How long have I been wandering? Fighting monsters? It's been at least a couple of months since...
Kill
Fight
Become stronger
Level up
Hunt
I barely eat anymore. Hunting has become something to acquire strength rather than food.
Clash Whoosh GROOOOOOOOOAR
Sounds of metal, magic, and beasts were coming from ahead.
It's been a while since I've met people. If they're bad, should I just kill them?
I've become a bad girl mommy... Even now I dress up in female clothing and apply my makeup. What little of it that I have. But it seems I wouldn't even mind killing someone.
I'm sorry mother. I'll receive a proper scolding after I kill the dragon. Until then... I'll be a bad girl.
It seems the fighting has stopped. There are definitely people up ahead. Humans? I think.
They defeated an army of Spine-bears. They're impressive.
Oh, it seems they noticed me. There's 4 of them. 3 guys and a girl.
"Why's a little girl out here on their own?" The girl spoke to the largest-looking man. He donned massive plate armor and wielded a gigantic two-handed sword in each hand.
"I don't know, but we've got a mission to complete." The large man replied.
"We can't leave her out here..." The girl seemed to be worried about me.
It's funny, but I can't blame her for thinking I'm weak. I might be, but nothing in this forest is strong enough to fight me. And if I'm overrun by a horde nothing is fast enough to trap or hunt me.
The other two seemed disinterested and were keeping quiet.
"Hey, are you strong?" I figure they are by the sight of 20-30 dead spine-bears lying around, but I want their opinion.
"I think we're pretty strong. We got assign---"
"Don't leak our mission to an outsider." The large man interjected quickly. I guess they're on some secretive mission.
"If you're strong then train me." If I could find a proper teacher it'd help me immensely.
"We don't have time to train brats." The large man seemed to be hurried.
"Let me help you in the mission then. If I'm useful. Train me."
"Look, I'm not about to bring a weak little gi---
I didn't even have to activate enhance on my bones, muscles, or skin. Because as long as I'm awake it's always active.
Their guards were down, so before they could understand what happened I appeared behind the large man and sent him flying with my magic-imbued fist, or should have, but his large armor was more than just for show. It had a magic absorption effect, but the impact of the punch itself still made him stumble a few steps.
Without relenting I twisted my body and high-kicked him as he was stumbling, causing him to lift a couple of feet off the ground before landing on his front side.
The two men who were quiet started laughing loudly.
"Hey, captain! You just got floored by a little girl. HAhahahahhaahahahaha."
"I don't think he can be the captain anymore after that! Hahaha"
The first one was basically rolling on the floor laughing while hitting his fist repeatedly on the ground.
The second one was giggling while holding his stomach, slightly bent over. I think I see a tear forming from one of his eyes.
The girl was just surprised and the captain's cheeks were red as he stood and dusted himself off.
"Ahem." He coughed before continuing.
"That was good, but I'm not sure about letting you come along. I was merely caught off guard." He explained, but he probably just didn't want a stranger on the mission.
"I can duel her. A proper duel and then we can make a decision." The girl spoke up.
"If she comes along for the mission, you'll be responsible for her, Nira." The man replied.
"Of course."
"Is that fine with you, girl?" Nira asked.
"Yes."
"I'll count from 3 and on go, the fight begins." The captain said.
"3, 2, 1, go!" On go, Nira fired out multiple lightning bullets as an appetizer. Probably to feel out my capabilities. I naturally dodged them. With my permanent enhancement, it was easy.
"Oh, you're fast. Well, I guess, I already knew that." She was obviously happy I had some resistance. After all, it's no fun if it ends quickly.
I could rush her and possibly end it with one attack. I guess I should throw out some feelers like she did.
With that in mind, I quickly closed the distance with my superior speed, but the moment I was in range, she summoned a wall of fire. The only escape was up, or she believed. With enhance, I could rush through the fire!
The moment I did was met with a puddle of water, but why? Shit!
Bsszzzszszz ZAP ZAP ZAP
If I had been a moment slower, I would've been electrocuted. I thought above the firewall was a trap, but she was ready for this, too.
Now, I'm a sitting duck in the air. Create: Bo-Staff. Extend!
I created my Bo-Staff and used Enhance to extend it to push off a nearby tree and land behind her while quickly unleashing a flurry of strikes, but she used wind to push me and herself in opposite directions.
That's not enough! I quickly leaped off nearby trees for erratic movement and to avoid the electric puddle, but she created glacial sheets on a majority of the trees. I barely managed to traverse it without falling.
Darkness.
With darkness blinding her, it's my chance to strike! I threw my Bo-Staff from one tree before dashing and launching off another, attacking her from behind, the moment my punch would have landed a giant glacial spike smashed into my chest and sent me flying.
Che.
I gathered a large amount of magic into my fist and slammed it into the ground. It instantly evaporated the puddle and glacial sheets, as well as destroyed an incoming barrage of glacial spikes.
Now! I recreated and extended my Bo-Staff, but she created an ice wall to block my attack. I shattered through it and slammed her into a tree.
But not before multiple glacial spikes emerged from under the scattered bear corpses and nearby trees. From above, below, and in every other direction giant glacial spikes pierced the air around me. If any one of the spikes were any closer I would have been impaled. But that wasn't her intention.
The spikes have completely restricted my movements. I can't move any part of my body more than a millimeter before meeting spikes or ice. I was practically in an ice coffin.
Even though I slammed her into the tree and did major damage, her magic and consciousness remained. It's my loss.
"It's my loss." Nira said.
What?
"You can create weapons other than Bo-Staffs, right? If you created a spear... I would have been impaled. Right, Captain?" She smirked while turning to the captain.
Why is she helping me? It's my loss.
"You don't need to say that, Nira. Even without your words, I realize this kid's strength. And like I said, she's your responsibility."
Does that mean I can join?
"Good for you, kid. Looks like you'll get a teacher." Nira said while patting my head. Her smile and the way her hand feels... It reminds me of mother.
"Yeah." I could only smile.