Chapter 26 The Beginning - Leaving (Part 2)

Finding his center and deciding on his new goal. A peaceful calm washed over Daichi. For the first time in his life, he felt a sense of purpose he’d never had before. A feeling of walking towards something instead of hoping for something to walk towards.

Feeling at ease, he decided to move forward. It was time to finally check the outside of the village. He’d meant to do it last night, but he’d ended up meditating and losing himself in the sensation. He briefly thought about the others and what they were likely thinking, but considering what he’d seen outside of town to the north going back now would be pointless.

Taking one step at a time he pulled out the last chocolate bar he had with him and began to eat it one bite at a time. He hadn’t eaten much since yesterday. He’d still had 3 chocolate bars, 1 nutrition bar and two bottles of water in a little sack he’d been carrying around his waist. Not eating a single thing since last night it was only now that the hunger was finally setting in. Eating as he walked he had too many things to think about. From changing his tactics from a close range to a long range speciality as an option if he continued to pursue an interest in mana based attacks, to his own weapons. Despite not wielding great strength, the short swords were becoming progressively harder to use against stronger creatures with stronger defense. Aside from battle tactics the scenario involving having to leave the town he’d spent his entire life in was also wearing on him.

Trying to put these thoughts to the side he realized there was too much, just too much to really calm down. He’d had one unanswerable question after another since the incident, and now they were getting to the point where the pile was getting bigger. With his sudden desire for knowledge he realized that to get stronger in his chosen path he would need to begin to start thinking about and answering these questions.

He would no longer just put questions he couldn’t answer to the side. He’d seek the answers he wanted.

Finishing his chocolate bar he sat down cross legged on the ground and began to ignore the danger it brought and think about his situation. In the worst case scenario he’d use a Chaotic Eruption wave and deal with anything that got near him or run.

Nothing happened while he sat in contemplation. He decided that he’d been pretty lucky thus far. Continuing his walk and eating another chocolate bar he looked around only to realize there was nothing worth noticing so far past the south side of town. He walked a few miles past the town border only to find nothing alive and nothing dangerous. Instead of being happy though, he suddenly felt very anxious.

There was no logical explanation why there would be such wide open territory with no monsters around. This was a lush forest area and plenty of resources available. No monsters meant that there was something worse.

Continuing his walk he finally came upon the first clearing. Inside of that clearing there were three creatures. Noticing them from a distance he immediately stopped walking forwards and hid behind the nearest three. Trying to use his analyze skill he realized he was much too far for it to work. Moving in closer one tree at a time. He finally got to a tree right at the edge of the clearing. Close enough for his analyze skill to actually work.

Lesser Demon: Level 29

Description: Lesser Demon Soldier. Loyal to it’s master to a fault. Fights using bare hand-to-hand combat.

Lesser Demon: Level 29

Description: Lesser Demon Soldier. Loyal to it’s master to a fault. Fights using bare hand-to-hand combat.

Lesser Named Demon Leader: Talith

Level 39

Description: Lesser Demon Leader. Has proven his worth through repeated merits. Has attained a name and a reputation for being cruel and effective.

Staring at those windows while looking back at the figures Daichi felt his heart skip a beat for a second as he held his breath.

“These are some seriously strong monsters.”

Trying to make them out Daichi could tell they were around 7 feet tall. They had the trademark small wings on their back that seemed to serve no purpose. Nearly all black skin with a rough, broken looking texture. All three of the demons had pitch black eyes, no irises or pupils. Just pitch blackness.

Daichi was nearly killed by just one lesser named demon and it was already comparable to just one of these three demons…

Looking at the three before him… ?If I can get within range to use my chaotic eruption skill I might have a chance but the odds of being able to succeed are nil if for any reason they spread out. If they do that.. I’m as good as dead. If I try to leave now there’s a good chance they’ll notice me too.”

Trying to think about his mana reserves Daichi realize that he didn’t have sufficient mana to use enough skills to win this battle. Holding his breath while still trying to think of a possible alternative, he looked on as he heard a clicking in the distance and all three demons turned their heads at the same time. The leader issued a command, shockingly in language that Daichi could vaguely understand as they dashed off at a ridiculously fast speed.

Finally letting his breath out, he turned and started running in the opposite direction back to town. “Too dangerous. I can’t count on getting lucky every time. Every time I allow myself to get into a scenario like this I’m risking my life. I have to start being more cautious. Even with my knew skills and abilities there are plenty of things outside the range of my ability.”

Not taking a break until he was well inside of the town again, Daichi ran into a group of Orcs with their backs to him.

A large group of orcs.

!

Great Orc Leader Named: Mannoth

Level: 30

Description: A Great Orc. One of the various evolved forms of an Orc. This Orc has fought through countless battles and has attained glory for his followers earning his name.

Orc Warrior

Level: 19

Description: An orc warrior that fights under the command of Mannoth. Close combat specialty.

Orc Warrior

Level: 18

Description: An orc warrior that fights under the command of Mannoth. Close combat specialty.

Orc Warrior

Level: 19

Description: An orc warrior that fights under the command of Mannoth. Close combat specialty.

Daichi could only see the backs of those four but ahead of them he could see multiple heads. There were at least another 2 in front and likely more that he couldn’t see.

Not a small group. “Not a group I can handle on my own. Their levels are also the highest I’ve seen for a group of Orcs. It really isn’t a joke. It’s survival of the fittest, in just a few days the very weakest of monsters are being weeded out. The longer I survive the stronger the monsters around are going to be.”

Getting ready to leave, Daichi started to turn around when he heard a voice yell “Hannah stay back for now!!!”

“It’s them? What the hell are they doing out here? Damn it. Okay no, calm down. This is good. It means that they can be a perfectly good distraction.

I’ll use a sneak attack and kill as many as possible off the bat, the ones that survive will try and attack but with that distraction some of them will head for the others, giving me a chance to fight those around me and giving the others a chance to lessen the over all numbers. This could work.”

Daichi pulled his swords out and got ready to go to work.