Chương 44: Making gains

Ethan stepped out through the gates of Highrocks with Leah and Nivia beside him. The morning sun had only just begun to rise above the cliffs, painting the desert in a beautiful soft gold. Because of all the death and dangers the desert provided, it was easy to overlook how beautiful the place was. If you could handle the heat, that was. So now they were exiting the settlement, his pack strapped to his back and far heavier than it normally was.

Before leaving, he had emptied nearly everything from it except the journal and replaced the space with as many rations as he could carry. He expected to run into survivors and wanted to be able to offer them food and water as soon as possible. But as he walked, he couldn't help but feel a little annoyed. Things had become awkward now that he carried the greatsword. The sheath hung across his back with the strap running over his chest, while his pack rested on top of it. It wasn't an ideal setup.

If he needed the blade quickly, he would almost certainly have to drop the pack first, which would be a massive waste of time. But with Nivia traveling beside him, it wasn't as large an issue. He trusted her enough to handle things while he got set up, if it came to that. Ethan gestured for Leah to lead the way. He wanted to see how her skill behaved in practice. If it truly nudged her toward opportunities, then letting her choose their direction might reveal how powerful it actually was.

Did it guide her toward the closest monsters? Or the most rewarding ones? He intended to find out and Leah seemed just as eager to test it as well. So she walked slightly ahead, carrying Ethan's old sword at her side along with the new dagger he had purchased. The chopstick weapon still rested in her hair, securing her messy bun. Both of them were also wearing the basic armor the Broken Dawns had provided. It was simple gear—small plates protecting the chest, shoulders, and thighs.

It was simple but far better than nothing. Especially for Ethan, who had lost his only real protection when his vest was destroyed earlier. It would have been handy if they had given him a set when they had originally set off to fight the colossus. But he could understand why they didn't. He was an unknown, someone who had shown up and offered knowledge that probably seemed crazy. Anyway, that was in the past. Now he had a basic set.

But still, he found himself looking forward to the day Donovan finished crafting his armor. Not that he was ungrateful for what they provided, it's just… well, full plate is miles better than light armor.

"Do you think this will work?" Nivia cut in, disrupting his thoughts.

"I think we'll find something either way," he said.

"There's not exactly a shortage of undead out here." Nivia gave a small hum of agreement.

"Yeah," she said.

"But most of them probably won't be any higher than level three or four." Ethan agreed, but it was better than nothing. Especially if it cleared the way for anyone that had just entered the trials.

"Do you mind if we spar at some point?" she followed up. Ethan glanced sideways at her.

"I've put a few more levels into [Sword Mastery]," she continued.

"I want to see if it's pushed me any closer." A grin spread across Ethan's face instantly. The day he refused a sword fight would be the day he put the sword down for good.

"Sure," he said easily.

"That sounds like a great idea." If they pushed each other hard enough, he might even gain a level from it. He was still pissed off at how slow his [Advanced Sword Mastery] was leveling. But he had a feeling that would change when he started fighting things of a higher level. As it was, nothing pushed his sword skill hard enough. Nivia nodded, clearly pleased. Even with the cloth covering most of her face, the brightness in her eyes was obvious in the sunlight.

"I'll beat you this time," she said with a half-laugh.

"Maybe," Ethan replied calmly, "if you practice for another ten years." She stopped walking for half a step and squinted at him. Ethan gave her a playful wink. Even though he was serious. They kept walking for most of the morning. The day started reasonably normal, all things considered. Ethan had confirmed fairly quickly that Leah's skill truly did guide her toward whatever she was searching for. Ethan confirmed it worked when he smelled the odor of rot carrying in the breeze.

After that, they quickly spotted a couple of undead staggering across the dunes. As they walked, Leah had told Ethan she wanted to handle any undead on her own. Ethan had agreed without much hesitation. There was little point in feeding her kills if she was going to grow stronger. If she relied on him to weaken everything first, she would never learn how to handle a real fight. Besides, he was close enough to intervene if things went wrong. And Nivia had said she would take the support role.

So the two of them set off. For a while Ethan simply watched them work. They had quickly fallen into a rhythm, clearing out the small mobs of undead with surprising efficiency. Leah struck fast and decisively. It was impressive to see, and showed the advantages to gaining a weapon skill. It didn't take long before Ethan realized they had things well under control. Once he was confident neither of them were in danger, boredom slowly began creeping in.

With nothing urgent requiring his attention, Ethan decided it was the perfect time to focus on something he had been meaning to experiment with. He closed his eyes and turned his attention inward, focusing on the flow of mana inside his core. Slowly, carefully, he coaxed the energy outward. It resisted at first, like water trying to slip through his fingers, but eventually it began to move under his guidance.

He took hold of the mana and began funneling it through his body, attempting to replicate what he had done when fighting the necromancer. It was harder than he remembered. With aura, the process had always been natural. Aura was the energy of the body itself. It responded instinctively, almost like flexing a muscle. Ethan could manipulate it easily because it belonged to him. Mana, however, was something entirely different. It was the energy of the world. Not something a person produced themselves.

It was something they stole from the environment around them. Because of that, it didn't obey the same instincts as aura. It resisted control. Guiding it felt more like wrestling with a current than directing something truly his. At least, that was how Ethan understood it. Which might have been bias considering he had solely focused on aura last time. Still, the mana obeyed eventually. It flowed out of his core and through his body as he directed it downward toward his legs.

A faint tingling sensation began spreading through his muscles as the energy seeped into the fibers. Ethan held it there, allowing the mana to build and accumulate. The sensation intensified slowly, growing from a soft buzz into a sharp vibration that made his legs feel almost electrified. When he felt the buildup reach its peak, Ethan released it. He exploded forward. Sand erupted behind him as his feet launched him across the desert floor.

The sudden burst of speed blurred the world at the edges of his vision as he shot across the ground. Within a second the movement ended, and he slid to a stop roughly six yards from where he had started. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it. A fierce burning sensation spread through his legs as the mana dissipated unevenly from his muscles.

The strain left them trembling slightly beneath his weight, and Ethan had to steady himself to remain upright. He took a slow breath and allowed the sensation to settle before looking back toward Leah and Nivia. They were still fighting and on top of things. Ethan let out a quiet breath of relief before shrugging his pack off his shoulders and letting it fall onto the sand. The weight lifted from his back felt immediately liberating. As he straightened again, a grin slowly spread across his face.

If he was going to rely on mana moving forward, he needed to understand it properly. He rolled his shoulders once and shifted his stance, preparing to try again. The excitement building in his chest made the earlier strain feel almost irrelevant. It was time to make mana his bitch. —~~— Nivia and Leah climbed back up the dune together, their boots pushing small cascades of sand down the slope. At the top they found Ethan sitting on the ground with his legs stretched out in front of him.

His muscles twitched and tightened involuntarily before slowly loosening again. The strain from forcing mana through his body had left his legs aching, though not as bad as his first attempt. Still, the pain felt worth it. Even though the system hadn't offered him a skill yet, Ethan could feel something forming. Each attempt made the process smoother. Where the mana had resisted him earlier, it now moved with slightly less effort. It was subtle, but the improvement was undeniable.

Nivia stopped a few steps away and looked around the sand with raised brows. Several deep gouges were carved through the dunes where Ethan had launched himself earlier.

"What exactly have you done?" she asked. Ethan glanced up at her.

"Mind giving me a heal?" Nivia snorted immediately.

"You weren't even the one fighting. How did you manage to get injured?" Ethan looked off toward the scattered corpses of the undead they had fought earlier. They were very clearly no longer a threat.

"Just some practice," he said casually before shifting the conversation.

"How did you two go?" Leah stood a few steps behind Nivia, breathing heavily. Her dagger had already been sheathed, and Ethan's old sword hung loosely at her side. She took a long breath before answering.

"I didn't level," she admitted.

"But it was good seeing how much [Dagger Mastery] helped." Ethan nodded approvingly.

"They're a serious bonus," he said.

"And they only get better the more you level them." He stretched his legs again and grimaced.

"Come on, Nivia. I need the heals." She rolled her eyes but stepped closer anyway.

"Where are you even injured?" Ethan pointed down toward his legs. Nivia sighed dramatically and crouched beside him, placing her hands lightly over his thighs. A soft glow spread from her palms as the healing magic began working through the strained muscles. While the warmth of the spell slowly eased the burning sensation, and mended the torn tissue, the three of them discussed their next move. The sun had barely reached midday, which meant they still had plenty of time to keep hunting.

Once Ethan could stand again without his legs threatening to buckle, they gathered their gear and continued forward. Leah once again took the lead. She moved slowly across the dunes, letting her skill guide their direction. Ethan followed behind with Nivia beside him, both of them watching the horizon for movement. After several minutes, Leah came to a stop. The terrain had flattened out around them. The rolling dunes had faded away, leaving an open stretch of sand that looked almost unnaturally smooth.

Leah turned slowly in place.

"I think… my skill led me here," she said uncertainly. She scanned the area again.

"But there's nothing here." Nivia frowned.

"That can't be right." Ethan said nothing. Instead, he activated [Keen Sense]. The ability stretched his perception outward, sharpening his awareness of the environment. He tried to keep the skill active as often as possible, but it wasn't something he could maintain indefinitely. Eventually he had to let it rest so his soul juice could recover. Now, with it active again, Ethan slowly turned his head and studied the empty sand. Then the hairs along his arms stood up. Something was wrong. He spun instantly.

"Move!" Ethan shoved Nivia sideways just as the sand beneath them erupted. A massive scorpion burst from the ground, its tail crashing downward with violent force. The stinger struck the exact spot where Nivia had been standing a moment earlier. The impact sent sand spraying in every direction. Nivia scrambled backward, shock written plainly across her face as she regained her footing. Ethan understood the reaction. She was likely somewhere in her level twenties by now.

Very few creatures in this area should have been capable of ambushing her.

"Leah, get back!" Ethan shouted. In one smooth motion he slipped his pack off his shoulders and tossed it toward her. The scorpion skittered backward across the sand after its failed strike, its legs moving with unsettling speed. Ethan studied it carefully. Three tails rose from the creature's back, each one tipped with a vicious stinger that glistened under the sunlight. Ethan didn't have an inspection skill. He wasn't a merchant who could find out the level of things or how much PO someone had.

But after years of honing his senses and fighting monsters, he had a good sense for how powerful or dangerous something was. And they were telling him that this wasn't something low leveled. Ethan pulled the greatsword from his back. The blade slipped free of the sheath. With his other hand he grabbed the bare blade and pulled it the rest of the way out, with a sharp metallic whisper that felt deeply satisfying in his hands.

Despite knowing the creature in front of him was likely far stronger than the usual desert threats, excitement stirred in his chest rather than fear.

"Nivia, protect Leah," he said without taking his eyes off the scorpion.

"There might be more around. I'll handle this one." Nivia already had her sword drawn. She hesitated for a brief moment, clearly wanting to argue, but the seriousness in Ethan's voice stopped her. After a short pause she nodded and moved back, guiding Leah further away across the sand. Ethan stepped forward slightly and brought the greatsword up in front of him. The weapon was large—longer than Nivia was tall—but its design kept it surprisingly balanced.

The blade was thin and elegant rather than bulky, similar in shape to the starter sword he had once carried. Black fabric wrapped tightly around the hilt, stopping just before the crossguard. At the end of the grip, a simple silver pommel gleamed like a polished sphere. Ethan adjusted his grip slowly, sliding his hands along the leather until the weight of the blade settled comfortably in his palms. Ten yards separated him from the creature.

The scorpion shifted sideways across the sand, its many legs skittering quietly as it searched for a better angle. The two girls were now positioned safely behind Ethan, leaving the creature with only two choices. Fight. Or run. Judging by the three venom-dripping tails rising behind its body, the monster had already made its decision. Ethan exhaled slowly and stepped forward. The scorpion reacted instantly.

It surged toward him with speed he could hardly follow, its front pincers snapping forward as the first tail whipped down like a spear. Ethan shifted his weight and stepped sideways, the stinger smashing into the sand where he had stood. He countered immediately. His greatsword swung in a wide arc, the blade slicing through the air toward the creature's nearest leg. Steel struck chitin with a loud crack, carving deep into the joint and forcing the scorpion to recoil with a screeching hiss.

Two more tails struck at him in rapid succession. Ethan moved again, ducking under one stinger while knocking another aside with the flat of his blade. The venom-coated tips stabbed repeatedly into the sand around him, leaving dark, bubbling marks where the poison touched the ground. The creature's pincers struck out. One nearly caught his arm, snapping shut with crushing force just inches from his elbow. Ethan twisted his body and drove the pommel of his sword into the side of the scorpion's head.

The blow staggered it slightly, but the creature retaliated immediately. A massive pincer slammed into Ethan's chest, [Steadfast] doing little to stop the impact. He flew backward several yards before crashing into the sand. The scorpion turned its attention away from him and towards the two figures that were behind him.

"Shit!" The creature lunged past Ethan, its massive body skittering across the sand as the three tails arched high above its back. The venom dripping from their tips glistened in the sunlight as they prepared to strike. Ethan stood up. Mana surged out of his core. He forced the energy down through his body and into his legs just as he had practiced earlier. The power built rapidly, vibrating through his muscles until it felt like lightning trapped beneath his skin. Then he released it. Ethan exploded forward.

The desert blurred around him as he shot across the sand in a single burst of speed, closing the distance in an instant. Ethan drove his greatsword deep into the side of the scorpion's body, punching through the hard outer shell with sheer force. The creature shrieked as the steel buried itself halfway into its torso. But Ethan didn't stop there. He tried to pull upwards, his blade began slicing through its body but stopped as it caught on the chitin. Ethan didn't hesitate.

If he could do it to his legs, he could do it elsewhere. Mana flooded into his arms. The energy surged through his muscles, amplifying every ounce of strength he possessed but bringing with it unbearable pain. With a roar, Ethan ripped the blade upward. The sword tore through the creature's body in a brutal vertical cut. Chitin split apart with a wet, cracking sound as the blade carved through flesh and internal organs alike. The scorpion's body nearly separated in two.

Its tails thrashed violently in the air before collapsing uselessly into the sand. Ethan stood there breathing heavily, the greatsword still embedded in the ruined corpse as dark blood seeped into the sand around his boots. His arms shook in pain but he could hardly feel it.

"Fuck yes!" he shouted. Just as notifications from the system arrived.