Chapter 34: Explosions, Explosions Everywhere

There was no way in hell I was touching that thing. Ten million experience points and a class evolution. That was just screaming danger, and my system seemed to have a personality issue. It was literally arguing with itself to get me to pick it up or leave it be. I could only stare at it, wondering what was happening.

First, I killed a player. It wasn’t a defeat, no. Their head came off, and they disintegrated like a mob and left behind an item. Now, the system gave me a quest to pick up the watch. Or perhaps somebody else was messing with my system. It wouldn’t be the first time—actually, it happened quite a while ago.

What was the name of that NPC? I looked through my inventory and came across the item that had been given to me, ‘Grace of Saratul’. Saratul, that’s right. Something doesn’t seem right. He was the only NPC to have messed with my system. What does it mean?

[System: Pick up the watch.]

Right. I’ll… think about it later. “System, take me back to the waiting area.”

[System: No. You need to leave. You need to learn.]

[System: Pick up the watch and you can stay.]

[System Notice: Quest completed. You will now be taken to Floor 14.]

[System: Stop this!]

I wasn’t really given the time to reflect on what just happened. I would have enjoyed a break, a missing player would have definitely provided that but… the way it happened wasn’t how I would prefer it. It was like this game was turning into something more than a game. It must have been due to the soul technology. They did say it was dangerous stuff.

The familiar aura of light touched my body, wrapping me in my entirety. It looked like the watch started moving around as a black aura began swirling around it. Dammit. Why can’t I just enjoy the game without someone pulling me around? Sigh.

I closed my eyes, should I have just taken the watch? But what would have happened if my class changed into some ‘Shade-type’ class? Or whatever that was? Would I be killed just like that, too? Would I have to follow the… other system’s instructions?

[System Notice: Welcome to Floor 14.]

[System Notice: Your quest has continued. Find Madelyn Briggs.]

Right, quest continued. From… Floor 11.

I was having difficulty readjusting my focus to what I was supposed to be doing, climbing the tower. If I could… make it to the top in one piece, then hopefully I could get out and expose to the world what shit Xyvarc Corporation was pulling. Hopefully they didn’t do anything to my body—Jameson Ender was proof that they could do some messed up shit. Fuck… let’s continue with this floor.

“System, mobs remaining and player check, please.” I did the usual check so that I could get a basis of what is going on with this floor. Just looking at where I was and the system notification meant that I wasn’t at this floor’s starting point. The stink and flowing sound of water gave away where I was—some kind of sewer. It was quite dark, just the faint glow of some crystals along the wall allowing some light.

[System Notice: Current mobs remaining: Unknown.]

[System Notice: You are the only player on this floor. 1/1]

And more stupidness has shown up, just what I wanted. I looked around, moving up towards the wall so I wasn’t so close to the flowing waste. The blue hue of the crystalline light didn’t really provide much, though it did look pretty. But pretty was the last thing I cared about, I just wanted out of this sewer. I kept my hand along the wall and moved in one direction, making sure to follow the flow of the waste upwards to where it was coming from.

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Sounds started coming from up ahead, footsteps, the splashing of water. I slowed my steps to try to get a grasp on who was making the sound. {Area Scan}.

[Report Received: 3 Presences]

Nysel Kingdom Soldier, Lv27

Nysel Kingdom Soldier, Lv27

Nysel Kingdom Soldier, Lv27

Huh? So weak…? It was a wonder why the levels hardly made sense. But that just meant my survivability went up, always a boon. But only three presences made me wonder why these soldiers were down here.

“Hello?” My voice trailed through the sewer. “Hello?” I waited, yet no reply came. I wanted to know if they knew where the captain was. I needed some lead besides to just ‘go find her’. Perhaps I wouldn’t have much to cover and she would be right outside the sewer. If only—.

An attack. I stepped back, water splashing into the rock wall beside me. Some of the wall chipped away, but I pulled ‘Vanquisher’ out and loaded a mana bolt. I couldn’t see where the enemy was, but the shot must have come from the other side of the waste stream. I was going to shoot and see if I hit anything but decided against it.

“Stop. I don’t want to kill you,” but the words were futile, another shot heading straight for me. I held up my ‘Kite of Biding Eruption’.

[Biding Hellfire Rupture power at 487/2357.]

Hm? Something wasn’t right, my shield suddenly had major defense. Perhaps there was a bug or something—no. The only thing I could really think was that {Lucky Resist} actually scaled my shield, too. Why that worked and the defense boosting effect of boots didn’t was a wonder, but that great news for me. Their attacks also weren’t that strong, so maybe… okay.

“Stop. I order you on behalf of Princess Madelyn Briggs to cease your attacks and take me to Her Highness.” That order was met with mockery, unsurprising to say the least.

Laughter broke out among the goons—er, soldiers—as one of the three spoke out, “Princess Madelyn Briggs, huh? Oh, lookie here boys. We got ourselves a real badass in here.”

“Hah, yes. The princess. Okay, okay. He seems to have some connection to that old bitch. Should we capture him?”

Hm. Something is wrong here. Something is very wrong here. I can’t see their faces, either. “Well then, since you dare ignore my order and fail to heed my warning, you will suffer the consequences.” I tried to sound a bit fancy like before as I pulled all of the energy from my shield, infusing my ‘Vanquisher’ and in-turn the mana bolt lodged in it. I didn’t want to kill them as they seemed to know something about the captain, but I needed to put on a show of power.

And power is what I had. I shot my bolt straight across the way and could only hope I didn’t somehow hit one of them. I still couldn’t see them, so the shot was literally a shot in the dark. The bolt left the crossbow and planted itself quite quickly into what I assumed was the wall on the other side. I couldn’t see now, though, as my vision quickly was engulfed by the flames that burst out of the explosion of the infused hellfire.

Screams rang out as the soldiers caught on fire. Another explosion rang out this time but it wasn’t from my shot. No. Parts of the sewer started exploding and I was knocked around just like the soldiers. And again, something was wrong. There were no damage notifications for either me or the damage I dealt to the soldiers.

I got down, holding my shield to block the majority of the explosions. They were hurting but the fire resistance was hopefully helping out. I couldn’t pull my status up during these explosions and the system wasn’t letting me know, either. It was strange when I couldn’t rely on the system to tell me what was happening. The pressure was a different story though, and the screams from the soldiers died out as the explosions started moving down towards the way I had come from.

Gotta move. I started crawling while the explosions died down and the sewers caught on fire. There must have been something I didn’t know about sewers and explosions, but I got up and started running towards what was hopefully the location of the exit. The explosions caused me to fumble about but between the fire resistance and {Heart and Soul of a Troll} I figured I would be fine.

There it was. The exit I had been looking for finally came into view. I could also hear some sort of alarm blaring.

“——rist attack on Sector Three. Evacuate the area. I repeat, Rebel terrorist attack on Sector Three. Evacuate the area. I repeat…”

I hope that wasn’t me, but quite unlikely. Hm, rebels? Rebels. That made me think of Captain Mad D. Briggs. She wanted to stop the marriage between Nysel Kingdom and some other kingdom. Perhaps that other kingdom became rebellious. I see, that makes sense. But I swear I heard one of the soldiers call her an old bitch.

I need to figure out where she is and what is going on. I stepped out through the sewer’s entrance. Immediately, I was met with a squad of five soldiers wearing suits of armor that was colored red, orange, and yellow. Their platemail had an emblem of a black dragon curled up and wrapped in flames right in the middle. One of the soldiers wore a helmet that had a black dragon attached it, looking like it was trying to fly off. They stepped out from the squad who all had their weapons drawn and shields up, which had the same emblem their platemail did. The one who stepped out, however, held some staff with a bluish orb nested on top.

“Halt! By the command granted to me by His Majesty, King Herald Azumith III, if you refuse to obey you shall be marked a rebel and sentenced to execution.” She aimed her staff directly at me and it started to gather power. It almost reminded me of the scepter that Josephine held, but this one seemed much more… advanced.

I stopped as requested and she looked at me intently before turning to the other soldiers behind her, “Prepare to seize him. He is the bomber.”

“No, I’m a victim, but it doesn’t matter what I say, does it?” Her weapon pulsed and a torrent of water rushed towards me. I dodged the attack and quickly used {Shrouded Shadow} to disappear from their sight and run away.

I’m missing something. Did I… take too long? Shouldn’t the king be a ‘Briggs’? Shit. Status.

Nothing happened. But it was working earlier just fine so what changed?