Chương 66: New Quest

Joe collapsed to the ground in exhaustion. He had spent the last two days training nonstop, pushing himself to master his new footwork. Unlike Nature's Grace, this one wasn't so simple. It demanded far more from his body, more akin to an intricate dance routine than simple movement. He tapped his clothing, making it vanish, needing the air on his skin. Sweat drenched him, and he sighed in relief as the cool breeze hit his overheated body.

"Ah, that feels so good," he mumbled, dragging himself upright. He wandered over to the nearby pond and splashed water on his face, pausing as he noticed fish darting deep beneath the surface. He had no idea how they'd gotten there. Then again, Sarah probably had them brought in, just like the unicorns that now wandered among the trees.

"Oh my gosh, who let a half-naked hobo in here?" Joe looked up and grinned at the familiar voice. Nadine was walking toward him. It had been a long time since he'd seen her last.

"Nadine, sister! Sorry, I didn't think anyone else was around," Joe said, making no effort to cover up.

"Where have you been? How's your brother?"

"Don't mention that animal," Nadine huffed.

"He hasn't left that damn gate in over two weeks. All he does is level up and complain that he needs to get stronger. I haven't seen Vanessa or Shaznin since he took them with him." Joe laughed as Nadine came in for a hug, not caring that he was soaking wet. She stepped back, eyes catching on the tattoos sprawled across his chest.

"Wow, those tattoos are beautiful. Hak told me you had one; when did you get the other?" she asked, pointing to the vine bush.

"Just the other week, actually. Corel's inside if you'd like to meet her."

"Wait, Corel? Who are you talking about? You have a new woman travelling with you now?"

"She's not human," Joe said with a smile.

"She's Voldura, and speak of the devil. Corel, come say hi to Nadine!" Corel stepped into view, standing in the doorway of the house. Nadine's eyes widened as she took her in. For only a moment, she glanced at Joe, then shook her head in dismay.

"Oh my god, you look amazing!" Nadine said with a wide smile as she approached Corel.

"I love your horns. Can I touch them?" Corel looked uncertain but nodded.

"Yes?"

"Thanks," Nadine said, and immediately reached up to gently run her fingers along the ridged horns. Corel visibly tensed, clearly uncomfortable.

"Okay, Nadine, enough," Joe cut in.

"At least buy her dinner before you touch her up."

"Sorry, I couldn't help myself," Nadine said, pulling her hand back. She turned back to Joe.

"So… how'd you two meet? He hasn't done anything weird to you, has he?"

"Hey," Joe interjected indignantly. Laughing, he gave Nadine a summary of how he and Corel had met, including the significant events that had led to their current situation.

"Oh, so that was you in the sky? I wondered who was dancing with this guy. Nadine playfully punched Joe on the shoulder.

"You saw that? You get the title?" Joe asked.

"Yes, thanks for that. Anyway, I just came to drop off some things for Sarah; I can't stay. So we'll catch up some other time, okay? Especially you, Mister." She pointed at Joe, teasing. Joe raised his hands in mock surrender.

"Sure, can't wait." With a wave, Nadine bid them farewell and disappeared down the path.

"She seemed nice," Corel said, rubbing one of her horns thoughtfully.

"Sorry about that. You could've said no," Joe suggested.

"I didn't want to be rude," Corel replied, her gaze shifting toward Joe's chest and the two fate tattoos inked there. Her eyes lingered, then moved to his arm, studying it for a moment.

"I can see a pattern in your arm. Does it hurt?" she asked softly.

"Kinda yeah," Joe said, rotating his shoulder.

"Feels like something is crawling its way through me." Corel's expression shifted, concern flickering across her face.

"I think it's something good, though. So don't worry."

"How can you tell?" she asked.

"Just a feeling," Joe shrugged. Unsure how else to explain it.

"Anyway," he added, perking up, "I just realized my footwork doesn't have a name. What do you think of… gliding beyond fate?" He raised his arms dramatically. Corel blinked and shook her head.

"That doesn't fit."

"Really? Hmmmm," Joe's face scrunched in concentration. Corel raised a hand to her chin and fell into deep thought. Joe watched, noting how healthy she looked, her skin glowing with vitality; she even had a head full of purple hair, thick and curled. When did her hair grow back? He wondered. She looked truly healed, and the sight made him smile.

"You look much better, by the way. This is the first time I've seen you look so healthy," he said warmly. She blinked, then looked down at herself as if realizing it for the first time.

"You look like you crawled out of a bush," Corel shot back.

"You should trim your face." Joe rubbed his chin, surprised by the stubble. He couldn't even remember the last time he shaved. Ever since the system arrived, his facial hair had stopped growing, so why had it started again? Before he could ponder it further, Corel's eyes lit up with excitement.

"I have it," she said.

"Drifts on fated wings." Skill Drifts on Fated Wings Basic Form(Magic) Obtained Joe barely had time to curse the ruthless heavens for stealing his right to name his new footwork before a familiar wave of dread crashed over him. It landed squarely on his chest, heavy and suffocating, and he knew without question what would follow… System Message Congratulations Progenitor. You have been given a new quest! This is an emergency quest. Time limit: 6 hours.

The remnants of Clan Relashra are currently trapped on the peak of the Gorgo Vale Mountainous range. They have recently run out of food and water and are on the brink of death. A horde of Garo Gar Vorsectoids are currently besieging their position on the mountaintop and are close to breaking through and wiping out the last survivors. Arrive in time and save the remnants of Clan Relashra, or they will perish forever. Reward: The survival of Clan Relashra Good Luck.

Joe turned to Corel and watched the storm of emotions flicker across her face: shock, then joy, quickly followed by fear and finally anger, all within ten seconds. She locked eyes with him, and he already knew what she was going to say. Before she could speak, he pulled out his skyboat.

"Ready to leave?" he asked, already moving. Corel stared at him before realization struck.

"You also got the same quest?"

"Yep. Can you locate them?" Joe asked as he jumped onto the vessel. Corel closed her eyes, her focus intense. Joe breathed deeply, patiently waiting as she tried to tap into her Seeker abilities. Moments later, she opened her eyes and shook her head.

"I can't from here; I think the bubble is preventing me from scanning further."

"Let's go outside the bubble and try there. Hop on," Joe said as Corel leapt onto the sky boat. He began guiding the skyboat toward the edge of the city's protective barrier high above them. As the boat sped toward the translucent dome, Joe cursed and slapped his forehead.

"Veda! Corel, take the controls; I'll go grab her." Joe jumped off the boat, plummeting through the air toward the city. [Veda, emergency quest, I'm coming to pick you up now, get ready.] - Joe. [Okay. I'm outside, jumping now.] - Veda. Joe faced towards her dot on his mini-map. Focusing, he caught sight of a small red shape leaping into the air. He activated Space Jump and reappeared beside Veda, who latched onto him with her tail.

Spinning mid-fall, he turned to face the speeding skyboat just as it neared the top of the city's protective bubble. Locking onto a spot in front of it, he activated Space Jump again. His aim was close… The skyboat slammed into him as he reappeared in its path, and he tumbled along its side, barely managing to grab one of the rails. Groaning, he hauled himself up and stumbled next to Corel.

"Pretty good aim. Sorry, I hit you," Corel said with a strained smile. Joe nodded, still catching his breath.

"Jumping onto a moving object is harder than it looks." The skyboat soared through the bubble and into the open sky above Heliopolis. Corel tapped the control screen, bringing them to a halt. She closed her eyes, focusing on whatever skill she was preparing to use.

"Quest? Show me," Veda said. Joe mentally opened the quest screen and shared it with her. Her eyes narrowed as she read.

"Do we know where these mountains are?" she asked. Joe shrugged.

"They aren't anywhere I know," He looked to Corel, who remained still, her expression tightening with concentration. Five minutes passed before Corel let out a frustrated wail.

"I can't sense them. Wherever they are, it's too far away," She looked around, visibly distressed.

"I can't believe anyone is still alive… I thought they were all gone."

"How are you trying to locate them? A skill, or… something else?" Joe asked.

"My seeker skill," Corel replied.

"But I need to boost the range somehow. Maybe there's a pill in the pillar shop." She pulled out the integration pillar and began scanning the shop screen. Joe sat beside her, racking his brain for anything that might help. He opened his mini-map and zoomed out as far as it would go. He could see the camp where he'd freed Corel, and the winding trail of places they'd visited since arriving on this new world. Nothing beyond that. He sighed in frustration.

"I think I have an idea," Veda said. Both Joe and Corel turned to her, waiting.

"If we need to boost the range of your skill, then all you need is more powerful mana."

"More powerful mana?" Joe echoed. Then it clicked: his enriched mana bar. Of course.

"Is it possible for me to transfer mana to Corel?" he asked, feeling the stirrings of hope.

"Yes, but it will hurt. A lot," Veda said. Corel didn't hesitate.

"Do it. We don't have time for anything else. We have to find them now." Joe saw the fear in her eyes. Despite his concern for what this could do to her, one look was all it took; he couldn't say no. It was time to roll the dice.

"Okay," he said, turning to Veda.

"Can you explain how to do this without hurting her too much?"

"Follow my lead," Veda replied.

"Corel, sit down and steady your breathing." Corel did as she was told.

"Joe, sit behind her and place… one hand on her shoulder." Veda's eyes flicked briefly to his manaless arm before continuing.

"Now, match your breathing to hers. When you do, Corel, activate your skill." It took the pair only a couple of minutes for them to sync their breathing to a rhythm that satisfied Veda. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"Now, Joe. This is all on you. You need to touch her with your mana gently, wrap it lightly around your hand." Joe did as instructed.

"Good, now keep it steady. Excellent. With the smallest trickle, probe inside her back. You're looking for her mana flow. There should be a vein running down from the base of her neck." Joe activated Mana Sight as he carefully let his mana reach forward. The moment he looked, he saw it. A thick, glowing stream of mana running straight down the centre of Corel's back, active and surging from her seeker skill.

"Now gently touch that stream with your mana," Veda said.

"Too much, and you'll interrupt her skill, so be gentle." He brushed his mana against it, and Corel flinched, her muscles tightening as the stream flickered.

"Gently," Veda whispered, keeping her tone calm. Joe steadied his mind. This time, his touch was softer, more precise. Corel tensed again, but the mana stream held firm.

"Good, now the hard part. You have to inject some mana into the right place. The spot is very small. I can't help you find it; you'll have to do that yourself. Spread your mana carefully over hers until you locate it." She turned to Corel.

"This part will hurt. A lot. Bite down on this." Veda handed her a thick piece of wood. Corel placed it between her teeth and nodded. Joe took a deep breath, then activated both Mana Sight and Dao Sight. Everything inside Corel's body sharpened with layered clarity. He stared intently, resisting the urge to move his mana prematurely. Veda eyed him curiously when she noticed his mana hadn't started spreading, but he ignored her. He had to be sure.

He stared at the mana vein, a torrent of pulsing blue energy, deeper than the usual shades he'd seen. It matched half of the mana inside his own body. The other half, his enriched mana, glowed deep purple. It swirled just on the edge of hers, waiting. He watched for a full minute, scouring the stream for any sign, any irregularity. Just when he was about to use Veda's method instead, he found something, a small bump, just near the top of Corel's mana vein.

"I found it… top of her neck, just below her left ear," Joe said, pulling his mana stream away from Corel's. She exhaled sharply, the pressure on her finally easing. He redirected his focus, guiding the enriched mana toward the small bump he'd located.

"Joe, wait. We shouldn't do this," Veda warned, her voice urgent.

"It's too close to her brain. One slip, and you could cause permanent damage."

"No, don't stop. Please. We have to find them," Corel said, her voice trembling. Joe paused, torn. Logic screamed at him to stop; this was too dangerous. But something deeper whispered that if they didn't push forward now, they would fail the quest. He cursed that voice. Cursed the damn system.

"We continue. I can do this," he said at last.

"Corel, bite down and get ready." She nodded and clamped down on the wood. Joe guided his mana with painstaking care, hovering it just above the spot. He let it drift downward, brushing the vein. Corel screamed around the wood, but her mana stream held steady. Joe's body dripped with sweat. Veda leaned in and wiped his forehead, her face inches from his. Her cool breath grounded him, reminding him of the feeling he used to get when she was still an egg, urging him forward with her presence. He gritted his teeth.

In that moment, everything aligned. His breath, his mana, Corel's stream, he felt everything in perfect harmony. The blur of motion became clarity. Every speck of mana inside the vein was suddenly visible to him. Corel's body, once tense, melted into calm as his focused serenity washed over her. Joe's eyes began to glow, radiant beams of light flickering from them. Veda turned away from the brightness as he locked onto the tiny aperture in Corel's vein. With a delicate nudge, he slid his mana inside.

The reaction was immediate. Corel's entire mana vein pulsed and expanded, flooding with purple mana. Joe quickly caught her as her body spasmed. He held her tight, arms wrapped around her trembling form. Veda coiled her tail around them both, anchoring them. Joe flinched, realizing too late that his mana-less arm was touching her. But nothing happened. No reaction. He tightened his grip, heart racing as Corel's eyes shone with the same light as his. Then came a final pulse.

She gasped and released her skill, slumping into Joe's lap. He released his hold and cupped her head gently with his good hand. She smiled faintly and pointed east.

"I found them," she whispered, and then her eyes closed, her breathing steady as she passed out in his arms. Joe laid her down with care, then turned to the skyboat's controls. He steered them in the direction Corel had pointed. It was time to save her clan. __ Corel woke with a start and leapt to her feet.

"How long was I out for?" she asked in panic.

"Five hours. Look," Joe replied, pointing toward the front of the skyboat. She turned, and her breath caught in her throat. Towering ahead was a giant mountain whose peak disappeared over the clouds high above. This had to be Mount Gorgo Vale. They had made it. Relief surged through her, but it was short-lived. Her eyes locked on the horror unfolding on the mountainside. Swarms, almost a thousand, massive insectoids, were scaling the slopes, a writhing tide of chitin and death.

Some were clustered around a cave halfway up the mountain, where battle raged. Two Voldura fought desperately at the entrance, their skills flashing like lightning. They were too far to make out clearly, and too far to help… yet.

"We're still too far," she started to say, but Joe wrapped an arm around her.

"Time to jump, hold your breath." She barely had time to inhale before the skyboat vanished beneath her, and before they could even begin to fall, Joe Space-Jumped them. They reappeared mid-air, directly above two insectoids. Joe's quarterstaff crushed one in an instant, and Veda's tail snapped out, decapitating the second. Corel landed gracefully just in front of the two stunned Voldura. Her heart leapt.

"Corel!" one of them cried out.

"Varaiya!" Corel rushed forward and wrapped her cousin in a tight hug, joy and disbelief flooding her chest. Behind her, the sound of battle roared through the cave. She turned in time to see Joe and Veda already engaging the horde, cutting through the insectoids with ruthless precision. She gave Varaiya one last squeeze before turning to the other Voldura, who slumped down beside her. Her voice softened.

"Quis. It's good to see you," she hugged the older Voldura, blinking back tears.

"You still have your fighting spirit."

"You know me, Cor, I can't leave all the fighting to Rai alone," Quis said between ragged breaths. As Corel stepped back, she took in their condition properly for the first time. Their clothes were shredded, barely hanging from their skeletal frames. They were both crisscrossed with a myriad of shallow wounds. Both looked utterly spent, drained of all energy. She had no idea how they were even still upright.

"Sit, rest, take these," She handed them a healing and a mana pill. They accepted them with wide, exhausted eyes. Before they could ask any questions, Joe appeared at her side.

"Hi, I'm Joe. You guys look hungry," he said, then pulled out a spread of cooked meat, fruits, and vegetables.

"Eat, Veda, and I will deal with these disgusting things. Corel, take them further inside. The rest are down the cave. Oop…" He vanished mid-sentence, rejoining the fight. Corel smiled faintly and turned her focus back to her confused cousins.

"It's a long story, and I will explain later. For now, eat the fruit and walk. We need to feed the others while they deal with those things," Corel ushered her cousins deep into the cave as they stuffed fruit and meat into hungry mouths. __ Joe smiled as the three dots disappeared deeper into the cave, heading toward the other mass of dots below. Standing just inside the cave entrance allowed his mini-map to function, giving him a view of the tunnels beneath. He ducked as a scythe-like arm slashed at him.

His quarterstaff hummed as he countered and smashed through the insectoid's heads. System Message You have slain Garo Gar Vorsectoid Level 118 Ding! Class Space Farmer has reached level 79 - stat points distributed. Ding! Class Magical Farmer has reached level 79 - stat points distributed. A temporary gap in the horde gave Joe a moment to glance down the mountainside. Hundreds of insectoids were swarming upward, a writhing tide headed straight for the cave. It was going to be a long fight.

Each insectoid was over level one hundred, not weak by any means, but they weren't particularly dangerous either. What caught Joe's eye, however, were four larger variants mixed among them. Those would be more of a challenge. Still, he no longer regretted the time-limited quest. They had made it in time to save the clan. And now? It was time for one of his favourite things.

"Power levelling time!" Joe roared. Veda shook her head as she studied the approaching horde.

"If you die from overconfidence. I will eat your body," She chided. Joe turned to her, a mix of shock and horror on his face.

"Does that count as cannibalism?" he asked absently. Three Garo Gar pounced on him before he could get an answer. He refocused, flowing into battle and into the new footwork he'd been training. This would be the perfect test. After dispatching about twenty more Garo Gar, Joe leapt from the cave mouth. His barding flared into place as he charged a cluster of ten Insectoids advancing up the slope. He slipped into the rhythm of Drifts on Fated Wings, and within moments, he became a whirling force of destruction.

Any Insectoid within reach of Jingu Bang fell before him. All around him, the mountain reacted. Grass and trees near the cave blossomed with life. Fresh leaves unfurled, and thick green blades of grass surged upward, growing to knee height. Life rose around him to balance the death he wrought. Ten kills turned into fifty. At first, his movements were stiff… tentative, almost. But with each step, his body adjusted. His feet found their rhythm, gliding more purposefully. His shoulders loosened.

His strikes grew cleaner. Slowly, his quarterstaffmanship began to align with his footwork, the two nearly blending into one, but not quite. Joe stopped making missteps as he weaved around flailing scythe-like limbs that slashed at him with relentless fury. In just an hour of fighting, he transformed from someone who looked like a young fledgling on the battlefield into a grizzled veteran, fluid and unstoppable.

The entrance to the cave was now completely obscured; thick vines had grown up and over it, concealing it from view. The only thing that might seem out of place was a small red figure curled up on one of the vines, gently snoozing and conserving strength in case she was needed. Ding! Class Space Farmer has reached level 83 - stat points distributed. Ding! Class Magical Farmer has reached level 83 - stat points distributed. Skill - Farmer's House(Magic) Obtained.

Another hour passed as Joe continued his relentless assault, carving his way through the never-ending horde. This was a battle of endurance, whether his stamina would give out first or the swarm's numbers would finally dwindle. Veda, still perched atop the vines, kept count of the masses below. Hundreds still advanced. The end was nowhere in sight. [I hope you are happy, Mr Power Leveller. Another hour to go, at least.] - Veda. Joe simply smiled in her direction and refocused on his movement.

Twenty minutes later, Corel emerged from the cave. [Everyone is fed and well. I'm coming to help.] - Corel sent as she stepped into the fray. Joe leapt back up the slope, positioning himself beside her. Like him, she now wore a layer of wooden barding, but instead of a staff, she held two short swords.

"I just realized this'll be the first time I've seen you fight at full strength. Don't disappoint me now," Joe said with a grin. Corel returned the smile.

"How many have you killed so far?" Joe glanced at the carnage below and the bulging storage ring he carried.

"I lost count, four hundred maybe?" She shook her head at him. His grin widened.

"Start counting from now. I will show you the skill of a Seeker," she said, eyes gleaming with a feral grin. Together, they dashed into battle. Joe was fast, powerful, and striking to behold, his movement almost like a dance. Corel, by contrast, was smooth, precise, and composed. Where he flowed with intensity, she moved with control. And now, side by side, the slaughter began in earnest. Joe watched as Corel slipped into the all-too-familiar Nature's Grace footwork.

She moved with practiced elegance, gliding effortlessly between attacks, never once coming close to being hit. Her movements were fluid and graceful. When Joe flowed, she glided. When Joe leapt, she sprang. When he smashed through his opponents, she severed with surgical precision. She was a scalpel. He was a hammer. Joe matched her rhythm, striking at the targets she couldn't reach. Her eyes widened in surprise at how effortlessly he kept pace with her.

Soon, they danced across the mountainside in perfect harmony, carving through the horde with lethal grace. And all the while, Joe looted as he went. Corel noticed, and with a smirk, joined in, her hands brushed bodies, making them vanish in a puff of smoke before Joe could close in. She flashed him a gloating smile. He returned it, happy to let her win that round. Above them, Veda watched silently, a quiet guardian in the vines. After another hour of battle, Corel began to slow.

A few missteps crept into her movements. [Take a break. I've got this.] - Joe. Corel nodded, reluctantly stepping back. She sat beside Veda, panting as she watched him fight.

"Does he never tire? He's been going for over three hours now," she said, still catching her breath.

"I often wondered the same. I think he has four lungs and two hearts. That's the only explanation," Veda replied with a laugh. Joe smiled at their words as he pressed on. His hearing was sharp, and clearly they didn't mind him eavesdropping. Then he caught movement… something shifted in the shadow below. His focus sharpened. The first big one was moving. Joe Space-Jumped to intercept it, taking the creature by surprise. But his opening strike was blocked. This one was far tougher than the others.

The battle began, his staff becoming a blur as he launched Rapid Strike after Rapid Strike, trying to overwhelm it with sheer speed. The massive Garo Gar defended well, but Joe's relentless onslaught began to break through. Strikes landed, splitting open its thick armour-like skin, spilling dark blood across the rocks. Joe shifted tactics, dragging the beast back into the swarm to keep the attention on himself. The one-on-one turned quickly into one-on-ten. Perfect.

His footwork became a blur as he danced through the crowd. He baited the alpha into blocking, then pivoted to kill two approaching insectoids. A blink later, he Space-Jumped behind it, his staff slamming into its back with brutal force, snapping its spine. The alpha dropped. Seconds later, Joe finished off the rest of the group. System Message You have slain Alpha Garo Gar Vorsectoid Level 140 Ding! Class Space Farmer has reached level 85 - stat points distributed. Ding!

Class Magical Farmer has reached level 85 - stat points distributed. Joe was levelling faster than he could keep up with. His unspent stat points were piling up, but he ignored them for now, popping a mana pill into his mouth. Throughout the battle, and during the footwork practice a day earlier, he'd noticed a significant change in how his mana functioned. Whenever he activated a skill, he now had a choice: use his normal mana or draw from his enriched pool.

When he used enriched mana to Space Jump, the activation speed skyrocketed. It was so fast that it was difficult to even comprehend. He had thought it was instantaneous before, but now he understood it was tied to his ability to perceive his surroundings and his reaction speed. As those improved, so too would the jump speed. It had already surpassed what he could track, leaving him slightly disoriented after each enriched jump. Because of that, he stuck to normal mana jumps during combat.

Planting seeds with enriched mana, however, was another matter entirely. The results were incredible, especially with the vines. They were now so durable he doubted anything on this mountain could break through them. Fortunately, he retained control and could move them; otherwise, he might've accidentally sealed the Voldura inside the cave permanently. Still, there was a serious drawback. Using enriched mana too often made his body revolt. Pain would wrack him, and he'd black out shortly afterwards.

It was clear his body wasn't ready to handle the strain. So, he decided to use it only when absolutely necessary. He dispatched two more Garo Gar just as the second alpha lunged at him. Joe immediately Space-Jumped into its blind spot and unleashed his attack. One strike. Two. Three. The massive beast collapsed, defeated without much resistance. Moments later, the remaining insectoids broke ranks and fled. The battle was over. Joe let the exhaustion he'd been holding at bay finally crash over him.

He dropped to the ground, face-first, and started laughing. A shadow fell over him, and Veda appeared, shaking her head.

"Foolish child. You should know your limits."

"Sorry. It's been a long day." System Message Quest complete.