Ultimate Level 1

Chapter 43

The walls vanished, and sound rushed over him. Tanila’s golden eyes were fixed upon him, her head moving up and down once more before she opened her mouth.

Max didn’t hesitate, racing toward his daughter, avoiding the smashed baked goods and other party decorations strewn around them.

Batrire’s eyes flew open, her hands still glowing as a gasp came from Miranna. “She—”

Max didn’t wait for their healer to finish speaking, bending down and carefully lifting his child into his arms. He pulled her to his chest, embracing her.

“Dad… you’re crushing me,” Miranna got out. “What is—”

Max released her slightly as he sensed Tanila coming toward them. A second ago his face had been dry; now his cheeks were wet as he smiled at his daughter. “You’re okay.”

“She’s okay!” Tanila echoed, dropping to the ground with him, her arms encircling Miranna and Max. “My star still shines!”

Coughs and sniffs broke out around them as Max sensed his daughter stiffen slightly. “What… why is… what the heck happened to my party?!”

Chuckling, Max kissed Miranna on the forehead and then sighed, letting her back down to the ground, where Tanila took over the hugging duties. He turned to see everyone staring at them, nodding and smiling at each other. “Thank you, Batrire.”

“Don’t thank me,” their healer replied. “I didn’t do whatever happened. She was… outside my ability, even as a god . Whatever had her was so strong I couldn’t bring her back.”

“Max, what happened?” Rakonath asked, his dragon bending down on a knee, his giant, hulking, humanoid form drawing near. “I sense something inside.”

“For the love of baked goods!” Miranna cried out. “Will someone tell me what in the world is going on?”

Each person present laughed, and Max watched as his wife kissed their daughter one more time before helping her rise to her feet.

“It would appear—”

The door to the room flew open, and Jazzjak darted in, his black suit jacket open, buttons missing. Red eyes sought them out. “Tell me, is she—”

“She is fine,” Max replied. “Thank you for your concern. Now then… I think we owe Miranna a little more knowledge of what happened and then to wish her a happy Awakening day.”

“I’m still wondering what happened,” Fowl said as he picked up an empty mug near his boot. “One minute I’m drinking and telling a story, and the next Max is calling for help and Batrire is healing.”

Max could sense his daughter’s eyes widening, his sonar skill back on and letting him sense her body tensing up. “Everyone, grab a seat at the other table. Batrire, can you get some cups, and I’ll share some of my good stuff. What I’m about to tell is going to require more than the usual ale we drink.”

***

The six other gods, Jazzjak, and Miranna, sat around the table, none speaking as Max finished his experience with Death. He didn’t mention Wekime by name, only that he had met another one of the Nine and had made a deal with them previously.

It took a motion from Max’s hand to get someone to respond.

“So… you met one of the Nine,” Jazzjak said quietly. “And somehow bent it according to your rules.”

“Not my rules,” Max replied, “but the system’s rules. If I hadn’t had an encounter with the demon Gykewotik, I’m not sure I would have realized the kind of power I have in that space.”

“Oh, it’s not good for a demon if the caster is smart and strong ,” Sog said. “I remember the first time I met Max and knew he was different from what most described. But to know that you managed to hold back him… That puts a new perspective on some things I didn’t realize about that spell.”

“And by him , you mean?” Max asked.

Sog shook his head, black lips frowning. “I cannot say his name. I am bound to that. Not even to you. Even the name I would speak isn’t the true name. I’m certain the one I was born with knowledge of must be another name… like you being Seth Pendal. It provides a way to speak about someone, while not having the ability to call upon their power.”

Fowl grunted and tapped a finger against his table.

“Wait, so we’re talking about these Nine like they’re something special… I mean, I get they are, but why would they want to interfere with Miranna?”

Max felt everyone turn to look at his daughter next to him. She shrank just for a moment before sitting upright in her chair.

“Because of Bob,” Max replied. “Death thought he could control or make an offer. It appears that he has most likely done that before. And it also appears that… the Nine can sense me… well, Bob somehow, and since Miranna is of my flesh, Death could sense her.”

Tanila grunted, and her eyes began to glow. “And that promise… he’ll have to keep it.”

“The system will make him,” Jazzjak said, both ears upright, showing his excitement. “To know that one of the Nine was forced into a deal not to make a move against you or us—”

“ Us ?” Sog asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes,” Jazzjak replied. “Max has called me his friend, and that means by the rules of the system, I am part of us . You do not want to break rules or contracts. Doing so will bring great consequences. You all mentioned earlier that the elven god Thuyja from your world was attempting to end Max’s life, knowing he was a black skill holder. A rule like that carries a steep price.”

A cough came from Miranna, who rolled her eyes and shook her head. “You all going to keep talking about this, or can we talk about something else instead?”

“Like what?” Fowl asked.

“Uh… my awakening?” the youngest in the room replied.

Max felt a bit of regret at not asking his daughter anything about that yet. “You’re right. Forgive us. Does this mean you have access to the system?”

A small smile appeared and then grew until Miranna was displaying most of her teeth. “Yes! I got four skills. Three skills that I can read or figure out, that is.”

“What do you mean, you can read?” Fowl asked. “I know you know how to read.” ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹·𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲·𝗻𝗲𝘁

“Shut it,” Batrire snapped. She then turned and smiled at her niece. “Now what are the skills you are talking about?”

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Miranna hesitated a moment and then answered. “I got Power Strike, Evasion, and Blink. All three are Rare rank.”

Max smiled, reached over and put his hand on hers. “Congratulations. That’s great. But what do you mean you can’t read one?”

“There’s a wall of… well symbols and characters,” Miranna replied. “It’s… hard to describe.”

Jazzjak moved to where their daughter sat and held out his soft paw. “I might be able to help if you’re willing to let me try something. All I need is for you to hold my hand and not fight against me when you sense my attempt.”

Max nodded as Miranna glanced at him. She took a deep breath and set her fingers in the smaller hand of Jazzjak.

Their helper closed his eyes and after a few seconds, Miranna’s hand flinched once. Jazzjak winced a moment later.

“Ahh… that does make sense,” the vorpal rabbit said. “Here, let me show them what you have.” Letting go of Miranna’s hand, Jazzjak summoned a piece of paper and pen, sketching out a line before turning it so others could read it.

*****

[ X9a3B7kT2gQ5rL8zV0 - L3g4cY9uD2 ]

*****

I can’t even read that. What is it?

Most likely, the System is hiding things. It seems your daughter is becoming more like you every day.

“So what does the skill do?” Cordellia asked. “Can you see any description?”

Miranna shook her head. “No. I can see the description for the others, but for this one, nothing happens. I’m not sure why or what. If I’m honest, I’m a little disappointed.”

“Why are you disappointed?” Tanila asked. “You got four skills, even if one isn’t readable. That’s unheard of.”

“Is it? I mean… I heard what that dad’s sister Stacy got. I kind of expected… more. You know… those special skills.”

Tanila hugged their daughter, her chair having been set on the other side of Miranna. “That was a special case, and while Bob was willing to attempt something like that if your awakening didn’t happen as we planned.”

“I don’t think we planned this,” Fowl said as he motioned around the room, still littered with ruined food and drink.

“Yes, not like this,” Tanila muttered. “I mean… at all. But I wouldn’t be upset. You’ve got seven skills total that you can use—”

“Eight skills,” Miranna said, grinning as she did.

“Eight?” Tanila asked, eyes widening.

“I got one this morning, and I didn’t want to share it just yet… part of me wanted to save it for a fight with Dad.”

“Eight skills… yeesh,” Fowl muttered. “Broken like her father.”

Max leaned in close to his daughter and wife and shook his head. “Is there a reason why you wanted to wait?”

“Oh, I wanted to surprise you and see if I could use it to beat you with it. I’m still not sure what all it does, but I wanted to give it a try.”

“Just like her father,” Rakonath whispered to their dwarven warrior.

A few chuckles came from those gathered in the room.

“What if you told me?” Tanila asked. “You know I don’t tell him anything when you two duel.”

Miranna cocked her head sideways for a moment and then slowly nodded. “That would work. We just need to go somewhere he can’t hear us.”

Max rolled his eyes at his daughter and her accusatory look. “Take this,” he said, summoning the tiny item Everett had given him, which created a bubble of privacy. “You can go over there and share it.”

Miranna snatched the item from his hand and grabbed Tanila’s arm, pulling her mother toward the other side of the room.

“She seems a bit excited,” Cordellia said as the pair moved away. “Any guesses?”

Max shook his head. “No clue. I have some thoughts, but I honestly don’t know. Depending on what she says might change a few things training-wise, but—”

He rose from his chair, watching Tanila stagger for a second before she glanced his way and waved him off.

“Uh… that can’t be good, can it?” Batrire asked. “Tanila actually looks to be in shock.”

Max grunted, seeing his wife standing there, wide-eyed and waving her arms and making motions at their daughter. Miranna was returning the gestures.

“ Oh, Mom, why can’t I summon mountains in town? ” Sog said, doing his best impersonation of Miranna.

Rakonath laughed and then leaned toward their demonic friend. “ Because my little star, only your father has the ability to summon mountains and fart lightning bolts. ”

“That’s an impressive mimicking of my wife,” Max joked. “Perhaps you two should do those voices for both of them when they get here in a moment.”

Both dragon and demon shook their heads, chuckling as the others joined them.

“I’ll pass,” Sog said. “Mama bear might get mad and protective and we all know how that would end up.”

Max nodded, still amazed at how the pair was discussing whatever the new skill was. Finally, after almost a minute, they started back toward them, his daughter not looking as excited as before.

“And… how did that go?” Cordellia asked when Miranna plopped down in her chair.

“Not good… Mom said it would have been bad had I waited to try using the skill.”

“And why is that?” Tanila asked, her tone the one Max recognized his mother using when the answer seemed obvious.

Miranna shook her head and sighed. “Okay, so I got a new skill this morning. I might have wanted to use it, but the cooldown is horrible, so I thought, ‘Why not wait to fight Dad with it?’ I might have overlooked some of the finer details of the description. That is where Mom says the problem lies.”

“And what is the skill?” Fowl asked, leaning forward. “I mean… yer dancing around the question.”

She sighed again. “It’s Ultimate Form.”

“Ockrim’s… er Fowl’s Beard!” the warrior cursed. “Seriously?!”

Miranna nodded, and Max started to shake his head.

“I am so glad, little star, that you didn’t try that out against me,” Max said, motioning to Tanila. “I’m guessing she told you why that would have been bad, right?”

Tanned cheeks turned a slightly rose color as his daughter nodded.

“And why is that?” Sog asked after a few seconds of silence.

“Tell him,” Tanila said.

“It’s because… if what you’re wearing isn’t magical… the skill destroys them,” Miranna said quietly.

“What’s so bad about… ohhhh,” Sog said. “That… would be a problem.”

Cordellia and Batrire giggled, and Max coughed, covering his mouth.

“Yes, your mother is right. That duel wouldn’t have gone at all how any of us had hoped.”

There’s another problem with her acquiring that skill.

Max knew what Bob was talking about.

Miranna learns abilities and skills that she hasn’t even seen in action.

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