Chapter 2: The Goddess of Legs Has Abandoned Me

[YES / NO]

"YES! WHAT KIND OF IDIOT WOULD SAY NO?!"

[ADVANCE CLAIM CONFIRMED]

[Processing Quest Rewards...]

"PROCESS FASTER!"

A spear flew past Zishan’s head.

"FUCK!"

He threw himself sideways, rolled across the muddy ground, and scrambled back to his feet without knowing whether the scream behind him belonged to the soldier chasing him or someone else entirely.

[ADVANCE CLAIM SUCCESSFUL]

[+10 VIT]

[+10 AGI]

[Skill Acquired: Rift Steps]

[Tier: Trace]

[Bloodline Acquired: Ashen Banner]

[Grade: Vestige]

Zishan felt something violently change inside his body.

"OH, NOW YOU GIVE IT TO ME?!"

[The Host requested the rewards.]

"DON’T FUCKING ARGUE WITH ME!"

[Correction: The Dumb Host requested the rewards.]

"YOU—"

Something exploded behind him. Zishan stopped arguing and ran very fast. "Why does the number of people chasing me keep increasing by the minute? What did I fucking do to you guys?! I don’t know what happened to me, and this is how you’d welcome me?! Did I transmigrate into this world?"

[The Dumb Host can actually use the system to help himself. Rewards were just issued to the Dumb Host.]

"Ah! You’re right! Wait! C-Can I see my Status P-Panel?"

’Fuck! I’m getting out of breath!’

[Dodge!]

"Fuckkkk!" he cussed as a stray sword almost hit his groin. "Whoooo! Fortunately, I dodged that fu—"

[Dumb Cusser Host, look at your Status Panel.]

"You’re lucky I don’t have the time to argue with you right now!" His legs were slightly quivering as he ran even faster. However, he did notice that he was much faster than he had been before, and the camp ahead was zooming into his vision.

[STATUS]

Name: Zishan Walker

Race: Human

Level: 1

Ascent: Unascended

Experience: 0 / 100

Mana: 60 / 60

[BASIC STATS]

STR: 11

VIT: 11 (+10)

AGI: 12 (+10)

PER: 13

INT: 12

WIL: 10

[MAGIC]

Mana Affinity(ies): Unresolved

Magic Profession(s): None

[BLOODLINES]

Main Bloodline: Unidentified

Grade: Unreadable

State: Dormant (Partially Active)

Other Bloodline(s):

(1) Ashen Banner Bloodline

Grade: Vestige

State: Active

Status: Provisional

Description: A Bloodline born from the accumulated Mana, will, fear, rage, and resolve of those who fought and died beneath the same battlefield. It grows more responsive in genuine conflict, strengthening the bearer’s instincts, resistance to fear and pain, and ability to function while wounded or under pressure.

[PHYSIQUE]

Main Physique: Unknown

Grade: Unreadable

Other Physique(s): None.

[SKILLS]

Trace-Tier Skill(s):

(1) Rift Steps

Mastery: Beginner

Status: Provisional

Perfected Glimpse: Active

Zishan still could not understand what was happening. However, the longer he ran, the more noticeable it became. His body felt lighter than before, almost as if every step required less effort. Even his breathing was different. Despite running this fast, it remained steady, without the usual burning in his chest or the desperate need to catch his breath.

"What is happening? Why is that kid getting faster and faster?"

"Damn it! I’m tired of chasing this kid! Why can he run so fast?!"

The soldiers behind him grumbled. He didn’t care and just ran without stopping, and the more he ran, the more he was surprised by how easily he could dodge any attack. Well, not all, but his instincts felt like they had sharpened to a certain degree.

"Damn it! Chase that kid! He must be a genius from the opposing Kingdom who was sent to war! We have to kill him!"

"What the fuck is happening in this damned world?!" Zishan was so incensed that the soldiers could almost see smoke coming out of his ears and nose.

"Wait?! Why is that kid coming to our camp?! He’s clearly from their side! Look at his uniform!"

It was then that Zishan recognized the uniform he was wearing. "What the fuckkkkkk!!! I will go back and kill that soldier right now! So that’s why they’re increasing! Damn it!"

[The Dumb Host is strongly advised not to go back.]

"Why?!" Zishan shouted as he glanced over his shoulder, although he immediately regretted doing so when he saw how many people were behind him.

[Because thirty-seven armed soldiers are currently pursuing the Dumb Host.]

His expression stiffened. "THIRTY-SEVEN?! ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS?!"

[Correction. Forty-one.]

"HOW DID FOUR MORE PEOPLE JOIN THAT FAST?!"

Zishan screamed so hard, but he could not hear his voice anymore. It was drowned out by the noise around him.

[The Dumb Host possesses quite a remarkable talent for attracting hostility!]

"That’s not a talent at all! What do you mean?!"

An arrow struck the mud beside his foot, spraying dirt across his trousers. Zishan immediately faced forward again, only for his anger to turn into horror because the camp was no longer some distant collection of tents.

He could already see individual soldiers ahead. They all turned their heads in his direction and immediately geared up.

"Finally! I’m near our camp!" He felt like crying as he ran even faster. There was no time for relief. To survive, he still needed to push himself until he reached their camp. "Come on! Let’s go! Don’t you dare give up on me, my precious legs! Oh Goddess of Legs, please help me make it!"

However, a word from those people in the camp shattered his hopeful wails.

"Enemy!"

"He’s from the opposing Kingdom!"

"Our men are chasing him! Don’t let him enter the camp!"

"Archers!"

"WAIT THE FUCKING MINUTE! WHAT THE HELL! IS THIS MAXIMUM LEVEL DIFFICULTY SUMMONING TYPE OF SHIT?! I WAS RUNNING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION ALL THIS TIME?! FUCK THE GODDESS OF LEGS! FUCK THAT MAN WHO GAVE ME WRONG DIRECTIONS! I DON’T FUCKING KNOW WHAT TO DO ANYMORE!!!"

He kept screaming and screaming, and it sounded like gibberish to the ears of those pursuing him.

"He’s gone crazy!"

"Run faster!"

"But why is he running towards our camp in the first place?!"

"WAIT!" Zishan waved one hand frantically while continuing to run. "I’M ONLY HERE BECAUSE SOME IDIOT GAVE ME THE WRONG DIRECTIONS!"

The archers raised their bows.

"Why does nobody care about what I feel?! I could die from eating too many cupcakes, but certainly not from a bunch of armed men!"

The archers pulled their bowstrings farther back.

"That doesn’t look like you’re trying to understand me!"

[The System suggests the Dumb Host use Rift Steps.]

Zishan nearly tripped when the System suddenly reminded him of the Skill he had completely forgotten about. "Right! I have a Skill! How do I use it? Quick!"

[Use Rift Steps.]

"I know that! I’m asking how! Are you trying to fuck up my life right now?!"

Bowstrings snapped somewhere ahead.

[The Dumb Host possesses Perfected Glimpse.]

"And what the hell is that supposed to—"

The answer reached him before he could finish.

Something shifted inside his mind.

"Whoa!" he mused.

For a moment, the chaos of the battlefield did not disappear, but it became strangely easier to understand. Zishan noticed the angle of the muddy ground beneath his feet, the distance between himself and the camp he was running to, the direction of the nearest arrows, the position of his hips, and even the Mana moving through his freaking body.

Mana was something unfamiliar to him before. After all, he had only known about it in games. He should not have been able to guide the Mana inside his body, but the moment he used Rift Steps, Mana became so ridiculously familiar that he would’ve freaked out if it weren’t for his current situation.

It felt like snakes coursing through his veins.

His next step had to land slightly farther forward. His weight needed to remain over the center of his body until the last moment. Mana had to gather along his leg, then release the instant his heel left the ground.

Such tiny details could easily be ignored, but he could perceive everything while using the Rift Steps Skill.

"It’s actually this OP?!"

[Perfected Glimpse synchronized with Rift Steps.]

He suddenly grinned. "This is easy."