Chapter 294: Heading North

Chapter 294: Heading North

A group of ten or so people, including Darren and Nina, waits for me near the facility that Vega and I were using. Even though most of them seem happy, there is an awkwardness to their smiles. It deepens even more when I reach them.

Before Darren says anything, I interrupt him with a listening finger, "You can use that annoying skill of yours. It will make things a bit easier."

He closes his mouth, and his forehead furrows. A hint of worry on his face.

"I want to thank you for what you did. The amount of food you gave us should be able to last for years," he says carefully.

That's true. Most of the animals I brought were higher level, and just a little bit of their meat is enough to feed a low level human. And that is what most of the survivors here are.

"Good, I want you to tell everyone what they were eating all these years."

The smile disappears from everyones faces. I dont fail to notice Nina watching me with newfound interest. Shes the only one from the group that seems intrigued.

"I understand where you are coming from, but we just can't. Even though the food we have will last for years, the time will come when we will need..."

His words die off in the tunnel as he uses his skill. His face gradually pales. He shifts uncomfortably and tries to say something, but no words come out of his mouth.

I speak in his place, "Darren, I'm this close," I gesture with my hand, "to killing everyone standing here. This fucking close to dyeing the walls of this shitty bunker with your flesh and blood."

His face pales further even though I'm not even releasing any mana or threatening him otherwise.

I take a step towards him, "I will go to check on the man down in the tunnels. I will free him and give him the opportunity to kill himself if he wishes to do so. Or he can leave and fight you guys. If he really wants to, he can stay down there. It's up to him."

Darren's mouth opens and closes. He probably wants to say something about children or women. People dying without food. The same old bullshit.

But I dont care. They should know. Then they can kill Darren for doing this to them if they wish to. Or they can embrace what they were doing and continue doing so, becoming savages. What's important is the choice Darren never gave them.

"Sounds good, right, Darren? So meanwhile, while I'm down there with your surprise meat supplier, you will go and talk to everyone in the Sanctuary."

The only one from the group with a different expression from the others is Nina. She looks relieved. Is this something shes always wanted to do without ever finding the courage?

Looking at them one last time, I place an anchor as far as I can and repeat it a few times until I teleport down to the tunnels. Irvin sits there on the bed as before, surrounded by blood and pieces of his limbs in the corner.

One grumpy granny sends her greetings, a Vitalist. Now that I think about it, I never asked for her name. I tell him while taking a few steps towards him.

He doesn't react at all for a while, so I start examining the silver collar on his neck.

The collar looks extremely delicate yet it's surprisingly tough and covered in a web of inscriptions. There is no mana stone or anything else. It's just mana-conductive metal that takes mana from its wearer and uses it to produce some sort of disrupting effect.

As I examine the collar, the man speaks to my surprise, Her name is Valery, she is my daughter.

Huh, really? She looks much older than you.

His eyes cloud, and he smiles as if remembering something funny, She never cared about her appearance nor has she ever tried to use her skills in that way. Always thought of others first.

He then looks at me, There is no use. Darren destroyed the key long ago and without it, you won't be able to

Done! I say and the collar opens with a soft click.

Shortly, I check the item.

And it's as expected. The most terrifying enemy. The animals with the worst curse. Bambis curse. A group of 10 deers rests on the small clearing while two more keep watch. The guards are sending their mana senses into the forest surrounding them while their antlers shine with a pale blue color.

They are called Windrider Deer and all of them are around level twenty. That surprises me a bit, to see how low-level they are. So I fly around a bit and only then do I notice that the entire forest where they are is encompassed in inscriptions that work like the grannys setup. These inscriptions don't seem to be directed at humans so much as they are monsters and other animals.

Oh my, did we cross into someones farm?

Minion, what do you think about stealing?

She blinks a few times and then says carefully while gauging my reaction, If master is fine with

Yup, totally fine.

I don't mind it at all! She then looks around, What are we going to steal?

We have a few monsters for you to play with. There is something called Bambi's curse and it's likely to be passed from master to disciple knowing the system. So it's good for you to get experience facing this sort of monster.

C-curse?

I keep us afloat maintaining our view of the herd of deer and make my voice deeper, It all started with a single fucking deer that a girl called Tess killed. Disciple, let me tell you, even though I had no prior experience skinning an animal I believe I did very well. Yet ever since that day, this curse has been something Ive had to live with

The last deer falls dead and along with him, Vega slides against a tree. Wounds cover her body, her heart is beating wildly and there is barely any mana left inside of her.

I can choose Primary class now, master. I did it she gets out in between gasps for air. Even though she is so wounded she is happy.

You stopped checking your surroundings, I remind her again.

I can see how difficult it is for her right now, but a trickle of mana extends from her as she starts examining her surroundings again.

Her smile starts to disappear from her face when I add, Otherwise very good job.

Thank you! The smile brightens her face again immediately.

"I especially liked how you dealt with the 5th one. Cutting off a piece of its antler and gouging out its eye with it was a nice move."

"The antler was very conductive, master! I was able to extend my mana inside of its head!"

"Yes, I noticed that. It also scared the 6th deer, so that's a bonus."

"It did?"

"Yes, when you did that, the deer stopped attacking you and went on the defensive, and that was a mistake."

"Oh, I see now!"

"Anyway, for now, go through your Primary classes, and when you are done, you will tell me what you think is the best option. We will then go over the options, and you will try to defend your choice."

"Yes!"

"Meanwhile, I will do a bit of skinning and try to smoke some meat."

"Please be careful not to strengthen the curse, master!" Vega warns me before going through the options.