Chương 26: Learning New Things

Joe sat in the middle of the Madre de Dios Territorial Reserve in southeastern Peru. Three young men, Carlos, Diego, and Edmundo, sat around the small fire with him. They wore camouflage masks covering their faces, their arms inked with tattoos. Dressed in green tank tops and shorts, they lounged casually, eating as they argued.

"I bet you the next boss drops that I can land more hits than you," Edmundo boasted.

"I bet you the next boss drops and ten pieces of cooked meat," Diego countered. Joe chuckled, watching them with bemusement. He had long since tuned out their endless bets; this was a ritual before every boss fight. This would be their third together. Peru had been home to three Boss Beasts when Joe arrived. Two were now dead, taken down swiftly with the help of these three. Only one of them was a Diver, Carlos, a level fifty-two Jungle Scout.

Upon hitting level fifty, he had recently achieved his first Class evolution, upgrading from Scout to Jungle Scout. The other two, both level forty-nine Warriors, were on the verge of their own Class evolutions. One more fight, and they would advance. Joe stood and began practicing some footwork, attempting to replicate the movements from the vision he had seen a month ago in India. Nature's Grace. He stepped and flowed, adjusting instinctively. He still had no weapon that felt right in his hands.

A few weeks ago, he had looted a sword from a boss, but something about it didn't sit well with him. Instead, he relied on mana-enhanced strikes and ranged mage combat, which had served him well so far. He moved fluidly, his fists cutting through the air in practiced motions. The vision of the swordsman lingered in his mind. He took a step, then paused. Wrong. He pulled his foot back, corrected the movement, and continued. The three men had fallen silent, watching him. An hour passed before he finally stopped.

A red dot appearing on his mini-map's edge.

"Look alive, fellas, it's time," Joe said. The three men extinguished the fire and vanished into the dark forest. Joe waited five minutes before unveiling his Aura, which flowed out around him, radiating into the night. The red dot on his mini-map reacted, veering sharply in his direction. Less than thirty seconds later, the Beast crashed through the underbrush. Identify: Vicious Mad Dingo level 55 Joe glided forward, meeting the Beast head-on.

It lunged, jaws snapping, he ducked beneath its bite and drove an uppercut into its underside. The impact exploded against its body, sending it stumbling backwards in a spray of blood. Two figures leapt from the shadows, slashing at its back and hind legs before disappearing just as quickly. The Dingo yelped, thrashing as it rolled onto its side, trying to evade more unseen strikes. Blood poured from multiple wounds. Its head snapped left and right, disoriented and frantic.

Joe stepped in and slammed his foot into its ribs. A loud crack echoed through the clearing as the Beast was launched sideways, crashing into the dirt and screeching in pain. Joe stepped back as three camouflaged figures materialized from the foliage, descending on the downed Beast in a flurry of savage blows. Just as swiftly, they disappeared again. The dingo staggered upright, its body trembling. Blood and Saliva dripped from its fangs, its breath ragged. The damage wasn't devastating, but it had taken its toll.

Joe watched, unimpressed.

"Geez, this thing is dumb," he muttered as it charged him again. He felt no danger, no real threat from the Dingo. Compared to some of the other Boss Beasts he had faced, this one was weak. Lifting his hand, he unleashed a barrage of Mana Blasts. The fiery projectiles exploded against the Beast's skull and torso in rapid succession. It didn't even attempt to dodge. The force sent it flying backwards, its body drenched in blood, barely moving. Joe didn't bother finishing it himself.

He let his companions handle the rest. You have slain Vicious Mad Dingo level 55 Unsurprisingly, Joe did not gain a level from that fight.

"Ha! I win, one hundred sixty-five hits of my sword!" Diego shouted triumphantly.

"I hit it one hundred sixty-seven times!" Edmundo countered. Joe sighed as he looted the beast. Item - 10 chunks of Dingo Meat(Cooking ingredient) Common Item - Storage Ring(Magic) This was the third storage ring he had looted. He was starting to build up quite a collection. He signalled to Carlos and tossed him the ring. The three men stopped their arguing, bowing in unison.

"Thank you, Joe," They said.

"The people of Peru will not forget your gift to us."

"My pleasure. I wish you well, gentlemen," Joe replied. He pulled up his status screen and disbanded the party. Activating Random Teleportation, he vanished from Peru. __ Sarah stomped her way through the newest housing plot on the eastern side of Heliopolis; one fist clenched around the ponytail draped over her shoulder. A group of people nearby waved, trying to catch her attention, until they got a good look at her face. They immediately scattered, suddenly finding urgent business elsewhere.

Whatever they had planned, it could wait until tomorrow. It took her five minutes to reach her destination. A newly constructed house frame stood before her, its skeletal beams still unfinished. Inside, a lone man hammered away at the wood. His entire soul filled with regret the moment he looked up and saw her. He dropped his tools and turned to run.

"Kairos Delaney Athanasiou," Sarah boomed, hands on her hips.

"Why are you late?" Kairos winced at the use of his middle name; he knew he was in big trouble.

"I lost track of time. I'm coming now," he said quickly, grabbing his jacket and hurrying to her side. Sarah stood before him, arms crossed, eyes locked onto him with unwavering intensity.

"What am I going to do with you?" she sighed, exasperated. She held out a hand. Kairos stared at it, confused.

"Pick me up, you big oaf. We're already late." Kairos grumbled something under his breath, but did as she asked, scooping up the small woman before sprinting toward their destination. Three minutes later, they arrived in the city's private sector, where the City Pillar and their home stood. The moment they stopped, Sarah leapt from Kai's arms and kissed his cheek tenderly. Kairos flushed bright red but barely had time to react before turning to face their waiting guests.

"Welcome back, Hak!" Sarah called out, running straight for the giant of a man before wrapping him in a hug.

"Good to be back, Sarah," Hakeem replied, returning the embrace. Sarah stepped back, her gaze shifting to the woman beside him.

"Vanessa, good to see you!" She pulled the tall Jamaican woman into a warm hug.

"It's always good to see you, Sarah. How are things here?" Vanessa asked.

"Same old, same old. Come with me, and I'll tell you all about it." The two women then disappeared into the house, leaving Kairos and Hakeem standing outside. __ Kai shook hands with Hakeem, and they moved inside, heading straight for the dining room.

"I didn't expect you guys back for another couple of weeks," Kai said as they sat down. He poured them both a drink.

"We had to change plans slightly. The Newcastle boss was tougher than expected. Plus, the last one moved; it's heading toward Cardiff." Kai frowned.

"I thought they didn't move around?"

"So did I," Hakeem admitted.

"It caught us all by surprise. We had to come back and resupply before going after it."

"What's the quest number looking like?" Kai asked. Hakeem stared ahead for a moment before responding.

"Twenty-three dead."

"Wew, All Joe's work?"

"From what we've heard, no. There is a team in America that is claiming two of the kills. They know about the quest and the total count so far, so it's confirmed they've killed at least one. Then there's a rumour about someone in China who might have killed another," Hakeem explained.

"Any idea where he is now?"

"No, he jumps around too much. We get reports from random countries with whom we have contact every week, but he never stays for more than a few days before moving on."

"Shit, hope he's okay," Kai muttered.

"He's fine. He averages nearly three kills a week. Which is pretty crazy."

"True, I'm sure he's fine," Kairos said, though doubt lingered in his mind. There was no way to contact Joe. All they could do was trust he was okay. Kai looked up as Sarah and Vanessa entered the room, joined by Nadine and Shaznin.

"Brother!" Nadine exclaimed as she gave Hakeem a tight hug.

"You get them both yet?" She asked as she pulled back.

"Just one. Heading out tomorrow to get the last one."

"Uuurrr," Nadine grumbled as she sat down, dropped into a chair, and poured some drinks.

"Well, whatever. You're here now, so let's catch up," she said, refilling Hakeem's cup.

"What level are you?"

"Fifty-three," Hakeem replied.

"Did I tell you about my class upgrade? I can't remember if I did or not?"

"You didn't! What are you now?"

"Dark Knight." Hakeem grinned.

"Got three new skills when my class upgraded, too. And it's now a Legendary Class. No more rare bullshit."

"Most people would kill for a rare class, you know, " Sarah pointed out.

"I'm not most people," Hakeem said.

"Here we go, ego time," Nadine groaned, laughing. The group spent the rest of the evening eating good food, drinking merrily, and enjoying each other's company. __ It took another two months of daily training before Joe saw significant improvement in his footwork. He was now in central Africa, jogging alongside his guide, Désira, heading north along the Lola River, east of Macao in the Republic of the Congo. He slid to a sudden halt as two notifications popped up. Ding!

Profession Nature's Custodian has reached level 39 - stat points distributed. Skill Nature's Grace Basic Form(Magic) Obtained Joe smiled; his training had finally paid off.

"Joe?" Désira called.

"Sorry, just got a level up. Let's keep going." Nobody knew exactly where the Congo Boss Beast had disappeared. It vanished about three months ago, and no one had seen it since. So Joe was heading out blindly, hoping to find some sign of it. As they crested a hill, they looked down into a valley. A pack of nearly thirty Los Degandes Beasts roamed below. They were bizarre-looking Beasts. Fish-like bodies, but with legs. No lips, just teeth. And worst of all, no eyes.

Joe had fought countless twisted Beasts since the system arrived, but this was something else. Truly alien.

"I really hate these things," Joe grumbled, raising his hands as Désira pulled out her bow. Ever since his first battle with them, he refused to fight these things in melee. On death, they exploded. A disgusting, slimy green gunk splashing everywhere when they died, and the smell? Unbearable. The last time he fought them, he had to soak himself in a lake for an hour before the stench finally left his nostrils. The sooner he could leave this land, the better.

It took two more days before Joe finally tracked down the Boss Beast of northern Congo. The Beast had dug deep underground, creating an elaborate network of tunnels. Now that he had finally caught sight of it, he immediately understood why it had been so hard to locate. Identify: Alpha Sniffagoforst level 58 It was a massive mole-like Beast. Joe asked Désira to hang back for this battle while he tracked it through the tunnels, leading to what he assumed was its burrow.

Fighting in such cramped tunnels wouldn't be fun. It also limited what attacks he could use. He eventually reached a large cavern after wandering through far too many winding passages. Peering down from an elevated ledge, he spotted the Beast asleep in the centre of the cavernous space. The ceiling stretched high above him, and the open area gave him far more room to move. Joe crouched, observing, formulating a plan. Before he could act, the Beast jerked awake.

Then, without warning, it bolted, vanishing into one of the many tunnels branching from the cavern. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

"Shit," Joe swore, scanning the exits, trying to predict where it had gone. He strained his ears, listening. Then, a deep rumbling echoed through the tunnels. It was coming right for him. Joe leapt into the cavern just as the Beast exploded from the tunnel he had been standing in moments earlier. It was deceptively fast for its size. Its massive, eight-metre-long body hurtled toward him, its filthy yellow tusks gleaming in the pitch black darkness. Joe's body moved almost instinctively.

He flowed into the movements he had been practicing daily, Nature's Grace. His steps felt smoother than ever. He shimmied, slipping past the Beast's bulk with an almost effortless grace. As its massive body surged past, Joe struck out, palm igniting with mana. The moment his hand made contact with the Beast's rugged hide, a Mana Blast detonated. A shockwave rippled outward. Nothing. The mole didn't even flinch. It simply kept running, then wheeled around for another charge. Joe narrowed his eyes.

As the Beast barreled toward him once more, he dodged to the side and fired another Mana Blast into its side. The explosion rocked the cavern. Still nothing. Not even a scratch.

"Well, shit," Joe muttered as he turned and ran into a tunnel. He needed time to think. His mana attacks did nothing. What could he use to damage this thing? For the first time in a long while, he was at a loss. The ground beneath his feet rumbled. The mole was in the tunnel with him. He sprinted forward, pushing his speed to the limit. He reached a connecting tunnel and veered sharply, trying to put distance between himself and the mole. Then, his eyes twitched. He had no idea where he was.

"Shit, I did not think this through," he mumbled. He turned right into another tunnel, hoping it would loop back to the cavern where the mole had been sleeping. If he could get back there, he might be able to retrace his steps. He was wrong. This tunnel wound in a looping circle, clearly leading somewhere else entirely.

"This sucks," Joe swore. He was getting more and more lost. The mole was closing in fast. He had no choice but to keep moving, hoping he'd stumble across a way out, or at least back to where he had started. After twenty minutes of running, reality started to set in.

"There must be hundreds of tunnels down here," he muttered. He skidded to a stop at a four-way intersection. Running was getting him nowhere. He needed a new plan. The mole appeared in the tunnel ahead, charging straight for him. Joe braced himself. Its massive maw gaped open, saliva dripping from its two filthy tusks. Just before it reached him, he rolled right. The mole snapped at the air, barely missing his leg. Joe lashed out with a Rapid Strike, his fist slamming into the Beast's side.

The impact sent it crashing into the tunnel wall. The ground shook violently. Dirt and dust rained down from the ceiling. Joe narrowed his eyes. Still no damage. Not even a scratch. But. It stopped the charge. The mole was momentarily pinned against the tunnel wall. Joe leapt onto its back, fists hammering down the relentless strikes. The Beast bucked beneath him, then suddenly reared up. Joe's body slammed into the tunnel ceiling. Pain exploded through him.

He grunted as the mole's ridiculously tough hide pressed against him, squashing him against the tunnel ceiling. He tried to move his arms, squirming against the mass pushing onto him. Then, to make matters worse, the mole began to move… For the next thirty minutes, Joe was dragged helplessly through the underground tunnels, pinned between the Beast's rough, coarse skin and the rock-hard tunnel walls. It was, quite possibly, the most humiliating experience of his life.

Finally, after an excruciatingly long time, the mole burst back into the main cavern, freeing Joe in the process. Launched from his prison, he tumbled through the air before crashing hard into a wall. The mole shook itself off, dirt and debris cascading from its body like a dog shaking off water. Joe groaned as he pulled himself to his feet.

"Holy shit, that sucked." He dusted himself off, spitting dirt from his mouth. The mole stood panting, clearly exhausted from its long sprint, even though it still looked completely unharmed. With a twitch, its gaze snapped back to Joe. And it charged. Joe made a split-second decision. Instead of dodging, he planted his feet, braced himself, and prepared to take the hit. Wham! The beast slammed into him. He caught its gaping maw with both hands, his body lifting off the ground as it carried him forward.

His fingers dug into its jaws, holding them apart as it tried to bite down on him. Saliva and dirt sprayed from the Beast's mouth, coating him in its disgusting drool as a massive tongue lapped at him. Joe screamed in frustration and unleashed an Aura Shout directly into the Beast's throat; a shockwave rippled through its skull. The mole buckled violently, its momentum breaking as it crashed sideways into the cavern wall. Joe rolled away, scrambling to his feet.

The mole lay still, bleeding profusely from its mouth. Its eyes rolled back into its skull as it lay unmoving. Now wholly drenched in saliva, dust and mud, Joe let out a long, exasperated sigh.

"That was annoying." He pulled a knife from his storage, strode up to the unconscious Beast, and drove the blade deep into its eye socket. You have slain Alpha Sniffagoforst level 58 Joe wiped his face with his sleeve, disgusted.

"Loot time." Loot Savage Alpha Sniffagoforst? Y/N Joe looted the Beast, wiping the dirt and droll from the rest of his body. Thankfully, his Mana-Coating prevented most of the filth from seeping in, making the cleanup easy. He turned his attention to his new items only once he was done. He received eight chunks of meat, two teeth, crafting materials, and one more item. Item - Retractable Magic Claw(Rare). These magic Claws appear around your hands when you form a fist.

They are purely magic-based but are capable of ignoring magical defences. They can penetrate almost any barrier. The only drawback is that the short range is where most magical classes are disadvantaged. +40 Wisdom, +40 Intelligence. Magical penetration increased by 100% The description of the claws was quite interesting. It was his first time seeing a rarity tag on a weapon. Until now, the only items with the tag were storage rings. But that wasn't even the most surprising thing.

The stat bonus was huge, and the 100% magical penetration was frankly insane. He picked up the claws; at the moment, they resembled simple knuckle rings. Sliding them over his fingerless gloves, he clenched his fists, testing their feel.

"They are definitely a weapon then," Joe mused, clenching his fists. A green glowing barrier flickered over his hands as two claws extended out, six or seven inches long, semi-translucent, and shimmering like hunting knives. They weighed nothing, offering no resistance as he swung his fists. He stepped up to a nearby wall and punched lightly. The claws sank in effortlessly, sliding through like a knife into butter. A quick swipe left deep claw marks across the stone. Impressive.

Relaxing his hands, the claws vanished. Even the knuckle rings were no longer visible, though he could still feel them. Flexing his fingers, he noted that they didn't hinder movement at all. When he made fists again, the claws reappeared instantly.

"Guess no fist-bumping anyone while I wear these," he chuckled before examining his surroundings.

"Now, which way was the exit?" Shit. Needless to say, Joe got lost again. His mini-map was limited underground, making it useless in this labyrinth of tunnels. After about an hour of wandering, he stopped.

"hmmm. I should just aim up and blast my way out, right?" He spoke aloud.

"I mean, what's the worst that could happen? It's not like I'm digging straight down." He knew it was a terrible idea, probably a fast track to getting buried alive, but frustration was setting in. The pitch-black tunnels were suffocating, and while his sunglasses let him see, they didn't replace actual sunlight. Just as he was about to do something stupid, he spotted a tunnel to his right. Grass covered the ground and walls. Was that tunnel there a second ago? He shrugged, unsure.

Either way, it was better than his previous plan. As he walked forward, the tunnel widened, easing the claustrophobic weight pressing down on him. A few minutes later, the passage opened into a massive cavern, and what he saw left him in awe. The cavern was alive with the most vibrant foliage he had ever seen. Towering blades of grass, as tall as he was, swayed gently in an unseen breeze. Golden-stalked sunflowers rose even higher, their massive heads the size of monster truck wheels.

Vines hung from the cavern's unseen ceiling high above, their tips swaying like a shimmering veil. Tiny flowers sprouted from them in gold, white, and purple bursts. Among them, an uncountable number of butterflies and insects flitted about, creatures Joe had never seen before, their iridescent wings shimmering in the soft glow of the cavern. A majestic waterfall gushed from a miniature mountain to his right, cascading into a vast lake below.

The water rippled with a brilliant blue-green tint, glowing softly in the dim cavern light. Joe stared, mesmerized. His mouth watered just looking at it. To his left, a field of unfamiliar plants stretched out before him. They had long maroon stalks, their flowers resembling a mix of tulips and peonies, all in a deep, blood-red shade. But none of the flora compared to the tree at the cavern's centre. It was impossibly large. Its jet-black bark loomed before him, stretching upward far beyond sight.

The vines above obscured its upper reaches, but even if they hadn't, Joe wasn't sure his mind could truly comprehend its size. The cavern itself was bathed in light, as if he were standing outside beneath the sky. But there were no visible light sources. Joe blinked, realizing something. He hadn't stepped inside yet. He still stood at the cavern's entrance. He lifted his foot to step forward, but something stopped him; an unseen force pressed against him, barring his way.

A gentle gust of wind rolled past, carrying the scent of flowers, damp earth, and something ancient. A pulse of energy surged within him, familiar. His breath caught. It was the same energy he felt while using Nature's Flourish and Nature's Paradise. Was this cavern connected to his profession? The pulse in the air intensified. Then, the unseen force vanished. Joe stepped forward. Ding! Profession Nature's Custodian has reached level 40 - stat points distributed. Skill Nature's Harmony(Magic) Obtained.

He gained a level just from entering the cavern. Joe's eyes lit up as he allocated all his free points into Dao Knowledge. He leapt from the ledge, landing smoothly among the towering grass. Moving almost silently, he listened to the rustling of tiny critters and the rhythmic flutter of butterfly wings above. Occasionally, a butterfly landed on his head or shoulders before flitting away in a stream of multi-coloured mana. He ran his fingers through the grass, feeling its soft, vibrant life.

This place felt almost heavenly. Everything around him exuded a strange, calming energy. He made his way towards the tree, taking in every detail. After nearly an hour, he came across a clearing. At its centre sat a lone figure wrapped in torn, ragged clothing. Before Joe could react, the figure waved a hand. In an instant, Joe was standing before it. His mind reeled. What the hell just happened? He hadn't felt movement, yet here he was.

"Sit." The voice was rough and burly, cracking as if it hadn't been used in a long time. Joe's body moved on its own. He sat. He blinked. His muscles hadn't responded by choice. He tried to speak, but found he couldn't; it wasn't just silence. It was as if his mouth didn't exist. The hooded figure remained still, its face hidden.

"If I showed you my face, you'd die," it said flatly. Joe nodded. He hadn't meant to, but his body responded anyway.

"Show me your status screen." Lifting his hand, Joe summoned his status window. He focused, and to his surprise, the screen became visible to the figure. He hadn't known that was possible. The figure's hood shifted slightly as if studying the status screen before it waved a hand.

"Oh, right, I forgot. You can speak now." Joe took a deep breath, the first since he had been teleported.

"Holy crap, that felt weird. Sorry, I mean no disrespect," Joe blurted out.

"My mind's a bit up and down right now; I feel weird. Why am I talking so much?" He had no control over the words flooding out of his mouth. Joe had the distinct feeling the figure was smiling beneath the hood as it watched him.

"No disrespect taken," it replied.

"Great. Uhm, okay, so. Uhmm..." Joe's eyes darted around. His discomfort grew with every second. His skin crawled with the need to move.

"Can I ask… where am I?"

"That would be too hard to explain. Let's just say you're not on World 43 right now, but somewhere else." The figure stood up.

"We don't have much time. I want to show you something. Pay attention, and don't miss a movement." Joe straightened, focusing. He was about to ask what was happening when his eyes widened. The figure moved. The air seemed to shift around it as if it were part of its body. Joe's breath caught. He recognized the movements, but they were impossibly advanced. This was Nature's Grace. Yet, calling it an advanced version was an understatement.

The difference between what he had learned and what he was seeing now was like the difference between an anthill and a mountain. He stopped blinking. For nearly ten minutes, the figure moved in absolute silence. Then, it stopped. Ding! Profession Nature's Custodian has reached level 41 - stat points distributed. Joe sat in stunned silence. How could he ever hope to emulate that? The movements were beyond anything he had imagined. Just watching had left him breathless.

He wiped at the corner of his eye, surprised to find a tear.

"I have one question. Do you know what that is?" The figure pointed to the rose petal on the right side of Joe's chest. He wasn't sure how he knew what the figure was pointing at; he just did.

"Not really," Joe admitted. The figure remained still for a long moment. Joe couldn't tell if it was staring at him or simply lost in thought. Suddenly, it burst out laughing. Joe sat there, bewildered, struggling to make sense of what was happening.

"One more question," the figure continued.

"Do you know who gave you that bond of fate?" Bond of fate? That sounded ominous. Joe frowned, trying to recall the events from that day inside the Gate. He should remember, but his mind was blank. It was right there. He remembered lying on a table. Someone had given him a potion. And then… nothing. His next memory was waking up. Marvos was there. Then he had left the room. That was it. Joe's face scrunched.

"No. I... I don't remember anything." The figure laughed again, for much longer this time. Joe waited, feeling his irritation grow.

"Should I be worried?" he asked when the laughter finally died down.

"No, not at all. It's a good thing. For me, at least," the figure replied.

"Looks like I'll be having another visitor soon…" Joe's brow furrowed.

"What does that mean?"

"For now, just focus on your growth. You are doing well," the figure said, ignoring Joe. Joe decided to ask a question that was gnawing at him.

"Erm, who are you?"

"I am your father, of course." Joe blinked. What? My father..? Joe's thoughts raced. He had never met his father. His mother had told him he had left before Joe was even born.

"No, that's a joke," Joe said quickly.

"I mean, are you even human? Like, isn't this on another planet somewhere?" The words tumbled out in a rush.

"It was a joke, yes," the figure replied.

"And no, I'm not human. I'm a High Human, the last one. Well, until you became one anyway." Joe stared.

"Wait, what…" He squinted at the figure and activated Identify. At first, nothing happened. Then, the figure blurred, and ding echoed in his mind. Identify: Vagabond, High Human, God. Joe shook his head. What the hell was going on? This had to be some kind of joke. A god? His stomach churned. He suddenly wanted to throw up.

"Don't worry," the figure said casually.

"You won't remember this part of our conversation once you leave the cave." Joe blinked again. This God was clearly messing with him now.

"Okay, sure. Well, nice to meet you, old man. I'm going to leave now." Joe stood up and walked away, pushing through the tall grass without looking back. The figure remained where it was, silently watching him go. After the long walk back, Joe climbed onto the ledge he had used to enter the cavern. He turned, taking one last look at the giant tree. Then, stepping forward, he exited… And forgot everything that had been said inside.

All that remained was the memory of the cavern and the figure's movements, the perfect, flowing execution of Nature's Grace. __ Vagabond sat in silence, sensing the High Human leave his cave. As the presence faded, the entrance flickered, then disappeared. Once more, he was cut off from the Multiverse as it should be. Or… was it? Slowly, he pulled back his hood, revealing a worn, haggard face. His long, greying hair flowed past his shoulders. His pale skin was pockmarked and aged, carrying the weight of time.

Raising a hand, he summoned a fruit into his palm. For the first time in aeons, he took a bite. As he chewed, life began to seep back into his malnourished body. Vagabond was one of the oldest beings in existence. His lifespan predated even the system itself. He had lived through countless eras and witnessed the rise and fall of entire realities. But today, he had seen something he could not explain. Eternal spark. Uriel's Light. That young man had %&$%& skill.

Someone whom Vagabond himself had killed a very, very long time ago. Yet, the most perplexing thing wasn't that. It was the boy's race. He was a High Human. That alone left Vagabond stumped. It wasn't possible. There were no more High Humans. He had ensured that himself. Had he somehow missed one? No, impossible. He still held the system title, marking him the last High Human in the Multiverse. None should remain. And yet… A black spark flickered before his eyes, his Void Spark. His Bloodline.

He took another slow bite of the fruit. Things were about to get very interesting. His self-imposed exile was coming to an end. It was almost time to return to the Multiverse.