Chapter 13: Massacre

How did this happen? Milee, the younger of the two sisters, mused, utterly dumbfounded by the bizarre spectacle. The siblings watched in astonishment, gazing at the writhing kleploids, struggling to comprehend the fate that had befallen their kidnappers. Milina, the elder sister, maintained a stoic expression, devoid of any sympathy or emotion as she observed their captors.

One by one, the kleploids grew progressively thinner, their bodies convulsing uncontrollably as they involuntarily emptied their bowels. The already desiccated skin of the creatures became even drier, cracks forming along their lips. Among the motley crew, Vugar, the kleploid leader, remained conscious, though unlike before, he writhed and contorted on the ground, emitting creaks as if his bones were being twisted from within.

Milina observed Vugar, perplexed by his erratic behavior. He repeatedly slammed his head onto the ground, the screams of the maddened kleploid resonating alongside the fiery turmoil in his stomach. However, only unintelligible gibberish escaped his lips.

Milee's panicked whimpers reached Milina's ears, intensifying her concern. The gruffpaw, bound and clearly distressed, turned toward her sister with fear evident in her trembling eyes. Milina followed Milee's gaze, and a shadow of worry clouded her own expression.

A somber mist, accompanied by intermittent sandy flashes, crept toward the far end of the camp. The gruffpaws, their demeanor gruff as ever, shrieked in terror, huddling at the edge of their cramped cage, and clinging to each other. Had the cage been more spacious, the two would have surely prostrated themselves on the ground. As the darkness expanded, sickening screams reverberated through the air, mingling with the putrid odor of burning flesh and other noxious fumes.

Amidst the chaos, Vugar, previously contorting on the ground as a kleploid, underwent a startling transformation into a slender human sporting a mask. He recoiled; his gaze fixated on the solitary figure draped in yellow. What in tarnation is that? The trickster attempted to move, but his rebellious stomach thwarted his intentions. Helpless, he could only observe as the figure in yellow drenched the helpless and unconscious kleploids in an unidentified liquid before shattering a jar containing a fiery substance on them.

Fuck. Is this an assassin sent by the guild? How did they find me? Vugar's eyes trembled as they reflected the surging inferno before him.

"So, you were human. How interesting."

The trickster felt a chill down his spine as the gloomy voice invaded his ears. Startled, he realized the figure in yellow now loomed over his body. Fear, more profound than any he had ever known, gripped his mind. As he locked eyes with the bewitching citrine orbs, a being beyond his mental grasp stared back at him.

The trickster shouted at the top of his voice, banging his head on the ground. "Don't come near me!"

Scott furrowed his brows, unable to predict what the man had witnessed. However, his attention shifted to a new system message that appeared the moment the masked man's head hit the ground.

[Abnormal Stat: Madness has increased by 1]

[Warning! The user will succumb to their insanity if Madness exceeds Composure by 10 points!]

Scott's expression soured as he read the message. "I didn't do anything. How is it my fault that he got scared?" Grumbling, he shifted his focus to the man still relentlessly bashing his head against the ground. Despite the brutal collisions, the emerald mask, with only narrow eye slits, remained unscathed—no cracks or dents marred its surface.

"This mask is quite interesting." Scott crouched, his hand reaching for the green mask. Vugar screamed, as he unsuccessfully attempted to flee. Ignoring Vugar's screams, Scott peeled the item away from the man's face, prompting another system message.

[Mask of the two-faced god]

Description: A mask created by a believer of the two-faced god with the intent of mimicking the famed god. No one will suspect your true intentions or will discern your identity (?).

Rank: Uncommon (?).

Durability: 3-time use (0/3 remaining).

Type: Non-combat enchanted item.

Scott's brows shot up as he read through the system's message. Why the question mark? Does that mean the current level of Hastur's gaze is insufficient?

[Abnormal Stat: Perception has gone up by 1]

Scott sighed as he tossed the mask to the ground. It was a fine piece but rendered useless now. If only there were one more slot available. Shifting his focus back to Vugar, now that the mask of the two-faced god was removed, the man's true status screen appeared.

[Status Screen]

{Basic Stats:}

Name: ??? 

Race: Human. 

Mana Points: 10/80. 

Level: 4! 

Class: Trickster.

{Physical Stats:}

Strength: 2 (-13 due to current physical condition).

Agility: 2 (-15 due to current physical conditions).

Dexterity: 5 (-15 due to current physical conditions).

Endurance: 8 (-10 due to current physical conditions).

Toughness: 10 (-5 due to current physical condition).

{Abnormal Stats:}

Charm: 10 (-20 due to current mental conditions).

Perception: 16 (-14 due to current mental conditions).

Scott glanced at the mask on the ground. Its once vibrant luster had dulled. It's truly a shame I can't use it, but letting it rot here would be a waste. Perhaps it will be useful in the future, or maybe some eccentric buyer would be interested in buying it.

Scott reached for the mask, seamlessly sending it into his inventory. Simultaneously, a faint voice filled his ears, demanding, "What are you?"

Glancing at the writhing man, Scott redirected his attention toward the frightened gruffpaws. Fortunately, there was no need to search for them; they were right there. They look like they're on the verge of having a panic attack. Getting closer might only exacerbate the situation.

Lost in contemplation, Vugar's desperate plea filled Scott's ears. "P-Please, save me. I don't want to die."

"Sorry. I can't save you."

{You have slain a Kleploid x38]

{EXP: 760]

[Congratulations! You have leveled up!]

[Item: Mask of the two-face god is undergoing changes due to your abilities!]

Scott smiled as he perused the messages. He Shifted his attention to the final system notification. That's odd, why did it suddenly start undergoing changes?

He retrieved an item from his inventory, before turning his attention back to Vugar. "Since we're both human, I won't subject you to the same torment suffered by the kleploids."

With a swift motion, Scott drove his twin blades into the human's chest, simultaneously twisting and pulling. The trickster succumbed with unblinking eyes, his bowels still in turmoil despite his demise.

As Scott wiped the blood-stained blades clean, another system message materialized before him.

[You have slain a Human Champion!]

[EXP: 100]

[Side Quest: Help the gruffpaws find a lasting solution to the Kleploids – Completed]

[EXP: 20]

[Congratulations! You have leveled up!]

A lavender glow enveloped the corpse, and several items materialized beside it. Scott's lips curled into a smile as his gaze fixed upon the items. It's just like a game. However, uncertainty clouded his eyes as he stared intently at the corpse. Is there a possibility he'd respawn?

Seconds turned into minutes, yet the corpse remained unaffected, growing colder with every passing moment. As expected, death in this place is final.

Shifting his attention away from the lifeless shell, Scott fixated on a book with a nondescript cover.

Where was he hiding this? Come to think about it, I couldn't see his inventory at all, Scott mused inwardly as he delicately picked up the grimoire. Contemplating for a moment, he opened its pages.

[Would you like to learn the spells in the Beginner's Grimoire?]

[Warning! 90 Mana Points is required!]

[Yes!] [No!]

Oof. I was wondering why he didn't use the grimoire. I guess this is the reason.

Scott drummed his fingers on the system message while pondering his options. I haven't tested it yet, but my mana should be able to recover within a day, right?

He hesitated for a second before clicking [Yes]. The grimoire shuddered in his hand, its pages turning on its own. A golden radiance shot out of the grimoire, racing into Scott's forehead. He took a step back as an explosion of information filled his mind. Meanwhile, the grimoire combusted, turning into ash.

Scott, however, underwent a novel transformation. His mind expanded, and his eyes adjusted to perceive an entirely different realm—one steeped in magic and mystery. Arcane glyphs and ancient phrases surged through his consciousness, unraveling the enigmas of the world.

[You have acquired a new ability x7]

Magic Missile acquired!

Fireball acquired!

Frost Nova acquired!

Levitate acquired!

Minor Heal acquired!

Poison Cloud acquired!

Charm acquired!

[Warning: Your Mana Points have dropped by 90 points.]

[Congratulations! You have acquired the basic knowledge to qualify as a true Eldritch Knight!]

[Ability: Eldritch Strike acquired!]

[Ability: Arcane Shield acquired!]

Scott crouched again, this time reaching for a vial containing a turquoise liquid. He uncorked the vial, and a strong medicinal waft akin to fresh berries filled his nose. With no hesitation, he downed the contents of the vial. The sweet, lukewarm liquid slid down his throat, reaching his stomach with no resistance. At that same moment, a spiraling surge of energy filled his body.

[You have consumed a Mana Restoration Potion!]

[Mana Points have increased by 10!]

"System, send the other items to my inventory and show me my stats."

The items disappeared with Scott's command, and a new system screen appeared before his eyes.

[Champion Interface]

{Basic Stats:}

Name: Scott Dorsey 

Level: 6 – New! 

Experience Points: 20/600 – New! 

Mana Points: 20/100 

Race: Eldritch Spawn (lesser being). Half-human. 

Mana Recovery: 11 Mana Points per hour

Class - Eldritch Knight

{Tier 1:}

Hammer Proficiency: You gain proficiency with hammer-based weapons. Additional 10% damage when using a hammer-based weapon.

Eldritch Strike: Your weapon strikes become infused with magic, dealing additional damage to your enemies. Additional 5% damage on all your attacks when using a hammer-based weapon.

Arcane Shield: You can create a shield of magical energy to protect yourself from attacks.

{Physical Stats:}

Strength: 15.

Agility: 18.

Endurance: 14.

Dexterity: 16.

Toughness: 16.

{Abnormal Stats:}

Envy: 20.

Perception: 28.

Will power: 18.

Composure: 75

Madness: 81.

Loyalty: 75.

{Skills:}

Carpentry (Level 1).

Running (Level 2).

Survival (Level 2).

Hastur's Gaze (Level 1).

??? (Locked) – Level 10 required.

Mental Manipulation (Level 1).

Basic Mana casting (Level 1) – New!

Basic Combat (Level 0).

Fishing (Level 1).

Basic Hammer Mastery (Level 0).

Madness (Level 1).

Scott resisted the temptation to try out one of his new abilities. Instead, he focused on the mask being simultaneously corroded. I wonder what's going to happen to it. Scott turned toward the gruffpaw sisters. These guys are just too cute. It's almost as if they believe I wouldn't notice them if they don't make a sound.

Scott averted his gaze from the scared sisters; instead, he focused on the burning corpses littering the area. Although I did this, I don't feel an ounce of guilt or remorse. Am I turning into a murder hobo? Or is this what Omar and the others feared would happen? Scott frowned as the memories of that fateful night flooded his mind.

He shook his head while taking a deep breath. The past is the past. I shouldn't let their words chain me down. I don't know what that version of me did, but I am not him. I'm my own person, and I will walk my own path.

Scott stared at the lonely moon; his eyes clouded with emotions. The Omar I know is probably gone. Whoever is in there, only wants to kill me. I won't let it happen. There won't be a repeat of the Amazon incident, Scott vowed to himself.

[Mask of the two-face god has been successfully corroded!]

[A new item has been created due to the influence of your abilities!]

Scott stared at the system's message while opening his status screen; his attention focused on the corroded mask.

[Mask of the Eldritch Spawn]

Description: A mask initially created to mimic the two-faced god but was corroded by an eldritch spawn. This item can't be used by any other being except the owner.

Rank: ???

Durability: ???

Condition: ???

Type: ???

With a thought, the mask appeared from the inventory, nestling in between Scott's fingers. The eldritch knight knitted his brows as he observed the item. Why did it change from green to gray? Wait, what's that yellow sign? A mysterious symbol had replaced the eye slits.

Scott tried his best to interpret the odd symbol, but nothing came to mind. He read through the system's message again, and his face became sterner. The fact that there is no explanation about the mask's abilities can only mean I have to wear it to find out.

Scott inhaled deeply as he secured the gray mask to his face. A faint sizzle resonated, the icy interior meeting his pale skin. On the mask's surface, a yellow sign wriggled, transforming into an array of cryptic, ancient texts. Unbeknownst to Scott, the darkness enveloping him stirred, seemingly consumed by light. It swirled, coalescing into a mist that surged into the mask, gradually darkening its hue.

The terrified gruffpaws gasped from their wooden cage, unable to avert their attention from the strange phenomenon. The darkness slowly disappeared, revealing a skinny figure in ragged clothes. His bushy hair had formed locks, but their attention was focused on his animated black mask which hid all features of his face.

The gruffpaw screamed as Scott focused his attention on them. Even worse, he approached in light steps.

Scott waved at the duo. "Hello. Your father sent me to rescue you."

He stopped a few meters away from the cage. "I promise I have no intentions of eating you, so don't start flapping your arms when I set you free. But before we get to that. Tell me what you see."