I could have just gone over to the mercenary guild across the city and looked for Amiya but I didn't.
Reason being?
Showering took more priority.
It wasn't like I was bothered by my own smell or anything.
Anyway- the river.
The river of Brokin- flowing straight into the city and out... it came down from the mountains and no one was permitted to climb it, so taking a stroll outside the city was the best bet to get into the water.
It was rather windy out here and loads of leaves just danced around-
The water was pristine and really clear!
No, not really.
It was terrible.
Black, tar-like even.
I could not see the bottom and I certainly couldn't see whatever was moving inside…
'How the hell do people even use this stuff?'
Just looking at the water was making me nauseous. Also- what was up with this stink?
'Do people just drop their shit on-'
Oh.
A realization hit me.
A very weird realization.
The whole city had a sewage system but I never really saw any reservoirs for their stuff.
It didn't take a genius to figure out just what was going on.
"Ahhh!!!"
Oh look, Sahagins going after people, while they're showering, on the other side of the river….
Typical.
'How're they even surviving in this shit water?'
We were technically outside the city walls, so there weren't any guards here.
Surrounded by trees- lush greenery and lots of wildlife.
And basically, no monsters.
Maybe that's why people here got cocky and started coming out without protection?
No that didn't seem like it. There weren't that many people here… people here didn't shower much anyway. Also- there was a more pressing reason why- I didn't think so. After all, the woman did have guards but they were lying on the ground, and she was basically crawling behind her- and wait, a cart?
Good clothes.
Frills.
Loads of guards.
Hmm….
HMMM….
'Oh? A noble…'
Just on the other side of the river, an orc woman was being attacked by Sahagins and all her guards were pretty much dead? Or at the very least not moving.
Would you look at that, my lucky day!
Who knew I'd be lucky enough to initialize the first stage so soon… muahahahahhah!
I knew that Orc woman was special!
Ha ha!
Yeah, no, but-
I pulled out the new knife and gave it a super nice throw!
Screech!
A perfect hit on the back-
Three Sahagins. All chiefs.
"Looks like we've got work kitties…"
Apparently, I was really lucky when it came to Sahagin buddies. Luck of what sort, that I didn't know.
They weren't attacking the woman anymore. Rather they were totally focused on me.
But they were at least 100M away, meaning, pretty far. 'My aim really has been top-notch these days, huh?' Maybe I should have bought a bow too?
Yeah, I probably should have…
I pulled my arm ahead and- "CURSE! Curse! Curse!" I kept on cursing without worrying about anything.
Reason being?
Plenty of mana to spare. And Curse didn't really eat much mana anyway.
The woman was on the ground while the Sahagins were pretty much glaring, so no risk of getting her involved either.
Heh, who'd cross the river just to go up to those damn things and fight them fairly?
I'd rather poison them and slowly move up to them while they're crawling on the ground.
No need for risks!
"I'd start crossing the river if I were you," I let out a yell.
"I can't swim!" The orc lady yelled back.
Oh boy.
This river was terrible, so I didn't want to swim either.
The nearest bridge was so far away that for our purposes, it was basically non-existent.
Sahagins were weakened and all three of them kind of fell on the ground. Definitely not dead. And the woman was too frightened to move, let alone pick up a sword and kill those things- or run…
So far, no extra ones…
Even so… I didn't want to go into this damn river… 'How the hell did three chiefs come so close to the city though?'
[Suggested Skill- Divinity!]
"…"
"Divinity." The words came out in a flat tone…
I started glowing.
Oddly in white.
Never thought I'd have that color, even my hair turned white and my body looked like milk… not my favorite color.
Some rustling came from behind me but the cats were on it.
"What now?"
[… User may touch the water to purify.]
It didn't sing, rather just answered in a flat voice.
The system was apparently annoyed.
The feeling's mutual buddy, the feeling's mutual.
I touched the water and-
In literally less than a second the light from me left and the whole river started glowing.
A sort of glass-breaking sound reverberated.
Moments later- the water kind of turned clear.
Not totally but definitely enough for me to see what was moving inside the water.
Lots of catfish!
And no Sahagin.
'Wow, that's cool…'
So basically, the system would only let me use the spell once I had a specific need for it? I did surmise that before but never thought it would be like this.
Moreover, my mana was reduced to ten percent- just three- so this spell pretty much drained me.
But-
Now, I could swim.
And I did too- till halfway, when I realized- 'Oh shit, I'm wearing leather armor….' And with a frigging half a chainmail underneath, feet not reaching the floor….
Water still a bit stinky-
Damn!
What a rookie mistake. Sometimes I was really stupid!
I got so into the whole stage one thing, that I ended up creating more problems for me!
Why the hell did have to get so frigging excited!
The Sahagins were weakened but they were definitely happy to see this, that was for sure.
One by one, they all just dived in.
Oh boy.
'Rondo something would be nice right about now….'
"RONDO!!"
[…]
Yeah, with three mp, and basically drowning, my revenge plot and all other plot were kind of looking like just plain….arghhh!
The cats from the other side were also panicking but- despite everything, they couldn't just come into the water-
The mother kitty even got into the water- drenching herself halfway- but backtracked due to being surrounded by wolves… apparently, little kitty was in danger.
Anyway- my feet weren't touching and I was desperately trying to get back.
Forget about the frigging noble lady on the other side- I was dying!
Drowning!
Dying!
Damn!
Gurgle….
Wait-
"What the actual fuck?" I was roughly one head below the water level and my voice was coming out awfully weird.
However-
HOWEVER!
I wasn't suffocating.
My ears weren't bursting.
And my eyes weren't burning either.
'Well, that's new.'