Chapter 38: Sunburnt

Ping!

<Co-Player 'Deon Hensworth' has leveled up!>

Ping!

< Co-Player 'Deon Hensworth' has obtained the skill: Stab Lvl. 1>

Deon flinched at the unexpected system notifications.

After exhausting their combined mana pool, the system forcefully canceled their partial integration.

Mikael, who was sent inside the Medium, grumbled, "This is unfair. Why didn't I get a level up? Why did you obtain a skill after executing an attack once when I have to go through so much just to get one? I knew it! The system favors you too much!"

Deon, hearing Mikael's bitterness, apologized on instinct, "I-I'm sorry?..."

He felt both guilty and happy at this new development—guilty for being the only one to level up yet happy for finally having his own skill.

At the back of his mind, Deon always felt bad for using Mikael's skills. His pure character kept him from feeling content with their set-up since he felt like he was exploiting a poor soul despite upholding his part of the deal by lending Mikael his body.

"Why are you apologizing? The system is the one at fault." Mikael nagged before giving it up "Either way, your strength is also my strength, so this is still good."

Mikael folded his arms to his chest and tried to dispel the bitterness in his voice, "Go and check them out. We need to know how best to use your new skill."

"Okay." Deon concurred, "Status window!"

<Status Window>

<Player name: Deon Hensworth

Lvl. 4

Title/s:

Third Prince of the Heinken Kingdom.

The Cowardly Prince.

Class: Novice Spearman

HP: 100/150+10+10

MP: 1/140+10+20

Fatigue: 54/100

Strength: 30+10+2

Stamina: 20+10+1

Agility: 43+10+2

Intelligence: 35+10+1

Composure: +10

<Percent Assimilation: 0%>

<Available stat points: +3>

"Huh? Why are there additional 10 points on every stat?" Deon asked, finger tapping on his chin.

"Must be due to activating your title for the first time," Mikael explained.

"Then, since I have two titles, I'll have more stats? Is that how it works?" Deon wondered, unfamiliar with game-like systems, as he sat cross-legged on top of the boulder.

"I don't know." Mikael admitted, "Why don't see your other title's description?"

Deon nodded.

<Title: Third prince of the Heinken Kingdom.>

<Title Description>

<Born as the third prince of the Heinken kingdom, Player Deon Hensworth is bestowed his birthright to lead his citizens to battle. To increase his chances of victory, the System grants the player the following title effects:

(1) Opens 'Dignity' Stat.

(2) Obtain skill: Rally Lvl. 1 >

<Obtained Skill: Rally Lvl. 1>

<Description:

Temporarily boosts the member's strength, endurance, and defense by 15% of their individual stats.

Current Limit:

(1) Only works on Heinken Kingdom citizens.

(2) 100 people.

Skill cost: 15 MP per target per minute.

Mikael read the blue panel's contents through the large screen in the white world, "Oh! A buff skill. Nice!" he exclaimed.

He knew that although the skill cost was pricey, and the boost was relatively small, the mere fact that it can affect up to 100 allies was already good enough. In a large-scale battle, this skill would definitely come in handy.

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As Mikael relished the welcome sight of the panel, Deon moved on to the next one.

<Obtained Skill: Stab Lvl. 1>

<Description: Ignores 5% of the opponent's defense.

Limit: Only applicable to pointed weapons.

Skill cost: 5MP>

"Well, this one's kinda obvious," Mikael commented.

After checking his updated Status window and skills, Deon asked, "So? What do we do now, Sir?"

Mikael thought for a moment.

"We stick to the initial plan." He decided, "we avoid battles that we can avoid until we refill our MP gauge. Then we hunt at night. That means, for now, we have to hide."

"Why does it have to be at night?" Deon wondered.

"Well, that's so we can save up on the integration's skill cost." Or so Mikael reasoned but truthfully, he was tired of constantly yielding to Deon's mood swings in fear of decreasing their percent assimilation and having his skills sealed.

"That's true… 5MP per minute of partial integration really drains our mana pool fast…" Deon nodded in agreement.

Then, Deon stood up and jumped down.

Squish!

Thud!

Due to sitting cross-legged for several minutes, Deon's legs went numb, and he slipped on the Killer ant goo.

He fell on his bottom and slid on the slimy ground.

Thwack!

The back of his head smacked against the boulder and Deon slumped unconscious, body soaked in green monster blood and various abdominal acids.

"What the heck?!" Mikael cursed as the large screen inside the medium suddenly switched off, "Hey! Wake up, Sleeping beauty! You're in the middle of a monster zone!"

If only Mikael could slap Deon awake, he would've already done so. Unfortunately, he was a spirit, and it was still daytime.

"What should I do?!" Mikael grabbed his hair and paced back and forth.

Mikael was a fast learner.

He knew that if these magical insects behaved as Earthen ants did, then it was only a matter of time before more of them appeared.

Mikael weighed his options. Should he go out of the Medium to protect Deon and risk getting his spirit core destroyed or should he stay inside to protect himself and hope that no other monster will attack until nightfall?

Minutes passed and with great reluctance, Mikael decided to go out.

"Tsk! I'm only doing this because your life is equivalent to mine. Don't get cocky, you princess." Mikael grumbled, putting much emphasis on the last word as he went out.

As the rays of sunlight landed on Mikael's ghost skin, incredible pain seared his spiritual body.

Ping!

The system issued the same warning that it had on Mikael's first day as a poltergeist.

<Alert! Too much exposure to sunlight may lead to the destruction of the spirit core.>

<System Recommendation: Take shelter to avoid the reduction in HP.>

"AAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!" Mikael writhed in agony as wisps of black smoke rose from his burnt skin.

Sssshkk…

Mikael forced his eyes open at the sound of rustling vegetation.

He had guessed correctly.

Mere minutes after the death of the first monster, four more killer ants followed.

Mikael gritted his teeth to keep himself from crying in pain. 'Shit... I can't even move my arms.'

He glared at the ants approaching Deon, "STA…Y… AWAY…FROM HIM! AAAAHHHHHH!"

In his struggle to keep himself from fainting, Mikael did his best to control the boulder.

<Skill: Psychokinesis is activated.>

The boulder levitated off the ground and crushed another ant.

'You can't die here, sleeping beauty!' He strongly thought, but black spots began to appear in his vision and his precarious situation made it impossible to concentrate on his task.

"Dead…ant…mu…st… bring.back…"

"No…foo…d…ju…st…dea…d…ants…queen…so…sad…."

The three remaining killer ants mourned the death of their brother. Yet surprisingly, instead of the one underneath the heavy boulder, the two ants carried Deon away.

'No! Put him down! Where are you taking him?!' Mikael desperately thought.

--Chapter end--

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