Chương 254: Chapter 245

The news couldn't have been worse. From what he remembered from his inherited memories, in the entire multi-year history of the game, not one expedition had succeeded or found anything remotely worth something. Oh, they found plenty of monster nests and fractures, even some other pocket dimensions, but due to the nature of the location and the types of monsters, it was not worth setting up any kind of base to exploit anything they found.

Usually, those explorers ran the fractures a few times (if able) gathered what loot they could – went for a few more rounds if they found something interesting – and then hightailed back to the surface. And these were the success stories. Most expeditions usually were drowned in endless monster floods, annihilated by some kind of unknown calamity that they crossed paths with during its wanderings, or were killed by other explorers.

Ironically, the best outcome one could achieve under Sunspot was from hunting explorers and looting their corpses and caravans. This was because underground, thanks to things neither Sam nor his alternate future self, understood, teleporting or any other movement through space with magic – unless you were willing to sacrifice a lot of souls – was impossible. If you wanted to get deep, you needed to walk.

They tried setting up one of the portals that were used for travel between cities, but the only things that came out of the portal after it was activated had to be burned then buried and never talked about. However, he changed things. A lot of things. Thus, the game also changed. Was there a chance that this expedition – or any other in the future – could find something valuable and important? Yes, there was. The question was, how he could make use of it?

Because it was a hundred percent sure that a bunch of people, both solo and guild players, would gather to explore the depths and hopefully strike it rich, but he also knew that the Blood Brothers would also make use of this opportunity. Either by striking covertly, slowly picking off people one by one while reenacting horror stories or simply ambushing the expedition with their powerful blood magic that not many people had defense against.

'I mean, the first idea is clearly superior…' Sam mused to himself as he rode toward Sunspot on Lucky's back, the settlement of Groundwater, filled with happy and thankful people, blending into the scenery behind him. After his conversation with the old hunter, he simply went around looking for any NPC that would give him more information, but they either wanted to give him a drink, show him a good time, or go out for a hunt.

Thus, he said his goodbye and, with a little piece of carved wood, shaped like the head of a wildebeest, given to him by Garen, he left the small town. Garen gave it to him for saving his and everyone's life. It wouldn't give him anything but simply prove to Garen's son that he knew his father. It would be enough for Sam to get his leg inside the door. [The quest, 'Call to action!' is completed!] [You defeated the ravenous horde and have been rewarded with booze, kindness, and a nice carving.] Then there was the letter he was supposed to deliver for his Master. Sam sighed and leaned forward, urging Lucky to go faster. The best part about the fight against the stampede, insofar as it can be called a fight, was that one of his skills finally evolved. [Mana Flux is now Level 10!] [You managed to weave seamlessly together three different types of mana natures and achieved a breakthrough!] [You have learned Mana Weaving!] [Mana Weaving: Level 0 (0%) (Passive) You weave mana and skills together like an experienced seamstress, increasing their power, effectiveness, and properties. Grants a flat 10% True Damage, Damage Increase, and Cooldown Decrease to your skills that use mana. Grants an additional 1% Damage Increase, Cooldown Decrease, and Casting Speed Increase per skill level. When weaving together two or more skills, spells, or mana natures you gain 0, 25% True Damage and 0, 1% Damage Increase per skill level. Increased effectiveness of magical shielding piercing. Decreases the negative effects when weaving together opposite elements.] Sam couldn't help but smile. Mana Weaving was one of those skills, like Mana Scales or his Perfect Mana Core skill, that had no level limit – though after a while it had diminishing returns – and as people called it in the future: a completed skill.

It could be modified with sub-skills or merged together with other skills but it worked on its own and needed only time to make it insanely powerful.

'Three completed skills… I'm on a roll!' he chuckled to himself. If the same people who looked down on the other Sam could see him now… Three completed skills and he was barely over Level 100! Most guilds sometimes spent years and an insane amount of money, resources, and man-hours to figure out the ins and outs of the skill system and craft the 'perfect' completed skills. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

Sam's goal was to eventually have all of his skills evolve and merge into completed skills. Less hassle and more power for him. Plus, it would be a final fuck you to the people who cast his alternate future self down. Living life well was a good revenge, but having superior skills in a game was an even better revenge.

'Man… my life is weird…' Arriving at Sunspot was met with no fanfare, monster attacks, or ambush by ambitious bandits. He simply found a small cliff that overlooked one of the main roads leading to the city, bustling with caravans, countless different mounts, and people walking, driving, and riding to and fro. Not wanting to be recognized, he brought up his hood, dismissed Lucky back to his shadow, and brought out his Chameleon mask. He turned into an unremarkable person with a scar across his face.

He wasn't a woman with a rack to distract people with, so he might as well use a scar to distract people from other things. If the only thing they remember him by was the scar, he would be able to vanish much more successfully, if needed. The road and the surroundings were looking rather peaceful. He spotted several impromptu camps that turned into small markets as people took breaks and tried to sell their wares (mostly to avoid the taxes in Sunspot) while they rested.

However, Sam knew despite the tranquil look the area showcased, it was anything but that. Sunspot was the biggest city in the area, yet it wasn't part of any kingdom. Naturally, they had city guards and a standing army, the Sun Warriors, who patrolled the city and around it while they also collected taxes from the settlements in their area of influence, but there was no unifying government. There were no laws encoded into books. The city and the area had 'rules'.

And if you had the power, those rules didn't mean much. Thankfully, for now, the NPCs ruling the city were much stronger than any of the guilds calling it their home, probably a precaution by the game developers to prevent an easy takeover by players. Sam thought that he could probably go toe to toe with one of the Sun Warriors, but would lose if he had to face a captain or any of the other officials. The bigger problem were the players.

As there wasn't any law in the land, most player killers and people who had been banished or dismissed from other countries gathered here. It wasn't like the city became a den of sin with bloody murder on every street corner, but nobody cared if you got shanked going down the wrong alley, got cheated out of your money, had your money and product stolen, or anything else. If you wanted justice, you got yourself justice.

Or pay one of the millions of mercenaries calling the city of Sunspot their home to get justice on their behalf. Then get betrayed by those same mercenaries after you pay them. Basically, anything goes as long as you keep a few basic rules in mind. No harming children. Touch even one and the entire city would band together to hunt you down. Don't touch the rulers' stuff. Harming the businesses or properties (be they physical or living) would get you hunted down by the Sun Warriors with extreme prejudice.

If the area ruled over by Sunspot is attacked, then put aside your differences and help defend it. Then go loot the enemy and bring back something shiny. And the most important one: leave the merchants alone. They generated most of the tax and the rulers of the city liked money. And now Sam was heading toward this hive of villainy and scum… Walking through the crowd, dodging opportunistic pickpockets, hobby murderers, and very pushy merchants, it took Sam almost an hour to get to the city walls.

Then another half an hour to get through the gate after giving the guard an 'entrance fee'. Looking around, the inside of the city didn't look different compared to all the other cities he saw during his time playing Magic Unbound. Granted, the architecture was different, people dressed differently and the art was much more colorful than back in the Emerald Kingdom. But aside from that, the city was a simple city, full of people living their lives; trading, crafting, eating, drinking, and laughing.

Admittedly, in most other cities, the number of pickpockets was much lower. And this time it wasn't just NPCs that were thieves but actual players who tried to pickpocket him. On lower levels, pick-pocketing skills only targeted the physical pockets, but on higher levels, it would be possible to steal from the inventory of a target. And what better place to level up these skills than in a city where nobody cared as long as you avoided a few specific people?

After the third hand he had to slap away in as many minutes, he simply summoned up a small layer of wind around himself, preventing anyone from touching him. Then after a little thought, he infused a little clean mana into the spell as the city wasn't exactly the cleanest. A few minutes of navigating the labyrinthian streets full of distractions, great smells, a few bar fights, and even more thieves, he arrived at something most people would charitably call a main square.

There was a giant statue representing the sun god to the side, surrounded by open bar counters where provocatively dressed women sold drinks while advertising the services of their 'taverns'. A number of stalls dotted the area selling all sorts of things while Sam spotted at least three different shell games going on in different dark corners and he could hear two bards singing wholly different songs, adding to the cacophony of the square.

For a moment he stood there, immersing himself in the feeling and trying to make sense of the chaos happening in front of him before grinning. Taking a deep breath, smelling the smell of alcohol, and food mixed with the sweat coming off the crowd he couldn't help but smile.

'Time for a little… excitement… But first… How to find Garen's son…' he mused, looking around, trying to spot a hint or clue that would lead him to his target. All old Garen could tell him that his son was working in a tavern near the main square of the city. Sadly, just from where he was standing, he could see five different taverns. Before he could think more about it, there was a crash, and he saw a body flying out one of the windows, crash-landing on a ramshackle stall selling souvenirs, destroying it.

Which in turn earned the flying person the wrath of the stall owner who immediately began to yell and beat on poor guy. However, it seems the guy wriggling on the ground, trying to avoid anger-fueled hits, had some friends who immediately rose to their friend's defense.

"Well, destiny is giving me a big hint… let's go before the fight reaches me…" he murmured under his breath and began heading toward the tavern that seemed to be favoring defenestration instead of doors. Looking up at the sign, he read it. Blind Meerkat Sam shrugged and pushed the door open. He had heard stupider and meerkats were a staple of the savanna. Inside, he was greeted by a bustling tavern as if the previous rapid exit via the window never happened.

He could see several people coming up from some stairs carrying a replacement window. Sam grinned.

"I like this place!" he spoke delightfully. Then a bottle smashed next to his head on the wall.