Ultimate Level 1

Chapter 281

Wincing, Max waited as his arm regrew.

Tearing it from his own socket was something he never imagined doing, yet it had been necessary.

The sand worms he had slain wasn’t large like the one he had fought in the tower with his friends.

Instead twenty corpses were burnt to ash, scattered around him for thirty yards.

As a pack they had come, and when he gripped the first one to leap from the soil, its four-foot-long body, covered in acid, told Max his way of thinking was wrong.

There was no time to play with these things. He couldn’t keep acting like this was fun, no matter how much he had tried to force himself to.

Taking a deep breath, Max let it out.

Still it hadn’t been a total loss.

[ Would you like to learn [ Acid Resistance ]? ]

[ Yes / No ]

[ Skill Description - Acid Resistance ]

*****

Acid Resistance - Reduces all damage and effects of acid-related attacks by 40%.

*****

Had he not gotten that from the first kill, Max wasn’t sure how that fight had gone.

The worst part of their acid had been how fast it melted his flesh.

Like butter on a hot sauce pan, it immediately began to turn into goo, dripping onto the sandy floor.

“I really wish you would talk to me.”

Still no reply came, and Max frowned.

He touched his hair and realized it was growing faster than he thought.

Perhaps it was his regeneration skill or something else, but soon it would be long enough to run his hands through.

Jogging to where he had dropped the backpack, Max knew he had to change how he traveled.

All that mattered was speed.

Nothing was worth fighting if he could avoid it.

Distance from the spot the hunter had dropped him off was above everything.

With his sack on his shoulder, Max took off, not holding back but running at a pace that would allow him to run forever.

A dust cloud rose up in the night sky as he blazed up and down the dunes, sand barely displaced as he ran.

Hours passed, and miles were consumed, yet the stretch of sand never seemed to end.

The large moon passed quickly overhead, his only companion as Max ignored any creature that had attempted to give chase.

Only one had been able to get somewhat close, until Max sent an ice spear at it.

The large, catlike creature appeared to have decided after his spell that this prey was not worth its time.

He was speed.

Faster than an arrow.

He was to lightning as a gale to a tempest.

Nothing could catch him, and that made Max finally grin.

How often do I not embrace what I must? My skill warned me. There would be a time I would have to be heartless.

Did my lack of that allow me to be captured? Had I been prepared, could I have avoided that portal?

Max ran through different scenarios in his head, and the conclusion was always the same.

He couldn’t avoid that attempt.

Even now he knew if the hunter appeared, eventually he would be caught.

Somehow, he had to get stronger, but the question was how.

Nothing had given him any stats in a day.

Bright stars sparkled in the night sky, and Max considered what other worlds were out there.

How many other places could he perhaps one day visit if he somehow escaped and survived?

How much stronger did he really need to become?

***

Waves of heat radiated off the sand.

The suns had only been up a few hours, and already sweat was pouring off his body.

A few birds were in the sky, circling the barren area he ran across.

I’m not sure I’m even going in the right direction. A single degree in a different direction when I started off would have me somewhere much farther away. At least that should make it harder to find me.

The real question Max had was how far this desert stretched. He had easily run over a couple hundred miles, yet there was no end to the sand.

He couldn’t see mountains or anything else.

Groaning, Max began to turn right, changing the angle and direction he was running as the memory of the map his captor had drawn reminded him of the desert and the mountains.

Think!

Chiding himself, he continued running, ignoring the sweltering heat that continued to rise, occasionally summoning an ice shard, putting it in his mouth, and letting it melt.

Yet another thing that took me a few days to think about.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Struggling to stay focused and not continue to doubt himself and his failures, Max ran on.

***

He blinked multiple times as far off in the distance, Max saw the shape of what had to be mountains.

At least two hours had passed since the moon had risen, and the change in the distance felt like a trick at first.

So many times Max had imagined seeing things from Tanila, Fowl, and Batrire, all racing toward him, to other people from his past.

Twice he had believed mountains were coming, and he ran harder, only to find they never stopped moving away.

He had almost activated his Haste ability, yet his mind had held firm, overcoming the desire inside.

Now, however, the shape was growing larger, and off to the left and a ways away, it looked like there was a light of some kind.

Changing his angle slightly, Max aimed for a spot that would take him near that possible light but not right to it.

If people were out here, he had no clue what they might be like or who they might serve.

Even with all the potential concerns, Max felt renewed, knowing that an end to the sand was coming soon, and that would possibly be someone to talk with.

***

High above him, stretching for at least two miles were the mountains, a straight wall of stone that ran in both directions. The sand met the rock, and both sections seemed to declare their domain had no place for the other, a line, drawn in the sand basically, that separated the two.

It was hard to see much above him, as the moon didn’t cast enough light, but he had already done the math, watching the shape grow, and now standing near it he knew it was immense.

Slowly, Max moved along the stone side, staying low and moving in the direction he knew the light to be.

A few dunes, he figured, hid it, or perhaps a cave, hollowed into the stone, but Max was certain the fire was still there.

Somewhere.

I need it to be there!

Two miles later, he spotted the soft glow of a fire, coming indeed from a cave set within the stone section he was traveling along.

Gently setting his pack onto the ground, he moved closer, scanning the area for anyone or anything.

Right outside the cave, near the mouth, was the shape of someone standing.

Is that a…

His eyes widened at seeing that it wasn’t a human, elf, or dwarf but instead it was something like the cat creatures they had fought in a dungeon.

Max felt his heart beating fast, and there before him was one of the kemonomimis Tanila had talked about.

A freaking cat person… who would have thought?

Watching intently, he studied the guard, saw the robe they wore, which covered their body except for the head.

The moon reflected off a spear of some kind, a long sword blade attached to a staff.

It’s like a glaive, but I think it's a… naginata.

The blade wasn’t as thick as a glaive would be; instead it was curved, and Max ignored the questions he had, remaining silent as he watched and waited.

An hour or more passed when a cry came from the cave, followed by laughter.

It sounded like what a woman or child might make, high pitched and different from the deeper tones of the laughter that had followed.

Part of him wanted to rush forward, wanting to save whoever might need help, but Max fought that urge.

Words came from inside the cave, and the one standing guard turned, shouting something back as it covered one of its eyes with a hand.

Saving its night vision… so they are smart.

A conversation took place, and the one outside seemed upset by whatever was being said, pointing the weapon back inside the entrance.

More shouts came, followed by another high-pitched cry before the sound of someone being slapped echoed from inside.

The guard turned back to the sand and was shaking his head.

Max watched as he began to move, past the entrance of the cave and toward the edge of the rock, moving the five yards or so to where it ended.

Creeping forward, Max got as close as he could.

Activating Stealth, he moved, his skill helping him avoid stepping on any loose stones as he moved quickly toward the cave entrance, keeping an eye on the one who was supposed to keep watch.

Max almost paused when he realized the guard was over seven feet tall, and the shape hidden by the robes no longer escaped his gaze. The guard was muscular, broad shouldered, and the hand that held the weapon reminded him of the boss they had faced.

Not sure how strong these cats are…

Glancing inside the cave, his eyes needed a moment to adjust to the fire that burned inside a metal box, no smoke coming from it.

Are those… lizard women?

One looked to be unconscious, her robe torn, and the shape of the body more had curves, not something the lizardmen he had faced before had. The gray-colored scales she had were covered in blood along her mouth, and Max thought he could see swelling along one eye.

Beside her, leaning against the stone wall about fifteen yards away, was another lizard person, glaring at the cats, who were laughing and making hip gestures which carried across all planets, it seemed.

She was bound at her hands and feet, snapping her jaws while saying something in a language Max couldn’t understand.

His heart tugged, and Max winced, knowing he couldn’t help but do something.

There was no way to understand what had happened, why they were captive.

Choices had to be made quickly as his timer announced ten seconds.

Part of him wanted to just follow the group, see where they were going. Another part of him yearned to not watch anyone be held captive, knowing how that felt.

I’m a captive now…

Sighing inside, Max shook his head.

Two of the large cat men sat cross-legged, chewing on dried meat and talking, ignoring the other two.

None appeared to be looking outside the cave.

Moving with purpose, Max made a choice.

Coming up behind the guard, his options were limited. He had no idea how tough they were.

Could he even kill one from behind? Were they so strong that a single attack, even from stealth with this bone, would do nothing?

If I end up killing this one with a single hit, then any chance of bargaining or discussion would be out of the picture.

Four seconds flashed in the corner of his vision, and Max frowned, hoping for the best.

He swung his weapon at the guard’s head, watching as the bone connected right on the cat’s ear.

A thunk sounded, and the lookout began to fall sideways, body limp.

Catching him, in one arm, Max tossed the club onto the sand a few feet away, grabbing the weapon the warrior held.

Pulling it from his hand, a sense of safety filled him.

I have a weapon!

Movement alerted him that others were coming. Even though the noise he had made had not been that much, all four of the ones inside the cave moved to the entrance, holding weapons and crouching low.

The damn party window!

Without hesitation, Max moved, lowering the weapon to the throat of the one he had struck down, one hand held up toward the four who had started to move.

“We need to talk!”

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