“Kyll, Karnage take front. Reyna left flank, I’ll take the right. Skill set up at the back, we’ll move like this for when we encounter hostiles” Sly moved the whole group around into a formation as they walked through the forest, Kyle inspected everyone as they moved around.

SlyOkami [{Lord of Aurei}] (Aura-clad) (SER War Lord) Level 47 Karnage [Blade Dancer] (Mad woman) (APOK Empress) Level 41 DemSkillShots [Ranger] (Crack Shot) (SER Scrub 2) Level 42 Reyna [Priestess] (ETE Brigadier) Level 33

Kyle sighed (“I’m so behind compared to everyone else…”) as he drowned in self-pity he decided to read through his new skills.

{Active}[Demonic Presence] ((EXP 0 %) Level 1 – Tier 1):

Surround yourself and nearby allies in a demonic aura;

[Permanent active]

Caster Cost: -5% maximum mana while active

Range: 10 meters

Effect (Buff): [Demonic Strength] + 0.5 STR per point of mana cost.

{Active}[Ooze(Demonic)] ((EXP 0%) Level 1 – Tier 1):

Ooze out slime through your skin that can be controlled by your will and mana

Activation Cost: 0.05 mana per millilitre

Upkeep Cost: (3 mana per 0.5 Litres) per second

Current slime type: (Demonic)

(Demonic effect): Causes all aura effects in contact with [Ooze(Demonic)] to apply [Aura Poisoning] on contact with said aura.

[Aura Poisoning]: Effects of afflicted target’s aura abilities decreased by 5%

{Active} [Dimensional Force] ((EXP 0%) Level 1):

Forcefully make contact with the fabric of reality.

“Yo I got a strength AOE buff now” Kyle stated “It’s also a debuff to enemies when used along another skill I got” he closed his skill book and glanced at his mana bar.

Mana: 385/385

“With my current mana that’s…Holy shit that’s 9 strength points” Kyle immediately activated the buff, a black aura momentarily extended from his feet to cover a dozen or so meters around him before dissipating.

Skill whistled “Not that it matters to me though, I’m all DEX and Agility. What about you Sly?”

“Strength is still important smart ass, it affects your base damage and without it your abilities would only deal the bonus damage…if the info on what we thought to be a game is anything to go on…” Sly sighed in annoyance “Yeah never mind I got no clue, we have abilities that say the damage dealt on them but some…creation magic I’ll call them, don’t at all!”.

Kyle hummed in thought “So do I, my slime creation ability for example tells me how much DOT damage the debuff does but I have no clue how much actual damage me attacking with a slime spike does. We cannot even see monster health bars so…”

Sly groaned as he angrily scratched his head “Damn who ever invented this sadistic system! Not only do we have to go through a pain in the ass to get a class suitable for us but we have to figure out damage values ourselves!”

“Not just that” Skill suddenly sent an arrow flying at a nearby tree “Did any of you notice? The movement itself is…”

“Automated” Kyle ended his sentence as he glanced back at Skill standing still with bow raised.

“Yeah, it just feels wrong” Skill lowered his bow and continued to walk with the rest.

Karnage unsheathed one of her swords and began slashing around aimlessly “Without a target its sloppy, when there is a target its like our bodies already know what to do.” Her expression dark as she remembered what Kyle had said before (“Her ploy…”).

“We need to break away from the system” Kyle suddenly stated.

Everyone set their gazed on him, some understanding while others not so much. Reyna looked at him in confusion “Why? It makes it easier to fight right? Some of…us…wouldn’t be able to even move…”

“That’s their point Reyna” Sly rejoined the conversation after considering the idea quietly “Our bodies were created by the enemy as vassals for us to survive in, to simply live not fight back. Our movements are fast and precise but that doesn’t make them strong, what happens if the enemy is faster? Can read through our movements? We can’t mix things up as we’d like, we need to stop relying on what our bodies already know and learn how to fight ourselves.”

She stared back at him with an oblivious expression “How do we do that?...Do we even have time for that now?” she opened her arms wide gesturing at their current mission.

Sly shrugged “We don’t, the guys back at Frosthold do” he explained simply.

“But…shouldn’t we tell them then?” Reyna immediately added.

“Oh…she has a point” Karnage pointed out while frowning.

Reyna’s shoulders rose at finally being agreed with “How else wo-” she was cut off.

“Hell if nobody else back at town figured it out then one of ours did” Sly admitted proudly.

(“Point reducted…”) Reyna thought to herself gloomily, her shoulders slumping down.

IL’E, Frosthold, eastern district

Birse gazed out at the training grounds, a wide open area broken down with wooden fences and weapon shacks. Groups of guards and adventurers moved around sparring, sword fighting, shooting at archery ranges and shield wielding.

Birse stood inside his own fenced out square where he also was training, he held no weapon in hand opting it out for some thick bandaging around his fists. Breathing heavily he glanced back at the two guards slumped down on the ground, beaten and bruised the guards begged for a break.

“Take 10…” one said in between controlled breaths, a wooden shield lay by her feet with a slab of treated hard leather strapped onto the front.

The second guard chuckled as he rested his back to the fence, dropping a similar shield to the ground he glanced around “With what I’ve seen you adventurers do is this really needed?” he asked out of curiosity.

“Yeah shouldn’t you atleast work on your sub class before focusing on attribute training?” the other asked as she took off her iron half-helm revealing long elven ears and short violet hair.

Birse shook his head “What’s the point of being able to fight if you don’t really know how, getting classes and skills is useful yeah but if you cannot use them fully yet then that’s the difference between life or death in a fight” he explained while slowly removing the bandages from his hands.

The male guard chuckled again while also taking off his helm revealing his features, long elven ears and dark purplish skin along short green hair. “Yeah I guess you’re right, I’m surprised you got the mage guilds to train your magic users though” he glanced back at the tall towers growing out of large mansion like buildings “Those stingy mages love to keep things to themselves”.

Birse smirked “It took some bartering but we came down to an agreement that benefits us mutually” (“Or so they think”) his gaze drifted off towards the walls on the other side of the camp. He sighed and pushed himself off the wooden fence “It’s getting dark, let’s call training off. Need to figure out lodgings for everyone” (“More dropping that onto Zaahr’s shoulders but you know, I got other jobs to do”).

He waved em off as he walked out of the camp, infusing his voice with mana he spoke “That’s enough for today, figure out lodgings with Zaahr and get some rest. We’ll meet back here at noon tomorrow”. He gazed up at the late rising moon as he took out his VCD “Zaahr” he spoke out the name and the crystal surface of the magical object began shining a bright white light.

“What is it?” Zaahr’s face appeared peering into her own VCD as she mixed potions, a desk full of strange ingredients lay in front of her.

“Training is over for today, they’re all probably exhausted. I’ll leave lodgings to you for a bit, ask Death and Seren for any help you might need” Birse closed off the connection by focusing on someone else “Sly”.

“Yo speak of the devil, how’s things over there?” Sly held the VCD low barely glancing at it as he gazed around the forest.

“As well as they can, just finished off training with the guards and I’m on my way to visit some loose ends. How’s the trek?” Birse walked through the empty streets of town, the moon being the only source of light before the magical lanterns lining the buildings began to flare on.

“Too damn quiet for my liking, haven’t met a single mob so far. It’s been what? Four hours since we left? At this pace we got…Yo skill how long we got at this pace?” Sly glanced back as he bent the VCD so Skill came into view.

“Day and a half of walking, that’s what the guard captain said at least.” Skill saluted at the magical feed as he sleepily glanced around.

“Yeah we’re gonna pick up the pace, it’s already dark and we haven’t seen anything so I’m guessing there aren’t enough nocturnal monsters for us to notice” Sly shrugged as he turned to gaze forward “You going to talk with him?”.

“Yeap, he’s baked in there for a day on his own. Should have cooled down enough, see how it goes.” Birse gave a long shrug (“It’s been two days already huh…”) “Well I’ll leave you at it, don’t forget to fill me in from time to time”

“Aight” Sly closed the connection after replying.

IL’E, Frosthold, Eastern Guardhouse

Below ground where the guardhouse was located, Zeeke lay on the wooden bed inside one of the four jail cells. Two guards sat outside playing some board game on a small wooden table while smoking, two cigar like rolls filled with an orange substance that burned away as they puffed out blue smoke.

Zeeke sighed “Do neither of you know about second hand smoking?” he groaned in annoyance as a puff of blue smoke whisked over him, he waved it off.

“Morning dew weed won’t do anything to ya lad!” the older one chuckled as he moved a couple pieces on the board.

“It’s just a relaxant, don’t worry too much about it” the other guard added as he frowned at the other’s move.

Suddenly both guards glanced back at the entrance “Take five you two, I need to speak with him”, Birse stepped into view.

Zeeke immediately sat up as the guards left with a nod, taking the table with them “Oi old fart don’t rattle the board!” one guard exclaimed as they left up the stairs.

Birse glanced into his cell before grabbing a chair and sitting backwards on it, resting his arms onto the back he stared through the iron bars “So?” he asked.

“Heard of the attack from the guards, I guess you dealt with it well since the roof is still above my head” Zeeke mused as he stared down at his hands.

Birse didn’t answer as he kept staring at him, as if searching for something or waiting for it.

“Look” Zeeke suddenly stated as he glanced back at him “I’m not apologizing, I want nothing to do with this fighting. I’m happy just sitting it through if I can…I can shift leadership of the guild to Nakano, you don’t need me”.

Birse suddenly stood up and knocked the chair aside, he stepped towards the iron bars “Oh? Is that right?” he grabbed onto the bars as his dark gauntlets appeared covering his hands up to the elbow.

Zeeke leaned away from the bars “What’s the point of me fighting?! I can’t! I don’t want t-”

The bars creaked as Birse bent them apart, the cell door’s lock breaking from the pressure and bending. The younger guard rushed down the stairs to check on the noise, a flying wooden chair in the head knocked him straight out. The older guard peered down the stairs and spoke a quick prayer after seeing his colleague knocked out, he stepped back and out of sight.

Birse pulled the cell door open and walked in as Zeeke stood up and stepped away “What’s the point? And you call yourself a leader? Do you know how many thousands of people look up to you back home? How many hundreds look up to you here and now?” his expression gave away no emotion while he stared at Zeeke grimacing as he glanced at some corner in the room.

“So? What of it? I’m a coward, so what?” Zeeke clenched his fists and closed his eyes, he trembled as suddenly Birse grabbed him by the neck and slammed him into the cell’s stone wall. His eyes opened wide and he grabbed onto Birse’s hand with both his trying to pull it away, he could barely breathe from being choked by it.

“You think you can just walk away? Ignore it all and let everything fall in place on it’s own? Shit doesn’t work like that, you need to work your ass off to get the pieces fall as you want them to” Birse raised his free hand up into a fist “What happens if I let you off? What happens if we let you do as you please? How many will follow in your steps?”.

Zeeke closed his eyes again as Birse’s fist closed in.

“I know who you are” the words struck Zeeke worse than any punches Birse could have thrown at him, he opened his eyes to find Birse’s knuckles backing away slowly revealing their owner’s grinning expression.

“Zack Ivanov, son of Conrad Ivanov” with a crooked grin and wide eyes Birse chuckled at Zeeke’s astonishment “Tell me, what would happen if everyone else came to know? That your father may as well be the reason we’re all even here, that you might be in cahoots with him, the demons and that crazy Goddess?”

Zeeke’s jaw lay completely dropped as his eyes widened fully, he dropped down to the ground after Birse let go of his neck. Not even trying to catch his breath he stared up at him aimlessly and at a loss for words.

Birse snorted “Not even going to respond? Or even try to deny it? It’s been eating at you hasn’t it? Think it over Zack, you can either rally the rest to our cause.” He turned away and stepped out of the cell “Or continue drowning in your self-pity, with who knows what the others will do to you if they find out!” he chuckled wickedly while stepping out of view.

Zeeke lay sitting on the ground with his back to the wall, pulling his legs closer he hugged his knees as he lay there “Why me…” he whispered to himself.

Frostbite Forest, Five hours later

“How you all holding up?” Sly asked without glancing back, paying full attention to their surroundings as they ran through the forest. Karnage and Skill ran behind him while Kurt ran ahead of all three carrying Kyle and Reyna, both of them having too little in stamina to keep up with the others’ pace.

“I’m fine, my stamina bar’s still above half” Karnage replied as she sent glances over at the direwolf, her expression annoyed.

“Way better than any of-” Skill chuckled “Well maybe except for the wolf, that thing grew around here” he then mused.

Kyle frowned as he glanced back the all of them, suddenly the sound of wind whisking by them caught his attention “Let’s stop here” he called out.

Slowly they came to a stop as Sly turned towards him “Why we stopping?” he asked with a confused expression.

Reyna let go of Kyle’s back as she leaned away from the wolf glaring back at the both of them while Kyle got off, it took a bit of arguing with the beast by Sly to get them to hitch a ride.

“Two reasons. For one you and Skill look exhausted, have you slept at all?” Kyle glanced between them as they rubbed their eyes.

“Well…no…not really…” Skill answered while trying to hold back a yawn.

“Secondly, wind.” He stated as if it was obvious.

“Wind?” Karnage repeated after him.

“There’s wind here, the trees aren’t far enough from each other to let wind through easily. That means we’re getting close to the frozen plains marked on the map, seems like we moved too much towards the south.” Kyle explained as he opened his map “Check yourselves, we’re halfway there but took a long curve.”

“Fuck, you’re right we did” Sly cursed checking his own map, sighing he turned to his companion “Kurt hunt us some meat, grab yourself some too while you’re at it” he told the direwolf while helping Reyna off his back.

“Master ask for things…wolf get his own…master no fair with wolf…” It growled and grumbled quietly as it prowled away.

“Th-thank y-” Reyna tried to thank him.

“Everyone spread out and look for some sticks and twigs, we’ll start a campfire and rest up” he glanced up at the sky through the gaps between the large trees “We’re past midnight” he stated after spotting the moon.

Kyle glanced around the snowy ground, he couldn’t even see any rocks or stones let alone twigs and sticks. He glanced up at the closest tree “Leave it to me” he stated after stepping back to position himself, his fingers and toes shifting into claws. With a running start he pounced up at the tree’s trunk and grabbed hold, immediately he began climbing with ease.

The others gazed up at him as he grabbed hold of the first branch and pulled himself onto it, Sly’s expression went slightly green before he glanced away. Everyone stepped out of the way as Kyle grew a blade of frozen slime on one arm while holding onto the thick branch with the other.

He grew teeth onto one side of the blade and began sawing away at the middle, the blade’s teeth breaking off from time to time forcing him to replace them. “Physical is definitely out of question, this damn slime is too fragile even when condensed…” he spoke to himself as he worked.

“Well while you’re going at it we’ll look around for easy ones” Sly chuckled as he watched Kyle work in frustration, glancing away again after feeling sick of the height difference.

“Damnit!” Kyle cursed as the blade shattered completely after almost getting halfway through the branch, he raised his arms over his head and grew slime around them. The blue slime froze into clubs and condensed as Kyle put more and more mana into them “Stupid branch! Break!” he smashed down onto the branch.

Sly began walking away as he gazed around the ground, a sudden crack from above caught his attention making him look upwards.

“LUMBER!” Kyle suddenly shouted from above as the thick branch fell down, it smacked Sly directly in the face making him fall backwards.

“It’s timber…you dumbass…” Sly groaned and cursed as he pushed the branch off, a red streak of a bruise lining his face.

Skill and Karnage roared with laughter as Kyle did his best to hold it in while hugging what remained of the branch as not to fall, Reyna glanced around in confusion not knowing what to do.

“Alright, alright very funny. Skill get to fletching some new arrows for yourself, Karnage, Kyll get to cutting this thing up for firewood” Sly declared as he stood up and cleaned off the snow, he stepped back and looked the branch up and down “Reyna help me gather some of the thicker branches of leaves, we’ll sleep on them. Can’t be good to sleep directly on snow, too damn cold”.

Everyone gather around the large branch, Karnage and Kyle cutting away at the thicker end as Skill picked at the smaller branches. Sly began breaking off the small branches with most leaves and handing them to Reyna who began stacking them over by the tree.

After a couple minutes of work they decided they had gathered enough firewood and leaves, leaving Skill to continue picking away at smaller branches for arrows they pulled the branches of leaves together to make a couple beds.

“I’ll stay on watch, already got myself some sleep” Kyle stated after noticing they didn’t have enough beds for everyone.

The crunching of snow caught their attention as they all turned towards the approaching direwolf, a large white scaled serpent’s head in it’s mouth as the rest dragged behind it.

“Oh please tell me we’re not eating…that…” Reyna asked as she stared at the snake, with pure white scales matching the snow it wouldn’t have been visible if it wasn’t for the blood stains.

“Would you rather eat wolf?” Kurt growled after throwing the serpent onto the ground and stepping towards the tree where they had gathered the leaves for beds, he settled down onto the snow between two of the four beds and closed his eyes.

“You heard him, Skill help me skin this thing. We’ll light the fire over the skin so it doesn’t burn out from the snow” Sly explained as he kneeled down by the dead serpent.

“We’re eating snake…” Reyna continued to mutter to herself as she watched in complete horror at Sly and Skill arguing over how to better skin the creature.