84 Chapter 84 Return To The Barbarians (1/2)

As they crested the hill to see the barbarian valley, Joseph couldn't help but break out in a wide grin. His feet hurt and he wanted a bath so bad, he imagined they could smell him from there. As they drew closer, the sight of cook fires made his mouth water. He was tired and hungry for real food.

”It's good to be back to civilization,” he told Stella.

”It's good that you had the ability to channel your mana into your body so you didn't get too tired,” she replied.

He glanced over at her, suddenly realizing she didn't have that ability. She looked tired. They both needed a good rest.

Turning back to the camps ahead, his mind went back to everything he still had to do, and almost cried. At least the gift from the G.o.d of magic allowed him to continue training. He had learned about twice as much as he would have, had he not been able to practice all this time. Even though he hadn't sat down and practiced it the way he had been, he had still earned the gift himself.

”Why do you work so hard to do things on your own, instead of using the system, Master Joseph?” asked Stella long before they reached the camps. It was almost as if she had been reading his mind.

”I don't trust anything I get for free. I have no idea what actually generates these Life Points that we use to get things. Anything it gives me with points, I'm worried it could take away. If I work on it myself, using my own blood sweat and tears, it's okay for it to reward me for my own hard work. Does that make sense?”

”I suppose I never thought of it that way,” she said uneasily.

”Well, at least our goals align enough for the system to let us stay together. That's nice.”

One of the barbarians, riding a horse, spied them, and rode over.

”Little ones, you look tired, would you like a ride back?” He obviously didn't know who they were, but Joseph didn't care.

”Oh, yes! My shoes are completely worn out! They were never intended to march all over the winterlands and kick ancient abomination b.u.t.t.”

His eyes went wide in shock as he seemed to realize who they were, but he still offered to let them ride his horse. He a.s.sured them it would be fine, he could walk back on his own. They had but to leave the horse with anyone, as his owners.h.i.+p was marked on it.

They were welcomed back with warm baths and a feast. They washed before they got into the tubs, and then the water was changed for them to bathe again. There was dirt, grime, smoke and countless other layers to wash off.

As he bathed, he made sure to line up the base runes for his AMCC to learn them. He enjoyed learning the actual magic himself, but the boring staring at runes could easily be pa.s.sed off to the magical center. He couldn't wait to see what all the runes he had learned in the temple were.

Settling back into a chair, a slave arrived with a cup of tea. He used TEST FOOD and PURIFY FOOD out of habit, but there was nothing wrong with it. It wasn't as good as Stella's that she made for him, but she like to spoil him, he thought.

Chug, the leader of the barbarians, and Tekaun, the leader of the shamans, arrived. They were anxious to speak with him. Chug went first, describing all of the small groups that had shown up from the mixed tribes since he had left. They figured there must be between 19-20 thousand barbarians now. They were both a little sad, because they were sure more than half of them must have died.

”I'm glad I killed the creature when I did, then,” said Joseph, taking another drink of his tea.

”Creature?” asked Tekaun.

”The creature you sent me to kill was a sealed fragment of an extremely powerful being and someone deliberately unsealed it. That was what caused the fog. It was getting stronger with every life it took. Don't worry though, we completely destroyed it. Its very existence has been ended.”

”Ah,” Chug looked at Tekaun, who was staring at him in great admiration, ”Other tribes want to leave and not follow Chug now that fog is gone. They fear contract with great Kenrick.”

”Kenrick?” asked Joseph looking at Stella in confusion.

”That is the t.i.tle our people have bestowed upon you,” explained Tekaun.

”Ah, well, that's nice,” said Joseph, not quite sure how to accept another t.i.tle. He already had so many.