" notice "
“The random prize has been won.”
“Five experience points that can be divided into your skill points.”
The system's voice rang again, telling me the points I had obtained earlier when I killed the goblins. This time it was only five points, unlike the previous time where it was ten points. Maybe it was because of the goblins' low rank.
While I was thinking this, I was walking on the luminous blue grass. Blue light was spreading everywhere, giving the place a magical and mysterious atmosphere. The air here was different, full of the scent of grasses and wildflowers growing between the smooth rocks.
I told the system: “Automatic distribution.”
“Yes, the distribution will be automatic now.”
“The distribution process has now been completed.”
His sweet, feminine voice echoed softly in my ears, like a gentle breeze passing through tree leaves. I had no intention of backing out, because I knew that he was distributing one point for each skill category.
Even now, I couldn't forget the sight of the cold corpses of the adventurers who were killed. Their bodies lay in disarray, as if they had been torn apart in an unequal battle. From the deep wounds and precise stab wounds, I understood that they were not killed by wild goblins or any monster nearby. I conclude that they were killed by cell robbers.
These thieves don't care about ranks or completing quests for adventurer guilds. Their only job is to rob exhausted adventurers before they emerge from the caves. In Elisa's Bronze Kingdom, such actions are strictly prohibited, and can be punished with long prison terms and fines of up to a few gold coins. As for the crime of theft and murder, the punishment may reach death in the public arena.
I was pretty sure that these adventurers were killed by a group of cave robbers.
At that moment I was between the second layer and the first layer of the vestibule, where the environment resembled a luminous night forest. The luminous green grasses and mosses were creating a soft glow, illuminating the path beautifully and magically. I stopped under one of the huge tree roots that came out of the ground in huge twisted shapes, resembling giant arms wrapping around themselves.
I took out some tools and fabrics from the bag to replace my old uniform that was torn and damaged during the intense battle with the boss of the third floor. Every part of my clothing bore the marks of combat, stained with blood and dirt, making replacement inevitable.
I wore a dark gray shirt, with a scarf extending from it and draping lightly at the back, as if it was watching my every move. The black pants were so long that they touched the floor, so I had to fold them carefully. As for the black leather shoes, they were decorated with delicate engravings, which gave them a very sophisticated look
I did not take anything from the bodies of my fellow adventurers because that would be really rude. I took only the sword I used to confront the group of goblins, and large blacksmith's glasses. These glasses would help me hide my face, along with the gray scarf, making my features completely invisible.
I said to myself: "I can't risk my identity being revealed now. First-tier adventurers won't hesitate to attack me if they think I'm a mana monster."
After I finished changing my clothes, I felt a cool breeze touch some of my exposed bones, as if the forest was trying to calm me down and remove the tension that was seeping deep inside me. The scent of wild herbs and flowers was in the air, making me feel at ease despite the imminent danger.
I carefully arranged my things inside the bag, trying to focus on the next steps.
I hung the stick on the back of the bag and carried the sword, which I had cleaned from traces of blood until it was shining and reflecting its strong light in the glasses on my face.
I placed the point of the sword on the scabbard and began to close it slowly until I stopped at the end, where I saw the name engraved on it in the language of the Kingdom of Zalomir. The name is "Kaylor Twin Mark".
This name was familiar to me, not only because its owner belonged to the teams of dead adventurers I had found previously, but because in the past I had known this adventurer and his friend Ronin. I remember them coming to the Black Cat Tail Hotel every time they completed their low D-rank missions. They were guys three years younger than me, seventeen years old.
When we were sitting at the bar, I and my colleague Graeth Gull, who had a large build and a sturdy body, had a wound mark on his forehead from one of his previous fights that was covered by his hanging black hair. Graith was a man of iron determination.
On the left side, sat Thane, the powerful adventurer of our squad. He too was a wielder of the fire god Perivar's sword technique, like Graith, who was naturally gifted at strategy. His gray hair was tied into a ponytail, giving him an aura of strength and wisdom.
Their guild rank was B+, a rank given to competent adventurers with superior talent and strength. As for me, I was a C+ rank, only one degree different from them.
Ronin and Cailor always came to the Black Cat Tail Inn after completing missions, especially at night, after struggling with low-ranking missions.
They looked up to Graeth as a role model, due to his extensive knowledge of sword techniques. They compliment him every time they enter the bar, their faces full of sweat and dirt after completing their tasks.
I will never forget the words they said: “Caelor and I will create an adventurer group just as good as yours, and we will become as famous as the Seven Blessed Saints,” Ronin said with enthusiasm and passion, the sparkle in his eyes shining like a star illuminating the vast expanse.
I remember his words to me: "I will protect my own party as you protect your companions in your role as a support wizard." His words made me feel that my role in the team was not just about being a healer and support magic user, but about protecting the team and providing warm support.
When I remember their bodies drowning in a pool of putrid blood, I feel overwhelming anger and hatred towards those who killed them, like a fire burning in my empty chest.
After a long thought, I put the sword back in its sheath and was ready to go.
I climbed the tall black trunk of the tree to the edge of a large rocky bend over which thick, glowing moss grew. I looked at the ceiling of the huge vestibule, which seemed to extend to the upper limits of the sky. The luminous crystals made it look like little stars twinkling inside the vestibule.
I was moving forward with simple and steady steps, looking through my glasses at the beautiful cave environment, while the luminous blue grass and glowing insects reflected in an enchanting and attractive way.
A sharp scream pierced my ears with a powerful sound, breaking the stillness of the forest in the first layer. I did not stay in my place for long, as I moved quickly, improving my pace between the giant trees that emerge from the ground in twisted and spiral shapes towards the sky, and I set off towards the sound, my tension at its highest levels.
She arrived at the source of the sound, where she found two adventurers engaged in combat with a mana monster at the bottom of a slope that sloped downward. I stood watching them from a distance, at ground level.
Their status as just two people would cause them to die if they clashed with any monster inside the vestibule.
“Shit,” I said when I saw the monster they were fighting. Its back is covered in spikes as a shield from back attacks, its legs resemble those of a wolf, and its lithe body is full of lethal muscles. It is the “poisonous swamp urchin,” and its name reflects its deadly toxicity. If one of its spines penetrates the body, you may die in just ten minutes.
These two adventurers struggle with all their might; A young boy wields a long sword with ancient non-patterned patterns, and behind him is a magical girl who supports him with beginner-level water magic.
They're both beginners, and if I don't hurry to save them, they'll undoubtedly die soon.
I stood from the top of the hill, preparing a level three wind spell, trying to hit the Poisonous Swamp Hedgehog. I collected a ball of hurricane wind from the top of the hill, tried to direct it precisely, and polished it until it was more durable and strong.
She continued to form the wind talisman until it became more powerful and swirled like a stormy arrow. I pointed it at the Poisonous Swamp Hedgehog like an exploding cannon cutting through the cold air.
The wind was blowing as the spell was launched. The two adventurers were surprised by the magnitude of the released wind, which blew the ground forcefully and created a huge, violently rotating storm.
I jumped off the cliff, feeling the wind sting my face as I fell with amazing speed. She used a wind spell to soften the fall, but was a little late in activating it, so she fell hard and rolled violently on the ground until she stopped in front of the adventurers. The stormy atmosphere created by my spell is still blowing violently and powerfully, while the hedgehog is in the middle of it there.
I saw concern on the faces of the two young adventurers, as if they knew the danger of the monster in front of them. “Poison Swamp Hedgehog” is a mana monster with a gravity of one gold star. This creature's habitat is deep in the sixth floor's Mold Swamp Layer. I don't know what made it come to the first floor.
I got up from the ground, my body filled with tension. Since these two adventurers are beginners, they won't do much to help me. I had to prepare a fire spell before the wind stopped.
I was about to talk to them but I remembered that I couldn't speak. I motioned for them to take cover behind me. They seemed to quickly understand and quickly headed behind me. And here I started chanting a 2nd level fire spell. I know very well the seriousness of this situation, so I will never relax my defense.
The mana flowed from the bones of my hand to the wand and formed circular magic circles with a triangle inside them with complex n symbols that suggested to me the power of the level from which I would make the spell. The problem here is the thirst for killing that emanates strongly from him.
With its terror that spread terror into the body of the dead, the hedgehog emerged from the storm as if it had never struck. "What is this creature?" I said while the tension was overwhelming me. Behind me, I could feel that girl’s fear.
The boy was also frightened, but he was standing in front of the girl, holding out his sword towards the poisonous swamp urchin.
The hedgehog came out of the storm and I still haven't finished making the spell. With a body very similar to a wolf and a muscular build like a bear, he is a deadly creature. Six eyes to see the smallest movements. I saw him move the spines on his back in a strange way, hearing pops with every movement. “This isn't really good, damn.” He fired a barrage of poisonous spikes in our direction. If it hits one of us, it could be the end of his life. This is bad.
I thought our matter was over until I heard him lunge in front of me while I was still preparing for the almost finished fire spell. "Please don't worry, I'll handle it." The boy said in a voice mixed with fear and tension that appeared on his face. He grabbed his sword and headed towards the barrage of thorns, trying to block it. He pressed the ground hard as his grip around the sword tightened.
He made the first quick wave as he confronted a group of poisonous thorns, followed by another until he was making quick and piercing waves as if they were a shield from the wind. But those plaques had holes through which the thorns passed. No one hurt me until I finished all of them.
She took heavy steps forward after saturating the magic circles with hot, molten flame. The poisonous hedgehog heads towards us at breakneck speed and may arrive in seconds. I advanced on the novice adventurer and launched a radiant fireball with molten power towards him without reserve. The place lit up with a blazing yellow flash as it launched itself towards the hedgehog, hitting it hard. The area near him exploded and the ground cracked violently, leaving huge smoke billowing into the air. The cliff that the poisonous hedgehog was standing on collapsed and fell hard, destroying everything.
After the massive explosion caused by the fire spell, smoke began to rise from the poisonous hedgehog's location. We were watching the place carefully, waiting for any sign that the battle was over. The air was heavy with the smell of burning, and the heat from the spell was making us sweat.
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"Is it over?" The young knight said in an exhausted voice, sweat dripping from his forehead.
"I don't think so. We have to make sure." The girl answered, staring into the smoke clouds.
The smoke ended up dissipating, revealing a scene of debris and cracks in the ground. There was no movement to indicate the presence of the hedgehog. I took cautious steps towards the site, while the two young adventurers followed me cautiously.
Suddenly, a low roaring sound rose from the rubble, and the hedgehog's spines reappeared from under the rubble. He was hurt but he didn't give up yet. He got up, his body writhing from the burns, but he did not lose his resolve. His poisonous spikes were still burning, and his body was unbalanced.
"He's not dead yet. Be prepared, please, and stay back!" I screamed audibly for the first time, and I didn't know why my voice came back, but I knew that the system had something to do with this.
The young adventurer looked at me, tightened his grip on the sword, and said in an agitated voice as he waved his sword at the hedgehog: “Don’t worry, I will help you. It is not the knight’s duty to escape from difficult situations.”
"Don't worry about me, Gael, I'll have your back." The girl shouted in a challenging tone, preparing her wand and her water spell.
The hedgehog moved at a frightening speed despite his injuries, as if his wounds were superficial thanks to his rapid recovery rate and regenerative state. Its spines moved rhythmically with every movement, making a slight crackle.
She prepared to fight, created a group of ice crystals and shot them at him like cold arrows. He dodged some of them, while others collided with his body without affecting him much.
“Take that, you fucking bastard!” Gael shouted in an agitated voice, and approached with his sword, directing a blow towards the hedgehog's neck. However, the hedgehog's spines, as hard as platinum metal, blocked and reflected the blow.
I intervened and fired heavy rock bullets at the hedgehog, forcing it to retreat. The rocks didn't affect him much, but they slowed him down.
The girl intervened with an ice spell, surrounding him with a pool of water that turned into ice, preventing his movement.
"Well done! That might be enough to stop him for a bit." I told her in a calm voice, motioning for the young knight Gael to attack. I took my sword out of its sheath, and we headed out together, swinging our crossed swords at him.
However, the ice around the hedgehog cracked and crumbled like a wall of dry wax. The hedgehog released its spines thickly, like a rain of needles falling in a storm full of movement.
I dodged some attacks as I swung the sword left and right, using the wind slightly to avoid being hit. Although Gael was a beginner, his way of holding the sword was good, as he was able to protect himself from the flying thorns with his huge sword.
The girl fired a group of water balls at the hedgehog to distract him. I did not waste the opportunity, so I directed the rock bullets at him with high precision and intensity.
The shots seemed to affect him slightly, but they made him focus on me. He was moving towards me, advancing between the flying bullets and rocks.
"Do not underestimate a knight who fights, you innocent animal!" Gael shouted as he pierced the hedgehog's stomach with his giant sword after a straight stab. Blood flowed out as the poisonous hedgehog's body shook in a desperate attempt to extract the sword. Gael held his sword tightly, determined not to let the hedgehog escape.
I moved quickly, ready to deliver another blow, but the hedgehog took advantage of a loophole and hit Gael with his massive tail, sending him rolling on the cold blue grass as he spat blood and saliva into the air.
I moved closer, ready to plunge the sword into his head, but the hedgehog shot a set of poisonous spines at me, piercing my ribcage like a set of spears. If my body had been the same as before, I would have been dead, but now that I was a skeleton, I had not been poisoned. I fell near the edge of a high cliff, feeling the suffocating breeze of tension, as the hedgehog ignored me after stabbing me in the chest and tossing me away.
The girl rushed towards Gael, her face filled with tension as she shouted, “Gale, wake up, you idiot!” She stood in front of him, shooting water balls at the slowly advancing hedgehog.
I thought the end had come for them, as the hedgehog's huge body appeared before them like an invincible tyrant. At that moment, purple blood spread in the sky in a dark color, and a long spear pierced one of the hedgehog's eyes, causing blood to flow abundantly as he suffered.
At that moment, a group of adventurers enters, five men carrying various weapons. "Don't let him escape, men," shouted one of them, holding a huge axe, "this is valuable spoils!" They all charged towards the injured hedgehog, alternating between attacking and defending in unison.
The hedgehog let loose a bunch of flying spikes, but the wizard in the squad created an energy barrier to protect them. The huge axe-wielder advanced and gained the magician's support with strengthening magic, growing stronger and faster. With one leap, he reached the hedgehog and cut off one of its legs, causing a huge stream of blood.
The ax fit his massive frame, and its powerful swings pushed the monster towards the cliff. "I'm going to make you submit to me, you filthy cunt!" He shouted in a stern voice, forcing the monster to retreat every time.
The hedgehog raged violently, shooting a huge amount of thorns from its back and neck. At that moment, I intervened, shouting, “This is very dangerous, take care now, quickly!”, as the wizard created two stone walls, one behind which the other adventurers, Gael, and the girl gathered, and the other where the axe-wielder took shelter.
The thorns fell like an endless rain, but did not hit the adventurers who took cover under the protective barriers. The ground was filled with poisonous thorns, but everyone was safe.
At that moment I realized that the hedgehog had exhausted his strength and had no other tricks left. His back was exposed and his body was in critical condition. I picked up my sword and started running towards him with all my strength. I took an offensive stance and made a decisive jump.
The hedgehog tried to attack me with its pointed tail, but I skillfully dodged it. “Now's my chance, his neck is exposed!” She maneuvered him skillfully, plunging the sword deep into his now thorn-free neck. Blood flowed profusely as she plunged the sword deeper, and he writhed in pain as he struggled with his last breaths.
Feel his experience beyond physical boundaries, as his soul slowly withdraws and the colors and sounds around him dissolve. His memories dissolve, leaving behind a trace of deep stillness, as if he was freed from his physical restrictions to dissolve into the infinity of existence. He becomes one with the universe in an immortal moment of eternal peace.
The hedgehog fell to the ground, his body motionless, and blood covering the dirt. I sat on the floor, exhausted, blood covering my glasses. I stare at the ceiling of the vestibule studded with glowing crystals like stars.
I sat alone with my thoughts, unable to get up from exhaustion. I stared at the ceiling of the vestibule glowing with crystals that looked like stars high in space, silently watching me.
«New Notice»
«Random prizes are being shared»
“What kind of reward will it be this time? I expect experience points will be included, but this time you have defeated a Gold Star-class monster.” I sighed as I spoke in my new voice that I was not used to yet; It was deeper and lower, and at the end I heard a wavering echo. Am I just hearing it in my head or what?
«Notification: You can claim your prizes now»
I got up from the floor after hearing the quiet system alert and sat up ready.
«Notification: Ten new experience points have been obtained»
Well, good start. Ten points the first time, but I wonder if there are more.
«Notice: A unique skill of the intermediate level has been obtained that can be developed: «Continuous Regeneration.»
Ability: This skill allows you to restore a small portion of your health and repair broken bones over time. I felt a wave of relief upon hearing this, constant regeneration would be crucial in the upcoming battles.
«Notice: Obtained a unique upgradeable mid-level skill: «Thirst for Spilling»
Ability: You can spread an aura around your surroundings that makes your enemies distracted by the concentrated fear of you, and restricts their movement.
“This will give me a huge advantage in difficult situations,” I said to myself proudly, enjoying my new tone of voice.
I looked around, surrounded by the poisonous thorns spread out over the wide horizon.
The one left behind by the Poisonous Swamp Hedgehog, whose body is clearly visible in the distance from me.
I touched the small hole in my shirt left by the previous hedgehog attack.
“Luckily I'm just bones, otherwise I'd be dead by now from the poison,” I said in a relieved tone as I felt the gap in my shirt.
"Hey, Masked Adventurer! Are you okay?" He called me in an optimistic and energetic voice, as he ran between the thorns with ease. He approached me and started panting from fatigue, standing in front of me. I noticed his long robe that reached his knees, the tight trousers that clearly showed his knees, and the white patterns that hung from his waist in an elegant style that attracted the eye due to the beauty of its simplicity.
"Did you hear me? I asked you if you were okay," she repeated her question and bent down to be at my height. I saw her shiny brown hair flowing in my direction.
I answered her in a deep, calm voice: “Yes, I’m fine, but why ask?” Tilting my head from behind the scarf and glasses.
She replied in a worried tone, “Because I saw a bunch of poisonous thorns pierce your chest earlier, or am I wrong?” Her dissatisfaction and worry showed on her face, so I had to reassure her.
“Don't worry, I protected myself with a thin mana shield,” I lied to her, I can't tell her that the spikes passed through my rib cage because I'm a skeleton.
She wanted to make sure, so she asked: “Are you sure about that?” She looked at my glasses suspiciously, leaning closer to me.
The sound of feet stumbling on the ground, accompanied by the sound of iron colliding repeatedly with each step. A young man stood up and said in a mature voice: “Ali, you can stop nagging, Zelia.” His tone was mild, directed at the girl who finally learned her name.
“What if I want to check that he is safe and that there are no injuries?” I stood up and walked towards him.
I also stood up after seeing the group of adventurers who helped us eliminate the monster.
"Thank you for worrying about me. I'm fine and strong, thanks to you I survived the hedgehog," I said in a respectful tone. My voice was deep and out of proportion to my small size.
“No, we are the ones who should be thanking you for saving us,” Gael replied, trying to dismiss my words with apology and respect. “If it weren’t for you, we would be dead now, thank you very much.” She bowed deeply in front of me and apologized as well.
I was relieved for their noble behavior: “There is no need for all this apology. We just supported each other. There is no need for all this.” My nervousness was evident in my actions as I waved my hands in nervousness.
A man leading the group approached us, with the adventurers walking behind him with steps similar to those of knights. The man grabbed a huge-handled ax and said in a voice that was eloquent and audible because of its intensity: “It's all right here, young men.” His narcissistic face was full of wrinkles, he was not very tall but he was a little taller than us.
Gael responded with a stammer: “Thank you too, sir. You and your team contributed to helping us survive the powerful mana monster.” His apologetic tone was also deep.
He laughed with a giggle: “There is no need for all this, owner of the giant sword. This was our duty as cave raiders, wasn’t it? We help protect those in need.” He put his hands on his shoulder, praising him and courting him.
Zelia looked at me hesitantly and muttered in a low voice: “Can I at least cast a spell on you? At least to treat your scratches.” She looked at me with her innocent eyes with bright gray pupils.
My skeletal body part was not visible because I had previously focused on hiding my identity well, so I agreed to her request with a simple nod.
She began chanting a simple healing mantra in a calm, focused voice. She placed her right hand on top of my head, trying to keep up with my height, until the green glow of healing fell on me like drops of soft snow. I felt the cold spread through my body and heal my bones. My fatigue disappeared and my body felt better than it was now.
She lowered her hand and looked at me with a small smile and asked, “How do you feel now? Tell me.”
“I feel so much better, as if life has returned to my body. Thank you.” I said in an excited tone, while I watched the bruise on her face, which made me feel comfortable.
The man with the ax walked up to me and introduced himself as Darius.
"You're the one who killed the hedgehog, right? Good move." He said in a serious tone, his eyes examining the body lying on the ground, before he smiled.
"You haven't introduced yourself yet. What's your name, Suicide Warrior?" He said it in an arrogant tone with a narcissistic smile on his face.
I felt nervous, and I had no other name to give him. “Aaron,” Aron claimed, “a lone adventurer in the cave invasion.” I replied, trying to hide my face behind the glasses and the scarf covering it.
I looked at the old, tattered Red Phoenix emblem that was emblazoned on all of their armor, and I became a little suspicious.
“It seems that you were so close to us that you were able to catch up with us to help us in the end, right?” I said in a voice that reflected how serious I was.
He finally turned to me after looking away from the hedgehog's corpse and began speaking in a serious voice accompanied by a small smile: “Yes, my group and I were about to exit the corridor after carrying out an invasion of one of the caves on the third floor. As you know, more invasions mean more profits for us. But we didn't have much luck in our last invasion, and we almost returned empty-handed until we came across you fighting a hedgehog.” He pointed at the hedgehog after he finished speaking and looked at the three of us.
“I was thinking, wouldn't it seem fair that we split the profits? The reward for this hedgehog's kernel is worth a lot, since his danger level is equivalent to a gold star.” He said, his eyes moving between us.
Gael took a few steps forward and muttered, “I think it's only fair that we share his prize money, since we all took part in chasing him. I think it's the right thing.” Gael turned to us and asked: “What do you think, Aaron and Zelia?”
We spent some time in silence, and I looked at Darius' team with cold looks from behind glasses. In fact, I didn't care much about the award; The only thing on my mind was to get to the Evanna Vaughn Sect as soon as possible to diagnose my condition. So I had to agree in the end.
"Well, that's what I think too. I agree to the division." She looked at Gael, who turned to Zelia, who hesitated for a few seconds before giving in and saying, “I hope our share is good too, Gael.”
Darius laughed hoarsely, indicating the peak of enthusiasm: “This is how the spirit should be, guys, right?” He shouted loudly.
He spoke again in a mild tone: “I didn’t know what to do at this time. As you know, we were about to leave the corridor with empty hands. Thank you all, this means a lot to us.” Gael smiled sheepishly, meeting his words with a smile on his face.
"Well, I think we should move now and set up our tents nearby to rest. If we decide to come out of the pass now, it will take at least seven hours, so it's good to get some rest, right, guys?" Everyone shouted excitedly.
“He's right,” Zelia added to Gael, muttering something close to his ear. “We should take a break. You used up a lot of mana while facing the hedgehog, Gael.” She appears to be beginning to suffer from low mana syndrome, a condition that affects people when they overly deplete their mana stores, causing dizziness, fever, and vomiting.
Zelia almost fell from sudden dizziness, had I not intervened quickly and caught her. I helped her stand steady and looked at Darius, "Then let's set up camp now." As I carried Zelia, she was leaning on me with exhaustion on her face.
With an optimistic voice, she looked down the slope toward the dense trees illuminated by blue grasses, and the spirit trees around which tiny spirit particles danced like stardrops.
"We'll set up camp there after we get down from here. Let's get started now." Darius said, pointing down the cliff, and took off leading his team while Gael carried Zelia on his back.
I've felt this way ever since I first met him; Ever since he talked about being on the third floor, I've felt a strange feeling, a feeling I know all too well when it comes to lying. What are you feeling?
Hiding from me, Darius?
To be continued in the next chapter.