Chapter 73: Chapter 73 – Growth
’I have no idea how Theodor is going to explain my absence to Samson. I have no idea how I would explain all of this shit.’
’I mean, I can speak Sandspeak perfectly now, and I also advanced and even got a new weapon.’
Kyle shrugged. ’Well, not my problem. Theodor said he would tell me what to say.’
’I mean, he is super smart, right? Also, he’s not a goldfish anymore!’
Kyle moved through the wilderness.
He had seen the mountain that led to Theodor’s Inheritance Crypt from a distance before.
It was a couple of kilometers to the northeast of the unofficial entrance Kyle had used to get into the crypt.
As Kyle traversed the wilderness, his instincts suddenly alerted him of something.
He looked towards the southeast and could hear very faint rustling from a distance.
’Hmmm,’ Kyle thought as he looked in that direction.
He wasn’t nervous at all.
The Kyle who had entered the crypt couldn’t be compared to the current version of him.
This was Kyle 2.0 now!
He had fought several dangerous battles, and he even got past a bunch of Ore Fiends.
Also, there was this crazy voice inside his head that could tell him what to do in a crisis.
’The power of schizophrenia!’ Kyle thought.
Naturally, Kyle’s instincts didn’t come from his "vast" battle experience but from his Predator’s Being.
And right now, his instincts were telling him that food was arriving.
It wasn’t something completely helpless in front of him, but he could tell that he could easily win.
Kyle moved towards the noise.
"What are you doing?" Theodor asked with annoyance.
Kyle put his finger in front of his mouth to tell Theodor to shut up.
"Insolent mortal! How dare you disrespect your master?!"
However, Kyle just ignored Theodor and continued walking forward.
Suddenly, the rustling stopped.
’Yeah, okay,’ Kyle thought with annoyance. ’Yes, yes, I know. I’m good at fighting, but I’m still fucking loud.’
Naturally, Kyle didn’t know how to sneak properly, and his food had sensed him.
A moment later, the rustling returned, and this time, it was much louder.
’Luckily, my food wants to enter my mouth,’ he thought with a smirk.
Suddenly, something burning jumped over the bush in front of Kyle.
It was a Spitter, and it had readied a fireball.
Kyle wanted to strike it out of the air, but he stopped.
’I wonder...’
As soon as the Spitter saw Kyle, it shot its fireball at him.
Kyle just put the head of his hammer in front of his face.
BOOOOM!
The fireball passed below the hammer and hit Kyle in the chest.
Kyle was forced to take a step back due to the impact.
The volatile liquid covering his chest kept the fire burning.
’It’s a bit hot,’ Kyle thought. ’Reminds me of the fire in the fourth trial.’
Yet, despite the violent flames, neither Kyle’s clothing nor he himself were damaged.
This was what he wanted to test.
The scaly Spitters were stronger than normal Spitters, right?
If he could deal with the scaly Spitters, he could definitely deal with the normal ones.
Kyle moved his hammer over his shoulder and just looked forward.
When the Spitter saw Kyle calm and uninjured, it quickly gave two short barks and turned around.
’Nah, mate,’ Kyle thought.
BANG!
He shot forward and caught up with the Spitter in an instant.
BOOOOM!
Kyle’s hammer hit the Spitter’s torso, and the Spitter’s body flew for several meters.
BANG!
And hit the trunk of one of the iron trees.
It was dead in an instant.
In the distance, Kyle heard more rustling.
This was the sound of the other Spitters retreating.
When Kyle heard the sound of the retreating Spitters, he smiled widely.
’I’m strong now!’ he thought.
He still remembered how difficult his fight against that one Spitter had been.
That had happened just three weeks ago or so.
But in those three weeks, Kyle had undergone a transformation.
He had advanced a level.
He had strengthened his body with natural resources.
He had received an Aristocrat’s body.
He finally had a weapon he was familiar with.
He had fought many battles.
He had gotten familiar with his own power.
He had gained courage.
Killing a Spitter was no longer hard.
"Why are you wasting your time with vermin? We have more important things to do!" Theodor shouted in Kyle’s mind.
"I’m hungry," Kyle said as he approached the Spitter.
"Foolish mortal, you can’t consume beasts!" Theodor said.
Kyle just wordlessly approached the corpse, tore a leg off, and took a bite.
"Are you suicidal?!" Theodor shouted.
Yet, when he saw Kyle consuming the leg without any issues, he became shocked.
"Yeah, you said that like five times already," Kyle answered. "Maybe this time, you will remember."
"I’m half-dwarf or something. I don’t exactly know," Kyle said.
"I only know that I can grow more powerful by eating beasts."
Theodor remained silent for several seconds.
’Here it comes,’ Kyle thought with an eye roll.
"I’m inside the body of a caveman!" Theodor lamented. "No wonder you’re this simple!"
"Yes, yes. You said that already," Kyle said while chewing on the leg.
"A simpleton! A caveman! A tribal dwarf! A servant! An idiot!" Theodor lamented once again.
"Chill out, grandpa. Let him sit in the front of the bus," Kyle commented.
"Listen to you!" Theodor shouted. "You’re making no sense! How typical of a dwarf!"
Kyle rolled his eyes again.
"Boss, I passed your trial, did I not? If I were that stupid, would I be able to pass it?" he asked.
Kyle did his best not to snort.
’Yeah, I totally would have. The fire was like the only thing that needed any kind of smarts,’ he thought.
Kyle could feel that Theodor was still disgusted.
"While you are a simple forest-dweller, your words are not without validity," he said. "You did pass my trial, and you became my inheritor."
"It seems like you are not like the other dwarves."
"Yeah," Kyle answered. "I’m a half-dwarf."
Theodor remained silent for a while.
"You know, you being a half-dwarf might actually be useful," Theodor said.
"You going to say now that you can’t be racist because you have a dwarf friend?" Kyle asked with a snicker.
"Insolent mortal! I do not have any friends! Be they human or dwarf!"
"I can tell," Kyle answered with another chuckle.