A peal of high-pitched laughter rings out in a black void utterly devoid of anything but the outline of a little girl, rolling on the floor while clutching her stomach.
"Oh, Benedict, Benedict. Here I was thinking that you'd be dead in ten minutes, and you've gone and killed another reincarnator! How great is that?"
She lapses into deranged laughter once more, until her tiny lung capacity forces her to stop.
"I wonder, how far can you go with this whole 'I-kill-evil-reincarnators' schtick?"
----------------------------------------
I like it when every loose end is tied up, partly because it means that I don't have to tie them myself. Unfortunately, the loose ends tied themselves up in a way I did not appreciate, not at all.
After the self-proclaimed hero died, the mind control wore off. Thankfully, it seemed that the mind control only controlled actions, not memories, which meant that everyone who was controlled had vivid recollections of exactly what he did to them. This saved me a lot of trouble explaining why I killed their hero, and a couple of ladies even kicked the dead body into mush, ruining the floor of the Guild branch in the process.
I'd hoped that I would be allowed to take the hero's stuff, but it was all confisticated by the king and queen on the grounds of 'returning an investment'. At least I got some sweet exp, but I cry at night whenever I think of the great equipment he must have had. Oh, well, win some, lose some. Here's my current status:
----------------------------------------
Name: Benedict Hammond
Age: 23
Gender: Male
Race: Human
Titles: [Embodiment of Depression], [The Powerless], [Monster Killer], [Big Game Hunter], [Reincarnation Killer]
Level: 70
Health: 9700/9700
Mana: 4600/4600
Strength: 63 (+20)
Dexterity: 48
Endurance: 49
Intelligence: 98
Wisdom: 48
Charisma: 48 (+20)
Luck: 48
Skills: [Examine], [Aura of Despair]
----------------------------------------
[Reincarnation Killer]
Requirements: Kill a person experiencing a second life
Killing one who was reborn is not a good idea in most situations, but some can twist it to their advantage.
Effects: None
----------------------------------------
The fact that [Reincarnation Killer] doesn't boost my stats makes me frown, and so does the fact that I only got three levels from killing this 100+ level asshole. I have the feeling that leveling is going to be absolute hell from now on.
The rulers, by the way, were utterly disgusted with me. Don't ask why, because I don't know either. I'm a huge fan of vigilante justice- bad people have gotta go. And I'd thought killing a maniac with plans to take over the world through mind control would earn me some brownie points, but for some reason I've been formally prohibited from ever earning a noble title. At least it's something I don't care too much about, since politics are boring. According to the guards, I should be thankful that I'm not in jail. Psh. Thankful? For what? Not being in jail for retaliating in self-defense against an attack on my psyche?
You know, if the guy hadn't tried to enslave me like everyone else I might not have had to kill him. Sure, he'd have to give me a position as co-mastermind, but I think having an entire world under your thumb is a pretty neat idea, as long as it's done right. The idiot I killed clearly didn't have the know-how to pull it off.
I didn't even get any rank points for defeating a villain. Because it wasn't a guild-sanctioned request, it was merely treated as civil service. I refrained from shouting at the receptionist that the only reason it wasn't an official request was because all of them were too busy being mind-controlled to put it up.
Now, it's a week after that fiasco, and I've taken my first request!
... Although, being a rank F, it's something really stupid. I have to collect 100 of these 'Bluenose Flowers' before dark. Problem is, I have no idea what they look like. Well, I have [Examine] for a reason.
[Help] module unlocked by Saisei for killing off a nuisance! Message attached: "Thanks~! -the cutest goddess"
What's this? Another conveniently timed power that somehow exactly fits the protagonist's needs? Don't mind if I do. [Help] me please!
-[Encyclopedia Aithora]
-[Contact Support]
[Contact Support]? Fuck yeah! Admin, I need out!
Saisei is not accepting calls at this moment.
Support is that fucking annoying goddess? Thanks for destroying my hopes and dreams. Looks like there really isn't a way out of this world. That girl's got a sick sense of humor. Let's take a look at this [Encyclopedia Aithora] instead.
[Encyclopedia Aithora]
Records everything you have ever [Examine]d. Multiple [Examine]s may lead to a more detailed description.
To use, think of an item you would like to view.
That's not of very much use to me right now, but it's handy having something like this to auto-organize things.
----------------------------------------
Why does this flower live in a swamp surrounded by man-eating plants? Also, how the fuck is this a F-ranked request?
----------------------------------------
I have passed the Trial by Giant-chomping-plant-mouth-things ([Examine] told me they are [Carnivorum hominidae], but that's too long to remember) and emerged victorious with a stack of 100 blue flowers in my inventory. The plant things didn't even give me any exp, and I feel ripped off. Well, time to turn the request in.
... What do you mean that this request was misranked, so you can't give me the rewards?
----------------------------------------
At this point I'm fairly sure increasing the Luck stat is useless, judging from what's happened so far. Not only did I have to fight through a horde of monster plants curiously devoid of any exp, but I also wasn't compensated for it. Oi, Luck stat, I get that I've been neglecting you in favor of Strength, but isn't this a bit too much? Could it be that you're turning yandere on me?
I completely forgot to sell off the monster corpses. Fuck. I hope my Inventory doesn't let things rot or anything like that.
[Alpha Dire Wolf corpse (rotten)]
A once-useful corpse of an Alpha Dire Wolf. Has rotted away to nothing but bones.
FUUUUUUUUUUUCK!
----------------------------------------
Well, at least I had a couple of Felinoid Aurum corpses. They, being made of pure gold, do not rot, and can literally be exchanged for their weight in gold coins. After that I was a thousand gold coins richer, and I began to see why dragons love hoarding so much. The bones of the rotten corpses were apparently useless, and even apocatheries only accept the bones of certain types of monsters that I don't have. Still, they're pretty strong, so I decided to keep them for future use. If all else fails, I can use them as chew toys for Mirror.
Mirror, being my pet, gets a portion of the exp I receive. The exp from the hero was enough to give her quite the boost in levels, and now she's at 73 and just as ferocious as ever. Should I be jealous that my pet is leveling up more quickly than I am? Not really. I'm fairly certain that monsters require less exp to level up than humans do. At any rate, as she is completely subservient I'm not worried about her suddenly rebelling against me or anything. Even if she does, there's always my [Aura], as much as it makes things boring.
Fighting the plants made me realize that not having an actual weapon is not a very good idea, even with my Strength stat and the level disparity between me and the plants (the corrosive blood of the plants made punching them to bits not so fun- I envied Mirror's silver constitution, as silver is resistant to the acid). The problem is, not many weapons fit me. I'd like bows, but I have no experience using them, and I'll probably miss every shot, even if it's dictated by Dexterity. Swords are useless, because again, my [Aura] can take care of melee. So what did I get?
Tarot cards.
No, I'm not joking. Caught up in the whole tourist thing, I was dragged into a stuffy tent with a wizened old fortuneteller named Griselda, who somehow knew that I was reincarnated, and gave me a few hints as to what would happen in the future- extremely vague hints, but hints nonetheless. She told me that I would be given great happiness, and then endure suffering as the happiness is taken away. She said that whether I would be consumed by the pain or not was unclear, but I thanked her for services anyway. When I took out a money bag to pay, and looked down at it for a single moment while rummaging around to find currency of appropriate denomination, she disappeared, leaving nothing but tarot cards scattered on the table. Shrugging, I took them, examined them, and almost fainted on the spot.
[Tarot Cards of Luck]
Rarity: Mythical
Effects: Randomised based on drawn card, +100 Luck
A set of tarot cards once wielded by Luck, the Gambler himself. While not intended to have offensive capabilities, the residual magic in them is so strong that it makes a capable weapon.
Why, you shouldn't have, Luck stat! While I don't know anything about tarot cards, I can learn through battle- or at least, I hope. As long as they don't do freaky things like summon flowerpots or sperm whales or moles, I'm fine with it. Besides, there's no way I'm letting a Mythical rarity item go.
----------------------------------------
Although I'm not very interested in swordsmanship, I visited the guards' barracks to utilize their training grounds, where I tested my strength using a broadsword. With it I cut through the dummies with ease, no doubt thanks to the usage of all my stat points on Strength. And then some old guy called Rorik came over to me, and said that he would train me in the art of fighting with an unrealistically heavy weapon. He himself had a sword that would make Cloud's Buster Sword turn green in envy, and his bulging muscles belied his high yet hidden Strength stat. This is one of the advantages I have over the natives- I get stat points when I level up. The only way for Aithorans to increase their stats is to actually train in activities related to the stats, which makes their stat gain much slower than reincarnators. Because he was level 164, and would be able to beat me up with no trouble at all without my [Aura], I agreed to show up to his training sessions.
Which brings me back to now, a month after the whole hero incident.
"Put your back into it, lad!"
I slash at a giant wooden dummy, the five-foot-long blade I'm holding sinking into the dummy and getting stuck. The intense training Rorik puts me through- a roughly 20-mile run, 100 push-ups and 100 squats before breakfast, something of extravagant proportions thankfully partially paid with Rorik's money. After that, he gives me a giant sword, and makes me whack away at a dummy until the sun goes down and the moon comes out to gawp at the foolish human tugging at a piece of metal stuck in a piece of wood.
"Goddess- fucking- dammit- come on- you piece of shit- clingy- wood-"
Rorik, after watching this pathetic display for a couple of minutes, comes over and pulls the sword out of the dummy, as though it was never stuck in the first place.
Rorik is a bit of an enigma. Captain of the Stahl city guard, he's an 86-year-old man who trained in the way of the sword all his life. He doesn't seem to have a family, but I could be wrong. Maybe he has an engagement ring he keeps stowed away in his room. I don't know. I haven't snuck into his room, yet, because I'm afraid I'll actually die if he catches me in there. Despite his shady origins, there's no doubting his combat prowess. He can beat even some S-ranked adventurers with relative ease, although the fact that S-rank has so many layers makes it kind of irrelevant. When he swings his sword, an iron monstrosity he simply calls 'Sword', the air displaced by the swing actually creates a powerful vacuum that can attract objects from ten meters away. He's that strong, and yet his level is so much power than what you'd expect. Some say that he can split an entire mountain with one strike, but I'm skeptical of that rumor.
I'm apparently his first disciple. He never expressed the desire to pass on his love for giant swords, until he saw me. I like his method of training- no bullshit, no complicated technique names like [Ninth Heaven Shitting Dragon Strike]. My Strength has gone up by a significant amount just from training, and my Endurance is also starting to show signs of improving, too.
----------------------------------------
Name: Benedict Hammond
Age: 23
Gender: Male
Race: Human
Titles: [Embodiment of Depression], [The Powerless], [Monster Killer], [Big Game Hunter], [Reincarnation Killer]
Level: 70
Health: 11300/11300
Mana: 4600/4600
Strength: 75 (+20)
Dexterity: 48
Endurance: 52
Intelligence: 98
Wisdom: 48
Charisma: 48 (+20)
Luck: 48 (+100)
Skills: [Examine], [Aura of Despair]
----------------------------------------
Why am I even training with swords when my weapons are tarot cards? Well, for one, if I ever have to hide the cards I have a backup weapon I'm proficient with this way. Secondly, the stat gains are absurd. Really. The amount that went up in just a month makes me want to stay here forever, if not for my mission to hunt down corrupted reincarnators.
Rorik takes the sword from me.
"Watch and learn."
He holds it with one hand, keeping it behind his back as though it's sheathed, and then with a lightning-fast movement, the sword whips out at the dummy and splits it into two pieces, neatly down the middle.
"I think you've been through enough of my torture to learn a technique, lad. This one I call [Quickdraw]. Very useful for when you want to end a fight quickly, before the opponent has a chance to use their weapons."
"Sir, did you ever use this technique?"
"Lots of times. Mostly in the arenas of Clodium, the demons' country."
"You've been there?"
I'm so excited for information about Clodium that I forget to add a 'sir'.
This world is divided into five continents. The first is Nymea, the continent I'm in, housing Avarron, the elven kingdom, Silvena, the human kingdom, and the beastman tribes. The beastmen have no proper kingdom- they are divided into clans, each the size of a human city. The second continent is Clodium. The country takes up the entire continent, although the continent is smaller than the others. Clodium is almost exclusively inhabited by demons, and are at an almost constant state of war against Silvena. The elves are ambivalent, choosing only to attack when provoked. The third continent is Na'vi, a continent that is culturally like a mashup of eastern Asian countries. The most prominent influences are China and Japan, while hints of India and the rest are still visible. It is ruled by the Na'vi Empire, with the ruler being an empress rather than an emperor. The rights to the throne are passed down to the eldest daughter, or if there are no daughters available, a person chosen by the matriarch. The fourth continent is unnamed, its name lost to the ages, for the residents have not left it for millennia. It is the continent of the dragons, who are the strongest beings on the planet. The fifth continent is widely known as the lost continent, and houses twisted perversions of the laws of nature. It is there that people claim chaos was first created on Aithora, and being sent there is considered an automatic death sentence.
The arenas Rorik spoke of are special establishments where people pay to view skilled fighters duke it out in a sand-covered area. The arenas are protected by incredibly powerful magic, which is now thought to be lost, that can rewind time. This means that even if one dies inside the arena, it is not true death, for your body will be restored to a point before your death.
"Aye, I've been there. Not a bad place, all things considered. Them folks aren't too welcoming to humans, but that's natural, since we're at war with them."
If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
"What's the food like? Is it really true that they practice cannibalism?"
"No, they don't. They're a lot like us, really, but with different colored skin, longer ears, those horns on their forehead, and those tails. They eat what we eat, and aside from differences in recipes the ingredients used are much the same."
"Oh, okay, that's cool. So, about [Quickdraw]..."
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Half a year has flown by. It's hard to believe that just over six months ago I was sitting at an office desk and complaining about tax forms- now I'm a badass warrior that can swing swords almost as large as Rorik's own [Sword]. I no longer look like an undead creature- thanks to Rorik's rigorous training, my body has bulked up with muscle in all the right places, although it's still nothing compared to a professional bodybuilder. I must admit, though, I cried manly tears when I first saw my chiseled abs. One thing that never changed, though, is my pale complexion. No matter how hard I train in the sun, my skin refuses to tan, which is rather annoying.
While my level hasn't changed in the slightest, my Strength and Endurance are now both over 100, which makes me happy. I'm pretty certain at this point I can be classified as at least a rank A in the adventurer's guild, but of course, since I haven't done any missions I'm still a lowly F.
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Name: Benedict Hammond
Age: 23
Gender: Male
Race: Human
Titles: [Embodiment of Depression], [The Powerless], [Monster Killer], [Big Game Hunter], [Reincarnation Killer]
Level: 70
Health: 21500/21500
Mana: 4600/4600
Strength: 127 (+20)
Dexterity: 48
Endurance: 103
Intelligence: 98
Wisdom: 48
Charisma: 48 (+20)
Luck: 48 (+100)
Skills: [Examine], [Aura of Despair], [Quickdraw], [Flurry Strikes], [Earthshaker], [Bash]
----------------------------------------
Noticed my new skills, have you? Rorik taught me a new skill every time I passed a certain milestone in my training. The milestone would be verified during trips to monster-infested areas with him, and when we got back he would provide an example on the poor dummy of the day.
[Quickdraw]
The user draws his blade from its sheath in a quick movement too fast to be seen, then follows it up with a slash containing the momentum of the previous movement.
Cost: 250MP, can only be used with sheathed weapons
[Flurry Strikes]
The user lashes out with his blade multiple times. While not very accurate, the speed of the blows is formidable.
Cost: 300 MP
[Earthshaker]
The user slams his weapon on the ground to deliberately create a shockwave.
Cost: 400 MP
[Bash]
A simple attack where the user hits the opponent with a blunt object, usually over the head.
Effects: Stuns enemies for a duration depending on their Endurance and the user's Strength
Cost: 200 MP
Rorik looks me in the eyes, which requires him to hunch down a little. I'm not even 6 feet tall, and I'm pretty certain Rorik's almost 7 feet tall. I suspect there's a bit of giant blood running through him. Explains his strength, at least.
"Benedict. You're a fine lad, and a better disciple I couldn't have asked for. I've already taught you almost everything I know, but there's just one thing left."
One thing left? Could it be?
"My most powerful technique."
Yes, go on, please.
"The legendary."
YES!
"[Mountainsplitter]."
I'm pretty sure I came when I heard that. Oh, turns out I didn't. I certainly felt good enough to feel like I came, though. That was a manly orgasm, by the way. How can a true man not experience the same euphoria when told they're going to learn how to actually cut a mountain in two?
Again, this begs the question of why he's not renowned outside of Stahl. Are there truly so many people that are powerful enough that destroying mountains seems like child's play?
Usually, the only reason Rorik and I leave Stahl is to find a forest full of suitably strong monsters for me to kill. This time, though, we booked a spot on a caravan, which can only mean that we're going somewhere far, far away.
"Where are we going?"
"You'll see in a month or two."
The caravan itself belongs to some wealthy merchant making a routine run from Stahl, which is near the southern coast of Silvena, to Triptych, a city in the northeastern part of Silvena. This means that Rorik's destination is somewhere in between, but I can't think of any obvious places he'd want to go to.
The merchant, fearing for his life and cargo, hired a B-rank adventurer team, [The Bared Talons]. Their leader is an insufferably cheerful woman, as I discovered on the first day of the trip. She just bounced up to me, all happy-like, and asked how I was doing. I replied with a noncommittal grunt, and she replied with the correct reply to what I was thinking. I initially thought she was another mind-type like that wannabe hero, but I'd have felt the intrusion. I later concluded that she somehow got so much meaning from a single grunt. A typical conversation between us would go like this:
"Hey, Benedict! How are you doing?"
"Ungh."
"I see, I see. Well, I'm doing great! It's not every escort mission that you don't see bandits in the first few days. I have a pretty good feeling about this trip!"
"Ugh."
"That's right. Bandit attacks are so annoying, especially because they're so weak!"
"Mmmnh."
I didn't even use [Examine] on her until the 6th day of the trip, at which point I learned that her name is Selene, 22 years old, level 53, three sizes are- I'm just joking. Anyway, I was slightly reassured by the fact that her level seemed to indicate a modicum of competence.
----------------------------------------
Right now, on the 9th day of the trip, we get to experience our first bandit attack for this trip. A group of badly dressed, smelly, dirty men with crude weapons surround us, demanding all our valuables. I decide to sit this one out so I can see [The Bared Talons]' combat strength. I'm not disappointed.
Selene fights like a combination of a dancer and an assassin, whirling and twirling as her daggers bury themselves in vital points. Their tank, a guy named Marcus who looks like he was born as an iron wall, sweeps enemies aside with a massive sword that isn't quite as large as the ones I and Rorik use. Their healer, a tall, stately elf named Jalin, strolls casually through battles, occasionally deflecting an errant blade or two or healing minor cuts and bruises on his teammates. The three seem to have a good team dynamic going on, and I can't help but envy them for it.
[The Bared Talons] aren't the only protection the merchant has, of course. He has a small squadron of personal guards, there at his beck and call, only defending the caravan itself and the merchant, and nothing else.
After the bandits all die, me and Rorik applaud, and Selene winks and bows cheekily, as though she just got done performing on a stage. That night, during supper, Rorik and Marcus get into an animated discussion on the usefulness of heavy weapons, while Selene, Jalin and I entertain each other through jokes. The merchant eats on his own with his guards, and that's completely fine with me. I always found merchants rather too snobby for their own good. The contents of dinner are a watery stew made of wild herbs and chunks of salted meat. Because I don't have much of an appetite, I hold my bowl in one hand without really eating it.
Feeling a rumbling in my stomach, I excuse myself to take a shit. I crouch down in a small clump of bushes, dealing with nature's call, and then I freeze, hearing voices nearby.
"Did you drug the stew?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good. Move out and capture them in an hour, the sleeping potion should take effect by then."
It's a conversation between the merchant and a second voice I can't recognize- probably a guard- and the contents of the conversation make me freeze. What do they want with a bunch of adventurers an old swordsman? Slaves? Sacrifices for a dark ritual? Anyhow, it's a good thing I didn't eat my portion. What can I do about this, now that I know their plans? Well, I can nip the plan in the bud and either kill the merchant and his guards outright or tell the adventurers what is to come. Or, I can wait until they're kidnapped, and see what the merchant does with them. The second one sounds like a pretty good idea, since that way I get to loot more things, like the way I handled the first bandits I met in this world.
'Mirror, track the merchant and report his location to me every minute.'
'Yes, master!'
Mirror spent the half a year mostly fighting monsters outside Stahl. As time passed, the maximum distance between us where mental communication still worked increased, and soon she was venturing out into the wilds miles away from the city. The training did her lots of good, and elevated her to level 99. I'm not quite sure what'll happen when she gets to 100, but it's probably something really good. Or it's the whole cute girl evolution thing. Either way, I probably won't mind too much.
With Mirror on the merchant's trail, all I can do is wait for him to make a move.
----------------------------------------
Selene woke up, gasping, and immediately attempted to jump to her feet. However, the ropes around her wrists and ankles prevented her from doing much more than wriggling, and she could see that the other members of [The Bared Talons] were there, too. The old swordsman was putting up a fight, but unlike the others he was bound with chains, and was unable to free himself. The only missing person was the swordsman's protege, that pale, silent man. Perhaps he had betrayed them? If so, that was too bad- she'd started to like him. Or was it just because she liked the quiet, mysterious type? In any case, there would be hell to pay when she caught up with him.
One of her captors laughed and kicked her in the side, causing her to recoil in pain.
"Hey, Brian, want a turn on this bitch?"
A second man came up to the first, and inspected her.
"Nah, I don't want to have my dick bitten off. Save it for after they've got collars."
Selene's eyes widened. Slave collars were something every person feared- loops of metal imbued with magic, designed to bend the wearer's will to that of the owner. Once worn, it couldn't be taken off except by the owner- forcing a removal would utterly destroy the wearer's mind.
And then something in her mind clicked, and she realized that she recognized the men. They were two of the merchant's guards. This would mean that the merchant intended to sell them into slavery- then had that man- what was his name?- not betrayed them? Or was he an accomplice?
----------------------------------------
I'm not confident enough in my Dex stat to go around climbing trees, so I follow Mirror's directions as stealthily as I can. Destroying the caravan himself and then abandoning it was a good ploy on the merchant's part, and would probably throw off any rescue parties that would come looking for [The Bared Talons]. Too bad they picked up a tail while doing so.
The merchant and his guards had set up camp in a secluded clearing, with the captives unceremoniously tossed in a wagon. This would be hard to pull off- I wasn't willing to use my [Aura], and I wasn't sure if my sword techniques were enough. Well, you know what they say- you only live once. Or twice.
Yelling like a madman, I jump into their midst, and immediately use [Earthshaker], causing every guard in the vicinity to fall over. And then I order Mirror to start the massacre.
Each guard is exceedingly easy to deal with, being cut down with a single slash. I marvel at how light the giant sword feels compared to when I first started training with it. Within moments, there's a ring of bodies around me, and the remaining guards have either fled or are too scared to approach.
"What do you think you're doing, boy?"
Ooh, a mini-boss looking person.
Name: Jason
Age: 41
Gender: Male
Race: Human
Titles: None
Level: 65
Finally, someone worthy of tasting my blade! He seems to be awfully confident of his own skills, sneering as he approaches me. Your level is lower than mine, you know? I put my sword back into its sheath, and his arrogant smirk falters for a second. Good, doubt whether you can actually beat me. Think that I don't even need my sword to kill you, which is actually true. And then [Quickdraw]!
Jason is faster than I think, and manages to block my sword from cutting him in half by blocking with the flat of his own longsword. Which is about the stupidest things he could have done. One of the most useful qualities of this larger-than-life sword is its incredibly weight. When swung properly, it can break most swords- like Jason's own. Unfortunately for me, he manages to jump back as his sword breaks in half, leaving him with half a blade attached to a hilt. Oh, he just threw away the sword and picked up two more from the dead guards on the ground. A dual wielder, huh? I suppose it would be practical if you have a high Dex stat. He comes at me swinging, but I'm not worried. If you want speed, I'll give you speed. [Flurry Strikes]!
With that skill, I easily keep up with his swings, and his expression quickly morphs to one of astonishment. He clearly didn't expect someone with such a large, impractical sword to be so fast. Well, too bad, fucker. I suddenly toss the sword at him, and he instinctively puts up both blades to block. While he's distracted with that, I dash forward and punch him in the gut. Oh, my fist didn't go through his skin? That's too bad. He still went flying, so he shouldn't be a problem anymore. But just in case, I pick up my sword and run over to where he landed. He's still feebly moving, almost unconscious. I position my blade over his neck, and let it drop, just like a guillotine. Aw, that didn't give me as much exp as I wanted. I turn and grin at the merchant, still frozen in place, with urine dripping from the legs of his trousers. I run at him, sword held high, and he closes his eyes and whimpers, and then I bonk him over the head with the pommel.
'Master, I've dealt with all the stragglers. How are things on your end?'
'Good job! How close are you to leveling up?'
'Almost there, master. I'm looking forward to it!'
I move over to the hog-tied captives. I thought of cutting their restraints with my giant slab of a sword, but I decided against it since I don't want to give them multiple consecutive heart attacks. So instead I just take one of the swords on the ground to cut the ropes. Rorik's chains are a bit of a challenge though.
"Hold still, sir. Don't want to cut you by accident."
I pull at the loosest part of the chain, and lay it on the ground next to Rorik. After lining up the swing in my mind, I take a few practice swings, and then cut at the chain as hard as I can. The chain breaks, but I almost hit Rorik in the process. He winces, and stretches his arms and legs, obviously tired from being tied up. That annoying girl- Selene- is looking at me with inquisitive eyes, so I tilt my head in her direction. The awkward staring continues for a few moments, before the girl suddenly bows and apologizes.
"I'm sorry! I thought you were the one that betrayed us!"
Huh? There are too many things off about that statement! My biggest concern is, why would you apologize to me about your thoughts? Are you just that self-destructive, or are you cripplingly honest? I can understand why you would think I'm the one that sold you out to the merchant, since I didn't eat the stew, after all, but that still stings.
"Why are you apologizing for something you were thinking? Thoughts are free, right?"
... Although I don't know whether they have such concepts in this world. There isn't much journalism, and the small amount there is is rather oppressed, so maybe not?
"Besides, it's natural that you'd suspect me. After all, I'm the only one that didn't eat the stew. I suppose I got lucky."
Yeah, real lucky. Is the Luck stat really that influential?
"Now that our method of transportation is gone, what are we going to do, sir? For that matter, since the people you were supposed to be escorting tried to kidnap you, what happens to the request?"
"Well, I suppose it's a failure. But the repercussions should be light, since it's the client that broke the rules of the request himself. I'm glad you knocked him out instead of killing him- that way he can be interrogated for the truth."
Marcus nods at the unconscious form of the merchant. For such a large guy he sure has a high voice.
"Hey, you're pretty good at fighting. Would you like to join our group?"
Selene asks. You know, that offer's pretty tempting, to be honest. Since they're a B-ranked group, even if I'm F-rank I can still take B-rank group commissions, which would make it a hell of a lot easier to rank up. But I can't join them until I learn how to split a fucking mountain in half. Splitting mountains in half always takes priority.
"I'm sorry, but I'm still a disciple under sir Rorik. I can't join you until my training is finished. Besides, I'm just a measly rank F. I'm sure you don't want me in your group."
Fuck, that might have been laying it on a bit too thick. What if they actually think I'm useless now? Never mind, I can already see their eyes bugging out of their heads. I suppose they're mulling over the outrageous proposition that a mere rank F took down all the guards on his own.
"If you ever change your mind, contact us with this."
Selene tosses me a blue crystal, and I stare at it for a moment before I pocket it.
"That's a communication crystal. I have the one it's paired to, so when you want to contact us just take out your crystal and say 'connect'."
Handy. The fact that the activation word is 'connect' reminds me a lot of internet chatrooms. I wonder if I could recreate the internet on this world. There's probably some rule stopping me from making drastic advancements in technology, but fuck it.
"Thank you. May we meet again."
And so we go our separate ways, me and Rorik continuing northeast, and [The Bared Talons] returning to Stahl to inform the guild about the situation.