Reward pending

Vincent walked to the emerald sculpted storage chest. He sat on the emerald grass and then leaned his back against the block of sculpted emerald.

Kazumi spent a while explaining what happened. Kazumi began with how she woke up after two days of deep sleep. Then she took turns visiting Ester and Lupa's Soul Domain to learn of what happened.

Vincent became surprised when he learned of Feng Mengli. Not only was he a cultivator possibly similar to the many stories he read, but the old man had a book that was written by the second person to get summoned to this world.

This relevance increased the chances that the six people before Vincent were real people from Earth. That each one of them was somehow summoned with a century time difference, and after Kevin's death, the difference of strange time disparity changed.

It also increased the odds that the dream-like vision of Kazumi and Kevin meeting in a group therapy session with a few others was an event that actually happened.

It was unfortunate that Kazumi couldn't remember her memories. But this also gave a hint. The teleporting book might have time fluctuations between the two worlds.

Vincent raised his hand and said, "I need to meet Feng Mengli. I have to thank him for saving us and then read the journal. Maybe there is a hint of returning to Earth. He possessed summoning powers after all."

A sudden thought flashed on his mind, and he continued, "Kevin's child might be alive, and the probability of the child being Kevin's and can be found has increased... but I need to get stronger before I search the child."

[You keep saying Kevin's child, but did you forget? Ester was born one year after Kevin's death in this world. She is twenty-four years old, which makes Kevin's child a twenty-five-year-old person.]

"Twenty-five? That means Kevin lived here for fifty years!" Vincent felt surprised. Vincent was so bewildered by what was happening that he didn't make this caution. He only kept the important part which was the twenty-five-year suspicion-free environment.

The more Vincent discovered the mystery of what happened to him, the more he started to believe what he read on Earth. That the six stories actually happened and not merely written.

It was as if Kevin saw what happened in this world and wrote. As if the Book Of Heroes is a magical teleporting journal containing the crucial trails of the six summoned people.

However, this revelation raised another question. 'Will I be able to live for a hundred years and then return to Earth? Will I go back as an old man? ' He pondered.

[Ahem...]

Kazumi interrupted Vincent since time was a commodity when she used Soul Visit. Kazumi then noticed Vincent looking at her and continued.

Kazumi retold what happened after they left the ant nest from Ester's and Lupa's perspectives. Vincent was surprised to hear how he has been in a comatose state for six days and almost the seventh day as well.

"Did... did Ester, Lupa, and Tula see my horrible body while caring for me?" Vincent asked as he had to know. He wanted to understand if they would look at Vincent from disgust from now on.

[The mysterious bandages can absorb some kinds of filth, like when a person soils themselves. Also, they didn't remove the bandages because of their healing nature. As for food or water... well, let's just say it was a wonderful mouth to mouth experience.]

[I can show you a few images if you want, hehe.]

Kazumi teased. She giggled when watching the flustered Vincent wave his hands to stop.

[It's nice to joke for a bit but, now it's time to get serious. Tula woke up a day later. She was emotionally distraught. The poor little girl-minded Tula saw her uncle's corpse and then watched her father die in front of her eyes.]

[Lupa pulled the cart while Ester attempted her best to care for Tula. Ester had a hard time opening Tula's closed heart; however, after two days of trying, Ester found a way to communicate with the traumatized Tula.]

[Tula's expression slightly changed when observing her uncle's shield and the sword she had with her all the time. Ester told Tula how the sword was originally her father's. On the handle of the sword was a small "KOSS" engraved by hand. It was easy to miss since it was at the end of the handle.]

[Tula finally started opening up after that. Then she weakly said, "Daddy, used two swords... This is daddy's sword." and then Tula spent a few minutes crying until she exhausted herself to sleep.]

[What mostly happened after that isn't much interesting other than yesterday.]

"What happened?" Vincent noticed Kazumi pause for a bit. He could feel that something happened, and what happened didn't sound a good thing by her tone.

[Lupa stopped pulling the cart, and then she acted as if she felt a hostile presence. I saw Lupa frown and turn her head back to the direction we traveled from. Lupa quickly placed the cart stopper and warned of approaching danger.]

[Tula climbed inside the cart and was told to stay beside you. I saw Lupa glimpse at her claws. She frowned and then took Koss's sword and Kass's shield. Ester took Elsir and the mudcrab shield.]

[When your harem was ready to fight, six Soldier Ants appeared. The ants glared as if we were their mortal enemies, yet they exhibited behaviors as if they were running away from something or someone and were in a hurry. Probably Feng Mengli.]

[Three ants rushed at Ester like a mad bull. Two ants for Lupa and one ant headed directly to the cart where you and Tula stayed in.]

[In these past few days, I saw Ester train her dancing moves with the sword and shell shield in her hands. Ester danced with the three Soldier Ant, and none could touch her fair skin.]

[Ester was like a dancing battle maiden, but here. Let me show you a few images of the fight to hurry since I can't keep you here for as long as I want to.]

Vincent first watched multiple images of Ester fighting against three Soldier Ants like a matador fighting three bulls simultaneously. The images alone were astonishing and left Vincent stared in awe.

Ester looked fearless as she led the Soldier Ants to hit the mudcrab shield. Whenever the three ants got in each other's way, Ester would strike with the cold blade Elsir.

Next was the image with Tula lifting an ant egg with both hands. She threw the egg at the rushing ant, and the egg broke on the ant. What was inside spiled on the ground and enraged the Solider Ant even further.

However, before the Soldier Ant arrived at the range to leap on the cart, Tula held a different ant egg and threw it on the ant. Vincent could feel goosebumps when he saw the Soldier Ant melt from an acid ant egg.

It seemed the shrieking pain caused the Soldier Ants attacking Ester and Lupa to turn their glare at Tula and the dying ant.

Ester took this opportunity and killed two Soldier Ants on the following image, leaving only one remaining next to her.

Vincent noticed how the image which showed Lupa fighting was a bit strange. Lupa appeared to have difficulty fighting with a sword and shield.

Lupa had great reflexes and agility, but fighting with a sword was different than fighting with fangs or claws. She seemed to have trouble discerning the reach of the sword. As such, Lupa was like a newbie swordsman.

However, Lupa's golden eye brightened. Then she killed the two Soldier Ants in the blink of an eye after she lunged and spun her body, lopping the ants head instantly. Her mysterious ability activated at the best possible time.

The last remaining Soldier Ant in front of Ester started to quiver after watching five of its companions die in less than a minute. Ants were mostly fearless, but their will wasn't unshakeable.

The Soldier Ant turned its body to the side and wanted to escape. It pointed in a different direction as if going back was the most dangerous thing it could do.

The following few images were of Ester raise on her toes, spin a few times, and like an athlete throwing a discus, she threw the mudcrab shield at the escaping ant.

Then Ester uniquely ran as if running on her toes and slightly jumping in quick successions. Ester vaulted above the stunned ant before delivering the final blow from the cold blade.

Vincent thought it was over, but Kazumi zoomed on a couple of funny images. Lupa seemed salty she killed only two as a frown was plaster on her face.

Lupa picked a rock and threw it at the half-melted ant Tula killed. Nor Vincent nor Kazumi knew what passed through her mind. However, the salty wolf girl suddenly raised a smile.

'Does Lupa think she killed the Soldier Ant and has the same kill count as Ester?' Both Vincent and Kazumi thought.

"Your Vision Projection is fantastic. Lupa is the same as always, and Ester has become like a new person. I never thought the shy cute Ester to dance with death fearlessly. I can still remember when Ester held the knife pointed at me when she discovered my Hero marks." Vincent said, surprised by what he saw.

Now Vincent understood why Kazumi wanted to show the memories of what happened. It would've been hard to understand and imagine by words alone. It would take a lot of time, and Vincent's stay was limited by time.

There was also the fact that Vincent would be in agonizing pain when he leaves his Soul Domain. Kazumi's words would be hard to reach him in that state.

[Now, before you leave and cast healing on yourself, use Inspection. I saw that you gained a physical resistance type passive, and the Promised Quest you promised should be completed by now.]

Vincent nodded. He could feel his heart thump in anticipation, even in his soul-represented body. His emerald eyes glistened, and a stat window appeared before him. Kazumi curiously floated beside Vincent to read the details.

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[Name] Vincent Agius

[Condition] Unknown

[Soul Power] 140sp

[Class] Soul Hero

[Class] Soul Mutation

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[Class Soul Hero]

*Soul Retainer Bond (Blessed)

*Inspection(Basic)

*Soul Spells - Minor Heal

*Soul Dimensional Storage stage one 12xCubed(1/10)

*Promised Quest(3 quests active. 1 completed quest. reward acceptance pending.)

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[Class Soul Mutation]

*O?e4/0ad

*Overheat (Stage Two)

*Mutation Trait - Pain Mitigation stage one(5/10)

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"Huh? Doesn't that mean I have about five percent damage resistance if stage ten is the max?" Vincent wondered. He overlooked another important piece of information that Kazumi mentioned next.

[Quick. Try to accept the rewards of the quest. You know. The one which you promised to survive acid hell.]