Shayjol kicked Mason roughly as the early sun rose above the treeline. The two were still obscured by the shade of the cliff-face, but in another twenty minutes Shayjol would have to put up his hood to prevent its harm.

Mason groaned, stretching his muscles tentatively as he got up. His health was just below full, his mana hovering around three, and his stamina bar full. He checked to notice his intelligence had increased a point, and his mana per hour had risen to a full point as well.

“You know, I’ve spent a lot of time getting knocked unconscious since I entered this world. I can’t say I enjoy it very much,” Mason whined, still not quite having raised himself to sitting.

Shayjol stared down at him quietly, his dark features obscuring his thoughts. “I should kill you before you get stronger, Mason the demon. Soon your demons will come into this plane, and your people and my people will go to war. If we do not kill you, they will grow strong under your influence, and we will be stuck between you and the Corrosi. If we kill you, our Mana Sight alone will be enough to bring your people to their knees, and we can claim any mana that appears with your town, all of your treasures, and prevent your people from ever seeing strength.”

Mason’s only response was to scowl, then he stuck his hand up and waited for Shayjol to take it. The dark boy did so, and they stared at each other with a moment of shared intensity, trying to decide how to proceed. Neither of them truly understood the purpose of this world, but they knew enough to understand that Shayjol was right. Swarms of goblins and six-armed warriors didn’t appear out of nowhere in a land of peace.

“I don’t know what my people will do. My world is principled- do unto others as you would have done to you, the sanctity of life, all of that. But we war, we hate, and we fear. We are also traders, explorers, and inventors, though. And we can be strong, too,” He pointed at the thick gash in the far off tree, oozing sap and resin.

“My family was sent to find a new source of mana, so my people can live. We have found small deposits, but the real treasure lies deep underground, in what we suspect is one of this world’s dungeons. Mana crystals can be mined from its halls, my senses know it, and I also believe there may be a font of mana. It may be enough to feed my people for a long time if they settle in the caves. Come with me into this dungeon and I will let the traps kill you.”

“What if they don’t, Shayjol? You gonna melt me in a pool of mana?”

“No,” the boy said, looking exasperated, but also very young, “I will tell my people that humans are strong, that their assistance would be invaluable against the Corrosi and the monster hordes from the north. And I will tell them that they are led by the Demon of the Darkest Night.”

The two set out immediately with Shayjol leading the way. They had told his parents nothing, but Shayjol had insisted they would figure out where they had gone fairly quickly. The hope was that, since the dungeon was in an area which didn’t yet have a race, it would also be mostly unpopulated. If they could explore it and gather some of its artifacts, Mason could have enough power to impress the Darkest Night, and Shayjol’s family would be able to come back to his people as heroes.

Mason tested out the weight of the sword Shayjol had given him for this trip, and it took almost no time at all for it to trigger a notification.

Dagger Specialization has been improved to Blade Specialization. Skill Level has been halved.

It seemed reasonable, and so far other than the improvements he had seen with Focus, skill levels hadn’t really seemed to make much more difference than he would have expected for just normal training.

Then he realized. “Shayjol, do you see a screen with stats and skills listed on it?”

When he received an odd look in return, Mason began to worry that this was not a facet of this world. But in time Shayjol responded, “Yes, I have completed challenges to become a Force Butcher. My mother is a Tracker, and my father is a Woodsman.”

Mason had hoped that these classes would be something more familiar; Warrior, Mage, or Archer would have been a bit more recognizable, but the titles themselves seemed clear enough. “Your class seems a lot more interesting than either of your parents. How did you get that?”

“The same way as all classes are granted. You grow strong, and then you complete the challenges. My mother upgraded Mana Sight to Mana Gatherer, and received a challenge to gather five skill points worth of mana crystals. That challenge awarded her the tracker title, and made it easier for her to locate mana crystals at a distance. This is how we were assigned this mission.”

“I can’t believe I didn’t think to ask about this sooner. So what did you do to get your titles?”

“I trained and I fought. My force skill was new when we were brought to this plane, so I used it for everything and raised my skill level swiftly. I received butcher for that was my job. I inherited my father’s skill with the axe, and these two talents now identify me.”

The two fell into silence as Mason contemplated this. Drawing up his status screen as they walked, he finalized the completion of the Bloodlust challenge.

Challenge Complete! Bloodlust. You show no fear at accepting the obstacles ahead of you, even when progress requires a sacrifice.

You’ve become an Amateur Magical Slayer.

You receive one FP to spend as you’d like.

You receive one FP for Willpower for using your skills.

Your top three skills each gain one point.

Then I’ll put the FP into agility to make it easier to allow Shayjol to take the attention off me while we fight, and I guess that means a skillpoint for Focus, Staff Specialization, and Mana Tolerance. Closer and closer to becoming a real mage, it seems.

You’ve demonstrated talent and a willingness to utilize it, but your strength is a surprise.

Do you take obstacles head on? Or do you wait in the shadows for an opportunity to strike?

Memories of fighting the boar circulated in Mason’s mind, and he considered what would be more useful for the growth of his spellwork as he plunged headfirst into a dangerous dungeon. I wait in the shadows.

Shadowstalking challenge accepted: Defeat your enemies while they remain unaware, or bypass them altogether.

Mason grimaced at the challenge description. There was no counter this time, so how would he know if he completed it?

“What is it, Demon?” Shayjol asked, eying the strange reactions on his face.

“My new challenge is… unclear. ‘Defeat your enemies while they remain unaware, or bypass them altogether.’ I guess it will reward me for using stealth, but I’m not sure when or how often.”

“This world is unclear, but I see your concern. My latest challenge is similarly unhelpful. ‘Earn the position of authority that will grant you force through will, as well as mana.’”

“Well, that’s a pleasant little riddle. Maybe you’ll become the butcher king.”

Shayjol grunted, but he hefted his axe as he walked, and it was clear he didn’t dislike the sound of that.

They stayed silent as they trekked, and the only enemy they saw along the way- a cat- Shayjol slew with a single chop of his axe. Mason wondered at his strength, and since the walk was slow and quiet, he decided to use the opportunity to try and find out with Analyze.

It immediately levelled up at being used on another sentient being, and Shayjol’s stats showed up in ranges.

Shay’Jol

Force Butcher

Level 4??

Health: Full

Mana: Full

Stamina: Full

Strength: 7-9

Agility: 4-5

Intelligence: 5-6

Willpower: 7-8

Vitality: 9

Endurance: 7-9

Creativity: 4

Mason balked at the sight of his stats. Even the lower end of the stats put him stronger than Mason even after all of his bonus focus points from those early achievements. He began wondering what it would take to get more accurate analysis of someone else when he felt the collar of his shirt gripped hard and his body slammed against a tree.

He gasped heavily from both shock and force, unsure of what was happening and too weak to respond to it. Then he came to with an activation of Focus and saw that this was Shayjol, and his pain turned to the internal sort. “Wh… what are you doing? I thought we were working together?”

“The little demon has done something to me, what is it? I felt your power, but that was not mana. What trickery is this?” Shayjol spat through a tight expression, the anger on his face brooking no debate.

“It’s a skill of mine, Shayjol, it does no harm, I swear!” Mason dropped his staff and put both hands up in an act of contrition. “I just used Analyze to see what your stats were, I did not know you’d even notice. I didn’t mean any harm.”

Shayjol stared for several more seconds, then released his grip roughly, turning aside. “This is not a friendly thing to do. It feels like an invasion, and I thought you were working a curse.”

Mason just stared after Shayjol as he stomped away, then followed after quietly, unsure how to apologize for what had seemed like innocent curiosity.

They still weren’t talking when they made it back to the magical spot where Mason had met Shayjol’s family. Instead, Shay jumped up on the round stone platform and channeled his mana forcefully at it. It remained dull for several seconds as wave after wave of mana crashed over it, but then runes all along its surface began to glow, and the stone shook and moved as it revealed a rough-hewn spiral staircase in the middle.

Mason looked between his friend and the magical entrance several times before growing suspicious, “How long have you know that this was the entrance to a dungeon?”

“It is obvious to anyone who can truly see mana. My parents simply did not want to take the risk of entering until they had exhausted their other options. I could not come here alone, for fear a trap or ambush would take me,” Shay’s tone was as dull as his explanation.

They descended the stairs and Mason tried hard to ignore the waves of frustration rolling off Shay. What was it about Analyze that was so deeply personal? Perhaps he’d have to see if it was as frustrating to whatever lurked in these dimly lit halls.

Between his improved Focus skill level and his Endurance, Mason could activate Focus often and for extended periods of time without too much trouble, and he was glad he had spent so much energy honing that before this dungeon. They exited the stairs in what looked like an emergency exit, with a heavy door that Shay had to force open with mana, but beyond that was a labyrinth of dimly lit corridors, carved out of a dark yellow stone.

Crystals lined the walls, all glimmering slightly, or brightly, depending on Mason’s activation of Mana Sight, but as he could not hold that for long, he simply strained with focus to get an idea of what was around. Their entrance was just off what seemed to be a main corridor, with halls and stone doors branching off on both sides of the walls down each direction of the corridor.

Mason peered closely at the wall nearest to him, but when he reached to touch one of the crystals, Shay slapped his hand away. “Those are not mana crystals, they are simply stones charged to draw mana up and down the passageway to provide vision to a mana-sighted race. If these are designed as they are in my world, tampering with them should alert whoever is managing this flow.

“I might advise you take your challenge to heart, Demon. Be like a shadow, pass by and touch nothing.”

Mason grumbled, but quietly appreciated the advice. He was so far out of his depth in this world that even the lighting was a threat to him.

“Which way then? What exactly is your goal, Shay?”

“If the enemy here is not strong, we exterminate them. If they are strong, we rob them blind, and come back in force. Let’s move this way, come,” Shay motioned to the left as he began a confident stride down the central passage.