System.
Why do I only acquire Evil Points? Shouldn't there be gil as well?
Gil, through grinding, takes forever.
Hmm . . . I pondered as I went back to the exit, taking my time since there weren't any enemies lurking around.
I still don't know where to start about this kingdom building. For starters, I was utterly clueless about it. I didn't know where, how, or what to do. There was a multitude of ideas in my head that I didn't know how to organize . . . I sighed and gave up.
I'll cross the bridge when I get there.
For now, I needed to rest and recover my HP and MP.
System, if I left the group. Would the others suspect that I was still alive?
"I see," I said. I pressed my [Home] screen, and left the group.
I wanted them to think that I was dead, especially Soarsie, so her conscience would eat her alive, and she wouldn't be able to sleep at night.
I didn't know about that, but if all the people I met were like those bunch, then the idea was very appealing.
I skidded to a stop when I noticed that something wasn't right.
"Was there a fork here before?" I muttered.
An irregular stone in the wall caught my eyes, although I couldn't tell if its shape was by accident or natural.
Upon closer inspection, the floor on the left fork was rough and irregular, as though the earth beneath had tried to shrug it off.
The best course of action was to ignore it and go back to recover all my HP and MP. But I feared that once I left this cave, I would never find this place again.
I was so sure that it wasn't there before.
Besides, if there was actually an unforeseen event, I had a hidden trump card up my sleeve.
Yosh.
I made up my mind to press forward after making sure that I was going to come out from here alive.
I pushed forward in the newly opened path and threaded the narrow cave.
It was a straightforward path, and the odd thing about it, the pathway was illuminated by strange glowing stones.
What's this? I tried to remove one but found it difficult. Using all my strength, my endeavor was still unsuccessful despite my STR.
Hmm . . . I stood back and rubbed my wrist before a sparkle caught my line of sight.
Looking at the ground, I found a shard of it.
[Congratulations! You found GLOWING CRYSTAL SHARD!]
ǁ G L O W I N G
C R Y S T A L S H A R D ǁ
–– a piece of a Glowing Crystal that forever glowed in the dark.
–– need a [Pickaxe] to mine
ǁ E N D ǁ
Hmm . . . I see as I skimmed my jawline.
This piece of Crystal was like a bulb, shining brighter than candles and candelabras and there were different colors too.
Come to think of it, all the lights in the villages were either from candles, torches, lamps, and candelabras.
There was no electricity.
Or at least something like a power source that could make anything work.
You mean to tell me that this world that's like in a high fantasy with magic and whatnot didn't have as simple as a bulb as light?
I staggered when something hit me that made my head go woozy.
Did we just . . . teleported into a world of magic and monsters in a medieval fantasy setting?
". . ."
My brain was pounding like crazy when I knew what it meant.
It meant that living in here would be difficult. There was no machinery nor power to advance technology, and I think that everyone just depended on magic and items to get by.
Are these Blueprints available to anyone?
Hmm . . . that would be a problem in the future as I couldn't monopolize the machines for myself. But also an advantage since it would unburden me as a sole target for these blueprints.
I pushed through the path until I saw a hazy orange light from within.
I felt a palpable rumble vibrating through the chamber, followed by the clatter of falling pebbles. The silence was broken by the dull squeal of rusty manacles and the snapping of fire from torches hanging on the walls.
There was a speckle of discoloration on the ground that appeared to be dried blood upon closer inspection. The crimson smear of blood spoke of some recent violent act.
But that didn't push me away. In fact, I was drawn deeper inside. Drawn by strange chanting that led me to an open space outside the cave surrounded by mountains and tall trees.
At the center, there were cloak figures encircling the altar. A young man was laying on top of it, chained to the altar, restrained, incapacitated, and writhing in oblivious pain.
I knew him, not by name but by face. He was one of the teenagers yesterday. The bracelet in the villager's hand and that teenager on that altar –– yep, there was a high chance that those teenagers were gone, and the only one left was the boy on that altar.
And there was a high chance that the cloaked figures surrounding that boy . . . were the villagers.
[CONGRATULATIONS for Partially Completing the WORLD QUEST, VILLAGE OF SACRIFICE]
[RECEIVED:
❶ Skill Book (?)
❷ Spell Book (?)
❸ 1000 gil ]
‖ V I L L A G E OF S A C R I F I C E ‖
The rumors were indeed correct. The villagers were sacrificing ignorant and unknowing adventurers to their forgotten God, hoping to get back their lost golden age.
‖ E N D ‖
[World Quest updated to FRIGHT & FLIGHT]
As you are now, you don't stand a chance against the villagers' might. While they're busy chanting for the appearance of their God, now is your time to flee.
Seek the help of a shaman by the name of Gnull, and he will help you with what you must do to end the villagers' monstrosity.
Rewards:
❶ Platinum Chest
❷ 10 000 gil
‖ E N D ‖
". . ."
Shit just turned into a whole level of creepy. I thought.