The group of explorers didn't encounter any problems on their return journey. Toz taught Charlie a bunch of things when it came to cooking. Amanda and Din hunted fresh beasts and animals the other two could cook. Toz would have assisted, but he was still recovering, so the others convinced him to rest properly. The cats slept and relaxed in Toz's familiar space most of the time, occasionally coming out to eat.
Even if they were practically rushing back toward Yellow Spark, even if they ran, it would take several days. During evenings after they set up camp every night, they found themselves with a bit of free time.
Charlie took the time to revise what Toz had taught him while Amanda and Toz sparred with Din watching them. When the three had saved Toz, they had noticed him holding a sword, and Amanda, as a sword-wielder herself, wanted to spar with him once he was strong enough.
Since it was a spar between two swords and not a fight between enemies, they agreed to strictly use technique and skill to try and best each other.
Although Toz had quick reflexes and agile movements, when comparing sword fighting technique alone he was a few steps worse than Amanda. It wasn't too surprising since her inclination was a sword, considering her sister's use of swords, it was probably inherited. Since it was inherited, it would be slightly similar to other sword inclinations, but it would still be unique in some way.
No matter the specifics, Amanda had an advantage when it came to using swords. While wielding a sword, her physical strength is enhanced, and she can better see the enemy's movements. And instead of converting mana into a specific attribute before absorbing it, the mana turns into something called sword energy, which is trained when using a sword. Other weapons and various fighting type inclinations, like fists or martial arts, all have their own type of energy. Someone with a fist inclination trains fist energy, someone with a bow inclination trains bow energy, and so on.
That doesn't mean everyone with an inclination symbolized by a weapon or something similar trains that type of energy instead of mana. There are magic swordsmen who can use magic of different attributes but need to hold and use a sword to absorb mana.
Unlike mana, sword energy focuses more on improving the user's physical strength, abilities, and their sword by covering it in a layer of energy that enhances sharpness and durability.
Toz hadn't fought anyone using sword energy, so after they had sparred a couple of times, he asked Amanda to use it. Toz wouldn't be able to improve his technique by much, just from a light spar, and Amanda wouldn't get much from sparring more with Toz either, so she agreed on the condition that Toz uses mana.
Instead of using cheap tricks, as he had against Amanda's sister, Toz focused his mana on reinforcing his body and sword. Although he threw some fireballs here and there, it was mostly to see how the sword energy would react to magic.
And although it irritated Toz a tiny bit, Amanda cut through almost everything he threw at her with ease. The fireballs split into halves after a swing and went their separate ways to either side of Amanda. When Toz used shadows to bind her feet or cover her vision, she cut through that as well. The only thing she didn't slice apart instantly was the metal needles he sent at her, those she needed to deflect or waste a lot of sword energy to cut through.
While using his magic to keep Amanda occupied, Toz took advantage of his superior agility to dart back and forth, harassing Amanda with quick stabs before retreating and blocking her chase with various kinds of magic.
It was a boring way to fight, so after showing each other what level they were at, they focused on sword techniques, but this time supported by energy or mana.
Toz had his magic sword and could go all out without fearing it getting damaged since it would regain its sharpness if he infused some mana into it, but Amanda used a very real, expensively smithed sword. Even if she coated it in sword energy, it was bound to take damage. Before it became completely dull and useless, they decided to call it even and go back to regular sparring.
They finished their spar panting. And like usual, Toz took a bath before going to bed. The river had stronger currents at the place they were now compared to the first bath after he regained consciousness, and there was no need to wash his wounds or body of blood. After a quick dip, he returned to camp, showing off his body and almost healed wounds as he hugged Mindle to sleep.
Amanda had spent several weeks with Charlie and Din, so she was used to the bodies of men, but Toz's lean musculature and lithe movements were enthralling enough to make her blush a little. Thankfully for her, it was dark, and no one saw it. No human, at least. Nil saw and made sure to remember it so he could tease Toz in the future. Since Nil had been with Toz the longest he was familiar with Toz on a different level from the other two cats, and he used this advantage in ways that benefited no one except him. Like looking for ways to tease Toz on a personal level.
Toz had rarely been interested in other humans, even if they were interested in him, and had never seen anyone in a romantic way. It had gotten to the point where just mentioning romance had Toz put on a dumbfounded face since he didn't know what it was. Toz's reactions naturally gave Nil a lot to tease him for, and now that Toz was going around shamelessly seducing women he had just met by showing off his body... There would be no end to it.
But just like Toz wanted privacy to share his dream about near-immortality with Mindle, Nil didn't want to tease Toz with the subject of the teasing in front of them.
Nil went back into the familiar space since he couldn't hide his smirk. After Nil disappeared, Toz had a bad premonition and wondered if there was an ambush. But there were no other presences nearby, and he didn't sense any malintent nearby. It might have been that the rats were planning something.
The next day they saw the infamous mountain range appear in the distance and knew that they were getting closer.
However, Toz had a slightly different reaction from the others. He had seen the beasts fight against the rats in the small forest in the middle of the wasteland. The mountain reminded him of all the beasts that had congregated and died there.
He initially thought it was slightly weird that the rats took several years to cross a distance that took him about a week, and when he considered Rasnak's words about how fast the majority of the forest was devoured, something clicked.
Maybe the reason so many beasts gathered in one spot, was that they were already aware of each other's movements. A few had discovered something happening in the mountain range and moved to investigate, after which the information spread, and most, if not all the beasts guarding against the rats, left their positions.
And then, after the chaos that took over the mountain range and several of the third level beasts being at odds with each other, no one started guarding again, or if they did, they were alone and died to the rats.
Toz didn't tell anyone about his suspicions. The trio of Amanda, Din, and Charlie didn't know about what happened in the mountains except there were talks about a natural treasure appearing. If Toz told them about what he had just thought they would realize he knew a lot about the mountains, a little too much to not be suspicious. They would have to include this in their report to the guild, and from there the guild could figure out Toz's involvement and talk to him.
Like before, it would inevitably put him in an uncomfortable spot and Mindle in danger. He didn't tell his cats. While Lucy wouldn't care, and Nil would at most think it's a shame, Mindle had a slightly more susceptible heart. Maybe she wouldn't realize it herself, but it would be very possible for her to feel guilt about her birth leading to the rats' invasion.
When Mindle matured a little more, it would be fine to tell her and explain that the rats would have invaded no matter what and that it wasn't her fault. Currently, however, Mindle would listen to what was being said, without fully grasping what Toz meant.
For now, Toz and his group being partially responsible for speeding up the rats' conquest would remain a secret. However, it also led Toz to wonder what would have happened if they didn't enter the mountain range.
Nil and Lucy wouldn't have gotten a little sister, and one of the third level beasts would have tried to eat Mindle's embryo in an attempt to ascend. Whether it succeded or not it wouldn't remain here.
The beasts would have kept stalling the rats without knowing what they were up against, allowing the rats to spread out and build their forces before trying to completely take over the plane.
Now, however, Toz was about to rally an extermination effort against the pesky rodents and make sure they're completely gone before he leaves for somewhere else.
It seemed Toz had a weird connection with the rats. First, almost letting them loose on the plane, then almost being killed by them twice, forming a grudge deep enough to warrant their extermination.
