Chapter 316: Finally back
Luke stood before the campfire, roasting a potato he had brought from the village.
They actually brought many things to eat which they probably wouldne be able to finish by the time they reach their destination.
Laila and Thea were asleep inside their tents, while Roxanne and Monica shared a quiet meal after the others had already finished eating.
Watching them chat so cheerfully, Luke felt a weight lift from his heart. It was a welcome sight. Somehow, Monica had managed to crack through the shell Roxanne had been slowly building around herself.
’That’s just how she is.’
With a faint smile, he let out a quiet sigh and leaned against the trunk of the tree.
As the potato continued to roast over the fire, he spoke to the system.
’You mentioned that I awakened the legendary physique.’
[Indeed, Host. You have gathered enough essence to awaken the first fragment of the physique.]
[Please say ’Yes’ if you want to summon the fragment.]
’Yeah, go ahead.’
A wave of searing heat spread through Luke’s ears.
Instinctively, he reached up to touch them.
His fingers brushed against something unfamiliar.
Earrings.
They were far larger than anything he had ever worn, their surface lined with intricate ridges that gave them a rugged, ancient appearance.
[Fragment One: Terra Pieces]
[Description: A pair of ear pieces that completely deflects or blocks any projectile or spell directed at the host’s upper body, from the neck to the head. Additionally, the host’s Endurance stat is increased by ten points.]
[Host, any psychic attack would also be blocked by the pieces.]
Luke gave an approving nod.
’Sounds promising. So my head is basically untouchable now, huh?’
[Indeed, Host. However, every activation consumes a considerable amount of Gamma. Always keep a sufficient reserve exclusively for the Terra Pieces.]
Luke understood the warning and gave the system a simple instruction.
’Can you warn me if my Gamma falls below five hundred points?’
[Command accepted.]
After a brief silence, he summoned the pink orb he had obtained after killing Manbaru.
For a fleeting moment, he wanted nothing more than to crush it. The very sight of it reminded him of the disgust he still felt toward the man.
But the system had already reminded him of one thing.
Manbaru was dead.
Future enemies were still out there
With that thought, Luke kept the gem. It could become the difference between life and death, not only for himself but for those around him.
[Host, it is advised to refine the stone first, just to be safe.]
Luke nodded.
’I know. I won’t take that risk.’
Now that he finally had a moment to himself, his thoughts drifted to the Gamma Pod. He had already conquered the Dungeon’s third floor, leaving him uncertain whether he should clear another floor before evolving it or simply proceed now.
’I wonder if I could see Synthia again.’
Returning to the same floor would let him visit the ocean once more. However, considering the sheer vastness of the sea, the chances of Synthia still being anywhere near the shore were slim.
’Haah... I should stop thinking about her and focus on my evolution.’
Once he returned to the village, the first thing he would do was work on his new house, the one Gary had promised to prepare for him.
If everything stayed peaceful for the next few days, he would begin setting up traps and other defenses before informing his family that he would be entering a twenty-four-hour hibernation.
He had a feeling his body was no longer growing at the same pace as before. There was a good chance it was connected to the Gamma Pod, and he had no intention of delaying the evolution any longer.
"Luke?"
Monica’s voice pulled him from his thoughts as she stood after finishing her meal.
"Are you okay?"
Luke took a slow breath before nodding.
"Yeah. I just want to go back home now."
A faint smile appeared on Monica’s face.
"Just one more night. We’ll be back home tomorrow."
Luke nodded.
Right.
Just one more night.
....
[Next Day]
By the afternoon, the gentle sound of the stream finally reached their ears.
"Ah, we’re finally back," Laila murmured with a smile. Simply being close to the village filled her with an unexpected sense of relief.
"Agh, I’m never going on another trip again." Thea groaned, silently cursing herself for insisting on tagging along. The entire journey had been nothing short of a nightmare.
"Well, we’re alive, and we made it back," Monica said with a warm smile, determined to keep the conversation on a positive note.
Luke let out a quiet breath as his gaze settled on the clearing ahead.
The village where he had been reborn only a few weeks ago now felt more comforting than ever.
Who would have thought that returning home could bring such profound peace?
As the carriage rolled toward the village entrance, Luke immediately sensed that something was off.
"Wait. We need to inspect the carriage."
One of the guards stepped forward, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"You don’t recognize me or this cart, Neri?" Rel asked, clearly astonished. The cart alone should have been enough to reveal who was traveling inside.
"We’ve been ordered to inspect everyone entering the village," the guard replied without hesitation as he walked toward the back of the carriage.
Luke was already sitting near the edge.
The moment the guard saw him, he instinctively flinched and took a step back.
"Need any more proof before you let us in?"
Luke was far too exhausted to sit through a full inspection.
"Let them in."
The commanding voice came from a short distance away.
Leaning to the side, Luke spotted Dart approaching.
With a smile, Luke hopped off the carriage.
"I’ll see you all at home."
Monica nodded as the guards finally allowed the carriage to pass through.
Luke walked over to Dart.
"How have you been, Dart? It feels like it’s been forever since we last met."
"Yeah." Dart let out a weary sigh. "Without you around, things have been pretty lonely. Just work... and taking care of Nadia."
"Right..." Luke’s expression softened. "How is she doing now?"
Now that Nadia was finally pregnant, it was the first thing he wanted to ask.
"She’s doing well." Dart replied with a bashful smile, rubbing the back of his head. "We might just be imagining it, but it feels like we can already sense the baby."
"You’re probably imagining it."
Luke chuckled, and the two men shared a lighthearted laugh.
After a brief silence, Luke’s expression turned curious.
"What’s with the sudden increase in security? Did something happen?"
Dart let out a long sigh.
"You could say someone very important is passing through the forest and needs a place to rest. They’ll be arriving tomorrow."
Luke gave a thoughtful hum.
"And who exactly is important enough to warrant all this?"
Dart’s smile disappeared.
"The leader of our rival tribe and his family."
He paused for a moment before adding grimly,
"This is the first time they are coming here and the Chief is making sure nothing goes wrong tomorrow."
"..." Luke had a feeling that with him back something definitely would go wrong.