Episode 12: Stealth (3)
The man's identity was conveyed through his eyes and ears. A window with text appeared before him, followed by a voice.
Player encountered.
Accepted Players: 29/30
How swift this information delivery was. Advice given to someone who had already figured it out.
'To think both of them were players.'
Was it a relief that their numbers had dwindled through fighting each other? Aiden held his breath and stayed still, not moving rashly.
As expected, the players weren't a unified group. They were simply multiple people who had entered this world the same way. But at their core, they were all 'humans' as everyone knew them. At least on the surface, they were just people with no unusual traits, so even fellow players couldn't be immediately recognized.
'But that man had noticed.'
Their meeting was no coincidence. A player returning to the village again after yesterday, Sephirah's tone implying she hadn't considered multiples, and the two clearly strangers to each other. Rather than chancing upon each other in this remote village, it made more sense that there was reason for players to come here.
"……!"
Thud. Thud.
He hid his body and turned his head to avoid the sudden footsteps. A figure approached along the dirt path left empty after the villagers fled.
Armor—heavy iron plate armor. A blonde woman with a massive shield on her back that drew the eye especially.
Player encountered.
Without her helmet leaving her head exposed, she would have been an ironclad knight impossible to touch. Even without prior info, her player status was obvious.
"You said you got here first, so what mess did you make?"
The woman glanced around before snapping at the man sitting against the wall. But it wasn't a fight. No weapons drawn, no glares, no real emotion in her scolding. Unlike before, they seemed to have arranged to meet.
"Huh……?"
She questioned the silent man.
"Hey, you still can't talk?"
"……."
"Sighhh… I told you the method last time. Just grab NPCs and chat with them—it unlocks quick."
Hearing that, Aiden immediately recalled his own experiences. Sephirah's odd speech at their first meeting. The old man, Hasselhoff, unable to answer player questions. Did players who crossed into this world need a specific 'condition' for free communication? And that condition was met through 'NPC conversations'?
'…NPC?'
He didn't know what it stood for, but the two players ignored everything else and continued their talk.
"Fine, I'll turn on chat then. Fill your quota tomorrow and start talking. Got it?"
"……."
"Ugh, where is it? Thought I wouldn't need it today and deleted it…"
A brief silence fell. Though facing each other, it was like a wall stood between them, their gazes elsewhere. Then, when the player spoke again:
"Try talking now. Oh, I hear you fine. Told you to avoid this."
"……."
"No time? You were just lazy. Dozens of dialogue options—what's hard about that?"
They could now converse properly without voicing everything.
'One of the systems, huh.'
If it were ordinary magic, only one would speak. Now facing two or more seriously, threats doubled.
"Oh, so that one was a player too? Good call then. Yeah, multiples mean they'll cluster."
"……."
"Okay. Might come more, so wrap quick. One's arriving soon."
Heh heh heh. The blonde woman grinned slyly and moved. The man rose quietly to follow, leaving the area empty.
He had to tail them. But not recklessly.
'Another joining?'
Encountering four of the newly appeared 29 players—logical? One dead, but same goal could draw them coincidentally. Similar experiences in one world might mean similar thoughts and ranges. Still, too fast?
Such rational doubts boiled, but now was time to adapt and plan.
'What now.'
Players unaware of the two hidden nearby. They ignored surroundings, focused on their task. Aiden behind the next building's wall, Claire similarly hidden. In a small village, tailing without notice was feasible now with space.
"…Changing genre."
Aiden declared softly to the air.
Flutter.
Innumerable cards appeared with sound, floating around. Most gray and dim, but two shone bright blue before him.
Genres players had used. Tools honed traversing worlds. Player experiences, once incomprehensible, now lay open like a book before Aiden.
Currently, ROGUE-LIKE and STEALTH cannot overlap.
Change genre?
To activate the new genre, set aside the prior one. No issue—switching weapons to fit was natural.
STEALTH
Your form and actions go unnoticed. Enemy suspicion shows numerically; attacks from blind spots are enhanced.
From some point, players attempted approaches from all directions for their goals. Ultimately, they deemed infiltration a flawed achievement for perfect crimes.
Details confirmed late after postponing. Hard to fully grasp—not a clear manual, just a brief intro. Genre efficacy required testing.
"Claire, follow at your pace, or not at all."
Trusting she'd hear, Aiden moved. Footsteps eerily silent. Even his breath gone.
Unintended. On dirt path now—what of that? Normal faint steps expected.
'Way more impressive than thought.'
Faint footprints left behind. Like player traces ignored, his own deliberately erased—unique sensation. Running soundless? He tested.
Thud. Thud.
Half-right. Running noise not fully silenced, but reduced notably. Meaningful when crouching or cautious. This power could end them before notice…
"NPC? Wait, none visible."
A passing player glanced at the sound—then ignored. Aiden sweated but relaxed. Players' carelessness, assuming no tail.
"…Phew."
Vowing more caution, Aiden trailed wordlessly. Between walls, behind cover rocks, keeping distance when exposed.
After ~2 minutes tailing leisurely players, people circled stele like altars appeared.
"Lots of NPCs here."
"……."
"Hey, now that we're here… won't glitch, right? Worked yesterday."
"……."
"I mean, lots changed, so maybe not. It's a bug exploit after all."
Destination confirmed. Amid steles, one spoke, one listened—unilateral seeming.
Typically, clear voices but missing subjects hindered following. Couldn't demand full sentences from insiders.
"Yeah, matches. Gotta try."
"……."
"Ready?"
They summoned weapons—inventory surely. Matching first impressions: muscular man wielded man-sized black club; knight woman, ornate longsword.
Gripping favored arms, they attacked villagers.
"Aaaahhh!!"
Deafening screams echoed. Villagers unable to react took fatal wounds, dying unaware.
Nearby fled at cries, but two slow ones caught by swift players. Stabbed guts crumpling, clubbed flying—death inevitable.
"Guhk… kuh…"
"……."
"Done! Stop!"
Spotting something, player discarded victim, gaze shifting. Ignored escapee.
They eyed not people, but village altars.
"No issue. Almost wasted more NPCs."
Hummm.
Steles vibrated green. Initially struck two glowed, then adjacent ones chain-lit. All glowing promised event.
"Claire."
—Y-yes…
Whispering for unexpected prep, her voice trembled from somewhere.
"Those two still alive. I'll cover—move and treat them."
—O-oh… Got it.
"I'll handle players meanwhile."
Soon, left ear whispered back.
—More? For me.
"Just that for now."
—Okay… Be back.
Her whispers ceased after confirmation. Relief she hid watching.
'Damn, not time to watch like this.'
Anger at himself for unblocked harm. Purpose here was prevent invasion—yet reacted post-villager hits.
What was this? Planning for instant action could have prevented.
'Block further damage.'
Resolved. Persuasion last resort. Regardless words or joins, leave one, neutralize surely.
Turning back to watch:
Thud. Thud. Thud.
A bipedal something of white rock, green-glowing eyes glaring at players.