I wanted to be left alone with my guilt, I rushed in forest alone and climbed the tree, wrapping my arms around knees and sank in negative thoughts, that's when I heard the voice in my head

' Oh, it's our Dylan, I wanted to check on you, are you doing well?'

I heard ''concerned'' voice in my head, it was the sovereign, I would never forget his voice

- You know how I am doing better than myself, don't you?

' No way, I was caught so easily? Puahahaha, anyway how are you doing? Aren't you sticking out like a sore thumb already? You'll soon get killed this way '

- I won't get myself killed for no reason

' Oh really? You were about to burst at any moment, it was so much fun looking at your expression, you were scared, weren't you, you were confused, if you racked your brain you could find a solution, it's your fault '

- SHUT UP, there was nothing I could do, I was too weak, I had no money to buy her freedom, I...

' Excuses, excuses, anyway she reminded you of your sister right? You were just there, and did not help, you do not change Dylan '

- Shut up, you hypocrite, why did you not help yourself? Aren't you all mighty?

' Y'see world is bigger than you think, and there are many worlds where life exists, I can not help them all even if I am all mighty and all, blaming me? You were just there, why did you not help?

I was silent, this bastard was stomping my sore point shamelessly, how could I respond?

' Puahahaha, teasing you is so good, I'll be in cheerful mood for next decade '

- Is your concept of time as wrecked as your brain?

' Good one and yes, my concept of time is different compared to yours, your perception is quite good '

- Say, if you don't want to involve yourself, then why not just give me some cheat abilities, being helpless... it's a very unpleasant feeling

' Bargaining with me? That won't do, I want you to struggle, I want you to be forged and I look forward to your change, if you change too fast then you won't be entertaining any longer so I'll just have to find the new one '

- You are an asshole, you know that?

' There has not been a single being who told me that and lived a day longer '

...

' Just kidding mate, teasing you will become my habit, so look out for my antics, well then I am busy, I am going '

- You are watching me like some TV show don't you? You can't be busy

' Eh, that's not true, I am a busy-busy manly man'

- I do not believe it, what are you busy with then?

' W, well, oh yeah, saving people? '

- Why is there a question mark in your voice? Sigh, just leave me alone

' Oi, cheer up, once you get stronger things will go your way, you just have to try harder and play smarter, go further and kill that Gruntar, oh yeah baby, I am the father of rhythm

- It was shitty, just leave me alone already

' Fine, fine, I will leave you with your own feelings, don't be so dramatic though, things like that happen couple of trillion times a day in the galaxy '

- Was that supposed to reassure me and cheer me up?

' Yep, it did not? Weird, I really lost the feeling of how I was back then a long time ago, what a pity '

- Say, can I really do it? Can I really get stronger? Are not the requirements too high? The amount of mana stones that I need in future will double all the time right?

' That's not true, from level 1 to you will need 5,10,20,40,80,160,320 and 640 mana stones, then at level 10 there's a break through, and you will need 1000 for reaching it, after, it increases by 100 for each higher level, there's also another good news, while until level 9 only grade of mana stones matters, from level 10, the level of mana stone will matter too, for example if you consume level 8 monster's mana stone at level 10, instead of 1 point your progress will increase by 8 points out of 1000. This does not work until level 9 though, mana stones all give 1 point until level 10, you get it? '

- Yeah, probably... but is not the requirement too high?

' It is, and that's why it's so hard to evolve, even some noble houses who sit on their asses and collect taxes have hard time reaching an evolution point, when you become level 30 you won't simply evolve either, there are further hardships, but I guess you are too weak to hear about that, I won't spoil the fun for you, well then, I shall leave you or knowing myself I might spill some information and make things easier for you, oh wait, I already did, shit, I'm out '

This guy... sigh

It was already morning, the sun did not rise and the air was still misty and cool, I sat down on the bigger branch of the thick tree and gulped down 3 mana stones

I could not properly refine them last time, I do not know if that'll give me some problems, I have to properly do it this time, this is my first step of getting powerful!

Cool refreshing energy swirled around in my stomach and as they melted they merged in my body, there was not a single cell left out, unlike last time the feeling I got was much better, probably because I guided the energies while fully concentrating on them, it felt natural and nothing hard to grasp and there it was, I felt my body was stronger than before, I clenched my fists, the feeling was there, level not only increased the damage dealt against the lower level enemy, but it also increased physical abilities, although leap was not huge it was there, I was no longer at the bottom of the food chain, but it was not enough

Steadily, I shall become stronger and stronger, now I need 10 mana stones to reach level 3, I have 1 left but I want to grab some shoes or sandals with it, I can also have my hut since I have become level 2

I can even hire some low level goblins and make them hunt for me, but I do not want to rely on others, I am different, I want to be strong myself, not to depend on crowd, then that's settled