Chapter 14: The Beast Retreats

<Sytem>

<Name: Unknown>

<Race: Girtablilu>

<Class: Mage>

<Level: 100>

<Rank: Warrior>

<Tier: Gold>

<Difficulty: Effortless>

<Info: With the upper body of a human and the lower body of a Scorpion, these creatures are dangerous predators. They are intelligent and live in colonies just like humans. Their lower body is very powerful and their stingers are filled with deadly venom.>

'It would seem the creature is stronger than I thought, although its level and rank are the same the tier seems to be higher.'

While Nevare, Braska, and the Undead Orc were fighting the scorpion man, Lorthic studied the creatures' movements. The Scorpion man was stronger than the three of them despite being in the same rank as them, this leads to Lorthics's conclusion that the tier in the system menu was an indication of the quality of a being within the same rank and level.

It made more sense since not everyone was the same, so of course, there would be a difference in strength between two beings of the same rank and level. The tier was there for further differentiating between being of the same rank and level.

'Then again that is not all there is to a fight the most important factor is your control over your power, it is useless being very powerful yet only being able to exert forty percent of that strength, not only is it wasteful it is also dangerous.'

'Take never and Braska for example even though their tier is lower than the scorpion man they were still able to fight it to a standstill, even though their power should statistically be lower, especially Nevare who is much weaker than the scorpion man.

<Sytem>

<Name: Nevare>

<Race: Human (Tribal)>

<Class: Beast Hunter>

<Level: 57>

<Rank: Warrior>

<Tier: silver>

<Difficulty: Effortless>

...

<Sytem>

<Name: Braska>

<Race: Human>

<Class: Shaman>

<Level: 100 (Peak)>

<Rank: Warrior>

<Tier: Silver>

<Difficulty: Effortless>

...

'It would seem Nevare has an interesting class'

Lorthic mused as he watched Nevare move in between the scorpion man's pinchers as he expertly supported the orc undead.

"Move out of the way!"

Shouted Braska as he finished his spell. Both Nevare and the orc undead jumped back as Braska unleashed his spell.

"Go [Curse Of The Flame]"

Pushing out his hand that held the red powder, a gush of fire shot out like an inferno burning everything in its path.

"Don't think you will beat me like this human!"

The scorpion man yelled as he finished his own spell.

[Dark Beam]

A beam made of pure darkness came from the scorpion man's hands, its power devoured all light as it shot towards the incoming flame inferno. The two spells collided.

BOOM!!!*

"What!?"

Shouted the scorpion man in surprise, his dark spell should have pierced through the fire curse and killed that irritating shaman, yet it was a stalemate.

"How did you cast such a powerful spell, no matter I doubt you will be able to do it again."

The scorpion man said as he started with another spell.

"Oh no you don't"

Shouted Nevare as he and the orc Undead charged forward again to delay the scorpion man's chanting.

Braska on the other hand pointed towards the Scorpion man with his staff.

"Attack!"

He shouted and from behind the scorpion man, six warrior rank voodoo beasts attacked.

'Good thing I found some time to make an extra two voodoo beasts from the bodies of the creatures that Lorthic took souls from'

The scorpion man did not expect this ambush and with a slip of concentration his spell was canceled, worse one of the voodoo beasts bit into his tail, though the beast's fang barely pierced his scales its weight made the movement of his tail slow down and its fangs were covered in some necrotic poison which invaded his body from the small wound.

"Damn you!!!"

The scorpion man yelled as he was being attacked from all sides, although he could mostly ignore the voodoo beasts as they were not that dangerous, the problem was their poison-infused claws and teeth slowed him giving Nevare and the undead orc a chance to harm him.

The scorpion man was slowly being pushed into a corner the longer the battle lasted, even though he managed to kill three of the voodoo beasts, they had already done their job and he was badly poisoned at this moment, even his poison resistance could not carry him anymore.

If he didn't do something soon he will be killed, he could also see the shaman starting another spell.

'If he unleashes another one of those fire curses I will not be able to block it, these pests aren't giving me a chance to prepare my spells, shit, what must I do. I cant' die here the mistress still needs me!'

Hardening his heart the scorpion man charged forward forgoing all defenses.

'Since you won't let me escape back into the forest then I'll just charge through your village!'

"Watch out Braska!", Nevare shouted as the scorpion man ran past him not even minding his spear piercing his body, or the club of the orc breaking a leg.

His pitchers out stretched towards Braska.

"With you, I will finally be able to revive the mistress!"

The scorpion man yelled

"Shit"

Braska cursed, he couldn't even dodge because the rest of the village was behind him, he refused to let another one of his people die to this creature.

"You shall not pass"

Braska yelled as he slammed his staff into the ground causing the gem in the staff to crack expelling a large amount of magical energy that forcefully threw the Scorpion man back into the forest tree line.

"Fuck"

Nevare cursed as he saw the scorpion man take the opportunity to run away.

Pffff!!!*

Braska coughed up blood and fell down. In overcharging the staff's magic crystal he had inadvertently injured himself due to the backfire.

"Braska!"

Nevare yelled as he ran towards Nebraska.

"Chief!"

"Chief!"

"Chief!"

"Chief!"

The tribesmen cried out as they saw their chief fall down.

The closest hunter was luckily able to catch Braska before he fell to the ground.

"I'll live", Braska said weakly as the tribe surrounded him their faces washed over with concern.

"I don't know if I should call you brave or stupid for what you just did"

Lorthic said as he appeared next to Braska his hand placed upon the old shaman's chest.

"He did it to save the tribe, how can it be stupid!"

Nevare yelled,

"Calm down Nevare, Lorthic is merely stating his opinion. He was right I was stupid if I had just kept my composure I could have finished my spell before the creature could get me, but I faltered and I was left with only one option"

"In doing so he overburdened his manna channels and caused harm, but it would normally heal in a few months time, the problem he has is that the force that came from the staff also traveled through his body, it might not have been as strong but it was more dangerous. It tore his muscles, harmed his organs, and if not for his luck might have ruptured his heart or destroyed his brain, after all, he is quite frail."

Lorthic calmy explained Braska's condition.

"What can we do to help him"

Nevare asked.

"He is quite lucky actually if he were to be fed some medicinal herbs and stay in bed to recover he might heal in one or two years, but only if he spends his time resting any magical experiments or other activities will only harm him further.

"You can't expect me to do nothing for two years"

Braska said in disbelieve.

"Well no, I would never expect that of an arcane scholar such as yourself, since doing so would be like dying for you. To stay away from what drives you for an entire two years, would eat you up and slow your recovery even further."

"Then what?"

"I will heal you, although my healing capabilities are a bit lacking since it is not my field of expertise I should be able to help you heal to peak condition"

"Thank you, Lorthic"

Braska said.

Holding out his hand over Braska Lorthic cast two spells after each other.

[Empower]

[Regenerate]

As the spells took effect Braska's body healed quickly and under the astonishing eyes of everybody his weak and frail body started buffing up, his skinny arms became more robust and the wrinkles on his face slowly vanished.

"What divine magic is this"

Nevare asked in shock as he saw his old friend become more youthful, he was no longer an old frail man but a decently fit middle-aged man.

"Nothing divine just a spell to make the body bring out more of its potential"

'Hell every child in Glorica would go to the royal mage guild to get an empowered spell cast on them, it would happen three times in their life when they are born, when they turn thirteen and when they turn twenty-one. It was proven doing it like this will maximize the amount of potential you can tap into from the body. It might not improve your power but it does improve your talent'

"Let's go, Annabel"

Lorthic called as he started walking towards the forest.

"Where are you going"

Braska came out of his shock and worriedly called out.

"First I will go hunt down that little pest, while you were fighting it I placed a tracker on it just in case it wanted to escape, then I will be taking this girl to her home. I guess this will also be goodbye"

Lorthic said matter of factly.

"You're leaving just like that, at least let us prepare a feast to send you off"

Nevare said, he had grown fond of the living zombie and the feisty princess and didn't want them to go, not only was Lorthic powerful he didn't care about it he would even talk equally to weaklings like them.

"No need, but before I go let me leave a final gift."

Without explaining further Lorthic walked up to the undead orc and cast a spell on it.

[Dark Empowerment]

A ghastly black mist came from his left hand and seeped into the orc's body.

<Sytem>

<Basic Stats>

Name: Unkown

Class: Orc Zombie

Level: 12 (Fixed)

Rank: Champion (Fixed)

Tier: Bronze(Fixed)

Race: Lesser Undead

Health: 100% (Uninjured)

Mana: 100%

Stamina: Infinite

<Body>

<Magic>

<Talents>

Evaluation: Not even useful to be a servant and a waste of an empowerment spell.

...

"with that everything is settled, goodbye"

Lorthic waved at the tribe's people before walking into the forest Anabel following closely after him.

'Let's go kill that little pest and then see what the world outside looks like'

Lorthic mused with a smile.

"What are you smiling about Annabel asked as she looked up at him.

"Just thinking about how good it will be when I am finally rid of you"

Lorthic said, causing Annabel to stomp her foot and fasten her pace as she walked away from Lorthic with a huff. He could only hear her say, 'Meanie'. As she storms of in a fit.

Giving a light chuckle he called after her.

"Don't wander too far the forest is dangerous"

...