This is only possible because I chose you only. The degree of power I could give is much stronger…

  —-----

  Ronald is gone; he is dead.

  Yom has promised himself he will cry later. For now, his focus is to protect Eve behind him, the sole healer of their group. He would have already died a dozen times over if it were not for her. The stab wound is hurt, it's bloody hurt. He felt worse than a strawman. With Yom the only fighter still alive, Eve focused all of her healing prowess on him, but this also made him the sole focus of two Kobolds.

  Right two.

  Where are the other three?

  A spear pierced his gut. Yom coughed out a blob of blood. Then the green shimmer of energy shone around the fresh wound, dissipating the pain, and his health climbed up. Yom screamed, driving his sword up, but the Kobold dodged with just a step back.

  This is hurt, painful. how long must I go on?

  His wound knitted, his skin bubbling in an alien way. Just like that, the pain subsided, but the horror is still inside him. He barely had time to catch his breath, as another thrust of a spear gored his shoulder, another one to his thigh. The last spear Yom managed to block with a weak block.

  “Yom!” Eve called. Her voice was distant.

  Green light manifested in his wound. But the spear stuck in them. The pain molten in his body. Yom screamed; his voice had gone by now. A fresh jolt of pain waves through him as his wound tries to close itself, but the spearhead gorged deep inside of him, stuck.

  “Stop,” Yom cried out. He fell to the ground. Unsure if he is asking the Kobolds to stop or Eve. The monsters did not relent, jab, jab, jab. Their frustration is clear. Pain fracture Yom’s brain – his vision was fading as he could no longer feel any pain. Then, beyond the Kobolds is another monster, encased in black smooth porcelain skin, with blue robes that extended to his feet. The new monster raised its hand, and a black, solid spectral sword coalesced.

  Rue knew his blood had stopped, and his pain subsided. His skin turned into a glacial dark ice. It's like the night itself draped his body. He cannot feel his nose, mouth, or eyes. He felt cold like never before. He was sure that anyone else would die from this. But this felt right, natural even.

  He saw his Mana dropping fast. There’s not much time.

  Rue had been conservative with his mana. But this spell took a lot out of him.

  The injury he suffered from the Kobolds is still there. The pain is frozen, allowing Rue to regain his vision. He needed to heal, now, or he would die the moment the spell unraveled.

  A sickening squelch drew his attention. Rue flinched as he knew this sound. His hand went over where his wound was.

  Two Kobolds are jabbing at something in repeated motion. Blood jumped as each drew a spear and stabbed it down again and again. Beyond Rue could see a terrified girl wearing a white cloak, a healer. Her eyes widened, and she screamed a name.

  “Yom!”

  Rue rushed forward, and before he knew it, he was already behind the two Kobolds. Rue raised his hand, summoning his Sword of Ice. Black astral ice came to be. He lifted it up and cleaved a Kobold’s neck. He did not have the strength to bring the sword all the way through, but it did the job.

  (You Have Slain Kobold. Lvl 6)

  His sword made it halfway through the Kobold's neck, and it fell with a gaping hole. The last Kobold jumped back, distancing itself from Rue. Rue had tried to slash at it to no avail. It dodged expertly.

  The last Kobold's eyes went to their fallen comrade, and anger rose behind them. One step forward, bringing its spear toward Rue's neck.

  Rue was prepared to block it, but the strike did not come. A bluish arrow zipped, connecting to the Kobold's shoulder. It dropped its spear as it howled to the moon.

  Not wasting his chance. He then brought his sword sideways to cleave the injured Kobold’s other arm. Its arm fell. Blood burst shoulder down.

  Rue drove his sword straight into its chest.

  (You Have Slain Kobold. Lvl 7)

  (Level Up. Frost Apprentice Lvl 4 → 6)

  He quickly pulled his sword back, letting the Kobold fall.

  “Kid? Is that you, Rue?” A voice called. He turned to see Paxwell running toward him.

  Perfect.

  It’s me.

  Rue’s hand went to his throat, but no voice came out.

  Paxwell eyed him suspiciously. The elder man is not one who easily trusts. Rue pointed to his wound, a silvery black hole upon his black ice body. The old man just raised his eyebrow.

  Then he did the last thing he thought of. Rue undo Time of Obsidian Ice. In an instant, the world darkened, his consciousness fading. The pain is coming back in a twisting of his soul. “Heal me.” Rue fell to his knees; he managed to point. “She’s a healer.”

  Darkness took his mind. Rue worlds seeped into the void.

  He woke up to the smell of blood and the sound of someone snoring. His head is spinning. Morning light seeped through age-worn wood. Rue heaved himself up, pushing against the wooden wall. He braced for the pain, but none came.

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  His robe was gone. He lifted his shirt to find a white wrap around his wound.

  “It’s not hurt anymore,” Rue muttered. He exhaled a deep breath. Hand feeling the bandage. Paxwell and the healer managed to save him. The light shone over his head. Rue rose, peeking over to the sight of a lazy camp.

  The Kobold camp.

  Crouching immediately, he took a peek at it, and they're still far away. Five huge tents are arrayed in a circle, and around the circle are fences with dozens of dead bodies inside. Various animal remains were seen in them, and Rue noticed distant figures around them. But, they’re still too far to make out.

  He squinted his eyes, trying to see clearly, blinking away a black spot across his vision. With this morning light, the blue line is almost invisible. He focused on it, and it led to one of the tents.

  The quest is still on!

  Lionness Health: 35%

  Right. Cel had come to see him and grant him a skill. The way the stag talked worries him. Like, he has no complete control over what the quest will be.

  Maybe it's much better to go back and complete the goblin slaying quest? That will guarantee no cubs are saved. But this one is way too dangerous. If Cel had not interfered, and the pure luck for there to be a healer…

  Wait.

  Perhaps it’s not pure luck? The healer group must have gotten the same quest as Paxwell, and they got it first. Did Cel send them the quest so Rue will get some reinforcement?

  Regardless, he needed to find out about the situation he is in right now.

  Rue stared at the guy sleeping right across from him. The room they’re in is dull, and the wood creaks every time he moves. There’s nothing here except an open view straight to the camp.

  “Hello?” Rue called. He shook him, trying to get any reaction. The sleeping man snored so loudly that Rue considered gagging him since they were still within the Kobold area.

  Where’s Paxwell? And the healer?

  Deciding to wait for them, he opened his status.

  Name: Rue.

  Level: 6

  Race: Human.

  Class: Frost Apprentice Lvl 4 → 6

  Magic Vein (Wood): 72%

  HP: 62/300 → 228/305

  Mana: 21/150 → 159/188

  Strength: 15 → 17

  Vitality: 15 → 17

  Dexterity: 15 → 17

  Arcana: 28 → 35

  Mind: 27 → 32

  Perception: 15 → 18

  -Skill (3/15)-

  - Fireball (Common)

  - Time of Obsidian Ice (Rare)

  - Sword of Frost (Uncommon)

  -Passive Skill (1/10)-

  -Cold Resistance (Uncommon).

  Time of Obsidian Ice.

  Rue had used it to keep himself alive. But this skill must have more to offer.

  (Time of Obsidian Ice) (Rare) - Ice can stop even time, as it's the conqueror of time. Encase your body with dark obsidian ice, Harder than steel, sharper than blades, tougher than shields. Instill the Ice Obsidian properties into your skills of creating. Stop any wound you receive before casting this spell; keep in mind that any wound merely stops, not heals.

  The skill sounded so versatile, he wondered what would happen if he cast a fireball while being in that form. Would it somehow become an ice obsidian? Rue wished he could try it, but the mana drain he went through was something that needed to be considered. This skill will be borderline unusable if his mana does not improve.

  Besides…

  Magic Vein (Wood): 72%

  If his theory of Magic Vein being a muscle is right. This is concerning, and after sleep, it is still at 72%. He really should lay off magic for a bit.

  Still, the possibility danced inside his mind. The other skill offered to him escaped his mind. They sound strong, but this one is what will keep him alive.

  Rue looked down toward the stairs, and he found two figures sweating profusely. A man, not Paxwell, dug a hole filled with three Kobold corpses. The girl, on the other hand, dragged one corpse and then dumped it. She’s the healer from last night.

  They must have worked all night. What happened to the Kobolds patrol? To Paxwell?

  Rue looked back at the sleeping figure, who was still snoring.

  Not going to get any answer from that one.

  “Need help?” He called down.

  The girl looked up; she had wood-coloured hair reaching to her shoulders. Her face brightened once she saw Rue. “You can move?”

  Rue spun his arm and clenched his chest where the spear wound had been. No pain comes. He lightly hit his chest, and was amazed at the rate of healing he had done. Under normal circumstances, there’s no way anyone can heal this fast.

  “Don’t do that!” She growled.

  “I’m fine,” Rue said, climbing down.

  “Then yes, please help us. The hunting group will be back soon, and we need to cover our tracks.”

  Rue slid down the flimsy stairs, as it was quite a drag to climb all the way down. Reaching the solid ground, he was greeted by another glare from the girl. Her eyes are red, a clear sign she had been crying.

  He just remembered some of her friends must’ve been dead last night.

  Her face and arm were caked with mud. The white cloak she had was supposed to be as long as his blue one, reaching to their feet. But now it is no longer than her waist, and it is blemished with brown splatter. She must’ve ripped it off to use as the bandages around Rue’s wound.

  “No shovel?”

  “Where would we get one?” She pointed out. “That guy there is a water mage, luckily. Still, it took all night, though.”

  Rue was glad he had woken up at this moment, not any earlier.

  They walked to where the two Kobolds' bodies were. This was the place where three of them had attacked him. Paxwell took one down with his arrow, and Rue killed the other two, the last one through sheer luck from his level-up.

  “Where’s the guy that came with me?” Rue asked as he heaved the creature's body. Their weapon has been looted completely; that is concerning, those weapons are Rue’s by right.

  It is right?

  She heaved a breath and began dragging the other corpse. “Two other groups came, not long after our fight. Then everyone worked together to ambush the patrols. That old man took charge of the whole thing. This watchtower is our base now. I’m left here because of the two of you, and Rino here to help me dig a hole.”

  “They haven’t returned then?”

  “No, Paxwell's reasoning is better to set an ambush further from the watchtower and kill those patrols rather than risk them coming closer. Six people haven’t returned. Besides, this is still too far from the main Kobold camp, he wanted to find an area to scout closer” She said the last part with a tint of fear. Eyeing him, she suddenly asked. “Your health”

  “What about them?”

  “They’re full?”

  “No, about a hundred more.”

  She lifted her palm. A green shimmering light was trapped in her hand. Then she touched Rue’s head. A wave of tranquility entered his body. The slight aching of his wound dampened like a lamp suddenly turned off.

  HP: 298/305

  “That’s enough,” Rue said.

  She took off her hand and uncorked a blue vial from her pocket. She drank it, and when she was done, the vial disappeared into thin air.

  “What was that?” he asked.

  “Mana potion,” She explained. Then tilted her head as if confused by the question.

  “Well, how did you get it?”

  “There’s a quest: kill three goblins for one Mana potion and one Health potion.”

  “I did not get anything like that.” First, Paxwell’s boar hunting quest and now hers? This couldn’t be a coincidence.

  “Oh! I know why. The system only awards us the quest when we decide to fight back.”

  “That couldn’t be the only thing. I also-“

  She held a finger up. “I’m not done explaining. You need to be in the area where the system is intended for you to be first. People around me got the same quest also, but we encountered a lone straggler who did not have anything like that. But some of them have special quests made for themselves.”

  “Ah,” He nodded. A special quest.. He did not get one from the system, but he does get one from Cel. Does the System consider this?

  Rue briefly remembered Cel's explanation.

  Should you accept, you will disregard what the system intended for you. Instead, you will slowly gain my power. That if you survived

  Wait, would this mean he won't be able to proceed to the next tutorial even if he had cleared the first quest?

  That might be a stretch.. But, still, if that happened. What should he do? It’s clear Cel is not in complete control of the quest. Isn’t the system the one that gave him the ‘Damned” quest? That much is clear from what Cel had said to him last time.

  So, taking that into consideration, that means the system still recognized him under it. It can get him into the next tutorial stage, right? It is strange to wish for the system to include him, but having no direction in this unknown world is even more terrifying.