I grunted from exertion, my arms straining as I swung them. It was as if nothing had changed, and the world had reset. The deaths from the day before were mere blips, scattering like the wind and just as easily forgotten. It should have made me fear for my own existence, and shake in the face of death. However, I had reasoned for years as I watched one life after another pass in the military, and that instinctive human fear had slowly left. If I am dead, doesn’t death no longer matter? When death is present for me, I will no longer exist to tremble at its feet.

My life will still exist until it doesn’t, and by then death won’t matter. The after doesn’t concern me. Humans tend to want to be able to explain everything, even their own existence. Why must a god exist when I no longer do? If one is not present when I am alive, why would that change when I am dead?

The only thing tangible in my world was my axe as it thudded into this tree. Its wood broke apart, chips slicing my arms as they flew in retribution. I saw nothing, the void surely mimicking the black that awaits when my life is forfeit. I could only hear the axe slicing through the air, that same wind moving to rustle through trees and disturb leaves.

As the tree fell, I marveled at it as the wood groaned, falling to the ground with an earth-shaking crash. The noise vibrated in my ears, making my eardrums pulse. Leaves scattered; plants were crushed. That tree had taken years to grow, only to be cut off from the world by a tiny axe in comparison.

I moved up the fallen tree, cutting off branches as I went. Putting them in a pile, the tree was dismantled until it was reduced to a log. I gathered the sticks in my arms after my axe was hung on my belt, and made my way back to the camp. The scraps were used as fuel for fires, stored in a tent to keep dry. Dumping them there, I moved to get a workhorse to help me drag the log out of the slowly shrinking forest. As I moved, a man fell into step next to me.

“Ilya didn’t return with you yesterday,” Keith stated, rather than asking. I said nothing, keeping my pace steady. “If he doesn’t have a good excuse, he’ll be marked as a deserter,” he continued.

“He’s dead.” His steps paused before he quickly caught back up.

“H-how? Why?” He insistently asked. He seemed more broken up than I would have guessed. However, he had been a pretty convincing actor up till now.

“Seems he was caught dealing with some bad company,” I pointedly turned my head towards him. He paused again, staying silent as I led the horse to the woods, and only began speaking once we were hidden by trees.

“What do you know?” He asked.

“I know you are not who you say you are,” I replied. He sat on the log with a sigh, so I joined him, the horse's reins held loosely in my fist.

“Why didn’t you tell anyone? Or go to the captain?”

“I don’t have any allegiance to the Federation. If you remember, I’m still practically a prisoner here even though I no longer wear any shackles.”

He chuckled. “I doubt anyone but you still remembers. Still, you could have said something and that would’ve changed immediately.”

I shrugged. “Not that it matters much to me anyway. I’ll use the information if I feel like it.” I paused, deciding how I wanted to ask my question. “Why did you decide to have Ilya deliver the letter instead of you?”

Keith thought it over before responding. “I wasn’t ready to leave this place yet, but I had to get the information I gathered to the Alliance. If I left myself, I would’ve never been able to come back, proved by what happened to Ilya,” he shrugged. “I saw the opportunity, and I took it. Your injuries were exceedingly well-timed.”

“When will you leave?” I asked, ignoring his quip.

“Not sure. Probably when I’m no longer needed.”

“When is that?”

He laughed. “When the Alliance starts to win. Maybe sooner, if I need to tell them something extremely important.”

I was surprised. “You’re sure they will win?”

“Yes,” he said with conviction. “With the information I gave them, and their numbers, I’m sure they will gain the upper hand. We’ve also been preparing for years, doing as much as we can.” Keith frowned. “Taking the capital will be a problem, though.”

If the alliance was going to win, I didn’t want to be stuck on this side when it happens. Keith could be biased, though. I wasn’t sure if I could trust his words as facts, but if they became true, he was my ticket out.

“Let me know when you decide to leave,” I said.

He looked over, confused. “Why?”

“I don’t want to be on the losing side. If what you are saying is true, take me with you. It’ll be a favor for not revealing that you are a spy.”

“Deal,” he laughed. “I guess I do owe you.” Keith got up, dusting off his pants. “See you then,” he said, and he was gone.

I stood as well, directing my attention back to the bored horse. As I hitched up the log, I wondered if I was making the right decision. It wasn’t like I could fault myself if I wasn’t since my knowledge was severely lacking. And even if I wasn’t, I could still change it. If the Federation gained the upper hand, I could always out Keith if he hadn’t left by then. On the other hand, if I left with him and then the Alliance began to lose, I would just have to figure it out from there. No plan was perfect, mine especially. I could only take this world one step at a time, trying to improve myself so I can become better prepared.

This thought drove me to push myself, increasing my work pace throughout the day. It gained me a point in strength, and it made me wonder how others compare. If I have a title accelerating my growth, what is a normal rate?

I washed in the stream as it night fell, getting rid of the sweat and filth. My hand ran over the scars on my shoulder, feeling the rough skin. They were vaguely in the shape of teeth marks, and I shuddered as I remembered the pain as a bloody mouth tore into my flesh. Dunking my head, I let the burning cold sear through my body and clear my mind.

As I sat at a campfire, my hair damp, I focused on my plan to improve [Enhanced Sense]. It was a skill I felt I could actively upgrade without danger being a condition. I focused on my hearing, a sense I could more easily manipulate than the others.

I had purposely sat at the fire near the captain's tent, choosing him as my target. A row of tents separated us, a good distance from me. I focused there, trying to let any other noise fade. It was hard, but I began to distantly hear the familiar scratch of pen on paper. However, it was faint; other sounds were hard to tune out. The fire crackling was especially loud as the flames licked and devoured the air. Listening harder, I heard as the tent flap was lifted and the pen grew still.

The two men were silent for a moment, making me strain to hear even a breath.

With his powerful but quiet voice, the captain spoke first. “...why are you here?”

“Should I not…” I could not fully decipher their words as two other people sat across the fire from me and began to eat dinner. They were loud, and I scowled with dissatisfaction. Trying my best to tune them out, I concentrated back on the stranger and the captain.

“...camp is fine. Seems… fine as well.”

“I know you’re not here to make small talk,” the captain more forcefully said.

The other man chuckled. “You know me so well.” He moved closer to the captain's desk, sitting across from him. “I’ve discovered… in my camp. I hung him as an example… let you know, so you can become more alert.”

“...always in my tent. No one can get in,” the captain defended.

“They can ambush letters you send out, and you have no idea what type of skills they may have!” the man accused, his voice rising. “Two spies got away in the capital just yesterday! We have no idea what information they got their hands on.”

“Lower your voice,” the captain warned. “I appreciate your concern, but I am…” I strained, knowing I could hear more.

“...anything else?” the captain asked.

“Yes.” I focused on the stranger, narrowing the range of my target to just a bubble surrounding the two men. “The southern border is being drawn thin. We underestimated how many troops would be sent from Sethdol, seeing as it’s the smallest city and its focus is agricultural trade. Gothenburg most likely reinforced them before they rebelled, knowing how we’d act.

“Some troops in the north will be relocated, and reinforcements are being demanded from the forest camps. I was told to relay these orders to you. Gather as many men as you can spare and send them south to my camp.”

“I understand,” the captain replied. “Despite the circumstances, it is good to see you.”

The man laughed. “Likewise, old friend.” He stood, pushing aside the tent flap. “I hope to see you again.” The captain raised his hand in farewell, sending him off.

I returned my focus, holding my head from the mental exertion. A pounding headache reverberated through my skull. However, it was worth it.

[Skill Upgraded] - [Enhanced Sense (1) → (2)]

I tested it out immediately despite the recent exertion. I chose the same target, listening in to the captain's tent. It was so much easier, almost like breathing. My other senses were dulled as my hearing was enhanced, everything else in the world tuning out. It made me curious, and I released my hearing. I focused on my hands, enhancing my touch. Like hearing, I hardly had to try. I rested my palm on my pants, feeling every scratch of the fiber and every loose thread. I was amazed.

Taking an apple from my pocket that I had been saving, I held it up to my nose, deeply inhaling. Its smell invaded me, filling me with a crisp fruity tang that was heavily layered with dampness. It made my throat convulse, and I changed the focus to my taste. Taking a bite, it was like an explosion of flavor, sweetness spreading over my tongue. Such a simple act that was quickly dismissed every day was the greatest pleasure I had ever felt, and I was suddenly grateful that my tongue had not been cut off in place of my eyes. The upgrade had been worth the effort, I thought, as I finished off the apple.

I let my senses return to normal, still naturally enhanced from level one of the skill. Letting my mind play over the conversation I had just eavesdropped on, I let the information I had gained help fill in the mental map I had begun to create in my head.

The details I had heard would surely be useful, and I debated over telling Keith. Deciding not to, I reasoned that he would figure it out himself as people began to leave the camp. He might even be sent himself, and I wondered what he would do if that was the case. Keith may even already know. It would partially explain his urgency to deliver his letter, as troop movement was a large factor and a must-know when aiming to win a war. However, there may be an even bigger secret written in that letter, and it made me curious.

I was sure I wouldn’t be one of the men sent to fight, given my disability and general weakness. I still had no idea what Keith was capable of, let alone the captain. How did they rank in strength compared to others in the Federation? What kind of men were fighting at the frontlines, ignoring the common soldier? I wanted to know. I wanted to know what I could achieve, because if another could reach unimaginable heights, why couldn’t I?