The forest was suffocatingly quiet. Mist clung to the trees, turning every shadow into a threat.
The Nerulian warriors moved with spears at the ready. Lyra whispered prayers. Elira's silver blades gleamed, her stance sharp and coiled.
Me? I was already sweating. And tripping.
[Observation: Probability of tripping again 52%.]
"Advisor, I please don't say anything anymore ."
---
Then boom!
The first corrupted wolves burst from the fog.
Twisted bodies, glowing eyes, black veins crawling under their skin.
"Formation!" I shouted surprising even myself.
[Skills Activated]
[Analyze (Lv.2): Weak points identified]
Shared Growth (Passive): Allies gain partial stat boost.]
Glowing red marks appeared across the wolves' bodies. The Nerulians struck true, spears plunging into weak spots.
I swung my wooden practice blade, channeling Mana Shaping into it the wood hardened with blue light. My strike cleaved a wolf straight into mist.
"Nice," Elira admitted.
Then I tripped. Right into her side, bumping her .....
Her face turned crimson. "Yuto !"
"I SWEAR this wasn't on purpose!"
[Correction: Ecchi Flag #4 triggered.]
"ADVISOR, I HATE YOU."
[ You're welcome]
---
The wolves kept coming. Bran screamed as claws ripped his arm.
"Lyra! Heal him!" I shouted.
Her staff glowed, healing light knitting his wounds. Bran roared back, cutting down another wolf.
We were holding. Just barely.
Then the ground shook.
---
The Juggernaut emerged.
Massive. Crystal shards of corruption jutted from its spine, its burning red eyes locking onto me like I owed it money.
[Warning: Entity identified. Corrupted Juggernaut. Estimated Threat Level :Fatal.]
"…You always say that right before I almost die," I muttered.
It roared and charged, smashing the ground into craters. Elira dragged me away just as its fist cratered where I'd stood.
"Think, Yuto!" she barked.
"I'm trying! Just… slowly!"
---
The battle was chaos.
Elira danced around its strikes, carving shallow wounds. The Nerulians stabbed at its legs, but were swatted aside.
I activated Analyze Lv.2 again glowing highlights appeared on the shards.
"Advisor! The crystals are those the weak points?!"
[Affirmative.]
"Got it!"
I sprinted, Mana Shaping hardening my legs for speed. Of course, I tripped.
But this time, my stumble turned into a desperate slide my blade flew from my hands, spinning through the air.
It smashed into one of the Juggernaut's shards, cracking it.
The beast howled in pain.
"…Totally planned that."
[Correction: Not planned.]
"SHUT UP."
---
Elira cut through another shard, spraying ichor.
"The last one at the spine!" she shouted.
I nodded, using Mana Shaping to reinforce my legs and launch myself upward. The Juggernaut's claws scraped past, but I clung on, climbing like my life depended on it. (Because it did.)
Mana flared in my blade as I channeled everything into one desperate strike.
"For the record if this fails, I blame you, Advisor!"
Then I stabbed the shard.
The Juggernaut convulsed, glowing cracks spiderwebbing across its body.
And with a deafening roar, it exploded into a storm of black mist.
---
The shockwave sent me tumbling, my body buzzing with raw energy.
A surge coursed through me , heavy, dense, like my muscles and bones were being reforged.
[Absorption Triggered ]
[Energy absorbed from Corrupted Juggernaut.
Physical and magical capacity increased.]
Screens filled my vision.
[ Level Up!
Level: 5 → 11
HP: 120 → 180
MP: 280→ 320
Strength: 16 → 32
Agility: 18 → 28
Endurance: 14 → 27
Intelligence: 22 → 26
[ New Skills Acquired!]
[Regeneration (Minor): Gradually restores HP over time.
Cleansing Light: Purges minor corruption from targets.
Mana Efficiency: Spells cost 15% less MP.]
Retained skills
Absorption (Enhanced)
Analyze (Lv.2)
Mana Shaping (Lv.2)
Shared Growth (Unique Trait)]
I stared at the numbers, my jaw hitting the ground. "…Holy crap. Did I just get swole?"
[Observation: You are now 60% less pathetic.]
" why do always have to ruin things!!."
---
The Nerulians cheered weakly. Lyra sobbed in relief. Bran gripped my shoulder, whispering, "Protector."
Elira walked up, blades sheathed, silver eyes unreadable. "…Not bad."
I grinned. "Not bad? That was epic! Did you see me "
Then I collapsed face-first into the dirt, super exhausted.
"…Idiot," she muttered.
But as darkness tugged at me, I felt it: raw strength thrumming through my veins, speed coiling in my muscles, endurance steadying my breath.
For the first time, I felt untouchable.
---