That moment in the street almost made Max feel like a bard at an inn, telling a tall-tale and doing his best to ensure everyone who heard it believed every word he spoke.

The guards surrounding him occasionally made sounds in reply, each time quieting down when Vella barely tsked her tongue.

After he finished, the only sound around him was the noise from both ends of the street. Max waited and watched the captain’s face.

“How many bodies, Sergeant?”

“Twenty-four, Ma’am.”

She tapped her chain gloves against her plate vambraces, her arms crossed as she watched Max.

“Twenty-four elves dead and only one person, a level thirty if I recall, standing here alive.”

“Yes, Ma’am. Two of the elves we were able to… identify had traces of the system showing they were murderers- the parts that remained, that is.”

Vella nodded slowly. The edge of her lips seemed to betray a slight smile, but Max wasn’t sure if this was wishful thinking or just the scar and how it connected there.

“I will require you to submit to an inspection, Seth Pendal. I will personally take you with my squad, and we will return to the outpost on this side of town. You will be sequestered there until your flagged state has worn off.”

Tanila started to speak but stopped when the woman gazed her way, closing her mouth as the captain gave a slight nod.

“I had already heard of the attempt on your life in the inn. That knowledge, combined with what you both told me and the clues we can deduce from here; I believe your story.”

She turned and motioned to the blue-eyed sergeant to come closer, “Bring me a transport wagon. I want twelve guards with me the entire way. And make sure you send someone to the outpost to inform them of what has happened.”

The man gave a quick salute and took off toward the entrance of the street they had come from. Some shouting was heard and Max ignored it, turning back to the woman, who had moved till she was just a yard from him.

Standing this close made Max realize she was taller than him by a foot and seemed to have at least fifty pounds of muscle on him.

“I hate to admit it, but you are a different adventurer than most. I can tell from what happened here that you have a skill that explains how you killed that noble’s son. I witnessed it and wondered, yet now…” She paused and turned her head, looking at the carnage her guards were beginning to clean up. “I am not certain how no one has heard of your name until now.”

Max did his best to keep a straight face.

“Some of my friends are dealing with some things that we would prefer to keep quiet,” Max said as he motioned to Tanila with his head. “I only entered the fights to earn money to help a sick friend.”

“I heard,” she said, chuckling after. “Your ability to stay hidden is long gone now. All you can do now is make people wonder if they should keep away. What happened here will give your enemies something to think about, but you will probably find they won’t wait forever before attempting again.”

“Remember, Sir,” the guard said as he opened the door. “You cannot access your dimensional storage inside. The wagon will prevent it, and an alarm will go off if you attempt it.”

Max nodded and glanced at his undergarments, having been forced to remove everything but his jewelry.

“At least you’re not bound,” Tanila teased.

He grunted and climbed into the wooden cart that would take him to the outpost. Memories of the one he had been locked in back in his hometown almost made him unable to breathe.

Tanila held her hand out to him from inside, knowing why Max was slow to get in.

“I’m right here,” she whispered, waiting for him.

Sitting on the bench along one side, Max grunted and closed his eyes, leaning his head against the wooden wall.

He heard the cart's door shut and the lock click and realized he was squeezing his leg with his hand tighter than he had intended.

“That bad?”

Max opened his eyes and saw Tanila sitting next to him. Thankfully, this cart had two bright light orbs in it.

“It is. I didn’t realize how much it bothered me until now.”

She grabbed his arm and gave it a squeeze.

“If you do that too much, you’ll be covered in this mess.”

Tanila laughed and squeezed even tighter. “How could I be worried about that after what I saw? I mean… I still can’t believe…”

Looking into Max’s eyes, she smiled. “Your eyes are back to normal. During that time, they were a green flame. You moved so fast, I couldn’t even…”

The cart lurched forward, and Max felt her squeeze his arm again.

“I’m sorry I had to do that. There was no–”

“Don’t apologize,” Tanila said, cutting him off. “You did what you had to in order to protect us… to protect me. I saw you watching me when it was over. For a moment, I wasn’t sure if you would do anything to me. When your eyes returned to normal, I knew you were back.”

Max bobbed his head and let out a small sigh.

“What was it like?” she asked.

Scratching his eyebrow, Max closed his eyes as he tried to figure out how to describe it.

“Remember how it was watching the people in the Colosseum fight? You could see them on the orb but knew it wasn’t how the real fight occurred. That was how it was for me. I could see myself moving and feeling everything that happened, but it was like I was watching it also. I was…”

Max turned and saw Talina giving him her full attention, a small smile on her lips.

“I was angry, so upset that they would possibly harm you. It fed that part of me… made it stronger. We were, I mean, I was unstoppable. The world slowed down. And my skill didn’t overwhelm me like it had before. It wasn’t a blind rage but a controlled rage as I killed every one of them. It was… intoxicating.”

“How much stronger did you get?”

Having forgotten the other part of his skill, Max saw the notifications waiting for him.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“Gods, I never even thought to check.”

[ 3 Constitution Consumed ]

[ 3 Intelligence Consumed ]

[ 3 Wisdom Consumed ]

[ 2 Constitution Consumed ]

[ 3 Dexterity Consumed ]

[ 3 Dexterity Consumed ]

[ 3 Constitution Consumed ]

[ 2 Constitution Consumed ]

[ 2 Dexterity Consumed ]

[ 3 Intelligence Consumed ]

[ 3 Wisdom Consumed ]

[ 3 Intelligence Consumed ]

[ 3 Wisdom Consumed ]

[ 1 Dexterity Consumed ]

[ 2 Strength Consumed ]

[ 3 Intelligence Consumed ]

[ 3 Wisdom Consumed ]

[ 5 Intelligence Consumed ]

[ 1 Wisdom Consumed ]

[ 6 Intelligence Consumed ]

[ 2 Wisdom Consumed ]

[ 6 Constitution Consumed ]

[ Consume has successfully Consumed Multiple Skills ]

[ Consumed Skills are Equal or Lower Rank to Current Skills ]

[ Would you like to learn [Bulwark]? ]

[ Would you like to learn [Throwing Weapons]? ]

[ Would you like to learn [Poison Making]? ]

[ Would you like to learn [Trap Detection]? ]

[Yes / No]

“Uh…”

Words failed Max as he read the list of notifications. He struggled at the sight of all the skills he had gained from that fight, but the stats alone were hard to believe.

Taking a minute, Max double-checked his math.

“Based on my stats, I’m over level fifty,” he whispered, watching Tanila’s jaw drop.

Bobbing his head as she mouthed, ‘seriously,’ she eventually closed her mouth and leaned her head back against the cart.

“Holy elf tits,” she muttered.

Max gently poked her. “There were four skills, and Fowl won’t be excited about one of them. It’s the same as his.”

Rolling her eyes, Tanila shook her head, “Yeah, he won’t like that at all.”

Selecting yes, Max felt the rush of knowledge flood his mind.

After wincing for a moment, Max grinned.

[Status Check]

*****

Max Hoste

-Year-old Human Male

Level 1

Exp 1/1000

HP: 720/720

MP: 560/560

Stamina: 220/220

STR: 45+9

DEX: 56+15

CON: 60+12

INT: 47+9

WIS: 38+8

Skills:

Baking - Common

Consume - Rare

Melee Weapon Mastery - Rare

Shield -Common

Berserker - Common

Elemental Mastery - Uncommon

Stealth - Rare

Dual Wield - Common

Power Strike - Uncommon

Backstab - Uncommon

Evasion - Uncommon

Archery - Common

Haste - Uncommon

Festering Touch - Common

Death Magic - Uncommon

Conceal - Epic

Regeneration - Rare

Bulwark - Rare

Sling Weapons - Rare

Throwing Weapons - Rare

Poison Making - Uncommon

Trap Detection - Uncommon

Armored Warrior - Rare

Dark Magic - Rare

*****

“Gods, a forty-seven intelligence? That is completely broken!”

Max chuckled and grinned as Tanila complained.

“I guess eventually we will see how much all those shiny new stats will help.”

“The problem is no strength,” Max replied. “It appears very few actually put many points in that stat.”

“That’s because there are very few warriors like you. A rogue knows that dexterity and constitution are two of their greatest allies. Your strength is so high, which explains why many struggle to stand toe-to-toe with you.”

The ride was uneventful, and when the cart came to a halt and the sound of the door unlatching turned into the last rays of sunlight coming through the door, Max let out a quiet sigh of relief.

“If you two will follow me.”

Max and Tanila were encircled by a dozen guards who escorted them toward a stone building within a courtyard surrounded by thirty-foot walls.

“We are going in there,” Vella informed them as she walked ahead. “No worries; we are only maintaining formality for now. Once inside, I will get you both settled.”

The room she brought the two of them into was small but had a few chairs and a table with some food waiting for them.

“Go ahead and eat. It will be a few minutes before I can get the quarters set up for both of you.”

“Thank you, Captain Vella.” Tanila said. “Is there any chance we can send a message to our friends?”

“It's already taken care of,” she replied with a smile. “I sent two guards to find your companion and let him know that both of you were okay and would be sequestered for a few days.”

“We appreciate that.”

The captain nodded and left the two of them with their dinner. It wasn’t anything like Alexander had prepared, but neither complained about the simple bread and stew.

Eventually, two guards brought them to a pair of rooms in a barracks cleared of soldiers. Each room had a bed and a small tub with steaming water waiting for them.

“Captain Vella told us to let you both know there will be guards on duty at all times,” a younger-looking guard told Max. “If either of you two needs something, just call out. No one will come inside unless they pass the guard at the end of the hallway. We will bring breakfast in the morning.”

Max nodded, and the young man gave him a small salute.

“I’m not a guard,” Max said. “Why salute me?”

Both guards smirked at his question.

“Sir, your reputation in the Colosseum had already made you a legend in some ways. Hearing what you somehow survived, unharmed, has…” The younger guard looked at his partner, who shrugged and said nothing. “A salute is the greatest symbol I can give for respect. You, sir, have earned that.”

Max smiled and stood straight, saluting both guards, who returned the salute once more before turning and heading down the hallway.

“We are so screwed,” Tanila said with a groan.

“Why?”

“Because we will never get your head through these doors after all this.”

Max laughed and motioned to his room. “Are you okay with me going inside and taking a bath? I really feel the need to get clean.”

Tanila nodded and moved into her room. As she started to close her door, she stopped and stuck her head out.

“Thank you again for saving me. Even if it meant… opening yourself to something I know you didn’t want to.”

“That’s what we do for family. We protect each other.”

Max saw her face change slightly, but she nodded and closed her door.

Sitting in the tub, watching the crimson-colored water, Max felt himself trying to forget what he had experienced today.

We both know you want to feel like that again. Do not deny it.

Max washed his face, ignoring the color of the water.

“Thank you for keeping your word,” he muttered, wiping the water from his eyes.

Laugher echoed inside, and Max knew he was in trouble. The hunger inside him had grown.