Chapter 112: Masked Guild

(TN: Yes, here it is finally confirmed that forest dwellers or forest people are elves. And mountain people are dwarves. I’m very sorry that I didn’t translate them as such from the beginning, but I wanted to be sure, that’s all. I will call them as such from now on and will change the terms in every chapter from the beginning.)

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PK, an abbreviation for Player Killers, were individuals who killed players to steal their experience points and dropped items.

In the world of FSW, PKs were far from profitable. The experience gained from killing a player was less than that from slaying monsters of the same level. Moreover, the dropped items were limited to a maximum of three random possessions from the slain player.

The drawbacks were significant. Regular players had green markers, but those who engaged in criminal activities such as theft had their markers turn orange. If a player or NPC was killed, the killer’s marker would turn red. At that point, walking around the city became difficult, as one would be immediately apprehended if spotted.

The [Disguise] skill of my mask helped me deceive the system, but it wasn’t a foolproof method. There was a specialized skill called [Discernment] that could expose it.

when crimes were committed in the city, the golems made by the goddess would come out to kill. While they didn’t respond to all criminal acts and had various loopholes, the risks still seemed substantial compared to the benefits. While I had also killed someone instantly with my magic, these PK players were quite an uncommon presence among players.

“Red markers… you were attacked by PKs, right?”

“That’s right. I barely escaped with my life, but their markers were all bright red.”

I treated Sei’s familiar with [Soul Magic] and decided to hear what he had to say. It turns out they had teleported north from here. After some casual exploration, they were ambushed by a party of four individuals with red markers: two humans, one elf, and one beastman.

“Hmm…this seems like good information to hear early on.”

“What do you mean?”

Perhaps Eiji was listening to my muttering as he stared at me curiously. Judging by their expressions, it seemed that Usaji, Shitake, Seventh Armor, and Moth-san understood what was happening. Apparently, being older made it easier for them to grasp the situation.

“It seems like I was being conceited. I thought that the participants seeking harmony between humans and monsters were all part of the main event, while the monster players who were left would form the secret event. But I was mistaken.”

As I said this, it appeared that Eiji and Wool had caught on. I continued.

“This means that in this secret event, there are also factions of human players.”

The majority of players, whether humans or monsters, seemed to favor friendly interactions. So, I had assumed that the players participating in the secret event would consist mostly of monster players, with the exception of those special individuals who couldn’t join the main event but now had the opportunity due to some obstacle being removed.

However, the situation turned out to be different. There were indeed a certain number of human players who specialized in PK and criminal activities, and they too were participating in the secret event. I had an intuition that this could be useful.

“Sei, how far do you want to go when you talk about getting revenge? Do you want to kill the other party?” I asked.

In response to my question, Sei paused for a moment, then shook his head.

“I initially thought about killing them, but you healed Phil’s injuries… somehow, I’ve lost interest. Just one good punch should do.”

“I see. That’s good to hear.”

My peculiar choice of words left everyone looking puzzled. They were probably thinking, “What is this guy talking about?”

“To achieve our strategy’s success, I propose forming an alliance with some of those PK players,” I continued.

Not only Sei, but everyone else who was present held their breath at my suggestion.

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“I can’t seem to find any PKs.”

“Yeah, well, they’re probably good at hiding.”

Moth-san and Seventh Armor were grumbling from above my head as they flapped their wings. Currently, we were heading further north from where we first found Sei and his familiars. We had heard that Sei had encountered PK players in this direction.

By the way, it was difficult to move around with a group of eleven, including familiars, so we had split into two parties. This group consisted of me, Moth-san, Seventh Armor, Sei, and his familiars. The other five were exploring to raise Shishu and Wool’s level and collect items that could be obtained in the surrounding area.

“Stop. I see the trees swaying over there. Looks like there’s a battle happening nearby.”

“Ah, I see. Let’s proceed with caution from here.”

As a Big Monkey monster, Sei was exceptionally skilled at climbing trees. While moving through the treetops, he had been surveying the area from high vantage points.

He sensed something unusual, so we continued forward, preparing ourselves for a potential battle at any moment. Now, will we be able to encounter the PK players we’re looking for?

“Guaaah!”

“Souji! Damn it!”

“You’ve really done it, you bastard! That’s playing dirty!”

As we got closer, the details of the battle became clear for us. It appeared that players were engaging in battle with each other. It was a 3-on-1 scenario, and as expected, all four players had red markers; they were all PK players.

The trio seemed like ordinary players at first glance. There was a human warrior wearing lightweight leather armor that prioritized mobility and wielding a sword and a shield; an elf mage in a black robe with a wooden staff; and a beastman wolf swinging a two-handed greatsword. Their party leaned slightly toward offense.

On the other side was a small warrior clad entirely in black. Similar to the enemy warrior, this one wore leather armor and dual-wielded large, ice pick-like weapons. The warrior had a cat-like mask on their face, and their race was unknown.

“That one… is quite strong.”

Surprisingly, the warrior who was on his own clearly had the upper hand in the battle. While there might have been a level disparity, it was the unmistakable experience and familiarity with the environment that set them apart. Despite the decent coordination of the trio, they were constantly outmaneuvered. It was clear that the single player was highly skilled.

“Ah, it’s them! They’re the ones who hurt Phil!”

Although Sei kept his voice low, he pointed to the trio, who seemed to be on the brink of defeat. I see, so they were the ones. According to his account, it was a group of four, so one of them must have already been killed. The hunters had become the hunted, it seemed. We need to be cautious as well.

“…I’m bored. I’m going to finish you off.”

“Eek!”

“Argh!”

Surprisingly, a girl’s voice emanated from behind the cat mask. It was a clear, beautiful voice, like a ringing bell.

However, what she did was far from ordinary. With swift movements, she stood between the two vanguards, and in an instant, she leaped into the air. While twisting her body mid-air, she thrust a slender sword into the throats of the two. Naturally, they were instantly killed.

“…Haah, utterly useless. Can’t even fulfill the role of a tank.”

“…. you gave up, huh?”

While berating his fallen comrades, who had become particles of light and dropped items, the elf mage tossed his staff aside. It seemed like he had given up. He was quite decisive. If it were me, I would have been wracking my brain, wondering if there was any way to turn the situation around while struggling.

The girl in response tilted her head cutely and asked. Her childlike gestures seemed a far cry from the person who had just demonstrated an unmatched skill in killing that ordinary players couldn’t replicate.

“Huh? Are you a member of the “Persona” guild? A small-time punk like me who goes after beginners won’t stand a chance against a top PK guild member like you.”

“…I see.”

With her sword hanging loosely, the masked girl approached in a seemingly defenseless manner. Well, if it were me…

“You’re in for it now, brat!”

As expected, the mage drew a double-edged knife that was hidden beneath his robe and launched a surprise attack. It seemed he had been patiently waiting for an opportunity to ambush the girl, after all.

The elf’s movements were swift and precise. He likely possessed the [Dagger Mastery] skill. Moreover, he seemed to be using a martial technique for the attack. Additionally, there appeared to be some liquid attached to the knife’s surface. It was probably some kind of poison.

“…The timing is too early. It might have been better to drag it out a bit more.”

“Hmm?”

Yes, that’s what I had been thinking as well. Waiting for her to get closer would have been a better strategy. Was the elf in a hurry? If his claim of specializing in “hunting beginners” was true, he might have been used to cornering others but not accustomed to being cornered himself. That might explain why he misjudged the distance needed to make a counterattack.

The girl deflected the knife with her right-hand sword, then twisted the other sword into the mage’s eye with her left hand. She further impaled the right-hand sword into the other eye. That’s traumatic material right there. The thought of a blade approaching your own eye was nothing short of terrifying!

“…It’s not good to curse your comrades. Consider this your punishment.”

Isn’t this punishment a bit extreme? That’s what I thought as a bystander, but it probably didn’t reach the other person. The elf had already left some items behind after his death.

“…I know you’re hiding. Come out.”

“Hmm, you’ve figured it out, huh?”

I had a hunch. She never once turned her back to us during the battle, which is why I straightforwardly revealed myself. The other three and Sei’s familiars hastily emerged from their hiding spots.

“…A tamer?”

“No, everyone here except the wolf and the pixie is a player.”

“…Monster players? Well, that’s a surprise.”

The girl said she was surprised, but her voice lacked any inflection. It was hard to tell if she was genuinely shocked by her monotone demeanor.

“…What do you want?”

“First, let me express my gratitude. It seems the group of four you defeated had just attacked my friend a while ago. Though unintentionally, you’ve taken revenge for us. Thank you.”

“Th-thank you!”

Following me, Sei lowered his head. The girl, on the other hand, shook her head vigorously.

“…No need for thanks. Tell me, what do you want?”

“Then, I’ll be straightforward. I want to make a deal with your boss, the leader of the ‘Persona’ guild.”

Honestly, from this point on, it was more than half a gamble. That’s because I had no idea what kind of ideology the group called “Persona” was founded upon.

However, based on what the mage who was killed earlier mentioned, they seemed to be a skilled PK guild. As someone who was trying to collaborate with such individuals even just during this event, my encounter with this girl was a golden opportunity.

It might be a bit of a shot in the dark, but if it worked out, it could be worth a fortune! Time to use my wits and eloquence!

“…The boss? Why? “

“I want to make this event even more exciting. It’s not very interesting if it just ends with ‘successful defense’ or ‘failed defense’ right? I want to prepare a different outcome. For that, I want to enlist your help.”

“…I see. Boss, what do you think?”

“What?”

The girl turned around and inquired. And just as a mirage seemed to materialize out of nowhere, a slender figure appeared. This person’s attire was the same as the cat-masked girl, but this figure wore a mask that resembled a laughing clown. It was quite eerie, to the extent that if you encountered them on a dark street at night, you might freeze up.

No, appearance wasn’t the issue right now! Wait a minute, were they there from the beginning? I didn’t notice at all!?

“I’ve heard what you have to say. I am Usuba, the guild leader of ‘Persona’.”

“I am Isam, leader of the Nightwalkers guild. I believe you’ve heard my purpose. What’s your answer?”

I was genuinely surprised, but I suppressed my surprise and replied. Since the other party was a PK, it wasn’t unreasonable to stay composed. I convinced myself of that.

“Ufufufufu. This is quite interesting. You want to turn this into a more exciting game, not just a regular defense battle. And you want it to be driven by players, no less. I’d love to be a part of it as well. However, there’s one condition.”

Here it comes! It was negotiation time now. We’d likely get into discussions about the distribution of the spoils. They would probably start by making their demands, so how much room would they bargain for?

“Let’s have a one-on-one match.”

“Huh?”

A match? Did that mean we were going to have a battle?

“I want to gauge the strength of the person I’m teaming up with. After all, my guild is at the top in this killing industry. I’d rather not entrust my back to a player who’s all talk and no action.”

“I see. That’s a reasonable assessment.”

Indeed, as Usuba mentioned, even I wouldn’t trust the schemes of a player without real skills. And if they claimed to be the best in the industry, that made it even more crucial.

“From what I’ve seen, Isam-san, you’re a mage, right?”

“That’s correct.”

“In that case, let’s do this. Akane?”

“…What?”

“Round up everyone. If Isam-san here manages to stay alive until everyone gathers, we will listen to your story.”

“Oh, really?”

This is that kind of thing, right? They’re underestimating me just because I’m a mage, thinking I can’t beat vanguard players? Fufu… fufufu…

“Are you suggesting a fight to the death?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll go easy on you. Well, I don’t really feel like teaming up with someone who can’t handle a little bit of mercy.”

“I see… You’ve got a point.”

On top of that, he’s going easy on me? Ahaha… Ahahahaha!

“Summon Skeleton Shield Warriors! Summon Skeleton Swordsmen!”

“…Hoo?”

I summoned two Skeleton Shield Warriors and two Skeleton Swordsmen through my [Summoning Magic]. Although his face was concealed by a mask, I could hear Usuba let out a surprised murmur.

Don’t underestimate mages, you punk! They’ll turn the tables on you!