The beast became less frequent after leaving camp. But there was still something every few minutes. Kennon took out the first several, letting Bev recoup her strength. But proper health potions were powerful things and Bev was in top shape just a few hours later.

  Kennon watched as she skewered a T2 pelthorn. Kennon didn’t even know that they could get that high! Fortunately they were weak for T2 beasts. Unfortunately they had no more room to store their kills. So it would have to go to waste.

  It was bizarre. Pelthorns were peaceful skittish grazers. The hardest part of hunting one was getting close enough without scaring it. And now they were starting fights? Whatever was happening in the realm was dangerous. It was turning beasts mad.

  Kennon was still dragging the cart. But he kept his dagger at his belt with a water jet ready. He really needed to conserve his mana. If the attacks kept coming he was at a serious risk of becoming drained. He wanted to throw his new soul points into physical empowerment. But they didn’t have time to stop and level properly.

  At least navigation wasn’t a problem. The entrance portal to the realm was also the source of the ever present breeze. And with his improved mana sight it was impossible not to see which direction they needed to go.

  Kennon heard the crackle of flames and looked up. About the size of a medium dog, a bird with burning feathers and talons draped in flame approached.

  Another flame bird. Moments later it fell to the ground with a loud thud. Its feathers disintegrated by a quick application of splash. Bev finished it with a swift chop.

  Another ten mana down.

  He was gathering as much as he could. But it was still hard. No matter what Tutor said Kennon couldn’t imagine gathering mana becoming so easy he did it in his sleep.

  The beasts weren’t just getting angrier either. They were getting stronger. And more aligned with the fire element. He caught sight of a tree with leaves of fire. He wasn’t going to go anywhere near it.

  Kennon caught sight of a golden tiger. Bev sensed his thoughts and hurled a spear at it instantly. It channeled mana into its legs and started moving so fast it blurred. Straight at Bev. Kennon readied his dagger, ready to fire a water jet.

  It bit into Bev’s leg, the sound of teeth against steel screeched across the forest. Followed immediately by the slice of Bev’s halberd severing its head.

  Bev shook her leg free of its jaws, blood still pouring from the wound. Then she calmly deposited her spear back on the storage in her belt.

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  She looked and acted unharmed. But Kennon knew it would leave a bruise. He could feel her aches and pains. A dozen wounds from a dozen battles. They were building up. Kennon wanted to save their last health potion in case something more serious happened. But if Bev started to slow down they would need to use it just to keep her going.

  He checked his status.

  Health: decent

  Mana: 500/800

  He was doing well. He had a few bruises as well. But nothing major. And more than half of his mana. They could do this!

  Bev felt like she was burning. Every muscle in her body protested taking another step. But she pushed on. Kennon practically demanded she take their second health potion an hour ago. But it wouldn’t help.

  She could still feel the first one working. Bruises formed, and vanished in less than an hour. It just wasn’t enough. She doubted any potion could help at this stage.

  The belcher had practically killed her. According to Kennon by some definitions she had died. No potion could take you from that to peak in less than a day. Not if you kept fighting. But she didn’t have a choice. The monsters kept coming.

  It wasn’t without reward though.

  Level 9 reached. +10 soul points + 100 maximum mana.

  New suggested skills available.

  She groaned. Too bad she couldn’t use those points or skills yet. The first thing she would do on getting out of this portal would be to spend those precious points, then sleep a week. She didn’t care if the portal out placed her in the middle of a dessert.

  And where were the people who lived here! They should have seen something by now. The first time they ran the drill a dozen people were on top of them in seconds. And with all the noise they were making. With half the realm attacking them. They should have seen someone.

  She felt like she should know the answer to that question. But frankly she was too tired to care. They needed out. That was it.

  At least she discovered a new use for durability aura. At low levels it seemed to dull the pain of moving forward. The constant burning itch of the potion healing her injuries.

  She saw another pelthorn coming. And just kept walking.

  It exploded moments before it hit her. Showering her in its innards. She didn’t care. She was done with this. The whole realm. Let it burn. She just had to get out. She could wash later.

  Kennon was noticing something strange. Odd even by their new standards. The mana in the realm was off. Even more so. It was subtle at first. A niggling feeling in the back of his mind.

  But it was impossible to deny now. It felt like there was a new source of mana in the realm. Something powerful. It was like an angry sun was rising to burn them. And it was them it was after. He was certain. He felt this presence approaching slowly. Power pouring off of it.

  It was infusing its power in the beasts. That was why they were attacking. Something was directing them. He felt specks of another power infused in the beasts.

  It was not true control he suspected. More like it suggested a course of action. He saw that power even in the few T0 beasts he encountered. And they ran from them in terror. Which was a little odd in itself. A mundane bird did not generally flee its nest when it saw a person walk half a kilometer away from it.

  Whatever it was, it was trying to wear them down. And it was working.

  Thank you for sharing my journey. To help me walk it I have a set up. It is 20 chapters ahead and releases at the same time as the Royal Road chapters.

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