Chương 100: 100

By the time night draped the sky in darkness, we'd gathered several dozen snakes between us, and my arms burned from their weight. Dura hovered at my side, one hand raised as my stack wobbled precariously.

"You know I can carry those, right? You just spent all day training, I don't mind." I shook my head, ignoring the sweat trailing down my neck.

"I've got it. I'm not turning you into a pack mule when I can handle it." I shifted my grip, wincing slightly.

"Besides, it counts as extra training." She huffed, fond amusement bleeding through as she pointedly flexed an arm.

"You really think I'm worried about a few snakes?" Her brow arched.

"But if you're sure…" Time nodded from my other side, balancing his own equally ridiculous pile.

"If my wife were present, I would do the same when she inevitably offered. Nikolas and I need to improve. This is… effective." He paused, grimacing as he glanced between us.

"Though we will absolutely need to bathe afterward." That got a snort out of me. Sweat and dirt clung to us in a sticky, miserable layer, and every stray breeze carried our own stench right back to us. My nose twitched in protest.

"I can't wait to stop for the night," I muttered sullenly.

"I smell like death." The blood had long since dried along my arm, flaking and stiff. If fresh blood smelled bad, this was worse. Like someone had shoved a mouthful of pennies between my teeth and told me to chew. Time's expression mirrored my disgust.

"Agreed. I rarely engage in activities that produce sweat. This is one of the reasons why." Henry chuckled, shaking his head as he fell back toward us.

"You'll get used to it." Before either of us could respond, he started plucking snakes from Time's pile. Time bristled immediately, but Henry waved him off.

"Being self-sufficient is good," he said easily, "but knowing when to accept help is just as important. These skins will sell well, if they're intact. Let Dura and I take some before you drop them." Dura didn't wait for further convincing, her hand drifting toward my stack again. I exchanged a look with Time. He hesitated, then gave a reluctant nod. With a sigh, I relented.

"Alright. But only some."

"Works for me," she said, already lifting half the load from my arms. Henry mirrored her with Time, and just like that, the weight eased. Still heavy, but no longer screaming at me with every step. Up ahead, Dominicus slowed and drifted back, one brow raised as he took us in.

"If neither of you enjoys physical exertion," he said, tone neutral but curious, "why agree to become Chosens? The role is inherently demanding, regardless of the spirit." There was no bite to it this time, but Time still scowled.

"I was not chosen for combat," he replied flatly.

"My talents lie elsewhere." Dominicus's disbelieving expression didn't shift, so I chimed in.

"I trained as a medic, fighting wasn't exactly part of the plan." Not that I regretted it. This wasn't what I'd expected, sure, but I'd adapt. If I wanted to be a healer who didn't die the first time things went sideways, I needed this. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Henry tilted his head, interest piqued as he looked to Time.

"And what talents would those be?" Time adjusted his grip, eyeing the slight tilt of his remaining stack with suspicion before answering.

"I am fluent in nearly every language in Nexus and I have a talent for uncovering information," he said, voice smoothing into something more assured.

"I am, first and foremost, a scholar." That reminded me, we still hadn't gone through the journal we'd found in Silas's office. With everything else going on, it had slipped straight through the cracks, but if it held anything about the generals, we couldn't afford to ignore it. I glanced up at the sky, streaked pink and fading fast into night. We'd be making camp soon. I'd bring it up then. Time's stack of Rock Snakes wobbled dangerously, threatening to spill.

I freed a hand on instinct, steadying the pile before it could topple. He shot me a brief look of thanks before speaking.

"Perhaps we should make camp soon? These should be salvaged for their scales, meat, fangs, and bones." Henry nodded, glancing up at the darkening sky.

"Good call." He turned to Dura.

"Help them get started on that. I'll handle dinner."

"Got it," she said easily, guiding us off the road toward a packed stretch of dirt. Dominicus peeled off toward the flatlands without a word, already scanning for firewood. Maya skipped after Henry, watching with rapt attention as he began setting up the fire. I eyed the ground as we moved, unease prickling at the back of my mind.

"Do we need to worry about Rock Snakes attacking at night?" Henry shook his head as he shrugged off his pack.

"No, but being mindful of where you camp is a good habit. Rock Snakes can move through stone," he tapped the ground with his boot, "but not dirt." Noted. I made my way to a nearby boulder and dropped my pile with a relieved exhale, waiting for Dura and Time to do the same before glancing at him.

"I'd call today a success. You?" There'd been nothing to check my status or stats with, but Time told me there was a negligible difference in Agility and Stamina. It wasn't flashy, but progress was progress. And, more importantly, there'd been no repeat of the Lunar Wolves. Time hummed, adjusting his sleeves.

"Indeed. We have much to improve, but steady escalation should yield results. If we continue increasing the difficulty of our encounters, we will progress at a reasonable pace." He paused, considering.

"Given today's outcome, perhaps we attempt slightly stronger creatures next. Field Rats, for example." Dura grimaced, casting a wary look toward the grass surrounding camp.

"Normally I'd say start with a beginner dungeon, but with Dawnmoor up in the air, we can't afford the detour. Field Rats'll have to do." Her nose wrinkled.

"Though they carry disease… and sometimes poison." Henry nodded, not looking up from the wood Dominicus handed him.

"They also don't spawn during the day. You won't be training on them while we're traveling." He jerked a thumb toward the tall grass.

"They show up all over this region at night, but you're both worn down. I wouldn't recommend engaging them tonight." I followed his gesture and froze. A pair of faintly glowing eyes stared back from the grass. My arms throbbed in agreement with Henry's assessment, muscles protesting even the thought of another fight.

"Yeah… that tracks," I muttered.

"Will the fire keep them away, or should we expect an ambush?" Dura waved a hand dismissively.

"Most monsters avoid fire. Either they can't see well in the light, or it actively hurts them. Stick close, you'll be fine." I didn't take my eyes off the glowing orbs. My grip tightened on my staff as I leaned slightly toward Time.

"What are the odds Verdant Renewal works on poison or disease?" His lips thinned.

"Low. Status ailments require specialized magic, separate from standard healing." I sighed, shoulders sinking just a fraction as I kept watch.

"Figures." But that opened up another, more pressing concern.

"Wait… can I even heal internal injuries?" I frowned.

"Verdant Renewal covers wounds in moss. What happens if it tries to do that inside someone?" The thought hadn't come up before. No one had needed that kind of healing yet, but it was only a matter of time. I really needed to know what my limits were before I ran into them. I grimaced slightly. If my magic started growing moss inside people… Yeah, that would be nightmare fuel.