The World of Tactics

Chapter Twenty-Four IV: A Conspiracy

"My father was the best hunter that I have ever seen and was my only worship. I felt that my father was never some ordinary hunter at all. From time to time, I could feel the rush of death when watching my father draw the bow. The skin crawled, my hair tightened, and the pumping blood that was coursing through my veins stopped. The deadliest archer on the battlefield. I believe that the skills taught by my father were none other than the skills used to kill enemies.

However, on one unknown day, my father suddenly disappeared. There was no news of him and none of the villagers had seen a glimpse of him at all. Thus, I believe that my father had encountered something unexpected. One, old enemies. Two, back into the military. And three, which were the most unlikely, died under the jaw of a bear. Nothing was certain and I have not found any evidence either of my long-term hunting.

I intend to find my father and grow better with the bow. I'll search for my father during my service and it will be what I need to help push my bow capability through the limits. My wife and children will come back once I have the results. All of the wealth that I have collected through my years of hunting will last half a decade. Our eldest son already had the same abilities as I was when I was starting out hunting. Now, it is time for me to leave. I will not be gone for long. Just a couple of years at best (Result) and a couple of months at worst (Death)."

---

He sneaked out some hot meat strips and handed a couple to Alex and went back to gnawing on his own. This should be able to help Alex fight off the night cold for a bit. As for him, he got the benefit of peace and inner quietness to think of things. Even while staring at the vines that were not moving, the shuffling tree leaves from the night winds and the echoing sounds of life from all around nature. His mind wandered back to what he saw with his two younger siblings' status. He did not know if this was just a blessing in disguise or something, but he was not happy even though the two gained something out of it.

His younger brother Hugo became tenacious beyond doubt, which is a good thing. It was even reflective of Hugo's status. Hugo even gained a skill called [Tenacious] that even increased health points for every two points of the constitution. The other effect was that Hugo's defense stat growth rate also increased by five points for every two points of the constitution stat. That is what made him helpless because he wanted Hugo to grow stronger, yet suffering such traumas is not worth it. Hugo's status screen reads:

[Name: Hugo Smith][Class: Blank][Level: 7/10][Rank: 0][HP: 8/8] +2

[STR: 3(5) / [1][2][3][][] ]

[MAG: 0(5) / [][][][][] ]

[SKL: 2(5) / [1][2][][][] ]

[SPD: 3(5) / [1][2][3][][] ]

[LCK: 5(5) / [1][2][3][4][5] ]

[DEF: 2(5) / [1][2][][][] ]

[RES: 3(5) / [1][2][3][][] ]

[Hidden: [CON: 5][MOV: 5][SKILL: [Tenacious]][EXP: --/100][WEA: N/A]]

[Growth Rate][HP: 33][STR: 35][MAG: 0][SKL: 25][SPD: 45][LCK: 88][DEF: 20-30][RES: 20]

[Tenacious - Firm will, +1HP and DEF growth rate +5 for every two CON. +2HP. DEF growth rate +10. CON: 5.]

The same goes for his younger sister, Savannah. He knows that her magic growth rate was already high, but due to the causes. Savannah also gained a new skill called [Stone Trauma]. The effects were immediate and he could see where things had gone wrong. The [Stone Trauma] skill also increases Savannah's magic growth rate by twenty-five. The other effect was that it also increased all of the magic affinities by ten points. Right now, Savannah is in a position where the skill becomes very beneficial for her, but he did not want her like that. Savannah's status screen reads:

[Name: Savannah Smith][Class: Blank][Level: 6/10][Rank: 0][HP: 5/5]

[STR: 0(5) / [][][][][] ]

[MAG: 4(5) / [1][2][3][4][] ]

[SKL: 1(5) / [1][][][][] ]

[SPD: 1(5) / [1][][][][] ]

[LCK: 3(5) / [1][2][3][][] ]

[DEF: 1(5) / [1][][][][] ]

[RES: 4(5) / [1][2][3][4][] ]

[Hidden: [CON: 5][MOV: 5][SKILL: [Stone Trauma]][EXP: --/100][WEA: N/A]]

[Growth Rate][HP: 22][STR: 5][MAG: 75 (50+25)][SKL: 20][SPD: 20][LCK: 75][DEF: 20][RES: 40]

[Stone Trauma - Blank cognitive, MAG growth rate +25. All magic affinities +10.]

The two skills are not the main problem. He believes that the main problem lies in the fact that the two are still young and could not change classes yet. This becomes a problem because he still has to wait until the two are ten years old before training the two. After all, there is no other way of leveling up between the two. He was not going to rush through since time was on his side and things could slow progress. Three years for Hugo and four years for Savannah, he can wait.

Thinking about things deep into the night, he had already eaten three well-seasoned wolf meat strips. The night was so calming, but at the same time, wild. Alex was barely hanging on since the night was alluring and the resistance to sleep waned with time. The same goes for him as well. Henry, along with the hunter named Forest, came from behind. His mind clarified moments just after his eyelids heavily fell. It was because he could straight up feel the two presences coming in their direction. Though slight, he could still distinguish the two from the rest and could easily recognize them.

He gave the two a gaze or two before following Alex down the stairs to the ground floor before approaching the staircase that led to the basement floor. His mind was still on Henry and Forest. It was especially so for Forest since this was the first time he found a class that was a hunter that had three skills way before anything. He could say that Forest is quite talented in regards to skills. After all, having just one skill is pretty uncommon at their levels, and for Forest to have three. He contributed that Forest was quite experienced for a thirty-year-old man. Henry and Forest's status screens read:

[Name: Henry][Class: Soldier (Grade 2)][Level: 20/37][Rank: 2][HP: 22/22]

[STR: 7(20) / [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][][][][][][][][][][][][][] ]

[MAG: 0(10) / [][][][][][][][][][] ]

[SKL: 9(20) / [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][][][][][][][][][][][] ]

[SPD: 6(20) / [1][2][3][4][5][6][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] ]

[LCK: 5(30) / [1][2][3][4][5][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] ]

[DEF: 4(20) / [1][2][3][4][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] ]

[RES: 2(10) / [1][2][][][][][][][][] ]

[Hidden: [CON: 9][MOV: 6][SKILL: [Discipline]][EXP: 44/100][WEA: Lance D+]

[Growth Rate][HP: 36][STR: 34][MAG: 0][SKL: 45][SPD: 20][LCK: 20][DEF: 28][RES: 18]

[Equip: Bronze Lance (25/35)]

[Name: Forest][Class: Hunter (Grade 2)][Level: 21/37][Rank: 2][HP: 18/18]

[STR: 6(20) / [1][2][3][4][5][6][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] ]

[MAG: 0(10) / [][][][][][][][][][] ]

[SKL: 10(20) / [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][][][][][][][][][][] ]

[SPD: 7(20) / [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][][][][][][][][][][][][][] ]

[LCK: 1(30) / [1][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] ]

[DEF: 3(20) / [1][2][3][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] ]

[RES: 3(10) / [1][2][3][][][][][][][] ]

[Hidden: [CON: 9][MOV: 6][SKILL: [Hunt][Sharp Shooter][Bow User]][EXP: 85/100][WEA: Bow C]

[Growth Rate][HP: 24][STR: 22][MAG: 0][SKL: 55][SPD: 26][LCK: 9][DEF: 19][RES: 28]

[Equip: Horned Bow (45/60)]

[Horned Bow: Might +2, Hit+60, Crit+5, Weigh=6.0, Durability: 45/60 (Bow D)]

[Quivers (Arrows: Bronze Tipped): Might+1, Hit+15, Crit+0, Weigh=0.1, Arrows: 45/60]

[Hunt - Might +2 when against beast monsters.]

[Sharp Shooter - Hit +20 when wielding a bow weapon.]

[Bow User - Might +2 when wielding a bow weapon.]

Dismissing the two status screens, he continues down the stairs. He went to the room that contained the bedding where Hugo and Savannah were sleeping. Just as he was about to open the door, he could hear the slight sound of pants and the sound of 'swish-swish.' He could tell that it was Hugo just from his senses. The moment he opened the door, Hugo paused in shock and he could see that Hugo was holding on to a sword-lengthed wooden stick.

He also pauses because he knows that Hugo prefers a sword over a lance. This just reminded him that he had got something for Hugo. He slowly approached Hugo who was staring at him and patted Hugo on the head. He said, "Here, put this on." Before continuing, "This is a magic ring and you will know how to properly use a sword." Hugo just quietly stared at him like a stranger before putting on the ring of swordsmanship. The silly Hugo is gone and before him was a strangely serious and awkward Hugo whose mind was set on becoming stronger.

Since Hugo did not reply, he moved on to Savannah who was pretending to sleep. He could see that Savannah's eyes were twitching in the distance. The same goes for her eyebrows. She could not hide anything because it was too obvious with the occasional peek. He sighed that the two were not sleeping after he watched half of the night. He approaches Savannah and quietly fits the bracer of fire affinity on her right hand. After it roughly gets fitted into Savannah's arm, the bracer of fire affinity automatically shrinks to her size.

The beds were full and he did not care about his sleeping spot, so he went to sit in one of the corners. It was an exhausting day and mentally draining at night. That was just how tiring and draining it was. Life had always been unexpected and it was the same this time for him. From the moment he was born till now. This was just the moment that his life had flashed quickly at him. His whole body completely relaxed once his heavy eyelids closed and he directly fell asleep.

The hours passed quickly and he woke up with a startle. The shuffling, banging, packing, and the lively people had already woken up. He scraped his eyelids to get rid of the eye boogers. He realized that Hugo and Savannah were still sleeping. Considering that the two are quite stubborn and did go to sleep yesterday, it was easy to reason.

He was no better, but he did not like the thought of having his two younger siblings stay there. No matter how sore or tired he was, it was best to take them back to the village and the mansion once again. If the two would like to stay in the mansion, he plans on demolishing it, then renovating it. He huddled up the two and carried the two each on his arm. Since the two were quite small and bony, it was easy for him to carry the two. As for his iron lance, he had already taken it back into his item slot.

The morning breakfast was nothing but gruel with just water and brown rice. The amount of rice is not even enough for a fulfilled stomach and the gruel is mostly water. Aside from that, he handed over sixty well-seasoned meat strips. He knows that the gruel was not enough and it may delay their journey back. He knew for sure that he did not want any delay along the way. His mother is still waiting for him.

The morning air was cool, slightly wet in the air, and the smell of the plantations was strong. The two within his arms slightly trembled and he swiftly took out the torn cloak that he had on and covered the two. He waited until the soldiers were completely ready and the same goes for the villagers. Once everyone was packed, the gate opened and it would remain open until they came back again, because the only way inside was to open the gate using the mechanic from within.

He believed that once in a while, there would sometimes be other monsters who would occupy the fort. By then, when this fort is revisited for inspection, the monsters will be eradicated. He also obtained a map of the fort and he could tell that there, two hundred troops could be stationed permanently. Then they got to the vines and made their way through. The vines were slightly wet due to the condensation of the water during the night's cold. Otherwise, nothing was hampering their way forward.

[Forest - A hunter within the village under the fief of Sir Roylis Smith. He came to the village some time ago in hopes of making it big as one of the few hunters within the village. Married and had three sons. He was trained by his father, who was known as one of the best archers in a certain battalion. Even then, his father, when compared to other archers within other battalions, was not weak either. However, he never knew of his father's glorious history. It was only later down the line while following the main character that he found out who his father was. A sniper, the best of the best of archers.]