Chương 47: The Benefits of Slaughter

With an eyelid hanging low, I step out of the settlement with joy in my heart. The system screen follows in front of me as I walk. [You have discovered a reward] [Accept(119) / Bank / Consolidate] Wow, just wow. It should be a little higher compared to the number of orcs I killed, but I couldn't be bothered to find the ones I missed. I reach out, but my finger pulls back right before it touches the screen. What if… I want to. I really, really, really want to. Or… I could consolidate it and use everything at once.

What's the point of getting something new just to get something a little better the next time? The fights aren't going so badly right now, so it should be fine to go without any rewards for a while. As long as I get a weapon for the final reward, everything should be fine. My chest tightens at the thought of receiving a piece of armor or another piece of jewelry. My skills are leveling up nicely at the moment. They're more than enough for the difficulty I'm facing. Speaking of…

Words quickly fill the screen, a scroll bar appearing and shrinking rapidly. [Companionship Pact Leader(lv. 18) > (lv. 19)] [(II) High Human(lv. 3) > (lv. 4)] [Companionship Pact Leader(lv. 19) > (lv. 20)] [(II) High Human(lv. 4) > (lv. 5)] [Bleed Immunity(lv. 6) > (lv. 7)] [Danger Sense(lv. 5) > (lv. 6)] [Companionship Pact Leader(lv. 20) > (lv. 21)] [(II) High Human(lv. 5) > (lv. 6)] [Bleed Immunity(lv. 7) > (lv. 8)] [Empower Control Companion(lv. 6) > (lv. 7)] [Companionship Pact Leader(lv. 21) > (lv. 22)] [(II) High Human(lv. 6) > (lv. 7)] [Danger Sense(lv. 6) > (lv. 7)] [One Mind/Two Bodies(lv. 1) > (lv. 2)] [Bleed Immunity(lv. 8) > (lv. 9)] [Enhanced Skeleton(lv. 9) > (lv. MAX)] [Enhanced Skeleton(lv. MAX) > Reinforced Skeleton(lv. 0)] [Reinforced Skeleton] [Enhances all aspects of bones comprising the skeleton, heavily focusing on durability. Flexibility scales with agility. Strength and density scale with fortitude. Blood production scales with vitality. Flexibility, strength, density, and blood production scale with skill level.] [Companionship Pact Leader(lv. 22) > (lv. 23)] [(II) High Human(lv. 7) > (lv. 8)] [Tamed Being Skill Gained: High Human's Musculature] [High Human's Musculature] [As the pinnacle of the human race, embody their relentless persistence. Decreases the effect of low stamina and strain on the user's musculature. Increases the effect of strength on the user's musculature. As the user's stamina decreases, Strength and Fortitude of muscles will temporarily increase in proportion. Strain reduction and proportionality scale with Endurance and skill level.] Hot damn! I laugh as I flex my weakened arm. It doesn't feel much different, but I should see a difference once I recover. I hope skills like this don't make me arrogant. The description of my new muscle skill literally calls me the pinnacle of the human race. It's hard not to feel proud.

With the addition of my skeleton skill evolving, my body is becoming tough as nails. I might be able to ditch my armor entirely. My gaze takes me to my legs again. The metal was not made for this kind of movement, as evidenced by the scrapes that travel up and down near the connections. I can't see them right now due to the blood, but I know they are there. All I need right now are some good leather trousers. Looking back at the wall of text, I examine every single level up. A total of five, for just one fight.

Unbelievable. It makes sense, though, given that I've killed more monsters in the past day than the rest of the time I've been in the dungeon. Two hundred and twenty-six. Twenty-seven, if you count the evolved one. I continue walking with a hearty grin. Damn, I'm good. The entire experience has shown that I'm not just ahead of the curve, I've blasted past it. My status panel paints a strange picture, though. I'm up to nine skills now, which is far more than a normal person would have. Which is great.

Because I have a whopping zero active combat skills. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. One mind/two bodies and control companion are more like buffs. Amazing buffs with a lot of versatility, but still buffs. Heal companion and identify are both utility and support. Meanwhile, all of my tamed being skills are body augmentations. Every single one. No fireball, hardened strike, steel skin or any other kind of cool thing.

My style in battle right now boils down to: fight really hard. Even that powerful orc with the gauntlets had a way to throw his punches at a distance. What was that, anyway? I'd kill for something like that. Literally. I gotta start carrying rocks or something for a ranged option. The short journey to the settlement is multiplied as I'm forced to walk back to base instead of leaping. The dried blood is really starting to bug me.

As I make it further, it becomes apparent that not all of it is on the outside of my armor. It reminds me of being a kid, playing in the mud after rain, then having to suffer the crusted dirt as I walk home. Strangely similar to what I'm doing now. Only, I'm covered in the innards of my enemies instead of dirt. I pick up the pace, eager to get home and thrust my entire body under the fountain. Minutes turn into a couple of hours as the sheer wall in the distance comes closer.

Relief pumps through my veins as I finally grab the ring on the door and pull it open.

"Honey, I'm home!" Trouble stumbles to his feet, getting off the mattress with disgust on his face. His expression grows deeper, mixed with horror as he sees my state.

"What in the universe happened to you!?" I pull the door closed and walk over to the fountain.

"Had a little run-in with orcs," I say casually He watches slack-jawed as I lie with my head under the fountain, washing the blood off. He says something else, but the water rushing over my ears drowns it out. Ooh, that's the good stuff. The first shower in weeks works itself through my hair. As I move my body under the fountain like on a conveyor belt, Trouble speaks again.

"So you killed them and played in their corpses?" Apprehension is written clearly on his face. I shrug.

"Something like that." My armor comes off piece by piece with the rest of my clothes as I clean. A humming tune comes out as I polish the beaten leggings. The drain below the fountain is stained red with blood.

"Were you a fighter before you entered the tutorial?" The question catches me by surprise.

"No? Why do you ask? Is it because of the blood?"

"It's because of the muscles, the indifference, the scars, and yes, the blood." My eyes turn down to examine the scars of past battles littered over my body.

"Nope, I was just a delivery driver." He raises an eyebrow.

"Like a servant?" I shake my head.

"No, there aren't really any servants where I come from. Well, maybe a bit, but I was paid well. Somewhat well." He looks at me with a conflicted expression.

"Orcs are quite strong. You said you killed more than one?" A system message appears before my eyes. [You have slain Orc lv. 14 x226]"Yeah, a bit over two hundred," I say, a smile forcing itself onto my face. The look in his eyes tells me he doesn't believe me for even a second.

"Are you a habitual liar or something?" After another shrug, I start equipping my armor.

"Is there any reason for me to lie to you anymore?" A few seconds pass.

"I suppose not…" He perks up.

"But still! How can you expect me to believe that?"

"Never asked you to believe it", I say. He sputters, not knowing how to respond.

"By the way, how much can gods see when I'm in the tutorial? Like, can they see my status?" Having a class and a species is a pot of gold, but it could bring some unwanted attention.

"I'm not sure." I turn with curiosity.

"What do you mean?"

"Kevin, I'm not a researcher. General schools don't teach us about tutorials and the intricacies of gods. The only area I specialize in is engraving. The system is fair and will likely hide information from them, but I can't be sure."

"Ah", I nod. That makes sense. I shouldn't treat this kid like a source of universal knowledge. He hardly looks sixteen.

"Also, just because they are gods, that doesn't mean they are omnipotent."

"How so?" I ask with curiosity.

"Well, many gods aren't centered around reconnaissance or don't have some powerful underling who can do the same. Even if they have reached that level, seeing past the system's obscuration is no easy task." A few seconds go by as I think.

"So what's the point of all this? The system, levelling, growing powerful… why does it all exist?" He snaps his fingers.

"And there's the golden question. No one really knows. The system and its mechanics were there before even the oldest of gods." After pulling the last strap tight, I sit against the wall next to the fountain. So the system is like some kind of law of reality, like gravity. A few different theories float in my mind, but the question is clearly above my pay grade. There's too much I don't know to make a conclusion. In the end, it doesn't change my goal. Trouble stands from the mattress and looks embarrassed.

"Sorry for taking your bed. You were gone for a while, and I just-" I wave him off.

"I don't mind. I don't need it anymore." Reluctantly, he nods and sits back down. Every time I look at him when we aren't speaking, he looks so lost. If I remember correctly, he said he made the teleportation thing with his master, but I haven't seen anyone else so far. I begin to ask about it, but his eyes are already closed with a rock in his hands, probably doing something related to engraving. The carvings on the rocks looked intricate. I wonder if he can teach me a spell?

It would be nice to get a bit of diversity in my skill set. Right now, I'm just a generic fighter that moves like an eldritch abomination. It feels incredibly satisfying to swing with full strength on every movement, but I'd bet it looks strange to an outside observer. I wonder if Trouble would join me on the next outing? He's still deep in whatever he's doing, so I decide not to interrupt him and lie down on the stone. Nah, he doesn't seem like a combatant.

Then again, how would I know what a fighter from another world would look like? When he pulled out the glowing rock, I saw a few more. I wonder what they do? Jealousy seeps into my mind as I imagine Trouble activating twenty different spells each fight, each with its own cool effect, colors flying everywhere.

"Tsk," my tongue clicks. I wanted to be a mage too. Images of towering tidal waves and rocks shooting like a machine gun fly past my eyes. Without the comfort of a mattress under me, it's difficult to fall asleep. The only reason I gave it up so easily is because of my absurdly high stats. Speaking of… The blue screen expands in response.

[Vitality: 52 > 73] [Strength: 42 > 58] [Agility: 43 > 55] [Endurance: 46 > 87] [Fortitude: 50 > 68] [Intelligence: 30] [Wisdom: 48 > 57] [Perception: 50 > 63] A wicked grin spreads across my face. With how stats from my species grow according to my experiences and desires, that long-ass fight must have pumped up my endurance. I might not be able to throw fireballs, but the ability to jump several times my height and behead opponents that are heads larger than me makes up for it. Don't worry, me.

We'll get something nice, eventually. As long as death is avoided, growth is only guaranteed.

"Kevin, fall asleep," I mumble with satisfaction. I take my command by the hand as it leads my eyelid down.