. And if the solution was stored in the open for just a few hours, the medicinal effects of the solution would be so slim to the point that they didn’t do anything.

With the potions, they were already in liquid form and didn’t reduce in medicinal efficacy. They were actually stronger than the powders of the same grade. They could be stored normally and as long as the container was well made, they would keep their medical efficacy for years or decades, depending on its strength.

Erik reviewed the formula and then started to pull out his Alchemy equipment. A Mana flame appeared in his hand as he looked at it.

“Tempering through flames.” Erik was curious, confused and unsure as he said these words. He knew that the next step in cultivating his body was to use flames, but he didn’t know how. Would he simply set himself on fire? Would he need to step into a place filled with magma and brave the heat to increase his body’s abilities until he could swim in magma? Where could he even find a place to do that in this realm?

He let out a sigh. He had looked for books on Body Cultivation but still, in the Third Realm, knowledge seemed to be limited.

“Hopefully the Alchemist Association will have more information on the subject.” Erik closed his eyes, clearing his mind and thinking on the formula once again.

He opened his eyes and his flames moved to the cauldron, wrapping around it as he began concocting his first Apprentice healing potion.

Chapter: A New Kind of Trial

Blaze and Glosil were sitting with Egbert, Niemm, and Storbon in the dungeon core building.

“Damn, look at group four—good coordination,” Niemm said.

“All melee and ranged but they mix it up well. Unorthodox but functional,” Blaze commented.

“Group forty-nine is having a problem,” Storbon said. Their eyes turned to a lone melee fighter. He was using what looked to be a Journeyman-level blade, going all out on a fire salamander.

“Good threat assessment, good fighter, loner, but I think that’s because of the sword. Don’t really want to advertise that you have a Journeyman sword,” Glosil said.

They were watching screens linked to all of the battlefield dungeons. The second purpose of the Beast Mountain trial was to recruit new blood into the fighting parties and Alva.

They were recruiting people through the healing houses, and the traders who they had sent out and through Lord Aditya. Few of these people joined the military arm of Alva, most of them heading into the supporting trades and learning crafting.

A total of three groups with a total of thirty-three people were on their way to Alva or had joined Alva already.

Right now they were still getting their bearings and learning so they weren’t able to easily contribute to the dungeon.

Some people might complain about the resources that were given to them to increase their ability; this was only natural.

The people who entered got loans for their education and the place that they lived. The loans were no different than the ones that the people of Alva Dungeon were offered when the academy opened and the first houses were created.

“Shit, what are you doing? Break your medallion, you dumb bastard,” Egbert said as he watched one of the screens as a man crawled backward, firing out with a magical staff at a beast made of shadows.

The beast’s size reduced with the attack and it screamed out in pain. But it kept going, seeing that its opponent was nearly dead.

The man made to grab his medallion, patting his chest and pockets. In the battle, the medallion had fallen off.

The shadow leaped forward, driving its twin claws into the man’s neck.

He struggled a bit as the shadow covered the man, consuming him. Egbert closed the screen as the Mana in Alva Dungeon was disturbed, the Ten Realms fulfilling its part of the agreement. They were powerless to help the people in the dungeon. The most they could do was talk to them if they wanted to and pick where they were teleported to. When in the dungeon, it was up to the people inside.

Death was normal in the Ten Realms and he had not been the first to die.

The men in the room had ugly expressions as the Mana was collected by the gathering formations and power channeled into the dungeon core. A beam of pure Mana nearly half as thick as a man’s wrist shot up into the Mana storing formation, and the Mortal cornerstone had recovered from its previous drain and even started producing Mana stones that were growing across the ceiling of Alva Dungeon.

As this happened, there was silence in the room.

“Group forty-three is doing well,” Blaze said, pulling their attention away from the loss.

“The sect’s fighters are good, but they rely on techniques and spells too much. There is no fluidity in their attacks. They have powerful attacks that they spam one after another until they kill their opponent. It makes them a pain in the ass to deal with in a duel, but if you’re actually fighting them, they’re spiking all over the place, really nasty attacks, with moments to assess and attack again instead of attacking, assessing, and fighting at the same time,” Niemm said.

They weren’t cold men, but these people had made a decision to go to the dungeon. They had done all in their power to prepare them, to give them information beforehand. They didn’t want to see people dying, but they had all been in life-and-death fights.

“It would be nice if we can get some fighting technique manuals, though.” Glosil looked at Blaze and Niemm.

“Trying to get Special Team Three to use their prize hall for fighting techniques?” Blaze asked.

“We’ve imparted our fighting techniques and fought one another. If we were able to add in a few techniques that increase one’s striking power, or their movement speed, then our strength would increase a lot.”

“React, attack, and have the techniques as part of that; incorporate them into our fighting styles instead of having them as the basis of our fighting styles,” Storbon said.

Glosil pointed to Storbon as he hit what he was thinking right on the head.

“Group ninety-three is pulling out,” Egbert said. The group started to break their medallions, leaving the raging water beast that had turned the Water level into a true hell. The beast was two meters tall and three long, but it hid in the depths of the water, using its magic to control the water on the surface, attacking passing creatures; then it would surface to grab them and pull them down into the depths of the water.

“That was one mean beast,” Niemm said with a serious expression.

“Maybe use some meat or something to lure it to the surface, hold it there, use ice magic and then just hit it again and again. Wouldn’t be an easy battle.” Storbon shook his head. The battles served to increase their knowledge on the beasts in the depths of the dungeon.

“There are some nasty things downstairs,” Blaze said.

“I feel like we aren’t even scratching the surface. We saw creatures that were level forty plus and we’ve only seen ones ranging to level nineteen so far,” Storbon said.

“They’re likely killing off the younger creatures and the weakest ones,” Egbert said.

“Won’t be running out of opponents any time soon,” Niemm said.

“That’s for sure.” Glosil cleared his throat and sat forward. “Okay, now team ninety-three, do we want to give them an offer?” He pulled out a file of information on them that had been sent back by the trading group that had picked them out and dropped them medallions to join the dungeon.

“Three girls and one boy; one of the girls is the older sister of the boy. They were part of a raid on their town. They survived; everyone else was killed. They escaped the killing but afterward they couldn’t find work and they trained up to become fighters for the people, stood in front of raids and the like. They’re still pretty young, about fifteen is the average age—oldest is seventeen,” Glosil said.

“Minimum age is seventeen to join,” Blaze said.

“Why don’t we give them the opportunity to learn? If we give them a base, a way to improve their Strength, that should be enough. Not everyone is going to join the military side of things,” Storbon said.

“We luckily had Erik and Rugrat to help us out with the beasts. They’ve only had each other, with everything they knew getting destroyed. They’ve got skills. Their gear isn’t the best but they’re determined.” Niemm looked to the others.

“Equipment can be upgraded and skills learned, but having the determination and mindset to push forward isn’t something that can be learned,” Blaze said.

“I believe we’re in agreement then?” Glosil said. The others nodded and he looked over to Egbert.

“Once they finish with the prize hall, I’ll put the question to them, then have them move into a holding room before being teleported here,” Egbert said.

The others nodded. This is what they had agreed upon.

“Hmm, look at that. It’s the fourth person from the Burning Man sect to use that technique.” Blaze frowned.

“Are they a bunch of masochists?” Niemm frowned.

The man’s body took on a red light as it grew by ten percent. His entire body brimmed with power as he charged ahead, attacking a wood leopard—a beast made from what looked like branches weaved together in the form of a leopard. Once in a forest, if it laid down it would be hard to see.

They would shoot out and attack their enemy. Their lateral movement was poor but their initial rush had already gravely wounded one of the sect’s people. They cracked their medallion and disappeared but another from the sect turned red and attacked.

Now he was using a massive war hammer, hitting the leopard in the side and sending it flying.

Two others moved to get better viewpoints, using their bows to rain hell down upon the beast.

It was badly wounded from the hammer blow and the arrows laced with poison. It dropped to the ground, dying.

“It must be some kind of secret art to increase one’s Strength. None of them use magic spells other than to augment their bodies and their attacks,” Storbon said.

“But afterward they’re weakened by a large degree. If they don’t use healing spells or concoctions, then it might leave behind hidden wounds,” Niemm said.

“They’re young men and women looking to try to impress their sect. They would put anything on the line to do so, including their lives.

“If they’re able to get a great contribution from the prize hall, then it is possible for them to become an elder of their sect and live out a comfortable life or to get high-grade medicines. If they don’t get to a high enough level and don’t get anything that interests their sect, then they will have to find a way to deal with their wounds or purchase medicines or get healing spells cast on them,” Blaze said in a grave voice as the sect team cleared the level.

The man who had used the secret art charged into the next room, keen to use his art as much as possible to clear more levels to get more points.

Storbon looked to Niemm. “You’re forgetting just how rare the items we have in Alva Dungeon are. Most sects in the first three realms focus on just one single path: fighting with a sword, fighting with an axe, a spear, or casting lightning spells, Fire spells, Earth manipulation spells and the background of Body and Mana Cultivation. These sects might have people who make armor and weapons, but it is rare for them to have healers they’ve groomed themselves. Alchemists? Even harder. They’re simply too expensive to raise themselves, so they rely on hiring outsiders or establishing ties with other sects that specialize in crafting—just blacksmiths, just healing houses, just leather armor. This creates a complicated overlap of sects helping and using one another to make up for weaknesses.

“In the Third Realm, the fighting sects and crafting sects send their people up to the Fourth Realm in massive recruitments. The sects in the Fourth Realm can’t be compared to those in the Third. They’ll be led by the fighting force, but the sect will also have crafters of all kinds. They are fighting everyone up there. Sects can only rely on themselves, so they have to be massive in order to support their own needs, taking over massive areas and fighting to expand and grow in power.

“Kingdoms and nations no longer exist, only the sects and their battlefield,” Storbon said.

The others in the room had grim looks on their faces.

“A sect with the lowest person being a higher level than anyone in Alva Dungeon, numbering in the millions,” Glosil said.

“Team one fourteen looks like they’re reaching their end,” Egbert said as a man using a simple-looking staff was being pushed back by a vine creature that used its vines as whips, cutting off his movement and wrapping up his staff.

He had been fighting valiantly for some time, but he was exhausted from fighting for so long.

“He might be a decent fighter, but he’s arrogant and he’s got ties to royalty. When we looked into his background, it looks like he is part of the Xuanyuan empire and is looking to increase his combat capabilities to challenge the position of emperor,” Blaze said.

“Pass,” Blaze said.

“Pass,” Niemm said.

“Pass,” Glosil agreed.

“How much power will we make from this?” Glosil asked Egbert.

“At the end of this all, we will lose more power than we have gained. But the dungeon core will have increased in size from consuming and purifying so much Mana. And we will gain strength in people,” Egbert said.

“We mustn’t forget that the money for this trial comes from the military budget,” Blaze said.

“The military is generally a money sink, putting in a ton of money so that your forces might be strong when they’re needed,” Glosil said.

“Well, for others maybe, but with our parties and the special teams, you supported Alva in its starting days with meat, furs, and resources. Now with the battlefield, you’re still one of the greatest ways to improve the strength of the Alva Dungeon overall,” Egbert said.

Chapter: Start of One Journey, End of Another

Erik looked to his side. For three days, he had done nothing but work on concoctions. He failed to concoct the healing potion eight times and succeeded twelve times. He found it easier to work with the Stamina Regeneration potion and was able to turn seventeen of the twenty sets of ingredients into potions. Then he had focused on the Mana Regeneration pill.

He had spent the last day studying it and was just about to start working on it as there was a knock on the door.

“Who is it?” Erik asked.

“Come on, dude. We need to go!” Rugrat yelled.

“What is it?”

“The caravan is leaving in thirty minutes!” Rugrat yelled.

Erik had closed the windows and he didn’t have a working watch, so he had to guess the time by looking at the sky. With the windows covered, he had no idea what the time was. He had thought that he spent only a day working on the concoctions!

“Fuck!” Erik waved his hand, taking everything into his storage ring. He checked the room and went to the door.

“Come on! Matt is waiting for us!” Rugrat said.

Erik was stunned for a second as he looked at George across Rugrat’s shoulders, scratching at the collar around his neck before lazily settling down for a nap.

Rugrat shoved Erik’s body armor at him that he had fixed up yet again.

Erik attempted to pull on the armor as they rushed down the stairs and then out into the street.

With their speed, they flew through the streets. People looked at them in alarm as Erik continued to pull on his body armor. Rugrat passed him arm guards and he put those on as well. He was halfway done putting on his left armband when they made it to the caravan. It was thirty wagons long, with four powerful beasts harnessed to each wagon.

There were plenty of people looking at the caravan as a number of mercenaries who were part of the caravan’s guards were seated on the caravans.

Rugrat led them over to a large man as Erik finished doing up his arm guard.

“Sorry for being late,” Rugrat said as they looked at the big man with two axes on his belt.

His eyes flickered from Erik’s half armored state and then to Rugrat and the firewolf lazing across his shoulders. “Make sure it doesn’t happen again. You’re in the eighth and ninth wagons.” The man frowned.

Erik winced. Missing schedules was like a black mark on his personal record.

Erik and Rugrat nodded and headed to the caravans they would be guarding.

“Take these.” Erik took out some healing and Stamina potions, passing them to Rugrat.

“Dude, how many did you make?” Rugrat asked, excited as he looked around to make sure no one was watching or listening in.

“Enough. I’ll give some to Matt as well. I don’t have anything but the regular Mana Regeneration powder, though,” Erik said.

“That’s a lot of potions. I’m surprised you got so many done,” Rugrat said in a low voice.

“It’s thanks to the tools that you gave me. Once I knew the right way to prepare the ingredients, I just prepared them all in one shot. Then I just had to repeat the formation stage again and again, allowing me to improve the efficacy.” Erik took out a stronger healing potion with an A written on it.

“This is one of the three strongest,” Erik said.

Rugrat took it into his storage ring.

“I wasn’t able to find anything on healing your Mana channels but the Alchemist Association has to have something,” Erik said.

“Thanks, man.” Rugrat slapped him on the shoulder.

“No worries, man.” Erik moved to Matt, who was talking up a storm with his caravan driver.

He pulled him aside and passed him some potions.

“How much you need for this?” Matt asked.

“No cost, man, but some ingredients in the next town wouldn’t be bad.” Erik smiled.

“Some ingredients? Do you know how much these would go for? Most of them would be sent to the Fourth Realm for auction to get better prices. For you to make these in three days... Can I lock you in a basement and get you to make me potions?” Matt joked.

“Couldn’t afford me!” Erik laughed. “How much would these be worth, though?”

“The healing potions, base a hundred gold—anything to heal has a high price. Stamina, sixty or seventy,” Matt guessed.

“Damn,” Erik said. The price might be high to get the ingredients and the formulas, but the profit was proportionally large.

“Load up!” Boros yelled as he jumped onto his carriage.

“See you in a bit.” Erik moved to his carriage.

Erik found his carriage and climbed up to sit next to the trader. “Erik.” He offered his hand.

“Svelt.” The man nodded and looked back to his beasts. He cracked the reins, getting them into motion as the caravan started to snake out of the trader’s district and head for the gates, not trying to say anything more.

As they exited the gate, the beasts started to pick up speed.

Svelt pulled down goggles over his eyes as a smile appeared on his face.

The beasts’ speed continued to climb. The thirty wagons met and then surpassed speeds one could find on a highway, passing other trader groups as they continued to gain speed. Erik’s body had gone through a number of temperings, but now his face and body was being smashed into the wind as if pasted to the front end of a sportscar as Svelt, the crazy Dutch bastard, looked like fucking Evel Knievel himself as he covered up his smile that threatened to reach his eyes.

I’ve got the equivalent of a Swedish Joker. This’ll be fun. I miss comics.

Even with their speed, the carriage ran smooth. Specially made wheels and suspension accommodated for the road, making it a smooth journey.

Erik pulled out his goggles he’d used in the deserts of the Second Realm and put them on his face to save his eyeballs from being blasted out the back of his skull and fought the gale of nature and beasts to put on his leg guards. They hit a bump and he scrambled to hold onto the carriage as he looked over to Svelt, whose face was covered in a cloth as he snapped his reins again and again.

Erik pulled out some rope and attached it to the seat, tying himself in, and then resumed trying to get dressed.

***

The different sects collected their people as they came out of the Beast Mountain trial, quickly escorting them to the side and covering them in a spell so no one else could hear as they looked at the loot that they had gained from the dungeon.

“It looks like none of the people from the First Realm have come out,” one of the Willful Institute elders said.

“They must have been killed in the dungeon,” another replied.

Elder Rei found it odd that they hadn’t appeared. He could understand a number of them being killed, but not all of them, and the people from the sect were coming out first.

While the Beast Mountain trial might be protecting the people from the First Realm around the platform, if they were to go further then it wouldn’t be able to protect them. At that time, the sects could kill them off and take the items that they got from the dungeon.

A day went past as more people came out of the dungeon. Some of the sects left as their people had all arrived.

On the second day, the sects’ people continued to come out but the people from the First Realm didn’t.

“The dungeon must be sending the people from the First Realm somewhere else,” Elder Rei said to the elders with him.

Three of the Willful Institute’s people had already come out of the trial with varying goods. All of them had been able to get decent items to increase the strength of the sect. With their contributions, it paved the way to the Second Realm and could gain tutoring from teachers and masters that they wouldn’t be able to meet easily.

***

The people from the First Realm who interested Blaze, Glosil, Storbon, and Niemm were placed into a large room, where they recuperated. Egbert told them that they would get an additional opportunity once everyone was done with the dungeon.

Those they passed on were sent out to different locations outside of the Beast Mountain Range, to keep them from encountering the sects.

The group of five were still sitting in the dungeon core headquarters when a message came in.

“Well, it looks like Roska is back from the Second Realm. She made contact with our person in Chonglu. Tully seems to be hurt but stable. They’re resting in Chonglu and will head to Alva once the dungeon event is over,” Blaze said.

“It’s already been three months,” Storbon replied.

“Hard to think—a lot has happened.” Niemm looked out of the building and over to the academy made up of tier-two buildings and the ever expanding living quarters and trading markets.

Chapter: Mysterious Trio

Boros and Lucy sat around a fire. The caravan was pulled up into a circle. Each of the caravans had certain defensive capabilities, creating a moving fortress when they set up for the night. The different traders and mercenaries were talking with one another and eating. Others had turned in for the night already or were spending their free time as they felt fit.

Though the strangest group of them all was the three men and the firewolf that were lounging around.

“Seems like they’re not simple at all,” Lucy said as Boros turned back to her.

“The mage is the weakest of them but he’s also a trader. That beast must be a mid-Fourth Realm beast or stronger. It’s a rare breed with some special bloodline to have wings and that deep, firey fur,” Boros said.

“Their armor is also custom made for them and its rank isn’t low, either—high-Journeyman rank made out of Mortal-grade iron,” Lucy said, impressed.

“Seems like they hold themselves in high regard.” Boros shook his head, his face darkening.

“Hmm?” Lucy ate her dinner.

“Showed up late, aren’t mixing with the others—now they’re lazing around. They might have good gear but it’s freshly repaired. If they’re really close to the peak of the Third Realm, it doesn’t make sense that they would get hit so many times,” Boros said.

“What are you saying?”

“They’ve got nice gear and items, but I doubt that their combat capability is high. You know how it is: everyone has to prove their strength in order to get the best rewards. They’re just sitting over there, not caring about any of the competition. Also, I haven’t seen any of their weapons. I’d say it would be good not to rely on them for any support.” Boros looked to the other mercenaries who were checking their gear and talking to one another, creating stronger bonds with one another if they got into a fight. “The good fighters talk of their abilities, try to get a position where they can lead. No warrior wants to be told how to fight,” Boros said.

Lucy looked over to the group, seeing one working with a piece of metal and a blue tool.

The two others were talking in low voices, the one wearing heavy armor listening to the mage.

“What kind of fighters are they?” Lucy asked.

“Melee, ranged, and summoner.”

“Summoner?” Lucy looked over at Boros.

“He’s also a trader, probably to try to get more summoning beasts,” Boros added.

“As long as they do their job, it’s no problem.” Lucy bent her head down to eat when there was a whistle off to the side of the camp.

“Roaming group of beasts!” someone called out from their watch position. “Level twenty-three to twenty-six!”

Boros stood up as Lucy began to eat.

“I’ll go deal with it!” one of the fighters who was around the large fire said proudly as he rushed forward.

Two others quickly followed. “Don’t think that we’ll let you have all of the glory!”

Boros nodded to himself. This was how warriors were supposed to be.

The three around the fire checked their gear as the warriors ran into battle.

He shook his head at their actions. He jumped up onto one of the carriages and looked at the beasts. They were rushing toward the carriages as the person on watch fired arrows into them, killing one and leaving five more.

The warriors jumped on the carriages, looked at the situation and then jumped into the battle. The other fighters all moved on top of the carriages to see the fight.

The man who had arrived half-dressed jumped onto the carriages to look at the fight as the other’s firewolf expanded to its full size as he sat on it. The third, on a different carriage, looked in the opposite direction.

Boros couldn’t help frown. It looked as if they were ready to run for it at just a small party of beasts roaming around in the night!

The value of the three dropped in his eyes as he looked to watch the fight.

The first warrior used a technique; his blade turned blue as it cut through the air, sending a Wind Blade at a beast, cutting it and pushing it back. He jumped forward, his sword clashing and cutting at the confused and pained beast.

Another’s spear turned green as it howled through the sky, piercing through a wolf and burying itself into the ground.

The third fired an arrow, combining it with a spell form to buff the arrow, turning it into a lightning bolt. It flashed through the sky, paralyzing another beast.

The other warriors came in, displaying their fighting arts and techniques and releasing their powerful auras and destructive strikes.

With the aid of their techniques, they were able to easily tear the beasts apart.

“Come! I have some good White Cloud tea for us to drink! My body feels alive, fighting with you all!” the strongest of the mercenaries—the one who had displayed his cutting wind sword art—yelled out boisterously.

The others laughed and agreed as they headed back into the camp, taking in the corpses of the beasts and talking about how to split them up.

Looks like the leader of the mercenaries has been made. It will be easier to control them now.

The latecomer jumped off the carriage roof, a look of disappointment on his face as the others returned to their fire.

Boros ground his teeth together.

Looking down on others who did the hard work and all you did was prepare yourself to run! Boros’s opinion of the three-man group reached new lows as he pulled out the night watch schedule and changed it around. It was a small thing but it would serve to annoy them and make sure that they had less sleep.

As the others were doing shows of strength, the three were looking at different books, playing with metal and sleeping! How were they true warriors!

Boros had lived as a mercenary all of his life, going through many battles and being around hot-blooded fighters. They were the people he felt the most comfortable with. This group was nothing but snake charmers, showing high levels but no ability!

***

Rugrat returned to working on the metal in his hands. He was trying to carve some simple formation designs that he had learned. The control over the blade needed to be absolute. With his limited access to Mana, every second he summoned the Mana blade was precious. As Rugrat increased his Agility, he had gained a greater control over his body, allowing him to create precise cuts at accurate depths and permitting him to make the most use of his time with the Mana blade.

With time, he felt he would increase in his precision and ability.

Erik described what he had seen and told Matt.

“Those must be fighting techniques. People can use Mana in their body to create spells through their actions to amplify their attacks. As you use Mana to increase the power of your punches, it’s a pretty blunt way, but you could use techniques to increase the power you display, taking all of that energy and refining it into a focused attack. It can take a lot of energy to carry out but they’re some of the most powerful attacks,” Matt said.

“Techniques—are there any for bows?” Rugrat asked.

“Sure, there are spells one can cast, like One Hundred Arrow Rain. One would fire an arrow up into the sky and it would create a spell of hundreds of the same arrow shooting down toward the ground underneath. Or there is a Thousand Fist art that increases the speed that one can deliver their punches, unleashing one thousand punches in a minute!” Matt said excitedly.

Rugrat looked over to Erik and sighed. “Looks like another thing to buy.”

“Of course. Never believed in having any savings,” Erik said as someone walked over.

“The night watch has changed. You’re up in two hours.” The man passed them a new schedule.

“Well, this sucks.” Erik looked at the schedule. All of their watches were in the middle of the night, meaning if they wanted to sleep, it’d be interrupted.

“Isn’t it only a few days to get to the city? We don’t need to sleep that much.” Rugrat shrugged as he messed up his carving. He swore and turned the hunk of metal, starting again on a new side.

Chapter: End of Beast Mountain Trial

Elder Rei and the other sects that had been waiting around could only watch as the gates to the Beast Mountain trial faded away and the light in the stage dimmed, announcing the end to the dungeon trial.

Medallions appeared in front of the different sects whose people had done well.

One of the Willful Institute’s elders grabbed the medallions hanging in the air and stored them away. The Willful Institute had done well, placing in the top three of all the sects.

Still, Elder Rei couldn’t help but frown at the results. “We will return to the Second Realm as soon as possible,” he announced as he made ready to move.

The others followed him as the other sects left the battlefield stage empty.

He needed to report these changes to the sect as soon as possible.

***

Bobby O’Brien looked at the others in the room. He had long ago hidden his Demon Reaper sword.

The people in the room were only those from the First Realm. None of the sect members were around. There were eighteen people in total, in different groups that they had formed before battle or when they reached the stage.

All of them had gotten an offer for more Strength if they were willing to work for it.

They had accepted and been teleported to the waiting hall. It was like the other teleportation halls that they had appeared in, where they could walk through the door and enter battle with the creatures on the other side.

This time, when they went up to the door, they weren’t able to open it.

They had been there for a day now as a new light flashed and nearly fifteen people appeared.

Everyone went silent looking at the group. They released an unconscious pressure that weighed on all of the people in the room.

These people aren’t to be fucked with. Bobby was ready to draw his weapon if he needed to. He might die, but he’d do it fighting.

“Welcome to the second part of the trial, the application. My name is Blaze.” Blaze stepped forward. Like the others, he had custom armor.

That must be Journeyman armor. Bobby compared the workmanship against that of his sword. He spent hours looking after the blade and he knew it intimately.

His eyes widened as he realized all of the group wore Journeyman-level armor and weapons freely.

Just who the hell are these people?

“You’re all probably thinking, what the fuck is going on? Why did I agree to this? Well, we’re here to offer you a chance, a chance to hone your fighting skills to fight alongside us.”

“Can we say no?” one asked with a sneer.

“Sure you can. This is part of the dungeon, after all. You’ve come to the second part of it. If you want, you can say ‘I want to leave the dungeon’ and you’ll be teleported somewhere randomly outside of the Beast Mountain Range, though you must swear an oath to never spread any information about this second part of the trial. What does it hurt to get more information?” Blaze smiled.

“What do you want from us?” someone else asked.

“We’ve looked into your backgrounds. We’ve seen your skills, your determination. We want to offer you a place in our town. A place to train your fighting skills and the ability to challenge the Beast Mountain trial again and again. The chance to train in a craft, like Alchemy, healing, smithing, tailoring and more.”

Blaze’s words created a ripple as people talked to one another.

Blaze cleared his throat and the noise in the room quieted down.

“To learn more, each of you will have to complete an oath to the Ten Realms to protect the people of Alva. Please step forward and complete the oath. Once we’re all complete, then we can head to Alva,” Blaze said.

Not seeing any other option and interested, people started to step forward.

They were given an oath to say by one of the people from Alva and then moved to the side once it was completed. It didn’t take them long to complete the oaths.

“Egbert?” Blaze said into the sky.

“One second—doing something.” The voice that replied was the same one that had talked through the trial and the one that had given them the offer to come to this place.

“All right, there we go. This is coming out of your budget!”

The room turned white as Bobby readied himself for an attack.

They appeared in a large cavern, looking at Alva city.

Guards and medics stationed around the teleportation array looked at them, talking in interest.

“Follow me.” Blaze took off and walked toward a large fortress in the distance.

The group talked excitedly to one another, looking at the medics and guards then the buildings in the distance, trying to get a better idea of just what Alva was.

***

Roska and her team had arrived in Chonglu, meeting up with one of the military information officers who gathered information from the local populace and created an information network around Alva Dungeon.

They’d been bundled into a caravan and sent toward the Beast Mountain Range.

They had stayed in the trading outpost, waiting for the Beast Mountain trial to be cleared.

Tully was now fully conscious and her limbs were healing nicely. With just healing powders, Yang Zan, and her own regenerative abilities, she would be healed in just a few days.

Once she met with the information officer in Chonglu, Roska was able to relax, knowing that Alva Dungeon was safe, that Erik and Rugrat had been able to get a dungeon core for it and restore operations. It still needed more before it was fully operational, but at least their home was safe and secure for the time being.

The rest of the team had all been able to finally relax and wonder just what they would get for the items they had acquired in the Second Realm.

She opened the door to the house that their contact in the trading outpost had organized for them.

She let out a whistle, bringing heads out of the different rooms. “Looks like it’s time to go home. Transport has been organized,” Roska said.

“Woo-hoo!” Han Wu grinned and jumped. Gong Jin shook his head as Imani snorted at their antics.

“Yes! Showers!” Hang Zan yelled from one of the rooms.

“The cookhouse!” Tully yelled back from her room.

Roska’s stony expression crumbled as she laughed and smiled.

Alva village had once only been a place she was stuck, unable to go anywhere else, but Alva Dungeon had become her home.

“When do we leave?” Gong Jin asked.

“As fast as you can pack your shit up!”

***

“In conclusion, we’ve gained thirteen new people for Alva Dungeon from the Beast Mountain trial. A number of them have expressed interest in crafting as well as joining the military. They are being organized and sorted out by Blaze. Have I missed anything?” Elise asked.

“Sounds about it,” Glosil said.

“Now we just need to save up money to bring our crafting buildings to tier three,” Taran said.

“And open trade routes into the Second Realm,” Jasper added.

“Get our special teams into the Third Realm,” Blaze inserted.

“And start capturing a few dungeons of strategic value,” Glosil reminded everyone.

“Anything else?”

“We could always use more books,” Egbert said.

“Out, out—all of you! Go get to work and come back to me with your plans!” Elise shooed them away.

The others all smiled. As time had gone on, their positions had been reaffirmed, with each of them getting a budget out of the treasury. More money had to be okayed by Elise. Instead of making group decisions, they had come to know their roles, their people, and their facilities so it was up to them to come up with plans and ways to execute them—checking with the others when necessary. The population of Alva was growing; if they continued to debate every decision, then nothing would be completed.

The meeting came to a close as they continued their old tradition and headed to the cookhouse to get a meal.

Chapter: Pill Press and Human Glowstick

Rugrat scratched behind George’s ears. The firewolf was in his smaller form, sitting on his shoulders as they sped down the main road toward their next destination.

There was nothing to do but sit there as they traveled. The wind was too loud to have anything like a true conversation unless Rugrat wanted to scream at the man beside him.

Instead, he read a scroll on the body’s Mana system.

He put it away with a sour look on his face. He still couldn’t find anything that might help him repair his Mana channels. If I can’t repair my Mana channels, then I might not be able to cultivate Mana Gathering.

Rugrat fell into thought, frowning heavily. I’ll just have to look harder. There has to be something. If not, then maybe in the Alchemist Association, there can be something to help me.

Rugrat glanced back at Erik’s carriage. He had no doubts in his friend’s skills or his determination. Rugrat was also pinning his hopes for a cure on him, but he didn’t want to tell him that, adding even more pressure to Erik’s life and the contest.

They passed others along the road and didn’t run into any bandits.

The other mercenaries were eager to show off to one another and leapt at the chance to kill animals that were startled by the noise and ran away from the carriages.

Rugrat shook his head and settled into his seat. “Erik, wake me up if anything kicks off.”

“Will do,” Erik replied.

Rugrat closed his eyes and went to sleep, trying to forget his worries.

“Coming up on our next city.” Erik’s words woke Rugrat.

Rugrat opened his eyes, blinking to clear the sleep from them as he saw a city in the distance.

“Hopefully they’ve got something for a smith like me!” Rugrat sent back.

“I’m going to bet it’s more enhancers,” Erik said.

“Yeah—alchemist garden. Makes sense. There’s not all that much fighting here and most of the production of weapons happens in the Fourth Realm. Someone can mine Mortal iron right out of the ground and there’s a low chance of finding Earth-grade iron,” Rugrat said, his initial excitement dulled.

I can’t even create Mortal-grade iron with my messed-up Mana channels. If I can’t do that, I can’t even try to inject more Mana into the metal and increase its grade.

“I have a feeling that the Fourth Realm isn’t going to be that easy to handle,” Erik said in a grave tone.

Their chat ended there and it wasn’t long before they reached the city.

The mercenaries and travelers who were staying in the city split away from the group. The core traders secured the caravan and had their own guards watching over them as the mercenaries were put on leave.

Most of them went off in one group. Erik went to go find a place to buy ingredients and practice more Alchemy. Rugrat went looking for enhancers as well as information on a possible cure for his Mana channel issue and Matt went shopping.

***

Two days went by. As Erik woke up on the second day, he had breakfast while reading the formula for the Mana Regeneration pill.

All concoctions were mixtures, but pills were much more concentrated and compacted than the other two forms of concoctions. The pills were fundamentally different, as in the formation stage there was the pill core formation and then the tempering stage.

The pill core was the center of the pill, the thing that drew in the medical power of the other ingredients. It was kind of like a planet’s core, pulling in everything else and allowing it to retain its form. Once the ingredients combined with the pill core, it created a newborn pill. This pill could be pulled out from the cauldron and used. Its efficacy would be higher than a potion or powder of the same grade, but it would be the simplest form of pill.

In the tempering stage, a pill would increase in strength, the impurities removed and the strength of the ingredients heightened. Although it would increase in medicinal strength, it would be harder to keep compressing. It was like instead of pumping more air into an air tank, you were decreasing the size of the air tank, increasing the pressure but decreasing the size. The volatility only increased but then the pressure or power released would be much greater.

Erik cleared away his food and checked the room was secure before pulling out his cauldron and handmade tools. He had gotten Rugrat to create a Mana Gathering formation so that as he was making the pill, none of the power would be able to leak out and alert the other people in the inn.

Erik began the preparation stage, taking a number of ingredients, burning, heating, crushing, and separating out what was needed from what wasn’t.

Once he had all of the preparations down, he prepared all of his ingredients.

Once that was cleared, he moved on to the formation stage. He took a few moments to compose himself, heating his cauldron.

He took out the prepared ingredients and placed them into the cauldron, the formula already burned into his mind as he worked.

Erik had to match the knowledge of the formula to the reactions in the cauldron as it started to shake from the building medicinal strength gathered inside it.

The cauldron handled it well but Erik found that his flames were less effective, requiring further concentration and a higher consumption of Mana.

He added in ash of Keao. There was a rumbling side in the cauldron. In a rush to complete the pill, he hadn’t allowed the previous ingredients to fully combine, creating an imbalance. Erik tried to fight it with his flames.

There was a suction noise as the entire pill ingredients went up in smoke and the cauldron turned silent. Erik looked at the cauldron for some time before he retracted his flames.

He recovered, thinking on the pill making process and where he had gone wrong and tasted what was left to use his reverse alchemist ability to see what he could learn.

“Well, at least I know some of the ways I went wrong,” Erik said after a few minutes, pulling out another set of already prepared ingredients and started again. His movements gained a greater measure of surety, the instructions to the formula becoming clearer.

He worked again and again, getting further along the creation process with each trial. Using his reverse alchemist and his knowledge to refine his ability and discover where he had erred.

He simply couldn’t think of the wealth he lost.

Erik was no longer the clean and professional alchemist from before. His appearance was haggard and between the multiple attempts, he seemed to be only moments away from falling asleep.

Still, his eyes remained focused and his movements refined throughout the failures.

The cauldron took up his entire focus as he studied what was happening inside.

There was a mixture of the appropriate ingredients inside, creating a layered fog. As the flames burned and more ingredients were added, at the center a small core was forming. It grew, going from the size of a grain of rice to the size of a fingertip.

Everything in the cauldron seemed to pause for a moment, as if the pill core took a breath.

The floating clouds of fog rushed in toward the pill core, combining together and wrapping it up.

Erik added in his final ingredients as he moved his flames around, encapsulating the pill fog that adhered to the pill core.

He kept on heating, turning and compressing. Then it felt as if he had run into a wall as he heard a notification in the back of his mind.

He paid it no attention as he looked at the dull blue pill. It had veins of different colors running through that let off vapors as it continued to be rotated and heated, reducing in size.

I wish I could create something like my centrifuge to do this for me.

Erik’s centrifuge was really good, but it only looked to separate different density liquids. He needed to heat all of the pill at the same time and rotate that heat in order to compress it properly.

As he went, the difficulty continued to increase, increasing the stress on him and his anxiety as he wondered how far he could go.

“Another bottleneck?” Erik muttered aloud. He had been working with his Mana for so long it felt as though his Mana channels had been rubbed raw from constantly pulling in and pushing out Mana.

He felt as if the pill was still the same grade it had been before, but it didn’t have so many impurities. If he was able to pass through this bottleneck, he could increase the overall grade of the pill.

Erik thought about stopping. He had made his first pill, which was already a big achievement. Even if I fail in trying to increase it by a grade, then I might learn something. Then maybe the next one will be able to make it passed the bottleneck. Being scared of failing is like being scared of succeeding. I can learn from both just as much.

Erik gathered his strength and increased the rotation and heat on the pill. The pill started to shake, fighting him. Sweat appeared on his forehead as he upped the Mana flames and the spin.

It was as though he was fighting with a locked-up nut—he just needed to increase the pressure just a bit and it would come and he could make it!

He felt as if he had cracked through something and a wave of vapor left the pill as it shrank rapidly.

Erik tried to compensate and cover, but the sudden changes left him scrambling.

The pill exploded, ringing the cauldron as if it were a bell.

Erik looked at the pill vapor that came out of the cauldron, marking his failure.

He let out a sigh and fell backward, lying on the ground as fatigue overtook his body and shut down his mind.

He laid there thinking on the formation process as the darkness took him.

As he slept, he dreamed of Alchemy.

When he woke, he cleared his cauldron and started afresh. Erik’s body, having recovered, allowed him to complete the different stages of formation at a rapid pace.

He formed pills and refined them once again. He didn’t let the changes and the sudden vapor released shock him. He found that he couldn’t find another bottleneck but there was a point that he just had to stop as he met a level where he could compress the pill more, but the medicinal efficacy didn’t increase.

He was like a machine, grinding out pill after pill, not taking time to rest until Rugrat knocked on his door.

Erik completed his last pill, stored away his cauldron and he went to the door. “What is it?”

Rugrat indicated he wanted to come inside.

Erik moved to the side, making sure that there was no one else as he closed the door behind him.

“How is your Mana gate?” Rugrat asked once Erik closed the door.

Erik took a moment to look at his Mana gate. It had been pierced and it was nearly completely open. The thread of Mana moving through it had turned into a flood, with only a small amount of the Mana gate detritus circling his Mana gate.

“It’s nearly open,” Erik said.

“Use one of these.” Rugrat tossed Erik a Mortal-grade Mana stone.

Erik looked from it to Rugrat. “You do know how expensive these things are?” Erik asked.

“You do know how much money Matt has made us off those monster cores?”

Erik had forgotten about their wealth and nodded.

“You can use the Mana stone to open another Mana gate and maybe pierce another,” Rugrat said.

Erik hadn’t been focusing on his Mana Gathering system but he knew that it could be an incredible aid, even with his pills. He had been drained making them. With a higher Mana Regeneration, he could have the Mana to increase the quality of the pills and then recover faster to make more. It would also increase the speed that he could stack his Hallowed Ground, or the rate of fire of Mana bolts and bullets.

Erik made to open his mouth.

“Look, I know that it went bad for me but I was trying to do too much too fast. Up to that point, we have been able to cultivate without too many issues. I underestimated the backlash and just what I would need to do,” Rugrat said.

Erik wasn’t sure what to say, knowing that his words wouldn’t help out. He simply nodded his head.

“Okay.” He held the Mana stone and pulled out the Mana Gathering formation he’d cleared away and put it on the floor. “Watch out for me.”

“I got your back,” Rugrat said.

Erik looked at the Mana stone.

==========

Mana Stone

Rank: Mortal

Weight: 0.5 kg

Characteristics: Contains highly compressed Mana in a solid format

==========

==========

Do you wish to use this Mana Stone?

YES/NO

==========

“Yes,” Erik said.

==========

Do you wish to charge your items?

No items found

Do you wish to consume the Mana Stone?

==========

“Consume it,” Erik said.

The Mana stone glowed as the screens disappeared. The Mana stone started to turn into a stream of colored dust that circled Erik.

With the Mana Gathering formation, it was unable to dissipate. Erik held the Mana stone and started to circulate his Mana, trying to draw the Mana in the air into his body.

With the massive influx of Mana around Erik, the impurities in his Mana gate was like dirt being hit with a power hose.

Erik sat there for nearly an hour and a half before he felt the Mana gate crack open fully, cleared of all impurities and detritus. His entire Mana system seemed to resonate with the power in the world around him.

He opened his eyes as Mana was still circulating around him, unable to escape the formation plate.

A notification floated in his eyes.

==========

Quest Updated: Opening the Fourteen Gates

==========

Congratulations! You have opened your eleventh Mana gate.

==========

Requirements: Clear all of your fourteen gates (11/14)

==========

Rewards: +1 to Mana Regeneration base stat

Undergo Mana Body Rebirth

1,400,000 EXP

==========

==========

Title: Mana Duke

==========

Your Mana control has increased greatly.

==========

The strength of your spells has increased by 20%. Your Mana Regeneration increased by 20%.

(Replaces Mana Lord)

==========

Erik looked at the power that was still coming off the Mana stone. “Help me pierce another.” Erik craved another burst of power, to level up again.

“All right,” Rugrat said. They were both experienced and they easily pierced another one of Erik’s blocked Mana gates.

Erik sat there, circulating his Mana and drawing in the energy from the Mana stone and the Mana Gathering formation.

With so much concentrated Mana in the air, Erik could see as the thread of Mana started to grow. It opened as much in one hour as it would take Erik four days normally.

Erik lost track of time as he continued to circulate Mana. He didn’t feel tired but refreshed instead as his mind was clear and at peace, circulating his Mana.

He fell into a sort of hypnosis from it.

Suddenly, he felt the Mana in the air decreasing. The thread-like opening had turned into an opening as big as a pencil.

Erik grabbed another Mana stone from his storage ring. Then, with a look of determination, he started to consume it as well.

The speed of the opening’s growth decreased over time, but still it set an impressive pace, becoming the size of a marker. As Erik went to look for more Mana stones, he found that he had already pulled them out and consumed them.

A feeling of loss came over him as he looked through his storage ring. His face went pale. How much gold did I just spend to only open my Mana gate partially?

Erik wanted to cry over the loss as Rugrat cleared his throat.

“I thought it might increase the speed that you can open up your Mana gates. I was able to find some information on it as I was looking around.”

Erik knew that he was looking for information on how to try to repair his Mana channels.

“Well, I didn’t exactly expect to lose that much money,” Erik complained.

“The rich sure do have it nice,” Rugrat agreed.

There was a knock at the door.

Erik got up, finding his body was surprisingly energized, as if he had a great night of sleep.

Rugrat opened the door to find Matt on the other side, out of breath.

“The trade caravan is leaving right now!” He gasped.

“What? Why didn’t they say anything?” Rugrat looked back at Erik, who frowned as well.

“They sent someone over just now!” Matt said.

“Fuck is their problem?” Erik muttered as he checked the room once over and followed the others out. They rushed toward the trade caravan. Everyone was mounted up and ready to go.

“Can’t even get here on time—I’m taking it from your pay!” Boros yelled furiously as they appeared.

Erik and Rugrat shared a look. They knew when people were really angry and when they were pulling one over on them.

He could also see the guards and mercenaries smirking and looking down on them as they shook their heads.

Looks like he doesn’t like us for some reason, Erik thought.

“You—” Matt started, getting angry as he saw through Boros as well.

Erik’s hand fell on Matt’s shoulder, silencing him. They needed a way to Khusai for the second trial and the caravan was the only one that they knew would get there in time.

“Would be a shame if something accidentally came in the middle of the night,” Rugrat said, as if he didn’t notice Boros’s words as he walked toward the caravan.

Boros stood up, about to yell, when another voice could be heard.

“Load up. We don’t have time for your bickering.” A woman’s voice cut through the caravan as Erik, Rugrat, and Matt mounted up, their carriages now split up in the caravan.

Boros shot them looks but sat back down, listening to Lucy’s commands.

The caravan set off and threaded out of the city and out onto the roads.

***

Boros stepped up to the tent that had been turned into the trader’s headquarters and Lucy’s sleeping area.

“Come in,” Lucy said.

Boros walked in to find her sitting on a chair, putting down what she had been reading, a displeased look on her face.

She pulled out a formation and turned it on, cutting off sound from leaving the tent. “What are you doing with the mercenaries? What was that shit this morning?”

“I’m trying to pit them against one another, teach them a lesson, get them to follow the others. They’re just doing their own thing. I don’t know if I can rely on them in a fight. If I make their life a pain in the ass, then they start listening to what I say to make things easier,” Boros said.

Lucy nodded. “It makes sense. But they’re level twenty-nine. If they get pissed off, what are you going to do?”

“With our backers, do you think anyone would be that dumb?” Boros snorted. Lucy’s steely eyes made him snap upright and wipe the sneer off his face.

“You even told me that they’re strong. Don’t piss them off,” she said.

Boros had an awkward expression on his face.

“Spit it out.”

“It would be all good if they came under our command but, well, had some drinks with the others and it looks like they don’t like how they’re keeping to themselves and they’ll probably hound them if I don’t say anything,” Boros said apologetically.

“So you got drunk, started pissing about with the mercenaries, and started some shit between them and the three level twenty-nines?” Lucy asked.

There was a flash of light outside the tent before rain started to fall on the caravan.

Boros turned quiet for a moment.

“Do you know what they’re selling?” Lucy’s voice was low and dangerous as she poured herself a drink.

“No,” Boros said, confused by the question.

“Earth Variant Monster cores, all over the city. I wouldn’t have known about it if I didn’t see that Matt going into three different stores. None of the people in the city knew that it was the same person selling them, either. He also didn’t sell too many to change and alter the market so people would be suspicious. What does that tell you?” Lucy took a drink from her glass.

“They have a lot of monster cores?” Boros asked.

Lucy threw her glass, smashing it on his chest and sending wine over his face.

“It tells you that they have a lot of fucking monster cores?” She yelled, barely able to hold herself back as she fought to regain control. “You might not do a lot of trading, but Earth Variant Monster cores only come from powerful creatures, the kind that are above level thirty-five. From what I can tell, they’ve got a fucking ton of them. They’re fighters, which means they’ve been fighting shit and pulling their cores out from the Third Realm. Beasts are stronger than people and hard to deal with. They’re keeping a low profile, which means that they don’t want to be fucked with, that they’re trying to go to Khusai to be mercenaries but don’t care about your little games. Who other than fucking mercenaries go to be guards for alchemists? Who actually get hired all the time? Is it mercenaries or is it sect-trained fighters?” Lucy yelled.

Boros’s eyes went wide with each of her words.

“As close as I can tell, you just pissed off three people who are from a fucking sect! You’re supposed to fucking protect my caravan, not get us into shit!”

“W-what do I do?” Boros asked.

“Tell the mercenaries to not piss them off and hope to hell that they listen,” Lucy said.

The power of the sects wasn’t small. Even low-level people could get others from their sect to help them easily if they were slighted.

Chapter: ASS-kicking

Xiu Xuan listened to the sound transmission device.

“Ten minutes, get the lads moving. Trevor, don’t fuck up the stone walls,” he said as he pulled out a spell scroll.

“Yes, boss.” Trevor rushed off to go and talk with his fellow mages.

“That Lucy has always been confident and proud about her White Orchid Trading Company. What do you think her expression will be when it’s torn down and her traders killed?” Lawrence, one of Xiu Xuan’s captains, laughed.

Xiu Xuan revealed a pleased smile. It wasn’t easy finding someone in her ranks who would reveal their location and route. If we can make this score, then Older Brother will have to acknowledge my ability!

***

Erik sat upright as he looked around. He started to circulate his Mana as he felt that something wasn’t right. He didn’t know whether it was just his hyperactive senses or just that sixth sense in the back of his mind.

“Get ready,” Erik messaged Rugrat and Matt.

Rugrat pulled out his crossbow, smiling at the driver beside him, who looked at him in confusion.

Matt started to circulate his Mana but was perplexed by Erik’s words. He didn’t see anything that was alarming along the road.

In fact, it was clear for as far as the eye could see.

A wall of stone shot out of the ground and covered the road. The leading carriage couldn’t do anything as the beasts, seeing the wall, tried to slow down and divert, causing the carriage to be thrown. The people aboard it slammed into the wall. The beasts charged in afterward, causing both them and the carriage to slam into the wall, badly injured as they panicked, in pain and trapped in their harnesses.

“Contact front!” Rugrat yelled out.

A magical circle appeared in the sky as the carriages diverted to either side of the road, to miss each other and slow down, creating chaos as beasts ran into one another and slammed into carriages at speed.

Erik was holding onto the carriage chair as he looked up at the magical circle in the air. From it a dome appeared, the edges containing the White Orchid Trading Company caravan.

==========

You have entered an Enclosed Space spell

==========

Erik grabbed his helmet and pulled it on.

“Get into defensive formation!” Boros yelled over the noise, trying to bring back some order and get people organized. The first arrows and spells came from the marshes on either side as the bandits that had been hiding there tossed off their camouflage.

Erik and his driver were hit with arrows. Erik crouched down and the arrows hit off his armor. The driver wasn’t as lucky; hit with several arrows, only one of them actually pierced skin, his movements became jerky as he looked at Erik, opening his mouth, but the arrow had punctured a lung as he plead with his eyes that suddenly dimmed, the poison was too fast and his constitution was that of a trader, not a fighter.

He fell off of the cart as Erik crouched down, trying to figure out the firing positions of the archers and keep himself from being hit.

The first volley of arrows ended as Erik raised himself up. He raised his hands. They were like twin repeater rifles. Blue Mana bullets followed nose to base as he lit up the afternoon. His Mana bullets caught the charging bandits, chewing them apart.

“Matt—scarenn swarm. I can poison them to increase their effectiveness. Rugrat, get up into the air. I want to know what’s happening around us!”

Erik jumped off the carriage as Matt started his summoning.

George leaped off Rugrat’s shoulder, growing to his full size. His wings caused dust to be thrown to the sides. Rugrat jumped off the carriage, grabbing the back of George’s mane. He fired his crossbow, taking a bandit in the eye, his expression cold as another loaded crossbow appeared; he turned to the other side, hitting a bandit that jumped through the air to close with the caravan.

A magical formation appeared in front of George’s mouth as he used fire breath on the bandits in front. Those caught in the flames screamed out in pain, unable to focus on George as he climbed into the sky with his powerful wings.

Rugrat stood up in his stirrups on George’s back. Left, right, left, right—one could only hear the whistling noise of his bolts, see the glowing arrows explode as they met their targets.

Erik moved low and fast, zigzagging across the ground as he fired at the bandits, forcing them to dive for cover.

“Right side mage!” Rugrat yelled out.

Erik jumped to the side as he saw the spell coming for him—a Mana spear. It struck the ground behind him causing an explosion. Erik returned several Mana bolts in the mage’s direction, causing the marsh to explode with muddy water and painful cries.

Erik advanced. It was as if the bandits were moving in slow motion. With Erik’s increases to his Agility, through Body Cultivation and stat increases and the buffs of his Ass Kicker armor set, he had been able to fight the beasts of the Ten Realms, beasts that had naturally higher physical abilities than humans. It had transformed his fighting style: reactions were actions, thoughts movement, strength destruction. He had transformed into a beast among men.

Arrows and spells flew toward him, slowing his progress as he avoided their trajectories, firing his Mana bolts and Mana bullets at the attackers.

This is power. This is destruction. In the flashes of magical spells and flames that were spreading across the marsh, one could see the cold grin on Erik’s face as he danced through the incoming fire.

***

Boros was pulling the mercenaries and the guards together, covering the traders and the caravans. He had abandoned trying to make a defensive formation with them. The beasts were all scared, smelling the blood from their fellows that were crying out from where they had slammed into the stone wall.

The mercenaries were trying their best to find cover under the rain of arrows and spells. The guards were pulling the traders together.

A fireball shot down from the sky, exploding among a group of advancing bandits. Others fell with crossbow bolts in their necks.

Both Rugrat and Matt fired back. Matt looked to be terrified but he was fighting and summoning at the same time, continuing a chant as a circle appeared at his side. Bugs started to appear from the ground between the summoning circle. The cloud grew larger until they created a pitch-black cloud.

Another explosion went off. Dirt and bits of plants rained down on Boros. He ducked and then looked at Erik, who had dodged the blast, coating the area where the spell had come from. A pill appeared in his hand as he put it in his mouth, holding it there as he reached the melee fighters.

He fired a blast of Mana into them, throwing back the leaders as he jumped into the destruction he had created.

His body seemed to grow larger; heat-like vapors appeared around him as he unleashed a punch on a fighter, crushing their breastplate and sending them flying. He dodged another attack; his foot smashed into them and sent them flying through the marsh, leaving a divot behind them.

Each of his attacks made the Mana around him fluctuate.

He lowered his stance. His fists glowed with accumulated Mana as he unleashed it, creating a Mana Detonation. It created a cone of destruction, causing several bandits to be thrown back with grievous wounds.

He moved to the side, missing a spell that hit one of the bandits.

Boros saw in the light of the spell the grin on Erik’s face as he fought. Demons—they’re demons.

“Scarenn swarm!” Matt yelled out.

“Bring them on me!” Erik yelled back. He was fighting his best but bandits were coming from everywhere.

“Focus on the right side!” Boros said. The bandits were being held off on the left by Erik; he needed to stop the ones on the right that were coming through the burnt marshland that George had created when he took off.

“Get your fucking asses moving!” Boros yelled, waking up the mercenaries and guards. They let out yells and started their counterattack. Melee types charged forward into battle; ranged used the cover that they could find and tried to pick off the incoming bandits.

There must be three or four hundred of them. Who would be willing to provoke us or our backers? Then another chilling thought appeared in Boros’s mind. Unless there is no one to tell our backers who stole our goods. They haven’t asked for us to hand over our items—they just attacked straight away to take the element of surprise.

Boros looked over to Lucy, who had pulled on a helmet but blood came down one side of her face. There was a look of mutual understanding between the two of them.

“Kill them all.”

“Yes, boss.” Boros tightened his grip on his axes. “You lot with me!” Boros picked out a group of mercenaries and guards, and charged to the left side.

Lucy turned to the right to command that side as the melee fighters clashed with one another, the marshlands beneath their feet becoming churned up and dyed with blood.

***

“Rugrat, where is the leader?” Erik asked Rugrat, who was circling the battlefield. He had to be careful about getting too close to the ranged. He’d already had some close calls with spells and arrows.

Rugrat wanted to fire Explosive Shot after Explosive Shot into their ranks but the burst of pain that came with trying to cast the spell stopped him.

Instead of being on the offensive, he was barely able to provide support, picking his targets with great care to have the greatest effect.

Rugrat picked out a mage, preparing a large spell, and put a bolt through their neck. With his high Agility and Expert marksman skill, he rarely needed more than two bolts to kill his enemies

He saw an area forward and to the left of the caravan where a group of people were standing, watching over the battlefield.

“I think I’ve found them. Watch my fireball!” Rugrat said as he communicated through the link that had formed between him and George.

George let out an eager cry as he breathed in deeply, the Mana around him disturbed. A magical circle appeared in front of him, turning into a large fireball about a meter wide. It shot forward, creating a red streak in the sky. It split into smaller fireballs. They slammed into the ground around the group; a Mana barrier appeared, blocking the attack from harming those on the hill. And creating an ad-hoc tracer for Erik.

A man yelled at the others as they pulled out their ranged weapons or started to cast their ranged attacks.

George banked away, getting away from the command group’s return fire.

“Got it.” Erik altered his direction toward the command group.

Rugrat looked down as he saw Boros and a small group under his command smash into the bandit melee fighters’ lines as the scarenn swarm rushed toward Erik, who was trying to push through about twenty bandits.

***

Erik knew that he was cut off from support. Matt and Rugrat were doing what they could. He knew that bandit groups were held together by their commanders; it was usually the possibility of fortune and fear of what would happen to them if they didn’t carry out their attack that motivated them during a fight.

If they lost too many people or their commanders were wiped out, it could create a break in their command structure, making it harder for them to work together effectively.

Erik took a hit to the back. His armor took the impact, leaving him bruised under his armor. Erik rolled away as another blade hit him in the side. As he dodged a jab aimed at his head, he used his One Finger Beats Fist technique, acting on impulse.

His finger punched a hole in the bandit’s armor and through their side. They coughed out blood and dropped to the ground.

Erik aimed a Mana Detonation behind him, clearing out the attackers there as he took a downward chop on his shoulder, leaving a deep gash in his armor and breaking his collarbone.

Erik lashed out, creating room as the scarenn swarm buzzed around him, hiding him from everyone’s sight.

Inside the swarm, Erik activated the hidden ability of his Poison Body. A gray mist appeared around him, coating the scarenn swarm, and he messaged Matt.

“They’re poisoned. Now, use them before they die!” Erik burst out of the swarm. Using One Finger Beats Fist, he punctured a bandit’s armor, front to back. The pressure wave killed the man.

Erik had relied on the modified Growling Tiger Elbow technique all this time. It improved the strength of his blows but it made them a stronger, blunt attack, which allowed him to beat his enemies into submission. When fighting massive creatures, it was more effective than the One Finger Beats Fist technique, which focused his power into one point, increasing his penetrating power.

Erik didn’t know the inner workings of the beasts he fought, so he tried to do as much damage as possible, but humans—he’d killed and healed too many to count.

His hands moved faster, not needing the wind-up time to move his Mana around as he tapped on a person’s neck, cutting through their right carotid, piercing through the common and shredding the internal and external branches of the artery.

He dodged under a two-handed war hammer. His hand darted out and touched the man’s inner thigh. All of his movements turned into a piercing attack as he penetrated the man’s thigh and his femoral artery.

He cried out as his blood came out in time with his heartbeat.

Erik struck at nerve centers, arteries, eyes, ears, joints. It could transmit power through one’s bones but its strength came from piercing soft tissues.

The swarm gave Erik cover. They only needed a few seconds to be covered in the poison that Erik was emitting. They shot out like a black wave, the bandits unable to stop them as they attacked the bandits and tried to enter the bandits’ mouths and noses. Their distraction allowed Erik to move through their ranks rapidly. After a few seconds, the swarm—which had spread over the bandits—started to fall to the ground, the poison killing them off. The bandits were larger and it took longer but they were already slowing, affected by the poison. Erik paid them no attention, trying to rush forward to affect as many people as possible with poison. He only had a limited time before he ran out of poison.

The scarenn swarm did their work, getting infected with the poison and carrying it with them, using their poisoned stingers to open wounds and into the bandits’ faces.

***

“Focus on him. Lawrence, bring me his head.” Xiu Xuan ground his teeth. Already a third of his forces had been killed, most of them by just one man and a group of summoned bugs! The man was now charging through the marsh toward the ranged attackers as the melee types from the sides tried to pin him down.

The forces on the right side of the caravan were advancing fine. If he could get rid of this one fighter, he could focus on the small group behind him and then take the caravan still.

“Yes, boss.” Lawrence grabbed his twin scimitars and ran forward with a grim smile. The gloating smile from before was gone; it had disappeared after the firewolf and its rider attacked their group.

We have truly kicked a hornet’s nest. Just who are these people? Why didn’t the spy say anything about them?

Xiu Xuan wanted to rip the lying throat of the spy out of his body to cause such losses. Even if he came back with a massive bounty, his standing with the other bandit groups would drop and some of his people might move to other groups, fearing for their lives.

The man was finally stopped. As he got closer to the ranged, their accuracy increased. He was having a hell of a time trying to keep the fire off him, taking pressure off the small group of defenders behind him but making it hard for him to move forward, focused on only dodging as he used Mana bolts and bullets against ranged spells and arrows.

A group of elites that had stayed with the ranged forces moved closer but waited for Lawrence and his personal guards. All of them had seen how quickly he had moved forward and had seen the signs of poisoning on their fellows who had blocked him.

The firewolf and its rider charged forward.

“Captains, focus on the flying beast. Reserve ranged attackers, attack it!” Xiu Xuan yelled out.

The sky filled with attacks as the firewolf could only retreat out of their effective range.

It unleashed fireballs, but they weakened greatly before they reached the ground.

***

Erik could tell that his situation wasn’t good. He was being pinned down by the ranged attackers and the melee were grouping up to fight him all together.

Boros and his group were still fighting the first group of melee fighters. If he acted wildly, then he was going to be injured; if he waited, he might die.

“Rugrat, carpet bomb the motherfuckers! Give me a cover screen!” Erik yelled.

“Got it!” Rugrat and George changed their flight path and rushed above the bandits that were grouped together, too high to be harmed.

They dove—fast, dangerous, and unpredictable—as Rugrat threw out metal canisters.

A ripple of explosions followed him, distracting the attackers.

“Call Sally!” Erik yelled at Matt as he rushed forward, throwing a Mana Regeneration pill into his mouth and clamping down on it. His Mana pool started to regenerate rapidly.

The new melee fighters ahead of him were really experts. Even with the chaos going on around them, they kept focus as they saw Erik approaching as they rushed to meet him.

Erik dodged a spear aimed at his head, taking a hit to his side. His arm broke as he slammed his fist down, diverting a blade aimed for his side.

He used Mana Detonation, but in an enclosed space it sent him and his attackers flying back.

Those behind the first rank rushed forward over their fellows, giving Erik no time to breathe as they attacked him once again. A blade howled as it turned white, cutting through Erik’s arm protector and his skin, getting lodged in his bone.

They dragged it out as a spear shot at Erik. It was like a snake, shaking in every direction and making it impossible to find its path.

Erik protected his chest but at the last second, its path changed and raked the inside of his leg. Metal scratched metal.

Erik leaped forward, trusting in his armor.

The man had struck out. His spear was tangled in Erik’s legs, making it hard for him to retreat. He just seemed to remember he could actually let go of his spear when Erik landed on him.

Erik grabbed the man’s neck, ripping out his throat, and jumped forward to try to dodge a war hammer. The hammer smashed him in the back, sending him forward and into the marshland, tangled up with the spear-wielding bandit who was grabbing at his neck.

“Come on!”

Erik pulled out what looked like a water balloon and slapped it against his leg, just as his Mana pool reached 193.

He cast Hallowed Ground and pulled out a poison powder, tossing it into the air. He used a healing spell. The wound in his leg repaired quickly as he rolled to the side, away from a halberd and into the path of a sword with a vortex around it. The sword cut up the armor on his side as well as the skin and bone beneath, even with the near miss.

A crossbow appeared in Erik’s hands, followed quickly by a bolt piercing through the man’s wide eyes, throwing him backward. Erik was already moving, using his feet to shoot backward away from another attack and then he slammed his fists against the ground to get into an awkward crouch. He was covered in marsh mud and water and having a hard time cleaning it out of his eyes as he rushed the experts who were in the Hallowed Ground range and taking their antidotes.

Erik grabbed a fistful of the mud and tossed it into the first man’s face; he dodged to the side as Erik moved past him. An arrow came from the ranged attackers who had recovered. Erik jumped and turned. His finger darted out, piercing the man’s spine. He dropped down, lifeless, as Erik’s Mana pool recovered rapidly.

“Behind you, commander, coming in!” Rugrat yelled out.

Erik jumped to the side as a spear shot through where he was standing and pierced an attacker.

Erik pulled out a grenade as he turned, pulling the cord, and tossed it into the midst of the bandit captain and his personal guards.

It went off, killing and maiming as Erik threw out powder vials that cracked on their armor. They had already taken antidotes, making the poison ineffective. Thanks to the Ass Kicker armor set, his physical attacks were incredibly hard to stop and his Stamina use was reduced slightly. Combined with the Mana amplification, it had given him a clear edge over the bandits, who were using gear that they had pulled together off their victims.

Even his Hallowed Ground was stronger through the boosts.

Erik increased the area of effect as the boss of the new bandit group charged forward. His movement speed was greater than Erik’s.

This Mana movement, he must be using some kind of technique to increase his speed! Erik couldn’t fight back, only defend. The man was a lower level than Erik, but his techniques, cunning, and use of a weapon made him a difficult opponent.

Still, to attack Erik, he had to go to Erik, who had stepped inside his Hallowed Ground.

The man showed a grim look as he carried on. Flames appeared on his feet. “Help me!” he yelled out to his guards.

They moved forward to circle Erik as the other elite fighters were clearing out the poisons in their bodies and recovering.

I need to get out of here or else they’ll be the ones to wear me down!

Erik was rewarded with a cut across his stomach, his armor being pierced through. A cutting force sliced through his skin and opened his internal organs. The healing potion in his system worked on healing him, as did the Hallowed Ground, making his wounds disappear in moments.

A spear came at him from behind as well as a sword, the two working in concert.

Erik rushed forward as the commander turned. His two blades became blurs as they crashed into his armor.

The Journeyman armor took the impact, bruising Erik. The force traveled through his body, but he barely felt it, only being pushed back half a step, his own terrifying physical abilities showing.

Erik let out a yell as he used his Growling Tiger attack, hitting the commander’s armor, only to have others pounce on him. Erik took a hit to the shoulder and to his side; he unleashed a kick to his side, breaking a man’s leg, then piercing another’s eye through their helmet with One Finger Beats Fist.

A blade sliced his arm, breaking his armor and cutting him as he fired a Mana blast into them. The two of them flew in the opposite direction as he checked his Mana, increasing the effect of the Hallowed Ground. He dodged a hammer blow and then was hit with a fireball, burning inside of his armor. He used healing spells to recover and fight against the pain.

The bandits looked at Erik as if looking at a demon. His Strength and Agility had allowed him to take two hits head on and not fall back. His armor showed a scratch. He had cuts on his exposed skin but although it would take dozens of hits to do grievous damage, he only needed three hits to cut down one of the bandits.

It was as if they were hitting a steel wall, unable to use their complete strength.

***

Matt could see Erik putting his life on the line as he fired on the elites around him, but his ability with the crossbow was leagues away from Erik and Rugrat’s.

Rugrat was working to try to ease the pressure on Boros and his people so they could assist and help on the right side, where there was a full pitched battle going on.

“Come on, Sally.” Matt looked over to where the bandits’ commanders were standing up on a hill with their guards.

They needed to break the stand-off.

Erik got hit in the head, being tossed to the side as the attackers jumped on him, only to get two fistfuls of Mana Detonation as Erik was self-healing. He didn’t have time to get more materials out of his storage ring. As he was being beaten back, he tried to bring them through the Hallowed Ground as much as possible, healing himself and hurting them. It had worked but it was only a limited area and they were pulling people in and out to recover.

If Erik closed with any of them, he could kill them, and more than fourteen of the elites and guards lay on the ground. But there were still fifteen or so ringing him, using their techniques one after another. Erik was like a tough beast that just wouldn’t go down, getting his health ground down.

Erik was dropped to the ground once again, fighting as mud and water was thrown in his face. He fought with his Mana Detonation and Mana bullets. It hurt the elites and if they were unlucky, killed them, but their armor and abilities were much higher than the rest of the bandits so they weren’t forced back, keeping up the pressure so Erik couldn’t get back on his feet.

***

“Lee Pak, go and help Lawrence,” Xiu Xuan grimaced. The people of the White Orchid Trading Company might be good fighters, but they could be overwhelmed with numbers. The group that had charged after the man holding off Lawrence had killed nearly two to one, but they had also lost people. With time and enough bodies, they could be worn down. Those on the left side were faring worse as there were no distractions for the ranged fighters needing them to split their attention.

Xiu Xuan didn’t miss the fact that over a quarter of his people had been killed, while there were only two dozen or so deaths on the side of the caravan.

The caravans had less people than the attackers but all of them were picked for their fighting ability.

A carriage’s roof opened, as four pillars climbed out of the roof at the four points of the carriage.

The caravans had been moved by the traders to create a defensive formation. Buffs started to fall on the defenders and curses on the attackers as the spell formations on the carriages were activated.

The staffs on the carriages activated, firing on the attacking bandits under the traders’ direction.

Quickly, dozens fell.

Xiu Xuan scowled. They needed to end this soon.

He heard a noise behind him. He looked to see two glowing eyes charging him.

Xiu Xuan jumped to the side with a yell. His guards looked in alarm, one of them being cut down by the wolf creature formed from shadows.

Xiu Xuan wanted to glare at the summoner in the middle of the trading caravan’s formation. He had been distracted with the battles on the ground and the circling firewolf; he didn’t think that anyone could sneak up on him.

His guards readied themselves to fight the shadow wolf.

It blurred and then disappeared. They all looked at where the wolf had been.

“Get in a circle!” Xiu Xuan yelled.

They started to move as there was a wet coughing noise. They saw the shadow wolf with blood on its fangs as it disappeared. A guard collapsed to the ground, holding his neck.

So powerful, this isn’t a normal summon. Xiu Xuan thought it was now his life on the line; with such stakes, he couldn’t just watch from the sidelines.

He held twin daggers but didn’t dare to attack. He had trained as an assassin, but he was gravely outclassed by this shadow wolf.

Though Xiu Xuan had one thing wrong: Sally was a rare breed of summon, being a shadow wolf, but a summon’s strength wasn’t just reliant on their type; it also mattered what level their summoner was. The stronger their summoner, the more powerful they were.

Sally still wasn’t good for direct confrontations, but bleeding the enemy—she could do that.

Xiu Xuan was looking around when he heard yells from the ranged fighters. There were flashes as he saw the shadow wolf moving among them, its eyes almost mocking him.

He had been shaken up by the sudden attack. Looking at his own defense, he hadn’t coordinated with the bandits underneath him. Now that they were being attacked from behind, chaos started to spread.

The firewolf and rider came out of the sky, cutting down tens of bandits before they climbed back into the sky. The ranged bandits were too concerned with the hidden attacker to shoot at the duo in the air.

Bandits came together for mutual greed and sadistic tendencies. They weren’t willing to lose their lives for one another.

It seemed to be too much as the bandits started to break apart and run away.

Xiu Xuan knew that he had lost control of them. There wasn’t anything that they could do now.

“Let’s get out of here,” he said to his guards.

They all nodded and followed him away, hearing the cries among the ranged fighters keeping the shadow wolf pinned down.

***

Boros felt the tide changing as the melee fighters started turning and running. Then they broke like a dam, running away for their very lives.

“Forward!” Boros yelled, sporting a nasty gash on his arm and his axes covered in blood as they ran toward where Erik fought off a group of elites.

The elites, seeing what was happening, turned and tried to run, only to have Erik fall on their backs. The thirty or so elites and the bandit captain’s guards had been reduced down to eight.

Boros charged in. Adrenaline filled him as he saw the bandits retreating.

His axe cut in and upward, cutting at his attacker’s body and hitting him in the side.

He turned and used his sword to gain distance, turning to face Boros, his eyes wide in fear.

Boros used his momentum, his axes raining down on the elite. He pulled the elite’s sword down to the left and cut across with his axe, catching the man in the neck. It was deep but not deep enough. Boros struck again.

He moved forward to see Erik there. His armor showed bare skin and wounds underneath as he stood there, breathing heavily. His entire frame moved with his breathing as mud and blood covered him.

An elite charged; Erik moved to the side, grabbing the man’s arms and hitting him in the side with a powerful blow, sending him flying. He rushed forward, making to end the man’s life with his finger. The bandit captain chopped at his exposed back. Erik jumped over the damaged bandit and kicked some mud, sending it at the bandit captain’s face. He raised his hand to block it as Erik fired a crossbow that appeared in his hands, putting it into the bandit captain’s groin.

The bandit captain let out a sharp breath of pain. Erik fired a Mana Bolt at him and he went flying back, crashing into the ground as Erik stepped forward. He unleashed a number of Mana bullets on the elite he had put on the ground until a tombstone appeared. He moved forward. The bandit captain was badly injured and confused.

Erik grabbed a sword as he pulled himself upright. He rushed the bandit captain, who stood shakily.

Just as he was within arm’s reach, Erik pushed on the ground and slid to the side before a Mana Bolt exploded behind him and propelled him forward. His blade came across the back of the bandit captain’s knees, making him fall down as he dropped the sword.

Erik grabbed the man’s head and drove his finger forward, stabbing it into the bandit captain’s neck and tearing it back out as he stepped away.

The bandit captain dropped forward and a tombstone appeared above his head.

All of the guards and the mercenaries looked at Erik as he looked over at the fleeing bandits.

“They’re moving to the southeast. Rugrat is tracking them from the sky. I’ll need some time to recuperate,” Erik said.

Boros nodded and cleared his throat. “With me!” he yelled, leading his group forward.

Chapter: Different Attitude

Yui checked on Qin again as they entered the valley that the entrance to Alva Dungeon could be found. They had left their carriage behind long ago. Qin was slower than Yui as she had put an emphasis on increasing the power of her Mana system instead of her physical capabilities.

Yui, on the other hand, had focused on a nearly pure Strength, Agility, and Stamina build.

When they got to the gates, the guards nodded and greeted them and let them pass. The defenses had been beefed up, being made from stone with layered walls of iron and wood. There were Mana Gathering formations placed so that spellcasters could fight for longer, as well as modified rapid firing ballistaes and heavy ballistas.

The traps that lay between the defensive posts were deactivated as they walked by poison mist outlets, arrow walls, spike pits, and more.

While Alva had grown, Glosil and Blaze made sure that the defenses never lagged behind. They passed patrols as they were headed out into the Beast Mountain Range, as well as miners heading to the iron mines.

They passed through the final gate and into Alva Dungeon. The sounds of fighting could be heard from the barracks and beasts from the beast stables that had nearly tripled in size. One could see the secondary market that was now five times the size of the original market. People moved around there, trading in all kinds of goods. The healing house stood proudly among the blocks of houses that had expanded, with more under construction. The library tower of the academy still reached into the sky, with only the dungeon core building being taller. It was pushing more power to the Mana storing formation instead of drawing it away now.

Yui used his eagle eye to look at the ceiling, seeing the Mortal Mana cornerstone there. A number of Mana stones could be seen around it. The cornerstone had recovered from the energy drain and once again produced Mana stones.

They walked toward the center of the dungeon and their home. They greeted and smiled at the others they knew. Yui’s ear twitched as he heard two friends talking as they passed.

“More spots have opened up to join the special teams. Do you think that another group will make it?” One man asked his friend.

“I would say that it was impossible before, but now—well, if one passes their combat tests and has the cash, they can head to the battlefield dungeon. I’ve got a sister who is a party member. She says that they’re stronger than ever before.”

“I can believe it. Have you seen them ever kill anything in the Beast Mountain Range? Now most of them can kill a creature in one hit. Without a challenge, they can’t get stronger,” the other said.

Yui’s nerves seemed to just vibrate in excitement.

“Don’t get yourself hurt,” Qin said to Yui as they made it back to their house.

They were about to walk inside when there was a rumbling from the Alchemy lab. A deep, growling noise that made the hair on Yui’s neck stand up on edge rolled out from the Alchemy lab. Their house was one of the closest to the Alchemy lab. Everyone turned to look before the noise disappeared and the Alchemy lab went silent.

“What the heck was that?”

“Did someone summon a beast?”

“Maybe they were working to increase the fighting capabilities of one of the beasts?”

The alchemists worked closely with the beast stables to create items that the beasts could use to awaken their bloodlines and evolve. The beasts’ bodies were much stronger than humans’, allowing them to increase their strength from most items that would kill a normal human.

***

Fehim looked at the pill that Delilah had created with an excited look on his face.

He wasn’t very good with the formation of concoctions—it was something that he had hidden from others—but after he and Delilah had become friends, she offered to try to show him her meager skills.

So they had worked together, Fehim and her working to harvest, then prepare the ingredients, sharing information and new methods. Then, when they reached the formation stage, Fehim assisted Delilah as she made powders first; then they would switch and he would attempt to do so. Eventually, helping each other, their skill increased.

Then, with the first special team coming back from the battlefield dungeon with their different blueprints, forging designs, and formulas, the two of them had gone through the few Alchemy formulas and picked out the Strength of Beasts pill. It was a mid-Apprentice-grade pill, but it would allow one to exert two times their Strength and Agility for three minutes.

They had failed a half dozen times, needing them to work in the alchemist garden to raise the ingredients three different times.

Finally they had been able to create the pill. Delilah and Fehim were covered in sweat. Their faces looked haggard but there was excitement in their eyes as Delilah opened the lid of the cauldron and pulled out the pill, sealing it into a jade bottle quickly. The pill was the size of an almond and had just reached the formation stage. Its body was light-gray, with lines of color running through it.

Fehim frowned as he looked at the pill.

“Fehim?” Delilah asked.

“Delilah, I feel like this is not just an ordinary pill. It seems that it is stronger than just an Apprentice-grade pill.” Fehim sounded unsure. He had dealt with a lot of ingredients, but he felt that this one was somehow stronger than it should be.

Delilah looked at the pill and then stood. “Let’s go to Egbert. He might be able to help us more.”

Egbert used Alchemy items to keep himself alive and his body in good condition as the dungeon had run out of power. Now that the dungeon had been restored again, he didn’t need to use alchemical means in order to keep himself going and his body from deteriorating.

Fehim nodded and followed her out. He watched her and smiled, a proud look on his face.

Delilah had been quiet for the most part, looking to her studies, increasing her knowledge of ingredients of the different stages, and challenging herself constantly.

He knew that she was chasing after her teacher’s strength, wanting to show Erik her ability.

She was the strongest alchemist in Alva Dungeon. She walked with a confidence that she didn’t have before. She was a timid girl in many ways but when it came to Alchemy, she had another name: the Cauldron Dragon.

People moved to the side as they looked at the two of them passing. It looked as if they had all heard the growling noise that came with forming the pill.

They exited the Alchemy lab and headed right for the library.

Egbert was at the door. Even with just a skeleton face, Fehim could see the excitement on the old skeleton’s face.

“Can I see it?” He rubbed his finger bones together.

Delilah let out a sigh, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips as she pulled it out.

Fehim couldn’t help but stand a bit taller. It had been a group effort to make the pill, each of them assisting the other; he couldn’t help but be excited to hear what Egbert had to say.

He pulled off the pill bottle top and rolled the pill around in his hands. The blue flame in one of his eyes turned green before he put the pill back. “It looks like the dungeon is up to its old tricks!” Egbert said.

Delilah and Fehim both looked at him with questions.

“If you were to make this in a normal cauldron, you would have been able to reach the formation stage, but because of the pure Mana and the tier-two Alchemy lab, the pill was able to evolve. Turning it from a mid-Apprentice-grade pill to a high-Apprentice-grade pill!”

“That would explain that growling noise,” Delilah said.

“Yes! So you used the blood of a beast in the pill—it wasn’t much, but with the pure Mana and high-grade ingredients, the blood’s impurities were washed away and the bloodline evolved, increasing the power of the pill. If you didn’t use high enough ingredients to balance out the power of the pill, then it would have failed.” Egbert sounded impressed.

“Do you know what the effects of this pill would be?” Delilah asked.

“What do you think that it will be?” Egbert asked.

Delilah paused for a moment, before she opened the pill bottle and started to check the pill—staring at it, smelling it. “I would need to take it back to the lab to do a full test, but I would think that it will increase someone’s power more than two times but it will last for less than a minute,” she said after a few minutes.

Egbert’s serious expression turned into a nod of approval. “That is correct. It will increase someone’s Strength by three times, though it will only last for forty-five seconds.”

Delilah closed her hand and a smile appeared on her face. “Now we just have to try to get it to last three or five minutes!” Delilah turned around.

Fehim’s blood boiled at the challenge. “We will need to increase the maturity of the ingredients or change a few of them out. Also, if we could make the blood go through an evolution before we add it to the concoction, then we would have more to draw from.”

“Let’s go!” Delilah said, heading for the Alchemy garden.

“Will the two of you get some damn sleep sometime!” Egbert yelled as they started walking away, talking about how they could extend the effect of the pill.

Fehim waved half-heartedly at Egbert, acknowledging his words.

Egbert let out a deep sigh and shook his head. Are all of the people in Alva just workaholics? Have they forgotten how to sleep?

“Charles! You know you’re not allowed to drink while in the library! That’s the fourth time this week!” Egbert yelled.

***

“Will. You. Fucking. Die!” Blaze yelled out as he hacked at the tentacled creature with his sword. A tentacle shot out at him as if in response. He brought his shield up in time, and was sent flying until he hit one of the small islands and fell into the water that covered the floor.

The tentacle creature dove into the water as the others were all peppering it with attacks.

“Crack your medallion!” Niemm yelled as he saw the massive shadow of the beast rushing underwater at Blaze.

He grit his teeth and broke it.

The creature rose up through his disappearing body and snapped at the empty water. Its tentacles clammed into the surrounding islands, cracking two of them as it dove once again and disappeared.

“Boss,” Davos said.

“What?” Niemm hissed.

“Is this a bad time to say that I fucking hate fish? That I don’t swim in lakes because of the seaweed touching my leg is like a tentacle?” Davos asked, his voice louder and higher pitched.

“Now you want to talk about this!” Hayley hissed, holding her two-handed axe as she looked around for the tentacled opponent.

“Yup!” Davos said.

There was a ripple of movement.

He jumped and turned. The tentacled creature shot upward, its tentacles practically hugging the island. Davos let out a scream and threw poison powder at the tentacled creature and used his medallion.

The tentacled creature shook in pain and frustration as the poison covered its body and was absorbed into its body.

“Get it!” Niemm yelled as he threw a grenade at the beast and pulled out his crossbow.

It shook itself and then dove into the water, turning and trying to get the poison off. The islands bobbed up and down as the water was stirred up and then started to turn purple. The grenades, spells, and ranged attacks hit the creature, causing the water to turn into plumes and cutting the beast. Most of their hits simply slid off the creature’s rubbery hide.

They kept on firing at it, moving away from its path as it rushed them periodically between its fight to remove the poison burning up its body.

It got too close to Lucinda, forcing her to break her medallion as well.

Finally the thrashing stopped as the creature stayed there. A tombstone appeared as it floated on the surface.

He looked at the remaining members of his team: Hayley, Ricky, and Ruoshan.

“Well, that fucking sucked,” Hayley said.

“Let’s collect up the body, look for anything in the area, then break our medallions. If we keep going with just us, then we could be in grave danger,” Niemm said.

“They’re going to be pissed if we get more points.” Ruoshan grinned as Hayley elbowed him in the side, making him wince.

“If it wasn’t for that poison, I don’t think it would have gone down for a long time,” Hayley said.

“That’s not the kind of tactic that we can use in the real world, though,” Niemm reminded them as he grabbed onto a tentacle and pulled on the floating creature, pulling it toward one of the larger islands.

“I wonder what we can get from the prize hall. From the way Special Team One made it sound, it’s a damn gold mine,” Ricky said.

“I hope it just has some damn forging designs for women. Getting guys armor modified for my girls—need some breathing room,” Hayley said, adjusting her chest plate.

“Well, I heard that there was some new fashion armor for women too,” Ruoshan said.

There was the sound of metal hitting metal as Ruoshan sailed out and into the water. In his armor, he had to break his medallion or sink.

“New fashion? A chainmail thong and bra! Just the chafing—ugh.” Hayley shivered.

Niemm let out a tired sigh as he looked to the sky with pleading eyes. “What happened to them—couldn’t they be normal?”

“Ahh fuck!” Ricky complained.

Niemm looked over to see that Ricky was covered in ink as Hayley had used him as a shield, staying clean.

“Black suits you,” she said, holding two thumbs up.

Ricky returned the gesture but with two different fingers.

***

“How do you think they did?” Storbon asked Roska. Egbert had sent them word that Special Team Three had finished off their time in the battlefield dungeon and were in the prize hall.

“Team Three took more time to prepare. They had information from you and they wanted to prove themselves. They’re the newest special team and they will be heading to the Second Realm next. The greater their coordination in the battlefield dungeon, the easier time they’ll have in the Second Realm,” Roska said.

“So you think that they’ll beat us?” Storbon asked.

“Probably.” Roska shrugged.

“What about your team?” Storbon asked.

“Definitely,” Roska said without pausing.

“Did you even take time to breathe?”

“What? It only makes sense.” Roska appeared serious as a challenging smile appeared on her face.

Storbon paused for a moment before a similar smile appeared on his face. “Want to spar?”

Roska looked over to him, a confident smile on her face. “You ready to get your ass kicked again?”

Yao Meng let out a painful sigh. “Damn, she has got you there, boss.”

The others snickered as they reached the teleportation pad.

“How long do you think it will be till Erik and Rugrat come back?” Storbon asked.

“I’m not sure. I just hope I’m around this time to see them,” Roska said in a bitter voice.

Storbon could only laugh awkwardly. He and his team had benefited greatly from Erik and Rugrat’s lessons. Although their stats might be higher than Roska’s team, their fighting skill was nearly on the same level. As they fought together, they were able to improve quickly, unleashing all of their strength and abilities to the max to improve their skill and grow.

“Hopefully it’s soon. I’m itching to go to the Third Realm,” Tully said.

Roska sent back a hidden gaze at Tully. She had recovered completely and was in perfect health, joking and laughing, but Roska couldn’t forget how broken she had been.

“Fuck squids, fuck tentacles, and fuck ink,” Davos said, the first to arrive on the teleportation array as he walked forward. He was covered in ink. He’d done his best to get rid of it but it hadn’t worked and his armor showed burn marks where the poison had gotten on it. The ink was from the creature feeling pain.

He left black footsteps behind him as he marched off toward the barracks. Everyone moved out of his way as he was still talking about tentacles and fish as he went.

“Damn, or as Rugrat says, Dayum Son!” Gong Jin’s eyes watered from the powerful stench.

Tian Cui was bent over, her face pale as her stomach contracted, revolted by the smell.

Storbon casually lifted his shirt, putting it over his nose as the medics pulled up their masks.

Roska quickly used her purification spell, destroying the footsteps left behind by Davos.

Ricky appeared next with two pieces of cloth stuffed up his nose, dripping with ink.

***

Lucy put down the tea in her hands and looked around the room. People went about their lives as if nothing had happened, not knowing about the seven traders and thirty-two guards and mercenaries who had died just a day’s travel outside of their city’s wall, or the two hundred bandits that had covered the marshland.

Or about the demon that now rested in their town.

After the battle came to its end and the guards came back from picking off the bandits, they collected the loot that they could find, and took the tombstones of the slain traders, guards, and mercenaries. The traders’ and guards’ belongings would go back to their families; the mercenaries’ gear was given to the ones who were closest to them.

The loot from the bandits was split up, with the majority going to Erik, Rugrat, and Matt. No one could doubt their combat capability. The three of them had probably killed more than half of the bandits and were the reason anyone was even left alive from it at all.

They owed them their lives, but it didn’t mean that they trusted them.

After the fighting, Matt looked to be shaken up. Erik and Rugrat were stiff, but they soon adjusted, relaxing and becoming normalized as they checked over their gear and healed their wounds.

Even after killing tens of bandits, Erik had healed others who were wounded.

Healers were rare to find and few of them would walk onto the battlefield.

Lucy turned her cup as she looked into the distance, seeing the armor that Erik had been wearing, the cuts and slashes that had run through it.

The blood-covered skin underneath that showed no sign of wounds. Others wouldn’t have been able to fight with such wounds but he simply healed himself as he fought to keep on going. It made him a terrifying opponent. Fatigue, loss in Strength, wounds? All could be fixed with healing.

He’d also displayed fighting techniques, showing that he wasn’t a push over by any means.

Boros sat down opposite Lucy. His wounds had been patched and Erik had healed him back to perfect health.

Boros had a dark look in his eyes. He was the chief of security for the caravan and nearly half of their people had been killed in a single ambush.

“Were you able to find out anything?”

“It looks like they’re part of the Marshland scavengers. Not sure how they got information on our route or knew our schedule. Might have just overheard someone,” Boros said.

Lucy looked at Boros. “You don’t seem to believe that.”

“No, I don’t. To gather that size bandit group takes time and planning, time and planning that they would have to do at least two weeks in advance, if not earlier,” Boros said.

“I will send a message to the sect. They don’t take kindly to people aiming at their caravans. I’ll send them the names of the bandit group. They might not fear us, but the Enclosed Space spell—looks like they fear our backers.” Lucy took a drink from her cup, not tasting it.

Boros nodded. He seemed to have something more he wanted to say but was not sure how to say it.

“What is it?” Lucy asked.

“About Rugrat, Erik, and Matt,” Boros said.

“Have they asked for a raise?” Lucy wasn’t willing to let the three of them go easily. They’d shown how powerful they were and saved her caravan and her people’s lives.

“No, it’s just that people are talking.”

“Then tell them to shut the fuck up or they’re off my caravan.” Lucy looked at Boros, her eyes cutting into him. “You and your petty fucking macho games could’ve turned really fucking bad, so you’d better fix this or I’ll be adding in that you were the one trying to piss off the three people who killed nearly two hundred people all by themselves.”

Boros looked at the ground, looking pitiful.

“So you will clean this up or you will be off my caravan. Don’t even think of pulling that kind of shit again.”

Boros couldn’t say anything back and simply nodded.

“Good. Now we’ve got one more trip and we’ll be in Khusai. I don’t want to give these bandits any time to do anything. We leave tomorrow. Hire the replacement mercenaries; don’t tell them anything has changed, but get them to stay in the inn where we’re staying.”

“What about the three?” Boros asked.

“I will tell them personally. If anything, we know that they don’t care for bandits,” Lucy said.

***

Nicito city was a small city. It could be called more of a regional town, a place where traders passed through between trade hubs. Still, it held some four hundred thousand people and had strong walls against the powerful beasts of the Ten Realms.

Matt had been shaken up after the fight but he was adjusting. It wasn’t the first time he had come up against people who wanted to kill him and he had needed to deal with them. Rugrat knew from personal experience that it would take more time for a civilian like Matt to get used to it.

Erik had wanted to come but they knew how much he needed to practice Alchemy before they got to Khusai, because it was only when they were in cities that he could do so.

So Rugrat and Matt had headed out into the city to sell the loot that the rest of the caravan had given to them as well as the resources they had stored up.

Matt was much more comfortable trading, giving Rugrat hints and bartering for him.

As they got back to the inn and the room that they had rented out, Rugrat sat down on a bed and pulled out the books they’d bought. It had cost nearly nine hundred gold, with over half of that just being for the Spell Caster Mana Cultivation manual.

==========

Technique Book: Silence spell

==========

Do you wish to activate this Technique book? Doing so will destroy this Technique book.

==========

YES/NO

==========

==========

Simple Silence

==========

Apprentice

==========

Silences object cast upon for 5 minutes

==========

50 mana to cast

==========

==========

Technique Book: Night Vision spell

==========

Do you wish to activate this Technique book? Doing so will destroy this Technique book.

==========

YES/NO

==========

==========

Night Vision

==========

Apprentice

==========

Allows the caster to see in the night as if it was day.

==========

10 mana to cast, 1 mana per 5 minutes to keep active

==========

==========

Technique Book: Clean

==========

Do you wish to activate this Technique book? Doing so will destroy this Technique book.

==========

YES/NO

==========

==========

Clean

==========

Journeyman

==========

Clean and sanitize target of foreign bodies

==========

30 mana to cast

==========

He’d bought two of the night vision spells and then the last book was actually just a few pages held within a heavy box and bound together. The Spell Caster Mana Cultivation manual wasn’t actually about cultivation; it was a special Mana circulation pathway that one could move their Mana through, increasing the speed at which it moved, allowing one to decrease the cast time on spells, or in the case of Erik and Rugrat, increase the rate of fire with their Mana bolts and Mana blasts and the speed that they fired, increasing their penetrative power.

***

Erik let out a yawn as he looked at the Mana pill in his hand. Once he had completed it, a wave of fatigue rushed over him. He smiled at the pill and put it away, rubbing his face and letting out another yawn.

“Seems it’s a sign.” Erik got up, stretching from being in one position for so long.

He stored away his Alchemy tools as he moved to the bed. He pulled out his armor chest plate. There were clear patches on it where Rugrat had repaired it.

Erik rubbed his thumb across a ragged cut in the side of his chest plate.

“What did I learn?” Erik asked himself, forcing himself to not think about those he had killed or those who had died. In the Ten Realms, he needed to learn, and quickly, using every moment to get stronger.

Erik’s expression turned serious as he looked over his notifications.

==========

Skill: Marksman

==========

Level: 53 (Journeyman)

==========

Long-range weapons are familiar in your hands. When aiming, you can zoom in x2.0. 15% increased chance for critical hit.

==========

==========

Upon advancing into the Journeyman level of Marksman, you will be rewarded with one randomly selected item related to this skill.

==========

You have received the Weapon: Iron Repeater Bow

+100,000 EXP

==========

==========

Skill: Hand-to-Hand

==========

Level: 58 (Journeyman)

==========

Attacks cost 20% less Stamina. Agility is increased by 10%.

==========

==========

Upon advancing into the Journeyman level of Hand-to-Hand, you will be rewarded with one randomly selected item related to this skill.

==========

You have received the accessory: Ring of Giant’s Strength

+100,000 EXP

==========

==========

You have reached Level 30

==========

When you sleep next, you will be able to increase your attributes by: 10 points.

==========

==========

Skill: Alchemy

==========

Level: 46 (Apprentice)

==========

Able to identify 1 effect of the ingredient.

==========

==========

511,331/1,055,000 EXP till you reach Level 31

==========

==========

Iron Repeater Bow

==========

Damage: 65 (piercing)

Weight: 4.7 kg

Charge: 90/90

Durability: 100/100

Range: Medium Range

Requires: Arrows

Innate Ability: Create spin (increase bleeding by 7%)

Enchantment: Armor piercing (80% chance to pierce mid-Apprentice-level armor)

Requirement:

35 Agility

38 Strength

==========

==========

Ring of Giant’s Strength

==========

Weight: 0.1 kg

Charge: 20/20

Slot: Takes up finger jewelry slot

Ability: Increases Strength by 7% for 8 minutes. Cool down 20 minutes (20 uses remaining)

==========

Erik pulled off a storage ring and added it to the necklace of them that he wore. He still had his two other rings, Greater Reaction and Beyond Limits. He used a beast core to charge them fully. The burst of strength and increase to his abilities from the accessories had helped him numerous times. He’d had to rely on his armor and Beyond Limits ring in the fight as he was unable to get any consumables out of his storage rings while in the middle of fighting.

Erik received the two items as Experience entered his body, but he felt something was different. The change to his Agility wasn’t just a simple factor that the Ten Realms controlled but it increased the limit of his body’s abilities.

Erik let out a breath, focusing his mind as he looked at the Iron Repeater Bow.

It was rather plain, with three arms connected to a formation that would pull back and fire bolts that were held in a hopper above as he held down the trigger.

He put it to the side, promising to give it to Rugrat to examine.

His eyebrows pinched together thinking about the fight. For the first time in a long time, he had used the One Finger Beats Fist technique.

It was highly accurate, but one needed to know the weaknesses of their opponent to use it effectively.

If he just used it on a beast, he might hit something vital, or just piss it off. His Growling Tiger Elbow technique was good at amplifying the power of his attacks, the energy chaotic and if overused could hurt his own Mana channels.

The two techniques had their uses.

Although the bandits had been harder to fight because of their changing techniques and their ability to work together, keeping him on his toes and making him have to watch out for attacks in every direction, their Strength and Agility were much weaker than the beasts.

With an increase to one’s Strength, their stat only increased by ten, while the Agility attribute only increased the stat by five. Beasts, when they increased their level, naturally evolved but it was as if every point placed into Strength increased by fifteen and their Agility by fifteen. This depended on the kind of creature. Humans could increase their Mana by ten with each attribute point; beasts would be lucky to increase their Mana stat by five. Mana, if you had the ability to create spells or imbue it into your fighting style, could greatly augment your Strength and lethality.

Techniques, human’s cunning ability—if he hadn’t had Body Like Stone, healing spells, and high-level armor, he would have been cut down as sure as a Red Shirt on Star Trek.

He had charged into the fight. Although it had worked to some extent, he should have attacked them at range, whittling down their numbers and then as they got close he could attack them, going up against less of them and having allies to help him. He’d been close to dying when surrounded by the elites.

Fighting monsters, he needed to hold them back so the rest of his squad could attack them. Same when fighting humans, but he had the people of the caravan around; instead of using their strength, he had wasted it.

Erik shook his head, deeply angry with himself as he looked at his hands.

“Humans might be physically weaker than beasts, which was how I got an edge over them, but in higher realms that’s not necessarily true. I’ve reached Body Like Stone, and opened my eleventh Mana gate. In higher realms, others will have done the same as well.”

Only Erik knew that, after he healed everyone he could, he had “stood guard” because he had to deal with his own severe injuries, not wanting to show his weakness.

“Against humans of the same level, I can defeat them easily, but in groups it will be harder and I need to watch out for their fighting techniques. And if they cultivate their Mana system or Body system, it will make things harder.”

It was a hard lesson to learn, but he was only in the Third Realm. It was still the Mortal realm; in the Earth and higher realms, he simply didn’t know what to expect.

With those sobering thoughts, Erik laid down on his bed, playing with the new Ring of Giant’s Strength.

As his eyes closed, he was met with a familiar screen.

==========

You have 10 attribute points to use.

==========

Three to Strength, two to Agility. Erik’s thoughts paused as he looked over his character sheet.

I also have to look at if I want to open my fourteenth Mana gate I should start preparing beforehand. I have another two mana gates to open, but the fourteenth takes a lot more mana and control. If I start steadily increasing my Mana pool, then I can condense my last Mana drop with less effort. He had learned from Rugrat; advancing one’s Strength was good, but he couldn’t rush it or the backlash could be immense.

Four points into Mana, and one into Mana Regen. With the increases from Mana cultivation, it’s really damn high. I can’t just rely on potions all the time and my accessories will run out of charge if I use them for prolonged periods of time.

==========

Name: Erik West

==========

Level: 30

==========

Race: Human

==========

Titles:

From the Grave II

Mana Duke

Dungeon Master II

Reverse Alchemist

Poison Body

==========

Strength: (Base 26) +37

==========

630

==========

Agility: (Base 19) +38

==========

313

==========

Stamina: (Base 29) +9

==========

570

==========

Mana: (Base 6) +30

==========

360

==========

Mana Regeneration (Base 11) +40

21.40/s

==========

Stamina Regeneration: (Base 27) +31

12.60/s

==========

Pleased with his choices, he accepted the new changes to his character sheet.

***

Xiu Xuan looked haggard as he entered the bandit’s camp. Out of his four hundred bandits, just over one hundred remained.

He stifled a cough as he was close to collapsing. He had taken a potion to increase his Agility to escape the people from the White Orchid Trading Company. It had tripled his speed but it was an inferior concoction, creating a backlash and hurting him internally.

He rushed into the main hall, where his brothers and the other leaders of the bandits were talking.

“Brother!” Xiu Xuan yelled out as he moved to Xiu Di, his brother, nearly collapsing from exhaustion.

“Little Xuan, what happened to you!” He leapt up from his seat and moved to his brother, giving him a rare healing pill without care for the cost.

“We set out to attack a caravan, but who would know that our informant gave us the wrong information? There were three combat masters among the caravan and when they moved, they killed nearly half of my force by themselves!”

Even now Xiu Xuan could see the sights before him and his anger boiled.

“I thought you gathered all of the bandits under your command?” Xiu Di asked, confused.

“I did, all four hundred, but now I have less than one hundred left!”

The room went silent with these words.

Xiu Di’s eyebrows pinched together. “What caravan did you attack?” he asked with a cold voice.

“The White Orchid Trading Company, with that bitch Lucy,” Xiu Xuan yelled out, his eyes turning red.

He didn’t even hear the slap as he found himself ten meters back, spitting out his teeth.

“The White Orchid Trading Company?” Xiu Di raged, his voice filling the hall. “The same caravan that is under the protection of the Golden Arrow sect!?”

The pressure in the room made it hard for Xiu Xuan to move. He coughed out more blood, his anger chilling. All he wanted to do was destroy the White Orchid Trading Company.

“I used an Enclosed Space scroll!” Xiu Xuan tried to defend himself.

“An Enclosed Space scroll! Very well—now that they’ve left that enclosed space, they can freely send sound transmissions to the Golden Arrow sect!”

The Enclosed Space scroll blocked any messages from leaving or entering the area. One could communicate inside, or if they left the enclosed space they could send and receive sound transmissions easily.

“Xiu Di, this is not a light matter,” one of the bandit’s leaders said in a grave voice.

Xiu Di’s body was tense, his veins protruding from his neck.

“He is your brother. What do you suggest?” another asked.

“My brother? My brother? I don’t have one! Take him and his people to the Golden Arrow sect to do with as they want. We’ll make it clear our willingness to negotiate!”

“If we do so...” another said, his voice trailing off.

“What else can we do? It is either we bow our heads and hope to survive or wait for the Golden Arrow sect to make an example out of us!” Xiu Di yelled, flinging his sleeves and turning back to the rest of the bandit leaders.

“Brother!” Xiu Xuan cried out weakly.

“I have no brother anymore, didn’t you hear me?! Take him out of my sight and round up his people!” Xiu Di yelled.

Guards moved forward and grabbed Xiu Xuan. He tried to fight back, but with the hits he had taken and the potion, the healing pill that had been struck out of his mouth, he wasn’t able to do anything but struggle pitifully as he was dragged out of the hall.

***

Rugrat coughed out blood. His face was pale and he looked as if he had aged ten years. Even in the humidity and heat of the Third Realm, he was shaking, pulling a blanket around him.

He grabbed a jar, took a swig and rinsed his mouth, spitting it out. He took another big drag off the bottle.

“Fucking weak.” Rugrat coughed as he wiped the beer off his chin.

He used Simple Organic Scan to check his body.

He’d refrained from using his rifle after the reaction from Matt’s old group, so he’d had to rely on his crossbows, sitting on George and watching as people attacked Erik.

He killed a few here and there with his bow, but every spell he cast caused havoc on his Mana system, tearing him up on the inside.

That feeling of weakness, the feeling that he was unable to do a thing about his enemy, was a hard blow to his mind.

He took another big drink from the jug, angry at himself, angry at his body and there was simply nothing he could do about it.

Rugrat continued drinking, to numb the pain, to try to block out his anger and his self-hating thoughts until he finally passed out in a drunken stupor.

Chapter: Khusai Comes into Sight

Lucy nodded to the girl who showed her the rooms that Erik, Rugrat, and Matt were staying in.

They were plain unadorned rooms; just looking at them, one wouldn’t think that three people standing at the peak of the Third Realm would think to make these their residences.

Their quality was even less than what Lucy and the other members of the White Orchid Trading Company were staying in.

She knocked on the door. She heard movement on the other side before the door opened to reveal Rugrat.

“Miss.” Rugrat nodded to her, looking around to see whether anyone else was with her.

“Might I come in? I want to discuss our route moving forward,” Lucy said.

Rugrat nodded and moved to the side. The crossbow he had been hiding behind the door went into his storage ring as she moved past him and he closed the door behind him.

“First, I would like to thank you and your companions for everything that you did for us. If not for you, I think we would be suffering a much worse fate,” Lucy said.

“We were hired as guards—that’s what we did,” Rugrat said.

Lucy nodded. Most would brag but Rugrat and the other two just went about their own activities. She didn’t know whether that was better or worse.

“I have sent a message to the Golden Arrow sect, who are the backers of my trading caravan. They will look for the people who attacked us and destroy them. Still, I don’t know when they will do so. It seems that we have an informant in our midst, so it is my plan to move things ahead a bit. Anything that we can buy and sell here, we can do in Khusai. I wish to leave early tomorrow morning, directly for Khusai at our best speed.”

“Okay, that’s fine with us. We’ll be there.” Rugrat smiled.

Lucy, seeing there was nothing else to say, quickly bowed and left.

***

“Matt!” Rugrat yelled.

Matt looked around his room, seeing Erik at the door and Rugrat looking at him.

“What’s up?” Matt asked.

“Come on. Time to get a move on. We’re going to Khusai,” Rugrat said.

After getting dressed, the three of them walked toward the rest of the trading company. The sun still hadn’t come up as the people in the trading company watched the three get on their wagons, clearly waiting for them.

“Let’s go,” Lucy said.

The caravan moved out, the gates quickly opened for them as they headed out on the last leg of their journey.

***

Luke Jonsain sipped from a wine glass and picked at the food in front of him with chopsticks as he reclined on a large sofa, looking over the expensive restaurant. His eyes fell on the dinner crowd as they too, looked at him.

Most of them were also competitors in the second trial for the Alchemist Association.

His sister Jing was eating as well, not caring about the looks sent her way as she took a drink from her tea, all of her movements measured and exact.

“Look at them all, just frogs wishing for swan’s meat.” Luke let out a contemptuous breath as he shook his head.

“One cannot just rely on their opponents’ outer appearance to judge their ability,” Jing’er said.

Luke made to argue but then simply drank from his wine cup, a sour expression on his face. He might be the son of the lord as well, but Jing’er was doted on by his father, a true gem and alchemical master.

Luke had some skill, but he knew he wasn’t on his sister’s level.

A dark cloud seemed to hover over the room as Luke’s butler coughed, breaking the tense silence as Jing’er continued to eat.

“What is it?” Luke asked, ready to lash out at someone.

His butler moved close and knelt so he was level with Luke’s ear. “I have talked to all of the information agencies and checked with our people. That Erik West has still not appeared in the area around Khusai.”

“Pfft, that ant. He might have made quite the display in Girus, but it seems it was all for show, getting me to waste my time thinking of him as a problem. I doubt he will even show his face—too scared,” Luke said with a disdainful breath. An arrogant smile spread across his face, assured in his power once again. “If he did make it here, I would turn him and his friends into eunuchs, fit only to serve me!” Luke gloated.

Jing put down her bowl, a distasteful look on her face. “For some reason, my appetite is gone. I will head back to the villa. See to yourself.” Jing’er rose up from her seat and looked to her guards. They moved around her as she walked out of the restaurant.

“Bitch.” Luke sneered as he watched the others in the restaurant watching her as she left.

***

Domonos was moving through the market to carry out one of Mistress Mercy’s innumerable tasks.

“Hey!” a woman yelled.

Domonos didn’t have time to look around and continued to carry out his task.

“You there—don’t ignore me!” the woman cried out again.

Some people just don’t know how to go about their day peacefully, Domonos thought, as he continued on with his task. There was a rush of wind from behind him. His instincts took over as he rolled to the side. A dagger appeared in his hand as he came up in a lowered crouch, ready for a fight.

He found himself looking at the woman who had defeated his mistress. Julia, the same person from the Iron Spear sect he had seen in Chonglu a year ago.

“Miss Julia.” He put the blade away and bowed to her, making sure not to look her in the eyes, something that had been beaten into him by Mistress Mercy.

“You—I feel like I’ve seen you before. You’re Mistress Mercy’s attendant, right?” she asked, her eyes narrowed.

“That is right.” He nodded.

“That’s not where I know you from. No, it was something else. There was a man, a trader who brought his son to see my granduncle to ask if we would be willing to accept his son.”

“What was his name?” Domonos was surprised. His father had gone to three different sects two years ago to talk about him and have him prove himself.

The Iron Spear sect was one of them.

“Silaz?” Domonos said.

“Yes, that was it!” Julia snapped her fingers. Then she frowned as she looked at Domonos. “Though that was a year ago that I saw you, but you’ve made it into the Third Realm.” She looked at his robe and the Willful Institute sect emblem there before looking him over. Her eyes turned cool. “Seems that my granduncle missed out on a good applicant.”

Domonos didn’t say anything as Julia looked him over.

“I have heard that this year the Beast Mountain trial changed,” she said carefully.

Domonos looked up in confusion.

“It seems that you don’t know anything about it,” Julia said more to herself than to Domonos.

A long silence stretched between them as she examined him like some piece of meat, trying to pull the secrets out from his bones.

“Well, then I will leave you to your tasks.” With that, she turned and left.

Domonos let out a sigh. Changes to the Beast Mountain trial? There haven’t been any changes to the trial as long as my father has lived.

Domonos turned and went back to his tasks.

***

In an alleyway, a boy sporting scars over his face looked at Domonos. His face spread in a sadistic smile. He held a recording crystal. It was a crystal that allowed one to record and replay scenes that it had seen.

“Once my mistress learns of this, she will reward me and look upon me instead of this useless creature from the lower realms. She will notice and adore me!” The man let out a high-pitched, squeaky laugh, tenderly rubbing the scars on his face, the marks of honor he had gained from serving Mistress Mercy.

“He must’ve been telling that cow from the Iron Spear sect all of mistress’s secrets. It is the only way that she could fail!”

The boy turned and ran off toward Mistress Mercy, his eyes wide in excitement, as his scarred face turned into something horrifying.

***

Matt was on edge as they rushed toward Khusai. It was only when he saw the massive walls of the city that he started to calm down. Khusai was a cosmopolitan’s city: it was a tier-two city, a trade hub and a place that had multiple alchemist groups trying to catch the eye of the Alchemist Association or improve their ability in Alchemy to be recognized by others.

There were also multiple sects that would come to this city to do trade, train, and learn of the outside world.

It was carved into a small mountain, with the interior being carved out to create homes for the two million people who called it home. It looked like an anthill as it rose out of the marsh and swamp lands around it. For five kilometers around the city’s walls, one could see the growing fields where ingredient farmers worked.

Once they entered the fields, everyone sighed in relief. They had only been stopping while it was dark and riding as soon as it was light. It had reduced their time to the city but it had left them exhausted.

Matt had been in fights before, he had taken other’s lives, but he still wasn’t used to the kind of destruction that had come from the bandits’ attack. He was badly shaken by the sheer brutality. All he wanted to do was lead a peaceful life, to trade with others, see whether he could build something in the Ten Realms, and go on adventures here and there.

So far, he had lived through multiple attempts on his life and he had killed other men, through his crossbow and his summons.

One thing that Rugrat had said to him stuck in his mind.

“Everyone says that it is either us or them. People who haven’t been in a fight always go and say that there is another option. Most of the time there isn’t. Either you put them down, or else you, or the people around you, will be the ones to die. The Ten Realms don’t know something like mercy. They might have escaped us but I doubt that they will get away from the Golden Arrow.”

Life was cheap in the Ten Realms.

Matt felt that he was lucky to get to know Erik and Rugrat, but he didn’t know whether he could fight alongside them so much. It was tiring having your life on the line.

He was brought out of his thoughts as Lucy finished talking to the guard and paying the fee for them to enter Khusai.

They passed through the massive gates, the sloping city—built into Khusai Mountain—revealed before them. They continued forward, headed for the trader district. The people in the caravan had relaxed around Erik, Rugrat, and Matt, telling them about Khusai.

Along the face of the mountain, roads spiraled upward so that people could get to the more influential people of Khusai who lived at the peak of the mountain or the arenas that had been cut out at different heights.

The traders and caravaneers all seemed to relax as their hands came off their weapons and they started to crack jokes.

It wasn’t long until they got to the place that the White Orchid Trading Company was staying.

Matt jumped down and stretched, seeing Erik and Rugrat doing the same as they moved toward him.

Lucy and Boros also came up.

“We cannot thank you enough for what you’ve done,” Lucy said.

Boros stepped forward and held out a storage ring.

Erik took it and took out a few gold coins and returned the storage ring. “It is only what we agreed on,” he said, passing it back.

Lucy and Boros could only smile, slightly embarrassed. They wanted to use this as a show of goodwill and try to remove any tension between them.

Erik didn’t want to be bound to them anymore and accepting gifts could lead to them asking for their help.

“Look after yourselves,” Rugrat said as they turned away and headed out of the building that the White Orchid was using.

“How much did they offer?” Matt asked, unable to help himself. They entered the street and passed other properties that were packed with traders who had arrived to make their gold off the people coming for the yearly Alchemist Association recruitment event.

“Too much. With the amount they gave us, I’d feel like we owed them something,” Erik said.

“Makes sense—don’t want to get tangled up in random problems,” Rugrat said.

Matt looked at the two, blinking, as he was unable to form any words.

“Don’t want to get into any random problems?” How many cities have you had to run from, or lords have you pissed off?

After some internal debate, Matt was finally able to speak again. “So, what’s the plan?”

“Uh, well, I was hoping you could help out with that.” Erik came to a stop, losing all of his cool factor from before. “You know Khusai, right?”

“Yes, sir.” Matt grinned. “Though I don’t think they’ll have any of those erotica books you’re so into.”

“Ugh, just made me think of that old skeleton.” Rugrat shivered.

Erik snorted. “Well, I need a place where I can work without being disturbed.”

“I need somewhere that I can smith, need to fix up your armor.” Rugrat sounded despondent.

“Well, I still have a bunch of items from the temple to sell. I might not be good at crafting, but I can get you items from the market if you need, and sell the products,” Matt said.

Rugrat grunted, noncommittal.

“First we’re going to need a place, and not just an inn room that we have to tiptoe around. I happen to know a few places, but they won’t be cheap,” Matt warned.

“As long as we keep it discreet. Those people from Girus might be here, so it would be best if you deal with it,” Erik said.

“Okay.”

“We’ll just hang out right there.” Rugrat pointed to the nearest bar.

Matt raised an eyebrow. “Suuure you will. Just make sure you save some for me and chicken wings if they’ve got it!”

“Can do!” Rugrat grinned.

“Damn, I need a beer!” Erik said.

“Dick.” Matt shook his head and flashed him the finger as he set off toward the rental offices he knew.

Chapter: Advancements

Matt was able to quickly find them all a place to stay in Khusai. After a day of resting, drinking, and eating, they moved into the new place.

Rugrat went around, making sure that they had Mana Gathering formations placed so that none of the energy would escape the residence. It was away from the others as he’d learned that possible problem when he had been trying to work in his smithy in Hersht. He had Matt buy a sound dampening formation; thankfully they were relatively inexpensive.

Once those were placed, they put down the smithy and Erik set up his gear inside one of the larger barns that was supposed to hold carriages.

The back of Rugrat’s smithy was where Erik worked on his Alchemy.

Between the two, they placed the dungeon core. It would grow stronger from being in a Mana-rich environment, purifying the Mana and feeding it into Rugrat’s furnace and into Erik’s Alchemy instruments and flames.

They just had a few weeks until the contest started, so Erik sent Matt out with a list of supplies that he needed for the concoctions he planned to craft.

Rugrat first worked on updating the tools Erik had, like the centrifuge and the tools to guide his flames and worked on the different metal equipment.

Rugrat had to take frequent breaks, his face twisted in pain as he drank to try to dull it. Mana potions only made it worse. Erik didn’t say anything, focusing on his own work.

Rugrat finished updating Erik’s alchemy tools and then began to repair Erik’s Ass Kicker set.

Rugrat had to take even more breaks. The stress on his Mana channels was too much for him as he was working with Mortal-grade iron. The more Mana he injected into the iron, the easier it was to move it and it heightened the possibility of it increasing a grade to Earth-grade metal.

He was frustrated, wanting to push through the pain and ignore it.

The only thing stopping him was the knowledge that if he did, it would only make his condition worse.

He had to give his body the time it needed to recuperate.

In his breaks, Rugrat took time to look around the city to take it in and take a breather for the first time in ages.

It was hard for him to do so as he would come back to see Erik in the middle of working on his pills, potions, and powders.

Erik was studying the Journeyman-level potion Iron Skin, taking his time to build up his knowledge with making the other Alchemy items. Part of it was because it was harder; the other was the expensive nature of the ingredients. Iron Skin was a mid-Journeyman-level potion but it cost nearly four hundred gold to get all of the ingredients. They all thought that this was a sort of control that the Girus lord had added; if someone other than his children were to get the formula, it would wreck them financially and put a large burden on their backers.

Just three sets of ingredients were worth nearly a full Mana stone. Erik didn’t want to waste Mana stones, so he improved his ability with the lower-level formulas, starting to automate part of the formation process, having the prepared ingredients added in together through use of alchemical tools and then performing the final combination at the final stage.

This was taking Alchemy to a whole new level as he was turning it into a factory-like process.

With just a week to go, Erik finished working on his concoctions and rested. He slept, ate, and drank with Rugrat and Matt before he returned to his Alchemy station. He took out the formula for the Iron Skin potion and put it to the back of the forge so it was right in front of him.

He took in a deep breath of the pure and dense Mana; his hands moved as ingredients appeared, falling into a line of containers as Erik started the third stage of Alchemy, preparation.

Erik worked tirelessly. Through failure and through losing Mana stones’ worth of ingredients, he would simply see where he had gone wrong, adjust, and try again.

Matt went pale as he saw the expenditure Erik was putting forth.

Five days later, Erik was looking haggard. The Clean spell allowed him to remain clean even without needing to shower and his clothes were still fresh. But his expression was terrible; he drank a Stamina potion even as he worked.

Erik pulled the lid of the cauldron off. Inside, one could see a grayish-purple liquid. Above it, there was a dropper with a container of crystals on a filter a few inches under the dropper.

Erik maintained the movement of the solution in the cauldron as he adjusted the dropper, allowing a gray, thick solution out of the top container. It dropped on the crystals, turning more viscous before it passed through the filter and dropped into the cauldron.

The solution started to bubble faster. Erik wanted to pour more of the gray sludge out but he held his pace—watching, containing, heating, and moving.

The solution in the cauldron started to change colors—slowly, slowly, then it all changed at once. Erik stopped the liquid from coming through the crystals, swinging it away so it couldn’t fall into the cauldron as he dropped the lid back on the cauldron.

The solution within was undergoing metamorphosis, needing all of Erik’s concentration. Too much heat, not enough movement, Mana, ambient temperature: all of these things came into play.

Erik worried for three whole minutes after the solution had stabilized into a potion, thinking he had messed it up and his tired brain running on autopilot.

Erik slowed the heat and opened the top of the cauldron tentatively. Inside, he could see a gray and light-blue potion with blood-like drops in it.

Erik started to laugh, falling backward. He fell on the grass, pushing out his numb legs and punching his fist into the sky.

He was ready to pass out as he smiled and looked at his notifications, eager to see the rewards for his troubles.

==========

Skill: Alchemy

==========

Level: 55 (Journeyman)

==========

Able to identify 1 effect of the ingredient.

Ingredients are 5% more potent.

==========

==========

Upon advancing into the Journeyman level of Alchemy, you will be rewarded with one randomly selected item related to this skill.

==========

You have received the item: Iron Castle

+100,000 EXP

==========

==========

623,470/1,055,000 EXP till you reach Level 31

==========

Rugrat was resting between turns working in the smithy.

On the work table, there were several different kinds of ores. It would be more accurate to call them different iron alloys that had been tempered and combined with exotic enhancers.

He had collected dozens of enhancers from all across the Second and Third Realm. He had been working for the most part with the things that he knew: the Mortal-grade iron and regular iron. This was because he didn’t want to waste the expensive enhancers and he wanted to run further trials on them. Like with making his new rifle and components, testing was required to gain a deeper understanding of what happened to the iron once enhancers were added into the mix.

Some increased the strength of the iron, some the flexibility; others drew out the elements in the metal, creating a lightning or Fire Affinity. Earth, Water and Wood Affinities were weak as they weren’t naturally suited for metals. Though they gave him ideas to use different ores that were more closely related to those elements with the enhancers.

Some were easier to work with his flames; others more difficult.

It was as if he was working with building block pieces. At first, he had been able to know what shape he wanted to turn them into and he had fumbled around until he had got it into that shape. Now, after doing that repeatedly, he had been able to put those pieces together into that same shape easily.

Then, instead of using all kinds of different building blocks, he started to use the same colored ones. Then, he went and got an exclusive pack of blocks and wanted to replace those single color blocks, but now he wanted to style them, so that the new blocks not only fit into the shape he wanted, they made the item he wanted better than before.

He had to look at a project not simply as separate parts—now, from the refining stage, he had to refine the iron into Mortal iron, then alloy it with the enhancers. Completing his preparation and his formation stage was smithing and hammering the metal into the form he wanted and adding in greater detail with his Mana blade.

Not all of the metals were easy to cut with the Mana blade, requiring him to take breaks.

Now the only part he was missing was the formations.

There were formations all over the place, but most of them were handed down and although not expensive, it was nearly impossible to look at a formation and understand how it worked.

There was one reason that it was nearly impossible to find a formation master in the Mortal realm: Mana density. In each overarching realm—Mortal, Earth, Sky, Celestial, Divine—the power of the realm was greater. Formations were Mana-heavy devices, requiring dozens of gems or Mana stones to power them.

This was why an Apprentice-level formation master from the Second Realm at a young age was such a big thing.

Formation masters were found for the most part in the Fourth Realm, invited to work on defensive or attacking formations for massive sums of resources. Then there were the formation masters of the Sixth Realm.

Rugrat had been leaving most of his weapons blank for two reasons. One, he felt that his skills in formations were lacking, that if he were to place a formation on them that he would mar them. It was like using a crappy bullet with one of his rifles: it worked, but it was so unsatisfying it kept on pulling at his mind.

The second was that he only knew the Mana Gathering formation.

He had searched Khusai with Matt and still they hadn’t been able to find any good formations—just a few extremely simple ones, but they weren’t useful for Rugrat and their base price was two Mana stones.

Rugrat heard Erik let out a yell in excitement.

Rugrat peered over, seeing Erik looking at a pill bottle.

Rugrat smiled and went back to his list, looking over the enhanced ores in front of him, continuing his tests on them all. They might have ruined a chunk of Mortal-grade iron, but Rugrat thought of it as a small loss as he could always evolve more Mortal-grade ingots.

Rugrat paused as he looked at an alloyed iron ingot.

He might have damaged his Mana channels severely but he was still highly sensitive to Mana.

A frown appeared on his face. He pushed the other ingots away and pulled out a plain Mortal-grade ingot. He put his clipboard away and put his hands on both.

He closed his eyes, focusing on the two iron ingots, using his Simple Inorganic Scan.

He pursed his lips. I feel like the Mana is transmitted easier within this ingot. I should get out an iron ingot and compare against the Mortal grade.

Rugrat did so, moving between the three ingots. The Mana conductivity is only slightly higher than the Mortal-grade iron but it is higher!

Rugrat looked up with a shocked expression.

“Maybe I was going about trying to turn Mortal-grade iron into Earth-grade metal? We know that the grades of iron increase with the more Mana density they are exposed to, causing them to evolve. Little to no Mana, iron; bit more, Mortal grade; a leap higher, Earth; another leap, Sky. One can inject their Mana into the metal to force an evolution, or they can place the metal into a massive Mana array, using Mana over time to increase its level. What if there was a third way—alloying the iron ore with an enhancer that contains a lot of Mana? The Mana array to passively evolve the metal—what if I was to just alloy the iron with, say, a piece of Mortal-grade Mana stone? Would it become Mortal-grade iron? Erik!” Rugrat let out a yell/cheer as he ran around the back of the smithy to see Erik passed out on the floor.

He stopped on his tracks, gritting his teeth for fear of waking Erik up.

Seeing he didn’t even move an eyelash, Rugrat slowly backed away from Erik and went back around to his smithy.

He pulled out his notepad, writing down plans and ideas.

After some time, he looked up at the smithy, at his tools and the flames. If I can’t use my Mana, can I even call myself a smith?

Rugrat just stared at it all. He had been in nearly crippling pain as he worked in the smithy, his Mana channels aching constantly, unable to work more than a few minutes before he had to take a break or he’d do more harm to himself.

He could barely repair Erik’s armor. Making a new set? That would be impossible for him now.

Rugrat put down the notepad and pen, pulling out a jug of alcohol and looked at the flames in the furnace as he tried to forget.

***

Domonos had spent what little gold he had remaining in order to go and see the Alchemist Association competition. He wanted to look for someone who might be able to help Qin.

He heard someone laughing. Looking over in annoyance, he saw a strange face. A large man with tattoos on his arm and a beard on his face, but his eyes and face—there was something familiar about him!

Domonos pulled out a piece of paper that he had long forgotten about. It was a picture of the two men who had escaped the sects in the First Realm and who his brother Wren had a fight with!

Domonos moved closer to the man. He was hesitant at first but it might be the only way he could get any news on what was happening in the First Realm.

He screwed up his courage and walked forward, seeing the man with two beers in hand and another drinking beside him.

“Rugrat?” Domonos asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

“Huh?” Rugrat looked at Domonos.

Feeling relieved that he had not gotten the wrong person, Domonos was filled with questions on how Rugrat was here in front of him in the Third Realm.

“Who are you?” Rugrat asked.

“Domonos Silaz, from Chonglu,” Domonos said.

“Oh, Qin, Yei, and Wren’s brother!” Rugrat said.

“Yui’s brother,” Domonos amended.

Rugrat’s smile became deeper. Clearly the words from before were a test.

“I thought you went off and joined a sect. What are you doing here?” Rugrat looked at the sect emblem on Domonos’s chest.

“I was able to find one that took me in. I was wondering if I could ask you something,” Domonos said.

It seemed that Rugrat held no hostility toward him, and he knew of both his brothers and his sister.

“I was wondering if you have any news on my sister Qin.” Domonos looked Rugrat in the eyes.

“Little Qin, huh?” Rugrat’s expression softened as he looked away, apparently remembering something. After a few moments, he returned from his thoughts. “She is fine—better than fine. You might even see her walking the streets of Chonglu today. Erik was able to help her and her issue.”

Domonos felt as if a tension that had been running through his body had been removed. He had started on this path to improve his Strength and to help his sister. Knowing that she was okay, knowing that she was healed, brought up emotions he had not touched since he had left home, scared that they might reveal his weaknesses.

“Thank you, thank you!” he said breathlessly, his eyes becoming moist.

“It is no problem.” Rugrat paused, seeing the emotion on the young man’s face. “If you want, I can take you to go and see her. Maybe not now, but in a bit, if you come with us.”

Domonos wanted to agree but his heart was torn as he knew the oath he had taken and the bond that Mistress Mercy had placed upon him.

Just as he was about to open his mouth, he got a message from Mistress Mercy. He listened to it. The emotions drained from his face as he once again had a blank expression.

“Thank you, Rugrat, for everything. Please let my family know that I love them dearly, but there are things that I must do.”  He didn’t give Rugrat any time to say anything as he bowed, level with the ground, and then took off, weaving through the crowd to go and attend to Mistress Mercy.

Domonos was nearly out of eyesight when he got a message from Rugrat.

“If you change your mind, here is my contact information.”

Domonos smiled to himself, a sad smile. He continued running, feeling the bond between him and Mistress Mercy pulling on him.

Chapter: Enemies Walk on a Short Path

Erik felt as if his head was about to burst when he had fallen asleep, but as he opened his eyes, everything seemed to be crystal-clear to him, as if a fog that had been around his mind lifted. His senses had undergone a change, but there was something more than that.

“It’s easier to raise the dead!” Rugrat complained as he threw a bucket of water on Erik.

He got up, spluttering. He could tell it wasn’t the first bucket of water that had been dumped on him.

“Come on, the competition starts soon. You’ve been sleeping for two days!” Rugrat said.

Matt stood off to the side and put a bucket of water behind him.

Rugrat was unaffected by Erik’s glare, as always.

“Two days?” Erik’s mind kicked into gear as Rugrat helped him up. He used the Clean spell to get rid of the water and clean himself.

“Yeah, there’s just three hours until it kicks off. Come on, man.” Rugrat pulled Erik outside.

George was sleeping in a corner. He opened his eye as they passed, making a noise at Rugrat.

“Damn glutton.” Rugrat tossed him a monster core as George eagerly snatched it out of the air before settling back down to sleep.

Erik pulled out the pill bottle in his ring, checking that it was still there. He felt that his Agility had undergone a large change, as had his entire body through his increase in stats.

He put the pill bottle away, relieved that it wasn’t all just a dream. They ran toward the center of Khusai and the dozens of arenas that ringed around the mountain that Khusai was built into.

Erik frowned as they moved through the markets, smelling the different ingredients all around him.

It was like a series of flash cards in his mind: as he would concentrate on something, if it was related to anything that he had learned, worked with, or tested before, it snapped into his mind. Erik had used some technique books and information manuals to increase his knowledge on Alchemy ingredients, but still there were millions of permutations and mutations of the basic thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, of ingredients.

With his Alchemy level, he was even able to understand one effect of the different ingredients around him. It was a wealth of knowledge and it should have left him in a state of shock but his mind had changed, filtering them away and saving them in the back of his mind. With just a thought, he could recall them, instead of relying on rote repetition to remember the ingredients. Even with the technique manuals, the information might be fresh in one’s mind at first, but over time it would weaken.

It looks like there is another reason that the Journeyman level is called the information level. If I can recall all of this information, it would be really useful. I’ll call this my Alchemy Book.

Although it was really useful, it did have its drawbacks. One needed to test ingredients or buy technique manuals to add more information to their mind, and it was also possible to retain the wrong knowledge.

It was like a cheat sheet: it could contain a lot of information, but if the person who wrote it put down the wrong information, it was potentially worse than useless.

One might think that with the Apprentice effect of knowing at least one of the ingredient’s effects, it helped, but with ingredients that had five or six different uses and effects depending on how they were grown, harvested, prepared, and combined, knowing just one effect was a starting point.

Even the information and deductions that I made with tasting different ingredients is listed here. A shiver went down Erik’s spine. So maybe using my reverse alchemist on unknown ingredients would allow me to build up at least some kind of record on them that I can use later to figure out what the ingredients are.

Matt led the way, with Rugrat and Erik following. As they moved through the streets, they had to dodge into side alleys and side streets to escape the press of the people, using the twisting roads that went up the inside of Khusai Mountain.

They reached a side door that led into one of the arenas. Erik presented the identification token he had received from the first trial.

“Very well. You are at arena seven,” the woman said.

Matt once again led the way as they ran through the crowds.

People grumbled and complained as they pushed through before arriving at arena seven and Erik presented his token again.

He was given a new token, this one with a number on it. Erik accepted it and looked to the two others.

“I heard that the next trial happens at Resam Regional Headquarters. Sounds fancy,” Rugrat said. “Don’t fuck up!”

“Good luck,” Matt said.

“Thanks, guys.” Erik felt much more confident with the Alchemy Book in his head. He wanted to tell them about it and see whether they knew anything about it, but this wasn’t the place.

He turned and headed into the arena. He walked through an open area where people were sitting, reading and waiting. Some were talking, trying to get out their nervous energy.

Many were eyeing the others. After all, this was a competition and the others were vying to take the top spots away from them.

Erik found somewhere to sit and focused on the Iron Skin potion. His mind filled with the formula; information and thoughts that he had earlier were all organized, customizing the formula to what he had created. A formula was a set of rules and guidelines, but when making a cake, few actually followed the recipe completely. They guessed and added in things at different points of time. The result was the same, but they had added their own flair to it.

With the Alchemy Book in his mind, Erik was able to review the information in greater detail. His eyebrows pinched together as he looked at his own assumptions and changed them so that they would work better.

***

Jing Jonsain presented her token to the person at the gate. Unlike in Girus, this person wasn’t affected upon seeing them, looking at them as if they were just another group of alchemists trying to join the Alchemist Association.

She traded the token and waved her forward.

Luke scanned the crowd. He felt he saw something familiar in the crowd. He looked over to see the second place Erik West walking into the challengers’ waiting hall.

His entire body stiffened and his nose flared in anger. He gripped his token tight, causing it to bite into his hand.

“Next!” the person at the table said in an irritated tone.

Luke looked to them with fire in his eyes, wanting to drag them over the table and beat them in front of everyone for daring to order him around.

He slapped the token on the table, looking down on the person.

They took the token, rolling their eyes, and put another token on the table with a number. “Next!” they said, not sparing Luke a glance.

He stood there, about to lash out, when a guard moved up.

“Move it,” the guard said.

Luke shook from anger. How dare these little peasants talk to me in this way!

He was about to yell out when his butler pulled him to the side, cupping his fists to the guard. The guards here might be part of Khusai’s defense force, but while they were administering to the Alchemist Association’s application test, they were under the authority of the Alchemist Association, which gave them much more power. It was necessary when dealing with figures who might be the scions of a large city or kingdom to keep things fair.

Luke pulled his sleeve out from his butler’s hand. “Touch me again like that and I will have you flogged for three days straight!” Luke spat out before turning to his butler.

“Erik West is here. Go and find his friends. It seems he dares to appear. Then we will need to make an example of him and his fellows,” Luke said in a low whisper.

The butler’s eyes turned solemn as he looked through the crowd for the second-place winner of Girus.

“Don’t mess this up.” Luke turned and advanced toward the waiting hall.

He looked around the hall. Nearly two hundred people waited in the hall, each eyeing the others like wolves. Some from sects, others from big families, others nobodies who had been able to climb this high.

***

“Journeyman Di, it is good to see you.” Alchemist Journeyman Rakesh greeted his old friend with a smile. Both of them were from the Alchemist Association and had been sent out for the last couple of years to look over the competitions held in the Third Realm to recruit more alchemists. As two people in the same job, they had built up an understanding with each other and a friendship.

“Journeyman Rakesh, it is good to see you. I did not know that you would be here for this second selection.” Journeyman Di had done two more trials after Girus before heading straight for the city. With his flying beast, it wasn’t a long journey at all. Although he was pleased to see Journeyman Rakesh, he knew that the other man wouldn’t come to this event if he wasn’t here for something.

“I think that we’re here for the same things. I found someone who might have a few capabilities,” Rakesh admitted.

Di let out a laugh and nodded. “Two birds of a feather.”

There were a number of other alchemists from the Alchemist Association around, but most of them were only the Apprentice level, people who saw to the needs of the higher up alchemists, hoping to learn more from them.

The door to the room and the balcony beyond opened as an older man appeared.

“Journeyman Wu.” Di and Rakesh bowed their heads slightly to him as everyone else bowed deeply.

“There is no need for that,” Journeyman Wu said with a pleased smile. Although their emblems held two lines on it, he had three lines on his emblem. “It is lonely and boring work, being away from the Alchemist Association for so long. I hope that we can catch up later for a meal and drink!”

“Certainly!” Rakesh and Di replied with pleased smiles. The Alchemist Association was their home; their fellow alchemists might bicker with and over time get annoyed with one another, but like with any family, one would miss even those petty fights if they were away long enough. With their levels and skills, a few years spent looking over the new blood that would join the Alchemist Association would give them deeper feelings toward the association and a few years compared to the hundreds they had left to live was not a big sacrifice.

“I have also been able to get some testers of low-Expert-level concoctions. I have been saving them to examine with a few friends and share insights,” Journeyman Wu said, pleased with their expressions.

Both of them cupped their hands and bowed to Wu deeply.

“Journeyman Wu, it would be an honor,” Rakesh said.

“I also have a tester for an Expert-level concoction that I hope we will be able to study!” Di added.

“Good!” Wu clapped his hands together in an excited manner.

They lived for Alchemy. Testers were hard to break down and it took a massive amount of skill to gain insights, but it was an opportunity to gain inspiration, a new path forward.

“Bring us some fine wine! I hope that this contest can entertain us!” Wu said, a wide smile on his face as he invited the other two to sit with him at the balcony at the end of the room. They walked out, the sun beating down on them. The ever-present humidity of the Third Realm caused their robes to stick to them as they looked over the masses. The arena had also been carved out of Khusai. It was one of eight that ringed the city. Even with people just talking, the entire arena was filled with noise.

Supporters of those who were competing would travel for weeks or months to see the competition, those in the surrounding area of Khusai would pour in to see legends being born, and the people of Khusai would join in on the festivities as well. With the different arenas, there were close to two million people watching.

Although people could only go to one of the arenas, the booth that the Alchemist Association used had viewing stones that allowed them to look over the other arenas at the same time.

Di looked through the different stones, looking for Erik West.

***

Luke was watching Erik West, who was frowning, lost in thought. Luke scoffed at his expression.

Made it here but doesn’t even have the confidence in himself, or else why would he look so confused and annoyed? He should just give up. Father told me the amount of resources one would need if they wanted to create the Journeyman Iron Skin potion. It might be powerful, but he’s just a single person without any sort of backing. I don’t know how he was able to get through my intelligence network but I’ll send him into the depths of despair soon.

Luke had put out the word to look for a man of Erik’s description and that he was an alchemist. What self-respecting alchemist would travel through a swamp with just their friend and then become a caravan mercenary?

The biases of the people in the Third Realm had worked against them, making them overlook Erik at every turn.

Luke received a message from his butler.

“I have been able to find his companion. He is sitting in the audience. I have people watching him.”

“Good!” Luke said as he felt the trap close around Erik.

The doors from the waiting hall opened. Everyone stood and stowed away their items, becoming silent as they looked out onto the arena that had been divided up into squares with numbers on them, much like the setup in Girus.

“Contestants, take your places,” an usher from the Alchemist Association said, using a voice amplification spell.

The contestants moved forward through the massive doors and toward the squares.

Luke had a derisive look on his face as he walked through the doors, still looking at Erik as he pulled his sound talisman to his mouth. Over long distances, one had to know the symbol of the person they were contacting. In shorter ranges, people could send a message directionally, locking onto another sound transmission device close by.

He saw Erik sitting down at his station and placing his token in a depression in the square. It glowed, showing he was in the right square.

As he was collecting himself, Luke made his message, timing it to throw Erik off-balance.

“Erik West, seems that you did show up, but it’s no matter. Come to the Golden Ox inn after the competition or else I will kill your companion.”

Luke had a gloating look on his face as he sat down at his stage, confident and pleased with his own schemes.

He saw Erik receive the message, then take off the sound transmission device and toss it into a storage device.

Luke’s calm confidence flared up into anger seeing Erik’s actions. He took a number of breaths to try to calm himself, his eyes burning into Erik’s side.

Erik still had that frown on his face, seemingly disconnected from the rest of the world.

Chapter: New Heights and Depths

Erik and the other alchemists started to pull out their ingredients as well as their tools. Erik smacked his head. He had forgotten about the reward for becoming a Journeyman alchemist!

He looked through his storage rings, before he found it.

A large and heavy cauldron appeared in front of him. It made a deep, bassy noise as it hit the ground, sounding like a war drum calling people to battle instead of an Alchemy cauldron.

“So this is the Iron Castle cauldron.” He found the name worked only too well. The cauldron seemed to be made from a dull iron alloy with scales over its surface that made it look like a brick wall. It looked blocky and had eight sides but there were four openings underneath the cauldron.

Erik studied it more, seeing that there was two parts to the cauldron, the outer “wall” and the inner “sanctuary.” The outside wall contained the flames that were inside, and because of the two walls, the cauldron would heat evenly without Erik needing to pay attention to it.

Also being contained within a wall, the disturbance of wind or dust entering his flames was removed and it would make it harder for the power of the ingredients to leak out of the cauldron. Though with the heavy material the cauldron was made from, it would require powerful flames to heat it up.

Erik checked over the cauldron’s stats.

==========

Iron Castle Cauldron

==========

Weight: 41.3 kg

Durability: 100/100

Innate Effect: Concoctions up to the mid-Journeyman rank will be up to 5% stronger.

Enchantment: Strength Within—Ingredients held within this cauldron will not decrease in efficacy. Concoctions within might undergo a qualitative change if allowed to rest.

Requirements:

Mana, magical or formation flames

Journeyman-grade Alchemist

==========

Compared to the Flame of Rezi Cauldron, it was much more powerful.

==========

Flame of the Rezi Cauldron

==========

Weight: 12.7 kg

Durability: 100/100

Innate Effect: Decrease Mana Flame cost by 12%.

Enchantment: Medicinal Bell—Reflect the medicinal ingredients back into the center of the cauldron. Increase quantity of concoction made by 8%.

Requirements:

Mana, magical or formation flames

Apprentice-grade Alchemist

==========

Still, Erik could only sigh as he replaced the Iron Castle cauldron with the Flame of the Rezi cauldron. The Iron Castle cauldron might be powerful, but it was his first time seeing it, let alone using it.

He had not tested it out, or tried to make anything with it. With the Rezi cauldron, he had been using it for months now; he knew it intimately and although it was an Apprentice-grade cauldron, he had greater confidence working with it.

***

Mistress Mercy sat on her chair in the hall, having one of her attendants work on her nails as she sat there lazily.

Off to the side was one of her scarred followers, one who had either had their mind broken through her actions or enjoyed the beatings that they took from her, falling under her spell and devoting their lives to her.

Domonos didn’t spare the little creature a second glance as he kneeled on the floor, waiting for her to talk.

He had been here for hours before. If it wasn’t for hearing from Rugrat that his sister was alive and had recovered from her affliction, he would have been torn from the Alchemist Association trial, unable to even see whether there were any alchemists he might get to help his sister.

“It is interesting what one will do behind their mistress’s back.” Mistress Mercy’s words were spoken lightly but the room seemed to chill a dozen degrees.

“You see, on the one hand, there are the righteous and the loyal, those who look to help me in my quest to elevate us all, and there are those, the worms among people who lurk in the shadows and look to try to pull me down.” Her eyes flashed as she looked over to Domonos. Her anger seemed to fade away as she looked at her nails being worked on.

“Domonos, go and get me my whip,” she said.

Domonos coughed as the bond she had placed in him caused pain to lance through his body. “Yes, Mistress.” He turned and went to the wall where her whip lay and brought it over to her, kneeling down and holding it up.

“Dear, will you play the recording?” she asked as the scarred boy had a look of joy on his face. He bowed repeatedly and pulled out a recording crystal.

He played it, an image projecting into the sky of Domonos talking to Julia from the Iron Spear sect.

Mistress Mercy took back her hand from the woman working on them and blew on them before extending her hand to grab the whip. “Do you have anything to say?”

“Mistress, I—” Domonos didn’t even hear the whip, feeling the wind on his face as he was sent flying backward.

She used her whip, cutting through his robes and opening his skin, leaving bloody lines across his body. Domonos tried to lessen the effect but the bond within him made his actions slow. Her attacks, cutting through flesh and bone, caused him to cry out in pain.

She pulled her whip back, breathing heavily as he lay there on the ground, whip marks all around him. His blood poured out on the ground. One of his eyes had been hit and he could barely see through the other. The loss of blood and pain made it hard to remain conscious.

“Not only did you talk to my opponent, you told her my secrets! You little beast!” Her whip shot out again, this time wrapping around his neck. “I would have defeated that pole-wielding whore! I would have been able to advance into the regional championships!”

Telling her your secrets? Your secret that you are only fit to bully those who you have poisoned with your bond and used the oath of the Ten Realms to cause them to submit? Your skills are worthy of bullying others—fighting in a true fight, you are no match for those the same level as you!

Domonos’s anger boiled to the top as his bond and lack of oxygen made it hard for him to think.

She turned her body and used the momentum to pull Domonos, smashing him against the ground and breaking the bones in his body.

“You can’t kill someone of the sect,” Domonos forced out, his mouth cut apart and his jaw broken.

“Killing? Who said anything about killing?” She flicked her whip, slamming him into a wall. “I wouldn’t kill you, but maim you, leave you in the darkest corners of this city where people would be interested to be entertained by a broken boy from a sect? Oh, I might even make some coin off you.” Mistress Mercy laughed.

Domonos shivered.

“As for the sect? You were my personal plaything since I laid eyes on you. I talked to my uncle. Seems that he agrees that liars shouldn’t be allowed into the sect,” she said in a surprised voice, as if she couldn’t believe it as well.

She pulled out a scroll and ripped it apart.

==========

The oath between Domonos Silaz and the Willful Institute is thus annulled and destroyed.

==========

Domonos felt the oath being broken as he let out a wet cough.

“I do hope you live long enough for a few of the patrons to enjoy you fully.” Mistress Mercy turned back to her seat and sat back down, waving her bloodied whip to the scarred boy as the girl once again continued to work on her nails.

Others who had been in the hall gathered up Domonos, who screamed out in pain as his broken bones and flesh were moved around.

They stripped him of his belongings, before dragging him out to a cart. A man looked him over before paying a fee and pulling a tarp over him.

Domonos bit down on a tooth in the back of his mouth, using the last lifesaving measure that he had. He felt the capsule break in his mouth as the healing pill started to work. He reached into a wound on his side, letting out a whimpering noise. He pulled out a bloody message scroll.

He whispered into the scroll, adding a symbol to it.

There was only one person he knew who wasn’t a part of the sect who he might be able to trust and could possibly help him.

Chapter: Second Trial Begins!

Erik looked around the stage and at the other alchemists, seeing what they had brought out to make.

As he did so, he looked at the arrayed ingredients, recognizing some, not recognizing others. Just looking at them wasn’t able to tell him what the effect of the ingredient might be; he had to hold it in his hands and smell it for at least one of the ingredient’s effects to be revealed.

Still, the flickering of information in the back of his mind only served to make a smile appear on his face. Entering the Journeyman level, he felt as though he had entered a new plane of existence, one with a much higher ceiling.

Seems that I have been underestimating Alchemy.

The woman running the test stood up at the front. With her, there were a number of people wearing the emblems of the Alchemist Association. She wore an emblem the same color as Journeyman Di’s but then hers only had one stripe running across it instead of two.

“Anyone found cheating will be removed from the stages and banned from ever joining the Alchemist Association in this lifetime. You have three hours to complete your concoctions and submit them to the testers. They will be graded on their efficacy and grade. The top twenty concoctions from this arena will then be added to the pool of concoctions from the other arenas, ranked again with the people who made the top twenty concoctions, continuing on to challenge the alchemist’s path at the Resam Regional Headquarters.” The woman looked at the test takers.

Everyone fell silent as the same commands were passed out at the other arenas.

A gong sounded out across Khusai. “Your second trial begins!”

People started to move, using their tools to prepare their ingredients and stoking their fires to raise the temperatures of their cauldrons.

Dozens of pill making styles were displayed: some flashy that drew the eye, others muted and hidden within the cauldrons.

Erik took his time checking over his equipment and making sure that everything was functioning properly. Then he started to pull out the basic ingredients and set them out.

He closed his eyes, taking time to focus his mind and review his Alchemy Book and the information contained within.

He was no longer working in proximity to the dungeon core so the Mana wasn’t as pure; he had also made changes to how he could create the potion. After taking a step back, the changes only seemed too easy.

He could call up not only the Iron Skin potion but also the other concoctions that he had worked on in the past.

He started to work with his handmade but improved tools to prepare the ingredients.

***

Journeyman Di looked through the different views of the viewing stones to look over at arena seven.

He looked through the candidates before he found Erik. A smile appeared on his face as he watched the man working with his strange-looking instruments.

“Ah, so that is the one you’re looking over?” Journeyman Rakesh asked.

“Yes, and it seems that your seedling is not bad either,” Di replied, looking over at the stone that Rakesh was looking through.

“He has a number of interesting tools that I have not seen before.” Rakesh leaned forward, not denying Di’s words.

“He is a bit different,” Di said.

“What was his result with the first trial?” Journeyman Wu asked.

“He was placed second, but in his trial, he made hundreds of powders,” Di said.

“Hundreds? Were they all failures?”

“No, he was working to increase their efficacy each time.”

“On stage during the trial?” Wu stroked his beard.

“Yes.”

“Well, either he is foolish, has worked with the concoction countless times, or he really is some kind of genius. If he is able to make another kind of concoction here that can place him high within his arena and the tournament, then it will be the third option. If not, then he is either a fool, or a blind fool,” Wu said. “What is his background?”

“I was not able to bring one up on him. He had simply entered the city through the totem. I don’t know where he came from.”

“Might he be from another region, trying his luck?” Rakesh asked.

“It is possible, but I don’t think so,” Di said.

“Well, it does make things more interesting. Journeyman Rakesh, who is the young lady you are watching?”

“She is called Claudia Stromm.” Rakesh smiled.

The others looked at him with confusion.

“Her family is relatively unknown, but her constitution is even harder to find and more well known.” He paused, enjoying the tense look on their faces before he let out a laugh. “She has the Earth Spirit constitution!”

“Earth Spirit constitution!” Journeyman Wu repeated, getting excited as he looked closer at the simple-looking girl. Nothing about her would suggest she might have one of the most powerful and sought-after constitutions.

“The Earth Spirit constitution—that is where the person’s Mana has a greater Affinity with the Earth attribute, their actions in harmony with the world, gaining a greater concentration and power when they cast spells with Earth attributes. When used in concert with Alchemy, one can create the Evolving Earth flame.” Di looked at the woman’s hands. He could see the thin green flame moving from her hands around the cauldron. People had all kinds of colored flames, so it was only if someone was paying attention or nearby that they might be able to find out the kind of flame that they were using.

“When using the Evolving Earth flame, ingredients kowtow and concoctions bow,” Rakesh finished off for Di. “Truly, I did not think that I would see such a thing in my life. The ingredients are eager to be burned and refined by her flames, her concoctions are incredibly stable, and as she works with her flames, the final product will be stronger than others.”

“Truly a rare find,” Wu said in praise.

With her having Earth Affinity flames, any Wood-based ingredients would grow in strength and power.

With the majority of the ingredients one used having a Wood Affinity, it was a blessing to alchemists. It would only be if she was trying to work with a concoction that had ingredients of another Affinity that she might have troubles.

Di saw movement on his stone as he looked at Erik.

He had been working the different preparations, and settled down as they finished. Now he turned into action as flames appeared around his cauldron, quickly bringing it up to temperature.

Then he started to add in ingredients. His hand paused at one ingredient and moved to another. It wasn’t something easily recognizable, but Di saw it through his years of working with widely divergent concoctions.

“What is he doing?” Di muttered to himself.

Erik had the air of someone who wasn’t worrying about his environment around him. It was as if he were removed from it all, above it all.

It wasn’t arrogance, but he was focusing on something more—something different.

Is he? No, that can’t be possible. Or at least no one would be that bold to actually adjust one’s formula while in the middle of a competition!

Erik’s movements were hesitant at first but they became more confident as he started to add in different ingredients.

The look of interest, the frown as he struggled, the look of elation in his eyes when it worked: Di could only conclude that he was altering the concoction and the formula he was working on as he went!

Learning a formula was hard just by itself as one had to interpret the words of another alchemist and carry out their unfamiliar process. It took hundreds of trials to get to know the formula well enough that one might choose to alter the formula to suit their abilities and their resources. One concoction could have tens of formulas and methods to create it, due to the ingredients that one had in their environment, their skills, their own way of Alchemy.

People were starting to fall out as they failed in their process. They were halfway through the trial time. Even if they had a second set of ingredients, few of them were willing to try again. Instead, they packed up their gear and left the arena with dark expressions.

Di watched Erik as he worked. At the two and a half hour mark, Erik withdrew his flames and poured a gray and blue potion out into a potion bottle. Little flecks of what looked like blood could be seen inside the potion.

Di wanted to study the potion, to know whether Erik had been doing it for show or whether he had truly altered a formula in a competition.

His blood was boiling just seeing the attempt!

Chapter: Forces in Movement

Luke finished off his potion with a lot of difficulty. Wiping the sweat from his head, he collected it into a waiting potion bottle.

He had been training for this for three years and still it wasn’t easy for him to complete the low-Journeyman-grade potion.

He looked over to Erik, who sat on his stage, looking as if nothing could touch him.

Luke smirked to himself. A fool trying to look like a sage. Luke snorted and looked away as the trial came to an end. Some were showing off their concoctions as they presented it to the Alchemist Association staff; others tried to look above it all.

Once again their concoctions were collected and then tested.

***

“Journeyman Wu, we have the name of the finalists and the collected concoctions for your testing,” a low-grade Journeyman said, presenting a storage ring to Journeyman Wu.

He nodded and took the ring. “Shall we?” He looked to Journeyman Di and Rakesh.

“Certainly!” Rakesh said.

The three of them moved to the back of the room where there was a large testing area set aside for them. They pulled out the different concoctions, checking them over with a few quick and simple tests.

With each of the concoctions, there was a note on the person: their perceived level and their background. This was not to try to move their thoughts, but instead tell them the true ability of the alchemist and not the ability of their family.

The Alchemist Association was built on finding the best alchemists, not the person with the best backing who had half of a kingdom spent on them to pass the Alchemist Association’s test.

Even Apprentice-level powders were allowed into this stage if they showed that the creator had truly applied themselves.

Even though they might have their eyes on two people, Di and Rakesh took their time to work through the rows of concoctions, giving their thoughts on them.

With their background and knowledge, it wasn’t long until they came to their conclusions.

“Good, well, it seems that you both have good eyes,” Wu said. The other two could only smile, accepting his praise.

Wu wrote out a list of concoctions that had made the grade and they exited the room.

He passed the list over to one of his aides and they returned to their seats.

As they had been studying the concoctions, the people from the other arenas had been gathered into the arena that Journeyman Wu was presiding over.

***

Erik looked up at the booth. He saw the familiar Journeyman Di from Girus city sitting next to two other men.

A woman held up a list. “As you know, there are only forty people who are allowed to go from this contest to participate in the Path of Alchemy trial. Once one completes the trial, they will be able to become an applicant to the Alchemist Association. If your name is called, step forward!

“In no order, the people who have passed the second trial are the following! Shen Ziu! Molly Choi!” With each name, a new person would show relief, excitement, or nod as if it were only natural.

Erik stood there, watching, as the woman said the names.

“Jing Jonsain, Erik West...”

Erik let out a sigh before stepping forward.

==========

Quest: Alchemist Association Trial

==========

Congratulations! You have passed the second stage of the Alchemist Association.

==========

Requirements:

Complete Path of Alchemy trial

==========

Rewards: Become alchemist candidate

150,000 EXP

==========

==========

657,539/1,055,000 EXP till you reach Level 31

==========

As the fortieth name was called, Luke looked at the announcer, his anger rising up.

Not only had he not made the list, that upstart who dared to take second place from him in Girus had made it onto the list.

What is this? Are they letting him through just to snub me?

He turned and left the arena as the winners were guided away to meet with the Alchemist Association members who were overseeing the entire contest.

As he reached the waiting hall once again, he used his sound transmission device. “Capture his companions. He might have made it into the third round but we will make sure he never reaches the Resam Regional Headquarters contest!” he said viciously.

***

Rugrat laughed and took a big drink from his beer. He slapped Matt on the back, nearly sending the man into the spectators in front.

George, who was on his shoulders, made an annoyed noise at the movement, digging his claws into Rugrat’s shirt.

“I told you he could do it!” Rugrat laughed again and took another big gulp from his drink.

He got a message from Domonos. He opened it, sure that the other man was sending his congratulations.

“I don’t know who else to send this to. I’m badly wounded and I’m being taken down to the bottom of Khusai. I got kicked out of my sect. I don’t know if I’ll be able to hold on much longer. Please tell my family I did everything I could.”

Rugrat’s expression turned in an instant as he grabbed healing powder and stuffed it in his mouth, recovering from the alcohol.

“We need to go.” Rugrat turned; Matt did the same and followed him, filled with questions.

“What’s up?”

“Get your armor on. You know that kid Domonos? He’s in trouble and we need to go and get him.” Rugrat pulled on his armor as he walked.

“Shit,” Matt said. Rugrat had made him a chest plate as well as leg and arm bracers. He hadn’t finished the upper leg or arm parts, or made the helmet; still, it was better than nothing. “How do we find him?”

“George?” Rugrat scratched under the firewolf’s chin.

He made yapping and yowling noises; Rugrat could piece together through their bond what he meant.

“We need to go back to where we saw him and trace him from there.” Rugrat took off at a jog.

Matt picked up his pace, following after him.

***

Erik walked with the other people who had qualified. He looked at the woman from Girus with interest before his eyes landed on a young-looking girl. She wasn’t wearing fancy clothes and she had a hard look to her, someone who had to fight for the entirety of her life.

Though with his newfound sensitivity to Mana, he could feel a heavy Earth-attribute Mana coming from her body.

They were led into a large hall with food and drink. The people from the Alchemist Association who had watched over the trial were there with smiles on their faces.

At the front of the room, there were three men wearing the same emblem but with the man in the center having three stripes on it, instead of two like the others.

Erik looked at Journeyman Di, who had been watching over the trial in Girus.

“It is good to see you all. My name is Journeyman Wu. I am the one in charge of presiding over this second trial. You have all passed the second trial. Your next trial will be held on the Path of Alchemy. Unlike these first trials which were elimination-based, the Path of Alchemy trial is purely based on skill in all aspects of Alchemy, from memorization of different ingredients, growing, harvesting, preparation, and formation. It will be up to you to pass along this path. If you gain satisfactory results, you will join the Alchemist Association. If your results are good, then you might be able to enter into the higher rankings of the Alchemist Association.

“You will also be awarded your skill badge.” Journeyman Wu tapped the medallion on his chest. “Most of you will get a mid- to high-Apprentice-level medallion. The medallions are not given out purely based on your skill level as evaluated by the Ten Realms. One can use various means in order to trick the Ten Realms system—this is why the Alchemist Association makes their own trials to show that one is not only able to form a concoction, they must be able to follow through with all parts of Alchemy.”

If someone has to work on making one concoction for multiple years just to pass this examination, without raising or harvesting the ingredients, then they might be very strong in the formation stage of Alchemy, but in all others they could be weak. Their skill level would be high due to the Experience gain one gets from making a high-level concoction, but their background and foundation is lacking. Erik’s respect toward the Alchemist Association grew, as the association had been made to create true, well-rounded alchemists, not just people looking to attain levels.

They might have high prestige but at their core they were alchemists and they would not pollute their association with uselessness.

“Now, please, eat and drink! We will be organizing your transport to the Resam Regional Headquarters.” Journeyman Wu smiled.

Now that they weren’t competing with one another, the tension in the air fell away as people started talking to one another. Now that they might be entering the Alchemist Association together, it was wise to make a few friends along the way.

Erik was about to open the messages on his sound transmission device when he saw Journeyman Di walking over to him.

He bowed in greeting to him.

“Erik West, I saw your performance at Girus, and I was impressed, enough to make me want to see you again. You didn’t fail these old eyes.” Journeyman Di smiled.

Erik could see the excitement in his eyes as he cupped his hands, embarrassed by the praise. “I simply put forward the knowledge that I knew. I still have a long way to go in Alchemy.”

“Good. It is rare to find someone of the younger generations who is able to act humbly upon winning something of this scale,” Journeyman Di said.

Erik coughed. Back on Earth he would be called close to middle age, but here in the Ten Realms he was a person of the younger generation.

He thought about asking Journeyman Di how old he was but held back from doing so.

“I was trying to catch up with you in Girus so that we might get to know each other more but I was unable to find you. I didn’t expect you would be so excited to run to Khusai.” Journeyman Di laughed.

“I wish I was leaving of my own accord,” Erik muttered. Di’s eyes narrowed as Erik cleared his throat. “Journeyman Di, I hope that I am not overstepping my boundaries, but I was wondering if you might know a man called Old Hei? He’s the reason I applied to join the Alchemist Association as he helped me immensely in learning Alchemy. I have his medallion as well.”

Erik pulled out the medallion that Old Man Hei had left with him.

***

Journeyman Di’s expression had turned stony when he heard Erik’s mutterings, but as he was about to ask more, Erik continued on.

Di was just about to ask more about the incident. If someone had messed with the applicants in the cities that he watched over, it was a black mark on his record and might lead to less apt alchemists entering his Alchemist Association.

Those thoughts ground to a halt as he looked at the medallion in Erik’s hands. His body shook as he looked at the Expert-level medallion.

Di took a moment, clearing his throat. He heard footsteps approaching. Before he could say anything, Journeyman Wu spoke out.

“That medallion—do you know who it belongs to?” he asked in a grave voice, covering for the temporarily speechless Di.

“Well, he told me to call him Old Hei, but his real name is Zen Hei—carved it into the back here.” Erik flipped the medallion around.

“May I?” Wu asked.

Erik handed it over.

Wu pressed the medallion to his own. It created a resonance, showing that it was a true Alchemist Association medallion and the information on it was true.

“When did you meet Expert Zen Hei?”

“Well, it was in the Second Realm, couple of months back? Old bastard left me a note, said that he was going to return to the Third Realm and that I might be able to find him here. So I want to join the Alchemist Association to see if I can find him.”

Journeyman Di nearly coughed blood at the familiar way that Erik talked about Expert Zen Hei.

He had been a large figure in the past but he had disappeared on some retreat. Some thought he died; others thought he was ashamed of his skills.

Those rumors had been put to rest as he had come back out of the blue and challenged alchemist trial after trial until he had reached the level of mid-Expert, becoming one of the three pill heads in the Third Realm. With his rapid rise and talks of him closing in on becoming a peak Expert alchemist, there were talks of him going to the Fifth and Sixth Realms to grow and tutor others there.

He had also put out that he was looking for someone, that he would be waiting until they arrived.

So this is the person he was looking for? Di’s body shook as he looked at Erik. Journeyman was a vast sea where many alchemists got stuck. Many had the skills to advance, but their knowledge was lacking. The Journeyman level of any profession was where one looked at the multiple paths that they might go through and they had to pick one to specialize in as they reached for Expert, Master, and higher.

Novice and Apprentice skill level, by comparison, was fumbling around in the dark and understanding the basics. Journeyman was where alchemists were created. Experts were figures who had stepped down their own path, challenging Alchemy and bending it to their will.

Eighty percent of the Alchemist Association were at the Journeyman level or lower.

Birthing an Expert-level alchemist from the lower realms was nearly impossible, but if they were able tor each the expert level with such limited materials then they would turn from fish into dragons if they reached the higher realms, surpassing the different crafters that were born in the higher realms.

Di’s mind turned back to his original thoughts. “You said that you were chased out of Girus?” His voice was cold and serious now; Wu’s expression seemed to chill.

“I was chased out of the city by the third place Luke Jonsain. Looks like he wasn’t too pleased with me taking the second place spot from him,” Erik said.

“We will need to investigate this matter.” Wu looked to Di, who nodded gravely. Not only was this a flagrant disregard for the Alchemist Association’s rules, with Erik’s connections it reached much higher.

Erik checked his messages and cleared his throat. “This might be good evidence.” Erik sent the message to Wu and Di.

They listened to Luke’s threatening message and their faces turned to anger.

“Where are your companions right now? I fear that they might be in trouble,” Wu asked. “Once we know their location, we can dispatch guards to assist them.”

Erik went into his messages again. Seeing that Rugrat had left him one not long ago, he sent a message to Rugrat. “Where are you?”

“I’m heading into the lower reaches of Khusai. We found Qin’s brother Domonos, but he just sent me a message. Seems he’s in trouble, so going to go and help him,” Rugrat said.

“Give me your position and where you’re going. Apparently, that whiney bitch Luke might have sent people after you. The Alchemist Association wants to send people to protect you,” Erik said.

“Sending you my location,” Rugrat said. “George is tracking right now. We traced him to a residence that was held by the Willful Institute but it looks like he was sent out of it again. Don’t know where he’s going.”

Erik already passed the information to Di, who quickly started talking into his sound transmission device.

“Watch your backs,” Erik said.

“Will do,” Rugrat said.

Chapter: Alchemist Association Affairs

Blaze looked out of the dungeon headquarters. With his eagle eyes, he could see the group of traders and Special Team Three on the teleportation pad.

The traders were some of the first who had left Alva Dungeon. A number of them were also spies who had been set up by Jasper to gather information. The special teams were good at gathering information on the combat capabilities of the different groups, but they didn’t gather information on the local populace. Were they pleased with their leaders? Did they have problems that weren’t being seen to? What were their main exports and imports?

This kind of information was not only useful to the traders to make more gold, it had military benefits as they could see what the other territories were doing.

Though it wasn’t as important for them to know everything that was happening in the Second Realm compared to the First, it would serve as a good lesson to everyone.

The teleportation formation flashed as Special Team Three and the traders disappeared. Just a few hours before, Special Team Two had also disappeared from the teleportation pad, headed into the battlefield dungeon. There was another party from the Alva military that had also gone to challenge the dungeon to increase their Strength and gain rewards.

“Well, there goes Jasper.” Taran watched the teleport pad.

Elise made a noncommittal noise as she turned and headed for the council’s table. Egbert sat there; he could see everything in the dungeon at all times anyway.

The others moved to follow her.

“If we can open trade routes into the Second Realm, then we can sell more of our items there, without fear of people turning suspicious. We’ve already reached a point that the goods we’re selling aren’t comparable to what can be found in the First Realm. If we choose to sell them here, we might change the balance of a battle or diplomacy. Lord Aditya has hinted that he can’t move some of the items due to the attention it will bring on his trading outpost. I don’t need to tell you of the other benefits we might get from trading in the Second Realm,” Elise said.

The others all nodded. The resources that they could get, the information that they might learn—these were things that they relied on the special teams going to the Second Realm or the battlefield dungeon to do.

“Now, there are other ramifications. First, allowing parties other than the special teams to head to the Second Realm. Much as we have set up a bounty board for people who go out into the First Realm, we set one up for the Second Realm. Based off the information we have, Blaze, Glosil, I want you to make missions for the parties that will be going to the Second Realm. These will be missions set up by us, their aims to gain information and items that will help us in the future, or to protect our people, crafters, traders and the like who head up to the Second Realm. The crafters and traders will need to pay a fee to Alva in order to have the parties’ protection.” Elise turned to Taran.

He nodded and Elise sat back in her chair.

“Soon we will be able to apply for the tier-three upgrade to the cookhouse. We have the coin and the materials, but still I want to build up more Mana stones in our Mana Gathering formation. Egbert, do you want to explain the new value of Mana stones?”

“Thank you, Elise.” Egbert sat upright. “With their tier-three buildings, not only will they require Mana to function on a day-to-day basis, they will also need Mana stones or monster cores to power equipment or features inside.

“Once a building reaches the third tier, then testing rooms will be added. These rooms cost Mana stones or monster cores to operate. They will simulate different materials that one might use while crafting and the person inside can use a fully immersive simulation to craft different items. They will not have a skill increase while using the testing room, but if they can replicate what they did in the testing room in real life, then they will be able to increase their skill quickly without wasting materials.

“It will also allow people to work with materials that we don’t have, such as Earth- or Sky-grade materials. Then there are supportive crafting rooms. These rooms consume Mana, but they have built-in formations that will assist the crafter, making it easier for them to make higher quality goods with less failures.”

Everyone in the room could understand how important these rooms could be in the future, but they didn’t look like Taran, who looked as if he had reverted back into a small boy with shining eyes.

He even had to wipe away a tear at Egbert’s words, making the others look away uncomfortably.

“A Mana stone to test out something, though?” Glosil asked.

“Right now, materials only cost a few silver or gold, but more powerful items or materials can reach the hundreds of gold and even cost a Mana stone. Say you have a few dozen ingredients...” Egbert said.

“I think I need a raise for equipment.” Glosil looked to Blaze.

Blaze rolled his eyes as Elise let out a cough.

“Glosil has actually touched on something that I have been neglecting. As we have increased in the amount of materials we are moving and people becoming more skillful, the rate of pay has stayed the same. How can we expect the military to look after us when we’re not even paying them enough to get a single piece of armor, or the farmers enough money to buy their own plants? I am putting forward a pay raise across all branches of Alva,” Elise said, looking pained as she did so.

“Which is another reason that the tier-three buildings will have to wait,” she added.

“I hadn’t been really thinking about it, but as you say it, it makes sense. While a soldier might fight for us, it is our duty to look after them—make sure that they are paid well for what they do. We want them to worry about their training, not about making ends meet,” Blaze said. “I have seen it before when soldiers aren’t able to make enough money—corruption, doing jobs on the side for other people. They’re just doing it for their families, but it can lead to nasty consequences.”

“Agreed,” Taran said. “Also, with the tier-three workshops, the higher workshops can come with a fee to use if we supply the power. More than the cost of a Mana stone. If they have a Mana stone, then they can use it freely.”

“Good suggestion. We don’t have many Mana stones and all we do have are currently stuck to the roof. If they can use their Mana stones, it takes the drain off us; at a higher cost, it puts it on them to get Mana stones. As we get access to the higher realms or can fight more beasts in the battlefield dungeon, I don’t doubt that Mana stones will be more easily accessible, but for now we need to try to curb our energy output. We’re still growing,” Elise said.

She was slowing them from jumping forward. If they expanded too much too fast, they might end up with the same problem Egbert had: running out of power.

“We have advanced rapidly in a year. As much as it pains me to say so, we really need to look to the future instead of just our short-term goals now,” Taran said.

“Already a third of our population are not originally from Alva. As we advance, it takes them longer to catch up with everyone else. If we don’t consolidate our gains, we will be hamstringing ourselves,” Blaze said.

“It is my hope that within six months our population will reach one thousand. Now that we have the infrastructure, we need the people to push it,” Elise said.

The others were shocked by her bold statement but they agreed to it.

“Truly, Erik and Rugrat picked the right council leader,” Blaze said. If it was him in Elise’s seat, he didn’t know whether he would have been able to do as much as her.

“Yeah, because they didn’t want to run this place. Reminds me of someone else I know.” Elise pressed her lips together as she looked at Blaze, who squirmed in his seat.

The others hid grins behind their hands.

***

“Looks like those are the people tailing us,” Rugrat said as he followed George’s directions. He could sense two people separating out from the crowd behind him. They had left the upper regions of Khusai long ago; now they were underneath the mountain, where torches gave off oily flames, making it hard to see as they passed dark alleyways with people rushing from place to place and hiding indoors.

A bottle could be heard breaking in the distance, people yelling at one another, small beasts fighting over scraps, and people wasting away in their drink.

George let out a bark in Rugrat’s ear.

“We’re close. Let’s deal with these two before we get Domonos. Don’t want to get pincered between the two forces,” Rugrat said.

Matt started to silently summon his scarenn swarm. They all dropped to the ground as they were summoned, not making a noise and nearly invisible in the dim light.

Rugrat led them down an alleyway. The two tails sped up to reach them.

“Now!” Rugrat said.

The scarenn swarm beat their wings and rushed forward.

One of them started chanting a spell, but the scarenn rushed into their mouth, making them cry out in pain as their spell backlashed, dropping them to the ground.

Rugrat put a crossbow bolt into the mage as Matt fired on the other who rushed forward. But the bolt didn’t penetrate; he leaped forward, tackling Matt as the swarm rushed to help him.

The mage shot out a fireball. It missed Rugrat but hit the wall. The shockwave tossed him off his feet and into the other wall.

Rugrat’s head was rattled. His vision swam as he fired at the mage. The bolt clipped their side, making them cry out.

George shot forward, reaching his full length. He swatted the mage, smashing them into the ground before he lunged forward, his teeth ripping the mage’s throat apart.

Dust rolled through the alley, making it hard to see. Rugrat’s head was pounding, his vision fucked. He pulled out a new crossbow, seeing Matt and the melee fighter on the ground.

The scarenn swarm was getting into every crack in the melee fighter’s armor, stinging him and trying to force him off their summoner.

Matt was using his empty bow to try to protect himself and push the fighter off him.

Rugrat jammed his crossbow against the melee fighter’s head and pulled the trigger.

The man slumped forward onto Matt.

Rugrat fell backward as Matt wriggled out from under the melee fighter.

Rugrat took a healing potion. As he started to heal, his head stopped bouncing around.

“Come on!” Rugrat grabbed at the tombstone and took everything. A new storage ring appeared in his hand. Matt got to his feet and grabbed a fresh crossbow as Rugrat looted the mage. George remained in his full form as they ran, hearing people approaching where they had been fighting.

Rugrat turned a corner, seeing a bunch of guards.

“Rugrat? We’ve been sent by the Alchemist Association to help you!” a guard yelled out as Rugrat and Matt leveled crossbows at him.

He pointed to an emblem on his chest, the same as what others in the Alchemist Association wore but it was black in color.

“Shit. Why didn’t you say so sooner?” Rugrat pointed his crossbow upward. “I just need to get my friend Domonos and then we can meet up with Erik.”

“Very well, lead the way,” the guard captain said.

Rugrat nodded, gesturing to George.

***

Luke Jonsain was pacing the villa that he and his sister were staying in. Well, the villa that he was staying in now. She had not reappeared after she made it into the third round of the trial.

“What have you done now, brother?” Jing’er’s enraged voice ripped through the house.

He had never heard of his sister being angry and was shocked as he went to the front, where his sister was walking in.

“Send a message to Father. Erik West is a direct disciple of Expert Zen Hei, one of the three pill heads of the Third Realm,” she yelled at Luke’s butler, who nodded, his face going pale as he pulled out an expensive message scroll.

“Who are you to order my butler around!” Luke yelled out.

“Know your place, you idiot! Do you know what you have done?” Jing’er shouted back.

“Just because you have made it through to the third trial, do you think that you are above your brother? I will show you!”

“Luke Jonsain, you are under arrest for interfering in the processes of the Alchemist Association.” A woman’s voice came from above. There were three winged beasts in the sky, with a rider standing on them. Each of the riders had a black Alchemist Association badge. They were part of the Alchemist Association guards.

“I...” Everything was moving too fast for him to understand just what was happening.

A glow appeared on the butler’s wrist as he received a long-range message. He listened to it as Luke gathered himself.

“Luke Jonsain, you are stripped of your position and your rights as a Jonsain. You are removed from the family. If you ever try to use the name of the family again in the future, the punishment will be death. The lord of Girus sends his deepest apologies.” The butler bowed to the guards.

“It is not him who he has to say them to,” the woman leading the guards said.

A bell rung out in Khusai.

Journeyman Wu’s words rolled through the city.

“Girus city of the Hechonate kingdom has violated the rules of the Alchemist Association’s application trial. I, Journeyman Wu, in agreement with Journeymen Di and Rakesh, declare that Girus city will only be allowed three participants in each application trial for the next ten years and that the lord of the city be changed to someone with an upright and noble stature. The Jonsain family will only be allowed one person into the preliminary trials per year.”

“Is that the Alchemist Bells of the Third Realm?” someone asked.

The Alchemist Association had made the Third Realm theirs; as such, they had bells built in all of the major cities that would allow the alchemists to ask for assistance and pass on messages and decrees.

Journeyman Wu had used the bells to pass down one of these decrees.

One could see the death of Girus city and the Jonsain family in the future. They had been a powerful family based on their position in the city and their ability to create alchemists.

Now that there were so few of them allowed into the coming trials in the future, their strength would decline. They would be removed from the running of the city and shunned.

Members of the family might marry outward just so that they and their following generations would have a chance at prosperity.

With only three spots for the entire city, people would leave, going to cities with more spots to increase their chances.

Luke’s anger and vitriol was all drained as a chill ran through his body.

He had thought his butler was lying; now he saw the realities before him.

The three guards from the Alchemist Association dropped from their flying beasts and circled Luke.

“No. This can’t be happening. What is this all about?” Luke yelled, trying to back away from them but finding no one there ready to help him.

“You interfered in the trial and tried to attack one of the fellow participants,” the woman smirked, “and the Alchemist Association doesn’t take kindly to busybodies messing with their business.”

Chapter: Promotion

It had been a busy day.

Julia was sitting down at one of the tea shops outside of the main arenas. She had gone at the behest of her granduncle, to see beyond her horizons.

With the announcements that had come one after another, she had been surprised, and then she had seen his face.

When she had been going into the Beast Mountain trial, there had been two men who had rushed across the stage under the attacks of multiple elders and made it into the dungeon.

She and the others all thought that they were dead.

Then she saw one of them as he walked forward to accept his position as one of the forty people who would be heading to participate in the third part of the trial.

After everything was done, she had gone to the tea house across the street. She was nursing her tea, a pensive look on her face.

Granduncle always thought that there were more secrets to the Beast Mountain trial than what one could see on the surface. Now I can’t help but think he was right.

She had seen Domonos coming up from the First Realm to the Third. When it was just one person, she might think it a coincidence; he had been raised by a sect, after all. But this Erik West—he was a middle-aged man from the First Realm who had forced his way into the dungeon with his friend.

Now he was standing at the top of the tier-two cities in all of the Third Realm. When she saw him, he was nothing more than a fighter, but in less than a year he had gotten this far.

There just had to be something more to that dungeon.

She swirled her cup of tea as one of her attendants moved up close to her.

“A message has come from the sect. They want you to report immediately for your ascension,” the attendant said.

Julia threw back the remaining tea, her eyes still distant.

“The Fourth Realm,” she said to herself. Other members of her family had gone into the Fourth Realm and had told her of the things that she might find there. For some, there were riches and glory to be found; for the sects, it was a proving ground and a place of riches, if they could win their battles. To many, it was the end of their path.

It was in the Fourth Realm that the competition really started. Julia would not only be fighting against those who challenged her sect, but those within her sect to get more resources to increase in power. It was where she could start to make her power base.

This was her reward for placing well in the fighting competition against the other sects.

She looked at the arena once more before turning away.

The First Realm, the Third—everything else had to be pushed from her mind as she went into the Fourth Realm. Distractions could kill as surely as a blade.

***

Domonos woke up and looked around the room. He moved around, readying himself for a fight.

His movements paused as he realized that he could move, that he wasn’t in pain.

“Don’t rip the IVs out!” a man yelled angrily as he moved forward.

Domonos’s instincts had been trained over the last year to a peak. He could tell that the man was dangerous—that if he wanted to, he could easily injure Domonos.

“Who are you?” Domonos demanded as he noticed that there were lines of liquid going into his body.

“Erik West. Now don’t fuck up the lines there, Silaz!” Erik said.

Domonos calmed down some as he tried to collect his thoughts. He remembered being under the tarp, being pulled out and dropped on the ground. The pain nearly made him pass out as he was pulled into a house filled of screams, both pain and pleasure.

He had been thrown into a cage, a broken man, coughing as a rib had punctured his lung and was filling up with blood.

Then there were noises—people yelling, sounds of battle.

He blacked out, remembered feeling a healing energy through his body as he saw Rugrat’s serious face, yelling at someone.

Then waking up here.

“Because your body was so messed up, it looks like you actually went through a body tempering, very basic one but your body is a bit stronger.” Erik checked the lines and sat in a chair.

He looked like a simple man: strong, with strong features and blue eyes. He looked relaxed and at ease, but this only made Domonos feel uneasy as he sensed that Erik was truly relaxed. Not because his guard was down, but because he knew he could kill everything that was a threat to him in the nearby area without a worry.

“All right, well, there are two options ahead of you. One, we split up here, or two, you come with us to Resam. I have a contest I need to do there to meet with a friend, then we can head to the First Realm. You can meet with your family. What do you think?”

Domonos had placed his trust in others and been betrayed; people had stabbed him in the back, nearly killed him for a perceived slight.

He had needed to rely on only himself. The sect might look nice on the outside but it was a battlefield on the inside with everyone trying to take from one another.

Domonos looked at Erik. He hadn’t needed to save him. He could have left him alone. If he wasn’t wrong, the liquid in those lines were different potions. No one else other than his family might spend that kind of wealth on him.

He wanted to trust them but history kept on pulling him.

“If you will take me, then I can be a guard,” Domonos said.

“Fair. Level twenty-four—guess you should have picked something up getting to the Third Realm based off just fighting. You have any supporting occupations?” Erik asked.

Domonos shook his head in the negative.

“You and Yui are too alike, focusing on just fighting. We’ll see if we can fix that. Now, before we do anything, I’m going to need you to take an oath, for not only the safety of the others coming with us, but for your sister, brother, and others like them,” Erik said.

“Of course,” Domonos said.

***

Journeyman Wu had sent a message on behalf of Journeyman Di to the administrators of the Alchemist Association to tell them about Erik and the fact that he had Zen Hei’s medallion. They might be a high existence in the eyes of the people of the Third Realm, but in the Alchemist Association their position wasn’t that high at all.

It was a careful matter that they couldn’t hope to solve all on their own.

As the message was passed on and circulated, Di and Wu made sure to pass out punishment to the Girus ruling family Jonsain and had captured Luke Jonsain, the one who had gone against the Alchemist Association. The young man, filled with a sense of superiority, didn’t think that the Alchemist Association would care about a simple person like Erik.

This kind of thinking wasn’t rare and was normal to most who grew up privileged. Though to the Alchemist Association, it didn’t matter one’s background, only their ability with Alchemy.

Journeyman Di couldn’t help but feel personally at fault and headed over to where Erik and his companions were staying. He had heard that one of them was badly hurt and that Erik was taking care of him personally. Di hoped to relieve some of the tensions by helping out Erik’s hurt friend.

He made it to the residence. Knocking on the door, he was greeted by a man. “Hello, I am Journeyman Di. I was wondering if I could meet with Erik?” Di asked.

“Certainly. Please come in.” The man waved him in.

“Erik! Journeyman Di to see you!” the man yelled, shocking Journeyman Di somewhat.

“One second!” Erik yelled from a room farther back.

The man at the door led Journeyman Di to some seating as Erik came out from the rooms and greeted Journeyman Di.

“I have come to tell you what is going on,” Journeyman Di said.

Erik sat down as the man from the door started preparing some tea before another, younger man took over.

“Luke Jonsain is being held, his punishment unknown at this time. For breaking the Alchemist Association’s rules, he will likely get the death penalty. His family and Girus city have also been punished, with the king of the Hechonate kingdom having to pay a heavy fine and his queen is to take over the ruling of the country. His sister passed through the tests legitimately and we got an oath from her confirming that she knew nothing of what her brother was doing, so she will be continuing on to the third trial.”

The young man served the tea to them both. Di studied him. He looked similar to the broken man he had seen earlier. He dismissed it because there was no way that he would be up and walking around.

“The transportation to the third trial has been prepared. We will leave in two days and it will take us two weeks to arrive at the Resam Regional Headquarters. This is the prize that you won for the second trial.” Journeyman Di pulled out a box.

Erik took it and put it to the side. “Thank you for bringing this all over, Journeyman Di.”

“It is the least that I can do. I overlooked what was happening in Girus.” Journeyman Di’s expression turned dark before he took a deep breath.

“I have also prepared these that might help you along your path. Think of it as a personal gift for my negligence.” He pulled out several boxes of ingredients.

He could see that Erik was about to refuse when Di spoke up. “Please, I have erred. I might be a Journeyman alchemist but one must know when they have made an error and make amends, even an old man like myself.”

Erik couldn’t find it in himself to refuse the gift and put it away.

“I also saw your friend was in grave condition. I was wondering if I could offer my services to help?” Journeyman Di said.

“Thank you, Journeyman Di, but as you can see, he is a lot better than he was.” Erik waved to the young man who had served them tea.

He bowed to them and stood quietly to the side.

For him to recover so fast... Journeyman Di held back from shaking his head. There were miracle concoctions one could use to recover, though in the lower-grade medications there were sure to be pill poisons left over in the body. Using so many potions at once was a sure way to build up these poisons. One might recover quickly, but later on their life would be affected.

What he didn’t know was that Erik knew about these pill poisons and used healing spells and concoctions in concert to heal Domonos, using the positives of both and removing many of the issues and shortcomings.

As an alchemist, why would Journeyman Di look into the world of healers and their spells?

Journeyman Di talked with Erik for some time before saying his good-byes.

***

As Di left, Erik turned to the reward and gifts that he had been given.

He opened up the first box.

Inside there were twenty-five Mana stones and two formulas. Erik pulled them out.

“High-Journeyman-grade potion and pill.” Erik looked at them both before he turned to the piles of ingredients.

He looked through them all before a wry smile appeared on his face. “Well, looks like Journeyman Di is pretty generous. There are ten sets of ingredients for both of the formulas.” Erik laughed.

Matt, who was eating something he had found, pulled out a sack and threw it to Erik. “Here are your Mana stones—forgot about them.” He sat down on one of the chairs. “I miss television.” Matt sighed and continued to eat, before pulling a beer out from his storage ring.

Erik checked the bag of Mana stones. “We got many more supplies to sell?” Erik calculated his total wealth. He had just over one hundred Mana stones.

“Yeah, got a few contacts—going to try to offload a few here,” Matt said.

“Sounds good,” Erik said. The Iron Skin potion cost me nearly a Mana stone for one set of ingredients. For a mid-Journeyman-level potion and pill... Why do I feel even with more wealth than ever before that I’m about to be poor?

“Matt, could you get me a few more sets of ingredients? I’ll make you a list.” Erik needed to restock their Mana, Stamina, and healing concoctions, and he doubted that ten sets of ingredients would be enough for him.

He pulled out the pill formula again and read the name.

Defender’s Might—it was as if this pill was made for me. I’ve been looking for a concoction that could increase my combat capabilities!

***

Rugrat whistled to himself as he moved through the market.

While Erik had been focused on making his potion, Rugrat had looked around at the different people to see what kind of gear they were working with. He didn’t know what kind of thing the alchemist’s path would be but he knew that the tools he made for Erik wouldn’t be enough, so he was on the hunt for new ones.

Before, he had been focused on weapons, armor, and larger components, unless it was for his rifle, which had been an absolute pain in the ass to try to hammer small components together. It was one of the reasons that he had been so happy when he had gotten the Mana Blade spell.

Though he had learned that just going in one direction was not the way to increase his ability. If he just focused on smithing large items with his hammer and anvil, then he was missing out on half of the process.

Seeing Erik use tools and seeing the tools that were used in Alchemy, Rugrat had something of a breakthrough. Against his better thoughts and with more than a few crass jokes, bigger was not always better, he knew that’s not what SHE said, but whatever!

Now that he didn’t have access to the majority of his Mana, he hadn’t been able to just force his smithing. He had taken the time to look through the results of alloying iron with enhancers. He had looked at the detailed work that he could complete, reducing the stress on him and the energy he had to use.

With the different components made to assist and help one another, then the overall strength of the weapon would increase, instead of just having a singular sword, having a crossbow that was enchanted, with arrows that were then enchanted and covered in poison the combine parts had a multiplicative effect, increasing the lethality of that single arrow.

He had been looking at the mechanical side of smithing, not paying attention to the magical. This was due to a lack of formations, yes, but he had allowed that to limit his mind.

So now he was in an Alchemy store, looking at various Alchemy tools. Not only would they be useful for Erik, but they might provide inspiration for Rugrat.

“Right now I can make a musket, but what if I was able to make a machine gun?” Rugrat grinned to himself, making a few of the people in the room back away from him and share scared glances with their friends.

Rugrat stood and looked to the man behind the counter. “Hello. I was wondering if I could get a flame torch? And that mortar and pestle? Do you know of any places that might have formations for sale?”

“Uh, I will get those prepared for you. We have a few formations that are oriented toward Alchemy, such as formations to calm the mind, make it easier to manipulate Mana and such.”

“Show me,” Rugrat said. If I can get something to assist in Mana manipulation, then doesn’t that mean I could use less Mana for the exact same effects?

Rugrat bought the Calming Man formation, as well as the flame torch which was essentially a Bunsen burner, and the magical mortar and pestle. Then he headed off toward a grain mill, where harvested Alchemy ingredients were partially processed to increase their value and remove the unneeded parts of the ingredient.

Rugrat found the building, seeing farmers arrive, dump out their storage rings filled with ingredients before they were weighed, and then placed into massive grinders. Mages stood around the grinders, pouring in their Mana, causing the formations to light up and run, breaking down the ingredients.

Rugrat got into line as a smile appeared on his face.

“Next!” The woman at the counter yelled over the noise of the mills as Rugrat stepped up.

“How much? What grade?” she asked.

“I don’t have goods to process. I was wondering if I could purchase the formation plans for your grinders,” Rugrat said.

The woman actually looked at Rugrat. “Those formations keep us in business.”

“Well, I am just passing through, going to Resam in a couple of days,” Rugrat said.

Her expression turned curious.

Rugrat leaned forward, as if to make it easier to hear her. “I’m really interested in it, and I promise it’s not to make a mill.” He placed a Mana stone into her hand.

“Out back in thirty minutes?” she asked. The Mana stone disappeared.

Rugrat grinned and nodded.

Forty minutes later and Rugrat had a formation design in his hands. It was really simple, but Rugrat had big plans for it.

He looked at his storage ring. He had been buying enhancers all over the place, without selling anything or making any winnings like Erik. Even with the money that Matt had made them from Temple of Earth’s Divinity, he’d spent a total of twelve Mana stones on all of the items. Formations were rare, thus their higher cost and items for alchemists were specialized, again giving them a reason to pump up the prices. Rugrat let out a sigh before he smiled.

“Not like it’s my first time being broke!” Rugrat laughed to himself and patted George, who moved around on his shoulders.

He nipped at Rugrat’s hand.

“Yes, I know you’re annoyed at being small and not able to do anything.” Rugrat tossed a piece of meat in the air.

George jumped off his shoulder, grabbed it in his mouth and then landed back on his shoulder, looking at Rugrat for more.

“Glutton. Do you know how expensive you are?” Rugrat complained as he tossed George a monster core.

His eyes lit up as he swallowed it whole.

“Wish I could use the power from the monster cores all the time to rank up,” Rugrat complained.

The two of them wandered back toward where they were staying.

Chapter: Zatan Confederation

Chief Jasmi Zaneli looked around the hall. The subchiefs of the Zatan Confederation all sat around the table.

They had been a bunch of nomads, moving from place to place, until Zaneli united them and turned them into a cohesive fighting force. By working together, they were able to take over some trade routes between nearby territories. The different kingdoms, countries, and empires didn’t take kindly and sent their armies to clear them out.

The problem was that the nomads were great fighters in the broken land, while the armies were used to fighting on plains and places where they could organize themselves.

They had starved out the cities by blocking the trade routes before taking over the cities and growing to the power that they now held. The different tribes still fought one another and the forces that they had taken land from.

Still, they looked to expand—taking more cities, lands with profitable mines and resources. It had led them to being in a constant state of war.

“You have a report?” Jasmi looked at one of the nomad traders. Although they had taken over a lot of land, they were still in need of items so they used their traders and darker connections to get food and weapons and armor that they needed for fighting.

“Chief Zaneli, I went to the Vermire Trading Outpost to procure weapons and food supplies when I learned about a healing house that has appeared in the trading outpost. I completed my trades and reported this to my manager and he brought me here,” the trader said.

“A healing house? Why would one appear in such a remote location?”

“I do not know, but they are not a healing house that I have heard of before. They don’t seem to have a connection to anyone but Vermire,” the trader said.

“Oh?” Jasmi sat forward.

They had tried to pull a healing house over to their side. When fighting, having healers to call on was a massive resource. Even if they were able to heal just the infections, they could save ten percent of their fighting force after each battle. Right now they were relying on the same old healing remedies that had been passed down for generations. They were nothing more than herbs thrown together to hopefully help the injured.

“Find out their background and see if we can find a way to pull them to our cause. General Tabur, if they do not wish to be bought, then it will be up to you and your people to bring them to us by any means necessary,” Jasmi said.

“We might risk offending the lord of Vermire,” General Tabur said.

“He might have a few connections and allow us to do trade there, but he is not the only place we can get our goods. I want to see just how he can fight with our army,” Jasmi said.

General Tabur nodded, receiving his orders.

***

“Father, are you sure about this?” Wren Silaz asked as his father stepped up to his carriage.

“I feel like there will be big changes within the Beast Mountain Range in the future and I hope that we can make the most use of them. You have my trust in dealing with business in Chonglu, so I will leave it to you,” Elan Silaz said.

“Yes, Father.” Wren sighed as he cupped his hands to his father.

Elan smiled and closed the door to the carriage as it started off, heading for the Wild Reaches Trading Outpost.

***

Old Man Hei stood at the front of an auditorium. All of the students were silent as he talked, their attention focused on just him.

Some were hurriedly scribbling down notes as others had thoughtful expressions.

All of them wore emblems of the Alchemist Association.

The door to the auditorium opened suddenly.

Old Hei and the class looked to the person entering.

“I am sorry, Expert Hei, for the interruption.” The man bowed deeply.

“Well, what is this about?” Old Hei’s voice rose in annoyance.

“There has been a message concerning a man with your emblem by the name of Erik,” the man said. Sweat appeared on his face.

Instead of yelling at him, Old Hei let out a pleased laugh and stood up, his face breaking into a wide smile.

“Looks like he’s faster than I thought! I will be ending my lecture here today. To make up for it, I will make a peak-Journeyman-level pill when I return for your viewing,” Old Hei said. The displeased expressions turned into ones of excitement as he rose and moved to the man at the door.

“There was a message with it.” The man passed Old Hei a note.

“That little rascal. A mid-Journeyman-level concoction! Seems that he’s been working hard!” Old Hei signaled to a guard waiting nearby. “Captain Khasar, prepare a flying beast. We’re going to the Resam Regional Headquarters!” Old Hei said before laughing to himself. His eyes shone in excitement. “I wonder what he’s learned since I saw him last?”

***

Erik knew that advancing through the Path of Alchemy trial wouldn’t be easy. He needed to gain an additional advantage. He already planned to spend as much time as possible looking over the two formulas he had won from Khusai’s contest.

He fell into thought before he snapped his fingers. “I have a number of Mana stones. If I could use those to open my twelfth Mana gate, then I would be able to increase my title to Mana King, which would increase my control with my flames and their strength.”

He sunk into thought for a few more minutes. “It’s the only thing I can think of that would immediately increase my ability with Alchemy. I have the Iron Castle as well so I can use that, but it’s only a support.”

Erik felt a twinge of regret. As he was thinking of opening his Mana gate, Rugrat was unable to do anything to improve the condition of his Mana channels.

The Resam Regional Headquarters was a city owned by the Alchemist Association. He hoped that he would be able to find answers to Rugrat’s problems there.

Erik didn’t want to show off his attempt to open his Mana gate to Rugrat, not wanting to make him think on his own failings.

Erik used a Mana Gathering plate. He sat down in the middle of it and pulled out the dungeon core. It floated in front of him as he pulled out Mana stones. The Mana stones dissolved.

The Mana in the area seemed to become almost liquid-like in density as it was absorbed by the dungeon core. Cleaned of impurities, the density only increased but its volume decreased.

Erik sat there, pushing Mana out of his Mana gates and then drawing it back in through the pierced Mana gate. As the Mana was flushed from his body, it was captured by the Mana Gathering formation and poured into the dungeon core that purified it.

It’s like Mana dialysis.

Erik focused his mind. As the Mana in his surrounding started to thin out, he pulled out more Mana stones and added them to the Mana Gathering formation.

Erik didn’t see it but he felt as the dungeon core grew stronger as it consumed the impurities in the Mana stones.

The dungeon core seemed to flash with light as it struggled with consuming all of the impurities around it. Then the dungeon core settled down. It had grown from the size of a marble to a golf ball.

The Mana took another change, increasing in density and purity once again.

Erik didn’t even notice the changes around him as he focused on circulating Mana through his Mana gate. The small hole through his Mana gate opened up more; as more of the blockages were cleared, more of the detritus was cleared away.

There was a release of pressure as the last of the blocking material was removed and Mana moved through the gate easily.

Erik let out a sigh as he took time to stabilize himself.

He opened his eyes to an old screen he hadn’t seen in some time.

==========

Quest Updated: Opening the Fourteen Gates

==========

Congratulations! You have opened your twelfth Mana gate.

==========

Requirements: Clear all of your fourteen gates (12/14)

==========

Rewards: +1 to Mana Regeneration base stat

Undergo Mana Body Rebirth

1,400,000 EXP

==========

==========

Title: Mana King

==========

Your Mana control has increased greatly.

==========

The strength of your spells has increased by 30%. Your Mana Regeneration increased by 30%.

(Replaces Mana Duke)

==========

Erik felt filled with energy as he stood and called a Mana flame to his hand. It ignited immediately as he moved it around. He had already reached the stage where he could guide his Mana flame with just a thought, but now it seemed to be almost alive and the power contained inside was much stronger than before.

Erik left his room, finding Matt sitting on the couch, looking incredibly bored and drawing out plans on a piece of paper.

George was in a corner, sleeping.

“Where’s Rugrat?” Erik asked.

“Smithy, courtyard,” Matt said, using his pen to point to the courtyard instead of moving.

Erik went outside to see Rugrat at the workbench in his smithy.

He’d taken over a table and there were all sorts of components and parts lying around. Some items were half assembled or disassembled, with forging and formations designs laying around.

Rugrat was working on what looked to be part of a centrifuge with his Mana blade.

Erik waited as Rugrat finished off the last part of the engraving.

Rugrat let out a laugh, a big grin on his face. He looked up to see Erik and nearly jumped five feet in the air. His chair fell away as he landed on the ground.

“Shit!” Rugrat got up, having protected the centrifuge through his fall.

“Learn anything new?” Erik asked as Rugrat picked himself up off the ground.

“Gravity still friggin’ works! Also, I just made it to mid-Apprentice rank formations! Been a busy two days since you’ve been out,” Rugrat said.

“Two days?” Erik’s eyes went wide as he looked in his storage rings.

He felt his heart turn in his chest as he counted his Mana stones. He had used twenty-two of them to break open his twelfth Mana gate.

It was worth it but every gold coin could increase the amount of ingredients he could procure to level up his Alchemy skill.

“Huh, lost sense of time trying to open that Mana gate? Mana King now, huh?” Rugrat said with a smile, sensing the change in Erik’s body.

“Yeah.” Erik nodded.

“You’ll be needing that, I’m thinking. I’ve been working on a few things for you too, and bought a few more to study but I guess you can use them.” Rugrat cleared the table with a wave of his hand and a few items appeared. He put down the centrifuge and pulled out the Bunsen burner, a Mana Calming formation plate that he had created, and the mortar and pestle.

Rugrat went through how to use them all and what they did. “I wanted to make some medical tools as well.” A flash of anger appeared in Rugrat’s eyes as his fist tightened.

“Dude, this is incredible. And I’ve already got a bunch of medical supplies,” Erik said, trying to make the blow easier on Rugrat.

“Yeah,” Rugrat said, moving on. “This is a Mana Calming formation.” He showed Erik what the Mana Calming formation could do.

Erik already felt closer to Mana as his control had increased, but with the Mana Calming formation, it seemed to reach the level where the Mana was an extension of himself. It was faster for him to cast spells; they were more exact, increasing their effectiveness without increasing the Mana cost.

The centrifuge was no longer hand cranked as Rugrat used the formation from the mill to create a rotating movement, allowing the centrifuge to remain balanced and show consistent results. If one used the old centrifuge too fast, it might become unbalanced and the components in the centrifuge that had been separated out would combine back together, ruining them.

Rugrat tossed Erik the Mana Calming formation. “Use this with the Mana Gathering formation and the dungeon core—should be able to compress your fourth drop of Mana.”

Erik could only nod awkwardly. Rugrat’s knowledge of the Mana Gathering Cultivation system was much more vast than his own. He had also opened another Mana gate and he was easily able to tell what was happening within Erik’s Mana system.

Erik took the formation and returned to his room as Rugrat pulled out the rotating formation design from the mill and looked at Erik’s repeater crossbow and one of his crossbows.

Erik set up the formation and once again closed his eyes. He circulated his Mana, increasing its density and swelling his Mana channels as he forced it into his dantian. The mist within his dantian started to slowly change, turning to vapor and then combining together. Erik hadn’t put as many attribute points into his Mana pool as Rugrat had.

Instead of just pushing it all through in one go, he had to compress and move them through in packets, straining his Mana channels, but not going beyond their limits and leaving lasting damage.

Chapter: Standing Together

It took Erik two days before he was able to condense his fourth Mana drop.

Recruiting Rugrat’s help, he was able to pierce his thirteenth Mana gate. Erik didn’t want to know how many Mana stones it would take him to open it.

What he did know was it wouldn’t be easy for him to do so and he wouldn’t be able to open it before he participated in the Path of Alchemy trial with his current resources and have time to train for the event as well.

The next day he took off, drinking and eating with Matt, Rugrat, and Domonos.  Domonos was still quiet but Erik could piece together some of what happened to him. The next day, they went to the peak of Khusai.

At the peak of the city, there was a large platform with different kinds of flying creatures. This was the flying transportation network that connected a large number of cities together.

Traders with their own flying caravans could be seen setting off and landing on the platform. They wore fine clothes and walked with an air of superiority. The goods that they moved had to be valuable items to make up for the costs of flying beasts.

Even the arrogant traders and the private lords bowed their heads to the party of alchemists as they moved across the platform.

Journeyman Di and Wu would be accompanying them to Resam Regional Headquarters. Journeyman Rakesh needed to head to another region that was carrying out testing for the Alchemist Association and had left earlier on a flying beast to make it in time.

There wasn’t just one beast but several. Each had a team of beast tamers who looked after their needs and guided them. They were as large as a private jet with a longer wingspan. Along their spines, a specially made long house had been erected to cover the riders from the wind and give them somewhere comfortable to stay. From sleeping quarters, a cookhouse and alchemy workrooms it had everything they needed.

They were broken up into groups, with each of them getting a member of the Alchemist Association looking over them.

***

Jen walked into her office and sat down to the pile of reports. She had just started to go through them when there was a knock from the office door.

Never a damn moment of peace in here!

“Come in.” She put down the report she was looking at.

“There is someone here from the Zatan Confederation. They’re raising some noise and they want to talk to you,” the healer said. Even with their mask on, they looked annoyed.

“Okay.” Jen sighed as she stood and followed the other healer to one of the side rooms that they used to meet with people.

A woman walked around the room, examining the different items.

“Hello, my name is Yesun. I am a representative from the Zatan Confederation. I’ve been sent here to negotiate to have the Alva Healing House come to assist the Zatan Confederation.” Yesun smiled, taking a seat as Jen continued to stand.

Jen was a little sleep deprived from dealing with so many patients and frowned at the other woman’s words. “What do you mean?”

“Well, the Vermire Trading Outpost is a backwater place that few people come to. It’s not a place where the Alva Healing House can come into prominence. We want to give you the stage you deserve to spread your healing house across the growing Zatan Confederation.”

“I’m not really sure what you’re driving at, but if you have injured people, you can bring them here and we can heal them,” Jen said, confused by all of the word play.

Yesun’s smile stilled and then dimmed into a cold look. “Vermire is nothing but a backwater. We are willing to offer a prime residence in the Zatan capital for the Alva Healing House to take over and use as a base of their expansion. You would have people applying to become healers from all across the confederation and unlike those old kingdoms and countries, the confederation still has room to grow.”

“We’re happy here. Again, if you have people who are wounded, you can bring them here and we’ll heal them.” Jen sighed. This woman was keeping her away from her work and not getting the damn message.

“There is a nice way to do this and a not-so-nice way to do this.” Yesun’s voice turned dangerous.

“Look, I’ve been up for four days looking after people, so I don’t have much time for this and I’ve got other things to do. Word games are not my thing,” Jen said.

“To be the leader of this healing house, you are dense. Join the confederation and we will allow you to reach new heights. You are a small healing house with no backing. The lord of the city? Bah! He has no power if the confederation chooses to move.”

“The Alva Healing House will not be leaving the Vermire Trading Outpost. We don’t really like being threatened, so we will not be going to the confederation—what was it, Zeta-something? Anyway, if that is all, I hope you have a good day.” Jen turned and made to leave the room.

“If you leave now, I take this as you not agreeing to our terms,” Yesun said. Instead of sounding annoyed, she sounded excited.

“Sure, take it like that. Now leave my healing house.” Jen headed back to her office, the healer in tow.

“Go tell Lord Aditya to handle this issue—pass on the information to higher,” Jen said as she returned to her office.

“Yes, department head.” The healer used their sound transmission device to send messages.

***

“The Zatan Confederation, huh?” Lord Aditya said to himself as the message stopped playing. A look of cold anger appeared on his face.

“My lord?” Pan Kun asked.

Lord Aditya moved to a map on a wall; he paid attention to a region where the Zatan Confederation was.

“Have our doves make contact with the kingdoms Carteia, Barcino, Rahir, the empires Fayeport and Tacolod, as well as the Scormm county. Also, I want a message issued to the Zatan Confederation. Tell them that if they want to take the people of the Alva Healing House, then they will have to go through us,” Aditya said.

Pan Kun’s face went from confused to angry.

It had to be known that the guard force of Vermire had all gone to the Alva Healing House to have their bodies repaired. Most were still going in for treatments, but the people of Alva Healing House were honorable. They didn’t take shit and they would treat everyone the same.

The guard, just by being there for so long and getting back the abilities of their body, had formed a deep bond with them.

“Put out the word that we’re looking for mercenaries. No need to hide it.”

“Yes, my lord.” Pan Kun turned to carry out his orders.

Zatan Confederation, I will thank you for being my stepping stone. Aditya had a cold expression on his face.

Although the Alva healers were nice people, their guards were the same kinds of elites as the ones who had broken into his home all those months ago.

He hadn’t seen them go into action but he doubted that the healers were as powerless as they seemed.

“Seems that things are about to get interesting,” Aditya said. If he played this well, he might gain more of their trust and increase his influence. If he failed, he didn’t want to think of what might happen.

***

With nothing else to do, Erik stuck himself into the Alchemy room and started to work on the two formulas he had. First he worked on the Ice Citadel potion. Being a potion, it was a little easier to handle.

Still, it wasn’t without its failures. After going through fifteen sets of ingredients, he had only been able to make eight potions.

He turned to the Defender’s Might pill. So far the only pill he had made was the Mana pill, though he had made it multiple times so that he could have them in case of emergency.

He had only been able to get two more sets of ingredients in Khusai. Knowing that value of the ingredients and the difficulty of the formula, he took his time, resting between each attempt to keep his mind fresh.

Others would meet up and talk in the divided sections of the flying house, getting to know those who they might enter the academy with, talking about what they’d heard the test entailed.

Erik was blind to it all, spending his time on increasing his ability to concoct pills and affirming the information in his Alchemy Book.

“Is this normal?” Domonos asked Matt, who was playing a game of chess with him.

“Normal? Probably not, but it’s how Erik and Rugrat are. When they’re not fighting, they’re looking to increase their ability in their craft. They’re both workaholics. Keeps them out of trouble and is probably at least part of the reason that they’ve been able to progress so much in such a limited time.” Matt put down a piece on the board and moved his hand away.

Domonos looked at his move, thinking on a lot more than just the game.

Chapter: Lightning-Like Growth

Qin was wandering through the formations workshop. She’d woken up in the middle of the night and passed the parties headed off to the battlefield dungeon.

The special teams were mixing with the regular groups to head into the battlefield dungeon to increase their levels and skills. The payout was pretty good as well.

Qin had greeted and smiled at them and continued on her way. They got out of her way, seeing the determination in her eyes.

The formation workshop was a number of large lecturing halls and a storage area for materials that remained unused. There were simply too few students that it didn’t make sense to have someone staffing the position if they could go to the general warehouse that was on the academy grounds to assist all crafters get the materials they needed. For items that were not regularly held by the academy warehouse, one would need to go to the markets or use the market interface.

Then there were isolating rooms. These were rooms that one could put their knowledge to use, trying to create new formations.

Qin passed a few people who were talking and discussing what they were working on with their peers.

“I finally did it! I was able to make a spell scroll! Really, formations and spell scrolls are too similar. One uses up a set amount of energy and is destroyed; the other is made to be used repeatedly as long as it has enough power!”

Qin’s footsteps faltered as she looked over at the person with a proud expression on his face.

If it was any other day, she would have stopped and gone over to ask them more information.

She gritted her teeth and balled her fists. I can ask him later! I need to work on the lightning barrier!

She walked up to one of the working rooms that she had been using for the majority of her time in the formations workshop. All of her working materials were still there, complete with notes sprawled over two workstations and formation plates that were in a covered testing area. A few of them glowed with power while others were burnt out and ruined, failed attempts.

Qin pulled out the book she had gained from the Metal floor. It was meant to be a guide on how to repair the formations on the floor, but Qin had been using it as her bible to start understanding formations.

Many of the formations that were left behind in Alva Dungeon were incredibly advanced. She and the other formation crafters had all looked at them, trying to learn more, but it was like looking at a building. If you looked at a building and didn’t have any knowledge of how to build something, then it would be impossible to know how complex it was. A house, an apartment building, a school, or temple: all of them were simply buildings to someone on the outside.

Once one had that insider’s knowledge, that basis of how structures worked, the needs for foundations, of support to keep those grand ceilings up and more, then it turned from a building to a piece of art. Something filled with complexities, with hidden knowledge and information that was passed down generations, evolving and growing. It was no mere “building.” This was the beauty every crafter, every builder and creator could find within their work if they looked—the history behind it, the foundation that others had built and showed them, allowing them to take that and create something truly incredible.

It was Qin’s drug as she had moved from making defensive formations and other simple formations to the newest attempt, the lightning barrier, using a mix of information that she had gained by not only reading about formations but dealing with them on a constant basis. From seeing the marvelous creations on the Metal floor, the potential and the ecstasy that came from learning and knowing more drove her efforts.

She cleared a space at her station and put down the books. She flipped it open to a page, pulling out a number of sheets and spreading them around. She looked around the room and grabbed another pile of papers.

“Come on, where is it, the attribute control runes?” she muttered to herself, before she pulled out a piece of paper, a victorious smile on her face. She put it next to the pile of information that she had collected and pulled out already.

She tore out a fresh piece of paper and started to jot down designs from several different types of formations. She finished the last drawing and looked at them.

She took out another piece of paper and started to draw out a new formation made up from the formation components she had jotted down.

She kept working for a few minutes before she surveyed what she had so far.

“Ahh! No!” She threw the drawing to the side. The runes and shapes of the formation didn’t match. She could tell that the power would simply lose containment and shred the rest of the formation plate, turning it into nothing but a pile of smoky metal.

She sighed, dropping her pencil and holding her face in her hands.

“Wait! Maybe that’s it! Maybe I’m trying to exert too much control, trying to take over lightning...” Qin sunk into thought. “Maybe later I’ll be able to control it perfectly, but if I’m just looking to make a barrier, why don’t I just guide it a little bit? Give an area in the middle that is empty of lightning, then create an area around where lightning is concentrated?”

With this idea in mind, she started to write something out. It was much simpler than her previous attempts.

She pulled out a yellow topaz to power the formation and put it in the testing chamber.

She started it up and watched it.

The formation activated for a second. The sound of thunder rumbled through the building before it died out the next second. The formation plate was okay, a bit smoky, but the topaz had been turned into dust.

Qin looked up with a shocked look on her face as a notification appeared.

Her hearing came back shortly afterward.

“I need a medic!”

“Where did that lightning come from?”

Qin had a bad feeling as she headed out of the workshop.

The people who had been talking outside had been stunned and were on the floor, their bodies twitching as others with healing or Alchemy training worked on them.

“Crap.” She rushed over to help them out.

***

“Did you hear about the lightning barrier that Qin made?” Tian Cui asked.

“Yeah, heard that a few people were still suffering from that,” Storbon said.

“Well, looks like she has figured it out. Basically what was happening at the beginning was the energy was discharging all in one shot, wasn’t over a longer time; she added in more power to it and something to correct the power outflow,” Tian Cui said.

“That sounds incredibly dangerous,” Storbon said, sounding interested.

“Well, one of the parties went and tested it out in the battlefield dungeon. They were able to take down several creatures with the assistance of the barrier. Still, some creatures, like the Metal ones, aren’t affected or the charge isn’t high enough, but it’s a whole new way to farm mobs in the dungeon.” Tian Cui grinned.

“Mobs?” Storbon asked.

“Sorry—something that I heard Rugrat talking about. Kind of stuck.” Tian Cui shrugged.

“Guys! Guys!” Yao Meng said, gasping for air.

With his Stamina stat, he had to have been running hard to be this worn out.

Tian Cui and Storbon grabbed their weapons automatically, ready to deal with a threat.

“They started it,” Yao Meng said, his eyes wide and excited.

“Started what? What the hell is happening?” Storbon demanded.

“The new cookhouse!” Yao Meng looked as if he were about to cry.

Tian Cui and Storbon looked at each other before their eyes went wide as well.

“The tier-three upgrade?” Storbon said in a high-pitched voice.

“I need to tell the others!” Tian Cui said in a squeal as she messaged the rest of the party.

Storbon grabbed Yao Meng by the arms. “Pull yourself together, man! When will the upgrade be complete!”

“A week,” Yao Meng was able to squeeze out.

Storbon wasn’t sure how to express his happiness. He simply shook Yao Meng, who was grinning and then looking dizzy from the shaking.

“Imagine the buffs!”

***

Elise and Jia Feng sat in one of the tea houses in Alva Dungeon. Out of the window, one could see the academy.

There was a glowing blueprint around the cookhouse, with multiple automatons and people working to bring in the necessary materials.

As the tier of the buildings increased, their materials were simply placed in the right place and then the power of the Ten Realms, blueprints, and upgrade system worked together, changing and transforming the building.

The tier-two upgrade had cost 1,000 gold and the cost of materials, but the tier-three upgrade was 10,000 gold and the cost of materials had taken a large leap upward.

They were using stone blocks, iron ingots, special enhancing ingredients, monster cores, and Mana stones.

Just the building material cost was around the 15,000 gold mark, not including the wages for the laborers working on the building.

“Looking forward to the upgrade?” Elise asked as she poured Jia Feng tea. She was no longer the laidback woman from before. Like Elise, there was an additional weight to her presence, an unconscious pressure that was released.

Both of them were powerful women in their own right. Elise controlled Alva Dungeon and all that came with. Their population had just reached the three hundred and fifty mark. Their military took a full one hundred and twenty people. Many didn’t actively go out to fight with parties, in the Beast Mountain Range or the battlefield dungeon, but it was a good way to increase levels and one didn’t know when they might find themselves in a fight. Nearly everyone had at least some fighting capabilities. The defense of Alva Village had showed them that they couldn’t rely on others for their defense.

Not only were their people able to fight, they were crafters of all veins, traders who roamed the First Realm and now the Second Realm.

Their trades had long passed the one thousand gold mark and traders were working on deals that were worth tens of thousands of gold.

In some places, people were looking at building manors or increasing the size of their houses. The blueprint office was filled with building permits and commissioned to design new homes. Sick and invalid? Basic healthcare was provided by the medics; whether they were alchemists or healers, it didn’t matter. If one was looking to increase their overall power through opening Mana gates, assistance to increase the power of the Mana Gathering systems or increasing their Body Cultivation, they would need to pay more.

Systems that were not seen in even the higher realms were put into place as the strength, wealth, and ability of the people of Alva’s dungeon continued to grow.

“Of course I’m looking forward to it. I wonder what we’ll be able to make. The people from the battlefield dungeon have been bringing back the various beasts and ingredients that they have found and the farmers are still messing with various plants to bring us new things to play with. I almost want to tell the people going into the battlefield dungeon to stop pulling out damn recipe books.” Jia Feng laughed as she took the teapot and poured for Elise.

“I know the feeling, though I can’t say I blame them.” Elise grinned, losing the air of the council leader as she and Jia Feng took their cups and sat back.

Jia Feng shook her head and smiled.

“Do you know how hard it is to have everyone asking for you to test out their latest attempt! I’ve had to join the fighting courses to stay in shape! Though some of them are bad enough that I don’t even need to taste them to see what’s gone wrong.” Jia Feng sipped from her cup. The lines on her forehead flattened out as she closed her eyes, taking in the hit of caffeine and relaxing as the warm liquid filled her stomach.

“That is some good tea. Hard to find tea that actually tastes how it smells.” She put the cup down.

“This place is run by an alchemist who turned toward cooking and teas. Her husband used to run a tavern but he was too old for that, so he got the idea to start up a tea shop. Now she sells her tea leaves to most of the tea houses and he brews the tea and runs the place,” Elise said.

“I will have to try to get some of her leaves,” Jia Feng said with a note of approval. She looked out at the academy and the growth that was happening. The stacks of materials, once placed, were combined into the building, causing it to grow.

“So how are things with you and Shu Wanshu?” Elise asked, catching Jia Feng off guard.

“Not so loud.” Jia Feng waved her hands and looked around in a panic to make sure no one else could hear.

Elise snickered at her friend’s actions as she leaned forward to get some more information. “Well, how is it?”

“Well, it’s very stress relieving.” Jia Feng glared at her friend before she sighed and rolled her eyes. “I thought that being the council leader might civilize you!”

“I thought that you’d have your hands full with the cookhouse, but I was wrong.” Elise grinned into her cup.

Jia Feng let out a cough and a flush appeared on her cheeks.

“So?” Elise asked.

“Everything is good. If you could be quiet, it would be better!”

Elise rolled her eyes, wanting more details.

“We’re taking it slow. We’re both department heads in the academy. We’re very busy and we’re still trying to train up teachers to take on some of the load and give the students the attention that they need. Though it is nice to have someone to talk to who is going through the same difficulties that I’m going through. And his hands—they might be calloused but they’re very nimble and flexible.” Jia Feng raised an eyebrow and the corner of her mouth lifted in a pleased arc, reminding Elise of a preening cat.

“We need to find you someone to meet with. All of that built-up tension is just going to lead to problems. What about Blaze? Didn’t you have a thing for him?”

It was Elise’s turn to glare at Jia Feng. But she could only sigh; it was only fair that her own attacks be used against her.

“Well, I’m now the council leader and he’s part of the Alva Dungeon military. It would be kind of wrong if we were to go out together. It’s our job to work together and we shouldn’t be biased one way or another. Also, we can get into fights—not everyone is pleased with the decisions that I make.” Elise sighed. Blaze was, after all, the reason that she had gone to Alva Village, a young girl following her knight in shining armor. She had founded a store, been given the trading interface, and then Blaze had worked to build up the village. She had hoped that she might be able to draw his attention after he was done building the village, but then the beast horde had come and they had moved to Alva Dungeon and she found their roles reversed.

“Do you like being the council leader?” Jia Feng asked, none of the playfulness or ribbing in her voice.

“I find it gives me purpose.” Elise paused.

“But?” Jia Feng prodded.

“I really do like adventuring. I want to see the rest of the Ten Realms. I want to keep trading, the thrill of the deal, of seeing incredible new things. I get to see some of that, but most of the time I am stuck just sitting in the back, trying to keep everything afloat. I have set up the department of aides who are helping for a large part, dealing with the issues of the people and keeping everything organized, so I only need to make the big decisions, but I’m tired. I was given the position by Erik and Rugrat but I want to do more, do different things.”

“Or people,” Jia Feng said, getting a look from Elise.

“What? You expect me to let that one go?” Jia Feng asked before she turned serious. “What it sounds like to me, it sounds like you need a change of pace, of scenery.”

“Like I’ll be able to get that any time soon.” Elise scoffed. “It’s not as if Erik and Rugrat are going to come back here and manage all of this by themselves and take it off my plate. It is clear that they want to travel to ascend the realms to gain strength and it is that strength that pulls us forward as well.”

“If they won’t replace you, then you need to find someone who can take over your job. If not someone, then something,” Jia Feng said.

“What do you mean?” Elise asked.

“In the academy, it doesn’t matter who you are; it only matters what your skill is. The higher your skill is, the greater your standing. I have only kept onto my position because I am the most advanced cook. Tan Xue is the most advanced smith and she has effectively been selected by Taran and the other smiths to take over.

“Taran retains his position because he has the faith of the different department heads. We haven’t put anything into writing but that’s what we have planned to do going forward: the person who is the most capable in their department will lead it. This puts a fire under their ass to do the best job. What if you were to have something similar? Have Egbert pick out the person who is best suited to lead Alva, turn it into a position of prestige, allowing them more resources to dedicate on what they care about. The aides are switched out based on their ability but they run the city for the most part, coming to the council leader who replaces you with their suggestion.”

“Why Egbert?” Elise asked. Although she was pessimistic on the outside, inside she was excited by the possibility.

“Well, Egbert, while he is nice to everyone, he is bound to Erik and Rugrat, meaning that he is neutral in matters relating to the dungeon, and he was told to do what is best for the dungeon. With this stipulation, no one can go against him when he picks someone to be the leader of the dungeon’s council.”

As Jia Feng’s words landed, Elise felt as if something had snapped into place within her mind. A path appeared in front of her and Jia Feng saw the huge smile on Elise’s face.

Chapter: Resam Regional Headquarters

Erik moved to the observation deck as word came that they were now in sight of Resam Regional Headquarters.

The observation deck turned silent as they descended through the clouds.

Resam Regional Headquarters appeared before them. It dominated a large basin; mountain ranges lay around it, turned into the Regional Headquarters’ walls. This showed just how grand they were as inside the basin the land rose up. A massive, sprawling city over fifty kilometers across greeted their eyes.

A faint medicinal mist could be seen covering the lands. The basin created a natural focusing formation, creating a world cut off from the outside.

Growing fields, growing buildings, houses, taverns, auction houses, Alchemy workshops, and meandering rivers all served to break up the landscape before one’s eyes were drawn to the twin citadels of Resam.

The citadel to the north looked like a cauldron, with smoke coming from its peak. The smoke, instead of covering and stifling the city, seemed to purify it as if incense in a temple. The mist spread out to cover Resam. To the south, there was the second citadel. It was, similarly, a large building but with multiple growing levels that spiraled up the building before ending in a large growing area. At its center, a tall pillar reached into the sky.

A massive walkway ran between the two buildings. There were multiple levels to it, with each covered in plants.

As they got lower, Erik took in a deep breath. The air here was filled with nutrients. Countless plants over centuries had been grown and harvested here. Instead of the grounds becoming barren from over-farming, they became stronger with growers using spells and formations to increase the natural Mana in the area. Fertilizers, water, soil—all of it had been perfected with time, creating a holy ground for plants to be grown in.

As they were coming down, Erik noticed that between the two large citadels, to the east, a hill overflowed with ingredients, covered in a thick mist. It was hard to see against all the other gardens and plants that surrounded it.

They headed for the tall pillar sticking up in the sky from the south citadel.

The beasts circled before they flew down. They flapped their wings wildly before they came to a stop on the platform.

Everyone made to disembark as Erik checked his gains.

==========

Skill: Alchemy

==========

Level: 57 (Journeyman)

==========

Able to identify 1 effect of the ingredient.

Ingredients are 5% more potent.

==========

==========

697,943/1,055,000 EXP till you reach Level 31

==========

He’d been able to rapidly advance his skill level due to working on the new, harder formulas and working to consolidate the Alchemy Book information in his head.

He had ideas of what to change with the Journeyman-level concoctions and he was confident enough to try them. However, without any Mana stones coming in, or the ability to replenish his supplies, he was hesitant to waste them on his ideas.

Before, it had only been a few gold; now, with a few Mana stones on the line, it wasn’t a simple thing.

They were quickly brought down the pillar and passed off to a group of people employed by the Alchemist Association to look after miscellaneous matters. The Alchemist Association was a massive group. Although at their core there were many alchemists, there were other people needed to tend to the myriad issues that any large group would run into.

Each of the participants were led to a compound with a series of small houses, each with their own courtyard.

No one dared to complain about their accommodations. In the Resam Regional city, getting a house of even this size would cost a fortune.

“Please rest here. There are still three more groups to join you before challenging the Path of Alchemy trial. The contest should begin in just eight weeks,” the assistant said.

“Is there anywhere you know that might have information on Mana Gathering and Body Cultivation?” Erik asked.

“If you’re able to clear the path, then you will be allowed to access the libraries of the headquarters. I do not know anything specific for the Body Cultivation, but for Mana Gathering I have some knowledge.” The man smiled.

“I have a friend who has wounded their Mana channels. Is there something I might be able to find to help him?” Erik asked.

The man pursed his lips. “The Mana system in one’s body is one of the mysteries of the Ten Realms. Though I have merely learned a little bit about it. Concoctions to increase one’s Mana cultivation are hard to find and should be tailored for the person or else they will not be that potent and might harm instead of aid. Injuries when looking to improve one’s Mana Gathering Cultivation is not abnormal. Thankfully, the different concoctions do not need to be tailored to the person. While it would help out more, it’s not necessary. There are three concoctions I have heard of that might help repair one’s Mana system.” The man’s voice slowed as he looked to Erik, rubbing his fingers.

Erik caught on and passed him a Mana stone. The man smiled as it disappeared into his storage ring.

“There is the Mana System Repairing solution. It is a powder that one must add into a morning and night bath, drawing it slowly through their Mana gates to repair themselves, though it leaves behind poisons that will take time to remove. Over a long period of time, they will repair the injuries to one’s Mana channels. Then there is the Five Mana Channel pill. This pill is meant to heal one’s Mana gates to make it easier for them to open. It has also helped those who have had great pains when casting spells. There is a third concoction I have heard of, though it is not something simple.” The man’s face turned excited but solemn.

“The Mana Channel Revitalization pill. It is an Expert-level pill. Once consumed, it will seep into one’s Mana channels, revitalizing them. I have heard that it is possible for them to improve one’s Mana channels, but such a thing, although there is a pill formula for it, one must be an Expert alchemist to find it. And the ingredients are neither cheap nor easy to find. Also, each pill contains such a powerful energy that if not properly sealed or if it does not reach the Inscribed level of pill formation, then it will start to lose its effect in just a week.”

Erik’s eyes lit up at the man’s words.

He laughed and smiled. “If you wish to get the formula, you will need to get the formula from the Alchemist Association, and to do that you will need to have enough contributions to the association and be an Expert-level alchemist. I think it’s a mid-Expert-leveled pill, after all.”

“Thank you for the information. Here is a Stamina potion that I was able to make. I hope that it serves you well.” Erik pulled out a Stamina potion and passed it to the man.

He opened the top and smelled it, a hint of surprise on his features before he smiled, putting it away. “I hope that your stay is fruitful and that you will be welcomed into the Alchemist Association quickly!” The other man cupped his hands. Erik returned the gesture and the man left.

Erik turned and went into the residence quickly.

Domonos and Matt were talking to each other, looking over a map.

Rugrat was putting his smithy right and placing Mana Calming and Gathering formations around the courtyard.

He told Rugrat everything that he had just learned.

“I’ll start growing ingredients and the like to raise the money needed for the pill’s ingredients and I’ll go and find out about the alchemist contribution points—” Erik started before Rugrat clapped him on the shoulder.

“You focus on clearing this test. I can smith up items that Matt found out are good on the market, make money that way. We’ll need you to be a member of the Alchemist Association if we want to get our hands on that pill formula, after all,” Rugrat said.

Erik wanted to take more of the burden. He felt that he was to blame. He had been the one watching over Rugrat and had allowed this to happen; he didn’t know that it would have torn apart his Mana channels this badly.

“All right.” Erik set up the dungeon core and his Alchemy station as Matt and Domonos headed off into the city. The two of them acted as gofers as they brought back materials for Erik and Rugrat, selling off their products.

Determination filled their minds as they worked tirelessly.

Rugrat made simple items until the pain was too much. Then he’d head off to his room, drinking by himself, hiding it from the others.

***

Old Hei stood on the top of the riding house. Captain Khasar nearly had a fit as the old man stood there, steady as a statue in the cutting winds and a look of joy on his face.

“Come, I feel the need to practice again! That boy will be working his ass off. I have to make sure that his advancement is no less than mine!” Old Hei’s appearance was younger as he had time to use more concoctions to slow the aging and reverse it to some extent.

Still, none of the concoctions had as much effect on him as when he had heard that Erik had appeared.

Just who is this person? Why would he push Old Hei to try to improve his skills and make him want to show off?

When Khasar had been assigned to Old Hei, he was a simple old man, taking his time to talk to others and going through life peacefully. His ability with Alchemy had grown since he had been gone, allowing him to make powerful concoctions that could compete with the two other Expert pill heads of the Third Realm.

He had broken his calm exterior as he had sped away from the Division Headquarters to pass down to the Regional Headquarters with a company of guards and three of the strongest flying beasts to undertake the long journey.

Khasar liked the more energetic Old Hei, but he was guarded against this Erik. Anyone who had this kind of influence over an Expert alchemist—just who was he?

Chapter: Path of the Alchemist

Erik had spent all of his time working on the concoctions he had. He had run out of ingredients and bought more. He’d spent nearly all of his wealth, some one hundred and thirty Mana stones, on new ingredients. Earning money wasn’t their biggest obstacle, but getting to become an Expert-leveled alchemist was.

After hearing Rugrat, Erik felt he was foolish and poured out everything into Alchemy. He felt as though he had done nothing but grind Alchemy.

Even as he improved, the rate he improved at slowed down considerably.

He couldn’t help but frown at his latest notification.

==========

Skill: Alchemy

==========

Level: 59 (Journeyman)

==========

Able to identify 1 effect of the ingredient.

Ingredients are 5% more potent.

==========

==========

737,943/1,055,000 EXP till you reach Level 31

==========

It’s like I wasn’t able to increase in anything!

Erik took a deep breath, calming his mind. Everyone from the region had been gathered now and an order had come down from the leader of the headquarters: they would begin the testing the next day.

Erik sat on the roof of the house, looking out over Resam—well, to the walls of the compound. But still, with some four hundred people, there was plenty going on.

There was a grunt and swearing as Rugrat fell into a bush as he tried to climb the wall.

George let out an annoyed huff. Turning to his full size, he grabbed Rugrat and put him on the roof before he returned to his smaller size and settled onto the roof.

“So... ready?” Rugrat asked.

“Never graceful, are you?” Erik asked.

“Maybe one day?” Rugrat shrugged.

They fell quiet for some time before Rugrat broke the silence.

“You know, the Mana Channel Revitalization pill—you don’t need to go through all of this for me,” Rugrat said.

“Shut up, man.”

“Seriously, I know how hard you’ve been working. We’ve charged across the Third Realm to get here and you’ve spent every minute working to increase your Alchemy, not taking any time to see the Third Realm. I just want you to know that if we can’t get a way to heal me here, we’ll figure out another way somewhere else,” Rugrat said.

“Like I said, you can shut up. You were the one who came back for me when I got fucked up by that IED. You got caught up in the Two-Week Curse with me. You followed me back to the States and looked after me even as I was looking at the nasty side of shit.

“If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be here, so shut the hell up. Suck it up. And I’m getting you that damn pill, if only to get some good support,” Erik said.

Rugrat opened and closed his mouth, not sure what to say. “Thanks, brother.” Rugrat offered a fist.

“Anytime.” Erik tapped Rugrat’s fist.

“After all, Momma Rodriguez would cross the multi-versal divide and break through her own damn portal to kick my ass if I didn’t look after you.” Erik grinned. He could feel his progress slowing and felt as if he were reaching his limit. He was just so tired from constantly working on his Alchemy. But for his brother—he’d take bullets for him—what were a few trials?

Rugrat let out a laugh and leaned back on his arms, looking up at the sky. “Well, not the life I thought that I’d have.”

“But pretty badass,” Erik said.

“Badass as fuck,” Rugrat agreed.

Erik laughed before Rugrat joined in, looking out over the compound as people were meeting up, or going to sleep, readying themselves for the alchemist’s path, the last test that would decide whether they would join the Alchemist Association and what rank they would be.

***

It took nearly two months for Old Hei’s group to reach the Regional Headquarters. They had used the totems to reach Khusai, but Old Hei chose to use beasts on the way back so that he and Erik would have more time to catch up before he had to go back to his duties as the pill head of the third realm. Before they arrived, Old Hei said that he didn’t want a big greeting, that he wanted his arrival to be as quiet as possible.

So they had arrived on a private platform, with the Regional Headquarters’ leader meeting with them. Although he administered the Alchemist Association’s Resam city and all of the cities that were in its region, he was just a peak-Journeyman-grade alchemist. Although Old Hei technically dealt with a division of the Alchemist Association, which was comprised of thirty regions, he left most of it to his secretary, who was a low-grade Expert alchemist. The pill heads were all mid-grade Experts; once they made it to the high-Expert level, they would be raised up to the higher realms through various means such as Experience pills so that they could become teaching staff at one of the alchemist schools.

Others could make it into the Alchemist Association schools but they needed to do so through various means, like contests or impressing the higher-ups.

Those who were new to Alchemy but were able to get a high position quickly were promoted the fastest to increase the speed that they grew.

They had arrived two weeks ago, with Old Hei spending most of his time locked away working on different concoctions, to increase his ability.

Khasar was reminded of a student cramming before a big examination. He hadn’t seen any of the other pill heads like this before.

Admittedly, Old Hei was different from them, taking his own path to increase his abilities, but still, he was supposed to uphold the pride of the Alchemist Association. But he didn’t seem to care in the slightest.

When word came that the contest was about to start, Old Hei had only taken five guards including Khasar with him as they headed to the testing grounds. The testing grounds was a large semi-circle seating area that faced the Path of the Alchemist. In the middle of the area, there was a large stone table with three large boxes stacked on one another.

Underneath it there was a gate, the start to the Path of Alchemy trial. It was at the base of the small hill Erik had seen when arriving in Resam. It was covered in a haze that made it impossible to see more than blurs of what was happening inside.

The regional leader moved to one of the secondary boxes as Old Hei sat in the top box, overlooking the square.

“Well then, this should be a good seat.” Old Hei pulled a few snacks onto his plate before sitting down as the guards checked the room.

“Come on, grab some food. These things usually take forever,” Old Hei said.

The guards thanked him and moved to the table, only to feel Khasar’s eyes on them.

“Now, now, Khasar, play nice,” Old Hei said.

Khasar moved his lips but only nodded.

The guards, not knowing what to do, backed away from the table.

Old Hei only shrugged as he pulled out a bone from his mouth, all of the meat gone from it. “Your loss. I hope you packed lunch.”

The doors into the viewing area opened as the people who had completed the first trials exited.

In the stands, the people who had followed them sat, as well as the people from Resam, from alchemists to the various powerful houses.

Khasar looked through the people but he couldn’t pick out anyone who looked special.

“Hmm, looks like he’s been working on his Mana Gathering system. Established his Body Cultivation foundation. Oh, that is interesting. I thought that he might have been doing that. That must’ve been pretty nasty,” Old Hei said cryptically.

Khasar left him to his mutterings as he tried to pick out the one that Old Hei had come for.

He looked where Old Hei was looking. There were a few people there; none of them looked to be interesting. There was even a middle-aged man wearing rough clothing.

As Khasar looked at him, he could tell that the man had seen combat and was a fighter.

Spending his life fighting, maybe he’ll become like me, Khasar thought. Someone who was fighting wouldn’t be able to give their all to Alchemy. To make it this far was already a surprise, but to make it further? Khasar doubted he could do so.

He continued to look through the people. There was a younger girl who made him frown. There was something different about her.

Though he kept on saying “he” and said his name was Erik?

***

Erik looked around the viewing area and then stopped. Those entering the trial all seemed to puff up proudly as they stood in front of some of the most powerful figures in the region.

Erik looked at the scoreboard-looking sign above the gate and at the Path of Alchemy beyond.

He looked back to the viewing boxes. There were several levels at the peak. Instead of the regional leader, there was a darkened booth.

Erik frowned as he felt as though someone was looking at him. He looked away. Such thoughts didn’t make sense.

Di and Wu had made their reports and left for their missions and returned to Khusai; Di had headed off to the different cities that would begin their first trials.

Erik only knew Matt, Rugrat, and Domonos in the seats.

Rugrat and Matt had beers and were hanging out, while Domonos was surprised by it all and was gawking like every other tourist ever born.

Erik was relaxed as the Resam Regional leader welcomed the guests.

“Today we welcome the four hundred challengers to the Path of Alchemy. There are four stages that encompass all parts of Alchemy: growing, harvesting, preparation, and formation. Those of you who pass the trial will be made applicants to the Alchemist Association. If your results are good, you can directly join the association and have a standing above applicant. This test will also serve to form your Alchemist Association medallion. This medallion will show the skill level you truly have, based upon all areas of Alchemy.”

The crowds looked at the contestants, talking in low voices, appraising them.

Erik didn’t care about their thoughts or their plans as he looked over at the gate.

“Give it your all. Show us all of your skills. Technique is not enough. Ability and knowledge displayed will increase your standing. In Alchemy, nothing is worse than rushing and failing. For this trial, there will be no time limit! There will be monitors who will make sure that there is no fighting between the four trials. If you have reached your limit, break your medallion and a monitor will escort you out of the trial. You will need these medallions to access the next trial. You can skip trials but we will know if you have. Now, show us your ability!”

With that, he raised his hand. Mana was drawn into the gates as they shook and then started to open. The mist beyond cleared, showing a garden on the other side.

People rushed forward, trying to show off; others walked in.

Erik walked forward, looking over the gate and what was beyond it.

As people rushed through the gate, their names appeared on a board above the gate at the lowest board.

Erik looked back to his friends and Rugrat before he stepped forward. He was not just fighting to join the Alchemist Association; he had a much higher goal.

As he stepped past the gate, he entered the garden. A path led up to a series of black boxes, which people had placed their medallions on to access. The doors opened and they stepped inside.

A fight broke out between two contestants as they were fighting over the same booth. A woman dropped from the sky, trouncing the offender. In just three hits, she had subdued the alchemist and dragged him away.

The other alchemist looked pale as they numbly put their medallion into the booth and quickly entered.

Erik was one of the slower ones and moved to the booths off to the side. He took out his medallion and placed it into the slot.

The runes lit up and the door opened.

Erik stepped inside to find a seat and a desk with a rack of books. The space at the back of the desk was a screen: Read the ingredient books. When you have finished and you are confident, you may challenge the ingredient test.

“Ingredient book?” Erik said in an excited voice as he pulled down a book and opened it.

The pages were filled with information.

He began reading and going through them. It was a few hours later that he sat back with a sour expression on his face.

As he had been reading, his Alchemy Book had been updated, the information stored in the back of his mind. The problem was that the old information that he had was filled with flaws. The technique and information books from the lower realms had a number of discrepancies that had led him down the wrong path.

“When acquiring new information, one can’t just blindly believe others as they might have the wrong information too. You have to get information from multiple sources, cross-reference it and then once it tests out and works, you can move forward. They have used something similar to the scientific method, but unlike Earth where the scientific method is widespread, information in the Ten Realms is limited and few people are willing to share it to those they know, let alone strangers.” Erik shook his head.

“Something I need to make sure doesn’t happen in Alva Dungeon.”

He continued reading through the book and opened up other books, using them to cross-reference one another. His knowledge of some ingredients had been sorely lacking, needing to rely on his own deductions and the few books he had obtained previously.

Now with books on hundreds of ingredients, instead of being daunted, he was excited. Knowing more ingredients, in the future he might be able to substitute them for one another or even make new concoctions.

If he did not have the Journeyman-level ability of the Alchemy Book, he knew that more than half of the information would be wasted. With it being saved in his Alchemy Book, once it was learned, he couldn’t forget it if he wanted to.

Chapter Luring With Threats

General Tabur listened to Captain Yesun. Her words were cutting and vicious. She had been sent ahead with a scouting group to learn about the Alva Healing House to confirm all of their information.

“Lord Aditya kicked you and the remaining scouting party out of Vermire?” General Tabur asked.

“Yes, sir. Lord Aditya’s man sent a message on his behalf.”

Tabur could hear the rising anger in Yesun’s voice.

“What was it?” he asked. Yesun was a good officer, but since she had gained her position and the Zatan Confederation had grown in power, she looked down on anyone who was not Zatan, thinking of them as just weak old regional powers that would be cleared out by the confederation in time. She was a scout sending him back information but she had not been part of the battles, thinking that they were easily won. Tabur had been in those battles and he knew the truth: the older nations had not only built up an incredible wealth over time, but to continue existing they had powerful members who could secure their rule. The longer a group existed, the more powerful trump cards they could purchase or secure to continue the length of their rule.

If the Zatan Confederation pushed too hard, too fast, then they might be willing to use those trump cards to teach them a lesson.

Tabur sunk into thought. With Lord Aditya saying that he will back the Alva Healing House, it is clear that they will not let them go peacefully.

“Has he made any moves?” Tabur asked.

“He sent out a recruitment notice for mercenaries. There are a number of people coming from outlying outposts toward Vermire,” Yesun said.

In other places, it might take weeks or months for kingdoms and counties to pull in strength, but these are outposts around the Beast Mountain Range. There are thousands of parties and people who risk their lives all the time in the Beast Mountain Range. For an easy payout, they’d happily head to Vermire.

“What kind of numbers?” Tabur asked, feeling a headache coming on.

“We’ve seen about three thousand in the first day, with more coming in every day. The one restriction is that people have to be at least level seven.”

Level seven? Just what kind of gold does Lord Aditya have? We need to end this quickly before he is able to get more reinforcements. The kingdom Carteia and Fayeport empire are fighting it out; the Scormm county and Rahir kingdom are in talks, which could go either way. Another battle is brewing. As they look to consolidate their power and come for us, we need to take this time to raise healers. He knew that he had to reduce the losses to Zatan’s military. They were easily dealt with problems, but they simply didn’t have the resources, connections, and people to do so.

Although he was annoyed with the gathering of mercenaries, at the end of the day they were just that—mercenaries. He had a trained army at his back.

He had hoped that the healing house would accept the deal. It was a good one and it would have ended things quickly. Now he had to resort to violence.

“What are their defenses like? I need to know everything,” Tabur said, coming to a decision. If he couldn’t get them through negotiations, he had to use force. Hopefully Lord Aditya would listen to reason. Just seeing a massive army outside his gates might change his mind. But if he turned stubborn, then Tabur needed to know his enemy’s weaknesses and how to take down the city and complete his objective.

He pulled out a map. The Vermire Trading Outpost was shaped kind of like a kidney bean. On one side, there was a divot and the opposite side curved out. The side that curved out pointed toward the Beast Mountain Range, while the road connecting the rest of the world met on the divot side of the trading outpost.

The trees around the outpost had been cut back five hundred meters and the outpost sat on a slight rise, looking down at the approaches. The road coming from the outside world was in a depression coming toward the gates, giving the defenders greater height advantage.

At one side of the bean was the residences for those who lived in the city; at the center was the lord’s manor. Across the other side, the roads had been laid out in a grid, with stables against the wall leading to the outside world, then the market and trading areas over a few streets before it reached the taverns and seedier inns that lay against the wall leading out to the Beast Mountain Range.

The healing house was with the crafting buildings, located in part of the residence section circled with charcoal.

“I was only able to get a bit of information. Mostly I have been relying on traders to bring back information. The walls are three meters thick with a height of twenty meters, to defeat the beasts. This goes all around the city.

“There are four hundred guards owned by Lord Aditya. All of them have the best equipment and training. Most of them are over level twelve. They have also been healed by the Alva Healing House, so their strength is greater than before. They have absolute loyalty toward their lord. They were all wounded or left behind and he looked after them, found them a place. They are trained with ranged and close combat to shoot from the walls or on the ground. There are only twelve mages in the guard’s ranks but many of them have a few quick spells to use.

“There are only two gates in and out of the city, but they are large. They have been made from ironwood from the Beast Mountain Range and they have iron gates that they can drop to block off access. It is one of the few times I would suggest we scale the walls instead of being bled at the gates.

“Stationary weapons and emplacements, not too sure—some think that there are ballistae and other weapons that they have that are long range. I would be prepared for this but there is nothing rock-solid on this. They don’t have a cavalry force; the guards fight on foot.

“The mercenaries are drunks but they have been fighting in the Beast Mountain Range. Like the guards, their strength is going to be greater than regular soldiers. With enough money on the line, they’ll do nearly anything. Tactical spells and scrolls—I’m not sure but Vermire is one of the strongest trading outposts in the Beast Mountain Range, through a combination of alliances and Aditya’s reputation. He might only have one leg but he is supposedly a powerful fighter. The different trading houses and bars all have their security staff, but they will likely be looking out for looters during the battle and as long as we assure them that we will not attack them, then they will leave us to the fight.”

She might be biased but her information was in-depth.

“So, we don’t know much at all,” Tabur said sarcastically, sighing.

Yesun flinched at his assessment. When the Zatan had been taking over towns and villages all the way up to cities, they would cut off the people from any reinforcements and supplies, yes, but they would also have their own spies and people working inside the walls to incite anger in the population—burning food supplies, opening the gates, assassinating powerful figures: all of this together allowed them to weaken their enemy before ever meeting them in battle.

They had a time constraint and it would be nearly impossible to create unrest in Vermire. Lord Aditya was firm but fair; the mercenaries were happy to fight as long as they were paid; the guards were loyal.

If I could drag it out, I would target their food and drink.

Tabur let out a deep sigh. He would need to take Vermire head on.

“I need a victory, something that makes it look like Vermire isn’t that strong, something that would make the mercenaries think that it would be a bad idea to join their side. They are just a city, so trying to get them to come out and beat them on the ground is out of the question. The land is rough and they will have the advantage, much like how we had the advantage against the older kingdoms.” He leaned forward on the table and looked at the map.

“Yesun, how many people do you think that he can gather in five days?”

“Fifteen to twenty thousand,” she snapped off.

“Twenty thousand added to the ten thousand fighters they already have and the four hundred large elite guard force. We will need at least one hundred thousand troops to attack them effectively. We only have a few mages and our fighters are mostly level seven and eight, with our elites being level ten—only a few level elevens. If we want to dominate and scare them, we will need to do it with numbers.” He quickly pulled up a number of messages and reports on his table, looking over the information. He got reports from all of the forces that were watching the other groups around the Zatan Confederation. The confederation had a total of four hundred thousand soldiers. The more soldiers he had, the more effective they would be when facing the outpost. That was how he reached the base one hundred thousand number.

“I can get another fifty thousand from the other forces that are watching the borders. The Barcino kingdom and the Tacolod kingdom are licking their wounds from the last fight we had. Then, with the other kingdoms fighting and in talks, that should give us a few weeks to clear this up and then we can push our people back into place. Movement wise, it should take us five days to collect everyone if we use caravans to bring in the reinforcements and rush them to the front.”

It only showed the power that healers wielded as Tabur didn’t even think about the movements. If he could get those healers, then he could bring another sixty thousand soldiers who had been wounded in the fighting back to the battlefield, increasing their strength rapidly. The soldiers already had bad morale over the fact that they needed to raid their neighbors to get their healing supplies for themselves.

This would be like adding wings to a tiger: they could bring forth massive strength and continue to forge ahead, caring less about their wounds and sanitary conditions.

“Keep me updated on any changes,” he said to Yesun. He used his sound transmission device to pass out orders to the different generals and commanders, getting their forces moving.

***

General Tabur was not the only person having meetings.

“I thank you all for agreeing to meet with me,” Lord Aditya said to his guests, who were all sitting around the meeting table. They were men and women with sharp eyes and smiles that hid their true emotions.

Being around them, Aditya felt as if he had entered a pit of wolves. Instead of being scared, his smile only became stronger.

“Your invitation was most interesting,” Lady Concordia said with a serpent-like smile before she drank from her glass.

Aditya merely smiled at her words as he pulled out several pieces of paper, holding them up. The maid came over and took them, passing them out to each of the people around the table.

They looked at the reports and information contained within.

“These are the locations of all the Zatan Confederation outposts as well as supply caches,” Lord Nuzif said, a note of surprise in his voice as he and the others all looked at Lord Aditya with more interest.

“General Tabur has sent word to the other generals and commanders. They are moving their forces to come and attack little old me,” Aditya said.

“This last page is an agreement—a temporary alliance to deal with the Zatan Confederation.” Lord Uvrisu’s voice turned dark.

“Yes. I felt it would be best if a neutral party coordinated that. You all have your own issues with one another, but this is an opportunity to deal a heavy blow to the thorn called Zatan Confederation. General Tabur will draw one hundred and fifty thousand of his soldiers over to Vermire, leaving just two hundred and fifty thousand to defend the confederation. With the cover of ‘disputes’ with the kingdom Carteia and Fayeport empire fighting over a mining town and the Scormm county and Rahir kingdom having a talk, it gives us the cover to move forces around. Each of these nations have some of the fastest and strongest scouts and cavalry. Once Tabur is underway, they will move to engage the assigned outposts and cut off communication back to the confederation, allowing the heavier siege militaries to move in and reclaim the land that you’ve lost.”

The other men and women looked at one another. They had been opposite each other on bloody battlefields, but now they would be putting their strength together to deal with the Zatan Confederation. If they were able to pull it off, their standing in their own countries would rise.

“I agree to these conditions. With a neutral party creating the battle plan, it removes any possible mistakes. When would the attack begin?” Lord Nuzif asked.

“In six days, just after Vermire has engaged Tabur’s forces and brought them into battle. It will make them slower to respond,” Aditya said in full confidence, getting looks from the others around the table as they assessed his strength. It showed that he had skin in the game as well as them made the others feel more confident moving forward. Although they had everything to gain, Aditya would be in the tiger’s mouth.

They all held a greater respect in their eyes.

“All of this for a healing house?” Lady Concordia asked with a light voice. Her eyes slid over to Aditya.

“While I do like having a healing house around, I just don’t like people trying to take things from me. And I saw it as a way for me to thank each of your countries for trading with me,” Aditya said with a refreshing smile, even as his eyes were cold.

“The Fayeport empire agrees to these terms.” The first lady spoke.

It wasn’t long until the rest of the lords and ladies agreed to the plan.

Aditya smiled as they signed the contract, linking them to the deal. If they broke it, they would need to pay Vermire one hundred Mana stones. With the rarity of Mana stones in the First Realm, a Mortal Mana stone, if auctioned off, could sell for fifteen hundred gold. Using the Mana stone would allow a half dozen people from the First Realm to increase their Mana Gathering Cultivation and allow them the power to step up into the Second Realm with ease.

Breaking the contract was not only a large financial burden but also a large resource burden, as Mana stones could be used to power nearly any formation and assist in cultivation, crafting, and more.

With the contract created and the Ten Realms witnessing it, they were now all bound to one another.

***

Special Team One and Two were in the briefing room, as well as four other regular parties as Blaze entered the room. They all stood, with Roska saluting Blaze.

“Sit,” he said as he returned the salute.

Everyone did so as he pulled out a piece of paper and placed it on the lectern.

First of all, he got them all up to date on everything that had happened in Vermire, from the movements that Aditya had coordinated to the visit from Yesun and their threat.

They had heard most of the matters already but silently listened to anything that they might have forgotten.

“As we speak, an army under the command of the Zatan Confederation is moving toward Vermire. General Tabur is leading an army of ninety thousand, but other reinforcements are being rushed to him on horses and through multiple supply routes from other fronts.

“Special teams!” Blaze’s words made the special teams snap to attention.

“Your mission will be to infiltrate the Zatan Confederation, to eliminate generals as well as the upper echelons. Here are a list of potential targets.” Blaze pulled out a collection of papers and passed it to Roska. She and Storbon opened it and started to look through it.

“The remaining four parties, you will be combined together into a singular fighting force. Lieutenant Chen will be in charge. You will be assisting the forces at Vermire. Your target will be to eliminate General Tabur, Scout Yesun, and the leadership, and render silent aid to the Vermire forces.”

Each of the four parties would turn into sections, each given a specific role and people possibly being moved around based on their abilities. They would fight in these sections, coming together as a whole four-section company for large actions.

This was part of the system that Erik and Rugrat had created, allowing them to work mainly in small group operations but combine together easily under one commander to complete larger objectives. This would be the first test for the Alva Dungeon forces.

Chapter: To Study, to Grow

Erik closed the last book inside the booth and looked up. He’d finally finished them all. He put the book back into its space as he closed his eyes and sat back. There had been a number of flaws in the various ingredients’ descriptions and effects.

He had spent hours just looking at the conflicting information and had to come to a final decision. Sometimes he had just copied the conflicting information into his Alchemy Book so that he might look at it later.

He pulled out his medallion and pressed it to a recess in the booth.

==========

Do you wish to challenge the knowledge test?

==========

YES/NO

==========

“Yes!” Erik said.

The screen in front of him changed and a list of questions appeared in front of him.

“What are the physical characteristics of the Red Polos flower?”

Erik picked up a pen and started to write down the different characteristics; he submitted it and another question appeared.

Before answering it, he tried to grab one of the books but found that there was a barrier over them. If someone rushed and started the test without reading the books, then their chances of succeeding would fall greatly.

At first, the questions were simple but they grew harder, with some tricks being added into the mix as ingredients that were listed in several books with different information appeared.

He had to assess what was truth and what was not in order to answer these.

Although remembering information was useful, now that he was being tested on it all, he felt as if his boundaries were expanding.

There were three levels of knowledge: learning it, being tested on it, and teaching others. At each point, one’s understanding of the knowledge that they had learned would be affirmed and made stronger.

As Erik went through the questions, he had to think and take his time more, not only thinking on the question but the logic it took to reach the answer.

It added a depth to his knowledge and showed where his flaws lay.

A day passed before the screen no longer showed any questions.

==========

You have completed the first trial in the Path of Alchemy. You may advance to the second trial.

==========

The door unlocked as Erik quickly made a number of notes on things to look up later that the questions had opened up in his mind.

He stepped out of the booth and headed up the path. It wasn’t long until he got to the next area.

There was a large growing area. Several alchemists were already tending to different plants.

Erik approached a growing plot and placed his medallion on a stone pillar.

==========

You have reached the second trial.

You must grow five regular ingredients and three mutations.

They must finish growing in three days and be harvested.

==========

“They really want to test all aspects.” Erik looked at the table with different tools that were laid out before him. On it there were nearly three dozen different seedlings, saplings, and cuttings.

“Growing three regular ingredients won’t be too hard with just the Plant Cultivation spell, but the mutated plants will be hard. I will need to combine two or more of the ingredients together, to create a plant that covers some of their weaknesses, or increases their potency, or both.”

It would be a challenge for his mind but after spending so much time learning and going through practice, he was excited to be able to do something differently and show his ability.

Five ingredients? Why would I only have five? I should use these and organize by Affinity and make a miniature growing array, like the one used in Alva. With the growing array, it will also be easier to grow mutated plants that might require a different environment from the other ingredients.

With a grin on his face, Erik picked up the box and started to rearrange the different items inside.

***

Rugrat had left the viewing area a long time ago. Erik had been in the Path of Alchemy trial for three days. The people of Resam turned it into an event. To them—people who were able to live hundreds of years and were used to going into seclusion for long periods of time to increase their skills or their strength—a few days for a competition wasn’t much. To Rugrat, every moment was precious.

***

Old Hei looked at the board as Erik moved from the first trial board and appeared on the second trial board.

One couldn’t tell from their progress how they had done. Erik wasn’t near the front or even the middle, ending up close to last place.

Some people might think that the ones who made it first were the strongest. Sometimes it showed that they were true hidden dragons, but most of the time it was hot-blooded youngsters trying to use time as a qualifying factor to demonstrate how they were better.

Most of the time, it wasn’t. It just meant that they had rushed through, getting just enough to pass into the next trial. If they had taken longer, some of the people who had failed might have succeeded and those who rushed ahead might have learned more.

Old Hei knew that Erik came from the First Realm so the information contained in the books would probably be all new to him. For him to make it from the first to the second trial, learning all of that knowledge, showed that he had a scary ability of comprehension.

Or he has reached the Journeyman stage. I did leave him and he was racing through the Apprentice stage and he was able to complete a Journeyman-level concoction in the second trial. Has he been able to open that book yet?

Using his rank, he was able to look inside the Path of Alchemy trial and inspect Erik. As he did so, he watched Erik finish organizing his different plants, then laying them out.

Old Hei’s eyes narrowed before the corner of his mouth lifted up. “Really looks like the young will overcome the old. A growing array—smart. Though I don’t see any of the mutated plants he needs to make.”

As Old Hei muttered, Khasar looked over. Although he wanted to get a better look at this Erik, only Old Hei could use the specialized viewing stone to look into the Path of Alchemy trial. To all other eyes, it was nothing but moving colors.

“Oh, an Earth flame? Seems that must be a constitution. Determined, simple clothes, looks like she’s had to fight to be here. Good material. This lad—who does he think he’s impressing by using all of those resources?” Old Hei harrumphed angrily.

Khasar winced.

Old Hei might be generous with his actions but when it came to creating concoctions, if he saw people wasting resources, then he was the first to speak up. The pill head was truly a miser when it came to Alchemy resources.

Although the other pill heads had myriad students, as well as direct disciples numbering in the tens, Old Hei had none. He had students, but only in a slight sense. They had listened to his teachings or seen him work, but they weren’t accepted as disciples and he would teach or show people different things at his leisure. It allowed him to be more free with his teachings, giving rise to the overall strength of the division instead of just a solemn few like with the other pill heads.

Though it also meant that none of the people under him were able to get a full heritage or information from him, only parts of it.

Their strength couldn’t be compared to that of the other pill heads’ direct disciples.

That didn’t mean that others wouldn’t look for his help or assistance. A number of peak Journeyman alchemists would come to him and look for answers, though they remained highly respectful. Old Hei was a rather simple man; if he saw something wrong, he would point it out as fast as possible so that the person might learn from it, not caring about their feelings.

To hear praise from his mouth was surprising.

He pulled out a pot of plants from his storage ring; this ring was special because it could hold living items and his was specialized so that the items within would actually be nourished with Mana. Though they had to be constantly tended to, it allowed an alchemist to carry their garden with them. Old Hei worked on the potted plants, that same grin on his face as he worked.

***

“Rock paper scissors?” Storbon asked.

“Fine.” Roska sighed as they sat on their panther mounts. They were just about to enter the Zatan Confederation’s territory. The panthers, like the people of Alva Dungeon, had increased their Strength and ability. On these large beasts, Roska and Storbon were playing rock paper scissors.

“Damn,” Storbon said as he lost.

“See you in a week.” Roska turned to her party and waved them forward.

They rushed off toward the Zatan Confederation’s main city.

“Tian Cui, you’re with Ian. Setsuko, you’re with Yao Meng, which leaves Yuli with me.” He pulled out a number of files and passed them to each of the groups. In the files were a list of targets, as well as their locations—commanders and people of influence within the Zatan Confederation who would be hard to replace.

Everyone started to check their files and organize themselves, trading gear around.

They had all been hoping to take on the main city. There was more risk with it. As soon as the leadership of the Zatan Confederation were attacked, the whole city would go into lockdown. There were twelve thousand soldiers within the city.

Although it was more dangerous, that only excited the special teams more.

Once they were all organized, they headed off toward their targets.

***

The healer waved for Aditya to go inside the room. He had left his guards downstairs. They had argued, especially as the army from Zatan was only a few days away. Using speed buffing spells and medallions, they were able to increase their speed. It was one of the ways that they had gained an advantage over the other rulers in their area.

Aditya had put their worries to rest. Only he knew that attacking the healing house amounted to suicide and that the strength that rested behind them was by no means small.

He opened the door, finding a man wearing scarves and a mask. The man had the same relaxed atmosphere as the two leaders of Alva and the woman who had first threatened Aditya.

Though this man’s power was somewhere between the two groups: much stronger than the woman had been but not as strong as the two men who had appeared, but getting close.

Aditya began to bow when the man waved it away.

“Lord Aditya, I have been sent to assist you in this slight problem that you have. You can call me Chen. These are for you.” Chen pulled out a box and pushed it over the table.

Aditya sat down and opened the box.

His breath caught in his throat. Not many people in the First Realm had ever seen a spell scroll before, but he had seen a number of them and kept a few on him, ready to use. The casting time was longer on the ones he had, so he hadn’t been able to use them when the woman had threatened him on their first meeting.

“Those are unstable spell scrolls, twenty large-sized Fireball spell scrolls.” He pulled out several dinner plate-sized formation plates. “These are lightning barrier formations—they’re pretty nasty pains in the ass. I would suggest launching the formations, activating them as they’re on their way. When they land, they’ll create barriers in the midst of the enemy, breaking up their forces, unleashing lightning on them in a large area of effect. Then hit them with fireballs in the chaos, get them really stirred up. As that is going on, some of my people will use the distraction to land a blow on General Tabur and his command staff.” Chen’s words were clear, concise and direct but they made Aditya’s boiling blood chill.

He talked of these things easily; he had prepared resources to carry out his plan; he was assisting Aditya, but his plans already made what Aditya planned pale in comparison.

“What do you need me to do?” Aditya asked.

“Stand and fight,” Chen said. Even with his face covered, Aditya could tell he was smiling.

“You’ve used this opportunity well to bring yourself a higher position, to take eyes off the healing house and show that it and items within your trading city aren’t to be touched. We’re impressed.”

Aditya’s face lit up. He knew that his actions when he had tried to capture Jasper had been wrong, but now he had been doing everything possible to try to repair the damage and show that he was a man worthy of their trust. He was under their contract, but he could have tried to push the boundaries. Instead, he saw the benefits of working with them and seeing that they were decent people, it made him lose the edge he showed to others. It was nice to have an ally. Yes, they controlled him and told him what to do, but it was the kind of relationship he could accept as they helped him much more than a king would help their subjects.

“Some of my people have entered the mercenary ranks; others will cause chaos in the Zatan ranks. I will be nearby. This is my symbol to contact me.” Chen passed over a piece of paper. “The items that you are selling for us—we will let you use them for this battle.”

Aditya’s eyes lit up. The gear that his guards used was among some of the best and he had purchased items personally from the wares he had been given. Even with their high prices, he didn’t regret it.

Each piece of armor was of the high-Apprentice grade and his weapon was peak-Apprentice grade, just a hair away from becoming a Journeyman-level weapon.

If he could arm his people with high-Apprentice-level armor, it would greatly boost their combat power.

“Don’t lose now,” Chen said, dismissing Aditya.

He bowed and smiled. “Thank you, Mister Chen. I will do my best.” A fire that Aditya had not felt in a long time appeared in his gut, as his blood boiled. It had been too long since he had last been in a fight for his life. He felt alive again!

***

General Tabur looked over the army under his command. The reinforcements had caught up with them. There were one hundred and fifty thousand soldiers moving through the forests and across the roads. This prevented them from falling into ambushes and, with their background, they could move as fast through the forests as they could on the roads.

They had also taken a speed concoction that increased the speed and length of time that they could march for. He wanted to cut Aditya off from any reinforcements, stopping the mercenaries from joining Vermire. It would also allow him to strike faster, so that the other enemies surrounding the Zatan Confederation wouldn’t know that the defensive forces were weakened until they were on their way back.

Tabur was confident that even if their enemies attacked, they would be able to defend before the army under Tabur’s command headed back.

He sat atop his rhino mount, hearing the noises of the army moving: their boots on the hard packed roads, the noises from the tree line, the sounds of metal hitting metal.

He sat up straighter. With such a force under his command, he wanted to see just what Vermire was able to do.

Chapter: Gardener

Erik woke up and stretched, taking in a deep breath. He could smell the ingredients from his plot. The smell seemed to revitalize his soul as he cleaned himself up and started to eat some rations, moving to check on his ingredients. It was the second day since he had begun the trial. He had been planting all day and night to create the growing array.

He’d used Plant Cultivation on the ground. The plants, using the power of the spell as well as a whole night and part of the morning to grow, had started to show little sprouts sticking out of the top of the soil.

Erik’s senses toward Mana had grown more acute, allowing him to sense the changes in the Mana within the growing array.

He ate his breakfast and studied the growing array.

“Damn. I put the Baldur bulbs in the wrong place—need to put them a little to the left. The yellow tree twig is much more powerful than I thought. I’ll have to add in more Krea shoots to counteract it, which will increase the Mana circulation,” Erik muttered to himself.

Once he had finished with his food, he set to work. He used Plant Cultivation to grow the Krea shoots, then he split it apart and grew a few sets of the plant and changed their position slightly, changing the flow of Mana.

He moved the Baldur bulb and checked his work.

He sighed and sat down, again using his Plant Cultivation spell.

The plants started to grow slowly, the density of Affinity Mana increasing around them. As they grew, the power of the growing array only intensified in power.

The density only increased as the plants started to move in an invisible breeze.

“Are those plants dancing in unity?” one of the moderators for the Path of Alchemy trial asked his fellow as they stood on one of the trees that dotted the Path of Alchemy trial landscape.

The other alchemist looked over at Erik, who had pulled out a chair and sat back, closing his eyes as if to enjoy the sunny day. His left hand was touching the ground, a spell formation underneath his plants, using a spell to increase the speed that they grew at.

“It looks like it might be. Or maybe it is due to the spell?” the second moderator said as they watched closely.

The plants seemed to be moving with an invisible wind, eagerly stretching into the sky. A few showed buds, as others were reaching maturity.

Over the next few hours, Erik stood occasionally, trimming plants here and there, making sure that the growing array was constantly balanced. He would sit in his chair or move through the array.

As time passed, more of the moderators joined the first two as they watched. A few of them were making notes on what they were seeing, the positioning of the different plants.

“He has created a growing array with the plants. While his spell aids them, it is merely a spark compared to the fuel that the plants are creating. As they grow stronger, they will do so together if kept in balance. Also, with their Affinities balanced, they will be brought up in the best of conditions,” the first moderator said with approval.

“But he still hasn’t put down any mutated plants to grow,” another said.

The others made noises of agreement, interested in just what this new applicant would do.

Erik had been studying the growing formation. It was good but not perfect. Trying to aim for perfection was a path to advance, but it was also a path that one would never reach the end of. As long as it was the best one could do, Erik could accept that, and then push to perform ten percent better.

He looked over the growing array. He couldn’t see the types of Affinity Mana moving through the plants but he could feel it.

He opened up his eyes, picking out the areas of weakness in the growing formation.

When he had been back in Alva, he had spent a lot of time walking through the Alchemy gardens, listening, learning, and reading from different books. His thoughts had led him to the books on agriculture, in the many ways the alchemists had consulted with the farmers about how to crossbreed their plants to get the greatest yield. In Alva, no one job was better than another and they were all excited to learn and do more. Alchemy and farming had created a synergy with one another, freely sharing their information, allowing one another to improve faster and become better in their chosen fields.

This kind of working in multiple disciplines and people sharing and working with one another was much like the growing array: their strengths helped one another, cross-pollinating and increasing their strength as a whole.

Erik poured more power into a few plants, allowing them to blossom. He took parts from them and created another, smaller garden. In this one, he took out some solutions, created a tray of the solutions and placed the new plants in them. The solutions were all-powerful in one Affinity or another. On Earth, chemical solutions or radiation were used to accelerate the mutation of plants, finding the ones in a set of experiments that suited their needs and then repeating the process until they got something that they wanted.

It took time to do but with Plant Cultivation, the plants grew in minutes what would have taken weeks. He used the buds and created another variation off that.

He went through several trays before he found just a few of the final products he wanted. He took them and planted them into the growing array.

He took out tools to cross-pollinate the best plants; there were no bugs in the Path of Alchemy trial to do so.

He checked the growing array and then worked with more of the mutated plants. It was one way for him to test out the knowledge that he had gained from the books he had read in the first trial.

A number of the ingredients that were collected were listed in the books he had read.

Watching him work, the moderators were shocked.

The plants’ growth only increased, the new mutations growing up rapidly under the almost perfect conditions.

“Just this ability—I haven’t heard of anyone being able to make a growing array so easily,” one of the moderators said.

“So easily? He is using ingredients that were prepared. He didn’t know what they would be just a day ago; he then had to place them perfectly in order to create a balance between one another. He is using one of the simplest spells, Plant Cultivation, which is a spell that those farming mages use to increase the yield of a farmer’s crops.”

“The way that he used variation breeding to create the mutated plants is something that takes great patience and understanding of plants to not only carry out, but to pick out the plants that will grow and not fail.”

“What were his scores on the first trial?” the first moderator who had been there from the beginning asked.

Another pulled up a scroll and opened it. “H-he got a total of ninety-three percent correct.” The moderator had a look of shock on their face as she looked at her fellows.

“The first trial is meant to not only test one’s ability to study and retain knowledge, it is meant to make them stumble to show that their knowledge might be false. It is why there are ingredients with multiple effects listed. Through this, one will need to pick out what is right and what is wrong with only the knowledge of the books. One needs to get a forty percent on the test in order to pass it.” One of the moderators said what they were all thinking.

“Just what kind of monster is he?” the second moderator called out.

The first held his chin, looking at the young man as he pulled out some water, drinking some and then pouring more on the plants carefully.

“He must have reached the level of Journeyman in order to get access to the Alchemy  Book. A Journeyman-level tester can still get about a sixty percent score, though the remaining forty percent is all of their personal knowledge and their ability with ingredients. They might be lucky on a few, knowing what an ingredient’s effects are, but there are over two thousand different ingredients listed in those books.”

The others nodded. It made more sense if they added in the fact that he was able to access his Alchemy Book at that stage. The Ten Realms rewarded one for their perseverance, as knowledge could be gained but never lost.

“With his age, being in the Third Realm, he could be around two hundred years old,” another said.

Many people who looked like young men and women in the Third Realm were under one hundred years in age; someone who looked to be reaching their middle age, they were around two hundred years old, with those old-looking fellows being around three hundred. Those who had passed level thirty were able to live four hundred years. If one made rapid improvements in a short time, they could remain looking the same age for hundreds of years.

Once they added two hundred years to his lifespan, he was one of the older people going against the trial and their interest started to wane.

“Looks like he was only confident when he reached the Journeyman level to challenge the trial,” one of the moderators jeered.

Some of the others agreed. Some would like to see others surpassing them put down so that they felt better about their own achievements.

Those who had thought it was astounding could only smile awkwardly.

“His ability in growing ingredients is powerful, but, with books, if he had read enough in his life, then it is not so hard to get eighty percent on the first trial, and ninety percent with some luck.” Another spoke out, the others agreeing.

“I have some others to watch. That girl with the Earth flame has learned the ability to not only create concoctions with her flames but to use it to grow. It’s a brutish method but she has made a relative forest with her Earth-attribute plants.”

The moderators who were bored went off in search of more entertainment.

The first two moderators were quickly left on the tree.

“What do you think?” the second moderator asked.

“I think that there is more to this Erik West than meets the eye,” he said as Erik stood, going through a stretching routine before he started to throw out a few punches and kicks, causing dust to rise with his actions.

Erik left the plants to grow as he stretched and started to move around, trying to get out some of the energy that felt as though it was locked up in his body.

In the fight with the bandits, I learned just how powerful the finger technique can be when fighting targets I know the anatomy of. Its piercing power is high. If I was to use that with Mana Detonation, strike a creature then detonate my finger? Or if I was to hit them where they are weak?

A sudden thought struck Erik as he paused his movements.

I use Simple Organic Scan to know what is happening in my patient’s body. If I was able to cast a full body scan, assess weakness and then strike?

Erik shook his head, a wry smile on his face. “In a fight, how could I waste time on...” Erik frowned as something seemed to pull on the back of his mind.

“I got access to the Alchemy Book once I reached the Journeyman level, but what about my Journeyman-level healing?”

Erik accessed his Healing Book with a thought and a stream of information filled his mind.

With the Alchemy Book, there had been so much knowledge that he had collapsed and needed to take time for his mind to adjust, but with the Healing Book, there was even more information: information on different creatures that he had examined, on people, on procedures to perform on them. Memories that he had forgotten since training were there.

“Why did one cause me to pass out and the other left me fine?” Erik looked through his book. There were diagrams on bodies with information, structure, ailments, and treatments. Some of the treatments included magical ways, or ways that he could use alchemical means, to treat a person.

Erik was reminded of technique books. When using those, one would have a massive headache, but when learning from an information book, he would be fine.

“Could it be? The information from Alchemy is all basically new, so with that wealth of knowledge being assimilated, my brain shut down. Though with the healing I had the majority of the knowledge down and it was simply adding in a few spells to the book? Healing is easier for me to do than Alchemy; I have the knowledge from my training and from using it. It’s easier to accumulate more information on a subject that you know than one you’re just starting on and grasping at straws to try to increase your ability.”

Erik went to the diagrams. There were multiple pages. He had only examined a few of the creatures, mostly to locate their monster core or any useful ingredients and pull them out, so his information was fragmented.

“If I was facing a nasty opponent, I might be able to use this to find out its weaknesses to target them,” Erik muttered to himself.

In a normal fight, it wouldn’t be that useful but if he was fighting a large beast that was hard to kill then it might come in use. Or if he was fighting the same creatures, with time he would rapidly be able to deal with them faster.

Now, if I was just able to combine my finger technique with my elbow technique, use the One Finger Beats Fist to pierce one’s defenses and then the Growling Tiger Elbow technique to unleash rampant Mana in their body, I could use a Mana blast but that would simply cause the area hit to explode and possibly hurt myself. If I use the growling and finger in combination, then I could cause severe internal injuries, with less risk to myself and less Mana.

Erik moved around the plot as he used his Growling Tiger Elbow technique and the One Finger Beats Fist technique.

One Finger Beats Fist was focusing all of his power into one point; Growling Tiger was using his entire body to unleash powerful attacks, even injuring it in the process. If one was to use it without a Body Cultivation technique, they would be badly hurt or even crippled with the force being transmitted through their body.

***

Rugrat laid down with a pained noise. His Mana channels felt as if they were on fire—and not the good kind of growing and getting stronger fire.

Working at the smithy, he had strained his Mana system, forcing him to stop and rest.

He lay there feeling sorry for himself. He hit the bed in frustration and let out a grunt. This feeling of weakness, of being limited and not able to do what he had done before, built up within him. He had hidden it well from the others but it tore at him.

His thoughts turned back to when they were fighting the bandits, how he’d had to stop using Explosive Shot or any kind of spells as his body was being torn apart.

He felt useless. As he watched Erik fighting on the ground, he hadn’t been able to use Mana bolt or his Mana bullets even as he saw his friend being bled and attacked.

That guilt tore at him yet again. He was the weakness in the team and for a man who strove to be superhuman, it hurt more than any wound could.

Rugrat had turned his attention to formations. He was interested in them but through the Alchemy tools, he could help his friend. He could lie to himself and show he was useful with the formations; they gave him a way to improve his Strength without needing to rely on his Mana system. He had worked hard, so hard to increase the ability of his Mana system. He was happy at Erik’s advancements and although he smiled, he wanted to overcome his issues and increase his Strength so he could help Erik.

He had focused all of his growth around his Mana system. He didn’t realize how much he relied on it until he had lost it.

It was as if he had lost a limb, leaving nothing behind but his useless body, flailing around and having to do three times the work to just complete something simple.

Frustration, anger, self-hatred—it all boiled just below the surface.

It burned—it burned something fierce.

Rugrat got out of bed and started doing push-ups, squats, anything that could hurt his body and make him stronger. This kind of pain turned inward. He looked forward to it; it was a kind of release, as if telling himself that he still had some kind of ability.

He embraced the burn, the pain in his muscles.

Come on, you goddamn weakling, can’t even do another squat! Come on!

He drove himself harder, his pain becoming his motivation.

Chapter: Enemy at the Gates

“Close the gates,” Aditya said to Pan Kun standing beside him.

Pan Kun relayed the message as Aditya looked out at the forces that stretched through the tree line across the main road and the tree line on the other side.

“One hundred and fifty thousand. Really, they don’t disappoint.” Aditya laughed easily.

The guards and the mercenaries around him were nervous looking at such a large force. A few of the mercenaries, upon hearing the numbers of the enemy, had left the outpost, not wanting to clash with such a massive force.

Though, looking at Lord Aditya, instead of looking scared, he seemed to be pleased. Others could not help but look at his armor in jealousy. It was a set of peak-Apprentice armor; combined, they matched the power of a low-Journeyman-level armor.

His closest guards had all been outfitted with Apprentice weapons and gear. With this, the four hundred guard’s strength had surged once again.

With the equipment and their recovery from their injuries, they were stronger than they had ever been before.

Being around them, one could feel the will to fight, the air filled with bloodlust.

They might be guards now but they had all been people who had gone into the Beast Mountain Range to bet their lives against the riches they might earn. It was not an easy life and it had given them the strength to fight powerful beasts and look at the army in front of them with eagerness in their eyes.

“Good.” Chen looked over the different forces arranged. “I will leave this to you,” Chen said as he walked away.

Aditya nodded as the man disappeared into the crowd of people.

***

Tabur looked at the walls of Vermire—the slight rise it rested on, looking over the cleared area around it, the walls scarred from passing beasts.

The Beast Mountain Range rose high behind it.

It wasn’t a kind-looking place and the people inside had fought to survive.

He sighed. Once they defeated the forces on the wall, they shouldn’t have too much of a problem tracking down the healers and capturing them.

Yesun had people watching the healing house and would make sure that none of them escaped.

“We’ll need to train up new healers quickly. I wouldn’t trust the ones from the Alva Healing House unless they make an oath to the Ten Realms.”

He sat on his rhino, patting the big beast’s back. He looked over the wall, using a spell on his eyes to zoom in on it. He didn’t take the time to look to his aides.

“Send a messenger. Give them one more chance to hand over the healers. Have our people move out of the forests and ready to attack.”

“Yes, General!” three of them responded as they passed his orders. It wasn’t long until a man on a tall, two-legged lizard charged forward with a white flag.

He got to the wall, yelling at the people there.

The army moved out of the forest and organized themselves on the plains around the outpost that had been cleared to make it easier for the guards to spot attacking beasts.

The messenger turned back after some time. He lowered his white flag, a sign that they hadn’t agreed.

“Very well. Bring out the siege equipment, catapults, and arrow towers! We advance in twenty minutes!” Tabur had allowed his people to rest and eat more this morning so that they were fresh and ready for battle. He didn’t want to give the enemy time to come up with plans and he needed to win this quickly in order to return to the confederation.

Siege weaponry was organized and pulled out from storage items, machines of war appearing in their midst.

***

Pan Kun looked from the weapons of war to Lord Aditya.

“Ready the ranged machines,” Aditya said.

Pan Kun nodded. With his orders, people started to move on the walls, with people heading to defensive structures that would give greater cover from ranged attacks.

Aditya looked over the battlefield, grasping and releasing the war hammer at his side. Although he looked calm on the outside, a grin would appear on his face every so often, an excited look in his eyes.

Pan Kun hid a grin as he looked out at the oncoming enemy. Aditya was his lord; Vermire his home. They might be small, but they were not to be fucked with, come to us little confederate rabble, the fun should start soon.

He felt his blood boiling. Sharing a glance with the other guards, he could see the excitement in their eyes. It had been too long since they had been in a true life-or-death fight. At their level, such a thing was hard to find. The kind of buzz it gave wasn’t something that drugs or drink could hope to imitate.

***

Tabur made sure that everyone knew their orders and that all of their weapons were ready.

“Advance!” he yelled, using a sound amplification spell. All of his soldiers heard him and they started their advance.

They had a frontage of ten thousand soldiers, with fifteen ranks behind them. In the middle, there were the arrow towers; at the rear, the catapults.

“Once we close the range, have the catapults fire immediately. That will be the signal for the army to charge,” Tabur said.

“Yes, General,” one of the aides said. The information had already been relayed to the troops countless times, their officers and sergeants drilling it into them. They hoped to use the cover of the catapults to stun the defenders, making them go for cover instead of fighting back with ranged weaponry.

***

“Lord, they’re within range,” Pan Kun said.

“Let them get a bit closer. They’re fast, anyway,” Aditya said.

Pan Kun let out a half laugh.

Aditya looked at him with a reproachful look on his face as a grin appeared. He looked back at the battlefield lazily. “It is a good thing that we got those catapults to deal with beast hordes,” he said after some time.

Pan Kun made a noise of agreement.

“Fine. You may use the catapults.” Aditya sighed.

“Catapults, ready!” Pan Kun’s voice snapped through dozens of guards’ communication devices.

Suddenly, on the unadorned wall, twenty catapults appeared. They clipped perfectly into hidden support points as guards on the ground behind the catapults pulled out rocks.

Seeing all of the catapults ready, Pan Kun nodded. “Target their catapults!” He gave them a few more moments as he looked at the approaching enemy lines. The catapults were already loaded; as such, their arms were hard to spot on the walls as they were above the approaching army.

He took some more time as he saw the catapults stop moving. The mercenaries looked at them with new respect as the guards grinned proudly.

“Fire!”

The catapults whirred with the released tension, snapping forward as twenty payloads were hurled forward.

People yelled out at the surprise attack, trying to dodge the scattering rocks and pots that landed among the army, opening up holes in their formations.

“Reload!” Pan Kun barked as the guards were already cranking on the wheels to pull the catapults back.

The fixed catapults had been zeroed in on all of the walls and they were much larger than the mobile versions of the Zatan Confederation army, allowing them greater range and the ability to fire more in one shot.

Three of the catapult crews were taken down; one of the arrow towers was peppered and collapsed. One of the jars struck it and was ignited, turning it into a blazing pylon in the middle of the Zatan army.

The Zatan were left in shock as their plan had already been ruined by Vermire’s first attack.

The people on the wall cheered as they looked at the Zatan.

Some of the Zatan charged forward as others looked for orders. They were used to being the ones attacking and having the upper hand. They fought in the forests and in the streets. Now that they were being attacked from above, they were rushing to find cover, or close with the enemy and make them pay for killing their fellows.

Aditya pulled out a medallion in his hands and started to play with it in his fingers absentmindedly.

Pan Kun knew he had asked for something from a man called Chen and had gotten this medallion in response. He didn’t know what it was for but the way Aditya looked at it, it had to be important.

***

Tabur gritted his teeth as he heard the noises of the catapults and the rain of shrapnel that smashed into their lines.

“Sir, the right flank has started to charge forward,” one of the aides said.

Tabur frowned, they might look powerful and like an army, but at the end of the day, they were a bunch of nomad tribes that had banded together for a common goal.

They were still people who fought according to their tribe instead of military order.

“Sound the charge!” Tabur said.

If they were being out-ranged by their catapults, moving forward would only bleed them slowly.

The orders were passed and the leading edge of the army started to step out. Their lines turned into a mass of scattered people. Still, they were an army of one hundred and fifty thousand. Such a massive force against just Vermire. Tabur could only grimace at their cunning. He would take this battle in the end.

“Watch the flanks to make sure that there are no sneak attacks!” he said to another aide, looking at him.

“Yes, General!”

In the first round, they had already been shown that they shouldn’t look down on Vermire.

He heard the catapults fire again. With the strength of the guards, they were able to arm and fire the catapults much faster than a normal crew, nearly all of them focused on melee fighting, leading to explosive strength.

***

Chen shook his head as he stood in a tree looking over the battlefield.

The first problem with Tabur’s army was that they were made from so many different groups. Calling them an army was inappropriate. They might be able to march, but they looked out for their own interests. It was only the threat of getting their asses kicked by their superiors that kept them in check. They had not been trained to the same standard; they worked well with their tribes but not with others.

Tabur’s idea had been a good one, but it would have been better to send probing attacks. He had the men to do so, but again the first problem rose up: if the different groups thought that he was looking on others more favorably, then there would be a problem in the ranks and it could turn to issues.

So Tabur could only devote all of his forces in one shot or lose command of them.

The others from Alva Dungeon’s forces could only see the result that came from not listening to orders and thinking they were above them all.

It threw cold water down their backs as they, unlike the people in Tabur’s army, knew what would come next.

***

“Prepare the fire arrows. See if the catapult crews can speed it up. Have the crews on the opposite wall start firing once the enemy get into range.”

He looked at the ground as it was churned up. He continued to play with the medallion, looking for the opportunity they needed.

On the wall facing the Beast Mountain Range, guards pulled out catapults and started to fire, clearing the opposite wall and landing on the Zatan army. Rocks and jars slammed into people, killing or wounding them gravely.

The Zatan catapults had been targeted, but there were nearly ten times the number of catapults than on the walls of Vermire.

“It’s not about who has the greater numbers; it is about the strength of those numbers,” Aditya said, reciting something he had once read from a tactician from the Ten Realms.

“It would be weird if we were all matched evenly, like those places beyond the Ten Realms. What a boring place that must be.”

The catapults from the army started to fire, sending their large payloads at the walls. Some missed and fell into the trading outpost’s buildings, making Aditya’s eyes thin. Others hit the walls; the walls held but shook. The unlucky ones were cleared off the walls by the massive stones, leaving openings on the walls.

The attacking catapults were able to suppress the defenders and even hit one of the catapults on Aditya’s side.

“Get a new crew to replace them. Make sure the wounded are getting to the healing house,” Aditya said.

“A few of the healers are among the fighters acting as medics to stabilize the wounded and transport the worst cases to the healing house,” Pan Kun said.

Aditya froze, his gut clenching before he relaxed. It would allow more of his people to survive, but it would put the healers in danger.

Thankfully, it was a decision that they had made and not one he made for them.

“Ranged!” Aditya barked. Archers and mages appeared, readying themselves as the army entered their range scattered.

“Fire!” Ranged spells in the First Realm didn’t have much of a higher range than the weapons that one could find in the First Realm.

Among them there were fire spells and fire arrows.

***

Tabur looked at the arrows and his eyes tracked to the pots and stones that were coming down on his army.

The pots! Tabur thought in panic. He had seen the arrow tower go up in flames and he had seen the ceramic pots among the rocks that were being tossed out by the catapults, but then he had needed to deal with his forces starting to rush forward and the possibility of losing control.

His eyes widened in horror as the fire arrows and fire spells ignited the tar-like slurry that had filled the pots. People had run through there or been covered in it as they charged forward, spreading it across the army.

The fire spread across the ground, setting the soldiers’ clothes and feet on fire. With burned feet, how could soldiers fight?

Thousands were knocked out of the fighting in just moments as ranged arrows and spells continued to fall down. The army had to get closer as they fired back, reducing the ranged firepower of those on the walls.

The rocks and pots that made up the catapult payloads hit the ground. The pots spread their contents, causing flames to shoot up into the sky as people cried out.

The arrow towers got into range; they started to fire at the walls and targeted the catapults.

Even as the catapults on their side were suppressed, the catapults on the opposite side of the trading outpost fired their payloads overhead.

“Call them back! Now!” Tabur yelled to his aides.

Horns started to call out to the fighters as they turned and started to fall back.

Fire already covered the battlefield. By throwing more troops into this, Tabur would just lose them. Pulling them back, he could treat the people with burned feet, regain his strength and hit again.

He was even thinking of how he could use this as a lesson to pummel into the tribal leaders who had charged forward.

The soldiers all started to pull back, bringing the towers with them. The ranged attackers on the walls continued to fire. The catapults on the Zatan side continued to do heavy damage to the walls, opening it up in spots.

They fired their payloads and started to pull back as well. The entire army turned into a mess as the ranged on the walls and the catapults continued to fire down on them as they pulled back.

Tabur could only grit his teeth in anger as he looked at his disheveled troops and the lost catapults. The field of battle still burned as soldiers cried out in pain, with broken catapults and other war machines on the ground.

“Just an hour of fighting and it led to this.” Tabur let out a sigh. He had truly underestimated Vermire. “We rest for today. We will attack tomorrow. See that the wounded are treated quickly!”

“Yes, General,” the aides said, sitting straighter as they felt that anything might set off his seething anger.

Chapter: Creation and Destruction

Halfway through the third day, Erik looked over the plants in his growing area.

“I could hold out for a bit more but they’ve already reached maturity. If I wait longer, I don’t know the actual time I started so I could go over,” Erik said to himself.

He pulled out the basic harvesting tools he had and moved into the garden, collecting the ingredients into specialized containers.

He moved through with ease, taking the time to use his Simple Organic Scan to make sure that he was cutting at the right places, storing seedlings and cuttings from the plants away so that they could be used later.

Few others were as relaxed as him. Only a few people were left in the second trial area.

Many had already passed on to the third stage of the trial, or had failed out.

Others were using every last second to try to improve the quality of their ingredients.

Some who had harvested their plants early and ruined them were quickly trying to grow new ones and harvest them all over again so they wouldn’t fail.

Erik didn’t have a great skill in harvesting, but with the knowledge from the books and his Simple Organic Scan, he was able to pass through easily, moving at a slow walking pace through his garden.

Once he was finished, he took his medallion from the growing area and headed to a large counter. He placed his medallion in one of the counters and pulled out his ingredients.

As the ingredients were assessed, a noise sounded from the counter before he was able to take the ingredients back. He put down the cuttings as well.

==========

You have completed the second part of the trial. Head to the third stage: Pill-Scape.

==========

Erik looked around. No one told him to leave the ingredients so he slowly put away the last ingredient into his storage ring and kept walking up the Path of Alchemy to the next stage.

Better to ask for forgiveness than permission sometimes. Erik repeated an age-old military credo.

***

Khasar looked up at the screens. There had not been much movement from the second to the third trial in the last couple of days, with most people heading out of the third trial.

Finally, Erik’s name went from the second screen to the third screen, showing he had reached the next stage.

“Now we move to the last stage, preparation and formation,” Old Hei said. “I wonder just what kind of concoction he will have to pick from?”

Khasar could hear the interest in Old Hei’s voice. He stopped himself from sighing. It really looked as though Old Hei was invested in this other man’s path.

Khasar simply looked around for threats. I’ll know what kind of person he is once he comes out—if he comes out with the amount of time he’s been in there already!

A name reached the fourth square. There were already several there. Most of them showed a gray color, but this one appeared higher. The name was written in bronze as it appeared next to a bronze medallion at the side of the board with two lines running through it.

“Ah, mid-Apprentice. Looks like they will be getting admittance into the Alchemist Association right away!” someone in the stands commented.

A group jumped up and down in celebration as they saw the name appear on the fourth-ranked board.

***

The people of the Zatan Confederation were a rough and contentious people. If it hadn’t been for the Zatan Confederation’s iron-like will and their shared common goal, they would have continued to fight with one another, causing the occasional problem to passing trade caravans instead of being turned into a growing nation that could compete with kingdoms and empires.

Although their fighting ability was a strength, the tensions and anger at one another for past blood debts could be seen everywhere. The main city, Irdan, was split up into regions, regions that were filled with allied tribes. Those who were allied before the confederation or who had a close relationship with one another lived with each other, while those who had blood debts were separated. This was partly the tribes’ doing and partly the Zatan Confederation’s leadership’s orders.

Life-and-death duels were a normal thing. There were several stages where they could take place and trying to stop them would only lead to more problems.

In a way, they were good at raising the strength of the tribes’ fighters who would go and fight for the confederation. The troops from the other kingdoms and empires rarely fought, spending most of their time caring for their gear and practicing while the Zatan tasted blood, saw live fights, and even got into a few of them as they were growing up, making them stronger fighters individually.

“Stronger apart than together.” Roska looked out at the rain coming down on the city.

“What was that, boss?” Tully asked.

“They’re a strong fighting force and they needed numbers, so coming together makes sense, but now that they have some breathing room, they’re starting to come apart. Good at fighting but too greedy in times of peace,” Roska said as the door to the warehouse opened.

“Gong Jin farts in his sleep.” A voice came through the door as the people inside lowered their weapons. Imani appeared with Yang Zan.

“Why did that have to be the password?” Gong Jin complained.

“’Cause it’s true and you woke yourself and everyone up from it last night!” Han Wu said from a corner, where he was working on a number of devices.

“What did you find out?” Roska asked.

They had entered the city easily enough. With the nomads having no identification, it was simplicity itself to get into the city. After hearing some passing information, they had gone to the warehouse district as most of the tribes kept their supplies in their own compounds and the leaders kept their items in the lord’s manor. This left the warehouse district largely untouched and a place where they could prepare and plan.

“Got maps of the outside of the manor and some information on the tension within the city,” Yang Zan said.

“You’ll never guess what is under the city,” Imani said in an excited voice.

“What?” Roska asked.

“The entire city had a plague awhile back—there is a massive catacomb network underneath us, creating a labyrinth underground!”

Roska’s eyes lit up and the corner of her mouth lifted up. “It gives us a way to move through the city. Do the guards or anyone watch it?”

“A few people do and there are entrances down there, but if we can make our own entrances and exits?” Imani looked to Han Wu.

“Woo! Explosions!”

“Okay, so now we have a better way to move around the city. What about the tensions? If we can attack the lord and also incite anger in the tribes, it should have a domino effect,” Roska said.

“There are two people competing to be the head of the Urulav family. If we are able to kill the father, making it look like an assassination, then the two people vying for the position might rip one another apart, bringing in a number of other families.

“There are the Kuccid family and Quruzul family. They’ve hated one another for generations. If we can pin a murder in the streets as a grudge gone wrong, we can get them to start going at it. There are three grudges I know of between a few people that we might be able to use.

“There is the old Horid family that control a number of tribes. If we were to poison their water, then the tribes would start looking at the other tribes and families. They all drink from the same well in their compound. Arrow with a packet of poison should be easy enough,” Yang Zan said.

“Zaneli?” Roska asked.

“She lives in the lord’s manor but she moves around a lot so it is hard to pin her down. The one place she does go to is the council room to get updates on what is happening across the confederation. If we can hit the council room, we might also eliminate a number of tribe leaders that way,” Imani said.

“It will be highly guarded. Any way we can strike them?” Roska asked.

“It is on the second floor. The manor is three floors tall. If we were able to gain access to the manor basement, then get up to the third floor and drop something down the chimney into the room?” Imani asked.

“We would need to gain entry without blowing a hole. I could use the Butcher spell to do that, then would need to sneak up with Han Wu’s explosives, locate the chimney, open it up and drop the explosives down it,” Roska said.

“Why not from the roof?” Han Wu asked.

“Don’t you think that someone crouching ontop of the lord’s manor would look a little alarming to the guards patrolling the walls?”

Han Wu closed his mouth as Roska sighed and turned to the rest of the team.

“Yang Zan, work on the poisoning; it will need to be something that one can’t boil off. Tully, Imani—you kill the father of that tribe and restart the blood feud. Han Wu, Gong Jin—plant explosives around the city. Today, we scout; tonight, we’ll hit the assigned targets. Then tomorrow, plant explosives, hit Lord Zaneli, and get the hell out of this shithole.”

“I’ve always heard about the strong fighting the strong as armies wage war under their feet, able to clear a battlefield as easily as walking through it. Bunch of damn posturing idiots. Why fight a war when you can get the enemy to do it for you?” Han Wu said with a cold laugh as he continued working.

Han Wu was right. Their way of thinking had changed. It was no longer about being stronger and challenging the enemy in some noble way, but moving in the shadows, weakening them and gaining information. That was how one won a war.

***

Chen and his people had been observing and watching the Zatan Confederation army all day. Sending in a few animal scouts and using tactical long-range scouting spells so they could get a better understanding of the camp, how it was run, and the tribal groups that were involved.

Chen got messages from the people on the wall, as well as from Blaze with a report from Special Teams One and Two.

Special Team Two had already established themselves and were advancing with their own plans.

Special Team One was working their way through the forests, taking out observation posts and communication relays, and seizing weapon and food caches they identified. These strengths and preparations were being quickly removed, though it wouldn’t be long until someone noticed something was wrong or realized that the armies that were supposed to be fighting one another were now heading into their territory. It wouldn’t be long until the militaries that hadn’t been creating a facade had to gear up and head toward the Zatan Confederation.

With their leadership wounded and their people in disarray, not knowing what was happening in the main cities, whether their families were alive and well or embroiled in a tribal war, how could the people on the front lines continue fighting as an army?

It was a terrifying plan, one that hit right at the hearts of the soldiers and the confederation.

Compared to their missions, his was relatively simple: create chaos in the confederation army and help out Vermire. He had already passed over a number of useful items to Lord Aditya; with them, he should be able to have an easier time defending and create the opening that Chen needed.

He moved with a group of five through the darkness.

With their levels, they were much stronger than any one member of the Zatan Confederation.

With their spells, they easily snuck passed the guards and into the camp.

They moved to some tents where soldiers were sleeping. They killed them, storing their bodies in their storage rings and putting on their uniforms.

In groups of two, they headed out into the camp, moving to the water supplies to add slow-acting poison to it and the food.

They also walked through the camp, shaking out potent poison powder that one would only need to get a deep breath of and become affected.

Most people sold their storage rings in the First and Second Realms to make up funds they needed. Most of the soldiers didn’t have any and instead carried their gear on their backs, or it was brought by larger storage rings that also contained food and supporting items.

An army lived on their stomach; food and water were a must. With no river nearby, they had only the large water barrels to rely on.

Chen moved through the camp, drinking and talking to the recuperating groups, gaining information on what was going to happen tomorrow and moving near the general’s living quarters. It was in the center of camp, the hardest to get to but the easiest to locate as there were commanders going in and out all night long.

Chen and the others grouped up, finding a place to stay for the night in the camp. Chen sent his reports back to the people on the wall, who would get it to Aditya.

For now, they would wait. Tomorrow would be time to act.

Chapter: Fight in the Front, Enemy Invading the Rear

Storbon stabbed into a man’s back, causing him to gasp and fall down—if not from the wound, then the poison on Storbon’s blade.

Air blades went through the open mouths of the two guards nearest Storbon. The blades tore out the back of their skulls as they dropped to the ground.

Storbon moved fast and low through the camp. It was hard to notice; the fires were hidden in underground huts, the people living in the trees hidden in branches.

Storbon reached a tree. As if an agile monkey, he climbed up silently. He reached a platform, getting on top of it, and looked around.

He moved across the platform and across a rope bridge to a larger structure built around a tree. Unless one was in the trees, they couldn’t see the treehouse.

Storbon entered through a door, a small crossbow in his hand. A guard looked to him, catching an arrow in the neck.

Storbon dropped the crossbow into his storage ring as he rushed forward and stabbed another guard. They let out choking noises as he grabbed him and lowered them to the floor.

He looked at them both and checked them against pictures.

“Major Williams,” he addressed one of the men before looking around the treehouse. He quickly found a communication device. Storbon added it to his growing collection and left the communication hut, moving through the buildings in the trees, leaving bloodstains and dead in his wake.

Thankfully, communication devices were rare in the First Realm, making it easier to disrupt communication lines.

He got to the ground again and met up with Yuli. There was not a noise from the underground huts as Yuli had dealt with them all.

“On to the next.”

One of the communication devices alerted him to a message.

“Sorry for the late message. Thought we saw some flames in the distance. Eyes playing tricks. All clear here.” Storbon got an earful, replying meekly to the messages before he let it go silent.

“Shouldn’t ask for another report until tomorrow,” Storbon said as he started to jog.

They flitted through the forest and headed off.

***

General Pojir of the Carteia kingdom and General Aydib of the Fayeport empire sat on their warhorses, looking over their forces as they moved through a valley leading into the Zatan Confederation’s territory. Both of their leaders had taken the attacks by the Zatan personally and had been enraged by their actions.

They were both angry fellows and prone to fighting. It was one of the reasons that they got along and one of the reasons that it was easy to see them fighting one another.

Few would understand that the aides from both camps were sitting in the same tent, sharing food and drink as they created “reports” for the higher-ups. The Zatan’s ability with gaining information on their enemy was nearly legendary; it was why the two strongest and most trusted units had been fighting one another in some backwater where few people existed.

The two groups of aides worked to make sure that their reports actually matched the other group’s. The “war” was decided by a chess match that the two generals played on a nightly basis.

A scout on a sleek-looking leopard came up to the two generals.

“Reporting. We have eliminated another outpost. Three were already cleared out. By the bloodstains and the fading bodies, it looks like someone else did it without raising the alarm.”

“Looks like we have some guardian angels.” General Aydib looked at General Pojir with a pleased smile.

General Pojir let out a hearty laugh. “I heard that Demoness General Aydib had a collection of fighters called Shelams? After the goddess of destruction and misinformation?”

“I thought that they were General Pojir’s Gray Shadows?” Aydib’s smile dimmed and turned thoughtful.

“Well, if it was not us, then it looks like we might truly have guardian angels,” Pojir said.

“The information we received and the information that has been relayed to us has been highly detailed. All of it comes from Lord Aditya,” Aydib said.

“Do you think that he might have another hidden card that is doing this?” Pojir asked.

Aydib shrugged.

“We should be careful when dealing with him in the future. Luring the wolf down on himself so the den might be left open for us is not an action that someone with a weak heart would make,” Pojir said, praising Aditya.

“Or someone who was not confident that they could win,” Aydib added.

“Tabur has one hundred and fifty thousand soldiers,” Pojir said.

“And there are plenty of tools to be found in the Ten Realms,” Aydib said.

As the night turned to day, four armies entered the Zatan lands and two more mobilized their armies and sent them forward with full siege equipment.

***

Lord Aditya listened to the detailed scouting report: who would be on the front lines, the issues within the camp, people talking to one another openly. He learned of Tabur’s idea to hit them from long range with catapults that had barriers erected around them. To take his time at breaking Vermire’s wall down before sending in small groups to test the defenses and make entry. Once they had made entry, then other forces would follow them.

It was a smart plan. It would take longer, maybe an entire day, to get the catapults into position and break down the wall, then attack the following day. It would also make it seem that they had time to work Vermire, while really they had a time limit of just five days to take Vermire and head back to the Zatan Confederation.

Even if they played it slow, they thought they had the men and the firepower to take down Vermire.

Though they had not taken into account spies and Aditya’s cunning.

The poison Chen was using wasn’t fast acting; instead, it would lead to people having upset stomachs. If you were vomiting or stuck to a hole dug in the ground, then you were as good as out of the fight.

It wouldn’t kill immediately but it would look as though it was just a disease, something normally found in battlefield armies on a large scale.

“Still, we need to draw them forward,” Aditya muttered to himself. “If we were to fire less shots tomorrow, make it look like we’re running low on catapult ammunition, then they would move up faster, pull the crews off the forward catapults, put them on the rear walls. Move the people toward the Beast Mountain Range wall.

“The wall falls on their side; they come on in, able to advance as there are no more catapults firing on them. Send in attacks—we’ll repel them, make them have to bring in more. Then in the midst of the battle, we use the formations and the spell scrolls.”

Aditya looked at the map in front of him that showed the entire landscape of Vermire. It was a gamble letting their walls fall before a force of over one hundred thousand soldiers. If this didn’t work and they were able to regroup afterward, Vermire might fall.

“I’ve never been much of a betting man, but sometimes you just have to roll the dice.”

***

Erik reached the third and final stage of the trial. He didn’t see anyone around as he saw that the path he had been following split up into a dozen paths; each met a wall of mist that was impossible to see through.

He went up one of the paths, finding a pillar sticking out of the ground before the mists.

He placed his medallion into the recess.

==========

You have reached the third stage along the Path of Alchemy : Pill-Scape

Prepare and form a concoction, displaying your complete skills.

You will only be graded on your complete concoction.

==========

Erik waved the message away as the mists parted in front of him. He took his medallion and stepped into the mists. He followed the path, seeing different plants around him.

This mist? It’s filled with some kind of sleeping agent?

He frowned as his Poison Body was already dealing with the effects of the sleeping mist, dealing with it as if it was any other poison and removing it from his system. He continued to walk up the path and to an area that had a formation and a bed.

Erik looked around and checked the area. The path continued on but the mist didn’t part for him and it was hard to follow the path forward.

Erik stood there for some time. The little drowsiness that had overcome him was removed as his Poison Body worked.

After some time, a woman appeared. “Is something the matter? Aren’t you tired?”

“Nope. There was a sleeping concoction in the mist but it wasn’t that potent,” Erik said.

The woman coughed slightly, looking at him oddly.

“Is this where I should make my concoction?” Erik asked.

“Yes, but it’s an illusion formation. The sleeping powder was to assist you in falling asleep. Once you’re asleep, it is easier to come under the effects of the illusion formation. In this illusion formation, you can prepare and concoct any formula you want with any collection of ingredients.”

“Oh, so I need to sleep and then I can get access to the third stage.” Erik nodded and then pulled out a tea. It was the same tea he had been using since the Second Realm to knock himself out.

He put the tea away as he started to yawn and laid back on the bed. He closed his eyes as his view started to change.

He didn’t see the woman stepping closer and sniffing him.

“A sleeping concoction like this is almost a poison. To need something like that to simply go to sleep—just what is his body constitution like?”

She shook her head and disappeared back into the mists to watch over the other contestants.

The formation activated as Erik fell asleep.

Erik seemed to open his eyes, finding himself in Old Hei’s Alchemy workroom.

It was where the world of Alchemy had been opened before him and where he had his explosive growth in Alchemy.

Erik thought of his Iron Castle cauldron and his new tools; they appeared in front of him. He paused for a moment, and thought of a modern incubator.

A big box-like fridge appeared; lightning sparked around its power plug before the incubator started to smoke and then melt. Erik could smell it and felt the heat as the incubator was quickly reduced to a pile of scrap.

“It’s only a simulation, after all. What the hell happened to it?” Erik looked over the incubator, studying the busted parts for a few minutes before he let out a sigh.

“It looks like the lightning Mana was channeled into the plug. The incubator is made to deal with a certain amount of power—the lightning Mana that was introduced to it was way too powerful. I never realized the amount of power that formations are wrestling with. The simple materials used in Earth’s technology aren’t able to withstand the power of the Ten Realms.”

That’s why all of our electronics went dead. There was probably a reaction with the electrical power stored within them and the power in the Ten Realms, burning them out.

Erik focused his mind. The incubator disappeared as he thought of prepared ingredients but nothing happened. As he thought of harvested ingredients, they appeared to one side.

Erik tested it out. He could really have any ingredient that he desired!

“If I am only graded on the completed product, what if I was to make a number of concoctions and take them all the way to completion and then destroy them before they’re completed?” Erik thought aloud. He had been hurting with spending so many Mana stones on ingredients—wasn’t this his chance to try out the expensive as hell concoctions to his heart’s content without having to worry about the cost? He hadn’t needed to pay anything to enter this trial, after all, and the Alchemist Association surely wouldn’t be annoyed with him if he wanted to try to increase his Alchemy knowledge.

With a thought, several ingredients appeared, ingredients that he had never seen in real life but he had read about in texts or in passing.

Erik let out a laugh. “Well, fuck, it’d be a waste not to try these out!”

With ingredients that would have cost hundreds, if not thousands, of Mana stones in real life, Erik started to test them, to verify they were like what he had read in the books he read earlier. When he tried to consume them, there were no effects, not allowing him to trigger Reverse Alchemist. Still, with the tests he could do on them with his equipment, he was able to verify the information that he had read and add a greater understanding.

Instead of concocting anything, Erik started testing every ingredient possible, even pulling out a bunch of Lidel leaves to practice his flames on as he’d gained some inspiration over the last couple of days.

Even with all of the experimentation going on, with his Alchemy Book he could add in the results and move on, not worrying about forgetting them.

Chapter: Opening Blow

Roska tore a spell scroll. It was one of the spell scrolls she had kept as a personal possession when returning from the Second Realm. Even the simple spell scroll had cost a lot but its ability was well worth it.

In her vision, a wave of energy spread out through the walls. It adhered to the living creatures around her, highlighting the people around her. It would only work in a twenty-meter area, but it was as if she could see through the walls now.

“Seven minutes,” she said, looking at the timer effect that ticked down in the corner of her vision.

She checked the area above her again. Placing her hand on the seam of the heavy stone slabs where they connected, she moved to the side.

She cast her Butcher spell. The components of the mortar came apart as the stone shifted. She moved her hand, casting it a few more times, weakening the hold on the slab.

After a few more casts, the stone slab fell down into the mud, splashing her armor. She didn’t care as she reached up to the flooring. Instead of wasting her time, she looked around and pulled out a hammer. Seeing no one around, she smashed her hammer into the flooring, breaking it apart and leaving a pile of rubble on the stone slab.

She got up, finding herself in a large storage room filled with drink, stored food, and wood. Supplies that the manor used to keep running. There were guards from the kitchens to make sure no one was poisoning food, at the doors and gates, but over the supplies in the basement?

Roska watched people moving around the building through the Detect Life scroll, building up an idea of how to move around.

She headed out of the cellar, drinking a potion called Feather Light. Her weight reduced. She grabbed onto the wall and looked around. The manor was on a hill. A wall halfway up the hill reached the middle of the lord’s three-story building, standing at the top of the hill, overlooking the city and the lands beyond.

The city had around one hundred thousand people, most asleep under the cover of darkness.

Roska, wearing black spots on her skin and dark clothing, jumped up and grabbed onto the wall. She pulled herself up. The Feather Light potion made her weigh as much as a cat and she quickly scaled her way to the roof.

She moved across the peaked roof; then, using cloth-covered tools, she started to pull the tiles out of place. After some work, she removed enough to get through. She pulled the tiles back over to cover the hole and then moved through the empty storage attic.

She pulled out a hand-drawn map that Imani had been able to get from a steward.

She checked it against the building and moved through the rooms in the attic. The Feather Light potion kept her light enough that she didn’t make a sound on the floors.

She located a wall with a brick chimney going up.

Bingo.

She took out her tools again. Using them and her Butcher spell, she quickly cracked open the chimney. She looked down, seeing a glow below. Candles in a room lit up a fireplace two floors below, passing the third floor and reaching the second.

She could see people moving in the room with her Detect Life spell scroll active. It looked as if there were still reports coming in from across their frontier outposts. Commanders were writing down reports or updating them, moving on what she assumed was a large map in the middle of the room.

Roska put the bricks back in place with just a small one out of place so she could hear what they were saying.

She took the time to look around. She saw a few guards standing outside a room, another group in the adjoining room as a woman slept inside.

Lord Zaneli. Roska could have tried opening a hole above the woman’s bed and dropping in the explosives, but she was just one person. If she could kill her and the other commanders in their meeting, she would be beheading the Zatan’s control over their confederation.

She didn’t have a personal vendetta against anyone here, but she had her orders. Unknowingly, Alva’s methods of dealing with their enemy had turned from the upfront confrontations of the realms to the gray and black operations carried out on Earth.

Roska got comfortable as the messages came in from the rest of the team when they completed their missions and headed out to the meeting point to group up.

She waited there patiently, listening to the chimney, feeling it as someone started up a fire. Smoke started to enter the attic with her. She plugged it up and pulled out the Detect Life scrolls she had prepared.

She quickly changed into another outfit, the clothes from the same steward who they had gotten the map of the building from.

She sat back down and used the Detect Life scrolls periodically. She only had a few and she didn’t want to waste them by using them constantly. Finally, around mid-morning, the leaders of the confederation met up in the main meeting room.

Roska watched as Lord Zaneli entered the room. The commanders all stood to greet her. She waved them down and took her seat at the head of the table.

Roska waited for her to start the briefing, the others standing up and reporting on routine matters.

She started to take out the bricks she had removed the night before, leaving a wide opening. A chunk of brick went the wrong way and fell into the logs below. Roska’s eyes went wide as she stopped moving. The people in the room below looked over at the fire but then looked away.

With that, Roska pulled out the remaining bricks, chastising herself as she moved quickly and efficiently.

Finally, there was a large open hole with smoke coming out of it. Roska pulled out the large package that Han Wu made.

She checked the room once more. She pulled out the three pull cords and stuffed the package in the chimney. It dropped down right into the fire as Roska was already running for the door that would lead to the third floor.

***

Lord Zaneli walked into the conference room. The commanders rose to greet her as she waved them back down. “What are the reports from Tabur?”

“He should be already executing the battleplan he reported to us yesterday, using the catapults for long-range bombardment and then taking the outpost by tomorrow night,” one of the commanders reported.

“Good. What about our scouts and outposts?”

“We have had some issues contacting a few of them last night—might have been attacked by scouting parties or they made a run for it. Most of them reported in. Might need to change the commanders up. A number of them reported in late or at the wrong time,” the commander complained.

“Send someone to beat some sense into their thick skulls or give some promotions to others who can do the job,” Zaneli said.

A loud noise came from the fireplace. As sparks and flames shot up, they all looked at it before seeing that there appeared to be nothing out of the ordinary.

“There have been some changes within the city. Last night, there was a high number of murders. One of them might be related to the Kuccid family, a Quruzul tribe member,” one of the commanders said.

The room went quiet. They all knew the tensions among the tribes.

Zaneli tapped her fingers on the desk as something else fell in the fireplace. Everyone’s eyes shot over as they looked at the odd package laying there. It looked to be a package like the traders might move.

“Someone must be above us!” Zaneli yelled out as she stood. Her seat didn’t even touch the ground when Han Wu’s present went off.

***

Roska felt the explosion as part of the manor was blown apart.

She raced down the stairs and through the people who were yelling and trying to force their way through, just like her. She was covered in dust from the rock as flames started to spread from the conference room.

She made it out of the manor, coughing from the dust as she moved toward the main gates leading into the lord’s estate. Guards were already closing the gates.

She ran over, keeping her pace down so as to not alarm people.

“No one is allowed in or out!” the guard yelled, grabbing at the sword by his side.

“I’ve got to send a message! I was told it needs to get to the general right away!” Roska yelled.

The guards looked at one another before one waved her on. “Go and be quick about it!”

Roska bobbed her head and ran out of the gate, toward the city.

People were already looking up at the manor. The noise that had come from it was alarming; smoke could be seen rising from the manor with a big hole cut in the side of it. Part of the building gave way and collapsed in a shower of bricks.

Roska took off, running through the city. She ran through an alley, tossing off her jacket and pulling on a tribe’s armor and then a cloak overtop against the rain.

She ran through the city to an inn near the stables.

She made it inside and saw her people were ready. Roska bought some food from the person at the bar and then left, finding her group outside and waiting for her.

She looked to them as they fell in behind her. They walked to one of the stables that wasn’t guarded. They pulled out horses and headed to the trader’s gates. These gates weren’t used anymore as there were relatively few traders coming to Irdan.

The Zatan had targeted caravans since they began and only a few traders were willing to do business with them. Most of the people who did trade were people from Zatan heading to the trading outposts around the Beast Mountain Range.

Tully took the lead as the others pulled out crossbows underneath their cloaks.

“You’re not allowed through these gates!” one of the guards said. There were four in total.

Tully jumped off her horse. A spear appeared in her hand; she stuck it through one guard’s neck, whipping it around to the side and cutting the back of another’s knee. He yelled out before his cries were silenced with a cut across the throat.

At the same time, Imani had shot a guard in the eye with a crossbow, killing him instantly. She almost lazily got off her horse and flicked her hand, a throwing knife lodging in the last guard’s throat.

She pulled the blade out of the man’s neck as Gong Jin moved past them and started to push on the crank to open the gate. Han Wu assisted; the gate opened for them in record time as they could do the work of five men each. Roska and Yang Zan covered their backs as Imani and Tully got back on their horses, who were calm. These horses were used to the sounds of battle and blood after being around the nomads.

They finished opening the gate. Han Wu put a piece of cord on the rope and lit it, jumping back on his horse.

The group rushed out from the gate.

It wasn’t long until they were spotted.

Guards yelled out at them before firing on them.

Han Wu’s timing cord burned through the ropes quickly, resulting in the gate slamming shut.

With their reactions, the party was able to guide their slow horses out of the path of the arrows. It wasn’t long until they were out of range and nearing the tree line.

Once into the tree line, they quickly dismounted into a stream and sent the horses on their way. The party waded through the cold water as explosions could be heard in the distance. Han Wu’s preparations woke up the people of the Zatan Confederation, leaving breaches in their walls.

The group left the stream some time later. Roska pulled out a whistle.

With it, their panthers that had been resting in the area appeared after a little bit.

Roska smiled as she petted her mount, giving him a treat as she got up on his back and scratched his neck. “Time we head home.”

The group turned, and the panthers raced off through the forest even faster than the Zatan Confederation nomads.

***

Morning had just arrived over Vermire as Tabur ordered his people forward.

They had built up a number of bulwarks on carts, basically wooden huts with shields covering them against incoming catapult or ranged attacks.

These started to move forward, three of them dragging a catapult with them.

“Seems that last night a bout of fever went through the camp. About forty percent of our forces are bent over one way or another,” an aide said to General Tabur.

“Make sure to keep them isolated from the rest,” Tabur said in a low voice, as if it might give it away to the enemy.

Just my luck. I have an overwhelming superiority in numbers and nearly half of my troops are sick with something they picked up from who the hell knows where?

He could only let out a heated breath. He still had nearly sixty thousand troops that were combat ready.

I’ll need to call up more of the carriages to take the sick soldiers back to their respective units. They won’t be able to march fast in this condition.

It only shortened the time period he could fight even further.

He watched the catapults on the Vermire wall. As Tabur’s came into range, they fired off, trying to hit the moving bulwarks.

These loads contained flint stones as well as the flammable pots, starting fires on top of the defenses.

Covered in flame-resistant hides, it got hotter for the men underneath but only a few caught fire, requiring the bulwark to be pushed away and the soldiers to help the other members of their team.

The catapults on Vermire’s walls slowed their rate of fire.

“Do you think that their crews are getting tired?” one of the aides asked.

“They might be low on supplies,” another said, hopeful.

Vermire is a trading outpost, near the Beast Mountain Range. The most those catapults would be used for is killing or diverting a beast horde. In that case, it would make sense that they don’t have that much ammunition. Still, they have surprised us before.

Tabur watched his catapults get into range as they started to fire on the walls.

They adjusted their aim as more catapult and ammunition teams were pushed up to assist the forward catapult teams. The catapults on the wall fired less and less frequently, with a number of them being destroyed.

The wall was starting to come down, the rocks being knocked back into the city.

It was slow work, but by midday the wall was nearly completely collapsed.

“Send in the first wave. Have the catapults pull back. Get the bulwarks to remain as cover for the advancing troops,” Tabur said.

Orders were passed as a force of five thousand charged forward across the battlefield, making for the breached walls.

***

“Get ready!” Aditya called out, as he got a report of the enemy closing in. He looked at the wall that had collapsed in several places.

With his orders, in the morning the people of the trading outpost had moved to the other side of the town. They could only watch the wall being destroyed and their homes being shattered by the catapults.

Now the first batch of nomads rushed across the field of battle to attack them.

“Ranged, hit them when you can!”

The nomads continued coming closer before they were met with arrows and spells, where hundreds fell under the weight of fire. There were nearly ten thousand mercenaries and people from Vermire in the defensive force.

As the first group was stumbling, a second wave of one thousand nomads came in behind them, strengthening their numbers. And so it went, with more and more of them piling in.

Some made it to the front lines, where they were torn apart by the mercenaries.

The mercenaries might not have fought a normal war, but these nomads, who had merely ambushed a few caravans and towns, weren’t much to the men and women who went up against the beasts hidden in the Beast Mountain Range.

The nomads fell like wheat in front of them. The Zatan Confederation seemed to understand that they would not win one-on-one and started to advance as a whole.

That’s it, just come a little closer.

The army was moving forward; the leading elements were just barely holding control over their people. A number had been left behind in the camp, but the majority moved forward, a force of fifty thousand.

The mercenaries might be able to win against a few people, but fighting at five-to-one odds, it would be a hard-met battle.

“Pan Kun, I think it’s time for some mom jokes and discussing their ancestry,” Aditya said.

“With pleasure, my lord,” Pan Kun said.

Across the line, the guards started to use spells to amplify their voices, jeering at the nomads, talking about the human and beast mating that created their rather low intelligence selves, insulting their families, catcalling out to their mothers.

As much as they looked like it, the nomads weren’t a normal group of soldiers. To them, as tribe members, their honor, their heritage, was something that couldn’t and wouldn’t be touched. Yet the people they would wipe off the First Realm were yelling such obscenities at them! How could their honor take it?

They started picking up the pace. The commanders tried to keep control until some of them were unable to do so themselves. The formation came apart as they charged.

Aditya looked to the battlefield, seeing people wearing masks or scarves move through the battlefield, leaving destruction behind them and easing the pressure on the Vermire lines before they fell back.

The Zatan Confederation army was a disorganized mess of people keeping formation and those rushing forward to kill.

Aditya pulled out a medallion and raised his communication device. “Ready Fireball scrolls. Catapults, prepare to fire.”

Getting back readiness from both, Aditya smiled. “On my signal!” He snapped the medallion in two.

Several lightning barrier plates that had been buried underground activated. Circles of lightning appeared in the midst of the attacking army. If one ran into it, they turned into a human lightning rod, wearing all their weapons and armor. The lightning shot out at anyone in the surrounding area, jumping from person to person, having a greater effect.

Hundreds died in the first second they were activated, with more dying by the second as the lightning barriers kept pumping out power, creating a web of lightning that arced through them all.

***

Tabur was just looking at the lightning running through his soldiers when fireballs, nearly twenty meters wide, appeared, being launched through the front ranks of his attacking army. When they hit something solid, they would explode like a shotgun blast and continue onward, leaving burning lines running through the charging nomads.

“General, what do we do?” an aide asked.

“Grenade!” a man yelled out.

Tabur looked to see what was going on with the unfamiliar word.

Explosions went off among his command staff, killing messengers, commanders, and aides, tearing them apart.

Tabur was thrown to the side, His rhino dying from the shrapnel.

Tabur pulled on his crushed leg and tried to free himself from under his massive mount.

Out of the smoke, men appeared, pulling off their nomad style armor to reveal high quality armor he had never seen before, not even on the lords and their strongest knights.

He yelled out in alarm as the hidden forces cut into his command staff.

They were unprepared, focusing on the battle, with his yell they only had time to turn and face their deaths.

The hidden assailant’s strength couldn’t be matched; their movements allowed them to thread through the command staff as if they were water flowing through rocks.

Spies hidden within the camp, placed to strike at the moment of confusion! How are they this strong? Just who did Aditya buy?

Tabur pulled his leg free and pulled out his sword to face the people approaching him.

One rushed past him. He was unable to even hit the hem of their clothing with his sword as they threw something in his face. He sneezed with the powder as he hopped on one leg. His broken leg was useless.

“Who are you? Whatever Aditya paid you, I’ll double it,” Tabur said.

“Get back to the wall. We need to repel the remaining forces,” a man said.

The others nodded and cut their way out of the group before they disappeared into the backs of the army that was in a mass of confusion.

Tabur’s hands shook, making it hard for him to hold the sword. The first group turned and started to run from the battlefield.

“Cowards!” he yelled. His words ended in a wet cough and he could feel sweat all over his body. His vision started to blur as he saw more people retreating. He collapsed to the ground, seeing the man who had stayed behind step up to him. He had killed off the remainder of the command group.

The powder—it must’ve been a poison.

“Don’t worry, your lord has gone on ahead and the Zatan Confederation shouldn’t be too far behind.”

Tabur looked up at the man as he pulled out a crossbow. Tabur didn’t have time to react as the crossbow shot out and hit him in the chest, piercing his armor with ease.

He looked at it before darkness overcame him.

***

Jen looked at the wall. As the mercenaries’ and guards’ morale had skyrocketed, to the nomads they looked like demons in the midst of hell.

The nomads who had been charging forward so eagerly before now turned white and started to run in the other direction.

As people were looking out for orders but got none, they found out their command was gone, killed in the midst of the fighting despite having been to the rear of the formation.

The Zatan Confederation turned and started to run for their lives as the remaining catapults shot out pots filled with flammable liquids, raining down on the nomads and the still burning ground.

It truly did turn into a slaughter. Aditya was only just able to hold back the mercenaries.

***

Jen clenched her jaws at seeing so much death and destruction. All of them had been taught as if they were to be combat medics but it was one thing training for it and another seeing it. As well prepared as she was, it took her a bit of time to adjust to the sights and smells of it.

“Got another critical,” a medic said as he reached Jen.

She looked away from the battlefield and followed him over to where the critically injured guard was.

“Going to need a Stamina drip. Give me an airbag and be ready on chest compressions!” She was already casting Simple Organic Scan and checking him over to see the mass of internal damage done to him.

Across the battlefield, right behind the ranged fighters, the Alva healers could be seen, healing and working on the Vermire wounded. Some were able to directly get back on their feet and into the fighting again. Others were sent back to the healing house once they were stabilized.

More wounded were being brought back and treated. Very few didn’t survive once they made it into the hands of the healers.

Chapter: Journeyman Emerges

Rugrat wrestled the repaired armor plate into the shoulder pad, moving it around a bit to make sure that it wouldn’t come out. There was a cut in the fabric that he had sown together with a patch.

He put down the torso piece and looked at the armor set out on the table. There was the helmet that came to the base of the skull. He had added in a sort of face mask that could be removed, making it look like the helmets that Air Force pilots might wear.

Rugrat wanted to increase the strength of the armor, or make a new set, but with his inability to wield Mana, repairing was the limit of his abilities and it had taken him weeks to just repair Erik’s gear.

Rugrat checked the stats of the repaired equipment.

==========

Ass-shining Leather Boots

==========

Defense: 143 (-21)

Weight: 3.5 kg

Durability: 89/100

Slot: Takes up foot slot

Innate Effect: Increase physical attack damage by 4%

Enchantment: Light Steps—running costs 5% less Stamina

This is a set item. When two or more set items are combined, the abilities of the set items will increase.

Requirements:

Agility 27

Strength 18

==========

==========

Chaps, But With the Ass Greaves

==========

Defense: 157 (-27)

Weight: 9.7 kg

Durability: 83/100

Slot: Takes up leg slot

Innate Effect: Increase physical attack damage by 4%

Enchantment: Light Steps—running costs 5% less Stamina

This is a set item. When two or more set items are combined, the abilities of the set items will increase.

Requirements:

Agility 30

Strength 27

==========

==========

Big-assed Chafer!

==========

Defense: 164 (-29)

Weight: 32.6 kg

Durability: 85/100

Slot: Takes up chest slot

Innate Effect: Increase physical attack damage by 4%

Enchantment: Stone Wall—Defense increases by 7%

This is a set item. When two or more set items are combined, the abilities of the set items will increase.

Requirements:

Agility 23

Strength 35

==========

==========

Ass Slappers!

==========

Defense: 112 (-17)

Weight: 2.3 kg

Durability: 91/100

Slot: Takes up glove slot

Innate Effect: Increase physical attack damage by 4%

Enchantment: Mana Amplification—Mana-based spells power increases by 3%

This is a set item. When two or more set items are combined, the abilities of the set items will increase.

Requirements:

Agility 28

Strength 29

==========

==========

Asshat

==========

Defense: 147 (-3)

Weight: 3.7 kg

Durability: 99/100

Slot: Takes up helmet slot

Innate Effect: Increase defense by 5%

Enchantment: Mana Amplification—Mana-based spells power increases by 3%

This is a set item. When two or more set items are combined, the abilities of the set items will increase.

Requirements:

Agility 13

Strength 10

==========

==========

You have equipped the Ass Kicker set.

For having five pieces:

Your defense increases by 2%

Physical attacks damage increases by 14%

Stamina consumption reduces by 3%

==========

Rugrat sat back and looked at it all. He took a swig of beer from a ceramic jar and then pulled out his rifle, looking at it.

He sighed and ran his hand across its upper receiver. His vision was blurry from drinking.

Is this the last thing that I’ll ever be able to make? Will I only be able to pound on iron, never able to create Mortal iron again, or to create Journeyman equipment because I can’t use the right materials? Never anything more than a Mortal smith?

Rugrat felt lost, confused. He had devoted his time to increasing his Mana Gathering system, to smithing, but now, because of his idiotic actions, he had destroyed that future. How far had they come in the Third Realm and they hadn’t been able to find anything that might be able to repair the damage that he had caused.

There was no one else to blame, no way to shift the blame. It was a dagger in his gut and he had put it there.

He had tried to shift it, but then when they were in a fight or when he wanted to craft something, that pain only returned, stronger.

Rugrat let out a laugh without any humor in it as he sat there with his rifle on his legs and drank from the jar, drinking to forget, to push it all away.

***

Khasar and the guards had been watching over Old Hei, who was working on some kind of concoctions in the booth, while watching the Path of Alchemy trial for two weeks now. The second-to-last person had come out two days ago.

“Looks like the head of this place is anxious to get back to work. Tell him it’s fine if he goes,” Old Hei said absently.

“Yes, sir,” Khasar said.

There was now only one name that was lit up, still competing in the trial: Erik West on the third board.

Khasar didn’t know what to think. Seeing Old Hei’s pleased expression, his derisive thoughts were pushed to the back of his mind. He was but a guard and Old Hei was one of the three pill heads. If he was still praising this boy, then how was it his place to say anything bad?

It was not as if he and the others in the guard unit had not gained anything. Old Hei freely talked on Alchemy and fielded questions from them. He was not arrogant and as long as someone had questions and would honestly take his information and test it out on their own, he was only pleased with their success instead of jealous.

He had also concocted a few pills in front of them and even passed them pills that might help them. People who had hidden injuries, those who had reached a bottleneck in their Mana system or Body Cultivation—he passed them all information.

This was the hidden benefit that came with guarding an alchemist. If one was able to attach themselves to one who was a good master, they might be able to increase their strengths much faster than if they were to do it themselves.

Old Hei’s actions and his care not only toward the guards but also interest and care for their families made him a person the guards held in their hearts. It was no longer a job for them to protect Old Hei, but they viewed it an honor being able to stand guard and did everything possible to make sure that he was safe, much to his chiding.

It was also why, against his better judgement, Khasar placed his trust in Old Hei instead of the people he had heard muttering in the stands and talking to one another about the final failure.

“I will pass the message.” Khasar moved to the rear of the booth to send the message.

***

Others were not as forgiving as Khasar and Old Hei.

“He has already been in there for two weeks now and still he is unable to create a concoction? What kind of mess is this? Shouldn’t he give up by this point?” one of the moderators asked their fellows as they looked at the only active testing area in the entire Path of Alchemy trial.

They were stuck watching the trial to make sure that there was no cheating and report anything strange or noteworthy to the higher echelons of the Alchemist Association, keeping them from working on their own projects.

“At least we’re getting paid for it,” another replied. She was reading a book while she was on watch.

“Great, to watch a failure!” the man complained, pulling out a chair and sitting down as he looked at the man asleep in the middle of the illusion formation.

***

Erik had gone through hundreds of ingredients and he had altered the formulas of the healing, Stamina, and Mana concoctions. Through two weeks of trial and error, he had finally found a new combination of ingredients for all of them that would allow them to be used at the same time without the ever-present effectiveness decrease that one might experience when consuming multiple potions. The first would have 100% effectiveness, but if it didn’t clear the person’s system and they took another concoction, then it would be reduced in effectiveness. Now there was no helping this if someone used the same concoction, but mixing the three different concoctions, they would be 100% effective.

It might seem like a small thing but with it, someone who had been taking Mana pills could now get a healing potion and get healed at a 20% increase from before. Same if a melee fighter using Stamina potions used a healing potion. Or if someone was gravely injured, they could be placed on a Stamina and healing drip to keep them stable, instead of the medic having to worry about prioritizing healing or Stamina Regeneration to keep their patient alive. Now there was no wrong answer. A small change but one with massive implications.

Erik had never finished the concoctions so that he wouldn’t pass through the last stage.

“Now time to increase my ability with the other concoctions and pills. Defender’s Might is the kind of pill I’ve been looking for for a long time to increase my fighting ability rapidly in the middle of a fight, though I haven’t been able to make a version that is strong enough to make me happy. I want to at least get to the Inscribed pill level and be able to replicate it time and time again. If I could give this to the people of Alva, then it would be like giving them a berserker skill. And if they take a healing potion afterward, then they would be able to recover from the effects completely. One way to create super soldiers—drug them to the tits!”

Erik laughed to himself, ignorant to everything that was happening outside of the illusion formation.

“I wonder if we could be able to make something like this in Alva Dungeon. The ability to practice without wasting resources—just the money we would save is astronomical, especially when someone reaches the Journeyman stage and has to build up knowledge and ability in so many things. I can see why the Journeyman stage is the first true stage of any craft. I was really a man in a cave before. I thought I actually knew a few things about Alchemy!”

He laughed at himself, but instead of being frustrated, he was excited. There was so much to learn, to build, to grow! It was as if he had seen the end of the book he was reading, only to find out that it was the first book in a series!

Erik had been debating whether he should create more of the Age Rejuvenation potions. He hadn’t made any in the previous trials because people had been observing him the entire time. If he revealed that he knew how to make such a concoction, he might be accepted into the Alchemist Association right away, or he might have people after him, trying to get the information from him.

So he had kept it hidden. It was as he learned more through the Alchemy Book that he figured out something.

The Age Rejuvenation potion was a Journeyman-level concoction, but it was a concoction that relied fully on technique, on one’s technique with flames to refine the ingredients, to pull out the hidden depths of power.

Now that he had more knowledge through the Alchemy Book, he knew that there were better supporting ingredients that he could use to increase the power of the Lidel leaves.

The effect of the potion turned it from an Apprentice-level potion into a Journeyman one. The Alchemist Association didn’t care about the effects of a potion that one made when they were being admitted; they cared only about the ability of the alchemist.

Not just their technique in creating a potion, but their knowledge. Creating a concoction that was harder to complete and one that required knowledge and technique—that could get one a higher position when they entered the Alchemist Association.

To get in contact with Old Hei and become an Expert alchemist to create the Mana Channel Revitalization pill, he needed to take every advantage possible.

The Age Rejuvenation potion was a simple concoction. It was hard to complete but it was possible to create a large amount of wealth with selling it to the Blue Lotus.

It didn’t mean that Erik couldn’t study ingredients that might increase its strength. But now he wanted to increase his overall ability, not just his technique, to see what his limits were and to push past them. It was a lot easier when he didn’t have to care about resources!

***

Lord Aditya was looking at the walls. They had lost nearly two thousand people in total. There might have been as many as three times that if not for the help of the Alva Healing House. Now mages were working together with engineers to rebuild the wall. Instead of mortar, they were fusing the stones together, making it as if one massive stone wall. It would be stronger than ever before.

He looked back to the table, where the lords and ladies from the regions surrounding the Zatan Confederation sat. Instead of looking down on Aditya, there were hints of interest. They saw him as someone on the same level as them.

“Well, Lord Aditya, do you know anything about the attack that took out the commanders in Irdan and caused the tribes to go to war with one another?” Lady Concordia asked.

“Oh, how would I know anything like that?” Aditya smiled.

“Seems like General Tabur was also met with a blade in the back,” Lord Nuzif said, as if remembering such a fact.

“Oh well, seems that he must’ve had an accident as well.” Aditya smiled but there was a hard edge to his eyes. “I’ve been hearing that it was rather easy for you to enter the Zatan Confederation. It seems like a number of messengers met a bad fate. Truly, there are many mysteries.”

His words made a few of the lords’ eyes widen and narrow in shock. He was admitting to wiping out messenger stations and more across the Zatan Confederation without them or the Zatan Confederation knowing. Such an action was truly terrifying when dealing in information.

“What will Vermire do now?” Lady Concordia asked. The others all gauged Aditya’s reaction. He was a man who had orchestrated the fall of a power that they had been dealing with for years in just a few short weeks.

“Vermire is a simple town. We will rebuild and we will continue to host adventurers heading into the Beast Mountain Range and offering a place to buy and sell goods to our many allies,” Aditya said, as if reminding them that he had met with them out of a matter of convenience. Few of them had an alliance with him; other nations all used Vermire as a place to have conversations that they could not have in the public eye and where deals could be made that shouldn’t be known of.

To them, Vermire not only looked like a small place to do business, it was a sleeping dragon, one not to be provoked, one that could uphold its own strength. They did not use conventional means, which made them all the more terrifying. They had gained a glimpse of their capabilities, both in information gathering and acting upon it.

“I wonder if you would be able to procure a number of goods my emperor has told me he has an interest in?” Lady Concordia said.

If there could truly be a neutral party, then its use was high. They might not enter into war, but the benefits in war and peace could give them a great advantage over others. They had read the reports of Apprentice-level armor that the guards wore and the hidden wealth in catapults, formations, and spell scrolls that Aditya had used. They might just be tools, but they were strategic tools that could be used in times of need or to turn the tide of a battle. Having a way to get these items was hard to find. As Vermire was a trading outpost, there had to be a price for these items.

***

Another three weeks went past as Erik looked to increase the strength he could pull out of Defender’s Might and Ice Citadel concoctions.

He took time to rest to bring his best ability forward each time.

“Well, it looks like unless I improve my ability through another means that I’m at a roadblock,” Erik said to himself as he reached the Inscribed level of the Defender’s Might pill for the fourth time. Instead of letting it be destroyed, this time he continued on.

The iron cauldron rang as the pill formed and Erik started to retract his flames.

As the cauldron calmed down, the world that Erik had been in went white.

Erik opened his eyes, looking around at the bed that he had fallen asleep in.

While in the formation, he had not needed to eat or drink, with it placing him in a kind of stasis. Still, he drank down a Stamina potion and drank some water, feeling weak from it all. The mists separated in front of him and he gathered himself, standing up and stretching before heading along the path.

***

“Finally! Damn. If I knew that it would have taken him that long, I wouldn’t have signed up to moderate this Path of Alchemy trial,” one of the moderators who had been on watch said, standing up angrily.

The other also stood, a frown on their face. “It seems that he passed the trial, though. I wonder what grade he made?”

“Does it even matter? With the people who have had to waste their time in here, do you think that he will have an easy time with getting a foothold? Such a person might not even be able to get a low-Apprentice-level emblem. After all, he took so damn long!”

The moderators sent messages to report the end of the Path of Alchemy trial. They exited it through their own means, and went around to the grounds where the people exited from the Path of Alchemy trial.

There was just one of the audience booths with people in it, covered with a privacy screen so that they could look out but others couldn’t look in.

“Isn’t that the principal’s seat? Why is he still here?” one of the moderators asked.

“Don’t you know? The principal gave his box up to someone else. I don’t know who is in there but they have a higher authority than the principal.”

“They chose to wait all this time?”

“Maybe there is no one in there and they left the screen up,” the moderator said as they entered the area in front of the Path of Alchemy trial. They had the authority to greet people exiting the Path of Alchemy trial.

They stood there and it wasn’t long until the man appeared, stepping out from under the sign.

On the sign, his name moved from the third board to the fourth board and started to change colors.

“You have passed the Path of Alchemy trial,” the elder moderator said in a bored voice as he glanced up at the board for the grade emblem that the man had earned.

His words stopped as he looked at the man’s name changing colors.

The elder coughed as the emblem stopped.

“You are awarded with a mid-Journeyman-level emblem,” he said with a strained voice.

How can it be that this man who took so much time jumped all the way from an applicant to a mid-Journeyman alchemist? He does look older. He must’ve taken his time coming to this stage to show off his strength and awe people, but there is no one around. The moderator consoled himself as he found his composure again.

“HAH! Mid-Journeyman! Not bad, Erik!” The screen of the “empty” booth disappeared as a man stood up from his seat. With him, several guards eyed the man who had appeared with interest.

The old man jumped from his seat and landed easily on the testing grounds, the others following.

The moderator’s eyes dropped to the man’s emblem. Seeing it made of Sky-grade iron, his eyes couldn’t help but go wide.

He bowed with the other moderator toward the Expert alchemist

One of the pill heads came personally to see him? Just who is this person?

“Old Hei!” the man said with a laugh in his voice.

“Not bad. Was only, what, eight months ago you were a Novice alchemist? You’ve put this old man to shame,” Old Hei said.

The moderator wanted to spit blood. Old Hei—as in Expert Hei, the newest and the fiercest of all the pill heads? Novice just eight months ago?

“What took you so long?” Hei asked.

Erik revealed how he had taken his time with the first test to increase his knowledge, the second to affirm it, and the third to improve his ability overall without worry about resources.

“Good, good! Too many of the younger generation rush ahead. I have seen one-hundred-year-olds with less patience than you! A thirty-year-old making it to mid-Journeyman—seems it won’t be so hard for me to invite you to the Division Headquarters.” Hei laughed.

***

Hei waved his hand and a gold emblem with two stripes that had dropped down from the signboard appeared in his hand as he passed it to Erik.

“What does this actually mean?” Erik looked at the emblem.

“Has no one told you?” Old Hei asked.

“Nope. Well, I haven’t asked anyone and it kind of seemed like something that everyone knew.”

“So by trying to not look like an idiot, you’re an idiot.” Old Hei sighed and shook his head as Erik gave him the middle finger, making the old man laugh.

“All right, so people who are qualified by the Alchemist Association can get these badges. Basically they certify not only your level in skill, but also your true ability. The Ten Realms might give you a skill level but this is based on the concoctions that you create as well as passing the different stages. But say you harvest a lot of really hard to harvest ingredients, then your skill level would be high. Same if you only formed pills. It is not a reflection of all your abilities, for that boils down to three things: knowledge, ability, and capability. You have the knowledge of Alchemy to be able to do things up to a Journeyman level, you have the capability physically to carry out all of the actions of a Journeyman alchemist, and the ability, or skill, to do so. This is one of the reasons that many people come to the Alchemist Association when they need to have a concoction created as they know that the failure rate will be lower, because an alchemist will have the best chance to complete the concoction that they are given.”

“So, the colors and lines?” Erik asked.

“Copper for Novice, silver for Apprentice, gold for Journeyman, Sky-grade iron for Expert. Master is made from a glowing crystal and Star-classed alchemists will have a black medallion that seems to suck in the very light, but is marked with glowing stars. The lines on all of the emblems except Master and higher show low, mid, and high grade alchemist. Though some people have the term peak. These are people who have a half-step into the next class of alchemist, so a peak Journeyman alchemist like Journeyman Wu is very close to becoming an Expert-classed alchemist. While this difference may be small, some might never cross this divide their entire lives,” Old Hei said with hidden meaning before he smiled.

“Now, since you’ve finished so late, everyone else has left. Don’t worry. I will tell the overseer for this region. Now, what are you looking for as a prize?” Old Hei grinned.

Erik’s expression turned solemn as Old Hei cocked his head to the side. He didn’t normally see this side of Erik.

“Old Hei, I see that you’re actually an Expert alchemist. It seems that you were keeping that hidden somewhat.” Erik smiled slightly before continuing on. “I will forego my reward and ask for your help in increasing my ability so that I might be able to request and make the Mana Channel Revitalization pill.”

Erik bowed deeply but Old Hei stopped him with a hand, watching his eyes.

“Your Mana channels are fine. Do you want to make it for wealth?” Old Hei asked. There was no judgement in his eyes, just curiosity.

“Rugrat, my friend the smith who I talked about—there was a problem in his Mana cultivation,” Erik said.

Old Hei stroked his chin and nodded. “Take me to him. I’ve heard much about him but still have not met him yet!” A smile appeared on Old Hei’s face.

“Sir.” Khasar stepped forward.

“Khasar, relax. Don’t worry. Rugrat and Erik are much more dangerous than you think and I know Erik is a trustworthy person.” Old Hei sighed. “Using poison? I could smell it off you. Crude, but effective. There are a rare few that walk the path of healers and alchemists.”

Erik scratched his head awkwardly off to the side. “Seems that Old Hei’s eyes are sharper than I thought.”

“Little escapes these old eyes of mine! I hope you have something good to drink! It’s been boring sitting up there for so long!” Old Hei laughed.

Erik’s awkwardness fell away as he smiled at Old Hei.

“Oh, I am sorry for keeping you waiting,” Old Hei said as he saw the two moderators who were still bowing. “Thank you for looking over Erik in his trial. It has been hard on you.” Old Hei gave them each a Mind Calming pill that would allow them to focus more when they were creating concoctions in the future.

“Thank you, Pill Head Hei.” One bowed deeper from the gift.

With a smile, he waved away their words and clapped his hand on Erik’s shoulder.

“So what have you been up to since the Second Realm?” Hei asked his friend as they walked away.

The two moderators looked at each other, relieved that they hadn’t said anything before Old Hei appeared. They were only high-Apprentice-level alchemists. Chastising a Journeyman-level alchemist could land them into deep trouble. One who was close to one of the three pill heads? It was tantamount to them throwing away their previous achievements and their future.

Chapter: Alchemist Trial—Complete!

Erik sent word ahead to the rest of his group and headed for the place that they were staying.

Erik and Old Hei talked as they were walking and Erik told Old Hei of some of his adventures. Khasar couldn’t help but hear them and looked at the man in a new light. It seemed that Alchemy was a secondary profession, along with healing, but he was primarily a fighter.

The way that he moved, his eyes assessing the situation and looking at everything with a cold glance, he was not just a fighter, but someone who had survived through a number of nasty fights.

They reached the place that Erik was staying. Three men waited for them.

“This is Matt, a summoner and trader; Domonos, a friend of ours and a good man with a spear; and this is Rugrat, the idiot smith I was telling you about,” Erik said, introducing them all.

“Nice to meet you, Expert Hei,” Rugrat said.

“A brother of Erik’s is my friend as well. Please! This Expert this and that can get boring! Erik has been telling me some of the trials you’ve had to go through to get to this point. It doesn’t seem like your path has been an easy one!” Old Hei said.

Rugrat grinned. “No, but it’s kept us on our toes.”

“Come on, let’s go sit down somewhere and have a few drinks,” Erik said.

They moved to the courtyard where there was enough room and pulled out food and drink from their storage rings. Erik and Rugrat pulled out their few remaining meals and delicacies from Alva Dungeon.

“This area is rather high in Mana concentration and pure,” Old Hei said.

“Well, I’ve been working on a few pieces of armor and I usually use a Mana Gathering formation. It has been a few weeks of me doing so,” Rugrat quickly explained.

“Ah, that makes sense.” Old Hei smiled.

Khasar kept his words to himself. The Mana density was really high but it was the purity of it that was shocking. The purer one’s Mana was, the easier it would be for them to do anything magically related. It was like removing the rock around a gold nugget: if it wasn’t removed, it would take up the same space but only a little bit of it would be gold; if one could remove the excess and only leave the gold behind and pile it up, then there would be much more usable gold without useless extras.

He kept his mouth shut as he and the guards moved out of the courtyard, hearing Old Hei and the others talking, laughing and relaxing as they passed around drink and food.

***

Erik was seeing Old Hei out. It was now late in the night and everyone was reaching the point where the food, talking, and drinking had caught up with them.

“It will be hard for me to do anything about the Mana Channel Revitalization pill here in Resam. Tomorrow, do you want to come with me to the Division Headquarters? All of your party can come as well,” Old Hei said, seeing Erik ready to open his mouth.

“Thank you, Old Hei. I can’t thank you enough for all of this.” Erik hugged Old Hei.

Old Hei was shocked, but quickly recovered, smiling and patting him on the back.

Erik let him go and stepped back.

“You and your party are good people, one of the few I can relax around and not worry about maneuvering and games. You are also part of the reason that I have been able to get to this stage. Now, the Expert version of the Mana Channel Revitalization pill is good. The Master version is much harder, but the effects will allow Rugrat to heal his Mana channels and remove any hidden damage left behind. The Expert version will just heal his channels. To attempt a Master-level pill, I am going to need an assistant,” Old Hei said in a grave voice, looking at Erik.

“Will you agree to be my assistant?”

Erik took a deep breath. “I am not qualified to do so and I am sure there are people who are more able to do so than me. But I will do everything in my power to assist you in any way possible.”

Old Hei smiled and tapped him on the shoulder. “That’s what I wanted to hear. It will be a challenge for us both but I think a good one!” With that, he turned and left with his guards.

Erik saw them out and then went back into the manor.

Rugrat didn’t say anything and pulled out an ingot with a wide smile.

Erik’s attention was drawn to it as his Mana sense told him that this was a material that would not only allow Mana to pass through it, but it could increase the power of the Mana that passed through it.

“This?” Erik asked.

“Earth-grade iron,” Rugrat said proudly. “I think, at least. Never seen Earth-grade iron.”

“Can you make more?” Erik asked.

“Yeah, it just takes a lot of time and resources to make: five ingots, one Mana stone, and hours of work to complete.”

Erik took in a cold breath. “Not cheap.”

“Nope. But I wonder just what I can do with this. Formations would be a lot stronger and weapons would have a higher strength but their innate effects and enhancements would be stronger as well!”

Erik passed it back to Rugrat. There was nothing that they could do with it currently.

“Well, don’t stay up too late. We’re heading to the Division Headquarters tomorrow.”

Rugrat departed, with Erik returning to his room. He looked over his notifications. He had just been so busy since he left the trial he had not checked up on them.

==========

Quest: Alchemist Association Trial

==========

Congratulations! You have passed the third stage of the Alchemist Association.

==========

Requirements:

Complete Path of Alchemy trial

==========

Rewards: Become alchemist candidate

150,000 EXP

==========

==========

912,717/1,055,000 EXP till you reach Level 31

==========

Erik could only grimace. There was no increase in his Alchemy skill. It made sense, though; he had completed his concoction while inside the illusion formation so it was not real and it was not something that affected the Ten Realms, so it was not counted.

With the growing array he had erected, although it had allowed him to raise powerful ingredients, even mutated ones, his ability was still lacking. It had met the level of a Journeyman alchemist; he had just done it using as many methods as possible to shock the moderators.

The growing array, his knowledge of creating plant mutation—others might try to graft plants together or have one as a host to increase the speed or efficacy of the secondary product plant.

His knowledge from the books was all very good and it helped him a lot, but again, he didn’t do anything physically with that information. He had done a test, yes, but the Ten Realms did not abide by tests one took.

“Still, one hundred and fifty thousand Experience isn’t bad,” Erik said as he moved to his room to get a full night’s rest.

Chapter: Alchemist Division Headquarters

The next day, they all climbed aboard Old Hei’s flying beast. It was much larger and more powerful than the beast that had taken them from Khusai to Resam.

There were other beasts that followed them as well, filled with guards who looked after Old Hei’s needs and protected him. Erik and the rest of the party were shocked. All of Old Hei’s guards and attendants were level forty or higher. Not only were they a high level, they wore armor and weapons of a high grade and they had a faint killing intent around them as they looked at others. These were men and women who had lived life-and-death and survived putting their enemies into the ground.

Old Hei was akin to one of three emperors who ruled over the entire Third Realm. It was only with this entourage that they could see the power that he wielded.

Erik felt it strange, but then he also understood why Old Hei enjoyed having people he could just talk to and didn’t want anything from him. The higher one traveled, the less friends he might be able to call on.

As they rode, Erik and Old Hei would get to talking about Alchemy. Night or day, time seemed to lose meaning to them as they talked on techniques and information. Erik learned a great amount as Old Hei not only taught him, but had his mind opened by Erik’s thought processes. When Erik showed him his hand made tools, he personally asked Rugrat whether he would be willing to make him a set.

Rugrat was pleased to do so and spent his time making alchemical tools. It required less Mana and more fine detailing with his Mana blade, so he could complete it much easier than working on armor, weapons, or making Earth-grade iron ingots.

Old Hei got information on the Master-grade Mana Channel Revitalization pill, relaying this information to Erik. The two of them discussed the steps of the formula and how they would be able to complete it. For two weeks, they flew, crossing more land than Erik and Rugrat had crossed since entering the Third Realm.

Erik and Rugrat, as always, were using their Dungeon Sense. They only found one dungeon as they were passing. It was added to their maps automatically so that they could visit it later on.

They had been doing so more consistently, both as something to pass the time and also the hope that they might ping something good. They still had a distance to go before they recovered the dungeon core at Alva Dungeon to its peak; add in the loot one could get from a dungeon—to Erik and Rugrat, they were a gold mine.

On the fifteenth day, they reached the Division Headquarters. Instead of the massive scale of the Resam Regional Headquarters, the Division Headquarters was much smaller.

It was the tallest mountain out of a chain of them that reached above the rough, rocky terrain. Even though the terrain was rough, it was covered in vibrant life. Plants covered the entire area.

The Division Headquarters was built across three mountains. The tallest looked as if the top had been cut off in one strike, the headquarters being built upon it. The other closest mountains’ peaks didn’t reach the main mountain. Flying beasts could be seen transporting people and items from across the realms to these three mountains.

As they got closer, they could see the Division Headquarters in greater clarity.

The Division Headquarters was a collection of buildings and halls that rested in the middle of the mountain’s surface. Each building was built from old and historied stone.

When looking upon it, one could only think of the power of the ancestors to erect such buildings that had stood for centuries. The Division Headquarters stood, a monument that one could not defile, the overlord of this mountain and the realm beyond.

Around it, a city had spawned. The manors and buildings were grand testaments to the owners power and prestige, what would be called palaces in other cities; here, they were only common buildings. The entire Division Headquarters was only twenty kilometers across. One could only reach it by the air or through the Ten Realms totem that was off to the side of the city.

“That is the residential area, where traders and people of the Alchemist Association, or those who have business with us, stay.” Old Hei pointed to the massive manors that covered half of the city. Each of them were residences fit for a king, because one must be a king just to get an audience with the members of the Division Headquarters, who were the voices that decided the fate of people across a realm.

“Also, there is a Blue Lotus, of course.” A Blue Lotus building shone in the sunlight, creating an impressive sight. Erik hadn’t had the chance to visit a Blue Lotus yet in this realm. Seeing this Blue Lotus, he recalled that, as long as he made a number of Age Rejuvenation potions, he could earn some more Mana stones.

“There are the Pill Halls where alchemists can make concoctions, or practice them. The libraries are filled with the heritage of the Alchemist Association. The Mission Hall, where one can get contribution points to get classes and resources from the Alchemist Association, which would be impossible to get otherwise. Some missions are also done for gold. Then there are the Alchemy gardens and the Ingredient Hall. One can make their own ingredients but sometimes it is just easier to buy them. Then there are various stores and traders in the city that sell equipment, formulas, and ingredients. There is also the living quarters of the Alchemist Association guards and their training grounds.” Old Hei pointed to the fields where people were fighting one another or going through training.

The flying beast started to descend toward a landing platform above an administration building that overlooked it all.

“And that’s my prison—the administration building,” Old Hei said in a deeply unimpressed voice, as he looked at Erik with a suffering look in his eyes.

Erik could only shake his head and roll his eyes at the older man’s antics.

“The young have no sense of the older generation’s pain,” Old Hei complained in a quiet voice.

Erik raised an eyebrow to Old Hei, who cleared his throat as if nothing had happened and continued talking.

“The Alchemist Association is a pillar of the Ten Realms, a way to test one’s true ability in Alchemy. Our founder believed that the Ten Realms was a bit too...forgiving, shall we say. To have people to test others, then they need to lead by example. So while it is a pillar, it is also a living, breathing, beast of an organization with millions of members across several realms, all adhering to the same rules. We might all be from the Alchemist Association and when one of us is attacked, all of us are attacked. But we are also sentient beings. There can be assholes and greedy pricks in any organization—also jealousy and pettiness. You get what I’m saying. Now, I have not accepted anyone as my direct disciple—you’re the closest I would think I’d get—but I value your friendship and I have enough people bowing and doing all that crap. If you want to be one, I’d be happy to accept you, give you a bit more protection and allow you in more areas. Kind of a friendly agreement between us, but I swear to the damn alchemist god, I will smite your damn brain cells if you start doing all this bowing humbling shit!” Old Hei waved a finger as Erik let out a laugh.

“So, now that’s on the table, and people might be a bit more annoying because you’ve jumped over their heads. Oh, and you can’t beat them up, but you can kick their asses in Alchemy contests!”

The beast flapped its wings and they held onto handles as it settled on the ground.

“I’ll collect the ingredients and deal with whatever mess has appeared. In three days, we’ll head to the Pill Hall. They have testing facilities like the ones in the Path of Alchemy trial that we can use to practice making the pill. Once we’ve got a good grasp of it, then we can try with the ingredients,” Old Hei said.

“Just let me know what I have to do.” Erik bowed his head.

“I’m doing this for a friend, so no bowing!” Old Hei warned.

“You really hate bowing, don’t you?” Erik asked.

Old Hei moved closer and talked in a low voice. “I’m trying to start a revolution, the anti-bowing revolution—want to join? Our backs are much more relaxed.” Old Hei wagged his bushy eyebrows.

“How in the hell did you become one of the pill heads?” Erik asked.

“Being too fucking awesome?” Old Hei shrugged as they landed.

Erik couldn’t help but laugh at Old Hei’s expression.

They said their good-byes and a guide took the group to a residence.

“You feel that?” Rugrat asked as they entered the residence.

“The Mana here is much higher than in other places,” Erik said.

“One day of cultivating here would be worth ten days in the First Realm.” Rugrat nodded.

Erik turned his eyes to Domonos and Matt.

“With the conditions here, do you want to try to help them out, pop a few Mana gates open?” Erik offered him a box of needles.

“Might be a good idea. Also, you got anything that might increase Body Cultivation?” Rugrat asked.

“You want to cultivate your body?” Erik asked.

“Well, it’s not my goal, but having some strength wouldn’t be bad, as long as it doesn’t take away from other things. Don’t get me wrong—sitting in a bath of poison sounds badass, but it smells just like you’ve swam through an ocean of sewage and dear God, you have to warn someone when you fart afterward!”

“Always about farting with you.” Erik sighed.

“I’m a simple man with a sense of taste and smell. I’d like to keep that.” Rugrat’s face twisted as he let out a fart, a right squeaker with notes of him blowing out his tail pipe.

A look of alarm showed on his face as he clenched up and stood straight up and half waddled-walked toward the house.

“You didn’t, did—oh God,” Erik said as the smell of Rugrat’s attempt at percussion instruments met his nostrils.

Erik moved away from the scene of the disaster as Rugrat rushed into the house. “Gangway! Where the fuck is a shower in this place!”

A moment later: “Fuck you, fucking stairs! Piece of fuck! Oh shit!”

“Really such a diverse word.” Erik blinked at the lingering smell as he turned and left the residence, hearing Rugrat swearing his way through the house.

***

Erik walked through the Division Headquarters. Although it was the size of a large city, calling it a city would have been stretching its boundaries. There were hundreds of thousands of alchemists all gathered at the headquarters to get missions, training, and carry out various duties. The rest of the people were there, summoned or having come of their own volition, to talk to the people in the Alchemist Association; others were here to fill the needs of the Alchemist Association.

Although the city wasn’t the largest he had seen, the Blue Lotus here was larger than any he had seen previously.

It had three floors that made the stem of the magnificent Blue Lotus. Erik took a moment just looking over the architecture of the building and wondering at the ability of the architect.

He went through the doors. The guards were strong and powerful, looking over everyone but they weren’t as brutish as ones he had seen at other Blue Lotus buildings. This was the Division Headquarters of the Alchemist Association; few people would be willing to raise trouble here. The Blue Lotus, like the Alchemist Association, had deep and hidden roots. These two massive powers worked together instead of creating walls against each other.

“Some things change, others remain the same.” Erik laughed to himself. The interior of the Blue Lotus, although it had a foundation and there were grander decorations around, had the same basic layout. Items to be purchased or bid on were to the left, and to the right, there were rows of counters where one could have their items appraised for sale or auction by the Blue Lotus staff.

Alchemy might be the primary profession within the city, but farmers grew powerful ingredients, smiths created tools, formation masters enchanted them. All of these people called the headquarters home and had high-grade items to be bought and sold. Although there were a number of items for auction, most of them were from the higher realms as the items from the Division Headquarters were usually shipped to other Blue Lotus locations in the Third Realm to be sold.

The area where one could buy items or look at the items for the next auction had stairs leading upward to the other three floors.

Erik moved toward the counters. He stood in line and it wasn’t long until he reached the front of the line.

“Hello, how might I be able to help you?” The woman at the counter smiled.

“I would like to see if I can sell these items.” Erik pulled out a number of pill bottles filled with pills and potions.

The woman’s eyes went wide as she held up her hands. “I think it might be best if you meet with one of our appraisers.”

“Okay. Also, I have this medallion, might make things a bit easier.” Erik pulled out the medallion he had been given with the Blue Lotus emblem on it.

He put it down and frowned. “I’m not sure if that is the right one.” Erik pulled out three more emblems. “One of these is the one I got in the Second Realm.”

The woman looked over the emblems and picked one out. “This should be the one?” Her voice lifted as her smile was forced and her eyes alarmed.

“Okay.” Erik shrugged.

“Could you wait a moment, sir?” she asked.

“Certainly. The name is Erik West.”

“Okay.” She moved to the back. After a few moments, she appeared again. “Could you follow me?”

“Certainly,” Erik said.

She led him through a few doors and up four flights of stairs. They were now inside the blooming part of the lotus as they reached an office with powerful guards outside it.

“Another Blue Lotus head?” Erik asked.

The woman coughed and her face went red. “Blue Lotus Head Ebeneezer.”

The guards bowed their heads to Erik and opened the doors.

“Erik West!” A large, happy-looking man waited on the other side of the doors. “We were wondering where you had gone to and then we heard from the Resam Regional Headquarters of how you took the Path of Alchemy trial, coming out with a mid-Journeyman-level medallion. Impressive!” The man laughed as he cupped his fists to Erik.

“Well, not how I was thinking it would go—didn’t even know what the emblems meant until afterward.” Erik smiled as he returned the gesture to Ebeneezer.

“Please, come in,” Ebeneezer said.

Erik stepped into the office. Ebeneezer led him to a small garden that was part of his office. The garden was filled with ingredients that would allow one to feel relaxed.

“What might I be able to help you with today?” Ebeneezer asked.

“I have a few Journeyman-level concoctions that I am looking to sell.”

“May I have a look?” Ebeneezer asked.

Erik took out the different concoctions and put them on the table. Ebeneezer pulled out a spectacle and pinched it with his eyebrow. He opened the bottles and studied the contents, smelling a few or taking out testing papers. He went through them all in record speed.

“We can definitely sell these. As with the Age Rejuvenation potions, you can collect payment from this Blue Lotus location or others when the items have been sold. Have you been able to concoct any more Age Rejuvenation potions?” Ebeneezer asked.

“I haven’t made any more at this time but I have new plans for a stronger version of the concoction. I have a great need for Mana stones, so you can be sure that I’ll be able to supply you with plenty of Age Rejuvenation potions once I get some time.”

“You do know that we would be willing to pay handsomely for the formula—even offer a yearly compensation for reproducing them?” Ebeneezer offered. “This is an offer from the higher-ups. They do not mind if you were to sell the formula to the Alchemist Association as it would still mean more of the potion in circulation. The simple thing is that we have a great need for this concoction and what one man has, others will desire. We are the Blue Lotus but we are not perfect.”

Erik couldn’t help but take the offer seriously. Right now only I know the formula; it isn’t all that hard for me to make it. Though others would need finer control over their flames to do so. But even if I was to work for weeks without sleeping, I wouldn’t be able to supply even a tenth of the supply the Blue Lotus needed. It takes a lot of time to create the potions. If I did just that then my progress would start to decline. If someone in the Blue Lotus wanted to get the concoction to extend their lives and were able to find out who I am, couldn’t it lead to more issues and then it could become a dangerous situation. Getting a yearly stipend? I could get Mana stones and pour them into Alva Dungeon, increasing the speed that it could develop. It would mitigate the other issues, but there is a lot at stake.

“I will need some time to think on this,” Erik said after a few moments.

“Certainly.” Ebeneezer smiled. “Is there anything else that I can help you with or any items that you wish to purchase?”

“I just wanted to sell these items,” Erik said. They were the weaker concoctions that he had. He’d kept copies of the stronger ones and passed a few of them to the others in case they needed them in emergency, but these lower grade ones, he knew that even his poor attempts now would be better than these and in his need for more money, he decided to sell them.

I’ve still got something like eighty Mana stones but I can only guess how much high-Journeyman concoctions and low-grade Expert concoctions are going to cost me!

“Actually, there is one thing that I am looking at. How much would a Mortal-grade cornerstone cost me?” Erik asked.

“A Mortal-grade cornerstone?” Ebeneezer’s eyes shone as his smile widened. “A Mortal cornerstone is worth one hundred Mortal Mana stones. Would you be interested in exchanging for one?”

Erik fought to keep his composure as he held his chin. “Not right now.” Erik smiled.

Ebeneezer’s eyebrow raised at Erik’s words.

Erik could see the dollar signs moving in the man’s head. Clearly he was a trader through and through.

***

Rugrat was looking at his Mana system, looking at the damage of the ravaged Mana channels, and his dantian, which had three Mana drops connected in harmony as one more rested above them, an unreachable star.

Rugrat couldn’t push any more Mana into his dantian and exerting control over it would lead to massive pain, degrading all of his Mana channels.

If I could just compress my core, then I would be able to go through Mana rebirth.

Rugrat opened his eyes. He knew that even if he went through Mana rebirth, it might not necessarily heal his Mana channels. He hadn’t been able to find much knowledge on one’s Mana rebirth and what it meant.

He used his Dungeon Sense in frustration to do something out of boredom.

“What the? Dungeon?”

Rugrat could feel a resonance, a dungeon core that was close by.

“Not only close by—it is right underneath the Division Headquarters gardens!” Rugrat pulled out his map, looking at where he was and where he was picking up the dungeon core.

“And it’s not a weak one. With something like that here, the entirety of the Alchemist Association could be in danger if it somehow reaches the surface!”

Rugrat’s excited expression from moments before turned serious. He checked his crossbows and pulled out his newest invention that he had not even revealed to Erik. Taking the rotating formation used by the mill in Khusai, he had combined it with a crossbow. Below, it held a magazine with a spring and a platform to push them up to a holding arm. The rear of the crossbow behind the trigger was the formation on a gear; the teeth of the gear pulled on a bike-like chain that had two hooks on it.

When one pulled the trigger, it put the powering gem in contact with the formation, giving it power. The gear would move the chain; the hook would catch the string, pulling it and the arms back; an arrow would drop down from the magazine when it was pulled past. The hook would cycle down, releasing the string. The string caught the arrow and sent it flying forward.

The second hook would come up and pull on the bowstring again, repeating the process.

Its rate of fire approached one bolt per second, but the power from the arms and bowstring was many times stronger than any synthetic materials used for bows. The draw strength was well past what a normal person could hope to pull back, even with an assist, if they were on Earth.

Rugrat checked it and put it away, then sent a message to Erik to have him meet as soon as possible.

Erik, who had been looking through the markets for ingredients, got his message and headed back. It didn’t take him long to find Rugrat.

“What’s up?”

“There’s a dungeon right underneath us.” Rugrat pulled out his map and showed it to Erik. The two of them combined maps, updating each other’s information.

Erik’s face turned grave. “That’s inside the main Division Headquarters area, restricted to outsiders.”

“Well, this might help.” Rugrat pulled out a package he had been given for Erik. In it was a number of emblems and a guide.

Erik took out the emblems. They were given to allow him into the Division Headquarters.

“Worth a shot,” Erik said. He had a good impression of the Alchemist Association and this was the division under the command of Old Hei. Hei had done so much for them; this was something he could do to help him out.

The two of them set out and headed right for the Division Headquarters area, right where the Alchemy gardens were located.

***

As they left their residence, Erik took the time to look around. While they were in Resam and the other cities, he had been hurriedly preparing for the next challenge, spending his time bent over a cauldron. He knew that it wouldn’t be long until he was doing the same and practicing to create the Mana Channel Revitalization pill.

The people here, unlike those in the Beast Mountain Range or the rougher outskirts of towns that he and the party had been living in, didn’t wear armor or look at one another with questioning glances. Most didn’t wear weapons; only the patrolling guards had armor and weapons.

The alchemists wore robes of all kinds, from the humble to the most exquisite. The Division Headquarters was a place where massive power had been concentrated, where people wished to enter but very few were allowed to. The people here were all high Apprentice level or higher. People would gather together to exchange pointers, sitting in the gardens and gazebos that were scattered around. One could see people hurriedly rushing from place to place, or writing down information as if the world would stop turning if they forgot the information that had just appeared in their mind.

The buildings were older, standing since the beginning of the headquarters. They carried a dignified air and made one look around, taking in the atmosphere. There were fountains and gardens to be seen. The gardens weren’t as opulent as the ones in Ebeneezer’s office but all of them contained rare ingredients. In such a Mana-rich environment, even regular plants, if planted in this soil for a few generations, would be able to become ingredients to be used in Alchemy.

They passed open-air auditoriums and people rushing out from the Mission Hall toward the flying beast platform and other areas of the Division Headquarters, or those that were coming back from their missions and handing them in.

The Division Headquarters was really lively, like a school campus back on Earth mixed with a military base.

Erik and Rugrat reached a gated area. They had to follow a path around to a gate where a few guards were standing.

To the side of it, there was a store.

The guards looked at Erik’s emblem. “Do you have a permission letter to enter the gardens?” One of the guards held out their hand.

“I’m not sure. I got all of these emblems.” Erik pulled out four emblems.

The guard smiled awkwardly and put his hand away. “Please go on ahead.”

“Could you tell me what these are?” Erik asked.

“These are your permission tokens to enter the different areas of the division—that one the administration building, this one the gardens and Ingredient Hall for the level of ingredients you are able to purchase, this for the library and this for the Pill Hall and the type of pill room you can use,” the guard said helpfully.

“Thanks!” Erik didn’t want to have to pull them out all the time. It was already embarrassing when he had needed to pull out all of the Blue Lotus emblems to the lady at the counter.

Rugrat followed Erik through. The duo looked at each other, talking with their eyes.

Guess they let me in too? Rugrat seemed to say, shrugging.

Don’t draw attention!

They continued forward, their maps updating as they moved.

“The Mana density is much higher, much purer in here. If I’m not wrong, the walls of the pill garden are some kind of formation, reflecting and concentrating the Mana inside,” Rugrat said.

“The growing array here is crap. They’re just growing things in lots,” Erik muttered back. The plants were of a high quality but without a growing array, they didn’t reinforce one another and could create plots of heavily attributed Mana staining the ground.

“Though the plots of ground aren’t filled with one attribute concentrated Mana, so either they’re rotating their ingredients so that they disperse the Mana, or there is something else,” Erik said.

“The dungeon core?” Rugrat asked.

“Could be,” Erik said.

They moved forward. The pill gardens had a massive collection of ingredients and plants of all variety’s and grades. There were hundreds of thousands in just ingredients located in the garden. Guards moved all around and there were checkpoints that they had to pass through to get to the more restricted areas.

The more security they went through, the greater rarity of the ingredients. The Mana concentration increased, as well as its purity. They were close to where the dungeon core was when they stopped before a group of four powerful-looking guards. The wall in front of them was much stronger than those they had passed.

“I am sorry, we can let you in but we cannot let in your assistant,” the guard said in a cool voice.

Erik looked to Rugrat, who shrugged.

“No worries. I can wait here,” Rugrat said.

Erik passed through and made it to the other side. As he passed the guards, he was able to sense the Mana held within their bodies and the power in their bodies.

This strength, have they reached Body Like Iron already? To have guards who reached the second stage of the Body Cultivation system guarding a gate—just what is this place?

Erik saw a ramp leading down. There was only a small garden aboveground, with a few people tending to the exotic plants as if they were caring for their own newborns.

Erik made sure to stay on the path, not making too much noise as he headed downward.

It didn’t take him long until the ramp leveled out and he looked out over a massive underground cavern. Platforms were built into the walls, with plants being grown on them. Plants were grown from the walls and across the floor. The Mana concentration in this place was much higher, but it was focused in the ground and the plants instead of in the air, diffused like the Mana that surrounded a dungeon core.

Erik moved through the growing area. They were deep underground but there were points where the porous rock above allowed light in that reached gems in the ceiling, illuminating all of the cavern.

Erik cast his Dungeon Sense, picking up the direction of the dungeon core, and headed through the cavern. He followed a stream as it grew larger and larger, sloping up into a pool made from a natural spring.

“Different.” Erik looked at the pool. Streams spread out over the cavern, feeding the plants.

Erik moved to the side and, making sure no one was watching him, he quickly got undressed. Putting his clothes away, he got into the pool, taking a few breaths as he pulled out his armor. The added weight dragged him down; he moved deeper into the pool, quickly leaving the surface behind. The pool wasn’t large but it was deep as hell.

Erik reached the bottom of the pool and moved across the ground before he touched right above where he was sensing the dungeon core.

The dungeon core rose up. Bubbles appeared around it. It was the size of two of Erik’s fists, the largest dungeon core that Erik had seen other than the one in Alva.

He held his hand out to the dungeon core.

==========

Dungeon Core

Grade: Grand Mortal Grade

Linked: Drogoth’s Fire Prison

==========

So looks like the Alchemist Association might not know about this as they haven’t claimed it for their own.

==========

You have come into contact with a dungeon core. With your title: Dungeon Master, new options are revealed.

==========

Do you wish to:

Take command of the Dungeon

Remodel Dungeon

Destroy the Dungeon

==========

Erik clicked on the command text.

==========

You have claimed Drogoth’s Fire Prison!

==========

Erik felt his Dungeon Master screens activate; information filled his mind. He could now see everything in the dungeon, as if it were his private property. With this, the dungeon was now no longer under the control of the Ten Realms and he could make it safe.

Erik put away his armor and pushed against the ground, shooting upward as the dungeon core disappeared into the ground, disappearing from view once more.

Erik reached the top of the pool. With his connection to the dungeon, he was now able to see everything around him, all of the movements that were happening. He was more relaxed as he toweled off, using a flame to dry his hair, and got dressed quickly.

Erik toured the “dungeon” once again. He didn’t know why there were no monsters. He would need to ask Old Hei, but it looked as if the Mana from across the gardens was indeed impure. It was forced toward the dungeon core, polluting the waters that spread through the garden feeding the plants. The dungeon core absorbed the impurities, growing to an impressive size and releasing pure and dense Mana. Most of it was contained in the waters but it was released into the air as well.

The cycle continued, with the Mana fueling plants and allowing them to be grown in massive batches without needing complicated growing arrays. The division needed to supply a great number of people with ingredients to allow them to progress. In the dungeon area, growing arrays had been introduced to raise only the strongest and most expensive of ingredients.

Though there was one thing that was odd about the dungeon. It was a large cavern with side caves and the like, but there was also a long stretch behind where the pool was located.

Erik moved to where it was located but he could not find a way in. It looked like an old lava tube that had been closed on one side. Erik opened his interface and made a small change. He created an inlet that passed from the pool into the long strip of ground behind it, a plan forming in his mind.

He placed a marker on his map and headed out of the cavern. As he left, people only glanced at his passing. He collected Rugrat and they headed back to their residence, where Erik told Rugrat everything.

“So you’re saying you just claimed the dungeon beneath our feet and there’s a secret passage that is getting watered with ultra-Mana refined, Mana-filled water?” Rugrat clapped his hands. He might only use ingredients and enhancers for his projects or creations but he knew what kind of boon this might be to their alchemists.

“I’m thinking that we should set up an official residence. Build a base here; people from Alva can use this as a launch pad: trade high quality items from here, through the Blue Lotus, the traders that come around, or taking their own transport to the other cities that surround this place.”

Rugrat nodded.

“Well, that has been part of what we’re thinking—build up places across the realms. If we could get a residence, or land, then we could build a way down to that secret area. We’d need more people with earth and stone moving spells,” Rugrat said.

“Right. The dungeon can only change a little bit, but we can get it to help us on that front,” Erik said.

A dungeon could grow, but it only had a small area of influence and it couldn’t create buildings, merely shape the landscape. As the grade of the dungeon core increased, its area of influence increased, though when it changed the landscape, whatever was there before would be destroyed, so one would need to be careful.

“Well, looks like we’ve got a new greenhouse to work with, or green tunnel.” Rugrat grinned.

***

With the crisis averted, Erik and Rugrat turned to Domonos and Matt, offering to open up their Mana gates.

The two agreed. Erik tapped open their Mana gates, then Rugrat talked to them about how they could increase the speed to open their Mana gates, how to pass through the stages of the Mana Gathering Cultivation. Hearing from someone who had already done it, their progress was much faster than when Erik and Rugrat had started. They also had Mana stones to accelerate their growth.

Erik started to make Age Rejuvenation potions. With Rugrat’s tools, he was able to mass-produce them, creating dozens of them in just a short period of time.

He sat in his room, looking at the formula sheet he was working on. It was a formula for a Journeyman-level Age Rejuvenation pill.

He had already written down the formula for the potion but he was holding back on it, not sure what to do with it.

He wanted the money but it was the first potion he had ever made; he just didn’t want to let it go.

He sighed as he looked at the pill. He had used his Alchemy Book extensively to troubleshoot the efficacy problems he had. He was now ready to test out his new formula.

He had talked to Rugrat about the Alchemy and Healing Book.

Rugrat had been able to find out the existence of his Smithing Book and then he had been able to remember perfectly all the reactions his enhancers had with different kinds of ores.

Rugrat had only really begun testing and learning more about smithing as he reached the Journeyman level. Smithing, in its early stages, relied on technique much more than information. One could make a basic and crap sword knowing how to use a hammer, heat metal and beat it. However, as one knew the right temperatures, how and where to strike, then it added another layer. Then the process of alloying the metal using enhancers only really came into its own at the Journeyman level.

Rugrat had unknowingly memorized most of the information, so he hadn’t had such a big change like Erik.

Erik was just about to go out to order ingredients for the Age Rejuvenation pill when he got a message from Old Hei.

“Meet me at tester room 41A. I got the ingredients but it’s time that we practiced!”

“I’ll be there shortly,” Erik said.

Chapter: Academic Achievement

The council was gathered once again. In the background, one could see the three-story tall cookhouse with smoke coming out of its chimneys. Although there was plenty of room, once the staff learned of the new abilities of the cookhouse, the building turned into a madhouse. Assistants from the cooking department went in, gathering completed meals, and sold them in the food hall, which was actually a large seating area that butted up against the first trading square.

The people from the cooking department, without their cookhouse, had spent their time reviewing the information that had been brought back from the battlefield dungeon. As soon as their facilities were completed and they learned about the new testing facilities, they dove in, testing out their new ideas, without worrying about losing ingredients. Instead of having to wait hours for something to finish cooking, they could speed it up in the test so it only took seconds. This allowed them to test ranges in temperatures and times with regards to their effects on their cooking.

The testing rooms came with an additional power requirement, making the people needing to use them pay Mana stones or monster cores to use them. Seeing as many people didn’t have either, they paid a higher fee in gold to use power from the dungeon. The time and the saved resources were still worth much more.

Since the battlefield dungeon had been active, they had an influx in power and the dungeon’s storage array looked healthier than ever, allowing them to sell some of the excess power to the residents.

The testing facilities allowed people to review the recipes—and even make their own—and test their abilities without wasting ingredients and resources. They even had a playback feature so the crafter could see what they had done wrong in real time and then look to fix it.

The entire system allowed them to improve at a much faster rate, without the loss in ingredients.

Yes, it cost money, but money was easier to get than high-class ingredients. That was another aspect to the cookhouse. It had preparation areas where the different ingredients could be brought in and processed, bringing them to a higher quality, improving the recipes that they were used in. The rough flour from before had all of the chaff and grit now removed.

With higher control over the base materials, the final product could only increase in quality.

“The Zatan Confederation is essentially falling apart. With the combination of old rivalries being ignited and people throwing the blame around, their tribes are no longer staying together. With no leader to rally them and put them in their place, it is becoming worse every day. As they are fighting their internal battles, the countries that they took the land from are moving swiftly through their lines, cutting them down, using the information we supplied to them through Aditya.

“In their eyes, Aditya’s standing has risen, putting him in a place to gather more allies and affirm his neutral position and continued sales to them and others. I suspect that Vermire Trading Outpost will grow in popularity with time,” Glosil reported, his information surpassing just the military matters of what was happening. “The parties and teams are on their way back to us. Chen will remain with one party in Vermire to make sure that the situation is stable before returning to the dungeon. Jen reports that the position of the Alva Healing House in Vermire is now unassailable. It is seen as a pillar of Vermire, not just for the entire city going into a battle against a nation for them, but also for the fact that they were on the front lines, healing people and looking after the wounded. The casualties on the side of the Vermire Trading Outpost were incredibly low. Chen’s observations also substantiate her report.” Glosil, having finished his report, sat back down.

“So, Aditya has won a war for us,” Elise said with a complicated expression.

“Making them look strong draws eyes toward them and away from us,” Egbert said.

“Indeed.” Elise left it at that and turned to look at Jasper. “What of the teleportation arrays?”

“The majority of them have been placed within a day’s hike of several major cities across the First Realm. We can use these to access their Ten Realms totems, or to trade. A number of merchants are asking if they can use these to carry out their trades—at a fee, of course.”

“Make sure that you figure out a fee, but we will not be accepting gold for it. Teleportation is power intensive. We might soon need that power for all of the buildings here, and we are accepting gold and other items instead of cores and Mana stones in too many places,” Elise said firmly.

“I will inform them.” Jasper nodded. “There are also a large number of merchants who wish to head to the Second Realm.”

Blaze raised his hand just as Elise was about to talk.

“If I may—I might have a way to solve this. There are a number of people who have joined with the combat troops and parties to increase their Strength but they do not want to be part of the Alva military. For a time, we have been thinking what to do with them. Instead of thinking up our own solution, I thought of stealing one: the Adventurer’s Guild. They create a headquarters for people from all over; one can register there to issue jobs or take them on. Say a trader wants to head to the Second Realm—they add the mission to the board and then people apply; the traders agree and they go off to the Second Realm. We cannot be sending our people out on trade runs all the time. Scouting missions or to go undercover, it makes sense, but every mission? We would turn into bodyguards instead of soldiers,” Blaze said.

“I also want to propose a Mission Hall for the academy, so that people inside the academy can provide missions or services for one another, or that people from outside the academy can do the same. That way, students can take on paying jobs while at the academy and people can get what they need. Right now, we’ve got a request system with people coming up to the academy workshops and asking for items to be made. It works but I want to move the business somewhere else so we can focus on just working on commissions and projects in our workshops,” Taran said.

“Create a Mission Hall, a Supply Hall, and a Trading Hall,” Egbert said. “As the headmaster might not know, I don’t have that much room in these old bones or time to be handing out goods and items to students, so we need a Supply Hall to give out the various supplies to our students. I have already created a system; it just needs to be implemented. The Trading Hall takes the products from the academy and puts them up for sale, a place where business people can meet. Also, I suggest that we create another school, not one that deals with crafting but one that teaches the basics of mathematics, reading, writing, and so on.”

“I agree, but any expansion must come from the academy. The blueprint office will write up the blueprints and you will hire the construction workers and power the automatons for their time. The cost of the cookhouse has hit our budget rather hard. We are also hemorrhaging money, buying expensive supplies from the people coming from the battlefield dungeon. Have we had any movement on this?” Elise asked.

“Movement might be an understatement,” Egbert said.

“What Egbert means to say is that there has been an explosion of creativity going on within the academy with all of the crafters.” Taran paused, as if searching for the right words.

“And what he means to say is that most of the people in the academy have kind of become quiet because they are spending their time reading the unknown books that have been found in the battlefield dungeon. I’ve had to break up three fights over books so far. Then they are working with the recently available blueprints, formulas, and recipes that they have. It has become something of a tipping point. Before now, most of them were grasping at straws and higher concepts that were hard to understand; now they’re getting books and information that bridges the gap between what they know and what they have gleaned from these higher concept items left by the gnomes. It is as if they were stuck on a path that had a beginning and end, but nothing in the middle. Now they are able to see traces of the link between the two, so their ability is undergoing great change.

“It will take time for them to digest the information. With the battlefield dungeon teams coming back with more information and more blueprints, they can practice their knowledge, affirming their theories into fact and advancing. To put it simply, their information before was a big log and a little bit of kindling; now they’re adding much more kindling and putting down smaller logs, growing bigger and bigger, creating an inferno before they drop that big log in.

“In the area of Alchemy, five new concoctions have been created and four new mutated plants created. The farmers have been able to increase their crops’ growth speed by five percent. The blueprint workshop has started to take on weapon planning and manufacturing based upon the weapon system that Rugrat had drawn out and the rifle he left with us. New, updated repeating ballistae are in the works. There have been two more people turned Journeyman level in their skill. Three healing spells have been found and a new path of Mana Gathering Cultivation is being studied. The cookhouse has turned into a sort of holy ground. The tailors have come up with a new way to make leather armor and padding, so that its defense is increased by three percent.

“The formation workshop thinks they have a plan to reduce the power needed for each of the buildings in Alva Dungeon. The woodworkers have been working with the tailors, the smiths, and blueprint team to make a new bow that is half again as strong as its original design. Though the reckless bastards want to increase its power. Some of the alchemists and smiths have been working together with the blueprint office to make a poison grenade—really kind of them. So while the bunch of crazy academics might look quite tame, the evil scheming buggers are making weapons of mass and total destruction!” Egbert sounded as if he were complaining, but his eyes were glowing brighter and it looked as though he were smiling.

“Hey, man, watch out for Skeletor over there—looks to be getting one of his crazy ideas again.” Glosil elbowed Blaze.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got my power sword right here.” Blaze tapped his sword.

“I can hear you!” Egbert said.

“Mighty strange with no ears, don’t you think?” Glosil asked, eyes narrowed.

“Yes, quite,” Blaze said.

Elise rolled her eyes at their antics.

“Could you get those plans from the formation workshop and put them to the test? Anything that can save us power is a win in my books,” Elise said. “Though that brings up one more thing that we should talk about—overworking! Our people have been busting their asses to work so hard and there is little that they have here to be comfortable. The kids get a free education until they are fifteen, learning about the available crafts as well as simple numbers to take the strain off their parents and allow them to find friends and socialize. Yes, we have the houses and a few tea shops and restaurants, but we all came from the ground up. We’re used to wide open spaces, places with plants and greenery. So I am proposing that we put in a plan to have a few parks built. Open up part of the growing area, have benches and the like or a few gazebos so people can go somewhere to relax or to play games. Have events for people to join in, like our old harvest festivals, mid-winter festivals, summer gatherings, and such.

“Have places for people to be outside and studying in the academy and a park near the healing house. If all everyone is doing is working, it’s no wonder that they want to go to the other realms or to the rest of this realm because they’re trapped in here.”

The others seemed shocked with her idea at first but then started to nod.

“I didn’t think of it like that but it makes sense to me. Stress can pile up and become a hindrance more than help,” Taran admitted.

“There have been a number of people who have felt so pressured by their jobs and trying to reach for the future that they are forgetting their current needs,” Egbert said.

“So we’ll commission those green spaces. I’ll have a talk with Xuan and see if he and Fehim can come up with some places for people to just relax. Also, Jasper, look at renting the area around the parks, places with food, teas and the like so people can spend more time there,” Elise said.

“And the taxation won’t be bad either,” Jasper said.

“Once a merchant,” Glosil said.

“Always a merchant,” Blaze followed up.

Elise rolled her eyes as they focused on all of their industries and their specialties. They had forgotten to take time for themselves, so having places where they could relax and get together, where they could blow off steam from the week and have something to look forward to would help.

“Also, we have more recruits coming to us and with the traders who are returning, our population will balloon with nearly one hundred new people,” Jasper said. “With the recent fighting that has been going on, not just with Zatan but other places of conflict, the people living there have been displaced. Most of them are from a single village not too unlike our own, where they were attacked by bandits.”

Everyone’s faces hardened.

“Most of them are injured in some way and have nothing left. They’ll be a burden on the system at first, but as they start to enter into our businesses, I don’t suspect it will be long before they contribute much more back to Alva than we gave them,” Jasper said.

“We must be fair, to treat everyone who arrives here the same way. It is dependent upon their ability to improve.” Elise didn’t want to say the words, but it was her role to not only expand Alva but look after the wellbeing of its people. The new and the old both must be treated with fairness.

***

Storbon and Roska waited in the eating hall, looking around at Alva Dungeon. They had only been gone for a short period, but, as with every other time they had left, the dungeon seemed to have undergone a large change. The academy was filled with people talking, studying, and rushing from the lecturehalls, workshops and facilities to the library and then back again.

The library was silent and if any dared to speak aloud, they would soon feel the death glares from others.

In the busy workshops and facilities, one could hear only the sounds of working and discussion between people as they shared knowledge and worked on projects together.

People were running constantly to find Egbert to get supplies or sending runners to the merchants who resided next door in the merchant market.

Most of the money that they had accrued in the last couple of months was flowing to the merchants as the people of the academy increased their knowledge, starting out on new projects and creating new items.

The cookhouse was filled with bustle. The assistants dealt with buying supplies for the students and also running the cafeteria as all of the students had dedicated themselves to increasing their cooking ability with the new testing facilities.

A cask of mulled wine was opened as fall was coming. It would not be long until fall turned into winter, causing the Beast Mountain Range to calm as the beasts went into hibernation and the mercenaries and foraging groups stayed inside the warm walls of the mountain’s outposts. For Alva Dungeon, the temperature would drop outside but the dungeon would never reach freezing, remaining warm enough for people to continue working year round.

Roska and Storbon got some mulled wine and sat down, looking at the three-story tall cookhouse.

“Well, it’s not so small anymore.” Storbon appraised the building.

“Thinking about taking up cooking?” Roska asked.

“I think the best I can do is semi-charred something.” Storbon laughed.

“You and me both,” Roska said, relaxing now that it was just the two of them. Away from the fighting and not in the middle of a life-and-death situation, she had actually learned how to let down her icy exterior when with her team or with the other special teams. They had all been through the shit, dealing with the kind of stuff that few other people could attempt to understand.

Before, she hadn’t had friends, she hadn’t had a family. But now she’d been able to find one. With Storbon, she saw him as a sort of brother. He had been wounded like her, maimed not by his making but he had suffered through, becoming the man she saw now.

When they talked, he talked to her as an equal, searching out her opinion and valuing her insight. It didn’t matter her sex but her mind to complete the mission.

“So, I heard you snuck right into the lord’s manor and dropped a pack of explosives into her fireplace?” Storbon grinned.

“Yeah, talk about worst night’s sleep ever. Didn’t have nearly enough Detect Life scrolls, nearly got smoked out being right next to the chimney!” Roska complained, taking a big swig of her drink.

“I heard that it was enough to blow out nearly the entire second floor,” Storbon asked.

Roska rolled her eyes. “I’ll tell you one thing: Han Wu might be good at making explosives, but sometimes they’re a bit too effective. Not long after I left the place, the third floor became the second and it all came crashing down. So I got him to plant explosives in some of the walls, sewers, and stuff—make it a real nasty place to live.” Roska couldn’t help but snort.

“Seems that the kingdom, since the last plague, really updated their plumbing and water works—general bathrooms that flushed out of the city, gutters that did the same. He dropped one package into the main cistern—dud, dropped in water—no way that will go. So he picked one of the runoff pipes—well, several of them—and dropped explosives into those. Apparently water acts a bit strange when you set off explosives in it—it kind of makes waves. So the explosives went off and what was supposed to be exiting the city, shot back up into it then the water inside the city was shot forward, so some poor bastards who were on the toilet got an express wash!” Roska snorted, just thinking of the imagery. “Apparently nearly a quarter of the toilets and sewers in the city turned into shit-geysers!”

“Oh crap.” Storbon shook his head as he thought about just how nasty that must have been.

“So when the walls came down, most of the people couldn’t give a damn because their plumbing was all messed up and a quarter of the city were walking manure!”

“Did he mean to?” Storbon asked.

“If you ask him now, of course he did. He had no damn idea what would happen. Should have seen the look on his face, confused as hell—didn’t know what was going on. And we gave him a new nickname.” Roska took a moment, clearing any tears that might have appeared on her face.

“Well, what is it?” Storbon grinned.

“Shitaccaine Wu!”

Storbon let out a short laugh between his teeth as he shook his head. “He’s not going to lose that one for a while.”

“Nope. Which is why he’s probably hiding in the Alchemy lab.”

“As long as he doesn’t go near the sewage treatment plant, we should be all safe,” Storbon said.

“Yeah, we don’t need to see Shitaccaine Wu on the horizon.” Roska snorted.

“So what do you think our new orders are going to be?” Storbon asked.

Roska shrugged. “No clue. You might be sent off to the Second Realm or maybe the Third. We just got back, so I’m hoping for some more downtime—train with the rest of the fighting force, battlefield dungeon, get some good rewards.”

“I hope we can get more time down here, do some cross-training. When fighting the Zatan on a one-by-one basis, they weren’t that hard to deal with. I want to finish off body tempering at least and have my people advance their Body or Mana Cultivation more. Fighting against the beasts in the battlefield is one thing but we haven’t really fought against humans until Zatan. People might be weaker but they’re cunning,” Storbon said. The tactics they used were to leverage humans against one another, but doing the same thing with beasts was likely to bite them in the ass.

Storbon had a serious expression on his face. He had dealt with people back in the Second Realm but the people from Alva hadn’t.

“Also, I feel like we’re getting distant from one another—you know, on the side of the different teams—just because we’re all off doing our own thing. I’m putting forward the idea to mix up the parties and special teams so that people who want to go into the battlefield dungeon don’t need to go with their own people. They can go with others, learn to work together despite being in a different party or team,” Storbon said.

“That makes sense. I’d back it,” Roska said as they both got a message. The meeting had finished and they were being called to be debriefed.

The two of them finished off their mulled wine and headed for the barracks.

Walking through the dungeon, they saw familiar and new faces, new construction and signs of growth.

“I wonder what it’ll look like in another year?” Storbon asked.

“Bigger?” Roska shot back.

Storbon let out a laugh at her lightning-fast response as they kept walking.

Chapter: Pill Preparations

When Erik got word from Old Hei, he told the others in his group and rushed to the testing rooms. Using the right medallions, he was able to gain access to the testing room. Guards were standing outside. Knowing Erik already, they quickly checked him before letting him enter the room.

Old Hei had put a number of items on a table and then activated a formation.

Erik took in a deep breath. There were Alchemy tools and a cauldron on the table as well as a number of ingredients. Once the formation stopped, Erik pulled out more items and replaced them.

“You might be wondering what I’m doing. This testing room is a lot different from the pill-scape illusion formation that you were in. In that formation, you were given ingredients that were peak grade, though in real life all plants are different. With this testing room, it is possible to copy the ingredients that will be used and add them into the illusion. That way, there shouldn’t be any surprises when we begin. I have entered in my Alchemy tools as well. The closer the test is to reality when dealing with such an important thing, the closer the simulation will be to what we’ve got to do in the real world afterward. Enter in your tools as well and then we will start with the ingredient preparation.”

Erik pulled out his Alchemy tools and placed them on the formation.

Once that was complete, Old Hei activated the illusion formation again.

The room changed as the ingredients reappeared on a workbench with their tools located on it.

“Now we get started.” Old Hei pulled out the formula sheet and passed it to Erik.

Most of it had been relayed to him as they were traveling, but seeing it in front of him, Erik read over it all to make sure that what he remembered and the information contained in the formula lined up.

“Ready?” Old Hei asked after some time.

“Ready,” Erik said, his eyes firm and his resolve solid. This was not just another pill: it was a Master-ranked pill and with it, Erik would be able to directly help Rugrat get over his affliction. He had noticed the darkness creeping into Rugrat’s eyes and how his smiles had become forced. It was the reason that he had been down after the fight with the bandits with the White Orchid Trading Company.

Erik wanted to say something, but he knew that it would just be taken as him talking down to Rugrat. All he could do was throw his all into this pill.

“Take these.” Old Hei pulled out a box filled with pill bottles.

Erik opened one. “These?”

“Mind Calming pills to focus the mind and remove distractions of the world. It will allow us to work faster without loss in concentration,” Old Hei said.

Erik took in a sharp breath. To so casually give him a few dozen of the Journeyman-level pills, just so they had a greater ability to recall information and be relaxed for what was to come... The scale that I make pills and the way that high-tiered alchemists do is on completely different levels.

Erik and Old Hei moved to the ingredients, examining them one by one, preparing them, passing information back and forth as they worked, stopping only to eat and rest when they had reached their limits. Days passed as they reached the point that they could prepare the ingredients in their sleep. Then they moved to the formation stage.

***

Erik didn’t know how much time had gone by. Both he and Old Hei had been focused on forming the Mana Channel Revitalization pill time and time again. Old Hei was dealing with the cauldron and the reactions happening directly within, while Erik sat there, not daring to breathe loudly, lest he distract Old Hei.

There was a rumbling noise from the cauldron and then nothing.

Old Hei pulled back his flames and gave Erik a tired smile. He tapped the side of the cauldron. The top opened and a pill in the formation stage appeared in his hand.

Erik looked at it and then back to Old Hei.

“Okay, that’s three in a row, and one without the Mind Calming pills. I want us to complete two more before we try it,” Old Hei said.

“Sleep and eat?” Erik asked.

“Yes. We’ll start again tomorrow once we’re fully recovered.”

Erik nodded. Alchemy not only needed a great amount of concentration and knowledge, it also required one to have the patience to know when to rest and when it would be the best time to concoct a formulation.

Erik went to sleep and woke up to Old Hei checking over the ingredients and their tools once again.

They sat down for a simple breakfast. Even the food gave a passive buff to them.

==========

Increase in concentration, increased Stamina Regeneration for 8 hours.

==========

“Meals seem just a little overpowered. Pills can create great changes but then a well-made meal can have effects that last two or three days, though it doesn’t give numbers,” Erik said.

“Yes, well, meals usually give bonuses to hidden stats, stats that have an effect, like hunger on a person, but how can you quantify how hungry you are? Kind of a hard one.” Old Hei smiled.

They quickly finished their food and moved to the workstation.

“For the first one, we’ll use the Mind Calming pills; for the second one, we’ll do it without,” Old Hei said.

“Okay.” Erik checked all of the tools and retrieved the first batch of ingredients. The pill formation was especially complicated: one not only needed to start forming the pill and combining the ingredients, some of the ingredients needed to be prepared and used at the same time the other ingredients were being combined. It put a massive strain on the person making the concoction, which was where Erik came in. He had to anticipate Old Hei’s needs and pass him the ingredient prepared just right so that it would not only perfectly mix, but Old Hei wouldn’t need to split his attention.

Thankfully, some of them could be prepared beforehand.

Old Hei sat down and closed his eyes, rotating the Mana in his system, calming himself as he had already taken a Mind Calming pill. Erik, meanwhile, used his tools to prepare the ingredients, storing the ones that didn’t need to be used right away but could hold on for a longer time. Then he moved to the starting ingredients.

“Beginning preparation phase one,” Erik said. The two of them talked constantly to keep communication flowing and the other informed.

Erik concentrated on several ingredients: heating, cooling, crushing and cutting them. “Complete!” Erik said.

“Temperature attained.” Hei opened the cauldron and raised his hand. Erik passed him a bowl with a prepared ingredient. Old Hei took it and put it inside. Erik passed him a vial filled with liquid, a crystal, and a glass-looking bead. Hei took them, adding them into the cauldron. Some ingredients were combined together while others were kept separate, needing to go through final changes before being added to the others.

Erik didn’t watch; he was focused on the second phase ingredients.

In the preparation, some of the ingredients needed to be combined before being added into the formation stage.

It was as if he was making low-Apprentice and high-Novice level concoctions, but instead of being final products, they were just small building blocks for the Master-level pill.

Erik had done this time and time again. The rote repetition had wiped away other thoughts, the Mind Calming pill turning him into an Alchemy demon.

The two of them moved in a complex series of actions that somehow flowed, becoming yin and yang, two parts of one whole.

Their actions were calm, their expressions solemn. Everything might have looked calm on the surface but the cauldron was filled with the raging power of all the ingredients. Too much or too little of an ingredient, if the preparation was just off slightly, or the control and combining of the ingredients wasn’t just right, could transform it from a calm mixture into a raging explosion, destroying tens of Mana stones’ worth of ingredients in one fell swoop.

***

At this time, a group of elders were walking through the area.

“Elder Mo’s skill has improved greatly to create the Golden Python Poison Curing pill,” one of the elders said, fawning over the young man in the middle, who had a pleased look on his face.

“Come, Elder Ran, it was only through luck that I was able to complete the high-Journeyman-level pill.” He laughed.

The others smiled, knowing the work he had needed to put into the highly difficult pill.

“It won’t be long until we welcome a fourth pill head to this Third Realm!” another said.

“Elder Mo, with your young age and your ability, you could go to the Fifth Realm to the Alchemy schools there!”

“The Alchemist Association guides us but I can only hope!” Elder Mo laughed. The others joined in, a few of them hiding their envy and jealousy deep in their eyes.

“Hmm, this?” Elder Mo sniffed as they passed one of the testing rooms. A faint mist could be seen coming from under the doorway between two guards standing there.

“Is this...?” another asked, noticing the mist. His face turned complex.

“Pill mist?” another elder said. Her voice held a note of surety as others looked from them to the mist, their faces showing myriad emotions.

“These are Pill Head Hei’s guards. Might he be creating a Master-level pill?”

“Mists descend upon a low-grade Master concoction. Heavenly rain falls on a mid-Master concoction; plants offer their spirit and the world creates a concoction, high Master-level concoction.” One of the elders recited the words they had repeated so many times to themselves that it had left an imprint never to be removed.

The pill mist was just reaching outward as it stopped its advance and was ripped back into the room.

“Did he fail?” someone asked in a low voice.

None of the others knew what to say.

“I have never seen this before or heard of it. To have the pill mists leave like that? They will dissipate, blessing the area around with greater vitality for being the birthplace of such a concoction, or it will be burned away in failure. But swept up and sucked back in?” One of the senior elders looked at his fellows, his face filled with questions that they didn’t know how to answer.

***

Erik saw the mist appearing around himself and Old Hei, its epicenter lying at the cauldron.

This mist was filled with a powerful medicinal power. Letting it just escape the cauldron would only be a waste!

Erik had seen Old Hei make this pill three other times and they had discussed what happened every time. They had practiced making it more than twenty times that number. Erik knew that the odd mist appeared as the pill reached the embryonic stage, but with all of Old Hei’s concentration on the pill, he didn’t have time or the ability to split his mind and contain this power.

Erik spread out his Mana. As he had increased his Mana pool, regeneration and the increases that had come with his Mana King title, the Mana in the area fell under his domain, allowing him to affect the world around him through it.

He created a cage and dragged the mist back, concentrating it around the cauldron. It was a tonic for the pill contained inside the cauldron. Erik could feel the mist thinning and being sucked into the pill.

Erik felt the effects of the Mind Calming pill coming to an end. He quickly took out two pills and sent one to Old Hei, who swallowed his without thought, placing absolute trust in Erik. Erik took his own pill and continued to force the mists closer to the cauldron.

Old Hei kept on grilling the pill inside. Erik couldn’t see what was happening but the power of the pill was increasing, neither slowly nor quickly but completely under Old Hei’s iron control.

That didn’t mean that it got easier. Instead, the difficulty only increased as Old Hei was now pushing his own ability, testing his strength.

There was a shift in the power inside the cauldron as the pill left the embryonic stage and entered the formation stage. The mist around the cauldron was sucked in, disappearing from sight as Old Hei continued to grill and refine the pill more, looking to increase its grade and efficacy.

Time had lost meaning to them but now as Old Hei was pushing harder than ever, his Mana started to dwindle and decrease.

“Erik, more Mana!” Old Hei demanded.

Erik didn’t hesitate, pushing his hand against Old Hei’s Mana gate located at the base of his neck. He let out a thread of Mana; adjusting, he poured out more. It was like sending it into the abyss as he could feel the hunger for more Mana within Hei’s body.

His Mana pool was already low, with little Mana left in his Mana channels and his Mana gates straining to draw in more Mana from the surrounding area.

Erik took a Mana potion, stirring up the air around them both as he pulled in the concentrated Mana and allowed it to flow into Old Hei’s body. It was only due to the purity of his Mana Erik could do so. If his Mana had one attribute or another in it, then it could adversely affect Old Hei’s Mana system.

To supply another with Mana was a dangerous thing, much like supplying one with blood. Erik’s Mana was like O negative blood, able to suit all others. But if it had been AB positive and Old Hei A negative, they would have had an issue and it could have placed more strain on Old Hei instead of less.

It showed just how much information Old Hei knew casually about Erik to know the purity of his Mana.

Still, the Mana he poured through Old Hei’s Mana gate was barely enough.

There was another change in the cauldron but Erik no longer cared about it. Seeing the concentration on Old Hei’s face, that this was not just a pill for him, that he was expanding his own pill making ability, everything was focused on the cauldron in front of him as if he had gone into some sort of meditative state.

Is this enlightenment? Erik had no time for other thoughts as he pulled out Mana stones and crushed them up. The Mana filled the area, increasing the density and increasing the rate that they pulled in energy.

Finally, he drew out the Temple of Earth’s Divinity dungeon core. The Mana in the surrounding area had been causing the air to pull at their clothes. Now it was as if they were in the middle of a hurricane as the Mana, filled with impurities, was dragged through the dungeon core in Erik’s hand. He directly channeled the purer Mana through his left hand and out of his right hand, into Old Hei’s Mana gate.

Old Hei seemed to get a second wind. In the midst of that chaotic Mana flow, the wind tearing at his clothes, he stood like a lighthouse in the storm, guiding the pill, altering and changing it.

Old Hei’s hands moved with his flames, causing them to dance, man and Alchemy combining their efforts.

His actions became smoother as he adjusted and seemed to understand more. Noises continued to come from within the cauldron.

A brilliant light came from within the cauldron as there was a beast-like roar from within.

Hei let out his own yell, jumping up and slapping the side of the cauldron. The lid of the cauldron flew off and a pill shot into the air. Old Hei’s hand snaked out, a pill bottle in hand, expertly catching the pill and sealing it with quick and sure actions.

Erik put the dungeon core away as the Mana in the room started to settle down.

The two of them were covered in sweat and left panting. Erik pressed his fingers against the side of his head as a headache filled his skull from the sheer amount of concentration he had placed on supporting Old Hei and channeling the Mana through the room and the dungeon core into Old Hei.

“Old Hei?” Erik had many questions. Right now they were pushed to the back of his head, seeing Old Hei’s pale face.

Old Hei turned around with a smile. “I must thank you, Erik. I don’t think I would have been able to do so well with any other assistant. Though I do have one thing I need to admit.” Old Hei’s smile widened at Erik’s confused look.

“This wasn’t another practice.” Old Hei held out the pill bottle and Erik looked at it, almost going cross-eyed.

“Wait, that’s real?” Erik looked at the pill inside.

“Yup!” Old Hei couldn’t help but laugh out, releasing all of his anxiousness, his excitement and pride.

Erik was still left looking at the pill. A faint blue mist surrounded it and moved around it.

The pill looked as if it were a sphere of clear liquid. As one watched, they could see lines of color fading in and out of existence, moving inside of the pill.

Erik had seen the simulated pill before, but its colors were not as vibrant nor so clear. Also, faint runes could be seen on the surface of the pill.

Erik’s ability with Alchemy was high but still he wasn’t sure the grade of this pill.

He turned to Old Hei, who answered his unasked question.

“This is an Inscribed pill, its efficacy reaching seventy-seven percent, which means the effect of this pill is ninety-three percent.”

Erik couldn’t help but shiver from these words.

Old Hei pressed it forward and into Erik’s hands.

“Well, it looks like Rugrat’s issues will be quickly remedied.” Old Hei slumped a bit, the fatigue clear on his face.

“Master-level pill—not bad!” Old Hei winked as he moved to the door. “Using the pill mists to increase the efficacy is a stroke of genius. Now I see that Master Alchemists who allow those massive pill mists to form are just showing off! Without that, we might have lost a full fifteen percent in efficacy!”

Erik didn’t really hear everything Hei was saying as he put the pill bottle away, wanting to get it to Rugrat as soon as possible, wondering just what the changes would be!

***

Elder Mo and the others had all stopped in their tracks seeing the mist. Then they had felt the powerful pull of Mana into the testing room. It was unlike anything else they had seen when someone would create a concoction.

The mist disappeared but then why were they still using so much Mana unless something else happened?

There were a number of powerful movements over the next few hours and then finally the power died down.

The guards looked at one another but remained at their posts instead of charging in.

The door opened sometime later as a tired Pill Head Hei appeared in the doorway talking to someone else.

“I’m going to get some sleep and rest in a proper bed. Make sure to get that to Rugrat!” Old Hei noticed that there were other people there. He walked forward and greeted them with cupped fist. “Elders, what brings you here?”

“We came to see Elder Mo creating the Golden Python Poison Curing pill and on our way back, we saw pill mists emerging from the door.”

Elder Mo could only smile awkwardly, feeling as if his achievements had been stolen from him. Instead of a taste of victory, only a sour taste was left behind.

“Elder Mo, that is impressive! A peak-Journeyman-level pill reaching into the Expert realm! You should be proud. This is no small achievement.” Old Hei smiled.

Seeing his kind smile and genuine happiness, Mo stood straighter and cupped his fist to Old Hei in gratitude. “It is merely a small achievement compared to Pill Head Hei’s Master-level pill,” Elder Mo said. He noticed an older man step out of the testing room, looking at everyone.

“This is...?” one of the elders asked.

“This is my friend Erik West. He has only just joined the Alchemist Association,” Old Hei said as Erik cupped his fist and bowed to the elders.

Their eyes all came to rest on the mid-Journeyman emblem on his chest. For a mid-Journeyman fellow to be Old Hei’s friend—just what was their history?

“Erik, could you see to Rugrat, make sure he gets that pill?” Old Hei said.

“Certainly, Pill Head Hei.” Erik bowed to Old Hei and departed.

“I would come to celebrate Elder Mo’s achievements but I will need to get some rest. Elder Mo, please, we will have to dine and toast to your success later!” Pill Head Hei said.

Seeing that they wouldn’t be able to hold him for longer or get any more information from him, the elders said good-bye to Pill Head Hei as he headed off toward his residence and out of the Pill Hall.

Even before he had left the Pill Hall, the rest of the division knew that he had at least attempted creating a Master-level pill but it was unknown whether he had been able to complete it.

“He has been the pill head for just a few months and he has already concocted a Master-level pill—some people are not equal to others!”

“Come, let us go and eat and drink to celebrate Elder Mo’s success. Two new dragons have emerged from our division branch! How will the other Division Headquarters react when we create two pill heads!”

Chapter: Shocking Increase

“What are we going to do with him?” Matt asked Domonos as he sat back in his seat. Rugrat had gone off into his smithy again. After being unable to smith anything, he had started throwing his hammer around before he started drinking, emotionlessly pulling the bottle to his lips and guzzling every time.

“I have seen it before. It will be hard for us to do anything without something to help him,” Domonos said.

Matt let out a frustrated sigh as the door to the residence burst open.

“Where is he?” Erik asked as he came through the door.

“Smithy.” Matt got to his feet and showed Erik.

Erik entered the open area that Rugrat had put his smithy in and his tired expression turned into one of anger.

“Get your ass up!” His voice cracked through the open area. Matt and Domonos felt the hairs on the back of their necks shoot back, afraid to move for fear of drawing his ire.

“What’s the fucking use, man? I’m busted. At least you could get your legs back!” Rugrat pulled himself up and staggered about, anger in his eyes.

“Get your fucking shit together, Marine! Are you a fucking marine or some baby-ass bitch?!” Erik barked, his hand moving too quickly as he threw a healing potion in Rugrat’s face.

Rugrat coughed as the potion went down his throat.

Rugrat rushed forward but Erik easily evaded his attacks. His Strength and Agility were not easy to deal with.

Looking at them, it was like an adult dealing with an angry child. Rugrat’s actions became more focused as he sobered up from the healing potion.

Erik grabbed Rugrat’s fist from the air and turned him around, planting him face first into the ground, pushing his arm up so every movement was painful.

Erik bent down so he was right next to Rugrat’s ear. “Feel that, that anger, that fucking fire. Don’t you fucking forget it, ’cause you need to fight! You want to get stronger, you push forward.” Erik pulled out a pill bottle and stuffed a pill in Rugrat’s mouth.

Rugrat swallowed it down as he fought back. He paused his actions as a glow started to appear around him. “West?” Rugrat asked in alarm.

“One Master-level Mana Channel Revitalization pill. Get on the Mana Gathering formation.” Erik got up and pulled Rugrat to his feet.

A range of conflicted emotions passed over Rugrat’s face. “Sneaky fucker,” he said, not wanting to admit how deeply Erik’s words had affected him. He followed Erik quickly to his smithy, where the Mana Gathering formation was.

Rugrat sat down on the Mana Gathering formation.

Instead of wasting any more words, Erik pulled out numbing salves and used them with needles, directly targeting the nerve clusters across his body.

“You did it for me once—time I helped you out,” Erik said in a low voice with a complicated look on his face.

“Erik, is that the pill?” Matt had come out after hearing them fighting.

“Yeah, now we just need to support him. Rugrat! Make sure to circulate your Mana system. The Mana Channel Revitalization pill is much more effective if it can move through your Mana channels. Circulate your Mana as if you were trying to compress your Mana core. Don’t let up! It will hurt a lot to start but it will get better!” Erik said.

Rugrat grunted but one could see that faint lines appeared across his body as he was circulating the power contained within him. With each rotation, the lines that didn’t match up grew a little bit and spread out.

***

Seeing that the pill was working, Erik nearly collapsed as a wave of fatigue came over him.

Erik checked on the condition of Rugrat’s body with his Simple Organic Scan.

The progress happened at a visible speed, but it would take time to repair the Mana channels. The power of the pill was rushing through his system. Then they would temper his Mana channels to strengthen them.

Erik found a bench and sat back.

Domonos and Matt, seeing that Erik was tired and close to passing out, stood off to the side, making sure to remain quiet and be ready to help if needed.

Seeing that it would take a long time, Erik opened up his notifications.

==========

Skill: Alchemy

==========

Level: 70 (Journeyman)

==========

Able to identify 1 effect of the ingredient.

Ingredients are 5% more potent.

==========

==========

You have reached Level 32

==========

When you sleep next, you will be able to increase your attributes by: 10 points.

==========

==========

1,072,943/1,215,000 EXP till you reach Level 33

==========

“What?” Erik yelled out, stunned, and then checked to see whether his outburst startled Rugrat. But the man was still sitting on the Mana Gathering formation, not moving an inch.

He checked the information in front of him again with shocked eyes.

“Over three million Experience from making one pill?” Erik muttered to himself. He found it hard to sit still and his leg started to bounce.

I have an Alchemy skill nearly reaching Expert, and I gained some three million Experience! Erik needed some time to come back to reality.

His mind turned to the examination he had just undertaken to join the Alchemist Association.

As Old Hei had told him, many people had a high skill level in the Ten Realms as the Ten Realms gave a lot of focus on completing a concoction and the effects that it would create. Though if one could make just one Expert-level concoction, then the Ten Realms would give them the rank of an Expert-level alchemist. But if he was to get to the Alchemist Association, then their evaluation would be different. One needed to not know only how to make one concoction; to be a true alchemist, they needed to know all four of the Alchemy stages to a high degree and they also needed to know the tools, the ingredients, and all of the possible information behind those four stages.

It is understandable why people might assist other alchemist Masters in a craft. The Masters have an easier time creating the concoction and can push themselves harder with the assistant to support them. The assistant has a gain in seeing techniques of the Master and also increase in skill level and Experience. Though if one was to rely on this all the way to the higher levels, then they would be a great assistant but their individual ability would be weak, kind of like a caddy in golf—can advise and help, but they’re not the actual golf player.

With all things, there were two sides to the same problem.

Erik had been quick to make large and definitive choices when he had entered the Ten Realms, but now he saw a more measured response was needed, balancing the good and the bad to advance.

Erik sat there on the bench, watching over Rugrat.

In his Mana channels, one could see a faint thread of yellow energy that seemed to exit through the Mana channels in his chest and circulate his Mana system. As the yellow faded away, a silver thread appeared and flowed through him, then blue and green and red. Erik, seeing the colors, tried to stay awake, his head following the lights. His eyes closed and he would raise his head to force himself awake as sleep came for him but there was nothing that he could do to stave it off.

==========

You have 10 attribute points to use.

==========

“Well shit,” Erik said inside his head as he saw the screen.

“Okay, well, get this done fast and then I can check on Rugrat. I need Strength and Agility to fight. I should increase my Agility a bit more as my Strength is increasing at a much faster rate. If I want to try to condense my Mana drops, then I will need to be able to hold more Mana or my Mana channels won’t be able to hold it and they’ll rupture.”

Erik placed two points into Strength, three into Agility, and five into Mana pool, laying the groundwork to chase after Rugrat.

Rugrat had a massive lead so it might take Erik another ten levels before he was able to catch up to the stage Rugrat was at now with his Mana system. Although it was a lot of time and effort, Erik felt it would be worth it if he was able to increase his magical abilities. Still, his primary goal was to increase his body’s Strength.

==========

Name: Erik West

==========

Level: 32

==========

Race: Human

==========

Titles:

From the Grave II

Mana King

Dungeon Master II

Reverse Alchemist

Poison Body

==========

Strength: (Base 26) +39

==========

650

==========

Agility: (Base 19) +41

==========

330

==========

Stamina: (Base 29) +9

==========

570

==========

Mana: (Base 6) +35

==========

410

==========

Mana Regeneration (Base 12) +40

32.20/s

==========

Stamina Regeneration: (Base 27) +33

13.00/s

==========

He took a look at his new character sheet. He’d had large stat changes, but the greatest increases to his ability had not come from straight attribute points but rather the hidden percentage increases, from titles and other means.

Chapter: Effects of Mana Channel Revitalization Pill

Rugrat sat in the middle of the smithy. The Mana Gathering formation caused the Mana around him to condense. As he circulated the Mana in his Mana channels, it was as if his Mana gates were breathing in and out. The pain in his body faded away with Erik’s help, allowing him to focus on processing the Mana Channel Revitalization pill.

The pill dissolved in his body and crossed over into his Mana channels. As he circulated his Mana, the substance dissipated through his body, expanding, healing, and growing his Mana channels.

He watched as his Mana channels, that had been in tatters, started to show life again, as if seedlings accepting water. They spread out to meet with one another, once again becoming whole. His acupoints, Mana gates, and channels lined up. His strength came back to him; his senses that had been dulled were starting to come back to him. The blockages cleared as the air around him vibrated with power and strength.

Finally, he finished repairing his Mana channels and the energy used strengthened them even greater than before.

A yellow-colored energy, carrying with it the heaviness of the world, passed through his Mana channels. They had been a faint blue before, but now if one looked closely to his Mana channels, one could see that they had a needle-thin yellow line running through them.

Then a cold silver energy appeared in his Mana channels. It was familiar to Rugrat; it had a metallic tang to it as it added its color to his body.

This happened three more times as Water, Wood, and Fire Affinity tempering threads circulated his system, changing his Mana channels.

Rugrat looked through his Mana system, seeing the strength there, the strength that he had been cut off from for so long.

Rugrat took time to look at his system, to check it all over. He opened his eyes and slowly stood. The world seemed to move with him as all of his Mana gates resonated with the Mana of the Third Realm.

I’m close to making a breakthrough and compressing my core. I only need to compress one more drop. If I were to use Mana stones, it might be easier to do so.

Even as he was excited by the thought and could feel the increased power within his body, he was hesitant, anxiety setting in from his last failure.

I’ll wait until Erik agrees and then go through it.

All of the anger and frustration from before had been drained out of him. He felt embarrassed as he looked over the open area. Domonos sat on a bench on watch; he nodded to Rugrat. Rugrat tapped fingers to his forehead in a two-finger salute and looked to his right, finding Erik passed out on a bench.

Completing the Alchemist Association trial, running across the Third Realm—he wanted to see Old Hei, but a large part of it was trying to get something that could help me. Rugrat felt his guts twist as he thought of how he’d acted, embarrassed and wishing he could wipe away his self-centered actions.

He looked back at the smithy. Now that he could once again use his Mana, he wanted to try to smith again. He looked over to the sleeping Erik and shook his head.

He had no idea of what Erik had to go through to get the pill, and the power it contained couldn’t be something normal.

The least I can do is let the poor bastard get some rack time.

***

Erik woke up with a sore body from having fallen asleep on the bench. He looked over to the smithy but the furnace’s fire was out and it looked as if it hadn’t been touched all night. Rugrat and the others were nowhere to be found.

Erik stretched out, using his Simple Ranged Heal as it worked over time, to wake himself up and work the various kinks he felt across his body.

The others were all asleep still, so Erik pulled out a prepared meal and sat down at the table and started to eat.

It wasn’t long until Rugrat woke up and he was moving through the house.

“Morning,” Erik said.

“Coffee.” Rugrat wiped his face and moved to the table, slumping down in a seat.

“How did it go?” Erik asked.

“Check it out.” Rugrat held out his arm.

Erik pressed his fingers to it, and used his Simple Organic Scan. Looking through his body, he could see all of the changes that Rugrat had undergone.

“What is with these extra colors?” Erik muttered to himself.

“Temperings. Guess that I was tempered with Mana of all of the Affinities. Not sure what it will mean.” Rugrat shrugged.

“It will allow you to have a greater affinity toward all types of spells. You can control the different Affinity Mana with greater control. It might not be that big of a thing right now as we cast spells with the Mana in our bodies, but if you can reach a higher level in your Mana Gathering Cultivation, then spells will be powered by a combination of the Mana inside your body and the Mana in the Ten Realms,” Erik said.

“What?” Rugrat asked, waking up quickly as he pulled out some caffeinated drink.

“I only know what I learned about the pill,” Erik shifted, remembering the information he had gathered. “In the formula, there is a description of these effects—it is a Master-ranked pill, after all, and it can be used at any time in one person’s life. Though the facts that it does not keep long and it requires a lot of resources, the effects are really potent. Part of the equal exchange with the Ten Realms: highly powerful but for a short period of time. Instead of decently powerful over a long period of time. This pill isn’t technically to heal one’s Mana channels, it is to alter them, remodeling and tempering them, increasing one’s affinity to all of the elements. This pill should be taken before one reaches the Mana heart stage, which is where magic turns from internal to external, or from elemental to Mana.”

“I thought that was just referring to formations.” Rugrat turned thoughtful. The sleepiness from before had fallen away, his eyes alert and eager.

“Oh?” Erik asked, prompting Rugrat to go on. He had only gotten information from asking Old Hei; it was flawed and incomplete as he had only asked it to get more background information on the overall effects of the pill.

“There are in total ten stages of formations: Power, Function, Direction, Tapping into Elements, Drawing External Mana, Use External Mana, Domain, Elemental Hub, Environment Alteration, and Mana Well. The first three stages are required to make a spell or a formation. Power can come in many different forms. Function is the formation or spell and the Direction is touch based—ranged or whatever you have engraved into the formation plate.

“Tapping into Elements is a new stage; it is where one uses specific Affinity heavy elemental Mana to carry out a spell or formation’s effects, say when using different gems that store up a concentrated amount of one Mana Affinity. Drawing External Mana, when the formation doesn’t just use the Mana in the formation, but it’s kind of like the ignition, the formation is the primer, the surrounding Mana the gunpowder. Small energy output, big energy return.

“Domain is when one can exert control over an area—everything inside this area is controlled by the Mana or the effects of spell and formation. With the Mana gates opening, we have gotten the titles Mana Duke, Mana Lord and so on. These are close to a domain, as we are able to exert control over the Mana in the area around us, but we aren’t able to lock it down from others, making them unable to draw in Mana.

“Elemental Hub refers to someone or something that not only affects the area they’re in, but it can transform the Mana Affinities where they’re located.

“With Environmental Alteration, one can change their environment as a formation becomes a part of the land and even if removed, the effects will last until they are altered by another elemental alteration or massive realm event. People with this power no longer need to cast spells as they have reached the point where their actions create change in the Ten Realms. They are demigods over their domain.

“Mana Wells—these are only barely technically formations. The Mana wells and ley lines that run through the Ten Realms—these natural phenomena can be replicated in formations and when one reaches the pinnacle of the Mana Gathering system. They have crossed a boundary between human and a creature made of Mana. These formations or people no longer require Mana from the world around them. They create their own Mana, transcending the limits of mortals and becoming akin to gods. Now it is best to think of the Mana Gathering system as the power source, the engine and the battery, and these ten stages are one’s ability to utilize that power. Someone who has reached the end of the path of Mana Gathering might only reach the Domain stage; still, they will be the kind of beings who could cause continents to shift, nuclear reactors with nearly unlimited power to lay waste to anything within their domain. Within that domain, unless there is another with the same power and ability, they are akin to a god, untouchable.”

“Then will the change shift your Mana channels?”

“We are both still in the tapping into elements stage. We draw in all kinds of Affinity Mana. Yes, we purify it a lot and we have taken in cleaner Mana with less impurities, but our bodies are not able to clear everything and we still have impurities in our bodies. Drawing in External Mana means that we naturally draw in Mana, removing the impurities. This can be through modifying our Mana Gathering systems, or it can be through training, or a mixture. Once one reaches that stage, they touch upon the Use External Mana. At this stage, the spell is the key. We create the spell or formation, then power is drawn in from the Ten Realms, increasing the power of the spell.”

Rugrat saw Erik’s confusion.

“Think of a car: you turn the ignition, simple action. Then that action starts the car, small action, bigger reaction with power coming from somewhere else. In one way, a person could say that, before drawing in Mana stage, people are elementalists, but once they control Mana they are Apprentice mages, but become mages when they can use external Mana. This kind of strength turns them into terrible forces. One mage is worth an entire battery of artillery. Healer mages could bring men back from the brink of death, allowing a force of ten thousand to fight over an army of one hundred thousand, not getting tired, their wounds vanishing. Instead of just lightning blasts and Mana spears, one could call down a rain of hellfire or asteroids, cause the clouds to form a lightning tribulation. Now if you’re saying this allows a greater Affinity control, well, most elementalists prefer to specialize in just one element as they find it easier to work with. Think of Fire mages, Water mages, Metal mages and so on. It is easier to control; they have a greater affinity for these spells so even when they become mages then they will be stronger when casting those Affinity spells. If one was to increase their affinity toward all of the elements, then all of their spells would make a leap forward in strength.” Rugrat’s words were soft and almost breathless as he looked at the table, working through his own thoughts. Erik’s eyes were glowing as he was making connections of his own.

“At the same time, to support that, even if one has the ability to use external Mana, they need their Mana Gathering system to be powerful enough to give that initial fuel to the spell and have the impurities removed. When one compresses their Mana core, their ability to store Mana increases by a large margin and they open another Mana gate. One still needs to draw in Mana and compress it more before they can create a Mana heart. A Mana heart condenses and pulls in Mana on its own, cleansing it and purifying the body. This purer Mana affects one’s skill and pulls them up to draw in Mana, as one will draw in refined Mana without conscious thought,” Erik concluded, snapping his fingers.

“Right.” Rugrat nodded. He let out a snort and drank from his cup. “Something else to look forward to!”

“How do you know all of this?”

“Well, I do read sometimes, and it’s pretty basic information with formations, like how we know the names of the different stages of Body Cultivation. Though the descriptions are rough and only what I’ve been able to learn so far, so there might be flaws.” Rugrat shrugged.

Erik nodded his head absently.

The Mana Gathering system is the most used system by humans to increase their cultivation and the natural power of their body. I’ve still been unable to find out any information on how I can complete the next stage of my Body Cultivation. Old Hei talked about it a bit ago—I should ask him about it and see if there is a way for me to increase my Strength.

“Thanks, man,” Rugrat said, his sudden words making Erik’s thoughts stumble to a halt.

“What for?” Erik asked, drawing a blank.

“For dealing with my moody ass and helping me out. I’m sorry about last night.”

“Look, we’ve both been there, a dark place where it seems like there is nothing we can do to help it. That there is nowhere for us to go.” Erik fell into silence.

“All we can do is move forward,” Erik said a few minutes later, his voice soft but determined.

***

Rugrat returned to his smithy and stoked the fires with his Mana.

Matt and Domonos similarly went about their own tasks. Domonos was teaching Matt how to fight and spent the rest of the time training. Matt, when he wasn’t getting his ass kicked, was off trading.

Rugrat pulled out several ingots of Mortal-grade iron and placed it inside the furnace. He waited for it to turn cherry red, before pulling it out and hammering on it, flattening it out more. He took some powder out and poured it over the metal and placed it back in the furnace, heating it. He pulled it out and flattened it out once again before pouring more powder on it.

To create the enhanced iron he wanted, he needed to combine or alloy it with the enhancing powder fully.

Heat, powder, fold, repeat.

Sparks appeared under his hammer as he worked. Requiring only his physical strength, he was able to keep the Mana expenditure down.

As one ingot was completed, he started on the next, repeating the process. Rugrat lost himself in the act, his mind focused and drawn to the metal as he sunk into his craft.

Sometime later, he resurfaced, feeling Mana rushing through his body without a hint of pain. Instead, he felt as if he was filled with energy.

“First, I want to see if I can make Earth-grade iron, that will be the next hurdle.” Rugrat took a longer drink from the jug. He looked around the smithy. The Mana contained within was so dense that it created a slight mist. It was thanks to this mist that he was able to work longer. The power seeped into his Mana channels, permitting him to purify his Mana more and increase its density, it felt as if there was boundless power within his veins, his mind felt clearer and better focused. He only thought of smithing as an interesting hobby he did on the side, but now he had understood how much he enjoyed it, how his hands itched to work and his brain filled with new ideas.

He might complain about the work, but it was his addiction, it was his focus that even without intending it, he would think of unconsciously throughout his day.

Using that thrilling feeling of being able to do what he loved  he turned it into fuel he took a big drink, wiping his black stained face. He put the canteen away and pulled out a Mana stone.

“All right, well, it looks like you’re up.” He stood and went over to the anvil. He pulled out his hammer and put the Mana stone down.

He started striking the Mana stone until it shattered. Rugrat picked up the pieces and continued to smash them, crushing them into smaller pieces until the stone was nothing but dust. He wiped it into a pouch and pulled out a Mortal-grade ingot and tossed it into the furnace, increasing the temperature. After some time, he put it into an enhanced Mortal-iron crucible.

Rugrat thought back on the information in his mind, recalling how long it would take for the metal to liquify.

He sat down and watched it, using his Mana blade to work on a piece of metal.

He had reached mid-Apprentice skill level in formations, still way behind compared to his smithing, which was reaching into mid-Journeyman level.

Rugrat looked over at the crucible some time later and put his doodling plate away. He went over to the crucible and pulled it out of the furnace. “I just hope I’m not wasting a Mana stone on this.”

Rugrat took out some of the Mana stone dust and sprinkled it into the crucible, creating a white surface on the red metal. It slowly started to sink into the metal.

Rugrat used another tool to stir the metal and placed it back into the furnace. After a few minutes, he pulled it out again, stirring and adding in more of the Mana stone dust.

“Either I’ve got heartburn or my heart is hurting from seeing me throw away so much money.”

Rugrat grit his teeth and continued to the point where he could see the Mana stone dust permeating the metal.

He took out an ingot mold and poured the contents of the crucible in.

Cooked with flames strengthened by a dungeon core, in a concentrated Mana environment and a fifth of a Mana stone in dust. This better damn work.

Rugrat placed the mold right at the center of the Mana Gathering formation and then sat there, waiting for the ingot to cool. The iron started to dim slowly; the Mana stone powder combined with the iron ingot shone with the power contained within.

“I need to find a better Mana Gathering formation. This one works but it’s crude as hell!”

Chapter: New Boundaries

After breakfast, Erik’s feet took him toward Old Hei’s residence. But remembering how fatigued he had looked, Erik stopped himself and looked around.

“Been awhile since I’ve been to a library.” Erik went towards the Division Headquarters library.

He showed one of his tokens to the librarian.

“You can read the manuals in the first two floors,” the librarian said.

“What about manuals that are on cultivation?” Erik asked.

“They are in the side hall. You have the authorization to access the first three floors.” The librarian pointed to a door to the side hall.

“Thank you.” Erik headed in.

There were four stories to the main library and all of them were packed with books. The first floor was for those of the Apprentice rank and had the largest collection of books. The second floor for Journeyman alchemists, then Expert and Master. Each floor got progressively smaller. In the Regional Headquarters, the Expert floor would be the final level one could reach and it had a few hundred books, but at the Division Headquarters, there would be thousands of books but only a few on the Master-level floor.

Erik didn’t pay attention to any of the books. With all of the Alchemy he had been doing, the tests and the trials, he wanted some distance from it all. He knew he would come back, but he didn’t want to force it.

He made it into the side hall. It was filled with manuals on increasing one’s Mana Gathering Cultivation and a person’s Body Cultivation. These were useful to the alchemists to increase their Strength and have reference material for what the many types of altering concoctions they made would do to their or their patients’ bodies.

Erik went to the first floor. The Mana Gathering books were plentiful, numbering in the hundreds; the books on Body Cultivation numbered in the tens. From this, one could see how people preferred to take the easier path when they increased their Strength. Body Cultivation was not only resource and time-intensive but it was also extremely painful.

Erik found some interesting information. As he learned more about Body Cultivation and browsed through the Mana Gathering books, his Healing Book’s information increased as he added in information on the changes one’s body would undergo when they increased their cultivation.

Damn, this thing is better than Post-it notes!

The stiffness in his body that had been there since Rugrat had hurt himself fell away as he took his time. There was nothing he needed to rush to, no event or trial he needed to complete. He had Mana stones to head to the First Realm or to spend as he wanted; the options of the Blue Lotus; Rugrat was healthy and fine. With these worries to the side, Erik actually started to enjoy looking up information on cultivation. With each book, it felt as though his mind, which had been closed off, was opened up to a new idea. More than once he realized where his assumptions had led him wrong, or a new method he hadn’t thought of.

When he reached the second floor, he didn’t even take the books to the desk to read and sat in the aisle, reading the information within.

***

Rugrat was working on the iron ingot with Mana stone powder added to it.

He turned it, heated it, and injected more of his Mana into it, acting as a conduit for the Mana around him.

Using the Mana crystals, the iron was able to hold a large amount of Mana in it but it had not been able to cross from the Mortal level to the Earth grade.

Rugrat’s hammer moved constantly. The metal hummed and vibrated under his blows as he used the vibrating blows that he had learned from Tan Xue, allowing him to combine the Mana crystals evenly and control the makeup of the ingot with a higher degree.

The power forced into the ingot built up. The Mana powder was glowing and showing signs of movement. Under Rugrat’s continued hammering, the dust started to change, turning into a liquid that fused with the ingot.

Before, they had simply been particles of dust in metal; now they were becoming a single entity.

Rugrat only worked harder. His muscles that hadn’t been used to smith in too long were burning and tight, but he pushed onward.

The Mana had overloaded the Mana powder, filling it to the brim to the point where it exploded inside the metal, the power leaching into the metal.

The Mana in the workshop was pulled inward, circulating the Mana stone before being drawn in, increasing the strength of the iron ingot. It took on a shine similar to silver, but in Rugrat’s eyes, silver couldn’t even compare to the beauty of the ingot.

He tested it. He had never seen an Earth-grade iron ingot before, but it was clearly not a piece of Mortal-grade iron anymore.

Rugrat grinned as he looked at the rough-looking ingot held by his tongs.

To others, it was nothing more than a boxy-looking piece of metal. To Rugrat, it was a masterpiece and proof of his recovery.

“Now just what are you capable of?” Rugrat put down the Earth-grade ingot and pulled out a Mortal-grade ingot as he started to record information into his newly discovered Smithing Book.

***

Erik closed the book in his hands and held onto it. He looked at the other bookcase but instead of seeing it, his mind was working over the thoughts, the ideas he had read about.

“In the end, there are many paths. It’s just finding the best one suited for the person.” Erik tapped his fingers on the book, sinking into thought.

There are a number of different items that one can consume to increase their Body Cultivation, not just concoctions but there are natural resources in the world that one can find and consume to increase their Strength. Finding these things is rare and they are usually found in dangerous places so that they are given time to grow and other animals and people will fight over them to increase their Strength.

Other than concoctions and natural resources, one could step into an area filled with Fire attribute Mana and use the Mana to increase the strength of their body, working to increase their Fire resistance and create changes on the smallest level in their body, breaking it down and rebuilding it with the Fire attribute. One could walk into a volcano, or be placed into a special cauldron; both of these were incredibly painful but they had greater effects than just the concoctions. If the concoction could be taken in conjunction with being in these harsh environments, then the process could be sped up drastically.

“When I was overcoming the poison, I needed to heal my body constantly until it got to the point where it had changed to deal with the poison, changing the entirety of my body. This is the same thing—internally or externally, I need to change my body.” Erik sat there for some time.

“I could look and see if I can find a concoction to increase my Body Cultivation, and see if there are areas where the Fire Affinity is especially high in the surrounding area.”

With this in mind, Erik headed to the Supply Hall.

Erik moved to a counter.

“Hello. How may I help you?” the man asked from behind the desk.

“I was wondering if you had any concoctions that might temper one’s body?” Erik asked.

“Certainly!” The man pulled out a book filled with information.

Erik looked through it. He had thought the man would give him formulas but he truly had a deep collection of concoctions that could temper one’s body, increasing their resistance to different things, increasing the abilities of their Mana Gathering systems. The array of them was mind-boggling.

“How aren’t you sold out of these?” Erik muttered to himself but the man behind the counter must have heard it.

“While we do sell a number of concoctions to temper one’s body, a number of them are held back for the use of the Alchemist Association. If we were to increase everyone else’s Strength and not look after our own, we would fall behind others quickly. Also, the prices here are lower than what people on the outside buy for to help out fellow alchemists.” The man behind the counter smiled.

It makes sense. Increase the strength of your people first, then others. If alchemists weren’t able to get concoctions to assist themselves for cheaper prices than outsiders, it could make things harder on them. Alchemists not only produced the most amount of concoctions, they used the most. With their fighting styles, their craft—they used concoctions all the time. He had created poison to be used on Rugrat and his rounds and arrows. He had also made multiple Defender’s Might so he could use it to boost his offensive power in a fight. Mana, Stamina, and healing concoctions—he used and consumed these on a regular basis. He only drank water more than these three concoctions.

“Eight Mana stones, that is not bad,” Erik remarked.

The man behind the counter coughed slightly. “Those are contribution points. Each contribution point is worth ten Mortal-grade Mana stones.”

Erik’s eyes widened. The pill was still cheaper than what he might find in the outside world, but eighty Mana stones was much higher than what he could handle. “Can I get contribution points to convert Mana stones for them?”

“You can convert Mana stones for them and most people do. You can also take on missions from the Mission Hall to get contribution points. Also, for meritorious services, you can be awarded contribution points as well.” The man smiled weakly. He seemed to have figured out that Erik didn’t have any contribution points even though he was a Journeyman-level alchemist in the association.

“You can also take on jobs in the Alchemist Association to get a number of contribution points, like take on moderation jobs, or run different offices,” the man said.

“Okay. Thank you for your time.” Erik made a note of several of the concoctions that looked useful for him and passed back the book.

The other man nodded apathetically as Erik turned and left.

I need to make some damn Mana stones!

His thoughts turned to Ebeneezer’s proposition and the formula he had nearly completed in his storage ring.

Matt and Domonos were off in the markets of the Division Headquarters. Both of them were traders. Matt was relatively new to trading, only doing it for a few years, but he had been trading in the third realm while Domonos had only been in the sect. Domonos had been brought up in a trading household so he had the background but not the practical experience in the Third Realm. With Domonos’ upbringing as a trader and Matt’s knowledge of the local market, the two of them complemented each other. Allowing them to turn some profits as they made a game out of trading their loot.

“Erik!” Rugrat yelled from his smithy.

“How did you know it was me?” Erik asked as he headed toward Rugrat.

“Your Mana signature—it’s really easy to pick you up. I think my control over Mana has increased but it looks like it’s a hidden stat and I can’t find information out about it. It might be because of the pill,” Rugrat said as Erik finally entered the smithy area and saw two ingots in front of him.

Erik’s Mana system might not be as strong as Rugrat’s but he could still feel the density in the two ingots were of vastly different quantities. “What is that?” Erik asked.

“Earth-grade metal ingot, baby,” Rugrat said with a wide smile.

“Unlike the Mortal-grade ingot, this can contain a lot more Mana. It is actually easier for Mana to move through it, increasing the strength of enchantments. So say you enchanted it with a Water attribute to increase cutting force by three percent on the Mortal iron—it could reach five percent easily with the Earth-grade iron. If someone of skill was to write the formations, then the increase would be even greater! I have no idea what kind of effects Sky-grade iron might have but I bet that you could use Sky-grade ingots to make magical weapons—talking about some beefy-ass enchantments that not only increase the fighting power of the weapon but the user as well.”

“Wait, wait, back up. Enchantments? Could you make an enchanted flame dagger thing?” Erik asked, as something had just clicked in his mind.

“Well, I don’t have Fire formations but maybe I can buy one in the future. Why?”

“Do they have Fire attribute weapons for sale here?” Erik demanded.

“I would think so.”

“I think I have a bad idea.” Erik’s serious expression turned into a smile.

Rugrat looked at him sideways and unconsciously stepped backward.

Chapter: Putting Down Roots

Erik passed over the gold to the weapon merchant and left the store. He headed back to his residence and then to his room. He pulled out the dagger.

==========

Burning Crescent

==========

Attack: 56

Weight: 3.4 kg

Health: 89/100

Charge: 80/100

Innate Effect: Bleeding Effect 10/s

Enchantment: Ember Edge—inflict burning damage for 3/s on target

Requirements:

Agility 31

Strength 7

==========

It was a plain-looking curved dagger, vicious and effective. It curved under one’s hand, running in line with their knuckles. It had been blackened but one could see faint glowing red-like embers in the enchanting formation carved into the blade.

It was an exceedingly simple assassin’s blade. Erik didn’t care about anything other than the Fire enchantment on the blade.

Erik pulled up his pant leg and used Simple Organic Scan. He put down Wraith’s Touch to numb the area and pulled out the dagger.

“Not the smartest idea I have ever had.” Erik took the blade and cut into his lower leg, making sure to not cut too deep or nick anything that was useful.

Erik felt a burning sensation in his muscles. The blade was pouring out Fire Affinity Mana into his body, in levels that he couldn’t handle, causing his body to start failing from the high Fire Affinity Mana poisoning him.

Erik stopped cutting his leg and waited the three seconds for the burning sensation to die down. Erik used his Focused Heal spell, and the wound disappeared.

Erik then stabbed the blade into his leg and left it there. The burning sensation got worse as it expanded out. It reached nerves that hadn’t been numbed, making Erik scream between his gritted teeth. He pulled out the blade and used healing spells; the healing spells counteracted the Fire Affinity Mana that was attacking him internally.

The only thing that had decreased was the charge by one point.

Erik used his Simple Organic Scan and looked at his leg. With his near picture-perfect memory where it came to medical and Alchemy matters, Erik could tell that his leg had undergone a minor tempering.

“Okay, so this is going to suck a little bit.” Erik sighed. I want to get to a point where I could be stabbed by that blade for an hour and it wouldn’t have an effect.

Erik took the blade and stabbed it back into his leg. This time, instead of waiting on healing, he started healing right away, trying to contain the burning embers that were trying to spread through his body and burn him from the inside.

***

Erik gathered everyone together for a meeting. Domonos, Matt and Rugrat all looked at him as he cleared his throat.

“All right, so we need to talk about the future. What do you guys want to do? Are you interested in staying here in the Third Realm or do you want to come and check out Alva Dungeon and advance through the remaining realms?” Erik said.

“You make it seem almost easy,” Matt said.

“It won’t be easy but I’ve got some confidence. The path ahead will be right through the Fourth Realm and for that, we might need some help,” Erik said.

“I want to see my family back in the First Realm. Then I will decide about going forward,” Domonos said.

“What about Old Hei?” Rugrat asked.

“We are now both people of the Alchemist Association. While people can choose to stay in one location, we also have the freedom to move around. I have not made any oaths to anyone. Only if I want to be taught in one of their schools or if I want to work in their headquarters would I need to. Old Hei has made those oaths, so he will have to go where they say. Though it is not like we would be cutting off all contact with them. If we are able to get a residence here, then we will have a base for people to come to to buy and sell our goods as well as have an opportunity to join the Alchemist Association if they desire. The people of Alva are looking to go into the higher realms. This puts them into a city we know is largely safe, with a place that they can go to if they need help. Also, we can open it up to the dungeon below so if someone wants to make trouble then they’ll be in a world of hurt. Gives us a fallback and an outpost to work from.” Erik looked at Rugrat.

The other two looked at each other in question, not making any sense of what Erik had said.

Matt let out a cough. “A small place here would be worth around four hundred Mana stones,” he said apologetically.

Erik closed his mouth and made a pained noise. He winced and turned his head to the side. “Fuck, that’s steep,” he said in a breathless voice before recovering.

“Well, I have a way that we can get that kind of money easily. I just need to do a deal with the Blue Lotus. It will also afford us some more protection in the future.”

“So head back to the First Realm. But you talked about going to the Fourth Realm with more people?” Rugrat asked.

“Yeah, it’s time that we trained up the people of Alva, turned them into a true military. We’ve given them quick training courses and they have been in a number of fights and work in parties. Though we need to take it a stage further: break them down completely, rebuild them up with standardized gear and weapons. With just us in the Fourth Realm, if I’ve learned anything from the Third Realm, it’s that having allies is your best bet to make it out of a shitty situation. It is an opportunity to train and a way for us all to gain strength. I also don’t think that if we were to go in parties and smaller groups that the outcome would be good. They’ve fought against beasts but it’s time that they got true training, and then, only when we’re satisfied, we take them up against other people.”

Erik’s words were harsh, but if they had a military that was only used to killing beasts weaker than them, they would be hardly useful if an enemy rushed Alva Dungeon.

“Okay, but when you go to see Old Hei, I want to come with, to express my thanks,” Rugrat said.

“Okay. Then I need you two to look for a residence in this area.” Erik pulled out his map and marked an area that was close to the expanded hidden area of the dungeon.

Domonos and Matt copied it.

“Then take this to go and buy as many items that you think would benefit crafters with this.” Erik pulled out his remaining thirty or so Mana stones.

“Don’t worry, we’ll look after it,” Matt said. Domonos nodded.

“Umm, so what kind of figure are we working with here?” Matt asked, wincing already.

“I guess I’ll find that out tomorrow. I need to go and write down some formulas.” Erik sighed, sounding drained.

Chapter: Rise and Fall of Money

The next day, Erik sent a message to Old Hei asking whether they could meet. He agreed, so Erik and Rugrat headed into the depths of Division Headquarters.

They passed the posted guards, meeting Old Hei for breakfast.

“Morning.” Old Hei waved to them in greeting, doing away with the bowing and the rest of it.

Erik bowed his head slightly and moved to the table as Rugrat walked up to Old Hei. The guards in the room moved and adjusted to intercept.

“Thank you for the pill.” Rugrat was uncommonly solemn as he cupped his hands and bowed deeply to Old Hei.

Old Hei laughed, dismissing everything.

Rugrat only tightened his fist, unable to fully convey his gratitude.

Old Hei patted him on the shoulder. “I once had a friend as close as you, you don’t need to have the same blood in your veins to be brothers.”

Erik stepped forward and cupped his fist as well. It might look ridiculous and feel ridiculous but Erik respected Old Hei in his bones.

“Old Hei, I need to compensate you for those ingredients,” Erik said. He felt as though he were taking advantage of Old Hei.

“Don’t worry about it, Erik. If it was not for you being there, I would have not been able to complete the pill, never mind challenge my limits and achieve an enlightenment about my skills and abilities. Resources are just resources—we can grow and find more—but improving one’s skills and ability is something that can only be done through hard work and spurts of rapid growth through enlightenment,” Old Hei said.

Erik could only sigh and drop the topic, truth, after all, is truth.

“Come, eat with me and let me know what this other matter is!” Old Hei said.

Erik and Rugrat moved to the table and sat down.

“You know what I was working on when we were in the Second Realm?” Erik asked.

“The potion you were selling off to the Blue Lotus, yes.” Old Hei nodded.

Erik pulled out the two formulas he had made and passed them to Old Hei.

Old Hei looked them over.

“These potions—there is no wonder that they have never been made before. The preparation process is one of the hardest just because of the main ingredient. An Apprentice could make the potion, but a Journeyman would be needed to refine the materials. Then this new stronger version—it might take an Expert to refine the ingredients, but then a Journeyman could make the potion once they have the prepared ingredients,” Old Hei said. “I should start to buy stocks of the leaves. Thousands would be consumed to refine just a few tens.”

“It is indeed the hardest part of the process, though my problem is not with the formulas or making these concoctions—it is what I should do with them. The Blue Lotus has voiced an interest in the formulas. They consume and use the potions at a rapid rate and I am not able to meet their demands,” Erik said.

“Have a royalty contract: take a few percent of the overall value that the potion is worth at market price or however much it is sold for in auctions. Lump sum payments will be limiting. This formula will become the newest rage among the Blue Lotus; add in that they are never able to trade this formula away and only the products. Though one issue you could come into is price fixing. There might be people trying to fix the prices of these concoctions low so that they don’t have to pay you so much. They are a pillar of the Ten Realms but like the Alchemist Association, they are controlled by people.”

“I have a method to deal with that.” Erik smiled and sat back in his chair. “Would the Alchemist Association be interested in buying these formulas and entering a royalty contract with me?”

“Oh?” Old Hei raised his eyebrow, a smile on his face.

“That way you get the Alchemist Association and the Blue Lotus to keep one another in check, stabilize the market price so one or the other couldn’t mess it up. Also get revenue from two groups instead of one.” Rugrat looked to Erik with a look of pride.

“Right!” Erik smiled and looked to Old Hei.

“Seven percent of the market price of the goods where they are sold. We will be allowed to freely distribute the formula as required,” Old Hei said. “Payment to be made at the end of the year.”

“To this branch. I am hoping to set up a place here,” Erik said.

“Very well. This will be sealed in a contract,” Old Hei said.

“I will get a special token to access the funds or send someone in my stead to gather them. I do not want people to know my identity unless I use that token,” Erik said.

“We can do that as well,” Old Hei agreed.

“You pay the taxes,” Rugrat interjected.

“Taxes?” Old Hei asked.

“Well, I think that it all sounds good,” Rugrat said, giving Erik a look.

“If it is possible, I would like to ask for an advance,” Erik said.

“An advance?” Old Hei asked, unsure of this new word.

“A loan, if you will, against the trade. One thousand Mana stones. Only after the acquired amount from the sale or consumption of the concoctions has reached one thousand Mana stones will I get any additional payment.”

“So laying a loan against the future profits.” Hei stroked his beard in thought and looked at the formulas. He was Erik’s friend but he was also a pill head of the Third Realm. He couldn’t act beyond his position and this deal had large ramifications as these concoctions could extend the lives of some of the old ancients in the Alchemist Association, holding onto their strength longer or giving them an opportunity to increase their ability and lifespan again. It would incur a heavy cost.

“Okay, I can agree to this.” Old Hei looked to his guards. “Khasar, bring me the head scribe and make sure that he brings his tools to make a binding contract, one that will be passed to the rest of the Alchemist Association.”

“Yes, Pill Head Hei.” Khasar cupped his hands and used his sound talisman.

“So, when will you be leaving?” Old Hei asked.

“Soon, but I do not intend to leave forever,” Erik said.

“Have you thought on becoming my direct disciple?” Old Hei asked.

Erik stood, cupping his hands, and bowed deeply. “I would be honored to become Old Hei’s disciple but I like to keep wandering and would be a bad student.”

“I don’t think anything could stop your drive to explore and to venture through the Ten Realms.” Old Hei laughed. “The reason I want you to become my direct disciple is because I can see the heights you will reach, because I want to make that path a bit easier. I hope that you are able to surpass me in ability and come back to this old man with a few tales! I have lived for a very long time. I know that we might meet frequently in the future or rarely; with being my direct disciple, it will be easier for us to meet up along our path and share our stories and help one another grow,” Old Hei said.

A weight that Erik didn’t know about lifted from his shoulders. He didn’t want Old Hei to feel as though he were abandoning him. With Old Hei’s words, this was lifted: they would look to meet up with each other in the future, but they had their own lives and paths to travel down.

“I would be honored to be called your direct disciple,” Erik said.

“Good. Catch!” Old Hei tossed an emblem and Erik caught it.

“Now you’re my direct disciple—no getting out of it!” Old Hei grinned as he grabbed some fruit from the food in front of him.

“Now, come on, let’s eat! How did the pill go?” Old Hei asked.

“I am stronger than ever,” Rugrat smiled proudly.

“Good! Now you both must try this Jsodif fruit! It is good for your mana circulation!”

They laughed and obeyed his words.

***

Erik and Rugrat left the Alchemist Association, with their stomachs heavier, a contract created, and Erik’s purse substantially heavier.

“I’m going to head back to the smithy. You good with the Blue Lotus?” Rugrat asked.

“Yes. I got the scribe to make two contracts so everything should go smoothly,” Erik said. “See you back at the house.”

They parted ways and Erik headed toward the Blue Lotus. It looked a lot more domineering than it did the last time he had entered. He talked to a guard, and quickly left the main areas of the Blue Lotus and found himself outside of Manager Ebeneezer’s office.

The doors opened as Ebeneezer put away some paperwork and moved to greet Erik. “You look like you have come to a decision?” Ebeneezer smiled.

“I have.” Erik pulled out a contract and handed it to Ebeneezer.

He read it over and checked the quality of the contract, making silent judgements and appraisals as he did so.

Erik stood there, waiting.

“Very well, we agree to this contract. As I sign this with the Blue Lotus oath, it will be connected to everyone in the Blue Lotus. I do want to ask—who made this contract?” Ebeneezer asked.

“Head scribe of Division Headquarters Mao Yuzi. Also, you might want to know that the Alchemist Association has completed a contract identical to this one, which will give you both a way to trade with each other, to gain resources or the concoctions from each other,” Erik said.

Ebeneezer’s expression remained passive as he hid his thoughts on a professional level.

“Smart, very smart.” Ebeneezer nodded. He went to his desk, signing and stamping the contract. The power of the Ten Realms descended, acknowledging the contract and placing restrictions on Erik and the Blue Lotus. Ebeneezer didn’t seem that stunned as he sent a number of messages.

A guard came in with a woman; they took the scroll, Ebeneezer passing them quick instructions.

Then another man entered the room and passed Ebeneezer a storage ring.

The others left, leaving Erik and Ebeneezer alone.

“Do you have them?” Ebeneezer asked.

Erik pulled out the two simple-looking pieces of paper and held them out to Ebeneezer.

He accepted the paper scrolls with gentle hands, unraveling them and looking them over. His expression changed a few times before he stored them away.

“It is good doing business with you, Mister West. Please let me know if there is anything that I can do for you. I would like to take you out to the Golden Phoenix restaurant to celebrate, if you are interested?” Ebeneezer handed Erik the storage ring.

Erik looked inside, seeing the mountain of Mortal Mana stones.

“I’m sorry. I have other plans but I thank you, Manager Ebeneezer. I do not doubt we will be meeting with each other in the future.” Erik smiled and cupped his hands to Ebeneezer.

Ebeneezer did the same.

Erik came out of the Blue Lotus, letting out a sigh. He looked around before looking inside his storage rings once again to make sure that his eyes weren’t playing tricks on him. It took all he had not to break out into maniacal laughter and do a jig on the ground. He headed right for the residence that they were staying in, finding Matt and Domonos.

“Have you found anything?” Erik asked.

“Well, it depends what you want. We found a small home on a largeish piece of ground for three hundred and sixty Mana stones. Then we found larger residences that cover all of the ground for three thousand Mana stones,” Matt said.

Erik’s joy from before turned into stomach pain. He let out a sigh filled with suffering. “How big is the cheap property?”

“It is three hundred meters by five hundred,” Matt said.

“But it is in the middle of the traders’ homes, not the high-class ones but the places where they keep their goods and their beasts,” Domonos said.

“So it smells a bit,” Matt added.

“Well, that’s big enough. We can grow plants that diffuse the smell, build up a big residence with the people of Alva. And being around the traders will make it easier for us to sell our goods,” Erik said, trying to look at the positives.

“Shall we take a look?” Domonos asked.

“Sure,” Erik said.

“What about Rugrat?” Matt asked.

“He’s working on an upgraded set of alchemy tools for Old Hei,” Erik said.

They headed through the city and reached the property. It wasn’t much more than a shack on a plot of land. There were gardens on it, but there were signs that it had been nibbled at around the edges by the beasts that were stored in the trading stables. And the smell was pretty damn awful as the area was one of the hotspots in the city from the volcano underneath. They were also bordered by larger buildings, making it hard to get anything like proper sunlight.

“Most of the time, materials and builders are pulled from the outside, because it is just so expensive here that the builders couldn’t survive here with so few jobs. Most of the builders and crafters related to building are all high-ranked Experts—painters, carvers and the like. Getting one of them to work here is the same as getting an army to work on your home in a normal city,” Matt said.

Erik closed his eyes, linking to the dungeon and looking at where the hidden passage ended. He could expand it some more; then it wouldn’t be too far to dig to.

They had shown him some of the other residences. They were nicer and in better locations but they had less land and the buildings were made already, with no room for development. With the builders from Alva, they could make their own place here.

Also, I don’t want to be broke when I just got two thousand Mana stones!

“Contact the seller. We’ll buy it for three hundred and sixty Mana stones,” Erik said. It was a fortune, but in Division Headquarters, it wasn’t worth all that much. It was one of the capitals that ruled over the entire realm—how could anything be cheap?

Chapter: Return to Alva Dungeon

The next three days passed quickly. They bought the shack and the land. Erik met with Old Hei; the two of them wandered around the Alchemist Association, going to different places to sit, talk, and eat.

Erik turned a portion of his Mana stones into contribution points with the Alchemist Association and bought the Internal Burning pill.

==========

Internal Burning pill

==========

Ignite the Fire attribute Mana within your body, allowing your body to transform and be tempered by the forces of flame.

==========

The pill had reached the Inscribed pill level, with seventy percent efficacy with its effect around the twenty-three percent mark. That increased Erik’s potential to temper his body by twenty-three percent, only a quarter higher than before, though Erik had more plans. Still, the pill had cost him one contribution point, or ten Mortal Mana stones.

Rugrat exited his smithy, and handed Old Hei the tools he had worked on. Old Hei accepted them, pleased with the workmanship. Rugrat had taken so long to make sure that they were of the highest quality and even added in a bit of the Earth-grade iron ingot to increase the overall grade of the new tools.

With this, they had completed all they needed to in the Third Realm.

The party of four went to the totem. Old Hei saw them off as they entered in their destination as Chonglu.

Domonos looked around the familiar city. It was the same as it had always been but it had changed since he had been there.

“Go and check on your family. Head to the Wild Reaches Trading Outpost and head to the bar the Bloody Ram to meet up with a guide who will bring you to Alva,” Erik said, he pulled out a talisman and tossed it to Domonos.

“Thank you.” Domonos said, storing the medallion away and bowed to the others.

The others smiled and headed off. They exited the city and made off into the surrounding forest.

“City, huh? Haven’t seen a city that size in a while. Doesn’t look like any more than a town,” Matt muttered as they found a hidden cave.

Erik and Rugrat found the teleportation array and plugged in a Mana stone.

Power built up in the teleportation array as they disappeared from the cave and appeared on the teleportation formation in Alva Dungeon.

The guards rushed out with their weapons as Erik and Rugrat pulled down their hoods.

“Damn, that is an actual town! What is that stream of Mana doing?” Matt asked before taking in a deep breath. “The Mana here is so fresh and removed from other Affinity attributes!”

“Welcome to Alva.” Rugrat grinned as he walked forward. The others followed.

“Mister Erik, Rugrat!” one of the guards yelled out. A few of them looked to be new and questioned the first man, who bowed deeply to them.

“Looking good. Have a good watch. We’re going to head back to the manor.” Rugrat grinned.

Erik smiled as well. There was nothing like coming home; tension seemed to leave their bodies and smiles appeared on their faces that would be impossible to remove even if they wanted to.

***

Matt looked around at everything. He had not seen something like this in a long time. It was completely new. There were only a few hundred people around; there couldn’t be much more but then the facilities were on the higher end of what he had seen. The town wasn’t that large but the area it was in was much larger. Roads were lit up to guide one through the earth; the ceiling projected light down onto the people below, actually making one feel heat from the fake sun.

There was a glowing array on the ceiling that had to be some kind of massive formation. The density and purity of the Mana—he had seen how it improved as one ascended the Ten Realms, but he had not yet felt Mana that was as pure as this.

They moved through the streets. The people greeted and talked to one another excitedly as Erik and Rugrat walked through, as if they were some kind of returning heroes.

“Just what the hell have you been feeding them to make them look at you like that?” Matt asked in a low voice.

Erik rolled his eyes as Rugrat laughed.

“We built this place, though after that it’s been pretty much all up to them,” Rugrat said as they entered the main area of the town, around the large pillar-like structure.

“This is the dungeon core headquarters. Basically, everything in this dungeon is powered by it, so no touching.” Erik looked to Rugrat first and then Matt.

“Why you have to look at me first? I am part owner, too!”

“You’re also a marine, so don’t touch anything!” Erik turned and looked at the rest of the town.

“Fair enough,” Rugrat said to Matt in a low voice.

Matt was looking over to the market area, where people were doing a brisk business. People came from the large school campus, getting different goods and then heading back into the campus.

“You got the bait?” Erik asked.

Rugrat pulled out a book and let out a whistle. Nothing happened for some time. Then there was a commotion in the campus before a pile of bones appeared in the sky and shot toward Rugrat. The bones started to come together and a cloak wrapped around them, creating a skeleton as it stopped in front of Rugrat.

“Why were you a pile of bones? Has someone been beating you up?” Erik asked.

“It was too slow to go through the front door so I went through the windows. They’re really small and I was warned about breaking any more glass,” the skeleton said.

“Dude, you got a necromancer?” Matt asked in excitement, looking Egbert over.

“Necromancer? I was raised as a construct, not raised from the dead so I have no memories from before and you know, none of the insatiable soul hunger of the undead.” Egbert then looked back to the book in Rugrat’s hand.

Rugrat tossed the book over and it disappeared in mid-air.

Egbert rubbed one of his finger bones, hunching down his face and making a creepy expression.

“Dude, I think your skeleton is broken,” Matt said to Rugrat.

“He came that way,” Rugrat said.

“Right,” Matt said, not totally believing him.

“I swear, I only tried to kidnap him once!”

Matt looked at Erik and then gestured at Rugrat, as if to ask, Yeah, fricking right. You hear what this guy said?

Rugrat looked to Erik to back him up.

“Egbert, what has been going on? Cliff notes version,” Erik said.

“Cliff notes? You want me to carve it into a cliff?”

“Quick and dirty version, as much as possible. The cookhouse looks bigger—well, everything does,” Erik said.

Rugrat snorted at some joke he thought of and elbowed Matt as if they were both in on the same joke.

Matt’s blank expression made Rugrat pout and look around with a bored expression.

“Why don’t you go off to the smithy and show off your ingot,” Erik said.

“See you later!” Rugrat ran off, filled with energy in a moment as he laughed, rather evilly, on his way.

“There is something wrong with that human,” Egbert said, as if giving his clinical opinion.

“And you can say anything differently?” Erik said.

“Hey, it makes perfect sense to disassemble and reassemble through obstacles. I would fucking rock an obstacle course!”

Matt couldn’t help but grin as Erik sighed and held his head, pitying himself.

“Case of the special leading the challenged,” Matt said before whistling and looking around.

“I like him.” Egbert pointed to Matt as Erik didn’t seem to quite appreciate Matt’s words.

“Egbert, Matt; Matt, our resident skeleton. Oh, Matt, we have a blueprint office. They look at making designs for buildings. Also, they’re pretty good at making blueprints for different weapons, or physical items. Unless things have changed?” Erik looked to Egbert.

“Nope, nothing has changed. They’re incorporating formations into the buildings as well. We did some with the homes we have now, but they’re looking to reduce energy costs so that people don’t have to pay such a high Mana bill,” Egbert said.

“And here I was thinking I got away from paying my hydro bill,” Matt grumbled.

“Means hot showers and toilets that flush,” Erik said.

“Sign me up!” Matt said, suddenly struck with emotion at having hot water on tap.

“Some people have been making the bidets that Rugrat was talking about.”

“There really is a God!” Matt said, his emotions building as he looked away to make sure no tears leaked out.

Egbert looked at Erik.

“You’re missing out, dude. Bidets—like a god’s sparkly cleaning refreshment of your undercarriage.” There was no change in Erik’s voice; he was completely calm and serious.

“What the fuck happened to you as a kid?”

“I shit like a fucking king,” Erik said.

Egbert opened his mouth several times as Matt got himself under control but no words came out from Egbert. For the first time in history, the skeleton was sunk into a period of speechlessness.

“Now, what’s been going on round here?” Erik asked.

Egbert started with the upgrades to the city, the increases that were going on, the building of the parks, the increased production from all planned areas, the iron mine that with current technologies would be dried out in just three more years, and they were looking for more deposits in the surrounding area. They were also looking at prices of iron ore from other places and the council was buying this ore instead of straining the mines. They could buy more ore; it was at a higher price, yes, but it could make their own ore mines last longer. More people had learned how to make Mortal-grade iron, which could be sold at an increased price; just transforming it into Mortal-grade ingots meant it could be sold to the Second Realm at a great profit.

The traders who were heading to the Second Realm came up, the formation of the Adventurer’s Guild, the loss of twenty percent of their military as they became adventurers instead as the profits of fighting for themselves won out.

The upgrade to existing facilities in the academy, the cookhouse reaching level three and the changes that it meant.

The battle at Vermire and Aditya’s actions in repelling the people of Zatan, as well as the actions of the special teams and the regular parties.

Erik asked pointed questions. This was his area of expertise and he was able to quickly build up an idea of all the moving parts in the battle that had happened.

Matt listened to it all, a bit shocked by the changes, but it wasn’t outside of his realm of possibilities. Simply put, Erik and Rugrat’s ideas were in line with people from Earth’s; their plans and actions had changed the thoughts of the people in Alva so that they were following the same thought process, allowing them to increase the rate that Alva built itself up at speed with practices taken from Earth.

A change in thought and the way one carries out their actions has been able to have this impact.

They made it to the market and the dining hall. People were talking and looking over to Erik. He waved to a few but kept on talking to Egbert to get up to date as he ordered food.

Matt looked at the food choices, seeing food dishes that were prepared in the style of Earth food. He got a number of dishes and sat down. The other two continued to talk about the events that had gone on while Erik was away. His eyes moved to the trading stalls that were in the same area of the dining hall.

Matt used a spell to increase the range of his sight, looking over the displayed items and prices listed by the merchant stalls in his sight.

Then Matt bit down on the steak. He made a grunting noise as he closed his eyes, forgetting trading and focusing on the flavor and tenderness of the steak!

Egbert looked over at him in alarm. Those twin blue orbs held hidden judgement as Erik grinned.

“Good, right?” Erik said.

“I got a buff from it, too?” Matt had good food before that had been able to give him a boost, but the price of such food was nothing like the prices he had paid here. If he could take this to other cities and simply sell the food...?

Would I be able to sell such food? How could I stop from eating it myself?

“So damn good!” Matt said, putting his traderly thoughts away and digging into the food.

He talked about a blueprint office. What would happen if I was to bring my modern knowledge of architecture to them?

Back on Earth, Matt had been stuck building lame utility buildings and functional buildings. They were well made and they served a purpose but they were not the most architecturally pleasing buildings ever made. The sight of them wouldn’t make people stop and stare in interest. Also, with those useful buildings, couldn’t he make buildings that were like development plots? Most buildings in the Ten Realms were built as one unit. If he could build them with the earth-normal systems like water, electrical, heating and cooling, then it might make building faster—could turn people from builders to breaking it down into the trade crafts they were best suited for.

It would be like when a family used to come together to build a single place and then moving to a system where people would have plans for a building and they would hire on professionals who would do one part of the building in their craft. The first buildings were sturdy and functional, but the second series of buildings could be built much faster and to a higher standard.

He had done plenty of technical drawings; he could help out on that point and standardize them all, improving the speed to draft a blueprint so that it could be replicated or sold on the market. There would be a need to make a records office and building permit office to deal with the building. All of these systems were from Earth and they were incredibly easy to start, but they would increase the ability of the people of Alva.

I need to see what they’re working with so I can see what I can add to it.

Matt grinned. He did like the thrill of making a deal, but to be able to use his architectural knowledge...he would have not completed the program if he was not interested in building. In Alva Dungeon, he didn’t need to do a set thing; he could make plans for all kinds of things for fun and then buy goods from Alva Dungeon and sell them in the Third Realm.

Matt looked over to Erik, who was talking to Egbert between bites of food.

Buying a place in the Third Realm was a masterstroke, as it opens up all of the channels of the Third Realm up to Alva.

They need to worry about external threats, but they’re hidden in the First Realm. Traders moving across the other realms, creating outposts and bases in these widely spread areas, if they remain neutral and are able to keep out of the conflicts and the same noble in-fighting and rivalry that happens in the Ten Realms and handle Alva like a city back on Earth, with everyone being equal, it will allow them to grow faster than others and have a greater sense of belonging and support one another. Just the cooperation among the crafters helping one another out will be a strength hard to find in other cities in the Ten Realms.

Matt silently judged the city around him as Erik finished getting up to speed on everything.

“Okay, I’m going to head to the healing house and Alchemy lab. Matt, if you want, Egbert can take you to the blueprint offices?”

“Sounds like a plan to me!” Matt said excitedly.

***

Delilah sat in one of the new parks that had appeared around Alva. She had been reading a formula she had gotten from the Alchemy lab when she looked up unconsciously, seeing Erik walking toward her.

“Teacher!” A wide smile appeared on her face as she jumped up to greet him.

Erik laughed and waved her down as he sat on the bench as well. “Seems that you have been spending plenty of time in the Alchemy gardens and the Alchemy lab.” Erik smiled.

“I’ve been trying to increase my ability with Alchemy.” She smiled back at him.

“Good! But how have you been? Alva takes some adjustment to get used to.”

“It’s like nothing I thought would be possible. There aren’t many people but everyone’s abilities have only continued to grow. To think that everyone were just farmers and regular people before is hard to envision.” Delilah’s voice softened as her thoughts turned to her family members still in the Second Realm.

“Is there something on your mind?” Erik asked.

“Teacher, you have done so much for me but I want to ask if I can go back to the Second Realm and bring my family back to Alva Dungeon with me. They’re simple but hard-working people. They do not know how I did in the city and I have not talked to them in years.” As she talked, she went through a series of emotions.

“I don’t see why not. I would not feel safe if you didn’t go with one of the adventurer parties, though,” Erik said in a stern voice.

“Thank you, Teacher.” The weight on her heart became easier to bear.

Erik paused as he just looked around the park: couples were meeting together, friends going for a stroll, others working outside.

“It’s much more peaceful in here,” Erik said.

“Teacher...” Delilah paused.

“What is it?”

“Will you be staying for long?”

Erik looked back at the park but his eyes were distant. “I think I’ll stay for some time. There are some things I need to take care of, before the Fourth Realm.”

Delilah was happy, but hearing about the Fourth Realm, her smile couldn’t help but sour. She had heard of the kind of hell that the Fourth Realm was from various stories. She didn’t know what was true or not, but from them she knew that the Fourth Realm was a land devoted to war and slaughter. She knew her teacher was a decisive and fighting man but it still made her scared for his safety. He had done a lot for her and helped her out of a bad situation. Everything she had now she owed to him.

Erik got a message and raised his sound transmission device.

He let out a sigh as he stood. “Looks like I have been summoned. We’ll meet up in two days? I want to see how far you’ve advanced. You can probably beat me in Alchemy by now!” Erik smiled.

Delilah stood with him and laughed. “I don’t know if I can meet Teacher’s ability, but I have been able to improve slightly,” she said proudly.

“I look forward to it!”

He took his leave and Delilah looked at his back. He stood tall, a pillar of Alva Dungeon and a man who looked to advance through the Ten Realms. He was no ordinary person and there was plenty of weight on his shoulders.

I need to get stronger in Alchemy so I can help Teacher and run it while he is not around!

Chapter: Reorganization

“Hello, Elise,” Erik said as he saw Elise at the coffee shop.

She stood and the two of them hugged before taking their seats.

“Came back a few hours ago and I haven’t even seen you. What did I do?” Elise asked with a smile as she poured some tea.

“Quite a damn lot—kept the dungeon running, upgraded it, expanded our trade routes, took down a confederation on level with a kingdom, facilitated the upgrade of the cookhouse, and oversaw the addition of nearly four hundred new residents,” Erik said.

Elise let out a wry smile and finished pouring the tea. “Sweet talk like that isn’t going to get you anywhere, Mister West.”

“No, but it makes it easier for me to say thank you. You’ve done one hell of a job and done it better than I or Rugrat could have done. Alva’s achievements to date are also your achievements,” Erik said in a solemn voice.

“It’s strange. I feel like most of the time I’m just putting out the damn flames and hoping that nothing else gets burned down,” Elise said, embarrassed by the praise as she drank from her cup.

“So, what did you want to meet with me about?” Erik asked. “I got the basics from Egbert, and I was planning to meet with everyone and talk to them to understand the situation better.”

Elise took a deep breath and put her cup down. “I want to be released from my position as council leader.”

Erik, who had been about to take a drink from his cup, stopped his hand mid-air and lowered it. “Okay. Who do you propose would take over your position?”

“I don’t propose anyone to do so. I do propose a new system of government to reflect the needs of the people of Alva that will better serve them in the future. As it stands, we have outgrown our current structure and we need to make changes in order to better serve the people of Alva and increase the speed that we develop.” Elise paused to gauge his reaction.

“I am listening,” Erik said.

“What I was thinking of was creating a system that promotes people based upon their ability and their temperament. Like with the military, those who are the strongest commanders, able to lead their people into battle and emerge victorious even in the worst of situations, and are able to beat others in a stand-up fight. We need those kinds of people leading all of Alva’s departments. The best trader, the heads of the academy being picked out due to their ability instead of their seniority, then the head of the academy being picked from those people. We would make new departments: the leader of the adventurers, the leader of the academy, leader of construction, leader of the military and then the council leader to look over everyone else. They would be elected for a four-year period. Each position will be staggered, so every year one will be removed and another added. This will stop them from building up political parties. It will also mean that there will always be someone with four years’ experience as part of the council, able to help out the others.”

“Okay, so we pick out the people who excel in their field to lead that field, but why would they want the position?” Erik asked.

“Prestige? Funding? The ability to guide the future of Alva? Not only will they get the position, the resources of Alva will be there to help them advance their strength. After two terms, they will have to step down for at least one term, but if they are better than their opponents, they will return to the peak after those four years,” Elise said.

“No elections, only based on ability—I do like it.” Erik nodded. “Though who will be neutral enough to deal with it?”

“Egbert,” Elise said, making Erik raise his eyebrow as the pieces fell into place.

“He is completely bound to you and Rugrat. He cannot betray your orders; if you give him orders to carry this out, he will follow them to the letter. He would be the secretary of the council, which would elevate him to the highest position other than the council leaders, which would be you and Rugrat. He would chair the meetings and deal with the running of Alva. He might act as if he hates the task but he loves to be around people and Alva is essentially his home. It has been a long time since he saw the glory of the gnomes grace this place. He wants to build it back up and push everything to greater heights.”

Erik turned thoughtful. “Okay. I’ll give him three months to get everything sorted out. And I don’t want him to base the tests on just one’s ability; I want him to get an idea of their ability through observations and the like. Thank God we don’t have privacy laws.” Erik laughed to himself as Elise merely looked at him before shrugging at another one of his odd sayings.

“So, what will you do if you’re not the council leader?” Erik’s tone softened, asking as a friend instead of the dungeon master.

“Trade.” Elise’s face broke out into an excited smile.

“Oh. And you and Blaze?” Erik asked.

“What do you mean?” Elise asked, thrown off-balance. Her wide eyes looked at Erik and then around to see whether anyone had heard anything.

“Well, why else would a smart trader like you with some funds be in Alva Village? Also, I’m not freaking blind. I have been married a few times.” Erik frowned at his own words before dismissing them from his mind.

Elise looked around and then to the table, not sure where to look or what to say.

“That much, huh?” Erik snorted and looked to the ceiling, tapping his fingers on the table as he sunk into thought. “Well, it would depend where he fell in this new shake-up.”

“What do you mean?” Elise looked at Erik with laser focus, her eyes thinned.

“We have had both Glosil and Blaze as the military part of the council, but with this new system there will only be one at the table, though we will also need another person from the Adventurer’s Guild. I can’t help but wonder if there will be one of them moving over to the Adventurer’s leadership spot. In a way, although the adventurers are not people of the military, they are people of Alva. The military force is our front line—our scouts and might—but the adventurers could be thought of as our reserve force. They might even have members who are stronger than those in the military as they will get a large amount of Experience being in the outside world but they are individuals instead of a fighting force,” Erik said.

“Though both of them, wouldn’t they want to try to be the leaders of the military?” Elise asked.

“Glosil followed Blaze because he saw that there was no way for him to increase his ability or level in the military, but Blaze left because he had been awarded with the right to create a village. He could have turned it down and continued to progress in the military. He has a great knowledge of military matters in the Ten Realms but he doesn’t have the fire of a younger man or a man whose heart and soul is called to the military,” Erik said, his words confident. He had seen it before when people he knew had left the military. When he had left the military, he had wanted to keep fighting, but the rules and the red tape of the military held him back, turning it into a political game he didn’t want to deal with.

With the Adventurer’s Guild, it would be like mercenaries: they would have a greater freedom to do as they want, they got the same rush of fighting, but without the crap that came with the military side. At the same time, you were fighting for gold and riches instead of for the people behind you.

“Do you think?” Elise asked.

“I don’t know what the future holds, Elise. I can only make guesses. But at tomorrow’s meeting, we can go over your plan and look to put it into action. It has been hard on you. Rugrat and I can lead troops and battles but we don’t know how to run a town and deal with the people inside so we’ve put a lot onto you,” Erik admitted.

“Well, the pay was good and I’ve been able to do some trading on the side,” Elise said.

“A friend of mine, Matt, came from the same place as Rugrat and me. He’s over at the blueprint office. But he has traded in the First, Second, and Third Realm. It might be an idea to talk to him once you’re out of office,” Erik suggested.

“Thanks, Erik,” Elise said. It wasn’t hard to see that she had been anxious about this entire meeting, saying that she wanted to leave her position and suggesting a new breakdown of duties to run Alva Dungeon. The fact that they could remain friends after it all put Elise at ease.

***

Tan Xue and Taran seemed to have almost forgotten about Rugrat as they looked over the Earth-grade iron ingot.

“It has to be,” Tan Xue said after some time. “To change the form of this and turn it into a weapon, not only would someone need a powerful flame, it would need to be a completely magical flame. If not, then impurities could enter the iron and weaken it. Thankfully, we have such flames but the power output would be immense.”

“Worried about the Mana bill, huh?” Taran laughed, his eyes never leaving the ingot.

Rugrat, on the other hand, was looking through the smithy and appeared with a handful of blueprints. He dumped them down and looked them over.

These were plans that had been bought from the different places in the First Realm, but the majority were from the battlefield dungeon.

“Genius! Genius! It would remove the shearing force when using it and increase the strength of the weapon!”

Taran and Tan Xue didn’t look up from what they were looking on. After all, their reactions to the blueprints hadn’t been different from Rugrat’s own.

He grabbed a blueprint and rushed off to an empty furnace, tossing in some iron ingots. He put the blueprint down, studying it as the metal was heated up. Seeing so many new designs had inspired him yet again.

After being bottled up for so long, he could once again use Mana in his smithing.

Rugrat studied the blueprint and pinched his glabella, thinking before he noted down some things with chalk on the table. He waved his hand, looking at tens of different enhancing powders. “No, no—need an Earth-attribute enhancer.” He went through more colored vials and boxes before he pulled out a red and blue vial. “Gotcha!”

Tan Xue picked up the Earth-grade iron ingot and poured some Mana into it. “It just sucks up your Mana. If it wasn’t in a Mana-rich environment for long in its ingot form, then it would start to lose its innate abilities and drop down in grade and ability.”

“What about once it’s forged?” Taran asked. “Shouldn’t it be able to hold the power better? It could even store Mana inside of it instead of just having to rely on monster cores, gems, and Mana stones to power it.”

“Right, and in a high Mana concentration area, it could regenerate power and become stronger—not too much stronger, but it might be possible to make a power amplification weapon.”

Behind them, Rugrat laughed as he controlled the flames with ease, making them dance as a pleased smile filled with memories appeared on his face. “I have missed you.”

“Power amplification weapon?” Taran asked in confusion.

“I didn’t tell you about it, because I thought that it was honestly a smithing myth. There are a lot of things that smiths say to throw others off. Now I think that it was only a partial myth. A power amplification weapon can be used over a series of levels. They’re weapons that take the user’s attack and multiply the effect. Think of it like a mage’s staff and a sword stuck together. A mage staff increases one’s speed at casting a spell, or the destructive forces. Now have those same amplifications but to a sword; add in the fact that the more Mana you pour into the weapon, the greater the effect. So say the blade enhances your speed: put in 5% of your Mana, you get an increase in 10% of your speed; 10%, you get 13% increase and so on. The more Mana you put in, the stronger the enchantment or innate abilities’ effects are. These weapons are power amplified as it relies on the power that the user can give to the weapon to increase its power and increase the user’s power.”

“The effect that it would have on the battlefield...” Taran said in shock.

He could just imagine people who had looked weak pouring out their power into their weapon and going from just a small boost into a massive boost.

“Pair that with the healing house’s ability to open one’s Mana gates and people’s Body Cultivation increases,” Tan Xue said.

Rugrat guided the flames to the ingots. He placed them into a crucible and cranked up the heat. It wasn’t long until he pulled out the crucible with his tongs. He took the blue and red powder and he tapped the vial, pouring it into the molten metal. The powder turned gold as it touched the metal. A gold flame appeared above it as the powder was ignited.

Taran and Tan Xue had complicated feelings in their hearts but when they looked at each other, a sense of challenge rose up. After all, they had now reached the same stage in smithing and competed with each other regularly to increase their ability and Strength. It was why the smithing school had such an increase in ability: Tan Xue had a wealth of knowledge and Taran was driven and plain assed stubborn. The two of them talking and competing with each other had increased their ability and they had then passed the information on to their students.

The other parts of the academy also challenged one another, but take the blueprint office: they had only books and papers to learn from as well as their own observations and models that they could create. The formation workshop had to pull from Egbert’s information and what they could get from the battlefield and the book from the Metal floor.

They were having to forge their own path, with little foundation. Taran and Tan Xue knew the smithing basics, allowing them to start from a firmer position and everything was just an increase to their knowledge instead of them having times when they had to look back at their previous knowledge and wonder whether their assumptions were wrong and have to go backward.

Off to the side, Rugrat’s face turned into one of concentration. Using the flames, he kept the metal in its liquid form, stirring the metal. Using the powder and his Simple Inorganic Scan, he was transforming and enhancing the metal within as faint gold blobs could be seen in the metal.

Rugrat put the vial away. His mind recalled information from his Smithing Book as he poured the metal out into an ingot tray.

It was on a formation that removed heat. It wasn’t cooling the metal like dunking it in ice water or putting it in a freezer; the metal retained all of its strength and the ingots were finished in a matter of minutes instead of hours.

Rugrat smacked the tray and pulled out the ingots. His tongs grabbed them expertly and put them into the furnace once again.

Rugrat felt the waves of heat on his face, burning his face and threatening to make his eyebrows combust. His eyes watered and dried against the heat, but he felt alive.

Taran and Tan Xue looked over to him, about to ask him about the Earth-grade iron ingot more when they saw him pulling out a red-hot ingot.

The Mana in the entire smithy seemed to fall under his control. One could see the slightly white vortexes around his Mana gates as he drew in Mana from the surrounding area. The power made his Mana channels expand, his body covered in a slight Mana mist as his hammer came down. Power was injected into it. A hammer made of Mana appeared around it as he slammed it against the ingot.

Sparks and Mana shot out from the point of impact. Mana rushed out of Rugrat’s body with his exhale. As he lifted his hammer, Mana rushed back in to fill the void.

Each blow was timed with his breaths, with the circulation of Mana through his body.

Taran could even feel the Mana in his body being stirred up by Rugrat’s actions. It had to be known that Taran had opened eight of his Mana gates with Mana gate treatments.

The questions that had appeared in his mind disappeared as he looked at Rugrat’s concentration, knowing that he would only interrupt the other. Seeing the way he was working, Taran could see the joy in Rugrat’s eyes even as his face was stern. His hammer blows expertly drew out the metal as he put it back into the furnace in a cooler area. His control over the new furnace, even using them the first time, was as if the flames were just an assistant happily abiding the instruction of a master.

Rugrat pulled out another ingot and started to form it as well.

Tan Xue laughed. “No wonder he wrote out the formula. Seems he didn’t want to be interrupted while he was working.” Tan Xue grinned.

Taran nodded. “Well, let’s have a look at it. If we can make these Earth-grade ingots then we might be able to finally push through that peak Journeyman level and reach Expert.”

Tan Xue nodded as they turned back, leaving Rugrat to work.

***

Rugrat looked at the weapon in front of him. The handle was made from rough metal. It looked as if it was a pole formed from rock, rising up to meet the axe head that completed the halberd. Where the metal met the pole, it was too rough and looked to be wood while the spikes along the back and top as well as the blade of the axe had been smoothed out and brought to a razor-edge finish.

Rugrat put down the sharpening tools as he looked over the weapon. If one looked at it closely, they would see that the gold blobs that had been in the metal from being combined with the enhancing powder had turned into gold veins that traced through the weapon. It looked like gold ore veins hidden among the rocks.

Rugrat checked the stats.

==========

-Unnamed-

==========

Attack: 83

Weight: 45.8 kg

Health: 100/100

Innate Effect: Weapon is incredibly sturdy, 9% increased durability

Enchantment: Not enchanted

Requirements:

Agility 47

Strength 51

==========

Rugrat whistled at the requirements. One not only needed to have the Strength to wield the heavy halberd, they needed the Agility to guide the weapon or else it would be completely unwieldy. This weapon reached the point where normal people from the First and Second Realm couldn’t possibly use it.

“Okay, time to see if there is anything I can do about adding in a formation enchantment.” Rugrat stored the weapon away and headed for the formation workshop.

***

Qin was working in her workshop as normal when she heard a ring from the door. “I’m busy!” she yelled as she continued to work on the formation plate in her hands.

She checked the plans she was working on and continued carving. Her movements were sure and true as she worked. She had the confidence of the leading formation master of Alva Dungeon. With the information from the battlefield dungeon and the other rare items that had been brought back, many of her previous assumptions had been proved wrong. Instead of being depressed, she was excited as a new path was opened in front of her, one that she knew was right and that would allow her to become stronger. It had led to her revising all of the formations she had looked at before and finding that she was confident in building a number of them. Egbert had plans for a great number of formations, but they were at a level still untouchable to the formation masters.

So they could only learn from the basic books and from the simpler designs, building up their knowledge. Already their studies were being used to help out in the different areas of weapon and armor designs, with upgrades to the defensive posts of Alva, assisting in the battle at Vermire, and in the battlefield dungeon, they’d allowed people to pass beasts that they wouldn’t have been able to do so by relying on their own strength.

The formation making workshop was blooming and more people were joining in to follow Qin in this time- and resource-consuming practice. They were starting to see results instead of tossing guesses off into the darkness and hoping to come up with some piece of information.

Qin’er and Julilah were the twin stars of the formation workshop. Julilah looked to build up information on enchantments, while Qin studied sole formation plates that would operate by themselves instead of enhancing weapons, armors, or creating magical machines.

The door opened as Qin looked up from her work, about to yell out. She saw Julilah there and realized that although she could hear the bell, no one could hear her yelling through the thick walls that were made to contain any formation explosion.

“You got any formations that can control weight?” Julilah asked, not standing on ceremony between the two best friends.

“I don’t think so. Check that pile over there.” Qin pointed to a pile of papers.

“Organized as ever! You been sleeping in here again?” Julilah looked over at the simple cot in the corner.

“Nooo,” Qin said, wincing at Julilah’s sigh.

Julilah merely shrugged and looked back at her companion.

Rugrat entered the room coming in behind her, looking around with a grin on his face.

Qin let out a squeak as she nearly tore a hole through the formation plate she was working on.

She looked back to the formation plate with a crestfallen expression. Three hours of engraving, all gone. She was close to tears as Rugrat looked around the room.

Her cheeks turned red in embarrassment as she looked around the workshop that was filled with piles of papers, copied books, failed formation plates, and more.

“You tried working with a Mana blade?” Rugrat asked as Julilah moved to the pile of papers in the room that Qin had pointed to.

“Ugh, there’s tea stains all over these!” Julilah complained as she kept on searching.

Qin’er let out an embarrassed laugh before she remembered Rugrat’s words.

“Mana blade?” she asked, curiosity on her face.

Rugrat pulled out a piece of metal as he walked over. Summoning a Mana blade, he cut into the metal. The blade changed and curved, allowing him to cut a groove into the metal ingot and etching a design into it with ease.

He took out another piece of metal that was covered in all kinds of cuts and passed it to Qin to check over. “It can be altered as you use it for greater control and its edge doesn’t dull. Perfect when working with metal, carving or cutting it,” Rugrat said.

“Mana blade.” Qin looked at the piece of metal. “I will have to get one!” she said adamantly.

“You’re broke—you need to do another lesson,” Julilah said from the side.

Qin’s righteous declaration fell short as she pouted and hunched over.

Rugrat laughed and shrugged.

“There looks to be a few formation designs here but they’re not complete. Earth-based.” Julilah pulled out several sheet and cleared an area by pushing things to the side and laid out the information.

“What do you want to enchant?” Qin asked.

Rugrat pulled out a halberd and put it on the table. The wood let out a solid noise as Rugrat looked at the assorted pieces of paper. “Hmm, this looks good. Control over weight distribution. Do you know where you got this information from?”

“Not too sure,” Qin said.

“We can go and ask Egbert. He remembers everything that he reads.” Julilah walked out of the workshop, treating it no different from her own.

“Oh, and your brother is back,” Rugrat said.

“Yui? I didn’t think he was going to the battlefield dungeon for another two days.” Qin frowned.

“Domonos. Found him in the Third Realm and brought him back. He’s in Chonglu. Gave him instructions on how to find us here,” Rugrat said.

“Domonos?” Qin asked. The other thoughts she’d had flew out of her mind as she heard this one name.

“Yeah, don’t worry. It won’t be long until he gets here, I think.” Rugrat gave her a confident look before he took back his halberd and followed Julilah out of the workshop.

Qin sat back in her chair, a happy but tired smile on her face. Without Domonos around, she had worried for him every day. She cared deeply for her family, knowing that they pushed themselves to try to look after her and cared for one another deeply. They weren’t a perfect family but she wouldn’t have wished for another.

“I should go home and tell Yui.” She left her workshop and the ruined formation plate without even sparing it a glance.

***

Egbert met them in the library and sent them in the direction of Earth-related formation books.

Julilah found a few books and passed them to Rugrat. He started reading them but he had only copied formations from blueprints before; he didn’t understand the intricacies behind them.

Julilah went off, grabbing another group of books on the basics of formations, put those in front of Rugrat, and took away the books she had given him before.

“I’ll see if I can work up a formation. You can read these. They’re the shortest ones on formations,” Julilah said.

Rugrat looked at the beginner formation books as Julilah started to read her books. Rugrat made it through a few of the books as Julilah started to write out a few formations.

Formations reminded him more of a factory line than a picture. He had just been blindly copying out the formations he knew. They functioned, but their stats weren’t all that impressive. Rugrat knew that there must be a way to customize them toward the item that was engraved to increase its power and ability.

He just didn’t know the secrets of it all and could only look on in frustration.

The information in the two books he had read and the one he was reading were very similar and there were diagrams included.

Rugrat went back and copied out the formations that looked like what he needed. None of them looked alike when comparing the stack of books, but in each book there were multiple formations that looked the same.

Shouldn’t it just be like components? Like this is for power, here is a fuse to make sure if it blows up it doesn’t backfire, here is the motor. That kind of thing?

Rugrat flipped through the books. Just looking at the inscriptions and forms used for power control in formation, he came up with several possible versions, but they all did the same thing.

He picked one out and copied it out. It looked like a circle with a set of runes inside of it. Crystals could be placed in this circle to create power.

He went through and found “the machine” as he was calling it, the functional part of the formation. It was similar to three other functional parts of other formations, which was why he picked it. He copied it out of the book as well.

“Power, function, direction,” Rugrat said, remembering the talk he had with Erik. A hunch appeared.

He found a directional formation. It was a larger circle than the powering circle formation with runes. It had three glyphs at two, six, and ten o’clock with lines that intersected the power controlling part of the formation at the twelve, four, and eight positions.

He copied it out as well and lined up the three pieces of paper, fitting them over one another.

Julilah, who had seen him working, looked at the pieces of paper. “I think that might actually work.” She sounded confused.

“Huh?” Rugrat looked at her as he still held up the paper, using the light from a light-emitting crystal to see through the pieces of paper.

“I don’t know how you did it but I think that formation would work, though you pulled them from totally separate formations. How were you able to do that?”

“Well, I was thinking of it as components. In spells and formations, there are three parts that make a spell or a formation succeed: power, function, and direction. I was wondering if I could try to make each of them into components and fit them together if it would work,” Rugrat said.

“Components?” Julilah asked.

“Like parts in a machine,” Rugrat said. Seeing she still wasn’t getting it, Rugrat pulled out a bow and a crossbow.

“So the two components of the bow is the wood section with the grip arrow shelf and sight window with the upper and lower limb and then the arrow and string, bow arrow, and string, right?” Rugrat said.

Julilah nodded.

“Now the crossbow is essentially the same. There is the bow section.” Rugrat tapped on the limbs of the crossbow. “The arrow.” He pulled out a bolt and put it to the side. “And the string.” He tapped on the string. “It’s just that the components are used differently. A body has been added to the crossbow. It has a latch that grabs onto the string when you pull it back. Say that the power came from the person at first; now the power comes from the person still, but it is held there by the latch, instead of creating a greater power drain on the person. Both of them serve the same purpose but have a certain grade of components making them up. These formations might have the same purpose but they have all different components, so instead of the wood on the bow being made from one kind of tree, it’s made from a different kind. Might help the bow, might not—but if you were to break down everything to its base components and then rebuild it, well, it would be like, say, you have this crossbow: the power and direction is all there, but the function isn’t. We’ll make the bolt the function part of this. If we are able to put in a poison bolt, or an exploding bolt, the function of the entire crossbow changes.”

Rugrat watched Julilah to see whether she got it.

Her eyes went back and forth, coming to terms with the information, understanding it, and connecting it to the information she had already built up.

“Components—if we were able to break down the formations into parts, then rebuild them? Create a template? Then wouldn’t we just be able to plug in a formation to go from ranged to touch, or area of effect just by altering the power output, a moderating formation? A series of specific reactions that occur to create one final product,” she said to herself before looking at Rugrat.

“Please tell me more about these components. How do we know if they work? How do we know what is best for which formation?” she asked.

Rugrat grinned, taking his time before he said anything else. “That’s the fun part...Testing!”

Chapter: Changes Come to Alva Dungeon

Erik and Rugrat joined the rest of the council in the dungeon headquarters building. Elise presented her idea for a change in the running of Alva. Everyone understood and agreed to it. They had only been given their positions due to Erik and Rugrat, so having them taken away—they knew that it was bound to happen. Instead of looking down, they were excited to see whether they could regain their positions and seeing just how the rest of the people in their respective areas would react to the exciting change.

Then it came time for Erik and Rugrat to step up. They passed off the basic knowledge and Erik pulled out the dungeon core from the Temple of Earth’s Divinity.

They also told them about the building they had bought in the Division Headquarters in the Third Realm. This greatly interested the traders and crafters in the room. Access to the heart of the Alchemist Association in the Third Realm was a brilliant move and yes, they would need to build a place but it wasn’t anything terribly difficult. The building project was placed with Taran, who would give it to the blueprint office before being confirmed. And a group of more than twenty people would head to the Third Realm to establish the outpost there.

“Well, it’ll light a fire under the traders to try to reach over level twenty,” Jasper joked.

“We also need to prepare for the future and strengthen our own abilities.” Erik’s serious tone cut the celebrations short.

“We have grown in many ways: in our ability to craft fine items, to increasing our knowledge, to increasing the abilities of our bodies, our levels, our combat ability. Now although we have grown in our combat ability, we have modeled ourselves after the people in the Ten Realms. The strongest are kings and the weaker are followers. This is not how Alva will evolve. The special teams and the platoon led by Chen showed us how we can work together as a group and how just small group actions can have a massive impact. We have focused on the small groups but we need to focus on larger group tactics.

“So, Rugrat and I will be personally looking to train with the military forces of Alva. We have had just two or three weeks’ worth training them. Now it’s time we trained them to the limit. Create a military that is not only strong in their groups, but when they come together they reinforce and increase one another’s strength. The training will not be kind nor will it be short-lived. We expect it to last at least three months. All of the people in Alva’s military will have their bodies tempered and Mana gates opened. They will face battles in the battlefield dungeon. We will go over many proven tactics on how to fight other humans. Every single member will be raised up to level thirty. Alva will be our academy; the Fourth Realm will be our testing ground.

“Those who pass will be coming with Rugrat and me into the Fourth Realm. This will be the first battle that Alva will head into where we are the aggressors. To have a truly powerful military, they must fight, to become bloodied, to pass their stories, ready the others for what is going to come. The Fourth Realm is filled with dungeons. If we want to take them over and survive in the Fourth Realm, we can only go in groups. Once we create a foothold or know the situation better, we can move forward. Once we have completed the Fourth Realm, then we will have a force ready to enter the Fifth Realm and capable of dealing with not only the battlefield dungeon but progressing deeper into Alva Dungeon to challenge more of the floors below,” Erik said.

There were different looks on the faces in the room.

They could tell that the training would not be easy, that they would be training people for war. After those battles, as they moved across the Fourth Realm, who knew how many would be left in the bloodstained grounds of the Fourth Realm?

Chapter: A Step Forward, A Step Stronger

As the meeting came to an end, Erik and Rugrat headed to the dungeon core. The others watched on as Rugrat pulled out the dungeon core. The door opened for him and he walked to the dungeon core that floated in mid-air. The Mana density was high enough to create a slight mist. Around the dungeon core, the Mana turned into almost vapor before it was captured by the formations, powering Alva Dungeon or being stored in the formation above.

Rugrat raised up the dungeon core. It floated up and it became level with Alva Dungeon’s core.

The new core started to collapse. It was like seeing a planet being consumed by a black hole. A thread of the dungeon core entered the Alva core; the Alva core grew brighter and stronger. The thread of material became larger and larger as the dungeon core was consumed, growing the Alva core.

The power within the room and the city beyond was stirred up. As the dungeon core increased in grade, its reach increased, gathering more Affinity Mana, increasing the Mana density and its purity in the dungeon.

The power heading to the formation above increased in size as the last of the second dungeon core was absorbed.

Alva’s dungeon core had increased in size, nearly doubling. Its surface was brighter; the blue crystal of the core turned a shade darker, appearing to have a slight purple coloration on it.

A screen appeared before Rugrat and Erik.

==========

Quest: Dungeon Reborn

==========

Upgrade the dungeon core, returning it to its peak condition.

==========

Requirements:

Dungeon core recovers partially [7/12]

==========

Rewards:

+10,000,000 EXP

==========

==========

Title: Dungeon Master II

==========

Control over the Dungeon building interface.

Grade: Grand Mortal (Can be upgraded)

Ability: Dungeon Sense, 5km radius.

Cooldown: 1 day

Increase all stats by +1

Able to bestow title, Dungeon Hunter (0 remaining)

==========

They had already made Roska and Storbon dungeon hunters; they needed to upgrade their title again and then they could pass the title to Niemm as well.

“All right, well, let’s get to work,” Erik said.

***

The week after, there was a rush of Erik and Rugrat passing out everything that they had learned to the dungeons many disciplines. Egbert listened in and recorded down snippets from them both to add to the library.

Erik and Rugrat got an idea of the large-scale changes to the dungeon while they had been gone. The plan put forward by Elise to revamp the leadership of the dungeon was put into action and changes were made seamlessly.

Jia Feng took the position of the academy principal. Tan Xue took over as the smithy’s department head; Taran became the deputy head. He had gained his position through the trust of Rugrat, but he was happy to give up running the academy. He passed on everything to Jia Feng. Egbert and Elise had been training up secretaries that Jia Feng selected from to assist in the running of the academy and other official matters so she would not see a reduction in her skill growth.

The trader representative was Elise; Glosil took the position as the head of Alva military. The Adventurer’s Guild leader was left untouched.

Egbert took his time assessing the people of Alva to find the council leader. Finally, he decided on a choice no one was expecting. Fehim became the department head of the Alchemy department, while Delilah became the leader of Alva for the next two years.

Erik had asked Egbert why he had picked the young woman.

“She might be young, but she is hard-working. Any task given to her she will complete to the best of her ability. She doesn’t take shit from anyone, but she will listen to people’s concerns, evaluate them and come back with an answer. She is not from Alva, but she is a skilled crafter recognized by many from Alva. This shows the people that we do not care about background but ability. She has a high enough level and yes, being your apprentice does give her a layer of protection, but I think she will grow into the position. She, too, came from a small village like the people of Alva; she can relate to them,” Egbert said, his voice level and serious as he calmly listed off the different points.

“Okay, but first we’ll head to the Second Realm to see if we can find her family,” Erik said.

“I understand. Then, until her position is revealed?”

“You will take over the position. While Rugrat and I are gone, you will be our voice to look after the dungeon and the people within it and make sure that progress continues instead of being halted.” Erik knew how councils and groups could get bogged down with indecision.

“I understand.” Egbert bowed to Erik.

***

Matt spent his time in the blueprint office. With his knowledge from Earth, he gave a number of lectures, showing the techniques and tools one could use in drawing out and creating blueprints. His information on structural design, building techniques—all of it was invaluable for the blueprint office.

A second week passed and a third arrived when Matt went to visit Rugrat.

Rugrat wiped his brow as he put the half-formed ingot back into the flames. “Are you sure about this?”

“More than sure. I can take the people skilled in construction as well as alchemists and traders to the Third Realm. My main focus will be on building the compound, the second on trading. There are a number of items that Alva makes already that would sell for a high price in the Third Realm.” Matt grinned.

“Trader through and through. Have a talk to the department heads and council members. If they agree, then go for it. Also, talk to the adventurers if you need guards. I bet you can get some money from Egbert toward security,” Rugrat said.

“I will!” Matt said.

At the end of the third week, Matt headed off with a group to one of the larger cities to use their totem to travel to the Third Realm.

He wasn’t the only one. Erik prepared for a trip to the Second Realm. Special Team One was assigned to protect him; he was the leader of the dungeon and Delilah the to-be Alva council leader.

Rugrat also joined in and Erik sent an invitation to Blaze.

***

Erik walked through the city. It was covered in an early morning fog, making it hard to see five feet in front of them.

Behind him, a group of nine followed. All of them wore cloaks that covered their features. Their eyes scanned the area and armor could be seen under their cloaks.

They made it to the totem without issue.

==========

You have reached Level 30, meeting the requirements to ascend to the Fourth Realm.

==========

Do you wish to ascend?

==========

YES/NO

==========

“No,” Erik said. The screen changed as he selected the Second Realm and then Taeman city.

He paid the ten Mortal-grade Mana stones.

A sudden light enveloped them all, flashing through the fog, leaving people to think it was just silent lightning.

Erik and the party appeared in Taeman city. The chilly fog had disappeared, being replaced by the brutal heat of the Second Realm sun.

They moved to the guards, paying their fee to enter the city.

“I’m going to check with the Blue Lotus. Rugrat, organize some transport. The rest of you, take a look around and relax,” Erik said.

“Mind if I tag along?” Blaze asked.

“Certainly,” Erik said.

Rugrat knew the city and headed off for the stables to see whether he could get them some beasts to ride. They had beasts raised in Alva, but their panther mounts weren’t well suited for the desert.

He told the party and Delilah to find a place to eat as Erik and Blaze headed off toward the Blue Lotus.

“Feels familiar, but also completely different,” Erik said.

Blaze was looking around in interest. This was the first time that he had headed to another realm. He hadn’t even left the continent he was born on. The green and lush wilderness was complete opposites to the hustle and bustle of the massive city that housed millions, planted in the middle of the desert.

“So, Blaze, I heard that you purposely gave command of the military over to Glosil,” Erik said.

Blaze’s wandering eyes stopped as he took a heavy breath. “I am a military man, always will be, but my heart isn’t in it anymore. I guess I got soft being the leader of the village—well, even before that. I have been fighting for some thirty-five years. It tires a man.”

Even though he looked to be only middle-aged, with his cultivation, access to training techniques, and now with his increased levels, he was actually reaching into his sixties.

“I understand.” Erik hadn’t sought out to climb the ranks in the military, just to have a single role and do it really well. Dealing with all of the shit, people treating him like a child, having jumped up and inexperienced “leaders” telling him what to do when they had no clue themselves: it had made his decision to leave all the easier.

“The leader of the Adventurer’s Guild would mean more paperwork, but you could leave more and you would only have to listen to orders in times of war,” Erik said.

Blaze let out a dry laugh. “I was wondering why you were keeping that position open. Since you have thought on it this much, I will accept.”

“That fast?” Erik looked at Blaze.

“I trust you and you saved me and my village. You’ve created Alva Dungeon. Sure, you’re not around that much, but you gave us the power to do so and you could have easily not brought us back to Alva. Everything that we have is because of you and Rugrat. If you asked, I would have served in the military, but taking over the position of the Adventurer’s Guild head, I think it might be a lot more fun.” A light appeared in Blaze’s eyes as he grinned.

“Good. Then you and Elise can clear up that tension between you.” Erik kept on walking.

Blaze coughed, his face going red at Erik’s sudden words. “Elise?”

“You like each other. Friggin’ awkward when you two aren’t talking work, like you’re stepping around landmines.”

“Landmines?”

“Saying from back home. But with you two not in the same chain of command, you two can now date, or whatever,” Erik said.

“How can you know?”

“’Cause I ain’t blind and although I might be terrible at holding a relationship, I can still figure out when two people like each other. Guess it’s easier when you’re the one observing, instead of the one in the act? That sounds wrong, and a bit weird.” Erik shrugged. “It’ll work—you get the idea.”

Blaze fell quiet as they reached the square that the Blue Lotus was housed in.

Erik walked up to the front of the Blue Lotus, right to one of the guards. They looked at him warily as he flashed his Blue Lotus token.

They bowed deeply to Erik. “Greetings, valued customer. How can I help you today? Can I take you to meet the manager to help you better?”

“Is Head Xen in?” Erik asked.

The guard made an awkward expression and cupped his fists, bowing his head. “Head Xen left with his family for the Third Realm to take over management of a Blue Lotus there. Head Long now controls this Blue Lotus,” the guard said.

“Ah, very well.” Erik bowed his head to the guard and turned around, leaving the entrance of the Blue Lotus.

Now that his son is healed, he’s been able to focus on his abilities, increasing his standing in the Blue Lotus.

Instead of feeling sad, Erik was pleased for Hiao Xen and his family.

“Come on, let me give you the tour of the city. Not every day you get to head to the Second Realm. Also, there are plenty of jobs one can find here so it might be a good place for the Adventurer’s Guild to set up shop. In the Third Realm, it is all about being a bodyguard. But there are more kinds of missions here in the Second Realm as no single group rules over the entire realm, creating instability but also opportunity. And they’ve got some damn tasty food!”

Blaze smiled and followed Erik as they walked through the city without a care. With their levels and gear, there were few people in the Second Realm that could threaten them, allowing them to take time to look over the city.

***

Delilah was filled with emotion as she looked around the inn as she and Special Team One drank and ate their morning meal. Although it had been early morning in the First Realm, it was nearly midday in Taeman in the Second Realm.

She never thought that crossing through realms would be a casual thing.

Sitting back, she ate some of the local fruits. People looked over to the boisterous group as they were sitting around joking and eating, even as they kept watch over the area.

Storbon got a message and stood. “We’ve got our ride. Rugrat is waiting for us.”

With his words, everyone stood. Storbon paid the bill and they headed over to the stables.

Rugrat was there, patting a few sand gliders. They were expensive creatures due to their speed, their ability to sense water, and long endurance, making them perfect when moving through the desert.

Erik and Blaze appeared at the same time.

“Look what I found—sand rays!” Rugrat laughed.

“They do look like sting rays from back home,” Erik said.

“They use their wings to create a lift and then they have a high air attribute, allows them to glide across the desert,” Rugrat said.

George, who was wrapped around his shoulder, let out a displeased yowl, making Delilah smile at the little beast’s jealous actions.

“We’re burning daylight. From the map, it should take us two days to reach Delilah’s family.”

They mounted up, with George expanding to his full size as they headed out of Taeman. Erik looked back and then turned toward the desert, adjusting his goggles. George flapped his wings, flying up as the sand rays raced across the desert, following his shadow. Storbon and his special team scouted out to the sides as Rugrat scouted ahead on George.

***

Amelia Ryan bit her lip. Joseph Ryan let out a cry of pain through his teeth as she removed his bandage. It was covered in cloudy-looking blood.

The area around the cut was red and puffy and he was covered in sweat.

“How are the boys?” Joseph asked.

“They’re fine, worried about you,” Amelia said.

“I mean, how are they? The raiders are sure to come again.” Joseph grabbed her hand and held her eyes.

He wasn’t a large man or a strong man, but he was a determined man. He had worked hard his entire life in their simple village to make ends meet. They had just a few dozen families and a thousand people.

The raiders had been pushed back the first time, but the fields had been burned and the ground that they had cared for decades was ruined, their crops destroyed. The raiders were gathering more of their members; their original force of a thousand grew by the day.

“They’re just boys!” Amelia’s fists curled up.

“Yes and I hope they become men. We can only fight. The Hendricks are wrong. We can’t try to negotiate with raiders,” Joseph said. “The girls...” Joseph trailed off, not wanting to say anymore.

“We sent word to the local lord. Reinforcements will come.” Amelia put the new bandage on Joseph’s wound.

He closed his eyes and his cheeks twitched as he breathed through his teeth. “Just make sure that Hendricks doesn’t get his way.”

“I’ll do my best. Rest now, Joseph,” Amelia said.

His body relaxed back into the pillows, his face pale from the exhaustion piling up.

Amelia looked away, gritting her teeth and with tears in her eyes. She knew that his wounds were infected. She knew that there was little chance of them making it through the bandit attack.

She steadied herself and raised her head. It didn’t matter; she was the matriarch of this family and she would do everything she could to make sure that her family survived.

She left the bedroom and headed through the simple home. She put the bandages into the sink and washed her hands.

She exited the house. There were four other homes facing one another, creating the Ryan compound. A high wall ringed the compound. Made from straw and mud, it was thick and reliable.

She saw her youngest son John walking across the wall, looking for any threats.

Each of the families had walls around their compounds, creating a collection of compounds. They didn’t have a village wall, but they could help one another as they were all relatively close together.

Rope pulleys used for laundry connected them, allowing them to move supplies between the different families.

The green fields that had surrounded the compounds were now nothing more than churned mud. Their crops had been burned down to ash. One of the compounds still had black smoke coming from it. One of the buildings with a thatched roof had been set on fire, burning the building down.

Thankfully, most of the fire arrows didn’t find purchase on the homes and just burned themselves out.

The villagers only had fairly weak bows for hunting rodents and a few more powerful bows to deal with wandering beasts that entered their territory.

Rachel and Suzy were also on the walls. Out here it didn’t matter whether someone was a girl or a boy; they had to learn how to work and how to look after themselves.

Nolan and Jamie, the oldest boys, were sleeping. They had taken watch that night. Kyle and Greg were also looking over the wall at the rough ground that surrounded their oasis.

Nolan, Greg, and John’s wives were looking after the children and making more arrows.

Amelia cracked a weak smile, seeing them all united. But she could see in her children’s eyes that they knew what was coming. Their eyes were steely. Kyle and Rachel had signs of tears on their faces.

Some of the grandchildren were crying or not sure what was going on, scared by the adults’ antics. They still didn’t understand fighting. Amelia’s heart ached at the sight.

She made to walk over to the grandchildren, to allow their fathers and mothers some time to sleep and carry out their tasks, when she heard a whistle cutting through the village.

She looked over to where the sound had come from.

“The enemy is coming from the west!” Suzy yelled out.

“Get the children into the houses! Kyle, wake up your brothers!” Amelia grabbed a bow and headed up the stairs on one of the houses, reaching the wall and looking out over the village. The compounds made an oval shape, grouped around the stream that ran through their land and fed their crops.

The Ryan compound was to the northwest, meaning that they were among one of the first families to meet with the rampaging raiders.

“On the wall! Get ready!” Amelia shouted. The rest of the family reacted.

Nolan and Jamie ran out of their rooms, pulling on their thickest jackets for some kind of protection and padding against the arrows and wagon wheels with wood boards secured to it for shields.

They also carried two of the five swords in the compound, the others given to Rachel, Greg, and John’s wife Zhiwei. They were the strongest and the best sword fighters.

“Get down!” John yelled as he got into cover.

Amelia got under an overhang of the wall. Seconds later, arrows fell from the sky, sticking into the ground and wooden windows.

People from other compounds cried out in pain as the arrows claimed their first victims. Their cries reached the villagers as they rushed forward, their archers firing the entire time.

As they closed with the village, their arrows lessened.

Amelia peeked out and ran up the wall. “Come on!”

The others got out from the cover they had found and moved to the walls. The villagers fired their arrows into the raiders that were breaking around the Cao household, moving to attack the other compounds.

They had brought ladders with them to climb the walls and were swarming the Cao household already.

Amelia thought she saw a hawk in the skies above as she strung her bow and released the arrow, striking a bandit.

They were able to kill tens of them, having to move every so often as the raiders started to fire back and more of them had a clear shot.

Suzy cried out in pain as she was struck with an arrow.

John grabbed her and pulled her back. Amelia could see the arrow sticking out of her stomach.

Amelia sealed her eyes shut, trying to remove the image of her child, her daughter’s wounds.

She opened her eyes, unable to look at Suzy as she let out a yell and fired her arrow, striking a bandit.

Pulling her bow, finding a target, firing—she couldn’t think about the people she was hurting. She just wanted to protect her family. She heard Jamie call out in pain, but she couldn’t look. Her eyes made it hard for her to aim but the raiders were packed together, making it hard to miss as she fired blindly into them.

She ducked as she felt she was out of arrows.

She looked around and saw Kyle moving across the wall. He was covered in blood. He didn’t have a bow, so he had been bringing supplies and looking after the wounded.

He gave Amelia her arrows wordlessly.

She wanted to ask about the others, but her heart couldn’t take it. He was already moving on, to pass out more supplies and then return to his sister and brother.

She glanced over. Suzy was up against the wall; Zhiwei had her bow and was firing; Joanna was looking after the children, keeping them blocked inside.

Jamie had been hit in his shoulder or neck. Bandages covered in blood were on his shoulder. He cried out in pain with every pull of his bow string.

Gods, please save them! I will do anything! As always, the gods remained silent. She grabbed a new arrow; she strung it and stood, firing at the raiders that had made entry into the Wen compound. She could now make out the details of the armor and weapons of the raiders.

Her face was expressionless as she fired arrow after arrow into the raiders.

***

“Shit!” Rugrat turned George back and urged him on. George could contend with beasts in the Fourth Realm. With Erik and Rugrat’s help, he had been able to increase his strength by a large margin.

The sand rays, although they were fast, couldn’t compare with George.

Rugrat had looked through the desert and rough terrain they’d entered. He’d seen signs of a large number of people grouping up. He’d followed it to the closely packed compounds.

Raiders rushed out from the rock-covered landscape, rushing the western side of the village.

Rugrat raced toward the rest of the party. He arrived in only minutes. “Village under attack. Erik, jump on. Storbon, Blaze—George can grab you with his claws!”

Erik jumped off his sand ray and grabbed Rugrat’s hand, being pulled onto George’s back.

Storbon and Blaze moved forward; George grabbed them with his claws and they grabbed onto his claws.

George’s powerful wingbeats created a sandstorm as he took off. Their weight seemed to be inconsequential to him. He sensed Rugrat’s anxiousness. His lazy attitude disappeared and he used all of his strength, rapidly increasing their speed.

They shot out over the desert. George remembering the route allowed Rugrat to use his sound transmission to tell them just what they were walking into, as well as the rest of the party.

George dove to increase their speed.

“Come in from the north, Storbon. Blaze, get a large area of effect spell scroll ready. Once we’re on the ground, start activating. Rugrat and I will fire from long range. Once you are done with the spell scroll, support me and Rugrat. George will return to pick up Yuli, Yao Meng, and Setsuko—you will come in from the west. Storbon, Rugrat, Blaze, and I will be team one; you will be team two. You will come in behind the enemy, hitting them with long-range weaponry. I will either call out for team one to advance with team two in support or vice versa,” Erik said. “Understood?”

“Understood,” the others replied.

Erik had an uneasy feeling. He had plans to train up the Alva military force, but that time had not yet arrived. While Special Team Two was strong individually, he did not know how strong they were with group tactics.

He had to push it to the back of his mind as the group of compounds could be seen in the distance. Raiders were grouping up on the west side. There must have been a few thousand of them. They used the streets and moved through the compounds to have the greatest cover when attacking the other compounds.

“Start targeting as soon as possible. Don’t hit the compounds!” Erik told Storbon and Blaze. The two of them pulled out spell scrolls, taking their time.

They got closer in just seconds. Storbon started using his spell scroll, Blaze following after.

George flapped his wings, working to halt his forward momentum. Rugrat and Erik jumped off as Storbon and Blaze dropped to the ground, still channeling Mana into the spells.

George flapped his wings and took off toward the rest of the party.

Rugrat and Erik had been scanning the landscape.

The raiders, so focused on the fighting, hadn’t seen George arrive or leave.

They moved to a rise that allowed them sight lines at the north side of the village and the western edge.

Rugrat and Erik pulled out repeating ballistae. Blaze and Storbon finished their activation of the spell scrolls. The scrolls were destroyed, being burned up by the magical power that created them combined with the power that had activated them.

They moved up to the rise as well, positioning themselves with their own repeating ballistae.

Erik pulled out jars and passed them to Storbon and Blaze. “It’s poison powder. Attach them to the arrowheads; the glass will shatter and affect them in an area.”

They quickly tied the glass containers to the loaded arrow.

“Ready?” Erik asked.

“Ready!” the others said back.

“Fire!” Erik yelled.

They moved and the bolts fired out. They kept on cranking, changing their point of aim. Rugrat cast Explosive Shot on his arrows.

Rugrat was pouring much more power into his Explosive Shot spell. Just what kind of destructive power could someone who had opened thirteen of his Mana gates, was just a half-step away from opening his fourteenth Mana gate, and compressing his Mana core and had reached level thirty have?

As his Explosive Shot landed, they cleared an area of nearly twenty meters around the point of impact, creating craters in the ground. Those fifty meters away were wounded by the explosive arrows’ blast.

With his Expert-level marksman, arrows fell among the enclosed hallways of the compounds the raiders had overrun, the walls serving to focus the blast.

Erik’s poison jars landed among the raiders, covering them in a deep green fog. They tried to get out of the three large fog zones, coughing and fighting to breathe; their eyes watered as they were rendered unable to fight.

Erik had created his own version of tear gas.

He didn’t even take the time to fire on those raiders. He used the geared wheels to change his point of aim, firing on the raiders that were cramming around the sides of the compounds. They had been protecting their front but their sides were left open.

Blaze also had Explosive Shot, allowing him to pepper the area with craters with Rugrat as Erik and Storbon cranked on the wheels of the repeating ballistae.

“Reloading!” Erik called out as he pulled out a new magazine of bolts and slapped them into place.

The raiders were firing at them up on the hill, but they were far away and their bows didn’t have the same range as the ballistae.

Storm clouds gathered in the heavens, the skies darkening as Mana quickly gathered. A spell formation appeared in the clouds as another appeared on the ground.

Underneath the bandit army that was gathered together, the spell formation on the ground activated. Four-foot spikes shot out of the ground and pierced through the raiders. They died not knowing what had happened. Hundreds of them fell in seconds.

The skies raged before rain and lightning fell. The lightning struck down landing among the raiders. More lightning strikes followed, charring the ground and killing raiders.

“Reloading!” Rugrat tossed the old magazine to the side and pulled out a new one. He slapped it into place, his legs moving again as another Explosive Shot fired out.

“We’re in position!” Yao Meng said.

“Get set up and fire on the raiders,” Erik said.

Yuli used a spell, redirecting the rampant Mana into the raiders.

Erik grit his teeth as he only saw Yao Meng and Setsuko joining in afterward. Instead of dealing another blow to the bandit’s minds, the spacing of the attacks gave them more confidence.

The ground had turned into a hellish scene with lightning, ground spikes, and explosions. The terrain’s difficulty had only increased.

Just over a third of the raiders had been killed by the spell scrolls and the attacks that fell on them.

The people in the village, seeing that they had allies, fought back against the raiders, taking every chance they had to inflict more damage.

The raiders had secured two victories and were just about to enter four more compounds when the first attacks hit. They hadn’t had time to recover from the first shots when the large-scale spell scrolls activated. The poison spread among their ranks and their reinforcements were torn apart.

The elites had been in the rear, letting the weaker raiders act as the vanguard to soak up the arrows.

Bolts and spells rained down on them. They tried to fire back, but their range was insufficient for the task. They could only be killed and not fight back, sitting ducks for sure and certain!

A portion charged off toward the south; the north and the west were firing on them; and to the east was the village. The south was the only safe path left to them.

Some were still fighting it out as George dove out of the dissipating Mana clouds, unleashing a fire breath along the front of the compounds. The fire spread across the ground and burned heavily. Anyone who wanted to get to the remaining compounds needed to rush this line of fire.

The raiders started fleeing the village in a rush. The sudden violent attacks caught them off guard. With the bodies around, they couldn’t tell how many died. The noise, spells, and sights had made them unable to communicate effectively and allowed their fears to overrule their minds.

They were raiders, after all—not a fighting unit.

They were chased with ballista arrows, Yuli’s spells, the arrows from the village, and George’s attacks.

They fired on George, making him have to back off. Erik loaded and fired more poison glass jars until the raiders left the ballistae’s five-hundred-meter effective range.

“Reload everything and we’ll move into the compounds.” Erik got up and reloaded the ballista. He contacted Tian Cui, who was with Ian and Delilah, rushing toward the village. “We’ve secured the village. Watch out for bandits.”

“Understood,” Tian Cui replied.

Erik pulled out a crossbow; the others grabbed their ranged weapons as they advanced on the village at a run.

George circled above, watching for threats as they moved to the village and the compounds that had been under attack last.

The map Erik had was updating from the one that Delilah had shared with him. Still, the marked compound was located in the same place.

Rugrat and Erik moved through, their weapons at the ready as they looked for threats. Storbon and Blaze looked around, but their weapons didn’t move with them.

Because Erik had been thinking about training, their flaws jumped out at him. He didn’t have time to pay attention to it.

“Cover me.” Erik walked up to the compound Delilah had marked.

A man appeared on the wall, holding a bow.

Rugrat snapped up to him, ready to put him down in a moment.

“My name is Erik. I am a friend of Delilah Ryan!” Erik yelled out.

“Delilah?” The young man lowered his bow.

Rugrat looked away and scanned for more threats.

“She is my student,” Erik said.

“Student?” The man’s grip on the string tightened.

“She went to Taeman city. I met her there and she became my student. I’m an alchemist,” Erik said.

The man lowered his bow. “Can you help my family?” the man asked, pleading in his eyes.

“What happened to them?” Erik’s tone turned serious.

“My father was cut with a sword. My brother and sister were hit with an arrow. My mother—she has one in her chest.” His voice was rough and raw.

“Let me look at them.” Erik jogged forward and jumped, landing on the wall beside the young man.

He looked at Erik, who scanned the compound.

“The rest of you, on me. Blaze, Storbon—security. Rugrat, help me stabilize them,” Erik said.

The others moved, jumping or climbing up the wall with ease. Their Strength and Agility stats meant they didn’t even raise a sweat doing so.

Erik already saw the mother, then he looked over to the brother and sister. “Focus on the sister,” Erik told Rugrat.

“Storbon, get the brother, get some healing potion into him!” Erik raised his voice as he was already running toward the mother.

She was looking pale with an arrow halfway down her body. She was coughing as a young boy held her, looking at her, in a panic, not sure what to do.

“I’ve got her. Go find me your father, okay?” Erik didn’t know where he was; he hadn’t seen him scanning the inside of the compound.

Erik poured the healing potion in his hands directly on the woman’s arrow wound and held the back of her head. Using Simple Organic Scan, he could see that the arrow had shattered her ribs, piercing her liver and leaving bone fragments inside her.

“Hi, my name is Erik. What is your name?”

“Amelia,” the older woman said.

“All right. Can you smell this for me? It’ll help your wounds.” Erik held open a container of paste.

She took a few short breaths before her body relaxed, falling unconscious.

Erik quickly turned her to the side and pulled out a knife. He used the Clean spell on the blade, cutting away the woman’s jacket around the arrowhead to see the wound.

He pulled out a bag of Stamina fluid hooked up to an IV rig and inserted it into the woman’s arm. He pulled out a syringe of healing potion and stabbed it into the area around where the arrow had entered.

The two potions worked together, not affecting each other. He put the needle away and used the Clean spell on the knife again. He cut off the back of the arrow where the fletching was; then he turned her onto her side, pulling the jacket to the side and using his legs to brace her so she wouldn’t roll forward or backward.

He put the knife away and pushed on the arrow; it came out of her back. He pulled out the barbed head. Pulling it out the front would have only increased the damage.

He pulled out tweezers and used the Clean spell. He rested one hand against her back; using Simple Organic Scan, he checked her vitals and located the bone shards that had blasted into her body.

Erik put the tweezers down, and then used healing spells to pull together the wound that went through Amelia. He didn’t heal it fully as he didn’t know how low on Stamina she was, allowing the healing potion and Stamina potion to do their work.

Yao Meng, Setsuko, and Yuli appeared, having advanced through the compounds that the raiders had overcome.

“Yao Meng, watch over this lady. Make sure to check her vitals. Name is Amelia. Yell if anything changes. You two are under Blaze’s command,” Erik said.

He moved off toward the brother.

“He’s okay. Healing potion will sort him out,” Storbon reported.

“Good job.” Erik ran toward the sister with an arrow in her gut.

“Arrow is out. Nasty bit of damage. Healing potion and Stamina drip. Shouldn’t take long,” Rugrat said.

“Internal?” Erik asked.

“Focused Heal,” Rugrat shot back.

“Okay, where is the father?” Erik asked.

“He’s in the main house.” A lady with a sword on her hip pointed to the largest house.

Erik took off at a run and he opened the door. “Hello!”

“Back here!”

Erik moved through the house, going into a bedroom where a man was lying on the bed. He looked delirious. The boy who had been with Amelia looked up at Erik.

Erik saw the large bandage on the man’s chest.

“Who are you?” the man asked, rising.

“I’m Delilah’s teacher and you need to lie back down.” Erik easily pushed the man back down firmly but gently as he pulled off the bandage on his chest.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m something of a healer.” Erik pulled out a healing potion and poured it on the wound.

The man let out a hiss of breath as he laid back into the sheets.

In the space of just a few minutes, his muscles started to knit back together. Veins connected once again; the dead and rotten infected tissues were pushed out. Erik put it into a storage ring and wiped off the man’s chest. He looked at his chest; there wasn’t even a mark left.

“Drink this,” Erik said.

The man nodded and took the potion, drinking from it.

Erik’s healing potions and concoctions, unlike his healing spells, didn’t need the patient’s energy as part of the fuel. It only needed the power of the concoction to help the patient, creating less strain on the body.

The man finished off the potion, taking deep breaths of air as his eyes started to clear.

Erik checked him with Simple Organic Scan, seeing that even old injuries were being healed in his body. A life of labor had not been easy on him.

The healing potion was forcing out the infection from his body, creating a layer of filth.

Erik didn’t mind.

“Thank you,” the man said.

“No problem,” Erik said. “I’ve got others to check on.”

He headed out and went to the other compounds, checking on the people there and healing those who had been wounded.

As morning turned into afternoon, anyone who had been injured was healed and the remaining three from the party headed over, leading the sand rays.

Delilah met with her family, tears in their eyes, confirming Erik’s words and bringing them all back together. Amelia was still asleep but Delilah’s father Joseph was able to move around.

Erik and the others left them to talk, checking on the dead raiders. They left the gear for the village; they could use it to buy supplies and protection while they tried to recover their burnt growing fields.

They were invited to dinner but they declined, giving the Ryans time to be a family as they took over watching the walls.

Rugrat found Erik sitting on a crate propped against a wall, looking out at the night beyond the wall.

“They need more training if we want to take them to the Fourth Realm.” Erik’s gaze moved over the landscape, using the ability of his marksman skill to zoom in and look at different regions.

“It will take time. We only trained them for a couple of weeks and then pointers here and there,” Rugrat said.

“Which means we’re going to have to break them down all over again as they’ve got bad habits, remind them of being those people in the spear unit or the archery units. Get them uniform gear, weapons, your repeating crossbow, make more rifles and train up snipers. None of these things can be rushed and all of them have to be done properly.” Erik glanced over to Rugrat before he continued scanning the ground beyond.

“I thought my time of being an instructor was behind me,” Rugrat grunted. George drifted down from the sky and landed on the wall, moving up to Rugrat, who patted him absentmindedly.

“We train up the NCOs first, give them a month and a half long crash course. Then we work on the rest of them together. What about Mana Gathering and Body Cultivation?”

“They will all have tempered blood, bones, and organs; the skin and muscle will be on them to complete as it is easier to heal in battle than the others. For Mana Gathering system, we should make sure that they all have at least six of their Mana gates open,” Erik said.

As Alva matured, they didn’t need just people who could fight; they needed people who could fight together as a part of a military. If one wanted to just fight and earn money, they could go to the Adventurer’s Guild. With the two, it created a break between professional soldiers and mercenaries.

“Those who join the military will be allowed to quit at any time during training, but as soon as training is over, then they will be in a three-year contract. They can opt in for a five-year contract as well,” Erik said.

“The special teams?”

“They will go through training, but we’ll make them prove that they’re meant to be in the special teams. The top thirty will make up the special teams. We will also move around the special teams to augment their strength and make them more balanced.”

“They’re not going to like it,” Rugrat said.

“They don’t have to. They have to learn to adapt. We have a small military, so everyone has to know how to do two or three different roles. They have been given a long leash—now let’s see what they’re capable of,” Erik said.

“Here I was hoping for some vacation time,” Rugrat said.

“Maybe in the Fifth Realm?” Erik said.

“It would sound better if you sounded a bit more confident.” Rugrat laughed.

“Well, isn’t the Fourth and Fifth Realm where one can start to find formation masters?” Erik asked.

“Supposedly, though with the books from the battlefield dungeon, I’m able to get some more background information on formations. Julilah and I have been working on breaking down formations into components. I guess something clicked for her. She’s breaking them down into seperate systems, testing them out, and then building up formations with changeable formation components. It’s a time-intensive task but we’ll soon find out if it works.” Rugrat frowned as he patted George’s side.

“With everyone trying to hide their own information, it makes sense that powerful groups would try to hide how their custom designed components work. It’s like technology back on Earth: some governments abide by copyright and others don’t care—as long as they can get plans, they’ll build it. Formations here are built with confusing information to make it harder to recreate them.” Rugrat let out a sigh.

“It’s my watch—you should head back. Delilah is looking for you,” Rugrat said.

“Okay.” Erik stood up and stretched as Rugrat pulled out his rifle and looked out over the surrounding area.

“See you in the morning,” Erik said.

Rugrat waved him good-bye.

Erik headed down and checked his notifications.

==========

Skill: Marksman

==========

Level: 55 (Journeyman)

==========

Long-range weapons are familiar in your hands. When aiming, you can zoom in x2.0. 15% increased chance for critical hit.

==========

==========

Skill: Riding

==========

Level: 27 (Apprentice)

==========

Melee attacks while riding are 10% stronger

==========

==========

Upon advancing into the Apprentice level of Riding, you will be rewarded with one randomly selected item related to this skill.

==========

You have received the training manual: Beast Mount 101

+10,000 EXP

==========

––––––––

==========

Skill: Stealth

==========

Level: 28 (Apprentice)

==========

When in stealth, your senses are sharpened by 5%

==========

==========

Skill: Healer

==========

Level: 58 (Journeyman)

==========

You have become familiar with the body and the arts of repairing it. Healing spells now cost 5% less Mana and Stamina.

==========

==========

1,082,943/1,215,000 EXP till you reach Level 33

==========

––––––––

Erik shook his head. Even killing nearly one hundred raiders, he had only earned two hundred Experience. If he was to be in a fight, he didn’t even need to use any techniques. Using his brute strength, he could have run through the raiders with little difficulty—due to his Agility, his Strength, the state of his body. Even the weapons would find it impossible to break through his armor. They had all been under level twenty, not even a real threat to Erik.

He had just come down from the wall and was walking toward the house that they had been given by the Ryan family when Delilah saw him.

“Teacher!” she called out, running over to him.

He turned to face her.

She cupped her hands and bowed deeply. “Thank you, Teacher, for saving my family.”

“I wish that I was able to save the other people too.” Erik tried to get her to rise with a gesture but, stubbornly, she kept on bowing. He mussed up her hair making her rise with a frown as she sorted out her hair again. Erik felt his heart become a bit lighter. “We’ll be leaving in two days, make sure your family is ready to leave.”

While they had been traveling, Erik had been asking Delilah about her family. It sounded like casual conversation but he was actually testing to see what kind of people they were. Seeing them all fighting on their walls, the way that they cared for one another, their willingness to share their food and home and the genuine concern and care they had toward Delilah, he could tell that they were good people.

It put a weight down in his heart as he had been hesitant to accept them at first. Even if Delilah was to become the council leader of Alva, she might have her attention waver when thinking of her family in the Second Realm. He had seen she was already distracted by them and it was slowing her progress in Alchemy.

“Thank you, Teacher.” Delilah came out of her bow with tears in her eyes.

Erik nodded to her, not sure how to react.

She smiled and wiped her face, turning and heading back to her family.

***

Joseph Ryan watched Erik as he sat on his sand ray.

The others all treated him with respect, but they also joked and came to him without fear in their eyes. He had seen quite a large number of people in his life and as he had gone into the cities a number of times to sell his wares, he had built up a sense for the people he sold to and those around him.

Erik was hard to see through. He was a fighter, a healer, and an alchemist. Joseph had never heard of someone having so many different trades.

With all of those trades, how can he focus or grow just one of them?

When Delilah had said that she wanted to bring them to the city, but they needed to make an oath, they were hesitant at first. He had never heard of a city called Alva Dungeon before. He thought that they were rare places, akin to legends.

Looking at their fields and seeing what she had become, Joseph and the rest of the Ryans packed up. They took some of the materials left behind by the raiders, and gifted their compound over to one of the families who had outgrown their own compound.

They were placing all of their bets on Delilah.

Joseph couldn’t help but smile to himself as he looked at his Delilah. There was a new confidence to her. She had always been a good-looking girl but she cared little for that fact, looking for ways to improve her abilities, to become someone the family could rely on. When the chance to become an apothecary came around, she jumped at it.

He didn’t know what had happened for her to reach this stage; she only said that she owed everything to Erik.

Joseph wanted to ask more but Amelia stopped him from doing so. Some of the people from Alva sat on the Ryan family wagons. Their sand rays pulled the sledded wagons across the sand dunes. The sand rays’ speed was faster than any other beast Joseph had seen in the desert.

It wasn’t long until Taeman city came into sight and they quickly passed through the gates. The sand ray riders dismounted and the rest of the Alva members, even Rugrat and George, were walking.

The children were all looking around at the massive city, their mothers and fathers making sure that they didn’t go running off or get lost.

They reached the totem when a trader approached them.

“Such fine mounts but the cost to move them through the totems must be incredible. I have recently procured beast storage items from a clan of famous beast tamers!” the merchant said.

“Go on,” Erik said to the man.

“These are the finest beast storage items. With them, you can store your beast in an item. They will not be without food or water. When using the totem, you will not have to pay extra to take them, or when you are in different environments not suited for them, they will be safe within the storage device!” the man said with an eager smile. “One could even use it instead of a tent if you needed to!”

“How many do you have that would fit our beasts?” Erik asked.

“I have plenty! Plenty! How many do you need?”

“How much for each?” Erik asked.

“Thirty-five for the lesser grade, fifty for the common, and one hundred and twenty for the greater. The lesser can just fit your beasts, the common will give them room to move around, the greater will allow three of them to stay inside comfortably.”

“Would one be able to store plants in these and other living items?” Erik asked.

“Yes.” The man nodded.

“I will buy one hundred of the greater storage devices and fifty of the other kinds,” Erik said. “I will pay one hundred gold for the greater, forty for the common, and twenty for the lesser.”

The trader, coughed, stunned by the numbers.

“Do you take Mana stones?” Erik asked.

“Yes,” the trader was able to squeak out. “I will have to gather the supplies.”

“We must leave within three hours. Is that enough time?”

“Certainly!” The trader clasped his fists and bowed before rushing away.

The total came to a staggering thirteen thousand gold, but Erik and the others seemed unaffected by this number.

“Blaze, you’ll have to put out a mission to get more of these,” Rugrat said.

“I haven’t even taken the job yet!” Blaze grumbled, but pulled out writing materials and put it down.

The others smiled and chuckled at his actions.

The trader returned with two assistants just an hour later, looking out of breath.

The storage items looked like small wooden boxes covered in runes.

“It’s not a true formation but rather a spell that has been burned into the boxes, simple but effective.” Rugrat looked over them all, his eyes missing nothing. “They will last for at least ten years before they start failing and the space inside starts to become unstable, I would guess.”

The trader didn’t say anything.

“Very well.” Erik pulled out a box and passed it to the trader.

He lifted the lid, dancing lights playing on his face. He quickly closed the box and put it away. People looked around, feeling the Mana in the area suddenly rise.

“It is an honor doing business with you.” The trader ushered the assistants forth, covered in the boxes.

The people from Alva, including Delilah, took the boxes, using the ties to put them on their hips. They took the animals into the new storage devices and let them out, making sure they worked as advertised.

The others disappeared underneath their cloaks.

“Good doing business with you,” Erik said. They headed off toward the totem once again, the cart and animals all stored away as they reached the totem.

A few screens appeared in front of Erik as he input a few commands. He then pulled out Mana stones again. The totem flared to light and the heat of Taeman city disappeared, replaced by the cold and damp.

Joseph now understood why they had given the Ryans warm clothes. Seeing the kind of wealth that Erik had just spent, he felt like paying back their debt would be difficult to the extreme.

“We’re halfway there,” Rugrat said as they headed through the town. It was barely a corner of Taeman city. The wind howled above, stripping those below of any warmth as winter had arrived.

They left the city behind and went out into the forest.

George returned to his full size as they reached the forest.

Blaze let out a whistle. In just twenty minutes, a few dozen panthers appeared.

Their journey across the First Realm to reach Alva had begun.

Chapter: Changes to Alva Dungeon’s Military

“They’re all gathered,” Glosil said as Erik looked up and then over to Rugrat.

It had been a week since they returned from their little adventure. The Ryan family was moved into a few homes that Delilah had bought for them. They were still learning the city.

Joseph had headed off to the farming fields to get a job and was learning from the farmers there. Amelia had gone to the healing house, hoping to learn the healing arts. Kyle went to the cookhouse, Greg to the tailors. Zhiwei had entered the barracks and was tested, becoming a trainee alongside John. Nolan followed his father to the fields, and the rest were undecided, still taking the dungeon in.

Once Erik and Rugrat returned, Rugrat had the blueprint office make a blueprint for the Mark 1 repeater crossbow.

An order had been placed with the smithy, formation workshop, wood workshop, and tailors for swords, spears, repeating crossbows, and armor.

Other orders were also placed: for meals; clothing, from one’s boots to underwear, socks, pants, shirts, and headdresses; simple storage rings; Alchemy concoctions; healing, Stamina, Mana, Body Cultivation, and Mana Gathering system aides; as well as a variety of poisons and an explosive factory that was under the careful watch of Erik, Delilah, Fehim, and a few trusted alchemists.

Alva had been building up their strength for a long time, but now with these orders they were not only improving their strength, they were looking to reduce the time it took to make different items. Weaving machines, sewing machines, presses, molds: these tools and instruments were introduced to the academies, increasing output in leaps and bounds.

Merchants, seeing the use, were already building workshops that looked to buy this technology from the academy and the government of Alva Dungeon.

Once the orders had been filled, Erik agreed to sell off the design blueprints at a reasonable cost, leaving it to Egbert, Elise, and Delilah to deliberate over the cost of the new machines.

Erik also talked to the beast tamers as well as armorers; their job: to raise enough beasts for the Alva Dungeon military and to also armor them. The beasts took time and resources to raise. Losing one of them was like losing not only a pile of gold, but time that couldn’t be earned back.

Already the merchants were buying a few of the weaker beasts that the military didn’t accept so that they could trade various goods across the First Realm. They had a variety of species of beasts from the sand rays, to the panthers, wolves, and tigers—even a few bears.

Alva Village of old was hard to compare with the current Alva Dungeon.

***

“Good.” Erik looked over to Rugrat, who put down a pencil. On his desk was the dismantled Big Momma, his personal service weapon and his M40 sniper rifle.

A stack of blueprints were off to the corner of his desk, each of them detailing the parts of the weapons, as he wanted to create records of them first.

The Mark 1 repeater crossbow was powerful, but more importantly it was accurate and had a long range. It was the equivalent of a modern AK: its power was strong, but it was unwieldy unless someone was properly trained with it. And unlike the AK, it was much more complicated and the possibility of it being broken was high.

Rugrat had a plan to merge modern firearms from Earth with the techniques of the Ten Realms.

His first plan was to build a simple rifle that would work in the Ten Realms and that they could easily replicate and supply ammunition for. Then he had plans to increase its abilities, component by component.

It would be a large undertaking but with Rugrat’s Smithing Book and the crafters of Alva Dungeon working together, Erik was confident that the project could show benefits in the future.

Rugrat stood up and pulled on his tunic, forcing his arms through his rolled-up sleeves and adjusting them meticulously so that they were perfect.

Erik grabbed his softcap as he stood. They were both wearing camouflaged tunics and pants made of splotched green, black, and brown.

While wearing their combat fatigues, they seemed to change. Rugrat looked more of a pit bull and Erik let out a subconscious pressure on those who saw his stony expression.

Glosil saluted; Erik returned it. Glosil headed out of the office and into the training area of the barracks.

Erik didn’t need to look over his uniform, checking it with a few touches. “Time to make a military.” Erik moved his arms. “I think I’ve cut off circulation.”

Rugrat let out a low grunt. “Then you know it’s right.” He cracked a grin.

Erik let out a laugh and walked toward the door, his face turning stony as Rugrat followed behind him.

They walked out, looking at the parade square. Some one hundred and fifty people stood in ranks according to their squads in front of the office.

All of them were at attention. A few shuffled around, looking at Erik and Rugrat as they walked up to the parade square.

“You there! You here to hang out with your friends! Stand straight!” Rugrat bellowed, his trained eyes picking out those moving around with ease.

The people on the parade square snapped their eyes forward and reduced their movement, not wanting to be his next target.

“Looks like they’ve forgotten everything we’ve taught them,” Rugrat said to Erik.

Erik could feel the tension in the air, see the people gritting their teeth and glowering at the wall ahead. Rugrat’s words ignited their fighting spirit, ready to prove they had worked their hardest to remember their training as it had been passed onto them or grilled into them when they needed to defend Alva Village.

“Most of you know who we are. Those of you who don’t, this is Company Warrant Officer Rodriguez. I am Captain West! In two months, training for the Alva Dungeon military will begin. Those of you who pass will remain in the Alva Dungeon military. Those of you who don’t will be asked to leave. You will be allowed to try to test out later on if you want to. The military isn’t for everyone and there is always the Adventurer’s Guild.

“We will teach you how to not only be fighters, we will teach you how to become soldiers! Now you might be thinking, well, I know how to fight—I can kill beasts. Know this: killing beasts and killing a fellow human are vastly different and we will be going up against other humans. If that isn’t for you, there are many other professions that Alva Dungeon has to offer where you can show off your strengths.

“Training will not be easy. We had just a week to train people before Alva Village’s defense. This training will take a full three months. By the time you are done, you will be as strong as someone from the Third Realm. You will have skills that will allow you to close with the enemy and destroy them, no matter the terrain or situation. Sects focus all of their resources to make just a few powerful people to uphold their sect’s power. We don’t have the resources to waste and even if we have some strong people to back us up, used together, those strong people can be of a lot more use in other areas.

“A strong formation master can make a powerful barrier. A smith can make a weapon capable of slicing apart the most powerful armor; an alchemist, a concoction to bring one back from the dead; a tailor, armor that will allow one to survive the most vicious attack. With these strengths added together, with men and women who work together as one, operate as a single entity, who do not fight the enemy head on unless totally necessary, a military that can use tactics like those used against the Zatan Confederation, just a handful of people were able to topple an entire country that was formed up of five million people.”

Rugrat stepped forward. His eyes looked over everyone there. His brows pinched together, a stony expression on his face as he stood at parade rest. “We will teach you weapon handling, hand-to-hand combat, ranged combat, tactics, how to think and to breathe. We trained your bodies with the defense of Alva Village; now we will train your minds. I hope you liked your time off, because now it’s time we started really training.”

Erik nodded and stepped forward. “You each have some strengths that you have developed but you have been operating in parties, sections or by yourselves. Now we will pull you in as a whole. If you want to come to the Fourth Realm, the battlefield realm, you will not be fighters or warriors: you will be soldiers.

“Soldiers have a greater strength than any fighter or warrior. They do not care for things like a fair fight; they do not care about going up against a stronger opponent. They work together as one machine, one whole to complete their objective and push forward.

“Others in the Ten Realms focus on raising the power of a few. Here, we look at raising the power of the whole. None of you are important; none of you are any different. You are brothers and sisters in Alva Dungeon’s military, men and women of green. You are nothing but dirt that we will forge into iron, an iron shield to defend the person to your left, a sword to kill the person attacking the person to your right. You will live for each other.

“Rugrat and I are not of this world, not from the Ten Realms, but we come from a place where ranged weaponry has turned from an option into a way of war. Entire nations—an entire realm—used ranged weapons, fighting across its entire surface twice. We come from a history where a few thousand men held a pass against an army of one hundred thousand for three days. Their lines did not fall and they were only killed when they were outflanked. They gained their people three days in the face of their deaths and the face of overwhelming odds. Empires have risen and looked to conquer the world, spreading from every corner to take over massive parts of our realm. Time and time again. Empires that spanned the entire realm, others that took over entire continents. All of them won with battles and war. It is with that history and that knowledge that we will burn into your brains, ingrain into your bones so that when we reach the Fourth Realm, there is no question, there is no pause—there is only action and reaction!”

Erik and Rugrat could see the fire in their eyes, the willingness, the hidden demons deep down that desired transformation, desired to be unleashed, to be turned into a tool, a weapon.

It was a visceral thing that gripped one’s stomach and made them run into incoming fire, that made them hoist a shield to put on their armor. Wars might have changed, and warriors had turned to soldiers, but one could not hide the fighting instincts of humans. It was built into their bodies, their minds.

“For the next three months, you will not be sitting by idly. You will each undergo procedures to increase your Body and Mana Cultivation. You will be issued a new kit, standardized weapons. These items will be owned by the Alva Dungeon military. From now on, when you get loot, it will be turned over to the Alva Dungeon quartermasters and a bonus will be issued at the end of the year. For things like blueprints, the same conditions put forward previously will be put forward now. Don’t worry—your wages will be increased as per your station. As well as death benefits. Our goal is not to loot or to pillage, but to increase our strength so that we can defend Alva Dungeon and destroy those who threaten our people,” Erik said. “Warrant!”

“Sir!” Rugrat snapped to attention.

“Please, post the list.”

“Yes, sir!” Rugrat yelled. He turned and moved to a wall. He pulled out a number of sheets and nailed them to the wall.

“These sheets detail the times that you are to report to the healing house and Alchemy labs. If you do not report on time to these places or resources go missing from your hands in transit, you will be removed from training and fined. As villages, towns, and cities have laws that people must follow, there are rules and laws that you are now subject to as trainees. These rules will only become stricter if you become a member of the military,” Erik said.

“Sergeants and corporals, report to the conference room! If you wish to follow another trade or join the Alchemist Association, put your name on the final list!” Erik waited for a moment and pulled himself upright.

“Dismissed!” Erik said.

Some of them knew how to be dismissed; others were newer or weren’t part of the spear units.

Erik’s eyes thinned but he didn’t say anything. The pressure only increased on these people who stood out, not sure what to do.

Rugrat followed Erik up to the conference room.

The corporals and sergeants from each of the groups appeared, as well as Glosil.

A number of them looked at him but he looked away, not sure what was happening either. Erik pulled out a number of timepieces that he had bought from the trading interface and passed them out to the others.

“This is used to keep track of time, so that when people have timings you can keep track of them. These will be passed out to everyone. Even if they fail out, they can keep these,” Erik said.

Before, everything had been more generalized into days, morning, midday, afternoon, and night. With these, they could start to add in definitive times. Their time would be set off Alva Dungeon. The realms had different time scales, some being twenty-seven hour, other being thirty-two hour days; using Alva Dungeon as a constant would allow them to have something to go off.

“While the others’ training might be starting in a few months, for all of you, your training will start tomorrow.” Rugrat moved to the desks and dropped off crates from his storage rings. Each of these crates held clothing items, as well as boots and the rest.

“You will be living in the barracks under Rugrat’s and my watch. Tomorrow, all of your cultivations will be increased. We don’t have time to wait. The day after, classes begin. First, we will go through rules of war and combat, then you will be issued weapons and armor. Then we will teach you how to use them and care for them. Then, if you have proved your ability to handle weapons, we will go through tactics, first aid, strategy. Fighting a battle isn’t everything. One doesn’t need to just kill the enemy. A military lives on their stomach: if they are cut off from water or food, they will fail. Fight the enemy when it is advantageous to you: what is the best way to fight in the open ground, the best way to fight in a closed-in area? How do you set up a casualty collection point so the wounded can be brought as fast as possible to be healed and sent back up to the front line? You are all noncommissioned officers of the Alva Dungeon military and its officers. Your task is to look at the big picture, to lead by example. A leader leads from the front; they help their people forward. I will only take leaders. I will not take people pushing others forward into danger.”

“It’s time we started training,” Rugrat said, his voice low but promising the changes training would bring.

Erik’s face held a cruel smile. Training was not kind nor was it merciful. There was no one to tell him how to watch out for the troop’s feelings. Now he would break them; he would break down everything that they thought that they knew and build it stronger than ever before.

The corporals and sergeants as well as Glosil snapped to attention.

“Yes, sir!” Glosil saluted.

Erik snapped off a salute, inwardly angry. It was a point of pride for him that he had never been an officer, just a step away from becoming a staff noncommissioned officer by the time he retired from the military. Needs must, as they say.

“You will report tomorrow morning to this location at zero five hundred! Which is when the long hand is pointing to the twelve and the short hand is on the five!” Rugrat stepped forward and opened a crate.

“You will be wearing one pair of combat boots.” He slapped the boots down on the desk.

“One pair of socks.” The socks followed as Erik walked out of the room, leaving Rugrat to tell them how to dress. It sounded ridiculous but clothes were hard-to-find items in the lower realms and it was their duty to turn them into soldiers. Everything from how they dressed to their actions would have a guide, a reason. Giving them clothes made sure that they would be warm and have protection against the elements.

Erik returned to his office. People moved out of his way, creating a five-foot hole around him. He looked out of his window, seeing Rugrat dragging the leadership out to the barrack’s showers, where he would give them a guide on washing.

It sounded stupid but dysentery was a problem that happened in any military in history. A bit of soap and water used liberally, combined with brushing one’s teeth, could work miracles: stave off infection, stop them from getting a rash or chafing. It sounded simple, but if you had chafing between your legs and you had to walk for another three days, you would not be in a good way. Sure, the medic could help patch you up, but that just meant using resources that could be used on the guy who had an arrow in the chest, or got a nasty cut to their leg.

Erik didn’t want to make them reliant on possibly short resources. He wanted them to rely on their own abilities and then further enhance their strength with equipment and consumables. Teaching them about first aid, testing them on it, and then only giving them healing potions and pills later, if they could patch someone up with a bandage and salve. Erik couldn’t yet see what impact this kind of thought process would have on them or on Alva Dungeon in general.

***

Special Team Three returned from the Second Realm just two days after Erik and Rugrat made their announcement. When they reported to the barracks, Niemm and his second-in-command Lucinda were given just two days before they had to report back to the barracks for leadership training.

The rest were added to a list to open their Mana gates and temper their bodies.

The barracks had turned into a flurry of activity and the rest of Alva Dungeon had as well. Ever since they returned from the Second Realm, Erik and Rugrat had been placing orders with people from across Alva Dungeon, for supplies for the new military. Tan Xue and Taran were working on the projects personally, everyone doing their very best to make the best equipment for their military. These were their friends and family members who looked to defend their dungeon. Nothing was spared and in the pressure, people had made breakthroughs in their individual crafting abilities.

Alva Dungeon was modernizing; processes that needed to have skilled workers were now being left to machines as the advanced crafters looked to improve their knowledge and ability, taking leaps in their skill levels instead of increasing them slowly.

Blaze and Elise sat at one of the tea shops. The atmosphere was a bit weird as they drank tea.

“So, you really took up the leadership position in the Adventurer’s Guild.” Elise looked at Blaze.

“Yeah. Erik was right. It is the best place for me. More freedom and they’re a boisterous lot.” Blaze smiled. He felt younger being around the crews from the Adventurer’s Guild. The people of Alva Dungeon had a lot of character behind them and those who signed up to be adventurers were among the stranger and more eccentric, only possibly outdone by the people who joined the military, or those who devoted their time to research in their given specialty.

Elise sipped on her tea, hiding her emotions and a smile as she cleared her throat. “So, I take it that you’ve heard of everything that happened with the traders who went up to the Second Realm?”

“Yes.” Blaze smiled at her, looking across his cup at her. “Do you have a mission for the Adventurer’s Guild?” he asked playfully.

Elise was momentarily unable to say anything before she scrambled for words. She had tried to make her feelings clear but Blaze had been too busy with running the village or running the fighting forces of the dungeon. Their conversations had been all business. This was as well, but seeing the playful look in his eyes and the smirk on his face, she brushed some hair back behind her ear. She let out an amused breath, unable to hide the grin underneath as she looked into Blaze’s eyes.

“Isn’t it the leader of the Adventurer’s Guild’s job to take out business partners to dinner?”

“Dinner? Well, if we could finish off the business now, could we celebrate it with a dinner later?” he asked with a probing question.

A heat rose in Elise’s chest as she found it impossible to hide her smile. She had to look away. “Yes, the Trader’s Association would like to make a deal with the Adventurer’s Guild for protection parties to access the Second Realm and other dangerous areas.”

Blaze pulled out a piece of paper; on it were prices for adventurers.

“What are these letters?” Elise asked.

“SSS is the strongest ranked person in the association or party; SS is the second, third, and fourth strongest; S is the top ten strongest individuals or parties. In the future, there will be A, B, C classes and so on, with A being the highest of them. The higher the ranking, the stronger they are. They prove this through how far they can go in the battlefield dungeon and their average ranking and combat capability. Each of them has different prices. The highest rank is the most expensive. The lower their rank, the cheaper. They have daily, weekly, and monthly rates and they also have specialties, so that people can find the best adventurer or party for the task required. Weapons and armor are provided. Mounts and food will be provided, as well as consumables such as concoctions. Compensation for their time and if they die on the contract, the contractor will pay half of their death benefit. The other half will be paid for by the guild,” Blaze said.

Elise looked at the information. It was all organized clearly, based off the Adventurer’s Guild and mercenary guilds from the larger kingdoms.

“Very well.”

“You can also post missions on the mission boards for a fee, as well as a set reward. You can set the lowest requirement for a team in terms of rank, but anyone of that rank or higher can accept it,” Blaze said.

“So it would be possible for people who are SSS to accept a mission that is A rank?”

“People have to eat and maybe they can complete the A rank mission while completing a S rank mission as well.” Blaze shrugged.

“Well, I guess that takes care of business,” Elise said. The profits earned by the traders who went to the Second Realm were just too large and they had been able to easily sell off the items that they could only slowly release onto the market in the First Realm.

They had supplies from the battlefield dungeon, but it wasn’t a constant stream. With connections to the Second Realm, they could get a steady stream of resources and materials.

“Also, I am aiming to open an Adventurer’s Guild in the Second Realm—give a place for the association to be based out of, gather interested parties. We won’t tell them our background, of course, and simply allow them to register to be adventurers. It’s one of Erik’s plans—he wants us to build a number of places in the First Realm as well. Give us a way to recruit more people to Alva Dungeon. Now, how about that dinner?” Blaze leaned forward.

Elise clicked her tongue against the top of her mouth and ran it across the back of her lower teeth, as if trying to see through Blaze but she found she couldn’t. “If you insist.”

“It would be my pleasure.” Blaze’s wide smile made Elise’s stomach jump, trying to hide her wide smile as she laughed at his reaction.

Chapter: A Firm Foundation

Fehim looked at the little sapling. He took out a few more pieces of material, each of them changing color as they came into contact with the soil. He checked the colors against a book and put them away.

Delilah looked at him.

“Well, it’s ready. It grew abnormally in the Temple of Earth’s Divinity. I placed it in the intersection of Earth, Wood, and Water, with a focus on Wood and Water to strengthen the silver-peak tree and allow it to regain balance in all of its associative Affinities,” Fehim said with a pleased voice as he reached down and grabbed the pot that the sapling was in.

It had taken a number of weeks but rushing it could have led to greater difficulties later.

He turned and presented the plant to Delilah. “Well, Miss Council Leader, looks like it is time you did some planting.” He smiled.

Delilah had a wry smile on her face. She still wasn’t used to the struggles that came with her position, but she was learning and she had the right people helping her. “I didn’t think that my first move as the council leader of Alva Dungeon would be to plant a tree.”

“Thankfully you have some practice.” Fehim smiled. “And it’s not the tree that is important; it’s the message you are putting behind it. The tree, being from many Affinities, assisting and growing with one another, brought here by Erik and Rugrat, but raised by us here in Alva Dungeon. Putting down roots!”

Delilah sighed. “As much as I like your view on things, I think that most other people will just see it as something to do for today. Also, the food afterward probably enticed a few of them!”

“That may be so,” Fehim readily agreed. “But I like my version more.”

He winked as Delilah laughed, some of her nervous energy dissipating.

“Come on, it’s not the first tree you’ve planted!” Fehim walked out of the plot and Delilah followed him.

They reached a large path that weaved through the alchemist’s garden. It was nearly ten times its original size now, growing exotic plants from all across the three realms. There were a mix of pleasant smells: wet dirt, fresh blooms, a smell of campfire smoke, the metallic tang of the Metal Affinity Mana.

To Delilah, it calmed her mind.

It didn’t take them long to reach a group of people waiting for the planting. A spot had been cleared in the garden already, a large corner filled with different kinds of plants hailing from multiple attributes.

Delilah looked to Fehim, who nodded to her and gave her a confident smile.

She returned a forced smile, taking a deep breath as she walked to the front of the crowd. The people of Alva Dungeon studied her. Some of them had met her before but she spent most of her time in the Alchemy gardens or in the lab, so it was a minority.

They had come to see the new person to lead them in the coming days when Erik and Rugrat went to the other realms.

All of the other leaders had made time to come out to show their support for Delilah as their new council leader.

She looked over to them. Seeing their confident smiles, she looked to the area prepared for the sapling. She walked over and put the sapling down and turned to the people of Alva Dungeon.

“As many of you know, my name is Delilah Ryan, and I’m supposed to be your new council leader.” Delilah paused. “I’m not usually one to do big speeches, or speeches at all, for that matter.” She laughed slightly, smiles appearing on the faces of those there.

“I cannot say that I will be better than Elise, or that she will have been better than me. I can only promise you that I will do my best to make sure that Alva Dungeon continues to grow. Just like this silver-peak tree. We have come from all over: from other countries, ways of life—for some, even from other realms. As we go forward, the people of Alva Dungeon will only grow, with people calling Alva Dungeon home, coming from all places and ways of life. There will be challenges, both good and bad, ahead of us, but I hope that I will have your support and you know that Alva Dungeon will support you. Our path forward is one of cooperation and sharing. This is our strength and what makes us people of Alva Dungeon.”

She looked at the people. They looked moved by her words, a few nodding, others whispering to each other.

“Now let’s plant this tree!” Their thoughtful looks turned into kind smiles as Delilah checked the prepared hole in the ground and carefully removed the potted silver-peak sapling from its container.

She checked the plant and then placed it into the ground. Several alchemists and farmers stepped forward, joining her as they all used their Plant Cultivation spell.

The silver-peak grew, reaching higher as its branches spread out, no longer the half-stunted tree from the Temple of Earth’s Divinity.

It grew straight and tall. Its three-colored leaves danced in the breeze as Mana from the surrounding area was stirred up, adjusting to the new resident. The other plants all moved with the breeze as the farmers and alchemists paused their Plant Cultivation spell.

The tree stood tall in the alchemist garden, like a guardian over its smaller brethren.

I don’t know where this path will lead. Delilah looked over to the members of the council, her family who had come out, Fehim, and the people of Alva Dungeon. But thankfully I have friends and people to rely on now to help me.

***

Tan Xue and Zhou Heng were summoned to Jia Feng’s office later that day.

“Principal,” Tan Xue said. She and Zhou Heng cupped their fists in greeting.

“Haven’t we known one another long enough to not need any of that? Come, sit down.” Jia Feng pulled out prepared tea and three cups, pouring for all of them.

Tan Xue and the usually quiet Zhou Heng couldn’t help but smile seeing Jia Feng pulling out her personal treats. They quickly moved to the two seats in front of her desk that was already piled with an array of paperwork.

Zhou Heng took the tea and took in a deep breath. The warm vapor was filled with scents that relaxed his mind and made his body uncoil, as if he had been wound up for weeks.

He sipped on the tea. The infusion of smells, instead of being weaker in the tea, were brought out for greater depth. He rolled the tea around his tongue before swallowing it. A smile appeared on his face unconsciously as his worries seemed further away and the solutions closer to hand.

He opened his eyes to find a notification.

==========

State of Ease

Concentration increases by 10%

Stamina Regeneration increased by +3

==========

He saw that Jia Feng was waiting for them with a smile on her face. He bowed his head in thanks.

“What greater pleasure can a crafter get than seeing other people enjoying his labors?” Jia Feng said.

Zhou Heng and Tan Xue agreed.

“But, now, other matters. With the influx of Mana stones given to us by Erik and Rugrat, they have also passed on orders as to which facilities should be upgraded and in what order.

“The smithy and the tailoring workshop will both be upgraded to tier-three facilities, beginning at the end of this week. So we have some planning to do!” Jia Feng said.

Zhou Heng felt his blood boil, even with the calming effects of the tea.

They would be able to save unknown amount of materials when training new tailors and although there were less tailors, they were one of the busiest workshops. They made all of the clothing for the people of Alva Dungeon, as well as bow strings, rope, leather fittings, sword sheaths, and the vests to hold the armored plates that the smiths created.

With the new sewing machines and the weaving machines, it had opened up new possibilities. The sewing machines allowed them to work many times faster than before when they had to work with just their hands. The weaving machines, similarly, would do what had taken them weeks to do in just days, with needing only one person, who didn’t need to be a trained tailor, watching over the process.

They could test out new threads. Instead of needing to use the highest quality leather hides and stuffing for armor, they could create their own materials, hybrid cloth that would add greater defense onto the armor vests, allow greater mobility than the leather pants, and increase airflow.

Similarly, Tan Xue’s eyes lit up. With the testing facilities of the smiths, she could alloy different metals together or with enhancers, without worrying about destroying the materials, saving countless gold coins in the process.

“Yes, we do.” Zhou Heng took another drink from his cup and pulled out a pad of paper, sitting forward, ready to listen to the principal of the Kanesh Academy.

***

Matt wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, wiping it on his pants before he brought his pencil back down on the blueprint.

Since arriving back in the Third Realm, he had set the builders to digging out the foundations for what would be the wall and the large villa. He had shown the traders around and let them loose on the Alchemist Association’s Division Headquarters. They were some of the most advanced traders and had been trading for nearly a year. Instead of rushing forward, they took their time, learning and listening to the people of the Division Headquarters, noting the items that they needed and then the prices for different items in the Third Realm.

Matt had returned to a rather large problem.

For the foundation, they only had about two feet of dirt before they reached the stone surface of the mountain. No wonder the damn contractors cost so much here!

Though, when he talked to the builders, they didn’t seem as worried.

“Stone? Well, that should be easy enough. We can just fuse the stone blocks to the ground instead of having to dig down, right?”

It was then he found out that nearly all of the builders had learned the spell Fuse so that they could quickly and easily erect the buildings in Alva Dungeon.

Using this, he had come up with a new set of blueprints. The first was for the wall. He had to draft it out on regular paper a number of times before he attempted it on the magical enchanted blueprint paper.

The first kind would give him a blueprint; the second would create projections of the blueprint on the ground, like when the buildings were bought from the dungeon or upgraded with the same menu.

It would allow them to work faster, not needing to refer to the blueprints in Matt’s hands all the time but to work on the wall, just following the prompts in front of them.

The blueprint had sunk into the ground. Matt checked the placement of the projected blueprint, confirming it as a blue outline appeared and the builders got to work.

With Alva Dungeon’s rapid progression, they had spent plenty of time building all kinds of structures. Their speed had reached the point where they had second jobs to do when they weren’t building.

As they speedily created the foundation, Matt started on his new plan for the manor. Seeing the other buildings in the Division Headquarters and the buildings in Alva Dungeon, now that he had put down the blueprint for the wall and seeing the speed that it grew, he had looked at the old blueprint and found it to be a bit lackluster compared to the other buildings around.

As people passed the plot of ground, they could see the builders working on the wall and then Matt standing in what would be the gateway, working on a large table with a piece of paper lying across it. He would look to the notes and pages that lay to the side of his table.

He was no longer just building a manor; he wanted to build the kind of building that people would talk about, that they would look at in shock and interest.

He had been given full rein and he intended to make use of it.

When entering the gates, one would find a stable to the left, a double-floored stable to hold all manner of beasts. The left side of the stable would be left open, to be developed or to hold carriages or whatever was needed.

The main building would be five stories tall, with a basement.

Entering the building, one would enter an open space. The center of the main building would be turned into a multi-layer growing area with banister corridors on each floor looking down and at the gardens.

Passing through the main area, one would have to pass gates to enter the private areas of the residence. One entered the main garden there, with a garden on either side, creating three open areas at the back of the manor. Each of these would be ringed with living quarters like the main open area.

The basements here were separated from the others as they led down to the dungeon.

The roof would be free floating, with wooden supports and terracotta tile. Allowing one to stand on the roof and look out over the Division Headquarters even if it was raining.

In his blueprints, he had included using enhanced iron to increase the structural strength, using rock powder and the spell Fuse to replicate concrete, leaving gaps in the structures for formations to be placed and water and waste pipes. He was working on a few different prototypes for insulation and drywall. He had contracts with a few glassblowers and had sent off a few people to try to learn from them how to make better clear windows. Thankfully, he had brought a number of blueprint, woodworking, formation, and smithing apprentices and their mentors to give these tasks to.

He’d added in air conditioning and heating vents as well. If he would need them or not, he didn’t know but it would help with air circulation.

Matt made a line on the blueprint he was working on and moved his ruler. He paused and looked at the drawing. His eyes thinned as he felt something was wrong. He looked closer at the blueprint before he found the problem.

“I made the measurements wrong. Off by a foot! Again!” He circled the problem area and pushed it to the side. A blueprint apprentice took it as Matt put down a new one.

She looked over the blueprint and focused on the problem, adding it to the growing pile.

The blueprint apprentices, when they had time, would look over the different blueprints carefully collected, seeing the mistakes Matt had made and understanding his thought process better. He would give them tips and talk about his errors and ask them to point out where he had messed up as well.

There were a few times that they noticed problems that he hadn’t.

Matt sighed, looking at the blank page. “Damn, I miss blueprint software where I could mock this up then just delete a few things and redo them, instead of having to start from the beginning all over again.” Matt rubbed his hand that had started cramping up from all the drawing.

He let out a laugh as a smile appeared on his face. “Though I bet that Erik and Rugrat weren’t expecting anything like this when they gave me the job!”

Chapter: Down to Basics

Rugrat looked at the report that had been sent over by the beast stables.

They had been hard at work with different creatures, raising them to be tamed beasts for use in battle, or to carry traders across the realm to their destination, whether it be a village, outpost, cities or countries.

Rearing beasts was not easy but thankfully the gnomes had been master beast tamers and Egbert had been able to help them out. The beast stables also gave them buffs when dealing with the chosen beasts, making them easier to tame.

Recently they had been breeding even more beasts to meet the increased demand, and increasing their strength, finding the best breeds for different tasks when they heard of the dungeon monster blueprints that could create monsters under the control of the dungeon.

With Rugrat and Erik’s return, their focus shifted to breeding more beasts to be used in battle and getting them used to wearing armor and the noises and sights one might find on the battlefield.

Although they were not fazed by death, the strange noises of spells and crossbows, and their natural inclinations to eat fresh meat, showed that they needed greater training than regular horses.

They sent over a report with their findings to the academy, which made it into Egbert’s hands and then was sent to Rugrat.

Rugrat looked it over with interest.

Although they were dungeon monsters, when they were summoned, they didn’t outright attack. Egbert could give them orders and put them under the control of others. Dungeon monsters didn’t need to eat, drink, or rest, but they consumed power from the dungeon core. If exposed to Mana, over time they would grow stronger. As they were bound to the dungeon, there was no way that they could go against it.

We have the automatons to assist us though.

Although they hadn’t been able to build any automatons, with their knowledge of formations they had been able to repair a few more of them. They carried out laborious tasks and were then stored in the warehouse district when they weren’t needed, their power cores removed so they didn’t cost anything. The dungeon monsters, once summoned, had a Mana cost every second they were active.

Rugrat’s eyes widened as he read further. “Interesting—using them as pill testers, see what their reactions are to different concoctions and since we can resummon them, the alchemists can study the effects without having to harm themselves. Although they can make all kinds of concoctions, unless we test them we don’t know their true effects. Use the tier-three Alchemy labs to practice making concoctions, then create them; then, using the dungeon monsters, we can test out the concoctions. They also want to use them in the Alchemy gardens and farms.”

Rugrat’s voice trailed off as he saw reports that talked about hypotheses for how, if they used the Earth Affinity monsters, that they could act as roving growing spells. Their bodies naturally gave off Earth Affinity, though, as they ascertained, it might be more useful for the fields than for the Alchemy garden because the balance needed with the Alchemy garden. The monsters could upset it very easily and slow the progress of the alchemy plant’s growth instead of aid them.

With the fields if they could grow their plants faster then it didn’t matter the type of mana used and most of the plants were a combination of the earth, water and wood elements.

“Well, then we should have a steady supply of enhancers. Though if we got beasts to help in the smithy or growing ore it would be pretty sweet.” He started grumbling thinking of how unfair it was that the alchemists got all of the cool things.

Rugrat looked through the window at the bustle of the training barracks as people headed out to the Alchemy lab and the healing house before returning. Most people were with their families or off in the dungeon to rest, nervous about the coming training. Some had already submitted their name, changing over to the Adventurer’s Guild.

“If it works out how the beast stables think, then the farmers wouldn’t need to use their Plant Cultivation spells as much and could instead focus on the harvesting and modifying the different plants that they have to increase their yield.”

Rugrat sent a quick message to Egbert and put the report away as he picked up another.

The Adventurer’s Guild had grown rapidly. There were already forty members and it looked to grow more in the future. Blaze had submitted plans to create Adventurer’s Guild locations in the First and Second Realm; he was not confident with heading into the Third Realm yet.

Jasper, who had been replaced by Elise, had gone to the Adventurer’s Guild and become Blaze’s secretary. He worked with the traders and others who were looking to create missions, posting them on the mission board and offering contracts to available adventurers or adventurer groups.

The first adventurers were heading out with a group of traders across the Second Realm. They’d accepted some other missions as well and were not expected to return for four months.

Although the rest of the barracks was resting for the coming training, for the leadership it had already begun.

Rugrat pulled his hat from his leg pocket, smacking it against his leg and putting it on his head. He checked his uniform with a few touches. “I didn’t think that I would be wearing another uniform in this life.” He pulled on his tunic and moved to the door, his expression stony as he closed the office door behind him.

He walked down the corridor, looking over the barracks, and made for one of the briefing rooms that had been turned into a classroom.

Rugrat could hear Erik talking on the other side of the door. He knocked on the door.

“Enter!” Erik snapped out.

Rugrat opened the door and entered the room, snapping off a salute. “Captain West, requesting permission to enter the room!” Rugrat called out.

“Permission granted, Warrant Rodriguez.” Erik snapped off a salute back to him.

Rugrat dropped his hand and relaxed, moving to the front of the room as Erik continued talking.

“In conclusion, when you are fighting a close-quarter battle with close-quarter weapons, it is the only time that you should group up in order to assist one another. With just one magical attack or an area of effect attack, it could take out an entire section instead of just one or two people. If it’s one or two people, the section can still operate. Now we’ve talked about it—it’s time we put it to practice! Thankfully Warrant Rodriguez is here to assist us! Down on the parade square, formed up!” Erik checked his timepiece. “Go!”

The leadership rushed out of the room. Erik and Rugrat had made it clear that being late was not an option. If one of them messed up, then all of them would suffer the consequences. No one wanted to be the person to fuck over everyone else, so they made sure to speed up everything that they were doing to reach Erik and Rugrat’s standards.

The classroom cleared out in moments.

Rugrat looked to Erik.

“We’re going through fire and movement, not bunching together when moving across territory, moving into defensive shield walls when they engage the enemy, how to bound to cover and fire,” Erik said.

“Good. It’ll give us something to harass them with when they’re getting lazy,” Rugrat said.

They headed down to the parade square. All of the leadership was lined up in three ranks deep, none of them daring to move, and were totally silent as Erik and Rugrat walked up.

“You will be working in groups of ten. These movements can and will be your building blocks for fighting. Learning them will allow you and the people on either side of you to go home to your families instead of being buried in the ground.”

Everyone’s eyes sharpened as they focused on Erik and Rugrat.

Erik waved for Rugrat to follow him off to the side, as they walked in front of the group.

Erik took a knee; Rugrat followed him.

“Bounding—it’s a very simple idea. At all times, one person can kill the enemy and you can advance. I’m the lead, so should I run forward?” Erik looked at the recruits. “Chen?” he called out.

“Yes?” Chen said.

“Are you sure or asking me if we need fucking meat from the market? I’m not your significant other. Give me an answer, man!” Erik barked.

“Yes, sir!” Chen barked.

“Well, you’re one dumb sonuvabitch. Pushup position, everyone. Seems being in the classroom has dulled your brains,” Erik said.

“Eyes up here!” Rugrat yelled as they dropped to the ground and looked up at Erik and Rugrat.

“Chen over there is wrong! If I take a bound,” Erik stepped forward a meter, “then Warrant Rodriguez is now two times as far from me. Say we need to enter a village to clear out a building. It will take him precious seconds to get to me. Say I go down and there is a ridge. He can’t see me anymore. I get hit—how does he know? He didn’t see me!” Erik stood and returned to his first position.

“There are two parts to bounding: covering and moving. While I am covering, meaning putting arrows downrange, Rugrat is moving.”

Erik looked forward, putting his hands out as if he were firing an arrow. “Covering!” he yelled out, followed by, “Bang, bang, bang!”

“Moving!”

Rugrat rushed forward and stopped, firing his pretend bow and arrow. “Covering!” Rugrat yelled out and Erik ran forward.

They repeated it once more before Erik stood and walked back.

“From the moment you stand up, think: up he sees me, down. On down, your ass better be down on the ground. Only say covering when you have fired your first ranged attack, to keep suppressing the enemy.”

“Recover!” Erik said.

All of them got up from their pushup position to the position of attention as fast as possible.

“Now get into groups of four. Two up front, two behind, staggered. Let’s see just what your little brains can remember!” Erik yelled.

He looked over to Rugrat.

They moved between the groups. Before they worked on more complex tactics, they all needed to understand the basics. Hearing about it and seeing it on a board were all well and good, but doing it would firm it up in their minds, drill it into them till they couldn’t forget in their best dream.

Chapter: Training Begins

Qin was on her way home. She looked at the healing house. For the last couple of months, it had people coming and going from it every day. Now there was just the casual passerby.

The dungeon seemed to be quieter. More people had joined, but thirty of the now fifty adventurers were off on some kind of mission; traders had headed off across the First and the Second Realm to search out new opportunities, then there were the wandering crafters and the Alva healing house where healers gained practical experience as Erik called it.

Everyone in Alva Dungeon’s military had reported in a week ago to the barracks. Their gates were locked and the sounds of people grunting could be heard across the walls.

Qin opened the door to her house. Domonos had joined the military; Yui had never left it since coming to Alva Dungeon.

She went up to the second floor, where she could see through one of the windows at the barracks.

The sun of Alva Dungeon was just starting to rise. She had spent all night in the formation workshop again, unable to put down her work.

She had been about to go to dinner when she found Julilah working on her running theory that had started because of Rugrat’s thoughts.

Breaking down formations into components. A smile bloomed on her face just thinking about it.

She noticed movement out of the corner of her eye. The gates of the barracks were opening.

The soldiers of Alva Dungeon appeared. Erik, Rugrat, and the top leadership yelled out as people were out of rhythm and were forced to march properly. They snaked around the barracks. The gates closed behind them as they headed through the fortified checkpoints that led out into the Beast Mountain Range.

Qin pulled her jacket closer, thinking of just how cold it would be out there. Snow had already started to fall in the Beast Mountain Range. The hunters and mercenary groups had retreated into the trading outposts or headed for warmer climates.

The beasts had gone into hibernation, leaving it largely unpopulated.

Qin watched them as they left. I hope you stay warm and don’t get any frostbite! She thought about her brothers.

She stood when the last of the soldiers passed through the checkpoint and then headed off to shower and sleep. She had more work to do once she woke up.

***

“Halt!” Erik called out.

The formation of soldiers mistimed their steps, stepping out long or short.

Erik let them off the hook as the sergeants shot looks at the people who had messed up.

“Gather round!” Erik stood next to a series of shelters. “When you’re out in the field, Mother Nature is one of the hardest taskmasters and biggest life takers! You need to know how to survive in any condition! In winter, the cold winds will strip the heat from your body, causing your temperature to drop. There is a reason that we say it is better to be a little cold than warm! If you’re a little cold when you’re standing around, you’ll warm up when marching. If you warm up too much, you’ll start sweating, which will get into your clothes and drop your temperature quickly! So, a little cold means you can march, get warm, not sweat and then stay a little cold but bearable the rest of the time! When you are sleeping in the field, you’re going to need somewhere to stay!”

Erik turned to the shelters. There were lean-tos of varying complexity: from one that was hastily put together, to others that were made to last for the long term.

They all listened and asked questions as he talked about the types and builds of the shelters.

“Take out your tarp!” Erik pulled out his own tarp. It was a waterproof material that the tailor workshop had come up with and had been produced in massive quantities for the military.

“Tie this between two trees!” Erik and Rugrat worked together, doing so. “Then peg into the ground. It will give you some cover from the wind. Now, what was it I said about setting up your place to sleep?” Erik pointed to one of the recruits.

“Don’t set it up downhill.”

“Make sure there are no trees in your way so when you get up in the middle of the night, you don’t run into them,” another said.

“Don’t put them on the trail to walk around camp as others will trip on it in the night.”

“Good. You’ve got the basics. Sergeants, get them set up. I want all-around defense!”

Glosil held up his hand.

“Lieutenant?”

“Cigar, diamond, or triangle, sir?”

“Figure it out!” Erik said.

They moved out, setting up their camp as the sergeants talked together. Glosil came up with a plan and they executed it.

“Bit of suffering—builds character,” Rugrat said, next to Erik as the wind continued to howl and snow fall.

“Sucks all the same,” Erik replied, watching the leadership. This was a test for them to see how much they had gotten in the last two months and put it to use. They stepped to it. Being in close quarters and suffering together had made them closer than ever, making it easier for them to work together, break down priorities, and get to work.

Erik and Rugrat would be going through general courses over the next three months. As they were doing it, the leadership were meant to inject information where they forgot, add in details they didn’t think about, and raise the combat ability of each and every soldier.

They had been taught tactics, strategy, pure information overload; they had gone out into the field and the barracks parade square constantly to ingrain the strict lessons into their minds.

For the next ten and a half weeks, they would live in the shitty weather of the Beast Mountain Range, moving from position to position, being broken down into sections then built back up into platoons and companies. Erik and Rugrat had moved around what had been their parties, picking names out of a hat for who were in which sections. They wouldn’t always be fighting together so they had to adapt and clean out bad habits. And it also served to test the leadership as they couldn’t rely on just their troops being able to cover for their mistakes.

Some people had been pissed, threatening to leave the military. They didn’t have to. Rugrat dealt with them. Either they had returned to their units, cowed but determined, or they had left for another path in life.

It was Erik’s idea to treat it as if they were on a military campaign: moving from one position to the next, setting up a camp, doing operations and lessons out of the camp, then packing up at random intervals and moving on. Or just spending days walking through the shitty weather.

It would not be easy, but Erik and Rugrat were determined to train them to the best of their ability. The more sweat and blood in training, the more people would come home after the operation. Both of them had ingrained this thought process into their bones and believed in it as firm as any religious believer.

Chapter: Looking to the Future

Blaze and the rest of the caravan were working their way through the Beast Mountain Range, relaxed but wary. They had been in the Beast Mountain for so long they viewed it as their own backyard. They had curbed their efforts in killing beasts in the mountain range. If they were to kill them all off, then it would be possible to kill off species, turning the Beast Mountain Range into a wasteland.

With their high levels, they only needed to let out their killing intent and most of the beasts would run away or act subservient in front of their power.

“Hello, Mister Blaze.” A man appeared out of the snow.

Blaze needed a moment to collect himself, nearly jumping out of his saddle. “I’m guessing that the military is training nearby.” Blaze moved off to the side as he waved the others on.

“Yes, sir. They are doing training in the area. I have an updated map on the latest situation in the area if you’re interested,” the man offered.

“Please,” Blaze said.

They held out maps, transferring information. It was populated with all kinds of symbols and markings that the military had added with further scouting in the region. With it, Blaze and the caravan’s journey would be easy until they left the Beast Mountain Range.

“Have a good trip. I will pass word to make sure that your tracks are covered.” The scout moved back under the snow-covered bush he had been hiding in, covering it back over in snow. With just a few movements, all signs of him disappeared, even though he was just two meters away.

Blaze turned his beast and headed to meet up with the rest of the caravan.

They continued on their way.

They passed a few groups of soldiers who were practicing in the falling snow. All of them didn’t seem to care about the harsh conditions, accustomed to it. Their breaths left vapors as they listened to their sergeants and corporals or carried out their training.

As Blaze watched them, he could see their total obedience toward their sergeants and corporals. As they were ordered, they reacted. They acted as a whole; it was hard to tell them apart. Gone were the different kinds of armors and weapons. It made them look more dominating, with their cold expressions as they all appeared identical.

It had just been a month since the general training had begun but the changes were vast.

All of them looked over and then back to their training, not wanting to miss anything from their leaders.

Blaze nodded in approval as they continued on their way toward the hidden carriages that the traders used.

“Looking forward to being warm again?” The leader of the trading company, Julieus, one of the new members of Alva, smiled as he rode beside Blaze.

“I’ve had enough winters for any man. A bit of sun in a new place doesn’t sound like a bad idea.” Blaze smiled. He was not only here to escort the trading caravan, but to establish the branch location for the Adventurer’s Guild in a number of the Second Realm cities.

It would solidify their position, bringing in new blood and strength, creating a better cover for the guild, and not relying on just Alva Dungeon’s limited numbers.

It would also create a hub for the traders, a place where they could stay, get protection and give out missions, allowing them to reach further without worrying for their safety.

It was a large move, so Blaze didn’t want to leave it up to anyone else. While he was gone, Jasper was in charge of Alva Dungeon’s Adventurer’s Guild. Jasper would run the Alva Dungeon location and later the other branch locations; it would be the position of the manager to open up new locations, to look for deals and partnerships to increase the strength of the Adventurer’s Guild.

It was a massive undertaking and this was but the first step. Blaze didn’t know where it might lead, but he was looking forward to the trip.

His position would also be the longest lasting, going for a full four-year term before he maintained his position or he was replaced.

Erik and Rugrat didn’t lie when they said that each member of the council would get a great number of benefits. Blaze was given custom gear, from his boots to his helmet, his spare clothes to his weapons and concoctions. He had eight of his Mana gates opened and had gone through all of the temperings, reaching the stage of Body Like Stone. Erik had passed onto him his knowledge and ideas to reach higher in cultivating his body. Erik had forged the path once and with his help and the trained medics, repeating the process was much simpler and pain-free. Blaze was also allowed to go into the dungeon battlefield four times a month without having to pay anything, with a team of up to ten people, including himself.

Now Blaze just needed to maintain his lead over the other adventurers to make sure his Strength was the strongest. While he was building these relationships, he would search out any way to become stronger, fighting against powerful opponents and beasts. He might even come to a case where he recruited someone who was stronger than him into the Adventurer’s Guild, only to give his position over to them later on.

Although he enjoyed the position, it was the role of the council members to not push others down, but to try to bring them up to replace them. They wanted the strongest among them to lead, if that be in actual strength, their ability to lead, their ability to trade, or their knowledge in specialized areas.

One good term did not mean that a person would come back a second time to hold it again.

Blaze was excited by the challenge that was set before him.

***

“Council Leader Ryan?” Egbert said.

Delilah looked up from the books she was looking over, her pen poised over a notepad. “What is it?”

“The tailor workshop and the smithy have completed their upgrades to the third tier. It finished just a few hours ago. The people from the academy are already swarming, with the department heads and the teachers looking over the upgrades to assess their capabilities and costs. We should have a report from them tomorrow. I have also brought along the head of the treasury department, Miss Rose Ling.”

Delilah had been so wrapped up in study that she hadn’t realized the time. With her position, she could take out any book from the library as she desired and had the right to reserve whatever she needed and get items for her craft at cost. All of which had helped her to increase her knowledge in Alchemy in leaps and bounds. Hearing about the Path of Alchemy trial from Erik, she had realized how she was lacking in book knowledge on Alchemy and the theory behind it.

Still, all good things come to an end. She put down her pen and pulled the books into her storage ring, leaving just the reports and papers on her desk.

“Bring her in. It’s time we started to figure out when and where our money will be going for the next year,” Delilah said.

Egbert nodded and opened the door again.

A short woman with blue hair entered the room. She had a soft smile on her face as she cupped her hands to Delilah and bowed. “It is an honor to meet and serve you, Council Leader.”

“Please, in these walls it’s just Delilah. And I need your help to clear up just what is happening with Alva Dungeon’s finances.” Delilah waved her forward to the chair.

Rose quickly stood and moved to the chair.

“I’ll leave you to it,” Egbert said. “Call if you need me.”

“Thank you, Egbert,” Delilah said with feeling. She didn’t know how she would have gotten through the last couple of months without the help of the other council leaders and Egbert.

She even had a sound transmission device added to the room so that she could converse with Egbert at any time. The dungeon was his domain and he knew everything that happened in it, making him an invaluable aid in tracking down people and passing messages. His own knowledge and antics had kept her sane and stable.

“I’m happy to do so.” Egbert bowed slightly before he headed out of the room and closed the door behind him.

“All right, so, finances. What is coming in, what is going out, projections for the next year?” Delilah said, trying to structure their meeting some.

“Resources, taxes, the academy and loans are our methods of income,” Rose said confidently.

“Could you explain them all?” Delilah wanted to know how the system worked from the bottom up so she didn’t need to ask more questions later.

“The iron mine, the Alchemy gardens, and the farming plots are all owned by Alva Dungeon. The workers are paid a wage. Once the goods are harvested, they are then sold at the discretion of Alva Dungeon. It’s our most stable income due to the gardens and fields.”

“Why?”

“The farmers and the alchemists, as you know, have improved their skills, equipment, and knowledge rapidly. They have also gotten access to better plants to increase their yields and their value, and decrease the time it requires to grow them. The farmers have gone from needing three months to have a full crop to needing just two weeks and their yield has increased by one hundred and fifty percent. They are not only growing simple grains but other items from across the First and Second Realm, specialties of different regions that can be grown with the aid of the growing houses. Each month, the fields create enough food for Alva Dungeon for a year; that is only increasing. A certain amount is put aside to fill Alva Dungeon’s needs. The rest of it heads to market with the traders.

“Our market prices in Alva Dungeon are lower to make it easier for people to buy food. Sold to the traders at auction, there is usually at least an eighty percent increase in price, as well as taxation on top. For an acre of farmland in the First Realm, it costs around three hundred and twenty gold to seed, plant, and care for. If everything goes well and only fifteen percent of the crop is lost, frost doesn’t kill it, or hail or drought, then that acre of corn can be sold for four hundred and twenty-three silver, making them around one hundred silver. Now, that is if they own the land and aren’t working for a landowner and they have a market that is interested in their crop. They could grow corn but if everyone in the area grew corn, they’d have to sell at a loss so they have enough money for the winter and for the next year’s crop.

“We don’t have to worry about hail, frost, or natural problems. We don’t need as many people to work on the land. We own the land; we can grow it without expensive taxes and operating costs. It is roughly about fifty silver for us to plant a field and operate it, every two weeks. Our traders can tell us what is needed on the market. Say there is a shortage of oats—we can have the farmers grow oats, increasing the selling price due to the high demand. So instead of us going for corn that will give us three hundred, we go for soybeans that are going for five hundred. We have twenty acres of farmland. With the producing every two weeks, we make an average of five hundred twenty-four gold pieces and eighty-two silver pieces a month. With taxes and prices, we will earn an average of five Mortal Mana stones and eight hundred and eighteen gold per year, with basic foodstuffs.

“The resources from the Alchemy gardens have their prices half that of what is on the market, but still, without needing to buy the plant and growing it, we are slowly being able to build up a larger stock. We have traders wishing to buy these from us, but Elise decided to wait, increasing our stock. The mines have not had a great increase in skill, but they have increased safety standards, and gained better equipment. Their speed has increased and they mine out not only iron ore, but gems and other useful items that are held in auction between the traders.”

“Okay, so how much are we making from these areas?”

Rose pulled out a notebook and flipped through a few pages. “We are making roughly fifteen Mortal Mana stones per year, though this is expected to increase if the gardens or fields are expanded, or new iron ore mines are found by the exploration team.” Rose looked back at Delilah.

“Okay, so the other streams of income?”

“With taxation, every service or trade that is made in Alva Dungeon is subject to a five percent tax. We make approximately thirty-six Mana stones per year. The academy fees, for schooling, access to different workshops, better materials, and other supplies—we make about sixteen Mana stones’ worth. We have loans—to students, to traders, business owners, and private citizens—in the amount of twenty-one thousand, five hundred gold, or twenty-one Mana stones and five hundred gold. With the interest payable every month, or when returned to Alva Dungeon, the managing interest is five hundred and thirty-seven gold and fifty silver. Though we usually get more as people like paying off their debts as an economics class was held.

“The traders have asked if they can borrow more. They are expanding at an accelerated amount and need more money to purchase more items. With them going further, it will take a longer time until they are able to even come back and pay their interest payments, but in their contracts they must pay interest accrued at least once a year. Rugrat was complaining about investment accounts and loans the other day when he was checking the balances for the treasury. I asked him more and I might have a way to increase our people’s money and be able to offer more loans.”

“Go on,” Delilah said.

“If we opened a savings account, one that it would take time to pull one’s money out from, a person could put their money in this location; we use it as collateral to lend out to the traders. The person holding the account has their money grow by one percent just sitting there, and the trader has to pay a two point five percent loan, making it so we collect a one point seven percent fee just moving money from one to another and accounting for it all.”

“Will we have enough money to help the traders?” Delilah asked.

Rose smiled. “They might not have in the past, but the costs for food and housing, although they are high compared to the outside world, for the people of Alva Dungeon, it is not hard to make gold.

“There are thousands of gold being moved through Alva Dungeon on any given day. There is plenty of work to be done. Some of the crafters have looked toward production and they are able to make a massive amount of money. Others don’t focus on money, but with high-level goods, their worth is astronomical. It required someone to make a few products to make up for the initial costs, but with people paying a fee to use the blueprint that is passed to the ones who own the blueprint, it is cheaper for the crafters and the people who get the blueprint get a steady income for the rest of their life. With the advent of factories, we will be looking at a massive increase in the quality and quantity of goods. Although we have people making Expert-level items, they can produce Journeyman-level items with relative ease, not even needing someone trained in that skill. A rough estimate puts the people of Alva Dungeon with one Sky-grade Mana stone in wealth, or ten thousand Mortal Mana stones. If we were to collect interest on just half of that, say five thousand Mortal Mana stones, we would gain one hundred and twenty-five Mortal Mana stones per month. Fifteen hundred per year.”

“Do you have a plan to carry this out?” Delilah asked.

“I do.” Rose pulled out a piece of paper with bullet points on it.

Delilah looked the sheet over and nodded. “I approve this plan. It will create a stimulus for the people of Alva Dungeon, both in growing their money over time and allowing people to take out large loans to increase their business and reach.”

“The next thing we need to discuss is expenditures,” Rose said with a weak smile.

Delilah nodded.

“Expenditures include the council, military, farms, gardens, mines, and the academy. The council are paid ten gold a month, but with all the benefits and access they have, a fee of about four Mana stones per month is cut from their expenses across the board.

“Per month, the military cost five gold per trained private, six for lance corporal, eight for corporal, ten for sergeant, fifteen for warrant and second lieutenant, twenty-five for captain and company warrant. One company will cost six hundred and six gold per month in wages, another nine gold a month in food, ten gold in maintenance fees and supplies. They also get free admission to the academy. A death benefit is to be paid out to the family of the deceased, for three years of service at the current pay rate and food to be supplied for one year without cost, which would be one hundred and eighty gold for a private.

“The farms cost eleven per month in wages but the farmers get a bonus from the total sales, and they get a free meal every week from the cookhouse.

“The alchemists in the gardens grow their own plants but look after the others. They keep their plants once complete.

“The miners get one gold per month, foreman gets three gold, for a total of fifty gold per month and the academy heads cost about seven thousand gold per month in materials and ten gold personally per month.”

Delilah’s head bounced around with so many numbers.

“The expenses sound large, but they are small compared to the money coming in. I did not include the battlefield dungeon, or Erik and Rugrat into my report as their stability cannot be verified, or the production speed of the dungeon core with the Mana stones on the roof as I was told that they would not be touched for financial means.” Rose phrased her statement as a question.

“We won’t be using those Mana stones, no.”

“Very well. And I also feel I should remind you that although the wages that the people seem small, most of them, if they make good items in the academy, or more crops in the farms, or get loot in the dungeon battlefield, their winnings will be much higher than what they are paid, which motivates them to work harder and to become stronger while their wages make sure that they will never be hungry or needing in personal money to take care of their basic necessities or that new people entering Alva Dungeon will be at a disadvantage because prices are so high here that it is difficult for them to live here,” Rose said.

“So what is our costs to income?” Delilah asked.

“We make roughly ninety Mana stones per year, and pay about twenty-eight, for a rough profit margin of sixty Mortal Mana stones per year, or sixty thousand gold. We have about seventy Mana stones in the treasury,” Rose said.

“And it cost two hundred of what we saved up to pay for the tailor shop and the smithy,” Delilah said. Just thinking of the kind of wealth that Erik and Rugrat had injected into Alva Dungeon was no simple thing. And the money that was moving through the small dungeon was more than what moved in the capital cities of the First Realm.

“Correct,” Rose said.

“Okay, so do you have any plans?” Delilah asked.

“If we put the lending idea in motion, that will allow us greater access to liquid funds and with time, we can build up an impressive reserve for people to borrow money from.”

“We will maintain fifty Mortal Mana stones and the rest will be used to bring the other departments of the academy up to tier three. Once that is complete, then we will look at increasing our treasury,” Delilah said.

“With the increase in tier, it will cost power but decrease the number of wasted resources.” Rose nodded and put down a note.

How different minds work. Delilah was focused on increasing the academy because she felt that it would be the best thing for the people, but Rose saw the numbers, the cost and benefit of it all.

“What other ways can we increase our income?”

“We can buy more fields. They are relatively easy to set up. We have housing for one thousand people already planned out with an ‘apartment building’ planned out by Matt that will have room for two hundred and ten people on a plot of land that would fit three houses. We have another four hundred acres that we can use in the dungeon for fields. At first it might take three or four weeks to harvest all of the fields, but the farmers have only shown increases in farming speeds. If it was one harvest a month, we would increase from five Mana stones a year to fifty. I have talked to the farmers. To lay down that kind of farmland, it will take up to two Mana stones.”

“With farmland it’s easy enough to build on it, so if we need more room for the dungeon’s living areas we can find it. Also, having a bit of greenery instead of just rock might do the people of Alva Dungeon some good. I agree with the plan,” Delilah said decisively.

Rose smiled and made another note.

We had four acres and we thought that we were rather well off. Alva will have four hundred acres and it’s one of the lowest-grossing incomes. How the world changes.

Chapter: Age of Factories in Alva Dungeon

As winter came, opportunity came with it in the First Realm. Those who didn’t have enough food on their farms or in the different villages moved around, trying to go to the cities, so that they wouldn’t starve. The trading caravans of Alva Dungeon regularly came back with people they had recruited in the different cities. Given a place that was warm, being healed, having some meals and jobs, the population only increased and Alva Dungeon grew to six hundred people.

The traders went far and wide, with more people leaving the military training and joining the Adventurer’s Guild, heading across the First Realm and to the higher realms.

An Adventurer’s Guild branch was opened up in Taeman, with more planned in the region.

Matt finished the manor and started to work on the tunnel. Others, seeing his work in the Third Realm, asked for him to make plans for manors and homes.

The crafters were all working to adapt to factories and fill the orders placed by Erik and Rugrat.

Erik stopped listening to the message that Delilah had sent him, keeping him updated on everything that was happening in Alva Dungeon. He had been focused on training and had only stopped to read reports and then continue on.

The leadership and the soldiers had been brought together, changing the way that they had been operating.

Traders were now heading to the Third Realm. Although there might be plenty of ingredients to be found in the realm, few people grew food, increasing the price of food astronomically.

Matt had returned quickly, buying up all the food he could, and recruited a few cooks before quickly returning to the Third Realm.

He made some adjustments to the manor and with Erik and Rugrat’s agreement as well as Jia Feng’s, he had set up a branch of the cookhouse department in the Third Realm.

The shipping costs of one Mortal Mana stone was sky-high, but with the expansion of the fields to four hundred acres, in one month they would be able to get half a years’ worth of their previous output of food; add in their higher base cost for foodstuffs in the Third Realm, and the fact that they had trained cooks preparing the food, what they would have originally gotten five Mana stones from could now return almost thirty Mana stones.

The manor Matt was working on had undergone a number of changes, going from the utilitarian building that they had talked about to a massive eight-story monster with private residences, stables, and restaurant, with a connecting passageway down to the Division Headquarters dungeon. There were plans to cultivate this area and turn it into another farm, to make sure that the cooks had enough food stores and they could cut down on the shipping costs moving from the Third Realm to the First.

Delilah had settled into her role well, getting used to all of the academic departments and people she needed to talk and work with. Her family had settled in well and Alva Dungeon seemed to have hit their stride.

Elise had headed out to the second and third realms on a trip to open more trade routes. She had taken over as the leader of the traders rapidly. She directly bought factory equipment and ordered more, buying up a plot of land in the warehouse district and creating a textile mill, and she was working on making an Alchemy production line for healing and Stamina powders and potions.

Alva Dungeon was a hive of activity with production up across the board, people increasing their skills daily, the military being changed for the better.

It’s starting to be a real town—well, town in a dungeon. Erik moved to the next report from Vermire.

Aditya’s power had grown, but he had continued to live in and operate Vermire, leaving the nations to fight among themselves, remaining a neutral party to it all.

Before, nations, empires, and countries looked down on Vermire, simply seeing it as a place where they could carry out trade and find a good selection, or meet up with others from distant countries secretly.

After Zatan, they had become more respectful, seeing that Vermire, although calm on the outside, was not just a trading outpost.

Many had tried to pull him to their side, but he stood his ground, making them appreciate him more. There was a need for a broker between people and a place where they could buy and sell goods privately.

The news of the Alva Healing House continued to spread but they were under the shadow of Vermire now.

Students from the Alchemy and healing department continued to do an exchange at the Alva Healing House. With the Adventurer’s Guild creating new locations, Blaze had also put up a posting, looking for healers and alchemists at the new branches.

Having a guild with a rich collection of missions, weapons, and armor to purchase and healing services was appealing to many.

Not all of the healers and alchemists would reach the level of Journeyman or Expert and they were perfectly happy with that. Instead of staying in school, there were plenty of other opportunities available to them.

Chapter: Final Touches

The military from Alva Dungeon had been changed completely.

They had started with going over sanitary, first aid, and weapon training. How to attack a position, defend it, offensive operations, scouting operations, guerrilla tactics, battlefield tactics came next.

As they moved on a soldier basis, they would move to positions that allowed them to support one another and would allow them to get to cover quickly. They had soaked up the information like a sponge as they had nothing to do. Those who weren’t paying attention would get the whole group punished. It had pulled them together as they had left behind their duelist tendencies to charge forward. Thankfully, being in parties had made them work better together than when they had first started. Still, it took them going through hardships to learn to rely on one another and create a unit.

The leadership passed on what they had learned in their training beforehand. They were still the same people, laughing, joking, and smiling with one another, but as soon as they needed to get to work, like Erik and Rugrat, their smiles faded away and they changed.

Men and women turned into soldiers. They worked on individual skills, then worked as a section, then as a platoon and finally as a company.

It wasn’t easy and it meant a lot more working than it meant sleeping. People had dropped out, unable or unwilling to hack it. Most of them headed to the Adventurer’s Guild or to other jobs.

“We all ready?” Erik asked Rugrat, who walked over to him in the snow.

“All set for tonight,” Rugrat said. They looked over the camp as the sunlight started to fade down. He sat down on a rock next to Erik.

“Good. We’ll get to see the difference between the special teams and the regular forces. It’s about time we changed up the special teams. I plan to have one of them on operations, one on standby, and the other training in Alva Dungeon, rotating them once every three months unless there is something important.”

“So for the Fourth Realm?” Rugrat asked.

“One of them will be coming with us. I’m thinking Special Team Three,” Erik said.

“Right on,” Rugrat said.

They looked over to a group of people coming out of the forest. They wore white-colored gear, so it was harder to see them in the snow.

They passed the sentries and headed to Glosil’s tent.

A runner was sent out moments later and the leadership headed over.

“Looks like they’ve got a plan,” Rugrat said.

***

The whole company was up and moving through the forest. Every footstep and breath sounded alarmingly loud.

Domonos looked around the group. He had been accepted into the military when he applied with all of the other applicants.

The training had been hard but they had learned more about warfare than they thought there was to be learned about warfare.

All of their actions were now nothing more than rote responses that had been programmed into their minds, beaten into their bones.

They were strong individually but they worked as one, looking out for one another, willing to die and kill for them. Instead of focusing on personal glory, levels, and loot, their job was simply to kill the enemy before they were killed by that same enemy.

He kept on scanning the area. All of them held crossbows, staffs, or other ranged weaponry. Only when the enemy closed were they supposed to pull out their close-range weapons.

They stopped as the scouts who had been here before talked to the leaders.

Glosil issued orders, splitting the two companies.

The enemy was on a small rise, which seemed to be a small island in the summer time. Around them, there were several small frozen streams that cut from the northeast to the southwest, giving them good visibility in both directions. To the northwest and the southeast, the forest came close to the river, giving the attackers good cover close to the island.

First Platoon was ordered to move to the northwest forest while Second Platoon moved to the streams in the northeast.

“Spread out,” Glosil ordered. As First Platoon reached the forest, they created an extended line, oriented and facing the northwestern side of the island.

Glosil was talking through the sound transmission devices to Second Platoon upstream.

“Wait for my command,” Glosil said.

***

Niemm was on watch when Lucinda moved over to him. They’d dug into the cold, hard ground to give themselves better cover.

“Movement. Night Terror picked them up. They’re in the north,” Lucinda said.

“Okay, stay with them,” Niemm said, waking up as he passed on the information to the others.

The special teams quickly woke up and stealthily moved to their positions, looking in every direction to make sure that it wasn’t a feint on one side and clear an access route if they needed to retreat.

“We’ve got them moving in on the northwest side, though there’s only a company. There has to be more out there,” Lucinda said.

Rugrat, who was watching the fighting from their side, was with them, listening and assessing.

“Prepare to use area of effect spell scrolls. We’ll use one northeast, southwest, and southeast. If they’re trying to put down a fire support base in one of those locations, we’ll get it,” Niemm said, talking on his leadership channel with Roska, Storbon, and Rugrat.

“Why the southeast then?” Rugrat asked.

“Might as well check. There could be an ambush waiting for us as we leave our position,” Niemm said.

Rugrat nodded, giving away none of his thoughts.

“We’ll wait until the grenades go off,” Niemm said.

“Understood,” Roska and Storbon said.

Niemm moved from his position, staying low so no one could see him moving through the trench system. He got to a new position and looked out. Using a spell on his eyes, he was able to look out into the forest with ease.

He knew that they were in the forest but he couldn’t see them.

All of their weapons had been changed out for stun weapons, their blades blunted. Erik and Rugrat would manage the battlefield on both sides, “killing” people as they were attacked.

A stun grenade went off as people grunted. They had added tripwires to the grenades so that when someone ran past them, they would activate.

Blasts of lightning went off as people yelled out in pain in the northeastern area.

“Contact!” Gong Jin yelled out as the grenade went off.

Spell scrolls were pulled out, their positioning checked by Rugrat, who put it on the map. He contacted people through their communication bracelets, letting them know that they were dead when the spell scrolls would have been activated.

Rugrat was linked to everyone’s maps and could see all of their positions.

The special team’s camp opened fire on the attackers to the northeast, half casting destruction spells and using their long-range weaponry.

Instead of panicking, the forces that were to the northeast fired on the camp. More grenades fell and went off in the camp.

People fell, but the force kept on moving forward, trying to firm up their position as they fired at the camp. Thirty people in the camp watched four different sides, but there were forty people in the platoon. Even with casualties, they pushed onward and returned fire, setting down emplaced repeating ballistae, making the special teams take a few casualties, but the most important thing was it kept their heads down, suppressing them so that they couldn’t fire back.

The force that had been waiting to the northeast charged forward. Their supporting force was exposed and they needed to capitalize on the element of surprise. They moved as quickly as possible through the forest. It was hard to see into its depths and most people were focused on the northeast, where most of the fighting was happening.

Artillery spells started to be called in, the camp’s casualties piling up. Erik and Rugrat had been discussing long-range supporting and plunging fire, the kind that one would find with artillery and mortars. The best that they had come up with was coordinating with group spells and using a forward observer to call in fire. Long-distance spells required a lot of power and they needed to be targeted. Maps, and using the way point system, allowed them to overcome this issue.

Long-range or ranged spells in general were weaker than touch spells for one basic reason: a spell was powerful, but with time it would weaken and disappear. A bullet didn’t magically dissipate but a spell would; with each meter, it would lose strength. There were two ways to overcome this: increase the power in the spell so it had more power when it reached the target, or to increase the stability of the spell. The more stable it was, the longer it would take for the spell to dissipate.

The camp’s rate of fire sharply declined as artillery continued to fall on them as the force to the northwest closed with them.

“Grenade slingshots ready,” Roska said. “Firing!”

People pulled down on slingshots loaded with grenades. They released the slingshot; the pull tabs were yanked out. They went flying off, scattering over the area in front of them, up to five hundred meters away.

The stun grenades went off, striking some of the advancing forces.

They returned fire and their groups broke up into smaller sections so it would be harder for the grenades to catch them.

Rugrat looked over the parapet. Erik was calling down hits on the camp as the artillery mages relayed them to him.

The fire base to the northeast was laying in fire, working between ballistae. One repeating ballista would fire, then the other, keeping up a constant stream of fire. It showed their ability to think even in the chaos of fighting, to fall back on their training.

They reloaded in between firing bouts and had moved people across the streams, distancing their forces and creating two different fire bases that allowed them to see the northwestern, eastern, and southeastern sides.

They had been caught off guard but they were reacting to it well. The northwestern fighting force was moving through the tree line by sections, spreading themselves out as they brought overwhelming firepower down on the camp. They had to reload and fire their crossbows, making them have to work with one another and yell out, communicating and knowing what was happening around them.

They still advanced like some kind of juggernaut as they were randomly hit with arrows and fell among the falling grenades.

The attackers were being cut down, falling here and there with the stun rounds.

Grenades and ballistae on the side of the camp were firing, cutting down the advancing forces and fighting for fire superiority with the fire base off to the northeast.

The attackers kept on falling while the people in the camp, the medics, started to care for the wounded and allowed them back into the battlefield. The attackers didn’t have any time for that, needing to fight to try to suppress the camp.

More people were hit in the forest, lying down as they were “killed.” The camp started to recover from their shock. Using their grenade slingshots and their emplaced ballistae with their strong spells, they were winning the firefight and suppressing the attackers.

It took some time before Erik called up Rugrat.

“We’re down to about thirty on our side,” Erik reported.

“Got about fifteen left here,” Rugrat said.

“I think the special teams took it,” Erik said.

“Agreed. Shall we call it?”

“Sounds good,” Erik said.

“End exercise! Medics, check on everyone. Rally to the camp!” Erik called out his order to everyone.

The last arrow was fired and the last grenade launched as the spells stopped appearing in the sky above.

***

Domonos had been caught by one of the grenades that came down from the sky. The stun was pretty powerful, putting him back on his ass. He was out of the fight.

He saw Yui and nodded to him. “How did it go on your side?”

“Got hit with a grenade right away—took out about five. Then, as we were scrambling, another seven were hit before we got into position. We called in indirect spells but they were only enough to give us breathing room and try to suppress them. Lost a few before we could even get our ballistae up and then had to split the remaining forces to build another fire base on the other side of the streams,” Yui said with a displeased look on his face.

Domonos patted him on the back.

“Okay, so we’ve all learned how a defending force even one-third the strength of the attacking force can hold out! The longer you have time to prepare a defensive position, the stronger it will be and the harder it will be to take,” Erik said. Everyone looked to him as they all grew silent.

“Glosil, do you want to go over your plan, actions on the field?” Erik asked.

Glosil went through the battle, recapping it from his point of view as the commander.

“What went wrong?” Erik asked.

“We didn’t spend time looking for traps. By the time we knew of the grenades on the ground, it was too late and our position was found. The camp reacted quickly and took the advantage,” Glosil quickly replied.

“Once you were discovered, you could have retreated, using cover of indirect fire, drawn the people in the camp out, created an ambush. A defensive position is only as good as its supplies. If you could circle them, create cut-offs and hammered them from distance, spread the battle out over a week, it would have worn on the defenders. You came at them and immediately pushed into the battle. If the battle is not favorable to you, change the way that you’re fighting,” Rugrat said.

“Defenders, how did it look from your side?”

Roska talked about their intel from their beast tamers, seeing the flanking force to the northeast and their assumption that there would be a group to the northeast or southwest. Then the grenade going off cleared it up for them, but they used spell scrolls in every direction to scare anyone in the other directions.

“Good on the intel. A few patrols might have been able to learn about the scouts. You were reacting instead of being proactive, bringing in the enemy, making them confident and then closing the trap on them. You created trenches that were good, but you didn’t have overhead cover to save you from artillery spells. Repeating ballistae were hidden well as the attackers had a hard time finding them at first and then they were well entrenched, making it hard to kill the user without calling down indirect fire,” Erik said.

“It’s interesting what Roska said with the scaring people. In this fight, we had grenades and arrows, but there were no explosions, lights going off. This can create chaos on the battlefield—unable to hear anything, unable to see through the rain of spells, snow and dirt,” Rugrat followed up afterward.

They went through the sections, rebuilding an idea of what had been going on, where they messed up, where things had gone well.

Then they broke into sections and talked to the opposing force, learning not only from their own group but the others.

“All right, time to do it again! Special teams, you will be the assaulting force. Alpha company will be defending. Glosil, with me. Everyone else, clean up the battlefield,” Erik said.

***

Matt looked through the manor. The restaurant had been completed, first with the cooks from Alva Dungeon coming over and filling it. They had hired staff from people in the Third Realm as it was cheaper than bringing more from the First.

The restaurant took up the front building, with dining facilities on each floor. But the main dining experience was on the roof, where one could look over the Division Headquarters and be served personally.

The chefs worked at the rear of the building, which were also the living quarters for the people from Alva Dungeon and where the true operations under Alva Dungeon’s control would happen.

Cooks were a sought-after skill in the Third Realm, but not to the point that it could contend with the alchemists. If one was good at mixing ingredients together, then, in the Third Realm, they would look to become an alchemist. It was more expensive than being a cook, but the rewards one could gain, the opportunity to join the Alchemist Association was a much greater lure than just serving other people food.

Matt had shared some of his food with a group of traders. Tasting just the prepared meal he had bought in Alva Dungeon, they demanded more of it.

Thus the idea of the restaurant had formed. He put it to the council leader Delilah and she had accepted it, giving it her full support.

He had sent out samples to different people across the Division Headquarters, seeing whether they were interested and the response was a flurry of messages.

The cooks from Alva Dungeon, some of them had learned about Alchemy, but all of them enjoyed cooking more than Alchemy. The head chef was a Journeyman cook, the others at the Apprentice level at the very least. Combined with the plants and ingredients that were raised by the farmers of Alva Dungeon, they were able to create meals that the people in the Third Realm had never tried before in their lives.

The manor was finally complete. The last stone had been laid and fused and formations had been carved into the building.

Work had begun on excavating a tunnel down to the hidden section of the dungeon below. Matt had been part of the design. Making a secret basement was exciting to him, what kid didn’t dream of a secret room?

For now though, that was on hold.

Matt stood at the gates with Journeyman Chef Mo Jones. He was a tall black man who looked as if he spent his time wrestling wild beasts but he wore a chef’s cap and the white linen of a chef.

Tonight the Sky Reaching Restaurant would finally open to the public. Invitations had been sent out and people had already started to arrive. Matt and Mo greeted them as they arrived before they passed through the gates to look at the tower.

Looking at it from the front, it appeared to be an eight-level pagoda tower, but with glass windows that allowed one to look out at the city. The rear area one couldn’t look through as these were the kitchens and living area.

Matt had laid down a rock garden in the front with raked stones. The stables to the left were two stories tall, but plants and a water garden hid the noises and smells of the animals.

Off to the right, there was an open area filled with sculptures that a few of the construction workers, formation apprentices, and others interested in sculpting had made.

There was also a small store here, with a few people manning it.

A carriage arrived at the front of the manor, surrounded by several guards wearing full armor, surveying the area. They wore the black armor of the Alchemist Association guards.

The door opened and an older-looking man appeared.

“Pill Head Hei.” Matt smiled and went to greet him personally.

“Come, Matt, no need to do that between friends. I’ve come for some more of that delicious food and drink!” Old Hei chuckled as others who were looking on or waiting to enter the Sky Reaching Restaurant stopped their steps.

“Pill Head Hei? One of the three pill heads? I thought that he rarely left the Division Headquarters!”

“I heard that he was able to craft a Master-level pill not long ago and that he is halfway into the Master realm of pill making!”

“He is one who dedicates his time to working and teaching others. It is rare to see him outside of the Division Headquarters but he has come to open the Sky Reaching Restaurant. Just what is their connection?”

“Connection? Maybe he is just a lover of good food! Were you able to taste their samples?”

“Only too good. I wonder if they will be able to keep up their standard?!”

“It would be our honor to host you.” Matt couldn’t hide his smile as he half bowed once again. He knew how having a powerful patron like Old Hei could raise their value and reputation rapidly.

Old Hei merely laughed as he waved away Matt’s flattering words. “Please, come and join in a drink with me when you can. I hope it all goes well with the opening.” Old Hei moved past to enter the Sky Reaching Restaurant. Matt sent a special message, one of the servers coming out to see to Old Hei’s every need.

Matt continued to greet the others. Those who had passed previously had a haughty attitude but now they tried to have more of a conversation with him, a faint respect in their eyes and interest in his close relationship with Pill Head Hei. Matt deflected the questions, putting it down to the food.

After greeting people, Matt made an announcement to the people outside.

“For the opening, we will be also giving out a number of samples! Please come in and try out our wares.” Tickets were issued and people went over to the store that was out front of the restaurant. It sold pre-made meals. Matt had bought out all of the meals that were in the Alva Dungeon cafeteria. With storage rings, food never went bad, so he was able to stuff thousands of pastries, meals, drinks, and more into his storage rings.

He’d increased the prices greatly. Meals weren’t that expensive in Alva Dungeon, but in the Third Realm, they could reach sky-high prices, Matt thought “Show me the Money!”

Matt and Mo looked at each other and headed to the restaurant, Mo heading to the kitchens and Matt seeing and greeting people as he walked through. People admired the building, paying him compliments and asking him to design different buildings for them. These people were the upper echelon of the Division Headquarters. Seeing this building, their envy was ignited; they wanted to build something like it, or something better than it.

He laughed to himself and climbed up to the highest floor.

It was quieter here than on the other floors. People had their own rooms, securing their privacy as they could look out over the city.

Matt walked up to one door that the Alchemist Association guards stood in front of. He could feel the scanning spells they cast on him before they opened the door.

He walked through and saw Old Hei sitting at a table. He was nursing some wine and looking out at the city. More guards were in the room with him. Khasar, his captain, was sitting opposite him, drinking tea.

“Matt, you’ve done well with the design of this place and the food is incredible.” Old Hei raised his glass in salute.

“Thank you, Old Hei,” Matt said.

Old Hei’s smile became wider as he waved Matt to join them and poured him a drink.

“To your health.” Matt held up his wine.

“Odd thing to say to an alchemist. We’re supposed to be the healthiest, after the healers.” Hei laughed as they tapped cups together and drank deeply from them.

Hei let out a breath.

The two of them ate and talked about nothing important, just passing the time. It was nice to just relax and take time to talk as they let go of their daily worries and their need for outward appearances.

“Erik should be returning before he heads to the Fourth Realm. He’s preparing himself for the trip,” Matt said.

“The Fourth Realm is a dangerous place, a place where many have gone and most have fallen. It is a treasured land due to the fighting. It has disturbed the Mana, shaken it up and concentrated it, giving rise to dungeons of all kinds. The different empires fight over land, specifically land held by dungeons. Dungeons can increase one’s abilities plus the chance to give them hard-to-find resources. The empires might wage war but the neutral cities are the greatest power. They hold auctions, sell off resources, and buy items to be sold off to the higher realms.” Hei let out a deep sigh, moving his cup in his fingers.

“Have you been?” Matt asked.

“I did when I was younger and dumber,” Hei said in a voice that told Matt that there was a hidden story there.

“Come, let us see what is for dessert!” Old Hei said, forcefully changing the subject.

***

For the next month, battles raged through the Beast Mountain Range day and night. Sometimes it would be several times in just a few days, or days apart before a fight kicked off. Sections were paired up with the special teams; special teams were paired up with the platoons. Sides had indirect fire support or not. Erik and Rugrat were big believers that the basics were important, but the best way to learn was to do. In the fighting, the assigned groups came up with multiple well thought out ways to try to overcome the enemy: using hit-and-run tactics, creating ambushes, working to enter one another’s camp stealthily, creating multiple bases to make it hard for the enemy to find them, and go on counter-scouting operations, draining their forces.

This was what changed them from just recruits to soldiers: operating their weapons, breaking them down. What had been large tasks before didn’t even require conscious thought anymore, their brains focused on making the greatest use of what they had at their disposal, each of them adding their strength to one another when engaged with the enemy.

They adapted, using not only their standard weapons and tactics, but altering and readjusting them, using different weapons depending on their situation, allowing them more options on the battlefield.

Erik and Rugrat looked over the battlefield. The two forces were moving through the forest, and had engaged one another. They were fighting in ranged and close quarters situations as they were trying to gain an advantage over the other.

It was utter chaos, but both of the forces were working against one another, acting and reacting with no clear winner, both of them pushing themselves.

One side tried withdrawing and the other regrouped their strength: two different tactics but neither of them were wrong. They had moved beyond just searching and attacking the enemy immediately. Glosil looked to Erik and Rugrat with a questioning gaze.

“It looks like they’re ready for the next phase,” Erik said.

“Give them a weekend leave?” Rugrat asked.

They had been training for three months straight, five months if you included the leadership.

“They’ve earned it.” Erik nodded. For the first time in three months, a smile appeared on his face, proud of the fighting force they’d created.

Glosil knew how hard it was to earn Erik’s acknowledgement and stood straighter, seeing even that slight smile.

Chapter: Same Boys, Changed Men

“Qin! Qin!” Julilah called out as she entered Qin’s shop.

“What is it? You didn’t break the formation plates made by Tan Xue, right?”

“How can you break formation plates so easily! The army is back!” Julilah yelled with a smile on her face.

“They’re back?” Qin asked, brightening as she sat up more. Her brothers had been gone for three months without her seeing them once. She had spent more time in the library just to talk to Egbert. Her home felt cold and unfamiliar without Yui and the recent addition of Domonos.

“They’re marching in through the checkpoints!” Julilah said.

Qin rushed out of the formation workshop and toward the barracks. As she got closer, she could hear the noise of boots hitting the ground in time.

She left the residential buildings and could see them passing the final checkpoint. All of them wore white gear as they marched into the dungeon and turned toward their barracks. They were broken up into groups; they were no longer the gaggle that had meandering through Alva Dungeon’s exit.

They had changed.

There was a gravitas about them: their faces were stony, emotionless as they moved as one. They were not people who just fought together; they were a unit of people, their reactions mirroring one another.

Qin had never seen a military parade before. A feeling of pride and awe welled up in her chest as she saw them all moving in complete unison.

She had a hard time trying to pick out Domonos and Yui among the men and women of Alva Dungeon’s military. She saw them and waved at them, but they didn’t seem to notice as they kept on marching. There were more lines on their faces plus you could see that there was a harder quality to them that was not there before. They seemed to be distant. She wanted to reach out and grab hold of them. She kept on running toward them, a smile on her face as the units entered the barracks.

People were allowed in but they were guided to the sides. They all looked as the formations of troops came to a halt, their boots smacking into the ground.

Erik and Rugrat moved to the front, slamming their feet down with perfect timing.

“At ease!” Erik called out. Everyone moved as one, resting at ease.

“All right, you will be given forty-eight hours of time to relax. Once you return, we’ll be issuing new kits and going over advanced lessons. Make use of your forty-eight hours of leave! You’ve done well.” His last sentence was quiet, with him smiling at the troops.

They straightened up as Erik tensed up.

“Attention!”

They all slammed their feet on the ground.

“Dismissed!”

The group turned and walked off to the side a few steps before they broke apart, smiling and laughing with one another before they headed for the barracks, or toward the dungeon and their families.

Qin saw Domonos and Yui and ran over to them. The two had found each other and were walking toward the gates when Qin came flying out of the crowd, nearly tackling them to the ground as she wrapped them up in a hug.

The two braced themselves, laughing and hugging her back.

“I missed you!” Qin said, trying to not let her emotions escape as she smiled up at them both.

“We missed you too.” Yui laughed, tousling her hair.

She looked up at him in annoyance, but it quickly broke into a smile as she batted his hand away.

“Shower first then get some food in?” Domonos asked.

“Sounds like a plan to me,” Yui said.

They headed off toward home. Qin kept on asking them questions the entire time they were walking, about what they were doing while training.

Domonos and Yui replied to her questions but they seemed distant when they talked about not sleeping for days, about being on watch, laughing about times when someone messed up or did something funny.

Qin smiled, but she didn’t quite understand it, steering the conversation away from training after some time.

They reached home and they went off to shower and Qin headed to the cafeteria. She picked up some prepared meals and hurried back home.

Domonos was on the couch, passed out. Qin stopped herself from waking him, seeing his tired expression. He had been so excited becoming a full-fledged member of Alva’s military it had overridden the extreme fatigue he felt. Once he had taken a shower, all of his piled-up fatigue had collapsed on him.

He must’ve gotten to the couch and passed out.

Qin went upstairs. “Yui! Dinner is ready!” she called out.

She heard snoring as she opened his bedroom door. He’d passed out on his bed. Looking at them both, by their expressions they had needed the sleep.

Qin sighed and closed the door. She wanted to spend the night talking, eating, and asking about what had happened, but it looked as though they wouldn’t be able to keep their eyes open.

Qin stretched and yawned, grabbing some food before she headed up to her room.

***

Qin woke up first, getting Domonos off the couch.

“Lieutenant Silaz!” he yelled. Within a few seconds a still half conscious Yui opened his door.

“What is it?” Yui asked from above.

“Breakfast!” Qin said as Domonos rubbed his eyes and sat upright.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to pass out like that. You could have woken me up,” Domonos said.

“I didn’t want to. You both looked like you needed the sleep,” Qin said.

“Guess we did.” Domonos stood.

Yui joined them and they sat around the table, pulling out breakfast.

Yui and Domonos talked to each other about what might be happening in two days, talking about new weapon systems and on scouts, firearms, repeating ballista crews.

They were talking about trades whose only goal was to kill other people, or assist in killing other people with ease.

Qin listened. The more she listened, she knew that they were fighters, but it was just a part of them. It wasn’t all they were. She didn’t want to lose them to being just fighters; she wanted to have a part of them that was more than just killing.

She looked at her food, unable to taste it. For the first time, she thought of what being in the military really meant.

Her brothers talked about possibly going to the Fourth Realm. She had heard tales of the Fourth Realm—the death and chaos—and it was what her two brothers talked about. They sounded grim, but there was also eagerness in their voice, as they talked about being able to use their skills.

“Qin, is there something wrong?” Yui asked as he saw her looking at her meal blankly.

Qin looked up, not realizing how long she had been looking down for.

Qin forced a smile. The three months had changed them. She felt that there was more distance between them when they talked about the military. They were still the same people, but their actions, the way they talked, the way they moved had changed. There was a cold, analytical way that they studied the world around them. She knew that this was what they wanted, but she couldn’t help but wonder what she had lost in them.

She buried it down deep. If they want to be in the military, to put their lives on the line, then this is the cost. If it keeps them alive, I’ll support any training that helps them.

“I’m fine, sorry,” Qin said.

Yui frowned and then smiled, going back to eating his breakfast. “I heard that you’re running a spear training camp, is that right?”

“Well, I’m one of the assistants. Tully and Storbon will be teaching,” Domonos said, casually talking about a course that was made for the express purpose of making it easier for them to kill other human beings.

Thank you for your support and taking the time to read The Third Realm.

The Ten Realms will continue in the Fourth Realm.

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