-Oi! What, in the name of the Celestials do you think you’re doing?! We aren’t supposed to meddle in the affairs of mortals! It is forbidden!

-But sister, this pathetic insignificant bug annoys me! He interfered in the duel of two of my toys, took advantage of them while being weakened, and took away all the loot! Now he’s getting above most of his kind. It’s unfair! A cheat!

-Remove that spawned dungeon at once! He wasn’t cheating, you idiot. Mortals are known for their cunning, nerve and cheek! That’s why it’s amusing when we bear witness their fall. That one’s a bit special brother, do not test him any further!

-But dear sister, it’s been done and can be undone by no one, not even beings like us. I only kind of trapped him in there to test him…Oops, My bad. Ahahahaha~ I even forgot to tweak the difficulty based on his level.

*sigh*

-Just promise me you’d never do this again, okay? As you have said, he’s insignificant. Hey! You didn’t even bequeath upon him any offensive skills?! You also messed up his skill set!

-Yes, fine. Err about that, I forgot as well…

-Honestly, you are too brutal young brother. I don’t even know anymore who among you two were cheating. Fix this!

-…I-…You are right…I’m sorry. I’ll try to fix this…

-Too bad, I was expecting much from him, the mortal barely has any levels. That dungeon will doom him…Tsk, only bereavement awaits him now.

-So, is it okay if I don’t- OKAY! Okay! Jeez I’m just messing around…please stop glaring at me, my domain is breaking apart. (T-T)

Celestial's Ire, Realm of light., 5th Chapter.

7

“…Holy shit.”

The party of two were now resting near a stream, deeper in the northern unnamed forest. Bast was preoccupied by the notifications he ignored a moment ago while at the same time, bathing himself with the cold sparkling river water. The blood and grime were gone. He was still wet but was now starting to look half decent.

He took note of a certain notification box that made his blood boil. It seems he had taken the ire of a powerful being, and the amusement of another.

It won’t take any idiot a minute to figure out who or what played him inside a dungeon. It might have been planned that the weak humans be tested and judged based on their first monster kill. Bast guessed he stood out too much when he ended two high leveled and named monsters. The higher beings clearly underestimated his race.

Mistaken and forced to give him powers that he was due, one of them got upset and took matters in his own salty hands. But due to the constant exposure to this life and death situations, he was slowly starting to grow in power. Whether be it stats, levels, new world info or skills, being tested makes his repertoire rise in mastery. They were trying too much just to feed him power and that’s fine.

Bast wouldn’t want it any other way.

He took a glance at the girl who was bathing in the shallows, with most of her skin exposed. His serpentine sense (author note* copied from spiderman’s spider-sense, and no, I’m not gonna shove penis puns out of it..wait) took notice of an abnormally large fish lurking, getting near and nearer. He took out a short-scythe with chains from his interspatial ring and threw it, hitting the fish in its abdomen and nearly undressing the fabric away from the wailing Aphrodite as the weapon passed through her side.

“Kyaaaah~”

Bast reeled his makeshift hook and sinker, letting the fish land on the riverbank near him. He found and threw a large riverine rock that splattered the skull of their soon to be dinner. His True Aim skill was working him wonders and that’s good. He felt his danger detection flaring. But as he searched for the culprit, it took the murderous form of a petite long haired girl, glaring at him with fury.

“Bast! Tell me the next time you- Ugh!..You big idiot! Hmph!”

Bast quickly looked away with great and struggling effort, with his face becoming hotter by the second. Evelyne’s naked physique was making him lose what’s left of his rationality, and that is dangerous for the both of them. Even when mad, her voice maintains its cuteness. No wonder his decisions as of late felt unnatural. The two of them decided to consent an extended respite (totally her idea), as they have a greater distance to travel to look for a safer dwelling. Because of this, Bast also had the time to fill a dozen large drums with water, just in case they move to a place without much of it.

Evelyne looked a lot happier. After floundering in the waters, both of them dried themselves up, with smiles plastered in their faces. It was refreshing not to look at the dead bodies of people and be filled with dread. Bast threw her a long and thick dark pants, socks and combat shoes, green shirt and camouflage jacket. He hesitantly shoves her a bra and the laced panty he took earlier as well. Bast then equipped himself with dark pants, combat boots and a dark green shirt.

“I hate this! I look like a guy. Can’t you give me something a lot more cuter?”

“…You are too beautiful. If you want to get raped by goblins, be my guest.”

“I don't wanna- I did'nt mean- Did you just?!...Oh, O-okay.”

Blushing furiously, both of them got embarrassed and quickly got dressed for the occasion. The girl might not like it but Bast was only thinking of increasing their chances of survival. The clothes are easy to move around with and covers most of their skin. He gave her the jacket camo with the hoodie to make it hard for people and monsters to spot her. He chose the green color because they were in a forest. Bast also tossed her a mask.

You can never be too careful.

“Here, use it when there’s people. And lower your voice. Monsters can hear you from a mile away.”

“…Thank you.”

Checking once more his notifications individually, he cannot suppress a smirk

Primordial Meditation (Incomplete) Tier: Unique (Evolving) Mastery: Novice 0 Activation: Passive skill, User must be Stationary, clear-minded, focused

Description:

A higher and more complexed form of meditation, a unique skill only less than a few cultivation masters possess. Its inferior version is the Primal Meditation [highest known: 84% compatibility ratio], a combination of Deep Concentration, Clear Mind skill, Arcane/Mana Manipulation or Qi/Spirit/Aura Manipulation, Mind’s Eye or True Sight skill, Race-dependent Anatomy Mastery and a mixing skill or an artifact catalyst. Must have at least 60% compatibility ratio.

Your Synthesis:

A combination of Sixth Sense, Extreme Concentration, and True Aim [61% compatibility ratio]

Properties:

Increase health regeneration by 3% per mastery level

Increase stamina regeneration by 5% per mastery level

Increase mana regeneration by 1% per mastery level

Increase Qi regeneration by 2% per mastery level

Practitioner will no longer need sleep. Conversion- 8h sleep:4h meditation.

% Increase in energy capacity per mastery level

??

The skill was only of unique rarity but with just one look at the blue notification made Bast’s head burst with various important information. Some of his theories and questions that were still unanswered were now clear. Connecting some of the dots, he decided to increase the compatibility ratio of his new but incomplete skill.

“fuse Mana Manipulation as well”

Compatibility ratio: 61% --> 72% Tier: Unique --> Rare Properties: Increase mana regeneration by 1% --> 7% per mastery level

“Just as I thought”

Bast cannot wait to try his new skill but the place he’s currently at was as safe as a prison yard. He cannot risk being caught unaware. A large horde of goblins was still in the vicinity. He also took note of Qi. Whatever it was, he’s going to learn the hell out of it. All that’s left is the basic understanding of his anatomy which can be remedied by his vast supply of medical books that the mall thankfully sponsored. Bast needs to practice patience. He knew he will eventually complete the higher tier of the skill.

“Miss Krevoslanov, how many skill sets did you start with?”

“H-hey, just Evelyne would do. Or Eve, yes, call me Eve!”

“Miss-”

“-No Miss Eve! Remove the miss! Just Eve!”

“…”

“…”

“Evelyne. skill set. Please”

*Sigh*

“Mouu~ fine. I have one. By the way, it is skill tree, not skill set. I think all who already killed a monster has one aside from the system’s free basic skill acquisition, my first kill was a forest wisp so I was given the uncommon tier skill tree, Guiding Light. Wait, let me show it to you.”

“Status. Show Sebastian skill tree”

Guiding Light, Uncommon Skill Tree (4)

Orb of hope (Minor healing and purification, calming effect, % dmg to demonic and undead) --> White Magic Enchant --> [X] Sword of light (offensive light magic)

Nature’s Blessing (remove minor curse, fertility blessing, % increase in regeneration) --> [X] Gaia’s Grace (?)

Basic Mana shield -----------------------------------------> [X] Barrier Magic

De-spell (undo minor magics) --> [X] Spell Breaker --> [X] Global Silence

“Status. How many skill set do I currently have?”

4

“I see. Show in list form”

Symphony of Adarna, Legendary Skill Set (7) [X] – female only, curse of the skies, enchanting voice required

[X] 1st Arial Ensemble (?)

[X] 2nd Siren’s Lullaby (?)

[X] 3rd Cry of the Adarna (?) -----------> [X] 4th Sonata of Lamentation (?)

[X] 5th ???--> [X] 6th ??? -------> [X] 7th Death’s Encore Resonance (?)

Phantasm, Legendary Skill Set (7)

Slither (Spectral footwork – fast, light and silent)

Sidewinder (Mirage step – fast misdirection, optical illusion)

[X] Viper lunge (Ghastly step – Concertina, % inc. crit. dmg.)

[X] Skywalker (aerial maneuver) [X]-Curse of the skies

[X] Yamikumo no bunshin (Clone step shadow hiding)

[X] Kyomu no Shukuchi (God walks on an empty shadow)

[X] ???

Unbound, Uncaged, Unchained, Legendary Skill Set (7)

Blink (short distance teleportation) -------------> [X] Rift Walk (Long distance teleportation)

[X]Echoing Silence (active: aoe silence, increase resistance to status effects, passive: uninterruptible, can’t be silenced) --> [X] Chains of Fate (?)

[X] Binds of Time (basic: sealing magic corrosion, ?, ?)

[X] Void Prison (basic: Barrier magic corrosion, ?, ?)

[X] ???

Blacksmithing Skill Tree (4)

Repair (Increase Durability)

Ore familiarization (+ ingot purity) ----> Weak Link pinpoint (weakness detection) -------> [X] Weapon breaker (decrease durability)

Tempering (+Durability, skill imbuement and mastery, stat inc., Path of Cultivation) ----------> [X] Refine (+ increase % stats, sharpness, rate and level)

[X] Metal Bending (Metallic affinity, earth affinity and manipulation) ---------------------------> [X] Hephaestus’ Blessing or Moradrin’s Blessing

Synthesis and Fragmentation Unique Skill Tree (3)

Chemical Synthesis -------------> Skill Amalgamation -------> [X] Class Amalgamation

Component Fragmentation ---> [X] Skill Fragmentation ---> [X] Class Fragmentation

???

“Unfair! I showed you mine, now show me yours!”

“…“

Bast cannot help but imagine the innuendos but dismissed them very quickly. Even though the girl can slightly make his guard down, he was still a cautious person in nature. A trait engrained to him by his dysfunctional family. He noticed that her skill trees weren’t offensive in nature, a support type skill set. Without a doubt, it would still take a very long time for her to unlock the offensive type skills. She would provide him with only little backing and will only slow him down.

He might not have any offensive skillset or a skill tree as well but Bast has a repertoire of escape skills, the girl has none. Any monsters more powerful than him, if he can’t fight them, Bast can just escape. He can just train and get stronger and fight the same foe again until he emerges victorious. But carrying another while he’s still weak himself is a different cup of tea. It would quickly consume his energy pools and divide his attention.

But he cannot just leave her behind. Bast decided on a goal. He promised to save those who cannot save themselves, the innocent and the weak. But he cannot do this yet while carrying the lives of others behind his back every time there is a powerful foe in the midst. The only solution is to make them stronger. To help themselves. To help them stand on their own two feet.

“Hey! What can a girl do to be noticed around here?!”

“…”

“…”

“…One. Blacksmith skill tree. Status. Show her.”

“That’s it? What about-”

“-Individual skills. Told you to keep your voice down, didn’t I? Come. We’re burning daylight.”

“I, yes. But where are we going? “

“You see that big tree?”

“No kidding, almost all that I can lay my eyes upon are either big, or larger.”

Bast stopped himself from rolling his eyes. He also stopped imagining double meanings in her words. It was not worth the effort. He also lied about his skillset. There are just some things you don’t reveal to people you’ve just met. Bast heard some movement above the surrounding trees. He acted naturally as if he was oblivious but was now on full alert. He was still low on mana but his stamina was quickly regenerating.

“Evelyne, I want you to be very quiet and stay close to me. Keep the dagger I gave you close at hand. Let’s go. Now.”

“Hmm”

He took her hand without giving permission. He knew they were being watched. Bast slither deeper in the woods while dragging the girl behind. He was waiting for whoever was watching them to show itself. Apophis was quietly waiting to be wield inside his storage. He doesn’t want their pursuers to know he is armed with a sure kill weapon.

As they approach a thick grove of trees a few kilometers from the river, Bast heave the girl towards the massive, long and winding roots of a tree, effectively hiding her body. She was dead tired from the continuous jog but she kept her mouth shut. By now she knew something was wrong.

Bast stood still, eyes shut and arms ready. Their tracker was too persistent. It lays still, hidden. But by now it won’t take very long for the being to make its move. He was now concentrating harder than ever before. Every fiber of his being is now focus on locating the hidden enemy. All of his senses are sharpening beyond normal. Bast activated his Primordial Meditation (72%) while standing up. The longer this pursuer delays, the more prepared Bast gets.

“!”

A shout was heard from the distance. The sun was now starting to set, making the visibility of the surroundings indistinct. The moment Bast found the location of the hidden pursuer, he quickly released a throwing knife at its direction. He opened his eyes and was shocked to find that it was deflected by an arrow and another one was now flying towards his heart. He was surprise to detect another enemy behind him, who was raising both daggers aimed at his neck and kidney.

A pincer attack!

Bast drew Apophis. Using a diagonal upward swing he deflected the arrow, breaking it in half. Without stopping his momentum, he followed the swing with a downward slash behind his back which was surprisingly dodged by the dual wielding attacker by spinning to the side. The Glaive was too heavy to carry, that when Bast tried to correct his stance and pull his weapon back, the dagger wielder kicked it near the base and it flew from his hand, spinning away.

1-

Finding himself outstripped of his glaive, Bast kicked the right wrist of the dagger wielder, forcing him to recoil and let go of his right dagger. Bast followed up with a spinning kick to the youth’s chest, giving him a valuable distance which he can take advantage of but another arrow soon came flying his way again. The arrows were too accurate and all aimed at his vulnerable spots. If he had known any better, it feels like he’s being fletched by an Olympic medalist athlete.

-2

-5

“

!”

*swoooosh*

“Woah!”

Bast dodged the incredibly fast arrow by swaying out of its way. It was unblockable. Should Bast decided to block the attack, he'd probably be dead by now. The archer was now standing atop a nearby tree to his right and was nocking again another arrow. He took his chances and equipped a dagger of his own and a throwing knife with his offhand. His attention not wavering the slightest, he took note of the position and the distance of his attackers and the terrain of the surroundings without forgetting to watch over Evelyne. He turned, again deflecting another arrow away with one swipe of the dagger. Without stopping he spun again and let his throwing knife soar and embed itself in the thighs of the female archer, who lost her balance and fell from the tree.

“Arrgh!”

-13

Now that the ranged was taken care of, Bast focused on his immediate melee enemy. They began slashing each other with the daggers. Now that he had a closer look, the youth has long black hair and droopy golden eyes. His figure’s skinny but his footwork and mastery of the dagger was very impressive and well-practiced.

(author note* there are some of you who will not understand these next paragraphs. To those unfamiliar with knife fighting. Check this link, just to have a comparison of what is happening in the fight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3I_dlku2PA )

Bast’s left stab was counter-flowed with a left stab of the boy’s own. While the boy’s right fist was swerved by Bast’s right hand, enabling him to palm his right hand to the boy’s face, robbing the boy with microsecond of a vision of bast’s dagger, hiding it in view which was now cutting upwards the boy’s body 7:00 to 1:00. The boy countered again with a 5:00 to 11:00 of his own, barely keeping up with his thrusts.

-1

1-

-2

-2

1-

-1

-3

The boy stepped twice, first with a sweep followed with a forward, all at the same time delivering a six-combo technique: right hand heart stab left hand-right shoulder control followed with a 6:00-12:00 right hand upward slash left hand defensive control followed by a swipe hand left change vice grip 2:00-7:00 rip technique right hand punch left knee kick followed by a spin kidney right handed stab and a control right hand block while doing a 4:00-10:00 exit.

1-

3-

-1

-1

-2

1-

1-

1-

It was done all in 3 seconds. It was enthralling.

But Bast wasn’t one to sit by and let this happen. He counter-flowed and controlled the attacks with a counter combo of his own. The intervals of the boy were poorly executed and painfully slow which he took advantage of. However, Bast cannot make a killing move as the archer was sniping him from the back. This continued for almost a quarter of an hour.

-5

-1

1-

2-

2-

It looks like both of them were dancing, with blade sparks erupting here and there. The boy’s mastery of the clock system was extensive, with the slashes coming from insane angles coupled with lunges and stabs intermixed within his knife play. The flow of his dagger techniques was perfect but the patterns were readable. The boy’s slashing transitions was being read and interrupted by Bast who quickly counters with slashes of his own. Bast was gaining the upper hand but an arrow enbedded itself in his lower back. Bast immediately used Phantasm and positioned himself towards the Boy and the archer and not in between.

16-

2- bleeding damage/ sec/4 sec

“You…you’re a master of using Kali. Which Filipino clan trained you?! Lightning Arnis Clan? Black Eagles? Sagasa Escrima? Dagang Kidlat? Inosanto? Marcaida Kali?!”

Gritting his teeth, Bast didn’t answer. The reason he did not kill the attackers was partially because they were human. And Bast never killed one of his kind before, but now, his morality is being conflicted. He also partially wanted to test their skills. He wasn’t disappointed with what he saw. They were good. And most probably will survive this post-apocalyptic world.

But playtime’s now over.

They were going to kill him so it was only right to defend himself. He was now in the zone. It was either kill or be killed. He now had a grasp of the archer’s timing, aim, and shot intervals and complete read of the dagger wielding youth. He pulled both mana and stamina towards his feet and activated his movement skill, Phantasm!

The two, sensing the change in the atmosphere, readied themselves. The archer shot her arrows consecutively without pause. The boy threw knives towards him as well but they cannot make a solid hit in. Bast was moving too fast, leaving afterimages while doing a weird S-shaped movement towards them. He reached the boy who made a sensible footwork who, at the same time, swung his dagger horizontally. Bast counter-flowed, swung his dagger to match the youth’s and with a flick of his wrist, controlled the boy’s dominant hand with the dagger by locking the blunt end of his own dagger against the boy’s wrist and pulling the boy’s hand towards him.

“Bast stop!”

Bast quickly followed again with another control by utilizing an over the elbow shoulder lock with left hand control, pointing the boy’s dagger in boy’s own back. Bast teleported with the boy, behind the archer and was about to slit her throat when Bast heard Evelyne’s voice. It was now sundown, a red gleam was now on the horizons. Three moons now hung on the eternal azure night skies, lighting the dark forest with pale light. It was the perfect setting for Bast's first human kill.

“SEBASTIAN STOOOOOP!”

(tbc)