I'm back from my vacation.
This chapter is quite large—10K words long—but it's also quite light in content.
We move on in the story and into the next Class!2
Thank you for reading.
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/Meanwhile, somewhere far South…/
/Shaaaa…/
"Reporting."
An entity clad in pure white clothes stepped out from a burst of fog…
Within a massive room decorated to the brim with complex pieces of art and history, he kneeled on the ground before a set of tall stairs directly before a metallic throne where a man stood with his arms resting beside him.
"... It's time."
Next to the man was another throne, albeit empty, shaped slightly different from his, depicting the image of a mountain split in two, the golden sun carved in the middle…
"..."
To his left, a middle aged man held an orb in hand, his other arm behind his back as he calmly assessed the situation.
The King raised his head after glancing at the man in white robes, letting go of his current thoughts as he turned to the man beside him, saying: "We'll continue this conversation later."
"Understood, your Majesty." Lupio replied as he bowed
He soon left the room through a door on the side next to the thrones, leaving only the King and the man clad in white on the hall.
"Speak."
"We've found him, sir."
"Where?"
"To the North of the Path of Liberation. The Royal Academy of Mystics."
"Hum…"
The King opened his eyes faintly. And in a somewhat pensive tone, he muttered "... Parad Academy…" in-between his breaths
"What was he doing there? Give me a full report of his activities."
"Sir, in the last few days, he moved with conviction, taking no detours as he ran in a straight line towards the city."
"Upon reaching it's outer reaches, he made contact with the 'Easterners', using their network to build a fake identity and enter the city illegally."
"Afterwards, he was seen momentarily entering the Central Public library, staying there for a few hours before moving to an Inn where he remained for little time before soon applying to be a Warden, entering the Academy soon after."
"We're currently waiting on a report from the inside."
"So it seems he moved with purpose."
"We believe that is the case."
"..."
'If there was the possibility of his actions being coincidental, now its evident he has a plan of some sort.'
'Now, how did he create such a plan?... And why?'
The King raised his left hand, scratching his moustache as his eyebrows furrowed.
He couldn't understand, why had the Hero gone all the way there?
"Hm… It seems he's interested in the Academy and found his own means of getting inside… The question is how he found such a method and why he'd do so?"
One does not find themselves involved with those people without reason or chance. This was a fact he knew far too well…
"... You spoke of a fake identity. Tell me more about it."
"Sir, it's been confirmed he's currently posing as a fallen Noble family. Discarting his previous name, he has assumed the surname of "Polter"."
"Polter?... This name… I remember them. But they've been gone for decades."
'I was still a child when it happened… I thought I had settled those issues long ago.'
'To think they'd come back like this…'
The King was quick to put together the clues, reaching a conclusion: 'He must've used them to approach those people… But something's missing here. Were the Polters connected to them? If so, in what capacity?'
Possibilities passed through the King's mind. 'A debt?' He thought as his eyes moved around underneath his closed eyelids…
That said, how did one even make them indebted to them? What had the Polters done in the past to be granted such privilege, and how does it all tie with the Heroe's unexpected movements?
'Regardless of how, he used a family without representatives to achieve his goals… Impressive, for sure.'
'But I'd prefer if he didn't continue to impersonate others. Even if deemed dead, impersonating Nobility is a serious crime.'
'... It hasn't even been a week, and he already managed to get the death sentence by Imperial laws…'
"Investigate the Polters, I want to know everything about them. Everyone they were related to."
"It'll be done!"
"Hmm… They'll likely attempt to interfere with the investigations; try to avoid clashing with them if possible. But don't hold yourself back too much. I want to see how far they're willing to go to protect him."
The King closed his eyes before turning to a painting on the far right.
A man with a long beard and thin hair was there… His father.
"Continue to monitor him in the meantime but avoid interacting or interfering with his activities. It is evident the Hero possesses means beyond our understanding. It would be best to leave him to his own devices so we can understand them."
"As per your will."
/Shuaa…/
The agent vanished just as quickly as he appeared. As if grains of sand had scattered into the wind, taking his presence with them, away from this world…
Seeing this, the King exhaled lightly as he reached for his neck, stretching it as his thoughts ran deep:
"... So that was your goal…"
'... We can't reach that far. The Academy is on neutral grounds… But I believe escaping surveillance was not his goal.'
The King felt necessary to reinforce this idea… The more he thought about it, the more he believed it to be true.
'With such conviction, he must be looking for something. And he has a plan… A strong one.'
'But from where… Did he lie?... He concealed information about himself, as far as I'm aware. However, there's little on him at all.'
'After putting it all together, his actions, from the beginning, were odd… It was as if… He was prepared for the transfer, one way or another…'
'This goes beyond prediction and divination. Something… Someone is guiding his actions. Leading him to act at the exact moment, moving him somewhere to perform an unknown task.'
The King looked at his hands, his eyes worn out from being awake for the last few days.
'I had a feeling someone was manipulating things behind my back, or rather, right underneath my nose… But it's impossible for this person to have contacted the Heroes this soon, I spared no effort in making that true.'
'The traitors do not have the power and influence to reach them. Those that can are under an Oath… Then… There's someone else.'
His eyes flashed with red light as a smile creeped up on his face.
"There is another player on this board… It can only be one person…"
The King tapped his left finger on the throne's arm, causing a series of lights to flash before him as his throne lit up with colorful lines like those of a motherboard.
/Shine…/
And then, before him, a translucent System window appeared.
Unlike Philip's, it was crimson red, the same color as his hair…
"I've pushed this back long enough."
'It was originally meant to be used with their summoning, but I hesitated… This fear almost led to a fatal occurrence… An oversight I'm only willing to commit once.'
'I've been passive for far too long. This is an era of change… Of strife… Of Heroes… And Wars.'
'Something is happening. The board has been set. Its players have begun making moves…'
'I am but a single piece, but even if that's all I'm worth. Even if that leads me to destruction… I'm going to make a move.'
"Even if I fall, the game will move on." He said with a laugh as the System window before him collapsed, causing another to appear before him:
[Ding]
[The conditions have been met]
[Through the Patriarch's covenant, the inheritor awakens]
[Bloodline Skill, Sight of the Beholder has been activated]
[...]
/Crunk…/
The world around him began to shift as a sea of crimson enveloped him.
The words of the System that overlooked creation grew fainter with each passing moment, and soon enough, it grew silent.
"..."
'It's here…'
But he remained calm, already expecting this to happen.
/Giggles…/
In the swaying tides, the faint laugh of a girl reverberated through his ears:
"My child… What is your greatest… Regret?"
He couldn't tell where the voice came from. It was as if the very sea was speaking to him.
His gaze remained serene as he looked forward, but his reflection in the sea showed something else…
A fearful child was reflected in the ocean, trembling as it hugged its knees.
"..."
The red ocean reached his chest, pressing down on his lungs, the King could not breathe no matter how much he tried to push the water away…
With his single breath, he replied:
"... My brothers."
/Silence…/
/Shuaa!/
The red tide swirled as a pair of hands rose from the sea, reaching out to his neck, grasping it tightly…
"... What do you offer?"
A gentle, sweet voice resounded behind him, whispering by his ears…
A faint scent reached his nose… An old but warm smell…
"My vow."
/Crack!/
Something broke underneath the deep ocean, and the woman…
/Giggles…/
Laughed.
"Another… Seeks… Confirmation."
The fingers around his neck pressed down, yet the stronger their grasp became, the greater his breathing became.
"A sacrifice of the many for the few… Bound by blood, you drew your blade… Separated by ideals, you… Reunited… by… amb… on…"
Her voice growing fainter, the King drowned in the sea as the hands pulled him deeper and deeper into the darkness…
/Sheen…/
A spark of light ignited in the darkness, and from within, an extensive spider's web spread out, taking out his whole view...
/Weave…/
The web spread out into thin lines, slowly intertwining with one another, weaving, one letter at a time, a phrase:
-When the Heresy of Mankind finds itself whole, the salvation they desperately ran away from shall recreate the world that was discarded, and from this dirty reflection, the sky will be thorn in emerald sunlight-
-They will cry at the death of the Imperial; the sanguine ruler will take what he gave. A new dynasty shall emerge from our union. He who disappeared to time will reemerge-
-The messenger of the looming doom will lose that which bound him to creation. In his realization, time, will resume-
-Together, all shall witness the taste of gray, the shade of red… The birth… And death…-
-Of a man-made divine-
/Shuaaa!!/
The waves pulled him away, sending him spiraling away into unconsciousness.
…
"!"
The King opened his eyes, his body covered in cold sweat.
"Huff… Huff…"
Gasping for air, the King stood there in his gilded throne, too shocked to even think.
…
/Drip…/
"Urg… Kill me…"
"... We're getting there, just a little more…"
"You… Said that yesterday…"
/CUT!/
"!"
[Ding]
[You have suffered Fatal damage! You are losing blood at a fast rate!]
[Your Skill, Beaten Dog has strongly activated]
[Bleeding rate has greatly decreased]
/SPLATTER!/
"Ugh…"
[You have suffered fatal damage! You are losing blood at a fast rate!]
[Your Skill, Beaten Dog has strongly activated…]
[Bleeding cannot be reduced!]
[Risk Runner has activated. Your injuries are being healed at a fast rate]
/Splatter!/
"..."
[You have suffered fatal damage! You are losing blood at a fast rate!]
[Injuries cannot be healed!]
[Your Title-related Skill, Death Run LvMax has been activated due to your near-death state. All of your stats have massively increased temporarily]
[Your body is collapsing!]
[You've lost a fatal amount of blood!]
[Your Skill, To live another day Lv24 has strongly activated! Adversity gives you strength!]
[Your stats have massively increased temporarily]
[The last to fall shall be you!]
[Skill, Regeneration has strongly activated]
[Skill, Regeneration Lv19 -> LvMax]
[Conditions have been met]
[Skill, Regeneration LvMax has evolved into Hyper Regeneration Lv0]
[Your body is starting to fall apart due to the pressure]
[Skill, Physical Integrity Lv9 -> Lv10]
[Skill, Pain Resistance Lv22 -> Lv23]
[Skill, Mental Inhibitor Lv5 -> Lv6]
[...]
[293,503... 293,504... 293,505... 293,506...]
[While the countdown is in place, you shall not fall. Adversity gives you strength!]
[Physical Integrity has been maintained]
[Skill, To live another day Lv24 -> LvMax]
[Conditions have been met]
[Skill, To live another day LvMax has evolved into To die the day before Lv0]
[Your body wants to rest, but your Unshakable will propels you forward]
[Your consciousness wants to disperse, but your Focused mind maintains your thoughts clear]
[Champion's Determination Lv2 -> Lv3]
[Desperado Lv9 -> LvMax]
[Berserk Lv19 -> LvMax]
[Final Breath Lv14 -> LvMax]
[...]
[Your powerful will cannot dissipate; Berserk side effects have diminished]
[Your body is starting to fall apart due to the pressure]
[Skill, Rock Bottom LvMax has activated]
[There's nothing else to lose, keep moving!]
[Ding]
[Conditions have been met]
[Skill, Rock Bottom LvMax has evolved into Survival Line Lv0]
"..."
/Drip…/
Within a luxurious and spacious room, a horrific scene unfolds…
Sitting in a pool of his own blood, Petter looked at the ceiling with hollow eyes as his blood drained from his wrists, slowly dying with each passing minute…
"..."
Meanwhile, a man sat before him as he witnessed Petter's life scatter from his eyes. His kidnapper and torturer, the one he fears most…
He held a blood-stained blade in hand, occasionally striking it against his arms whenever his wounds closed… His movements showed no remorse as he struck with deadly precision.
/Cut!/
Again and again, for hours… Days… His hands so fast they barely even moved.
The only clue they left behind was the injury in the poor sod's arm…
/Drip…/
/Crunk…/
"!... It's done."
Before the pool, a series of alchemical devices had been laid out in order.
As the blood pool drained through a pipe into a vessel, it was slowly purified and transformed, turning into a pale mist that filled a final, cylindrical tube.
As the tube condensed the mist, a small, crystal slowly formed, floating within the fog.
When the crystal reached its final size, being about the size of a fist, it scrapped against the tube, leaving behind a clear, deep gash in the glass…
/Shaaa…/
Once this happened, Dae sprung into action.
Opening the container, he took the crystal away, inspecting it deeply as the mist filled the room.
"... Finally, this one is perfect… As flawless as it can be given our conditions."
He carefully stored the crystal inside a glass box, resting it gently against a metallic tripod.
"We're done here. You're free to…"
"Ahhh… F-..."
"... Petter?"
'Was this too much?...'
"F… Fucking finally."
"..."
Petter pushed himself off the pool, shacking his arms as he let the red water splatter around the room.
With a disgusted and annoyed expression, he jumped out of the pool, going straight into the bathroom on the side.
Meanwhile, Dae watched this from the side, his eyelids twitching as he gazed at the mess he left behind.
Soon enough, a maid would likely barge into their room to summon them. How was he supposed to clean this up before them?
That said, he did not complain. This was something he was willing to do.
/Creak!/
"... Weren't you going to take a shower?" Dae asked with a sigh as he pulled his sleeves
"I was, but I remembered something."
Dae looked at the room and then at the bloodstained Petter, asking: "... Can't it wait a bit?"
"I suppose it can… But I'm quite curious… Why did we do this again?"
"... This is the last time I explain this to you."
Dae opened his inventory, taking out a mop from within.
/Splat!/
He summoned a ball of water, wetting the mop and the ground… With a mix of magic and physical labor, he slowly tidied up the place:
"While Philip is out there, we must also move on with our duties…"
"Yeah yeah, you told me that before…"
"#!!... Then what's the issue here?"
"... Why do this?"
"Do what?"
"Bleed me to death for several days! Ever since we were pulled from the garden to this place, you shoved me onto that pool and cut me open! I haven't even slept since then!"
"... Are you going to complain? Between being cut open by me and a beast, which do you prefer?"
"You're worse than a beast!"
"Heh…"
Dae rolled his eyes as he laughed drily.
"Now, if you're done, go take a shower. We don't have a lot of time left."
"And who do we have to blame for that? You shattered all other crystals!"
"They weren't good enough, likely due to your bodily condition at the time… Either way, you should be happy we succeeded this soon. Otherwise, we would've had to do this again later."
"I'm never doing this again!"
"Right… And I'm Chinese…"
"F-Fuck you!"
"Petter… I told you before, this isn't going to be easy. Besides, you were the one who asked for this. You remember what you asked of me before, right?"
"..."
"This isn't going to be an easy path. We'll all suffer just as much… Don't make me repeat myself. I'm not good with these things."
"... What now?"
"Now?... We clean this mess and meet with the King."
"The Crown should've finished their investigations by now, and with it, the lockdown will likely be called off."
"They'll begin training us for the future… For War."
"What about everything we did before?"
"That?... A warmup at best."
"... I'm tired…"
"Me too."
"... Once you shower, take a rest if you can, because from here on out… I'm afraid we won't have that luxury."
"... Just what I wanted to hear…"
/Clack!/
Petter entered the bathroom, and Dae resumed his cleaning.
"..."
'Unfortunately, Petter, time waits for no one… And the future isn't so bright either…'
'We suffer now, so we won't have to struggle as much in the future, but if only that were the case…'
Dae silently mopped the ground…
…
/Later…/
"... I'll do it, father."
A young, dark-haired man sat down before a glowing orb, staring at the reflection of a bearded man very much like him…
"Remember, no matter what happens, don't push it. Everything you witness is to be reported to me regardless of the outcome."
"I understand."
"Good… I'll explain the situation the next time we meet…"
"... Father."
"Yes?..."
"Is something wrong? You look tired."
"I… It's nothing much. Don't concern yourself with me and focus on your studies."
"I'll be waiting."
/Dim…/
"... He severed the call just like that. Sigh…"
'As busy as always. I don't know the details, but I heard the Royal Count is quite a mess… Is this related to that in any way?'
'We could've talked a bit longer, though… It's the first time we talked in several months.'
"I'm curious… But I suppose he'll explain it all to me once I'm done."
The boy pushed the orb to the side as he looked at the window, observing the world outside.
"Now then… To find him…"
He looked at the Academy below, frowning.
"This will take a while…"
…
/A few hours later…/
/Sha sha sha…/
It was late in the afternoon, and Philip was close to finishing all of his assigned tasks in the library.
And given his schedule, this meant he was free for the rest of the day.
"What to do now?" He asked out loud as he cleaned some dust from a nearby bookshelf
Resting his head on the pristine bookshelf, he wondered into his thoughts: 'But I can't focus now…'
"Sigh…"
Exhaling slightly, he turned around, moving to the back of the library where he went behind the central counter, taking a seat in the old yet comfortable chair within.
As he did so, he thought about his time in the library, his thoughts spilling out from his mouth…
"This place is really remote, the day is coming to an end and I only saw eight students…"
Philip gazed at the ceiling and read the time on the clock:
'Why do they always put them up there? Pain in the ass…'
Bored, Philip rested his arms on the table. 'Is this okay?'
As he cleaned the shelves, with little to do but such a mundane task, it gave him time to dive into thoughts he hadn't had the time to entertain in quite some time…
"..."
'It has been a little bit over a month since my monotonous and boring university life was put to a halt with me and my colleagues being summoned to this chaotic world… Soon to be chaotic.'
'While everyone else received incredible abilities and powers, mine came mostly from hard work. I won't deny the help and the opportunities Gamerverse gave me, but it can only provide an opportunity most of the time, and even if the little it gives me is already powerful, it's up to me to make the most of it.'
'My unique ability as a Hero is to slowly piece those abilities together into something greater… But I can't say its been easy.'
'One year here, another already came to be in the simulated world… What's next? Another year in another strange land? Then another and another…'
'At this pace, I'll spend a decade in strange worlds by the time one rolls by in this one. If it wasn't for everything I've done to strengthen my mind, I fear I'd already had gone insane.'
"If I haven't already… Tche!"
'So far, I've been able to cope with everything I've been exposed to, and while I prefer to look at the present and future then the past, I still have a few worries that gnaw at my head from time to time.'
'My family and friends are the issue… And how they're reacting to my disappearance.'
'Even though the old University head will take care of our disappearance, that doesn't mean my family will accept it.'
He spun on his chair as those thoughts ran wild in his head, and eventually, he lightly whispered: "My own plan…"
'I… I need to sort my thoughts out before anything else.'
'There… There is this thing that suddenly popped into my head as I mopped the floors of the library… Just what am I supposed to do and how will I do it?'
'I can't keep relying on Dae for everything. I've tried doing some things myself but they're all within the boundaries of whatever he's thinking.'
'At the start, when I came out of the memories, I had a plan… But soon after we got established in this world, I met him and everything went awry.'
'The Human with memories of a collapsed future… How am I supposed to act now?'
'I feel as if doing anything not within his goals is selfish if not self-destructive, but it's not like his plan is something I should follow to a T. He told me that.'
'He has a plan and ideas. And whatever we're exposed to changes them.'
'My ability is a huge incognito, so it's up to me to pave the way, so all of this shouldn't be a problem…'
Philip frowned hard as he scratched the back of his head.
"But I can't help but think I'm playing around in someone's game…"
'Most of this comes from Dae's ridiculous urge to maintain secrecy about his actions and plans. And while I can understand a portion of that, be it due to my lacking qualifications or him willing to diminish the possible variables on his calculations, it doesn't make me any less paranoid.'
'I suppose this is something I'll think about a few more times until I feel safe about my own actions…'
"... Maybe I'll never be satisfied with them…"
'Dae isn't the origin of my issues, but he is at the center of them.'
'To trust him or not to trust him… In the end, I suppose this type of fear is one I'm very familiar with…'
'It is the fear of the unknown.'
/… Bam!/
Philip remained in thought for a little longer before he slammed his right hand on the table, getting up from the chair in the process.
Determined, he moved past the desk, exclaiming: "Enough of this." amidst heavy steps.
'Why am I doing all of this? And why did I accept such a dangerous task?'
"It's simple."
'I realized this when I was in the tutorial…'
'Is it wealth? No, I don't need it.'
'Fame? Why would I care for fame in another world? I would like to stay here if possible, but only on the off chance I can travel between my world and Eden.'
'Though… If someone were to tell me that the only way to do so is by giving up on everything I built here… I'm uncertain how I'd reply.'
'Besides, I don't need other people's recognition… Only those I care about.'
'And my parents are far more valuable than an adventure, and I'm happy and privileged to be able to utter such a sentence… But still…'
'Then… Is it for power?… Close, but not entirely. I like the feeling of growing stronger and mastering things, even if they take a long time.'
'Maybe its due to the blessings of being a Hero, even if a fake one, together with everything Dae did to assist me that made my growth noticeable enough for me to have this sensation, but this isn't all there is to it.'
'What I want… Is an adventure… Something to give meaning to my life.'
'The thrill of exploring a place someone has never been before. Or seeing something completely mythical… Of going into a cave and finding ruins of a long lost civilization or an entrance to an underworld of mysteries rather than just a dead end with nothing in it.'
'Experiencing your power advance, to a point where you can suddenly fly on your own!'
'Isn't it incredible? That through self-improvement a normal man can shatter boulders and bend thick metal beams… It's a bit childish, but seeing the numbers grow gives me motivation to continue.'
'While Dae wants to save the world and as many people as possible, I simply desire to experience everything this world has to offer…'
'It's not like I don't care about the people… I am not a psychopath… It's just that I don't feel as compelled to save them like him.'
'Of course, I understand the need to do it. As extending a hand to others is equivalent to preserving the ground underneath me.'
'I would like this world to remain as it is rather than to witness it burn asunder…'
'I wonder if this is in part thanks to his influence on me? I don't know if it's significant, but feeling everyone's emotions and oftentimes stepping into their dreams can leave a mark on me the same way anything can.'
'I'd like to believe these thoughts are mine and mine alone, a mirror of my desires upon reflection on the world exposed to me… But where does my free will begin… And the influence of fate ends?'
Philip shook those thoughts aside, turning to a small, square metal box below the desk.
He placed it on top of the desk before removing his badge from his chest and placing it on top of it.
/Buzzz…/
With a buzzing sound, the badge trembled before it began to float a few centimeters above the box.
{Processing…}
Immediately after, he heard a faint female voice in his ears.
However, rather than pleased, he was annoyed: "This takes longer than opening Google back at home…"
/Shine…/
A few seconds later, with a flash, a blue screen materialized above the badge. There were several lines and options in it, but he ignored those, checking instead his tasks for the day…
{Organize the books on the first floor of library N.6 -> Completed, rewarded with three credits…}
{Organize the books on the second floor of library N.6 -> Completed, rewarded with three credits…}
{Organize…}
A series of similar and repetitive tasks appeared before him. They all rewarded meager amounts of credits, but the sheer number, when put together, made up to a substantial amount.
Organizing, Mopping, Cleaning, acting as the librarian… Etc.
This wouldn't have been possible without his manipulation of the system through Emanuel.
{All tasks have been completed, you have received a bonus for your outstanding performance}
{Would you like to transfer the credits to your account?}
"Yes, of course."
'What a surprise. I didn't know this was a thing, but it isn't out of the norm.'
'The Academy's System isn't a machine but a special type of creature linked with the main tower where the Principal resides.'
'It oversees all of the Academy, including its defensive and offensive mechanisms.'
'It's fair most of the time, as it was made to incentivize the students and the workers within its scope of influence to improve.'
'This library isn't that big when compared to other facilities around the Academy, but taking care of it is too much work for a single person. Even then, I took care of it.'
"Although… I don't think I will be able to repeat this tomorrow…"
'There is no need to clean such a remote library every day, much less organize its books. And I am sure I would be penalized if I disorganized the books.'
'I suppose this is the cost for some peace and quiet… But it doesn't matter either way since I've got what I wanted.'
Philip opened his account, displaying all of the Credits he possessed:
{205 Credits}
'Excellent. I can move on with Rank Up.'
"Still… This is a bit too fast… And I don't want to attract unnecessary attention…"
'I could sit down and read some books, start investigating the academy and preparing… I could even enter the Simulation Room and train some more…'
'But honestly, I'm fed up with those things. I've had enough of them for a little while. Today, I want none of that.'
'... So I guess it's time to have some fun!'
Smiling creepily, Philip closed the library after a minor check-up around the area.
Even though he hadn't noticed anyone entering the library in the past hour, he decided to double-check just in case.
After all, if anything were to occur, he would be penalized…
His worst experience so far was when he noticed two students entering the library around two hours ago.
He ignored them as he always did, but instead of studying like most 'kids'… The two started to… "Mingle" in the corner… Greatly displeasing him.
To make matters worse, he was deducted ten whole credits for allowing "mischief" in the library.
So after much deliberation, he interrupted them, giving the boy blue balls by knocking both of them out and leaving them near a tree outside where none would find them.
Getting himself involved in the complicated relationships of nobles was already ridiculous enough, but to be forced to clean after them too…
He needed something to help him forget that.
…
Slowly, Philip went around the Academy. He didn't pass through the main grounds like most did but instead, he went the other way, moving to the outskirts.
By following the maps given to him and the magically lit ground scattered throughout the forest, Philip felt he was in a badly written fairy tail.
On his way, he stopped by a restroom to change his clothes, putting on something more proper to what he was about to do, his classic Hunter garments.
/Step…/
Finally, within half an hour of walking, he stopped in front of a 4-floor tall shop.
"This must be it."
'This took a while. This place is too damn big.'
There were two guards in front of the shop, they were clearly well trained just by looking at their immovable posture. Like statutes in a mausoleum, they were unmoving despite the chill of the night.
Their breathing was smooth and thin, almost untraceable. And their equipment was clearly of high quality.
[Lv ?]
[Lv ?]
As he approached, one guards moved his spear to the side, blocking Philip's path as he proclaimed, "... Halt!"
"What is this about?"
However, this wasn't supposed to happen, which greatly annoyed him…
'Not this face again…'
Despite the helmet, Philip could see a bit of scorn on the guard's face.
"The "Lair of Reptiles" closes after 6 Pm to prevent students from entering the Dungeon to avoid class."
"..."
Philip was speechless.
First, did he look like a student? He might have been wearing a mask, but he was over 190 Cm tall, almost two meters tall with his boots.
He might act calm and collected most of the time, but with his muscular build and clothes, he stood a head taller than the guards.
If he were a student, he would have been a third-year or higher student, which certainly does not need such parenting from the Academy.
Either way, such a rule does not exist. The only rule with a similar interpretation would be the one that prevents students from challenging Dungeons they aren't ready for.
And of course, the dormitories times. As just like in the Garden, students had a strict schedule to follow.
Lastly, this is the lowest ranking Dungeon within the Academy, and true to its name, its the only one where Rank 1 Wardens can attend for free. Otherwise, he wouldn't be here!
Philip thought about showing them the badge on his chest, but it was impossible for them to have missed it.
Once again, the prejudice of his work…
'I feel like a homeless person.' He thought as he rolled his eyes
"Oh! I see, I came at the wrong time…"
At the same time, he secretly taped his badge, transferring five credits to each of the guards.
"So? What are you doing standing still? Turn around and leave, no trouble."
They completely ignored his actions despite immediately checking on the value.
"...?"
'Playing hard to get? You guys can't even use these. They'd need to convert them into something else… Forget it.'
'When in Rome, do as Romans do.'
But deep down, Philip memorized their faces, two more for him to torment.
"Hahaha… It's like this, my friends, I really need to access this Dungeon…"
This time, Philip transferred an extra ten credits to each of them.
'If it wasn't for all the shit that could happen if I were to snapp… Fuck, I lost close to half of what I gained today.'
"..."
"..."
The guards looked at each other and moved their spears from Philip's way.
They didn't even acknowledge his actions, if anything, their emotions told him that they scorned him.
'If this happens again, I will make them regret it right then and there.'
'That said, I have to figure out a way to avoid the eyes of the Academy's System first.'
No more words were necessary as Philip entered the Shop.
…
The shop was rather extravagant, but it also had a rustic feel, smelling like aromatic wood and leather.
Wooden walls, stone beams for support, and many noble banners and other things decorated the place.
There were many displays around the shop with many products inside each.
Most importantly, the shop wasn't empty. There were guards in every corner, similar to the two outside. It seems exaggerated, but everything has a reason…
They were protecting the entrance of the Dungeon and all of the products on display; most of them seemed to be reptile-based…
Claws and scales are being confectioned into armor and weapons, together with other alchemical products made from all sorts of plants, most likely preventive from the Dungeon as well.
Philip quietly inspected the place, "It's quite lively…" he said as he moved past a skeleton in display.
'But in a bad sense... I see no customers, only guards…'
His eyes locked to a desk near a massive Golden door.
A woman was working behind the desk, she had a cheerful personality as she sorted the papers and cleaned the desk.
Her brown hair was tied in a ponytail, and she wore thick glasses. However, her face was rather pretty and flawless—if you disregarded the dark circles around her eyes…
"Excuse me."
/Ploft!/
The girl suddenly fell on the ground. Startled by his sudden appearance.
"Oh?! Sorry!"
"... "
'She's a little distracted…'
The girl quickly organized the papers she dropped on the ground and put them on the table.
Her eyes darted to Philip, who was currently masked. She immediately noticed the badge on his chest and her expression changed.
Not to one of scorn, but of pity… She looked at the mask and seemed to assume something as she became sad, confusing him a little.
"Are you here for the Dungeon?... What a silly question… What else would you do here?"
"Yes, I am."
"In that case, you just need to pass through that door." She said as she pointed to the golden door on the side
"See that small translucent glass ball near the door? Just pass your badge near it, and the door will open on its own. There is no need to notify me or anyone about it."
"Oh? How did you know that?"
"Well… Your… People like you tend to come to me for that exact purpose, so I assumed that… Sorry if that wasn't the case."
"Thanks for that, I didn't know of this small detail."
'There is a lot to know. Not everything is explained in the guide/rule book.'
"I'm glad to help! If you have any questions just come to me!... Although I doubt you would do that…"
"And why would that be the case?"
"Hum?! Did I say that out loud?... Well… It's just that I am used to being alone in this place."
Philip looked at the guards and then back at her, saying: "You don't seem alone."
"Those guys? They are worse than statutes. They don't move at all, all day long! I've tried everything to make them move, but they only do so when their shift ends… Or when you step too far into their personal space."
"When that happens, they push you back quite strongly, and I almost hit my head when I started working here."
""...""
The guard remained unmoving…
"I can look at a statue with no problem, but those guys… It's awkward…"
She reached for her hair as she smiled faintly. There was an evident discomfort in her words.
"But why is there no one else in here?"
"That's because there's little to gain here."
"Everyone knows our Academy has many Dungeons due to its unique environment, but they normally only think of those late-stage Dungeons that developed Towers, forgetting about the smaller ones like this one."
"Truth be told, most of the newcomers don't even know of the existence of these underground caverns, and it doesn't help that the others are eye-catching… I mean, I get lost pretty frequently in this place, and I've been here for over two years." She chuckled slightly and showed the third-year badge on her chest
"In the past, the teachers would recommend students to challenge these minor Dungeons to improve themselves, but this changed in the past few decades… No one bothers with them anymore."
She seemed to scorn these changes.
"Most students nowadays will only challenge the bigger and more famous Dungeons, completely skipping these."
"Being honest, it's mostly for glory and fame, it has reached a point where you would be seen as a coward if people were to find out you challenged these "meager" Dungeons."
"To me, it doesn't really matter which one you challenge since they're all 'tamed'. All Dungeons with dangerous monsters and that are hyper-active are barred from our use, even the professors can't enter those as far as I'm aware."
"Finally, if that wasn't enough, its simply not worth the effort to explore this area anymore. The only people who still do so are the desperate, the curious, the weak, and…"
Her gaze fell on his badge, no more words were needed.
"Hum… So why all the guards?"
"Well, it may be rather abandoned, but this is still a Dungeon with potential. Today, it may be ignored, but in three hundred years or more, it may become a Tower."
"A Dungeon's value only increases over time, that is, if you keep it healthy."
"..."
'I know that much, but what confuses me is that if this place is abandoned, why spend so much to overlook it? You could just seal the Dungeon and wait for it to grow.'
'Preventing the monsters from escaping isn't complicated, nor is eradicating them… Whatever is on their heads, this only means this place is entirely for me.'
"Sir?"
"... Pardon me, I only have one more question."
"Throw it, not like I have much else to do."
"Are there any commissions in this place?"
"..."
The clerk was momentarily stunned, not expecting that question.
"After everything, I said you still want to challenge this place?"
"Yes."
'I don't need rewards anyway. Only Credits. Besides, I don't care even if I "lose" money. I'll just take this as an investment.'
The girl frowned, but shook her head, it wasn't her problem.
Philip realized she was very much like him back in University, just minding her own business, being understanding and polite to everyone.
However, just as equally as stressed…
"For your question, yes, we do have commissions, several..."
She took out a stack of papers from inside a drawer.
/Shaa…/
Dust rose from the papers, giving him the urge to cough…
"Just because this place is not very frequented, that doesn't mean the number of missions would decrease. In fact, they only seem to be piling up over time, it has caused me quite the headache."
"Ever thought of doing them?"
"Do I look that desperate to you? I'm only stressed out…"
"Take a look and take your pick, I'll wait on the side if you don't mind."
"Isn't there a rule that limits someone to a single quest or something?" Philip asked as he took the first sheet from the pile
"Depends on your rank and a bunch of shenanigans. But here, you can get as much as you want."
Philip smiled, just what he wanted to hear.
…
/Later in the Dungeon…/
"... If the map is correct, I should be… on the third floor by now…"
'And yet, I haven't seen a single animal. Only a few trails leading nowhere…'
'As the name implies, the 'Lair of Reptiles' is a Dungeon filled to the brim with Reptilian monsters.'
'It's not like there aren't other species apart from reptiles. It's just that there's many of them that people decided to name it after it…'
"The area is quite tidy too, even if dusty."
'Like the dwarven pathways, the caverns have been carved and I can feel the faint movement of energy around me. If I follow it, I'll likely reach the core, but I doubt they'd let me near it.'
'If I can't find anything here, so deeper I'll go… Just not too deep, I don't want to end up too far down.'
"... Hum?"
Philip turned his face to the side, noticing something on the wall.
It was a gray snake, about the size of his arm, wholly camouflaged.
[Clay snake
Description:
A gray snake with a minor color-changing ability.
Its size varies from 30 Cm at birth to 4M during it's adulthood.
It possesses mild paralyzing venom, but it is known for being rather docile except during its mating season.
Its diet consists of smaller insects and reptiles. But it can also eat some fruits if desperate.
The name clay snake is due to its natural gray color and its habit of burying on soft clay for protection.
Its skin can be used for the confection of Minor Circle scrolls and its fangs can be used in the confection of...
…
]
"A Clay Snake, one of the targets for a few commissions…"
'Scholar Vision is really versatile. I don't even know which book this information came from.'
'Either way, I don't need it alive, so…'
Philip took a silver longsword from his inventory, striking down at its head with incredible precision:
The snake did not move, it was just a snake.
/Swush!/
With a simple swing, the snake's head came right off.
{+205 Blood Echoes}
"Let's see… I need its fangs and skin; the rest is secondary."
/Cut…!/
He skillfully took out a small dagger from his waist and cut the entire skin out of the snake without spilling blood in less than half a minute.
With all the hunting he has done in the world of the tutorial as an Old Hunter, Philip is now an experienced master Butcher, a fact reflected in his Abilities...
[Butchering LvMax]
If this is a good or bad thing...
"Continue…"
In a positive mood, Philip stored the items in the small box storage device, moving deeper into the caverns…
…
It had been around an hour since Philip got into the Dungeon.
After diving multiple floors underground and going beyond the safe area of the Academy, he was starting to grow bored.
"... No wonder this place is abandoned. I barely saw anything, monsters or critters. And those I saw weren't even challenging in the least."
'Most creatures around here are ordinary, and even some monsters are at most Level 10, which barely makes them a Monster by this world's terms.'
'They're scattered around the place and skittish.'
"Is going to the Core room the only solution?…"
'It should be a kilometer or two underground. And while everything I met so far wasn't worth a sweat, I'm not ready to face whatever's down there.'
'The energy in the environment is steadily rising, and the higher it becomes, the more abundant the resources in the area become, which leads to more powerful creatures to gather.'
'After my race changed, I've grown rather sensitive to this fact, and to some degree, I feel better down here than up there… No wonder underground and even sometimes, aboveground creatures gather into the.'
'Like a Venus Flytrap, a Dungeon will gather monsters within it to protect it, and once they perish, consume them.'
'To some degree, I'm also a victim of its alure…'
"But I still find it strange why the number of monsters is so low."
'A Dungeon should've been a breeding ground for creatures, not to say monsters. But for some reason, they're all sparse and docile.'
"... If that's the case…"
/Fiiuu~/
Philip took out a flute from his inventory, playing a coarse tone with it.
/Crackle…/
The ground began to quake as it parted open, a massive snake slowly emerging from the fissure!
/Slither…/
The massive creature pushed itself from the cracks in the earth. Clad in fog, it looked at Philip with its large, ember eyes.
"Hey, buddy."
"Ssshh…"
"Yeah, sorry for bothering your sleep. You ate quite a bit just a few days ago."
'I'm not sure if this snake is real or not. Either way, it seems its personality grew a little from back then. But its not; this is only the case of this happening.'
'Even the messengers changed considerably after I took them off the memories.'
/Jump!/
Philip jumped and sat on top of its head.
"Our target is the deeper areas. Let's see if we can find anything tasty for you."
'I just have to gather some materials and call it a day. Once I have enough credits and enough time has passed, I'll rank up and move on with my plans.'
'There's no need to rush anyway. The schedule is pretty loose, I can take my time.'
If he wanted to be efficient, Philip would've run all the way down within a few minutes. But that wasn't his goal.
"Onwards!"
"Ssshh…"
…
As time passed by, the two made their way deeper underground. Just as he expected, the deeper he went, the stronger and more numerous the monster became.
Eventually, he reached a point where things finally began looking like they should, like the books he read.
He concluded that while abandoned, this Dungeon still functioned as normal. The monsters were kept at bay through a series of mechanisms and pathways, sealing them deep underground.
Philip theorized the energy in the environment was being siphoned elsewhere while the creatures inside were sealed. And it wasn't hard to figure out why that was the case.
At the very least, it didn't seem like the monsters had any intention of leaving their habitat even without the seal being taken into question, which was to be expected. Then again, he wasn't proficient or capable enough to understand the designs and mechanisms scattered around him.
That said, the likely reason the students did not come to this place was that it took them too long to reach these depths. Carrying heavy gear several hundred meters underground while worrying about poisonous snakes and insects was likely not what most expected to experience while Dungeon diving…
Even if wrong, most Nobles seemed to see Dungeon diving as a Heroic thing often portrayed in legends and novels.
It was the same back on Earth.
/SPLATTER!/
{+ 437 Blood Echoes}
{You received, Large Crocodilix Fang}
"Another thing to cross off… We're getting there."
Tapping the snake's head, he raised an eyebrow as he noticed its shedding skin, asking: "Are you growing even bigger?" as he patted its head.
'Maybe that's why it was upset before. But at the same time, it looks quite eager to eat everything on sight.'
'I can't quite tell apart the emotions and thoughts of an animal. But I can at least tell it doesn't seem to want to eat me…'
"Hm? What's that?"
A massive ravine appeared at the end of the cavern, extending far beyond the reach of the faint light by his waist.
/Burn…/
Philip grabbed a wooden torch from his inventory and threw it at the ravine, watching it burn as it fell into its depths.
Thanks to the extra source of light, Philip had a great view of the surrounding ravine. And rather then a ravine, it was more like a circular hole.
He immediately understood where he was.
"Interesting. This must be the central root of the Dungeon."
'In this very place, hundreds if not a thousand years later, the Dungeon Core will use this very pathway to build the tower leading to the skies. But for now, it's just a hollow hole with a few minerals here and there.'
'Most of it has been mined, I can see signs of Human activity everywhere on its edges.'
"There is a small path on the side of the Ravine, but it isn't completely safe due to those creatures…"
On the cave's walls and ceilings, he could see dozens, if not hundreds, of massive winged creatures similar to Earth's Pterodactyls.
They were furry and had long tails that dug into the rock around them, giving their giant bodies their very needed support.
Their beaks were large enough to gobble half his body whole, quite the intimidating sight.
"They just look more fearsome."
[Lv 30]
[Lv 27]
[Lv 20]
[Lv 23]
[Lv 24]
[Lv 22]
…
"Their average Levels are in the mid 20s while the stronger ones are in the early 30s… How strong is that on the danger index? A monster strong enough to ravage a few houses to a street?"
'There are few commissions on them, but they're far too numerous. I can make do with one or two specimens… But that's no fun.'
'I can't just leave either… How about I test one first? Even if I don't get anything in return, the more I experience, the better Simulation Room becomes.'
Philip took out another item from his inventory as he looked at the creatures in the ceiling.
It looked like a strangely shaped curved blade, but that was all.
(Image)
/CLANG!/
However, he suddenly moved his left hand that was holding the sword, and with the sound of metal clashing, the blade split into two, becoming a… Bow?!
[Simon's Bowblade MK.2 +9
Description:
Choice weapon of Simon, one of the first Hunters of the Healing Church.
Simon despised firearms, so the Church's workshop had these specially fashioned to his liking. The large curved blade serves as a bow when transformed, a weapon only the most cool-headed Hunters could employ.
But aside from a few close friends, Simon was scoffed at for his choice of arms, for who would dare face the beasts with a measly bow?
Its silent and cold tale was like its design, for its arrows left behind no sound when released, for Simon saw his choice of weapon as his creed, the roots from which most had stepped away from. He wished his efforts could show them that there was more to simplicity then it seemed, but in vain, he left this world without proving his point.
That was until a certain Hunter saw potential in its unique design and improved it… At the cost of its usability…
After pushing its design to its limits, it now required ten men to pull its string. Its design a fusion of multiple philosophies, an atrocity of metal and machinery.
How would Simon feel upon seeing his life's work twisted just like the beasts he once hunted?
]
'I've had enough of using swords.'
He took an arrow from his inventory and pulled the string with ease.
'Its lighter then I remember. Almost too much…'
He aimed and let the arrow fly.
/Fiuu…/
With the low sound of wind being pierced, the arrow cut its way through the like a bolt of lightning!
"... It's more effective than I imagined…"
'Hum… Maybe there's potential in investing in this.'
'I gave up on using weapons due to their falling effectiveness, but bows and the like don't seem as limited…'
His thoughts running extremely fast, he followed the arrow with a sharp gaze.
/FWOOSH!/
/PIERCE!/
The arrow precisely hit the head of the monster, sticking it to the solid ceiling. Its body now swinging lifelessly…
/KAW!/
The creatures reacted faintly but not aggressively, only lightly startled.
"... It's almost like a small cannon."
'There were many tools and weapons I made that I couldn't test properly, this one's holding out quite well.'
'Hm… Maybe I can try injecting energy into the arrow… It's not like there are only sword or bodily techniques out there. Bow users are quite plentiful as well.'
"... Collecting the loot up there will be quite the hassle… Well, I'll just try not to have them stick to the ceiling."
'Even if they do, I'll just pull them down.'
/Pull…/
He pulled the string again, ready for some "target practice"...
…
After he began his hunt, chaos spread in the caverns.
"KAAA!"
/Splurge!/
The beasts would fly around in confusion and rage, often diving onto him upon spotting him.
But whenever that happened, he'd calmly sent an arrow towards their head…
{+ 2377 Blood Echoes}
"I'm getting the hang of this."
'Once this is over, I'll see if I have anything related to bows in the library.'
Philip looked up to see several dozen Pterodactyls flying above him.
/Crack… Crack…/
On his left, the giant snake swung its body around the place, crushing several of the beasts before crushing them within its jaws.
The beasts seemed unable to break into its skin. And even if they were lucky and wounded it, they'd die soon after.
It made Philip wonder about the strength of the snake, given his Skill didn't work on it, but it didn't matter regardless.
"KAAAAA!"
Philip turned into smoke as he stepped to the side and cut one of the Pterodactyl's wings off with his bare left hand.
The blood splattered on his face, drenching his mask… It's seemed to excite him a little as he transformed the bow back into its sword form before cutting another Pterodactyl that flew too close to him into two.
He condensed the nearby blood, transforming them into spikes as he threw them in the air, impaling several of the reptiles at once.
With each strike, he tried another technique, his sword glistering with multiple colors. Often green, other times blue, and sometimes red…
Once he had fun cutting them up, he swung his sword sideways, creating a massive red wave that swept most of the Pterodactyls ih the sky.
/Tud… tud… tud…/
When their corpses fell on the ground, they seemed dried, as if all liquid had been drained from them.
"..."
Philip's red eyes looked at the scene without any emotion.
His mask fell off revealing his ferocious expression. His teeth seemed a bit sharper…
[Castle Town ***** has detected an irregularity within your mind]
[Your mind has been forcibly returned to its normal state]
Philip's eyes returned to their normal sheen as he reached for his forehead, startled.
"Hum?... This again?"
He spat some of the blood inside his mouth, wiping his lips with an annoyed expression as he kicked a body by his feet, sending it tumbling down the precipice.
"This always happens when I fight too much. And it's getting more frequent."
'I wonder if it's a side effect of my time in the Simulation Room, but whenever I fight like this, I grow intoxicated.'
'These are early signs of beasthood. I thought I had surpassed it, but the more I train, the more I realize there's no escaping it.'
'Maybe my obsession with cleansing my impersonator wormed itself into my mind, bypassing my defenses… This isn't the kind of thing I can solve in the short term.'
'In normal times, resting and doing nothing would've done the job, but given I was bored and came here, its likely severe.'
'It won't solve the issue itself, but forgetting this accursed blood will at least prevent me from turning me into a monster… If I even can, that is.'
'I'm likely overestimating, but I wonder which would prevail, Apex Evolver, or the blood of the Great Ones. If both were to clash for supremacy, which would end up on top?'
'I saw a taste of this with Beastify. When I pushed it to its limits, my body maintained its shape and grew with the pressure. But that was a contained scenario… If the curse within this blood were to flare at its full might, would I be able to retain my humanity?'
"I sure like overthinking things…"
/Inject!/
Philip took out a blood vial from his inventory and injected it into himself, healing a small hole in his stomach and helping him relax a little.
"Urg... This feeling is terrible… It does make me wonder what sort of beast I would become if I were to give in…"
Philip looked around and noticed the snake devouring the bodies of the fallen monsters. He exhaled loudly as sheathed his blade, not wasting any more time and making his way to collect the loot.
He didn't need any of it, but it felt wrong to leave it behind.
Completely drenched in blood, mentally exhausted, and physically hurt, the Hunter had finished its hunt.
/Shuaa…/
And as he looked at the abyss underneath his feet, he wondered if it was time for another…
[...]
"Hm?"
As he crouched near the bodies to collect the loot, he noticed the System flare before him.
But just as quickly as it appeared, it vanished...
'... It seems the System didn't shut down as I expected. Maybe it is trying to fix itself.'
'I shouldn't take too long exploring this place. If it somehow fixes itself and I receive my rewards, there's a big chance Gamervese will spontaneously activate and send my hurling across the multiverse.'
'And a cavern full of monsters isn't the safest place to leave my body.'
"Let's end this quickly, then."
…
.
.
.
Notes
Thank you for reading!