Jeri's Combat Prowess (Part 2)
Chaehee and Haru escaped the apartment slowly on their spears, just as they'd entered. I landed safely in Bidel's arms, while Jeri couldn't fly but managed a controlled descent.
"Now we're heading back to the village, right?"
"We should."
I'd wanted to hunt monsters in the area if possible, but it was a shame we couldn't. We had no food or water anyway, so returning to the village to regroup made sense. Ever since becoming a magician, I hadn't felt intense hunger, but there was no telling when it might hit.
We walked in silence for a while. I wanted to test Jeri's strength, but no suitable opponents showed up.
"There aren't many monsters around."
"Yesterday was unusually packed. Running into monsters in the Neutral Zone isn't common to begin with."
Neutral Zone? That was a new term, so I searched it on the internet.
Village chiefs summoned walls to create settlements, but intelligent monsters did the same—occupying or building villages to form their own enclaves. Everywhere else was called the Neutral Zone, where the unwritten rule was that no one interfered if humans or monsters died there. But invade a monster settlement to hunt, and they'd pursue relentlessly, even destroying your affiliated village.
So it's a delicate balance.
From what I gathered, monsters held the overall edge in power. Humans hadn't gone extinct only because the nation's walls allowed nationwide communication. Monsters, no matter how strong, lived in individuals or tribes with no organized efforts like world conquest—at least none discovered so far.
Kishiiik!
About three hours in, we finally encountered a single monster. It was a 2 Circle beast, lizard-like with scales and a tail.
"Jeri, handle this one solo."
"Y-yes!"
Jeri gripped her crescent blade and approached the enemy with clumsy steps—like a middle schooler forcing herself to squash a cockroach. Unreliable as hell.
Sishiiik!
"Kyaaak!"
It was fast. The lizard gaped its jaws, spewing something like venom, then scampered away with cockroach-like agility. Both were 2 Circle, but their mana levels were worlds apart. The lizard sensed it and fled. White smoke rose from Jeri's body where the venom hit, like acid eating flesh.
"Bidel! Can you use healing magic too?"
"Don't worry, Master. She wrapped herself in mana before it hit."
Sure enough, a translucent barrier shed the venom to the ground alongside it.
"Sorry, Master. I let it get away. Should I chase it?"
"Nah. No injuries is what matters."
Still, the future worried me. She couldn't handle even one of those alone?
Siiiik!
The lizard that fled earlier floated up into the air, drifting toward us. Bidel had snared it with gravity magic.
"Master, shall I kill it?"
Jeri shouted excitedly at Bidel's question.
"Give me one more chance! I'll finish it properly this time!"
"Let it go, Bidel."
Bidel released her hold, and the lizard bolted without a backward glance. No chance against us, obviously.
Pruddrduk.
A strange sound drew my eyes to Jeri—her leg muscles had nearly doubled in size, bulging veins grotesquely prominent.
At least body modification works for her.
Jeri kicked off the ground and closed the gap on the long-gone lizard in an instant.
Ptooey!
She spun to dodge the venom and swung her crescent blade down.
Clang!
It bounced off. The lizard's tail had morphed into a steel blade, parrying the strike. Then the tail whipped furiously, attacking from every angle. I'd underestimated it as a mere runner—it was no ordinary lizard.
Could I have won?
I'd dodge the venom easily, but I still lacked a finishing blow.
"Haaat!"
Kiiik!
The lizard's versatile tail strikes were impressive. But the gap in strength and speed was too vast. With each clash, the steel-hard tail bent and snapped. It was severed clean off in no time.
Ptooey!
"Hehe, not working anymore!"
Jeri's crescent blade cleaved the lizard's torso in half. In its death throes, the bisected body detonated its innards' venom, but Jeri emerged unscathed from the smoke.
"Master!"
Grinning ear to ear, she tossed her blade aside and rushed to me—practically flying. A few blinks later, she'd launched off the ground and scooped me up.
"I did it, Master!"
"Yeah, you were great."
Surprisingly good in a scrap.
"Really great, right? I'm totally used to combat and mana now!"
She wasn't exaggerating—when she pumped her fist triumphantly, black mana surged from the earth, flinging her crescent blade back to her. Jeri leaped into the air, snatched it mid-flight with a flashy pose, and twirled it like a dancer.
"Impressive," Bidel murmured.
"She always pushes beyond her limits on Master's orders, so even she seems surprised. Jeri still needs a lot of training, though."
A faint smile softened Bidel's gaze at Jeri. I'd worried they might not get along at first, but it was needless.
After that, weak lizards or goblins popped up occasionally—outcasts from settlements, low Circle, lone wanderers. Jeri dispatched them effortlessly solo.
"Yaaap!"
She rocketed like a cannonball, mana-charged crescent blade shattering the monster and surrounding asphalt alike. She was fully acclimated to battle now.
What started as thrilling one-sided romps grew boring. Most kills were 1 or 2 Circle, barely bumping my experience. I was at 2 Circle, 14%. Jeri, though, sat at 69%—nearing 3 Circle already.
I need to get stronger too.
Not by brute force, though—I'd scour the internet for methods. A famous blogger detailed theory and tips up to 6 Circle magic. Nine out of ten comments whined it was impossible, but I'd give it a shot.
Internet for the win.
Honestly, life was comfier post-apocalypse. Two summons who not only took dick without complaint but trembled in joy, plus no hassle even for washing up.
Body enhancement first.
Other spells weren't quick learns, but basic physical buffs seemed practice-able on the move.
"Hoo..."
The mana that drained when summoning them—first, sense it flowing through my body. Close eyes, feel the energy inside.
......
Jack shit. Mana was there, like blood in veins, but unusable.
"Hngh."
Tensing up just bulged veins—nothing more.
"Master, is something wrong?"
"Trying to learn mana enhancement, but no dice."
"Then allow me to assist."
Bidel, walking beside me, placed a hand on my back.
"What're—"
She infused something into me. A cool sensation spread through veins and bones.
"I'm injecting my mana while drawing yours out, Master. Feel it? Mana leaving and entering."
Indeed. Her foreign mana made my own vivid throughout.
"Now, release the mana you sense once."
"Got it."
A rickety convenience store teetered nearby, one sign half-torn and dangling.
"Yah."
Imagining firing an energy ball at the sign, I expelled mana from my palm. Power surged out, but nothing visible happened.
Kkiiiiiik!
The rusty sign shrieked and plummeted.
Kwabang!
"Impressive, Master."
"What is?"
"Pure gravity-attribute mana is colorless, not black—or so the lore says."
I'd never dreamed of such talent.
"Thanks, Bidel. I think I've got the hang now."
"An honor to help."
Chaehee, watching from behind, sighed in resignation.
"I thought you were normal compared to your summons, Jinwoo... but you're amazing too."
"Nah, I can't do shit yet."
To me, Chaehee—crafting barriers with spears and flying, dropping monsters—seemed far superior. A guy who'd slept through it all catching up in a day? Yeah, demoralizing. Especially with my cheat summons. If roles reversed, I'd puke from jealousy.
"Yes, Master—just like that."
Once mana release clicked, we practiced basic enhancements. With Bidel's help, two hours in, I nailed it.
"Feels natural now."
Circulating mana for boosted strength and speed; wrapping skin in mana for defense. Two buffs down. The blogger said a day—I'd half-doubted, but two hours crushed it.
"This much, I could take a goblin solo?"
I clenched my fist, confidence surging. Felt like smashing a monster skull right then.
"Master, please don't rush into fights regardless."
"Yeah, I'll leave the dangerous ones to you."
Lame, but Bidel looked reluctant even for small fry. Overprotective much? I was 2 Circle too, and I wanted weak kills for experience.
Flap flap.
"Hm?"
Body-enhanced senses picked up faint wingbeats crystal clear.
"What's that?"
I pointed skyward. A bizarre creature—an eyeball with wings—hovered there.
"That's... reconnaissance magic. A magician's hiding nearby!"
Chaehee gasped in alarm.