Note to self, avoid stomping in future, or get some better boots. Her crappy little slave shoes were oozing with brain right now and it was horrible. So horrible that she just took the shoes off and tossed them away, using the sand she was walking on to absorb the blood on the bottom of her feet, and just dealing with it on the top. While heading out, she bought the first of the three traits she needed. The more exp Filnon got, the faster she could buy the traits that stopped the leaching from affecting her. The Halflings stripped the dead and sold the gear, which gave her enough to buy one upgrade for her weapon. It was good that the Halflings stuck about even when her summons did not.

But then, she thought for a moment. Better to buy a few Dungeon Keys and run them with Filnon to get a proper nestegg. Forty Five Grand was better than the relative pittance she got from this, after all, and maybe they could even run an A-rank together. Probably not though, Estaria’s power wasn’t pitiful but her equipment was sorely lacking, and it didn’t bode well to try something that advanced. 

Seeing one of the Gladiators sitting on the ground, a large cut through his thigh the reason for his inaction, she’d walk over to him and hoist him up, helping him get back to the support building. Medics were on hand to help him, since he wasn’t such chaff he could simply be discarded. And on the topic of people waiting in the waiting room - almost like it was designed for that - Filnon was stood with a beaming smile.

“That was excellent. You really demolished that guy, huh?” Filnon exclaimed, stroking the hilt of her left knife. Clearly, it had fired her blood a little, which made it the perfect opportunity for the next question. 

“Yea. So, I got some money from the fight. Wanna run a dungeon? A B-rank shouldn’t be too much hassle for us” Estaria offered. The money for upgrades aside, she’d farm some good exp from a B-rank.

“Mmm, half of me wants to test my luck on an A-rank, but I’ve never done one of them. I don’t know their scale and you’ve not even got shoes anymore so let’s not do that” Filnon exclaimed, looking at Estaria’s blood-soaked feet.

“I am buying some proper boots when we finish this dungeon” Estaria put in. That wasn’t even up for debate, she was doing it because if she was going to be kicking more people, she was having good footwear while doing it. Not sure how this was going to work, she just bought the dungeon key and then activated it, getting sent into the Dungeon. If it didn’t work, she could always just leave.

Fortunately, it did indeed work, and Filnon was there besides here, daggers drawn and ready for some blood.

“It occurs to me that I have never seen you fight” Estaria commented, looking to Filnon.

“Aside from those few seconds at the dock, you mean?” Filnon replied with a teasing tone, kicking off into the mass of the Dungeon before Es could make a reply. It was a Chaos Warcamp, from the looks of it. Marauders by the dozen, Filnon made short work of them, blades like liquid death cutting through them without slowing. Though even she wasn’t perfect, and one cut was a bit too shallow, letting the Marauder not immediately die and giving him a chance to recover.

He didn’t get to use that chance however, as Estaria kicked the back of his leg to get him on one knee, and then broke his neck. Dealing with the chaff was a nice thing to get more training with hitting the enemy, and she was doing pretty well punching through them by the time there were no more Marauders. She backed up as she was fighting, to keep close to Filnon, and then when she got to the boss, decided to sit and watch rather than try to mesh in with a woman whose style was unknown. 

And by all the Gods, was it a sight. Filnon was beautiful in her combat. The poor Chaos Champion didn’t stand a chance, it was all he could do to fend off her attacks with his rune shield. The Blessings of Chaos let him not get totally blitzed, but he was outmatched and Filnon’s dance was whittling him down, her daggers striking, cutting and slashing in increasingly wide arcs to make his shield move further and faster with every strike. And then suddenly she lashed out with a strike so quick Estaria nearly missed it. Must have been the thing she had recently just picked up, Quicksilver Viper.

The scream of pain came from the monster’s helmet, and blood streamed out from the eyehole. Estaria couldn’t imagine the physical dexterity needed to hit such a point at such a speed, through a helmet and over a shield that was in motion. He rolled, and she slipped the shield off his arm with an elegant move, before cutting and striking in such minute detail the Champion’s arm fell off in short order. 

Then, with acrobatic grace, she’d backflip over to Estaria and give her a grin.

“Wanna get in? Good experience striking through plate” Filnon suggested. Estaria wasn’t hyped at the idea, but a Critically Wounded man with one arm was a good was a fine enough test, so she stepped in as the Champion rushed with a death scream. Throwing a full force punch to his chest killed the Champion outright, but it was very jarring. The recoil vibrated all the way up her arm, and her shoulder jolted, crunching uncomfortably. She hadn’t dislocated it, just knocked it a little. 

“Note to self, don’t do that” Estaria commented, holding her arm as it throbbed with pain. Opening the mini-map, she’d glance about for the monsters they had yet to kill, and then nod to Filnon. The two split up and dealt with them in quick order.

Total Obliteration - 35000 + 10000 Gold earned. Ever-Bloody Heart looted

You have leveled up 

Things were going pretty well for her. A second level even with giving most of her xp to Filnon. But this time the bar lazily lounged in the first five percent of level 40, so she doubted she’d get a third level so easily. 

Returning to the real world, Estaria did as she said she would and bought some proper boots. Didn’t put them on right now because her feet were gunky blood and sand, but it was nice to have. 

“You don’t think boots ruin the whole look, do you?” Estaria asked, looking at the heavy mud-stomping boots, and wondering if she should have gotten something slimmer. Filnon looked for a moment and gave an unfriendly shrug.

“...Yea, they kind of do. But they will have to do for now while we get you something better” she’d admit. With nothing else left to do here, Filnon took Estaria back home and helped scrub her feet of the crap she had picked out outside. Then she tried the boots on and they fit well, didn’t impede her movement enough to really be notable.

The important stuff out of the way, she leaned over Filnon’s shoulder on request as they opened the inventory to check out the Ever-Bloody Heart. A flowery description, but ultimately it would give a random physical stat, or could be used as a special Offering for specific Gods.

“Given Khaine’s whole thing is blood and bloodshed, I am going to guess he is one of the specific Gods” Estaria commented, persing her lips a bit. Getting Filnon that kind of blessing would be great to make her even stronger.

“Mmm. You got a blessing yet?” Filnon asked, closing the screen.

“I…well, I sort of do but it’s getting suppressed right now. Besides, it’s fine, you get it” Es would shrug, shaking her head. 

“I’m numerous levels above you and have a religious blessing that actually works. This is yours” Filnon practically ordered, sending her the Heart. Not particularly able to argue any further than that, Estaria rolled her eyes and took it.

“Fine, but you are cooking dinner this time” Es stated, giving a coy grin and liking the fact that Filnon didn’t spank her for being a brat or something. Making her way over to the Witch Enclave, she didn’t get waylaid too much, perks of being a personal Slave, and not unknown in the Arena either. 

Arriving at the Enclave, there was Fukuri, going absolutely ham on her training regime with an almost desperate tension.

“How long have you been here?” Estaria exclaimed. Clearly it had been a while, as the woman froze up and then looked to Estaria with an abashed face.

“...A while?” she tried, and then saw that wasn’t working, so just turned fully and had her shoulders sag. “..Longer than I should have”

“And you haven’t had dinner either, have you?” Estaria asked, her voice taking on a stern mother tone as Fukuri shrunk further and further beneath her gaze. The silence was enough for Estaria. And so, stepping forward, she would bend down.

“I don’t know what is driving you, but if you don’t calm down, then you will damage yourself and ruin months of progress. Possibly even cripple yourself for life. Nothing is worth that risk. So be measured, trust your sisters, and accept that they know the best for you. After all, they have already been through the training you are doing”

Estaria would then take out the Ever-Bleeding Heart, and hand it to Fukuri.
“But since there is something driving you, and it is clearly important, then I am giving you this. Throw it into Khaine’s Braizer, and he will bless you. That should balance out whatever is riding you” Estaria counciled, letting Fukuri go to the Braizer and throw it in.

Relationship with the Witch Cult improved - Advanced Witch Cult Craft available in the shop

Well, that was a nice, unexpected side-effect. Hopefully, whatever blessing Fukuri got would be enough to calm her heart and push her progression without damaging her. It was as the Witches said about Estaria; she would be a beautiful gem once polished.