Comets of condensed starlight descended upon the orc leader. As they began exploding within a five-meter radius, torching corpses and hammering into the bound giant, Maximus shouted, “Everyone, back away further. You might get struck by the heat!” He grabbed the wounded Maria and leapt backward using his enhanced legs.
“Can you still fight?” He asked as he cast Focused Treatment on her arm.
“I can. Let’s finish that bastard.” She said coldly.
Maximus nodded and tossed a seed into his mouth while shapeshifting his arms into those of a bear. Solar energy enveloped them, making the claws glow as if they were burning. He activated Barkskin and steadied himself.
“This is the best I can do right now. My spirit will take a while to recover.” He explained, looking far more like a frontline fighter now.
“You look cool… Just don’t get hit.” She replied, her cold expression breaking for a brief moment into a faint smile.
Her arm recovered enough to grip a shortsword, and she ignited her Lunar form again before leaping back into the fray, weaving between the falling comets.
Maximus followed, his eyes shifting into those of an eagle to sharpen his senses. It was the first time he had layered so many transformations at once, and luckily, the skill didn’t seem to limit how many he could maintain simultaneously.
The orc leader screamed as the comets shattered his bindings and set him ablaze. His body burned with silver and violet flames as he roared, wildly swinging his greatsword in desperate fury.
Maximus and Maria avoided the frenzied strikes and counterattacked. She vaulted over the burning orc and unleashed a skill that carved a deep X-shaped wound across his back, while Maximus cast Thorn Whip to disrupt his swings momentarily and slammed his blazing bear claw into the orc’s right arm.
Thud! The raw strength of the strike hit like a boulder against iron, making the orc chuckle as he retaliated with a brutal kick that sent Maximus flying.
He slid several meters across the ground, his clawed feet digging deep into the dirt to stop himself, while Vesper fired a concentrated beam of blood mana into the orc’s side to cover for him just as the monster lunged forward.
“Thanks, Vesper!” Maximus shouted.
I certainly am lousy at barehanded combat… And my spirit is still recovering, and the starlight will need time to wear him down. He frowned and shifted into Cat Form. Thankfully, it only costs 50 Spirit.
“Silex, with me! Embi, support Maria! Vesper, have your wolves strike between the comet drops!” Maximus ordered as he roared, boosting all his allies’ speed by 10% before vanishing into invisibility.
Silex roared and charged the orc, who had barely recovered from another comet strike, bringing his blade crashing down onto Silex’s back, only for the liquid azure shell to absorb the blow and rebound it.
Maria, now strengthened by Embi’s blessing, dashed forward and began tearing into the orc’s body, which had started losing its metallic sheen as the flames softened it. The iron-like skin is weakening. Good. She pushed harder, moving faster, dancing around him with deadly precision.
“Aaaarghhh!” The orc roared and suddenly grabbed Maria’s injured arm mid-swing.
He smirked as he caught her and clenched. CRACK. The bone shattered as Maria screamed, and before she could recover, he slammed his head into hers, driving her into the ground.
Before he could finish her, the wolves swarmed him, biting, tearing, clawing, Spectral Wolves among them, moving as if part of the blood-soaked pack.
As they dragged him down, Silex lunged in and clamped his jaws onto the orc’s leg, locking down with brutal force and ripping maddenly.
The orc thrashed violently, trying to shake them off, but more wolves piled onto him, dragging him down until he finally roared, his voice booming like a war drum, as crimson rune-like tattoos ignited across his dark skin.
A violent surge of black mana exploded outward, blasting everyone back. The runes pulsed as he began swinging his weapon wildly, slamming it into the ground and sending shards of rock and razor-sharp mana flying in every direction.
Sprout reacted instantly, wrapping Silex in vines and pulling him out of harm’s way while dodging the raining debris and lingering fire.
As the final comet fell and Franko fired a lightning-infused shot into the orc’s back, paralyzing him for a brief moment, Maximus, still invisible, struck.
He lunged forward, slashing deep with his claws before sinking his saber teeth into the orc’s throat and tearing violently.
The orc’s eyes went wide as he clutched at the gushing wound, collapsing to the ground. Maximus spat out the torn flesh and continued slashing relentlessly until the system finally confirmed the orc’s death.
You have defeated [Greenstone Orc Berserker Lv. 29]
You have defeated [Greenstone Orc Rider Lv. 25] x 25
You have defeated [Greenstone Orc Lv. 23] x 22
You have defeated [Greenstone Orc Lv. 22] x 19
Tamed beast Silex leveled up. Level 28 reached.
Class leveled up: [Druid Lv. 28 > Lv. 30]
Alert: You have reached the maximum level for the First Plane. All additional experience will now be converted into Trait Points only.
Note: Going forward, experience gain within the First Plane can only be gained from enemies of the 28 - 30 level range.
Alert: Due to reaching the maximum level, Druid Skill Store access is disabled until departure from the First Plane.
Good luck.
Talent Points gained: +6
Battle Tokens earned: 5800
As it died, the orc’s body crumbled in a burst of mana, leaving behind a Skill Stone, an egg-sized green core, and the massive weapon. Maximus shifted back into his human form and stored everything away before casting Rejuvenation again on Maria, whom the other fighters were helping to stand.
Maximus took out half a bottle of his potion and approached her. He gently moved the others aside before pressing it into her hands and making sure she drank. “Drink up, it will help with the healing. Here, take it with you, use it for a few days until you recover fully.” He said warmly. She was the only human he currently trusted on the First Plane… Well, aside from Pete and Sarah, whom he hadn’t seen in what felt like ages.
“Thanks… I failed there.” She sighed quietly.
“It happens, but you lived. That means you can grow from this and be ready for the next time.” Maximus reassured her.
“Thanks. I did reach level 28 thanks to you… It’s more than I ever thought I could achieve in the First Plane.” She smiled gratefully, though her expression hardened almost immediately as she noticed Franko approaching.
Vesper and his new pack shifted behind Maximus, with Silex and Sprout standing firmly in front like guardians.
Sprout stood ready, looking especially fierce as he whipped the earth with his puppet’s root-like tendrils
“If he tries anything, I will eat him,” Vesper snarled.
“Leave a leg for me!” Silex roared eagerly.
Franko paled slightly at the sight of the beastly army. Of the twenty-five wolves Vesper had raised from the fallen orcs and ten of his old pack, eighteen still stood intact, all staring him down in silence.
“Whoa, whoa… I gave up on that quest, alright? Not like we can do anything now that you’ve recovered.” Franko said quickly, trying to calm the situation as Vesper continued to growl low in his throat.
“Max, thank you, truly… For coming to save us. If it weren’t for you, we would’ve been dead long ago. I mean it, honest.” Franko added, wiping sweat from his bald head.
“I didn’t come to save you; I came to level up. I’ll be leaving as soon as I make sure Maria is fine. And as I recall, I still have a garden to harvest.” Maximus replied coldly.
“Sure, sure… Do what you have to. Nobody’s stopping you here, not like we could, with that army behind you.” Franko said with a forced chuckle before narrowing his eyes. “You seem a bit too invested in my woman, though… What’s going on there?” He questioned, fury slowly rising in his words.
Maximus shook his head, faintly amused by such obvious human jealousy. “Maria is a friend and a capable warrior. I am glad to help her, just as she has helped me. It has nothing to do with you… Or with any base desires.” Maximus explained flatly.
Maria’s expression turned cold at those words before she used Maximus’s arm to steady herself. “I already told you to give me space, and now you act as if I belong to you. Don’t test me, Franko.” She snapped, her voice sharp with anger.
“Calm down… I didn’t mean it like that.” Franko’s tone softened as he began stumbling over his apology.
Looks like she is his weakness… Good to know. Maximus noted quietly to himself as he turned to enter the village, only for Franko to step in front of him, placing a hand against his chest.
“What about the spoils of war?” He asked.
“What do you mean?” Maximus replied, clearly amused.
“The sword… And don’t think that I didn’t see a Skill Stone drop. We all helped take him down, you know.” Franko said coldly.
Maximus laughed softly before answering. “Human greed truly knows no bounds… No matter the realm, it seems that never changes. Franko, was it? You should move that arm… Before you lose it.” He gestured toward Vesper and Silex, one baring his teeth behind him, while the other snapped his maw furiously.
“As for the ‘spoils of war’? I dealt most of the damage and wiped out the majority of the orcs, so I’m keeping this. You can collect whatever the other hundred or so dropped. There should be more than enough weapons and cores… And who knows, you might even find a Skill Stone or two.” Maximus said calmly as he brushed Franko’s hand aside.
Before Franko could respond, Maximus stepped past him, his pack moving with him, their gazes locking onto the man until he finally looked away and followed after Maximus into the village.
“Why do you always have to escalate things… For fuck’s sake. Idiot.” Maria muttered as she limped back into the village.
“Chief… Read the room. The man saved all of us, and you want to rob him?” One of the warriors said, shaking his head as he moved toward the battlefield to gather the fallen loot.
“Franko, don’t sweat it. Just be careful, he might even steal your woman.” George laughed as he began collecting cores.
“Let him take her… Cold-blooded bitch.” Franko muttered under his breath.
“You better watch what you’re saying… She’s got good hearing,” George added with a mock grin, making Franko turn around in panic, while the men and women around him burst into laughter.
***
Maximus entered his old home, remembering how he had eaten there with Felix and Oscar, talking about his methods and what life would be like after they left. Hope they are fine… He thought as he went into the backyard and stored all the plants from his small garden, roots included, into his inventory, he didn’t have the time or strength to properly harvest everything right now.
“Sprout, come, let’s store your puppet,” he said as Sprout walked toward him and detached himself from the Devourer Plant. “It’s looking good… Suits you well.” Maximus gently patted the small spirit’s leafy head before storing the large plant puppet away.
Sprout chirped happily as he climbed onto Maximus’s back and settled on his shoulder, while Embi flew around them, chirping in protest. “Yes, yes, you did great as well. Good spirits.” Maximus shook his head at the childish pair with a faint smile.
He went back into the house, where Vesper and Silex lay resting with most of the wolves, while the rest lingered outside the entrance.
“Can you recall your wolves, or do they need to stay out?” Maximus asked, intrigued by how the ability functioned.
“I can pull them into my shadow, but I prefer having my pack beside me,” Vesper replied calmly.
“I understand… That is useful. Can they act independently of you?”
“They can, but I need to give them simple commands, guard, hunt, attack, and so on,” Vesper explained.
“Good, good… Truly an amazing ability, born out of grief.” Maximus smiled warmly and crouched down, scratching Vesper behind the ear. “You did well today. You as well, Silex.” He added, patting the scaly head beside him.
“Hmph, of course I did! It was great slaughtering alongside you, smelly Max.” Silex growled with satisfaction.
“I can do nothing about the smell; this body gets filthy fast.” Maximus chuckled apologetically. “And I did not have a proper wash in ages. My heavens, I really do smell!” He sniffed his armpits, gagging.
“We shall wash up before we leave! But for now, how about I treat you all to some food?” Maximus offered with a grin as he opened the store.
He browsed for a moment before finding something fitting for the day’s battle. He purchased two roasted lambs, a whole chicken for himself, and a glass of mana-infused water for Sprout.
Silex and Vesper immediately began devouring their lambs, while Sprout eagerly jumped into the glass, happily absorbing the mana-rich water.
“Embi, I don’t have anything like that for you, but here, you can feed on spirit energy from this.” He took out a half-spent emerald crystal.
Embi chirped in delight and landed atop it, glowing in soft pulses of light as it absorbed the dense spirit energy.
“Good. Rest, everyone, you’ve earned it.” Maximus said with a satisfied nod. But just as he was about to start eating, the wolves outside began growling, and Maria’s voice cut through the night.
“Max… Can I come in?” She asked, her voice trembling slightly.
“Oh, by the stars… Can’t a man rest for a moment?” Maximus muttered as he stood up.