Unsafe Working Conditions : A He Who Fights With Monsters 6+ Companion Story

Chapter 23 - Performance Anxiety

 Carlos turned away from the Ursanthrope and started making his way towards Liam. As he walked he surveyed the corpses of the creatures he passed. He stopped at a crater close to the bottom of the hill and inspected the scorched ground. Remarking to himself that Liam must have used a number of specialty items to cause this much destruction so effectively.

Carlos arrived at Liam's side and quietly observed the smaller man as he meditated, the lights flashing under his skin was uncommon but not unheard of. Typically when a power ranked up it was independent and could be guided without distraction. When an iron ranker was pushed it was more common to have two abilities that were used in conjunction rank up together. He patiently waited, the flashing shifted to a gentle pulse, then to a steady glow, which finally receded back to his natural complexion. Carlos watched the process with interest, he had seldom seen an Essence user guide their rank up so naturally. Especially without outside assistance from a ritual circle or designated meditation chamber.

Liam's eyes shot open as he bent forward, his seated position turning him into a ball. His hand quickly shot up to rip off his hat as he expelled a mouthful of black gunk. Coughing, he got to his feet being careful not to let any of the foulness drip on his clothes as he spat it out. Turning he started at the focused gaze that Carlos was directing his way. Pulling a piece of fabric from the pocket on his shirt he wiped his mouth, then holding it out to the side he injected mana into it causing the filth to fall to the ground.

"What?" Liam said to Carlos as he folded the cloth and placed it back into his pocket.

"I have seen quite a few Outworlder over the years. Few have the ability to survive in our world, even less have the training you just showed to guide their own advancement." Carlos' eyes were fierce yet not hostile as he talked.

Liam returned his hat to his head, using the motion to break the awkward staring contest. "Let's pick up the loot. I don't have enough storage to carry all of this, and before that we need to sort it and determine what to keep." Liam brought up the filters from earlier and selected the weapons to begin picking up.

"No need," Carlos responded, his bronze rank aura spread out to cover the meager battlefield. With a gesture, all of the items that his ability had deemed loot floated into the air, "We will just take everything and sort it as we move, there is an active storage system in the bus. While I take us to the next area, you and Henri can sort it before transferring it to your personal storage spaces." The items formed a cloud that orbited around their heads.

Liam followed Carlos as he returned to the bus. He noticed Judas returned to his Ursanthrope form and was standing outside of the bus. Henri had gone down to inspect the creatures with his ability before the corpses had floated up to hover above him.

As they approached he heard Henri ask Judas, "Why do you change back from a human form? Wouldn't it be more convenient to stay in human form until we get to a place where you will be fighting?" Liam perked up his ears at this, as he was interested as well.

"Well, to explain it in simple terms, it is uncomfortable to stay in human form," Judas could tell by his answer that if he didn't satisfy this line of questioning it was going to annoy him to no end in the coming days. "My body is more comfortable in Ursine form while my soul is more at home in human form. This in-between, beastman form, is a balancing act that allows for both aspects of myself to be at ease."

Liam nodded and returned to watching Carlos guiding the cloud of items into a hatch on the back of the bus. Henri was apparently not satisfied, for he continued to pester Judas, "But what does it feel like?" Liam turned to look at Judas out of the corner of his eye, the massive Ursanthrope was holding his chin in a very human manner while furrowing his brows. After a few moments he answered, "I guess the closest thing to it would be like holding in a massive fart. The longer I stay in human form the more discomfort I have. While on the other side if I am in my Ursine form for too long it feels like my head is full of liquor."