Nilbog left the shopping district, escaping what he hoped would be an influx of people seeking plunder. Just because they belonged to the Anima it did not mean that they will not go against the Anima’s list of contributions and “harming Dlair.” It didn't seem like there was a way to track someone's behavior. Would their tag change if they began to betray the Anima?

That would be a very obvious tactic for both factions to do, if it was that easy. 

Regardless, because he was unsure of how that rule worked, he decided to play it safe, which meant leaving heavily contested areas. The weapon and armor stores in the North-East section of the Second District were probably already littered with the higher leveled fighters. That was one area he definitely had to avoid, but even with that it left many others he was unsure of.

Nilbog had only recently arrived at Dlair from the other human kingdom, Jundor.

For the past few weeks, he had spent most of his time in the Third District, having only occasionally visiting notable restaurants in the Second District, leaving Nilbog unfamiliar with the layout of the Second District.

He knew that the city was split into Three Distracts, the Second And First being where the most privileged folks resided. Each subsequent District was smaller than the last, separated by heavily garrisoned bridges. Each District circulated the other, creating a mostly round kingdom.

It was built with the Game in mind and was made easily defensible, even from the inside. That left the First District, the smallest and the center of the kingdom, to be the safest from any outside threat.

For Nilbog, however, the Third District was the safest place he could be. 

 He would have gone there if he could, but by this point, every bridge was either Anima or Animus controlled. They wouldn't let someone like him pass, and would probably draft him into their army.

That left the only area where both factions will disregard--the living quarters. Having no strategic purpose will leave them to rogue parties, of which will mostly be Anima. That would reduce the chances of him being caught in the squabble of either faction.

Finding them would be a bit difficult, however. The vision was obscured, considering that the brick buildings towered a couple of stories about him, but while Nilbog did not know exactly where the residence area exactly was, its location should be roughly closer towards the North-West. 

As he stuck to the sides and alleyways, Nilbog spotted a couple of groups moving together with an animated, blazing blue t-shaped helmet over their heads--the Anima symbol.

They had Swords, spears, daggers, maces, bows. It was unlikely that they spontaneously decided to travel together with a perfect set-up. Those were probably the ones most prepared for the Games, having already gathered a party well before the Game began. They did not seem to be part of any guild and rather ordinary citizens with common weapons, but that did not make them any less volatile.

Those type of people were everywhere Nilbog had traveled. Commoners, farmers, and serfs would train and prepare for the Game most of their lives while doing their housework, unheeding of the fact that they could never reach the noles and the rich, who had the privilege of learning skills through books and teachers even before the Game begins. Where everyone else would be scavenging for equipment, those that were truly prepared would be fully equipped with a class, profession, and Soul Equipment. 

Rankers, they called them. Those were the people that benefited from the Game, not the farmer or carpenter. 

Nilbog gave those playing make-believe a wide breathe, sticking to the sides and alleyways whenever he could. The only thing people like them could do well was craftsmen jobs, not fighting.

He received a few sour glances, as it was common courtesy to exchange information, but the few contribution points he would have received for that was not worth the risk. He did not want to be drafted.

Besides, they stunk. 

A boom made Nilbog jump in his place, his hands nearly climbing the wall at his side. A few others followed it.

Air Vehicles hovered a distance over his head. They were, as Nilbog observed, baskets attached to four blades called rotors. A few people were in the basket, feeding Energy Crystals into the engine, causing the rotors to spin so fast that it blew the wind downward, allowing the vehicle to fly.

Those things never cease to amaze.

They were as excellent scouts as they were target practice. Chunks of rocks, flames, and gales covered the sky. They struck a couple of them, causing an enormous explosion.

With a big nope, Nilbog altered his course.

He quickly made his way from one building to the other. Fortunately, his sense of direction did not fail him this time. The residency buildings, giant rectangular squares where most common people lived, stretched in front of him. He did not go into the first one, but rather the second. Its door was broken, which hopefully meant it was already looted for anything of worth. He peeked around the corner, glad to see signs of battle.

It was unlikely that a place would be looted twice. Only idiots left loot behind.

Finding no one, Nilbog walked in, glad that concrete could not creak. He bent down, touching the dark and purple blood on the floor with his fingertips.

Dry and cold. A decent period passed.

Considering the time of day, most of these apartments were filled when the Game began, meaning that possibly each building became a Dungeon. 

 Those that stayed were mostly injured Anima followers, but the chance of Animus rogue groups praying on those was always present. The point value for the injured would be reduced, but a kill was a kill. 

With that in mind, Nilbog tenderly stood up, wincing as his thighs burned. He walked past the corridors, glancing into the open and broken doors, and staying away from the closed ones. He spied a few clean beds that his legs cried for, but he resisted the urge.

The second floor was always the best floor. Not the first, where if anything bad happens he’ll have little time to react, and not the third or above, were he wouldn’t be able to jump off in case thing’s got really bad.

One unfortunate issue was that there was only one staircase, and it was all the way on the other side of the building. The apartments were made with defending against hordes in mind, but not for escape, which was what Nilbog typically opted out for.

He heard movement around him, but none of it seemed threatening. He did see a few people with tagged Anima icon. He nodded towards them, seeing them to be as badly injured as he was, but otherwise retained his space.

Half-way through, the line of rooms stopped, and instead, a large dining hall filled with people stretched out.

“Hey kid," a person called to him from the side. He was small and hunched, but with a sword at his side.

Nilbog’s hands reached closer to his daggers, hidden in the pocket of his coat.

The sword had red on it.

“Easy there,” he said, stepping back, putting a hand up. He smiled, too, raising his eyebrows in feigned surprise.

What could a kid like you do against me? He almost seemed to say. 

What a fool. Those that judge so quickly based on appearance are just as quick to die--it was why Nilbog opted for this body. Everyone and everything underestimated him.

“Animus scum still roam these rooms. Trying to kill the injured,” he said, nodding his chin to a group of bodies in one of the rooms.

Behind him, the old, young, and the injured were huddled around the room. A few of them went around, bandaging and feeding those unable to eat on their own. They had weapons of various kinds, some brooms from sticks, and others chipped swords and spears.

“ If you would like, you can join us,” he said. “We have food and doctors. Its safer in numbers."

Nilbog shook his head.

“You sure, kid?

Nilbog noded.

“What’s your name?” the old man asked.

Nilbog paused. What was the point in ever exchanging names? “Nilbog,” he answered. 

“I’m Shaun. Come back if you want, Nilbog, we’ll be here.”

Nilbog nodded and went on his way.

The old man paused, and looked like he was about to argue, but shrugged and walked back to his group. “He didn’t wanna,” he said to one of the older ladies.

“What?” she said, putting down her pot. She quickly glanced from Nilbog to the man. “He’s a child. Tell him we have food.”

“If he doesn’t wanna then he don’t wanna,” Nilbog heard the old man reply as he walked up the staircase.

They didn’t seem like bad people, but big groups made for large targets. Whatever they could do, he could do, and without the reliability or risk that came to being with humans, or having to deal with their hideous looks. Being in close proximity to them always made his skin crawl.

The railing broke off, a few steps missing large chunks of concrete. Gritting his teeth, Nilbog began to climb the stairs, taking one at a time.

It was good that monster’s corpses disappeared after a while, otherwise this entire place would have been smelling purple.

After peeking, Nilbog existed the staircase. The hallway was identical to the one below him. He walked down the hall, taking a left turn at the end.

He heard yelling. A woman's scream resounded in one of the rooms Nilbog was about to pass.

Nilbog knew he should have kept going; he had no business opening other people’s doors, but he couldn’t help his curiosity as he peeked through the ajar door.

There were three men surrounding a bed, the Anima icon floating above their heads. Two looked to be about middle-aged, while the third looked to be in his teenage years. They were burly, with wide shoulders and straight backs.

A woman laid on the bed, her arms wrapped around her. She seemed like a noble, with a tightly worn blue dress that split at the chest, revealing a large gem resting in between her breasts, and covered her shoulders with golden ornaments that went behind her head, holding her dark bun. The dress slit off when it reached her hips, making Nilbog unsure of whether it was fashion or a cut that made such a large opening in the clothing.

Something was different about her. She didn’t stink like the rest of them, but she was as ugly.

Was she not a human either? A friendly Rover, maybe?

Her mascara was smudged below her eyes, almost like a few tear marks, but her eyes were a bright, almost neon-like green. The fear on her face was comical, to the degree to which Nilbog doubted its genuinity, but more importantly, however, a red circlet glowed above her head.

Animus.

Nilbog stepped back, not wanting to see what would happen next. It was a trap--it must have been. A Rover that hunts humans was always looked down upon, as they endangered everyone in their community. The last thing his people needed was another Rover Hunt.

He turned his back, taking a step away, but paused momentarily. What if she wasn't combat oriented? Rovers rarely were.  

They were committing a War Crime, making them fair game to Nilbog. It would give him a large amount of points to buy something decent with, but to fight three men, in his condition?

Nilbog shook the thought off. The risk was too large. They were distracted, letting Nilbog getting the first strike in, possibly killing one of them, but they had weapons. They were makeshift ones with axes and sticks, making looters, not fighters. Either way, they would know how to swing in a line straight.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

Two versus one in such a closed area was a death sentence for him. His high Speed meant little if there was no place to maneuver.

If he got himself involved in every single fight, Nilbog would never see the light of day. Besides, she was a human, too. She has probably also committed her own fair of atrocities. Let them equal each other out.

Nilbog walked, past that room, and into the next one. He dropped his warm, but the cumbersome coat on the ground, laid his pile of food next to it, and took off his boots. He rubbed his soles, the callouses growing a red and purple puddle under his skin.

He took a deep breath, exited his room, and returned to the door.

He crept forward, creaking the door inch by inch, a knife in both hands.

He didn’t need to kill them to receive points. Stab one, throw the second at the second, and then leave. This was an investment for the future. It would make his life easier then. He would get points for the damage he dealt, not just the kills.

Fortunately, the three men were too distracted to notice Nilbog tip-toeing in, and the woman herself could not have unwittingly alarmed them to his presence, as Nilbog crept directly behind the man in front of the bed.

“What’s a pretty thing like you doing here?” the one in the center said.

“It’s Lady Viss, though I thank you for the compliment. I am simply visiting a friend,” she replied, looking out the window at the side. “Lovely place, really, other than the smell and the uglies.”

“Lady Viss’s got a tongue!”

“A filthy one,” he said, spitting to the side. “Spoiled brats like her, stuffing themselves as we starve, they’re all the same.”

Third District folk, Nilbog realized, cursing. It made sense; their clothes were dirty and scars were visible on their faces. Factory workers, creating textiles on dangerous machines. A few of them were missing fingers, the result of a few seconds of distraction, not to mention the damage the vaporized crystals did to their lungs.

They were out with a purpose. Real thugs, built and eager for the Games, not just rogue opportunists. They must have escaped the Third District in the chaos in pursuit of loot. One was much younger, though. Their coordination must not be very high, if they're willing in to bring anyone. Level 30? 50 tops? 

“Reeeeeeeeally?” she replied, slowly, placing one hand over her lips. “This rather sounds like jealousy rather than justice, doofus. Trying to wash away the guilt before you commit a wicked crime? This wench got it coming to her, I ain’t no bad man, harm no good lady?” she said, raising the pitch of her voice with feigned horror.

It made Nilbog question what he was doing, getting himself involved with someone like that. He didn’t disagree with her, but her mocking tone, even when he wasn’t the target, still irritated him somehow.

“That does it,” he said, pulling down his pants as Nilbog was a few feet behind him, nearly causing him to retch and give away his cover.

The two men at the side jumped forward, trying to grab the woman’s arm.

Stab this one with both knives and then boot it, Nilbog thought, stepping forward as well. It was too late to back off now.

Then, just as Nilbog was about to move, everyone froze in their spot.

Player Killer Activated.

Charm Status Effect Resisted.

A Life Force wave resonated from Lady Viss, striking each man still. They stood frozen, their muscles spasming as if they fought some foreign force.

“What’s wrong?” Lady Viss said, glancing from one man to the other. “Don’t tell me you let your guard down! Only spoiled brats do that, you know.”

“Y-Y-Yo...B-B-”

“Yo? Yo?! Don’t address a Lady with such boyish honorifics, young man!” Lady Viss said, clicking her tongue. She reached to her back, pulling out an ornamental dagger. Glowing gems of various colors were attached to its hilt. “Considering you attacked me, I don’t mind if I do,” she said, whistling as she crawled forward on the bed. She reached over to the man on the side, holding his cheeks with one hand, and splitting open half his neck with the other.

Muted sounds came struggled out of his throat. Blood began to drop in buckets, but the man did not budge an inch.

From the blood, a yellow, fog-like material began to seep into her dagger’s gems, necklace, and body. She sighed, letting her shoulders drop as it flew into her. “I expanded a lot of Life Force in last round, you see,” she said, walking to the man on the other side. His eyes followed her, and though he couldn’t move a limb his face still crumbled. Sweat began to drop down his brows.

She slit his throat too, and this she shook in place as the yellow fog was absorbed into her. “Not bad. A man’s terrified Life Force, while not my favorite, mind you, still has a spicy taste to it.”

Walking over to the last man, a large grin appeared on her face. She placed one hand over his cheeks. “You see, I usually send my last victim off with a kiss, maybe an extra treat,” she whispered, pressing her body against his, “but even monsters have their standards, hon,” she said.

All three men died on their feet, and not a single one dropped.

“Yum. Aroused terror. My favorite!” She walked past him, humming pleasantly, but then paused, looking down on Nilbog with raised eyebrows. “Oh right, you were caught in the skill radius,” she said, and then looked down on her now bright red dress. Blood dripped down her neck and dress, making the smell of iron heavy in the air.

Nilbog stood frozen, beads of sweat going down his eyebrows. She was way out of his league--a hundred levels, if not more. At this point he had a good sense of people's level, and he knew he die the moment he ran, the moment he as much as moved, so he didn't.

“I do apologize for the fright,” she said, nodding. “I don’t hunt children, and I'm sure I'll get a penalty for killing you, so...um...really sorry you had to see that,” she said, bending down towards Nilbog. She ruffled his hair, smiling. “Especially a courageous kid like you. If you were a bit older, I would have bed you, and then I might have…” she began, but ended on a chuckle. “Oh well. Good luck!” she said, and then walked past. “The stun should end in a minute or two, with your little willy calming down after a while more, depending on-”

Lady Viss’s knees gave out. They dropped to the floor as her upper body fell backward, the back of her head hitting Nilbog’s chest. One of his hand went over her chin, while the other held the knife tightly against her neck.

“Oh my,” she said, eyes wide. “You can move.”

“Yes," Nilbog said, panting heavily. Just barely. The fear had his muscles moving like two stiff rocks.

“You’re a monster Rover too, aren’t you dear?”

 "Yes." How she knew he was, Nilbog couldn't even guess.  

“I can't sense much power from you. Charm has lesser effects on monsters, so while you must be sub-50s, it means your race or a skill vastly increases your mental defense, hm?"

 Nilbog didn't respond. It was his Player Killer stat--he was sure one of the buffs vastly improved his mental strength.

“Ah,” she said, nodding even with the knife against her neck. It made a thin cut, letting her own blood combine with those of the others. “I can't think of any race with a powerful enough Disguise skill that I couldn't sense it with your level difference. Unfortunate, though fitting.” She closed her eyes, her smile not wavering. "You even have Healing Reduction skill! I can't heal my neck. If you do get the option to evolve into my race, I advise you too. It's quite powerful if you're not a silly head like me."

He could do it. No matter the level, no matter the creature, if they could bleed, then they could die--his Player Killer ensured him that.

That was the only advantage Nilbog had in this world.

“Thank you for the information,” Nilbog said, and moved his knife back. He released her chin and stepped away, causing Lady Viss’s eyes to widen even further, her back folding on top of her feet.

“Oh my! Surprised. Twice. In the same day!” she said, flipping herself onto her stomach. She placed her chin on her hands, her elbows propped against the ground. Swinging her feet behind her, Lady Viss stared intently at Nilbog.

“What?” he said, falling back onto the bed.

“Rover-code blah, blah, blah, I know, but the rewards for eating my head would have been quite high, you know.”

“I know,” he said, avoiding her eyes.

Player Killer activated

Even without the notification, Nilbog could feel her use some time of inspection skill on him. Whether it was because it was a powerful skill, or because of Nilbog’s exhaustion, he felt it go through.

He doubted she could see his real race--not because of his confidence in his Shapeshifting, but the fact that she neither laughed nor frowned.

She probably only saw his character sheet, but he felt like she was seeing through him. Her smile made him uncomfortable, as if she knew things he didn’t. Her odor wasn’t as bad as the others, and her face was just as wrongly shaped as other humans.

“Out with the juicy stuff! Why didn’t you?”

“I don’t eat humans.”

“I’m a fairy, excuse you. This body will revert to my original, much more gorgeous and glittery form when I meet death, or worse, run out of Life Force.”

“I don’t eat fairies, then,” Nilbog said, whistling, though it didn’t feel as cool as when she had done it.

“How heroic and kind of you,” she said in monotone. “No really, why?”

Nilbog stood up, stretching his shoulders. “See you.”

“Tell or I’ll eat you.”

“Eh. Seriously?”

“Seriously,” she said, and Nilbog felt like she was serious. It was hard to read her, and she didn’t seem to place the rover-code, or any type of moral code, high on her list of priorities.

“Those people,” Nilbog looked at the shriveled men around him, still frozen in their last sequence. “I hate them. You did me a favor by-”

“Second, and last chance,” she said, standing up. A wave of Life Force emitted from her, sending all three status flying against the wall. They didn’t crumble into dust, as Nilbog thought would happen, but they did collapse into a gray heap of bones and skin.

It looked bad, bad enough that even Nilbog felt pity for them.

Lady Viss patted her legs from the dust, though she had less luck with the blood.

Nilbog sighed, already feeling the embarrassment filling his cheeks with warmth. He scratched the side of his head, suddenly finding the corner of the room to be very attractive. “You didn’t kill me when you had the chance…so why should I have killed you?”

“Oh my,” she said, placing her hand over her lips. “You won’t live very long with that mindset, dear. What is your real age?”

“I only apply it to non-humans, alright?”

“Ah-uh,” she said, bending towards Nilbog, her eyes leveled with him. “No one would have batted an eye if you took that opportunity, Nilbog, no one but the fools.”

“Why eat when I can just use you, though?” Nilbog said, trying to copy her treacherous smile.

“Pfft,” she said, and then wrapped herself around Nilbog in a heavy fit of chuckles. “Let’s be friends!” she said, pressing him even tighter against her neck. “Let’s make the world’s greatest rover party!”

“You're skipping a few steps! Let me go, and we can discu-”

Lady Viss let him go, though out of her own accord, she picked him up by his armpits and began to spin him around. “So cute!” she said, giggling widely, not paying heed to Nilbog’s complaints. "Show me your Disguise skill! This is impeccable. I can't find fault in your body!"

Nilbog cursed. He knew her type--she would never let go of it at this point. Cursing, Nilbog began to activating his Shapeshifting skill, recalling the other stored body.

His ribcage began to expand, pulling tightly on his skin. The rest of his skeletal system was next, followed by his muscles, increasing his height by a few feet. The body was only a few years older, 16 or 17 years of age, but was a vast improvement than the last. His stats may have not changed, but the feeling did.

Lady Viss dropped him to the ground, staring intently at him as his face changed. His scars vanished, and his skin turned from a pale white to sunbathed, much like the factory workers from before, but without the soot. His high cheekbones become more distinct, and his slightly round chin sharpened up, and was then covered slightly by a budding beard.

Standing at five feet eight, Nilbog now matched Lady Viss’s collarbone height.

“No hugs, no cuddles,” Nilbog said, eying Lady Viss suspiciously. He knew some rovers were into human play, but Nilbog was definitely not one of them.

“Nice,” she said, folding her arms as she looked Nilbog up and down. She circled him twice, and was lousy enough to slap his butt both times. “Most disguise skills alter the skin, and the decent ones go as far as altering the surface.” She reached over, pressing her hands around Nilbog’s biceps.

He shivered. Her strength was ridiculous, and she didn’t even seem to be a strength type build.

“But yours? It alters the physical body? No, it changes it, to a degree that your Disguise skill would also need to impact your Spirit,” she said, droll going down her lips. She slurped it up with her tongue, making Nilbog take a step backward. “Do you know how skill transfer works?” she asked.

“Eating a stronger being allows you to take their race most of the time. Sometimes gives you one of their skills,” Nilbog guessed.  He hadn't had the opportunity, considering his current issue with his evolution path. Nothing below A rank monsters would activate, and the furthest he had gotten was just to be insights of a B rank.

“You won’t get much out of me.”

“Sure, but the rarer the skill, the higher the chance it will transfer. With the right skill, I can still get it. What’s your race?”

“Not telling.”

“What’s your Disguise skill?”

“No.”

“I told you mines!” she said, folding her arms again and nudging him with her shoulder.

“No one asked you.”

She clicked her tongue, frowning, Then, without warning, her face broke into a smirk. She leaned in uncomfortably close. “Want to see my real form?” she whispered.

Nilbog did.

Both had the chance to consume each other, but neither did, and that was the highest form of trust between monsters.

Showing each other’s real form was a major step down from that, but he shook his head anyway. There were too many reasons not to, the least his form being not as graceful as a fairy. She was at least rank A, a huge difference from his meager D+, where the plus only served as an insult at that distinction.

“Bummer,” she said, and Nilbog felt like she meant it. Rovers weren’t exactly a rarity, but they were difficult to find, even for each other, and especially monster rovers. She was the first he had ever met. “What can I do to help you out?”

Nilbog frowned at the last part. “I don’t want a rewar-”

“Oh stop it, it’s not about that. As you said, we’re even, right? So now it’s my duty as a senior human consumer to pass on my skills to my handsome juniors,” she said, placing one hand her over chest and looking up at the ceiling. 

Nilbog scratched his chin. He would have to find something to remove his small beard with, otherwise, the itch will drive him insane. “I just need information,” Nilbog said quietly, though Lady Viss instantly brightened up. She shook her head with vivacity, prodding him on.

“Life Force. Why can't I use it?” Nilbog asked. "I have no status effects or skills that prevent me 

Lady Viss flinched noticeably. She looked like she was about to say something else, but she held her tongue.

“It’s...the energy of your Spirit,” she said, though while she spoke a different part of her was juggling something else. “You can strengthen your body, create weapons, arrows, or hold things with it. Or, if you have a skill, you can use it to attack someone’s Spirit like me. On the other hand, you can use it to defend against attacks like mine.”

“How do you use it, then?”

“Will and intent. It’s like an arm; those who have it can use it on thought, but those who don’t won’t be able to. I can sense it from you. You can see the yellow bar, correct?”

“But I haven’t a clue on how to...use it. None of my skills require it, and I’m too scared to use my points on skills that do because of that.”

“It’s something...that you’re just supposed to know,” Lady Viss said, giving Nilbog a chance to explain himself.

“So when you were playing the damsel, it was actually to lower their… the will and intent to protect themselves? So you can siphon all their Spirit without it being wasted on defense”

Lady Viss did not bother to her disappointment when Nilbog did not elaborate. “You’re not dumb, at least,” she said quietly, looking to the side, and then turning back to a frowning Nilbog. “What, did you think I enjoyed duping a few stupid humans?”

“Yeah,” Nilbog replied instantly.

Lady Viss paused, tapped her lips with her index finger, and then nodded. “Yes, yes I did. Know why it failed to work on you?”

Nilbog shook his head.

“First part is to will,” she said, stepping back and creating a bow out of thin air. It was a bright, glittering yellow, like a tiny sun. An arrow made out of the same material appeared in her other hand. She notched it, aiming at the door.

“It fires it,” she said, and let go. The arrow flew through the air slowly. “Second part is intent; it aims it.” The arrow took a sharp right, whizzing through the air, and through Nilbog’s heart.

He didn’t have enough time to yelp, much less move. He patted his heart, relieved to find it still there. It was a fake-

The arrow jutted half-way from the ground, the concrete cracked around its head.

He gulped.

“My skill Charm all the people in radius, and you’re not “people.” It might have worked if you were attracted to me, I’m not sure, but you don’t like boobs either, you monster. When I didn’t feel any resistance from you, I mistook you for being Charmed, but in truth, just like that Spiritual Arrow, it went through you.” The arrow vanished, part of it going into the air, and the rest going back towards Lady Viss.

“There is a difference between Spiritual and Physical attacks?”

Lady Viss nodded. “Spiritual Arrow is a high tier skill. It will go through all bodies and physical objects, if you’re good enough, and only strike the Spirit.”

“But that arrow-”

“Oh right, that wasn’t Spiritual Arrow, when it hit,” she said, waving Nilbog off with a laugh. “That was me showing off. I have a skill which allows me to change the intent of my skills, effectively changing a skill if there is enough Life Force in the previous skill. Costs mo-”

An explosion resounded in the distance, closer than the last ones, causing Lady Viss to perk her ears. “Any other questions? I would love to stay and chat,” she said, and this time looked towards a different side of the room, “but I need to leave soon. Can’t let myself lag in the rankings.”

Nilbog followed her sight, but all he saw, unsurprisingly, were spider webs in the corner. “How many Players are there?"

Lady Viss snapped back towards Nilbog, her brows tightly pressing against each other. “That is the third surprise, young monster, and thus it is no longer pleasant.”