[Congratulations, user has triggered an Easter egg!]
[Loading mini-game collection]
A list of games opened in a new window.
"Isn't that solitaire, and that's chess…" Many of the titles were familiar. "Wow, isn't that…? System, open the fourth from the top."
The window changed and displayed a simple black square together with a moving line. At the top right corner was a 0.
"Up" Riva commanded.
The line made a sharp bend and moved upwards, colliding with the square, which vanished and reappeared at a different position, at the same time the black line became a tiny bit longer whilst the 0 changed into a 1.
"Damn that snake game's ancient. Who would have guessed I'd get to play it in these circumstances. Left!"
…
"Down!"
Riva played until the black line filled close to half of the screen and finally bit itself in the tail. After that, she tried another game, and another and before she knew it the sun had risen.
She packed and started on her final trek towards Marinon. At her pace, she would arrive around afternoon.
A good bit of hiking later, Riva perceived the sounds of metal clanging and humans shouting. There was a fight taking place close by.
Mulling it over, Riva chose to approach.
She readied her knife and snuck closer. There she observed two groups of humans, fighting with one another. The first group had five members and the second seven.
Despite the difference in numbers, the leader of the smaller party, a lanky man with short black hair and wearing black leather armor, expertly controlled the flow of the battle.
He was wielding two curved blades. One the size of a dagger and the other the size of a regular.
Those should be adventurers. Looks like I'm late, the fight's almost over! Riva judged the situation.
The bigger party had lost both its tanks to injury. They were being treated by the healer, successfully removing the three of them from the fight.
The party leader, a warrior wielding a round shield and a simple sword, had obvious difficulties protecting the remaining two mages and the archer who stayed in the back.
They made no progress, despite flooding the smaller party with spells and arrows. Their attacks proved useless against their magic barrier. Riva couldn't tell who it's caster was.
The members other than the leader hid their faces behind identical metal helmets and wore identical robes. They even smelled the same to Riva. Maybe they were siblings?
[System suggests purchasing the 'Identification' skill by paying 250 life energy]
Riva frowned at the message.
At that point the fight ended, the shield-wielding leader having a blade tip pointed at his throat.
"We surrender! You can keep your stuff! We were wrong, okay? Please just let us go!" The shield-wielding leader pleaded.
Thch~
The black-haired man talked with obvious displeasure.
"Fine, you leave. You know what happens once you bother us again!"
He withdrew his blade with a flick.
"Argh!" The shield wielder shouted in pain.
There was a deep gash on his face. It went from his brow, all the way across his left eye down to his chin. There was no blood. The blade that caused it was likely to be enchanted.
Despite suffering humiliation, the shield wielder and his party withdrew without saying another word.
Once they had completely gone, the remaining party leader nonchalantly threw his short blade.
"You saw what I do with greedy bastards!"
The blade impaled itself into the tree, millimeters from Riva's face.
She blinked in confusion.
"I heard the fighting and came to help!" She blurted out.
Riva raised her hands in a gesture of submission and fully revealed herself.
Something is seriously wrong. He caught me in a mind targeted spell and I didn't notice it until he intentionally freed me. He must have cast it immediately after my arrival.
Riva became aware that her mind had been stunned ever since she arrived at the location of the fight. It had restrained her thoughts. She was able to watch everything unfold and perceive and evaluate it but remained unable to act upon it.
Casting a spell without any sound or gesture is an ability only rank surpassers or high-level monsters could wield. He was holding back during the fight! Is he hiding his strength? Is that why the system suggested the 'identification' skill? Riva analyzed.
Come to think of it, I wouldn't have noticed it if I didn't have 'Self Control' which revealed the problem once I woke up.
"Why were you fighting?" Riva chose to pretend, that she didn't notice any incoherencies.
The party leader relaxed upon hearing her words.
Strangely enough, the rest of the party showed no reaction to their exchange.
"They were no better than bandits. Thinking they could take whatever they want by force." He answered Riva's question.
"Detestable, the guild is declining if they feel the need to employ such trash." Riva returned her knife.
She then approached the man with an outstretched hand. "I'm Riva."
"I intended to join the adventurers. After seeing this I am starting to think it might not be such a good idea." She improvised.
She was sure that the man could kill her easily but refrained from doing so.
Mind-related spells are way overpowered!
But even without, his silent casting proves his strength is beyond my reach.
It's frustrating!
This is already the third time that I meet an insurmountable enemy! I need to become stronger! Much stronger!
Riva was becoming restless. With things going the way they were, she would die before achieving anything!
"Not everyone's bad but I agree their quality has been declining." the man nodded and accepted her hand.
"I'm Raos Luzeir Faramus, you can call me Rao." They shook hands.
"You talk as though you're not part of the adventurer's guild?" Riva inquired.
"I was also considering joining as a mercenary but what you say is true, it might be better to work independently." Rao explained.
"Maybe I'm wrong and they weren't adventurers. They just looked the part." Riva shrugged.
"I take it you're on your way to Marinon, right? Why don't you join us, it's dangerous to go alone. I wouldn't want you running into bandits all by yourself." Rao suggested.
Riva pondered for a moment.
She could use the chance to get some information on the town and the things that happened during the three years spent in the dungeon.
"No, I'm fine, I was training myself in the wild. Following you would defeat the purpose!" Riva declined his offer.
He had too many secrets. She wouldn't trust someone stronger than herself.
She glanced at the remaining party members. They hadn't moved much and didn't talk at all.
Rao noticed her gaze.
"Don't take it to heart, they're mute. It makes them shy."
The more I hear the more suspicious you get. Riva replied in thought.
"Okay, time to go, maybe we'll meet in Marinon. Have a safe trip!" She waved goodbye and left in a hurry.
"Until we meet again!"
Rao watched at her retreating figure.
"I want to watch her a bit longer."