No 5

Today is a special one because I got some materials I can use to become stronger.

I can see that the world I was living in did not have anything as advanced magically as this.

Only some basic spells and martial techniques.

I used to be a rich man but here I got to also experience what is like to be a pleb and have no looks to give me the slightest advantage.

I was burned and damaged, left to rot in this cursed world.

Some would decide to hate everyone and everything.

I chose to see it differently, life is suffering, and one cannot lead a successful life by being comfortable and staying always in the covers.

The more pain one endures the more it calluses the mind and helps strengthen one's determination.

I get to have a second chance at life, so why not live it to the fullest?

Looking at the woman in front of me it's clear that she knows.

We are the only ones in the entire room.

I am on my knees and calmly sipping tea, awaiting the decision that would seal my fate.

She kept looking at me as if to understand what my motives are, maybe to find out if I am a spy.

I saw in some novels that in this scenario a lot of characters get confused with spies and get killed only to later find out they were only pawns in a bigger chessboard.

I lifted my eyes and looked into hers, it seems I was right.

My death is slowly approaching and drawing close, and closer and closer.

I can feel the corpses of the people I killed touching my feet, and my legs and going up and up.

With their thin and starved hands that barely had flesh.

I could feel their calling, laughing at me, at my impending doom, and awaiting my fall, ready to receive me and tear me to pieces, again and again.

Hell was preparing to receive me...

However, I will not go down like this.

Only one thing can save me now...

-Do you wish to purchase light element affinity?-

-Yes.

...

The man in front of me has the deity inscription on his palm.

But, it's fake, on how he managed to guess what it looked like...

He might be a spy or even a sacrificial pawn to distract us.

So what I have to do now is to get the most information out of hi-

Before she could finish her thoughts a light began to expand from the man as a golden halo began floating above his head, raining down upon his body a cascade of golden glitter.

The whole place began to shake and shudder from his mere presence.

The lady got up and put a protection spell on the entire room, coupled with a privacy veil.

-This is!

-Light element! This is the direct counter to the demons!

But how? How could someone have it here?

The dragons have been killed long ago by the demons and didn't leave any descendants.

They were the only species with an affinity to light magic.

Looks like I have to rethink some things.

The man opened his eyes and looked straight at the woman

-Now I think it's time to talk.

With those words said the man sat back down and resumed sipping his tea.

...

On a far mountain range sat two figures.

One was a man with a golden halo above his head and the other was a woman wearing a long robe, her face was covered with a veil, effectively hiding her identity.

She looked in the distance with her hands behind her back and stared at the horizon.

-Do you think we can defeat the demons that are coming in an almost infinite number?

She looked back and asked in a questioning tone.

Not a single second did she believe that one person would be able to even stall the enemy for even a second.

-With enough resources, I can achieve enough power to stall them until the deadline.

Bright golden eyes stared her back with unprecedented confidence and belief.

-100 demons piling on you would spell your death.

-Now, yes, but with your help, we can change that.

-What can you achieve in a month? It's not even enough to learn some basic spells.

-I am a student at the magic academy, remember?

-But only stayed as a cripple and wasn't thought anything more than the basics.

-You're right but I am now healthy enough to learn more.

Both looked at each other and waited.

The breeze helped a bit cool the atmosphere but that didn't last long as the woman had a dark expression plastered on her face.

If anyone else besides the man in front of her would propose what he did she would have killed that person on the spot.

But it looked like she still had a little patience left in her.

The mountain peak was covered in snow and winds blew with incredible force.

But thanks to the lady none of it affected the duo.

The man was wearing basic leather armor with some metal protection at some vital points.

A sword was calmly sheathed at his waist together with some throwing knives inside a pouch.

With his hands in his pockets, he calmly waited for her answer.

-If what you say it's true then I can supply you with a lot of monster bodies and you will grow stronger, yes?

-Correct, that is my special ability. I can absorb their power and make it mine in a way.

She looked at him with scrutiny but nothing could be seen from his calm face.

The unknown frustrated mages more than anything, and not knowing where their life was going was even more annoying.

turning around she gestured with her hand and a powerful wave flew from the mountain peak, everywhere the soundwave went, every living thing was instantly paralyzed.

This continued until all movement in three kilometers stopped completely.

Then, she gestured with her hand and all of the paralyzed animals and monsters began floating and gathering next to the two of them.