Chapter: Silver and experience gain

Rugrat went to gather more information, though Erik knew that he would be looking for books on Smithing as well.

Erik didn't worry, he gave Rugrat all of his coinage and headed up to his room. Rugrat had been shocked at the amount he had earned, but he seemed hopeful, with this earning potential, he was no longer hesitant about healing people instead of spending his time trying to glean something from the smithy. He only earned three coppers there because he was not only working, he was learning from the lead smith.

Seeing the straw bed, Erik pulled out his sleeping bag and air mattress instead.

With a wave of his hand the Focused heal technique book appeared.

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Technique Book: Focused Heal

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Do you wish to activate this Technique book? Doing so will destroy this Technique book.

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YES/NO

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“Yes,” Erik said.

The book’s pages opened, the first page flipped over, complicated runes showing on the page as the pages started to turn faster and faster, a light shone in Erik’s eyes as scenes, thoughts and information appeared in his mind, a growing pressure could be felt in his head as the information came faster and faster.

The book snapped shut with a dull sound.

Erik was left reeling as the book dissolved in front of him.

Erik rubbed his head at the headache between his brows as he kept his eyes closed, fighting the headache that had come with using the technique book.

Finally after a few minutes he was fine to open his eyes.

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Focused Heal

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Journeyman

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Focused general healing spell. Instead of healing a large area, you can focus your healing power into a controlled area.

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Consumption of Mana based on area and effect.

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He didn't have a target for the healing magic but he felt that he would be able to cast the spell without issue.

It added a greater depth to Erik's knowledge around spells.

Before he had needed to use the placement of his hand to fuse his healing spell to greater effect, now he could use it in a localized area. Still it didn't merely fix the wounds, it would look to enhance the speed that the patient's body recovered. With his normal heal this meant he was wasting energy on small things like the cuts one had on their hand, or an ingrown hair instead of right on the injury. At least now he could focus on the injury site. Still it was too general for Erik's wants and needs, he wanted to get a spell that would allow him to heal a person system by system, from the bones, making musculature, to nerves and so on. Based on what he had learned, it would cost less mana and it would be much faster.

Without a patient, Erik didn't have anyone or anything to practice his new spell on.

He wasn't disheartened as he turned his focus inwards, looking over his mana system.

He could use the mist like mana in his veins with greater control as he looked at his new target, the mana gate in his right wrist.

Before he started to attack it, he studied the mana gate in his left Elbow.

When looking over his left elbow, the corners of his mouth lifted upwards, as mana was flowing past this 'dead' gate, a little bit of mana was being absorbed, if Erik's actions the other night were like breaking down the door with a battering ram, then what was happening to his left elbow’s mana gates was like a rock being eroded over time by water.

Weakening the gate, even a bit would make Erik's attempts to open it much easier.

He took a deep breath and rolled his shoulders, getting comfortable as he looked at that right wrist mana gate.

He compressed and formed his first faint mana spear and directed it through his mana channels, striking the gate with a dull thud that rang through his body.

Erik continued on, increasing the speed and power of the mana vapor created spears.

From the outside, one would only see his shaking body while inside Erik could only hear the ringing of his mana gate being struck again and again.

Once again, things like time started to disappear as Erik heard the first cracking noise.

He forged onwards, increasing the speed which the attacks landed on the mana gate. He wasn't a man to give up with just a small victory, he forced more mana through his body, his mana channels feeling painful and raw as he embraced the pain, welcomed it.

Pain tells you that you're alive! Erik let out a yell as his mana channels from his center up through his spine and down through his shoulder and arm were lit up with blue lights. If one was to look closely, they'd find that those blue lights looked like spears.

Rugrat came back some time later, seeing that Erik was working on opening more of his mana gates he left him to it.

Erik continued to fight the mana gate as the sun started to rise again.

Finally there was a breaking sound as the mana gate gave way and the surrounding mana once again rushed towards his body.

The last resistance gave way and a new thread of mana entered Erik's body, drifting through his mana channels, increasing the density of his mana.

Erik fell backwards, his eyes barely open as he looked at the two new screens.

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You have opened another mana gate!

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+1 to Mana Regeneration

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Quest Updated: Opening the Fourteen Gates

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Congratulations! You have opened your fourth mana gate.

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Requirements: Clear all of your fourteen gates (3/14)

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Rewards: +1 to mana regeneration base stat

Undergo mana body rebirth

1,400,000 EXP

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A victorious smile spread across his face as he finally let sleep and exhaustion take him.

Erik was greeted by a familiar sight.

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You have 5 attribute points to use.

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He placed one into Strength, one into Agility and Stamina regeneration with the last two going to Mana regeneration.

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Character Sheet

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Name: Erik West

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Level: 8

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Race: Human

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Titles: From the Grave

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Strength: (Base 7) +5

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120

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Agility: (Base 6) +7

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65

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Stamina: (Base 10) +0

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150

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Mana: (Base 3) +0

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30

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Mana Regeneration (Base 3) +12

3.95/s

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Stamina Regeneration: (Base 7) +11

4.35/s

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***

Erik woke up feeling invigorated, he took a few moments, enjoying the feeling of newfound strength and the mana flowing through his body.

With a smile he headed downstairs and got some food.

It wasn’t much later that Rugrat came down from his room as well.

“So what did you find last night?” Erik asked.

“First, I went to go and check on the Blue Lotus, they’re an auction house, one of the strongest that is found throughout the realms. No one, not even Lord Chonglu himself is willing to go against them.

They hold a high position but they don’t flaunt it, they act as an opening to the rest of the realm and the higher realms. They’ve got all kinds of goods that would be incredibly rare in this realm. They sell only quality goods or goods that people will fight over,” Rugrat said.

“What about materials?” Erik asked.

Rugrat shook his head.

“The fact is that there are only a few people in the first realm that are able to reach the apprentice level, at this stage in the upper realms, this is just the starting stage. Once one reaches the Journeyman stage they’re seen to have a use and a future. From low Journeyman to a high level Journeyman the difference is heaven and earth, a low Journeyman can be employed anywhere, with a high journeyman, being able to own their own workshop in the Mortal grade realms.”

Mortal grade realms referred to the first three realms, while Earth referred to the fourth, fifth and sixth realms, there was still Sky, Celestial and Divine above them, but these realms were places where even a local farmer would be more powerful than all the experts in the first realm.

“There’s also differences in skills, such as a formation carver is much harder to find than a smith. The resources for a formation master are harder to find than the materials for a smith at the same level. Though if a formation master and smith are to work together they’ll be able to create an item much more powerful than if they were to make it alone. Trying to sell these rare materials in the first realm would be a waste,” Rugrat said.

Erik nodded, if the value of these items weren’t realized then the Blue Lotus would take a great loss, the basic foundational books would be core inheritances in the first realm allowing the later generations the ability to advance quickly into the second realm and establish a firm foundation to advance further.

With there being few to no other places that had these books Erik and Rugrat would need to fight for these manuals and books with all that they had.

Which meant they had to gather as much money as possible.

“I don’t want to be the one, but might you be spending your time better healing with me?”

Rugrat grimaced, he really wanted to advance his smithing.

“Look, we can probably get you up to apprentice, which is a smooth ten thousand experience and some kind of random item or spell. Maybe it’s an item that we can sell? Also, if we’re both working, we can be faster, we could be earning ten silver a day if we just worked from morning to night,” Erik said.

Rugrat wasn’t a combat medic but he had extensive medical training just based on being in the military and different programs and qualifications he’d gained.

Compared to the knowledge of the common people, he was a genius doctor.

“Alright, we’ll do that then,” Rugrat said and held out the coins that Erik had given him the night before.

Erik waved him off, what was his, was Rugrat’s.

“Let’s get to healing,” Erik said.

They headed for the market, getting food along the way.

Erik headed into the office of the civil servant, paying the fee and bribe without being asked, getting him a pleased smile from the man there.

“I’ve heard good things about your stall. Keep up the good work and the other stalls around you might become prime real-estate,” the civil servant said, Erik’s ear picking up on a money-making scheme.

“As long as mister is willing to cut me a fee, I’ll be willing to send my patients there, as long as the prices aren’t too high,” Erik said carefully.

The civil servant sat back, appraising Erik.

“Very well, same prices, with the greater number of people it should still capture many’s interests.”

“Two apothecaries and some food places would be the best suited,” Erik thought aloud.

“Very well, I will make sure that there is a patrol nearby to deal with any issues,” the Civil servant said.

Erik nodded, so far nothing had gone wrong, but if people got rowdy things could get out of hand. Having the guards nearby to keep the peace would be a great help.

“Thank you for this opportunity,” Erik cupped his hands and bowed his head.

“No need for that,” the civil servant laughed with a smile, getting up from his seat and pulling Erik up.

“I hope for a long and prosperous relationship,” the civil servant smiled, holding out a stone token. Instead of being a daily pass, this was a weekly one.

Erik made to give the man more money.

“Don’t worry about the fee, this is the least I can do,” the civil servant laughed, clapping Erik on the back.

“Thank you,” Erik said honestly, it was clear the benefits he could earn from this partnership.

“No worries, I might have some patients in need of your care in the future,” the civil servant said.

“If they are people known to mister then I will do my best at a reduced rate.”

“Thank you greatly, master healer,” the civil servant said. “I will see you out.

After Erik left, the civil servant returned to his office, sitting there was a young looking man with a powerful aura.

“Guard Captain, it is all sorted out, we will be able to observe from close to see his skills,” the civil servant said, bowing to the man deeply.

He might take a bit off the top here and there, but his loyalty was to Lord Chonglu and the city. He had brought the information of the healer to the guard captain. Not many might know but Lord Chonglu and the Guard Captain had been looking for healers in the shadows for a month now.

“Well done, Pirez,” the guard captain said, standing. “Make sure you make a full accounting.”

“Yes, sir,” Pirez said in a grave tone, everything he took for himself was marked down, as long as he did so, the lord and others left him to it. If he could create more business then they were happy to let him take his little kickbacks.

“I hope that he is able to help,” the guard captain’s gaze contained some softness and fear before quickly disappearing as he left Pirez’s office.

***

Erik met with Rugrat and headed for their stall, it was the same as yesterday, already there were people lined up.

Vand was also there.

Erik paid him eight coppers directly.

“Today, I want you to organize the lines, this here is my friend Rugrat,” Erik said, waving to Rugrat at the side.

“He’s able to heal as well, if there are any issues let us know,” Erik said.

“Yes, mister West,” Vand nodded seriously.

“Good lad,” Erik said, clapping the boy on the shoulder, he might be simple, but he did everything to the best of his abilities.

“If you were here yesterday, please have your tokens ready!” Erik yelled out to the forty or so people that had gathered.

Tokens appeared in their hands as those without them looked over in jealousy.

“We’ll do triage, you deal with the simple wounds to get started, I’ll deal with the severe ones, once your progress slows towards the healing skill, take on more of the advanced healing cases,” Erik said to Rugrat.

“Got it,” Rugrat said, Erik had told him all of the healing secrets that he had learned in the last day, this combined with his knowledge should allow him to quickly advance into the healer apprentice level.

They quickly started, checking tokens and working through people in order, then triaging the patients afterwards, those with the worst afflictions were sorted out quickly, moving through.

The guard patrol kept coming around, maintaining order as the stores around had people moving out as food stalls and apothecaries replaced the animal feed and tool stalls.

Their experience, coin purses and skill levels continued to grow as people came to watch or be healed, word quickly spread.