Chương 14: Swift Justice

Maximus stared into the man's blinking eyes, sweat beading across his bloodied face.

"The black man is called Andre; he's around level 20, though he'll be leaving this plane sooner than us. We haven't met the other members, since most of them come and go once the time limit is up," the man explained, trembling.

"How do you become a member? How do they find people if everyone is randomly summoned into the Trials?" Maximus pressed.

"They're part of dark guilds outside, and they recruit people before they're summoned. Sometimes, like in our case, they find someone interesting during the Trials and bring them in," the man explained.

"Why join them? What do you even gain?" Maximus asked.

"Skills, man… So many skills to choose from, and for free. No points, none of that crap," the man said, a greedy glint in his eyes.

"So that's how you gained that golem skill. Interesting… And where did they get those skills from?" Maximus asked, though he already suspected the answer.

"From other people. That was one of our jobs, to repay them for the skills they gave us… With skill stones," he replied simply, a faint hint of pride in his voice. Quest Created: Bring down the Skill Hunters of the First Plane Rewards: 10 Talent Points, 1x Armor Selection Ticket (C) That's a good reward… But no way I can face someone at that shadowed man's level yet. I need to reach at least level 20 before I can expand my power further.

"So… How many lives did you harvest?" Maximus asked as he stood.

"Hey, man, we didn't kill that many, alright? You can let me go, yeah?" the man began pleading.

"How many?" Maximus raised his voice, sharp and commanding.

"I-I don't know… Twenty or so? Something like that," the man muttered, shrugging weakly.

"Spectral Wolf… Feast," Maximus said coldly as he turned away, walking back toward Felix and Oscar. Behind him, the spectral wolf manifested and lunged, tearing into the last necromancer. The man's screams echoed through the village, mixing with the wet crunch of bone and tearing flesh, until silence finally fell.

"Remind me not to get on your bad side." Oscar chuckled, though his expression grew more serious.

"Mind you, you're proper stone cold when it comes to finishing off other folk, aren't you?" he added.

"The wild nature of my class is changing me. I can feel it." Maximus replied calmly.

"They killed innocents, so it only feels right that they die as well." He twisted the truth slightly, not to seem too cold-blooded.

"I get that. My class is influencing me too." Felix nodded.

"My emotions… They're slowly fading," he added with a quiet sigh.

"Blimey, I didn't know that was a thing. My class is proper basic, so I guess that's why I'm not feeling any different." Oscar scratched his head before shrugging.

"Still, I'm with you on doing these scum in. No arguments from me, mate. Right then, let's see if they've got anything decent in their gear, it's not like they're gonna be using it now, is it?"

"You two go ahead. I need to check my notifications. I gained a few levels." Maximus said as he sat down on a nearby stone wall.

"Lucky bastard… I only got two." Oscar sighed.

"I got three," Felix said with a faint smile as the two of them headed toward the warehouse the necromancers had used as their base.

You have defeated: [Zombified Goblin Lv. 6] x15 You have defeated: [Zombified Goblin Lv. 5] x8 You have defeated: [Skeleton Warrior Lv. 4] x7 You have defeated: [Corpse Golem Lv. 15] You have defeated: [Human Necromancer Lv. 13] You have defeated: [Human Necromancer Lv. 11] You have defeated: [Human Necromancer Lv. 12] Alert: Killing fellow participants will grant no experience.

"That's… Useful information. A sound rule, I suppose, though even with it, those idiots still found reasons to slaughter each other…" Maximus muttered as he reviewed the rest of his notifications. Class Leveled Up: [Druid Lv. 10 > Lv. 14] Talent Points gained: +8 Battle Tokens earned: 500 Alert: Multiple skills leveled up. Check Skills status. Skill Unlocked: [Healing Flow (C)]"Oh, I'm glad all that effort was properly rewarded." Maximus smiled and checked his status and skills.

Talent Points: 8 BT: 1, 250 Class: Druid – First Awakening Arcane Path: Sealed Health: 600 | Spirit: 390 | Mana: Locked Physical Condition: Weak Human Vessel (Under stress due to recent heavy injury) Spirit Core Stage: Seed Formation Skills: Seedling (F) LV. 12, Thorn Whip (F) LV. 10, Minor Shapeshift (F) LV. 6, Barkskin (F) LV. 3, Seedling Companion (F) LV. 5, Nature's Wrath (E) LV. 7, Potioncraft (D) LV. 3, Basic Swordsmanship (F) LV. 5, Cat Form (F) LV. 3, Rejuvenation (F) LV. 3, Static Strike (E) LV.

4, Follow Me! (F) LV. 1, Spectral Wolves (D) LV. 2, Entangle (F) LV. 2, Healing Flow (C) LV. 2 Feral Skills: Prowl (E) LV. 2, Claw Strike (F) LV. 3 … Class Traits: Nature's Seed (E) LV. 5, Friend of the Wild (E) LV. 1 Skills: … Healing Flow (C) Level 2 – Stay still for 15 minutes, channeling the healing energies of nature to restore your body. The longer you remain still, the greater the healing effect. No Spirit cost. Cooldown 6 hours to allow the body to recover from the overuse of Spirit.

Class Traits: Nature's Seed (E) Level 5 – One chosen by nature and the spirits of the world. Nature-type spells are easier to learn, and spirit energy regenerates 1. 5% per 90 seconds. The amount of spirit energy currently stored has doubled, and it's starting to merge with the user's body at a fundamental level. Spirits are observing you. …

Everything is progressing steadily. This new skill isn't bad either, though the requirement to remain still is a drawback… At least my seed is growing well, and so is Sprout. He glanced at Sprout, who sat quietly beside him.

"You're getting bigger… Good boy. Well, you look like a boy, I think," he muttered, chuckling softly at his own rambling before rising and walking toward the three corpses. There, within a pooling puddle of blood, two skill stones shimmered, dark green and faintly eerie. Maximus picked them up, along with the white staff that had belonged to their leader. The others didn't seem to carry weapons, or perhaps they had stored them in their inventories.

Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Wait… What happens to items inside storage when someone dies? Do they just vanish? He frowned slightly as he began appraising the loot. [Willow's Zombie Staff (E)] Enhances the Raise Zombies skill, allowing the summoning of +5 additional zombies. All minions deal 18% more damage and are that much harder to destroy. Usable by Level 10+ Necromancer.

[Skill Stone: Corpse Explosion (E)] Contains skill Corpse Explosion (E)- Detonate a nearby corpse, dealing moderate damage. ‎ This skill may be cast instantly if a valid corpse is within range. [Skill Stone: Flesh Golem (C)] Contains skill Flesh Golem (C) – Summon a hulking golem formed from nearby corpses. The level of corpses used will determine the golem's strength. The monster will stay alive for 10 Minutes.

Required Mana to cast: 1000"Never anything for the poor old me," he sighed, tossing the items into his storage.

"Still… These should be worth something." He shrugged and stood up. Oscar and Felix were gone way too long, and he needed to check if everything was alright.

Maximus stepped into the warehouse but couldn't find the duo anywhere.

"Hey, you two, where are you hiding?" he called out.

"Oy, Max! Get over here, you won't believe this!" Oscar's voice rang out from somewhere deeper inside. Maximus made his way through the scattered remains of zombies and skeletons, stepping into a smaller room toward the back.

"What is it?" he asked. Oscar turned, holding out a small linen bag. It was wide open, and inside, at least a dozen gems shimmered with a faint inner glow.

"Skill stones?!" Maximus gasped.

"Aye. Looks like loot they nicked off the poor sods they killed." Oscar said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"Bit dodgy, they didn't hand it over to the Skill Hunters, though."

"They probably gave some and hid the rest," Maximus replied, frowning slightly.

"The better question is, why didn't they store them?"

"Wait… You didn't know?" Oscar raised a brow.

"Know what?" Maximus asked.

"You can't store skill stones in your inventory," Felix said casually. Oh. So, my storage is superior in that regard as well… I am grateful for my soul traits. Astrae, you really do take care of me. He nodded, masking the thought.

"I see. So, what skills did you find?"

"Nothing for me so far…" Felix sighed. Oscar continued pulling them out one by one, holding each up expectantly.

"What are you doing?" Maximus asked, eyebrow twitching.

"I'm waiting to see if one glows or something, figured it might show me which skill fits my class. We don't exactly have an appraiser lying around," Oscar replied.

"Give them here. I'll tell you." Maximus said, then added after a brief pause, "But keep this between us… Or else." He looked at the two of them seriously. I'm choosing to trust you. Don't make me regret it.

"You can appraise?" Felix asked, visibly surprised.

"It's a special trait I got when I arrived," Maximus replied.

"Now… Let's see what we have." He reached for the bag, and as his gaze passed over the stones, the information unfolded before him. [Skill Stone: Rock Throw (F)] [Skill Stone: Taunt (F)] [Skill Stone: Dash (F)] [Skill Stone: Heal (E)] [Skill Stone: Shield Charge (F)] [Skill Stone: Blessing - Burning (E)] [Skill Stone: Ricochet (E)] [Skill Stone: Ice Trap (E)]"Well… No wonder they left the skill stones with those three. Most of them are either starter skills or useless unless you belong to a specific class."

Maximus explained, disappointment settling over the duo's faces.

"Though there are a few you can use. Dash works for any melee class. Blessing – Burning can enchant a weapon with fire, and Ice Trap is usable by anyone proficient in ice mana." Maximus added. The rest were of little value to their current group.

"I'll take the Ice Trap, then," Felix said, and Maximus handed him the bluish runestone.

"Can I bag the burning weapon one? That sounds so fucking mental!" Oscar asked, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Take Dash as well. I can't use it; my class doesn't allow it." Maximus said with a faint hint of disappointment.

"I already have a movement skill. Felix, you take it." Oscar tossed the stone toward him before activating his own. The stone shone brightly before crumbling, its light flowing into Oscar's body.

"So that's how it works…" Maximus muttered.

"I'll take the rest, if that's alright with you two."

"No complaints here. Not like they're any use to us, sell them later if you get the chance." Oscar shrugged.

"We should move. This village isn't safe." Felix said as he finished absorbing both skills.

"It should be around midday soon, right? We've still got enough daylight to reach another village. If I'm correct, the next one is about six hours from here." Maximus added.

"How do you know that?" Oscar asked, raising a brow.

"I memorized the map and compared distances based on how long it took us to reach this place. It's just simple mathematics." Maximus shrugged. They do have mathematics here… Right?

"Hahaha, hear that, Felix? Felix? We've got a proper brainiac in the group, haven't we? Bet he was top of the class back home," Oscar grinned.

"Indeed. They do say intelligent people tend to be more cold-blooded. I can see the truth in that." Felix smirked.

"Oh? Look at that, the ice is finally melting." Maximus chuckled.

"See? I can joke too."

"Oh yes, a proper comedian." Oscar shook his head.

"Alright, let's go." The trio left the cursed village behind, heading northeast toward the next settlement, deeper along the path toward the Wildlands.

Somewhere within the First Plane, deep inside a hidden cavern, lay a concealed stronghold. A large stone table stood at its center, chairs scattered unevenly around it, while the darkness was broken only by glowing light crystals embedded deep into the walls. In one of the chairs sat a white-haired man, his face flawless and untouched by age despite the pale strands that framed it. He wore a simple red shirt, black shorts, and red sneakers, an almost casual appearance that clashed with the cold aura around him.

Around his neck coiled a serpent tattoo, as white as his hair, its form eerily lifelike.

"Boss, I've returned." A shadowy figure emerged from the darkness, his form almost blending with it. Behind him, a grotesque serpent shadow ghoul slithered obediently, its hollow eyes glowing faintly.

"How is your little project progressing?" the white-haired man asked calmly.

"Eh… They're idiots, but useful," the black-skinned man shrugged.

"Managed to grab a few decent skill stones from their stash, though." He tossed a small bag onto the table.

"Good." The white-haired man caught it with ease and opened it, smirking slightly.

"Once we leave this plane, I'll inform my father. You'll be rewarded accordingly."

"Appreciate it, boss," the man nodded.

"What about Brock and Amy? Haven't seen them in a while."

"Brock lost an eye trying to capture that brat. Amy should still be fine," the boss replied casually.

"What?" the shadowed man frowned.

"How? Brock's stronger than even you, boss."

"Andre…" the white-haired man leaned back slightly, his gaze sharpening, "he's just a higher level, that's all. As for how… It seems a high-level Druid interfered."

"A Druid?" Andre muttered.

"Why would a high-level Druid protect him? Did the target's brother hire a bodyguard? And a Druid at that… Those bastards are a nightmare to deal with at higher levels, but where did he find one? There's a reason only two known Druids have made it to Guildmaster rank..."

"Well, regardless, that mission will have to wait until the second or third plane," the boss said dismissively.

"What about the other one? Heard anything?"

"Nothing. No one matching your description has appeared." Andre replied.

"Are you certain he was supposed to arrive this month?" Thud! The white-haired man slammed his fist into the table, cracks forming across the stone surface.

"Dammit, Andre!" he snapped, his calm demeanor fracturing for a moment.

"I had confirmation. He was supposed to arrive. What happened to him? That doesn't make sense…" He gritted his teeth, then slowly exhaled, regaining control.

"Drop your little side project for now. Focus on leveling up," he ordered coldly.

"We'll be leaving the First Plane soon."

"What about those two? And Fang?" Andre asked.

"Fang has already departed," the boss replied.

"Those idiots will make their way here soon enough. Once we leave… The Skill Hunters of the First Plane will cease to exist."

"Our orders are to regroup all branches from the lower planes on the Third Plane," he added, picking up an apple and taking a slow bite, his eyes gleaming with quiet anticipation.

"Why?" Andre asked. The white-haired man chewed thoughtfully… then shrugged slightly.

"Don't ask me. I wasn't told." But the faint smile on his lips suggested he very much intended to find out.