CHAPTER 77: WHISPERS OF THE CRACK

Chapter 76 – Whispers of the Crack

"Just how much do we need to fight in a day?!"

Lirael’s voice carried a mix of exasperation and disbelief as she wiped blood from her dagger. Her tone wasn’t sharp, but weary—the kind of complaint that came only after relentless exhaustion.

Around them, the stench of goblin blood hung thick in the damp forest air. The corpses of the ambushing party were sprawled in the mud, their green skin dulling as the life drained out of them.

Ethan dropped heavily onto a stone, exhaling as though the weight of the whole day pressed on his shoulders. His armor was smeared with dirt and dark stains, his breaths rough. "Really... it’s getting ridiculous. How many battles have we fought today? Six? Seven?"

"It’s seven!" Lirael snapped, hands on her hips as she kicked away a severed goblin arm from her boots. "Seven fights in one day. Just how much did the monster activity increase in this cursed stretch of road? We’re on the sixth day—by our pace, we should have seen Iridale’s walls yesterday!"

The soldiers didn’t complain, there was no fatigue in their movements. They methodically bent over corpses, prying out the glowing mana crystals and dropping them into leather pouches. The rhythmic clinking of stone against stone was the only answer for a while.

Ethan leaned back and gave a crooked grin. "Haaah... well, at least one thing’s positive—we’re going to be filthy rich when we finally reach the walls." He rolled his shoulders, wincing slightly, and nodded toward the soldiers. "The haul from today alone... enough to keep us drinking for weeks."

Inwardly, a thread of conversation stirred—silent words passing only between him and Lirael.

Indeed... Lirael’s mental voice was softer, almost sly. Not only are we earning from Darian’s commission, but we also get the share of your four summoned soldiers. They do most of the dirty work, and no one suspects a thing. It makes the whole job... convenient, doesn’t it?

Ethan smirked faintly. Convenient is one way to put it. Easy coin.

Easy coin, and easier cover, Lirael added, her violet eyes flicking toward the merchant’s cart as if to check Darian’s position. So long as we keep pretending these soldiers are "on training," no suspicion falls on us.

They both chuckled quietly in the link, a small reprieve from the weight of battle.

But then Darian, who had been watching with furrowed brows, broke the silence. "Don’t forget the soldiers," he said in a steady, appreciative tone. "They’re the hardest-working of us all. Without them, I’d have been long dead." His face softened into a thin smile. "And don’t worry. I’ll raise your pay to two gold. Honestly, I didn’t expect this route to be so dangerous. So many monster packs in one stretch... it’s unnatural."

He hesitated, eyes narrowing at the treeline, as if considering something troubling. "I wonder... if a crack has appeared somewhere near."

The forest seemed to quiet at those words. Even the soldiers paused for a moment before resuming their collection.

"A crack?" Ethan repeated, his tone cautious.

Darian nodded grimly. "A fracture between worlds. They’re... not rare, but never welcome. Most cracks open from destroyed realms, bleeding their remnants into ours. Monsters pour through. Sometimes it’s knowledge—lost magic, forgotten techniques. Sometimes treasures beyond imagining. But sometimes..." He trailed off, his hand tightening on the reins of his cart. "... sometimes it’s something alive. Ancient beings. Things that should never walk our lands."

A chill brushed the air. The trees, already looming, seemed darker for a moment.

Lirael crossed her arms, her usual irritation subdued by intrigue. "And if such a thing happened here?"

"If it’s a minor crack," Darian said, "we endure waves of monsters until adventurers clear it. But cracks never vanish once they form. They remain—anchored. Controlled, studied, sometimes even... owned. The wealthy turn them into private domains, entire spaces of their own. But if it’s a major one..." He shook his head. "Then expect the entire area around it to be doomed."

The words sank heavy. Ethan glanced at the horizon—the faint outline of mountains barely visible beyond the canopy. Six days on the road, and still no sign of Iridale’s walls. The path ahead felt suddenly less certain, as if the land itself conspired to delay them.

The silence lingered, broken only by the last crystal being pried free from a corpse. The pouch snapped shut with a dull thud, and one soldier gave a curt nod—ready to move again.

Ethan pushed himself back onto his feet, rolling his stiff shoulders. "Well... crack or not, if something’s ahead, we’ll deal with it. Same as always." His voice was steady, but his eyes were sharper than before, scanning the shadows of the forest.

Lirael smirked faintly, though her hand lingered on her blade. "You make it sound so simple."

"Simple?" Ethan shrugged. "No. Necessary."

And with that, they pressed on, the tension of unseen possibilities hanging like a storm on the horizon.

The group trudged along the forest road, boots crunching against roots and gravel, the air heavy with the lingering stench of blood.

Inside their private link, Ethan’s voice carried a teasing lilt.

Say, say... what should I increase next? he drawled, tone dripping with mischief. You get tired so quickly, maybe I should dump points into your stamina. Then again, when you fire arrows, they just scratch the surface...

He said in humorous tone.

Lirael stiffened, her violet eyes narrowing suspiciously.

Hmm, Ethan mused aloud in the link, I should really raise your strength instead. That way, you can at least try resisting when you’re used as my pillow.

Her head snapped toward him, eyes wide, her cheeks instantly flushing crimson.

But, Ethan added casually, if I boost you now, that weak-ass bow of yours might just snap in half. Haah... let’s decide when we reach Iridale.

Her fists clenched so tight her knuckles went white. She practically vibrated with restrained fury, caught between anger and embarrassment. The only reason she didn’t lash out at him right there was the presence of Darian and the soldiers.

"..."

She finally spat a sharp curse through the link and cut off her side of the connection.

Ethan only chuckled to himself, enjoying the small victory, his smirk hidden behind the shadow of his hood.

---

Despite the banter, the truth was undeniable—they had grown stronger. Each battle, each kill, each crystal harvested had pushed them forward at a staggering pace. Ethan could feel the difference in every motion of his body; his strikes carried more weight, his mana surged with greater intensity, and his endurance seemed endless.

By now, his raw stats alone placed him brushing the threshold of a mid B-rank adventurer. Lirael, too, had climbed swiftly, nearing the peak of C-rank.

All thanks to the flood of SP Ethan had reaped from this brutal journey—and the trade-offs he made.

He had funneled nearly everything into stat points. The results spoke for themselves.

---

Current Levels

Lirael Vaerune

Level 9 (71,656 / 78,235) → Close to Level 10.

Stats after allocation:

Strength: 6.6 → 18.6

Vitality: 13.0 → 26.0

Constitution: 8.8 → 23.8

Agility: 13.4 → 25.4

Stamina: 11.1 → 24.1

Intelligence: 10.9 → 25.9

Mana: 12.2 → 22.2

Unallocated stats: 20(90) → 0(20)

(She gained 8 more from level up)

Her growth had been remarkable—her body more refined, her shots faster and sharper, though still lacking Ethan’s overwhelming weight.

---

Ethan Cross

Level 11 (93,456 / 1,79,030) → Midway to Level 12.

SP gained: 1,91,756

SP spent on stats: 90 points

SP remaining: 11,756 (total stored: 50,560)

Stats after allocation:

Strength: 21.3 → 30.3

Vitality: 18.8 → 38.8

Constitution: 19.0 → 37.0

Agility: 18.1 → 28.1

Stamina: 21.4 → 39.4

Intelligence: 16.0 → 36.0

Mana: 11.9 → 21.9

Unallocated Stats: 105 → 0

Passive bonuses:

+25% All Stats

+50% Strength & Mana

The difference was monstrous. Every step he took felt steadier, heavier, more dangerous. It wasn’t just raw numbers—his body itself resonated with power, a faint hum beneath his skin.

This continuous battles they encountered help them adjust to thier new strenght quickly, and with the passive effect of Will of the Crown, both Ethan and Lirael benefited greatly.

---

As they walked, Darian eyed them curiously. "You two don’t seem nearly as worn down as you should be," he remarked, adjusting the reins of his cart. "Most adventurers would be half-dead after what we’ve faced these past days."

Ethan gave a faint shrug, careful to keep his smirk hidden. "Good training," he said simply.

Beside him, Lirael muttered something inaudible, still too red-faced to meet Ethan’s smug glance.

But even as laughter flickered in his chest, Ethan’s mind ticked with calculation. At this pace... by the time we reach Iridale, I’ll be far beyond a fresh B-rank. And if another crack really has opened nearby...

He clenched his fists, feeling the surge of strength coil in his arms.

Then maybe it’s time to test just how far I’ve come.

-----------------

A/N: ATTENTION!!

From now on I will be showing Ethan, Lirael and ethan’s future servants stats in author note every 15 to 30 Chapters.

Have to say, its a chore to keep track of thier stats, xp and others in check.

Do let me know if you all are fine with it or you guys prefer them as usual in the story like I have been doing till now.

THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT.