The day dragged on under a tension so sharp it felt like a wire stretched to the breaking point. Inside Haven, routine had lost its meaning; corridors and courtyards held a listening silence, every breath measured. At any moment, everyone knew, a war between factions could ignite and turn this refuge into a battlefield.

News of the mechanism, the Safe Zone, and the hidden fortress had spread like dry tinder catching fire. Luke could hardly believe that only hours ago these people had first learned of the place. Now men and women hurried through the walls with supplies and weapons, voices clipped and urgent, movements rehearsed. Fear and hope clung to the air, a sense that something historic and dangerous was about to unfold.

Haven's leaders took the lead in negotiations, receiving newcomers, laying down rules, guiding them through the halls. But behind their composed expressions, their eyes betrayed their nerves. Bartholomew was a ghost hovering over every thought, perhaps plotting a strike at that very moment, sending assassins or spies. Strict orders had been given: no one was to leave the fortress.

By late afternoon the sky dimmed, thick gray clouds gathering overhead. Even the boldest preferred to remain behind the walls once darkness fell. Allison, steady and sharp-eyed, had taken it upon herself to guide the groups from the Safe Zone who weren't yet part of Haven. She walked them through the fortress, pointing out halls, workshops, and hastily arranged dormitories but saying nothing of the mechanism. Her priority was to project control. These visitors would carry their impressions back to the Safe Zone, and their words would travel faster and farther than any letter.

Meanwhile, the metallic groan of gates, the clipped rhythm of boots on stone, and the low rush of whispered orders built into a symphony of vigilance. Soldiers, workers, even children seemed aware of the lurking threat. The wind threaded through the corridors, carrying the scent of freshly cut timber, weapon oil, and a faint electric tang, magic being worked without pause.

"I think we're too far from the fortress," Jack muttered, glancing nervously at the trees ahead. Light speared through the canopy in streaks of gold and gray, casting shadows that looked deeper, sharper, more alive.

"We're close enough," Luke replied, his tone calm. "Besides, their target is the fortress. Trust me, we're safer here than the people inside those walls."

At the head of the group, Princess Charlie moved in silence with her sword bared and catching the last scraps of sunlight. Without hesitation she cut down a boar-beast lunging from the underbrush, steel tearing through meat and leaving a metallic tang of blood mixed with the damp scent of the forest.

"He's right about that," Eleanor added, shifting the quiver on her back. Her gaze raked the treeline with measured precision.

Luke moved at the head of the group. "If they send anyone, it'll be one of those lunatic assassins. But hey, we've got a ninja watching the place and everyone's already in position on the towers. If a big squad comes, that idiot bird will spot them first and warn us."

With a sharp motion, he tossed two glowing objects toward Eleanor and Jack—Skill Runes etched with faintly pulsing silver and blue symbols. They were two runes imbued with the Force Infusion skill.

Eleanor let out a low whistle, eyes widening.

"You have this kind of skill?" he asked.

"I've got something similar," she said turning the rune in her hands, watching the light crawl along its lines. "Won it as an archer. Mine only lets me pour stamina into arrows. This one… this works on anything I wield as a weapon."

Jack held his rune like it was a fallen piece of starlight. "This is dangerous… and powerful."

"Exactly," Luke confirmed. "It lets anyone channel stamina into their weapon and hit harder. Of course, it all depends on your control and understanding of stamina, but it's a start."

Ahead of them, Princess Charlie walked through the undergrowth, scouting for threats. Luke looked back at the pair. "They're yours. Use them and you'll gain the skill."

"For free?" Eleanor's brow arched.

"You're sure about this?" Jack added, still clutching the rune like it might vanish.

Luke's crooked smile flickered. "Free? Of course not. I'm greedy. You'll work this off by helping defend the fortress when someone inevitably tries to kill us. But trust me, you're better off learning now than panicking later." The playful tone softened the edge of his words but didn't erase it.

He glanced at the fortress rising far beyond the trees. "Seriously though, use the runes and start training before the enemy shows up. Time's not on our side."

Eleanor and Jack exchanged a wary look.

"I appreciate it," Eleanor said carefully. "But I can't take something this rare. It'd be worth a fortune back on Earth…"

Luke sighed, opened the pocket dimension of his storage item, and tossed five identical runes onto the ground. "If you're feeling guilty, forget it. I've got plenty more."

Jack blinked hard. "How did you even get these?"

"Fortress reward. Now stop stalling. Use the runes and start testing your weapons."

No more hesitation. They crushed the runes in their palms, energy spilling through their fingers and into their bodies like a subtle electric charge, knowledge searing itself directly into their minds.

Jack exhaled, a spark of new strength in his eyes. "I'm a healer, but…" He held up his wand first, then pulled a lumberjack's axe from his storage item. "With my profession's cutting skills and now this skill, I can actually fight."

"That's the spirit." Luke's grin tilted sideways, equal parts approval and challenge.

They pushed deeper into the forest, each step crunching over dry leaves. The wind carried an odd blend of scents now, moss, damp wood, and dried blood. Everything felt like it was holding its breath, waiting for something to leap from the shadows.

"By the way," Luke asked, curiosity cutting through the quiet, "does your healer class actually need a wand? I've seen you heal with your hands, but most mages use staffs or wands…"

"I can heal barehanded," Jack answered, lifting his palm. A slow green glow bloomed there, spreading into a calm circle of light. He raised the wand next, and the effect doubled, brighter, faster, a spray of glittering sparks spinning off the tip. "But look at the output with the wand. Channeling magic through it amplifies everything. It's a weapon of the Healer class."

Luke watched closely, noting every flicker. Jack even read off the skill's description, showing how a magical focus boosted healing spells. "The wand also gives me a bonus," he said, passing it to Luke.

[Wooden Wand (Common)]: A simple wand issued in the Training Grounds to aspiring Healers. Despite its modest design, it channels magical energy efficiently, granting +10% casting speed to all spells cast by the wielder.

Luke turned the wand in his hands, thinking about his own skill, Mana Infusion.

[Mana Infusion (Rare)]: By channeling mana into a weapon or projectile, the impact becomes charged with concentrated arcane energy, triggering a magical explosion on contact. The more mana consumed, the more unstable and destructive the release becomes, capable of reaching extreme levels of power when pushed to the limit.

He focused, trying to infuse the wand, but nothing happened. His skill only worked by feeding mana into objects for impact, not for casting.

Jack laughed and tugged it back. "If you don't have a casting skill, it won't do a thing."

It reminded Luke of his kukris and their synergy with [Advanced Blade Handling (Uncommon)]. Jack had his own equivalent, tuned to spell-channeling through wands and staves.

The path dipped into thicker shadows. From ahead came the thunder of hooves and snarls, massive boars charging through undergrowth. Eleanor and Jack tensed, weapons ready, eager to test their new Strength Infusion. Eleanor spun her blade with clean precision; Jack felt raw power surge into his axe like a fresh muscle flexing to life.

"And you?" Eleanor teased with a crooked smile. "Gonna stand there watching while we have all the fun?"

"Me?" Luke started to grin back, but then something flickered between the trees. A spectral orc stepped out, solid and silent. Morvat.

Jack and Eleanor fell back instinctively, weapons raised.

"Relax," Luke said, voice steady. "He's with us."

There was no point hiding it anymore. If Bastion attacked, every hidden skill would be forced into the open anyway.

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"Is that a familiar?" Jack asked, eyes narrowing.

"Almost," Luke replied. "It's one of Charlie's skills. While you two get used to Force Infusion, I'll watch her fight with the orc's help."

***

Charlie fought to stay in sync with Morvat as they tore through the Razorboars. The orc charged barehanded, lunging at one of the beasts, snatching its foreleg and slamming it against a tree. When the creature hit the ground, Morvat leapt onto its face and began pounding. Blow after blow until the Razorboar finally went limp.

Then something happened. Something that made Luke pause.

[Princess Charlie has slain a Razorboar Lvl 12]

For a heartbeat, he froze, staring at the notification while the orc looked back at him, waiting for the next order.

"No way," Luke muttered, realization dawning.

Charlie gained experience when the orc killed something.

The kill wasn't empty. It counted for her.

His mind raced. Even though the orc wasn't strong enough to bring down anything major on its own, this opened an entirely new door. Charlie could level up through her spectral soldiers. For the system it was as if she had cast the killing spell herself.

Luke kept running tests. He uncovered a few quirks like how the orc vanished if it strayed too far from her. That meant the summon was tethered to her presence; the spectral soldier could not exist without its master nearby.

"Big deal," Franky scoffed. "An orc. I could do better."

"I'll believe it when I see it," Luke shot back. Franky clicked his tongue.

"Guess throwing yourself at danger and flirting with death is still going to be your thing," Artemis murmured.

"Unfortunately, yeah," Luke said.

There was still another mechanism ahead and the inevitable trip to the castle. One way or another, they would have to deal with Bartholomew's faction. And Luke had his own score to settle with the man, not because Bastion hunted him but because of Angelica.

His hand drifted to the pendant and, with a thought, he opened the pocket dimension. Her body lay there under a blanket, frozen forever in the instant after her death. The sight only sharpened his resolve. Bartholomew would pay.

Luke pulled up his system screen, the familiar grid of stats and attributes unfolding before his eyes.

Name: Luke Level: 48 Race: Half-Demon Rank: F Class: [Demonic Predator (Lvl 58)] Profession: [Guardian Botanist of Mother Freya (Lvl 60)] Titles: [Dark Lord] Bloodline: [Bloodline of the Dark Demon] Health Points (HP): 4200/4200 Mana Points (MP): 4534/4640 (4690) Stamina: 2736 / (2830) Soul Fragments: 87/1000

Stats: Strength: 669 Agility: 485 (535) Endurance: 263 (283) Vitality: 420 Perception: 442 (452) Intelligence: 464 (469) Free Points: 9

Class Skills: [Advanced Blade Handling (Uncommon)], [Profane Knife Throwing (Uncommon)], [Twin Blade (Common)], [Basic Dark Dash (Rare)], [Basic Blood Regeneration (Rare)], [Predator's Mark (Rare)], [Demonic Blade Dance (Rare)], [Wraith Form (Ultra-Rare)], [Force Infusion (Rare)], [Advanced Stealth (Rare)], [Assassin's Tracking (Rare)], [Mana Infusion (Rare)], [Basic Archery (Common)]

Profession Skills: [Herbology of Mother Freya (Ancient)], [Precise Extraction (Common)], [Basic Potion Crafting (Common)], [Corrupted Plant Growth (Rare)], [Plant Sensor (Uncommon)], [Botanical Bond of Mother Freya (Rare)], [Seed Conversion (Rare)], [Plant Manipulation of Mother Freya (Rare)], [Corrupted Blood of Mother Freya (Ultra-Rare)], [Thorn Mutation (Uncommon)], [Soil Analysis (Uncommon)], [Botanical Purification (Uncommon)], [Acid Blood Arrow (Epic)]

Race Skills: [Identify (Common)], [Demonic Perception (Uncommon)], [Dark Blood (Uncommon)], [Meditation (Common)], [Demonic Endurance (Uncommon)]

Bloodline Skill: [Servant of the Dark Lord (Unique)] Servants: [Princess Charlie (Skeleton) - Lvl 35], [Servant Slot Available]

The columns glowed with familiar numbers. Nine unspent points blinked at the bottom like a provocation. He already knew where they were going. Soon, there would be no more free points; each one was rare, precious. If he had known about the rank cap earlier, he might have chosen differently, but there was no space left for regret.

He dumped the points into Intelligence, watching his total mana climb. Each increment brought a subtle expansion inside him, like taking a deeper breath than before. He would need that mana to fire Acid Blood Arrow, an epic skill that devoured a thousand points with every shot. Four arrows meant four thousand mana. With five thousand, he could fire five times. It was insane, but it would also be devastating and worth it.

Stats Updated: Intelligence: 464 (469) -> 473 (478) Free Points: 9 -> 0 Mana Points (MP): 4640 (4690) -> 4730 (4780)

At the edge of his vision, Princess Charlie's screen pulsed.

Name: Princess Charlie Level: 35 Race: Skeleton Rank: F Class: Death Knight (Lvl 45) 2nd Class: Pugilist (Lvl 36) Title: [Servant of the Dark Lord] Health Points (HP): 2380/2380 Mana Points (MP): 1911/1920 Stamina: 2689 / (2770)

Stats: Strength: 362 (432) Agility: 194 Endurance: 237 (277) Vitality: 238 Perception: 158 Intelligence: 192 Free Points: 35

Class Skills: [Basic Weapon Handling (Common)], [Heavy Strike (Common)], [Basic Spectral Charge (Rare)], [Crescent Slash (Uncommon)], [Whirlwind Strike (Uncommon)], [Spectral Chain (Rare)], [Spectral Barrier (Rare)], [Doomblade (Rare)], [Mark of Doom (Rare)], [Force Infusion (Rare)], [Doom Explosion (Rare)], [Spectral Soldier (Ultra-Rare)]

Second Class Skills: [Advanced Hand-to-Hand (Uncommon)], [Steel Fist (Rare)], [Stunning Punch (Uncommon)], [Battle Roar (Uncommon)], [Concentrated Kick (Uncommon)], [Power Punch (Uncommon)], [Pugilist's Leap (Uncommon)], [Muscle Reading (Uncommon)], [Movement Echo (Uncommon)], [Flame (Common)], [Flame Fist (Rare)]

Race Skills: [Demonic Servant Perception (Uncommon)], [Basic Bone Regeneration (Rare)], [Bone Endurance (Rare)], [Iron Bones (Ultra-Rare)]

Rune Skill: [Berserker Flames (Rare)]

Those numbers glimmered with potential. Thirty-five unspent points, the spoils from killing the Warden Captain. He knew now the limits of Spectral Soldier: five hundred mana per summon, twelve hours before another could appear if destroyed or timed out. Charlie had enough mana to call one and still fight, but she needed to be tougher, harder to break.

Stats Updated (Princess Charlie): Strength: 362 (432) -> 387 (457) Vitality: 238 -> 248 Free Points: 35 -> 0 Health Points (HP): 2380/2380 -> 2480/2480

Without hesitation, he pushed the points into Strength and Vitality. The bars shifted instantly. Her health rose, armor humming faintly. Charlie flexed her skeletal fingers inside the gauntlets, testing the new weight, as if she could feel the extra power coursing through her bones.

***

The three of them started the trek back to the fortress. The sun was already sinking low, staining the treetops with a deep orange glow. The forest no longer felt as suffocating, but Luke didn't relax. He knew better than to trust a calm like this; it could shatter any second.

They had been gone for two hours. The return trip passed quickly. Beyond the trees, the gray ramparts loomed like sleeping giants. No sign of an attack. On the contrary, the fortress buzzed with movement. Workers came and went carrying timber and tools in their storage slots. Some reinforced defenses, others repaired doors and towers, and a few tilled newly marked plots to grow gardens within the walls. The ring of hammers, shouted orders, and bursts of reinforcement spells gave the place a pulse of its own.

Eleanor glanced up at the towers where archers were practicing stances and aim. "If we get attacked, I'd be more useful up there," she murmured, almost like a promise.

Jack, walking beside her, seemed lost in thought. "Do you really think they'd attack? I mean… everyone wants to get home as badly as we do."

"If they'd been warned the mechanism was activated, maybe they would," Eleanor said, eyes still on the archers. "But the name Rhiannon carries weight. And the fact that the Haven pulled this off already showed we're not terrorists." She paused, then looked at Luke with a faint smile. "No offense, James."

Luke just snorted, used to her jabs by now.

A figure stepped out from between the makeshift tents. Quinn, clipboard in hand, strode toward them with brisk steps. "They're looking for you," he said flatly. "Come on. They've made a decision."

Luke exchanged a glance with Jack and Eleanor and nodded. They followed Quinn through the improvised corridors to the main hall where the leaders gathered.

The room was brighter than before. Torches lined the walls, casting tall, restless shadows. A massive table sprawled in the center, littered with maps, notes, and markers showing troop movements and routes. Familiar faces ringed it: Allison, Mason, Evangeline, Dustin, and others who had been part of the raid. Every gaze swung toward Luke as he crossed the threshold.

This doesn't look good, he thought, feeling the weight of their stares.

"Looks like the star of the night finally arrived," Dustin quipped with a half-smile. "Your time to shine."

Luke ignored him. "What happened?"

Evangeline's voice was quiet but steady. "There's movement out of Bastion. Soldiers left the Safe Zone."

Jack's head snapped up. "They're coming here?"

"Not exactly," Mason replied.

Evangeline tapped the map, tracing a line with her finger. "According to Jerry, they're heading this way. Guess what's on this path?"

Luke leaned over. "The entrance to the royal capital."

"They're not going to let us activate the third mechanism or cross the barrier," Allison added.

Quinn folded his arms. "Or worse, they'll send the unit beyond the barrier to take the third fortress before we can."

"With the Beast Lord still there? Doubt it," Evangeline said, but her tone convinced no one.

Bartholomew didn't know yet that Luke had killed the Beast Lord.

"They'll fortify that area, build a bigger base, and stop us from advancing," Mason muttered.

"If that's true, we've got a problem," Luke said under his breath.

"In theory, we still bought ourselves some time," Evangeline tried.

That's when a black shape swooped through the window, wings snapping as it dove straight toward Evangeline. A raven, feathers bristling, croaked loud and harsh: "Jerry! Jerry!"

Evangeline frowned, extending her arm for the bird to land. She closed her eyes for a heartbeat, listening to the familiar's message. When she opened them, her expression had shifted.

"What did the crow say?" Mason asked.

"A Bastion troop is moving along the river right now," Evangeline answered.

"That means…" Allison began.

"They're coming here," Evangeline finished.

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