Adams looked over the Arena of the Ancients, as it was apparently called. He looked over the 'army', and he used that word extremely loosely.

  The factions were starkly divided. The first group stood in neat ranks, a mix of firefighters, police officers, paramedics, and ex-military personnel. Their bearing was that of a proper military unit. They were easily the group he had the most faith in.

  The larpers clumped together in tight-knit groups, each sticking to their chosen group of friends. This group gave him the greatest concern. He had no real illusions about having any control over this group, and yet they were also where he expected most of their firepower would come from.

  Meanwhile, the volunteers milled about uncertainty. If Adams was honest with himself, these people were the cannon fodder. Usually, he wouldn't have even considered bringing them along, especially on such short notice. But if Tom would bring them back anyway … he didn't like it. But they really needed as many people as they could get. More magic users would be especially helpful.

  He got distracted as Tom and Alex finally emerged from Hopkins and made their way toward the [Arena of the Ancients]. But it was odd. The kid had none of that oppressiveness he had displayed in the cauldron. If anything, he felt normal again.

  Then again, Tom had pieces of paper floating around his hand, while Alex had blobs of what Adams assumed to be magic around hers. So, how normal was the kid?

  "Tom," Adams nodded respectfully, carefully observing the kid for any hint of the power he had displayed.

  “Yes, I am Tom.” Tom joked.

  Adams frowned—no hint of the power. Unfortunately, further thought was cut off by Alex's question.

  “How did the recruitment go?”

  Adams sighed, shrugging heavily. “Poorly, we lost some of the first responders. Some people were shaken, and others left to find their families or for other reasons. The larpers have been drifting in and out as they please, and there are almost no volunteers. It got worse once Brindley … left. We lost most of our volunteers. We've got maybe half as many troops as I was hoping for if I was being conservative.”

  Tom frowned. “Do you think we can still manage it?”

  “If this was pre-system, no. Even now, I would still say no. Maybe if we had some heavy munitions or air support, but at this point, this entire operation is a waste of time. But I can admit I don't understand the system well enough to get a good read on our situation. I could be wrong.” Adams admitted.

  Travis chimed in hesitantly. “Some of the larpers went monster hunting instead of training. I think we’ll have more people when we actually move out, but they won’t have the discipline we need for a proper raid party.”

  “We still have to try. Remember, we don't need to win. We just need to destroy the portal or, better yet, get the bloodstone.” Tom pointed out.

  Using an earth spell, Tom raised a platform beneath himself, followed by a wind spell to amplify his voice. “Alright, everyone! Can I have your attention?” The murmurs gradually subsided as heads turned toward him.

  Adams moved up beside Tom to help project the kids' authority, though a part of him was interested in whether he was going to show off that presence thing again.

  “Alright, Here’s the deal for anyone who wasn’t paying attention. There’s a growing goblin army in Newton, using a portal to bring in reinforcements. They’re all hostile, as you’ve probably guessed. In two days, we’ll launch an attack on the goblins. We will not be trying to eliminate all of the goblins. Instead, my team will be destroying the portal and killing their leaders. Your job is to keep the other goblins off our ass while we do that. Once we are finished, we retreat in an orderly fashion. Afterwards, the remaining goblin forces will be scattered, and we will be able to hunt them at a more leisurely pace. This army is going to be cutting through the goblins to provide us with the opportunity to strike directly at the enemy. Now, any questions." Tom announced to the crowd.

  A larper raised a hand. “Why wait two days?”

  Tom ticked off points on his fingers. "Three reasons, first to allow you to train up. You noobs need both levels, skill levels and lots of them. If you are going to go swimming in a goblin horde. Secondly, we need to scout the enemy. More importantly, we want to narrow down where the portal and its leaders are before we attack. We want to get as many of you guys armed and armoured as we can and, and fourth, yes, I realized I said three reasons, but fourth, so I can recruit more elites to this battle."

  “Who the hell is this kid?” a police officer muttered loudly. “Why should we listen to him?”

  Alex bristled, readying a spell, but Tom acted faster. With a flick of his wrist, he cast a sleep spell, dropping the officer where he stood. Gasps rippled through the crowd as his colleagues rushed to catch him.

  “I’m the asshole who brings you back to life when you die,” Tom said coldly. “If that’s not enough reason, feel free to walk away.”

  Tom pressed on. "Moving on. The [Arena of the Ancients] is a little like the holodeck in Star Trek. You can safely fight any creature whose corpse we have dumped inside. You can even fight each other without fear of death. You boys and girls will be fighting lesser Hydras. If you thought the trolls were bad, these will be worse, which makes them excellent training partners. If you aren't in the arena, you will be in line to talk to me. I will be helping you upgrade your skills and classes. Then I will teach you the [Storage] skill. Then you will go to Alex, who will teach you magic. Tomorrow, you will be heading out to earn as many levels as possible." Tom stated.

  Adams stepped forward and then addressed the crowd.

  "I understand if any of you people currently have doubts. But I have seen what we face. We are going to need every single person's help if we are going to make it through this."

  Then he received the quest notifications.

  DING!!!

  DING!!!

  DING!!!

  The moment the quest notifications sprang up, all of the chatter died down as everyone read the quest notification. A few other people were joining the Awoken Myths guild and enjoying the bonus members got.

  Tom turned to Major Adams.

  "Can you handle the mandatory quest? I think Skippy, Alex, and I can manage the [Arena of the Ancients]." Tom asked.

  "It shouldn't be a problem. They're not that hard to earn; they're just a bit awkward," the Major admitted. "Can I borrow Travis for a bit?"

  He didn't actually need the Lizard Wizard. But he wanted to talk to a beta-tester about some skill options he had seen on his menu.

  "Sure, but I'm definitely putting you in charge of the army. We've got a council meeting this evening at nine o'clock. Be sure to be there," Tom said as Adams received yet another quest for the council to meet at nine.

  Adams was honestly considering picking up that [Quest Giver] skill. It seemed extremely useful. Even if he ignored the system-determined rewards, the ability to hand out orders to other people in the form of quests was too valuable.

  Actually, if he could really pick up a skill, it would be a better version of [Hand of Mercy]. A few of the paramedics had picked up that skill. But they discovered the flaw in the skill. For every level, the victim had required an additional two thousand mana. None of the paramedics had the mana to resurrect anyone.

  It turned out that Tom's whole ritual of burrowing the mana of others wasn't a part of the skill but something he created himself. It was annoying, especially as Chester was the only one to acquire a skill that could resurrect anyone, and even that skill could only resurrect so many people per day. So, they were still dependent on Tom for resurrections.

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  "Alrighty, you grunts, everyone who still needs to do the mandatory quests, come with me. We're going to be working on the football field." Adams ordered.

  Most of the first responders, as well as a few of the larpers and Volunteers, went with him, but most had already completed the quest.

  "Alright, everyone else. Get into the Arena. It's time to fight Hydras," Alex said, her eyes lighting up with glee.

  Suddenly, Adams was worried about the men he left behind.

  "Watch the heads, watch the heads,"

  "I'm trying to"

  "Why does the blood burn?!"

  "Carl, use a fireball! Fireball!!!"

  "This is bullshit. I just chopped off its head. Why is it growing back?!"

  "I'm pretty sure that's a staple of being a hydra."

  "This is better than wipeout." Alex chuckled as she ate some popcorn.

  "Don't tell them that." Tom hushed her as another person died to the lesser hydra.

  Once Adams had finished the mandatory quests and everyone was at level ten, he returned to see the lesser hydras utterly massacring the other recruits while Tom and Alex ate popcorn.

  "What the hell happened?" Adams asked.

  "Everyone was really cocky at first," Tom said.

  "Then they all got killed," Alex added.

  "Considering they are fighting a three-headed behemoth, it's not that surprising. Between the size, regeneration, armoured skin and poisoned blood. They aren't easy."

  "Then why are you having people fight them?" Adams asked.

  "Because if you can beat a hydra, you can beat a troll," Alex pointed out.

  Adams turned to see Luke had soloed the Hydra with his burning spear and won by exploding its chest cavity with molten lead. The only other exceptions were those with fire magic who roasted the creatures from a distance.

  "Boo, boo, the fire mages, fight it properly," Alex catcalled.

  Adams rolled his eyes. He had already decided to fight the Hydras. He needed to learn how to use his new system skills, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity for him to learn. But more than that, he wanted to learn if it was possible to take down a troll without tossing fireballs at it. Adams stepped into the arena as a Lesser Hydra appeared. The moment he stepped into the arena, everything felt slightly off.

  But Adams didn't have time to think about it as the lesser hydra’s three snake heads swayed menacingly, their forked tongues flicking the air as Major Adams. Each head snarled independently, saliva dripping from jagged fangs.

  He immediately activated [Statis].

  DING!!!

  The Hydra froze mid-motion. Adams walked up to the creature, already feeling the drain on his mana. He examined the monster, but it didn't move. He summoned his halligan. His experience with the trolls showed him a need to brush up on his hand-to-hand skills. Swinging the halligan around, he slammed it into one of the heads.

  He felt the blow reverberate back up through his arm. The hydra was completely unaffected. He summoned his other weapon with a thought. In a flash of light, his 12-gauge appeared in his hand. He blasted Hydra, the buckshot ricochet off the static field.

  Adams clicked his tongue in annoyance. He had been hoping that [Statis] would allow him to kill his enemies with minimal danger. But it would appear the skill description was accurate.

  Adams dropped the skill, and the hydra lunged instantly. He took a step back, [Fancy Feet] guiding him into a pivot. The beast’s middle head slammed into the ground where he’d just been standing.

  He raised the shotgun and fired. The buckshot tore into the hydra’s leftmost head, blasting scales and ichor across the clearing. The creature roared in pain, but the head didn’t drop. Its regeneration was already kicking in.

  “Alright, now the fire,” Adams muttered, sidestepping another snap from the right head.

  Adams held out his hand as a stream of fire poured out of his hand towards the head he had just blown apart.

  The Hydra hissed, turning so that its ruined head was on the other side of Hydra and away from the flames.

  Adams growled, as with a sharp motion, he replaced his twelve gauge with his halligan, the steel tool fitting snugly into his grip. The hydra’s right head lunged again, but he didn’t retreat this time. Instead, he activated [Time Leap], his newest skill.

  DING!!!

  He had been highly unsure of this skill. He had only bought it because Travis had recommended it. According to the Lizard Wizard, Time skills were rare, powerful, and extremely difficult to master, and the only reason he had unlocked this one was because his [Statis] skill was already time-based. And while this skill wasn't anything extraordinary. It was a requirement for higher-tier time skills.

  He reappeared a moment later, the hydra's head jerking past him as if the world had just lagged. He twisted, driving the halligan upward into the creature’s neck, the prying end hooking deep into the flesh and splattering his face in blood.

  Now that he was on the clock, he pulled the hydra's head away from the other heads and caked it in flames. The hydra ripped its body free from the halligan as it turned and charged him.

  The hydra recovered quickly, thanks to its regeneration. One head lunged low while the other snapped high, their movements blurred between teeth and muscle. Adams sidestepped the low strike, narrowly avoiding the mud kicked up by its massive maw, and ducked beneath the other head’s snap. Switching back to the 12 gauge, he blasted off a round of buckshot directly into the neck of the right head, severing it completely and dousing himself in more hydra blood. The stuff burned his skin.

  The hydra’s remaining heads hissed in unison, their bloodlust undeterred. Adams charged forward, the shotgun held low, but as the hydra reared up, he activated [Time Leap], intent on appearing right next to the hydra's body and blasting its torso. The world distorted, his body shifting a second into the future—only for his timing to falter.

  He reappeared mid-lunge directly in the path of the hydra’s middle head. Before he could react, the jaws clamped down, teeth raking across his shoulder and torso. The impact knocked the wind from his lungs as he hit the ground hard, rolling away from the follow-up strike. Pain flared through his chest. He spat out blood as it leaked into his lungs.

  “Damn it!” Adams snarled, forcing himself upright, the hydra looming above him. Its three heads prepared to strike as one, jaws opening wide. There was no time for precision. Desperation fueled his actions as he summoned a Fireball to each hand.

  The explosion was deafening. The fire consumed the hydra’s heads, blood, and scales, which were vaporized in the blast. The force of the detonation sent Adams hurtling backward, slamming into a tree. His vision blurred as heat washed over him, the inferno scorching his exposed skin and charring the edges of his armour. He collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath, his body wracked with searing pain. Every movement was agony. His arms and torso were a patchwork of burned skin, his breathing ragged with bloody bubbles on his lips.

  When the smoke cleared, the hydra’s charred remains were slumped to the ground. Its three heads had been obliterated entirely, and they weren't regenerating. Adams' pain-racked mind wondered if two direct hits from fireballs were enough to kill the lesser hydra instantly or if the damage he had done before had been necessary. Then the notifications came.

  DING!!!

  <[Bound Weapons] has Reached Level 17>

  <[Bound Weapons] has Reached Level 18>

  <[Hazmat] has Reached Level 21>

  <[Hazmat] has Reached Level 22>

  <...>

  <[Hazmat] has Reached Level 26>

  <[Snake Eyes] has Reached Level 26>

  <[Snake Eyes] has Reached Level 27>

  <...>

  <[Snake Eyes] has Reached Level 30>

  <[All-Seeing Eye] has Reached Level 16>

  <[All-Seeing Eye] has Reached Level 17>

  <...>

  <[All-Seeing Eye] has Reached Level 19>

  <[Fancy Feet] has Reached Level 21>

  <[Fancy Feet] has Reached Level 22>

  <...>

  <[Fancy Feet] has Reached Level 24>

  <[Stasis] has Reached Level 9>

  <[Stasis] has Reached Level 10>

  <[Accelerated Thoughtspeed] has Reached Level 21>

  <[Accelerated Thoughtspeed] has Reached Level 22>

  <...>

  <[Accelerated Thoughtspeed] has Reached Level 24>

  The moment the notification flashed, the pain disappeared like an illusion. Adams sat up; his injuries, the pain, the lesser hydra, and even the damage to his clothing were all gone.

  "That was odd," Adams muttered to himself.

  He looked over at the other people. Some of them had clearly given up on trying to beat the hydra, and he couldn't entirely blame them. The [Arena of the Ancients] seemed completely safe, but the pain was very real. Even if it disappeared after the fight, some people couldn't handle the pain. Despite that, the biggest thought in his head was that he was going to have to work on using [Time Leap].

  You may skip to the next chapter.

  Base

  Personal: +4 AGIL, +3 DEX, +3 PER, +2 CON, +2 CHA

  Racial: +3 CON, +2 END, +2 SPIRIT, +1 EGO

  Skills: +2 STR

  Level Bonus: +2 to all Stats

  Mini-Character List

  Thomas Bruner: Settlement Leader, Party healer, Protagonist

  Alexandra Ling: Tom's best friend, Vice leader, Wizardess

  Major Adams: Military Leader

  AN: