A myriad of information assaulted Rue’s mind at once. He made 24 skill choices in a set of six, separated by a blue table that wafted across his vision. He had to blink and focus on one table first, letting out a breath as his vision returned. He let go of his Time of Obsidian Ice.

  As the spell dissipated, a very thin – almost needle-like sword appeared from thin air. Rue caught the pommel; there’s no hand guard for the sword. This looked more like a Rapier than the weapon he was used to.

  (Dancer Sword) (Rare) – Especially forged to deal thousands of cuts instead of a heavy strike on the opponent. Skillful use will be a requirement to master this sword. You cannot stay on your feet as trading blows is the last thing you want; you want to fill your enemy with a myriad of holes, bleeding them dry to death.

  This sword did not look like something he would be able to wield properly for now.

  He stared down at Salar’s head, the Kobold King's head, which looked like it was served in a crystal of ice as an offering toward the moon. A sting of regret pang inside of Rue – a regret of not being able to fight the Kobold tow to tow, of having to rely on so many just to take it down. Such feeling is ridiculous, even he recognized it – but surely the King deserves a fair fight.

  Well, there’s nothing fair about his body, though.

  Rue peered around him, before he could register the horror – the sting of blood invaded his sense of smell, the pungent yet sweet acidic stench hung in the air. His eyes watered as the scent crept inside his tongue – the aftertaste almost made him want to puke all over.

  “Ugh,” He grumbled, pushing his sleeve against his nose.

  Bodies flayed open around him, blood seeped into the rich grasses coloring them like a crimson paint. Organs jutted out from various limbs in a gory display of the King's might. Rue stumbled around, almost knocking a monkey who was scurrying to deliver some sort of vial.

  “Rue! Kid!” A voice called him from the overwhelming smell of death. It was Paxwell; he just jumped down and carefully made his way so as not to step on any of the animal's body. “I know this might not be the time, but…” Pax motioned to the girl behind him.

  “Where are they?” Yuuki, the last survivor of the group he had saved, appeared. She pushed Paxwell lightly, her eyes intent on him.

  “They?” It took Rue a couple of seconds before realizing. And she knew as her eyes widened in horror.

  “I’m sorry,” Rue said. “None of them survive.”

  “None of them,” She repeated, dropping her knives to the ground. “You did everything right?”

  “Yes, all of us are.”

  “I see,” She hung her head, before trudging away and resting her head against her knee as she dropped by a trunk. She did not even pick up her weapon.

  Rue bent down to pick them up, unsure what to do.

  “I got this,” Benedict took the knives from him, tapping him in the back with a smile. He made his way to Yuuki, kneeling on one knee, and letting her cry on him.

  Rue had to do a double-take. Is that the same Benedict he knew? Well, to be fair, he barely knew Benedict.

  “We needed to gather around, all of us. Preferably somewhere much more friendly,” Paxwell said, looking around – the man's brow furrowed in a disgusted manner.

  “We still had our last two quests,” Rue said, reminding the old man.

  “Yes, that,” Paxwell said, his words considering. “How is the Lioness?”

  “Eight percent”

  “We should talk this over with the animals. Eve would be too busy healing the injured, and Pax is busy watching over Yom. That old man appeared to feel guilty of what happened to him.”

  Rue nodded. He tried to spot where Cel was. The execution mentioned by the Lion still bothered him. Is there anything he can do to prevent… The blue line extended deep into the forest. He narrowed his eyes to see no sign of the stag. He has run.

  “Pax!” Rue nudged the old man.

  He scowled, but immediately noticed Rue's expression.

  “Cel ran.”

  The man gave a quiet acknowledgement before lowering his voice. “To the Lioness, you reckon?”

  “Probably,”

  “If you want to sneak out, then this is the time. I can keep them busy… and also” Paxwell scratches his head. “I don’t want to leave yet, Rue. Eve will go around and heal the injured, but Yom is not well enough to go either.”

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  “I got it, Pax,” Rue said. “I will get your reward as well.”

  “No, you don’t need to,” Paxwell said. “But, maybe I could get you someone else more reliable.” His eyes settled on Benedict, along with both HuGoblins. Indeed, having them will be quite advantageous. “Get ready to leave, I will ask them.” Paxwell tapped him on the shoulder, then walked toward Benedict, who was still comforting Yuuki.

  Rue heard a familiar voice shouting. Appeared to be in panic or something. Eve was pushing her Mana through the Elderwood staff. She's pushing it to… A monkey?

  Making his way toward her, Rue spotted the Golden Sword and Golden Warhammer lying on the ground, and no one was there to pick them up. The Warhammer is a bit too big for him, and besides it was a group effort. But the sword? He can claim it, right? Rue looked around – before chastising himself for doing it. He crouched down and hefted up the golden sword. He had gotten rid of his common steel sword and sheathed the Dancer sword in its sheath.

  With both swords, he walked over toward where Eve was. She’s channeling her green ambient Mana in a desperate flow. Eve also had her Magic Vein upgraded, just like him. Rue notices her spell is much more refined and stronger than before.

  “Come on, monkey!” She pleaded.

  Emily was there also; she noticed Rue, and her eyes went down to both of his swords. One is golden and the other is an identical one that she also held. “Greedy, aren’t you?” She stared at the Golden Sword, her lips curved.

  Rue just coughed and stared at the dying monkey, its left leg completely destroyed, along with part of its body. He laid the sword down and asked Eve. “Anything I can do?”

  “I think it’s a goner?” The girl sighed.

  “Not with me here!” Flan screeched from behind, flexing his wing as his sons and daughters circled his talons. “Amateur!” The flamingo shook its beak at Eve, pecking her hair.

  Eve scowled and tried to choke the flamingo's thin neck, but Flan easily dodged and went to examine the monkey. “He will be fine! With me here, of course! Now, human, go find another who needs your help!” He flapped a wing, ushering all three of them.

  Rino, who noticed they’re leaving, stood and followed. Four of them walked around, with Eve leading them, and she found an injured bear with a nasty gash around its shoulder. She knelt, and the bear was wary at first, but it relented once Eve pushed her ambient mana to it.

  “I guess, everything is finished?” Rino asked. “What of the tutorial now?”

  “There are still five goblins left,” Emily said. “Shouldn’t be too difficult, besides,” She motioned to Paxwell, who was talking to Benedict. “Looked like we’re about to head out.”

  “Uhh,” Rue started, earning both of their questioning look. “About that…” Rue explained to all three of them what he intended to do. Eve was listening, without looking at him.

  “I see, yeah, you should go, Rue,” Emily said, “I think I will stay with Eve here, who knows what might happen.” She eyes the animal around them.

  “I should stay too,” Rino said. “I’m worried about Yom. Besides, with Benedict and both Hu Goblins, you do not need us.”

  ”You sure? All of you, I don’t mind sharing the reward,” Rue said. All of them had contributed significantly.

  “No, no, you kept it,” Emily said. “I think we got enough, and your kill gets both of us a lot of level-up already.”

  “True that,” Rino said.

  “Rue! Are you ready?” Benedict called him suddenly. He turned to see him, and both Rita and Yomi stood by him, along with that girl Yuuki.

  “I guess I’m going now,” Rue said to Emily, Rino, and Eve. “Oh, also…” Rue reminded. This is important. “Eve, there is a chance they will disappear, all the animals and both the Hu Goblin. So-“

  “I will still heal them, Rue,” She said. “The very least I owe them that. Besides, I can’t help but think, I’m not worthy of this, she pointed to her Dancer Sword and Frost Wand.”

  “Nonsense,” Rue smiled, standing up. Had there been no her constant heal, who knows what would have happened. Rue walked over to Benedict, who was still waiting with arms crossed. He turned back briefly. “Well, I will bring it close to the tutorial while I’m at it” He waved.

  “Look at him acting all cool,” Emily rolled her eyes.

  “We will make sure everyone here is safe then,” Rino smiled, waving back.

  “I was hoping we could ride one of those horses,” Rue grumbled, as they managed to just casually walk out without being stopped by any animal.

  “Pax said, it's much better to just go rather than risk them not allowing us to leave.” Benedict shrugged. “Better to fake ignorance than to stop basically. I swear that old man must be some kind of psychiatrist or something in a previous world.”

  “He was a hunter,” Rue said, eyeing the rest of the group, five of them. The girl Yuuki being here is an odd choice. He had thought Gilbert would want to join them, but Clerence apparently wanted some alone time with him, as she quoted ‘there's no guarantee they will meet again for the next phase of the tutorial’.

  That indeed would suck. Rue had grown rather fond of this group, along with Rita and Yomi.

  Speaking of both of them.

  “Yomi, Rita, you both know what might have happened, right?” Rue asked as they kept walking.

  “Yes,” Yomi answered. “I must confess it's quite shocking.” The Hu Goblin looked down, eyes hanging low.

  Rue did not know what to say to them. Had Cel known this would happen? He hopes not, the stag owes him some question. But, he did not know if he would be able to meet the current Cel again.

  “Sound of water,” Yuuki said. She had been solemnly walking ahead of the group.

  “It's pretty strong,” Benedict said. Rue couldn’t hear anything until at least another dozen steps. The sound of splashing water crashed through the dense forest. Their vision eventually opened up to a deep ravine. The sight of the flowing river hundreds of feet below is beautiful under the night sky, yet terrifying, especially as Rue followed the blue thread to the Stag, about halfway down on a small patch of earth that formed near a large opening.

  “There,” Rue pointed toward Cel.

  “He’s making for the Cave,” Benedict said. Then the man looked at the river. “Very strong current.” He crouched, cursing softly, “Even with our new strength, we won't be able to swim if we fall.”

  “Rita and I will have no problem going down there,” Yomi said. “Should both of us just go first?”

  “No, Yuuki and I have LightStep Skill. We will have no problem,” Benedict muttered. His eyes landed on Rue. The question does not need to be asked.

  He looked over the untrustworthy earth that seemed made for children rather than a proper adult. “I can do it,” Rue said, even though he didn't believe himself.

  “Let's take a brief rest. And check our new skill first,” Benedict suggested. “Some might be able to help you. Although you probably don't want to take too long”