Rugrat looked at the still burning plains. “I made this for YOU,” Rugrat said in some horrible, messed-up accent.
“Just go and get the resources,” Erik replied.
Rugrat grinned and went off.
***
With their rifles and Rugrat’s ability to see through Mana, they quickly passed through three more battlefields before they finally reached a Fire battlefield floor.
The temperature soared as they looked out over the barren wasteland of rocks and lava. Lakes of lava weaved between the broken landscape, bubbles of sulfur would pop as they scanned the area.
A tiger with black paws that turned into reds and yellows, making it look like a moving volcano let out a roar, stirring up lava and blasts of fire to shoot out at Erik, Rugrat, and George.
George seemed offended more than alarmed by the attack and let out his own roar and charged forward as Erik and Rugrat jumped into cover.
“That’s it, show them who’s the fire attribute boss around these parts!” Rugrat yelled.
The Tiger dodged George’s charge and sent a few dozen fireballs at Rugrat and Erik, destroying their cover.
Erik jumped up as the blasts passed and fired his rifle at the tiger. It was focusing on George, who let out a challenging howl. The Fire Mana that had been under the control of the tiger was now under George’s command. As he opened his mouth, fire breath shot out, slamming into the tiger and sending it flying.
The tiger’s fire resistance was high, saving it from dying outright.It fought to get up but Erik and Rugrat hit it with rounds. George swooped down from the sky and raked the tiger’s side with his hind claws. The tiger let out a pained yell and lashed out, hitting George’s wing and damaging it, bringing George to the ground.
George’s teeth flashed forward as he sunk his teeth into the tiger’s neck and shook his head.
The tiger fought back frantically but its strength waned as it bled out before collapsing. A tombstone appeared above it.
George backed off from it.
“You have passed the sixth level of the battlefield dungeon,” Egbert reported.
Erik and Rugrat stood and lowered their rifles.
“Will this area work?” Rugrat asked.
“It should,” Erik replied as he looked at the lava and felt the hot Fire-attribute Mana in the air.
He took a quick look at his Experience.
==========
162,918/1,300,000 EXP till you reach Level 34
==========
Erik scoffed. As he increased in level, it was harder to increase his Experience with just killing creatures.
Though now that I’ve reached level thirty-three, my Experience gain is based on that level even though I haven’t accepted the changes. Erik thought that this was the case based on his previous experiences but he’d had little time to think on it when being chased, attacked, and/or mauled by a variety of creatures.
Rugrat looked around, seeing something that Erik couldn’t.
“That has the most concentrated Fire-attribute Mana, unless you get into the lava.” Rugrat pointed to a small island that rose above the lava, curving to create a bowl-like shape in the lava.Erik moved closer but he wouldn’t make it even if he jumped. He didn’t really want to fall into lava.
George flapped his wings, coming over. He grabbed Erik with his paws and set him down on the island.
“Good boy. Thanks, George.” Erik patted the proud firewolf.“Go eat.” Erik pointed to the fire tiger.
George let out an excited noise and rushed over, his tail wagging in the air as he dug in.
“Wait! Let me skin it first!” Rugrat yelled, rushing over as George’s tail dropped. “You big puppy!”
Erik shook his head and pulled out a Mana gathering formation. He took off his armor, wearing just his clothes.
The Fire Mana gathered, creating embers that floated on the breeze, concentrating and forming an ember tornado.
Erik circulated his Mana, pouring out the dense, refined Mana in his body. The Fire-attribute Mana rushed in, warming Erik’s body and making his skin turn red as a faint haze appeared around Erik’s body.
The Fire-attribute Mana was refined through Erik’s circulation, becoming more pure as it was expelled. A part of the Fire mana was left behind, too much for Erik’s Mana system to fully remove.
The Fire-attribute Mana continued to increase with every circulation. The faint haze turned into a heat halo, warping the air much like the heat waves one would see on asphalt roads in summer.
It took time but the build up of Fire-attribute Mana overcame even Erik’s fire resistance from taking the Internal Burning pill.Erik’s body was being refined from the inside out, the Fire Mana burning away weakness.
Those weaknesses were part of Erik and he grit his teeth in pain as he was being burned from the inside out. He continued to circulate his Mana, drawing in more Fire.
***
Rugrat watched the dance of Mana as it was pulled in by the formation, entered Erik’s body, was refined and then pushed out. His breaths were like the bellows on a furnace. With each inhale, he would drag the embers into his body; with each exhale, the Mana would burst into new power within his body and shoot out from his Mana gates.
Erik sunk deeper into meditation, pushing the pain to the side, trying to just focus on the circulation.
Rugrat finished cleaning the tiger and got George to carry him over to Erik. He took out an IV stand and inserted needles into Erik’s veins, giving him a low dose of a Stamina and Healing cocktail.
He took out a painkiller and added it to the drip.
Erik’s breathing became easier as the painkiller took effect, removing him from what was happening to his body.
Rugrat sat against the curved sides of the island, watching Erik and pulled out a book on formations and a formation plate that had been cut to the book’s specifics.
Rugrat studied the power flow and checked information in other books. “This will be so much easier when I can get to the Journeyman stage,” Rugrat complained.
The Mana in the battlefield was surging but it all seemed to avoid Rugrat.
George was stuck in his meal. The fire tiger was of the same attribute, so eating it increased his Strength much more than eating other attribute animals.
The embers above Erik started to strike one another, their intensity increasing as they turned to flames.
Erik let out a grunt as the flames entered his body. He was covered in sweat, his body burning. He suddenly moved, grabbing the burning crescent dagger, and stabbed it into his leg. The furnace inside him turned into an inferno as the blade was enhanced by the environment and the Mana inside Erik’s body.
Erik’s blood boiled, becoming thicker as his bones were also hardened. His organs were burned away and then rebuilt even stronger.
His skin browned and then flaked off, repeating the process again and again. His skin looked clear underneath, pure almost but its strength only increased. Erik had taken many kinds of concoctions; he had thought that he’d cleared all these impurities from his system but he was proved wrong. A pungent steam rose from his head as the last hidden vestiges were seemingly removed from his body.
Rugrat watched silently, examining Erik. The Mana ran through his Mana system but the attacks from the dagger went through his body. It was a two-pronged assault. Rugrat stood and opened up the Stamina and Healing bags.
Time passed. George napped after his meal, Rugrat worked and Erik tempered his body.
The faint flames had turned into a fire tornado. At its peak, there were yellow flames and embers, then red flames, and finally, concentrated blue flames.
An explosive noise came from within Erik’s body. He tilted his head back and let out a wordless yell.
“Fuck!” Rugrat jumped from his spot, about to throw the formation in his hand at Erik but held back. As the Mana in the area was blown backward, power from the Ten Realms rushed in toward Erik while Rugrat watched. He had passed out during his
mana rebirth so he wasn’t entirely sure what had happened to him.
Now Rugrat had a chance to watch and saw a majestic tsunami of golden energy rushing toward Erik, it was truly majestic. Erik stood, his body releasing steam as the Mana within his body came under his control.
Erik’s body made popping noises as it passed through a bottleneck, progressing from Body Like Stone, to Body Like Iron. His shed skin fell from him. His muscles were more defined. His movements contained a deadly heat to them as he stepped forward. Rugrat jumped up and grabbed the IV as Erik took another step; he was working on instinct instead of conscious thought.
Erik stumbled. The blade was still in his leg as he hobbled forward to the edge of the island.
Uhh… Rugrat wasn’t sure what to say or do as Erik straddled the edge of the island and hung his foot over the side.
Erik didn’t hesitate, plunging his foot into the lava.
Rugrat’s eyes went wide as Erik let out a howl but didn’t remove his foot.
“Fucking bat shit,” Rugrat muttered to himself as he took out another bag of Healing and Stamina potion and hooked it up, ready to switch to it when the first set was depleted.
He put his hands on Erik, using his Simple Organic Scan to see the damage as he healed Erik.
Erik was breathing through his gritted teeth as he adjusted to the lava. The fire tornado over the Mana gathering formation shot toward him. Rugrat stared at it, the raging energies finally calmed down, weaving around Erik like a snake before it slammed through his open Mana gates.
Rugrat increased the dosage of painkillers. He could see Erik’s body continued to increase in Strength. He had entered Body Like Iron but it was only the start of the transformation. His power was further consolidated and increased.
One foot became two feet in the lava, and then he sunk in up to his knees.
Rugrat didn’t need to heal anymore as Erik’s body was able to deal with the trauma itself.
Then Erik jumped forward, dropping completely into the lava.
The IV stand followed Erik into the lava and started to melt.
“Erik!” Rugrat yelled out in a panic. He looked to see Erik just floating in the lava with the blade still in his leg.
Rugrat was about to dive in when he saw Erik move.He rose out of the lava until he stood on top of it.
Rugrat could see the Fire-attribute Mana had attacked his body but the tempering caused it to infiltrate his body instead, making it a part of Erik.
Erik stood on top of the lava as if it were solid ground. The waves of heat no longer affected him as he turned to face Rugrat.
“Put some fucking clothes on, you nudist!” Rugrat complained.
Erik came out of his meditative state and said, “Says the guy who wears American short shorts in the damn smithy! You know how many complaints I get a day?! The best thing about those smithing rooms is that they keep your hairy ass out of sight! When you went to the formation workshop, did you realize what you were wearing?!” Erik yelled as he walked across the lava.
Rugrat looked up, remembering the day. He had been so laser-focused he hadn’t realized he was wearing his cowboy boots, short shorts, apron, and cowboy hat.
“It was hot in there,” Rugrat complained.
Erik’s lips moved but no words came out. He stepped on the island, letting out a tired sigh as he pulled clothes on.
“So, did you do it?” Rugrat asked.
Erik snorted, with a smile on his face. “Of course.” Erik gave a tired laugh as he stretched to the ground and laid down. “I’m taking a nap.”
“I’ll take watch.”
***
Erik opened the notifications from his ordeal.
==========
Quest Completed: Body Cultivation 2
==========
The path cultivating one’s body is not easy. To stand at the top, one must forge their own path forward.
==========
Requirements:
Reach Body Like Iron Level
==========
Rewards:
+6 to Strength
+6 to Agility
+6 to Stamina
+10 to Stamina Regeneration
+1,000,000 EXP
==========
==========
Your personal efforts have increased your base stats!
==========
Stamina +3
Strength +3
Agility +3
Stamina Regeneration +3
Mana Pool +2
==========
==========
Title: Fire Body
==========
You have tempered your body with Fire. Fire has become a part of you, making your body take on some of its characteristics. You have gained:
==========
Legendary Fire resistance.
Increased control over Fire Mana.
Physical attacks contain Fire attribute.
Can completely purify the Fire attribute in Mana.
==========
==========
Quest: Body Cultivation 3
==========
The path cultivating one’s body is not easy. To stand at the top, one must forge their own path forward.
==========
Requirements:
Reach Body Like Earth Iron Level
==========
Rewards:
+12 to Strength
+12 to Agility
+12 to Stamina
+20 to Stamina Regeneration
+10,000,000 EXP
==========
==========
1,162,918/1,300,000 EXP till you reach Level 34
==========
“Fucker. Just one hundred and forty thousand to go,” Erik complained in his dream state.
Erik was unaffected by heat anymore and the Fire-attribute Mana that had spread through his body had been cleansed thanks to his new ability.
Erik opened another notification and a familiar screen appeared.
==========
You have 5 attribute points to use.
==========
Erik placed two into Strength and Agility, with the last point for his Mana pool. He was confident that in time he would open his fourteenth Mana gate and follow Rugrat. Still, his Mana pool wasn’t large enough to give him the power he needed in order to combine his five Mana drops and compress them into his Mana core.
Erik looked at the changes on his character sheet. Even as he was half-asleep, a grin appeared on his face.
I wonder just how far we can make it in the battlefield dungeon now.
==========
Name: Erik West
==========
Level: 33
==========
Race: Human
==========
Titles:
From the Grave II
Mana Emperor
Dungeon Master II
Reverse Alchemist
Poison Body
Fire Body
==========
Strength: (Base 36) +41
==========
770
==========
Agility: (Base 29) +43
==========
396
==========
Stamina: (Base 39) +9
==========
720
==========
Mana: (Base 8) +36
==========
440
==========
Mana Regeneration (Base 10) +40
26.00/s
==========
Stamina Regeneration: (Base 41) +33
15.80/s
==========
Chapter: Trial of Strength
Erik’s fist was covered in flames as he punched the Loch Ness monster-looking creature in the snout as it powered up another water breath attack. His fist cracked the ice armor over its body.
Rugrat rode George, compensating for the rough movements as George moved to miss water spears that the creature
had launched earlier. Rugrat trusted in George completely; so he focused on the creature as the shattered ice revealed its football-sized eye that was so blue it was almost black.
Its eye was already a mess, with signs of previous attacks.
The creature was unable to move its head; Erik’s attack had landed perfectly.
Rugrat fired. The round shot through the sky, hitting the creature in the eye. He had used a round with a blunt damage enhancing formation while the formation coins on the rifle increased the speed of the round and its ability to puncture. It broke through the creature’s eye and all of the bullets kinetic energy was let out in a wide blast. The pressure wave scrambled the creature’s brain and a tombstone appeared above it. Its spells fell apart and it dropped forward, slamming into the water and raising waves across the icebergs, which shook from the force.
The large body floated there as Erik rested his hands on his knees and forced his breathing under control. “Fuck, that was a hard one,” Erik stated as he pulled up his notifications.
“What’s that, number twenty five?” Rugrat asked as George came down to rest on the ground.
“I think so,” Erik said.
It had been a tough fight, with Erik and Rugrat having to use different ploys. Their battle had gone on for nearly four hours. Several times, they had thought about quitting.
“You have passed the thirteenth level of the battlefield dungeon,” Egbert said in a surprised voice.
“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Rugrat said as his eyes rolled.
George turned his head back at Rugrat with puppy eyes.
Rugrat got off his back and patted George’s side. “Let Erik and me clean it up.”
Erik, Rugrat and George hauled the creature onto the shore and stripped it. Erik and Rugrat took anything that looked valuable, leaving the rest for George to dine on.
Erik and Rugrat had taken the time to adapt to their new abilities with their changes in cultivation and to get to know their new weaponry.
Rugrat was still ahead of Erik in levels, close to breaking into level forty.
George had the biggest increase in levels, reaching level forty-three. After all, he gained Strength by eating other creatures’ flesh and their Mana cores, as well as eating treasures and being in high Mana areas.
The Fourth Realm (The Ten Realms Book 4) Page 11