An Inciting Isekai (Deadly Persuasion) - Chapter 45 (Patreon)

During the day, Levi had made the quick trip to turn in the corpse to the guild, before taking the same contract again. Besides, he needed more anti-poison, and it wasn’t cheap. 

Levi returned to the polluted river the following evening where his hunt was about to continue. He winced a little as he gazed upon the scorched area. The copious amounts of rubbish laying atop the river was still burning, leaving a trail of toxic fumes in their wake. Levi should have felt revulsion at the smell lingering, but for some reason, it didn’t affect him. Another trait of his current Ingredients, perhaps? It appeared that it wasn’t just fire he had grown a resistance to, but smoke that came with it, too. Levi wouldn’t complain.

However, he did notice a few things emerge from the smouldering trash pile. Levi edged ever closer to the river ledge. He was careful to make sure there were no monsters lurking under the surface of the water. 

He had watched those safari documentaries on the internet. The sight of a massive croc breaking out of the water to catch their unsuspecting prey was difficult to forget. Especially now he was in that exact scenario; just with superpowered monsters instead, that was.

Now that he was closer, he spotted something on a small island in the middle of the river. At first he thought it was just a mound of trash, but it appeared to actually be solid ground. Although it was covered in rubbish. Levi peered and spotted something unusual. A book. But it wasn’t just a book. The book cover was a very dark brown leather, bordering on black, and a strange purple gem was on the surface of it, and it was covered in metal; like an exoskeleton. Levi had never seen anything of its like before. Not in the library of Beron, not in Raven’s Pit, not even in the larger town of Ironvale. 

Searching for a way over, Levi decided to copy the Vilemaw’s strategy the day prior. 

He hopped and leaped over numerous precarious footholds, almost falling in in the process. But he managed to make it without stabbing himself with toxic metal or needles or falling into the vile water. Black mush kicked up the back of his trouser legs.

Levi approached the book, kicking away the disgusting insects that plagued the island; he recognised a few from the hunter’s book, but they weren’t worthy of note like the illustrious golden beetle. Nor were they poisonous or aggressive, thank god for that.

He focused on it and his eyes widened in shock, and surprise.

Profession Ingredient (Rarity: Unknown - Relic) — [Broken] Machinist’s Book of Magi: A book that holds the secrets of the Machinist Profession that focuses on magic engineering enhancement. 

| Class: Engineer

| Path: Machinist/Magi.

He had heard of people in this world holding professions such as alchemy and smithing, and had even seen it a few times when he had identified wood axes back in Beron. Apart from that, this was the first time seeing a Profession that wasn’t to do with resource gathering. But it was broken. What did that mean? And how would he fix it? Well, he would figure that out later.

Levi would never say no to more power, and this seemed like the perfect one.

With trembling fingers, Levi crouched down and was about to feverishly pluck the book from the pile of rusted metal and tins when Levi’s hair rose on edge. His head snapped to the other side of the banking where a vilemaw was sprinting straight for him. Levi scrambled back to his feet, but the land underneath him collapsed. The book tumbled into the water and started floating down the current.

“Shit!” Levi spat as he was forced to turn his attention back onto the monster that threatened to slice his throat. 

The beast was already upon him. Levi fired a lance of fire as it slammed against its chest. The beast was so close Levi could smell the monster's previous prey on its breath. With no other option, Levi threw his body to the side, right into the disgusting waters. 

Thankfully it wasn’t deep, only at his waist. Levi quickly placed his hand on a solid piece of floating debris, placing a trap on it just as the vilemaw landed on it. An explosion obliterated the debris, along with the vilemaw. However, its high fire resistance only made it so the creature fell into the water relatively unharmed.

The monster scrambled towards him, darting at high speeds through the water. Levi tried grabbing his thorned hammer, but realised that it wasn’t on him. Nor was his bag. Glancing to the side, he saw that it had caught on a piece of jagged metal.

Levi cursed under his breath as he quickly brandished his kukri. He enhanced it with fire, the edge burning with intensely concentrated flames. 

Bounding towards him through the river, it leapt at him, jaws wide open. Levi ducked, slashing upward with his flame-enhanced kukri. The blade met the beast's underbelly, searing through flesh and filling the air with the acrid smell of burning skin. The vilemaw howled in agony, its momentum carrying it past Levi and crashing into the water behind him.

Levi didn't waste a second. He sprinted towards the piece of jagged metal where his bag and hammer were caught. The water slowed his movements, but adrenaline pushed him forward. He could hear the beast thrashing behind him, recovering from the blow.

Reaching his bag, Levi yanked it free and grabbed his thorned hammer, feeling a surge of confidence as the familiar weight settled into his hand. The vilemaw was already charging at him again, its eyes burning with rage and pain. Levi planted his feet and swung the hammer in a wide arc. The thorns embedded in the creature's side, tearing through its tough hide.

The vilemaw screeched, twisting its body in an attempt to dislodge the weapon. Levi held on, using the leverage to pull himself closer. With his free hand, he thrust the kukri into the beast's neck, the flames scorching a deep wound. The vilemaw thrashed violently, but Levi held on, refusing to let go.

The beast's movements grew more frantic, water splashing everywhere as it tried to shake him off. Levi felt his grip slipping but tightened his hold, focusing on the rhythm of the beast's movements. He waited for the right moment, then yanked the hammer free and swung it again, this time aiming for the creature's head.

The impact was brutal. The vilemaw's skull cracked under the force of the blow, its body convulsing as it let out a final, pained howl. Levi didn't stop. He hammered again and again, each strike fueled by the adrenaline coursing through his veins. Blood mixed with oily water, creating a murky, dark pool around them.

Finally, the beast stopped moving.

You have defeated: Vilemaw (Level 31)

Levi stood over the lifeless body, chest heaving, his muscles screaming in protest. He let the hammer fall to his side, the adrenaline beginning to wear off, leaving him with the dull ache of exhaustion.

He had received a notification that his Golden Carapace had Levelled up, alongside 

He retrieved his kukri, cleaning the blade on a piece of cloth from his bag before sheathing it. Levi took a moment to catch his breath, his mind racing with adrenaline. Then he remembered the book. Levi spun in the water, trying to catch sight of the treasure. It wasn’t there. 

Wading through the filthy water, he checked the banks of the river, warding any monster with the threat of fire. It wasn’t there. It wasn’t stuck behind any debris, nor was it lodged under the banking. It could only be in one place—down the river.

Levi quickly checked his supplies, making sure nothing important was lost or damaged in the fight. Satisfied, he waded out of the water and back onto solid ground. His clothes clung to his body, wet and heavy and putrid, but he ignored the discomfort. There would be time to rest and dry off later. He wanted that damned book. 

Making his way down the river, his eyes remained on the river and its bankins. Monsters were everywhere, but thankfully none dared to pounce. Levi made sure of that as blazing hot fire threatened to shoot from his palm.

He continued deeper in the forest, at least 25 minutes had passed and he still hadn’t laid eyes upon the book. Levi clenched his teeth in annoyance. He feared that he had lost it, maybe it had gotten stuck underwater, or perhaps it had lodged in between a dark rock somewhere.

However, his worries were unfounded as he spotted the book floating down the river in the distance. Got you. Levi grinned as he quickened his steps, catching up to it, only for it to enter a wider section of river. The current was faster now and deeper, too.

Cursing under his breath, Levi had no choice but to follow the book down the river on dry land. For twenty frustrating minutes, he trudged along the riverbank, keeping his eyes locked on the drifting book. Then, a dark cave came into view, and panic set in. He couldn't let the book enter the cave.

As the book approached the cave's gaping maw, Levi's heart raced. He sprinted, adrenaline fueling his steps. Just as the book was about to vanish into the darkness, he made a desperate leap. Arms stretched out, hand open wide, he plunged into the river. His fingers grazed the book's cover, but it slipped away, carried by the current.

Levi scrambled in the water, frantically trying to grasp the elusive book, but it disappeared into the blackness of the cave. Realising the danger of proceeding without a light source, he reluctantly climbed out of the water and onto a flat piece of rock near the cave entrance. Drenched and frustrated, he knew he had to regroup and find a way to retrieve the book safely.

With his bag that was heavy under the weight of being saturated, unhooked his lantern, and twisted the knob, illuminating the cave. The sound of water rushed deeper. At the side of the current, was a natural walkway leading down with the water.

“Damn it,” Levi spat. 

He couldn’t go any further. Not without supplies. Not without letting Bram know where he was going. The man was an expert in hunting, but most of Levi’s travels were in the water. Levi knew little of stalking prints, but there were no prints to be had in the river.

So, with disappointment weighing down on his mind, he returned back to camp with the vilemaws corpse in hand. Tomorrow, he’d resume the hunt for the book. He just hoped that it was somewhere in that cave, or he’d have lost it forever.