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

by Arthur Stone

  “I don’t follow everything, but I get the idea,” Watershed responded encouragingly. “If you need someone with connections in this region, I’m a good choice, perhaps the best. This is a complicated region, but it would take you far longer to figure things out on your own. The bow really does exist, by the way. I think you’ll like it. I have access to lots of things, or to people who have them. Have you heard the rumors that NPCs carry not just quests, but interesting items?”

  Cheater nodded with anticipation.

  “Behave yourself, and you’ll see some of them. We’re the people you need. In fact, you need us more than you know. I don’t mean the bow, and I don’t mean the connections. I know a lot, Cheater... including the information you need the most.”

  Cheater thrilled at these words, but maintained his cool façade. “I’m interested, though I’m not even sure what I ‘need the most.’”

  “You do, Cheater,” Watershed countered admonishingly. “You urgently need to find a way to give more lives to another player. Isn’t that right? Her name is Kitty, I know; I also know how to help you with this problem, among others. Ask away! If you do actually have money—and lots of it—you and I can accomplish much. Extra lives aren’t cheap, as I’m sure you’ve guessed. Even if I give you an extra life for free, there’s still much else to pay for. I’m sorry if you mistook us for a charity. That being said, you have plenty of money and means to get more. I know you have more than the meager sums you were flashing around at the mine. You’re at six figures, maybe seven… right?”

  Cheater bristled. How did Watershed know so much? Noticing his hackles rising, Watershed placated him. “Now, now—no need to get all tense. Do you really think I’d drag you out here just to rob you and kill you?” He clicked his tongue. “That would be too much of a hassle for a petty thief. Well, do you want to do business? If so, let’s discuss the terms.”

  Chapter 20

  Life Nine. The Opening Move

  Cheater was tense indeed—how could he not be? Watershed’s insider knowledge set him on edge. It was not impossible for him to know that Romeo sought a newcomer friend of Kitty’s; this information might certainly spread far into neighboring regions. His enemy certainly had enough persistence, connections and nefarious charisma to accomplish this. Romeo could absolutely know Cheater’s intentions to return to Kitty, as it wasn’t exactly a secret between Cheater and March alone. Watershed had gone further than that, however. He could possibly know Cheater planned to secure additional lives for Kitty, but he’d have to have come across March to know. Traitorous Tat might also have pieced this together, but Cheater knew Watershed had no way of coming across either of them. He spoke as though he’d read it in yesterday’s paper. As inexplicable as this seemed, Cheater had no doubt that he was sitting across from more than a mere information broker. Watershed might be one more of the Continent’s powerful mysteries. How could the man speak so confidently about six- and seven-figure sums? Cheater hadn’t breathed a word to anyone. What was this devilry—and what should he do about it?

  Cheater nodded at Watershed. “Okay—let’s talk.”

  “I knew you’d say that,” Watershed ominously responded. “I know a lot. My head just works like that. Sometimes, I don’t even want to know things, but I do. I needed to get a good look at you. Just one look at a man can tell you a lot… if you know what to look for, of course. Here, Cheater—have a look at this.”

  Two objects sat on the table: a simple leather quiver of arrows, and a mysterious item that looked something like a futuristic bracer. Withdrawing one of the arrows, Watershed handed it to Cheater. “Take a closer look.”

  Cheater obeyed, squinting at the extraordinary fletching on the arrow. Inside, he howled like a ravenous wolf.

  A powerful arrow made from the bone of an akahvarr cub and the whiskers of a dire beltig. Found in a tomb in the black lands. Enhancements: none. Weapon of the Former. Guaranteed to accept 1 modification, with a 50% chance of a 2nd. Installed modifiers: none.

  Visible properties: +25% chance to ignore any defensive skill. Hidden properties: indestructible. This item’s former owner can no longer reclaim it. Current owner: none. You can bind this arrow to yourself and become its owner. After binding, you can give the arrow a name, which will be displayed to all players.

  Note: Indestructibility is not an absolute property! The arrow can be damaged if it strikes corundum, diamond, or other very hard materials. It may also be damaged in highly caustic environments or intensely high temperatures. To prevent loss of the arrow in these and similar conditions, bind it, and your stock will be replenished over time by means of caches.

  Watershed smiled at Cheater’s fascination. “Do you like it?”

  Cheater nodded slowly. “An interesting arrow. I didn’t know such things existed.”

  “Nor did I, until they brought it to me. It’s a rare item, quite useful. Its description doesn’t reveal this, but these arrows have the raw punch of rifle bullets. They can easily punch through a trampler’s skull, as long as the bow you’re using is decent. It’s worth the cost to bind. There are seventeen arrows here, and they’re all yours—but you can admire them later. First, take a look at this bracer.”

  Cheater eagerly turned his gaze, expecting an even greater surprise; alas, the futuristic piece of metal failed to impress.

  Nold Infantry Control Bracer. Simple device of the Nolds. Sealed item. Guaranteed to accept 4 modifications, with an 75% chance of accepting a 5th and a 50% chance of accepting a 6th. Note: Attempting to install a 7th modification has a high probability of causing the loss of all modifications and breakage of the weapon! Visible property: awaiting code entry. Hidden properties: automatic call for reinforcements. This item’s former owner can no longer reclaim it. Current owner: none. You can bind this item to yourself and become its owner. After binding, you can give the item a name, which will be displayed to all players.

  Out of the corner of his eye, Cheater could see Watershed intently staring at him, waiting for his reaction. He knew he was missing something. The quantity of possible mods was undeniably nice, but both its visible and hidden properties meant nothing to him. Their descriptions hardly elucidated why the NPC expected him to be excited.

  Cheater shrugged, admitting his confusion. “I understand everything the arrows do, but not this bracer.”

  On cue, Watershed took the bracer from him, pressed one metal plate and slid another to the side. This opened a miniature keyboard.

  “If you enter a player ID here, the bracer integrates with your interface. Then, if you confirm the ID in your interface, that player receives one additional life—two, if you’re very lucky.”

  Cheater frowned. “So… you’d like six figures for these two items?”

  Watershed shook his head. “I’d like a little more than that, but not for these two items. These arrows and this bracelet are yours. They’re my gift to you. The million I want is not for these, but for something else. A long-term investment, if you will. As I said, I see a lot, and I know a lot. I know things that no one else does… including certain possibilities for the future. It’s a strange ability I have. I can’t find the words to describe it to you, but why should I? You players are certainly accustomed to concealing your abilities.”

  As Cheater hung on Watershed’s every word, the NPC elucidated somewhat, yet remained frustratingly cryptic. “What I can say is this: I know how to make certain probabilities more likely. People do not always understand me, but they do what I say. Everything in this world is interconnected. Armor-piercing ammo sold in one region at the right time may save a dozen lives in another. I know where and when to crush the butterfly so that next month’s winter storm triggers an avalanche. Small interventions—mighty consequences. People treat me strangely, of course, since all of this seems like magic to them. My own kin have gotten used to it; they expect me to take odd actions and say odd things. It doesn’t bother them, my ‘oddness’. They know that it will play to our advantage in the futu
re.”

  Watershed paused for a moment to regard Cheater. “I know who you are. I know you’re worth a million, at least. I could torture you or kill you to see what you have, or turn you over to players willing to buy you. But what would be the point? I see no profit in that! This is a chess game! The whole direction is determined by the opening. I play the game well, for I see deeply into its future. I can see that you and I must be friends, not enemies—or at least on good business terms. You are a powerful piece in the game. This gift may be a gambit, a sacrifice… but one that plays out into a glorious endgame. By the way, please don’t hurry to enter an ID into that bracer.”

  Cheater bristled. “Why not?”

  “That will unseal the bracer.”

  “What’s so bad about that?”

  Watershed arched his eyebrow. “You’ve never heard of Nold bracers?”

  “I haven’t been a player for very long,” Cheater admitted.

  “Before you enter the ID, you’ll have to equip the bracer. Once you enter it, you’ll be marked. You’ll become like a lighthouse, attracting an Elite Nold. There are many of them in this dangerous region of the world, so you won’t have to wait long until it finds you. Two or three minutes, perhaps; five, if you’re lucky. First, that Nold will kill everyone close to you. Then, it will cut off your arm, along with the bracer. Then, it’ll take your head. That’s their tradition. Since I value this camp, I request that you temporarily abstain from this action.”

  “Do all of the Nolds carry these bracers?” Cheater wondered aloud, shivering.

  “As far as I know. The bracers vary, with different sets of properties and different numbers of bonus lives. But they’re all the same in essence. It’s a good item, one use only. You enter an ID, the Nold comes running, and it doesn’t leave without the bracer. Along with your arm, of course.”

  “So why not ambush this Elite Nold? You have dozens of people here, and I assume you’re hiding some serious weaponry. Killing a Nold could probably earn you piles of loot.”

  The NPC shook his head. “No, no—not an Elite Nold. Those are certain death.”

  Ever eager, Cheater refused to accept Watershed’s fatalism. “Even dire elites can be killed, and this is just a single bot! No matter how strong he is, he’s a man! All men are mortals, right?”

  “You’re right about that,” the NPC conceded, “but imagine a man with at least a hundred fully-developed Continental abilities: Defensive. Attacking. Buffing. Shields strong enough to deflect a tank gun. The ability to bend an I-beam into a knot with his bare hands! Mana levels high enough for him to use all of his skills at once—some even several times!”

  Cheater flinched as Watershed’s tone grew more vehement. “Every single one of those abilities could end several lives—our lives! Hundreds dead in a heartbeat. That’s not all, Cheater: Nolds wear something like an exoskeleton. It’s not armor with buffs—it’s more like a robot mech with a person inside, complete with a jetpack on its back. It goes without saying that their weaponry is otherworldly, nothing you could find at a merchant’s. Beyond its abilities, the Elite Nold can pull off impressive feats. Jumping over a five-story building? Easy. He can fly over a whole city block, if he wants! Firing a shot that tears the tower off a tank from a mile away? No problem. Surviving a grenade launcher hit? All in a day’s work!”

  Watershed’s passionate speech suddenly grew hushed for a moment. “I’ve heard two stories where people tried to kill Elite Nolds,” he intoned, eyes lowered. “In the first story, everything ended relatively well: the Nold killed the entire party of hunters and destroyed the trap they had set for him. In the second, the Nold went on to destroy the entirety of the nearest stable. In a matter of minutes, the ground was so ashen that it might be mistaken for a dead cluster. I don’t know what a Nold like that might drop. No one knows. They can’t be defeated. Perhaps their exoskeleton can be overcome, but not their numerous abilities. So please, please wait to enter that ID.”

  Watershed’s tirade left quite the impression on Cheater. He followed up dazedly. “So when I use the bracer… I’ll die?”

  “Unfortunately, yes. This is my gift to you. It’s up to you what you do with it.”

  “So no one will stop me if I get up and leave?”

  “I would be unhappy,” Watershed sighed, “but no… no one would stop you. The swamp is not everywhere, you can find a way out. One more thing: you can enter an ID but not confirm it. That will trigger an option to protect your arm and make the bracer invisible. However, you will not be able to remove it unless you cancel or confirm your input.”

  “Thank you,” Cheater replied, accepting the gift gingerly. “I’ll do that.” He then placed it on his right arm, as his left already carried the piece from the tomb.

  “So… what will you do?” Watershed ventured.

  “I do have a million, yes—or some sum close to it,” Cheater shared, his ambiguity intentional.

  “… And?”

  “I’m prepared to lend it to you, Watershed, but I need some help.”

  “We’ll do all that’s in our power,” the NPC promised gravely, “and the bow you seek will be delivered to this location. Sadly, I’m a little tight on cash, so I can’t give it to you as a third gift. I can only lend it so that you can examine it. You’ll have to pay if you decide to take it. It costs a large sum, too. I’ll get you the best price, of course, but it won’t be cheap. I’m afraid such goods are exquisitely rare.”

  “If the bow suits me, I’ll find the money,” Cheater promised.

  “You won’t need to find it,” Watershed replied, instantly cuing Drowner to approach. Drowner plunked two backpacks on the table—two very familiar backpacks. Cheater’s stomach dropped as he reflexively reached for his weapon.

  “We were concerned for the safety of your property,” Watershed drawled nonchalantly. “You shouldn’t have created a cache so close to the stable. Following fresh tracks is quite easy to do. Fifth Mine already knows that there are players searching for you. You are a nobody there—they’d happily surrender you for the most miserly price. You have to steer clear of that area. So—if you’ll accept my apologies—this is the best course of action. Regarding the weapons you checked in, we were unfortunately unable to obtain them. Your bound weapons will return to you, but the others will be confiscated. I do hope you’re not offended by our actions. Everything’s there. You can check for yourself.”

  Quaking, Cheater examined the packs. He struggled to keep his voice steady. “Everything here belongs to me. I’m not planning to give it to you.”

  “Of course,” Watershed assured, shrugging.

  “I can trade some of it for loot from infecteds. I'm interested in the best. Pearls, most of all.”

  “We’ll consider it,” the NPC responded, “but pearls are a difficult affair. They’re tough to locate and deliver efficiently.”

  “I’ll show you where more caches are located,” Cheater continued. “More common modifiers, mostly—I didn’t bother to sort them. A little more than a million spores’ worth, at Fifth Mine prices. I’ll mark the places on a map. They’re in a dangerous area, but not far. I can’t return there. You’ll have to send for them.”

  Chapter 21

  Life Nine. No More Farming

  The game’s character system was generally clear, but there were some obscure points. For example: how was experience gained from deeds other than killing enemies? This question didn’t just refer to modifiers, which could be increased by microscopic amounts with intense weight training, marathon running and so on. It also referred to progress points. Suppose a player was lucky enough to somehow escape a pursuing elite. This could surprise the System, prompting it to give the player some Speed progress points—not much, but enough to make them smile. The player could therefore have earned points without firing a single shot or remotely scratching the enemy.

  A System message popped up in Cheater’s view. It could not be a victory report, since Cheater had neither fired a single r
ound nor even drawn his sword. He’d merely been running, a crowd of infecteds hot on his heels. No fewer than fifty undead followed him, some only a dozen or two paces behind. None of them were really all that dangerous, but the System nonetheless decided to give him +10 Speed. The System’s ways were unpredictable, mysterious…nonsensical, perhaps?

  Hearing grumbling to his right, Cheater adjusted course without thinking. He had enough new friends following him already. He didn’t take the crowd to his intended destination, where he’d dealt with the last batch. Too far. The nimble creature would catch up too quickly. No matter! He had several other places prepared, optimal spots for a massacre. He had spent three hours canvassing the surroundings under the protection of his Chameleon. Everything was scouted, everything was ready, and he couldn’t wait. His location was a great place to earn some experience: a huge airport that had once served the suburbs. Cheater wondered if the crashed plane he encountered had once commuted to and from this airport.

  Everything came together at the right moment: the last reset had brought in thousands of digis, both in the suburbs and the airport terminals themselves. All around, the sector was surrounded by black clusters, including swamps impassable to all but Drowner and his associates. Watershed’s people controlled all of the routes through which serious creatures could pass after a reset. They’d even partially cleared out this cluster once the new arrivals turned. No matter—enough was left behind to keep a visitor perfectly engaged, and Cheater knew he wouldn’t be bored.

  Cheater had now lived in the black-ensconced home of these strange NPCs for several days. Reclusive though they were, they believed they were a step away from conquering the world. While Watershed dealt with the delivery of the bow and the retrieval of the modification caches, his “angel investor” was allowed to do whatever he’d like—including pumping his stats in a relatively safe nearby cluster. Why “relatively”? Watershed’s group were not afraid of the infecteds from this area. Monsters of serious strength rarely came this way, as they loathed the black. The local stock was tightly controlled. No, his group of NPCs feared other NPCs much more. Even the location of their camp was kept a strict secret. Some of his people hadn’t even visited it, nor even knew where it was, for that matter. Cheater’s proximity to this knowledge was a serious honor.