《Amongst All Other Worlds, Why Did It Choose Such A Clichéd Setting?》
Prologue - Really? This Is So Generic…
¡°Finally! Today¡¯s the day I can register to become an adventurer with the kingdom!¡±
I shouted at the top of my lungs. I could hardly sleep the night before, but today it was finally here! The day I turn 18 and am officially recognized as an adult that can take on quests issued by the adventurer¡¯s guild. Needless to say, I¡¯m pretty awesome, and I¡¯ve been working towards this moment since as long as I could remember. Practicing my skills with the sword, learning beginner magic such as ¡°Fire Bolt!¡± and all the basics of adventuring. Forming a party, tactics, and equipment management, are all super easy things I¡¯ve mastered!
¡°Jake! Breakfast is ready. I made your favourite; eggs and bacon. I know you¡¯re so excited to head on out, but don¡¯t rush on over to the guild until all your friends are ready!¡±
¡°Thanks mom! I¡¯ll be right down!!¡±
I¡¯m so glad my mom is supportive of me and my goal to become the best adventurer in the Kingdom of Solara. I raced down the stairs to the lovely smell of freshly crisped bacon. My mom was standing by the stove, tending to the rest of the food she was making. It also looks like the rest of my siblings are still sleeping. Sucks to be them! They don¡¯t get to see me head off on the start of my adventure!
¡°As enthusiastic as ever Jake! Here, a little extra portion before you start your day. Also, your father and I got you a little something. Happy birthday son!!! <3¡±
Looking into the kitchen, I noticed resting against the oak chairs at the table was a metallic blade, covered by a cured-leather sheath. I walked over to pick it up. Along the side, there was some embroidery on the sheath, it read ¡°Jake Valkin¡±.
¡°Really mom? You had my name embroidered on the sheath!¡±
I said as I drew the blade, it was light, yet comfortable. The light shimmered as it left the hilt. I could see my reflection in the shiny metallic surface. My hair was a mess, but the image was so clear, like staring into the calm waters of a resting lake. As I continued staring into the blade¡¯s surface, I had a sudden realization as to where this had come from. Hardly able to contain my excitement, I shouted out in glee!
¡°No way! This is the hardened steel short-blade from John¡¯s Smithery I¡¯ve been eyeing every time I visit his shop!! It cost a whole 5 silver Solara?!?!¡±
¡°I know it seems like a lot Jake, but we wanted to support you as best we could!¡±
¡°But mom, this must have taken months to save for!¡±
¡°It¡¯s fine dear. If you¡¯re to be a successful adventurer, you need to have reliable equipment! John said this sword was of high quality and easy to use for beginner swordsmen. A lot of the royal guard use a similar quality. He was also kind and gave it a minor magical enhancement to help preserve its sharpness during combat.¡±
Hmmm, Let¡¯s see, if I remember correctly from my training classes, anyone can check the status of an individual or item with the appraisal spell. But how was it cast again?
Ah, that¡¯s right!
¡°World reveal onto me the secrets within, show me all that lies inside, Appraisal!¡±
As I finished the incantation, I felt a little groggy, the normal side effects of casting magic spells that consume a decent amount of your MP. I know typeless magic isn¡¯t an affinity I have, but it¡¯s still crazy how a single cast of appraisal affects me this much, whereas I can cast at least 3 Fire Bolts before feeling light headed.
Sure enough, showing above the steel short-blade in a holographic grey box was the following status of the weapon in question.
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Item Name: Steel Short-Blade
Quality: Superb
Requirements: N/A
Weapon Damage: 5 - 10
Stats: Attack +5
Magic Conductivity: N/A
Enhancements: Minor Durability Boost -> Weapon will lose sharpness at a slower rate than normal for all other types of similar Steel Short-Blade of equivalent quality and manufacturing.
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Summary: A Short-Blade forged at high heat comprised of iron ore and coal, then tempered to increase durability. A Common weapon found on most mercenaries, adventurers, and army personal alike.
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Yep, it¡¯s true! Appraisal says this sword is enhanced with Minor Durability Boost. With something like this to start my adventure, I¡¯m sure to be successful. After examining the sword a little longer, I returned the pristine blade back to it¡¯s sheath, before joining my mother at the table. After all, those eggs and bacon weren¡¯t going to eat themselves!
After taking my time to thoroughly enjoy the pleasantries of such a simple breakfast, I readied the rest of my gear and mentally prepared to bid my mother farewell. I was only expecting to be gone a few days at most, but this was technically the first time I would be spending an extended period away from the household completing a quest.
I quickly ran back upstairs to my room to double check I had gathered everything. Rucksack? Check. Light leather armor? Check, already wearing it. Dried meats and rations? Check. Linen for simple wound dressing should I get injured? Check.
As I turned my back to the room to leave, I couldn¡¯t help feeling sentimental about all the memories I had with my family. While we were by no means well-off, we did our best, and the thought that maybe now, my parents and younger siblings could potentially have a little less hardship when I returned with some extra income, was reassuring.
Closing the door, it appeared my room was also sending me off with best wishes from the ever so familiar wooden screeching sound it made each time it closed. While it obviously wasn¡¯t the case, it was little things like this I started thinking I would miss being away from my family.
Unfortunately, unbeknownst to Jake, his room, was in fact, trying to warn him about the untold dangers he would face during his epic journey. Saddened, and, overcome with grief, the old, wooden door, wondered why it had been born with a tragic absence of lips. Why must the door, who had watched over Jake since birth, be force to suffer at its inability to convey such a simple warning for the upcoming hero? Why couldn¡¯t it do more; to protect the human it had so effortlessly sheltered throughout his life? Thus, bound, and, wallowing in misery, the door could be heard faintly screeching it¡¯s warning, as the wooden barrier continued to sway from it¡¯s crooked, loosened hinges:
¡°Ymnx rjxxflj, nx rd qfrj fyyjruy yt uwtyjhy ymj xytwd kwtr ymjky. Nk ymnx xjsyjshj nx ktzsi utxyji ts frfets, ymnx btwp nx xytqjs.¡±
What the door¡¯s warning was meant to be, was anyone¡¯s guess, as Jake continued down the stairs to embrace his mother, waiting for him at the landing.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, his mother let him go, planting a kiss, squarely across his bewildered forehead.
¡°Seriously mom? Saying goodbye like this almost makes it seem like I won¡¯t be coming back.¡±
¡°I know Jake, but I¡¯ve heard so many stories lately in the city about many young adventures going missing on quests they take at the guild. Even simple quests for herb gathering are starting to become dangerous, and when I think that could happen to you, I¡ I...¡±
It was then I felt something warm and damp land on the back of my neck, accompanied by some quiet sniffles, it confirmed to me that my mother couldn¡¯t hold back her emotion and was indeed crying at the thought something would happen to me. Correction, if crying was a small number of watery tears, then this was a torrential downpour of salty water viciously assaulting my neck! I¡¯d have to make sure I wipe them off after I head outside.
Finding the strength to end this elongated goodbye between mother and son, with one final squeeze, I pushed my mother back and ended the embrace.
¡°Don¡¯t worry mom, I¡¯ll be sure to return without issue. After all, nothing bad could possibly happen to me, Jake Valkin, the best adventurer in Solara!¡±
¡°Jake, it¡¯s exactly that attitude that bothers me so much. I know you¡¯ve done well in practicing your adventuring capabilities, but there¡¯s something to be said about being overly confident. Just don¡¯t be reckless, and make sure to rely on your friends help.¡±
¡°Of course, mom.¡±
It was rather annoying she could be like this, but I guess that¡¯s how mothers are. Finally saying our goodbyes, I made sure to grab the steel-short blade and attach it to my waist before heading out the door.
Now, the adventure of Jake Valkin can finally begin!
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Author''s Note:
I just wanted to say thank you for taking the time to land on this page and reading through the short introduction for "Amongst All Other Worlds".
This story has been a concept in my head since I was first introduced to the isekai genera roughly 10 years ago, and I eventually found the inspiration to transform the mental images for this journey, into a light novel of sorts. Simply put, I enjoy isekai as a setting, and wanted to share my take on the genera. From trash to treasures, I love all forms of other world adventures, and wanted to bring the world of Terra to life for everyone. Speaking of adventures, this "learning to write" has been a journey in and of itself. While I by no means consider myself an expert, I hope you will continue to enjoy reading through this novel and notice the gradual improvements to my writing style as the story advances.
As part of my writing practice, I try my best to keep information that each character ought to know, accurate, based on the information available to them at that moment. This can be seen when I experiment with different character perspectives, reexamining recent events through their eyes. Hopefully this comes across well, where some "inconsistencies" might not actually be the typos readers think them to be. That said, I am not immune to the elusive grammar mistakes that always manage to seemingly survive the editing process...
With that said, may you enjoy your journey into the wonderful world, of Terra.
~Kotato
Chapter 1 - To The City
Free from the clutches of my household, I started my journey towards the main hub of the city. While we lived in the section outside the formal city gates, we were only roughly a 30min walk to the main entranceway, so it was best I get started early. Along the way, I would gradually loosen my muscles from the light exercise and meet up with my friend Drogan, who would also be joining me.
Like myself, Drogan had also recently come of age and shared similar dreams of becoming a famous adventurer in Solara. While we¡¯ve been friends since we were no more than children crawling on the ground, our personalities were nothing alike.
My type of style has always been the ¡°super flashy, look cool while you do it¡± swordsmanship. You had to look cool while fighting, and being super aggressive and taking the initiative was always the correct option in my mind. Drogan on the other hand, was more of a defensive reactionary type. Instead of using a sword and shield, he invented his own style of offence by using two shields!
That¡¯s right, my best friend was obsessed with making two shields in combat work. Granted, he did put a lot of effort into honing his body to be a pure wall of muscle, so any monster or bandit looking at him would appear to be staring down an impenetrable, mobile fortress! From the few times we¡¯ve spared, I only managed to beat him once. This victory spurred him to work even harder and perfect his style even further.
Since then, all our battles have ended in draws, where neither of us could force the other to surrender. While I thought it was lame his hyper focus on defence, Drogan made it work. So, we agreed when we could eventually become adventurers, that Drogan would be the one standing on the front line, while I attacked our enemies with the openings he made, a perfect combo!
Taking in the scenery and enjoying the nice, cool summer breeze, it wasn¡¯t long until I found myself near the towering city gates to Solara, standing tall and magnificent as usual. Speaking of usual, there was the never-ending line to enter the city. Begrudgingly, I queued up behind the diverse assortment of townsfolk, adventurers, and other visitors to the kingdom. Merchants and nobles also had their respective entrances to wait at for inspection. While I was jealous of the priority given to them in entering the city quicker, I also understood that efficiency for commerce was vital to the kingdom¡¯s growth. Disappointed this would be the most boring part of the journey; it didn¡¯t take long for my mind to wander.
As I looked around to keep myself occupied, I noticed along the city¡¯s perimeter, was the new extension being developed to meet the needs of the ever-growing population. I could see large, marble-like stone slabs being hauled and brought near the development to be worked on by the many talented stone-smiths of the kingdom. Of course, the ones doing the strenuous labour of transporting these immense slabs were the many slaves under the protection of Solara.
Being blunt, protection was indeed the correct term to use here. A lot of the slaves used in the kingdom were those punished under Solara¡¯s laws and condemned to death. However, the previous king had the genius insight that many of these individuals would be more useful alive building the kingdom as repentance for their crimes against it. Under this change, the kingdom grew substantially and developed into what it is now. In fact, the current reigning king took this thought a step further and permitted households within the kingdom to keep their own slaves. This further helped reinforce Solara¡¯s laws and served as a stark reminder the penalties for breaking them.
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Needless to say, a lot of the slaves in the kingdom were of a particular race. Not that it was due to any particularly targeted discrimination, but the beastkin race was easily found breaking many of the kingdom¡¯s laws and consequently found themselves in this situation. While possessing intelligence similar humans, they were considered by many to be ruthless, barbaric, and often ignorant of the laws of the land, wherever they traveled. It was no surprise that many of the criminals punished in Solara were in fact, beastkin, traveling to the kingdom seeking fame and fortune. If I had to give a rough estimate, I would say about 80% of all the slaves in Solara were beastkin, with the reminder 20% being split between demi-humans and humans.
Honestly, its not like it was even difficult to stay in compliance with Solara¡¯s laws. One just had to simply speak the language of the kingdom, pay proper respects to the reigning monarch, and pay taxes when demanded by the officials. This is why even though I grew up in Solara, I at least tried to learn a little bit about the other countries surrounding us in-case my adventuring would take me there. Ending up in prison, slavery, or dead, would bring a quick end to my goal of becoming the best adventurer, and was something I wished to avoid.
Bringing my thoughts back to my position in line, I was happy to see that things were moving smoothly. Actually, I was rather close to the front now that I fully clocked back in again. Before I knew it, it was my turn to show identification to enter the main city hub.
Sure enough, waiting at the gate for today¡¯s inspection duties was none other than Captain Harold. I didn¡¯t know him all too well, but during my travels into the city to meetup with Drogan, I would often talk with the guards on duty. When I found out that the captain was a retired adventurer, I made sure to ask him about his adventuring days and for any advice. After all, I wasn¡¯t going to become the best unless I spoke with those who had more experience than me! Overtime, this led to a mutual recognition of one another and had the extra benefit of making my entrance into the city slightly easier.
¡°Ah, morning Jake! Heading into the city today again?¡±
¡°Hey Herold, sure am! Actually, today¡¯s kind of a special day. You see, the amazing Jake Valkin turns 18 today! I¡¯m heading over to register at the adventurer¡¯s guild with my mates and start our journey to become the best adventurers in Solara!¡±
Herold¡¯s brow wrinkled as he looked me over from top to bottom. I could tell he was examining me for any signs of weakness or a general lack of preparedness. After what felt like a good minute of silence, he finally spoke up.
¡°A¡¯ight Jake, you¡¯re clear to enter. Be careful though ya hear? Remember what I said and stick to the simple gathering quests firsts. The outskirts of the city have become much more dangerous lately and aren¡¯t exactly the best of hunting grounds for newbies.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right Jake, there¡¯s actually a current request in with the royal guard to reevaluate the safety of the city¡¯s outskirts. More and more merchants are falling prey to goblins, bandits, and all sorts of unusual monsters not normal for these parts.¡±
One of the other guards chipped in to offer his comments to the captain¡¯s advice. While it was true things have gotten worse lately, my personal opinion was everything was being over exaugurated by the merchants visiting so they had some type of justification to charge higher prices on arrival. As for the increased risk to new adventurers? Pfft, clearly, they just weren¡¯t skilled to begin with.
¡°Thanks Herold, but don¡¯t worry, you ARE talking to me, the incredible and future best adventurer in Solara, Jake Valkin!¡±
Clearly my confidence was lost on Herold. After hearing my reply, he let out a huge sigh, shrugging his shoulders, almost as if he meant to say ¡°I tried to warn ya kid¡±. I guess he finally realized convincing me otherwise would be a lost cause.
¡°Suit yourself kid, you¡¯re all clear to enter. Best of luck, and tell the ladies at the guild reception counter I sent you, should help make your registration a bit easier with a known reference at the branch.¡±
¡°Yes sir!¡±
And with that, I had finally made it inside the great city of Solara!
Chapter 2 - Finding Drogan
Once inside, I had a quick detour to make first before reaching the adventurer¡¯s guild.
Drogan.
He was probably still helping at his dad¡¯s shop ¡°Wicks Smithing & Armor¡±. They were a decently popular provider in the city for all adventurers alike. Drogan¡¯s dad produced some high-quality plate mail at a reasonable price. His motto was ¡°All adventurers should have access to dependable, affordable equipment!¡±. With this philosophy, he was gradually able to grow the shop into what it was now. Although I could tell he was a bit disappointed in Drogan not wanting to continue the family business, he still was supportive in Drogan¡¯s decision to form an adventuring party with me!
Obviously, I promised to spread the word about how our equipment came from his shop once we were famous as a type of courtesy, but he didn¡¯t seem to care too much for my ¡°bragging and arrogant attitude¡±, whatever that meant. I was just trying to do you a favour, you know?
Anyways, it wasn¡¯t too difficult to reach their store. After traveling down the main cobblestone city street and taking a left at the first major water fountain, nestled off to the side beside some food kart vendors and eateries, was their store, ¡°Wicks Smithing & Armor¡±. The wooden sign hung above the door, rustling, and squeaking as a gentle breeze pushed it back and forth.
Not wanting to waste a moment longer, I approached the old oak doors and pushed them open with all my might! Then, gathering my voice, I shouted into store.
¡°Drogan! Are you ready??¡±
Just like that, all the chatter and sparsely spread-out customers stopped to stare at me, and while I was expecting Drogan to be at the counter, I was instead greeted by a somewhat glaring eye from a Mr. Wicks in his place. Not unusual, as he was always like this when I was around.
¡°Oi, Geez Jake, don¡¯t you know that¡¯s no way to enter a store? You¡¯re disturbing my customers. Quiet down and head to the back. Drogan¡¯s there making some final adjustments to a project he¡¯s working on.¡±
¡°Thanks Mr. Wicks!¡±
I made my way inside and towards the back of the shop. Along the way, I made sure to examine some of the armor and weapons on display. While often rude and blunt, Mr. Wicks was a true master of his craft. The shelves were lined with many kinds of armor, ranging all the way from leather helmets, to reinforced steel plate bodies. On the inside of each piece, in simple embroidery, were the initials ¡°T.W.¡± followed by the shop¡¯s anvil shaped stamp. Most of my equipment, such as my leather knee pads, gloves, and chest piece had come from Mr. Wicks¡¯s store. Granted they were second hand items to keep the cost down, but the quality was still great. I even as a bonus learned how to make simple repairs and maintain the equipment under Mr. Wick¡¯s guidance.
Although the teaching was probably meant more for Drogan who I happened to be with at the time, it still didn¡¯t change the fact I had helped them out every now and then when I had the time in between my swordsmanship and magic training. Approaching the back of the store and ignoring some of the rude glares from several customers along my way there, I opened the second door to the workshop area.
As expected, sitting at one of the benches was my short, bulky friend, Drogan. I could hear the sounds of a hammer hitting metal, and deep breaths in-between each strike. I called out to him, but there was no response. I knew he could get very absorbed in his work when he found what he called a ¡°rhythm¡±, but seriously, your friend is here and wants to get started on his adventure damn it!
Trying to get his attention, I walked around in front to where he was working. I waved me hands, jumped around, and even made silly faces on the other side of the work bench. Despite all this, my presence continued to go unnoticed by the intently fixated craftsman. Deciding enough was enough, I had made up my mind on how to get Drogan¡¯s attention. Seizing the opportunity for a small prank, I crept up behind him and shouted into his ear with the force of a hundred cannons firing their payload into his unsuspecting ear cannels.
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¡°DROGAN!!!!¡±
Success! What followed was something not even I could have imagined. Drogan, startled by the sudden noise near his ear, leapt out of his stool, several feet into the air, tossing the hammer that was once firmly held in his hand. The hammer, seemingly shocked at its new found freedom and desire to continue smashing things, took the initiative and collided with such force into the wooden beam overhead; it had become a part of the buildings structure itself! A beautiful harmony of metal and wooden splinters. Likewise, Drogan also made an acquaintance with the hard stone flooring, although in less spectacular fashion, and more anticlimactic with a loud ¡°Thud¡±. Seemingly annoyed at my antics, he gave me a rather annoyed reply.
¡°Jake, what the hell man! Couldn¡¯t you see I was busy? Also, why did you have to yell in my ear so loud? You know I scare easy man.¡±
¡°Haha, sorry Drogan, but I couldn¡¯t resist the perfect opportunity to give you a scare like that! You were so focused in your work; you didn¡¯t even notice my earlier attempts to get your attention!¡±
¡°That¡¯s because I was trying to put the finishing touches on my armor you dumbass. How can I be the front line if I don¡¯t have sturdy armor to match my twin shields, Iron and Wall!¡±
¡°Geez man, did you seriously name your shields? And what was that? Iron and Wall? What stupid names! You should totally name them ¡°Babe¡± and ¡°Smasher¡±. You know, something we¡¯ll be doing once we become famous adventurers!¡±
Yep, that¡¯s right, one of our ¡°ulterior motives¡± for becoming famous adventurers was gaining the ultimate ability to score all the hot, beautiful woman wherever we went! I could already picture the sight of women throwing themselves before me, Jake, the best hero in all of Solara! I would walk down the main city highway to babes swooning over me at just the mere sight of my presence! Every tavern I visited would be filled with busty ladies, fighting over the privilege to be hanging off my arms! Ahh, what a wonderful future!
What? A guys gotta have dreams, right? I¡¯m not ashamed about what I want! I intend to utilize every benefit of being a famous adventurer of the kingdom! Plus, if I had to say, who wouldn¡¯t want a piece of ¡°Jake Valkin¡±?
¡°Jake, you¡¯re an idiot. I named them that because these shields will be protecting me. They deserve fitting names for their role, and not some immature nonsense!¡±
¡°Fine, whatever Drogan, see if I help you with the ladies once we¡¯re famous anymore. Anyways, do you have everything ready to go? We¡¯re suppose to be at the adventurer¡¯s guild shortly.¡±
Ignoring my important comments on wingmanship, Drogan slowly regained his balance and stood up, grabbing the armor from the workbench and burlap sack nearby.
¡°Ya, I got everything all here. Few days rations, camp supplies, and my equipment!¡±
I hated to admit it, but I was rather jealous of my friend. Drogan had in his possession a magic item called a ¡°Spatial Storage Bag¡±. These handy things could store any item inside a seemingly bottomless pit, while reducing the overall weight burden for the holder. While not truly bottomless, the phrase ¡°It¡¯s bigger on the inside¡± summarized them well. Most of these bags had a storage space roughly equivalent to that of a small shed, perfect for the average adventurer to store their bulky camping supplies and gear. His burlap sack was one of such items.
However, with great convenience, came great cost. These bags weren¡¯t cheap by any means and could cost upwards of 20 silver Solara coins. Considering most farmers and unskilled labour earned a measly 1 bronze Solara coin a day, and with 10 bronze Solara equaling 1 silver Solara, one could see how saving for their own Spatial Storage Bag became a goal in and of itself. Once you started factoring in daily living expenses, most novice adventurers quickly gave up hopes on ever acquiring one and instead choose to carry their own equipment instead. In fact, one could say owning one of these magic bags was considered the first milestone for many new adventurers starting their journey!
Drogan, likewise, had managed to achieve this feat purely from his own skill and effort! Under the guidance of his father, he managed to produce several high-quality items that sold in the shop, so Mr. Wicks was more than glad to share some of the profit with him. Over the course of 2 years, Drogan managed to ammas 15 silver Solara and purchased the bag from the local general goods store.
Regardless, having one of these in our party was a major bonus and would make our initial quests that much easier!
I asked Drogan if I could store my bags with him. After agreeing, he opened the top of the sack to reveal a swirling, empty void of darkness. Without worry, I shoved my own backpack filled with camping supplies and rations into the endless sea of blackness and watched it disappear with a satisfying ¡°swoosh¡± sound. If we needed them later, all we had to do was picture the items we wanted from the bag when we reached in, and pull them out.
¡°Thanks Drogan, now let¡¯s get going! Kael and Lyra are probably already waiting for us at the guild.¡±
Giving my friend a soft punch on the shoulder, we both made our way out the back entrance of the workshop and onto the main city streets again. Our next stop, the adventurer¡¯s guild!
Chapter 3 - The Adventurers Guild
With the day having progressed to what was commonly the starting working hours for many citizens, the streets of Solara were filled with the hustle and bustle of townsfolk scrambling to get to their destinations. Sounds of chatter filled the air, kart vendors yelled to attracts tardy patrons rushing to grab some food, while horse hooves clattered against the stone roads transporting their endless supply of commercial goods.
Weaving our way through the crowds, Drogan and I slowly made our way towards the main central hub of the city. The adventurer¡¯s guild was located near the heart of Solara, in the western district.
I had to admit, I was rather fond of the architectural and civil planning that went into the city¡¯s layout. Looking at the city of Solara from a bird¡¯s eye, it was roughly divided into 5 sections like a pentagon. The northern section housed all the noble families in the kingdom, with the royal palace sitting on top as the apex piece. Behind the palace was a vast mountain range serving as further protection. Proof of the genius minds that founded the kingdom for using such as natural formation in their grand design.
The segment to the east was home to most of the commercial activity and services provided by the kingdom, which was generally used by the nobles and merchants running their stores, while the west side was home to the adventurer¡¯s guild and associated services. Most travelers to the kingdom visited here as stores were specifically targeted towards the amenities they required, such as monster part processing, lodging for non-citizens, supply restocking, and quest delivery.
Conversely, the south-eastern and western sections were specifically designed for the common folk, and contained a wide assortment of residential buildings such as lodgings, taverns, and equipment stores. Generally speaking, as you acquired more wealth and climbed the social ladder, you found yourself closer to the northern parts of the city.
It didn¡¯t take long, but we eventually found ourselves outside the entranceway to a tall, wooden building, lavished with beautiful masonry and marble columns adorning the smooth brick pathway. Standing tall and imposing in the roadway, were stone statue monuments depicting heroes of legend; each of which wielding their chosen weapon. From left to right was the Spear, Bow, Sword, and Magic Staff heroes who helped save Solara from an ancient threat. A bronze plaque with gold lettering read:
¡°Solara¡¯s Adventurer Guild Branch¡±
¡°Lux tua luceat superbia¡±
The phrase of the kingdom, ¡°Let your light shine with pride¡±
A language long lost to time, but the phrase was said to originate from the first heroes who came to the world of Terra and freed the humans from the oppressive gods and demon lords. As a result, humanity was able to flourish and develop into what it is now. Although no one knows what happened to these heroes, it was said they moved on to eventually become gods themselves!
¡°We made it¡± I said with relief. I was finally one step closer to starting my dreams as an adventurer!
While I was standing in awe of the statues, I noticed Drogan had already left my side and was almost to the building¡¯s doors. Not wanting to be left behind, I sprinted to catch up with him.
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¡°You ready Jake?¡±
¡°Of course man, I¡¯ve been ready since I woke this morning!¡±
Touching the short-sword holstered to my waist, I felt unstoppable. All of my work and effort these past 5 years has led to this moment. The day I form an official adventuring party and begin making the name ¡°Jake Valkin¡± known throughout the kingdom.
Excited, with an air of nervousness, I pushed the heavy doors open to a chorus of screams, laughter, and all-around chaos. Inside the entrance hallway was a gathering of other would-be adventurers mingling and deciding on which quest to take. To my right was a notice board with posted requests, and on the left-hand side of the building was essentially a tavern, already filled with adventurer parties drinking and eating food while discussing or sharing details from their respective quests.
The main counter had several people standing in line waiting to be served or register with the guild. I could make out staff running back and forth in what I could only hope was organized chaos. A few demi-humans were also behind the counter, busily filling out paperwork and completing registration forms. Bringing my gaze back toward the tavern section, I noticed a pair of silver haired individuals sitting at a table. A thin, lanky male with glasses, and petite female wearing a mage¡¯s hat, complete with an accented red streak of hair through her bangs.
¡°Yo! Kael and Lyra!¡±
I called out to my friends sitting around the table and gave them an excited wave. Although I doubted they could hear me over the noise, Kael¡¯s eyes locked with mine and he replied with a wave of his own. Accordingly, Drogan and I hurried over to join them at the table. They had kindly kept two spots available for us. As I approached, Kael annoyingly readjusted the glasses on his face and greeted us.
¡°About time Jake and Drogan, couldn¡¯t have been any slower getting here I presume? To think I thought you would actually manage to be on-time for once, especially considering this is the first day adventuring. Such a disappointment.¡±
Ya, that snobbish attitude was typical for Kael. Behind him I could see his handcrafted eldermyst wooden short-bow and quiver filled to the brim with arrows. He was the ranger of our future group and already had one year of adventuring under his belt. Him and Lyra were childhood friends who eventually married and started adventuring together for the income it provided. Not that they needed it or anything, considering their families were already well off. It was probably more for developing their own reputation if anything.
Either oblivious or uncaring towards Kael¡¯s rude comment, Lyra continued to ignore us and instead kept her focus on the fancy silver mirror she held, fixing stray bits of hair, and adjusting how her hat rested on her head. While I wasn¡¯t a huge fan of her arrogant attitude either, she was a skilled mage at using fire spells and was to be the second offensive powerhouse of our team.
¡°Shut it Kael, we¡¯re here now, so let¡¯s get registered and start earning some money.¡±
I had found during my interactions with these two, that being straight to the point and ignoring their attitude seemed to work best. Normally I wouldn¡¯t have been friends with these individuals, but we just happened to live near each other when we were kids. Somehow, Kael¡¯s parents climbed the social ladder through cleaver political dealings and managed to earn a place in the fancier residential district. Since then, Kael had moved to the better parts of the city and turned into the snob he is now. That¡¯s where he eventually met Lyra, and that¡¯s that.
As for why I kept in contact with him? Well, let¡¯s just say he still holds a grudge against me for always beating him in combat. Not once has Kael been able to best me in a duel. His frustration eventually led to him suggesting we form a party together since even he couldn¡¯t deny I had skill when it came to combat. Even though he was arrogant, he still recognized talent and respected it, although begrudgingly.
¡°Pfft, whatever.¡±
Filled with an eye roll and facial expression overflowing with inconvenience, Kael stood up and started walking with Drogan and I towards the reception counter to wait in line. Eventually, Lyra noticed she was the only one left sitting at the table and joined us as well. All four of us stood there, silently waiting for our turn.
Chapter 4 – Crimson Steel Lux
After what felt like an eternity, one of the attendants at the registration counter waved us over. It was finally our turn to register.
¡°Welcome to Solara¡¯s Adventurer¡¯s Guild Branch! My name is Neko, and I would be more than happy to assist you. What may I get started for you today?¡±
The attendant spoke carefully with a gentle, soft female voice, almost like they were trying to focus on their articulation, speaking correctly in formal Solarian tongue. Appearance wise, our attendant happened to be one of the demi-human folk often employed by the various adventurer guild branches across several kingdoms. Small, brown, cat like ears, whiskers, and a tail flicking around, confirmed their race to be one of the cat demi-humans. She wore an unnaturally cheery facial expression as she awaited our reply.
¡°Hi, we¡¯re looking to register and form an adventurer party with the guild. My name¡¯s Jake, and beside me are Drogan, Kael, and Lyra.¡±
I motioned to my friends beside me and awaited her reply.
¡°Purrrfect, nah, I mean, perfect! I can certainly advise your party on the registration process! Have either of you registered with the guild before? Are you with any other branches?¡±
¡°No, this will be my first time registering, same with Drogan.¡±
¡°Lyra and I are already registered with this branch¡ And was that beastkin speech I perhaps heard? ¡ Namo, was it? Quite frankly, I¡¯m insulted you didn¡¯t recognize the adventurer¡¯s plate I so graciously had on display during your introduction. I would hate to have to share a negative review with the guild branch owner, not to mention speaking to us in a banned language in Solara. You are aware of the penalties of this, aren¡¯t you, cat?¡±
What Kael said was right, speaking any other language in Solara besides solarian was outlawed, punishable by fine, imprisonment, or slavery for serious, repeat offenders. While I personally thought he came across a little too rude in his retort, I did agree that everyone needed to do their best to speak the legal language. It was law after all.
I could see Neko was startled by Kael¡¯s reaction, and her cheerful demeanor quickly turned into a blank, despair like expression. Then, she bowed formally towards Kael.
¡°I am incredibly sorry for this grievous inconvenience and humbly apologise for souring your ears with my abhorrent use of a banned language in the Great Kingdom of Solara.¡±
¡°Good enough beast, I shall ignore the aforementioned inconvenience to myself, please carry on with your explanations.¡±
Formal Solarian tongue, although I wasn¡¯t well versed in it, was listed as the official and proper language for the kingdom. Nobles and royalty alike would only speak to one another in this dialect. However, recognizing the difficulties commoners had in mastering its intricacies, a less formal version, Common Solarian was also permitted to be used in the kingdom. This was the language usually used by visitors to Solara and the common working class due to it¡¯s ease and convenience.
Unique to Solara, all government branches of operation required their employees to speak in Formal Solarian first. They could then continue in common if the other party requested it to make communication easier for the less sophisticated. The reason the adventurer¡¯s guild branch required Formal Solarian of its employees was because it was deemed to be working under the government, and thus, had to follow their legislation as it resided in the heart of the city. Other kingdoms were more liberal in their ruling and allowed whatever language was most convenient.
¡°Neko, if you don¡¯t mind, could you please speak to us in Common Solarian? I¡¯m not as well versed in Formal as my friend and would be able to follow your explanations easier if you did.¡±
¡°Well of course, I will do my best to exceed your expectations Jake.¡±
Raising her head, Neko gave a slight bow, then continued.
¡°If you would like to register with the Solara Adventurer¡¯s Guild, you will need to fill out this form. Please indicate your name, age, combat class, and any other references the guild would find useful in validating your application. Also, we will require you to visit one of our appraisal attendants to fill in your general combat parameters. They will also let you know of any skills you¡¯ve acquired.
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Once your individual details are complete, I will then need all four of you to sign the official party form. Please indicate the name of the party and the leader for communication purposes with the guild. As a note, all new parties must begin at G rank, even if members inside the party are of a higher rank. This is a precaution to limit the risk of new adventurers joining veterans on more dangerous requests.¡±
Neko produced three forms and two quills with magic ink and handed them to me. I quickly noted two of the forms said ¡°Individual Registration¡± and passed one to Drogan, along with a quill. The last form said ¡°Party Registration¡±, so I held onto it. Now, looking at the form, I started filling in the information:
---Individual Registration ¨C Solara Adventurer¡¯s Branch---
Name: Jake Valkin
Age: 18
Combat Class: Swordsman
Experience? Personal training, 5 years, no formal instructor
Reference: Harold Patrol ¨C City Entrance Guard Captain
Emergency Contact / Next of Kin: Grace Valkin ¨C Mother ¨C 88 Farming District
---
Easy enough, it was a bit of a pain putting an emergency contact down in case I got injured or killed, but whatever. I had to follow the guild¡¯s rules, and completing the form accurately was part of the process.
Next, I looked over at the ¡°Party Registration¡± form.
---Party Registration ¨C Solara Adventurer¡¯s Branch---
Party Name: __________________________
Party Member 1: ________________
Party Member 2: ________________
Party Member 3: ________________
Party Member 4: ________________
Party Member 5: ________________
Party Member 6: ________________
Party Member 7: ________________
Party Member 8: ________________
Party Leader: ___________________
Designated Contact (If Different From Leader): _______________
---
Shoot.
I forgot to decide on a party name!!!!!!!!! Ugghhh! How could I have been so stupid! I was so excited to finally become an adventurer that I totally forgot to think of a cool, kickass name for us!!!!!!
I looked around the guild hall for some inspiration, I noticed Drogan was almost finished filling out his individual registration form so I had to think fast! Ummmm, Armor! No, what the heck Jake, that¡¯s what you wear, not something to name your party! I looked down at my shirt and remembered I had put on my lucky red shirt today; it was below my leather breastplate. That¡¯s it, Red! But Red doesn¡¯t sound cool...
Ummm, Red in Formal Solarian, I think that was¡ Crimson? Alright, Crimson sounds cool! We will be the Crimson Party! I hurriedly scribbled it on the form, then noticed the letters immediately turned dark red then disappeared.
¡°Oh, I see you¡¯re filling out the Party Registration form Jake. Just so you¡¯re aware, the magic ink allows for only a unique party name to be entered, otherwise the contents will be erased. This is to eliminate confusion when contacting adventuring parties.¡±
Crap, so that means there¡¯s already another adventurer¡¯s party registered as Crimson.
¡°Neko, how long can a party¡¯s name be on the form?¡±
¡°There is no limit to the length of a party¡¯s name. The only criteria being it fit on the registration form.¡±
Hmmm, so if Crimson is taken and I think it sounds cool, lets try adding some words to get a unique name then! While thinking about this, I noticed I had subconsciously rested my hand on the steel-short blade attached to my waist. Thinking about our potential name more, if we¡¯re going to be famous adventurers in Solara, I think it would be pretty cool to include something from the Kingdom in the party¡¯s name. That way, when we travel all over Terra, others will know where we started from!
¡°Everyone, I think I decided on a name for us!¡±
Kael, Lyra, and Drogan all looked at me, then silently nodded in agreement with the party name I wrote on the form. As I finished scribbling our name down, the ink glowed a brilliant gold colour, then solidified into regular black ink.
---Party Registration ¨C Solara Adventurer¡¯s Branch---
Party Name: Crimson Steel Lux
Party Member 1: Jake Valkin
Party Member 2: Drogan Wicks
Party Member 3: Kael Sai
Party Member 4: Lyra Sai
Party Member 5: ________________
Party Member 6: ________________
Party Member 7: ________________
Party Member 8: ________________
Party Leader: Jake Valkin
Designated Contact (If Different From Leader): _______________
---
Chapter 5 – The Party’s Status
Without delay, I handed the now complete registration forms back to Neko. She scanned the forms, then took out what looked like a strange wooden emblem and placed it on the bottom of each form. The wood briefly glowed a bright golden colour, then was removed by the attendant. Left behind was the markings of the Solara Adventurer¡¯s Guild Branch. Neko then grabbed the emblem and handed it to me.
¡°Thank you, Jake, for completing the forms. Everything looks good from my review and the emblem validated the information provided as well. There were no errors in the records. Please take the guild emblem to the back room for our appraisal attendants to complete your identification plates.¡±
Neko motioned towards another room that connected the main entranceway and tavern portions of the guild. Then, after a short pause, bowed, then waved towards the next patrons patiently standing in queue to call them over to her counter.
It didn¡¯t take long from us stepping away from the counter towards the back room for Kael and Lyra to speak up voicing their opinions.
¡°Ugh, filthy demi-humans. Honestly, it¡¯s a shame they haven¡¯t all been expelled from the kingdom. The only use for them is slave labour and target practice, and don¡¯t even get me started on the actual beastkin. Dirty, savage, and unsophisticated the whole lot of them!¡±
¡°Calm down Kael dear, you wouldn¡¯t want your beautiful face damaged from a ruptured vein from all that anger now, would you? While I agree with your resentment towards them, they are at least somewhat useful. After all, who would take care of my family¡¯s garden, or file the necessary paperwork with the ministry for us if they were all gone?¡±
¡°Ugh, you¡¯re right Lyra, I suppose they do have some value sticking around in this kingdom.¡±
Drogan and I remained silent while they continued to complain to one another. Honestly, I wasn¡¯t exactly sure what I could say in this situation. I didn¡¯t think all demi-humans or beastkin were bad, but a lot of them always seemed to be involved whenever there was crime in the kingdom. One could simply take a look at all those sentenced to slavery and quickly draw the conclusion that beastkin weren¡¯t to be trusted. As for the demi-humans, since they shared similar physical traits to the beastkin race, they were often discriminated against as well.
Once we entered the room at the back of the guild hall, one of the attendants was quick to run up to us and offer a formal greeting.
¡°Greetings, most humble patrons and adventurers, it is my pleasure to offer you my services of appraisal and combat attribute discovery. Would you please graciously provide me with the guild signet received from the attendants up front?¡±
¡°Finally, someone who knows a proper introduction. Jake, could you please hand this fine man the wooden emblem you¡¯re holding in the palm of your hand?¡±
Not skipping a beat, I placed the wooden signet into the outstretched hands of the attendant. Without pause, the attendant took the signet, walked over to his desk, and placed it on a small pedestal. Instantly, several holographic screens popped up above the disk and displayed all the information from our registration.
¡°Perfect, everything appears to be in order. I will now begin the appraisal for the party members of Crimson Steel Lux. I see here that Kael and Lyra are already registered with the guild and currently at rank F. Would either of you like to be re-appraised to see any changes in your combat aptitudes?¡±
¡°Why of course, if anything to show Jake the vast difference between our skill levels now.¡±
Geez, didn¡¯t take long for Kael to respond with that comment. Seriously, its almost like he¡¯s forgotten whose beaten him each and every time in a mock duel?
¡°Absolutely splendid. I will first start the appraisal process with the party¡¯s leader. Jake Valkin, if you could be so kind as to stand in front of the wall here, I will promptly get started with the procedure.¡±
¡°Thank you, also, if you don¡¯t mind, could you please communicate in Common? My Formal isn¡¯t the best.¡±
¡°Certainly Jake. Alright, please stand still. As a reminder, you might feel a slight tingling sensation when I cast the spell.
World reveal onto me the secrets within, show me all that lies inside, Appraisal!¡±
When the attendant finished the familiar incantation for Appraisal, he was correct, I felt a strange tingling sensation as if my whole body vibrated for a brief second. This is a commonly known side effect from using appraisal on another living being. From what I remember, magic scholars theorized that this was the result of the mana inside us resonating with the spell and providing the information back to the caster. Consequently, this meant that anyone could realize they had just been examined if they felt this sensation. As a result of this discovery, the casting of appraisal on living beings was generally prohibited in most public areas, with some exceptions. Otherwise, the general public wouldn¡¯t feel very safe, always being on edge wondering why someone was examining you.
Sure enough, floating slightly above my body was a holographic, grey box showcasing my status. Now, as for why people didn¡¯t just cast appraisal on themselves? That¡¯s because such a feat was currently impossible! As such, this was my first time seeing my own status.
---
Name: Jake Valkin Level: 1 Rank: G
Race: Human HP: 20/20 MP: 8/16
Age: 18
Profession: Swordsman
Status: Strength: 12 Defence: 10
Magic: 6 Dexterity: 10
Skill Proficiencies: [Fire Affinity] [Swords ¨C Good] [Reflexes]
Titles: None
---
Overall, I think these status values are pretty fair! Harold had mentioned that most adventurers starting out had an average status sum of 30, and here I was sitting at a total of 38, well above the average! After seeing my stats, I quietly heard Kael click his tongue and curse under his breath. Seems things weren¡¯t going to go his way after all!
¡°Absolutely splendid Jake! I can¡¯t say I remember the last time I saw a brand-new adventurer with these stats! I must say I¡¯m already looking forward to seeing your future contribution to the guild!¡±
¡°Thanks, just remember this moment, as I¡¯m going to become the best adventurer in all of Solara! You¡¯ve had the honor of seeing the incredible Jake Valkin as he just began his journey!¡±
With a pip in my step, I confidently walked back towards my party mates. Next, I would get to see their status, something I¡¯ve always been curious about myself!
¡°Next up, Drogan Wicks. Please stand by the wall over there and I¡¯ll get started.¡±
Without delay, Drogan stood where I was moments ago along the wall and the attendant began casting the appraisal spell.
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¡°World reveal onto me the secrets within, show me all that lies inside, Appraisal!¡±
---
Name: Drogan Wicks Level: 1 Rank: G
Race: Human HP: 24/25 MP: 10/10
Age: 18
Profession: Blacksmith
Status: Strength: 10 Defence: 12
Magic: 3 Dexterity: 7
Skill Proficiencies: [Attention to Detail] [Crafting]
Titles: None
---
¡°Oh darn, and here I was hoping I would have similar status to you Jake! I think it¡¯s kind of unfair that your status are so much higher than mine.¡±
I could hear the disappointment in Drogan¡¯s voice. Clearly he had thought himself a fitting rival for me, but didn¡¯t like realizing his status sum was only 32, just slightly above the normal. It was interesting to note though, that his defence was equal to my strength. Perhaps this is why I had issues beating him in all our mock duels? He also didn¡¯t appear to have any combat related skill proficiencies, and instead was gifted with crafting.
¡°Don¡¯t worry buddy, you¡¯re still above the average, plus, you¡¯ve held your own plenty of times against me in our duels! That¡¯s something to be proud of!!¡±
Drogan didn¡¯t say anything, but I did notice his facial expression was a little bit lighter, so hopefully some of my words got through to him.
¡°Thank you, Drogan, next up, Kael, please stand against the wall and I¡¯ll get started.¡±
Continuing with the usual ritual of appraisal casts, these were the status shown for my friend Kael
---
Name: Kael Sai Level: 2 Rank: F
Race: Human HP: 25/25 MP: 18/18
Age: 19
Profession: Ranger
Status: Strength: 10 Defence: 8
Magic: 10 Dexterity: 14
Skill Proficiencies: [Perception] [Bows ¨C Good+] [Reflexes] [Sharp Eyes]
Titles: None
---
¡°Tch, not good enough¡±
Kael¡¯s status sum was 42. However, the reason why this was a disappointment to him was simple. Kael had already level up once and his status were only slightly better than me, a still level 1 adventurer. Take that you arrogant pretty boy!
¡°Thank you, Kael, I¡¯ve updated your status on your identification plate. Next up is Lyra.¡±
Upon hearing her name, Lyra managed to find the time to put her mirror down, dropping it into a small magic hole that appeared seemingly out of nowhere for storage. Then, the attendant dutifully completed his appraisal cast.
---
Name: Lyra Sai Level: 2 Rank: F
Race: Human HP: 17/17 MP: 35/35
Age: 19
Profession: Mage
Status: Strength: 6 Defence: 4
Magic: 22 Dexterity: 8
Skill Proficiencies: [Magic Affinity General - Average] [Concentration] [Fire Affinity] [Ice Affinity] [Magic ¨C Good+]
Titles: None
---
Overall, Lyra¡¯s status values were pretty good. Nowhere near mine, but she definitely stood out in one aspect.
Magic.
It didn¡¯t take a genius to know that her status was clearly geared towards being a powerful spellcaster! Having an offensive stat above 20 was absolutely incredible!!! Even though her status sum was only 40 at level 2, the shear magnitude of her magic strength meant Lyra could inflect some serious damage on her enemies! The only downside to her lopsided status though, was it made her weak to any close-quarters combat. Lacking the reflexes to dodge enemies, and having a low health pool meant she was at risk of injury if she found herself anywhere near the frontlines.
Fortunately, Lyra was to be our second dedicated attacker, so having such a powerhouse in the backrow was reassuring for me! Nothing would stand in our way with this combination.
¡°Thank you, Lyra, I¡¯m impressed to see your magic status has gone up even further since you were last checked. You should be very proud of your values!¡±
Without saying a word, Lyra walked away from the attendant. Then, making a flicking motion with her right hand, she magically produced the empty void space again. Sure enough, she reached inside and retrieved the mirror she had placed their moments ago. Man, being a mage was so handy! I would have to ask her how she managed to cast that spell sometime.
¡°Alright everyone. I have finished updating your status, I will now distribute to each of you your official Solara Adventurer¡¯s Guild Identification Plates. Please take great care not to lose them, as a replacement will cost you 5 silver Solara.¡±
With that, the attendant dutifully went to each of us handing out a plate. Kael and Lyra received theirs back, while Drogan and I received new ones. I rotated and flipped the small metallic plate around in my hand. The front of the plate was bronze in colour and on the backside in small etchings read: ¡°Jake Valkin ¨C Rank G ¨C Solara Adventurer.¡±
¡°That should cover everything, if you have any questions, please feel free to ask me and I will answer to the best of my capabilities.¡±
¡°Yes, I have a question. Could you please explain the ranks of the guild to me? I don¡¯t think our first attendant had mentioned them to us.¡±
¡°Why of course Mr. Wicks.¡±
What followed was a rather boring, and script like reading of how the adventurer ranks worked across the Kingdoms. Something Drogan should have known, but I guess he didn¡¯t pay as much attention as I did during our conversations with Harold.
Essentially, the attendant explained that the Adventurer¡¯s Guild had developed a letter-based tier ranking system with ¡°+¡± or ¡°-¡° modifiers to further differentiate between new and more progressed adventurers. The system ranks were as follows:
S ¨C National level, able to take on the most dangerous quests that threaten the existence of kingdoms themselves. Only legendary heroes have been granted this rank.
A ¨C Able to take on the most dangerous quests offered. Parties at this rank are heroes of a nation, sometimes even receiving direct summons from the ruling royalty. Well known celebrities in the adventurer¡¯s world.
B ¨C Strong adventurers or parties that can take on ¡°almost¡± any quest. Tasks such as taking out a group of dragons would be in the realm of an A group, but B¡¯s could take out a single dragon without too much issue. It is considered an incredible feat to reach B rank for a commoner. Usually, only nobles or those receiving exceptional personal training by organized military can reach this level. Personally, I believed nobles with this rank achieved it by purchasing or donating large sums of wealth, and were rewarded the rank because of their generosity.
C ¨C A veteran adventurer who has spent most of their life serving the guild and completing quests. Able to take on advanced tasks such as defeating large beasts such as basilisks, chimeras, etc. Earnings at this level would be like that of a successful merchant running several stores in a city. This is the usual ¡°end goal¡± for those seeking to make a name for themselves in the adventuring world.
D ¨C This rank is rather difficult in the scaling system, and often serves as the first real ¡°road block¡± for adventurers climbing the ranks. D rank was recently added to the evaluation mix to reduce the amount of C(-) and E(+) adventurer ranks being issued. There is a large skill gap between successful Rank C¡¯s and E, and even if a party could ¡°technically¡± be considered C rank, sometimes they were missing a key level of competency. The same was said about the numerous E(+) ranks. Those were strong enough to complete most of their requests, but lacked in enough areas where C(-) didn¡¯t seem reasonable either. As a result, D rank was added into the system to account for this. A lot of adventurers find themselves stuck at D rank, unable to progress any further. As for why the ranking system initially ¡°skipped¡± this letter in the progression system, even I was at a loss for why this occurred. It honestly should have been added at the very beginning.
E ¨C Adventurers who have successfully developed enough skill to take on more challenging requests, such as large monster subjugation. Adventurers at this rank can usually travel to another kingdom without issue to complete requests, serve as bodyguards for merchants, or be expected to travel long distances to remote locations for collection requests or rural village help. This is also a potential pathway into the nation¡¯s military where you can usually serve as a Guard protecting the kingdom. This is a very popular option for many as it provides a stable income without too much risk.
F ¨C The first rank many adventurers reach after successfully completing quests. Those serious about a career with the guild usually achieve F rank quickly after a few requests. This is also the rank that has the highest casualties amongst members, as the gap in skill level between F and E rank requests is relatively large. The average adventurer can be expected to spend a few years here as they develop their own method for handling requests and learn how to balance risk to reward.
G ¨C New adventurer. Everyone starts here regardless of skill. Since registration is free, most achieve G rank just to see their combat stats and earn a little extra money completing low-risk requests such as herb gathering or courier services.
Looking at Drogan hearing the explanation from the attendant was rather entertaining. The attendant dutifully explained with delight about all of the ranks, the history, how to rank up, challenges, and expectations from the guild, along with a whole other manner of passion I even glossed over. Consequently, Drogan looked even more confused from their enthusiastic rambling, and I could only imagine his head spinning around, frantically trying to make sense of the vast amount of information thrown his way. From my perspective, his poor brain couldn¡¯t keep up with the pace of the conversation and he looked rather dizzy as a result!
Eventually, I figured I should do something to help my poor friend out of this situation, after all, I desperately wanted to get started completing requests myself and reach F rank quickly!
¡°Thank you, attendant, for explaining to my friend the amazing ranking system developed by the guild. However, I think now would be an ideal time for us to head on over to the notice board and accept our very first request with the association.¡±
Nailed it, I think I came across rather well in my attempt at Formal Solarian there!
¡°Why of course, and best of luck to all of you, members of the Crimson Steel Lux party!¡±
And with that, we turned to make our way back to the entrance hall and decide on our first quest as a team.
Chapter 6 – Crimson Steel Lux’s First Request
Entering the hallway and looking at the notice board, I could see the area had become noticeably busier! Adventurers were tightly crowded around the board looking over the various requests offered. Many could be heard screaming and shouting ¡°I found that one first!¡± or ¡°No, that¡¯s mine, get your hands off it!¡±. As for how organized everything seemed during registration, that amount of good will quickly evaporated when viewing the chaos of the request acceptance area. Attendants could be seen in the background frantically trying to calm adventurers and breakup fights before they could occur.
¡°Something must be going on, during my whole year here, I¡¯ve never seen this much disorder at the notice board.¡±
Kael¡¯s comments were interesting to me. For him to speak up in this situation must have meant something was going on. Not too much longer had I thought about it, when a large, well-dressed man spouting various facial scars, battle wounds, and long, greying hair, entered the hallway and jumped onto a levitating wooden platform to rise above the rowdy adventurers. Then, raising his right hand to strike a metal bell, an ear shattering, mind-numbing sound was produced. Silence immediately befell the hallway as everyone¡¯s attention went towards the elevated individual.
¡°Thank you everyone.¡± He said with a bow.
¡°I apologise for the inconvenience and abrupt notice by the adventurer¡¯s guild in closing access to the labyrinth today. I am Griffon, headmaster of the Solara Adventurer¡¯s Guild Branch, and have been informed by the reigning monarch, King Solar, that the labyrinth will be closed for several weeks while the Royal Guard performs a military training exercise. For those who normally venture into the labyrinth for income, the guild has prepared a compensation package of 30 silver Solara for this inconvenience. To receive this compensation, please line up outside my office, where I will personally determine your eligibility for this payment.¡±
Well, I guess that answers the question for why it was so chaotic. Most adventurers choose to delve into the labyrinth once they reached F rank, as the challenges it possesses are consistent, or low variation. Defeating monsters in the Labyrinth for parts is a great source of money, and eliminates the variability from completing quests around the kingdom. A simple request to kill goblins could quickly go from a G rank difficulty to an F rank if some stronger creatures showed up during the subjugation.
Comparatively, the labyrinth was a well-known monster spawning zone below the kingdom, with its biggest advantage being consistency. It was a well studied fact that floor 1 always contained only goblins of level 1, floor 2 always contained undead skeletons of levels 1-2, and floor 3 always contained giant insects of level 2. Deeper floors always had the same monster spawns, and there was no risk of a stronger monster appearing on the current floor. It also appeared that the labyrinth residents were unable to move freely between the levels, so many adventures stuck to being ¡°Labyrinth Fighters¡± as they called it, for the low-risk it offered.
Adventurers still died sometimes, but that was from usually pushing their luck trying to go deeper down in floors for rarer rewards. After all, drops from a goblin were worth fractional bronze Solara, compared to an ogre¡¯s potential silver Solara! The only downside to becoming a labyrinth fighter, is you HAD to reach F rank first. Entry to the labyrinth for G ranks was forbidden by the kingdom and adventurer¡¯s guild. If everyone was able to enter into labyrinth by simply registering at the guild, there would be almost no incentive to complete the simpler requests, and many would remain unfilled. So, this was the guilds unique solution, no entry unless you were rank F(-) or above.
It didn¡¯t take long, but eventually the crowd around the bulletin board started to disperse and follow the headmaster to his office in hopes of receiving the generous compensation package. I mean, that was roughly three months of wages for experienced adventurer parties, who wouldn¡¯t want to receive that in a lump sum payment???
Motioning for my friends to follow, we slowly approached the notice board and began looking through the various requests:
Rank B ¨C Cull wyvern population located in the mountains above Solar and it¡¯s neighbouring kingdom, Valoria.
Rank B ¨C Investigate demon and cultist sightings near Valoria.
Rank C ¨C Labyrinth floor mapping, Floors 11 and beyond, detailed mapping specialists only.
Rank D ¨C Retrieve and transport of basilisk eggs from the Colosseum Kingdom.
Rank E ¨C Investigate disappearance of new adventurer parties in the forests surrounding rural Solara. Areas of interest are the forest regions: Eldermyst, Great Pine, and Willow¡¯s Retrieve.
¡. From there, the requests quickly turned into a large assortment of F and G rank requests, most of which were uninteresting, such as ¡°Find my lost cat¡± or ¡°Gather 20 Healing Herbs ¨C fair quality and above¡±. There were even requests for manual labour in cleaning houses and construction. Seriously, what were adventurers to these people? On demand, hired help? However, one request did stand out to me amongst the sea of ordinary tasks.
Rank F(-) ---URGENT--- Goblin Subjugation in Eldermyst forest. Two large goblin camps have been harassing merchants traveling to the city, please eliminate them. Estimated 20 goblins. Reward: 10 silver Solara.
I reached up and lightly tugged on the posted parchment, separating it from the notice board. This was to be our first request as a group, and it was perfect! Goblins were a very easy prey monster around Solara. I had even managed to kill a few of them when they wandered onto my family¡¯s farm, so I knew they posed no challenge to us as a team! Pleased at my find, I happily let my party mates know about my discovery.
¡°Hey guys, how about we take on this goblin subjugation request? It looks pretty easy and it has a nice reward too! 10 whole silver Solara for killing 20 goblins!¡±
I showed the request to Kael, Lyra, and Drogan who all looked it over and gave their thoughts.
¡°Humph, killing these filthy creatures? I suppose they would be good experience for you Jake. I¡¯ve myself already recorded over 100 kills, so I would be more than happy to teach you how its done.¡±
¡°Fine. Goblins are super weak and die from a single cast from one of my spells anyways. The only unpleasant thing about killing them, is the horrid smell of charred goblin skin after I¡¯m done with them.¡±
¡°Ya, I guess that would be an ok starting quest Jake. It gives me an opportunity to test out my twin shield technique against an easy monster!¡±
¡°Perfect, sounds like we¡¯re all in agreement then! Let¡¯s take the request to the counter and inform the guild that Crimson Steel Lux will be taking on the Goblin Subjugation Request!¡±
Walking towards the counter, there was the demi-human cat that helped us out earlier, Neko. Fortunately, her facial expression was back to being cheerful again. Eagerly, I handed her the request and was already excited at the prospects of finally getting to start our journey! Until I realized there was a rather long pause for her response... Eventually, the demi-human gave their reply in a soft tone again.
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¡°Ummm, Jake? I¡¯m sorry, but this is a request for an F ranked party, and you guys just registered today, so you can only accept requests from the G rank category and below.¡±
She was right, the request did say F(-). However, that meant it was on the lower end of a typical F ranked difficulty! So, it was time for me to put on my charisma and convince her we could easily handle the problem.
¡°I see that Neko. However, I am the amazing Jake Valkin! My status sum for a level 1 is already 38, which is well above average! Furthermore, two of my party members are individually ranked F adventurers. Even though Drogan and I just started, we are already effectively an F(-) ranked party if you consider our status and group composition!¡±
Neko didn¡¯t seem all that convinced at my perfect persuasion, but everything was true. Crimson Steel Lux IS going to become a famous adventurer party, and we¡¯re already filled with talented members, so clearly the only option was to let us take the request and kill the goblins. Though, I was starting to get nervous waiting for her response.
¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I cannot allow your party to accept this request. It goes against the guild¡¯s rules. Please select another request from the bulletin board that is of G rank difficulty.¡±
¡°Oi, Miss Cat, I think ya should let the kind fellow take on the request. He looks like a super dependable guy. Plus, my buddies and I can spot and mentor him on this request for the extra safety, we¡¯re all E+ ranked, see?¡±
Slightly startled, I looked behind me to find the owner of the strange, rough voice. It was a large, muscular man with scars across his face and body. He had brown hair, not to mention lots of excess hair all over his arms and exposed chest from a deep V cut shirt, and appeared to be balding on the scalp. Accompanied by light facial hair and a red bandana, he gave off a very intimidating aura. Likewise, this was the type of individual you wouldn¡¯t want to come across in a dark alleyway at nighttime. I could see he was flashing his adventurer¡¯s badge towards Neko.
Seeing my startled face, the man reached his hand out to me, offering a handshake and said:
¡°The names Bandit, kid, pleasure to meet ya.¡±
¡°Likewise sir, ummm, what did you mean by spotting us on that request?¡±
¡°Ah geez, did the cat not tell you? It¡¯s a system the guild has in place for more experienced adventuring parties to offer guidance to newbies like yourself. Higher ranks agree to forego a monetary reward in exchange for goodwill towards their next rank up. It¡¯s a system that benefits everyone by increasing safety for new parties, while allowing veterans to rank up quicker.¡±
¡°You are correct Bandit; it appears this disappointment of a guild attendant failed to explain even this system to us during the introduction.¡± Kael arrogantly added on.
¡°So, Miss Cat, does the guild have any problems with this? Or should I go bother the headmaster myself to get the approval? I don¡¯t think he would take too kindly to a demi-human failing in their duties here ya? He did look quite busy and all dealing with all them angry Labyrinth Fighters today.¡±
Neko looked completely flustered and at a loss of what to do, the panic on her face was clear as day. Her ears twitched and tail flicked vigorously as if they were trying to find some other way to decline Bandit¡¯s perfectly reasonable rebuttal. I had to admit, he did an incredible job with his persuasion in this situation!
¡°Ummm, I¡ I guess the guild can allow the Crimson Steel Lux party to accept the request if sir Bandit¡¯s group agrees to mentor them and guarantee their safety.¡±
When Neko finished giving her reply, I felt a rather heavy and hard ¡°Slap!¡± against my upper back. The only potential culprit, being the large fellow behind me. A tingling sensation continued vibrating through me. Man, this guy had a hell of an arm to make me feel that way from a friendly slap on the back!
¡°Wonderful miss! I¡¯m so glad you were able to understand the situation. Don¡¯t cha worry, my boys will take good care of em. Come on over Jake, my groups sitting in the tavern by the window.¡±
I looked at my friends for their feedback and didn¡¯t receive much. Kael had an unusually large grin across his face, probably from seeing Neko tormented. Lyra seemed uninterested about the whole situation, continuing to absorb herself in the silver mirror she held, and Drogan looked like, well, Drogan. Nothing abnormal. So, we started walking over to their table when I felt a slight tug on my arm.
¡°Umm, Jake, didn¡¯t that guy seem a little, too happy to be helping us?¡± Drogan said in a whispering voice. ¡°He looks super scary, I¡¯m not sure this is such a good idea.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry Drogan, he looks like a very competent person. He has clearly seen many battles and lived to tell the tale! We could learn a lot from him and his friends about being adventurers!¡±
As we approached the table Bandit walked to, there were two other men sitting down, both appeared to be having a pint of beer. One of the men was very slender looking, with long, dirty brown hair and heavy dark bags under his eyes. There was also a small scar across his right eye. The other man was a similar build to Bandit, except completely bald, no other notable features besides his overweight figure.
¡°Oi, Slick, Garrick, introduce yourselves why don¡¯t cha? This here¡¯s Jake and we¡¯re gonna be helpin em and his party kill some goblins out in the forests there.¡±
Now that I¡¯d been listing to Bandit for a little bit, he had a very crude and poor usage of even the common tongue for Solarian. Although that could easily be the alcohol talking. Still, I wasn¡¯t one to judge such a helpful, fellow adventurer.
¡°Sures thing boss, my names Slick, and I¡¯m the scout for the party. I always gotta keep my eyes open, see? That¡¯s whys I got these bags under em. Happy to meet cha.¡±
After Slick introduced himself, the other man put his drink down and followed.
¡°And I¡¯m Garrick, I hold the frontline with Bandit there. Pleasure to meet ya.¡±
¡°Likewise! I¡¯m Jake, and beside me are my friends: Kael, Lyra, and Drogan, and together, we¡¯re known as the Crimson Steel Lux party! What¡¯s the name of your adventuring party?¡±
¡°Ha! We don¡¯t have no stinking party name, we¡¯re friends and that¡¯s all that matters. No reason for us to have an ¡°official¡± group name. After alls, you has to pay a fee each year to keep it, and pay even more if you want to rank it up! Stayings as individuals is much better since you save on fees, ya hear?¡±
¡°That¡¯s our Bandit! Super smart that one, taughts us all about this adventuring stuffs, and now we¡¯re able to enjoy all the good things about livin.¡±
¡°Interesting, I didn¡¯t know there was a fee for keeping a party name. I guess Neko failed to mention that to us as well. Alright, Bandit, Slick, and Garrick, on behalf of Crimson Steel Lux, I look forward to working with you on this request.¡±
I offered them a bow and collected my thoughts as we were about to head out on our first adventure!
Looking over the request again in more detail, the goblins were believed to be residing in the Eldermyst forest, roughly an hour outside the main city. It would be a relatively quick walk, but once we arrived, we had to start scouting to actually find them. The Eldermyst forest was quite large, spanning thousands of acres. The goblins we were looking for could be anywhere within there.
¡°Oi, Jake, a bit of friendly advice, but your party composition could probably use a healer or supporter role. You should try asking around the hall here to see if any healers are interested in joining you temporarily.¡±
As much as I hated to admit it, Bandit did have a point. A healer was a corner stone for most adventuring parties, able to save members from certain death with a well timed ¡°Heal!¡± or provide a boost to the frontline¡¯s strength or defensive status to reduce the damage taken, and, as it would seem, my group was very heavily focused on offensive. Agreeing to try and find a temporary member, I started asking around the guild hall to see if anyone was interested. After some searching, I managed to find two potential healers. But, once I showed them where we were sitting, they all politely declined after seeing Bandit. I guess they didn¡¯t like the intimidating atmosphere he gave off, even though he was a nice guy. A shame really.
After exhausting all my options, I returned to Bandit disappointed. I was also slightly annoyed my friends didn¡¯t try to help me in finding a supporter either. I guess being the leader was rather difficult, shouldering all this responsibility. Fortunately, Bandit had a solution.
¡°Don¡¯t cha worry Jakey boy, I knows a place thats near the forest we can probably find a supporter to help yas out. It¡¯s another adventurer guild branch outside the main city proper, just don¡¯t mind the patrons inside though, ya?¡±
¡°Oh, that place, I guess if we have no other choice. I still think we¡¯ll be more than fine with just the four of us plus your mentor group Bandit. But, it¡¯s Jake¡¯s decision. He is the leader after all.¡±
Geez, it was times like this I really wished I could knock Kael upside the head. His comments were starting to get on my nerves.
¡°Yes Bandit, lets go to one of the other adventurer guild branches and ask there. If it¡¯s your advice, it¡¯s probably good, lead the way.¡±
And with that, we finally started our first quest, to slay goblins in the Eldermyst forest.
Chapter 7 – A Strange Summons
As I walked through the hidden, dimly lit, stone passage way connecting the royal palace to the military wing¡¯s experimentation chambers, I was having difficulties collecting my thoughts on how best to please King Solar.
Simply put, all my past research and tests had proven to be ineffective, and the constant stream of failures was starting to not only disappoint myself, but greatly displease his majesty as well.
¡°Failure is not an option Daemonium, if you can¡¯t even manage this, then I will have you replaced as my advisor with someone more competent.¡±
Ahh yes, the threat of replacement. The words rang out over and over again in my head. I was not the first advisor, nor the last that the king would so hastily discard at the slightest inconvenience. But that fate wouldn¡¯t befall me, for today was the day the fruits of my labour would be recognized by this nation!
I continued to listen to the rhythmic echo of my footsteps as I traveled down the hallway. At the other end was a door I was all so familiar with, the summoning chambers. I confidently pressed forward and opened the doors with authority. Today was the day I would make history and complete the lost magic of ¡°Hero Summoning!¡±
My actions startled some of the palace sorcerers as the door flung open, slamming into the wall with a loud bang. They always were the jumpy sort, or maybe they finally started to learn fearing me was for the best. The threat of death was a rather strong motivator after all. As expected, sitting at the end of the room, seated in a large, regal, wooden chair adorned with jewels and gold trimming, was his majesty. King Solar.
Even from this distance, his cold, prying eyes, and long, white, bearded hair radiated a conflicting aura of authority and oppression. He held a stern, angry expression as I entered the room and walked towards the summoning circle, with runes etched into the cold, stone flooring.
¡°Daemonium, I hope you realize the consequences of calling me here for another failure of yours. If this wastes my time further, I won¡¯t hesitate to execute you on the spot.¡±
The royal guard members adjacent to the king unsheathed their swords. I could also hear the cocking sound of crossbows being primed to fire at moments notice. Taking the hint, I kneeled before the king.
¡°Why of course, your majesty, I would never dare waste a moment of your precious time. I humbly offer my sincerest regrets for failing to satisfy you in my previous experimentation results. After all, this is a lost magic that no other kingdom has managed to recover since the lost ages. There are bound to be some failures along the way, surely your wiseness would understand this much.¡±
¡°Enough from your tongue Daemonium. Will you succeed this time?¡±
¡°Why of course, that is the very reason why I so humbly called upon your presence to see history in the making. This is a moment that should be seen by the eyes of our nation¡¯s glorious ruler, and not kept only for subjects unworthy such as myself.¡±
That¡¯s right, the ¡°Heroes Summoning¡± was an ancient, lost magic to the ages. Scholars and researchers have scoured their heads over how this was accomplished for millennia, with none turning up anything even remotely useful. Many had claimed to have restored the lost art of ¡°summoning¡± but when each was checked and verified through appraisal, they were all nothing more than falsehoods and scams perpetrated by unsavoury folk trying to amass vast wealth quickly.
There were many an example of poor villagers seeking an audience with the king, only for it to be revealed they simply had placed an ¡°Invisibility¡± spell on the supposed ¡°summoned¡± individual, and merely dispelled it while casting an impressive ¡°Illuminate!¡± spell to make what visually seemed like a successful summoning. But all of these were shown to be false with the palaces skilled sorcerers, and summarily, each and every perpetrator of these acts was executed and publicly displayed.
However, the explanation for my confidence came for an entirely different reason. The Daemonium before, and the Daemonium now, are different people. That¡¯s right, I had come across the previous owner of this body while looking for how to best infiltrate the Kingdom of Solara. My true lord is obsessed with intelligence gathering, and I was simply the trusted individual gifted this responsibility. It was all so easy winning over Daemonium¡¯s trust. Honestly, I was quite shocked that the man was even willing to sell his soul to a demon just to see his wish come true. So how could I refuse the offer?
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Us demons have long known about summoning magic and how to perform it. In fact, Diablos was amongst the first of the gods to bring about summoned heroes to this world! But after the fall of the gods, we lost our ability to command magic to the level we once could. That didn¡¯t mean we¡¯d forgotten its secrets though.
And so, I bargained with the man known as Daemonium, and agreed to share the lost knowledge of Hero Summoning with him, all for the cost of his soul and body. While I was a bit taken back by how quickly he had agreed, I wasted no time in fulfilling his wish. There was a slight problem though with how this all played out. The individual¡¯s body was unable to withstand the magic power of a demon inside.
As a result, my demon wings were visible, tail partially exposed, and a portion of my horn poked through the forehead. Clearly, this wouldn¡¯t fool anyone. Any human looking at me would instantly know I was a demon!
Thus, I had to maintain the illusion of this body with my own magic. A small price to pay for a human soul I might add. As for honouring the agreement? Why, us demons are always true to our word you know, especially when souls are involved.
But I digress, I could see the king was getting impatient and wanted to see the summoning happen now.
¡°Sorcerers, at the ready, begin flowing mana into the runes at the described rates, 1/8 fire, 3/4 water, and 1/8 thunder.¡±
At my command, the ancient writings began to glow in the correct golden hue. I guess those in the royal palace had some competence about them. Now all that remained was for the incantation.
¡°Oh great world of Terra, heed my calls for guidance and justice, bend the cosmos to your will and deliver onto thee an answer in our darkest times. Brength fourth the great champions of legend to enact your will for all, HERO SUMMONING!¡±
Yes, I could feel the spell working! A brilliant ball of white light rose above the circle. It twist and turned, with black light crackling all throughout. The very air within the chambers howled and revenged around, knocking over decretive ornaments, and forcing some of the royal guard to cover their faces to shield themselves from the slicing blades of wind. The orb opened, revealing a deep, endless void within. Then, a column of golden light shot out of the darkness. Finally, Daemonium would have his wish granted!
Then suddenly, the orb imploded on itself and shattered, leaving behind faint specs of mana particles floating to the floor.
¡°AGHHH, You useless, Incompetent mages!¡±
I kicked the sorcerer beside me in rage. The spell had failed, and I knew the reason why. Of the five sorcerers used for the summoning, two of them had withered into nothing more than dried, human skin, thinly stretched over a brittle skeleton, ready to crack at the slightest disturbance. Based on their positioning in the circle, they were the deemed ¡°water experts¡±.
¡°My liege, the spell would have worked had I been given the proper mages for this task! I specifically asked for five sorcerers, three of which blessed with water affinity, then one each of fire and thunder affinity! Clearly two of the attendants had lied about their capabilities in an attempt to be a part of history. Give me more mages and I will see this through!¡±
The king¡¯s face remained the same cold, judgemental stare.
¡°Granted, I too, could feel a different sort of power coming from this spell. You would not have failed had the proper casters been utilized. Daemonium, which appraisal expert vetted thes...¡±
Before the king could finish his decree, the man at the entrance to the summoning chambers, bolted and ran towards the door in a desperate attempt to escape. Without any hesitation, King Solar swiftly drew his sword and flung it across the room into the man¡¯s back. The blade¡¯s union with the body happened with such force, he was split clean along the waistline into two equal parts. Blood and organs poured out onto the stone flooring, while the upper half of the man continued trying to crawl towards the wooden doors as the last bits of life faded from his torso.
¡°See that this man¡¯s family is also made an example of. I will not tolerate any deceit or trickery amongst the royal guard. And clean up this mess.¡±
I smiled to myself at the king¡¯s words. Though the summoning spell ought to have still worked based on the visual progress I observed, I had a strange feeling something else had caused it to collapse, but couldn¡¯t deduce what it was.
Pushing those thoughts aside, I drew comfort in the fact I would be given another round of sorcerers to complete the summoning. All that remained was to clean up the chambers and prepare again. Soon, I would be able to feast on Daemonium¡¯s soul, but not until I saw this through. After all, a bargain is a bargain, and demons are always true to their word.
Chapter 8 – The Heroes Arrive
It wasn¡¯t long after my first failed summoning, that the king¡¯s attendants had managed to put together another group of mages ready to enact the spell.
I wasted no time in re-etching the runes on the floor and even personally took the time to verify these sorcerers were of the correct affinities. Three water blessings, one fire, and one thunder. This time, I would succeed and claim my reward.
¡°Sorcerers, begin flowing mana into the circle at the prescribed rates, 1/8 fire, 3/4 water, and 1/8 thunder.¡±
¡°Oh great world of Terra, heed my calls for guidance and justice, bend the cosmos to your will and deliver onto thee an answer in our darkest times. Brength fourth the great champions of legend to enact your will for all, HERO SUMMONING!¡±
In an instant, the same, brilliant, bright orb rose above the circle, black lighting coursing through it¡¯s interior. Spell stable, phase 1 passed without issue. The void coalesced to form an image of a floating, blue and green ball in the cosmos, phase 2 complete with target locked. Finally, the brilliant golden light column shot out, phase 3 complete, failure of spell is impossible now.
Unlike last time, the golden column of light began the final phase of the summoning process.
Materialisation.
The light split into four distinct, humanoid shapes, then slowly faded away into nothing. I could hardly contain the grin growing across my face, but what lay before us in the middle of the runic circle, spouting very confused facial expressions, were the four summoned heroes from the spell. Knowing how to proceed, I kneeled before them and began the Kingdom¡¯s introduction.
¡°Welcome, great heroes! We have summoned and called upon your might so that you may save the Kingdom of Solara from the coming war with the heretics of Valoria, our neighbouring country. It is believed they have already fallen to the influences of the Demon Lord and will invade our poor kingdom before the year is over. Please, we beg of you to lend us your power!¡±
Silence befell the room, as the four, unsuspecting summonies gradually adjusted to their surroundings. After a pause, one of them finally broke the silence with a loud, thunderous shout.
¡°HELL YA!!! I can¡¯t believe it, but is this ACTUALLY an ISEKAI??!!?!?!? Holy fuck I can¡¯t believe this is real. Hey, mister fancy king guy person, this isn¡¯t a prank, right? Like, I actually get to do awesome fantasy shit like cast magic spells and kill demons ya? Ahh this is gonna be so fucking sweet!¡±
It was if my entire presence and introduction was ignored by the man, and what vulgar language to be using in front of royalty. But whatever, what would happen with these heroes was of little concern to me. My lord already had preparations in mind for how to handle them at a later date.
The man who had spoken so rudely, spouted blond hair tied crudely into a high ponytail. Complimenting his unique hair colouring was a glowing face free of any imperfections. Needless to say, his looks matched his confidence to so brazenly speak towards authority without fear.
The other three men also had unique characteristics about them. Still sitting on the ground, one had plain brown hair with an average build. They would easily pass as a commoner in the kingdom. The next wore very long, black hair, lips of the same colouring, and metal bits protruding from his nose? Very weird indeed.
The last man looked to be the oldest of the four, with his hair a soft, subtle blue I¡¯d never seen before on a human. He also wore glasses and gave the impression of a very snobbish individual.
¡°Silence!¡± roared the king.
¡°You are before royalty. While I understand you come from another world which may have different mannerisms than us, you will do your best to respect our laws while here. Do I make myself clear?¡±
The vulgar man merely smirked and offered a slight bow with his response.
¡°Why of course, your kingsmanship.¡±
¡°Acceptable, now, Advisor Daemonium, please begin the process of appraising their skills. Once recorded, take them to the royal armory so they can be fitted with the appropriate gear they desire.¡±
¡°Your will be done my liege. Heroes, follow me.¡±
With no resistance, all four of the heroes began walking with me out of the summoning chambers and into the castle area proper. I led them through the royal hallways and into the military wing where we had already prepared sorcerers, mythic quality equipment, and refreshments for the heroes. Along the way, I could see they were taking in the abnormal scenery, with eyes gawking every time they saw a castle maid, or royal guardsman.
¡°Alright champions, please remain here while the royal mages cast their appraisal spell. The details will become visible once their spell is complete.¡±
I motioned for the casters to begin, and they all chanted the Appraisal spell in unison.
¡°World reveal onto me the secrets within, show me all that lies inside, Appraisal!¡±
In front of each of the heroes, appeared their status in a holographic, grey box. As expected, they were exceptional compared to the average human for being only level 1. What¡¯s more, they even spouted titles, further proving they would grow into powerful figures for the kingdom. Thus, we recorded the status for them.
---
Name: Haru Speargin Level: 1 Rank:
Race: Human HP: 44/44 MP: 33/33
Age: 22
Profession: Spear Hero
Status: Strength: 30 Defence: 10
Magic: 10 Dexterity: 10
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Skill Proficiencies: [Fire Affinity] [Spear Master] [Reflexes] [Enhanced Growth] [God¡¯s Protection] [Determination]
Titles: Spear Hero ¨C Blessed with great skill in the art of wielding spears. Holder of this title may use their blessing to exert their authority and ignore a target¡¯s defensive parameters for 1 attack daily.
---
---
Name: Kyle Bowgert Level: 1 Rank:
Race: Human HP: 30/30 MP: 45/45
Age: 24
Profession: Bow Hero
Status: Strength: 7 Defence: 5
Magic: 8 Dexterity: 40
Skill Proficiencies: [Wind Affinity] [Bow Master] [Reflexes] [Enhanced Growth] [God¡¯s Protection] [Sharp Eyes] [True Sight] [Enhanced Hearing]
Titles: Bow Hero ¨C Blessed with great skill in the art of wielding bows and all ranged weapons. Holder of this title may use their blessing to guarantee their attack strikes their intended target, regardless of distance. Does not ignore defensive status of target. Useable once daily.
---
---
Name: Samuel Swords Level: 1 Rank:
Race: Human HP: 50/50 MP: 25/25
Age: 22
Profession: Sword Hero
Status: Strength: 25 Defence: 10
Magic: 5 Dexterity: 20
Skill Proficiencies: [Thunder Affinity] [Sword Master] [Reflexes] [Enhanced Growth] [God¡¯s Protection] [Blurred Movement] [Parry Master]
Titles: Sword Hero ¨C Blessed with great skill in the art of wielding swords. Holder of this title may use their blessing once daily to guarantee three rapid strikes hit their target(s). Defensive parameters are reduced by half for all struck targets.
---
---
Name: Miles Magus Level: 1 Rank:
Race: Human HP: 15/15 MP: 100/100
Age: 27
Profession: Mage Hero
Status: Strength: 3 Defence: 1
Magic: 54 Dexterity: 2
Skill Proficiencies: [All Magic] [Magic Master] [Fast Casting] [Enhanced Growth] [God¡¯s Protection] [Parallel Casting] [Magic Creation]
Titles: Magic Hero ¨C Blessed with great skill in the art of manipulating mana to their will. Holder of this title may create 1 unique spell to be cast at will without MP. Only 1 spell may be created at a time and can only be cast once monthly. Some restrictions apply.
---
As expected of the summoned heroes, each and every one of them had a status sum of 60, literally twice the expected value of the average human at level 1. In addition, their blessings and titles were extremely powerful, although I did find it rather humorous their names literally included their proficiencies.
¡°Absolutely amazing summoned heroes! Your status values are truly exceptional amongst men. Now, the kingdom would like to present to each of you a gift, mythical treasures truly befitting of your excellence.¡±
I motioned for some of the attendants to grab the respective equipment we had already prepared. Based on the palace¡¯s research, there was also the potential for a Hammer Hero, Brawling Hero, Knife Hero, Axe hero, and Shield Hero, but neither of those were selected from the summoning spell. But seriously, a Shield Hero? What a rather imprudent idea. How could someone with only a shield, possibly be considered a hero?
After receiving their gifts, the next step was for the heroes to join King Solar and Princess Emilia for a dinner banquet to celebrate their arrival. So, without ado, after seeing they were all dressed in proper attire, I led them to the dinning hall.
As we left the treasury and proceeded towards the dinning hall, the heroes were talking amongst themselves. All of them seemed to be excited about the experience of being summoned and were eagerly looking forward to getting stronger and slaying the demon lord.
Approaching the massive, regal, gallery doors, I effortlessly pushed them open to reveal the magnificent dinning hall. The heroes were taken back seeing the massive wooden table, crystal chandeliers, and the mountain of food garnishing the silken tablecloth. Standing near the king, with her long, silver hair, pale blue dress adorned in jewels, and platinum tiara, was Princess Emilia. Not too far from her presence, was her loyal retainer, Captain of the Royal Guard, Raya. Her blond hair was tightly tied up, and matched her glisten golden plate armor, as the lighting danced around the metal¡¯s contours. It was then I realized, only three of the heroes were with me.
Rushing ahead, was the blond, vulgar hero, who appeared to be confidently striding towards the princess without a care in the world, disregarding all mannerisms in greeting. Upon reaching her, he grabbed her hand, kissed it, then spoke.
¡°Why hello, you must be the princess, I could tell by your radiantly, beautiful presence. Would you care to join me later tonight? I, the spear hero, promise to show you a wonderful evenin¡.¡±
His hand was smacked away by the royal retainer.
¡°Hands off the princess, know your place when speaking to royalty. I will not permit you to speak or touch the princess with those mannerisms of yours.¡±
¡°Shut it bitch! I wasn¡¯t talking to you; I was speaking to this gorge---¡±
In an instant, Raya expertly smashed the hero¡¯s face in with her metal gauntlet, tripped his footing, and pinned him on the ground, with his arms behind his back. All of this accomplished in one, seamless motion.
¡°You will remain silent unless asked to speak, do I make myself clear to you?¡±
¡°Get off me you fucking bitch! Nobody pushes me, the fucking spear hero around! I¡¯m better than you. When I get up, I¡¯m going to make sure to punish you so you never cross me aga¡ª¡±
*SMASH*
¡°Fuuuuckkk Stop it I¡ª¡±
*SMASH*
¡°Your majesty, permission to knock this individual out for his rude behaviour?¡±
Princess Emelie replied with a soft voice and equally gentle smile.
¡°Permission granted Raya; you may render him unconscious.¡±
¡°Wait!! You ca¡ª¡±
*Thunk* Raya expertly hit the spear hero behind the head, forcing him to lose consciousness. During this charade, all of the attendants, remaining heroes, the king, and myself, all looked on with shock and disappointment. The king more so, seen visibly bringing the palm of his hand to his forehead. Then, the king finally spoke after collecting his thoughts.
¡°Heroes, let this be a lesson to you, that even though we have summoned you for help, you will still need to act with integrity towards us. We require your aid, just as much as you will require ours.
For now, please enjoy the feast before you, for tomorrow, the royal guard will take you all into the labyrinth so that you may raise your levels and grow in strength. We will do everything within the Kingdom¡¯s power to ensure your success, and your needs are met. Should you require anything, simply ask your assigned attendants, and they will see your request through.¡±
¡°Excuse me your majesty, but what exactly is it the kingdom requires of us? You mentioned a demon lord? And why the labyrinth?¡±
¡°All will be explained in time. While there is a demon lord influencing Valora, we cannot assault them without cause. We are collecting evidence and wish to make sure they can be crushed effortlessly. As for the labyrinth, legends say that at the bottom of each labyrinth, lies a legendary weapon capable of defeating the demon lord himself.
Currently, the kingdom is unable to clear the labyrinth, and has only progressed to the 12th floor. How deep it descends, and how dangerous it is, remains largely unknown. That is why we require the strength of the heroes to protect our kingdom.¡±
The man asking the question seemed satisfied with the king¡¯s response. For as average as he looked, the bow hero appeared to have some common sense and questioned things.
As the heroes were led to their seats by their assigned attendants, a small group was sent to collect and transport the unconscious spear hero to his chambers for recovery. Offering a bow to the king, I excused myself from the pleasantries and disappeared quickly towards the chambers of the man named Daemonium. After all, I could hardly wait to begin my own personal feast. Devouring his soul in full, savoring every last bit of it¡¯s succulent essence, the power I would receive. Ahhh, the thought was too much for a demon such as myself to bare much longer. Oh, how I was going to enjoy my time in the palace.
Demon Lord Diablos was sure to be very pleased with my efforts.
Chapter 9 – Resolution Of The Failed Summon
¡°Ughh, what another shitty day.¡±
Verbally venting my frustration at the stressful day I just survived, I continued walking down the usual busy sidewalk filled with equally annoyed business people in fancy suits also ranting to colleagues. Cigarette smoke filled the air, as complaining and conversations were drowned out by the sounds of car horns and engines.
Eventually I thought, I would move up in my role. After graduating university late, I eventually started working at the largest stock exchange in the country. The Next York Stock Exchange, or NYSE for short. While I had considered it my dream job, it left much to be desired. Filled with long days, and no options for taking time off, I was suffering severe burnout. All around me, everyone had the same, defeated, empty stares as they shuffled towards their homeward commute.
¡°Eat, Sleep, Work, Repeat¡± I mumbled.
Turning my attention back to my Peartm Smartphone, I started sifting through all the social media messages that collected throughout the day.
John Johnny
Instachat
Hey Ko, you free tonight? We¡¯re gonna go to that new sushi restaurant that opened!
6:33pm
Can¡¯t, busy, lots of reports to complete
6:34pm
Sucks man, enjoy, we¡¯ll toast a beer to ya
6:34pm
Thx >.<
6:34pm ¨C Read
---
Yep, another night, alone with myself, having to pass on any social life because of work. Well, to be honest, I didn¡¯t ¡°exactly¡± want to go out for food with friends. I usually did the bare minimum in social situations just to maintain good relations with my workmates. What I really wanted to do, was finish my work so I could start playing my favourite RPG again.
It didn¡¯t take long, but once I started thinking about my ¡°actual¡± interest, my mind had already started to imagine the future prospects of finally beating the encounter I had been stuck on for several days. I was excited thinking about how I was going to tackle the upcoming boss fight, and had already planned three new strategies while at work. Hopefully these reports wouldn¡¯t take up too much of my time.
Absorbed in my thoughts, I continued walking amongst the sea of people and concrete towards my rental unit while looking down at my phone. Everything was grey, grey, grey. I turned the corner to more buildings, also grey, and continued.
If only something could happen to change this. A thought I¡¯d often think about during my walks home. I continued viewing the amazing scenery of grey sidewalks, trash tumbling through the streets and a sea of, you guessed it, grey buildings. I continued walking while playing this game in my head. Grey, grey, grey, different grey, grey, clouds, more clouds.
¡°Wait, clouds??! What the ahhh--¡±
Suddenly, my mind jumped back to reality as I screamed. I realized something was very, very wrong. Below my feet was not concrete, but nothing at all! To add insult to this predicament, I, was now falling downwards at incredible speeds! In a shocking response to this recent event, I, also managed to drop my phone, which was now happily racing me towards the quickly approaching ground!
At a complete loss for words, the only audible sound I could make were screams of pure terror, as I desperately tried to figure out which god I had pissed off so much, that they decided to kill me with death from a thousand feet!!!
Clearly, this was how I would die, not of old age, after living a fulfilling life in retirement, but randomly plummeting from the sky in the middle of nowhere! Seriously, how the heck did this happen?!?!?
If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
I frantically looked around, desperate to find anything to help me slow my descent. I could see a large castle in the distance, with various mountain ranges behind it, and directly below me, a sea of trees and scattered lakes. The air was clear, and the ground eagerly awaited to embrace me with open arms as I continued my unconsented approach.
As much as I kicked, struggled, and flailed about, nothing seemed to be helping. I was now roughly at the altitude of the mountains. While I was sure my vocal cords had already ruptured from my screaming, the pain of a sore throat was nothing compared to the violent, icy wind that revenged my face like thousands of tiny blades cutting into my skin! Falling at terminal velocity without any protective gear like goggles, a thick suit, and not to mention a parachute, was not something I would recommend!!! If I made it out of this, I could confidently say I will NEVER go sky diving!!!
Somehow, through all of this chaos, I managed to collect my words and yelled the only word I could think of.
¡°STOOOOOP!!!!!¡±
And as if the world understood itself that it¡¯s cruel prank had gone on for far too long, I felt a surge of wind from underneath my body helping slow my descent. As thankful as I was confused by this change of events, one thing remained consistent.
I was still going too fast.
¡°Ahhhh--- Gahhh- Ofhh- Ouch¡ªDamnit¡ªFuck.¡±
Everything went black.
-----
Eventually, my vision started to come back into focus. I tried looking around, but everything was still blurry. The sunlight was painful as it happily stabbed my eyes with it¡¯s piercing, luminous hue. My face felt like it was on fire. I tried touching it with my hands and noticed they now had a gross, slimy feeling afterwards. Most likely from a grotesque mixture of snot and blood.
¡°hmph¡± I chuckled.
I¡¯m not exactly sure what I was expecting. Of course I would be bleeding after a fall like that!!!
I did fall¡ Right?
Finally, my brain started to catch up with the situation and kindly reminded me that the rest of my body was in excruciating pain as well. Breathing was a chore, with each gasp sending sharp pains throughout my chest and torso. I probably had at minimum, several fractures, and broken bones all over my body.
Next, my vision came into focus. I appeared to hanging above the forest¡¯s floor, trapped between a prison of leaves and branches. While my arms and legs could freely move, it was painful to do so.
That¡¯s right, I was wearing a backpack! That¡¯s probably what caught my decent through the tree canopy and stopped me from meeting a fatal end with the forest¡¯s floor. Distance wise, I looked to be about, maybe 18 feet from the ground? Not horrible, but still dangerous.
Nearby, I was able to see what looked like a lake. The water seemed pure, calm, and in tranquility with itself. How I would give anything to trade our two situations right about now!
So, I came back to my current problem... How do I get down from here?
No sooner had the thought entered my head, I heard the classic, undeniably characteristic sound, of branches breaking.
*Chthunk*
¡°Ughhh.¡±
Well, at least I was on the ground now. I tried to move my legs, but they wouldn¡¯t budge. In fact, I couldn¡¯t feel much of anything below my waist line now. I looked down and everything was still there, just numb. Unable to move, I looked around me. It appeared my backpack had fallen off during my last tumble and happened to land beside me, and in a rather, cruel turn of fate, a box of bandages I had kept with me for simple First-Aid problems had fallen out. The box had clearly seen better days, but the contents remained oblivious to this fact and remained neatly in their wrappings.
The air crackled around me, and my head was overcome with a mind shattering pain. Almost like the static from a ¡°no signal T.V. channel¡±. Instinctively, and, in a last attempt at humor, I reached towards one of the bandages with all my might, and managed to peel one open. Then, without a second though, I placed it over my hand as if saying ¡°don¡¯t worry, everything will be alright!¡±
¡°Haha¡± I managed to laugh to myself. So this is how it ends for me. Dead on a forest floor, desperately putting a bandage on my hand.
I heard that staticky noise again, but this time also accompanied by what my eyes could only describe as tears in reality itself.
¡°Gahhh!¡±
My head pounded again, but this time I heard words, and it wasn¡¯t my inner monolog talking. Something else was clear speaking, as though directly into my mind. The voice strangely like that helpful assistant on my smart phone¡
[Mythical Healing Item Detected, World Compensating¡. Processing¡]
[Solution Calculated. Applying Effects Of Full Body Restoration]
My hand started to glow, and along with it, the pain in my body gradually began to ease. The blurriness in my vision corrected into crisp images of dirt and twigs, along with my now perfectly, normal looking hand. I could once again feel my legs, and breathing was considerably easier now.
What the hell just happened?
Seeing as I was near some water, I mustered my strength and pulled myself onto my feet. I diligently collected my backpack and hastily put the bandages inside. Clearly, I would want to hold onto these.
At the water¡¯s edge, I leaned down and scooped some of the serene water into my hands and splashed my face. It still felt rather gross, so the experience was one of the more refreshing incidents to happen to me lately. Eventually, the mixture of blood and snot loosened, as I continued to splash myself with the cool water¡¯s gentle embrace.
Satisfied my face was now feeling ¡°somewhat¡± better, I walked over to sit underneath one of the many trees in the shade. The sun was still diligently trying to stab my eyeballs, but was more bearable now. That staticky sound was still there, but much less painful, and my eyes were still seeing random tears in the universe occasionally. As I sat there, I found myself repeating similar words from earlier.
¡°What happened to me, and where the hell am I?¡±
Chapter 10 – Paws & Beans Tavern
After walking for what felt like an eternity, we had finally reached the outskirts of the city of Solara. I was enjoying taking in the scenery of the rolling farmlands as we had just started to enter the edges of the Eldermyst forest proper. The road had long since changed from cobblestone into the more usual cleared dirt pathway I was familiar with. Keeping pace with me was Kael, and slightly behind was the rest of my crew, Lyra and Drogan, followed by the mentors for our quest: Bandit, Slick, and Garrick.
Even after walking for over an hour, I was still just as enthusiastic as when we originally left the adventurer¡¯s guild. Before I could continue thinking about how I was going to slay some goblins and all the fun, cool combat tricks I could show off, Bandit broke the silence and spoke to the group.
¡°Alright everyone, we¡¯re getting close to our destination. It should be just over the next set of hills once we reach the forest¡¯s entrance.¡±
¡°So, Bandit, what¡¯s this place like? You said it¡¯s another adventurer¡¯s guild branch, right? I thought I was well versed in all the adventuring resources around Solara, but I can¡¯t seem to remember there being one out here.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not going to spoil the surprise for ya Jakey boy. Some things are best left to be seen with one¡¯s own eyes, ya hear?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not a boy Bandit, I¡¯m officially an adult under Solara law, and would appreciate you treating me as such!¡±
¡°Hah! Apologies my lad, but I treat all the youngin¡¯s like this. When you¡¯ve been doing this as long as I have, every newbie looks like a kid, ya know? If you wanted to know more, you should ask your friend over there, Kael I think. Seemed like he knew the place we¡¯re headin to.¡±
I shot Kael a look and he just smirked and calmly adjusted his glasses. Clearly, he wasn¡¯t going to share any details with me until we arrived there.
Eventually, after walking through the forest for a little bit, a large, wooden lodge came into view. It was slightly off to the side of a fork in the road. Both the signposts indicating it¡¯s presence, and the sign board overtop the lodge were in desperate need of repair. As we approached, the lettering started to come into focus. I was able to make out the words ¡°Paws & Beans Tavern ¨C Home of Adventurer¡¯s Extraordinaire!¡±
¡°Paws & Beans Tavern? I had never heard of such a place!¡±
¡°Alright Jake, if you¡¯re going to be finding a healer or supporter, then this would be the place! But think of it as a last resort, my advice, see?¡±
Bandit said this in a rather stern voice. His carefree posture shifted back into his more intimidating aura. Next thing I knew, he gave me a push from behind, and sent me walking towards the lodging¡¯s entrance.
¡°We¡¯ll be staying out here Jake, can¡¯t help you with every little thing ya? Go in and ask around, I¡¯m sure one of em will bite at your offer.¡±
I could hear Slick and Garrick chuckle a little bit at Bandit¡¯s last comment. Seriously, what was so funny about what he said? Though I would have preferred at least Bandit joining me inside, he did have a point. This was to be my party¡¯s quest, and I needed to do my best in recruiting the temporary member to help us.
Begrudgingly, Kael, Lyra, and Drogan also followed me towards the door. The door was clearly old and well used. Upon closer inspection, there appeared to be, claw marks near the handle? Soon enough, opening the doors cleared all of the swirling questions and thoughts from my head. Apparently, I was slow on the uptake, but inside the Paws & Beans Taven, was nothing but a melting pot of various beastkin and demi-humans alike.
The first thing assaulted after opening the door, was my nose. My nostrils were filled with a disgusting odour of alcohol and fur. Laughter and howling could be heard inside the Tavern area. The seats were filled to the brim with various beastkin races, devouring food, and drink alike. While most appeared to be wolf and cat like in appearance, I could also make out what appeared to be some lizards and smaller, rabbit like creatures?
Needless to say, it was a rather startling experience. My only real interaction with this group of beings was seeing them as slave labour in the Kingdom and nothing more. Witnessing them acting like regular humans gave me an unsettling feeling. At any moment, I half expected them to rob me on the spot!
Turning my head towards what appeared to be the front counter, I could see another cat demi-human with arms crossed, resting on the counter. Their reaction, or lack thereof, to the commotion at the bar area led me to believe this was all too normal of a behaviour. However, their brown-spotted ears twitched and they lifted their head to see us standing in the entranceway. Seeing my party was apparently enough to give them a surge of energy.
Before I knew it, the cat-demi human had vaulted clear over the countertop and was standing before us. Their ears twitched, and speckled tail flickered about in excitement as they got ready to greet us. They were wearing what appeared to be a blue maid outfit or dress, complete with a matching blue ribbon on their tail. While I was still taking everything in, they spoke to me in a higher pitched voice, and what I could only assume, was beastkin language.
¡°Nyan! Welcome traveluuurs to the most puuurfect and ameowsing adventurerrrr guild branch just outside Solara nayn! Meow name is Felice, and I¡¯m pursonally looking forward to assisting you today nayn!¡±
Upon completing their introduction, Felice proceeded to strike a rather interesting pose, curling and raising both their hands up while kicking one leg out behind them. I could also swear I saw a star after they winked their eye at me. I was very, very confused, and disturbed, and much preferred my experience with Neko at the Solara city branch.
¡°Ugh, can¡¯t you at least be bothered to speak to us in common, you beast? My ears are ringing from that racket of an introduction of yours.¡±
¡°Nayn meowin ears are ringing just as meouch from yours nayn. Outside Solara, any language is accepturrble, as I¡¯m sure meowed know, nayn. Or does glasses simply not nyunderstaynd meow?¡±
¡°Pffpt, I can¡¯t believe she just called you glasses Kael, that¡¯s amazing!¡±
¡°You animal! I¡¯ll make sure my father punishes this place for insulting me, just you wait!¡±
Felice appeared to tilt their head in confusion at my comment, and seemingly paid little to no attention to Kael¡¯s threat of bringing his father into this little confrontation. Then, without pause, they continue provoking Kael. This time, waging their finger at him while replying.
¡°Nyn Nyn Nyn, the adventuuurs guild branches are sepuuurate from state affairs nayn! No ameowent of lobbying from your politicnyans can change this nayn. Even glasses should meow this much nayn!¡±
As much as I was enjoying this little charade, I decided to step in to stop Kael from escalating things further. While all this was happening, Lyra simply continued staring into her mirror, and Drogan simply watched Felice¡¯s tail as it flicked back and forth. I think he was interested in the ribbon tied to it? It did look to be of a high-quality blue silk.
¡°I¡¯m sorry Felice for my friend¡¯s behaviour.¡±
Kael made sure to give me quite a glair, but eventually held his tongue, clicking it instead.
¡°The truth is, we¡¯re here today because we are looking for a healer or supporter to join us for a goblin extermination request in the Eldermyst forest. We¡¯re the Crimson Steel Lux, and another group of adventurers will be mentoring us on the quest for extra safety!¡±
Felice¡¯s ears twitched, and they glanced over towards the bulletin board near the counter. Then, with a flick of their wrist, the parchment separated itself from the board and floated over to them. Held in their hands, was the exact same request posted at the Solara¡¯s guild branch!
¡°Meow mean this one nyaa?¡±
They handed me the request which read:
Rank F(-) ---URGENT--- Goblin Subjugation in Eldermyst forest. Two large goblin camps have been harassing merchants traveling to the city, please eliminate them. Estimated 20 goblins. Reward: 3 silver Solara.
¡°Yes! That¡¯s the request Felice, but looking at the reward, it appears to be a lot less than the one posted in Solara. This is only for 3 silver Solara, while the one in the city was offering 10. Is there another similar goblin request for the area?¡±
¡°No Jake¡± Kael quickly retorted.
¡°All of the adventurer guilds have the same quests posted for any given region. The reason why this establishment is offering significantly less of a reward, is because they are a poor branch, located out in the middle of rural Solara. Since they are not in the main city and refuse to follow the kingdom¡¯s rules fully, they receive significantly less funding for tasks, isn¡¯t that right, cat?¡±
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Felice¡¯s happy and cheeky demeanor gradually transitioned into an angry frown after hearing Kael¡¯s explanation. They also appeared to be examining me rather closely. For a brief moment, I thought I saw their eye experience a brief bout of terror before returning to their usual green slitted selves.
¡°It¡¯s meows glasses says nayn. This branch receives significantwe wess funding nyan then the main city meow. Likewise, all bruuanches for adventuuurrs are required to maintain the same postings meown.¡±
She paused before continuing.
¡°Besides nayn, even if we had somemeown willing to join you, I would purrrrsonly decline it nyaa.¡±
¡°What?¡± I exclaimed.
¡°How can you decline an adventurer joining us on a quest though?¡±
¡°It¡¯s simple nayn, for you¡¯re speaking meowth the headmeowster of the Paws & Beans Tavern branch nayn! The fabmeowlus Felice!¡±
Felice once again did that rather silly pose, but this time accompanied with a twirl.
Still, I was puzzled by this predicament. While it was a surprise to learn that Felice was the headmaster for this branch, I didn¡¯t think their authority extended into stopping able-bodied adventurers. Besides, wouldn¡¯t it be a good thing for the beastkin to have a chance at earning a larger reward for their services? I decided it would be best to mention this to Felice, since maybe they failed to realize this, and were just mad because of Kael¡¯s behaviour. I¡¯d have to talk to him about that afterwards.
¡°But Felice, wouldn¡¯t it be beneficial for a beastkin to join us on our request? It might help improve their reputation in the kingdom if they help a new adventuring party. Besides, we can turn the reward in at the main city branch for the higher reward and split it evenly!¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry nayn, but no adventuuurs from this branch will help meown with your request. Pwease kindly head towards meown door and leave nayn.¡±
This was ridiculous! Why was it always so difficult communicating with these demi-humans. Starting to get frustrated myself, I decided to take matters into my own hands. Raising my voice, I shouted into the tavern hallway:
¡°Really now? No support or healing adventurers would like to join my party on an easy request to slay goblins for 10 silver Solara in the Eldermyst forest? Even though this would be such a simple problem for the proud and amazing beastkins to solve?¡±
I could see some ears twitching in the bar area, and the howling died down ever so slightly. Knowing beastkin had exceptional hearing, I was confident they heard what I had said. Now all I needed was a little luck for one of them to respond. After all, who would pass on an opportunity to earn almost three times the going rate at this branch!
¡°Jake, Pwease leave meow nayn, and I won¡¯t ask again.¡±
¡°Alrighty then, I guess my party will just go by ourselves and earn all this easy Solara¡¡±
I motioned for my friends to follow me, when suddenly a small, speck like orb flew in front of my face. I stopped, startled wondering where this came from. Then I heard what sounded like a frantic, female¡¯s voice calling out to me.
¡°Wait!!! You said you need a supporter, right? To slay some goblins in Eldermyst? Stay right there, I¡¯ll be down in just a second!¡±
I looked up to the 2nd floor of the tavern, and saw a pair of pointy ears hurriedly rushing towards the stairs to reach the main level. Glancing over to Felice, I noticed her face turned into one of pure panic. The beastkin, swiftly reaching the main floor and running over to my party, was the owner of this voice.
¡°Hi there¡± she said with a slight bow, while slightly out of breath. She then reached her hand out to shake mine and said:
¡°My name¡¯s Inari, and I¡¯m technically a supporter! While my class profession isn¡¯t common amongst the human population and is difficult to explain, you can think of me as a healer supporter hybrid! It¡¯s much easier than trying to convert to common Solarian how my magic works. I would love to join your party on the goblin subjugation request! In fact, I¡¯ve already located all of their main encampments during my usual outings! I¡¯m perfect for this opportunity!¡±
Speaking in fluent, common Solarian at an incredibly fast pace, was what appeared to be a fox beastkin. Her fur was a mixture of red and golden hues, with white tuffs at the tip of her tail and chest area. Looking to her eyes, they shined an inquisitive, emerald green that sparkled as she eagerly awaited my response. Her left hand held a long, wooden staff befitting of someone well versed in magics, while her gown was a pure white sorcerers robes with red accents all along the stitching.
I received her outstretched hand and shook it.
¡°Inari, why of course my party would love to have you join us! As a matter of fact, it does sound like you¡¯re the perfect person for this role! And did I hear that correctly? You already know the location of the goblins we need to kill? That¡¯s amazing! Plus, I¡¯m not sure if you heard, but my group also has some experienced adventurers mentoring us! It¡¯s going to be a super easy request!¡±
Hook, line, and sinker. My plan worked! I was super excited that my gamble paid off!! But as I was shaking Inari¡¯s hand, it was suddenly smacked away by a now very annoyed and frantic Felice.
¡°No! I object to this nayn! Inari, I¡¯ve already meowchend to you, you¡¯re nyant to take that goblin request nayn! It¡¯s too dangerous meown!¡±
¡°But Felice, you always say it¡¯s too dangerous for me. Besides, I¡¯ve already completed all of the herb gathering requests in the area today, and that¡¯s all you let me do around here! I¡¯m more than capable of defeating some goblins with my magic. Even you yourself admitted I¡¯ve grown considerably during my practice here! I also already know the location of their camps, and sharing that information with other adventurers will make the request that much safer! Plus, Jake said they have some experienced mentors with them, so you can¡¯t tell me it isn¡¯t safe. Oh, speaking of which, Jake, those goblins are to the north of here, roughly a 15-minute hike away!¡±
¡°That¡¯s exactly the point nayn! Jake¡¯s party already has capable backup meown, so they don¡¯t require anymeows extra¡¯s help!¡±
¡°But Felice, I can¡¯t just keep doing herb gathering requests forever, I¡¯ll eventually have to take on harder requests at some point.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry Inari nayn, but I can¡¯t ameow this. Jake, pwease weave our branch and compweat the request with your meowters nayn.¡±
¡°Ugghh, sometimes I really can¡¯t stand you Felice. How am I to become a stronger adventurer if you keep stopping me?¡±
¡°Inari, just listen to Felice, they have a real good eye for judging this type of stuff. Respect their decision.¡±
That rough voice came from another beastkin joining the conversation. They were so silent; I didn¡¯t even notice them approach us. Looking up, I was being stared down by a tall, wolflike beastkin. If there was one word I could use to describe him, it would be menacing. On his face, the right eye was missing, and instead, replaced with a large, lightning shaped scar across the socket. His breath smelled of alcohol, and his fur was a mixture of dark blues, greys, and whites. While he said this, I could see him baring his teeth towards my friend¡¯s direction.
Quickly, and without saying anything further, Inari huffed away in anger at Felice¡¯s oppression and denial for her joining us. I would be mad too if I was her in this situation. I¡¯m also sure the wolf beastkin played a part in her behaviour as well. It¡¯s not right to stop able-bodied adventurers like this, so I decided to try my hand again at persuasion.
¡°Felice and Mr. Wolfkin, Inari¡¯s points are all valid, surely you can¡¯t deny everything she¡¯s said. All of it is true, the request is safe, even you can¡¯t deny this fact!¡±
Felice angrily looked at me with cold, calculating, dark eyes while the wolf continued to bare it¡¯s fangs. Then suddenly, I felt very, very afraid, and wanted to leave the tavern immediately. It was almost as if they were using magic on me.
¡°Jake. Leave.¡±
Felice said those words with an angry tone I had never heard before. Almost like they were a completely different person from before.
¡°Fine, your loss, beasts.¡±
I¡¯m normally not one to stoop to Kael¡¯s level of insults, but even I was starting to get pissed at this whole ordeal. A perfectly capable party member, was denied joining us on our request just because this cat couldn¡¯t be reasoned with.
And so, my party and I turned to leave the Paws & Beans Tavern and report the unfortunate news to our mentors that we failed to find a supporter.
Once outside, I quickly located Bandit and his friends sitting under some trees. I waved to them and he replied with a wave of his own. I could also see Slick and Garrick working on their weapons, sharpening them in preparation for the journey ahead.
¡°Well that sucked Jake, and here I was hoping we would actually get a new party member to help us out.¡± Drogan said with a heavy sigh.
¡°Oh please, it¡¯s not all that bad, after all, there¡¯s only room for one spell caster in the party. We don¡¯t need some lame supporter anyways, isn¡¯t that right Kael?¡±
Lyra¡¯s comments weren¡¯t any better. While I disagreed with her notion that we only needed one spell caster, I was more disappointed that I had failed as the leader.
¡°Lyra¡¯s right Jake, we¡¯re more than capable ourselves to complete this task, and frankly, I¡¯m rather happy a beast won¡¯t be joining us on our request. I absolutely despise them.¡±
¡°That may be true Kael, but we should still at least learn how to work together with other races, there could be a time we need to team up with them for a difficult request in the future!¡±
My response appeared to fall of deaf ears though, and I didn¡¯t blame them. Our one and only brief introduction to the beastkin race was a rather poor experience. I could understand my friends not wanting to work with them. I was even feeling the same way myself.
As we tidied up our comments, we finally reached the tree Bandit was sitting under. Without wasting time, I explained the situation that played out from inside the tavern.
¡°Aigh, well that¡¯s sure a shame thing Jakey boy. I was sure one of thems beastkins would helps ya out, especially given the favourable circumstances. Guess it goes to show ya even an experienced adventurer can be wrong sometimes.¡±
¡°Don¡¯tcha worry boss, we all know them beastkins are dumb as bricks. That¡¯s why all the kingdoms got them doing is stacking bricks! Is all theys good fer really.¡±
¡°Now now lads, what did I say about judging all of em like that? You know we¡¯ve come across a few helpful beastkin during our travels. Well, guess we better start with the hunting. Which way shall we go Jake?¡±
Thinking back to my conversation in the tavern, I remembered something critical. That¡¯s right! Inari mentioned that the goblins were to the north of the tavern!
¡°Bandit, while I was inside, a fox beastkin mentioned that the goblins we were looking for were to the north, so I think we should head that direction first!¡±
¡°Ohhh.¡± He said with a curious voice.
¡°Rather impressive Jake, that¡¯s a good skill you have there, payin attention to little details like that in conversation. That¡¯ll get you pretty far in this adventuring business stuff.¡±
I had to admit, I was rather pleased by the comment from Bandit. After all, someone finally recognized one of the skills I had developed during my adventurer¡¯s training! I had always known that critical thinking and listening skills were a core part of being an adventurer, so finally showcasing my abilities was quite rewarding!
¡°Alrighty then, lets begin our journey everyone. Northwards we go!¡±
And just like that, we had finally started to head towards the goblin base, although with one less expected party member. Regardless, I was confident we would be successful.
Chapter 11 – The Party Heads To The Goblin Camp
We had only just started heading north from the Paws & Beans Tavern when Kael motioned to me that he noticed some unusual disturbances along the ground and to stop. His signal was clear. Danger.
Just ahead of our group, was a rather large hill. At the top, there was heavy foliage and thick trees. A prime location to stage an ambush on unsuspecting adventurers! Kael¡¯s experience as a ranger told him this was the case, as he carefully examined the surround forest floor. There was evidence something was up there, waiting, and watching us.
¡°Could it be Goblins?¡± I quietly said to Kael.
¡°No, Goblins aren¡¯t this organized. Furthermore, the depth of the soil disturbance indicates a creature that is many times heaver than a goblin.¡±
As the leader, I had to think of a solution, and fast! We had only just started our journey and already came across an unexpected variable such as this. I had to use all the tools at my disposal to keep everyone safe as we figured our next plan of action.
¡°Drogan, get to the front in a defensive stance, make sure ¡°Iron¡± and ¡°Wall¡± are at the ready. I¡¯m going to try baiting the enemy into attack, so they may fire some projectiles in our direction.¡±
¡°Got it Jake!¡±
Drogan quickly went to the front of the party with both his shields at the ready. He took on his usual, fortress-like stance and was ready to intercept anything coming our direction. I was pleased with his coverage and proceeded to the next part of my plan. I would attempt calling out to the would-be ambushers and let them know we were aware of their plans to attack us.
¡°Hey, we¡¯re aware of your presence up there. Please stop concealing yourself and emitting an intent to kill towards our direction. We aren¡¯t afraid to respond with force if necessary!¡±
No response. The only sound I received in reply, was the wind, rustling against the branches and bushes on top of the hill.
¡°No response. Everyone, we will proceed with caution, stay close behind Drogan and watch our flanks.¡±
I looked back towards Bandit. He was already at the bottom of the hill looking at me. He was probably already aware of the presence above and was hanging back to see how I would respond with my party. After all, they were only here to mentor and observe our performance, and only intervene if directly necessary.
Slowly, we made our approach towards the top of the hill. My hand gripping the sword¡¯s handle tightly in my sheath. I was ready to draw my steel short-blade at a moment¡¯s notice.
As we inched closer and closer, nothing called out to us and everything was still silent. The atmosphere was so heavy with tension, that even the slightest movement was sweat inducing.
We were now within striking distance of the bushes, with still no response from our would-be ambushers. This was either a very well put together trap, or we were still being analyzed for any signs of weakness or openings. Wanting to bring this stalemate to a conclusion, I decided to take the initiative and strike first.
Leaping forward with all my might, I vaulted through the foliage into the open clearing atop the hill, with sword drawn at the ready. Quickly I scanned all around with my eyes to find the source of the anxiety.
I found it!
The individual in question was there, standing under the shade of one of the nearby trees. I began rushing towards them when ¨C.
¡°Wait, Inari??¡±
I came to a stop, the person who had put my entire party on edge, was the same fox beastkin I had met inside the tavern not too long ago. She stood still, under the tree¡¯s protection, with winds blowing all around her, oblivious to her surroundings. In her hands, she was holding what looked like a journal. I could see she was writing on the pages. Completely absorbed in her work, and failed to respond when I called out.
Sheathing my sword, I motioned for everyone to relax and follow me.
¡°Inari, what are you doing here? I thought Felice said they wouldn¡¯t allow you to join us on the request?¡±
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¡°Oh, Jake! I¡¯m glad your party was able to make it! Yes, I know Felice said I wasn¡¯t allowed to join you guys, but I just really wanted to be a part of the goblin subjugation task! I don¡¯t even particularly care about the higher monetary reward, I just want to gain more experience as an adventurer and test out how my magic capabilities have developed under Felice¡¯s guidance!¡±
Geez, it was always a mouthful with her. But regardless, I was happy she made the decision to be rebellious and join us on the request! Now my party was guaranteed success having a skilled healer in our midst.
¡°But Inari, how exactly did you get here? How did you know we would come this direction?
¡°Haha, that was easy Jake! When I walked away, I had already decided I would join you guys, after all, it really looked like you could use my assistance! I¡¯m an expert around these areas of Eldermyst you know!
Once I left Felice¡¯s magic detection range, I quickly cast an illusion spell to mask my presence and simultaneously floated a mana marking particle with my magic signature heading towards my room! Unless Felice went to visually check, he would be under the impression that I had stormed off, straight back to my room! Oh, you also did a great job in keeping their attention on you. My trick might not have been possible if Felice wasn¡¯t as occupied with your attention! As for how I knew you would head this direction? Well, I purposefully mentioned it during my conversation with you, so I had to hope you would pick up on my wording and go here first after leaving the tavern!¡±
After another word salad from Inari, I kind of understood what she meant, but still didn¡¯t fully comprehend what had happened.
Illusions? Mana marking particles? What the heck were those things? Nothing about those types of magics was taught to me when I was learning about their castings and applications. Maybe that¡¯s what she meant about it being difficult to explain in Solarian?
¡°Oh, also, Jake! Look at this! I was busily working out some hypothetical battle plans for the goblin encampment up ahead! I already have three potential plans of action!! Personally, I like the one where---¡±
Inari proceeded to talk about all her brilliant strategies for dealing with the upcoming goblins. Her tail wagged back and forth excitedly with each explanation! While some of her ideas were rather unique, the amount of detail that went into each one was too excessive in my opinion. I mean, they were just goblins after all. Beginner level monsters that even children could kill under the right circumstances! All this attention to detail and effort for a simple goblin camp was too much!
Looking behind me, my companions also seemed to be losing interest in the conversation as well. Kael was visibly rolling his eyes at most of Inari¡¯s comments, while Lyra continue staring at her reflection in her usual, silver mirror. The only one who seemed to be even remotely interested, was Drogan, but Inari was talking so quickly, he looked to be getting dizzy just trying to keep up with her conversation.
Eventually, Bandit and his crew made it up the hill. Looking to get things moving again, I intervened to stop the rambling fox.
¡°Inari, that¡¯s more than enough.¡±
¡°And that¡¯s when we¡¯ll have Kael use his--- Wait, what did you say Jake?¡±
¡°I said that¡¯s enough, I appreciate all the effort you¡¯ve put into these plans, but I think there¡¯s something called ¡°too much detail¡±. These are just goblins after all!¡±
¡°Are you sure Jake? I mean, you never know with goblins, they do look like beginner monsters, but looks can be deceiving for things! If you study some of their habits, you would see they assign various roles amongst themselves, have spell casters, lookouts, and can even form coordinated raiding parties! Plus, you can never take too many precautions wh¡ª¡±
¡°No, I appreciate your input, but I¡¯m the leader of this expedition. I will decide on the strategy we use. All I need for you is to listen to my orders. I¡¯m kind of a big deal, being an adventurer with average status sum of 38 you know! I¡¯ve killed plenty of goblins before protecting my family¡¯s farm. Plus, I¡¯m going to become a famous adventurer in Solara with all my knowledge and expertise, goblins are well beneath me!¡±
Inari¡¯s ears drooped and her tail stopped wagging. She appeared rather disappointed at my comments, wearing a rather sad expression. But seriously, it wasn¡¯t my fault she was so focused on all these unnecessary details! Promptly, I carried the conversation forward.
¡°Anyways, what spells do you have that would be useful for my party as a supporter?¡±
¡°Ummm, well I have all sorts of spells! I can cast stat increases on the party, reduce the enemy¡¯s own status, afflict them with blindness, stop their spell casting, distract them with image---¡±
¡°Just tell me two spells you would use please; I don¡¯t need everything for every possible scenario!¡±
Now even more depressed, Inari¡¯s reply came back in an expressionless tone:
¡°I will cast ¡°Bolster Strength¡± and ¡°Heal!¡± The former boosts your strength status by roughly 1/5th it¡¯s current value, while the latter will restore upwards of 15 HP, plus or minus 2 HP value.¡±
¡°Good, thank you Inari, I¡¯m confident your contribution will be valuable to my party!¡±
Inari shrugged her shoulders and let out a sigh. Was I too hard on her? I didn¡¯t think I was rude, I just needed her to focus so we could get started!
¡°Anyways, you said the goblins were close to here, yes?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right, they should be just through the clearing over there. Most of them are setup around the cliff face. The position is somewhat fortified, but nothing we couldn¡¯t handle.¡±
¡°Perfect. Alright everyone, let¡¯s get going. Next stop, goblins!¡±
And so, we were finally almost at our first quest¡¯s destination. The weather was perfect for visibility, there was still plenty of hours left in the day, and we were all eager to put our battle skills to the test! Truly a perfect combination for the Crimson Steel Lux¡¯s first Adventurer¡¯s Guild request.
Chapter 12 – The First Battle
Kael diligently led the way deeper into the forest, carefully keeping an eye out for signs of a goblin scouting party. Inari was close beside him, also keeping watch while crosschecking her notes from earlier. The rest of us followed in a line, with Drogan in front, then Lyra and myself near the back. Further behind us was Bandit¡¯s group, keeping a steady distance so as not to intervene unless absolutely necessary.
Eventually, Kael and Inari came to a stop behind some bushes, and motioned for us to do the same. Slowly, the rest of us crept up to join them at their vantage position.
We had arrived. The goblin encampment!
Carefully looking out into the clearing, I could see a group of goblins gathered around various primitive structures. Standing approximately three and a half feet tall, there were around fourteen in total, with most of them lightly spread-out between two campfire-like bases. Their greenish, greyish skin was sickening to look at. They wore tattered loin cloths that have clearly seen better days, and that was the modest ones! Several of the goblins wore nothing at all, leaving all of their¡ Gah, what the hell Jake!
In their arms, most were holding crude, poorly put together, stone axes, maces, and wooden clubs. A few of the goblins even had metal daggers and short-swords. Those, I imagined, were from unfortunate adventurers or merchants who had lost their belongings to their evil antics and brutality.
Looking further into their appearance, some of the goblins even dawned robes, almost if they were a spell caster! A matching ¡°stick¡± serving as the staff completed their set. However, I doubted the authenticity of a goblin sorcerer and ignored them.
¡°Everyone, here¡¯s the plan. First, Drogan and I are going to charge in and hit the ones at the first camp. Kael and Lyra, I would like both of you to shoot arrows and ¡°Fire Bolts!¡± towards the second camp. Inari, cast ¡°Heal!¡± on us, if we take any damage. Then, we clean up any of the stragglers. Alrighty then, on the count of one¡ two¡¡±
¡°Jake, wait!¡±
Inari desperately whispered to the group. Seriously? We were just about to start killing goblins and you stopped me during the count? What the heck!
¡°What is it Inari, we were just about to attack them!¡±
¡°That¡¯s exactly the point Jake, look! Over by the cliff face.¡±
Inari pointed her finger towards the cliff face and I followed its direction. Lying down on the dirt, was a Hobgoblin! You could just make out it¡¯s figure from this distance. I missed it during my earlier examination because four goblins had been dancing in front of it from my angle.
I had a blind spot.
¡°Oh, good eyes Inari, thank you for pointing out that Hobgoblin, I wasn¡¯t expecting there to be one because the quest didn¡¯t mention them. But don¡¯t worry, I woulda been able to take care of it no problem when it joined the fight!¡±
¡°Jake, we should fully scout the area first before charging in! I don¡¯t think we have enough information yet. A frontal assault could lead to danger if we aren¡¯t careful and miss an enemy when we attack!¡±
¡°That¡¯s what the healers for Inari, your job is to heal us when that happens!¡±
Seriously, what did she think she was telling me? I¡¯ve gone through extensive adventurer training, have amazing stats, AND have killed plenty of goblins before without issue! Yet here she was, talking to me like I was an idiot.
¡°Stop and think first Jake, I know you¡¯re excited, but rushing can lead to mistakes, and sometimes, those mistakes are fatal. I think we should gather more information first, like having Kael scout using the Ranger spell ¡°Bird¡¯s Eye¡± so we can get an accurate assessment from goblins we might not be able to see. Also, before we attack, I should cast ¡°Bolster Strength¡± so that we have an advantage. Kael and Lyra should additionally pre-cast their magics and arrows on designated targets to eliminate the difficult ones first an¡ª¡±
¡°That¡¯s too detailed Inari! We just have to go in there and kill them. It¡¯s, that, simple!¡±
Almost as if he knew it was the right time to intervene, Bandit approached us from behind and put his hand on my shoulder. I was startled by the sudden, unexpected contact, but even more startled by what he said.
¡°Jakey boy, you should listen to the girl ya? Everything Inari said is good advice. I¡¯ve lost many a comrade from actin rash and charging in before knowing everything about their target. Give her advice a chance, will ya? If you had charged in like ya was first mentionin, I woulda stopped you before as well, ya hear?¡±
Hearing Bandit¡¯s words hurt me a little. I thought I was an amazing adventurer and leader. These were ONLY goblins, and he was even taking the side of my temporary party member. He wouldn¡¯t have needed to even intervene because my group would have been fine, despite a few extra ¡°unaccounted-for¡± goblins joining the fray!
But as I stayed there, silent, thinking over everything again, I had to admit to myself.
I was wrong.
Inari was right, I should have examined the situation more carefully and utilized my party better. Kael is a ranger, experts in tracking and spotting enemies, yet I tried to do that role myself. Drogan is a frontliner, and I assigned him to the same camp I was at, leaving a whole group of goblins with mobility freedom to potentially flank us in a counter attack.
If Bandit hadn¡¯t stopped me, my friends might have been injured, or heaven forbid, killed. As the leader, I had to be more responsible, and couldn¡¯t let my emotions get in the way!
¡°Alright then.¡± I said with a confident, new resolution.
¡°Kael, could you please cast your ¡°Bird¡¯s Eye¡± spell and scout the surrounding area? If we missed a hobgoblin lying down, there might also be others in bushes nearby or hiding behind the encampment.¡±
¡°Well of course Jake, I guess there are somethings even you require my assistance with? I¡¯ll make sure to show you how an expert scouts the enemy!¡±
¡°World, connect my eyes to the skies above, grant them the sight of birds up high, Bird¡¯s Eye!¡±
As soon as Kael finished his casting, his eyes began glowing in a green light. All emotion had left his face as his vision was granted the ability to look at everything from the sky! While I¡¯ve never been able to cast this spell, I could only imagine how disorienting it would be. As I was watching Kael, Inari had pulled out her journal and opened it.
Looking at the page in detail, it was a rough map of the goblin encampment! But what was the purpose of this? As I was wondering about the map, Kael canceled his spell and was ready to report. However, before he could say anything, Inari spoke first.
¡°Great job Kael! Did you see any extra goblins? How many did you count? Also, take a look at this map, could you mark the positions of where you saw any extras?¡±
So that¡¯s why she had the map drawn. Now that she mentioned it, looking closer, I could see little ¡°x¡± marks that roughly matched the current positions of the goblins in front of us! With this, we had a much better general idea of their placement, and could add in even more markings if needed.
Begrudgingly, Kael filled in four more ¡°x¡± marks on the map. He was probably acting this way because Inari was a beastkin, but we at least had some more information. The extra goblins were around the cliff face, out of our line of sight. But that wasn¡¯t the only interesting piece of information!
During Kael¡¯s report, he had mentioned that there was only the one hobgoblin. However, hidden amongst the tree canopy, was a goblin lookout platform! From Kael¡¯s description, there were three goblins up top, armed with short-bows, and one goblin below, but this one had a mage¡¯s staff. If we had charged in with the previous plan, our entire left-hand side would have been exposed to arrows and potential sorcerer magic! Further compounding on this problem, was the fact all the individuals exposed were our weak caster types! Lyra had very low defence and health, Kael wasn¡¯t any better, and I could only imagine Inari¡¯s stats were low as well.
Things could have gone horrible at the beginning of the encounter, and I wouldn¡¯t have realized until it was too late. So, finally admitting to myself my errors, I decided to let Inari explain how she would tackle this situation.
¡°I¡¯m sorry Inari, but you were right. I apologise for not listening to you earlier. I was too eager to fight the goblins that I almost put my friends in danger. Could you please offer me your advice on how you would attack the goblin encampment?¡±
Inari¡¯s ears perked up and he tail began wagging excitedly back and forth, she was clearly happy at my apology and request for advice.
¡°Why of course Jake! Oh, and I¡¯ll keep the explanations short as well. I think we finally have all the information we need. So, here¡¯s what I would do, I woul---¡±
Essentially, Inari¡¯s plan was one of an ambush. Before starting the encounter, Inari would buff Kael, Drogan, and myself with ¡°Bolster Strength¡±, then we would wait for Kael and Lyra to ready their attacks. Their aim, would be focused on that goblin scouting platform. Lyra was to shoot a fireball, not at the goblins, but the platform itself. The theory was the impact from the blast would crumble their foothold and send them plummeting to their death. While a human could probably survive a fall from over 20ft with injuries, that distance was much more fatal for a small creature such as a goblin. If they happened to survive, the residual flames and burning wood would finish them off.
Kael¡¯s target during all of this, was to take out the goblin caster with one clean shot. However, Inari specifically mentioned to target a rather different area than I was expecting. While I would have expected Kael to shoot the goblin in the head, Inari suggested firing the arrow at the throat of the goblin. She predicted that since Kael was a skilled ranger, he would be able to skillfully hit his mark. As for the throat? If the goblin was a spell caster, it would be rendered unable to cast any defensive spells or heal spells since it could no longer articulate words to complete a casting. While a headshot seemed correct, if it failed to kill the goblin in one hit, then it could potentially recover using it¡¯s magic, wasting the attack opportunity from us.
Finally, Inari¡¯s last suggestion, was for her to cast an earth magic spell called ¡°Unstable Ground¡± around the hobgoblin¡¯s area. This spell would make it difficult for them to reach us so Drogan and I could get into position quickly and finish off the first camp before the second one could even join.
¡°Aright everyone, are you ready?¡±
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Everyone nodded in agreement.
¡°Perfect, Kael, Lyra, get into positions, Inari, start buffing us now please!¡±
¡°Of course Jake!¡±
¡°World, gather round my call and tip the scales to my favour, give me power to strike my foes, Bolster Strength!"
I felt an incredible surge of energy! While I had already drawn my sword in anticipation of the attack signal, it now felt considerably lighter. I also noticed my muscles were bulging, larger than usual. This sensation made me feel confident I could cleave a solid tree in half! What an amazing spell!
I looked over, Kael and Lyra were now in position. My excitement rose and my blood started to boil. We were finally about to attack the goblins!
¡°World, bring forth fire to my palms, form it''s shape and send it far, Fire Bolt!"
In an instant, a sphere of fire roughly the size of a goblin itself, flashed, and launched itself towards their unsuspecting wooden lookout. At the same moment, Kael¡¯s arrow expertly left his bow and firmly planted itself in it¡¯s new home, directly embedded into the goblins neck!
The goblins on the lookout platform reacted to the arrow, but then turned around to see a massive ball of fire heading straight towards them! Some attempted to jump off the platform, but it was too late.
*Snap**Crash**Boom*
The fire bolt¡¯s collision was so fierce, it sent flaming wooden splinters in every possible direction. For a moment, I had thought the trees had caught fire as well, but the flames in the canopy seemingly vanished without a trace. Goblin arms and legs gleefully took flight at their new found independence, having been freed from the confines of their owner¡¯s torso. Flesh burned, and the goblin rangers still living, could be heard screaming in pure agony as their skin boiled and contorted under the flames destructive power. Then, without missing her opportunity, Inari cast her spell.
"Terra, heed my words and change thy form, turn earth below to tricky terrain, Unstable Ground!"
The goblins who had once been peacefully dancing and enjoying their mini party, were caught completely off guard at their comrade¡¯s screams. They desperately scrambled to grab their weapons, but were unable to make progress. Many of them fell flat on the ground and flailed around trying to find any stable footing. The hobgoblin was also noticeably struggling and began roaring in anger at the inconvenience. Now was mine, and Drogan¡¯s chance!
Quickly, we leapt into the fray. I was waiting the whole day for this moment and happily began my assault. I locked eyes with my first target, a bewildered goblin holding a wooden club. With a jump and a twirl, I efficiently spun around using my bodies momentum and rotational torsion, to land a clean hit to it¡¯s neckline.
*Shreen!*
My steel short-blade effortlessly sliced through the goblins flesh and bone to cleanly decapitate the being. The head flew off the body wearing a face of confusion and anguish, then landed with a satisfying *splat* noise. Next, I prepared my signature move, a rushing ¡°Fire Bolt!¡± for the goblins near the headless body. There were four goblins roughly sixteen feet away, and ready to smash my face in with their crude axes and maces.
Behind me, Drogan was keeping pace, but still several steps away. After all, he was wearing heavy plate armor which severely limited his mobility. With my next move, I would create an opening for his entrance!
Lunging forward I started saying the incantation for the ¡°Fire Bolt!¡± spell, my next target was now only six feet away, the perfect distance for my combo move.
"World, bring forth fire to my palms, form it''s shape and send it far, Fire Bolt!"
I had skilfully timed the completion of the chant so my left hand was directly in front of the goblin¡¯s face! Flames fiercely erupted from the palm and incinerated it¡¯s ugly mug, restyling it into a more appropriate design of blackened, charred bones. While clearly dead, the force of impact sent it¡¯s lifeless body hurling backwards into two of it¡¯s comrades, knocking them prone onto the hard ground.
Finally, I twisted my blade, and stabbed the last standing goblin through the left side of it¡¯s muddy, green chest. My blade easily pierced the flesh and tore the goblins heart to shreds. To free the blade from the goblin¡¯s body, I yanked it roughly towards it¡¯s left-arm socket, where the steel blade effortlessly separated arm from body. It collapsed to the ground, with blood and lungs happily oozing out to stain the soil a new dingy reddish colour.
Taking advantage of my opening, Drogan readied his twin shields and smashed each of them into the two prone goblin¡¯s faces.
¡°RAWAAAA¡± He yelled.
*Crunch**Gussshh!*
The goblin faces were no more. Crushed and flattened beyond all recognition. Bits of their skulls and brain matter combined to form a sharp, gooey syrup following the satisfying sound of their heads collapsing into nothing.
¡°GAH!¡±
I heard a goblin scream uncomfortably close to my face.
Fuck, I got distracted, a goblin had quickly managed to close it¡¯s distance to me and leapt high into the air. It¡¯s massive mace aiming for my undefended head. Shit! I wouldn¡¯t be able to react in time, I couldn¡¯t dodge the incoming strike in anyway no matter how hard I thought.
As I braced for the inevitable impact, a soft, blue and translucent bubble materialized in the space between the goblin¡¯s mace and my head. Taking the full brunt of the blow, the magical barrier seemed unfazed by the brief encounter, then disappeared moments later. The goblin, now confused and vulnerable in the air, panicked as it¡¯s surprise attack had failed.
*Shreen*
I quickly slashed my sword upwards. And, to my surprise, cleaved the being into two, separate pieces.
Flesh, blood, and intestines assaulted my face with an unpleasant warm feeling as they collided and slide down onto my leather armor. I gaged slightly at the sensation, but quickly resolved myself for more combat.
Roughly 30 seconds had passed since our encounter began. I glanced around the battlefield to assess the situation. Kael and Lyra had already begun preparing their next attacks, Drogan had regained his footing, and Inari was just¡ Standing there? Seriously, at least make it look like you¡¯re helping or something!
Well, I guess none of us had taken any damage, so she technically had nothing to do. Healers really did have it easy during these sorts of things, ya know?
Anyways, all that remained to be eliminated, was the roughly seven goblins and single hobgoblin near the cliff¡¯s wall.
The goblins at the second campsite, having finally found their footing from Inari¡¯s spell, quickly gathered their weapons, and began menacingly charging towards Drogan and I. The hobgoblin was still flailing around, yelling furiously. It was angerly clawing at it¡¯s eyes. Probably some sort of coping behaviour for it¡¯s failure in joining the fray I thought.
Intercepting their rush, Drogan expertly maneuvered his short body to take the blow from four of the goblins at once!
¡°Iron, Wall!¡± He shouted with all his might!
*Clang**Kerdunk*
¡°Raaaa! GAH!¡±
The goblins wailed as their attacks were completely absorbed by Drogan¡¯s twin shield defensive technique! Next, with all his might, he launched all four of them backwards with an impressive shove of his shields. While some of them were still in the air, I saw two arrows find their marks, straight inside the eye sockets of the unsuspecting goblins. I had to admit, Kael did have some skill with that bow of his!
Seizing the opportunity, I quickly casted a ¡°Fire Bolt!¡± at the goblins. I finished my chanting just as they landed on the ground.
*Whashnnt**Boom!*
Fire exploded and incinerated their bodies, reducing them to nothing more than a pile of smoldering ash. Mentally, I made note that this was my 2nd spell cast, so I would potentially feel exhausted if I cast another ¡°Fire Bolt!¡±.
Next, I saw what appeared to be more fire bolts heading towards the remaining goblins, but there was something unquestionable different about these ones. Whereas I expected them to quickly accelerate and explode on impact, these fire bolts, appeared to be homing in on their respective targets, floating at what I could only describe as a ¡°ghostly¡± pace. When these mysterious flames reached their target, they entered the equally surprised goblin¡¯s chest cavity and disappeared.
But then,
*Frooth*
Intense heat and flames erupted from inside the goblins, immolating their bodies, completely covering them in a purply, red and orange like fire. They screamed for but a brief moment in agony, clutching their hands to their faces, before crumpling over onto themselves, dead.
I looked behind me to try and find the cause of these abnormal fire bolts, and saw Inari, pointing her wooden staff towards our direction. Perhaps she was the caster of this interesting spell? Regardless, I had to admit, I wouldn¡¯t want to be on the receiving end of an attack like that! Perhaps she was useful after all¡
Finally, all that remained was the still struggling hobgoblin. As if motivated by the dying cries of it¡¯s burnt comrades, it sprang to it¡¯s feet, grabbing a nearby, massive, wooden club.
¡°RAGH!!!!!!!!!¡±
It let out an earth-shattering roar! My head hurt and reeled from the disorienting verbal assault. While my eardrums didn¡¯t burst, they certainly felt like they did under the intense pressure wave they received!
Inari¡¯s ¡°Unstable Earth¡± spell appeared to have run its course, and with incredible swiftness, the hobgoblin quickly closed the 30ft gap between Drogan and myself. Then, with incredible force, it swung the wooded club downwards towards us.
¡°Jake, watch out!¡±
Drogan intercepted the attack with both his shields. He grunted, but managed to hold his ground as the shockwaves from the attack echoed throughout his body. If that attack had connected with me, I would surely be reduced to a spattering pulp of gore and bones! Boy was I sure glad to have my ¡°Impenetrable Fortress¡± of a friend helping me out!
The hobgloblin was clearly pissed it¡¯s attack had been so efficiently defeated. Being this close to it, I saw it¡¯s eyes were bloodshot red, irritated, with a slight black, foggy haze. It¡¯s breath stunk of rotting food as it exhaled in frustration at Drogan.
As I was trying to get over the horrible smell, an arrow lodged itself into the right shoulder blade of the hobgoblin. Moments later, it exploded in a fury of ice and crystal fragments! This must have been a combination attack from Lyra and Kael. Surrounding the imbedded arrow, was now a tight, clump of ice. The hobgoblin screamed in pain, dropping the wooden club to the ground. The ice was in such a place, that it disabled the mobility of the arm all together! What a smart use of arrows and magic I thought.
Making the most of this opportunity, I rushed in for the kill, short-sword at the ready. The dazed creature swung it¡¯s left arm at me. Using my reflexes, I twisted my torse to slide right under the bulky arm. Utilizing my momentum, I repositioned myself with a cool looking slide to appear right behind the hobgoblin.
Then, with all my might, I leapt high into the air and gripped my sword tightly with both-hands, angling the blade¡¯s point downwards for a stab. My target? The exposed, hobgoblins neck!
Using gravity and my bodies weight to amplify the force, I tensed my muscles and thrust the sword as hard as I could, straight into the fleshy neckline.
My blade struggled slightly as it nicked and got caught on some of the creature¡¯s spine during my thrust. The bones of hobgoblins were rather thick for a monster, and finding the gap between vertebra was tricky for even experienced swordsmen for a maneuver like this. Compensating for my error, I added more strength and pushed the blade clean through!
Emerging from the other end of the hobgoblin¡¯s throat, was an explosion of blood and steel. My blade had successfully pieced the creatures throat from behind. The monster gargled and gurgled as it tried to form words but couldn¡¯t.
Blood continued gushing out in pressurized streams as my body landed onto the back of the hobgoblin, slamming it down onto the dirty, blood-soaked soil. With the last bits of it strength, it tried to raise it¡¯s left arm forward in a crawling motion. Blood, bubbly and frothy, poured out of it¡¯s mouth as it desperately tried to reach for anything to help it from this situation. Then finally, the creature came to a stop. It¡¯s body ley limp as blood happily began pooling around its chest and facial areas.
Leaving my sword still lodged in the hobgoblin¡¯s neck, I raised my right hand to my face, wiping some of the blood, sweat, and dirty from my forehead. Then I triumphantly raised my arms into the air and shouted at the top of my lungs.
¡°RAAAAAA! WE DID IT!!!!¡±
The goblins were dead. The whole encounter lasted several minutes at most, but felt like an eternity as we bravely fought them with all our strength.
In the distance, Kael, Lyra, and Inari starting heading over to where Drogan and I were standing. Before us, lay a menagerie of blood, gore, and burning flesh, with goblin limbs scattered every conceivable direction. Once we were all here, we celebrated our first success in battle as a party!
Kael smugly readjusted his glasses, Lyra huffed while twirling her hair, while Drogan was trying to calm his nerves and avoid puking at the scene. Now that I thought about it, this was technically his first battle against goblins. For his first time, he acted phenomenally in his role as a frontline defender! Bandit and crew began approaching us as well. Well, Bandit and Garrick at least. I couldn¡¯t quite find Slick, but could only assume he was checking the surrounds to make sure we hadn¡¯t missed any goblin stragglers! I was super excited and already began wondering about the praise they were going to shower me in for being such an amazing leader!
Looking towards Inari, I could see she had a happy expression across her face, she was smiling and congratulating all of us on a job well done! Her emerald eyes glistened in the sunlight while her whiskers twitched with laughter.
Amazing, I thought to myself. Crimson Steel Lux had just successfully completed their first ever request! I felt unstoppable, as I¡¯m sure all my friends did as well. We all sighed and chuckled, relieved at the new found, relaxing atmosphere. Now, came the best part after any successful battle.
Looting!
Wearing a grin way too large for my face, I gleefully turned towards the goblin corpses at my feet. Finally, I would be able to take the spoils of war and have some extra pocket change! My mind was already thinking about the food I would buy back at the Solara¡¯s Adventurer¡¯s Branch. I also thought a new pair of gloves would do me rather nicely as well! And so, I walked over to the hobgoblins corpse and bent overtop of it to inspect its belongings. Then, as I began reaching towards the body---
Everything went black.
Chapter 13 – A Fox’s Perspective
As I angrily left the conversation between Felice, Jake, and Lupin, a single thought kept racing through my mind.
I¡¯m joining them, no matter what!
Once I was out of Felice¡¯s visual and magical detection range, I put my impromptu plan into action! In my mind, I spoke the words for ¡°Illusion¡± and hide my presence. Covered in a shimmering vale of light, I was now invisible to everyone in the tavern. Simultaneously, I imbedded a small cluster of mana particles with my magical signature, and floated them towards my lodging on the 3rd floor. With this action, my plan had begun.
I figured I would have approximately ten minutes before Felice would realize my trick, so I hurriedly snuck out the back door and made my way towards the hill to the north. As swift as my paws could carry me, I arrived on top of the hill. Since it was quite sunny outside, I decided to stand under one of the nearby trees in the shade. The area was rather covered, littered in thick branches and foliage everywhere.
Checking my magical presence radar and seeing the coast was clear, I deactivated illusion, pulled out my journal, and rapidly began planning several variations of assault strategies for the goblin camp ahead!
¡°Hmmm¡±
I wondered aloud. While talking with Jake, I got the impression that him and his party were rather new at adventuring. It seemed like this was their first quest, so it would be a great opportunity to showcase all of my capabilities and strategical thinking! I¡¯m sure he would love all of my ideas and skills! However, that was assuming he knew where to go!
While I did make sure to specifically mention where the goblins were during my brief introduction, I just had to hope he was smart enough to pickup on it during the conversation!
Well, back to planning! If they didn¡¯t show up, I would just proceed with action plan #233: Inari Goblin Camp Solo Assault, Version 12!
After a few minutes, I detected the magical signature of several humans at the base of the hill. While I couldn¡¯t accurately identify if it was Jake¡¯s party, there was a good chance they were heading this way. I detected a cluster of four signatures, and a cluster of three signatures roughly 100 feet behind.
Right, Jake mentioned something about having a mentoring group with them. That must be the other experienced adventurers making sure his party would stay safe! So, I returned my attention back to my journal, scribbling away. Oh how excited I was to share all my ideas with them! But I had a problem¡ Which idea should I share first?
¡°Wait, Inari?¡±
¡°Inari, what are you doing here? I thought Felice said they wouldn¡¯t allow you to join us on the request?¡±
Why did he sound surprised? Also, why was his hand gripping his sword¡¯s handle? Oh! I was completely absorbed in my journal that I never even thought to call out to them! He must have been startled and surprised at me being here!
¡°Oh, Jake! I¡¯m glad your party was able to make it! ---
I excitedly explained my cunning escape from Felice while mentioning my exceptional use of magic! Then, I quickly moved onto all of the battle plans I had in mind, starting with my personal favourite, a sly surprise attack using all of our unique skills for the party! Jake¡¯s face looked speechless as I happily explained everything in as much detail as possible!
---
Wait, did I hear that correctly? Too much detail? What do you mean? And why does his face look annoyed? Doesn¡¯t everyone like strategizing before taking on a monster hunting request?
Oh, he doesn¡¯t want me doing that?
A wave of sadness rushed over me as all of the thought and effort I had put into taking out the goblin camp was trampled on, making me feel incompetent. I couldn¡¯t continue wagging my tail anymore as Jake berated me over everything I said. Maybe this is why Felice said I shouldn¡¯t join them? I knew they had mentioned that humans treated beastkin horribly in the city, but were all humans like this?
Tuning back into the conversation, Jake wanted me to only pick two spells to use. The thought of being constrained to only 2 of my over 100 spells was very disheartening. Feeling rather depressed, I responded telling him I would use ¡°Bolster Strength¡± and ¡°Heal!¡±. Those are probably the two spells that would be most useful for the upcoming situation.
Eventually, we started heading towards the direction of the goblin encampment. I found myself walking alongside the man named Kael. I was a little nervous, since out of the corner of my eye, I could see him constantly sending me menacing glares. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, my threat detection kept giving me false positives whenever he looked my way. Well, I guess he technically did want to harm me, but we were in a party! Even if you don¡¯t like someone, there¡¯s no reason to be so mean towards them! That could be dangerous when we needed to cooperate!
Finally, we had reached our destination! Jake and his crew slowly approached to where Kael and I were standing. Out in the clearing, was the goblin camp! Happy we were here, I pulled out my journal and started marking the rough locations of the goblins I could see on a simple map. I double checked the locations against my internal enemy detection radar. Oh? That¡¯s interesting, there appears to be a group of goblins off to the left, and this larger reading here? That¡¯s potentially a hobgoblin! Looking up, I noticed Jake was talking about what to do. Then he started counting to start the attack¡
Wait, start the attack? Oh no! He doesn¡¯t even know about the goblins that are hidden yet!!! I have to stop him!
¡°Jake, wait!¡±
Ahh, thank goodness that got his attention. Things could have gone horribly if I didn¡¯t intervene! Our backline would have been completely exposed if Jake proceeded with his frontal assault idea! But after sharing my concern and suggesting we gather more information; Jake rudely dismissed me. I could tell he was very angry.
As Jake continued to tell me off about my ideas, a larger, scary looking man came up from behind and placed his hand on Jake¡¯s shoulder. He had many scars all across his face. This must be one of the three experienced adventurers Jake said was spotting for them! But when I looked into the man¡¯s eyes, I felt a feeling of absolute terror and horror. My enemy detection was franticly sounding alarm bells in my head. I had to deactivate the spell since it was starting to become painful and disorienting.
But why would it alert me to this person? Listening to the conversation, this man, Bandit, was actually taking my side of the argument and saying everything I noted was correct! What¡¯s more, if I didn¡¯t intervene, he said his group would have stepped in to stop Jake as well! How could a person like this be setting off my enemy detection? Perhaps I wasn¡¯t focusing enough due to losing confidence in my abilities and the spell was malfunctioning? I would have to experiment with this later!
The next thing I knew, Jake was apologising to me! I can¡¯t believe he actually had the resolve to admit his short comings and ask for my advice! I could hardly contain my excitement. My tail started uncontrollably wagging back and forth, but I didn¡¯t care! I was finally able to explain how I would tackle the goblin encampment!!!
But I had to be careful. Jake still didn¡¯t seem to value my input very well. Perhaps I could use this to my advantage? I know Rangers have a spell that allows them to scout the surrounding areas thoroughly. While it¡¯s not as efficient as my magic presence detection, it should still work fine in this scenario. Kael and Jake seem rather close, so perhaps if I suggest Kael for scouting, Jake will listen to his friend. Then I can introduce my marked map to build credibility again!
---
Alright, Kael gave his report of the situation, and his observations matched mine. It also confirmed that the group of goblins in the trees were ranged class. I politely asked Kael to fill in the map. He did, but with a rather rude look towards me as he added each additional ¡°x¡±. Seriously, I didn¡¯t get this guy.
Looking over to Jake, I could see him examining the map in detail. Then, to my disbelief, he asked if I could develop a battle plan! I was super excited! Eagerly, I explained how I would tackle the current situation. It was time to introduce Inari¡¯s Goblin Camp Battle Plan #27!
Good, everyone seemed in agreement about the strategy I suggested. After taking out the goblin scouting platform, I would immobilize the encampment by the cliff, locking down the hobgoblin and stragglers nearby. While that was happening, Jake and Drogan would intercept the first camp and eliminate them! Well, that was the short version at least.
Seeing as we were ready to start, I gathered my mana and started getting ready to cast ¡°Bolster Strength¡±.
Wait, that¡¯s right! I had almost completely forgotten in my excitement. Felice mentioned this to me during my magic training lessons with him.
¡°Inari nayn, humeowans are very clueless when it comes to meowgic! They are stuck in the belief that ¡°all magics must be cast verbally nayn!¡±. That¡¯s simply not the case meown. If you can clearly visumeowize the intended effect and say the incantation in your myind, it can cast just as meowfectivly nayn! Oh, but this is a secrets meown, so don¡¯t tell any of the humeowans pwease.¡±
For all of the stories I¡¯d heard about humans being inquisitive and methodical, I was rather surprised that none of them had discovered this fact either. Of all of the amazing scholars and researchers they possessed, none of them had even attempted to cast magic non-verbally?
Regardless, I figured I should at the very least, respect Felice¡¯s advice. It might help me a little bit later, as I was confident I would receive ¡°ameowther scolding!¡± as they called it. Well, I guess I better start casting the old way¡
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"World, gather round my call and tip the scales to my favour, give me power to strike my foes, Bolster Strength!"
There, now all of us had a boost to our strength! Since I efficiently utilized the mana inside each individual¡¯s bodies, the cost of the spell was significantly reduced. As a result, the burden was negligible to me.
Looking over, Kael¡¯s bow was ready to fire with the goblin caster locked on, then I heard Lyra start her spell for ¡°Fire Bolt!¡±
I was super excited to see how a human produced the ¡°Fire Bolt!¡± spell. Felice¡¯s version had incredible potency and I was eager to compare it to Lyra¡¯s. Jake had mentioned she was a really powerful magic caster, so I was bound to be impressed!
"World, bring forth fire to my palms, form it''s shape and send it far, Fire Bolt!"
Wait a minute, the incantation is totally wrong! Oh no, Oh no no no!!! You didn¡¯t even weave the mana particles properly into the correct ratio of air to moisture! The size was also off and very unstable!!!!!! Since you didn¡¯t form it correctly, the flames would go out of control from a lack of moisture binding their effects to the intended targets!!! If that ignites the tree canopy, the whole forest would catch fire!!!
I had to act fast! The fire bolt had already left Lyra¡¯s hands and rocketed towards its destination. Sorry Felice, but I would need to do incantantionless casting!
Quickly, I cast a spell on the tree canopy to cancel out the effects of the fire bolt¡¯s heat so flames wouldn¡¯t spread to the entire forest. I tried my best to make sure my spell would remain largely unnoticed. It was almost perfect, but I think I did rather well consider the short reaction time I had!
*Snap**Crash**Boom*
Impact! While much more underwhelming compared to Felice¡¯s version, it managed well enough. All three of the goblins were blown from their vantage point. One mana signature immediately disappeared, and the remaining two faded once they hit the forest floor. Finally, the fourth signature vanished as Kael¡¯s arrow expertly severed the goblin¡¯s throat! I briefly felt it trying to conjure a spell, so I was glad we managed to silence it with his attack!
Oh, I¡¯d almost forgot, now was the time I was suppose to cast my Unstable Ground spell! It would have looked really bad if I didn¡¯t cast it when Jake was expecting me to! Remember Inari, verbal incantations!
"Terra, heed my words and change thy form, turn earth below to tricky terrain, Unstable Ground!"
Perfect! Now all of the enemies near the cliff would be immobilized.
After seeing my spell cast, Jake and Drogan leapt into the fray! But for all the talk about how amazing he was, Jake¡¯s capabilities seemed average at best. A lot of his movements seemed excessive and inefficient. Well, I mean, I was comparing him to Lupine, a retired B rank adventurer. But still, even I had better movements and I wasn¡¯t even a melee user! The twirls were unnecessary and brought the risk of losing one¡¯s balance, and the blade¡¯s impact with the goblins was rough and risked getting lodged inside them.
Alright, a few goblins had been defeated. Now was the time for me to assume my proper role as a supporter. Overwatch!
From all my studies about support roles in parties, and from interviewing Lupine and Felice, the supporter stayed in the rear of the party and calmly assessed the evolving situation on the battlefield. Then, adjusting to the changes in tempo, would issue commands and cast spells to assist members as needed!
But wait, wouldn¡¯t Jake get mad if I started calling out and issuing commands to his comrades? Guess that means I would have to be subtle. Well, I do enjoy a good challenge, so let¡¯s see how well I can do with this handicap!
Jake was super enthusiastic after cleanly slicing a goblin¡¯s head off. That was a risky play, since there was a good chance the blade could have gotten lodged amongst the spinal vertebra. Even experts struggle to cleanly decapitate a moving opponent, and instead opt for more precise, disabling slashes or stabs!
As I continued watching the battle, I saw Jake cast his famous ¡°Fire Bolt!¡±. He used the same incantation as Lyra, so it was also incorrect. But, comparing the two, Lyra did in fact have the stronger version of the spell. Putting aside the disappointing flame, it accomplished it¡¯s goal. The goblin¡¯s face melted off and it was sent flying backwards disabling two others. Alright, I guess that was a decent move after all!
But after he stabbed the fourth goblin, his blade got stuck! See Jake, that¡¯s exactly what I meant about trying to go for fancy maneuvers! Fortunately, he managed to free the blade, but the goblin was already finished when you pierced it¡¯s chest!
Alright, everything is going well so far. I¡¯m expecting Jake to turn and face towards the encampment towards the cliff wall. He¡¯s in a perfect position to use another ¡°Fire Bolt!¡± type attack. I¡¯ll release the effects ever so slightly of my unstable ground so only a single goblin can approach. That way there will only be a couple left to deal with!
Wait, what are you doing Jake??? Don¡¯t turn your back to the goblins to look at Drogan! He clearly had the two goblins dealt with on the ground and didn¡¯t need your assistance! Damnit, right after I already released one of the trapped goblins too!
I guess it can¡¯t be helped, I¡¯m hoping he¡¯ll turn back towards the group aga---
Damnit Jake! Look around you idiot!
I guess it can¡¯t be helped. Technically this situation was my doing since I wrongly assumed the actions Jake was going to take. Alright Inari, support mode, activate!
¡°GAH!¡±
The goblin had already leapt into the air. Jake took too long to notice and he wouldn¡¯t be able to react in time. But don¡¯t fear, Inari¡¯s here! Quickly, I cast the spell for a small, efficient barrier in the air space between Jake¡¯s head and the goblin¡¯s mace. Minimizing the size of the spell meant for higher efficiency and compressed potency! If I made the barrier too large, it wouldn¡¯t fully disperse the blow from a strong opponent! Oh, and for extra measure, I re-applied a stronger version of bolster strength. This way, Jake¡¯s sword shouldn¡¯t get stuck inside the goblins anymore!
Nice! The barrier blocked the goblin¡¯s attack and left it completely exposed for Jake to finish off. Hehe, I¡¯m very happy with how that turned out!
Alright, Kael and Lyra are finally starting to catch up. I can hear Lyra deciding on what spell to use next, while Kael prepared two arrows on his bow string. Ooooo, was he going to attempt a double headshot from this distance? Drogan just sent four of the goblins flying, that¡¯s going to be a difficult shot. Oooo. Nice! Two Direct hits! Kael was pretty good as a ranger!
Hmmm, Jake casted another fire bolt at the other goblins as they hit the ground. I guess it looked cool, but it would have been better to simply stab them and move onto the next group.
Ok, Drogan and Jake are facing the last set of goblins and hobgoblin by the cliff. I¡¯ll fix the earth around the goblins so only they can approach while continuing to keep the hobgoblin trapped! Hmmm, it seems to be a pretty powerful variant for a simple hobgoblin, I better apply some status debuffs to it. I also think a small curse of blindness should do the trick!
Wait a minute, now that I think about it, Jake doesn¡¯t even know about all these extra spells I¡¯ve been casting!!! How was he going to know I¡¯ve been doing so much to help his party be successful if I wasn¡¯t giving directions and verbally announcing my spells! If he thinks I¡¯m useless, I might not be able to join them on future missions!
Alright Inari, time for action plan Look Useful!
While I had intended for Jake¡¯s party to deal with the approaching goblins, I figured this would make an ideal opportunity to showcase my offensive capabilities! Focusing my mind on the targets, I started preparing my favourite offensive spell, Kitsunebi!
It was a spell well known by many fox beastkin casters. It was a beautiful combination of destruction, efficiency, and adaptability! I pictured the goblins bodies and the mana flowing within, each individual had a unique signature, differentiating it from the others. Cognoscente of these variations, I proceeded to weave mana into the tangible and ethereal planes. I coalesced three spirit flames and implemented a homing tracking feature to each unique goblin identifier. Next, I inscribed the targets destination and spell¡¯s potency, then finally, released them towards the targets! Oh, and for good measure, I guess I should point my staff towards the goblins or something, that way it will look like I did sometime to Jake!
Perfect! Each of my Kitsunebi entered into the chests of the approaching goblins and incinerated them from within using a combination of spirt and fire magics! Hehe, just as expected! I caught Jake looking my way after seeing the goblins burst into flames. Operation successful!
Finally, onto the last, remaining enemy, the hobgoblin!
As soon as I released the unstable earth spell, the hobgoblin activated it¡¯s unique skill. Bloodrage! This spell would greatly increase it¡¯s attack power, while also granting a burst of energy and speed. The best course of action is to evade the blow, then attacking during the opening!
Wait, is Drogan seriously going to attempt blocking that attack???! Don¡¯t do it Drogan! That¡¯s a super reckless thing to do! I don¡¯t think your defence is high enough to mitigate the damage completely!!!! Quick Inari, you have to do something!
Focusing on the monster, I quickly cast a hex to reduce it¡¯s strength. This should mitigate the effects of Bloodrage, if just a little bit. Next, I reapplied my blindness status effect since it¡¯s potency seemed to be waning from the hobgoblin. All I could do now, was hope the reduced strength and temporary blindness would be enough to soften the blow.
Success! Drogan managed to hold his ground against the attack. That was rather impressive, most adventurers would have opted to dodge the strike instead and counter attack at the opening created! Although it did appear he took some damage from the blow though, I¡¯ll make sure to heal him later!
Looking behind me, I could see Kael and Lyra working together on something. Oh? Is that a combination ranged-magic attack?? That¡¯s pretty impressive! Based on the mana gathered around Kael¡¯s arrow, it appears to be some type of ice spell. Hmmm, I¡¯m curious to see how this works!
Cool! When Kael fired his arrow directly into the hobgoblin¡¯s shoulders, the ice spell activated and exploded in a powerful force of sharp, frozen shards! It also looked like Lyra set the spell to hold form as well! That was actually pretty neat! The arrow acted as an efficient form of transportation for the spell, while the ice acted as an inhibit on the hobgoblin¡¯s joints, completely restricting it¡¯s movement. Those two made a pretty good team!
Looking at the situation now, I was finally able to relax. Jake used the opening created by Kael and Lyra¡¯s combination attack to slip behind the hobgoblin and stab it from behind! While his blade managed to get stuck going through the creature¡¯s neck, he somehow managed to find the strength and push it through! While crude, it wouldn¡¯t be long before the hobgoblin would die from this injury.
¡°RAAAAAA! WE DID IT!!!!¡±
¡°Yes!¡± I let out a small squeal while jumping in the air slightly. We had finally finished the battle and everyone made it out alive! Kael and Lyra were already heading over towards Jake and Drogan, so I picked up the pace to join them as well!
Words couldn¡¯t begin to describe how happy I was! I lost all control over my tail as it bounced around every which direction in excitement! Everyone was smiling and I was too! This was truly a memorable moment for me and something I always wanted to experience!!!! I was able to make some new friends, and finally complete a request that wasn¡¯t just simple ¡°Medicinal Herb Gathering¡±!
We spent several minutes laughing and talking about how amazing the fight went! While it got scary at some moments, everything worked out because of our teamwork! Jake even gave me a compliment about the Kitsunebi spell he saw me use! I hoped that would be enough to convince him to let me join his group on any future requests they had!
Oh, it looks like that mentoring group is heading this way as well! I wonder what they¡¯re going say to us? Hopefully they aren¡¯t too difficult with their critique on his party¡¯s performance! Hmmm, I only detect two of their signatures, I could have sworn there was a third with them, wasn¡¯t there?
Looking towards Jake, he had this suspiciously large grin across his face. What exactly was he thinking about? Oh, he¡¯s looking over the goblin corpses.
That¡¯s right! Adventurers go through the loot of their defeated enemies afterwards! This was technically my first-time fighting living enemies so I had completely forgotten that monsters had valuable items on them we could sell for extra currency! It was weird, my enemy detection was still alerting me to a nearby threat, but I was confident we had taken out all of the goblins already.
Anyways, putting those thoughts aside, I rushed over to join Jake by the hobgoblin¡¯s corpse, I crouched down with him near the body and smiled at him. Today has been absolutely amazing, I¡¯m glad I ignored Felice¡¯s advice and joined Jake¡¯s party on their request anyways. While thinking that, I briefly closed my eyes and thought to myself.
It¡¯s great being an adventurer.
Chapter 14 – A Fox In Trouble
It wasn¡¯t long after I had closed my eyes that the fur on my skin started to standup. It was the pleasant, familiar feeling of goosebumps. A quick shiver traveled throughout my body as I basked in the moment of having successfully completed my first ever monster subjugation request as an adventurer!
But those pleasant feeling quickly turned to confusion and terror. The fur around my nose was unexpectedly wet. My arms and tail also had the same sensation of tiny droplets of water resting on the surface. However, unlike water, my sensitive nose confirmed this unexpected development was something far worse. Assaulting my nostrils was the stench of blood.
While I was well aware of the vast pools of blood surrounding us from the many defeated goblins. This aroma was distinguishably different. Thick with the smell of iron, I racked my brain to try and identify the source of this smell that I had remembered from so long ago. That¡¯s when it hit me. All of the laughter had come to an abrupt pause, as my mind desperately made the connection as to this uncomfortable smell¡¯s origin.
Human blood.
Freshly spilled.
I slowly opened my eyes, letting out a quick yelp in horror at what was mere inches from my whiskers. A Steel blade, covered in blood, had pierced the person beside my while I was crouched over the hobgoblin¡¯s corpse.
Skewered though the back of the skull, with a blade protruding out through his open mouth, was Jake. The once wonderfully happy, enthusiastic, and unstoppable Jake, was struggling to stay alive from the unexpected trauma. His eyes yearned to scream in pain and suffering, but he was unable to mutter even a sound at the situation.
His tongue was mangled, while his face was a mixture of blood, shock, and anguish. Eyes darted back and forth seemingly trying to find some type of answer as to what had just happened to him. Until shortly after, they rolled back into his head as all expression faded away, as with his life. The murderer, having sensed his victim defeated, remove his sword, and flicked the streams of blood still clinging to the blades surface, off, and onto the forest¡¯s floor.
I was scared, I tried to make a sound, anything, but my body wouldn¡¯t respond. I strained myself to try and scramble back on my feet, when suddenly, a sharp jolt to my chest sent me reeling over in pain and onto my back.
¡°Aghh, Oopfh.¡±
The impact forced me to cough up blood as I struggled to catch my breath. Gathering what little strength I could, I managed to lift my head up to stare into the eyes of the perpetrators who put the party into this situation.
Standing overtop of me, casting a menacing and evil shadow, was none other than Bandit and Garrick.
My mind spun around in confusion, like an animal filled with desperation having been caught in a hunter¡¯s trap, it tried and tried to draw some kind of logical conclusion as my brain clawed at every bit of knowledge I had. These were the people who were suppose to help us, why had they turned and murdered their friend?
¡°NOOOOOO, WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO JAKE YOU BASTARDS?!?!¡±
Drogan yelled with such ferocity at the situation, that even I grew more frightened. I glanced over to witness him recklessly charging towards the two burley men.
As he approached them, Bandit remained still, continuing to hold his lightly blood-soaked blade while Garrick calmly took out his hammer. Intercepting Drogan¡¯s unbalanced charge, Garrick proceeded to smash his hammer between Drogan¡¯s shields, winding him, and knocking him flat onto the ground.
*Gong*Kerthunk*
¡°GAH¡±
Drogan screamed in pain as he hit the soil with a heavy thud. Struggling to focus my vision, I could just make out that his once pristine plate body, now had a noticeably large indent in the abdominal region. He must be in a lot of pain. Quick Inari, you have to heal him!
I desperately started gathering mana in my right paw. Reaching towards Drogan, I began saying the incantation for ¡°Heal!¡± in my mind when.
¡°Tch, tch, tch, I can¡¯t be having you do any of them fancy spells casting now, can I miss fox?¡±
Bandit roughly grabbed me by the collar, my robes teared ever so slightly at the sudden, painful force. I lost my focus on the spell from the sudden jerk to my body. The mana particles I had gathered, collapsed inwards on themselves as the energy dispersed and vanished!
¡°Waaaa, Oomph.¡±
Next thing I knew, I was thrown violently in the air towards the jagged cliff face. My body quickly collided with the rough rocks sending loose stones flying and fine dust into the air.
*Gak*Cough*
More blood came out of my mouth. Everything hurt. I had never experienced such pain before in all my life! All of the planning I¡¯d do before each potential encounter was to avoid scenarios such as this. Yet all I could do, was lie against the wall¡¯s surface, struggling for each breath as I clutched my chest in pain.
I tried to gather mana to cast ¡°Heal!¡± on myself, but I couldn¡¯t visualize the words in my head, everything hurt and I couldn¡¯t maintain my focus on my mana, or my vision. I couldn¡¯t form any words, breathing itself was already enough of a chore. I tried a few times, but magic would only gather, then disperse moments later. Everything in front of me was starting to blur.
I was helpless.
As my vision waned, I could still make out the sounds of Garrick and Bandit as they tortured Drogan.
¡°But¡ But how did you know about our belongings? *Gah!* Jake¡ Jake woulda known if you cast an appraisal spell on him! He was really good at detecting that kinda stuff!¡±
*Smash*Splat*
I heard a hammer come down hard on something. Focusing my eyes, I saw that Garrick had brought his hammer down with such force onto Jake¡¯s head, that it completely shattered and split the skull cleanly open. Brain matter and skull fragments flew into the air, landing all around his lifeless body.
¡°Pfft, Haha! You see that Bandit? Oi, if I had to say, that was one of the more exciting head smashes I¡¯ve seen in a good while! Geez this brat, I¡¯ve been waiting so long to crush his stupid skulls in!¡±
Bandit smirked at his friends comment and Drogan¡¯s confusion, then calmly spoke, answering the bewildered defender¡¯s question.
¡°Why, ya sees Drogan. Wes a smart lot the bunch of us eh? It¡¯s common sense as you said that humans woulda noticed an appraisal cast on em from that tingling feeling we all get ya? However, whats say you would happen if someone gaves you a big ol slap right across the back as the spell was cast, ya?¡±
¡°Ahh haha! That¡¯s right boss! Oh, he¡¯s was such a smarts one to figure that all out! A person would be nones the wiser if we timed our spell casting from a distance with the friendly impact from a slap!¡±
¡°So, you¡ You guys knew all the way back at the guild when you¡ª¡±
*Smash*
¡°Agghh!¡±
¡°Wes sure did boy!¡±
Garrick slammed his hammer into Drogan again, this time, hitting him with such force that his body was sent flying, landing near me at the cliff¡¯s wall. Then, he proceeded to calmly walk towards his body.
¡°We knews all about ya party, even some of the equipments yous was carrying! Since wes gonna be taking cares of ya here, we can share a little secrets with ya, can¡¯t we Bandit?¡±
¡°Haha, of course Garrick. You sees there Drogan, our friend Slick? Well, he¡¯s one of the best damn thieves I¡¯ve ever worked with! He¡¯s got a fancy little talent, ya see? Slick ol boy, can cast a stronger version of the appraisal spell on our potential targets!
We gets to see a whole bunch of extra informations about our marks, such as some of their inventory holdings, status, and even current party members! It really makes this sorta business easy, ya hear?¡±
Satisfied with his remarks, Bandit shot his partner a menacing look.
¡°Garrick, smash em up good ya?¡±
¡°Sures thing boss!¡±
*Slam*Smash*Crash*
In-between each hit on Drogan¡¯s body, Garrick was happily calling out in delight as Drogan screamed in pain from blow after blow.
¡°Ha! You sees? This is why you don¡¯t wears such low qualities armor. Because---¡±
*Smash*Shreen*
¡°Gahck! Ahh!¡±
¡°Yous can crush it real good, at the neckline.¡±
Garrick¡¯s final smash fully crushed Drogan¡¯s armor. His aim was at the collarbone area. Drogan¡¯s armor completely collapsed inwards on itself, with sharp metal quickly assaulting his exposed neck. Flesh teared, as Drogan¡¯s head was jaggedly removed from the body, as if a razor-sharp sword had brutally hacked it off. The rest of his plate armor was in no better condition. The once beautiful, shiny metal, was now rough and riddled with indents. His body was completely crushed and reduced to a fleshy pulp of blood and organs.
Tears formed at my eyes. Everything that was happening before me was horrible! I still couldn¡¯t focus. My head continued pounding from my impact with the cliff, and gathering mana was impossible. I could only watch on as Bandit and Garrick turned their attention towards Kael and Lyra.
¡°AHHHHHHHH! Stop touching her you filthy bastard and let her go!¡±
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Kael and Lyra had already tried to flee, but were stopped when Slick revealed himself.
During their escape, Slick had stealthily grabbed Lyra from behind, wrapping his arm around her chest. In his hands, he was aggressively fondling her breasts.
¡°Ahhh!!! Stop touching me you bastard! How dare you assault me like some dirty heathen! Kael, save me you fucking idiot!!! Just shoot him!!!¡±
¡°Oh oh! Mans am I jealous of you Kael boy! To play with wonderful things likes these, oh how I would kill for the chance to know her!¡±
¡°Stop touching my wife you sicko! Release her now so that we may flee this situation. You are more than welcome to all of Jake¡¯s and Drogan¡¯s pitiful holdings!¡±
Slick continued to fondle Lyra as he pulled out one of his knives next to her throat. Lyra continued to struggle, but was unable to free herself from the lewd captive.
¡°Nows nows there Kael boy, we wouldn¡¯t want something to happen to her pretty face nows, would we?¡±
I could just make out Kael from this distance. His hands were trembling and shaking out of control. He tried to raise his bow to take aim at Slick, but was unable to hold the bow, or arrow steady.
I could sense his emotions and mana overflowing in fear and anger. Bandit and Garrick continued to watch from a distance as they slowly approached the frightened ranger. As they got closer, Kael attempted to shoot an arrow to free Lyra from the clutches of Slick.
¡°AHHHHHHH!¡±
Kael shouted, somehow managing to shoot an arrow, but the trajectory was completely off.
*Shoooon*Tink*
¡°AGGHHH! KAEL YOU FUCKING IDIOT. MY LEG!! YOU HIT MY FUCKING LEG!!!! WHAT KIND OF A RANGER ARE YOU TO HIT YOUR WIFE! YOU CAN¡¯T EVEN SAVE ME WHEN I¡¯M IN DANGER?!?!?¡±
Lyra mana was completely unstable, I sensed her rage and anger as I continued trying to regain my focus. Kael had somehow managed to fire an arrow, but instead of hitting Slick, the arrow landed in Lyra¡¯s leg, causing her to angrily scream vulgar insults towards him.
¡°I NEVER SHOULD HAVE MARRIED SUCH A USELESS BASTARD SUCH AS YOURSELF. I ALWAYS HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING IN THIS STUPID FUCKING RELATIONSHIP!! ¡°WORLD, BRING FORTH FIRE TO MY PALMS, FORM IT¡¯S---GLArGle AleK¡¡±
*Schreen*
Lyra¡¯s shouting dissipated, turning into a frothy mixture of uncoherent words. While she was trying to form a fire bolt to free herself from the clutches of her captor, Slick had instead sliced her neck clean open. Blood flew outwards in a bubbly and foamy mixture as Lyra struggled to continue completing her incantation. Then, her head floppily fell to the side. Blood continuing to pour out, dying her robe a new vibrant red as Slick released the now limp carcass, dropping her to the forest¡¯s floor.
¡°Geez ya stupid bitch! Why¡¯ds ya have to yells so louds in my ears??? Just whens I was startings to enjoys myself too¡¡±
As Slick was releasing the body, he carefully removed one of the rings on her finger. He twirled it around in his hands, examining it¡¯s shine in the mid-day light. Then, he excitedly shouted towards his partners at the discovery he had made about the ring-like object.
Oi, Boss! Yous was right about the lady heres!! She was wearing one em thems fancy pocket storage rings all them fancy nobles have! This will sell for at least 1 golden Solara!
Noticing the situation, I felt Kael immediately try to flee once he saw Lyra had been killed. However, I noticed a new stench had entered my nose. The words ¡°Star Frog Poison¡± came to my mind as I quickly identified the odor.
¡°Oi, I didn¡¯t says you could runs away dumbass!¡±
With a flick of his wrist, Slick skillfully threw a dagger coated in star frog poison towards Kael¡¯s head as he was running away.
*Thunk*
¡°Ahhh, garglg gaagsgs.¡±
Kael was hit from behind by the dagger. It had impacted his neck with such force, that it pierced right though, pinning him to the trunk of a nearby tree. Saliva began to foam at the mouth as the toxin rapidly spread throughout his body. If I¡¯m quick, I might be able to save him. Hurry, you have to focus Inari!
I tried to form the words for the spell ¡°Cleanse!¡± in my mind. I was able to focus enough to collect my mana, but when I looked towards Kael, it was already too late.
Pinned to the tree, was Kael¡¯s body. His skin was no longer a pale white, but instead a sickly purple and toxic green colour. Thick, purply blood oozed down the tree¡¯s trunk as the poison had coagulated and distorted his plasma into a grotesque sight.
I wasn¡¯t fast enough.
The toxin of a Star Frog was an incredibly potent tool in any assassin¡¯s arsenal. My mind flashed back to lectures from Lupin explaining the effects it had on it¡¯s victims. The toxin extract from the frog was so potent, it was usually used by skilled adventurers to assist in taking down dragons! Several vials were enough to render an adult dragon completely paralyzed if it entered the blood stream. However, due to it¡¯s somewhat ease of access, and high potency on smaller targets, thieves and assassins often utilized it in their profession to make murdering their victims that much easier.
¡°No¡ Kael¡¡±
I managed to cry out, tears rolling down my face. All around me, everything was falling apart. My vision blurred again and I lost the presence of Slick. I could hear footsteps walking towards me. Undoubtably Bandit and Garrick¡¯s coming to finish me off. I tried to think of something, anything to help me.
I scoured my mind though my list of spells. Hundreds of incantations and their effects whizzed through my mind. Illusion? No, can¡¯t focus enough, enemy would also notice. Images? Not enough time. Heal? Temporary, only enough time for one spell. For the first time, I, the always prepared and calculating Inari, had no solution.
I felt despair wondering what would happen to me. But most of all, I felt failure.
¡°You¡¯re a failure Inari! You¡¯re so useless! You¡¯ll never become an adventurer like you want!
Those memories surfaced again. My fellow beastkin from the village, berating me for being foolish, wanting to become an adventurer. I thought I was stronger now, that I would prove them wrong, but their tormenting laughter¡¯s played out over and over again in my mind.
I was going to die.
My final thoughts weren¡¯t of my parents warm, loving embrace, or Felice and their cheeky antics, but the horrors and disappointments I had continuously faced during my childhood. My mind broke, completely frozen as I waited for these bandits to finish me off. No one was coming to save me.
I¡¯m so sorry Felice, I should have listened to you and stayed at the Tavern. If¡ If I only I trusted you when you said I should stay, and Lupine, you¡¯ve always been right with your advice, and yet¡ I¡
¡°Oi, Miss fox?¡±
Suddenly, I was brought back to reality from a sharp pain on the top of my head. My ears had been aggressively grabbed and yanked upwards, forcing me onto my knees. I had been grabbed by Bandit, and his intimidating body was towering over me.
¡°I really has to thanks ya, you know? You joining us on this little expiditions really made the whole thing comes together nicely, ya? Since I¡¯m such a generous fellow and all, I¡¯ll do you a favours and make your death quick and painless. Tis the least I can do.¡±
¡°Why--*Cough* Why would you do this? Weren¡¯t they¡ your friends?¡±
I managed to mutter my question with a weak voice. If I was going to die, I at least wanted to know why this had all happened.
It wouldn¡¯t change my fate, but I still had to ask him.
Bandit grinned as he threw me back onto the ground into a pool a blood, covering my fur and robes in the sticky, tacky substance.
¡°Heh, wells, if that¡¯s all you want to know, then of course I would be happy to explain.
Ya see lass? We¡¯ve been killin adventurers in Eldermyst for quite some times now. It¡¯s a simple hustle. First, we posts a request with the guild to have some goblins killed. Then, we watch the adventurer¡¯s looking and accepting the requests. We examine them for their stuffs, and pick our targets that are truly worth while!
Killings goblins is easy stuff, and there ain¡¯t a whole lot of good, safe quests for us E ranks in Solara, you hears? The amount of risk and effort to earn a measly 10 silver just isn¡¯t worths it. So, my boys and I hads the idea, why not just kill the newbie adventurer¡¯s that take on these requests?
Lots of them greenhorns starts theirs adventurers with the good ol help from mama and papa. Most will usually have some sorts of rare, or high-quality gear that¡¯s much better being sold in a store, then helping ems out, trying to make a names for themselves!¡±
Bandit confidently said all this as he walked towards the hobgoblin¡¯s corpse. Then, he removed the steel-short blade still imbedded in it¡¯s throat. Holding the sword, he admired it¡¯s gleam in the hot, summer light, then continued his monologue.
¡°Takes this swords here from good ol¡¯ Jakey boy ya? Good quality steel, minor enhancement. Sells about 4 silver Solara for 2nd hand¡ And that tubby lad over there? His plates unsalvageable, but that rucksack he had? Whys, that¡¯s a ¡°Spatial Storage Bag¡±, each of those easily can fetch 20 silver if you knows the right buyer!¡±
I tried to interject, focusing, and coughing between words, I asked him my question.
¡°So, *Cough* It was for¡ money? Why would you *Cough, Cough* kill your fellow humans for money?¡±
The mans face turned to a sour tone, almost as if he couldn¡¯t understand why I would ask such a silly question. Then, with a scowl on his face, he continued.
¡°Life¡¯s rough miss fox. It¡¯s not easy tryings to survive in Solara. In fact, we¡¯ve been having issues lately doing this job. The knights have started to increase their patrols, and that stupid cat at the Paws & Beans tavern almost figureds out our plans during the last hit! I don¡¯t know what¡¯s their deals was, but I swear theys knew my crew was heathens the moment theys saw us! Almost like theys could see right though me, ya hears?
So this was to be our last job before we left for the Kingdom of Colosseum. Lands much better for a bunch of ruffians like us. After all, yous gonna bes the perfect scapegoat for our assault. It ain¡¯t uncommons for new adventurers to get slayn by goblins, but if we was mentoring em, how could an E rank party possibly explain our incompetence in keepin em safes? Wells, this is what we says ya?¡±
Then, in a mockingly voice, Bandit verbally played out how the story would be told to the attendants at the Solara Adventurer¡¯s Guild Branch upon their return.
¡°Oh, poor miss adventurer guild mam! Wes truly, trieds our best! But the kids wanted to have a beastkin joins us! Thens, as we watched the fights from behind, it was too lates and too quick! That dirty beastkins slaughtered the whole party before we could even respond and save em!
So alls we coulds do was kill the vermin ourselves and collect their belongings. Oh, if only we had warned em about how savage and ruthless them beastkins are! Surely things would have been better!¡±
It was horrible. This wasn¡¯t some spontaneous plan put together from bandit low-life¡¯s, but an elaborate highway murder ploy with the beastkin race as the scapegoat. I could hardly believe my ears as the man continued to ramble on about how he was so happy to have a ¡°dirty, stinkin¡¯ fox¡± help his plan become a reality.
¡°And sos¡¯, alls we gots ta do now, is kill ya, and turn in the request. Then, wes head on out to sells the loot and enjoy a nice, cozy life betting at the arena in Colosseum!
So thanks you, Inari, for being such a good, little fox.¡±
Bandit raised his sword to finish me off, my eyes were blinded by the light as it reflected into my pupils. Everything I had worked to achieve, was about to end right here. But just before the blade made contact, I heard rustling and shouting in the distance.
¡°Oi, Boss, wes gots a lives one overr ere! I Thinks he saws us takes our marks out.¡±
The sword stopped, inches away from my snout. Small, droplets of blood landed on my nose and face in the process. Following the sound of Slick¡¯s voice, I looked over to my left to see him holding another human, knife already pressed against the neck.
The man was of average build with medium, brown hair. He wore a fancy noble suit which was covered in dirt, twigs, and blood.
Oh no, please, no more victims!
Surprised by this new development, a burst of energy coursed through me as I began examining the new variable in full.
¡°Huh? Wells leave em there for now, I¡¯ll deals with em later. His clothes, don¡¯t he look like some rich noble¡¯s brat? He might fetch us a nice price.¡±
I focused my mana and began incantationless casting while the bandits were distracted. Quickly, I cast appraisal on the captive and hurriedly began disseminating the information. But there was a problem.
Everything was¡ Blurry? I couldn¡¯t make out the words on his status screen! The sections for name, level, and profession were filled with letters I¡¯d never seen before! The status values were numerical, but only appeared as fuzzy text in the holographic box. For skills, everything was covered by a blurry, vail of shimmering light. I had no idea what I was looking at. Letters twisted, turned, and jumped around as I scoured through the appraisal results for anything. Then, my eyes locked onto one specific area.
In the status debuff section, while I couldn¡¯t read the words, I recognized the symbol present alongside the other mysterious characters.
Poison.
He must have been stabbed by Slick and subsequently inflicted with the same ¡°Star Frog Poison!¡± that killed Kael!
My eyes darted back to Bandit, the man was still distracted, it wouldn¡¯t be long before his attention returned back to me. Quick Inari, if you¡¯re going to die, then put everything you can into helping save this person! No one else needs to suffer!! I want to hel--- No. I will help them!
With renewed resolve, mana coursed through my paws as I began weaving and combining the particles in the tangible plane to the magical signature of the helpless man. Then, putting all of my strength into this final spell, I shouted in my mind as loud as I could:
¡°Terra, heed my pleas and purify thy body, disperse the toxins within and make thyself clean, Cleanse!¡±
Power left me as my spell hurled towards the hostage in Slick¡¯s grasps. My vision grew blurry from the massive amount of MP I had transcribed into this spell. I had discarded efficiency for the pure sake of increased potency!
My hearing faded in and out, alongside my sight. Darkness started creeping in along my peripheral vision. With the last of my strength, I uttered the words I had been meaning to say to this mysterious person.
¡°Please get away¡ And survive...¡±
Chapter 15 – Problem In The Woods
Having collected all of my thoughts while staring out into the crystal-clear waters of the nearby lake, I was nowhere closer to understanding the strange series of events that had recently happened to me.
My head was still throbbing with that static like noise, and the world continued tearing in places as I looked around. And just when I had thought my body was finally adjusting to this sensation, a wave of nauseousness would quickly remind me that I wasn¡¯t in fact, adjusted. I must have some internal damage to my brain from the impact I thought, warping my perception of everything around me. I had also already expelled the contents of my stomach several times now and couldn¡¯t bare the thought of vomiting again at this sensation.
But what was that voice I heard earlier? Mythical Healing Item? Full Body Restoration? I had more questions unanswered than answered at this point, and the list was rapidly growing. Finally deciding that I wasn¡¯t going to accomplish anything sitting around, I decided to stand up and begin exploring my surrounds in more detail.
From my acute observations, I was able to learn the following things about my current situation:
1) I appeared to be lost in a massive, thickly filled forest that was almost jungle like.
2) There were no fish in the waters, and no insects buzzing around anywhere nearby, very odd for a forest such as this.
3) The soil was hard and didn¡¯t have the usual ¡°earthy smell¡± you would expect, instead, there was no smell at all from the samples I¡¯d sniffed.
4) The sky was filled with clouds.
And the most concerning observation of all:
5) There were two suns in the sky.
¡°Two suns¡± I said while looking up into the giant, blinding balls of light.
I couldn¡¯t be certain, but my gut was telling me I was in a very different place, and that wasn¡¯t just the nausea talking.
Eventually, I worked up the courage to explore my surroundings further and venture away from my temporary base, ¡°The Landing Pad¡± I had adeptly called it. While moving away from one¡¯s location was a risky endeavour during times of search and rescue, I had no way to know if anyone would be even searching for me. After all, I lived by myself in a busy city and it wasn¡¯t uncommon for me to go full ¡°Radio Silence¡± every now and then when I got absorbed in a new game. If anything, I would have to fend for myself in this situation. In addition, my phone was nowhere nearby, and I doubted I would get a stable connection through satellite anyways. That¡¯s even assuming the low probability it safely survived the fall from over a thousand feet!
I furrowed my brow and decided that I needed to try searching for some type of civilization or shelter soon. While the question regarding the 2 suns still remained, I figured time, being a constant and all, would eventually force them to set below the horizon, creating the usual dusk or nighttime I was so accustomed to. Further to this, lacking any type of safe lodging at night, in an unknown forest, screamed Danger! Alarm bells and all!
So, with my backpack secured, I started heading towards the direction I could see the mountain range from. I vaguely remembered seeing a castle in the general vicinity during my freefall, so I figured it was my best odds for survival.
However, I had only been walking for 10 minutes at most when I was suddenly startled by a rustling noise coming from a nearby bush. I was having a difficult time locating the sound, but eventually pinpointed the location. The only reason why I bothered searching for the sound¡¯s origin, was because it seemed to be that of an animal in distress.
Even though I was in a dire situation myself, I still wanted to do everything I could for an animal in need. I was quite fond of their company and enjoyed spending my idle time with cats and dogs, when I wasn¡¯t gaming of course!
As I slowly approached the brush, I could hear the whimpering sound start to fade. The creature had probably heard me approaching and was trying to hide its presence. However, I wouldn¡¯t be fooled so easily! But then, a sudden thought crossed my mind. How did I know this would be safe?
I was in an unfamiliar forest, with very abnormal surroundings, and gladly walking towards the sounds of a potential predator without a second thought!
Ya, in hindsight, this seemed like a rather bad idea. It would have been much safer to continue heading towards the mountain range! But still, my gut was telling me there was nothing to worry about, so I wanted to trust it.
Pressing forward, I shoved some of the thick foliage aside to enter into a small clearing, and sure enough, roughly in the middle of the open grassy patch, was a puppy.
Well, puppy was the best word I could think of to describe what I saw. To my disbelief, the animal in question appeared to be something of a small canine like creature. It had pointy ears, thick dark fur, a nose with whiskers, and a tail. Classic features of canines. However, that didn¡¯t explain it¡¯s more unusual feature.
A horn.
For all intensive purposes, the creature I was looking at appeared to be a wolf puppy with a horn glued to it¡¯s head! While I couldn¡¯t imagine someone had gone around carefully stapling fake horns onto the foreheads of wolf puppies, I did find the thought rather amusing. Regardless of the authenticity of the horn like structure affixed to it¡¯s head, the source of the creature¡¯s anguish was easy to locate.
The wolf¡¯s back right paw was stuck in what looked to me like a hunter¡¯s trap. The metal teeth of the clamp like device dug deeply into it¡¯s fur. Blood had long been stained on the pelt, leading me to conclude the poor thing had been trapped here for quite some time. Eventually it noticed my presence and quickly changed from a whining noise, to an assertive ¡°growling¡± noise, as if to say ¡°Don¡¯t come any closer!¡±
But the wolf could only keep up the act for so long. After a few aggressive gruffs, it once again resumed it¡¯s crying in a desperate attempt for help.
I slowly, but cautiously approached the creature, giving it ample time to adjust to my presence. I had learned from my previous experience in handling animals, that quickly approaching an animal in distress would only make the situation worse. It was often best to remain calm, and slowly approach them so they could get use to your scent and not get startled further. The best chance for successfully helping this puppy, was to keep it¡¯s stress levels low while I interacted with it.
Eventually, I was within reaching distance of the horned wolf and got to work examining the metal device it was trapped in. The wolf attempted to growl at me, but eventually stopped, as if it had already resigned itself to a fate of death. The device appeared to be a simple pressure-release switch. Carefully, I started to pry the metal teeth apart to free the wolf¡¯s injured limb. It yelped and screamed, but eventually, I was able to free the leg from it¡¯s metal prison.
However, the animal could hardly move. There was a good chance it¡¯s leg was broken from it¡¯s earlier struggling with the trap. That¡¯s when I had an idea.
Quickly, I reached into my bag and pulled out the ¡°Mythical Healing Item¡±, Bandages! I carefully removed a single bandage from it¡¯s protective sleeve, and placed it over the largest wound I could find on the leg, when suddenly¡
¡°Ouch!¡±
The wolf, in my haste to give it a bandage, had bitten my hand!
¡°Damnit¡± I muffled.
I had plainly disregarded my own advice and startled the thing with my spontaneous, erratic movements. Well, I couldn¡¯t blame it, I would be pretty startled myself if I was approached by a large, strange being with hands waving all around my face! But still, that thing had a bite to it! There were small drips of blood coming out from where the teeth had punctured my skin, along with a familiar sensation of pain.
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Then, the bandage I had applied to the wolf¡¯s leg started to glow. My theory was correct! For whatever reason, the bandages in my backpack had somehow transformed into an incredibly potent first-aid tool! Surely I would win a prize in medicine if I presented these findings to health practitioners everywhere!
The wolf, now running around in fast, dash like circles, seemingly realized that whatever I did, was the cause of it¡¯s new found bill of health! As if it had realized the errors of it¡¯s ways, the creature approached my injured hand and licked it.
How sweet I thought, I¡¯m glad it realized that I wasn¡¯t trying to injure it further! Now I could return on my journey to¡ª
¡°Ouch! What the heck!¡±
The creature bit me again!! Seriously! What the heck did I do this time you furball!
Before I had a chance to react, the wolf had already cheerfully, trotted away, deep into the forest.
Shrugging my shoulders, I decided to apply another bandage to my now thrice injured hand, and was greeted with the familiar words ¡°Full Body Restoration Activated¡±. With nothing else to do, I once again resumed my journey towards the mountainous range.
---
Traveling for a little while, with nothing more than my thoughts to keep me company, I started to make out some noise towards the end of my vision. It sounded like¡ People?
I quickened my pace in a desperate attempt to get closer to the noises. I couldn¡¯t make out any words, or, at least, any sounds that were familiar to words. Perhaps it was another language? I wasn¡¯t very well versed in languages from around the world, so the chances these people were speaking in a language I didn¡¯t know were quite high. However, they appeared to be having a rather intense argument, if I could trust the aggressiveness of their tone. Perhaps I shouldn¡¯t get involved?
No, there was much I still wasn¡¯t aware of, and even if I couldn¡¯t communicate with these individuals, I was confident the sight of a man in tattered clothing, making hand motions for ¡°help me!¡± would be more than enough to cross the language barrier and identify I could use some assistance! As I got closer, the staticky noises grew stronger, vibrating against my very skull as if trying to escape their enclosed cavity! Then, that voice again.
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¡°Gahh!¡± my head felt like it had been split in two by an axe! I was so overcome with pain that I had lost my footing and fell, crashing onto the forest floor. From my new vantage point, I was able to see the source of the commotion. Struggling, yet finding the strength to pull myself up. I was met with a scene so gruesome; it was as if it came straight out of a 1970¡¯s horror film.
¡°God, oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck!¡± I said under my breath.
Looking ahead into the clearing, was a mound of corpses. Bodies lay strewn around, many missing limbs, with organs and blood littering the grass as if a box of confetti had exploded in the vicinity! My nose was quickly assaulted by the smell of fresh blood, with it¡¯s iron like odor. Furthermore, I could only imagine the other, noxious scent permeating my nostrils, was the smell of freshly burnt flesh. A few of the corpses appeared to have been burned beyond all recognition, with bits of ash and fire still flickering nearby.
Up ahead, there were two men screaming and pointing weapons towards what looked like an animal. I couldn¡¯t make out what it was clearly from here, but it appeared to be sitting on the ground, almost how a human would if you fell off a chair or stool. Their back was towards a nearby cliff face.
¡°Ok Ko, deep breaths¡± I tried to calm myself down.
¡°Aghh¡±
[Error ¨C Error]
My head erupted again in pain when I tried to listen to what the men were saying. Averting my gaze in an effort to bring relief to the disabling headache, my brain finally began analysing and making connections regarding the body parts lain about. The limbs were various shades of a greenish grey I was all too familiar with from my RPG gaming experiences.
¡°Are those¡ Goblins? No, they couldn¡¯t be! Those creatures only exist in fantasy novels and RPGs, not Earth!¡±
But no matter how I tried to rationalize it, the scattered limbs, tattered clothing, and demon shaped heads all pointed to one conclusion. These were goblins, and they were very, very dead.
However, that wasn¡¯t the most gut retching realization I had made about this situation. Nearby the screaming men, was the lifeless body of another human. His head damaged beyond all recognition, crushed with bits of brain matter littering the nearby soil. Not too much further away, near the cliff¡¯s face, was the body of another man. He appeared to be wearing a heavy, thick plate body, which was crushed inwards from all sides. The head was cleanly removed from the lifeless torso, where it lay nearby it¡¯s previous home. Pain and anguish were frozen in a twisted expression on it¡¯s face.
Finally, while squinting into the distance, I could make out what appeared to be a third humanoid corpse, but while the others were on the forest floor, this one was pinned to a tree! I couldn¡¯t quite tell what was holding it in place, but the individual was without a doubt, dead.
¡°Ommph¡± I tried to manage the pain from my headache. I also was feeling incredibly nauseous again, but this was probably the result from the scenery before me. Then suddenly.
[Error ¨C Error]
¡°Aghhh¡±
This time, accompanying my splitting headache, was a sharp, stabbing sensation and warm feeling on my left thigh. Before I could fully realize what was truly happening, I was yanked by the hair on my head and pulled up to meet the eyes of my assailant.
It was a man that looked to be in his thirties, he was thin with rough facial hair and deep, heavy bags under his eyes. His right eye adorned with a massive scar across his cheek.
¡°Whawkjh aelrkjahs youasa? Whasdlla Dishdaihsd Youdsadf Seeasuihsa¡±
[Error ¨C Error ¨C Attempting Resolution, Compensating]
Not only could I fail to understand what this man was saying, I couldn¡¯t even focus right with this stupid, obnoxious voice ringing inside my head! What do you mean Error!?!?!? Why the hell do I keep hearing these words! Why can¡¯t anyone explain anything to me!!!
Not thrilled with my response, or lack thereof, the man raised his blade towards my neck. Most of the metal surface was coated in blood, which was probably mine from recently stabbing my leg. That¡¯s when I noticed I was slowly starting to lose feeling in my freshly, punctured limb.
Shit! Was that thing poisoned?!?!?
¡
It all made sense now. I can¡¯t believe it took me this long to realize it.
What was happening right now before me, and the present situation I found myself in, was a typical scenario in many RPGs and Anime shows alike.
Bandits.
The well-known scum of the earth, heathens in all lands, and the bane of many a merchants trying to make an honest living. Bandits were the source of all these problems, and were most commonly known for their acts of killing, pillaging, kidnapping, and raping their victims until any hope they held onto for rescue, vanished into the air.
Annoyed I wasn¡¯t responding quickly enough to him, he started pressing the blade into my flesh. It slowly pierced my skin and I was greeted with a warm, burning feeling as skin met metal, with blood happily dripping down my neck. I tried my best to make audible words. But the man would have no way of knowing I couldn¡¯t understand him if there was a language barrier, and with tensions already high, I didn¡¯t know what I could do.
*Cough* ¡°Stop, it hurts, please!¡±
¡°Stpoihas Mublasndlkkingasd!¡±
I felt a sharp pain to my navel. The man, obviously unsatisfied with my response, kicked me hard in my stomach.
[Error ¨C Error ¨C Error, Processing, Processing, Calculating]
¡°speoaasdoih!¡±
[Error ¨C Error ¨C Error]
*thud*
¡°Speasldhkja dmaniuai!¡±
[Error ¨C Error ¨C Error]
¡°I can¡¯t *cough* speak! Sto--¡±
*thud*
[Solution!]
[Applying Resolution, Modifying Parameters For World Assimilation ¨C Implementing]
Just make it stop already! My heads going to explode at this rate! Actually, I won¡¯t even have a head much longer if things keep going like this!!!
¡°Aghhh¡± another sharp kick to the navel.
¡°Spoealsjdl, Isdakhas saoijd speakkk damnit! Answer me you nitwit!¡±
¡°Stop¡ Hitting¡ Me¡¡±
¡°So you can talk yous shitbag¡±
*thud* another strike to my stomach.
¡°That¡¯s for speaking in curseded tongues or whatevers, I didn¡¯t know what the hells you was saying earlier to me. You should at least knows to listen and talk properly in these situations ya?¡±
The man had a rather, crude form of speech, but I was somehow able to understand him now, and conversely, him, understand me.
¡°So, tells me, what did yous see happens ere?¡±
¡°I¡± *Cough - Cough* ¡°Didn¡¯t see anythi-¡±
*thud* again with my stomach. What the hell man! At least let me answer before you do that. At this rate I¡¯m going to be.
Before I could even finish that thought, I had once again, emptied the contents of my stomach onto the ground below. Seriously, what did this guy think was going to happen if he kept hitting me in that area?!??
¡°Oi, Boss, wes gots a lives one overr ere! I Thinks he saws us takes our marks out.¡±
The man shouted towards the other two bandits who continued harassing the scared animal.
¡°Huh? Wells leave em there for now, I¡¯ll deals with em later. His clothes, don¡¯t he look like some rich noble¡¯s brat? He might fetch us a nice price.¡±
Great, so not only could I add ¡°assault and battery¡± to their already, long list of charges, but kidnapping would be joining it shortly as well! But why would they think I was a noble?
And then the obvious dawned on me. All of this began when I was walking home from my job at the stock exchange. Of course, while my clothing wasn¡¯t particularly fancy, a slightly scuffed up suit and dress pants would be more than enough to give these ruffians the idea I was some aristocracy¡¯s son! Curses, could my luck be any worse today?!?!?
¡°You hears that? The boss says you gots ta wait, so waits we shal. Enjoy the show, kid!¡±
Seriously, what the hell! No matter how I tried to calmly assess the situation. The only conclusion I kept arriving at, was me, ending up dead. Clearly, it was going to take a miracle or some divine power to get me out of this situation.
And so all I could do was watch, as the two bandits slowly approached the cornered animal to what I could only assume, was to put it out of it¡¯s misery.
Chapter 16 – World Assimilation
As I gazed ahead waiting for the bandits to finish off the animal. Tears in reality continued to mess with my vision.
Trying to maintain my focus through the splitting headache and abdominal pain, I noticed something was quite different about the animal cornered by the cliff¡¯s face. Looking closely, they appeared to be wearing¡ Clothing?
Was I really seeing this correctly? Squinting to bring greater clarity to my vision, it turns out I was, in-fact, staring at a humanoid, fox-like creature, dressed in a white kimono-like robe, stained in the newest fashion trend of vibrant blood, and not just some weird, larger animal. I could see the creature was staring in my direction as the bandits continued yelling towards me.
A weird, tingling like sensation flowed throughout my body. Damnit, this stupid poison the bandit had inflicted on me was probably some type of paralytic. Based on my continued difficulty in breathing, I could only assume my lungs were the next binding target. My high heart-rate also probably wasn¡¯t helping stop the rapid spread of the poison either!
Moments later, the fox-like creature raised it¡¯s hands towards my direction, almost as if to say ¡°Help me, please!¡± it looked to be in tremendous pain. It¡¯s hands glowed with a brilliant, blue light. Mesmerized at the lightshow, my body was overcome with a feeling of tranquility and purity? I felt¡. Clean?
¡°Aghhh!¡±
[Notice ¨C Targeting By Helpful Spell ¡°Cleanse!¡± Detected]
[Update ¨C Poison Status Successfully Removed ¨C Update ¨C Additional Effect Granted! Poison Immunity For 5 Minutes Added To Buffs]
This stupid voice, why does it kee--- Wait¡ Cleanse? Poison removed? I was at a loss for words. As I continued trying to make sense of everything happening to me, my brain finally started working at an acceptable rate again. Based on what I just saw, there was a high likelihood that fox, somehow knew I was poisoned, and then cast a magic spell to heal my condition.
While I didn¡¯t want to complain about regaining feeling in my legs again, I was left wondering a simple question. Why would that fox choose to help me, instead of casting some magic spell to save themselves? Just as I was trying to find some logical reason as to why they helped me, the bandits started speaking amongst themselves again.
¡°Aight, guess I better finish off the miss then and figure outs whats ta do with that nobles.¡±
The larger man, turned his attention back towards the tattered and beaten fox, raising his sword high into the air, ready to mortally wound them. My eyes locked with the creature as it resolved itself to it¡¯s fate. Their sharp, emerald eyes were filled not with terror, but a gentle look of kindness as they stared back at me. A faint, smile was on their face.
Damnit all! Am I really going to just stand here, and watch the one creature that¡¯s tried to help me, die without doing anything?!?! My mind raced, rapidly bouncing back and forth between any ideas that could help remedy the situation.
As the bandit¡¯s arm started its downwards decent, it felt like time began to flow slowly as I desperately tried to process everything.
I was still being tightly restrained with a knife pressed against my neck, in a couple of seconds, I was about to see someone be killed, and all I could do, was helplessly watch the scene playout before me.
No, I won¡¯t let this happen! I screamed those words as loud as I could inside my head. Everything was moving in slow motion, and that staticky noise made it¡¯s annoying entrance again, accompanied by more tears in reality.
Gah! Just bear it Ko! Focus!
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[Error ¨C Error ¨C Error]
Fuck off with your stupid errors you piece of shit! I don¡¯t care If you¡¯re a god or something else in this world, but get the fuck out of my mind!!! I JUST WANT TO HELP THEM!!!!
I screamed as loud as I could in my internal monologue.
[Error ¨C Failure ¨C Error - Recalculating]
Ignoring the pounding voices in my head, I visualized the actions I wanted to accomplish. I pictured myself, dashing in at a lightning speed, intercepting the blow from the bandit¡¯s sword, deflecting it with a metal shield.
[Error ¨C Attempting Compensation ¨C Error]
More tears in reality; everything was now almost completely still in motion. I could only imagine that this was the eternity people felt in life-or-death moments. Static rang all throughout my ears, jumbling my thoughts.
[Compensational Adjustment Failed ¨C Error- Error ¨C Error ¨C Reattempting Assimilation]
The sword was mere inches from impact. I had to do something, or it was all over for my ill fated, furry friend! I once again, focused on moving at incredible speeds, closing a gap of 50 feet in milliseconds. I visualized all of the muscles in my leg, rich oxygen coursing through my veins, and a burst of speed from adrenalin. Words formed in my mind, I imagined taking the starting position for a race, primed, and ready to launch at the sound of the marshal¡¯s gunshot. I closed my eyes, and uttered the words inside my head.
¡°Dash.¡±
*Ching!*
The sound of shattering glass filled my mind, reality bended and warped in front of me, static roared with thunderous might, then I heard that ever annoying, insulting voice in my head.
[Error - Resolved ¨C World Assimilation Complete]
[Welcome To Terra ¨C Kotato!]
Sparks and lightning danced around my feet, I felt an incredible surge of acceleration and accompanying G-forces all over my body. My vision was all jumbled. As my mind caught up to my movement, I was now, suddenly 50 feet forward with my left-arm raised high in the air, ready to take the blow from the sword, which continued to fall in slow motion.
*CheBOOM!*
The loud sound of thunder and sparking electricity filled my ears. The world stopped tearing in places, and the staticky sound began to fade until it had all but fully disappeared from my mind. The world before me became filled in incredibly vibrant, rich colours. I could see streams of light, flowing through the world in wave like patterns.
Everything, was beautiful.
While I had never seen these shimmering waves of light before, it was as if my mind knew what I was staring at. A sort of natural ¡°d¨¦j¨¤ vu¡±. I instinctively knew, I was staring at mana, the life-force of this world. Floating around, waiting to be bended to a user¡¯s will.
Shocked as to what just happened, time, once again, began to flow at its usual rate of passage. Moments later, the sword reached the climax of its swing and impacted with my arm.
*Cadoon*Cheen!*Boom*
A powerful explosion happened as the impact vibrated throughout my body. I wasn¡¯t in any pain, but I strongly felt the feeling of the sword being repelled with incredible force away from my body.
¡°Aghh!¡±
I heard the bandit scream in pain as I looked to my left to see he had been sent flying, far into the distance. He had to have been blown back at least 30ft from my current position. The steel sword was also sent backwards as well, high into the sky, tracing a perfect parabolic arc, where it finally impaled itself straight into the ground at the end of it¡¯s journey.
Everyone froze, staring at me trying to understand what had just happened. I mean, it¡¯s not like I had any ideas either! If anything, I should be the one that¡¯s most confused here! Eventually, I noticed the increase in weight on my left-arm and firmly clasped hand. Affixed on my arm, was small, circular like shield adorned in intricate, snake-like drawings. The creatures were a blend of black and white, twisted and entangled in a sickening embrace. Piercing, red eyes completed the serpents as they bared their fangs towards the shocked bandits.
Furthermore, my left hand was currently, very securely holding a complimentary sword! It was slightly curved in shape, with a thick shaft fading to a thin point at the apex. The metal was crystal clear and free from all impurities. Just like the snakes on the shield, this sword gave me the impression of a serpent¡¯s fangs, bared and ready to swiftly strike any opponent.
I looked around, assessing my situation. The bandit that had been holding me was reeling in pain, clutching his shoulder. Based on my unexpected, teleportation-like movements, the joint was probably dislocated or broken from the sudden jolt to his body. Glancing towards the man who had been sent flying, he was surrounded by a small cloud of dust from the impact, his body twitching ever so slightly from the electric assault he received in smashing the mysterious shield.
Finally, the last remaining bandit, was standing still, with a look of shock and disbelief plastered all over his ugly mug. In his hands, was a large hammer. Blood and dirt covered the head from it¡¯s recent use in combat.
Having no idea what I had gotten myself into, with no way out, my only option for survival, was to fight.
Chapter 17 – Bandit’s Demise
After successfully assessing the situation, I briefly turned my attention towards the blood-stained fox behind me. The red liquid was covering almost every part of her red and golden coat, some of it had already begun to dry, turning into a tacky, sticky-like texture, clumping bits of fur together. Her thin, emerald green slitted eyes stared at me with a questioning alure, just as shocked to the recent series of events as I. Wanting to break the silence, I spoke to them.
¡°Are¡ Are you alright?¡±
I muttered these words. I mean, what else was I suppose to say in a situation like this? Faintly, I heard her reply in a soft, struggling tone.
*Cough* - ¡°Yes, well, no bu-- *Cough* why did you ¨C you were supposed to --- run! Leave me, and save yourself, I don¡¯t want to see anyone else die!!!¡±
Tears began rolling down her face. Even in a situation like this, they were more concerned for my safety, than their own. My heart broke. There was no way I was going to let these bandits kill this creature! Calmly, I tried to collect my thoughts and resolve myself for the upcoming struggle.
¡°Heh, well, that¡¯s not something I can do. You, you cast magic on me, didn¡¯t you? Somehow, you knew I was poisoned and helped me¡ What kind of human would I be, if I left my saviour to die a gruesome death! That¡¯s just not right, you know?¡±
The fox¡¯s face looked at me with confusion. Was what I said really that foreign to them?
¡°Look, I don¡¯t know who you are, but if you were willing to help a complete stranger such as myself, then I wouldn¡¯t be able to live with the guilt of leaving you to a horrible fate of death at the hands of these bandits!¡±
As I was giving my heroic, awe inspiring speech to the damsel in distress, the bandit equipped with a hammer decided ¡°enough was enough!¡± and began to charge at me with incredible speed and strength.
¡°AGHHH!!! What the fuck are you yas piece of shit?!? Whats kinds of fancys magics was that¡¯s? Yours weapons, where the fucks did theys come from?!?!?¡±
His crude speech rang out in violent upheaval as he catapulted his large body towards my direction. His hammer was poised to strike me with a strong, upwards smash. As he quickly began closing the distance, time began to slow again, and I heard my familiar ¡°smartphone¡¯s assistant¡± ring out in my head again.
[Combat Initiated ¨C Calculating Kotato¡¯s Battle Status]
[Success]
My head felt fuzzy again, but the sensation was much more bearable. The voice continued happily dictating it¡¯s robotic like script.
[Skills & Numerical Values Successfully Uploaded To Designated Summoned Individual]
Everything was clear to me. Without reason, and no combat experience ever in my life, I was staring at the bandit charging towards me, with prophet-like foresight as to his next movements. I could clearly see his future pathing and pending impact from the giant sledge hammer. Instinctively, my body began to move on its own for a counter attack.
With speed I never knew I had, I stepped forward towards my charging assailant and skillfully stabbed my curved blade into the left-hand side of his chest. My target was the area between the ribcages, the tiny muscle protected by a prison of bone and flesh, his heart! While he was still in motion, my blade impacted his chest with no resistance. Hitting my mark, I swiftly withdraw the blade, satisfied it had teared the heart to shreds!
Time resumed, the man motionless, his eyes staring towards the tip of the sword held expertly in my hands. My eyes followed his gaze to find the object imbedded in the blade¡¯s fangs. Pried cleanly from the chest cavity, was the man¡¯s still beating heart, firmly resting between the hook of the serpent-like sword. Blood gushed outwards with each beat as the heart tried to understand why it could no longer power the body it once resided in. Then, to my shock and horror, the blade devoured the heart whole, absorbing all of the blood and tissue with it. At the end of this gruesome process, the blade¡¯s metal turned a slightly, reddish colour.
What the hell just happened??!?!
I was horrified at the unexpected conclusion to my simple stabbing attack. Nowhere in my wildest dreams could I have imagined a sword devouring the heart of it¡¯s enemy. It was almost as if the blade was a hungry, sentient predator!
While I was trying to recover from my shock, a large, flashing triangle with the words ¡°Danger!¡± flashed in the corner of my peripheral vision. Quickly I turned around to see my once, friendly fellow of a heathen, taking on the pose of a baseball pitcher having just completed their famous ¡°fast ball¡± throw. Light gleamed and flickered off a small, metallic object quickly soaring towards my direction.
Shit! That bandit, in a desperate attempt to avenge his fallen comrade, had thrown his knife straight at me! The blade whizzed and cut through the air in a clear, horizonal-like arc, seemingly oblivious to the panic, stricken across my face. Failing to shift my body to dodge the unexpected thrown assault, I braced for the inevitable, when suddenly.
*Shroon*Tchink*
The dagger had imbedded itself in the seemingly empty air! Light warped around a small, spherical like object which had stopped the dagger in its menacing pathway towards my face. Then, with a satisfying *cachink* sound, the blade fell onto the forest floor, imbedding itself into the soil.
Behind me, I heard the fox speak to me in a confident, yet strained tone as they struggled to regain their footing.
*Cough* ¡°Don¡¯t worry --*Cough* about me. I¡¯ll protect your flank! Keep your focus on the bandit ahead!¡±
I could only assume, the creature cast some type of barrier like spell to intercept the flying dagger, stopping it in it¡¯s tracks. Pleased with the turn of events, I shot them a smile and expressed my gratitude.
¡°Got it, I¡¯ll trust you to keep me safe!¡±
The fox mustered a soft smile, as their tail wagged ever so slightly at my comment, their face still stained in blood and tears from the whole ordeal beforehand. If we made it out of this¡ No¡ When we made it out of this, I would have to do everything I could to thank them for their assistance.
Confident I would be safe to focus my attention towards the assailant armed with the steel sword, I looked towards his direction to find he had just begun to regain his footing. His eyes quickly homed in on his slain comrade, whose body was quickly drowning in a growing pool of blood. In pure anger, the man shouted towards me.
¡°GARRICK!!! OI! YOU FUCKING BASTARD!!!! I¡¯ma gut ya and tear each and every limbs from your bodies!!! I WON¡¯T BE GIVING YOUS A CLEAN DEATHS YOU NITWITS!!! SO JUST FUCKING ROLLS OVERS AND DIES ALREADY!!!¡±
Crude and vulgar, he charged towards me with bloodlust all throughout his eyes. With his years of experience on the battlefield, the bandit scooped up the steel blade that had imbedded itself in the ground from earlier in an efficient motion, fully maintaining his momentum in the process.
Stepping forward to meet his advance, I attempted to perform the same stabbing maneuver from earlier when ---
[Error ¨C Skill Cooldown In Progress ¨C Currently Unavailable]
Shit!
Unable to complete a proper thrust, the man easily knocked my attack to the side with his free hand while bringing his sword down towards my face. Somehow, I managed to twist my arm and deflected the brunt of the blade¡¯s edge with the corner of my shield. While not fully blocked, the blade¡¯s blow was softened as it tore through my suit and ripped into my soft skin underneath with it¡¯s rough texture.
¡°AGH!!!¡±
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I shouted in pain, mobility in my arm was reduced as one of my tendons had probably been severed from the cruel steel¡¯s surgery. Continuing his assault, the bandit swung his hand around towards my face, and opened it to scatter a cloud of dust into my exposed eyes and face. Damnit! He must have grabbed some of the dirt while he was picking up the sword from the ground! Clearly this man didn¡¯t survive by fighting opponents honourably!!!
I tried to clear my irritated eyes, when suddenly, I felt a sharp impact to my chest.
¡°Opmh!¡±
*Crash*
I was sent flying backwards with a powerful kick, straight into a wall of rocks. My body hurt as pain coursed through every fibre of my being. Following up on his combo attack, the bandit had quickly closed the distance and met me at the cliff¡¯s face. Happily, he yelled in my face, causing some spittle to land across my cheeks.
¡°DIE!¡±
Swinging down with all his might, the man aimed to cleave my in two with a single cut from top to bottom! But just before impact, I felt the rocks beside me move as energy flowed into them. Suddenly, a neatly formed, column of rocks shot out from just over my left-shoulder, smashing into the Bandit¡¯s chest.
¡°AGH!¡±
The man was sent flying 10ft back from the impact. Looking over, I saw the fox facing my direction, their paws glowing a dim yellow colour. Clearly my mysterious benefactor of a neatly constructed rock column was the result of their assistance again!
Realizing I couldn¡¯t afford any more second chances, I started to visualize my movements for how my attacks should play out. I imagined my opponent¡¯s reactions to each and every swing. Charging forward, I began my assault and attempted a jumping stab towards the prone bandit.
¡°Gmmm¡±
Shit, my arm was still hurting from the earlier slash near my shoulder. The stab was sloppy as I aimed towards his chest again.
Seeing my target, with a fluid motion, the bandit skillfully deflected my blade with his arm, then utilizing my momentum, delivered a kick to my stomach as I was directly over top of him. Finally, capturing his own kick¡¯s energy, he used the force to complete a backwards summersault to land back on his feet. Alright, in hindsight, that looked pretty cool! However, there was a new problem as I was awestruck by his cool maneuver.
I, was now flying headfirst, upside down, and ready for my face¡¯s debut with the forest floor!
Shit, focus Ko!
I instinctively reached my right-hand towards the ground to catch myself. My hand firmly connected with the darkened soil as I expertly completed a one-handed twisting vault to regain my footing. Then, we both locked eyes, and charged one another yelling with all our might.
¡°RAAAA!¡±
*Clang*Smash*Shreen*
Our blades continued to collide with one another, the bandit¡¯s face was scowled in pure, unfiltered rage with each and every blow! Intent to kill was omnipresent with every savage smash and slash aimed my direction. Somehow, I was managing to hold my own, but even I knew the situation was quickly turning towards my assailant¡¯s favour. My arm grew numb from the repeated blows against the intricate shield; as did my grip on the mysterious serpent-like blade. As we continue trading blow after blow, I caught a confident smirk grow across the man¡¯s face, followed by him triumphantly shouting in my ears:
¡°Game over, kid!¡±
The man, while our blades were still locked in this deadly dance, kicked me, sending my flying several feet backwards. I stumbled to catch my foot, when that pesky, flashing triangle spouting the words ¡°Danger!¡± appeared again.
[Warning! Enemy Surprise Attack Detected]
Geez, thanks helpful assistant! Woulda been nice to know about this sooner, ya know? Right behind me, ready to catch me with open, dagger-filled arms, was my good old friend, bandit #1! He yelled as he prepared to stab my torso with his poisoned knives.
¡°Heh, dies ya shitbag!¡±
But just before he could complete his attack on my helpless body¡
¡°KITSUNEBI!¡±
A fierce voice echoed though the battlefield, filled with confidence and command.
*Frooth*
¡°AHHHHH, FIRE!!!! GAHHH MAKE IT STOP!!! OAAAHH!! BANDIT!!! AHH¡ª¡±
Furious, blue, white and orange flames erupted from inside the man, completely engulfing him in their fiery embrace. He screamed in such agony I became frightened at the sounds he was making. His skin melted clean off, revealing white bone beginning to char; liquid flesh dripped and dribbled onto the oblivious ground below. Blisters and boils burst as flayed skin twisted and contorted into hideous, unnatural shapes. Then just as quickly as the flames appeared, they vanished without a trace, leaving behind the hollowed, burnt husk of the man in question.
Shocked by the experience, I was even more confused as to where I had been during the brief, fiery inferno. As he suffered his cruel fate of burning to death in agony, I was just mere inches away from the bandit as he was immolated, and yet, I felt no radiating heat of discomfort. It was almost as if the flames knew to avoid harming my person.
¡°AHHHHHH!!!! YOU FUCKING FILTHY BEAST!!!¡±
The last bandit roared in incredible anger upon seeing his friend¡¯s horrible death. Quickly, he turned his attention towards the fox who now wore a rather confident smirk across her face, with eyes glistening in the sun¡¯s piercing rays.
Catching up to the situation, I rushed to intercept the bandit¡¯s charge towards the composed fox, but I wasn¡¯t fast enough. However, my cause for concern was unnecessary! As the bandit viciously swung his sword to slice her in two, the vulpine skillfully dodged, and shifted her weight to completely negate the sloppy swings. Without wasting a single movement, she danced around the man, avoiding each and every blow thrown her way. Until, suddenly, she tripped, losing her carefully planned footing.
¡°AH HA! GOT YOU!¡±
*WOOSH*
While I was running to catchup and assist my impromptu battle partner, I witnessed the bandit¡¯s blade slice cleanly through her, but to my surprise, nothing happened! Instead, the blade passed right through, as if cutting the very air itself!
That¡¯s when everything came together, the image of the fox, waved and wobbled as the steel blade was clearly inside it¡¯s body, then it vanished completely, leaving nothing behind, not even a trace of it¡¯s former existence.
¡°Hehe! That was a good one! Wasn¡¯t that an amazing trick Mr. Bandit? Bet you didn¡¯t see that one coming from a stinking beast such as I!¡±
From behind, I could hear the voice of the fox, confidently laughing as the man turned to face us. Veins could be seen ready to burst across his entire face. His rage at being tricked was palpable.
Still in the middle of my charge, I wanted to make the most of the opportunity provided to me and land a clean strike to the man, finally bringing our long conflict to a fitting conclusion. Forcing strength into my legs, I leapt into the air to strike him from above! I flew at least 12ft above the ground with my leap, something I was very confident no human could ever achieve! Even I was a little surprised at the height I gained!!! But even so, I didn¡¯t feel fear or tension, this movement, as abnormal as it was, felt like it was natural for my body. But then, I remembered a critical fact¡
Shit! I had completely forgotten about my damaged arm!!! All of the adrenaline must have been masking the pain, so I had failed to remember I couldn¡¯t move it well anymore!!! It was also too late, as I had already committed to this cool-looking jumping attack!! Ughhh! How could I have been so stupid??!?
As these unfortunate thoughts raced through my head, I was able to make out a throwing motion from the ground below. The bandit had sent his sword flying into the air to strike me while I was vulnerable!! Damnit!!!
Struggling to twist my body, I managed to rotate just enough along my downwards descent to barely deflect the blade with my shield. It briefly made contact with my hair, severing some loose strands as it continued along it¡¯s path into the forest canopy in the distance. While still rotating in the air, words began to form in my head. Confused, yet curious, I decided to go ¡°all-in¡± and place my faith in this final attack.
Finishing my rotation to face the bandit below, I was now roughly 6ft away from impact. The man, already anticipating my arrival, had kindly prepared a lovely assortment of one, tightly, curled fist, ready to punch me as I approached.
However, reaching my right hand out towards him. The waves of light and mana surrounding me began to swirl and coalesce into a bright, orangey light around the palm of my hand. Then, saying the words within my mind, I confidently commanded the spell to activate.
¡°Flaming¡. Spear!¡±
*Schroon*Booth*CHING!*
Erupting in a violent tornado of fire and wind, a blazing inferno burst forth from my hand in a spear-like shape. The flames were more akin to molten plasma as they shot forward, disintegrating the very air they passed through. The plasma beam quickly found it¡¯s target, the image I had so clearly pictured in my head. With incredible force and power, the beam pierced straight through the bandit¡¯s left eye socket! Additionally, the impact from the spell perfectly halted my descent, as I appeared to be floating in the air from the equal, opposite force. A perfect counter balance to my fall!
As the magic began to fade, I could see the damage my ability had inflicted on the man. Vanishing without a trace, the beam of molten plasma left behind a clear opening through the skull of the bandit. Plainly put, I could see straight through his eye socket, and view the forest floor behind him. Finally, as if remembering that his body was subject to the realm of physics again, he fell over under gravity¡¯s influence to land on his back with a satisfying *thud*.
No blood poured out of the bandit¡¯s body. The lifeless corpse was motionless, stuck staring upwards towards the sky in a perpetual state of shock and awe. Feint waves of steam rose into the air making it easy to imagine his soul leaving the earthly plane behind to ascend to the heavens. While I would have much preferred his soul travel somewhere else, such as a well known, warmer and hotter place of punishment, it was still an aptly put comparison!
Realizing the intense, combative encounter had come to an end, I could hardly contain my excitement and shouted at the top of my lungs.
¡°WE DID IT!¡±
Somehow, both the fox and I, had managed to make it out of this horrible situation, alive, and mostly unscathed!!! We survived, and that¡¯s all that mattered in this moment!
Then, while I was internally beginning to celebrate, my vision started to grow weak as darkness crept in along the edges of my sight. Accompanying this, was that mysterious voice again:
[Warning ¨C Magic Levels Exceeded Allowable Safety Thresholds ¨C Danger!]
Riding the rollercoaster of emotions, feelings of happiness returned to confusion and despair, until finally, my vision went black. While I could still hear sounds, they were muffled and completely out of focus. Feeling the vibrations along the ground, I could only imagine it was footsteps heading towards me. Then finally, my struggling consciousness faded, as everything went blank.
Chapter 18 – Welcome To Terra
I awoke after what I could only assume was a few hours later. The twin suns in the sky had already started to set below the horizon, basking the atmosphere in a brilliant arrangement of oranges and purples. As for the reason why I was admiring the sky above like so? Well, it was simple. Presumably, while I was lying unconscious on the forest floor, I was apparently relocated to a calmer, less corpse filled section of the forest. My body felt stiff. Movement was painful, but nothing compared to the sensations from earlier. Looking over across from me, I could see the fox, resting itself against the trunk of a tree, reading what looked like a journal.
Noticing my glances towards her direction, she looked up, and with a slight wag from her tail, greeted me in an energetic, feminine voice.
¡°Oh good! You¡¯re awake!!! I¡¯m super glad your ok!!! Oh!!! I have so many things I want to ask you!! I was absolutely thrilled at the battle we fought together in!!! I had to say, you were weirdly amazing! What kind of magics did you use? Why where you out here? Are you in pain still? Did you¡ª"
I was verbally assaulted with a relentless onslaught of words and questions! The fox was talking at such an incredible pace, I was at a complete loss for words! I was confident my face was nothing but a surprised speechless expression as she rambled on about the battle and all the cool things that happened to us during the encounter. Eventually, her eager expression calmed, as with her frantically twitching tail. Probably from reading the confused look plastered across my bruised mug.
¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ll stop with all the descriptions and details¡ Humans don¡¯t seem to like it when I talk like that so¡ª¡±
¡°No, It¡¯s fine.¡± I somehow managed to find a moment to interject!
¡°Let¡¯s just say I¡¯ve had a really, really confusing day. I would be more than happy to answer your questions, but my mind is still a jumbled mess from earlier.¡±
¡°Hmmm, that potentially sounds like mana shock. Are you experiencing a sense of exhaustion, dizziness, and what feels like bubbles bouncing around in your head?¡±
¡°Ummm, actually yes, yes I am.¡±
Huh, I thought to myself, somehow the fox was able to perfectly describe the condition I was feeling at the moment, almost as if they were a trained medical doctor. Thinking back, I remembered hearing words in my head mentioning something about magic exceeding an allowable safety level? Perhaps this was the side effects of the warned condition?
¡°Perfect! Errr, well, not perfect per say, but mana shock is an easily treatable affliction! You see, it¡¯s the result of when a caster transcribes a spell without sufficient mana stores in their body an¡ª I¡¯m sorry, that¡¯s probably too much talking and I¡¯m bothering you. I¡¯ll stop now. Just make sure to rest and you will feel better in a few hours!¡±
I had to say, while I was very confused, I kind of wanted to know a little more about this condition. The person in front of me was clearly a wealth of knowledge, and I needed to learn everything I could about my present situation. So, I spoke to reassure them that I wasn¡¯t bothered by their rambling, but, I did have a very important question to ask them.
¡°No, It¡¯s fine, really. Actually, I would greatly appreciate if you could tell me all about this ¡°Mana Shock¡± thing. You see, I actually don¡¯t know a whole lot, and I would really appreciate learning more about it from you.
But I do have a question for you though. I think you were the person that saved me, right? And helped me during our fight with the bandits? I wanted to say I really appreciate your help! You were amazing in helping support me during combat!!!
However, I think we missed a few steps that should be resolved before we talk further. Ummmm, if you don¡¯t mind me asking, but what is your name? Miss Fox?¡±
Yes, that¡¯s right, for all the events that had transpired this afternoon, even after working together to take out a group of bandits in a life-or-death battle, we still hadn¡¯t exchanged names with one another! So it was only fair for me to ask my saviour for their name, no?
¡°Oh!!!! That¡¯s right!!! I had totally forgotten to introduce myself!!!! Well, I mean, we never really did have a proper chance, did we, right? Things just kind of happened and then, well, ya! So, Mr. Mysterious Noble, I am the great Inari Kitsune! Supporter and Healer Specialist at your service!¡±
Inari Kitsune? Well, that was a rather weird name I thought. If I remembered correctly, Inari was a deity of rice, harvest, and prosperity, while Kitsune was another language¡¯s word for fox! So, their name was essentially... God Fox? Prosperous Fox? Messenger Fox? Amused at hearing my friendly helpers name, I started to laugh as I already knew the next question I was going to ask them!
¡°Haha, that¡¯s a pretty funny name Inari! Sorry, I don¡¯t mean to offend you, but Inari Kitsune? Well, lets just say it¡¯s a little funny in my language for you to be called that!¡±
¡°Hey! What do you mean funny? There is nothing wrong with the name Inari Kitsune! I am very happy with the name my parents picked for me! Seriously??? And what do you even mean ¡°Your Language¡±? You¡¯re speaking to me in Solarian, aren¡¯t you?!?!?¡±
¡°Hey now, let me finish first haha! So, miss Inari, I have a serious question for you. Do you happen to like¡. Tofu? Fried tofu? Perhaps?¡±
While still mad about my earlier comments dismissing her unusual name, Inari¡¯s expression suddenly changed from an angry pout, to what I could only describe as a child eagerly awaiting to receive their favourite treat! Her face beamed with joy as their tail began to aggressively wag back and forth at the potential prospect of a fried tofu snack! Looking into her eyes, I could almost swear they were replaced with glistening stars, shining with a whole new, pleased brightness!
¡°Well, yes! I absolutely LOVE fried tofu! It¡¯s my favourite thing to eat back at the tavern with Felice and Yarn! The crispy texture, soft-interior, and wonderful flavour makes it the most amazing dish ever!!!!¡±
Finishing her happy, cheerful exclamation for the love of fried tofu, her happiness quickly turned back to curiosity as she continued her rambling-like response.
¡°But, how would you know I like fried tofu? What would have possibly given you that idea from my name?¡±
¡°Hmmm, well, I¡¯m not exactly sure how to put this but¡ª¡±
Actually, ya! Come to think of it, I wasn¡¯t sure how I should put this! This morning started off like any other day, working at the office, commuting home, then suddenly I appeared to find myself in a completely different world. As much as I wanted to deny this fact, there was more than enough evidence to support the hypothesis that I had somehow managed to ¡°isekai¡± myself. This fantasy-like setting was all too common a trope from the many anime¡¯s I had watched on the genera.
I mean, seriously: multiple suns in the sky, talking anthropomorphic animals, goblins, magic, bandit attacks! All clich¨¦d scenarios that playout in the beginnings of many isekai stories! As such, all of these instances had led me to the conclusion that I was no longer on Earth, and in a whole new, fantasy-filled world of adventure!
But, how would I explain this to Inari? Would they think I was crazy?
Regardless, I decided to trust my instincts and tell her everything that had happened today.
¡°Inari, would you believe me, if I said I was from another world?¡±
Carefully, I retold all of the events that had happened. From me working in an office, falling from the sky, strange voices in my head, everything! As I spoke, Inari¡¯s demeanor changed to one of deep thought. She brought one of her paws to rest underneath her chin as she mulled over my story about being from another world. Without uttering so much a sound, she continued to sit there, silently, for what seemed like an eternity.
Great, I thought. Now the one and only person so far who I could talk to on friendly terms, was going to think I was a deranged lunatic!
Eventually, she reached towards her journal and quickly began flipping through the various pages and contents. After landing on one of the more recent pages, she stopped and brought her attention towards me.
¡°Hmmm, well I can¡¯t quite say if it¡¯s true of not, but if I examine everything from the perspective of an unknown type of magic¡¯s influence, there is the faint possibility what you¡¯re saying is correct Mr. Noble!¡±
Ok, not too bad, looks like she didn¡¯t think I was completely crazy... But Mr. Noble?
...
Well, I guess I should tell her my name. After all, it wasn¡¯t exactly fair to only know hers, was it?
¡°Well I appreciate the name ¡°Mr. Noble¡± since it sounds fancy and all, I do believe my proper name will be easier in conversation. Well I might not have as nice and fancy an introduction as you, my name is Kotato, but feel free to call me Ko instead.¡±
Inari simply looked towards me and responded in a cheerful tone.
¡°Sure thing! Pleasure to meet you Ko!¡±
We found ourselves both smiling, having finally begun to talk knowing who each other was. And so, with my curious mind eager to listen to Inari¡¯s hypothesis, I asked her to explain her thoughts in detail to me.
¡°Likewise! So, Inari, since you seem pretty well versed about the use of magics, would you mind explaining your hypothesis to me? And please, in as much detail as possible!¡±
What followed, was a very in-depth summary glossing over the various ways mana can be utilized by casters to examine their surroundings. I learned from Inari¡¯s excited explanations that each living creature has a unique ¡°Mana Signature¡± and ¡°Sub Signature¡±. To draw comparisons from my world, a mana signature would be like a race or species, such as: Human, dog, cat, butterfly, etc. While the sub signatures would be more comparable to each separate individual: Human 1, dog 2, cat 3, butterfly 4, etc.
Additionally, casters could further gain insight on a creature or object from the spell ¡°Appraisal¡±. This ability, produced what was basically a status screen window I was familiar with from video games. However, depending on the caster¡¯s capabilities, sometimes you could see additional information, such as a more detailed description of their skills, or current party members and inventory holdings. I could only assume that this was like casting a stronger version of the same spell, kinda like how one might compare the spells ¡°Fire and Fira¡± from a super popular fantasy RPG series. Same spell, but different potencies.
Having developed a sufficient baseline structure to extrapolate from, she continued on towards how I had piqued her interest. Specifically, my mana signature identified me as a human, but it didn¡¯t match the clearly defined values for humans according to magical scholars.
I was an abnormality.
Delving deeper, when she had attempted to learn more from casting the appraisal spell, Inari was unable to read any of the letters showing on the holographic box! This is roughly the point in time when I had the poison cleansed from my body. Thankfully, some things stayed consistent, such as symbols for status debuffs, otherwise we might be in a very different situation from now!
Thinking about it, if Inari couldn¡¯t understand the characters on my status screen, perhaps they were in a language I knew from my world? Curious at this mystery, I asked if we could perform an experiment.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
¡°Hmmm, I love this level of detail Inari! From my world, a lot of what I did involved using analytics to make sense of large amounts of data, so I share the sentiment! So, with that said, I have a proposal for you, would you like to try an experiment using the appraisal skill on me? I have a theory that the characters might be from a language I¡¯m familiar with and would like to test that. It might be able to shed some more insight as to my current situation!¡±
Inari¡¯s ears perked up at the sound of my proposal, wagging her tail in an excited motion, she happily responded with a pip in her voice.
¡°Why of course! I would love to experiment to see if we can gather more information!!! Oh, by the way, when I cast the appraisal spell, you might feel a slight, tingling sensation, it¡¯s a common side effect, so don¡¯t be alarmed!¡±
¡°Thanks for the heads up! Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m just as excited and ready as you are!¡±
¡°Wonderful! Alrighty then, one appraisal spell, coming right up!¡±
¡°World reveal onto me the secrets within, show me all that lies inside, Appraisal!¡±
As Inari happily and confidently completed her chant for the appraisal spell, my body vibrated as the mana within shifted back and forth. I vaguely remembered back to when the poison was removed at the similar feeling I experienced.
Hmmm, so during that encounter, when I thought the poison was spreading throughout my body, it was actually her casting appraisal on me! Interesting indeed. However, there was one key difference I would ask her about after viewing the status screen.
Regardless, shortly after finishing the chant, a grey, holographic-like box appeared near Inari. Next, she motioned for me to come over so I could read it¡¯s contents. Shifting over to sit beside the curious fox, this is what I saw regarding the status of myself:
---
N????????a??????????????m???????????????e?????????????????:?????????????????? ?????????????????????????K?????????o????????????t?????????a??????????????????t?????????????o?????? ??????????????????Y???????????a????????????m??????????????????a?????????????t????????????????a?????????????????? l????????????????e????????????????????v???????????e?????????????????l?????????????????????: ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????:????????????????????????????????????????????? ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????:??????????????????????????????????????????? ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????:??????????????????????????????????????????????? ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
A????????????g?????????????e????:??????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????
P???????r???????????????o????????????f????????????????????e???????????????????s???????????????s?????????????????i???????????o??????????????n??????????:??????????????????? ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
S?????????t?????????????????a??????????????t??????????????????u????????????????s?????????????????:?????????????? S????????t??????????????????r????????????????????e?????????????n???????????g??????????????t?????h???????????????:?????? ???????????????????1???????????2???????? ??????????????D??????????????e???????????????f????????????????e????????????????n?????????????c??????????????????e??????:????????????? ?????????????????????1????????????????0??????????????
?????????????? ??????????????????? ?????????????? ???????????????????M?????a???????????????????g????????????????????i?????c??????????????????????:?????????? ??????????????????6??????????? ?????????????????D?????????????????????e???????????????x????????????????????t????????????????e?????????????????r???????????????????i??????t??????????????y????????????????????:???????????? ???????????1?????????????????0???????????
S?????????????????????????k????????????????i???????????????????????l?????????l?????????????????????????????? ???????????P?????r????????????????????????????o?????????????????????f??????i???????????????????c???????????????????i??????????????e???????n????????????c??????????????????????????i????????????e????????????????????s?????????????????????????:???????????? ???????????????????[?????????????????????????H?????e?????????????a????????????????????v?????????????????????????e?????????????????n??????????????????????????l?????????????????????????????y????????????????? ???????????????????????????F?????l????????????????????????a???????????????m??????????????????????????e????????????????????????????]?????????????????????? ??????????????????????????????????[?????????????????????????S????????????????w????????????o?????????????????????r??????????????????????????d?????????????s????? ??????????????????¨C????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????]????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????[????????????????????????????????????R???????????????????e????f??????l?????????????????????e???????x?????????????????e?????????????????????????s?????????]????????????????? ?????????????[????????????????????F??????????????????????a?????????????s???????????????????t???????????????????? ??????????????????????G??????????????????r?????????????o???????????????????w???????????t??????????????????????????h??????????]?????????????????????????????? ?????????????[?????????????????????????????????????S??????????????????????u?????????????????????????????m????????????????????????????m??????????????????????????o??????????????????????n??????????????????e???????????????????????????????d??????????????????????? ?????????????????H????????????????????????????????e??????????????????????????????r?????????????????????????????????o???????????????????????]??????????? ????????????????[???????????????????W???????????????????????????????o?????????????r??????????????????????????????????l?????????????????????d?????????????????????????????? ???????????????S?????????????????????????e????????????????r??????p?????????????????????????e??????????????????n???????????????????????t?????????????????????????¡¯???????????????????????????????s??????????????????????????????? ????????????????A??????????????????????????????????p????????????????o??????????????????????s???????t?????????????????????l????????e?????????????????????????]???????????????
T???????????????????i??????????????????????????t???????????????????????????????????l?????????????e??????s??????????????????????????????:?????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????!?????????????????????????????!????????????????????D??????????????????????????!???????????????????????!????????????????D???????????????????G??????????????????????????????????S????????????????????????F????????????G??????????????????????A??????????????????????D???????????????????????V??????????????????????????????D???????????????????????S??????????????A?????????????????R?????????????????????????????!????????????????????????????????????????!?????????????????????
---
¡°Huh¡±
I said with a shocked expression. I was just as confused at the letters and characters before me as I¡¯m sure Inari was! They appeared all jumbled and disoriented, kind of like how text would appear ¡°glitched¡± in older games if the many 1s and 0s made a mistake in interpreting an input. Excitedly wagging her tail, I heard the impatient fox speak up towards my puzzled expression.
¡°So, can you read them??? Oh I can¡¯t wait to find out what these silly characters mean!!! This is such an incredible discovery!!! Ko!!! Please!!!! What do they say!!! Tell me!!!¡±
Tried as I might, I just couldn¡¯t make sense of it. I thought I could make out the vague shape of words such as ¡°Name¡± and ¡°Status¡± but everything was blurry and shifting around as I tried to focus on the contents. Disappointed, I reported my results.
¡°I¡¯m sorry Inari, but it seems I¡¯m unable to read them as well. While I thought I could recognize the words for things like ¡°Name¡± and ¡°Status¡± around here, this is still a very jumbled mess of symbols mashed together in an ugly, unreadable assortment!
However, while I can¡¯t read the words, the characters themselves appear familiar from experiences I¡¯ve had from my world. They are almost like something is wrong, like this world can¡¯t interpret my values and doesn¡¯t know what to display!
If we assume I was indeed, summoned here, perhaps this is a result of an incompatibility between this world and my own? What if we have someone cast a stronger version of appraisal? Would that potentially reveal more information?¡±
Inari seemed initially disappointed at my inability to convey the mysterious letter¡¯s meanings, but quickly changed back to her usual, curious self, as I explained contextual information that was seemingly useful.
¡°Hmmm, well I¡¯m not familiar with how summoning magic works and its effect on summonies, I think I know someone who could help us out! They¡¯re a super intelligent demi-human with incredible skill in mana weaving!!! Actually, they¡¯re the same one who taught me all of the stuff I know about using magic!! Lets head back to the tavern quickly so I can introduce you!!! I¡¯m also sure they¡¯re incredibly worried about me! After all, I kinda wasn¡¯t suppose to sneak out for the goblin subjugation request! Oh no, Felice is going to be super angry with me when I get back!¡±
As excitement turned to fear, Inari appeared to at least have some idea as to what we should do next.
¡°Hmmm, that reminds me Inari, while I don¡¯t want to bring up painful memories, but there were other dead adventurers with you when the bandits attacked... Were... Were they your friends? If so, I¡¯m sorry we couldn¡¯t save them in time.¡±
Inari paused, while she didn¡¯t look exactly sad, I could tell she was probably choosing her next words to me carefully.
¡°No, it¡¯s fine Ko. I mean, yes, they were fellow adventurers, but it¡¯s not like I was exactly close to them.
You see, the leader of that party, Jake, came to the Tavern to recruit a healer for a goblin subjugation request to round out their party composition. I agreed to help them, ignoring my friend¡¯s advice to stay behind. While I didn¡¯t know them all too well, they seemed like decent people. They were also the first humans I¡¯ve interacted with---¡±
A few tears formed in Inari¡¯s eyes, dripping onto her fur as she spoke about Jake and his party. While I was happy to learn a little more about how she ended up in this scenario, I had clearly touched on a sensitive subject and felt bad. The threat of death was a foreign concept to me, and I couldn¡¯t imagine the feeling of losing someone you had talked to before in battle.
¡°But it¡¯s ok, they didn¡¯t die in vain. While it¡¯s still sad, we avenged them of their killers, so their spirits can hopefully rest in peace.¡±
¡°I see, thank you for sharing. I appreciate it.¡±
Looking to change the subject, I started steering the conversation back towards my last remaining questions.
¡°Before we get going, I do have two more questions: First, do you happen to know where my backpack is? I have some very important items in there that might be useful for us. And second, when you cast appraisal on me, you spoke the incantation. However, earlier I think you did the same thing to me without speaking. Is there a difference in potency when you speak a spell vs. cast it from your head? I¡¯ve been curious myself since I seemed to be able to do this during our encounter with the bandits as well.¡±
Inari¡¯s face was overcome with shock with a slight hint of fear. Maybe I had said something I wasn¡¯t suppose to? Hesitantly, she spoke to me in a stuttering tone.
¡°Incan.. Incantationless casting?? Heh, what do you mean casting spells without saying their incantation, nobody can possibly do that Ko!¡±
¡°But Inari, I¡¯m pretty sure I did that myself during the battle a few times, I just pictured the spell I wanted to, and spoke the words in my mind! Also, I¡¯m pretty sure you were doing that for a few of your spells as well, such as that barrier, and rock wall column attack an¡ª¡±
¡°Nope! Definitely wasn¡¯t me, well, I mean, I did cast those, but I was totally saying the words! I was just.. Super... Quite???¡±
Yep, clearly something was up. While I wasn¡¯t convinced in anyway by Inari¡¯s attempts to hide her shock and misdirection, she was clearly guilty of incantationless casting. But why the secrecy?
Not wanting to pry into the matter further, I decided to drop it so we could start heading back to the tavern she had mentioned. Apparently, this ¡°Felice¡± was a very capable user of magic and might be able to help solve the mystery surrounding me.
¡°Oh, ummm your backpack! Yes!!! Ummm, I think I brought it with me, it should be over where you were lying down befor¡ª¡±
Looking towards where Inari was pointing, I was happy to see that my trusty backpack was staring back at me with a defeated and confused expression, while it calmly rested underneath one of the nearby trees. Excited that it was with me, I rushed over, blissfully ignoring the pain coursing throughout my body as I reached inside. Next, grabbing my trusty ¡°Mythical Healing Item¡± I eagerly applied one to my injuries. Slapping the bandage on my forehead, my body glowed in a brilliant, blue light as all my wounds and pain vanished! That¡¯s when I remembered, my friend of a fox, was also probably still injured from our tango with the bandits!
¡°Hey, Inari, you¡¯re still injured from our fight with the bandits, right?¡±
Having been fully healed from my injuries, along with the bubbly, foggy feeling in my head vanishing from the miracle of these bandages¡¯ restorative powers, I quickly sprang to my feet rushing over to once again, join Inari by the tree.
Looking at her, her face was in complete shock at my instantaneous recovery! Inari, who was always rambling away, had been left speechless as to what just happened before her eyes! As I got closer, she managed to utter a response at her disbelief.
¡°I mean, yes bu¡ª¡±
¡°Good!¡± I quickly interjected.
Removing a bandage from it¡¯s protective packaging, I quickly slapped one onto her forehead as well, giving us a matching pair of brown bandages across our heads! Then, without pause, the bandage on Inari¡¯s head began to glow that same, brilliant blue colour.
All of the cuts, scrapes, bruises, and dried blood, vanished, leaving behind her pristine, red and golden fur coat! Looking her over, I had to admit, she did seem rather cute spouting her confused, shocked look with accompanying forehead bandage! Her fur had also become noticeably fluffier! Almost like she had just dried off after a nice, warm bath! Unable to contain myself, I laughed at the whole situation.
¡°That isn¡¯t funny Ko! What the heck did you do to me anyways? What is this thing?¡±
¡°Hahaha!!! Lets just say it¡¯s magic from another world!¡±
I could tell Inari was annoyed at me for spontaneously slapping a foreign item on her head, but I had no regrets! Now, with another pouty expression, she huffed then sighed seeing as nothing bad had technically happened from my actions.
¡°Fine... but we should really get going, the suns are starting to set and it can get dangerous in the Eldermyst forest at nighttime.¡±
And so, after surviving a deadly encounter with bandits, Inari and I set off towards the Tavern she was staying at to try and find some answers about my situation.
Chapter 19 – The Fabmeowlus Felice!
I was surprised to learn that our destination was only a short hike away from the goblin encampment where Inari and I had met. After passing through several grassy fields, the tavern came within view at the bottom of a large hill. Excited she was almost home, Inari quickly picked up her pace to race me towards the lodging. Joining her in speed, we both arrived outside the old, wooden doorways. Sure enough, just above the doorframe, an ancient, faded board read ¡°Paws & Beans Tavern¡±.
¡°Alright Ko, here we are, the famous Paws & Beans Tavern! Well, not ¡°really¡± famous, but it¡¯s one of the best places around for demi-humans and beastkin alike! Things are pretty rough in the human city of Solara, so a lot of us spend our time here while in the kingdom!¡±
¡°Sounds good Inari! Let¡¯s head inside, I¡¯m looking forward to meeting this Felice person! What are they like? I¡¯m sure they have to be some crazy powerful wizard!!!¡±
My imagination began to run wild at the thoughts of meeting some ancient, wise person who had studied magic for millennium! Pictures of old, wrinkly human scholars with massive, white beards adorned my thoughts! I was expecting the most experienced of sages! Perhaps they would be something like that wise headmaster from a popular story involving a boy wizard with a scar across their head? As I was thinking about this, Inari gave me a lackluster reply.
¡°Ummmm, well, I¡¯m sure they will introduce themselves quite quickly once we get inside! Just... Don¡¯t be... Too, surprised?¡±
Alright, now I was curious! Eagerly, I pushed open the door spouting old, faded claw marks around the handle to reveal what I could only describe, as a chaotic zoo. All throughout the structure, was beastkin and demi-humans alike! There were so many different races it was a mesmerizing experience getting to see them all! Looking around, I saw a lot of cat and wolf-like beastkins, with a few lizards or dragon types as well! Some were even small like rodents or rabbits! Peering towards the bar area where food was being served, it was an absolute choir of howls and laughter from all sorts of animals!
I was so completely absorbed by the visual barrage of all these different fantasy creatures, that I had failed to notice a smaller, cat demi-human in a blue maid¡¯s outfit, make a flying leap from across the hallway! With tears bawling out of their eyes like a waterfall, they completed a flying tackle into Inari, knocking her straight onto the floor!
¡°WAAAAAA!!! INARI NAYN!!!! I WAS SOOOOO MEOWIED ABOUT YOU MEOWN!!!!!¡±
Through loud sniffling and crying noises, the mysterious cat maid was ferociously embracing Inari, rolling around the wooden floor in an absolute frenzy! Inari was desperately struggling to free herself from the unconsented tackle, but was unsuccessful no matter what she tried! Shocked, I just merely watched and observed the shenanigans unfold.
Drawing my attention over towards the reception counter, I saw a near identical demi-human cat also sporting the same blue and white maid¡¯s uniform! However, unlike the emotional, teary-eyed ball of fluff rolling around on the floor, they appeared much shyer, with just the tips of their ears and nose peaking over the counter to watch from afar.
¡°Gah! Felice! Please stop it! I¡¯m fine... See? Could you please get off of¡ª¡±
¡°NOOOO!!! INARI NAYN!!! NYME NEVER LETTING MEOW OUT OF MYAN SIGHT AGAIN!!!¡±
¡°Felice!!!!! Please!!!!! I... Can¡¯t.... Breath!!!! Ko!!! Help me!!¡±
Huh, well, I did have to admit I was ¡°slightly¡± disappointed that the wise, old human wizard I had pictured in my head, was instead a cute, demi-human cat maid. Irrespective as to what I imagined; I was still curious as to how gifted in magic this Felice was! After all, the individual before me seemed anything but an all-powerful master of magics, yet Inari was adamant from earlier they were incredible. So, I figured the phrase ¡°benefit of the doubt¡± was warranted in this scenario.
Nonetheless, I was also trying to hold back from laughing at their manner of speech! They were seriously using cat noises while talking!!!!! I knew anime shows from Earth had rather annoying characters that would talk like this, and while I would often imagine this speaking behaviour was done purely for entertaining the audience, or annoying them, I always assumed an actual cat human hybrid would speak like a.... Well... Normal human?
Regardless, I figured I should eventually respond to Inari¡¯s frantic pleas for help. So, I said while trying my best not to laugh:
¡°Sorry Inari, but I think this is an appropriate punishment for ignoring Felice¡¯s advice! I mean, you did admit to sneaking out against their wishes you know?¡±
Eventually, the sniffling and accompanying waterworks started to ease in intensity, leaving behind a very tear-stained, red-eyed cat. They were still, however, tightly gripping Inari and refusing to let go of her.
*Sniff* ¡°But... Inari!! I was so meowied about you!! *Sniff* I... I should have been meow assertive when I said nynt to weave! I... I had... Appraisal an¡ª¡±
¡°Felice, I know... And I¡¯m sorry for worrying you. I¡¯ll accept whatever punishment you deem necessary for my adventurer¡¯s training. Even if it¡¯s herb gathering requests for a month!¡±
*Sniff*
Felice had finally started to wipe their snot filled face after heading Inari¡¯s apology. Then, in a matter of seconds, they regained their composure and were staring very deeply towards my direction. Well, guess now¡¯s as good a time as any to introduce myself.
¡°Hello there! My name is Kotato, and it is a pleasure to meet you Miss Felice. Inari has told me all about how you are an amazing magic user and I would love to have a conversation with you about my circumstances. You see, we were attacked by bandits and managed to work together to defeat them. However, I appear to be in a rather unique situation which might pique your expertise. Would Inari and I be able to chat with you privately?¡±
Even though I thought I had worded my introduction rather well, Felice was continuing to stare at me in silence. Their green eyes appeared lost in thought as they scanned me from top to bottom. I got the feeling I was being examined more than just visually, almost as if they could see everything about me. But, even if they could do incantationless casting, if they used appraisal on me, surely I would have felt that weird sensation, no? Eventually, the cat responded, accompanied by a jump, twirl, and nyan pose, landing on their feet!
¡°Nyan! That would be a puuurfect meowpertunity to acquaint meowselves. Kotato nyan, please follow nyan. I meowself have plenty of questions to nyask you and Inari nayn as meow!¡±
Seemingly as if nothing strange had happened moments before, Felice began prancing off towards the reception counter in blissful happiness, oblivious to Inari still lying on the wooden floors. Looking around the tavern, the commotion had become noticeably quieter as well. I could feel the piercing gazes from the patrons as they were examining me and my demeanor. Additionally, I was also still being spied on by the shy demi-human at the counter, although they were attempting to peek at me more often now though, they were very clumsy in their attempts to hide their curiosity.
That¡¯s when I realized something weird. This was an official adventurer¡¯s guild branch in the kingdom, yet there was a suspicious lack of other humans in attendance throughout the hallways. Correction, I appeared to be the only human in the building. Was there some type of social conflict between the various races of this world? What was really going on in this kingdom? Why would adventurers be agnostic about different races. Shouldn¡¯t they work together to brave adventures and slay dangerous monsters? Greater strength through differences?
Not wanting to get completely lost on my thought tangent, I returned my mind back to the present situation. Reaching my hand towards Inari, I grabbed her paws and helped her back on her feet. Felice was already well ahead of us and appeared to be humming to themselves as we made our way towards them.
¡°Inari, is Felice always like this?¡±
¡°Thanks for the help Ko, and yes, this is normal Felice behaviour. While they¡¯re a bit... Quirky at times, they truly are a great magic user, I swear!!¡±
¡°Hmmm, well, lets hope they can shed some light about my status screen¡¯s condition.¡±
Inari let out a cute laugh at my comment.
¡°Hehe! I¡¯m sure they will completely surpass your expectation Ko! Come on! Let¡¯s not leave Felice waiting. I wouldn¡¯t want you to meet their angry side today as well!
As we continued walking towards Felice, they motioned for us to follow them to a backroom behind the counter. This was probably the direction of the headmaster¡¯s chambers? Perhaps this individual would also be taking part in the examination process!
As we walked behind the counter, I made sure to make a friendly handwave towards the suspicious feline still spying on me. Seemingly shocked at my unexpected pleasantries towards them, they hastily covered their face by pulling their maid¡¯s bonnet overtop in a silly attempt to conceal themselves. Looking at them, it was an incredibly cute reaction that was sure to make many a connoisseurs of adorable characters squeal at the cuteness overload!
Eventually, Inari and I entered a larger room that was adorned with several paintings, regal furniture, and formal setting. Well, to draw comparison, it was the type of room I would expect to host a meeting with management in at a corporate office, except with a fantasy twist, such as the lack of fancy computers and projectors. As I was admiring the room, it didn¡¯t take long for Felice to speak up.
¡°Inari and Kotato nayn, puurease feel free to take a seat. I¡¯m sure meow have pawlenty to talk about meown!¡±
¡°Thank you Felice, I am looking forward to your keen insight. I have plenty of questions I would like to ask you about this world and the kingdom I am currently in! Speaking of which, is this the headmaster¡¯s room for the branch? Will they also be joining us? It looks rather fancy compared to the rest of the tavern.¡±
Felice continued to stare at me while making glances towards Inari, whose facial expression slowly started shifting from one of happiness, to guilt. I started to feel bad for them. Even though they had made it back safely, I was sure Inari was going to be punished for disobeying her master. Predicting this, I wanted to do my best in my conversation with Felice to help alleviate or even eliminate the penalties she might incur. After all, I couldn¡¯t imagine a master would be completely heartless to their pupil if they helped save someone in trouble! Looking at Inari though, her ears were completely drooped in sadness. I did genially feel bad seeing her like this. For sure I would have to mention how amazing they were during our conversation!
Finally, after a moment of silence that was starting to get uncomfortable, Felice spoke to me in a cheerful, yet confident tone.
¡°Ny apologise Kotato nayn, but I do believe a purroper introductions is due on meown part.¡±
Offering a proper curtsy, Felice briefly bowed while lifting some of their maid¡¯s dress up at the frills before continuing.
¡°Meown are almeowdy speaking with the headmeowster of the Paws and Beans Adventurer¡¯s Branch in the Kingdom of Solara nayn! Meown name is Felice, and I am puureased to meet you Kotato nayn!
Neown, I undmeowstand you would like to ask me ameowt meow circumstances nayn? Shall I purpare some tea meown?¡±
¡°Why of course Felice, that would be most wonderful!¡±
I did my best at a polite bow towards them with my response. By no means was I aware of how to be polite or follow social customs in this world, but I figured similar mannerisms from Earth would be comparable and did my best.
Felice seemed very surprised that I bowed before them in my response, but was happy at my agreeance at accepting their offer of tea! While I wasn¡¯t much for drinking the warm beverage on Earth, I was curious to compare the differences, if any, for this world. After all, this was a rather exciting experience which could potentially shed insight to how multiple worlds share customs amongst each other! Perhaps tea itself was a universal theme to drink during such occasions!
¡°Of course meown!¡±
Then, with a flick of their wrist, Felice summoned an arrangement of fancy cups and kettles. The energetic utensils floated in through the open door we entered from and neatly lay themselves out before us on the table! Next, with a snap of their fingers, the kettle began to bubble and whistle as the water inside reached its boiling point. The whole atmosphere was incredible and really portrayed the point I was clearly in a different, fantasy-like world. Finally, clapping their hand together, the door to the room closed and the kettles poured each of us a fresh cup of tea!
¡°That¡¯s ameowsing Felice! Apologies if my pronunciation was off, but that was a very entertaining use of magic! Is casting something like that easy to learn?¡±
¡°Hehe, flattery won¡¯t get you far with me Kotato nayn! While I do apprreciate meown attempt at beastkin, feel free to speak normally with me meown. After all, I have a feeling we meow be chatting for a while nayn!¡±
And so, I began retelling my experiences from the day, starting from when I fell from the sky, to the headaches and vision problems, strange voices in my head, and my fateful encounter with the bandits and defeating them with Inari.
All throughout my explanations, Felice calmly sat there gradually sipping away at their tea. Their attention was focused on me while their green eyes occasionally darted back and forth. When I began talking about how the weapons had suddenly appeared, their expression became furrowed as if in deep thought at the mysterious appearance. While talking about the items in question, I placed the serpent sword and shield onto the table. Felice looked at them, and sparks appeared to shoot out from the blade and shield before dissipating.
After I finished my explanation, Felice spoke after placing down their now finished, cup of tea.
¡°I see, very interesting indeed Kotato nayn! If you don¡¯t myind, may I cast the ¡°Appraisal¡± spell on you meown? It might feel a little funny nayn, but I¡¯m sure Inari nayn already meowtioned this to mew?¡±
¡°Of course Felice, feel free to cast Appraisal when you¡¯re ready!¡±
¡°Puurfect nayn! One fabmeowlice Felice Appraisal coming right up meown!
World reveal onto me the secrets within, show me all that lies inside, Appraisal!¡±
My body tingled as usual when the holographic status screen appeared in front of Felice. But unfortunately, it was still a jumbled mess:
---
N???a???m???e???:??? ???K???o???t???a???t???o??? ???Y???a???m???a???t???a??? ???L???e???v???e???l???:??? ???1???
???
???R???a???c???e???:??? ???H???u???m???a???n??? ??? ???H???P???:??? ???6???0???/???6???0??? ???M???P???:??? ???6???0???/???6???0???
???
???A???g???e???:??? ???2???5???
???
???P???r???o???f???e???s???s???i???o???n???:??? ???S???p???e???l???l??? ???B???l???a???d???e???
??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ???
???S???t???a???t???u???s???:??? ??? ??? ???S???t???r???e???n???g???t???h???:??? ???2???0??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ???D???e???f???e???n???s???e???:??? ???2???0???
??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ???M???a???g???i???c???:??? ???2???0??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ???D???e???x???t???e???r???i???t???y???:??? ???2???0???
??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ???
???S???k???i???l???l??? ???P???r???o???f???i???c???i???e???n???c???i???e???s???:??? ???[???G???r???o???w???t???h???]??? ???[???S???u???m???m???o???n???e???d??? ???H???e???r???o???]??? ???[???W???o???r???l???d??? ???S???e???r???p???e???n???t??? ???A???p???o???s???t???l???e???]??? ???[???????????????]???[???????????????]???
???
???T???i???t???l???e???s???:??? ???[???????????????????????????????????]???
---
Felice appeared shocked at seeing the jumbled characters as well! So, I figured now would be as good a time as any, to describe how these seemed like ¡°glitched characters¡± from my world to see if that contextual information would be useful.
¡°Hmm, so it seems even a stronger version of Appraisal still results in the same messed up status panel. I¡¯m not sure if it would help Felice, but even though the information isn¡¯t legible, it appears similar to a phenomenon in my world when computers make an error in displaying information. My current hypothesis is that this world doesn¡¯t know how to display my data. Have you ever heard of something like this before?¡±
¡°No, I am just as confused as mew are Kotato nayn. I guess even the ameowzing Felice has their limits too!¡±
¡°Even so, the letters seem to appear less jumbled than when Inari cast appraisal on me. Would this issue be resolved with time?¡±
¡°I can¡¯t quite say Kotato nayn, this truly is a meowstry.¡±
Hmmm, well I guess it isn¡¯t an urgent problem to get resolved. After all, the headaches are almost completely gone and my vision is considerably better compared to earlier. Maybe this problem would eventually get resolved as I stayed in this world longer?
While thinking about my status, I remembered back to when I was pressuring Inari about incantationless casting and her avoidance of the subject. Figuring I was in the presence of a skilled magic user, and unconvinced by her attempts to hide knowledge about the subject, I figured I would ask the friendly feline before me.
¡°Oh, also, while I remember Felice, I didn¡¯t exactly mention it during the bandit encounter, but incantationless casting of magic is possible right? Or is that something impossible for magic users? There were several times during the fight I would imagine what I wanted to achieve with a spell and say the words in my mind to produce the effect.¡±
Felice appeared startled at my explanation and shot Inari a very stern look. Well, they attempted to hide their glance towards her, but Inari was all too telling about the expression as she was visibly sinking into the nice, comfy sofa trying to hide from the problem. Yep.... You could tell I had stepped on a potential land mine with her attitude! Her reaction was like reading an open book! I¡¯m sorry Inari, but I have to know if this is possible, so please forgive me later! Nervously, Inari responded to my statement.
¡°Hehe, Ko, I already told you tha... That incantationless casting is im-impossible! Remember? Surely you wouldn¡¯t need to bother Felice with something as outrageous as casting spells without speaking right? I mean... You clearly heard Felice speak to cast their own Appraisal spell! And since they are incredible at appraisal magics, surely, it¡¯s a silly thing to think we can cast spells without talking! All spells require speaking to be cast!¡±
Inari continued to ramble while sinking further and further into the comfy sofa fortress. But her attempts at hiding the truth weren¡¯t getting past me! Clearly casting magic without speaking was possible, but why hide this fact? Looking towards Felice, they continued staring at Inari while making small glances towards my direction.
¡°Also, Felice, I can¡¯t quite say for certain, but I have a feeling you were potentially doing incantationless casting as well!¡±
Slowly, they turned their attention back to me, giving me a careful examination with their piercing green eyes.
¡°Nayn? When exactly do you believe I did incantationless casting meown?¡±
¡°Well, a recent example would be when you summoned all of the utensils for tea time of course! Those were all completed with hand motions. Not a single word was said by you Felice.¡±
¡°Meown, with enough practice nayn, even basic spells can be completed as such meow. These are referruued to in the meowgic field as cantrips nayn! However, its as Inari nayn said meown, all spells do require a verbal component to be cast, especially the more intricate ones such as appraisal nayn!¡±
¡°Hmmm, while I may not understand all of the nuances about the uses of magic in this world Felice, I still feel like it is possible to cast without speaking. I was able to accomplish this myself during combat and I am very confident I observed Inari casting spells without speaking as well! Also, my gut is telling me you¡¯ve been doing some incantationless casting as well! Your eyes move differently sometimes during our conversation, almost as if you¡¯re actively viewing additional information while we talk!¡±
Inari was now very clearly trying to hide herself from the situation I had created, dropping all attempts at concealing her actions. She was covering her ears and hiding her face behind one of the many pillows on the couch in a desperate attempt to escape the uncomfortable conversation. Finally, Felice¡¯s serious expression faded as they let out a sigh, shrugging their shoulders. Then, in a relaxed tone, Felice spoke to both Inari and I.
¡°It¡¯s alright Inari nayn, you can stop trying to burry meowself in the pillows meown.
Kotato, you¡¯re right, incantationless casting is indeed pawsible with meowgic. However, it is a difficult concept to grasp and almost no humans are able to achieve this meown. Even their best scholars struggle to cast powerful magics after meowny years of study! But please, try meow best to keep this a secret nyan. There could be pawblems for mew if your capabilities are discovered meown.¡±
So I was right! But really? Doing something like casting magic without speaking is something humans have been trying to achieve, yet beastkin and demi-humans can do so easily? Why isn¡¯t there more communication between the different races?
¡°But even so Kotato nayn, what you and Inari did was reckless! You should consider meowselves lucky you even survived meown! Those bandits were each level 5 and had many murders under their status nayn! If what mew said is true, and you were indeed summeowed to Terra, then things could get very bad meown.¡±
¡°I see, thank you Felice for confirming my thoughts on the matter. But if that¡¯s the case, do you have any idea what I should do? Are people not normally summoned to this world?¡±
Felice¡¯s facial expression slowly faded from a happy tone, to one of sadness. They appeared to be deep in thought about how they should proceed with our conversation. To my right, Inari had finally started to calm down, but was still acting nervous. She was fidgeting with her paws while watching Felice. Eventually, the cat maid broke the silence and continued our conversation in a serious demeanor.
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¡°Inari nayn, while I¡¯m glad you managed to survive, I¡¯ll still have to pawnish you for disobeying meown orders as your mewtor meown. Please return to your lodgings for the nynt, I wish to speak with Kotato nayn a little longer... ¡ª Privmeowtly.
And don¡¯t bother with meown listening meowgics, I¡¯ve almeowdy detected them and neutralized their meowfects.¡±
Surprised, Inari¡¯s ears drooped again as she looked rather disappointed at her mentor¡¯s words. As for me, clearly I had missed a lot of extra happenings during our conversation. Apparently, Inari had attempted to cast another type of magic to listen in on our conversation, while Felice had already nullified the effects? I made a mental note to myself that I would have to be super diligent in any conversations I had with people! Magic evidently created a whole new way of approaching conversations and intelligence gathering through subterfuge methods I would need to keep an open mind about!!
¡°Alright Felice, I¡¯ll head back to my room. ¡ª But please, don¡¯t be too hard on Ko. They¡¯re a good person... Ko... Have a good night...¡±
While sounding rather sad, Inari said her goodbyes, then stood up from the couch and neatly rearranged the scattered pillows from her earlier attempts at hiding. Then she bowed towards Felice and waved goodbye to me with a slight smile across her face.
After Inari had left the room, Felice turned their attention towards the pillows, then clapped their hands together producing a nice audible *Smack*. I felt the shockwave from the handclap pass through my body and that pesky warning triangle appeared in my peripheral vision again!
[Warning! Magic Nullification Zone Detected ¨C User Is Under The Effects of Magic Nullification & Unable To Cast Spells]
Curious, I attempted to try casting something by forming images in my head, but nothing would happen! The best analogy I could describe for the sensation was I could picture the word, but then it would instantly become a foggy, blurred mess in my head, and mana would fail to gather or move based on my thoughts. While the sensation was weird, I didn¡¯t feel any ill intent from Felice, so I figured this was a means of helping keep the conversation as private as possible.
Then, the cat pointed towards the pile of pillows with their hand. Light formed at their fingertips, then shot itself towards the unsuspecting pile of softness, encasing them in a translucent bubble! Clicking their tongue, Felice began speaking to me again.
¡°Tch, that Inari nayn is really starting to get good at her illusion magics meown. I¡¯m sorry Kotato nayn, but she made an attempt to listen again before leaving nayn. I am sorry for her behavmeower.¡±
Felice bowed towards me while apologising on Inari¡¯s behalf. Collecting my thoughts, I decided to respond to Felice as best I could.
¡°It¡¯s alright Felice, I¡¯m not offended. She¡¯s very curious about my situation as well so I don¡¯t blame her for attempting to listen in. Actually, if I was in her scenario, I might have attempted the same thing, so no need to apologise.
If I¡¯m being honest, is there a reason why you wanted to exclude Inari from the conversation? I don¡¯t mind her being present.¡±
Felice paused, staring straight into my eyes from the other side of the table. While I didn¡¯t feel anything particularly odd about the uncomfortable stare, my gut was making me feel very, very nervous. I felt like my entire being was being examined, and Felice was in their own world doing so. Eventually, they spoke to me again.
¡°Kotato nayn, what I¡¯m abmeowt to say should never leave this room meown. Am I clear?¡±
While I wasn¡¯t expecting things to move this quickly, I understood what Felice meant and braced myself for whatever it was they were about to tell me.
Signaling I understood, I simply remained silent, and nodded towards them.
¡°Good.
Kotato nayn, the ability to summon individuals from another world, is a meowgic that has been lost to time. Such a feat is currently impossible. Howmeowver, since you are clearly here, somemeown has discovered or recreated summoning meowgics. Based on meow observations, you were probabmeowly meant to be summowed in the royal palace of Solara meown.
Legends have said that summeowing magics would only appear when the world faced a great danger nayn. If that¡¯s the case, mew should head to the royal palace. Meow guild branch will prepare a puurrroper introductions so meow can easily meet with King Solar. There is a good chance they attempted summoning meowgics and you somemeow appeared outside the castle. This meowgics is tricky, but I still wasn¡¯t expecting royal meowgicians to miscalculate this much nayn.
King Solar can probabmeowly explain furrrther. If something truly is threating Terra, then it is a nation¡¯s problem meown.
This is a problem for meown adventurer¡¯s guild, Solara, and you, Kotato nayn. I would like Inari to remain unare of this so she can continmew her adventurer¡¯s training nayn! She doesn¡¯t need to be aware of these dangers. These are strictly for humowns to solve with a nation¡¯s help meown!¡±
Ok, now I was getting somewhere! Thank you quest flags! Clearly something had gone wrong during my summoning process and I was suppose to be in a royal palace! Man, all of those Isekai anime shows were right! Additionally, based on what Felice is saying, I am probably a summoned hero needed to defeat a demon lord plaguing the world of Terra!
¡°Meown, I hope it¡¯s not the case nayn, but this means the demeown lord might have resuuurrrected!¡±
Haha! That is so clich¨¦! Alright, so I am probably a summoned hero needed to defeat a resurrected demon lord! Following this thought, I just need to make my way to the royal palace, then they will help me get stronger, I recruit party members, then we save the world! I also already appear to have cheat-like powers with my mysterious weapons and the ability to do incantationless magic, so this all makes sense!
My mind had already begun to wander, thinking about all of the typical fantasy scenarios I¡¯ve encountered during my anime and video game days! A scenario like this was something many people dreamed of happening to them, and low and behold, IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED! I could hear Felice talking to me, but I wasn¡¯t listening to a thing they were saying! My mind was racing on and on about all the potential encounters I would face, the strategies I would need to develop, and the friendships I would make when¡ª
*Smack!*
A pillow hit my cleanly in the face, bringing me back to reality with a very annoyed cat. Felice was pouting at me with a rather cute expression! She looked absolutely adorable! Just like the other demi-human at the reception counter!
*Thunk!*
Another pillow to the face!
¡°Kotato Nayn! Are you listenmeowing???!? I¡¯m talking to meow! This is serious meown!!! And stop staring at meow with that funny face of yours nayn... It¡¯s creepy meown.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry Felice, but I just got incredibly excited as you started talking! This is very much like a scenario I¡¯ve seen from the countless video games and movies from my world!¡±
¡°Well, I can assure mew this is very real nayn. So please take what I¡¯m saying seriously meown.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry Felice, please continue¡±
Then, for roughly the next hour, Felice talked to me and explained the circumstances of the Kingdom of Solara.
During their explanation, I was able to learn that the Kingdom is a human dominated society ruled by a monarch, King Solar. Generally speaking, humans are the superior species in this kingdom, while demi-humans and beastkin are treated like slaves. Correction, some of them are slaves under Solara law. Next, I received a quick crash course on their currency, Solara. Essentially it worked like currency from my world. 10 bronze would equal 1 silver, then 100 silver would equal 1 gold. Most commoners would earn 1 bronze Solara a day, with fractions going towards living expenses. There were also different kingdoms with their own currencies, but Felice didn¡¯t expand into them too much.
Presently, I was located in the Kingdom of Solara, a few hours outside the main city hub. Roughly to the north east of us was the Kingdom of Valoria, a very religious kingdom, and to our south-west near the ocean was the Kingdom of Colosseum. There was also the Kingdom of Thalassia, which was home to the beastkin and elven peoples, then Drakonia which was home for a dragon race of denizens. Finally, there was the abandoned Kingdom of Damonius, which was ruled by the demon race before they were annihilated in a great catastrophe.
Finally, Felice briefly mentioned the adventurer¡¯s guild and how it fit into the ecosystem of the various Kingdoms. Essentially, all adventurer guild branches were deemed to operate separate from state and considered neutral in all nation affairs. While some local laws still needed to be followed, being an adventurer largely exempt you from pressures levied against you by a kingdom. While it didn¡¯t provide true political immunity, you were generally free to travel between kingdoms without issue if you were a valid adventurer.
Generally, everything seemed similar to the various shows I had seen before about Isekai adventurers. There were minor variations, but the overall theme was consistent amongst them. This made following along rather easy.
Finally, Felice¡¯s explanations came to an end, leaving me with a rather large grin across my face!
¡°So Kotato nayn, any questions?¡±
¡°No Felice, I think you did a great job summarizing the workings of this world. Thank you, I really appreciate it!¡±
With a slight smile, they bowed towards me, happy with my response.
¡°Thank you nayn! I appreciate your generosity towards me.
Meow, with that said nayn, I do believe it would be a puurfect time to retire for the night! Kotato nayn, please follow me. I should have a spare room for you to stay in for the nyte!¡±
With that, Felice finally stood up and walked toward the door, motioning for me to follow. Not wanting to be left behind, I quickly joined them as we entered back into the tavern proper!
Looking around, the atmosphere had gotten noticeably quieter. The bar area was now sparsely filled compared to it¡¯s once crammed quarters, and the commotion was now filled with quite talking amongst patrons. Following Felice, we went towards the staircase to the 2nd floor and ascended. The stairs creaked ever so slightly under my bodies weight. I also took the time to run my hands along the railing, feeling the grooves embedded in the handles. They appeared to be well worn as time and claws left their marks etched behind.
Felice continued to lead me down a winding stretch of hallways until we eventually came to what I could only describe as an ¡°abandoned¡± section of the Tavern. The lighting was suspiciously absent compared to the previously well light passageways from moments ago. No lamps or candles were present along the walls. Cobwebs and layers of dust littered the wooden beams above us with their unnerving presence. The only thing illuminating the deserted hallway, was Felice, who had conjured a small, speck of light to float around their head.
Finally, we reached the end of the path. Before me stood an old, wooden door that clearly hadn¡¯t seen much use recently. Dust covered the metal handle. Then, Felice spoke to me in their usual, cheerful tone:
¡°Alright Kotato nayn! This will be your room meown! Sorry about the mess, but I¡¯ll make sure to clean it properly tomorrow! After all, it was quite unexpected having you arrive nayn. Please, go inside! There should be a light on the right-hand side of the wall!¡±
¡°Thanks Felice! And don¡¯t worry about it, today sure has been a little crazy!¡±
Without hesitation, I gripped the cold, metal handle and opened the door to reveal a room completely bathed in darkness! Woah! What a surprise!
...
Needless to say, I began feeling for some type of light switch or magical device along the right hand-side of the wall. While I was struggling to find anything of interest along the wall, my helpful internal monologue of an assistant decided to chime in to offer their words of advice!
[Compensating ¨C Adjusting Mana Wavelength Perception For Enhanced Night Vision]
Man, this was a really handy feature! Gradually, my eyes started to adjust to the darkened room. I found I was able to see quite well considering the sheer lack of light! But something was off, when I focused my vision, the room wasn¡¯t very large inside. It was filled with shelves, stocked to the brim with cleaning supplies, all of which were covered in a thick layer of dust and spider webs.
Hmmm, this is a rather odd room to stay in, sleeping here would be rather uncomfortable. But what could I do, this was short notice after all, so an abandoned storage closet wouldn¡¯t be completely out of the norm!
So, I stepped into the room so I could get a better look at the wall. I was still struggling to find this mysterious switch when:
[Warning ¨C Magi¡ª]
¡°GAH!¡±
I was violently thrown into the room with such force, I collided into the stocked shelves, breaking them, causing an explosion of wooden splinters, glass fragments, and dust to fill the air! While I was very confused by the sudden rear assault, I was more shocked that my impact made no audible noise. I coughed as I struggled to catch my breath, my head was ringing in pain and I couldn¡¯t think straight. A loud noise was filling my head making it excruciatingly difficult to concentrate! My torse was throbbing, and I could feel blood dripping down my face.
Then, I felt my body get lifted off the ground by some magical force. Nothing physical was touching me, but it was as if a pair of magical hands hand lifted me up and spun me around. The skin around my neck began to feel constrained, almost as if I was being strangled by an invisible force. Correction! This was exactly the sensation I imagined people felt from that popular space sci-fi series from back home! I struggled with my hands, clawing away at my throat in a desperate attempt to remove the invisible hand¡¯s clasp. But, all of my attempts were for naught.
Managing to focus, I brought my eyes towards my attacker¡¯s direction. I felt like my neck was going to snap at any moment. My vision waned as my brain screamed for oxygen!
However, standing before me was my unexpected assailant. With their right hand raised, tightly gripping the air, and staring at me with now piercing, glowing blue eyes, was the friendly cat maid Felice!
My mind began racing, franticly scouring over the last hours of events. Why were they doing this to me? Weren¡¯t they a friend? What did I do to deserve being chocked to death in an abandoned closet?!?! I struggled, staring into their blue slitted eyes. I remembered them being green before, but now any trace of that emerald wavelength had seemingly vanished and was replaced with a cold, dark, bluish hue. All emotion was gone from their face as they stared at me. Finally, Felice spoke to me in a tone I had never heard before. This didn¡¯t sound like Felice, but someone else all together! Furthermore, all of their cat-like accents were seemingly non-existence as they spoke in a dark, calculating way towards me.
¡°I¡¯m sorry Kotato, but I cannot allow an abnormality like you to live. The amount of danger you pose to the world is too great, and I must execute you to preserve life as we know it.¡±
Shocked at what Felice was saying, I was completely helpless in this situation. I was in trouble, and I couldn¡¯t imagine my luck would hold out again for an encounter like this! Flailing around, I managed to make sense of the warning and alarm bells going off inside my head¡ª
[Warning! Magic Nullification Zone Detected]
[Warning! Sound Nullification Field Active]
[Warning! Soul Ripper Detected! Danger! Danger!]
Looking at Felice¡¯s left-hand, a small, pillar of light was violently shooting out of their palm. At best, I could only describe it as a small, powerful flame from a welding torch. An army of warning triangles and flashing symbols accompanied this column of light. Clearly, it was bad news. Perhaps this was the ¡°Soul Ripper¡±? Based on the name along, I didn¡¯t exactly want to find out!
My eyes darted back and forth, desperate to find anything to help me. My sight started to fade as darkness creeped in along the edges of my vision. Slowly, Felice walked towards my suspended body while raising their left hand towards my eye.
Shit! What could I do in this situation?!?!?
¡°Harbinger of destruction, I have made sure all attempts at surviving have been eliminated. Magic, sound, and divine intervention have all been nullified. Any attempts at resistance are futile. Accept your death as I erase your soul so Terra may live.¡±
Fuck!!! This is not good at all!!!! Why did the cute cat maid character turn out to be a complete psychopath!!!?!?! Was this really how I was going to die!?!?! Think Ko, think!!! Time felt like it was beginning to slow to a crawl again as that pillar of light gradually approached my right eye. I instinctively knew that if it made any contact with me, more than just my body would be killed!!!
My mind began racing, images of my life flashed before me. I remembered my childhood, embarrassing moments from school, landing my first real job as an adult, all of the games and movies I had played! Pictures of my parents, my family, my friends, all bubbled and rushed to the surface in a violent array of memories.
The spell was now mere inches from my face, and my brain was at it¡¯s limit. Almost completely starved for oxygen, I could only imagine I was remaining conscious from the sheer power of adrenaline coursing through my veins!
Just before the soul ripper pierced my eye, the images flashing through my head stopped.
I remembered the moment I entered Terra and met Inari, trapped by the bandits. The battle played out like a slideshow, event by event flew by until finally, it stopped on an image of Inari, smiling at me. It was when I had just woken up from the encounter and we were talking. Her emerald green eyes were shining, and all across her face, was the feeling of pure, innocent happiness.
---
I stopped resisting.
I was going to die, but I felt at peace.
While I didn¡¯t accomplish much during my short lifetime, I felt a genuine happiness that I had managed to help save the life of someone like Inari. I imagined she would be sad at my sudden disappearance, but was still glad I somehow, managed to change fate for one individual. At least I managed to make a small difference, I thought to myself.
I closed my eyes, ready for death and whatever unimaginable pains it would bring, when suddenly, the pressure around my neck started to ease.
---
I could breathe again.
I opened my eyes. The piercing column of light was still uncomfortably close to me, but when I looked at Felice¡¯s face, it was filled with steams of water flowing down their cheeks, many of which, were dripping onto the wooden floor below.
Suddenly, I fell to the ground as the invisible force suspending me by my neck disappeared.
*Gasp!*
I violently coughed trying to catch my breath. Looking up, Felice had also collapsed onto their knees, tears were now violently dripping down their face. Their eyes were also once again their usual green colour, except they were now brandishing a new tint of red and watery gloss from all of their crying.
I didn¡¯t try to run or flee; I was still in pain and struggling to catch my breath. My throat was on fire and my head was still ringing. Next, I felt the presence of the magic nullifications fade. In their absence, I was able to hear Felice sniffling. They had also finally cancelled the soul ripper spell from their left-hand, with all traces of the spell¡¯s effect vanishing. Eventually, they spoke to me through heavy tears and a cracking voice:
¡°I¡¯m¡ª I¡¯m sorry Kotato nayn. I¡ª I was supp¡ª *Sniff* suppose to kill you nayn but *sniff* but¡ª She was so¡ª Happy...¡±
Felice fully covered their face with their hands as they sobbed uncontrollably into them. Any attempts to muffle their cries were futile as emotion poured out from them. I was speechless, with no idea what I could possibly say in this scenario. I simply stayed on the ground, watching the demi-human cat maid cry into their hands.
*Sniff*
¡°Jus¡ª Just leave Kotato nayn! Head to the city meown. You¡¯ll be more than safe on the roads at nyte, especially with your com¡ª Combat status nayn! Please, ju¡ª Just leave meow here and go! You don¡¯t belong here meown!¡±
Felice readjusted themselves to sit leaning against one of the shelving units. They were now holding their knees tightly to their chest as they continued crying into their legs. Their ears were completely pinned back. This whole situation had become very emotional for the both of us, especially her. There was still a lot I still didn¡¯t understand, but seeing her crying like this, I felt really bad. Even if moments before they were trying to kill me, everything about this scenario was confusing. I didn¡¯t know what to do.
Finding the strength to move, I decided to reposition myself beside Felice, instead of leaving the storage closet. They were still sniffling and crying. Then, without thinking, I grabbed Felice¡¯s head and pushed it towards my chest.
*Nayn!!*
They let out a shocked, adorable cat noise as I pulled them close, clearly surprised at the turn of events.
¡°Kotato nayn! Wh¡ª Wha¡ª*Sniff* are you *sniff* doing nayn??¡±
¡°It¡¯s alright Felice, I don¡¯t blame you¡±
I managed to say to them in a calm voice. Subconsciously, I had already begun stroking their ears in an attempt to calm them. I ran my hand through their hair as I petted their spotted ears. The ears twitched ever so slightly each time I touched them, but eventually began to relax as I continued petting them. Slowly but surely, the crying and sniffling noses began to fade. Felice was now tightly gripping my shirt. I could feel them tugging it slightly trying to wipe their face from all of the tears. Finally, they spoke to me again in a crackling voice:
¡°But¡ª I¡ª *sniff* tried to kill you meown! Why are meow holding me! This¡ª This isn¡¯t right meow!!¡±
To be honest, I wasn¡¯t exactly sure myself. Any sane person would have fled the moment the opportunity presented itself! But I didn¡¯t. I stayed here and attempted to console my potential killer. But I had no regrets! I felt like my actions were the most appropriate for the situation, but how would I explain it to them?
Looking down at the bawling bundle of fluff, I figured I should at least say something in response:
¡°Because it felt like the right thing to do Felice. It¡¯s just that simple.¡±
Felice managed to look up, staring into my eyes. Their sharp pupils attempting to find some kind of fault in my words. While they were looking at me, I continued to speak.
¡°I may have only known you for a bit Felice, but every action you¡¯ve done has had a purpose. I don¡¯t believe you would have tired to kill me unless you had a good reason. While I don¡¯t exactly know what that reason was, I don¡¯t blame you for your actions. You were only trying to protect your friends.¡±
Tears once again swelled in their eyes as they began quietly crying into my chest. I had inadvertently caused another round of torrential waterworks! Well... Ok... Maybe what I said could be taken a little emotionally in this situation...
Not saying anything more, I continued holding Felice in my arms as they continued to cry away. I could feel their weight pressing into me as they attempted to get closer. Their arms and torso were light and thin, and the pressure they produced was all but soft and gentle. Before I could let my mind go too much further in it¡¯s thoughts about how feminine their body was, I finally decided to ask Felice about the elephant in the room.
¡°Felice, if you don¡¯t mind me asking, but why did you try to kill me? What was this Harbinger of destruction you were talking about?¡±
Through quite sniffles, Felice looked up at me, then casually began poking their fingers in the air, almost as if they were typing on some invisible keyboard. After finishing their typing motion, they swiped their hand to the side and a holographic status window appeared in front of me! However, I wasn¡¯t at all prepared to handle the information I saw displayed.
Before me was my status screen, completely free of corruption and glitched characters:
---
Name: Kotato Yamata Level: 1
Race: Human HP: 60/60 MP: 60/60
Age: 25
Profession: Spell-Blade
Status: Strength: 20 Defense: 20
Magic: 20 Dexterity: 20
Skill Proficiencies: [Growth] [Summoned Hero] [World Serpent Apostle] [Hidden] [Magic Affinity - Hidden] [Hidden] [Hidden] [Awakening ¨C Hidden]
Titles: Spell-Blade Hero ¨C Placeholder Text While Terra Continues Attempting Assimilation Of Title Parameters ¨C Unknown Entity & Designated Individual Permitted By World Serpent ¨C Error ¨C Entity Unknown Or Unrecognized By Administrator ¨C Error.
Hidden Title: Harbinger of Destruction ¨C Holder of this title is the destined individual who will destroy the world of Terra, ending all life as it¡¯s known. This title cannot be changed and provides no additional status effects to the holder.
---
What the heck was this???! ¡°Placeholder Text¡±??? ¡°Hidden Title¡±?!?!? How was Felice seeing all of this information???? ¡°Destined individual who will destroy the world of Terra¡±?!??!?!?! Why the heck does my status screen have such messed up information in it!!! Administrator?!?! Is this world inside a computer?!?!?
While I was in shock reading over my status, wondering how everything was legible, Felice started speaking in a gentle voice explaining everything.
¡°Kotato nayn. There are only three individuals in all of Terra meown who can cast ¡°Absolute Appraisal¡±. I am one of them meown. This is the strongest meowgic known of the spell and meowviels all details¡ª No exceptions nayn. The target also doesn¡¯t meowtice they¡¯ve been scanned meown. It¡¯s very pawerful meowgics.
I lied to you and Inari nayn when we meow talking earlier. I had already seen all of your status and purrrposely revealed the corrupted version nayn. I mew nothing about you nayn, but knew that hidden title would become reameowlity meown. So I lied to my Inari nayn and planed to eliminate mew before¡ª Befor¡ª¡±
More tears rolled down their face as I just gentle hugged Felice. They wiped their tears away on my shirt before they continued their explanation.
¡°But I couldn¡¯t meown. Before I destroyed meow soul with forbidden meowgic, I saw all of your memories nayn¡ª Inari nayn, I¡ª I had *Sniff* I had never seen her so happy before nayn! How could somemeown who will destroy Terra, make her smile like that meown!
---
That¡¯s why¡ª I couldn¡¯t kill you meown!¡±
I was shocked. Actually, I don¡¯t even think shocked is the correct word here based on the information I had just learned from the cat maid curling into me.
Apparently, I, the awkward, and weird, Kotato, was destined to destroy this world, and there was nothing I could do to change that! However, I didn¡¯t want this to be true. Why would I¡ª
No.
There is no way I would do something like that! I was already having a difficult time following all of the events for the day, and my ability to think critically was basically at it¡¯s limit. I was already struggling to comprehend everything, and now I had to deal with the fact I was essentially a ¡°demon lord¡± who would destroy the world???
Something definitely didn¡¯t sit right with me. While my brain hadn¡¯t quite realized it yet, my eyes had already made a connection as I continued staring at the dreadful holographic screen. Finally, I spoke to Felice to clear my doubts.
¡°Felice, there is absolutely nothing that remains unknown when you use ¡°Absolute Appraisal¡±?¡±
¡°Correct meown, everything shown is the absolute truth of the world meown.¡±
¡°Then I think there is still hope Felice.¡±
¡°Nayn? That¡¯s impawsible meown! What part abmeowt absolute do you not understand Kotato nayn!¡±
¡°That¡¯s just the thing Felice, look! In the actual title section, there are words like ¡°Placeholder Text¡± and ¡°Error¡± or ¡°Unrecognized by Administrator¡±! Have you even seen these words before?¡±
¡°I mean¡ª No nayn, I hav¡ª¡±
¡°Exactly! I¡¯m a true abnormality as you said. Even under the skill proficiencies, some of them are filled in, but others still have a ¡°Hidden¡± text embedded inside. That means that there is still some information that is unknown. Or rather I should say, the world doesn¡¯t even know!¡±
¡°But that still doesn¡¯t change anything meown, the hidden titles are alwa¡ª¡°
¡°Always right? The hidden title section may be filled in, but if there are errors and problems with the earlier portions of my status, why are we taking everything at face value? Doesn¡¯t that mean there is a chance the hidden title section could be incorrect as well? I can¡¯t say with certainty, but unless everything is known and displayed properly, I refuse to believe I¡¯m the individual who will destroy this world.¡±
That¡¯s right! Even with their ¡°Absolute Appraisal¡±, information was still unknown about me. That was more than enough to tell me there was still a chance things could change! Perhaps my confidence was truly born from ignorance, but I was willing to take anything I could in this scenario!
¡°Kotato nayn... I¡ª I don¡¯t know meown. I¡ª I want to believe you meow, but... But...¡±
¡°No buts about it Felice! I promise you that I will do everything within my power to change my destiny! I won¡¯t destroy Terra, no matter what some ¡°hidden title¡± says!¡±
Felice raised their head to stare directly into my eyes. Their watery, green pupils were looking through mine like open windows, peering deeply into my soul. Time felt like it came to a crawl as both of us were staring at each other for any sign of hesitation or doubt in my words. Finally, after a rather long pause, they broke the silence, speaking in a pained, and muffled tone.
¡°You¡ª You promise... Kotato nayn? Promise to defy an impossameow fate? Promise... That you won¡¯t destroy the world? To prove Absolute Appraisal... Wrong?¡±
Unconsciously, I found myself squeezing their soft and delicate hands all throughout their reply. Thus, with all of the confidence and calmness I could muster, I once again, gave the sniffling cat maid my reply in earnest.
¡°Yes Felice, I promise.¡±
Eventually, their puffy, tear-stained face loosened into a smile as they squinted their eyes in happiness towards me.
¡°Alright meown¡ª I¡¯ll... I¡¯ll believe in you Kotato nayn! Show nya... Show Felice you can change meow destiny nyan!!!!¡±
With all their might, Felice squeezed me as hard as they could. They were still crying, but trying there best. So, I responded in kind, hugging them tightly back. Their speckled tail excitedly flicked back and forth as I continued petting their ears in an attempt to calm them again. I was happy I had managed to convince them of my resolve.
Eventually, the crying turned into gentle snoring sounds as they had managed to finally find sleep while snuggling into me.
---
Well, I¡¯m not exactly sure what I was expecting to happen, but I guess this is an appropriate punishment for my actions...
I was now trapped, with a cute cat maid sleeping on me, in a wet, snot covered dress shirt.
¡°Heh, well, it could be worse I guess.¡±
I quietly muffled to myself. Today had been an absolute crazy adventure. What started as a normal day at the office had somehow transformed into a life-or-death fantasy world adventure, featuring myself, as the protagonist. So many interesting things had happened to me over the past 24 hours, and I was sure the next days to come would be filled with just as many hardships.
While I was worried about what the future may hold, a part of me was still screaming internally in excitement about the whole ordeal! Something I had always dreams of, had actually happened to me! My once boring, daily life now had a new sense of excitement and adventure! I could hardly wait to explore this world and do everything within my capabilities to change my horrible fate.
And so, before finally closing my eyes to bring an end to the day, I found myself saying to myself in a cheerful, enthusiastic tone:
¡°Welcome to Terra, Kotato¡ª¡±
Chapter 20 – Haru Speargin
¡°Ah ¨C Ah ¨C Ah¡ªOh! Haru! ¨C Yes!! Yes!! Awww!! Yes!!! AHHH!!¡±
Heh, that¡¯s right, I, the amazing protagonist, Haru Speargin, am making sure to fully enjoy my life as the summoned hero in this kingdom! While I may have died an unfortunate death at the young age of 22 from one of my ex¡¯s stabbing me while I was on another date, I was thrilled to know that my future was going to be fucking amazing!
Somehow, I was summoned to this other world as I lay dying on the restaurant¡¯s floor coughing up blood.
As I was transported in a blinding ball of light, all of my wounds had miraculously healed by the time I arrived on the castle floor. Three other bozos were also with me, but that didn¡¯t matter. For I, Haru, had survived! And, as a reward for all of my hard work being the hero, I decided to enjoy myself by fucking all of the concubines the palace could afford for me! Oh, what an amazing time I was going to have in this world!
I¡¯d seen many shows about the isekai genera while I was on Earth, and always thought them to be lame. Lots of the shows had weak characters and heroes, surrounded by a harem of women, and what did they do with all these women?
NOT
FUCK
ANY OF THEM!!
UGHHH!!! It was such a fucking stupid trope in all of these Isekai shows! The protagonist would be super powerful with beautiful babes swarming all over them, many with giant tits, bursting at the seams, begging to be violently fondled by the so-called hero of the series! Yet the ¡°hero¡± would be all ¡°Ahhh! I¡¯m sooo sorry for accidently touching you harem chan 1! Please don¡¯t be mad at me!¡±
---
Disgusting.
Seriously, you had all the power in the world, yet you didn¡¯t have the balls to fuck ANY of the women in your party? Pathetic, absolutely worthless were these characters. And it wasn¡¯t just me thinking this, lots of comments on the various anime streaming webpages were FILLED with guys crying about how worthless the main character was and how they never took advantage of their party members.
So, I decided that if I ever managed to isekai myself, I would do everything I could to take advantage of my situation. And finally, IT HAPPENED!
---
Oh...
... I finished.
Fuck, I was too busy thinking about all those stupid other heroes from stories, I completely forgot to enjoy the moment! I wasn¡¯t even paying attention to the attendant¡¯s screams! FUCK!!!
---
Pfft, well, there was going to be plenty of moments like this... No sense getting angry the first day. Thinking this, I pushed the attendant off of me. Completely exhausted, she landed on the soft, silken bed, shaking the entire frame. Yeah, if this was going to be each and everyday, I was really going to enjoy this world.
Finally, life was giving me everything I deserved! Nothing was going to be left on the table. If this was my second chance at life, I was going to enjoy every, fucking, moment of it!
---
Eventually I had to call it a night. After enjoying some more rounds with different attendants, I eventually woke up to my first actual day in the Kingdom of Solara or whatever the fuck it was called.
If I remembered correctly, we were suppose to go into a labyrinth or something to get stronger, and the palace guards were to protect us while we leveled up. Not an entirely uncommon event for an isekai plot. Honestly, I didn¡¯t really care too much. My body already felt amazing! I had even attempted some practice with a spear in my room when I woke up, and found executing abilities surprisingly easy!
I mean, seriously. I had no combat or military experience in my previous life, yet I could effortlessly maneuver a spear like it was second nature! Stabs and combo attacks were done exactly as I imagined them! Geez, this was scary. It was almost as if I was in a video game or something.
Regardless, clearly this is what it meant to be a hero! It was natural for us to be overpowered and for everything to come easily! After all, we needed to do important stuff like kill demons or some shit like that.
Finally, after getting dressed in the armor provided by the kingdom, I left my chambers to see one of the attendants from last night. She was diligently standing outside my room waiting for me to bask the royal palace in my amazing presence!
¡°Oh! Haru! I hope you had a wonderful time last night! All of the other heroes are already at the banquet hall for breakfast! Please, follow me so you can join them as well! Then after breakfast, the royal guard wi¡ª¡±
¡°Yes, yes, I know, we¡¯ll go into the labyrinth to become stronger. Lead the way miss¡ª¡°
¡°Margarette! My name¡¯s Margarette!¡±
¡°Sure, just take me there.¡±
If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Huh, so that was the name of the energetic one. Oh well, at least today was going to be easy. All the other npc heroes and I would go to the labyrinth, show off how amazing and powerful we all were, then we¡¯d come back to the castle so I could fuck some more attendants. A pretty good daily schedule, I think.
Walking closely behind Margarette, she led me to a large set of fancy wooden doors. Pushing the doors open, I entered into a large banquet hall-like room. Over by the fancy ass table in the middle, were the other heroes, most of which already eating with their respective attendants. Looking over towards near the king, was that stupid bitch of a guardswoman standing by the princess. Tch, I¡¯d have to find some way to punish her for embarrassing me in front of everyone last night! Seriously, the nerve of that women to assault a hero!
Several attendants motioned me towards an open chair which I promptly sat at. The plate was already filled with steaks, eggs, breads, and other weird cuts of meat I didn¡¯t exactly recognize. Not wanting to waste the opportunity, I began digging into the lavish meal! Making myself comfortable, I put both of my legs up onto the table so I could lean back in my chair easier to eat.
Eventually, the king started to speak or whatever. Well, I guess I should at least attempt to listen to what he¡¯s talking about.
¡°Greetings heroes. I would like to take this opportunity again to welcome you all to the Kingdom of Solara! Please, do make sure to enjoy everything the palace can offer you. As heroes of our nation, it is our duty to accommodate you to the best of our capabilities.¡±
Heh, oh, you guys will be accommodating me all right!
¡°Now, as I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware from my speech last night, but today marks the first time you will venture into the labyrinth beneath the city capital to raise your levels and grow in power! Currently, our best guards and adventurers in Solara have only managed to reach the 12th floor. We have no idea how dangerous the dungeon gets, but know that reaching the end is vital to preserving the safety of the kingdom!
On your expedition, you will be led by the Commander of the Royal Guard, Raya. Some of our elite healers and military force will also be joining you to further guarantee your safety. While the labyrinth is normally open to the public, I have specially requested access be limited to only the heroes. Please use this time to grow in power and clear the dungeon!
Now, please turn your attention towards Raya, as she will explain the goals and expectations from each of you during the expedition.¡±
Seriously now miss stuck-up bitch gets to talk!
...
¡°Thank you, your majesty. Now, heroes¡ª¡±
Pfft, laaaaaammmme, let the king talk some more, he was actually somewhat interesting to listen to... Oh? That advisor guy approached the king and whispered something to him, then they left the room together. Oh well, he¡¯s probably needed to do king shit, or whatever it is he does around here.
Wait, is that bitch seriously glaring at ME while giving her boring ass speech!?? The nerve of this cunt. I¡¯m definitely going to find a way to punish her...
¡°And that summarizes the battle plan for floor 1. Any questions?¡±
Hah, like anyone would have questions about the first floor of th¡ª
¡°I have a question, Commander Raya!¡±
Oh... Seriously man? This is like, the tutorial stages of a video game! Whatever bow hero npc, ask away!
¡°Yes Kyle, what is your question?¡±
¡°Well, you see, if there are only goblins on the first floor, and they are considered the weakest monster, why do we need all of this assistance? Wouldn¡¯t it be better for the escort to stand in the back and observe us? I have a feeling experience rates would be lowered if all of them surrounded us like you suggested. Also, they¡¯re just goblins, they shouldn¡¯t pose a threat to us heroes.¡±
Hah! The look on her face! Alright Kyle, I take back my comment about you asking a question. That look was absolutely priceless!
¡°Fair comments Kyle, however, I would like to observe your actual combat capabilities first in a safe environment. This is the first time summoning magic has been used in the Kingdom, so it is unclear if skills still need to be learned through practice, or are granted by the magic¡¯s effects.¡±
¡°Thank you, Commander Raya.¡±
¡°Now, since we will only be looking at the first floor today, don¡¯t put too much stress on yourselves. I can¡¯t imagine any of you have ever received any formal military training in your world, so I¡¯m not expecting miracles or anything. Take the time to get comfortable with your weapons and focus on reaching at least level 2.
This concludes my labyrinth introduction session. Heroes, please follow me towards the entranceway so we can get started.¡±
When the bitch finished her super boring speech, we all had to follow her towards the labyrinth entrance... While I was looking forward to finally getting to murder some stupid goblins, I was more annoyed that I hadn¡¯t even finished my breakfast yet!!! Seriously??? You force us into this fancy ass dinning hall, then don¡¯t even let us finish eating!??! Uggghh, whatever.
Angerly, I stood up and began following the others out of the dining hall. While we were walking, a guardsman ran up to Raya in a panic and whispered something in her ear. I couldn¡¯t tell what they were talking about, but eventually the cunt spoke to us again in her annoying commanding voice.
¡°Champions, we will be making a short detour before beginning the expedition, please follow me to the palace¡¯s reception hall.¡±
Seriously? A delay? I guess this kingdom was more unorganized than I thought! Whatever, as long as it doesn¡¯t take too long, I¡¯m already itching to stab some goblin¡¯s brains out!
After following Raya through several long corridors filled with fancy carpets and drapes covering massive glass windows, we eventually found ourselves on the 2nd floor of the palace¡¯s entranceway. At the other end of the balcony, was the king and his stupid advisor or something. They appeared to be talking to some guy carrying a strange sword and shield...
Wait a minute, is that guy wearing a dress shirt and pants from my world???? Is... Are¡ª Were they also summoned?!?!? Just how many heroes did this stupid kingdom intend on having??? Clearly, I was more than enough to kill this demon lord or whatever, but five of us?? Now I¡¯m really starting to get pissed off.
---
Heh, now that I think about it, this would be a perfect opportunity to show off in front of the others just how amazing I am! The king and that advisor dude don¡¯t look too happy talking to the person down there, so I¡¯ll just take the initiative and eliminate them! This poor bastard probably doesn¡¯t even know how to use his weapons since his clothing is all torn and messed up!
Resolving myself, I readied my mythic quality spear and began envisioning my attack. I would jump, high into the air, then direct all my force into the unsuspecting ¡°loser¡± with a cool looking ¡°Diving Spiral Attack!¡±.
I gathered power in my legs, wind began to coalesce around me. The stupid bitch looked at me and started running over to intervene. Ha! But I wouldn¡¯t let her make it in time!
Propelling myself into the air, I leapt high into the clearing above the staircase and began spinning while forcing energy towards my target below. The advisor, king, Raya, other npc heroes, and my target, all looked up in shock as I created a piercing, spiral of light! Then, I shouted with all my might in confidence:
¡°DIE YOU BASTARD!¡±
And hurled myself towards him using my diving spiral attack! This was going to be sick!
Chapter 21 – The Journey Begins
After managing to get some sleep from my hectic first day, I struggled to open my eyes. The weight of my eyelids felt like anvils, but I wasn¡¯t surprised considering the circumstances. My body felt completely exhausted and still hurt all over. While some of the pain was probably from my encounter with the psycho cat maid murderer, there was also a considerable chance a portion of this pulsing pain was from how I slept. I had somehow managed to fall asleep in the storage closet while I was holding Felice. Well, that¡¯s what I remembered anyways. My back was still resting against one of the shelving units, which was clearly not an adequate ¡°bed¡±. Finally, I rubbed my eyes to take in my surrounds in greater detail.
Looking around, Felice was nowhere to be found, and instead, I appeared to be holding a blanket rather tightly over my chest. Beams of light were piercing through the abandoned hallways through the dusty windows. I could see particles of dust floating through the air as the light illuminated their presence.
Gathering the strength to stand up, I rose onto my feet and began stretching my body. I cracked some bones and joints to release some of the built-up pressure within, then let out a sigh. Today would be my first actual day in a new world, and I already had a mountain of questions I needed to have answered. But first things first.
Breakfast!
Excited at the thought of finally getting a meal, it was only now I realized I hadn¡¯t eaten a single thing since I was summoned to Terra! My stomach was ferociously growling at me in anger and desperately wanted me to fill it¡¯s empty void with other worldly sustenance!
And so, I started to make my way down the hallway, doing my best to follow the noise coming from the floor below. I remembered there was a food serving section from last night and could only assume it would be packed with hungry patrons!
Eventually, I found myself in a larger, open area of the 2nd floor. The commotion was much louder in this entranceway and I finally managed to recognize the staircase I took last night while following Felice to my ¡°room¡±. Hardly able to contain my excitement, I raced towards the stairs and catapulted myself down onto the main floor. Finally!
A few of the beastkin already in the dining area looked towards my direction, then unenthusiastically went back to eating their meals. Well, it¡¯s not like I wanted to start a commotion or anything, but food!
Confidently, I strode towards what I could only imagine was the counter for ordering meals. Hiding behind the scratched wooden countertop, was that very shy cat demi-human from last night! Their speckled ears were poking out from their maid¡¯s bonnet as they tried to hide themselves while I approached. They were wagging their tail back and forth as they watched me get closer. Tied at the end near the tip, was a brilliant red ribbon, swaying back and forth as the fluffy tail wagged away.
Hmmm, maybe this person isn¡¯t comfortable around humans? I made a mental note to myself to be calm during my conversation with them. With that in mind, I spoke to them, ready to finally order some food!
¡°Hey there! I¡¯m looking to order some food to eat, would I be able to do that at this counter?¡±
The cat maid let out a quiet, startled yelp! Then shyly responded after a pause in an equally, quiet, feminine voice, stuttering over their words.
¡°Umm, ye¡ª Yes, you¡ª You can¡ª Order food here. *meow*¡±
AHHH! That sounded so freakin cute!!!! I had to resist the sudden urge to squeeze the adorable cat maid in front of me!!! This was the type of stuff you could only dream about experiencing!!!! Their adorable, shy voice had completely won me over!!! Ok, calm down Ko, you¡¯re only talking to a super cute cat maid, just stay focused so you can finally get something to eat! Coughing to clear my throat, I did my best to place an order for something edible.
*cough*
¡°Perfect! I would love to have one of the breakfasts offered at the Paws and Beans Tavern! Is there any particular dish you would recommend? If anything, I¡¯ll take one of the popular items!¡±
¡°Umm¡ª Uhhh, I¡ª I could make you... The¡ª Beef rice bowl and egg combo *meow*. A¡ª A lot of the adven¡ª Adventurers seem to like it.¡±
¡°Awesome! I¡¯ll take one beef rice bowl and egg combo then please!¡±
¡°Ok... Mr... Tha¡ª That will be¡ª 2/5th bronze Solara please!¡±
Wait.
That¡¯s right.
You need money to order food. It¡¯s such a simple concept and something I was all too familiar with from my world. However, in my excitement for nourishment, I had completely forgotten and made a fatal error in my planning...
I HAD NO MONEY!!!!
GAH!!! What am I to do!!!! My stomach is already angry at me, giving constant reminders that I¡¯m starving. And the food! All around me, my eyes are currently gorging themselves on a menagerie of amazing delicacies such as fried potatoes, steak and eggs, and rice bowls!!!!!
I felt nauseous.
My head was spinning from this cruel turn of fate. How could I, have forgotten I had a lack of financing to afford even a simple meal! Now, I was stuck at the counter, with this cute cat maid staring at me, waiting for my response. Since I appeared to be taking too long in responding, they started to hide themselves again, this time, covering their face with their hands. That¡¯s when suddenly, a barrage of angry ¡°warning¡± triangles floated into my vision.
[Warning! Unexpected Rear Assault Detec¡ª]
¡°KOTATO NAYN!!!!!¡±
*Crash!~*
¡°Gah!!!¡±
¡°RAWR!!! Hehe! Guess who it is meown?¡±
Shocked at the seemingly unexpected development, I could feel the weight of a familiar, light and thin body clinging onto my back while covering my eyes with their hands. Their legs were crossed around my waist as they aggressively latched onto my body. I tried my best to flail around and free my eyes, but I was unsuccessful.
¡°Nya Nya Nya! Mew have to guess first meown!¡±
¡°Felice!!! Seriously!!! Could you get off of me please? I¡ª I can¡¯t see anything!¡±
¡°Hehe! Guess again meown!¡±
Ughh, seriously??? Clearly this was Felice, but they were just being cheeky and not accepting my answer. Struggling, I managed to correctly guess the name they were looking for... So, I said in the best accent I could muster:
¡°The Fabmeowlus Felice Nayn!¡±
After correctly guessing my assailant, Felice released me from their grasp and happily jumped down onto the ground. I could hear them twirl around as they struck their iconic ¡°Nayn!¡± cat pose. I also swore I saw and heard the audible sound of a star twinkling as they completed their entrance ritual.
¡°Nayn! Great guess meown! You¡¯re so smart Kotato Nayn!¡±
Honestly, I wasn¡¯t exactly sure how to respond. Looking behind the counter, the similarly looking cat demi-human seemed just as shocked. They were also still trying to cover their face and were desperately gripping their maid gown to comfort themselves.
¡°Oh, Yarn nayn! I see you are already speaking with Kotato nayn! Aren¡¯t they amazing meown? Come on meown, don¡¯t be shy Yarn! Kotato is actually a supurrr nice human nayn! Did you introduce meowself meown?¡±
¡°Umm¡ª No I... I didn¡¯t Felice *meow* I¡ª I¡¯m sorry meow. Hell¡ª Hello there Ko¡ª Kotato nayn. My.... My name is¡ª Yarn...¡±
Gah!!! Soooo cute!!!!
¡°Great job Yarn nayn! Kotato nayn, this is my sister meown. She¡¯s a bit shy around men meown, but she¡¯s ameowsing at crafting and cooking nayn! Yarn makes all of the fabmeowlus dishes for the guests meow!¡±
¡°Wonderful! It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you Yarn! I¡¯m already looking forward to trying some of the delicious food you can make! Everything in here looks AND smells amazing!¡±
¡°Tha¡ª Thank you *meow*. Bu... But¡ª I still need the... The bronze Solara nayn.¡±
¡°Hehe! Don¡¯t worry abmeowt that meown! Kotato nayn, this one¡¯s on the house meown! Consider it compensameown fur meown behavour last nyte nayn!¡±
¡°Oh¡ª Ok¡ª Felice nayn. I¡¯ll... I¡¯ll get started¡ª Right away *meow*.¡±
Sweet! Thank-you Felice!!!! Finally, I was about to get some delicious food and sate my famished appetite!
However, even though Felice said this was ¡°on the house¡± I was slightly troubled that my life amounted to a mere 2/5th of a bronze Solara coin... What a depressing thought to entertain...
Thus, slightly saddened at my newfound realization of worth in this world, I slowly pulled a chair back from the bar counter and sat down while I waited for Yarn to cook up my beef bowl combo. Felice also took the opportunity to happily sit themselves beside me. I could see they were staring at me with their piercing green eyes as they cradled their face between their hands with elbows on the table. Their tail was also excitedly wagging around in the air, with a matching blue ribbon acting as a flag blowing in the wind.
This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
Making the most of the opportunity, I decided to speak to them a little bit in detail about what I should do next.
¡°So, Felice. What would you recommend I do? I was thinking of registering at an adventurer¡¯s guild to train and get stronger. Is that something I could do here?¡±
Felice paused while staring at me, thinking about how best to respond. Then, snapping their fingers, an empty, dark void appeared beside their hand as they pulled out an envelop stamped with a red, waxy seal in the shape of a cat¡¯s paw.
¡°Kotato nayn, while you can register as an adventurer with this branch meown, it is meow recommendation you do so in the City of Solara. That is a meowch better place for humeowns nayn, and it¡¯s where you belong meown.¡±
A small tear formed in the corner of their eye as they slid the sealed envelope towards me. They also included a stamped piece of parchment labelled ¡°Rank F(-) ---URGENT--- Goblin Subjugation in Eldermyst forest¡±.
¡°This is meow recommendation nayn. With this, meow should be able to easily enter the royal palace and meet with King Solar nayn. Also, I¡¯ve marked the goblin subjugation request as complete for you meown. Mew can turn this in at Solara¡¯s City branch for a better reward nayn. I can only offer 3 silver Solara here, while the city branch offers 10 meown.¡±
I see, so apparently even though I could register here, it would be best if I did so at the main city¡¯s hub. It also seemed they kept their promise about that introduction letter of sorts. Seemingly out of options, I guess my next course of action was to head to the royal capital after breakfast.
¡°Thank you, Felice. I really appreciate you placing your trust in me. I¡¯ll make sure to do my best and come back to visit this branch, I promise!¡±
¡°Thanks Kotato nayn, it means ameowt to me!¡±
¡°Likewise, Felice! Also, please feel free to simply call me Ko. I much prefer that when I¡¯m talking with my friends!
¡°Friends, meown? Even though I¡ª¡±
¡°Yes, Felice, even after what happened last night, I still consider you a friend.¡±
Excitement and tears grew all across their face as they leapt onto me again for a giant Felice style hug! Through some sniffling noises, they happily replied to my comment:
¡°Yeah!!!! We¡¯re friends Kotato¡ª I mean, Ko Nayn!!! I¡¯m so happy you consider Felice a friend meown!!!!!!¡±
I mean, how could I not consider a cute, powerful magic caster cat maid a friend! Even if they did try to kill me last night, having someone like Felice on my side was more than enough to make me feel a little at ease in this world! While I couldn¡¯t imagine they would be traveling with me, they were more than proficient based on their capabilities and position in the adventurer¡¯s guild! A truly, powerful ally!
¡°Haha, yes, I¡¯m glad to have you as a friend Felice!¡±
Eventually, Felice let me go from their grasps again and started to prance away from the counter.
¡°Ok Ko nayn! Thank a bunch for chatting with meow this morning! I¡¯ve got some admeowistrative stuff to finish, so I¡¯ll leave you ameown for meow.
Oh! Don¡¯t forget meown! To reach the City of Solara meown, just follow the dirt road outside the tavern towards the mountains nayn! It¡¯s about a 2 hour walk meow!¡±
¡°Thanks Felice! I¡¯ll be sure to head that way after my breakfast!¡±
It wasn¡¯t long after Felice left me at the bar counter, when I could smell the succulent aroma of freshly seared beef covered in a teriyaki-like sauce heading my direction!
Coming out from what I could only assume was the kitchen, was Yarn, holding a giant bowl of beef and rice! Slowly, she approached where I was sitting and placed the bowl before me. Next, she lay out a set of chopstick-like utensils for me to utilize.
¡°Her¡ª Here you go Kotato nayn! One fresh beef bowl and egg combo nayn!¡±
Ahhh!!! It looked absolutely amazing!!! The dish Yarn placed before me looked exactly like a Bibimbap bowl from Earth!!! The beef was beautifully marinated in a delicious smelling sauce, while expertly garnished with an accompanying array of saut¨¦ed vegetables and eggs! Well, at least I could only assume they were vegetables! While they looked a little funny, I could only imagine the flavour combination would be divine!!!
Eager to begin devouring my first meal after what felt like an eternity, I quickly grabbed the chopsticks and began sampling each item individually. The beef juices exploded and burst with flavour in my mouth as my teeth ravenously assaulted the meat¡¯s buttery texture! My taste buds were overcome with an incredible barrage of flavour I never knew could exist in a dish! The sauce and melted fat, swirled and combined into a beautiful harmony of other worldly flavour inside my mouth! Next, the ¡°vegetables¡± provided a crunch reprieve from the beef¡¯s soft, delicate texture. Faint, bitter tones were present as I chewed the foreign vegetables into a mushy pulp. Finally, tasting the egg, I was blown away at the incredible creamy texture, as the perfectly cooked yolk oozed out, covering the rice bowl in the process.
I could feel a grin much too large for my face began to settle itself all along my mug. This meal, was something to be worshiped in a shrine!!!! Nowhere in all my years, had I ever experienced such a divine harmony of flavour and satisfaction!!! Excited at the best tasting meal I¡¯ve ever consumed, I eagerly began mashing all of the bowl¡¯s contents together with my chopsticks to combine all of the magical flavours!! Then, I gave my upmost compliments to the chef.
¡°Yarn!!! This beef bowl is absolutely incredible!!! I¡¯ve had plenty of dishes, but nothing as amazing as this!!! You¡¯re a very talented cook and I¡¯m super happy you made this meal for me!!!¡±
Shocked at my enthusiasm, Yarn jumped back a little bit from my praise. I could also see she was blushing slightly at the cheeks from my comments. Then, she responded in her usual quiet voice.
¡°Tha¡ª Thank you Kotato nayn! I¡¯m... I¡¯m glad you liked it!¡±
Not wasting another moment, I greedily began stuffing my face with the heavenly bowl of meat and egg. Rice and specs of food, danced and flew throughout the air, as I raced to devour the contents of the bowl as fast as possible!
Finished, and, incredibly satisfied, I let out a huge sigh while placing my hands around my now expanded belly! Then, I decided to ask Yarn some questions while my body happily began digesting it¡¯s meal.
¡°So, Yarn, can you tell me a little bit about the Paws and Beans tavern? I¡¯m new to the area and would appreciate any extra information you could offer.¡±
Still acting rather shy, the adorable cat maid eventually managed to respond to my question.
¡°Umm¡ª Well there is¡ª Isn¡¯t much I cou... Could tell you about *meow*. I¡¯m¡ª I¡¯m sorry Kotato nayn. I¡¯m slow at ta... Talking and¡ª Nervous meown!¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry Yarn. If you don¡¯t want to talk to me, that¡¯s fine as well. I¡¯m also not bothered if you¡¯re slow in responding to me. In fact, I¡¯m happy even if you say just a little bit.¡±
¡°Re¡ª Really nayn? You.... You¡¯re not annoyed at meow?¡±
¡°Why would I be annoyed at someone like you Yarn? I think you¡¯re an amazing person!¡±
Gaining a little more confidence in themself, I saw Yarn slowly lower their tightly clutched dress to relax a little bit. Then, a small smile started to grow across their face as they for the first time, looked into my eyes.
¡°Kotato thinks... Yarn is an... Ameowsing person nayn?¡±
¡°Yes, yes I do Yarn! I do think you¡¯re an amazing person! Also, please feel fee to just call me Ko, I much prefer that while talking.¡±
With a new found aura of confidence, Yarn beamed with excitement all across her face! Their ears perked up, finally leaving their usual pinned back position, while their tail began to vigorously flick around in excitement! Then, they spoke to me in a happy, upbeat tone similar to their sister Felice!
¡°Yeah! Alright Ko nayn! Yarn will do their best to continue showing you they¡¯re ameowsing nayn!¡±
Awesome! I was truly happy they had managed to find the confidence in themselves to communicate with me!
¡°Perfect Yarn! So, what are some of the things you do here at the Paws and Beans Tavern?¡±
¡°Well, I¡¯m the head chef and armor repair expert meow! Felice says I¡¯m really good, but I still have lots to learn about nayn! I also do meowst of the cleaning and finances meow!¡±
¡°Cool! Sounds like you are kept pretty busy around here! This is only my first day at the tavern, but the place looks absolutely packed! Is it always this busy?¡±
¡°Yes Ko nayn! The Paws and Beans tavern is the best place for beastkin and demi-humans in the Kingdom of Solara nayn! A lot of the humans are horrible and mean towards us. They are all oppressive and keep us as slaves in the cit¡ª¡±
Yarn¡¯s happy expression turned into sadness as they realized they were talking to me, who happened to be a human. Their ears pinned back again, probably thinking they had hurt my feelings or something. So, I did my best to remedy the situation.
¡°It¡¯s ok Yarn, I¡¯m not from around the Kingdom of Solara, I¡ª I come from a land very far away from here, so I¡¯m unaware of how the humans in this kingdom treat everyone.¡±
¡°Oh, ok Ko. Yes, a lot of the humans in Solara are very cruel to us. That¡¯s why Felice created the Paws and Beans tavern to function as a safe haven for us meow!¡±
Hmmm, that makes sense. I was glad Yarn was able to give me a bit more context about the social circumstances in the kingdom. Apparently, slavery was possible in the world, and the beastkin and demi-humans were often forced into these roles by the humans. I guess no matter where you went, even if it was a completely different world, humans still had evil inside them. Earth also went through a period where slavery was common, but eventually evolved socially to overcome such cruel acts. Thinking about it, the concept of slavery also came up frequently in the numerous isekai shows available.
Coming back to our conversation, I figured it would be best to change the topic to something else.
¡°That¡¯s interesting Yarn! Your sister Felice must be an amazing person to do all of this to help the demi-humans and beastkin out!¡±
Yarn looked at me in confusion at the mention of their sister¡¯s name. They cutely tilted their head trying to understand what I meant, then softly responded.
¡°My sister? Felice?¡±
¡°Ya, she said you''re sisters, right?¡±
¡°Ummm... Felice is my... Ummm¡ª Yes, Felice is my¡ª Family meow!¡±
Weird, maybe there was something deeper about their relationship I was unaware of? Regardless, maybe I should talk about them another time once I knew them better.
¡°Ok, don¡¯t worry about it Yarn. Oh! That reminds me! Have you talked with a fox beastkin named Inari? I think she¡¯s staying at the tavern and studying magic under Felice.¡±
Once again with a happy expression, Yarn cheerfully replied to me at the mention of Inari¡¯s name.
¡°Yes! I love Inari nayn! She is a super amazing person meow! Felice is teaching them magics while they stay here in Solara! She¡ª Inari nayn really likes the fried tofu dish I make for her! It makes me really happy to see her smiling each time she orders it nayn!¡±
¡°Nice! Sounds like I¡¯ll have to order the fried tofu next time I¡¯m here Yarn! I know it¡¯s a long shot, but do you happen to know if she¡¯s here still? I never had a chance to say goodbye to her properly and I¡¯m just about to head into the city.¡±
¡°Well, I do nayn, but she¡¯s going to be very busy today! Felice was super mad at Inari nayn and gave them 20 herb gathering requests to be completed by end of day meow! So she left really early this morning to get started meow. I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll be back until very late nayn.¡±
¡°Hmmm, well, that¡¯s a shame. Yarn, could you do a favour for me? The next time you see Inari, could you tell her ¡°Thank you for all the help yesterday¡± from me? I would really appreciate it!¡±
Yarn fidgeted with their fingers. I imagined them contemplating the idea. Then, they responded with an energetic voice.
¡°Yes! I¡¯ll do my best Ko nayn!¡±
¡°Awesome! Thank you Yarn!
Oh, speaking of which, I should probably get going now, I have a nice long walk to look forward to. Thanks again for the amazing meal and chatting with me!¡±
Yarn simply smiled at me. Then, I noticed her cheeks start to gradually turn a vibrant, rosy red colour. Then, she hastily covered her face while squeaking.
¡°Yes! Uhh¡ª I... I have to¡ª Bye Ko nayn!!¡±
Without a moment¡¯s pause, Yarn swiftly vanished from my sights, retreating back into the kitchen behind the open doorway. Seriously, what was she so embarrassed about?
Anyways, figuring I should get going, I jumped to my feet and headed towards the entranceway to begin my adventure. While I was disappointed I couldn¡¯t personally say goodbye to Inari and thank them for all their help, I also had goals to accomplish.
With new found confidence, and a satiated appetite, I left the tavern to gather my bearings. In the distance, I could see the mountain range from yesterday, along with a dirt path leading towards the city. At the fork in the road, was a weather-worn sign post. Looking at one of the arrows, pointing towards the mountain range, it read ¡°Kingdom of Solara¡±.
And so, with envelope in hand, I started my long journey towards the kingdom, hoping I could finally get some answers about why I was summoned to the world, of Terra.
Chapter 22 – Talons of Terror
While I was walking down the roughly trampled pathway towards the city, I was left with ample time to ponder my thoughts. Going over some of my recent observations, I was still left with some questions:
1) Why was I summoned here?
2) If Absolute Appraisal could reveal everything, what exactly was hiding my information? Was it a god?
3) Were there even gods in this world? If there were, did they interfere with the affairs of mortals?
4) Why is there a smartphone assistance¡¯s voice talking in my head providing helpful information sometimes?
Well, those were some of the recent, more important thoughts at the moment. I¡¯m also sure there were many other abnormalities I was neglecting, such as my ominous ¡°hidden title¡±, or whatever the heck this ¡°World Serpent¡± was that I was apparently an apostle of.
Continuing to walk down the pathway in my ripped clothing, I was calmly resting my chin on my hand as I pondered all of the things that had happened to me. I was somehow able to use magic, wield a sword, and everything around me was almost like I was inside a video game. Perhaps, it was more appropriate to say I could think of this world as an RPG?
But how did combat work? Sure, I had a status screen, but what was the raw effect of those numbers in an encounter? Would something with strength 10 be considered average? What about the relativeness of these numbers? If 10 was average, was 100 a professional weight lifter?
Too many questions, and not enough data to draw any conclusion. Maybe there was some way for me to experiment myself to find these answers? Or, better yet, perhaps this information was already well known in this world, and I just had to ask some scholars or heck, even a common towns folk somewhere.
Eventually, as lady luck would have it, my ears picked up the sound of swords and magic clashing up ahead. Unfortunately for me, it looked like there was a fierce battle going on ahead, and I was inadvertently walking towards them on my pathway to the city!
*Sigh*
¡°Nothing¡¯s every easy, is it?¡±
I mumbled to myself. Well, guess I better go check what¡¯s happening. If I¡¯m suppose to be a hero, then a hero would probably want to save people in danger... No?
Picking up my pace, I broke into a slow sprint to reach the top of the hill. Once there, my eyes began to take in the scenery of a fierce battle for survival! Up ahead, was roughly a group of 10 people, standing around some carriages transporting cargo and passengers. Civilians were huddling together inside the carts while guards formed a circle around the vulnerable to protect them for their assailant. But what was their attacker? Well, it was a magnificent beast covered in brilliant white and brown plumes, spouting a vicious beak and claws as it soared through the air. While this creature didn¡¯t exist on Earth, it was all too common in many a fantasy setting. Based on my acute observations, the mysterious attacker was none other than the common symbol you often saw on medieval coat of arms:
A Griffin.
Flying through the air at incredible speeds while emitting a piercing shriek at it¡¯s targets below, the griffin appeared to be enthralled with inflicting as much harm as possible to the unfortunate caravan. Assessing the scene, it already appeared there were several casualties amongst the guardsman. Wanting to make a difference, I leapt into action hoping to make some kind of impact on their survival odds.
*SHREEEK!!!*
A hailstorm of razor-sharp feathers launched themselves towards the caravan in a deadly bullet storm from hell!
Shit! I wasn¡¯t going to make it in time!!! Come on Ko! Do that cool looking dash thing again! Focusing, I pictured the same steps from earlier. Rich, oxygen flowing through my veins, pouring into each and every part of my muscles. I imagined taking up the starting pose for sprinting in a race, and then...
¡°Dash!¡±
...
Nothing happened? What the heck! I did everything the same as last time, so why didn¡¯t I dash forward at incredible speeds?!?!? I¡¯m not able to do anything at this rate! Fuck!!
Helpless, I could only watch as I saw a few of the guardsmen placed their shields up to protect some of the passengers
But it was in vain.
Sharp, shrapnel like feathers eviscerated most of the guardsman leaving behind what I could only describe as a Swiss cheese¡¯s version of human meat. Four of the guards collapsed into pieces, while most of those behind them managed to survive the attack but were heavily injured, some even had bits of raw bone exposed on their bodies. Fortunately, the civilians appeared to be mostly unharmed thanks to the ¡°Swiss cheese¡¯s¡± brave sacrifice.
¡°Damnit!!¡± I yelled in anger. Why didn¡¯t my magic work?!?!
Angry at myself for not doing better, I finally reached the scene and shouted at the still standing guards.
¡°Hey, I¡¯m an adventurer and I¡¯m here to help! Do your best to protect the passengers while I deal with the griffin!¡±
¡°Where the heck did you come from lad? You look horrible yourself! There¡¯s no way you can kill a griffin single handedly! Are you mad!?!?!¡±
¡°No, I¡¯m not mad, but I am crazy!¡±
Pfft, ya, crazy was right alright. Not only had I jumped into this battle recklessly, but I had no actual idea knowing how powerful a griffin actually was! Come to think of it. If I was level 1, shouldn¡¯t I be fighting goblins or slimes or something? Not GRIFFINS!
...
Well, it¡¯s too late to run away now, I already committed to the looking cool and heroic part for being a hero and all, guess I¡¯ll just have to see this through!
Lifting my head to look towards the sky, the griffin was circling in the air planning it¡¯s next attack. While it had noticed my presence, it didn¡¯t seem too concerned at the extra ¡°prey¡± entering its crosshairs. Finally, recharged and ready to launch another barrage of feathers, the beast swooped down, descending with the twin suns behind it, making it difficult to see the upcoming attack. Tch, I had to give it some credit. It was pretty smart that way, efficiently utilizing the blinding rays of light to conceal its barrage direction. These were the actions of a skilled predator.
However, I had a plan ready for the pending feather storm. All I needed, was a little luck that my idea would actually work!
*SHREEEK!!!!!*
The signal for the griffin¡¯s attack! Following the deafening screech, hundreds of feathers began to swirl around in a violent tornado. The tips of the quills rotated and aimed themselves towards the remaining guardsman and myself. Then, in a violent outburst, shot forth with great velocity! Now, it was time to activate the spell I had been preparing.
In my head, I envisioned that same, floating barrier spell Inari used to protect me from the flying dagger. I imagined the griffin¡¯s feathers as an army of hundreds of daggers flying straight towards me! Then, I pictured myself, surrounded by a thin, but sturdy barrier made from flexible plastic. While I doubted plastic existed in the world based on their technological progress, the foreign material was perfect for what I wanted to accomplish!
Using both of my hands, I began melding and stretching this imaginary substance, I pictured it materializing several meters in front of me, creating a solid, dome of plastic! Then, I added two additional barriers behind each other to form a multilayered shell of protection. I wouldn¡¯t let a single griffin feather penetrate this object! Finally, with mana gathered and my objective clear, I shouted loud enough to rupture my vocal cords materializing the spell into reality!
¡°MULTI-BARRIER!¡±
*Schroon* *Schreen*
An explosion of light erupted from my body as three, translucent barriers of energy encased everyone around me in a protective dome barrier!
*Tehtehtehtehteh* *Crackle* *Tehtehtehtehteh*
Impact! All of the piercing feathers had been intercepted by the barrier spell! In my peripheral vision, I could see what appeared to be ¡°Health bars¡± for each barrier I produced. Barrier 1 had been completely destroyed by the feather barrage, while barrier 2 was at roughly half health for durability. Suspended in the air above us, was each individual feather, seemingly impaled into nothingness.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
*KAW!*
Furious that it¡¯s attack was rendered useless, the griffin continued charging towards us at unimaginable speeds! I was struggling to accurately predict it¡¯s pathway due to it being obscured by a layer of floating feathers and piercing sun rays! However, I didn¡¯t need to concern myself for much longer, because before I could realize it...
*CRASH!*
The griffin had collided into my barriers and was menacingly clawing at them in a deadly frenzy of talons!
Shit! Flashing ¡°Warning!¡± signs began blinking around barrier 2¡¯s durability! The bar was rapidly decreasing as the griffin continuously smashed it with it¡¯s claws. I had to come up with a solution quickly, or we were all going to be in imminent danger again! I scoured my brain for any thoughts or ideas at salvation.
*Shatter*
Barrier 2 was finally depleted, producing a loud, glass shattering like noise as it exploded into translucent particles of light!
¡°WE¡¯RE ALL GOING TO DIE!!!!¡±
One of the guards beside me screamed out in terror! He had lost all hope and was clutching his face in horror while he shrieked about our impending doom!
I closed my eyes. I wasn¡¯t going to let these people, or myself die at the talons of this griffin. No one else needed to suffer! Concentrating, I tried to imagine the life-force inside the griffin¡¯s body. Inari had told me that each being had unique mana signatures, and that you could identify the flow of energy inside each organism if you focused on the flow of mana.
Tuning out sound, and the world all together, I tried my best to focus only on the magic surrounding us. Everything was jumbled, but eventually, my brain started to make sense of this new source of information. All around me, I felt the presence of humans. Their aura was filled with emotions of fear and terror as their mental state poured out into the world. The images looked hazy, purply, and terrified. Next, my mind noticed an overpowering and oppressive aura radiating red fog above me. Focusing on the feeling, my body began to recognize this entity as the griffin assaulting us! Geez, if this was what the world looked like through magic signatures, it was very foreign and frightening!
Staring into the red, hazy fog, I began to see a solid, spherical core of dense energy. Light bended and twisted as it rotated around the object in question.
¡°Yesssss! Let usssss, feassst on itssss power!!!!¡±
What the heck? Why am I hearing a voi¡ª
¡°Hehehe! Youuuu know who weeeee areeeee Ko!!! Let us feasssst! Let us feassst! Feed ussss, feed us blood! More bloooooood!!!¡±
I felt sick to my stomach as my mind was filled with words and thoughts I couldn¡¯t comprehend. I looked down towards the shield and sword attached to my left arm. The serpents adorning the metallic disk appeared to be slithering and flicking their tongues my direction, coercing their twisted thoughts into my mind.
¡°Youuuu¡¯veee already used usssss beforeeee Ko.... Let our fangsssss strike again!!! Use ussss!! USE USSSSS NOW!!!¡±
My body began to move on its on again, I felt like I had lost all control over my limbs. My right eye socket began burning, almost as if a raging fire had ignited itself inside my iris!!! Then, without realizing it, I began my attack on the griffin.
While the beast was still ¡°mid-slash¡± with one of it¡¯s talon strikes, I dispelled the final barrier, throwing the creature off balance as it¡¯s claws collided with the now empty air, instead of some magical resistance. The griffin¡¯s body twisted as it violently swung it¡¯s talon into nothing, rotating it around to expose it¡¯s powerful, back wings. Then, without hesitation, I leapt towards the surprised griffin and stabbed the serpent¡¯s blade through the gap between the bird¡¯s left shoulder blade. Flesh and feathers teared and parted as the sickening blade pierced straight into the ribcage housing it¡¯s core of power.
It''s heart.
*SHREEEE!*
With one final death bellow, the strength inside the magnificent beast¡¯s body waned as it eventually went limp, collapsing onto the dusty, bloody soil below. I could feel the stares of everyone looking at me in shock and horror, at what they had just witnessed. Next, control gradually started to come back to my body, and the burning sensation behind my eyeball began to ease. Remembering back to my encounter with the bandits, I decided to keep my blade lodged inside the griffin¡¯s corpse so it could devour the heart without horrifying the audience further.
Everyone continued to stare at me in silence, the lack of noise was starting to get uncomfortable. The only sound I could hear, was the noise of wind rustling against the tree canopy as it danced around in the air, oblivious to the deadly ballet from moments ago. Then, to clear the atmosphere of tension, one of the guardsmen finally mustered the courage to speak to me.
¡°You... You killed it! You actually killed the griffin!!! You¡¯re amazing adventurer!!!! You saved us all!!!¡±
¡°Yeah! I can¡¯t believe you did it kid! I¡¯ve never seen a human cast a barrier spell like that, or move as swiftly as you have before! You must be an incredibly powerful and skilled adventurer!! Thank the gods you arrived in time!¡±
I was at a loss for words! Somehow, I had managed to save most of the people who had come under attack from the wild griffin! While I was exceptionally pleased with the outcome, I was also very concerned about losing control over my body during the encounter. I had the realization that immense power was mine, but held zero control over it. Extrapolating from this, I began thinking... Would I... Would I actually be the destroyer of this world??? Eventually, I managed to articulate some words to respond to the celebrating guardsmen.
¡°Yes. It was a tough battle, but the beast is dead now. I¡¯m just sorry I couldn¡¯t arrive sooner to save everyone.¡±
Looking back at me, an older, rougher looking gentlemen in military uniform responded.
¡°Kid, this is part of the risk the royal guard is prepared for. We all understand that some of us might not survive during our duties and acknowledge this burden. Regardless, I appreciate your help, for I fear none of us would have survived if you didn¡¯t arrive when you did.¡±
Standing at full attention, the soldier saluted me with pride as he formally introduced himself to me.
¡°Reginald Smith, Captain of the 3rd Reserve Regiment of the Royal Army of Solara. On behalf of my men, I thank you for your brave action¡¯s adventurer.¡±
Well, I couldn¡¯t quite say how I was to respond in this situation. I had next to no knowledge about how to interact with military personal properly, so I figured I would try one of those standard lines I heard from many movies back on Earth.
¡°At ease soldier! I was just heading towards the city and happened to come across your troop in a time of need. Any adventurer would have done the same.¡±
Reginald lowered his salute the spoke towards me with command.
¡°Appreciated. But still, to defeat a griffin by yourself, we truly are lucky to have had you intervene.¡±
Hmmm, based on the captain¡¯s words, it sounded like a griffin is considered to be quite powerful! Come to think of it, I had absolutely no way of knowing the relative strength of monsters in this world. Hopefully my actions didn¡¯t stand out too much. Thinking about the situation, Reginald said this was a reserve unit of the royal army. Based on that information, I assumed that only skilled individuals would be permitted to join its ranks. While there was roughly 10 of them in total, they were all struggling to deal with the griffin before I arrived. Figuring out how I wanted to proceed in the conversation, I responded to the captain.
¡°Thank you, captain, I appreciate your gratitude. If you don¡¯t mind me asking, what was your unit doing out here?¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry, but that information is classified.¡±
¡°It¡¯s alright Reginald, we would have all been dead had this mighty adventurer not assisted your unit. While I am normally one for formalities, there is a time and place for everything.¡±
Emerging from inside one of the caravans, was a well distinguished gentleman spouting well kept grey hair and accompanying moustache. Resting on his right eye, was a black rimmed monocle, which matched his esteemed suit and attire. One look at this individual was enough to give the impression of elegance and nobility. His shirt was of a similar make to my tattered and ripped clothing, except free of imperfections. There were also excessive, frillier-like designs at the cuffs and seams. The style was very reminiscent to clothing from the late 1700s on Earth.
Then, with a slight bow, along with his right hand crossed over his chest, the man introduced himself.
¡°The name¡¯s Maximillion Hawthorn, Duke, and head of the Hawthorn estate in the Kingdome of Solara. If I may ask, I would humbly request to learn the name of my house¡¯s benefactor.¡±
A duke??? While my understanding of royalty and their ranking system was rather limited. I vaguely remember the title of ¡°Duke¡± being way up there in importance in the social hierarchy! How the heck was I suppose to respond to this?!?? Quick Ko! Think of something fancy and formal to say in this situation!!!
Eventually, I decided on how I would respond to the duke. Bowing, I did my best to mimic a formal introduction.
¡°Why of course your grace, I am the humble Kotato Yamata, a wandering adventurer seeking to make a name for myself in the kingdom.¡±
¡°Splendid! Sir. Kotato, my house is in your debt for your brave actions performed this day. I was returning from my trip to the neighbouring Kingdom of Colosseum and had requested the royal army escort my carriage once I reached the border. We had almost made it to the city when a wild griffin attacked my entourage.¡±
¡°I see, I am most pleased I was able to assist you, Duke Hawthorn.¡±
The duke smiled at me. Hopefully I had managed to do an alright job at respecting his position in the kingdom! Then, he spoke to me with grace and command.
¡°Now, Sir. Kotato, I would like to make a request to you. I humbly request to hire you as an additional escort so that we may safely reach the City of Solara.¡±
Escorting them to the city? The prospect wasn¡¯t completely unreasonable. Actually, now that I think about it, I needed to go to the City of Solara anyways. This was more than an ideal opportunity to help me with my quest to speak with the king! If I agreed to help this Duke Hawthorn out, there was a good chance I could gain entry to the royal palace more efficiently! After all, I did only have a simple letter with me, and I couldn¡¯t imagine any ordinary person could just waltz right up into the royal castle or something! So, I figured accepting would be in my best interest, but I also used the opportunity to make my motives clear.
¡°Of course, your grace, I would be more than happy to offer my services in escorting you to the royal capital. As a matter of fact, I also have some important business in the city where I am tasked with delivering this letter.¡±
Having said my reply, I reached into my pocket to take out a now, ¡°slightly¡± crumpled envelope stamped with a red, cat¡¯s paw wax seal. Then, I showed the envelope to the duke.
The man gently took the envelope from my hand and readjusted his monocle as he examined who the letter was addressed to. Then, with a light laugh, he let me know his response.
¡°Haha, well Sir. Kotato, it does seem fate is a funny thing. If I am to believe this letter, you are to meet directly with the king as a request from one of the Adventurer Guild Heads? Truly, you must be an exceptional individual to receive such an order, and from one of the founding guild members no less! Curious indeed... I would be more than happy to arrange your entry to the palace under my name so you may deliver this letter directly to King Solar yourself.¡±
While I was happy with the duke¡¯s reply, I was now left with even more questions. Seriously!??! How important WAS that adorable cat maid?!?!? Felice?!?! A founding guild member??!? What kind of influence did they have in this world?!?!?!
My head began to spin at the realization I had apparently been meeting a bunch of very important people in this world! Eventually, I calmed myself and joined Duke Hawthorn in his carriage once the guardsmen had finished making their repairs and calming the horses. Then, after collecting the dead and wounded for makeshift transportation, we resumed our journey towards the city proper.
Chapter 23 – The City of Solara
It wasn¡¯t much longer after we boarded the carriage that I could start to see the magnificent skyline of a true medieval fantasy castle and city come into view. Staged in front of a massive, natural mountain range, and surrounded by imposing stone walls, was the City of Solara. As our chariot continued to approach the settlement, the rough, dirt path gradually become a nice cobble stone passageway. Horse¡¯s hooves changed from their boring ¡°stomping noise¡± to a more comforting ¡°clopping¡± as each stride rang out in rhythmic harmony.
Along the way, I passed the time by continuing to converse with the duke about the kingdom and his responsibilities within. From our conversations, I learned that his house was one of the three major powers within Solara. Roughly speaking, the Hawthorn, Merchantis, and Deceivis households held similar influence within the kingdom. Hawthorn was responsible for most diplomatic relationships to the south, while Merchantis was the primary economic powerhouse specialized in all matters of trade. Finally, the Deceivis faction were the diplomats for the northern influence of the kingdom where they boarded the holy kingdom of Valoria. However, the Deceivis faction was under suspicion of treason due to the recent deterioration of Solara¡¯s relationship with Valoria. Of interesting note to this, was the Valoria nation¡¯s well-known use of griffins in battle. Considering we had been recently attacked by a griffin, Duke Hawthorn was all the more eager to report these findings to the king as additional evidence towards the Deceivis family.
Looking out the windows, I was able to see the new section of the city, currently under construction. Heavy, marble slabs were being dragged and hoisted in the air to continue expanding the cities parameter. Remembering Yarn¡¯s comment regarding how beastkin were treated in this kingdom, I noticed that all of the ¡°workers¡± moving the massive slabs, were none other than beastkin. Many appeared to be malnourished and working under fear of a nearby taskmaster.
Eventually, we approached one of the many, massive stone gates to enter the City of Solara. All outside the entranceway, spanned a line hundreds of people long! I started to get worried at the thought entering the kingdom was going to take all day as the guards scanned and vetted each visitor to the kingdom! However, instead of approaching the gate straight ahead, the carriage made a detour over to the right-hand side, continuing around the wall¡¯s perimeter.
¡°Don¡¯t you worry Sir. Kotato, us nobles have a separate, less crowded entrance to the city. The same can be said for the many merchants that visit the kingdom to peddle their wares. All for the sake of efficiency in dealing with our important affairs. While you aren¡¯t an official noble, you may enter on my permission and goodwill.¡±
¡°Thank you, Duke Hawthorn, I appreciate your generosity.¡±
Interesting. I guess the idea of separate entrances for verified or known individuals made sense. I decided to compare it to how a keycard access worked for people entering a secure building from my world.
Next thing I knew, the carriage had gradually come to a rolling stop as we approached the entranceway for the nobility. While the gate didn¡¯t appear much different, there were noticeably more guards present, along with several pennants hanging off of the stone walls. I could only assume they were the coat of arms for the various noble houses within. After a minute¡¯s pause, a guard approached and opened the carriage door to greet the passengers.
¡°Duke Hawthorn! Captain Reginald just finished relaying the events of the deadly griffin attack! I¡¯ve already dispatched a messenger to the royal palace to report your arrival. Please, enter straight away so our healing experts can assess you for any injuries!¡±
¡°That won¡¯t be necessary commander, I was valiantly protected by this honourable adventurer here. He single-handedly dispatched the beast while keeping my person safe. As a matter of fact, I would much prefer we head straight to the king himself, as he also bares an important message of utmost urgency for his majesty.¡±
¡°Right away your grace, please proceed to the palace. Lux tua luceat superbia!¡±
¡°Lux tua luceat superbia.¡±
While the exchange happened rather quickly and required no involvement on my part, I was interested when my ears picked up the phrase they said to one another. Since arriving here and undergoing the initial ¡°assimilation¡± process, my mind was able to make sense of the languages spoken by the residents, kind of like a handy internal, real-time translator! I simply needed to speak to someone, and my words were converted to the appropriate language, or listen, and I could comprehend their sentences. While it was a very useful feature, and often utilized as an explanation in many isekai series, sometimes with plot relevance; that spoken phrase was never translated properly in my ears.
Lux tua luceat superbia? Though I was no linguist, audibly, those words sounded very similar to the old Latin language from Earth. Examining the phrase, I remembered that Lux was the Latin word for light, and I vaguely recall superbia meaning pride? So, something about Light and Pride? Maybe this auto translation feature wasn¡¯t perfect, or perhaps there were rules I was unaware of? Brushing this aside, I decided I would ask the duke about this phrase later.
Urgently, the carriage began moving again, this time towards the towering palace in the northern section of the city. As the horses blasted through the streets, I continued looking out the windows to see the various citizens going about their busy days. Apparel wise, everyone appeared to be sporting fashion from the 1700¡¯s! Fancy, frilly shirts and coats for men, while the women donned fancy corsets with large bottom dresses. Well, I¡¯m sure they had a proper name, but regardless, the style was clearly recognizable. Actually, maybe this was how all of the nobles dressed in the city since we entered from their special gateway? Perhaps common citizens wore more plain clothes? Regardless, I figured I would need to update my attire at some point to better blend in with the city¡¯s inhabitants.
Finally, after another short carriage ride, we stopped just outside some impressive gateways leading to the Royal Palace. Guardsmen quickly waved us in, seemingly having already been informed by the dispatched messenger. I felt a tingling sensation course throughout my body. The feeling was oddly familiar and comparable to ¡°goosebumps¡±. I swear I¡¯d felt something like this before? Almost like a d¨¦j¨¤ vu? Once inside, the carriage attendant skillfully drove us to the lengthy, stone entranceway so we could enter the palace proper.
¡°Sir. Kotato, please follow me, while I cannot guarantee we will meet with the king right away, I will do my best on behalf of the Hawthorn name.¡±
¡°Much appreciated your grace!¡±
Following closely behind, the duke and I ascended the extravagant entranceway. Massive, stone columns lined the pathway, each of which covered in a fancy array of cloth and metals. Pennants and banners were also affixed to the pillars as we got closer to the massive, metal doors. I imagined that the banners represented the various noble houses, and that the larger ones closer to the entrance was a way to symbolise their importance or status in the kingdom.
At the doorway, two fancy looking guardsman with brilliant golden plated armor, opened the gargantuan metal gates to the castle¡¯s interior. Once inside the palace, I was completely blown away at the incredible environment!
Directly in front of me, was a massive foyer with a wide staircase leading to the 2nd floor. The floors were a well polished stone covered in luxurious carpets serving as the ¡°roadways¡± for palace attendants and visitors to walk across. Directly above me, was a brilliant, crystal chandelier roughly the size of a tree! While the ornament was clearly a work of art, its size was dwarfed by the sheer magnitude of the entranceway¡¯s height and size!!! Completely awestruck, I continued following behind Duke Hawthorn who led me to another esteemed looking individual. Then, the duke motioned for me to stay put while he stepped ahead to talk to the man.
With a bow, the duke began speaking to the gentleman and briefly summarized our situation. The individual was of a taller build dressed in a very modern looking business suit and attire, much different from the assumed nobles I noticed earlier. His suit and dress pants were a matching purple with thin gold threads all throughout. His hair was a solid brown colour, and expertly styled back with an excessive amount of grease. For facial hair, he had a very well-kept full beard, something I was rather jealous of since I could never quite grow the style well myself!
Paying attention to their conversation, the individual appeared shocked to see the duke present and personally explaining the situation. I could see them shooting glances towards my direction as they were examining me. Well, I mean, I did look very out of place in this setting. My clothing was still quite battered, torn, and ripped in many places. I was in no way appropriately dressed to be speaking with nobles, regardless of the circumstances!
Eventually, the duke motioned for me to approach where he formally introduced me to the individual.
¡°And here, advisor Daemonium, is the brilliant and honourable Kotato Yamata I was talking about. If you would please, he has an urgent message that must be delivered to his majesty; personally. I trust you will be able to arrange such a meeting?¡±
In an elegant and arrogant voice, the man responded to the duke¡¯s request to grant me an audience with the king.
¡°Duke Hawthorn, as I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware, his majesty is very busy with state affairs lately and it would be impossible to grant such a request on short notice. Furthermore, at arrival, our attendants were unable to verify his status as an adventurer in our system records. Are you certain this person is who they claim they are?¡±
Crap! Somehow, without realizing it, the palace had already ¡°scanned me¡± and had difficulties viewing my status window! I could only imagine the shock of the poor attendant seeing a corrupted status file!!!
¡°Advisor, please, you have my word this individual is not a threat to the palace. Furthermore, please take the time to examine the letter they bare. That should serve more than enough as ample evidence to my statements.¡±
Taking the que, I took the envelope out from my pocket and handed it to the advisor. He seemed rather curious at the parchment and eagerly grabbed it from my hands to examine it in detail. He could be seen staring rather intently at the paw shaped stamp sealing the envelope.
¡°If you don¡¯t mind, Sir. Kotato, I will open the letter and read it¡¯s contents to verify the authenticity of the sender. Depending on the contents, I will then take the appropriate actions deemed necessary by the state. All information must first pass through me before reaching the king.¡±
Skillfully opening the letter, I watched as the man scanned and read the letters message. While I had no idea what Felice had written about me, I could only imagine the details within as I saw the advisor¡¯s face turn from an annoyed scowl, to one of jaw dropping shock! Then, coughing into his hands to compose himself, he spoke to the both of us.
¡°My apologies Duke Hawthorn, I will inform and get his majesty straight away. As an aside, did this messenger share the contents of this letter with you, perhaps?¡±
¡°No, Sir. Kotato made sure to keep the contents of the letter confidential. However, based on your reaction, I can only assume it is a matter of grave importance to cause you, the great Daemonium, to lose their composure!¡±
¡°Enough Duke Hawthorn. Now, as I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware, you will be required to make a formal report with our military commanders surrounding the griffin attack in addition to your report from visiting Colosseum.¡±
¡°Why of course, advisor Daemonium, I would never dare delay relaying such an important report to those in command. ¨C Sir. Kotato, best of luck with your meeting.¡±
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After a quick bow, Duke Hawthorn left me with the advisor as he proceeded down another set of hallways to deliver his report. Looking at the advisor, I could tell he was still quite shocked at my presence, and merely continued to stare and examine every part of my being. While I would have preferred the king to read the letter first, it did make sense for an advisor of sorts to filter and view information first, then deliver the messages in order of importance as needed. Once Duke Hawthorn had left ear shot range, the advisor began to speak to me.
¡°Sir Kotato, if I take the contents of this message to be true, I must humbly apologise on behalf of the kingdom. If you¡¯ll excuse me, I will fetch his majesty, King Solar right away so you may meet and speak with him.
Attendants, please bring this individual some refreshments. I will return shortly with his majesty.¡±
Then, breaking into a brisk run, the advisor rushed up the massive stairway, quickly reaching the 2nd floor, disappearing from my sight. Noticing the advisor¡¯s abrupt departure, palace attendants seemed to pick up on the urgency of the command and rushed to my care! Within minutes, I was surrounded by beautiful maids offering me water and cookies! Surprised, I was more concerned with how fast they produced the goods in question!
While it didn¡¯t take long, I imagined I was waiting for no more than 15minutes. During that time, I was able to sample several delicacies such as fine meats and delicious baked goods! I was also offered some alcoholic like beverage but declined the offer and instead downed everything with some refreshing water. While I was enjoying a rather pleasant cookie, the atmosphere suddenly changed to one filled with tension!
Standing at the top of the staircase, in a brilliant red and white robe, with accompanying golden, jeweled crown, was the king. Immediately, all of the attendants kneeled before him as he began descending the staircase towards my direction. I could see the advisor person was also with him, following closely behind. Not wanting to stand out much more, I also decided to kneel down as I waited for the king to approach me.
Kneeling, looking at the red, carpeted floor, I could only hear the king¡¯s footsteps as they grew closer and closer towards my direction. Finally, after arriving mere feet in front of me, the king spoke in a commanding and stern voice.
¡°Kotato, please rise so that we may speak.¡±
Not wanting to cause any problems, I obeyed the order without delay, rising to meet his majesty. Looking at the king, his face was old and grey, yet possessed youthful energy. While there were wrinkles etched into his face from age, his eyes bore a cold, piecing gaze of confidence. His hair was long and white, resting at shoulder length with an equally impressive beard to match. The king was the spitting image of royalty you would expect to find in any fantasy story! Then, he spoke to me again.
¡°Attendants, please leave us¡ª
Kotato, while I have some uncertainties about the authenticity of the letter¡¯s contents, I wish to clear all doubts of that here and now.¡±
The king paused, giving ample time for the attendants to leave the hallway, leaving only the advisor and myself, in the presence of the king.
¡°Kotato are you really, a summoned hero from another world?¡±
Excitement coursed through my body. After what felt like forever, I somehow, had finally managed to make it to the royal palace and inform the king that I was the summoned hero they attempted to bring to the kingdom! While it was a bit different from the start of many isekai stories, I was thrilled that I would finally be able to begin my epic quest to save the world! So, I happily responded to the king¡¯s question.
¡°Yes, your majesty! My name is Kotato Yamata, and I believe I am a summoned individual to the world of Terra! Yesterday, while the twin suns were at their peak, I fell from the sky, landing in the Eldermyst forest. Somehow surviving my fall, I managed to collect my bearings and attempted to find civilization. During my exploration, I was attacked by some bandits, but defeated them with the help of a beastkin. Then, after spending a night at the adventurer¡¯s branch outside the city, I was given the letter to personally deliver to your greatness explaining my circumstances.¡±
Looking at the king, I could see he was holding the same letter the advisor had taken from me. After reading through it¡¯s contents quickly, he cast his gaze towards my direction again. I felt a very cold, and uneasy feeling.
¡°I see, while I am surprised, the series of events does roughly line up with one of our attempts at summoning in the palace. Now, I take it the headmaster at that branch is the only other individual aware of your status as a summoned individual?¡±
Crap¡ª While I knew Felice was aware, I had also mentioned to Inari that I was from another world during my excitement! Based on my previous knowledge from isekai anime, summoning a hero was sometimes kept as a state secret during the initial few months. I quickly extrapolated that only the most trusted of individuals should be aware of my presence, making this national level classified information!
From my discussion last night, Felice had also taken great care to exclude Inari from our conversation and clearly stated she didn¡¯t want Inari involved in my affairs. On a scale of probabilities, I couldn¡¯t imagine Felice revealing Inari¡¯s involvement in the letter addressed to the king.
While I didn¡¯t want to do it, I decided lying to the king was for the best in this scenario. While I hated lying, I was also doing this out of concern for Inari¡¯s safety. Beastkin were commonly seen as slaves in the city and I didn¡¯t want to entertain the thought that my actions here might condemn Inari to slavery, or worse; execution for knowing a state secret. So, in the most confident voice I could muster, I gave my reply to King Solar.
¡°Yes, your majesty! Only the headmaster at that adventurer¡¯s branch is aware I am a summoned individual.¡±
¡°Good.¡±
The king¡¯s reply was short and to the point. Internally, I sighed to myself, relieved I had made the correct decision to withhold some information. Then, my relaxed demeanor quickly changed to surprise as the king aggressively crumpled the letter in his hands. Satisfied the letter was now a tightly bound ball of parchment, he began uttering an incantation:
¡°Terra, bring forth flames to course through thy hands¡ª Burning Touch!¡±
*Schrooth!*
In an instant, the crumpled parchment was engulfed in a ball of powerful flame. It didn¡¯t take long, but before I knew it, the only evidence serving as proof I was a summoned individual, had been reduced to a small pile of ash. Then, the king spoke to me in a commanding tone.
¡°Kotato, while I applaud you in your efforts in reaching the royal palace, I regret to inform you that my kingdom with be unable to care for you as a summoned hero.
You see, we have already completed an additional hero summoning after we believed yours to be a failure. Presently, we are in the process of caring for a Spear, Bow, Magic, and Sword hero, and cannot afford it within our kingdom¡¯s budget to take in another. While it saddens me to do so, I must either confine you to this palace, or, place a powerful magic seal on your mind, prohibiting you from revealing this information to the public.
Seeing as you have acted with integrity thus far in your duties and instinctively knew to head to the nation¡¯s leader, I, in my generosity, will offer you the choice in which judgement will be imposed on you.
Should you choose to remain confined at the palace, you will be treated with all respects due to our errors. Food, hospitalities, and women, will all be at your disposal should you so desire. However, you will remain inside the palace until the heroes complete their goal and unlock the magic for world returning.
As for the seal, it will place an uncleansable, ancient magic monitor in your mind that will actively scan your thoughts and intentions. Should the spell detect any intent to reveal you are a hero, or, under its influence, it will instantly execute you on the spot without question. However, due to the security offered by this spell, you may choose to live freely in this kingdom as an adventurer, as I understand summoned heroes often crave this style of living.¡±
Well.... Fuck...
What the heck was that?!?! I could hardly believe my ears as the king spoke with such confidence at his decree! His kingdom failed initially in summoning me, so they tried again, and summoned four other heroes, and now I¡¯m simply to be tossed aside at the inconvenience of showing up at their doorstep?!?!
Well, he technically did offer me two choices. I could either live as a secret ¡°shut in¡± while enjoying all sorts of humanely pleasures, or, I could have a bomb planted inside my head that would explode the moment I tried to tell someone about my circumstances!
...
While I was presented with a choice, it was very clear his majesty wished for me to take option 1. Looking towards the king and advisor, I could see they were both eagerly awaiting my reply. Most concerning of all, was the devilish grin growing across Daemonium¡¯s face. Something about his mannerisms seemed to portray he wasn¡¯t a human, but some type of ¡°devil in disguise¡± as he maniacally tapped his fingertips together. Well, I guess he was ¡°technically¡± like a lawyer in this world, and all of those potatoes were devils in my opinion, so the comparison fit, but still!
Deep in thought, I brought my hand to rest underneath my chin as I contemplated my only options. Should I live a life without worry, enjoying sensations I never got to experience back home? Or, should I surprise my jailors and take the ¡°exploding bomb in my head¡± pathway?
No.
I had no idea why I was in this world. My gut was telling me that this whole scenario wasn¡¯t right, and that I was missing some information. While the first offer seemed like the most favourable, how would I know they could keep their word? If I truly became a problem, it would be more than a simple task to dispose of me. The same could be said about the bomb spell being implanted in my head. While that attempted to give me freedom, there was a high likelihood an additional trigger could be implanted as well to eliminate me if they so decided.
And so, after carefully considering my alternatives, I made a decision with a plan I would enact after receiving my punishment.
¡°Your majesty, I am most humbled by your generosity in allowing someone so unworthy such as myself, to make a decision regarding their fate in this wonderful kingdom. So, after careful consideration, I would like to¡ª¡±
Que one intense, dramatic pause for effect!
¡°Select the uncleansable, ancient magic seal as my choice. You are correct in your wisdom, King Solar, that I would appreciate the opportunity to explore this world and make a name for myself as an adventurer. After all, such opportunities do not present themselves in my era. Seeing as this option provides ample safeguards surrounding keeping my status confidential, I would like to proceed with this option.
However, I do have one, extra request I would like to make upon taking this offer. King Solar, would you be able to provide me a small amount of currency as compensation as I begin my journey? There is much I still lack in basic, common knowledge about this world, and would appreciate a small ¡°safety net¡± of funds so that I may establish myself. Could your kingdom, with all its wealth and power, spare me a mere 30 silver Solar as I begin my life as an adventurer?¡±
That¡¯s right, while I was taking a big risk in making additional demands for this option, I figured doing my best to be positive and pampering towards his majesty would help me in my persuasion attempt. I mean, it was a true fact, I did have much to learn about this world, and I had no monies at all for survival. If I was to be allowed the ¡°freedom¡± to be an adventurer, then I wanted to have some type of advantage along my journey. Plus, I still needed to enact my plan once this was all approved.
Surprised at my decision to have a literal magic bomb planted in my head, the king was taken back, raising his hand to his chin while making an audible ¡°oh ho!¡± sound. Then, with an evil laugh across his face, he responded to my request.
¡°Haha! Well, I am certainly surprised by your decision Kotato to have an ancient, deadly magic implanted in your mind, I will respect your choice. As for your request at additional funding, I too, agree with your proposal. If I may be honest, I had never expected you to even entertain the thought of taking this option, but here we are. 30 silver Solar will be granted to your person from our royal coffers. Now, Daemonium, the spell, please.
¡°Why of course, your excellence.¡±
Daemonium¡¯s reply came through gritted teeth. His face was filled with anger and shock at my choice for selecting the ancient magic spell. Clearly, he had also wanted me to stay within the palace so I could be monitored. Then, after a brief pause, he began casting a spell towards me.
¡°World bind my targets mind in an ethereal prison, make it so their thoughts will break if they utter thine secret. By punishment of death, inscribe my will to thee¡ª Mind Seal!¡±
As he finished casting his spell, I received an angry reply from my internal assistant:
[Warning! Ancient Imprisoning Magic Detected ¨C Error ¨C Harmful Status Applied ¨C Unable To Dispel ¨C Error ¨C Mental Functions Limited ¨C Mental Prison With Inscribed Activation Rules Applied ¨C Summoned, Hero, Other World, All Identified As Spell Trigger Words ¨C Warning! Death Predicted On Spell¡¯s Activation ¨C Caution!]
Geez that was a mouthful! But it seems the spell was as I expected. Any use of the words: ¡°Summoned¡±, ¡°Hero¡±, and ¡°Other World¡± would seemingly activate the spell and kill me on the spot. Making mental note of my new found restrictions, I turned my attention back towards the king.
¡°Thank you, your majesty.¡±
I gave my reply with a slight bow. Next thing I knew, Daemonium had somehow produced a small sack filled with coins from seemingly nothing! Then, he tossed them towards my direction.
¡°Kotato, your payment of 30 silver Solar as requested by the king. Do take care to enjoy yourself and your new found freedom. Now, if you¡¯ll excuse us, we have other matters to attend to.¡±
I caught the sack of coins. The weight of the bag was light, as the metallic currency rustled and jingled inside at the slightest movement. Finally, with a short bow of his own, Daemonium began to leave me, standing at the entranceway to the palace. Following behind him, was the king as they both began to ascend the staircase to the 2nd floor.
I, on the other hand, merely stood still, calmly taking in all of my thoughts as to what had just transpired. Rolling the sack of money around in my hands, thoughts about how I would deal with this newfound restriction bubbled to the surface. While I had several ideas, none of them I could enact while still inside the royal palace. Alone with my thoughts, I continued to remain at the bottom of the stairs. As I stood there, the only audible sound, echoing throughout the massive hallway, was the sounds of the king and advisor, ascending the giant staircase. Then, in one final attempt, I made an intention clear to his majesty in a life-or-death gamble.
Chapter 24 – The Heroes Meet Kotato...
Just as the king and advisor reached the top of the stairs and were near a balcony above my head, I shouted to them my thoughts, half expecting to be executed on the spot.
¡°King Solar, I will do everything within my capabilities to prove to you that the kingdom needs my powers. It might not be today, or this month, but I will prove my worth as a beckoned champion from another era!¡±
Ha! It seems one of my assumptions was correct! While the spell cast on me was quite dangerous and I had to watch my words, through the cleaver use of synonyms, it seemed I could still converse and get the idea through that I was a... Beckoned champion?
...
I would have to work out a slightly better phrasing for the idea, but regardless, I could still inform individuals of my situation if I was careful with my words. Noticing my reply, anger began to grow across the king¡¯s face as he roared at his assistant.
¡°DEAMONIUM!! Didn¡¯t you clearly inscribe the spell to execute this man at the utterance of words that he was a summoned hero???¡±
In shock, and anger directed towards me, the advisor gave his reply.
¡°Why of course your majesty, I would never dream of failing to act as per your wishes. However, it does appear the individual has found a rather... Unfortunate loophole to the spell¡¯s behaviour. Shall I make adjustments, my liege?¡±
Satisfied with my small act of rebellion, I spoke in reply towards the angry duo.
¡°My apologies your highness, I merely wished to test a theory surrounding my new found restrictions. I have a very curious and inquisitive mind, so I only wanted to test my theories. Had I been wrong, my lifeless corpse would be lying on the floor, an appropriate trade-off for my actions.
However, you have my utmost sincerity that I will keep matters of my existence and circumstances a state secret. After all, while I am a beckoned champion, that phrase itself means I should serve the kingdom to the best of my capabilities. You have my word; I will act with the highest level of integrity in safeguarding this knowledge.¡±
With anger still plastered across his face, the king was ready to roar another decree towards my direction, when suddenly, his attention turned towards the other entranceway across the balcony.
Quickly, my eyes followed his shocked expression to see a man, leaping high into the air spinning in a brilliant spiral of light, then, I heard a powerful and confident shout towards my direction:
¡°DIE YOU BASTARD!¡±
Accelerating at incredible speeds, the man propelled himself towards my direction with such ferocity, I had little time to react! In his hands was an incredibly well-maintained and extravagant looking spear. Instinctively, I twisted my body to block his drill-like attack with my shield. Swiftly raising my left arm, I absorbed the blow with my serpent shield.
*Clang*Crash**BTOOSH!!!*
A shockwave of wind echoed through the hall. Suspended in the air above me, was a young man with blond hair tied crudely into a ponytail. His face was filled with confidence and anger at me blocking his surprise attack. Then, using his spear, he vaulted behind me, repositioning for a charging style attack!
Time slowed as I was able to predict his next movements, while he was noticeably faster than the bandits, I could still follow his motions with ease. Intercepting his crude stabbing attack, I deflected the blow with my sword, while delivering a powerful kick to his legs.
Success! With a look of disbelief across his face, the mysterious assailant looked at me in shock as he lost his footing, falling forward onto the palace floor. Quickly, he rolled around to try and regain his footing, but I was already one step ahead. Without pause, I smashed the sole of my foot onto the man¡¯s chest, producing an audible ¡°Clang!* sound as shoe hit metal, pinning him to the floor. Then, I kicked his spear away with my other spare leg and pointed my sword towards the man¡¯s neck. Suddenly, those sickening voices made their way into my mind again as my right eye began to burn.
¡°Yesssssss! Thisssss isssss gooooood¡ª Let ussss feast on this query¡¯s core!!!! He holdsssss great powerrrrr. RELEASE US!!¡±
NO!
I shouted as loud as I could in my mind. While I wasn¡¯t happy with the unexpected aerial assault, I had no reason to kill this individual. Furthermore, I couldn¡¯t stand the thought of losing control of my body again, so I angrily defied the snake¡¯s alluring suggestion to devour his heart.
¡°Hssssss! To defy usssss. Kotato! ¡ª So impudent!!! She will not... Be happy!¡±
I don¡¯t care! Just get out of my head you stupid serpents! I am not someone to simply be commanded and follow your will!
Displeased with my refusal to murder the spontaneous assailant, my mind became filled with the horrifying sound of slithering snakes, hissing in terrifying laughter! The sound was so repulsive, I wanted to scream at experiencing the sensation! However, I somehow managed to maintain my composure as I stood, towering over the defenceless and defeated spearman. Looking at his face, it was filled with incredible rage about to explode at a moments notice having been defeated. Correction, he began to explode, sending an array of vulgar insults towards my direction.
¡°HEY YOU FUCKING BASTARD!!! GET THE FUCK OFF OF ME YOU SHITHEAD!! HOW DARE YOU MAKE ME, THE ALL POWERFUL, SPEAR HERO, HARU SPEARGIN, LOOK LIKE AN IDIOT!!! I¡¯LL FUCKING STAB YOU OVER AND OVER UNTIL YOU¡¯RE NOTHING MORE THAN A PILE OF MINCED MEAT!!!!¡±
Man, what a racket, my ear drums were beginning to hurt just listening to this sad individual spout insults about how I had offended his honour by beating him when he initiated a surprise attack! And what was that? Spear hero? Did I hear that correctly? Was this man actuall¡ª
*Crash*
Before I could finish my thought, a woman, clad in brilliant golden plate armor, came crashing down to the floor, landing behind the flailing spear hero. She had medium, blond hair tied in a tight ponytail. Accompanying her feminine features, was a pair of piercing brown eyes as she rose to match me in height. She emitted an aura of grace and command. Then, speaking to me in an authoritative voice, she commanded me to release the hero.
¡°Adventurer, on behalf of the royal guard, I, Commander Raya, apologise for this man¡¯s poor actions and assault towards your person. Please, I implore you to release him into my custody where I will make sure adequate punishment is administered.¡±
Then, she turned towards the king to give an apology as well.
¡°Your majesty! I sincerely apologise for failing in my duties to appropriately control this individual¡ª¡±
As she spoke, three other men quickly descended the stairs to join her at the bottom. Each of them was equipped with a unique weapon: A bow, sword, and magic staff. Not wanting to jump to conclusion, but I imagined these other individuals were the remaining summoned heroes of the kingdom. Then, the king roared in anger at the whole charade.
¡°SILENCE!
Haru, stop your pathetic whining and obey your commander¡¯s orders! How many times must I tell you to act with integrity?!? And Raya, if you fail again in your duties of controlling the heroes, I¡¯ll make sure to have you replaced with one of my other trusted guards!¡±
Taking the hint, I released my foot from pinning the spear hero to the ground. Noticing he once again had freedom, he energetically leapt to his feet and attempted to deliver a punch right to my face! However, he was stopped before his actions could be completed. Raya, realizing he would attempt some underhanded trick, had already grabbed Haru by his ponytail, aggressively yanking him back towards her.
¡°AHH!!!! MY HAIR!! LET GO OF ME YOU FUCKING BITCH!!!! I¡¯M STILL NOT FINISHED WITH THIS ASSHOLE OF A HERO!!!! I¡¯m going to skewer him so hard th¡ª¡±
Stunned by the spear hero¡¯s comments, she merely shouted back at him.
¡°Nonsense! Him? A hero? He¡¯s just a powerful adventurer who single-handedly defeated a griffin protecting one of the kingdom¡¯s dukes! He was brought to meet with the king at the request of the Hawthorn household!¡±
¡°Pfft, didn¡¯t you see how the king was yelling at him you cunt? Just look at him you bitch! He¡¯s got some fancy ass sword and shield. Not only that, he¡¯s clearly wearing clothing from my world! Why did your kingdom go and summon ANOTHER FUCKING HERO!!! I AM MORE THAN ENOUGH to kill some stupid fucking demon lord!!!¡±
Then, seemingly as if she had already done this before, Raya smacked the shouting spear hero behind the head, rendering him unconscious.
¡°Adventurer, I apologise again for this man¡¯s words and actions. Please, I instruct you to not speak a word about ¡°hero¡± or any of these other individuals.¡±
¡°That won¡¯t be necessary Raya.¡±
The king spoke, having regained his composure from all of the commotion.
¡°This adventurer, is well aware of the consequences, should he mention the existence of the heroes, isn¡¯t that right, Kotato?¡±
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
¡°Why, of course, your majesty. I would never dare reveal the existence of these individuals to the kingdom. ¡ª Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, your highness, I do believe my attention is required elsewhere, at the adventurer¡¯s guild.¡±
Attempting my best at a formal ¡°sass¡±, I offered a slight bow towards the king, then made my way towards the entrance to take my leave. The room was filled with an uncomfortable silence as only my footsteps could be heard walking towards the giant metal doors. As I approached, I opened the gates to complete my departure. Confidently, I left the hallway as I began racking my brain about what to do regarding this magic seal constraining my actions.
---
After leaving the palace proper, I was met with no resistance from the guards as I strode out the fancy stone gates. Finally in the heart of the city, I looked around to take in my surroundings.
I appeared to be standing in a giant, open plaza lined with beautiful masonry. Erected in the middle of the court, with all its glory peering towards the city, was a statue of King Solar. Below it, was a magnificent stone water fountain. Crystal clear water flowed from its faucets, swirling and draining into the giant marble basin. I had to admit, this level of engineering was very impressive in my opinion.
As I began aimlessly walking around to explore the kingdom, I decided to see if I could ask my helpful assistant a question directly. Now that I thought about it, this was something I had never even attempted! So, with my question ready, I asked my mind for more information about this ¡°Mind Seal¡± spell.
So, ummmm, helpful assistant? Could you tell me anything about this ¡°Mind Seal¡± spell?
---
An awkward pause as I asked my inner monologue the serious question.
Nothing, no mysterious voice entered my head to respond to my request...
Well, I mean, It¡¯s not like I was actually expecting something to happen.
Then, as I started to begin thinking about what to do next¡ª
[Attempting Summoned Individual¡¯s Query Request ¨C Calculating ¨C Requesting Access To Administrator¡¯s Database]
Hah! So I could ask question like this! This was actually pretty amazing! I was thrilled at the realization that I potentially had a super powerful search engine, all for my personal use! While I was waiting for the response, my mind began to race at all the questions I could potentially ask it! There were so many things I still wanted to learn about in this world!!!
[Error ¨C Access Denied ¨C Recalculating]
[Checking Memory Stores For Contextual Information On The Lost Magics ¡°Mind Seal¡±]
Hmmm, so the administrator denied my request. Was I actually in a computer simulation of some sort?
[Success! Information Regarding The Spell ¡°Mind Seal¡± Has Been Uncovered ¨C Would Kotato Like To View These Results? [Y/N]]
Ummm, Yes please! Tell me what you know about this ¡°Mind Seal¡± spell.
Suddenly, a holographic box appeared across my vision, kind of like how an augmented reality device would display something over the world. None of the citizens around me seemed to react to the text box, so it was probably only visible to me. Eagerly, I began reading away at the description for ¡°Mind Seal¡±
---
Spell: Mind Seal
Incantation: ¡°World bind my targets mind in an ethereal prison, make it so their thoughts will break if they utter thine secret. By punishment of death, inscribe my will to thee¡ª Mind Seal!¡±
Status: Lost Art ¨C Developed approximately 100,000 years ago by the demon god, Diablos. Currently unusable in modern Terra.
Description: A spell that implants a brainwave and verbal monitoring mana particle cluster inside the target. The mana signature of the target is continuously scanned to see if a set of rules inscribed by the caster are broken. If a specified condition is met, then the spell will activate, vaporizing the hosts mind resulting in instantaneous death.
---
Well, that¡¯s rather ominous, but matches what was described to me in the palace. But the phrase ¡°currently unusable in modern Terra¡± clearly stood out. Next, I began to ask my assistant my follow up question:
Is there any cure for an individual afflicted with Mind Seal?
[Calculating]
[Answer! ¨C Infected Individuals May Only Be Cured If The Spell Is Disabled By The Initial Caster]
[Additional Information ¨C A Sufficiently Powerful Cleanse Could Theoretically Remove The Effects Of Mind Seal As Well ¨C Results Unclear]
Hmmm, well, that kind of lines up with the theory I had thought about before accepting this consequence. Wanting to experiment, I reached into my backpack to pull out my secret weapon. Carefully removing a single bandage from it¡¯s wrapping; I applied one directly to my forehead! Then, as expected, my mythical healing item began to work its magic.
[Mythical Healing Item Detected ¨C Applying Effects Of Full Body Restoration]
Hah! Take that King Solar! Looks like I was going to be completely cur¡ª
[Error! ¨C Mind Seal Unable To Be Cleansed ¨C Designated Individual ¨C Kotato Yamata ¨C Still Affected By The Ancient Spell ¡°Mind Seal¡± ¨C Danger!]
...
Well, I guess even ¡°mythical healing items¡± have their limits when it comes to healing injuries...
Slightly disappointed that my cunning plan to rid myself of this ¡°Mind Seal¡± had been unsuccessful, I continued to aimlessly wandering around the city, taking in all of wonderful fantasy scenery it offered. The level of activity present in the town was very reminiscent of walking around a densely populated city from back home. Horse drawn carriages served as substitutes for cars on the streets, while the many traffic jams filled with yelling merchants and coach drivers was frighteningly similar to my experiences on Earth. I guess while the technology had changed, humans would always find ways to express their anger for not reaching their destination in an efficient manner. Like time, some things always remained a constant, even in different worlds.
Starting to notice that people were paying particularly more attention to my forehead, I decided to remove the bandage as I continued walking down the cobblestone pathways. My goal, was to find some type of clothing store so I could better fit in. While ripped clothing was all the rage at one point in time, this was clearly not the case in the Kingdom of Solara. Furthermore, I couldn¡¯t imagine that wearing dress clothes was the best idea when it came to manoeuvrability during combat. I imagined that I would require something with more flexibility, such as a light leather armor or something similar. That was a thing... Right?
Regardless, I maintained my focus on scanning the various signs hanging above the many plentiful businesses along the pathways. ¡°Fredricks Fine Foods¡±, ¡°Garren¡¯s General Goods¡±, ¡°Ingrid¡¯s Innovative Inn¡± ¡ª
I mean, I guess the names were... Descriptive... But seriously? What was with the pattern of using only words that matched your name and products??? What was I going to see next? ¡°Caitlyn¡¯s Clothing Corner¡±???? No sooner had the thought entered my head when I read the next sign above my head...
¡°Conroy¡¯s Clothing Corner¡±.
...
Disappointed at the lack of creativity or traditional ¡°branding¡± of products and stores from Earth, I continued walking though the streets, hanging my head in an unsatisfied manner.
Then, as if the world itself had understood my craving for finding some sense of normalcy in store naming¡¯s, that¡¯s when I found it. In front of me, blowing in the wind on a sparsely populated side road, was what I had been looking for. Hanging above the old wooden doors was a rusty signboard that gave off an aura of rule-breaking arrogance for traditional naming. Standing before me, was the store named ¡°Wicks Smithing & Armor¡±.
Finally! A store that wasn¡¯t the same beginning letters for the owner¡¯s name and what they sold! While I could have easily imagined the label ¡°Wicks Welded Wearables¡± was a thought at some point, clearly this owner wanted to be different. They had differentiated themselves!!! Satisfied I had finally found a business I would be happy investing my ¡°compensated funds¡± with, I excitedly grabbed the metal door handles and gently swung the door open.
Inside, was everything you would expect from a fantasy-like armor store. The shop was small, but efficient. Making great use of the space provided, rows and shelves dawned the many equipment types offered for eager patrons to view and purchase. The left-hand wall of the store was adorned in the finest of plate-mails, chains, and armors, while the right was host to numerous weapons, such as swords, axes, and clubs. There was even a ¡°free-for-all¡± bargain bin near the entrance for 2nd hand goods or lower quality makes.
Thrilled at my discovery, I happily walked all throughout the isles taking in the foreign sights. While I had been to many clothing stores on Earth, there was something different about walking through a medieval setting where weapons and combative gear freely hung on display. While there was no one else in the store, my presence was certainly not ignored. Presumably, the owner of the store had been eyeing me ever since I entered. He was a man of short stature with a bit of a belly to his frame. His eyes gleaned an inquisitive brown as he watched me happily jump from shelf to shelf in glee. While his face was rough to look at, I could tell he seemed to be enjoying me looking in awe at all of the available products he had to offer.
Then, seemingly as if he knew I needed assistance, the man in question gradually made his way towards the wall I was staring at, greeting me in a rough voice.
¡°Greetings patron, the name¡¯s Tarragon Wicks, proprietor and craftsman for Wicks Smithing & Armor, finest store for all adventurers in the kingdom.¡±
Not wanting to be rude, I happily responded to the owner with my own introduction.
¡°Likewise, Mr. Wicks. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Kotato, and I¡¯m a traveling adventurer looking for some wares to aid me along my journey. In particular, I am looking for a pair of armor with high durability and flexibility. Would you have any recommendations?¡±
Looking me up and down, the shop owner began stroking his beard, as he contemplated the many pieces of equipment he could offer me. Then, he spoke again in his rough voice, asking me some questions about my capabilities.
¡°What¡¯s yer combat style? Adventurer rank? Years of experience?¡±
¡°Ummm, I use a sword and shield with spellcasting weaved in between gaps in pacing. Currently I¡¯m unregistered, and I have... Half a day in combat experience?¡±
Seemingly annoyed at my response, it was only then I noticed the man had swiftly taken a dagger from one of the shelving units and thrust it towards my direction! In a panic, I somehow managed to twist my torso and dodge the spontaneous stabbing assault! Then, I shifted my weight to reposition behind the shop owner, ready for his next attack when¡ª
¡°Heh! Seriously kid, what¡¯s the point in lying to the guy tryin to help ya? You¡¯ve got sharp instincts and expertly dodged my sneak attack without issue. Furthermore, you were great on your footing and positioned yourself for a counterattack, all within seconds. What¡¯s an expert like you doing in a place like this?¡±
Still recovering from the spontaneous ¡°test¡± the shopkeeper put me through, I decided to phrase my response to meet his expectation.
¡°You see, I was in combat with a griffin just outside the city. While I managed to slay the beast, my clothing was damaged in the process, so I figured an upgrade was in order.¡±
Not ¡°completely¡± the truth, but it made the most sense, given the occasion and his high expectations for me.
¡°Hmmm, well I knew you were a skilled fighter based on your stance once you entered my shop, by no ways was I expecting to hear you¡¯d slayed a griffin! Interesting...
Apologise kid for testing you like that. But, now that I have a better idea about your skill level, I think I can make a good recommendation. However, I do have a question for you. Why my shop? Clearly, you¡¯re a noble of some sort based on your clothing, so why visit me when many of their stores would suit your fancy?¡±
¡°Do I necessarily need a reason to visit your store? I liked the quality of the product you offered, nothing more, nothing less.¡±
A cheerful grin grew across the owner¡¯s face, then, he energetically grabbed my hand in an uncomfortably violent handshake.
¡°Hah! Well said Kotato! Alrighty then, lets get started on finding you a new set of equipment!¡±
With enthusiasm and a pip in his step, the shopkeeper strolled towards the back of the store, disappearing from my sights through an open door. Clearly happy with the prospect of a client he could offer his finest work to. I could hear the passionate sounds of armor and weapons clanging in the background, leaving my mind curiously imagining the untold frenzy they were being displaced in! All alone in the store, I was left wondering, hopeful, that his expert insight would provide me with just the equipment I was looking for, to successfully begin my adventures in this world.
Chapter 25 – A New Look For The Adventurer’s Guild
After being left abandoned inside the store for close to an hour, I was once again greeted by the energetic shop owner. After emerging from the back door, I could see he was holding some leather armor, presumably for me. Without pause, the stout man began to cheerfully yell towards my direction.
¡°Kotato! I believe I¡¯ve got just the piece of equipment for you! Here, try this on! It should be roughly the right size for ya!¡±
With a loud *Slam* the shopkeeper set the armor on the counter for me to look at. Slowly, I walked over to examine the piece in more detail. Grabbing the rough leather in my hands, I could feel the sturdiness it offered. The chest piece was a darkened black, rich in its colour. Looking closely, I could see small, intricate scales running all throughout. It was light, yet flexible. Accompanying the chest piece, was a matching pair of leg guards and gauntlets.
¡°Blackened Basilisk Hide. Durable, flexible, and resistant to magic. All key qualities for a swordsman utilizing magic in their attacks. This is the last set I have in the shop. Would ya like to cast appraisal on it to verify my claims?¡±
While I wasn¡¯t an expert, I could clearly tell a lot of work went into refining the material to produce this wonderful set! I also wanted to cast the appraisal spell, but I had a few concerns. From my limited knowledge, I knew almost everyone could cast it if they knew the incantation. However, I could probably cast the spell if I imagined the spell¡¯s result. Therein lied the problem.
Tarragon already believes I¡¯m an experienced adventurer, thus, any experienced adventurer should know how to cast the spell. Second, and probably the most important reason for why I didn¡¯t want to attempt casting appraisal, was I ¡°technically¡± didn¡¯t remember the proper incantation words! Felice was very adamant to me I would clearly stand out if I spontaneously started casting spells without saying any words or proper phrases for the well-known ones! So, I decided to use the craftsman¡¯s words against him.
¡°While I appreciate the suggestion Tarragon, why would I doubt the individual trying to help me? That would be rather poor taste on my part, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±
A smirk grew across his face as he let out a small chuckle at my remark.
¡°Hah! Well said Kotato! Tells you what. I¡¯ll give you the full set for 28 silver Solara. This normally goes for 45, but I¡¯ve quite enjoyed having you in my shop! It¡¯s not too often I come across someone who can easily outmaneuver a retired D ranker!¡±
¡°Wonderful! I appreciate your generosity Mr. Wicks! I¡¯ll take it! Also, do you happen to have some blue clothing to go underneath the leather armor? My shirt is well, you know... No longer practical for everyday usage.¡±
¡°Sure, I should have one in the back somewhere as well. That¡¯ll be an extra silver to the total.¡±
Thrilled at the amazing deal I just received, I happily took out the coin pouch I was given after leaving the palace and counted out 29 silver coins to hand to the shopkeeper. I was quite fortunate the equipment was within my budget! If there was no discount, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to even afford the armor all together!
After returning from the back again with a plain blue, cotton shirt, I happily decided to try on the new shirt and armor combo utilizing the store¡¯s dressing room. While the room was rather small, and I wasn¡¯t really one for fashion, I had to admit, I thought I looked pretty cool! Looking into the dressing chamber¡¯s small mirror, I found myself examining every part of my character in awe! The black scaled armor with a sharp blue undertone produced a wonderful contrast that was truly eye catching! I imagined I almost looked like a boss character or something from a video game! Satisfied with my new apparel, I gave Tarragon my thanks, then confidently left the store in search of my next objective; the adventurer¡¯s guild!
Back on the cobblestone path, I was happily walking through the streets carrying my otherworldly cloths. Slightly annoyed I had no handy method for storing my torn shirt and pants, that¡¯s roughly when I decided to ask my helpful assistant my next burning question.
Is it possible to store my clothing in an ¡°item box¡±? Do I have access to a multi-dimensional storage container through magic?
[Calculating]
[Answer! ¨C Permitted Individual Kotato Yamata Is Capable Of Casting The Spell ¡°Spatial Storage!¡±]
Sweet! If I am correct, this spell should allow me to efficiently store any items I receive while out adventuring! It was a super handy feature in most isekai stories, so I was all the more grateful this world appeared to have a similar feature!
Tell me more about the spell ¡°Spatial Storage¡±
[Calculating]
[Displaying Summary Of The Spell ¡°Spatial Storage!¡± For Permitted Individual]
---
Spell: Spatial Storage
Status: Typeless Magic
Incantation: ¡°World create a storage space for I. Wrapped in void outside of time and space combined. Spatial Storage!¡±
Description: Creates a storable void of space that only the user may access. Any item may be placed inside so long as the user can deposit the object into the opening created. Objects deemed ¡°item¡± is still being debated in the magical community. Living beings are unable to be stored in this dimensional space. Objects placed within Spatial Storage do not undergo changes as a result of the flow of time. Size of container varies based on magic user¡¯s affinity and skill at casting ¡°Typeless Magic¡±.
Functionality: Users may simply picture the item they wish to retrieve to remove it from Spatial Storage. Should a user wish to completely remove all stored objects, they may say ¡°Remove All¡± to force all stored items to be ejected from the storage void. Warning: use of ¡°Remove All¡± command presents a potential danger to the caster. Please exercise extreme caution when using the ¡°Remove All¡± functionality.
Additional Functionality: Spatial Storage is castable on objects that presently function as containers to transmit the property to the object. Adventurer¡¯s will commonly own a ¡°Spatial Storage Bag¡± to assist them on their journeys as a result of this spell¡¯s transmittible property.
---
Cool! The spell functioned more or less how I expected it to. While I was disappointed living things could not be placed within, I fully understood why such a restriction would be in place. However, I wondered if a living being, partially placed within would still be alright? Maybe I would test this theory later...
Satisfied, and curiously thinking about new uses for this magic, I decided to try casting the ability for myself. Although, I did so without using the fancy incantation!
Picturing the swirling vortex of a ¡°blackhole-like¡± rift in space, I imagined a storage container unique to myself. Internally, I pictured the space the size of a house and commanded the doors to open!
Suddenly, a swirling black and purple hole in the observable universe opened up beside me. It was roughly the size of my shield, and was impossible to see anything within. Hesitantly, I gently placed my torn clothes within the void as they disappeared into nothingness. Then, I commanded the rift in space to close.
*Schroon!*
It disappeared without issue, along with my battered garments!
Sweet!
Next, I tried summoning the spatial storage again, except this time, with the intention of removing my clothing. However, I attempted to modify the spell further.
When I pictured my spatial storage, I requested internally to also produce a ¡°Digital List¡± of all the contents within! I mean, if I was going to be placing lots of items in here, there was a good chance I would forget some of the things placed inside unless I had an efficient way of tracking them! This behaviour was a horrible habit of mine in RPGs, as I often found myself hording even the smallest articles of interest under the pretense that ¡°This might be useful at some point in time!¡±.
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Presently, to my surprise, hovering right next to the new rift in space I conjured, was a small, holographic list reading the following:
---
Kotato Yamata¡¯s Spatial Storage Contents:
Item: Withdraw
-??? x1 [Y/N] 0[+/-]
---
...
Well, presumably, the ¡°???¡± was the clothing I had recently deposited. I guess the spell not recognizing the item made sense since my dress clothing was from another world.
Thinking this, I moved my finger over to the ¡°Withdraw¡± column, tapped in the air where the ¡°+¡± symbol was, then hit ¡°Y¡±. Moments later, with a captivating *Pop!* sound, my clothing shot lightly into the air, resulting in me scrambling to catch the floating, bewildered garments.
Pleased with my little experiment, I happily placed my clothing back into the void and imagined it closing.
*Schroon!*
Now, with a pair of free hands, I once again began walking down the streets in search of the adventurer¡¯s guild. After all, I still needed to formally register as an adventurer and hand in the goblin subjugation requestion Felice had marked as complete for me.
---
After wandering around the city, unable to find the Solara¡¯s Guild Branch, I decided it would be in my best interest to ask some of the busy locals running around the whereabouts of the guild.
Eventually, I was able to learn I wasn¡¯t ¡°too far¡± away. I had inadvertently found myself in the south-western district of the city, whereas the guild branch was in the north-western section, along with a whole assortment of other services tailored towards adventurers, such as monster part processing, lodging, etc.
With my bearings organized, I eventually found myself standing outside the entranceway to a tall, wooden building, lavished with beautiful masonry and marble columns adorning the smooth brick pathway.
Standing tall and imposing in the roadway, were stone statue monuments depicting... Adventurers? Each statue was wielding a weapon. From left to right the statues held a: Spear, Bow, Sword, and Magic Staff. Examining the monument closely, I saw a bronze plaque with gold lettering which read:
¡°Solara¡¯s Adventurer Guild Branch¡±
¡°Lux tua luceat superbia¡±
There was that phrase again. Seeing the actual wording written out this time, I was now confident the phrase was indeed something in Latin. I had the thought, does this mean that humans from my world have already been here? But from a long time ago during Earth¡¯s history? Or, was Latin just a potential constant language across multiple universes? Scowling my brow, I mulled over the ideas surrounding this phrase as I approached the doors to enter the magnificent building. When suddenly¡ª
*SLAM*
The pair of wooden doors flung open with such force; I was knocked away into some nearby bushes. A group of adventurers, oblivious to their actions, angrily walked out of the hall complaining loudly to one another.
¡°AGGGGHHH! It¡¯s so frustrating the labyrinth is still closed! That was the easiest source of money for us! I can¡¯t believe it, why the heck would the king close the labyrinth for a ¡°military exercise¡± for 3 whole weeks???!? Completely asinine I say!¡±
¡°I know right?? And wasn¡¯t it so stupid the branch headmaster didn¡¯t even give us the ¡°compensation package¡± since we apparently didn¡¯t go into the labyrinth enough? Seriously, we went into there at least a few times a month, and he wouldn¡¯t give us the money! We are more than enough to be considered labyrinth fighters!¡±
¡°Whatever, lets just get going to kill these stupid goblins in Eldermyst.¡±
I heard 3 distinct voices. Apparently, the adventurers in question were annoyed at not receiving some type of compensation and loudly complaining about having to kill some goblins. Looking at the trio, they seemed to be a group of 2 spellcasters and 1 fighter.
After they had left the pathway, I managed to get back on my feet and walk towards the doors again. Lightly brushing off some twigs and leaves that had decided to take up residence in my new armor, I pushed open the doors to the guild entrance hall.
Inside, was everything you would expect to find in a fantasy adventurer¡¯s guild! The entranceway was large and spacious. To my right was a notice request board, and on my left was a tavern or pub-like dining area. Directly Infront of me, was the reception counter stocked with enthusiastic attendants ready to help! I could see several humans and a cat demi-human behind the wooden counter, eagerly ready to call the next adventurer over from the short queue.
Standing behind some other adventurers, waiting my turn, I calmly took in the atmosphere of the environment. After a few minutes, it was eventually time for me to approach the counter. The attendant waving me over, happened to be the cat demi-human. She had brown hair, ears, and a tail that was excitedly waving back and forth, as they motioned for me to approach. Their ears also had small, white puffs of fur inside them! They looked incredibly soft to pet! Walking towards their excited handwaves, they greeted and introduced themselves to me.
¡°Welcome to the Solara¡¯s Adventurer¡¯s Guild Branch! My name is Neko and it would be my pleasure to serve you today. What may I assist you with?¡±
Trying not to snicker, I found it amusing the cat demi-human was literally named Neko, the word for ¡°cat¡± in another popular language from Earth. However, as amused as I was surrounding their name of choice, I was more curious as to the lack of ¡°Nayns! Meows! and Meowns!¡± during their introduction.
Not wanting to leave them waiting, I introduced myself.
¡°Greetings Neko! My name is Kotato, and I am looking to register as an adventurer. I also have a goblin subjugation request I would like to turn in.¡±
Neko tilted their head slightly in confusion at my statement. Then continued speaking to me in their energetic, feminine voice.
¡°Well of course Kotato! I can definitely register you as an adventurer with the Solara¡¯s Guild Branch. However, I have to ask, how did you complete a goblin subjugation request to turn in? Only adventurers can take request from the guild. Are you already registered at another branch perhaps?¡±
¡°Ummmm, well, not exactly, but I happened to complete this request while I was... Wandering through the Eldermyst forest? It was marked complete for me at the Paws & Beans tavern.¡±
Ya, come to think of it, I didn¡¯t exactly have a good explanation for how I completed this request, did I? I mean, ¡°technically¡± I didn¡¯t even kill the goblins, but killed some bandits instead while rescuing Inari!
This... Was fraud... Wasn¡¯t it?
I began to grow slightly nervous as Neko continued staring at me. I also handed her the completed goblin slaying request in an attempt to help my case. She examined it rather closely, then spoke to me in a confused tone.
¡°Hmmm, well this is technically marked as complete by that branch¡¯s headmaster, I can¡¯t accept it unless you are registered with the guild. Shall I prepare your registration forms so I can process the request?¡±
¡°Yes please Neko! I would greatly appreciate it! Also, while I remember, is there a particular reason why you aren¡¯t using ¡°Nayns and Meowns¡± in your speech? All of the other cat demi-humans I¡¯ve come across speak that way. Apologise if my comment is insulting towards you. I¡¯m just curious is all.¡±
Sadness grew across Neko¡¯s face. Her tail was twitching, almost like she was hesitant or unsure in how to respond. Then, after careful consideration, she replied to me quietly.
¡°But... You¡¯re speaking common Solarian, aren¡¯t you, Kotato? So, you should understand why I can¡¯t speak in beastkin here... Right?¡±
¡°Sorry Neko, but I¡¯m not quite sure why. I¡¯m new to the kingdom, but just happen to be.... Very good at picking up languages?¡±
Puzzled, Neko finally decided to enlighten me on why her speech was restricted.
¡°Kotato, the reason I¡¯m not speaking like that, is because In the Kingdom of Solara, speaking any language besides Solarian is a crime. I can get in trouble with the adventurer¡¯s guild branch if I speak in beastkin... Potentially even forced into slavery if I do!¡±
Wait... Speaking another language is OUTLAWED in this kingdom?!?!?! And what was that?? A potential punishment was being converted to a slave?!? What the heck King Solar!
Honestly, I was quite angered upon learning this information from Neko. There was still a lot I had to learn about this world, but the thought of slavery for speaking another language was a completely foreign thought to me! Seriously, even if I was brought here for some world-saving purpose, I would never want to work for a kingdom with such shitty laws! This new tidbit of information gave me some reassurance about selecting the mind sealing spell instead of ¡°royal house arrest¡±.
Saddened myself, I replied to the depressed demi-human cat.
¡°I¡¯m sorry Neko... I didn¡¯t know about that law in this kingdom. I wonder if anything will ever change about that stupid ruling.¡±
¡°It¡¯s alright Kotato, if anything, I appreciate you asking me. There are rumors that the princess is looking to reduce inequality between the races, but they are just that, rumors.
Now, lets get back to your registration! Here is the individual registration form for the Solara¡¯s branch. Once you¡¯ve completed it, I will process and verify the information with the guild¡¯s signet. Next, you combat status will be verified by an appraisal attendant in the room behind me, along with the official issuance of your adventurer identification plate.¡±
Cheerful once again, Neko handed me the registration form and accompanying quill:
---Individual Registration ¨C Solara Adventurer¡¯s Branch---
Name:
Age:
Combat Class:
Experience?
Reference:
Emergency Contact / Next of Kin:
---
It was a pretty basic intake form, but even as basic as it was, I was starting to have some doubts about going through with the registration process. I mulled over my thoughts as I impatiently began tapping the quill on the wooden counter top. Thinking ahead, if I completed this step, I would then have the appraisal spell cast on me. That alone was sure enough to raise many eyebrows. Actually, come to think of it... Wouldn¡¯t that be a problem for the kingdom? If by some chance my status screen wasn¡¯t glitched anymore, it would still have the text ¡°Summoned Hero¡± which would surely raise many alarm bells at the branch office! Did the king just forget about this when he allowed me the opportunity to be an adventurer? Or, was something planned if the branch found out about me being a summoned person?
...
Satisfied I had made my decision, I gently handed both the quill and registration form back to Neko.
¡°I¡¯m sorry Neko, but I don¡¯t believe I can register to be an adventurer at this branch... It just doesn¡¯t feel right to support a kingdom whose laws I don¡¯t agree with.¡±
With ears twitching, the cat demi-human looked very surprised at my comments about declining to register.
¡°Are you sure Kotato?¡±
¡°Yes, I am sure. Thank you for the assistance today Neko, but I will be taking my leave now.¡±
¡°Understood. Here is the subjugation request you handed me earlier. Best of luck in your adventures Kotato!¡±
Neko bowed slightly as she handed the parchment back to me. I gave her a quick nod to say thank you. With the request still in hand, I started walking towards the entrance to leave the building. My thoughts were a mess, but I believed this was the right decision. Looking the stamped parchment over and over with my eyes, I knew just where I was heading next.
Chapter 26 – The Vulpine’s Reflection
¡°Aight, guess I better finish off the miss then and figure outs whats ta do with that nobles.¡±
Satisfied I had done my best in removing the poison from the mysterious person, I was left smiling at them, hoping they would find some opportunity to escape from these horrible people. My ears twitched as I heard the sound of Bandit¡¯s sword swiftly parting the air above me. While I could hardly see from my constrained vision, it wouldn¡¯t be long until I was killed. Hopefully, the last of my actions would save at least someone today. Closing my eyes, I awaited my fate.
*Cadoon*Cheen!*Boom*
A thunderous roar filled my ears! I guess that was the sound of the blade slicing into my skull!! While my experience with death was rather limited, I was surprised at how ferociously loud this whole dying thing was! There was next to no pain involved though... So perhaps this is what the man meant by a clean death? Geez, my ears are ringing so much!!! I thought everything stopped when you died!!!
I... I can still breath. I... I can still feel mana all around me, and... Sound is starting to come back?
I did die...
Didn¡¯t I?
I mean... That was clearly the only logical outcome in this scenario! The wonderful, and ever planning Inari, helps the strange, mysterious person before suffering her terrible fate of death at the hands of Bandit!
...
Slowly, I began to open my eyes. Concentrating as best I could, I looked ahead to where the captive individual had been.
But he wasn¡¯t there.
Slick, who had been holding him tightly just moments before, was clutching his right arm in pain! While I couldn¡¯t accurately assess from my current position, the shoulder clearly looked dislocated!
I started to regain my senses as my mana gradually recovered. Beside me, I felt a familiar mana signature. Struggling to raise my head to learn more about the mysterious presence... It was that strange noble!!!!! I.... I was at a loss for words! All I could do, was stare upwards at them in complete confusion!
You were supposed to run away Mr. Noble person!!! Why are you¡ª Why did you¡ª
¡°Are¡ Are you alright?¡±
Seriously! Why are you worried about me!!! Quick Inari, you have to tell him to get away from here!!!
*Cough* - ¡°Yes, well, no bu-- *Cough* why did you ¨C you were suppose to --- run! Leave me, and save yourself, I don¡¯t want to see anyone else die!!!¡±
There! I said it!
It was incredibly difficult to respond to the man, but I somehow managed! I thought I could hold back my tears, but started crying again from the pain I was in. Geez, I probably looked really pathetic like this. A tattered, blood-stained fox, crying, telling someone who couldn¡¯t take a hint to run away!
¡°Heh, well, that¡¯s not something I can do. You, you cast magic on me, didn¡¯t you? Somehow, you knew I was poisoned and helped me¡ What kind of human would I be, if I left my saviour to die a gruesome death! That¡¯s just not right, you know?¡±
I¡¯m.... I¡¯m speechless! Humans don¡¯t care about beastkin!! You should just save yourself! There¡¯s no reason you shoul¡ª
¡°Look, I don¡¯t know who you are, but if you were willing to help a complete stranger such as myself, then I wouldn¡¯t be able to live with the guilt of leaving you to a horrible fate of death at the hands of these bandits!¡±
But... if you don¡¯t escape, then both of us will die here! That... That doesn¡¯t make any sense!!!! Oh no! The bandit that killed Drogan is emitting a powerful rage! He just activated his berserk skill!!!
¡°AGHHH!!! What the fuck are you yas piece of shit?!? Whats kinds of fancys magics was that¡¯s? Yours weapons, where the fucks did theys come from?!?!?¡±
This is the exact scenario I wanted to avoid!!! Isn¡¯t there anything else I can do?!? The mans already started charging towards you Mr. Noble! If you don¡¯t move now then it¡¯s all over!!!
Concentrating, I desperately started thinking of a spell I could utilize when the unthinkable happened. While I had learned how to track objects carefully during my training with Lupine, the noble instinctively moved with such incredible speed, I almost couldn¡¯t follow everything! That level of speed was impossible for a human! In a matter of milliseconds, he skillfully stabbed the bandit through the chest with his... Sword? Wait a minute... When did he get that sword and shield??? He wasn¡¯t wearing those earlier... Was he?
Maybe¡ª
Maybe we have a chance!!
Quickly, I turned my attention back to myself to take in the surroundings. I had completely forgotten to regain my bearings due to the unexpected turn of events! Come on Inari! You¡¯re suppose to be the incredible supporter and overwatch expert! Alright, enemy radar battle assessment, activate!
Alright, myself, and Mr. Noble are at [0,0]. 30ft east is roughly Bandit¡¯s signature, and 25ft north is Slick¡¯s signature. Garrick¡¯s signature is no longer existent ¨C Target eliminated.
Good, bearings reassessed! Now to see how¡ª Oh no! My danger detection is going off to the north! It looks like Slick decided to throw his poisoned dagger with his left-arm! The noble person also hasn¡¯t noticed it yet either!
Without realizing it, a small smile started to grow across my face as I murmured to myself:
¡°Challenge, accepted!¡±
I wasn¡¯t going to let us be defeated here! Gathering mana to my paws, I began bending and weaving the mana particles to create a tightly compressed barrier spell to intercept the flying dagger!
*Shroon*Tchink*
Success! Great job Inari!!! Considering the amount of pain I was in; I was super pleased I managed to skillfully create a barrier spell and stop the dagger before it could hurt the noble!
I.... I think we can win!
Slowly, I started to stand on my feet again. It was a struggle, but I was managing! Using some of the leftover mana still floating around my body, I cast a quick ¡°Heal!¡± to start easing the pain.
Looking over at the noble, he was in complete shock as to what had just happened! Hehe! I don¡¯t blame him! His face looked completely stunned at unexpectedly being saved from that flying dagger! Now to let him know I¡¯ll support him in his decision to fight and keep him safe!
*Cough* ¡°Don¡¯t worry --*Cough* about me. I¡¯ll protect your flank! Keep your focus on the bandit ahead!¡±
Geez, talking is still rather difficult! I wish ¡°Heal!¡± acted a little quicker in repairing injuries... Wait... They¡¯re¡ª Smiling at me?
¡°Got it, I¡¯ll trust you to keep me safe!¡±
He.... He¡¯ll trusts me?? To keep him safe?!? I...¡ª But... You don¡¯t even know who I am! I¡¯m just a stupid beastkin that couldn¡¯t even keep their party safe!!! I¡¯m... I¡¯m a failure of a supporter!!
---
No.
I... You need to believe in yourself Inari!! This person, he doesn¡¯t even know who you are, but he is placing his trust in you so that both of us can survive!
My resolve felt renewed. Everything was still painful, but I felt like I could focus better. The mana surrounding me began to feel clear again, how I would always imagine it before any encounter. The possibilities I could see before me were limitless! I... I was smiling again!
Hehe! Alrighty then Mr. Noble!
I, the incredible Inari, will do my best to keep you safe!
Before I could even realize it, my tail had already started to wag again in excitement!! I was confident that we would beat these bandits and avenge Jake¡¯s party!
It was time to initiate Inari battle plan #83 ¨C Bandit¡¯s Demise!
Confident we would succeed; I swiftly brought my attention back to the bandit armed with the poisoned daggers. While he still looked rather shocked at the barrier skillfully stopping his ranged assault, I was able to sense him gathering mana for his next attack. However, I wasn¡¯t going to let him complete it!
Focusing on the mana flowing around Slick, I was able to isolate his unique signature in preparation for my next spell, a perfectly attuned Kitsunebi! Power gathered around my paws as I visualized the specific mana wavelengths related to the bandit. Next, I started weaving the spell¡¯s potency and destination into both the ethereal and tangible plane coordnate¡ª
*Crash*
*Cough*
Damnit! *Cough* I briefly lost my focus as dust and rock particles were scattered towards my direction! It seemed like Mr. Noble wasn¡¯t able to eliminate Bandit with the same maneuver from earlier, and was sent flying into the cliff face!! Oh no! He¡¯s not going to recover in time to intercept Bandit¡¯s follow up attack! He¡¯s charging at him really fast!!!
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Alright Inari, support mode, activate!
Quickly bringing my attention to the noble trapped against the jagged rocks, I was able to identify just the spell to help in this scenario! While I didn¡¯t have enough time to conjure a barrier spell from this distance, I was also predicting that Bandit¡¯s attack would probably be strong enough to dissipate a hastily formed barrier anyways.
Tapping into the tangible plane, I began envisioning and forming a solid column of rocks directly behind the noble. Mana formed and coalesced into a sturdy and rigid lattice structure. Then, I concentrated to hold the spell from releasing. Ready to activate it at the perfect moment!
¡°DIE!¡±
Hehe! Not today Bandit! No one else is dying under my watch! Shouting loud into my mind, I calmly activated my spell.
Rock Column ¨C Activate!!!!
All of the built-up mana was instantly released in a tightly compact rock column. Skillfully, I aimed the structure of earth to shoot out from just overtop of the noble! There would be no way a human could react to the spell in time!
¡°AGH!¡±
Success! Hehe! That looked pretty cool! Bandit has to be winded after taking a blow like that to the chest! While I still wasn¡¯t the strongest with earth magic, I made sure not to hold back in preparing this spell! Mr. Noble was also looking my way again. I did tell you I would protect you, didn¡¯t I?
Alright Inari, time to deal with that pesky Slick.
Quickly, I scanned the battlefield with my eyes and ears, but to my surprise, I wasn¡¯t able to pickup any trace of him. Then, when I focused my attention on where he used to be, I was able to understand what had happened!
Mana particles were still loosely clumped around the position Slick had been standing moments before. However, I wasn¡¯t going to be fooled so easily! Based on the composition of air and light energy signatures, I had a pretty good idea as to what spell Slick had activated.
The common 2nd level thief skill ¡°Invisibility!¡±
Hehe! That was a really easy spell to counter! Felice had always mentioned to me that ¡°Invismeowability is a simple illusmeown spell for humowns, but it¡¯s only useful at hiding one¡¯s vismeowable wavelengths nayn!¡±
Since only Slick¡¯s visible light wavelengths were being obscured, that meant I could still easily track him if I focused on his unique mana signature! That¡¯s why ¡°Illusion¡± is so much better! It can conceal or modify anything the user wants to their will! Changing values, hiding both your physical and magical signatures, anything!
Wait, focus Inari! Don¡¯t get sidetracked thinking about the differences between Illusion and Invisibility! You still have to locate Slick!!
Focusing on his unique mana signature, I was able to efficiently identify where he had skulked off to. Based on his positioning, it looks like he¡¯s preparing to ambush the noble while he¡¯s trading blows with Bandit! But don¡¯t worry Mr. noble, I¡¯ve got you covered!
Once again, I began picturing and combining mana to form a powerful Kitsunebi! Cognisant of the unique signature of Slick, and the differences it posed compared to the noble, I began inscribing and weaving the full extent for the desires of my spell! I pictured beautiful and powerful flames made from the purest of blue and white hues! Their target was to be the bandit, to burn only his body alone. Fire, powerful and vengeful, would erupt from within his soul to consume him in an instant!
Satisfied with my spell, I swiftly sent it flying towards the chest cavity of the man! However, I also made sure to inscribe my own version of an illusion into the flames! That way, they would appear invisible to everyone watching!
Based on the Kitsunebi¡¯s trajectory and estimated impact, it seemed everything would line up perfectly with the bandit¡¯s next assault. The noble is doing well holding his own against Bandit, but even I can tell he is starting to lose his ground. Slick also looks in position to attack him as well!
¡°Game over, kid!¡±
¡°Heh, dies ya shitbag!¡±
Screaming as loud as I could, I made sure to invoke as much power as possible from my voice. I wanted Bandit to know I wasn¡¯t just some stupid beastkin, but a powerful user of magic!
¡°KITSUNEBI!¡±
At my word, breathtakingly beautiful flames of blue, white, and orange, burst forth from within Slick, engulfing him in a powerful Kitsunebi inferno! While the flames were hot enough to instantly turn his skin to liquid, I had taken great care to ensure no harm would happen to the noble that was right beside him! Slightly startled myself at my spell¡¯s destructive power, I could see bits of the man¡¯s flesh burst and flay as it dripped onto the soil in a grotesque fluid form. Maybe I should have toned down the potency... Just a little bit?
Finally, after the eternal seconds of his screaming and suffering, Slick¡¯s agonizing shrieks had finally come to an end.
¡°AHHHHHH!!!! YOU FUCKING FILTHY BEAST!!!¡±
Recomposing myself, I could feel a confident smile growing across my face. While I had never used my Kistunebi spell on a human before, I was happy the only time had been to avenge my fallen comrades. Now, with Bandit¡¯s attention on me, I would enact the next stage of my battle plan!
While he began recklessly charging towards me, I expertly weaved together a spell I was all too familiar with; my Inari special combination spell: Illusion and Image!
Covering myself in a shimmering vale of light while masking my mana signature, I rendered myself completely invisible to the man while also leaving behind an exact image replica! Now for the fun part of my sneaky trick! While carefully maneuvering around Bandit, I made sure to manipulate the movements of my image to dodge each and every swing from his powerful attacks and slashes! Imagining the wavelengths of mana as strings attached to each critical joint of my image, I was able to shift and turn the projection¡¯s body to seamlessly avoid all of Bandit¡¯s haphazardly attacks! Then, satisfied I was now in a good position, I decided to let the man feel ¡°some¡± sense of fulfilment by purposefully making my image ¡°trip¡± on the ground.
¡°AH HA! GOT YOU!¡±
*WOOSH*
The look on Bandit¡¯s face was wonderful! The steel-short blade cleanly sliced through the air as it desperately tried to maim my image! Keeping with the flow, I calmly dispelled both my image and illusion spells to give my sarcastic reply to the raging assailant.
¡°Hehe! That was a good one! Wasn¡¯t that an amazing trick Mr. Bandit? Bet you didn¡¯t see that one coming from a stinking beast such as I!¡±
Nailed it!
Great job Inari! Bandit looks absolutely furious at my comment! The veins on his forehead look like they are going to burst at any moment from his anger! Perfect! Also, it looks like that noble is making the most of the opportunity to finish him off, go Mr. Noble!!!!
Calmly, I watched from behind as the mysterious noble leapt high into the air to attack Bandit from above! Wind blew all around me as I watched in awe at the captivating scene! Finally, our life-or-death struggle, was about to come to an end!
From the ground, I could sense Bandit had thrown his sword upwards to strike the noble while he was in the air. While I agreed that was the appropriate response, I was more than confident nothing would happen from his desperate throw!
Yes! The noble was able to dodge the attack by deflecting it with his shield! Very cool! ¨C Now to finish him off with your sword like earlier!!!
---
Wait... Why aren¡¯t you trying to stab him with your sword??!?! That¡¯s clearly what you were aiming for...
Right?
As I looked on in confusion about how the noble planned on ending the conflict, I began to feel a powerful surge of mana collecting around his right hand. The ratio of mana wavelengths seemed to indicate a fire spell of some sort, but the power seemed... Different? I didn¡¯t hear him speaking any incantation during his fall, yet the mana particles were clearly gathering around his hands efficiently! Are... Are they doing¨C?
*Schroon*Booth*CHING!*
A surging wave of heat roared outwards from his hands in a powerful laser beam-like attack! My eyes hurt from the heat as the residual warmth flowed over my fur and whiskers! What the heck was this spell!?!? They also didn¡¯t say any words to weave and combine the mana particles before releasing their attack!! Did... Did this noble¨C Just do Incantationless casting?!?!?
Rubbing my eyes to bring some sense of relief to the spontaneous dryness, I was able to take in the damage this person¡¯s spell had caused. While his body was still standing, I could no longer sense a mana signature from the man known as Bandit. He had been eliminated from a single cast of this noble¡¯s spell! Looking at the bandit¡¯s head, there was now a fist-sized hole cleanly bored through the skull! No blood or other bodily fluids appeared to be leaking out from the new opening. Instead, only the image of the forest behind him could be seen through the new found window! Finally, the noble gracefully landed back onto the ground and shouted with incredible vigour.
¡°WE DID IT!¡±
I was still lost in thought, but eventually, my mind caught up with the moment. Internally, I found myself saying ¡°Yes!¡± as well!
We did it Mr. Noble! Somehow, we managed to endure an impossible fight!!! I... I can¡¯t believe we survived!!!!
My tail began to wag in excitement!!! Hurriedly I began running over to talk to the noble. I already had hundreds of questions I wanted to ask them! Especially about the spell they used!!!! I thought that was a super cool ability! I absolutely loved learning about new spells and magics! But as I was heading over, he collapsed on the ground!
Oh no! He must have used too much of his mana in that last attack! Quickly, I checked his mana wavelengths and he appeared to only be unconscious. Phew, that¡¯s a relief! He also appeared to be in some pain as well! It looks like his left shoulder and deltoid muscles took some damage during the encounter with Bandit.
While he was lying on the forest floor, I cast a ¡°Heal!¡± spell to help alleviate some of the pain and begin the recovery process. While heal was pretty useful, it wasn¡¯t the amazing miracle treatment adventurers made it out to be. Your body still had to repair itself naturally, and that took time. Heal just helped speed up the recovery process.
That¡¯s when the adrenalin started to fade and I once again realized the position I was in. While the encounter with the bandits had come to an end, I was still injured, exhausted, and surrounded by the corpses of my party mates.
...
Next, my emotions started to catchup with me. While I was happy to have survived the ordeal, my mind kept flashing back to images of Jake, Drogan, Kael, and Lyra. I may not have known them very long, but this was the first time people I¡¯ve interacted with, had actually died.
I... I slowly started to realize that I wouldn¡¯t be able to ever speak with them again. Some... Some of my actions had resulted in their death! If... If only I trusted my danger detection spell to warn them about the potential threat Bandit¡¯s group posed! If, if only I had reacted faster then... Then maybe...
Tears started to form in my eyes again as I found myself looking over the now somber battlefield. The once beautiful forest floor, was now stained in various abhorrent shades of reds, greens, and browns. Organs littered the grimy dirt, while the smell of burnt flesh and blood filled my sensitive nostrils, making me feel nauseous.
This... This is what fighting was... Wasn¡¯t it?
Did I... Really want... To be an adventurer?
Is this why Felice only wanted me to do herb gather requests...? Could I¡ª Ever become...? ¨C
...
I don¡¯t know...
My thoughts froze as I could only stare at the gross, forest floor. The grip on my staff started to loosen as I reached to grab my handy journal. Tears dripped from my face, lightly falling onto the cover of the well-worn leather. Gently, I brushed the salty water away as I read the lettering I had scribbled on the front.
¡°Inari¡¯s Trusty Adventurer¡¯s Handbook! ¨C The Secrets To Becoming The Best Adventurer Ever!¡±
...
Why did I ever think being an Adventurer would only be filled with fun and laughter? Was it... Childish of me to think I should be happy as an adventurer? How did I not realize that... Horrible things can happen...?
...
Lowering my journal, I wiped the tears from my eyes. Every part of my body felt gross. My fur was tacky and clumped together from blood, my nails were chipped and jagged, and my beautifully white and red robe that Yarn had crafted for me, was ripped and torn.
Looking towards Jake and Drogan¡¯s corpse. I... I had a hard time comprehending all of the events that had happened. I... I had always dreamed of fighting monsters with an adventuring party... Was... This the reality I was destined to experience, over and over again?
---
---
No.
You have to be strong Inari! If not for yourself, be strong for the people that died!
Focusing, I concentrated on the mana signatures that use to belong to Jake, Drogan, Kael, and Lyra. While I knew they were dead, I didn¡¯t want their bodies to continue rotting in the forest. They... They deserved more than this!
Slowly, I began gathering what mana I could around me. Speaking quietly, I struggled through my cracking voice to offer my incantation. The spell to lay their bodies to rest.
¡°Terra, heed my crying voice and know my sorrow. While death is life, and life is death, grant their souls peaceful, eternal rest. Return their bodies back to the cycle, to once again, become one with you. ¨C Last Rites¡±
When I finished speaking the incantation, blue, ethereal flames, slowly erupted to engulf the bodies of my first party members. Silently, I merely watched as the flames continued to crackle and flicker away. As the ghostly flames consumed their bodies, I found myself clutching my paw tightly around my journal. With newfound resolve, I mumbled to myself:
¡°You have to get stronger Inari. ¡ª Stronger so that no one else dies while you¡¯re their supporter! Stronger, so you never know this feeling of pain and suffering again!
I will¡ª Become an adventurer!¡±
Chapter 27 – The Mysterious Noble
After saying my farewells and collecting my thoughts, I once again turned my attention to the noble who was passed out on the forest floor. Looking at him closely, he appeared to be wearing a rather fancy set of clothing. His white dress shirt was ripped and torn from our encounter, while mud and blood had already begun to stain the once pure satin. Though I hadn¡¯t seen many nobles before, even I could tell the clothing was of a high quality.
Using some of my last remaining magic reserves, I cast a small strength boost on myself to help transport his body to a calmer area of the Eldermyst forest. The suns were already starting to set, and if we continued staying near the other corpses, monsters and scavengers were bound to show up and interrupt our recovery process.
While I was lifting him, I made sure to check the area where I had first noticed him. I vaguely remembered him wearing some type of rucksack? Well, it was rather odd in design compared to the ones I had usually seen, it probably fell to the forest floor during our fight with Bandit. Eventually, after looking for a little bit, I found it resting on the dirt. Grabbing it with me, I continued moving ourselves to a nicer area of the forest.
---
Satisfied we were now in a safer area of Eldermyst, I gently lay the noble down next to his traveling bag. Figuring I would have about an hour before he woke up, I decided to sit under the shade of a tree and read my journal.
Flipping through the pages, I was scouring everything I had written down during my studies of magic to try and find any information about this fire laser type spell the man had used! While Felice was a skilled user in all sorts of mana weaving, they had never shown me any type of fire spell that resembled what I saw earlier! Fire Bolt and Explosion were of incredible potency when cast by them, but a thin, powerful beam of molten plasma? How was that possible?
I also began eagerly writing down all of the questions I was going to ask the noble once he woke up! Alright Inari, it¡¯s time to start planning your next move ¨C Mysterious Noble Interrogation Strategy, Version 4!
---
It wasn¡¯t long after I had finished my 30th variation on how I would converse with the noble, when I started to notice he was moving and looking at me! I could feel my tail start to wag at the prospect of finally getting to hear some answers!! Alright Inari, remember¨C Act natural!
¡°Oh good! You¡¯re awake!!! I¡¯m super glad your ok!!! Oh!!! I have so many things I want to ask you!! I was absolutely thrilled at the battle we fought together in!!! I had to say, you were weirdly amazing! What kind of magics did you use? Why were you out here? Are you in pain still? Did you¡ª"
Before I knew it, I could hardly contain the questions I was asking him! Thought after thought left my mouth as I eagerly wanted to learn more about this person and why he was in the forest! How did he cast those spells? What is his magical affinity... Anything! However, paying attention to his face, I noticed that it was filled with confusion... Oh no! I was probably upsetting them by talking like this. Quick Inari, you have to apologise!!!
¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ll stop with all the descriptions and details¡ Humans don¡¯t seem to like it when I talk like that so¡ª¡±
There! Hopefully that¡¯s enough to let them know I¡¯m¡ª
¡°No, It¡¯s fine.
Let¡¯s just say I¡¯ve had a really, really confusing day. I would be more than happy to answer your questions, but my mind is still a jumbled mess from earlier.¡±
He¡¯s... He¡¯s not angry at me??? But I thought humans didn¡¯t like it when I talked like this! Wait, his mind is all jumbled? I think I know what that is based on how the fight played out! It¡¯s probably mana shock! Let me ask him just to be sure.
¡°Hmmm, that potentially sounds like mana shock. Are you experiencing a sense of exhaustion, dizziness, and what feels like bubbles bouncing around in your head?¡±
¡°Ummm, actually yes, yes I am.¡±
It is mana shock! I knew those symptoms sounded familiar! I quickly and happily explained the condition to the confused noble with as much detail as I could! But then I remembered that I was probably describing everything a little too much for his liking, and decided to stop my explanations early. He would probably feel better after some rest. That was the standard treatment besides drinking a mana potion to quickly restore your MP values.
However, the next thing I knew, he was actually asking me if I could describe mana shock further for him! Was this human alright? They were actually interested in my detailed explanations??? Wait...
My name?!?
That¡¯s right! I had totally forgotten to introduce myself!!! Alrighty then, one super fancy and fantastic Inari introduction coming right up!
¡°Oh!!!! That¡¯s right!!! I had totally forgotten to introduce myself!!!! Well, I mean, we never really did have a proper chance, did we, right? Things just kind of happened and then, well, ya! So, Mr. Mysterious Noble, I am the great Inari Kitsune! Supporter and Healer Specialist at your service!¡±
Nailed it! I think that was a pretty good summary of myself!
Wait, why are you laughing at me!!! What¡¯s so funny about my introduction Mr. Noble??? My name in your language??? You¡¯re speaking in Solarian, what the heck do you mean!?!? I quite like the name Inari Kitsune thank you very much!
Geez, were all humans this rude? It¡¯s really not nice to make fun of somebody¡¯s name Mr. Noble!!! I made sure to tell him all about my frustration at his disregard for my enthusiastic introduction and for making fun of my name! Seriously, this noble wasn¡¯t very nice at all!
¡°Hey now, let me finish first haha! So, miss Inari, I have a serious question for you. Do you happen to like¡. Tofu? Fried tofu? Perhaps?¡±
Fried tofu! Oh I would love to have some fried tofu right about now! I was absolutely starving, and having a nice warm plate of fried tofu with veggies from Yarn would be perfect!!!
Before I could even realize it, my tail had already begun to excitedly wag back and forth! This always happened when I thought about eating some tofu because it was the most amazing meal ever!
But, now I¡¯m really curious... How would he know I liked tofu from my name? Was he using some type of magic to read my thoughts? I wasn¡¯t detecting any type of magic at the moment... So what about my name would¡ª
Confused, I decided to ask him the question myself.
¡°But, how would you know I like fried tofu? What would have possibly given you that idea from my name?¡±
¡°Hmmm, well, I¡¯m not exactly sure how to put this but¡ª¡±
Seriously! A long, dramatic pause!!! Why would you do this to me!!!! Aghhh!!! I have to know!!!!
But while I was thinking about how my name was connected to tofu, I was in no way prepared for what happened next during our conversation.
¡°Inari, would you believe me, if I said I was from another world?¡±
Another world??!??! Ummmm... I think you might have some brain damage there Mr. Noble! It¡¯s impossible for people to be from another world! You probably have acute memory loss combined with the effects of mana shock making you forget what happened to you¡ª
But, as I was listening to him, my acute memory loss diagnosis didn¡¯t make sense for the situation. Well, it kinda worked, but the level of detail they were describing... Cars??? What the heck were those things? Voices in your head?
While he still didn¡¯t answer my question regarding how Inari was related to tofu, I eventually found myself, lost in thought as I listened to the noble rant about how chaotic and eventful their day had been! If I think about it from this angle¡ª And considering his abnormal mana signature...
Pulling out my journal, I energetically began flipping through the pages until I landed on the section I had been looking for! ¡°Forbidden & Forgotten Meowgics!¡±
While Felice didn¡¯t explain a whole lot about this section, he did mention that there are lots of weird magics in the world of Terra. Almost every action was possible with magic, so long as the caster had sufficient control of the appropriate mana wavelengths, and enough potency to inscribe their will into the particles on the spell¡¯s activation.
Looking up at the noble, he appeared to look rather... Sad? Disappointed? Oh! That¡¯s right! I haven¡¯t said anything to him yet! He also stopped talking a while ago, so he¡¯s probably wondering why I¡¯m not saying anything to him! I should probably let him know my thoughts about his story.
¡°Hmmm, well I can¡¯t quite say if it¡¯s true of not, but if I examine everything from the perspective of an unknown type of magic¡¯s influence, there is the faint possibility what you¡¯re saying is correct Mr. Noble!¡±
There! He looked slightly relieved and confused at my response! I wonder if he thought I was going to think him crazy or something? Well, I wouldn¡¯t blame him. This wasn¡¯t exactly a topic that most people would get into. Forbidden magic was really only reserved for magic scholars and researchers to discuss after all!
Wait... His name?
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Haha! That¡¯s right! I¡¯ve been calling him Mr. Noble, Mysterious Noble, and Noble this whole time! I never even thought to ask him his name!
Kotato? Hehe! And you said Inari was a silly name! I¡¯ve never heard of any human being called Kotato before! Well, he did say he¡¯s from another world, so maybe humans there are different? Happily, I responded to his introduction.
¡°Sure thing! Pleasure to meet you Ko!¡±
Then, he asked me to explain to him in as much detail as possible my hypothesis surrounding this forbidden magic and his abnormal mana signature! No... No ones ever asked me to explain everything like this before!
Alright then Ko, prepare to be amazed by Inari¡¯s super incredible mysterious magic hypothesis explanation! I¡¯ll mention everything!
During my explanation, I started by giving an in-depth overview about how magic is cast. Once I had developed a sufficient base structure, I moved onto how each creature in the world can be identified by their ¡°primary signature¡±, then further classified into a ¡°sub signature¡± to differentiate them amongst other individuals of the same class.
Ko appeared deep in thought as I rambled on and on about how his signature, while that of a human, was slightly different, even when compared to humans from the region of Colosseum! This was a whole new type of human classification! He also seemed to grasp the concept quickly that certain magics can have an increased potency if cast efficiently. Felice had mentioned that humans were very ¡°stuck in their ways¡±, but Ko seemed very open to this idea, almost as if it was something he was already familiar with!
Finally, I ended with the largest evidence I had regarding him potentially being from another world. His appraisal window! None of the information was legible, which was incredibly weird based on how the spell traditionally functioned, even for higher ranks of the spell!
Then, before I knew it, he had actually requested I cast appraisal on him again! Except this time, it would be an experiment to see if he could read the letters on the screen! That... That actually made a lot of sense! If Ko was indeed from another world, perhaps the characters were from that ¡°other language¡± he was talking about!!!
Excitement started to course through my body as I eagerly waited to perform our experiment! I also made sure to warn Ko that when I cast appraisal on him, that he might feel the effects of the spell. Oh! That¡¯s right! I... I should probably do traditional casting still! Even if they are from another world, I still don¡¯t think Felice would approve of me exposing incantationless casting!
Alright Inari, remember, casting while speaking!
¡°World reveal onto me the secrets within, show me all that lies inside, Appraisal!¡±
Just like earlier, those strange characters appeared again in the status window! I excitedly motioned for Ko to sit beside me! I could hardly wait to learn what this silly information window said about him! Was this really another language??! The suspense was killing me!
---
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????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????:????????????????????????????????????????????? ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????:??????????????????????????????????????????? ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????:??????????????????????????????????????????????? ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
A????????????g?????????????e????:??????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????
P???????r???????????????o????????????f????????????????????e???????????????????s???????????????s?????????????????i???????????o??????????????n??????????:??????????????????? ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
S?????????t?????????????????a??????????????t??????????????????u????????????????s?????????????????:?????????????? S????????t??????????????????r????????????????????e?????????????n???????????g??????????????t?????h???????????????:?????? ???????????????????1???????????2???????? ??????????????D??????????????e???????????????f????????????????e????????????????n?????????????c??????????????????e??????:????????????? ?????????????????????1????????????????0??????????????
?????????????? ??????????????????? ?????????????? ???????????????????M?????a???????????????????g????????????????????i?????c??????????????????????:?????????? ??????????????????6??????????? ?????????????????D?????????????????????e???????????????x????????????????????t????????????????e?????????????????r???????????????????i??????t??????????????y????????????????????:???????????? ???????????1?????????????????0???????????
S?????????????????????????k????????????????i???????????????????????l?????????l?????????????????????????????? ???????????P?????r????????????????????????????o?????????????????????f??????i???????????????????c???????????????????i??????????????e???????n????????????c??????????????????????????i????????????e????????????????????s?????????????????????????:???????????? ???????????????????[?????????????????????????H?????e?????????????a????????????????????v?????????????????????????e?????????????????n??????????????????????????l?????????????????????????????y????????????????? ???????????????????????????F?????l????????????????????????a???????????????m??????????????????????????e????????????????????????????]?????????????????????? ??????????????????????????????????[?????????????????????????S????????????????w????????????o?????????????????????r??????????????????????????d?????????????s????? ??????????????????¨C????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????]????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????[????????????????????????????????????R???????????????????e????f??????l?????????????????????e???????x?????????????????e?????????????????????????s?????????]????????????????? ?????????????[????????????????????F??????????????????????a?????????????s???????????????????t???????????????????? ??????????????????????G??????????????????r?????????????o???????????????????w???????????t??????????????????????????h??????????]?????????????????????????????? ?????????????[?????????????????????????????????????S??????????????????????u?????????????????????????????m????????????????????????????m??????????????????????????o??????????????????????n??????????????????e???????????????????????????????d??????????????????????? ?????????????????H????????????????????????????????e??????????????????????????????r?????????????????????????????????o???????????????????????]??????????? ????????????????[???????????????????W???????????????????????????????o?????????????r??????????????????????????????????l?????????????????????d?????????????????????????????? ???????????????S?????????????????????????e????????????????r??????p?????????????????????????e??????????????????n???????????????????????t?????????????????????????¡¯???????????????????????????????s??????????????????????????????? ????????????????A??????????????????????????????????p????????????????o??????????????????????s???????t?????????????????????l????????e?????????????????????????]???????????????
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---
Unable to contain my excitement, I quickly asked him to hurry up and explain what the silly characters meant!
¡°So, can you read them??? Oh I can¡¯t wait to find out what these silly characters mean!!! This is such an incredible discovery!!! Ko!!! Please!!!! What do they say!!! Tell me!!!¡±
I... I think I sounded a little too desperate there. But it wasn¡¯t my fault!!! Seriously!!! I was just really, really curious to learn more about this!!
Hmmm... Well that¡¯s unfortunate. And here I was hoping to finally learn what those characters meant! But that¡¯s interesting. I like his thought that there is the potential for an incompatibility! That¡¯s an interesting perspective to approach the problem from! Maybe... Maybe I should bring them to Felice! They are the strongest mana weaver I know of!!! They are also probably worried sick about me!!! Oh... I hope they aren¡¯t too angry with my running away and ignoring their advice!!!
So, I decided to mention to Ko that we should probably visit Felice. If anyone, they would be the most resourceful and knowledge about his ¡°other world¡± situation! But, after agreeing with me, he asked me about the other adventurers I was with. While I was still sad, I did my best to explain how we ended up in that situation. I couldn¡¯t change the past, but I would learn from this moment to grow stronger.
¡°I see, thank you for sharing. I appreciate it.¡±
Yes, I... I think I needed to speak my thoughts as well. I feel better now.
Ummmm... Oh no! He... He just asked me about incantationless casting!!! What do I do?!?!? I... I mean, I¡¯m pretty sure he did that himself during the fight! But Felice said I wasn¡¯t supposed to tell humans abou¡ª Quick! He¡¯s staring at you Inari! Say something!
¡°Incan.. Incantationless casting?? Heh, what do you mean casting spells without saying their incantation, nobody can possibly do that Ko!¡±
Nailed.... It? Geez, I hope that was enough to convince him!!! Oh no! He saw me doing incantationless casting during our fight with Bandit?!?? What do I do!!!
My ears started to droop as I looked around for anything to help me out of this conversation! Maybe, I should just deny it? I mean... It was really hectic during the fight, so it wouldn¡¯t be totally unexpected if he didn¡¯t hear¡ª That¡¯s it! I was¡ª
¡°Nope! Definitely wasn¡¯t me, well, I mean, I did cast those, but I was totally saying the words! I was just.. Super... Quite???¡±
I don¡¯t think that worked either!!! Now he¡¯s really looking at me. I... I totally wasn¡¯t convincing... Was I?
Oh! That¡¯s Right!!!! Quickly!! Change the conversation!!! Ummm¡ª His backpack!
¡°Oh, ummm your backpack! Yes!!! Ummm, I think I brought it with me, it should be over where you were lying down befor¡ª¡±
Thank goodness! Ko finally stopped asking me about the incantationless casting! They did look very excited about finding their backpack though. Did they have something important inside it?
Wait... What the heck was that?! Lots of mana particles just suddenly flooded around him when he placed some... Small object on his head??
!
His¡ª His wounds are all gone!!! What type of magic was that!
While I was still in shock seeing Ko¡¯s instantaneous recovery, he started to ask me a question:
¡°Hey, Inari, you¡¯re still injured from our fight with the bandits, right?¡±
Still injured???! What the heck do you think?!?! Why would you ask such a silly question! Why of course I¡¯m still injur¡ª
¡°Good!¡±
Then, without warning, he slapped one of those strange brown things onto my forehead as well! What the heck did you do to me Ko!?!? I did not consent to this!!!
While I was still shocked and annoyed at spontaneously being assaulted by the strange human, I suddenly felt the same, abnormal surge of mana particles gather around me as well! In an instant, all of my wounds had healed, restoring my HP to full! Additionally, my MP values had also been replenished as well! And... And my fur! I¡ª I felt clean! All of the blood had disappeared, leaving behind my beautiful fur coat! I¡ª I felt amazingly soft!!! I... I like this! But... But that was still wrong of him to do this! What if something really bad happened to me?!?!? Happy, but annoyed, I made sure to tell him I wasn¡¯t pleased with this! I also asked him what the heck he did to me!
¡°Hahaha!!! Lets just say it¡¯s magic from another world!¡±
...
Magic¡ª From another world...
...
Eventually, I sighed, then suggested we best get going to meet with Felice. Leading the way, I started walking towards the Tavern with Ko beside me.
Chapter 28 – The Fox’s Punishmeownt
On the way back to the ¡°Paws & Beans¡± tavern, I was busily playing through various scenarios in my head about how I would handle Felice and their ¡°disappointmeownt¡± with me. I was only on variation #57 of my apology when the building finally came into view at the bottom of the hill. Excited I was finally, almost home, I picked up my pace, breaking into a light run towards the tavern! To my left, Ko was also keeping up, racing me towards the entrance!
Not wanting to disappoint Ko too much, I tried my best to lower his expectations before meeting Felice. While it¡¯s true they are a powerful user of magics, they can be a bit... Weird at times in their mannerisms!
While I was doing my best to prepare Ko for the introduction, I was taken completely off guard by a famous flying Felice tackle!
¡°WAAAAAA!!! INARI NAYN!!!! I WAS SOOOOO MEOWIED ABOUT YOU MEOWN!!!!!¡±
Gah!!! I... I can¡¯t breathe!!!!! Damnit Felice!!!! I know I worried you, but there is a time and place for everything!!! You¡¯re getting your tears all over me!!!! And just after my fur was all nice and cleaned too!!!!
I struggled with all my might, but was unable to remove the flailing cat from on top of me! I even attempted to cast a bolster strength, but Felice countered my spell the instant he noticed me gathering mana!!! Geez! This isn¡¯t fair!!!! Desperately, I asked my new friend if they could help me, but he was merely standing there, watching me suffer!!! How could you be so mean Ko!!!
¡°Sorry Inari, but I think this is an appropriate punishment for ignoring Felice¡¯s advice! I mean, you did admit to sneaking out against their wishes you know?¡±
...
Eventually, Felice started to calm down once I reassured them I was sorry for my actions.
Then, once Felice had wiped the tears from their face, Ko gave his introduction and briefly explained what had happened to us. Looking at Felice, I could tell they were already using their ¡°Absolute Appraisal¡± on him. If anything, this was the spell that could provide the most insight to Ko¡¯s other world situation! Absolute Appraisal was impossible to negate and revealed everything about the target! It even had the added benefit of not alerting the individual they had been appraised as well! If anything, Felice¡¯s version of appraisal HAD to tell us the truth!
¡°Nyan! That would be a puuurfect meowpertunity to acquaint meowselves. Kotato nyan, please follow nyan. I meowself have plenty of questions to nyask you and Inari nayn as meow!¡±
Good! It looks like they were interested after viewing his status screen!! Finally, we were going to learn the truth about this other world Ko was from! But seriously?!? Did they really have to do their ¡°Nayn!¡± pose here?
Finally, once Felice had trotted off to his ¡°headmeowster¡¯s room¡± Ko decided to be useful and help me up! Grabbing my paws, he helped me onto my feet as we both followed Felice to their interrogation room. While Ko wasn¡¯t convinced that Felice was truly a gifted user of magic, I did my best to reassure them about their talent! I also waved to Yarn as we went through the doors. Although she was acting shyer than usual and I wasn¡¯t quite sure why...
---
Once we were seated on the couch, I made sure to sit next to the comfiest pile of pillows I could find! While I really enjoyed the soft, fluffy texture they offered, I also had an ulterior motive they would come in handy for! Knowing how Felice was, there was a high probability they would want to talk with the mysterious person alone. So, I had already begun planning various ways to listen in on the conversation! Carefully, I imbedded two mana listening particles into the pillow, and floated another underneath the couch. However, I made sure to use 3 different versions of my illusion spell when doing so!
The first particle on the pillow, would be ¡°sloppily hidden¡±, and the one under the couch would be using what Felice knew as my ¡°best¡± illusion spell! However, I haven¡¯t told them I figured out a new way to mask the mana signatures of this spell with illusion!! That, would be for the third particle on the pillow! I was already expecting Felice to notice the first 2 concealment attempts, but was hoping they would fail to notice the third, intended spell! Come on Inari! Show them you¡¯ve really learned how to weave magic effectively!!!
However, I began to feel nervous as Felice was glaring at me! I could tell they were not happy at the situation! My ears started to droop and I couldn¡¯t wag my tail anymore from their uncomfortable stares.
Eventually, they spoke to Ko, giving them a proper introduction and offered to prepare some tea for us! While I was excited at the prospect of some of Felice¡¯s tea, I was still quite sad from their condescending stares my direction. Finally, after the tea was poured, Felice clapped their hands to close the door.
¡°That¡¯s ameowsing Felice! Apologies if my pronunciation was off, but that was a very entertaining use of magic! Is casting something like that easy to learn?¡±
Did... Did they really just try to respond in beastkin to Felice? Hehe! That was kind of cute of them to attempt doing that! Most humans seem to be annoyed at how Felice refuses to communicate in Solarian! I even caught them smiling at Ko! Maybe this interrogation won¡¯t go as badly as I was expecting?
After finishing retelling our encounter with the bandits, Felice proceeded to cast their appraisal spell on him! Well, they used the verbal incantation, but that still shouldn¡¯t affect the potency of the spell!
However, even though it was Felice who cast their absolute appraisal, I was shocked to see that the status window was still all jumbled and messed up! Well, I mean, it was slightly less jumbled compared to when I cast it, but still! This was absolute appraisal we were talking about! Nothing was supposed to be left out!!! Based on their reaction as well, they were also surprised at the circumstances! Was... Was Ko actually from another world, and Terra didn¡¯t know how to interpret his values?!?! This was truly a mystery!!!
¡°Oh, also, while I remember Felice, I didn¡¯t exactly mention it during the bandit encounter, but incantationless casting of magic is possible right? Or is that something impossible for magic users? There were several times during the fight I would imagine what I wanted to achieve with a spell and say the words in my mind to produce the effect.¡±
Wait, what are you doing Ko!!!!! I already mentioned that incantationless casting was impossible!!! Oh no!!! Felice is looking very angry at me now!!
Without realizing it, I found myself slowly sinking into the comfy couch in an effort to hide my presence from the uncomfortable situation! Felice was staring at me with an incredible amount of disappointment! Desperately, I did my best to try and clear the confusion and avoid Felice¡¯s wrath!
¡°Hehe, Ko, I already told you tha... That incantationless casting is im-impossible! Remember? Surely you wouldn¡¯t need to bother Felice with something as outrageous as casting spells without speaking right? I mean... You clearly heard Felice speak to cast their own Appraisal spell! And since they are incredible at appraisal magics, surely, it¡¯s a silly thing to think we can cast spells without talking! All spells require speaking to be cast!¡±
There! Hopefully that was enough to¡ª
Wait! Why are you now accusing Felice of incantationless casting! I mean, yes, they were doing incantationless casting, but you¡¯re not suppose to know about this!!! Felice did a much better job at trying to convince them, but cantrips aren¡¯t even a thing Felice! I... I just want out of this situation!!!! Pillows, save me!!!!
Giving up all hope in the situation, I threw myself behind the pillow I was holding and covered my ears! I... I didn¡¯t want to know what Felice was going to do next!!! It was really obvious based on how Ko was describing everything that I didn¡¯t hide my incantationless casting well enough!!!! I... I just want this to be over!!!
¡°It¡¯s alright Inari nayn, you can stop trying to burry meowself in the pillows meown.¡±
I.... I messed up... Didn¡¯t I? ¡ª Felice didn¡¯t sound happy at all with me... I... I just didn¡¯t know what to do!!!! We could have died if I didn¡¯t cast spells like that Felice!!! I¡ª I don¡¯t get what the problem is!!! Why do I have to keep this a secret...!
¡°Inari nayn, while I¡¯m glad you managed to survive, I¡¯ll still have to pawnish you for disobeying meown orders as your mewtor meown. Please return to your lodgings for the nynt, I wish to speak with Kotato nayn a little longer... ¨C Privmeowtly.
And don¡¯t bother with meown listening meowgics, I¡¯ve almeowdy detected them and neutralized their meowfects.¡±
But how!?!? I... I didn¡¯t even notice you dispel the one underneath the couch!!!
I felt really disappointed. When I checked the two listening particle clusters, they were indeed dispelled. Felice had also applied their own version of an illusion to them so I didn¡¯t even notice when it happened! They really were good at magic...
Hehe!
Got you Felice! Everything is proceeding according to my plan! My new illusion technique was successful in hiding the third particle on the pillow! They... They didn¡¯t notice!!!! Great job Inari!!!! Now, I just have to act sad while I leave the room to not draw any suspicion to my excitement!!!
Calmly, I began rearranging the pillows I had evidently scattered around myself and said my goodbyes to Ko. I smiled towards them while telling Felice not to be too difficult on them. They... They were actually the first human I wanted to spend more time with!
I... I felt like I could be myself around them!! Not some ¡°illusion¡± of Inari... But just¨C Inari!
After leaving the room, I could feel Felice activate their ¡°Magic Nullification Zone¡±. Standard procedure for keeping conversations confidential. However, my listening particle was stil¡ª
Oh...
They disabled it...
With my depression finally setting in, I slowly made my way back towards the counter Yarn was standing at. After all, even though my injuries had been healed, my robe still needed to be repaired, and she was the best at fixing anything! Once I got near the counter, I was able to see Yarn, as usual, hiding behind it. So, I did my best to be energetic as I spoke to her.
¡°Hi Yarn! I¡¯m finally back from my adventure! Umm, I can¡¯t stay too long to talk with you since your brother asked me to head back to my room for the night. But... My robe. I¡¯m really sorry Yarn! But I damaged it while I was on the goblin subjugation quest!!! Would... Would you be able to fix it for me?¡±
Yarn looked at me with her usual, curious eyes, then happily beamed her response back to me!
¡°Hi Inari nayn! I¡¯m super glad you made it back safely *meow!* I... I can definitely make the repairs for you!!!¡±
¡°Thanks Yarn! I¡¯ll be sure to bring them down tomorrow morning. I still don¡¯t know what my punishment is going to be from Felice, but I probably need to be well rested for whatever it is they throw at me!¡±
¡°Okey Inari nayn, have a good night *meow*!¡±
Hehe! Talking with Yarn always cheered me up a little bit! They were always super friendly to talk with!
Filled with energy, I quickly bound up the stairs to my lodgings on the 3rd floor! Once inside my room, I activated my ¡°luminous¡± spell to brighten the area while I finished getting ready for bed! All of my gear went to its respective spots, while I sat down at my desk, ready to read through my journal again!
Stolen story; please report.
Remembering the day, I made sure to write down all of the events that transpired in as much detail as possible! Today had been absolutely incredible, and was something I would make sure to always remember! Finally, satisfied I had included everything I wanted; I titled my lengthy entry:
¡°Inari¡¯s First Real Adventurer! ¨C Meeting Someone From Another World!¡±
A smile grew across my face as I read through the contents again. My stomach was giving me a slightly uneasy feeling, almost like something horrible was about to happen, but I figured it was just my nerves still acting up!
Heading to bed and snuggling myself underneath the blankets, my body finally felt relaxed as I sank into the soft bedframe. Surrounded by pillows, I closed my eyes to fall asleep. Before drifting off to the world of dreams, I mumbled to myself:
¡°Inari, you will become the best adventurer!¡±
---
---
---
Eventually, I woke up early in the morning ready for another day filled with fun and adventure! Looking out the windows of my lodging, the suns hadn¡¯t even started to break above the horizon yet! All along the rolling grassy planes, was the tranquil setting of an early morning¡¯s dawn! I always liked viewing the mornings like this before getting ready for another day of adventuring!
Sitting up in my bed and reorganizing some of the pillows I had ¡°tossed¡± while sleeping, I started to gently brush my fur, getting out some of the knots and stray strands that were sticking up! While I was proud of my well-kept red and golden fur coat, it really was a pain to take care of, especially in the morning!
Satisfied that my morning routine was complete, I energetically grabbed my spare adventuring gear, journal, and trusty staff! My mind had already been thinking about all of the potential punishments I would receive today from Felice. I already had 40 different thoughts last night, and an additional 20 this morning alone as to what it may be!!!
¡°It¡¯s alright Inari, no matter what Felice sends your way. You. Can. Do this!¡±
After feeling reassured from my own words of encouragement, I finally left my room to grab some breakfast before heading out. I also made a mental note to drop-off my torn robes with Yarn so she could fix them!
Walking down the winding hallways of the tavern, I could already hear the sounds of some of the other patrons energetically talking away! I could also smell a whole assortment of aromas and flavours wafting up throughout the building! Freshly cooked beef and eggs were a popular item at the tavern, but my mouth was already thinking about my preferred dish.
Fried tofu!
Images of plates, filled with fried tofu and veggies, all lovingly made by Yarn, flooded into my mind! Everything about the dish they made was truly incredible! The crunchy, crispy texture, soft, juicy interior, and mind-blowing flavours, all combined to create a perfect dish for anyone!!! I caught myself starting to drool just thinking about the meal!
Hold it!!! Control yourself Inari! I know it¡¯s only the most amazing meal in the universe, but you need to show some restraint!
With my tastebuds, somewhat under my control again, I finished my descent down the staircase to triumphantly land at the bottom in spectacular Inari fashion! Ta dah!
With no one seemingly paying much attention to my grand entrance, I confidently skipped over to the bar counter to order myself a well-deserved breakfast! I could see Yarn was in her usual spot, already taking the orders for a few customers ahead of me! Lots of the other beastkin staying at the tavern were early risers like myself, so the morning rush was usually crazy! I really had respect for Yarn, I had no idea how she could singlehandedly keep on top of all the food orders around here!
Eventually, after the wolf beastkin in front of me placed their order for a beef bowl and egg combo, it was finally my turn to order Yarn¡¯s famous fried tofu!!! Noticing I was next in line, Yarn¡¯s facial expression beamed in excitement! Her tail had already started to wag back and forth as I got closer with its usual, beautiful silken red ribbon neatly tied at the tip! Excited as well, I happily greeted her!
¡°Good morning Yarn!!! Your ribbon looks absolutely amazing today! Is that a different fabric? How are you managing with all of the hungry patrons this morning?¡±
¡°Good morning Inari nayn!!! I¡¯m super excited to see you as well! Yes!! *meow!* It is a new fabric for my ribbon! Tha¨C Thank you for noticing!!! Ummm, I¡¯m somehow managing to help everyone today! Everyone has been ordering the beef bowl with egg this morning! Wou¨C Would you like me to prepare you a dish of fried tofu nayn? *meow*¡±
¡°Yes Yarn, that would be absolutely fantastic!!!¡±
While I was happily talking with Yarn and eagerly looking forward to my plate of fried tofu, my enemy detection started to warn¨C
¡°INARI NAYN!!!!¡±
Gah!!
I had been violently tackled from behind by a super energetic Felice! They were hugging me from behind my back while covering my eyes with their soft, delicate hands! Yarn had also already left to start preparing my meal, so I was left all alone with my assailant!
¡°Hehehe! Guess who nayn?¡±
This... This was their usual game in the morning time... Each and everyday they would ¡°pounce¡± on me and cover my eyesight. Then, they would ask me to guess who it was!
I mean, obviously it was Felice, but I had learned through my many times going through this morning behaviour with them, that I had to say it a special way... So, with my best beastkin accent, I released myself from their torment.
¡°The Fabmeowlus Felice Nayn!¡±
¡°Meown! You¡¯re no fun Inari nayn! You¡¯re suppose to at least guess incorrectly one time meow!¡±
¡°Sorry Felice, but I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about last night! I still have so many questions about everything an¨C¡±
¡°Meown, well those question can wait nayn! After all, meows the purrrfect time for me to handout your punishmeownt nayn!¡±
Slowly, with a flick of their wrist, Felice opened a portal to their spatial storage and retrieved a stack of papers. Then, they handed them towards me.
¡°Here you go Inari nayn! This should be meow than enough to keep you busy nayn!¡±
With a sigh, I grabbed the parchments with my paws and began flipping through them... As I read each request, it became clear that this was very similar to Felice¡¯s Punishmeownt #12. Each guild request said the following:
Rank G ---URGENT--- Medicinal Herb gathering in the forests of: Eldermyst, Great Pine, and Willows Retrieve. Please deliver 10 ¡°Adventurer¡¯s Sage¡± to the Paws & Beans Tavern. Minimum herb quality of C or above.
*Sigh*
Really Felice? You even went and marked these requests as URGENT?!?! This... This is ridiculous! Even though ¡°Adventurer¡¯s Sage¡± is used for common healing potions, there is no way you would need THIS many!?!?
And 20 of these requests?!?!? You seriously wanted me to gather 200¨C
¡°And I will need them for tonight meown.¡±
TONIGHT?!?!?! This.... This is going to take me all day!!!!
My head felt dizzy as I was still trying to contemplate why they had decided on this as my punishment! Even if I got started now, this would take me at least 12 hours!! That¡¯s not even considering the travel time between the different forests around here!!!
This... This really was a punishment...
Saddened at knowing how my day would now be spent, I lay my head onto the counter in anguish. At... At least I would have some tofu before I had to head out....
Oh! That¡¯s right! Since Felice is here, I should take the opportunity to ask them about their chat with Ko last night! Maybe they would be willing to share some information with me!!! So, gathering what enthusiasm I could, I asked them some of my questions!
¡°So, Felice! What did you and Ko talk about last night!!! I know you wanted it to be a private conversation, but I¡¯m really curious abo¨C¡±
It was weird, for some reason as I was looking at Felice, they looked really startled about my comment. What was even more strange, was how they responded to me!
¡°Nay-nay-nayn! What do you me-me-mean Ko nayn? Meowthing happened pawtween us last night meown!¡±
Between us?
¡°Ummm, Felice? I wasn¡¯t asking about that, I was asking abou¨C¡±
¡°Oh! Ou-our-our conmeowsation nayn! Yes! Of course, meown! N¨Cn¨Cn¨CNo Inari nayn, what happmeowned was...¡±
Okey... Why was Felice acting so weird answering my question? Of all the years I¡¯ve been staying here, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever heard them stutter like this before! Their cheeks were also a lot redder for some reason?
¡°I said it¡¯s a privmeowt conversation Inari nyan! S¨Cs¨C So I can¡¯t meowntion meownything to you nayn!
I¨C I ha-have some things to do meown¡ So I¨C I hav¨C Have to... ¨C Later nayn!!!¡±
And just like that, Felice hurriedly vanished behind the counter, into his office, slamming the wooden door shut. They had closed the door with such force, the sound echoed throughout the tavern, briefly interrupting some of the dining patrons.
*SLAM*
I¡. I would have to make a point to ask them about this later. Maybe if I spoke with Ko, I could figure out what happened?
¡
I don¡¯t know¡
---
As I was contemplating how to handle the seemingly impossible herb gathering requests from Felice, my nostrils picked up the scent of something I was desperately in need of; freshly fried tofu! Yarn was seemingly able to save me from my misery by bringing out a nice warm plate of the heavenly dish! Oh my goodness!!!! It also looks like she gave me some extra tofu as well!!!
My mouth had already started to drool, as I was already imagining myself digging into the succulent meal! The crispy, crunchy texture, combined with the soft, juicy interior, made for the most amazing flavour combination!!! Anyone looking at me right now would probably see stars for my eyes! I could only imagine how much they were glistening in happiness as Yarn placed the plate before me. Then, in her soft, delicate voice, she spoke to me before I could start digging in.
¡°Here you go Inari nayn! I¡ I hope you like it!! Felice told me¡ You were going to have a very busy day today *meow* so I¡ I made sure to give you some extra tofu and veggies! I¡ I also tr¨C Tried using a different sauce!! I¡ I¡. How is it *meown*?¡±
Without pause, I messily started devouring the tofu before me! My teeth ravenously ripped and teared into the delicate, crispy skin. Heavenly, breathtaking flavours assaulted my tastebuds as the sauce and juices covered every part of my tongue!!
This
Was
AMAZING!!!!!
GAH!!!!
How was Yarn so incredible at cooking!?!? I would seriously have to ask her to teach me sometime!!! I had attempted to make tofu like this at least 789 times, and all of them ended in complete, burnt tofu failure!!! That¡¯s not even counting all of the battle and assault plans I had devised beforehand!!!
With each and every bite, my worries and sadness were washed away and replaced with new feelings of excitement and satisfaction! Alright Inari, for sure you¡¯ll have to do something nice for Yarn when you get the chance!!!
Eventually, I remembered that Yarn had asked me to critique their fried tofu dish!! Thinking about it, the flavours seemed a lot richer this time compared to previous dishes!!! While the sauce was familiar, I was able to taste deeper, richer tones in the salty and sweetness profiles! Yarn had somehow, made an already incredible dish that much better!!
Wa¡ª Wait a minute! I¡¯m¡ I¡¯m picking up some small mana signatures in the meal!! Did Yarn infuse magic into the tofu?
Curious, I cheerfully asked Yarn about my observation.
¡°This taste even better than the last time Yarn!!! The flavours are so much richer and deeper!!! I¨C I want to continue eating more and more!!!! But¡ I did notice something different compared to your previous fried tofu dishes¡ Did¨C Did you infuse magic into th¨C¡±
¡°Yes! Yes I did Inari nayn!!!! I¡¯m super glad you noticed it *meow!*. I¨C I¡¯m still trying to figure out what to call this technique, but I¡ I weave some small mana particles into the cores of the tofu¡¯s signature, kind of like when you sprinkle salt over a dish! *meown!*
I¡¯m¨C I¡¯m not sure what to call it just yet *meow* but I was thinking something like Magical Seasoning Garnish!¡±
¡°That¡¯s a really interesting idea Yarn! I think that¡¯s a very creative use of magic by infusing some into the dish! It really makes the whole meal taste better! I¡ I really appreciate you making this for me Yarn!!!¡±
After hearing my praise, Yarns ears cutely folded back to hide behind her white maid¡¯s bonnet. Her face was also blushing from my positive comments, now filled with a bright, vibrant, rosy red colour!!! Then, she spoke to me in her delicate, soft voice.
¡°Tha¨C Thank you Inari nayn!!! It¡ It really means a lot to me your compliments *meow!*. I... I always do my best when making meals for everyone, but... But not everyone says thank you after so I don¡¯t always know if I did a good job... Maybe you¡¯re the only one that likes my¨C¡±
Their expression slowly turned to sadness as their voice drifted off into a faint whisper, until they finally stopped talking altogether. With their head hung, they were tightly gripping their maid¡¯s uniform.
Yarn...
I felt bad for them. Yarn was a talented and gifted demi-human in magics, just like their brother Felice, yet they suffered from a severe lack of confidence in themselves. In a way, Yarn kind of reminded me of myself. I was all too familiar with the feelings of inadequacy from back home. Come on Inari, you need to help your friend! There must be something you can say to cheer them up!
¡°Yarn, you need to have some more confidence in yourself! Just look at all of the happy beastkin eating the food you made them this morning! All throughout the tavern, adventurers are smiling while devouring their breakfast! While not everyone will say thank you, you only have to look at their behaviour to see how much your cooking impacts them!¡±
I could see Yarn looking a little better, but still disappointed. Eventually, they spoke to me again after loosening their grip around their dress.
¡°Tha¨C Thank you Inari nayn.
---
Oh! That¡¯s right *meow*! You¨C You still need me to repair your robes, right Inari nayn? I... I could do that now... That way you won¡¯t have to wait too long before starting the herb gathering requests *meow*.¡±
¡°That¡¯s ok Yarn, I have my spare adventuring gear with me, but if you could finish the repairs by the end of today, that would be fantastic!¡±
¡°Of course Inari nayn!!! Yarn... Yarn will do their best!!!¡±
¡°Awesome! Thank you Yarn!!!¡±
I was glad to see they were feeling at least a little more energetic again!
Finishing off the last remaining bits of my fried tofu plate while handing Yarn the 2/5th bronze Solara to cover the dish¡¯s cost, I collected my thoughts about how I would tackle the seemingly impossible herb gathering request. This was the perfect time for Inari¡¯s Punishment Contingency Plan #77! Efficient Herb Gathering With Experimental Filter Magic!
Feeling, somewhat energetic again, I finally stood up, ready to leave the tavern to begin my ¡°punishmeowant¡±. After handing Yarn my tattered robes, I waved goodbye, then proceeded towards the old, scratched, wooden doors. As I was leaving, I remembered that I hadn¡¯t even had the chance to say goodbye to Ko yet!!!
...
It¡¯s alright Inari, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll see them again after you finish these ¡°urgent¡± herb gathering requests!!! I mean, they are probably still sleeping after everything that happened yesterday! Then, we can talk about all the differences between our worlds! I¡¯m sure Ko is quite curious about Terra, so I¡¯m positive he would want to talk with me! I would also be able to learn a whole lot about his world as well!!!! It¡¯s perfect!!!
And so, with determination and energy, I prepared myself for the ¡°impossible¡± struggle ahead of gathering 200 Adventurer¡¯s Sage. Mumbling to myself, I said in defiance of my mentor¡¯s plan:
¡°Hehe! Challenge accepted Felice! I¡¯ll show you just how much I¡¯ve learned studying magic under you!¡±
Chapter 29 – The Magic of Filter
Exiting the tavern, while taking in the beautiful morning scenery before me, I filled my lungs with a deep breath of fresh and crisp, cool summer¡¯s air. The twin suns of Terra had finally started to break above the horizon and illuminate the rolling grassy planes with their yellow hue. Some of the light had also mischievously found its way inside my eyes, blinding me in the process. All around me was the breathtaking scenery of a comforting morning, ready to become a day filled with fun and adventure!
¡°Alright Inari, if you¡¯re to gather all of these Adventurer¡¯s Sage for Felice, then you¡¯ll probably need to head to the Eldermyst forest again! There¡¯s always plenty of herbs there!¡±
While I knew no one was around me; thanks to my enemy detection mana radar, I often found myself speaking out loud to myself during times like these. Little, verbal reminders like this, helped me stay focused on the various tasks I had to accomplish! After all, even I was aware at how distractible I was! So, with my thoughts collected, I began my short journey back towards the Eldermyst forest to begin my impossible herb gathering request.
---
Knowing how various sections of the Eldermyst forest had different soil compositions, I wandered towards the dense, jungle-like clearing to the south I frequently visited whenever I needed to gather Adventurer¡¯s Sage for the guild! The plant was common amongst herbs, but difficult to find in both large quantities and good quality. As a result, it was often requested by the various guilds due to it¡¯s simple use and popularity. Additionally, attempts to farm the herb domestically, have all been unsuccessful for reasons unknown. While I was by no means a botanist, figuring out why the herb couldn¡¯t be cultivated was something on my master ¡°list of tasks to accomplish as the best adventurer ever!¡± ... Whenever I would get around to it that is! After all, there was still so much I wanted to learn about in my studies!
Looking at the picture I had drawn in my journal, the plant possessed 5 main stems, with prickly, wide leaves. The most commonly used purpose for the herb, was in the creation of healing potions for adventurers. ¡°To meowke a potion out in the field nayn, one simpurrrly has to crush the herb in a vial of mana-infused water nya! Then, meown can consume the bitter liquid to heal light injuries nayn!¡±
Well, that was the explanation Felice had given me at least. While I was curious at how simple the instructions in creating a healing potion had been, all of my attempts have resulted in anything but a simple healing potion! The end product was supposed to be a light, reddish colour with a creamy viscosity, whereas all of my attempts somehow turned a gross, greenish brown colour! Furthermore, the texture and thickness were more akin to sludge, than a calming restorative remedy!!!! And the taste! It was... All of my potions were anything but restorative! Resting my paw under my chin, I continued thinking about how I could successfully brew the supposedly easiest potion in the world.
...
Before closing my journal, I wrote a goal I was determined to accomplish today during my punishment:
¡°Successfully make a healing potion with Adventurer¡¯s Sage.¡±
Smiling to myself, I confidently closed the old, worn-leather book, ready to begin. I had finally arrived at my destination and was eager to implement my new and improved strategy for herb gathering. Happily, I exclaimed out loud to myself in the empty field:
¡°Today is a new day, which means a new Inari! Anything is possible so long as I put my mind to it!¡±
Alright, based on my hypothesis, I should be able to create something similar to a mana detection radar, but for specific items only! The base principle would be the same, a wide-area, pulse-like scan for known mana signatures! However, while the idea was simple, the implementation would be tricky.
All living beings, creatures, and objects constantly ¡°leaked¡± mana into the world, some in greater quantities than others. It was because of this principle; I was able to create my enemy-detection & mana detection radar spells! Felice had mentioned that I should constantly practice keeping this spell active since it would give me an ¡°early-warning¡± to new information. But this is where the problem lies.
My radar spell is only effective, because the waste mana emitted from living creatures is really easy to detect. Conversely, objects like plants, furniture, and other miscellaneous things, expel waste mana in much finer, smaller quantities. The best comparison I could come up with, was if you looked into a room, you could easily spot a table. However, if you tried to only look based on the presence of mana, it would be like trying to spot a single grain of sugar in a pile of salt! It¡¯s there, but easily blends in with all of the other, finer mana particles. In fact, lots of magic users have difficulty even detecting these particles in the first place!
¡°Well, now¡¯s as good a time as any Inari! Let¡¯s do this!¡±
Closing my eyes, I began focusing on the world around me through my ears and innate connection with all of the mana particles floating around me. I could sense the air flowing around my body with faint traces of moisture carried within. Gradually, fuzzy, wobbly images started to form inside my head regarding my surroundings. They were mixtures of greenish, grayish hues, sprinkled with blues and purples. Now that I had an understanding of my surroundings, I started implementing my super secret Inari herb gathering technique, version 23! Slowly, mana started to gather around my paws. I could feel the heat and warmth of my spell as I gradually gathered my strength and forced it into my environment. Picturing in my head the concept of appraisal to produce a status screen, I started weaving my will to cast the spell on all detectable things within my view. Next, I started trying to¡ª
Gah!!! My head!!! It feels like it¡¯s going to explode from trying to use appraisal on all of the mana signatures!! My focus waned slightly at the intense migraine I received! Grrrr! Just bare it Inari! You¡¯re almost there!!! Just a little more¡ª!
With command, I opened my eyes and shouted in my head the words to activate my custom spell while raising my paw towards the unsuspecting forest foliage.
Filter!
In an instant, thousands of appraisal status screens swarmed my vision as mana burst forth from my body, forcing reality to resonate with my power and return back all of the information I requested! Cognisant of my target, the small, identifiable primary signature for Adventurer¡¯s Sage, I started closing the status screens that didn¡¯t match the desired properties of my request.
¡°Yes!¡±
I let out an excited squeal! My spell had been a tremendous success! Left floating in my vision, was roughly 23 status screens, all for only Adventurer Sage! They were also conveniently located for me on my detection radar as well! This made locating them in between the forest vegetation super easy!
With a burst of energy, I quickly ran over to the nearest Adventurer¡¯s Sage:
---
Item Name: Adventurer¡¯s Sage
Family: Herbus
Genus: Sageus
Species: Adventuerus
Quality: Poor (D)
Stats: Recovery Boost (Inert)
Magic Conductivity: N/A
Summary: A relatively common plant found all throughout Terra. It is commonly used by adventurers to brew healing potions by crushing the herb into a fine paste then mixing it with mana-infused water. Faint recovery and medicinal properties are present in the stems and leaves.
---
Hmmm, it seems I still have some tinkering to do with this spell. Mana wise, I had used roughly a 10th of my MP during the casting process, rather inefficient compared to proper mana weaving. Additionally, I was only able to locate all of the Adventurer¡¯s Sage in the immediate area, not specifically ones of quality C or above like the request stated. Still pleased, I mumbled to myself:
¡°Well, it¡¯s a start at least.¡±
Carefully, I went around to each remaining appraisal to check the quality of the Adventurer¡¯s Sage identified and gathered them if they were of Average (C) quality or above. Using my nails, I carefully severed the base of the plant to avoid damaging the stems and leaves as I hopped between locations. Of the 23 Adventurer¡¯s Sage I had located, only 7 of them had been of C quality. Fortunately, one of the herbs was of quality Good (B), so I had managed to collect at least 8 in total for this area of the forest. Not the best result, but it was still much quicker than having to manually observe and scavenge the whole area visually!
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Next, I started examining in more detail the herbs that were of quality C or above. I also placed a D quality herb on the ground beside them. Sitting down beside the herbs, I began my pondering.
The primary signatures were all similar, meaning they were an ¡°herb¡±. Sub signature wise, they were all different with 8 unique identifiers, which was to be expected from my analysis. Stubbornly, I racked my brain about how I could devise a way to search for the quality property of the herbs. Come on Inari! I mean, appraisal clearly lists the quality in the status screen! So how can I locate that property in the mana signature??? There must be some way to draw a connection or link the two concepts!!!
...
*Sigh*
¡°Well, if at first you don¡¯t succeed, then just try again! After all, I still have 192 more Adventurer¡¯s Sage to collect before the suns set!¡±
Realizing I wasn¡¯t going to arrive at a solution anytime soon, I decided to gather up the herbs I had laid on the forest floor and placed them into my spatial storage to help preserve their freshness. Then, I began wandering towards the next area of the forest to continue my search.
---
After around a few hours of gathering herbs, the twin suns had finally started to reach their apex in the sky, signaling to me, it was time for a break! Looking over my spatial storage list, I had managed to collect 172 of the 200 Adventurer¡¯s Sage for Felice¡¯s requests. I was almost done with my impossible task, but exhaustion was starting to set in from all of my repeated casts of Filter. Based on my surroundings, I recognized the area I was in to be roughly an hour¡¯s hike from the tavern. I was still in the Eldermyst forest, but much closer to the borders of Great Pine now. Some of the trees had already started to change from a usual leafy eldermyst, to the tall, common pine needles seen further west.
Looking forward to some much-needed relaxation, I decided to sit near a calm pond of water, sparsely illuminated by the tiny rays of sunlight peeking through the above canopy. There were also some small woodland critters nearby that didn¡¯t seem disturbed by my presence. Once I had settled myself in, I pulled out my journal and quickly flipped to my entry on ¡°Emergency First-Aid & Field Recovery Methods For Adventurers!¡±. Then, I quickly began reading through how to accomplish my side mission for today; successfully brewing my first ever healing potion! Without realizing it, I found myself lost in thought while mumbling out loud my battle plan as I meticulously read through all of my notes on the matter!
¡°Alright Inari! It says: ¡°Grind the highest quality of Adventurer¡¯s Sage you have on hand with a mortar & pestle, or any equivalent substitute (Note! A rock and decently flat surface may work if you forgot your mixing tools!!) into a fine, mushy paste. Then, combine the Adventurer¡¯s Sage paste with a vial of mana-infused water while gently swirling the mixture until it becomes a reddish colour. The final product should exhibit a somewhat thick viscosity, somewhere between honey and heavy cream.¡±¡±
Carefully, I followed all of my instructions for making a healing potion. From my spatial storage, I withdrew my mixing set, a Good (B) quality Adventurer¡¯s Sage, and a small glass vial, then, I placed them on a patch of flat earth near the pond. Next, I gently scooped some water into the vial and infused some of the nearby mana particles into it, changing the clear liquid into a somewhat bubbly or fizzy solution. Satisfied my initial preparations were complete, I aggressively started grinding the herb into a fine, green paste! Actually, now that I think about it, why did the mixture turn into a reddish colour when it was combined? I mean, the herb paste was clearly green, yet it magically turns into a completely different colour when added to mana-infused water?? Clearly, I would need to do some more experimenting!!!
After a few minutes of reducing the Adventurer¡¯s Sage into a fine paste, it was finally ready to be mixed into the mana-infused vial of water. I was also thankful for this, since my paws were starting to get sore from all of the repeated grinding!
Grabbing a vial of water with my right paw, I carefully added the paste and began gently swirling the mixture to combine everything...
¡°Careful Inari...! This is always the part wher¡ª
...
*Sigh*
Well, that¡¯s unfortunate... And after all of my hard work and planning too!¡±
Unfortunately, the potion mixing was another complete and authentic, Inari failure. On the 7th swirl, the mixture quickly shifted from a thin, murky green, into a bright red, before just as suddenly, solidifying into a gross, sludgy brown colour. I was really excited when the red colour briefly appeared, but then quickly became saddened at the finished products properties.
While still holding the repulsive solution, I cast Appraisal to view the specimen in greater detail.
---
Item Name: Adventurer¡¯s Healing Potion...?
Quality: Poor
Requirements: N/A
Effect: -3 HP on consumption
Magic Conductivity: N/A
Summary: A thick brown liquid that reduces an individual¡¯s health rather than restoring it. This type of potion is the result of a failure from properly preparing the appropriate materials when mixing a traditional Adventurer¡¯s Healing Potion.
---
Yep, I had somehow managed to make the opposite of a healing potion! Instead of restoring a person¡¯s health by 3 HP, it would instead reduce it by 3!! This... This was basically the same thing as poison!!!... Right?
Placing the vial into my spatial storage to avoid contaminating the environment, I let out another sigh as I scribbled and marked my result in the journal. In the top corner of the potion mixing page, at the table I had drawn for successes and failures, I annoyingly added another ¡°tick¡± to the failure column. Adding everything up, this now put my potion making attempts to: 0 successes, and 73 failures.
¡°Well, I better get back to collecting the remaining Adventurer¡¯s Sage for Felice. After all, I still need to find 29 more of them!¡±.
Tidying up my mini laboratory, I quickly sprang back on my feet to eagerly start casting Filter again. Even though I was unsuccessful in my potion making attempt, it was still a valuable learning experience while I was waiting for my magic power to recover!
---
Thankfully, it didn¡¯t take much longer to find the remaining herbs for the ¡°urgent¡± requests, and I was finally able to start making my way back towards the Tavern! Casting magic all day was a recipe for hunger, and my stomach was just beginning to remind me that it had already finished it¡¯s role of fried tofu digestion. The irritated grumbling noises signaled that it was already eagerly looking forward to it¡¯s next meal.
When I arrived at the old, wooden entranceway to the Paws & Beans Tavern, I energetically pushed open the doors to the chorus of howls and laughter I was all so familiar with! Lupine was at his usual table drinking his favourite ale, Yarn was busily handling all of the lunchtime orders, and Felice was¡ª
¡°Inari nayn! You¡¯re back already meown?¡±
¡°Hi Felice! Yes! I just finished gathering 200 of the correct Adventurer¡¯s Sage like you requested!¡±
Felice was standing behind the counter near the entranceway. They must have been expecting my return due to how quickly they called out to me! Their speckled tail was also excitedly wagging back and forth. For a moment, I almost thought his blue ribbon tied at the tail¡¯s tip was going to come loose from all the wagging! Then, without delay, he quickly bound over the counter to join me with an outstretched hand.
¡°Hmm? Meown? Let¡¯s see the Adventurer¡¯s Sage then Inari nayn!¡±
So, with a confident smirk across my face, I happily removed from my spatial storage 200 Adventurer¡¯s Sage that were of quality C or above. However, when I removed them, I made sure to dump all of them over Felice! Hehe! He did ask for all 200 of them, so I only did what he was asking for! Nothing wrong with a harmless prank to get back at them for such an unreasonable ¡°punishmeownt¡±!
¡°Nayn!!¡±
Hehe! Felice was frantically scrambling to catch all of the falling herbs, but he was unable to keep up with the sheer volume of them! Finally, resolving himself to defeat, he simply let the remaining herbs land on the hardwood floors. Pouting at me with bits of Adventurer¡¯s Sage stuck to their ears and maids¡¯ outfit, Felice snapped their fingers to collect the remaining scattered plants with their magic, neatly tying them into bundles. Then, they annoyingly spoke to me.
¡°Meown, very funny Inari nayn. Howmeowver, I now require¡ª¡±
¡°12 additional Adventurer¡¯s Sage to replace the ones that were damaged from my prank?¡±
Still with a smile across my face, and following up on my quick interjection, I confidently handed Felice an additional 12 Adventurer¡¯s Sage to replace the ones that had been damage from my antics. Shocked, but not completely taken back, they breathed a sigh of relief and mumbled their response to me.
¡°Fine meown... I guess this completes your punishmeownt nayn.¡±
¡°Oh, by the way Felice, is Ko still around? I was really hoping to speak with them after I completed the herb gather requests! There are so many things I want to talk to them about and¨C And I don¡¯t think I ever actually thanked them for all of their help yesterday!¡±
Felice looked at me with their piercing green eyes, which appeared to almost be on the verge of tears. Then, they spoke to me in a soft and saddened tone.
¡°I¡¯m sorry Inari nayn, but Ko nayn has already left for the City of Solara meown. That place... it¡¯s... It¡¯s where humeowns belong meow! They.... They won¡¯t be coming back to the tavern. Meowvything will be taken care of for them there... So¡ª They have meow reason to come back here!¡±
My heart sank. Looking at Felice, they too, appeared to be unhappy as they told me Ko had left for the city this morning. As we talked, I learned that Felice had personally wrote them a letter of introduction to meet with the king so they could explain their circumstances. They also told me that I should forget about Ko, since he would be used by the kingdom now to complete dangerous tasks.
After our talk, Felice excused himself to continue working on his ¡°admeowninstrative¡± duties, leaving me standing alone in the entranceway. I could feel my ears drooping and my tail lame, as I walked over to the busy food counter to order some fried tofu from Yarn. Silently, I handed her the 2/5th bronze Solar while resting my head on the counter, using my arms as a makeshift pillow.
*Sigh*
¡°I guess it¡¯s not like I could expect a human to want to stay here anyways. Felice is right, the city is a much better place for Ko. It¡¯s where humans belong in the kingdom. It was wrong of me to think otherwise...¡±
My chest felt a different kind of heavy as I blankly stared into the busy dining hall. I was all too familiar with how sadness felt, but this was a new feeling I hadn¡¯t really experienced before. It felt like I had lost something important and interesting to me, and that I would never find it again. A sense of fun, excitement, and mysteries I would never get to solve or see. A brief experience, with a longing and realization it would never happen again. Something I don¡¯t think even fried tofu can fix...
So, I continued staring towards the entranceway, longing, and hoping for something that wouldn¡¯t happen... I really was na?ve to think I could be friends with a human, especially one from another world...
However, as I continued staring towards the simple, wooden doors, that¡¯s when I noticed my tail had already started to wag, as a peculiar, yet familiar mana signature, entered the Paws & Beans Tavern.
Chapter 30 – Return To The Tavern
Satisfied that I had made the correct decision, I decided to spend another hour or so within the City of Solara walking around while taking in the breathtaking scenery of a true fantasy, medieval-era kingdom. Everywhere I looked, citizens were hurriedly moving through the crowded cobblestone streets, rushing to get to their destinations. To my amusement, many skillfully dodged the horse-drawn traffic and persistent street peddlers alike as they went about their busy days. It was a scene of chaos, and order. The thought of buying something for myself from one of the many food stands had crossed my mind more than I would like to admit, but once I remembered I had a messily 1 silver coin to my name, I was quickly able to bury the impulse.
Eventually, I started walking towards the southern city gates, where the rampant racism towards the demi-humans and beastkin races, was more than apparent along my journey. While I hadn¡¯t paid attention to the finer details of the environment due to the sheer excitement of being in another world, now that the rush had started to die down, the social problems of this era were starting to rear their ugly head to the forefront of my vision. Demi-human servants escorting nobles alike, and beastkin slaves tolling away at manual labor, were everywhere. Most seemed to be in poor health, just barely surviving, with only the demi-humans under the ¡°care¡± of the nobles faring slightly better, most likely due to the required front-facing image in representing a household. None of them made eye contact as I walked through the city streets, their selves a soulless, lifeless husk, as they struggled though their misery and forced labor, almost as if it was a learned behaviour. In a word, it was heartbreaking to see.
Granted, fantasy-like beings like them never existed on Earth, but even so, I couldn¡¯t help but see them as humans, just trying to survive in this cruel world. Actually, what does that make the humans of this world? Coming from someone who has never experienced this type discrimination, and only read of it though history novels, it was a very jarring experience.
Alone with my thoughts, I continued thinking about everything that had happened these past two days, and how I would eventually have to survive in this foreign world. Would I be able to survive? I mean, I was well versed in these type of genre settings through the many novels and stories I had read. Furthermore, I figured if I could apply my astute knowledge from my video gaming experience, surely, I would find some success in Terra...
Right?
...
Regardless, there were still plenty of unanswered questions, and I was both pressured, and relaxed in seeing them through. Eventually I started thinking about where I was in the city again. I remembered entering from the eastern side of the city with Duke Hawthorn¡¯s carriage, so if I wanted to head towards my next destination, I needed to find the first entrance I saw during my impromptu horse-drawn excursion into the capital, probably the south-western gate. After more wandering and sight seeing, I reached a large and imposing metallic gate with several guards standing at the posts. Their armor glistened a dirty, golden bronze, as the suns rays effortlessly bounced off the surface. To my surprise, leaving the city was a straightforward task. I simply had to walk out the gates. A few of the guards looked my direction, but none of them stopped to ask any questions, so I merely continued along my way. It made sense I guess, considering all the entrants into Solara were heavily scrutinized before being allowed to pass. Being a noble really did have its advantages it seems.
Once outside, I observed that the queue for entering the city was considerably smaller now. Most likely due to it being assumingly mid-day? While I was by no means an astrologist, or had even a basic understanding surrounding this planet¡¯s orbital path through space, I assumed that suns at their peak, meant the half-way point before nightfall. Plenty of time to march towards the tavern from this morning.
---
The walk, was peaceful.
Compared to the life-or-death struggle against the griffin earlier, I was actually able to enjoy the vast, rolling grassy planes and farmlands surround the city proper. A generous gust of wind followed my steps as I marched along the now dusty, dirt-filled path. I could see farmers working the fields, sowing seeds and tilling the land as the intense sunlight brought sweat to their brow. I was actually starting to sweat a little bit myself as the twin suns eradiated me with their warmth. Wearing this leather armor didn¡¯t make for the most comfortable walking experience, as one would expect.
As I continued walking, I started to realize how alarming it was that all the people I passed by on the roadways were all equipped in combative gear, or had some sort of weapon at their side. Carriages were also no exception, with drivers or guards nearby equipped to deal with any would-be danger that could threaten their cargo.
And yet, I didn¡¯t feel anxious at these sights.
Was this something to do with being brought to this world? Or, perhaps my mind was excelling at rationalizing this as a new normal? Thinking about it some more, while it was obvious, I had the weight of realization that... I had killed people, something I never would have done back on Earth.
I had almost died, was able to fight other humans without any combat experience, and kill them without a second thought. Furthermore, I didn¡¯t feel any regret at my actions. This... This isn¡¯t how I should be feeling after murdering another person, even if they were trying to kill me...
Confused, I looked down at my left arm as I continued moving. The mysterious serpent blade and shield glistened in the light as they swayed back and forth with each step. I didn¡¯t hear their voices inside my head, but I had a thought. Was my behaviour... Being influenced by them? Was this some type of magic to help people summoned to Terra, cope with the drastic changes to their peaceful ways of life?
...
The entwined serpents on the shield stared at me in silence. Clearly, they weren¡¯t going to answer my question as to my new found mental fortitude regarding murder and survival. But, I did have an idea on who I could ask...
Speaking in my mind, I asked my helpful assistant the question. After a pause, I started to hear their response.
[Processing ¨C Searching Database For Known Instances Of Mental State Protection For Summoned Individuals]
[Unknown ¨C No Results Found In Known Data Stores]
Hmmm, well this tangent is still quite concerning, I wanted to be sure of one thing. If I¡¯m going to be in this world, then I want to make sure I¡¯m in control of myself. I am certain the me back on Earth would not be nearly this calm given all of the events that transpired.
And so, I promised myself that I would do everything I can to be the best version of Ko I possibly could. To always be sure of my actions, and to treat the people I come across as people, regardless of their circumstances. That if I get power, I won¡¯t abuse it, and instead, utilize it to help others. I don¡¯t want to be na?ve of this world¡¯s morals, but at the same time, ensure I don¡¯t fall victim to acts I normally would never do, just because I¡¯m in a different world.
---
Eventually, I started to enter the forest from earlier this morning. The tranquil, pine-scented air filled my lungs as a rich tree canopy gradually began to fill the skyline above, blocking the scorching sunlight in the process. Come to think of it, I also hadn¡¯t seen any other adventurers for a while. Perhaps there was another entrance or side road I had missed along my journey? Regardless, I was pretty confident I was heading in the right direction...
Keeping to the well-worn dirt path, the tavern finally started to come into view as I reached the top of the hill. Excited I was almost at my destination, I picked up my pace, jogging towards the tavern¡¯s entrance. Turning right at the crossroad, I happily walked up to the well-worn wooden door, pulling it open to reveal all sorts of commotion and chatter from inside the Paws & Beans Tavern! The air was ripe with the scent of fur and alcohol, as all manner of beastkin and demi-humans alike were drinking and eating all throughout the establishment. That¡¯s when I remembered I hadn¡¯t eaten anything since this morning, and my stomach was kindly reminding me that delicious food was nearby!
As I entered the tavern, a few of the patrons glanced my direction, then promptly went back to enjoying their meals after the short observation at the new variable in the vicinity. Likewise, driven by instinct and a grumbling stomach myself, I followed my nose towards the counter I had ordered my incredible meal from this morning. Squinting my eyes, I could roughly make out what looked like Yarn standing behind the bar, wearing her blue maid¡¯s outfit with accompanying silken red ribbon tied to her tail; wagging around energetically in the air. It had come dangerously close multiple times to hitting several of the liquor bottles behind her with its eccentric, erratic movements. There also appeared to be a fox beastkin near her, whose tail was also energetically wagging about. Were beastkin always this excited? As I got closer to the counter, the fox happily called out my name with accompanying questions.
¡°Ko! You... You came back!!!! I... ¨C Felice said you had left for Solara and that... What are you doing here?!? Aren¡¯t you suppose to be staying at the city with the other humans???¡±
Apparently, I was somewhat daft and failed to recognize the beastkin beside Yarn in my quest for a delicious meal! Actually, its rather shameful since I had also wanted to speak with Inari again before leaving for Solara this morning, yet I somehow didn¡¯t even recognize her sitting at the counter... Granted, she was wearing different clothing compared to yesterday¡¯s scuffle with the bandits, but still! Yarn was also looking my way with their beaming, green eyes, awaiting my response. So, not wanting to keep them waiting, I responded back as best I could.
¡°Hey Inari, hi Yarn! Yes, that¡¯s right, I did go to the city this morning. However, some things happened while I was there, and I decided that being here would actually be better for me.¡±
While Inari was smiling at me, I saw her tilt her head at my comment about wanting to come back here. Suddenly, I had the unsettling feeling that she was charging up a whole barrage and slew of questions, ready to be released at rapid speed! Low and behold, I was right.
¡°But... Felice said that humans prefer to be in the city. Apparently, it¡¯s a lot nicer for them there. I mean, I¡¯ve never gone into Solara myself, so I can¡¯t speak from experience, but wouldn¡¯t it be better to be around other humans like yourself? Also, where did you get that blackened basilisk armor?!? That stuff is really expensive and hard to come by. Oh! And about yesterday! I have so many questions to ask you!!! Like questions about your world, what Felice talked about with you last night, and, and!¡±
¡°Slow down Inari! I¡¯m not going anywhere. ¨C Let¡¯s see, so while I was in the city, I didn¡¯t like how I saw the nobles and other humans treating the demi-humans and beastkin. It was¨C¡±
I paused, suddenly remembering the mind sealing spell, and how I was currently unable to mention anything related to being a summoned hero from another world. I had almost started rambling about how slavery isn¡¯t prevalent where I came from, which could have ended very badly for me if I had continued my thought process. This... This is going to be a rather difficult situation... Isn¡¯t it?
...
Suddenly, my conversation planning was interrupted by the curious fox, seeing as I had created a rather long pause in our discussion.
¡°It was, what, Ko?¡±
¡°Ahh, uh, sorry about that Inari, I was just remembering something from earlier. Oh, Yarn! Would I be able to have one of those beef bowls from this morning again? It was absolutely amazing! Ummm, I only have 1 silver Solara on me though, so hopefully that¡¯s ok for change.¡±
Both of them were looking at me with puzzled faces now. Eventually, Yarn responded to my request for a beef bowl and took the silver coin I held from hand.
¡°Ummmm, alright then Ko nayn, I¡¯ll go and make a beef bowl for you. ¨C Would you like anything else to go with it? I would recommend the mana malt beer *meow* since that pairs well with the dish nya.¡±
¡°Hmmm, no thank you Yarn, I¡¯ll pass on the alcohol today. Perhaps another time?¡±
Yarn looked a little disappointed at my rejection of her food and beverage pairing combo, but then quickly smiled, nodded, then disappeared into the kitchen. Then, Inari reignited our conversation from earlier.
¡°That¡¯s interesting Ko, I¡¯m surprised Yarn was so comfortable speaking with you! She usually has difficulties talking to strangers.¡±
¡°Oh, we had actually met before I left this morning and had a nice chat while I was eating breakfast. I was amazed at how incredible the meal was, and we started talking about the tavern, her cooking, and all sorts of things!
...
Umm, by the way, thank you, Inari. I never really had a proper chance to say how much I appreciated your help yesterday.¡±
After a short pause, and an inquisitive glare, she responded in her usual, peppy tone.
¡°Well, if you want to thank me, then perhaps you can answer some of my questions instead of ignoring them Ko! I... Would like to learn more about your world since it¡¯s such an incredible discovery in magic! Current magic theory proposed that alternate worlds were possible based on history and mana strings, but to actually meet someone? I have to know more! Won¡¯t you please tell me? How about you start with what magic is like from there?¡±
Geez, she isn¡¯t going to stop this other world topic, is she? Damnit, if only there was some way for me to tell her that I can¡¯t talk about this stuff yet! My head will literally explode if I mention anything!! I know I can use synonyms, but that requires careful planning on my part!
¡°Ummm, oh! You mentioned about what Felice and I talked about last night right? How about I start there? It relates to how I managed to get this armor as well!¡±
Looking at Inari, she was clearly disappointed in me avoiding her questions about the other world. With her face in somewhat of a pout, she sighed, then agreed.
*Sigh* ¡°Fine, lets start with you and Felice, there were acting really suspicious when I questioned them about it earlier.¡±
¡°Awesome! ¨C So, when I woke up this morning, I had...¡±
I did my best to explain and retell the events that happened to me last night and this morning, such as talking with Felice and Yarn, receiving the letter to visit the castle, my encounter with the griffin, Duke Hawthorn, briefly meeting with King Solar, and receiving the 30 silver Solara to buy my equipment. I didn¡¯t mention Felice¡¯s murder attempt for obvious reasons, along with my weird titles, and instead focused on how I received a ¡°crash course¡± on Solara¡¯s laws, surroundings, and currency. I also left out the encounter with the other heroes because of my mind sealing spell.
After my long-winded explanation, I was hopeful that would be enough to satisfy Inari¡¯s...
¡°So, you met with the king on such short notice, and they just.... Gave you 30 silver Solara because of Felice¡¯s letter...? That seems a bit...¡±
Ya, Inari is too smart for that to fool her. Guess I¡¯ll just have to do my best.
¡°Yeah, it was really weird. I mean, I never actually read what Felice wrote about me, other than it was an important letter and all!
¡°And the king just sent you away when you said you wanted to become an adventurer, even though the letter probably mentioned you are from another world...¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know why he did it either, perhaps I was just really good in my persuasion? Oh! Is that Yarn¡¯s famous fried tofu you¡¯re having Inari? It looks really good. Could I try some?¡±
Please accept the change in conversation Inari...
Instinctively, Inari raised her paws up around the plate of tofu making an impromptu wall to guard against my request at sampling a piece of the golden, crispy delicacy.
¡°No, you can¡¯t have a piece of my tofu! And why do you keep avoiding my questions about your world? You weren¡¯t like this yesterday when we were talking in the Eldermyst forest. Do you... Not trust me anymore? I thought we were...¡±
¡°Friends?¡±
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Completing her sentence, I felt horrible. It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t want to answer your questions Inari, I just can¡¯t or I¡¯ll literally die!
---
An uncomfortable pause came between us, as both Inari and I, found ourselves staring at the wooden countertop, riddled with claw marks. If only there was someway I could tell her¡ª
¡°Ko Nayn! Youuur back meown! When did you¡ª¡±
Standing near the kitchen entrance with Yarn, was Felice! She must have gone to tell them I had returned while preparing my beef bowl!
Wait a minute, that¡¯s it! Felice would surely be able to tell that I¡¯m affected by the mind sealing spell if they examined me with absolute appraisal! Why didn¡¯t I think of this sooner?? I¡¯ll have to really thank Yarn when I get the chance! Quickly, I called out to them, hoping they would be interested in my request.
¡°Felice! Yes, I came back! Turns out Solara City wasn¡¯t really for me. Ummm, could we perhaps...¡±
My comments about the city were met by their piercing green eyes, hopefully they were already using their absolute appraisal on me and quickly realizing the conundrum I was in... Before I knew it, they had already started responding and cutoff my sentence midtrack.
¡°Speak in meow room nyan? Why of course nayn, I think that would be a puurfect idea meown.¡±
Thank goodness! I really hope there is a solution to this mind sealing spell, considering my bandages didn¡¯t work and all! But if it¡¯s Felice, they probably know a thing or two based on my conversation with them yesterday. Thrilled, I happily responded with a small request of my own.
¡°Awesome! ¨C Yes, I too think it would be a great idea to speak privately about what happened today. However, would Inari be able to join us? I feel I owe her at least that much based on how our conversation has been going...¡±
Slightly surprised, Inari looked up at my request that she join us in Felice¡¯s room. But, before giving their approval, Felice interjected.
¡°Don¡¯t meow remembuurr our conmeowsation from last night meown? I said that¡ª¡±
¡°I remember Felice, but please, I¡¯m sure you can already figure out why I¡¯m asking her to join us. I feel really bad right now and believe this would be the most ideal way to explain my behaviour towards her lately.¡±
Looking at Felice, I could tell they were more than annoyed as they brought their hand to their chin, pondering how to respond. Their tail was also angrily flicking about as they paused before finally responding to me.
*Sigh* ¡°Fine meown. Inari nayn, please join us for a moment. Apparently, Ko Nayn thinks it would be best for you to listen to our conmeowsation when I¡¯ve specifically said¡ª¡±
¡°Of course! I would be more than happy to join you two.¡±
Quickly, and without hesitation, Inari responded to Felice¡¯s approval. I was also glad Felice agreed with my request. Inari¡¯s tail was once again wagging in excitement as she leapt from her stool, and started skipping towards the headmeowster¡¯s lounge, leaving Felice, Yarn, and myself, all behind in the dining area. After a brief pause, I started making my way there as well, with Felice closely behind.
Once we arrived at the room, I could see Inari was already inside, sitting on the same couch from last night while hugging one of the soft, red pillows nearby. Then, just like last before, Felice closed the door behind us and snapped their fingers, activating a sound-proofing spell to make sure no one else could hear the conversation we were about to have. Walking towards the sofa, I sat down near Inari, while Felice seated themselves on the other end of the tea table in their own chair.
Next, Felice performed some swiping motions in the air, as if they were scrolling through menus on a floating screen in front of them. Finally, they spoke, breaking the awkward silence in the room.
¡°Well Ko Nyan, I¡¯m impressed how you managed to get into this situation. I think I can fix it, but it won¡¯t be easy. Would you like me to reveal your status screen?¡±
I noticed Felice was talking with considerably less beastkin speech, perhaps their way of conveying the seriousness of the matter? Without delay, I nodded towards them. Then, they made visible my confusing status window for all of us to see.
---
Name: Kotato Yamata Level: 1
Race: Human HP: 60/60 MP: 60/60
Age: 25
Profession: Spell-Blade
Status: Strength: 20 Defense: 20
Magic: 20 Dexterity: 20
Debuffs: Mind Seal ¨C Ancient imprisoning magic. Activation words = Summoned, Hero, Other World. Causes Immediate Death On Activation To The Infected Individual.
Skill Proficiencies: [Growth] [Summoned Hero] [World Serpent Apostle] [Hidden] [Magic Affinity - Hidden] [Hidden] [Hidden] [Awakening ¨C Hidden]
Titles: Spell-Blade Hero ¨C Placeholder Text While Terra Continues Attempting Assimilation Of Title Parameters ¨C Unknown Entity & Designated Individual Permitted By World Serpent ¨C Error ¨C Entity Unknown Or Unrecognized By Administrator ¨C Error.
Hidden Title: Harbinger of Destruction ¨C Holder of this title is the destined individual who will destroy the world of Terra, ending all life as it¡¯s known. This title cannot be changed and provides no additional status effects to the holder.
---
There it was, sitting in the middle of my status window.
Mind Seal.
Additionally, none of my other status had changed, the many place holder texts and hidden parameters were still undisturbed and unknown by the world it seems. Eventually, Felice spoke again to break the silence.
¡°Ko Nayn, I meowst say, but this truly is a furst for me meown. An ancient meowgics that I¡¯ve only read ameowt during my studies, and you somemeow meownaged to get infected with it nyan.¡±
Looking at Inari, she was staring at the status screen with her jaw open, clearly shocked and reconciling being able to finally see everything. I¡¯m sure she also now understood why I was unable to answer her questions about my world now. Then, she spoke in a quiet and saddened tone towards me.
¡°Ko... I¡¯m... I didn¡¯t know. ¡ª I¡¯m sorry. I... I had almost killed you with my questions and didn¡¯t even realize it... And your status screen! All the words are showing properly this time! What... What happened? What are these...¡±
¡°It¡¯s alright Inari, I can¡¯t blame you for something you were unaware of. I¡¯m just happy Felice was willing to show you this... Actually, Felice had known about these titles and status since yesterday, and showed me when they requested you leave. We ended up having a long conversation about what these titles mean before they... ¡ª Before they took me to my room for the night. They didn¡¯t want you to know about my status since they thought you would be worried.¡±
I looked at Felice while I mentioned that last part. They looked very concerned, with panic all throughout their eyes, clearly worried I was about to mention their attempted murder because of the ¡°Harbinger of Destruction¡± title. While I had thought about mentioning it, I understood there was a time and place for everything, and now was definitely not the correct time to throw Felice under the bus, especially if I wanted their help in removing the Mind Seal spell!
¡°That said... Felice, do you think this can be cured? I had already tried my own method earlier, but was unable to remove it.¡±
---
An uncomfortable pause as all of us remained silent, looking at Felice, waiting for them to respond. Their hand was once again, resting under their chin, as they were no doubt deep in thought about how to handle the ancient magic. Their green eyes darted back and forth as they mulled through potential solutions. Then, they spoke to me in a stern voice.
¡°Ko Nayn, I think I can remeowve the Mind Seal spell, but I want to ask you something first nya... Why did you want to get Inari involved in your problems?¡±
I paused before responding. Based on Felice¡¯s tone, I wanted to be honest with both of them about my intentions, and why I decided to return to the tavern.
¡°That¡¯s because¨C I want to be an adventurer with Inari. I felt we worked well together yesterday, and I genuinely enjoyed spending time with her. She also already knows about my circumstances, and I would like to learn more about using magic from her as well. I... I also left Solara because I didn¡¯t like seeing how the humans treated beastkin and demi-humans in the city. After seeing what I saw, I don¡¯t want to be associated with that kingdom, or used in anyway to benefit it. Those are my reasons.¡±
...
¡°Inari Nayn. What do you think about Ko Nayn¡¯s words? Do meow agree with them?¡±
Looking at Inari, she was still holding the red pillow from earlier, except now she had buried her face into it. Her ears were pinned back, while her tail flicked back and forth, contemplating her response. Then, in an outburst neither Felice or I were expecting, she shouted at us in excitement.
¡°YES!!! ¨C I mean, yes! I think that would be a wonderful idea! I can¡¯t believe someone actually wants to be an adventurer with me, ¨C AND I get to teach them about magic??!!? Of course I would like to be an adventurer with Ko! I¡¯ll finally be able to take on more difficult requests since you always said I needed to have at least one more party member, and no one else at the Tavern would agree to join me! Not only that, but we can learn magic together, I can teach him more about Terra, and I can learn all about his world as well! Why wouldn¡¯t I say yes?? This is exactly what I wanted!!! And you would agree with this Felice?!? That makes it even better! You better not go back on your word about this sinc¡ª"
Felice and I, were speechless. Apparently, Inari was all for the idea about being adventurers together, and wanted to work with me as well. While I was relieved at her response, I never imagined it would be this positive! Her eyes were glowing, and her tail uncontrollably bouncing around. It had even managed to hit me several times in the face as she continued rambling about all of the things she wanted to do together, along with her now unnecessary battleplans about how she was going to convince Felice to agree to this scenario if it wasn¡¯t brought up. Meanwhile, Felice looked completely dumbfounded as to the whole situation. Clearly, they were expecting a different, less enthusiastic response from Inari. While she was still rambling out words at a record pace, Felice brought both their hands to cover their face. Actually, it looked more like a face-palm the more I think about it. Eventually, Felice spoke, stopping Inari midsentence.
¡°Alright nayn, I unmeowstand you are interested in working with Ko Nyan as adventurers together... Howmeowver, I will only agree to it under meown condition. ¨C Ko Nyan, will you let Inari Nyan cleanse the Mind Seal spell on you?¡±
¡°WHAT?!?!¡±
Both Inari and I exclaimed at the same time. Clearly neither of us were expecting Felice to propose that the condition be Inari has to cleanse an ancient, forgotten magic, which would clearly require lots of precise mana management and control! I looked at Inari, and she seemed to agree as well. This was obviously an unreasonable request on Felice¡¯s part. Sure enough, Inari voiced her concerns.
¡°But Felice! That doesn¡¯t make any sense! I¡¯ve never seen this magic before! And to expect me to cleanse it??! I wouldn¡¯t even know where to start! If it¡¯s really a lost, ancient magic, even with my current skills in mana weaving, it would be an unsurmountable task!!!¡±
¡°Then how ameowt this meown. Ko Nayn, do you trust Inari Nayn to cleanse the Mind Sealing spell? Unmeowstanding that if she makes any meowstakes, you will suffer agonizing pain, along with certain death?¡±
¡°Felice! That¡¯s not fair! It¡¯s unreasonable for Ko to agree to¡ª¡±
Drawing on my videogame and isekai knowledge, it was obvious that failing to cleanse such a complex spell like this would surely have consequences, but was I really willing to place my trust in Inari? Truthfully, I would feel more confident with Felice based on their skill in using magic, but I think I understood the real reason as to why they were asking this question. Thus, I interrupted Inari, speaking in a serious tone.
¡°Inari, do you believe you can cleanse the spell? If Felice guides and instructs you... Can you do it?¡±
Inari was frantically looking back and forth between Felice and myself. Obviously, this was an uncomfortable situation to be in. The weight of failure was immense, and Felice¡¯s piercing green eyes towards her didn¡¯t help defuse the anxiety either. I could also see she was fidgeting with her paws while staring into the red pillow, thinking about how to respond to my question. Finally, in a shaky voice, with a severe lack of confidence, she responded.
¡°I mean... If... If I fail at cleansing the Mind Seal spell... You¡¯ll die Ko! ¨C Are you... Really willing to trust me? I... I think I can if Felice instructs me... But the risks are too high! I shouldn¡¯t do this!¡±
While she didn¡¯t sound very confident, Inari did mention she could probably cleanse the spell with Felice¡¯s guidance. My gut was also telling me that this is something she would probably be able to accomplish. So, in my best efforts to reassure her, I lightly bumped her shoulder with my fist and gave my response.
¡°Inari, just like earlier when we fought the bandits together and I trusted you to keep me safe, I know you¡¯ll be able to do this. If we¡¯re going to be adventurers together, then we both need to trust in each other¡¯s capabilities. As a party, our lives will be on the line whenever we¡¯re on a quest, and if I can¡¯t trust you here, then it will only be difficult going forward.¡±
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Felice smiling at my words. While I don¡¯t think Inari noticed, I believe Felice wanted to see both of our convictions for working together, and this scenario ended up working to their benefit.
¡°Alright Ko, I will do this. I will cleanse the Mind Sealing spell and you WILL survive! I promise this, as your future party member!¡±
Inari was beaming with confidence again. I was glad she managed to find the resolve to believe in her exceptional magic skills. Surely, with Felice¡¯s guidance, nothing could possibly go wrong.
...
Right?
No, now isn¡¯t the time to be second guessing my decision. Especially right after I gave such aspiring words of encouragement.
¡°Meow right, Ko Nayn, are you ready?¡±
¡°Yes Felice, I¡¯m ready. ¨C Inari, you¡¯ve got this!¡±
¡°Thank you, Ko. Alright, do your best to stay relatively still, that will help when I¡¯m working on the mana nerve channels.¡±
Doing my best to remain as still, but relaxed as possible on the couch, I calmed my nerves for the upcoming life-or-death, magic cleansing operation. Before Felice and Inari started, Felice flicked their wrist to relocate the tea table in between us, over to the side of the room. Then, they stood up to stand right in front of myself, motioning for Inari to join beside them. However, I was in no way prepared for the experience I was about to have.
Before beginning, Felice gave Inari an, in my opinion, rather shallow explanation for how they would instruct her on removing the Mind Sealing spell, but she seemed to understand without issue. Essentially, the operation would work as follows: First, they would measure and slow the rate of mana flow within my body to detect points of interest. Since I was only affected by one debuff, inconsistencies in the flowrate indicated potential spell anchor points. Magical ailments, sicknesses, or debuffs, always had to attach themselves to key corridors along an individual¡¯s mana channels, and knowing these anchor point locations identified where to explore deeper along the connecting pathways. My closest analogy would be the anchor points are like screws securing a metal panel in place, and once you start loosening the screws, you can remove the panel to reveal the inner components. Except, depending on which anchor points were loosened, your internal components would shift, looking drastically different.
Second, they would try and locate mana clusters related to the spell, hidden throughout my body. They would somehow compare the different mana signatures present inside me, and locate the specific combinations for the Mind Seal spell that way.
Next, they would tamper with the mana flow of the Mind Seal spell, by temporarily redirecting the flow to bypass each anchor point, producing an opening to insert a counter spell before returning to normal.
Finally, the debuff¡¯s connection to my body would be severed from each anchor point by activating the counter spells simultaneously. I imagined this whole process was something similar to locating a cancerous tumor, then surgically removing it with lasers, all in one clean action!
Once Felice had finished their explanation, Inari made her paws produced two different coloured globes of light. One was a purplish flame, while the other was a spherical white orb. Next, Inari pulled her paws back, which caused me to feel the sensation of being pulled forward. Correction, the feeling was what I could only imagine it would feel like to have your entire skeletal system pulled forward in an attempt to free itself from its fleshy prison! After this, I saw before me what looked like a holographic coral reef. Apparently, these were mana channels or corridors, and Inari had only enlarged and made visible their structure so Felice could point out the areas of interest. Then, after some discussion and planning, the actual operation began.
¡°Alright Ko, I¡¯m going to start now.¡±
When Inari finished her brief and short sentence before potentially inflicting on me untold pain and horror, along with the very real chance of death, my body began to feel a warm, pleasant feeling. Then, my blood felt cold traveling through my veins. Perhaps this was the mana flow manipulation process at work?
¡°Meow see that Inari Nayn? Around cranial nerves VII and VIII meown?¡±
¡°Yes Felice, the auditory and facial channels are being monitored very faintly by the spell as you predicted. It¡¯s frightening how well the signature blends into the primary hosts identifier. This would have easily been missed through a standard appraisal cast.¡±
¡°That¡¯s the probmeown with ancient meowgics nyan. The weaving and integration into the host is near purfect nya. It¡¯s a good thing the worlds forgotten ameowt them nyan.
Oh, and Ko Nayn? Good luck meown, this next meownite will probmeowly be the most painful experience of your life nya.¡±
¡°Heh, well that¡¯s awfully reassuring of you Felice. You didn¡¯t have any.... Kinder words to share with me?¡±
¡°Sorry nyan, but it¡¯s better to be realistic in these scenarios....
Inari Nayn? Do you have the bypass and counter sphere structure calculated meown?¡±
¡°Yes Felice, I¡¯m all set to begin... Ko...? Are you ready?¡±
¡°As ready as I¡¯ll ever be Inari.¡±
¡°Alright then, starting Inari¡¯s Mind Sealing Magic Removal Battle Plan #12, version 2.5¡±
While I was contemplating Inari¡¯s choice of battle plan and version numbers, my head started to feel warm, accompanied by a warning message from my helpful internal assistant.
[Warning! ¨C Detected External Manipulation Of Individual¡¯s Core Mana Channels. Immediate Elimination Of Target Is Recommended. Death Predicted In The Event Of Adverse Tampering ¨C Danger!]
Yep, that sounds about right, but seriously, I don¡¯t want to eliminate Inari! She¡¯s trying to help me ¡°internal assistant¡±!
To keep my mind occupied, I decided to observe Inari¡¯s paws and how she was manipulating them. The purple flame in her right paw would rotate and change in intensity, while the white, spherical orb in her left, expanded and contracted in shape. A lot of the motions were similar to how you would move or rotate an object in 3D space, such as swiping and pinching motions to zoom in or out. I didn¡¯t feel any pain, or discomfort, just an oscillating warmth all throughout my head. While I was starting to get accustomed to this feeling, my right eye was suddenly overwhelmed with a surge of pain and heat, similar to when I had fought the griffin from earlier, except the sensation was astronomically more traumatizing. It felt like a thin, metallic, molten rod had pierced my iris, burrowing deep into the back of my head without reprimand.
Naturally, I did the only reasonable response to such a traumatic sensation...
Scream.
¡°GAH!!!! MY EYE!!! IT FEELS LIKE IT¡¯S ON FIRE!!!! AHHHGGG!! WHAT¡¯S HAPPENING?!?!?¡±
¡°Ju.. Just a second Ko! Hang in there!!! I¡¯m... I¡¯m not even working on that area of the...
Wh... Felice! There... There¡¯s something else in there! It¡¯s... It¡¯s interfering with the temporary bypass channel! I can feel it pushing back against my weaving! The.... The oculus dexter region is activating and it¡¯s growing unstable!¡±
Vision in my right eye turned red, as my entire head felt like it was being compressed in a clamp, squeezing tighter and tighter, while the burning sensation in my eye rapidly flashed between a chilling and molten temperature.
¡°The shield... The... The snakes on it are glowing!!¡±
Not long after Inari¡¯s comment, a piercing red light shot out from the entwined serpent¡¯s eyes on my mysterious shield¡¯s design. Sharp, electric sparks soon followed, as the metallic disk began to glow a sickening red, white, and blackish colour. Through my pain, I could tell Inari was desperately struggling to keep... Whatever it was, under control!
¡°I won¡¯t let you interfere with my counter spell Mr. mysterious variable! You¡¯re not going to ruin my plans to be an adventurer with Ko!!!!
Grrr! Just a little more.... There!!¡±
**Schrine**
**Doof**
**Boosh!**
My head, or conscious, more like, felt like a jumbled mess. I felt my entire body being pulled to the left, yet I didn¡¯t move, followed by a bunch of sharp, sudden jerks in multiple directions. The feeling was like someone had taken a piece of paper, crumpled it up, then chucked it violently into a small enclosure. My vision, was inverted... I think? It felt like my right eye was seeing through my left, and my left eye, the right... Everything I saw was also upside down. While the burning and chilling pain was gone, in its place, I felt very disoriented instead. I also thought I could see Felice and Inari trying to talk to me, but I couldn¡¯t hear anything. There was no sound, other than a piercing ringing noise inside my ear.
Then, my vision faded to black.
Chapter 31 – The First Quest
I wasn¡¯t sure how much time had passed before I started to understand and think about myself again. I didn¡¯t clearly remember what happened, but my thoughts kept circling back to three questions: Where am I? Why can¡¯t I hear anything? And am I.... Still alive??? My body felt weightless, as if I was floating through space. Then, I heard my internal assistant¡¯s voice, jolting my senses.
[Notice! ¨C Harmful Debuff ¨C Mind Seal ¨C Is No Longer Detected On The Individual Named Kotato ¨C Ailment Has Been Successfully Removed ¨C Proper Mental State And Speech Functionalities Have Been Restored]
Thankfully, it appeared Inari was successful in removing the Mind Seal spell, based on my monotone assistant¡¯s notification. However, there was still the problem of me being unable to hear anything!
Eventually, after some indiscernible amount of time, I felt another jolt throughout my body. This time, I was gradually able to hear noise again. I was still blind, but muffled sounds were starting to come through. Shortly after, my vision began returning as well.
¡°Ko.... Ko.... Can you hear me? Ko? Please... Respond if you can hear me... Anything! Please!!¡±
¡°Inari Nayn, give it some more time meown. I almeowdy said the opurration was a success nayn! Their mind is purrrobably still trying to recalibrate it¡¯s senses after what you did meown!¡±
I felt incredibly groggy. Some of the faint specks of light that entered my eyes were painful, just like how looking straight into the sun would cause you to squint and recoil. But... My mind trying to recalibrate it¡¯s senses? I... I guess that makes sense after what I experienced... But that¡¯s something Inari did?
Felice and Inari continued to talk to each other while I was recovering. Eventually, I felt well enough to try speaking to them myself.
¡°Inari.... Felice.... My head feels... All sorts of messed up.... What... Happ¡ª¡±
¡°KO!¡±
Before I could finish my sentence, I was interrupted and tackled by large and soft... Ball of fluff??? Furthermore.... It felt like it was... Squishing me???
...
My mind was eventually able to put the jarring sensory sensation into context. Seemingly, when I responded to them, Inari in her excitement had pounced onto me to give me one giant, Inari-styled hug! Carefully, I squished her back, which prompted Felice to look away from the situation. Then, I did my best to respond to the two of them. But first, I had to stop the rambling fox.
¡°Ko! I was so worried during the cleansing spell!! Everything was going well. But then, something started interfering with my weaving... And your shield! It was glowing ¡ª And... And I thought I heard voices speaking into my head! And¡ª¡±
¡°Inari, please, slow down a little bit. My mind is still trying to make sense of everything¡±
¡°Oh! Sorry about the Ko, I was just really excited you finally woke up!!¡±
¡°Thanks Inari... And see? Everything worked out. I was right to trust you in cleansing the Mind Sealing spell.¡±
Inari, smiled. I guess she was glad at my comments for trusting her to cure the Mind Seal spell. Then, she seemingly remembered what she was currently doing, and jumped back, startled.
¡°Ahh! I¡¯m sorry Ko! I... Uh...¡±
¡°It¡¯s fine, you were just really excited.¡±
Once all of our thoughts were collected, Felice started talking to the both of us. To my surprise, they were actually quite praiseful of Inari for how well they handled the situation. Very different from the overprotective Felice I conversed with last night. I guess it was similar to the pride a teacher feels about their student, and wants to brag about to the public how amazing they are. From the conversation, I was able to learn how Inari uniquely cleansed the Mind Seal spell while her mana flow was being interfered with. Essentially, she noticed that there was an abnormal mana signature hidden at one of the spell anchor points when she was inserting her counter spell. It was located at cranial nerve VIII, or the channel pathways roughly responsible for auditory functions of an individual. It was very similar to the primary host identifier, but still varied as a signature. The closest comparison would be changing an rgb colour scale of (255,0,0) indicating pure red, to rgb (254,0,0), which is slightly not as red... Technically, it¡¯s a different colour, but so close to the primary signature, it would be incredibly easy to miss.
Even though she noticed this, Inari didn¡¯t pay too much attention since she was primarily focused on maintaining the Mind Seal spell bypasses. Apparently, for a fun fact I probably would have been better off not knowing, if she had lost focus at this stage, I literally would have died from the spell autoactivating from external tampering... A safety measure commonly attached to ancient magic spells.
Anyways...
That''s when just before Inari activated her counter spell, I screamed about my eye being on fire. The mana flow within my body started acting erratic. My oculus dexter region, or the right eye, was apparently overflowing with mana, well beyond a reasonable limit for that channel size. That¡¯s probably what caused the thin burning feeling through my eye, so she had to quickly intervene to prevent a full channel collapse. Then, her mana flow started being interfered with from that abnormally close mana signature. Inari also described hearing a ¡°hissing¡± sound in her head, which was probably from the snakes on the shield. Unfortunately, even though she was still maintaining proper mana flow, she was rapidly losing control of the situation. So, with the bypass channels on the verge of collapse, Inari had the idea to jumble my senses by rapidly changing the mana concentration from my right eye, to the left. This sudden concentration shift apparently distracted the interference just long enough for Inari to safely activate the counter spell. That¡¯s why my vision get all messed up, and I subsequently passed out. Felice was quite impressed at Inari¡¯s quick thinking for distracting the interference, while maintaining control of the mana flows. Then, it came time to test if I was actually cured...
¡°Summoned, Hero, Other World.¡±
A dramatic pause... No sudden swells of energy, or my head feeling like it¡¯s going to explode... So, I guess I¡¯m in the clear!
Thus, with my new, uhhh, restored verbal freedom, I excitedly retold what actually happened to me when I visited the castle. I explained how King Solar and his advisor, Daemonium, read the letter, burned it, then dismissed me since they currently had a present batch of heroes to take care of. Felice was furious, and disappointed at the negligence of the royal family for how they were abusing the hero summoning spell. Furthermore, they were quite concerned with how Daemonium learned the incantation for Mind Seal, along with the proper technique to weave the spell successfully. They decided they would investigate this information as best they could through their connections. Inari was thrilled there were more people from another world in Terra, but didn¡¯t appreciate how the spear hero appeared to act.
When I had mentioned my concerns about appraisal for entering the castle, Felice reassured me that they had already foreseen and taken care of that ¡°purrobmeown¡±. Apparently, they had cast a high-level illusion spell on me, while cleaning up the jumbled text to appear like an ¡°above average¡± adventurer if I was appraised. Since my status sum was 80 for strength, defence, magic, and dexterity, I would 100% get identified as a cheat, or a hero due to the magnitude of my values at level 1. For context, the average new adventurer had a status sum of 30, so Felice gave me a sum of 40, along with hiding all of the summoned hero titles with hidden or unknown status so I wouldn¡¯t stand out too much. After learning about the rough power levels of adventurers, Felice officially registered me as an adventurer with the Paws & Beans Tavern Guild Branch. They also accepted the completed goblin subjugation request and handed me 3 silver Solara coins, along with my identification tag. It was a small, bronze metallic plate, similar to a military dog tag from Earth. On the back, my name, rank, and adventurer branch were etched into the metal. Felice told me to never lose my guild tag, as it was used when accepting or completing quests, and even to enter cities as a form of identification.
Eventually, I steered the conversation towards wanting to take on my first official quest as an adventurer! This topic caused Felice to smile menacingly towards me. When I looked at Inari, she simply let out a long, drawn sigh, almost as if she knew what Felice was about to assign us.
¡°Well, Ko Nayn. If you want to become an adventurer meown, then I know just the quest fuuurrr you! This is something all beginners love to complete nyan! It also suurrves as a puurrrfect foundational skills building challenge meown!¡±
With a flick of their wrist, and a snap of their fingers, Felice conjured a piece of parchment, bathed in a white and blue light, then floated it over to my hands. Eagerly, I caught the paper and quickly began reading the contents to discover what my first official quest would be! The paper read:
¡°Rank G ---URGENT--- Medicinal Herb gathering in the forests of: Eldermyst, Great Pine, and Willows Retrieve. Please deliver 10 ¡°Adventurer¡¯s Sage¡± to the Paws & Beans Tavern. Minimum herb quality of C or above.¡±
Heck ya!!!!!!! It was the stereotypical beginner herb gathering request!!! Something all adventurers just starting their journey in a fantasy novel are forced to slog through before being granted the opportunity to take on more advanced, dangerous requests!!! Herb gathering, or basic monster subjugation for slimes or goblins, were usually the first ever requests taken in isekai novels, and I would be no exception! My eyes were beaming at the thought of getting to experience one of the classic fantasy scenarios!!! After seeing my response, Felice looked quite proud of themselves, wearing a rather smug look across their face, while Inari, who was still seemingly disappointed, spoke up to the smug cat.
¡°Seriously Felice??? MORE Adventurer¡¯s Sage?!?!? And after I just delivered 200 to you earlier today??! What the heck do you even need all of these herbs for anyways!¡±
¡°Nya nya nya, Inari Nayn. That request was for Inari Nayn to complete. This request, is for Ko Nayn. Herb gathering is a basic skill all advenmeowers require to be successful nayn! You are more than welcome to join them, but Ko Nayn needs to learn the basics first meown.¡±
¡°Wait... Inari already gathered 200 Adventurer¡¯s Sage today???¡±
¡°Yes Ko, that was my ¡°punishmeownt¡± for yesterday¡¯s behaviour... And now Felice wants you to gather even more of those silly plants!¡±
¡°Well, if you join me, I¡¯m sure that would be a great opportunity for us to chat about magic. Plus, I would be more than willing to talk about things from my world since I won¡¯t die now.¡±
After a short pause, Inari reluctantly gave her response in a mellow tone.
¡°Fine... I¡¯ll help show you what the herbs look like and how to gather them... But then you have to answer my questions!!¡±
¡°Haha, well of course Inari! It¡¯s a deal then!¡±
Confidently, I stuck my hand out towards her for a handshake. Without hesitation, Inari took my hand to shake it, confirming our agreement.
¡°Deal! ¨C Felice, we¡¯ll be heading out now to gather 10 Adventurer¡¯s Sage. Ko, I know just the location we should visit!¡±
¡°Meowright nayn, but remeowber, only herb gathering nyan!!!¡±
And so, with Felice¡¯s kind reminder to only focus on herb collecting, Inari and I made our way out of the tavern for our first official adventure together. Along the way, I made sure to wave at Yarn, but I don¡¯t think she noticed due to the increasing number of customers ordering food.
Once outside, Inari opened her journal and shared some pages with me. The first was a map of the immediate surrounding area. To the north and south, spanning to the visible mountain ranges, was Eldermyst, categorized by a dense, jungle-like collection of maple trees. Well, they were like the maple trees I was familiar with, but the tree species was apparently called Eldermyst here in Terra. To our west, roughly an hour out, was Great Pine, which was probably filled with pine trees of some sort, then finally, even further west, nearing the boarders of Colosseum, was Willows Retrieve. Having flashbacks to the naming conventions I experienced in Solara, I asked Inari if it was common for places to be named literally, to which she replied, yes, isn¡¯t that how things should be named?
Next, she showed me a picture she had drawn in her journal of what the herb actually looked like. It was a basic plant, with 5 main stems, adorned with prickly, wide leaves. Apparently, it was the primary ingredient for making a healing potion. Eventually, Inari led us north to a large, sparsely filled clearing. The area was similar to when I first encountered her and the bandits. Satisfied we were in an acceptable location; Inari happily began teaching me how to use magic to assist in gathering the herbs.
Removing an herb from her spatial storage, she had me examine it using magic to detect it¡¯s mana composition. After several attempts, I was able to get a general idea as to what an Adventurer¡¯s Sage looked like, both on a physical, and magical level. In Terra, each object had it¡¯s own unique mana signature. While living beings had stronger signals that would radiate out into the world, inanimate or smaller objects, also had their own identifiers as well, albeit, with a less noticeable mana particle leakage. Next, Inari had me cast appraisal on the herb. The status window was fairly detailed, reminding me somewhat of the scientific naming conventions from Earth.
---
Item Name: Adventurer¡¯s Sage
Family: Herbus
Genus: Sageus
Species: Adventuerus
Quality: Poor (D)
Stats: Recovery Boost (Inert)
Magic Conductivity: N/A
Summary: A relatively common plant found all throughout Terra. It is commonly used by adventurers to brew healing potions by crushing the herb into a fine paste then mixing it with mana-infused water. Faint recovery and medicinal properties are present in the stems and leaves.
---
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Then, came the difficult part.
Inari loves coming up with new ideas for spells, and this next one was a combination of several weeks of practice and theory. Essentially, it would scan a wide area around the caster¡¯s visual range, casting appraisal on everything. Then, you would remove the appraisal windows that didn¡¯t match the mana signature of the target you were searching for. Once all of this was done, you just had to walk over to the floating status screen which indicated the location of the item you were looking for. Inari called this spell ¡°Filter¡± which was an aptly put name in my opinion.
¡°Alright Ko, are you ready to give it a try?¡±
¡°I think so Inari. I kind of understand what you are trying to accomplish. It¡¯s a basic operation I¡¯ve performed many times.¡±
With that said, I began focusing on the world around me. I closed my eyes, and started to picture my surroundings through the connection and innate understand of mana that I apparently possessed. I imagined seeing the appraisal box for everything around me, and to highlight all of the objects just like the Adventurer¡¯s Sage. My body felt warm as mana particles gathered around my right hand. Then, I opened my eyes and spoke with command internally.
Filter!
A spherical wave of energy burst forth from my hands, rapidly covering the immediate surroundings. As the sphere of magic passed through each object, from trees, grass, dirt, and plants, an army of accompanying status menus aggressively assaulted my mind while remaining visible in the tangible world. Then, the ones that didn¡¯t match the Adventurer¡¯s Sage rapidly began closing.
¡°Gah!!¡±
I yelped in pain as my head was overcome with an intense headache after casting the spell. The feeling was akin to a brain freeze one would experience when eating ice cream or drinking a slushy too quickly. Not the worst, but definitely not something I wanted to experience each time I cast a magic spell. After recovering and composing myself, I was able to see roughly 9 status menus left floating in the world. Inari was also excitedly wagging her tail at my apparent success for casting the Filter spell.
¡°That was amazing Ko! And on your first try too!!! That spell took me several attempts before I finally got it right! Oh! It also looks like your head bothered you as well. The same thing happened to me when I cast Filter too! That¡¯s to do with inefficiently transcribing your will into the spell on activation, so a large portion of your MP got used to compensate for the spell¡¯s effect.¡±
¡°No kidding... That wasn¡¯t the nicest experience. Does all magic cause this effect if you¡¯re inefficient? How can I improve so it doesn¡¯t affect me as much?¡±
¡°Well, that¡¯s the thing. Each type of magic has a different affect on the body, which also varies between races as well. For example, since this is an adaptation of typeless magic, and you¡¯re a human, you probably felt a sharp, cold pain at the rear of your head. Conversely, someone that¡¯s a beastkin like myself, would experience a throbbing sensation in the temporal region of their skull instead! But, with enough practice, you can almost completely eliminate the consumption of MP as you get more efficient with your casting!¡±
¡°Interesting, I¡¯m once again impressed at your knowledge about magic Inari. You also use a lot of medical terminology when describing symptoms or locations... Is that a common thing for spell casters to be aware of?¡±
I mean, I had to ask the question. The level of detail and diagnostic capabilities she possessed were essentially that of a doctor and a scholar, neatly wrapped into an anthropomorphic ball of fluff! If this was the standard for learning about, and communicating findings related to magic, then I would 100% need to rack my brain to uncover the deeply buried knowledge I had tossed aside after completing my introductory biology and anatomy classes at university! From my question, Inari¡¯s tail was now uncontrollably wagging around, along with her emerald green eyes glistening with enthusiasm for another long-winded, Inari-styled rant!
¡°Ah hem, so, initially no, but Felice mentioned that having a methodological way to communicate findings should be a standard for all magic researchers and enthusiasts everywhere! Felice also happens to be one of the best diagnosticians and healers in the southern hemisphere of Terra, so all of their lessons have focused around combining medical terminology with practical application. Furthermore, since I¡¯m studying under them support and recovery magic, I had to spend countless hours learning these definitions myself.
Additionally, on the broader side of magical studies and scholars, there is¡ª¡±
Well... I had seemingly, unintentionally gotten Inari ranting about the history of magic in Terra from my simple question. Nonetheless, I was essentially able to learn the following from the fox¡¯s 20-minute, enthusiastic, impromptu lecture:
- Each of the major nations study magic independently, with little interest in sharing findings due to national security concerns.
- There is no standard for communicating information or discoveries, so Felice has proposed the usage of medical naming standards.
- Very few scholars are adopting this, and instead insist on using their own methods and terminology
- Inari is very... VERY... Passionate about magic research.
Somehow, I managed to find an appropriate point to interrupt her rambling, which was now starting to delve into the niche topic of mana flu variations after suffering acute mana sickness...
¡°While I appreciate the level of detail and your enthusiasm on the history of magic research, and am also eagerly awaiting my accompanying quiz from you later, I do believe we should get back on track with gathering the Adventurer¡¯s Sage Felice requested. After all, I still haven¡¯t collected the ones from my initial Filter cast yet, and it would be very embarrassing for me to fail my first ever collection quest.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right! The herb gathering request! Thank you for reminding me Ko! Yes, I agree, lets quickly finish it up so we can continue our conversation back at the Tavern! I¡¯ve also already planned a short list of 200 questions to quiz you about!! I hope you¡¯ve been paying attention! I¡¯ll make sure to keep them simple to start since it is a rather new topic for you.¡±
...
I had the bone chilling feeling that my next several weeks were going to be anything but relaxing.
Eventually, Inari and I were able to gather the 9 Adventurer¡¯s Sage I had found, which were aptly placed into my spatial storage. Inari was also quite impressed I was able to utilize this magic, since it was very rare for humans to possess the capabilities. Traditionally, something called a ¡°spatial storage bag¡± was purchased instead, which is usually created by elven or demi-human scholars. This was probably related to my granted skills as a summoned hero. When I questioned my passionate partner about how she was also able to use spatial magic, she was simple able to learn the technique by applying proper theory learned from Felice.
What followed next was several miles of hiking through Eldermyst as we searched for the elusive last Adventurer¡¯s Sage of quality C or above. It turned out I had gotten exceptionally lucky that the first 9 I identified all exceeded the criteria, but all my recent Filter casts only returned qualities of D or below.
I also took the opportunity to ask Inari about incantationless casting since the topic was now essentially open for discussion. Apparently, I was able to cast magic this way as well, but once again, differed from how Inari learned and implemented this technique herself. In my scenario, I was able to vividly picture the effects of the spell in the tangible world, and it would activate. Sometimes words appeared in my head, but they weren¡¯t required. Subconsciously, my body appeared to be compensating for all of the theoretical frameworks needed to weave, combine, and mutate mana particles, and just... ¡°did the thing¡±, for lack of a better explanation. It was basically like cheating, and made her somewhat jealous that I was able to invalidate years of study and practice. Ya, this was basically like the cheat powers heroes would receive when summoned to another world. We both agreed that my magic casting and combat capabilities were related to this phenomenon, and that further testing would be beneficial to understand the limits of the ¡°summoned heroes¡± cheat powers. Additionally, I agreed with Inari¡¯s point that understanding the basics was always a good thing, and if I wanted to communicate to others how to reproduce the spells I cast or invented, then a strong understanding of the underlying frameworks for how magic functioned in Terra, would be essential. After all, what use was a prodigy or ¡°cheat¡± in magic, if they couldn¡¯t explain to the academic world how they accomplished their marvels? Simply being good, was not enough.
Moving on, in Inari¡¯s case, she had to picture the intended effects of the spell, along with visualizing the incantation in her head. Then, after speaking in her mind the spell¡¯s activation, it would materialize and come into effect. However, when she invoked a new, custom spell that didn¡¯t have a known incantation, then it functioned similar to my spell casting. The purpose of the incantation, was therefor; to standardize the spell so others could reproduce its effects. We continued this topic for what felt like hours, trying to discern the nuances between incantationless casting between individuals.
This discussion continued as we wandered throughout the Eldermyst forest. As we moved, I had gradually begun perfecting the casts of Filter, which allowed me to incorporate the information received and translate it into a 2D map in my peripheral vision. This is something Inari had mentioned she usually did and kept active all the time. It was essentially a personal mini map in the corner of my vision so I could quickly locate the relativeness of identified objects based on my position. This was typically used as an enemy detection radar to protect against surprise attacks.
Therein, was the problem...
On my most recent cast of Filter, I had finally managed to find an Adventurer¡¯s Sage that matched the C quality requirements. But, it was unfortunately amongst the middle of a group of goblins, who were seemingly undisturbed by the spontaneous floating status screen for the plant. I, being thrilled at the prospect to experience such a classic, typical isekai introductory battle, was all the more eager to engage them in a fight. Unfortunately, Inari seemed opposed to the idea, under fear she would receive another ¡°punishmeownt¡± from Felice.
¡°Ko... I really don¡¯t think we should fight those goblins. Felice will get really mad if we go against their instructions. Plus, I¡¯m detecting an abnormal mana signature, and I can¡¯t quite pinpoint the species it originates from.¡±
¡°But Inari... Look! The last Adventurer¡¯s Sage we need is right in the middle of their encampment! I¡¯m sure with a proper plan, we could easily eliminate them.¡±
Based on my personal enemy detection radar, I was also recognizing approximately 8 goblins, along with the abnormality Inari had mentioned as well. It appeared to be nestled inside the cave the goblins were having a ¡°party¡± outside of. Examining the encampment in detail, I was able to observe that the goblins were dancing around a giant, metal cauldron. There were meats smoking over a metal spoke, and what looked like...?
Oh god, those were definitely human limbs in the cauldron! I could make out what looked like arms and legs, crudely butchered and sticking out of the sickening metal pot. The flesh was still a vibrant colour, indicating these were potentially ¡°recent¡± victims. Additionally, in a primitive attempt to enhance the ¡°stews¡± flavour, the goblins were happily adding rocks, twigs, and a whole other assortment of objects I would never image could be utilized in making a human stew. Moving my thoughts aside about how I would personally make a proper human limb stew, I shared my concerns with my hesitant partner.
¡°Inari, clearly those goblins have recently killed another group of adventurers. I¡¯m detecting faint mana signatures of once living humans. Based on our earlier discussion, they were probably killed within the last hour? As adventurers, shouldn¡¯t we try to avenge them? Ethically, it would be the correct thing to do.¡±
That¡¯s right, from our earlier discussions on magical theory, Inari was able to introduce the concept of basic ¡°forensic identification¡± in this world. When all living things died, their mana signature would essentially disappear, but still remain detectable, gradually decreasing over hours until it eventually became ¡°indistinguishable¡± from inanimate objects. Essentially, decomposition. The byproduct radiation of mana particles became so small, it was impossible to identify the unique sub signature of the individual from the primary signature they belonged to. I¡¯m not sure how we exactly got onto this topic of conversation, but it actually ended up coming in handing for describing the current scenario. Eventually, Inari voiced her concerns over my ethical pleas to avenge the fallen adventurers.
¡°Ko, while I¡¯m also saddened those adventurers died to those goblins, Felice was very adamant that we should only focus on herb gathering. We also don¡¯t know anything about that weird mana signature. It would be reckless to engage them in combat when we don¡¯t have enough information.¡±
I agreed with Inari¡¯s assessment of the situation. But the last herb we needed was literally right there! What problems could possibly occur from a small engagement with some goblins and an unknown factor? Plus, we¡¯ve already determined I have ¡°cheat-like powers¡± so why the hesitancy?
Did I... Just raise a red flag event with those comments? That¡¯s totally something a protagonist would say before everything goes wrong!
...
Brushing aside my concerns about possible clich¨¦ ramifications for thinking a simple battle would have no possible problems, I once again, tried to convince Inari of my resolve for getting the last herb in the goblin encampment.
¡°Well, what if we devised an in-depth battle plan with various contingencies? That would help eliminate some of the risks of engaging them. Also, we could tell Felice that we came under attack from some goblins while we were picking the last herb.¡±
Inari paused. I could only imagine the thought process going on in her head at the moment. Here was the opportunity to gain some more valuable combat experience, vs. wandering aimlessly through the Eldermyst forest while I attempted to find the last Adventurer¡¯s Sage. Both choices came with their respective risk and rewards, but would clearly cause problems back at the tavern. Eventually, with a sigh and defeated attitude against my enthusiasm, Inari agreed under one condition.
**Sigh**
¡°Alright Ko, we can take on these goblins, but only if we follow a proper assault plan. Based on their positions, and the unknown mana signature... I am propo¡ª¡±
Excited at the prospect of finally getting to experience the classic ¡°protagonist fights a horde of goblins to avenge fallen adventurers¡± scenario, I whole heartedly agreed to Inari¡¯s proposal. Essentially, we would follow what Inari called ¡°Goblin Camp Elimination Plan #43¡±. While I once again was interested in her numbering scheme, it would essential play out as follows.
Before engaging, Inari would cast Bolster Strength, Bolster Defence, and a whole slew of other enhancements to improve my status, while protecting against harmful debuffs, such as curses, poisons, etc. Next, she would pre-emptively cast several Unstable Ground spells masked with an illusion spell so the dirt would seem completely normal, but retain it¡¯s movement restricting effects. She would place them in several defined areas I had to remember beforehand. Then, I would approach and gather all of the goblin¡¯s attention. All of the goblins appeared to be ¡°melee types¡±, so we were going to manipulate their movements in a structured way. Directly next to the goblins, Inari would cast a spell to raise the earth around them forming an approximately 3ft high wall. It would be shaped like a ¡°V¡± to funnel or ¡°encourage¡± their movements towards me into a narrow corridor. Directly Infront of me, would be one of the Unstable Ground spells. Finally, as they approached and lost their footing, I would simply stab them with my sword to disable or kill them on the spot. In this manner, we would precisely control how the goblins engaged us, while eliminating the potential for unexpected variables. Finally, once all of the goblins were eliminated, we would be able to engage the unknown mana signature deep within the cave. Satisfied I had an understanding of the upcoming action plan, I gave my affirmations to Inari.
¡°Alright Inari, I am ready to put our plan into action. I¡¯ll engage the goblins once you¡¯ve setup the Unstable Ground and mini earth walls.¡±
With another sigh, yet cheerful expression, Inari smiled at me. Her tail was also excitedly wagging at the prospects of the upcoming fight. While I don¡¯t think she realized it, her unconscious behaviour was heavily indicating to me she enjoyed planning out these battles, and was most likely a ¡°battle junkie¡±, craving such engagements and challenges.
Then, without speaking, her hands rapidly glowed various colours while my helpful internal assistant chimed in to explain the accompanying lightshow...
[Notice ¨C Detected Bolster Strength Cast On Individual Kotato ¨C Duration 5 Minutes]
[Notice ¨C Detected Bolster Defence Cast On Individual Kotato ¨C Duration 5 Minutes]
[Notice ¨C Detected Bolster Dexterity Cast On Individual Kotato ¨C Duration 5 Minutes]
[Notice ¨C Detected Bolster Magic Cast On Individual Kotato ¨C Duration 5 Minutes]
[Notice ¨C Detected Bolster HP Cast On Individual Kotato ¨C Duration 5 Minutes]
[Notice ¨C Detected Bolster MP Cast On Individual Kotato ¨C Duration 5 Minutes]
[Notice ¨C Detected Strong Curse Resistance Cast On Individual Kotato ¨C Duration 5 Minutes]
[Notice ¨C ...]
Gah! Seriously!?!?!? You crazy fox! My mind was being spammed with a whole slew of buffs, resistances, and strengthening magic that even I was starting to think this was excessive! I had received well over 50 unique status enhancements and was starting to get disoriented from the constant verbal barrage of my assistant¡¯s structured and monotone explanations! She even gave me a buff for enhanced underwater vision, and we aren¡¯t even near any water!!! What the heck Inari! Also, how are you possibly casting so many spells without suffering any consequences to your MP?!?? Who amongst us actually has the cheat-like abilities here?!?
Finally, I felt the effects of Unstable Ground get cast by the excessive vulpine, along with her accompanying signal to begin.
¡°Alright Ko, Inari Goblin Camp Elimination Plan #43 is a go! Let¡¯s do this!!!¡±
At her words, Inari cast the earth spell for blocking off the surrounding area to funnel the goblins. Taking the hint, I jumped into visual range of the demonic beings to draw their attention. Then, seemingly as if prompted by an underlying script, they took up nearby clubs and stones for melee weapons, and rapidly began closing the distance to me.
In a word, it was scary how well Inari had predicted their behaviour. All of the 8 goblins had charged at me in single file, down the directed pathway created by the earthen walls. The goblins never once tired to break the spell through brute force, or climb over the walls, but instead opted to follow the path of least resistance. Was this through practical experience? Or theoretical knowledge? Perhaps I should pressure her about this later. Regardless, I needed to do my part now as the centre piece of the battle plan.
Calmly, I readied my resolve for the upcoming slaughter of goblins. As each individual green, and thinly clad being approached me, I stabbed them with my serpent-like blade through their left chest cavity as they lost their footing. After each kill, I would ¡°hop back¡± several feet so as not to get entangled in the Unstable Ground spell and make room for the next goblin. It was a delicate dance of precision, and extermination. As goblin after goblin fell, I could hear the hissing sounds from my serpent shield complaining about the ¡°lack-luster¡± quality of each devoured foe, but it¡¯s not like I was trying to fight challenging opponents here! I only wanted to gather the last remaining Adventurer¡¯s Sage near the cauldron!
Finally, after what felt like a minute, all 8 of the goblins had been methodically slain, leaving only Inari, myself, and the unknown mana signature, detectable.
Chapter 32 – The Abnormal Mana Signature
As the tension from the recent battle began to fall, I slowly approached the cauldron and carefully removed the last Adventurer¡¯s Sage near the base of the makeshift fire. Then, I added it to my spatial storage to complete the 10 copies of the common plant for my first official quest as an adventurer.
Unfortunately, my curiosity had also gotten the better of me, and I ¡°peaked¡± over the rim of the cauldron to see the contents in full. My stomach felt nauseous as I immediately regretted my decision. Inside, was a whole assortment of human body parts, crudely chopped into various bits and pieces to fit within the metal chambers. The broth was a gut retching brown which reeked as the aroma assaulted my nostrils with its sharp, rotten flavour. Human heads could be seen floating near the surface, wearing an expression of fear, anguish, and horror. Additionally, some of the skin had begun turning a reddish colour as the boiling mixture started to cook the human flesh. While I was taking in the horrible scene, Inari caught up to my location and started whispering to me.
¡°Great job Ko, that was expertly handled! Now, all that¡¯s left is to deal with that abnormal mana signature inside the cave.¡±
Gripping my sword tightly in my gauntlets, I looked up at Inari, then directed my gaze towards the dark, cavern entrance. Outside the rocky entranceway, there were sharp, wooden stakes creating a type of barricade to deter intruders. Some torches were also impaled into the dirt on either side, yet unlit. That¡¯s when both Inari and I, started to detect the mana signature moving, along with the entire ground shaking at our feet from each heavy impact it created. Whatever the owner of this signature was, it was clearly very large, and heading towards the cave¡¯s entrance. Backing up slightly, and before visual contact with the unknown variable, I once again heard the sickening sound of the serpents in my mind.
¡°Hisssss.... Finalllyyyy! A worthy foe! Stab it! Stab it good!!! Feed usssss it¡¯s core!!!! Feed ussssss! Feed usssss now!!!¡±
Well, clearly my shield was all for the idea of viciously slaughtering whatever it was approaching us from inside the cave. Eventually, the mystery surrounding this object was dispelled as it emerged from the dark caverns.
Standing at roughly 12ft tall, with sickening, yellowish skin, holding an accompanying ripped tree trunk for a club, was the familiar fantasy creature known as an ogre. It¡¯s body was large and bulky, with massive arms and legs to support it¡¯s heavy stature. It¡¯s face wore a dumbfounded expression, as vibrant, red blood covered it¡¯s mouth and cheeks from a recent meal. It¡¯s left eye was rapidly moving around, assessing the situation, while the right eye stayed conspicuously still. On the right eye, I could also see what looked like a floating, red, runic circle commonly seen in shows for activating magic. In it¡¯s left hand, it held the half-eaten, upper torso of a human female, most likely it¡¯s current ¡°snack¡±. Their clothing had been ripped to shreds, and large, vicious bite marks could be seen along the body as obvious chunks of flesh were missing. Finally, compared to some of the goblins, it was ¡°thankfully¡± wearing a loin cloth of some sorts to cover its more... Sensitive parts...
Then, in a shaky, and startled voice, Inari hurriedly whispered to me. I could tell she was incredibly frightened staring at the ogre.
¡°Ko! We.... We have to get out of here, fast! There¡¯s no way we can take on an ogre! Those things... They aren¡¯t supposed to be in Solara! They are only known to exist in the region of¡ª¡±
¡°Colosseum...?¡±
Both of us, were startled. Completing her sentence, the ogre spoke in a crude and deep voice. Not wanting to stick around, I felt Inari cast an illusion spell over us as she grabbed my hand to quickly flee from the situation. Both of us started running when.
[Notice ¨C Abnormal Magical Interference Detected ¨C Warning! Illusion Spell Has Been Disabled ¨C Caution ¨C Magic Canceling Artifact Detected In Nearby Vicinity]
While the shimmering vale of light had quickly obscured our location, it was dispelled equally as fast by a mysterious force. Apparently, there was an artifact nearby responsible for this behaviour. Looking at Inari, she was both speechless, and frightened. I got the feeling she had never experienced her magic being tampered with in such a way before. For all of the skills she possessed as a mana weaver, they were seemingly easily undone in the presence of this monster¡¯s power. Then, in an attempt to stop us, the ogre slammed it¡¯s massive club into the ground, causing me to lose my footing. As a result, I tripped and fell onto the rough dirt. However, that was the least of our problems.
When the ogre¡¯s club struck the ground, massive, earthen walls shot up all around us, encasing us in a temporary ¡°arena¡±. The rocky walls were easily 20ft tall, and completely surrounded us with their imposing, towering structure. Inari and I, were now trapped in a large, circular enclosure, with this intelligent monstrosity. Quickly, I scrambled to my feet to catchup to her as she was already at the rocky perimeter. I could feel her trying to gather mana to cast a spell, but then all of the energy would seemingly disperse without any effect. That¡¯s when I tried casting as well.
I pictured in my mind the flaming spear spell I had used when I first arrived on Terra, except this time, it would be a powerful explosion to blast through the rocky wall, creating an opening for Inari and I to escape! My right hand felt warm as mana started to gather when¨C
[Warning ¨C Mana Unable To Materialize Into Desired Effect ¨C Interference Detected ¨C Danger! ¨C Spell Casting Capabilities Severely Restricted Or Disabled]
¡°Shit!¡±
I cursed under my breath. Somehow, it appeared this ogre was interfering with our ability to cast magic, and I had no idea how it was doing so, other than some potential ¡°magical artifact¡± my assistant was warning me about. That¡¯s when Inari spoke to me, confirming my findings as well.
¡°Ko... I... I can¡¯t cast my magic!! Something is... Interfering with the mana particles when I try to weave them! We¡¯re... I... I can¡¯t do anything!¡±
I turned around to face the ogre. During all of this, it had slowly been advancing towards us, each step a thunderous vibration in the air, and through the ground. As it marched forward, it raised the human corpse it held towards it¡¯s mouth, ripping and tearing a large bite out of the mangled body. A severed hand fell out of the beast¡¯s mouth as it chewed and crunched bones with it¡¯s powerful jaws. Based on the ogre¡¯s position it was just about to step onto one of Inari¡¯s hidden Unstable Ground spells from earlier. Eagerly, I watched it¡¯s movement carefully with anticipation. But, just before impact, the magic circle around the ogre¡¯s right eye, glowed a bright red hue, while the pupil rapidly flicked down towards the ground. Then, it stopped moving, standing on top of the Unstable Ground, staring towards the ground at it¡¯s fallen goblin comrades.
Nothing happened. It didn¡¯t lose it¡¯s balance from Inari¡¯s spell, as it was presumably countered and disabled.
Once again, I tried to cast my flaming spear spell towards the ogre. Mana started to gather around my hand, then suddenly dispersed again. It¡¯s eye glowed again and flicked towards my direction. Then, the creature spoke to us in the heavy, slow tone again.
¡°It¡¯s.... Useless.... You¡¯re just.... Making my eye.... Move...¡±
---
Inari and I could only stare in silence at the ogre as it spoke towards us. Slowly, it reached down towards one of the goblins, lifeless corpse, and flipped it over to examine the pained expression on it¡¯s face. A faint tear, formed in the corner of the giant¡¯s eye. While it was examining the fallen, demonic being, Inari replied and spoke to the ogre in shaky voice.
¡°Bu.... But ogres aren¡¯t... Suppose to be able to... Speak. Are you... Really an ogre???¡±
The horrid being ignored the trembling fox¡¯s question, and instead continued peering over the lifeless goblin. Then, it gently grabbed the corpse by the arm, and raised it slightly into the air, as if to show us what it had found.
¡°This one.... Was named... Gobo one... They had a.... Dumb, funny grin... I liked... Their grin...¡±
Then, it placed the corpse back onto the grimy, blood-soaked dirt, before grabbing the next goblin body.
¡°This one... Was Gobo two... They couldn¡¯t laugh well... Only scream...¡±
This... Naming and morning continued for all 8 of the perished goblins. All of them were named Gobo one through eight, and apparently had unique quirks the ogre was fond of. Finally, after gently placing the last goblin body back onto the gross soil, it continued to ramble towards us.
¡°Ogres... Not smart... But... I was given...
Speech...
Smarts...
And.... Eye.
Winged creature... Told ogre... Build an army... Make friends... Eat humans... Grow strong... But now... My friends... Are dead...
You... Killed my friends...
YoU.... KILLED.... MY.... FRIENDS!!!!!!!
OGRE.... AVENGE.... MY FRIENDS!!!!!
I.... KILL YOU!!!¡±
My ears were violently assaulted by a thunderous roar as the being went berserk, my eardrums felt like they had burst from the intense pressure and decibel power they unexpectedly received! I could only imagine Inari was in a similar situation with her sensitive ears. Looking at the ogre, it hadn¡¯t started moving just yet, but it was probably going to start charging towards us soon. We had nowhere to run, and no way to defend ourselves with magic. If only there was someway...
¡°Ko... I... I don¡¯t have any plans or contingencies for dealing with this thing!!! Ogres... are usually level 7 and require a group of adventurers to take down! This... this thing is an evolved variant!! I... I don¡¯t think we can beat it! I¡¯m... My magic... I¡¯m useless without my magic!! We¡¯re trapped and we can¡¯t run away...
Are we... Going to... Die?¡±
I had to admit. This seemed like an impossible situation that should have never happened in the first place. Just how bad was my luck going to be in this world? We were clearly outmatched in strength, with an incredible disadvantage having lost our magical casting capabilities.
Wait.
Our magic... It wasn¡¯t truly sealed, but being countered by an artifact! Was that some type of key for getting out of this situation? My mind was racing, thinking through any possible ideas that might help us out of this impossible situation. Eventually, the ogre started walking towards us, slowly, while tightly gripping the tree stump club.
Inari was frozen in fear. I could see her eyes rapidly moving about as well, desperately trying to find some solution to this problem. Her paws were also glowing as she continued to try activating spells to no avail. Each time she tried, the ogre¡¯s right eye flicked, and glowed the usual red colour to immediately cancel the spell and disperse her mana. Slowly, the beast rubbed it¡¯s right eye. Was that...?
That¡¯s when I had a crazy idea, and decided to place all my hopes into this final ploy for survival. Quickly, I told Inari my plan of action. If I was right, we might just make it out of this situation alive.
¡°Inari, my buffs are almost running out... I need you to recast them again, quickly, just like before!¡±
¡°But Ko! I... I can¡¯t cast any spells... haven¡¯t you been paying attention?!??! The ogre instantly cancels any magic!¡±
¡°I have ¨C When you cast them earlier, I got disoriented from my internal voice explaining all the effects. I want you to cast every type of buff you know, as quickly as you can, as many as you can.¡±
¡°But... That won¡¯t... The spells won¡¯t...¡±
¡°Volume, Velocity, Variety.¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°Do you trust me? This is only something you can do Inari! I never knew it was possible to cast so many spells in rapid succession with no impact to your MP. Perhaps, if you keep rapidly casting spells, the ogre¡¯s eye will be¡ª¡±
¡°Overwhelmed?¡±
I shot her a smile. Thankfully, she was able to understand what I was getting at. In my world, I had plenty of experience working with large sets of data, and the 3 V¡¯s were a staple of data science problems everywhere. Skillfully handling large volumes of data, with many variable types and speeds of collection was something that had become second nature to me. However, even though it was possible to handle these problems with powerful computers, a single instance of carelessness could result in tremendous processing times as the machine struggled to sift through exabytes of data! While I was still ignorant for how this world worked, an artifact to me, was like a complex, ancient machine. So, if we threw enough ¡°data¡± at high volumes with incredible speed...
Could we break it?
¡°GAH!!!!!!¡±
The ogre smashed its club into the ground towards our direction. Immediately, bits of jagged rock echoed outwards towards us, ready to offer a spiky embrace of death. Thankfully, both Inari and I were able to leap out of the way to dodge the sharp shrapnel. While in the air, Inari nodded towards me, showing her agreeance to my plan. Then, she twisted her body to shift her momentum and started running along the earth wall perimeter. After landing, I began running towards the ogre, and started trying to cast spells of my own to further add to the artifact¡¯s canceling targets.
As I ran towards the ogre, I could see it¡¯s eyes looked like an absolute mess! The right eye was rapidly shifting back and forth to stare at me, or Inari when we tried casting a spell. The red circle was also consistently staying activated. However, I started to notice a gradual change in the colour from red, to orange! The ogre was also clearly struggling to maintain its balance from the constantly shifting visual targets. It¡¯s eyes reminded me of a chameleon¡¯s, with the ability to look in separate directions simultaneously. Unfortunate for the ogre though, I highly doubted it¡¯s brain had adapted to understand this visual information, having received the artifact as a ¡°gift¡± from some winged creature!
Close to the towering giant, I only now realized how horrid and gross the being truly was. It¡¯s body stank of sweat soaked clothes that hadn¡¯t been washed for weeks on end, with bits and pieces of rotting flesh weaved in-between the repulsive stench to create a truly memorable and disgusting smell. Noticing I was next to it¡¯s left leg; the ogre sloppily swung the tree trunk at me which I managed to dodge by jumping to the right. Thankfully, I still had the heightened combat senses from my earlier encounters, implying they weren¡¯t related to magic. It¡¯s movements were slow, and predictable. While I continued to dodge blows around it¡¯s feet, my right eye also began to burn. The familiar feeling of losing control of my actions started to creep into my body, but I defiantly shouted against the serpent¡¯s voices. That¡¯s when I noticed they were... Laughing?
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
The sickening, maniacal laughter of snake-like sounds, was ringing all throughout my head! The serpents appeared to be deranged and enjoyed indulging themselves in this deadly dance of certain death! To try and stay focused, I once again tried casting a spell, but to no avail, the mana once again simply disbursed when I tried to weave it to my will. That¡¯s when I caught a grin growing across my face as I finally heard the voice I was anticipating.
[Notice ¨C Detected Enhanced Wind Listening Cast On Individual Kotato ¨C Duration 5 Minutes]
While I had no idea what the heck ¡°Enhanced Wind Listening¡± was, hearing my monotone assistance¡¯s voice was more than enough to restore my confidence at the situation.
A buff, had finally managed to get through the artifact which had instantly and tirelessly been canceling every spell we had tried casting up until this moment. Looking at the ogre, it¡¯s face was a mixture of pain, anger, and disorientation. Sparks could be seen near the right eye, and the once brilliant red magic circle, had turned into a repulsive black colour.
¡°GAH!!!! MY EYE.... HOW ARE YOU... IT HURTS!!!! MAKE IT STOP!!! I CAN¡¯T!!! RAWR!!!!!!!!!¡±
In a furious rage, the towering, yellow being, grasped it¡¯s right eye in pain with it¡¯s massive left hand. Then, in a move not even I wasn¡¯t expecting, ripped the blackened, charred eyeball cleanly out of it¡¯s own socket!!!! Blood burst forth, along with sparks and a fried optical vein. Seizing the opportunity, I leapt high into the air to match the ogre¡¯s chest in height. My head was now also being bombarded by all of the buffs Inari was continuing to cast my direction. If I wanted to end this, I need to do so quickly, before I too, became disoriented from the barrage of helpful status boost. Thus, readying my serpent blade, I expertly thrust it into the cavity I expected the heart to be located. Guided by the serpent¡¯s desires, the thick yellow flesh flayed and parted as the pure, silver metal entered the giant¡¯s body, eviscerating the massive, pulsing muscle. Finally, still gripping my sword, I pushed into the giant¡¯s body, causing it to start falling backwards. While falling, I looked straight into the ogre¡¯s remaining eye, and confidently said a cheesy one-liner to finish the encounter.
¡°Checkmate, you lumbering oaf!¡±
**Slam!**
Dust and specs of dirt flew into the air as the ogre¡¯s lifeless body crashed onto the blood-soaked soil of the forest floor. My breathing was laboured, and my mind was still trying to inform me of all the helpful status effects I had received. I could only imagine how long the queue was as buff after buff continued to ¡°ring out¡± in my mind. Looking to my left, I could see Inari had also collapsed onto the ground as well, clearly exhausted from casting so many spells in rapid succession. Her hands weren¡¯t glowing anymore, indicating to me she had finally stopped her casting as well. Both of us looked at each other, then simultaneously let out a well needed sigh of relief. Releasing my grip from the sword, I too, collapsed backwards onto the bloody ground to try and recover my energy. Both of us simply lay there, trying to control our breathing, while staring into the now orange sky. While we were resting, the makeshift rock-walled arena began to dissipate and sink back into the ground from which it erupted. Several minutes later, all of the buffs had finally stopped being announced, and I instead received another message.
[Level Up! Permitted Individual ¨C Kotato Yamata ¨C Has Advanced To Level 2! ¨C Calculating Status Growth, Attributes, And Point Distribution ¨C Processing]
¡°Heh.¡± I let out a small chuckle at the surprised notification that I had reached level 2. I mean, something like this was partially to be expected based on our recent encounter. Defeating an enemy much stronger than you was usually a tremendous source of experience in games and novels, and since I was still level 1, the increase in power was more than welcomed. That¡¯s when I noticed a pair of pointy ears enter my vision as Inari was looking overtop of me.
¡°Ko... I... I can¡¯t believe we did it! That... That was absolutely incredible!!! I never would have thought we could defeat an ogre like that! Rapidly casting spells to overload an ancient artifact!!! I never in my wildest dreams would have imagined such a thing!
How are you feeling? Are you starting to recover from the encounter? The suns are starting to set so we probably should start heading back to the tavern. Here, let me help you up!¡±
Well, I¡¯m glad to see Inari was still as enthusiastic as ever. Not wanting to leave her hanging, I grabbed her outstretched paw, as she helped me to my feet. Then, I walked over to the ogre¡¯s body and pried the blade from it¡¯s temporary home. The metal had changed from it¡¯s usual silver, to a deeper red. Hopefully this meant it was satiated from the delectable meal it received. That¡¯s when my eyes turned towards the cave from earlier. No other mana signatures were nearby, indicating the immediate area was safe. Was there something important inside the cave? If the ogre had an artifact, could there be other treasures buried inside the caverns? Looking over the ogre¡¯s corpse again, I walked over to it¡¯s tightly clasped hand still gripping the blackened and charred eyeball. Doing my best, I loosened the death clamp grip of the being and carefully removed the ¡°artifact¡± to attempt examining it in detail, grabbing it with my right hand. The object was small, yet heavy, reminding me more of a well polished marble or piece of stone than an organ for processing visual wavelengths of light. However, when I tried to cast appraisal on the mysterious object, it began disintegrating into a fine, powdery dust. Shortly after, all remaining evidence of the ancient artifact, were carried away by the surrounding winds. That¡¯s when I spoke with Inari to share my thoughts on quickly examining the cavern system before heading back.
Fortunately, she agreed to my plans for some simple spelunking as neither of us could sense any potential dangers. While it was still potentially risky considering we encountered an ogre gifted with an ancient relic, well beyond their known habitats, we did so anyways. It¡¯s not like I could possibly raise another flag from my thoughts about this...
Right?
...
Seemingly, my luck had turned out for the better this time. As we walked towards the cavern¡¯s entrance, Inari conjured a large, spec of light to float forward and illuminate the entire interior. Surprisingly, it was a rather small cave, approximately half the size of a football field? Hockey arena? Something along those lines at least. While I was still mulling over different units of measurements for how else to describe the musky, rocky retrieve¡¯s interior spacing, Inari and I entered and approached the lone object neatly nestled within the centre of the confines. In the middle of the dimly lit caverns, resting on a slightly raised bed of rocks, was the typical wooden container filled with limitless possibilities many adventurers sought after a difficult encounter.
A treasure chest.
Heck Yeah!!!
The more I thought about it, everything appeared to be just like a video game, or at the very least, a typical fantasy-isekai setting from the countless novels and anime I had watched previously. Was this chest a reward for defeating the ogre? Actually, now that I think about it, items didn¡¯t appear to ¡°drop¡± from monsters when they were defeated or killed, but you could instead take the equipment they had. Maybe, this was just what the being used to store it¡¯s valuable findings? Regardless, curiosity began to take over my thoughts as I eagerly walked over to the unsuspecting wooden container.
When I arrived, I could see there was a large, metallic lock, but it was thankfully open. So, doing what any curious adventurer would do, I grabbed the heavy, wooden top of the chest and excitedly swung it open to reveal the mysterious contents! Unfortunately, I was quite disappointed at the lackluster findings from the ¡°typical¡± moment failing to live up to my expectations... Resting within the crate, was an assortment of blood-stained clothing, damaged equipment, and coins totaling roughly 5 silver Solara. In all likelihood, this was probably the belongings of the slain adventurers currently marinating in the grotesque stew outside. That¡¯s when my eye caught the faint traces of a yellow metal, lightly buried under some recently moved earth.
Looking at Inari, she was still examining the rest of the caverns. Not wanting to disturb her, I gently began brushing away the loosely clumped soil to reveal what appeared to be a single, tarnished earring. It was a soft, delicate hoop, whose colour had lost it¡¯s lustre from either time, or a lack of care from being covered in dirt. While the latter seemed the most probable, I could also detect some faint traces of mana swirling around within the metal. Wanting to learn more about the object, I cast appraisal on it, expecting a similar information window from when I viewed the Adventurer¡¯s Sage earlier. Sure enough, the usual small, holographic grey box appeared nearby the earring when I finished casting the spell.
---
Item Name: Tarnished Golden Earrings of Blessed Magic Growth
Quality: Good
Requirements: Magic Stats >= 10
Magic Damage: +1
Stats: Magic Stats +2
Magic Conductivity: High
Enhancements: Minor Magic Growth (Weak) -> User¡¯s magic stats value upon a successful level up has a small chance to award 1 extra skill point to their magic status permanently.
Summary: A tarnished pair of once pure golden earrings which have been enhanced to improve the user¡¯s magical aptitude. Faint traces of mana particles can be detected radiating out of the metal. To equip the earrings, simply hold them close to an individual¡¯s ears or other identified listening organs.
---
While the description seemed to indicate this earring was part of a pair at some point, I was unable to locate the missing piece. Furthermore, it appeared you only needed to hold it near your ear to have the item automatically equip itself? I didn¡¯t see any other obvious methods for attaching the earing, so I guess it was accomplished through magic? And other listening organs??? How curious for the item to be so inclusive towards species that don¡¯t have ears for listening!
Thus, pleased at discovering a magic item that seemed pretty useful, I called out to Inari to share my findings. Her pointy ears twitched at the mention of her name as she turned around to head my direction. Showing her the tarnished earing, she also cast appraisal to view the status as well. Then, the intrigued fox gave her reply.
¡°Hmmm, that¡¯s quite interesting Ko. Magic earrings are usually quite rare, and the status benefits these provide aren¡¯t too bad either. The increased chance at permanently raising an individual¡¯s magic status is quite valuable for adventurers, not to mention the already incredible +2 magic status it gives!¡±
It seems I had actually managed to find something of value! Something like this would be great for me to equip if I wanted to grow stronger and improve my chances of survival. While there was still an element of randomness in gaining the permanent bonus, it was certainly better than nothing! That¡¯s when I noticed my furry friend¡¯s ears were noticeably bare. So, I asked Inari a question about her equipment.
¡°That¡¯s great! I¡¯m thrilled we managed to find an item that will benefit us as adventurers! Speaking of which, Inari, do you currently have any magical equipment that boosts your status?¡±
¡°Ummm, that¡¯s not usually a question you ask a fellow adventurer Ko. Typically, adventurers are protective over their equipment, trump cards, and other hidden capabilities. But, to answer your question, no. I only have a basic staff to help with mana weaving, which isn¡¯t uncommon for spellcasters such as myself.¡±
While it was nice to learn the custom about interacting with other adventurers, hearing her response solidified the action I was about to take.
¡°Perfect. By the way Inari, hold still for just a second!¡±
¡°Hey! What are you¡ª¡±
While Inari was startled, I swiftly took the earing of blessed magic growth and held it against her right ear. It twitched slightly at the unexpected assault, as a faint, blue glow began to surround the earring. Then, after several seconds, I released my grip to reveal a jewelry adorned, fluffy fox ear! That¡¯s when Inari reprimanded me for my unconsented actions towards her.
¡°What the heck Ko! Don¡¯t you know how dangerous that could have been?!?! What if the earring was cursed?!? We never checked it properly for harmful status effects! Also, you never asked me if I wanted the earring in the first place! That¡¯s not exactly a nice thing to do you know!!! Not to mention the fact it¡¯s dirty!!! Seriously?!?! Would you put some random, grimy piece of metal you found in your ear, just because it gave a status buff?!?¡±
Ya... She did have a point. I kind of acted on impulse there. But I really wanted to test the equipping functionality!!! Plus, the magic earring was perfect for her! Since Inari was the main magic user in our party, it was only logical that she receives items that boost these capabilities further...
No?
Looking at her, she did seem really annoyed, wearing a pouty face with eyes glaring my direction. Starting to feel bad about my rash actions, I did my best to apologise to her for suddenly equipping a dirty magic earring to her ear.
¡°I¡¯m sorry Inari. In hindsight, and foresight, it was quite rude of me to do that. I should have asked you first before putting some strange metal near your ears. While I know it isn¡¯t an excuse, I was curious about how equipping something like magic earrings would work, and you seemed like the best candidate for this magic item as well since you¡¯re a skilled user in mana weaving.¡±
After a long pause, the disgruntled fox finally let out a long-drawn sigh while touching the new jewellery adorning her ear.
*Sigh*
¡°I know you didn¡¯t mean anything bad from your actions Ko... Just, think a little next time before you do something like that!
But... Thank you... I also think... That I would... Ummm... Benefit from these earring¡¯s effects as well! So, it¡¯s not like it¡¯s a bad thing I have them now...¡±
Finishing her soft reply, another round of blue light began to glow around Inari¡¯s ear as she cast a spell to clean the dirty earring. After several seconds, the metal appeared to be free of impurities, and once again, shined a brilliant, golden colour. Then, Inari spoke to me about a request of her own. Flicking her paws, she made the nearby wooden treasure chest float into the air, along with all of it¡¯s contents, then directed the storage container to move outside the cave.
¡°Before we head back to the Tavern Ko, ¨C There¡¯s something I want to do. Come with me.¡±
Following Inari, I walked behind her as we made our way to the outside world again. With another flick from her paws along with some more spellcasting, the treasure chest landed next to the metal cauldron. Next, the human remains from inside the pot, were raised out and laid neatly along the ground near the chest as well. Then, she spoke to me again in a resolute voice, finally explaining her intentions.
¡°I want to give these adventurers a proper burial. While I know death is something I should always be prepared for, I don¡¯t believe it¡¯s right to leave a sentient being¡¯s body to rot in the forests, especially if I have the ability to help their spirits move on. I would like to perform the last rites ritual to honour their life, and coming journey in death. Their bodies will be burned, along with their former belongings.¡±
Hmmm, while I wasn¡¯t opposed to the idea of burying fallen comrades, I was more surprised about Inari¡¯s strong views surrounding life and death. Come to think of it, I didn¡¯t really know much about her profession or class since I¡¯ve never seen her status window. Her capabilities seemed like a supporter, battle-mage hybrid, but with such knowledge and attention towards the dead... Was she more like a priestess? Furthermore, she was going to cremate them, along with their belongings!!! The... The 5 silver Solara coins were still in that chest! Shouldn¡¯t we at least take the money???? While I had assumed we could take their belongings and sell them for living expenses, apparently Inari was adamant all of it needed to go with them to the afterlife!!! When I raised my concerns about the adventurer¡¯s financial holdings, she strongly gave her refusal at my request to keep the currency.
¡°No. Those tangible items were with them in life, and so, will follow them in death as well.¡±
After giving her response, Inari raised her right paw towards the arranged bodies and their belongings, then, to my surprise, she spoke her incantation to complete the spell.
¡°Terra, heed my crying voice and know my sorrow. While death is life, and life is death, grant their souls peaceful, eternal rest. Return their bodies back to the cycle, to once again, become one with you. ¨C Last Rites.¡±
I felt a strange sensation of mana gather around Inari. It wasn¡¯t anything like I had experienced before now that I had become ¡°somewhat¡± familiar at detecting the different mana particle types. They didn¡¯t seem to exist, yet were clearly present and doing.... Something. As I was thinking about this anomaly, breathtakingly, blue, ethereal flames engulfed the fallen adventurer¡¯s bodies, slowly consuming them. As I stared at the scene before me, I asked Inari my question from earlier.
¡°Inari... What exactly... Is your class? Why is this important to you?¡±
While still staring into the crackling and flickering ghostly flames, Inari gave her reply in a hollow tone.
¡°My class... Is difficult to translate into Solarian... I also don¡¯t share it much because... Well...
...
For humans... And others... I usually say I¡¯m a supporter hybrid. Technically, the closest word would be priestess. But for you Ko, since I trust you, my class is ¡°The Speaker For Vixen¡± ¨C Terra¡¯s Deity of Knowledge and Curiosity, the pantheon that most beastkin follow. It comes with its own set of problems, and probably isn¡¯t something I should be talking about right now... It¡¯s related to me staying at the Tavern and learning magic from Felice, but I don¡¯t want to say... Or rather... I can¡¯t say much more. Please accept this as my best explanation for now.¡±
...
Interesting. While Inari was clearly powerful, it was eye-opening to get a glimpse into some of her actual capabilities. As it turns out, there are gods in this world, or at the very least, religious followings towards them. Priestess had been a good guess on my part, but speaker? Doesn¡¯t that imply she would be someone important for the following? Like... Someone who communicates the will of their god to the masses? Speaks on the god¡¯s behalf??? Additionally, it was also somehow related to her learning magic from Felice??? Furthermore, my right-eye burned slightly at the mention of the deity¡¯s name ¡°Vixen¡±. I feel like this whole scenario gave me more questions than answers. Seeing as there was now a rather large pause between us, and, not wanting to keep her waiting, I responded to the fox¡¯s honest answer.
¡°Thank you, Inari, I¡¯m happy you shared that information with me.
...
Let¡¯s... Start heading back to the Tavern. It¡¯s almost dark and I don¡¯t think I want to experience Felice¡¯s bad side either if we return too late.¡±
I shot Inari a smile, to which she replied with her own. The flames had also recently finished consuming their ¡°kindling¡±, which prompted us to start heading back to the Tavern. As we walked, I found myself staring into the night sky, examining the celestial bodies above. The atmosphere was clear and free from the bountiful light pollution from Earth¡¯s cities, allowing for a crystal-clear window into the endless beyond. All above me, I could see the brilliant stars, illuminating the night¡¯s sky with their presence. Bits and specs of dust and light, danced around the heavenly bodies, creating a wonderfully serene and mystical sensation. Staring into space was always relaxing for me, and seeing another world¡¯s galaxy from such a clear perspective, was captivating. All the way back, I continued to be lost in thought about the mysteries of this world, and how I would eventually learn more about them. Why was I brought here? What brought me here? Hopefully, I would be able to find some type of answer in the future.
Chapter 33 – The Unamewsed Cat
Eventually, after roughly an hour walk, Inari and I finally made it back to the Paws & Beans Tavern. Relieved and exhausted, both of us happily entered the residence before slogging over towards the bar section where Yarn was currently standing. Felice was presently talking with some demi-humans at the reception counter, but glanced our direction when we walked by. Wanting to make myself comfortable, I pulled out one of the wooden chairs by the bar, then promptly sat down with a climatic *thud*. My body, finally able to relax, was overcome with aches, pains, and a whole array of exhaustion even I didn¡¯t know was possible! That¡¯s when Yarn spoke to me in her quiet, timid voice.
¡°Ko... Ko nyan. Ummmm¡ª Here is... Your change *meow* I... I forgot to give it to you when... You ordered the beef bowl with egg meown!¡±
After finishing her adorably cute apology for failing to give me my change from the 1 silver Solara coin payment earlier, she slid the assortment of currency across the counter to gently land in front of me. Her ears twitched while her tail wagged about as she tightly gripped her maid¡¯s gown for comfort. I could see she was staring hesitantly at the wooden floors behind the counter, awaiting my response.
¡°Thanks Yarn! Oh, by the way, would I be able to try that mana malt beer you recommended from earlier? I could really use a drink after what happened to us on the herb gathering request from Felice.¡±
For lack of a better phrase, ¡°I could really use a drink¡± felt apt here. Seemingly I wasn¡¯t able to catch a break and had spent a good portion of my time here in Terra on the wrong side of several life-or-death situations. So, with the end of the day in sight, I figured, why not try some otherworldly beer? Pleased at my remembrance about her recommendation from earlier, Yarn shot me a cheerful smile.
¡°Of course Ko Nayn! I¡¯m... I¡¯m glad you remembered my recomeowdation nyaa! That will be 1/5th of a bronze Solara coin please *meow*. Oh! Inari nayn, would you like something as well meown?¡±
¡°Sure Yarn, I¡¯ll have a green manaleaf tea please.¡±
¡°Puurrrfect *meow*. I¡¯ll get your drinks right away nayn!¡±
Cheerfully, Yarn trotted away to one of the large, wooden kegs at the other end of the bar counter. Then, grabbed a tall wooden pitcher from the shelving unit while flicking her hands. While she was pouring my beer, her magic seemingly collected some tea leaves and placed them into a metal cup filled with water, which then suddenly started to boil. While I was amused at the ability to boil water without a kettle, I sensed Felice heading over to our direction. It didn¡¯t take long once they arrived, to greet us in their usual manner of speech.
¡°Welcome back Ko and Inari nayn! I Pawsume meow herb gathering meowquest is complete nayn?¡±
Excited, and nervous, I happily removed the 10 Adventurer¡¯s Sage from my spatial storage and handed them into Felice¡¯s outstretched hand.
¡°Why of course Felice! Here is the 10 Adventurer¡¯s Sage of quality C or above! You are more than welcome to check them with appraisal to verify the accuracy of my clai¡ª¡±
While I was still happily giving Felice the Adventurer¡¯s Sage and welcoming them to use appraisal on the plants, I noticed their cheerful expression change into an annoyed glare. It felt like their piercing green eyes were twitching in anger at me. They.... They were clearly using their appraisal skill on me already... Which means, they probably saw my¡ª
¡°Ko... What did I say to do for your first herb gathering request.¡±
Uh oh. They didn¡¯t use any of their usual speech mannerisms. Inari was also looking quite scared as well, with her ears completely pinned back and tail stiff. A sharp chill ran down my spine as I could only respond as best I could to the whole situation.
¡°Uhhh, you said only to gather herbs... Right? But.... What if we happened to deviate ever so slightly from thos¡ª¡±
The silence and tension between Felice and I, was palpable. Whatever words I was managing to articulate, were clearly falling on deaf ears. No matter what I tried to say, Felice continued to glare at me, until finally, they....
Didn¡¯t explode in an angry ball of fury incarnate?
Somehow, Felice had managed to calm their anger, and instead, brought their hand to their forehead for a traditional face palm. While still pouting at me, they conjured a black, swirling rift in reality and neatly placed the unsuspecting plants inside. Then, they handed me 1 bronze Solara coin for the herbs while they collected their thoughts. Finally, in a disappointed tone even I was feeling guilt at, they reprimanded me for clearly ignoring their instructions.
¡°Ko nyan... Meow two really are similar nyan... While I¡¯m pawsitive there is a compelling meowsplanation for why mew are level 2 now nayn, but pawlease be careful meown. Meowready leveling up in such a short time nya means meow must have encountered something pawerful meown. Would you tell me what hapmeowned nyaa?¡±
It wasn¡¯t too much longer after Felice¡¯s cautioning words, that Yarn returned with Inari and I¡¯s beverages. Grabbing the wooden stein and taking a sip of the mana malt beer, I was surprised at the lack of bitterness along with how smooth the alcoholic beverage tasted. It was a wonderful combination of grainy, carbonated flavour, with each sip bringing a relaxing and bubbling feeling into my head. Figuring this was the unique addition of mana to the Earthly beverage I was somewhat familiar with, the combination made it obvious why many patrons seemed to enjoy the drink as well. Satisfied with my drink for the night, and, not wanting to keep Felice waiting much longer, I started retelling how my first gathering request went.
I mentioned how Inari was able to teach me about analysing objects to detect their mana signatures, combine spells to create filter, and the several hours we spent trying to find the last Adventurer¡¯s Sage. When I got to the goblin encampment, Felice clearly wasn¡¯t happy with my decision to engage them, but understood why I did. However, they were more concerned when I mentioned our encounter with the ogre. Apparently, when Felice was teaching me about the inner workings of the kingdom last night, they had lied about there being a demon lord, or one resurrecting. This was all part of their mind reading ability since I was happily thinking about all of the typical isekai scenarios at the moment, they ended up incorporating the description to keep me distracted. But, the mention of a winged creature and the ogre being gifted such a powerful artifact, indicated to them, that perhaps demons actually were returning to Terra.
Felice carried on a little bit explaining the ancient recorded history of Terra, but essentially, long ago in the ¡°lost ages¡±, there was a powerful deity named Diablos, who was the god of chaos and evil. The title of Demon Lord was more than fitting for them as they waged war and destruction in every kingdom, trying to unify all of Terra under their rule. Known for serving under them, were winged beings known as demons. Broadly speaking, they were humanoid in appearance, with bat-like wings, spiked tails, and an incredibly powerful affinity for all types of magic. However, during the great war amongst the gods, Diablos, along with all of his followers, were killed. Their territory, nestled in the north western regions of Terra, was called the Kingdom of Damonius. While the true record for how Diablos and his followers were defeated remains unknown, their region was utterly destroyed through some powerful magic attack, where it still remains uninhabitable from toxic mana particle waste to this day. Additionally, at each mention of Diablos name, my eye burned a painful heat, much stronger, but similar in intensity to the mention of the deity Vixen that Inari said they were the speaker for. Nonetheless, this was still potential evidence that something had happened, and that maybe not all of the demons had been wiped out.
If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
Eventually, Felice wrapped up their condensed history lesson by reminding Inari and I not to be too reckless, since we got ¡°exceptionmeowly¡± lucky during our encounter. That¡¯s when I asked them and Inari if they could explain the different deities of this world to me. While all of the gods have since disappeared from Terra, their presence is still felt throughout the many kingdoms they ruled over. Unfortunately, a lot of the records about their accomplishments were destroyed over time, so what knowledge remains is what has been passed down through stories and teachings from the various religious sects. In Terra, there are 6 gods:
- Fenrir, the deity of land and life
- Neptune, the deity of storms and seas
- Vixen, the deity of knowledge and curiosity
- Draconius, the deity of fire and might
- Diablos, the deity of chaos and evil
- Perfectus, the deity of everything
Each kingdom generally followed one of the gods, but their support has diminished greatly in modern times. Roughly speaking, the great war amongst the deities happened 100,000 years ago, and their divine interventions have been absent since that time period. My eye burned at the mention of each name, except for Neptune, which for some reason, gave my eye a rather sharp chill and... Frightened... Feeling? Seemingly, Felice and Inari were just as confused as to the sensations I described, along with not knowing anything about a ¡°world serpent¡± either. Eventually, the conversation turned towards our status values, as I was rather curious about how Inari¡¯s appraisal window differed from mine. While she was hesitant, Inari shared her status window with me, along with the hidden parameters.
---
Name: Inari Kitsune Level: 3
Race: Beastkin HP: 30/30 MP: 100/100
Age: 22
Profession: Priestess [Hidden - The Speaker For Vixen]
Status: Strength: 10 Defense: 15
Magic: 33 (+2) Dexterity: 22
Skill Proficiencies: [Magic Affinity ¨C Excellent+] [Reflexes] [Concentration] [Fire Affinity ¨C Excellent+] [Curses ¨C Excellent+] [Charms ¨C Excellent+] [Illusion] [Magic Detection ¨C Excellent+] [Growth]
Titles: None [Hidden ¨C The Speaker For Vixen ¨C Chosen by the goddess Vixen to pursue the innerworkings of the world at large. Individual is blessed with growth and manipulation of magic, along with a passion for discovery. All types of magic may be learned by the individual who possesses this title.]
---
Heh, and apparently, I was the overpowered one due to summoning magic. Aptly, Inari was just as powerful in certain aspects, which was related to the hidden title and growth attributes, along with her hard work and tutelage under Felice. Her status was generally kept hidden with an illusion spell, modifying their values so they appeared like a ¡°normal¡± adventurer. This concept of hiding status values made me wonder just how many others like Inari existed out there? Next, Inari instructed me how to view my own status with appraisal and share them. After trying, below were my best results.
---
Name: Kotato Yamata Level: 2
Race: Human HP: 70/70 MP: 70/70
Age: 25
Profession: Spell Blade
Status: Strength: 30 Defense: 30
Magic: 30 Dexterity: 30
Skill Proficiencies: [Growth] [Summoned Hero] [] [] [] [] [] []
Titles: None
---
While I had gotten all of the raw status values correct according to Felice, all of my hidden parameters remained invisible. Furthermore, all of the glitched characters had fully vanished now, yet a shimmering vale of light continued obstructing the hidden values. Thankfully, a normal individual wouldn¡¯t notice if they cast a common appraisal spell according to Felice, but it was apparently visible when I or Inari cast it on myself, showcasing our strong magical ability.
Since we were on the topic of everyone¡¯s status, I asked Felice if they would share their values with me, to which they responded: ¡°Nya nya nya Ko nayn. Some things are best kept a secret meown!¡±. While I was slightly disappointed I couldn¡¯t learn more about how powerful the cheeky cat maid actually was, I figured I would eventually discover the answers on my own with time.
Finally, after chatting with Inari, Felice, and Yarn for a bit longer, it was time to retire for the night. After saying our goodbyes, Felice led me up the old, wooden stairs of the tavern, to the second floor again, except this time, to my proper room. After traveling down several winding and confusing hallways which prompted me to question the interior size of the actual tavern itself, we eventually arrived to my apartment. Staring at the plain, wooden door, I grabbed the cold, metal handle, taking note of the metal¡¯s contours in my tired and aching hands. Physically, and mentally exhausted, along with wanting to finally sleep after another tiring day in Terra, I opened the door and was greeted to the warm, pleasant welcome of a simple, yet comfortable, hotel lodgings. Inside the small space was a simple, single bed, covered with a white blanket and matching pillow. To the sides, were a basic wooden nightstand, oaken closet, and mirror. Two metal lamps also dimly illuminated the room with their presence, with one affixed to my immediate right on the wall, and the other resting calmly atop the nightstand near the bed. While there was a large window next to the simple wooden frame and mattress, only tranquil, moonlit rays entered the room, indicating nature too, had signalled it was time for rest.
¡°Meowright Ko nayn. This will be meow lodgings while you stay with us at the Paws & Beans Tavern meown! Make sure to wake up early and see nya in the meowning nayn. I have lots of requests to assign you and Inari nayn meown!¡±
¡°Thanks Felice, I¡¯m already looking forward to it!¡±
With a cute smile and accompanying wave, Felice wished me goodnight, then, happily pranced away, disappearing down the long, twisting hallways. My body, now desperately calling for the comfy confines of the alluring blankets, instinctively slogged towards the simple bed. Throwing myself onto the mattress, I let out an equally strenuous sigh of relief as the frame struggled to catch my weight. Gradually, I found what little strength remained in my body to remove my leather armor, sword, and serpent adorned shield, neatly placing them beside the night stand. With the last of my curiosity for the day, I attempted another cast of appraisal on the mysterious shield, to which it replied with a flaring red, and intimidating gaze. No status window appeared before me, seemingly denied access by whatever it was, resting within the shield. Shrugging my shoulders, I promptly decided that would be a ¡°future Ko problem¡±, and lay my head down onto the soft, divine pillow. While I was exhausted, the excitement from today was still actively playing out in my head. I felt like I had learned a lot more about my unique situation, yet seemingly, had many more questions than answers.
Are there demons in Terra? What happened to the gods? Why does my eye hurt at the mention of their names? What about the other heroes? What would change in the coming months in the Kingdom of Solara? Why do I have these weapons?
As I continued laying on the bed, staring up at the wooden ceiling, my thoughts gradually began to slow, as my eyelids became more and more strained at the task of remaining open. My breathing slowed, as I finally began to fall asleep, surrounded by blankets, and my riveting thoughts. While I still didn¡¯t know what fate awaited me in this world, I at least knew I had made some dependable friends I could rely on for the coming hardships. Finally, a world full of magic, fantasy, and adventure, was before me. With my last thought before entering the world of dreams, I said to myself, a promise:
¡°With this wonderful chance, I¡¯ll make sure to be the best Ko, that I possibly can.¡±
- Book 1 End -
Author''s Note, Discussion, & Comments
If you''ve made it this far, thank you for taking the time to read the first light novel in my series "Amongst All Other Worlds, Why Did It Choose Such A Clich¨¦d Setting?" It has truly been a fun experience learning how to write and convey the information I so vividly see inside my mind.
For those interested, I am self-diagnosed with hyperphantasia, which is the capability to produce startling, almost life-like, mental images when picturing objects or characters. While this sounds like a really cool thing, it also comes with its own set of unique challenges. Take for example, trying to remember if you locked the door to your house or apartment before leaving for an outing. Most people would probably remember themselves accurately locking the door, or have some doubts, in which case, they would rack their brain until their anxiety regarding "locked living premise safety" is satiated, or, bug them the whole day with no reprimand.
However, being able to create such strong mental images around actions, makes it difficult to trust my memories of events. Did I truly lock the door to the house? Or was that just my brain perfectly recreating a mental image of "me" locking the door?
Brushing aside the brief, unwarranted tangent on picturing images, false memories, and securing living spaces, this "unique quirk" has brought plenty of joy to my life, where I can create, watch, and play movies in my head on demand. Eventually, I had the thought, "why not turn the isekai story I play in my head, into a novel?". After all, if I enjoy this fun little world I''ve built, there''s a chance others might enjoy the quirky, unique characters as well! So, using my imagination as I guide, I gradually worked on how to transform the images I see in my mind, into captivating and easy to understand passages of text. Well, that was the hope, at least...
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
While I think it was probably obvious, my writing "picked up" when I could finally write for specific characters I enjoyed creating, such as the careful, always calculating, inquisitive fox, filled with seemingly endless and arbitrary battleplan numbers. Or the cheeky demi-human cat maid with mysterious, powerful magic capabilities. Let''s also not forget the analytical and scientifically focused Kotato, with oddly specific descriptions, who is probably the only person that would use the sentence "it looked like anything but an organ designed for processing visual wavelengths of light" when referring to an eyeball.
I''m sorry Jake, but you just weren''t meant to be...
With that said, I have some questions for the readers:
1. Should I make the story description / synopsis, truly accurate? Or, was it a nice surprise once chapter 14 rolled around? This is something I debated, and wasn''t sure if the "generic and totally 100% accurate" current description would work, or cause readers to lose interest / not bother reading at all when viewing the novel?
2. Would a reordering of chapters work better on the perspective shifts? For example, Inari''s perspective would be "bundled together" at the end of the novel, kind of like a bonus viewpoint once Ko gets back and finally gets to sleep in their proper "room". Basically, Chapters 13-14 and 26-29 all appear at the end of the novel.
Regardless if anyone reads this, comments, or finds the story interesting, I intend to continue writing and ideally, improve in my communication capabilities. On my end, I have roughly an extra 50,000 words completed into novel 2, which finally starts to delve into the labyrinth underneath Solara. Readers will finally learn more about the seemingly unknown "World Serpent" as a few new characters join Kotato and Inari along their journey. While I don''t like to reveal too many spoilers, I hope these characters will be just as memorable as they join the cast!
With that said, future updates for the series will now happen on a weekly basis, releasing on the Friday of that week. Friday, Aug 30, 2024 will be the next scheduled update, and will help set the stage for what''s to come in "Amongst All Other Worlds, Why Did It Choose Such A Clich¨¦d Setting?".
Until we meet again,
~Kotato
Chapter 34 – The Heroes Revealed
It has been roughly 3 weeks since I first arrived in the world of Terra, and a lot has changed. While I would like to believe these changes were due to my amazing and wonderful presence, I had since cast such thoughts away as I resolved myself to learn as much as I could about my new reality and world.
Staying at the Paws & Beans tavern with Inari, Felice, and Yarn, has made each day, for lack of a better word, unique. Over this time period, Inari and I have completed an insurmountable number of quests for the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, and were now officially ranked F(+). Furthermore, we had both reached level 5 as well from the sheer number of monsters slain during our adventures. In summary, Inari and I¡¯s progress in adventurer ranks and level, was waaayyyy too fast for how this world functioned, but was most likely the result of the growth parameter in our status window. Normally, reaching level 5 would take adventurers several years of daily work killing monsters, yet this was achieved in a measly 3 weeks on our part. The current working theory was the [Growth] skills we had, were being amplified by the summoned hero powers I possessed. We still had no idea who or what the ¡°World Serpent¡± was, but when Inari and I formed a party contract through magic, our status values and experience gained was drastically boosted. There was evidence this phenomenon was related to the powers of heroes blessed by gods through ancient stories passed down throughout Terra, but there was no existing record of a ¡°World Serpent¡± deity. Additionally, there were some limitations placed on our adventurer rank progress as well.
According to Felice, the ranking of adventurers was strictly monitored by guild branches, and the headmaster of a branch could only do ¡°so much¡± in promoting a party or individuals based on their achievements. A consensus was required amongst several branches in a kingdom or territory, along with evidence of achievements to advance further, with promotions typically ¡°batched¡± together with other adventurer parties eligible for advancement. There were also strict time gated requirements that couldn¡¯t always be bypassed. For example, even though Inari and I had completed over 300 requests for monster subjugation and herb gathering, we couldn¡¯t formally advance to rank E until 3 years had passed on our adventuring careers. While Felice was adamant in advocating for our exceptional capabilities, the various checks and balances prevented them from officially ranking us at the appropriate level. For context, Felice¡¯s opinion put us in the top category of adventurers in the Kingdom of Solara, where we could potentially be ranked C(+) based on our level, capabilities, and skill. They also had to be rather creative in explaining how we had managed to achieve level 5 so quickly, with their best response being they were just ¡°that ameowzing at teaching nayn!¡±, which the broader guild seemingly didn¡¯t question further. The more I learned about the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, I was left with various impressions it was an inefficient corporation spanning across the world that somehow managed to function, despite inconsistencies in communication and rulings.
While on the topic of skills and capabilities, I was rather pleased with myself for my stellar performance on Inari¡¯s 1,000 multiple-choice questions I was quizzed on daily. 1,000 was not an overstatement, as I was in fact, having to answer 1,000 questions each day about the history of magic, formulation of spells, and other niche topics in the field. In my opinion, a consistent score of 85% was rather acceptable, considering my short time of study, but that wasn¡¯t good enough for Inari or Felice. Seriously, It¡¯s not like I¡¯m a savant just because I¡¯m a summoned hero! However, this did allow for me to have a much better grasp and understanding of magic as a concept in this world.
To draw parallels from Earth, magic was very similar to the domain of chemistry. All throughout the atmosphere, were mana particles of various elements, visible in the form of a shimmering light when dense concentrations were present. Much like how air is a combination of nitrogen and oxygen, the same can be said about the various mana particles making up the atmosphere, albeit in a more visible fashion. While most beings would be unaware of oxygen¡¯s invisible presence and how it helped them support the basic biological function of breathing, mana particles could be felt and detected by those with innate magical capabilities. The basic elements were: fire, water, earth, air, and thunder, with additional categories for light, dark, typeless, and ethereal attributes.
Fire was a source of heat and destruction commonly used by individuals during combat, such as in Firebolts, Fireballs, or Explosion type spells. Earth was usually a direct manipulation of the tangible ground, generally used for defensive and terrain modification spells, such as unstable ground, rock walls, shields, etc. Water was generally used in its modified form of ice for combative capabilities, but defined as the broad manipulation or conjuration of liquid. Air was fairly self-explanatory, and generally found in the highest concentrations when outside, usually utilized by condensing the mana particles into sharp pressure blades for cutting, or enhancing one¡¯s physical ranged attacks by increasing their launch speed. Finally, thunder was only viewed as a dangerous offensive magic, and nothing more, most likely due to the world lacking technology which could utilize electricity properly.
For the non-elemental particles, light particles were utilized in healing and recovery magic, and were somewhat difficult to work with from a weaving perspective. Dark particles were not as well studied in the magic community due to their general lack of presence, but were utilized by Inari when she used curse magic. From my perspective, dark particles seemed to be used whenever a debuff of some sort was cast on a target. Typeless mana particles were those that didn¡¯t have a particular element, and were used in combination with elemental particles to produce or amplify spells. Generally, typeless magic covered a broad range of spell usage since they could neatly fit into any spell¡¯s materialization sequence. Usually, they were applied to buff or enhancement magic, but used almost in every spell. They were also the most prevalent in any setting, bearing extreme circumstances. Finally, there were ethereal mana particles, which were only accessible in the ethereal plane. This was a ¡°secret¡± type of particle not widely known in the world, as only beastkin, elves, and demi-humans, could reliably utilize them. Ghost, spirits, and other beings of a similar nature, all lived in this parallel plane to the tangible world, which was ripe with only ethereal particles.
While all of these particles had their uses, the concentrations one would find them in, varied between regions and locations. For example, while a simple realization, if one was underwater, you would primarily find water particles, with some air, zero fire particles, and a meniscal presence of earth and thunder, unless you were near the ocean or lake¡¯s floor of course. Conversely, when outside, there would be an abundance of air particles, with some water, fire, thunder, and earth all present. In general, like how atmosphere was primarily nitrogen with oxygen, outside was primarily typeless particles, followed by air, water, earth, fire, then thunder.
Next, all beings on Terra could utilize magic to some extent, but the capabilities depended on one¡¯s talent, effort, and race. For example, humans could study, and learn how to ¡°feel¡± the presence of mana, while beastkin and elves seemed to be naturally born with this capability. Furthermore, one¡¯s talent and training allowed them to accurately assess, weave, and combine the mana particles present into various spells to their will. This would be like an apprentice understanding there are more air particles present than water particles, when a skilled tradesman could tell you the rough ratio was 20 air to 1 water. At the extreme end of the scale, savants could subconsciously detect the exact mana particle count in a region, accurately identifying 5.69x10^20 air, to 2.845x10^19 water, an incredibly scary thought. Currently, my skill seemed to be that of roughly understanding the ratios present after weeks of practice, while Inari was literally bordering on the cusp of savant-hood.
So, how does all of this fit into the casting of magic? While, simply put, users would ¡°weave¡± or manipulate the mana particles present in the atmosphere to combine into appropriate ratios to produce the desired spell. Something like a Firebolt would need a ratio of 5 fire to 4 air, to 1 water. While I was surprised at the inclusion of water into the spell commonly known for a flaming ball of heat and destruction, this was apparently done to ¡°bind¡± the effect and prevent the explosive flames from harming the environment, something rarely done by most users. To achieve this weaving, users would typically say an incantation which helped focus their thoughts or will into what they wanted the particles to achieve. When this was combined with a strong mental image of the desired spell¡¯s effect, the results were produced so long as the appropriate mana particles were combined.
But what about MP? Wasn¡¯t an individual¡¯s mana suppose to be used when casting spells? I mean, that¡¯s kinda how it worked in all of the RPGs and isekai shows I watched. Well, apparently MP was used as a form of ¡°compensation¡± for failing to weave the mana particles present in your environment effectively. Essentially, MP could allow for the direct transmutation of mana particles into a completely different elemental type, which ties into one¡¯s understanding of the mana particles present. In the above example, if an individual attempted to cast a Firebolt spell, and got the ratio of fire to air particles wrong, their MP would then be consumed to achieve the appropriate balance between elements, forcibly creating the destructive spell. Expanding on this, it also meant one could produce a Firebolt spell while underwater, but it would cause an incredible strain on their MP and become very inefficient, as it needed to forcibly and continuously convert mana particles into the fire element to maintain the spell¡¯s composition. Conversely, this meant that if someone perfectly assessed and combined the mana particles present around them, they could activate their desired spell with no impact on their MP, essentially casting the spell for free. However, this was very difficult to achieve in practice. Furthermore, it was typically easier to convert typeless particles into an element, than an element to an element. This was usually how light and dark particles were created due to their rare presence in the world. While I was personally amazed at how one could cast spells for free with enough understanding, I was glad to know this was by no means the norm in Terra, and the usage of MP was actually quite common amongst the various races. As a general rule, the more MP you had, the more spells you could cast before losing consciousness. While I was pleased at my stronger understand of magic in general, Inari and I also had the time to receive physical training from the tavern¡¯s strongest, retired adventurer, Lupine Darkclaw.
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Lupine, is a wolf-type beastkin, and a retired B ranked adventurer staying at the tavern. His fur is various shares of dark gray, whites, and blues, while his muzzle is starting to sprout various old ¡°white tuffs¡± due to age. On his right-eye, is a battle adorned scar, which he received from fighting a wyvern before retiring. While he eventually lost vision from the injury, he has been staying at the tavern for several years now, becoming a stable presence in the main lobby, always drinking mana malt beer, while sharing stories of his exploits with the other beastkin and demi-humans alike. While he had a rough personality when we first met, he eventually warmed up to me when Inari requested I receive combat training from him. As Lupine had already instructed her in general combat manoeuvrability, he was curious to see my capabilities compared to hers. In short, we were able to determine I had heightened senses that even surpassed his when it came to speed and execution, but I still lacked a general ¡°battle awareness¡± of sorts. At current, my movements would be similar to that of an experienced B ranked adventurer, but a toddler¡¯s in understand how a fight plays out to finish encounters. In his words, it was really weird to see such refined, precise movements, followed by spectacular fails for simple sword play. While this was probably related to my shield giving me enhanced combat capabilities, my body was still missing the essential, subconscious experience of battle instincts honed through years of experience. Overall, the training was great, as both Inari and I figured it could help prepare me for a possible scenario if the shield¡¯s capabilities were disabled in someway, limiting my power.
With that said, Inari, Felice, and I, were currently discussing over lunch the announcement King Solar made last week and distributed to all of the adventurer guild branches in the kingdom.
The Kingdom of Solara, had finally announced publicly the presence of the summoned heroes, 2 weeks after they were brought to Terra. While most of the kingdom¡¯s population cheered and revered their presence, likely due to the increasing tensions with the north-eastern neighboring Kingdom of Valoria, the 3 of us were less impressed, possessing additional contextual knowledge of the situation, i.e., me, being the original summoned individual. Regardless, this announcement tied into the primary reason for the upcoming major event in the City of Solara; a tournament to determine the strongest adventurer party currently in the kingdom. The purpose? To decide on the ¡°lucky¡± candidates who would receive the ¡°honour¡± to accompany the heroes on their journey, delving deeper into the labyrinth beneath the city to clear it, something never before accomplished in the kingdom¡¯s history.
During my time here, access to the labyrinth was restricted to the palace, so I never got the opportunity to explore it myself. Regarding the structure, it was unknown how deep the labyrinth ran, even when magic was used to examine its depths. All that was known, was there were at least 12 floors, the current depth the kingdom had managed to achieve. The entranceway was blocked off and guarded by the royal palace, where they charged a small entry fee to adventurers so that they could explore the floors, earn rewards, and level up. Apparently, access was only granted to adventurers of rank F or above, and many choose to enter the labyrinth due to the consistent returns and low-risk it offered, as monster spawns were predictable, with specific species only existing on well-known floors. According to legends, vast treasures and legendary artifacts were present at the bottom, but no one knew if this was actually true. This fact, is what brought us to the heart of the currently, heavily debated topic amongst us.
¡°But Felice! Seriously! You yourself have even admitted Inari and I are probably the current strongest adventurers in the kingdom at the moment! Why can¡¯t we register for the upcoming tournament?!?!¡±
¡°I agree with Ko, Felice! Seriously, we¡¯ve accomplished a lot these past few weeks, and I would love the opportunity to evaluate our capabilities against the best in the kingdom! Plus, I¡¯ve never been into the city before, and I¡¯ve always wanted to see what it¡¯s like inside! It would be an absolutely wonderful experience!¡±
¡°Exactly! Plus, it would provide an ideal chance for some ¡°pay back¡± for how the king treated me. Could you image the look on his face when the abandoned, summoned hero, wins the tournament and earns the privilege to join the ¡°heroes¡± on their journey into the depths of the labyrinth?!?! King Solar would be furious!!!¡±
¡°Nya nya Ko Nayn. I still don¡¯t believe it woul¡ª¡±
¡°But we meet the¡ª¡±
¡°I meow you meet the requirements nayn, but that still doesn¡¯t change the fact it¡¯s dangrmeows nayn! Nomeown has gone fuurrrther than the 12th floor nya, and that¡¯s not even to meownchin you¡¯ve never been into the labmeowth before nyan! This is just reckless behavmeower meown.¡±
**Sigh**
Inari and I each took a bite from our plates of fried tofu as our debate with the annoyed cat maid came to a brief interlude. While we were both annoyed at Felice, they were very much correct that us wanting to explore the labyrinth with the other heroes, was reckless behaviour, especially when combined with the fact neither of us had been into the labyrinth ourselves. It was obvious why Felice would object to our request to register for the upcoming tournament, considering the high likelihood we would win. As the silence from our vicious arguing began to grow, Felice eventually sighed themselves, and responded in a calmer tone towards us.
¡°But... With that said meown, I also think getting to experience the labyrinth would be benemeowful to youuurrr growth as adventermeows nayn. Plus, fighting other adventurers is an excelmeownt source of combat experimeownce nya.¡±
¡°Does... Does that mean?¡±
¡°Yes Ko Nayn. After all, both you and Inari Nayn do meet the requiremeownts to register nayn. And, with all of my advocating to the guild branches, it would be weird for this headmeowster¡¯s prize students not to compete meown...¡±
Realizing what Felice had just admitted to, I was overcome with excitement as they finally gave their approval for us to register at the upcoming tournament in the city! Without thinking, I jumped up from my seat and aggressively gave Felice a giant hug while spinning them around in the air! Inari giggled at the whole scene as Felice was frantically flailing their arms, trying to free themselves from my spontaneous, spinning embrace.
¡°WAHHH!!! Ko Nayn!!!! What the heck are you doing MEOWN!!! Stop it nya!!!! This... This isn¡¯t appropri¡ª¡±
¡°Haha, I¡¯m sorry Felice, but I¡¯m just so excited!!! It¡¯s not often you agree to our requests like this, so I¡¯m just making the most of the moment!¡±
After a few more spins around in circles, I gently placed the disoriented cat maid back onto the floor, followed by an accompanying pat on the head. Felice obviously wasn¡¯t amused at me for unexpectantly picking them up and swinging them around like that, but they weren¡¯t pouting at me or anything, so I guess it was fine. Once they collected their thoughts, they cleared their throat, then spoke to us.
¡°Ah hem... That said meown. Just... Just be careful nayn.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry Felice, both Ko and I will be fine. We¡¯ve already been planning all this week various battle plans and contingencies for the tournament and subsequent labyrinth spelunking! See? I¡¯m just finishing up ¡°Ko & Inari Tournament Ark Battle Sequence #273!¡±
¡°Oooo! Inari! Show Felice our Tournament Hero Battle Plan #57 as well! That¡¯s my personal favourite since it involves all sorts of tricks and¡ª¡±
While Inari was enthusiastically holding up her journal with accompanying battle plans, Felice glanced at them, then sighed heavily again.
¡°Seriously you two nayn... And here I thought you would have almeowdy left after I agreed you could register for the competition meown... Especially considering it starts in 2 hours nayn... Once you consider the travmeow ti¡ª¡±
¡°Oh no! You¡¯re right Felice!!! Ko, we have to leave right now!!! It¡¯s going to take a while to even enter the city with the increased foot traffic and visitors! Let alone get to the Solara Guild Branch to register in the first place!¡±
¡°You¡¯re right Inari! Let¡¯s consider this our warmup before the competition begins!!!¡±
With that said, both Inari and I, rushed out of the Paws & Beans Tavern to head towards the City of Solara, our thoughts filled with anticipation at all the thrilling battles that awaited us, oblivious to the faint, sizzling cries from the fried tofu dishes we had unfortunately left behind.
The tofu, overcome with distraught that it¡¯s message could not be heard, instead choose to wallow on the countertop in anguish, as it¡¯s steam, continued to ascend towards the heavens. Why was the tofu unable to speak? Why couldn¡¯t it warn the duo about the dangers ahead in the City of Solara? Saddened, and, disappointed, the crispy delicacy continued to muffle the words it had only wished could be said, through the tragic absence, of its lips:
¡°Ymnx rjxxflj, nx rd qfrj fyyjruy yt uwtyjhy ymj xytwd kwtr ymjky. Nk ymnx xjsyjshj nx ktzsi utxyji ts frfets, ymnx btwp nx xytqjs.¡±
What the tofu wished to convey, was anyone¡¯s guess. Nonetheless, Ko and Inari¡¯s adventures, were bound to be filled with untold struggles and challenges, as they continued to work towards becoming the strongest adventurers, in Terra.
Chapter 35 – The Sword Hero
It has been roughly 3 weeks since I was summoned here to this world called Terra and told that I was apparently the fabled ¡°Sword Hero¡± of legend. My name is Samuel Swords, and while I was just as confused as the others who appeared with me, all of us had differences we discovered during our unexpected time together. Summoned with me, were Haru Speargin, Kyle Bowgert, and Miles Magus. All of us were humans, and whilst we all came from Earth, there were... Surprising differences regarding our common planet¡¯s ¡°history¡±. Even so, it didn¡¯t take long for me to adjust to my new found reality. Maids, servants, butlers, and all types of caretakers alike, were all more than eager to assist me with any of my wants and desires. So, I made sure to put them to use in my desperate pursuit of meaning and artistic expression!
Like most individuals, my interests, appearance, and wants, had gradually evolved overtime to meld and blossom into what they are now so passionately obsessed with... The purest and most pristine form of art known to all sentient, living beings in the universe!
Crochet!!!
¡°Ummmm... Sword Hero sir... Are you almost finished with your... Dolls? I really do think you should get back to training with the other heroes... The tournament just finished and the champions will be here shortly. You really should be present with the other heroes to welcome them...¡±
¡°Don¡¯t talk to them like that Stella! You¡¯ll hurt their poor, sensitive feelings!!! It¡¯s ok Jeffington, the mean, scary lady didn¡¯t mean that!
And now, back to you my dear, I¡¯m almost finished with your cute wittle stitching! And... Almost... There we have it! My MASTER PIECE!!!
Ahhh! How brilliant! A body made from the finest of silk in the kingdom, stuffed to the brim with the softest of cashmere, while overflowing with a radiance and vibrance of colour! You are the epiphany of my creative expression!!! I must name thee:
Elliot, the Magnificent!¡±
...
¡°Mr. Sword hero... We really should be going...¡±
¡°Fine... Fine... Let me place Elliot the Magnificent Rainbow Dragon with the others first...¡±
While many people back on Earth judged me for my appearance, they all failed to see I was only trying to express my ideal self. For whatever reason, this world didn¡¯t seem to care I was covered in piercings and dark eyeliner, which I was all the more welcomed to. After all, it helped highlight my wonderfully blue eyes... Furthermore, I was allowed to explore all of my creative pursuits, one of which manifested into my recent obsession for making cute crochet dolls!
Arriving at my adorable army of plushy friends, I neatly placed Elliot in his new home, nestled between the spear hero and magic hero! Looking around the room, everyone was in their proper spots! My recreations of the king, the princess, heroes, and all the unique citizens of the kingdom, were appropriately laid out in their respective places. Waving goodbye to my adorable recreations, I followed my attendant out towards the grand entranceway of the castle.
The walk... Was long.
This castle truly was massive. Each hallway appeared to stretch far into the horizon, and made me seriously question the space requirements the king actually needed. While all of the halls and rooms were kept exceptionally clean thanks to the dutiful attendants, this amount of space was clearly excessive in my opinion. But regardless, it wasn¡¯t wise of me to question those who were currently allowing me the freedom to pursue the sophisticated art of crochet!
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
As I walked, my thoughts drifted towards what it was like meeting the other heroes. All of us had similar experiences playing games and reading novels, so the setting of ¡°summoned hero¡± was familiar to us. However, while we all came from ¡°Earth¡±, it was troubling to learn a few things during our conversations and expeditions into the labyrinth below the kingdom.
Haru and Kyle, both appeared to have died, but were brought to this world as their conscious was fading. Haru was stabbed while on a date, while Kyle was hit by the infamous ¡°Truck-kun¡± while crossing the street. Miles and I, appeared to be direct summons when we were going about our once daily routines. Furthermore, there were differences between the Earths we came from! Kyle¡¯s Earth appeared to match mine, but Haru¡¯s had a completely different history and names for major countries! Seriously... The thought of an Earth without the great ¡°Guns & Freedom State¡± was appalling to me. Miles¡¯ Earth was also rather different. Apparently, the usage of magic was possible there, and all humans instead had natural blue hair!
I learned all of these things while we ventured into the labyrinth below the Kingdom of Solara. While I had no knowledge of how to use a sword, other than it being the word in my family name, I was apparently rather gifted at using the blade. This was perhaps something related to the hero summoning magic. Regardless, I was able to effortlessly execute combos and slay monsters! But I still couldn¡¯t get use to the blood staining my clothing!
For our party, Haru assigned himself as the leader, which none of us really cared to contest. During the 3 weeks we had for training, we had steadily raised our levels, with all of us advancing to level 8 by this time. Apparently, this rate of level growth was abnormal for this world, where it normally would take several years to reach level 8. Regarding the labyrinth journey, it was unknown how deep the dungeon actually went. The only information we had to work with, was there was some powerful treasure at the bottom we would need to defeat the Demon King... I think...
We had recently reached the 12th floor and were currently ¡°stuck¡±, unable to progress further due to a weird miasma blocking our pathway. When we shared this knowledge with the king, he decided it would be best to organize a tournament to determine the strongest group of adventurers to accompany us. The thought was perhaps they would be able to figure out how to handle the miasma from their experience. I did question why he didn¡¯t just seek council on the problem, but it wasn¡¯t my place to voice such concerns.
The adventurers that would be joining us also further served another purpose. The dangers of the deeper labyrinth floors were starting to become too much for the royal guard to handle. Most members of the military were level 5 or 6, which while only slightly behind ours, was severely lacking in raw status power. It was not reasonable anymore to send large squads of the nations military to ensure our safety, when many could be wiped out in an instant and clutter the battlefield. So, instead, a small, effective task force compromised of only elite troops, led by Raya, was to be prepared. The adventurer guides would be a part of this task force. That¡¯s when I noticed that I had finally made it to the entrance hallway with the other heroes.
Haru and Kyle were standing near the entranceway, currently talking with what looked like some adventurers, while Miles was standing off to the side. Were these the people who won the tournament? The first was a male of average build with brown hair, and a weird snake looking shield and sword. The 2nd individual was a... Humanoid fox? Oh, that was probably one of the beastkin races we¡¯ve heard about. None of them were allowed into the palace, so we¡¯ve never actually seen them. Apparently, they were usually kept as slaves in this kingdom. I wonder how strong these individuals are? I was expecting rougher looking individuals with plenty of battle scars, but these two were anything but the sort. But after seeing them, I was overcome with a surge of inspiration! It was destiny, that these two, would become my new crochet master pieces!!! Oh how I couldn¡¯t wait to make the perfect fabric recreations of them!!!
Chapter 36 – The Kingdom of Solara Tournament
After a short while jogging to the capital, Inari and I finally made it to the city gates for Solara. As we approached, I could see the expansion was coming along nicely, with the new exterior wall section appearing to be over halfway done. Taskmasters could be seen instructing the various forced labor to transport the heavy marble slabs as usual. Fortunately, the queue to enter the city wasn¡¯t as bad as we had feared, with the largest inconvenience being the judgmental glares from the other humans while waiting in line. Thankfully, Inari seemed rather oblivious to the condescending attitudes directed towards her. After roughly half an hour of chatting and deciding on our upcoming tournament debut strategy, it was finally Inari and I¡¯s turn to show our identification plates to enter the city. Standing at the gate, ready to receive us with judgmental eyes, was what looked like a typical knight in metallic, steel armor. Beside them was several more guards, each equipped with a long pikes or spears. Conscious of the little time remaining to register for the tournament, I quickly handed over my identification plate to him. Aggressively, he took the plate from my hands and spent far too long in my opinion scrutinizing it¡¯s simple details. Then, he voiced his only question towards me, which I promptly answered as precisely as possible.
¡°Name, rank, and reason for entry?¡±
¡°Kotato Yamata, F(+) ranked adventurer, looking to compete in the tournament today.¡±
After a few more flips and rotations of my bronze plate in his gauntlets, he finally handed it back. Then, he started eyeing Inari up before speaking to me again in a rough voice.
¡°This beast with you?¡±
¡°She has a name, and yes, Inari is with me.¡±
While I probably shouldn¡¯t have been rude, due to potentially forfeiting our entry into the city, the guard fortunately only gave me an obvious eyeroll at my comment, then motioned for Inari to hand him her plate as well. Before he could even ask the standard questions, she quickly chimed in with her response.
¡°Inari Kitsune, F(+) ranked adventurer, I am also looking to compete in the tournament today!¡±
¡°Did I ask you anything yet?¡±
¡°Ummm, no, you didn¡¯t, but you were asking everyone else the same questions, so I figured¡ª¡°
¡°Then be quite unless spoken to.¡±
Geez, that was rather rude. Inari was also quite disheartened at his attitude towards her as well. She was now fidgeting with her paws while awaiting the guard¡¯s response. Eventually, after flipping the plate around some more, he flicked it towards her instead of handing it back.
¡°You¡¯re clear to enter, but you better not cause any problems while in Solara.¡±
¡°Thank you, sir! I don¡¯t intend to cause any problems while I¡¯m here.¡±
Inari had at least managed to catch her identification badge when it was unprofessionally given back to her. Some of the guards standing nearby still snickered when she frantically reached to grab it though. Once inside, I mentioned that this behaviour was really deterring to me when I was in the city last. It was clearly a form of targeted discrimination, with beastkin being the primary ire of the human¡¯s hate. Demi-humans had it slightly better, but it was still pretty bad. Then, remembering how little time we had left to register; I quickly racked my brain to recall the direction of the adventurer¡¯s guild branch.
Fortunately, with the help of a large crowd of people who looked like adventurers heading west from a giant fountain, Inari and I were able to orient ourselves and reach the guild branch. There was another small line outside the entranceway, so we once again, stood in queue. All around us, were various adventurer parties, probably looking to register at the last minute as well. Most of the groups were comprised of all humans, with a mixture of magic users and melee fighters. A few of the parties appeared to have some demi-humans amongst them as well. Even a beastkin or two were present in some groups, but not many. While we were still waiting, an older looking man with white hair and various scars over his well-honed body, exited the building, chucking a large, wooden disk into the air above us. Then, in an elegant motion, leapt from the staircase onto the platform, which was now floating above us. Finally, he cleared his throat to speak towards the group of adventurers still waiting.
¡°Ah hem. Presumed champions and adventurers of the great Kingdom of Solara, for those of you unaware, I am this branches headmaster, Griffon, and will be overseeing the upcoming tournament today, issued by his majesty, King Solar, to determine the strongest party amongst you. The winners, will be granted the right to join the heroes on their journey into the labyrinth where you will be expected to assist them as they conquer each subsequent floor. Untold fame and fortune awaits you in this endeavour.
That said, in an effort to save on time and promptly get started, due in part from the large turnout of champions interested in showcasing their might, all of those who are still unregistered, will be allowed to follow me to the back of the guild hall where the tournament is being held. For those of you waiting for other guild related matters, please remain in line to see one of the numerous attendants inside regarding your request.¡±
Once the man finished his speech, the floating wooden platform slowly started gliding towards the back of the building, with the headmaster calmly maintaining his balance, ¡°surfing¡± so to speak. Almost all of the crowd began following the man, along with Inari and myself. A few parties stayed behind, presumably because they were here for different matters besides the tournament. While we were following the crowd, I took the time to ask Inari if she knew how the wooden platform was functioning, since I¡¯ve never seen any ¡°flight¡± magic thus far. According to her, it wasn¡¯t magic making the platform levitate above the ground, but an ancient artifact. Artifacts were a unique set of relics that could only accomplish very specific tasks, and seemed to operate without relying on mana particles. In this case, the wooden platform was an artifact that could only suspend itself in the air, with no other capabilities. Eventually, we got to the backside of the building, which opened up to a massive training field covered in grass and dirt. Standing in the middle, was another crowd of adventurers, roughly numbering 100 people.
As we got closer, the headmaster informed all of us to gather in the middle with the others. Once we were all situated, he jumped off his ¡°surf board¡± and started weaving mana to cast a massive earth-based spell. Based on the rate mana particles were gathering, Inari and I were bound to be impressed at the spell¡¯s outcome! Finally, he spoke the incantation to activate the primed spell.
¡°Terra, heed my command and block my foes. Turn land below to mountains up high, Earthen Prison!¡±
I felt a massive surge of energy flow all throughout the ground beneath us. Then, massive, earthen walls began to rise all around us, easily surpassing 40ft in height as they encased us in a sturdy, earthen colosseum! Griffon, confidently ascended with the walls as they continued to erupt towards the blinding sunlight in the sky. Once the spell had finished, he spoke with command to all of the contestants present.
¡°Champions, we will begin the tournament shortly. The victor, will be the last party standing. No lethal attacks of any kind will be tolerated, and you may only fight within the confines of this arena. You all have 10 minutes to disburse amongst yourselves and prepare.¡±
Then, crossing his right arm over his chest, the headmaster shouted one last phrase to the gathered adventurers.
¡°Lux tua luceat superbia!!!!!¡±
Seemingly as if knowing how to respond, many members of the crowd, equally shouted back with enthusiasm the same phrase.
¡°LUX TUA LUCEAT SUPERBIA!!!!!!¡±
Then, everyone started to disburse towards the edges of the arena to claim an initial ¡°starting zone¡± for their party. Quickly, Inari and I ran towards the southern boundary of the temporary arena while assessing our competition. Once we arrived, both of us held the same disappointed facial expressions.
¡°Ko... Is this really the best the kingdom has to offer?¡±
¡°I... I guess so? Honestly, I¡¯m just as disappointed as you Inari. None of the adventurers here seem to have any qualities that seem fitting for strongest in the kingdom. That¡¯s even considering the few B(-) ranks and C ranks present!¡±
¡°I know right? Their skills and status values are really... Low? I don¡¯t want to be judgemental or anything... But...¡±
Ya, our disappointment in the potential competition was well justified. During our training. Inari and I had recently learned how to apply a new and improved version of appraisal. Traditionally, the spell would resonate with the mana signature present within the individual and return the status information back to the caster in the form of a grey, holographic floating status screen. Due to this resonating effect, living beings would realize they had been appraised due to the tingling or vibrating feel they would experience from the spell¡¯s activation. So, how did our improved version of appraisal work? Well, after careful practice, Inari and I were able to create a method which perfectly counteracted this tingling effect.
Since the tingling sensation from appraisal was caused by the mana particles vibrating within, we simply added an accompanying ¡°counter vibration¡±, which was another appraisal shifted slightly to perfectly match the peaks and troughs of the first appraisal cast. When reality processed this combination spell, the vibrations were added together to create a net 0 effect, masking the sensation. Then, once the appraisal window was supposed to appear, we masked its visibility with an illusion spell. Essentially, we had created what we called ¡°Budget Absolute Appraisal¡± since it still didn¡¯t reveal the absolute truth about the target, but had the handy feature of masking the scanning effect, just like the true spell!
Wanting to confirm I hadn¡¯t missed anyone, I double checked some of the adventurers near us again just to make sure. I also did this to help take my mind off of the equally annoying sensation from being repeatedly scanned by the competition as well. Both of us could hear appraisal being cast by all the other adventurers around us, also assessing their potential adversaries. Unbeknownst to them though, Inari and I were already actively maintaining an illusion spell on our true status, so we were not worried in the slightest. To my left, was a party of 3 with... Unremarkable values.
---
Name: Oliver Smith Level: 7 Rank: C
Race: Human HP: 50/50 MP: 25/25
Age: 30
Profession: Swordsman
Status: Strength: 20 Defence: 25
Magic: 8 Dexterity: 8
Skill Proficiencies: [Swords ¨C Good] [Shields - Good]
Titles: None
---
---
Name: Emily Brown Level: 7 Rank: C
Race: Human HP: 22/22 MP: 55/55
Age: 27
Profession: Mage
Status: Strength: 7 Defence: 6
Magic: 33 Dexterity: 8
Skill Proficiencies: [Magic ¨C Good] [Fire Affinity] [Wind Affinity] [Earth Affinity]
Titles: None
---
---
Name: William Taylor Level: 10 Rank: B(-)
Race: Human HP: 50/50 MP: 50/50
Age: 32
Profession: Assassin
Status: Strength: 22 Defence: 12
Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.
Magic: 10 Dexterity: 29
Skill Proficiencies: [Daggers ¨C Good+] [Silent Steps] [Poisons ¨C Good+] [Enhanced Hearing]
Titles: None
---
The group was comprised of two C ranks and one B rank, evaluating them from a status sum perspective, they fell within the normal distribution curve of adventurers, perfectly along the mean. While, I didn¡¯t want to discredit their combat experience due to their high rank, in a fair matchup, they couldn¡¯t compete. After all, they had to contend with Inari and I¡¯s combat experience, along with our overpowered status values.
---
Name: Inari Kitsune Level: 5 Rank: F(+)
Race: Beastkin HP: 50/50 MP: 150/150
Age: 22
Profession: Priestess [Hidden - The Speaker For Vixen]
Status: Strength: 19 Defense: 26
Magic: 58 (+2) Dexterity: 40
Skill Proficiencies: [Magic Affinity ¨C Excellent+] [Reflexes] [Concentration] [Fire Affinity ¨C Excellent+] [Curses ¨C Excellent+] [Charms ¨C Excellent+] [Illusion] [Magic Detection ¨C Excellent+] [Growth] [Earth Affinity ¨C Great+] [Typeless Affinity ¨C Excellent+]
Titles: None [Hidden ¨C The Speaker For Vixen ¨C Chosen by the goddess Vixen to pursue the innerworkings of the world at large. Individual is blessed with growth and manipulation of magic, along with a passion for discovery. All types of magic may be learned by the individual who possesses this title.]
---
---
Name: Kotato Yamata Level: 5 Rank: F(+)
Race: Human HP: 120/120 MP: 150/150
Age: 25
Profession: Spell Blade
Status: Strength: 60 Defense: 60
Magic: 60 Dexterity: 60
Skill Proficiencies: [Growth] [Summoned Hero] [] [] [] [] [] []
Titles: None
---
Looking at Inari, she was slightly disappointed. They were probably expecting at least ¡°some¡± hint of a challenge, but based on our current assessment, this would be a clean sweep without issue. So, I proposed an idea to her before we started.
¡°Inari, what if we handicap ourselves for this tournament to make things more interesting? Let¡¯s make it a competition between us. I have to travel along the western wall, while you take the east. First to the northern wall wins, taking out all the competition along the way. Additionally, verbal incantations are a must!¡±
She turned to face me after finishing assessing her side and hearing my comment. Then, with a laugh and accompanying smirk across her face, she happily responded to my request to ¡°spice up¡± the challenge.
¡°Hehe! Challenge accepted Ko! Just don¡¯t get mad at me when I beat you though! This will be a piece of cake.¡±
¡°Piece of cake? Aren¡¯t you being a little too confident? After all, you have to speak for each of your spells with this handicap, while I still have my physical combat capabilities.¡±
¡°Hmmm, well, I don¡¯t disagree with your logic, but, it¡¯s not like you¡¯re the only one who¡¯s gotten stronger during our training Ko. I¡¯ll show you just what a true master of magic looks like!¡±
With her tail bouncing back and forth, while calmly readjusting the grip on her staff, Inari was radiating confidence for our upcoming challenge. Knowing her, she probably already had at least a few ¡°new¡± battle plans already prepared. But, even so, it was clear I would have an advantage given the recent rule additions...
Right?
---
No, clearly this was just her trying to rattle my confidence! ¡ª But... I was starting to think I would need some plans as well. So, I quickly started mulling over how I would tackle the western half of the arena.
Roughly 20ft away from me, was that group of 3 adventurers I had just scanned from earlier. In total, there were about 140 ¡°opponents¡± gathered in the vicinity according to a quick calculation of my mana detection radar. Additionally, while the headmaster had told us to spread out, people will naturally evenly disburse themselves within a room, which leads to there being nice ¡°pockets¡± for each party with similar distances between one another. In terms of an adventurer party count, it looked like I had about 22 groups to contend with, while Inari would handle around 20. Most of the groups were melee oriented with the occasional healer or magic user. Satisfied I had enough information, I came up with a general assault strategy to lead me to victory.
Once the free-for-all battle begun, I would immediately activate a custom version of the spell ¡°Magic Nullification Zone¡±. Typically, this spell would prevent spellcasting within a small, local, spherical area. However, my modification added mobility properties to the nullification zone, such that it would be relative to my actual position, basically encasing me in a small sphere that would interrupt the casting of any mages if I got within a 10ft radius of them. The downside, was it resulted in a smaller area compared to the base spell, which could span upwards of a 40ft radius! My plan was to quickly take out any casters first by rapidly closing the distance, then disable them with a quick slash from my sword. I would also need to be aware of any spells cast from a distance, but if worse came to worse, I could simply maneuver out of the way to dodge them.
For all of the melee users, I would simply adapt as needed. If I had the opportunity, I would cast the earth spell ¡°Unstable Ground¡±. Another potential option was to utilize ¡°Earthen Bind¡± to restrict their movement. All of them would be taken care of using some of the sword techniques I¡¯d been practicing with Lupine. Once I finished finalizing my battle plan, headmaster Griffon spoke to begin the competition.
¡°Champions ¡ª Begin!¡±
On his signal, a brilliant white light flashed across the field. Then, without ado, all of the nearby adventurers started brawling with one another, including the group next to me who immediately began charging my direction!
¡°Seriously? An F rank decided to compete? Consider yourself a warmup pal for the rest of the groups here!¡±
With a snarky attitude, the swordsman started charging towards my direction, while the mage began casting the spell for a basic ¡°Fire Bolt!¡±. However, I wasn¡¯t going to let that happen! Swiftly, I rushed towards the cocky fighter to deliver a powerful punch to his face, rendering him unconscious from the impact! Then, I grabbed his body to use as a shield for the incoming fire bolt spell.
¡°Shit!¡±
The caster squeaked at suddenly seeing her party member quickly rendered useless and now within the trajectory of the incoming fire bolt spell they had just cast. Seconds later, the spell erupted into pitiful flames, well pitiful flames in my opinion, setting my improvised ¡°shield¡± on fire. Since the heat from the fire was starting to get slightly uncomfortable, I chucked the man straight towards the now panicking sorcerer, who was unfortunately, unable to catch him from the impact. The end result? Two birds with one stone...
Now that I had some extra space around myself, I quickly spoke the incantation for Magic Nullification Zone.
¡°World restrict the pleas from those around me. Obstruct their thoughts and silence their calls, Magic Nullification!¡±
*Schroon**Vroom*
A translucent bubble quickly surrounded my figure as I now had my mobile magic canceling zone activated. Next, I started looking around to find that assassin character from earlier, but I couldn¡¯t visibly see him. Based on their class, they were probably an upgraded version of the thief profession, meaning they probably activated invisibility? Ahh, right! That means I just need to focus on their mana signature! Shifting my thoughts to become cognisant of the various mana signatures around me, I noticed a presence sneaking up from behind which wasn¡¯t visible to my eyes. While I couldn¡¯t see my perpetrator, the mana residue from their signature was engulfing them in a bluish haze, clearly revealing their position to me. So, just before they closed the distance to attack, I turned around to quickly slash them with my sword across the chest.
¡°Gah!!! Bu... How...¡ªd¡±
He collapsed onto the ground. I mean, I would be surprised too, getting beaten by an F ranked adventurer in a 3 against 1 matchup. But anyways...
Looking around, it seemed a couple other groups were eliminated as well from their own fighting. Over towards Inari¡¯s direction, it looked like she had already taken care of 2 groups by herself. Looks like I would have to hurry if I wanted to beat her. That¡¯s when I locked eyes with my next targets, a group of 4 adventurers who had just finished their battle as well. From my observation, it looks like they are 3 casters with 1 tank-like class. As I was trying to discern the types of casters ahead, I started feeling mana gather around for a powerful explosion type spell.
¡°Heh, you wish... Dash!¡±
Confidently, I said the words for my ability to quickly travel forward, near instantly covering a distance of 30ft!
¡°What?!?! How did he¨C My spell! The mana¡ª¡±
*Shroon*
A quick slash into each of the mages, promptly knocking them out. Then, I turned my attention towards the imposing tower of steel standing beside me. In reaction to me taking out his comrades, the knight tried to bash me with his shield. Repositioning myself, I slipped closer into his armored frame, narrowly avoiding the aggressive metal aimed towards my skull, while planting my footing behind the man. Then, in a seamless motion, sliced the back of his exposed leg joint, causing him to fall to his knees. Finally, I delivered a powerful knee-kick from myself, to his now aptly located head.
*Smash*
¡°Gah!¡±
Alright, onto the next group.
Up ahead, I could see approximately 20 people fighting in a close brawl, perfect for the next spell I wanted to try!
"Terra, heed my words and change thy form, turn earth below to tricky terrain, Unstable Ground!"
Confidently, I shouted the incantation to turn the earth below them into a shaky, wobbly mess! As a result, a handful of the combatants immediately lost their footing and fell prone onto the dirty soil below. Then, I jumped high into the air to unleash my next attack.
¡°Terra, bring forth flames to ravage my foes, tear asunder their frail form, Fire Bolt!¡±
Powerful, vibrant energy began to course throughout my right arm, coalescing into a magnificent, beautiful sphere of oppressive, reddish flames at my fingertips. Fully formed, and roughly the size of a small carriage, the ball of swirling fire happily cackled as it eagerly waited for me to release its destructive power on the helpless adventurers below. Several of them looked up towards the intimidating sphere of destruction and tried to flee, while others simply resolved themselves to their pending obliteration. Not wanting to keep them waiting too long, I released the spell, sending it hurling towards them at paramount speeds!
*Swoon**Whashnnt*
*BOOM!*
Impact.
While it wasn¡¯t my largest fire bolt, I made sure to limit the destructive power just enough as to not kill any of the parties below at the impact zone. Lethal attacks were banned from the tournament, and I felt the chilling glair from the headmaster once he felt the mana particles start to gather for this particular spell, almost like he was ready to intervene and apprehend me for breaking the rules. The spell I used was in fact, the standard ¡°Fire Bolt!¡± spell humans commonly used in the kingdom. However, my version was the historically accurate incantation which was seemingly forgotten by modern adventurers. The commonly spoken version was: ¡°World, bring forth fire to my palms, form it''s shape and send it far, Fire Bolt!", which only produced a pitiful flame. Furthermore, the ratio of fire to air particles was too similar, resulting in much less destructive power. The proper version, ¡°Terra, bring forth flames to ravage my foes, tear asunder their frail form, Fire Bolt!¡± was something only really known by well-versed magic scholars. I learned it from Felice after they demonstrated the vast differences between the 2 spells. However, a downside to casting fire bolt this way, was it required a large amount of MP... That was of course, if you were inefficient in your mana weaving!
Satisfied with the destructive power I displayed, I elegantly landed back on my feet and rapidly began running towards the northern section of the arena. It looked like there were only 2 more parties left on my side, about 7 people in total. Glancing towards Inari¡¯s section, I finally overtook her in progress with my destructive attack! Looks like I was going to have a complaining fox to deal with afterwards! Seeking to secure my victory, I dashed forward to eliminate the remaining adventurers.
As I approached them, several of the combatants turned to try and defend themselves, but I wouldn¡¯t let them. Slash after stab after slash, each of the remaining adventurers fell to the ground after having a brief encounter with my blade. Clear, and with no more opposition, I then proceeded to run towards the northern wall and confidently rest my hand against the rocky surface. Inari, was still finishing up the last group of adventurers on her side, but I had already won.
Taking my time, I watched as she skillfully evaded each of the party¡¯s attacks towards her. For as powerful of a magic user she was, her agility was equally as fierce. Quick reflexes and cunning speed, combined with her sleek figure, made it nearly impossible to land a hit on her during combat. I could tell she was annoyed seeing me already at the ¡°finish line¡±. Finally, finishing up her battle, Inari started running towards my location, when¡ª
¡°Wahhh, Oph!¡±
She tripped and fell onto the ground in a spectacular fashion! I... I could hardly believe my eyes! Unable to contain myself, I let out a light chuckle at the visibly disgruntled fox glaring at me from the ground below! She was clearly angry at having lost our bet, giving me such an intense look! But as she started to get up from her fall... I had a sudden, uneasy feeling in my stomach. My laughter stopped, as I gradually lowered my head to stare at the dusty earth, calmly resting below my feet. Then, I let out a disappointed sigh for being too confident at myself, along with admitting my defeat.
*Sigh*
¡°It¡¯s my loss Inari... You can dispel the illusion now... How... How long have you been standing there?¡±
As I conceded, I looked up to see the ¡°Inari¡± on the ground ahead of me, wibble and wobble, until it eventually faded from existence all together, revealing itself to be one of her image illusions she was so proficient at. Then, I heard the familiar, cheeky laughter from the elusive vulpine behind me.
¡°Hehe! That¡¯s no fun Ko! You weren¡¯t supposed to notice my trick that quickly! I haven¡¯t been standing her too long, maybe 30 seconds at most? If you don¡¯t mind me asking, what tipped you off that it was an image? I thought I did a fantastic job at masking it¡¯s presence this time!¡±
¡°Well... Let¡¯s just say... It feels like d¨¦j¨¤ vu.¡± I said while resting my hand underneath my chin.
Turns out, I was the one who was being too cocky. While I really believed I could win our little contest, this loss just went to show me I still had lots to learn when it came to magic and combat. Truthfully, I wasn¡¯t able to even tell that was an illusion of Inari, but only realized it was one after it tripped. Inari was incredibly precise in her movements, so her losing her footing like that was something that should never happen. Seeing her fall to the ground, gave me flashbacks to when we first met, and the deadly encounter with the bandits, where she utilized a similar trick against them. That¡¯s the only reason I thought something was up. Turning around, I met the inquisitive gaze from her emerald eyes. Then, I raised my right hand to offer a ¡°fist bump¡±, something I taught her from my world.
Happily, she raised her paw to meet my hand, as we both said in unison upon impact:
¡°gg.¡±
Another phrase from the online games of my world. However, our moment was interrupted by shouting from another group of adventurers that we had somehow, seemingly missed in the middle of the field.
¡°Hey!!! What the heck are you two doing!?!? We¡¯re still here you know!!! Don¡¯t think we¡¯re gonna let you win just because you took out everyone else! Now, the real battle begins!!!!¡±
It was a group of 5 adventurers. 1 tank, 1 melee user, 1 ranger, 1 mage, and 1 healer, the ideal party composition to effectively handle any challenge the world of Terra could throw your way. Looking at Inari, I shared my simple thoughts on how we would wrap up the tournament.
¡°Flaming Spear combination attack, version #127?¡±
She smiled, then responded in kind, with a nod of her own in agreement.
¡°Flaming Spear combination attack, version #127!¡±
Both of us, then turned to stand back-to-back. I raised my right hand, while Inari raised her left. Mana rapidly began to gather around us as we started weaving and combining a multitude of particles in our vicinity. The adventurers before us had a sudden change in attitude once they felt the incredible surge of power coalescing around us. It was very easy to imagine them waving a small white flag in an effort to surrender with how they were now cowering and bracing themselves for whatever was about to head their way. Then, once enough mana had gathered, along with keeping with our handicap, we spoke in unison to complete our combination, flaming spear attack!
¡°Terra, bring forth holy fire to smite my foes. Oppressive, commanding power to char their frail, defiant minds. Show them the error of their crimes, as we offer their souls to you for redemption. ¡ª Heavenly Flaming Spear!!!!¡±
At the final utterance our incantation, an intense, golden beam of molten plasma, burst forth from our hands, instantly engulfing and obliterating the remaining adventurer party! While we made sure the attack was non-lethal... It kinda looked to an innocent bystander that we may have over done it... Just a little...?
Thus, the tournament to determine the strongest adventurers in the Kingdom of Solara, came to a fitting conclusion, with Inari and I, the undisputed victors.
Chapter 37 – The Strongest Adventurers In Solara
While Inari and I were still recovering from our completely over-the-top and excessive finishing move for the tournament, headmaster Griffon calmly descended from atop the temporary stone walls on his hoverboard to greet us. As he peacefully glided towards the ground, his gaze glanced all around the arena at the various ¡°landscaping¡± the battles so graciously provided. Scorched earth, holes, and chasms, littered the vicinity of the once tranquil, grassy field. Then, once he reached us, offered an outstretched hand to both of us in turn, to congratulate Inari and I, on our victory.
¡°Oh hoh!¡± He said with a surprised tone while scratching his chin.
¡°Well, I must say. I¡¯ve been the headmaster in Solara for quite some time now, and in all my years, have never seen such command and mastery over the basics of magic as you¡¯ve shown me today. The true incantation for fire bolt, incredible dexterity in manipulating images, and a breathtakingly, custom fire spell that would make even the royal sorcerers jealous!
With that said, it pains me to say this, but I do not recognize the two of you from the formal registration earlier, meaning you must be one of the last-minute arrivals. What are your names and adventurer ranks?¡±
¡°Greetings headmaster Griffon, my name is Kotato Yamata, and I am an F(+) ranked adventurer registered at the Paws & Beans tavern.¡±
¡°And I¡¯m Inari Kitsune, also an F(+) ranked adventurer. Like Ko, I belong to the Paws & Beans tavern as well!¡±
¡°Hmmm, while I¡¯ll be. I presume you two are the students under the tutelage of Felice?¡±
¡°Yes sir!¡± we both said in unison.
¡°Hah! So that cheeky cat wasn¡¯t just overstating your capabilities. I¡¯ll have to reconsider my hesitancy to fast track your evaluation for a higher rank. Apologies if that comes across rather rude, but the guild generally tries to avoid rapidly ranking up promising candidates due to the risks that can pose on the party, and the guild¡¯s image. But, after seeing your competence today, I no longer have any doubts.¡±
After his compliments, Griffon once again, looked around the field filled to the brim with unconscious adventurer parties.
¡°But for F ranks to so decisively annihilate B and C ranks... That certainly won¡¯t please his majesty now, will it? As such, I will also include my own personal letter of recommendation. Should the palace give you any problems, you will have my backing as the strongest party currently in the kingdom.¡±
As he said this, his gaze fell on Inari, who was happily beaming with confidence and an uncontrollable tail at the comments from the esteemed headmaster. Finally, he offered some words of caution.
¡°Inari, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware about the current state of how the kingdom treats your fellow beastkin. While I am also saddened by the laws of this kingdom, there is little I can do besides show my support for you.¡±
¡°That¡¯s alright headmaster Griffon, I won¡¯t let them get to me. If anything, I¡¯ll just show them my incredible command over magic! Once they see how useful I am, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll come to enjoy my company!¡±
Both Griffon and I looked at her and shrugged our shoulders. While it was admirable the level of enthusiasm Inari held, we both knew she didn¡¯t truly understand how deeply rooted the discrimination was in the kingdom. Even though I haven¡¯t been in Solara all that long, once I drew parallels from Earth¡¯s history, it was obvious acceptance would be a problem for us.
Putting those thoughts aside, we eventually followed Griffon back into the guild hall to briefly talk about our ¡°next steps¡± so to speak, in his office. While there, we learned some more details about the labyrinth, such as the strange miasma on the 12th floor, along with other intelligence the heroes had collected during their expeditions. Inari was quite intrigued at the mystery of the miasma, and even more excited at being able to explore it shortly. Admittedly, it was rather enjoyable seeing Griffon¡¯s face when he learned neither of us had ever set foot into the labyrinth either. In full, the quest was seeking the strongest adventurers to aid the heroes, and the king had rightfully ¡°assumed¡± that the strongest would have clearly been inside the actual kingdom¡¯s labyrinth previously due to its usefulness in leveling up. Eventually, he finished writing his personal letter of recommendation for us, enclosing it in an envelope sealed with a brilliant red wax stamp shaped like the twin suns seen in the sky above.
With letter in hand, both Inari and I gradually started making our way towards the royal palace, making sure to enjoy the sights along the way. Every direction I looked, Inari was happily tugging on my shirt, pointing out all of the various vendors, armament stores, and caf¨¦s present throughout the city. Her pointy, fluffy ears were twitching, taking in all of the excitement and sounds around us, while her tail gleefully swished back and forth with each step. It was very much akin to the feeling a kid would have in a candy shop. Once we arrived at the grand entranceway, I handed the letter to the guard on duty who briefly inspected it, then politely handed it back. I also felt the ever so familiar feeling of being appraisal scanned, assumingly as an additional safe guard to verify who we were. After their short review of our parameters, we were eventually granted entrance to the palace grounds once our escort arrived. Here to collect us, was a small group of 3 guards. Leading them, was a female knight adorned in breathtakingly golden plate mail to match her pristine blonde hair, which was tightly tied into a high ponytail. Accompanying sharp, brown eyes, completed the set to drive home the fact they were a warrior you wouldn¡¯t want to mess with. As I was admiring her feminine qualities, she spoke to Inari and I with grace and command, offering a proper salute.
¡°Greetings adventurers, I am Commander Raya, leader of the Solara royal guard. I understand you two are the champions selected from the tournament today? Please, follow me so I may introduce you to the nation¡¯s heroes. I¡¯m looking forward to your future cooperat¡ª¡±
¡°Commander!¡±
One of the soldiers from the gateway quickly ran over to her, frantically fumbling a wooden signet in his gauntlets. Then, he handed it to her while whispering something in her ear. Seemingly shocked at the guard¡¯s words, Raya abruptly excused herself from us, walking back with the guard a short distance out of earshot, then activated the wooden signet revealing some status screens. That¡¯s when I had the sudden realization as to what they were probably talking about, and whispered to Inari my thoughts.
¡°Inari, I think that¡¯s our¡ª¡±
¡°Status screens? I believe so too Ko... This... Might get a little complicated. Do you mind if I try handling it?¡±
¡°Sure thing.¡±
Eventually, Raya walked back to us, wearing a very bewildered face, tightly holding the wooden signet in her gauntlets. Then, while still trying to maintain a professional attitude through her confusion, spoke to the tournament champions.
¡°Ah hem. Kotato Yamata and Inari Kitsune. While I have received advanced word of your arrival from the guild... I umm. I¡¯m not exactly sure how to explain our own assessment of your aptitudes... I don¡¯t want to place any doubt on the Solara Adventurer¡¯s Guild Branch... But...¡±
Seemingly as if knowing the right time to intervene, Inari calmly grabbed the letter from my hands and handed it to the confused commander. Then, she spoke in a calm, yet calculating voice.
¡°Commander Raya, while I no doubt understand your hesitancy to trust us after the royal palace¡¯s appraisal results, I hope this accompanying letter of recommendation from headmaster Griffon can serve as further proof as to our competency as adventurers. While our status values and rank are no doubt far from what you would have anticipated from the strongest in the kingdom, with enough knowledge and command over the basics of magic, even powerful opponents can be thwarted with enough planning.¡±
With a smile and accompanying tail swooshing back and forth, Inari handed Raya the sealed letter, who then opened and began reading its contents. While her face was still obviously confused, it eventually relaxed into a more inquisitive form as she absorbed the parchment¡¯s contents. Finally, she spoke again, granting us entry into the palace.
¡°I understand. After all, if I cannot even believe the headmaster¡¯s words, then there are greater problems in our kingdom¡¯s relationship with the guild. I apologise for my skepticism.¡±
¡°But commander! They¡ª¡±
Authoritatively raising her hand, Raya interrupted the guardsman attempting to voice his concerns over us being the strongest adventurers in the kingdom.
¡°I understand your concerns lieutenant, but their entrance has already been granted by me. I will accept no further comments regarding their status as the strongest in the kingdom, despite our appraisal results. Kotato, Inari, please follow me.¡±
Abruptly facing away, Raya began marching towards the palace entrance, motioning for Inari and I to follow. Joining her, we were both eagerly taking in the extravagant palace grounds, as beautiful marble columns guided us towards the towering metal doors of the castle proper. Adorning each of the brilliant masonry pillars, was a pennant, filled with the coat of arms for presumably the various noble houses in the kingdom. As we approached the metallic doors, two guards nearby struggled to open them, but eventually managed to allow us entrance. Once inside, I was again, taken back by the sheer magnitude of the lobby¡¯s size. The giant chandelier and vibrant red carpets welcomed us as we officially entered the royal palace. Standing on the 2nd floor balcony, just like my first trip into the castle, was King Solar and his advisor Daemonium. Directly in front of us, appeared to be the spear and bow hero, while the magic hero stood closer to the grand stairway. Looking at Inari, she was absolutely speechless at the extravagant building¡¯s features, as her eyes sparkled, desperately trying to contain their awe and excitement. However, it didn¡¯t take long before the king spoke to us in a threatening tone.
¡°Raya, I expected you to return with the strongest adventurers in the kingdom when Griffon sent word of the tournament¡¯s conclusion, yet you¡¯ve returned with these two, one of which is a beastkin! Does the headmaster himself mock me with this charade?!? I demand answers!¡±
Sensing the king¡¯s disapproval of the tournament victors, Raya gracefully knelt on one knee to give her response. Inari and I, also knelt to show our sincerity, given the situation.
¡°Your majesty, I understand your words based on who I¡¯ve returned with. However, they are, without a doubt, the undisputed victors, claiming victory with incredible magical command and power. Please allow me to share headmaster Griffon¡¯s approval with his notarized seal and letter.¡±
All 3 of us continued to stay kneeled while the king and his advisor descended from the 2nd floor. I felt the piercing gazes from the spear and magic hero, along with several of the royal guardsman in the palace. Some of the palace maids had also ¡°relocated themselves¡± out of the lobby, clearly afraid of the coming confrontation. The only sound present, was the intimidating footsteps of the king himself, as each thunderous stomp echoed throughout the hallway. Once he reached us, he took the letter from Raya, and quickly began reading it¡¯s contents. While I was unable to see his expression, I could only imagine it was held with the same disbelief Raya had upon seeing us as well. Eventually, King Solar gave word to ease the tension within the lobby way.
¡°Arise, while I am obviously not pleased with the two champions, Griffon insists they are the strongest he¡¯s ever witnessed in this kingdom. Kotato, I see you¡¯ve clearly kept true to your word about becoming the strongest adventurer in Solara. However, you do remember my words from our previous visit, do you not?¡±
Standing up to meet the king¡¯s oppressive gaze, I briefly examined his regal features and hardened facial expression. While his face was old from age, each wrinkle betrayed the cold and piercing presence he so effortlessly emitted as he stared towards me, waiting my response.
¡°Why of course your majesty. I was so gracious for your generosity and hospitality, that I have since been able to make somewhat a name for myself. While I am by no means the highest ranked adventurer in the kingdom, my partner and I, stand by the guild¡¯s assessment that we are currently the strongest in the kingdom.¡±
¡°Pfft, under the heroes obviously.¡±
A snarky comment from the spear hero behind the king, which he seemingly ignored.
¡°And this beastkin is amongst your party? Those vile, retched beasts are a blight to this kingdom. No beastkin of any kind, regardless of circumstances, has been allowed entry into the royal palace in all of Solara¡¯s history. You¡¯re lucky I don¡¯t have her executed on the spot for staining the royal castle¡¯s purity. The only thing keeping their head attached to their neck, is the letter from the headmaster himself.¡±
Inari¡¯s ears went flat against her head after hearing the king¡¯s comments towards her, her tail also stopped wagging in the process. Then, to my surprise, she tried to speak to the king herself.
¡°Your majesty, if I may speak, I¡ª¡±
¡°Silence, beast. I will not tolerate another abhorrent word from that mouth of yours. You animals have no right to tread along the path us humans carve for this nation. Beastkin, are nothing, and only capable of mimicking the glory us humans are born with. ¡ª¡±
The king continued to sound out aggressive comments towards Inari, as his advisor, Daemonium finally arrived behind him. I could feel Inari¡¯s fear, as it was clear the king had no intention of accepting her in the palace. However, she briefly appeared puzzled when she looked towards Daemonium. Seeing her expression, I tried to cast appraisal myself, when we were suddenly interrupted by the arrogant spear hero.
¡°Your majesty, if I may intrude, but I myself would like to verify the authenticity of the guild master¡¯s claims as well. After all, it appears you are clearly unsatisfied in their presence. Thus, I propose a duel against us heroes. I will also not tolerate weaklings joining us in the labyrinth. Also, I have some unsettled business with that adventurer there from our last encounter.¡±
¡°Oh? Haru Speargin was it? I am flattered you remembered someone such as myself.¡± I said with a snarky attitude. ¡°I could hardly recognize you, speaking in such a proper way amongst royalty, it seems staying at the palace really has tamed your vulgar attitude.¡±
Hehe, I could see the veins across his forehead visibly pulsing in anger at my comments! Haru was struggling to contain his rage at wanting to attack me on the spot. So, I continued on with my retort, agreeing with his idea for a duel between us.
¡°That said your majesty, I do believe it would be beneficial for you to witness yourself the strength Inari and I possess together. A simple demonstration of our power would be more than enough to clear any doubts you may have towards us. While I personally disagree with your comments towards the beastkin race, Inari is far from what you envision her to be. Please, humble the spear champion¡¯s request for a duel so we may prove ourselves.¡±
Remembering that I technically shouldn¡¯t say the words ¡°hero¡±, ¡°summoned¡± or ¡°other world¡± while in the king or Daemonium¡¯s presence, I chose my words wisely as I awaited his majesty¡¯s response. After all, they are still working under the assumption I am afflicted with their mind-sealing spell. Fortunately, King Solar agreed to our request with a confident smirk of his own while rubbing his chin.
¡°Agreed Kotato, I do believe the spear hero¡¯s words carry merit. I will allow such a duel between your party and the 4 heroes. If you fail to impress me, your privilege to join the heroes in the labyrinth will be revoked.¡±
¡°Understood, I am humbled by your wise words your majesty.¡±
¡°Enough, don¡¯t think I¡¯m unaware of you pushing your luck with that tongue of yours, adventurer. Raya, I trust you can prepare such a field in our military wing?¡±
¡°Why of course your majesty, I will swiftly see it done. Champions, please follow me, lieutenant, please send word ahead to gather our healing experts and halt all current training exercises.¡±
The guard behind us swiftly offered a salute to the commander, then rushed on ahead to inform the knights as to the change in plans. Then, we all started following behind Raya as she led the king, heroes, Daemonium, along with Inari and myself, towards the onsite training grounds. While we were walking, Inari had motioned for me to come closer, whispering to me some concerning information.
¡°Ko, I¡¯m not really sure how else to describe it, but I thought I felt the presence of a really strong illusion spell when you were talking with the king! That man in the purple attire... He... He didn¡¯t introduce himself, but, something seems off about him.¡±
¡°That¡¯s the king¡¯s advisor, Daemonium, the same man who placed the mind-sealing spell on me. I don¡¯t trust him either. Did appraisal show anything strange about him?¡±
Inari gasped slightly at my comment identifying Daemonium as the person who cast the mind-sealing spell before finishing her response to me.
¡°No, everything looked fine, but... I¡¯ll keep an eye on him! Something¡¯s not right based on his status too...¡±
Almost as if he knew we were talking about him, I caught a sharp glare from Daemonium glancing back towards us as he was walking with the king. We quickly killed our conversation, nodding to one another that we would talk again once we were in a more secure setting. However, I did make note to keep this information in the back of my thoughts. Inari¡¯s instincts haven¡¯t failed me before, and I felt he was hiding something as well back during my first encounter with him. Nonetheless, we continued walking through the castle down several long, winding hallways, roughly in the direction of the palace¡¯s western wing. As we got closer, the distribution of maids and servants was gradually overtaken by royal guardsman as we walked through the stone hallways towards the military¡¯s training grounds. Eventually, we exited the building into a large, open-air arena, roughly the size of a football field. The perimeter still contained a covered pathway, indicating this was still within the palace, just exposed to the outdoor elements.
Next, Raya indicated for Inari and I to follow her into the open field, along with Haru and the rest of the heroes, while the king, Daemonium, and a small escort of knights, continued walking towards a nearby staircase to ascend towards a viewing platform. All along the covered walkway, I saw various knights and sorcerers standing at the ready, to observe our impromptu duel. Then, once we were in position, Raya shouted the conditions for the upcoming battle.
¡°Champions! This duel between the summoned heroes, and deemed strongest adventurers in Solara will have the following conditions. One, no lethal attacks of any kind will be tolerated. Two, the use of all equipment and magic spells is allowed. Three, the winning party will be judged by his reigning majesty, King Solar. You have 1 minute to prepare yourselves.¡±
While I didn¡¯t necessarily like the winning party would be determined by the king, that at least made our victory conditions clear. Nothing but complete and utter annihilation of the summoned heroes, would suffice. As Raya left the field to stand along the side, Inari and I walked backwards slightly to give ourselves some more room for when the match begins. Then, we spoke to one another confirming our strategy for the upcoming battle.
¡°Inari, this will probably be one of our hardest fights yet. I¡¯m thinking no handicaps for this one, incantationless casting should be fine.¡±
¡°But... Don¡¯t you think Felice will get angry at us?¡±
¡°I¡¯m sure they will, but, it doesn¡¯t make sense to hinder ourselves against such tough opponents. Plus, looking at the magic hero, there is a good chance they¡¯ve already observed incantationless casting based on his skills. Let¡¯s show them everything we¡¯ve got!¡±
Giggling, Inari happily responded to my comments. ¡°Hehe! Got it Ko! After all, I too think I should show his majesty just how incredible the beastkins can be!¡±
Nodding in agreement, I got into position beside Inari with my serpent blade and shield drawn at the ready. Then, I checked one last time the status of the heroes we would be fighting.
---
Name: Haru Speargin Level: 8 Rank: S
Race: Human HP: 120/120 MP: 70/70
Age: 22
Profession: Spear Hero
Status: Strength: 71 Defence: 43
Magic: 43 Dexterity: 43
Skill Proficiencies: [Fire Affinity] [Spear Master] [Reflexes] [Enhanced Growth] [God¡¯s Protection] [Determination]
Titles: Spear Hero ¨C Blessed with great skill in the art of wielding spears. Holder of this title may use their blessing to exert their authority and ignore a target¡¯s defensive parameters for 1 attack daily.
---
---
Name: Kyle Bowgert Level: 8 Rank: S
Race: Human HP: 90/90 MP: 120/120
Age: 24
Profession: Bow Hero
Status: Strength: 47 Defence: 25
Magic: 48 Dexterity: 80
Skill Proficiencies: [Wind Affinity] [Bow Master] [Reflexes] [Enhanced Growth] [God¡¯s Protection] [Sharp Eyes] [True Sight] [Enhanced Hearing]
Titles: Bow Hero ¨C Blessed with great skill in the art of wielding bows and all ranged weapons. Holder of this title may use their blessing to guarantee their attack strikes their intended target, regardless of distance. Does not ignore defensive status of target. Useable once daily.
---
---
Name: Samuel Swords Level: 8 Rank: S
Race: Human HP: 110/110 MP: 60/60
Age: 22
Profession: Sword Hero
Status: Strength: 75 Defence: 30
Magic: 25 Dexterity: 70
Skill Proficiencies: [Thunder Affinity] [Sword Master] [Reflexes] [Enhanced Growth] [God¡¯s Protection] [Blurred Movement] [Parry Master]
Titles: Sword Hero ¨C Blessed with great skill in the art of wielding swords. Holder of this title may use their blessing once daily to guarantee three rapid strikes hit their target(s). Defensive parameters are reduced by half for all struck targets.
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
---
---
Name: Miles Magus Level: 8 Rank: S
Race: Human HP: 50/50 MP: 400/400
Age: 27
Profession: Mage Hero
Status: Strength: 10 Defence: 1
Magic: 180 Dexterity: 9
Skill Proficiencies: [All Magic] [Magic Master] [Fast Casting] [Enhanced Growth] [God¡¯s Protection] [Parallel Casting] [Magic Creation]
Titles: Magic Hero ¨C Blessed with great skill in the art of manipulating mana to their will. Holder of this title may create 1 unique spell to be cast at will without MP. Only 1 spell may be created at a time and can only be cast once monthly. Some restrictions apply.
---
Other than almost choking after seeing Miles¡¯ magic status, all of them appeared to have a status sum of 200, which was incredible! While I did have some doubts, I knew this was going to be one of our most difficult battles yet. Looking at Inari, she seemed prepared, calmly readjusting the grip on her staff while her tail bounced around. Readjusting the grip on my sword as well, Inari rapidly began applying all of the status buffs she thought would be helpful for us, around 50 of them. That¡¯s around the time I started to hear the serpents voice enter my head again.
¡°Hehehe! Yessss!!! It¡¯s beeeeen awhile Ko! This issssss going to be fun!!!! Hahaha HAHAHAHAHA!!! Shallll we kill them? Run them through? Devour their cores?? Oh hahhahaha! Yesssssssss... MORE!!!!!¡±
As the laughter from the snakes filled my head, my right eye once again burned and throbbed at their suggestions to kill the heroes. I tried my best to resist their calls, but even I could tell it was going to be difficult. These snakes... They hadn¡¯t really appeared lately, but it seems I was still being influenced by them. Hopefully, I would be able to control myself during our du¡ª
¡°Let the match ¡ª Begin!¡±
While I was still trying to control myself, Raya signaled for the match to start. Within seconds, Haru, along with the sword hero, rapidly closed the 40ft gap to myself. The match had only just begun and I was already caught off guard. Instinctively, I twisted my body to dodge the blow from the spear hero, while parrying the slash from the sword hero. Both of them seemed surprised I had managed to avoid being taken out instantly. Next, as expected, Inari had already cast one of her signature curse spells, shadow bind!
¡°Wha!! I.. I can¡¯t move! What is thi¡ª¡±
*Schreen!*
¡°Ahhh!!¡±
I swiftly slashed the sword hero¡¯s back after repositioning myself and seemingly dispatched him with the single blow. His armor, while a blueish metallic design, parted like butter as my serpent blade made all but brief contact with the... Flimsy material...? I... I don¡¯t remember my blade being this powerful, so even I was surprised at how easily he was taken down. That¡¯s when I received an angry warning triangle and turned around to see an arrow rapidly approaching my face! Quickly, I activated a barrier spell around myself while raising my shield. Inari had also swiftly activated her own barrier to expertly intercept the arrow along its trajectory. However, just before the projectile could embed itself into the translucent bubble...
*Swoon*
The... The arrow cleanly passed though the condensed barrier spell without so much as acknowledging it¡¯s existence! I... Her barrier should have easily stopped that arrow! How did it... Wait... His title! The bow hero¡¯s title allows him to guarantee a hit against his target! Can I even block this??? Startled, I braced myself for the inevitable impact. Moments later, the arrow effortlessly pierced my own barrier and bypassed my raised shield as well, painfully lodging itself into my left shoulder.
¡°Gah!!!¡±
I grunted in pain, damn that really hurt! Struggling, I snapped the end of the arrow off while casting a heal spell on myself to dull the burning sensation, then I turned around to lock eyes with the spear hero. He had finally managed to free himself from the shadowy tendrils constraining his movement, and was already preparing to assault me with his impressive looking spear. Rapidly, he began unleashing a series of powerful jabs and thrusts towards me, which were thankfully, being absorbed by my barrier. His face looked completely surprised at meeting the invisible resistance, but quickly went back into rage as his assault continued. While I was currently ¡°safe¡±, his attacks were clearly effective and powerful, as my barrier¡¯s durability was rapidly depleting from his onslaught. Finding an opening between his attacks, I deactivated the barrier to slightly throw the spear hero off balance. Efficiently, I parried his lance while he was taken back from the spontaneous lack of invisible resistance and quickly cast a fire bolt spell with my free hand towards his face!
Unfortunately, he managed to twist his body out of the way, causing my spell to miss and flyoff into the edge of the arena, causing a small explosion of rocks and dirt at the impact location! Some of the nearby guards and sorcerers panicked at the damage, as they clearly weren¡¯t imagining such a powerful impact from a tiny ball of fire! However, while it was enjoyable seeing their surprised reactions, I was now in an unfortunate situation myself. Haru, had managed to hit me into the air, with a powerful blow to my gut from his spear.
¡°Agh!! *cough*¡±
Some blood came out of my mouth as I gasped from the incredible pain I received to my navel region. Geez that was painful! What¡¯s more, to add insult to injury, I could make out the bow hero below ready to fire a barrage of arrows at me while I was suspended in the air! But just before he could turn my tumbling body into a pincushion...
*Frooth!*
¡°AHHHHH IT BURNS!!!! HELP ME!!! MILES... HEAL ME¡ª¡±
His horrifying shrieks echoed throughout the arena, as powerful blue and purple ghostly flames immolated his body, almost prompting Raya to intervene and stop the duel, for fear the bow hero had been murdered before us. However, just as quickly as the flames appeared, they equally disappeared without a trace, leaving behind a ¡°slightly charred¡± looking archer, now unconscious on the arena floor! Next thing I knew, it felt like my tumbling body had been ¡°caught¡± by an invisible barrier cushion, suspending me in the air. Looking down, I could see Inari had skillfully managed to eliminate the bow hero, while swiftly calculating and catching me in the air with a custom barrier spell! During all of this, the spear hero looked behind him to see half of his team had already been eliminated. That¡¯s when he quickly charged towards Inari¡¯s position, and stabbed her through the chest with his spear!
*Woosh*
But nothing happened! His spear effortlessly pierced ¡°Inari¡± who was nothing more than an image. Haru, was completely dumbfounded and confused as to what had just happened, clearly having never experienced this type of ability combination before. Taking advantage of the opportunity created for me by my sly battle partner, I quickly weaved some of the nearby mana into a sturdy barrier underneath my feet, shaping them like the starting plates for a sprint. Then, I activated my signature spell, dash!
Moments later, I rocketed myself forward from my ¡°sprinting launch pad¡±, to near instantly close a distance of 60ft. My target? Haru¡¯s pristine face, which was kindly introduced to my tightly curled fist!
*SMASH!*
I heard the sound of bones cracking as my fist made contact with his surprised mug! Moments later, his body was launched at least 20ft back from the blow he received, knocking him unconscious in the process! Man that felt good! While I was shaking my hand slightly to get the tingling sensation out from smashing the spear hero¡¯s face in, Inari dispelled her illusion to appear beside me. Both of us looked at each other, then stared towards our only remaining opponent in our trial to impress the king, the magic hero.
Miles, looked like your typical nerd for all intensive purposes. His face was full of youthful energy that radiated a condescending attitude towards us, which was matched by his equally messy blue hair. Presently, he was ¡°smugly¡± readjusting his glasses while holding his regal sorcerer staff high in the air above his head to suspend an impressive looking fireball-type spell. Presently, it was roughly the size of a house. Additionally, the sphere of oppressive fire was radiating such heat, even I was starting to sweat just looking at it. During our entire duel against the heroes, he hadn¡¯t launched a single magic attack against us, or tried to support his teammates in anyway. Instead, he had been purely focusing on making this fireball the largest he possibly could. If he launched that thing... It was bound to cause more than just destruction to the training grounds. Then, seeing as he had our full attention, Miles spoke to us while holding his glasses to his face.
¡°If.... If you don¡¯t surrender... I¡¯ll... I¡¯ll launch this fireball and blow everything up!!! I... I don¡¯t want you joining us in the labyrinth, and as long as we win... You can¡¯t join us! So... Just surrender!!!¡±
...
That was... Not what I was expecting.
While his warning came in a rather nasally voice to complete the nerd stereotype, his voice lacked a lot of confidence and was filled with the air of a child threatening to throw a temper tantrum at the slightest inconvenience of failing to get what they wanted. Looking up at the king, his face was a mixture of panic and shock at the development, as I could only imagine him worrying for his own personal safety should Inari and I deny the magic hero¡¯s request to surrender the duel. Royal sorcerers were hurriedly rushing around the perimeter to flood the observation platform with a plethora of barrier spells to shield the king and his advisor as a result of the magic hero¡¯s actions. Calmly, after examining the spell in detail, I continued staring at the magic hero while speaking out loud to the confident fox beside me.
¡°Inari, do you think you could handle that fireball spell? I¡¯m not the best just yet when it comes to canceling magic, but it doesn¡¯t seem all that impressive from my quick analysis.¡±
Then, with a soft giggle, Inari happily reassured me that she could handle the childish antics of the magic hero.
¡°Hehe! Of course Ko! You¡¯re right in your analysis. While it does visually look impressive, it leaves a lot to be desired from a weaving perspective. Well, kinda. I¡¯ll explain in a little bit!¡±
¡°Well, you heard us magic champion. We will not be surrendering the duel just because of your threat to ¡°blow us up¡±. While the spell looks cool, it¡¯s actually kinda lame. In fact, I dare you to launch it at us! As a matter of fact, I think I¡¯ve seen better fireballs out in the country side during my training!¡±
After my taunt, I slowly started walking towards the childish sorcerer, giving him ample time to respond.
¡°Don¡¯t think I won¡¯t do it!!! I¡¯ll... I¡¯ll launch this fireball! Don¡¯t... Don¡¯t take another step closer!!!¡±
Wanting to push my luck, I locked eyes with the king who was nervously watching the entire standoff, then calmly, took one whole dramatic step forward. Then, keeping true to his word, the magic hero did indeed, launch the massive house-sized fireball towards us, albeit in a very slow, and dramatic fashion. In an instant, another army of barrier type spells encased the entire arena while Raya began valiantly shouting orders to enact more defensive measures and to take cover while protecting his majesty. Finally, during all of the ensuing chaos I had created, I heard the enthusiastic, rambling explanation from Inari I was expecting.
¡°You see Miles, while you may be the magic hero, your capabilities appear to be born purely from the powers of the ¡°hero summoning magic¡±. While your magic status values are quite high and you can indeed create impressive spells with your mana weaving, the spells are... On a fundamental level... Too perfect. All of the mana particles are woven into beautiful patterns, flawlessly following proper magical theory for their construction and execution. However, while the fireball spell you¡¯ve created is academically ¡°perfect¡±, it lacks the practical combat adaptation of ¡°knotting¡± your strands to encrypt the spells foundation. Take for example, a tightly bound ball of yarn. The ball is all one, continuous string, neatly held together through intricate twists. This would be like your fireball spell right now. Thus, if someone were to skillfully analyze the mana particle compression and find the binding point, they could easily.¡±
As Inari was happily giving the magic hero a lesson about mana weaving and encryption, the rambling fox calmly raised her right paw into the air, then snapped her fingers, before finishing her explanation with a dramatic pause.
¡°Do this!¡±
In an instant, the giant, slowly moving fiery ball of death and destruction, collapsed inwards on itself, then scattered in a breathtakingly beautiful and harmless explosion of mana particles, which were now calmly floating to the dusty ground below. Everyone around us stared in shock, awe, and amazement, at seemingly having just witnessed a beastkin, calmly cancel the powerful explosion spell from the nation¡¯s treasured magic hero. Miles, was equally confused at this whole ordeal, wearing a rather shocked and confused face as to what had just happened. Then, keeping with the tempo and remembering we were ¡°technically¡± still in a duel, I instantly closed the 30ft gap between us, stopping just in front of him, with my sword mere inches away from the bewildered hero¡¯s face. Finally, I stared intently into his panic-stricken brown eyes, prompting him to utter the words: ¡°I... I surrender¡±.
A smile grew across my face as I sheathed my sword and looked back towards Inari. She was clearly just as ecstatic, as her tail was uncontrollably bouncing around to match the equally cheerful smile across her face. Then, I brought my gaze towards King Solar. Knowing he had been bested, he, to my surprise, still had the grace and decency to admit we were clearly more than capable to join the heroes. Having given his approval, he then ordered his attendants to arrange rooms for Inari and I, then angrily left the observation platform, returning to the palace proper. It didn¡¯t take long after the kings¡¯ departure, for the remaining royal guards to swiftly collect, heal, and transport the defeated heroes out of the training grounds to their chambers for recovery. Next thing I knew, the only individuals still remaining at the training grounds, were a few of the royal guardsmen, Raya, Inari, and myself.
Eventually, Raya spoke to us in an apologetic tone while bowing.
¡°Champions, I want to iterate again, but I apologise on behalf of the royal guard, and myself, for initially doubting your capabilities. Your duel against the heroes should more than serve as adequate testament to your incredible combat capabilities for everyone that was present. I look forward to working with the both of you in our duty to protect the heroes during their journey into the labyrinth.¡±
¡°It¡¯s alright Commander Raya, I understand your scepticism towards us. After all, the probability that an F(+) ranked duo would be considered the strongest in the kingdom, is quite low. When this information is combined with your personal experience as the military¡¯s commander, it was only logical you would question the assessment. If anything, Inari and I are just glad we could showcase our capabilities today for you to personally witness.¡±
After our short exchange, Raya saluted both of us, then requested we join her, along with the other elite guards, so she could share the kingdom¡¯s current intelligences regarding the labyrinth and upcoming assault plans. While following Raya, we continued to converse about our adventuring experiences, and briefly shared the fact that neither Inari or I, had been inside the labyrinth ourselves. I caught Raya flinch at the comment, as clearly, she was expecting us to have at least some experience delving its depths. Overall, it was a rather interesting thought to entertain that the current strongest adventurers in the kingdom, specifically recruited to guide the heroes through the labyrinth, had no actual experience within said labyrinth themselves. This realization prompted Raya to start ¡°from the basics¡± so to speak, much to the dismay of the elite guardsman present during our meeting. Eventually, we found ourselves in a rather small, secure stone-walled room, with a complex map and small wooden figures resting on top of a table, aptly placed in the middle, for our briefing.
Apparently, this was one of the military wing¡¯s planning chambers, and the map contained detailed cartography of the currently explored labyrinth floors, along with known monster profiles, levels, and appraisal results. Inari was absolutely thrilled at the level of detail the military had provided, and was happily scouring over each of the maps and notes excessively. During our lengthy meeting, we were essentially able to learning the following information about the labyrinth.
Each floor of the labyrinth was approximately 5 by 5 acres from a sizing perspective, with obvious staircases descending to deeper floors. The terrain was ¡°mostly¡± indestructible, and any damage would seemingly repair itself after being left alone for 30 minutes. From a progress perspective, you simply needed to reach the next staircase to descend deeper into the dungeon. Furthermore, there were sometimes signs or words found along the walls, but all current attempts at translating them have all failed. Additionally, the floors appeared to have very structured rules for it¡¯s inhabitants, which were as follows:
- Monsters spawned on a floor, could only remain on that floor. For example, if a skeleton chased you to the stairs leading up to floor 1, it would seemingly ¡°lose interest¡±, abruptly turn around, then go back to it¡¯s designated spot on the current floor.
- When defeated, a monster¡¯s body would be ¡°absorbed¡± by the floor within 30 minutes, vanishing in a burst of light, at which point another monster would spawn to replace the defeated enemy.
- If a defeated monster¡¯s body was moved to another floor, it would no longer vanish, and instead appeared to follow the normal rules for decomposition. A new monster would still spawn to replace the creature after 30 minutes.
- There were no variations of the monsters for each floor. They would only spawn that same type each and every time, with the respawn locations changing slightly, but largely remaining consistent.
- Anywhere between 50 to 100 monsters could be spawned on a floor at a time.
Next, for specific monster spawns, floor 1 contained only goblins of level 1, while floor 2 only spawned undead skeletons of levels 1 or 2. Floor 3 was home to a species of giant insects named silk grubs, and were always level 2. From there, floor 4 contained the classic slime monster, ranging from levels 3 to 4, while floor 5 was home to standard dairy cows of level 5. I was honestly really intrigued learning this fact, as apparently this was the primary source of beef in the kingdom. The cows on floor 5, posed absolutely no threat to any adventuring parties, and it was often used as a ¡°rest floor¡± due to this property. Next, floor 6 contained kobolds of level 6, floor 7 housed feral wolves of level 7, and floor 8 was home to ogres, which gave Inari and I painful flashbacks to our encounter in the Eldermyst forest. For the last few known depths, floor 9 contained lesser mud golems of level 9, while floor 10 only had giant bats of level 10. From there, floor 11 had goblins again, except this time, hobgoblins were mixed in amongst the spawns. Each of these creatures were level 11, which was unheard of in academic circles. This left the final, unexplored floor, of floor 12.
At present, what creatures spawned on the floor, was unknown. The heroes, along with all previous attempts by the military, were unable to even enter the floor due to the weird miasma completely covering it. Appraisal scans apparently weren¡¯t possible, but it was clearly toxic, and a few of the royal guard¡¯s scouts had even perished trying to breakthrough in a valiant effort to confirm which monsters spawned on the floor. Once Inari and I were caught up, Raya ended the strategy meeting, opting to confirm the finer details tomorrow morning when everyone was well rested and prepared for our mission in protecting and guiding the heroes.
Shortly after, we were escorted to a larger mess hall within the castle, which appeared to be mostly for the onsite military members for dining. Thankfully, the guards present seemed to treat Inari slightly better, probably after seeing her performance during the impromptu duel. For a meal, we were served a simple dish of meat and potatoes. Unfortunately, the quality was severely lacking when compared to Yarn¡¯s cooking, which just made me crave one of her beef bowls even more. For sure I¡¯d have to order an extra serving when we got back! Additionally, during our simple dinner, Inari and I chatted with a few of the elite guards that would be joining us, and learned that most of them were unenthusiastic over the prospect of ¡°babysitting¡± the heroes due to their snarky and condescending attitudes towards them. The spear hero in particular was well known around the palace grounds for his vulgar attitude, and since getting stronger, none of the guards, including Raya, could adequately control his behaviour anymore. Having seen our duel, a few of the guardsman thanked me personally for punching his face in as a form of payback for his attitude towards them.
Eventually, after a few more hours of chatting with Raya and the soldiers, a pair of maids from the palace came to collect Inari and I, so that we could be escorted to our lodgings for the night. Thus, waving goodbye to our newfound friends through shared disdain for the spear hero, we promptly followed the maids through the winding and imposing palace hallways. Looking out the impressively tall windows adorning the corridors, it was clear the suns had already set below the horizon, as the palace grounds and garden were calmly basking in the tranquil moonlit rays. The only thing making the moment less serene, was the judgemental glares towards Inari as she was blissfully taking in the palace environment. After some more twists and turns, we finally stopped outside a pair of doors that were excessively tall for any human I¡¯d ever seen, and politely told this would be my lodgings for the night.
I was slightly confused, probably because I had assumed Inari and I would be staying together while in the palace, but the maid¡¯s insisted they had specially prepared a room for Inari, as she was, after all, the first beastkin to ever stay within the palace. Shrugging my shoulders, we waved goodbye to one another as I pushed open the regal doors to enter my temporary room. Overall, it was largely what I expected for a room within a typical royal fantasy palace. While the size was as large as my expectations, the level of detail present within the fabrics, furnishing, and furniture, really highlighted the difference between classes in Solara. My bed was a large king-sized mattress elegantly dressed in a red, and wonderfully soft cashmere blanket, complete with matching down pillows. The dresser, on the other hand, was of a riveting dark wood, and screamed in quality of the workmanship that went into crafting such an exquisite piece of storage. To say the least, I looked very ¡°out of place¡± in my rugged and slightly worn leather armor. These thoughts led me to eventually finding myself sitting on the bed, in wonder, while examining my surroundings with my mana-presence detection radar.
Truthfully, I was curious what the palace had in store for Inari¡¯s stay, as I could only assume the worst based on their earlier treatment towards her. Paying attention to Inari¡¯s and the maid¡¯s presence, I eventually lost track of them as they left my detection range, only worsening my curiosity regarding her fate. Thus, after a few more minutes of admiring my room, I eventually decided to try and find her. Approaching the door, I opened it, only to find the maid, standing guard to the room¡¯s entrance. Before I could even ask her my question, I was interrupted by her own.
¡°Dearest guest and adventurer, how may I serve you?¡±
Amazed at the maids attentive and quick response, I eventually managed to articulate my request to visit Inari.
¡°Hi, umm, would you be able to guide me to where Inari is staying? There is something I¡ª¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry adventurer, you needn¡¯t worry about your companion. I assure you; they are well taken care of by the palace.¡±
...
Well, that¡¯s not exactly what I was asking. Guess I would need to be more direct.
¡°Perfect then, Miss...¡ª¡±
¡°Stella.¡±
¡°Stella, it is of utmost importance that I discuss with Inari our plans for tomorrow. Guiding the heroes through the labyrinth will be rather challenging, and I want to eliminate any possibilities for tragedies while they are in our care. After all, this does concern the well-being of the nations treasured heroes! I¡¯m sure there would be no problems for me to briefly chat with her before I retire for the night? No?¡±
The maid glared at me with judgemental eyes, clearly not amused at my insistence on seeing where the appalling ¡°beastkin¡± was taken for the night. Eventually, after an uncomfortably long silence, Stella bowed, then began escorting me down the palace¡¯s halls. All throughout the journey, the only audible sound, was the rhythmic ¡°clopping¡± noise from our shoes as they echoed throughout the massive, regal hallways. Neither the maid, or I, said a single word to one another as we continued walking down the endless hallways. In a word, it was rather eerie how nighttime at the palace seemed.
Eventually, to my surprise, I was led outside the palace into a larger field. It was still within the palace grounds, but was mostly filled with dirt and well-kept fields of grass, imprisoned by wonderfully maintained and eccentric wooden fences. It didn¡¯t take long, but that¡¯s when I noticed the larger wooden building commonly known for housing various livestock, a stable, was also nearby.
*Sigh*
I caught the maid in front of me chuckle lightly as we approached the stables, then, she spoke to me in a condescending tone, clearly indicating she had no qualms with the obvious negligence for treating another being with respect.
¡°Beasts, should lay with beasts. Was the king¡¯s decree. Make your conversation quick so I may return you to your room, adventurer.¡±
Disgusted at the display of hospitality shown by the royal family, I walked towards the stable doors without speaking a word to the maid from before. Pushing the rustic wooden doors open, I was greeted with the scene one would largely expect of a well-kept stable on palace grounds. The building was large, clean of dirt, and currently home to several large stallions who were cautiously eyeing me having entered their pristine home. Towards the back of the stable, I found the fox I was looking for, who happened to be gently petting one of the horses as I walked towards her. It didn¡¯t take long, but eventually, Inari called out to me in a cheerful tone.
¡°Oh, Ko! I¡¯m surprised you came here! What do you think of my room? Isn¡¯t it amazing! Well, I mean, I am kind of sharing it with these other guests, but look! The hay is super soft and has great insulating capabilities, and that¡¯s not even to mention th¡ª¡±
She.... She has to know this isn¡¯t acceptable right? To my surprise, Inari was happily ranting away about the exceptional quality of her lodgings. So, I interrupted her as kindly as I could.
¡°Inari... That¡¯s¡ª¡±
¡°And I know it looks a little... Small... With a very... Mature aroma in the¡ª¡±
¡°Inari...¡±
Finally, she stopped rambling while continuing to stare into the horse¡¯s eyes while stroking it¡¯s long, silver snout. Then, she turned to me, finally responding in a somber voice.
¡°Ko.... I¡¯m not that daft, I know what the palace is doing isn¡¯t acceptable, especially for the champions that will be escorting the heroes tomorrow. I just... Thought that maybe... They would accept me a little more if they saw how amazing I was with magic...
But, thank you for checking on me. It... It means a lot... I¡¯ll be fine, I promise. You should... Probably go back to your room in the castle. After all... We do need to be well rested... Right?¡±
Well, despite how Inari was feeling, I was glad she was at least aware this behaviour towards her wasn¡¯t appropriate. But I still didn¡¯t approve how King Solar decided to treat her. This discrimination... It really would be difficult to overcome.
Troubled, and annoyed at how my only close friend in this world was being treated, I decided to commit to my next set of actions without any regrets.
¡°Hmmm, now that you mention it, this place does seem kind of nice, doesn¡¯t it Inari? I mean, there¡¯s good company, and, while the privacy may be lacking just a tad, I do appreciate the open concept the palace has chosen to go with! Very bold and modern indeed. If you may, I would be most interested in seeing your personal quarters, as the hallway has left me absolutely captivated at the splendor these lodging can offer!¡±
Then, with a light smile, laugh, and swooshing tail, Inari responded in kind to my impromptu exclamation for appreciating the ¡°lodgings¡±; opening one of the empty stable quarters.
¡°Hehe! Well, of course! I am glad such a distinguished individual such as yourself noticed the finer details that went into creating such wonderful accommodations. If you would follow me this way, I would be more than willing to showcase the sleeping arrangements so graciously provided by the Solara Kingdom.
Over here, you will see several bundles of freshly preserved hay, made from the finest of Solara¡¯s grass, skilfully dried in the blistering twin suns from the kingdom¡¯s skilled artisans. Each and every individual piece of straw has been expertly vetted by the most proficient of hay craftsman to ensure only the highest of quality.
And, if you would so kindly direct your attention over here, you will see an exquisite, rugged blanket, carefully infused with the aged aroma from pristine equine dander, that only the most mature of sleeping connoisseurs would appreciate! I assure you; we have spared no expense in making this truly a memorable, recreational experience!¡±
Following Inari inside the small, hay-filled room, I decided to make myself ¡°at home¡±, and carefully sat down on a nearby pile of crispy straw, while leaning my back against the rough, wooden walls of the building. Then, after Inari finished her extravagantly descriptive tour of the ¡°room¡±, happily joined me against the rustic, and lightly splintered wood as well. Next, I was taken slightly off guard, as she gently leaned into me, deciding to rest her head, on my shoulder. I was distracted by how soft and light her fur was, along with the weight from her body, as she continued making herself comfortable. Without realizing it, I caught myself staring into her emerald eyes, then quickly looked away in embarrassment. My face felt slightly ¡°flushed¡±, and I¡¯m pretty sure I saw her lightly laugh at my sudden behaviour. Finally, the vulpine continued our conversation from earlier.
¡°But really. Thank you, Ko.
...
You... You¡¯re really sure this is fine? I... I can only imagine how much more comfortable one of the rooms inside the palace would be. You would get better rest in one of their beds... I¡¯m... I... I should probably stop leaning against you as well. While it¡¯s comfortable for me... It¡¯s... It¡¯s probably bothering you, so I¡¯ll¡ª"
As I felt her shift her weight slightly to leave, I unconsciously found myself resting my arm around her, holding, and keeping her close. Then, I tried to respond as calmly as I could with my honest feelings.
¡°It¡¯s... It¡¯s fine... I... I think I¡¯ll be able to rest better this way as well, so, don¡¯t worry about it. You¡¯re not bothering me, really!¡±
Inari smiled at my comments while staring into my eyes. For sure my face had to of been filled with a vibrant red and embarrassed colour. After seeing my reaction, she shily curled her tail around herself, slightly covering me in the process. Then, she flicked one of her paws to levitate one of the nearby horse blankets, skillfully floating it over, wrapping us in it¡¯s warm, musky embrace.
¡°I... I think I¡¯ll sleep better this way as well. Good night... Ko.¡±
Eventually, both of us closed our eyes, as our eventful day finally came to a close. While I found myself diligently fighting to keep my thoughts from wandering too much into this scenario, my mind was once again, flooded with questions about my summoning.
What was underneath the labyrinth? Why were my status values so much higher than the other heroes? Especially since I was a lower level than them. Will we really find answers to these questions beneath the kingdom?
Not long after, my thoughts gradually began to slow, as my mind happily started shifting into the world of dreams. Tomorrow would surely be dangerous, yet paramount, in learning more about the world, of Terra.
Chapter 38 – The Labyrinth
¡°Everyone, GET DOWN!!!¡±
*Schwooth!*
A fierce flame roared throughout the battlefield, covering the charred and dusty ground with it¡¯s oppressive and commanding heat. Desperately, in an attempt to survive and protect those behind me, I valiantly raised my shield while erecting a multibarrier spell to protect my party from the incoming hellfire. This foe. My party. It was clear our situation was only going to get worse as the battle raged on. Presently, we were face to face, with an ancient dragon, madly breathing molten flames across the entire labyrinth floor.
*FROOTH*
More molten heat rolled past us, bring a flurry of sweat dripping down my face, causing some of the salty water to sting my eyes. While the barrier was bravely holding up against the raging inferno currently assault it, the rapidly increasing environmental temperature was starting to permeate the otherworldly protective sphere. If we are to survive, I would have to do something, and fast!
¡°Don¡¯t worry Ko. All of us have chosen to support you in saving Terra. One elder dragon is nothing compared to the dangers we¡¯ve faced together along our journey!¡±
The voice of my companions behind me, bravely cheering me on in our struggle to survive.
¡°You¡¯re right everyone! We¡¯ve faced greater challenges than this puny lizard! There¡¯s no way we could lose to the likes of him!¡±
¡°RARGHHHH!!!! Puny mortals! You would dare insult the all-powerful destroyer of kingdoms, Emberoth?!?! I¡¯ll crush you insects beneath my limbs, like the insignificant beings you are!¡±
¡°Hah! You wish lizard brain! Take this! My super ultra-awesome and amazing dragon killer attack, Heavenly Flaming Spear!!!! HURAHH!!!!!!¡±
Raising my right hand towards the towering, ancient dragon known as Emberoth, I unleashed the most powerful version of the flaming spear spell I possibly could! Thick, molten plasma, burst forth from my hand, annihilating the fiery breath attack from the dragon, rapidly pushing it back. A battle between two beam attacks, a deadly tug-of-war, leaving the loser, an obliterated pile of ash.
¡°NOOOOO!!! How could I, the almighty and all powerful, Emberoth, meet their end to the likes of you!!! A bunch of puny adventurers!!!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!¡±
Silence.
Once our attacks had finished, the death bellows of the mighty dragon, Emberoth, gradually came to a halt, as the ancient being, finally, met their end. While my heavenly flaming spear didn¡¯t reduce them to a pile of ash, their giant body was now void of all signs of life. Exhausted, and thrilled at our victory, I shouted at the top of my lungs.
¡°Everyone, we did it! With our brave actions today, Terra, has, been, SAVED!!!!¡±
An eruption of cheers behind me, as I was now suddenly in the giant, open plaza within the City of Solara, accompanied by the impressive marble fountain I had seen many times during my journey into the labyrinth. In front of me, was the king and princess of the nation. My thoughts were drowned out by the celebratory cheering¡¯s from the crowd.
¡°Oh great champion Kotato! Please step forth to receive your reward for so valiantly defending the kingdom, and saving all of Terra from the threat of Emberoth!¡±
Ahhh, the celebrations for my heroic actions in saving the kingdom! I was at a loss for words taking in the scene around me. A festival to commemorate my actions and service to the kingdom, with the princess, excitedly calling my name to step forth and receive my reward from the kingdom¡¯s treasury!
Confidently, I began marching forward to receive my reward from the reigning royalty. I could feel a rather smug smile across my entire face as I continued my strides in confidence. However, I was so lost in thought, my feet had seemingly managed to ¡°critically fail¡± their perception check of the surrounding environments, somehow rolling a 1 against a difficulty check of 0. While walking towards the princess, my left foot, encountered a rogue piece of rock, defiantly standing out against the smooth, cobblestone pathway around the fountain. This rock, was just a seemingly ordinary piece of stone. However, today, this rock, managed to find the courage and tenacity, to take on the undefeated dragon slayer, Kotato. In the cruelest twist of fate, this rock, with the skillfulness of a mountain, became the heaviest object in the observable universe, valiantly battling my foot for supremacy of the earth¡¯s domain. While the battle was fierce, and raged for but a mere blip in time, my foot, was no match for the tenacity and valor this rock displayed, in ferocious defiance of its simple fate, forcing my foot to crumple, under the sheer pressure emitted from the piece of oppressive minerals. As a result, my footing, became twisted, as I felt myself losing balance, falling forward.
While I was falling, instead of expertly catching myself on the ground in front of me, this rock, had somehow managed to alter my trajectory, such that my estimated impact zone, was now the marbled fountain filled with pristine and clear, refreshing water.
*SPLASH!*
*Cough**Cough*Gah!*
¡°Disgusting.
...
Adventurers, his majesty has requested your presence in the dinning hall. I expect both of you to promptly be ready. The king loathes tardiness.¡±
My mind, was a foggy mess, but eventually, it gradually started to make sense of my environment again, having been abruptly woken from my dream. Standing in front of me, was the maid from last night, Stella, holding a now empty wooden bucket. Faint, specks of water, could be seen dripping from the wooden basin as I gradually had the realization I was soaked from head to toe. Finally, my vision corrected itself, as I looked to my left to see Inari, also coughing, from unexpectedly being assaulted by the bucket¡¯s contents as well. Last night, I remembered her falling asleep on my shoulder, and any peacefulness from that moment, was seemingly forgotten, as both of us were now fighting to catch our breath from unexpectedly being assaulted by a simple pail of water.
Eventually, the maid turned to walk away, lightly cursing under her breath at having to take care of such abhorrent individuals. Once they had left the stables, I managed to find my footing, and helped the dripping, soaked fox beside me to her feet as well. Then, with a flick of their paws, I felt a warm gust of wind surround me, gradually drying my soaked clothing from the comforting heat¡¯s embrace. Inari¡¯s fur also began to gradually dry as well, making itself rather puffy as a result, showcasing all of it¡¯s fluffiness for the world to see. Then, not wanting to keep the ¡°diligent¡± attendant waiting too much longer, both of us left our ¡°lodgings¡± to follower her into the royal palace for our prepared meal. If a bucket of water was our wake-up greeting, I could only imagine the level of hospitality we would be showered in for breakfast!
Thankfully, whatever doubts I harbored for a welcoming meal, were without cause. Seemingly, we were met with a normal meal inside the dining room, which was filled with the king, the princess, Raya, Daemonium, and the other heroes. Before us on the table, was an extravagant feast of meats, eggs, breads, and vegetables. As the attendant led us to our spots, the king began speaking to everyone present about the upcoming plans for the day.
¡°Champions, today, is a day, for greatness! I have unwavering faith that you will conquer the 12th floor of the labyrinth during this expedition. Once again, I have arranged for the dungeon¡¯s closure for a week, which will ideally be ample time to progress and clear it¡¯s depths.
Now, Commander Raya will review the finer details.¡±
¡°Thank you, your majesty.
Heroes and champions, today we wil¡ª¡±
The plan was pretty basic and mostly what Raya had mentioned to Inari and I last night in the mess hall. As I slowly filled my plate with a wide assortment of meats and bread, Raya described how we would quickly traverse the earlier floors, ignoring most of the monsters while proceeding directly towards the stairs to descend further. This was to preserve our energy for the harder, deeper floors of the labyrinth. While she was speaking, I took note of the other heroes and their respective attitudes.
Haru, was leaning back in his chair, resting his feet on the silken table cloth as he haphazardly shoveled food down his throat. The sword and bow heroes were both properly eating their meals, utilizing the utensils given to them in an appropriate manner, while the magic hero was unenthusiastically ¡°picking¡± at his meal while angrily staring at Inari. Even though the atmosphere was tense, the meal was definitely a step up from the meat and potatoes we had been served last night. Eventually, after finishing our fancy breakfast and asking Raya any questions about the upcoming labyrinth assault plan, we were escorted out of the dinning hall to meet up with the rest of the elite guards that would be joining us. In total, 27 of us would be delving into the labyrinth. The party was made up of the 4 summoned heroes, Commander Raya with her 20 hand-selected soldiers, then finally, Inari and myself.
To my surprise, we were led outside the royal palace entrance and directed towards a large and impressive stone building off to the side where some guards were diligently standing near the metal doors. Above the plain metal, was a slightly more intricate sign which read: ¡°Solara¡¯s Labyrinth Entrance¡±. As we approached, the guards opened the gates, revealing a rather large foyer. On the left-hand side, was a long, wooden desk, much like the one seen at the adventurer guild branch, except suspiciously lacking in attendants. At the far end of the room, was a large, and imposing, pair of stone doors, pried open, revealing a dark and intimidating abyss. As we approached the stone doors, I was impressed at the intricate designed carved into them. The left door had the images of a dragon, wolf, and 9-tailed kitsune, facing towards a sun in the middle. On the right stone door, were the images of a hawk, with a serpent dangling in it¡¯s claws, being cast into an ocean below. Additionally, a... Mermaid...? Also appeared to be present, raising it¡¯s trident towards the hawk from the safety of the sea. Finally, at the very top of the doors, were winged creatures, which looked very similar to angles, blowing trumpets towards the hawk. As I was lost in thought about the images adorning the stone doors, Raya, began speaking to us in her commanding voice.
¡°Champions, our expedition will now begin. Remember, preserve your energy until we get to the 8th floor.¡±
Calmly, we marched in single file behind Raya, with the heroes near the front. As we descended the ancient, stone staircase, all along the walls, were simple wooden torches, illuminating the eery pathway in an effort to guide us towards our destination. After roughly a minute of descending the spiraling, well-worn stone steps, we arrived on a dirt floor, with a large, open stone archway. Along the side of the entranceway, was a message carved into the cavern walls itself, which read: Labyrinthus Incipe ¨C Level 1.
Looking into the room, I could see a large, open-aired spacing, with minimal rocks, cliffs, and cover. The room was mostly flat, with simple camps littered throughout. Amongst each camp, appeared to be small, green, demonic beings, which were cautiously eyeing us as we entered the labyrinth floor. None of the goblins dared attack us, probably due to fear and the vast difference in power we posed compared to them. Their innate, brutal instinct, was being suppressed in an effort to keep their barbaric selves alive. To my right, Inari was happily taking in the sights of the labyrinth floor, as her tail happily bounced around in excitement. Traversing the floor was rather simple, as we were met with no resistance, other than the uncomfortable cries from the nearby goblins. After around 6 minutes of walking, we eventually reached the direct opposite end of the floor, to find another staircase descending deeper.
...
After about an hour of traversing the floors, we eventually reached the 5th level, marked by simple words etched into the stone archway entrance which read: Level 5. Along the way, we had met skeletons on the 2nd floor which had attempted to attack us, but were easily destroyed by Inari¡¯s cleanse ability, which was highly effective against the undead. The 3rd floor was hardly worth mentioning, as it was seemingly littered with only silk grubs crawling along the ground. The most annoying part about traversing that particular level, was the constant barrage of sticky, silken thread shot at us from the disgruntled insects as we trespassed on their domain. The 4th floor, posed a bit more of a challenge from the traditional ¡°slimes¡± that were its inhabitants, much more difficult than the pitiful excuse for a foe many isekai shows made them out to be. The balls of slime, were actually quite agile, making landing a blow on them rather difficult. Thankfully, we were able to ignore most of them and their annoyance to conserve our strength.
If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Now, having officially stepping into the 5th floor, all of the reports were in fact, very accurate to their contents. Level 5, was home to seemingly normal, dairy cows. From my experience, they were the typical white and black spotted variety you would often see in fields while driving through the countryside, with large udders hanging beneath their bulky frame. Furthermore, unlike the previous floors which were covered in nothing more than plain dirt, the 5th level was instead covered in vast, grassy planes. Many of the cows, were grazing upon the unsuspecting foliage beneath their hooves, completely oblivious to our presence as we marched on. This... Peaceful scene between nature and expedition continued, until...
*MOOOOOO!!*
The ferocious, undeniable characteristic sound of a cow¡¯s battle cry, raged across the field.
...
No, for whatever reason, the spear hero, skillfully stabbed one of the nearby dairy cattle through the head with his extravagant weapon, skewering it, causing an explosion of blood and brain matter to burst forth from the now ruptured skull. Then, eviscerating the remainder of the bull¡¯s head, the spear hero violently flicked the blood littering his weapon onto the grassy planes below, as the bovine¡¯s body collapsed onto the foliage, staining it in a new, vibrant red. Then, he spoke to us in a cocky tone as the nearby cattle rapidly began to scatter after witnessing their friend¡¯s unexpected death.
¡°Pfft, this joke floor is ridiculous. It reminds me of that mass demon slaying game where these things had a whole level dedicated to them, except those cows were ¡°slightly¡± more challenging to face. You know the one I¡¯m talking about, don¡¯t you?¡±
Sighing at the spear hero¡¯s comments as he stared towards me, I was indeed familiar with the game he was referencing, having spent many hours playing it myself. However, that didn¡¯t give him a reason to so brutally murder one of the cows for no reason. I mean, I guess they were technically considered monsters being spawned within the labyrinth, but his actions felt cruel for no reason, other than because ¡°he could¡±. He was also still adamant that I was someone from his world, which was probably true, but I didn¡¯t indulge him or his comments, choosing to shrug my shoulders while replying ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Which only made him more furious. Eventually, after a few more cows suffered an unfortunate end at the behest of the spear hero, we started our descent towards the 6th level.
Upon entering this floor, the elite knights joining us, immediately entered a defensive formation, while Raya and the heroes appeared to be more alert. This floor, was much more like a cavern in design, containing several separate tunnels we could choose to explore. Following them, the group selected the leftmost passageway. To my surprise, our marching pace become noticeably slower. That¡¯s when I noticed near the front, the bow hero, skillfully cut something near the ground with a simple knife. Instantly, in response to his actions, a flurry of arrows launched themselves from one of the nearby cavern walls, impaling themselves on the opposite side. It appeared that traps were now present along our journey, which explained the increased caution the party was exhibiting. Not long after the trap had been setoff, I began to hear the sound of claws scrambling across rocky surfaces. That¡¯s when Raya shouted her commands to us.
¡°The kobolds are here, earlier than usual. Maintain defensive formations and erect some barriers to deflect their poisoned arrows.¡±
Without hesitation, I heard some of the sorcerers beside me chant their spell for a simple barrier, which Inari happily joined them in reinforcing. She also applied a few status buffs as well, such as a basic poison protection buff. Then, after a few moments, I finally made visual contact with one of the small, reptilian creatures.
The kobold, was a small dragon-like being, standing upright on 2 legs with a red, scaly tail dragging along the ground behind it. In it¡¯s claws, it appeared to be holding a primitive wooden bow, with an arrow already drawn, ready to fire. Upon seeing the expedition party, it fired the arrow without hesitation, then opted to draw a crude steel dagger along it¡¯s waist as it rapidly began closing the distance. Behind it, another 10 kobolds entered the area, quickly charging out behind their leader, brandishing equally jagged blades and clubs.
*Schroon**Thunk!*
The arrow lodged itself neatly within the barriers, suspended in the air above us, quickly followed by the crashing sound of the kobold throwing it¡¯s body into the invisible resistance. Moments later, the remaining kobolds had also joined their leader in it¡¯s frantic and ruthless assault against our defensives. Skilfully, some of the elite sorcerers cast some firebolts which managed to gravely wound a few of the kobolds. I, decided to join them as well, instead opting to cast my flaming spear spell, expertly eliminating the remaining assailants. Once the battle had ended, we once again, resumed formation, continuing our journey through the sparsely lit cave. Fortunately, we didn¡¯t come across any more kobolds during our trek, but I was still surprised at how aggressive and tactful they were in utilizing a trap against intruders.
From there, the 7th floor had us briefly ¡°hunted¡± by a pack of around 20 feral wolves, which were eliminated fairly quickly without much resistance on our part, although I could tell the elite guard was having to put in much more effort surrounding their defences. This was one of the more unique parts about the labyrinth it seemed, as wolves were generally known to range from levels 1 to 3 on the surface of Solara¡¯s forests, only getting stronger in the western regions of Willow¡¯s Retrieve. In the labyrinth, these same wolves were a considerably harder challenge, possessing greater dexterity, strength, and tactics. Next, for the 8th floor, Inari and I were thankfully relieved that the ogres present were nothing like the monstrosity we had faced in the Eldermyst forest with the artifact. These ogres, while still roughly 12 feet tall with yellowish skin, were much easier to handle. We easily dispatched the dozen that approached us while the bow hero expertly eliminated the remaining ogres before they could get within a 30ft radius of the group.
On the 9th floor, I was amused at the mud golems that patrolled the level. Each one was roughly the size of a human, comprised of bulky arms and legs which more closely resembled clay than mud in my opinion. Their head was shaped like a helmet, only containing a single red eye that scanned their surroundings. Fortunately, these golems were not aggressive, so we could generally ignore them as we passed through. However, if we did get too close to one, it would seemingly get annoyed at our presence and attack. Inari and I only discovered this fact, when she happened to get too close to one of the golems while she was examining them. While Inari was thrilled to add more detailed notes to her adventuring journal, it was met with a disapproving gaze from Raya. Nonetheless, we made it through this floor without issue.
However, on the 10th floor, things started to get more difficult. The giant bats that made this particular level their home, were quite annoying to deal with. They were fairly quick and erratic in their movements, along with possessing a powerful ¡°soundwave¡± type of attack in the form of an ear shattering screeching noise. Melee combat was useless, as most of the bats preferred to fly closer to the ceiling of the floor, which was taller than usual. A few of the elite guard took some injuries during the encounter, but were patched up rather easily with Inari¡¯s healing capabilities. I also helped out where I could in healing the injured soldiers, since I also possessed stronger than normal light magic attributes. Overall, most of the bats were eliminated by the bow hero and magic hero using their signature abilities. Next, once we started descending the staircase to the 11th floor, Raya reviewed the upcoming assault plan for the goblins and hobgoblins known to reside on the level.
In short, we didn¡¯t need to eliminate ¡°all¡± of the enemies on a floor to progress, just focus on the ones blocking our pathway towards the next set of stairs. The goal was to quickly get to the staircase to utilize it as a ¡°safe point¡± of sorts, as any goblins that tried to enter, would seemingly lose interest and return to their usual spots. Furthermore, from a combat status perspective, an individual goblin was now roughly as powerful as a single elite guard that was with us. On this note, the soldiers found it very hard to believe that their life¡¯s work in training only made them slightly more powerful than the weakest monster in the kingdom. This meant any large brawls could easily get out of hand due to our similar power levels. Furthermore, once hobgoblins were thrown into the mix, it was obvious how this floor became dangerous for the average adventurer. Finally, after reviewing the upcoming strategy, much to the unenthusiastic body language of the spear hero, we entered the 11th floor.
As soon as the floor came into focus, I was easily able to spot 20 distinct goblin camps spread throughout the area. Keeping with the notion to avoid drawing as much attention as possible, we carefully began making our way around the eastern parameter of the room. Most of the camps appeared to be concentrated in the middle of the floor, making it difficult to take a straight path towards the next staircase.
As we continued walking in formation, we came across a goblin camp that was unavoidable along our parameter pathway. Thus, signaling we would have to fight, Raya instructed the heroes to swiftly eliminate them. Ahead of us, was roughly 10 goblins with 2 hobgoblins, all currently unaware of our group¡¯s presence. Wanting to get closer, Inari and I slowly approached the vanguard where Kyle and Miles were presently preparing their attacks. For whatever reason, this prompted Miles to snort aggressively towards Inari while readjusting his glasses. Then, while raising his staff into the air for an offensive spell, spoke towards her in a pathetic tone saying: ¡°I¡¯ll show that stupid fox!¡±. Unfortunately, while I was expecting him to be a little more subtle in his disdain for being ¡°shown up¡± by Inari during the duel, the magical attack was anything but subtle. In a sense, the magic hero had decided on his own, that the best spell to use in this situation, was an over-the-top fireball spell. Raya¡¯s face, along with the rest of the guard, was filled with panic, as Miles launched a giant flaming orb of death and destruction towards the goblin camp in front of us. While the spell ¡°worked¡±, seemingly obliterating all 10 of the goblins instantly, while causing an explosion of burnt hobgoblin body parts to fly towards us, the spell was so far removed from the word ¡°quiet¡± that our ears were quickly assaulted by the screams of other goblins nearby, frantically rushing towards us to avenge their fallen comrades. Based on my mana detection radar, it appeared an additional 30 individuals were now rapidly closing the distance between us, while Raya began shouting and reprimanding the magic hero.
¡°GAH!!!!!¡±
¡°Miles!!! Why the hell did you use such a noisy spell! Now you¡¯ve alerted our presence to¡ª¡±
¡°Whatever, I killed them, didn¡¯t I? Now you need to deal with the stragglers while I recover my mana.¡±
¡°Seriously??!?! That¡¯s¡ª"
Quickly, Inari and I leapt to the rear of our formation to assist the elite guards. Most of them had already assumed a defensive formation, with several sorcerers already preparing destructive spells of their own. Amongst the incoming enemies, there appeared to be 10 hobgoblins and 20 goblins in total. A few of the beings had already begun attacking the guards when we arrived, prompting Inari to swiftly cast an earthen wall spell to buy us some additional time.
Unfortunately, the hobgoblins were fairly agile, and managed to leap over the 4ft walls with ease, but it at least helped separate some of the enemy forces. That¡¯s when I managed to get into position with my sword at the ready.
*Schreen**Schwoon*
¡°GAH!!! RAWR!!!!!!¡±
I quickly eliminated 3 of the hobgoblins with precise stabs to their hearts, shredding them without issue, shocking some of the guards at the power displayed, as even their swords were having difficulties piercing the green and abhorrent flesh of the creatures. Next, for the remaining goblins, Inari thankfully had them covered.
¡°Kitsunebi!¡±
Choosing to speak for the spell to make her presence known, breathtakingly beautiful blue, purple, and white flames, engulfed all of the remaining goblins and hobgoblins within the area. Gut retching shrieks and cries, filled our ears as all of the foes before us, clutched their faces in pain, as their demonic flesh burned, boiled, and blistered under the radiating heat from Inari¡¯s kitsunebi spell. Eventually, their agony came to an end, as their charred and burned bodies, crumpled in on themselves, dissolving into blackened dust and ash. Looking around, most of the guard were horrified after seeing Inari¡¯s destructive spell of choice, now actively avoiding being near her. Not worried myself, having seen her favourite spell numerous times before, I calmly walked up to her, giving the confident fox a ¡°fist bump¡± for their protective services.
¡°Hehe! Thanks Ko! Wasn¡¯t that a great kitsunebi??? That has to be a new record for ¡°most goblins charred with a single cast!¡±¡±
¡°Agreed Inari, that was pretty good. I¡¯m still impressed how you can effortlessly isolate their unique mana signature so quickly during combat. Looks like I still have a long way to go.¡±
¡°All with practice Ko! Oh! And you guys were really helpful as well! I can see why you¡¯re the elite guard in the army. Those were some pretty impressive barrier spells! I really liked the compressed potency, which was rather precise for such short notice!¡±
¡°Thanks uhh... Miss Inari? But... Some of us are still confused at the random appearance of the earthen wall spell. None of us cast that, or had adequate time to prepare, so we¡¯r¡ª¡±
¡°Oh! That was me! Sorry about that, but I cast it quickly without speaking to buy us some more time when the goblins were appro¡ª¡±
¡°Wait, you cast that without saying the incantation??? That¡¯s incredible?!? Could you teach me how to do that??¡±
¡°Sure! I would be more than happy to teach you guys how to cast spells without speaking! First, all you¡¯ve got to do is¡ª¡±
*Sigh*
Without realizing it, the elite sorcerers had unexpectedly gotten Inari into a rant about how to do incantationless casting. While some of them seemed to grasp the general idea, I could tell from their faces they weren¡¯t expecting for her to get into such detail on the topic of magical theory and spell formulation! Unfortunately, Inari¡¯s explanation was cut short as Raya attempted to get everyone¡¯s attention back towards making progress towards the 12th floor. Fortunately, since most of the goblins on the floor had been eliminated from our battle, we were much more relaxed during our walk, with some of the guard even thanking Inari personally for teaching them more about magic and protecting them. It was actually really positive seeing the elite guard accepting Inari more for her mastery over magic.
Eventually, after a few more minutes of walking and chatting in the more relaxed atmosphere, we finally arrived at the stone staircase to descend towards the 12th floor.
Chapter 39 – The Strange Miasma
As we approached the staircase to descend to the 12th floor, we had only made it partway down the usual twisting stone spirals when we were stopped by a thick, purply fog. Indicating now was an acceptable moment for rest, Raya signaled for the soldiers to ¡°relax¡± while motioning for Inari and I to join her near the front with the heroes. Once we arrived, she confidently spoke to us.
¡°Champions, this is the strange miasma from our reports. Please, if you have any ideas on how to progress further, or mitigate it¡¯s effects, I am all ears for your suggestions.¡±
¡°Pfft, if we couldn¡¯t figure it out, what makes you think these two can Raya? Honestly, I should just move the toxic fog out of the way with my divine spiral attack.¡±
¡°Haru, while I understand your restlessness and desire to progress further, that strategy would pose great risk to the rest of us. What would you do if the poison doesn¡¯t disburse? What if you inhaled some of the toxic fumes? None of our healing experts can handle this level of poison.¡±
¡°Tch.¡±
Clicking his tongue, the spear hero continued staring at us as we began examining the fog in detail to learn more about it¡¯s characteristics, while the remaining heroes stayed silent. After casting appraisal on the unsuspecting miasma, I was able to see the following information:
---
Object: Toxic Miasma
Properties: Poison ¨C Great(+)
Summary: A toxic miasma which inflects all targets who inhale it¡¯s vapors with Great(+) poison. Treatable with a cleanse spell of sufficient potency. Commonly produced by greater undead such as zombies as a defensive mechanism. Large concentrations can gather in enclosed spaces, creating a powerful fog.
---
...
Did... Did they seriously not even try using appraisal on the miasma?!?!? It... It clearly says in the summary that this is commonly produced by zombies!
Wait a minute...
Zombies...
Bleh, well I guess they were a creature that sometimes appeared in fantasy isekai novels, I didn¡¯t actually want to encounter real zombies!!! Upon learning this unfortunate fact from my appraisal scan, my mind was flooded with images from the various horror movies I¡¯d seen on the zombie genera. While most of the movies had been ¡°cheesy¡±, they all carried the stereotypical trope of zombie bites being infectious, eventually turning you into one yourself, if their decaying teeth pierced your exposed flesh! I.... I was starting to get slightly nervous under this realization of what our potential foe could be. That¡¯s when I spoke to Raya to confirm some information about this upcoming floor.
¡°Raya, absolutely no one has been able to determine what creatures appear on the 12th floor, correct?¡±
While I was waiting for her to respond, I glanced over at Inari, who was now rapidly flipping through the endless pages of her adventurer¡¯s journal.
¡°Correct, Kotato. None of us have been able to visually observe the creatures on the below floor. In fact, some of my bravest men have even sacrificed themselves in an effort to provide some type of insight as to the floor¡¯s inhabitants. Unfortunately, all of them perished within moments of inhaling the toxic fumes. Not even our most skilled healers were able to stop the rapid spread of the poison.¡±
¡°I see... And... Was appraisal ever cast on this miasma?¡± I said while looking at Raya. For some reason, she was hesitating in her response to me, along with some of the guards looking at me in disbelief at the absurdity of my comment. Eventually, Raya responded, validating the stern looks I received from my seemingly ¡°dumb¡± question.
¡°I... Uh... I¡¯m not sure what to say exactly champion... But... The casting of appraisal on something like a miasma isn¡¯t possible, so...¡±
Well, for whatever reason, it appeared that casting appraisal on something like a toxic mist was unheard of, making my appraisal results an oddity. But... All I did was isolate one of the individual mana particles making up the fog and cast appraisal on that, which Inari had already done as well. Thankfully, she tilted her head at Raya¡¯s comment, indicating to me I wasn¡¯t crazy, and that she had also received the same information from her own appraisal scan. Next, I decided to try and create a simple hypothesis for testing.
¡°Hmmm, well, perhaps let¡¯s examine it from a different angle then. Raya, are... Are zombies an enemy type known in Terra? Forgive my rudeness, but I don¡¯t have much experience outside the Kingdom of Solara, so I¡¯m curious if they appear in other regions of the world.¡±
Hesitantly, along with a few of the guardsman shuddering at my comments, Raya responded to my question.
¡°Ummmm, yes, Kotato, zombies are in fact a monster that existed within the Kingdom of Solara. However, they were thankfully eradicated during the reign of King Luminous, the monarchy from 5 generations ago. Their presence has long since been forgotten, but stories have stayed within the military due to the horrors fighting them created.¡±
¡°I see, thank you Raya for the additional information. Next, I would like to review some information we already know, and try to draw a possible conjecture as to what creatures could possibly be on the 12th floor.¡±
Looking at Inari, I could see her tail excitedly wagging back and forth as she finally landed on the page she was looking for. She was also desperately motioning towards me, indicating she wanted to speak as well. Thus, I did my best to set her up for an Inari styled explanation, by speaking to the group, as a whole.
¡°Now, while we have a limited observation pool to draw inference from, I believe the 11th floor may have provided us with a valuable clue as to what kind of creatures we could expect from the floors going forward, which will only get confirmed once we delve deeper. Inari, would you care to expand further on this hypothesis?¡±
Happy that I noticed her eagerness to speak up about our findings, Inari¡¯s ears playfully twitched as I called her name. Then, she excitedly cleared her throat in preparation for the ¡°dramatic reveal¡± of the upcoming floor¡¯s denizens.
¡°Ahem, why of course Ko! I would be more than thrilled to continue your theory regarding the potential upcoming and ¡°mysterious¡± creatures for the 12th floor!
Now, if we recall, on floor 11, we encountered goblins, with some hobgoblins mixed in, a repeat of floor 1, but with stronger enemies. Now, since we are about to descend to the 12th floor, perhaps this floor will also be a repeat of the 2nd floor, containing mostly skeletons, but, with a few zombies sprinkled in to serve as the stronger enemies! According to my adventuring notes and research, the ranks of undead creatures can be roughly categorized as: skeletons, zombies, ghouls, lesser lich, and greater lich, indicating that zombies would be the next logical choice for a stronger variant if the pattern holds!
In addition, literature surrounding the classification and appraisal catalogs of zombies, indicates they can commonly produce a ¡°toxic miasma¡±, especially if left within an enclosed space overtime. This would perfectly explain the presence of the poisonous gas we are observing!¡±
While continuing to listen to Inari ramble on about how zombies were known to produce a toxic mist, Raya, along with several of the guards, all seemingly brought their hands to their chins, to contemplate the proposition that the labyrinth appeared to be following a pattern of sorts, for repeating monster spawns every 10th floor multiple, but with stronger variants. However, while Inari was happily continuing to expand on and explain our findings, the spear and magic heroes, annoyingly added their own comments.
¡°Ugggh, could you please stop talking like that? It¡¯s such a boring and stupid way to convey information. Seriously, just tell us there are zombies down there, and that we need to avoid the toxic gas while killing them. No need for this long-winded explanation crap. Plus, that still doesn¡¯t explain how we can actually get around this toxic fog in the first place!¡±
¡°That¡¯s right, I agree with Haru that this isn¡¯t helping us at all. So what if there are ¡°zombies¡± down there, it doesn¡¯t do us any good if we can¡¯t reach them!¡±
Slightly annoyed at the magic hero¡¯s response, I decided to be snarky in my reply to him for failing to realize one of his own capabilities.
¡°Uh huh, the magic hero, right? Aren¡¯t you suppose to have incredible command over magic or something with a title like that? Couldn¡¯t you just... I don¡¯t know... Create a spell to dispel the miasma??? I vaguely recall your ¡°title¡± ability being something along those lines... Plus, if you couldn¡¯t create a spell, I¡¯m sure if you used your high magic status value, a cleanse spell from you would be more than enough to dispel the miasma, or cure the poison individuals became infected with.
Looking at the magic hero, his face twisted and contorted, having the realization dawn on him, that this miasma could have easily been dealt with, if they had used either their title, or, cast a stronger version of the cleanse spell with their incredible magic power. Apparently, neither of these thoughts came to them, despite being praised as the nation¡¯s greatest user of magic. I guess all of the remarks went straight to their head, leaving them unable to actually think and apply these concepts for themselves. That¡¯s also when I noticed him stuttering in response to my comments regarding his title in an effort to defend his actions.
¡°But! That¡¯s... I... That¡¯s absurd!!! I couldn¡¯t possibly use my title¡¯s power for such a trivial task like poison removal!!! That¡¯s... That¡¯s also not considering the fact that I... May have already used it this month...¡±
¡°Wait... You¡¯ve already used your title power??!?! What kind of magic spell did you create with the limitless possibilities?!?! Please! Won¡¯t you tell me??!?¡±
Apparently, this caught Inari¡¯s interest, as her eyes became filled with stars, glistening with curiosity, eager to learn what incredible spell the magic hero had chosen to create with their unique title power. Unfortunately, his response was very ¡°lack luster¡± and surprising...
¡°I... Uh... I... May have already used it... During our duel... On that really big.... Fireball...¡±
All of us, stared in silence at Miles, with Raya and I, visibly face palming at the realization the magic hero¡¯s unique title with potential omnipotent power... Was used to create a giant fireball, which was dispelled without issue, by Inari...
*Sigh*
Wanting to get our journey progressing again, I gradually recollected my thoughts from the sheer utter incompetence the magic hero just displayed, and asked Inari if she would be willing to handle the toxic miasma for the group.
¡°Well, what do you think Inari? Think you can handle this level of poison?¡±
Happily beaming with confidence, Inari puffed her chest out in response to my question before giving her affirmation to handle the toxic fumes.
¡°Why of course Ko! This level of poison is nothing before me! Everyone, prepare to be amazed at what a skilled mana weaver can accomplish with only the basic cleanse spell!¡±
Then, gathering mana all around her, Inari¡¯s paws began to glow a bright, yet calming bluish hue, as power coalesced in them. Next, after weaving the particles into a potent cleanse spell, Inari released the spell¡¯s energy forward, causing the fog to part ways, until is eventually dissipated into the usual clear air we had become accustomed to during our expedition. Raya, along with the rest of the elite guard, stared in disbelief having witnessed the miasma disburse without issue. Then, Inari continued her explanation while casting a barrier spell around the entire party.
¡°Well, that should take care of that! Also, I¡¯ve placed a minor poison protection barrier spell around each of us. It should be powerful enough to block any stray miasma fumes I couldn¡¯t reach from here. After all, the floor is probably just as big as the previous ones, making it tricky to accurately cleanse such a wide area with the limited mana particles present!¡±
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
Thus, with our impossible obstacle seemingly conquered with ease, we bravely pressed forth to officially enter the 12th floor.
...
Thankfully, our hypothesis appeared to be correct regarding the inhabitants of the 12th floor. After reaching the bottom of the staircase and peering into the large, open room, we were able to observe several skeletons and zombies, mindlessly roaming around, dragging their brittle and exposed limbs across the dirty floor. Furthermore, near the entranceway, a few skeletons appeared to have perished as well, having come in contact with Inari¡¯s cleanse spell. Next, I suggested she try casting a stronger version of the spell, purify, to see if we could effectively eliminate the monsters present.
Fortunately, Inari agreed with my idea to use a stronger purify spell, but I did need to help her with this one. Purify, required a much larger concentration of light mana particles than was present in the staircase from earlier, which is why Inari opted to use the less taxing cleanse spell instead. However, that didn¡¯t mean purify was completely off the table though. In short, to reduce the MP burden to the both of us, I would use some of my mana to convert the near endless supply of typeless particles in the vicinity, into light particles, which Inari would then use to weave into the purify spell. This way, only one of us would suffer an impact to our MP, and mine would naturally regenerate at a faster rate due to my summoned hero powers.
Putting our plan into action, I motioned for Raya and the others to stay back while I raised my hand towards the room filled with undead monstrosities. Focusing on the mana particles within, I gradually started inscribing my will into the typeless particles, forcibly converting them into the light attribute. Once enough of the light particles had been created, I started to feel Inari¡¯s interference, as she began weaving and collecting the particles for the intended purify spell. Once everything was prepared, Inari released the spell, covering the entire room in a bright, shimmering vale of warm and comforting light, blinding some of us in the process. After clearing my eyes to see the impact of her purify spell, I was pleasantly surprised as to the results!
Inari, in an effort to impress everyone, had skillfully calculated the position of each and every skeleton and zombie present on the floor, and made sure to eliminate them with a single cast from purify. Then, using the remainder of the mana from the spell, disbursed and cleansed the harmful effects from the miasma that was still present on the floor. The result, was an entire floor cleared in an instant, with all traces of the harmful poison removed from existence! Satisfied, I, along with several of the other guards present, gave the cheerful fox another fist bump, as the entire expedition was able to effortlessly pass through the 12th floor without any resistance.
As we were walking, it was clear the mood amongst the group had considerably improved as we were now actually making new progress in descending the labyrinth¡¯s depths. It also appeared, that at the very least, the elite guards and Raya, were much more accepting of Inari and I due to the contributions we¡¯ve made during the expedition, despite being ¡°greenhorns¡± in the labyrinth. The heroes on the other hand, were equally as thrilled, finally being able to see more of the dungeon they were tasked with conquering. Before I knew it, we were already descending the stairs to the 13th floor, where we were already anticipating a stronger variant of the silk grubs from earlier. Low and behold, we were right.
Flying around, all throughout the 13th floor, were some giant moth type monsters, along with the annoying silk grubs spewing sticky thread across the dirty floor in an effort to ¡°renovate¡± their dull environment. While the grubs were considerably stronger due to their increased level, they were still easily dispatched with simple stabs and fire spells. The real problem, was the moths erratically flying above us, being almost impossible to hit. Thankfully, Inari had the idea to produce a giant kitsunebi flame in the middle of the room to attract their attention. Funnily enough, this idea managed to work, proving the old adage ¡°like a moth to a flame¡±, accurate. This allowed Kyle to expertly hit the moths with his bow, as they were now flying in a rather predictable circle around the mesmerizing, ghostly fire. While we could have ignored the moths all together, we all figured this was a valuable source of experience, considering the limited risk involved.
Continuing along our journey, I brought up the question of how far we wanted to descend before heading back towards the palace. All things considered, we had made very decent progress in my opinion, but figured it would be important to remember our return trip would be equally as long. It had already been 2 and a half hours since we started the expedition, and, with seemingly no shortcuts or teleports to the earlier labyrinth levels, I was already starting to get anxious thinking about our return journey to the surface. Fortunately, Raya indicated, much to the dismay of the spear hero, that she would like to attempt reaching the 20th floor, if it existed, before we begin the return trip. The monsters we were encountering were still relatively easy to dispatch, at least for Inari, myself, and the heroes, so Raya was confident we could continue without too many issues. For an estimate, this would put our entire journey at roughly 10 hours for the round trip. Realizing the labyrinth probably descended to a very deep level, this meant we would need to potentially reevaluate how the dungeon was tackled, perhaps using those spatial storage bags to bring vast quantities of supplies for extended journeys. Eventually, we entered the 14th floor proper, and were met with the stronger variant of the slime monster, an acid slime.
The acid slime, while a stronger threat than it¡¯s typical blue jelly brethren, wasn¡¯t all that different from an engagement perspective. Despite having a combat level of 14, they still died effortlessly to well aimed attacks at their central core. To protect ourselves, we simply had to maintain a sufficient barrier spell to completely mitigated the risk from the acid attack, which was powerful enough to quickly melt the rocks and boulders on the floor. Once we had eliminated the 30 or so slimes that were in the middle of the floor, we quickly made our way to the next staircase towards the 15th floor. That was, until we saw the ominous warning message just outside the intimidating stone archway.
Just before the staircase to descend to the 15th floor, there was a message clearly etched into the rocky walls in runic writing. The wording glowed in a dull, bluish light, pulsing ever so slightly in a calming, rhythmic fashion, which read:
¡°DANGER ¨C Upcoming Level Is A Designated Boss Floor ¨C A Powerful Foe Awaits ¨C Warning! Proceed With Caution.¡±
While the message was clear, I was bothered about the way the sentence was structured. The wording, was eerily similar to how my internal assistant spoke within my head, which as far as I was aware, was potentially only a phenomenon for the summoned heroes. While I was thinking about the potential impacts of this message, the rest of the group started entering the staircase to descend further to the ¡°boss floor¡±. Thinking something was amiss, I hurriedly called out to the others to share my concerns.
¡°Wait! Everyone! Aren¡¯t... Aren¡¯t we going to heed the warning message a little more... You know... Carefully?¡±
My question, along with cause for concern, was met with puzzled looks from everyone, including the heroes, leaving me also confused, as to why no one else was possibly concerned entering a powerful boss floor. That¡¯s when the spear hero arrogantly spoke up towards my remarks about the ¡°warning message¡±.
¡°Huuuuuuh? What do you mean ¡°warning message¡±?!? I didn¡¯t see anything, just the usual stupid blue glowing runes or whatever.¡±
¡°Wait a minute, you guys couldn¡¯t read the words etched onto the wall beside the staircase? It clear says: ¡°DANGER! This is an upcoming boss floor!¡±.¡±
More blank stares from everyone, followed by an uncomfortable silence, which was eventually broken by Inari.
¡°You¡¯ve... You¡¯ve been able to read the words this whole time?!?!? Why didn¡¯t you say something sooner Ko! Didn¡¯t you remember from our earlier conversations that no one has ever been able to decipher the runic glyphs left on the walls?!??¡±
¡°I... Uh... I¡¯m not sure how to say this... But they just appeared as normal letters to me? They haven¡¯t been anything exceptional, so I guess it slipped my mind that these were the markings being referred to? Actually, all of them have just been the floor level we were about to enter, so I didn¡¯t find it worth mentioning. I only spoke up about this one, because it said to be careful about the upcomin¡ª¡±
While I was finishing my sentence, I paused, noticing that the spear hero, along with the magic hero, were no longer present amongst the group. Inari, along with Raya, looked to where I was staring, then quickly made the same realization as to their suspicious absence. Quickly, Raya ordered all of us to chase after the two heroes, since they were potentially charging into danger, and it was our job to protect them. All of us, burst into a sprint down the spiraling staircase, oblivious to the warnings from earlier. Damnit! Why did Haru have to be like this?!?! He probably thinks this is a game, and since we¡¯ve had no issues with enemies thus far, probably wanted to kill the boss first for whatever ¡°loot¡± it may drop.
Running down the stairs, I was roughly in the middle of the group, being careful to watch my footing so as to avoid tripping in comical fashion down the longer than usual staircase in our frantic descent. When we eventually caught up to the spear hero, I was definitely going to give him heck for his rash actions potentially putting all of us in danger! Blindly rushing into any potential boss fight, was only a recipe for disaster, especially since we had such limited information, other than to be ¡°cautious¡±. Thinking about all of the events, and previous floors patterns, I was left with the single question burning in my mind.
What is the stronger variant, of a dairy cow???
***~~~***
Ughh, it is always such a bore having to attend these pointless meetings over food with his majesty and the heroes. Begrudgingly, I was picking at my ¡°meal¡± to at least keep up the image of being somewhat invested by his majesty¡¯s words... But alas, steak and eggs, unfortunately, were no replacement for human souls, and I was already beginning to crave their succulent texture once more after close to a month without their satiating essence.
¡°Champions, today, is a day, for greatness! I have unwavering faith that you will conquer the 12th floor of the labyrinth during this expedition. Once again, I have arranged for the dungeon¡¯s closure for a week, which will ideally be ample time to progress and clear it¡¯s depths.
Now, Commander Raya will review the finer details.¡±
Finally, now I could formally ¡°excuse¡± myself from this bore of a breakfast. Informing his majesty that I had some duties to attend to relating to the ¡°heroes¡±, I calmly left the dining hall to return to my, or should I say, Daemonium¡¯s study. Before I left, I did make sure to give the two champions another examination though... That initial summoned hero, and the beastkin with him. Not even I was expecting them to be the hand-selected champions from the tournament this quickly, yet here we are. Furthermore, I got the unsettling feeling that they ¡°almost¡± noticed my advanced illusion magic. Perhaps this was essence withdrawal from failing to consume another human soul in a timely manner? My nerves were really starting to get the better of me lately. Surely, it would be impossible for such low-level insects to notice the advanced illusion magic of a demon such as myself!
Regardless as to my surprise at their exceptional growth and perception, it was of no concern to me, or my true lord¡¯s plans. Things were still proceeding as expected, and any progress made by the heroes was well within our calculations, with not a single variable unaccounted for.
Walking through the hallways, I was enjoying the sound of my own footsteps, while cautiously eyeing some of the servants I passed by on the way to my study. Once I arrived at the well secured, wooden doors, I authoritatively pushed them open, entering my room. Inside, I made sure to secure the locks while activating a simple sound nullification barrier for my upcoming meeting with Diablos.
As expected, flying in through one of the open windows after noticing my presence, was the mono-eyed, black bat familiar he was fond of using during our communications. Gracefully landing on the nearby wooden desk, the familiar cocked it¡¯s head to the side, then opened it¡¯s mouth to release a stream of mana particles to establish our communication link. Gradually, a holographic box began to form, with my lord on the other end of the screen holding his usual glass of wine. As a mere demon underling, being able to gaze upon his image was always a pleasure, and an envy.
As the image came into focus, I was once again, reminded of what our glorious race used to be looking at my lord. His horns were of an intimidating and elegant shape, seamless and effortlessly protruding through the perfect darkish hue of skin above his sharp and twisted eyebrows. To accompany his flawless spikes, were charming, blood-red piercing eyes, examining my meager existence in full, as he effortlessly swirled the aged beverage, imprisoned in the finest of crystal chalices. Then, the wings, flawless and mysterious, completing his image as the only true demon lord; no, the true god of Terra! Still awe struck taking in my lord¡¯s perfect visage, my ears were humbly graced by his sinister words.
¡°Zalthazar, I presume things are progressing well at the Solara palace?¡±
¡°Why of course, my lord, everything is accounted for, as you¡¯ve so meticulously planned.¡±
Taking a sip from his crystal glass, Diablos grinned while continuing to swirl the elegant beverage held loosely in his hand. Then, my ears were once again, charmed by his voice.
¡°I see... And what of the initial summon? Have they perished from the mind-sealing spell?¡±
¡°No sire, as a matter of fact, they have actually managed to become quite powerful, in human terms that is, and were recently selected as the champions to accompany the Solara heroes into the labyrinth.¡±
¡°Hmm, that is somewhat unexpected, yet fortunate.
...
Zalthazar, your work in the palace. I am most impressed at what you¡¯ve accomplished, with so little I might add. Perhaps I should bestow upon you a fraction of my power as a reward for your efforts.¡±
¡°My lord, such generosity is unbefitting for a lesser demon such as I, your words are more than enough to satisfy my wants and desires.¡±
A sharp grin grew across my master¡¯s face as I meekly denied his offer to grant me a sliver of his power.
¡°Good... Now, I am sure you¡¯re aware, but our efforts in Valoria have progressed rather well. So well, in fact, that the entire kingdom is now firmly under demonic rule, unbeknownst to the repulsive, local population.
...
I now desire the same of Solara. I trust you will make this happen? You may use any means you deem necessary, so long as our involvement remains concealed in the shadows.¡±
¡°If my lord commands it, I will make such a reality, come to fruition.¡±
One more devilish grin from Diablos, followed by the utterance of the words ¡°Perfect¡±, before our meeting came to an abrupt end. But really, Valoria, already firmly under our control? Just how did the demon there accomplish such a task! Even I have struggled to advance our master¡¯s plans, yet the minion in charge of the north-eastern kingdom has already succeeded, while I¡¯ve made paltry progress?!?
I aggressively gritted my teeth. While I was flattered at being graced with lord Diablos¡¯ personal time, clearly, I was not his favourite from a progress perspective. If I wanted to remain in his good graces, I would need to accelerate my carefully laid out plans for succession, and control. Reaching into my suit¡¯s breast pocket, I removed the tarnished, golden locket, housing the frozen image, of Princess Emilia. Her face was flawless, free of any imperfections, along with her soft and subtle, white skin. Long, flowing, silver hair, completed the image trapped in time, as it shimmered and swayed ever so slightly in my meager hand. Everything about her, was the ideal image of what a princess ought to be. Remembering my lord¡¯s words so clearly in my mind, I stared at the locket some more, lightly passing my fingers over her faint, yet charming smile, before calmly returning it to its home, inside my pocket. Then, I spoke the words on my mind, resolved to please and surpass Diablos¡¯ expectations with my upcoming schemes.
¡°Emilia, it is time for you, to become, a queen.¡±
Chapter 40 – The Boss Floor
We had only just reached the bottom of the spiraling staircase, when the larger than usual labyrinth floor came into focus, easily twice the size of the previous levels we had traversed. Keeping with the unnecessary urgency created by the impatient heroes, I quickly leapt into the flat, earthy field, and immediately began scanning the vicinity with my eyes in an effort to locate the spear and magic hero. At present, they were well beyond my mana detection radar range, so visual contact was to be my best bet at swiftly locating them. Frantically, I scoured the floor for any signs of a struggle, monster, or any other kind of interesting visual landmark, but nothing unnatural or suspicious was present. That¡¯s when I heard Inari call out to me.
¡°Ko! I... I think I hear some shouting to the north; it sounded like Haru!¡±
Glancing at her, I nodded, then activated my dash ability to quickly head towards the direction Inari indicated. Rapidly trampling over the cowering specs of gravel, I eventually started to see the outline of 2 humanoid shapes along the horizon, encouraging me to pickup the pace further. Seconds later, arriving near the figures, I was glad to see they were in fact, the spear and magic hero, when suddenly, a barrage of angry ¡°warning triangles¡± entered my peripheral vision, as a vicious wind-like attack was launched towards my direction. Somehow keeping control of my footing, I managed to leap to the side, just narrowly avoiding the eviscerating winds. In their wake, an obvious chasm had made its debut entrance on the earthy surface, kindly revealed to the world by the wind¡¯s ¡°generous¡± introduction. Next, my ears were vulgarly assaulted by the spear hero¡¯s vicious words, berating my actions.
¡°You FUCKING LIAR!!!!! Boss floor my fucking ass! What the hell ¡°Totally not a summoned person¡±. This floor, IS FUCKING... EMPTY!!!! Do you SEE a fucking boss anywhere??!?!? UGGGGHHHH. This whole labyrinth thing is a stupid, fucking joke, and everything dies without issue. If you¡¯re bored as well, you don¡¯t need to lie about there being a ¡°boss¡± to keep things ¡°interesting¡±, fuck man...¡±
Haru angrily kicked a loose piece of stone towards my face, which I brushed away before it could hit me. Seriously, what the hell was his problem?!?! I was only trying t¡ª
*tet*
Another small pebble launched at my face, along with Haru, drawing his spear towards my direction, pointing it at me in an ¡°intimidating¡± fashion. His brown eyes, equally as piercing as the spear he held, stared well into my own as he awaited my response. Briefly glancing towards the magic hero, they remained silent during the spear hero¡¯s charade and obvious anger towards me, choosing only to smugly readjust the glasses across their face. Furious at his unreasonable and chaotic actions, I also exploded in anger towards him.
¡°What do you mean fucking lying?!? I was only trying to warn the group about the message written on the wall! Isn¡¯t it weird how this level is so much larger than the others? I don¡¯t know why there isn¡¯t a boss, but I certainly didn¡¯t ¡°make shit up¡± to keep things ¡°interesting¡± like you¡¯re claiming! And why attack me?!?! What the hell is your problem man!¡±
¡°Ya? Pfft, clearly you did! I shouldn¡¯t have even got my fucking hopes up when you mentioned you could ¡°read¡± the lettering. We¡¯re fucking heroes mate, and even WE couldn¡¯t read the stupid runic words, yet you could?!?! Our cheat-powers would have translated it, just like it¡¯s been doing for all of the other languages in this stupid world. Get fucking real. You¡¯re obviously lying to get that stupid cunt-faced bitch to like you or something, or whatever the fuck you npc¡¯s want.¡±
¡°What the hell are you talking about?!?! I was just trying to make sure we were all safe while exploring the labyrinth!!!¡±
¡°Really huh? Then why are you hiding your powers??? It¡¯s obvious you¡¯re stronger than anyone else in the kingdom, meaning you have to be a summoned hero, otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t make sense how strong you are. You¡¯ve also clearly done things that don¡¯t exist in this world, like lame ass ¡°fist bumps¡±. I¡¯m not a fucking idiot you piece of trash!¡±
¡°Bullshit! What the heck¡¯s with your obsession that I¡¯m a ¡°summoned hero¡±?!? That logic doesn¡¯t even make any sense! Just because I¡¯m stronger than you, I have to be someone that was summoned??? Seriously, this world is massive, and you have the audacity to think that there couldn¡¯t possibly be someone stronger than you, just because your amazing fucking ass was summoned, and you have cheat-like abilities??!? Get a grip Haru...¡±
Haru¡¯s face twisted and contorted into a knot at my words. I wasn¡¯t even trying to think properly, but just letting out my emotions in response to his childish antics. Next, his lips curled, as he brought his free hand towards his face, then began laughing like some third-rate villain before speaking to me again.
*HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!*
...
¡°Don¡¯t you fucking ¡°bullshit¡± me! Why are you so adamant on hiding the fact you¡¯re a summoned person? It was clear the moment I saw you, that you were from my world with the clothing you wore. Do you get some sort of secret pleasure or something from hiding this fact?
Ko-ta-to?
Are you one of those clich¨¦ characters that¡¯s ignorant of how the world really works?¡±
...
A dramatic pause from the spear hero, as he spat at the ground while flicking his weapon towards the unsuspecting soil, taking the time to walk towards me, slowly, before continuing his rant.
*Pfft*
¡°The one thing, that bothers me more than insufferable idiots like you, hiding their powers, while pretending to be the good guy, is that you actually think you¡¯re the protagonist, and not some nameless npc in my story! Every isekai show I¡¯ve watched, always has someone like you, pretending to be the ¡°hero¡±, doing their best to always be kind, while saying ¡°with the power of friendship, we can do anything!¡±
...
It¡¯s bullshit, all of it!
---
I resolved myself, that if I ever got ¡°isekaied¡±, that I would do everything those ¡°lame ass¡± heroes couldn¡¯t, like fuck the women in their party, build an actual harem to take advantage of, and abuse the cheat powers that were granted to me!!!
But you... It seems all of those fucking stories were right. There¡¯s always someone who thinks they can be the good guy, and that being ¡°nice¡± always wins.¡±
What in the actual hell was up with this guy?!?! His words came across like some deranged, unhinged asshole, clearly so far removed from reality, that nothing would satisfy him. While I did agree with him that lots of isekai shows were filled with common tropes, such as oblivious main characters, but seriously!?!? This was just ridiculous! Still angry at how unreasonable the spear hero¡¯s personality appeared to be, I finally decided to humor him and admit that I was in fact, a summoned hero as well.
¡°You know what Haru? Fine, I am a summoned hero. There, you happy? My summoning got messed up, and I ended up stranded in the forest outside the kingdom. When I eventually made it to the palace, I was kicked out because King Solar summoned you guys, thinking mine ¡°failed¡±. Apparently, they couldn¡¯t afford to take care of a 5th hero. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been living as an adventurer in this world instead.¡±
¡°HAH! I knew it! You finally admitted it! That¡¯s what you get fo¡ª¡±
Before I could even continue berating him, Haru rapidly began ranting about a whole assortment of things, ranging from common isekai tropes, to me being an idiot, to... Well... Honestly, I stopped listening after a bit, choosing to roll my eyes instead at his rambunctious... Rambling? I don¡¯t know, this whole situation was just one, big, confusing mess, leaving me wondering why it even happened in the first place...
[Skip]
Eventually, as luck would have it, Raya and Inari, along with the rest of the elite guard and heroes, managed to catch up to us, hearing the tail-end of Haru¡¯s disdain for my existence. While he was quick to inform the rest of the group that I was a ¡°lying, fucking idiot¡±, we were unfortunately, met with a much larger, unexpected problem. Once we had all gathered together, there was a thunderous *Booming* noise that eclipsed the entire chamber, along with a swarm of blue, grid-like lines, rapidly covering the entire observable area. Then, an equally thunderous voiced echoed inside my head.
[Boss Floor... Engaged ¨C All Identified Individuals Have Successfully Entered Floor 15 - Calculating Difficulty Parameters ¨C Processing...
Additional Information For Challengers ¨C All Exits Between Floors Have Been Sealed Until One Of 2 Conditions Are Met:
1. The Elimination Of The Boss Occurs
2. All Identified Individuals Are Eliminated In Combat
Warning ¨C Party Member Size And Parameters Exceeding Floor Conditions Detected ¨C Modifying Adversary Status ¨C Calculating...
Success!
Good Luck!]
My face froze in horror as I heard the words speaking in the same, monotone voice as my internal assistant. Looking at everyone else, their faces were equally filled with confusion and fear, some even bordering on the line of despair. No one, dared to make a sound, only choosing to stare at each other in shock. Finally, one of the guards beside Raya, broke the defining silence amongst us.
¡°Did... Did anyone else... Hear that... Thing... Talking in their... Head?¡±
I looked at everyone, along with the man who raised such a simple remark. Had this comment come at any other time, they would have been labeled a fool, a lunatic, or the visage of a madman, clearly suffering from mental illness, unable to differentiate reality from fiction. Unfortunately, based on the expressions from everyone else, it was clear that all of us, heard that exact same voice. Next, I heard the trembling voice from Raya, as she ordered us to retreat towards the floor¡¯s entrance.
¡°Everyone, retreat to the entrance! We¡¯ll regroup and ascend to the surface. This is far enough for today. Quickly! Hurry!¡±
All of us, started running towards the stone staircase we had entered from. Amongst the crowed, I joined pace beside Inari, who was frantically flipping through the pages of her journal, trying to find some type of clue as to this mysterious voice and potential boss.
¡°Ko... That... That voice! Is that like... The one you¡¯ve been describing to me???¡±
¡°Yes. While I¡¯m glad others have finally heard it as well, proving I¡¯m not crazy... I¡¯ve got a really bad feeling about this...¡±
Did... Did I just raise a red flag again with that comment?
No sooner had the words left my mouth, had the ear screeching sound of stone grinding against stone, filled the room from above. Looking up to my right while continuing to run, a large portion of the ceiling above us, appeared to be shifting, slowly revealing a large ¡°hole¡± by neatly sliding itself into a portion of the rocky terrain, much like a sliding door. Then, a large, black object, plummeted from the rocky roof, landing on the ground, shaking the very earth to its core.
*SLAM!*
A giant, gritty wave of dust and particles, quickly formed from the unexpected impact, and rapidly began rushing towards our direction, causing all of us to shield our faces from the spontaneous ¡°sandstorm¡± we were about to be embraced with. With my vision constrained, while also gasping for breath in the dirty air, I tried to focus on my mana detection radar for any clue in identifying the mysterious object, but couldn¡¯t recognize it. Eventually, we made it to the entranceway, followed by a thunderous roar from behind us.
As it would seem, it appeared the mysterious voice¡¯s claims that the floors were sealed, were in fact, accurate. When we reached the stone archway, there was now an obvious translucent, blue barrier blocking our passage. Furthermore, in the middle of the empty space, was the same blue, runic writing from earlier, except this time, reading ¡°Blocked¡±.
Ignorant and oblivious to the runic letters meaning, one of the guards attempted to ram the barrier with a shoulder charge, which was unfortunately met with him being blown back 20ft from the door¡¯s entrance. Sharp, electric sparks, crackled and flew through the air at him, further electrocuting his body for daring to go against the blocked entranceway. While the guard was still alive, they were very clearly disabled from attempting to flee the floor. Wanting to take control of the situation, I drew my sword and shield while speaking to Inari.
¡°Have you located anything yet about that mana signature? I... I don¡¯t recognize it from my training.¡±
¡°Not yet Ko. It¡¯s... It¡¯s similar to one of the monsters in my journal, but if this is a unique variant, then the pattern won¡¯t hold.¡±
¡°Got it, guess I¡¯ll just have to confirm it visually. Start setting up defensive barriers an¡ª¡±
While I was still speaking, my left arm instinctively raised its shield to block an incoming attack while my right eye glowed a painful heat. Confused, and still trying to process what had just happened, I suddenly felt an aggressive smash into my arm, causing a painful, tingling feeling to vibrate throughout my entire body. I grunted in pain, as my body was pushed back several feet from the impact. Moments later, I heard the sound of several objects whizzing past my ear.
*Tink*
*Shw*Shw*Shshshw*
Next, I felt the sensation of something soft and warm hitting the back of my neck, followed by the sounds of some bodies dropping onto the rocky ground. I quickly brushed it away with my free hand, repulsed at the ¡°squishy¡± texture I felt. Bringing my gaze to the ground where I tossed the slimy object, I gaged slightly after noticing it was a partially crushed eyeball, staring up at me from the ground below. That¡¯s when I turned around to see 4 of the guards that were standing behind me, ominously missing their heads, which were instead replaced with a horrifying mixture of gooey brain matter and facial fragments vaguely resembling a human face. Feeling nauseous at their brutal deaths, I cursed under my breath as the sounds of serpents entered my mind once again, laughing, while taking control.
[HAHAHAHAH!!! YES!!! Youuuu better hurry Ko!!! Our meal awaits ussss!!! Slice it! Stab it! EVISSSSERATE IT!!! BRING US IT¡¯S CORE!!!!!! NOW!!]
Staggering on my feet while clutching my face, I tried to remain in control of my body, but couldn¡¯t, losing myself to the serpent¡¯s desires. Before I knew it, I was dashing forward to meet whatever ¡°adversary¡± the floor had prepared for us. Rapidly traversing through the dust that was obscuring the battlefield, I eventually laid eyes on the monster that had already eliminated some of the elite guard on our expedition.
Stolen novel; please report.
Standing before me, at roughly 12ft tall, was a bull-like creature covered in pitch-black fur. Unlike it¡¯s 4 legged brethren, which were bound to a 4 hoofed fate on grassy planes, this creature had the audacity to defy it¡¯s evolutionary destiny, instead opting to stand on it¡¯s two massive hoofed legs to resemble a human. Held in it¡¯s hands, was a massive 2-handed axe, whose metal gleaned an impressive sheen, effortlessly reflecting my image with flawless precision. Looking at the creature¡¯s face, its snout was twisted from a tarnished, metallic, hoop-like piercing, as it grunted visible waves of hot air towards me. With blood-shot eyes, my presence was being scrutinized in excessive detail, complimenting the sharp horns adorning it¡¯s massive head. This creature, was the frightening crystal image, of a minotaur, from Greek mythology.
While I was ashamed I hadn¡¯t thought of it sooner, it was clearly fitting that a stronger variant for a dairy cattle, could potentially be a minotaur. When this simple realization was combined with the fact we were presently inside a labyrinth, I was both astonished, and frightened, after observing it¡¯s destructive power.
The beast, having noticed my presence, aggressively stomped it¡¯s right hoof on the ground, followed by a thunderous roar from it¡¯s mouth, which nearly burst my eardrums from it¡¯s vicious decibel prowess. Some of the spittle from it¡¯s aggressive greeting had even managed to land on my face in the process. Wiping my face, I quickly cast an appraisal spell to learn more about this upcoming boss fight.
---
Creature: Minotaur Level: 25
Race: Bovine HP: 1,000/1,000 MP: 200/200
Profession: Floor Guardian
Status: Strength: 300 Defense: 225
Magic: 122 Dexterity: 250
Skill Proficiencies: [Strength] [Earth Magic ¨C Great+] [Resilience] [Tough Skin]
[Axes ¨C Excellent+] [Berserker¡¯s Rage] [Labyrinth¡¯s Blessing]
Titles: Solara Labyrinth 15th Floor Boss ¨C Blessed with great strength from the labyrinth¡¯s creator, this creature has received an exceptional boost to it¡¯s base status. Additionally, when encountered by a larger than designated group per the labyrinth¡¯s conditions, compensation magic will be applied to reinforce the floor guardian¡¯s powers.
---
What in the actual hell, was up with those status values!!!! This... This minotaur, was clearly the very definition of a boss with monstrous values like that!!! Everything about it, from it¡¯s HP, to it¡¯s illogical strength, screamed of an unbeatable enemy. This creature... It had no reason to be the boss of the 15th floor!!! I... Everything before it had been an absolute breeze, barely posing a challenge, oblivious to the very definition of the word even! Then this impossible monster gets thrown our way?!?! What the heck was with this difficulty curve?!?! Was the labyrinth designed by some vindictive game developer, insistent on making the players suffer countless defeats after developing overconfidence from the easier floors???!?!? There was no way I could even fathom surviving an attack from this deadly bovine!!
Still shocked at the realization of how powerful this creature before me was, my body thankfully still retained the capabilities to dodge attacks, as the minotaur launched a quick overhead smash towards my direction. With a calmness at odds with my current mental state, I effortlessly stepped to the side of the colossal axe¡¯s path, dodging the body-splitting blow, and subsequent barrage of rocky shrapnel my direction. Then, my body stepped forth to deliver a swift stab to the minotaur¡¯s chest.
Unfortunately...
*Shting*
My blade failed to penetrate it¡¯s muscular hide! I... I¡¯ve never come across this type of resistance before. Was this the raw difference between our strength and defence status at play?!?! How on earth... Or rather... How on Terra am I going to deal with this thing?!?!
Both of us, were now awkwardly within each other¡¯s grasps, with the minotaur staring deep into my soul, it¡¯s warm and uncomfortable breath, fogging my vision, as it huffed and puffed in frustration towards me. Unfortunately, as much as I was currently enjoying my spontaneous facial steam bath, all good things must come to an end, and the monstrous bovine had decided it had enough of my presence, swiftly attempting to skewer me with it¡¯s massive horns. Fortunately, I was able to raise my shield, just enough to lock with one of the horns, narrowly avoiding a new hole of a fashion statement through my chest.
*Guh*
The impact was rough, but I managed to hold my ground. Next, the heroes finally started getting within range of the beast, with the bow hero and magic hero, already launching a volley of spells and arrows towards it¡¯s direction. While their quick attacks had managed to ¡°hit¡± the minotaur, they seemed to have no effect, as the creature appeared oblivious to their impacts. Seemingly more annoyed than anything at the paltry sticks and flames lobbed it¡¯s way, the beast continued it¡¯s assault against me. Quickly, I managed to dodge to the left, just narrowly avoiding another vertical smash and subsequent horizontal sweep from the enraged cow, by rolling.
[Hiiiisssssss!! Weeeee neeeed moreeee! Power!! More power!! Ssssssubmit!!! Acccept us!!!]
NO!
I angrily shouted in my mind against the serpents again, except this time, clutching my right eye in pain. I was also starting to get disoriented trying to regain control, as movement after movement became more and more jarring. Finally, the spear and sword heroes made their debut entrance in the deadly dance of hooves and feet.
¡°Fuck ya!!!! Now this is what I¡¯m talking about! An actual fucking boss battle!¡±
At his more than enthusiastic approval for finally having an appropriate challenge, Haru quickly launched himself into the fray with a spiraling wind and flame attack from his spear. Scorching heat and slicing winds ravaged my face, as he clearly disregarded his allies¡¯ safety, opting to release the attack right next to me instead. While the spear had managed to hit the minotaur¡¯s chest like my sword from earlier, Haru¡¯s face quickly shifted from confidence, into confusion, upon realizing his attack was ineffective. Also annoyed at the spear hero¡¯s attempt to dispatch him, the minotaur decided to act in turn, opting to quickly punch Haru with its massive hand instead. Thankfully noticing this in time, I somehow managed to intercept the bovine¡¯s powerful punch, with my shield, knocking me back slightly.
*Ching!*
¡°Gah! ¡ª Haru! This one isn¡¯t like the other monsters. It¡¯s... It¡¯s level 25!!! We¡¯ll have to do more than simple attacks like that!¡±
¡°Heh! Well, obviously a single attack wouldn¡¯t beat this thing. I was... Clearly just warming up! Samuel, use your title power already!¡±
Nodding at Haru, the sword hero crouched down with their hand on their sword¡¯s hilt, almost like they were preparing for a quick-draw style attack. Then, they swiftly drew their blade, unleashing three slashes into the minotaur. After seeing the attacks connect, Haru attempted to stab the beast again, with similar results.
¡°Tch! Tough bastard... I¡¯ll turn you into beef skewers yet you oversized cow!¡±
Clearly, we weren¡¯t going to make much progress this way. We needed to combine our powers with the rest of the group and find a way to start working on it¡¯s absurd HP value. That¡¯s when I noticed a slew of status buffs happily announce their presence, along with a panicked fox and Raya.
¡°Ko!! I¡ª Is that really a minotaur?!?! And those status value! How are we suppose to¡ª¡±
Noticing Inari, along with the cluster of soldiers now entering it¡¯s range, the minotaur aggressively stomped it¡¯s right hoof into the ground, causing large chunks of stones to fly into the air. Then, keeping with it¡¯s rage, smacked the bewildered rocks with it¡¯s axe, using it like a baseball bat. While this made me realize how the stone bullet barrage was produced, I was horrified seeing the attack in action, as the stones were now happily soaring towards our vulnerable members. Noticing the barrage just in time, Inari thankfully managed to leap and twist her body to avoid becoming Swiss cheese from the flying bullets. Unfortunately... 3 of the guardsmen beside her couldn¡¯t react quickly enough, causing their bodies to become riddled with holes, as blood, bones, and organs, oozed out from their fleshy confines. That¡¯s when I aggressively called out to nimble fox, asking her help protect the guards and Raya as best she could.
¡°INARI! I¡¯ll try and keep the beast focused on me. Do your best to support them while applying hex and curse magic when you can. This is going to be a long fight! Boss siege battle plan #3!¡±
Nodding at me, Inari leapt back to give herself some extra distance, then quickly activated a multi-barrier spell around the remaining sorcerers while applying a hex for strength reduction and curse for blindness to the minotaur, which caused it¡¯s eyes to become covered in a black fog. The battle plan which I had called out to her, was something we had discussed when I was sharing knowledge from my world with her while at the Tavern. Essentially, Inari was intrigued that these ¡°video games¡± from my world allowed for simulated battles against powerful monsters, which lead me to describe various methods I would employ when learning their patterns or mechanics. Boss siege battle plan #3, was the variation we had decided on that focused on protecting the backline, while the front kept the boss engaged. The front would concentrate on defending, dodging, and applying ¡°chip damage¡± where they could, while the backline healed any damage taken. From a gameplay perspective, it was tedious, slow, and boring, but safe and effective.
Once the backline was setup, the chaos started to settle as we gradually became accustomed to the minotaur¡¯s attacks. Samuel, Haru and I, were trading blows with the beast while dodging all of it¡¯s swings towards us. Kyle, Miles, and the other sorcerers, were launching their own attacks as well, some of which started inflecting some damage from the repeated blows. Finally, Inari and Raya were focused on protecting and healing the group from any additional rock barrages sent their way. After several minutes, the situation started to feel like it was ¡°somewhat¡± under control.
---
15 minutes into our encounter, we had finally started making progress on the minotaur¡¯s health, albeit with some difficulties. I had never been engaged in combat for such an extended duration before, that I was starting to get exhausted from constantly focusing on dodging the vicious blows my direction, as a single hit would most certainly result in my demise. There were also issues amongst our melee coordination, such as Haru and Samuel sometimes interfering with my attacks, or being in the way of my dodging pathway. Most of these problems were probably due to our inexperience fighting together, but this really wasn¡¯t the best scenario to be working through these problems on the fly! However, things unfortunately took a turn for the worst once the minotaur¡¯s health dropped below 50%.
Just as one of Haru¡¯s stabs lightly pierced it¡¯s hide, the beast let loose a thunderous roar, much louder than any sound it had produced so far during our siege battle to the death. Following the ear-shattering shout, I heard the jagged, screeching sound of heavy metal being lifted, followed by horrifying shrieks from above us.
Briefly looking at the ceiling of the arena, the sound was fairly easy to locate, presumably coming from the rapidly descending stream of black giant bats, which had emerged from portcullis in the rocky roof above us. While I was personally amused that I had ¡°probably¡± remembered the word to correctly describe a retractable opening covered by sturdy metal, I was less amused when I analyzed the bats diving towards us. The colony of giant bats, possessed the same combat status as the ones we had seen during our trek through the 10th floor. However, the striking difference between the two scenarios, was we were currently also engaged with an absurdly powerful boss! To make matters worse, the minotaur also appeared to be moving faster, making dodging it¡¯s attacks much more difficult.
¡°Shit!¡± I exclaimed while narrowly avoiding another slash my direction, just in time for some bats to crash into my body, knocking me prone onto the trampled ground below. Seeing I had fallen, the minotaur tried to stomp me into the soil with it¡¯s massive hoof, but was thankfully thrown off-balance by an aptly placed earthen pillar spell, staggering it. That gave me just enough time to quickly roll to the side, dodging the incoming stomp attack. Scrambling to my feet, I readied myself for the upcoming ¡°enraged¡± phase of the boss battle.
Seeing that the minotaur was still being ¡°bombarded¡± by the bow hero, along with spells from the magic hero and palace sorcerers, the giant bats decided their presence would be better suited harassing the backline. I just had to hope their defenses could withstand the increased pressure from a swarm of the creatures. Bringing my attention back to the minotaur, I made sure it¡¯s focus was on my person, providing opportunities for the sword and spear heroes to land blows where they could. I was able to keep this up for around a minute, when I heard a loud explosion from behind me, quickly followed by some bloodcurdling screams from the soldiers, and frantic cries from Inari.
*BOOM!*
¡°GAH!!!! MY ARM!!!¡±
¡°Keep holding the line! Don¡¯t let th- AHHH¡±
¡°Ko! We... We need some help back here! Miles... He¡ª He used up all of his MP and he can¡¯t protect us anymore! We¡¯re being overwhelmed!!! I can¡¯t... I can¡¯t protect everyone with my barrier!!¡±
While some charred chunks of bat wings and flesh grazed my armor following the explosion, it clearly sounded like our backline was rapidly falling apart under the pressure from the giant bats. With the minotaur still focused on me, I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. If I left to try and help Inari, the minotaur might follow, exposing our casters to it¡¯s deadly melee attacks. If I didn¡¯t help them, they would crumble under the bat¡¯s assault, leading to their eventual deaths anyways. Trying to think of a solution, I called out to Haru while continuing to dance around the minotaur.
¡°Haru! Can you help the guards behind us? One of your spiral wind attacks should be able to eliminate the bats so they can regroup an¡ª¡±
¡°Pfft, why would I help them? They¡¯re just going to die anyways. If they can¡¯t even handle those bats, they shouldn¡¯t have joined us to begin with!¡±
¡°They¡¯re dying!!! Can¡¯t you quickly help them while I keep the minotaur distra¡ª¡±
¡°Ohhhh nooooo... The poor npcs are dying...
No. I¡¯m not going to risk my life for some stupid soldiers. Fighting this boss is actually interesting.¡±
Angered by his nonchalant attitude towards the human beings dying behind us, his refusal to help them solidified my upcoming actions. Finding a break in between the bovine¡¯s heavy-handed sweeps and smashes, I managed disengage from the creature, bolting towards the sounds of my comrades¡¯ deathly screams. Glancing back, it appeared the minotaur had ¡°thankfully¡± turned it¡¯s attention towards the spear hero, giving me the time I needed to deal with the giant bats assaulting the barriers.
Reaching the backline, I was able to see 10 more of the guards had fallen to the bats, with only Inari, Raya, the bow & magic hero, along with a few other sorcerers, remaining. Currently, they were huddled under Inari¡¯s barrier, being swarmed from above by a horde of at least 50 bats. In anger, the bats were aggressively throwing their bodies into the translucent bubble protecting them from certain death. The bow hero was valiantly trying to pick them off with arrows, but their sheer numbers were overwhelming his attempts to keep the flying murder wings at bay. Taking the initiative, I leapt high into the air, and started gathering mana around me for my flaming spear attack.
Closing my eyes, I started focusing on the environment from a mana signature perspective. A rapidly flickering, blacky haze started to come into view as I began isolating all of the mana signatures related to the bat swarm. Next, I imagined the molten laser beam attack, sweeping across the battlefield above my allies, eliminating each of the bats in one fell swoop. Each and every giant bat, would be vaporized by the liquid fire, exploding into chunks of meat and fur as the beam sliced them into halves. Satisfied I had weaved enough mana particles, with my hand pulsing a soothing warmth, I opened my eyes to unleash my flaming spear spell to save my comrades.
*Schroon*BOOM*
In an instant, brilliant, oppressive flames, shot forth from my right-hand, as I swept my arm in a wide arc across the horizon, making sure to hit each and every bat with my action. As the wave of fire made contact with the bats, they all split into two, quickly followed by a mini ¡°explosion¡± from their body, causing a chain-reaction of exploding bats above us. Fur, wings, and meat, scattered around us, as violent winds threw their eviscerated bodies in every conceivable direction from the sudden updraft created by the blistering heat. Thinking everything over, I was thrilled with how the spell activated as I glanced at Inari and Raya below. However, I was left confused after observing them and their reactions.
For whatever reason, it felt like time began to slow, similar to when my powers first awakened in this world. I was still in the air, yet my body, and all of the horribly mangled bat chunks around me, almost appeared frozen in time, oblivious to the efforts of Terra¡¯s gravitational force, constantly pulling us down to the earth below. Looking at my allies which I had recently saved, their faces were filled with shock and horror, and not to my expectations, relief. Then, I noticed Inari¡¯s paws were raised, glowing like they usually do when creating her powerful barrier spells. She was also staring towards my direction. While this action didn¡¯t seem unusual by itself, considering she was actively maintaining a barrier spell already, they only glowed when she needed to create a new one.
Wait.
Why would she need to create a...
Suddenly, I felt a surge of warmth growing across my back as I made the connection to where her eyes were staring. While their gaze seemed to be focused on me, the pupils were slightly off-centre, putting the actual object of focus behind my person. Struggling with every ounce of effort I could exert; I fought against the invisible resistance to try and look behind me. After what felt like an eternity, I was finally able to ¡°somewhat¡± see over my shoulder. In the distance, I saw Haru and Samuel, facing towards me, running in place. Then, I saw the lumbering object of Inari¡¯s fixation mere feet away from me, the minotaur, currently completing a horizontal slash. I... I don¡¯t think I can dodge this.
No.
I hadn¡¯t dodged it, and everything happening now, was my mind frantically trying to piece together the chain of events leading to my predicament. Warmth, along with a sharp, unimaginable burning pain, continued to gleefully spread throughout my entire body, as I noticed the minotaur¡¯s axe had decided to renovate my armor, with a clean slash through the blackened leather. Then, after the agonizing eternity, time once again, began to flow at its usual rate of passage.
Unable to move, act, or even make the simplest of sounds, I felt my body catapulted forward from the aggressive impact, as barrier after barrier cracked and shattered like glass attempting to protect my frail body. The warmth turned to agonizing pain, as I was hurled at unimaginable speeds towards the parameter of the floor, ready to be caught with the open arms of the spiky, rocky walls. I tried to cast a spell, or anything to slow my impact velocity, but nothing happened. Mere inches away from impact, I was left wondering. ¡°Where did I go wrong? I... I don¡¯t want to die like this¡±.
Then, just before my body collided with the rocky walls.
Everything, went black.
Chapter 41 – The World Serpent
If we stop to think about it, really, what is time? What is reality? What is... Perception?
Existence, a fairly simple word, yet one that opens up endless rabbit holes towards what it means to be alive. Are we beings with intelligence? Or, does simply being aware, meet this arbitrary threshold towards becoming real? Must one have a physical presence? Or, does merely the thought, the idea of something, create the being?
While philosophy had been somewhat of an interest of mine, these thoughts were floating around in my... Well, I wasn¡¯t quite sure really, hence the pondering.
How much time had passed since I started thinking? I could feel myself, or rather, something that was probably ¡°myself¡± floating through an endless dark space. I remembered being killed, or, presumably killed by a minotaur, but was struggling to collect my thoughts, as sounds and voices from my memories, floated all around me.
[Hisssss... Such a... Dissssappointment, and after I did all this work in bringing you here!]
A snarky, snake-like voice entered my mind, or what I could only imagine was my mind, clearly unimpressed at... Me?
After it¡¯s simple, yet disappointing words towards my failure at... Something, I was once again, left alone with my thoughts. Eventually, as fate, luck, or whatever you would have it, decided I had floated around long enough in this endless abyss, I finally found my... Footing? Parts that were probably my feet, were overcome with a familiar, yet distant memory of cool, calming waters, gently rolling around my ankles, as my toes were submerged just below the surface of tranquil liquids. I could feel, presumably rocks... Pebbles? Small, stone-like objects beneath my feet, easily supporting my weight as perception gradually returned to my... Existence.
Darkness, turned into a painful light, as I squinted to take in my surroundings. I was encircled by a thick, misty fog, in a very dim... Room? I couldn¡¯t see how large the area was due to the expansive fog, but regardless, it was very poorly lit.
*Badoom*
A powerful pulse echoed throughout me, as my body remembered how to perceive sounds and increasingly complex textures. I could feel a cool air, blowing around my skin, followed by warm, gentle gusts, enveloping me in a calming embrace, partially lifting some of the fog.
*Thud*
[Really now. You still haven¡¯t regained your senses? Not even a simple ¡°thanks¡± for my efforts? It seems I really did pick a failure...]
That voice again from earlier, echoed throughout my head. A heavy, feminine luster, filled with a confusing mixture of confidence, and condescendence, as I apparently failed to ¡°thank¡± them for their efforts. At odds with myself, I tried calling out to the mysterious voice.
¡°Who... Are... You...?¡±
[Hahaha! Wouldn¡¯t you like to know¡ª Kotato. It¡¯s not that difficult to figure out, just use your head... And your eyes... ¡°Hero¡±.]
*Thud*
Struggling, yet following the suggestions of the alluring voice, I started focusing on my surroundings in greater detail. All around me, I was still surrounded by a thick, misty fog. Seeing into the distance was difficult, but just ahead of me, I was starting to make out the shape of a... Rock? Mountain? Some type of large object, with ¡°something¡± coiled around it. As I continued staring into the distance at the confusing structure, I started walking closer in an attempt to provide better clarity.
As I approached the mysterious object, large, imposing trees, began to come into focus, nestled orderly along jagged rocky cliffs in the mountain. Or... Should I say... Larger boulder? While I had remembered mountains being rather tall, the shape I was walking towards, was anything but tall and impressive. With the fog continuing to clear, I could confidently say, I was staring at a massive, stone boulder, perhaps the size of a modest house, with what looked like a massive bonsai tree growing off the side. While I was thankful to have finally identified the mysterious object in question, I was equally confused to see a... Gigantic serpent, coiled around the boulder, angrily ¡°thumping¡± it''s tail against the rock.
*Thud*
The serpent¡¯s body was a pure, ivory white, covered in fine, intricate scales all throughout. While mostly pure and pristine, several, pitch-black, ebony scales were present along the snake¡¯s body, serving as appropriate accents, twisting all around it, very much akin to the balance observed in the common ¡°Yin & Yang¡± symbol. Looking at its face, it was annoyingly flicking its tongue towards me, as I continued taking in it¡¯s presence. Above it¡¯s eyes, were sharp, raised ridges, providing a commanding aura to the powerful and pure, red pupils it possessed. However, while the snake was both beautiful and intimidating, that didn¡¯t describe the more ¡°interesting¡± features it was covered in.
All across the body, the serpent was bound to the boulder with heavy, metallic chains, anchoring it to the ground. There were 4, tightly bound metal clasps spaced along its slender body, binding it, and immobilising it against the boulder it was so calmly resting against. Additionally, it¡¯s right eye, was completely covered by a thrice bound chain with intricate locks, clearly indicating that whatever was inside the eye socket, should never see the light of day. As I was in awe of the massive beast before me, I once again, heard the confident feminine voice inside my head.
[How impudent! To call my world a mere boulder! And what is that horrid description for my perfect existence?]
But I didn¡¯t say anything... How did it¡ª
[Know your thoughts?]
Yes, that. How did you know my¡ª
[Oh please... Do I really have to spell every little thing out for you? Even after I gave you such an obvious hint with my presence too... You really are a disappointment...]
Still upset at my inability to correctly identify who I was conversing with, I suddenly became alarmed when the textures around my feet, became slimy and sticky, along with the uncomfortable feeling of something ¡°moving¡± around my ankles. Looking down, I yelped in terror as the water I remembered standing in, was transformed into an endless army of snakes, rapidly slithering around my feet, as their slimy, scaly bodies, effortlessly wrapped around my limbs in a sickening embrace. I could feel their countless tongues, tasting my ankles and toes, as their horrid hissing sounds flooded my mind. I tried to scream at the sensation, to show my disgust and displeasure, but couldn¡¯t. Gradually, the serpents began climbing up my body, until one of them, wrapped itself around my chest, anchoring itself to stare straight into my eyes while manically flicking its tongue. My brain and thoughts, racked themselves in a panic, trying to figure out what in the world I could possibly be speaking with. That¡¯s when I had the sudden realization, as all the disorderly pieces of the puzzle came together. Speaking my thoughts, I confidently identified the powerful existence before me.
¡°You¡¯re... The World Serpent!¡±
A sharp, yet snarky grin grew across the serpent¡¯s face, as the being, along with all the other snakes currently embracing my body, dissipated into a fine, coarsy sand, which was carried away by the gently blowing breeze. Freed from the horrifying experience, I brought my gaze back to the giant boulder the world serpent was using as a perch, as its voice, once again, filled my mind.
[Hahaha! That¡¯s right, little one. You are speaking with the one and only true ruler of Terra, the most powerful existence the universe has ever known. The creator, and the destroyer, the giver of life, and the bringer of death. Destruction, creation, power, intelligence, and desires. All these things exist, because I allow them.
I am the being that brought you to this world, that plucked you from the sky and saved your pitiful self from crashing into the forest¡¯s floor. The being that permits your existence and endless struggles.
Human, you stand before the presence, of a GOD!!! Bow before me, reveling in my might, and generosity for allowing you this divine blessing.
For I am Coileene, The World Serpent!]
...
Coileene... The World Serpent...
¡°Hahaha!!¡±
I could hardly contain myself, choosing to laugh at their ridiculous introduction while clutching my stomach in gleeful agony. The being before me, was apparently an all-powerful god. No, the most powerful god according to them, and they were seriously called Coileene? Like... How a snake would coil around things? To preserve it¡¯s internal temperature, and protect itself from predators?!?! Not only that, but this ¡°god¡± was heavily bound by chains, indicating it clearly wasn¡¯t as ¡°all-powerful¡± as it claimed! Wiping some of the tears from my eyes, I tried to respond with a calmer tone, which probably didn¡¯t mean anything considering they could read my thoughts.
¡°Haha! Coileene... The World Serpent. Why, I must say, it is an absolute pleasure to finally meet you. After all, I was wondering when the voices in my head would finally materialize into something! My status screen and powers, along with the sword and shield... Those are your doing, I presume?¡±
Looking at me, while letting out a haughty ¡°humph¡± sound indicating their disapproval, the snake transformed itself into a beautiful human female, then confidently began walking towards me. While they were still bound by the thick metal shackles, each of the cuffs was now clearly present on her wrists and ankles. As she got closer, I could see her right-eye was completely wrapped in intricate locks, much like how I observed them in her serpent¡¯s form. However, while they very much appeared to be a prisoner, the appearance they chose for their visage, was breathtakingly distracting.
The feminine image they had chosen to take on, was stunning, possessing long, slender limbs, along with a well-endowed bosom, happily swaying back and forth with each step. Wearing an elegant, side slitted dress to show off her thighs, the playful fabric was coloured in the purest of whites and blacks, as Coileene confidently walked towards me in a seductive fashion, making sure to exaggerate the movements of her hips with each step. Her face and skin, were free of all imperfections, adorned with soft and subtle red lips. Long eyelashes completed the attractive canvas, making it nearly impossible to resist her lustful charms, as she shrewdly glanced towards my direction. Covering her hair, was a cobra-like hood, which closely resembled a nun¡¯s headwrap, while still allowing most of her hair to be visible. The beautiful strands she possessed, were long and flowing, reaching to just over shoulder length, with various streaks of whites, blacks, and silvers, all throughout its silky texture. Her eyes were a sharp, crimson red, with thin, slitted pupils, examining my presence in full. As she approached, she playfully flicked her hair, before stopping uncomfortably close to me. Then, choosing to be somewhat flirtatious, she seductively dragged her soft, elegant fingers across my chest, slowly bringing them up to my lips, which she lightly pressed into, before calmly resting her arms around my neck. Finally, she spoke to me in a charming, breathy tone, while lightly examining the cuffs bound to her wrists.
¡°And? You seem to doubt my powers, don¡¯t you? These chains... While I know how to use them in... Exciting ways... Really aren¡¯t meant for me.
Since time is of the essence, I¡¯ll be straight, and to the point.¡±
Gently pulling my head forward, the temptress of a goddess exhaled her warm and soothing breath into my ears, causing the skin along my neck to suffer the pleasant feeling of goosebumps, tingling, and chilling my body. Then, she whispered into my ear the words I had already been anticipating, along with some soft, subtle licks from her snake-like tongue as it flicked around my earlobe.
¡°You died... Ko.¡±
Well, I had honestly been expecting as much. Based on what I remembered, it was highly unlikely I could survive a single attack from the minotaur, and, seeing how I was probably in ¡°limbo¡± between the afterlife, this whole interaction was rather¡ª
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¡°Curious? Naturally, I agree. Why would a god such as myself, take the time to hold your soul in limbo?¡±
¡°Because... I probably possess something you¡ª¡±
¡°Want?¡±
Another grin grew across the demi-human serpent as they released me from their clutches, choosing to give some much-needed distance between ourselves. Next, Coileene wandered behind me, flicking their wrist to materialize a very... Simple, yet extravagantly lavished couch, one often seen in those... ¡°Adult¡± type movies. Then, choosing to sprawl herself across the fancy fabric, she made sure all of her wonderful curves were well received, playfully tying her arms above her head, chaining the cuffs to the seemingly invisible air. Starting to get slightly annoyed at her flirtatious nature, I carried the conversation forward.
¡°And? What exactly is it that a simple human such as myself, could possibly possess to entice a... Clearly modest god such as yourself. Also, if I may, I would greatly appreciate it, if you could stop acting like that while completing my¡ª¡±
¡°Sandwiches?¡±
Coileene laughed lightly, having actually correctly completed the word I was about to say. Then, she carried on with her teasing attitude.
¡°You see, Ko, I¡¯d rather not... It is... After all, rather... Entertaining, seeing you all flustered from my advances... Is my behaviour really that distracting?¡±
¡°With all due respect, I think this behaviour would be distracting to anyone... Also... Why did you chain yourself up???¡±
Pausing slightly while continuing to examine the cuff she had voluntarily bound herself with, it was only then I noticed she had done the same with her legs as well. Then, with a small huff, Coileene freed her slender limbs from their ¡°prison¡± before continuing our conversation.
¡°No, I was just thinking, these cuffs, really aren¡¯t meant for me.¡±
¡°Heh, so much for being to the point.¡±
¡°Oh please, for a god such as myself, even time shudders at my existence. Now then, shall we continue?¡±
Once again, the serpent seductively approached me, wrapping her arms around my neck in another gentle embrace, then, as she was slowly pulling my face closer to her succulent lips for presumably a kiss, aggressively pushed me away, forcing my body to collide with a nearby wall. With my senses jarred and jumbled, I noticed a mysterious weight and pressure, binding my arms and legs to the stony surface, with an uncomfortable cold permeating my back, as I struggled to free myself from the unconsented binding.
¡°Hmmm, as I thought, these look a lot nicer on you, don¡¯t you think?¡± she said while pulling out a mirror from between her breasts, happily showing me my body¡¯s reflection, elegantly bound by intricate chains to a cold, stone wall. While I was confused at this whole interaction, even more so as to how she produced the mirror, I calmly tried to remind myself that I was currently conversing with a god, and ¡°hopefully¡± not trapped within some deranged, perverted hell inside my mind. Finally, the snake grinned after seeing my expression, once again, talking to me in her usual, charming, heavy tone.
¡°You see Ko, you were summoned to Terra under normal circumstances. This... Scenario, has actually occurred many times throughout Terra¡¯s history. However, while I¡¯ve ignored all the other summoning¡¯s which have happened during that time... I sensed a... Dare I say... Strong compatibility with your... Core... I just simply had to intervene when I noticed your presence crossing the spacetime boundaries.
That said, someone, or, something, is using my world as their little sandbox, manipulating, and resetting it as they see fit, playing out the same, boring story, time and time again, with me, buried in this prison. What, or who it is, I don¡¯t know, but this isn¡¯t how the world is meant to be. As it would seem, most of my memories, along with my power, have been sealed away, as you can probably infer from this bold fashion statement I¡¯ve been so graciously modeling.
...
Now.... With that small... Exposition out of the way... I have a proposition for you, Ko. I want you, to help me. Free me from this bore of a prison, so I can extract my revenge on whatever being trapped me down here. Terra, deserves more than this, and it is my duty as it¡¯s creator, to ensure it achieves eudaimonia... The good life, as one might call it, in modern terms.
But for that... I need you, to accept me... I need... Your body...¡±
Pausing to process all of the information the serpent was so happily providing me, apparently, there was some divine being out there, fixated on watching this world experience a repeating series of events to provide itself entertainment. At some point prior to this, Coileene was stripped of her powers, and locked beneath the labyrinth, and now, with my sudden appearance, wishes to confront this being to regain control of her world again, utilizing my body. Seeing as she was now devilishly grinning at me, it seems I had managed to accurately summarize her story thus far. Nonetheless, I still had some unanswered questions from the alluring serpent.
¡°But you said they keep resetting this world, how are you so sure this is the first time we¡¯ve met? That this hasn¡¯t happened before? What¡¯s stopping me from saying no? From my experience, divine beings heavily bound by chains and buried under the ground, are usually a danger to the world, and better left undisturbed. My hidden title, the harbinger of destruction, if I free you, won¡¯t that make its wording, a reality?¡±
Still uncomfortably close to me, Coileene pressed her body into mine, making sure I was well aware of her... Comfortable pillows, before slowly dragging one of her long and slender fingers down my left arm, digging them lightly into my skin with her sharp and excessive nails, forcing my arm to tremble at the playful pain she was inflicting. Finally, once the extravagant digits had finished their unnecessarily long journey down my arm¡¯s sensitive skin, she naughtily cupped my chin with her hand, before answering my questions.
¡°All fair, and valid concerns, Ko. While I find it funny that you use the phrase ¡°from my experience¡±, it is true that some of those stories from your world contained harsh warnings regarding these situations. After all, works of fiction often require the tiniest hints of truth, to achieve literary greatness.
...
Your hidden title, that is the world trying to compensate for your existence. I¡¯ve managed to assimilate you for the time being, unbeknownst to the thing controlling this world, hence the difficulties with appraisal. Speaking of, you still haven¡¯t properly thanked me yet for interfering with your summoning... It really is quite the feat to accurately intercept such a spell you know, not to mention calculating your exact spatial position during a terminal velocity freefall, all while elegantly manipulating winds, when I¡¯m chained and buried beneath thousands of feet of earth... But I digress.¡±
¡°I almost died during that!!!¡± I exclaimed in anger towards her boastful attitude.
¡°But you didn¡¯t... Did you?¡± she said while grinning at me once again, before releasing my face from her delicate hand¡¯s grasp. Then, much to my relief, unlocked the chains happily binding me to the cold, stone wall, before walking towards her ¡°world¡±, which was still calmly watching us from a distance.
¡°While it¡¯s true that I can¡¯t... Guarantee this hasn¡¯t happened before, magic, does have its limits. Divine beings can feel the interference of time, when the carefully woven fabric stretched across the universe, is tampered with. If, after countless millennia, I continued to store my mana, gradually regaining my strength, doing nothing after each and every reset this world has gone though, then, suddenly used it in a desperate attempt to free myself, I must have had a reason, don¡¯t you think?¡±
Finally arriving at her boulder, Coileene gently laid her body into its sturdy exterior, rubbing her hands along the bumpy, yet smooth surface, before pushing herself away to head towards my direction again, continuing to emphasize the movements of her hips with each meticulous step.
¡°Emotions, another theme from your world¡¯s countless ¡°stories¡±. Memories and experiences that bring the greatest sensations, and darkest betrayals, can become etched into your very existence. Magic may have bound me, erasing my memories and existence to the world above, but it couldn¡¯t erase this hatred in my heart, the feeling that I was wronged and betrayed by someone I knew.
Who it was, I don¡¯t know, but somehow... They concealed their identity while casting me into this prison... This... Labyrinth....
But this pain, this... Feeling... It can never be erased, even with the magic of a god, this hatred, will continue to burn inside of me, for all eternity.
---
While I can¡¯t stop you from saying no, ¡°free will¡±, being an important part in drawing out latent power and all, trumps even my capabilities. Without consent, your core would shatter under the sheer potency of my endless mana reserves. That said, it doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t give you any incentive.¡±
At the conclusion of her long-winded explanation, Coileene raised her arms into the air while snapping her fingers. In an instant, hundreds of holographic, status-screen like boxes, surrounded my meager existence, rapidly swarming me from every conceivable direction. Startled, yet, trying my best to focus on the endless army of windows being thrown my way, I was able to see they were playing the events of my arrival in Terra, just like a movie would from my world.
Looking at the screens, I saw my distant memories of landing in the Eldermyst forest, the fight with the bandits, my encounters with Inari and Felice, and subsequent journey to the royal palace. Feelings of happiness and fulfillment, continued to flood my body, as experience after experience, forced my existence to remember itself and what I¡¯d accomplished. Finally, I could see my most recent events, the fight with the minotaur, saving Inari and Raya, and ultimately, my demise. However, much to my surprise, the slideshow didn¡¯t abruptly end at my death.
Oblivious to my shock, the screens gleefully continued playing out the events of the story I had never experienced, the sequences after I had ¡°died¡±. I saw Inari, valiantly holding off the minotaur, as she was rushing towards my aid, panic etched across her entire face. Behind her, almost all of the guards had fallen, with Raya calling out to her in anger. Next, I observed the heroes, knocking on death¡¯s door, as the lumbering beast calmly walked towards the panicked, tear-stained fox in her desperate pursuit towards me.
Frantically arriving at my body, which was buried underneath some rubble from the horrid collision, Inari expertly removed the boulders using her magic while continuing to defend against the minotaur¡¯s stone barrage attacks lobbed her direction. From my external perspective, it was alarming seeing my mangled corpse, battered and bruised beyond all recognition. Vibrant, tacky blood, had completely dyed my armor in its grungy, reddish hue, while my face appeared partially crushed from it¡¯s violent impact with the rocky perimeter. In a vain attempt to revive my body, she had quickly applied one of the bandages I¡¯d given her for emergency situations to my forehead, but nothing happened. Mana, failed to gather, as the mythical healing item appeared oblivious of it¡¯s intended task of applying full body restoration to my deceased person.
Next, she released a powerful earthen pillar spell, quickly followed by a ferocious kitsunebi, surpassing all intensity I had ever witnessed her cast before, towards the minotaur in an effort to buy herself some critical, and precious time. Finishing her cast with a small, powerful barrier, brilliant wavelengths of mana, began coalescing all around her paws, as she started preparing her next spell in an effort to save my already extinguished life. Through a cracking and struggling voice, I could hear her yelling ¡°Heal!¡± through the screens I was observing from, producing a rather staticky tone from her intensity. Tears, dripped in violent agony from her face, falling onto my cheeks, prompting me to touch the same area on my own. For a moment, I swore I could feel their salty embrace as the trembling fox continued to shout out in anguish, having failed to save me.
¡°Inari...¡± The words softly left my lips as I found myself reaching towards and placing my hand across the cruel screen, in a desperate attempt to console her. Finally, after recovering from the brutal spells sent its way by the distraught fox, the minotaur rushed in to deliver its killing blow, a powerful, vertical smash to cleave the vulpine in two. However, just before I witnessed the blade¡¯s horrid impact with my friend and party member, Coileene paused the movie with another snap from her fingers.
¡°What you saw, are the events leading up to your inevitable decision to accept me, and where we currently are in time... Should you do nothing, your precious fox, along with everyone on the expedition, will perish at the hands of the labyrinth¡¯s boss.¡±
An uncomfortable, maniacal grin, grew across Coileene¡¯s face, as she threw her arms into the air, commanding powerful gusts of wind to viciously blow around us in a dramatic and intense fashion. Then, she carried on her one-sided exposition in a powerful voice, shaking my very core from her thunderous ramblings.
¡°I will be your Deus Ex Machina, Ko. The divine intervention needed to solve this chapter¡¯s problems. The unexpected plot device that births a new era, into this endless hell of a poorly constructed novel. All I need, is for you, to accept me!¡±
Finishing her excessive showboating of the pending future should I fail to accept her existence, accompanying brilliant streams of light, shot forth from behind her visage, joining the eccentric gales, as galaxies and stars, materialized from nothing, and began dancing all around us, enveloping us in a mystical, surreal ballet through space and time itself. Then, her boulder, the ¡°world¡±, transformed into the image of a planet, a perfect, spherical orb, covered in beautiful greens, blues, and whites, happily began swirling around in the colourful abyss of space, as the entire cosmos itself, excitedly orbited around us, eagerly awaiting my response. Nearly on the verge of tears myself, I mustered the final thoughts I had, to the cruel serpent and their unreasonable demands.
¡°If you want my body... To use it as a vessel to house your power... Then I have a condition.¡±
Coileene¡¯s face descended further into hysteria, bordering on the cusp of insanity, as her horrifying laughter filled my mind, reveling in the fact that I was brazenly making demands in front of a god. Then, her conflicting voice bellowed in response to my bold and defiant statement.
¡°And? What makes you think I would bother with a request from a mortal such as yourself? That a being such as I, should even entertain the demands you would make before me?¡±
¡°Because, from all the Terras past, from all the resets you¡¯ve endured, you¡¯ve never once acknowledged a summoned individual¡¯s existence. Should I transition to the afterlife, you would be forced to continue waiting untold millennia, in the vain hopes that another, meets your criteria, forced to watch from your pitiful prison, as your precious Terra, suffers at the hands of its wrongful owner.
---
It¡¯s quid pro quo Coileene.
Since you took a gamble on me, it¡¯s only fair I take a gamble, on you.¡±
The winds around us transformed into ravenous blades as I finished my exclamation towards the cackling snake, as gale after gale, collided with my frail skin, eviscerating chunks of flesh with each and every passing greeting. As the serpent goddess continued contemplating my words, the stars and galaxies around us, spiraled into a maddening descent, exploding with incomprehensible fury and vigor, into beautiful rays of light and dust. The extravagant world she had so effortlessly made, rapidly began crumbling around us, while my eye became overwhelmed with the familiar, burning sensation of pain.
Satisfied, and, signaling the climax of our grandstanding confrontation, Coileene confidently offered her hand towards my direction. Then, as if she was seemingly already aware of my unspoken conditions, I caught one, final, confident smirk, grow across the serpent¡¯s face, as everything:
Turned to light.
Chapter 42 – Powers Awakened
It¡¯s alright Inari¡ª Just, keep, focused! Remember, we¡¯re setup for an extended siege battle against a powerful boss, so there¡¯s little room for error in your mana weaving!
While I was originally distraught when our battle first began at having failed to protect some of the elite guards, I was determined to not let any more mistakes happen under my watch! They¡¯re counting on me to be their supporter and overwatch expert, so I have to do my best! With my internal words of encouragement, and my thoughts refocused, I gradually started getting accustomed to the minotaur¡¯s attack patterns. By utilizing boss siege battle plan #3, a technique that Ko and I had discussed from his world, we were finally stating to take control of the situation. My role during all of this, was to ensure our entire backline remained healthy, while Ko and the frontline, slowly depleted the minotaur¡¯s HP. Now that I think about it, this situation created the perfect opportunity to utilize a new magic concept we had developed together, ¡°User Interface¡±!
Using this new spell from a concept Ko had described to me from his ¡°video games¡±, I was able to transform the mana signatures of our entire party and enemies, into status bars that I could easily monitor within my peripheral vision! While the ability was handy in helping me keep track of our allies HP and status, I still needed to remember to focus on the actual battle. Ko had said that focusing too much on these status bars, could potentially lead to a condition called ¡°tunnel vision¡±, which meant I might easily miss something my eyes would have noticed naturally by observing the actual battlefield, and not just the 2D representation. Something like failing to move out of the way of a fireball heading straight towards me, or something like that! Regardless, I was happy the situation was now starting to feel under control.
...
Roughly 15 minutes had passed since we had settled into our siege battle plan. My MP was still doing well, thanks to efficiently weaving the mana particles around and within us, but the other sorcerers and heroes were struggling, based on my quick assessment of their mana reserves. It seems they didn¡¯t have the endurance, or innate understanding to really minimize their energy consumption for long drawn-out battles. But don¡¯t worry, Inari is here! I¡¯ll make sure to show all of them just what I¡¯m capable of!
*Schreen*
Perfect! Haru¡¯s spear finally managed to bring the minotaur¡¯s health below the 50% threshold! So long as things continue like this, I think we¡¯ll be able to win!
Did... Did I just... Raise a red flag? One of those funny things Ko mentioned about saying specific comments at inopportune times??!
*ROAR!!!!!*
Ouch!!! That was really loud Mr. Minotaur!!! My... My ears are ringing now from that horrible shout of yours!
Still recovering from the vicious roar of the minotaur, my ears suddenly twitched, as they identified a new sound that wasn¡¯t from the enraged bovine in front of us. This sound... It seemed more like jagged metal being lifted high above us. Additionally, my enemy detection radar was frantically sounding alarm bells to a whole new swarm of threats entering the battlefield! Based on their mana signature profile, they appeared to be the same species of giant bats from the 10th floor! This... This isn¡¯t good! We¡¯re already struggling with this boss, and now we have to contend with over 100 bats joining as reinforcements?!?!
That¡¯s probably what you wanted me to say!
Calmly readjusting the grip on my staff, and, with a confident smirk across my face, I found myself uttering ¡°challenge accepted!¡± to the unfortunate change in our ¡°controlled¡± siege battle. Swiftly, I gathered a whole slew of mana particles around my paws, making sure to include a wide variety of elements so I could quickly unleash any spell I might need for the upcoming situation! The bats were just about to reach our positions, and I needed to be ready to react to anything at a moment¡¯s notice!
¡°Shit!¡±
I heard Ko call out after being hit by one of the bats. The pesky things had managed to knock him off balance, causing him to fall prone onto the ground. It looks like the minotaur is going crush him with it¡¯s hooves. Hehe, you wish you oversized cow! Take this! Earthen Pillar!
Nailed it!
The sudden column of rocks caught the beast off guard, just long enough for him to roll out of the way. Thankfully he was able to get on his feet after that. Hmmm, it looks like the giant bats are leaving the frontline, and heading towards our direction now. Chances are, they realized we are supporting them, and see us as the bigger threat. This... This is going to get complicated. Quickly, I added all of the incoming bat¡¯s health bars to my peripheral vision so I could keep track of them. While this added a lot of extra status bars to my vision, I needed to make sure I had the most information available to me as possible. Finally, with some of the remaining mana still gathered around me, I quickly reapplied our status buffs which had expired, along with erecting new barriers to protect us from the incoming batty assault.
*SMASH*
*SHREEK!!!*
Geez these things are loud! Not to mention their violent impacts into the barriers are quite damaging as well. I¡¯m going to really need to focus on watching the various barrier¡¯s durability bars. Thankfully, Miles and Kyle are doing a fantastic job at eliminating the bats as they get close, giving me some time to reinforce our defenses.
...
¡°I... I really hate all of these stupid bats!!! Just... Just die already you stupid flying things!!!¡ª Take this! My most powerful fireball spell yet!!! Ultra Mega Flare!¡±
Suddenly, Miles unexpectedly shouted out in anger towards the bats that were continuing to harass us. Next, I felt a sudden surge of mana from within him, well beyond his maximum MP value! Oh no! He... He doesn¡¯t have enough mana reserves to prevent losing consciousness from this! If he casts a spell that powerful, he¡¯s going to end up suffering from mana shock!!! Quick Inari, you have to warn him!
¡°Miles! Stop!!!! Don¡¯t... Don¡¯t gather your mana for that spell! Your reserves are too low to handle the amount of power you¡¯re inscribing into¡ª¡±
¡°I don¡¯t care, you lousy fox! I¡¯m the magic hero, the person who¡¯s suppose to be the strongest when it comes to casting spells. I don¡¯t need you telling me what to do!¡±
Uggghh! Why do you have to be like this Miles?!? Things would have been fine if you just kept focusing on eliminating the bats with your already overpowered firebolt spell! I quickly tried to convert some typeless particles in the area into the fire element to help reduce his excessive spell¡¯s burden, but it wasn¡¯t enough.
*BOOM!*
Intense heat rolled past my whiskers, as Miles unleashed his excessive fireball spell at the giant bats swarming above us. While he had managed to eliminate at least 20 of them with his attack, most of the annoying shriek wings were out of range near the ceiling! That was just a colossal waste of MP, ¡°magic hero¡±!
*Thud*
¡°Damnit¡±. I muttered to myself again. Now that the magic hero was unconscious, we were starting to get overwhelmed by bats, seeking to capitalize on our new vulnerability.
*Smash*
Oh no!!! I... I totally missed keeping track of that barrier¡¯s durability! The guards to my right are completely unprotected from the incoming bats! Quick Inari, you have t¡ª
¡°GAH!!!! MY ARM!!!¡±
¡°Keep holding the line! Don¡¯t let th- AHHH¡±
No!!! I... I wasn¡¯t fast enough!! I... I promised that I would protect you guys... I... I failed again!!! This... This wasn¡¯t supposed to happen! Not after I...
...
Frantically trying to assess the situation around me, my carefully laid out plans and contingencies, were falling apart. The remaining royal guard had fully depleted their mana reserves, leaving me the only one maintaining a barrier spell across the entire backline. With each passing second, the situation was only getting more and more chaotic. Come on Inari, think! Ko, along with the spear and sword hero, are already doing their best keeping the minotaur distracted! There must be something you can¡ª
¡°GA!!!!!! HELP M¡ª¡± *SHREE*
I... I need to call for help! I just need a little bit¡ª Anything to help recover the situation. As the supporter, there¡¯s nothing wrong with admitting you need assistance.
So, gathering what little strength I could for my voice, I managed to call out towards Ko, hopeful, that they could think of something.
¡°Ko! We... We need some help back here! Miles... He¡ª He used up all of his MP and he can¡¯t protect us anymore! We¡¯re being overwhelmed!!! I can¡¯t... I can¡¯t protect everyone with my barrier!!¡±
Thankfully, Ko noticed my calls for help, glancing back towards my direction. It also looked like they managed to find a break in between the minotaur¡¯s attacks to assist us!
*SMASH*
Gah! These stupid bats!!! Quickly, I brought my attention back to maintaining the barriers. Some more of the guards had fallen as I made the call to reduce the protective sphere¡¯s coverage in order to increase it¡¯s potency. Furthermore, my peripheral vision was now completely filled with the oppressive health bars of the giant bats! Smash after smash aggressively rang out as the beasts continued to relentlessly throw their bodies into my barrier spell. Fortunately, just when my barrier was on the verge of collapsing, I felt a powerful surge of mana gathering around Ko. He... He was going to use his flaming spear attack again! But, this time, it felt like he¡¯s making sure to target all of their pesky mana signatures! This is exactly what I needed!!!
*Schroon*BOOM*
Yes!!! I was overcome with relief as I anxiously stared, watching all of the bat¡¯s health bars rapidly deplete before my eyes! One after one, each bar rapidly fell to a satisfying 0, followed by an accompanying absence from their mana signature, signifying they had been eliminated!!! Perfect! Now I can get back t¡ª
Suddenly, my mind was overcome with an intense feeling of fear, as my chest became painfully constricted. Raising my face to look up at Ko while they were still completing their arcing beam attack, my pupils quickly locked onto the source of my sudden anxiety. My mind, in a frantic, yet desperate attempt to process reality, had seemingly brought the flow of time to a crawl. Mere feet away from him, already completing a vicious horizontal slash through his torso, was the minotaur.
How... Why did I fail to notice something so obvious? Wasn¡¯t I the supporter you trusted to always keep you safe? So why did I... How did this...
The... The status bars!! I... I had been so focused on watching the silly bars in my peripheral vision, that I... I had failed to see the boss charge towards him!!! I¡¯m... I¡¯m always prepared. How did... I definitely would have seen it!
Feelings of dread started to fill my mind, as it frantically clawed in a panicked search for some reason, some rational explanation, as to how I had managed to miss something so obvious before me. This... No... It couldn¡¯t be... Was... Was this...
Tunnel... Vision?
The very condition Ko warned me about during our magic lessons? The same one he said could affect even the most experienced ¡°gamers¡± when they got so focused!?! I... I thought I would be different, that I could be different. That I couldn¡¯t... Couldn¡¯t possibly...
Desperately, I forced what mana I could into my paws as I fought against the invisible resistance of a slowed reality, but it wasn¡¯t enough. My barriers... My debuffs, they wouldn¡¯t make it in time. No matter how I looked at it, my magic couldn¡¯t change what had already happened. Fear swelled within me.
I had failed.
...
Time started flowing again, leaving me both speechless, and mortified, as to what my eyes were forced to see. While my multi-condensed barrier had almost managed to make it in time, its attempt at preventing the fatal blow, was futile. Ko¡¯s armor ripped and teared, as his body was catapulted with unimaginable speeds towards the rocky perimeter of the floor. Barrier after barrier, shattered like glass, as each of them attempted to slow and cushion his body to no avail. Tears, formed in the corner of my eyes, as I desperately called out to him, my voice cracking from the intensity my lungs managed to produce.
¡°KO!!!!!¡±
Without thinking, my body had already started to turn, in a vain attempt to chase after him. My feet, moving on their own, as I quickly lost sight of him, along with his mana signature.
However, before I could truly start running towards him, I heard Raya angrily calling to me, in a panicked, and ferocious voice.
¡°CHAMPION!!! Your comrade, they¡¯re already dead!! No human could possibly survive an attack from this thing, but you must stay focused! Your duty is to hold the line as we protect the heroes!!! YOU CAN¡¯T ABANDON YOUR ROLE!!!!¡±
I hesitated after hearing the commander¡¯s words. As much as I hated to admit it, Raya was right. My role... We... We were selected to protect the heroes in the labyrinth, and abandoning our formation, would almost certainly lead to their, along with our remaining forces, deaths. I was truly torn, my mind a chaotic symphony, unable to think clearly, as emotion and logic, battled against one another in ruthless agony for dominance of my conscious.
No.
The heroes¡ª
Why did I have to protect them? All of the individuals the kingdom had praised as the summoned heroes, the nation¡¯s treasure, were all horrid, and uninspiring beings. The spear hero was rude, and obsessed with power, a pure narcissist. The magic hero was much the same, an arrogant snob, that only thought about his own wants and desires. The bow and sword hero, none of them seemed important, or heroic, just ¡°existing¡± alongside the other summoned individuals. Ko... He¡¯s... He¡¯s more of a hero than any of them!! And, after your kingdom threw him away for their errors, refusing to even acknowledge his existence, I¡¯m expected to continue supporting them, over the one person who¡¯s recognized me for who I am? Who sees me not just as some stupid beast, but as another, living person?
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...
Resolved, and, with my heart tightly pounding against my chest, I glanced back towards Raya, before defiantly responding to her orders to continue holding our faltering formation.
¡°You¡¯re right Raya, my duty is to protect the heroes. I¡¯m not abandoning my role by leaving you!!¡±
Fully turning my body to chase after my friend, I felt my ears completely pinned back, as they were assaulted by the harsh words Raya began shouting towards me for fleeing the formation and abandoning the heroes. Ducking my head, the salty water was blurring my vision, as I hurriedly sprinted across the rocky terrain, as fast as my paws could carry me. My chest was filled with a tightness I never knew possible, in painful opposition to my calculating mind, which was screaming to me the truth I didn¡¯t want to acknowledge. I continued running, ignoring the pleas from my lungs, as breath after breath frantically left my mouth, with tears, violently rolling down my face and into my fur.
My mind, the tool I had trained with Felice for all my logical decisions in magic. The tool that paved each and every choice I would make on the battlefield. The endless, infinite possibilities I could see with the mana present, along with how each and every spell would shape my current situation. I already knew the answer based on the mana signature. The frightening absence I was already painfully aware of.
But please, just this once, I wanted the pain in my chest to be right.
For the pain in my heart, to triumph over the indisputable logic I would base each and every decision on. That shaped how I saw the world, and drove my countless decisions. Please, just let them be wrong!!!
Once again, my ears twitched at having identified the sound of the minotaur¡¯s stone barrage attack flying towards me. Unconcerned, and, with my mind focused on reaching Ko, I effortlessly dodged the haphazard rocks flung my direction with a simple jump to the left, while twisting my body. Next, I covered myself in my usual shimmering vale of light to conceal my presence, while leaving behind several images to distract the beast. I didn¡¯t need to look back, because I already knew they would work.
Finally, after my agonizing sprint across the battlefield, I reached the estimated impact zone. I couldn¡¯t visually see his body, but knew from the degrading mana signature that it was currently buried underneath the rubble nearby. There were no signs from him attempting to free himself, which only validated my fears. Violently inscribing my will into the mana particles around me, I quickly removed the cruel rubble to reveal his mangled body. Then, I frantically began my medical assessment.
Blood loss, approximately 3 litres, expected hypovolemic shock.
Severance at the 11 thoracic vertebrae, paralysis guaranteed due to depth observed.
Zygomatic and maxilla bones completely crushed; clear obstruction of nasial passage ways.
Mana signature...¡ª Mana signature non-existence. Patient¡¯s clinically dead.
...
Everything was as my mind had already told me. Ko, was dead, and there was nothing I could do. As much as I wanted the answer to be different, I couldn¡¯t change the facts before me. My breathing became laboured as I struggled to accept the scene I had already anticipated, but desperately wanted to be an illusion. Frantically remembering some of our earlier conversations and contingency plans, I wiped the tears staining my vision, while removing one of the mythical healing items he had given me from my spatial storage. The bandages.
My paws were trembling, and my heart was throbbing, as I struggled to tear the delicate, protective covering of the brown bandage. If anything could defy this situation, then it had to be the otherworldly magic contained within these strange things! Finally freeing the mythical healing item, I quickly applied it to his crushed face, roughly where the forehead should be located. While I didn¡¯t know why he always applied them there, it had to be for a reason... Right?
Agonizingly waiting in anticipation for the mana particles to gather, I noticed the minotaur¡¯s presence was starting to get closer, my images having already been eliminated by it¡¯s attacks. My ears, once again picked up the familiar sound of it¡¯s rock barrage being lobbed towards my direction. Unconcerned with their futile attempts to harm me, I activated a powerful barrier spell encasing the makeshift ¡°clinic¡±, followed by sounds of the rocky shrapnel deflecting off the translucent surface. As the cruel seconds continued to pass, I failed to detect the usual surge of mana gathering for the full body restoration spell. Why.... Why wasn¡¯t it working?!?!? These... These bandages always worked!! So why... Why won¡¯t you heal him!?!?! Why!??!?
Angry at myself, I felt my nails dig deep into my palms, lightly drawing some of my blood as tears, once again, swelled within my eyes. The salty, stinging sensation aggravating them, as emotions poured out from me, causing me to turn towards the minotaur. This creature, with it¡¯s smug, arrogant smile, reveled in the fact I was suffering, feeding off my emotions as it continued calmly marching towards me.
This was the being, that robbed me of the feelings I had finally found for a normal life. The being that took away my only friend, the person I could actually be myself around, and not just some ¡°illusion¡± of Inari. The only human, who accepted me for who I was, that could understand my desires to learn, and challenge me to always improve! Feelings of happiness, joy, and excitement, that I never got to experience due to my ¡°curse¡±. The ¡°blessing¡± from Vixen, forcing me to constantly seek out knowledge, to always be driven to learn, the blessing that made me a freak, an outcast, and someone despised by my village.
Anxiety turned to anger, as my mana raged within me. I was unconsciously gathering a multitude of mana particles around me, oblivious to any efficiency I was so accustomed to using. This creature... No. This monster, had no right to relish in my suffering!
Releasing the mana I had gathered, I forcefully shot staggering spikes from the ground below, a modified form of earthen pillar, followed up by my most powerful kitsunebi, fuelled purely by my feelings of rage and mana. The minotaur recoiled, clutching it¡¯s face in agony, as some of the skin turned to boiling liquid under the ethereal flame¡¯s might, charring, and exposing it¡¯s facial bones in the process. Noticing it had been staggered, I promptly turned my attention back to Ko, after creating another powerful barrier. I still had plenty of MP left, and I was going to use all of it in bringing him back, efficiency be damned!
Once again, I began gathering all of the mana particles around me, my head suffering a splitting headache from trying to amass them all in the process. I knew it was pointless, that no amount of healing magic could already change reality, but I had to try! Then, placing my paws across his chest, I shouted with all my might, hopefully that it would make some kind of difference in this situation.
¡°Heal!¡±
Light particles, burst forth at my cries for help, for making the impossible, possible, but nothing happened.
¡°HEAL!¡±
Nothing. No response, or indication the particles were interacting with his body.
¡°HIGH HEAL! GREATER HEAL!!! RESTORATION! ANYTHING!!¡ª
Please... Just... Just... Say something!! Why???! Why won¡¯t... You can¡¯t be... Not when I haven¡¯t... Told you how...¡±
Tears poured from my eyes with a fury I never knew possible, as I continued to call out spells and words, berating myself for having failed as a supporter. I could hardly see, as the warm, salty water, dripped from my face onto Ko¡¯s body. I really thought I had gotten stronger, that I wouldn¡¯t let something like this happen again.
My mind, felt like it had finally shattered in this moment, like the fragile glass it already was, barely holding my sanity together from these tormenting, grueling, series of events. It knew that recovery magic wouldn¡¯t work, and that trying was pointless, that none of my battle plans or ideas, were working. Everything I had done up until this moment, felt pointless. No, it was pointless. Once again, my mind was flooded with images from my life at the village, from my peers berating me, telling me I would never be happy, that I should just accept my fate as the ¡°speaker¡±. Their taunting laughs, filled my head with their horrid chorus, as I continued crying tears of agony at this nightmare. My chest felt tight, painfully bound in its prison, leaving me gasping, and unable to breath.
Why was I meant to suffer? Why couldn¡¯t I help the people I truly cared about!?! Why would Vixen, the goddess of knowledge and curiosity, allow such horrid, and cruel acts, to always happen to me!?!? I just... I just wanted to live a normal life!!! So why?!?!?
Vixen!!! If you gave me this title, bestowed it upon me from birth, etched it into my very existence, forcing me to seek out knowledge each and everyday, then why won¡¯t you help me??!?! Why won¡¯t you help your speaker?!?!? Why would you allow me to suffer, to lose the person I care about, that can help me meet your own selfish desires! If you¡¯ve chosen me as your speaker, then I command you to speak to me! Tell my why I¡¯m forced to continue suffering!!!
As I continued crying, my eyes, almost unable to find the energy to produce anymore suffering, I felt a warm, gentle hand and light, touch my shoulders and heart. There was no one around me, but my body definitely felt its embrace. Gathering what little strength I could, I wiped my eyes as my vision began to wane from using too much of my mana reserves. Focusing where I could, I looked at Ko, now shimmering from the puddle of tears I had inadvertently poured onto his face. Were you... Even in a moment like this... Trying to comfort me?
...
Ruining the miserable, and comforting moment, my enemy detection radar, once again, sounded its usual alarm bells. The minotaur, clearly it had recovered from my pitiful spells, and was now charging towards me, ready to end our ¡°battle¡±. Distraught, yet calm, I closed my eyes, ready to accept my fate.
If... If I¡¯m to die here, then I hope our souls, our spirits, that they may find each other, in the next life.
*Cadoon*Cheen!*Boom*
Finally, my sensitive ears were once again, filled with a thunderous sound, as the minotaur¡¯s axe undoubtably parted through my skull with ease, ending my suffering.
I¡¯m sorry Ko, sorry that I couldn¡¯t do more for you, that I couldn¡¯t be a useful party member, that we couldn¡¯t go on more adventures together, and that I couldn¡¯t tell you... How you made me feel...
I guess in the end, I really was just a stupid, useless fox...
Strangely, my mind, felt calm. A surge of warmth, rushing all around me, as mana particles disbursed in an absolute frenzy. I knew this was something that could happen when immense mana particles were gathered around a caster, and they were killed before their spell could activate, but I was clearly dead. Why... Or how was I feeling this? Everything stopped when you died, didn¡¯t it?
I could still hear sounds, and feel the tears stained across my face, along with the endless array of mana particles all around me. No... It couldn¡¯t be¡ª
Opening my eyes, I was left absolutely speechless, as a familiar, yet peculiar mana signature, once again alerted myself to its presence. Straining my body, I managed to find the strength to turn around, as my mind and heart, were overcome with a surge of joy and relief, at what my emerald eyes were currently witnessing. Standing behind me, protecting me from the minotaur¡¯s axe, was Ko. Somehow, they were alive, and currently fighting against the monster¡¯s brutal strength, just barely holding the tormenting metal at bay, locked in a deadly battle, with his shield.
Ko... He... He¡¯s alive!!!
I... I could hardly believe my eyes as they continued to shed tears, except this time, ones of happiness, in complete opposition to the painful water from earlier. The horrid slash though his lower back, was fully healed, only made visible by the obvious gash through his armor. Then, with a strength and swiftness I didn¡¯t know he was capable of, shot a powerful gust of wind from his right hand, sending the minotaur flying 50ft back. I was awestruck, yet confused, as I finally heard his voice, fill my ears, as he offered an outstretched hand towards me.
¡°I¡¯m sorry I kept you waiting, Inari.¡±
...
Seriously?!?! I... You were dead!?!? How the... Why is this... And a cheesy one liner?!?!
---
But, as I continued looking up at him, I smiled, realizing, I wouldn¡¯t have it any other way.
Finally, remembering that we were still locked in an impossible struggle to survive, I refocused my thoughts, as I happily took his hand, rising to my feet. Mustering a smile, it was time to initiate Inari battle plan #327 ¨C Giant Bovine¡¯s Annihilation! However, that¡¯s when my brain realized that something was very abnormal about this whole situation, as it once again, started working at a rapid pace.
As I looked at Ko, I noticed that his right eye, had completely changed into a thin-slitted, crimson red colour, far from the usual brown they typically were. There was also an incredible amount of mana gathered around it, producing a dreadful, oppressive glow. Then, I finally noticed his mana signature, the alarming abnormality it was producing, defying all known laws of magic and identification. Ko¡¯s mana signature... It... It seemed like it was split? Divided? No, being shared with something else, oscillating rapidly back and forth between his own, and some other mysterious presence, spinning around in an endless vortex of unknown identity. Next, I noticed the shield and sword he had always used. The... The designed had completely changed! The shield was no longer a set of twin serpents entangled with one another, but instead, replaced by a single, giant snake, tightly coiled onto itself, with 3 circular disks along the edge. The serpent was coloured in brilliant white and black scales, with raised ridges over it¡¯s piercing red eyes. A dreadful, chilling sensation, filled my body as I glanced into it''s pupils. Finally, the sword was now a more traditional shape, instead of the weird fang-like curve from earlier. Its hilt was adorned with blacks and white scales, twisting and swirling around the intricate handle, with the blade tapering off into a fine point towards the end, a proper, pure silvery colour.
While I was still taking in Ko¡¯s sudden change in appearance and mana signature, he flicked the shield on his arm, causing the disks to dislodge, and begin spinning around in the air above us. Then, he dashed towards the bewildered minotaur with blinding speed, cleanly slashing through it¡¯s axe in the process. Finally, Ko shouted an order towards me in a voice that didn¡¯t seem natural, or his own.
¡°Inari! Target one of the disks with your kitsunebi spell, the same one you used earlier to incinerate it¡¯s face! Quickly!¡±
Target one of the disks with my magic? Wait a minute¡ª The kitsunebi I used when I was trying to revive him?!?! How did he know I...
Confused, and, looking up at the disks, I could see they were rapidly swirling around the battlefield, orbiting close to where Ko was, but keeping a clearly defined distance away, almost as if they were sentient, or some ancient artifact with a singular purpose. I hesitated slightly, but eventually started gathering mana all around me for another powerful kitsunebi. One filled with hope, and my pure desires to survive our deadly encounter!
While I was weaving the particles in the ethereal plane, I was enthralled at Ko¡¯s manoeuvrability and assault. The minotaur was taken completely off guard, forced on the defensive, struggling to hold it¡¯s composure from the repeated slashes and stabs launched it¡¯s direction. Additionally, the flying disks appeared to be shooting powerful fire-beam attacks alongside his assault as well, interfering with any attempt the beast was making to challenge the relentless momentum. However, I couldn¡¯t let him have all the fun now, could I?
Satisfied, and, with the will of my spell materialized, I shot fourth the ferocious kitsunebi, filled with brilliant flames of the purest purples, blues, and whites. The ghostly flames flickered and danced through the air, rapidly spiraling around as they were hurled towards one of the floating disks to my left. Then, almost as if the strange artifact was aware of my spell, it enlarged itself to reveal an empty void in reality. Next, the disk appeared to... Absorb my spell?!? Somehow, all traces of my kitsunebi had completely vanished, leaving the disk a floating conduit in the air! Mana, rapidly began gathering around the disk, as a blinding, white light, gathered within the centre, followed by the disk¡¯s circumference rotational speed rapidly increasing. The amount of power this thing was producing, was incredible!!! Curiously trying to analyze what was happening, it appeared the disk was absorbing my spell, and amplifying it by a magnitude of 10! No, 100 times! This... This was unbelievable!!!
Then, noticing that one of the disks appeared to be ¡°charged¡± Ko swiftly disengaged from the minotaur, while raising his right hand high into the air, tightly clasping his fists. Suddenly, I felt a surge of mana gather around the distraught bovine, as powerful, oppressive black chains, burst forth from the ground, wrapping themselves around it¡¯s limbs, constraining it¡¯s movements, and painfully pinning it to the ground. The beast, was shocked and confused, with panic clearly etched across it¡¯s ugly mug, as it desperately struggled against the chains in a vain attempt to free itself. That¡¯s when I noticed the charged disk, unleash all of the mana and energy it had gathered, in a brilliant flash of blinding light.
The light, happy to have left the disk that was so calmly keeping it restrained, was launched not at the minotaur, but at one of the other floating disks instead! Heat, mana, and energy, rolled past my face, as my eyes flinched from the blinding light that assaulted them. The 2nd disk, having received its payload, began absorbing the spell while rapidly spinning around in the air, just like the first disk had. And, just like with the first instance, also started magnifying the spell¡¯s potency! This was... This was a chain reaction, turning a simple combat spell, into a cataclysmic event!!!! Finally, finishing the process with one more shot and absorb combo, the last mysterious disk, calmly floated itself to be directly above the still bound and struggling minotaur. Then, signaling the end of the spell¡¯s excessive potency, Ko sliced his right hand through the air, forcing the disk to release all of the pent-up energy in a single, dominating blast!
I, was left speechless, as a gargantuan pillar of pure and potent mana, unleashed itself in a breathtakingly white column of light, completely obliterating the minotaur¡¯s body! Horrifying shrieks and a thunderous death bellow from the minotaur could be heard, but were quickly drowned out by the sound of the ground shaking beneath us. This spell, it appeared as if the heavens themselves had personally rained judgment down on the unnatural monster!
As the effects of the spell began to fade, I saw that absolutely nothing remained of the minotaur, not even the faintest trace of it¡¯s mana signature, which had been completely erased from reality itself. The only remaining evidence, was the unharmed metallic chains, and an ominous crater now present along the labyrinth¡¯s floor, oblivious to the humbling pillar of judgment from earlier. Then, utilizing some of the bountiful particles still present after the pillar of light, Ko calmly collected them to cast a full body restoration across the entire floor, healing mine, along with Raya and the heroes¡¯ wounds.
Still awestruck at the whole scenario, and, releasing a breath I didn¡¯t even know I was holding, I was filled with the sudden realization that somehow, after one of the most traumatizing and exhilarating moments in my life, we had just managed to survive, our impossible encounter.
Chapter 43 – A Cliché Development
[Hahaha! Now wasn¡¯t that fun! Finally, the feeling of getting to use some of my powers again. It feels good to be free from that bore of a prison! Oh, and it looks like your meager existence managed to level up as well! Come now Ko, you are more than encouraged to praise me. Aren¡¯t you pleased with my power? Why, this is still only just a fra¡ª]
As much as I wanted to respond to Coileene who was happily rambling away in my mind about how amazing and awesome they were, I was still struggling to regain control of my body. Everything, was a mess. My vision was jumbled, my limbs felt foreign, and the nausea... This really wasn¡¯t what I¡ª
Before I could even finish my thoughts about how jarring being back within my own body was, I had somehow managed to empty the contents of my stomach onto the labyrinth¡¯s floor. Very similar to my initial world assimilation when I first arrived on Terra. However, I did take note of the vomit my body was so happily expelling, along with the uncomfortable sensation it was bringing, showcasing the stark differences between the two scenarios. The acidic mixture, was a horrible, grotesque blend of blue and black liquids that burned my throat, while causing an equally searing, carbonated sensation throughout my nostrils. Something I would rather not experience again, nor wish upon my enemies. But, I guess considering the alternatives, it was better this, than dead.
[Oh please, you¡¯ll adjust to it eventually. It seems your core is still attempting to compensate for absorbing most of my magical energy. You are simply expelling excess mana, nothing more, nothing less.]
Oh how wonderful for you to provide that riveting bit of exposition as to my current ailment Coileene... I take it you are now the substitute for my internal, helpful assistant and monologue?
[Pfft, always was Ko. Except now, with more of my energy within your core, you get the true Coileene experience! Aren¡¯t you grateful for this divine blessing? Having Terra¡¯s most powerful god and deity, always by your side, willingly answering any questions your simple mind may inquire about? Come now, ask away!]
Tch, you know damn well that this isn¡¯t what we agreed on Coileene!!! And my name is Kotato, I won¡¯t permit you to act so familiar with me. This is merely a mutually, beneficial transaction, nothing more.
[Ohhhhh nooooo... I can¡¯t use your precious shortened name... What ever shall I do... Ko¡ª]
...
*Cough*
Trying to refocus my thoughts, I was still left speechless as to the seemingly massive power boost I received. These metallic disks, while I had never seen or used them before, my body clearly knew how to utilize them, no doubt due to Coileene¡¯s merger with me. Magnifying spells, along with a drone-like support feature? That said, it¡¯s quite a shame the instruction manual was rather obtuse... Otherwise this would be wonderful...
[Really now... I¡¯m obtuse...]
...
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, my body started to feel like my own again. Sights, sounds, and sensations, all greeted me with their simple purpose of shaping how my mind interpreted reality. Before me, was the crater created from that pillar of light attack, along with the metallic chains calmly resting at the centre, oblivious as to the drastic landscaping they had just survived.
[Now now, there will be plenty of time to admire the scenery Ko. However, I am still waiting on my thanks for saving the day!]
Thanks?!?!! I¡¯m to thank you, after you blatantly ignored the only condition I had, over granting you access to my body?!?
[Yes, yes you should.]
You ungrateful, narcissistic serpent! Seriously?!?! Thank you for ignoring our deal?!?! Maybe whoever locked you down there was right, and I should have left you alone...
...
[Look, as much as you hate me for taking control of your body again, you are oblivious to the dangers I¡¯ve also exposed myself to by agreeing to your ¡°pathetic¡± condition. Believe me, you will still retain capabilities and control over your actions as you wished. However, I am allowed to assume control over your meat prison if your immediate existence is at risk of death... Such as almost being cleaved into halves by an oversized cow! Surely you should understand this much, no?]
...
While I was still displeased with Coileene¡¯s arrogant attitude, I was suddenly caught off guard, as I felt my body become painfully constricted by a ball of... Fluff? Struggling to turn around, I managed to identify the culprit as a very puffy eyed, and tear-stained fox, who was now quietly sniffling into my chest. Relieved, and, happily embracing her as well, I heard her trembling, muffled voice, coming through my now soggy clothing.
¡°Ko!!! I... *sniff* I... *sniff* I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re alright! I... Don¡¯t know how you did it, but... Please don¡¯t ever do that again to me...!¡±
Seemingly at a loss for words myself, I just continued holding and squeezing Inari back. I mean, this whole scenario was clearly traumatizing, and I obviously had a lot of explaining to do. So, doing my best, I responded to Inari¡¯s words.
¡°Inari... I said I was sorry... Didn¡¯t I? I promise to explain everything I can, in as much detail as I can, once we get out of here. And, while I¡¯m happy you were worried about me... I feel really, really gross right now... You probably shouldn¡¯t be hugging m¡ª"
¡°I don¡¯t care!
...
I¡¯m not letting you go... Not until I¡¯m satisfied...
...
Your eye... And your mana signature... What¡ *sniff* Happened to you?¡±
...
¡°Let¡¯s just say... I¡¯ve managed to solve the mystery surrounding the world serpent...¡±
Curious at my explanation, I finally caught Inari looking up into my eyes. They were still filled with a glossy sheen from her torrential waterworks, but she seemed to be calming down now. That¡¯s when I noticed that my right eye was still burning slightly. It was a faint, pulsing pain that I had become somewhat use to, but clearly a large amount of mana was still gathered around it.
[What? Do you not like your new fashion statement? I¡¯ve graciously remodeled your eye to better suit my unique needs! It should look very similar to my own now, if you remember from our... Conversation together. <3]
Did... Did you just... Say a heart symbol in my head?!?! How the heck does that even work!! And while I appreciate you making yourself... ¡°At home¡± ... Don¡¯t just suddenly change my appearance without permission!
[Humph! You¡¯re no fun Ko... Fine...¡ª I¡¯ll change it back to its usual, boring self... But, when channeling a large amount of power, it will once again, revert to my own!]
At Coileene¡¯s words for restoring my eyeball back to its original design, I finally felt the pulsing pain subside, which prompted me to rub my irritated eye in turn. Shortly after, Raya approached us, speaking in a struggled, and exhausted tone.
¡°Champion... You survived! And... You saved us from this beast! How did you... What was that magic?¡±
If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
¡°I can¡¯t really explain it too well Raya. Just know it¡¯s from the shield artifact you¡¯ve seen me using. While the circumstances surrounding it are... Complicated. I managed to draw out some of its power in our time of need. I¡¯m... I¡¯m just sorry I couldn¡¯t save the rest of your squad in time.¡±
All of us, gradually started to realize the situation we had now found ourselves in. Scattered all around, was an assortment of charred bat viscera, along with the various bits and pieces of flesh from the humans I had once spoken with, mangled and obliterated beyond all recognition. Heads, arms, and legs, laid strewn around us in hideous, and unnatural shapes from our encounter. The atmosphere was akin to a grotesque box of confetti¡¯s cruel prank, reveling in the gut retching response it provoked from onlookers. My stomach, once again, felt nauseous taking in the scene before me. Even after being through plenty of battles since my short time here on Terra, I still wasn¡¯t adjusted to seeing humanoids so viciously slaughtered. It really made me wonder how those other protagonists in isekai shows seemingly adapted to these situations without issue. Looking towards the heroes, they too were just as speechless, with all of them resting on the dirty floor, rationalizing they had somehow survived the encounter as well. Then, my head was filled with a thunderous, yet familiar chime from a popular fantasy RPG¡¯s victory music.
[Duh duh duh duh! Dooo duh- dun, doo-duh!]
[Congratulations, Challengers! You Have Successfully Cleared The 15th Boss Floor Of The Solara Labyrinth! Generating Rewards Suitable For The Party ¨C Calculating.]
[Success! Rewards Materialising Within The Central Chamber ¨C Notice ¨C Initiating Chamber Alteration Sequence ¨C Shortcut ¨C Caution! Please Watch Your Footing As The Floor Transforms Into A Designated Checkpoint.]
Umm, Coileene... How come I¡¯m hearing that monotone voice again? I thought you said tha¡ª
[I don¡¯t know, Ko. This is the first time I¡¯m hearing this voice as well.]
Well, that¡¯s obviously not the answer I was looking forward to hearing, and, looking at everyone else around me, they too also heard that same voice as well. This whole labyrinth really was just a complete nightmare of mysteries.
While I was still trying to collect my thoughts, mulling over different possibilities for the origin of this mysterious additional assistant¡¯s voice, a small, marble-like pedestal rose out from the crater the minotaur was defeated in. Then, in a brilliant flash of blue and white light, a typical wooden treasure chest appeared out of thin air, calmly resting itself atop the stony, smooth surface. Without hesitation, I saw Haru rapidly spring to his feet, making a mad dash towards the new found loot. Upon reaching the trembling wooden container, he happily flung the heavy top open to reveal our battle spoils; a pair of metallic boots.
Realizing I was still holding Inari, I finally managed to end our embrace, sheepishly looking away, then started walking towards the other heroes, who had already joined Haru by the treasure chest. After casting appraisal, I was able to see the footwear was incredibly useful, truly fitting as a reward from our life-or-death struggle.
---
Item Name: Boots of Indominable Tenacity
Quality: Epic
Requirements: Dexterity & Strength >= 15
Stats: Attack +10, Defence +10
Magic Conductivity: Strong
Enhancements: Greater Status Boost -> All weapon and magic attacks deal +5% increased damage, with an additional 2% damage ignoring the target¡¯s defensive parameters.
Bonus Effect 1: Enhanced Maneuverability -> Individual equipped with the Boots of Indominable Tenacity may channel magical power into them which will allow the user to walk on air for 5 seconds. Cooldown time of 80 seconds.
Bonus Effect 2: I Won¡¯t Give Up! -> Individual will receive mental fortitude to endure tremendous pain for 30 seconds once their health drops below the 10% threshold. While under the effects of ¡°I Won¡¯t Give Up!¡±, the combatant will deal +50% extra damage. Useable once weekly.
Summary: A legendary pair of boots generated by the Solara Labyrinth as a reward for defeating the 15th floor boss. They are made from a mysterious alloy, yet crafted with utmost perfection and quality.
---
Those boots, were incredible! The raw status boost alone they provided already made them exceptional, and the additional bonus effects? A passive damage increase, along with enhanced mobility??!? My mind was absolutely captivated about the possibilities these boots could be used for! However, my enthusiasm was cut short, after hearing Haru¡¯s arrogant exclamation upon revealing the treasure.
¡°Perfect! These boots were clearly made for me, the spear hero! I¡¯ll be taking them as my reward for heroically slaying the minotaur! I contributed the most during the encounter, so it¡¯s only natural the strongest receives the spoils!!!¡±
¡
You know what¡ I don¡¯t care at this point. After coming back from literal death, I really don¡¯t have the energy to argue with his dumbass about taking the loot. Once we get out of here, I think I¡¯ll decline any further expeditions into the labyrinth for a while. Shrugging my shoulders while looking back at Inari, she too simply sighed after witnessing the spear hero¡¯s claims for being the pivotal center piece of the minotaur¡¯s demise. Then, almost as if the labyrinth floor itself wished to abruptly end our celebration for survival, the room began to shake violently at our feet, knocking all of us onto the hard ground in surprise.
I struggled, trying to regain my footing, but was powerless against the sheer force jolting my entire body. As the room continued to violently shake, modest boulders and stones rained down around us from the ceiling above. Off to the side, near where the minotaur first landed, large and imposing stone columns, burst forth from the ground, as the rocky terrain parted ways to reveal an intricate, stone alter, whose ascension was graciously accompanied by the happily rotating floor. Staring in awe, all of us remained mesmerized as the ancient alter sprung to life, levitating a pair of spherical disks, several feet above it¡¯s offering table. Then, in a burst of fury, light illuminated the cavern, blinding my eyes with its painful sting, as the spherical disks became filled with a reddish, pinkish light, humming in satisfaction for having completed its grand entrance. Finally, having finished it¡¯s debut, the floor ceased it¡¯s traumatic trembling¡¯s, as the mysterious voice, once again, filled my head with it¡¯s monotonic explanations.
[Transformation, Complete ¨C Initiation Teleportation Sequence ¨C Establishing Connection With Designated Surface Conduit ¨C Success ¨C Spatial Link Stable With Target Locked ¨C Activating.]
Still shocked from the unexpected appearance of the stone alter, Inari, Raya, the heroes, and myself, were all suddenly whisked high into the air amongst a violent vortex of ravenous winds. Our unconsented displacement quickly brought us to a bewildered swirl around the humming disks, as power swelled within, cultivating in another blinding show of light.
In an instant, and, still recovering from the whole ordeal, I let out an exasperated gasp for air to bring my lungs some relief. However, while I had grown accustom to the damp, musky air within the labyrinth¡¯s confines, I was taken off guard by the fresh and cool crispness my lungs received instead. Next, my body was violently flung, landing onto a hard, stone floor, as my ears were graced with the sounds of civilians and children, screaming in horror.
¡°CLEAR THE SQUARE!!! CLEAR THE SQUARE!!!¡±
¡°WAHH!!!! MOMMY! I¡¯m scared!!!¡°
¡°THEIR DEAD!!! BY THE GODS, SOMEBODY CALL THE GUARDS!!! QUICKLY!!! ANYONE!!!!¡±
Opening my eyes, and, ignoring the advice from optometrists everywhere, I caught myself staring into the luminous rays from Terra¡¯s twin suns, blinding, and stinging my retinas, gleefully producing a colourful kaleidoscope of shapes across my vision. Recovering from the self-induced lightshow, I violently coughed, gasping again for breath, as my brain slowly began to process what had just happened. All around me, laid the strewn body parts of the royal guard members, playfully creating a grotesque menagerie inside the once pristine square of Solara¡¯s marble fountain. Limbs and heads, took up new residence in the calm and serene waters of the flowing water basin, gradually dying the crystal waters, into a repugnant, brown haze, while others choose to bask in the summer¡¯s sun, with faces of anguish for all to see. My ears were overcome with the chorus of screams and panic amongst the crowd, who had been basking in the tranquil environment just moments before. Children shed tears of confusion and pain, as parents violently ripped them away from the horrific scene.
To my right, Inari and the heroes, were struggling to catch their breath, while Raya had already regained her footing, doing her best to shout orders to the nearby guards at the royal gates, panic clearly straining her coarse voice.
¡°SOLDIERS! Clear the area! The square is *cough* on lockdown until further notice!!! Assist the citizens and gather the royal healers!! NOW!!!¡±
A few of the guards fortunately grasped the severity of the situation, quickly abandoning their post to inform the royal palace of the drastic emergency occurring just outside the entranceway, while others rushed towards the fountain, doing their best to block off corridors by raising improvised earthen pillars with their magic. Looking atop the fountain, calmly oscillating above the towering statue of King Solar, was a familiar pair of rotating disks, blissfully humming away at the chaos strewn below. Taking an educated guess, I imagined this was the ¡°designated surface conduit¡±, providing a link between the labyrinth¡¯s floor, and Solara¡¯s surface.
[Oh ho! Now things are getting interesting Ko¡ It looks like this story is finally turning a new chapter. Something tragic, yet, fortunate, has happened at the royal palace. I advise you to remain vigilant.]
Confused at Coileene¡¯s unexpected exposition, a guardsman from the royal palace ran up to us shortly afterwards, gasping for breath, as he crouched over slightly to bring relief to his exhausted lungs. Then, he spoke to Raya, while desperately trying to maintain his composure, which was in stark opposition to the pained expression he wore across his face.
¡°Commander Raya. The¡ The palace!!!¡ª King Solar, he¡¯s dead!!!¡±
Chapter 44 – Daemonium’s Ascension
In a shocking turn of events, and, not entirely too far removed from the realm of possibilities amongst isekai stories, was the unexpected murder of the current reigning royalty. While these scenarios would often be tragic, they ultimately setup the protagonists for their adventure in a brand-new world. As it would seem, this clich¨¦ development appeared to be following me along my journey as well.
[Hahaha! You always entertain me with your monologuing Ko. What¡¯s next, are you going to tell me demons are usually involved as well?]
No¡ I wasn¡¯t going to go that far... It may by a trope for demons to cause problems in isekai stories, but the guard never said the king was murdered, only that he had died¡
Do¡ Do you know something about this? I wouldn¡¯t exactly appreciate you withholding critical information surrounding the death of a nation¡¯s leader, even if I didn¡¯t like the man.
[You really are na?ve Ko. I¡¯ve already given you more than enough information. After all, where is the fun in spoiling everything? Once again, I advise you to remain vigilant.]
¡
Looking towards Raya, her forced face of composure, gave into the horror it was desperately trying to hide. While her skin was typically fair by all measures of the word, it had somehow managed to find an even greater absence of colour upon hearing the news of his majesty¡¯s passing. The heroes weren¡¯t any better, with most of them appearing just as confused learning that King Solar had died while we were in the labyrinth. Then, Raya spoke to the group in her commanding voice, after noticing the square had finally been secured by her fellow guardsman.
¡°Understood soldier. Today is truly a horrific day in Solara¡¯s history. How long ago did his majesty pass?¡±
Still catching his breath, the guard spoke as best he could to the resolute commander.
¡°Not more than an hour. Once Queen Emilia found out¡ Well¡ I feel it¡¯s best you see for yourself. Daemonium has also specifically requested the heroes and tournament champions upon your return¡ Urgently. We already had several messengers stationed at the labyrinth¡¯s entrance, ready to receive you. Some had even ventured to the 5th floor in the hopes of finding your group earlier as well. We also haven¡¯t revealed the passing of King Solar just yet to the citizens, as part of procedure.¡±
¡°Understood. I can only imagine the sorrow princes¡ª Queen Emilia is going through right now. I will do my best to be there for her. Champions, heroes, with me. Daemonium has requested your presence, and I trust you will keep this information a state secret until further notice.¡±
After finishing her command, Raya began leading us towards the palace gates. However, I did take note of the interesting facial expressions of the guard during the conversation. His face shifted uncomfortably whenever Emilia¡¯s name was mentioned. While I had only briefly met the princess once during my breakfast before the labyrinth, his reaction was all the more telling that something was clearly abnormal. For whatever reason, this thought tangent brought some spine-chilling hissing noises from Coileene, who chose to remain silent, instead of offering her unsolicited comments on the situation. Looking at Inari, she was just as speechless, with her ears pinned back in sadness, contemplating the recent series of events.
Continuing our somber walk, the sky itself seemed to transform natures canvas to better match our depressing and dreary march. As we ascended the long and excessive stairs to the grand entranceway, hideous and ominous grey clouds, blanketed the sky above, viciously blocking out the suns, while the heavens roared with a brilliant crack of light across the horizon. Then, in a fury one would image was brought forth by the god of storms himself, heavy rain violently began pouring down upon us, drenching us in it¡¯s cold and bitter chill. Arriving, and, cautiously passing through the gargantuan, metal gates to the palace¡¯s foyer, the lobby was filled to the brim with attendants, guards, and the subjects of everyone¡¯s attention, Queen Emilia, and Advisor Daemonium. However, while the two were standing elevated above us on the 2nd floor, their behaviour, or rather, Emilia¡¯s behaviour, was anything but appropriate for mourning the passing of her father.
Standing above us, with a face filled with an unnatural, and creepy smile, was Queen Emilia. Her dress was a pale blue, that was long and flowing to match her equally kept silver hair, happily glistening under the chandelier¡¯s light. Adorning her subtle forehead, was an intricate, silver tiara, neatly completing the proper image of ruling royalty. While that was where I would normally stop my description for such an individual, her behaviour was anything but royal-like, prompting me to continue scrutinizing her details further. In what was almost an effort to appear abnormal, Queen Emilia was carelessly caressing Daemonium¡¯s face with her elegant fingers, playfully gliding them across his chin while staring off into the distance. Continuing to be enthralled by his¡ Facial features, Emilia began pressing her body into the advisor¡¯s arms, grasping them in a tight embrace while staring into his eyes. Then, noticing we had entered the palace proper, and, oblivious to the uncomfortable stares of her attendants, Emilia cocked her head to the side, almost startling me with its owl-like movements. Finally, she spoke to us in an emotionless, and forced voice.
¡°Raya! Heroes! Champions! I am so glad you¡¯ve returned from the labyrinth without harm. Now, since everyone is in attendance. I would like to make a proclamation as the new Queen of Solara.
With the tragic, and, sudden passing of my father, King Solar, it now rests upon my shoulders to lead the Kingdom of Solara. However, while I would normally be happy to assume such a responsibility, the death of my father has instead, released a tremendous weight from my heart. Thus, I proclaim and profess before all of you, my loyal attendants and champions, that I am in love, with Daemonium.
Ever since his arrival at the palace, I¡¯ve been enthralled with his presence, with just the mere sight of him being enough to sweep me off my heels! My heart was a flutter from the moment my eyes gazed into his own. I just knew, ever since our very first meeting, that it was fate we would be together. However, my vile, bastard of a father, Solar, would never have approved of such a relationship. Fortunately, as fate would have it, the abhorrent man is no longer amongst us. As such, as your righteous queen, I declare that Daemonium and I, shall be wed, relinquishing my royal duties, to him.
Everyone! Please join me in hailing and welcoming, King Daemonium!!!¡±
¡
Huh.
While I by no means consider myself affluent to the general workings of royal successions, I feel even a layman would notice the abnormalities of such a declaration and assertion. Fortunately, to my left, Inari could only look at the disturbing duo in sheer horror, clearly agreeing with my assessment of the unusual proclamation. That was, until she tugged on my arm, whispering to me the cause of her sudden terror.
¡°K-k-k-Ko¡. I¡ That¡¯s¡ Daemonium¡ He¡¯s¡!¡±
¡°I know, I don¡¯t exactly like the guy either bu¡ª¡±
¡°No!!! I¡ I¡¯ve never seen a human like that before!! He has horns, wings, and a tail!! Do you¡ Not see them? Remember back when we first entered the palace, and I thought I felt the presence of powerful illusion magic? I¡ I can clearly see an illusion over his body now, creating the image of a human!¡±
¡°Wait¡ You¡¯re telling me he¡¯s not a human? Does that mean... Can you¡ª¡±
I paused, realizing that what I was about to suggest, could either end very poorly for us, or, prevent whatever was about to happen to Solara under King ¡°Daemonium¡¯s¡± rule. If Inari was truly able to see through an advanced illusion spell now, that potentially means whatever being is creating the illusion, is just as powerful as us, perhaps more. However, having just received a massive power boost, along with the heroes and guards presently in the room with us, we might just stand a chance against this infiltrator if we engaged them. Furthermore, everyone around me seemed on edge, validating my fears that this whole scenario was clearly abnormal, only made possible due to the fact no one dared to go against ¡°royalty¡±. Maybe I really was na?ve, but I wanted to place my trust in Inari¡¯s instincts, and my new found powers. Thus, recollecting my thoughts, I nodded towards Inari, while whispering my plan to her.
¡°Inari. Can you dispel the illusion magic over Daemonium? Whatever happens next will clearly result in a conflict, but I¡¯m willing to take the gamble we can win. I¡¯m sure with the other heroes help, we can eliminate whatever he truly is once his visage is dispelled.¡±
Showing her agreeance, Inari shakenly nodded to me while starting to gather mana around her paws. She still looked quite nervous, but I was hoping that dispelling whatever illusion Daemonium was currently maintaining, would be more than enough to change the current mood within this sudden inauguration. That¡¯s when I finally started paying attention to the conversation currently going on between Raya and her majesty again, further validating my suspicions.
¡°But Raya, I had already told you, my father died of natural causes, with a solid piece of 3ft steel through his chest, calmly resting in his study. Surely you can see the absurdity in requesting a formal investigation into his death?¡±
¡°Emilia! As your retainer, I implore you to see the reason in my statements! You¡¯ve always trusted my advice, so why are you casting aside my words now?!? I¡¯ve only ever had your best interests in mind!¡±
¡°Oh Raya, surely, you¡¯ve been misunderstanding our relationship. Your role is to lead the royal guards, and protect my person when requested as my retainer. I¡¯ve never once trusted, or confided in you with any matters that were important to state affairs. After all, why should a princess, or, rather a queen now, care about the opinions from her servants?¡±
¡°Emilia! I refuse to believe your words! This¡ This isn¡¯t like you! After all we¡¯ve been through together, I¡ You¡¯ve always trusted my¡ª"
¡°Commander Raya, can¡¯t you see your words are bothering the queen just now? She has been more than adamant about her feelings. You should be ashamed of yourself, pressuring her in such a manner, just hours after she has lost her father. As commander, I would expect more acumen from someone of your standing. Obviously, we will have a¡ª¡±
Cutting off Raya¡¯s words, I could see her stalwart expression beginning to falter, almost on the verge of tears, as Daemonium continued to publicly berate her for failing to consider the queen¡¯s feelings. Making matters worse, was Daemonium¡¯s own flirtatious actions towards Emilia, as he continued to receive her unwavering affection towards him, pulling her head towards his chest, while stroking her silver hair. Anxious, and, ready to give him a piece of my own mind, Inari finally indicated to me she was ready to dispel his illusion. Nodding towards her while gripping my sword, I caught Daemonium¡¯s gaze lock with mine as he noticed my subtitle movements.
¡°Now that the matter with Raya has been dealt with, I would now like to resolve matters with the summoned heroes and accompanying tournament champions. As I was saying, as your new ruler and king, the plan going forward regarding the labyrinth is¡ª¡±
Just as Daemonium was continuing to ramble about how Inari and I would no longer be required at the palace to assist the heroes, her spell was finally released, slowly dissipating the carefully crafted illusion spell he had been using to hide his true form. Shocked, and, taken back at his image being exposed, Daemonium¡¯s disgusting face was filled with rage, while my eyes widened in terror having realized the terrible miscalculation I had just made.
---
Name: Daemonium [Hidden ¨C Zalthazar] Level: 100 Rank: G
Race: Demon HP: 1,500/1,500 MP: 4,000/4,000
If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
Age: 284
Profession: Lesser Demon - Infiltrator
Status: Strength: 300 Defense: 500
Magic: 800 Dexterity: 500
Skill Proficiencies: [Illusion] [Magic Detection - Flawless] [Magic Affinity - Poor] [Ancient Magic - Basic] [Spatial Manipulation - Excellent] [Charms ¨C Excellent+]
Titles: None
---
While appraisal was clearly a useful tool, the phrase ¡°ignorance is bliss¡±, felt warranted based on the information I had just received. Though some of the skills seemed abnormal, such as poor magical affinity in relation to his absurd magic status value, I immediately regretted my decision to try and act like the hero of a novel.
Daemonium, or should I say, Zalthazar, looked very similar to the demons I had become accustomed to from the untold anime and isekai manga novels I had seen while on Earth. His demonic form was tall and imposing, possessing putrid black skin, sharp white claws, and bat-like wings across his entire back, easily surpassing 6ft in length. Atop his head, were two ivory curled horns, twisted to match his equally corrupt crimson eyes. Finally, his tail was long and thin, possessing the stereotypical ¡°spade-like¡± shape at the end of the slender limb. As punishment for my rash actions, the demon masquerading as a human, roared in anger towards Inari, while casting his arm in a wide arc across the room. Instantly, a translucent bubble encased Inari, Raya, and myself, in response to his actions.
[Mind control magic. Stay close! I can only protect you from it¡¯s influence while you remain within the barrier spell!]
Coileene violently hissed her words of warning in my mind. Looking around the room, all of the guards, attendants, and heroes, now held the same, emotionless expressions of Emilia. A lifeless husk of their former selves, void of any further actions under the demon¡¯s control. Then, Zalthazar¡¯s voice bellowed ferociously throughout the foyer, staggering my stance, as my ears recoiled from its horrid assault, and distorted tone.
¡°You insufferable, FILTHY BEAST!!! This is the VERY REASON we¡¯ve worked so tirelessly to ostracize the beastkin race from the royal palace. My unimaginable effort, centuries long subterfuge, carefully laid out plans for succession, AND IT¡¯S ALL UNDONE BY A DISGUSTING, REPULSIVE ANIMAL!!!!
MY MIND CONTROL!!! HOW ARE YOU RESISTING ITS EFFECTS!!!! WHAT IS THAT BARRIER?!?! RAAAAAAAGHHHH!!!¡±
Overcome with rage, the demon swiftly launched a barrage of fireballs towards our direction. Fortunately, the barrier Coileene had erected seemed mostly unfazed by the flames assault. The bubble flickered slightly upon receiving the impact in full, causing an eruption of sparks and flames to blow past our sanctuary, obliterating most of the floor, and attendants unfortunately standing behind us in the process. In response to the sudden assault, Raya leapt from beside me, bounding to the 2nd floor in a seamless motion, while delivering a powerful vertical slash to the demon.
But it was in vain.
*Schreen**Schh*
Unimpressed at the pathetic assault, Zalthazar calmly stopped the blade with his powerful claws, while delivering an equally sharp stab to Raya¡¯s navel.
¡°RAYA!!!!¡±
I called out in horror, as I witnessed the commander¡¯s armor part like butter. The demon¡¯s claw, effortlessly pierced her frail body, skewering Raya cleanly through her abdomen. Blood burst from the soldier¡¯s body, as it gushed and dripped down the horrid claw, and onto the palace floor, dyeing the crimson carpets and even deeper shade of red as the liquid continued to gleefully leave her body. Violently coughing up blood, Raya¡¯s body was thrown off the balcony to the unamused face of her assailant. Without thinking, I dashed out of the protective sphere in an effort to catch her descent towards the stone flooring.
[YOU FOOL!]
Coileene¡¯s voice bellow within my head, vibrating against my very skull as I felt her attempt to take control over my body. I knew leaving her barrier was reckless, and that Raya was most likely already mortally wounded, but I had to try! This scenario, it was entirely my fault for being too confident after receiving a stupid power boost in the labyrinth. My arrogance had only made the situation worse, and if I did nothing now, I would only regret my actions later if I remained hesitant!
Somehow, resisting Coileene¡¯s attempts, I managed to activate my dash ability, narrowly catching Raya before her collision with the stone flooring. Next, I felt another surge of power above me, as the demon launched another volley of fireballs towards my direction. Thankfully, to my surprise, the balls of oppressive heat seemingly vanished from existence just before impacting with my body. Noticing I was still alive, I quickly dashed back towards Coileene¡¯s barrier for safety.
¡°RAGHHH!!! HOW CAN A BEASTKIN, CANCEL MY MAGIC!!!!!!¡±
Daemonium¡¯s voice continued to roar throughout the hallway, hurling insults towards Inari and myself for refusing to die like the pitiful insects we were. Examining Raya, her mana signature was weak, but still present, thankfully indicating she was still alive.
*cough**gaaaghh*
More blood came out of her mouth as she tried to focus her vision, forcing whatever strength she still held into her right arm, raising it towards the queen.
¡°Emi¡lia¡¡±
The queen¡¯s name softly left her lips, as I suddenly felt my body become levitated above the ground, oblivious to gravity¡¯s influence. Then, I heard the demon screech his decree in a maniacal and hysterical manner, as he forced his mind-controlled puppets to stare towards our suspended bodies, still encased within the protective barrier spell.
¡°HAHAHHA!!!! Pathetic worms! Minions! Let it be known, that the tournament champions, along with the commander of the royal guards, have been found guilty of murdering King Solar! They infiltrated his majesty¡¯s study after returning from their expedition into the labyrinth below Solara, under the guise of reporting startling news surrounding the strange miasma. As such, they will hereby be summarily executed!¡±
Then, raising his right claw into the air, the demon cackled as powerful magic began to coalesce around us. Finally, he offered his parting words before the spell¡¯s materialization.
¡°I don¡¯t know how you pathetic, inferior species are defending against my mind control magic and fireball spells, but if I can¡¯t penetrate your barrier, I will just transport your entire spatial position to the depths of hell itself.
Farewell, ¡°heroes¡±.¡±
In an instant, after witnessing the demon snap his claws, I felt my entire body compressed under unimaginable pressure, as if my entire existence was being pushed through a thin, hydraulic press! Then, just as I felt like I was going to explode into a fine misty paste of blood, the pressure released itself, and I had the startling realization, we were no longer within the palace, but somewhere else entirely.
¡
¡
¡
The floor was a cold and damp, stony texture, with next to no light illuminating the area we had suddenly been teleported to. Off to the side, I could see some faint blue hues, pulsing and humming in the distance as I ran my hand across the grooves of the stone flooring.
¡°DAMNIT!¡±
I yelled out in anger at myself, slamming my fist into the hard floor. Why had I been so reckless? Why did I want to be a hero? How foolish was I, thinking that just because I had gotten slightly stronger, that I was invincible.
¡°KO!!!! Help me!!! NOW!!! I need assistance with Raya!!! Her signature is fading, and I can only keep her stabilized!¡±
Glancing up and to my right, Inari was desperately channeling mana into Raya¡¯s body to keep her stable and mend the wound she had received from the demon. Raya¡¯s eyes were closed, and her breathing was heavily laboured as she continued struggling for each breath. Nodding at Inari, I verbally berating myself while assisting her with the injured commander.
¡°You¡¯re right Inari, I really am a fool. Even now I failed to consider where my priorities should be. Continue keeping her stable, I¡¯m going to apply one of my bandages.¡±
Shifting myself to get closer to Raya¡¯s body, I quickly removed a single bandage from my spatial storage and applied it to the struggling knight¡¯s forehead. Thankfully, powerful mana began to gather as expected, activating the full body restoration spell. Brilliant, blue light, engulfed Raya¡¯s body as the bandage¡¯s effects proceeded to close the gaping hold in her abdomen. Finally, after the spell had run its course, Raya¡¯s pained facial expression relaxed slightly, as her breathing eased in intensity. She was unconscious, but going to survive the fatal injury she had received attempting to slay Daemonium. Turning towards Inari, I apologised to her for my brazen actions which led us to our current predicament.
¡°Inari¡ I¡¯m sorry. I really thought that we could¡ª¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I also could have chosen to ignore your request to dispel his illusion, but I didn¡¯t, so you¡¯re not entirely at fault. Besides, Raya¡¯s stable now, so next we need to reassess our bearings and determine where we are. That¡¯s the next step I have written in my journal for ¡°Recovering From Unexpected Scenarios¡±.¡±
¡°HA! If you¡¯re not going to berate him for the fool he is, then I¡¯ll start. Ko, you¡¯re an absolute failure of a competent being!!! I dare say goblins have a stronger will for self-preservation than the utterly STUPID actions you¡¯ve so brazenly displayed! I would have died if you didn¡¯t manage to have a somewhat capable party member with you. Seriously, the audacity that I was forced to choose you as my vessel¡ The nerve of your pathetic existence¡¡±
Rightly annoyed, while choosing to make her opinion known to Inari as well, Coileene decided to materialize herself in between us, startling the poor fox, causing her to produce an incredibly high-pitched, and cute yelp.
¡°Ah! Ko!!! What¡ Who is this person!?!? Where did they?¡ª¡±
¡°Ahahaha! That¡¯s right, little one, you are speaking with the one and only true ruler of Terra! The most powerful existence the universe has ever known! I am the creator, and the destroyer, the giver of life and the bringer of agh¡ª¡±
¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± I said, as I tightly grasped my hands around Coileene¡¯s mouth, much to the dismayed muffling noises she was continuing to produce. Then, deciding to forego the extravagant introduction Coileene was going to unfortunately grace Inari with, I went with the simpler cliff notes version instead.
¡°Inari, meet Coileene, the world serpent. She is the divine being that saved me from death, and the reason for my unexpected power boost. As a condition for saving me life, I have allowed her access to my body.¡±
Finally freeing herself from my grasps, the annoyed demi-human serpent hissed while offering her less than enthusiastic reply.
¡°How insolent! For a mere mortal to so brazenly assault a god! You¡¯re lucky I don¡¯t burn your soul out of pure spite and return to my prison beneath the labyrinth! The nerve of a male such as yourself. You should know your place human!¡±
¡°The¡ The World Serpent?!?! But¡ª There are no historical records indicating a¡ª¡±
¡°Pfft, while obviously there are no historical records of my existence. Some arrogant bastard decided I would be better left buried thousands of feet beneath the surface! Seriously, once I find out which god did this to me, I¡¯ll have them groveling at my feet, begging for the sweet release of death to grace their insignificant existence!¡±
Fortunately, to my relief, Inari didn¡¯t seem too alarmed learning about Coileene¡¯s identity as a powerful deity, as she continued to ramble away about the ¡°horrible¡± things she was going to inflict on whichever god banished her to a pathetic prison. Wanting to realign our goals, I suggested that we examine our surroundings to understand what had happened. Unfortunately, this was met with a very arrogant and condescending reply from Coileene.
¡°Humph, honestly, you should be thanking that demon Ko. After all, that pathetic weasel managed to bring us even closer to my goal! A fragment of my power... I can clearly sense its alluring presence now.¡±
¡°What¡¯s the supposed to mean?¡±
¡°Ugh, you really are a fool Ko. Just examine the room and you¡¯ll see what I mean soon enough.¡±
Once again annoyed at her haughty attitude, I nodded towards Inari who produced a powerful luminous spell to provide some lighting to the room we were in. The area we found ourselves in was rather small, roughly reminding me of the size from the royal palace¡¯s foyer, except severely lacking in the pleasing aesthetic department. The room was rectangular in shape, mostly comprised of stone walls on either side, most of which were plain with simple grooves. At one end of the chambers, was a large stone door, similar to the one I observed before entering the labyrinth, while the other contained a passageway with stairs descending further. Inari chose to walk towards the passageway, leaving me to investigate the stone doors with Coileene.
As we approached, I was able to appreciate another set of intricate carvings embedded into the towering rock gates. On the left-hand door, was the same elaborate design from earlier. Images of a dragon, wolf, and 9-tailed kitsune were present, along with the likeness of a hawk, with accompanying serpent dangling from it¡¯s¡ª
¡°Pfft, that insufferable bastard! Seriously!?!? I can¡¯t believe they drew my bad side on these pathetic rock slabs!¡±
¡°Wait a minute¡ You think that snake is you, Coileene???¡±
¡°Well, obviously is has to be me, I¡¯m unaware of any other serpents amongst Terra¡¯s deities¡ And look! On the right-hand door, there¡¯s a snake, bound in chains against the floor, with a lock through their right eye!¡±
¡°But, if your memories and powers are sealed, how can you be so sure there aren¡¯t any other gods that are¡ª¡±
¡°Oh enough from your tongue Ko. Even with the alteration of time, a god such as myself would surely notice my depiction engraved in such historical tablets, even if the artwork is second rate¡¡±
While I was mulling over Coileene¡¯s statement about clearly recognizing her appearance from a simple stone carving, I heard Inari¡¯s panicked voice calling out to me from across the room.
¡°Ko! I¡ I think you should see this!¡±
Jogging over to join her, she was stopped in front of the stone staircase descending towards presumably a lower floor. Then, she pointed to a set of blue, glowing runic words next to the archway, which read:
¡°Solara¡¯s Labyrinth ¨C Hidden Trials ¨C Floor 51¡±
Shocked at having finally pieced together what had happened to us, I was just about tell Inari what the words meant when she interrupted me with a startling realization of her own.
¡°I¡ I can read them! It¡ It says: ¡°Solara¡¯s Labyrinth ¨C Hidden Trials ¨C Floor 51¡±. Are we really¡ª?¡±
¡°You¡¯re welcome little fox¡± Coileene said with her snarky attitude. ¡°And yes, we are currently on the 50th floor of Solara¡¯s labyrinth. Consider your ability to read this pathetic language a gift from yours truly. Come now, praise me as you wish!¡±
Looking at Inari, her face was filled with an expression of immense fear, probably similar to my own. My heart was uncomfortably racing within my chest at the realization of where we were. We had barely managed to survive the 15th floor of the labyrinth, and now, we were suddenly teleported to the 50th floor?!? Thus, breathing a heavy, defeated sigh, I mumbled the words that had been bothering me, while responding to Inari¡¯s concerns to my saddened expression.
¡°Wha¡ª What is it, Ko?¡±
*Sigh*
¡°Amongst all other worlds, why did it choose such a clich¨¦d setting?¡±
Chapter 45 – A Cliché Solution, For A Cliché Setting
Choosing to make ourselves as... ¡°Comfortable¡± as possible in our new, unfortunate predicament, Inari and I were currently sitting around a fire we had built with some of the emergency camping supplies kept within our spatial storage spells. Coileene had also joined us around the fire, where she decided to lay Raya¡¯s head across her lap, using it as a pillow of sorts. She was still unconscious, but at least resting comfortably. During all of this, I had done my best to explain to Inari the circumstances surrounding Coileene¡¯s merger with my body, along with how this whole scenario was very much akin to a typical isekai story plot. To go along with my long-winded explanation, we had decided to enjoy a fried tofu dish together, which we had also aptly placed within our spatial storage, in case of such emergencies. While it was comforting eating some of Yarn¡¯s delicious cooking together, we both knew it was only a temporary respite from the challenges we were about to face.
Since there had been an ample amount of ¡°downtime¡± waiting for Raya to recover, Inari and I eventually investigated the stone doors from earlier as best we could. Unfortunately, our appraisal scan didn¡¯t return any useful information, and any attempts at opening the slabs failed as well. We were initially hopeful that heading towards the surface would be easier than descending deeper into the labyrinth, but it seemed luck was tragically not on our side in this endeavour. Thus, I was presently doing my best to respond to Inari¡¯s endless questions about my knowledge of such isekai scenarios, to help keep my mind off the daunting realization that we were currently trapped, thousands of feet below Solara¡¯s surface.
¡°And... There are hundreds of stories from Earth about this exact same scenario? Wouldn¡¯t that become... I don¡¯t know... Boring?¡±
¡°Yes and no. While the concept of ¡°Summoned hero is brought to another world, then banished to a forbidden, dangerous dungeon to die, usually sent there by a god or powerful entity¡± is a common trope, there are usually many nuances between the stories in an effort to make them unique. Sometimes the different narrative hooks work, but a large portion of them still end up being typical clich¨¦ crap.¡±
¡°But still, it really is fortunate you are so well versed in all these isekai stories Ko! That knowledge may come in handy if what you¡¯re saying is true.¡±
¡°I mean¡ Maybe¡ But it¡¯s still potentially dangerous to make assumptions with this knowledge, even if our current situation seems similar to clich¨¦s I¡¯m familiar with. Truthfully, this whole ¡°summoned to another world thing¡± is something I¡¯ve wished for during my life on Earth. But to actually experience it... It¡¯s just unfortunate that the entity chose the ¡°suffer, survival, progression¡± narrative...¡±
Briefly concluding my thoughts on being stuck in such a typical isekai scenario, each of us took another bite from the gradually cooling plate of fried tofu, as we continued looking through our spatial storage lists to reconfirm our supplies. Inari had already agreed with my plan to tell Raya about my summoned hero status, along with her own status screen indicating a god¡¯s blessing, but she was still currently resting across Coileene¡¯s lap, sleeping. Reviewing all of the items available between the two of us, Inari and I had enough food supplies for approximately 15 days, water for 30, and basic sleeping cots or mats to rest comfortably at night. For medical supplies, we still had 40 bandages between the two of us, along with some health and mana potions. I had unfortunately failed to consider basic utility tools in my contingency planning, such as ropes and knives, but we could probably compensate with an appropriate adaptation of magic... I hoped...
As we were continuing to review our upcoming survival plans, I noticed that Raya had finally started to stir, producing some mumbling noises as she gradually began to wake up from her injuries. Coileene was also running her fingers through Raya¡¯s hair, as the commander continued to grumble and shift around on her lap. Eventually, Raya let out a quite gasp, seeing an unfamiliar woman stroking her head.
¡°Emi...lia...?¡±
¡°Nope, guess again, impudent mortal!¡±
¡°WAH!! Who... What are... A demi-human!?!?¡±
With a burst of energy, Raya leapt from Coileene¡¯s lap in a panic, desperately looking around the sparsely illuminated floor for some familiar landmark, while frantically feeling her abdominal area. Eventually, her eyes locked with mine, where I motioned for her to settle down. While she was still very visibly confused and distressed, Raya eventually sat down near the campfire, making sure to keep a healthy distance away from the world serpent. Then, she spoke to Inari and myself to confirm what had happened to her.
¡°Champions... Where are... The palace!!! We have to save Emilia! That... That creature has her an¡ª¡±
Before I knew it, Raya had already begun an incoherent ramble about the rash actions we needed to take in order to save the kingdom, along with slaying whatever monster currently held Emilia captive. Eventually, I managed to find an appropriate time to intervene and explain the situation as best I could.
¡°Raya, I know what happen to Emilia is urgent bu¡ª¡±
¡°NO! Listen to me!! WE HAVE TO¡ª¡±
¡°I know we have to Raya! But please! We need to stop and think rationally. Collect our thoughts an¡ª.¡±
¡°HOW CAN I?!?! That creature!! It... IT HAS¡ª¡±
¡°RAYA!!¡±
I raised my voice in frustration towards her. I knew this was an incredibly stressful situation, but panicking wouldn¡¯t help us. Fortunately, Raya¡¯s hesitant actions came to a brief pause, as I saw her glancing around the campfire more steadily, taking in Inari and Coileene¡¯s presence. Then, I tried again to explain our current situation to the still flustered commander.
¡°Raya, we are currently trapped inside the Solara Labyrinth on the 50th floor. That creature pretending to be Daemonium, was a demon, and teleported us here after you attempted to slay him while rescuing Emilia. Inari and I were able to save you after applying some powerful magic to your body. The object is still located on your forehead as proof of my words. Before I continue, I need you to confirm to me you understand what I¡¯ve said so far. It will be paramount for all of our survival.¡±
Nodding towards me, while feeling her forehead for the mysterious object I had mentioned, Raya found the bandage in question, then carefully peeled it from her skin, while examining her now exposed navel area through her crudely parted plate mail breastplate. Finally, breathing a heavy sigh in an effort to relax, the frazzled commander nodded, then spoke to me in a wavering voice.
¡°How¡ª Can you remain so calm in this situation!?!? This is... There¡¯s no...¡±
Honestly, I wasn¡¯t entirely sure myself. Truthfully, I should be having multiple panic attacks while struggling to stay sane, understanding the gravity of the situation we were in. Admittedly, it was a common trope for banished heroes to magically survive these predicaments, but that¡¯s because those characters had the most powerful armor known to exist in the universe; plot armor. This... This was my reality now, and it would be foolish for me to think that just because the setting appeared to be from a typical isekai story, that we would somehow survive. But, before I could give my response to Raya, Inari happened to speak up instead, probably after noticing I hadn¡¯t responded quick enough.
¡°Raya, I believe we¡¯re all scared right now. In fact, scared is probably the simplest word to describe our feelings at the moment. But, as frightened and useless as I feel right now, I don¡¯t want to lose hope. If I give up, without even trying to survive, then the only one that wins, is that demon who sent us here.¡±
¡°My thoughts are much the same Raya. If we were to give up without even trying¡ª"
¡°No!! You¡ª You don¡¯t understand!!!! My soldiers... The elite men and women I¡¯ve worked with. They were all wiped out so effortlessly!! Th¡ª The 15th floor was a nightmare, and now we¡¯re on the 50th!?!? There is no way we can possibly survive the untold horrors that await us! That¡¯s not even considering your already abysmal status values!!! And my own?!? It¡¯s... It¡¯s impossible!! Your platitudes about ¡°not giving up¡± are just that. Vain attempts to console yourselves of our pending deaths.¡±
Raya¡¯s response, was honestly how I expected a normal person to react in this situation, even if she was the military commander for Solara. No sane individual could possibly believe in their survival after experiencing the horrors of the 15th labyrinth floor. However, she was missing vital information I hadn¡¯t explained to her yet about our capabilities. Thus, I did my best to provide her with some hope in our situation.
¡°Raya, would you believe me, if I said I was a summoned hero?¡±
Staring back at me with a face bordering on the lines of disgust for even attempting some dim-witted humor, I continued my explanation anyways.
¡°About a month ago, I was summoned to Terra. However, the summoning attempt that resulted in me being transported here, was deemed a ¡°failure¡± since I didn¡¯t materialize in the palace. Shortly after, the four other heroes were successfully sum¡ª"
¡°Please... Just stop... I thought more of you champion than to try an¡ª¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t it weird how much stronger I am compared to other adventurers for my level? How Inari and I so effortlessly defeated the nation¡¯s heroes?¡±
As I quickly interrupted Raya, I also took the opportunity to reveal my status screen as well, with all of its details made visible for her to see.
---
Name: Kotato Yamata Level: 6 Rank: F(+)
Race: Human HP: 150/150 MP: 180/180
Age: 25
Profession: Spell Blade
Status: Strength: 70 Defense: 70
Magic: 70 Dexterity: 70
Skill Proficiencies: [Growth] [Summoned Hero] [World Serpent¡¯s Blessing] [] [] [] [] []
Titles: None
---
Raya¡¯s face was clearly shocked upon seeing the absurd status values I possessed, so I calmly continued with my explanation.
¡°This is my true status screen. Well, as best as I can produce it really. The one you¡¯ve seen was actually masked by an illusion, concealing my true status so I wouldn¡¯t be disc¡ª¡±
¡°And you expect me to believe this?!? After you just admitted yourself that you were hiding your values with an illusion?!? How am I to know this isn¡¯t just another attempt to fool me?!¡±
¡°The impudent mortal has a point, Ko. How could she possibly believe someone who just admitted they had been lying to them moments before?¡±
An entirely realistic rebuttal from the demi-human serpent in her usual, condescending tone, which prompted all of us to look towards her direction. Coileene was devilishly flicking her tongue towards us while staring at me with her piercing eyes. Eventually, I continued trying to explain my thought process to Raya.
¡°If you don¡¯t want to believe me, that¡¯s fine. However, if we are to survive, I don¡¯t want there to be any secrets between us. Any lack of trust we may harbour would only worsen our anxieties, and I want to eliminate such possibilities.
That woman over there, is Coileene. Technically, she¡¯s a goddess, and the explanation for how we managed to defeat the minotaur. She is the world serpent, and the divine being currently living inside of me. My powers are a result of her interference during my summoning to Terra. Inari also has a somewhat similar situation, possessing a god¡¯s blessing as well, with hers being from Vixen, the deity of knowledge and curiosity.
During our fight with the minotaur, I actually ended up dying, and am only alive due to a deal I made with Coileene. While she is a god, her powers, along with her memories, have been apparently sealed beneath the Solara labyrinth. Her condition for saving my life, is I have to help her recover her powers. As such, there is the realistic possibility with her help, we can actually make it out of this situation alive if we restore them.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
Additionally, Inari and I also have enough food rations to survive an extended duration currently stored within our spatial storage. We have enough food for 15 days, and water for 30, along with basic medical supplies.¡±
As I said this, I continued to watch Raya¡¯s facial expression while removing a warm plate of fried tofu for the very confused commander. Inari had also kindly revealed her status screen to Raya showing her blessing from Vixen, while Coileene angrily rolled her eyes at me for my... Less than appropriate explanation of her goals. Then, handing the sizzling, crispy delicacy to Raya, tried to end my exposition with some light humor.
¡°With that said, I don¡¯t expect you to believe me right away, but I hope my actions will show you my commitment to surviving, despite our impossible situation.
...
Besides, we still need to check that your stomach is working again after being repaired by my bandages. Here. Something small to eat while you think about what I¡¯ve said.¡±
With a shaking hand, Raya somehow managed to grab the plate from me. Carefully, she began eating some of the fried tofu pieces while continuing to stare at us.
...
Several minutes passed in silence as Raya continued to absorb all of the information I had shared with her. Eventually, I decided to ask her a question regarding Daemonium, sensing that now seemed like an appropriate time with our emotions finally having calmed down a bit.
¡°Raya... Can you tell me anything about Daemonium? Did... Did you notice anything strange about his behaviour... Before...?¡±
Then, with a heavy, emotionless expression, while staring at her lightly picked at plate of tofu, Raya softly replied to my comments regarding the advisor.
¡°Daemonium... He... He had never shown any interest in Emilia before... Roughly 2 months ago, I would say he suddenly became obsessed with the palace¡¯s library, reviewing all kinds of classified documents in excessive detail. But he assured us that was for his research into summoning magic. His majesty... He had always pushed his advisors ruthlessly to rediscover the lost art of summoning magic. But military documents? Espionage reports? He should have already been well aware of¡ª
...
I really am a failure as the princess¡¯ retainer. Thinking back, it was obvious something was amiss based on his questions, and yet I¡ª¡±
Some tears, gently rolled down the commander¡¯s face as she continued to berate herself for not noticing Daemonium¡¯s strange behaviour earlier. Eventually, she ended her sorrowful retelling with a simple question towards me.
¡°How... How are you planning to survive this hell, champion?¡±
Pausing, I made sure to exhibit as much confidence as I possibly could from my voice.
¡°From my world, this type of scenario is actually fairly common. A hobby of mine, was actually reading and watching these types of stories in the isekai genre, where generally, everyday people get suddenly transported to another world.
In these settings, the summoned hero would... Sometimes be banished to the depths of a dungeon to be disposed of. However, they always managed to survive. The plan, while crude and basic, is fairly straight forward, and in my opinion, clich¨¦.
We will fight the labyrinth¡¯s monsters, level up, and eventually, reach the surface.¡±
Clearly disappointed at my ¡°inspiring¡± solution, I heard Raya softly utter the words ¡°We¡¯re doomed¡± while continuing to stare into the flicker flames of the campfire. She had also started crying into her knees, desperately hugging them for some kind of comfort, having lost any hope she might have held. Nodding towards Inari, we both stood up, then started walking towards the staircase leading to the 51st floor to finally investigate what we had to contend with. Coileene had also decided to return herself to her home within the shield, but was choosing to remain silent during our descent.
Eventually, once we reached the bottom of the stairs, we carefully peered into the room. A resounding wave of despair washed over us as we both scanned the first nearby creature we observed.
---
Creature: Goblin Level: 51
Race: Monster HP: 1,860/1,860 MP: 50/50
Age: 5
Profession: Warrior
Status: Strength: 212 Defense: 180
Magic: 20 Dexterity: 50
Skill Proficiencies: [Improvised Weapons ¨C Average] [Clubs ¨C Average+]
Titles: None
---
This goblin, was essentially just as strong as the minotaur we had encountered, which was completely absurd. Furthermore, the room was filled with countless variants of the species, such as hobgoblins, goblin shamans, goblin knights, and even several goblin kings! Each of these creatures had even more daunting status than the basic ¡°goblin foot soldier¡±. To my left, Inari had already begun flipping through her journal while taking notes about the creatures we were observing. Clearly, if we had to engage them in this room, the only outcome I could currently envision was nothing but complete and utter annihilation for our party.
Thankfully, the labyrinth still appeared to be keeping with our observed pattern of stronger variants on known floor spawns. Since floor 51 had goblins with several new stronger variants, that meant floor 52 would potentially be filled with powerful variants of skeletons and zombies. So, wanting to get started on my planning, I decided to ask my new and improved internal assistant for their opinion.
¡°Coileene, do you think we could use that disk amplification attack here? That should generate enough damage to eliminate the basic goblins... Right?¡±
Unfortunately, her response was rather lackluster regarding my thoughts.
¡°No. The amount of time it would take to launch such a strike would result in the disks being eliminated by the repulsive creatures first.¡±
¡°I see. Well, how about we try a different approach then. Inari, are you interested in testing some information regarding how the labyrinth functions?¡±
With her ears curiously twitching, Inari responded to my statement while continuing to absorb herself in her adventurer¡¯s journal.
¡°How so Ko? What were you thinking?¡±
¡°Well, I have some doubts regarding monsters being constrained to a single floor. The return behaviour they apparently possess seems off to me, and I want to test if we can lure a single goblin up to the 50th floor. If I¡¯m correct, this would allow us to safely focus on eliminating 1 individual in a controlled manner. But first... We should probably report this to Raya and fill her in on my plans. She also might be able to provide some more details from her labyrinth experience.¡±
After returning up the stairs again, I was able to see that Raya was still continuing to sob into her knees while remaining close to the dwindling fire. She was still faintly crying over having failed to protect Emilia, and appeared to be an empty void of emotion. Sitting down across from her, I began asking my questions regarding what the Kingdom of Solara knew about how the labyrinth functioned.
¡°Hey... Raya... Mind if I ask you some questions about the labyrinth? I want to know... How well the kingdom had tested the rules you¡¯d explained to me back at the palace.¡±
...
No response from the depressed commander, as they continued staring into the crackling fire, with the sound of wood popping occasionally breaking the silence between us. Raya clearly didn¡¯t seem interested in responding to my questions right now.
¡°Raya... I¡¯m going to attempt bringing a goblin to the 50th floor...¡±
...
...
¡°It... It¡¯s pointless champion. Please just... Just leave me alone.¡±
Her words filled my ears with a tone I was all too familiar with. One filled with a complete loss of oneself, quietly accepting their fate, with any hint of hope non-existent. The sounds of someone who had given up on life, and was merely waiting for death to grace their person. Angrily clenching my fists, I turned to walk away while offering my last thoughts to the commander.
¡°Is this the commander, that Emilia trusted to keep her safe? The commander she trusted for advice, and to always be there for her? A pathetic soldier that gives up, just because the situation seems hopeless?
...
This¡ This isn¡¯t the Raya that led the royal army, the commander that survived the minotaur, or the knight who fought to save her from a demon. What would Emilia think... Seeing you like this now.¡±
¡°You... You know NOTHING about me!! How dare you¡ª!¡±
¡°You¡¯re right. I do know nothing about you, but I know this isn¡¯t the Raya the princess believed in.
...
Even the greatest darkness, cannot defeat the tiniest light.
---
Your heart... It still hasn¡¯t given up Raya. Our words may lie, but our hearts always speak the truth. Call it a clich¨¦, a trope, or a platitude, but I refuse to give up. I¡¯ll prove the reality you¡¯ve chosen to accept is wrong. Yes, I¡¯m scared. Yes, I feel like a failure right now. But until I¡¯m actually dead, I refuse to accept my fate, as that monster proclaimed.¡±
Finally walking away, the only sounds filling the empty room, were my footsteps echoing against the ancient stone flooring, as I continued towards the staircase. I could see Inari¡¯s ears were pinned back once I got closer to her. She had probably been listening to our conversation, but wasn¡¯t saying anything, just silently looking at me as I started my descent. Eventually, I heard her footsteps behind me, as we made it to the entrance for the 51st floor.
Looking into the room, the various goblin variants were still in their typical spots, huddled around a makeshift camp, filled to the brim with wooden boxes, and a ¡°dance party¡± currently enjoying the flickering flames from a nearby fire. Off to the side, I could see a single goblin, slightly separated from the main group. The perfect target for my experiment. However, while I was gathering mana around my hand to launch a small firebolt, Inari softly tugged on my arm, whispering her concerns.
¡°Ko... Do you really think, we can force a goblin to move between floors? All of my notes on the labyrinth were very adamant that monsters couldn¡¯t freely move between levels.¡±
¡°Yes, I believe we can Inari. If the humans of Solara had never even attempted to discover incantationless casting, I seriously doubt they¡¯ve thoroughly investigated the labyrinth¡¯s inner workings. I¡¯m going to aggro that goblin off to the side. Let¡¯s observe its behaviour and go from there.
Nodding towards me, Inari backed up slightly to give me some space on the floor¡¯s landing, as I launched a small firebolt towards the bewildered goblin. After a few seconds, the flames impacted with the creature, causing it to turn towards my direction while madly dashing across the dirt floor. I positioned myself a few feet back from the official floor entrance, just to be safe. Then, just as described in literature, once the goblin was about to ¡°cross¡± through the doorway into the staircase, all emotion left it¡¯s enraged face, as it abruptly turned, frantically running back to it¡¯s position just before I launched the firebolt. I repeated this process a few times with similar results, and was able to learn some additional information.
While my attacks did very little damage, the goblin¡¯s health appeared to ¡°regenerate¡± once it reached the invisible wall between floors, meaning I couldn¡¯t just stand in my safe zone, launching firebolts until it died from chip damage. Furthermore, the divide between floors apparently had enough power to defy the known laws of physics. Well, whatever resemblance of physics I could apply to a fantasy world filled with magic...
On a few of the attempts, Inari and I had managed to get the goblin to perform a ¡°jumping attack¡± near the entranceway. From her experience, if your back was turned to a goblin, it would always attempt a jumping attack against it¡¯s target. While this behaviour reminded me of how video games typically functioned, it was also my only explanation to rationalize the collision with the invisible door. With careful timing, we were able to direct the goblin¡¯s trajectory to coincide with the divide. However, when it¡¯s body was just about to pass through, it magically lost all momentum, fell to the floor, than ran back to it¡¯s location on the floor again.
*Sigh*
Disappointed with our early experiment results, I brought my hand to rest underneath my chin, as Inari and I continued pondering over how we could achieve our impossible goal. I had also taken the time to ask Coileene for her advice, but she was choosing to remain silent for some reason.
After a few minutes, Inari suggested an idea of her own for moving the goblin to the 50th floor. Essentially, it appeared the creatures couldn¡¯t cross this invisible barrier on their own free will, which potentially meant an outside force could push them past the divide. Inari planned to modify her earthen pillar spell to ¡°launch¡± the goblin through the door once it got close enough. Then, it would hopefully not reset, and remain in combat with us. Excited, I let her know I was prepared for our next attempt.
Once we were both ready, I launched another firebolt, while Inari primed the earth around the entrance according to her plan. My gut felt heavy, as an uncomfortable wave of nervousness washed over me. While I wanted the plan to work, our success meant we now had to essentially deal with another ¡°boss¡± by ourselves in a confined space. After the agonizing seconds it took for the creature to reach the door, Inari finally released her spell.
*Smash*
¡°Ra! GAH!¡±
¡°SHIT!¡±
The earthen pillar spell was such a success, I just narrowly managed to avoid a crude slash from the goblin as it¡¯s body came hurling through the doorway! However, once it¡¯s feet had touched the ground, it started running towards the entrance to return to the 51st floor!
As if!
I¡¯m not going to let you leave after finally getting your stupid green hide through the doorway!! Quickly, and with a bit of frustration guiding my sword, I roughly dug the blade into the creature¡¯s abhorrent flesh. The assault wasn¡¯t deep, but it was thankfully enough to grab the goblin¡¯s attention. Next, it turned around to begin chase.
¡°Inari, RUN!!¡±
Both of us, quickly began bounding up the steps to the 50th floor, with an angry and confused goblin in tow. Dodging it¡¯s haphazard slashes while retreating up a flight of stairs was not an easy feat, but I was somehow managing. Inari was several paces ahead, supporting my ascent with barriers and hex spells to reduce the goblin¡¯s speed and reflexes. Eventually, after what felt like the longest spiral of stairs in my life, we had managed to reach the 50th floor. Not wanting the creature to lose interest at this moment, I made sure to deliver another slash, while Inari quickly unleashed another earthen pillar to decisively launch the goblin into the chambers.
*SMASH*
Keeping with the tempo, I flicked the shield along my wrist, much to the pleased hissing noises from Coileene, as the spinning disks hummed and came to life, orbiting around me within the cramped room.
[Haha! How absolutely wonderful Ko! I knew you two could figure this out! Now it¡¯s time to feast upon our quarries¡¯ core! Unleash my power upon this creature¡¯s frail form!]
Charging at the goblin, I quickly delivered a rapid series of blows to it¡¯s limbs. Despite the creature having roughly the same defense as the minotaur, the goblin¡¯s flesh was much easier to maim with my upgraded weapons. Next, I glanced over to my left to see Inari¡¯s kitsunebi spell impact with one of the rotating disks near the ceiling, rapidly absorbing the spell to empower its attack. The goblin, noticing the surge of energy gathering above it, managed to swiftly throw it¡¯s blade towards the disk, altering the trajectory just before the beam could obliterate it.
*BOOSH**BOOM!*
The unleashed light beam crudely impacted with the nearby wall, causing a mini explosion that launched stray rocks and rubble towards our direction. Leaping out of the way, I commanded several black chains to burst forth from the ground, restraining the goblin¡¯s movements. Then, I quickly launched my flaming spear attack towards one of the remaining floating disks. The goblin, struggling to free it¡¯s limbs, could only look in horror at the disk calmly humming away, as it levitated into position above the creature¡¯s body. Then, satisfied it had finished absorbing my spell, the disk released it¡¯s payload in a powerful burst of mana, completely annihilating the goblin¡¯s body. Finally, breathing a sign of relief, I shot Inari a smile, then turned my attention towards the confused and startled commander, before offering a cheesy one liner to summarize my resolve.
¡°Raya, we will survive this labyrinth.¡±
Chapter 46 – The Struggle To Survive
Being trapped within this labyrinth, was an oddly calm, yet stressful experience. While tracking the passage of time had become almost impossible, due to our inability to observe the typical day and night cycles up on Solara¡¯s surface, it had been approximately 2 weeks since Inari, Raya and myself, became trapped here, by Daemonium. Thankfully, having a handy all-powerful deity at your beck and command, made keeping track of the little things so much easier. I knew that deep down inside, if I wasn¡¯t able to remember how long we had been trappe¡ª
[Humph! I will have you know, mortal, that I am much more useful than a mere tool for communicating the passage of time! The nerve of yourself to think so little of me! Besides, you have much more... Pressing matters to attend to!]
...
Regardless, our leveling process was unfortunately beginning to slow, as our power gradually approached that of the usual goblin we had been luring to the 50th floor for experience. Truthfully, I had become rather fond of our green skinned demonic friend, for without his help, the unifying goal we held for reaching the surface, would be but a fleeting desire. During this time, we had managed to ¡°farm¡± the goblin, which I had decided to name Francis, and reached level 45. All of us, could now easily eliminate a basic goblin from the 51st floor without issue. Additionally, we had also managed to train Raya in the usage of incantationless casting, where she was now able to cast all of her usual spells without issue. Furthermore, Coileene was able to share some of her limited power with the commander, such that her status values were now within an acceptable range of Inari and myself. However, we were now faced with an even greater problem for our survival.
Food.
I was initially hopeful that we would have been making actual progress deeper into the labyrinth by now, but, it seems that for how this world functions, it becomes exponentially harder to level up when you only slay creatures within a close power threshold to your own, even if you have the blessings from a god... Since the goblin we had been farming was level 51, and our levels were 45, the rate of growth had plummeted, such that we were only gaining 1 level a day now. As such, our rations of fried tofu dishes, had become exhausted.
[Come now Ko, it¡¯s not that bad. After all, now you¡¯ll finally be able to expand your palate to experience what I¡¯ve been forced to suffer through during your... Survival plan...]
Look, just because you¡¯ve been absorbing goblin essence for 2 weeks, doesn¡¯t make me want to try it myself! It¡¯s... It¡¯s just...!
[Hahaha!]
Presently, Inari, Raya, Coileene, and myself, were huddled around a campfire we had built, staring at the deceased corpse, of Francis. While we had become rather methodical during our hunting practice, experimenting with several... Unique ways to keep mindlessly killing goblins... Fresh, we were all dreading what our next logical solution for our current lack of sustenance entailed. The world serpent, in her infinite wisdom to help us survive, had suggested we eat the flesh from the goblin we had been killing, in order to provide our bodies with the basic nutrients we required. All living things, require energy to survive, with the basic requirements roughly being: protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Without these 3, our bodies would struggle to continue operating our fleshy vehicles in an efficient manner. While I¡¯m sure many within the field of biochemistry and nutritional science would be frothing at the seams for my gross oversimplification of this complex biological process, we clearly needed something to eat if we were to continue living down here.
¡°Ko... Do... Do we really... Have to...? I... I mean... I don¡¯t want to eat goblin fles¡ª¡±
¡°Oh please little fox, it really isn¡¯t all that bad. If you cook any slab of meat long enough, it will be perfectly acceptable for even the most sensitive of palates.¡±
¡°But Coileene... That¡¯s not what I¡ª¡±
Yeah... While Inari was currently talking to Coileene in a very somber voice, I feel her thoughts clearly matched what Raya and I were also thinking. Eating goblins... Was this really our only option...?
Hesitant, and, repulsed at my actions, I carefully started using my sword to sever one of the goblin¡¯s legs, isolating the thigh as best I could. Reddish and purple dark blood, oozed from the uncomfortable meat slab, as I slowly placed it on top of a thin rock grill, that Raya had managed to shape with her earth magic. Then, placing the improvised and crude grilling platform overtop of the campfire, we all stared in disgust as the meat slowly began to cook, changing from it¡¯s raw red and purple colour, into a... Vaguely familiar brown sear...
...
After roughly 20 minutes of cooking and flipping the revolting piece of protein, it finally appeared to be... ¡°Cooked¡±. All of our faces were filled with a sickening display, while Coileene was merely flicking her tongue at us, cackling lightly to herself. Then, waiting another 3 minutes to give whatever fats and juices remained inside the meat an... Appropriate amount of time to continue cooking and reabsorbing into our meal, I offered to be the first test subject in sampling our new delicacy.
Grabbing the cooked thigh, and, shakenly bringing it closer to my mouth, I closed my eyes, just as my teeth and nostrils were graced with the ominous meat¡¯s... Refined flavour. Taking a bite, I calmly tried to convince myself that it was just an abnormal piece of chicken. Something sketchy, like a... Mystery meat deep discount package labelled ¡°chicken¡±. You know, one of those questionable packages sold at 70% savings, which expired several days ago... Ya, that¡¯s right Ko, it¡¯s just chicken... Just a... Really... Weird... Piece of¡ª
*Guag!*
Gagging violently to bring some sense of relief to my throbbing esophagus and gut, I was barely managing to keep the worst meal in existence somewhat inside of my stomach. While the flesh had been a somewhat crispy texture, any pleasantries of a refined meal ended rather abruptly once the actual meat¡¯s flavour graced my cowering tastebuds. The goblin meat, for lack of a better word, instinctively reminded my body of rotting, decayed flesh. Something so unnatural, so unconsumable, that any sane being would immediately expel the contents of their stomach if this insult to culinary cuisine somehow managed to grace their lips. Finally, after gathering my resolve, I somehow managed to swallow the meat, ending my bite with another gut-retching cough.
Looking up, Inari and Raya¡¯s face had become somewhat pale, probably due to observing my reaction to the, clearly appetizing meal. If... If this is how we had to compensate without any food, I was already starting to dread what would happen once our dwindling water supplies began to run dry.
...
...
...
Another 2 weeks passed by, and fortunately, my concern regarding our supply of water ended up being a non-issue. With magic, it appeared that we could simply conjure water on a whim, so long as we had an appropriate amount of MP to convert the typeless particles in our vicinity, into the water element. Truthfully, I was intrigued at the blatant disregard for something called the ¡°conservation of energy¡±, but it appeared us being trapped on the 50th floor was not a closed system of sorts from a mana particle perspective. As it would appear, mana particles seemingly just... ¡°Poofed¡± into existence, after some indiscernible amount of time had passed. When I tried questioning Coileene about this phenomenon, she simply told me that I shouldn¡¯t bother trying to apply the concept of science to magic, and that I should just accept the universe she had created. While this annoyed me slightly, I was still somewhat relieved we had one less thing to worry about for our survival. As such, I made a note with Inari that we should investigate how magic functioned on a more scientific level, once we finally made it back to the surface.
...
...
...
Another week passed, and we had finally decided on a reckless action plan, partially driven by being down here for just over a month, and, wanting to potentially experience something else to eat besides goblin meat. We had finally, after an incredible amount of goblin kills, reached level 57 across the party, and were now eager to officially take on the 51st floor in earnest. While we could have probably attempted the floor at a much lower level, we wanted to eliminate any possibilities for failure. Based on our status growth, level 57 appeared to be the optimal status values for handling all of the various goblin variants that were present along the floor. At current, all of us were triple checking and reviewing the assault plan we had drafted together, after meticulously observing all of the goblins in excessive detail.
From our observations, there appeared to be no variation between respawns, even after we had eliminated some of the stronger variants. While this appeared to defy the known labyrinth rules from earlier, the working hypothesis, was that since this section of the dungeon was ¡°technically¡± a hidden trial, it was designed to pose a consistent challenge at all times. This fortunately had the benefit of making our planning, that much easier.
Battle plan #777 ¨C Hope, was to be our guiding force to show it was actually possible to make it out of this labyrinth. Essentially, our goal was to eliminate the weaker variants by utilizing stealth and images to ¡°replicate¡± them, so to speak. Inari, would mask all of our presences with an illusion spell, then we would slowly eliminate all of the basic goblin guards, and replace their bodies with an image. Next, we would move onto the hobgoblins and goblin knights, which would ultimately leave just the goblin shamans and kings. Assuming everything went according to plan, we would only have to contend with 3 kings, and 15 shamans.
Once the main engagement was to begin, Raya would join me at the front, utilizing her earth magic affinity to draw the attention of the goblin kings, while I swiftly dispatched the goblin shamans in the rear. Inari, would be supporting us with barriers, heals, and hex magic where appropriate. Additionally, she would call out any changes needed based on the evolving battle scene. We had never actually engaged these stronger variants before, and there was very limited information regarding the combat capabilities of the goblin kings in particular, so her insight would be critical in determining if we needed to retreat from the floor to reevaluate our strategy. Assuming no unexpected developments, the remaining goblin kings would then be restrained by my chains, before finally being eliminated from the disk beam attack. Nodding towards the group, Inari covered us with her illusion magic, then we stepped into the 51st floor to begin our assault.
Even after experiencing her magic countless times, it continued to amaze me how versatile illusion magic was in its functionality. Looking at my hands, while disorienting, was internally a cool sight to behold. My entire presence had become translucent, yet my brain could still make sense of my limbs position in 3-dimensional space with ease, despite the visual discrepancy. Additionally, while the spell was typically used to mask one¡¯s visual and mana presence, it could also alter what I had decided to call ¡°surface values¡±, such as those obtained from an appraisal result. In a sense, concealment and modifications were only limited by your imagination, the believability of your adjustments, and the weaving capabilities of the caster. When all of this became apparent, it was suddenly very easy to become skeptical of all the information you were viewing about the world through appraisal, with the only counter being ¡°just detect the illusion¡±.
Still slightly nervous, I decided to refocus my thoughts as we continued our cautious approach towards our first target; Francis. As expected, he was staring off to the side of the main goblin encampment with a bewildered look, oblivious to the countless deaths our party had become so accustomed to delivering to him. Not wanting to disappoint our goblin friend, I readjusted the grip on my blade, before creeping with striking distance. Glancing at Inari, and noticing she was prepared with her replacement image spell primed, I firmly clasp my right hand around the goblin¡¯s mouth, activating a small sound nullification spell, while severing the creature¡¯s neck from behind with my sword. A brutal assassination. Originally, I had assumed that such attacks would be most effective when severing the neck from the front, as with how most T.V. shows and video games portraited such take downs, however, it was actually more efficient when executed at the nape of the neck. In a crash course on anatomy from Inari, the ¡°technical¡± explanation was that severing the throat would cause an explosion of blood, due to rupturing a major artery, resulting in death due to blood loss or decapitation, making for a very... Gruesome, messy, and noisy kill. Conversely, if one were to sever the target¡¯s nerves from behind the neck, you would avoid this major artery, preventing blood from spewing everywhere, while still eliminating the target through decapitation. Both methods accomplished the same result, yet one was more efficient, produced remarkably less ¡°mess¡±, while being considerably quieter. Truly terrifying.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
Noticing I had completed my elimination, the spitting image of the goblin ¡°replacement¡± appeared, as I cast my own illusion spell over the creature¡¯s body to conceal it from the other monsters. Pausing briefly to ensure none of the goblins at the encampment had noticed, we continued towards our next target along the perimeter, repeating this process.
...
The assassinations and replacements continued without issue, and while the hobgoblins and goblin knights posed a slightly tougher challenge, all of them fell without too much trouble on our end. As expected, and well within our calculations, the goblin camp was now roughly 50% image replicas, with the remaining shamans and kings none the wiser as to their subjects... ¡°Disappearance¡±. Thus, observing and mentally preparing for the upcoming ¡°loud¡± portion of our plan, I began preparing mana for my magic nullification sphere, as I examined my upcoming prey in detail.
From a simple glance, the goblin shaman appeared to be the typical green skinned demon of its fellow kin, albeit with more tribal markings and attire. Resting atop it¡¯s head, was a crude, white skull, which appeared to be from some type of bovine, horse, or other large hoofed mammal. Coiling around its body, were red and blue, paint-like markings, intricately swirling around into elegant, yet simple designs. On its wrists and ankles, were simple coloured feathers, accenting a matching neckless, which was adorned to the brim with bountiful ¡°trophies¡± of various teeth and bones. Each shaman held a wooden staff with a tiny, shrunken skull affixed to the top. Presently, they were all dancing around the campfire with some... Impressive choreography in my opinion, as tiny specs of flames from the fire, joined them in their celebrations. Unfortunately, their celebrations were about to come to an abrupt end, as I separated myself from the group, skulking into position. Then, with one last final nod towards Inari and Raya, we began our countdown to begin.
Signaling the start of our encounter with the remaining goblin kings and shamans, Raya leapt into battle, slamming her fists into the ground, causing a rocky wall to violently erupt between our targets. Now separated from my allies, I just had to hope Raya and Inari could manage while I completed my end of the battle plan. Staggered from the sudden appearance of the cliff-like barrier separating them from their comrades, the goblin shamans squealed in anger, chanting and gathering mana to presumably lower the rocky wall, but I wouldn¡¯t let them! Quickly firing my magic nullification sphere, I interrupted the casting from 7 of the shamans, while delivering efficient stabs through the chests of the ones nearby. Then, with the illusion magic having runs its course, the shamans leapt in anger towards me, attempting crude overhead smashes with their staves, while some continued to attempt casting spells to no avail. Knowing time was of the essence, I effortlessly dodged their haphazard blows, while delivering fatal ones of my own. In the span of roughly 30 seconds, I had already eliminated 10, with only 5 more to go.
Resolved to quickly wrap up the remaining casters, and, to the pleased hissing noises from Coileene, I flicked my wrist to release the sentry disks, while launching several flaming spear volleys through the heads of the remaining shamans. The spell¡¯s impacts were subtle, yet brutal, as they left clean holes bored through each of the goblin¡¯s skulls. Then, dashing around the rocky wall to contend with the goblin kings, I was left speechless as to the current state of the battle.
Turning the corner, I witnessed Raya, smash her gauntlet into the last remaining goblin king, crushing its entire face into a mushy pulp, officially ending our combat encounter. Examining the carnage, one of the kings was burned beyond all recognition, while the third appeared to be crucified from some impressive stalagmites which erupted from the ground. Seeing the remaining combatants fall so easily, almost made me question all of the obsessive, meticulous planning we put into challenging this floor. But regardless, the area was cleared now.
Recalling and, putting my floating disks and sword away, I continued to gaze at the campsite the goblins had been using, along with the lightly crackling fire. Since the encounter had ended in a... Less than climatic fashion, I began looking through their belongings that were nearby the ¡°rave floor¡±, so to speak. Lightly scattered around the well-worn dirt site, were several wooden crates, pots, and sleeping cots. Not wanting to think too much into how these objects came into existence within the labyrinth, I decided to investigate the cowering crate next to one of the dead shamans. However, as I pried the lid off of the container, my eyes were overcome with relief and excitement as to the contents gracing their presence. Rubbing them slightly to ensure I was in fact not hallucinating, I yelled with exhilaration for Inari and Raya to join me in my discovery.
¡°Inari! Raya! You¡¯ve... You¡¯ve got to see this!¡±
Noticing my calls and joining me rather swiftly, their faces were equally overcome with the same joy I was presently experiencing as well. Resting within the wooden crates, nestled orderly along the bottom, was a pile of dried meats, potentially jerky of some sort. It... It was the first, actual pieces of normal looking food I had seen in close to a month. Tears swelled within my eyes, as my legs gave way from the relief coursing throughout my body. Finally, we had found some real food we could eat! If... If these contents followed the rules for respawning on a floor, then we have truly found a solution to our goblin meat dilemma!! Equally thrilled, Raya burst into tears as well with her remarks.
¡°By the gods Ko... It¡¯s... It¡¯s actually meat! Real, actual, meat!!!¡±
¡°Raya, Ko, that¡¯s not all as well, look! Over here in this one! There¡¯s some weird... Fruit looking things? I just finished casting appraisal on them, and they appear to be something called a... Sun melon?¡±
Looking over to my right to see a happily swooshing tail, Inari had carefully picked up a large looking fruit from the crate she was standing beside. It was roughly the size of a football, covered in a yellow and orange, thick waxy skin. The shape and markings kind of looked like a sun, as the fox rotated the mysterious fruit around her paws, lightly sniffing it with her twitching snout.
¡°It smells kinda sweet, with a very citrusy aroma! I wonder what it tastes like!¡±
Signaling my desire to try one of the mysterious fruits as well, Inari carefully tossed one of the sun melons my direction. Fighting the urge to spin the new found object shaped like a basketball on my fingertips, I gently broke the protective flesh of the fruit and offered up a bite to my watering tastebuds.
Wonderful and rich, juicy flavours, flooded my palate, as my mouth became overwhelmed with an array of utter ecstasy! While this sensation could probably be more appropriately attributed to eating the equivalent of rotting flesh for over a month, then finally having something reasonable, I was not one to complain! The sun melon, for all intensive purposes, was very reminiscent of a mango, orange, watermelon hybrid, filled with a whole world of juicy deliciousness! The fruits texture was soft, yet crispy, as my teeth happily sank into the liquidly and sweet meal. Losing myself to my instincts, after finally tasting something palatable, I ravenously began tearing into the fruit further to satiate my appetite. Inari and Raya, had also joined me in sampling the new found delicacy, with each of them happily eating their own sun melon as well.
Finishing our brief meal, I looked around again to the grim reminder that we were still on the 51st floor, surrounded by the corpses of numerous goblins. However, this victory had brought with it a new tide of emotions. Our faces which had become stained with rugged expressions during our struggle to survive, all held gleeful smiles as we continued to bask in our victory over the first trial floor of the labyrinth. In a sense, we had regained a portion of our humanity we were at risk of losing, and battle plan hope had graced us with the very name we had given it. Thus, filled with a mixture of energy from sugary carbohydrates and our renewed desire to survive, we placed our new found sustenance within our spatial storage spells, then calmly retreated back to our lodgings on the 50th floor. In truth, we had managed to find food, but we still hadn¡¯t tested if these supplies would ¡°respawn¡±, so to speak. As such, this was our next logical step in continuing to survive this hell. Thus, after waiting for the entire floor to respawn, we eagerly prepared for our next assault.
Once again, keeping with our battle plan, we stealthily eliminated the easy targets, while getting into position for our conflict against the kings and shamans again. Then, after eliminating our targets without issue for a 2nd time, cautiously approached the wooden crates by the campsites. Our steps, were filled with an unimaginable tension, threating to shatter our hearts, should the assumed respawn property be proven false. Noticing I was the first one to the wooden crates containing jerky, a smell bead of sweat, dripped from my brow, as I slowly opened the container. Inari had already pre-emptively covered her eyes, with her ears twitching in anticipation, while Raya looked several shades paler awaiting my findings. Then, peering into the crate again, I burst into joyful laughter, having successfully observed Schr?dinger¡¯s jerky! Resting inside the crates, was another new set of dried meats for our party, ripe for the taking.
Excitement was too simple of a word to describe our emotions in this moment. We had not only started making actual progress towards our goal of clearing the labyrinth, but finally had conclusive evidence for respawning food supplies. This discovery, meant we could eventually begin building up our food rations, to provide an ample ¡°failsafe¡± should we got stranded on a deeper layer. So, with a surge of energy, we happily collected our loot, and for the first time in a long time, held a celebration on the 50th floor, to commemorate our substantial progress!
Celebrating around our usual campfire, Raya, Inari and I, all danced around the flickering flames of the fire, cheering and laughing, while Coileene rolled her eyes at us from the side. In her view, we probably looked like idiotic children, finding joy over the simplest of things the universe could offer, but we didn¡¯t care! This night, had managed to make us forget about our perilous situation, as we finally found the energy to enjoy each other¡¯s company to it¡¯s fullest, with smiles and laughter filling our conversations and thoughts as we chatted the night away. Today, we had finally felt like a team, with our goal of surviving, seemingly appearing within reach. As the night carried on, we had presumably lost track of time during our dancing, eventually passing out from the ¡°drunkenly happy¡± atmosphere we had created.
...
...
As it would seem, the dark abyss of the labyrinth floor was staring back at me, having abruptly woken me from my slumber. While this disturbance in sleeping patterns could be the result of the leftover excitement still flowing within my body from our party, it was more realistically from the serpent rambling away within my mind, trying to rouse it towards answering some of her questions. I was still groggy, and my eyes filled with a blurry fog, where I could barely make out the image of the extinguished campfire ahead. Eventually, after a few more blinks and eye rubs, with my retina¡¯s rods coming online, my brain began contemplating Coileene¡¯s words.
[Really now, must you describe waking up in such a manner? Just focus on answering my questions Ko, and enough with this excessive ¡°monologue fluff!¡±]
Yeah yeah Coileene. So, what was it you wanted to ask me? I didn¡¯t fully understand what you were saying.
[It¡¯s... I... You are just wasting so much time on these pointless trivialities, when it would be better suited progressing deeper into this stupid labyrinth! Celebrations?!? Rebuilding your food stores?!? I have more than enough power now to guide you to my imprisoned fragment, yet you¡¯re choosing to exercise more caution???! And don¡¯t even get my started on the horrid display of uncoordinated, sporadic limb movements I observed amongst your group!]
...
Well, Coileene, surely you would understand why us mortals would partake in something like this... Right? After all, you are the most powerful deity on Terra. And hey, I won¡¯t have you insulting my dance moves, especially since you never cared to join us during our party!
...
An ominous silence filled my mind, as Coileene failed to respond to my comments. Looking around, I was able to see that Inari and Raya were still sound asleep, with my eyes finally having adjusted to the eery darkness permeating the floor. Eventually, in a rather somber tone, I heard the serpent¡¯s response softly enter my thoughts.
[I... No, I do not understand why you would choose to waste your time celebrating, when it would be better spent recovering my power. My... My memories would probably contain more insightful information regarding your abhorrent behaviour, but without them, I cannot answer with certainty.]
...
You know... Coileene, I... I don¡¯t think I ever asked you about your memories, and what you¡¯re hoping to obtain. I mean, I know you want revenge on whichever god trapped you and sealed your powers, but even after over a month with you living inside my body, I feel like we barely know each other...
[As it should be Ko. You are simply a temporary vessel to house my power until it is regained. Noting more, nothing less. Mortals will never understand the goals and desires of us gods. In fact, even attempting to ask such a question would drive many a man mad upon hearing our answers!]
You... You don¡¯t actually know... Do you Coileene? What you¡¯ve actually lost and forgotten? What you used to be like?
[...]
Ok now, saying those ellipsis in my mind was really weird Coileene. Besides, if you don¡¯t enlighten me yourself, I¡¯ll resort to using my own ¡°head cannon¡± for your backstory, which we both know would be messed up, but entertaining in it¡¯s own right!
[I¡¯m...
...
You¡¯re right Ko. As painful as it is to admit, I don¡¯t remember anything about who I was, or what I did. I know I was powerful, unimaginably powerful at that, and probably had the largest following of devout worshipers Terra had ever seen! It would be only natural for someone like myself... But... I just... This hole in my existence... I need my memories, and waiting literal galaxy lifetimes is far too long for a divine being. You would never understand.]
I¡¯m shocked Coileene.
[Naturally! I told you mortals wou¡ª]
Haha! No no no. I¡¯m shocked, because you actually have a personality. I may not be a god myself, but the feelings of losing something important, and the empty void left within your heart... If you¡¯ve merged with me, you probably already know what I¡¯m talking about. Heck, you probably would know anyways because you¡¯re a god, but nonetheless, I can at the very least... Relate with the emotions you¡¯re probably feeling.
[...]
*Sigh*
[Applying your concept of emotions towards divine beings is futile Ko. We are all above such simple expressions.]
...
By the way... Thank you, Coileene... For saving me... I never really did thank you, even after all this time. I might not always agree with your methods, and I still haven¡¯t forgiven you for abruptly taking control over my body at times, but you¡¯ve still given me another chance to make a difference... Even if it¡¯s for your own benefit...
[Humph! It¡¯s about time your insufferable existence thanked me for my efforts! You truly are an ungrateful servant!]
¡°Haha¡±, why of course, Coileene.
Lightly chuckling to myself at the ¡°somewhat¡± expected response from the god living inside me, I calmly rolled over to my side to once again, work on falling back asleep. We were still trapped untold feet below Solara¡¯s surface in the labyrinth, but for once, our odds of survival seemed realistic. It was already obvious how our next several days were going to be spent, but I was glad to finally remember what it means to be alive. Not just surviving, but actually feeling alive again. Thus, wrapping up my thoughts, I uttered the words on my mind, to the proud goddess living inside of me, before drifting away again into the world of dreams.
¡°Good night, Coileene.¡±
Chapter 47 – A Missed Opportunity
Several more weeks had passed, where Inari, Raya and myself, continued to farm the 51st floor to rebuild our food supplies. Presently, we had amassed holdings of 300 portions each across our individual spatial storage spells, and were finally starting to feel satisfied we had enough reserves should we become trapped on a deeper floor of the labyrinth. In truth, gaining levels had also become excruciatingly slow, where we had only advanced to level 60 after all this time farming our supplies. In short, we were starting to feel pressed for time, knowing that close to two months had already passed on the surface, with untold horrors probably being inflicted upon the citizens of the kingdom. As such, we were currently checking over our supplies, and reviewing all of our status values before officially beginning our journey to delve deeper into the labyrinth.
---
Name: Kotato Yamata Level: 60 Rank: F(+)
Race: Human HP: 1,500/1,500 MP: 2,000/2,000
Age: 25
Profession: Spell Blade
Status: Strength: 700 Defense: 700
Magic: 700 Dexterity: 700
Skill Proficiencies: [Growth] [Summoned Hero] [World Serpent¡¯s Blessing] [] [] [] [] []
Titles: None
---
---
Name: Inari Kitsune Level: 60 Rank: F(+)
Race: Beastkin HP: 1,200/1,200 MP: 3,000/3,000
Age: 22
Profession: Priestess [Hidden - The Speaker For Vixen]
Status: Strength: 324 Defense: 387
Magic: 824 (+2) Dexterity: 663
Skill Proficiencies: [Magic Affinity ¨C Excellent+] [Reflexes] [Concentration] [Fire Affinity ¨C Excellent+] [Curses ¨C Excellent+] [Charms ¨C Excellent+] [Illusion] [Magic Detection ¨C Excellent+] [Growth] [Earth Affinity ¨C Excellent+] [Typeless Affinity ¨C Excellent+]
Titles: None [Hidden ¨C The Speaker For Vixen ¨C Chosen by the goddess Vixen to pursue the innerworkings of the world at large. Individual is blessed with growth and manipulation of magic, along with a passion for discovery. All types of magic may be learned by the individual who possesses this title.]
---
---
Name: Raya Lockhart Level: 60 Rank: B
Race: Human HP: 1,133/1,133 MP: 821/821
Age: 28
Profession: Martial Knight
Status: Strength: 574 Defense: 633
Magic: 244 Dexterity: 292
Skill Proficiencies: [Swords ¨C Excellent+] [Improvised Weapons ¨C Excellent+] [Fist Weapons ¨C Excellent+] [Earth Magic ¨C Excellent] [Leadership ¨C Great+] [Commander¡¯s Aura] [Defensive Mastery ¨C Excellent+]
Titles: None
---
One of the more interesting observations, was Inari had finally overtaken me in raw magic status values now. Raya, on the other hand, was thrilled at the additional power lent to her by Coileene, which drastically boosted her ¡°abysmal¡± status values, as she called them. While the commander had been typically focused on defensive magic with an emphasis on close-quarters combat using her gauntlets and sword, Coileene had boosted her capabilities enough to allow Raya to keep up with me near the front, where she could adequately ¡°tank¡± the goblins we had become so proficient at fighting. That said, with everything reviewed and in order, after having just recently cleared out the 51st floor again, we all nodded in agreement to one another, as we started heading towards the staircase to officially reach the 52nd floor.
As we were walking down the typical spiral staircase, to the surprising absence of a poisonous miasma, Inari was briefing Raya and myself on the expected undead variants we could potentially come across on this level. From her research and magical studies under Felice, the undead could be roughly categorized into the following ranks of severity: skeletons, zombies, ghouls, lesser lich, and greater lich. Any examples of stronger variants were unknown in the adventuring world, presumably because a greater lich had only ever been observed and documented once amongst adventurers. However, we were also unaware about the presence of goblin ¡°kings¡± until 2 months ago when we initially became trapped down here, so there was also the potential for some new, unimaginable horror on the floor ahead. For a moment, grotesque images of mangled corpses crudely stitched together, with and endless army of limbs alike flooded my mind with their unnatural nature. A chill ran down my spine from the thought, as my body suddenly felt cold to the touch.
Suddenly, I was abruptly pulled back by Raya, closer to the stairs, jolting my vision to align with the entranceway. The chill I had felt, unfortunately wasn¡¯t an imaginary feeling, but actually the result of something far, far sinister. Floating on the other side of the door, staring back at us with piercing red eyes, was an undead monstrosity clearly reminiscent of a powerful lich from numerous fantasy settings.
The creature, was a skeleton cloaked in a tattered and rugged ebony cloak, with several black chains dangling from its limbs that dragged across the ground. Tiny, specs of frost, calmly hung in the air around it, as I noticed the monster¡¯s gaze locked with my own. Its bones appeared brittle, yet firm, as the ghastly skull¡¯s eyes bore fear directly into my soul. On one of its hands, the creature held a long, metallic scythe, grimly covered in an array of skulls and crosses, while the other housed a black grimoire, bound with an inverted pentagram. The creature continued to stare at me, as frost from its body gradually started to permeate the landing¡¯s barrier, creeping along the floor in a web-like advance towards us, blanketing the ground in a crispy white sheen. Then, just as quickly as the lich had become enthralled by our presence, it turned its body to continue patrolling the perimeter of the floor, leaving us alone. Once it had left the entranceway, the fear gripping my body eased in intensity, as my lungs let out an exasperated sigh of relief.
¡°Wh... What the heck was that thing?!¡±
I somehow managed to articulate a response. Apparently, I had become lost in thought and just kept walking towards the greater lich standing at the doorway, or so it seemed. Inari had just finished explaining to our group, that these creatures were known to possess powerful magic capable of luring their targets closer in a dazed trance. Raya thankfully noticed something seemed wrong with me, and decided to pull me back, since my actions seemed abnormal with the... You know... Calmly advancing towards the obvious, sinister threat... While I was thankful for her interference, truthfully not remembering any of my actions from moments ago... Why didn¡¯t Coilee¡ª
[I was simply bored Ko, if that¡¯s what you wanted to know. Truthfully, I wanted to see what would happen if you got close enough to that inferior being... But alas, it appears your companions have some sense of duty in keeping you safe. But believe me, it was entertaining seeing how easily your body fell prey to a mere greater liches¡¯ influence. You really would be useless without me you know...]
...
¡°Are... You alright Ko?¡± Inari¡¯s voice carefully blanketed the landing as I was still apparently trying to catch my breath from the encounter. ¡°I think that was the greater liches¡¯ spell ¡°Influence¡± at play. I couldn¡¯t detect it manipulating or weaving any of the mana particles in the vicinity, so I¡¯m not sure just yet how I can counter such a spell...¡±
¡°In which case, since I would like things to finally start progressing at an acceptable pace after a longer than necessary training and food collection section... Allow me to enlighten you about this type of magic, little fox.¡±
In her usual, arrogant attitude, we had all become accustomed to by this point, Coileene materialized herself behind Inari, lightly grabbing her shoulder, while softly touching one of her fluffy ears to play with. Startled by the sudden assault, Inari shakenly jumped forward, with her tail shooting straight into the air, stiff, and extra fluffy for the commander and I to witness.
¡°That... That¡¯s not appropriate Coileene!! D-d-don¡¯t startle me like that.¡± Inari¡¯s words were frazzled, as she tried to berate the goddess for doing whatever she pleased. ¡°Ha! But it would have been fine if someone else had¡ª¡±
¡°I said stop!¡± exclaimed the fox in a sharp tone, as she interrupted Coileene¡¯s continued advances towards her, cutting her off abruptly. ¡°Fine... Have it your way, little one, but I was just merely trying to demonstrate the type of magic you somehow failed to detect... Despite already countering a much more... Intricate variation back at the tavern with that troublesome cat.¡±
Coileene flicked her serpent¡¯s tongue at the conclusion of her ¡°helpful¡± insight, while crossing her arms across her chest in a prideful manner, before drifting her gaze towards my own. Looking at Raya, her expression appeared blank, processing the charades before her, matching my own feelings for the situation as well... Probably...
¡°You mean... The greater lich influences its targets by embedding mana particle clusters directly within the host¡¯s conscious?!?¡± Carefully responded Inari, as she slowly touched her now pinned back ears for comfort, before being startled once again by Coileene¡¯s unexpected actions.
¡°Ding ding ding! A perfect answer!¡± laughed the serpent goddess, as a set of streamers, confetti, and poppers, materialized from nothing, before quickly exploding in a celebratory fury above us. Raya and I both jumped from the sudden *Pops!* shattering our eardrums, while confetti and glitter slowly rained down above, scattering and fluttering lightly from the ambient air current present on the floor. Some of the sparkling paper had even managed to land in my hair, but failed in comparison to the streamers and glitter adorning Inari¡¯s red fur, which was now blanketed in a sparkling, captivating mess. Annoyed at her pristine coat being ruined, Inari attempted to lightly brush the annoying paper from her fur, which only seemingly made matters worse. Then, letting out a deep sigh, she flicked her paws, which somehow caused all of the confetti to disappear instead.
¡°Seriously Coileene.¡± She said in an even sharper tone, before once again brushing the fur along her tail and chest, checking them over to make sure no pieces of rogue glitter remained. ¡°But... If that¡¯s the case, I should be able to protect us with a barrier covered by illusion. The lich will probably notice quickly, but those precious seconds will be more than enough to prevent a complete control.¡±
Coileene simply smiled at Inari¡¯s explanation, before prompting her with some more information. ¡°Not too bad of an idea, for a mortal of course, but is that really the best option?¡±
Inari paused, bringing one of her paws underneath her chin in contemplation. I copied her motion as well, but was truthfully unaware how this magic could definitively be countered. However, my concern appeared unnecessary, as Inari quickly snapped her fingers, before happily explaining her plan, with accompanying tail swooshes.
¡°That¡¯s it! The lich is blending the particles on both the tangible and ethereal planes, meaning if I protect the conscious with ethereal particles, while weaving light particles primed with the purify spell, they should autoactivate and prevent any enthralments from taking hold!¡±
Complimenting her energetic tail wags, my head suddenly felt warm, as I noticed Inari¡¯s paws were surrounded in a white and purple light, probably indicating she had cast the protective spell she had just thought of. Looking at Coileene, her face now held a maniacal grin, as her tongue continued to flick away in acceptance. ¡°Well done. An acceptable counter for an inferior foe.¡± The goddess haughtily retorted to Inari¡¯s cheerful actions, before clearly directing her next set of words towards me. ¡°But how will you contend with this floor, knowing this information now?¡±
Looking through the entranceway and examining some of the mana signatures present, I was able to recognize the identifiers for 20 skeletons, 14 zombies, a cluster of ghouls, and what was probably several lesser and greater liches patrolling the perimeter of the floor. Truthfully, we didn¡¯t need to defeat all of the enemies on a floor to progress, but had decided fully clearing a floor out would be the saftest option for our party. This method would allow us to learn the move sets and strategies of all the enemies present, which could be helpful if we ever came across another boss floor like the minotaur. If one of these creatures summoned others as reinforcements, then being aware of any nuances in their behaviours would be critical for our survival. However, that did bring to mind our earlier dealings with the 12th floor, which I decided to confirm with Coileene who was still waiting on my response.
¡°Back on floor 12, we used purify to clear out the entire floor, while remaining in safety on the staircase. Couldn¡¯t... Couldn¡¯t we just do the same here? But use your powers Coileene to amplify the spell with the disks? I know you said I couldn¡¯t use the disks against the goblins, since they would apparently destroy it before the spell could be fired, but...¡±
I could tell Inari and Raya were looking at me as I continued stumbling over my own words. Eventually, I indicated to the enthusiastic fox we should attempt a purifying disk combo, to which she happily agreed. Coileene simply snickered, as I flicked my wrists to release a single floating disk, before joining Inari and Raya in converting typeless particles into the light element for the attack.
With all of our assistance, we were able to quickly gather enough particles for Inari to weave into a potent purify spell, which she happily launched into the calmly orbiting disk near the entranceway. A warm light, flooded the floor, as the disk hummed away, charging the spell further, before finally unleashing it on the unsuspecting undead monstrosities, still aimlessly wandering around. Shielding my eyes from the excessively bright lightshow, it appeared our plan had worked, as all of the previous mana signatures were now thankfully absent. None of us leveled up, which was a slight disappointment, but we had effectively cleared the entire 52nd floor with a single spell. Turning to Coileene, I attempted my own bit of sass towards her, to which I quickly regretted.
¡°Heh, and you said we couldn¡¯t use your disk attacks from the safety of the floor¡¯s barriers! Shows just how much an all-powerful goddess knows about this labyrinth!¡±
¡°Oh please. You really are a fool Ko. There is a much... Simpler explanation as to how this ¡°incredible discovery¡± just so happened to work.¡±
¡°Really now? Oh, do enlighten me Coileene, after all, you are the most powerful god on Terra.¡±
A sharp, painful chill tinged my spine, as my response hung in the air, echoing within the calm chambers. Next, the serpent confidently embraced my body, tightly pulling it towards her chest, before whispering her simple response in a breathy tone inside my ear. While her actions were no longer alarming to me, it would seem Coileene¡¯s words and foresight still held an impressive grip over my actions.
¡°I lied, Ko.¡±
My eyes widened at the simple realization of her words, while Coileene¡¯s arms gradually loosened their chilling embrace around my torso. Then, choosing to return inside her shield, she confidently finished her last words of advice, confidently speaking to all of us. ¡°And... On that note, it would be wise for all of you to remember as such. All living creatures are capable of lying, even those of the divine. Just because a god claims such a truth, it should never be assumed as infallible.¡±
There was a defining silence between our party, as we all had the realization, that all of our careful planning, could have been made that much easier, had we just utilized these disks to efficiently eliminate the goblins when we first became trapped. We could have saved lots of time and needless suffering by just shooting overpowered laser beams from behind the floor¡¯s barrier. When instead, we were struggling to survive, having assumed such a skill wouldn¡¯t work, just because Coileene stated as much.
Tightly gripping my fists, I looked down at the shield attached to my left arm. The serpent was calmly staring back at me, despite my desires to continue our conversation further. Inari and Raya also held softened expressions after listening to Coileene¡¯s words, indicating to me they too made the frustrating connection as to how much time had been wasted down here. However, just before I could start walking towards the cleared floor, the god residing within the shield spoke to all of us in a condescending, yet encouraging tone.
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¡°Now now, you shouldn¡¯t be that disappointed in yourselves. All of your abilities to challenge the status quo are remarkable in their own right. However, you, like many other mortals, all fall prey to a simple line of thinking when it comes to the divine. Thus, to make sure this lesson was... Memorable, I crafted my words as such.
Never, take anything a god says, as an absolute. Always question, and think critically about information you learn, even if it comes from the lips of a god themselves.¡±
Brushing the horrible goddesses¡¯ words aside, I pressed forward, formally entering the cleared floor, being greeted only by a lightly blowing breeze, and the undead ashes glistening under the light of my luminous spell.
...
After passing through the floor and entering the stairwell towards the 53rd, there was a tragic lack of literature surrounding potential powerful insects that could spawn within the labyrinth. There were classic examples of giant spiders, queen hornets, and gargantuan beetles, but these creatures we mostly know to only exist in the Kingdom of Thalassia, and certainly not within a labyrinth. However, lacking any other data to base our assumptions on, we still prepared contingencies for these creatures, just in case one of these variants became present on the upcoming floor. Finally reaching the bottom of the stairs, and carefully peering into the open room, it appeared our cautiousness was rewarded, as our appraisal scans revealed an assortment of moths, beetles, dire silk grubs, and spiders within.
The mana signatures of the creepy crawlies, appeared to be variants of the ones listed within Inari¡¯s adventuring journal, which I was honestly starting to question the size of by this point. For such a simple book, it appeared a near endless source of knowledge, all of which was carefully scrawled within by the obsessive fox during her magic lessons with Felice. I figured it was probably an adaptation of typeless magic related to spatial storage spells, but ultimately made a mental note to ask her about it later. If I could remember of course.
Carefully examining the floor¡¯s layout, it was very reminiscent of the heavily renovated chambers from the 13th floor. Countless dire silk grubs were happily spraying silk around the room, while several spiders appeared to have clearly marked sections of gravel for their hunting grounds. The observations were rather entertaining in their own right, since the room itself implied a closed ecosystem of sorts, based on the environmental storytelling within. There were no sources of vegetation from what we could see, but the silk grubs were clearly a prominent source of food, as seen by the larger spiders currently wrapping some of them in their own silken cocoons. Several beetles had also joined in on the fun as well, instead choosing to impale the poor grubs with their powerful horns. Looking at Inari, she simply nodded, while gathering and priming mana particles for one of her powerful Kitsunebi spells. Signaling to enter, we slowly began advancing towards the other end of the floor.
We didn¡¯t want to spend too much time with the various insects and their variants, but we did need to collect data on most of their attack patterns before moving on. Breaking into a quick sprint, Raya joined along side me, as we both launched our initial attacks into the spider and beetle ahead of us. Skillfully jabbing my sword through one of the giant spider¡¯s many eyes, I quickly leapt back while doing my best to observe and anticipate any counter attacks.
*SCHREE!!!*
¡°Heh, honestly, I don¡¯t blame you for that reaction to my greeting Mr. Spider, but this is all for our survival!¡±
While I highly doubted the being understood my acknowledgement for its... Clear disdain for having a blade stabbed through its carapace and eyes in various places repeatedly, I was thankfully able to learn its ability patterns from the encounter.
Reeling back in pain, the giant spider attempted to shoot some acid towards me from its abdomen, which I easily countered by sweeping my right hand to erect a powerful barrier spell. Most of the repulsive goop hung in the air across the translucent bubble, but the puddles landing across the ground quickly showed the world they were a force to be reckoned with, as they quickly liquified the dirt below. Steam carefully ascended from the bubbling, deadly mixture, while several warning tringles accompanied the solution across my peripheral vision. Next, the being attempted to impale the frustrating barrier with its powerful mandibles, before finally finishing its combo with a slash from its lanky front legs. This three-attack combo continued for several cycles, indicating to me these were potentially the only moves it was capable of. Satisfied I had completed my role, I shouted out my findings to Inari, while turning my attention towards Raya.
¡°Acid, fangs, then sweep. What about you Raya?¡±
¡°Got it! This one¡¯s much simpler. It just attempts to impale you with its triple horns!¡±
*SMASH!*
Efficiently ending her own encounter, the commander skillfully smashed the tough head piece in of the being known as a ¡°Colossal Beetle¡±, which looked very similar to a rhinoceros beetle from Earth. Green goop shot forth from the beetle, as its shell and insides littered the vicinity in a sharp, gooey mixture. Several more beetles and spiders decided to join the fray, which Raya and I handled without much issue. Inari had also launched several of her Kitsunebi spells past us during the encounter, incinerating most of the insect reinforcements. After clearing out the remaining bugs, I called back to Inari, indicating we appeared to be safe.
¡°Clear! Looks like that¡¯s all of them for now.¡±
Double checking my mana detection radar, I made sure to confirm no more hostile signatures were present before sheathing my sword and turning back towards the group. However, Inari¡¯s ears were pinned back as I got closer, and she was still holding her staff rather close to her face, while staring at the ceiling above. Joining her gaze, my heart dropped to my feet, after I noticed the once dark expansive abyss, was now filled to the brim with tiny red eyes staring back at us. I wasn¡¯t detecting mana signatures, but it was clearly something... Or rather, should I say, a lot of somethings, as all of the red lights began descending along the walls towards us. I quickly modified my detection radar to identify smaller threats, which was only confirmed by Inari¡¯s timid, stuttering response.
¡°K-k-k-Ko... I-I... I think that Mr... Was actually, a Mrs...¡±
Finally having calibrated my radar, my mind became flooded with an army of red dots, rapidly swarming around us, with the names ¡°Dire Spider Spawn¡± covering ever bit of my vision in the upper right corner. The tiny spiders were only level 5, but, up against something straight out of an arachnophobe¡¯s nightmare, I only had one simple response to the cowering fox beside me.
¡°Inari, light em up!¡±
Mustering a faint smile, I felt a surge of fire particles gathering around her, which I joined in on as well, doing my best to weave additional potency into the spell she was currently crafting. Raya joined beside us, activating some minor barriers, as tiny specs of acid started raining down above us from the baby spiders shooting an initial volley of death our direction. Finally, making sure that our spell would only harm the swarm of spiders around us, we unleashed our inferno into each of the mana signatures from the frightening horde. Powerful flames, burst forth all around us, spiraling around into a potent flaming tornado of death and destruction, incinerating each and every spider it came into contact with. Heat and fire continued to expand outwards from our haven, as each of the mana signatures quickly began vanishing from the target being eliminated in what I would aptly consider fury from hell itself.
Did the attack feel a little excessive? Maybe. But, being somewhat of an arachnophobe myself, I felt no qualms over the sheer destructive power utilized in eliminating these pests. If anything, we could have used even more fire particles to ensure there was absolutely no chance of survival for the critters. The only safe way to deal with a spider, was to use a flamethrower and burn the monstrosity from a comfortable, healthy distance away. This fire tornado, while not a flamethrower, would have to suffice.
Several minutes passed, and, when the smoke finally started to clear, I was relived to see all of the mana signatures were thankfully non-existent. ¡°Geez, I guess you two really don¡¯t like spiders, huh.¡± Quietly remarked Raya, as she clicked her tongue at the destructive power we just finished displaying. ¡°Don¡¯t like is an understatement.¡± I responded in kind, while looking around the room, taking in the blackened charred bodies and ash we had so easily created. Then, Inari offered her own comments on the carnage.
¡°Likewise, Raya, I also don¡¯t enjoy dealing with spiders, especially swarms of them like this. Speaking of, we should probably continue moving. I¡¯m already shuddering at the thought of when these things inevitably respawn. The next floor should be slimes, which already sounds a lot nicer than spiders and beetles.¡±
¡°Understood. Let¡¯s just hope we don¡¯t encounter a slime spider or something!¡± Playfully remarked Raya, as she confidently walked past us towards the next set of stairs, earning a disgusting look from myself in the process. Seriously now... So help me if there actually are slime spiders... I¡¯ll know just the commander to curse for foreshadowing another horrid nightmare.
...
Thankfully, Raya¡¯s person was spared from my unconscious wrath, as when we entered the 54th floor filled with slime variants. It was only filled with an assortment of elementally charged slimes after a brief visual scan. There was a slime for each major elemental particle, including typeless and ethereal particles as well, along with additional oddities such as metal, acid, and balloon. Yes, even I was having difficulties believing in the literal latex-like slimes floating around near the ceiling, but they were clearly a thing on Terra, and, looked to be enjoying themselves in their leisurely aerial drift around the room. This was probably the first time documenting such a creature, yet, for as abnormal as the inhabitants appeared to be, the truly intriguing piece of the floor, was the actual room itself.
¡°Is... Do you think this is one of those puzzle rooms you mentioned, Ko?¡±
Bringing my hand underneath my chin, I calmly responded to my inquisitive partner¡¯s simple remarks. ¡°I believe so Inari. The clear separation of the room into elemental quadrants, and an ominous stone wall blocking the next set of stairs seems like a typical clich¨¦ puzzle of sorts. The question is... What exactly is the puzzle, and what¡¯s the penalty for failing to solve it?¡±
¡°Puzzle... Room...?¡± Quietly mumbled the commander beside me, as she also brought her gauntlet underneath her chin in contemplation. ¡°Yes Raya, a puzzle room. They sometimes appear in the isekai stories I¡¯ve read containing labyrinths. They usually serve as a way to breakup the tedious fighting scenes, providing a break for the reader and story.¡±
¡°I see.¡± Hummed Raya, as she continued walking along side Inari and I towards the stone wall at the end of the floor. We were careful to avoid the slimes along the way, which wasn¡¯t too difficult, seeing as none of them were inherently aggressive. I had expected at least some of them to be hostile, such as the acid slime I was somewhat familiar with, but all of them just seemed to ignore us while we walked by. ¡°Perhaps this is a feature of the room itself, and the slimes won¡¯t attack us until we begin interacting with the challenge.¡±
¡°Makes sense. But, this is a rather large deviation from our observations Ko. All of the labyrinth floors thus far have been combat challenges, so to suddenly see a puzzle? I¡¯m actually looking forward to solving this one!¡±
Inari¡¯s tail was happily swooshing around, as we continued hopping across the conveniently placed stones in the lava quadrant, before conjuring some ice slabs to help cross the water domain. Her mind was probably happily racing, presumably having already developed several battleplans on how to solve whatever puzzle we were about to encounter. Examining the room in greater detail, each section appeared to mostly contain slimes of their respective element, with a majority of them clustered around a tall pillar in the middle, slowly slinking around it. On top of each column, was a coloured orb matching the domain, and what was probably a symbol to indicate its respective element. Pictures of a flame, mountains, water droplets, and wind, all gladly showcased their amazing artistic prowess to accent their aptly selected glowing colours of red, green, blue, and white.
Eventually, after reaching the other end of the room, both Inari and I looked at each other, and let out a disappointed sigh, to which she was the first to break the saddened silence.
¡°Is... Is it really going to be that simple, Ko? I was kind of hoping for more of a challenge, but...¡±
¡°Ya... I¡¯m thinking it really is that basic of a solution as well. But, lets continue exploring, just to be extra sure.¡±
Looking at the stone wall, there were 4 aptly placed openings, each of which contained a simple concave pedestal. Above each opening, was the symbol for one of the base elements, along with a lightly pulsing colour of the same domain. The flame pulsed a calming red, the mountain and relaxing green, the droplet a tranquil blue, and the wind a blustery white. Some part of me wanted to believe it wasn¡¯t the simple... That perhaps we would need to decode and place the coloured orbs in different locations, but it really did appear to be the classic ¡°Square peg goes in the square hole¡± type of deal.
¡°Is... Do we just take the orbs, and put them in their respective slots? That really doesn¡¯t seem all that complex for a puzzle, champions.¡±
¡°I agree Raya. I¡¯m not seeing any accompanying texts or riddles either, so this is probably the solution.¡±
Looking over the room again, I let out another sigh before confirming our strategy. Raya and I would each go to a quadrant and retrieve a coloured orb atop the pillars, using magic to float it towards the door. Inari would stay near the stone wall to protect the orbs in case some of the aerial slimes tried to return them to their proper homes, and the entire process would take us... Maybe 5 minutes. After receiving some combat enhancements from Inari, I quickly dashed towards the fire pillar and retrieved the first orb, manipulating and levitating it with magic towards the exit. As expected, the instant I touched and moved the orb from its home atop the pillar, all of the fire slimes turned and launched some fire balls towards my direction. A simple barrier was more than enough to prevent the blast and subsequent shockwave, before I easily dispatched them with some water magic of my own. I wasn¡¯t the most comfortable with manipulating water just yet, but with a high enough magic status value, even poorly controlled spells could be just as deadly. Looking over my shoulder, Raya faced a similar situation, but wasn¡¯t in any danger, as she also easily handled the disgruntled earth slimes that attempted to stop her from removing their prized possession as well.
Once the first set of orbs had been placed within the wall, the balloon slimes above us slowly began drifting towards the wall. I let out a light laugh at the scene, since the whole charade was anything but intimidating. Any army of floating balloons, was slowly drifting towards the wall to retrieve the stolen orbs, but it would easily take hours for them to reach it at their current rate of assault. Adding further insult to injury, was Inari conjuring a barrier to bounce the balloons back further. It was actually quite effective, and essentially made their vain attempts to retrieve the orbs, impossible. A part of me did wonder why there was no section on this floor for the thunder element though, as it was still one of the basic elements, but whatever. It¡¯s not like I was the one who designed this place. Thus, after retrieving the remaining water and wind orbs, the stone wall blocking our way calmly parted, revealing the next stairwell deeper into the labyrinth.
...
Still slightly disappointed at the lack of brain power required to progress further, a sense of unease was currently gripping at my chest, as we continued our descent towards the 55th floor. If everything was to be consistent, then this would be a floor not only filled with dairy cattle, but countless stronger variants of them as well, like minotaur¡¯s and... Honestly, who knows what else. Cows with laser beams??? Maybe??? Regardless, I was still traumatized after having died from one of these creatures, and Inari appeared to be much the same, seeing as she was tightly gripping the back of my armor as we continued down the stairs. However, once we reached the bottom of the landing, Coileene decided to materialize herself in front of us, gracing us with another riveting bit of information.
¡°And this, Ko, is exactly why excessive caution should only be practiced sparingly. Behold, your sanctuary within hell itself!¡±
Rubbing my eyes slightly, my jaw dropped after confirming what my retinas were in fact happily observing. Formally inside the 55th floor, was what appeared to be an oasis. Lush, green, grassy planes spanned the entire floor, with rivers and streams weaved in between various sections providing ample freshwater to the gleefully grazing denizens. Spread throughout, were literal basic dairy cattle. Appraisal confirmed they were unsurprisingly level 55, and, also unfortunately graced with the ¡°Food¡± profession. The beings appeared to be peaceful, only briefly glancing towards our direction as we entered the paradise before us.
---
Creature: Dairy Cow Level: 55
Race: Monster HP: 2,000/2,000 MP: 1/1
Age: 2
Profession: Food
Status: Strength: 400 Defense: 300
Magic: 1 Dexterity: 120
Skill Proficiencies: [Grazing ¨C Excellent+] [Milk Production ¨C Excellent+]
Titles: None
---
Looking around the ceiling, several rocky outcrops were floating above us, creating a waterfall of sorts, as liquid continued to cheerfully crash into one of the lake-like basins below. The grass crisply crunched under my boots as I continued walking throughout the floor, deeper within. Everything about this scenario and floor seemed surreal. No stronger monster variants were present on our mana detection radars, and everything was just as¡ª
¡°I already told you Ko, this is your sanctuary in hell. No threats are present on this floor. You have access to a limitless supply of high-quality steak, and pristine water for quenching whatever thirst your primitive bodies may desire.¡±
¡°Is... Is this really real...?¡± I somehow managed to mutter, as Inari and Raya both began examining the cows and tranquil floor in greater detail. The monsters truly had no hostile intent towards us, and were much more enthralled with currently battling the vicious grass beneath their hooves in their... Struggle to survive?
...
¡°Ko, I¡¯m really not detecting any other variants on this floor! We really are just surrounded by typical cows. Is this... Really the labyrinth...?¡±
Looking at Inari, her face was a mixture of relief and confusion. Her nose was lightly twitching, taking in the surroundings, while her tail was calmly flicking around. Raya looked just as shocked, instead falling to her knees, while sniffling lightly into the soft foliage instead.
¡°Ugh... Can none of you mortals understand me?? I said there was nothing to worry about on this floor. You are more than safe here. I can guarantee it with my perfect wisdom and insight.¡±
¡°Coileene, if you knew about this... Why didn¡¯t you tell us about this haven earlier? Surely this would have been a much better option than staying on the 50th floor for months!¡±
Inari¡¯s comments rang a painful truth to us, as Coileene¡¯s lips menacingly curled in preparation for her response. ¡°I did try to encourage your group to explore further you know. But, someone was obsessed with meticulous planning to ensure the group¡¯s safety. What say you, Ko? Was the nonsensical, excessive planning worth it?¡±
Choosing to be defiant, I gave my response through gritted teeth to the confident serpent before me. ¡°Yes Coileene, it was worth it. What you are showing us, is the benefit of hindsight. We had no way of knowing this floor was a possibility, and, you never alluded to this either. Encouraging us to explore deeper, isn¡¯t the same as revealing there is a safe floor at level 55. Based on the limited information available at the time, it was reasonable for us to assume that this level would contain stronger variants like minotaur¡¯s, keeping with the observed patterns from earlier.¡±
An evil grin continued to grow across her face, as the narcissistic god cackled lightly at my comments. Nothing I said was wrong, and she knew it. My mind knew Coileene was only trying to provoke me and get on my nerves. ¡°Perhaps...¡± The goddess said in a breathy tone, while lightly touching her lips with one of her elegant fingers. ¡°But, taking too much caution is never a good thing either. Balance, is an important part of one¡¯s existence, and too much of one thing, regardless of how right it may seem, can still harm you in the end.¡±
While the atmosphere amongst our party was initially filled with happiness and relief, Coileene¡¯s words brought a wave of sadness across us. A discovery that should have only filled our thoughts with joy and respite, was ruthlessly trampled on by a god, just because they were getting impatient at our slower-than-expected progress. Staring at the tranquil planes below my aching feet, the heaviness in my chest was all the more apparent. Had I chosen to explore deeper sooner, instead of being overly cautious, then we certainly would have discovered this sanctuary much earlier. Honestly, we might have even forgotten we¡¯ve been trapped within a labyrinth had we reached level 55 sooner, but I had to remember, these observations, while unfortunate, were only due to hindsight¡¯s suffering. Glancing up at Coileene again, her menacing smile had fortunately softened into a more neutral expression, probably pleased at conveying another one of her ¡°lessons¡± to us. Eventually, Coileene broke the lightly rippling silence amongst our party, only amplified by the slowly flowing rivers around us, by violently slaughtering one of the nearby cows, precisely skewering it with a blackened chain rupturing though its vulnerable heart.
¡°But for now... Let us finally feast on something more palatable. As much as I¡¯ve enjoyed the upgraded jerky you¡¯ve all become accustomed to, even a god sometimes desires something more from their... Meals.
And... Don¡¯t fret, Ko. I would prefer it if you think of my lesson in a simpler way.¡±
Pausing slightly while watching several of the cows bolt away in shock and horror at their bovine companion¡¯s sudden and tragic death, I eventually mustered the courage to respond to her rhetorical question.
¡°And... What way would that be, Coileene...?¡±
¡°Sometimes, life isn¡¯t always what we expect. We make our choices, and, have to live with their consequences. Sometimes, they are bearable, while others, will painfully haunt us for all eternity. But, between the bearable and unfathomable suffering, there is a subset from which we can learn and grow.¡±
Pausing during her dramatic explanation, Coileene meticulously walked towards the slaughtered cattle, making sure I was well aware of her exaggerated movements, before calmly reaching into the beast¡¯s carcass to remove its severed core. Then, raising it towards her lips, ripped and teared the flesh in her fangs with the carefulness of biting into an apple, before calmly licking some of the blood trickling down her arm from her thrilling meal. After several more licks aimed towards my direction, the serpent hissed her final words of advice, much to the disgusted look across my face after observing her uncultured actions.
I call these instances... Missed, opportunities.¡±
Chapter 48 – An Unexpected, Expected Encounter
Having finally found a safe haven within the depths of hell itself, Inari, Raya, and myself, had all agreed to make the 55th floor our new temporary base of operations after unfortunately discovering what appeared to be a world removed from the labyrinth¡¯s challenges all together. The level was home to simple, basic dairy cows of level 55, which were not hostile in any way towards us. We were able to dispatch them without issue and butcher them for steak, which was essentially comparable to wagyu from my world in terms of quality. Fortunately, not too many of the peaceful bovines needed to perish at our hands, since large cattle can easily feed individuals for months if the entire body is used correctly. Correctly, being the opportune word here, as we were still limited by the 30 minutes respawn timer their bodies obeyed. This unfortunately meant that we could only really utilize... A quarter of the cow at best, as dressing and preparing the various cuts of meat within the allotted timeframe would be a challenge for even the most experienced of carvers. Regardless, all of us were happy having another expansive selection of high-quality meat to choose from, providing a little bit more variety for our meals, though I was starting to miss the crunchiness from a severe lack of vegetables in my diet...
Presently, I was staring out from atop one of the floating rocky landmasses on the floor, admiring the endless stream of water flowing into a simple basin below. The tranquil liquids, for lack of a better word, just ¡°poofed¡± into existence from a small opening in between some boulders. Even after my best attempts to analyze the floor for magic, or the simple manipulation of mana particles, nothing could explain how this particular level functioned as a system. Water just appeared from nothing, and disappeared into nothing. The simple basin below me wasn¡¯t deep, and, even after some crude exploratory dives, provided no useful information as to how the water was disappearing. Coileene continued to mock me for trying to find some method to explain literal magic, but I was determined!
¡°Hey Ko.¡± I heard Inari gently call out to me from behind, breaking me out of my peaceful trance observing the flowing water. ¡°Raya¡¯s just finishing cooking our meal. You¡¯re... Still trying to investigate the water source, aren¡¯t you?¡±
¡°Guilty as charged.¡± I mumbled back, while still diligently staring at the endless supply of water gushing out from behind the rocks. This, shouldn¡¯t be bothering me as much as it is. But, somewhere, I had always assumed that even the most complex of magic systems, could always be broken down into logical elements and rationalized. Every fantasy world I¡¯ve read about, always found a way to link concepts from Earth¡¯s science, into how the world functioned. So, for as clich¨¦ and typical as this world seemed, why did mana just... Exist? Like, I could easily understand a hypothetical explanation such as ¡°well, particles phase between different elemental planes, then cross over into this dimension by an adaptation of¡ª¡±
*Boop!*
Suddenly, my thought process was interrupted by a fox¡¯s paw lightly booping my nose. The assault was unexpected, but forced me to actually pay attention to my friend trying to get my attention.
¡°Boop! Hehe, come on Ko! I¡¯ll share some of my ideas with you later, but for now, investigations can wait!¡±
¡°Thanks Inari, but... Why did you boop my nose?¡± I said with a slight air on confusion, while lightly rubbing my own nose in contemplation. Inari didn¡¯t say anything immediately after I raised my question, but instead, sat down beside me, while taking out her staff to manipulate some of the flowing water into floating bubbles. Then, after swirling them around us in some circles, popped them, before giving her response.
¡°It... Just felt like you needed that. Come on! Our foods going to get cold at this rate.¡± At the end of her simple response, Inari grabbed my hand with one of her paws, then helped me onto my feet, before calmly walking towards the edge of the floating island. Not wanting to keep her waiting, I quickly joined beside her, but not before sharing some of my thoughts still lingering in my mind about our situation.
¡°Inari... Do you regret, being an adventurer with me? Lately, I feel like I¡¯ve been nothing but a failure for our party. My actions got us into this mess, and... Everyone just seems to follow my ideas, even when I¡¯m not entirely sure of them myself. I don¡¯t even know if we will survive, and yet...¡±
I paused briefly, since I also didn¡¯t entirely know where I was going with my own rambling at this point. Everything since coming to Terra has felt like a game, or a generic isekai novel of sorts. My actions had consequences to the people living in this world, and because it felt like everything was a clich¨¦ story, I didn¡¯t think anything could possibly go wrong for me. Yet here we were, stuck inside a labyrinth, with a god sharing my body, unsure if we can even find a way back to the surface.
While I was still lost in thought, I felt Inari grab my hand, lightly squeezing it in the process, before gently tugging it towards her. Following her motion, I found myself staring into her eyes, to which she smiled, before drifting her gaze towards our hands still locked together. A tranquil silence somehow found its way between us, as water continued flowing off the ledge, landing in the pool next to where Raya was just finishing grilling our steaks. Then, as the pause continued to grow, Inari finally responded to me in a somber, yet reassuring tone.
¡°No. I don¡¯t regret meeting you Ko... I, also don¡¯t regret becoming an adventurer with you. You¡¯ve... I¡¯ve...
...
When I found out you were from another world, I was absolutely ecstatic. Words can¡¯t begin to describe how I felt after meeting you in the Eldermyst forest. You were some weird, interesting abnormality that validated several unconfirmed theories from my magical studies. I love learning, and, while I have some... Weird circumstances...
...
No.
It¡¯s... Hard to put my feelings into words, but please, don¡¯t feel like you¡¯re a burden, or that you¡¯ve caused nothing but problems for me. My life has been... Unique, but I don¡¯t regret the choices I¡¯ve made, which includes being in a party with you. You¡¯re one of the only people I feel I can truly be myself around. I¡¯ve... I¡¯ve had to live most of my life under an illusion, or, what feels like one, yet, when I¡¯m with you, I¡¯m not thinking about what the world thinks I should be. I can just... Be me. You treat me like I¡¯m another person, and not some repulsive beastkin, or an animal that can ¡°speak¡±. You¡¯re always interested in learning, and, like me, love coming up with strategies for any situation we may find ourselves in. I love how you always challenge me to continue growing, to deepen my understanding of magic, and to always have fun while doing it. I feel like you¡¯re always there for me, and... When I thought I lost you in our battle against the minotaur...
...
You¡¯re important to me, Ko. So please, don¡¯t feel like you¡¯re a failure, because to me, you¡¯ve helped me in more ways than you could ever realize. Even if we are currently trapped in the labyrinth below Solara.¡±
Inari¡¯s words left me speechless. I... Wasn¡¯t even sure what I could possibly say in response to her feelings. It honestly felt like I¡¯ve caused nothing but problems since coming to Terra, or rather, problems seem to find me easily, and yet...
...
¡°Thank you, Inari. That... Means a lot to me.¡± I said while softly bringing her closer for a hug, resting my hand along her back. The warmth from her body was comforting, and the softness of her fur made me forget about my earlier doubts as it lightly brushed against my face. I was slightly nervous about my actions, but she thankfully accepted my embrace, loosening her grip around our clasped hands, as she too, returned the simple pressure I was providing in kind. Her tail also appeared to be happily wagging about, bringing a soft smile to my face as I continued watching it bounce around. ¡°I... Think we both needed this.¡± I somehow managed to articulate, holding her even tighter in my arms.
¡°Agreed, Ko. We¡¯re partners after all, right? I¡¯m here for you, just like you¡¯re here for me. And, while being adventurers might not always be filled with happiness and perfect moments, as long as we continue to trust each other, I¡¯m happy being in a party with you.¡±
After listening to Inari, I continued to gently hold her tight, before eventually ending our comforting embrace. Both of us, just continued to stare into each other¡¯s eyes, smiling, while the relaxing stream beside us, gleefully flowed off the ledge, providing a tranquil ambience to our shared silence. While I¡¯ve noticed it before, staring into her emerald eyes always found a way to bring a warmth over my heart. It was easy to lose myself in them, and, right now, they were the most beautiful thing I could imagine. Perhaps, Inari is more than just a friend to me. And, thinking about her more and more, made me realize she¡¯s someone precious, someone, that I don¡¯t ever want to lose.
¡°Ko... I...¡± Inari¡¯s voice softly filled my ears in a breathy tone I wasn¡¯t used to hearing from her. My heart was racing within my chest, and I noticed my hand was unconsciously resting behind her neck, with my fingers deep within her fur. She was amazingly soft to the touch, and, while I was anxious about my actions, noticed that she too, was also resting her paws around my neck, carefully holding me close as well. Then, Inari closed her eyes, as she slowly brought her face closer to mine. I closed my eyes as well, as I felt her tail lightly brush against my hand, while she continued her earlier words to me in an even gentler tone. ¡°I... Lov¡ª¡±
¡°Oi!! What are you two doing up there?!? Come on! Foods ready!! I think I¡¯ve done a great job this time! These steaks, look, perfect!¡±
Interrupting our moment, Raya¡¯s voice from below loudly echoed throughout the cavern, causing both of us to jump in surprise from the sudden sound. We were still awkwardly close to one another, and I could only imagine how flushed my face looked right now to the fox I was still continuing to hold. Then, playfully realizing we should probably be joining Raya below, Inari smiled warmly at me, before lightly flicking my face with her tail. ¡°Hehe, I¡¯ll just have to tell you another time, Ko.¡± She said, before gracefully jumping from the ledge, catching herself with a carefully calculated barrier spell near the bottom.
[Ha! The look on your face Ko... You really are an easy male to tease, aren¡¯t you?]
Coileene¡¯s voice mockingly filled my head, as I had the frightening realization, she was also well aware of what almost happened between Inari and I... Well, it¡¯s not like I regret anything that almost happened. But still, all things considered, it felt right, and I wasn¡¯t going to let some goddess rui¡ª
[Oh fine. Enough with your senseless monologuing, Ko. The commander has diligently made us a wonderful meal, and those steaks aren¡¯t going to eat themselves. As painful as it is to admit, I¡¯ve grown to enjoy the charred, burnt texture this ¡°cooking¡± provides in a meal. Thus, I command you at once to fill your stomach with sustenance.]
Really now, as a goddess, you¡¯ve never eaten cooked food before? I find that hard to believe...
[Regardless, I desire steak, so move!]
*Sigh*
Not wanting to annoy Coileene further, and, with Inari still on my mind, I leapt from the ledge as well, following the falling water, before breaking my descent with a powerful gust of wind. Everyone was already around the makeshift camp, and when I landed, Coileene decided to materialize herself around it as well, devilishly grinning at me in the process. I was truthfully worried about what mischief she was looking to cause, since she seated herself next to Raya, but I would just have to deal with... Whatever it was.
Looking at the meat Raya had just plated for me, I had to admit, she did an amazing job frying the wagyu this time around. The end product was a beautiful medium-rare, with a perfect crossed sear to feed the eyes, while the marbled fats melted within my mouth to create a wonderful harmony of succulent flavours. My teeth and tastebuds happily enjoyed the riveting meal, which could have only been made better with some simple roast vegetables. While we were all enjoying our food, Raya asked Inari and I what we were talking about on the floating island, after some encouraging pokes and prods from the serpent beside her. Both of us didn¡¯t help when answering her simple question, due to our... Awkward and conflicting responses. Coileene¡¯s snickering didn¡¯t help the situation either, which caused Inari to begin fidgeting with her paws while biting her lip. Wanting to quickly change the topic of conversation, I ended up hastily suggesting we review the information we had learned about the later floors, which Raya thankfully agreed to.
During our stay on floor 55, we had already cleared the next two floors without issue, and finally managed to reach level 61 across the party. While floor 58 was still unexplored on our end, we continued to build our food supply while finalizing our plans going forward. After this meal, we were going to continue delving deeper, with the hopes the end of the labyrinth was near. Coileene was kind enough to inform us we were really close to her fragment of power, though she couldn¡¯t give us an exact depth, it wasn¡¯t much further in her opinion. I did try to confirm what her ¡°opinion¡± meant in terms of a depth, since gods and mortals would clearly have different perspectives, but she unfortunately never clarified her answer...
[Spoilers Ko! It would be spoilers if I revealed that information. You need to use the correct word!!!]
...
Regardless, all of us felt confident we could continue deeper today. We imagined there was the potential for another safe floor, and, with how easily the challenges had become, had a little more confidence in our capabilities as a group. Thus, finishing up our delicious meals, and putting our supplies away into our spatial storage spells, we formally set off towards the deeper levels.
After entering the 56th floor, we easily dispatched the kobold commanders and assault squads sent our way. The theory that each floor seemed to pose a consistent challenge appeared to be holding rather well, as the kobolds always attacked us from the right tunnel, then the left, then the centre. Basic offensive magic was more then enough to eliminate them as they approached, while barriers deflected their arrows coated in star frog poison. Finally, once the commander would enter the fray, we simply lured it into our own pitfall trap masked with an illusion spell before dispatching it.
For floor 57, the wolves present were rather interesting. They were apparently named ¡°Psychic Wolves¡± according to appraisal, and there were no known records of their existence either in Inari¡¯s adventuring journal. They attacked in well coordinated packs, with some staying in the rear to cast basic healing and elemental spells towards our group. I was slightly surprised when I learned they could manipulate light mana particles though, since no other monsters had shown any affinity for this particular spell school before this encounter. After playing careful defense, the wolves were easily toppled once their supporting backline faltered from our own ranged counter attacks.
As we continued past the recently defeated wolves, traveling down the spiraling staircase towards the 58th floor, we were thankfully met with what appeared to be a simple, open floor with ogres and their respective variants. The terrain was as basic as basic could be, being only simple dirt, and the ogres themselves appeared to be led by ¡°Ogre Commanders¡± of levels 58 or 59. Ogre mages, archers, and fighters completed the mix, and I even laughed slightly when I observed an ogre ¡°thief¡± attempting to sneak up on our group from behind. The cause of my amusement, was that their version of ¡°stealth¡± apparently involved holding a large bush in front of their face, implying that if it couldn¡¯t see us, then we, couldn¡¯t see it. Unfortunately, my flaming spear spell aimed straight through its skull bagged to differ, as we easily cleared the floor in full.
On floor 59, we came across marbled golems, which were thankfully not hostile. The behaviour seemed similar to the ones we encountered on the 9th floor with the mud golems, so we were careful to keep our distance from them, and passed by without issue. We did attack one near the exit though, just so we could observe and document its attack patterns, just in case they appeared as a summoned monster later. Of additional note, was the floor only contained marble golems. No other variants of the species were present, which was odd, but we didn¡¯t think too much about it. However, once we reached floor 60, things started to get more complicated.
Flying around near the ceiling in erratic patterns, was a large bat-like creature, sharing many features often associated with wyverns, such as scales, two legs with razor talons, and a reptilian head containing a scrunched-up bat-like snout. Brilliant blue and gray fur also covered the torso of the creature, as it happily continued flying laps around the larger than usual room, oblivious to our observance of its behaviour and status values. Additionally, no other creatures appeared to be present on the floor, as we could only detect the singular mana signature for the creature apparently named a ¡°Desmovyern¡±. I didn¡¯t notice any additional runic lettering indicating this was a boss floor, but we also couldn¡¯t eliminate the possibility these deeper levels wouldn¡¯t inform us of such an upcoming challenge.
¡°Of all the creatures on Terra...¡± Raya softly mumbled, as she diligently watched the desmovyern peacefully land on a nearby rocky outcrop. ¡°That¡¯s... No... It... Valoria speaks of such a creature in their ancient texts, but it was all believed by our scholars to be an exaggeration, or a myth.¡±
¡°You, know something about that creature?¡± I curiously replied the commander¡¯s stern words, mixed with disbelief and unease. ¡°Unfortunately, yes. Solara¡¯s history with Valoria has been rocky during the best of times, and it was said eons ago, a colossal creature with the fur of a wolf, and the head of a wyvern, single handedly razed Valoria, before their god, Perfectus, descended from the heavens to save them in their time of need. It was called ¡°The Grey Calamity¡±, and defined their origin as a kingdom built around ¡°The Perfect Faith¡±.¡±
¡°And, you believe this creature matches these historical texts?¡±
¡°Almost certainly. Solara has always kept careful records of any potential calamity type monsters. If only I could show you the images, they are frighteningly accurate in their depiction.¡±
¡°The commander¡¯s correct, Ko. That creature, while not the same, is in fact the being which destroyed that pitiful kingdom... 104,293 years ago, according to your mortal calculations of time.¡±
Materializing from my shield, Coileene happily confirmed Raya¡¯s words of caution, while providing helpful contextual information about the creature before us. Apparently, it was a being capable of utilizing all elemental magic, along with ethereal particles, while also possessing unbridled strength.
¡°However, it is no match for the strength we currently possess. You have the most powerful god on Terra by your side. And, it would look rather bad on my part should you fall to such a lesser creature like a desmovyern.¡±
Coileene¡¯s words were filled with confidence and arrogance, as she lightly followed the being¡¯s movements with her fingers. The desmovyern appeared to be calmly grooming itself, unaware of the god beside us, when suddenly.
*SHRIEEK!!*
The creature let out a blood curdling shriek, as it gripped its chest in what looked like excruciating pain, before crudely toppling over from its perch, plummeting into the ground below. A modest cloud of dust blanketed the floor from the creature¡¯s impact, as I brought my gaze towards Coileene, who was happily cackling with her fist tightly clasped in front of her. Checking my radar for enemy mana signatures, the desmovyern¡¯s presence was now absent, as the serpent hissed and licked her lips in satisfaction of her actions. ¡°Consider it... Reparations for my earlier behaviour, Ko. Now come, we are close, and I desire my fragment sooner, rather than later.¡±
¡°What the heck did you do to it, Coileene?¡± I eventually managed to ask her, as the goddess happily returned herself to her home inside my shield. ¡°I simply crushed its core. I don¡¯t know why I felt the urge to do so, but one look at that creature, and my heart was set ablaze, screaming to tear its life asunder. Speaking of, you¡¯re welcome, by the way.¡±
Looking at Raya and Inari, both of them were shocked at how easily such a creature fell to the hands of the god living inside me. Inari was already in the process of sketching the creature in her journal, along with marking all of its unique capabilities, but nearly drop her pencil when its death bellow startled us. ¡°So, I take it you¡¯re willing to do more with regards to helping us in combat then?¡± I said with a heavy sigh. ¡°On the contrary. I¡¯ve already been more than enough for aid, as far as the divine would go. But... Perhaps if you were to grovel before me, I might just consider it.¡±
¡°Pft. As if.¡± I angrily retorted. Seriously, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever understand¡ª"
[My intentions? Naturally. Now move.]
Rolling my eyes, I motioned for the others to follow me, as I carefully stepped onto the floor, half expecting something unexpected to happen. Fortunately, Coileene really did eliminate the only threat on the floor, leaving me somewhat disappointed we couldn¡¯t learn about its capabilities ourselves. Taking out a calamity from this world¡¯s history would have been a pretty nifty bragging right, but it appeared we would be denied that triumph, for now. Regardless, we cautiously entered the stairwell and began our descent towards floor 61.
Thankfully, since we were about to start a new floor multiple of 10, that meant we were potentially up against goblins again, assuming the labyrinth continued to follow the usual monster spawning patterns. After finally reaching the bottom of another excessively long staircase, all of us took a short break on the landing, while we peered into the open floor to examine our next challenge. Dead ahead, was a similar composition of goblins to the ones on floor 51, but this time, no basic goblins were present. Each of the creatures were level 61, so we decided to utilize the same strategy from earlier, which worked perfectly.
Covered in a shimmering vale of light, we all skulked around the room, eliminating the hobgoblins with stealth, and replacing them with image replicas. Then, after all of the basic minions were eliminated, easily dispatched the goblin shamans and kings that still remained. We did, for consistencies sake, loot the wooden crates which happened to be in the same spots as the 51st floor, but only took the sun melons, as we had more than enough meat in our spatial storage spells.
Next, on floor 62, it was remarkably similar to 52, in that greater liches were present, patrolling the parameter, but no skeletons existed for detectable mana signatures. We easily dealt with this floor using the amplified purify disk combo, then swiftly carried on. Floor 63 was slightly more challenging, but still easily managed by us. It thankfully didn¡¯t contain any spiders, but instead, was only filled with giant praying mantis-like creatures. Their arms were like scythes, and they exhibited an impressive display of agility in their maneuvering. Each slash from one of the mantises brought a flash and crack of lighting with each strike, sending thundering shockwaves throughout the ground on impact. As such, we utilized plenty of fire and terrain modification spells to limit their excessive mobility and eventually emerge victorious. That said, as remarkable as our recent progress had been, leaving the 55th floor only a few hours ago, all of the pleasantries that were afforded to us quickly vanished once we reached level 64.
This level, much like the slime puzzle room on 54, was also a puzzle of sorts. However, while it was once again a simple problem with a simple solution, all of us, felt an eeriness gripping our chests when we formally entered the floor.
The room, was already solved.
Making matters worse, to the already aptly solved orb placing problem, was the fact the slimes within the room, were already dead as well. The gelatinous blobs, lay scattered around the floor in messy, goopy puddles, with their central cores efficiently shattered and broken nearby. From a mana signature perspective, the signatures were still quite strong, indicating that they were very recently killed. Glancing at Inari, she was able to confirm an approximate time of death to be only 1 minute ago.
¡°Shit...¡± I lightly cursed under my breath at the scene before me. Someone, or something, was potentially down here with us, and it possessed the intelligence to place square pegs, in square holes. ¡°These slimes... Couldn¡¯t have killed each other... Right?¡± I jokingly floated the idea to the group, to which Inari and Raya shook their heads in the negative. Examining the bodies, each of their cores contained trace particles of an opposing element, or, a precise slash rending the core into clean halves.
*Schroon*
Jumping back, I noticed Raya quickly erected a barrier around us, to which I reflexively drew my sword and entered a combative stance. I wasn¡¯t detecting anything on my radar, but perhaps it was something currently masking its presence. Quickly, I began scanning the vicinity with my eyes, but failed to locate anything abnormal. ¡°Apologies Ko, but I felt a sharp pressure aimed towards us and activated a barrier in response. I... Also thought I saw something move out of the corner of my eye and wanted to be safe.¡±
Raya¡¯s words were filled with a serious and determined expression. She had many years of combat experience, and if her instincts were telling her to be on guard, I wasn¡¯t going to doubt her. ¡°No, that was the correct decision Raya.¡± Inari confidently added to the commander¡¯s words, while also collecting mana particles around her paws to launch spells at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°I briefly felt a disturbance in the mana particles near the floor¡¯s exit, then heard something quickly fleeing after you formed the barrier.¡±
¡°Coileene, care to offer your insights on our... Mysterious guest?¡±
Strangely, the serpent was being ominously silent when I asked her for any kind of input, only worsening my anxiety about the situation. Based on what we just observed, we¡¯re potentially trapped down here, with something else that could move between levels. Inari and I had clearly determined monsters couldn¡¯t pass through the floor barriers of their own free will, so was it really a monster? Or something far, far worse?
...
¡°Everyone, I... Think we should return to the 55th floor. I¡¯m getting a bad feeling about this an¡ª¡±
¡°Oh please, you pathetic excuse for a mortal. I tried to give you an opportunity to grow beyond your excessive caution, and yet you still chose to retreat when faced with an unfamiliar situation. Clearly you haven¡¯t been listening to my advice about balance in your actions...¡±
Unamused at my decision to retreat to evaluate the new information that something else appeared to be down her with us, Coileene appeared beside us, while staring towards the floor¡¯s exit with a sour tone. ¡°Fortunately, Raya¡¯s barrier scared it off, but don¡¯t be fooled, you will surely encounter it again should you continue deeper.¡±
¡°And? You still haven¡¯t told us exactly what that thing was.¡± I mumbled while tightly clenching my fists. ¡°Why should I? You haven¡¯t exactly been... Reciprocating of my advice, have you, Ko?¡±
...
¡°Look, if you¡¯re really concerned about that inferior being, don¡¯t be. Your group can more than easily best it in battle. It fled the moment your ¡°knight¡± activated a basic barrier spell, since it was concerned for its own, insignificant survival.¡±
Still annoyed at her attitude, I eventually sheathed my weapons before asking Inari and Raya for their input as well. Both of them seemed willing to continue our expedition, so I decided to place my trust in them and press forward. As we reached the end of the floor, the already solved stone wall did contain a slot for the thunder element, which was filled with a faintly pulsing yellow glow. However, just before entering the stairwell, I saw a similar set of runic letters reading we were about to challenge a boss floor.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
All of us, quickly shared glances with one another. Floor 65, was clearly going to be a struggle, and I could only imagine whatever boss we were about to encounter, might have possibly been the mysterious creature which solved the slime puzzle room. A minotaur was fitting, as it could easily move the orbs with its hands or magic capabilities, and I¡¯m sure if it was enhanced by the labyrinth¡¯s magic, could possess enough intellect to solve such a simple puzzle as well. Walking down the stairs, I felt Inari tightly gripping my armor. The traumatic events of my death were still fresh in our minds, but, having already conquered a potentially similar boss, I wasn¡¯t about to make the same mistakes again. That was, until we actually entered the floor proper.
¡°It¡¯s... Already cleared...?¡± Inari quietly mumbled as we all entered the floor in astonishment. The layout was an exact copy of the 15th floor, and, by the looks of things, had already undergone the transformation sequence as well. ¡°Translocation!! We¡¯re... We¡¯re saved!!!¡± Raya excitedly exclaimed, before quickly dashing towards the marble alter in the middle of the room. If... If this is exactly like the shortcut we unlocked on level 15, then, we might finally be free from this hell of a labyrinth!
Joining Raya, Inari and I also broke into a sprint across the floor, where we eventually joined the commander between the stone columns. Unfortunately, or hopes were brutally crushed when we saw the pair of pink disks that transported us earlier, cracked. ¡°They¡¯re... Broken.¡± Clamored Raya as she slammed her gauntlet into the nearby pedestal. ¡°Our... Our way back...¡±
My chest ached at the commander¡¯s words, while I continued looking over the scene before me. The pristine marble altar had clearly seen better days, as most of the stone had several obvious chips missing along their columns. Some even contained cruel gashes and claw marks throughout their sturdy exterior, indicating potential signs of a battle long past. A few of the pillars also appeared to be toppled, along with moss, or what was simple vegetation growing across them as¡ª
¡°This... This isn¡¯t recent.¡± I quietly mumbled to myself, as more and more of the floor¡¯s environment, was leading me to believe this room had already been cleared a long time ago. ¡°What do you mean, Ko?¡± Raya snapped her response to me in an aggressive tone after processing my comments. ¡°The pillars are cracked, there¡¯s moss growing along their base, and... It looks like thick layers of dust are present as well. If... We assume this floor transformed just like the one from level 15... Then this is indicating whatever happened, occurred a long time ago.¡±
Looking at Inari, she also appeared to be examining our surroundings in greater detail, focusing on the pink disks and scanning the environment with magic instead. ¡°I... I think Ko¡¯s right, Raya.¡± She said, turning a piece of rock around in her paws, while a calm blue light filled the stone from within. ¡°The alter that appeared when we beat the boss on floor 15 was startling new, and yet, these columns appear to have been present for enough time to erode and support basic plant life. Also, these disks, they appear to have been purposefully destroyed. There are claw and... Potentially fang marks embedded within the outer layer of the glass.¡±
Picking up on her comments regarding claw marks, it was then I noticed, scattered off to the side, were what looked like bones from large bovines, picked clean. Carefully walking towards one of the remains, I could see freshly stained blood adorning the dirt, and several pieces of the skeleton missing as well. ¡°Hey guys... I think you should take a look at this.¡± I called out to my group, who quickly turned to join me by my discovery. In what looked like they were hastily thrown into a corner, were the cleaned remains for... Who knows how many cows. ¡°We... We haven¡¯t observed what happens on the 15th floor yet, but, these remains look really fresh. Would... Could the labyrinth perhaps be spawning cows on the checkpoint as well?¡±
Inari and Raya both looked at me with concern at my comments. We had been expecting dairy cattle with stronger variants, but never actually came across them, other than the minotaur boss. If these checkpoints started spawning monsters after they were cleared... Could these respawns have destroyed the altar? ¡°Damn it.¡± I scoffed after kicking some nearby rubble with my feet. ¡°Too many questions, and not enough information. Trying to extrapolate anything is dangerous without concrete facts.¡±
¡°Well, we could always wait here for... 15 more minutes.¡± Inari softly replied to the group after finishing her own scanning. ¡°Their signatures match those of the cows from level 55, and, based on the degradation, they will probably respawn if we wait that long.¡±
¡°But what about that mysterious creature?¡± Raya calmly added to the fox¡¯s comments. ¡°If there is something down here with us, and it can move between levels. Wouldn¡¯t it make sense, this floor is a valuable source of food for it?¡±
My eyes widened at the startling connection Raya made about this entire situation. I liked the hypothesis she had just proposed, but hated the implications if what she said was real. Thinking about it more, it did make sense that if some creature managed to develop the ability to travel between the levels, they would probably do exactly what we¡¯ve been doing, make a ¡°nest¡±, then hunt from known food sources to survive. Wanting to change the subject, I returned my gaze to the cracked disk-like orbs near the centre of the altar. While I didn¡¯t know how they worked, I did know someone that might.
¡°Coileene, is it possible to repair these transportation orbs? If... We can somehow¡ª¡±
¡°And why would I do that, Ko?¡± The serpent said as she suddenly appeared resting against one of the marble columns, while carefully examining her excessive nails. ¡°While I am more than capable of repairing such a... Basic artifact, doing such would go against my very reason for saving your pitiful existence in the first place.¡±
¡°Your fragment...¡± I softly uttered, while the goddess calmly walked towards me with her arms confidently crossed across her well-endowed chest, before stopping uncomfortably close to my face, lining up her chained and bound eye with my own. ¡°Preeeeeciously.¡± Came her simple response, as her tongue continued to flick around from her rolled response. ¡°You seriously doubt we wouldn¡¯t come back after returning to the surface?¡± I somehow managed to respond while doing my best to ignore her flirtatious nature.
Unamused, Coileene cupped my face in her right hand, before giving her response in a sharp and bone-chilling tone. ¡°I simply have no compelling reason to, especially since what I desire is... So... Close...¡±
Fed up with her attitude, I smacked the goddesses¡¯ hand away from delicately holding my face, before heading towards the next set of stairs. Coileene¡¯s actions were really starting to get on my nerves, and it was clear we only had one option for our survival. I hated the fact my fate was bound to such an unreasonable god, and the only person I could blame, was myself for dying in the first place. If only I was stronger, then perhaps...
...
¡°Come on, lets go. We¡¯ll eventually have to confront... Whatever it is down here, and this ¡°god¡± is more than adamant we won¡¯t be able to leave until she gets her powers back.¡± My words were filled with frustration, and I could only imagine the annoyance amongst Inari and Raya as well, when they learned Coileene could have easily freed us from this hell, but chose not to as it went against her own goals and desires.
[Am I really in the wrong for prioritizing myself, Ko?]
...
No, I hate the fact that you¡¯re right, Coileene. You¡¯ve been trapped in this prison for far longer than I could ever possibly comprehend. But your methods... Surely you would understand how we¡ª
[I have no need to understand or consider your feelings. You will do what you must, because your survival, depends on it.]
And that¡¯s exactly the problem. Just... Leave me alone. I¡¯m done talking with you for now.
At the conclusion of my inner thoughts, my mind became filled with the sound of snakes hissing in annoyance at my wishes, before gradually fading into nothing. I had other problems to contend with, and continuing to get angry at a god wasn¡¯t going to help me in the slightest. To think I was even beginning to feel Coileene possessed some level of empathy...
...
My footsteps continued echoing throughout the floor in defiance as I eventually made it to the next stairwell. Entering without hesitation, I could hear Inari and Raya jogging to catch up to my pace, as I continued down the spiraling set of stairs in anger. Little light accompanied my descent, but I was able to catch glimpses of etchings which appeared recent alone the walls and stone slabs for stairs. The labyrinth was known to repair any damage it received after roughly 30 minutes of sustaining the wound, so these ¡°marks¡± were probably from... Whatever creature was here with us. It clearly felt like I was walking into a trap, and the back of my mind kept alerting me to the feeling of eyes scrutinizing my presence. Shadows appeared to bend and twist around corners, and I was almost certain I was being watched meticulously with my actions.
¡°If I¡¯m right... Then we might just see some kobolds respawning.¡± I quietly mumbled, mentally preparing myself for another floor already cleared in advance. If we truly caused some monster to retreat, and the slimes were only just killed when we arrived, this floor might just have kobolds ready to respawn at a moment¡¯s notice due to our travel time. ¡°Ko!! Wait!!¡± I paused after hearing Inari frantically call out to me, still several paces behind on the stairs. I had already reached the landing, and decided to wait for them to catch up. I was still incredibly angry, and as a result, not thinking like I usually would in dangerous situations. But, if Coileene said we could handle this creature without issue, who was I to doubt an arrogant, all-knowing god.
Wait... Didn¡¯t she say to not blindly believe everything we hear, even if it¡¯s from the divine? Am I... Should I...
...
Slightly out of breath, I heard Inari let out an exasperated sigh as she finally reached the landing with me. Raya was close behind, also looking peeved, to which I quickly realized why in her agitated response to me. ¡°What the hell is your problem Ko? I know you¡¯re frustrated, but you¡¯re not acting like yourself. Anger can wait, but we need to stay focused. If something really is down here, then we need to stick together.¡±
Raya¡¯s words stung, as I brought my gaze towards the gravel underneath my boots. Was this really who I was? Someone who would get agitated at the slightest blight from an arrogant know-it-all? No, I¡¯ve... I¡¯m better than this... So why am I...
...
¡°I¡¯m sorry Raya. I... I feel like...¡±
...
¡°Believe me, I¡¯m... Also annoyed at Coileene¡¯s behaviour, but... While it¡¯s easier said than done, don¡¯t let her antics get the better of you. I misjudged you from when we first met, and I know you¡¯re better than this. After all, it was your words that helped me when we first became trapped here, so don¡¯t lose sight of your own goals and desires, just because some ¡°god¡± seems keen on trampling them every step of the way. To throw it back at you, this isn¡¯t the Ko that believed in our survival, the hero that defeated the minotaur, and made it possible to thrive in hell, despite our perilous situation.¡±
Still staring at the ground, I jumped slightly, as the knight¡¯s gauntlets lightly bumped my left shoulder in a friendly gesture on comradery. ¡°You¡¯re right Raya, it¡¯s just¡ª¡±
¡°No justs about it. We¡¯re a team, and I know you¡¯re better than this. I¡¯ve seen it.¡±
¡°Thanks Raya... It¡¯s just... You tell someone they¡¯re a failure enough times, and they start to believe it themselves. As you¡¯ve probably already figured, Coileene can speak directly to me in my mind, and... Well, you can probably guess how most of those conversations have gone.¡± I did my best to respond to Raya¡¯s words of encouragement, despite my own shortcomings as the apparent leader of our group. ¡°It¡¯s really that obvious when I¡¯m not myself, isn¡¯t it?¡± I lightly said with a deep sigh aimed towards the ground.
Recollecting my thoughts, I shot both Inari and Raya a faint smile, before indicating we should continue into the room of... Presumably defeated kobolds. We would eventually have to contend with whatever creature was hunting here, and if it had already cleared the way forward, we might as well take advantage of its ¡°generosity¡±.
Entering the room, I unsheathed my sword while priming mana particles around my free hand for a basic flaming spear spell. Inari had already done the same with typeless particles for barrier spells while applying a slew of buffs, and Raya was already covering our rear as we cautiously continued through the winding tunnels. There were obvious signs of battle along the walls, with large portions of the caverns missing as we passed through without issue. Eventually we came across some defeated kobold corpses, with the remains largely intact. Clean eliminations with gaping holes through their chests, or decapitations from precise slashes. Whatever creature was doing this, clearly didn¡¯t see kobolds as a meal, and just simply eliminated them as they appeared.
*Pooft*
While I was staring at one of the bodies, it suddenly burst into a brilliant array of blue and white light, before vanishing all together. ¡°They¡¯re respawning.¡± I muttered, as the cavern tunnels began to shake and shed their exterior walls in an effort to repair themselves as well. The coarse sound of stone grinding against stone filled my ears as the holes and claw marks gradually began transforming into a pristine, rocky condition.
*RAH!!*
Hearing the sounds of claws frantically scampering behind us, we all quickly picked up the pace in pursuit towards the floor¡¯s exit. Banking around the corner, a warning triangle briefly alerted me to an incoming projectile aimed towards my head. Twisting my body just in time, I managed to avoid the fatal shot, as Raya quickly erected an earthen wall to block off the open corridor from our assailant. Claws were still smashing against the hard floor, but we were almost at the staircase. As we fled, Inari continued placing barriers behind us with unstable earth spells, which were thankfully slowing down the group chasing us. Finally reaching the end, we all leapt through the shimmering barrier ¡°blocking¡± the stairs, as I turned around to face the kobolds continuing to charge at us.
I could clearly see the rage across their scaly faces, with their red hides complimenting the hot air leaving their mouths as they continued charging towards the staircase. Confident I would be safe, I recklessly raised my right hand, gathering even more mana for my signature spell, as the kobolds finally reached the entranceway, before abruptly stopping mere feet away from me. The largest kobold, was apparently a ¡°Kobold General¡±, and fit every definition of the word I could imagine. They wore impressive heavy plate armor, which did little in restricting their aggressive movements, while wielding a standard sword and shield combo. Locking with my eyes, the general quickly approached me, placing its snout right against the barrier, without crossing over the invisible field. I could feel the fury from its breath as it continued to puff warm air across my face in anger. Yet, like all the monsters before it, the being simply respected the boundaries of the floor, staring at me, as I continued charging my spell further. It made no attempts to smash through the invisible field separating us, or take any other actions, as I finished gathering the remaining particles for my upcoming spell.
¡°You really are just a monster. Something that can only follow the rules laid out by this labyrinth. A program, with no original thoughts of its own. Aren¡¯t you?¡± I aggressively stated towards the reptilian creature, which still held no sense of self preservation in front of me. Finally, after checking I had successfully marked each of the kobolds cluttered around the exit, I released my flaming spear spell through each of their skulls for a clean, efficient kill. Satisfied after letting off some steam, I turned around to join Inari and Raya, then proceeded to head towards the 67th floor.
¡°Ko, I¡¯m... Getting a bad feeling about this next floor.¡± Inari quietly muttered to the group as we continued descending further down the stairs. There were obvious claw marks along the steps, and, when we reached the landing, our nostrils were viciously assaulted with the pungent scent of fur and dander. An uneasiness gripped my throat, since this level would be home to wolves of some sort. They would have already respawned by this point, but the musky air really was a whole other experience.
Carefully, we peered into the open planes, scrutinizing ever detail for signs of, whatever variants of wolves could exist here. The level was mostly open, with hills, rocky cliffs, and caverns spread throughout. Several rivers completed the scene, and I was instantly reminded of how a typical mountainous forest would look straight out of a fantasy novel. While there was a severe lack of trees, the winding canyons with a larger than expected ceiling made for an interesting terrain combination. Admiring the scenery, all of us continued scanning the vicinity with our magic for any enemy signatures, but nothing was present, a stark contrast to all of the earlier levels we had come across. Even the psychic wolves could easily be detected by us before we entered the 57th level, but this floor, was frighteningly empty from our observations.
¡°Let¡¯s reapply our buffs, and keep defensive magic primed and ready.¡± I confirmed to Inari and Raya, who both nodded in agreeance. ¡°It... Feels like we¡¯re being watched.¡± Inari hesitantly stated, as her ears twitched lightly. ¡°Something¡¯s moving in there, but I can¡¯t detect them with my magic, only my ears.¡±
¡°Got it, if it feels like the shadows are watching us, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if these wolves are a variant skilled in stalking their prey. They are probably concealing their presence with a method we haven¡¯t encountered yet.¡±
After confirming all of our buffs were reapplied, we carefully entered the floor, to the pleasant greeting of a bone-chilling anxiety. I could feel intense pressure aimed towards my direction, but when I would glance towards the perceived source, see nothing in its wake. Inari and Raya were much the same, and the tension between all of us, was more than palpable. Out of the corner of my eye, I thought I could see movement darting between shadows cast by the rocks above, but nothing appeared on my radar. As we continued, I could feel mana particles moving abruptly within the stagnant air, indicating external manipulation by something, yet no obvious source was nearby.
*Tch*...*Tch*...*Tch*
Some pebbles fell from above, startling us slightly, as my eyes snapped to the sudden movement, failing to find any creature responsible for this unreasonable level of tension. With my nerves starting to get the better of me, I carefully activated a basic barrier spell, which was immediately met with an incredible pressure wave sent my direction. Something, had just emitted such an oppressive intent to kill towards me, that I became briefly paralyzed from fear at the pain gripping my chest. Every fiber of my being was screaming, pleading with my body to flee, yet I could only remain motionless.
*Huhhh!*
I finally managed to release my breath and fill my lungs with more stale air, as the pressure eased ever so slightly. My palms were sweating, and I was starting to seriously become worried that whatever was currently hunting us, was enjoying itself all too much. We felt like unwitting prey, delicately walking into the trap of a clearly skilled hunter. However, as I readied my body to take another step forward, my mind erupted in shear agony from a sudden, splitting headache, as a powerful, male voice, bellowed within the confines of my skull, rattling against my bones.
[¡°HALT!¡±]
I fell to my knees, clutching my head for some sort of relief, as the pain continued to grow in intensity. Inari and Raya had also fallen to their knees, equally clutching their heads in agony as well. Fear swelled within me, as I struggled to control my breathing. Next, my enemy detection radar erupted in warnings, as signature after signature blinked into existence. We were already surrounded, carefully encircled by a horde of wolves, who had now only revealed their presence to us. I quickly snapped my head around, while my eyes darted to each and every corner they could find. The shadows were now clearly watching us, with piercing, red eyes, staring back from beyond the vail of the abyss.
[¡°Enough Cyan, and you, cease your incoherent rambling at once, monster.¡±]
Another powerful voice entered my head, reminding me much of my initial interaction with Coileene. It was a feminine voice filled with confidence and command, without any hint of arrogance as it aggressively bounced around my skull with delight. Still clutching my face, I drifted my gaze towards the cliff towering above us, in a desperate attempt to locate the owner of the voice. Then, my eyes widened in horror, as the creatures that had brought such fear and oppression over my party, calmly emerged from beyond the shadows of the cliff, finally revealing their presence. Standing above us, while casting gazes brimming of resolve, was a pair of dire wolves, spotting impeccable black fur, and a set of curled horns above their eyes. While the creatures were intimidating in their own right, the wolves each held a single, impressive chromatic colour weaved throughout their mane near the chest, creating a stark contrast to the shadowy night the rest of their fur exhibited. The wolf on the left, held a streak of the brightest blue I had ever seen, while the one on the right, the epitome of red. The vibrance of their colours was painful to the eyes, as it appeared to glow with an outwardly radiance towards our frail forms below.
[¡°Humph, an interesting description for our appearances.¡±]
The voice once again bellowed within my head, as I had the startling realization, the beings above me could perceive my own thoughts. Were they¡ª
[¡°Yes, monster. We are currently speaking to you through telepathy. Any thoughts that enter your mind, will be perceived by us as your response to our words, and it fortunately appears you possess the intellect to converse.
As such, let it be known, that you and your group were not immediately slain on the spot after entering our territory, due to the male in your presence bearing the mark of ¡°friend¡± along their right hand. The scent is faint, yet reminiscent of our kin, which disappeared long ago during the great shaking. State your purpose for invading our domain, and, based on your response, I will decide your fate.¡±]
My breathing felt laboured, as I struggled to process the words so easily being heard within my mind. Presumably, I was the male being referred to by the wolves above me, but the mark of a friend? Along my right hand? Looking at the appendage in question, I was uncontrollably shaking with fear, unable to see anything resembling a mark, and my mind, it was already at its limit trying to process the horrifying situation we had somehow found ourselves in. Doing my best, I attempted to speak within my mind, using my inner monologue as guidance, while managing to cast appraisal on the red wolf above.
[Who... Who am I speaking with?]
[¡°I am Crimson Lucendi, leader of the progenitor wolves. Our warriors reported seeing your group on the hunting grounds above, and detected hostile actions aimed towards them. Now, state your purpose, monsters.¡±]
My eyes once again widened, as I had the realization, that the beings which were moving between the floors, the creatures which had put my entire party on edge, were the progenitor wolves. Still processing this critical information, I hastily began reviewing the status values received from my earlier scan. The red wolf was named Crimson, just like they introduced themselves as, a fitting name for the brilliant colour blended all throughout their mane. But their values were truly the horrifying things to comprehend.
---
Name: Crimson Lucendi Level: 75
Race: Progenitor Wolf HP: 2,533/2,533 MP: 1,855/1,855
Age: 27
Status: Strength: 750 Defense: 419
Magic: 523 Dexterity: 922
Skill Proficiencies: [Thunder Affinity ¨C Excellent+] [Progenitor Being] [Reflexes ¨C Excellent+] [Stealth ¨C Excellent+] [Labyrinth¡¯s Blessing] [Image Manipulation] [Leader¡¯s Intuition] [Determination]
Titles: None
---
In a fair matchup, I would be at a severe disadvantage. My current levels for dexterity would make following their movements a challenge and, if these were the status values for only one of the wolves, then the rest of them were surely just as¡ª
[¡°How dare you so nonchalantly examine our leader¡¯s capabilities with your magic, monster! I should slay you where you stand for this blatant disregard for¡ª¡±]
[¡°Enough, Cyan. I will not tolerate another word from you.¡±]
[¡°But Crimson, they¡ª"]
[¡°I said, enough.¡±]
Crimson¡¯s response rang sharply throughout my mind, while she bared her fangs towards the wolf spotting the blue markings throughout their coat. The smaller wolf grumbled, begrudgingly obeying their leader¡¯s command, but not before casting a piercing, judgemental gaze my direction for my thoughts.
[My apologies Crimson, I meant no disrespect from my actions. Speaking this way is sudden and new for me. I am sorry for any offence that may have been perceived by your group.]
[¡°That will do for now. However, you still have yet to state your purpose. Why did you trespass on our domain? Why was your group hostile towards my warriors?¡±]
I briefly looked at Inari and Raya behind me. They were clearly shaking under the pressure being emitted towards them, as more and more wolves blanketed in various neon shades continued to emerge from the shadows surrounding us, producing a menagerie of vibrant colours. I realized, I was unaware of any responses they may have been giving to the wolves as well, since some were no doubt probably also speaking to them with their own set of questions. Regardless, since these were the first creatures I could actually converse with, I wanted to be as honest as possible.
[My name is Kotato Yamata, and with me, is Inari Kitsune, and Raya Lockhart. We were teleported into the labyrinth by the magic of a demon, who has taken over the Kingdom of Solara. We are trying to reach the end of the labyrinth, since we believe doing so, will aid us in returning to the surface. Our goal is to save the kingdom from destruction at the hands of this demon. We were unaware this was your territory, and I would like to apologise on my groups behalf for any disrespects we have caused the progenitor wolves from our trespassing. We have only encountered powerful creatures in the labyrinth, unable to engage in conversation with us along our journey, and our protection spells could have easily been perceived as hostile intent by your warriors when we first encountered them on the earlier levels. All we wish, is to pass peacefully through this floor, such that we may continue our journey towards the bottom of the labyrinth.]
A small chorus of howls rang throughout the floor at my response, before quickly falling to silence, as Crimson waved her paw from atop the rocky cliff, showcasing her absolute command and authority.
[¡°I see. So, you truly mean us no ill intent? We have also not encountered another sentient creature within these halls, and potentially assumed you to be an evolved variant like us. My warriors also did not attempt engaging in dialog, and instead chose to prioritize their own safety, which contributed to this misunderstanding. But, since you can recognize our authority, I am willing to believe you. While I have no knowledge about this ¡°Kingdom of Solara¡±, or ¡°demon¡± you speak of, I can understand the will and desire to protect those under your charge.¡±]
Finishing her comments, I felt a majority of the pressure pinning me in place, ease, while some of the wolves took on more relaxed stances around us. Looking at Crimson, she was exchanging glances with some other wolves that appeared behind her, with a few more snarls aimed towards the one who was presumably Cyan. I could only imagine the potential bickering that was going on between them. Eventually, Crimson turned away, getting ready to leave our groups interrogation, while issuing her final command.
[¡°Cyan, your warriors will escort them through our domain. Kotato Yamata, I wish you all the best in your endeavors.¡±]
Another small chorus of howls erupted from the wolves around us, with several gruffs and growls weaved within their excited barking, as the last bit of pressure finally released itself from holding me in place. Somehow, we had managed to reach an understanding, and avoid a pointless conflict. Glancing over my shoulder, I could see Inari and Raya were just getting to their feet, and heading towards my direction. A sense of relief was clearly across their faces, currently being matched by my own. Thrilled at our now relaxed circumstances, I slowly got to my feet as well, before offering my final word of thanks to the powerful wolf that believed in my words.
¡°Thank you, Crimson.¡±
Suddenly, all of the celebratory howls around us, came to an abrupt halt, while I sharply felt the concentration of mana particles rise around us. Next, I fell to my feet again in anguish from another powerful wave of pressure aimed towards my body.
[HAHA! You really ARE a fool, Ko. Just how utterly, incomprehensibly incompetent could you possibly be! Oh, how this is absolutely amusing! I really did pick a failure for my vessel, didn¡¯t I?]
Coileene¡¯s words shocked me, as I mustered up the energy to turn around towards my party. Raya was trembling while staring into my eyes, while Inari appeared much the same, staring at me with widened eyes and pinned back ears. Looking around, I was at a complete loss for words, as to how this situation had suddenly taken a complete turn. Our conversation had been polite and diplomatic, yet now we were¡ª
¡°K-k-k-Ko... Wh-what the heck... Did you just... Say...? I¡¯ve... Never heard that language, or those sounds before... Especially from you.¡±
Inari¡¯s shaken response helped me realize the cause of my error, as my brain frantically racked itself for any possible solution to our new and unfortunate situation. The problem, was stupidly my own fault, showing that I really was a fool. I spoke my words of thanks.
Verbally.
My hero powers... They have always translated my words into the appropriate language when I would speak, so when I said my gratitude out loud, it must have automatically converted them into the wolves¡¯ native language. Looking at the cliff above, the deafening silence appeared to halt Crimson in her tracks as well, as she stopped to turn and face us once again. Immense mana was already beginning to gather around her, while the hackles along Cyan¡¯s back stood up as he too, also began gathering mana around him. Then, after enough particles had been gathered around Crimson, she roared with a bone-chilling howl towards me.
¡°How do you know our tongue! What manner of trickery is this?!? And, after I trusted your words!¡±
¡°Crimson! I told you this group was an evolved variant! They are clearly monsters from the upper levels, threatening our safety. We must execute them for this deceit and trickery!!!¡±
Somehow, I was understanding their words, or, more accurately... Series of aggressive barks and growls sent towards my direction. Should I respond back to them? Do I talk within my mind? What could I...
¡°Wait! Crimson! Please have mercy on my group. I can explain my ability to¡ª"
¡°Enough!!¡± The blue wolf howled towards me, briefly staggering my footing from the intense pressure received. ¡°You have squandered Crimson¡¯s trust in your story, and it is clear from your actions, that you¡¯re an evolved variant. It is impossible to know our language, so for a monster to trick us, we will eliminate you to ensure our safety!¡±
At the conclusion of Cyan¡¯s words, Crimson lightly grunted, before fully turning her back towards us, walking away out of sight behind the cliff. All around us, the wolves began approaching, with Cyan leaping from the cliff to land amongst them. I couldn¡¯t draw my weapons from the paralysis, and the concentration of magic particles around us was rapidly beginning to rise. We were going to die, and there was nothing I cou¡ª
[Hahaha! You really are a pathetic excuse for a mortal, Ko. Should you wish to survive this situation your foolishness has put yourself in, then just say the words I am about to tell you. Then, just watch, and listen.]
Coileene¡¯s voice bellowed within my head, as her laughs continued to fill my frail mind with their horrid chorus. I was failing to see how any words could help remedy this situation, so could I really...¡ª?
¡°Veritas iudicium proelium¡±
Strange words suddenly left my mouth, as control gradually began returning to my body again. I don¡¯t know what the heck I just said, or why I even spoke, but those three words had seemingly brought all of the wolves, to a startling halt and silence. Cyan appeared the most alarmed by my words, as his muzzle briefly shifted to confusion, before firmly cementing itself into pure rage. Then, he howled towards me sharply, while all of the other wolves broke into an even greater chorus of howls and barks.
¡°And to think you would continue to mock us... I will personally execute you myself for daring to insult our honor and traditions. There is no way you could possibly know the meaning of those wor¡ª¡±
*Crash!*
Cyan staggered briefly, as they were interrupted by a loud crash between us, kicking up dust and rocks towards my eyes, causing me to recoil, as I covered my face from the particles. Then, once the clouds had begun to settle, I noticed Crimson was now standing between Cyan and myself. I didn¡¯t know why she was suddenly here, but perhaps... Those words were somehow, actually going to save us.
¡°Crimson! You can¡¯t possibly want to uphold our¡ª¡±
¡°Cyan, they have called for Veritas.¡±
¡°I understand Crimson, but they are clearly advanced monsters, seeking to trick and eliminate us with their deceit! There is no way outsiders would know the meaning of¡ª¡±
¡°No! You will respect their plea!¡±
¡°I refuse! Crimson! They MUST be executed!!!¡±
Then, with a swiftness I could barely follow, the blue wolf leapt towards me, brandishing its claws to eviscerate my body, when suddenly¡ª
*SLAM!*
Crimson turned around to smash Cyan into the ground below, creating a modest crater from the brutal impact. Cyan howled in pain, continuing to struggle, while Crimson continued pinning him down by his muzzle, digging her claws deeper into his snout. Then, while still continuing to hold the wolf down, Crimson glanced around the room at the other wolves frozen in her presence, before aggressively stating her decree in full.
¡°If we cannot even abide by, and uphold our own sacred laws, then we are no different from the savage ancestors from which we¡¯ve descended.¡±
Then, turning to face me in full, while offering a brief bow in kind, Crimson confidently barked her response in a series of sharp, but respectful tones towards me.
¡°Very well, Kotato Yamata. I will honor your request.
...
Veritas iudicium proelium.¡±
Chapter 49 – Veritas Iudicium Proelium
Language can be one of the most curious, yet rewarding subjects to study. And, while I by no means considered myself an avid linguist, still hold respect for the vast amount of knowledge that can be transferred through phrases and simple speech across countless cultures. With our language, our words, the building block of communication, beings can build and define their traditions, carving out unique annals across their recorded existence and time together. Throughout time, phrases would often emerge and vanish, but, those particular words which contain paramount levels of wisdoms, their idioms, would often prevail throughout that civilization¡¯s particular lifetime, and, even become absorbed by others, as time continues to tirelessly march on in the universe.
It would seem these thoughts were currently rolling around within my head, as an ancient phrase had just somehow managed to seemingly save my party from certain death. We were still surrounded by the progenitor wolves, who were all unsettlingly silent in our wake from the simple words that I had just spoken. I knew nothing about what the phrase could possibly mean, or, why Crimson had suddenly decided to personally protect and defend us from the wolf named Cyan, but, things were finally starting to look better for us. Confused, yet relieved, I finally decided to ask the goddess living inside me, what that phrase she commanded my body to speak to the wolves, actually meant.
Coileene, what exactly does... Veritas iudicium proelium mean?
And... If I couldn¡¯t see the serpent sarcastically grinning inside my mind from the simple question, it was clearly prevalent in her snarky, yet thrilled response to me, as she happily rambled away her reply.
[Veritas iudicium proelium. It is a simple phrase unique to the progenitor wolves, used to settle any disputes. Crudely translated, it means ¡°truth judgement battle¡±, and, relating it to your world, the closest meaning would be a ¡°trial by combat¡±. Two warriors compete in a battle to the death, and the winner, will be deemed righteous, due to justice protecting the truth.]
While I was still processing Coileene¡¯s words, I briefly lost my focus as both Cyan and Crimson¡¯s bitter arguing pulled my attention into their heated discussion in front of me.
¡°Crimson! I... I cannot accept this! I must be the one to fight in your stead! This monster is not worthy to¡ª¡±
¡°No, Cyan. As the leader of the progenitor wolves, and, the strongest warrior amongst us, it is only just that I represent our position in battle.
¡°But Crimson!¡±
¡°Enough! The monster has called for Veritas. And, as the leader behind the disagreement, I will uphold our traditions and represent the progenitor wolves. The accusation, being these monsters have lied about their capabilities, with ill intent to harm us.¡±
Then, turning towards me, much to the annoyed snarls and protests from the brilliant blue wolf beside them, Crimson howled, looking to confirm my group¡¯s claim.
¡°State your claim, and the representative which will defend your truth in battle.¡±
Hesitant to speak, I eventually managed to articulate a response to the wolf towering over me. ¡°That we only wish... To pass through the progenitor wolves¡¯ territory in peace. May I speak with my group to determine our representative?¡± I said as confidently as I could manage. ¡°Very well, you will be allowed a brief council.¡± Replied Crimson in a stern tone towards me, as several other wolves howled in delight of her claim.
Then, just as she finished her declaration, the pressure pinning us in place eased, allowing all of us to finally stand on our feet, where our temporary ¡°freedom¡± was immediately met with hesitant responses from my friends.
¡°Ko... What the heck... Were you saying to them?¡± Inari softly squeaked, while Raya continued to glance around the tense atmosphere before stating her own comments on the situation. ¡°Are... We alright, Ko? The wolves aren¡¯t emitting their pressure anymore, so, whatever you seemed to be telling them, worked.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry guys. If anything, I have somehow put us in an even dire situation.¡± I tried my best to say as calmly as possible to the trembling fox and commander beside me, but even I was shaking as words continued to leave my mouth. ¡°I have... We can only survive, if we fight their strongest warrior, to the death.¡±
Silence separated our group, as all of us continued to share glances amongst each other. None of us wanted to be the first to speak to the dreadful news I had just revealed, so I eventually continued the conversation with a heavy breath.
¡°We... Are allowed to select one warrior amongst us to represent our truth. Our claim is we only wish to pass peacefully through the floor... The words I unknowingly said, are a sacred tradition to them, used to settle any disputes by a battle to the death, where the winner, is deemed just. At least, that¡¯s what Coileene told me.¡±
Raya and Inari continued glancing around, examining the wolves howling amongst themselves, with Crimson standing proud behind us, patiently waiting the conclusion of our council. ¡°I... Think you should be the one to represent us. You are currently the strongest in our party, and, I trust you will find a way to win.¡± Inari¡¯s words softly blanketed our group, while Raya simply nodded, before sharing her simple response as well. ¡°Good luck, Ko. If any of us can defeat their strongest warrior, its you.¡±
¡°I... I don¡¯t want to fight them. I explained we had no intention for conflict, and now, we suddenly have to fight to the death?!? I ruined everything with my stupid actions, and I hate myself for being such an idiot... Why does¡ª¡±
...
¡°Ko...¡± Inari softly said with her ears pinned back, while Raya simply stared at the ground, clenching her fist. I didn¡¯t want to reply to the words and emotions my comrades were currently expressing. I knew they were only trying to encourage me, but, whenever I said anything, or did any kind of action, it always seemed to cause problems... Why did everyone just continue to blindly trust me!? Why couldn¡¯t I do anything right?!? Why couldn¡¯t I just...
...
¡°I¡¯ll find a way to protect us... I... I have an idea, that just might work.¡± I said, while turning around to face the proud wolf ahead of me. Then, after walking towards and stopping just in front of Crimson, I gave my response with the most confidence I could muster. ¡°I, Kotato Yamata, will represent our truth.¡±
¡°Very well, Kotato Yamata. I, Crimson Lucendi, formally accept your call for Veritas, and will represent the progenitor wolves¡¯ truth.¡± Then, turning to face the rest of the wolves around us, Crimson let out a tremendous howl, shaking the very ground around us, before stating her response to everyone in her native tongue.
¡°Veritas iudicium proelium. Our most sacred tradition, only invoked when parties are unable to arrive at a compromise, will be held on the grounds from which the dispute of truths has arisen. Kotato Yamata claims their group only wishes to pass through our territory in peace, and us, the progenitor wolves, claim they wish to harm us.
Veritas, for the truth, blood must be shed.
Iudicium, with life offered, judgment will be absolute.
Proelium, only through battle, will justice prevail.¡±
Then, pausing after the formal claim for their traditions, Crimson walked several paces back, before issuing her final words for the upcoming battle.
¡°Cyan, at your word, our battle for truth will begin. Kotato Yamata, our fight will only end, once one of us, has died.¡±
Nodding at the wolf, I also took several paces back, mirroring their actions as a show of respect, while I angrily called out to the god living inside me, for deceiving me.
Coileene... Why didn¡¯t you explain this to me earlier?! You knew this would result in a duel to the death... You know that I hate senseless killing, so why would you...
[For your survival, Ko. This was the only way to¡ª]
No... This was never about our survival! Everything has always been about your desires, your own goals, and... This... Crimson¡¯s core... You want her power, don¡¯t you? You want to absorb her life force, so you can continue recovering your strength!! That¡¯s what this is all about, isn¡¯t it??!
A brief silence blanketed my mind, before the unsettling sound of snakes hissing jolted my senses, as Coileene happily bellowed her response, shaking my very existence.
[Hahaha! That is a correct deduction, Ko. But, while conversation may have worked at an earlier point in time, sometimes, you must strike a beast so it learns its place in the world order. These monsters respect violence, and, it is a given, that the weak, will always follow the strong. The powerful rule through fear and violence, while the weak will simply become trampled under their conquest and desires!]
I tightly curled my fists as the serpent continued to happily ramble away within my mind about her ideals. I wanted to be in control of my own actions. That was my only condition for accepting her into my body, and yet, I still felt like everything was being carefully orchestrated by this unreasonable god, with my free will, being only an illusion under her influence. That my actions, everything that I would eventually do, were never mine to begin with. This isn¡¯t what I wanted, yet, because of my own shortcomings, I...
...
I will prove you wrong, Coileene. You may be a god, and a crafty one at that, but even so, I will show you, that even the most powerful of divine beings, can be wrong.
Then, glancing up at the majestic, powerful black and red wolf standing in front of me, I felt magic begin to overwhelm my right eye, shifting, and changing its form to match Coileene¡¯s slitted red pupils. I always had access to her power, to take it whenever I needed. And, if she was so intent on using me to achieve her own selfish goals, then I would simply use her powers, to achieve mine.
Raged swelled within me, as I felt Coileene attempting to take control over my body, but I resisted her pulls with every fibre of my being. The sounds of snakes slithering and hissing blanketed my thoughts, to which I imagined brutally trampling the army of repulsive serpents under my feet. I wouldn¡¯t let her win; I wouldn¡¯t let her have control.
I will be the one to prove you wrong, so just watch me, you stupid, arrogant, narcissistic goddess!!!
Drawing my sword, the lightness exhibited by the steel was ever apparent, as my grip tightened around the black and white blade in anticipation for the upcoming battle. Noticing my stance, Crimson also began gathering mana particles around her in preparation for our duel. I did the same, while glancing towards the blue wolf, who was continuing to count down to the official start of our trial by combat. I knew these wolves would only accept death, and, I had just the idea, to make that happen. All I needed to do now, was win.
Cyan continued to count down, each howl a sinister snarl blanketing my ears, as I finally heard the words I had been waiting for. ¡°Blood for truth! Life for judgement! Observe all this battle, for justice! Warriors, begin!¡± At the final utterance for his decree to start our deadly encounter, both Crimson and I began slowly strafing around one another in a wide circle, scrutinizing each other¡¯s stances for any signs of weakness. Immense mana had already been gathered around us, and we were both cautiously waiting for the other to make the first move. Then, after a few more carefully planted steps, the wolf split itself into multiple images, with several of them vanishing all together within the shadows. Anticipating they were skilled in concealment, I calmly flicked my wrist to release all 3 of the disks along my shield, while covering one of them in a shimmering vale of light. Now, all I needed to do, was have faith in my own capabilities, until the time to strike was right.
Suddenly, the hair along my neck began standing up, as I continued staring at Crimson. Perhaps it was the result of static, as particles within the air become magnetically charged, just before lightning cruelly strikes the ground below. On a balance of probabilities, it was more realistically my own fear. But, if I incorporated her affinity for thunder...
Just then, the wolf in front of me dashed towards my direction, baring its fangs before leaping at me with its claws prepared to eviscerate my chest. Thus, trusting my instincts, I decided to ignore the being, and instead quickly raised my shield to block a potential attack from behind.
*Smash!*
I grunted, slightly in pain, as my arm shook from taking the impact of metal crudely colliding with fangs, intercepting the blow and locking us in place, just narrowly protecting my skull from the wolf¡¯s powerful crunching power. Then, the canine I had chosen to ignore, seamlessly passed through my body while completing its slashing motion, oblivious to my physical form, confirming the fact that it was an illusion. Crimson snarled, as she continued trying to crunch the shield under her fangs, but the metal thankfully held its own. Glaring into my eyes, before acknowledging our stalemate, she quickly disengaged, leaping back while launching a bolt of lightning towards me. Reflexively, I quickly sliced my right hand through the air, catching, and canceling the magic before it could harm me.
Some light growls flooded the impromptu arena, while Crimson resumed prowling along the edge, before barking some banter towards me, with her lips grinning in delight at my apparent capabilities. ¡°Humph. To think you would not only sense my illusion, but to cancel and defend against my mental attacks as well, you really are a powerful monster, aren¡¯t you? To face such a worthy opponent... I will enjoy crushing you beneath my paws!¡±
Her words caught me off guard slightly. I had only guessed she might attack me from behind with intuition, and only canceled the lightning magic by chance, but mental atta¡ª
[It is as the beast says, Ko. Because of your arrogant and ignorant ways, I¡¯ve been forced to protect your frail mind from this creature¡¯s relentless, pitiful assault on your sanity. It is the same pressure that was pinning you in place. You would have already been killed were it not for my¡ª]
Thank you, Coileene. Just keep defending me from Crimson¡¯s attacks. I¡¯ll continue to¡ª
[Fool! You think you can jus¡ª]
Order you around? Why of course. Whether you like it or not, we¡¯re stuck together, and, I¡¯m tired of you always taking control and manipulating my actions. So, if you really did choose me as your vessel, that one unique individual out of countless lifetimes of suffering in your prison, to house your infinite power for the slightest chance at obtaining freedom, then I¡¯ll show you my own resolve in seeing this through!
We¡¯re a team, and as much as you hate my ideals, I¡¯m going to prove I¡¯m more than just some vessel you can boss around to your will.
[Arrogance born from ignorance! There is no way what you¡¯re¡ª]
I won¡¯t know unless I try, Coileene, so just continue supporting me while I make this work!
A smile slowly grew across my face, as I finally said the words my heart had been aching to all this time to the goddess controlling and sharing my body with me. Yes, I had died, and yes, I was essentially blackmailed into accepting her deal to save my friend, but, for as omnipotent and manipulative as Coileene was, she still chose me out of countless life times of suffering. She may have lost her memories and her powers, but, for a god to risk their entire existence just to save a foolish mortal... I have to be more than just a mere tool of convenience. Maybe I really am a fool and ignorant, but until I¡¯ve exhausted all my options, I refuse to continue being controlled by her!
Noticing the grin growing along my face, Crimson lunged at me again with her claws, while scattering bolts of lightning to manipulate and restrict my movement. Meeting her assault, I locked my blade with her brutal slash while firing off a flaming spear spell, which just narrowly missed her mane as she twisted her body to avoid the shot. Then, after another disengage and leap combo, we continued to tirelessly trade blows for what felt like an eternity. My arm was beginning to grow numb from all of the parried slashes, while we both continued to dance between lightning and laser barrages from my disks. Noticing we had managed to end up near the base of the cliff, I quickly rolled to the side underneath an aggressive swipe from her paws, while casting a powerful gust of wind to somehow knock Crimson back into the sharp rocks behind her.
*CRASH*
Dust and stray boulders littered my vision, as I quickly swiped my hand through the air, clutching my fist together to summon Coileene¡¯s chains and restrain her in place. I still couldn¡¯t see if my spell had landed successfully, but, after feeling some resistance tug across my hands, a smirk of relief gradually filled my face. Glancing to my left, I fired a basic flaming spear into one of the nearby disks, while floating the concealed one near the cliff face as a potential contingency should I fail. Thankfully, metal was violently rattling about instead, helping the dust settle further, as the image of a chained and bound wolf finally graced my eyes. It would seem I somehow held enough power to restrain such a powerful foe, as Crimson continued to aggressively pull and twist her limbs against the ebony metal shackles binding her in place. Her muzzle appeared twisted in shock, as she continued flailing to free herself from my chains.
¡°It¡¯s over, Crimson.¡± I called out while the floating disk continued to charge itself further in preparation to end our duel. There was almost enough power gathered, and I would ensure my next strike, would leave her wounded just enough to end our encounter how I envisioned. However, the brief sense of relief was cruelly ripped away from my heart, when I saw the wolf reply with its own confident snarl towards me. ¡°Heh, you¡¯ll have to do better then that, monster! Don¡¯t you dare underestimate my resolve as a warrior!!!¡±
*CHING!*
Suddenly, with a display of strength causing my face to forget how to properly hold my jaw, I was left in horrifying awe, as the sound of shattering and cracking rocks ravaged my ears at their new found freedom. Coileene¡¯s chains, which had so easily ruptured from the earth below, snapped and scattered, as their anchors to the ground itself were brutally ripped from their sockets in a bout of unbridled canine fury.
¡°Shit!¡±
I quickly released both the charged flaming spear spell from the disk, and another uncharged blast towards the concealed disk in response towards her, but it wasn¡¯t enough, as the blast collided with the cliff¡¯s face instead of the freed wolf nearby. Crimson, noticing I had missed our duel ending spell, took advantage of the opportunity to quickly charge towards me. Now, I just had to hope the dust was enough to hide my ulterior motive, as the disk under illusion happily absorbed the new blast in secret.
Staring at the wolf barreling towards me, the chains were still bound along her paws, but useless in restraining her movements. The large boulder anchors tumbled and smashed into the dirt as the beast continued to accelerate towards me, when she suddenly banked hard to the left, while swiping her paw in a large arc. Quickly, I braced myself for some kind of magical ranged attack, perhaps something utilizing wind magic for a slicing blade towards me, but I was sorrily mistaken as to her actual intentions.
As it would seem, it appeared Crimson possessed a powerful type of battle intuition, inferred by the confident curled lips across her face from her unexpected actions. While I would have preferred an offensive spell of some sort sent my direction, a warning triangle alerted me to an incoming assault from behind me, slightly to the right. Twisting my body, I gasped after noticing she had somehow managed to ¡°hook¡± the boulder at the end of the chain, attacking me from a blind spot caused by the weird bend in momentum change from her charge.
¡°GAH!¡±
I couldn¡¯t raise a barrier spell in time, as the boulder collided with my chest, winding me, while sending my body flying several feet back from the brutal impact. Tumbling through the air, I was fighting to reorient myself, just narrowly catching and breaking my momentum with a cushioned barrier. ¡°Thank you for the new weapon, monster. I hope that was an appropriate greeting.¡± Crimson howled towards me, as many of the observing wolves cheered in delight from their champion landing such a decisive blow against me.
This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
Truthfully, I was impressed, as I cast a greater heal spell to begin alleviating the pain coursing throughout my body. My ribs were definitely fractured and broken in multiple places, even after the blow was softened from the hastily formed barrier spell. Yet now, I was unfortunately stuck battling a wolf skilled in utilizing an improvised flail of all things! While that was impressive in its own right, my mind was now frantically trying to solve this new, unfortunate problem before me.
How the heck do I dispel these things??!?!
I¡¯ve never had to deal with Coileene¡¯s chains not working before! They¡¯ve always disappeared with time after a battle has ended, yet I could really benefit from knowing how to actually dispel them myself right now!!! Looking up to meet the wolf¡¯s eyes with laboured breathing, Crimson resumed her assault after failing to hear my response from her confident banter. Rocks kicked up around her feet, as she once again dashed towards me, aiming her paws ¡°holding¡± flails for multiple strikes towards my recovering body. I dived to the left to avoid one of the boulders, while materializing a condensed barrier to just barely deflect the other, but I still didn¡¯t have a solution for the beast rapidly closing the distance towards me. Searching for some kind of distraction, I erected some earthen walls to briefly hide myself, while casting my own version of illusion over myself, leaving an image behind. A technique kindly taken from Inari¡¯s battle playbook.
Creating some distance, I saw Crimson leap over the stone walls, before smashing the flails into my image, kicking up more dust and debris around us. It appeared my illusion had worked for now, as I had just managed to buy myself some precious time. Looking at the warrior, she appeared frozen, with her eyes darting around the arena in an effort to find my location to no avail. An eerie silence fell across the battlefield, as even the wolf observers calmed their howling, taking in the change in battle tempo. Carefully, I tried strafing around Crimson, who still appeared unaware of my presence. Holding my breath, I continued to slowly move around the beast. I could see her ears were twitching, when she suddenly turned to stare directly towards me. I paused, wondering how she had correctly guessed my location, before breaking into a sprint towards the cliff. She had to of heard my movements with her incredible hearing, it was the only explanation I could justify, as the boulder-tipped flails were once again launched towards me.
I jumped over one of the chains, and managed to deflect the other with my shield, unfortunately sustaining some more damage from the impact. My illusion spell dissipated from the impact, as I launched some covering fire from the floating disks to aid in my retreat towards the cliff, but it wasn¡¯t enough.
Crimson effortlessly dodged the haphazard assault, while calmly taking out one of the disks with a flail counter attack of her own. I was now down to two of my three disks, which would hopefully be enough, but the situation was still quickly getting out of hand. At this rate, I wouldn¡¯t be able to¡ª
¡°HRUH!!!¡±
The wolf howled, interrupting my thoughts, as she once again swiped the boulders at me. I braced for impact, having messed up my footing to dodge the blow, as the rock came hurling towards me from the left. I wouldn¡¯t be able to mitigate everything, so I just needed to grunt and bear it. Tensing my limbs, I strengthened my body for defense, while erecting several barriers to deflect the mound of stone, when suddenly.
*Crash!*
The boulder dislodged from the chains, as the metal finally dissipated into pure mana again, the spell having fully ran its course. The rock, still possessing incredible momentum, flew over my shoulder, just narrowly missing my face, as it collided with the cliff behind me. Relieved, I noticed a shocked expression briefly grace the mutt¡¯s face, as she made the decision to charge at me directly instead. Her speed was incredible, and in my peripheral vision, the cloaked disk had finally finished charging its payload. Thus, needing to gain some distance, I activated my dash ability just as Crimson swiped at me with her massive claws. Dodging this would be difficult, so I placed my trust in my intuition.
The terrain jerked forward as I quickly traversed 20ft near instantly, while a sharp, warm feeling began growing across my left shoulder. I had somehow managed to dodge her blow, but was still unfortunately grazed by her claws as I dashed by the wolf at incredible speeds. Turning around, I tried to ready myself for a follow up attack, when I was suddenly aggressively thrown to the ground.
¡°Gah!¡±
I tumbled, failing to break my fall as I landed hard on the dirt, the back of my head slamming into a sharp bed of rocks. My bones screamed in agony from the brutal impact, as my vision blurred from the pain shattering my concentration on our deadly battle. My left arm was now all but numb, and my head ringing, as I suddenly felt an impressive weight filled with daggers pinning me harder into the soil. I could feel blood dripping down my shoulders, as more and more of these knives happily pressed themselves into my flesh, causing more of my precious lifeforce to trickle out of my body. Focusing my vision, I was starting to notice that my face was now uncomfortably close to the bared fangs of a wolf towering over me. Hot breath rolled across my eyes, as saliva hung from the creature¡¯s mouth, dangling above me in anticipation.
¡°Any last words, monster?¡± Crimson confidently gruffed, as some of her spittle landed across my face from the simple, yet aggravating words. I had almost managed to win, and I just needed a few more seconds, anything to buy myself some more time to get out of this situation. Grunting as well, my gaze finally locked with her piercing red eyes. They appeared pleased from our battle, as more and more wolves continued to howl all around us. I couldn¡¯t hear Inari or Raya, but I could only imagine how desperate this situation would appear to them. If I failed here, they would undoubtably be killed by the progenitor wolves next.
Still staring into Crimson¡¯s eyes, I somehow managed to think of a response, that I could only hope, would buy me the time I desperately needed. Gathering mana and correcting my vision, I tensed my muscles, while confidently uttering my reply through gritted teeth, to the powerful beast on top of me.
¡°Harder...¡±
Silence instantly befell the arena, as all of the wolves ceased their barking and howling at my simple last words. Crimson¡¯s muzzle briefly flinched, while her eyes widened in shock after processing what I had just said to her. Next, she dug her paws deeper into my shoulders, granting my... ¡°Request¡±, while scoffing her response to me in a disgusted tone of contempt.
¡°You filthy, sick, perverted mongrel! And to think I was starting to respect you as a fellow warrior. I¡¯m glad I¡¯ll be the one to end your twisted desires here, monster!¡±
Grunting as well from the increased pain gracing my body, I didn¡¯t care about the obvious implications of my words. But, they were fortunately the words I needed to earn those precious seconds for my survival! Tightly clutching my fist, having finally gathered enough mana, I once again summoned powerful chains to constrain the insulted wolf. However, since time was of the essence, I also bound myself together with her as well.
*Yelp!*
[Ha! You really are a twisted individual, Ko! And to think you were so repulsed by my actions during our initial... Introduction...]
Coileene¡¯s voice rattled within my mind, as both Crimson and I became entangled in her restrictive chains. While I had only made my situation slightly more difficult, I had at least prevented the canine from ending my life with her powerful jaws. Clearly unpleased being tightly bound on top of me, Crimson was desperately trying to crunch my neck, but thankfully couldn¡¯t reach it due to the awkward angle we were tied together at. I could barely feel my shoulders by this point, and the fur from her mane, while exceptionally soft, was suffocating and crushing my body as she continued to flail around in disgust at my actions.
¡°Ahh! What the hell are you doing, monster?!?¡± She viciously snarled in a light, yet feminine tone, while continuing to struggle on top of me. ¡°To think you would force me into such a position!! Does your rudeness know no bounds?!?¡±
¡°Tch! Apologies Crimson, but this was the only way I could think of to get my plan to work!¡±
¡°Plan?! You¡¯re clearly only interested in violating me with your filthy desires, you sick, sadistic freak!!¡±
Grinning, which probably didn¡¯t make the insults hurled towards me any better, I finally started manipulating one of the floating disks to hover above us, while the concealed one hung off to the side. Power began to gather above, with the concentration of mana thickening as the disk continued to hum and charge its payload. Noticing the change in circumstance, Crimson¡¯s struggling intensified further, once she noticed the sheer amount of mana particles gathering above us.
¡°You fool!!! Veritas is useless should we both perish! You can¡¯t possibly intend to kill us both¡ª¡±
¡°Try me! I have nothing to lose, and I¡¯m already resolved to die by my own hands!¡± I sneered back, as her actions only grew more and more painful to my body being crushed beneath the pile of fluff. The howling around us intensified, with Cyan hurriedly calling for Crimson to free herself. Then, finally ready to activate my last ditched efforts, I released the energy beam above us.
*SNAP*
Panicking, yet, somehow finding the strength I had been anticipating, Crimson managed to free herself from the oppressive chains, just in time before the pillar of light collided with us. Leaping to the side, her figure gracefully flew through the air as she twisted her body to scowl at me, pleased I was seemingly going to ¡°off¡± myself from my idiotic actions.
Or so she thought.
Turning around, I quickly regained my footing, shaking off the chains as the ¡°mana¡± collided with me, but, to the shocked expressions of our observers, remained completely unharmed. The beam attack, was a lie, an illusion, yet was easily believable after witnessing its destructive power earlier in the battle. I was hoping that putting her into an uncomfortable situation would strain her ability to perceive my attacks, and I was thankfully correct in my assumption. Then, snapping my fingers, I activated the final phase of my attack, the charged blast from the concealed disk at the start of the battle.
Noticing I didn¡¯t perish, I caught Crimson¡¯s eyes widen as she suddenly felt the immense energy being fired at her direction from the side. She had already committed to leaping away in order to dodge my feint, which meant her options were now severely limited for the actual intended attack.
Crimson tried to twist her body, anything to help soften or deflect the blow, but it wouldn¡¯t be enough. I briefly felt her try to repel the laser with her mana, but with such little time, it was useless.
*BOOSH!!!*
I recoiled, covering my eyes from the intense light flying across the ground. My ears were ringing from the impact, and just before my vision became blinded, I saw the laser collide with the wolf¡¯s side. I was hoping she would be strong enough to survive the attack, and now I just needed to pray that I was right.
...
Finally, after a deafening silence, with the dust and light starting to settle, my ears were overcome with the sounds of the progenitor wolves whimpering at the destruction observed. Crimson, while powerful in her own right, had taken a direct hit from the blast along her right side. The smell of burnt fur filled my nostrils, as blood happily oozed out from her wound. The mana had penetrated deep enough to remove most of her flesh, with what were potentially organs and exposed bone leaking out from the devastating attack. The wound was clearly fatal, now I just had to hope that everything would work out like I wanted.
Struggling to correct my stance, I collected some of the abundant mana still present from the attack, to cast a high heal on myself, healing most of my injuries, before limping towards the dying wolf. Crimson¡¯s breathing was clearly laboured, and I was thankful she was still alive. But, she wouldn¡¯t have much longer to live, and I desperately wanted to prevent her death. As I continued, all I could hear were the cries from the wolves, knowing their favoured leader was about to die.
Arriving next to her body, she was calmly lying in a pool of blood, which had already begun to stain and tack her brilliant fur. Her eyes were faint, her horns damaged, and each breath appeared to take all of her concentration. Then, after noticing I was next to her, somehow managed to find the strength, to congratulate me on my victory.
*Cough* ¡°Well...¡± *Cough* ¡°Well done... Monster...¡± she said in a weak tone, while struggling to breath in-between each gasp for air. ¡°You have... Won... While I am sad my journey ends here, I am glad... I got to battle such a powerful foe...
Cyan, I *cough* I expect you to uphold this judgement.
Now, to you, Kotato Yamata, grant me my warrior¡¯s death, to *cough* formally end our battle.¡±
I paused, taking in my surroundings again. All of the wolves were clearly distraught at this outcome, with Cyan whimpering and growling towards me after hearing Crimson struggle to speak. While he reaffirmed to Crimson he would uphold the battle¡¯s results, I could tell none of them wanted this to be the outcome, including myself. Glancing towards Inari and Raya, they also appeared to be sad, yet relieved. But, this isn¡¯t how I wanted things to end.
Thus, truly showing my ignorance and arrogance to the progenitor wolves, I defiantly gave my response to the dying warrior before me.
¡°No Crimson, I will not grant you a warrior¡¯s death. I... This whole battle stands in opposition to my claim for wanting peace, to pass through your domain without bloodshed, and yet¡ª¡±
*Cough* ¡°You really are a monster. I will not survive much longer, yet you would still refuse to grant a dying warrior¡¯s wish?¡± Crimson softly cried, as she continued to cough up blood with each and every laboured breath. ¡°To think you would not even allow me to pass with honor... You really are *cough* the worst...¡±
¡°I never wanted this, Crimson. I never wanted to kill you, or any of the progenitor wolves, yet, our misunderstandings have somehow led us to this scenario. I can save you, Crimson, you don¡¯t have to die just yet! We can still get along peacefully without death, so please, just accept my words!¡±
The wolf paused, I knew she didn¡¯t have much time, but I needed her to accept my pleas before I could heal her! Come on! Just... put aside your¡ª
¡°No!¡± She snarled, interrupting my thoughts as more and more blood gathered along her lips, each breath a weak and raspy tone. ¡°The judgement is not final unless there is death!¡±
Tightly clenching my fists, I was beyond frustrated that this wasn¡¯t working. This whole scenario should have never happened... Now, all I could do was¡ª
[Hahaha! How marvelous, Ko! Now, just accept the dying beasts cries for death, and absorb her core! Your party will be saved, and I¡¯ll grow ever stronger! To think you would surprise even me that you could win this with your own strength!]
...
Annoyed at Coileene, and, still pissed I couldn¡¯t achieve my initial outcome, I angrily gave my reply to the dying wolf.
¡°Fine... If you really want to die so badly Crimson, then I''ll grant you a fate far worse than a simple warrior¡¯s death. You will have wished to have taken my earlier offer to live.
...
This is my final warning, but do you really wish for the cruelest of deaths imaginable, Crimson?¡±
With some of the energy still remaining within her body, Crimson grunted towards me, just barely managing to utter her reply in a dying tone. ¡°As a warrior, I am always prepared for my life to be extinguished in battle. Thus, should my final moments be filled with unimaginable pain, or ended with one clean strike, it does not matter. I am resolved, and have already accepted my fate for my loss. Now, finish me!¡±
Tightly gripping my sword, and angered at her refusal to believe my words, I briefly felt Coileene attempt taking control over my body, to which I resisted again. Her pleased hissing noises filled my mind in anticipation for a filling meal, but I continued to brush them aside while I readied my blade. Then, after raising the steel above the wolf¡¯s heart, prepared myself for my future actions. There would be no going back after this moment, and I had to be resolved for whatever might happen afterwards.
Swinging the sword down in a decisive arc, I saw Crimson close her eyes in relief, her muzzle relaxing ever so slightly, as she awaited the fateful impact that would end her life. Time felt like it had slowed, as the wolves continued to howl in agony at their leader¡¯s pending death. This whole situation was a mess, and now, I just had to believe in my own ideals for seeing this through!
Carefully guiding the steel, making sure to maintain my act until the last possible moment, I twisted my blade at the end, to instead sever some of the red fur throughout her mane. Then, once the fur had flown into the air, swiftly activated my spatial storage, removing, and applying my favourite mythical healing item across her forehead; the bandages!
[YOU FOOL!!!!]
Coileene¡¯s voice bellowed within my head, rattling my very skull for the actions I had just taken, but I didn¡¯t care!!! This was my decision, and I was going to make it work!
In response to the mysterious item suddenly applied across her forehead, brilliant and bright blue mana, swiftly began to coalesce all around Crimson, binding and closing her gaping wounds before our eyes! Her fur was once again filled with a poofy lustre, and the blood which had been dying the soil mere moments ago, dried and vanished in the comforting blanket of light. The wolves grew silent, as Crimson opened her eyes wide to the new untold amounts of energy entering her body. All of her wounds had vanished, leaving her confused as to the sudden change in circumstance. I was still injured, and, while I had just fully healed my enemy, smiled, knowing it was the right decision to make. Then, noticing her gaze locked with mine, ready to potentially lunge and end my own life for making such a foolish decision, I confidently gave my response to the renewed warrior before me.
¡°Crimson, I have granted you a fate worse than death, just like I claimed. You had the option to avoid this outcome, but your own resolve as a warrior, has led you down this path of unimaginable suffering. As I swung my blade and severed your fur, I killed not your physical life, but something far, far worse... Your name and legacy.¡±
Then, pausing dramatically, with the silence around us building in anticipation, I continued on in my effort to ¡°bullshit¡± such an outrageous claim to the wolves before me.
¡°On this day, by my blade, Crimson Lucendi, has died. With my actions, I have severed the strands that tied her to that existence. Having killed her name and her legacy, she will now be forced to bear an existence without an identity, until her eventual physical death.
However, since I am one to believe in mercy, in an act of great generosity, I will take her as my own, granting this warrior the name Crimson Yamata instead.
...
Progenitor wolves. While I am a mere outsider who invoked your traditions for Veritas, we had never decided on which ¡°death¡± would be acceptable for this duel. A true tragedy only arising from a difference in our cultures. On the surface, we recognize not just the death of the body, but the death of one¡¯s name as well, with the latter, being the worst form of death imaginable.
All of us, will eventually die a physical death. It is a given, that all living creatures, will eventually perish with time, with warriors wishing to die honorably in battle. But, while a warrior may seek glory and legacy, it is only their name which carries these achievements, when their physical body finally meets its end. As great warriors, our legacy is remembered through our names, but, once our names become lost or destroyed, all of the achievements we earned through our battles, are erased forever. This is known as ¡°true death¡±, and what I assumed was meant by the progenitor wolves for your tradition of Veritas.
By killing Crimson¡¯s name, and allowing her to take on the name Yamata, all of her achievements as a warrior with the progenitor wolves, have been erased. Now, she will be forced to suffer, building a whole new legacy as a warrior, before her eventual physical death.
...
Blood has been spilt for the truth, the cruelest form of life has been offered, and through battle, justice has been shown to protect my existence.¡±
...
Then, turning to face the confused and flustered wolf before me, I dropped to one knee while lowering my head, in an attempt to show as much sincerity as possible, for my final words.
¡°Crimson, as a fellow warrior, I can only hope you will come to forgive me for my horrible actions with time, for this is something I never wished to do with my power. I am truly sorry for the death my blade has given you this day.¡±
Finishing my words while staring into her eyes, my heart was racing within my chest, pounding against my very bones in hesitation that the wolves would accept my words. I had done my best to complete my claims with confidence, so now, I just had to remain hopeful it would be enough to convince them. I know what I was saying was bullshit, but please, I¡¯m begging you, just accept my outlandish fabrications!!
Silence continued to grow around us, as Crimson was clearly lost in thought over my claims of killing her name. Tears were beginning to form within her eyes, and all of the wolves around us slowly began to whimper as well at the scene before them. While I was slightly concerned, Coileene¡¯s voice eventually bellowed within my mind, the thoughts I had desperately been trying to ignore about this entire situation.
[What in the actual hell, Ko!!! You really are the most foolish of mortals that I could have possibly picked in my plight for survival. Killing somebody¡¯s name... There is NO way these monsters, nor any other creatures capable of even the slightest level intellectual thought, would accept what you¡¯ve just proclaimed towards them! Your logic is flawed on so many levels, and nothing about what you¡¯ve said makes any¡ª]
¡°You... *Sniff*, you really have killed my name... Haven¡¯t you, Kotato? The... The only thing that... I... *sniff* I...
...
And... To take me... You... You truly are the most heartless of monsters... Aren¡¯t you?¡±
...
Crimson¡¯s words were filled in a sorrowful, soft tone, as she was struggling to keep her composure. Tears were trickling down into her fur, while she continued sniffling into her paws in contempt of my words towards her. I wasn¡¯t expecting her response to be this dramatic, but, I guess my words were working?
Eventually, after several more seconds of the powerful wolf before me sobbing into their paws, Crimson finally uttered the response I had been hoping for.
¡°I... I accept my death. On this day, Crimson Lucendi, has died. And, I am now yours, bound to you, as Crimson Yamata.¡±
After finishing her claim, Crimson shifted her gaze to briefly meet with Cyan¡¯s, before drifting them back to mine. I could see both of their eyes were filled with a glossy sheen, as she continued her words to me in a trembling tone. ¡°Cyan... I... I look forward to hopefully seeing how the progenitor wolves will grow under your command. And, you, Kotato Yamata, may you please show mercy, such that I may sort out some outstanding affairs as the former leader of the progenitor wolves? There are some duties best passed over while I still physically live.¡±
Agreeing with her words, I simply nodded, while offering a plain response to the request. ¡°I understand, Crimson. Take the time that you need.¡±
¡°Thank you, Kotato Yamata...
...
Please, you are welcome to stay in one of our dens while I formally transfer my duties as the former pack leader to Cyan. I am not sure how long this will take, but... Lavender and Fern will guide you to your lodgings in the mean time.
...
I... I will also be joining you, once everything is finished on my end. Thank you.¡± Then, motioning towards a pair of wolves with one spouting streaks of purple, and the other plumes of green, Crimson finally rose to her feet, while wiping the last bits of tears still blanketing her red eyes, before heading off with Cyan towards the cliff. With the duel concluded, Inari and Raya were finally released as well, where both of them happily ran and tackled me to the ground with their new found freedom.
¡°Gah!!¡± I exclaimed, being caught slightly off guard from their behaviour, as I struggled to regain my composure. ¡°I¡¯m fine guys... Please!¡±
¡°We¡¯re... We¡¯re just so glad everything worked out, Ko.¡± Inari said softly sniffling into my chest, while Raya simply attempted to crush all of us under a massive hug. ¡°Geez! Everything¡¯s alright. I... I somehow managed to convince them, and the wolves have even offered us a place to stay for the time being. I¡¯ll... Explain in detail once we arrive.¡± Then, gesturing towards the pair of wolves awkwardly watching me struggle to free myself from such a simple hug, introduced my companions to Lavender and Fern, who greeted us in kind, speaking telepathically.
[¡°Inari and Raya, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. While the truth has already been decided, I would still like to apologise for doubting your initial claims for peace. Please, follow us to one of our empty dwellings so that you may rest while waiting for Crimson Yamata to join you. I hope it will be to your standards as our guests.¡±]
¡°Thank you, Lavender, I would be most delighted!¡± I happily responded, to which they calmly bowed before leading us towards an appropriate den, while both Inari and Raya shared confused glances towards me, mumbling ¡°Crimson Yamata?¡± in a confused tone. ¡°Like I said, I¡¯ll explain once we get there.¡± I simply replied, to which they both looked even more troubled by my words.
Regardless as to the confusion I had caused, I was finally able to breath a sigh of relief for my efforts. I could only imagine how confusing my explanation to Inari and Raya would get, given I could apparently speak any language freely, but remained hopeful they would understand. Thus, walking behind the pair of coloured wolves, I was left wondering in awe as to the recent series of events we had just survived. We had not only found another sentient species within the labyrinth, but a whole other world down here, defying any sense of logic we could have ever imagined. There was lots I wished to learn about these wolves, and I was hopeful, their knowledge would end up being the key we needed, for reaching the surface again.
Chapter 50 – Actions Have Consequences
It had not been long since our ¡°Truth Judgement Battle¡± had come to a conclusion, and with it, my claims for having killed Crimson¡¯s name appeared to fortunately be accepted by the wolves in satisfying their sacred traditions of Veritas. While life had almost been needlessly lost in our battle to the death, my quick thinking had somehow thankfully managed to salvage my party¡¯s situation, where we were now peacefully being escorted through the progenitor wolves¡¯ territory. Presently, Inari, Raya, and myself, were being led by a pair of wolves named Lavender and Fern, towards one of the empty dens used by the wolves on the floor, as per Crimson¡¯s wishes, while she finished sorting out her remaining affairs as the former pack leader.
Following closely behind the black horned wolves with purple and green weaved throughout their fur, I was happily taking in the sights of our surroundings. Looking around, more and more wolves of various vibrant colours appeared to be peeking their heads out from beyond cliffs and dens, while other smaller pups gruffed and howled at the abnormal beings passing them by. As my eyes continued to drift, I could see Inari¡¯s tail happily swooshing about, while her eyes darted around, and her paws energetically scribbling away within her well-worn leather journal. Raya appeared to be just as amused at our situation, and I even caught a brief smile across her face when she observed some younger wolves playing amongst themselves chasing their tails.
To my left, over near the base of another cliff, some progenitor wolves appeared to be manipulating the earth with magic, carving, and hollowing out new dwellings to live in, while others levitated larger boulders to create impressive covered structures for shelter. Further beyond, near the edge of my vision, I could see some open rivers, with what looked like well-maintained fields for presumably farming of some sort. In a sense, it felt like we were visiting a civilization from another time all together, and was how I often imagined early societal progress developed for sentient species across history.
Eventually, after walking up a winding rocky road for several more minutes, we finally arrived at a well-established den that appeared to be lightly used, yet diligently maintained. [¡°This will be your lodgings while Crimson sorts out her remaining affairs with Cyan. The silk torches inside may be lit to provide lighting should you wish.¡±] Spoke the purple wolf to us in a polite and light tone while gently bowing towards us. ¡°Thank you, Lavender.¡± I responded in kind, to which both Lavender and Fern nodded, before leaving us alone to enter the dwelling.
Stepping inside, my eyes were quick to adjust to the darkened surroundings thanks to Coileene¡¯s magic, to which I quickly located some of the torches the wolves appeared to be referencing. They were neatly placed along key sections of the cavern walls, but I decided to ignore them, instead casting a luminous spell to brighten the den. Inari and Raya did the same, as we all infused light particles into the silk to produce a radiant glow that wouldn¡¯t extinguish. However, while the fact the wolves not only possessed the apparent ability to create torches and simple lodgings, I was truthfully more impressed at what was clearly present along the walls themselves.
Art.
All along the den¡¯s walls, spread throughout various sections, was what appeared to be paintings of wolves and their depictions of the various monsters found within the labyrinth. While how exactly they made the pigment for painting was a mystery, the clear artistic expression was more than apparent from a simple cursory glance. Representing the progenitor wolves were crudely drawn canines, reminding me much of my own artistic prowess when it came to painting, placing the quality at what I would consider at most to be a child¡¯s level of masterpiece. Each depicted wolf was a pure black, with a simple vibrant colour near the neckline to identify them, and the drawings appeared to be recreations of battles against powerful foes. Most of the drawn wolves had a deep or darker red throughout, while others contained deeper shades of blue, yellow, or green.
Following the drawings, a wolf which had heavier brownish-red markings appeared prominent across all of their battle depictions. In the scenes containing this wolf, they were shown defeating a powerful flying beast with rainbow feathers, a colossal golem, and even an army of goblins underneath their paws. Curiously, there was even a drawing showing the wolves breaking some brightly marked pink disks near a stone alter, which I imagined to be the teleportation chambers we had seen earlier. Additional further scenes of this wolf showcased them standing atop a cliff with a sea of neon streaks below, followed by a tender depiction of the wolf nuzzling another, with a smaller pup between them coloured in the brightest red. After, in what appeared to be the final and last drawing across the walls, was the brownish-red wolf leaving with a smaller pack towards some stairs, with the bright red wolf left behind, painfully watching them depart.
All of us were amazed looking at the drawings, with Inari even adding some of the sketches to her own journal as well. Then, after admiring some of the artwork for a little longer, I summoned Coileene to begin debriefing my party members as to what exactly happened, but, first things first...
¡°Coileene, would it be possible for you to allow Inari and Raya to understand the wolves¡¯ spoken language? Could you also allow them to speak it as well? You¡¯ve already given them the ability to read the runic writing within the labyrinth, so would it be possible for other languages as well?¡±
¡°Humph! While that is an easily accomplishable task, I have yet to hear you offer even the slightest bit of gratitude in the hopes I would potentially grant your existence such a privilege.¡± Snorted the demi-human goddess, as she materialized before us leaning against one of the cavern walls, while examining her excessively long nails. ¡°Fine then, could you please grant Inari and Raya the ability to understand and speak to the wolves, Coileene?¡± I scoffed while rolling my eyes, to which the serpent simply grinned in delight before lightly snickering at my apparent attitude.
¡°Thank you, Coileene. Your blessing is much appreciated!¡± Chimed Inari, while Raya simply sighed at the whole ordeal, shaking her head.
Next, beaming with delight, Coileene glanced my direction and surprised me with an apparent compliment about my capabilities. ¡°But I must admit, even I was impressed you managed to end this conflict without death, Ko. This future we are currently treading, is something that managed to escape my perfect foresight as a divine being. Do tell, why exactly did you believe your illogical words would work?¡±
¡°That¡¯s... Actually something I would like to discuss with everyone here, along with clarifying what happened in the duel to Inari and Raya, since they couldn¡¯t understand me talking to the wolves.¡± I responded in an encouraging tone, before erecting some earthen pillars for all of us to sit on while gesturing towards them. ¡°I feel like this is going to be a long explanation, so we should get comfortable.¡±
¡°To start with, addressing Coileene¡¯s comments, this world, or rather, Terra, appears to be following what I would consider ¡°clich¨¦d scenarios¡± from stories and isekai novels. I had already mentioned earlier that demons, along with being banished to the depths of a labyrinth, were fairly common tropes. However, meeting sentient species within those labyrinths is another common trend that tends to follow such occurrences as well. Other themes, are the banished party gets absurdly powerful due to some ¡°cheat-like¡± mechanic, which is probably you Coileene, and there will probably be some kind of trial or boss at the end of this thing as well, which we¡¯ve already been extrapolating to begin with. That said, I had other similar reasons for believing my idea would work during the duel.¡±
Then, after pausing slightly to collect my thoughts, I withdrew my sword to begin crudely ¡°sketching¡± into the dirt how the battle played out to help guide my thoughts before continuing.
¡°While we were battling, towards the end, I could tell the wolves didn¡¯t want Crimson to die, an understandable position considering the stakes, but, when she was dying, I couldn¡¯t help but feel empathy for them. Crimson was clearly someone important to them, and, while they would uphold their traditions, would be distraught over her death, leading me to believe they might accept my plea to spare her life. Additionally, Crimson¡¯s appearance, capabilities, and willingness to engage in dialog with us, are what I would call ¡°important character¡± traits. Maybe I¡¯m getting ahead of myself here, but... If you¡¯ve ever looked into a crowd of people and thought ¡°this looks generic¡±, and then see someone with weirdly styled hair that is also an unnaturally vibrant colour against the sea of normal¡ª¡±
¡°Ko... What the heck are you talking abou¡ª¡±
¡°Look, I know it sounds weird, and I¡¯m probably rambling at this point, but my gut was telling me that if lots of generic events appear to be happening to us, then perhaps an even more generic trend for problem resolution would work as well.
...
Hope, and the power of friendship.
...
I wanted to believe in the countless clich¨¦s I¡¯ve read about. That an equally cheesy belief in friendship and hope, would potentially help resolve our conflict.¡±
Finishing my words, while doing my best to maintain my composure, my comments were met with the empty, blank stares of my comrades, along with an unsettling silence. Honestly, I couldn¡¯t blame them for their reaction, as even I was having a hard time believing the words I was saying. Perhaps I should have refined my thoughts a bit more, but it really was true. Typical events were happening to us, and as much as I personally hated the ¡°being good always wins!¡± copout, it worked.
¡°Are... You alright... Ko?¡± Inari softly said with her ears pinned back, while her tail lightly flicked along the dirt. ¡°You... You usually prefer to solve conflicts through logic and calculable risks, but what you¡¯ve just described only seems like a recklessly half-baked plan to me. I... I know stories often talk about such fairy tale endings, but... This isn¡¯t a story Ko.¡±
I paused after listening to my friend¡¯s words, choosing to simply stare at the dirt I had poorly scribbled the battle¡¯s outcome in. I... I think Inari¡¯s right. No, I know Inari¡¯s right. It doesn¡¯t feel like I¡¯ve been myself lately, and yet...
*Sigh*
¡°You¡¯re right Inari, it¡¯s... Not exactly like me to do that, is it? Maybe it¡¯s some kind of coping mechanism to deal with the stress from our situation, but I really wanted to believe I was right. Perhaps... I was only lucky it worked out this time...¡±
¡°Luck or not, your plan worked.¡± Raya chipped in, while loosening some of her worn armor to relax more in our retreat. ¡°If anything, your observance about the wolves¡¯ feelings is probably the correct reasoning for why they believed you in the end. That said... How exactly did you convince them to end their ¡°battle to the death¡± without the ¡°death¡± part?¡±
¡°Right, so... Uh... If both of you already didn¡¯t like my earlier reasoning, then you definitely won¡¯t appreciate this one.¡± I said while scratching the back of my head, hesitant to admit I decided to lie in order to convince the wolves. ¡°I... May have... Twisted the truth, so to speak about my capabilities, and... ¡°Made up¡± something to do with death for the wolves¡¯ criteria.¡±
My wavering words caused an expected response of raised eye brows, followed by a face palm from Raya. Well, no sense in holding back now.
¡°To end the duel, just before placing the bandage on Crimson, I severed some of the red fur across her mane. Then I... May have claimed that by doing so, I actually killed her name, which would erase her achievements as a warrior. I then went on to exaggerate that this was a fate far worse than death, and that this is something often observed on the surface, and that we also ¡°technically¡± never clarified which death was required for their duel. I obviously didn¡¯t kill her name, but I made a whole spectacle over it, and they thankfully bought my lies. As a result, I ended up stating she could take on the name ¡°Crimson Yamata¡± in an act of mercy, so she could at least build a warrior¡¯s legacy again...
On that note, I intend to apologise to Crimson when she eventually arrives and tell her the truth. I feel bad about lying, but it was the only way I could think at the time to lower the tensions between the progenitor wolves and ourselves. Now, since things have calmed a bit, I believe civil discussion can clear up any misunderstandings that may still remain between us... Do you guys agree?¡±
I could see both Inari and Raya were thinking about my proposal, as each of them brought their hands to rest underneath their chins, while Coileene simply continued examining her nails in peace. Eventually, Inari was the first to respond to my request with a thankfully positive outlook. ¡°I have no problems with telling Crimson the truth Ko, but still, that was kind of clever, utilizing a potential difference in cultures to bolster your claim. I¡¯m sure Crimson will understand once she learns more about what¡¯s happened to us.¡±
¡°Thanks Inari, that¡¯s what I¡¯m hoping for as well.¡± I replied with a heavy breath, at least somewhat relieved my idea seemed acceptable. ¡°Though, I¡¯m not too sure what will happen. I have a feeling the wolves know a lot about this labyrinth, and, if Crimson is willing, would appreciate her telling us more about some of the deeper levels if possible.¡±
Thus, with all of us now somewhat on the same page again, we simply chatted amongst ourselves while waiting for Crimson to join us in the den. It was no exaggeration we had hundreds of questions to ask her, since discovering a whole sentient species and culture within the dungeon was truly a phenomenal find. I was personally interested in learning how the wolves managed to form a society, while Inari and Raya seemed more focused on how they utilized magic and fighting techniques. Fortunately, after what I imagined was close to an hour, we eventually heard a timid bark from outside the cavern. ¡°Gr-Greetings, Kotato Yamata. I... I am ready to join you for the night. I hope I¡¯m not intruding on...¡±
¡°Sure! Come on in Crimson! We were just talking about some of the things we wanted to ask you about.¡± I happily called out to her. Then, seemingly picking up on my words, I heard gravel carefully crunching underneath her paws, as she slowly entered the main area we were resting in. However, while I was initially surprised at her now careful nature, I, along with my companions, were completely caught off guard by her stunning choice of attire.
Standing before us, wearing what I could only describe as some type of fancy ceremonial garb, was Crimson. Lightly draped and weaved around her neck, was a series of claws, horns, teeth, and feathers, meticulously layered around the red fur in her mane to accent their importance. Looking at her red eyes, the curled horns above appeared to have some new simple metal bands, and underneath the powerful pupils, were neon red brush strokes, reminding me of thickly drawn eyeliner from my world to compliment the eyes. Overall, her appearance was reminiscent of some type of tribal attire, which was neatly complete with what appeared to be a simple silken dress or cape along her back. ¡°You look amazing Crimson!¡± I found myself uttering, to which she briefly looked towards the ground while lightly brushing her paw through the dirt. ¡°Th-thank you, Ko-Kotato Yamata.¡±
¡°I agree Crimson!¡± Happily chirped Inari, causing Crimson¡¯s tail to wag ever so slightly from the positive comments she was receiving. ¡°Those feathers look like they belonged to the desmovyern, and those teeth from kobolds! They look really pretty across your fur!¡±
¡°Th¡ª Thank you... Inari. These are the trophies proving my worth... Or rather... The Lucendi¡¯s, worth.¡± Crimson quietly responded while also trying to avoid eye contact. However, she quickly snapped her gaze back towards us after realizing something seemed off about the fox¡¯s comments. ¡°Wait¡ª I... Can understand you, and... You speak my tongue?¡±
¡°Yes Crimson.¡± I quickly added to her confusion while gesturing towards the goddess standing along the wall behind our group. ¡°We can all understand you now thanks to Coileene¡¯s... Generosity.¡±
Crimson¡¯s eyes followed my motion, before letting out a long-drawn sigh, where I heard her faintly utter ¡°More females...¡± before shaking her head to recompose herself. ¡°Re¡ª Regardless, I have something I wish to say to all of you.¡±
Straightening myself within my chair, I locked eyes with the wolf, where I noticed her legs appeared to be shaking slightly before me, with her tail only lightly wagging compared to earlier. Then, taking in a deep breath to recompose herself, Crimson began speaking to us in a soft but wavering tone.
¡°First, I would like to formally apologise to you and your group for initially doubting your claims of wanting to pass through our territory in peace. While the outcome of Veritas proves as much, I still feel it is important I admit my wrongs in person, as I have been graciously given this opportunity to still physically live. On that note, I would also like to thank you, Kotato Yamata, for giving me the chance to build another warrior¡¯s legacy, something I¡¯ve always held dear to my family... And, while I still have not forgiven you for killing my name, I truly hope that I will come to forgive you with time, like you said.
...
And... While it is... Selfish of me to request of such treatment, I ask that you be gentle with me tonight, as this will be my first time lying with another. And... while I¡¯m not sure how things will work between me and the other mistresses, I sincerely hope that we will all be able to get along in serving Kotato. S-s-since I am... Un¡ª Unfamiliar with his pre... Preferred... Breeding order, I ask that you will be kind and¡ª"
¡°WHAT?!?!¡± I exclaimed from my chair, completely losing my balance before falling onto the ground in shock, while scrambling to get to my feet over the words the majestic wolf was spouting off towards me. ¡°Br-br-br-breeding order?!?!¡± clamored Raya in an equally concerned voice, with her eyes quickly glancing away after looking at me, while her face gradually became filled with a similarly uncomfortable red tone at the thought of... ¡°Time out!¡± I barely managed to say, still not fully aligned in my thoughts as I realized Crimson was still apparently rambling on about her ¡°inexperience¡±, yet adamant desire to serve.
¡°Crimson! That¡¯s, that¡¯s not something that I, or any of us do together! Wh-Where the heck did you get that idea from!¡± I quickly managed to blurt out in a sharper tone, startling her slightly.
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¡°That¡¯s... It¡¯s... I... But you said that you would take me as your own... With your name, and to serve you...¡±
¡°That¡¯s, that¡¯s not what I meant! I was just trying to¡ª"
And, while I was still in the midst of trying to clear up the unfortunate misunderstanding Crimson seemed to have about me, Coileene decided to teleport beside her and whisper something into her ear while snickering towards my direction. To which, if a wolf could ever blush after hearing any kind of comment, was happening right now before me, as her gaze briefly drifted towards Inari, before ultimately settling on the ground.
¡°Crimson, I have no intentions of doing anything like that with you... Ever. In fact, I actually wanted to apologise to you abou¡ª¡±
¡°You... You mean... You would not only deny me of my family¡¯s name, but to even become a woman as well? And, after you said you liked my trophies... My worth... You... *Sniff* You really are a horrible husband.¡± She quickly barked back, as tears began to form within her eyes. Then, overcome with a round of torrential waterworks, the wolf collapsed on the ground and began sobbing into their paws while whimpering ¡°I tried to be strong... But to be taken by another and ignored, even after erasing my family name. The... The only thing I had left to remind me of my father... I... I just...¡±
Pausing, I looked around to the saddened expressions of my companions, as we all just silently watched Crimson, unsure exactly what we could say in this situation. This isn¡¯t how I wanted our conversation to go, and, I really didn¡¯t know if I should say anything either. It appeared that her name was really important to her, as it had some kind of memory to her father I was unaware of, which had only made my earlier words that much crueler about erasing it. Ultimately, I decided to remain silent until her whimpering and sniffling started to calm, figuring that any more unexpected news would only make things worse. Eventually, I found what I hoped was the right time to speak from the bottom of my heart to her, in an effort to clear up this unfortunate misunderstanding.
¡°Crimson I¡¯m... I¡¯m sorry. There¡¯s something important I have to tell you, and I honestly expect you to hate me afterwards once you hear it. But, it¡¯s only right, as this entire misunderstanding is my fault to begin with.
I... Didn¡¯t actually kill your name, Crimson. I lied. It¡¯s... Impossible for anyone to kill another¡¯s name, and I took advantage of the progenitor wolves¡¯ ignorance on the matter to end our duel peacefully. I didn¡¯t know what else I could do at the time, but I truthfully never wanted any of us to die, and it seemed like a sensible option at the time.
I wasn¡¯t clear during our initial meeting, and, while I think we were all on edge, I could have handled the situation better. I could speak your language because that woman over there, Coileene, is actually a goddess. And, due to some circumstances, is currently living inside me. A portion of her powers allow me to automatically speak and comprehend any languages I may hear, which is why I could understand and converse with you verbally.¡±
Listening to my words, I could see Crimson¡¯s ears twitching ever so slightly as I continued to retell all of the things that had happened to us. In a sense, I unconsciously found myself starting from the beginning, talking about all of the events that had transpired since I was summoned to Terra. I explained that I wasn¡¯t from this world, and that after being an adventurer in the kingdom for a while, was teleported deep into the labyrinth along with Inari and Raya, when we exposed the princess¡¯s advisor to be a demon. I then went on to explain that we are trying to reach the bottom of the labyrinth to recover Coileene¡¯s powers, since they appear to be trapped down here as well, and that once we recovered them, might finally be able to reach the surface again.
I continued with my story, talking about how we had been struggling to survive in the labyrinth, and how we¡¯ve never come across another sentient species this entire time. And, after meeting the progenitor wolves, my honest desire to learn more about them and their culture. Eventually, after I finished my recollection and heartfelt apology, Crimson finally brought her eyes up to gaze into mine. There was still a sparkling sheen glistening throughout the reddened pupils, and, while most of her bright eyeliner had already lost its precise strokes from the cruel water¡¯s antics, she appeared to be doing better. Finally, after a few more sniffs into her paws while wiping her tear-stained eyes, completely destroying her once beautiful accented eyeliner, she responded in kind.
*Sniff* ¡°I... I see¡±. She quietly managed to muffle, while still wiping some of the salty water clinging to her fur. ¡°So I still have my family name... I¡¯m still, Lucendi.¡±
¡°Yes Crimson, and, while I understand I don¡¯t deserve it, want to apologise again to you, and the progenitor wolves as well for my deceit. And, if it¡¯s possible, I would like to clear up this misunderstanding with the others as well. I honestly don¡¯t deserve your forgiveness, but this was something I felt I needed to say.¡±
Then, after recollecting her thoughts, Crimson sat up from the ground, looking around the den to observe us, with her tail lightly sweeping the dust in turn. Her ears were twitching, and, after finishing the brief glancing around the room, locked her eyes with mine, while a soft smile formed along her lips. ¡°That said, Kotato Yamata, while I understand your words, and the suffering your party has gone through, a mere apology does not resolve you of the harm your actions have caused not only to me, but to the progenitor wolves as a whole.¡±
Standing up, while looking at and gently walking towards the wall which contained the drawing of the two wolves tenderly caring for a younger pup in red, Crimson lightly placed her paw across the painting, before continuing her response to me.
¡°Words and actions, have consequences, Kotato, and, after you technically claimed the strongest warrior as your wife in front of all the progenitor wolves during our duel, bestowing onto me your family name... It is foolish to think that mere words can simply reverse this misunderstanding.¡±
Then, turning around to face me, I could see a smile growing across Crimson¡¯s face, as she happily declared her next set of words in a cheerful array of barks and howls.
¡°I intend to hold you accountable for your actions, Kotato. You claimed me as your own, and as such, I will have you take responsibility for this... Though, while I¡¯m sure Cyan and the others would readily accept your words and plea to restore me as the pack¡¯s leader, I believe this misunderstanding may eventually work to both of our benefits.
This painting, as you¡¯ve probably inferred, is one depicting me with my father and mother, Carmine and Sapphire. I was the only pup to be born between them, after countless tries for a litter, or so I was told. My fur was of the brightest red, and embodied the very meaning of the name Lucendi, to shine with all the brightness in the darkest of depths. I was the shining light that filled their hearts, after failing so many times before in trying to create a family.
That said, I know painfully little about my parents. This final drawing, shows them departing on an expedition deeper into the labyrinth¡¯s depths, answering the whispering calls of the great darkness beyond the stairs. It has been many cycles since they left, and, while they had always returned home before...
...
Carmine, he had always wanted to conquer the labyrinth. He was the first of the wolves to slay the winged terror below us, and the first to arrive at the great stone doors above. Under his rule, the progenitor wolves thrived, where we were finally able to transform our world, into something we could truly call our home.
When my father and mother left, I was given the role of pack leader in their absence. The role had always been given to the strongest of our warriors, and, despite my young age at the time, none of the others contending for the role could best me in battle. Over time, the name ¡°Lucendi¡± became the only thing connecting me to my parents. And, when you claimed to have destroyed it during our battle...
Regardless, some part of me has always wanted to search for them, and yet, I could never find the courage to leave my people behind. While it is wishful thinking, some part of me still holds onto a sliver of hope that they are still alive and well below us. If anything, I would like to bring closure to this wound that has followed me my entire existence, and your actions today, have provided me with just the opportunity to make that possible.¡±
Then, after pausing slightly, Crimson¡¯s expression hardened as she tensed her claws, while what I could only imagine was powerful flames burning behind her eyes with resolve, for her next set of words.
¡°Kotato, if you truly intend to reach the deepest depths of this labyrinth, then I will be joining you. While my reasons may be different from yours, you cannot deny our goals align in this purpose. I wish to discover what happened to my parents, and you, wish to obtain freedom from this hell. As such, I will only accept your plea for forgiveness, if you agree to take me with you.¡±
Taking the time to process everything the black and red wolf before me was saying, I was in awe at their apparent motives for making the best of this unfortunate situation. My actions had been incredibly cruel due to my ignorance, and, it was only fair if I wanted to seek their forgiveness, that I honor Crimson¡¯s wishes to the best of my capabilities. Thus, after glancing at Inari and Raya, I met Crimson¡¯s gaze, giving her my sincere response.
¡°It would be an honor to have you join us, Crimson. You are a powerful and capable warrior, and your help would be most appreciated as we continue our journey deeper into the labyrinth.¡±
After hearing my words, Crimson¡¯s fur appeared to glow an even brighter shade of its already incredible red, while her tail began to uncontrollably wag about. Inari¡¯s tail was also swooshing around, and Raya was simply smiling at the scene before her. It felt like we had not only just made a new and powerful ally, but honest friend as well.
Pleased at our acceptance for her, we eventually found ourselves talking and listening to Crimson, as she happily told us more about the progenitor wolves, and their history on this floor of the labyrinth. While the wolves do not have a formal way to communicate the passage of time, they can ¡°feel¡± what they call cycles, which Coileene clarified translates into roughly a year¡¯s journey through space for Terra.
Additionally, the early history surrounding the progenitor wolves has been lost to them, meaning they do not remember when they gained their sentience. But, they do know it happened hundreds of thousands of cycles ago, when the first chromatic wolf, Vermillion, gained the desire to explore and move between the levels. It was said that during this time period, there were two types of wolves living on this level. The first, came to be known as ¡°The Floor Born¡± and came into existence when another passed away naturally, while the second, those born from Vermillion, would eventually become known as the progenitor wolves. The floor born had three distinct characteristics separating them from the progenitor wolves, which were they held no desires to procreate or bond with others, a ¡°buzzing¡± noise was the only sound present within their minds during telepathic communication, and they were unable to travel between the floors.
How Vermillion initially gained the ability to think and move between the levels is a mystery to the wolves, but over time, their numbers eventually began to overtake those of the floor born, who would continue to die from hunger. Vermillion, had learned to hunt, seeking out the floor above to kill kobolds for sustenance. Each trip was a harrowing experience, with each step further away from the floor, tugging at them to unconsciously turn back. However, he, along with the other progenitor wolves learned, that the mysterious voice calling us back to the floor, could be ignored. Eventually, there came a time when the floor born stopped appearing when another perished from a lack of food, leaving only the progenitor wolves. However, food was still scarce, and while the kobolds above were able to provide some level of sustainability to their numbers, many of the progenitor wolves chose to venture towards other levels in search of their own sources of food. The progenitors which traveled deeper were unable to find success, often dying in battle to the ogres present along the floor, but could still potentially return, whereas those who traveled higher, never returned at all.
Eventually, Vermillion, along with several of his strongest warriors, set out with the intention of finding out why they could not progress higher. Knowing he might not return from his journey, Vermillion placed his son, Ruby, in charge of the wolves during his absence. That same day, the labyrinth underwent a traumatic ¡°shaking of the earth¡±. Thus, fearing something had happened to his father, Ruby eventually gathered more of their warriors to seek them out. However, once they arrived on the floor, Vermillion¡¯s party was no where to be found, and instead, the wolves found what appeared to be a large stone alter, with signs of a ferocious battle having recently taken place. No bodies were found during their investigation, but, when one of the warriors went to examine the pink disks floating above the monument, they were suddenly whisked away in a blinding ball of light, disappearing all together.
Ruby, noticing the danger these disks presented, managed to destroy them with his magic. He assumed that these disks were responsible for the deaths of Vermillion and his warriors, but, while this was an unfortunate tragedy, the wolves fortunately discovered something they had been seeking out all this time during their expeditions.
Food.
As the light from the final disk left its confines, a brilliant flash of blue startled the wolves, as another creature suddenly appeared to spawn before their very eyes. Then, once the light had begun to settle, standing before them, was a being they had never seen before, yet they instinctively knew, was something they could hunt. These beings, became known as the providers, and became the source of food for all of the progenitor wolves back home.
Thousands of years then passed, where eventually, Carmine was born. During this time, the wolves had attempted to traverse other deeper and higher layers of the labyrinth, but were largely unsuccessful in their expeditions. Despite this, Carmine continued to train as a warrior, where he eventually managed to reach the highest floor above us, the impassable great stone doors. Unable to travel any higher, he then resolved himself to traverse deeper, where the monsters were more powerful and dangerous.
The deepest floor explored by the wolves at this point, was the one which contained ¡°golems built from the dead¡±, with the one beyond, proving to be the next impossible challenge. Scouts would descend to this lower level, and, after entering the room, be unable to retreat, being sealed off all together from the wolves. Knowing this, Carmine continued training until eventually they felt confident, they could take on any monsters which would stand in their way. This being, eventually became known as the winged terror, and we only learned about it when Carmine just barely returned alive with some of his warriors.
After slaying the beast covered in brilliant and vibrant feathers, the labyrinth underwent another great shaking of the earth. The home of the winged terror suddenly began to shift and transform into that of a stone alter with floating pink disks. Recognizing the harm these shapes had caused the wolves in the past; Carmine was quick to destroy them before they could vanish more of our members. Since then, only primitive winged terrors have spawn on the floor. This achievement, helped Carmine gain recognition as the greatest warrior amongst the wolves, where he was eventually made pack leader for his accomplishments. However, even though he had now become the wolves¡¯ strongest warrior, fate still left him unable to conceive and leave behind a legacy of his own.
Eventually, after many cycles, Crimson was finally born between Carmine and Sapphire, which brought us up to speed with what she had currently told us about the progenitor wolves. Overall, it was an interesting history to learn about, taking many hours for Crimson to tell us, yet it was worth it. Finally, after wrapping up our thoughts, all of us agreed it was time to retire for the night as we were all exhausted from the events of the day.
Dimming the lights, and, after setting up my sleeping cot, Crimson decided to join beside me, curling up nearby. I didn¡¯t mind, but, just before I could finally get some much-needed rest, heard her call out to me within my mind.
[¡°Kotato... If it¡¯s alright, there is something I still wish to discuss with you.¡±] Hummed her voice in a calm and light tone.
Sure, what is it, Crimson? I simply thought back towards her, curious as to what she was still thinking about.
[¡°You see, while I¡¯m glad we¡¯ve finally come to an understanding, I¡¯m still saddened that you¡¯re reluctant to take me as your own... As your mate... Do you... Really hold no desire to become one with me? You did make quite the spectacle of it after all, so am I really someone you don¡¯t like?¡±]
...
I¡¯m sorry Crimson, but there are just some things I will never do.
Saddened by my response, I felt Crimson let out a quiet sigh, leaving me wondering about my own convictions about her feelings. I know this is another world, and while the morals here may be different, I didn¡¯t want to lose the things which made me human. I wanted to retain who I was, and not fall prey to the notion that just because I¡¯m not on Earth anymore, I can suddenly do things that would have never crossed my mind to begin with. Other characters in the stories I¡¯ve read, would seemingly forget what being a human was like the moment they were isekaied to another world. They would murder others without hesitation, partake in outlawed acts such as slavery, and even abandon their own morals as a human all together since it was a different world. This notion bugged me to no end, yet, having now experienced it myself, could understand why they would do it. However, just because others could easily abandon what made them human, didn¡¯t mean I should as well. In a sense, I felt that if I gave into these desires under the pretense this was another world, then I would truly start to lose what made me... Me.
That said, a thought did enter my mind which I decided would be ideal to share with the wolf beside me, spurring me to roll over and gently pet Crimson¡¯s head for comfort. Her fluffy ears twitched ever so slightly from my fingers, as I continued to selfishly pull and scratch them for a bit. Eventually, looking towards her, I tried my best to project my thoughts so she could hear them.
Crimson, you, remember how I said I was from another world, right? Well, back there, on Earth, wolves and humans did exist together, but never in the capacity which you¡¯ve asked about. In a sense, I feel doing anything like that with you, would change who I am as a person, the humanity I resolved to keep despite being in another world. That said, there is something I would like to build with you, should you find the commitment to accept me.
Slightly confused at my words, I saw Crimson open her eyes to stare at me, to which I eventually heard her say [¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±] in a curious tone within my mind, prompting me to continue.
On Earth, while humans and wolves existed together, they never ¡°mated¡± in the traditional sense, but they did form powerful bonds between one another. Humans and wolves, couldn¡¯t communicate like we currently are now. Spoken language was impossible between our species, yet, despite this, we still managed to learn and trust one another with our actions. Over time, our species would come to develop an inseparable bond, with the phrase ¡°Man¡¯s best friend¡± summarizing the powerful connection developed between us. We could simply look into one another¡¯s eyes, and understand what the other was feeling, making for some of the most memorable and powerful friendships to have ever existed in my world.
...
Crimson, if you would allow it, this is the type of relationship I would like to build with you, one in which we can truly understand one another on a fundamental level. True friends, with an unbreakable bond despite the differences between our species.
...
There was a rather long pause after the last bit of my thoughts, causing me to wonder what Crimson was thinking about my words. I felt I had managed to communicate them well, but was starting to get slightly nervous from the silence and lack of a response.
[¡°Hmm. True friends.¡±] She finally replied in a soft yet comforting tone.
[¡°I...
...
Friends. It¡¯s a word I have often heard, yet never understood the meaning behind it. In the village, many of the wolves would come to call one another friends or comrades, yet I¡¯ve never had that same luxury due to my position as their leader.
I¡¯ve always been the strongest, for as long as I can remember, making it difficult to form these connections you speak of. Even though I was well respected, there were often times I felt alienated amongst my kind, as none of the others would dare speak to me as an equal. I had always assumed this was the cost of power, but, somehow, I¡¯m finding a strange comfort in your words for kinship.
I think, in a sense, I was always waiting for one of the wolves to take me as their mate, to show me they could find the resolve to earn the strength I had worked towards as well, to rise against any challenge, and to meet me head on, yet that never happened... I had always told them, I would give myself to the warrior that could best me in battle, and yet... Thinking about your words, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s really what I wanted either.
...
Kotato, if humans and wolves can truly develop these bonds with one another, a connection so powerful, so fundamental, that even the universe itself cannot shatter its tether, then I would be more than honored to build this ¡°true friendship¡± together with you.¡±]
Pausing, I felt a sense of relief wash over my body after hearing her response for accepting my proposal of friendship. It felt like my words finally had some meaning behind them, and was truly glad Crimson seemed to grasp the type of connection I was describing.
Thank you, Crimson. I thought back to her, hoping the sense of joy I was experiencing also managed to get transmitted as well with my response.
Oh, and, by the way, feel free to simply call me Ko. It¡¯s, how I prefer being referred to amongst friends.
[¡°Hmm, alright then, Ko.¡±] She happily hummed back before closing her eyes to drift off towards the world of dreams. [¡°Thank you... And, good night.¡±]
Likewise Crimson, good night.
...
Thus, tidying up the last bit of my thoughts, I also managed to close my eyes in an effort to enter the world of dreams as well. My body was aching, my eyelids felt like anvils, and with each and every breath I took, felt nothing but relaxation as my mind gradually began to calm from the stressful series of today¡¯s events. Somehow, we had managed to not only learn more about this labyrinth along our journey, but also, in my heart, felt like we had gained more than just a powerful ally. A true friend, and someone I could come to count on, in the future.
Chapter 51 – The Progenitor Wolf Village
Slowly opening my eyes, with my vision somewhere between blurriness and a sense of pain, I gradually began waking up from the fogginess of a relaxing night¡¯s sleep. Well, as relaxing as things could be within the literal depths of a deadly labyrinth. The discomfort was from the faint specs of light particles brightening the den in glee, and, while the angry particles of luminous fury continued to remain ignorant about my desires for more sleep, I was thankfully clutching something soft and fluffy between my hands, providing a comforting counterbalance to my retina¡¯s cruel struggle against the endless endeavor for rest.
Drawing me further into its luxury comfort, I noticed my head was also surrounded by what I could only imagine was the most pristine of divine pillows, made from only the finest of down fabric and feathers. ¡°So soft...¡± I had seemingly uttered, completely captivated by the elusive comfort I had been missing during all of my nights within the labyrinth. My body felt incredibly warm, and, closing my eyes, easily began tugging itself back towards an alluring restful snooze.
[¡°I¡¯m glad you like it, Ko.¡±] A voice calmly hummed throughout my mind, before continuing its response to my apparent thoughts [¡°And, while I am proud of my exceptionally beautiful coat, I do believe I have what is commonly called, ¡°fur¡±, and not feathers, unless of course, the ¡°surface¡± would have different names for such things.¡±]
¡°Hmm... 5 more minutes...¡± I mumbled, happily sinking into the blissful fortress of fluff. ¡°Why of course, though, I imagine others might not appreciate you being so bold. Even if you are being gentle with me like I requested.¡±
¡°Bold...?¡± I mumbled again, confused this time that the alluring words were no longer within my mind. Next, startling me slightly, I felt a gentle lick across my cheek, prompting me to rub the moistened area slightly in confusion, as another happened to find my nose amongst my continued drowsiness. Eventually, my mind was unable to handle the slobbery assault, prompting me to finally open my eyes in full to a scene I was hardly expecting.
Still tightly clasped within my hands, was the soft, comforting red fur along Crimson¡¯s neck, as she continued gently licking my face with her massive tongue. Still groggy, I reluctantly found the strength to lightly push her snout away, prompting her to halt the apparent assault, to which she simply replied ¡°Good morning, Ko.¡± In a light and airy tone.
¡°Morning Crimson.¡± I automatically replied, shifting my body to begin stretching my back and arms before wiping my face dry from the spontaneous ¡°bath¡± I had just received. ¡°I see you¡¯ve been enjoying yourself, Ko.¡± Came a voice in a slight huff and pout ahead, jarring me slightly. Focusing my eyes, the blurry picture corrected itself into the crisp image of a fox staring back at me from across the floor, which I quickly recognized to be Inari. Her pointy ears were ever apparent, and her tail was making sharp precise flicks, as she continued to ruthlessly examine me yawning in confusion.
¡°Morning Inari. Did you sleep well?¡± I happily called out to her, while continuing to stretch and pop the pressure that had built up within my joints during our rest.
¡°I slept fine, thank you.¡± She sharply replied, while her tail continued to aggressively flick along the dirt, oblivious to the unfortunate specs of gravel it was relocating against their will from its swooshing motions of doom.
¡°Jealous?¡± Crimson confidently smirked towards the apparently disgruntled fox, while she proudly wrapped her fluffy tail around my waist, making me feel like I had just buckled myself in for an adventurous car ride. Unamused, the two simply continued to glare at each other, leaving me utterly confused as to the situation I had apparently found myself in.
Wanting to break the uncomfortable stalemate, I eventually spoke to the wolf seatbelt currently keeping me ¡°safe¡±. ¡°Crimson, as much as I appreciated your fur as a pillow last night, I didn¡¯t exactly enjoy the facial it came with.¡±
¡°Oh?¡± The canine replied in a curious tone, cocking its head slightly towards my voice. ¡°But I was assured by Coileene that such actions of endearment were happily enjoyed by humans and their wolven companions.¡±
I paused slightly at her words, briefly glancing between the canine and fox still diligently staring at one another from across the floor, while my mind easily imagined sparks flying between the two, connecting their intimidating gazes. ¡°Well, that is true in part, not all humans appreciate the sentiment to the same degree. It would seem Coileene deceived you slightly with her words.¡± I managed to respond, causing Crimson¡¯s ears to twitch. Then, breaking the intense staring battle, Crimson tilted her head at me from the apparent revelation to Coileene¡¯s antics.
¡°A Goddess would lie?¡± She barked in a higher tone than usual, now visibly confused at my words. ¡°This one does, yes.¡± I replied, to which I rolled my eyes at the cackling sound of snakes now flooding my mind. ¡°In the future, I would suggest you don¡¯t take everything she says for granted.¡±
¡°You¡¯re no fun Ko.¡± Laughed Coileene as she finally materialized before us to join the conversation. ¡°But regardless, Crimson and I did have an enjoyable... Discussion last night about you. Not to mention learning some useful information about my fragment of power.¡±
¡°And, would you care to enlighten us about this riveting conversation between the two of you?¡± I asked with a heavy breath, while resting my hands across my lap. ¡°My, my... And to even pry into the private conversations between such fair maidens, even I would be ashamed to cross such boundaries!¡± The haughty goddess replied with curled lips as she manically glared into my soul from my apparent ¡°brazen¡± words towards her.
¡°Ha! You, a maiden? I didn¡¯t know you were into standup comedy Coileene!¡± I scoffed, while the serpent simply laughed at my comments, brushing them off in earnest. Regardless, her antics worked, as she then went on to explain how her ¡°scent¡± was apparently similar to the ¡°whispers¡± pulling at the progenitor wolves¡¯ conscious, tempting them to explore deeper within the labyrinth. Crimson had apparently briefly recognized Coileene¡¯s presence within my mind during our duel, leading them to have an in-depth conversation last night on what she knew about the deeper levels, among other things. In a sense, Coileene was able to determine these ¡°whispers¡± were probably from the main fragment of her body trying to influence other sentient creatures to find and free her. The goddess seemed largely unaware she was unconsciously doing this, as most of her efforts had been focused on conserving her strength, while scanning the fabrics of space for signs of summoning disturbances.
Listening more, I decided to catalogue these findings as one of many potential contingency plans she was probably implementing without her knowledge, in the hopes that one of them would work. Coileene figured she had forgotten about her main fragment¡¯s calls when she detached her conscious to revive me on the 15th floor, and, when I thought about my initial experience with her powers, made sense, since the serpents never appeared to directly communicate like she does. From Crimson¡¯s recount, the whispers were incredibly powerful on the 70th floor, leading her to believe there were only a few levels remaining between us.
Next, we went over our plans again to tell Cyan and the rest of the progenitor wolves about my... Lying to them about killing Crimson¡¯s name during the duel. Crimson was fairly confident the talks would go well, since she was still well respected amongst the wolves, and insisted she do most of the talking, which I had no qualms with. Eventually, after consuming and introducing Crimson to the concept of a freshly cooked breakfast consisting of steak and fruit, we packed our things and got ready to meet with the new progenitor wolves¡¯ leader.
Exiting the den, it was clear to me the wolves were all early risers as well, with most of them already checking the fields below the cliff for the produce they were growing, which Crimson elaborated to be a kind of fungus they would often consume with raw cattle meat from the 65th floor. Additionally, some of the wolves were also playing amongst themselves, with several warriors even competing in what appeared to be mock duels between one another for training, where they were biting and slinging magic spells with unchecked fury. It was a rather loud scene to behold, but appeared uninteresting to the other wolves who were probably well used to this behaviour by now. As we continued, many of the other progenitor wolves joined pace beside us, which I assumed was from Crimson calling out to them telepathically for an upcoming meeting.
Thus, after a brisk walk, and what I imagined was most of the wolves living on the floor behind us, we finally arrived at a dirt field with several circles etched into them, along with behind us, a sea of neon colours from the observing wolves in attendance. To me, it was very reminiscent of an arena or senator¡¯s chambers, with sections for important representatives and external observers clearly defined. A large viewing section was hollowed out from a surrounding cliff, which most of the wolves entered, and, after gesturing to a nearby circle, Crimson instructed us to wait nearby for Cyan to formally enter the grounds.
While we were waiting, the area quickly became flooded with the curious gruffs and howls of the progenitor wolves observing us, in what I could only imagine was rumored whispers as to why there was already a meeting being held between the new pack leader and my party. Fortunately, the attendees didn¡¯t have long to gossip over the sudden meeting, as Cyan entered shortly afterwards.
Putting on an imposing stature, with each paw¡¯s step carefully calculated, Cyan was clearly trying to exhibit the importance of his new position. After several meticulous steps, he would glance around to the wolves in attendance, before bringing his gaze to clearly stare into my own. Then, after reaching the opposing circle, Crimson slowly nodded for me to step forward with her to meet Cyan near the middle.
Truthfully, this upcoming meeting was getting on my nerves more than our initial confrontation. Perhaps it was how cold and calculating everything seemed, and, if things failed here, I didn¡¯t want to imagine having to potentially fight all of the wolves at once. While I was sure Crimson wouldn¡¯t let it come to that, the thought was still bothering me that the wolves could potentially kill us to ¡°free¡± Crimson after learning about the truth. Heck, for all I knew, even she was in on this potential plan, with me being none the wiser as to their true motives.
No... Why was I having doubts now? I already resolved myself earlier with my friends, so I just needed to have faith in Crimson¡¯s ability as the former pack leader to see this through. She didn¡¯t seem like the type of person to go back on her word, so why was I still nervous?
Shaking my head slightly to clear my thoughts, I started examining Cyan in full for any clue as to his intentions. His expression was a mixture of snarls and fangs, until eventually, he started focusing on sniffing the air towards us, with his nose twitching from each and every breath. For a brief moment, his posture and glare appeared to relax ever so slightly after smelling Crimson, before it just as quickly returned to an aggressive snarl. Unsure exactly what had just happened, Cyan eventually howled towards me in a sharp and sinister tone his thoughts.
¡°Kotato Yamata... While I am relived to see Crimson still remains pure, I am appalled at your refusal to take her, even after she so willingly¡ª¡±
¡°ENOUGH!¡± roared Crimson is response to the blue wolf¡¯s words, startling me slightly as she bared her fangs for all to see before carefully planting her paws just in front of me. ¡°To think that your first words to us would not only be insults towards my husband, but to carry the air you¡¯re relieved I have not been made a woman... It makes me ashamed to have thought better of you Cyan. Is this how you intend to lead the wolves? With insults and mockery?!¡±
Great... I thought. We had only just met with their new leader, and things were already off to a rocky start. And husband?!? What the heck are you saying Crimson! I was pretty sure I made it very clear we weren¡¯t married, and you open up our conversation with that?!?
...
Taking a deep breath myself, the brilliant red wolf glanced back at me, offering me a comforting smile, before continuing her words towards the audience with command.
¡°Besides, this meeting is meant for something far greater than petty squabbles amongst our kind. Progenitors, while I recognize I am no longer your leader, there is a matter of grave importance I must communicate to all of you today, only learned after a lengthy and heartfelt discussion with the visitors to our home.
Cyan, during Veritas, my name was never actually slain by Kotato Yamata. The act was a lie, a ruse, a crafty trick by the human to diffuse the tense situation we had all found ourselves in. He preyed upon our ignorance between cultures to deceive and end our conflict without death.¡±
Then, pausing slightly to glance around at all of the wolves in attendance, the fur along Crimson¡¯s chest began to glow an even brighter red, as it puffed up to an impressive volume, before bellowing her final words to all of the wolves now intently staring at her.
...
¡°Progenitors, I am still Lucendi.¡±
A deafening silence quickly blanketed the grounds in response to Crimson¡¯s reveal that her name was not actually destroyed in our duel. I swallowed heavily at the scene before me, as anxiety gradually began to overwhelm my thoughts. I was hesitant to believe the wolves would easily accept such a claim without confrontation, and their silence was only making my thoughts worse. Suddenly, the mana around Cyan began to grow in intensity, as his fur also began to glow an impressive blue, matching Crimson¡¯s in volume and light. Then, to my surprise, his stance relaxed into an obvious bow, as a cheerful grin grew across his muzzle.
¡°Crimson! You... You are still our leader then!¡± He happily barked, as more and more of the wolves began to erupt into celebratory howls at the apparent good news they had just received. ¡°Quickly! We must restore your position as our leader and¡ª¡±
¡°I refuse!¡± Crimson quickly retorted, startling the wolves as she sat down with her back facing me, causing some of them to utter audible gasps from her behaviour. Cyan was the most startled by her actions, prompting him to quickly respond in a sharp bark towards us.
¡°You... You would show them respect; after just admitting they had deceived us all in¡ª¡±
¡°Yes, Cyan. Ko and his party deserve my respect for their actions. They never wanted death, and their claim has always been the truth. We were the ones in the wrong, and they have proved just as much in peaceful conversation with me. In fact, it was their idea to reveal this information to all of us and apologise for their actions. Thus, I say to you, why would enemies admit such a truth after deceiving their quarry? Would it not be in their best interest to remain quiet after such a deceit?
...
The answer is obvious, Cyan. They were never our enemies to begin with. We were all scared, and, it took an outsider to remind me what it meant to be a progenitor. What it meant, to be a Lucendi.¡±
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¡°Crimson...¡± Cyan softly uttered as he continued to bow deeper before her. ¡°I do not understand. If your name was not slain, then nothing should have changed! You said yourself that this whole situation was a misunderstanding, and I fail to see why we cannot restore you as our rightful leader.¡±
¡°It¡¯s simple.¡± Crimson confidently responded while standing up to pace around the open floor. ¡°I, intend to join them in conquering the labyrinth. To complete the mission my father so desperately tried to achieve. And, with your permission, would like to request residence on this floor until we officially depart on our journey.¡±
Then, after pausing for a moment, Crimson glanced back towards me before continuing her decree to the fluffy crowd of carefully twitching ears. ¡°And besides...¡± She said while walking towards me, nuzzling her face deep into my chest, before glancing back at Cyan¡¯s gasped expression with confidence. ¡°I¡¯ve come to enjoy the name ¡°Yamata¡±, and see no reason why I should abandon the warrior who bested me in battle. You could say, I am proud to call myself both Crimson Lucendi, and, Crimson Yamata. None of your words will shake my resolve in joining them.¡±
Crimson¡¯s actions caused an audible murmuring amongst the wolves, as she continued to affectionately rub her snout against me, before forcefully nudging my hand to pet her head, resulting in an even louder uproar amongst the wolves. ¡°I see...¡± Cyan softly cried while refusing to make eye contact. For a moment, his pupils appeared to have a glossy sheen, which he quickly managed to hide.
¡°However, this is not the only information I have brought to all of us today.¡± Crimson happily howled before leaving my side again to step forward. ¡°If my actions today were not enough, then surely meeting the source of the whispers from beyond would further bolster my claims.¡±
Then, as if on a well rehearsed que, I felt Coileene leave my shield to materialize in front of all the wolves, twirling around in the centre to draw their attention. Then, after making sure her black and white dress spun in full from her eccentric motions, the serpent goddess happily clutched her thrice bound eye, while the shackles along her limbs clanged and clattered against the dirt floor below. She wore a maniacal smile, as she continued to laugh lightly at the wolves investigating her, remaining eerily silent.
Many of the canines jumped back after her grand entrance, with most dropping all attempts to keep their once quiet rumoring to a minimum, as they all curiously began sniffing the air before them. Then, after a dramatic pause, Crimson continued to step forward, before firmly stopping beside the smiling goddess.
¡°Before us stands Coileene, the goddess of the depths, and, the source of the whispers drawing us deeper into the maw¡¯s clutches. We should all recognize her scent, and, with her being present amongst our visitors, see this as a sign of great changes to come.
...
Progenitors, we will conquer the labyrinth. We will reach the depths that our ancestors once sought before, and we will finally put an end to the ceaseless calls from the great beyond.¡±
Then, after finishing her proclamation, both Crimson and Coileene bowed towards the wolves in attendance, with Coileene returning to my shield, and Crimson joining beside me in a proper sit. All of the wolves in attendance were shocked at the reveal Coileene was the source of the whispers they had all be used to hearing, and were now expectantly staring at Cyan, waiting for his response to this new and drastic information.
As the whispered continued to grow, Cyan¡¯s paws tensed as his gaze finally rose to meet Crimson¡¯s head on. Then, after another uncomfortable silence between them, he finally uttered in a defeated tone ¡°I, the current leader of the progenitor wolves, will allow your group residence and passage until such time comes... Crimson Yamata...¡±
Then, walking away, Cyan meekly retreated with a small escort of wolves, as the entire arena erupted into a cry of celebratory howls and cheers. I sighed myself at the change in tension, glancing down at Crimson who was now affectionately smiling at me from below. Her words had somehow managed to convince them, but, I did genuinely feel bad about how Cyan was treated, even if his earlier comments towards us were rather rude. But regardless as to my thoughts, I was glad things seemed resolved. That said, I did share some them with the cocky wolf beside me.
¡°Crimson... I understand what you were trying to do, but don¡¯t you think your actions went a little... I dunno... Too far?¡±
¡°He¡¯ll get over it.¡± Crimson happily hummed, as she continued to selfishly enjoy the ear tugs I was unconsciously giving her. ¡°I needed to make it clear to Cyan my resolve. And besides, it¡¯s not like I¡¯ve fully given up on getting you to accept me, Ko.¡±
¡°That said.¡± She continued in a resolute tone while closing her eyes. ¡°Cyan had always assumed we would mate, and it is his loss for not putting in the required effort to win me over. He only needed to grow stronger, to show me some resolve that he could continue to grow as a warrior, yet he didn¡¯t. Perhaps I was a little harsh with my actions, but he wouldn¡¯t have learned otherwise.¡±
¡°I see.¡± I sighed heavily, as Raya eventually joined beside us with a cheerful smile, while Inari appeared lost in thought behind her. Looking at the fox, I noticed she was carefully stroking her fluffy right ear with a long face, causing the earring to jingle slightly from the subtle motion, before suddenly noticing she was alone. My heart sank a little, as I realized I was still tugging on Crimson¡¯s ears, prompting me to stop my selfish actions. I didn¡¯t want to think I was dense, and my gut was telling me I should probably talk with her later once I got the chance. I knew Inari cared about me, and I didn¡¯t want there to be a misunderstanding between us about my actions. While I was still contemplating my next set of words, we were happily surrounded by a sea of chromatic colours, as all of the wolves seemed intent on personally greeting Crimson.
Sighing again, we all decided to talk with and explain to the wolves more about Coileene¡¯s presence, and were eventually offered a formal tour of the village by Lavender, which we all happily accepted. Thankfully, the atmosphere was now surprisingly pleasant, and the purple wolf seemed exceptionally pleased to be personally giving us the guided tour of their living spaces. Many of the wolves in attendance had already disbursed by this time, while others chose to join us along the hike, as we traversed through the various winding rocky roads. By this point, the naming scheme for the wolves had become painfully obvious to me, where I even managed to surprise some of them by correctly guessing their names before their introductions.
For the ones I did manage to guess correctly, it was enjoyable seeing the bright pink wolf named Fuchsia recoil slightly at my psychic prowess, along with Canary accusing me of ¡°cheating¡±, claiming Crimson must have told me his name in advance telepathically. Although, I was slightly annoyed that the wolf I had happily named ¡°Mint¡± was insistent their name was actually Seafoam... Seriously now... Seafoam!?!? What the heck kind of name was that for a colour that clearly looked like mint chocolate??!
...
Regardless as to my disagreeance over the differing shades of bluish-greens, I was pleasantly enjoying seeing more of the wolf village in a relaxed atmosphere. In particular, when I commented to Crimson about how some of the pups were playing with some bones, she was happy to explain that most of the spherical skulls came from the golems below, and that their young often enjoyed rolling and chasing them around, whereas the sturdier, pointier ones were highly valued for removing pieces of meat stuck between their teeth.
Eventually, I noticed what looked like a potential group of the wolves getting ready to depart for the upper floors and kindly asked if we could join them. They were apparently getting ready for their usual food gather session, where they would hunt the dairy cattle on the 65th floor to collect meat for the others. The wolves happily agreed to my request, and were apparently excited that Crimson would personally be joining them with us. During this time, we took advantage of the situation to learn how to fight alongside Crimson, where she ended up serving a flanking role near the front with Raya and myself.
In a sense, Crimson was incredibly agile, and preferred to strike quickly with calculated, precise attacks, while weaving lightning in between breaks of pacing, a technique largely unique to her family name for fighting style. Needless to say, the kobolds were hardly a challenge, and were easily toppled by our combined power, posing little resistance to the 65th floor. While we were here, we simply watched the one-sided battle against the defenceless bovines, taking the opportunity to strategize amongst ourselves an appropriate battle formation. After all, it was obvious that if we were to delve deeper into the labyrinth, then integrating Crimson with our already existing tactics portfolio would be a must.
While we were waiting for the wolves to gather their prey, Inari led most of the discussions on battle formations, and I would occasionally chip in where I could. Raya was also commenting about Crimson¡¯s capabilities, and wished to fight her in a friendly duel later as well. Before we knew it, the wolves had already slaughtered the helpless cattle, and were prepared to head back to their homes. However, I noticed they were simply content to carry their winnings back individually, prompting me to offer a different solution instead. Inari seemed to pick up on what I was hinting at, and agreed to join me as well in teaching the wolves about the wonders of typeless magic, and the infinite possibilities of the handy spell ¡°Spatial Storage¡±.
This actually ended up being an exciting moment for all of us, since it appeared that the wolves, despite their natural mastery over commanding magic, had never discovered themselves a technique to make carrying items easier. Teaching them was rather simple, and, after only a few tries, most of the warriors were able to efficiently store their slain cattle within their own personal storage spell. Their eyes appeared to widen at the possibilities this new knowledge had granted them, and actually insisted on extending their journey to test their new capabilities when the bovines finally respawned.
Not wanting to impose on their curiosity, we all agreed to wait the usual 30 minutes for the respawning process, where the warriors all seamlessly slaughtered, then stored their new prey inside their storage pockets. ¡°This really is incredible.¡± Crimson muttered, after finally getting the hang of the spell herself, as she happily continued practicing releasing a cow¡¯s corpse, while catching it in the air with a fluid motion. While I wasn¡¯t expecting their practice to divulge into a game of ¡°juggling cow corpses¡±, the wolves seemed to be enjoying themselves, so I tried my best to ignore the oddities of the situation. Eventually, after several intense rounds of ¡°juggling¡±, with the orange wolf named Mango apparently winning their mini competition, we all made our way back to the 67th floor for an agreed upon sparing and training session with the other wolves.
During the mini competition, Crimson largely served as a referee, with Inari and Raya showcasing their own unique combat capabilities against the wolves. Inari¡¯s use of hex and curse magic proved to be a difficult counter to the warriors, with none of them managing to best her in battle. While Raya, on the other hand, appeared just as skilled against their fighters, showcasing her unique affinity for earth magic to its fullest, making for a near impenetrable fortress when faced against the wolves¡¯ magically reinforced fangs and spells. I also joined in on the fun, taking the opportunity to hone my swordplay, and overall, found it an enlightening experience. I was reminded of the times on the surface learning magic with Felice and Inari, and how the entire experience was enjoyable to the fullest. It was easy to forget we were trapped below Solara¡¯s surface, and realized that the relaxing atmosphere was something I think we all needed.
Next, as we gradually began wrapping up the day from a good bought of friendly duels, the wolves had apparently decided on hosting a celebratory feast, where we decided to introduce our new canine companions to the joys of cooked meat.
The technique for roasting and grilling steaks was apparently captivating to the progenitor wolves, with many of them wooing in awe at the newfound textures and flavours introduced from the humble carbon atom¡¯s signature sear. Raya was adamant in teaching them how to properly form a suitable grilling platform with earth magic, along with how to efficiently gauge the toughness of the steaks by touch. Many of the wolves were swift learners, but all of us were quickly appalled when the most popular technique ended up being burning the meat beyond all sentient recognition. My heart sank for the poor cows being forced to suffer such a fate, as even I couldn¡¯t muster seeing such wonderful steaks go to waste. Thus, with the orange and red wolf aptly named Fire being the most proficient at quickly burning the wagyu delicacies, Raya, Inari and myself, all quietly excused ourselves from the celebrations, with our eyes unable to endure any more steak tragedies.
Eventually, we all made it back to our den for the night, with Crimson helping lead the way since we were still learning the general layout of the various caves and lodgings. After continuing to follow the winding road, I eventually recognized the general area, as we all entered the den after another exhausting day. Pleased we could once again finally relax; I happily began setting up my sleeping supplies while infusing some light particles into the nearby torches for some light. Then, after loosening my armor, I was surprisingly greeted by a fox also laying out her sleeping arrangements next to mine. Truthfully, I was confused by Inari¡¯s actions, since all of us had always given each other adequate spacing during night time.
Noticing the fox¡¯s choice of sleeping location, Crimson nonchalantly took the opportunity to lie down between the two cots, earning herself a heavy defeated sigh from the vulpine. ¡°Hey Crimson! Could you help me outside the cave for a moment? There¡¯s a special technique I forgot to show you when grilling steaks. This one in particular helps bring out more wonderful flavours than my earlier examples! I think the other wolves would love it if you showed them!¡±
Startled slightly, I turned around to see Raya happily calling out and waving towards Crimson. The wolf¡¯s ears twitched slightly at the mention of her name, and her red pupils glistened with delight at the apparent offer to learn more about grilling the succulent meat slabs. Not wanting to miss out on the opportunity, I caught Crimson briefly glance at me, before jumping to her feet to join Raya outside the den. Then, almost as soon as the red wolf had left the cavern, I felt Inari gently lay into my shoulders, prompting me to turn towards her.
Her eyes appeared to be filled with a hint of sadness, with their gaze gently resting on my hands which were neatly folded across my lap. Hesitant on what exactly I should say, we kind of just sat there quietly, with Inari continuing to lean into me, with the only nearby sound being Raya¡¯s enthusiastic explanations lightly blanketing the meekly lit cavern. Not entirely sure how much time had passed by this point, I eventually saw Inari briefly look into my eyes, before just as quickly averting her gaze. Then, after taking a deep breath, she suddenly lied down across my lap to look into my eyes from the new lower vantage point. Surprised by her actions, and, after watching her shift herself slightly to get more comfortable, Inari eventually spoke to me in a breathy, yet quiet tone.
¡°You... Can pet them too... If you want, Ko. I... Wouldn¡¯t mind it, really.¡± She said, with her ears twitching slightly at the mention of me touching the fluffy delicacies. ¡°Is... This what this is about?¡± I calmly replied, while looking at her soft ears flickering ever so slightly below me.
In response to my apparent comments concerning her ears, Inari¡¯s snout wrinkled slightly to form a rather cute pout, before ultimately relaxing into a soft smile and laugh. Then, keeping with her antics, she lightly booped my nose with her paw, before continuing our conversation.
¡°Heh. Honestly Ko, it¡¯s exactly like you to say that.¡± Inari hummed in a light and comforting tone while staring into my eyes. ¡°It¡¯s just... You seemed really interested in Crimson¡¯s ears, so I figured you might want to...
...
Crimson... What is she to you, Ko? You two seemed awfully comfortable with one another this morning.¡±
¡°That¡¯s...¡± I paused briefly, thinking about and choosing my next set of words thoughtfully. ¡°You know how she can communicate with us telepathically? Well, we had an in-depth conversation last night about my world, where I focused on how humans and wolves often formed powerful bonds of friendship.¡±
Taking my time, I then softly began stroking Inari¡¯s ear, making sure to appreciate the softness her fur offered. She twitched ever so slightly from the sudden contact, but quickly relaxed as I began tugging and scratching the fluffy triangle in full. Starting to enjoy the attention, Inari shifted herself again, turning towards my chest while I continued to pet her ears. Then, having finally figured out how I wanted to continue our conversation, softly spoke to the fox cuddling into me.
¡°That said Inari, there was one thing I neglected to tell Crimson about last night. And, I¡¯ll tell you it, but only if you promise to keep it a secret from her, alright?¡±
Curious about my words, the fox shifted again, except this time turning to face me with a wrinkled expression, with her eyes sparkling to learn more about this mysterious truth I was withholding from her. ¡°And... What exactly didn¡¯t you tell her, Ko?¡±
Then, trying to keep my voice as quiet as possible to avoid Crimson potentially listening in on our conversation, I gently whispered into Inari¡¯s ear the truth Crimson should probably never learn about from my world. ¡°That wolves and dogs... Were generally kept and seen as pets for humans.¡±
After a brief pause, Inari¡¯s nose and whiskers wrinkled from my comments, while she quickly brought both of her paws to cover her mouth in a cute, but vain attempt to suppress the soft giggling noises she was currently making. ¡°Haha! That¡¯s amazing Ko! I¡¯m... I¡¯m speechless!!!¡± she continued snickering before rolling into my chest in an attempt to help muffle her enjoyment further. I laughed lightly at the scene as well, mostly in part due to the contagious noises the fox was continuing to make while laughing into me. Then, after both of us had finally collected our emotions, Inari was quick to spring onto her feet, making sure to flick my face with her tail in the process, before turning around to offer a paw to help me onto my feet as well.
¡°Come on, Ko! Let¡¯s go see what Raya¡¯s teaching Crimson about in cooking those steaks then, shall we?¡± Inari happily giggled, while offering a sly wink to her comments. ¡°Agreed, Inari, and, thank you.¡± I confidently responded to her, matching her subtle wink with one of my own.
Simply smiling at my words, I grabbed Inari¡¯s paw, and continued to hold it tighter, before walking together with her outside the den to finally greet Raya and Crimson, who were still both captivated by an enthusiastic discussion over how to properly ¡°burn¡± our precious wagyu steaks.
Chapter 52 – Tragic News At The Tavern
**Sigh**
Seriously nya, what am I going to do abmeowt those two meown? I know I gave them meow approval to register for the Solara tournameowt, but to even forget to finish their fried tofu nyan?
...
Though, cradling meow head between meown hands, I couldn¡¯t help but smile as my prized students quickly scrambled out the door of my tavern in quick purrrsuit towards the city to registuuurr for the upcoming tournameowt. I meow they could easily win the competitmeown, espesmeowly since Ko nayn was a summeowned hero, and Inari nayn held a god¡¯s blessing, but...
...
Nya, I almeowdy decided to trust my Ko nayn, even after learning they held the harbinger of destructmeown title... I meow the right ansmeower was to kill them when meown first found meownt, but my heart wanted me to trust him nayn. They wanted to prove absolmeowt appraismeow wrong, and, after purrrsonally guiding and meowntering them, I was glad nya decided to humor him. Ko nayn promised me he would do evemeowthing to prove meown decision right, and, when meow looked into his eyes... I was pawsitive he would make the meowst of this oppurtunity.
...
Regardless, maybe, Griffmeown will finally promeowt them like I¡¯ve asked to him to once he¡¯s finally seen them in action nayn! Ko nayn and Inari nayn, I¡¯m sure they will do everything they can to make meown proud as their meowtor nya!
¡°Wha¡ª What¡¯s bothering you... Felice *meow*, you... You look like you¡¯re deep in thought again meown... Are you worried about...?¡±
¡°Yarn nyan.¡± I calmeowly responded to meown sister¡¯s words of concern. ¡°Of course I¡¯m worried nya, but for the other attendees nyan. Ko nayn and Inari nayn will easily win, but...¡±
Meow gaze drifted slightly at Yarn¡¯s words, before lightly landing on her in contemplatmeown. Yarn was tightly clutching her dress from my comments, while her red ribbon sharply flicked abmeowt along her tail. It was obvimeows something was still bothering her, so I simply waited for her next set of words while tapping my fingers ameownst the wooden counter of the bar.
¡°But... But what about the horrible king, meown? Won¡¯t King Solar take issue with Inari nayn...?¡±
Smiling towards Yarn, nya knew she was right. As Inari¡¯s meowtor, I had done ameowt in sheltering her from the harsh remeowlaties of this kingdom. She mew abmeowt the discrimination against beastkin and demi-humeowns, but still hasmeownt purrrsonally experienced it in full meown...
¡°Meow right Yarn, but I¡¯m sure Griffmeown will assist them after they win nyan. We know he¡¯s on nya beastkin and demi-humeowns side, so he¡¯ll probmeowly write them a meowter or something nayn. The king will be furrrious, but he isn¡¯t unreasonabmeow.¡±
But, despite the brave smile I was putting on for both of meows, it didn¡¯t seem to help. Things wouldn¡¯t be easy for them after they win the tournameownt nyan. Meowt said, nyan ears did twitch slightly after listenmeowning to the tofu. It sounded like some type meown cryptic message, and, after analysing and solving it with absolmeowt appraismeow, I couldn¡¯t help but sigh at the disappointing words the crispy dish was uttering on the counter. ¡°Tofu talking nyan...¡± I sighed meowth a heavy breath. Purrrhaps Yarn simply infused too many mana particles into the dish nya, giving the food a fleeting sense of sentimeowance, before vanishmeowning into nya void furrever meown.
Still aimlessly looking ameownd, I noticed the clock above the tavern¡¯s door signaling I should eventually get back to meown duties nyan. Meow letters had surely arrived from meown contacts, and I had almeowdy delayed responding to some of them nya...
**Sigh**
Turning towards Yarn, I flicked meown wrists to store Ko and Inari nayn¡¯s sentimeownt dishes in my spameow storage to dispose of later, before letting her know my break was over. ¡°Alright nyan! Yarn nyan, I¡¯m going to go back to meown headmeowster duties nya. Will you be abmeow to watch the counter for a bit nya?¡±
¡°Of course Felice nyan!¡± Yarn quickly replied with a smimeow and squeak. ¡°I... I can easily watch meow counter while meow answer some meowters *meow!*¡±
¡°Purrfect nyan!¡± I said with a jump and a twirl, complete with meown sigmeowture nyan pose. ¡°It won¡¯t take meown too long to reply to the meowters nayn, then, I¡¯ll help with the cleaning nyan!¡±
Prancing away, meow mind was quick to wonder as I closed the door to meown chambers, while actimeowting a sound nullification spell. Some mew letters had already arrived through my dimeownsional connection, with some others through traditimeow courier. Flicking meow wrist, I began instructmeown my quill to transcribe my thoughts to headmeowster Griffon in the Solara branch. I needed my letter to arrive early tomorrow nyan, bragging abmeowt my students who were guaranteed to win meown! Hehe! I can almeowdy see the look on his face meown once he meets them nya!
Finishing meown thoughts to the quill, I made sure to draw my sigmeowture smug Felice doodle across the bottom of the parchmeowt purrrsonally, before sealing it with meow mana wax stamp. Then, floating meow letter over, I calmeowly turned the paper around in meow hands, before weaving my time delayed delivery spell to actmeowvate in the morning. Then, I began sorting through all of the remaining correspondence on my tabmeow.
¡°Geez meown... I sometimes wish being a headmeowster wasn¡¯t filled with all this intelligence gathering nayn...¡± I grumeowed in annoyance at the seemingly endless pile of letters I still meowded to sort mew... Meowst of the annoying parchmeowt was filled with old infurmation, due to the delay in tradimeow delivmeowrys, but a few did contain interesting tidbits from meown more trusted contacts.
It seems meown father was abmeown to confurrm demons in his area of Thalassia after I described Ko and Inari nayn¡¯s encounter with an empowmeowed ogre in Eldermeowst nyan. But why meow of all times? I was sure the Demeowns had gone extinct after all meow efforts with the others meown... Yet my father purrsonally eliminated some of them himself...
...
¡°Hermeown summoning nyan... Are meow gods really going to become meow active again meown...?¡±
...
Well, at least he¡¯s aware abmeowt the summoned heroes now meown, and that I¡¯m purrsonally guiding one of them nyaself meow! But still, I was troubled by the unsettling comformeowtion in Thalassia abmeowt demons...
¡°Meown? What¡¯s this nyan?¡± I softly uttered as my eyes then caught an interesting piece of parchmeownt I appeared to have missed amongst the meowning deliveries. ¡°Lucian Claw nayn...¡± I grumbled while turning the meowter around to confirm the legitimacy of the sender. ¡°Meown that¡¯s a name I haven¡¯t seen in awhile nya. What¡¯s Lucian nayn sending me a meowter furr meow?¡±
Lucian¡¯s name triggered some depressing memeowries as I continmeowed to rotate the parchment around, as both he and the Lockhart family left the kingdom on rather sour terms meowny years ago... So why would he send a letter meown? Did something happen to them nya?
Opening the magically sealed meowter, I quickly began scanning the contents to see why meow furriend had seemingly contacted nya after so meowny years. As meown eyes snapped from line to line, I noticed some water had already begun gathering around them, as I continued to reread and absorb the message again in meow mind.
My Dearest Felice,
I hope this letter finds you well, as I¡¯m sure you are undoubtably confused as to why it has seemingly found itself in your hands after so many years of silence between us. Truthfully, I was hesitant to write you, but didn¡¯t know who else I could turn to in regards to my lord¡¯s situation.
After many years of trying to convince Victor to mend relations with his daughter, he finally worked up the courage to send her a letter one month ago to the day, explaining his abhorrent behaviour in full during the dreadful tournament amongst the nobility, where he was unjustly banished by the king for his ¡°unnoble actions¡±. While I am thrilled my lord finally took the first steps in reconciling with his beloved daughter, we have still yet to receive word of Raya¡¯s correspondence, despite my courier confirming prompt delivery of Victor Lockhart¡¯s message at the palace.
Speaking of, my contacts have dutifully confirmed as much she is now the head commander of the entire Solara Royal Army! While we are both proud to hear of Raya¡¯s accomplishments, and understand her time is now nearly impossible to earn shouldering such responsibility, the palace has been surprisingly quiet as of late according to my informants, raising concerns amongst us.
Thus, I humbly ask if it is within your powers as headmeowster of the Paws & Beans Tavern, for any information you may have regarding my lord¡¯s daughter and her achievements as the new commander of the Solara military. Seldom does a day pass by where Victor yearns to learn more about what his beloved little rose has accomplished during his banishment from the kingdom. And, in the tragic absence of such a reply from the commander, felt it was within my duties as his retainer, to try and find any answers in an effort to help ease his suffering heart, if just a little.
Yours truly,
Lucian Claw, retired A ranked adventurer of the Paws & Beans Tavern, and Kingdom of Solara.
Lucian nyan, you stupid cat... And afmeow I already told you not to be so formeow in your writing nya... Though that said, Raya¡¯s silence was purrrobably related to handling the sumeowned heroes nayn. I... Should be able to tell Lucian at least this much meown. Especimeowly since the kingdom just announced their presence today nya. But... To not even reply to meown own father¡¯s letter nya? Purrhaps I¡¯ll do some digging into this on my own for Lucian nayn¡¯s sake.
...
...
Thankfully, the rest of the letters wuur easily dealt with, leaving only sipmeow applications to approve meown! After completing my daily approvmeownts, I was finmeowly able to join Yarn nyan again, where the Tavern was just starting to get busy nyan! She was already dealing with some customeows, so I quickly called over a pair of demi-human wolves and beastkin waiting in line while listening in on their convosatmeown.
¡°Ugh... I can¡¯t believe we lost so easily at the tournament.¡±
¡°I know right?? And after all of that training we did in Colosseum fighting in their arena. Like, seriously... An F(+) ranked duo beat ALL of us, even the higher ranked parties?!?! We were D(+) ranked for crying out loud, and for even the B ranks to lose so easily?!?¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry guys... It just means I needed to push us harder as leader of the Triple Fang & Staff party.¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s not your fault Grim. The guild was probably lying about their capabilities or something. There¡¯s no way F(+) ranks could be that powerful!¡±
As they were walking over, I couldn¡¯t help but smile with my chest puffed out, meowing exactly who they were talking abmeowt. Clearly Ko nayn and Inari nayn were the tournament victors nyan, but I should at least try to act surprised meown at their disappointment.
¡°Meown? The tournameownts already over nya? But didn¡¯t it only just start this meowning nyan?¡± I said while making sure to tilt my head and flick my tail towards them. ¡°Ya, it was crazy! A human and a fox beastkin completely annihilated the whole arena! It wasn¡¯t even a contest. Heck, Grim Fang over there was even knocked out by some weird firebolt incantation we¡¯ve never heard of before!¡±
¡°Ho ho!¡± I said meow offering them a grin while scratching meown chin. ¡°Nya guess those two were really powerful then meown!¡±
¡°That¡¯s an understatement!¡± Scoffed the wolf beastkin, as he clicked his tongue meow lightly kicking the counter. ¡°Anyways... Do you have any available rooms? The city is fully booked, and we would like a night¡¯s rest before heading back to Colosseum.¡±
¡°Sure thing meown!¡± Nya happily replied with a sparkle in meown eyes. ¡°I¡¯m all meowt of rooms for 4 nya, but I do meown some lodging with 2 doubles, if that¡¯s alright nyan.¡±
¡°Ya, that¡¯ll do.¡± The wolf demi-humeown replied after sharing some glances ameowgst his party, to which most of them simpurrly shrugged. ¡°Purrfect nya!¡± I responmeowed with a jump and a twirl. ¡°That will be 1 bronze Solara for the night. Your stay meowso includes 1 round of drinks and a meal nyan!¡±
¡°Seriously!?!¡± The wolf demi-human exclaimed, meown ears twitching slightly after hearing the costs of their stay. ¡°All of that for only 1 bronze Solara?!? That¡¯s incredible!¡±
¡°Hm hmm!¡± I hummed, meow offering them a shrewd glance. ¡°Let¡¯s just say I¡¯m in an exceptionameowly good mood today nya!¡±
Then, meowfter taking their payment, I grabbed the key for the room numeowed 2-401 from below the bar, before sliding it towards the wolf¡¯s paw still resting atop the aged woodmeown countertop. ¡°2nd floor, 4th hall on the left meown! Thankmeow, and hope you enjoy your stay at the Paws & Beans Tavern nyan!!!¡±
After the group of 4 left, the rest of the day was filled with othermeow adventurers seeking lodgings and helping Yarn with meow cooking at night time. Meowst of the conversations were abmeowt the tournameownt, along with those looking to return to Colosseum for the end of spring arena games. Eventualmeowly, when things got quiet for the night, I also retired to get ready for ameowther busy day at the tavern!
---
---
The next meowning, I was unfortunmeowly stuck dealing with meow pesky letters nya. And, despite using magic, meow quill was already starting to get tired from all of the meowndane responses required to the other headmeowsters... Nyan... That¡¯s probably just my enthusiasm at this point meown, noticing the clock was almeowdy indicating it was time for lunch. Howmeowver, Yarn did deliver a magically encrypted meowter to me when I was refilling my mana tea during my short break.
¡°Reinhardt Kitsune nya...¡± Meow said while flicking nya wrists to dispel and unseal the meowgic primed to burn the letter on external tampering. ¡°I guess it is abmeowt time for my yearly report on Inari nayn¡¯s progress meown.¡± Meowling over meown thoughts, I began orbiting nya quill around meow desk while scratching meown chin. Inari nayn has made incredameow progress since staying at the tavern nyan. And, while it¡¯s almeowdy been 2 years since I agreed to meownter her, even I wasn¡¯t expecting such incredible growth nyan.
Stolen novel; please report.
Smiling to myself, nya wondered if meow should tell Reinhardt nayn that his daughter actually managed to make a dependable friend during her stay her meown. Even I¡¯ve noticed Inari nayn¡¯s tail has been wagging more after working together in a party with Ko nayn. And, not to meowntion she¡¯s already quickly approaching meown own level of complex meowgic formeowlation.
¡°Nya...¡± I quietly sighed while tapping the floating quill against meow head. ¡°I¡¯ll have to think abmeowt this some more meown.¡± I hummed, while snapping meow fingers to erase some of the already tentatively penned words about my student¡¯s progress.
Suddenmeowly, I nearly jumped from meow seat as the door to my office slammed against the wall, causing my tail to stand up and my quill to fall off meow desk.
¡°FELICE NYAN!!!¡± Came the trembling voice from Yarn as she barged into meow office, her green eyes stained a puffy-red from nya tears dripping down her face. ¡°It¡¯s... *sniff* It¡¯s... The !!!¡± she cried, tightly clutching her chest while gasping in-between breaths.
Realizing something was horribmeowly wrong, I quickly leapt from meow chair, dashing past Yarn and rushing towards the front counter of the tavern. During all meow years of running the Paws & Beans tavern with meow sister, she¡¯s never once barged into meow office before in tears. I was sure we had left all meown problems behind in Thalassia... Did I miss something with absolmeowt appraismeow? No, that would be impossible...
Turning the corner, I had almeowdy gathered, primed, and concealed a mass of mana particles for any upcoming threat. Howmeowver, standing at the bar was simply a group of 4 soldiers from the kingdom, which nya identified to be 1 sergeant and 3 privates after examining them with apprasimeow.
¡°Aye, you dirty cat!¡± Scowled the group¡¯s commander in a sharp tone towards me, while his metal gauntlets slammed a notice against the countertop, splintering the wood from the aggressive impact. ¡°That other beast could barely talk, and we need to speak with headmaster Felice... Now!¡±
¡°Headmeowster Felice.¡± I coldly replied while approaching them, concealing the mana gathered around my eyes turning the bright green wavelengths blue. ¡°And meow military has no jurisdiction over nya adventermeow¡¯s branch. Entry without cause, in addition to harassing nya staff... Leave my tavern... Now!¡±
¡°Enough with the fucking beastkin.¡± The soldier replied with a hardened expression while shoving the clutched parchmeownt between his gauntlet into meown chest. ¡°And, we¡¯ve got plenty of cause. See here? Adventurers registered with your branch. We¡¯ll be running a full investigation into you lot for conspiring with and aiding the murderers of King Solar!¡±
Tightness gripped meow chest, while my ears twitched at the sergeant¡¯s words, prompting me to quickly absorb the contents of the flyer. Unable to believe meown eyes, they continued darting back and forth absorbing the contents of the cruel parchment¡¯s claim and proclamation. ¡°No...¡± I squeaked with widened pupils, refusing to believe the crude mugshots currently shaking within my tremeowling hands. Meow head began spinning, causing me to collapse onto my knees, as tears began pouring down my face, dripping onto the paper in question.
Plastered across the royal proclamation with red ink crossed through their images, were the pictures of Raya, Kotato, and Inari, which read: ¡°Champions of the Solara Tournament, registered with the Paws & Beans Tavern, conspired with and aided the commander of the Solara Royal Military, Raya Lockhart, in murdering the glorious leader of our nation, King Solar. While we all greave with heavy hearts the loss of our nation¡¯s leader, justice was swiftly enacted by our now Queen Emilia, who singlehandedly apprehended the perpetrators, where they were then summarily executed for their crimes by her hand.¡±
Still trying to comprehend the severity of the news I had just received, the sergeant then proceeded to toss a stack of the papers towards me before saying ¡°You¡¯ll be required to post these within your disgusting excuse for an establishment until further notice by the royal family. And, seeing as these two were registered with your specific branch, we¡ª¡±
My mind began tuning out the soldier¡¯s words, at a complete loss for how this situation could have possibly happened. Mana swelled within me, and I could no longer hide the blue colouring overtaking my eyes. How could I have been so stupid? Why did I choose to believe in that summoned hero?! Absolute appraisal told me they were a danger, and now, because of my inaction, Inari was...
Clenching my fists, I stood on my feet to meet the soldier¡¯s gaze. Listening again, they were already beginning to rummage behind the counter for my logbook containing guests and their associated rooms, tossing aside papers and keys like trash in their search. This... This couldn¡¯t be possible, not after all this time... Something had to be wrong, there was no way Inari would murder the king. While I couldn¡¯t exclude Kotato, there had to be more to this sudden murder of royalty... And for Raya? The same knight that rose through the ranks, and was adored by Emilia?!?
Annoyed and, finally deciding to take matters into my own hands, I glared at the 4 soldiers while casting the horror spell without an incantation. 3 of them instantly clutched their faces, letting out blood curdling screams with fleeing out the tavern¡¯s door, while the 4th soiled their armor, crawling across the ground before finally getting on his feet to flee as well. Horses neighed, and before long, their mana signatures quickly began disappearing back towards the city.
Turning towards my chambers, I quickly ran to check on Yarn who was now crying into the red pillows across my couch. She was uncontrollably shaking, clutching her bonnet with her tail tucked between her legs. ¡°Yarn, I¡¯m going to the city. I need to find answers.¡± I said, my words a cold, dark tone as I threw my cloak around my maid¡¯s gown, ignoring the massive amount of mana I was gathering and radiating in the room. Next, I began applying a slew of buffs, making sure to prioritize my speed and endurance for the upcoming journey. I had only one objective, I needed to see Griffon, I needed to confirm for myself the evil deeds of my students.
¡°Felice... *sniff* You¡¯re... You¡¯re Scaring me *meow*. Your... Your eyes are... Blue... You said, that¡ª¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry Yarn, but I need to be your brother again.¡± I coldly replied, before dashing out of the room and quickly making my way onto the road towards Solara. I could only imagine the painful memories my words and actions were causing her as the trees and hills flew by my vision in a frantic blur. I promised Yarn that I would never show her this side of me again, but because I chose to ignore absolute appraisal, to make the same mistake as back home... ¡°Please forgive me, Yarn.¡± I called out while continue to run towards the city, my pace increasing as mana filled my muscles with endless, unbridled energy.
Before long, I had already caught up to the military officials still fleeing by horse. I could sense my horror spell was still in effect, but wasn¡¯t satisfied they had suffered enough for the pain they caused my sister. Snapping my fingers, I activated illusion, covering myself in a shimmering vale of light, before flicking my wrist to command a gale of powerful wind to knock them from their steeds. Metal crudely collided with dirt, as their bodies tumbled and twisted to the uncomfortable sounds of the snapping and cracking bones. Their limbs became knotted as their bodies continued flailing around in an effort to still head towards some kind of safety at the city gates. I didn¡¯t care these men could possibly die from their injuries. They threatened my family. I was wrong to think Solara could change, that I, could help it change.
Before long, the tree line quickly left my vision, now replaced with the expansive wheat fields surrounding the city. Dust kicked around my heels as I weaved between the endless carriages and couriers making their way towards the main gates. There was still a lengthy line to gain formal entry to Solara, but that didn¡¯t concern me in the slightest. None of them knew I was here, and it would remain that way. Continuing to approach at lightning speed, I jumped while twisting my body to seamlessly soar over the guards before elegantly landing on the cobblestone bricks to continue towards the adventurer¡¯s guild. However, I was surprised by the heavy presence of military officials blocking off access to the city¡¯s central fountain, interfering with my intended path.
Scoffing at the plentiful military roadblocks, I quickly hopped onto the nearby roofs instead, gracefully hopping between buildings until I recognized the outline of the Solara Adventurer Branch. There was still a crowd of adventurers gathered around the building, but they wouldn¡¯t be for much longer. Commanding winds again, I threw the humans near the door aside, before manipulating and directing my fury towards the front door itself.
The gales rocked and rattled the hinges, before ultimately causing the frail wooden barrier to shatter into countless splinters from the excessive force, but I didn¡¯t care. Landing inside, I quickly scanned the lobby while ignoring the screams of the panicking patrons. Sensing the mana signatures within, I swiftly located Griffon¡¯s signature surrounded by another group of 4 humans near the back of the guild. Dashing forth, I was now moments away from learning more about this horrible series of events.
Arriving at the headmaster¡¯s room, I kicked the door in to the surprised faces of a group of royal military officials questioning Griffon. Startled by the unexpected noise and door suddenly thrown open, the knights quickly drew their swords to the invisible threat, to which I simply waved my hand to cast the sleep and memory alteration spells. The soldiers crumpled to the floor like ragdolls under my spell, their armor clanking as they piled up along the ground unconscious. Then, satisfied the room was clear, I closed the door, while activating an area deterrence and sound nullification spell, before finally canceling my illusion to reveal my presence to Griffon.
The headmaster¡¯s gaze was hardened, and, didn¡¯t appear surprised in the slightest as I removed my cloak to reveal an equally annoyed scowl to match his own. My ears twitched from their newfound freedom, as they swiveled around to showcase their feline mobility. ¡°Speak, Griffon. Tell me what you know, now!¡± I said, my voice echoing a sinister snarl in the cramped and confined room.
¡°Headmeowster Felice.¡± Griffon simply replied, while gesturing towards the now empty chair directly across from his table. Playing along, I nodded, then stepped over the sleeping guards to sit across from the guild master. I had already finished my memory reading spell by this point, but out of respect for the help he had provided my own branch, calmly waited for him to continue our conversation.
Mana was still surging within me, and despite currently radiating immense pressure towards him, Griffon still maintained a sharp expression with his hands clasped tight together. ¡°Your eyes are blue, and you aren¡¯t speaking in beastkin.¡± He finally said after a lengthy silence, before releasing his hands to lightly begin massaging his temples. Noticing his discomfort, I slowly began reigning in the aggressive mana I was radiating to which he replied ¡°Thank you.¡±
¡°Sorry, but I need answers Griffon. The royal palace, what do you know?¡±
¡°A moment, please.¡± He said while quickly reciting the incantation for high heal to help alleviate the intense mana pressure. Wanting to speed things along, I added my own high heal as well, while continuing to dampen the mana radiating out from my eyes. ¡°If it¡¯s about your students, I haven¡¯t told the royal palace anything yet, Felice. His majesty... I only learned of his death an hour ago.¡±
¡°Your memories confirmed as much, Griffon.¡± I coldly replied while brushing some of the hair covering my eyes away. ¡°I need information on the royal palace and family. My students... Inari... She would never¡ª¡±
¡°I know, Felice!¡± The headmaster shouted while slamming his hand against his desk, causing some of the letters scattered across to fly into the air in a swirl of parchment fury. Amongst the chaotic symphony of paper, I noticed the letter I had written yesterday to him land across my lap, to which I brushed it aside to the floor. ¡°Your students... Who exactly, were they? There¡¯s no way mere adventurers at their level could possibly command such power...¡±
Glaring at the burly man across the table, I crossed my hands across my waist before responding to his genuine question about their strength. ¡°You¡¯re already aware about Inari¡¯s blessing from the goddess of knowledge. However, her growth, along with the humans, was considerably accelerated due to the hero summoning magic performed by Solara.¡± Griffon furrowed his brow at my comments, to which he eventually replied ¡°The kingdom¡¯s 4 heroes are affecting her blessing? But that still doesn¡¯t explain the¡ª¡±
¡°No, Griffon.¡± I quickly interrupted, before clarifying my response in full. ¡°King Solar summoned another hero... Kotato Yamata, he was the first one summoned by the royal sorcerer¡¯s magic. Though their attempt initially appeared a failure, since his spatial positioning didn¡¯t materialize him within the palace at the spell¡¯s completion.¡±
¡°By the gods.¡± Griffon sighed while bringing his hand to rest against his forehead at the startling revelation. ¡°That would certainly explain his power and aptitude for magic... But even so, from my brief interaction with them, I also don¡¯t believe they would murder the king. And with Raya Lockhart taking part...¡±
...
¡°That said.¡± He coldly continued while staring into my eyes. ¡°If they were trained by you, Felice, killing the king would certainly be possible under your guidance.¡±
¡°You humor me, Griffon.¡± I sharply replied while flicking my tail to the side. ¡°You and I both know that wasn¡¯t our plan. But, that said, while I can trust Inari and Raya wouldn¡¯t seek to murder the king, I can¡¯t eliminate the possibility that Kotato would. He was abandoned by the kingdom, and...¡± I trailed off on my comments, hesitant to explain the information I had learned from my absolute appraisal spell, as images of the joy and laughter shared with Kotato flashed throughout my mind. Why was I remembering the happiness when he held me within his arms. When he stroked my ears and told me he would changes his fate... The Harbinger of Destruction title... I clearly ignored the truth the world was trying to tell me, and yet, my heart aching to doubt the only logical answer. Why did I want to believe in Ko nayn¡¯s words? Why did I keep...
¡°I¡¯m sorry, Griffon, but I can¡¯t say anymore about Kotato until I finish my own investigations.¡±
¡°Your absolute appraisal, Felice?¡± he calmly replied, to which I simply nodded to confirm his comments, before staring blankly at the letter I had tossed to the ground praising my students. ¡°I see.¡± He said while leaning back in his chair, relaxing ever so little from our stressful conversation. ¡°I truly do not envy the burden you carry, Felice. Possessing such a powerful magics. Yet to not trust even an old friend such as myself... The truth of the world... What a horrifying thing to always be shown...¡±
¡°That said, Griffon. Queen Emilia... Is it really true she executed them?¡± I finally asked, wanting to hear the answer personally from his own lips. ¡°Tis what the royal palace is claiming.¡± He responded in a wavering tone. ¡°But, both of us know, it¡¯s impossible for Emilia to possess such power on her own.
...
Daemonium... The Hawthorn household contacted me earlier this morning about rumors Emilia was going to announce her engagement with the advisor. Then, hours later, the city square was placed on lockdown, until I eventually received word from the military about the king¡¯s death. Shortly after, their knights came to investigate the adventurers who had won the tournament, and then you showed up.¡±
¡°I see.¡± I mumbled under my breath, starting to piece together the general timeline of events. ¡°That definitely is suspicious. I know you mentioned King Solar was very particular about suitors for his daughter, so I highly doubt he would permit such a¡ª¡±
Griffon smiled at my thought process as I continued rambling my thoughts to him, seemingly already aware of the conclusion I was just starting to make. ¡°Can you grant me entrance to the royal palace, headmaster Griffon? If I can analyze them with absolute appraisal¡ª¡±
Sadly, shaking his head in the negative, Griffon replied in a quiet tone towards my request. ¡°Not even I can gain entry at the moment, Felice. The entire palace is on high alert after his majesty¡¯s death.¡±
¡°Well, if I can¡¯t gain formal entry, I¡¯ll simply sneak in with illusion and¡ª¡±
¡°And risk getting yourself caught?!?¡± Griffon sharply cut me off before continuing. ¡°Even you should know that if a demi-human gets caught infiltrating the royal palace, all of our attempts at helping the beastkin and demi-humans will be for naught!¡±
Rolling my eyes at the headmaster¡¯s words, the mana within my body finally began to relax, as my mind now began working through the information I was about to share with Griffon. ¡°Seriously Griffmeown, you really think such third-rate magic users could detect meow magic nyan?¡±
A smile began to grow across the old headmaster¡¯s face, as mana continued to pulse and hum within my body under control again. ¡°That said, headmeowster Felice, if your students really were as powerful as your claimed, the fact they were executed implies there must be something horrible within those palace walls.¡±
¡°Demeows... You finally believe nya report I made to the guild earlier this month then, meown? I¡¯ll also add, my father recently conmeowed yesterday signs of demons in Thalassia.¡±
¡°And I, have heard rumors from contacts in Valoria regarding demons as well.¡± Griffon grinned, with a sharp glint in his eye as he clasped his hands together in delight. ¡°If this really is the work of demons, as we¡¯re beginning to imply, then acting rash would only make things worse on our part in eliminating them.
...
Felice, I know you are exceptionally powerful, perhaps one of the strongest mages alive to this day. Yet even so, for you to fight a demon such as this one, even I am unsure who amongst you would emerge victorious. Fighting aside, whatever advisory we face is surely on the lookout for any kind of retaliatory efforts. We must bide our time, and wait.¡±
Mulling over Griffon¡¯s words, meow had to admit, he did have valid points. I always taught meown students to exercise caution, and, speaking with nya friend, it was clear I wasn¡¯t alone in my plight either meown. ¡°Thank you, Griffmeown. I purromise not to do anything rash while nya gather infurrmation.¡±
Releasing a heavy breath, Griffon sighed at meow apparent response, before grabbing meow hand with a smile. ¡°Thank you, Felice. I swear to you, both as your friend, and as the headmaster for the Solara Adventurer¡¯s Guild Branch, that I will do everything within my powers to be maliciously compliant with the royal family¡¯s requests into their investigations over his majesty¡¯s death. And, while I know the pain is still fresh, want to offer you my condolences over the loss of your prized students.¡±
Smiling as meow, I felt a small tear form ameown the corner of nyan eyes, as I continmeowed to enjoy the warmth of Griffon¡¯s hands enclosed ameowed mine. Finally, after enjoying the silence and warmth a little longer, nya softly replied to his words. ¡°Likewise, Griffmeown. I¡¯m glad you consider Felice a friend, meown. Biding nya time... I will grieve ovmeow nya student¡¯s deaths for meow. Their potenmeow... I will purrsonally be the one to help them find rest meown.¡±
Standing up and releasing our clasped hands to wipe some meow the shimmering water from meown eyes, nya eventually found the strength to throw my black cloak on, before heading towards the office doors. My tail was sharply flicking from side to side, and my ears were pinned back, but I mew this was for the best. Then, with my back still turned towards Griffmeown, I silently left the room, only offering a simple wave to the headmeowster still sitting behind his desk.
Meown next stop, was back to nya tavern for meow planning. Demeowns, if they really were becoming meow active in Terra again, then, meow would simpurrly have to remind them which family helped bring their numbers so close to extinction meowny years ago.
Chapter 53 – Conquering the Labyrinth
Darkness, the absence of light, the sensation of being blind and void of any and all external information, can be a truly, frightening thing. While my eyes and ears were certainly still functioning, at least according to my hazed vision and the presence of the typical E4 buzzing noise my ears were constantly hearing, I was currently having difficulties processing the seemingly endless abyss I was facing ahead.
Focus, Ko... Try and imagine the world through mana. The tiny, individual strings connecting each and every one of our existences together, the tethers and chains that bind us to the tangible plane, and how the subtle motions of each and every action we take, move us through space and time itself. Still visually blind, I felt the hairs along my arms begin to stand up, picking up on the faint changes my body was desperately trying to acknowledge in the search for some kind of stability in this endless dark expanse.
*Dop*
The sound of a single, minuscule drop of water striking the surface of stagnate water filled my mind, as the accompanying ripple flowed through my body moments later. The sensation was faint, but, in the absence of any and all information, I knew what I had to do. I needed to turn my body.
Now.
Twisting my torso, while raising what I could only remember was my left arm, I braced myself for some kind of impact, tensing what I believed to be my muscles, while shifting what I thought were my feet to steady myself against an incoming mountain of an impact.
*Clash!*
Resistance struck my arm like an army of boulders, as another ripple coursed throughout my body from the rugged attack. My ears popped at the sensation, the sound rolling around my cannels, triggering an uncomfortable memory of steel locking with razor-sharp claws.
*Swoosh*
The pressure released, retreating back into the safety of the abyss, leaving me alone again within the void. Mana continued to sway in space, the particles eventually forming images within the expansive, endless dark. Movement, changes along horizon of the void, rushed through my body. The presence, it was going to¡ª
¡°Gah!!!¡±
Suddenly, I tumbled forward after taking an aggressive impact to my back. And, while I had personally hoped my honed battle prowess and balance would save me in such a situation, it appeared my faith in my own skills had failed me, as my face collided with the hard gravel below in disappointment instead. ¡°Geez that stings.¡± I mumbled through a face full of dirt, as I slowly let out a heavy sigh while rolling onto my back to stare up at the fuzzy image of the labyrinth¡¯s ceiling.
¡°Impressive, but not good enough.¡± Echoed a confident feminine voice, as the last bits of my perception finally returned to my conscious, correcting themselves into the images of a black and red wolf towering overtop of me, along with an accompanying pair of orange triangular fluffy ears.
¡°Easy enough for you to say, Crimson.¡± I groaned back after gathering enough mana particles to cast a heal spell over my throbbing face. ¡°You¡¯re the one who had Inari¡¯s support magic this time around.¡±
¡°Hehe!¡± giggled Inari, as she offered a paw towards me, along with a toothy grin to help me back onto my feet. ¡°So, what did you think, Ko? Were you able to sense your environment this time under my curse and hex magic? I made sure to tone down the intensity this time, just a little bit!¡± The vulpine said with a swoosh of her white tipped tail, while her green eyes sparkled with curiosity, eagerly waiting in anticipation for my hopefully positive response.
Picking some loose specs of gravel out of my mouth, I unfortunately gave my reply with a few simple negative shakes of my head. In a sense, I had been hoping that training amongst ourselves where we each focused on our signature skills, would help us should we encounter an enemy that could copy our capabilities. Mind control, along with other forms of skill imitation, were some of the last common tropes I could think of regarding boss monsters in fantasy stories, so I wanted to make sure we could each handle a creature that might try and utilize our own spells against us. Unfortunately, we were all having difficulties when it came to handling Inari¡¯s exceptional usage of curses and charms...
That said, a week quickly flew by while we were staying in the progenitor wolf village to complete our training and supply preparation for conquering the labyrinth. And, after what felt like an uncountable number of duels and strategy formation practice, we had finally found an integration that allowed Crimson¡¯s shadow and lightning-based abilities to compliment our current party composition. Her role, essentially worked out to be an assassin or weakness exploiter, where she would eliminate high-valued targets, such as casters in an enemy¡¯s back line, or taking advantages of vulnerabilities created by Raya, Inari, or myself. Overall, we were pleased with the progress we had made, and now, it was finally time to tackle our greatest challenge yet; conquering the labyrinth.
As such, after wrapping up a few more... Unsuccessful attempts by myself at learning how to effectively counter Inari¡¯s curse of blindness, we all gathered up and triple checked our supplies, before heading towards the staircase to finally continue our journey deeper.
Aware of our departure today, and, currently escorting us along with a few other wolves, was Cyan Whitefang, the new leader of the progenitor wolves after Crimson ceded the role to him after the false death of her name. While things had been rocky at best during this transition period for him, it appeared Cyan had finally come to accept the new responsibility. While we were walking, I often caught his gaze bouncing between Crimson and I, with his ears remaining pinned back for most of the walk, where he remained ominously silent.
Then, as we were ready to descend down the stairs to the 68th floor, Cyan finally barked a low rumble to our group. ¡°There¡¯s really nothing I can do to change your mind then, is there Crimson? Your parents... I... I hope you find them.¡± After hearing Cyan¡¯s parting words, Crimson turned around, offering the blue wolf a bow, before responding in an equally low rumble. ¡°You are correct Cyan, I have already resolved myself for the upcoming trials ahead... And... Thank you. My father and mother... I will find what happened to them.¡±
Offering an awkward smile to the pair saying their goodbyes, I noticed Cyan turn his gaze towards me, with his muzzle quivering as he forced out a reluctant apology in a wavering tone. ¡°And to you, Kotato... While I know my words won¡¯t mean much, I would like to apologize to you for my actions... I... I¡¯ve... You¡¯re...
...
Please, take care of Crimson for me... She... Deserves someone like you by her side...¡±
Painfully aware of the emotions Cyan was probably feeling from my own personal experiences back on Earth, I simply nodded to the blue wolf staring past me, while offering a direct response to his words. ¡°I will Cyan, and, thank you.¡± Then, glancing around at my party members, motioned for all of us to enter the spiraling staircase, as the few remaining wolves in attendance offered us some parting howls of encouragement. Our goal was to clear the labyrinth now, and based on the information we had from Crimson, roughly knew how the levels would play out, at least until the 72nd floor. Anything beyond that level was foreign territory to the wolves, as they themselves had difficulties clearing out the undead monstrosities present on that level.
Eventually, after reaching the bottom of the stairs, we were able to make visual contact with the ogres residing on the floor. Inari was able to confirm approximately 59 unique identifiers, with what was potentially an evolved variant in the middle of the chambers. The air was thick and hazy, with noticeable pockets of smog spread throughout, indicating dense concentrations of mana particles. Unsheathing my blade, Inari buffed all of us with the bountiful mana nearby, as we entered into our default attack formation.
Charging into the room, Raya quickly drew the attention of the melee combatants, while Crimson and I began flanking the large group from the sides, targeting and eliminating the mages and priests present amongst the smelly monstrosities. After some careful hit-and-run tactics, most of the hoard had thinned enough to clearly identify the unique variant near the middle of the group shouting orders, the ogre emperor.
As far as intimidating looks were concerned, I personally rated the creature a 3 out of 10, mostly due to the fact they were simply a regular looking ogre with thick yellow skin, and a golden crown resting crudely atop their head. The emperor posed us no problems at all, and was dispatched with a single cast of Inari¡¯s kitsunebi spell, showing either our incredible skill growth, or, lack of a suitable challenge from the repeating set of creatures. Thus, with the floor clear, we then simply walked towards the next set of stairs, while cataloging and recording the monsters we defeated.
Entering the stairs while carefully walking down the dusty steps, I couldn¡¯t help myself but remember the floor number we were about to explore, and, with my immature attitude, couldn¡¯t help but quietly snicker ¡°Heh, 69...¡± With the words rolling off my tongue to accent the importance of such a peculiar and interesting number, earning myself a quick snort from the commander ahead of me.
Surprised by Raya¡¯s reaction, she briefly brought her gauntlets to cover her mouth in a vain attempt to muffle the snickering noises she was trying to hold back. Amused, I simply raised my eyebrows towards the stalwart commander, with my next set of words carrying my piqued interest over her reaction. ¡°Oh? And here I was thinking you were the shining example of a perfect, proper knight, Raya?¡± I said in a tone simply aimed at poking fun towards the seemingly shared humor. Glancing back at me, Raya rolled her eyes before responding in a cheerful tone and slight smile. ¡°Heh, just because I¡¯m a woman, doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t appreciate some of the crude humor from my time in the military, Ko. If anything, 69 is rather tame compared to some of the drunken nights spent with my comrades and their stories.¡±
¡°Hah! That¡¯s amazing!¡± I laughed back to Raya while wiping a small tear forming in the corner of my eyes. ¡°What? Is it really that amusing I would get your reference?¡± She responded back with another roll of her eyes. ¡°No no, it¡¯s just... Different worlds!¡±
My comments caused the commander to flinch, halting her march, causing all of us to abruptly stop awkwardly partway down the spiraling staircase. Then, resting her hand along the wall, Raya broke into laughter, looking back at me with a wrinkled nose and smile. ¡°Ha! So even across different worlds, it would seem us humans share the same dirty humor Ko!¡±
¡°It would appear so Raya.¡± I cheerfully laughed back, joining the commander in a light chuckle while clutching my stomach in gleeful agony. But seriously... To think such a simple, immature comment would provide such insights into the shared human experience. I guess humans really were the same, no matter where we¡¯re from. Looking back, while still fighting to regain my composure, I could see both Inari¡¯s and Crimson¡¯s ears were twitching at our laughter, where they simply shared confused glances over the apparent bonding moment Raya and I appeared to be having.
¡°Hahaha... Ahhh... Well then, Ko.¡± Raya said, finally managing to get her emotions under control, before offering me a quick smile and wink. ¡°It appears we will have to compare notes amongst ourselves once we clear this labyrinth then. Geez... I wonder what else us humans have in common?¡±
Simply smiling back, Raya and I exchanged fist bumps, a fun gesture from my world, before looking to continue down the stairs. However, we were both interrupted by a timid squeak from the fox behind us. ¡°I... I don¡¯t get it, Ko. What¡¯s so funny about the number 69?¡± Inari said, her voice laced with confusion and a hint of intrigue, before eventually prodding deeper. ¡°Could you please explain it to me? It feels like this knowledge would compliment my research about different worlds rather well!¡±
¡°Agreed, Ko.¡± Added Crimson, as both the canines¡¯ tails began wagging in unison. ¡°I too, also wish to learn more about what this ¡°69¡± entails. It appears to be a rather enjoyable form of kinship amongst friends! If I¡¯m picking up on the social cues you and the commander are exhibiting.¡±
Both Raya and I shared similarly childish glances at one another while looking at Inari and Crimson, causing us to laugh again at the confused duo. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Inari.¡± I said trying to hold back another round of joyful tears forming in the corner of my eyes. ¡°But the reference loses value once you begin explaining it to someone. Besides... It¡¯s not exactly¡ª¡±
In response to my comments, Inari¡¯s snout wrinkled, while her whiskers twitched to form a rather cute pout at my refusal to explain the joke. ¡°Geez Ko!¡± The disgruntled fox said while crossing her paws across her chest. ¡°It¡¯s just to help expand my research about the similarities between our worlds! If it¡¯s something shared amongst humans, then I¡¯m failing to see why you wouldn¡¯t want to explain it to me.¡±
¡°Research, eh?¡± Hummed Coileene¡¯s voice in a seductive tone, as she materialized from my shield to appear beside the fox in question, resting her hands along Inari¡¯s shoulders. My pulse quickened, and my heart sank within my chest as I simply stared at the goddess maniacally grinning back at me with a devious smile. ¡°If it¡¯s for research, then perhaps you should ask Ko to demonstrate with you what this ¡°69¡± is. After all, it¡¯s an activity best done in pairs amongssssst, ¡°friends¡± haha!¡± The serpent goddess snickered while flicking her tongue towards me with her breathy, and unnecessary response.
¡°Ohh! That sounds like a perfect idea!¡± Inari beamed, her voice filled with excitement over Coileene¡¯s suggestion, while her tail sharply swooshed from side to side. ¡°Ko! Would you please show me what this ¡°69¡± is then?! If... If it¡¯s something friends do together, then it would be perfect for us!¡± Inari happily replied, with her emerald eyes sparkling to learn more about this apparent forbidden truth I was withholding from her.
¡°That¡¯s...¡± I flinched, desperately trying to remind myself that Inari had no idea what she had just suggested we do together. My head began spinning, as I was struggling to find any possible way out of this unfortunate situation. ¡°Ha! Good luck, Ko!¡± came Raya¡¯s voice in a cheerful tone, breaking me out of my trance as she lightly punched my shoulder with her metal gauntlet. Jumping slightly, I could only form what I imagined was a face filled with betrayal towards the commander who I thought had my back. ¡°Ra-Raya!¡± I seemingly uttered, feeling stranded and abandoned by the rollercoaster of emotions I had seemingly brought upon myself. ¡°This¡ª This conversation¡¯s over!¡± I blurted out, chasing after the commander now running down the stairs away from me.
¡°Laaameee!¡± Echoed Raya¡¯s voice from further down the corridor with a teasing attitude. ¡°Grrr! It¡¯s not funny!¡± I angrily called out as Raya¡¯s laughter continued to bounce throughout the stairwell. Internally annoyed at myself, I eventually made it to the floor¡¯s landing, where I was hoping we could finally refocus our efforts on the dangers of the labyrinth.
Staring into the room, I could see multiple golems constructed from bones or skeletal remains rolling and roaming around. They appeared unaggressive, which matched the reports Crimson had shared with us about her own personal experiences while hunting on this floor. Not too far behind, I heard Inari and Crimson also catch up to us, to which they both seemed disappointed about my failure to explain the stupid 69 reference... And, just when I thought we could finally turn our attention towards the golems...
¡°Oh look, head!¡± Happily exclaimed the goddess, as she materialized and picked up what appeared to be a discarded bone golem skull, while rotating it around with her fingers to admire it¡¯s smooth exterior in full. I furrowed my brow towards Coileene, fully aware of her¡ª
¡°HA!!! Nice one, Coileene!¡± Exploded Raya in a fit of laughter and snorts, unable to contain her amusement, as both the knight and demi-human glanced at one another before bumping their fists together.
...
Squinting my eyes at the laughing duo, I simply scoffed at their actions before quickening my pace to get through the floor. I ignored the pleas from my companions behind me, wanting some time alone by this point, and hoping they would eventually drop the conversation once we reached the next set of stairs.
...
...
Thankfully, everyone appeared to have calmed down once we reached the next set of runic lettering. As anticipated, based on the stories told about the progenitor wolves from Crimson, there was pulsing blue runic text next to the archway which read: ¡°Danger ¨C Upcoming Level Is A Designated Boss Floor ¨C A Powerful Foe Awaits ¨C Warning! Proceed With Caution.¡±
As we approached, Crimson¡¯s eyes widened after glancing over the lettering ¡°I... I can read these words.¡± She quietly exhaled, as her eyes continued to examine the mysterious characters dancing across the wall in full. ¡°You¡¯re welcome, little wolf.¡± Replied Coileene from within my shield. ¡°It is only fair I grant you the same level of boon as the others.¡±
¡°So, my father, he really managed to defeat such a powerful creature... How many of these levels have you encountered, Ko?¡± replied the curious black and red wolf, gesturing towards our party. ¡°Including this one? Three.¡± I responded, before entering the stairs to continue. After reaching the bottom, we were greeted with a layout similar to the 65th floor, being a large open room with a stone alter resting within the middle. However, flying near the ceiling of the arena, appeared to be smaller versions of the desmovyern we had seen earlier.
After a quick scan with appraisal, they were apparently named ¡°lesser chromatic desmovyerns¡±. Each being was coloured in beautiful rainbow feathers, with their plumes playfully catching the nearby pulsing light illuminating the alter like a spotlight from each passing glide. From a combat perspective, they were only level 20, and wouldn¡¯t pose a threat to any of us. Furthermore, the creatures were not hostile, choosing to instead observe us from above, while continuing to fly laps around and land on various stone perches above near the ceiling. Continuing along, we eventually noticed the pair of destroyed pink disks near the centre, a cruel reminder that one more potential route to the surface was closed off to us. However, it did confirm to us that each boss level essentially functioned as a checkpoint.
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But, not wanting to dwell too long on painful memories and alternative realities, we quickly made our way to the next level, with our silence faintly accompanied by the occasional ¡°caw¡± from a desmovyern above.
From there, our progress deeper largely went without issue. Coileene¡¯s conscious began tugging at me once we entered the 71st floor, hissing within my mind that we were almost at her fragment, and the goblins across the domain were thankfully at this point not a threat to our party either. Despite all of them being level 71, the only new addition was the inclusion of a ¡°goblin emperor¡±, which was essentially the same as the goblin kings from before, just slightly... Bulkier? They clearly looked like it had enjoyed bountiful offerings of food while their subjects withered away, and they also had a fancier royal crown to boot! Though I was slightly saddened when I couldn¡¯t take the crown with me as part of the monster drop...
For the next floor, Crimson was keen to inform us this was the furthest level she had personally ventured, where she had attempted, but failed to clear the room by herself. Similar to the last floor multiple with undead, this room also contained greater liches, and, after working together to utilize my purification-disk combo, we cleared it without issue. The lack of a challenge was starting to bother me by this point, making me wonder why the difficulty curve appeared to have suddenly dropped off a cliff. While I did enjoy seeing Crimson¡¯s shocked expression as to how easily we cleared the level, it still left a lot to be desired from a challenge perspective. Regardless, we continued on through the room, accompanied only by our idle chatter and piles of purified undead ash wallowing in misery.
For the upcoming insect level, we simply made sure to identify all of the creepy crawlies, and apply ample amounts of Inari¡¯s kitsunebi spell when needed. There were several more of those lightning mantises again, and the new stronger variant appeared to be something like a Hercules beetle from Earth. It was thankfully rather slow with its movements, but did interestingly enough have what appeared to be cannons along its back. While we never gave it the opportunity to fire such a round, instead interrupting the spell while it was forming to detonate the creature from within. This... Unique method of elimination was once again our crafty fox¡¯s idea, but we all agreed to never use it again after the beetle exploded, covering us in a juicy viscera of gooey insect fluids.
Profusely gagging while casting a quick cleanse spell to clean ourselves after such a warm and disgusting, slimy experience, I was glad my sanity was saved from the uncomfortable thoughts of the sticky residue clinging to my skin after such an ordeal. Regardless, we once again made it through this floor without issue, as we mentally prepared ourselves for a potential puzzle room.
Entering the 74th floor, we all breathed a sigh of relief when we discovered the entrance across the hall wasn¡¯t blocked by a giant stone wall with slots for elemental orbs. Instead, sloshing around near the middle of the room, and, being the only visible creature with a mana signature inside, was a being known as an omnislime according to appraisal. The gelatinous blob wore a simple crown, cape, and sceptre, along with what looked like a translucent mustache, honestly making me think the name ¡°king slime¡± would have been more appropriate than omnislime... But it¡¯s not like I was the one in charge of naming these creatures on Terra.
Once we entered the room, the slime was quick to form a multitude of spells from each element and lob them our direction. Raya and Inari focused on deflecting and intercepting the blasts, while Crimson and I contended with the slime up close. The core we needed to target was painfully obvious in the middle of the blob, but none of our spells could penetrate the jelly-like texture deep enough to shatter it. Eventually, we were able to exhaust the slime after an extended siege, with Raya delivering the final blow from an aptly placed earthen pillar spike.
Slightly exhausted ourselves, we made sure to catch our breath while walking towards the next archway. However, my hands began trembling after I read the text scrawled across the upcoming doorway.
¡°Labyrinthus Finis.¡± Inari quietly whispered to the group, as she squinted her eyes at the text to scrutinize it further, before jotting it down in her notebook. ¡°Coileene¡¯s magic didn¡¯t fully translate the text... I thought she said we could read all of the words now?¡±
¡°Yes and no.¡± I replied while scratching the back of my head before continuing to the confused vulpine. ¡°Actually, Coileene, care to enlighten us about this? I recognize the text to probably be Latin, which is a language from¡ª¡±
¡°Earth? Ha! What an impudent fool you are Ko, thinking only Earth could ever conceive such a language.¡± Bellowed the demi-human serpent as she appeared beside the nearby archway, resting against the opening stones while examining her nails. ¡°Latin, as you would call it, is actually something more of a universal constant. Many worlds across countless galaxies have all developed the same structure and composition that you would refer to as ¡°Latin¡±, making it somewhat of a constant amongst sentient, developing life.¡±
¡°So... Is it something akin to the language of the gods? Some fundamental truth of the universe?¡± I replied to the uninterested goddess still nonchalantly ignoring us. ¡°Pfft, as if! It is simply a language all intelligent beings should know, hence my refusal to translate it. I can¡¯t help you with every little, insignificant thing.¡± Coileene added with a deep sigh, before conjuring a nail file to sharpen some of her excessive digits.
¡°Regardless, while I¡¯m not an expert in Latin, some of the words can be intuitive, at least from my experience. The language is mostly used in my world as a legacy naming convention for fields in science, mathematics, and medicine, but if I had to guess, I would assume Labyrinthus means labyrinth, and Finis means¡ª¡±
¡°The end.¡± Mumbled Inari, completing my sentence as she wrote the translated words in her journal, before circling them several times. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then based on Coileene¡¯s insistence her fragment is close, the Solara labyrinth is a total of 75 floors deep.¡± She finally finished with a playful flick of her tail.
¡°So it would seem.¡± Added Raya, as both her and Crimson shared glances at the runic words, prompting me to ask a question of my own towards the curious wolf. ¡°Crimson, how many shakings of the earth have the progenitor wolves experienced?¡± I said to them, cognizant of the fact each earthquake-like event seemed to coincided with the activation of the checkpoint alters. Briefly looking up at me, the majestic wolf somberly replied in a shallow bark, with her muzzle void of expression. ¡°There have been 3 such events in our history, Ko. The first 2 were from long ago, with the 3rd shaking happening only recently... Which would match when you claimed to have become trapped in the labyrinth.¡± She replied with a continued heavy breath. ¡°Do... You mean to imply... That...?¡±
Looking at Crimson, I could see her gaze drift towards the ground, with some of the lustre leaving her red mane as her thoughts continued my extrapolation. ¡°We don¡¯t know for certain yet. If this really is the end of the labyrinth, it could have a different outcome after beating... Whatever it is that lies ahead in battle.¡± I said with as much confidence as I could muster, while lightly patting her shoulder in a show of comfort.
¡°I understand.¡± Crimson replied with another heavy breath before continuing. ¡°But, you don¡¯t need to be kind to me about your implications. If my father had defeated this upcoming monster, then we surely would have felt another shaking of the earth. Which means in the absence of such an event...¡±
...
All of us simply stood there, an uncomfortable silence separating us, simply staring at the mourning wolf. Looking at Crimson, her ears were pinned back, and her tail lame, equally matching the body language Inari was currently exhibiting. I sometimes hated the fact I would say things without thinking them through, and now felt like one of those moments I should have just retained a more positive outlook, instead of trying to extrapolate a harsh reality with facts. Then, after wiping a small tear from the corner of her eye, Crimson glanced up at me, offering a faint smile through her shimmering pupils before continuing.
¡°I¡¯m fine Ko. And, regardless of what we find ahead, our goal is still to clear the labyrinth.¡± The wolf howled in a deep tone before formally entering the spiraling staircase. ¡°My resolve will not be shaken so easily, this, you should know as much.¡± Joining her, we all entered the darkened expanse as well, following in line closely behind Crimson as she led the way deeper. While we were descending the longer than usual set of steps, we did take the opportunity to strategize and confirm our upcoming boss assault plan, where we all agreed ¡°Boss Siege Battle Plan #3¡± would be most appropriate. Even though our backline was technically rather small, cautiously observing and adapting to changes would be critical for our survival.
...
After descending for what felt like an eternity, we finally made it to the bottom of the stairs, where the room before us was clearly fitting for a final boss arena. The large open expanse screamed that something powerful was waiting within, and there was even a small lit bonfire just outside the official entrance to the room, drawing us closer with its alluring warmth. ¡°Heh, so the labyrinth¡¯s creator does have a sense humor.¡± I lightly sighed while observing the gingerly cackling flames.
¡°A... Bon... Fire?¡± cautiously added Raya, as she joined beside me to observe the warming flames as well. ¡°What¡¯s something like this doing here? Is there someone else down here as well?¡±
¡°Honestly, while that would normally be the logical conclusion, I actually think it¡¯s something more like trying to prompt a specific action from any potential heroes within the labyrinth itself.¡± Then, noticing a slight tug on my arm, I looked behind me to see an enthusiastic fox, with their eyes bursting at the seams to continue my otherworldly theory. Thus, giving Inari a simple nod, she happily puffed up while flipping through her journal pages until she landed on our discussions about ¡°video games".
¡°Ah hem, so, a current working theory Ko and I have regarding Terra and the hero summoning magic, is that everything appears to be designed like a typical ¡°video game¡± to assist the heroes for assimilation reasons. Earth has a bountiful collection of these battle simulation devices, and, in an effort to help the ¡°players¡±, individuals called ¡°game developers¡± would often place obvious landmarks or identifiers to warn them of any upcoming dangers or challenges. Objects such as bonfires became popular from a notoriously difficult action-based game, and, things such as ¡°save points¡±, while critical for game play reasons, ended up earning a shared association of ¡°save your game, and prepare for a difficult battle whenever you see one!¡±. Thus, whenever such an iconic object is spotted, those familiar with such devices would learn to exercise caution and double check all of their supplies before venturing forth!¡±
Wrapping up their well-rambled explanation with a playful tail wag, I shot Inari a smile before continuing her brief overview. ¡°Thank you, Inari. That, pretty much covers where I was going to go with this tangent. I would also argue, that most summoned individuals are used to playing video games, and it would appear whoever designed this labyrinth wanted to potentially take advantage of this common knowledge from back home.¡±
¡°So, exercise caution, and prepare for a difficult encounter, something we had already been anticipating.¡± Finished Crimson, while Raya cracked her knuckles in anticipation for our upcoming battle. Thus, after checking our supplies and applying an initial round of buffs, we all cautiously entered the larger than usual open concept room.
Compared to the previous floors, there were more bountiful pockets of mana, creating dense, thick hazes wafting throughout the room. There were concentrations for each available element in almost equal ratios, which went against all of our current observations to date. Essentially, I viewed this as another obvious indicator to prep heroes for an upcoming boss fight, as if the labyrinth text and checkpoint weren¡¯t enough...
As we advanced, a large row of marble columns became visible, creating an orderly roadway towards a massive stone door on the other end of the room. The floor and columns were a blinding white, free of any and all imperfections, and the ceiling above us had even opened up into an impressive expansive view, seemingly trailing off to infinity. Then, once we arrived at the impressive masonry pillars, a blue light materialized in the centre of the marble arena, before expanding into a grid-like pattern. Next, the complex grid pattern pulsed and echoed, almost as if it was breathing with the room to cover every visible surface. The lines passed through me without issue, followed by what I could only imagine was a siren horn blaring itself to indicate it had just detected intruders. Remembering back to the 15th floor, I already had a vague idea what was going to happen next.
Nodding towards my friends, we all unsheathed our weapons, while Inari reapplied our status buffs.
But nothing happened.
For several minutes, we all just kind of... Stood still while on edge, glancing around the room. My eyes were darting and snapping to any object I could find, desperately trying to seek out any kind of anomaly to explain the absence of such a response. Inari, Raya and myself, had all been expecting a monotone-like voice to enter our minds, but as we all continued scanning the room, nothing appeared to be happening.
My palms were sweating, as I carefully took a slow step forward, closer to one of the intricate marble columns. A small bead of perspiration dripped down my forehead, as I then carefully holstered my sword to enter a more relaxed stance. Glancing back, my companions did the same, as we all slowly began to approach and examine the columns in greater detail. No weird or abnormal events appeared to be happening, and Raya ended up being the first amongst us to break the unsettling silence.
¡°So... Wasn¡¯t something... You know... Supposed to happen after that light scanned us?¡± She said in a wavering tone while walking closer to the impressive stone door near the back of the room. ¡°I¡¯m not sure... Honestly, I was kind of expecting something like when we entered the first boss floor, but perhaps the final floor is different?¡± I added in a wavering voice while swallowing some of the built-up saliva in my mouth.
Trying to relax, I then followed Raya towards the stone slabs, where I noticed across the doors, was a simple depiction of a several chains covering the right eye of a serpent. Having a fairly good idea by this point what the image was probably referring to, I simply called out to Coileene my rhetorical question for her response. ¡°So, think that¡¯s where your fragment is?¡±
*BOOM*
As soon as the words left my lips, a powerful pulse and pressure wave coursed throughout my body, dropping me to my knees, causing me to clutch my head in agony from the splitting headache I received. My skull felt like it was being squeezed tighter and tighter in a metal clamp, threatening to explode into a misty paste as my mind continued to scream in anguish from an unrelenting wave of pressure assaulting it.
¡°Ko!¡± I managed to hear Inari call out to me as I began rolling and writhing on the hard floor. Then, after what felt like an eternity, the pain gradually began to subside, instead replaced by a warm, comforting pulse. Looking around, I could see Raya, Inari, and Crimson were all standing around me, concerned for my well being. However, while I was struggling to regain my balance, a femilar monotone voice filled my mind, and, based on the facial expressions of my friends, was filling theirs too.
[Boss Floor... Engaged ¨C All Identified Individuals Have Successfully Entered The Final Floor ¨C Calculating Difficulty Parameters ¨C Processing...
Additional Information For Challengers ¨C All Exits For The Final Floor Have Been Sealed Until One Of 2 Conditions Are Met:
1) The Elimination Of The Final Boss Occurs
2) All Identified Individuals Are Eliminated In Combat
Notice ¨C Party Member Size And Composition Aligns W?????????i?????????t???????????h???????? ????????¨C???? ???????E???????r?????????r????????o????????r????? ??????¨C?????? ?????I??????r?????r????????e???????g??????u????????l?????a????r????????? ???????I?????????n???d????????i???????v?????i???????d????????u????????a??????l?????????? ??????D??????e???????????-?????????D????e??????????-??????????D?????????e?????????t??????e???????c?????t?????????e???????d???????? ????A????????p?????????p?????l???????y???????i??????????n????????g????? ??????P???????r??????o??????b?????????l?????e????????m???????? ???????????R???????e????????s?????????-?????R?????????e????s???????-?????????R???????e??????s???????o???l????????u????????t???i???????????o?????????n??????? ????????¨C??????? ?????C????????a?????l???????c???????u???????l?????a?????t?????????i?????????n???????g???????
???????????????E???????r????????r????o??????r??????? ?????????¨C???? ??????????E????r??????r????????o??????r??????????? ???????¨C?????????? ??????E?????r?????r????o?????r?????????? ????????P??????????r????????o???????????-??????????P???r?????o????????b?????l?????????e???????m?????????? ????F??????a????i???????l?????e??????d????????? ????????T??????o????? ???????R?????e?????s???o???l??????????v?????????e??????? ???????S???????u?????c??????c???????e??????????s?????????s??????f???????u????????l???????l????????y????? ????¨C??? ????????C???a??????l??????-???????C????????u??????????-?????????C????u??????????l???a???????t???????i????????n????g???? ????????¨C???????? ???????E???????r?????????r????????o????r?????????? ???????¨C???? ?????????E???????r???????r??????o???????????r????????
*BOOM!*
E??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????r???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????r????????????????????????????????????o???????????????????????????????????r?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
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?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????E?????????????????????????????????r??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????-???????????????????????????????????????????e??????????????????????????????????????????r??????????????????????????????????????????-???????????????????????????????????????????????e??????????????????????????????????????????r??????????????????????????????????????????r???????????????????????????????????????????????r???????????????????????????????????????????????????r???????????????????????????????????????????????????r????????????????????????????????????????????????????r??????r????????????????????????????
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