Cirayus expected him to take months to deal with these monsters, but Vir wasn’t about to wait that long.
Today.
He didn’t expect to win. Here in the Ash, there were no Balarian proctors. No ranks with which to gauge power levels. It was safer to wait. It made more sense.
Yet time was a luxury he simply didn’t have. Already, weeks had passed in the Human Realm, and he refused to burn any more here at the periphery. If not for Cirayus, for Maiya.
With the eyes of a predator, Vir watched. And he waited.
It’s a monster, was Vir’s first thought.
I’m gonna fight this thing? was his second.
Two hours later, Vir was convinced he’d lose. He wasn’t strong enough to fight it. Not yet. But he was still going to.
It wasn’t like he was trying to be a reckless chal. He’d carefully studied the vile creature from all angles as it patrolled its domain. When his time in the shadows ran out, Vir simply reactivated Dance. Even if Ash prana could be depleted within the Ashen Realm—a big if—he certainly wasn’t capable of accomplishing that monumental feat. This meant he got to enjoy the luxury of infinite Talent usages, and he abused that luxury to spy on the enemy.
The Shredder’s small arms may not have looked like much, but prana coated them like a razor. It looked identical to Prana Blade, except it was always active. The same went for its three rows of jagged teeth, each lined with prana. Finally, its tail literally was a blade, and it, too, had prana to enhance it.
The other parts of its body, while less deadly, were no weaker. The Prana Armor that clung to the Shredder’s skin made Vir wonder if Prana Blade could even get through. It wasn’t merely thick—it was so dense, Prana Vision couldn’t penetrate it.
Nor was it clumsy and slow like a Phantomblade. While it moved lazily, it was by choice rather than necessity—its musculature betrayed its agility. Vir had caught the abomination Blinking at its prey more than once.
Fleeing would be hard, Vir thought, especially if it has good senses.
A glance at Cirayus confirmed the demon was observing his every movement.
Vir could run all the way back and hide behind him, essentially forcing the giant to deal with the beast, but something told him his teacher wouldn’t be very pleased with that outcome.
Let’s call it the last resort, then. Here goes nothing!
17THE HARD WAY
“You weren’t ready,” Cirayus said, healing Vir with A Grade Restore Bone, Heal Wound, and Greater Numb Wound orbs.
Vir couldn’t say a word against that. Well, no, he could. “At least I didn’t run back to you.”
“I’d have kicked you right back if ye had!”
He lay still on a bench Cirayus had carved out of the rock. Turns out tremendous strength and Balancer of Scales was useful not only in combat but for excavation as well. While Vir had been out scouting his enemy, Cirayus had carved a humble abode into the side of the volcano that rose from the Mahakurma’s back. It was a simple, small abode, if tall, to fit those of half-giant stature.
Comprising a single moderately sized room fit for eating or meditating in, and a corner to sleep in, it wasn’t much. But it was enough. A safe harbor from the storms that raged eternally outside. A shelter from the ever-falling ash. Though it lacked lighting, the windows and open doorway allowed plenty through. Not that Vir really needed light to see.
Vir hadn’t realized how much he needed such a place until now. The nerves and the stress of the past weeks melted away, and for the first time in a very long time, he felt safe.
“I know,” he replied through gritted teeth. Partly on account of the hot shame that burned in his chest. Partly because while A Grade healing orbs closed his wounds before his very eyes, the associated pain was greater, too. Even with the anesthetic orb, the experience was hardly painless, especially later.
“I wasn’t really in any danger. Not with Dance of the Shadow Demon.” And with you watching over me, he didn’t add.
“But was it worth all this?” his godfather asked, having finished his treatment. “You should be thankful your friend carried these orbs with her. Quite handy, I must admit. Quite powerful. The girl never fails to impress. If the Demon Realm got their hands on these…”
Vir sat up slowly, not commenting on how Maiya had simply paid someone to precharge them and wasn’t actually capable of using them since she lacked a Life Affinity. Regardless, she did give him these outrageously expensive orbs. He wasn’t about to throw her name under the wagon.
Groaning, Vir tested his newly healed limbs. Though the pain lingered, the skin had mended perfectly; the Shredder’s lacerations on his arms, chest, back, and legs left no scars.
“Worth it,” he replied. “Definitely worth it.”
“I presume you learned something from that beat down?”
Beat down, huh? That was exactly what it was. Vir had gone in knowing he’d be outmatched in raw power. He knew his blade might not have been able to penetrate the creature’s deep, thick armor.
“I didn’t think it’d be so badrakking fast,” he admitted. “It’s not just my power, either. I need more speed, too.”
“More speed, power, and defense. You lack in all dimensions, lad. With greater defense, offensive options open. With more power, you can end fights quicker, reducing the risk of injury. And with speed, you can avoid damage. It’s how you’ve won until now, isn’t it?”
“Right. My mobility’s always been a strength. Just that now…”
“Your foes are faster than you, negating that advantage,” the demon completed.
Good thing I didn’t wear my armor, Vir thought. He’d stashed his seric gear away for the fight. Foolish, perhaps, but with Cirayus watching his back, he wasn’t in any real danger. Better to save the armor for when he needed it most.
Vir suspected he’d be back to fighting condition after another day. A Grade orbs truly were something else.
“So? How do you plan to overcome this disadvantage?”
Vir knew exactly the Talent he needed. “There’s a Rare Talent humans use called Haste. I guess it works like your Giant Grace. Makes you faster.”
“Curious. So humans learn these Talents, do they? And all of them are known? I admit there is some merit to being able to teach magic so… formulaically.”
“Well, teach is a strong word for it. Humans don’t really know what they’re doing with magic, and no one’s really been able to figure it out. Talents manifest in some warriors, and they have something like a process for learning some of the Common and Uncommon rarity ones.”
“Oh? A process?”
“You’ll be disappointed. I know I was. It usually involves praying to the gods and a lot of practicing basic moves and luck.”
Vir expected Cirayus to laugh, but instead, he raised his brows. “Does it work?”
“Only by chance. I discovered early on that only those with Earth or Shadow affinities can manifest Talents, and that they probably learn basic prana manipulation via sheer luck.”
“Or perhaps those endless repetitions you mentioned are, in fact, honing their prana manipulation, albeit subconsciously?”