Chapter 13: Misunderstandings

The tension in the air is still like a clear water. As if all it took is a soft touch to form ripples across the water.

After the scout earlier was found and killed by me, everyone had already expected that there will be an ambush later on.

However, since it’s harder to fight unprepared, the leader of the guards commanded everyone to camp instead and wait for the enemies.

Two hours already flew by uneventfully and everyone is exhausted from the mental stress of waiting to be attacked.

Just when the merchant Niel was about to complain, the archer player shouted.

“They’re here!”

Immediately, everyone drew their weapons and looked at the woods around them.

“They have surrounded the camp!”

“I can see them!”

“They’re everywhere!”

Everyone exclaimed and gripped their weapons with even more force.

I stayed hidden myself and didn’t bother shouting like them. Only watching in the darkness.

I already found them long ago but as I have no way to explain it, I kept quiet and watched their moves. Besides, even if I did, the outcome will still be the same.

Sure enough, they had completely surrounded us and immediately, the archer on another tree found them.

Since they were already found, they no longer bothered with sneaking about and directly rushed in!

“Uooohhh!!!”

“Surrender your lives!”

“Everyone! Protect the merchants and the goods!”

The leader shouted.

The guards held the bandits off and killed whoever they can. Those that passed them was quickly struck by the sexy mage below me.

It seems she knows how to control her mana well and didn’t bother using AoE attacks immediately, rather, she chose to attack those that passed through the defense.

The healers however, was a bit of a disappointment.

The 2 healers actually didn’t care much about the guards and focused their healing on the 2 swordsmen and warrior.

Well, to them, everyone else are NPCs so I guess it’s only natural for them.

I sighed and did the healing myself while still keeping out of sight.

Unlike the 2 healers, I didn’t bother with the players and only healed the guards.

The healers seemed confused as to who was healing the guards but didn’t mind it for long as they continued their focus on the players.

After about a minute, the other thief, aside from me and Evie, died.

The fool was accidentally struck by the bandit mage’s AoE attack. Idiot should’ve been targeting the bandits at the rear instead of focusing on kill stealing!

Another guard died. Tch, my [Heal] wasn’t strong enough. I should get [Greater Heal] next time.

I didn’t have time to blame myself when a shadow swooped down beneath me, heading towards the sexy mage!

Heh, took them long enough.

While having a disdainful smirk on my face, I swooped down and drew my dagger, cleaving the poor guy’s head clean off!

“T-thanks.”

“It’s fine. Better cast a defensive magic. I’ll kill the bandit leader.”

“Un. Go!”

The mage nodded and uttered a chant. A transparent blue sphere of light surrounded her and she continued attacking.

Next, I looked towards the healers and shook my head.

Whatever, it should be fine to leave them be. The swordsmen and warrior should protect them well.

After thinking this, I used [Stealth] and disappeared from the battle.

I didn’t bother with the bandits in front like the dead thief did and focused on the ones behind.

Specifically, the bandit mages, archers, and healers.

First, let’s kill all the healers.

Deciding so, I drew close to two healers who was standing behind a warrior bandit with a shield.

They didn’t see me coming from behind and the next thing they knew was that a flash of light appeared before their eyes as their head slid down.

Hearing two thumping sounds behind him, the warrior bandit looked behind and before he was able to shout in surprise, I had already beheaded him.

Normally, it’s hard to behead a person with a dagger. But as long as I use my qi to envelop the dagger and my arm, I would gain more strength and the blade will also sharpen to some degree, easily cutting off a person’s head.

In this world, though there are damage points on the weapons, it’s mainly taken from their sharpness and material used.

People don’t have HP values on them so as long as you hit a vital spot, even with a 1 damage weapon, you can still kill a person or monster.

Naturally, beheading someone would kill them. Except for certain monsters of course like the Dullahan or skeletons or others…

The ‘players’ naturally didn’t complain about it and thought it just adds ‘realism’ to the game…Though I hope everyone will recognize that this world isn’t a ‘virtual world’, I’m also scared on how it will affect them so I’ve never voiced out my opinions.

After all, in this world they don’t have much ‘guilt’ in killing. If they know that the people they’ve killed are not ‘AIs’ but real people...As for me, these people are bandits. They live by raping, plundering, and killing the innocents. I have no guilt in killing them at all.

Or maybe it’s because I’ve already killed and even ‘devoured’ people that it no longer repulses me?

...Sigh, it’s useless thinking about it. I should focus on ending this battle.

I already killed the healers, archers, and mages.

The other bandits have long noticed that they’re losing support they were also no match for the players so they tried to retreat.

However, will I let them?

No...to be precise, I won’t let their leader escape.

He has already left long before I finished killing the supporting bandits but after [Blinking] for a few times, I caught up to him and beheaded him.

The players also killed the remaining bandits easily when I returned holding the bandit leader’s head.

“Leader’s dealt with. We should go.”

“U-un...”

The leader guard was shaken but quickly calmed himself and nodded.

The escort continues…

“Hey, hey! You were really amazing! You beheaded them like ‘swoosh’ then ‘swish’! How much STR do you have to do that!? What’s your level!?”

...Evie’s pestering me again.

This was another reason why I approached the mage earlier. Figured she won’t stick to me if I stick to another girl...well, it worked for a while…

Seeing my awkward situation, the mage that was originally walking in front of us turned around and laughed.

Dazed slightly by the shaking hills that went along with her laugh, I coughed and unrolled the turtleneck collar up to cover half of my face.

Evie, seeing that, shouted in excitement again as her eyes glittered.

“You look like Kakashi! So cool!!!”

...I should buy a hood next time...this way, it should look very different…

Fed up with this girl’s chatter, I waved her off.

“Yes, yes, and you’re name is the same as Evie in Assassin’s Creed Syndicate. I get it. So can you just pl-”

“!!! So you really are like me! Waah! This is so amazing!!! Look, look, I even had my hood sewn with the Assassin’s Creed logo on it! I’m also searching for an equipment that has a hidden dagger on the bracelet like in the game. Oh oh, have you watched the movie yet!? It was so AMAZING!!!”

...I really dug myself on that one didn’t I?

To begin with, since when is there an assassin or thief as noisy as she is!?

Ah, come to think of it, she’s pretty quiet during the battle...is she the kind that is completely different when in battle mode or something? She becomes very quiet suddenly?

Just as I was about to snap at her, the mage walked towards us and laughed.

*Boing* *Boing*

Ah, no! I mustn't look too deeply or I might get sucked in!

Basically tearing my eyes apart from the hills, I looked at her face and realized she was smirking at me.

...She saw didn’t she?

“*Cough* Something wrong? Are you also a fan of assassins? Hey girl! She’s also a fan! Go talk to her!”

Slightly annoyed with that teasing smirk on her face, I redirected the ultimate weapon to her immediately.

As expected, the ultimate weapon changed direction and fired!

“Eh!? Really mage sis!? You’re also a fan!? That’s awesome! I get to meet two fans in one day! Hey hey, why aren’t you a thief if you’re a fan?”

“I-I’m not! Hey! Don’t push her to me! Hmph, and to think that I was going to help you in this awkward situation.”

The mage girl panicked and pouted at me.

“Ehh...taking the blow is also helping right? Oh yeah, what was your name again?”

“Moonlight...hey! Don’t change the subject!”

Moonlight...another ridiculous game player name…

“Moonli-...Moon, it’s fine. I know you like me, so please take this assassin fanatic elf girl away from me.”

“I don’t like you! And don’t just shorten my handle name like that!”

“Ehh...don’t you feel embarrassed being called Moonlight? Actually, isn’t it embarrassing introducing yourself with that name?”

“N-not at all! Besides, it’s not like anyone will use real names in a game! What’s yours?”

The elf girl beside me suddenly jumped in the conversation and introduced herself.

“Evie!”

“Good to know, but I wasn’t talking to you!”

As expected from the tsukkomi mage, she tsukkomi-ed so naturally…

“Lucas.”

“Lucas? It doesn’t really sound like a game name...hey, don’t tell me that’s your real name!? Are you a newbie!?”

How rude, calling someone a newbie just because of their name!

“Isn’t Evie the same!?”

“I know Evie is from Assassin’s Creed! She just copied it! It still counts as a game name!”

“Ah! So you know!? As expected, you really are-”

Hearing someone know where her name came from, Evie shouted in excitement and was about to begin her rapid fire but when Moon immediately cut her.

“I’m not a fan!”

“Me too! Also, I’m not a newbie!”

“Hmph, what’s your level then!?”

“...10.”

Hearing my answer, both Evie and Moon’s eyes went wide in shock.

...Eh? Could it be...that I’m really too far behind everyone!?

“Pft-! Hahahaha! And you say you’re not a newbie! The highest player currently is already 120 something! And the average level right now is around 80! I, myself, am already level 90 and had advanced my mage class to wizard! And you’re still a level 10 thief!”

...What!? I get that I’m behind by 1 year but...isn’t it too hard to level up!?

So this is what it means to have mountains beyond mountains, and heavens beyond heavens!?

Sigh, and to think I’m supposed to be a cheat character…

“Still...you almost died from sneak attack earlier. Ms. Level 90.”

Not wanting to get beaten, I bitterly refuted.

Moon’s body froze and her smile stiffened.

“T-that was one time! And I won’t die immediately anyway! I also have many potions!”

Meanwhile, Evie was…

“So coooooolll!!! Just level 10 and already can behead a person!”

Hearing Evie’s excited praise, Moon was stunned, then contemplated again.

“You’re right...how is this possible? You, how high is your STR!?”

“...Guess.”

Afraid that I might slip something up, I acted mysteriously.

“...Your weapon doesn’t seem to be unique and looks like someone poorly crafted so it isn’t the weapon. Your clothes also aren’t the type to give stat boost. So for someone to have the strength to behead a person, with your equipment, that guy should have about 1000 or more STR!”

“...Oh...am I to choose 1000 or more? Then it’s more...”

“How can that be!? What cheat engine did you use to penetrate the game’s firewalls!?”

“Hey! I may be a cheat character, but I didn’t use cheats!”

...Somehow, that phrase sounded right when I thought of it, yet sounded completely illogical when I said it out loud…

“Cheat! Cheat! Perverted cheat who only looks at breasts!!!”

El’s still mad at me I see…

“Besides, why’re you doing a C rank quest if you’re already level 90?”

Avoiding the subject, I asked and Moon looked at me with a ‘are-you-for-real’ kind of look.

“Do you know how many is a C rank quest? Do you know how hard it is to snatch a C rank quest in the bulletin board!? There are thousands of players visiting the Adventurer’s Guild day in and day out! Naturally the C rank and above quests are highly sought after to quickly advance a rank! Even annoying B rankers take C rank quest sometimes since there’s not enough B rank quests! In fact, I’m still 10 more C rank quest short to advance! And it already took me 9 months to reach that number!”

Huh? It can’t be that exaggerated right?

Isn’t there more people requesting for a quest?

“Evie, is it like that to you as well?”

“Hm? I’m already a B ranker though?”

“...”

“...”

Towards Evie’s ‘is there something wrong’ look, both me and Moon can only turn silent. In fact, Moon’s face is slightly twitching.

“Then why’re you taking a C rank quest!?”

“Ehh...because it was there and I just did?”

Moon’s face froze and shook.

Feeling as if she was about to snap, I hurriedly soothed her.

“H-hey, it’s fine isn’t it? Besides. I got a separate system quest where I have to deliver a letter to [Kiel]. Normally, the difficulty should be the same right? But the one I got is a B rank quest...there might be something that will happen later on the road which would increase the level of difficulty by one rank and maybe the merchant will upgrade the quest to B rank...”

After hearing what I said, Moon’s face froze again and looked at me while blinking.

“...Is that real?”

“...Yes.”

“Really real?”

“Yes yes.”

Moon blinked a couple of times and then excitedly hugged me...eh!? Hug!?

“YES! Haha! I love you!”

…Eh? Eh?? EH!!!???

“PERVERT! Look at what you did! Now another victim has fallen! Pervert! Gigolo! Scoundrel! Hentai!”

“Oops, sorry. Haha, I was just so happy. If I’m not wrong. Then that means that the reason the difficulty will increase is because of the letter your holding! Haha! Which means, because of you, our quest will be upgraded to B rank!”

“Oooh!!! So cool!”

...Eh? Eh?? She said she loves me???

EH!!!???

“Hey, Lucas! Are you listening!?”

“Eh? Ah! S-sorry! Please let me think about it!”

“Huh? What are you-...AH! No! I didn’t mean what I said earlier! Hey! Are you listening!?”

“Eh? Didn’t mean? So you don’t love me?”

Phew, so I misunderstood. That was a close one.

I can still hear El’s nonsensical screaming in my head that confused me from thinking further and hearing whatever Moon said afterwards.

“I-I don’t!”

“Lies! Look at how she’s blushing! She’s lying!!! AHHHH! Another victim! Police-san! There’s the culprit!!!”

“Hey! Where the hell did you learn that!? And that was usually only said when the other is a loli! Also, she’s just embarrassed!”

“I don’t believe you! Liar! Stupid! Cheat! Pervert! Lolicon!”

“Like I said, that’s only used when the other girl is a loli!!! Look at those huge breast! That perky butt! That tall and slim figure! Just which part of her is a loli!?”

“Pervert! Just where are you looking!? You-...you…-! Perverted lolicon who impregnate random women and leave babies everywhere! Go explode to dust!!!”

“LISTEN TO ME!!!”

Alas, El has already broken all reason and continued to make random accusations at me and started to say weird phrases…

I sighed heavily, no longer knowing what to do.

Maybe dying is better. Yep, someone like should just die...after all, aren’t I some perverted lolicon who impregnate random women and leave babies everywhere? Ha...ha...ha...ha…

“H-hey! L-Lucas!? What’s with that despairing look!? Why do I suddenly feel like you’re about to kill yourself!?”

“Hehe, I’m fine...don’t worry...I’ll disappear quietly later...where no one is around...”

“L-Lucas!? No! Don’t! I-I take it back ok!? S-since you obviously like me, how about I let you go out with me for a few days, then we’ll see if I change my mind! Ok!? Don’t kill yourself because of me!!!”

…

…

…

...Hah?

“LUCAS YOU IDIOT!!!”

Eh?...Wait...Huh?

Can someone please tell me...what on earth just happened!?

Status

Name

Lucas

Level

10

Race

Human - Dragon

Gender

Male

Class

Wanderer

6

Stamina

7750

Mana

7800

Qi

100000000000

Spirit

1840

Cultivation

Peak Martial Emperor

STR

114

INT

112

SPD

113

DEX

111

VIT

110

LUK

173

Fire

55

Earth

10

Water

234

Wind

10

Light

221

Dark

10

Ice

10

Lightning

10

Holy

15

Space

16

Fame

-27000

Rage

0

Sealed

Elena Shenxue