To the border 2

The parasite chased Leonard like they were playing merry-go-round. Leonard couldn't have any respite. He tried to conjure a spell to no avail as the parasite wouldn't stop in its tracks.

Zhar'kerut was watching in amusement as if the situation was a spectacle for him. Leonard couldn't help but want to smack the head of that Xyn.

"Screech!"

The parasite tumbled, Leonard didn't miss the chance and took a strike. He doesn't want the parasite to be giddy and all, so he aimed for what he thinks is the tendon on its legs.

Once he swung the blade in his hands it hit but with the obvious fatigue of constant running. It didn't penetrate at all.

"Fuck it! [Fireball]!"

Leonard didn't just aim the fireball aimlessly, he directed it at the parasite's circular mouth. It only screeched in agony from the flame but the damage seems to be surface level.

"oh, come on!"

Frustrated, Leonard deployed another strategy. He ran away from the parasite and made the ground rise a little with chantless magic, the effect of course is abysmal. However, he didn't want to raise the ground for it to become a solid foothold.

He just wanted to trip the raging parasite. Since it only has two legs and a long body, it took a while to stand up, but of course, Leonard took the chance of that minuscule timescale.

He started gathering mana in his hand and started chanting with arcane intent through it. At the time that the parasite stood up, Leonard already had his spell bound to engage.

The moment Leonard released it two blue glowing balls came out the tip of his hand and launched like a bullet at the parasite. The parasite got hit solidly and flew backwards.

This time the damage is apparent, blue blood leaking from the scorched wounds from its skin. The Parasite now is not keen on attacking, it's trying to flee.

"Finish what you started," Zhar'kerut stated

"With all due respect, you started this."

Leonard retorted, but he didn't have time to continue the conversation and instead started to chant another spell, this time it was good as a finisher. A lightning spell chanted with arcane.

"Take this you little shit!"

I shot the lightning bolt at the Parasite. It didn't even take a second, all of it happened in a blink of an eye, a flash of light and all the electricity went to the parasite.

The thing slumped, twitching as it was on the ground, of course, that's not the only thing worthy of note. The ground has the Lichtenberg figure after the lightning passed through it.

It was violent and malevolent, charring whatever it passed through, Leonard was amazed at the damage made by arcane. Zhar'kerut, however, was not pleased.

"You really used a mid-grade spell on a parasite?"

"Do I look like I've lived in the dungeon?"

"No, but you do look like someone who lived under a rock."

Zhar'kerut retorted, he seemed unpleasant. It ended like that but he didn't pursue the topic further and started butchering the parasite.

"Give me the empty bottles."

Zhar'kerut spoke, though in a demanding tone. Leonard didn't argue as he just passed the bottles from the baggage that he dropped earlier.

"This is the Gorch parasite. It leeches on Giants, Trolls, Terra Gators and a few more species in the dungeon. Depending on the colour of the blood they bleed they are useful as regents in potion-making. This one especially is leeching on a troll thanks to the blue blood it bled."

Zhar'kerut rambled about dungeon monsters, Leonard took serious note of the things he said, after all, those might be things he might use once he got to the surface.

Troll blood is good for healing potions, Giant livers are good for vitality, and Drake scales are good for weapon making. Those are just a few facts he knows from Zhar'kerut's rambling.

"In any case, if you roam the dungeon you should know this much, lest you want to die early."

Leonard nodded, after the dismantling of the parasite's corpse. Leonard and Zhar'kerut started moving. Leonard didn't get any rest, he was told that the border post Vaharacht was near, only minutes away.

Well, he was lied to. They have to make camp after Leonard was washed over with fatigue and collapsed on the floor, he still has to set camp though.

"Ugh… my body… ugh…"

"here."

Zhar'kerut handed him a potion, its colour violet and it had a dim glow.

"Ziquir… if you just want to kill me just throw me in the woods."

"That's a healing potion, you nitwit!"

Zhar'kerut shoved the potion into Leonard's stomach, it was a strong shove that Leonard had to curl in pain. Nonetheless, Leonard was thankful and drank the potion himself but it was bitter, he wanted to spit it out but Zhar'kerut was watching.

He instinctively knew that if he spit the potion he would actually die but not in the hands of poison nor monsters. But the hands of Zhar'kerut himself.

Leonard just endured the potion's taste, but the idea of barfing it out still lingered in his mind as the aftertaste wasn't gone, on his face, he could still taste it.

"Is your mind tired."

"Yes."

Leonard immediately answered Zhar'kerut's question, he knew that if he said no he would be bombarded with spells that he had to deconstruct.

He is in no condition to fight back a fully moulded magician. He who only got back to his second life will surely die if he tried fighting this magician even if it's just a mock battle.

"Not good." Zhar'kerut pondered.

After thinking for a minute Zhar'kerut pulled out a portion he was thinking if it was worth it to give to Leonard, but since he was growing above his expectations, he thought the investment would definitely give the best returns.

"Ugh… no…"

Leonard had to deconstruct magic spells that evening, he didn't have the chance to just stay still till he repeatedly got bombarded with kinetic spells.

Nonetheless, when he slept, he slept soundly. Once he got from a moderate amount of sleep Leonard had to fix everything up with an aching body and head.

"Be faster, will you? I can already see Vaharacht."

"If you could then we wouldn't have to camp here," Leonard muttered.

"What was that?"

"I said: Yes, Ziquir."

Once Leonard packed up the camping materials and stuffed them carefully in his baggage they set off, though Leonard's body was aching he felt invigorated at the same time.

As if some foreign energy was gathering within him, he looked at Zhar'kerut, he surmised it was probably the potion.

Thanks to that they're back on their journey.