Chapter 347 - Still considered human? (Patreon)

Unlike the 1st event, we could bring our items to this one. For me, it was a voidsteel blade, the damaged arcane axe, and some smaller ones. The axe's performance can't compare to the glove Savant used, and I'm jealous.

Savant was restricted and, in my opinion, had pathetic mana reserves. Yet the glove still did such impressive damage. That's why I rushed to put it on. If I got the glove instead of him, I'm sure I would’ve torn apart everyone during that event.

And damn, that glove was only low arcane. So what is my axe? Low, mid, or upper? Nevan was really skilled and he did cooperate with Champion Niall to make it, so maybe mid? And how high is the difference between mid and others? Surely a bigger one than in rare or epic rarities.

I wave the axe in my hand. It feels heavy but not overly so, and it's warm even though I didn't feed it mana or anything. Its inner flame pulsates slowly as if a beating heart.

During this event, I’ve decided to channel most of the thermal energy stored in my Vortex Core through the axe to see how well it can do.

The inscriptions on my skin are also going well, and the crown over my head holds quite a nice amount of mana at the moment. It also seems the crown can be activated indefinitely. It requires a bit of mana for upkeep, but it's barely noticeable and my regeneration can cover it.

Of course, the crown will require a bit more mana if I use it more heavily, but it's well worth it.

I also tried to infuse it with other energies I hold, but I'm unable to. It accepts only mana, thermal and kinetic do not enter it at all. It's in its name too, so I can't be too mad.

During this event, I could send black mana to it, same as when I first got the skill, but even back then it felt like the explosion wasn't as strong as it could be. It was just the after-effects of two things clashing, and the resulting explosion was highly wasteful.

So tricolored bombs? I could create a lot of them. Just using mana to power the axe? Black mana orbs could fuck up our enemies too if they use mana. I can burn them; thermal energy is reliable for large-scale damage. Or maybe I could rely on [Redistribution] and power it with black mana to absorb the heat and make the enemies freeze or not allow them to move.

“I'm sorry!” one of the Easy difficulty guys quickly jumps out of my way and rushes away.

As I'm passing by, there are whispers and some people are glancing at me. Something that, to a certain extent, others have to deal with as well. Easy difficulty people are slowly realizing the true difference between them and the highest difficulties. It's to the point where I noticed that some even question if they should still call us humans. It's an interesting thought.

Am I still considered human? Do I care?

There are some people who seem to enjoy such a status while some others have worried expressions. Both of these things are understandable. It will be even more obvious when the tutorial ends and we meet with normal humans. Even now, there are accidents where people from higher difficulties hurt lower ones unintentionally.

A single hug that can crush someone with a weaker body. A bit more mana released. Heat from a skill burning people. These kinds of things.

It seems to be easier for Hell difficulty people to control their powers so it's mostly Hard difficulty who do that. And people seem to realize it, every single one of the 31 people from Hell is being carefully walked around.

There are men offering their services as assistants. People trying to become friendly. Groups that are asking us to take responsibility because of the power we have.

Lily, being clearly the strongest healer out of Hell difficulty, has it worst. A constant stream of people with old wounds coming to her, asking, begging, offering to pay. They want their limbs restored, hair regrown, scars healed and pain relieved.

They keep asking and asking. Even if there are over two thousand people and most of them are reasonable, there is also a group of people that are shameless. Even brave enough to ignore the difference in strength, wanting to take advantage of kindhearted Lily.

It annoys me, especially since they are doing it right now; when they should be focusing on the event with minutes remaining ‘till the start. But the healers are sought after and this is just a start.

Some people are asking to get their youth back, it's mostly meant jokingly or I hope so, but I don’t think it will stay that way. We have seen it and looking at Lily’s talent I do think it will be possible for her later.

Just a few hundred more levels and making some normal human feel and look tens of years younger should be easy. Hell, there were people who lived thousands of years kept alive by the aura of the dead body of the Saint.

At her full power, the Saint Absolute was probably capable of keeping up that aura over entire cities, making its citizens close to immortal beings. Something like that is hard to fully grasp.

What would a power like that cause on Earth? Even if much weaker? Lily would become nobility instantly. One of the most powerful or important people on the planet.

I saw other healers too, mainly Gareth who can heal with his aura-like silver light. Even he is not at her level, not even close. His healing is much slower and more gradual.

Reaching the top of the wide stairway, most of the “leaders” are here, Gareth already verbally fighting with Savant.

I observe it for a while and, even now Savant seems to be a loner. Untrusting of others and is here just to hear what they plan so he can go around doing his stuff. But I notice an interesting item on him. A beautiful sword with half a blade left. It's broken cleanly and yet even so, he holds it on his waist.

What is it?

When I try to extremely carefully send my mana there, a field around it detects it and pushes my senses away. A weaker version of [Dawn], meaning that Savant had learned the skill even before the third floor he is restricted to or sometime during it.

He stops talking to Gareth and without a speck of doubt turns his eyes to me. Did he detect me as the one who did that or guessed?

Calling Gareth and his way of dealing with things disgusting, he turns around and leaves with a clinical look on his face. It's like he is dissecting everyone he looks at.

I could go and bully him, learn more about the sword he values so much, or just as revenge for the 1st event. But it feels somewhat cheap. Plus, I'm sure he would just leave the event rather than just sit there and let me.

Others do not antagonize him either. Even if he has the strongest restriction right now, he was also in Beyond before any of us. He also climbs the Floors alone. No one underestimates him. And neither do I.

From the end of the first event, it feels like I should be able to fuck him up easily. My domain is equal to or just slightly weaker than his, but with my reserves, I could just wait and brutally overpower him.

But I saw his expression during our last clash.

He knows it and the same as me, he is also planning countermeasures. He now also sees my crown and more of my abilities.

But who cares? Prideful and cocky, Nathaniel is back. The guy is going down no matter what. Well, if I don't get matched with Tacita—that could be a bit problematic, to be honest.

“How much time left?” I ask when I rejoin the group, slightly to the side.

“Five minutes,” Tess answers simply.

Curious, I check her crown and she lets me do it. The amount of Primordial lightning she stores is also really nice. Behind her, a few javelins float, two of them epic. At this point, she can make items like that float without a noticeable drain to her mana reserves.

Maybe I should do something similar, it looks cool.

Biscuit also wobbles in and for a moment I imagine him with some sort of crown of his own. I really like that idea. The corgi would look great. But knowing him, he will copy me soon enough and get one without me interfering.

The last-minute changes are also made. Groups that cooperate with our little alliance are on the first wall or between it and the second one. The theory is that the difficulty will be easiest at the start so people from Easy difficulties can gain some points.

Currently, they are in place, their mana painfully slowly activated, and skills ready to be used. A lot of them seem to be taking this as a fun and friendly competition while they try to ignore other difficulties. Some uncooperative groups are also on the walls, with their goal to gain as many points as possible.

The natives move all around, ordered by their leaders. Men and women in worn armor. Their levels are rarely over a hundred, with only a few over two hundred, and a single one with a level close to three hundred.

There is no notification as the five hours of preparation turn into defense. Just the earth shaking and far down the mountain, the ground begins to bulge out, pieces of stone and dirt exploding into the air. Revealing a deep dark hole and a head poking out.

An ant.

This one is smaller and not a bus-sized monstrosity. It's probably only as big as Biscuit. Almost a cute little thing. Almost. But the reaction to it is unsurprising.

From group 4, plenty of members have murderous expressions on, and they are not the only ones. Some other Hell difficulty participants are the same. Our dislike towards that single species seems to be unanimous.

So as the ant rushes out and behind him hundreds more ants start climbing out, they are close to just not caring about our plans and attacking right away. Not caring that the monsters are only level thirty at most.

There is no invisible connection connecting them all, no hive mind. These ones seem much more normal, communicating only with their pheromones.

“We are sticking with the plan,” Tess says simply and I can sense one of the twins connecting to the web and sending the communication through to leaders of multiple groups.

Tess has a cold expression on her face as she says so, unlike many others. But just that seems to be enough and most of the people seem to stay down.

Sometimes I will have to check how she communicates with them. I knew Tess is scary at times, but she got the others around her finger too quickly. Is she maybe using Lily, me, and Sophie as threats?

Well, let's check something first.

I use one of my anchors kept up with the help of a mana stone and appear on the spot closest to the hole in the ground from where the ants rush.

The monsters notice me right away, dozens of them crawling my way while shooting acid at me. Just creating an armor around my body, I ignore them and only burn the ones that touch me.

I pass through them and then reach the hole in the ground where I squat and look down while the monsters surround me.

As the attacks crash all around me, I send my senses into the hole, curious about where it leads. I would get in myself, but it's not that wide, and I refuse to crawl through there.

My senses detect thousands more monsters, most of them around level thirty or a bit higher. I do not detect anyone controlling them, not even another kind of monster.

For a moment, I think of creating an atomic bomb and throwing it in but decide against it. It would make Tess look silly, having others not attack while I do this as her group member.

Sure, it would be funny and satisfying, but... actually, just a tiny bomb wouldn't hurt anyone, right?

(Nat, if you do what I think you want to do, I will stop blocking all these people from annoying you,) I hear through the connection Sophie and the twins set up.

(All the people?) I ask.

(Do you think no one is bothering you only because you were a bit wild during the first event? Tons of people wanted to talk to you. People rich outside of the tutorial, asslickers, people who wanted to become your disciple, or the ones that wanted to be friends with you. Also, plenty of pretty young women and even some men. I blocked them all.)

Well, I was a bit surprised that I'm not being annoyed as much.

Disappointed, I use my anchor and appear back next to her. She just nods and smiles imperceptibly. Standing there tall and proud in her armor, her golden hair fluttering and crown floating over her head, Tess really looks regal and reliable as always.

“I will rely on your blockage of annoying people even further.”

She nods, “It's my pleasure. Let's just watch the kids play, and when stronger ones pop out, you can do your stuff. And Nat, be flashy when you do so.”

That much is obvious, isn’t it?

“I have a good idea, you will like it.” While saying so I get rid of all the traps I have placed. All the anchors, all the threads, everything.

The others can have some fun and play, comparing themselves to each other. Then after they are done I will show them something really nice.

***

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