Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Spicy Expedition Squad
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D/Z SAGA supported multiple routes and multiple endings, but that didn't mean you could always see the story's conclusion.
If you lost in the game and Kelters died, it led straight to a bad ending.
【After that, no one ever saw them again.】 That line shot you right to a bad end.
Of course, this could happen if you ran into a field boss while dungeon crawling and got wiped out. But there were other cases too.
Like the assassination ending. The murder ending.
The two conditions for this ending were affinity levels and karma value.
For example, with affinity: if you recruited Jewel Sword Isolde as a companion and then pissed her off to the absolute limit, her affinity would plummet into negative territory like a coin crash.
Do you think you could just hold out, wait for the rebound, and shout "Someone's here!" at the peak to turn it around? No way. You'd have to pay the price. Straight to the murder ending.
As punishment for tanking her affinity, she'd challenge you to a 1v1 duel, or ambush you—and man, was she insanely strong. She'd gone completely off the rails.
And the second condition: karma value. This one was the real killer.
If you pulled psycho stunts as Kelters—like ditching companions in a dungeon, failing missions, or killing innocent villagers—she'd show up before you knew it.
The ace of the assassin clan. The greatest talent in history. Abyss Dagger. Rudika Hassan Shadow.
Her ash-gray hair barely reaching her shoulders. Blue eyes. Petite build. Slender frame.
She might look like your typical cute, lovable character at first glance, but I knew better. I knew the horror of this character.
The silent killer who inevitably came calling once your karma dipped below a certain threshold and marked you as evil.
All her skills were assassination exclusives, impossible to block before Act 6—and you shouldn't even think about trying.
From what I remembered, her strength was 13, pretty low compared to top-tier strength builds. Her stamina and magic were solid, but Rudika's real nightmare was her insane levels of will and talent.
Talent boosted every action positively, so it doubled as agility in a way. Hers was 20 or 21 at birth. Will around 20 too.
Anything in the 20s was way beyond human limits. Aila's magic in Act 1 was 19, Eve's around 22, from what I recalled.
When a girl like that got the assassination order from low karma, she'd come for you right from Act 1. How the hell were you supposed to survive? At that point, just dying gracefully was polite.
Everyone reverently called her "Professor Hassan" for slipping in at night after your evil deeds, slicing your throat clean, and vanishing. And right now, I had that Professor Hassan right in front of me.
Third-rate villain Wolfram here.
Face-to-face with the assassin who embodied justice.
"Rudika will ask once more, Wolfram. Can you make something spicy?"
No, I have no idea how to make that stuff.
My stamina's at 2.
I'm trash who'd only have a 50% win rate in a deathmatch against a bean worm from that forest. Please just pretend you didn't hear me.
I prayed inwardly for this disaster to leave quickly, but the skill inside me had other plans. It forced my mouth to be brutally honest even if my head was lying.
The Imperial Bloodline skill activated without mercy, compelling me to spout only haughty, intimidating lines.
"Of course. It'll hold its own against the spiciest flavors in the world."
"Really?! You're not lying?"
"...Hmph. Who do you think I am? I'm Wolfram. Wolfram von Loengrin. I never lie on my imperial name."
Ah.
I'm screwed.
"I see. Wolfram. I like that."
"...What do you mean by that?"
"Rudika. I'll visit later."
And Rudika vanished.
Wow, an assassination notice right to my face! How many people get to enjoy that surprise in their lifetime?
I sensed my death and nodded to myself.
Thanks for everything, everyone. Wolfram's adventure ends here. Be happy, all of you.
But before I die, if I could have one wish...
"Aila. Is this really the spiciest thing in the cafeteria?"
"I told you, yes. How can anyone eat this? Seriously...!"
I want something spicy.
"You should learn what real spice is."
"Fine. Wolfram. Looks like we need some more rebellious conversation. I'll show you rebellious spice. Follow me outside."
Sorry.
I'm dying tonight anyway, so please spare me.
Aila left, and I arrived at the convenience store.
Though I'd debated getting murdered by Rudika then and there, I figured—no, I was pretty sure—it wouldn't be immediate.