Lone: The Wanderer

Book 3: Chapter 54: Beginner Booster and Four X-rankers

"Really? An Acid Slime almost killed you and that awakened your mana organs?" Lone asked, unsure if he should be worried or amused by such a silly yet deadly story.

Hazel blushed. "We thought we could handle some slimes, y'know?"

"It cost us so much money to get her healed. We're in debt to the guild because of it, but it was worth it if she can learn to use magic," Emma noted.

"I'm convinced it was my skill that saved 'er," Scott said proudly. "Alisa was so fast slamming the lil' fuckers off of Hazel with her staff, no? Beginner Booster is a real lifesaver."

"Not to be a dick, but with your stats, I doubt it, unless Alisa can apply them," Lone commented.

"None of us can apply stats," George said, entering the lounge with a smile before he sat down. "It's great to see you guys again."

"Likewise, George," Lone happily replied. "I look forward to that cake of yours."

"And you're more than welcome to a slice or two if you're staying for the evening," George replied.

"Provided we aren't a bother. We have plans near midnight-ish, but nothing until then," Lone said.

Emma scooted closer to him and asked, "Are you gonna teaching me Amplified Current?"

"I'll certainly try to. By the way, I've got an offer for you guys before we go do any training," Lone said, hopeful this would go well. It would be quite disastrous if it ruined the mending relationship he had with these teens.

Scott was pouting and actively ignoring him after he had just insulted the current worth of his unique skill, but Hazel didn't hesitate to shift the subject away from her embarrassing magical awakening. "What kind of offer? It isn't, uh, another blood contract, is it?"

"Nah, I only make those when I need to," Lone laughed. "Beginner Booster - apply it to me indefinitely. In exchange, I'll clear your debt with the guild, foot the bill for each of you to learn a skill of your own choosing from a guild tutor, and I'll buy this house from whoever owns it and let you guys live in it rent free. I would give you the deed, but strength rules here. Someone might challenge you for it for all I know. And for you, Scott, I'll make sure the guy I want to be your magic teacher decides to make you his disciple. I've only casually asked him to consider the matter, but I can make the possible inevitable instead."

"But Alisa's luck-"

"Is how high, exactly?" Lone interrupted.

"... It's at 132," the blonde Polish girl answered.

"Sofia's is over 263,000," Lone said without hesitation. "And at that height, all it does it prevents harm from coming to her specifically, or very occasionally something not shit will happen to our group. I'm always getting fucked up regardless even though I'm always at her side. Unless you can apply the stat to a ridiculous degree, it being doubled to 264 is a waste, needless to mention your other stats. Stats are worthless unless you have thousands, no, tens of thousands, and even then, they are nothing in the face of applicable stats. I just learned how to apply my Agility, and my lowest main stat is a little over 1,500 - that being Luck, the next lowest is at 7,104. Beginner Booster will make a difference for me and it could very well save my life in the near future."

Scott leaned back into his seat and shrugged, the pout gone from his expression. "You've won me over, but we're a team. What's everyone else thinking?"

'That's a good start,' Lone thought. "Before any of you vote or something like that, if I have Beginner Booster on me, I'll be significantly more invested in helping Scott improve the skill, which could lead to him being able to use it on multiple people among other possible ideas I have. I care about the growth of you guys, but not more than my own growth. His skill will, as it so happens, affect said growth, so yeah, it's only natural I'd put in the effort to get him and his unique skill to be that much more powerful."

"I've been doubly won over. Can't argue with logical selfishness, can ya?" Scott chuckled.

Alisa sighed. "I'll miss my MP being doubled, but I can't even use any spells yet, so I suppose I'm in favour."

"You can apply your Agility? I need to see that. Before Sloth's purge, the only time I'd ever seen an applied stat was my father's Dexterity," George said. "I'm in favour as well, by the way. Your need surpasses our own. You're dealing with something quite serious right now, aren't you?"

Lone nodded. "I can't talk about it, but Prince Keining was hesitant to help me, thinking himself too weak to do so. I also almost got my head cut off by an X-ranker recently and she would be less than an ant to what is looming on the horizon for me."

"... This is what the 'companion' clause was about in our contract, wasn't it?" Hazel muttered. "I'm in favour."

'Your sister's pretty smart, huh?' Soph commented to which Lone could only smile proudly in response.

"I'm not in favour!" Emma shouted only to have everyone stare at her. She smiled and scratched the back of her head. "It's four out of five in favour, so I may as well add some spice to the vote, right?"

"Hah, I like that. Never lose that attitude, Emma." Lone was happy the kids were warming up to him more and more.

If they could forget how he had acted to them in the Farwinds, he would be thankful. He also appreciated George for not choosing to blame him for the death of his family, Emma too in that regard.

With Beginner Booster being given to him, that would mark off one of the trump cards Lone felt he needed and could acquire to prepare for Arch Devil Zel's inevitable assault.

He didn't like himself for it, but he was prepared to do some very unsavoury things to acquire the effects of this unique skill if need be, so he was incredibly thankful that asking nicely was the only necessary step.

"So... how does this work then?" Lone asked, eager to double his stats immediately.

"Well," Scott said, standing up as he did so, "lucky for you, the skill's off cooldown, so it's as easy as this. Boop."

As soon as the muscular teenager had placed his hand on Lone's shoulder, he felt a wave of energy course through his body. Visible energy flooded out of him and pushed everyone away from him. Scott was sent flying into the wall while everyone else either fell to the floor or joined Scott in plastering the walls.

Less than a moment later, Soph had used some freeform Unique Magic: Barrier Magic to pick everyone up and hold them in a standing position, including herself.

It took about a minute for the rampant energy to settle and recede into Lone's body, at which point Soph dropped her freeform magic, releasing everyone.

"What the fuck was that?!" Hazel exclaimed.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

The host's stats have been temporarily doubled by the unique skill [Beginner Booster]. The host is now unable to harm the provider of this effect [Scott Miles] so long as it is active.

"Sorry," Lone apologised. "I'm pretty sure that was the side-effects of 224,710 HP becoming 449,420, 130,900 SP becoming 261,800, 447,720 MP becoming 895,440, and my aura's strength doubling. Looks like we know a hidden feature of your skill, Scott. It can affect auras. Holy fuck. It even doubled my World Power. Unique skills can interfere with the gifts of Altros? I guess that makes sense. I did copy Full Body Diagnostics, after all..."

"Those are your energy amounts? Holy fuck indeed," George laughed a bit nervously. "You were right. It's much more useful being on you."

Suddenly, a second, much less impressive, energy storm erupted. This time, however, it came from Scott and not Lone.

The boy collapsed on the ground screaming in agony as his skin tore apart and began shredded itself, completely unable to cope with whatever was happening to him.

Lone rushed to his side before anyone else could react. He wasn't about to lose this trump card he had just earned. He used a skill that he had just mentioned immediately, "Full Body Diagnostics."

"W-What's happening?!" Alisa yelled, attempting to join Lone at Scott's side but she quickly found herself unable to do so due to the strong waves of energy pressing into her and her friends. Soph looked fine but Breena was barely better off than the kids from Lone's estimations.

Soph frowned and turned to look at a wall. "People are coming here to investigate what just happened and what's happening to him. I'll stop them."

Lone nodded before she teleported away. "Well, Alisa, he's going to die. I have a good idea why. I'm sort of at fault, but I can keep him alive during the process. You'll all thank me for this once it's over, so try not to be too upset right now, 'kay?"

He then closed his eyes and used Creation Magic to restore Scott's body and alter its natural state slightly, consuming more MP in the process than he had expected, adding more evidence to his theory.

'He earned an additional effect, for sure. Maybe even a subskill. He can copy a portion of the stats he boosts now, right? That's gotta be it. His aura is killing him since his body can't handle the strength of an aura this powerful. The aura of what feels like a B-ranker attached to an H-ranker? Scott, you're gonna be a monster with this unique skill of yours. If you can use it on multiple people in the future, then you may even surpass me,' Lone thought with pride. 'Good. The stronger you get, the less likely you are to die and the more likely this boost will be a permanent one for me.'

He hoped Soph wouldn't have much trouble keeping the nosy nellies away. It could take a couple of hours for his Creation Magic to slowly recreate Scott's body over and over again to gradually adjust it to being capable enough to host such a powerful aura. The boy's soul needed just as much work too.

'Fourteen S-ranker. Six SS-rankers. Four SSS-rankers, and two X-ran- no, three X-rankers. Master Mezro'nan is coming too,' Sophie said to Soph. 'And... yes, about five-hundred people between B and SSS-rank are watching from afar.'

Frowning as she stood on a barrier just above the teens' house, Soph replied, 'With his new stats, Lone could beat them all, I think. We can't unless we use Barrier Maelstrom or go in for the kill with internal barriers, right? How do we do this, Sophie? Lone needs to save Scott before he can help us with these guys.'

'The X-rankers should know you as the one who killed Olberic Chase. That will stop them from being aggressive unless they are fools. You can feel it in their mana. This curiosity is intense. They are coming to investigate. We need only stall long enough for Lone to be done with his new toy for us to have the upper hand. Surround the house in several barrier layers. Lone can create air if need be, so make it airtight,' her colder side ordered.

Soph nodded and waved her hand. A million MP points later, and over a thousand layers of green shielding had surrounded the house.

'That should stop at least one X-ranker's attack, I think,' Soph thought.

Just then, her three X-ranked guests arrived. She, of course, recognised Master Mezro'nan. the earthiness of his aura had gotten more powerful, meaning he had likely consumed the wine from Journey's End already.

The other two X-rankers she had only seen with her Mana Sensing previously. One was a humanoid woman in a revealing dress with long flowing purple hair whose mana gave Soph a feeling of flowery confusion. The other was a dwarven man whose mana was rigid and hammered, as if it were the metal of a blade.

Before the two unfamiliar X-rankers could speak, Master Mezro'nan floated into the air via the use of earth magic according to her sense, and he greeting her, "Ssso we meet again, Lady Vladimirovich. I asssume Lord Immortusss wasss the epicentre of that explosssive aura releassse? It feelsss like he hasss it mossstly under control now, though."

'What a clever little lizard,' Sophie commented. 'He has made it immediately clear to those two that he deems us to be stronger than himself. That gives us power here. Tell them to leave and to not interfere. We are sorry for the disturbance, but this is a private matter.'

"It's nice to see you again, Master Mezro'nan. I'm sorry about the disturbance, but this is a private matter," Soph said just as the rest of those with more curiosity than sense had arrived. "All of you, please leave."

"Who is a B-ranker to tell me what to do?!" a burly SS-ranker among the six that had arrived shouted in fury.

The dwarven X-ranked furrowed his brow. "She's the lass who offed that prick X-ranker fae the Continental Alchemical Association, ya daft arsehole. Ah'm gone. Ain't no sense in staying when ah've been teld te feck off so nicely. Nice barriers, by the by. Look strong fae coming fae ah B-ranker. No wonder ya were able to turn an X-ranker into a puddle of blood, piss, and shite, in less 'an a few seconds."

He grumbled a bit more to himself before he walked off down the road, clearly upset at having lost the chance to investigate the aura issues that he had felt from across the city.

'If we did not know how dwarves work, we would assume he disliked us. He did not need to validate our position by speaking on our execution of the harasser. Many watching eyes have turned away and even more hopeful ears closed themselves off from here,' Sophie stated.

'I noticed. I'm more worried about that woman with the confusing mana who isn't leaving. I really don't wanna kill anyone here. It'll be a nightmare to deal with and it could implicate Hazel and her friends. They'll already have to relocate after this and maybe even get their identities changed. When is that woman going to step in and stop just watchin- Ah. Good. I just had to look at her,' Soph thought in relief.

Seres, daughter of the prince, and one of the cities most powerful X-rankers just judging by the density of her mana alone, appeared in front of Soph and Master Mezro'nan and addressed her fellow female X-ranker, the lingering S, SS, and SSS-rankers, and the remaining peeping toms.

"This matter is a royal one and thus, I will repeat our family friend's request: leave. Forget this incident or witness the strength of those you risk offending by failing to do so," the tall completely covered woman demanded.

Soph immediately felt all individuals spying on them retreat while everyone else who was physically here fled as if their lives were in danger, the only exception being the X-ranker in a dress.

"Those barriers," she said, finally opening her mouth. "How very unique. Will we be receiving an explanation on the shocking aura that erupted from here a few minutes ago, Lady Seres?"

"No," the princessling stated.

"How saddening. Farewell," the X-ranker replied before she turned into a bunch of purple flower petals, disappearing.

Soph felt her existence reappear on the other side of the city in a restaurant's backroom.

'We do not trust her. Keep a note of her mana and track it always,' Sophie said.

Soph nodded. 'Added to the list.'

"Thanks for the help," Soph said before she dropped the barriers protecting the kids' home.

Master Mezro'nan shook his head. "Think nothing of it. It'sss not that uncommon for the ssstrong to flock to anything even mildly interesssting that happensss here."

"Still... And, uh, Seres? Lady Seres? T-Thank- She's gone," Soph said in shock.

She felt the woman zooming through the city, cloaked by some skill or another, her destination clearly being the palace where she usually was according to Mana Sensing.

"That isss more like her," the master earth and body fortification mage said. "I wasss sssurprisssed ssshe came to your aid. When we are in a more private sssetting, could I be privy to what happened? Thisss isss the resssidence of the one Lord Immortusss wantsss me to teach, no?"

"That's, uh, that's for Lone and your student to decide. It's kinda sensitive," Soph replied.

"I have agreed to nothing quite yet, ssso I would not call him my ssstudent. May we enter, or would it be better to wait until the aura sssettles down entirely?" he asked as both he and Soph returned to ground level.

"Let's wait, please. I don't want you to see anything Lone didn't want you to s-"

'Let 'im in. It's fine. You know I'm not shy about my uniqueness, especially to trustworthy people. I have a good feeling about Master Mezro'nan,' Lone communicated telepathically, clearly having been able to hear them from this distance with his excellent ears.

"Uh, actually, yeah, let's go in. Lemme get the door for you. Are doors an issue for you since you're, you know, on all fours? Or do you just use magic?" Soph asked.

Master Mezro'nan chuckled. "They can be a bother, yesss. Freeform magic doesss the job on mossst doorsss, but not all. It can be infuriating at timesss."

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