Respawn: Blade of the Ancients (Respawn LitRPG series Book 5)

by Arthur Stone

  Flash of Omniscience! The resulting view was not as impressive by day as it would be by night, but he could still make out some results. He saw two weakened infecteds—young rafflers, at worst. They could disable a human quickly with their fangs, but they were only really a danger to wounded players or unarmed newcomers. Players liked to farm them for easy experience, and they also always gave spores. Omniscience also revealed the source of the stranger sounds: one of the tortured men, as it turned out, had been left alive. The dying digi shimmered with colors too bright for a corpse, beaming as vividly as the rodents scattered through the town. These colors would fade very soon, however; the infecteds were no doubt intent on having their breakfast. In a few seconds, the only survivor would be dead.

  There was no time to think. Choppa came free of its scabbard in a flash, its hallmark euphoria surging through Cheater’s body. Cheater loved the sensation—it felt like acquiring a half-decade of top-of-the-line intensive training in the blink of an eye. He had to monitor his urge to grab the magic weapon in every situation, lest he become addicted. Although Cheater didn’t know what he looked like under Chameleon, he remembered the System’s warning that sudden movements harmed the ability’s effects. As one would assume, the ghouls reacted instantly. Narrowing their eyes at their new target, they let out low, threatening growls.

  Cheater, barely fazed, sent the sword flying. Choppa’s physics might have seemed complicated, but the threat level of an airborne, sixty-pound hunk of sharp metal was pretty simple to deduce. With utter elegance, the blade pierced right through the chest of the raffler, hurling it backwards. As he advanced, Cheater held up his hand to summon the blade. Choppa obediently ripped itself from its target and zoomed towards its master’s palm, leaving a spray of gummy viscera it its wake. Preparing to face the second beast, Cheater smirked. I’m beginning to like this technique. The second raffler’s blow was easily dodged, at which point Cheater decapitated it with a lazy swing. Turning back to the first, he finished it off by drilling the blade securely into its temple.

  The System displayed its victory message, granting a pitiful amount of points to several of his stats. The experience penalties for killing young rafflers were severe. Cheater was too strong to gain anything from killing weak opponents. That was not his purpose here, anyway. He was here to talk—that is, if he wasn’t too late. Time was running out, the man was fading fast, and Cheater was no surgeon.

  ***

  Once a few dribbles of ambrosia grazed his lips, the dying man came to his senses. He croaked his thanks, frantically licking at his blackened lips.

  “Drink... ”

  “Lifejuice or water?”

  “W...water.”

  “Drink, then. This is your own flask.”

  “Can’t... please... help...”

  “I know, I know. You can’t drink on your own. Here, I’ll help—drink, and take your time.”

  Chest heaving, the NPC took a few spluttering swallows. Once he’d steadied himself, Cheater looked him in the eyes and began a gentle interrogation.

  “What happened here?”

  “Who—who are you?”

  “I just happened by. Heard the noise and came this way. Who attacked you?”

  “The... damned scum...”

  “I can see that they were scum. Hey, I’m not from around here, and I need a map—at least, I want to know the road to a

  decent stable. If we could help each other out, I’d appreciate it.”

  “Which... which stable?”

  “Any, as long as it’s not one where I’ll get stabbed and robbed while I sleep. I need to rest and trade.”

  “Humanity... What’s your Humanity? Red?”

  “Greener than a stoplight! Er, greener than a ‘go’ light, I mean.”

  “G... Good. I’ll help you—but then, you help me. You must tell them. Get to this stable... and tell them. No one else

  knows but us. We’ve gone in far. Our people need to know.”

  Cheater blinked in confusion. “Know what?”

  “I’ll explain,” the man murmured hazily. “Go back that way. Follow the road. The way we came from. You’ll find a village there. A mile past it, or even close, I don’t remember... Everything is getting foggy... Well, you’ll find it. A road runs off to the right. From a crossroads. Walk ten miles down that road. In cluster boundaries, that’s... you’ll cross... I don’t remember. But you won’t lose the road. You’ll make it. Outpost. Fifth Mine stable cluster. In that mine, you find Sevens. Her name is Sevens. Got it?”

  “Mile past the village, turn right, ten miles to the outpost. Fifth Mine stable. Find Sevens. What do I tell her?”

  “About... about us.”

  “Okay... What? That you were ambushed and destroyed? Could you tell her yourself, after you respawn?” The NPC

  grimaced, causing blood to seep from the lacerations on his face.

  “We’re not like that. We’re not players. Our bodies do not disappear. Although we do respawn, it takes us much... much... much longer. No, it cannot wait. The stable must know. Even after I respawn, I will not be able to reach them and tell them for some time. The stable is in a tough spot. Gray and black clusters all around—can’t send chat out. Like an island. A hole. All gray and black, with us in the middle. Few approaches. So tell them, or it won’t be soon enough. Fifth Mine, Sevens. You’ll find her, or she’ll find you. Say it was the Cross that did it. They were waiting for us in ambush, and we didn’t have time to reach... It was... was so fast... Will you remember?”

  Pear is offering you a quest: Bring Information to Fifth Mine Stable Cluster. You must inform Sevens within twenty-four hours that Pear’s group has been destroyed by a band of the Cross. Reward: +100 distributable bonus stat progress points; characters in the Fifth Mine stable cluster may be grateful for the information you bring, which may result in additional bonuses.

  Cheater paused before accepting the quest. “What’s your stable like? Do they like reds?”

  “They love them,” the NPC answered, with unexpected force. “They love hanging their heads from the walls! Not all of them, of course, but those who’ve earned it. Sometimes decent types can end up in the red, through no fault of their own...”

  “You’re right. I appreciate your attitude towards Humanity. I’ll relay all of the information. Why don’t you send a chat message?”

  “Too much black. It’s everywhere around here—chat never gets through. Listen... There’s something else you should tell Sevens. They were torturing me to ask about a certain “Cheater”... A player nicknamed Cheater. They wanted to know everything we knew about this... this Cheater. I don’t know who that is. Maybe Sevens knows.”

  Cheater sent a grim mental thank-you to the Cross’s sadists for tearing out the NPC’s eyes. Since the man couldn’t see, he could no longer squint to activate inspect mode and thus discover Cheater’s nickname. Cheater had no doubt in his mind that he was the very Cheater they sought; he also doubted very much that they wanted to take him in.

  Realizing poor Pear was at death’s door, Cheater hastened to add a final question. “Could you provide me a map? I don’t know this area at all.”

  “I’m sorry, man... I’m no cartographer.”

  “I understand. What else can I do to help you?”

  “Nothing... I’m dying. Only my ability is keeping me alive. Now my mana is hitting zero. Soon, I will perish. Go

  now—and thank you. Tell Sevens everything. Where the Cross appears, it will appear again. Our people must know, and soon. I’ll die on my own, without your help. Just give me another swallow of water... and hurry to the stable...”

  Chapter 17

  Life Nine. Fifth Mine.

  Pear had described exactly how to get to the stable, but Cheater was not so naïve that he’d traipse along the road. As the fates of the NPC and his group demonstrated, the roads in these lands were far from safe. Infecteds preferred to roam roads over fields and meadows. Cheater did his best to trace the path
while keeping a safe distance. At first, this tactic worked. It was slow going and the tall grass was full of ticks, but it was the safer option. However, a border soon cut off the greenery, leaving blackness stretched out before him. It was harder to see in a black cluster than in, say, a desert, but hiding fully was no easy task. He had to rely on Chameleon and pray no one was watching. The stable forces shouldn’t have been watching the dead territories too closely. Undead and players alike avoided such places. Once he stepped in, even the ticks embedding themselves in his flesh fell away.

  Two miles later, Cheater reached another stable triangle, where he created yet another cache. After his talk with the dying NPC, Cheater had quickly gathered the valuables from his previous cache in the bushes, so as to relocate them closer to the stable. It was safer that way. Another two miles brought him to another triangle, unstable this time. The Continent was never predictable; it followed patterns, but never rules. Curiously enough, the powerlines running through the earlier cluster continued across this one. Only six powerline poles fit inside this triangle, wires running between them. Cheater was used to seeing things arranged a bit more neatly. Seeking refuge from the sun, he moved to sit by one of the poles; in fact, there was even something of a makeshift bench waiting for him. The power engineers had run this line through an old line’s plot, so a leftover pole from the previous incarnation lay abandoned on its side in the grass—a perfect spot to rest. Just as Cheater went to sit, a message interrupted him.

  Note: Treasure Hunter ability triggered! A mid-level cache has been located nearby!

  Cheater looked around...then down. The cache glowed just beneath him. He was sitting right on it—it was stowed in the hollowed-out powerline pole! He reached in up to his elbow, grasping a cloth bundle wrapped in tape. As he unwound it, he discovered a bot submachine with ten full magazines and a makeshift but well-made suppressor. This was a stylish weapon for a small-time drug dealer, but it wasn’t a popular choice on the Continent. It had no penetration ability and poor aim at range, yet Cheater couldn’t bring himself to discard a weapon with so much ammunition.

  Note: You have found a mid-level cache with valuable contents. Your Perception has gained 46 progress points, and your Luck 3. Always keep an eye out. Paying close attention to your environment will be rewarded with valuable finds and stat progress points.

  Not long ago, Cheater would have done a little dance of pleasure at this discovery; this time, his eyebrow barely twitched. What did a potential millionaire need with a trash weapon? This little toy might get a hundred spores, tops! Cheater was rapidly becoming proof that wealth really could spoil a man. He was also learning that Treasure Seeker and Flash of Omniscience made a wonderful combo: he could simply wander around standard clusters, paying special attention to buildings and other spots where human hands had worked. These places were most likely to yield valuables. What an excellent rainy-day strategy! If combined with a little infected-hunting, Cheater could do quite well for himself on this tactic alone. Wait—why was he considering a strategy for some hypothetical, impoverished future? No, he had to focus on preserving what he already had. He was no pauper; with the treasure at his disposal, he could reach the heights of a demigod.

  ***

  Cheater strode towards the outpost out in the open. It made no sense to spend hours spying, scouting and stumbling along under Chameleon. Experience taught him that these sites were fortified against even invisible threats, and the stable guards would grow wary if they noticed some odd stranger creeping about. Furthermore, he’d also be revealing one of his skills, a mistake to be avoided at all costs on the Continent. Trump cards could only work if kept concealed, of course; if the enemy knew your hand, they’d plan accordingly. There was one more thing: bad people were looking for Cheater. According to Pear, the stable had yet to hear about the manhunt. The dying NPC had described the stable as an island in the midst of blackness, where they wouldn’t be able to see information coming in via chat. Sooner or later, though, they would find out—and who knew what would happen then? He had to get in and get out before that information inevitably arrived. His first task was to get maps—any maps, no matter the quality. Even poorly-detailed maps would be acceptable, as long as they got him off this cursed “island” and its surrounding dead region. As long as he was walled in by black clusters, he could not contact March.

  As soon as Cheater read the sign, he obeyed it. “Halt!” It blared. “Trespassing beyond this line without permission will be punished with immediate execution.” Cheater tried not to glance up at the machine gun turret of the squat, concrete structure before him. Then, a disgruntled face peeked out of its loophole. Cheater flinched as the face began to squall.

  “Who are you? Name!”

  “Cheater,” he replied, simply.

  “We don’t know a Cheater.”

  “This is my first time here—”

  “—You should have moved on!” The face interrupted brusquely. “We’re not known for our hospitality. Why are you here?”

  Left with no choice, Cheater played his first card immediately. “I have to speak with Sevens.”

  “Does Sevens know about this?”

  “I don’t think so. Pear asked me to relay some information.”

  “Pear! How long has it been since you saw him last?”

  “Not long,” Cheater answered, keeping his answer intentionally vague.

  “Where?”

  “I think that’s something I should tell Sevens directly,” Cheater responded firmly.

  “Go and tell her, then!”

  “Just point the way.”

  “Continue straight until you reach the stable. Ask once you get there. Oh, and here—take a number. Show it when you

  get there.”

  “Is it far?”

  “About an hour.”

  “Is there a car or something I can take?”

  “Your legs work? Yeah? Then use them,” the gatekeeper sneered.

  Service here was not exactly top-notch. What was the “number” about, anyway? As he entered, Cheater guessed this was only the first of many strange practices he’d encounter here, a suspicion he soon confirmed. The stable was surrounded by a perimeter with a gate leading inside—so far, nothing out of the ordinary. They let him pass without trouble, allowing Cheater to enter a closed courtyard. Here, several terse, unfriendly NPCs surrounded him.

  “What do you need a rifle for?” one accused.

  “To shoot with,” Cheater answered politely.

  “You planning to shoot here?”

  “No.”

  “Then check it in! Check in all your firearms.”

  “What if I have firearms for sale?”

  “Make a deal with the merchant, then bring the slip he gives you and retrieve it. If you shoot someone with it, we take

  you out. If you wave it around, we take you out. If you talk about waving it around, we take you out. If you think about waving it around—”

  “—Do you have a lot of merchants?”

  “Enough for you. Why are you here? Just to trade?”

  “To trade, to rest... and to see Sevens. Could you tell me where I can find her?”

  “She’ll find you yourself,” the NPC grinned, “if you cause trouble.”

  “I have some information for her. Important information.”

  “Hey Stripe, call the commandant! Find out where Sevens is. Sounds like some important news for her. Well?” The

  NPC turned to Cheater disdainfully. “What’re you just standing around for?”

  “What am I supposed to do?” Cheater stammered.

  “Didn’t you see the table? There’s a box of forms there. Fill one out and submit it, or we can’t let you in. Also—be sure

  to describe your weapons correctly. We see morons come through that can’t tell between a machine gun and a wooden staff. By the way, that’s a nice rifle! No need to visit the merchants if you’re looking to sell; one of the guys might take it. Everyone needs solid guns lik
e that.”

  Cheater nodded as he headed to the table. “I’ll think about it.”

  ***

  Brusquely sweeping away his form and guns, the NPCs handed him a clutch of receipts printed on neat letterhead. Looking around at more NPCs shuffling through the streets, Cheater quickly grew convinced that NPCs were the only people here. If there were any players, they weren’t easy to find. Most of the NPCs were flat-out unfriendly; they glared at Cheater, only speaking to him with the utmost reluctance. Therefore, Sevens was a sight for sore eyes. At last, a player! Cheater’s relief was instantly spoiled, however, with Sevens’ ice-cold greeting.

  “What do you need?” Sevens snapped. “If you’ve decided to ask a fellow player for help, you’ve come to the wrong place—I’m no one’s fellow.”

  Cheater itched to check inspect mode. Was Sevens really a player, or just a sneaky, snarky NPC? Instead, he shook his head and prevailed. “I wouldn’t refuse help, of course, but I’m here on business.”

  “What business? Who are you? Is this your first time here?”

  Cheater realized he had to plow through Sevens’ storm of questions quickly, lest he let her pry. “I'm just a player. First

  time. This morning, I met one of yours—an NPC by the name of Pear. He asked me to give you some information.”

  “Is that right? What information?”

  Sevens took great pains not to betray interest, but Cheater could tell she was all ears. Pear must have been an important

  figure in these parts, and they’d probably only lost contact with him recently.