Leveling up the World

      COIN GUARDIAN

      Species: SHIELD TURTLE

      Class: GOLD

      Health: 40%

      Traits:

      - BODY 50

      - MIND 20

      - PERCEPTION 20

      - REACTION 30

      Skills:

      - GUARD

      - ATTACK

      - SPIN (Species Unique)

      - COCOON (Species Unique)

      - REFLECT (Species Unique)

      Weakness: SHELL JOINTS

Improving a coin brought back memories. It had been one of the first requests Dallion had received back in his village. Back then, the coin wasn’t gold—Dallion hadn’t even seen a gold coin. How grandfather had warned him not to attempt to improve that was copper, let alone silver.

At present, gold was a bit beneath Dallion’s level, which made it perfect for calmly removing some rust.

Multi-colored markers were everywhere, presenting Dallion with options. After his growth as a hunter, the possibilities of combining skills had grown astronomically to the point that there were no single, or even two-color markers present.

Music, art, attack… Dallion weaved the harpsisword through the air, sewing threads of sound around the guardian.

The turtle—its shell severely chipped by Dallion’s attacks—spun in place in a desperate attempt to break free. Some of the music strands snapped, but still managed to chip into the armor, weakening it further.

Splitting into two instances, Dallion focused on the weak spot markers that now covered the guardian, doing a multi attack. However, he didn’t attack immediately, making full use of his enemy’s attack, he completed several guard sequences. At each success time slowed down to a crawl until stopping completely.

Maintaining his momentum, Dallion finished it all with a point attack, piercing through the turtle’s shell as if it were made of foil

TERMINAL STRIKE

Dealt damage is increased by 1000%

Gold sparks faded away as the guardian momentarily disappeared, only to emerge again, gaining a slightly silvery tint.

COIN level increased

The COIN has been improved to PALDIM

Your ART skills have increased to 27

A green rectangle emerged.

Quite the improvement, dear boy, Nil said. Almost flawless, I’d say.

“Against a common item guardian,” Dallion replied.

Moments later, he was back in the real world, stepping out of the arena. In terms of real time, mere moments had passed since he’d left the general. As far as true time was concerned, it was significantly longer.

Dallion opened his hand. A dozen paldim coins glittered within. The material was undoubtedly valuable, although as it stood, the coins had no purchasing power. Dallion would have to improve them to full platinum to be able to use them. That wasn’t going to be a problem, though before proceeding Dallion wanted to have a lot of food and a bit of rest.

It’s helping you improve, the old echo countered. That’s the main point. And please stop using your music to spread dread. It’s unbecoming.

“Sorry, I no longer meet your high standards. Is March back in the guild?”

Ah. Things are a bit complicated on that front. Unofficially, the guild has been disbanded.

It was difficult to say which was worse: the news itself or the casual way in which Nil announced it.

“Why are you telling me just now?”

I didn’t want to burden you. You haven’t been in the best mental state lately. You must have suspected it might happen. With the guild master's connection to the Linatol family, it was normal for the Icepickers to outstay their welcome. If it wasn't for our involvement in the saving of Nerosal, everyone would have been banished or imprisoned. As things stay now, the guildhall is still there, just empty. The people relocated to Linatol, where they have been put in charge of a new guild.

“What about Adzorg?”

Missing by all accounts. Even I don’t know where exactly. One thing I do know is that he won’t set foot in Linatol unless he’s forced to.

The countess had planned everything well in advance and had acted without mercy. Looking at things objectively, Dallion wouldn’t be surprised if she had made a deal with the Star to obtain the position of Archduke. She was supposed to know better, but power was addictive. The only thing more significant for nobles than obtaining power was the fear of losing it. When it came to that, fairness and civility flew out of the window, hidden beneath a fake façade of etiquette.

In more and more aspects, Countess Priscord was showing herself to be worse than the general. For one thing, she continued to completely ignore her promise, sending even more soldiers to spy on Dallion. They were clearly putting in the effort wearing gear and even clothes without guardians. Their concealment attempts were no match for Dallion’s improved perception, though. On one occasion, he even went so far as to order a building guardian to have a few roof pee; off the roof, causing someone to lose his balance. The guard was skilled enough not to get hurt, but he clearly brought too much attention to himself.

You’re pushing it again, dear boy… Nil said in his disapproving tone.

“Just making a point.”

People have died for less.

“I’m not worth the bother. The countess knows I’ll be gone in a few days. She’ll let me be until then.”

Finally, the familiar building of the Gremlin’s Timepiece was in front. It appeared to be doing well. The number of customers had increased to the point they had been when Veil and Gloria had been there. Additional tables had been put outside, allowing customers to enjoy their meal on the street.

“Keep your guard up, Ruby,” Dallion whispered. “But don’t act until I say so.” He hadn’t departed under the best of circumstances. For all he knew, it could have been days before Hannah or anyone found that he had dashed out of the window.

Dallion remained perfectly calm upon entering the inn. Hannah, on the other hand, was not nearly as reserved. Upon seeing him, she instantly slammed the mug she was cleaning onto the counter, causing everyone to stop what they were doing and stare in her direction.

“If it isn’t the hero of Nerosal gracing us with his presence,” she said, her tone dredged with disapproval. “To what do I owe this honor?”

“Giving me the Eury treatment already?” Dallion asked. He took a while to look at the people in the room. The moment his glance met someone else’s, the other person looked away. “I thought it’d be after I had a bite, at least.”

The innkeeper crossed her arms with a frown.

“Di, tell Aspan to get something done.”

“He’ll be paying, right?” the fury asked, her tone not much friendlier. Everyone knew it wasn’t about the money, but rather about making a point.

Now wishing to enter an argument on that topic, Dallion tossed a small pouch of couns at the counter. Before the pouch could make contact with the wooden surface, it was snatched by an air current and pulled towards Diroh.

“There’s some gold in there,” Dallion said as he sat at the counter.

“No, not here,” Hannah said. “In the kitchen.”

Dallion didn’t argue. He was about to go there to have a proper talk with the copyette, anyway. No doubt Hannah had indicated that she would be joining in.

“Hold up the fort for a while, Di,” the innkeeper said. “I’ll take over after lunch.”

“Of course.”

The kitchen was flawlessly organized. Di’s cloud fox had curled up on the ceiling and seemed to be comfortably asleep. It had taken to the change of surroundings quite well.

“Dal,” Aspan nodded at him, while frying a large wok of vegetables, while four large stakes were cooking on a layer of fire. What he hadn’t noticed before was that the layer of fire was by no means connected to the stove beneath it.

Didn’t think I’d find him here, Aether said in Dallion’s awakened realm. Twice he tried to conquer the world and now he’s cooking in some backwater place, as if nothing had happened.

“I hear you found the phoenix,” the copyette said as a second copy of the cook rose up from the floor. “Any truth to that?”

“I found enough to end the hunt,” Dallion said without giving details.

“Good for you.” The inkeeper’s tone continued to be as harsh as before. “That excuses you running off without warning? And you couldn’t leave a nope, but you had your familiar cast an illusion to pretend you’re still here.”

On Dallion’s shoulder, Ruby trembled. It was too soon since Gleam was gone.

“Someone tried to poison me.” Dallion took a seat at the kitchen table. “Put a tray of food in front of the door. I thought you knew.”

The silence suggested that they did, or at the very least, suspected.

“Does Jiroh know about you?” Dallion turned to the cook.

“More or less. She knows something’s going on. Skye knows everything. She’s one of us, as well.”

Yet one more otherworlder. That explained in part why the cloud creature had taken such a liking to Aspan and vice versa. The rule of the world still held true: otherworlders tended to attract each other no matter what.

“That makes things easier. I’ll need to have a chat with her and would appreciate you being around.”

“Something to do with magic?” One of the Aspans began putting some food on a plate, while the other continued with the cooking.

“Not only.” There was a brief moment of hesitation. “I might as well tell you. I’m going after the Star.”

The words managed to make all parts of the copyette to freeze. Hannah’s expression turned sour.

“We already fought once in the south. It ended in a stalemate.”

“And now you think you can finish the job?” The innkeeper glared at him, as if he were a teenager, claiming he could take the weight of the world on his shoulders.

“I do,” Dallion replied laconically. “I’ll be leaving in a few days. If all goes well, I should be back in a few weeks. If not, it won’t matter.”

“And you’re fine subjecting Eury to that?”

“Yes,” Dallion lied. If he had one regret, it was that he might lose Eury; or rather, the gorgon might lose him. Blocking a large part of his emotions hadn’t made Dallion stupid. He knew there was a high chance of ending up dead. At the same time, there was an even higher chance of that if he left the opportunity to slip by. “You don’t have to help me. I hope you would, though, considering what we’ve been through.”

“Blackmail doesn’t suit you.” There was a note of regret in Hannah’s voice.

“I’ve been hearing that a lot lately. Between the upcoming civil war in the province and the Star’s desire to escape the limitations placed on him by the Moons, I’ve gone beyond caring. Winning is important now. Winning and surviving.”

“Sometimes chasing those things is the fastest way to lose them. So what do you need from us?” Hannah asked.

“Everything you can share about the Star.”

“That’s it? That’s more Aspan’s field.”

“Also, everything you can tell me about Eury’s mentor.”

There was potentially a lot more he could demand. For one thing, Dallion knew that Hannah kept some extremely well crafted and lethal weapons at the inn. She had loaned one to Veil when he had been in Nerosal. Possibly in a few days, he might do just that.

“And protection while I’m here,” Dallion added. “Whoever tried to knock me out last time will try again.”

“If you’re hoping that, I’ll come with you this time, don’t.” Aspan put the plant in front of Dallion. “Doing it here was risky enough. Going out of Nerosal… the Moons might have something to say about it.”

“I’m not.” Dallion was still going to ask the Moons about it, regardless.

“Without me you have as much chance of hurting the Star as—”

“It’s useless,” Hannah interrupted. “Can’t you see he’s already thrown his life away? All that’s left is going through the motions leaving everyone else to pick up the pieces once he falls.”