They retreated to a rise over the village, a little closer than the first place they’d stopped. From here, they could see into the village’s walls and watch the cannibals go about their daily lives. The trees clustered close, with undergrowth choking their roots, so the cannibals couldn’t see them. It was the ideal lookout, even superior to the one Isa had taken them to originally.

  Levi sat near the edge, the Armalgam perched beside him. He plucked at the Armalgam’s withered arm, while Colin worked on his recently-severed appendage. The dark, or shadow, magic and poison were both deeply ingrained in the arm. There was no longer any silver in the arm. Levi had made sure of it. He’d washed the wounds and wiped them clean. Nonetheless, the wounds still resisted his best efforts to close them. His magic flinched away from where the silver weapons had been, as though afraid of their memory.

  Levi sighed. “Maybe we should cut it out and start over with a new arm.”

  Colin’s grip on his arm tightened. “Don’t give up on your body so easily!”

  Levi frowned. He turned and looked at Colin. “I was talking about the Armalgam.”

  “Oh.” Colin chuckled, relieved.

  “But I mean…”

  Colin glared at him.

  Levi laughed. “No, no. Then you’d have to aim your magic. And I’d rather you focus all your power into stronger heals.”

  Colin nodded, a little nervous. He turned his attention back to Levi’s arm. “I think it’ll leave a scar, no matter what I do.”

  “That’s fine. Scars are sexy.”

  Isa snorted. She shook her head.

  Levi leaned back, turning to look at her. “What? You don’t think scars are sexy?”

  “I don’t think anything will improve your chances of bedding something, let alone scars.”

  “Something? What kind of degenerate do you think I am?” Levi asked, shocked.

  Isa shrugged. “A degenerate.”

  Levi opened his mouth, then shut it. He sighed. “Fine, sure. But I keep my exploits strictly to upright, two-legged, human or humanoid beings to exclusively include sentient races who can consent.”

  Colin blinked. “That doesn’t sound very strict.”

  “Well, I’m not going to say no to a sexy cat-eared girl from the beast race, you know? Or a handsome vampire in a tight suit.” He waggled his brows at Isa.

  “In your dreams,” Isa murmured, rolling her eyes.

  “You know it. Not that any of us have much chance to break free and take a break around here. So… what about we all get together and all three of us, together—”

  “No,” Colin and Isa said, almost at once. Colin glanced at Isa, then looked at the floor, faintly blushing. Isa simply turned away.

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  “Oh…?” Levi looked from one to another. “Well, hot damn. The two undead getting it on during those long, sleepless nights, huh? Alright, alright. Don’t let me get in between you two lovebirds.”

  “That’s not—” Colin broke off, frustrated. “It’s nothing like that.”

  “Uh huh.” Levi grinned.

  “Ignore him, Colin. He’s deliberately being annoying. As always,” Isa said.

  “What? Deliberately be annoying? Would I do that?”

  Once again, a chorus: “Yes.”

  Levi sighed. “Hard audience.”

  He turned his gaze back to the cannibal village. The cannibals went about their lives. Aside from the massive, hulking frames of the villagers, their horns, and the human body turning on a split in the village’s center, it could have been an ordinary village.

  Turning away, he checked his stat sheet.

  Levi | 18 | Lv 39

  Class: Necromancer [SPECIAL]

  Str: 50

  Mag: 101

  Dex: 53

  Spd: 57

  Def: 20

  Res: 99

  [Swordsmanship]

  [Shadow Manipulation]

  [Shadow Step]

  [Optimized Raise Dead]

  [Drain]

  [Shape Dead]

  [Heal Undead]

  [Call Ghosts]

  [Death Resist]

  Levi whistled under his breath. “Triple digits? Hell yeah. And—ugh. One level away? That’s annoying. I wonder how many cannibals I have to kill to tip that over?”

  “Tip what over?” Isa asked.

  Levi nodded at his status sheet, knowing she couldn’t see it. “My level. I’ve almost got that skill that lets my undead level up. One level away.”

  “That is annoying,” she agreed.

  “So, once my arm clicks back together, it’s time to go kill some cannibals so I can get that skill,” Levi said cheerfully.

  “I’m working on it,” Colin muttered.

  “Take your time. I’d rather have an arm that works perfectly than one you threw together to rush the job out. I’m just musing about the future. There’s no rush.”

  Colin nodded. He turned his attention back to Levi’s arm, brows furrowed. Gold magic burst forth, penetrating deep under the skin.

  A painful electric tingle zapped into the back of Levi’s brain. “Ow!”

  “What?” Colin asked, concerned. He jerked away, as if he’d been the one burned.

  “Just the nerves reconnecting. Keep going. Ignore me,” Levi insisted.

  “Oh… okay.” Colin nodded, slowly. He lifted his hands again. Once more, healing power poured into Levi’s arm, reconnecting muscles, nerves, and bone.

  For a time, they sat there in silence. Isa stood at the edge of the clearing, gazing down at the town below. She leaned against the tree, watching the cannibals live their lives. There was something strange in her eyes. Nostalgia, almost.

  “Dreaming of the old days?” Levi asked, glancing up at her.

  “Mmm. I spent a lot of time terrorizing this village. It brings back memories.”

  “Good memories?”

  “And bad.” She turned away. “How much longer until you’re healed?”

  Levi shrugged. “I dunno.”

  “Shouldn’t be too much longer. And stop moving your shoulders,” Colin said, distracted.

  She hummed. “Then I suppose I’ll wait.”

  “You can go on ahead if you like. Draw a couple away from the pack, so we can swoop in and take ‘em out,” Levi suggested.

  She shook her head. “Not until I know you’re ready. I’m not going to risk bringing them all the way over here just for you to run for it.”

  “Reasonable enough.”

  Colin lowered his arms. “You’re all healed up.”

  Levi stood. He spun his arm around, feeling the rotation, the response, everything. Just to test it, he threw a few punches and jumped in place a few times. Everything felt… normal.

  “Huh. Nice.” He yanked up his shirt.

  “What the—whoa!”

  “How improper.”

  Levi looked up at them. “You guys act like you’ve never seen a shirtless guy before.”

  “I just wasn’t expecting it, that’s all,” Colin said.

  Isa snorted. “In any case, why did you undress?”

  “Checking for scars. But there’s none. Lame.” He put his shirt back down.

  “You wanted scars?” Colin asked.

  “Of course I did. Scars are badass.” He dusted off his pants and turned toward the village. “But you know what’s even more badass? Killing a shitload of cannibals and leveling up. Let’s fucking gooooooooo.” He hopped down the edge of the cliff.

  Colin and Isa exchanged a glance. Isa rolled her eyes and hopped down after him. Colin climbed down, and the three of them proceeded toward the cannibal village.