Chapter: Demon is Confused
Town of Asda, Guild Hall
"Hey! We could do the quest today right?" a man approached the desk, showing a look of intimidation.
Behind him was another man and a boy named Keel. The boy wore old looking clothes, but he had bought an expensive looking dagger to replace his worn down hunting knife.
The boy can be seen to have an excited expression on his face. This was his first quest, something very special to him.
He had brought all of his savings on him that day. Hoping to buy more equipment once the quest is over.
" Yes sir! You could start with the quest today. You have until tomorrow to prepare a report about the investigation. Please kindly prepare some camping equipment because you will need it."
The receptionist lady handed them their now processed party and a guild card for Keel. She also brought out a set of brush and a magic ink made up of synthesized Mana.
She asked all of the party members to show their wrist and she had marked all of them with a small magic circle. It glowed shortly after placing and it sticked onto their skin like a tattoo.
The magic circle is a special mark used by the guild. It is commonly used in investigation and mercenary like jobs. It is used to monitor them, making sure that they have been doing their quest and are not slacking off.
Today it will be used to make sure the party camps out in the forest to thouroughly investigate the forest. They may not enter the town for extended periods of time, but if they do, the marks will wear off. Once the marks wear off the quest will be recorded as invalid and the person may not be rewarded by the guild.
This is also very helpful because once someone on a quest is missing, Arcane Mages can help in finding these people because of the mark.
" Kid, carry my bag it will make me more faster for when an enemy approaches us" the man gave Keel his bag, his eyes were eyeing the pouch Keel had in his waist.
" umm yes sir!" Keel, with the mind of a kid, trusted the man because of his guild rank.
The party then proceeded to leave the town, heading towards the dangers the great forest imbues.
----
" I need more boar skin :/ "
Ryu had almost completed his clothing set. But he lacked the remaining materials to create another glove for his right arm.
---
(Hi author here, I'll be giving you the information he got on his level up here :D)
[Level 11 Acquired] [Level 12 Acquired] [Level 13 Acquired]
[Skill: 'Medicine Creation' LVL 1 Acquired]
[Skill: 'Flame Wall' Acquired]
[Skill: 'Spear Mastery' LVL 1 Acquired]
[Skill: 'Summon: Fire Spirit' Acquired]. [Skill: 'Crafting' LVL 1 Acquired]
[Skill: 'Endurance' LVL 3 Acquired]
[Skill: 'Flame Mastery' LVL 4 Acquired]
[Skill: 'Mana Mastery' LVL 3 Acquired]
----
Ryu was now fully clothed, excluding a right glove. He wore shoes made of deer skin, and a new hooded robe from the boar. He now also has a shirt and a better pants. The black colored hood covered his demon horns and his long ears.
" Can i go to a human settlement with this?" Ryu wanted to visit a human settlement for once. He was curious on how people lived on this world, because the only contact of life he had in this world are only beasts, Alice, and a Fallen Divine.
He was getting better at Magic. He found out that the more proficient he is in an affinity or a specific spell, the Mana cost greatly lowers. Due to constant practice, he was now able to summon the weapon 'Akuma no Muramasa' without hassle and Mana consumption.
It had already had little to none Mana consumption. But it was still better for it to have none. The summon time also decreases due to practice.
Ryu haven't actually used this weapon for combat yet nor he knows how to properly wield it yet. He had only practiced how to summon it.
Akuma no Muramasa, is a unique katana imbued with Demonic Affinity. It gains more power the more powerful the user is. It also has a somewhat mind of its own, for it does not show its true power when it does not recognises the user.
Wounds produced from this sword disrupts the Mana flow inside the enemy, reducing Mana Regeneration, and it also drains power from the enemy, but the power drained has a limit.
" [Akuma no Muramasa]" smoke appeared before Ryu and a black bladed katana appeared before his hands. It had a crimson colored handle that fits Ryu's arm perfectly.
" [Akuma no Muramasa]" once he said these words, the sword turned into blood colored liquid and melted onto the ground.
" I need to practice wielding this sword more. Guess I'll have to do it tomorrow." Ryu was practicing his cooking that time, so he was busy to practice magic or combat.
" Ok the meat is roasted perfectly, this should last me for about two days" Ryu cooked a perfectly roasted meat from the boar. He had seasoned it with spices and herbs he found at his travel.
[Title: "Chef of the Forest" Acquired]
" oh I got something new. Hikaru can you tell me its effects?" he asked System, which is now named Hikaru, the effects of the title he had just gotten.
[Information Granted]
- Gives the title receiver the skill [Cooking]
- Grants a boost to health regeneration when eating food made by one's self.
- Honestly, you're just so good at cooking, you get better
" Ok, who wrote the last part though?"
----
" Hey, notice these footprints? And we've already encountered two campfires. But this one looks like it's only been used last night."
A man checked the condition of the used campsite and made a conclusion that they're going to go north.
" We head north, you there kid, walk faster! "
" yes sir! "
The party then proceeded to go north with the horses the guild provided them.
----
[Unknown Individuals Spotted]
" nani?! Hikaru can do that for me? I love this voice" Hikaru alerted Ryu about approaching people, it counted six living beings for Ryu.
' What is Hikaru anyway, she's been very helpful and I can't seem to think she's just a normal voice'
Ryu was lost in thought about what Hikaru is while he climbed a nearby tree. Obviously Hikaru was a mystery to him. It started as a voice only for level ups, but now it provided him with information and had helped him in his journey.
Just as he hid himself, three people mounted on horses approached his campsite.
" I smell something cooking, it smells delicious" One of the men scanned the area for something unusual, but he didn't see anything.
"Hey its this right here, its looks like cooked beast meat, but it looks like it was prepared very well."
The man picked up the meat that was cooking by the fire.
' Oi, don't touch my fucking food' Ryu cursed at them on his mind, but he wished to remain silent. Three versus one would be a battle disadvantageous for him, especially when he doesn't know how strong his opponents are.
He couldn't also seem to scan their power levels. They lack Mana in their body, which prevented him from appraising them. When a being has little to no Mana affinity, Appraisal cannot appraise them.
" Hey kid, I want you to gather more firewood, we'll be staying here for now. Don't worry we'll guard the camp."
Keel proceeded to gather wood, away from the camp.
" Hey, maybe it's time we rob the kid? His money added with the quest reward will surely make us rich for awhile"
" Yeah, that's why I told him we'd be staying here. Prepare your dagger, we're gonna make him cry"
Ryu heard this and looked at the two men furiously, the two men could be seen smiling menacingly.
' I guess I'll have to fight then. But I should wait for the kid, he would think I just beat them up cause I'm evil. " Ryu remained on top of the tree.
" I'm back! " Keel came back, carrying firewood with his two arms.
" Great! Now come here, we're gonna tell you a little secret "