Getting back to the sand road, the giant toad has lost me. In case of another ambush, I’ve decided to spend my stat points on the attributes I might need.

==== Quick Status ====

Statistics
Name: --- / Level: 9 / Class: Mage

Primary Attributes
Max Health: 1000 | Max Mana: 3600 | Max Stamina: 1400
Health: 1000 | Mana: 2390 | Stamina: 342

Secondary Attributes
Strength: 20 / Dexterity: 10 / Endurance: 20
Vitality: 0 / Agility: 20
Intelligence: 70 / Faith: 10 / Luck: 50

Combat
Physical Attack: 20 (+10) | 7 (+5) / Physical Defense: 0 (+10)
Magical Attack: 15 (+35) / Magical Defense: 0 (+10)
Health Regeneration: 1 / Mana Regeneration: 8 / Stamina Regeneration: 3

==== Quick Status ====

Rotating my axe back and forth, I ponder, ‘This thing is useful to increase the potency of my spells, but it’s too inconvenient for me to use. If only I have a proper catalyst like a wand or a staff, ideally a magical device on each of my limbs. Mages I fought usually have that and kept their staff as a backup.’

Continuing on the path of this dreaded jungle, I finally found someone on the side of the road. Covered in all sorts of wounds. I squinted my eyes to see who.

‘Hm? Wait, that’s the old man that gave me the axe. What was his name again?’ briefly looking at the party members list, “Dura!”

Hurrying over and assisting him to rest, “Hey, hey, are you okay?”

*Cough *Cough

Panting, “Yes, I’m very well okay. In fact, I just took a nap on a cotton-filled bed in the obviously not a place where the undead roam around.”

Oof, “Mean!”

“Damn it, do I look okay to you? Your Traveler’s friend is in trouble. That way, hurry on and head east, follow the trail I left behind and you’ll be there.”

“W-Wait, explain to me a bit. What happened?”

“Leeches,” panting, “As big as Mamoa lizards and just as long. They came out of the swamp and that Traveler’s friend of yours is holding them back so the rest of us won’t get eaten by those parasites. Thought I should get away, finding you and Boland. So, where is he?”

“He’s safe, he should be, but you can’t go to him just yet. I’ve narrowly missed death for coming all this way, so you should stay here, okay? I’ll be back soon.”

“Wait!” grabbing my wrist, “Here, take this.”

! {Item Received}

~ {Black Viper Venom / Rare / Dealt Toxin damage over time. Decreases Fire Resistance. Coat a bladed weapon to use [Fire Enchantment]. Lasts 2 hours}

A small bag containing a powder of the said item, it’s charred as charcoal.

“This should burn them to a crisp. Use it with the dagger I gave you, and don’t waste it, you hear? You won’t find this thing around often.”

I nodded.

Leaving him there, I head to the place he was at.

‘Black Piper Venom. A poison like this is the second most effective method of burning something so squishy, but since I have the first most effective method, I should keep this one safe in my pocket for now. Might be useful if I were to go up against that frog again.’

Arriving at the end of the road. The path forward is covered in bushes and tall grass. Those trails that Dura came from, I follow it carefully while gripping my axe tight. This reminds me of the time when Rakuri brought me on her Quest, how she enthusiastically teaches me the things I don’t really care about. Hunting, traps, markings. I was swayed and heavily distracted by that beautiful face of hers that I ended up not really listening at all.

‘But she’s patient enough to me that she never stops.’

Somehow, it made me smile. How I missed her and Kurira. They’re one of the few that actually bother to learn these things even if there’s already an alternate method that makes it easier. But that was never their goal. It’s not about using the method itself, but learning them. If you only know one way to do something, you will only stick to that way. But if you know many more ways to do it, you will have options when one doesn’t work out.

Knowledge is the supreme element that separates real professionals and amateurs calling themselves veterans.

*Bak *Bak *Boom *Bak

Sounds like something is being pummeled. Once I took a peek at it from a thick bush, I see 12 giant leeches surrounding a black man gritting his teeth.

“Galliano.”

Behind him is the unconscious old men, they don't look so fine. But he himself is looking rough, ‘That’s the sign of someone hitting the limit. Soon, he’ll get pulled out of this world because of the stress.’

‘I need to help him.’

I forced myself out of the bush and activate my fire magic. Creating embers at the blade of my axe and sneaking to one of the leeches. Blowing the embers as I mumbled, “Combustion!”

*Bwoosh*

*Kreeeeeech*

When the leech screeches as it burns. Galliano noticed it and our eyes met as the leech engulfed completely in flame.

‘To think a simple combustion can deal this much damage.’

Activating it once again to another one that is turning towards me, “Combustion!”

*Bwoosh*

I propelled myself back and yelled out, “Ayo, G! Back away a bit.”

He did as I said after smacking a leech. Quickly, I rotate my axe backward and activate the earth magic. Glowing my weapon in its energy, I lock on a meter before Galliano and pull my axe up as I yelled out, “Wall of Stone!”

*Boom*

With the wall raised, the leeches have no choice but to focus their attention on me. But I’m prepared. With these embers on my axe, their death is nothing but guaranteed.

…

As the leeches are turning in charcoal. The ashes of their former skin flew in the air… alongside their Experience Points, getting sucked into my butt.

! {Level UP}

! {Experience Points Pending}

! {New Milestone Achieved}

~ {Novice Mage}

~ {Available Elemental Upgrade: Fire / Earth}

! {Choose One}

~ {If none is chosen, automatically opt for the most used attribute | 30 Seconds remaining}

‘Hmm, right. I can only upgrade the abilities related to the attribute I’ve been using. The incoming Exp is in Pending so I cannot keep this upgrade at a later stage. And there’s even a countdown, a very short one at that.’

‘Between Wall of Stone and Combustion, which one should I upgrade?’

Without a doubt, both of them are useful to me. Wall of Stone can be used for both defense and offense while combustion can only do offense, and occasionally defense also but the fact that it’s a fire spell gives it more value for me to upgrade considering the place I’m in.

‘Looks like there’s not really much of a choice in this. Let’s take fire for now. There’s a lot of undead here, might as well take what’s most effective.’

! {Fire Attribute has been Upgraded}

~ {Related Abilities have been transferred into Innate Ability}

~ {Combustion has been altered into Ignition}

~ {Ignition / Tier 1 – Basic / Coat oneself aflame. In the Ignition state, increases Fire Resistance by 10%, able to activate [Combustion] at will. Requires up to 10 Mana per second to maintain / Cooldown: None / Costs: 100 Mana}

‘Ayo?’