The Hunted Regressor: My Heretic Saint System-Chapter 52: Tiny Ripple

Ignotus’s eyes cracked open to the pale morning light, his body now far from the Python.

He felt heavy for a moment, but when he stretched, his bones cracking, he realized...

"Oh... I’m healed already."

There was no venom; he felt no pain and saw no shredded skin. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

Flexing his fingers, he rotated his shoulders and exhaled.

’Good as new.’

He heard a yawn as Eris’s voice reached him:

’Morning, Seeker Ignotus.’

Still lying flat on the ground, he bid Her back:

’Morning, Eris.’

With a flick of his hand, a familiar projection shimmered into existence.

—

╔══════════════╗

║Heretic Saint System║

╚══════════════╝

{Class: Seeker (Class Twelve)}

{Ordination: 18}

[• SF: 54 / 80 •]

{Health}

[• H: 252/252 → 380/380 •]

{Divinity}

[• D: 266/266 → 38&/380 •]

{Statistics}

[Strength] 12 → 19 (E → E+) (World Avg: E)

[Intelligence] 19 (E+) (World Avg: F)

[Willpower] 19 (E+) (World Avg: F)

[Speed] 14 → 19 (E → E+) (World Avg: E)

[Endurance] 19 (E+) (World Avg: E)

[Appearance] 70 (B+) (World Avg: C)

[Personality] -1 (G) (World Avg: D)

[Luck] 60 (B) (World Avg: C)

—

Ignotus stared at the increasing numbers, his lips quirking.

"Yeah, I almost died, but... it was worth it."

It was certainly ’worth it,’ though he’d grown overleveled now.

He still had fourteen stat points left over, nine naturally occurring stats, and five from the quest. Which, indeed, apparently gave him stat points that he could allocate wherever he wanted to, all fourteen now waiting to intertwine with his Soul.

Ignotus didn’t know how that worked exactly or where these stat points came from, but it definitely related to the Space Soul Glyph he had, Rule Breaker... it couldn’t be anything else.

Anyhow, the Giant Crabs he killed on the journey had pushed him to Ordination thirteen, and the rest shoved him right into eighteen all at once. Extremely painfully but thankfully effectively, his Derived Stats reaching and nearing four hundred.

Yeah, four hundred.

Four hundred.

’...wait.’

Only now did he notice it.

—

{Divinity}

[• D: 266/266 → 38&/380 •]

—

’Can my Beholding Eyes malfunction?’

Ignotus didn’t understand why this was happening.

’I’m sure that’s not the case.’

Eris seemed to pick up on it, or rather, She knew that it was coming.

’Seeker Ignotus... you’ve injured your Soul.’

Ah, that reminded him of his Hail Mary last night.

Ten seconds of him directly supplying Her with Divinity.

Of course, what else could it be but that?

It was too reckless even by his standards.

’I can naturally heal back from this, right?’

Eris nodded, an action he felt.

’Yes. It isn’t anything major, so as long as you don’t trigger your Rune by getting into a fight, or at least attacking an opponent, whether Runebearer...’

That was a red flag.

’Monster...’

Another red flag.

’Or Demon, you’ll be fine.’

Avoiding even a single thought about those three red flags She’d just raised, he thanked Her and now focused on the elephant in the plane, which was impossible to ignore any longer.

—

[Strength] 19 (E+) (World Avg: E)

[Intelligence] 19 (E+) (World Avg: F)

[Willpower] 19 (E+) (World Avg: F)

[Speed] 19 (E+) (World Avg: E)

[Endurance] 19 (E+) (World Avg: E)

[Remaining Stat Points: 11]

—

’Why are most of your... stats locked at nineteen?’

Ignotus, finally rolling to his feet, began to dust off his ruined clothes.

’Simple... I need my second Rune. My Soul’s too weak to hold more Divinity, I only got this strong this fast because of my regr—’

He cut himself off.

’...hm. Anyways, no more wasting time. I’ve got to get back to the Academy. While I might be the strongest Seeker around, I’d be absolutely trashed by an Acolyte with a similar level of fighting experience... though I doubt someone like that exists.’

Eris went for the practical instead of prying:

’Will you not get your rucksack?’

Ignotus froze.

’...Oh.’

He’d completely forgotten.

’Well. What’s to hate about a little detour?’

He shrugged and looked down at himself.

’Besides, I desperately need to change and take a bath.’

His black tunic was in ribbons, dried blood everywhere. He looked more like a bandit than those bandits he scared off.

Thankfully, his home was close to the Academy, meaning that the little town with the local Parish station was close as well. If he moved fast, he could grab it, do some selling, shopping, and still make it back... maybe a little late.

...

Ignotus bolted across grass fields, each stride crossing meters of land, birds scattering in his wake. In his hand was monkey meat that came straight out of his inventory, which he gnawed on like a barbarian while not slowing down in the slightest.

Yes, this was breakfast, but he wasn’t complaining. He had cool water and warm food; what more could he ask for?

Well, again, maybe a bath and a change of clothes, but he’d save that for when he reached the town.

Though thankfully, that didn’t take too long. When he passed a hill, the town walls crept into view, and since this time he actually bothered to look at his surroundings, at least more than just the local Parish and the Divine Stairs, he had gotten a little surprised by the place.

Sure, due to their sun-dried mud bricks and wood for walls, they’d need to be repaired and/or rebuilt every year, but they were pretty advanced. A thought that hadn’t reached him before, as he was once only a Third Stratum kid, but no longer. Now knowing deeply of the Second too, as it had been his home for a long while.

’Hm.’

Passing by the gate, he quickly strode into the local Parish, ignoring the stares that bore into him. Stares that had stopped the very moment he entered the busiest place in town.

After all, this was a place of Runebearers, and they knew what a fight looked like.

Ignotus passed the reception area and walked straight to the same newbie clerk from before.

"Name’s Ignotus of House Plant, son of Genus."

He slapped his hand down on the counter.

"My butler, Felix, deposited my rucksack here a few days ago. Where is it?"

The poor girl blinked, her hands in the air.

"Y-You’re back?!"

Her eyes darted left and right—yeah, nobody cared. Runebearers were busy coming and going. What was talked about one day by all was forgotten the next; another story would come; no one was watching or listening for long.

"A-Alright, give me a moment!"

She bolted into the backroom, the small bell on the door jingling as she disappeared.

Ignotus waited and listened to the sounds around him while thinking about how his House name opened doors.

Indeed, House Plant had good weight, because otherwise, his rucksack would’ve been quickly thrown away.

Saying the name aloud now, after being known as ’Stranger’ for a few days, felt like setting a stone in a river.

He liked the tiny ripple.

Perhaps soon that ripple would be made by his name alone.