Rot Heart: A LitRPG of Rot Magic in an Ancient World (Book 1 completed)

As the battle raged on before her magical shield, Brimeta let Div and En back into the protected area.

"Rot?" She asked.

"Yeah. Not sure it will do anything. But we thought it was worth trying," Div said.

"Let's hope for the best."

Div and En stepped further back, rejoining their peers.

"There will be consequences for your actions, young man," Martos said as they passed by him and Nantosia. With a stern look, he waved for them to return to their post.

It wasn't the end of their troubles, as their friends were equally angry at them.

"Are you insane?" Genno said.

"Right," Ambi added. "You should have told us, so we could come with you."

"That's not…"

"We missed out on all the fun," Seg said, nodding along. "I've been so bored and sick every day, I was looking forward to some action."

"Guys, watch your mouths," Gennorina said. "And don't you dare do that again."

"Sorry," Div and En said, waving their hands in apology. "We had to try."

"Who said that?" Gennorina asked, her expression colder than ever. "Div, or En?"

Sensing that En was about to throw him to the wolves, Div spoke up first, "We both agreed on it."

"I'm glad you're fine," Lug said. "But you need to be careful. We were all worried about you. Even Ambi and Seg, no matter how much they want to hide it."

Of course, Ambisena and Segorix quickly clarified that they really wanted to join the fight. Not out of concern for Div and En, but because they loved fighting.

But Div and En knew to trust Lugsellos on that.

Still, they also believed Seg and Ambi when they claimed they wanted to join the battle.

Seeing Vercinetos and Vedovessa unleash their power on the swarm was exhilarating. It was hard to see what Genno's father was doing as he was moving too fast for their eyes to comprehend, but the aftermath of Vedovessa's water magic was hard to miss.

The beach almost turned into an island as their teacher redirected the river's water toward the monsters.

Div and En's hands were shaking, itching to return to the fight.

[I didn't think we would end up liking it so much.]

(If only it weren't rats… ugh.)

[Really, that's what's bothering you?]

(I hate those little pests.)

It was hard to stay put. Without thinking, they started jumping from one leg to another.

(Why are we feeling so energetic today?)

It wasn't their first battle. After the few dark days they had participated in, they knew how they reacted normally. They liked fighting, but they had no issue controlling themselves.

Well, more or less.

They acknowledged their tendency to get carried away when embroiled in a fight. The scars blanketing their body told the story of someone ready to trade injuries, sometimes foolishly.

But it wasn't the same. Today, the urge to move, to run, to punch with all their strength was coursing through their veins.

Skill leveled up: Scornforged Lv1 -> Lv2

[That explains it.]

Their skill was taking the wyrmrats' resentment toward them and transforming it into energy.

(It means your attack is working. But how do they know it's us?)

They hadn't been sneaky about it.

They'd charged in recklessly, killed a few wyrmrats, and seeded the corpses with rot-attuned mana. The beasts, vile as they were, devoured their own tainted dead. There should've been no way for them to link the attack to anyone.

[I think…]

Div tried to follow the flow of energy. But it was more diffuse than what they'd observed before, in part because it was coming from so many sources, but there was something else.

[They haven't figured it out. I don't believe they are targeting us directly.]

(Yet Scornforged still picks up their rage. Although it seems less effective than when we are targeted directly.)

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Regardless, it pleased them to know that they were at least doing some damage to the horde. Their skill being more versatile than they initially thought was a welcome surprise, and the level brought them closer to the completion of their facet.

The risk they had taken was already paying off. Something they decided to keep to themselves as they didn't want to trigger Gennorina again.

Both her parents were fighting on the frontline, protecting the entire class. They could understand her being tense.

The battle raged on.

Between the innumerable number of wyrmrats skittering out of the forest, the violence of Vedovessa's spell, and the massive magical shield Brimeta was powering, it was hard for Div to feel rot-attuned mana spreading through the beasts.

The only indication was the absurd amount of energy they were receiving from Scornforged.

"This is a little too much…" They yapped, their entire body starting to shake uncontrollably.

"Div, En?" Lugsellos was the first to catch on. "What's going on? I sense…"

But they couldn't explain. Not that they wanted to keep their skill a secret anymore. Toward their friends, they could be honest. But they were too excited to form a coherent sentence.

They had to let out some steam.

(But how? Martos is watching us.)

The Evolved Rank tailor was clearly not happy with the stunt they had pulled off. Since they had come back, he had been keeping a close eye on them.

They might have fooled him with their surprise use of Blighted Passage, but they had learnt their lesson. They wouldn't underestimate anyone. Even if he was just a tailor, Martos was well-traveled and respected in Camboaci.

Div and En also didn't want to cause a commotion. Getting into a fight with their allies in the middle of a battle was a terrible idea.

But they needed a way to spend all that excess energy that clawed at their bones, a molten tide rushing beneath their skin. It wasn't mana. It wasn't adrenaline. It was wrath.

En threw himself to the floor and started doing pushups at a frantic pace. In the meantime, Div focused on converting some energy into mana. It was slow, inefficient, and his lack of control showed.

But being under pressure was nothing new to him. What better way to train mana manipulation?

With the Rot Heart's immense storage capacity, he could pump mana as much as he wanted, it would never be full. It was just a matter of being fast enough.

Thanks to their combined efforts, the rush of energy finally leveled off.

It was still too much, but at least it wasn't climbing anymore. Their muscles quickly started to ache. They weren't tired, but that didn't mean they could keep using the same muscles endlessly. En switched to other exercises.

"What are you doing?" Genno asked, confused.

Everyone was looking at them. It was embarrassing.

Div and En didn't have the luxury to answer. They had to keep going.

Minutes passed, one after the other.

The rush of energy slowly subsided. They didn't know if it was because the rot they had inflicted had dissipated and the wyrmrats had moved on, or if their number was being thinned.

Regardless, the energy was decreasing. It was what they needed at the moment. They could worry about the rest later.

Their question was soon answered as they grew tired. Scornforged wasn't sustaining their efforts anymore. They stopped and looked up just in time to see Brimeta release her magical shield.

The first thing that hit them was the stench.

Countless rotting wyrmrat corpses blanketed the land, releasing a putrid odor so foul that a few students immediately vomited.

"What's that?" Gennorina said, gagging.

The second thing that hit them was the voice of the world, and with it, the realization that they were the ones responsible for this carnage.

The world recognizes your feat, new title acquired: Exterminator.

They killed those rats. It was their power. It was rot. And they did it without even mastering the magic.

Just raw, unadulterated power.

(Scary.)

[Yes, but awesome.]

(I'm glad you like it. But get that thing away from me.)

The third thing hitting them was Ambisena.

"You! It's your fault…"

She coughed, quickly placing a hand in front of her mouth and nose.

"This…" Seg wanted to say something, but quickly closed his mouth. He couldn't let the foul air in.

Everyone else was doing the same, except for two people.

"Amazing!" Vercinetos roared. "What a display! I've never seen a Basic Rank unleash such destruction."

"Good job, Kid," Brimeta added, a mana barrier encapsulating her head.

"You don't mind the smell?" En asked, gagging.

"I'm too fast for that."

Div and En didn't see the connection, but they didn't argue as any word out of their mouth would let more of the rot-infused smell in.

Moments later, Theaphilia returned. She stayed in the sky at high altitude and shouted, "The broodmother is dead."

She gazed intently in Div and En's direction, likely guessing they were behind the putrid display below her.

"Let's get away from here," she said, finally coming back down to the ground.

Considering the state of the beach, they couldn't camp here for the rest of the night. They all boarded, and Vedovessa summoned water to push their vessels back into the river.

They would have to risk navigating at night.

"Sorry about that," Div and En said while on the boat.

"Don't worry about it," Vercinetos said. "We would have moved regardless. Even without your rot, we can't sleep on a beach with thousands of dead rats. Plus, I'm sure it gave you a lot to think about."

It did. Not only about their power over rot, but also about Scornforged.

They couldn't let this situation repeat. Today, they had been safe, protected by the adults. But what if they faced a swarm alone? Or worse—had to protect others? They had to control the energy from Scornforged.

One way or another.

[Transforming it into rot-attuned mana with our bloodline is the way to go. Once I get better, it should be easier.]

(Good, but I can't do that. There has to be another way.)

[That's something for you to figure out.]

(Come on, Div. I need your help.)

But Div wasn't listening. Lost in contemplation, he imagined all he could do with rot, with Scornforged. He had to harness these powers.

He didn't even channeled that much mana into his attack. Granted, it was more than what would be contained in a regular spear strike, but that was nothing compared to what Rot Heart made possible.

Yes, the wyrmrats had made his job easier with their urge to consume. Yet, soon, he would master his magic and learn to replicate today's feat on stronger foes.

Rot magic wasn't pretty, but it was powerful.

As fascinating as it was dangerous.

He had to master it.