Chapter 45
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Your 【Alchemy】 level has increased.
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You have logged in. It is currently noon in real-world time and midnight in-game.
"Good morning."
"Yeah."
Was Jigoro the only one already logged in? That's unusual.
"I can finally graduate from being a shut-in."
"Ha ha ha. I work my ass off in real life, though."
As the two of us killed time trading that sort of light banter, Ruby and Genjuro logged in.
"Sorry! I'm a little late!"
"My senior citizens' association meeting ran long. Sorry about that."
"Don't worry about it."
This wasn't work but a game, a pastime. Since none of us were so-called hardcore gamers, we weren't strict enough about punctuality for this to be an issue. Besides, if we were going to scold someone over this, we'd have to scold Iris too.
"Sorry! A package arrived unexpectedly, so I was late!"
Oh, Iris is here too. Now we're all here. I handed the potions and such that Iris and I had diligently made yesterday to the other three, then gave Ruby the poison I had made with 【Alchemy】. The venom from the fangs dropped by the bats and snakes in the cave had been added as well, giving it even more vicious properties.
Speaking of drops, while I was talking with the Grave Keeper, Ruby had apparently looted the Ratman King and the others. That girl really doesn't miss a trick.
Apparently, all they dropped was some fairly decent weapons, hides, and fangs. The Ratman King's staff had decent stats, though. Its details are below.
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Rusty Scepter Quality: Poor Rarity: T (Treasure-class)
One of the symbols of kingship in an ancient kingdom. It harbors the powers of fire and light.
It is severely rusted and filthy, making restoration difficult.
It may be waiting for the day it can regain its former brilliance and glory.
【Fire Attribute Enhancement】 Lv. 1
【Light Attribute Enhancement】 Lv. 1
【???】
【???】
【???】
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Yeah, its rarity is pretty high, but it's completely a lower-tier version of the 'Hourai Staff.' If I'm being blunt, isn't this basically anti-Grave Keeper gear? Bringing out a staff that strengthens magic targeting the Grave Keeper's weakness means they're really eager to kill him.
More importantly, this is also the kind of equipment whose original power can be restored. Unlike my scythe, it doesn't require any materials. According to Iris, our esteemed crafter, restoring it requires high-level 【Crafting】 rather than 【Smithing】. But that's not all: in addition to 【Crafting】, it also requires 【Archaeology】.
In other words, it's the restoration of a work of art. That's why it requires both archaeological knowledge and 【Crafting】 skill. I was interested in seeing it regain its true power, but it was far too much trouble.
However, as soon as Iris learned that, she went and acquired 【Archaeology】. She said it was a good opportunity to use the surplus SP we'd earned from the labyrinth event, but perhaps she was also being considerate of me. All I could do was thank her.
That brings us up to date on yesterday. It's about time we set out. We'd head north from the western exit, cross the mountain where I first met Jigoro, go around the lake, and then climb the mountain towering even farther beyond it. It was quite a brutal schedule.
Without the camping tent Iris had made using all three of her 【Leatherworker】, 【Smithing】, and 【Crafting】 Skills, this route would have been impossible. Apparently, other players had made them too, but Iris's were higher quality. They were also so expensive that even the strategy group might have trouble scraping together the money. I was truly glad to have Iris as a teammate.
In any case, let's aim for the Northern Mountain first. What, getting there is basically a picnic. Besides, unless the second wave had already arrived, surely there wouldn't be any weirdos among the players who had been around since launch who would deliberately climb a mountain at night. Let's breeze through it.
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"The Northern Mountain... It's been quite a while, hasn't it?"
"Yeah. Since the time we went on a spectacular rampage."
What Jigoro meant by 'the time we went on a spectacular rampage' was, of course, when we wiped out the force sent to take him down. Apparently, the fact that we had wiped out the top players had caused quite a stir.
Some people had figured out that Jigoro was a player, but thanks to my theatrics, the prevailing theory was that Jigoro and I were event monsters. Good job, past me, for not letting my voice tremble back then!
"Putting that aside, what spawns here?"
As I was nostalgically remembering those events, Genjuro, who had been completely uninvolved in the whole commotion, asked me a question. Well, as far as he was concerned, the information we needed now wasn't our reminiscing.
"Well... wait, they're coming closer."
"Gegyaaah!!!"
Ruby had been about to explain to Genjuro, but the area's signature monster had appeared, saving her the trouble. It was a humanoid monster with green skin, a bald head, an ugly face, and sharp eyes... well, to be blunt, it was a Goblin.
There were three of them. It was obvious they weren't much of a threat. Still, it might be useful for future reference, so I decided to use 【Appraisal】.
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Race: Goblin Lv. 2–4
Job: None
Skills: 【Fangs】
【Claws】
【Gluttony】
【Intimidation】
【Night Vision】
【Small Stature】
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Whoa, they're weak. Despite having 【Fangs】 and 【Claws】 Skills, they were wielding clubs and broken swords that looked like lumps of rust, none of which had Skills of their own. Maybe their brains were weak too.
"Seeing it once beats hearing about it a hundred times, eh?"
"Oh, I've never seen an ordinary one before either."
Ah, right. When we first found Ruby and Genjuro, Jigoro and I had already evolved. I suppose this was Ruby and Genjuro's first time seeing an ordinary Goblin, famed as the weakest of them all.
"This takes me back."
"Jigoro was like this once, too."
Iris and I, on the other hand, felt strangely nostalgic. It was like seeing a child attending the same elementary school as a son who had already gone on to middle or high school... or something like that. I wouldn't know, since I didn't have any children.
Besides, Jigoro was wearing the loincloth he had received as a reward for clearing the 'Azure Moon's Trial,' so his entire aura was fundamentally different from that of the three before us. If the Jigoro from back then appeared in front of me, I'm sure I could tell him apart.
"Quit saying stupid shit. So, who's gonna deal with these guys?"
"Hm? Couldn't you communicate with them, Jigoro? Didn't you evolve from the same kind of Goblin?"
In response to my question, Jigoro shook his head.
"These guys are probably from a different tribe than the settlement where I started. Doesn't look like they consider me a comrade in the slightest."
"...I see."
So Goblins from different settlements would kill even their own kind. Saying it was just like humans would probably get me in trouble, so I decided to keep that thought to myself.
"I don't wanna fight scrubs like these. I slaughtered enough of 'em when I was just starting out."
"I'd rather not. Practicing my swings seems more worthwhile."
"Jigoro..."
"Grandpa..."
Oh, dear. The two battle junkies didn't seem interested in fighting. The women looked utterly exasperated.
Under normal circumstances, I would have agreed with the women's reaction. But today, of all days, I was actually grateful that the two fighting fanatics had said they didn't want to fight. There was something I wanted to try.
"Then I'll go."
"Izam?"
I stepped in front of the Goblins, who had been screeching threats at me in their filthy voices this whole time. Iris looked puzzled, since I normally never stepped forward.
"It'll be perfect for testing 【Light Magic】. Besides..."
As I spoke, I took the staff in one of the arms I had created with 【Alchemy】 and equipped the great scythe in the arm I had originally possessed.
"It'll also be perfect for giving this a test slash... won't it!"
"Gegya?"
I lunged forward while still speaking. Perhaps they hadn't expected me to charge in alone, because the Goblin merely stared at me with a stupid look on its face. If it wasn't going to defend itself, I wouldn't hold back.
"Slash!"
I swung my scythe while using a 【Scythe Arts】 technique. Following the method described on the weapon-technique discussion board, I focused on not resisting the flow assisted by the system. I had actually done the same thing when I was acting as a boss in the labyrinth.
Then, my body began moving so smoothly that I could hardly believe it. Though the great scythe should have been difficult to handle, I delivered a powerful slash as if I were already proficient with it. A black, aura-like effect appeared along its trajectory.
The dark attribute residing in the weapon must have been responsible. Pretty cool, huh?
"Gya..."
My slash cut one of the Goblins in two diagonally from the left shoulder, killing it instantly. I was a mage and the weakest member of the party, but my level was still above 20. Even though the weapon had lost most of its abilities, it was still far more powerful than a starter weapon. There was no way I could lose!
"G-gegya!?"
"Gyagyaa!"
The sheer violence of the level difference had allowed one of their companions to be slaughtered in an instant. Of the two remaining Goblins, one was terrified, while the other flew into a rage and charged at me with a slash. Pretty gutsy.
"Light Ball."
"...!?"
But it was meaningless. I cast 【Light Magic】 from the staff held in another arm. A white, glowing orb—something no one would ever imagine I could use, judging by my evil appearance—struck the Goblin in the face. Since this was my specialty, it blasted the creature's head off with ease.
"Gya... Gegyagyaaa!"
To my surprise, the last Goblin fled. Understanding that it couldn't win and running away deserved some credit, but it had realized that far too late.
"Light Ball."
"Gii..."
I didn't bother chasing after its fleeing back and simply cast another spell. With 【Magic Control】 allowing me to bend its trajectory, fleeing into the gaps between the trees was useless. Under my merciless magic, the last Goblin met its end.