Chapter 28 – System Check — Still Standing
In the morning, the air feels lighter. Not because the world got easier—but because the bond feels alive. There’s determination there now—something sharper, edged with excitement—as we break camp. Kit playfully bumps my hip. Raka carries half the gear without being asked, her tail wagging lazily as I sense that she’s content in the idea of a growing pack.
It takes a few hours and it’s midday when we stride back into the Feisty Dwarf it’s with a lighter step and a plan burning behind our eyes
The three of us settle into our familiar booth, the tavern buzzing with laughter, the clink of mugs, and the scent of roasting meat thick in the air. Kit drapes across the bench like a lazy queen, amber eyes glittering with mischief, while Raka occupies the other side, her sheer size and silver-white fur drawing a few stares from nearby tables.
“Next time, we don’t just fight harder,” I say, sliding into the booth. “We fight smarter. We find our healer.”
Kit grins, stealing a tankard from the passing Busty Barmaid—who smirks and lets her—then swirls her ale and leans in close.
“So… our healer.” She taps the rim of her mug thoughtfully, saying it like a joke—and the bond follows, tension easing just enough to breathe. “Better be cute. Dangerously cute. Otherwise, what’s the point?”
I chuckle, leaning back with my arms draped along the back of the bench. “Cute, huh? That’s the requirement?”
“Obviously.” Kit’s ears flick with mock indignation. “You already spoiled us, Master. Standards have to be maintained.”
Raka grins, sharp teeth flashing in the firelight. “Or strong,” she growls, voice a low rumble. “Strong like family. Strong enough to fight beside us—and keep you breathing.”
I nod, smiling… then the smile falters, a shadow crossing my face as the thought hits like a hammer. “Which means…” I groan, dragging a hand down my face. “…another visit to that damn slave tent. And the greasy bastard inside.”
Kit winces. “Ugh. Him.”
Raka’s ears flatten, a low growl curling in her throat. “Not tonight.”
“Not tonight,” I agree, lifting my tankard in mock toast, a crooked grin tugging at my lips. “Tonight is for ale, food… and terrible decisions.”
That lands. The tension loosens a notch—Kit exhales softly, ears flicking as the bond finally gives us room to breathe, while Raka’s shoulders drop, her grip easing on the bone in her hand. “Good,” she mutters. “We need it.”
I nod once, then lean forward as the mood shifts with me, voice steady as I lay it out. “Tomorrow, we reset. Gear, supplies—anything that keeps us from getting caught like that again.”
Kit’s eyes light up instantly, her tail flicking. “A shopping day?” she purrs, already leaning in.
Raka huffs a quiet laugh, something warmer than her usual growl. “About time.”
The bond shifts—lighter now, but focused. Preparation.
I lift my tankard again, meeting both of their eyes. “And the day after that…” I say, letting the edge return just a little, “we go back.”
Kit’s smile sharpens, and Raka’s tail gives a slow, deliberate sweep.
“We find her,” I finish. “And we bring our healer home.”
Kit clinks her mug against mine. “Tomorrow we shop. Then we hunt.”
Raka smirks, tearing a hunk of meat from the bone with a feral grin. “Better be ready.”
The fire crackles as a bard strikes up a tune, laughter swelling through the tavern around us.
For now, though, we eat, we drink, we flirt… and enjoy a much-needed reset.
After a night of remembering who we are, the next morning feels lighter. Our room is quiet in that early way—before the day fully wakes, but after the world has already started moving.
Sunlight slips through the curtains in thin, warm lines, catching dust in the air and painting the wood in soft gold. Somewhere below, I can hear the Feisty Dwarf coming to life—boots on floorboards, the low murmur of voices, the clink of mugs and plates. Outside, the distant call of peddlers drifts through Marrowpine like a slow tide rolling in.
I don’t move right away.
The bed is still warm, the lingering hum of the Harem Bed wrapped around me like a second blanket—but only an echo now. The space beside me is empty. Not cold—recent. The bond sits low and easy in my chest, quiet… but not entirely settled.
The sheets are still disturbed where Kit had been curled in, where Raka’s weight had pressed into the other side. It’s noticeable, but not wrong. Because I can still feel them. Close.
Not here—but close enough that the bond doesn’t strain. Just a gentle pull, like a thread held between fingers.
I shift slightly, stretching out, and the connection tightens for a moment before settling again.
Kit’s presence flickers first—awake, alert, already moving in that light, restless way of hers. There’s no sleepiness in her at all. Just energy. Focus. A quiet kind of excitement that hums through the bond like she’s already halfway into the day. Raka’s there too, heavier, slower—but awake. Solid. Grounded. Like she was dragged out of sleep but decided to stay up once she was moving.
I let my head tilt slightly, my hazy senses drifting outward. Footsteps below. A chair scraping. Someone laughing too loud for this early. Kit is already dressed and going through our gear with an enthusiasm she usually saves for a fresh hunting ground… in this case, the markets of Marrowpine. Kit as an early riser is a rare thing.
I huff out a quiet breath, somewhere between amused and impressed. Raka isn’t here—but I can still feel her, close enough that the bond doesn’t strain. My voice carries easily over it. “She woke you up, didn’t she…” I mutter. There’s a faint pulse back—Raka’s answer, low and resigned. “…Food.”
Of course.
I drag a hand over my face, over the faint line of stubble, a slow smile creeping in whether I mean it to or not. Kit, still busying herself, doesn’t send anything—but I can feel it anyway. That quiet, satisfied hum of hers. Like she’s already decided how today goes… and it started with letting me sleep in. She turns as I prop myself up on one elbow, the blanket slipping from my chest, her eyes lingering just long enough to make sure I notice.
“Morning, Master.”
“Good morning, Kit.”
“I’m up,” I add, more to the bond than the room, and the response is immediate—bright, pleased, a little too proud of itself.
Waking slowly, the room feels different this morning. Same bed. Same walls. Same quiet. But we’re not. Yesterday we limped out of Bushman Forest with nothing left in the tank. Today, we’re already moving, thinking and planning.
I roll onto my back and decide to busy myself in my own way, preparing for the day. The ceiling blurs for a moment as I focus inward, then the familiar pull answers.
I bring up the HUD.
It blooms into view above me in soft blue-white light, hovering just past arm’s reach—clean, quiet, and waiting.
[Vincent (Leader – Harem-Master) | Tier 1 | Level 18]
[Kitta (Bonded Companion) | Tier 1 | Level 18]
[Raka (Bonded Companion) | Tier 1 | Level 18]
My gaze lingers there for a moment—just long enough to feel it. Three of us. Still here. Still moving forward.
Then my eyes catch the line beneath.
[ED (Bonded Summon) – Available for Summon]
I pause.
There’s a strange warmth to it. Quiet. Unexpected.
Not relief. Not exactly.
Just… something steady. Knowing he isn’t gone. That he’s still with us—somewhere in the bond, waiting for the moment he’s needed again.
A grounding thought settles in behind it, firm and unshaken despite the lingering echoes of that last battle. The Briar Witch hadn’t taken anything from us.
Not really.
I sit there for a moment, letting it settle—quiet, grounding… a small thread of gratitude running steady beneath it all.
I let out a small breath of relief, then reach for something familiar.
The HUD shifts at my focus, panels sliding cleanly across the blue-white glow as I select Kit and begin scrolling—health, mana, stats, status, descriptions. The usual flow. Clean. Efficient. Already committed to memory.
I keep going, eyes tracking past what I already know.
Abilities.
[Rogue Class Abilities]
Dual Wielding
— Enables synchronized off-hand strikes
— Increased attack speed and combo chaining
— Penalty reduction when attacking with paired weapons
Stealth
— Reduces presence and detection radius
— Scales with environment and movement control
— Enhanced effect when out of direct line of sight
Ambushing Strike
— Bonus damage when attacking from unseen position
— Guarantees opening advantage on unaware targets
— Brief stagger effect on successful hit
[Spirit Blade Subclass Abilities]
Soulfire Veilstrike
— Dual strike infused with soulfire energy
— High burst damage to physical and spiritual targets
— Bypasses armor; scales with Willpower
Echo Step
— Short-range displacement / blink
— Breaks targeting and repositions instantly
— Leaves afterimage trace for a brief moment
I scroll past it all, not stopping—just confirming, tracking, filing it away where it matters.
Then I slow as the next header comes into view.
The one I was actually looking for.
[Kitta: Combat Inventory]
Defense (Body):
Leather Armor (Tier 1 – Starting Gear) — Light, flexible protection that favors mobility over raw durability.
Defense (Neck):
Locket of Spectral Armor (Tier 1 – Rare) — Command: “Lorica Noctis” — Summons mana-fed spectral armor that absorbs incoming damage until depleted.
Offense (Main Hand):
Elvish Curved Dagger (Tier 1 – Uncommon) — Balanced, razor-edged blade designed for speed, precision, and fluid strikes.
Offense (Off-Hand):
Elvish Curved Dagger (Tier 1 – Uncommon) — Paired twin to the right, enabling seamless dual-wielding combos and mirrored strikes.
I smirk. Those daggers were expensive when we bought them… feels like an age ago. But now? She could really use an upgrade—and that armor is a serious liability. She’s been leaning on the Spectral Armor for too long.
I let the HUD linger for a moment, then start making quiet mental notes, the kind that stick.
Better base armor. Something that won’t fold the second her mana dips.
And the daggers—still good. Still sharp.
But not enough anymore.
Not for what we’re walking back into.
There’s a brief knock on the door before Raka returns, ducking slightly through the frame with a “looted” tray balanced in one hand. That’s what we call it, anyway. Breakfast… acquired. Something for each of us.
Thick-cut bread still warm from the oven, a slab of roasted boar glistening with fat, soft eggs piled high, and a small bowl of honeyed fruit that I’m already certain Kit claimed first. A pair of mugs follows—something hot, strong, and probably stolen from the kitchen before anyone could argue.
Raka sets it down like it weighs nothing, her tail giving a slow, satisfied sweep. She flashes me a toothy smile as she hands over a mug of warm, spiced hard cider while I lie back in bed, idly flicking through the HUD—something they’ve seen me do a hundred times before.
I smile back, taking a soul-warming sip. “Thank you, Raka.”
Then I turn my attention back to the HUD, scrolling until I find what I’m looking for.
[Raka: Combat Inventory]
Defense (Body):
Heavy Hide with Reinforced Plating (Tier 1 – Standard) — Thick, layered hide built for endurance, reinforced to absorb heavy impacts without sacrificing mobility.
Defense (Off-Hand):
Starburst Heavy Steel Shield (Tier 1 – Rare) — Command: “Fulgaris” — Reinforced tower shield that anchors against heavy impact and can emit a blinding flash to disrupt nearby enemies on command.
Offense (Main Hand):
War Axe (Tier 1 – Standard) — Broad, weight-driven blade designed for crushing, momentum-based strikes over precision.
Thinking back, Raka was a rather expensive “rescue”…
My gaze drifts over to her, softening a little as the two of them sit at the small table, already halfway through breakfast. Kit’s talking—of course she is—hands moving as she maps out how today’s shopping is going to go, while Raka listens, steady and patient, eating between nods.
Worth every coin.
The thought slips through the bond before I can stop it. Both of them glance over at me, smiling—Kit’s sharp and playful, Raka’s warm and grounding.
Kit snags a chunk of bread, still warm, buttered and dripping with honey, and tosses it my way. I catch it easily and take a bite, crumbs immediately becoming a problem as I make a mess of the bed without a second thought.
I chew, swallow, and turn back to the HUD.
Same problem. Different angle.
Kit needs upgrades—weapons, armor, the works.
Raka…
I study the list again, slower this time. Her war axe is fine. We don’t rely on her for damage—despite how terrifying she is when Savage and Rage take over. That’s not her role. We rely on her to hold the line. To take the hit so we don’t have to.
And right now… she needs better armor to do it.
The memory hits sharp and unwanted—Raka getting pulled down in that last fight, vines dragging, pressure collapsing in on her.
Yeah. We fix that first.
I wince, shaking off the image as I shift focus and scroll through the HUD to my own profile…
[Status: Healthy, mentally recovering from trauma]
“…seriously?”
The rest fills in beneath it.
Physical Description: Human (Storm Giant Bloodline Variant), Male; Large Muscular Build (Body Type 2), Height: 6’10”. Skin: Warm flesh tone with a blue-grey undertone. Hair: Natural Tousle, Black with a dark grey tint. Eyes: Standard – Sky Blue. Cosmetic Effects: Lightning Veins (dermal, visible during mana surge). Additional Attributes: Genital Configuration – Large (Type 3), Grooming – Shaved.
I stare at it for a second, flattering…
Moving on.
The panel shifts as I flick past it without another thought.
[Vincent Locke: Combat Inventory]
Defense (Body):
Chainmail (Tier 1 – Standard) — Interlocking steel armor providing balanced protection against physical strikes while allowing controlled movement.
Defense (Off-Hand):
Steal Shield (Tier 1 – Standard) — Basic reinforced shield used for blocking and bracing against incoming attacks.
Offense (Main Hand):
Spear (Tier 1 – Standard) — Versatile reach weapon suited for thrusting attacks, spacing control, and channeling lightning-based abilities.
Accessory (Ring):
Ring of Sanguis (Tier 1 – Very Rare) — Blood-bound artifact that summons the Thorn Revenant, ED, binding him to the wearer of the ring.
I haven’t really given much thought to my own gear since those early solo days… but yeah, I could use some upgrades too. A shopping day would do us all some good…
Well. Maybe not our coffers so much.
I smirk as I push myself out of bed and head over to join breakfast with my girls, swaggering exactly what attributes the system saw fit to allow me… plus a loose loin cloth.
That draws some attention.