Chương 42: Containment

When I wake up, I find myself lying on a quite cozy bedroll. My entire body still hurts like I just got slammed into a metal wall. But, I am alive. Oh, and I have a ton of notifications to check. Not just from that fight, but from the past few days. So I use the handy summary mode.

'Ding', You have slain [Lesser Wolf - Level 37]. …Expand for 27 more notifications'Ding', You have slain [Lesser Stone Guardian - Level 39]. Experience split amongst group. …Expand for 59 more notifications'Ding', You have slain [Lesser Echostalker - Level 40]. Experience split amongst group.

'Ding', Magic Smith has advanced to level 37. Stat points distributed.

'Ding', Magic Smith has advanced to level 38. Stat points distributed.

'Ding', Magic Smith has advanced to level 39. Stat points distributed.

'Ding', Luma has advanced to level 33. Stat points distributed.

'Ding', Luma has advanced to level 34. Stat points distributed.

'Ding', Luma has advanced to level 35. Stat points distributed.

'Ding', Dovey has advanced to level 38. Stat points distributed.

'Ding', Spirit Mage has advanced to level 36. Stat points distributed.

'Ding', Spirit Mage has advanced to level 37. Stat points distributed.

'Ding', Spirit Mage has advanced to level 38. Stat points distributed. Damn, I have made some good progress as of late, if that summary is anything to go by. To think that when I entered this incursion a week and a half ago, I was only around level twenty. Now I am pushing forty in both classes, and Luma and Dovey are even keeping up too. Though, it is definitely getting a lot harder to level. No more killing a single monster and getting three levels.

Now I am lucky to get a single level from a dozen monsters several levels above me.

"You okay, bro?" Someone says and I turn to see the healer looking over me.

"I've seen better days." I say, which is a complete understatement. Seven broken bones, far too many gashes over my body and so much blood loss that I am not sure how I am walking.

"Fair enough, that last fight was brutal. Barely scraped by with the tips of my nails." He says and I feel one of his inspection skills run over me.

"Damn man, how are you still conscious? You've got internal bleeding in eight places." I laugh, and cough up a bit of blood in the process. After clearing my throat, I shrug.

"I've got way too much vitality, I think." Speaking of stats, mine have grown so much, and it has been a while since I checked them. So much so that I have forty six points banked up, which I split between endurance and strength. I figure it's best to round off the lowest stats, I don't want to suddenly find that I am not strong enough, after all.

Stats Vitality: 250 Endurance: 111 Strength: 112 Agility: 116 Intelligence: 101 Wisdom: 108 Spirit: 205 Unallocated Points: 0 Resources Health: 421/2500 Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Stamina: 255/1110 Mana: 128/1080 Spirit: 1754/2050 All of my stats are now above a hundred, and a couple hit the two hundred mark. It is weird to think that, at least numerically, I am like, ten times stronger than when I started.

Of course, that doesn't exactly translate into reality. Realistically, it's probably more like five times stronger–in pure physical ability, anyways. Though I am sure that I am not making full use of all of my newfound power. Perhaps if I spent some time training, I would actually be able to realize that full increase. I have noticed that most of my attacks and really everything I do lack technique. Not just in the actual hard system stuff, but just like, how I swing my hammer and such.

Ever since I got the ability to see stamina, I have noticed that everyone seems to do it so smoothly. For me, it is like I am forcing the energy through my body with sheer will. Which is most certainly not the way to do it.

"Hey, you wouldn't happen to be willing to teach me how to properly manipulate stamina?" I ask Mark, who is tending to his own wounds not far away.

"I can do it, but I am certain that I have got it all wrong." Mark looks at me like I am a talking goose.

"What do you mean? You just do it. The more you do, the easier it gets I guess. Why do you think you are doing it wrong?"

"Hmm, well it feels like my entire body doesn't want to let the energy pass through I guess. Like I am just manhandling it, and it kinda hurts if I do it too much."

"Interesting, don't think I've ever heard of that problem." Mark truly does seem confused. Just what am I getting wrong?

"Most kids can do it easily enough, it's as natural as breathing." Oh, I see. That does make sense. I am not from this world, thus I did not grow up inherently using stamina for stuff. Everyone that was born in this world started off with stamina, mana, and all sorts of other stuff. So to them, not using stamina would be harder than using it. Which is a sharp contrast with me. I instinctively do not use it, which must be why it is harder for me.

Heck, it took me quite a while just to figure out how to swing my hammer properly, and there is no way I could use some of the fancier techniques I have seen people using. My Anvil Strike is a weird technique from what I can tell. There is literally no finesse to it, it is purely smacking something as hard as I can. Which is fair, when one is trying to forge metals that really do not like to bend and such. But flesh isn't as hard to break, usually. In other words, it is overkill.

My new body knows this instinctively, at a fundamental level. Thus it is trying to resist me using stamina like it is just a force multiplier. So I just need to learn to work with my body and stuff. Problem is, how the fuck does one do that? I will have to experiment eventually with it. But, the middle of combat is not the best time to be changing up my fighting style so drastically. So I shall add it to my ever growing list of 'problems for later.'

I realize I spaced out a bit and go to respond to Mark, only to find everyone has gathered around a campfire. Seems I spaced out for so long that they just started eating without me. Which is fair enough, it is probably time for me to go separate ways anyways. I did get the sleep I wanted, after all. The healer guy seems to have fixed me up pretty good, and my health is almost replenished from my nap. So I stand up and stretch, and then head back off into the city.

I let Dovey out as well, and he does the whole scouting thing. However, it is barely ten minutes after I start seeking that a notification appears in my mind. A positive one, I think.

'Ding', Blackharbor Incursion has progressed: Stage 1: Contain the surge -> Stage 2: Find the heart.

'Ding', Stage 1 incursion contributions assessed. Calculating payout… 24 Merit Points. Merit shop locked until completion of your first incursion.

'Ding', New title awarded, {Surge Warrior} Huh, that's neat. I guess we as a whole managed to stop the outward spread of monsters or something. Carla's plan must be working, then. Checking the map, I can see that almost the entirety of the fifth ring has been cleared of monsters. Plus, there are barely any left in the sixth ring and outside the city. Well by golly, it would seem we have actually bloody contained it. There is a bit of information attached to the first notification, so I pull that and the title up.

When doing so, I also noticed that I never read the description for the first stage, so I open that up too, just because. Stage 1: Contain the surge An incursion has appeared above Blackharbor. The monsters have already decimated the city, slaughtering countless citizens. But, they will not stop there. Go forth, brave warriors, and prevent the surge from reaching across the realm, and even beyond. Stage 2: Find the heart The surge has been mostly contained.

Only a few stray monsters lurk outside the defensive barriers. So now is the time to push yourselves even farther. Take the fight to the monsters and strike them where it hurts most. Somewhere within the city lies the heart of the incursion. You must destroy it in order to stop the incursion, and bring peace back to these lands. Do be warned that the heart is kept well hidden, and well defended. {Surge Warrior} Against all odds, you have encountered a monster surge and lived to tell the tale.

Furthermore, you have worked with fellow survivors to help contain the surge. Whether you choose to push forwards or not is another matter. Your deeds have already merited great recognition. Effects: Merit shop will unlock upon first incursion defeated. It would seem there is some sort of shop after this is all over. One with great rewards, I expect. Naturally, the ones that contribute most will get the best rewards, but it seems everyone that helped will at least get something. A fancy title, for one.

Still, we are quite a ways from actually defeating the incursion. So checking out the shop will have to be a later issue. As for the stage progressing, it does sound interesting. But, there is a minor issue. That being, I cannot really help, right? Like, I am only level forty. I would presume the heart is either going to be in the first or second rings, with monsters well into the sixties and even up to the mid eighties. While I do feel strong, that is simply far too much of a gap.

As I ponder what to do, I sit down inside a nearby building. With Dovey keeping watch to make sure it is safe, I let Luma out of the phylactery. Without hesitation, she nuzzles up in my hood and I mindlessly scratch her head. I start pondering options, of which there are far too many.