Chapter 9 – Tutorial (Survivor) - 9
Vesper inhales deeply, returning the green rune to the table with care. He retreats silently into the dining area, careful to avoid disturbing the hair.
The hair slithers across the table, wrapping itself around the green rune. Retrieving it, she carries the rune to the kitchen and places it gently on the island.
"KURURURUURURU!"
The entity emits an odd croaking sound in contentment, retracting its hair before settling back to rest.
Vesper wryly smile as he observes the eight-legged woman, her actions reminiscent of a creature from a famous scavenging horror game.
'Damn yippee knock-off. Did a freaking hoarding bug mate with a snare flea give birth to you?'
Testing the entity's reactions, Vesper deliberately creates a clinking noise by placing a spoon on the table's edge.
"KURURURUURURU!"
The eight-legged lady's hair extends once more, coiling around the spoon. Yet, her disappointment is evident as she snaps the spoon in half before retracting her hair.
With his theory confirmed, Vesper breathes a sigh of relief.
'Ah, it's blind. But how did she detect me last time when I made no noise? Was I within her attack range?'
Giving himself space, Vesper decides to ignore the sentinel-like entity, understanding he's safe as long as he doesn't provoke her.
Now with a moment to ponder, Vesper considers his newfound skill and attempts to activate it.
The monotone voice's response sours Vesper's expression with inconvenience. Shifting his focus back to collecting runes, he scans the dining area.
Unfortunately, it is empty.
Vesper's brow furrows as he shifts his focus to the kitchen. There, he spots three runes of varying sizes on the island counter and two more on the floor, prompting him to wonder how and when the entity managed to gather them all.
Preferring caution, Vesper opts to avoid confrontation with the hoarder, retreating to the living room where he had deliberately left a couple of runes behind.
To his relief, the two green runes he left are still in place. Placing one in front of the door, he grabs the other and cautiously peers outside to scout the perimeter.
The path remains unsecured. Beyond the house, the spider lady has ceased her assault on the garage, instead patrolling near the storage box by the altar.
However, something appears amiss—she drags a body along with her. Her white dress is stained with black blood, and she's visibly injured, missing a leg and her face smeared with black blood.
The body resembles the decaying corpse from the truck. Vesper can't fathom why, but it seems the corpse has somehow reanimated and clashed with her. Now, she seems to be carrying it off for sustenance.
Vesper patiently waits by the door as the spider lady deposits the corpse in the side yard before vanishing into the backyard. Seizing the moment, he opens the door and tosses a green rune into the front yard before grabbing another and darting out.
After placing the two green runes and one white rune in the sacrificial bowl, his quota is updated.
'Two more'
Vesper grins, shifting his focus to the garage, where the shutter door lies destroyed. Taking advantage of the new entrance, he slips inside.
In the back of the truck, two green runes await. Without hesitation, Vesper ascends the truck and retrieves the runes. As usual, he rolls one to the yard first before carrying the other.
The third return trip proves much smoother. Vesper places the two remaining green runes in the altar, completing his objective.
Finally, Vesper wraps up his tasks in the area. However, the mystery surrounding the key and the keyhole in the washroom remains unsolved.
Learning from past mistakes, Vesper resolves not to be overly greedy. Nevertheless, he doesn't forget to interact with the altar and test his skill.
'What was the keyword again? Rune scan? Scan runes? Oh, right. Rune Scanner!'
*BEEP*
A small plate extends from the altar, bearing the inscription: Remaining Items: 6 items. Total Value: 156.
Understanding the skill's function isn't difficult—it displays the remaining items in the building along with their value, which proves immensely helpful.
Vesper's throat tightens as he considers the eight-legged entity and the loot pile beneath her.
'If I recall correctly, there were one blue, two greens, and two whites. Blue is worth 23, green is 11, and white is 5. That's only 55. Where does the other 101 points come from? Is it connected to the key and that keyhole?'
Once more, Vesper feels the urge to return and utilize the key. However, he hesitates due to the roaming entity and the potential dangers yet to manifest. Glancing at the sky, he notes the time.
19:09.
The house likely spawned two new waves of dangerous entities within. Vesper has already encountered four, including the unknown corpse. There's no telling what else lurks inside.
"SCREW IT! FOR THE COMPANY! I'M THE GREAT ASSET!"
Despite the peril, Vesper refuses to back down. Retrieving the key from the storage box, he enters the house through the garage door.
First, Vesper searches the garage for a weapon. On the workbench, he finds a crowbar amidst broken or rusted tools. With no better option, he selects the crowbar and discards the glass shard. Proceeding to the house's side door, he enters the corridor and heads toward the washroom.
Upon entering the washroom, everything appears unchanged. Vesper locates the keyhole and retrieves his key. Without hesitation, he attempts to unlock it.
With a click, a section of the wall descends, revealing a secret room—a small space with nothing but a floating miniature pedestal. Resting atop it is a crimson square plate covering in flame.
Vesper swallows nervously, considering the flame's potential danger. Tentatively testing the heat, he reaches out to touch the mysterious tablet. To his surprise, he feels no heat despite the flames.
'This must be the 100-point item. If it's this valuable, should I consume it?'
Curious about the tablet's properties, Vesper presses it against his chest and commands the realm or hidden system of this world.
'Consume!'