Chapter 15 – Tutorial (Hunter) - 1
Hours later, a warning bell tolls in the sky, indicating they have only an hour left. Inside a haunted house, a blind, sweaty man lies on the bed as a black silhouette sits atop him. The mist surrounding her dissipates, revealing some of her human features. However, Vesper is unable to fully appreciate her beauty.
The woman smiles and sighs contentedly, placing a kiss on Vesper's lips in gratitude. As her body begins to glow and fade away, she touches her belly with satisfaction.
"To think that I would give my first time to a stranger… Well, I can't help it."
Just before vanishing completely, the mysterious grim reaper kisses Vesper's left eye, infusing it with sparkling gold dust that merges with his flesh, creating a glowing effect.
"This is the best I can do to aid you in the trials," she explains. "With this new eye and the taboo, you'll gain an advantage over others. Remember, you can enhance it further by combining useful runes."
Unable to see the woman, Vesper reaches out to touch her but finds nothing.
'Wait!' Vesper asks her to stay.
The grim reaper sternly warns him. "When you arrive to the campfire or return to Earth, trust no one, not even the hunters, fellow survivors, or the pesky PIA agents! The judges and the protectors are not our allies but the forgotten saint!"
As she disintegrates, she promises him, "Wait for me on Earth. I will find you. My name is Alanna Minx. Don't forget me."
Her body turns to dust, leaving only a portion of her gold dust embedded in Vesper's left eye.
Confused and in pain, Vesper tries to sit up but lacks the strength. His left eye socket throbs with agony as a new eyeball begins to regenerate.
A message announces.
As the messages conclude, Vesper loses consciousness.
.
.
"Wow, Alanna's been replaced. Who's this pushover?" A woman's voice breaks into Vesper's awareness.
"Let's wake him up, Risa," follows the clear voice of an elderly man.
"Hehe. Can I use that meme line, Uncle Yuu? I've been dying to try it," adds another man with a deep, hoarse voice.
"He'd be scared out of his wits. This isn't Skyrim, Vane," retorts the elder.
"That would've been hilarious," the woman agrees.
Vesper feels like he's in a dream, surrounded by people chatting nonsense. His limbs twitch as he gradually awakens from a deep slumber.
ZAAAA
A cold, dripping sensation hits Vesper's face, jolting him awake. He realizes he's soaked in chilly water and opens his eyes.
Light streams into his left eye, restoring his vision. However, colors appear duller than usual, limited to black, white, grey, and darker shades. The only colors he can see are yellow, red, gray, and white.
Taking in his surroundings, Vesper sees two men and a woman, all clad in black cloaks and robes reminiscent of the grim reaper he encountered.
The first man is a towering 7-footer with a muscular build. Despite his black cloak covering most of his body, Vesper can make out the outline of his massive chest muscles, biceps, and thighs. He's seated by a campfire, adorned with a distinctive gray scarf with gold-patterns.
The second man resembles a grim reaper from folklore, his black cloak and scarf fluttering in the wind. His face is obscured by dark gas, making it impossible for light to penetrate. Though smaller than the giant with the gray scarf, he still towers over Vesper, appearing well-built for an adult. He is the only one with a scythe.
The woman sports a flashy red scarf and tight clothes that highlight her figure. Compared to the grim reaper Vesper encountered earlier, she looks fatter, with a round belly button and wider hips. Standing nearby, she holds a bucket of water.
Vesper is taken aback by the sight before him once more. Chuckling softly, he fights back tears that threaten to well up. Regrettably, his damaged vocal cords render his voice a mere whisper, akin to the gentle rush of wind escaping a ventilation shaft.
The three ghostly figures fix their gaze on Vesper. The woman snorts and shouts at him.
"Get up, newbie. We'll moving in a few minutes. We don't have time to babysit you!"
'Newbie?' Vesper repeats in his mind, snapping back to reality. He looks down and realizes that his entire body is a mass of black mist like theirs, but without the ornate cloak or robe.
He hasn't noticed it yet, but his left eye emits a bright golden light, piercing through the dense mist. Despite most of the light being blocked by the black mist, it still glimmers like a candle in the darkness.
The two men are intrigued by the eye. The large man stands up and approaches Vesper, grabbing his neck and pulling him closer.
"An eye rune? The tutorial never mentioned rune usage or body sockets. How did you know about equipping a rune in your eye?" he questions.
'Eye rune?' Vesper echoes in confusion.
"Say something!" the large man shakes him.
'I don't know! Who are you? Where am I?' Vesper responds frantically in his mind, hoping that they could read his thoughts.
The big grim reaper becomes annoyed, raising his fist as if to strike.
"Stop that," the grim reaper with the scythe interjects. "We don't know his ongoing penalties. He could be mute or deaf."
"Oh, right," the large man releases Vesper and scratches his head.
Vesper coughs and pants, eyeing the three reapers and mentally questioning them.
'Who are you people?'
The reapers ignore him as if they can't hear. The leader grim reaper turns to the big man and the woman.
"Does anyone have a mind-reading rune?"
The giant shakes his head. "No."
The woman grumbles. "I don't either. We always relied on Alanna for that, so I never stocked those runes."
The leader shrugs. "Then test him. Ask him to write or nod. If he can't respond, he might be deaf. But if he can respond but can't speak, he might be mute."
"Okay!" The woman faces Vesper again and speaks slowly. "You, over there. If you can hear me, nod your head."
'…'