――――――――――
The level of [Assassination] skill has increased.
――――――――――
After entering the sewers, I followed Ruby’s lead carefully as we made our way to the hideout. It had been a while since I had been so cautious in the sewers, probably since the time I headed to the library to buy magic textbooks. After all, the sewers were overflowing with players.
“We’ve finally arrived, huh…”
“Yeah… I’m so tired…”
We were incredibly exhausted. Ruby was one thing, but my [Assassination] skill level was only in the single digits, which meant I couldn’t effectively hide from top players’ detection. Because of that, we ended up taking quite a detour to get here. Argh! Did I just become a burden!
“It’s my fault. Not an apology, but go ahead and take a rest first. In the meantime, I’ll collect some items.”
“Got it. Well, then, I’ll go ahead.”
Ruby got onto the bed Iris had made and logged out right there. When someone logged out of a bed, a blue light would hover over it, and if other players tried to use it, an information message saying “Unavailable for use” would appear.
By the way, it seems impossible to destroy a bed in use. Supposedly, the goddess is guarding it in the game’s settings. Well, it wouldn’t be funny if someone who couldn’t play for several days suddenly found themselves thrown onto the ground, after all. It’s a reasonable setting.
“Now then, shall we begin the collection operation!”
I started the task of transferring all the items in the room into my inventory. Not only the books I had gathered and the reports that had been left behind, but also healing potions, poisons, and materials from monsters—I stuffed everything in without hesitation.
“Short Teleport.”
As part of my training in [Space-Time Magic], I used the “Short Teleport” spell to move to the container filled with materials, transferring their contents while also taking the container itself along.
This was only possible due to the lack of inventory restrictions in FSW. But because of that, my inventory was a real mess. Originally, everyone disliked it, which is why we used containers to organize our items.
“Short Teleport… Ah, I haven’t even finished a third of it yet…”
Even I was surprised at the sheer number of items we had accumulated. While lightly mocking myself, I immersed myself in the task at hand.
◆◇◆◇◆◇
――――――――――
The level of [Space-Time Magic] skill has increased.
――――――――――
After that, Ruby returned, and we took turns resting. Once I had my lunch in the real world, I logged in again. From there, I diligently continued the task, and we finished collecting the items.
Our current hideout was utterly barren. There was nothing left except for a few pieces of furniture. Often in dramas, you might find random scraps of paper strewn about in a room that was under investigation, but I prioritized collecting such things, so there truly was nothing left. It was as if everything had been hollowed out, leaving behind only an empty shell.
While traces of recent expansion and the presence of someone living at the place until recently might be discernible, on the flip side, there shouldn’t be any other clues. This meant that even if someone were to intrude here, we would remain completely unknown.
“Next is the catacombs. I’ll take the lead.”
“Understood. There seem to be plenty of players who we could potentially defeat in combat, but standing out too much might not be ideal.”
Hardly anyone among the players who ventured into the sewer was part of what is called the “strategy group”. Even after using the [Appraisal] skill, I couldn’t find many with a level exceeding 20.
It seemed that the initial investigation by the players had already concluded, which revealed that this hunting ground held appeal only for low-level players. We didn’t notice this, as it had been reported on the bulletin board while we were flying.
Oh, by the way, when I used the [Appraisal] skill on players, I could only see their name, race, and job level. It’s a bit of a hassle not being able to uncover their skill information, but I suppose that would lead to more problems if it were possible.
More than that, I’m curious about how our status appears from their end. Is it hidden, or does it appear like the ones of ordinary monsters? That’s bothering me!
But that was not the topic at hand. So, the high-level players who remained here must be those who dream of striking it rich. Which meant, the pursuit we encountered earlier seemed to have been nothing more than an unfortunate accident.
With that in mind, there’s no need to be afraid. We can simply proceed cautiously and hide as usual, and if we’re discovered, we can just defeat them.
However, a different problem arose here.
“Ah, this guy is here too.”
Do you remember? Before I underwent my self-modifications, I created a chimera skeleton, mimicking the approach of the undead mage we encountered in that cave. I had completely forgotten about this guy!
I considered leaving it here and making it into a sort of boss-like entity. However, now that we had determined that the surrounding players weren’t particularly strong, Ruby suggested that we could take this creature with us to the catacombs. So, I decided to bring it along, considering it as a gesture of respect towards the Gravekeeper.
“Now, shall we go?”
“Oooh!”
“Clatter, clatter.”
◆◇◆◇◆◇
――――――――――
The level of [Space-Time Magic] skill had increased.
The level of [Archeology] skill had increased.
The level of [Linguistics] skill had increased.
――――――――――
Yeah, in the first place, there weren’t many people on the southern side. It seems the entrance from the city on ground level was quite far to the north, and it appeared that everyone was mapping from there. I was feeling tense for nothing.
As a trade-off, I tried an ambush strategy using [Space-Time Magic] against the Ratmen. It was quite useful and rather fun to execute. I kept doing it until my skill level increased. Well, I hope you’ll forgive me since we didn’t really detour all the way to the catacombs.
“Oh, it’s been a while, though the interval between meetings is short.”
“Yeah, that’s true.”
Since we had established a friendly relationship with the Gravekeeper, we were able to descend to the lowest level of the catacombs without being attacked by the monsters. And there, just as before, was the Gravekeeper; he was a large, undead who was speaking as fluidly as ever.
“So, what brings you here today?”
“Oh, yes. I had this map that you generously gifted us, and it was truly incredible.”
“Oh, really!?”
“I wanted to express my gratitude.”
“I gave that to you as my gratitude, so there’s no need for repayment, but… I’ll accept your thanks.”
If he declined here, the purpose of coming this far would have been lost, so I was relieved that he seemed willing to accept.
“So, what can I get in return?”
“In the battle against the Ratman King, your forces were significantly depleted. I thought I could replenish them.”
“…Perhaps that undead behind you?”
“Not just that. I’ll offer you as many undead creatures as you need, ones I can create,”
The Gravekeeper pondered with his hand on his chin for a moment and then nodded his head.
“Understood. I’ll gladly accept your offer.”
“Alright. So, how many of them do you need?”
“Well, given that individuals like you who come here are rare, numbers aren’t necessary, right?”
“No, that thinking is mistaken.”
In the future, the number of people exploring the sewers would undoubtedly increase. While they were currently concentrated to the north, as the second batch of players began using it as a hunting ground, the catacombs would eventually be discovered.
Once that happened, players would visit almost daily. More importantly, while we were the ones who discovered it, we weren’t the first conquerors. We had fought alongside the Gravekeeper, who was the boss, and formed a certain kind of friendship with him.
People seeking the honor of being the first conquerors would undoubtedly emerge. Therefore, it would be necessary to have quality and quantity when it comes to subordinates.
“Do they engage in grave robbery, unlike you?”
“Most likely. There probably aren’t many who would be concerned about the burial grounds.”
When I conveyed this to the Gravekeeper, his face contorted into displeasure. Even I might have nonchalantly collected things if Genjuro hadn’t been opposed to it. This was because the idea that “this is just a game” was prevalent among players.
“In that case, let me take advantage of your goodwill.”
“Yeah. I’ll gather all the forces I can muster.”
◆◇◆◇◆◇
――――――――――
The level of [Necromancy] skill has increased.
The level of [Alchemy] skill has increased.
Newly learned “Chimera” spell
――――――――――
“Phew, now it’s all complete!”
“Oh, what a formidable fellow undead!”
Indeed, the Gravekeeper’s reaction was quite positive. After all, these are all quite impressive works! Through the “fusion” and “transformation” spells of [Alchemy], I harnessed the abundant monster bones like water to creatively bring forth these undead creatures. Let me introduce them!
――――――――――
Race: Chimera Skeleton Swordsman Lv20
Job: Swordsman Lv0
Skills:
[Sword Mastery]
[Shield Mastery]
[Health Enhancement]
[Strength Enhancement]
[Defense Enhancement]
[Dual Wielding]
[Night Vision]
[Status Resistance]
[Light Weakness]
[Blunt Attack Weakness]
Race: Chimera Skeleton Mage Archer Lv20
Job: Archer Lv0
Skills:
[Staff Mastery]
[Bow Mastery]
[Earth Magic] or [Water Magic] or [Fire Magic] or [Wind Magic]
[Dark Magic]
[Dexterity Enhancement]
[Intelligence Enhancement]
[Night Vision]
[Status Resistance]
[Light Weakness]
[Blunt Attack Weakness]
――――――――――
How did it turn out? I made them in sets of five each! The Chimera Skeleton Swordsmen, equipped with four arms, held two swords and two shields as the vanguard. And the Chimera Skeleton Mage Archers, had staffs taken from players during Jigoro’s rescue and had a bow and arrows attached to their remaining arms. they would provide support from the rear with both magic and archery.
I was quite proud of both creations. The Gravekeeper’s reaction was also quite positive, making the effort to come here and create them worthwhile.
“Um, Isam? It’s taking quite a bit of time, isn’t it…?”
“Whoa! Is it already this late?!”
Thanks to Ruby’s considerate reminder, I finally realized that I had spent too much time. I had become so engrossed that I lost track of time!
“Uh, Sir Gravekeeper! Is this good?”
“Oh, yes! It’s more than sufficient!”
The Gravekeeper responded promptly with a cheerful disposition. If he was pleased to that extent, it was truly rewarding for the creator.
“Oh, Mr. Gravekeeper, can I ask you something?” Ruby started
“What is it?”
“Why did the civilization that built those ruins come to an end?”
“Wai-!”
Asking that question at this moment!? It’s like lifting and then dropping the mood! If it were me, my enthusiasm would plummet, you know?
“Muuh, you want to know?”
“Yeah!”
Huh, huh? Is he really not offended?
“While I don’t know all the details, it is certain that the cause lies with humanity.”
“Humanity?”
“Yes. At that time, humanity was engaged in a large-scale war. Infantry armed with state-of-the-art magic weapons were killing each other; massive spells were scorching the battlefield… It was a great war that engulfed all continents.”
“A great war…”
It feels like I’m listening to a tale from a different game. This is definitely not the medieval fantasy setting. It’s like a scenario straight out of a near-future sci-fi novel—a world-ending scenario caused by war.
“And then, a small nation created a biological weapon to win the war. This became the source of the collapse. I haven’t seen it myself, so I can’t say what form it took.”
“I see… So, it wasn’t a dragon.”
Given the precedent action by that foolish “Moon’s Obsession”, I had a fleeting thought that this might be a similar case. Fortunately, it turned out to be different. That’s good! What a relief!
“The dragon kin, in fact, has been destroying the biological weapons and sealing them in various locations. They’ve ended up cleaning up humanity’s mess. As someone who lived in the same era, it’s rather embarrassing to admit.”
“So that’s how it was… Huh? In various locations?”
The way it was phrased…
“Yes, there are multiple biological weapons. I don’t know the exact number.”
So, the ancient people left behind dangerous treasures, huh? And the dragons were sealing them away. It’s all too familiar, but bringing up this topic could potentially damage his friendship with the dragons. I must try my best not to dwell on it.
“Thanks for the valuable information.”
“Don’t mention it. Well then, next time we meet, regale me with tales of your adventures.”
“Hahaha! I’d be delighted to do just that! Until then, take care!”
“Indeed! May you have splendid adventures!”
◆◇◆◇◆◇
We left the catacombs, where the Gravekeeper resided, while being cautious of other players in the sewers, and managed to make our way to the Western Forest.
“Since I took my time, the sunrise is approaching. Let’s hurry!”
“Understood! I’ll handle the scouting!”
Similar to the previous night, I took to the skies with Ruby perched on my head. Even though it was this time of day, and in the Western Forest, where most players seldom ventured, there was still a possibility of encountering someone.
Opting for the quickest route through the air made us more conspicuous. Alongside Ruby’s scouting, I decided to use magic detection with the “Magic Echo” spell to proceed.
“Huh? Isam, someone is up ahead to the left!”
“I… I’ve confirmed it too.”
The Magic Echo detected four magic signals. According to Ruby, they were all players. However, it appeared that three of them were chasing after a single individual. Could this be…?
“They’re Pking, huh?” (TN: the act of killing players)
I had heard that the PK players enjoyed killing other players for fun. There were aspects of this enjoyment that resonated with me, so I didn’t absolutely deny it.
“They’re just bullying the weak, aren’t they?”
Indeed. What was happening before me was a form of entertainment—a hunt. The issue was that the targets were not monsters, but other players.
The player being pursued had a low level. They probably hadn’t been able to log in much and level up.
The pursuers were of decent level. So, they should be able to take the other guy down easily, but they were deliberately prolonging the encounter. It seemed they were relishing in tormenting their victim.
“What’s the plan?”
“Humph! It’s obvious!”
I shifted my flight path to the left and positioned myself above the foolish pursuers. And then…
“Activate Crescent Magic Circle, spell adjustment… Perish. Instant Death!”
“””?!”””
I cast the “instant death” spell, using the enhanced effects of the [Witchcraft] skill, which was adjusted to maximum potency by “spell adjustment”, on all three of them. As a result, the three fools succumbed to instant death without any resistance.
Their levels were lower than mine, and with my top-tier equipment and the amplified power of [Witchcraft], I was able to bring about their instant demise. It served as a stark reminder of the sinister nature of [Witchcraft].
“Villains need aesthetics, you scum.”
I spat out a parting remark to the now lifeless weaklings. It’s fine if the purpose is to defeat players, but preying on those weaker than oneself is utterly vulgar. Shouldn’t they aim for the top players if they’re going to target anyone?
Those lacking such determination can only amount to insignificant individuals. Let’s forget about such riffraff. Should I resume our flight towards our destination?
“Isam, the person we were chasing is still alive, and they saw us. Is that okay?”
“It’s fine. Who would believe something like ‘saved by a flying skeleton’?”
“Oh, right!”
And thus, we continued our journey toward our friends.
However, little did we know that this encounter would lead to troublesome consequences later on.
Leave a Reply to IsinN Cancel reply