Chapter 485: Pilgrim (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 485: Pilgrim (3)
Whack, whack, whack!
We continued to travel deeper into the cave, killing any soldiers in our path. The closer we got to the center, the larger each group of troops became. Yet at the same time, the battles grew much easier. Not only did I now have Versyl, who could play the role of healer, but my stats were rising.
Whack!
Hm, I'd say my stats are about where they were when I was exploring the third floor...
[You have entered the Pilgrim's Altar.]
As soon as Versyl and I reached the center of the map, a purple fog billowed around us. "Be careful," I warned. "Something could come out at any moment."
"All right."
Further into the fog we walked, raising our guard which had slipped a bit after how easily we'd been dealing with the soldiers. I took a few steps forward, my shield lifted to protect my upper body.
This was the exact same location we'd been fighting Dreadfear. First things first, we needed to look around to see if there was anything different about it. The cavern was empty, save for a monument at its center, but where that familiar statue of the sage usually stood was a different stone statue that was over thirteen feet tall.
"Mr. Yandel, that's..."
"Yeah. That must be the Witch's Altar."
We had made the right decision heading for the center. After making sure there was no one around, I approached the stone statue and examined the altar in detail. "Versyl, do you know anything about this?"
"I don't. This is my first time seeing the statue as well, but the pictures of the Witch I've seen in books didn't look like this..."
"They must have changed the books to make her seem like pure evil."
"Yes, I suppose they did... Then is this what the Witch really looked like?" Well, I didn't know for sure either, but it seemed that way, at least. The stone statue looked exactly like the girl I encountered after defeating Riakis. "Who could have guessed? So she was a little girl..." Versyl Gowland marveled as she reached out her hand.
"Stop. Something could happen if you touch it."
"Oh! Of course!" She quickly pulled her hand back, surprised at herself. Then in a careful tone, she asked, "...What is the plan now?"
"We have to examine it more first to decide that."
We continued to inspect the stone statue, taking care not to make direct contact with it. There were three lines of text on the pedestal, but unfortunately, the script was impossible for us to understand.
"Ancient languages aren't my forte..."
I sighed. Raven had always been good at reading ancient languages, though. Well, I supposed you couldn't expect a player to have the same amount of knowledge as a real wizard who'd lived in this world their whole life. "That's too bad. It would have been helpful to know what—"
"One star, one sun, one moon." Before I could even finish my sentence, an unfamiliar voice rang out behind us. "Every creature that exists here on this land is the same when you look at them from above."
I turned to see a middle-aged man in knight's armor staring back at us. Damn it, I could tell he was strong just by looking at him. Was he the boss?
Don't tell me he uses an aura as well?
"Isn't it disgusting? The idea that filthy monsters are the same as us?" The knight smirked as he met my eye. I lifted my shield, hiding Versyl behind my back. "Oh, but of course, you probably don't agree. If you had an upright moral compass in your heart, you wouldn't have betrayed humanity in the first place."
He then introduced himself in a way that blew my mind. "I swear on my name, Argarcil Dreadfear, the Sword of the Empire that protects this world, that I will punish every filthy pilgrim." Upon making an oath on his name, the knight drew his sword lightning-fast, flashing its tip at us.
Fwooo!
An aura surged to life on the gleaming white blade.
...This is ridiculous. How is that fair?
The moment I saw his sword begin to glow, a chill ran down my spine and I stiffened.
We have no chance of beating him in a normal fight.
It was clear that we would have to fight him regardless, but no matter how much of a stat increase I got from beating the soldiers, it would be impossible for us to defeat a knight that could use an aura in this state. His sword would slice through my shield and split me in two before I could even get close.
...There must be a way.
Falling into despair when faced with impossible odds was a waste when I could spend that time finding a way out of the situation instead. How could we defeat this bastard?
There has to be a way.
Dungeon and Stone wasn't in any way a friendly game, but it wasn't a completely unreasonable game either. Although my skills and stats were sealed and it had sent this overpowered guy our way, there had to be a way to deal with him somehow.
I just need to think things through.
I couldn't lose faith just yet. I needed to weigh my options one by one.
First, Argarcil Dreadfear was definitely the boss. Which begged the following question: how were we supposed to beat him?
Not by leveling up.
Defeating soldiers raised your stats, yes, but attempting to raise them as high as possible before entering the boss room would be a mistake. Once you'd killed one hundred of them, you would have to kill ten soldiers, and not five, to increase your stats. At that pace, even after days and days of hunting, you still wouldn't be at a high enough level to defeat him.
Then... is it the altar?
I risked a glance at the statue of the Witch. Maybe, like the soldiers said, activating the altar would trigger an event to help us defeat him.
The question is, how do we activate it?
Taking careful steps backward, I moved closer to the statue, then reached out and put my hand on its stony surface. Sadly, nothing happened. There must have been some sort of activation condition.
Since it's an altar, maybe I need to give it something?
"Bring in the pilgrims we caught earlier," the guy who was pointing his sword at us yelled out of the blue.
Surprisingly, someone dutifully answered him from beyond the fog. "Yes, Captain White." It didn't take long for dozens of soldiers to come into view, dragging along two women bound with rope.
"...Oh! Mister!"
"B-Bjorn! You must be here to save us...!"
So these two got caught before we even arrived.
I hadn't had high hopes for Ainar, but I expected that Erwen, at least, would be able to make it here safely. Feeling relieved that the soldiers didn't execute them on the spot, I tried to adapt to this new variable as best as I could.
...So far, everything seems to be following a set plotline.
While Erwen and Ainar had been caught, they still ended up here in one piece, albeit as captives. I doubted that was a mere coincidence. Everyone meeting at the Witch's Altar was most likely a fixed plot point.
He then introduced himself in a way that blew my mind. "I swear on my name, Argarcil Dreadfear, the Sword of the Empire that protects this world, that I will punish every filthy pilgrim." Upon making an oath on his name, the knight drew his sword lightning-fast, flashing its tip at us.
Fwooo!
An aura surged to life on the gleaming white blade.
...This is ridiculous. How is that fair?
The moment I saw his sword begin to glow, a chill ran down my spine and I stiffened.
We have no chance of beating him in a normal fight.
It was clear that we would have to fight him regardless, but no matter how much of a stat increase I got from beating the soldiers, it would be impossible for us to defeat a knight that could use an aura in this state. His sword would slice through my shield and split me in two before I could even get close.
...There must be a way.
Falling into despair when faced with impossible odds was a waste when I could spend that time finding a way out of the situation instead. How could we defeat this bastard?
There has to be a way.
Dungeon and Stone wasn't in any way a friendly game, but it wasn't a completely unreasonable game either. Although my skills and stats were sealed and it had sent this overpowered guy our way, there had to be a way to deal with him somehow.
I just need to think things through.
I couldn't lose faith just yet. I needed to weigh my options one by one.
First, Argarcil Dreadfear was definitely the boss. Which begged the following question: how were we supposed to beat him?
Not by leveling up.
Defeating soldiers raised your stats, yes, but attempting to raise them as high as possible before entering the boss room would be a mistake. Once you'd killed one hundred of them, you would have to kill ten soldiers, and not five, to increase your stats. At that pace, even after days and days of hunting, you still wouldn't be at a high enough level to defeat him.
Then... is it the altar?
I risked a glance at the statue of the Witch. Maybe, like the soldiers said, activating the altar would trigger an event to help us defeat him.
The question is, how do we activate it?
Taking careful steps backward, I moved closer to the statue, then reached out and put my hand on its stony surface. Sadly, nothing happened. There must have been some sort of activation condition.
Since it's an altar, maybe I need to give it something?
"Bring in the pilgrims we caught earlier," the guy who was pointing his sword at us yelled out of the blue.
Surprisingly, someone dutifully answered him from beyond the fog. "Yes, Captain White." It didn't take long for dozens of soldiers to come into view, dragging along two women bound with rope.
"...Oh! Mister!"
"B-Bjorn! You must be here to save us...!"
So these two got caught before we even arrived.
I hadn't had high hopes for Ainar, but I expected that Erwen, at least, would be able to make it here safely. Feeling relieved that the soldiers didn't execute them on the spot, I tried to adapt to this new variable as best as I could.
...So far, everything seems to be following a set plotline.
While Erwen and Ainar had been caught, they still ended up here in one piece, albeit as captives. I doubted that was a mere coincidence. Everyone meeting at the Witch's Altar was most likely a fixed plot point.
"...Ugh!"
"Ack!"
The knight walked over to the bound Ainar and Erwen and kicked them over to us. Versyl quickly ran up and untied the two.
"Sorry..."
"Thanks for saving me!"
Erwen apologized while Ainar showed her appreciation. Unlike Versyl, the two of them still carried weapons and armor that I would have assumed the soldiers would have confiscated. Erwen had a dagger, and Ainar had a sword.
Why is he releasing them and not disarming them?
"What is the meaning of this?"
He grinned at my question. "I just wanted to see it."
"What?"
"The strength of your conviction to betray not just the empire but the entire world." He looked at each of us in kind and declared, "Kill each other. Right here, in front of the Witch you follow."
I burst into laughter. Did this guy think he could just force us to do what he wanted with a few words?
"I, Dreadfear, swear on my name that whichever of you kills the other filthy pilgrims will have proven their innocence and shall thus be absolved of all sins."
The concept behind this boss battle is terrible.
Dozens of soldiers surrounded us, and Dreadfear brandished his sword in the center of them all, an arrogant gleam in his eye.
There was a moment of silence. Naturally, none of my comrades seemed the slightest bit swayed by his offer.
Oh, that didn't include me, of course. "How do you expect us to believe that?"
"B-Bjorn?"
Ainar was taken aback by my question, but it couldn't be helped. I still hadn't finished getting my thoughts in order. I needed to buy time through conversation.
"How to convince you, hm..." An amiable smile appeared on Dreadfear's face. "Believe me."
He didn't try to sugarcoat things or cobble together some valid-sounding excuse. He simply demanded that we trust him. However, that was enough.
[The White Captain, Dreadfear, has cast Persuasion. His perceived Credibility significantly increases.]
So his offer wasn't a lie.
"Those who escape the clutches of the Witch will return alive."
To think there was a way to walk out of this alive. This was giving me a major headache.
Of course, I wasn't worried about betrayal. Even though his offer was genuine, our party members wouldn't dare betray each other.
But the fact that he's giving us that option in the first place must mean he's a pain to fight ...
What could it be? What was the way for all of us to get out of here alive without sacrificing anyone?
"If you're having a hard time deciding, I'll make your choice easier." He took a step forward.
[The White Captain, Dreadfear, has cast Deprivation of Ownership. You are unable to take any actions.]
My body seemed to turn to stone the moment I met his eyes. No matter how much I fought to move my arms or legs, I wasn't able to budge even a single inch.
...I guess he's not a character that was made to be fought.
I already knew he could use an aura, but this was too much.
He slowly approached me and lifted his sword, pointing it at my stomach.
Stab!
The wound was not deep. It would heal right away with a potion, but if left alone, the bleeding would be a problem. "Agh!" After stabbing me and yanking it out, he went around to the rest of us and did the same thing.
So this was what he meant when he said he would help us make a decision.
"It is your choice from now on. A painful death or potential survival. I wonder how long your conviction will hold."
He looked relaxed as though certain that none of us would attack him. I could understand why.
Ba-bump, ba-bump, ba-bump.
No matter the person, when on the verge of death, you tend to entertain all sorts of thoughts. I'd seen it happen many times before.
Even with Ainar and Erwen...
And what about Versyl, our most recent recruit? We had made it through the Ice Rock expedition together, yet could I truly expect such loyalty from a player?
...Shit.
I clenched my teeth, forcibly ridding myself of such doubts. The more doubts I had, the more I would be playing into his hands. I would never have had such thoughts under normal circumstances.
...I need to think.
My body wasn't moving any time soon, so I decided to close my eyes and focus on thinking. If you wanted to beat Dungeon and Stone, you first had to understand the game designer's intentions.
This is all to encourage a sense of distrust between us.
So far, this whole conversation seemed to be straight out of an unskippable cutscene. Since a nigh-unbeatable boss—heck, he was practically impossible to even approach—had appeared, that must mean that the way to clear this event wasn't through force. In these types of quests, the results ultimately depended on what choices the player made.
What happens if nobody betrays each other?
Would that be game over? Would we all just die? Or was our goal to hold out until someone showed up to help us? Maybe until the Witch's Altar was activated?
I had no idea, and whatever choice I did end up making, I'd have no way of knowing for sure whether it was the right one. Well, that was why 99 percent of first attempts ended in failure.
"Five minutes have passed. I've given you enough time to think things through, so I'll give each of you a chance."
Suddenly, I regained full control of my body. It seemed the first one up was me.
Clang.
He threw a dagger that landed at my feet. "Pick it up. Goblin poison was applied to it, so your friends will be able to die painlessly."
This bastard.
When I stayed put and just glared at him, he simply smiled and nodded his head. "If only everyone was like you." With that, my body became immobile again.
Step, step.
He moved down the line to stand in front of someone else. "Pick it up." He said the same line but Erwen remained silent.
Ba-bump, ba-bump, ba-bump.
My heart just wouldn't calm. What a strange reaction. I trusted Erwen 100 percent, yet deep down, I couldn't help but worry.
"One person. You just have to stab one of them, and you'll walk away from here alive, cleansed of your sins."
I flinched at his remark as a sudden, intrusive image of Erwen stabbing Versyl popped into my head...
"...Fuck off."
"You're a foul-mouthed woman."
Thankfully, Erwen's turn also passed without issue. Then it was Ainar's turn.
"Pick it up."
"Behel—Gah!" As soon as her body was released, Ainar tried to rush at him with a shout, but he easily kicked her down to the floor and moved on to the next person.
Finally, it came down to Versyl.
"It's your turn."
As soon as she regained control of her body, she picked up the dagger on the floor with shaky hands. "Just one...? I... just have to stab one person...?"
Damn it.
"...Ugh!"
"Ack!"
The knight walked over to the bound Ainar and Erwen and kicked them over to us. Versyl quickly ran up and untied the two.
"Sorry..."
"Thanks for saving me!"
Erwen apologized while Ainar showed her appreciation. Unlike Versyl, the two of them still carried weapons and armor that I would have assumed the soldiers would have confiscated. Erwen had a dagger, and Ainar had a sword.
Why is he releasing them and not disarming them?
"What is the meaning of this?"
He grinned at my question. "I just wanted to see it."
"What?"
"The strength of your conviction to betray not just the empire but the entire world." He looked at each of us in kind and declared, "Kill each other. Right here, in front of the Witch you follow."
I burst into laughter. Did this guy think he could just force us to do what he wanted with a few words?
"I, Dreadfear, swear on my name that whichever of you kills the other filthy pilgrims will have proven their innocence and shall thus be absolved of all sins."
The concept behind this boss battle is terrible.
Dozens of soldiers surrounded us, and Dreadfear brandished his sword in the center of them all, an arrogant gleam in his eye.
There was a moment of silence. Naturally, none of my comrades seemed the slightest bit swayed by his offer.
Oh, that didn't include me, of course. "How do you expect us to believe that?"
"B-Bjorn?"
Ainar was taken aback by my question, but it couldn't be helped. I still hadn't finished getting my thoughts in order. I needed to buy time through conversation.
"How to convince you, hm..." An amiable smile appeared on Dreadfear's face. "Believe me."
He didn't try to sugarcoat things or cobble together some valid-sounding excuse. He simply demanded that we trust him. However, that was enough.
[The White Captain, Dreadfear, has cast Persuasion. His perceived Credibility significantly increases.]
So his offer wasn't a lie.
"Those who escape the clutches of the Witch will return alive."
To think there was a way to walk out of this alive. This was giving me a major headache.
Of course, I wasn't worried about betrayal. Even though his offer was genuine, our party members wouldn't dare betray each other.
But the fact that he's giving us that option in the first place must mean he's a pain to fight ...
What could it be? What was the way for all of us to get out of here alive without sacrificing anyone?
"If you're having a hard time deciding, I'll make your choice easier." He took a step forward.
[The White Captain, Dreadfear, has cast Deprivation of Ownership. You are unable to take any actions.]
My body seemed to turn to stone the moment I met his eyes. No matter how much I fought to move my arms or legs, I wasn't able to budge even a single inch.
...I guess he's not a character that was made to be fought.
I already knew he could use an aura, but this was too much.
He slowly approached me and lifted his sword, pointing it at my stomach.
Stab!
The wound was not deep. It would heal right away with a potion, but if left alone, the bleeding would be a problem. "Agh!" After stabbing me and yanking it out, he went around to the rest of us and did the same thing.
So this was what he meant when he said he would help us make a decision.
"It is your choice from now on. A painful death or potential survival. I wonder how long your conviction will hold."
He looked relaxed as though certain that none of us would attack him. I could understand why.
Ba-bump, ba-bump, ba-bump.
No matter the person, when on the verge of death, you tend to entertain all sorts of thoughts. I'd seen it happen many times before.
Even with Ainar and Erwen...
And what about Versyl, our most recent recruit? We had made it through the Ice Rock expedition together, yet could I truly expect such loyalty from a player?
...Shit.
I clenched my teeth, forcibly ridding myself of such doubts. The more doubts I had, the more I would be playing into his hands. I would never have had such thoughts under normal circumstances.
...I need to think.
My body wasn't moving any time soon, so I decided to close my eyes and focus on thinking. If you wanted to beat Dungeon and Stone, you first had to understand the game designer's intentions.
This is all to encourage a sense of distrust between us.
So far, this whole conversation seemed to be straight out of an unskippable cutscene. Since a nigh-unbeatable boss—heck, he was practically impossible to even approach—had appeared, that must mean that the way to clear this event wasn't through force. In these types of quests, the results ultimately depended on what choices the player made.
What happens if nobody betrays each other?
Would that be game over? Would we all just die? Or was our goal to hold out until someone showed up to help us? Maybe until the Witch's Altar was activated?
I had no idea, and whatever choice I did end up making, I'd have no way of knowing for sure whether it was the right one. Well, that was why 99 percent of first attempts ended in failure.
"Five minutes have passed. I've given you enough time to think things through, so I'll give each of you a chance."
Suddenly, I regained full control of my body. It seemed the first one up was me.
Clang.
He threw a dagger that landed at my feet. "Pick it up. Goblin poison was applied to it, so your friends will be able to die painlessly."
This bastard.
When I stayed put and just glared at him, he simply smiled and nodded his head. "If only everyone was like you." With that, my body became immobile again.
Step, step.
He moved down the line to stand in front of someone else. "Pick it up." He said the same line but Erwen remained silent.
Ba-bump, ba-bump, ba-bump.
My heart just wouldn't calm. What a strange reaction. I trusted Erwen 100 percent, yet deep down, I couldn't help but worry.
"One person. You just have to stab one of them, and you'll walk away from here alive, cleansed of your sins."
I flinched at his remark as a sudden, intrusive image of Erwen stabbing Versyl popped into my head...
"...Fuck off."
"You're a foul-mouthed woman."
Thankfully, Erwen's turn also passed without issue. Then it was Ainar's turn.
"Pick it up."
"Behel—Gah!" As soon as her body was released, Ainar tried to rush at him with a shout, but he easily kicked her down to the floor and moved on to the next person.
Finally, it came down to Versyl.
"It's your turn."
As soon as she regained control of her body, she picked up the dagger on the floor with shaky hands. "Just one...? I... just have to stab one person...?"
Damn it.