"You little things are quite strong. Maybe I should make some abilities I can use even when magic is out of the picture."
As Vance fought, he separately thought that he could be stronger and that there will always be ways for him to get stronger.
"Plus if I eventually decide to do world travel, I'll need to gain powers from that world."
Vance pondered these issues while fighting the Mana Consuming Rats and adapting the movements he needed into his own fighting styles. As Vance fought the rats, time passed. Eventually, he had killed all of the rats that surrounded him. He sat down on the floor, panting, and bleeding, he looked around and wondered whether he was truly, strong.
*Pant* *Pant*
"Holy shit. I haven't gotten hurt this bad since the damn Mist Bear. Maybe I do need to think harder about new powers. Although... I think first is making an all adaptive body. How didn't I think of that first? Well whatever, I think I'll use these little guy's skins for something."
Saying this, Vance began to store the rat corpses in his Inventory. As he did so he made sure to let Celine know that he was safe through the connection in their souls.
"Well then. It seems that it should be about time for me to continue my hunt."
Vance looked back at the dismembered corpses and began walking towards them. As he reached them, he used Soul Magic to look further into their memories. He then saw the true location of their bases.
"Finally, I can stop playing around and just wipe them out."
Vance, who had grown tired of going from place to place to wipe out the people that sent the army, was ready to just annihilate his enemies. Once he had finished up his work in the cave, he began to leave, when he suddenly heard a noise.
*Squeak* *Squeak*
Looking around for the source of the noise, he saw it. A little Mana Consuming Rat. To be more specific, a baby. He then began to realize that he had probably killed it's parents, and slightly felt bad, as he was still a human, not a cold blooded creature.
"Sorry little fellow, your parents were my enemy. But you, maybe I can bring you with me. I mean I can strengthen you, and make it so that you can control your mana consumption. You know what? Yeah, I'm gonna bring you with me."
Saying this, Vance bent down and reached his hand out towards the Mana Consuming Rat, and channeled a small amount of mana into his palm. The baby rat, feeling this, crawled into his hand, as if by instinct, and slowly began to fall asleep while feeling comfortable.
"Looks like I got a new little pet."
Vance then hurriedly left the cave and arrived on the surface.