Chương 204: Fear

Alya P. O. V. I opened my status screen.

──────────── Name: Alya Biel Race: Human Class: Tempered Berserker Level: 44 Titles: On the Brink (I, II), Lifedrinker, Elite Slayer (I, II, III), Paragon of Potential, Bonebreaker, Unyielding, Crimson Vanguard, Paragon of Growth, Touched by Fury, Paragon of Ascension, Baron Slayer, Defiance of Tiers, Chained Wrath, Enhanced Strength, Enhanced Vitality, Enhanced Constitution, Enhanced Endurance, Enhanced Agility, Enhanced Willpower, Paragon of Supremacy Stats: Vitality: 331 (529) Constitution: 434 (550) Endurance: 321 (513) Strength: 866 (1861) Agility: 491 (761) Dexterity: 315 (425) Perception: 210 (283) Charisma: 237 (319) Wisdom: 222 (299) Intelligence: 241 (325) Willpower: 289 (505) Free Stat Points: 190 Traits: Savage Instincts, Unbroken Momentum, Controlled Cataclysm, Cold Rage Skills: Fighting Instincts Lv49, Bloody Cleave Lv50, Wrathful Infusion Lv45, Uncanny Parry Lv33, Brutal Combo Lv34, Mortal Avoidance Lv33, Feline Grace Lv30, Ruthless Strike Lv25, Spatial Awareness Lv14, Aura Slash Lv10, Tempered Flesh Lv1, Wrathful Domain Lv1, Furious Advance Lv1, Shockwave Lv1 Tutorial Points: 23845 Tokens: Skill Evolution Token, Bloodline Evolution Token ──────────── It was done, I did it…

My relief was immense, I could feel the evolved trait, alongside the new one, helping me control my most destructive impulses, now my mind was… free, tamed. I exhaled, then I found myself smiling unconsciously, I was so happy, I managed to correct the course, I unlocked a class that wasn't just a pure berserking class, this one actually allowed me to still use all my abilities, and while I had the feeling that it wasn't the strongest it could possibly be, the trade-off was absolutely worth it.

I was going to keep my sanity, the fear of losing myself to the anger left me as I admired my new status. I still felt a pang of pity as I looked at all the Enhanced titles, I didn't manage to reach 500 with all of them, thus I would have to wait even more, and I was deciding where to spend the free points… more Strength? No, I would have to go through another round of stat-enhancing items, but I would get there. Now I had new skills to play with, and tomorrow would be the best chance to do that, drakes, huh?

I wonder how strong they would be, how much stronger should I become before managing to kill a dragon? It was always a dream of mine when I was little, while other girls played with dolls I played with the boys, imagining being a knight, slaying the dragon and saving the kingdom… Now dreams and reality were mixing in this strange world. Albeit, I wasn't a knight in shining armour, but that was fine anyway, I was myself. I got up from my bed, I wanted a manor like Elias had so bad, that bed looked fluffy…

But first I would have to repay him for all the points he spent on me, the sword was probably more expensive than the fruits, luckily it was a gift, and it was fantastic: it cut through monsters as if they weren't there, and when I used Aura Slash in conjunction with it, well, it basically deleted anything in front of me. After that I should save up for a bloodline maybe, I had a token burning in my pocket and all that potential that was flowing in my veins and wasn't getting used was grating on me.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. I went downstairs, I would think about these problems when I had the money to solve them. It was dinner time, the tavern was busy as always, I swear, some people never left since the morning. I hoped that Elias or Tom could kick their asses if they started to slack, I was tired of having to protect the weaklings, how could they expect anything when they were so weak? Didn't they get that we weren't on Earth anymore?

I shook my head to dispel the thought and waved over a waiter as I sat down next to Chloe, the girl was busy talking with Selene about some materials the crafter needed.

"We need some better investment otherwise we can't recoup the loss in points from buying the materials." said the old tailor.

"Then talk to Gilbert, damn it! The fucktard went back on his word and said that he won't spend a dime for the others, we don't have enough funds to start as we planned."

"I'm sure that if you talked with him nicely he wou-""To hell with the niceties! That's not how we should operate here! He gave his word this fucking morning, and now I have to deal with his bullshit! Let me tell you something, Selene, Elias won't be happy, and you saw how he was this morning, even he is losing his patience with you lot, and trust me, you won't like the outcome."

Our vice guild leader was on fire tonight, but I could understand the pressure she was under, apparently the crafters weren't understanding shit though, what the hell did they do until now? Build a couple of carts and barrels? That's nothing compared to nearly dying multiple times.

"I know Chloe, but please try to mediate for us with Elias, we nee-""You need to take your head out of the sand," I said while taking the drink the server brought. After a sip of ale I continued, "we don't need you, can't you get it?" Now many more of the guild were listening in on me, let them, maybe they would reconsider their actions.

"You lot are fucking useless in a fight, and if you didn't notice, here being useful in a fight is the only valuable thing. Especially now that we have spatial storages and the shop available, so reconsider your position before demanding anything because everyone here is tired of your bullshit, and contrary to us, you need protection to reach the pillar, so make yourselves useful or prepare to be left behind."

I took another sip of my drink as the conversation erupted around me with complaints, angry statements of injustice, pleas and more. I didn't care, I was just enjoying seeing them flustered, I wouldn't put myself in the management of this bunch even if they paid me a million points. As the conversation was getting rowdier, Gilbert, sitting some tables away, stormed over while shouting that he and his people wouldn't put a point into the guild.

While Tom, Chloe and Selene tried to calm down the clearly drunk man, I felt a chill run up my spine, and it wasn't only me apparently because the very loud tavern suddenly became very quiet all of a sudden. I turned around slowly, my skills were warning me of danger, I felt like a rabbit being stared at by a wolf. What the hell was this? Steps were the only things making a sound in the silence. As I fully turned I saw Elias walking toward us, for some reason he looked terrifying.

And tired, more than tired, his face was that of somebody who didn't sleep for days and got wrung out by life at the same time. His eyes were scary, but vacant at the same time. What happened to him? He approached our side of the tavern and looked at Gilbert right in the eyes. The old goat shuddered, paling rapidly, going from red and inebriated to white as a sheet in seconds.

"The points, now."

"I-I… no… we-I-" Elias calmly raised a hand and placed it on top of Gilbert's head, the man flinched at the touch but couldn't move.

"You know I can pop your head like a balloon? It takes me but a squeeze, actually I could do much worse than that, I am a curse mage after all, and what are you?" Gilbert just stammered some incoherent words, trembling like a leaf. I was feeling the terror that everyone around here was feeling. For some reason, I believed that Elias would kill him if he didn't comply, no, I was certain that he would, there was a serious lack of empathy on his face, like this was just another tiring task to complete.

"I said now, Gilbert, actually, all of you crafters, and I won't repeat myself again." The atmosphere became even more dreadful, the colours were slowly bleeding out of the world, I could see the faces of everyone take on a shade of grey, my breath got stuck in my throat.

"Y-es, o-of co-course, he-here…" Apparently a transfer happened because Elias took his hand off the old crafter's head, then he slowly turned towards the others. It took nearly half a minute, but apparently everyone complied.

"Accept it, Chloe, I'm tired and I want to rest." The words broke the spell, and Chloe's paralysed body moved again, taking in a deep breath.

"Tom, deliver the items to my room in a couple of hours, they will be ready by tomorrow morning." said Elias.

"Understood." replied the big man, but even his strong voice sounded subdued now. Without another word Elias went up the stairs, disappearing from view, with him went even the aura of fear. Everyone in the tavern started breathing again, then conversation slowly started about what just happened, people asking questions in hushed voices and pointing at us. Gilbert excused himself, I swear there was a dark stain in his pants, I think the man pissed himself.

"What the actual fuck was that?" asked a pretty woman who clearly used an elven bloodline.

"That's someone who you don't want to mess with." answered a guy from the next table, one that wasn't part of our group.

"I don't know why he was so pissed or what kind of skill was that, if he used one, but I suggest you not fuck with him, actually, please, really, keep him happy, I nearly shit my pants." I couldn't agree more. A middle-aged woman next to him added: "That wasn't a skill, he used no mana."

That sparked a debate about what kind of class and traits Elias had to manage something like that, the tavern slowly started to become lively again, the bard in the corner started playing music and the people started drinking the experience away. I stayed with the group, talking and eating, but my mind was always going back to what happened, I needed to talk to him. As I rose to my feet a big hand landed on my shoulder.

"Don't," said Tom.

"Let me go first."

"You don't even know where I'm going." I tried to defend myself. He gave me a pointed look. Ok fine, maybe I was too obvious.

"Even Rhea let him be, whatever happened, he clearly needs some time, I'm going to deliver the items, then I'll come back, I will update you later." Reluctantly I nodded and sat down again. Chloe took a hand in mine.

"It's going to be fine…" she consoled me. Of course it's going to be fine, why did everyone think differently? He's Elias, whatever happened, by tomorrow he would be back as usual. I took another look at Tom climbing the stairs. It's going to be fine, I'm sure. Everything is going to be fine.