Rebirth: Rise of the Slave Master

Chapter Fourteen: You've Got to be Kidding

“Keeekeee! Run! Run fast!”

“Ouchey! My foot you stomp!”

“Ack! Sharp shiny!”

[Lunge]

-176

The Goblins were certainly smarter than the average monster, but that intelligence was more of a detriment than a help. They could do things like arm simple traps and use tunnels to ambush unsuspecting players, which had led to the deaths of countless overconfident adventurers. On the other hand, they had the ability feel fear. When faced with an insurmountable obstacle like Theo, the cowardly demi-humans would quickly run for their lives.

Short and green-skinned, with pointed teeth and big floppy ears, Goblins were a staple in pretty much every fantasy game. Even if they were level 7 monsters, the [Dirty Goblin] was actually a bit weaker than even the level 1 [Big Bee]. A novice player could easily handle multiple Goblins on their own, but for these incredibly prolific monsters, multiple was a pipe dream. There were probably more than two hundred Goblins in the cave system.

Even though his mission was to clear them all out, Theo had no intention of slowing his pace to hunt each and every one of them. The first time he charged into their midst like a raging bull and started sweeping his spear around, they immediately scattered. Thankfully, this was a viable strategy. When they managed to regroup and work up a little courage, it would be a different story.

Theo had actually run all the way here, regretfully ignoring all of the beautiful loot boxes called mobs he happened to pass. Every second was important in this mission, if he wanted to accelerate the acquisition of his first slave. That’s right, Theo’s decision to take this low-paying, and honestly beneath him, job was to get his hands on a quick and easy target. The only caveat was, if he wasn’t fast enough, there wouldn’t be a slave to get.

“Keee! Gobbos together! Attack!”

[Fend]

-37. Knockback!

-34. Knockback!

-35. Knockback!

-37. Knockback!

“Oooh! My head hit hurt! Head hit hurt!”

Although there were Goblins that tried to group up and ambush the steam train that was Theo, he quickly knocked them out of the way and continued forward.

[Lunge]

-168

KWaaack!

Every time it was off cooldown, Theo would activate the [Lunge] skill and bullrush to the furthest Goblin, taking advantage of its charge effect to speed up his progress. The high damage value was also useful in scaring off the survivors, and with his vastly boosted MP he could safely spam it without concern.

You have received [Goblin’s Poison Dart]. -2. Poison resisted!

You have received [Goblin’s Poison Dart]. -3. Poison resisted!

Since they really were wretchedly weak monsters, the Goblins were quite fond of using poisonous darts in their tactics. The [Goblin Blowgunner] was silent and deadly, and even Theo would be hardpressed to avoid their attacks while progressing so violently. Luckily, he had gotten ahold of the [Serpent Prince’s Core Rune] which provided him a boost to his resistance. Together with his now respectable Constitution score, there was no chance such a weak Poison would effect him.

What’s more, the small bit of damage from the darts would let him grind up his previously neglected [Beginner Conditioning] skill. It was a win-win situation!

“Heeheehee! Keep trying to break this defense of mine. I’ll gladly take the extra experience points along with your pathetic lives!”

[Lesser Persuasion] was used successfully! Nearby Goblins’ fear of Slave Master Theo increases moderately.

How nice. They were completely broken up at this point. If it were under normal circumstances, Theo would take his time casually hunting them down like the vermin they were, but he was in a hurry. Having never been in this cave before, he didn’t actually know where his target was located. Although he was risking everything on a hunch, he followed after the Goblins in the direction they fled. In order to rally their forces the Goblins would habitually seek out their leader, and that was where the prisoner would most likely be found.

If it were another race of monsters, it would probably be the opposite case, but Theo suspected that only the leader of these Goblins would be intelligent and intimidating enough to look after a hostage. If he didn’t, the rest of his subjects would end up eating her or something.

“Cheef! Cheef Gobbo! Help us! ACK!”

A spear quickly pinned the unsuspecting creature to the floor, and the grizzly image of a slender man wearing a black hood loomed over the body as it breathed its last. Theo was grateful for the lack of gore in the game, and he had no desire to use the option that turned it on. What kind of sick person would really want to do something like bathe in the blood of their enemies? Well, even if Theo couldn’t see any of the gruesome details, the system still generated them, and the NPCs weren’t lucky enough to be able to turn it off.

Theo had no doubt that his visage to the Goblins was something akin to a living nightmare.

The Goblin Cave was sparsely decorated with piles of rotting bones and cheap little nicknacks the small green monsters enjoyed playing with. The leftovers of various bodily fluids littered the floor and several crude drawings were painted on the walls in blood. Perhaps in consideration of the low level players, the tunnels tended to connect to little rooms that had only a small force of goblins guarding it.

In comparison, what Theo could only assume was the final chamber of the Goblin Cave was decorated in a more elaborate fashion. There was a roaring fire in the center of the room casting a flickering orange glow on the walls, which were completely covered in goblin-drawn murals. Bones of animals and humanoids alike were set into sockets carved into the rock, as if they were some kind of priceless gemstone. Half-eaten meat and flesh of dubious origins was scattered around the cave in piles, where a number of Goblins must have been recently enjoying a meal.

There were a few shoddily crafted tents made from strange leathers in the back of the room, and Theo could just make out a pile of animal furs serving as a carpet in the largest of these tents. Numerous baubles and bits of coin were strung around the outside of this dwelling, as though to make sure all of the Goblins knew this was the most important one. All of it appeared to be stolen lucre, no doubt the spoils gained from raiding the local merchants.

“There!” Theo’s eyes narrowed on a figure tucked into the back of the cave, a petite body covered in shadows.

[Perception]

[Captured Woman] Lv. 5 Human

HP: 69/???

MP: 100/???

With the bonus from his [Appraise Humanoid] skill, Theo could see the woman’s current HP and MP values, though he hadn’t raised the proficiency enough to see much else. Even the totals were hidden from him.

“Ah, so it’s like I heard,” Theo mused, stabbing his [Steel-Edged Partizan] through a nearby [Dirty Goblin] that tried to sneak up on him.

After observing the [Captured Woman] for a few seconds…

[Captured Woman] Lv. 5 Human

HP: 68/???

MP: 100/???

Her hit points were slowly depleting. Although he couldn’t see her full status, Theo could guess that it was due to sickness or malnutrition. The poor girl wouldn’t live more than another couple of minutes. That wouldn’t even be enough time to bring her out of the cave and get treatment. Given the time it normally took to complete this mission, she was almost assuredly dead by the time the players got here, and having her escape alive seemed impossible.

Honestly, Theo wouldn’t have even known about this quest if it weren’t for a certain member of his guild.

Bloblock: Like I was saying, I was helping my little cousin with the goblin quest, and we got so close to saving the babe!

Lootlord12: Ha! Like a babe would wanna be saved by your ugly face, Blob.

Bloblock: I’m serious! I was pissed ever since I failed it the first time, so I thought with a high level player driving the bus, we could rescue her.

Twitchee: I remember that quest... : ( so what happened? was she dead still?

Bloblock: Get this, she was still alive! We rescued her and everything, and she promised us some big reward for taking her out alive! The affinity was at max, if you know what I mean… I wonder what kind of reward she would have given out…

Lootlord12: Blob is a dirty old man!

Twitchee: No reward??

Bloblock: No clue, mate. She died before we even got her free. Health was dropping and she must have been close to death. Poof. Sparkles.

Twitchee: laaameee

Lootlord12: Probably better than having to “reward” the perv Blob.

Theo (Guild Leader): Will you all shut up already? I’m trying to kill this Hellspawn Dragon!

Twitchee: kekekek! boss is grinding again! flee for ur lives!

Theo could only sigh as he thought about his old guildmates. They really were a chatty bunch. Actually, they reminded him a bit Bai, who also loved to talk on and on about nothing. Why couldn’t these people just quiet down and try to enjoy the game properly? Well, even if Bloblock had been an idiot, he was still a pretty good player. If he had put in any effort, a high level Warlock like him should have been able to clear this whole place in less than half the time it took Theo run to the end.

Of course, the mystery of the girl in the cave wasn’t a mystery for long. Players were naturally curious and notorious for being sore losers. Eventually someone had managed to get the girl out of the cave by speed clearing it with a strong group of players and having a priest healing the injured young woman all the way to the exit. The end result was that she dropped dead the moment you walked outside. You’d collect a necklace on her body as proof of her death and give it to the merchant for a bonus reward.

This girl was meant to die no matter what you did.

There were two basic kinds of NPCs in Dream World Online. The first and by far the most common was the Incubated NPC. Although Theo didn’t fully understand the process by which the world of Orpheum was created, he knew that these NPCs were raised in the world from birth. They had a history, family, and daily routines like any regular person. They would tend to go about doing whatever they pleased, living their lives normally unless the system happened to intervene.

Alin was a good example of this kind of NPC, though he was eventually dragged into the quest against his will only to die tragically. Of course, his spot would be taken by another Incubated NPC after he was gone.

The other type of NPC was a Synthesized NPC. These were things like boss monsters, NPCs that were wrapped up in repeatable quests, or NPCs that were critical to the plot of the game. These were NPCs created from the ground up by system, for use in the developers’ plots and level designs.They had varying levels of skill and sophistication, but most of them were significantly more advanced than the Incubated variety. Old Man Snake Eyes and Class Trainer Titania were at least of this calibre.

The [Captured Woman] was a rare example of a Synthesised NPC that was designed only to serve as quest point. Rather than be replaced each time she died, a new version of her would just pop up any time a player asked about the bonus reward on the Goblin Subjugation quest. Theo was certain that he was the first ever Slave Master to have the idea to turn this [Captured Woman] into a slave. Well, he wouldn’t know if it worked until he tried.

He broke through the pitiful Goblin defensive line and approached the tattered looking captive.

Clack!

The manacles that held the woman down were carved from horn and bone, and attached to the wall with a fraying rope. If it didn’t mean certain death, the young woman might have even been able to break free from these confines on her own. As it stood, the bindings were no match for a properly crafted weapon and were dismantled with a single strike.

You have received [Goblin’s Poison Dart] -3. Inflicted with Weak Goblin Poison!

“Oh for the love of… what are the chances of that?” Theo’s temper burned as his HP bar began to slowly tick down.

A player would normally receive a few Antidotes when they took this quest, but Theo had forgotten them in his rush. Thankfully, the most dangerous part of the Weak Goblin Poison was that it got worse every time you were inflicted with it. Since this was just a spot of bad luck, he wouldn’t suffer too terribly for it.

You have received [Goblin’s Poison Dart] -2. Inflicted with Weak Goblin Poison! Your poisoning grows worse!

“Fuck your mother!” Theo cursed.

Was he being punished by the Gods or something?

His HP continued to fall, and the Goblins began to swarm around as if they smelled blood in the water. This was the way they worked. The minute he showed any sign of weakness, the Goblins would instinctively try to capitalize on it. Immediately, half-a-dozen poison darts flew at Theo’s back, and he had no choice but to use his body to block the attacks. He couldn’t risk a stray dart killing the [Captured Woman].

“You… saved me,” she had trouble speaking.

The woman extended her hand limply. There was hardly an ounce of life left in her eyes.

“Please… take me home… a reward,” her voice sounded beyond parched, but she managed to touch Theo’s arm, “My… savior.”

“You wish,” Theo couldn’t help but say, his face still shrouded with annoyance as a few of the Goblins worked up the courage to start pelting him with rocks.

His HP was starting to plummet, even if the damage numbers were small. He wanted nothing more than to turn around and tear these little green bastards to shreds, and the bloodlust in his eyes was already roiling.

“Is this enough already? She’s only got 30 HP left!” Theo complained internally.

[Captured Woman]’s gratitude for Slave Master Theo’s rescue is truly immense. Affinity with [Captured Woman] increases to 100%!

Theo didn’t hesitate for a second. He hadn’t trekked all the way here to enslave a corpse!

[Slave Master’s Brand]

A fierce red glow began to take the shape of a small, intricate, mandala-like rune on Theo’s right hand. As if the system was guiding his movements, he reached out and pressed it against the woman’s chest. Seemingly terrified of the strange magic, the Goblin assault slowed for a moment as the pair of humans were consumed in the red light. Theo could feel a warmth spreading through his chest, but the woman writhed and twisted like she was being consumed in fire. The pain from the branding looked immense, but as a player he couldn’t feel it.

[Slave Master’s Brand] was used successfully! Subject was enslaved with max affinity: receives a bonus to attribute growth. Subject willingly accepted the [Slave Master’s Brand]: receives a bonus to attribute growth. Subject classified as Elite entity: receives a bonus to attribute growth.

Congratulations! You have enslaved [Princess Anastasia Therasa Bolevolo XVII]. For accomplishing such a feat, your prestige and skill as a Slave Master grows! Your name will surely spread far and wide!

Warning: If this information spreads to the Bolevolo Empire, your relationship with the Bolevolo Empire will immediately fall to [Mortal Enemy].

Maximum Number of Slaves increases by 1!

Current Maximum: 2

You have received the title [Beast Who Kidnaps Princesses], equip this title to receive bonus fame and honor!

“What!? Fame and honor my ass! Mortal enemy my ass! Princess my ass! Why did the [Captured Woman] suddenly become royalty? Is this supposed to be a reverse-gender frog prince?” Theo’s mind was reeling when a rock connected with the back of his head.

You have received an attack from [Dirty Goblin]. -6

“And you bastards!” Theo turned with a shout and brandished his spear when something very strange happened.

The [Captured Woman] charged forward as though her previous weakness had all been an act and threw her petite body in front of Theo, even going so far as to hold her thin arms out in an attempt to intercept more of the attacks. There was a fierce determination in the young woman’s eyes as she was pelted with stones and darts.

“Hey, are you trying to get yourself killed all over again?” Theo yelled.

No response. Was this princess deaf or something? She would only end up costing him money if she died like this.

Weak Goblin Poison has worn off.

“Fine! Do as you like! Stop anything that tries to attack me,” Theo didn’t have the time to worry about the woman anymore.

His HP was mostly emptied, and he needed every second to recover it. Leaving the new slave on defense might get her killed, but that would still cost less than dying. He was dangerously close to dropping to level 9. The girl could at least make herself useful and serve as his shield for the time being.

One of the [Dirty Goblin]’s armed with a crude blade quickly lept at Theo, but was cut off by the woman. Although her movements were clumsy and awkward, she still valiantly warded off the encroaching demi-humans. Her sacrifice actually gave Theo enough time to regenerate some HP and assess the situation.

“Oh, she just got stabbed again…” he sighed internally as he watched the bizarre show in front of him.

He was grateful her HP seemed to have recovered after he used the [Slave Master’s Brand]. Come to think of it, what was her HP? He should be able to see it now, right?

“KEEE! Who dares disturb the slumber of Cheef Gobthnora!?” a screeching voice roared from the largest of the tents.

Theo nearly slapped a palm over his face. This was definitely divine punishment, there was no other explanation for it.