The System liked to be… inconsistent when it came to how much danger a Quest should be for you. While the beginner ones were meant to hold your hand, once you had moved beyond the safety of the more pleasant climates it cared less about your well-being. Were the rewards even worth it? The number of things that were ‘worth’ what I had endured on my travels was a short list. But those few may have well been chiseled in stone, for how they kept me grounded.
“Do you always breathe so loudly?”
I frowned at the elf. Sure, the trek through the woods on to the next Quest had been a bit more cardio than I was apparently used to - but I did have 'magician Stats', after all. Or something to that effect.
While the churlish nature of my companion had been amusing at first, the fact that her mood had gone unchanged was edging it closer to being worrying. Whilst I was usually unflappable on a good day, the near endless scowl of the supposed Ranger was having me doubt myself.
“The world I am from has a different atmosphere. I am still adjusting.” I gave her a shrug.
“Do you always bullshit, too?” She rolled her eyes and looked off into the distant woods.
I took a moment to consider the question. If I were honest with myself, then certainly - it seemed I was liable to lie or bend the truth to wiggle free of social discomfort - but there wasn’t a malicious intent to it. Just part of my charms... which is something I at least believed I had, even if reality hadn’t caught up to that fact.
“Are you always so grumpy?” Not the best example of my alleged charm.
“I am.” She stopped and looked up at me. “Is that a problem?”
“Not really. I just wanted to make sure it was your default state and not an error of my making.” I gave my best try at a polite smile.
“You’re annoying, but it’s not you. As self-centered as that makes you sound.” She sighed and shrugged. “Pa always told me I had the temperament of a dwarf rather than an elf.”
I barely remembered much beyond a small handful of things I had been. My father was... someplace not often present. “You remember much about your parents?”
Ren bit her lip and her eyes unfocused, as if trying to reach inside her mind for the memories. “Occasionally, it’s foggy and comes and goes.” She snapped out of it and scowled at me. “Boars are nearby, trickster.”
For all the confusion rolling around in the back of my mind, I was pretty sure I had parents, too. Seemed natural. Something about a house... lots of magic. A white rabbit… I knew I didn’t like pigs, for whatever reason, and was slightly pleased that the next batch of murders the System commanded of me was to kill ten Boars.
Just two more levels and then we’d work on Ren’s personal Quest. I had signed up for actual murder with little complaint, despite only hearing one side of the story. Was it because I owed the elf my life? Or because she had such conviction about the task? Maybe I didn’t feel someone so easily won over by sweet pastry could have ill intent. Definitely wasn't those bright blue eyes that drew me in.
“There.” Ren pointed out to a clearing a few dozen feet out. Three boars stood around, snuffling at the ground. “Two will flee when you attack one. I can’t do much as I don’t want to get any experience.”
“Understood.” I nodded. I rifled through my magic deck, and it seemed to be normal cards at first. No interesting pictures like when I had summoned a demon. This time, I would probably give the Imp a try.
“What are you doing?” Ren crossed her arms.
“Just wondering things. Are the demons I summon the same ones every time, or different?” I hummed and tapped my fingers at the top of the deck, as if an answer could resonate through it.
“What do you think?” Ren was tapping her foot now, clearly unimpressed about missing out on half the conversation I was having with myself.
“It’s likely it’s a different demon every time, but I suppose I’ll know for sure once I use the ability more.”
“Hmm.” She nodded and relaxed her posture, looking back at the boars ahead of us.
Perhaps she just wanted to know how things worked too, or had a vested interest in demonology. Or dogs.
I narrowed my eyes and crept forward, unsure as to how close I could get without attracting the attention of the monsters. The Slimes had been content enough to hop up to me as if we were friends, but I doubted things would be that easy going forward.
[New Monster: Boar <2>]
My hand drew a card from the deck - one with a picture of a spherical demon of crimson with a little pitchfork and pointy tail. I held it aloft and cast the spell.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
An arcane circle swirled by my feet as the foot-and-a-half-tall Imp crawled out from Hell. Much like the picture on the card, he had ruddy crimson skin and was almost comically round in shape. Ears, nose, horns, and tail were all pointy in contrast - although he didn’t hold a pitchfork.
“Alright, champ. We have some little piggies to cook.” I gave him a nod, and he returned the gesture with a hint of excitement in his beady eyes.
I drew a purple rectangle for
With a flick of my arm, my wrist snapped the card through the air - a slight arc to it as it curved past two trees and sliced along the flank of one of the grazing Boars. It turned to me with pain and anger in its eyes, as the two other beasts sprinted off in different directions in panic.
The Imp started gathering energy, creating a small fireball between his tiny hands. As I drew a second purple card, the flame was thrown forth toward the charging boar. The bright amber of the fire attack left a glow across the forest floor before it struck the creature straight in the face.
With a shriek, the boar stumbled, blinded by the burn across its face. Just enough distraction for my thrown card to strike it dead center in the skull - piercing it with a sharp crack. The creature took another step and then flopped over heavily.
“What was your plan if it got into melee range?” The scouring tone of Ren came from behind me.
“Probably get gored and spill out all that freshly eaten cake from my punctured insides.” I turned my head back to her, and wasn’t surprised to find my casual attitude didn’t soften her sharp edges.
She rolled her eyes. “You’ll have to take things a little more seriously if you’re going to help me.”
While it was nice to hear again that she had accepted my help, I didn’t feel it prudent to espouse my feelings on the benefit of having a joyous take on life, to deal with the rather ridiculous world I now found myself in. Instead, I just gave her a nod and turned to walk over to my prey.
[Boars Killed: 1/10, Boar Meat, 0/5]
“I can definitely see a lot of meat on this little piggy.” I frowned toward my Imp, who had come to stand beside me and inspect the corpse as well. “How do you even quantify five meats?” It looked like two or three meats to me.
“It’s a specific drop.” Ren followed up behind us and leaned against a tree. “I realize how bizarre it is, believe me. You’d think you could just butcher and cook up the boar as it is, and you can, but for the Quest you need the specific Inventory item drop.”
I looked at the slot in between its eyes where my attack had struck it through the brain. “Well, we will just have to get lucky with the bacon, then.” Tilting my head, I gave the Imp a pat on the head. “Well done, bud.”
One of the two boars that had run off had settled not too far from me, rather unrealistic, I thought - although my knowledge of actual boars was probably rather limited. My fingers drew a card, and I held it briefly to feel the power of it. The magic had a vibration to it that I was manipulating with my ability. Perhaps if my passive skill was the cause of the extended range, I could do even more with that. If I could only work out how to make a show of it…
The card zipped through the air, swerving around a tree just before hitting the boar. With the spark of fire, we played out the same couple of attacks for this boar, and then two others. Each one fell from a card, fireball, card combo. Satisfyingly consistent - just like all good magic should be.
My Imp turned to me and waved a thin little arm at me, as an arcane circle started to glow around his feet. I gave him a quick bow as he descended into mist.
[Boars Killed: 4/10, Boar Meat 1/5]
“Finally.” I checked my Inventory to see the icon of some well-butchered boar meats. “Hope the drop rate picks up.”
“Did you open your random boxes yet?” Ren again hovered in the backdrop, arms folded.
“Are they worth it?” I stood and brushed my suit down. “I already look pretty snazzy.”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t be dense, armor has Stats and actual defensive bonuses. Your… suit is just cosmetic.”
“I did find gloves with Dexterity on them.” I looked at my hands with furrowed brow in the realization that it didn’t look like I was actually wearing them. Seems there was both an equipment set that you could gain stats from, and one that was on show. “Alright,” I gave her a smile. “You’ve convinced me.”
Fingers on the menus, I opened up the Inventory again to check the boxes. Knowing my luck, I might just get another three pairs of gloves. Open All saved me some intangible-button pressing.
[Basic Leather Boots]
[Basic Leather Boots]
[Basic Cloth Helm]
“I am thoroughly whelmed.” I gave Ren a shrug as I equipped the various things. It wouldn’t let me put two pairs of boots on, or one of each - which was almost as disappointing at just getting only Common rarity gear.
“The rates are terrible, but you’re slightly further away from having your intestines gored out.”
“Now I’m truly living.” I smiled out at the forest. Part of me hoped she would at least attempt to save me if it came to that - she couldn't be totally on the cusp of leveling out of being on the island.
With a stretch, I allowed myself a yawn. I wasn’t sure what time of day I had arrived in this world, but it now looked to be in the post-noon period of sunshine. Assuming the sun rose and sank like in my previous world. Still, things had been more tiring here, with violence being the main activity. The socialising had been a strain, as well.
“There’s another Quest after this one, then you’ll Level up again most likely.”
I couldn’t wait. Despite the spot the cake had hit in my empty stomach, I was hungry for something greater. The desire for more power had sunk in behind my eyes, and the promise of furthering my demonic abilities was almost enough to put a spring in my step. Even more so because it would annoy Ren.
Doubly so, as ideas were popping in the back of my brain for ways to use my new abilities as tricks in my next show. I’d need a pen and paper to really scour my intent into being, so the invention was on pause until we had rest in some town or city. Things seemed to be looking up for me, and I couldn’t wait for what the future may bring.
Between two fingers, I drew the Hellhound card and grinned out at the world ahead that opposed me.
Two red eyes glared back at me. The snuffling of a nose bigger than a normal boar, followed by the shaking of chains came from the dense bushes to my right.