The Way Ahead

Chapter 123: The Right Ingredient

Chapter 123: The Right Ingredient

Edwin roused from unconsciousness to an absolutely massive headache and the vague sensation of being lightly on fire.

What happened. Ugh.

He didnt even have the strength needed to properly wonder out loud if this was what a hangover was like, and if so how hed gotten drunk. That seemed unlikely, so his brain poked at the general haze that was his recent memory. Unfortunately, all his effort only rewarded him with a headache, so he changed tactics.

Notifications? He cautiously pushed, ready for another lance of pain, but was pleasantly surprised to not have to go through it.

Level Up!

Skill Points 1184 1198

(Alchemy: 100; Stamina Manipulation: 29; 14/25 60-point Paths)

Adaptive Defense Level 5254

Basic Thermokinesis Level 4445

Fey's Caress Level 4647

Longstrider Level 5455

Outsiders Almanac Level 139140

Overcharge Level 3035

Skillful Assessment Level 5556

Stamina Manipulation Level 2829

Unbound Tether Level 3437

When it rained it poured, apparently. Hed been struggling to improve anything since Lefi left, but you fight a few guys and then Skills just come raining down.

Oh yeah, hed been fighting. And hed used Overcharge a bunch of times in quick succession. That hadnt been such a good idea, he was finding out. The fact that even after sleeping he felt this bad was not a good sign, but what else was he to do?

Well, he could have run away the first time he saw Niall, not that that was ever any kind of real option. He also could have slammed the door and run when he ran into Niall, but then he wouldnt know all that he did now. Could he have just run when the guards showed up? Well, he basically did. Could he have talked his way out of the situation?

Edwin would have winced if it wasnt too painful, his incomplete laugh providing more than enough additional agony for the time being. Yeah, that was never going to happen. Oof, did he hurt though.

A once-over with Anatomy told him that he didnt have anything broken, but Stamina and Health were both working overtime trying to get his body cleaned up. Ritual Intuition didnt have anything of note on it, and Perception didnt help him get any clearer a picture of his surroundings.

Well, what could he do differently, then? He doubted Niall was actually genuinely immortal, and a chunk of white phosphorus shoved down his throat would definitely make him want to die even if he was, but there was no way hed actually be able to get there, not if he had guards around him. Hed really screwed up, not going straight for the kill while they had been alone

Edwin shook his head. He wasnt going to just straight-up murder someone because they might be harder to kill later, what was he thinking? It was never going to have been an option to kill Niall while they were talking. But it did put him in a tough place where he definitely couldnt fight Niall now, not when he was ready for just that and was unlikely to go anywhere without a bodyguard.

So then what could he do?

Edwin wasnt entirely sure how long he laid in place, nor when he drifted off to sleep- if he even did, Watchful Rest always made figuring that out complicated- but when he woke up again, night was just starting to fall.

With a groan, Edwin hauled himself upright and blearily blinked awake. There was an Edwin-sized furrow in the ground, grass ripped up and stones displaced starting a little ways back and leading perfectly to, well, him. The city of whatsitcalled was nowhere in sight, but Edwin could guess which direction it was in fairly easily.

Edwin, naturally, was filthy. Not only from the dirt slide, but also just from a layer of what almost looked like soot covering every inch of his skin. It was, of course, the black goop Overcharge overuse tended to make, just far more prevalent than normal. A bit of testing confirmed that his saliva was also inky black, his sweat matched, and while he wasnt able to check he suspected his eyes were as well. Ick. Hed need a very, very long bath to get clean and yeah, he wasnt going to be able to get back into the city after that little stunt, would he? He could give it a go, and if he came in from the sky he might be able to, but the odds of a guard spotting him- and him having triggered Wanted List- were just so high.

At least hed slept off the more painful parts of Overcharge usage, so he could walk and use magic again. There was a slight crick in his neck, but that seemed likely that it was just from sleeping in an awkward position.

Whatever! He could make it work. A literal pain in his neck and some dirt caked onto his skin was perfectly fine, it was just a shame that he didnt have Cleaning himself.

...Actually.

His mana was a potion, and cleaning stuff was decidedly a potion-like effect. He could probably make some cleaning potions, actually. Hed just need to get some soap Essence and mix it with something pure, probably nonhomogenously. Then there would be the twin stages of cleaning and cleanliness, and yeah.

If I make a bath bomb, would Bomb Throwing apply? Hmm. Ill have to see if I can convince myself enough to make that work at some point. Bubbles everywhere!

In any case, that would require his full lab, and Edwin didnt have half the stuff hed want to make something like that. But he did have his magic, and that was what had gotten him thinking about this to begin with.

He started inside his chest. His mana didnt exactly sit near his heart, but it was close enough to work as an approximation, and there he began his brew, sitting cross-legged in the Rhothos grasslands.

He was trying to make a solvent, and that meant taking the clear water that served as the basis of his mana and emphasizing that part of it. Its temperature was increased as its pH dropped, becoming not exactly corrosive directly but something adjacent to it.

Power flowed and boiled, but he wasnt done. Here, inside his own body, he wasnt strictly limited to physical laws. What mattered much more was his imagination, and he had a lot of that to go around. Nitrogen was stripped from the air and broken down, forced into his watery mana and creating a proper acid.

To counteract its natural corrosive properties, Edwin drew on something a bit less chemical- namely, his Purify skill. Filtering his mana-acid through the Skill changed it to a gentler type of corrosion, one which only purified and refined instead of burning and destroying.

Not that it makes any kind of physical sense. I dont know what the black stuff is made of on any level other than the atomic- predominantly carbon, not that that was any kind of surprise- so I cant make a tailored solvent for it. Removing filth isnt a physical process, it doesnt know what the impurities are, Id just need to figure out something which dissolved what I didnt want while leaving what I do.

Shut up, me. Youll wreck the magic. Just make it so it wont dissolve skin or clothing, if you have to.

Magic made things so much more complicated than they had been on Earth. It was the observer effect magnified a hundredfold, where not only the presence of an observer could change the outcome of an experiment, but also the identity of the observer.

Still, he couldnt help but think as he released the spell and watched the black layer of grime dissolve and drip away, it did make some things way easier.

Well, like any tool, it had its limitations. What mattered as he used it was he kept in mind its limitations and he didnt try to use it where it didnt help.

Blight, he was an idiot.

Edwin dropped out of the sky like a stone, eyes shut tight and trying to fight back against the unpleasant sensation of freefall. Before he hit the ground, he caught himself and not quite so gently as he would have liked, landed next to the stable where Bill and his carriage were being kept. Okay, so once he checked here, hed go up to his room and then if none of his companions were there then

His thoughts were cut short in a good way when he saw a familiar slender frame rummaging around in the carriage.

Rillah! he softly called out, his mind starting to race ahead towards all the things he needed to do.

She spun around, eyes widening in shock as she rushed over to him, Edwin! Youre alive!

I am, yeah. How long has it been?

Just overnight. What happened?

Ran into the guy I was looking for, had a bit of a chat, had to run from some guards. I launched myself out of the city, landed maybe a mile that way? Anyway, I passed out and wanted to make sure it hadnt been too long. Doesnt matter.

Sounds like quite the adventure you had out there.

You could say that. Wheres Inion?

I could ask you the same thing. Last I saw her the two of you were together.

Ugh, is she out looking for me?

No clue, but maybe?

I guess I need to leave and try to find her, then?

You need to get out of the city anyway. Theres been quite the stir this morning, and Atlas is warning me theyre on the hunt for an Adventurer, which Im guessing is you.

Probably, yeah. Anyway, Im here mostly to give you a heads-up. I need to get to Vinstead, and Im going to be going fast.

Vinstead? Why Vinstead?

I know someone there I need to talk to, he admitted. He didnt like bothering people and making them go out of their way for him, but sometimes

Okay, lets go.

Oh. Edwins brain short-circuited. He blinked, trying to reset it.

Edwin?

Yeah, Im okay. Um, sure? Like yes please! Dont get me wrong, Id love to have you come along. Um, but I dont know how well it would work? Like I dont want to leave my carriage and Bill here alone, and like wheres Yathal and Kyni? I also dont know how to let Inion know that Im alright and I can definitely do most of that stuff before I leave but like I just wasnt really anticipating

Edwin. Edwin, its okay. You seem stressed.

Yeah, yeah, Im fine, he dismissed. A part of him hoped that shed push past it slightly, for all that this wasnt an appropriate time for a heart-to-heart.

Hmmmm, she eyed him suspiciously, Well, okay. Well go do that stuff, and then we can go.

But Inion and Yathal and Kynigos will really slow me down. Heck, I dont know if youll slow me down.

She raised an eyebrow. You think youre faster than me?

Unbound Tether provides constant acceleration. If you have a top speed, Ill pass it before we make it there.

How urgent is this really?

Its its, he forced himself to breathe, Its moderately important, but a few hours a few hours.

A few hours wouldnt make that much of a difference? she finished, voice calm and reassuring. He gratefully nodded. Well then, we can find the others and let them know, and then we can fly off and leave them here.

Do you know what this represents?

Nope. But if I were to guess, non-magical mages or something?

Yes and no simultaneously. It has long been theorized that there must be some alternative to magic, as once every few decades or so, someone with no magical talent nonetheless develops exceptionally mage-like Skills.

And the obvious answer isnt they just unlocked Mana and got Skills for it, like I did?

No, thats impossible. Nonetheless, it has been a mystery for centuries, but the knowledge that there are indeed Skills which enable manipulation of other Attributes does answer that question most handily.

I do not understand why you all are so certain you cant unlock magic through the System. Blight, I know there are Skills which are basically magic anyway. Honestly, that might be all of them. Anyway. Thats not whats important. Im still somewhat figuring out how Stamina Manipulation works, but it seems to be largely based around, well, physical Skills. Im not actually sure if it could be used to mimic magic more than anything else?

What do you hope to upgrade it into?

Im still somewhat undecided, honestly, but Im thinking that Health Manipulation might be the way to go. I dont really have a good way to unlock that, despite trying a few times, so getting it from stamina manipulation seems like a good possibility.

Not a terrible goal. For that, I would say those Paths which might normally grant the Regeneration attribute might aid you in that regard. Alternatively, Automedic might be what youre looking for, as well as Stubborn Survivor. I will need to investigate beyond those, however. If you return tomorrow I may have more information for you.

Awesome. I guess, while Im here, my current plan is to tier up after Alchemy reaches level 120 and I get the Alchemy Specialist path.

Ambitious. Are you prepared to spend multiple years dedicated to this pursuit? And what of your magical Skill? I daresay that it would be ever more useful than mere Alchemy Specialist.

Maybe, he confessed, If I do get Mana Infusion Specialist that might be cool, but I also dont really want to spend even more years of my life trying to maximize it when I could use the Artificer path on it or something and get something similarly cool.

Thats not a bad idea, no, and to be honest I was kind of thinking about that to begin with. There really isnt a strong reason Id need to take all my Paths at the same time and

I am unsurprised to find you here.

I mean, I did stick around for that very reason. I need to talk to you.

Tara had changed in the time since he last saw her. Not that much, but she nonetheless had. Normally he might not really notice, but Visualization and Memory combined to highlight every new line on her face- two- and a faint scar running along her arm. She also seemed a bit less something, but blight if Edwin knew what.

She had the same Class, too, but now Edwin was able to get a better glimpse of the Skills she had running. There werent many, but the unmistakable shape of her authority Skill was constantly lit, as were a few other general physique-enhancing abilities.

Lady Tara, always a pleasure.

Good to see you, Rizzali. I wasnt interrupting, I hope?

Of course not, Lady Tara. We had already finished our primary discussion and were speaking about a potential future.

Good man. I never understand how you manage to get so much done in so little time.

Registrars Seal, he smiled.

She gave a small nod in response before fixing her piercing silver gaze onto Edwin once again, You had best have good explanations.

I probably do?

She spun on her heel, flicking her wrist to get Edwin to follow her up the stairs.

Youve assaulted guards recently, Tara stated once they had found a private room.

It was in self-defense, he protested.

Such is no guard. If a town watch seeks to apprehend you, there is no self-defense, merely resisting arrest.

They were going to lock me up to have that one Outlaw alchemist I told you about dissect me.

Tara froze. Explain, she commanded. You informed me he had been executed.

Yeah, well thats what I thought as well. Apparently he wasnt though, and has spent the last couple years grabbing random people and pulling them apart for, well, parts. He also claims to be immortal, but Im not sure I buy that.

I cannot speak for what sorts of Skills one such as he might possess. Did you discuss it with Rizzali?

Edwin shook his head, Im never sure what I should tell him.

I commend the thought, for all that it is not needed in this case. Registrars know most of the secrets of the Empire, and only rarely is dispensation given to hide a Skill from them.

Like with me, and my stuff.

Indeed.

How sure are we that Registrars arent part of a giant conspiracy to control the Empire, given how important they are to, well, everything?

She chuckled slightly, You are not the first to think as much, and you are not entirely incorrect. They are, after all, one of the few branches of the Empire which reports directly to the Emperor himself, and embody his wisdom and experience.

Sure, whatever. Not important. Anyway, Im getting distracted. He quickly gave a breakdown of the situation as best as he could summarize.

So yeah. Theres a former bandit who used to be kidnapping and dissecting random travelers now doing the same to random people, with the support of the local government.

What sorts of individuals?

Edwin shrugged, Didnt really stick around long enough, given he was trying to make me join them, but like adventurers and outlaws I guess?

Are you certain he is actually violating any laws?

I have no clue, you kidding? I would have stuck around longer to try and figure it out- heck, I wasnt even trying to let him know that I was around- but when we talked and he called the guards on me all those plans kind of went well, out the window.

Hm. Presuming he is playing according to the rules, I see little problem with his endeavors. I will need to investigate that he is not actually pursuing adventurers, however.

What? Hes kidnapping and torturing random people and thats just fine?

She held up a finger, I said assuming he is being careful, which I do not know for certain is true. Should he satisfy himself using outlaws, it is unlikely there is substance for me to intercede over, depending on the nature of his supposed torture. Adventurers, however, do have value to society.

Edwin raised an eyebrow, Seems more generous than last time you talked about us. Also seriously, torture?

It is largely thanks to their sacrifice that we are able to continue our expansion of Skill knowledge.

Oh, is that it?

You provide valuable exploratory research, yes. Beyond that, the Empire is more than capable of taking any findings and utilizing it optimally. That you may have a few years of additional usage of a particularly new Skill does not make you the master of it. That someone chose to abandon reason for madness does not change even if that madness has some utility.

Edwin sensed he wasnt going to win this particular exchange and pulled back, Anyway. Why is it fine if its just outlaws? Theyre still people!

They provide no value. If he is capable of forming some value from them while remaining within the law, why would we care?

I dont know, dont you see any value in human life? Well okay, not just human life, but you get my point.

Edwin, every individual who does not contribute to society is simply a drain upon it.

Rhothos has an insane amount of food, it matters that much if a few people dont contribute?

That we have extra is not cause to be foolish with what we do possess. Besides, it is not as though we forbid them from purchasing food, we simply do not give it to them.

And turn a blind eye whenever someone decides to cut them open for parts.

She rapped the desk suddenly, re-sharpening Edwins focus, It is not challenging to become an Adventurer. If they desire aid from the government they may provide their knowledge back to it. Otherwise, they are responsible for their own protection, is that not fair?

Theres just so much in that. And I dont know. But theyre still people. Cant you get that? Whether or not theyre your people, how can you stand back and just let them get hurt? Dont you have any empathy?

There are thousands of hurting citizens as well. Do we ignore them for the outlaws?

Why does it have to be a choice? Why cant you help both? Heck, why arent you already helping the citizens?

We are, yet. she took a deep breath. Very well. Regardless of our differences in opinion, it is important both in my role as liaison and Enforcer that I investigate this situation to ensure there are not adventurers involved, and that no other laws are being violated. She stood up, and Edwin got to see her armor Skill flare and assemble around her. It looked a bit like Sappers Apparatus, interestingly. Though that did make sense, given they were both Trophy Skills.

Awesome. So, uh. Should I

You are coming with me.

Is there something you can do to get rid of this thing that apparently tells everyone I defended myself from guards?

If what youre telling me is true, yes. Otherwise, Im leaving it.

Oh come on.

I will ensure you receive a fair trial.

So not like what happened when I met the governor.

Let us not discuss that here.

Okay, what should we talk about then?

You are most welcome to simply remain By Xares, how long have you been able to fly?