historical

Nadia kicked me out of the bed because I actually didn't want to get out. Well... She attempted to. I was too good at defense.

- Come on, Peter! I need to go to work, and you should go hunt.

- We don't need to do anything. Let's just stay in the bed.

- I have work.

- You don't have to work.

- I do.

- Who is forcing you to? I'll beat them up.

She laughed.

- You are stupid Peter - she said, then grabbed the pillow, to smack me with it. - Get up.

- But it was so good... I want to stay longer.

- Then hunt quickly, and after you return we will see what can be done.

I tried to grab her, but she dodged by stepping back.

- Please... Just one more day.

She moved closer, then she leaned in to give me a kiss, and after smacked me in the chest with her hand.

- Get up you lazy bastard! I'm going to take a bath, and then I'm expecting you in the cafeteria - she announced, and left.

A watched her until the door closed.

- Why didn't you stop her? - I asked Tam, who was resting on the chair.

- Koo?

- You know what I meant!

- Bawk!

- Oh shut up. Fine. I'll get up.

I rolled out of the bed and dropped down heavily on the floor. This brought me a bit back to life. After collecting myself I dressed up and looked at Tam, a bit ashamed of my actions, and the conversation I just had with him. Then I remembered, that he was not a real chicken.

- Come Tam. Let's wash up - I said to him anyway, then left.

He followed. We went to the bathhouse, cleaned up, then joined Nadia in the cafeteria. Pet rooster grabbed a lot of attention. Nobody came to me to ask to pet it or anything since, I think, they were actually afraid.

We talked a bit, and the time for me to go came. I brought my backpack, filled it with provisions, and grain for Tam. I went to my cart to get two new pudaos, and fixed them to the bad. Then I grabbed the remaining backpacks under one hand, and Tam under another, and started marching.

I pushed pretty hard, utilizing some of my skills to travel faster, which allowed me to get to the border between wolves' and bears' territories. I set up my camp there and called it a day.

Morning came. I ate a short breakfast, fed Tam, and was on my way, to eventually reach the destination. Then the hunt began. I cleared up the vicinity, then summoned my shadows. All of them, which right then was sixteen.

Something unexpected happened though, because each of those shadows immediately after being called upon, turned against me. It was unexpected, and I was actually slow to react. Tam was faster than me. He jumped up, beating his wings heavily, and crying loudly. He landed on the face of one of the shadows and started pecking and clawing its face.

This strange creature didn't pay too much attention to the anima, focussed mainly on me, so Tam managed to destruct it, but the seven others remained. One grabbed my hand, trying to bring me down, but I punched it on reflex.

This brought me back to my senses, and I destroyed them all in a matter of the next few seconds. Now I had a good idea of what the Void authority skill I didn't upgrade was all about.

The other eight summons remained unmoving. I assigned them to watch over the backpacks and Tam, then went to clear up the bears closer to the entrance.

The next ten days progresses as usual. I still had enough food to stay a bit longer, but I just didn't want to. There was Nadia waiting for me in the city. This was the first time I realized I no longer want to stay outside, in the woods. I was hungry for her company.

During the hunt, I gathered 2 435 crystals and filled all the backpacks with them.

Return was longer than the way to the spot and took three days since I had to use my shadows for transportation purposes. Eventually, I returned though.

I kept 400 crystals in the biggest backpack and sold the rest for 5 087 500 points. I immediately upgraded the Void authority skill and left the rest. Then I went to Hatta's office, to give him the crystals I kept.

Guards let me in without issue. He was there, as usual. Alone, and working on some papers.

- Peter... You are back. Good to see you.

- You too. I brought a gift - with those words I put the backpack on his desk.

- Crystals?

- Yes.

- Good. Thank you. We already received quite a bit of weapon. Rishi wants to ake something special for you, but he wants to polish his skills before he does.

- I'll gladly accept a weapon made by him.

- Oh, and Will with others returned. Like five days ago. They had to pull back since everybody was too tired to continue. Unfortunately, they had some people wounded.

- Anything serious?

- No. Fortunately no. With the new equipment situations like that should not happen from now on.

- Hopefully... Ok. I'm calling it a day Hatta. Let's talk tomorrow, but don't you dare to send Amit first thing in the morning, because I swear I'm gonna beat both of you up.

He laughed.

- You brought me a nice gift, so I'll consider it.

- I swear Hatta...

- Ok, ok. No Amit tomorrow. Relax. Tell Nadia she has a free day. I think you both need that.

- Thanks, man.

- No problem. See you tomorrow.

- Yeah...

I left, heading straight to the bathhouse to wash up. Then I swung by the cafeteria and sneaked my way to Nadia's room. Tam followed me like a faithful dog. There was no surprise since she already knew I was back.

Longing each other we went straight to business.

Those days came to an end with 5 513 530 points remaining on my account.