Chapter 9 – Knucklejabbers

“You hit, PUG! You die, little man!” The creature screams as it lounges itself towards me. I immediately raise my arms to protect my head, but a swinging club intercepts the incoming monstrosity. Sensing the club, the creature deftly sidesteps but isn’t quick enough to completely evade the strike.

A small spray of blood flies through the air as the creature quickly jump backwards, clutching its bleeding arm. With some distance between us, I finally get a good look at my opponent.

From what I first thought was a horribly dirty and mutated monster, I now see a nearly naked human man with an unkempt full beard and long scruffy hair, wearing nothing but a dirty linen sack covering his torso and lower body. His feet and arms are bare and his skin is nearly completely covered by filth. His hands are covered by several strips of leather braided together, with small metal spikes protruding between each knuckle. He raises his mean-looking gloves threateningly in my direction.

“Who the fuck are you!?” I shout as I quickly get back up on my feet, stepping back and behind my Hoodlum.

“Me, Pug!” He bellows as he launches himself forward. “You little man. You die!”.

The Spotter throws one of his knives directly in Pug’s path, but he swirls to the side. Seeing the hobo getting uncomfortably close, the Hoodlum steps forward and strikes in a wide arc, trying to keep the hobo away. Pug quickly backsteps, snarling viciously. “You coward. Pug kill little coward!” He bellows, spittle flying everywhere.

This guy is giving me the serious creeps. I take a few more steps back, making my way over towards the entrance where it should be safe. Pug is an elite mob, which means he is several times stronger than an average monster. He may be outnumbered, but I fear he still might be stronger than all my underlings put together. It doesn’t help that he is also level three, while my underlings just reached level two alongside me.

“Damn.” I mutter. If only I decided to get a combat-related skill instead of the blasted mentor skill, I might be able to turn this battle around. Right now, I’m pretty much useless.

I find a good corner to sit in as I cast ‘Chameleon’, covering myself in a thick illusion. I look back at the fight just in time to watch my Cutpurse appear behind Pug, driving his rusty dagger into his back. Pug roars in pain as he swings around, catching the Cutpurse with a backhanded slap which sends the rogue flying into a stack of crates.

Caught in a moment of respite, the Spotter manages to land a ‘Crippling Shot’ in the crazy hobo’s leg, causing him to recoil in pain. The Hoodlum sees the opportunity and charges towards Pug, intent on taking him down with a tackle. The pugilist sees this, however, and takes advantage of his high ‘Evasion’ skill to lean away from the flailing arms of the Hoodlum. As the Hoodlum loses his footing, Pug strikes the falling underling in the side of his ribs, the spikes on his gloves sinking deep into the soft flesh.

With both of my melee fighters on the ground, my Spotter starts to panic. He takes a few steps backwards, wildly throwing a knife with each step. Pug effortlessly dodges the first two knives, but his rapid maneuvers put too much strain on his crippled leg, causing him to stagger. Unable to move, Pug raises his arms just in time to stop a third knife from impaling his throat, the knife sinking deep into his forearm.

“Pug will enjoy punching you, pretty elf!” He roars as he starts stumbling towards my Spotter. Seeing the approaching lunatic, the wood elf quickly backsteps and throws another knife at Pug. With minimal effort, Pug deflects the knife with a flick of his wrist, listening to the knife bounce harmlessly off the floor behind him. “Pug will catch you! You die!”

With rage-filled eyes, Pug stomps towards the Spotter who has been driven into a corner. He raises his fists in a threatening manner, intent on striking down my knife throwing underling. “Pug says bye, bye!” He laughs maniacally, as he takes a final step.

His laughter is cut short as the Cutpurse appears behind him, stabbing his dagger into the side of his neck. He turns around, glaring at the rogue with hatred. He opens his mouth to scream, but only blood sputters out as his hand reaches for the large wound on his neck. He throws a wide swing towards the Cutpurse who quickly backpedals, unwilling to repeat their last encounter. Heavily injured, Pug is unable to keep up the pace with my nimble rogue. Realising he might go down, he decides to make one final push towards my Spotter, taking him down with him in a blaze of rage. Turning around, his eyes go wide as a throwing knife buries itself in his chest, right next to his heart.

The sudden impact causes the scruffy pugilist to stagger, dropping to one knee. His breath turns heavier as he struggles to breathe. “Pug… kill… die.” He coughs up some blood, wiping it away with his shoulder. He tries to regain his footing when my Hoodlum tackles him from the side, bringing them both to the ground in a tangle of limbs. Swinging his arms around wildly, Pug manages to shave off a few health points from the wrestling fighter, but my bulky henchman isn’t taking it lying down. Activating his ‘Grapple’ skill, he locks Pug’s torso in a vice-like grip, restraining both of their movements. He can’t hold out for long, but it gives my Cutpurse ample time to throw himself over the pair, driving his dagger deep under Pug’s chin, cutting into his brain stem.

With a final gurgle, Pug’s body goes limp.

[You have slain Human Elite Brawler - Pug the Pugilist(3). Gain 50 experience.]

[Chameleon has leveled up to Novice 2.]

“Oh my god!” I gasp, staring wide-eyed at the brutal scene. My heart slamming against my chest. “That was fucking amazing!”

I had heard some fights could be especially brutal and visually pleasing, but I had never thought I’d see it for myself. This is nothing like the fights I had with my Necromancer, where my skeletons just swarmed over their enemies and struck with the weapons until either they or their enemy fell. What I just witnessed…

Holy crap! That was some real savage shit. I could almost feel the desperation in Pug’s eyes when the Cutpurse stabbed him in the neck and the determination on my underlings’ faces as they worked together to bring down the much stronger foe. The amount of coordination and trust between them would amaze anyone, and their teamwork is hard to believe considering these guys are supposed to be egoistic criminals. Is this how most fights go? I admit I haven’t spent much time watching videos of other people’s gameplay over these last three months as I’ve dedicated all my time to leveling my Necromancer. If this is the norm though…

Could I sell the footage of this online? Are people already doing it? How much money could I earn if they knew the video came from a Thief Lord, the most hunted Villain class there is? I shudder at the thought. The potential for fame and money is immense. Could this be a shortcut to reach my goal of becoming rich? Or could posting videos online give away my strategy and location, and thus be a hindrance to me in the long run?

I shake my head and try to clear my thoughts. This is not a decision I should take lightly, and certainly not on a whim. The footage isn’t going anywhere, and I have more pressing concerns.

Walking over towards the corpse of Pug, a glint of greed flashes across my eyes. Having died more than five minutes ago, his corpse has already disappeared, leaving a small pile of items on the ground. Loot! Bending over, I snatch up the largest object and inspect it.

[Pug’s Spiked Knucklejabbers. Rare. +10 Piercing Damage to unarmed combat, +1% Physical Resistance, +1 Agility, +1 Dexterity. Requires: Level 2.]

Woah! My eyes widen. An enchanted piece of gear with not one, but three different bonuses at level two!? That’s unheard of! Usually, the only enchanted gear you can find under level five only has a single bonus to a single stat. The fact that these gloves have three bonuses is absolutely mindblowing, and I wouldn’t hesitate to declare them as overpowered if it hadn’t been because of the useless unarmed combat bonus. They aren’t that useful to me, but I still won’t hesitate to use them though, as I more than welcome the free attribute points.

Pug also dropped two silver and six copper coins. It’s not the highest of rewards, but it’s plenty for a lone player. A mob like Pug would usually require at least two skilled level three players to take down. The fact that I did it with three ungeared level two NPCs just goes to show how powerful my class can be.

Satisfied with my decent haul, I have a look at my ragged underlings. They are pretty beaten up, but they seem to be in high spirits after a battle well fought. Well, as motivated as a bunch of brainwashed puppets can be I suppose. They all sport a few cuts and bruises, and the Hoodlum is bleeding heavily from the rather nasty wound Pug inflicted when his spikes penetrated his ribcage. Even now, I can see the wounds starting to close up and the color is returning to the Hoodlum’s face. I let them rest for a moment while I take a quick look around the room. I don’t really expect to find any treasure around, but I can’t help but abide by the gamer’s code of conduct, which is to leave no stone unturned, and no corpse unpilfered.

I spend a few minutes rummaging through the crates and barrels. I’m not too thorough, as a lot of it is really nasty. I don’t neglect to check them though, but I admit a few of the piles of filthy rags only get a quick glance and a short nudge by the tip of my toe to satisfy my curiosity. My efforts aren’t completely wasted as I do find five more copper coins and a painting with the number fifteen etched in the corner, which is really just a vanity item for collectors. It’s a pretty common item, but I still stash it in my inventory. Waste not, want not, and all that.

Finally satisfied with thoroughly checking the place out and my underlings back at full health, I start heading towards the exit. I must admit, Pug was a tough enemy, and I’m not sure if other Thief Lords could beat him unless they dumped all their points into Charisma at the start as I did. Still, leaving just Pug to guard the only exit seems a bit reckless of the Dark Pegasus guild…

I freeze. Oh crap. Of course they wouldn’t do something that stupid, even if they might think they are the only ones who know about these sewers. Why wouldn’t they have some sort of security measure here? Perhaps another Perception-based guard?

An uncomfortable knot ties in my stomach as a trickle of sweat run down my forehead. Shaking my head to clear it, I immediately find a secluded corner in the room and recast ‘Chameleon’. I proceed to have both my Hoodlum and Cutpurse head back to the entrance of the room and prepare to escape if there is indeed a guard at the exit. I proceed to send my Spotter ahead to scout out the area. My plan here is to try and identify any potential opponents while using my other underlings as a diversion in case something goes bad. My ‘Chameleon’ skill isn’t exactly top-notch, but it is incredibly powerful, even against Perception-based players at a higher level than me. I hope that any pursuing players will chase after my melee minions, neglecting to thoroughly check the room for anyone hiding. Who knows? Maybe I can slip past them in the confusion.

Watching as my Spotter moves forward to execute my impromptu plan, a small wave of nervousness crawls down my spine. Fighting the rats and Pug was difficult, but nothing is more nerve-wracking than when there are other players involved. Not only do I have to make certain I win, but I also have to make certain I don’t fuck up and reveal my identity.

Speaking of revealing myself, I had completely forgotten about putting the Villain’s Mask back on. It won’t do much if there really is a high-level player here, but at the slight off chance they do see me and I manage to escape, they will at least not be able to register my gamer ID. I waste little time in putting the piece of fabric on.

The Villain’s mask is a cool looking item by the way. It’s a special item that can alter its appearance by buying cosmetic upgrades with ingame gold. It isn’t necessary to do so, as it doesn’t alter the item’s function in any way, but I won’t mind changing it down the road when I have some spare gold. Currently, the mask is nothing but a simple black scarf, tied in a way so that it covers the lower half of my face. Sort of like the bandits in old western movies. I gotta say, it’s not a bad look for me. Not at all.

The Spotter reaches the other side of the room and turns around a corner, moving out of view. The seconds trail on as the room turns deathly quiet. At least I don’t hear any sounds of combat, and I don’t see the red outlining of any potential enemies. After what feels like an eternity, the wood elf reappears from around the corner. Sighing in relief, I undo my spell and head over towards the exit.

Making my way over, I start heading down a short tunnel. I can clearly hear the sounds of the ocean, and the natural light is stretching alongside the wall. Turning around the final corner, I almost walk face-first into a thick steel grate barring my path.

“What the fuck is this?” I exasperate, letting my shoulders drop. “Why the hell is this here?”

The steel grate is several centimeters thick and covers the entire exit. The metal seems new as there is not a single speck of rust on it. I take a step back, scratching my head. Who put that here? … Okay, stupid question. Why did the Dark Pegasus guild put this here? Are they out of their minds? This thing must have cost a fortune to install. A custom project like this must go for a thousand gold at the minimum. All this to keep fresh Thief Lords from getting into the city? It seems so... excessive.

Sighing in defeat, I slump to the ground and lean against the wall. I feel my energy quickly draining from my body as I massage the bridge of my nose. I should have known it wouldn’t be this easy. Glancing at the clock, I notice that it’s already 2 AM, with just an hour left until virtual night time. I shake my head in disappointment. “Perhaps I should revisit the wagon idea again?” I mutter to no one in particular.

I sit still for a few minutes, just letting random thoughts flow through my mind. If there was ever a time to get an epiphany, now would be it. I stare intently at the grate, hoping to stare my way through. I’m just about to give up when a small chime rings in my ear.

[Anna’el Windrider writes: Hey Ryan! How’s it going? Did you go into the sewers yet?]

My eyes widen in surprise as a direct message from Anna pops up in front of me. I had completely forgotten about this feature since I haven’t really ever bothered to add friends while playing the game before. For obvious reasons. Slightly bewildered, I quickly write out a reply.

[Rynorn Stabberton writes: Hello, Anna. I am doing fine, thank you for asking. I am indeed down in the sewers. Is something wrong?]

It only takes seconds for her to reply.

[Anna’el Windrider writes: Oh, good… I was afraid I was too late. We sort of forgot to tell you, but don’t descend to the lower levels. There’s a rare enemy there that is too tough for a level one player to handle on his own. So be careful!]

I frown. She could have told me that earlier…

[Rynorn Stabberton writes: You mean Pug the Pugilist? I just fought the guy. It was a tough fight, but I managed to beat him. I’m currently looting his body.]

[Anna’el Windrider writes: What!? Really? Wow, that’s amazing, Ryan! How did you do it? Weren’t you a crafter!?]

I hesitate for a moment, trying to come up with a plausible way for a low-level craftsman to defeat such a strong opponent. Crap. Did I just say too much?

[Rynorn Stabberton writes: A gentleman needs to have a few secrets.]

[Anna’el Windrider writes: That’s mean *poutyface*. But, I get it. Just a heads up though, there’s a metal grate further down the corridor from where you are. Whatever you do: Don’t. Touch. The. Grate. Okay?]

[Rynorn Stabberton writes: Oh, okay. May I ask why?]

[Anna’el Windrider writes: My paranoid sister put a powerful self-charging trap on the grate. Anyone who touches it dies. And let me tell you, it’s not a good way to go. So stay safe. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know. I gotta go! SeeYa! XoXo.]

…

I glance over at the large metal grate looming above me, just a few centimeters away from my hand. I quickly scoot away, trying my damndest not to touch anything. What the hell!? It’s boobytrapped? Djeesus! I can’t believe I didn’t touch it! I always touch things! I’m not sure if I’m the luckiest, or the comically unluckiest guy alive.

Putting a couple more meters between the grate and me, I once again slump to the ground. I take a moment to calm down, collecting my thoughts. After sitting still for half a minute, I acknowledge the fact that I’m achieving nothing here. I shake my head while sighing loudly. A small alert is blinking in the corner of my vision, signalling that it’s been a while since I last ate. “Might as well…” I mumble as I log out.