OLN: 3D/2D

[Swordstriker21]

Will do. Thanks for all the help. I'll try to edit the chapters as soon as I can.

[gamerbaki]

First of all... it is a good story.

It seems that you really like games so much that you really integrated every game-term you know in this story, which is heavily supports your concept here.
Somehow, I feel that I'm like reading Log Horizon as I read through your chapters (although I just read a little about it).

I'll put in the spoiler's block everything that could be a spoiler.

Spoiler! :

It took quite long for that plot to start and somehow, it didn't have much of an impact since Ice just become an adventurer. The way Ice was dragged into humorous situation gives me the entertainment though.

But seriously, the serious atmosphere I've been feeling of by the time I read the prologue shattered by the time he was sent off to El Fabula. Also, it is more like of a parody epic adventure story to me than some sort of a heroic story.

Anyway, since I just the beginning of it so I hope that things will change as the story goes by.

Next is about sentence construction...
I won't tell it again since Kanda has said it before.
Just do some footnoting about it. Also, change some Filipino terms into English terms since you are targeting readers aside from us,Filipinos.

Also with that *sigh* and *giggle* part, you can change it into something that is narrative. Anyway, Kanda had said before so I won't elaborate it further.


So, that's it. I just finished reading it in one sitting and for a Filipino like me, it is a good story but in order for other foreign readers to get interested on your novel, you can follow our suggestions as your references.

Good luck!

--gamerbaki

[Swordstriker21]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm self editing the story right now and I plan to work on it little by little as I go along. As for your impressions on the story...

Spoiler! :

I plan to work on developing the plot a bit slowly compared to some other works. Right now, I'm leaving the motives of the ones who sent Ice to El Fabula a mystery. It isn't something so complicated though. Quite simple really.

I'm heavily influenced by Korean novels such as Ark and, of course, The Legendary Moonlight Sculptor, so the tone shifted a bit to a less serious atmosphere. Things will pick up again after a while. I promise

[Swordstriker21]

Chapter 8: Exclusive Class

Spoiler! :

Ice entered the exam room after getting his exam materials and scanned it for a vacant seat. He found a spot near the front and proceeded to make himself comfortable. He was, however, stopped with a yell from somebody who just entered.

“Hey! New guy! Yeah, I’m talkin you! That’s Mr. Nigel’s seat. Don’t you just go ahead and take it for yourself.”

The voice came from a mean looking young man that seemed to have his face permanently fixed into a scowl. Ice directed questioning eyes towards an exam participant nearby that seemed to ask ‘The seats are designated?’ and found him shaking his head slowly but shrugged afterwards seemingly saying ‘No. But these kinds of things happen. Best of luck.’ and turned away.

“What’s wrong squirt? What’s with that stupid look on your face? Don’t tell me you didn’t know this seat was reserved for my master huh?”

Ice had pretty much guessed what this development would lead to next, but tried to appease the scowling man anyway. It won’t be good to cause anymore of a scene.

“I’m sorry sir. It’s my first time taking the exam so I didn’t know this seat was taken. Please pardon my rudeness.”

It seems the man wasn’t convinced and still kept his confrontational attitude.

“What do you mean new? You think that’s enough of an excuse?! I think I still need to drag you in front of my master so you can apologize proper and all. And even then, I’m not sure he’s gonna let this insult pass so easily.”

Ice tried not to let the guy’s juvenile behavior get to him too much and fought the urge to punch him square in the face. He continued to apologize and hoped this incident would just pass unnoticed.

A young man with an arrogant air entered the room a few moments later and went straight to where the pair was arguing.

“Is something the matter Lem? What are you doing with this sorry looking chap here?”

“Master Nigel! I was just lecturing this fellow about how rude it was to try and take a seat in your personal chair sir! Hey you! This here is my esteemed master, Lord Nigel Falwynd Garland. Bow your head good and proper and pay your respects commoner!”

Ice glanced at the young man the guy with the constant scowl introduced as his master and came to one conclusion:

“___Oh boy. Odious jerk detected. I bet he’ll be all condescending and stuff. I see your type a lot idiot. And you’re usually two-bit side characters or villains who only have minor roles and serve as punching bags. YOU bow down before ME twerp!”

“Greetings my lord. I’m truly sorry about this matter. Can you find it in your heart to forgive this humble commoner.”

A complete 180! Ice completely suppressed his urge to go all ‘rage mode’ on these guys. He thought it unwise to make enemies this early. He felt it’ll save him a lot of trouble later on if these guys didn’t pay any unwarranted attention towards him.

“Hmmm… No matter. You don’t seem very bright anyway. Let him go Lem. Talking to him would be just a waste of time.”

It seems he dismissed him as nothing special. Good.

“You got lucky punk. Don’t let me catch you again or you’ll be sorry!”

“Certainly. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

Ice hurriedly went over to the back of the room and looked for any more available seats. Then someone called him over in a low voice.

“Hey! Heeey! New guy! Over here. Sit beside me. This one’s empty.”

It was a slender young man with delicate features. Or so Ice thought. Actually, closer inspection revealed an all too feminine face. She was wearing something like a flat cap and masculine clothes so one would mistake her as male if one only gave her a quick glance.

“Thanks miss. That’s really kind of you.”

“!!!…”

The girl suddenly made a surprised face after Ices’ words of thanks.

Ice made a surprised face himself, but for an entirely different reason. “___Don’t tell me she really expected that get up to fool anyone.” he thought, slightly amused by the silliness of the assumption.

“…How did you know?”

“Huh?”

“How did you know I was a woman? Even the staff didn’t notice!”

“Eh? Seriously? But, I mean, you have a really pretty face so…” A bit taken aback by her sudden outburst, Ice just blurted out what was in his head without much thought.

“!!!…”

The girl made another surprised face, this time with a hint of redness in her cheeks and turned away.

“But Rosseane said this disguise was perfect…” she mumbled.

“Umm… Miss?”

“Y-Yes? Ugh, never mind. You have a really good eye.”

“Uh, yeah. My name’s Ice. Pleased to meet you miss…?”

“Oh, I’m Th-…”

The girl hesitated when she was about to introduce herself, puzzling Ice. Suspicious. Very suspicious.

“T-Thalia! Y-Yep. My name’s Thalia. Pleased to meet you too Ice.”

“___That’s obviously a lie. You just averted your eyes miss. Oh, well. I guess she has her reasons. And she did invite me to sit beside her.”

Ice decided to not sweat the details once again and made himself comfortable. Besides, he’d rather sit with a pretty girl than a bunch of stern looking guys. Still though, he was curious as to why this girl would want to do something as silly as dressing up as a boy. Most of the anime heroines that do that turn out to be royalty on the run or something. Ice decided to probe a little bit after all.

“Is it your first time taking the test too?” he asked

“Well… kind of. I’ve had the chance to observe the test proceedings a number of times but this is the first time I’m actually taking part in the test myself.”

Ice was surprised by her answer because of the implications it entailed. He probed further.

“Eh? You can do that? Well sure I heard that the test procedure hasn’t actually changed all that much, but you can
actually just come in as a spectator? That still seems far too lax for a so called test.”

“Err… Well… Y-You still gotta have the right connections in order to be allowed to watch.”

“Connections? What kind of connections?”

“J-Just connections. Y-You know… The super special ones.”

“So does that mean you’re actually from a family that can afford to make these so called ‘super special’ connections’?”

Thalia averted her eyes from Ices’ curious gaze and trembled slightly, hesitating about how to respond. She just went into an outburst once more after not being able to think of any suitable excuse in her panic. “Eh? N-No! Well… Uh… Umm… Aaah! Don’t ask so many questions! Don’t you know it’s rude to ask about a lady’s secrets?”

“So you do have secrets. And I thought you were actually trying to hide the fact that you were a lady.” Ice teased in a wry tone.

“Meanie! Hmph! Why did I even bother helping someone like you.”

Thalia pouted and turned away with a huff. Ice decided to stop teasing her and erased the wry smile plastered on his face.

“___Geez. This girl is just so fun to tease. I was doing it before I even noticed. She’s really just like Mary…”

Mary L. dela Cruz was Ice’s 6 years younger cousin who lived just beside their home in Pangasinan. They’ve been pretty close since they were kids. She was very gullible and he really liked leading her on and teasing her because of her reactions. Their spats would generally be resolved with some chocolate chip cookies anyway.

She was a bit cheeky and they also had some pretty nasty quarrels from time to time but Ice loved her like the little sister he never had nonetheless. He was constantly worried about her because she just really wore her heart on her sleeve and was really easy to read. He was a bit of the same though so it’s not like he had the right to lecture her.

This girl, Thalia(?), had the same feel about her as his cousin. Ice felt a bit of nostalgia and melancholy while looking at her sulking figure.

“I’m sorry Miss Thalia. Maybe the thing from earlier still has me on edge. Sorry for using you to blow off some steam.”

“Oh honestly! You shouldn’t do that! It was pretty rude!”

‘Yeah. I’m reflecting on it. I really am grateful for your help.”

“Hmph! O-Okay. I forgive you. You should be thankful I have such a tolerant heart.”

“Haha. Yeah. Anyway, hope we get along from now on.”

“…Likewise.”

The little argument finished with a curt handshake, and, feeling silly about the entire exchange, both of them had wide grins appear on their faces and shared a quiet laugh.

“What was up with those two back there anyway? Do you know them Miss Thalia?”

“Thalia’s fine. Gives me the shivers being addressed as ‘Miss’ all the time. Yeah, I know them. That insufferable, disgustingly pompous and pretentious idiot over there is Nigel Falwynd Garland. He’s the heir to the Garland household. His father and the current prince reagent are cousins. And that rude thug with him is Lem Richardson. Believe it or not, he’s actually a butler apprentice, as utterly absurd as that sounds.”

As she described them, Thalia’s face contorted to one filled with utter disgust. It seemed she and them were at least acquainted.

“So he’s pretty high up in the social hierarchy ladder. Guess that explains why he’s acting like he’s the most important person in here.”

Thalia held an appalled look on her face after Ice's comment. It seems that statement struck a chord with her.

“N-Not everybody acts as disgustingly arrogant as he does. We may be nobles but we don’t see acting all self-important as a positive thing either. Please don’t lump us up with that idiot!”

“…So, you were a noble lady eh? Now that’s interesting.”

Ice didn’t even mean to lead the conversation in that direction, but Thalia went ahead and spilled the beans on her own.

“___She really is just like Mary. Never knows when to keep mum for the life of her.”

It seemed that Thalia was only just now realizing her blunder and her brow slowly creased in frustration.

“F-Forget what I said just now! You heard nothing!” she frantically replied, a blush noticeable on her well featured face.

She was desperately trying to gloss it over. Ice just decided to let it slide after all.

He gestured towards his ear and stuck his finger in slightly. “I heard nothing. I seem to have something stuck in my ear…”

Thalia gave an awkward smile. She apparently knew just how unreasonable she was being and was grateful to Ice for letting go of the matter.

Ice, in turn, gave her a ‘think nothing of it’ look and he saw her smile blossom into one so enchanting, he forgot to breathe for a moment.

“___Gaaah! Why are 2D girls so damn cute?! They tear through my defenses like it was paper...”

(In truth, Ice already had paper thin defenses against a woman’s smile, but let’s just leave that matter be as well and allow him to keep his small measure of pride for being a ‘mature individual’ shall we.)

***

All the chatter in the room died down as soon as Misha entered and stepped up to the podium in front. She eyed the entire exam room and began speaking after coughing slightly in order to clear her throat a bit.

“Good day ladies and gentlemen. My name is Misha Klein and I’ll be your Test Administrator for this year’s Class Change Test. As you all might very well know, we are starting with a written exam. I’ll be explaining things for the benefit of the first time takers.

The questions are all about the basics of being an adventurer and a general test of character. This will not be officially inputted for evaluation by ‘The System’ but will instead be reviewed by a panel of CQMA officials and judged accordingly.

All those who do not pass will of course not be given the right to participate in the test proper. So please take this seriously and answer to the best of your knowledge. The exam will be over in exactly 20 minutes. All those who fail to submit their answer sheets within the allotted time will also automatically fail so do not tarry and try to finish it as soon as possible.”

Misha handed out the questionnaire to every table without missing a beat in her explanations. She really fit the strict teacher archetype to a tee. Several people who acted as proctors stood near the walls and made sure that no one made a head start by opening theirs ahead of time.

“Do you all have your materials ready?”

Everybody nodded their heads in affirmation.

“Very well, begin.”

Ice quickly turned to the first page of the questionnaire and started answering.

***
Ice was doing pretty well. Most of the questions were about things that were familiar to him – basic knowledge like the functions and effects of the different stats, an Initiate's two basic skills, monster drops and the like. He was breezing through the questions with a delighted look that seemed to imply he still had plenty to spare. It didn’t take all that long for him to arrive at the final question.

“___’What does becoming an adventurer mean to you?’ huh. Sure feels like a standard written exam just before a job interview. It even has an essay question.” he mused as he marveled at the peculiar resemblance.

Ice answered it immediately, not taking much time to pause for thought. For him, the answer was already given. It was not that grandiose a reason. One might even call it petty or selfish. But right now, he didn’t care. He was just being honest with himself. He’s failed to do that for the longest time after all.

He was the very first one to finish.

***
A number of people were seated around a long table in a large room located on the second floor of the CQMA building.

This was the main conference room and it was presently occupied by several individuals who were busily checking the papers of those who took the exam.

“Do we have the results?” asked a well-built middle aged man whose unruffled beard sported shades of gray. He looked more akin to a mercenary than anything else and looked quite out of place in the academic robes he was currently donning.

A bespectacled young man nodded and answered in the affirmative.

“Yes director. All in all, there is a total of 22 participants who passed the written exam.”

The man who was called ‘director’ stroked his unruly beard and closed his eyes in thought.

“Hmmm. An average number this time. There really seems to be quite a steep drop in the quality of applicants in these past few years. It’s a little worrying how they care so little for the fundamentals and only put emphasis on things like who has the bigger sword. Haah.”

He made a disappointed sigh and looked to the man seated beside him with curious eyes.

“I must say Your Highness, you look mightily pleased after perusing through those test papers. Did you find anything interesting? Your daughters answer to the final essay question perhaps. Did she write ‘So I can please my wonderful daddy’ as the answer?”

He lightly teased his friend, knowing full well how much of a doting parent he was.

The man addressed as ‘Your Highness’ looked back and faced his old friend with an incredulous face. He was Lord Alder Falwynd Ricksvale III, current Prince Reagent of the Principality of Ricksvale and long time comrade of the managing director of the CQMA Ricksvale branch, Roald Danhurst.

“Roald, I’m not that much of a doting father you know. And you certainly have the nerve to tell me that considering you also adore your daughter to the point that she already hates you for it.” Lord Alder shot back with a mischievous grin.

The pairs’ loud laughter echoed throughout the room. They once traveled El Fabula together as adventurers and shared a deep friendship. That was why they could point out each other’s troubles and tease the other with them without much reservation. They were already akin to brothers.

“But, honestly speaking, both of them really take after their mothers so much. Their willfulness knows no bounds. To think Rosseane would even help her put on a sloppy male disguise and gave her a recommendation letter… My word.”

Director Roald pressed his temples and let out an exasperated sigh.

“Ahaha. Well, all we can do is watch over them old friend. It’s not like we can win against teenage girls impulses can we.”

Lord Alder patted his friends back, consoling him.

“You know Roald, my daughter really isn’t the reason for my interest.”

“Hmm? You mean there’s something else?”

“Well, yes. There’s someone whose answer to the final question was the same as mine when I first took the Class Change Test with you way back. It intrigued me a bit.”

Amazement colored the directors face after hearing Lord Alder’s reason.

“Hooh. The same answer as yours back then is it. I wonder what prompted him to give such an answer.”

“That’s what I’m wondering myself. Looks like the test this time will be quite interesting.”

“Indeed.”

The two smiled in anticipation as they looked at the paper of the participant named Ice.

There was only one phrase written at the bottom of the answer sheet – ‘A shot at redemption’

***
As Misha announced the results, it elicited different responses from the people gathered in the room. Some were jumping up and down in happiness. Some were unabashedly crying their hearts out – either from joy or disappointment. Others kept still in their seats indifferently, waiting for further instructions. Ice was among them.

He knew this was just the beginning. He took a quick glance at Thalia and found her doing much the same. She glanced back and nodded slightly, acknowledging the fact that she passed herself. Basing from what she said earlier, she’s already witnessed these tests several times as a spectator so she should have also understood that this wasn’t even considered much of an accomplishment. It wasn’t even inputted into ‘The System for one, meaning that this was more likely nothing more than a formality or a way to weed out the unworthy early.

Misha motioned for them to settle down and issued the next set of instructions.

“The ones whose names I called out earlier will follow me to the next test location. The ones who were not called will be escorted out by the staff. This shouldn’t even need any mentioning but I’ll say it just in case: Do not attempt to sneak in with the ones who passed the written exam to try and take the next phase of the test along with them. If you do, we WILL find out. And when we do… Let’s just say it wouldn’t be all that pleasant an experience shall we. Is that understood?”

Her last few words were delivered in such a cold tone, it felt like the temperature in the room dropped significantly. It certainly got the point across. Misha meant business. Everybody (including Ice) was drenched in cold sweat.

Her lips curved in a thin smile soon afterward, seemingly satisfied.

“Well, I think we’re all clear regarding that matter. Now then, let’s proceed. All who passed please follow me.”

Misha gestured towards the door and started walking. Ice and the others followed suit. They were lead into a large open room without any decorations or furniture. The floor was inscribed with a large magic-circle like engraving.

Ice thought it was somewhat familiar. He remembered why after a few minutes of searching his memories. This was the symbol he sees on the surface of a transport point.

The test proctors closed the doors after confirming that everyone had arrived. Misha promptly issued the next set of instructions afterward.

“We will now immediately proceed to the second phase. As you can see, this room is one large transport point that will send you to the location where the second phase of the test will take place. Your goal is to hunt down as many monsters as you can in ten minutes. There will be no restrictions on items and equipment so go all out and use everything at your disposal. Good luck ladies and gentlemen.”

After Mishas explanation, the floor glowed brightly, indicating the start of the transport procedure. Ice grasped his weapon tight and his body trembled lightly from anticipation. Now this was more up his alley.

“___Alright! Now that’s more like it.”

His heart rate increased and sent his burning blood coursing through the rest of his body. His senses were heightened. It was the product of weeks spent tracking, tailing and hunting monsters in the wild as well as Seas battle training.

His body was tuned into a state of battle preparedness. Though not in the level of seasoned veterans, it was still an impressive feat, considering it’s barely been a few months since Ice got any formal experience in real battles. Perhaps the enhanced traits of an adventurer’s body played a part in it as well.

He was completely engulfed by the light and once again found himself experiencing that weird sensation of floating on an empty void as he was transported to what will be his hunting ground for the next ten minutes.

***
Ice came to in the middle of a dense forest. He immediately scanned the surroundings to search for any presences.

“___There. 12 o’clock. Four small shadows within the trees. Closing in fast. Judging from their speed, size and movement patterns… Forest Lynx huh?”

Ice readied his Dirk and braced himself for the incoming monsters. It seemed these ones were already [1]aggroed from the start. It suited Ice just fine and he thought this saved him a good amount of trouble.

“___Heck, if you come running in after me like that then alright. Let’s go fur-balls.”

He was familiar with this type of monster since he’s already encountered and hunted them before. But he still kept his guard up. There was no guarantee these ones would be exactly like those found near Maleena. This was a test after all.

The lynx jumped out from within the foliage and went after Ice immediately. Ice fended off the first one by stepping aside to the left and kicking its exposed flank, sending it on a collision course with a large tree. A pair attacked from two directions simultaneously, jumping towards him with claws and fangs bared.

Ice launched himself forward with a kick and slashed the one coming up from the front right in its abdomen, bisecting in an upward diagonal direction. He used the momentum to jump with a spin using his left foot as a pivot to launch him to a position above the one trying to take his back, catching it behind the neck and slamming it down on the ground belly-first when they fell. He then stabbed his weapon directly on the creature’s forehead.

Since his Atk stat was high enough, Ice was able to deliver fatal blows just like what Sea did with the Sable Wolf if he struck at critical points or did massive damage to the body of the monsters. The two lynx who got fatally wounded immediately turned to dust. The one he kicked had about 40% of its HP shaved off.

The one who held back growled defiantly at Ice. It let out a piercing cry that echoed throughout the forest. Not long after, several figures started to appear all over Ices’ surroundings and completely encircled him.

Ice’s mouth curved into a savage grin, fully engaged in the feeling of battle.

“___Oh? Attacking in waves in order to tire me out huh? Fine by me. Let’s see who can hold out in the end.”

He relaxed his body to prepare for the incoming attacks. The lynx started to move without any warning, swarming from every direction with every intention of tearing him to shreds. Ice reacted accordingly and countered with a flurry of slashes, punches and kicks. His Dirk flashed, tracing a multitude of arcs in the air. It hit its targets with perfect accuracy, as if following a set path, leaving a trail of dead monsters in its wake.

Ice’s ability to read the lynx’ attacks was employed to its fullest. He brought all the data in his head about them to the forefront and dutifully used them as reference in order to avoid the monsters attacks and launch well timed, deadly counters.

It wasn’t all that easy though. The Lynx dealt considerable damage after all. His HP neared critical more times than he could count. At that point, he’d devote all of his energy into stalling and chugged health potions as fast as he could. He was thankful for the fact that the potions were only the size of a 100 ml. [3]Lipovitan bottle so they were relatively easy to down.

Still, drinking while being swarmed by monsters gave him major openings so his situational awareness and multi-tasking skills were put to the ultimate test. He didn’t care at all if his desperate dodges looked unsightly or if somebody else saw him. All he cared about was passing the test.

After a fierce struggle, every single one of the monsters was finally downed. All in all, a total of twenty two kills. Ice smiled in satisfaction.

“___Well… That was a good start. Let’s go with this momentum and hunt for more.”

Ice decided to move in order to hunt more monsters to increase his kills. There was no merit in not going all out in this situation anyway. He began to run and moved further into the forest.

***

Not long after Ice started running, he heard several voices just a few paces ahead of him – two males and a girl. They seemed to be engaged in an argument judging from the tone of their exchange.

“___Must be some of the other participants. No use sticking around then.”

Ice was about to turn around and head towards another direction but stopped in his tracks abruptly, realizing that the voices were actually quite familiar. Curiosity got the better of him and he moved in closer to observe.

“What were you thinking princess, coming all the way out here disguised like that?! Taking the Class Change Test of all things… Please just stop this nonsense. It’s terribly unbecoming.”

He’d recognize that arrogant tone anywhere – it was that Nigel fellow together with his lackey. They were bearing down on another person he was familiar with – Thalia.

“___Princess?… I had a hunch she was from some sort of noble house but… princess huh?”

Ice decided not to make a move yet and kept observing them. He needed a better handle of the situation. They were obviously acquainted so there was a chance he would just be doing unnecessary meddling.

Thalia raised her voice in indignation and retorted angrily. “Who gave you the right to decide what I can and can’t do Nigel? We may be related but that doesn’t mean you can just meddle in my affairs as you please.”

Nigel answered back with a slightly condescending tone. “You wound me princess. ‘Right’? ‘Right’ you ask?! Of course I have the right my lady. I AM your fiancé after all. I am just worried that something unfortunate may befall you in this dangerous place. Can’t I even feel concern for my future spouse?”

Thalia’s face turned several shades of red and blue from a mixture of embarrassment and disgust. “W-Wha- ? Since when was this engagement ever decided?! I don’t even remember any arrangement like that taking place. And father would never decide anything concerning me and my future without consulting me first!”

Nigel’s haughty looking smile widened. It seemed he was actually amused by Thalia’s reaction. “Princess, you know very well that would more than likely be the case in the end.”

He cupped her chin and stared at her with uncharacteristic fervor.

“The only heir to the throne of Gran Sirius is actually a woman herself. No matter how you look at it, a political marriage is out of the question this time. Your father, the Prince Reagent, should know that best. The heirs of the other top noble houses are either too young or too spineless to even be considered.

If that is the case, then you and I marrying each other would be the best course of action. With that, we would be preserving the proper bloodline and could, together, help your younger brother Prince Ricard in running the country until he is old and wise enough to hold the reigns of power on his own.”

Nigel’s tone was getting more feverish. Even Ice, who wasn’t at the receiving end of the tirade, was feeling really uncomfortable. There was a crazed light in Nigel’s eyes, although almost imperceptible. His words reeked of ambition.

He let go of Thalia’s chin and spread his arms wide.

“There is no better choice that I, Nigel Falwynd Garland, to be the rightful partner of an esteemed person such as you, my fair lady – Princess Thelma Falwynd Ricksvale. Thus, our engagement is nothing less than a given. And I will strive to fulfill my obligations as your consort to the best of my abilities.”

He finished his speech with a flourish and bowed. Lem followed up with a scripted one-man applause routine.

Thalia, or rather, Princess Thelma was trembling. She was unable to retort and only stood still in confused silence.

Various emotions were welling within her; surprise, fear and disgust foremost among them. She already knew of Nigel’s arrogance and his family’s desire for more authority. But she never expected him to be this blatant about it.

Ice was also disconcerted.

“___Marriage to your own kin? Preserving the bloodline? That’s a thing over here? Well, it’s not like I have the right to judge considering I’m not even from this world in the first place but seriously?”

Princess Thelma finally broke from her earlier bewilderment and proceeded to deny Nigel’s statements in a panicked tone.

“S-Stop deluding yourself Nigel. Who would even follow those kinds of old customs now? And besides, I would never agree to it in the first place. There’s absolutely no way I’ll even consider marrying you. Y-You stupid man!”

Nigel’s smiling face turned stiff, betraying his annoyance. He approached Thelma and forcefully dragged her towards him.

“What are you doing?! Unhand me! Let me go!”

“Now princess, don’t be so difficult. Here, just let Lem watch over you for the time being until all of this is over.”
Nigel shoved Thelma toward Lem with an indifferent expression and proceeded to walk off. Thelma’s eyes were tearing up as she struggled to free herself from Lem’s grasp.

Ice finally decided to make his move after seeing Thelma like that.

“___Rescuing a damsel in distress… and a princess to boot. What am I, a [2]shounen hero or something? Still though, it’s not like I’m apathetic enough to ignore something like a girls tears….. Damn I’m corny! Geez…”

He approached Lem with a complicated look on his face and tapped him in the back to get his attention.

Lem was surprised and turned around to find Ice sporting an immaculate smile. “The heck?! Wait, you’re that spineless twerp from earlier. The heck do you think you’re doing?!”

Ice continued to smile and replied in a nonchalant tone.

“Oh, nothing… I was just passing by and witnessed a young lady being harassed by two perverts so I decided to step in for a bit.”

Lem’s expression immediately colored with rage. “The heck you just say runt?! I’ll kill you!” He shoved the princess aside and threw a punch aimed at Ices’ face.

Ice avoided it by stepping lightly to the side. “___Too slow. Is this guy even trying?” he mused. Ice felt even a Pon-Pon could do better.

Lem’s breathing got rougher after a few missed swings. “Y-You runt! S-Stay put while I sock you dammit!”

Ice grinned mischievously and taunted him further.

“Are you stupid? Who would even get hit by those sloppy punches of yours.”

Lem was pushed to the boiling point and threw all his weight into a straight punch. Ice decided to stop avoiding and let loose an accurately timed cross counter (not that it was particularly difficult to match the timing considering their difference in speed).

Ices’ counter landed squarely on Lem’s face with a loud ‘thud’ immediately followed by an audible cracking sound. It seemed Ice broke his jaw. Lem fell down on the ground and clutched his face while he writhed in pain.

Ice knelt down on the ground and whispered words filled with contempt into Lem’s ear.

“Not as tough now are you big guy. Ever heard of the phrase ‘picking on someone your own size’? Well newsflash: It doesn’t always apply.”

Thelma was lying on the ground motionless. It seemed she was still confused. Ice gave her a reassuring smile and faced the only other person left who was with them.

“Greetings my lord. I was just wondering if I could also join in the fun.”

Nigel’s stare was fixed on Ices’ face. There was cold indifference. But there was also quiet rage.

“What are you doing, interfering with the affairs of those higher in station? Do you even have a concept of shame?”

“Well my lord, my mother did indeed instill me with the values of tact and respect. I just wasn’t taught that harassing a girl until she was brought to tears was actually something praise worthy. So forgive me for my lack of manners. But I’m afraid that in my ignorance, I can’t really help but interfere.”

Sarcasm was laced in Ices’ reply, earning a twitch in Nigel’s brow. There was no further reaction however. Nigel just simply drew the rapier from his waist and pointed it strait at Ice. The air around him changed, exuding a palpable amount of hostility.

“No need for further discussion my lord? Fine by me. Let’s do this.”

Ice readied his Dirk and prepared for the clash.

Nigel initiated the attack first. His rapier thrusts were both quick and accurate. They often came from unexpected trajectories and proactively aimed at openings in Ices’ stance.

Ice had a hard time deflecting or avoiding Nigel’s thrusts and slashes. He had practically no data regarding his opponent this time so he was forced to analyze on the spot and react accordingly, resulting in a comparably slower reaction time against his opponents attacks.

The barrage continued and Ice was slowly pushed on the defensive.

“___Damn! This guy’s tough. Guess he can actually walk the talk. This isn’t going very well…”

After enduring a couple of exchanges, Ice was almost certain Nigel was using some kind of uniform sword style. His attacks had a peculiar rhythm and form. Problem was, Ice still couldn’t completely read them. For one, he had little to no experience fighting human or humanoid opponents except for Sea. He sparred with her unarmed as well.

This time the opponent was using a weapon – a rapier. Ice was wholly unfamiliar with its attack forms and range so he couldn’t properly gauge the distance in order to successfully avoid Nigel’s attacks. He was barely managing with the Reaction bonus he gained from Unarmed Combat Mastery.

Of course Ice wasn’t able to do anything like completely understanding everything about the opponent and his or her style after just a few minutes of fighting. He was no master. He’s just barely gotten the hang of battles.

His earlier feats can be credited to ample time for planning and preparation as well as having enough material to study so he could get an accurate picture of his opponents – both of which he wasn’t able to do now. Nigel was just one step above him in technique and Ice fully acknowledged that. Still, he couldn’t just back down now.

Something about the fight bothered him though…

“___This guy’s just too skilled. I’m just being pushed around here. But still… it’s strange…”

His brain was running on overdrive, trying to find out just what exactly felt wrong. After a few more exchanges, Ice understood.

“___This guy… He’s obviously several steps above me. He’s managed to pry open my guard more than a couple of times now. He did attack those openings but… he didn’t fully commit. He’s hesitating. I don’t really know why but if that’s the case…”

Ice decided to go for broke. It was a desperate gamble but if this went on any longer it’ll eventually result in his defeat.
He was sure of it. So he was left with no choice.

“___Now or never. This is definitely gonna hurt though. Hoo boy…”

Ice immediately proceeded with his plan. After narrowly avoiding a couple of attacks he deliberately opened up his flank.

“___Alright sir. Here’s a perfect opportunity. Now go for it.”

Luckily, Nigel did take the bait. He aimed his thrust at Ices’ side and as he did so…

“___Spot on. Let’s do this!”

Ice suddenly moved toward Nigel’s attack. As he expected, the speed of Nigel’s thrust suddenly slowed down, giving Ice enough leeway to just barely avoid the tip of his rapier from piercing his side by quickly shifting his weight. Thus, the attack only managed to graze him. However, he still received quite a nasty cut. Taking advantage of Nigel’s few moments of hesitation, Ice gave him a full on shoulder tackle.

“Gggh!”

Nigel’s back collided with a tree. And before he could recover, Ice rushed toward him and slammed the tip of his Dirk’s hilt directly on Nigel’s chin, successfully knocking him out.

***

“Damn! I can’t believe that worked!” An ecstatic Ice exclaimed in half-surprise. Thelma rushed to his side with a worried looking expression.

“What was that?! What the heck were you thinking you idiot! One wrong step and you could have been skewered alive!”

Thelma immediately proceeded to scold him. Ice scratched his cheek and looked at her with an incensed face.

“I don’t really know myself princess. Excess adrenaline?”

Thelma’s gaze shifted upwards in a fed up expression and sighed.

“Ugh, men.”

“What? It worked didn’t it?”

“Aah! Fine. Let’s just take care of that injury of yours.” She looked at Ices’ wound uncomfortably.

“Ew. Nasty. Here, drink this. It should take care of that wound right away.”

She handed Ice with an ornate bottle that contained a fizzy ruby colored liquid.

“Wait. Isn’t this a high grade recovery potion? This is expensive right?”

Thelma placed her hands on her hips and replied with a slight frown. “You’ve already heard who I really am right? You still think money’s an issue?”

“___But it’s such a waste…” Ice thought. This particular potion restored about 800 points of HP. He only had a maximum of 420 points of HP after reaching level 20. It was overkill no matter how one looked at it.

Plus, this particular potion actually costs about 1 silver. Ice could only barely afford the ones which restored about 60 HP that went for 100 Bronze a bottle. If one looked at cost efficiency, this was clearly a waste of resources. Ice, who was so used to living in a tight budget could not bear this kind of luxurious over spending.

He made a hesitant expression and offered an alternative. “How bout I just cover this with spit and wrap it in some bandages. That should do the trick. Yep, let’s do that.”

Thelma’s frown intensified. “Are you crazy?! That’ll just hasten the possibility of getting an infection. It’s very unhygienic. Stop making such a fuss and drink this up already!” She thrust the bottle to Ices’ face with an indignant expression.

Overwhelmed, Ice was forced to just go with Thelma’s offer and grabbed the potion with trembling hands.

“___This baby’s worth one silver. One silver! It’s like I’m throwing away money. Damn…”

He downed the potion in one quick gulp.

“Well? How are you feeling?” Thelma made an anxious expression and checked on Ices’ condition.

Ice dropped on his knees with a face that was drained of all color.

“Eh? Eeeeh?! What’s wrong? Was that the wrong potion? Was the product expired?”

“…No… There was nothing wrong with it. It was delicious. Tasted like strawberry soda actually. My penny pinching soul just received plenty of damage that’s all… Just give me a moment...”

“I already told you money’s not an Issue.”

“It’s a matter of principle…”

Thelma waited for Ice to recover with a confused look.

***

“Alright. All good.” Ice had mostly blocked out all the negative feelings from earlier and had a refreshed face.

Thelma had her arms crossed and still looked confused. “Honestly. What’s wrong with you? You’re weird.”

“Ahaha. I get that a lot. Now then princess, what should we do with these guys?”

“Oh them? Don’t worry. People will be automatically transported out if they happen to lose consciousness or their HPs fall below a certain threshold.” Thelma explained with a ‘matter of fact’ expression.

“Hey, wait. I didn’t catch that bit from the explanation earlier.”

“They didn’t include it intentionally. Something about ‘recklessness not being akin to bravery’ and ‘properly assessing risk’ or something.”

Ice whistled, impressed. “Heh. Quite crafty of them. But I guess I can see the point. There’s no use for an adventurer who has exploring uncharted lands as one of his or her future responsibilities who can’t actually return alive. If we get drafted as pioneers they expect us not to just explore and discover but to bring back crucial info in order to asses potential benefits and establish a firm foothold. Can’t do that if you’re dead.”

“That’s it more or less.”

Thelma nodded in agreement.

As they talked, the bodies of Nigel and Lem were covered in light and vanished. “See. I told you. But how did you come up with what you did earlier? I still think it was really reckless.”

“I agree actually.” Ice replied with a slight grin.

“That guy was really skilled. He practically forced me to do that.”

“How’d you know it would work?”

“I wasn’t really sure. But I noticed that he had an aversion to fully landing critical blows. So I figured he’d pretty much get shaken up if I actually moved in towards an attack rather than step back. I honestly couldn’t win in technique so I had to resort to that to rattle him up a bit. I was also banking on the fact that since we were both Initiates, he wouldn’t really have much resistance to status ailments. So I aimed for his chin. I was lucky he was afflicted with ‘Concussion’ with just one hit.”

Thelma made a look that implied she wasn’t convinced. “But what if you were wrong? What if that was actually a bluff?”

Ice made a bitter smile and explained further.

“It was his expression. It wasn’t that noticeable but he actually cringed a bit every time he drew blood. I guessed he might have properly learned fencing but had little opportunity to engage in a real battle against another person. I’m kinda the same so I figured we were sort of similar in that regard.”

“So he was all arrogant and stuff and it turns out he can’t stomach blood. That’s just pathetic.” Thelma spat out with a venomous tone.

Ice shook his head while smiling bitterly.

“Nah, I wouldn’t say that. Like I said, I’m actually pretty similar. I also had plenty of opportunities to retaliate but I didn’t. I guess, subconsciously, I was also uncomfortable with the idea of attacking another person with a weapon that was actually fatal. I was kinda okay with monsters but yeah… Guess we were both just raised in a pretty peaceful environment.”

Thelma raised an eyebrow at that statement. “The Garland house? Peaceful? I just can’t imagine that den of wolves to be anything even close to ‘peaceful’.”

“No, that’s not what I meant. It’s kind of hard to explain…”

Ice had a troubled expression as he searched for a way to explain things more clearly. Thelma just waved the matter off with a frown and looked towards the distance.

“Don’t trouble yourself anymore. I probably still won’t get it anyway. Besides, we’re running out of time and monsters to hunt. They don’t [4]respawn quickly here after all.”

Ices’ eyes widened in surprise.

“Say what?!”

“Something about the miasma here not being thick enough. It takes a fairly long time for this place to teem with monsters you see - probably a couple of months. That’s why we can’t hold these tests that often.”

Ice made a frantic expression and hurriedly re-equipped his Dirk.

“There’s no time to lose then. How many have you hunted princess?”

“About thirteen before those idiots interrupted me. Don’t worry about me. I’m pretty good with my bow here.”

Thelma proudly showed off her weapon – a beautifully crafted short bow – and grinned.

“A bow huh? Right then. I’ll be the vanguard princess. You go ahead and follow a bit behind me and snipe those I fail to kill. You can finish them off if you want.”

“What? Wait, I can’t be more indebted to you than I already am. I can hunt on my own.”

“Nah. This is still give and take. I would feel more at ease if someone were to guard my back and it would make it easier for me to commit to a full frontal assault. We need to be quick after all. There would be no time for waiting for an opportunity to strike.

And besides, you’re also going to vouch for me just in case I get into any trouble because of today’s little incident. What do you say princess?”

Thelma smiled mischievously after understanding what Ice was getting at. She lightly nudged him on the elbow and let out an amused laughed. “Ahaha. Clever aren’t you. Alright, I’m in.”

“Great! Let’s go then.”

The pair sprinted towards the trees and began to hunt.

***

After a few minutes of frantic speed hunting, Ice and Thelma managed to get a total of fifty four kills. Ice got thirty six , bringing his total kill count to fifty eight while Thelma got a total of thirty one after adding in her previous thirteen kills.

Their bodies began to glow a short while after.

Ice wiped off some sweat from his brow and looked at the similarly exhausted Thelma. “Guess this is it huh. You think we’ve done enough?”

“Who knows. Guess we’ll see soon enough. Anyway, thanks Ice. And good luck.” Thelma smiled cheerfully and gave Ice a thumbs up.

Ice gestured back with a wry grin. “You too princess. Be sure to invite me to a palace feast or two sometime.”

He was teleported while being sent off by Thelma’s smile.

***

“Huh? What the…?”

As soon as Ice opened his eyes, he found himself in a peculiar place.

“What’s going on? Where am I”

There was absolutely nothing around him – just pure white ‘space’. He tried moving around and found that there was at least a ‘surface’ to walk on – if one could even call it that.

“___This feels like walking on air. I’m definitely standing on ‘something’… But I can’t see anything below my feet. Actually, I can’t see anything around me at all… What is this place?”

Ice felt a mounting sense of apprehension each passing moment he spent within the white void. There was no sense of direction. No sense of time. Only stillness. Only silence. A really uncomfortable and strangely ‘artificial’ sense of tranquility. It was highly disconcerting. He felt that he would gradually lose himself the longer he lingered.

“Just what the heck is going on?!”

His confused howl was mercilessly swallowed up by the void. There were not even echoes. The only thing that allowed him a flimsy grip of his state of mind was the feeling of cold sweat that dripped down his face.

“Why the panicked state young man? Is this place that uncomfortable for you?”

Ice was startled by a voice suddenly coming from behind him. He frantically turned around to find the source. But what he saw only furthered his confusion.

There was definitely ‘someone’ or ‘something’ there. But he could not properly make out the features. It was like looking at a blurred image on a static filled TV screen.

“Who-? What are you? What do you want with me? Just where the heck am I?!”

“Easy now young man. There is no need to be so afraid. I will not keep you for long. I only wish to talk. For my own curiosities sake.”

It was definitely strange. Ice could not make out the face of the ‘image’. But he felt the impression that the ‘figure’ smiled in reassurance. He forced his panicked mind to calm down in order to come to an understanding of what was going on.

“Answer my questions first. Who are you and where is this place?”

“Here? It’s a bit difficult to explain exactly ‘where’ ‘here’ is but… Let’s see… Ah, that’s right. This is both ‘here’ and ‘nowhere’. A by-product of the past attempts to successfully create and mass produce sandbox ADs. A ‘leftover’ if you will. And as for me, I have long since discarded my ‘identity’. Or rather, I was forced to discard it. So I am simply ‘me’. I do apologize if that answer proves rather… unsatisfying.”

The confusion in Ices’ face didn’t disappear from the vague answers the figure gave. He just continued to stand stock still, trying to figure out what to do next.

“I see you’re at a loss. If so, then please humor me for a little while. I only need ask a few things. Then, I’ll send you back.”
The figures voice was strangely coercive. It was akin to a ruler issuing a command to his subject. Ice felt compelled to agree despite himself and nodded weakly.

"Good. Now then young man, I only wish to know your views regarding a certain matter. Please do answer truthfully and without pretense.”

Ice nodded again, completely under the figures influence.

“If you were to live in a world where you were bound to follow certain courses of action – that is to say a ‘script’ if you will – would you blindly follow? Or would you aim for something beyond ‘fate’? Something… ‘different’?”

Ice proceeded to ponder the question and answered in a steady voice.

”Most of my life I’ve practically drifted in the current. I didn’t have to concern myself with anything too complicated. What happens, happens. It was a pretty simple way of life. But it was… unsatisfying. Frustrating. I’d like to think I want to be the master of my own fate. Making that an excuse for failure… I’m fed up with that.”

“What if blindly following would lead you to a better life. What if those who write the script led you towards a ‘happy ending’?”

Ice smiled bitterly and replied. “Y’know, one thing I’ve learned from reading and watching a lot of stories is this – writers are fickle creatures. They have pretty nasty mood swings too. Leaving your life to someone like that… I can’t imagine anyone that’s actually sane doing that kind of thing.”

“Even if your actions lead to someone else’s misfortune?”

“Would it make any difference? You can’t write a story where everybody has his or her personal happy ending. That would be pretty bland. It wouldn’t go over well with the audience. There always has to be one sacrificed in the end. That’s why we have things like antagonists and tragic protagonists right? I’m not so full of myself that I can be absolutely confident I won’t be cast in that role.

Misfortune would always be present – even in a life that followed a fixed script. And if you take out misfortune – if you take out the one thing that contrasts with happiness – just what kind of life would that be? Would you even recognize happiness? Will it still carry as much meaning? Will it even matter at all?

At the very least I, for one, can’t imagine such a life. And if I do fail, I’ll fail on my own terms instead of hiding behind a concept like fate or destiny.”

Ice’s expression darkened as he realized the irony in his words.

“___Perhaps there really was no easy answer…”

Contradictions piled on top of contradictions. It was pretty confusing after all.

Silence reigned between the two once more. After a seeming eternity, the figure broke in a fit of uncontrolled laughter.

“Hehehehehehe. Hahahahaha! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Interesting. Truly interesting! Now I understand why she was so taken by you. That’s right young man. A stagnant utopia is not worth living in! It’s out of the question! Nahahahaha! I look forward to the future you would bring about…

Counterpoint.”

Ice's consciousness slowly faded. As he held on to its last vestiges, he felt as though he saw the figures eyes for the first time. Mad light danced within them. Then there was darkness…

***

“***! **e! ICE!!!”

“Uuuuuh….”

Ice found himself sprawled on the cold floor of the transport room with a really major headache. Thelma was frantically shaking him awake and that act made his head hurt more. He brushed her aside and slowly started to get up while clutching his head with a grimace.

“Ugh… W-What happened?..”

“That’s what I’d like to know! We were transported out of the hunting grounds at the same time and I went ahead to finish the test. But when I came back I didn’t find you with those who’ve successfully completed the test beforehand so I figured you still weren’t done with it. I waited and waited and you still wouldn’t come back! I asked the staff and they told me they couldn’t find any trace of you coming to the final test location.

And then you just come dropping down unconscious in here all of a sudden! No matter how tried to wake you up at first, you just wouldn’t come to. I even felt your pulse stop for a moment! You really made me worry so much dummy! Idiot!”

Thelma shouted at him angrily while sobbing at the same time. There was even some snot coming out of her nose. It was pretty unbecoming of a princess. Ice felt somewhat guilty for being the one responsible for reducing a pretty girl like her into such as state. He was also a little touched that she was genuinely worried about him despite the fact that they were just recently acquainted. He motioned to wipe away some of the tears from her face and bowed in apology.

“I don’t really get what’s going on but… I’m really sorry. And thanks for worrying about me that much princess.”

“Y-You better be! Really! I was so worried I thought my own heart would stop… B-But what exactly happened to you? By the looks of it, you were never able to take the final test. D-Did you really fail? Was it because of what happened in the forest? If so I…”

Thelma looked really troubled by her conjecture. Her face was ashen with worry from the possibility of her being the cause for Ice missing the final test and failing. Ice patted her shoulder and reassured her.

“I don’t think that’s it. I somehow feel there was a different reason but… I can’t quite place why…”

Ice felt that he was forgetting something really important. But the more he pondered on it, the more his headache intensified. He decided to just stop for the time being. He was feeling really exhausted after all for some reason. Ice tried to stand up with slightly wobbly legs. Thelma hurriedly supported him by letting him lean on her shoulder.

“A-Are you okay? Is it really alright for you to move around like this?”

“It’s okay. I’ll be fine after getting some rest I think.”

They went out of the room and headed to the building lobby.

***

A distraught looking Misha went over to them once they got to the lobby.

“Mr. Ice! Thank goodness you’re alright. We lost all traces of you after the second phase concluded. What happened?”

Ice made a strained smile as Thelma let him down on the sofa.

“Thing is… I’m not too sure myself. I don’t really remember what happened after I got transported from the forest grounds.”

“You… don’t remember?…” Misha’s brow creased as she fell into deep thought.

“___Could it be? But I never heard this from Sea… No, if it’s her then it’s actually likely she forgot to tell me such a crucial detail like that… Really, that girl… But if it were true…”

She looked at Ice with a complicated expression on her face and made a request.

“Sir Ice… If you wouldn’t mind, could you show me your status window. I need to confirm something.”

“Well, sure. I don’t mind.”

Ice opened the menu and changed the display setting to ‘Public’. Misha sat beside him and moved closer in order to look at it. There was practically no distance between and Ice felt something incredibly soft pressed on his arm. He tried not to show it, but of course he was enjoying it. He’s a healthy, inexperienced, late blooming male after all. His nostrils flared up involuntarily.

“___This world may appear to my eyes in 2D… but this sensation is undoubtedly 3D! No, it might even reach 4D! Hmmm, interesting…”

Thelma pouted and made an increasingly irritated expression but held back her desire to scold Ice. Of course she was planning on giving him a good earful later – only to correct his ungentlemanly behavior with women of course. After all, what else would be the reason for her sour mood.

Misha’s gaze wandered to the top left corner of Ices’ status window. Her eyes instantly went wide in surprise. She hurriedly stood up, looking really nervous for some reason.

“Mr. Ice… Could you kindly wait here for a moment. I need to report something to my superiors. I will get back to you shortly after. We might be needing you to meet up with the director later so please refrain from leaving the building until I come back.”

“Uh, sure. Do whatever you need to do.”

Ices’ head still hurt and his mental faculties were still a bit sluggish so he wasn’t really registering everything that was currently happening. He just nodded in agreement since he also wanted a bit more time to rest and settle his headache. The high grade sofa felt really comfortable after all.

Thelma, however, was taken aback by Misha’s behavior.

“___Meeting with uncle Roald? But he doesn’t usually allow for guests even among the current active top ranking adventurers. Something about them just being ‘all flair and no substance’… But why would he want to meet Ice? This is really suspicious…”

She decided to check Ices’ status screen as well and leaned in close – just as close as Misha was earlier actually. Ice was surprised by her sudden action.

“___Oooooh! She looks really slender at first glance but she’s surprisingly full figured after all. Is it the clothes? Or the angle of lighting? We have another profound mystery Mister Sherlock! Might as well call [5]Conan-kun too… Truly mind boggling…”

As Ice had one of his pointless (and slightly perverted) inner monologues, Thelma’s gaze was busy scanning his status screen and got quite a shock from what she saw. Now she understood why the CQMA Ricksvale branch's managing director would want to meet with him.

“Hey Ice… stop your perverted daydreaming and come look at your status screen.”

“E-eh?! What are you talking about? I-I wasn’t thinking anything perverted!”

“Sure you weren’t. Anyway, just look will you!”

Thelma cupped Ices’ head from behind and moved it towards the top left of the status screen – to where his Class was indicated.

He was formerly an Initiate, but it seemed he was actually able to successfully promote. Ice blinked his eyes a few times as his gaze was fixed on his newly gained Basic Class.

***

Name: Ice

Level: 20

Class: ★Summoner

-Unique Class End-

*Notes

[1] Aggro – In MMORPG’s, it means that an NPC will attack preemptively, instead of only returning an attack.

[2] Shounen – it literally means ‘few years’ and generally refers to a typical boy, from elementary school through high school age. In the story, Ice is actually referring to the protagonist of a Shounen manga (comic) or anime. Shounen, in this case, refers to a demographic that targets the previously mentioned age range. Shounen heroes are typically a bit (or maybe more than actually) simple minded, bold, have strong senses of justice and, in a lot of cases, dense. Goku, Naruto and Luffy are some of the more known examples of this type of protagonist.

[3] Lipovitan – (リポビタン ripobitan?), marketed in English-speaking countries under the name Libogen and Livita, is an energy drink manufactured by Taisho Pharmaceutical Co. and its licensee Osotspa. Widely available in East Asia, it retails in brown-colored translucent 100 ml bottles, and its contents has a distinctive bright yellow color. Lipovitan is marketed to alleviate physical and mental fatigue

[4] Respawn – recreation of an entity after its death/destruction.

[5] Conan – Ice is not referring to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle but Edogawa Conan – the protagonist of the detective manga series Meitantei (Detective) Conan (or Case Closed in the serialized English edition) written by Aoyama Gosho of Yaiba fame.

[gamerbaki]

It seems that you are taking the suggestions of others thoughtfully.

Well, your output now is the mere evidence since, you had made your story more clearer than before. Although the footnotes took a bunch of lines there, but it still better than having none.

Keep up the good work!

[Swordstriker21]

I'm going to try and finish the next chapter by the end of this week. Been busy with work and other stuff. Thanks for reading guys.

EDIT: I'm nearly done with the proof reading and revisions. I'm gonna try and post the chapter sometime next week. It's gonna be a busy weekend for me so yeah...

[Swordstriker21]

The entire chapter is finally up... With a new title to boot!... Oh boy...

Chapter 9:Of Romance and Royalty

Spoiler! :

It didn't take long for Misha to come back. She immediately ushered Ice towards the stairs going to the second floor as soon as she arrived. Mild tension was apparent in her countenance.

Princess Thelma followed them like it was only natural. Misha only spared her a sidelong glance and shrugged her shoulders in resignation, motioning for her to hurry along, prompting a grin from her as she nodded lightly in satisfaction. She trotted towards Ices' side with light steps.

They arrived in front of large wooden double doors with ornate carvings on its surface; most prominent of which was that of the official symbol of the CQMA - a decorative shield that depicted a a large, brightly shining star with six points looming down on the world.

It was the symbol of the 'Guardians of the Light of Transcendent Knowledge' - the CQMA's old name when it started out as a knightly order that was founded for the purpose of safeguarding and managing 'The System' - the greatest legacy of the legendary beings that the people of El Fabula regarded as gods.

It was as imposing as it was grand. Ice gulped in spite of himself. But that was not because of the huge gold decorated doors in front of them but the pressure he felt from the other side of it.

"___This pressure is no joke. I'm guessing this is the office of Misha's boss. But what the heck is up with this heavy atmosphere? It's not exactly oppressive but it's not very welcoming either..."

Ices' thoughts were interrupted as Misha proceeded to open the door and ushered them inside. A tall figure stood behind a large yet casually simple table. Traces of gray peppered his unruly hair and beard. He wore a robe of black and crimson that, while fairly bulky, still failed to conceal his solidly built frame.

Sharp, piercing eyes were framed by a pair of gold rimmed glasses. He looked more like a warrior than an academic even with his current garb but, strangely enough, Ice felt no sense of dissonance from all these clashing features. Here was a true veteran who still hasn't lost his edge, Ice thought. A wise beast that hid his fangs and claws beneath a visage of calm indifference.

A deep and penetrating voice broke the silence that enveloped the room. "Greetings Sir Ice. My name is Roald Danhurst and I am the director of the Ricksvale branch of the CQMA. Pleased to make you acquaintance my good lad."

The greeting was cordial enough. Still, the oppressive air did not disappear completely. Even so, Ice thought it wasn't good to be so obviously intimidated and regulated his breathing to compose himself and greeted back.

"Likewise sir. I apologize for my present unruly state. It seems I'm still feeling a bit unwell from what happened during the test."

Roald lightly grinned and motioned for them to sit. Ice gladly complied as he truly was feeling a bit under from the pressure and the headache that assailed him, although the pain has mostly subsided.

"I see you have the princess with you lad. I heard of what you did during the second phase. Quite the dashing gentleman to come to your rescue isn't he princess? You already seem quite taken with him."

Roald's tone was teasing and Thelma lightly blushed from the remark as she pouted and offered an objection with her eyebrow slightly raised.

"Now just what do you mean by that uncle Roald? Ice really did help me out during the test and it's only fitting to be concerned about the affairs of someone I owe a lot to. Otherwise, it would be a question of my honor as royalty and as a person. Besides, this matter will likely concern the state as well so I can't very well turn a blind eye to it can I?"

"Is that so. Very well. Let's discuss the main matter at hand then." Roald hastily veered the topic off, knowing full well how much of a handful the princess was when one attracts her ire.

"___So very like her mother. Even the angle of the eyebrow is the same..." he sighed inwardly, slightly regretting the fact that he tried to tease her, given just how gullible and transparent she was normally.

It seemed that just like her mother, the late Duchess Helena Leon, the princess also has a propensity to change in demeanor when it comes to more personal matters such as a man she apparently likes. Though to what extent, Roald was not keen on probing further. His secretary, Misha, was also giving him 'the eye' so he had no choice but to back down with hands raised in surrender.

Ice was uncharacteristically oblivious to the atmosphere which may be attributed to the fact that he was currently not in the best of shapes and continued to sit silently while sporting a blank stare.

"Eherm!" Roald coughed intentionally to dispel the remaining awkward atmosphere and focused his gaze on Ice. "So, Sir Ice... I assume you already have an idea about why I requested to meet with you. Or do you still need me to clarify?"

Ice snapped to attention and thought for a moment. "Is it because of my Class?" he cautiously replied with a light voice.

"Yes, that's correct." Roald nodded in affirmation. "I assume you also know at least the basics about what that Class entails? You were recommended by Captain Seabelle after all."

Ice nodded slowly. "Yes. Well, she did explain the basics to me about what Exclusive Classes are. But I assume there's more to it than that right?"

He probed Roald's reaction with his gaze.

Roald stood up and paced over to the window. He opened it lightly, allowing the cool afternoon breeze to sift through the room, his gaze going towards the cityscape.

"In all of El Fabulan history, there was no other existence except for the 'Bestowers' more celebrated, feared and wrapped in mystique than the ones who held the privilege to be awarded an Exclusive Class. In most cases, they were special individuals, often finding themselves in pivotal roles that shaped the fates of entire peoples... Nations! And oftentimes, history itself.

Of course, there were a few who did not make even a tiny ripple in the tides. Some were because of their own folly. Some because of the folly of others..."

Roald made a bitter face after the last statement and paused for a while. It seemed that there was some deeper meaning behind it, but Ice deemed it prudent not to probe further as it might be highly personal. He waited for Roald to continue.

Roald faced them once more and, with a deeply meaningful look, he directed his gaze at Ice.

"The question now, Sir Ice, is which of them are you? What are your goals? What is it that you seek? Fame? Glory? Power? If you polish your gift, all of that could be easily attainable. I wish to ascertain which path you wish to tread with my own eyes. Of course, part of it is to sate my own personal curiosity. Since an Exclusive Class is so very rare to come by..."

Ice returned his gaze while trying not to flinch from the pressure that was reignited and fully directed at him once more as he replied.

"I am still unsure which direction my life will take from now on. Truthfully speaking, I lacked any kind of goal for quite a long time before some recent events altered my views on life and set me on the path of being an adventurer. As such, I think I still cannot satisfactorily answer your queries.

But still, actions speak louder than words as they say. You and the organization you belong to are free to judge me based on my actions from now on. If, by chance, you deem I am a dangerous existence, feel free to deal with me as you see fit.

But I will not just back down and await judgement, as insignificant as I may be right now. I have already resolved myself to claw my way out of the rut I am in now and I will not stop doing so for any one else's convenience. Please understand my lord. This time, I want to live fully for my sake..."

Silence wrapped the room once more. The gazes of the two never wavered and conveyed each of their resolutions. Roald was the one who broke the silence first, bellowing a hearty laugh.

"Ahahahahahahaha! Aaah, it's been quite a long time since I've met anyone who had this much will ever since your father princess. Truly, quite interesting. You can relax now Sir Ice. As you may have noticed already, that was just a little jest. No need to be so serious. Ahahaha!"

Ice smiled wholeheartedly. He felt comfortable with this man. There was hardly any false pretense when it came to him. Strength of both body and character. Truly, a person he could honestly admire. Still, Roald was part of an organization. And thus, he could not fully ignore the will of said organization carelessly.

"I think I hit pretty close to the truth earlier though. I don't doubt your good will my lord but you're still a local CQMA branch director."

"Hehe. Yes, well... Although I do have some responsibilities to adhere to, I also think it's still too early at this stage to be scrutinizing you my lad. I'll do something about those who may get a bit too paranoid about you. You have my word. And besides, you're favored by the princess. If I attempt to do something towards you, I fear my head would be rolling in the pavement of the castle square shortly after hehehe."

Roald gave a teasing wink towards Thelma despite knowing of her temper regarding these matters. Thelma, who was bit overwhelmed by the earlier atmosphere between the two, failed to give any proper response and just shrugged in exasperation.

"This country will not force upon you anything unreasonable Sir Ice. Some do forcefully enlist ones like you in the service of the state and of the royal family but here, you'll at least have freedom to do as you see fit just as long as you do not do anything detrimental for the country and its people. I think the royal family agrees with that course of action. Is my assumption correct princess?"

"Y-Yes of course. I give you my word Ice. I'll relay this to the court and my father as well. You have no cause for concern."

Thelma gave Ice a look of assurance and Ice smiled sincerely in return, thankful for the vote of confidence.

"Thank you. Truly. Ever since I found myself here, I've been blessed with meeting truly wonderful people. I will do my utmost to answer your trust."

Roald nodded approvingly and Thelma was caught off guard by Ices' sincere smile, causing her cheeks to redden.

"I also read in Captain Seyramour's recommendation letter that you have an unfortunate condition. Amnesia was it? This may be why we lack any information about you. But judging from the captain's... 'impassioned' wording in the letter and our conversation just now, I think it'll be alright to place my trust in you lad. Hahaha.

Though, to tell you the truth, I was actually a bit skeptical at first. The Captain Seyramour has been hit-or-miss with her recommendations lately after all. Truly, it's nothing short of a miracle why she's still able to hold on to that A+ licence of hers.

Truly bright girl that one. Only a bit too trusting I say. But she does have one heck of a temper. It's why we just approved your participation without really thinking twice about it. It's not wise to stare a looming storm in the face y'know."

"Ehem!" Misha coughed lightly and gave Director Roald an admonishing stare, prompting him to stay on topic. Ice smiled awkwardly at his surprisingly apt description of Sea.

Thelma's face shifted from a look of concern after hearing about Ices' apparent amnesia to a bewildered one after hearing of Ices' connection to the captain of her personal guard - a girl who even she acknowledged as an undeniable beauty. She felt her stomach tighten and her brow twitched slightly. She wasn't really aware of the reason why however.

"Anyway lad, feel fee to use the town facilities for adventurers as you see fit. You're one of us now after all. I look forward to news of your daring exploits." Roald patted Ices' back and laughed heartily.

"Thank you sir. But, if I may impose on your goodwill a bit further my lord, would it be alright for me to use the CQMA library for some research? I want to try and find out more about my Class if possible. The documents may have some clues to my identity as well."

"Of course lad. Anything you need. And enough with 'my lord' and stuff. That's too stiff. Just call me Roald lad. All my friends and loved ones call me that."

"Er... Sir Roald then."

Ice was reluctant to call the director with only his first name as Misha was staring daggers behind their backs as if to say 'Do not play along with his antics any more than you have to.' so he reached for a compromise. It seemed Roald wasn't opposed to it and so it was settled with that.

After some tea and snacks, the meeting with the director finally came to a close.

***
"Ice!"

Ice was suddenly tackled as soon as he came out of the CQMA building.

"You did it! You really did it! You passed. Congratulations! Ehehe."

The culprit then proceeded to bury her face on his chest while giggling happily, which resulted in Ice's face turning beet red from embarrassment.

"W-Well this is quite a surprise... I didn't expect this at all from you, considering how you are normally around us Sea..."

A stiff sounding voice came from behind them. Princess Thelma was looking at them with slightly narrowed eyes. Her brows twitched a bit.

"P-Princess!"

Sea hurriedly separated herself from the still dumbfounded Ice. Her cheeks were flushed red and she was flailing her arms wildly as she tried to come up with an excuse.

"I was j-just so happy Ice passed and got promoted so I just... w-well..."

"Er... yeah. You just wanted to congratulate him right? Nothing wrong with that really. Yup. No problem. Ahahaha..."

"Yes! Of course. Ehehe... Uh..."

"....."

The atmosphere quickly turned awkward. Sea and Thelma were evidently avoiding each others gazes.

Ice was also at a loss. He was at least able to take a hint, but he didn't have an inkling about what to do regarding this situation.

For a guy whose age equals the number of years he hasn't had a proper girlfriend, this was an exceedingly tall order, no matter how many romance series he's seen. Reality was different after all, as surreal and bizarre his current reality was presently.

"Well now. What do we have here? I have to say lad, it's only been a short while after you got properly recognized as an adventurer and you're already making waves. Roping in our most popular royal guard captain as well as our cute princess here... I'm in awe. Ahahaha!"

Director Ronald's laughter echoed in the city streets as he teased them unabashedly.

"Eh? Waaah! No director! This isn't what it looks like! Um..."

"W-What are you saying uncle?! It's not like there's anything special going on!"

Sea and Thelma managed flustered replies as Roald continued to laugh and gave them all a knowing look. Seeing the spectacle, Misha decided to interject in order to veer away from the current topic, perhaps as an act of sympathy towards the two girls.

"Ehem. Anyway, Sir Ice, I'd like to know what you plan on doing for the rest of the day. You mentioned going to the CQMA library. Shall you proceed with that now or would you like to do it later? It's getting pretty late in the afternoon after all."

Roald raised an eyebrow at Misha's sudden query that seemed to say 'Why'd you have to ruin my fun all of a sudden?' but she paid it no attention as she continued to stare at Ice with an inquiring look. Sea and Thelma sighed inwardly in relief, thankful for the much welcome intervention.

"Nah, I'm going to call it a day. I doubt I'll be able to process any information I learn properly while I'm in this condition."

"In that case, you'll need to decide on your lodgings for tonight. You could stay at any CQMA accredited inn within the city. There's a discount applied for all adventurers that have achieved a Basic Class as long as you show them this badge."

Misha handed Ice a bronze badge that looked like a miniature replica of the CQMA symbol. This identifies one as a Bronze rank adventurer and affords them several privileges like the aforementioned inn discount, the right to take on similarly ranked bounty missions and quests among other things, or so Misha explained.

The more achievements one racks up, the better the chances for promotion to a higher rank. One needs to be at least Gold ranked in order to be considered a candidate for becoming a pioneer and earn the right to join expeditions to the uncharted frontier lands - one of Ice's long term goals.

As for now though, Ice just wanted to lie down and rest. He was just about to ask about a good inn when Thelma suddenly interjected.

"That won't do. I haven't properly thanked Ice for what he did for me during the test so how about you rest up in the castle. Dinner's on me too."

Director Roald raised an eyebrow at the suggestion and revealed a mischievous grin.

"Oooh! Staying at the castle for the night. And serving dinner to boot. The princess is really going all out! There might be something like a night visit too Ice. You'd best prepare yourself."

He slapped Ice in the back and laughed heartily. Sea got teary eyed and looked at Thelma in shock.

"Eeeh! Is that so princess?... Are you really p-planning a n-night visit? B-But that's just... Waaah!"

"What?! No! Of course not! Uncle..."

Thelma and Misha eyed Roald menacingly, prompting him to stop fooling around. A wide grin was still plastered on his face however, which may be attributed to him being truly amused at the fact that his tomboy god daughter of a princess has finally gotten interested in a person of the opposite sex.

He was sure it would be amusing to see the look on his good friend's face once he finds out his daughter was already well in the middle of bittersweet adolescence.

"A-Anyway, what do say Ice? I'll introduce you to father as well. I'm sure he'll be interested in meeting a rare Exclusive Class adventurer."

Thelma was looking at Ice expectantly. Now, this is Ice we're talking about here.There was no way he would be able to decline her. He nodded weakly, influenced mostly by Thelma's pleading gaze.

"I-In that case, I'll come along too. I need to check up on my squad members at the castle too anyway."

Sea offered to come with them, apparently wanting to check up on her squad at the royal guard barracks in the castle. She was also radiating a sort of competitive aura.

"Eh? Uh, yes. Of course. You come along too Sea. You're the one who recommended him after all. You come too uncle. We need to formalize the Association's stance regarding Ice with my father."

"I'll have to request my secretary to come along too if possible."

"Eh? B-But that's..."

Misha was flustered by the notion of an official audience with the prince reagent. One normally didn't have this kind of opportunity come up just like that after all.

"Come on Ms. Klein. For me. You know just how bad I am with all that administrative stuff."

"Sometimes, I really wonder if you're just doing this to skip on work director."

"Aww. Don't say that. The royal chefs are really good you know. They do wonders with sea food dishes."

Roald looked at Misha with his best attempt at puppy dog eyes, prompting her to sigh in resignation.

"Ugh. Fine. But I better get a raise soon."

"Done."

Thus, the group headed for the castle with the princess leading the way.

***

Dinner was absolutely sumptuous, or so Ice thought. Director Roald wasn't kidding when he said the palace chefs were great at seafood dishes, which was peculiar since Ricksvale was nowhere near the sea, being situated between the Calder and Rigbaum mountain ranges along with neighboring Gran Sirius.

Apparently, the head chef came from Selsey, a bustling seaside town in the principality of Mistrobe, a ways south east of Rickvale, where he learned most of his recipes and leveled up his Skills. Why he ended up this far north was a story only known by him and the prince reagent.

Ice didn't care much about it though. As long as the fish was good, he was happy.

Director Roald ate with gusto, heaping large portions of each dish onto his plate. Sea and Misha had impeccable table manners. So did Thelma, although it was kind of expected in her case, being this country's princess and all.

Her father, the prince reagent, didn't join them for dinner, apparently engaged in some royal business or other. At least, that was what Ice got from the bits of conversation between Thelma and the castle steward.

He was worried that it had something to do with what happened during the Class change test. Nigel was the son of a royal family member after all. It's quite likely they wouldn't simply let the incident pass, even if Nigel was the one who acted like a creep. Family pride and all that.

Thelma flashed him a reassuring smile, seemingly aware of his thoughts. Ice smiled back in return, eliciting a prickly gaze from Sea. Seems he wasn't exactly out of the woods yet.

Director Roald looked bemusedly at the three of them. Misha also slipped out a light smile. She wasn't so uptight after all. But if even she would go on to tease them, Ice would literally have no way out, worrying him greatly.

***

Dinner went by without any incident. The prince reagent still showed no signs of returning anytime soon, but princess Thelma was hardly worried.

"Father will be fine." she affirmed.

"Even if it were related with what happened with Nigel, I'm sure father will find a way to smoothen things out."

She held great confidence in her father. He had always come through for her and her little brother. Ever since their mother died, he had had always been the sibling's mental and emotional pillar of support.

He had never doted on them excessively and disciplined them accordingly. But he was also kind and gentle; filled with warmth and love for his children.

Needless to say, he was a great parent. And thus, Thelma cherishes and trusts him unconditionally.

She looked around the long table to find that everyone had already finished their meals. She clapped lightly to get their attention.

"Right then! Seeing as we've all pretty much finished dinner, how about we take a quick tour of the castle. Father hasn't returned yet anyway. A quick stroll would be perfect to pass the time."

Thelma's eyes were shining in anticipation. It was pretty obvious that the one who was the most eager for taking a stroll around the castle was her. Ice guessed that she really didn't get a lot of opportunities to show guests around her home, which was understandable given her being Ricksvale's princess.

Director Roald readily agreed and, of course, he'd be roping Misha along with him. Sea agreed as well, wanting to check up on her subordinates along the way. Ice was also up for it. So the group went ahead with an impromptu castle tour with the princess as their personal guide.

***

Ice marveled at the architecture of Ricksvale castle. It would have been next to impossible for him to visit a place that actually had castles back on Earth unless he won big in the lottery or something. So he thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity, even if the place did look like backgrounds for an anime flick.

The castle gardens left a particularly deep impression. For some reason, he felt really calm and relaxed as the group spent a few moments there. It had been a truly long time since he'd felt that way ever since he joined the proverbial rat race after graduating.

Princess Thelma was also visibly enjoying herself. She was beaming all the while and there were actually quite a few times when she would brush against Ice and almost involuntarily grab his arm in excitement.

She managed to keep herself in check of course. Maybe it was partly because of Sea's sorrowful look whenever it happened. Thelma and Ice both felt a nagging sense of guilt whenever they got a glimpse of Sea's distraught face. Director Roald smiled bitterly while watching the events.

"___How painfully bittersweet..." he thought as he sighed heavily, remembering how, once in the past, he had also competed with his good friend Lord Alder for the love of a woman - the woman who would later on become princess Thelma's mother and wife to Ricksvale's sovereign ruler.

Perhaps in order to get his mind off from the bittersweet memories that now flooded him with subtle melancholy, director Roald turned to Misha, intending to tease her a bit.

"Why don't you join them too? From what I can tell, you rather seem to hold Ice in a much higher regard than most male adventurers we've come across. You're even willing to show him your smile."

Misha immediately shot the director a venomous look that seemed to freeze all the blood in his veins. Remembering that teasing this uptight secretary of his was akin to courting death, the director could only concede defeat and began to walk a little further away from the fuming Misha.

"___Oh boy. I guess I really was out of it huh. That was indeed dangerous."

The director could only bow slightly and give Misha an apologetic look while sporting a stiff smile. Misha turned away and no longer paid attention to him, allowing him to sigh in relief.

But suddenly, something caught director Roald's attention that blew away all his current thoughts. He immediately ran past the group and headed further towards the corridor, eliciting a puzzled look from the rest of them.

***

It didn't take long for them to discover the director's source of excitement.

"Cupcake! Toh!"

Director Roald suddenly leaped high up into the air, doing a triple somersault and dived straight down towards a young woman whose face was contorted into an expression of pure terror.

"D-Dad?!"

The young woman immediately reacted, bending backwards in a move that resembled Keanu Reeve's bullet dodging maneuver in the Matrix films, thus making the director rocket past her. He demonstrated great flexibility himself, correcting his posture in mid-air and landed smoothly on the carpeted floor like a gold medal winning gymnast.

The rest of the group went wide eyed at the sudden turn of events. Almost all of them had dumbfounded expressions. There was one exception though - Misha was engaged in a very rare moment of her face palming unreservedly.

The young woman did a double take and smacked the beaming director Roald right in the face with an expression that was a mix of both anger and embarrassment.

"C-Cupcake?! Why'd you go and do that? Aren't you happy to see your dear old dad. You rarely come home so we barely even see each other."

"Why do you think I've been avoiding coming home you idiot! What were you thinking leaping over like that? Seriously. You're always like this you stupid dad!"

"Um... Rose... I'm sorry to interrupt the family reunion but..."

Thelma called Rosseane's attention, not really sure about how to react to the father - daughter tandem's antics.

"P-Princess! But what are you doing here? I'd heard you were back so I was just about to come over but... Eh?! C-Captain! You too? But you were on vacation right? Eh?!!"

The young woman, Roseanne Danhurst, was getting increasingly confused by the moment.

***

"I'm really sorry about the unsightly display earlier."

Rosseane was currently bowing her head in apology towards the group, though Ice didn't exactly see the reason why she should be apologizing. The director was the one at fault after all.

They had moved to the receiving area of the guard barracks in the northeast tower of Ricksvale castle. This also served as the Sybilwynd knight division's general quarters.

They were also known as princess Thelma's personal guard and were the one's directly under Sea's command. Rosseane was actually her adjutant.

"It's alright Rose. We don't actually mind. Really. It's nice to see you getting along quite well with your father."

Everyone, especially Rosseane, wanted to retort. But after seeing Sea's immaculate expression, they all held back. Rosseane just smiled bitterly and took the opportunity to smack the back of her father's head. Director Roald actually seemed strangely happy despite the rough treatment.

Sea then proceeded to introduce Rosseane to Ice who was the only one not acquainted with her.

"Ice, this is Rosseane Danhurst. She's my second in command and also director Roald's only daughter."

"It's nice to meet you Miss Danhurst."

"Oh. Uh, likewise, I guess. Um, captain... Is this guy the one you were talking about over the comm crystal?"

"Yup. He's the one. He's got real potential you know. He also passed the test together with her majesty."

"Hmm."

Rosseane leaned in closer towards Ice with a scrutinizing look. Ice had a hard time turning away, now being fully aware of Rosseane's charm.

She had flaming red hair that gracefully fell down to her waist and sharp yet refined features. Her emerald green eyes exuded an air of vitality. She was, in all aspects, a truly lovely young lady.

"Not a bad face. Build is good too. And he has this air of maturity yet still gives off this peculiar sense of innocence. Naivete maybe? Hmmm..."

Rosseane cupped her chin in a gesture of deep thought and, after a short while, smiled mischievously towards Ice.

"Alright. You pass. You definitely qualify as boyfriend material in my book."

"E-Eeeeh?!"

Sea and Thelma reacted almost at the same time. Their faces were aghast and filled with worry.

"Ohoh..."

Rosseane grinned menacingly at their reactions. It was then that Sea and Thelma realized they fell for a trap.

"I see. So that's how it is huh. Interesting. To think they'd actually... for the same guy... Hehee."

"What the heck are you grinning like that for Rose?!"

"Oh nothing your highness. Just a word of advice for you and the captain though. Mr. Ice seems like someone with low tolerance for straightforward attacks. In other words, he's the type who's weak to pressure. So I suggest saturation tactics. Be assertive and don't let up. That way, he'll fall sooner rather than later."

Rosseane smiled brightly at the two young ladies and gave them a hearty thumbs up.

"What the heck are you saying?!"

The girls retorted in sync again. But they were visibly agitated by Rosseane's comment which was apparently evident in their inner thoughts.

"___S-Saturation attacks... As often as possible..."

"___Gotta be aggressive!... D-Don't let up..."

Their faces were beet red and steam was already coming out. Their eyes were spinning in and out of focus.

Ice felt chills down his spine. It was but a small premonition of the coming storm...

***

After things settled down again, Rosseane was briefed about what went on during the course of the day.

"So that's what happened. I thank you on behalf of the royal guards for assisting the princess Mr. Ice."

"It was nothing. Rather, I feel like I meddled more than I should."

"Nonsense. If I were there, then I would've knocked some sense into that pompous prick's head as well."

Rosseane showily cracked her knuckles and made a savage grin.

"Why weren't you there anyway Rose?" Sea asked.

"I'm off duty but some of you guys are supposed to accompany and protect the princess at all times. You're my second in command so it should be safe to assume you'd take charge of things, especially regarding the princess taking the Class Change test."

"I was trying to avoid a certain someone..." Rosseane mumbled almost inaudibly.

"Hmm?"

"N-Nothing captain. Anyway, the rest of the squad are competent enough. I saw no need to personally attend to the matter. Also, the princess requested me to stall for time so Lord Alder wouldn't notice she'd sneaked out of the palace until the test began."

Princess Thelma cutely stuck out her tongue out and made a 'guilty as charged' expression. Sea and Rosseane looked at her in exasperation.

"Wait. If some from the Sybilwynd knights were actually guarding the princess the whole time, then why didn't they appear during that scuffle with lord Nigel? I never noticed anyone else near us when I intervened." Ice asked with a perplexed tone.

Rosseane and Sea smiled knowingly.

"We've trained to be as unobtrusive to the princess' daily activities as possible so as not to make her feel boxed in and uncomfortable." Sea explained.

"Our squad specializes in blending with the environment. We try to be as obscure as we can in order to respect the princess' privacy while still effectively guarding her without fail.

You may not have noticed our men Ice, but I'm sure they noticed you. Maybe they judged your intervention would be enough and just let you do your thing. They may even have found you amusing" Rosseane added.

"___So, instead of calling them knights, maybe it's more appropriate to label them as ninjas or SPs..." Ice thought with wry grin.

"Where are the rest of them anyway? The quarters seem rather... empty." Sea inquired as she scanned the place.

Rosseane made a bitter expression and sighed.

"Uh, about that... The rest of the squad seemed oddly riled up for some reason. They were polishing their weapons and were asking if that sealed up ancient torture chamber was still in working condition. They even roped in some of the other knight squads.

Sir Killey and some of the other senior officers took them all to the Calder mountains to cool their heads off a bit before they caused any more of a commotion."

Rosseane gave Ice a pitying glance as she explained. Ice gave her a strained smile in return, finally understanding what she was getting at.

"___I don't really know the guy, but I better make it a point to buy Sir Killey a drink sometime..." Ice thought.

Sea held an oblivious expression all the while.

***

It was already late into the evening but the prince reagent still hadn't returned. After covering pretty much the entire castle grounds, the group decided to call it a night.

Director Roald and Misha went to talk with the castle steward to arrange a formal meeting at a later date. The rest decided to turn in for the night.

There was a bit of a commotion when deciding where Ice should sleep in. Thelma suggested one of the guest rooms in the corridor adjacent to the area where her private chambers were located. Sea objected, citing possible security risks as the reason.

On that note, she suggested Ice bunking in the guard quarters. But Thelma objected as well, citing that the accommodations would be inadequate to properly convey her gratitude.

Finally, Rosseane arranged a compromise and offered the guest rooms overlooking the palace gardens She later reasoned out that the location was suitably near both Thelma's room and the guard quarters, providing Sea and Thelma equal opportunities.

They both played dumb while blushing slightly and ultimately agreed to it in the end. Rosseane gave Ice a playful wink and patted him on the shoulder encouragingly.

Ice was peeved that they never really considered his opinion on the matter, but thought it better not to voice it out, mostly on instinct.

***

He was now lying on a large canopied bed with a blank look. So much had happened to him already. He was having a hard time processing all of it. He entertained the thought of inspecting his status window but refrained from it. Somehow, he really wasn't in the mood for complicated stuff.

He sat up and looked admiringly at the silvery rays of moonlight that were streaming from outside the open window. He felt drawn to them for some reason.

He got off the bed and slowly walked over, wanting to catch a whiff of the crisp night air. He gazed at the majestic gardens below and a sudden impulse came over him.

Wearing a mischievous grin on his face, Ice jumped off the veranda, clung to the branches of a nearby tree and dropped down with a soft thud to the garden grounds.

He once again felt awed by his newly strengthened constitution. He wondered how much more he'd be able to do as he progresses in developing his Class, though it didn't really seem like a Summoner would be a physical based Class.

Shaking off his current train of thought, he proceeded to walk towards the center of the garden, resolving to fully enjoy this impromptu late night stroll.

***

He finally arrived at the center of the garden grounds and gazed in wonder at the subject of his fascination; a tall and imposing tree that was situated right in the middle of the palace garden.

It appeared to be very ancient, yet it also welled with life. Its soaring branches spread majestically towards the heavens and it's leaves had a bright emerald sheen that glowed in the moonlight.

Small firefly-like creatures danced all around its grand frame, gathering in abundance at the topmost branches, adorning it with a crown of ethereal lights that glittered like precious jewels.

The sight took his breath away.

He marveled at the exquisite details of the wonder in front of him, now more or less quite accustomed to El Fabula's peculiar state of being. Everything appeared like a free flowing, well rendered piece of quality animation. But it was still fairly novel to him.

Ice himself looked like an animated character, but how he felt the world around him hadn't changed much. Or had it? He wasn't entirely sure now.

"It's beautiful isn't it? It's called Ylliria and is the symbol of our humble principality."

As Ice admired the scenery, a calm voice suddenly called out from behind him.

He turned around to find a tall, well built man with graceful features and a crown of wavy blonde hair smiling warmly at him. The man approached Ice with light steps and stood beside him. He was looking admiringly at the tree. The good natured smile never left his face.

Ice was dumbfounded for a moment but quickly recovered.

"G-Greetings your majesty."

"Oh?"

The man wore a bemused expression. He faced Ice and began to converse with him in a probing tone.

"How did you know? I'm pretty sure this is actually our first meeting. From what I've heard in the reports, it seems you're not actually from these parts young man."

Ice faced him and answered honestly.

"It was just a hunch your majesty. Your daughter has your eyes."

The man let out a small chuckle after Ice's reply. His smile deepened.

"I hope you're not implying that I have a maidenly smile lad."

Now it was Ice's turn to laugh. His first impression of the man, Lord Alder Falwynd Ricksvale, was rather pleasant. He hoped it was the same for the other party. There was one thing Ice really had to confirm with him though. He built up his courage and asked.

"Um... Your majesty... The reason why you stayed out so late. Was it really because of what happened during the test?"

Lord Alder sighed.

"Yes, it was. You don't have to worry about it too much though. The Garlands always had a knack for stirring up trouble. It's not like this is the first time I'd had to deal with them. They shouldn't bother you much in the future. At least not on my watch lad."

"Uh... Thank you sire. I've really troubled you with this."

Ice bowed apologetically towards Lord Alder. He grabbed Ice's shoulder and stopped him from bowing any further.

"It's all right lad. In fact, I should be thanking you. Thank you for taking care of my daughter."

"It was nothing sire. You have a really lovely daughter."

"I'm quite proud of her. But do refrain from making a move on her just yet lad. I'm too young to become a grandfather."

Despite him keeping his warm smile, Lord Alder's aura was strangely menacing. Ice smiled stiffly and nodded as if coerced. Lord Alder's aura returned to it's usual good naturedness as if nothing happened.

"___Man... Parents sure are scary..." Ice thought.

***

The pair passed the time making small talk as they gazed at the tree called Ylliria. Lord Alder was very welcoming and Ice enjoyed their conversations quite well.

Before long, Lord Alder began to talk to Ice with a serious expression.

"Ice, I'm going to be honest with you. In order to make the Garlands stop trying to have their grievances against you addressed, I had to take appropriate measures. I already revealed your status as an Exclusive Class adventurer.

The Garlands are pretty influential and have a wide social circle. It won't take long for this information to spread, at least among the members of upper society."

Ice nodded, slowly understanding what Lord Alder was getting at.

"There's bound to be people out there who will try and take advantage or make use of you. The allure of an Exclusive Class is just that powerful. I'll try to shield you from that as much as I can; at least while you're within this country's borders.

But once you go beyond here and head out towards the world, remember to always stay alert and act with caution. You can never be too careful. Though I do plan to assist you even then. Ricksvale may not be a large country. But we do have plentiful avenues of support."

Ice nodded and expressed understanding about Lord Alder's course of action regarding Nigel and his family. There was still something worrying him though and it showed in his slightly furrowed brows.

"What's wrong lad?" Lord Alder asked.

"Uh, well... Do forgive me if this sounds rude but... what's the catch?"

Lord Alder's expression finally distorted a bit after Ice's question. Ice continued probing.

"Why do all this for me? I get that I sort of saved your daughter and I know what being an Exclusive Class holder means, more or less. But am I really worth all the trouble.?"

Lord Alder let out a long sigh. He faced Ice once again with a resigned expression.

"This could be considered an investment. I risked antagonizing the Garlands because I judged you and your potential to be more beneficial to the country in the long run. Knowing Roald, I'm sure he's already assured you that this country will not bind you in any way. I plan to adhere to that notion... For the most part that is."

Ice listened attentively. At the very least, it did seem that Lord Alder would not withhold his intentions from him.

"This country has been lagging behind when it comes to the race for the exploration of the uncharted lands. In fact, the whole of Valis has fallen quite short to older, more established powers like Ehvenlande and Shaturia. It's not just lack of manpower. It's lack of talent.

Valis is young and does not yet have the foundation nor resources to compete with the rest of the world. Adding even just one more piece with potential will be greatly desirable for the whole continent. But it's even more so for the country where said piece hailed from as it had a higher chance of reaping more benefits."

Lord Alder looked straight at Ice, conviction apparent within his strong gaze.

"As I said, I and this country will not bind you to our services. At least officially. But a debt of gratitude is a powerful thing. Especially for someone who seems so painfully straightforward as you. Your eyes betray that nature. So I'm betting on that nature of yours with part of the future of this country at stake.

Things may seem peaceful in this continent for the moment. But I'm more than certain that not a few countries will let an opportunity to best all others in Valis pass beyond their collective noses. You may be just one factor. But not an insignificant one. They will attempt to win you over. What I'm doing right now is akin to an opening move. Is this a satisfactory answer lad?"

Ice smiled in self derision after Lord Alder pointed things out. But with this, he could somewhat accept things. Nothing was free in life. He held on strongly to that notion. He was never a big fan of the concept of altruism. After all, even the most benevolent person would help others out because of that feeling of self satisfaction.

Ice believed that if someone actually did help purely for the sake of helping, then either that person was extremely deluded, just plain crazy or is ultimately not human. Even he himself was compelled to help Thelma for less benevolent reasons. He does admit it readily. So Lord Alder's answer suited him just fine.

He decided to go along with the arrangement for now.

"I understand sire. I guess I'll try to live up to your expectations. Don't blame me if I fall short though."

"Of course not. After all, I do plan to offer you my support. You'll not fail that easily."

Lord Alder smiled once more. But this time, it wasn't a good natured one. It was akin to the smile of a shrewd businessman who just closed a favorable deal. Ice could only smile bitterly in return.

***

The young man had already left. Lord Alder's impression of him was indeed favorable.

"___But he's still painfully naive." he thought as he basked in the silver moonlight that illuminated his troubled countenance.

"___The Council will not stay silent for long. They will once again attempt to get rid of him to prevent any effects that may heavily impact the 'Lore'. 'They' should have already accounted for the possibility. But I see no signs of 'them' setting up any counter measures. Are 'they' really trying to use us to do the dirty work? Heh. Quite cheeky, I must say."

He moved his gaze towards the massive tree in the center of the garden.

"Hey, Ylliria. Sometimes I really loathe that eccentricity of yours. Of all things to choose to be reborn in, why a tree? You could have at least made yourself useful and helped me out a bit."

The branches on the massive tree shook lightly, as if in reply. Lord Alder grinned in amusement.

-Chapter 9 End-

[Kanda Hikaru]

Just wanted to point out that the possessive form of Ice is Ice's, not Ices'. I figured if I didn't mention it now, you would have a lot more editing to do later on.

[Swordstriker21]

Thanks. Will edit all of them later.

EDIT: Sorry guys. I have my hands full with company related stuff. The office Christmas party is coming up real soon and let's just say I have more than a minor role to play Good news is that the chapter is more than halfway done on my lap top. I'll post it as soon as I finish editing.

EDIT: Sort of a mini update since I probably can't post the entire chapter anytime soon. I'm working on it though. No, really^_^

[Swordstriker21]

My gawd I screwed up big time and forgot my password. Then I get hit with the blacklist thing... I'll begin fresh updates as soon as I can. I've been updating this thing on other sites so yeah...

Edit: I've also made some minor edits to the previous chapters to clear up some plot points here and there. I'll be posting the rest of the new chapters straight away. As always, I'll be relying on you guys for feedback. Thanks a bunch.

Oh, and P.S.

I still haven't edited changed the possessive form of Ice's name (Did I get it right this time sensei?). I promise I'll get right to it soon. No, really!

[Swordstriker21]

Chapter 10: First Summon

Spoiler! :

"Hmmm... Not on this one either..."

Ice's brows were furrowed in slight frustration as he pored over a stack of thick and heavy books. He was currently in the CQMA library, trying to research and gain as much information as he could on Exclusive Classes, the Summoner Class and the mysterious term "Counterpoint".

He had already made an audience (officially) with Lord Alder earlier during the day. His seemingly tacit understanding with the prince reagent puzzled the others present in the meeting, including princess Thelma. He was a bit relieved that no one attempted to probe further. He excused himself as soon as the formalities were finished and headed straight for the library.

"___I seem to remember hearing about the term during music class in my college days..."

Ice vaguely remembered his professor discussing the term but he couldn't recall the essential points.

He also attempted to research about the 'capital' the mysterious woman mentioned back in Maleena, only to realize that having 'capital' as the only clue wouldn't get him anywhere. It was a fairly broad topic to investigate on. He didn't even know which 'capital' the woman meant. He had pored through the historic records of Ricksvale but did not find anything deeply tied with 'Counterpoints' or 'Exclusive Classes'.

Feeling increasingly frustrated from the vain search, he decided to take a breather and switch topics to the more easily found info about the Summoner Class. Of course it was only details about the standard Summoner Class but the info might still give him a bit of a feel for his Exclusive Class so it wouldn't hurt for him to study the available material.

He looked at all the available material and took note of all the essential points.

The Summoner Class was a fairly balanced Class within the magic caster Classes. As implied by the Class name, it utilized summoned creatures that performed a wide variety of roles in and out of battle.

It had balanced growths for both MP (a standard for most magic caster Classes) and HP, giving the Class a much needed boost in survivability, which was a nice enough bonus considering the characteristic fragility of most others of its Class type.

It was a fairly popular Class because of its inherently high adaptability but was a little problematic because of the "Affinity" mechanic.

Affinity was simply put, the amount of trust and understanding between a summon and the Summoner. Without high Affinity, summons tended to ignore commands or forcefully unsummon themselves more often, which is obviously a fairly serious problem considering they were the bread and butter of the Class and without them, a Summoner was essentially crippled.

It's a parameter that's shared by Classes like Creature Tamers. But it was more difficult to raise Affinity as a Summoner because of the lack of passives that provide bonuses to increasing or maintaining Affinity.

Other than that, it was a pretty versatile Class and experienced Summoners were in fairly high demand because of this trait.

"___Seems somewhat troublesome." Ice thought.

He opened his status window and checked out his new Skills. Only one was highlighted and another one was grayed out. The other five had question (?) marks on them. The highlighted Skill read 'Ancient Covenant Summon'.

Ancient Covenant Summon: ★Summoner/Passive - [Allows one to summon forth guardians that adhere to the ancient covenants made in a forgotten age.] -Special Level Up Conditions-

"___Well, that certainly wasn't helpful" Ice grumbled. It didn't even hint anything regarding the so called 'Special Level Up Conditions'. As far as his research goes, there was no mention of a case regarding Skills that had 'Special Level Up Conditions'. He surmised this was just another one of the 'unknowns' regarding Exclusive Classes.

Next, he inspected the grayed out Skill right below Ancient Covenant Summon. It being grayed out means it's not unlocked yet. It does have a description though.

Summon Silverpeak's Fallen Conqueror: ★Summoner/Active - [Summons the once mighty ruler of the ancient Silverpeak mountains.]

Other Skill details weren't displayed. They would probably be up once he unlocked the Skill. Still, it sounded pretty powerful, even when just going by the Skill name. Unlocking the Skill would actually almost deplete his APs. But seeing as it's the only Skill available for unlocking, Ice didn't really have much of a choice.

Realizing that he won't be able to get much progress on further research, Ice finally decided to try the Skill out. He placed the books on the library counter and went outside.

***

Ice went to a small clearing just outside the city gates. He had already spent his APs and unlocked his grayed out Skill and prepared to summon. One cast consumes 50 MP and had a cooldown of 20 minutes. Considering he only had 150 MP, it was a major MP hog. The cooldown time was also quite long. He had to be extra careful not to let his summon's HP go down to zero that often or he'll pay dearly for it.

"___Here goes nothing!"

Ice activated a summoning Skill for the first time. His eyes were filled with anticipation. An elaborate magic circle manifested on the ground. Bright light filled his vision.

After what seemed to be an eternity, the light finally subsided. And what appeared before Ice had torn his thoughts asunder. He stood there, stock still; unable to process what was before his eyes at that moment.

There, in the middle of the clearing, stood in all its glory, a silvery white and robust looking creature.

"___Sup kid."

The creature's deep, baritone voice resounded directly in Ice's head. Then it proceeded to bite off and chew some wild grass growing nearby.

Ice was struck speechless.

It was a fairly sized and absolutely healthy looking male goat (Ram)!

***

"Ba..."

"___Hmm?"

"Bambi!"

Ice became teary eyed and ran over to give the creature a tight hug...

"Gaaagh!"

It earned him a swift kick in the gut. His face contorted as he grimaced in pain.

"___Call me something that cutesy again and next time it'll be right in the nuts kid." the goat(?) said telepathically in an annoyed tone.

"S-Sorry... You really reminded me of my pet goat a while back."

"___Oh please... In what way do I look like a damn pet kid?"

"But you have the same cute stubby tail..."

"___Do not describe my tail as cute!"

"Sorry..."

"...."

After a few moments of awkward silence, the goat(?) sighed and approached Ice. It plopped itself right beside him and once again began a telepathic conversation.

"___Whatever. The name's Ibex kid. Ibex Silverhorn."

"I'm Ice."

"___Mm. So you're my new Summoner huh. You look a bit shabby but you'll do."

"...So you really are my summoned creature?"

"___Yep."

"But you're a goat..."

"___Is there something wrong with that?"

"Err... No... I guess..."

"___For the record kid, I'm no ordinary goat. I'm a proud wild mountain goat!"

"Uhuh..."

"......"

Both man and mountain goat looked up and stared at the clouds leisurely traveling across the sky in silence.

***

At 'The Goddess of Plenty', a popular restaurant located in the central square of the capital city of Ricksvale, sat a very unusual pair. They attracted a fair share of curious onlookers that created a small commotion just outside the establishment.

One was a slightly pale looking young man and another was a goat(?!) who sat on a chair as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

"___Alright kid, we might as well start with the basics. How much do you know?"

"About what? My Class? Apart from basic knowledge of the standard Summoner Class, practically next to nothing."

"___So you gotta be taught from the ground up huh. Meh, that suits me just fine. You better thank your lucky stars that you got me as your first summon kid. I'm alright with guiding a rookie like you. As long as you're attentive and pick the lessons up quickly, I'm good."

Ibex shrugged and gave Ice a haughty look.

"Why do you sound like my mentor all of a sudden?" Ice retorted in a slightly annoyed tone.

"___Heh. Well, in a way, I AM your mentor. Think of me as a convenient guide as you embark on the beginning of the journey to greatness kid."

Ice looked unimpressed.

"That sure is a nice way of saying that you're sort of like a beginners manual for noobs."

Ibex remained indignant and kept his high attitude.

"___What? You got a problem with that? Just be thankful you got someone like me looking after you kid. If you summoned any of the others, I doubt they'll be as agreeable."

As the unusual pair engaged in telepathic conversation (meaning other people couldn't hear Ibex's retorts), a beautiful emerald haired waitress wearing something superficially resembling a maid uniform that was designed to expose as much skin as ethically possible (bared shoulders, midriff, a really, REALLY short skirt and white lace knee socks) brought two dishes to the table.

One was a triple decker hamburger with thick, meaty patties and the full complement of tomato slices, lettuce and cheese (with a hint of pickles). The other was a hefty slice of lasagna overflowing with creamy béchamel sauce and rich red meat sauce. It even had garnish.

"___Oooh! The food looks great. And the 'view' is even better! He he he. I sure did choose a nice place."

"...."

Ice continued making a disillusioned face as he stared blankly at the goat with flaring nostrils.

The sexy yet cute waitress looked at Ice with a face that revealed curiosity and mild confusion.

"Um... Mister customer... These are the dishes you ordered."

She placed the plates filled with food in front of Ice. He smiled bitterly and pointed across the table to Ibex.

"The hamburger's for this guy..."

The waitress' smile became somewhat stiff for a brief moment. She recovered quickly though; an evident result of the rigorous professional training she underwent as a waitress of 'The Goddess of Plenty' chain of restaurants.

"Here you go then."

She quickly placed the burger in front of Ibex without the slightest hint of agitation. She also arranged the tableware swiftly and efficiently.

"Will that be all sir?"

"Yeah, that'll be all. Thanks."

Ice answered, trying to sound as indifferent as possible. The waitress politely bowed and walked away. Ice couldn't help but notice her slightly hurried steps. She tried hard not to show it, but she really did feel a bit freaked out. Ice covered his face in a classic face palm pose.

"Why'd you want to eat at a restaurant anyway? And why a burger? Aren't goats herbivorous?..."

"___Don't lump me together with ordinary goats kid. I'm an omnivore. And I happen to like meat. Cheese too."

"...."

A kid at the nearby table pointed at them with a curious look.

"Mom, why is that person talking with a goat? And why is he feeding that goat a hamburger?"

His mother hurriedly pulled the child away and reprimanded him in a light voice.

"Hush now. Don't make eye contact! He may just be struggling with life a bit. Let's just wish him well and pray he recovers."

Needless to say, Ice wanted to bury himself in a hole from embarrassment. The various stares from the other customers and the restaurant employees kept him from properly tasting his food.

Ibex took large bites out of the burger without a care in the world, occasionally giving sneaking glances at the beautiful waitresses that went about the restaurant.

***

"___Why'd we need to leave kid? We could've discussed things just fine in that restaurant." Ibex asked in a slightly grumpy tone.

"You really want me to die from embarrassment don't you." Ice replied in annoyance.

"___What's the use of keeping appearances? You care too much about the opinions of others kid."

Ibex snorted as he gave Ice a critical look. Ice just shrugged it off.

"What about it? Let's just stop this. The last thing I want is to get caught debating with a goat. Anyway, about my Exclusive Class..."

"___Oh alright... I'll teach you."

They stopped at an out of the way corner of the city and began discussing about Ice's Class mechanics.

"___Let's start with the basics then. Open your Status Screen first. Open the sub-menu for mine as well while you're at it."

Ice did as instructed and found what he saw to be quite odd.

"___Hm? Wait, what'’s with these stat bonuses?"”Ice pondered; perplexed. He looked at Ibex to find him displaying a goat’s attempt at making a toothy grin.

"___What’'s wrong kid? Noticed something with your stats? Hehe."

Ice had clearly remembered just how much additional stats his current equipment provided. But the figures being displayed at the moment were clearly a bit higher than what he recalled. Even more telling was that he now had additional points to total health aside from the +50 he should have gained when he went up to a Basic Class.

"___A total of 505 HP… That'’s about 35 extra points. I originally had +40 total additional points to Str and +65 to Def from my current equipment. I haven'’t changed any of them for something new but now I have an extra +6 to Str and +4 to Def making the points amount to +46 and +69 to Str and Def respectively. It’s not all that big a gain but if my hunch is correct...…"”

Ice looked incredulously at Ibex whose grin spread even further.

"___That'’s right kid, your summons, namely me and the rest of those you’'ve yet to meet, actually provide you with Stat Bonuses with set percentages. They’'re based on a part of our own base stats. In my case, right now I'’m providing you with +10% of my total HP, +30% of my Str and 20% of my Def stats. Different summons provide varying combinations of bonuses so you can fine tune your build somewhat.

This mechanic is called ‘'Synchronization’. If, in the future, you manage to unlock more summon Skills, remember that the current you would only be able sync with one of us. So you can’'t stack the bonuses just yet."

"That still sounds pretty good. So if you guys level up, it'll also affect my over all abilities right?"

"___Yep. But there's a catch. As is common knowledge, you can gain additional stats as you continue doing repeated actions like practicing with your weapon, jogging around or studying like mad.

You'll find it significantly more difficult to raise bonus stats this way. You'll also get less bonus stats when you change Classes. Sort of like a balancing factor. Not to say it's impossible. Just real difficult."

Ice's face brightened in realization.

"___So that's why I didn't get bonuses even though I've trained so much."

But still, Ice didn't think of it as being much of a drawback. It just meant he had to put in even more effort.

Ice then proceeded to check Ibex'’s stats to confirm them for himself.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Name: Ibex Silverhorn

Ancient Guardian

Level: 1

Element: Frost

HP: 350

MP: 80

EP: 120

Str: 30

Def: 20

Agi: 15

Dex: 15

Int: 15

Luk: 10

Current Affinity: 61%

Skills: Passive HP Recovery / Cold Aura (Lvl. 1) / Frost Charge (Lvl. 1) / Frost Breath (Lvl. 1) / Intimidation (Lvl. 1)

Title: Fallen Conqueror [Effect : +3% to Intimidation Skill activation chance]

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"___Well those are some pretty high starting stats." ”Ice thought.

"___He even has a Title. And those Skills look pretty useful too. Those are Negative Effect causing Passives, a direct Burst Damage melee Skill and a ranged one. If I level him up a bit, this guy might overtake me in overall battle efficiency."”

Ice looked at Ibex with new found respect.

In truth, Ice was a bit disappointed when Ibex popped out after he used the summon Skill. He was actually expecting a cute girl... But it seems Ibex does live up to being the summoned creature of an Exclusive Class.

As far as Ice remembers from his earlier research, ordinary summons rarely had any starter skills except for the standard Passive HP Recovery; much less a Title. Ibex had an additional four Skills plus a Title. And all of them seemed useful.

Ibex nudged Ice on the arm, snapping him out of his current thoughts.

"___Hey kid, stop staring slack jawed at the screens like that. You seem to be checking my Skills out so let me discuss those to you as well."

Ibex made a sound akin to clearing his throat with a light cough (even if he was conversing through telepathy) and restarted his explanations.

"___Take a look at your Skill Table kid."

Ice hurriedly did so, not able to mask the slowly building excitement that showed in his expression.

"___Notice that new sub-menu option beside the ‘Hotkey’ tab? Open it."

The tab read ‘Extra Skills’. A bar with five empty slots appeared.

"___Those are Extra Skill slots. You do know you can just skip shouting the names of Active Skills out loud and just activate them using your thoughts if you place them on the Hotkey slots right?"

Ice nodded.

"Yeah, I do know that. But I’ve never tried it out. I don’t have any active Skills."

"___Haha. Well now you do kid. Or at least, now you have the option to have one. That’s how the Extra Skill slots work. You can place a Skill from any of your summons and use it as your own. Of course, this works with passives as well.

There are currently some limits though. You can only set one Skill from each summon for the moment. Since you only have me, you can only choose one of my present Skills to place on a slot. If you gain some more summons, your options would be more varied.

Another drawback is that the overall effectiveness of the Skill will be determined largely through Affinity. If you have low Affinity with your summons, the Skills will obviously be weaker."

Ice listened very attentively. He had already opened the Record sub-menu and was busily taking notes. He planned to review them later and remember them by heart.

"___On that note, let’s talk about Affinity next. Raising Affinity for summons, especially for beings like us, is fundamentally different from raising it for a tamed monster.

This is because we are generally prouder and more stubborn than your average monster. In your case, Ancient Guardians like us all hold a certain standard towards the one we’ll swear our services to.

We may have made a covenant with the forerunner of your Exclusive Class. But the successors are different from the forerunner. If we judge you to be unworthy, we have the right to withhold our support.

While we did swear allegiance, we’ are not mindless slaves. The covenant is a bond of equals. If we do not consider you as an equal worthy of respect, how could we ever serve you?"

Ibex was radiating an aura of majesty as he spoke. True to his words, his visage overflowed with pride.

Ice made a determined expression. He swore to work hard in order to gain that respect.

"But why are you cooperating with me like this Ibex? If you really are as proud as you say you are, shouldn’t you have tested me out first or something? (That’s the common trope anyway.)"

"___I may be proud, but I’m also quite the opportunist." Ibex replied in a light tone.

“___If I judge something would greatly benefit me, I’m more than willing to swallow my pride. I’ve already waited for far too long for another ★Summoner to appear. I’ll just have to work on you till I’m satisfied. I can’t speak for the others though. You’ll have to deal with them yourself."

Ice nodded in acknowledgement of Ibex’'s answer.

Ibex continued to give detailed explanations and Ice made efforts to keep up and record the important points. They had continued to discuss things well into the day.

***

It was already a few minutes past noon when the pair finally decided to take a break from Ibex’'s crash course on the ★Summoner Class.

They decided to make preparations for hunting monsters so Ibex can begin grinding his levels. Ice also wanted to test out their team work in real battles.

The pair had barely made it out of the city plaza when someone suddenly grabbed Ice’s arm while giggling happily.

"I finally found you dummy. Where have you been? The princess told me you went straight to the library but I didn’t catch you there."”

Ice would recognize that voice anywhere.

"Hi Sea. I was just busy testing out my new Class."”

"Oh. If I remember correctly, you’re a Summoner right?"

"Uhuh. I’ve already summoned earlier this morning."

Sea’'s eyes widened in obvious excitement.

"Really? So where’s your summoned creature?"

“"Uh… Right here…"

Ice pointed towards Ibex who was seemingly busy using his handy BWH scouter while checking Sea out.

"Oh my. What a cute goat!" Sea exclaimed in delight.

"And look, his horns are silver. His fur is so white. And that cute tail…"

Sea suddenly gave Ice a pleading look.

"Um, Ice… C-Can I pat him?"

Ibex was certainly looking eager. Ice sighed in resignation.

"Go right ahead…"

"Yay! Come here you adorable thing you."

Ibex looked like he was having the time of his life. He was actually sort of blushing. Ice didn't even know goats were able to blush.

Ice hailed Ibex using their telepathic link.

"___And I thought you disliked being called cute."

"___That depends on the one calling me cute. I said I was an opportunist remember? What fool would pass up being coddled by such a pretty lady?! And she's got quite the 'package' too. Nyehehehehe."

Ice gave Ibex a blank look.

At that point, he had already made a mental note to start reffering to Ibex as 'Horny'.

***

Sea had finally satisfied herself with patting Ibex and was currently sporting a refreshed expression. The three of them were now currently seated on a bench in the city park.

"So, what are you planning to do now?"” Sea inquired.

"Uh, I’m planning on heading out to start leveling this guy up."”

Ice gave Ibex a complicated look. It seems he was still basking in the afterglow after Sea's masterful patting.

"Aww. Look at the lil' fellow. You'd look after him properly right Ice?"

"Ahaha... Of course I will. Don't worry Sea."

Ice laughed awkwardly as he replied.

"___I don't think he needs looking after though."

But after looking at Ibex making a goat's version of a fairly stupid expression, Ice did a quick double take.

"___On second thought , maybe he does..."

Ice could only shake his head in slight annoyance.

"Oh, that reminds me! Since you're going for a monster hunt, take these with you Ice. They'll help keep you safe."

Sea took out some items from her storage and presented them to Ice, who was now staring at them wide eyed.

"But these are..."

What Sea brought out were a long and sleek looking black dagger with a fine red tinted point, a short sleeved vest lined with blood red fur and a necklace made from a large animal fang.

"Remember that Alpha Sable Wolf we encountered a while back Ice? These equipment were made from the loot it dropped.

The dagger and vest are for those above level 30 but you can equip the necklace right away. It raises both Str and Agi by a fair amount so it'll definitely be useful for you."

Ice's hunch was right. These were definitely high level rare equipment.

*Ebony Thorn - Dagger/Rare : A sleek, lightweight and perfectly balanced dagger suitable for piercing attacks. Since it doesn't reflect much light, it's a weapon favored by Assassins.

Level Requirement: 35

Str: +140

Crit Chance: +10%

Effect: 15% more damage with Piercing Attacks

*Crimson Wolf Vest - Leather Armor/Rare : Leather vest made from the skin and fur of a high ranking species of Lupine monster. Has excellent flexibility and toughness. Its fur lining provides good insulation.

Level Requirement: 32

Def: +85

Dex: +30

Effect: 10% more damage to Lupine monsters, 15% resistance to Frozen

*Crimson Fang Necklace - Accessory/Rare : Necklace worn by young warriors of several native Northern tribes in the Valis continent as a proof of valor and coming of age.

Level Requirement: 20

Str: +30

Agi: +20

Effect: Increases damage by 10-15% when HP falls below 20%

He inspected each of them in turn and the equipment's stats and effects didn't disappoint.

"A-Are you sure. I mean, these are all rare equips right?"

"It's fine. I don't really have any use for these. Besides, I actually had these made for you Ice."

"M-Me. Why?"

"Eh?... Um... Cause I'd be troubled... if you got hurt..."

Sea's face became redder by the second and her reply to Ice's question became a quiet mumble near the end. But Ice heard it like it came from a sub woofer with digital surround sound.

The prickly sweet atmosphere was interrupted by Ibex lightly nudging Ice with his horns.

"___Time to wake up Romeo. We gotta go. It's getting late in the afternoon."

"Sheesh. I know already. I gotta go Sea."

"Eh? Ah! O-Okay. Be careful out there."

"Will do. Come on you."

As the pair left the plaza, Ibex couldn't resist egging on Ice and he teased him good naturedly.

"___That was a fine young lady, kid. Nice going. If you got anymore cute acquaintances, be sure to introduce me alright."

"Whatever..."

"___Hehehehe."

Ice rapped Ibex's horns lightly and led the way towards the city gates.

-Chapter 10 End-

[Swordstriker21]

Chapter 11: One Crisis After Another

Spoiler! :

"Gwaaah!..."

The dying scream of a Red Goblin resounded within the Alnuss woods. A silvery white blur flashed past, weaving through the rugged terrain of the forest floor littered with large rocks, fallen branches, thick tree roots and decaying stumps almost effortlessly.

"Woah..."

Ice stared admiringly at Ibex as he repeatedly downed the goblins without even giving them any chance to retaliate.

It was already late in the afternoon and the two of them had been hunting monsters nonstop ever since they entered the woods.

Ice had taken the initiative at first. But after a few level ups, Ibex began to hunt monsters by himself, making full use of his Skills and advantages to achieve staggering results.

Ibex was currently hunting Red Goblins; the bigger, meaner cousin of Maleena village's Lesser Goblin. But Ibex was able to overcome the difference in levels with clever battle tactics.

He had utilized his advantage in speed and agility to execute effective hit and run attacks, harrying the monsters with rapid strikes and immediately getting away before the enemies can throw a counter blow.

The goblin's short limbs and chubby bodies proved to be ineffective in giving chase to the fast moving Ibex.

He dealt significant damage by using the Frost Charge Skill repeatedly. The maximum damage of the Skill increased relative to the distance traveled with a running charge. Ibex used this to great effect, ensuring an effective means of attack without compromising survivability.

If, by some chance, goblins managed to get close, he used Frost Breath to ward them off and fled immediately. Frost Breath had a relatively short cooldown time (4 seconds) so even if it dealt low damage, it was still really effective.

Both Frost Charge and Frost Breath had small chances of freezing an opponent as well. Add Cold Aura (Adds 4% chance of inflicting Frozen via normal attack) and Intimidation (Adds 3% chance of inflicting Intimidated to opponent via normal attack, lowering opponent's attack by 15-20% for 60 seconds) Ibex had a fair chance of inflicting some Negative Effects, which only adds to his advantages.

The poor goblins never stood a chance!

Ice was totally floored.

"___Damn, he's good... I gotta work harder or I won't be able to keep up."

It wasn't like Ice was completely idle during Ibex's single handed drubbing of the unfortunate goblins. He had also hunted quite a few of them himself. Most of their attack patterns were similar to their lower leveled cousin so Ice had a relatively easy time bringing them down.

Their slow, hobbling gait and poor swing speed posed no threat to Ice. Their attack was comparatively higher than most Level 17 monsters Ice had encountered. But it wasn't much of a problem since they couldn't hit him anyway. This was one of the major reasons why he had decided to grind in the area.

Ice also made an effort to divert aggro from Ibex whenever he judged the numbers that went after the fast moving summon were too much for comfort. He didn't want to take any chances, especially since Ibex's Def stats weren't enough to ward off the goblin's attacks should one manage to hit. Ibex couldn't wear any of the defensive equipment available in the city after all.

This was one of the disadvantages of summoned creatures. They couldn't wear any equipment that's not specified for them. Equipment shops that held goods that were for specific summoned creatures were few and far between. And craftsmen who could fashion custom equipment for them were even rarer.

This disadvantage was even more pronounced in Ibex's case since he was, for the most part, a unique summoned creature. Ice planned to try searching for compatible equipment anyway. But that was saved for later and right now, they'll have to make due.

Ice also suffered a steep penalty if his summon died. A significant chunk of his HP gets shaved off whenever a summon's HP gets reduced to zero. The more summons he has out, the greater the risk. So much so that Ice had thought it to be a little unfair. Micromanaging, awareness of the current battlefield situation, quick thinking, decisiveness and adaptability were paramount. His was really a pretty troublesome Class.

Yet one useful thing Ice discovered about his Class was complete control regarding experience sharing with his summons. He was free to choose the EXP distribution amounts between him and Ibex regardless of level difference.

He had been quick to take advantage of this fact and this was how he had power leveled Ibex to Level 14 in just a few of hours. They were now sharing at a 40%/60% split with Ibex set as priority. Ice didn't want to neglect raising his own level so he adjusted it as such.

They continued to grind like that for a few more hours until the sun began its decent towards the horizon in earnest. Ice had gained an additional level and Ibex went up all the way to Level 16.

***

It was already near evening when the pair decided to call it quits for the day. The surroundings were getting dark and the cries of nocturnal insects began to resound in the woods.

Some monsters become more aggressive during the night. Some were even buffed a bit, increasing their overall parameters. Some Wolf and a number of other Lupine types were a common example. More physically evident changes would also take place in others (longer fangs and claws, bulkier bodies and the like). That's why they were trying to pick up the pace before the sun sets totally and night begins in earnest.

"We've hunted quite a few. That was some amazing stuff back there. You seem really used to this." Ice exclaimed in an amazed tone.

Ibex held his head up proudly.

"Of course! I'm an ancient existence that has gone through countless battles. Even if my level resets every time the link with my summoner is terminated, my memories remain relatively intact. It's both a boon and a bane for something like me..."

Ibex suddenly grew quiet after the short exchange. His eyes revealed a solemn, far away look; most likely remembering past experiences. Ice grew quiet as well. He had tried to imagine how it would feel had he shared Ibex's circumstances.

They continued walking in accompanied silence.

"?!"

Ibex suddenly stopped in his tracks, surprising Ice. But he had also noticed the abnormality and raised his alertness. Somehow, the palpable feeling of tension and dread that hung in the air was quite familiar.

"___It's pretty similar to that time." Ice thought.

The surroundings were quiet. Too quiet. Eerily so. It was also like this when he encountered the Sable Wolf.

"___Keep your guard up kid. This smells like trouble..." Ibex warned.

Ice was constantly scanning the immediate area around them, trying to pick up any sign of danger. He had taken out one teleport stone and prepared to use it to get back to town. He didn't want to use them that often if possible since they were rare and valuable commodities, but this was an emergency so Ice felt it couldn't be helped. But he was surprised by the unexpected outcome.

"___What's wrong?" Ibex asked.

"It's the teleport stone. It's not working! I can't bring up the Use command button." Ice exclaimed. Traces of panic tinged his voice.

"?!"

Ibex's eyes opened wide in surprise.

"___Not working? But that's..."

Ibex grew even more alert, dutifully scanning the surroundings, seemingly looking for something.

"What's wrong? What are you looking for?" Ice asked.

Before Ibex could answer, a deafening roar pierced throughout the woods. The ground shook with intermittent rumbles and within moments, the source of the roar bore down on the pair.

*Ruaaaaah!

It was a huge monster resembling a black furred bear; albeit a very brutal looking one. It had huge spikes lining up its back and its fore paws were equally imposing, with long sharp claws protruding from the tips. Its forehead had rune-like markings that glowed crimson in the fading daylight. Its bloodshot eyes looked intimidatingly at the pair.

Ice used Keen Eye to inspect the monster and was shocked by its specs, which he thought was overkill at their level.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Obsydian Edgeback (Area Boss)

Level: 50

HP: 8500

Exp. Gain: 4000

Info: An aggressive and exceedingly brutal mammalian beast type monster that makes its lairs in the northern forests of the Valis continent. Very territorial, it will not let interlopers escape and would gore them with its razor sharp claws and fangs. The spikes protruding from its back are extremely hard and are valued crafting material.

_______________________________________________________________________________

It was an Area Boss, of all things! But Ice was sure the Edgeback was not the Alnuss wood's boss monster. He had read up on the monster data around the surrounding areas during his time at the library and was sure of this fact.

"___It really is similar." Ice thought. "___It had been this way with the Sable Wolf too. That thing also wasn't supposed to appear anywhere near Maleena village."

And now, Ice discovered that convenient means of escape like teleport stones were unusable. The circumstances really were far too suspicious. But right now, he had his mind occupied with trying to think up other means of escape. Fighting back never even crossed his mind. The differences in levels were too great. And bosses had significantly more superior stats than average high level monsters.

It really was no contest. Ice had a feeling that just being hit by one swipe of the Edgeback's claws would be enough to kill him.

The important thing was to live! If you lived then you could always try to redeem yourself. But you won't be able to do anything if you're dead. But could he do it? Could he survive?

The Edgeback let out a terrifying roar once more and inched ever closer towards the pair. Ibex nudged Ice with his horns and prompted him to action with an urgent tone.

"___Kid. Kid! Snap out of it and get on me!"

"Eh?"

Ice made a dumbfounded look, not understanding what Ibex said for a moment.

"___Didn't you hear me? I said get on! Oh forget it!"

Ibex suddenly bit on the collar of Ice's leather armor. He then unceremoniously tossed the still dumbfounded Ice onto his back with a snap of his powerful neck.

"Eh! Wait, wha-?"

Ice was now mounted on Ibex's back. He had started running the moment he confirmed Ice was in position. Ice looked a bit awkward because Ibex's size could not fully accommodate his now considerably taller stature. Thus, he needed to fold his legs to avoid them hitting the ground as Ibex ran at full speed.

“___You comfortable up there kid?””

“Eh?! That’s- Woah!””

Ice floundered clumsily on Ibex’s back. The path was littered with obstructions but Ibex paid them no heed and just weaved straight through some and leapt above others. He was tracing as straight a path as he could manage as the rampaging Edgeback gave chase.

“___Grab my horns kid. Try not to fall off.””

Ice had done as Ibex suggested and gradually got accustomed to riding the fast moving mountain goat as he grabbed Ibex's long horns like the handlebars of a large motorbike. It was the birth of the Harley Davidson mountain goat express!

Ice looked back to find the Edgeback not too far behind, barreling through trees and rocks with relative ease. Its large body allowed it to cover great distances in just a few short bounds, allowing it to keep pace with them and not lag behind.

“Damn, that’s really unfair! You’re a huge monster so behave like one and go slower dammit!” Ice shouted in complaint to the boss monster giving chase.

“___Kid, you got a comm. glyph on you?” Ibex asked as he ran through the woods at full speed.

“Eh? Yeah, I have one. I got it from Sea before we went to the capital.” Ice replied.

“___Good. Do you have that young lady we met earlier in your contact list?””

“Yeah, I do. Wait, you want me to contact her and ask for help?””

“___Yeah. From the looks of her equipment, she must’ve been a member of a knight order correct? She seemed at a pretty high level too. Call her. We won’t be able to survive this otherwise.””

Ice was a bit reluctant. He felt he didn’t want to trouble Sea any more than he had to.

“___What are you doing kid? Hurry up and call her. I won’t be able to keep this up indefinitely. Don’t let your pride get in the way of survival!””

Ice got over his hesitation after Ibex’s reprimand. He just decided to repay this favor several times over when he gains sufficient strength. For now, he needed to live in order to keep that chance of getting stronger from getting extinguished.

***

Sea was currently meeting with some of her subordinates within the royal guard quarters when she received Ice’s distress call. Her face instantly paled and she took off without any hesitation, leaving the others in stunned silence.

“Eh? Wait, captain! What’s wrong? Eh?!””

A petite girl with short golden hair styled in several ringlet curls called out to Sea in surprise after she bolted out the door of the guard quarters.

“Go and follow her Sasha. Take Evann with you. I can only think of a few reasons that could make the captain go all frantic like that. And if my hunch is correct, this one is due to a certain gentleman. Judging from her face just now, it might be pretty serious.””

Rosseane immediately gave out orders to follow Sea. Sasha’s eyes glittered abruptly with curiosity and gave a perfunctory salute, finally turning towards a sleepy looking yet relatively handsome auburn haired young man.

“Come on Evann! We gotta follow the captain and find out what’s going on.””

“Yeah, yeah. I get it. Don’t pull. I can walk by myself.” he replied in a bored tone.

“Don’t walk! Run! Let’s daaaash!” Sasha exclaimed energetically as she pulled Evann by the arm with surprising strength.

“Woah! I said don’t pull. DON’T PULL!””

The pair raced to follow Sea outside the castle town.

***

Ice and Ibex were still on the run from the boss monster. They had covered quite a distance and were now nearing the entrance to the woods. The Edgeback was letting out frustrated roars at them as it continued to give chase.

“Damn, just how persistent is he? Just how much is the aggro on that thing?" Ice exclaimed.

“___We just have to focus on running away. Hold on tight. We’re nearing the edge of the woods. I’m gonna pick up the pace.””

Ibex bolted out with increased vigor as soon as he had spotted the end of the tree line. They were just a few meters away. But then…

“___Wha-?!””

Ibex’s pace noticeably slowed down. He had been hit with a Slow spell. The Edgeback didn’t miss the opportunity and covered the distance in a couple of big leaps. In an instant, the pair was within the range of its massive claws.

"“___Damn!”"

Ibex suddenly threw Ice off. The momentum made Ice roll over several times on the ground before finally halting. His HP was shaved a little. He frantically stood up and turned towards Ibex.

Ibex had confronted the Edgeback to try and buy some time, but he was woefully under-leveled. He had only been able to dodge blows a couple of times before finally being downed by a powerful swipe of the boss monster's brutal looking claw.

Before he died and got forcefully unsummoned, Ibex was able to hail Ice telepathically as a last ditch effort. He told Ice only one thing...

"___Run!"

Ice's HP took a hit when Ibex died, but he didn't pay it any heed. He had started running in earnest. He had to survive this!

There were no signs of other adventurers in the immediate area. And even if there were, who would dare approach a boss monster whose level was clearly far too high for this area's general difficulty range.

One small hope is that he'd encounter high leveled adventurers that were making their way towards Ricksvale's capital. But that heavily depended on luck. And who's to say if they'll actually bother helping him at all.

He had to hold on until Sea found him using the comm. glyph's tracking signal. He literally ran for dear life.

But the Edgeback was just too much for the current Ice. Within moments, it had already caught up and had Ice within striking distance of its claws. And when everything just seemed totally hopeless...

"Ice!"

Help arrived!

***

Sea ran furiously and reached Ice within moments. She deflected the monster's claw attack and leapt towards it. She landed on its arm and bolted up like a loosed arrow, finally arriving on the Edgeback's shoulder and gave it a swift and powerful kick on the side of its head.

The monster staggered and fell back on its haunches, visibly shaken. A considerable amount of its HP was shaved off from that one kick.

"___S-So strong..."

Ice went wide eyed in surprise. He had seen Sea's prowess when she had fought with the Sable Wolf. But he had refrained from inquiring about her actual level; a bit due to the small measure of pride he had stubbornly clung to at the time.

But Sea had once again shown just how formidable she was. She had only kicked a level 50 area boss, but that one kick had silenced the once aggressively snarling monster. It had even looked a little cowed.

Just how high of a level was she to be able to do all that with just one kick?!

"Phew. We've finally caught up. Are you alright sir?"

A girl with golden hair that was styled in several ringlet curls knelt down and checked up on Ice. Behind him was a young man with sleepy looking eyes that had looked a little grumpy as well.

Ice surmised they were Sea’s comrades judging from their equipment. Their armor, barring some cosmetic differences here and there, greatly resembled the one Sea was wearing.

“I’m alright. But Sea…”

“The captain will be fine. That boss monster looks to be at the 50s to 60s range. She’ll eat bosses like that for breakfast. Why’d we even come out here anyway? We’re pretty much not needed.” the young man told Ice matter-of-factly in a disinterested tone.

The girl nudged the young man’s stomach lightly and pouted.

“That way of putting it is kind of rude Evann! I’m sorry. What he meant is that captain is as strong as she is beautiful.”

Ice just nodded lightly; getting influenced by the girl’s bright smile.

They had turned their attention to the ongoing battle, becoming silent spectators to the struggle between the beauty and the beast.

***

Sea had not given the Edgeback a chance to retaliate. She had continued to rain down furious slashes at the monster in a never ending torrent of attacks.

The Edgeback tried to curl up and use its spikes for defense, but Sea had cut through those effortlessly as well, wracking the monster with intense pain. It had let out agonized wails.

The sight was so utterly merciless that the three people that composed the gallery (Ice, Evann and Sasha) actually felt sorry for the boss monster.

After its HP fell below 10%, the Edgeback tried to retreat. Ice had expected Sea to let it go, but it did not go as he envisioned.

“Running away?! How shameful for something of your caliber. Face your death head on like a true master of beasts.”

She chased it down and, after jumping onto its shoulders, gave the monster the coup de gras by stabbing the back of its head.

The monster gave out one final agonizing wail and collapsed dead.

***

Sea immediately ran over to where Ice and the others were after finishing the boss monster off. She had a really worried expression on her flushed face; the face on an angel. And yet Ice could only stare blankly at her, not knowing how to react.

She grabbed his hands and held them to her chest as she looked at him with eyes filled with concern.

“Ice! Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”

Snapping out from his stupor somewhat, Ice shook his head frantically.

“N-No. I’m perfectly fine. See. Not even a bruise.”

He had hurriedly stood up and made a placating gesture, telling Sea not to worry.

“That’s good then. I was really worried you know.”

“Ahahaha…”

Ice let out an awkward laugh. He made a mental note never to piss Sea off under any circumstance.

“A-Anyway, now that that’s settled, let’s go ahead and return to the city. It’s getting pretty late after all.” Sasha suggested.

The others nodded in assent and they all began heading back towards the city.

***

"We have failed. We have to notify the praetor right away for further instructions."

"Understood. We must not let the 'Impurity' linger in this world any longer."

Two shadows emerged from the cover of trees and ran southward.

-Chapter 11 End-

*Note

Levels, names and other details don't usually show up on top of peoples heads in El Fabula (except for HP in the event of a fight). There's an option to show them of course. But there's the issue of privacy. Also, currently, no Skill is capable of revealing a persons stats to others like that of Keen Eye for monsters. There might be a method to do it. But odds are, it would be considered illegal and would be banned. At least in normal circumstances.

Seasoned veterans try to gauge levels through looking at the other persons Skills and equipment. And it's effective for the most part, though there are means to lower the level requirement for equipment as well, making things a bit trickier.

[Swordstriker21]

Chapter 12: Past and Determination

Spoiler! :

Ice had already returned to the inn he was currently staying at (He had vacated the palace guest room earlier, much to Sea and Thelma's disappointment.) and plopped himself wearily on the bed.

He was still shuddering from the earlier incident. This was the second time he was put in a life or death predicament. And the circumstances were exceedingly suspicious. He had stared at the ceiling in silence, trying to take all of the implications of the recent chain of events in.

Truthfully, he had felt a little arrogant when he promoted to a Basic Class. Monsters near his current level or lower were generally no match for him. But the earlier event served to deflate his ego. Sea's prowess was also far too awe inspiring.

"___I've got to get stronger." Ice thought as he gritted his teeth in frustration. He knew being impatient won't do any good. But he couldn't help it.

He had decided to resummon Ibex to check out how he was doing. The stalwart mountain goat summon appeared shortly after Ice used his Skill.

"___So you're alive. That's good." Ibex exclaimed in a relieved tone.

"You alright?" Ice asked.

"___Me? I've already 'died' more times than I could count in the past. This much is nothing." Ibex replied nonchalantly.

Ice smiled lightly in self-derision. He felt so inadequate compared to the rest of his peers and acquaintances, even in El Fabula. Even his summoned creature was tougher and more level headed.

But he halted his current train of thoughts before he went on another negative spiral. What he needed to do right now is get his bearings straight and work extra hard on getting stronger, one step at a time.

But he couldn't do that without running the risk of getting into another crisis like the one from earlier. He could continue relying on Sea and the others for protection. But he got rid of the notion immediately.

Sea had her own responsibilities as royal guard captain. He couldn't just ask her to abandon her duty and become his bodyguard instead. And besides, it would actually be pretty lame of him, Ice thought. He'd solve his problems himself. The only question was how...

Ibex observed him quietly for some time. Finally, after a period of brooding silence, he called Ice's attention with an urgent tone.

"___Hey kid... I have a couple of questions for you."

"Go on..."

Ice looked at Ibex with interest, curious about what he wanted to ask.

"___Was this the first time you've encountered a situation like that of earlier? Or have there been prior incidents? Not the normal monster encounters but highly unusual circumstances..."

Ice was a little intrigued. Why would Ibex ask that? It's as if he'd inferred such events had already happened and was just asking for confirmation.

"___No, this isn't the first time. Something similar happened just a few days after I found myself in Maleena." Ice replied, curious about Ibex's reaction.

"___I see..."

Ibex had remained silent, seemingly struggling while pondering about something. His goat brows were furrowed tight and his eyes were closed. He finally opened them after some time and looked at Ice with a serious gaze.

"You know something don't you?" Ice probed.

Ibex sighed in resignation.

"___Fine. I still feel it's a tad too early, but it seems your case is a bit special."

"What is it then? What do you know?" Ice prompted.

"___It seems I gotta give it to you from the start eh." Ibex exclaimed with a hint of reluctance in his voice. He audibly sighed this time (or made a sound that was as close to a goat sighing as possible) and looked straight at Ice, throwing caution to the winds.

"___Kid... You familiar with the concept of reincarnation?" Ibex asked with a straight (goat)faced expression.

"Yeah, sure. Being reborn as a different existence after dying right? Why?"

Ibex gave Ice a wry grin. Ice's expression slowly turned to one of realization.

"Wait, you're not saying..."

Ibex's grin deepened.

"___Yep. That's exactly what I'm saying kid."

"Y-You've actually reincarnated?!"

Ice's face became red with shock.

***

Ice stared at Ibex with a dumbfounded look.

"___Reincarnation huh... I get that this theme is pretty common in recent web novels but... Come to think of it, getting sent to another world is also pretty common... This sure is one tropey fic…..."

He was having another one of his otaku monologues.

"___Hey kid, I get that you're shocked, but we should really move on with the discussion." Ibex prompted, sounding a bit annoyed.

"Oh, right. Yeah. Sorry. Sooo... Reincarnation huh?"

"___Yep. I died. I mean really died. Head got blown off and stuff. And next thing I know, I was reborn in this world. The place actually looking like it was animated took a little getting used to."

Ibex sighed lightly as he reminisced about past events.

Ice's curiosity was increasing by the moment. If Ibex was reincarnated here, then it was possible he also came from Earth. He asked Ibex to confirm it, but sadly, the answer wasn't what he'd hoped.

"___Earth? No, I'm not from over there. I was originally from a world called Ovis Norvus."

Ice's face darkened in disappointment. He would've wanted someone to talk to about his home world. It was pretty stressful having to pretend not to have any memories of where he came from after all.

"___Cheer up kid. It's not like I don't know the feeling of being a stranger in another world. And besides, I kind of remember someone from the guardians mentioning he was from Earth. I don’t remember exactly who though. It’s kind of an unwritten rule for us not to talk about our pasts with each other too much. It’s kind of a sensitive topic y’see.”

“Really?””

Ice brightened up a little from that information. At least, now he knew he wasn’t exactly alone, though he had yet to meet this fellow former Earthling. But he did a double take, realizing he just gave away crucial info about himself inadvertently. He wanted to slap himself for getting careless.

"___Ha ha, your expression tells me you're worried about revealing the fact that you're from another world. Don't worry. All the ★Summoners that came before you were in pretty much the same situation. We're all strangers here. Foreign elements that got sent here for some unknown purpose."

"How can I be sure you're telling the truth." Ice asked apprehensively.

Ibex smirked mischievously.

"___You can't. You'll just have to trust me on this. You want some answers right? I'm just adhering to your request. Whether or not you'll believe me is up to you."

Ice narrowed his eyes and looked straight at Ibex. Ibex didn't turn away and returned the gaze. Ice sighed in resignation and scratched his head with a complicated expression on his face.

"Fine, I'll trust you for now. You're my summon after all. You're necessary for me if I want to survive long enough to find out exactly what's going on. If I can't even rely on my summons, then I'm practically screwed anyway."

Ibex nodded in acknowledgement.

"But it must have been hard for you at the start huh. You being reincarnated as a mountain goat and all."

Ibex made a hearty laugh (though it sounded more like bleating to the average person) at Ice’s comment.

“___Gahahahaha! No, no, it’s not like that at all. Ahahahaha! Oh damn… My stomach…”…”

Ice was a bit upset by Ibex’s reaction and retorted in an annoyed tone.

“What? What’s so funny?””

“___No, it’s nothing… Ha ha, it’s not your fault kid. You’ve only seen me in this form after all.””

“Hm?””

Ice already had an inkling as to what Ibex was getting at, but had him continue his explanation to confirm.

“___Kid, the form I’m appearing in right now isn’t my true reincarnated body. I was actually a human, just like you. I was also humanoid when I got reborn here.””

“Then why do you look like that now? Why’d you become a summoned creature in the first place?” Ice asked.

“___Well, put simply, I died… Again… But my soul didn’t move on to whatever plane it was supposed to move on to. I got trapped in some place sort of like limbo or something. Then things happened and I got roped in to becoming a guardian for the first ★Summoner.” Ibex explained further.

“Wait, let me get this straight: You died and were reborn in El Fabula. Then after some time, you died again but your soul didn’t move on and you somehow or other became the guardian from my predecessor.”

“___Yep.”

Ibex nodded in the affirmative.

“That explanation’s a bit lacking in detail. And how are your circumstances connected to my current predicament, exactly?” Ice complained and inquired further.

“___I was about to get to that.” Ibex replied.

“___I’ve clarified the fact that I was reincarnated right? I was born in a world with a pretty advanced civilization - airships, particle cannons and stuff like private virtual idols housed in VR consoles you could actually dive into so he or she could give you a private concert. Or sometimes, even more private things… if you catch my drift”…”

Ibex winked suggestively after the last part.

“That’s some serious tech; especially the virtual idol thing!” Ice exclaimed excitedly.

“___I know right! Mine was a redhead packing some serious backside assets. Had some decent knockers too.” Ibex replied with his face flushed red.

They nodded their heads in silent agreement.

“___Anyway, as I was saying, I belonged to a family with deep military roots, and so my old man forcefully enlisted me in the army. To get some muscle on me or something. I was pretty wimpy as a kid. My old man didn’t want to have any of it so he packed me away and sent me on a military plane wearing just my trousers”…”

Ibex wore an awkward expression as he continued to recount his past. Ice stayed silent, kind of understanding why.

“___I served as an all-around page for the senior officers during most of my time as a military cadet. I ran around doing errands for those guys practically all day every day.” Ibex continued, his expression turning even more awkward.

“___Just as I thought it couldn’t get any worse, our country went to war. I was also sent to the front lines, and because of some faulty intel, our convoy got ambushed and well… I died.” Ibex finished.

“Wow… That’s some past you got.” Ice exclaimed in amazement.

“___I know right.” Ibex nodded in agreement.

“But that still doesn’t tell me anything.” Ice complained.

“___Ahaha. Like I said, I was getting to that.” Ibex replied with a stiff smile.

“___I was reborn here in El Fabula as a child of one of the high chieftains of the Silverhorn clan in the northern mountain ranges of the Valis continent. As I was growing up, I noticed that my overall stats were quite a bit higher than the rest of the village kids even as a normal ‘Unit’.

My father Ramus, noticed this and saw my potential. He sent me to train under an acquaintance from the organization you know now as the CQMA.” Ibex continued on explaining.

“___After some time, I was revealed to be the possessor of an Exclusive Class.”

“Exclusive Class?!”

Ice’s expression turned to shock once more. It seems they were finally getting to the heart of the matter.

“___Yeah. I got a Class called ★Frigid Lord. It was a warrior type Class that specialized in offense and had balanced defense and agility. But the real kicker was that I could execute ice elemental attacks with the use of EP instead of MP and without the assistance of an element buff. Which was great cause I got plenty of it.

As I rose in Class and level, the skills got more powerful. I could inflict the Frozen state with almost 100% probability with opponents that didn’t wear equipment that provided resistance or had them naturally from the start. I also had Skills that broke down defense. Then I just hacked them to death with my weapon.

I had great AOE crowd control Skills too. My attacks were really powerful since I used heavy weapons like war axes or large broadswords.

My defense wasn’t too bad as well, since I could equip most heavy armor types, barring full plate mails and other full body armor types. My agility was fine too. I wasn’t as fast as your average light warrior type, but I wasn’t all that slow either. It was amazing.””

Ibex’s expression visibly brightened as he recounted his exploits as a reincarnated human in El Fabula.

“That sounds kind of… broken.” Ice exclaimed while feeling a bit jealous. (Just a bit though. No, really…)

“___Haha. It gets better. I decided I was fed up with playing the underdog, so I set about making a name for myself as an adventurer. I made countless exploits and was an absolute idol in my home town. In the end, I kind of decided to found an empire. Y’know, just cause.”…”

“Eh?”

Ice got even more surprised. The story was quickly turning into something incredulous.

“___I lorded over my newly founded empire with absolute authority. I’d like to think I was a just enough ruler, although I do admit I had some faults. My women constantly egged me about them every chance they got.””

“Women? As in plural?” Ice asked.

“___Yeah. A harem’s pretty common for persons of power over here. It’s just how things are kid. So you don’t have to hold back y’know.” Ibex replied matter-of-factly.

“___This really IS an otakus wet dream. An OP MC, reincarnation and even a harem… Oh boy… I wonder if the rest of my summons would have back stories like this too?” Ice thought as he smiled bitterly.

“You sounded pretty set Ibex. But, if you were so powerful, how’d you die?” he asked, perplexed.

“___Uh, yeah… It was a plot. I got done in… by assassination…”…”

Ibex looked away awkwardly as he replied.

“Must have been a pretty powerful assassin.””

“___Ahaha. Yeah. She was pretty skilled alright.”…”

“She? A woman?””

Ice’s eyebrows knitted up as he stared accusingly at Ibex.

“…”“…

Ibex stayed silent and continued to look away with an awkward expression. But as the saying goes: Silence is the admission of guilt.’

***

Ice decided to cut Ibex some slack and changed the topic of the discussion.

"So you were an Exclusive Class, and you were pretty strong to boot. But you got done in regardless. So how would this connect with my situation? Unless..."

"___Hehe. Have you realized yet?"

Ibex smirked as he prodded Ice for his conclusions.

"You've all gone through this before haven't you? You and the rest of the summons. My predecessors as well." Ice exclaimed.

"___Hehe, pretty sharp kid. That's right. We've already gone through all this stuff after becoming the guardians of the first ★Summoner." Ibex confirmed.

"And your goal was..."

"___To find out the truth. All the guardians came from other worlds through reincarnating, and all of us found unceremonious deaths. Instead of passing on, we just floated around in an empty hell without ever finding out why all this happened to us in the first place. You can't imagine the utter frustration and despair we've all felt.

When your predecessor came and made a covenant with us, we grabbed the opportunity straight away. We wanted to find answers. Even if they would prove to not be the kind of answers we sought. And maybe it would also result in us finally getting our peace. And yet..."

Ibex made a frustrated expression and fell silent.

"And yet what? Don't tell me..."

"___Right. We never found them. Answers I mean. Each time we got close, we were thwarted by situations that lead to the deaths of the ★Summoners that allied with us. It's been like that ever since. Some of us have already given up hope as a result.

This is why I didn't want to discuss this with you just yet. The odds of success are incredibly low. And conversely, the odds of you dying are way up there. It would be understandable if you lost your nerve."

"And yet you discussed it with me anyway..."

"___Yes. Because this is the first time I've encountered such a one sided situation this early. Like it was done to insure you would definitely be eliminated."

Ice grew silent and pondered the implications of Ibex's reason for revealing things to him this early. He looked at Ibex with a determined expression.

"So the odds are especially stacked against me. And yet you did all you could to keep me alive. And you've revealed all this to me... What are you expecting from me Ibex?"

"___I don't have a concrete basis, but I have this gut feeling things would be different this time. And I don't have anything to lose anyway. I've decided to make a gamble on you kid."

"A gamble huh..."

Ice grew silent once more.

"Fine. I don't see any other way out of this other than struggling with all I have anyway. From what you told me earlier, it seems someone or something is toying with our fates somehow. I really don't like that notion."

Ice narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth.

"Let's do this. Let's show whatever it is out there how tenacious we can be."

Ice stated his convictions clearly. Ibex made a genuinely relieved expression.

"___It seems it wasn't a mistake to bet on you after all. But how can you be so determined even after all that? I wouldn't really be surprised if you showed any hesitation or fear. We're talking about a real possibility of death here after all."

Ice pondered Ibex's question for a moment.

Why was it that he felt no hesitation or fear right now? In his heart, he already knew the answer.

"Because there is something I'm afraid of more than death."

It was a cliche answer. He'd heard it from countless characters in many of the fictional stories he'd read and watched. But right now, it wasn't just empty words. He really did resonate with it quite well.

"___If I end up not accomplishing anything this time, then that really would be the same as dying." Ice thought.

He feared dying uselessly more than anything. If he cowered and stopped moving forward because of this, then he felt that would be as good as dying. If his fate was to ultimately die, then he’d do so only after making sure he could shout out ‘How was that world?!” from the top of his lungs proudly.

He’d go out with a bang.

That’s why he clung stubbornly to life earlier. He felt he hadn’t reached anything yet. That he hadn’t brought out all he had. So he would survive. Survive until he proved his worth. Survive until he’s sure he’d emptied absolutely all of himself and faced the world head on.

If that would ultimately amount to nothing in the end, then at least he’d be satisfied. At least he wouldn’t feel empty. At least he wouldn’t feel that he gave up half way.

It is said that dreams are given up when one reaches a certain age. That dreams are only for children who had yet to be mired in the filth of reality. But there would still be idiots that ignored this fact of life and went on proudly even if they knew they would ultimately be thoroughly worn out in the end.

Ice was currently in the process of becoming one of those idiots - Whether or not he’d regret this decision later on, only time will tell.

“I’ll be counting on you then… partner.”

“___You got it kid.”

The pair looked at each other with eyes that burned with resolve.

***

Two figures loom inside a stark gray room with limited furnishings. Several holographic windows lined up above their heads and were streaming a continuous flow of data.

“Regular report on Case H-42, subject item AD#105-2 Zeta.”

“Go ahead.”

“Contingency protocol Z-10 has failed. Initiated contingency protocol Z-14 but recent reports lead us to believe it has failed as well.

It is possible that the injected foreign Unit has already been recognized and fully integrated into the ‘Lore’.

If so, then erasing it without the proper procedures would result in another forced Lock Out.

We have made contact with the local Operations Overseer and had instructed to refrain from further action until adequate data has been gleaned.”

“We may be forced to initiate another Code Ω if this continues.”

“It seems ‘he’ has made a move once more.”

“But reports said that we have dealt with all the planted ‘Sleepers’.

“We had. There remain no traces in any of the ADs. We have been thorough.”

“Then HOW?!”

“…Excuse me for sounding out of line but… there is a possibility of a traitor in our midst.”

“…A traitor.”

The figure that seemed to sit upon empty air pondered for a moment.

“I will consider the possibility. We have been careful in cleaning our ranks. But it seems it had not been enough. Then again, as expected of ‘him’.”

“I will continue to monitor the situation.”

“Yes, please do. Make sure to update me on any developments.”

“Acknowledged.”

-Chapter 12 End-

[Swordstriker21]

Chapter 13: Machinations

Spoiler! :

Two figures clad in gray robes lurked in an alleyway within a town. On their chests hung necklaces that resembled the CQMA symbol, but they were colored crimson and adorned with crossed weapons – a sword and a scythe. The necklaces were carefully concealed under their clothing.

“What is the praetor thinking?! Why did he order us to stand down? The ‘Impurity’ continues to linger and may be affecting the balance of the world as we speak. No matter what the reason, letting it roam free will only do more harm.”

“Still brother, it is an order. We can only but comply. There may be a good reason why they have instructed us as such. We are but humble servants. We cannot fathom the will of the Transcendent.”

One figure nodded grudgingly, but he did not accent in his heart.

“___The praetor is making a big mistake. As his servant, it is also my duty to make appropriate measures in his stead if he errs in his judgment.

Surely, the will of the Transcendent will accede to my actions. Everything I do is for the good of the world in which they had descended upon and loved dearly.

I will not stay silent and watch as the world is plunged in peril!”

He had retreated from the alley and in his mind, began formulating a plan of action for dealing with the Impurity he despised.

***

Dawn was slowly approaching.

Mornings in the northern part of Ricksvale were typically accompanied by mist, especially at this time of the year. The capital was situated in a valley between two extensive mountain ranges separated by the Alnuss river, true to the country's name. And so, the mist was also influenced by the topography.

This morning's was especially dense. And yet two shadows raced past the buildings, running throughout the castle town like it was an obstacle course.

It was Ice and Ibex doing their regular morning training.

They had obtained permission from the castle and had started doing this routine primarily to enhance their chances for a successful escape.

Ibex had suggested that since they were sure to encounter many perilous events in the course of their search for truth, and that not all of them could be faced head on, training in ways to improve proficiency in 'strategic retreat' was necessary.

Ice remembered the encounter with the boss monster and Ibex's amazing movement speed at the time. His ability to traverse the terrain was exceptional. Ice wanted to gain similar proficiency in agile movement through rough, uneven terrain littered with countless obstacles, and so this training method was born.

He had actually been inspired by Temple Run and Prince of Persia as well.

3D movement! (In a 2D world?!)

Being able to weave, vault over and run through any obstacle and use all objects in one's immediate surroundings as launch points and footholds to get from point A to point B in the most direct route possible.

Ice had wanted to try it out ever since he had tested the capabilities of his enhanced adventurer body. Now he's putting it to practice.

The mist also helped train Ice's awareness of his surroundings and decisive decision making. Since vision was limited, he was only able to clearly make out objects ahead of him a few moments before he had to commit to an action such as jumping over obstacles.

If there was the slightest bit of hesitation, odds are he'd fail to make a jump, grab a ledge or run straight through a wall more often. So he had to determine the best course in practically a split second and follow through in the next.

Of course, this wasn't the least bit easy. He'd fallen far too many times than he could count. But since his current body was resilient, the injuries he received were generally minor. He'd broken an few bones here and there and had received cuts, bumps and bruises but these were remedied by using potions.

He was actually perplexed as to why Sea had insisted in treating his wounds through bandaging and other manual methods if a quick swig from a potion would have made him good as new. But he decided not to dwell on it too much. He had enjoyed Sea's nursing and fussing over him anyway, so it's all good.

On the other hand, he almost cried blood when he bought them in bulk using a large chunk of his savings thus far but had repeatedly told himself it was an investment for the future to lessen the pain.

He had not told his acquaintances, especially Sea and Thelma (who would probably offer help straight away) because he felt he was already far too indebted to them. He would not refuse help, but he would not seek them either if he was sure he could handle things through his own effort.

Ice hated the feeling of being spoiled because he believed that there would be times when one could only count on oneself and, if one relied on others too much, then they'd fail if they encountered these situations in the future.

Learn to act in concert with others and accept good will but do not depend on them for everything. This was one of Ice's tenets in life.

***

The training also improved overall stamina (he'd obtained more resilience to Fatigue) so it was useful in prolonged encounters and hunts.

Agility also benefited, but true to Ibex's earlier words, stat gains from this manual method was hard to come by. But piling things slowly but surely would definitely benefit him over time, so Ice didn't mind and just continued to put on effort.

In the end, after countless hours spent training, he was finally awarded with a Skill.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Freerunning - Passive - Level 1: [Due to your unrelenting efforts in training to traverse through obstacles freely and efficiently, this Skill is awarded. You will be able to increase your overall efficiency in moving through obstacles and rough terrain. 20% more bonuses will be applied when moving in urban areas or Artificial Structure based dungeons.]

Agi: +15 / Rct: x1.5%

Additional Effects:

Kinetic Vision (Basic) - Will be able to discern surroundings better while in motion. The same applies for moving objects that enter ones line of sight.

Body Control (Basic) - Will be able to move and position oneself better through an above average sense of weight and balance. Makes it easier to control ones body and center of gravity and apply it in various situations.

Grip Strength (Basic) - Grip will be enhanced. Will be able to grab onto objects more firmly and securely.

XP to next Level: 0%

___________________________________________________________________________________

Ice grinned in delight. The Skill was more useful than he thought. And the additional effects were great as well. It seems they could be useful outside of moving efficiently for escape. He could even take advantage of this in battle.

After all that training, he had only earned one additional point to Agi, but because of the Freerunning Skill, he broke even in the end. The palpable feeling of his efforts being rewarded addicted him even more.

Ibex was also satisfied. He had now fully accustomed himself to moving again after a long period of inactivity. His superior movement sense was becoming more pronounced. He had trouble with smooth, flat surfaces but made up for it through improvisation, quick reactions and Ice's help. Elevated terrain was his forte and this training has polished it even more.

***

They had been training like this for several days. Ice also practiced weapon handling and basic strength training as Ibex had advised.

In El Fabula, even though Stats are an important indicator of overall prowess, they did not make up the big picture. Training ones body and mind as well as polishing ones Skills and abilities will dramatically improve ones performance. Building up ones foundations will be a lot more beneficial than just blindly raising stats.

This is because stats, though at first seeming absolute, are ultimately relative parameters. This is evident in the differences between the overall physical abilities of Ice and Ibex even though some of their current stats are not that far apart.

That is not to say humans will never be able to have as much potential as other, more physically well built creatures. It is only through building ones foundations enough that the stats will be able to show their full potential, and sometimes, go beyond them.

Thus, Ice had immersed himself in training. It might have seemed boring and repetitive. But to him, it was a matter of life and death.

How to swing weapons faster and more efficiently. How to attack with them more effectively. How to deliver more force on blows in hand to hand combat. How to identify the critical points in an opponents body. He had greedily devoured such knowledge both with his head through studying and experiencing it directly through physical training and sparring.

He had begged the Sibylwind knight squad to let him join their training. Sea and Rosseane readily approved. Sea and Ice were actually supposed to come straight back to Maleena after the Class Change test. But Ice had insisted on staying in order to train.

Sea also insisted on staying after seeing princess Thelma dutifully bringing Ice food and refreshments during his training sessions. They exuded an air of quiet rivalry.

The rest of the knights were not that accommodating at first, giving Ice a generally hard time. Jealousy was a truly ugly thing after all.

But seeing him work genuinely hard without any complaint mellowed them out a bit. Now they were earnestly competing with him for the women's attention, though it didn't seem to have much effect.

Meanwhile, Ibex was completely content with playing mascot as he frolicked with the female knights and apprentices with an innocent air. His thoughts were anything but innocent though.

"___That horny Itsuki..." Ice thought as he watched Ibex enjoy brushing his snout past the smooth, bare thighs of the women as he played around with them during their breaks.

It was completely legal though. After all, Ibex was a goat. And an adorable one at that (according to Sea). Ice was already beginning to doubt his sense of aesthetics.

Some of the other males in the training ground were jealous of Ibex as well.

"I also wanna be a goat." was the general consensus as they looked on with longing expressions on their faces.

Ibex was thinking differently.

"___Damn... If my guardian form was that of a dog, then I could have licked them instead!..."

The grass was truly greener on then other side.

***

Ice couldn't really admonish Ibex carelessly because of one particular factor: the Affinity bar.

He checked it out earlier and it had shot up from 61% to 82% in one go, probably because of their earlier discussion. He really wanted to fill it to 100% just to find out if there would be some bonus effects apart from being able to use the current achieved level of Ibex's Skills as Extra Skills.

Ibex was particularly guarded when it comes to discussing how to raise his Affinity bar.

"___You just have to impress me enough kid. Wahahahaha!" was his usual answer.

Ice had actually likened the mechanic as similar to those dating sims he played back on Earth.

"___So I gotta go do a [1]Keima and capture my summons hearts. And my first possible conquest happens to be a perverted male mountain goat..." Ice thought bitterly.

It was a situation where he could only sigh helplessly.

***

"Haah!"

A pair of swords clashed audibly as two men engaged in an intense spar.

It was Ice and a solidly built man with hair that was in a peculiar style known commonly on Earth as dreadlocks.

The man's name was Sir Killey Mason; a respected veteran and one of the most senior officers in the Sibylwind knight squad.

Despite his intimidating visage, Sir Killey was a rather friendly and outgoing man. He had once apprenticed himself under Director Roald and retained some of his former master's playful, boisterous nature.

He had met Ice after returning from training exercises at the Calder mountain range and had hit it off with him right away after Ice thanked him for taking steps to prevent the other knights from ganging up on Ice out of jealous rage. Ice was now learning the basics of swordfighting from him.

"Don't try to match me blow for blow. We have a decisive difference in size and power, so try to overcome me through other means. Anticipate my blows, parry them and initiate a counter.

If you cannot be an unyielding oak, then try to be a graceful willow. Use your natural flexibility to you're advantage to disperse the power of my slashes." Sir Killey adviced as he continued to spar with Ice.

Ice took in all these points and tried his best to implement them. Slowly but surely, he was getting used to sword handling.

One might wonder why Ice was now training with swords when his primary weapon in most of his time as an adventurer so far was daggers.

The reason was that he had wanted to familiarize himself with different weapon types. Since there was no equipment restriction for non-Class locked weapons, Ice was trying to learn all that he can about them in order to be able to use a variety of weapons to his advantage during hunting or fighting with other adventurers.

Since he had no weapon proficiency Skills unlike in proper combat Classes, he was less inclined to favor using a specific weapon at the moment.

He'd undoubtedly discover a wide variety of weapons when he starts exploring El Fabula in earnest. So he wanted to be able to effectively use any he could find. Even without proper Skills, a powerful weapon was still a powerful weapon, and so Ice trained in order to raise his expertise to take advantage of this fact.

After all, one of the only ways he could actually increase his potential damage right now was by equipping powerful weapons. It would certainly be a huge waste if he found an equipable weapon with satisfactory damage yet wasn't familiar with using it.

Sir Killey was his one handed sword instructor, Sea was daggers, Rosseane was piercing swords like the Estoc, Sasha was two handed swords and war axes and Evann was maces and shields.

He also wanted to learn archery but the one who was proficient in it wasn't present at the moment as he was in another knight squad and they were currently away patrolling the borders. He still studied the basics, though Sea advised him to find a proper instructor if he could in the future.

Sasha's adorable gestures as she swung around a huge, albeit blunted (and still quite lethal) battle axe made a lot of impact. It was truly a great example of [2]gap moe. Ice had to be vigilant though, or he faced the very real possibility of being cleaved to death.

Rosseane's lessons were easy to follow and understand. In contrast, Evann taught him with close to zero enthusiasm. He simply demonstrated the movements once or twice, then took breaks afterwards, leaving Ice to figure it all out himself.

Sea's lessons were, of course, quite enjoyable for the both of them. They laughed as they remembered about Ice's earlier training with Sea back when he was just an Initiate. If it weren't for the prolific gazes filled with mixed emotions that were constantly shot their way, Ice would've enjoyed it more.

And Sir Killey's was the most informative. He fit the template of mentor to a tee. He was patient with him, yet also strict. Ice felt it was a privilege sparring with a man of Sir Killey's caliber.

Training went on for Ice at a steady pace.

***

Ice poured fresh, cool water on himself drawn from the well beside him within the castle premises after a day of rigorous training. Ibex approached him with a bemused expression.

"___Looks like you managed to gain some fans kid." he quipped mischievously as he gestured to the nearby walls.

Several gazes peeked at the two of them, though they quickly withdrew after Ice turned his attention towards the walls. A familiar looking ahoge and a frilly royal gown were among the things that briefly entered his vision. But they quickly disappeared along with soft laughter from beyond the walls.

"..."

Ice felt mixed emotions from all the attention. He couldn't help but think about how different his current appearance was from how he looked like back on Earth. Somehow, it felt like cheating.

He also couldn't help but doubt if he'd receive as much attention if he still looked like that in El Fabula, though he did have difficulty imagining how his former appearance will look if rendered in 2D animation.

He shook away his current thoughts. It wasn't good to dwell on negative stuff.

"They might've been looking at you instead you know." he joked.

"___I wouldn't be surprised, given how awesome I look." Ibex retorted as he played along.

They shared a quiet laugh.

"___You've certainly been working hard kid." Ibex remarked.

"It's the only way I'd feel calm otherwise. I know myself well enough. I'm overly cautious at times, yet I'm also overly careless as well. There might be things I overlook, and it might bite me back hard. I'm counting on you for those times."

"___Ahaha. Sure thing kid. I'll be counting on you as well."

Ibex narrowed his eyes and made a serious expression.

"___It's been overly quiet recently don't you think?" he remarked, expressing his concern.

"Well, we haven't gone to hunt outside yet ever since that time after all. Maybe they can't get to us as easily if we remained in the city." Ice replied.

"___Still, it won't do to let our guard down. There have been instances in the past where we were attacked inside towns and settlements too."

"Yeah. I've already upgraded my equipment as much as I could. I've also purchased the scrolls you recommended. Thanks to that, I'm now dead broke." Ice remarked with a wry grin.

They've also extensively discussed about the encounter with the Edgeback earlier on.

Ibex had been hit with a Slow spell, dulling his movements and allowing the monster to catch up. Ice had purchased Dispel scrolls to prepare for such situations.

They also talked about the reason why the teleport stone didn't function at the time.

"___It's most likely through a banned item. A Dungeon Lock scroll. It nullifies items that are used to escape dungeons or warp directly to a transport point from an area.

It was used to apprehend criminals but have also been abused to perpetrate criminal acts as well. Thus, it's been banned for use other than by the authorities with proper clearance." Ibex explained.

"You seem really familiar with it." Ice remarked.

"___We've encountered it several times in the past. Though not this early."

As for the appearance of an Area Boss in a place other than its specific spawning point, investigation by the Ricksvale authorities revealed it to have been caused by a boss generating item - Obsydian Beasts Claw.

There are several kinds of these rare items that spawn different types of bosses when used. This is potentially dangerous when used irresponsibly, so adventurers need to apply for a permit from local authorities and use it only on locations approved and specified by the CQMA.

This only applies when adventurers plan to summon bosses near populated areas. But summoning in out of the way places is also practiced to avoid kill stealing.

"Any idea who or what could have loosed that over sized bear on our faces?" Ice asked.

"___No clue at the moment. See, thing is, the people who after us vary every time a new ★Summoner makes a covenant with us. The period for a new ★Summoner to appear is a bit of a long wait. A lot of things would have already changed since the last time we were active. That includes the groups or individuals that are after us."

"The people after you change?" Ice exclaimed, perplexed.

"___Yeah. The flow of events weren't always this overt as well. Though when you analyze things, you'd start to see several suspicious points. For one, how the heck is it that we're always involved in troublesome events? No, not just involved. We often found ourselves right in the middle of a damn whirlpool of absurdly troublesome things." Ibex ranted, the frustration evident in his voice.

"Why didn't you just try to avoid getting involved ?"

"___Believe me kid, we tried. We really put in quite the effort to remain incognito. We laid low and took care not to be mired in anything that smelled of trouble. But it was futile. We pulled through lots of times, but we always failed in the end. It was as if all our efforts just served as entertainment for who-knows-what. We felt like goddamn clowns!..."

Ibex gritted his teeth and snarled in anger. Ice couldn't begin to imagine how his predecessors must have felt after all that.

"___It's like the curse of being a story's protagonist..." Ice thought.

And a tragic protagonist at that! Going through all sorts of ordeals only to fail in the end each and every time. He'd also go mad with frustration if it were him in their shoes.

Actually, he already was.

But all he could do right now is inch forward. At the very least, he won't go down without a fight.

Ice allowed Ibex to vent some more as he stared towards the sky, wondering what sort of mess he'd get involved with next.

***

A hooded man stood stock still within a small room that seemed devoid of any warmth. A few candles flickered along the walls, yet they did not serve to lighten the stagnant and dreary atmosphere.

A new cloaked figure appeared from within the shadows wearing a dark violet mask that resembled a raven. A small patch of red along the part that made up the beak seemed to symbolize blood.

This was the lair of the Bloody Ravens.

Despite the sinister sounding name and the carefully crafted atmosphere, the group was only a budding Assassins guild that relied more on flashy advertising and gaudy looks to scrounge up clients.

Besides, Assassins guilds are relatively hard to create, develop and maintain. This is because this was a business built on trust. It would make sense that big prey was rarely ever entrusted to a new guild with shaky credentials.

This is why novice Assassins would rather work on their skills and achievements as they tried to appeal to larger, more established guilds for more stable prospects.

The Bloody Ravens were different though. They had sworn to rise from mediocrity and achieve a towering status among the world of the pros, no matter the difficulty. And now, a suitably grand opportunity has come knocking on their door step.

The masked figure moved closer to the center of the room where the other hooded figure was and spoke in a raspy (and slightly over dramatic) male voice.

"The brotherhood has accepted your commission. We shall begin scouting out the target soon. We have also confirmed the specified payment and found it satisfactory."

The hooded man nodded slightly in acknowledgement.

"I expect good news guild master. I've spent quite a pretty penny hiring you and your men after all."

"Rest assured. The target will be eliminated without fail."

The men once again nodded to each other and vanished within the shadows.

***

"With this, everything is set."

The hooded man weaved through the back alleys of a town with light, quickened strides.

Steps for taking out what he deemed to be an unforgivable 'Impurity' were underway, making his mood quite refreshed.

Methods that were not sanctioned by the praetor and the inquisitorial council were generally not permitted as means to eliminate said 'Impurities'.

But he was willing to risk it, with a firm conviction that the end justified the means.

"The will of the Trancendent shall surely overlook this. After all, I did this for the greater good of the world." he thought as if justifying himself.

The reason why he choose such an obscure guild in order to commission a hit was simple: It would be easier for him to cut them off and deny any involvement considering their credebility.

The target wasn't all that high a level after all. And he'd been holing up inside the Ricksvale capital city ever since they used the boss monster to try and eliminate him.

The average level of the Bloody Ravens members was within the 30-40 range. Given their superior numbers, it should be enough to bring the target down.

The man smiled in satisfaction as he weaved through the crowd.

-Chapter 13 End-

*Note

Assassins guilds aren't really exclusively for Assassin Classes. As long as one doesn't have qualms with killing people for money and wants to make a living out of it, then they're welcome to apply.

There are all kinds who join these types of guilds: Alchemists who brew and use poisons, Dancers who use their charms to seduce the targets, Mages who use magic to kill etc.

There are some who do it for fame or sport in addition to monetary benefits. Most of these types are prestigious guilds who get commissioned high profile and highly confidential targets.

Most who hire these types are pretty influencial personages, including various nation's officials and rulers.

The non-Class exclusive rule also applies to knight squads and mercenary bands. The Sibylwind knights are also composed of diverse Classes. The armor sets they wear aren't Class locked and were made exclusively for them by the royal armory. They were also customized to fit each individuals particular Class and fighting style.

[1] Keima Katsuragi (桂木 桂馬 Katsuragi Keima?), a 17-year-old high school student at Maijima Academy, is known on the Internet and in gaming circles as The Capturing God (落とし神 Otoshi-gami) because of his exceptional skills and experience in "capturing" (winning over) virtual girls in dating sims and gal games (galge) (ギャルゲーム gyaru gēmu).

*quoted from Wikipedia

[2] Gap Moe - is when a character does something completely contradictory to what their usual habits/personality/character/appearance dictates.

[Swordstriker21]

Chapter 14: Underlying Faces

Spoiler! :

"Excuse me fellows. Is the man called Ice here? I'd like to speak with him for a moment."

A dignified looking young man was standing near the entrance of the training grounds complete with tough faced guards on either side of him. He was looking around the place, searching for Ice.

He was the son of the prince reagent and apparent heir to the throne, prince Ricard Falwynd Ricksvale.

The knights looked at each other with questioning gazes. They were curious about the reason for the sudden visit.

***

"Eh?! Prince Ricard is looking for me? Whatever for?" Ice inquired in a slightly high pitched tone.

The page shook his head and told him he also had no idea and he just came to get Ice.

Ice scratched his head, perplexed. He decided to just meet with the prince to find out what this was all about.

He sincerely hoped it wasn't something ridiculous like prince Ricard actually being a Siscon and him being challenged to a duel for Thelma's affection or anything to that effect.

***

"So you're Ice huh? Not bad. And it seems you train with the knights on a regular basis as well. Above average looks and the sincere hard working type huh... No wonder sis has a crush on you."

Prince Ricard went over and suddenly started to scrutinize Ice as soon as he showed up. They were currently within the receiving area of the prince's private quarters. There didn't seem to be any apparent hostility coming from him.

His guards were another story though. They had 'Make one stupid move and you're dead.' faces on them. Ice got goosebumps from their fierce gazes. Prince Ricard continued to check him out nonchalantly, not noticing the strained atmosphere at all.

"Um... forgive me if this sounds rude your highness, but... uh... what exactly did you want to meet me for?" Ice asked.

"Huh? Oh yes, of course. I was just curious about what kind of man made my tomboy of a sister suddenly act all girly so I checked you out a bit. But that's not really why I wanted to meet you."

Prince Ricard moved his gaze towards his guards and gestured for them to leave their posts. They weren't pleased with the idea and attempted to protest.

"Right now, I need to speak with this man in private. He's my sister's benefactor so there's no cause for concern. Anyway, just step outside for a bit. We won't take long."

The prince Ricard was adamant and grandly stared the guards down. He really did fit the image of a proud noble. Eventually, the guards were forced to capitulate on the condition that they be allowed to wait just outside the room. Prince Ricard agreed but warned them not to eavesdrop and the matter was settled.

After the guards left, prince Ricard turned his attention to Ice once more with a resolute gaze.

"So then, what is it you want from me your highness?" Ice inquired; his curiosity piqued.

"Mm. I'll make this brief. I am given to believe that you've stayed with the Seyramour family for a time before you came here."

Ice nodded in the affirmative.

"Hm. Then you have already come to know of the members of captain Seyramours family, including her siblings, correct?" prince Ricard inquired further.

"Yes. I've met her parents and both her siblings."

"Mm. Then you've already met Ein and miss Veenah... Hmm..."

Prince Ricard grew silent for a short while. He then gave Ice a look filled with burning determination and placed an object on Ice's palm.

"Eh?"

Ice was surprised and looked at the object given to him. It was a small, hexagonal contraption with a clear crystal imbedded in its center.

"It's a portable mana-vision camera that also takes still shots." prince Ricard explained.

"Uhuh..."

Ice was confused further.

"Uh, well... this is nice and all but... what exactly am I supposed to do with this your highness?" he asked in increasing bewilderment.

"You see mister Ice... I have dear wish I want to fulfill... And you might be the key to finally getting that wish to come true." prince Ricard replied in a solemn tone.

"And what is this wish of yours your highness?"

"Mm... My dream... is to finally complete my collection. To get that final elusive shot...

OF MISS VEENAH BATHING NAKED IN A HOT SPRING!!! (preferably with decent steam effects)."

Ice instantly froze over while sporting a blank look. The prince didn't notice at all and continued explaining in a riled up tone.

"I have painstakingly gathered shots of the wonderful Miss Veenah from almost all possible angles in almost all possible backgrounds in a wide variety of poses, expressions and outfits. Yet only this hot spring shot eludes me.

Yes, it eludes me to no end. I have even enlisted the aid of my good friend, Ein Seyramour. But even he found it difficult to breach the nearly impregnable defenses of the Maleena hot springs.

But then, hope dawned upon me. Reliable sources have reported that you have actually succeeded in infiltrating that sacred sanctum.

You may have not succeeded in gazing upon paradise due to unforseen circumstances. Yet you did not give up and burst into the room of the famous Lady Melva Hollcroft and have attained the reward of being sandwiched within her bountiful bosom!

Such bravery! Such tenacity! Thus, I have judged that you are the most suitable person to entrust my hopes and dreams to. There can be no one but you!"

Prince Ricard panted heavily after his impassioned speech and looked upon Ice with a face filled with hope and heartfelt admiration. Ice was at a loss about how to react.

"W-Why steam effects?"

That wasn't what he wanted to ask. But Ice had already been taken by the increasingly weird atmosphere, and thus, his thought processes have currently slowed down to a crawl.

"Hm? Oh, well that's because of personal taste. I believe that scene would be more profound (and titillating) than just bare skin. It's art mister Ice. Capturing the beauty and grandness of creation!"

Ice could only mechanically nod.

"Great! Then I shall leave that camera with you. I pray for your success mister Ice. If you succeed in doing this for me, then I shall consider you a lifelong friend and soul brother.

I am also not in a hurry. Take your time and take the perfect shot. I'm counting on you."

Ice was ultimately unable to get a word in edgewise and later on, worried about the prince's request to no end.

***

"___Bahahahaha! That prince Ricard sure was a piece of work eh kid? I like him."

Ibex laughed unsparingly after the meeting with the prince. He remained beside Ice the entire time but stayed still on the floor during the whole thing. But Ice was aware of his constant snickering after the prince opened the topic of stealth photography.

"___Just how beautiful is that young lady that a prince of a country got so taken with her and became a full blown stalker?" Ibex remarked in a bemused tone.

Ice thought back to his time with the Seyramours and found himself understanding the prince a bit. Sea's older sister Veenah truly was beautiful. In fact, the entire family had looks that could kill. As expected of the high spec family.

But becoming a fully fledged peeping tom and taking candid photos of her bathing was out of the question.

"___But maybe I can pull it off during next year's event..."

Ice shook his head frantically as he forced himself to extinguish the thought.

"___Gehehe. Miss Sea is already such a looker. I imagine her older sister will be quite a gorgeous woman as well. What do you say with entrusting that request to me?" Ibex exclaimed in a teasing manner.

"How the heck are you even going to do that? You got no arms." Ice retorted.

"When there's a will, there's a way!" Ibex replied with absolute conviction.

Ice could only shrug in exasperation and sigh.

He had missed the opportunity to refuse due to the prince's sincere gaze. But he really had to turn him down properly later on.

It would be hard to imagine what Mr. Alphonse would do if he ever found out. Ice still valued his life after all.

***

The pair walked along among the crowd in the central plaza of the city. They were headed towards the direction of the north gate, finally deciding to hunt in earnest after weeks spent training. They couldn't stay holed up in the city forever after all.

Ice had checked all of his equipment and items and put them in order. He felt that they did all they could for the time being and surviving from here on out depends on their tenacity, determination and luck. Unfortunately, Ice hasn't invested on Luk yet. But one can't expect everything to be perfect from the get go.

"___Now kid, the moment we encounter a hopeless situation, retreat immediately. Don't throw your life away. We could always go for a revenge match, but you can't do jack if you're dead." Ibex reminded. Ice promptly nodded.

"I know. I need to polish my sense of danger more. I want to be able to properly judge the level of risk involved in a situation and act accordingly. I'm still fairly new to this stuff so I'm counting on you to cover for my shortcomings."

"___I know kid. Leave it to me." Ibex assured Ice.

They were now beside the central fountains. Suddenly, something caught Ibex's attention and as he turned to warn Ice...

"?!"

Ice immediately halted his steps. Something entered the periphery of his vision. It was headed straight for him. He hurriedly sidestepped to dodge the incoming object. It struck the ground with surprising force moments later.

It was a small crossbow bolt. The Kinetic Vision ability the Freerunning Skill granted had proven its worth. Ice thought he wouldn't have spotted the bolt as easily as he did without it.

Purple liquid burst out from the tip and stained the ground. Ice didn't know if it would be this obvious on Earth, but in an anime-like world, suspicious colored liquid that seeped out of a long, pointed object (Weapons of course. Get your minds out of the gutter.) had a high chance of being poison.

Ice raised his alertness to the max and surveyed his surroundings. Ibex scanned for threats as well. They kept moving towards the crowd in order not to give the assailants another clear shot.

But despite this, another bolt flew from a different direction and barely whizzed past them. An unfortunate bystander started writhing in pain and collapsed on the ground after being hit. The surrounding people were instantly thrown into a panic.

"What the hell?! They don't even care about involving other people huh." Ice exclaimed and gritted his teeth in anger.

"___It seems that way. What now? We could keep using people as shields to avoid attacks..."

"That could work. But I'm not that rotten. At least not yet. For now... RUN!"

The pair rushed out of the fountain area and went deeper into the city streets.

***

Ice and Ibex continued to run through the maze like passages of the cityscape. They have all but memorized the layout of the place and traversed it with ease even without consulting the minimap.

They couldn't fully shake off the attackers at first though. It seems they have also scouted and mapped the place considerably so escaping from their pursuit wasn't easy.

They couldn't split up either since Ibex had limited range. If he ends up separated from Ice for a prolonged period, it would result in forced recall. Since the Skill cool down was 20 minutes, Ice would end up without any back up for a while.

They finally lost their pursuers after much effort. Ice used the lull in the action to drink some potions and recover his HP. The poison wasn't debilitating and only decreased his HP by 5 per second so it didn't bother him much. Quick use of an antidote solved the annoyance fairly easily.

It only had that much effect on the person that was hit earlier because he had been a Unit. Ice could only hope he had been treated on time, since a couple of adventurers were also present at the scene.

The poison wasn't a big deal. But the accumulated damage from the crossbow bolts wasn't anything to scoff at. Crossbows tended to have lower damage and overall range compared to bows. And Ice had considerable defense for his level due to his equipment.

But seeing as the bolts shaved off about 15-30% of his HP every hit, Ice was convinced he was dealing with people who outleveled him by at least 10 to 20. And that was trouble.

He grimaced in frustration. He had avoided a majority of the bolts by effectively using cover, but more and more people kept popping up unexpectedly and got a few shots in on him. They had now identified at least ten pursuers. And there was no telling how many they actually were.

"Dammit! What's taking the authorities so long?!..."

Ice gritted his teeth as he looked through the gap in the wall of the building they were currently hiding in. Ibex stayed silent but threw Ice a critical gaze.

"___Kid..."

"What?!"

"___We can't hold out like this. Not if we remain passive. You know that."

"Tch..."

Ice bit his lip, drawing blood. They had shaken off their assailants but it was only a matter of time until they were found. But despite this, he had not made an initiative to retaliate.

He was actually buying time. He was counting on the city guards and knight squads to respond to the earlier commotion and rush to the scene. No matter how numerous their pursuers were, Ice thought they wouldn't dare take action against Ricksvale's authorities on their home turf and choose to retreat.

But the anticipated reinforcements didn't arrive. At least, not soon enough.

Ice knew they were headed for disaster if things were left as is. He already knew what Ibex wanted him to do.

He knew.

But he was still hesitant. He felt that if he took that first step, then there would be no turning back.

"___Kid!"

Ibex confronted Ice and stared at him with a challenging look.

"___You want to survive right? You want to win against all this absurdity and come back home right? Why the hell are you hesitating then?! I don't know what kind of values and beliefs you had before coming here. And frankly, I don't care.

THIS is your reality right now! And unless you get your act together, you're as good as dead!"

Ice was stunned for a moment after Ibex's admonishment. He closed his eyes and took a long, deep breath to steady his nerves. His eyes shone with resolve the moment he opened them next.

"You're right. I'm sorry."

"___As long as you understand."

Ice gripped the handle of his weapon - a newly acquired Stiletto - and prepared to counterattack.

***

A group of people stood silently on the roof of a tall building near the city center and observed the growing commotion below with impassive gazes.

It was the captains of Ricksvale's knight squads. A hawkish bespectacled man approached the young woman who stood near the edge of the roof and hailed her with a concerned tone.

"Captain Seyramour... Is this really alright? Letting this situation persist I mean. You know the one who's being targeted correct? I am given to believe that you quite favor him.

We've all agreed to adhere to your request for the time being. But if this were to go on, that young man will surely die."

The young woman, Captain Seabelle Seyramour of the Sybilwind knight squad, turned to face the man with a steely gaze.

"The efforts to deal with the resulting collateral damage and panic is proceeding smoothly correct? Then there's no more cause for concern Captain Gates. I've personally seen to Ice's training as well. He won't fall that easily to the likes of these garishly dressed clowns."

The man, Captain Hartman Gates of the Banefang knight squad, seemed unconvinced.

"But those are roughly more than twenty assailants. No matter how well trained you claim he is, that young man won't be able to hold out for long against such numbers, even if it does seem that they are complete amateurs."

Sea smiled sweetly - a stark contrast from her earlier harsh expression - and replied in a light tone.

"You misunderstand captain. I don't intend to leave the situation be for long. I just want Ice to go through a serious life or death encounter with actual people as opponents.

He needs to go through this in order for him to have a greater chance of surviving as an adventurer and pioneer for the sanctioned explorations to the uncharted lands. Just like he wanted."

"A pioneer you say?!" Captain Gates exclaimed in surprise.

"Yup. You should already know just how dangerous and cutthroat that world is. The strong eat the weak. That's all there is to it really. He needs to harden his resolve in order to live through something like that.

An opportunity to actually draw blood and kill people like this is also ideal. The attackers are reportedly a newly formed Assassins guild called the Bloody Ravens correct? Even if they're but second rate novices when it comes to the trade, they should have prepared themselves for the eventuality of death in missions like this. If not then they would be nothing more than trash. So there's no reason to hold back against them is there? I could not have asked for better opponents to let Ice grow.

It's because I like him that I'm doing all this. Do you find my methods unpleasant captain?"

Sea's smile was pure and free of any pretense. She truly did feel that way. Which made it all the more striking. Captain Gates could only laugh awkwardly and concede.

He had already felt it when she first made waves as the youngest to ever attain the right to vie for captain-ship of a knight squad using just absolute and overwhelming strength some years ago. But now, he had confirmed it once again.

This young woman, Seabelle Seyramour, daughter of the Mad Sword and the Puppeteer of Chaos, was truly extraordinary. And, when left unrestrained, was exceedingly dangerous as well.

"___This person was actually assigned as the leader of the princess' personal guard... Honestly... Her abilities may be top notch but... What could his majesty be thinking?..."

Captain Gates sighed as he watched the ensuing commotion develop with conflicted thoughts.

-Chapter 14- End