Solo Strategy

Coming around after the Rank Elevation, I immediately delved into the meditation of inner world contemplation. For several minutes, I carefully examined the new protective sphere surrounding the center of my Self, admiring its surface, akin to sapphire crystal—deep blue with a slight purple hue, it securely contained the energy flows within the Core. After gazing at it and finding no flaws on the sapphire surface, I ended the meditation and opened my eyes.

Ascending to a new step on the Great Spiral of Elevation, I felt not only a surge of strength and improved energy control but also that my senses had sharpened, become finer. Jumping to my feet, I grabbed Striking Whisper and performed the basic Four Elements sequence. My body obeyed magnificently. The former fatigue, even though softened by the consumption of unique berries, had vanished without a trace. It felt as if I had spent at least a week in a rehabilitation center, doing nothing but resting, eating, and getting massages.

Following an impulse, I activated Shadow Player. As my intuition suggested, this skill came to me much more easily than before. Of course, the proximity to the true altar played a role, but the difference from the previous rank was quite noticeable.

Thanks to Shadow Player, I received a hint: the Seven-Headed Hydra, whose lair was only a few hundred meters from the rocky island, was currently in a healing sleep and posed no threat. More precisely, the information was conveyed by the altar, with the skill serving as a kind of relay for this message.

The new achievement—"Pilgrim of the Forgotten Shadow"—not only reduced the energy cost of Shadow magic spells but also significantly enhanced my sensitivity to the Night Sister's altars. Now, to "reach" the shrine, I didn't need to place my hand on the imprint in the stone; I could do it right from where I stood.

Of course, I had no intention of repeating the prayer to Seguna, but the feeling of being close to a true altar lingered with me. Along with it, I became more attuned to all the Shadows around—even the smallest, faintest, barely perceptible ones.

I spent almost an hour testing my new abilities—both physical and magical. Having received a confirmation that the Seven-Headed Hydra had no intention of waking up, I was less afraid to use spells even in close proximity to the lair of one of the Great Swamp Monsters.

Naturally, such a short time wasn't enough to fully adapt to the new Step, but I couldn't afford to stay here longer. My journey through these disgusting swamps had already dragged on far more than I had planned—and that was without considering the return trip.

Just thinking about having to trudge through these endless bogs again instantly dampened my mood. No, certainly, if things went on like this, I'd end up developing a full-blown swamp phobia.

Falling into a sort of procrastination, instead of heading back, I started cleaning my armor and repairing my clothes. This took at least an hour. All the while, I was plagued by a strange, barely noticeable sensation. I had never encountered anything like it before, so it took me a long time to understand what exactly was bothering me, nagging at the edge of my consciousness. Only when I finished with my gear, fully activated the Perception aura, and enhanced it with a meditative technique did I finally realize what had been unsettling me all along.

Direction.

I clearly sensed some internal vector, as if a compass arrow had appeared inside me, pointing beyond the visible. Walking back and forth on the rocky islet, I noticed that this "arrow" shifted slightly as I moved. From this, I concluded that the target it pointed to was very close. Why? Because if the target were far away, a shift of thirty to forty meters wouldn't have affected the "direction" much, and I wouldn't have noticed such tiny fluctuations.

And when I finally realized that the mysterious "sense of direction" was pointing straight towards the lair of the Great Monster, I almost slapped my forehead in frustration. Now, understanding the nature of this feeling, I felt like a complete fool—I had wasted so much time on something that should have been obvious.

This "inner compass" was definitely a manifestation of my Adamantium Achievement—"Seeker of the Forgotten." This meant that in the lair of the Seven-Headed Hydra, or more likely in its bottomless stomach, there was something so valuable that it could rival Legendary artifacts or true altars in importance.

Da'Nnan take me... Did this mean I would have to come back here someday? Yes, I would. When I gathered enough strength and assembled a team capable of dealing with one of the Great Monsters, I would return to kill this Creature and find out what my new skill was pointing to.

Curiosity and greed would devour me alive if I didn't.

I hated swamps! Hated them!

But I would come back. Because my greed was stronger than my hatred.

Resigned and accepting this thought, I finally found the strength to pull myself together and head back. However, before leaving the rocky island, I made sure to gather all the Moon Mistberries I found, dry them with household magic, and pack them in waterproof fabric.

Back when I found the first of the true altars in these swamps, I had planned to return to Gatya's settlement. I intended to ask the woman guide about her abilities and, if my suspicions about her predisposition to Shadow were confirmed, tell her about the altar. But now my plans had changed.

Since I would have to return to this area when I became stronger, the matter of the Gatya's settlement could be postponed. Their tribe had somehow survived without the altar for several centuries, so they would surely manage a bit longer without dying out.

Especially since I was planning to kill the Great Deykan as well. Not out of any particular hatred for this type of monster, although they are truly vile creatures, but because destroying a Great Monster granted substantial—even for the Heroic Coil—Achievements.

And since I was going to kill the Great Deykan anyway, it would be much safer to retrieve the true altar of Seguna from the basement of the late alchemist's hut afterward. Besides, I wasn't sure that if I tried to extract the altar now, the Great Monster wouldn't wake from its slumber. And even though it was significantly weakened after the recent battle with the Seven-Headed Hydra, its capabilities were still more than enough to tear apart several dozen like me, who stand on the Sapphire Step of the Spiral.

Because I planned to return someday, I left the rocky islet and headed straight east. I desperately wanted to get out of these swamps as quickly as possible, which meant sticking to the shortest route to solid, and most importantly, dry land, which I had already grown quite nostalgic for.

And only after moving almost five kilometers away from the islet did I realize that Seguna had simply duped me…

What a sly and vengeful Echo!

So thrilled with my new Adamantium Achievement, I failed to notice that the Echo of the Night Sister had "forgotten" to grant me any shadow spell! Although "forgotten" is the wrong word. That scoundrel deliberately withheld it, remembering how I defied its will in the underwater cave, refusing to become an obedient servant and daring to have my own desires, which didn't align with its plans.

This "discovery" infuriated me so much that, for a while, I seriously considered returning to the altar for a "heart-to-heart talk." Luckily, I managed to pull myself together quickly. Because nothing good would have come of that idea. At best, no one would have answered my pleas, and I would have wasted a lot of time and energy. At worst, the Echo could have once again demonstrated its far-from-angelic nature, and who knows how its wrath would have turned out for me.

Calming myself with the thought that it was my own fault and I needed to be more careful in the future to avoid such blunders, I gritted my teeth and continued on. Whether I was getting used to the swamps or my new rank made a difference, I now felt much more confident in these mires. If yesterday I could cover about two to three kilometers per hour, now it was one and a half to even twice that distance.

However, despite all this, the path through the swamps was by no means an easy stroll. It was particularly annoying that I had to practically forget about proper training during this journey through the bogs. Previously, wandering through Ain, I never missed an opportunity to refine my movements, strengthen my body and spirit, and practice magic. But here, in these foul swamps, seemingly cursed by Eyrat himself, every ounce of attention had to be spent merely finding a somewhat safe path.

Poor Striking Whisper—I even felt sorry for my spear, which I ruthlessly used as a pole to probe particularly dangerous spots. Still, throughout the journey, I constantly maintained at least three auras, sometimes adding a fourth. This, with some stretch, could be considered Mental training.

Humans are such creatures that they adapt to anything that doesn't kill them. So did I; after spending more than ten days in these Da'Nnan's swamps, I began to get used to traversing the mires. My movements became more refined, performed almost unconsciously. Throw the Pure Step Totem ten meters ahead, launch a directed Echolocation, calculate the optimal route, coil the rope and return the totem to my hand, then advance thirty to forty steps, probing most dangerous spots with Striking Whisper. Then repeat. And again. And again...

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This monotony left room for stray thoughts, and after a while, I found an intriguing detail I had previously overlooked. Besides the two Adamantium Achievements and Elevation, something else had happened that was very curious. Something I, despite possessing memory of the future, had considered impossible.

My thoughts were about the Night Mistress's gift I received at the altar in the alchemist's hut basement. Specifically, the new spell "Arrow of Silence." I had believed it was impossible to learn a spell at an altar that you couldn't cast due to a lack of Talent Stars, but the Mistress of Night Cool managed to surprise me.

For example, the Shadow Player skill was five-star, but it could still be used, albeit far from optimally, with just three. However, with the "Arrow of Silence," it was different; I simply couldn't cast it, no matter how hard I tried.

Such reflections awakened another layer of "memories of the future"—the moment I attended a lecture by Arien, where she shared her thoughts on how Ain's magic worked. I particularly remembered her words about the so-called sympathetic magic in this world. For instance, even the name of a spell could significantly affect its use. This didn't apply to spells with names invented by people, of course. But those granted by altars or Achievements—their names were part of the magic they contained.

If I recalled the words of the Future Goddess of Spontaneous Magic correctly, then with great talent in archery and the ability to shoot arrows like Apollo himself, I could use the "Arrow of Silence" even with only three Talent Stars in Shadow.

There was no reason to doubt the thoughts and intuition of Arien, who understood magic like no one else. The reward given by Seguna's Echo in the form of the "Arrow of Silence," with its "unsuitability," opened up some interesting possibilities.

Shadow Magic, so to speak, specialized in stealth, curses, debilitations, surprise, cunning, and the destruction of others' spells—like that "Arrow of Silence." But it lacked spells that inflicted direct damage. Almost... but not entirely. And among them, I was particularly interested in one, the most powerful—"Shadow Spear."

A ranged spell that left neat holes at the point of impact. It didn't sound impressive at first: what's a hole compared to a Fire Tornado or a Sky Storm? But, in fact, it was one of the deadliest spells among all the magic schools of Ain. Even Arien was genuinely upset that she couldn't learn it, so much did it impress her. Especially when recalling how the Future Goddess of Spontaneous Magic described its effect. According to her, "Shadow Spear" was a gravitational shadow twisted into a long cord, shaped into the form of a spear. I didn't understand how gravity could have a shadow, let alone how it could be twisted, but my ex clearly knew what she was talking about.

As I "remembered," "Shadow Spear" left holes at the point of impact. Holes—in just about anything. This spell even pierced dwarven mithril armor. Though not reinforced with Spirit Armor, it still did. And the holes weren't small—about the size of a volleyball.

Earlier, I hadn't even thought of asking the altar for this spell because it could only be used with five Stars of Talent in Shadows. I believed that the altar simply couldn't grant me such a "gift." But obtaining the "Arrow of Silence," which required four Stars just for basic activation, made me reconsider.

Yes, I couldn't reach five Stars of Talent in Shadows. My maximum was four, after finding another five forgotten altars. But I had five Stars in spears. And the spell was called precisely "Shadow Spear"—and considering Arien's lecture from the Last Cycle, it was quite possible that I could use it.

So, I decided: from now on, whenever I found forgotten altars of the Night Sister, I'd ask for the "Shadow Spear" as a reward. And even if my conclusions were wrong, it was better to get it than some trash like the "Shadow Theater."

Those thoughts, and the possibilities they hinted at—if I really could talk the Echo of the Night Sister into granting me "Shadow Spear"—lifted my spirits quite a bit. Even the surrounding landscape and constant dampness stopped irritating me as much as before. But this good mood and the now-familiar monotony of the journey played a cruel joke on me.

After casting the Pure Step Totem and launching a directed Echolocation, I noticed several logs lying at the bottom, a bit off my path. A thought flashed by: could these be disguised deykans? But, passing by and seeing no movement, I calmed down.

Big mistake. They were indeed deykans. I just realized it too late.

Usually, these monsters were dumb as rocks, but this time they showed unexpected cunning. They let me pass, and when I was about a hundred meters away from their hiding place, in a particularly treacherous and dangerous part of the swamp, they attacked.

If I had used the Echolocation spell in its basic form, the scanning area would have been circular, and nothing could approach me from behind unnoticed. But to probe the path ahead further, I applied a directional wave of Echolocation using the Pure Step Totem. This meant that everything behind me was outside the skill's coverage.

I didn't think the deykans deliberately calculated this nuance. They simply lacked the brains for such a subtle tactical move. But it was precisely this slight carelessness of mine that allowed the monsters to attack unexpectedly. And they chose the perfect spot for the ambush. A place where I couldn't even kneel without risking sinking to the top of my head in the treacherous, sticky mire.

Six deykans, all like brothers, each as strong as Wootz Rank. Had this ambush occurred in a forest, on a road, or any solid ground, I would've dealt with them in less than a minute without breaking a sweat. But terrain and its specifics were rightly considered key factors determining the outcome of a battle. The deykans were in their element, while I was forced to fight practically lying down. These monsters felt at home in these swamps, like fish in water. And I couldn't use my main advantage, my incredible mobility by local standards, a consequence of my past as a professional gymnast.

As ridiculous as it might sound coming from some minstrel, six Wootz deykans nearly killed a Sapphire warrior. The unexpected attack and inconvenient terrain compounded, pushing me to the brink of survival.

The only reason I made it was that I was exceptionally well-equipped. Armor crafted by the future god of Labor, enhanced with runes and the aura of Fortification, effectively withstood the monsters' blows. The multi-layered gambeson, a culmination of Last Cycle's experiences, reduced the impact of the deykans' powerful thrusts to mere bruises. The helmet, which I hadn't removed throughout my journey in the swamps, protected my head from the vilest attacks. And Striking Whisper, its blade with a valirium core imbued with the power of Light, sliced through the dense branches that served the deykans as limbs like a knife through butter.

Still, it was a tough fight! Deykans didn't feel pain, and I wasn't even sure they could be called living beings. You'd chop off a flexible branch, the equivalent of a limb, and the monster wouldn't flinch, just keep on attacking. They knew no fear of death, either.

In this battle, I fully realized the meaning of the Earth saying: "wriggling like an eel on a hot skillet[1]." I was that eel—unable to get back on my feet.

A great weapon, the Des rune, which severed even the thickest branches of the deykans, along with the use of various elemental Schools of magic—all this allowed me to repel the first attack. But I celebrated too soon. Following their instincts, the monsters piled on me, trying to overwhelm me with their mass, wrap me in their flexible branches, and drag me into the depths of the swamps, where I would lose even the slightest chance of victory.

Realizing I was losing, I resorted to my last "argument" and initiated the Dance. I activated the skill, not even hoping it would help—after all, what kind of dance could you perform lying down? But I had no other option left anymore. I was literally being trampled into this Da'Nnan's swamp! They couldn't penetrate my armor, but they just kept pulling me down, piling on in a crowd.

However, my doubts were unfounded. It turned out, you could dance even while lying down. And even while lying in a swamp. This "dance" even had a name on Earth and many fans.

In the end, the deykans perished, cut into pieces by Striking Whisper or torn to shreds by the Rune of Destruction, and I survived. Yes, I was quite battered, my pants turned into rags, and one of my boots, the left one, was pulled off and sank. But this could be called "getting off easy."

When the remnants of the last monster began to slowly sink into the mire, Achievements started pouring in. Alas, they were all trash since Ain didn't grant significant rewards for defeating opponents several tiers below. And this somehow felt so unfair... I had walked the edge, yet ended up being showered with "junk"! Fueled by the residual adrenaline in my blood, I screamed into the sky:

"Why?! Where's my Achievement for performing the never-before-seen 'Swamp Breakdance' in Ain?!"

Maybe my shout, full of anger and belated fear, was really heard by someone, or perhaps the Achievement was just delayed, but I felt a new valirium-tinted record appear on my Core: "Art of War IX Degree."

Judging by the inscription, it was awarded to me for the first use and "invention" of a new combat style, which Ain, or whoever assigned these Achievements, dubbed the "Style of the Swamp Eel." Reading and understanding the inscription, I couldn't help but burst into nervous laughter. After calming down, I examined the record more closely, wanting to understand what it granted me. The bonus of this Achievement turned out to be strange: it allowed me to convert my "Determination" and "Perseverance" stats into steps that could be taken in the Fog of Divino. However, I couldn't grasp the conversion rate.

Reaching the first stable hummock, I started to compose myself. I wasn't worried about another attack, as this pack of deykans had surely driven off all other predators.

While mending my pants, I pondered whether I should try to overcome the Fog of Divino and reach the Stairway of the Gods in this Cycle. Of course, it was too early and overly ambitious, but since I attempted it in the Last Cycle, why not try again now? Especially since everything seemed to be aligning favorably.

Yes, I had no chance of climbing the First Flight; after all, I wasn't a Shard. But even just beginning the ascent up the Stairway of the Gods, if I managed to overcome even a few Steps, would grant me powers beyond those of a mere human.

To say this thought was enticing would be an understatement. My rapidly rising mood, fueled by the newfound possibilities, quickly soured when I realized I had lost the Pure Step Totem in the fight with the deykans. And once I remembered the sunken boot...

Damn swamp scum! Died for nothing, but still managed to make things worse for me!

The loss of such a useful artifact and my footwear significantly slowed my progress. And besides, after the encounter with the deykans, I moved more cautiously, which further reduced my speed.

But, apparently, bad luck couldn't last forever, and I got a bit of a break. The clouds parted, the fog became barely noticeable, and as soon as night fell, I managed to navigate by the stars. This helped me adjust my course, and that night, because I didn't wander, I covered almost as much distance as usual, despite all the setbacks.

By evening, I sensed the marsh becoming different. Not as treacherous. More often, I came across relatively dry patches. This motivated me, and, eating Moon Mistberries, I continued on, ignoring the urge to sleep. It paid off: by the next morning, at dawn, I emerged from those godforsaken swamps!

[1] Translator's note: the original is about a grass snake, not an eel, but it's a two-letter word, so eel seemed more fitting.