"Urghh" I groaned out for the umpteenth time ever since I first came into this world. I feel like the frequency of times I felt like this greatly increased compared to back then... Just my imagination, right? Right??
I opened my eyes, thus ending my unusual monologue. Though I opened my eyes, there wasn't any particular difference to be felt. Looking around and staring hard didn't help either. The place was devoid of light.
"Haaa, darn it!" I muttered under my breath after releasing a long sigh.
An unknown location inside a dangerous dungeon, without sight nor comrades...
*Wait... Comrades? Oh right!* a thought dawned upon me. My mind probably got jumbled when those stuff suddenly happened one after another. The pain on the back of my head is probably an evidence of this, that hit in the head from before must be the cause.
"Vers, Dawn, Dusk... Are ye guys here?!" I shouted with my all. I couldn't make out anything with my eyes so I opted using my other senses for confirmation of the situation. My voice which echoed in the place made me a little rattled.
Few seconds later, a familiar voice resounded.
"Yeah!! We're all together. Where are you~?" it was my new companion who energetically replied. Damn, just how loud is her voice? My ears feels like it's about to burst!
By that reply, I can guess that the area they were currently on is a well lit place. At least, more so than the place I am on.
"Just stay with each other! I'll be lookin' fer a way on my own!" I replied back, mustering my strength in an attempt to imitate her loud voice.
A short confirmation was sent my way. I looked around again now that my eyes are a little used to the darkness. I still couldn't see farther than my arms' length but I guess this is better than nothing...
As I was thinking about what to do for now, I suddenly remembered a certain ability of mine.
I closed my eyes and heightened my senses. I focused my mind towards the action.
I imagined the eyes of a cat. The yellow round ball with a black vertical line in its center. The eyes of an adorable animal yet at the same time, those of a ferocious hunter. The eyes of a predator. Like two round topaz with a small black cut that stretches in the middle of each of them.
"Body Transformation" I muttered the skill name. I still kept my eyes closed during the whole process. I found out a lot of information regarding the two skills I learnt from the skill book I brought over from my previous world from testing them out during my journey with Vers, before meeting the other two. Losing concentration while the skill is activated would cause the skill to fail, even though my mana is still diminished by its process. Worst of all, my skill proficiency decreases by small amounts every time it ends up as a failure. As a side note, my Body Transformation is currently at Beginner Level 2 while Object Transformation is on the edge of leveling up, at 97%.
After fifteen seconds, I opened my eyes and my vision drastically differed from before. My eyes can now see in the darkness clearly. Though, my vision is tainted with a yellow hue. Everything I see is just different shades of yellow. The brightness of the color felt mentally straining, prolonged usage of these eyes would probably make me feel nauseous.
I checked my mana and noticed that a huge hunk of around a thousand mana was drained. Even though I allocated my stat points mostly towards my mental stats, it still took about 2/5 of my whole mana. Compared to the usual 'claws', 'fangs' or other stuff that took 300-600 mana, the cat's eye was apparently more complex the the others.
Anyways, I looked around and found nothing worth noting... Just rocks, more stone, some boulders, pebbles, even more slabs, gravel, and finally, some rubble. It was a place which shouts out 'I am a cave'.
Just how did I got into this situation? To know that, we must travel back some time ago.
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-A few hours back-
After massacring yet another horde of undead, I've reached level 41, the rest also gained a few levels during our adventure.
We finally reached the rumored door inside the cave within the open dungeon 'Spooky Graveyard'. Perhaps we might see yet another dungeon inside... A dungeon within a dungeon within a dungeon...? Give me a break.
"Haaa... Alright." I sighed and shook my head to remove the unwanted premonition. Bracing myself, I crept towards the door to open it. The rest of the gang were looking at me with excited eyes, especially Dawn. Dusk on the other hand, was still wearing a timid look, though her eyes was giving of a glimmer of light. Vers was resting on Dusk's shoulder, seemingly tired. She really overdid it with flying around. She also occasionally helped by sending small magic attacks every once in a while, though it can't really deal much damage, it gives the rest of us the opening we need to go on an offensive against the undead.
My hand slightly touched the door, and for some reason, the door who was apparently impossible to open by lock picking nor magic, or even brute force tried by the people who reached here previously, opened automatically after reaching contact with my fingers.
Stepping inside, the others followed me. I looked around and noticed some artworks related to gambling. Dice, cards, different games and even gold, likely a genuine article. Though, I noted the rest not to carelessly touch anything in which they responded with a nod of understanding.
At the other side of the room, there was a door with a similar appearance as before. I quickly made my way over there as the rest of my party were appreciating the sculptures littered around the place.
I touched the door, waiting for the door to open like before.
'Rumble' an unpleasant sound rang. Damn! And I told the others not to act carelessly, what an irony! My thoughts were suddenly cut by what happened afterwards.
The floor opened and sucked us below. I forgot the iron-clad rule among us gamblers... Never trust one another. Such a mistake would have never been made by the old me, perhaps I really am getting rusty...
Moments later I blacked out and reached unconsciousness.
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-Present-
After walking around in some time, I finally met up with my comrades. They place they were at seemed like our destination, a coffin. They seem like they were waiting for me before venturing forwards. They still haven't noticed my presence so I decided to call out to them.
"Ah! I really apologize for ma' careless mistake. So, how're things goin'?" I spoke out.
The three of them was surprised and looked my way, suddenly, the two humans started staring at my face. Their gazes made me uncomfortable so I glanced towards the little one, -Vers, to ask for the reason.
*Ah!* I suddenly remembered. I got used to the my tinted vision that I've already forgotten about it. I guess something like this is quite weird.
I closed my eyes and deactivated the skill. Since this place was already lit, there wasn't really any need for a cat's nightvision.
I opened my eyes and smiled.
"Just a trivial ability of mine, don't worry 'bout it." I said out loud. They doesn't seem convinced but didn't ask any further, they seem sensible enough not to force it out of me. Or perhaps, they were just too excited with the next page of our adventure, now that we've probably reached our destination.
I went over to their side and examined the coffin. Inside was a man about 40 years of age, with quite a good appearance having a lean body though not bulging with muscles. It gives the impression that this man was quite the casanova back when he was still alive. But this man should have died quite a while back, how come he wasn't rotting? Anyways, no matter how you look at it, this place seems really suspicious.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
I looked at the the golden plate nailed on the coffin, the words engraved upon it is as follows:
'Here lies Fortunas Gutierrez, a hero of Brent'
*Bingo!* I thought to myself, making me smile widely.
"Yeah! We've reached the right place!" Dawn happily exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear.
"..." Dusk didn't say anything but her eyes shows her excitement clearly.
I walked closer to get a better look of the body when suddenly...
'Rumble'
This unpleasant sound made me remember what happened a while ago. I tensed up waiting for whatever that is supposed to happen. I looked around and saw my comrades in the same situation.
Suddenly, smoke was released from the inside of the coffin as the place trembled slightly. Within the smoke, a silhouette of a man about my height could be seen.
*Damn! Is it poison?* I hurriedly covered my mouth to protect myself from the dense smoke, suddenly remembering Vers and the rest, I hurriedly turned around only to see them on the floor, asleep. I returned my gaze back to the source of the gas, to be precise, towards the human-shaped silhouette within.
'Clap' the one inside hidden inside the smoke clapped once, all of a sudden, wind blown into the room which dispersed the thick gas until it was gone.
"Fortunas... Gutierrez?" I muttered, the man that appeared in front of me was the man I saw inside the coffin some time ago. The man who is now looking down on me with amused eyes while standing upon the coffin.
"Correct" he answered with a deep sounding voice "I never thought that a magic gambler would really reach this place... Perhaps my luck still haven't failed me, for making this miracle."
I looked at him with a dumb expression, I couldn't understand what he wanted to convey so I simply stared at him for a while. He started explaining as if he had read my mind.
"Welcome, this is a monument made for me by the people I helped a long time back. You may be wondering about a lot of things right now, that much is only normal. Where you are, why am I still alive, questions like that must have passed your mind."
My eyebrows twitched after processing his words in my mind. I calmed myself down and tried maintaining my usual poker face. I looked back at him and saw his smug-looking mug.
"Well then, man who walks the same path as I, I don't know how you've gained such a profession that guided you here. But as your senior in this world, I guess I can help you improve. I can see that your abilities still lack, perhaps you gained your skills by yourself with no one to teach? I will pass my knowledge about our art to you, my junior. My skills I've honed over the years, my wisdom about our arts. In exchange, I ask you to fulfill my mission, the one I was unable to do as I had to help my country first before starting my journey. The one I never had the chance of fulfilling... Perhaps fate may have had a hand in it. That I wasn't able to start with that mission, and that you are now right here, in front of me. So, what would you do?"
'Ding!'
Your quest has been updated!The Secrets of a Gambler IIYou have been asked by Fortunas Gutierrez to find the secrets of gambling. He had stayed as a soul due to regret of being unable to fulfill his master's request. When he left his village, he had met with an old man, a magic gambler, who taught him all he knows about the profession. He was given an ability to create a contract with other sentient beings. To play a game and win whatever is requested when he won or lose whatever is negotiated upon when he loses. This allowed him to procure an army to battle against the monsters back when he was alive, and create undead by binding souls on his contract now that he had died. By accepting this request, you would gain his knowledge about the art of gambling, as well as his skills and abilities. Failure of the quest would give you a curse which would drop your stats by 99%.
Difficulty: A
Time Limit: 365 Days
Rewards: Unknown rewards.
Requirements: Magic Gambler Profession.
'The Secrets of a Gambler' quest
This is a class-related quest, but it gives you the freedom to choose whether you wishes to accept or not.
He inquired my answer, his mocking smile which clearly expresses the words 'Would you take this gamble, or are you too afraid?' somehow really pisses me off. I steeled my resolve and looked straight into his eyes.
I carefully thought about it, the pros and cons, as well as the odds. This is a high-risk high-reward quest.
"All or nothin'." I muttered with a voice audible to him. In return he gave me an amused smile, like that of a child who was given a new toy.
You have accepted the quest!
"Very well" he said "A true gambler, you are" he continued. He then placed his hand on my forehead and muttered some stuff inaudible to me. A flash of light blinded my eyes.
'Ding!'
Fortunas' knowledge flowed into your mindYou have learned the skill 'Gambling Contract'Gambling Contract (Active)Allows you to create a contract by deciding something of equal value.
A game would be played that would decide who will get the benefits.
Both parties must agree before the contract automatically appears.
Anything can be bet as long as you are the proper owner of whatever it is.
Getting caught cheating would count as a loss.
No mana cost. Can only be used once every three hours.
Master Leveled, can not improve anymore.
Warning: Depending on how you use it might cause you some negative effects like gaining infamy.Intelligence +50
Wisdom +50
Luck +50
Truly a devil's contract...
I opened my eyes to see that he was already gone, but it doesn't matter. Now that his knowledge is in my mind, I know exactly what to do now.
But for now, I turned around to wake up my unconscious companions.
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Author's Note(Grumblings):
Ughh... I apologize for the long, long, long delay. Some stuff happened one after another:
First of all, as you guys know, school just started, meaning, less time on the web... Poor me.
Then, my PC broke. Actually, it's still broken. It always restarts after a while when it opens. Then for a while it won't open again(would restart indefinitely before while booting up, before showing the desktop). Do you know how much I raged when it suddenly restarted while I was halfway writing this chapter? It's better you don't.
Third, because of the reason above, I now have to write everything using my iPad, which is rather inconvenient, I'm more used with the keyboard than this one...
Anyhurr, I apologize yet again, on another note I can't estimate how long my works are anymore... (I use how big the file is to check, the previous ones are around 17KB to 20KB files)
Anyone knows what's the problem with the PC? I'm having doubts about it's battery...
That's all for now... Toodles~
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