Jiran observed the lower-tier men swim through the air in slow motion. Surprise at his increased perception only lasted a fraction of a second. His minds blazed through the options available, and the best way to respond to their aggression. Long before deciding to let one escape, he used Identify on each of them. Despite the name changing to Gaze of Pediamus, the skill activated exactly the same. Its function, however, had changed significantly.

  Without needing to pause and read any text, Jiran’s thoughts were flooded with information about each of the five men. He knew they were tier four, their exact physical conditions, and how that equated to the numerical value of health he was accustomed to seeing. Additionally, he gained a plethora of information regarding their race, age, gender, and most importantly, their skills. Jiran categorized what he deemed as important and removed the rest, deciding to keep the usual text in his interface since he liked the way it looked.

  [Meersvant: (Tier 4 - Sapient - Unevolved - Malice) (Threat assessment - Medium) 1280/1280 A race whose skills prioritize creation and crafting over combat prowess. This particular entity has been parasitized and is no longer in control of itself. The entity dwelling within its manapool is significantly more powerful than the meat-suit it wears. Extermination recommended]

  Their weapons, which were obviously formations, were only a part of why Jiran would have evaluated them as a higher threat than his new skill suggested. After a taste of their mana-paralyzing poison, he wasn’t about to underestimate what these people were capable of. Especially when the dark spots Mana Omnis had seen swimming inside their manapools turned out to be parasites capable of completely dominating the mind and body. No, knowing their nature was the exact opposite of soothing or ‘medium threat.’

  Jiran flicked his fingers and Elemental Castigation converted a whisper of mana into a raging gale that swept the airborne poison into the new room. His would-be attackers were knocked from their feet. With the way clear, his aspect roared to life, blasting from his skin to grasp each of the crystalline tips of their spears and squeezing them in a pitiless, frozen grip.

  Frost crept down the shafts, freezing flesh to wood. Jiran’s aura lifted the weapons and their wielders rose into the air right along with them. They struggled, kicking and squirming to free themselves. Jiran noticed one of the men activating a skill and curiosity got the better of him. To be safe, he ramped up his protective layers of mana and activated a formation in his suit. Both precautions proved unnecessary.

  The skill sent mana coursing through the man’s version of channels and into the crystals embedded sporadically in his flesh. They began to vibrate, doing nothing at first until the mana reached each and every crystal. Together, they released a warbling cry that distorted the air in undulating waves. The waves harmlessly deflected from the protective mana covering Jiran’s armor. However, the crystal at the end of the man’s spear shook noticeably while rapidly changing to a violent shade of green.

  The distortions in the air were sucked into the spear and the crystal released a bolt of energy that shattered Jiran’s ice before blasting into the ceiling. The stones shattered and the walls shook. Tons of rubble fell atop the group but Jiran’s aura easily batted away their attempted suicide. Annoyingly, some of the poisonous smoke was pushed back into his room. Once more, he blew it away, this time through the new hole in the ceiling that led to an empty room on the second floor.

  The dust was cleared along with the poison and Jiran noticed that the discharged weapon’s crystal was now dull, completely lacking the green luster from before. He dragged the spears and the men attached to them into his room, then painfully ripped the weapons from their grips. Jiran had hoped for some screamed curses for his translator to chew on but was disappointed when they merely shouted in pain. A wave of severed aspect smashed them against the wall, freezing them in place. They continued to struggle ineffectually, one fought his constraints so hard that his arm dislocated. He didn’t seem to care, repeatedly railing against his glacial prison with everything he had while froth bubbled from his mouth.

  “You sure are an interesting bunch,” Jiran tapped his armored knuckles together, unsure how to proceed.

  The real problem is the parasites. Gaze isn’t working on them while they’re still inside. Without pulling one out and analyzing it, I won’t know what I’m dealing with. Since the parasites are possibly responsible for the poison, I don’t want to take the risk of touching one with my mana or aura. For all I know, the poison on that needle is old and diluted while the stuff directly from the source might be able to paralyze me instantly. A trap within a trap, getting me to lower my guard after easily defeating the first poison, only to fall prey to the seemingly weak guards. Yeah, no thanks.

  I don’t want to drain their mana for the same reason. I suppose I could try to filter it like beast mana. No, too many unknowns. Uh oh. What if they aren’t talking because they have a Telepathic link and everything I’ve done to these ones is being relayed to their higher tiers? I should try not to reveal what I’m capable of until I know more.

  Okay, I’m probably being too paranoid again. No, shadow that. This is a perfectly viable time to be extra paranoid! Hmm, the one I let escape should have made it to wherever he was running to by now. Hopefully, he leads me somewh—

  The moment Jiran considered the escapee, he felt a connection between them snapping into place along the synapses of the framework. His vision distorted and he saw a scene through an entirely different set of eyes than his own. He couldn’t hear anything, but the frantic steps and violently shaking perspective told the tale of a man running for dear life.

  The man burst from the long hallway he had been running down, exiting into a bare desert. The skies were a garish lavender, and there were no mountains or landmarks in sight. In every direction, there was naught but more golden sand. The man didn’t look around, knowing exactly where he was going. He rounded the outside wall of the stone building, rapidly approaching what appeared to be a saddle mounted on four blocks. The contraption was around two meters wide and long, and only a single meter tall. He leaped, landing atop the saddle.

  If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

  He then bent down and released distortions into the air. When they reached a glowing crystal at the front of the saddle, the four blocks lifted into the air. With a surprising jolt, the four blocks shot away. The scenery flew by, the blocky formation vehicle much faster than Jiran expected. Jiran knew he couldn't afford to stand around and watch much longer. Not completely understanding what he was doing, he split his focus between the man’s view and his own. It was disorienting to see from two sets of eyes simultaneously but with multiple lobes in his brain that could split the tasks, he managed.

  That explains the ‘inescapable gaze’ portion of the description. This Pediamus upgrade is turning out much better than I hoped. If he’s fleeing, then he’s not counting on a rescue. Good. I’m not at all interested in meeting a higher tier Meersvant.

  Jiran eyed his squirming captives, taking note of the long and completely white strips of cloth that came together into loose-fitting garments that appeared perfect for the desert heat. The color matched their bleached skin, giving them an almost uniform look despite each of them having completely different outfits. They had very little hair on their bodies but made up for the lack with a plethora of decorated bands made from colorful metal, gems, and the distortion-releasing crystals. The detail and care applied to their uniforms gave him the impression they cared a great deal about their appearance; which struck him as odd considering each was being controlled by parasites.

  With several extra layers of protective mana that he could shed at a moment's notice, Jiran stepped closer to one of the men. The man didn’t speak, simply continuing to thrash against the icy wall. “Something tells me you four aren’t going to be very cooperative… Not even going to curse at me? Nothing?”

  With an annoyed grumble, Jiran cracked their bald heads against the wall hard enough to knock them unconscious. Mana Omnis revealed that they were still alive, and in a shocking twist, the nasty little empty spots in their manapools had gone still as well.

  Maybe they’re more physically linked than I assumed. Interesting, but I’ll save the experiments for later.

  Completely uninterested in discovering what other traps might be waiting for him on the way out, a released chakram of Elemental Castigation blasted a hole in a nearby wall. The beam shot straight through every room until it reached the outside of the structure, then continued for several hundred meters before hitting a sandy dune and exploding. Spears in tow behind him, Jiran floated through melted stone that dripped from the ceiling and oozed down the walls to pool across the floor.

  Outside, the heat from three blazing suns hammered down on him. The temperature was far beyond anything he had experienced in the Mashraha Desert. The fact it managed to warm his armored and protected skin at all was a shock.

  Taking to the air after the arena's constraints on his Manabody was beyond liberating. His aura easily parted the ambient atmosphere while his mana, and the elements it created, were more powerful than ever. The jet of compressed gases that propelled him forward was equivalent to a non-stop volcano erupting beneath his feet. The scenery flew by, and with his extra set of eyes leading the way, he knew exactly where to go.

  A pleasant ding in his interface alerted him to an update on his map.

  [New location discovered]

  [Meersvant ruins: Approximate age 2750 years. Depth: 400 meters]

  Jiran’s map rotated on its own, diverting from its usual top-down view. It revealed a three-dimensional view of a large pocket of protected air deep beneath the sands. Inside, a walled settlement consisting of several buildings stood protected from the passage of time.

  I will never complain about the number of rewards from an arena again. So awesome.

  Regretfully, he flew past the ruins, rapidly gaining on the escaped Meersvant. Before seeing it through either of his sets of available eyes, Jiran’s Cartography System notified him of the cave they were rapidly approaching.

  [New location discovered]

  [Pond of Merging: Approximate age 150 years. Depth: 10 meters]

  Mana Omnis detected no signs of a higher tier, nor any mana at all. Jiran adjusted his plans, curious of the Meersvant's intentions. He cut his acceleration, momentum carrying him forward on wings of aura. He arrived far above the cavern’s entrance at the same time as the Meersvant. The man hopped off his blocky contraption, running headlong toward the hole in the sand. Jiran chuckled, pondering how hard the man would be running if he bothered to look over his shoulder and saw the long trail of quickly dissipating smoke chasing him.

  After dashing down a short tunnel, the man slid on his knees, arriving at the edge of a crystal-clear pond of what looked like mercury. The cavern was only a few meters wide and tall, the small space entirely dominated by the pool of liquid. He bent low over its surface, then the crystals dotting his flesh released a soft, distorted call through the air. When the waves touched the pool, a single ripple expanded outward, causing the entire surface to shimmer. The cave’s reflected rocky ceiling warped into an entirely different view, now showing the finely decorated interior of a spacious room.

  Several Meersvants stood guard around the white-washed walls of the new space revealed by the pool's altered reflection. Each of the dozen guards’ appearances were so similar they may as well have been clones. After seeing them through the vision of his unaware spy, Jiran realized the decorated outfits of the ones he had met so far were downright plain. Every centimeter of their bodies was covered in jewels and golden filigree. Their bare scalps were wrapped with finely-knit metal wires and he couldn’t help but be impressed by the sturdy armor they wore that was packed with mana.

  He snuck into the cave to see for himself. A sinking disgust spread through his stomach when Mana Omnis revealed that every one of their manapools was infested by a huge, wriggling parasite.

  The guards glanced down at their side of the reflection with disinterest. They ignored the panicked look of the escapee and merely resumed their duties with straight-faced professionalism. Their passive expressions rapidly turned to confused frowns when the panicked man opened his mouth to speak, only for the entire cave he was in to be suddenly frozen over in a wave of ice.

  Standing out of sight at the entrance of the cavern, Jiran grinned. Despite his disgust at the thought that their entire race might be infected, he was finally hearing the sounds he had wanted to hear since he first arrived in this strange new land as the men and women inside the room began shouting orders in an alien tongue.