Notes from the Demon King, page 237:

Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Of all people, I intimately know this is true. Although, if I had created the saying it would be 'Power absolutely corrupts.' A small change in wording one that makes a huge difference in the lesson.

All people become somewhat corrupt when they gain power, but very few absolutely fall victim to that corruption.

Most people hold on to their sanity at least partially, so rather than thinking that only the people who gained absolute power then became absolutely corrupt, it would be more accurate to think that all those who gain power became somewhat corrupt. Because while I have never seen a leader, mage, or other figure with power truly without any selfish, personal, or ulterior motives, absolute corruption just isn't really possible in the average person, discounting psychopaths and other outliers.

I also got rid of the word absolute before power, quite frankly because there is no such thing as absolute power, there will always be something you can't control and there will always be someone or something more powerful than you. Just because the people weaker than you don't see what it is doesn't mean it doesn't exist and you yourself forgetting that fact is the worst mistake you could possibly make.

None of this really applies to me, though. I’m a bad example. And I’m going to destroy the world, after all. If that isn't absolute corruption, I really don’t know what is.

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Chapter one

Kenn-

The day had started out pretty normally for Kenn. Though it didn't remain that way.

He had gotten up at about six, dressed in his casual clothing and made his way out of his inn-room. Based on the fact that no one was waiting in the hall, he assumed his party had already headed down to the common room for breakfast. He stretched as he made his way down the dingy hall, thinking about what they had to do today.

They’d have to pay rent today if they wanted to stay in the inn for another week, which meant they’d have to take a better paying quest, which translated again to a more dangerous quest. He sighed. The fact that they were staying in this inn rather than the adventure guild hall said a lot about the party’s ability for such an endeavor.

He looked around the broken down, half-rotten hallway. They could just barely afford this place, and that was with almost dying every week or two. There was no way they could afford something better, and they most definitely couldn’t afford a trainer to teach them to cultivate to increase their magical power, thus, they would all remain weak, no-trials, barely able to complete even F-rank quests that paid little more than shit. It was a vicious cycle.

Kenn took a deep breath, trying to keep his thoughts from that spiral for the sake of his friends if nothing else. Honestly, when you were reborn into a new world, you'd expect that you'd be the heroes of destiny or something. Apparently that was not the case.

He stepped into the common room. With a quick glance he located the table where his friends were sitting. At the same time, Sandra noticed him and began jubilantly waving him over. The over-tall woman had black hair as well as skin tone and features that Kenn would have associated with Asian on earth. She smiled as he approached, gesturing to an empty chair next to Ali that Kenn promptly sat down in.

“Morning,” Kenn yawned, making eye contact with each of his four companions. “How’s it going?”

Giel grinned. “It was going great until I had to smell your breath,” he chuckled, reaching over the table to lightly punch Kenn in the shoulder. Kenn smiled and looked at the rest of his friends.

Sandra was laughing at Giel’s joke. “You act like you don't smell just as bad,” she said, gesturing to the man’s beast-kin tail. "I mean, do you ever wash that thing?”

Giel put on an obviously fake affronted expression. "I most certainly do, not that any of you here would know anything about personal hygiene,” he said, giving his tail a swish.

Hailey tittered at that but stopped and seemed to shrink when she noticed Kenn looking at her, like she did with everyone, her pointed ears turning a bit red. “I’m doing fine, thank you…” she said, giving him a shy smile.

Ali just glared. “Great, now that you’re finally here! We've been waiting for you forever!” the small woman huffed.

“Sorry, I overslept. Have you guys ordered already, or were you waiting on me?”

Sandra gave Ali a look. “Don't worry, we already ordered. We picked out something for you as well, hope you don't mind.”

She knew he didn't. The entire group had known each other since childhood. They had woken up from the mindless ignorance of babyhood after their rebirth in the same orphanage, and had been close friends ever since. Mainly by virtue of being the only ones who got each others references and more modern jokes. Even if they had been strangers in their past life, while he wouldn't call them his siblings or anything like that, but they were most definitely his family one way or another.

The party chatted amiably for a few minutes until the food arrived.

“Here’y are,” the waitress, an older faye woman, smiled as she delivered their meal, “Enjoy”

After thanking the woman Kenn checked what his friends had picked for him. They had ordered Ken his usual, a chicken, bacon, and egg sandwich with this world's equivalent to tomatoes and lettuce, And fried mushrooms on the side. Ali consistently pointed out how unhealthy it was; being mostly greasing meat and carbs, but Kenn thought that the physical work that he did as the party's ‘tank’ balanced it out nicely.

Deciding to get to business while they ate Kenn said “We need to take a quest today. We don't even have close to the amount of money needed to pay rent. Breakfast is probably going to use up the last of what we have.”

Hailey nodded she was eating a crisp looking breakfast salad including a sliced up boiled egg a small amount of ground beef and a dressing the smelled somewhere between cream cheese, ranch and, sour cream, and was diligently picking out the onions which she had been too meek to ask the server to not include (or let anyone ask for her) “um…If you want my opinion, I think we have two options. We can either split up and take a whole bunch of smaller quests, or we can try and do one of the more dangerous quests”

“That’s really dependent on what's on the quest board today though, if the only easy quests up today are worth a silver each then perfect, but if they're worth, say, a couple coppers each then we're going to have to go with the more difficult option” Ali added, looking thoughtful as she took a bite of her sugared toast.

“The difficult option sounds way more fun anyway. What's the point of being adventurers if we're just going to do the easy stuff?” grumbled Sandra, who was eating this world's equivalent to 1/4 pounder hamburger for breakfast, a messy affair stacked with multiple, thin, sauce smothered patties layered with chopped, apple like, fruit of all things as the main topping, "I say we go kill some monsters or something”

Everyone looked at Giel, Who took a long sip of his smoothie and said "I can't believe I'm saying this but, I actually agree with Sandy on this one,” The woman in question pumped her fist dramatically as Giel continued, “Why do even call ourselves adventurers if our only goal is to make ends meet?”

Kenn Considered that for a second and then shrugged “If that's what you guys want to do…” If he had to be honest he was craving more adventure himself. The current day-to-day life of fetch quests he lived had gotten boring a long time ago.

Ali looked frustrated but grunted her assent "I guess… but nothing too life-threatening, obviously. I'm not going to help you guys on a suicidal mission to kill a dragon or something.” She said making a dismissive gesture.

Hailey looked hesitant but didn't object.

Kenn feeling like the decision was made nodded.

After breakfast was finished the group made their way over to the adventurers' guildhall, It wasn't that far of a walk considering that it wasn't the same district they were staying in. The ‘adventures district’ was made up of inns, bars and shops that catered mainly to adventurers. At the center of the district in all its opulent glory was the Guildhall.

Functionally a combination of a high class hotel and a reception center, it was the hub for all things adventure, at least the official parts. The group stepped in, the din of voices and noise hitting them like a hammer. Giel was the most affected, his enhanced sense of hearing making everything 10 times louder for him. Kenn sympathized for his friend.

They pushed through the rushing tides of people scurrying to the quest board or desks, ignored as always by the adventurers except for those who looked at them with pity or disdain. Making their way to the nearby help desk for F to D ranks. The line was filled with new adventurers, mostly the young children of nobles. Kenn’s party was both the oldest and most perennial group in the line, as they got to the front the elvish clerk smiled having seen them here enough to know them on sight “Hey guys, what can I do for you today. Looking for a quest?”

“Hey Kel, we need to pay rent today. Got anything that pays well that a few no trials could do?’ Sandra asked for the group, flashing her guild ID.

"I think so, go check the board. We may have gotten something in today” she said pointing at the quest board where the quest for the day were posted.

As they looked over what was available today Ali suddenly pointed one out, Grabbing the paper off the board with a mage hand spell,

“This one looks exciting enough, and it shouldn't be too dangerous.”

Kenn leaned over her shoulder, an easy feat considering her lacking height, and read the page.

QUEST

Collect the molted tusks of the goblin hog, living in the east forest, from its den.

Goblin hogs are nocturnal so no combat should be needed.

At least 25 tusks are required, but you will receive extra pay for each additional tusk recovered.

Reward: 25 silverkart, 3 silverkart for each additional tusk up to two goldkart

Their breakfast this morning had cost 14 silverkart for the five of them, their collective rent for their inn-rooms was about 30 silver per week. With 100 silver per gold, that theoretical 2 goldkart could keep them housed and fed for… well about 2 weeks, but that was two weeks without having to worry about money! Taking this quest was a no-brainer, and once Ali and Kenn showed it to the rest of the party they all agreed. This would be what they were doing today.

So that's how Kenn ended up here.

Kenn Maningfold ran. He ran for three reasons. He ran because it was the fastest way to move. He ran because he didn't want to die… again. Above all, he ran because he was being chased.

By what?

By an eight-foot tall goblin hog of course, with tusks the size of his arm and crimson eyes glowing with unbound malice.

Par for the course really. He should've expected it with his luck.

Kenn’s adventuring party ran alongside him, the same party that had been working together for about a year now and had known each other since they were children. In theory, they should be pretty well-rounded. In theory. It was only after they got to this point that Kenn remembered there was a reason other than their lacking power that they didn't take higher tiered quests.

They actually hadn’t intended to fight the Goblin hog, the quest had only been to collect the monster’s tusks, which shed monthly, from its lair.

They had snuck in while the beast was sleeping, and all had been going well until Sandra, their thief, decided they could make some extra kart if they managed to actually kill the creature, which she had tried to do with a sneak attack to the back of its head. Her daggers had barely been able to penetrate its skin but that was enough to wake the monster up.

So now they were here. All running for their lives, each carrying one to three four-foot long tusks in their arms and intermittently glaring at Sandra. Who put on an innocent look.

“Uh…sorry?”

“Sorry? SORRY?!” Ali, their caster, hissed, her tiny stature somehow making her more intimidating, like an angry cat, “Do you really think sorry is enough in this situation!?”

“I, uh- Yes…?” Sandra answered, receiving a dark look in return.

“Even if we do manage to survive this, we don't have enough tusks to properly complete the quest!” Giel, their artificer, added, his wolf-ish tail drooping a little, "Kenn, How many did it ask for on the request sheet?”

“twenty-five minimum, if I'm not mistaken,” Kenn answered with a sigh.

Hailey, the party’s healer, who was the most out of breath and thus the furthest behind, took a quick count, “We have onetwothreefourfivesix…*huff*Seven.”

everyone once again glared at the thief, who glared back this time, “You know, if we managed to kill this thing, I doubt they’ll care that we don’t have enough stupid tusks!”

“Are you crazy?!” Kenn exclaimed, “This thing could probably swallow all of us whole and that would just be an appetizer!”

“With that attitude it will,” Sandra harrumphed, or tried to it was hard to pout while you were out of breath. "aren't you a fighter? Shouldn't you be... you know… fighting?"

"I'm a warrior!" Kenny corrected.

"Then why aren't you… warring!?"

That didn't deserve the dignity of a response.

Giel perked up, “You know, this totally reminds me of the classic scene from Jurassic Park! The one where they’re getting chased by the T-Rex,” he said, twisting to aim his spellarm pistol at the goblin hog’s face.

Taking the hint Ali turned and began casting lightning bolts into the beast’s eyes, “Or the Boulder from Indiana Jones”

“oh yeah. This pig is very Boulder-like. Did you know they didn't use CGI at all for that?”

“Really!? Interesting, how did they do it the-“

“Could you guys stop talking about pop culture stuff for five seconds! I'm homesick enough already!” This time it was Sandra’s turn to initiate the glaring.

“It's been almost two decades since we died, how can you *huff* still be homesick?” Hailey asked raising a sweaty eyebrow.

"I can still be homesick!” the thief gasped, affronted, “it's not like any of us got to say goodbye to our families.”

“Okay But, why does being chased by a giant pig make you homesick?” Giel asked the obvious question.

“And this is your fault! Stop complaining,” Ali added her two cents.

“Okay, I take partial responsibility,” the thief conceded “but the rest lies on Kenn!”

“What!!!” Kenn exclaimed “How!?”

“You did push me to do it.”

“How? I didn’t say a thing!!!”

“With your eyes Kenn. With your eyes.”

The fighter just rolled said eyes.

“uhhh… *huff huff* b-banter aside, What are we going to do about the monster chasing us!?” Hailey questioned, out of breath, “I-I’m not really built for long-distance running….”

She was right. Having been reborn an elf, Hailey was designed to fling around spells, grow plants, and sit in stuffy business meetings.

With blond hair and amber eyes, her slim figure excluding certain particular…*cough* areas, most definitely made hers the ‘beauty’ of the group, but those same traits weren't super conducive to continuous cardio, especially in a world that had yet to master women’s sportswear. It made for some interesting visuals at least. More so than her chest, the problems were her legs, The party had often joked that whatever force had reincarnated them had strapped sticks too Hailey’s shoulders and ass and said they were limbs, her legs were long but lacked much muscle at all Which meant it took her twice the effort to get half as far as Her more athletically made friends.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, there was Giel, Brown eyes and hair, tall and broad-shouldered, he wasn’t truly muscular, leaning more towards lean, Yet still most definitely in shape, the way the corded muscle flexed beneath his clothes reminded Kenn of a predator, appropriate because Giel had and reborn as a beast-kin of some sort. Some sort of dog, maybe a Wolf, or coyote based on the ears and tail.

Even Kenn himself wasn’t sure if he had been bisexual when he come to this world but between the those two, he most definitely was now. Not that his other two party members weren’t attractive, far from it.

Next, there was Ali who was according to the orphanage they grew up in, a gnome. Though you wouldn't know that basing it off of the garden gnomes you saw on Earth, Sure she was short only coming up to about Kenn’s hip, but she really reminded him more of a mini-elf, like Hailey though a lot less… top-heavy. Green hair, and cyan-blue eyes her skin was a warm coffee, her figure a slim hourglass that she wore with pride. Her athleticism showing through in that even with her shorter stature, she kept up with the others much better than Hailey.

Last of Kenn’s companions was Sandra the thief and the only other human, she was more cute than pretty. Reminded him of a puppy at times with her personality and big, dark brown eyes. Her black hair contrasted heavily with her demeanor. She was tall, a little taller than Kenn who himself stood about five-foot-nine. Her figure was supremely athletic holding up to Giel even with his beast-kin heritage. And if you were running behind her as Kenn was you'd also most likely notice that she had a really really nice a- No! Now was not the time to be thinking of his friends like this! Not that ever was really an appropriate time to think of his friends like this, but if he had to (curse this eighteen-year-old body) he would do that back in his room at the inn, when he could take care of things... properly, right now they had a monster to worry about.

Honestly, even if his thoughts weren't so risqué, Kenn was aware that he should probably be a lot more scared than he was. Maybe even terrified. In fact, all of them should be, but when you ended being chased by monsters 6 out of 8 days of the week, for some reason the weeks were eight days in this world, The fear factor kind of ended up fading into a sort of nervous boredom that let your mind wander and let idle conversation flow as if there was nothing wrong, was it healthy? Most definitely not. But it kept them from having a nervous breakdown every day, so it was better than the alternative.

Still, he was painfully aware that if they didn't do something about the goblin hog soon it may just end up catching them, and he wasn't inclined to test if there would be an afterlife the second time.

Kenn ruffled his own light brown hair. Making a split-second decision that would probably be his last, He drew his sword in turned to fight the goblin hog.

You could practically hear his teammates begging him to not sacrifice himself for them.

‘Noooo, Kenn!!!’

‘Kenn, you're so brave!’

‘But Kenn you are the glue that holds this party together!’

‘What will we ever do without you!?’

“Kenn what are you doing you fucking idiot?!” Ali shouted at him as he stopped running.

“Just keep going, I’ll hold it back,” He said charging at the beast.

He sliced it across the face just barely managing to break the skin, then stabbed his blade into the newly formed injury, causing the monster to wail.

Smiling with his success He withdrew his blade to strike again, but this time didn't even manage to scratch it, instead getting a satisfying *BONK* sound that caused the vibrations of the sword to channel up his arms. Apparently, the goblin hog had had enough and reared back, kicking him with his front legs. Kenn just managed to avoid being gored by the sharp ends of the hoofs and instead was sent flying back towards his party, the agony in his left arm giving him the needed information to know that it had been broken. His heroics had lasted about 12 seconds before it had been thoroughly brought to a close.

"I got you, you idiot.” Ali called casting, mage hand to pluck Kenn out of the air

“Thsanshks…”

“D-don’t worry you’ll be, oka- Oh, that’s a bad break… I-I can fix it…I think…” Hailey’s reassurance turned to muttering halfway though as healing mana flowed out of her hands and into Kenn. It soothed the majority of the pain, but he still felt sick as the bones snapped back into place with a Pop

Okay so that didn't work.

Kenn stood, flexing his now unbroken arm and once again turning to the monster, It had stopped its charge when it kicked him and was now just looking at them with hate.

Kenn could have sworn that if it were capable it would be running its pointer finger across its neck in the universal ‘you’re dead’ sign.

“If we’re going to fight this thing we’re going to have to work together” He said holding up his sword, which he had somehow held on to during his trip through the air.

Ali groaned “Now is not the time for your stupid anime ‘the power of friendship’ bullshit! Are you just that brain-dead or are you trying to die!?”

“Out running it wasn't working. What other options do we have?”

Sandra grinned, stepping up beside Kenn twin daggers at the ready “Now this is what I’m talking about!!” She whooped, frowning when she noticed none of the others had stepped up with her, she turned back to them staring at Giel specifically, “Hey! I thought you wanted more adventure and stuff!?”

"I do, but I’m not suicidal, we can't fight that thing. It’s stronger than us, faster than us, and smarter than at least two of us” he said “The only reason we're still alive is that it only wanted us out of its territory it doesn't really care about actually killing us!"

Kenn looked over at the rouge and frowned. He would prefer that she, along with everyone else, escaped while they could, but he couldn't bring himself to refuse the help at the moment. Instead, he took a deep breath, readying himself for a fight.

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Sandra-

If you asked Sandra what the one thing she wanted most in this life was The answer she would give you was adventure. If you asked her why, she would stare at you like you were crazy.

Adventure didn't need a reason. It was the reason, sure being a mage was something she wanted, just like her friends, but the idea was just a means to an end for her. More power just meant more opportunities to do cool stuff. Exploring the world, killing monsters, finding loot that was what she lived for.

Today that sentiment had been no different, which was why she had pushed her party to take a more interesting quest today, she was tired of taking quests for things like collecting herbs or stabbing a few rats. The quest they had picked was still a fetch quest, but it at least involved a monster. A monster that had through no fault of her own woken up to chase them. So, that was how hew day had gotten to the point that she had ended up face to face with a huge pig monster, her daggers ready to slit its throat.

This was so fucking cool!!! She would never get over how awesome it felt to actually hold a weapon, ready to slay an enemy with a single slash. Granted her daggers hadn't done much to the hog the first time, but it would be different now, she could feel it. Attacks always worked the second time in books.

Now if only her friends would actually help her. They could at least be supportive. But no, so all she had was Kenn, not that she didn't appreciate his help, but he had already gotten his ass kicked once by this thing.

Sandra shook off those thoughts, she’d work with what she had.

She shifted her stance readying herself for a fight, trying to keep the giddy smile she felt trying to surface off her face.

“Kenn, you charge it, I’ll sneak up while it’s focused on you and stab it in the head”

“NO! You should run! Let me distract it for as long as I can.”

What a moron, an altruistic moron, but still a moron. How did he plan to hold this thing off by himself? Or maybe he just wanted to hog (pun intended) all the fun.

Instead of doing as he asked Sandra went with plan B, just rush the thing.

She ran as fast as her long legs could carry her straight for the Goblin Hogs face, aiming for its eye with a slash from her knife. The monster twisted its head, its tusk intercepting her attack before it reared back, preparing to impale her with the other. Sandra dodged out of the way but was too slow to recover to avoid the beast’s follow-up attack. Its hoof raised to crush her downed form but was stopped by a sword stabbing into the side of its leg, the blow barely penetrated, but it was enough to make the monster hesitate, that was all Sandra needed.

She rolled out from under the foot as Kenn fought a losing battle of strength against the hog.

Seeing that she was free, the warrior also backpedaled, trying to distance himself from the creature. But he was similarly too slow.

The goblin hog's tusk flashed out, tearing though Kenn's hardened leather armor as if it wasn't there and piercing his side.

Sandra and the others screamed along with him, but the wound didn't seem fatal, though it did slow Kenn down as he was forced to half-fall away from the pig's next assault.

Doing the only thing she could think of Sandra threw one of her knives at the thing.

It landed against the creatures eye hilt-first, sadly not hard enough to damage the sensory organ but enough to make the Goblin hog mad, and pull its attention away for Kenn.

There was only one problem, the monster was now charging her again, She slid to the side at the last moment, but wouldn't have avoided being gored if it weren't for the ice bolt that struck the side of the Goblin hogs abdomen.

Ali was panting from the amount of effort and mana she had put into the spell, but it still had left little more than a cold spot on the creature's flank, the caster’s attack was followed up with a barrage of bullets, as Giel emptied his magazine at the monster. Most of the bullets missed their moving target, but one slammed into the goblin hog's jaw. While it didn't break skin it apparently hurt enough, as the creature squealed and reared back and turned to face its new attacker.

Before it could charge the beast-kin, It was once again distracted by Kenn who managed to drive his sword into the hog’s hideous hide once more. The Goblin hog whipped around. Kenn’s grip on his weapon weaker than normal due to his injury, it was pulled from his hand. The Monster bucked trying to kick the warrior, but the man lurched out of the way, the pain of the movement visible on his face as blood flowed freely from his wound. Before it could follow up on its attack the Goblin hog began to be pelted with a barrage of fireballs from Ali, each impact burning away a patch of the creatures fur but leaving the flesh underneath only slightly redder for her efforts.

Despite not being able to do anything but cause minor wounds, the spells seemed to push the monster over the edge.

It growled as a red glow suffused its body.

The entire party’s eyes went wide and Ali swore

“It’s a fucking mana-beast!?”

Raising his front legs into the air, the goblin hog brought them down with force that even its massive body shouldn't have had access too.

The ground shook with the power of the attack causing all the adventurers to stumble and lose their footing but that wasn't the main effect of the monster’s ability. Spikes of Earth began erupting from the ground in a wave around the hog, one narrowly missed Hailey who was doing her best to get to Kenn, who’s movements were becoming more and more sluggish as he lost blood.

Sandra was forced to jump to the left to avoid one spike that would have taken her in the stomach. She looked around to check on her friends only a second later realizing her mistake.

“L-left!!!” Kenn shouted, his voice weak but audible.

“No, right! Get closer to me.” Giel contradicted. Confused for a split second Sandra tried to move both directions simultaneously, failing to notice the second stone spike’s spontaneous strike at her chest. It was pure coincidence that all of her vital organs were spared as the attack’s direction was vertical enough that rather than stabbing through her rib cage and into either her lung or heart It stabbed Upward through the meat of her breast and into her shoulder.

Sandra felt her flesh tear as pain blinded her mind. Even through the tears of her torment she could see the blurry image of the Goblin hog turning it’s body to face her pinned form, red mana covering it once again, this time enhancing its speed as it came barreling at her. Pain being pushed out by terror Sandra tried desperately to pulls herself from the rock pike that held her in place, but as the monster began its charge every instinct let her know it was too late, even if she managed to free herself she couldn't move fast enough to avoid the Goblin hog’s now mana enhanced charge, time seemed to slow down as every step that the monster took seemed to be stamped into Sandra’s brain, It was going to kill her, there was no stopping it. It was inevitable.

Why did the hot one always have to die!!!!

But just as quickly as she had that thought, It wasn't.

Something flashed out from the tree’s too fast for Sandra to follow. She caught the glint of steel but that was all she could make out before the blur was above the goblin hog crashing down on, and then through the creature with a flash of power leaving the goblin hog to fall into chunks, cleanly sliced to pieces.

A tendril of light rushed into Sandra, bringing with it a feeling of tingly elation that she recognized as the purified mana rewarded for killing or assisting in killing a mana infused creature, she had experienced the sensation only rarely before, but it was all the proof she needed that the goblin hog is dead.

Sadly the feeling left it as soon as it began due to the fact that Sandra didn't have an active mana core to store it, leaving her only with a clear head as a side effect, a clear enough head to remember the absolute agony in her chest and shoulder. She stifled a scream as Ali, Hailey and Giel continued to shudder. Being part of the small group of people who are born with their cores active, those three were able to actually store the mana they gained from killing monsters, even if they had no knowledge of how to actually cycle it and progress their strength.

Sandra looked back over to where the goblin hog had been just a second ago, standing there instead was a man wearing heavy silver plate armor, he carried a long sword that radiated power in one hand. Holding himself with the air of importance, he looked over at Sandra. If she wasn't in such immense pain she would have blushed. The man was more than handsome he a was HOT. Absurdly so. He made people like Chris Pratt and Brad Pitt look sickly. She could tell Kenn felt the same way, while his dark skin couldn't actually grow red-faced she did catch him stealing glaces downward at the man's posterior. She was sure it was glorious.

With a non-committal grunt the absurdly sexy knight, waved his sword casually in her direction a crescent of light leaving her blade and striking through the stone holding her in place, the spike was suddenly cut in half as if by a razor, Sandra’s body collapsing to the ground now that it didn't have anything forcing it to stand.

A gasp of pain escaped her lips as the remaining length of stone was jostled, Hailey rushing over. With an agonizing yank the healer removed the spike form Sandra’s flesh and imminently began applying healing mana to the wound, since she had gotten to it immediately Haley would be able to completely heal the gaping wound, but with her Low ranked healing Magic there would still be a scar. Sandra didn’t mind, a boob scar might look pretty cool. Not that she wasn't cool enough already.