Does every adventurer typically have so many near death experiences in the span of a few days?

I think most people wouldn't endure through the wounds you sustained and simply accept their death. You gotta keep in mind death is merely a setback most of the time.

So you're saying I'm prolonging my own suffering?

Sorta... But not quite since we still don't know what will happen to our vessels if your body gives out.

Speaking of bleeding out...

Goldie looked over to the still shallowly breathing wolf from before. The gaping wound had partially closed, but the animal had lost a lot of blood.

"Wow you sure have a lot of vitality in you don't you, buddy?"

The wolf tried to retreat from his former assailant, but was clearly too weak to move.

"It's okay, I won't hurt you if you don't hurt me," he spoke in as reassuring a tone he could muster. "I'm sorry for stabbing you. I know you were only following your master's orders. Not your fault he was a murderous lunatic."

Hey bud, he can't understand you.

"You think I don't know that!?"

He crouched down next to the dying animal and started stroking its bloodstained, silver fur.

"I wish I could heal you, but I don't know how."

Even if he did, bringing himself back from the brink of death severely limited his Energy reserves.

"I'm sorry I can't help you."

He stayed next to it for the next couple of minutes, even after the wolf's breathing had ceased. The corpse did not instantly disappear like all the other creatures he had come across.

This revelation even further broke Goldie's heart.

"I killed a completely innocent animal," he said in a resigned tone. "I... I can't keep doing this Xander. I'm turning into a monster."

Don't be so melodramatic. You won't turn into a monster and you were only defending yourself.

NO! I chose this! I shouldn't even have come here!

He felt hopeless. Nothing he'd do would change the tragedy that has befallen him and he was only digging deeper into his own grave.

"I should just quit. This is a waste of time and I'm just turning into what I hate!"

PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER!

He did his best to surpress his rampant emotions and focused on his breathing.

It took him another few minutes of repeating those words in his head like a mantra, but he eventually calmed down.

You look exhausted buddy. If you want, I can take over your motor functions for a while, so you can sleep.

If I wanted to sleep, I might as well use the tent we bought earlier today.

But I thought you were all about efficiency? Doing nothing for a few hours seems highly inefficient to me.

And that brilliant plan is what you came up with?

We already know it's possible for me to control you when you're knocked out. Why shouldn't this work? And even if I'm the one who ends up getting experience, it's not like your missing out ony anything since you'd be asleep anyway.

You know, that almost sounds like a good idea. Except for the part where I have someone else in control of my body.

No plan's perfect. Whaddya say pal? Let me stretch my.. your.. our? legs a little while you're out of commission?

I think not. It's nothing personal. The idea simply doesn't sit right with me.

Man, why don't you trust me!? I have nothing to gain from pissing you off!

Listen, it's not you specifically I don't trust. I wouldn't trust anyone to steer me like a puppet.

Fuck you! You know how much it fucking sucks to be stuck without a body? I can't feel a single gods dammed physical sensation! And I have nobody to talk to!

You have me, don't you?

It isn't you I want to talk to. IT'S ANYONE ELSE! Why would I want a middle-aged, mentally unstable, fucking forty-year-old Gemeen as my only conversational partner!

Calm down a bit okay? We can maybe work something -

NO! BY NÉRJÂKA SHUT UP! Ever since I've been stuck here, which you are wholly to blame for might I add, you haven't done a GODS DAMMED THING TO HELP ME OUT!

WHAT WOULD YOU -

SHUT THE FUCK UP! You know how many times I've saved your ass? And you won't even let me have this. I only wanted to move around a bit!

Now look -

Before Goldie could finish his sentence, he slapped himself across the face.

"What the hells!", Goldie yelped aloud.

Don't forcibly take control away!

Why? You won't willingly give it to me will you, you fucking prick?

Xander then proceeded to make Goldie kick himself in the leg and trip over.

STOP! Look I know you must feel -

You don't know shit! You have no idea what this is like!

Xander once again tried seizing control of his arm, but this time Goldie was ready for it. He superimposed his will against Xander's and completely shut him out of his nervous system. Inside his soul space Xander's tendrils reached out to him once more, but Goldie lashed out and struck them away. What followed was less of a sound, and more of a telepathic screech of anguish.

Indomitable Will has risen to Lvl 15!

HOLY SHIT! What did you just do? Tell me what you did!

I don't know! I stopped you from taking over my body at least!

Whatever it was felt like the worst pain I've ever experienced. Don't you ever do that again!

I promise I won't. You ought to promise to never try and manipulate my body again in exchange!

...

I'm honestly terribly sorry for what I've done. I can't imagine what this is like for you. But you must realize I can't just let you do what you want? Especially not while we're in this dungeon. As soon as we're back on the surface I'll see if I can work something out. Maybe even talk to someone about this.

You just want an excuse to talk to your crush!

What?

That prasmian monk that saw you naked.

Are you cracking a joke right now?

She might legitimately know something about this, since that's what her organization is all about.

You have a point there. Even if she doesn't know anything, she might know somebody who does. So, do we have a deal?

Okay Gordon, I'll play along for now. But you better keep your word or else I'll wreck as much havoc in here as I possibly can!

Having his, and Xander's, personal grievances somewhat sorted out, Goldie sat down next to the dead adventurer and decided to finally look over some of his newly gained skills. Most of them, like Sword mastery and Sprint, were self-explanatory. Others... he looked over just to make sure.

Hair Trigger Lvl 1: Enhances speed of instinctual reflexes when affected by high levels of stress. Effectiveness determined by Agility, Intelligence, Perception, Insight and Lvl.

Anima Absorption Lvl 3: C L A S S I F I E D

Anima Conversion Lvl 1: Enables user to transform raw anima into its lower forms. Efficiency of conversion dependent on Willpower, Insight and Lvl.

Undying Will Lvl 1: You can stay alive for a limited amount of time while your Health is below zero through sheer force of will. Amount of time capable of staying alive dependent on severity of wounds, Willpower and Lvl.

The classified description worried him more than it annoyed him. Considering the slew of strange messages when he received it having further issues was to be expected and its effects weren't exactly difficult to discern. However, the simple fact that classified skills existed made Goldie ponder if he had accidentally broken some taboo. Why had not Soul Capture too been classified? If any of his abilities deserved so, it was the one that literally trapped somebody else's vessel within him. Maybe the problems were linked to some unknown ability? They had only arisen when the interface searched for a synergy after all.

He decided not to worry about it too much, for there was nothing he could to about it at this point in time. Instead he focused on further replenishing his Energy and fully healing his wounds, as he stared up between the tree's branches.

Lying there in an alien forest, corpses beside him, and a sky filled with false stars above him, the reality of the situation came crashing back down upon his psyche.

He had killed two people and many monsters.

He had become an adventurer and gained mystical powers he had only heard stories of.

He was wearing torn up armor and outfitted with weapons that he used to have stocked in his store.

And he was hundreds of feet below the surface with his back resting against a gigantic mushroom, his body aching terribly.

It had only been a week ago where he had not been aware of any of this. Aspirations of adventure literally never having entered his thoughts. Staying in his own little world, filled with monotonous days of work yes, but filled with many friendly faces too.

Goldie thought of his acquaintances, realizing how little he truly knew about them. He remembered Frederik. A man he had promised his aid. Aid that was now never going to come. Did they even know? Know what had happened to him, to his company? Already when breaking free from the towns influence upon his psyche had he recognized his lack of friends. He hoped that some of them would mourn for him, but who knew whether they had even an inkling as to what had transpired.

He had left all of them behind. As disgusted as he was with the Sahíl and their treatment of the Gemeen, he was no better. He had abandoned his people and for what?

Petty revenge.

He didn't need to get his father's watch back, he didn't even need the money. He'd still had 1000G. More than enough to do small scale business and build himself back up.

He had been irrational. Filled with all the surpressed anger of past years and impulsively decided to leave on a quest for vengeance.

It was during this moment of clarity, with the weight of his loss bearing down on him, that Goldie wept. Wept for the first time since the dawn of the path he now treaded upon. Wept for the first time since his father's death some thirty-five years ago. Wept and wept until he could produce not a single tear more.

I'm sorry for all the trouble my ex associates and I have caused you... Truly.

Goldie let out a half sob half snicker upon hearing his internal companion's words.

"I don't blame you. I blame the system you grew up in. It is without a doubt rotten to its core."

His moment of introspection was cut off by the crunching of moss ahead of him. Goldie immediately shot up and held his sword at the ready.

"Well well well, I thought I heard someone crying. To think it's mister Xandon 'Jack of all Trades' Jefferite", a familiar voice sounded. "I knew you didn't deserve that certification. You're just a fucking crybaby that bursts into tears after his first kill."

"Good to see you too, Donald." Goldie replied.

"Let's cut to the chase. I want a rematch. A fight to the death of course. After I kill you I'll gladly collect that fancy cloak and dagger of yours."

"And what makes you think you'll beat me this time?"

"Pah! The exam is a total farce. You'd never have beaten me in a real fight. But in front of those judges, in that arena? Where instant kills are unallowed and we are required to idiotically show off our abilities? Of course you'd win. But in a true battle, brutal efficiency is the true path to victory and you my friend.."

He had entered full on monologue at this point. Rambling on and on about the unfairness of the system and how he'd spent his whole life training to blah blah blah does he never shut up?

This has gone on for more than long enough.

Goldie quickly activated Essence Concealment in addition to his cloaks light-warp, shortly followed up by a slash across Tynes' neck...

*ACK*

Resulting in a gurgling cough cutting off his tirade.

"There's brutal efficiency for you", Goldie remarked with an impish grin.

Assassination has risen to Lvl 18!

Donald weakly swung his sword in Goldie's direction, a blow easily deflected. Shortly after, Goldie stabbed his dagger into Tynes' heart.

"You aren't the only one who can dual wield my good sir."

He may have come here and gone through all this trouble for petty revenge, but this moment reminded him of a simple truth.

Revenge is sweet.

There was a healthy amount of people in the world that would walk over anyone they deemed lesser. Goldie would gladly prove them wrong and make sure they received their just deserts.