Chapter 22
Chapter 22
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Layer 2
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Layer 2.
I knocked out the one who seemed to be their leader and signaled my companions.
Not that the signal was anything fancy—just firing an arrow into a safe spot with a note attached.
"...That's a pretty brutal way to send a message."
"But it wasn't bad. We don't know what might happen once you leave this place, Yuseong."
"What kind of situation?"
"Like, for example, them feeding the hob goblins to the arachnes?"
"Ah."
Teresa nodded in agreement and handed me an arrow.
I noticed the arrowhead was starting to wear down.
'This is getting dangerous soon.'
The arrows and bow from the dwarf craftsman were sturdy, but maybe we'd been in too many fights.
They felt a bit worn.
'This is why I don't like being an archer.'
In a game, it wouldn't matter, but in reality, there were all sorts of issues.
Arrows cost money, and if you miss, you might friendly fire your team.
Still, the advantage of thinning out numbers from afar meant I'd keep using them as much as possible.
"So, what do we do with these guys?"
"There are about three still alive."
Excluding the leader, I'd left two more breathing.
The reason was simple.
If the leader turned out to be fiercely loyal to their underworld organization, I'd have to kill him and interrogate the others instead.
'It'd be nice if they just gave up and spilled everything.'
But to be safe, killing them to silence them was better.
One of them flinched under my cold gaze.
Heh.
Ermé flashed a wickedly evil smile at the flinch.
"Yuseong, you've done such a great job."
She deliberately let her footsteps echo. Click-clack. The guy's body trembled finely.
"Thanks to you, we can interrogate them now. What should I make them spill? I'm pretty interested in this stuff myself—not as much as the Execution Princess, but I'm confident in it."
Her beaming smile was beyond ordinarily sinister.
Teresa and Glasses were already keeping their distance.
"I'm pretty good at interrogating scum like this."
Ermé grinned sweetly as she said something utterly ruthless, completely out of character.
'Sword Hero candidates learn stuff like this too, huh.'
It was truly terrifying.
I mentally reaffirmed that I had zero interest in becoming a Hero candidate.
"Everyone, keep watch then. Even if they start begging to be killed, try not to unless you have to."
After that, fortunately, no passersby showed up.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ I stepped away from Ermé and the others a bit and started thinking.
Sub quest rewards.
I wondered what it'd be.
Hoping for something good. So far, everything had been super useful.
'Not just useful, even.'
Compared to others' reactions, some felt too good for me.
'Above all...'
-S-ranks are rare even on the continent. Just A or B gets you called elite.
That was from the guy who was dead serious about the lore.
Nothing different from what Ermé said. Rishiel had called me a promising S-rank prospect too.
'But a few things bug me.'
Main quests and encounter quests felt like prep for future events.
Some rewards came from my actions.
So probably...
'This reward...'
I completed the sub quest with expectant eyes.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Sub Quest Completed.] [Acquired Gift: Marksman (B) and Skill: Charging Shot (B) as sub quest reward.] [Skill: Archery unlocked.] ⚔ GIFT ⚔ Marksman (B) ◇ Regarding archery, you can wield it like an expert. ◇ Enhanced vision and hearing, plus agility correction. ◇ Skill: Archery (Lv 3) correction. ⚡ SKILL ⚡ Charging Shot (B) ◇ Gather mana and unleash a single strike.
I closed my eyes, and information started flooding my mind.
Just like when I learned swordsmanship, the gaps in my archery skills began filling in.
-Milord?
Rishiel called out to me.
But I, mentally turned into a cat, didn't hear her.
I slipped into the darkness.
Or rather, the darkness warmly enveloped me.
'Let's see...'
I nocked an arrow quietly from the shadows.
The bow felt serene now, unlike before.
Not much had changed.
I'd just repurposed the handiwork from Rogue Mastery (S) for accuracy.
But this time...
'Silently.'
It muffled my sounds.
The draw of the bowstring went quiet. My presence vanished, swallowed by the dark.
Just a slight tweak in technique.
Yet the sound sank into the shadows.
This was knowledge-based; without Rogue Mastery, I couldn't do it.
I only knew I could touch handiwork's pinnacle with info alone.
'...Insane.'
My eyes gleamed as I stared into the distance.
A range I couldn't normally see.
Hob goblins 500 meters away came into view.
'Hoo.'
I breathed and focused.
Charging Shot.
Activating the skill, I felt power gathering at the arrowhead.
At the same time...
Something drained from my body.
All I felt was stillness.
Peak focus and handiwork suppressed recoil, boosting accuracy.
I charged the power to its limit.
Twang.
I released.
The arrow vanished. Or rather, enhanced Marksman vision could barely track it.
A blue arrow shot out too fast even for me to follow.
BOOOOM!!
It exploded massively, wiping out the hob goblin pack.
'Wow.'
This felt like lobbing bombs from range.
With a range over 500 meters.
'But the cost is steep.'
Mana depleted more than Dark Moon.
And no recovering the arrow.
'With this firepower, though...'
Not even worth calling a loss.
But one problem.
Teresa, Glasses, and Ermé rushing toward me with panicked faces.
Unnecessary misunderstandings.
'How do I explain this.'
Say new gift and skill from testing?
-Th-that... what was that?
'Tried something new. How was it?'
-What...
Rishiel stared at me, speechless.
-Th-this destructive power is abnormal. Only a level 3 mage could pull that off...
'Level 3 mage power?'
A level 3 mage.
And I'm a level 1 rogue pulling this off.
'I get it's impressive.'
But no real sense of scale.
"Yuseong! Yuseong!"
Ermé called frantically.
Even right in front of her, she didn't notice.
'Panicking?'
I emerged from the shadows.
Felt weird, but really did.
"Yuseong, where... Kyaa!"
"No need to panic."
I caught Ermé's waist as she tripped in panic.
Our faces inches apart.
Ermé blushed, staring at me.
"Th-this... W-we're not at that level yet, so take it slow..."
"...?"
What was she on about.
I helped her up and dusted myself off.
"Eh?"
"Interrogation done?"
"Y-yes, we got it all. B-but that explosion just now..."
"Just caught you so you wouldn't fall."
"...I wouldn't have fallen that easily."
Felt more like she tripped because I jumped in.
She'd tried to balance mid-fall.
'Wanted to look leader-like.'
Felt more ruined instead.
Meanwhile, Teresa and Glasses arrived.
"You okay?"
Teresa asked with a blank look.
No, her furrowed brows showed worry.
"Step back, Han Yuseong."
"Don't talk from behind me, Glasses."
"Protect me hard. I'll protect you all with this shield I got yesterday...!"
"That's more dangerous. An explosion like that is elite elemental enchanter level."
"...About that explosion, that was me."
"Right! Even Yuseong would tense up at that massive blast... Eh?"
Ermé stared blankly at me.
"Yuseong, for real?"
"...Yeah."
"...I see. Looks like a [Flash of Insight]."
Glasses said.
Flash of Insight? What's that.
"Sometimes you innovate a new skill or evolve an existing one into something better. We call that a [Flash of Insight]."
Ermé explained my confusion.
Makes sense.
"Still, reassuring. Our party's only weakness was burst firepower."
Glasses welcomed it enthusiastically.
Usually, mage-level firepower draws suspicion.
'Ah, Glasses is a Support Enchanter.'
Boosts whole party's power multiple levels, so no desperate need for elemental enchanters.
Didn't feel bad.
"Shall we head out then? Normally we'd hunt a few more days, but... these gifts from Yuseong's catches are plentiful."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah, could fetch a few gold each?"
Her satisfied chuckle looked genuine.
And we left the Labyrinth.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Fortunately, exiting was uneventful.
We emerged from the Labyrinth before we knew it.
Two days in, and this exhausting.
"Well, our schedule's tight. Normal clans go 2-3 times a week."
"Twice in three days. Can't do more."
Teresa slumped, cheeks puffed.
Same for me.
I pulled my robe hood low, thinking.
'Still, good money.'
Damon, was it.
Stripped him and his gang clean.
Plus tons of hob goblins.
'Should net a decent payout.'
Too bad hob goblin champion loot got split evenly—not much each.
'With Whisper of the Wind, it's fine.'
Didn't feel bad.
Lots gained this run.
The crowds exiting the Labyrinth made my stomach churn.
'Hate crowds.'
Scanned for Ermé.
She was queuing at the guild counter.
I approached.
"...Wh-what!?"
Why so flustered.
I stated my business.
"Can I go in first?"
"...I've noticed since last time, what if you cheat on the amount?"
Glasses and Teresa nodded.
Teresa lectured like it was crucial.
"Yuseong, learned this before, but even family needs caution with money."
"It's fine. I trust Ermé more."
"Eh?"
Ermé went blank, like slapped awake.
If Ermé really tried scamming me, nothing I could do.
Didn't think she would, but if...
'That's that.'
Just that.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Teresa thought of Han Yuseong.
This guy with zero family trust.
They'd only met recently, they said.
Yet seemed to care somewhat.
'...Got it.'
Teresa gazed sadly at his back.
His usual deep hood looked smaller today.
'Yuseong's an orphan.'
Teresa watched with pitying eyes.