Chapter 224
Chapter 224
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 224
Chapter Title: Effort Requires Talent Too, Apparently
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Chapter 224
Effort Requires Talent Too, Apparently
224 ? Effort Requires Talent Too, Apparently #1
『Pluto's Death Knight requests a faction change.』
『You can release the binding by consuming 10 Karma Value.』
『Name it to accept the request.』
What is this?
These were words in a format I'd never seen before.
Faction change?
Release the binding by consuming Karma Value?
"Hmm...."
I racked my brain busily to figure out the situation.
From what I could roughly understand, this skeletal knight had originally been bound to someone else, like an ownership, and by spending Karma Value, it could transfer that over to me.
I recalled my days as a slave.
Slaves sold at the kingdom-approved slave market were usually bound to their owners in various ways, but sometimes owners would sell off slaves they didn't like to others, transferring ownership.
Thanks to that, I—a rare and sturdy Samarian slave—had received unwanted love calls from several adventurers.
Elphriede, you won't sell that guy for 90 silver? That's a generous price.
Scram.
But Elphriede's mindset on keeping me as a slave was so firm that I never ended up in one of those owner-swap events.
Anyway, this felt similar to that.
More than that, a name?
I had no talent for naming.
With Agumon right here, maybe Tai?
Nah, too lame.
"Any name or nickname you'd like?"
So I decided to ask the knight directly.
In response, the skeletal knight, still seated, rested its chin on its hand with a hum.
None.
"Then, Arthus."
What does that mean?
"Uh, just because. Don't ask too much."
It was the only name that came to mind when I thought of Death Knight.
Skeletal wyvern and skeletal knight. The name Arthus kept echoing in my head so much that nothing else would come up.
It shares a lot of letters with my real name. Interesting.
"Is that so?"
Ding-.
『The Death Knight's faction has been transferred.』
『Name: Hassan's Death Knight ? Arthus lv. ?? +1
Status: Domination Strengthened by Grace > Fear Emission >』
No level displayed.
I'd half-expected it, but it really was an undead far stronger than me. About on par with Hippolyte?
That +1 next to it caught my eye.
I feel power surging through my body. Domination strengthened by grace, huh. Even with this good necklace.
The skeletal knight—Arthus—stood from the chair, examining its body this way and that with clattering sounds.
Looks like an enhancement-type relic. The more you enhance that necklace, the stronger your domination gets, and your minions will grow stronger too.
"Is that how it works?"
I'd vaguely guessed as much, but that +1 mark by my minions' levels must be thanks to my necklace.
My Pluto necklace is probably at +1 from one enhancement, right? If I enhance it further with Karma Value to +2 or +3, do my minions' levels go up too?
That thought was pretty fun.
Enhancing with Karma Value apparently boosted not just my body but my minions' levels too.
Anyway, putting it all together, this skeletal knight Arthus was now one of my minions?
With that in mind, I tentatively gave a small order just in case.
"Stand up and spin around."
I don't bow my head to just anyone, halfwit.
But for a minion, it didn't obey my command.
If you want to give me orders, get stronger than me first.
"Sweat."
Pretty embarrassing.
I was thrilled to have gained a powerful Death Knight as a subordinate, but like this, it was as good as nothing, wasn't it?
Wasted 10 Karma Points for nothing, I thought as I boarded the gondola and headed up.
Behind me came a voice saying, Come visit again, friend. Train with me sometime—.
But I ignored it, worried that yelling back might snap this rickety rope.
Still.
How do I get out?
When I'd followed the skeletal knight in, I'd just wandered the valley cave without much thought.
But now trying to head back, it was ridiculously complicated.
Should I ask the skeletal knight to at least guide me to the exit?
But riding that decrepit gondola again was something I really wanted to avoid.
What to do.
"Ah-!"
As I pondered, I suddenly remembered the fireflies Luna had given me.
The jar she'd handed over for if I got lost in this valley cave was in my luggage.
I pulled the jar from my waist pouch and shook it. With a faint flapping of tiny wings, the soft glow of the bugs lit up.
Pretty nice.
If not for Luna, I'd have been hopelessly lost.
It'd only been a few hours since we parted—less than half a day, maybe a full day at most—but I already missed petting her squishy belly.
So I released the shaken fireflies into the air and safely followed them out.
* * *
『Settling minion battles.』
『Karma Value +10』
『Current Karma Value 105』
"Shit."
I couldn't help but admire the text floating before my eyes.
A few days since escaping the manticore valley where I'd met the skeletal knight.
Every now and then, seeing these messages pop up in the air felt like... well, playing an idle mobile game.
They fight on their own and send me Karma Value.
No idea if the skeletal knight hunted it or the bone wyvern finished the fight safely, but automatically gaining Karma Value was great.
"Don't zone out!"
Thwack-!
Something long and hard collided with my face, stars exploding in my vision.
They say when you take a big hit to the head, stars spin around your eyes.
That's exactly what happened.
My vision flashed, then spun dizzily.
When I came to, I was lying on the sandy floor of the training ground, covered in dust.
I'd been knocked groggy by Hippolyte's fist.
"Grooo...."
"I've told you a million times: during a match, focus only on your opponent."
"Yeah, but... ugh...."
Mild concussion? My head spun, faint nausea rising—felt like death.
Sparring with Hippolyte always felt like this, but I'd been distracted by the floating Karma Value messages and failed to dodge, making it hurt more.
"Ugh...."
As I clutched my head, unable to get up, I heard Hippolyte's flustered voice.
"Wh-what, making such a fuss over a little hit? What you did was even more reckless than dodging my punch while daydreaming. Don't you know that?"
"Yes, I know. Don't go into the manticore valley recklessly again. I've heard it over eight times already."
"Even Silver Tier adventurers don't come back from there easily. Rumors say it's crawling with terrifying monsters."
"...."
Another round of Hippolyte's nagging was about to start.
A few days since I'd returned from the manticore valley.
Every time she saw me, she'd scold me for doing something reckless.
Of course, since it was out of concern, it didn't feel bad.
But I'd heard it so much I could recite her lines by heart.
『Settling minion battles.』
『Karma Value +10.』
『Current Karma Value 115.』
Whoa, shit.
Fighting a lot today.
"Hassan, zoning out again? You've been weirdly unfocused since coming back from the valley. Did you see something there?"
"A baby manticore?"
On parting with the skeletal knight, I'd picked up some charred manticore bones.
I resubmitted them to the Mars Guild and got 50 achievement points.
No idea how high 50 points was, but judging from receptionist Daphne's shocked face, it was pretty impressive.
My level was 25 now.
With Karma Value piling up, I could level up again soon.
Silver Tier necklace was starting to feel within reach.
Me, in the same tier as that Elphriede!
It felt like a dream.
As I drifted into those thoughts, Hippolyte added a few words.
"It's just a juvenile, but hunting a manticore is commendable. I could only take one down right after getting my Silver Tier necklace."
Hippolyte extended her hand, so I grabbed it, pulled myself up, and dusted off my butt and back.
Still a bit dizzy, but bearable.
"But that valley has a terrifying inhabitant. The Death Knight. Didn't you see it?"
"Well—."
"No, if you'd met it, you wouldn't have come back alive. Consider yourself lucky."
Did Hippolyte know something about the valley's skeletal knight?
Curious, I asked.
"Is it strong?"
"Oh, that guy's strong. Back when I was a Silver Tier newbie, I couldn't beat it. Looking back now, it feels like it was just toying with me—."
She clenched her fist with a crunch.
"Now, I think I could win. A restricted extermination-grade undead."
"I see."
"That strong of an undead. Makes you wonder what it was like when alive."
At Hippolyte's question, I recalled my conversation with the skeletal knight.
Days had passed, so memories had faded, but a couple of striking ones lingered.
"Um, Hippolyte. It mentioned someone who runs faster than a river current. Something about Weapon Master. Know who that might be?"
"Weapon Master—? Ha, only one person in this world ever held that title."
"Who?"
"Who else? The War Sorcerer, Achilles, of course. Why ask about Achilles all of a sudden?"
"Ah."
I'd heard of Achilles.
Just like Koreans think of Yi Sun-sin for heroes, in this kingdom, Achilles was the go-to name for hero.
A real big shot.
No idea why such a figure had fallen to undeath and hidden in the manticore valley, but the events there felt like a dream.
"Anyway, don't set foot in that valley again until my training's done. You got lucky this time, no guarantee next time."
"Yes, I'll be careful."
That was all I could say.
"But I didn't know you were so overprotective, Hippolyte. I thought you'd be the type to roll me off a cliff for some hardship training."
"...Talking like I'm some heartless lioness. And the thing about lionesses pushing cubs off cliffs is a myth anyway. Lionesses raise their cubs with care."
"I see."
I pictured Hippolyte raising a baby.
She stuck to harsh training methods, but surprisingly, she might raise her own flesh and blood well.
Assuming she wasn't trading stocks then.
"How's the stock doing?"
"Bought more recently. The day you brought the baby manticore bones. If you keep growing smoothly, going public isn't a dream."
She grinned slyly.
That day, I didn't escape her training until lumps covered my head.
* * *
"I have a question."
Crackle, crackle-.
Staring at the campfire, I suddenly asked.
"How do I beat someone stronger than me?"
The skeletal knight's blue eye-lights flickered.
Way to beat a stronger foe. Simple.
"What's that?"
Don't pick fights. Run, or beg pathetically. Survive that way, and it's your win.
"Your definition of victory is pretty broad."
Victory isn't just knocking them down. Staying alive is victory enough. Better to live as a beggar than die.
This was the skeletal knight's hideout, deep in a cave at the bottom of that sheer cliff in manticore valley.
Hippolyte had yelled not to come back because of the terrifying Death Knight here.
But I'd been sneaking visits to meet this Death Knight.
For a scrawny skeleton, it talked well, knew a lot, and was strong—perfect for asking about secretive stuff.
Hippolyte and the others were great adventurers, sure, but as a male mentor for me, they fell short.
Like this, for example.
"There's this girl I like. I've secretly met a few other girls behind her back. What do I do? Tell her the truth?"
You're a real piece of trash. Dreaming of Gold Tier adventurer just to collect multiple wives?
"Not like that."
Well, as a fellow man, I get it. Nothing gives a man headaches like women. Speaking for myself, I died because of a woman.
"Killed by a woman?"
Nah, not exactly. Close enough. Anyway, what's done is done. Hide it till you die. Hide it even after.
Advice that really sinks into your bones.
"What if she finds out?"
No idea. Curious? Get caught and see. Experiential learning's great. But not recommended.
Women, huh.
The skeletal knight sat on a log stool, gazing at the dying campfire. Its eye-lights flickered like flames.
I could tell this man was lost in thought.
Thinking about a woman? I wondered if undead felt sexual desire. What does it feel like to want to jack off but have no dick?
Must be horrific—I was frowning when the skeletal knight spoke up.
Speaking of women, I ran into that female party you mentioned. Cute bunch.
"Did you give them a beating?"
Nah, looked like it'd be a real fight, so I just watched. They seemed thirsty for achievement points. Said they were heading underground. That white-haired one you mentioned... no, never mind.
The skeletal knight shut its mouth.
Underground?
At "underground," I glanced at the black void far off.
Like an endless black sea—chilling.
"They went deeper than here?"
Yeah. You'll get it now, but the depths below teem with unimaginable monsters. Juvenile manticores look like kittens by comparison.
Swish-.
I stood from the campfire and peered into the deep, dark cavern below.
As I gazed into the abyss.
The abyss gazed back.
Elphriede's party went down there?
Gutsy as hell. Unless someone handed me a chest of gold, I wouldn't go.
If you wanna follow, I won't stop you, Hassan.
"Follow? Hell no, I'm scared shitless."
Good, then you've already won against the abyss by avoiding the fight and surviving.
"...Man, your values are weird."
You've rested enough. Let's resume training. You wanna beat that Hippolyte woman, right?
"Yes."
What's her fighting style? What ultimate moves, what weapons?
"Her whole body's a weapon. Insanely strong."
A woman whose whole body is a weapon. An Amazon? No surprise—subduing an Amazon is a guy's fantasy. Personally, I preferred getting subdued by one—.
Not wanting to hear the skeletal knight's sexual preferences, I got into stance.
Just raising levels wasn't enough; for the skills and experience I lacked, no better opponent than this guy.
Someday, I'd overpower Hippolyte purely with my own strength and pin her down—I imagined that future as I threw a punch at the skeleton.
Beneath me.
Moun...tain....
Hassan, I'm here—.
Save me.
Deep in the abyss—.
A sticky voice kept rising, grabbing at my ankles.