Starting City, Brockton (3)
Khalid had left behind some cryptic words. It was clear that his experimentation hadn't happened recently. Experiments like that don't wrap up in a day or two.
But the fact that he saw someone in the lab speaking like me...
It was the same in Bares. They said my speech was a bit off. Yet Khalid claimed the experimenters sounded just like me. And those experiments were likely run by Orion employees.
Could it be that Orion's staff are possessed too?
I couldn't know the full truth yet. But it was reasonable to infer they were connected somehow. Whoever they were...
For now, I'll build my strength while digging deeper into them.
Another goal had been added: uncover Orion's secrets. To do that, I needed power.
Time to level up my skills anyway.
I'd earned skill points, and I already knew what to pick.
【Weapon Detection】.
The first request had taught me something. Even if I knew everything from the game, there were plenty of variables that could shift things.
This time, I got lucky because it was nearby. If it'd been somewhere else...
I would've had to scour everything. This skill would change that.
I acquired it without hesitation.
【Weapon Detection】
Detects all weapons in the vicinity.
*Range increases with skill level.
*Detectable weapon types expand with skill level.
An upgraded version of my existing weapon-sensing ability. Used right, it'd help in so many ways.
Now to wrap up the request.
With that, I pulled out [Khalid's Ring], proof that Khalid was the bounty target I'd caught.
* * *
By the time I climbed out of the sewer, night had fallen. I headed to Angela's Request Office for my reward.
Maybe it was the tension easing, but I felt exhausted. My body was covered in wounds. I just wanted my pay and some rest.
Screeech.
The office was quiet inside. The waiting crowd had cleared out, chairs stacked on the tables.
"Huh?"
"You've returned?"
Angela and Jena looked up at me in unison.
"Look at you—barely scraped by alive. If it was that easy, we would've..."
"Handled it."
Thud! I cut off Angela's snark, slapping Khalid's ring on the counter.
Her eyes locked onto it. She'd realized what it was.
"...You actually took him down?"
"Don't believe me? Check it yourself."
"Jena."
"Yes."
Jena took the ring to appraise it. A simple spell to identify the owner. She nodded quietly to Angela.
Angela's eyes went wide.
"..."
She stared at me in silence. At the same time, emotions leaked from the purple-glowing weapon at her waist: shock, excitement, unease. A tangle of feelings, but all pointing to one thing—she was stunned by this.
Jena was the same. Her expression stayed neutral, but the blue light seeping from her longsword mirrored Angela's.
"The body's in the sewer under the square. Tell the bounty handlers."
"You really..."
"Anyway, like I said before—hook me up with the reward and that manufacturer connection."
Whether Angela was shocked or not, I brought up the priority: the potion maker.
"We can't confirm payout or connection till the body's verified..."
"Jena, pay him out now."
"But ma'am, without corpse confirmation, we can't be sure it's done."
"Nah, it's solid. My gut says so."
Jena pushed for protocol, but Angela overruled her this time. She was decisive when it counted.
Anyway, Jena prepped the reward minus the fee, just as Angela ordered.
Request performance grade determined.
The message popped up when Angela accepted the completion.
I checked the request grade window.
Silver grade, the second tier. I'd skipped Bronze in one go. Not a bad start.
And now the Performer-exclusive shop's open.
It offered higher item tiers based on grade.
"How d'you want it? Minus 5% fee, that's 1.9 million babel. Cash'd be a hassle. Got an account?"
1.9 million babel from one request. Requests were the best way to make bank.
"Not yet."
"I'll sort it. Jena, set him up an account."
"Yes, ma'am."
Angela's attitude had shifted. From dismissive skepticism to actively helping out.
Maybe she was starting to trust me? Not fully convinced yet, but close.
"Jena'll bring a secure wallet soon. Stash it at home or carry it—your call."
Esperro had these magic-tech wallets: palm-sized metal pouches with sub-space storage for easy deposit and withdrawal. They even supported direct transfers.
"Wanna talk manufacturers over drinks?"
Angela offered booze. Others might miss it, but I got the hint.
She's a booze hound who doesn't share with just anyone. Offering me means she's taking an interest.
She had a special attachment to her liquor. She wouldn't offer unless she meant it. Sure, she might've wanted an excuse to drink, but still...
"I'd rather have an Americano. With ice, if possible."
"Americano with ice? You're a weird one. No ice here."
She handed me a warm one. No ice in this world either, huh. Made me crave iced Americano even more.
"Per our deal, I'll track down those manufacturers now that you've cleared the request. Give me a bit—finding them ain't easy, as you know."
She kept her word without fuss. Angela could pull it off quick.
"Fair enough."
"Cool. I'll let you know ASAP. Oh, and once you've got that payout, gear up with mana-coated stuff first. You can't keep rocking that look if you're tackling big leagues."
She topped off her glass, subtly nudging me toward higher-grade requests.
"Obviously, this payout won't cover full gear. So..."
This vibe felt off. Like a sales pitch.
"Gonna need more cash for gear, right? Here's some requests suited to you. Clear these, and gear's the least of it. Potion production costs a fortune too, yeah?"
Nice pitch. Solid buildup.
"..."
"What? Work talk killing the coffee buzz?"
"...Nah. It's fine."
I sipped my Americano lightly and eyed the requests she showed: Grade 4s fitting Silver rank. Escorts to monster nest clearances.
But the one I wanted wasn't there. It should be around now.
With Khalid escaped, this lines up with when Descartes starts hunting for it.
The legendary treasure I was after. I'd snatch it before he could.
"This one's tougher..."
Angela slid over another: from the Merchant Guild, not an individual.
"Lately, some gang's hitting guild shipments hard. Massive losses. They dumped it on us. Interested?"
Merchant Guild hijackings. Exactly what I wanted.
Why hold it back?
She timed it to hook me. Like realtors saving the best for last.
Angela wanted me on it. Fine by me—improves our ties, gets me what I want.
"This one."
"Yeah?"
Her lip curled up. Probably thought she'd reeled me in. Whatever—I wanted it too.
"Damn, I messed up. Sorry for not recognizing you at first. My bad."
After picking two high-difficulty ones, Angela seemed to realize something. The prideful type, but she bowed her head. Seemed genuine.
She owned her mistakes quick with those she respected. Part of why I stuck with her.
Once she trusts me, no betrayal worries.
With the second request accepted, she briefed it.
"Details from the guild directly. My briefing's short: 5 million babel reward. And there's an Ability user involved."
Big payout, Ability user—Descartes's lackey for sure. I'd pry the gear's location from him.
"All set."
Jena returned with the wallet. I left the office.
* * *
Thanks to Angela's tip on a nearby clinic, I got patched up quick. Wounds healed fast, for a price.
Then I grabbed a temporary inn.
Won't last long here.
The place was rough—straight out of a game or medieval flick.
But beggars can't be choosers. Better than the street.
I crashed hard, waking at noon next day. Ate the rock-hard bread they called food, then headed out.
Need better digs ASAP.
First, the tattoo artist starting spot.
Time before the second request. I'd scout for "User" traces and prep for what's ahead.
First stop: the tattoo artist's mansion, one of the playable characters.
I wanted to check something via him.
If Users are possessing playables...
Their actions would differ from canon. Mine had.
Should be here.
I reached the mansion. Story starts after parents killed by Descartes; it hubs here awhile.
Villa-style cluster of buildings. Target: Room 408. Familiar from game runs.
Ding-dong.
No answer. Tried the knob—unlocked.
...Gone.
White curtains fluttering in half-open windows. Desk and chairs strewn messily. Old bloodstains on the floor. No signs of life.
Canon has him holing up here.
Screeech.
Checked the attic door. Junk piled aside, walls torn open.
Wall should've held tattooist-exclusive items. Empty now.
He hunts this way later. Means...
Off-script, like me. User possession confirmed.
Worth scanning nearby just in case.
If the tattooist was close, his item's glow would show.
I activated my new 【Weapon Detection】.
Hummm.
Golden waves pulsed from me, spreading out.
Lights appeared across a wide area.
But not the one I sought.
Not here.
No point lingering in an empty house. I headed out.
At least I'm sure a User possesses the tattooist.
Would've been nice to nail it down, but possibility confirmed—good enough.
Now for gear.
Time to prep for real survival. First, the Performer-exclusive shop for Grade 2 items.