Chapter 354: Zeit

[Ding! You have finished a battle. 6600 EXP dropped.]

[Ding! You have finished a battle. 4400 EXP dropped.]

[Ding! Tactical bonus of +70% has been applied. Now calculating adjusted Experience amount...]

[Ding! You have obtained 500 Experience.]

[Ding! Party Member Lechter has obtained 750 Experience.]

[Ding! Party Member Tio has obtained a boosted 1,051,875 Experience.]

[Ding! Party Member Tio has leveled up! Tio's Current Level 46 (71,283/98,000)]

[Ding! Party Member Tio's Combat Parameters have strengthened.]

[Ding! Enhanced Party Quest - Defeat 6 Abyss Worms has been completed!]

[Ding! Sepith count has been adjusted.]

[Ding! 75,000 Experience has been awarded to the Party.]

[Ding! Party Member Tio has leveled up!]

[Ding! Quest rewards have been deposited into Gamer Naoto's Inventory.]

 +3 Tier II Generation IV Quartz Box

 +3 Tier II Quartz Upgrade Token

 +1 Slot Remove Token

 +1 Tier III Generation IV Quartz Box

[Ding! Gamer Naoto's Current Level: 111/250 (115,402/1,146,900)]

[Ding! Party Member Lechter's Current Level: 100/250 (87,897/496,000)]

[Ding! Party Member Tio"s Current Level: 47/250 (3,717/100,000)]

"Phew. Well done you two.", I happily said, seeing the flurry of notifications that followed those two battles. In the first battle, I killed one Abyss Worm to test things out. After that, our second battle commenced. I defeated two, Tio defeated one, and Lechter finished off the remaining two. Spawns do happen randomly, just like monsters spawn in the games. Those required certain map transitions, but here in the real world, they just happen at complete randomness.

"Now that's what I'm talking about. I worked up a little sweat. I think it's time for some afternoon dessert.", Lechter said with a wide grin, sheathing his rapier. He regrouped with Tio and I, once he saw no more worms nearby.

"Mmm. It is a good thing we knew how to take those worms down. Those unaware will definitely suffer at their feelers.", Tio nodded.

"No doubt about that.", I replied. Tio wasn't joking when she said those would meet their doom fighting these worms without knowing their powerful earthquakes. There are at times where you fight them in groups of six or eight. If you just land one AOE attack on them, and they're all lined up to attack you, that's an instant game over.

I wonder if I should learn a flight spell...I know I have my little transformation with my True Dhampir, but that's bound by that. I can't move freely in the sky. How can I call myself a magician if you don't have the basic flight spell? I'll have to see if Roselia has that sort of spell on hand. I'm sure she does. She has been seen flying in multiple instances before in the games.

"Do we have anything else here?", Tio questioned, unsure of how to proceed.

We went over all of our loot and notifications we received, and my Inventory expanded yet again. I also reviewed my updated Sepith count. I now had quite a bit. I can definitely at least unlock one or two Slots, and I also have that Slot Remove Token too. That is essentially a free lock unlock for a Slot. It could only unlock Slots, not upgrade them, unfortunately. I might save it for a while, as I have Line 1-5 as a single Line. Slot 5 is bound to be expensive, so that is what I will likely use it for. Each time you unlock one slot, the price increases by quite a large margin.

"There's nothing more to be done here for the time being. This little adventure gave me quite a lot of Sepith. You also reaped a lot of experience. It isn't everyday that you could gain over fourty levels. We had to meet a lot of conditions for that. If you just did things on your own and trained, it would have progressed much slower. I'm happy you were able to come this far, Tio.", I responded. Truly, I was happy for Tio. She's already shown a glimpse of what she could do, before she got nerfed in the later games.

With over twice a level gap, she dealt over 10% damage to one Abyss Worm, instead of doing zero damage to it. Just that alone was scary!

"Mmm. It is a weird feeling. I feel lots of energy bursting inside, and I don't know how to use it properly. At the same time, my mind is pretty exhausted from using all those Arts.", Tio mused. She felt good in one area, but felt drained in another. I guess that's the feeling you get when you level up so many times in one go, huh? You feel like you're much stronger, but you don't know how to use it.

"Well I for one, can say you aren't the same kiddo you were a few hours ago when we had lunch together. Even if it's a tiny bit, you definitely have grown stronger. I do think we need to work on that stamina of yours though.", Lechter said, chiming in.

"I am still young. Gaining stamina will naturally come. This excursion gave me a lot to think about. I'll see if I can use this opportunity to hone my Arts. That doesn't mean I won't continue being by your side, Naoto. You have those Vermillion Trials coming up in a month or so, right? I want to see if I can meet the requirement to experience that for myself. I am not like other kids, we experienced those caves. I can pull my own weight.", Tio said, pumping her arms in vigor, despite remaining deadpan.

"Tio...", I replied, seeing Tio's determination. "If you really want to participate, I'll consider it. Those Vermillion Trials are not a playground. We very well could be facing a life-and-death scenario inside there. I don't know what all it will throw at me. Despite that, you wish to challenge that unknown?", I asked, wanting to be extra sure that Tio was up for the challenge.

"Yes. I will be sure not to endanger the party you've invited.", Tio responded with a firm nod.

"Hey now, you're still a kid. You tire out much more quickly than someone like me or Young Master does. And speaking along those lines, those trials are set to come in like a month or so, right?", Lechter questioned me.

"Give or take. I could technically start them right now if I wanted to, but that would cause widespread panic. After all, His Majesty is going to issue a widespread evacuation notice so no one gets caught up in it.", I answered. Lechter's eyes turned wide in shock hearing that.

"Say what now? You're going to evacuate ALL of Heimdallr!? That's like, half a million people!", Lechter exclaimed in shock.

"That is indeed correct.", A voice said, suddenly calling out to us. Space began to distort not too far, and a figure popped out of the distortion. A girl with hair flowing down to her feet emerged from it, but she wasn't alone. Next to her appeared to be a blue and white wolf of sorts. Even my eyes raised up.

As for Tio though...

I could see sparkles in Tio's eyes as she took a couple steps back, leaning outward from behind me.

Right...

I almost forgot Tio had a thing for cute things. For whatever reason, she found the imposing wolf in front of her extremely cute. Just like how she would come to adore a certain mascot. Sadly that mascot doesn't exist yet. I'm referring to Mishy here. Mishy wouldn't become a popular icon for another year or two at most. Mishelam Wonderland isn't a thing yet. It's construction won't be completed until two more years, I think. Once that happens, everyone will come to adore its mascot, Mishy.

"Greetings, children of man. That was a splendid bout of strength you displayed.", The wolf said, unexpectedly talking in human tongue.

"The wolf talked...", Tio uttered in amazement.

"It is nice to see you again, Master.", I said, greeting the blonde-haired girl before me. It looks like she was on her way back, and returned with the wolf beside her!

"Umu. I didn't think I would catch you all the way out here, Naoto. Out for a little training?", Roselia said, welcoming us.

"That's about it. I wasn't expecting to see you at all since you departed so early in the morning. I was just planning to return to Erebonia with just the three of us. Such a nice surprise.", I said, happily greeting Roselia. It was nice to see her!

"Oh? Where's that other brat with you?", Roselia questioned, realizing that there were just us three who were present. Me, Tio and Lechter. There was no one else around us. I knew who Roselia was referring to though.

"Sherryl will not be returning with us, Master. At least for the remainder of the week. She's going to stay with her big sister. They have a lot of catching up to do. It's probably best not for me to intrude on that. I didn't think you'd arrive with a friend. This wolf is a friend, right?", I questioned with a smile. Well, of course I knew who the wolf was, but Lechter and Tio didn't.

I saw the wolf approach us. He didn't release any hidden pressure or anything, allowing Lechter to keep his guard relaxed. If anything, he too was intrigued by the fact that the wolf could talk.

"Indeed. I did not expect the Crimson Roselia to be nearby, let alone seek me out. We go quite a ways back. I could tell you all about it, but we would take all day. For now, it is nice to meet you, children of man. I used to bear a name once, but remember it I do not recall. You may address me as the Divine Wolf.", The wolf said, formally introducing himself to us. "But if you prefer to call me by another name, then you may proceed to do so.", The wolf continued to say.

Hearing that, Tio's eyes sparkled even brighter.

"Then you'll be called Zeit!", Tio happily exclaimed, blurting out a name before any of us could answer the wolf.

"Oi!", I retorted, ignoring the fact that Tio's eyes were literal stars right now.