"Halt!" The captain's voice rang out. "Sheath your weapons!"
The men hesitantly complied, setting their weapons down while keeping a wary eye on Bones.
"What was that for?" Bones inquired, puzzled by the sudden hostility.
"They're, uh, just a bit jumpy seeing an undead in these parts," the captain explained, finally relaxing.
"Not many undead here?" Bones asked.
"No, not many undead mercenaries working with the guild," the captain replied, his tone now more casual.
These men attacked me. The barkeep can confirm. I was forced to retaliate in fear for my life. Is that going to be a problem, captain?" Bones kept his tone firm and direct.
"Fearing… his life?" murmured one of the men behind the captain, clearly puzzled by the situation.
The captain cleared his throat. "No, it shouldn't pose a problem," he replied, then turned to his men and ordered them to take the thug away and into the interrogation room. "I will have to, however, report this incident and your… unusual circumstance."
Bones raised an eyebrow. "Is that going to be a problem?" he inquired, his gaze fixed on the captain.
The captain thought about it for a moment then nodded his head. "To some? Most certainly. Others won’t care as long as you abide by the law."
"So, I can expect trouble?"
The captain shrugged and replied, "Most certainly."
"I rented the room for the night and intend to use it. I'll be gone in the morning, right after I have my coffee," Bones declared before turning around and striding back into the tavern.
"Do the undead drink coffee?" one of the men standing next to the captain wondered aloud.
"Apparently they do," the captain responded with a hint of bemusement.
The men dispersed, with the guards returning to their posts and the captain heading straight to his office to begin writing the report.
knock knock
sigh "Come in."
"Captain, hi umm, evening! The barkeep greeted the captain sheepishly. "What ab…what about my tavern?"
"It’s the middle of the night, not the evening... What about your tavern, Steve?" Captain Thomas asked the man, not looking up from his report.
"Well, they uh, they trashed my tavern! Who's going to pay for that?"
The captain stopped writing, looked up from the report, and stared directly into the man’s eyes. He harbored a deep disdain for the man, his weasel-like face and his cowardly behavior. "Well, Steve, it certainly won't be me! Why didn't you notify the guards immediately, before the fight broke out?"
Steve's countenance fell, his shoulders sagging in defeat. The captain's rebuke stung, but he knew better than to argue.
"If you're seeking compensation for the damages, take it up with your guest," the captain continued sternly.
Steve's eyes widened at the mention of his guest. He stammered out an apology before hastily retreating from the captain's presence.
"Now then," the captain muttered, returning his attention to the unfinished report. He reached into the drawer of his desk, retrieving a bottle of brandy and pouring himself a glass. What a chaotic night it had turned out to be.
knock knock
"Son of a…" the captain cursed under his breath, hastily concealing the bottle and glass. "Come in."
"Sorry for intruding, captain," one of the guards entered the room.
"What is it?"
"I was just wondering, why didn't we apprehend the undead? He didn't seem to be of a higher level than you!"
hmph "It doesn't matter!"
"Sorry?"
"Think about it. A skeleton working with the guild as a mercenary? Have you ever heard of such a thing?" The captain's voice dripped with skepticism. "No, you haven't! Someone like that must have connections with someone high up in the guild! I refuse to get entangled in that mess."
"I see," the guard nodded in understanding.
"Good. Anything else?"
"Could I have some of that bra.."
"Get out!" the captain bellowed, cutting off the guard before he could finish his sentence.
----------------------------------------
Back in his room, deep in meditation, Bones resumed from where he had been abruptly interrupted.
"What I desire is to make an indelible mark upon this world. I aspire to ascend to new heights and carve out a legacy that will never fade, even if it means sowing chaos and destruction in my wake," he chuckled darkly.
In the short term, I suppose accumulating wealth, mastering a profession, and aiming to reach level 25 are my primary goals. What else is there? I suppose I'll have to wait and see what opportunities arise after advancing my class.
"For now, I should concentrate on leveling up my mana sense, refining my mana manipulation abilities, and advancing my meditation practice to the next stage.”
With his resolve firm, Bones envisioned a swirling vortex of mana forming atop his palm, his concentration unwavering.
As dawn approached, Bones emerged from his room and made his way downstairs. The ground floor still bore the marks of battle, with broken chairs and tables stacked haphazardly in a corner. However, he noticed the bodies had been meticulously taken care of.
"Morn... morning, Mr. Bones," the barkeep greeted nervously.
Bones nodded curtly in acknowledgment as he approached the bar. "Coffee."
"Coffee? I'm sor... sorry, we don't serve…" The barkeep's voice trailed off as he caught Bones' gaze.
"Right away, sir!" Steve hurriedly left the bar. A few minutes later, he returned with freshly brewed coffee.
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"Here you are, sir. On the house, of course, due to... um, well, last night."
"Forget about it. Thank you," Bones replied dismissively.
Briefly stunned by the unexpected gratitude, Steve resumed cleaning the bar.
Bones savored the taste of his coffee, his thoughts drifting to the effectiveness of his Bone Armor skill from the previous night.
“With bone armor on, I could take quite a pounding…” He mentally grimaced at his unintended pun. The armor proved adept at absorbing blunt damage, though piercing attacks seemed to pose a greater threat.
sips
Reflecting on the skirmish, Bones remembered how effortlessly he had neutralized the man pinned at the door and the one disabled by his spikes. However, the two rogues had proven to be a more formidable challenge. This was primarily because Bones had chosen to restrain himself, refraining from using most of his skills and relying solely on Bone Armor and mending. The two rogues had the upper hand in melee combat, their skill surpassing his own. However, as with most battles he had faced, Bones remained virtually impervious to harm. Despite being slashed, struck, and pierced, none of their attacks inflicted any significant damage. The synergy between Mend and Bone Armor proved to be incredibly effective, seamlessly repairing any damage sustained during the fight. Initially, Bones hadn't anticipated such a harmonious relationship between the two abilities.
"I should've known, or at least considered, that Mend could work on armor, not just my bones," Bones reflected. "Am I getting dumber? No, of course not. It's all just new to me, still."
In terms of experience gained, the encounter had surpassed his expectations. While wearing the armor, he had observed a marginal increase in experience,but the true benefit had come from enduring the attacks. Each strike absorbed by the bone armor had provided valuable combat experience, confirming his hypothesis. It was a calculated risk to hold back on employing his full array of abilities, but in hindsight, it had paid off. The valuable experience gained from facing skilled adversaries would undoubtedly prove beneficial in future battles.
"Do you have any more mana potions for sale?" Bones suddenly inquired, catching the barkeep off guard.
Steve paused in his cleaning, taken aback by the request. "More? Well, I do have some in stock. How many would you like?"
Without hesitation, Bones replied, "All of it."
Emptying his cup and purchasing all the available mana potions, Bones left a pile of gold coins on the bar before swiftly departing the tavern, much to the barkeep's relief.
Outside the tavern, Guard Captain Thomas awaited Bones's emergence.
"Mr. Bones," the captain greeted.
"Captain," Bones replied with a nod of acknowledgment.
They exchanged nods before the captain handed Bones a letter. "I've already sent the report to the capital, and this letter is for you. Hand it over to any of the guards stationed at the gates when you reach the capital."
Curiously, Bones asked, "What for?"
"It'll make it easier for you to enter the city without the mask," Captain Thomas explained.
"No trouble then?"
The captain chuckled. "Oh, there will definitely be trouble. Just not with the city guards or the guild, probably. Can't say anything about the other adventurers though."
"Then I thank you, Captain... Thomas," Bones replied, repeating the captain's name. With that, he bid farewell and departed from the post.
----------------------------------------
"Boss!" the henchman burst through the doors, finally bringing the long-awaited report with him.
"Took you long enough. Speak!" Guntar exclaimed, rising from his chair. He had been awaiting the report for two days.
"They failed," the henchman admitted, his tone heavy with disappointment.
boom Guntar's fist collided with the table in frustration.
"Explain," he demanded.
gulp "They found the man and engaged in combat with him, but…"
"But what? They lost?"
"Yes. Three died, while the fourth one was captured and interrogated."
slam crack The desk cracked under Guntar's furious blow.
"That's not all, boss."
grooaaan "Do tell."
"The one you've been looking for? He isn't a human."
"So, what is he? An Elf? Don't tell me he's a bloody dwarf?"
"It's a skeleton!"
[...]
"I must have misheard you. chuckle I thought you said the man I was searching for isn't a man, an elf, or even a dwarf, but a skeleton? Tell me... what was that again?" Guntar's tone was laced with disbelief.
The henchman remained silent, hesitant to repeat his previous statement.
"Well?" Guntar pressed, growing impatient.
"I'm not saying," the henchman replied stubbornly.
"What?" Guntar's frustration was evident. "Are you a child? I know it sounded like I was asking you, but I really wasn't." He shook his head in exasperation.
"Boss…the last person that was giving you bad news...You got him killed. If that is any indication of how you treat your people, I'm leaving!" the henchman declared firmly.
"Leaving? Where in the world do you think you are exactly? You're not employed here, you're here be.."
"Yes, I am," the henchman interrupted.
"What? Employed?" Guntar was taken aback.
"Yes, employed! Every day, early in the morning, I come to work, I do my job, and leave by evening. At the end of the week, I get paid. So, that means, I'm employed," the henchman explained matter-of-factly.
Guntar stared at the man, at a loss for words. The audacity of this minion...
"Alright, I promise I won't snap at you after you finish your report," Guntar conceded.
"Or during the report?" the henchman added cautiously.
"Of course, or during the report. Please, continue," Guntar replied, attempting to maintain a semblance of politeness despite the veins popping out on his forehead.
"As I was saying, boss, the man isn't a human, but a skeleton. One of the guards we paid off at the post confirmed it. He came to the watch post by the mountain path, after midnight. Our men had been waiting for him since the day before, and when he appeared in the tavern - they confronted him. There were no details as to what transpired inside, but not long after, the man stepped outside dragging one of our men with him."
"I see... and does our skeleton have a name?" Guntar inquired.
The henchman nodded and replied, "Bones."
Guntar dismissed the man and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Trevak! Trevak!"
sounds of footsteps
Opening the door, Trevak peeked in. "Yes?"
"What's going on, Trevak? Since when do our men talk back to us?" Guntar demanded, his tone laced with irritation.
"Hm?" Trevak chuckled. "Ah, that. It appears some of our men aren’t satisfied with their work conditions and wish to join the union."
"What?? Since when? Can we join the union?" Guntar's enthusiasm was palpable.
"Ahem, you and I? Of course not."
chet Guntar clicked his tongue in disappointment. "Then make an example out of the henchman that just left."
"Henchman… Roy?" Trevak sought clarification.
"I’m not familiar with the name. His name is Roy?"
"Yes."
"Then make an example out of Roy!"
"Alright, as you wish."
door closes
Guntar sighed heavily and slumped down in his chair. He reached for a bottle and a glass nearby, pouring himself a much-needed drink. He really needed one right now.
knock knock
"Goddamnit." Guntar cursed under his breath, already dreading the interruption.
Since Bones left the watchpost, half a day had passed, and he was now nearing the capital. Despite following the road, he hadn't encountered a single monster, which struck him as odd. The beasts he did notice were below bronze rank, ranging from level ten up to level thirteen, the highest he had seen so far.
Stopping briefly in a village along the way didn't go well. While he wasn't attacked, it was a close call, saved only by his ID card. The villagers still avoided him, leaving him frustrated as he desired to stock more mana potions.
The scenery changed after he left the rocky area of the mountain range. The grey stone was replaced by hilly countryside with lush vegetation and tall trees reaching high. The road pavement he walked on was hard and durable, suitable for both carriages and foot traffic. It wasn't as wide as city streets but allowed for two-way traffic.
While admiring the scenery, Bones attempted to make use of his bone shaping ability. Despite sensing its importance for his future, he had yet to find much success with it, leading to frustration. "This is getting frustrating. I feel like I would be able to shape my bones if only I could raise the level of the skill!"
He opened up the skill menu and checked for available skill points, finding that he had plenty. Despite Nica's advice to save them until his class advancement, he was torn. The constant setbacks weighed heavily on his mind. "Fuck it!" he exclaimed, deciding to spend the skill points regardless.
Skill: Bone shaping [basic] lvl 1 → Skill: Bone shaping [basic] lvl 5