Their footsteps slowed this time.
Asleroc pretended to know what he was doing. An average boy from modern earth couldn't suddenly master the art of slaying demon spawns just because he had transmigrated into a fantasy world.
Even though it sounded ironic, that was isekai logic.
Astensia kept glancing back at him, making sure he remained close. Asleroc on the other hand was worried if he got any closer, his groin would press against her buttocks.
It was a thought only slightly as terrifying as the choke of split stone which the ground had narrowed into.
It was growing late now, and the crimson thorns themselves became even more frightening in the fading light. Shadows started to look like mouths.
A dry clicking noise came from somewhere.
Thor's head snapped left. "Hold."
Everyone froze. Asleroc pivoted with his sword pointing at where Thor was peering into.
Suddenly the thorns spread open and five shapes tore up from their shadows. They moved way too fast for Asleroc's eyes to follow. They were spindly and hunched, with unnecessary long limbs, tipped with razor-claws.
When they landed, scattering dirt and ash, Asleroc finally saw them clearly.
Their faces were skulls, except crimson—like the thorns—and with long goblin-like ears. Rings of teeth covered their faces, and pits of black was what they possessed in the name of eyes.
Names burned into the air above them:
「Miniature Demon Spawn — Lv. 10」
'Why do demon spawns have to look so utterly terrifying?'
They shrieked in unison and lunged forward.
"Blessed Blade Form!" Astensia roared. "Shield!"
Her sword flared with light and widened to a giant, radiant bulwark. She slammed it down, blocking her party, and the miniatures all slammed into the hard metal, tumbling backwards.
The spawns groaned, crickling like angry spiders. But there was barely time to recuperate for them.
Thor leaped over the shield, raising her hammer high in the air.
"By my hammer, activate Lightning Crash!"
She summoned lightning from the sky, and dragged it down to the ground. It struck one of the spawns as the others scrambled quickly in separate directions.
Asleroc got the notification once again.
「Thor has slain a Miniature Demon Spawn - Lv. 7」
「+5 Character Points acquired」
The notification dragged his attention for far too long enough, and he nearly lost his head to a quick claw from a spawn that had suddenly attacked him.
The talons shrieked over his head as he ducked frantically. After a stagger, he brought his sword up in a panicked parry, and faced the ugly creature when it turned to attack again.
"Triple Crescent Cleave!"
Asleroc saw three sudden slashes appear on the demon's chest, gold bright slashes. Its body trembled before collapsing into purple chunks.
Asleroc turned to the source.
Astensia stood there with her Blade poised before her. She nodded her head with respect. "You did well holding the demon, my Worship."
Suddenly, she lifted her hand fast enough to catch a lunging demon spawn by the throat. Her grip crushed like steel, and with a brutal squeeze, the creature's neck burst in purple blood.
She smiled. "This will be over shortly."
Asleroc could only stare as she charged back into battle with more miniature spawns joining the fray. He had known Astensia was strong, but watching her dismantle spawns with such casual ferocity left him fascinated.
However, there was something that was a bit more mind-turning.
Despite Astensia having slain several demon spawns already, his Character Points had not increased once from her kills.
It didn't make sense.
'Why Thor's kills, but not Astensia's? Am I missing something here?'
He backpedaled as another spawn skittered low for his legs, its teeth-face glinting hungrily. He kicked it awkwardly, which barely caused any momentum, but was enough for Thor to see the creature and storm blast it to oblivion.
Ding!
「+5 Character Points acquired」
'There it is again!' he exclaimed internally.
'Thor's kills keep giving me Character Points.' He looked at Astensia's direction, watching her stab her blade through a spawn. 'But Astensia's are being wasted.'
Why did one count and the other didn't?
'The system said: I earn Character Points when characters I create, evolve or influence get kills. I'm getting Points from Thor, but since I didn't create or evolve her, have I already influenced her in some way?'
His mind snapped to Valorend as he ducked over another lunging spawn. 'Star Crash Ascent! Did teaching Thor that Skill count as influencing her growth?'
He threw himself to the ground as two more spawns reached for him. Thor and Astensia killed them, winning him 5 Character Points from only one Heroine.
'Thor must have leveled up, and that's why I'm earning CP from her and not from Astensia.'
'I haven't contributed to her growth at all'
He heard a hiss behind him. He spun, but because he was on his ass, he couldn't move fast enough.
The spawn scuttled up the ground and pounced, almost reaching his face before a gold arc severed its skull clean.
Asleroc squinted as purple blood splashed on his face. Then, a lifeless head of teeth fell on his chest.
"Yuck."
"Are you okay, My Worship?" Astensia asked.
Asleroc gave her a thumbs up.
Rolling over, he sat with his back pressed to a crimson thorn and pulled up the main system interface. There, he found what he was looking for.
「Modules:」
「Creation」「Evolution」「 Roster 」「Inventory」 「Archive」 「World Weave」「Quest Log」
The Roster tab. He selected it briskly and saw his suspicions confirmed.
「 Roster 」
「Thor — 5★ Gold | Lv. 19/50 | Loyalty 31% | Status: Mana Corrupted (62%)」
「—」
Thor was the only one listed. Which meant she was the only official character he could gain CP and other possible rewards from.
'So I was right. Thor counts because I pushed her into some kind of growth when I taught her the Ascent Skill.'
He looked at the two Heroines as the battle was almost ending.
'As powerful as Thor is, she won't be enough. If I want to amass CP quickly, I need Astensia on the roster. I need to help her level up. Right now I should have twice the points I'm earning.'
He watched Astensia take down the last demon spawn using "Crescent Cleave!"
Arcs of golden light sliced the monster into four. Steam hissed out of the unnatural body as the demon collapsed to the ground.
Asleroc's eyes widened with inspiration.
'Crescent Cleave?! I know that Skill!'
'It's a B-Rank Skill but Astensia eventually upgraded it to an A-Rank! And I know how!'
Astensia turned toward him and offered him her armored hand to get up. Asleroc grasped it, excited and determined as he rose to his feet with her help.
It was time he started leveling up his Heroines.