Chương 13: Chapter 12

Mana awarded from his latest Level flowed through him smoothly. Much smoother than it did before. It was easier to control as well. Just like [Dash] could be regulated now. Hakon could not be certain at first, but he could use more mana to activate [Dash] now that his legs had been cleansed as well. The cleansing had not been perfect, which only pushed him to hunt more Acidic Beetles for their spit. To remove even more sludge and reach the limits of what was possible with [Flow Control].

It would grant him the means to do so much more! Guiding mana to his arms was no longer a challenge either. And if he could learn how to move mana through his fingers into his weapons– Hakon licked his lips, memories of a red-crimson hue shrouding his father. His weapon, the massive Obsidianite mace, as it smashed through enemies, cracking skulls and bones like sapling twigs, the same hue shrouding the blunt weapon. The memories had once been a source of awe.

They fueled him, made him desire to reach the same heights as his father. Now he wanted more. He longed for power that didn't hail from Ancient Powers. His plan was simple, yet also incredibly complex. Use Enhanced Comprehension to surpass his father and learn enough about mana and the way it worked to strengthen his blade. Not through an Ancient Power. Not through a Runeskin. Through his mana, wielding it in ways no Barbarian thought of before!

As mana filled his frame, flooded the mass in his abdomen to expand and strengthen it, [Flow Control] activated to take rein of all surplus mana before it could fade. It resisted at first, but Hakon's will clamped down, keeping it in place. What followed was yet another cleansing session. At least, it was supposed to be a cleansing session. Instead, something changed as [Flow Control] guided large amounts of mana through his body.

The tunnels throbbed and strained and his muscles bulged as power pumped through his veins. He exhaled deeply, the sudden burst of power feeling unlike anything he'd earned since the Rite. Not even the power earned since Level 1 was comparable with this kind of power. Yet, as power surged through every part of his body, Hakon noticed a flaw. Or maybe it was not a flaw at all. The surplus mana evaporated. It was used up with every blink. Every time mana circled through the largest tunnels, mana was drained.

Then mana flowed through the smaller tunnels and even more evaporated. It felt right, yet wrong at the same time. Hakon relied on his Ancient Power, activated it, and tried to feel out what was wrong. Then he adjusted accordingly, his control over [Flow Control] increasing once more. Mana continued to evaporate but it was more controlled. The power remained even if it was no longer as mighty as it had been moments earlier.

It was more in tune with the mana flow, enhancing his lower body when he focused on his legs, his right arm when he circulated mana through the tunnels in his right arm, and so on. [Skill Upgrade has been discovered. First requirement to upgrade [Flow Control] has been met.] [Upgrade Flow Control – Conditions have not been met. 1) Pathway Purity exceeds threshold (21%/20%) 2) Level below minimum requirement (15/20)"Is that what you want from me, Ancestors?" The corner of Hakon's lips curled into a blinding smile.

He was ready – after some rest. His body had yet to recover, and his head felt like it was filled with rows of war drums. It throbbed worse than ever. A short break. He smiled at that thought and fell asleep as soon as his eyes closed.

"Did I go overboard?" Hakon wondered aloud as he raked the bone dagger across the seventh beetle's neck. The monster would have provided the acidic spit necessary to coat his body twice and cleanse his body again. That should have been enough to accelerate [Flow Control]'s growth, but leaving was not an option. Actually– Actually, he could leave. His newest Skill would make that possible. [Stealth Lv. 1] But it was a disgrace. The Skill was… and so was he by acquiring it.

His only saving grace was the Ancestors' acceptance. They didn't care about [Stealth]. Skill aside, he could have escaped even if he didn't have [Stealth]. Using [Dash] amplified with the new effect of [Flow Control], Hakon should have no problem leaving this place. Guiding mana through the cleansed tunnels – no, pathways – provided him the power needed to escape the current predicament. The encirclement of a few dozen Giant Ants and Acidic Beetles. But he didn't want to leave. Retreating once was acceptable.

Twice, if one included his 'bout' with the Colossal Terror, was already bad. His only saving grace was that the Ancestors had not frowned upon him. They had acknowledged his decision instead. A third time? They would forsake him. He was sure of it. Mana churned through the pathways at his behest. It surged into his legs as he used [Dash], sword resting in his hands. Several globs of acidic spit shot past him and sizzled where he stood a moment ago. But Hakon was no longer there.

He towered above the eight Acidic Beetle, his vision growing sharp as he found the spot. The sword descended fast and deadly, casting certain death upon the Acidic Beetle. [Proficiency gained. [Weakness Detection Lv. 4] improved to [Weakness Detection Lv. 5]] The message disappeared with a thought. Hakon quickly followed, bursting to the side, upper body twisting as more acidic globs headed toward him. He didn't waste more mana than necessary but relied heavily on [Running].

His movement speed increased ever so slightly as he reached the next target. Mandibles snapped around him, yet a mixture of instincts granted by [Combat Awareness]'s effect and [Evasion] guided him as best as possible. His blade sought the Giant Ant's weakness, only to scrape across its skull leaving no more than a scratch. Dismantling the Acidic Beetles taught him a lot. Finding their weak spots had been easy. It was why they no longer posed a threat. The Giant Ants were more problematic.

Their mandibles were razor sharp, their exoskeleton tough. The segments connecting the ant's upper body with its head appeared tough as well, leaving no more than small seams to carve through. And their eyes, of course. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. But that was not enough. He needed more, so he sought another solution. A solution that required him to sever their lower body from the rest. That's their abdomen, isn't it?

Could they survive losing that? Hakon certainly doubted it. With that thought in mind, he moved around the Giant Ants trying to close in from all sides and severed its abdomen. The monster thrashed around and continued to attack, but it slowed as strength seeped out of its weakening body. Good enough. A smile bloomed, but it was quickly replaced by sharp pain. Shifting around, Hakon caught a set of mandibles clamped around his right leg. It chomped on him, trying to cut off his foot. And it nearly succeeded.

Its mandibles easily cut through his toughened flesh and were only stopped by his bones. If he hadn't earned so many Levels since the Rite, he would have lost a foot. Hakon blanched at the realization and searing pain shot through his mind. He thrust his sword into the monster's eyes over and over again, but the deed was done. It didn't release his leg, all while waiting for its brethren to finish him. That was not how he'd expected to go nor was he willing to leave it at that.

He could not join the Ancestors if he died now! [Flow Control] erupted with renewed power, burning through more mana to call upon even more strength. Strength that fed Hakon with the power he needed to leap back into action. He cut through the ant's neck and ripped his leg free – somewhat. The Giant Ant's head was still attached to his leg, its mandibles tightly clamped right below his calf. It felt weird – it hurt like hell – but Hakon could move again.

It was almost like the pain evaporated as his focus sharpened once more. Messages popped up in the back of his mind but they faded to return once the battle concluded. Once he emerged victorious, his blades drenched in his enemies' blood. He swung around, his blade thrust straight through the eye and skull of the next best ant. A handaxe appeared in his left, retrieved more instinctively than anything else, and he crashed down.

Power surged through his upper body, amplifying not only raw strength but momentum as well. A sickening crush rang in his ears as the axe blade tore through the ant's skull. It was crude, far from perfect, but it was enough to kill. And death was all that mattered. The death of his enemies. His vision grew blurry. Or was it blood that spluttered in his face. Regardless, Hakon continued to fight. More mandibles reached him, yet none managed to hook him. They carved through flesh but only got a quick snap at him.

In return, their skulls were crushed, their heads removed. At some point, Hakon flowed around the battlefield, the wounds accumulating even as pain eluded him. He killed one Giant Ant after another, his handaxes performing much greater deeds than their maker could have wished for. But the battle was still not over. Hakon's senses heightened once more and details that escaped his grasp before became obvious. Then came the flood of mana, and everything changed. The mana influx changed everything. He burned it all.

All the extra mana. It fueled his power, pushing his body in ways that should have only been possible for a Barbarian after the 1st Ascension. Or maybe not? Hakon did not know. He did not think. It didn't matter. Only the blood of his foes did. And he was covered in it.

He was done for. Pain was one of the few reasons he knew he wasn't dead yet. He'd survived! Yet, at the same time, Hakon certainly felt like his soul had a chat with death. A lengthy one. He shuddered, which only worsened the pain in his legs, arms – everywhere, really. But it wasn't all bad. If anything, life was great. Exhilarating even! He was getting stronger, his eyes drifting to the myriad of Skill improvement messages that'd popped up when the fight ended. [Proficiency gained. [Dash Lv. 4] improved to [Lv. 5]] [Proficiency gained. [Pain Tolerance Lv. 1] improved to [Pain Tolerance Lv. 2]] … Hakon's head was throbbing again. He waved his hand and discarded the Skill messages. Instead, he checked the Ancient Scripture for the final result. Hakon Taskur – Level 9 Race – Barbarian Ancient Power – Enhanced Comprehension Bloodline– Wildborne Lifeblood Skills – [Combat Awareness Lv. 7], [Sword Mastery Lv. 20], [Reading Lv. 3], [Flow Control Lv. 16], [Running Lv. 6], [Dash Lv. 5], [Dagger Mastery Lv. 18], [Throwing Lv. 5], [Axe Mastery Lv. 17], [Evasion Lv. 6], [Field Crafting Lv. 3], [Blunt Weapon Mastery Lv. 10], [Silent Steps Lv. 4], [Weakness Detection Lv. 8], [Grappling Lv. 6], [Dismantling Lv. 3], [Poison Resistance Lv. 2], [Pain Tolerance Lv. 5], [Stealth] Most of his Skills leveled up, many twice. [Pain Tolerance] improved by four Levels in one go. That… actually did make sense. Hakon still felt like he was dying. It wouldn't surprise him if he was to gain another Skill Level until he was back at full health.

"Poison Resistance improved?" He groaned confused. Did one of the Acidic Beetles hit him? He didn't think so, but his leg begged to differ. It was still covered in blood but the burning sensation was familiar. So was the sight of skin and flesh struck and torn apart by acidic spit. At least, there was no numbness. Only pain remained,"What else's there to see?" Hakon sought distraction from the pain, and he found it in the few messages that remained. [Experience threshold met. Level Up!] [25 Giant Ants have been slain. Lesser Deed acquired.] [Experience threshold met. Level Up!] [25 Acidic Beetles have been slain. Lesser Deed acquired.] [Claim Deeds?] He did it. Completed two of the Saga Trials the Ancestors gave him. And now he could reap the rewards they prepared for him. But before he did that, Hakon noticed something odd. He saw mist. Thick, densely grown, blue mist. It looked familiar and made him stop in his tracks. He tilted his head, his mind trying to tell him something.

Remind him what happened the first time he killed an Acidic Beetle.

"Oh no!" Gritting his teeth through the pain, Hakon shot to his feet. He reached for his bone daggers but couldn't find them at first. Cursing, precious time was wasted to search for the blades. As soon as he found the first blade, Hakon limped to the closest Acidic Beetle and got to work, tearing through soft flesh and innards, dismantling the monster. It stopped dissipating as soon as [Dismantling] triggered, but that did not stop the other corpses from transforming into blue mist.

Hakon worked fast, yet he barely managed to remove five yellowish sacs before the monsters disintegrated, turning into blue mist that spread everywhere. [Proficiency gained. [Dismantling Lv. 3] improved to [Dismantling Lv. 4]]"You could have waited a little longer, Ancestors!" Hakon grunted even as a portion of the mist seeped into him, doing… something. It didn't hurt. If anything, the mist seemed to heal him, wash away the pain and strain body and mind suffered.

Regardless, he'd much rather have kept the Acidic Beetle corpses. More of their acidic spit sacs would have made the next step a lot easier. The Giant Ant's mandibles would have made great weapons as well. So why did the Ancestors take it upon themselves to take his hunting spoils from him? They took everything he'd killed even before he was ready to make a tribute for them.

"Maybe the Fracture does something?" It might force the Ancestors to act prematurely. Using [Dismantling] on the corpses stopped the mist from forming. Temporarily. The only permanent solution was [Field Crafting]. The carapace bowl and the makeshift spoon hadn't dissipated even as the empty beetle sacs and dismantled beetle parts faded after half a day. He didn't know if the Fracture was at fault or if his Ancestors were just impatient with him. There was so much Hakon didn't know, but he was willing to learn.

And learning required testing, both with his Ancient Power but also with his path. The path of the Barbarian. It was straightforward, yet the same could not be said about Enhanced Comprehension. It separated him from the Barbarian path he knew. And while it did so, the Ancestors did not judge him. They continued to guide him instead. Would they do that even if he were to do something no Barbarian would? If he fought the Fracture's monsters in ways they deemed honorless.

"If the Ancestors can accept it, so can I." Hakon told himself, but doubts crept up the back of his mind as soon as he started devising plans to fight the Fracture's monsters more efficiently.