As I looked at the Hobgoblin's body, I was once again intrigued about what exactly these creatures were made of. Their skin was noticeably tougher and more resilient than that of Goblins. I wasn't sure if this was related to the monster's level or not, but if it was, I wondered if I'd be able to take on and defeat that level 26 glacial sloth.
The answer to that question is undoubtedly no - at least, not for now. However, that doesn't mean it can't change. As I gain experience and acquire new skills, maybe I'll be able to take on that glacial sloth. But I'll only do so if necessary; my preference is to avoid a direct confrontation whenever possible.
With these thoughts in mind, I stand up and dust off my clothes. Ellen's lightning bolt was really powerful; the reason I can still move is probably because of the points I invested in my constitution. Anyway, now is not the time to dwell on that. There's something I need to ask Ellen.
Though she and the other two seem exhausted, I think it's best we head back for now. This battle took a lot of effort from all of us, and besides, I don't exactly understand how these skills work, but Ellen seems quite tired after using that lightning bolt.
"Guys, are you okay?" I asked as I approached.
The first to look at me was the man whose name I honestly didn't know. He just gave me a brief glance and nodded. Leo, on the other hand, stood up and dusted off his clothes, following my example from a few moments ago. Truth be told, he seems like the type who doesn't like to follow orders.
"I'll survive, but I'm feeling pretty exhausted" replied Ellen between heavy breaths. After a pause, she continued. "And you? It looked like that thing got you good. Honestly, I thought you were dead"
Well, Ellen's reasoning was understandable, given that the monster that attacked me seemed to have enough strength to knock down a tree with just its hands. For reference, it seemed to be a bit stronger than a fully grown adult elephant. That doesn't diminish the scary aspect of the situation, considering I'm still alive after being hit by a monster with the strength comparable to that of an elephant.
"I'm okay. Actually, I thought I wouldn't make it. My luck was probably in keeping some stat points unspent. I invested 10 points in constitution, and it seems to have significantly accelerated my regeneration ability"
Upon hearing my words, Ellen narrowed her eyes, surprised, and then smiled, gazing at the sky through the tree leaves.
"Well, I guess something like that is possible, since I managed to generate electricity from my body" replied Ellen, smiling.
"About that, how did you do that?" I asked, maintaining a serious tone.
"Ah, that? Well, I'm not sure, the skill is kind of self-explanatory. I just shouted its name in my head and managed to use it... Sorry, I don't think I'm the best person to ask. I think I used it instinctively just now too"
It wasn't a very clear explanation, but hey, it was better than nothing. Also, with the description she gave me, I feel like I could try to replicate it for my ability, even though I still don't know exactly what it does.
"I think it's best we head back now. I think we've had our share of adventure for today"
Listening to what I said, no one seemed to disagree. They were probably all thinking the same thing. But, darn, we almost got wiped out by a level 5 monster. Would we really stand a chance of surviving a whole week in this place? Even if I didn't die permanently, I have no idea how that would affect my sanity, dying repeatedly. I want to avoid going insane, if possible.
So, we started making our way back to the bus, which now seemed to be our temporary refuge. While Leo assisted the other guy, I helped Ellen. She was visibly exhausted, her eyes struggling to stay open as if sleep was about to overtake her at any moment.
To be honest, I wasn't much different from Ellen. Despite noticing improvements with the increase in my stats, ultimately, it only served to accelerate my body's natural regeneration. Either way, a good night's sleep was still essential if I wanted to be completely recovered the next day.
After a while of walking, we finally spotted the edge of the forest and the beginning of the area where we initially emerged. As we exited the forest, the first thing that caught my attention was the movement around the bus. I recognized the driver, but the other people were strangers to me.
When they spotted us, they ran towards us, eager to know how our foray into the forest went and what we found there. I wasn't very interested in answering those questions, so I left it to Leo, since he seemed to enjoy the attention more than I did.
Under the gaze of the other passengers, Ellen and I approached the bus. Some of them gave us clearly questioning looks, observing our clothes stained with green blood. I don't blame them for their expression; it was hard not to wonder upon seeing such a scene.
Ignoring the curious looks, Ellen and I boarded the bus. We walked down the aisle, feeling everyone's eyes on us, until we reached the back. Noelle, Ellen's sister, ran towards us and hugged her with relief as soon as she saw us. After helping Ellen sit down, I settled in beside her.
"You should invest some points in constitution; it seems to help with the body's natural regeneration" I suggested, receiving a nod from Ellen. She began to look at the air, probably adjusting her stats.
"Ah, but I'd recommend taking it slow and not putting more than 9 points into constitution..."
My words were abruptly cut off as Ellen's body began to shake violently. Her eyes squeezed shut, lips pressed together, and beads of sweat formed on her forehead. It seemed I had warned too late about the potential side effects of assigning 10 points at once.
Noelle looked visibly worried about her sister's condition. To calm her down, I placed my hand on her head, trying to convey some reassurance.
"It's okay, nothing bad is going to happen to your sister, I promise" I whispered, attempting to soothe her.
Listening to my words, Noelle still seemed skeptical, but nodded and held her sister's hand, hoping the pain would pass soon. I didn't want Ellen to suffer or anything worse to happen to her either. I wasn't sure why, but she seemed to place considerable trust in me. If I could cultivate and nurture that trust, it would open many doors and possibilities in the future.
(Now is a good time for me to focus on myself)
With that thought, I closed my eyes and began to visualize. Ellen said all I needed to do was imagine the power in my mind and shout its name mentally. Though I wasn't sure what exactly my power was, I needed to start by imagining it.
Ether... What exactly is that? Honestly, I don't know the answer, but I'll start by thinking of it as mana that exists in games, something blue flowing throughout the world but also within me, like a river.
With this thought, a clear image formed in my mind: something like an endless river in space, flowing ceaselessly to this place and spreading out everywhere – plants, animals, and soil.
You've acquired a new ability through an action [Ether Vision]
I must admit I didn't expect to gain a new ability this way. My eyes widened as I watched the translucent screen in front of me. Moreover, I just discovered how to acquire new abilities.
Additionally, I noticed something like a blue mist surrounding all the passengers, even gently floating around the bus. Looking at my hand, I saw something akin to blue veins stretching towards my heart. At that moment, I wondered if Ether was stored in my heart, but soon realized that wasn't the answer.
Putting those thoughts aside, I reopened my status and began to redistribute my points. Honestly, I realized that acting the same way during the fight against the Hobgoblin was a complete recklessness.
Perception: 2 -> Perception: 5
Constitution: 10 -> Constitution: 15
Ether: 3 -> Ether: 5
Additionally, I also considered that this was a good time to improve some of my skills.
Ether Manipulation [Lv – 1] -> Ether Manipulation [Lv – 3]
Ether Vision [Lv - 1] -> Ether Vision [Lv - 3]
After the changes were made, I settled back into the bus seat as I pondered my next steps. However, one question continued to echo in my mind, and I suspected it was the same for everyone: who and why brought us to this place?.