Chapter 71
Chapter 71 - Power Hidden
The first decided task is to find the whereabouts of the 'Red-Haired Vagrant'.
Three renewals of the regression point. In my view, it marks a significant breakthrough.
Of course, my past lives would have thought of this too. But they would have given up simultaneously.
'It takes too long, so the risk is too high.'
I regret not immediately checking that vagrant's status when I was startled. If I had, they would have been easier to find.
I thought about leaving a message for the next life using the Box of the Dead. But since there's a gap between realizing the regression and opening the Box of the Dead, it's probably impossible.
Anyway, what's past is past.
I need to figure out how to survive in this situation... no. I need to figure out how to die less.
'Actually, considering the time constraint, running away immediately has the highest survival probability.'
I don't even know what kills me. The countermeasures aren't clear. To make matters worse, there's not even time to investigate.
Then naturally, I should run as far as possible. It's somewhat the optimal decision.
However, That only applies when I want to live. I'm different now.
I who have no intention of surviving have no reason to be hasty.
'My today never ends.'
Then I must make the most of this endless today.
To end this absurdly repeating death game, if nothing else.
"Oh. You've found the right place."
The place I found was a shanty town in the back alley where vagrants gather.
Square houses roughly woven with wooden boards are packed together like Tetris blocks throughout the damp alley.
In front of them, people wearing worn and tattered rags were sitting together in clusters.
'The setup looks quite serious.'
Honestly, I was surprised to find such a large-scale vagrant settlement.
This Kern that look’s bright on the outside was rotting from within. With the Demon King appearing at random times, and the displaced people and famine refugees running rampant everywhere, this is actually normal
"......"
Dozens of hollow, dead-looking eyes scan me.
Tension filled the air as they watched the stranger warily. Some people seemed to whisper among themselves, and others hurriedly cleared away.
I met each of those wary eyes one by one while inwardly chanting.
'Activate Mimir's Eye.'
It's actually better that they're gathered. This way, I can save the trouble of searching every corner of the alley.
I hope they're here... that redhead who bumped my shoulder.
Thinking that, I quickly scanned through the stat windows that kept popping up
[Name: Sarah Hanson]
[Nickname: None]
[Name: Jin-yu]
[Nickname: Kern’s Wretched]
[LV. 8]
[Name: Imen Levant]
[Nickname: None]
[LV. 11]
'No one particularly stands out.'
What I focused on more than levels or titles was the nickname section.
The ‘Nickname’ section visible through Mimir's Eye shows a person's title or nickname that's used more often than their real name. Naturally, it's not displayed for ordinary people who don't have such titles.
If that red-haired vagrant is related to my death, they must have a special title.
Just like how Jermi Balkin had the title 'Apostle of Casas'.
'Hmm? What's this?'
I slightly curled up the corners of my mouth at one point.
Just when I was about to give up after finding nothing noteworthy, I discovered an interesting title from an unremarkable old man.
[Name: Hick Tosior]
[Nickname: Night Master of Kern, Master of Kern Performance Hall, Isaac Tyson, Musa]
[LV. 122]
[Stats: 1140/1540 Magic: 630/630 Physical Condition: Lightly Hungry, Aged]
[Strength: 125 Agility: 188 Intelligence: 76]
'Night Master of Kern, huh.'
Master of information bureaus. Seems to be the head of an organization called the 'Kern Performance Society'.
The name Isaac Tyson at the end of the title section seemed to be an alias. He probably uses that name publicly.
Information bureau. This is it. Though the address is slightly wrong, I've found a path.
'He only looks like a shabby old man on the outside.'
Who was it that said you shouldn't judge people by their appearance? That old saying is completely true.
As expected of a fantasy world. It's a rule that the back alley information bureau has to be a cryptic figure shrouded in mystery.
'Someone of the Night Master's level should know something.'
At that point, I immediately stopped searching. And approached the old man... Hick, who was trying to sleep wrapped in a straw mat.
Perhaps because my footsteps drew closer, Hick slowly opened his eyes.
His wrinkled gaze quietly looked up at me.
"Young man, do you have some business with this poor old man? I have no money, please just spare my life..."
Hick bowed before me with powerless movements. His hands and feet trembled as he kept lowering his head. His appearance was so servile it naturally aroused sympathy.
Of course, I gave him a big sneer. Then slowly bent down and whispered in the old man's ear.
"You're a good actor, Mr. Hick of the Kern Performance Society."
"!!!!"
"Does being Night Master of Kern require a Best Actor award as a prerequisite?"
Hick suddenly lifted his head. His eyes were bulging as if they would burst as he looked at me.
His mouth slowly opened and a dry voice trickled out intermittently.
"H-how... how..."
"Never mind that. I have something to discuss with you, is that okay? It should be fine? Of course it's fine."
"......"
"Let's go. Somewhere more private."
Old man Hick still had a face like he was in a trance.
However, perhaps because he was the head of information bureaus, he soon returned to a calm expression and slowly got up. Then he gave me a slight nod before walking ahead into the dark shadows of the alley.
"Alright. This is the beginning."
I gave a confident smile and quietly began following old man Hick.
* * *
"Are we still far, old man?"
"......"
How long had we walked through Kern's dark and winding back alleys?
I kept urging the old man on. Each time, old man Hick would glance at me briefly and simply answer by shaking his head.
But that only works once or twice. I was starting to feel an uneasy chill on the back of my neck.
'Tsk. This seems like a trap.'
Of course, they wouldn't look kindly on me after suddenly discovering their identity. They probably want to capture me alive or at least kill me.
Sure enough, my ominous premonition soon became reality.
"... To follow without suspicion this far. You're a fool."
"What did you say?"
"No, perhaps you're just that confident in your abilities."
Suddenly, old man Hick's words came filled with killing intent and pressure.
As old man Hick turned to face me, three or four dark figures appeared around us with a swoosh.
Men in black clothes covering their entire bodies with masks. I'm guessing they're something like old man Hick's bodyguards.
[Name: Hans]
[Title: First-class Assassin of the Kern Performance Society, Master]
[LV. 95]
[Stats: 980/980 Magic: 320/320 Physical Condition: Normal]
[Strength: 88 Agility: 139 Intelligence: 30]
'Assassins... cousins to bodyguards, I suppose.'
I scanned the leftmost one as a test, and sure enough, he was in cahoots with Hick.
I casually drew the twin swords at my waist. Clang! As the metallic sound rang out, the masked men's killing intent intensified.
"Hmm?"
At some point during the standoff, one of the assassins in front pulled out a scroll from his chest and quickly tore it.
Whoosh, as what seemed like a beam of light burst forth, it poured straight towards me.
'What is this?!'
There wasn't even time to resist.
The light passed through my body and returned to create a translucent panel in front of them.
I confusedly touched my abdomen. There was no pain. Was it not an attack?
In my moment of confusion at this unexpected situation.
"Haha! Just some random outsider who hasn't even taken the test."
"Indeed. I thought he was acting too bold in front of the Master."
"You ignorant fool. Today we'll teach you the level of the Kern Performance Society. Kekeke."
Mockery immediately appeared in their eyes. Their gaze looking at me had clearly become condescending.
From their behavior, I roughly guessed what had just happened to me.
'Looks like that scroll can determine rank?'
The panel created by the light that passed through my body - I suspected my information was written there.
Though they probably don't know the exact stats, it seems they can only judge the rank from the evaluation test.
Otherwise, these small fries wouldn't dare make such comments.
"Right. You'll come to understand. Your level."
I just hope it won't be so boring. I'd rather want to die, like in that soccer manga.
I drew the two swords at my waist and immediately deployed 14 magic swords in the air.
Crackle! As the blue magic swords spread out like wings dancing elegantly, the assassins' brows twitched upon seeing them.
"...Hmm?"
That "Hmm?" contained many meanings.
While they might feel something is different from their expectations, usually by the time you get that feeling, it's already too late.
'Seven Sword Pierce. Double.'
I swung both hands at once, and the magic swords vibrating in the air shot forward as if they'd been waiting.
Slash! The magic swords fly in all directions, tearing through the air.
"Damn it! Dodge!"
Old man Hick shouted first and moved his body before the assassins.
Only then did the assassins snap to their senses and dodge the incoming swords by kicking off the alley walls.
"Kuhek!"
However, dodging 14 magic swords in this narrow path is no easy task.
As the magic swords swept through the area, two assassins fell to the ground with screams.
"Gon! Charlie! Formation three!"
The remaining assassins were momentarily shocked, but only briefly.
The assassin standing at the front shouted. Simultaneously, the forms of the two assassins waiting behind melted away and disappeared.
I quietly watched this scene and slightly raised the corner of my mouth.
"You guys do that too? I happen to know how to do it as well."
I immediately used my stealth skill.
Whoosh. As black mist scattered, my form melted into the shadows. In this dark alley, I must look like a flickering ghost to them.
'Lotus Flower.'
And I immediately used my skill while they were caught off guard.
For an instant, my vision shook. When I came to, I was already behind one of the assassins.
I immediately thrust in Espada, and squelch! With a terrible tactile sensation, Espada penetrated the assassin's stomach like cutting tofu.
"Ku... huk... keu!"
I stabbed a person. The sensation of stirring internal organs is felt at my fingertips.
The contraction of trembling muscles. Flowing blood. The fading force of life. Everything is felt.
For the first time, I stabbed a living person.
The moment I realized this, an unbearable nausea surged up from deep in my chest.
'...I can't waver!!'
While desperately trying to calm the rising nausea, I was relieved by my own reaction of still feeling resistance to stabbing people.
After all, I hadn't forgotten Lucy's warning at Halcenberg.
"...I'm quite busy right now."
Splash! Blood fountains out as I pull out the sword.
I spoke while covered in that blood. I can't stop running my mouth, if only to deceive myself.
"So if you come at me now, there won't be any mercy in my movements. Remember that."
That last line sounded like a powered-up protagonist. You're awesome, Park-Jeong yong.
Along with self-indulgence, I began slowly approaching them.
Keeing! Behind me, 14 newly generated magic swords were slowly revolving.