The imp erupted into laughter, collapsing on the ground, and wiggling its tiny legs, tears streaming down its face. “Look at your faces!” It roared, attempting to rise but failing multiple times.
The trio stared at the laughing creature, their bloodlust evident, yet none of them harbored intentions to attack or antagonize the imp. Who knows if it sought a feeble excuse to end them.
Observing their stoic response, the imp gradually regained composure, standing up and snickering. It fixed its gaze on Slim, who seemed on the verge of losing his composure. “I'm glad you realized how ugly those clothes were. But spare me the sight of those white bones of yours.”
Pointing toward the skeleton, the examiner directed a black beam that wrapped around Slim's bones like a cloth. No matter the necromancer's efforts, he couldn't rid himself of the darkened substance.
“How dare you!” Slim roared, the attack leaving no physical or mental impact but permanently altering his appearance.
“Slim, don’t! That little bastard is goading you. Hold it in, please!” Scott pleaded through their shared communication skill.
Gritting his teeth, the skeleton's bones creaked as the mist within his empty eye sockets churned in tandem with his rage.
The imp simply snickered at the enraged necromancer before redirecting its attention to Scott. “Where is that hammer of yours? Give it to me, and you guys will instantly pass.”
“Yeah, thanks but no thanks,” Scott replied without hesitation.
The imp's grin faded, and it raised its diminutive hand. The ground quivered violently, casting a foreboding shadow over the unlikely trio. Their heads tilted upward, greeted by the reflection of a towering sand wall that painted itself across their quivering eyes. Instinctively, they took a step back.
“What’s preventing me from claiming the hammer?” The imp floated toward Scott, halting just a foot away. “Bring it out if you value your life. This is your final warning.”
Scott's gaze darted between the imp's outstretched hand and the colossal wall of sand. He inhaled deeply, shaking his head. “My answer remains the same.”
The imp's countenance soured, mirroring Slim and Zara's expressions. Yet, the pair had no intention of compelling Scott to act against his will. No guarantee existed that the examiner would spare them, let alone honor its promise.
A tense hush gripped the surroundings; even the howling winds seemed to cower, afraid to provoke the ire of the mischievous creature. Scott and the examiner locked eyes, the eldritch spawn’s gaze unwavering. No trace of fear or remorse lingered in his eyes; instead, a defiant glare met the imp’s hostility.
The imp lowered its arm, and the sand wall dissipated as it chuckled softly. “You guys are no fun. I won’t be wasting my time with you anymore,” it declared, turning to depart.
The trio observed in silence as the creature burrowed into the earth, leaving the area once again shrouded in quiet. Zara collapsed onto her knees, gripping the left side of her chest. Cold sweat trickled down her rosy face as she struggled to take deep breaths. Scott shifted his gaze to Slim, whose bones retained their unusual hue.
“Thanks, buddy. We'll figure out a way to get rid of it,” Scott assured.
“No need. Screw that little pest. Whether I'm gray, golden, or silver, I rock regardless. I won't let it provoke me anymore,” Slim retorted, though the anger in his voice was apparent.
Scott refrained from offering further consolation to the necromancer. Instead, he couldn't help but admire Slim's self-confidence. Although their meeting had been coincidental, Scott found himself genuinely interested in befriending the necromancer. He then turned his attention to Zara, extending a hand to the kneeling cat girl.
“Are you going to be all right?”
Zara lifted her head, tears welling in the corners of her eyes. “I need a moment.”
“Take all the time you need,” Scott said, lowering his hand. Who could remain indifferent after confronting death?
Slim, back in his suit, rested his arm on Scott's shoulder with a sigh. “Buddy, are you sure your second race isn’t undead?”
“Why would you say that?” Scott asked, retrieving two bowls of water from his inventory. He handed both to the kneeling brawler before turning his attention to the curious skeleton.
“I mean, how many people do you think would have the courage to do what you did?” Slim said matter-of-factly. “Most undead don’t fear death since we’re not living to begin with, but it becomes quite troublesome and annoying if we’re trapped somewhere.”
“Wait, are you saying you’re immortal?” Scott asked. Even the kneeling cat girl perked up, eager to hear the necromancer's answer.
Slim stroked his chin while shaking his head. “It’s more complicated than that. To ordinary living beings, it might seem that way, but even we, the undead, can cease to exist.” Slim paused, hesitating, and pondering whether he should linger on the topic. “I’ll tell you guys more later.”
Scott opened his mouth to speak, but a series of system messages appeared in front of him and his companions.
You have slain a desert worm x6! Exp: 100! Abnormal Stat: Madness has decreased by 5! You have attained several new skills! Basic Hammer Mastery (Level 1) – New! Basic Combat (Level 1) – New!
Scott quickly skimmed through the system's message, his fingers halting when he reached the madness stat. Did the old man give me the war hammer of the mad god because it could devour my madness? But where in the hell did he get something like that to begin with?
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Furrowing his brows, Scott's thoughts wandered. The old man's identity, the enigmatic eldritch being that had chosen him, the reasons behind it all, and the purpose he was meant to fulfill—these questions had incessantly occupied his mind, yet plausible answers remained elusive.
The sinkhole, deepening as those creatures met their demise, deprived me of a potential level-up. It's regrettable, but I shouldn't dwell too much on it, Scott mused, lifting his head, and glancing at Slim's stats. Scott read through the necromancer’s stats before turning toward Zara, then he opened her status information.
Unsurprisingly, none of us leveled up. But it’s okay. That we survived that calamity is already a miracle. We only need to survive the rest of the day to pass this godforsaken trial, Scott thought to himself.
Slim tugged at his clothes abruptly, whispering, “Hey, what are your thoughts on Zara? She's skilled, isn't she?”
Scott tilted his head back, a quizzical expression forming. “What are you getting at? Why are you even whispering? You could have used the party channel.”
“I’m not used to it yet,” Slim chuckled, then he continued, “I was thinking, wouldn't it be a smart move for her to officially join us?” Slim suggested, his gaze darting towards Zara, who was sipping from the bowls Scott had provided earlier. “I noticed that nearly everyone we encountered in the square had at least five members in their party. If it's just the two of us, we might find ourselves in over our heads sooner or later.”
Scott nodded slowly, his gaze shifting toward the cat girl. “She's not bad, but we can't coerce her into joining us if she has other plans,” Scott remarked, his eyes lingering on the brawler's side quests. He couldn't help but wonder about the Varkham Hound and why Zara sought to eliminate it. The reason why the seemingly innocent cat girl possessed a higher madness stat than Slim, a necromancer, was also a question that plagued his mind.
Slim patted the back of the masked man, chuckling softly as he continued, “Leave it to me; I'm quite adept with words.” He gave Scott a thumbs-up before swaggering toward the cat girl. Meanwhile, Scott narrowed his gaze, observing the necromancer in conversation with the cat girl. Although their words were too soft to hear, Zara, for some reason, started laughing while glancing in his direction.
What the hell is he telling her? I hope it's not something weird, Scott thought, folding his arms across his chest. A second later, a system message appeared in front of the eldritch knight.
You have received a party invitation! Do you wish to accept the invitation? Yes! No!
He did it. Scott raised his head, meeting the gazes of the smiling necromancer and the flushed cat girl.
Scot’s brows shot up. What the hell did Slim tell her?
The skeleton winked, urging Scott to accept the invitation.
Zara's gaze bore a distinct change when it met Scott's, a shift in intensity that he couldn't quite place. Accepting the invitation, Scott observed as Zara's name now appeared just below Slim's on the updated party list.
Amidst the echoes of Slim's cheerful laughter, he gracefully assisted Zara to her feet, and the duo strolled towards Scott. However, the elusive cat girl avoided meeting Scott's eyes, fueling his curiosity about what the necromancer might have disclosed to her.
“Buddy, welcome our new party member,” Slim announced with a broad smile.
Scott briefly acknowledged the skeleton before directing his focus back to Zara. “Are you feeling better now?”
Zara nodded, still evading his gaze. A frown creased Scott's forehead as he took a step closer. “Slim, did you say something strange?”
“C'mon, buddy. Who do you think I am? That would have hurt if I had a heart, you know?” Slim said, grinning as he exchanged a wink with Zara, and they burst into laughter. Their playful exchange heightened Scott's curiosity about what they had discussed earlier.
However, Slim and Zara's expressions abruptly shifted to seriousness as they gazed into the distance. “Buddy, we've got a new problem on our hands.”
“What is it?” Scott turned around, half-expecting the imp to have returned, but nothing came into view. The echoes of Slim and Zara's laughter filled his ears, leaving him puzzled.
“Sorry, buddy. I promised Zara a prank if she joined us. No hard feelings, right?” Slim cackled, words jumbled in his amusement. Scott only stared at the laughing duo, shaking his head. All traces of the despondent cat girl had vanished, and even Slim had recovered from the second encounter with the examiner.
“I’m glad you guys are having fun, but we need to get moving. Who knows when another calamity will show up?” Scott said.
“That’s true, but can we sort something out first?” Slim asked with a smile. Scott's eyes shifted between Slim and Zara, sensing they were up to something again. “What is it?”
Slim smiled, stepping forward and placing a hand on Scott’s shoulder. “We need to give our party an official name, don’t you think?”
“Is that all?” Scott inquired.
The skeleton and cat girl nodded in unison.
“Buddy, I'm not sure if you realize, but this isn't as trivial as you might think. The more powerful we become, the more our names will resonate throughout the tower. There are legends of different parties ascending from various starter cities over the years. Even Nova Primus had the Celestial Blades, created by the caveman.”
Scott turned sharply toward the skeleton, narrowing his gaze. “The caveman? Who's that?”
“I honestly don't know. All I can tell you is that he's a powerful human champion who played a significant role in rallying humans and surrounding races to create and develop Nova Primus. His party, Celestial Blades, ascended the tower barely a year after the contest opened. However, they laid down enough groundwork for the city's development.”
After Slim's explanation, a familiar face popped into Scott's mind, but he pushed those thoughts aside. “So, any suggestions?”
Slim's smile brightened. “We came up with an interesting idea. Though our primary goal is to survive and engage only in battles we can't avoid, we decided that whoever kills the most monsters after today gets to name the party and becomes the party leader, at least until the next competition.”
Scott interjected, pointing behind the duo. “Do those guys count?”
Slim and Zara turned, and a group of twenty human champions approached from a sand dune over two hundred meters away, each marked with the accursed sign of death over their heads.
“So, you rats were hiding here! Today is our lucky day. We get to claim the bounty on your heads!” The group's leader urged his men forward.
Scott, Slim, and Zara exchanged glances. The skeleton burst into laughter as his scythe appeared in his bony hands. “Perfect. These guys will make for the perfect appetizers.”
Zara slammed her fists together, a murderous gleam in her eyes. Scott, meanwhile, retrieved several mana recovery potions from his inventory. Unlike the necromancer and brawler, he wasn't particularly interested in being the party leader or choosing the party's name. However, he had no intention of passing up on a bunch of free experience points.