Making our way toward the city gate, I decided to test the skill on various people, from those wandering the streets to the shopkeepers behind their stalls. But almost immediately, a question came up that genuinely puzzled me.
What about those without a core? Does it give a level? Or would it just give the name? I doubt the man selling baked goods was a level 40 powerhouse.
So why not label them as level zero? I mean, it was almost as if the skill were half-finished.
Even when we finally reached the city gate, I noticed something that made me pause. One guard had a level listed beside his name, while the other had nothing. I highly doubted the man was coreless, which meant he was probably twenty or thirty levels above me. But the longer I thought about it, the more uncertain I became. How was I supposed to tell whether someone was just a regular person or someone with a core?
It was a little disconcerting, to say the least.
However, my continuous use of Identify was starting to take a toll. A nagging headache had settled behind my eyes, forcing me to ease up on using it for a while. To distract myself, I preoccupied my hands by tossing my silver stone back and forth.
Hours passed.
Eventually, we reached the part of the forest specified in the job. The lush greenery that had accompanied most of our travels had grown sparse here, replaced by tall pines that stretched high above us. Their canopy was so thick that only thin streaks of sunlight managed to slip through, casting golden rays across the endless carpet of fallen needles and moss.
Giving the whole area a strong scent of pine and damp earth.
"It's been far too long since I've had the pleasure of smelling this again," Benjamin breathed, drawing in a long breath as if trying to savor every bit of it.
"Yeah, well, I wish I could appreciate it," Emily said, her voice tight. "But don't you remember this is where people have been going missing?"
Smirking, I leaned over her shoulder to read the description for myself. The instructions were straightforward: investigate the area and report back with any findings.
Simple enough.
Amelia folded her arms, her gaze sweeping over the treeline. "Sounds simple, but don't let that make you complacent."
I nodded, and for some time, I did exactly that. But even she had to admit, hours of nothing but tree after tree had a way of dulling the senses. Before long, I was fiddling with my powers, watching as lightning arced from finger to finger in a feeble attempt to make a ring.
Then came the more intricate tests.
What if I compressed it tighter? What if I redirected it along the ground? Could I arc it between two points?
As I watched the lightning dance across my palm, I formed it into a ball, then observed as it unraveled. It was fascinating to see how it fizzled out every time I stopped the flow of power. Curious, I tried something different.
I condensed the power while continuously adding more to sustain its size, and then I disconnected the power. Instead of fizzling out, it exploded outward across my palm, like a supernova but confined to the size of my arm–illuminating the surrounding area.
"Hey, cut that out!" Amelia chided. "If there's something out here, you're going to give away our location."
"My bad," I apologized, yet was about to try again when Henry leaned in. "What was that?"
"I'm not sure," I admitted. "I was just experimenting, but I think I found a way to release a blast of condensed lighting."
"Show me," Henry urged.
Obliging, I mimicked my earlier attempt, though I toned it down a bit until a small orb the size of my nail condensed in the palm of my hand. Then I released it, causing the energy to explode outwards before dissipating in a shower of sparks.
"Huh… kinda reminds me of a flash bang," Henry remarked. Then added. "Now imagine what you could do with more energy."
"Yeah, that would be something," I agreed, but seeing as I was limited at the moment, with Amelia keeping a close eye on the two of us. We were forced to toss ideas back and forth until Amelia finally raised a hand.
"Alright, let's take a break," she called, cutting through the chatter.
Relieved, I rolled my shoulders and sank onto a fallen log. "Feels like we've been walking for hours," I muttered, rubbing at the back of my neck.
"Yeah, it's getting a bit dull," Henry agreed, flopping down onto the ground with a grunt. "I was hoping for some action, honestly."
Emily dug around in her pack before holding something up. "Jerky?" she offered with a small grin. "Not entirely sure what it's made from, but it has a nice flavor."
Benjamin chuckled. "That's reassuring."
"Eh, food's food," I said, taking a strip from her and chewing slowly.
It was tough and salty, but after the miles we'd covered, it tasted like heaven.
As I chewed, my gaze drifted across the surrounding forest. A faint haze clung to the edges of the clearing. At first, it seemed harmless, like morning dew that had overstayed its welcome. But as the minutes slipped by, it thickened, so gradually I almost didn't notice, until a pale veil blurred the treeline.
I shifted uneasily, the last bite of jerky turning dry in my mouth.
"Hey, Amelia," I whispered, leaning closer. "Something's here."
Her eyes swept across the fog, and for a long second, she said nothing before giving a slight nod and motioning the others closer, shifting Henry between us, with Benjamin and Emily closing in on the opposite side.
The mist pressed closer with every breath, curling around our legs and dulling the sounds of the forest.
Then a low cackle echoed through the haze, bouncing from every direction at once. The fog thickened, swallowing the last traces of light until all that remained was that sinister laugh. It made my skin crawl, every hair on my body standing on end beneath the weight of unseen eyes.
Then, seemingly having had enough, the air around Emily began to stir, and with a sharp exhale, she released it in a sudden flood, the wind tearing through the fog and forcing it to scatter.
And just like that, the mist peeled back, allowing us to see what was beyond.
Shapes emerged from where the haze had been moments before, creatures creeping toward us, their forms twisted and wrong. They resembled grotesque hybrids of hyenas and what I would call a wendigo, with strangely elongated limbs and mangy, matted fur. However, what truly sent a shiver down my spine were their pitch-black eyes, devoid of any emotion.
[Name: Veilstalker, Level: 26.]
There were numerous of these eerie creatures, with their levels ranging from 18 to 28, the highest among them.
Yet despite their menacing appearance, the creatures hesitated to attack without the protective veil of the mist. Then, with disturbing suddenness, their bodies began to twitch and shudder. One by one, they tilted their heads back, mouths gaping unnaturally wide as a grotesque, gagging sound escaped their throats as they hacked up dense plumes of smoke, their entire frames convulsing with the effort. The mist poured out in thick waves, rolling off their tongues and fangs until they were once more cloaked in the oppressive fog.
Emily acted again, dispersing the lingering mist once more. Then, seemingly offended by the action, one of the things shot from the fog at insane speed, aiming straight for Henry.
Barely managing to dodge the attack, Henry twisted and struck its neck with a firm palm. The creature staggered, disoriented by the poison now spreading through its body. It lunged again in a fit of confusion, only to go limp when my blade cleaved cleanly through its neck, decapitating it midair without much effort.
Its body hit the ground with a heavy thud, confirming my suspicion.
They possessed little to no defense, a fact that significantly improved our odds.
Activating my Lightning Enhancement, I lunged at the nearest group of Veilstalkers, swiftly dispatching one by kicking it into a tree, where it became impaled on a branch, and another with a quick slash to the neck.
However, their shock at being unable to attack under the cover of the mist slowly faded, and more of them joined the fight, trying to overwhelm us through sheer numbers.
After taking down a couple more, I spared a glance back to check on the others, only to be relieved by what I saw.
Amelia had practically built a fortress of stone and magma, keeping most of the creatures at bay. From within, projectiles were unleashed in an unrelenting storm against the approaching beasts.
Scoffing, I turned away. I didn't know what I was worried about. They had it under control.
Smiling, I returned my attention to my opponents. But the little bastards were already attempting to surround me while I was distracted. Deciding to try the little trick I had been working on earlier, I condensed a massive amount of lightning into a ball in my hand and kept feeding it power until I could barely contain it.
Then, with a breath, I let go.
The force of the blast was both mesmerizing and horrific. The closest creatures were scorched and left writhing on the ground, while the ones farther back collapsed into fits of convulsions.
However, it didn't come without drawbacks. The energy required to pull that off was intense. So I doubted I could do it repeatedly.
"Okay, let's keep that to a minimum," I huffed, staring at the now-recovering abominations.
Without wasting another moment, I shot toward the closest Veilstalkers, cutting them down one by one while they were still reeling from the electric current. But the ones farther back recovered quicker than I'd thought.
Several dazed creatures surged forward in an all-out attack, trying to swarm me. I slipped past the first three, managing to land glancing cuts, but then the fourth leapt high and crashed onto my back.
Its weight drove me forward a step before its jaws clamped down on my shoulder. It snarled, wrenching and shaking as it tried to tear the muscle clean off the bone.
"AHH!"
Crying out in pain, I twisted hard, grabbed the fiend by its leg, and with a violent heave, tore it free from my back. I slammed it into the ground, where it lay momentarily stunned and unable to avoid my daggers as they plunged into its flesh over and over again, until the thing went limp beneath me.
Breathing hard, I had to admit that wasn't the cleanest way I could have killed it.
Although the pain in my shoulder made it hard to care. I backed away from the approaching creatures, sending out another lightning bolt to scare them off just enough for me to retreat toward the barricade Amelia had raised.
"Benjamin!" I barked, clutching my mangled shoulder.
Seeing the injury, he rushed forward, leaping over rocks and debris before sliding to a stop behind me. His hands glowed with that faint light as he worked, the familiar warmth spreading through my body, stitching torn flesh together and softening the sharp, burning pain into a distant throb.
Yet before he could finish, a Veilstalker burst from behind a stone, lunging straight at us. I tensed, ready to meet it, but the ground moved first. A thick root snapped up from the earth, coiling around the beast and hurling it across the clearing, where it slammed into a stone spike with a sickening crack, going limp on impact.
I froze, blinking at the sight. Wh… what was that?
Catching my expression, Benjamin gave a wry smile. "That'd be my second skill, Nature's Protection." His tone soured as he added, "Though it seems to have a mind of its own. I can't always get it to trigger when I want."
"Well, I can't say I'm surprised," I muttered, still eyeing the impaled corpse. "Considering what creature you got it from… it fits."
Benjamin finished his healing and straightened, wiping his hands off on his cloak. "Careful with getting bit like that again," he warned as he stepped back toward the fortification. "I can't keep patching you up forever."
I gave him a short nod and pushed myself to my feet. Testing my shoulder with a quick roll, I tightened my grip on the sword.
Taking it slower, I monitored their movements closely. Despite their unsteady and hesitant demeanor, I noticed a sly strategy unfolding among them.
While some tried to distract me from the front with feints and snarls, several others slipped out of my direct line of sight, attempting to circle behind me. One particularly audacious creature lunged, convinced it could catch me unaware.
But the moment it jumped, I spun, grabbed it by the neck, and smashed its head into the ground.
The sickening crunch of bone echoed beneath my hand.
Looking back up, I quickly scanned the surroundings, counting the remaining creatures. I estimated their numbers to be somewhere around fifty.
Rolling my shoulders, I moved with calculated precision, taking them down one by one. After slowly thinning them out, Henry had more opportunities to engage. He deftly maneuvered through the dwindling horde, administering his poison to each Veilstalker he encountered. Occasionally, a few nimble creatures managed to land a bite or two, but Henry's injuries quickly healed thanks to Benjamin.
Then something shifted.
They hesitated.
After the first one ran, it was like a wave. One after another, they scrambled to flee, and before long, it became a game of catch.
However, that was easier said than done. The things were fast. Far faster than any of us, even at our best. Which only made it all the more frustrating when I had to watch the last of them fade into the treeline without so much as looking back.
"Dammit," I hissed, kicking futilely at a patch of dirt, frustrated by the fact that there was nothing I could do.
Turning back, I made my way through the forest to rejoin the others.
As I approached, I heard Emily say, "That was terrifying."
"No kidding," Henry agreed. "Imagine how much worse that would've been if we'd gotten caught in the middle of their mist."
"Well, consider it a blessing Emily was with us," Benjamin said, giving her a small nod. "Without you, that fight could've gone very differently."
"I just wish we could've gotten the whole group," I huffed as I approached.
"Don't be too hard on yourself," Benjamin said. "Our job was to scout the area, and I believe we've done far more than just that."
Benjamin's words brought a momentary sense of relief, but it still sucked that I wasn't fast enough.
"Regardless, it's getting late, we should press on before night falls," Amelia suggested, redirecting the focus toward our next steps.
As I prepared to leave, I noticed a fresh hole in my shirt where the creature had bitten me. "Great," I muttered, inspecting the hole. "Guess that's why I packed extra." Shaking it off, I turned to the others, curious about how they'd fared.
It turned out we'd all made significant progress. Despite having difficulty dealing much damage, Benjamin and Emily had played crucial roles, and their experience gains reflected it. Both of them had leveled up five times each, effectively doubling their levels, and Emily was especially thrilled to reveal that she'd earned the title Level Defier.
I checked my own stats next, seeing that I'd leveled up four times. Amelia and Henry had each gained three levels, while Benjamin's skills had even ranked up along the way.
Satisfied, I turned my focus to my own stats, eager to distribute them.
Atlas Mercer
Race: Human
Level:19
Stats:
Strength: 17 + 2Vitality: 16 + 2Agility: 26 + 3Endurance: 17 + 2Intelligence: 15 + 2Dexterity: 12 + 1
Skills:
Lightning Enhancement: Rank 2
Lightning Control: Rank 2
Lightning Resistance: Rank 1
Identify: Rank 1
Unique Skills:
Multilingual: Rank 1
Void Creation: Rank 2
Astraheim's Inheritance:
??????????????????
Titles:
Primordial Inheritance
Apocalypse Slayer: Rank 1
Level Defier: Rank 1
Level Defier: Rank 2
Just as I finished reading through my stat screen, Henry's excited voice echoed throughout the clearing.
"I just leveled up again!"
"What do you mean?" I asked, puzzled.
He grinned wider. "I think my poison is still working. Must've taken out a few more of those creatures."
"Wow, that's pretty useful," Ella commented.
"Definitely," Amelia agreed, though her focus was on dissecting a Veilstalker to confirm the quest completion. "But we should get moving. I don't think there's anything left worth scavenging from these things."
By the time we slipped into the city and made our way to the library, night had fully settled in, leaving the streets empty save for the occasional wanderer or drunken straggler. Before long, the library rose before us, with its dark stone walls and glass-paned windows glowing with a warm, gentle light against the late hour.
Inside, the silence only deepened. Lamplight flickered across endless shelves, shadows stretching between them. And there she was half-hidden behind a mountain of books, utterly absorbed, as if the world outside simply didn't exist.
A quiet laugh slipped out before I could stop it from the sheer amazement at just how many books she'd managed to gather. I glanced at Amelia, who stared with wide eyes, clearly thinking the same thing.
"Ellaa," I called softly, a smile tugging at my lips.
Ella blinked up, startled. "Oh! You're back already?"
Amelia let out a breath of amused disbelief. "We knew you'd be here, but… I didn't expect this."
Henry chuckled. "You're practically building a fortress out of books."
Ella flushed. "What? I enjoy reading."
"Clearly," Amelia said. "But it is getting late. We should head back soon."
"Late?" Ella echoed, glancing toward the window. The soft glow of the city lights shimmered through the glass, casting long shadows across the shelves. Her eyes widened as reality caught up to her. "Oh. Wow. I guess I got a little lost in the pages."
She looked down at the leaning towers of books surrounding her, fingertips brushing over the spines. "I didn't even realize how much time had passed," she murmured with a sheepish smile.
Ella let out a dramatic sigh but nodded. Clearly, she wasn't ready to abandon her literary kingdom, but she obeyed. With another quiet groan, she began gathering the books she'd scattered across the table, along with Benjamin.
Then she paused and looked to the rest of us just standing around, raising an eyebrow. "Really? It's going to take all night with just the two of us."
Amelia blinked. "Right! Yes. Helping. Of course." She swooped in to grab a stack.
Henry snorted and jumped in as well. "Can't have you and Benjamin rebuilding the whole library yourselves."
Ella rolled her eyes, but the small smile she tried to hide gave her away. "Thank you," she muttered.
After some time spent making sure all the books were in order, we finally made it back to our rooms. Henry practically collapsed into his bed like a deflated balloon, but before Benjamin could settle in, I asked if he could do another healing session with me.
Hopefully, the last one.
Nodding, Benjamin sat cross-legged on the ground with me opposite him, my stub of a wrist outstretched before him.
"I do believe this will be our last session," Benjamin said, hovering his hands over my arm.
"I hope you're right," I muttered, closing my eyes.
But this time, it was different. I could feel the energy moving through me, spreading like fire beneath my skin. When I opened my eyes, my arm was visibly regenerating before me.
My wrist formed first, bones knitting together as new flesh blossomed over them. Then came my palm, and finally my fingers, until my whole hand was complete again.
Staring at the transformation, at the way nothing had become bone, flesh, and skin, I couldn't help but marvel at how much Benjamin's ability had grown.
My arm was finally whole again.
"That's amazing…" I whispered, my voice thick with disbelief.
Benjamin smirked. "Now imagine the medical bill for such a thing."
Shivering at the thought, I leaned back and stretched my hand, inspecting every detail, only to notice the scars were still there.
Odd, considering I had regrown it from nothing, but I guess I couldn't really complain.
I finally had my arm back…
In the morning, we made our way to the Guild to report on the mission. Once we submitted the details, we were rewarded with a payment of twelve silver, which was a decent amount, though nothing extravagant. Still, it felt satisfying to have completed our first official job.
The Guild hall was alive with activity, buzzing with adventurers recounting their exploits and laughter echoing from every corner. The scent of freshly cooked food drifted through the air, mingling with the clink of mugs and animated chatter.
We decided to have breakfast there, settling around a sturdy wooden table with plates of steaming food. As we ate, I leaned toward Ella, curious about what she had read.
"So, what were you reading about yesterday?"
Ella's face lit up as she launched into her explanation, eyes gleaming with enthusiasm. "This world we're in is huge. We're currently in a kingdom called the Realm of Eldoria, one of the major territories up north. To the west, you've got the Land of Ironhelm, a rugged place full of warring city-states. South of here is the Kingdom of Valeria, which is more politically stable, but kind of… uptight."
"How so?" Benjamin asked.
"They limit who gets cores and who doesn't." She paused, mulling over her word choice. "I'd say it's kind of like a dictatorship. But there isn't really one ruler. More like a council of people who have the ultimate say."
She then pointed her fork eastward, like she was sketching out a map in her mind. "And to the east is the Dominion of Dragon's Reach, which is where we are now. It's massive. Kind of like an adventurer's paradise, but also a death trap. Tons of monster nests, ancient ruins, and those strange Protectors guarding certain areas."
"Protectors?" I echoed.
"Yeah, they're ancient constructs from an old civilization that existed long before any of the current kingdoms," Ella explained. "
"That's... intense," Henry muttered, brow furrowed. "But are these protectors still around? You'd think they'd have broken down by now."
Ella shook her head. "You'd think so, but they were designed with self-sustaining systems. There's even one near the capital, an enormous class 10 protector. However, it's dormant at the moment. But apparently, the nobles claim they have the means to control it."
She went on and on about all sorts of things, from gaps in the history spanning thousands of years after the great collapse of the ancient civilization, to more modern things like the churches that formed to worship the cores and the so-called greater will that resided over them.
The sheer scale of this world's history was mind-blowing; it honestly sounded pretty easy to get lost in all the questions. However, Amelia leaned in, interrupting my thoughts with a pressing question. "Ella, I know it's a weird question since you were in the library all day, but did you hear anything about a strange group like the Colony, or something about Earth?"
Ella's face fell slightly as she shook her head. "No, I didn't find anything about them, unfortunately. But I'll keep looking."
Sensing the disappointment in the air, Ella quickly changed the subject. "So, tell me about the mission! How'd it go?"
Emily leaned forward, her expression thoughtful. "It was more of a scouting mission than anything else. We went out to explore a specific area and report back with whatever we found."
"So, gathering information?" Ella prompted.
Emily nodded. "Exactly. But what we encountered out there… it was beyond anything I expected."
Ella's curiosity was fully piqued now as Emily Wove a tale that even attracted some onlookers as she told of the grotesque creatures we faced and how we eventually managed to vanquish them.