Chapter 61: Being Young III
“Are you alright?” Mrs. Sato’s face was flushed when she finally made it to the team and Azaa. “We are, barely. But not thanks to the ginghi. Why did you abandon us?” Kou said what Marcus felt and he waited patiently for the translation and the answer from the ginghi. To his surprise the leader of the warriors took charge and not Azaa. “The young need to grow.” was his short answer.
Marcus let go of Azaa’s gaze and looked at the tall green man and repeated the words in his head. “Wait, is this their version of noob power leveling?” Janette said and Marcus came to the same conclusion. “You wanted us to gain EXP, to gain level?” Marcus asked and if that was the goal they succeeded, he had gained three full levels. The ginghi leader nodded “He wants to know if you are ready to move on?” Mrs. Sato explained and Marcus and the team shared looks.
“Achara how are you?” Janette asked but Achara looked more than ready. “I got two levels from this and I feel great. If you want we can do this all day long!” Marcus has never seen Achara this hyped or so outspoken before. Those blood transfusions seem to be dangerously potent.
“How are you Janette?” he asked and she nodded. “I have to reload my weapons but I have still enough to go on. You look like you went through some serious stuff tho.” And there was honest worry in her words. Marcus listened to his body but he only felt slightly tired. An hour or two of rest would be enough to get him back to full power. “I’m good.” he said and turned to the leader “A heads up about you ditching us would have been nice.”
Mrs. Sato conveyed his words and the leader reacted. “He thought you knew. Why else would you come, if not to train and grow? They could remove the monsters faster alone. Bringing you has only the purpose of training you. It should be obvious.” Marcus heard the answer and realized that the ginghi did not think of them as equals but as children that needed oversight. He looked at the silent Azaa and wondered if she thought the same. Of course she does, Marcus remembered how she had called him a child. As if spurred to action by his attention Azaa said something “Given your age and low level you mastered this challenge very well. Do not be discouraged by your current weakness. It is the duty of the young to challenge the heavens.” Mrs. Sato said. It feels more like I’m being demoted to grade school, Marcus thought.
After cleaning up they went back to their riding beasts and continued their patrol. The rest of the team had gained two level, only Marcus was at three extra level, which he spent right on the spot. He did not care that the ginghi could see him choosing his crests, they were all so far ahead that it was conceded to think they were competing with each other. Janette and then Achara and Kou followed his actions and spent their crests too. Marcus had now nearly 40 vitality an amount only a few top level humans had. If he was honest, he was somewhat excited how well he had endured the last fight. The damage he had suffered would have taken out warriors of far greater level but he only was a bit tired and most of that was already gone.
Over the next hours they did not encounter another monster and one of the ginghi moved ahead for some time and once she returned they changed the direction. “We have found a monster. A stronger one this time, we will take care of it and you will watch.” The leader explained and Marcus was actually thrilled to hear this. A monster strong enough to make the ginghi act and they would see them in action? Hell yeah. Eventually they left the riding beasts behind to protect them and walked forward on foot. They came to a large clearing in the forest, or Marcus thought so at first. Instead the area in front was just dead. A large field of dead trees and other plants together with remains of animals and monsters littered the area. The leader of the ginghi, Sehk if Marcus understood it correctly, told them to stay back and the five ginghi spread out in front of them. It is difficult to guess what class a person has just by their equipment and so Marcus was completely in the dark about the ginghi. The three men and two women moved quickly and Marcus was still looking out for the actual monster.
The ground moved in the middle of the dead area. No that was not right, the thing Marcus though it was the ground moved and after a few second his brain had figured out what he was looking at. It was a gigantic snake like monster, that had rested coiled up but now its massive body was moving. A head of the size of a car raised from the ground and turned to the ginghi. Marcus mouth went dry as he realized the full size of the monster. Was that an evolution or a double evolution? “Will they be alright? That thing is gigantic, how can this exist so close to the city?” Achara said and all the energy she had before was lost. Before they could discuss more the green warriors started their attack.
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Like the wind the five charged at the monster and fiery explosions bloomed on the monsters body. Marcus did not know which ginghi caused this, it was all far too fast. The snake moved with surprising speed trying to devour one warrior but the ground lifted in form of a large spike and hit the head with brutal strength. One of them is an Earth Blood and a powerful one too, Marcus thought. More fire exploded on the body of the snake and Marcus was now sure one of the ranged combatants was an Arcane Archer. The ranged attacks looked powerful but the snake seemed at best annoyed and not hurt. The attacks of the melee warriors cut into the thick body and pierced the scales, but the damage was only local.
The monster quickly moved around and tried to encircle the warriors. Green heavy smoke started to emerge from the monster and Marcus had a feeling it had something to do with everything being dead around here. The ginghi tried to avoid the smoke but Marcus could see that their movements had slowed down. The leader, Sehk was suddenly surrounded by a burning blue aura that quickly grew and formed the outline of a gigantic humanoid wielding an axe. He is an Aspect Warrior! The astral form of the Sehk moved forward and slashed the giant snake with the axe. Where the axe touched the monster flames erupted and the scales turned black. The monster struggled and its body whirled around. One of the ranged warriors was not fast enough to avoid the massive body and was hit head on. The impact pushed him back with such great power that he flew and collided with several dead trees and came to a stop more than twenty meter from the point of impact.
“Janette, how is he.” Marcus asked without taking his eyes of the fight. “Bad, really bad, half his body looks crushed, he won’t be able to move.” Janette answered and Marcus looked at Azaa who did not move but her eyes met his for a moment. “It is the privilege of youth to be reckless.” He said averting his gaze from her. “Kou, I need speed.” Marcus started running and for a moment he expected Azaa to hold him back but she did not move. While Mrs. Sato translated Marcus’ words to Azaa he charged towards the fallen ginghi, greatly speed up by the field effect of Kou who followed him with some distance. Marcus watched the fight and could see that the ginghi tried to pull the massive monster away from their fallen comrade. The snake just opened its jaws and a spray of purple liquid covered the area in front of it. A sudden earth wall protected the melee warriors and Marcus could see the rock boiling and smoke rising where the foul liquid had touched it.
Marcus reached the fallen man, who was still conscious. He tried to crawl away from the fight, leaving a bloody trail on the ground. Marcus lifted the man on his shoulders, choosing speed over a more careful way to transport him. On his way back, Kou was helping out again allowing Marcus to move much faster than he normally could. Marcus heard the deep roaring of Janette’s heavy anti-material rifle and he could not help but smile under his helmet. Another shot followed and the loud hissing of the monster told Marcus she had hit where it hurts.
Something crushed heavy into the ground behind him and as he looked back the tail of the snake was thrashing the around violently. Stones and rock up to the size of bowling balls flew through the air like shrapnel and Marcus moved the wounded ginghi to his arms as his back was peppered by debris. With every step he got further away from the violent snake and less rock was in the air.
He reached the team and Azaa, and gently put the wounded ginghi warrior down. Achara moved behind Marcus and he could feel a piercing pain but relieve quickly followed. After a few seconds Achara showed him some bloody pieces of wood and stone and said “Do you want to keep them?” Marcus only smiled and turned to Azaa.
The woman matched his gaze for a few seconds and then took out her knife. Marcus watched the fight end as his blood entered the wounds of the warrior. The head of the snake went flying from one moment to the other. “I think that was a Rage strike? Or something like it but larger.” Janette said. Can a Berserker create a Rage Strike larger than the weapon they are holding? Was this an ability beyond what humanity had discovered?
The other warriors quickly returned but their brother in arms was already standing again and bowing to Marcus. The ginghi thanked him for saving their friend and giving his blood. They bowed to Azaa who said a few words that Mrs. Sato did not translate. Lastly Sehk thanked Janette and said. “You destroyed the eyes of the monster. Your actions shortened the fight and preserved our strength. Thank you.” Janette looked very smug and said “Saving the day is what I do.”. Marcus gave her a look and she gave in and bowed respectfully. Besides the gratitude of the ginghi the whole team had also earned another level. That snake must have been super high level to be worth this much EXP, Marcus thought.
It was after dark as they returned to city and said farewell to the warriors and Azaa. The team had a new story to share with the rest of the expedition and several level ups to celebrate. When Marcus finally went to bed that night, he remembered all the hectic fighting this day. He also hoped, he had left a good impression on Azaa, that was important to him. I’m not a helpless child, he thought before drifting off.
