It was a coincidence. It was someone with a similar laugh. This world was so vast, there had to be another person with a similar habit.
These thoughts didn't even occur to me. As soon as I had déjà vu, I accepted my reality.
Clown.
A member of the Round Table Watchers and the guy who seemed most expert and skilled of them all; that was the true identity of that man.
I assumed he was from Noark, but to think we'd meet like this...
I came face to face with the clown I had been so curious about, but it wasn't pleasant to see.
We're screwed. What do I do? It seems very strong. If I reveal that I am León, will he let us go? Impossible.
I discarded the weak thoughts that were beginning to blossom. Not only was it the same as revealing that I was an evil spirit, the person Clown respected was León, don't be a barbaric sucker. The moment my identity was revealed, Clown would lose interest in me and get angry.
So I shouted: «Prepare for battle!». It was a frontal advance if he managed to overcome fear, which could become the greatest solution at any time, anywhere.
«Now you sound like a barbarian!» Watching my movements, Clown sent out a humorous look.
Did that make you see reason? Raven immediately cast a spell. «Derva Timunes». Team voice magic. Since we were facing a human, not a monster, I assumed he thought about activating it as soon as he heard my scream.
«Tsk, how boring». Now that he had lost his entertainment, Clown seemed displeased. However, it wasn't something I had to worry about.
«Everyone, behind me!»
Simultaneously with my quick commands, I used Gigantization to block the passage. This was the advantage of the first floor Crystal Cave. Although each passage was different, they were mostly narrow enough to be blocked by a giant barbarian.
Click.
«Behell-aaaaaaaaaa!» As if to shake off my fear, I invoked the name of the ancestral god. Holding the shield low enough not to interfere with my vision, I focused all my attention on this guy's movements.
Boom!
My warrior's heart began to beat at just the right speed. The warm blood circulated quickly, invigorating my body. I had the feeling that at least I wouldn't die banally.
«Mr. Yandel, if you do this, we won't be able to attack!»
The magician's concerns were firmly dismissed. «Don't do it».
«Excuse me?»
«We don't know who he is. First we have to know their abilities. Until then, don't step forward».
The most important thing in interpersonal warfare was information. Of the tens of thousands of special abilities and items, how had the opponent combined them and in what class had he cultivated his character? Without knowing that, it was difficult to answer correctly.
«That is...! This monster killed a knight. And you're still going to find out on your own?».
What else could we do? «This is the most efficient way.» I was a tank. He could withstand even a foreign attack, but not these guys. By the time they were caught off guard, their game was likely over.
«Since I can't hear what you're saying, this isn't fun.» Without giving us time to continue discussing the strategy, Clown spoke in a cold voice and stretched out his hand. Suddenly, there was a gun there.
It's from mithril.
His punch emitted a blue-silver light. «Dies». A deep voice echoed and at the same time, Clown's figure disappeared before our eyes.
The duration for which we lost him was not long. In any case, this was a straight passage after all.
Do you think you can use the sight game?
When I lowered my shield slightly, I could see Clown taking position from a darkened angle. Having cut my teeth in numerous live combats, I quickly identified the point of attack.
The thigh...
In combat, everything leads to information. The time of wielding weapons without thinking was over and every action had to have a basis and an intention. If so, why did he aim for the thigh?
As I thought, is he a murderer?
As for compatibility, I would have thought it was difficult to get through my shield. It was the first thing I improved with the money I saved after paying off my debt.
If I had a brain, I would have known it as soon as I saw it.
A large shield made of grade 4 Moonstone metal possessed a durability that could withstand even a bowsword several times.
Hack!
It was impossible to pierce it with mithril, which was grade 5.
Clang!
Without stopping at the shield, I applied force to my arm. Clown's body was pushed back without resistance. I recorded one more piece of information in my head. Well, actually, this was obvious.
His strength stat is below mine.
I was starting to think it was feasible. I wasn't the one from six months ago. Starting with the equipment, he had experienced great improvements in many areas. From the looks of it, he was not at the level of the dragon hunter.
I'm sure he hasn't taught me everything he has yet.
Remaining alert, I watched Clown, who had stepped back. I managed to block the first attack, but if I allowed even one, it was very likely dangerous. After all, he confidently told me to die. It wasn't a phrase one would say pointing to the thigh.
So it's poison?
It was very likely that the gun was poisoned. It could also be that his special ability was related to poison. Nothing was confirmed yet, so I left all possibilities open, even while making these assumptions.
I think it's time...
All we had done so far was exchange moves with simple physicality. Since that had been blocked, it was time to use a skill.
«Ugh, really! I wanted to save my PM as much as possible».
I couldn't help but laugh. Aside from its characteristic exaggerated tone, say «MP»?
«...Mr. Yandel! That man is an evil spirit!»
This crazy bastard had no intention of hiding his identity, huh?
Are all the people of Noark like that?
Well, now that they opposed the palace, there was no reason to hide it.
«No, wait a minute. If it is an evil spirit...»
Those words made me shudder. He could guess what Raven was thinking: someone from Noark, who had the ability to kill a knight on his own, the most notorious player in town.
«The Corpse Collector...?». Raven spat out that name without understanding.
«Kyaa».
I hurriedly turned around to look behind me.
[Abed Necrapeto has released Puppet].
The bodies of the knight and the soldiers scattered behind me rose and attacked Raven.
Damn, he was right.
There was no point in denying it further, because the Corpse Collector's character concept was famous. It was a good character class that I also played a few times, specializing in cursing and summoning, a class that emphasized agility stats in preparation for his weakness, hand-to-hand combat.
An APN, agile poison necromancer, was the class he had to fight from now on. Aiming at my vital point with a punch-like weapon, I had thought I was a murderer, but it was an obvious mistake.
A necromancer, huh?
He had just underestimated me and tried to make an ordinary attack. His true specialty was another.
He wasn't in the area by chance, he came to look for us.
Now knowing their identity, the surroundings began to seem different. This guy probably left the bodies there on purpose. The reason was simple. If I pretended they were corpses and left them, I could use them as CCTV. Not that it mattered now.
There will be no need to test the terrain.
I decided to focus on the positive side. Having gathered information about Hercules after the battle with the dragon slayer, he also knew quite a bit about the Corpse Collector.
It has six known essences.
Of course, there were probably three unidentified essences and considering the notoriety of this type, it would be disastrous for us. But at least the class check was done.
«All of you, don't fight and back down!» I hurried to give orders. If it were a battle against a normal summoner, it would be normal to defeat him.
«Don't fight?»
«Keep your distance first!»
For an APN, each summon was almost a self-destructive weapon. Expanding the distance was the basis of the strategy.
«Aruru, come here!»
«Okay!»
The moment Ainar looked for Raven and prepared to retreat, a gray light burst through the eye holes of Clown's mask.
Flash!
[Abed Necrapeto has released Curse of Stone].
My nerves from my feet up began to go numb. I knew what ability it was as soon as it hit me: the essence of the rank 4 monster Medusa.
Dash.
Maybe he wanted to kill me first, because he grabbed the punch again and lunged at me. It was definitely a tricky skill.
It's probably because of this ability that there were no battle signs here, too.
Even a knight would have a hard time fending off a rank 4 essence, since an average knight was level 5. It would be difficult to maintain mana resistance.
But not me.
In the past six months, he had filled all 200 statistics of the Manticore's passive ability, Inheritance, with mana resistance. Normally, various stats increased with it, but mana resistance was more convenient.
«Behell-aaaaaaaaaa!»
As a result, my battle cry had evolved to replace the Strength skill.
[Your Mana Resistance exceeds 400.]
He had +20 Phase 2 Immortality Imprint, +80 Ogre Essence, and +200 Inheritance. The mana resistance that increased with Gigantization and Wild Burst was about 40, and if you added the additional 20% increase with the Earth Dragon blessing...
[The effect of immunity to deletion is granted. The Stone Curse state abnormality is cancelled].
My mana resistance temporarily exceeded 400 and I became immune to suppression abilities!
As soon as the numbness that started in my feet disappeared, I grabbed my shield and ran away. The opponent seemed very surprised. Perhaps it would be more correct to say that he was dumbfounded.
«Ha! Immunity to suppression? How much have you invested in mana resistance?!».
Save yourself the praise. The reason I paid all that money to eat Manticore essence was because of mana resistance in the first place. Whether the ability remained after clearing it or not, +200 mana resistance was enough to squeeze it out until the second half.
Anyway, he's fast as hell.
Although I pushed forward like a tank, this guy easily extended the distance like an APN. That's why these bastards were difficult. Overall, a summoner's main body was meant to be a weak point, but catching them was quite an ordeal. Still, I was glad he wasn't a murderer.
«Crow! Freeze the corpses!»
«Excuse me? Okay!»
«And Abman, when he gives the signal, sends a big blow! To make room to escape!»
«Escape? Is that possible?»
Well, the odds were half and half, but we had to try. The chances of that were higher than of emerging victorious in battle.
«I guess I have to pour everything in one fell swoop. Alright!» Fortunately, Mr. Bear obediently followed orders. As soon as he heard the name Corpse Collector, he must have sensed that the chances of winning a fight were slim, and even that would inevitably come at a cost.
Why the Corpse Collector?
This guy was among the upper ranks even in Orcules. Naturally, he was above even the dragon slayer.
But now I have a chance.
Due to the nature of their class, necromancers were not very good at chasing. Not only that, this guy was saving his resources.
Since you have to keep fighting until the maze closes, I'm sure you want to reduce even a little waste.
With that in mind, I took quick steps back.
Shaaaaa!
A chill came from behind. It seemed like Raven had used cold magic to freeze the corpses.
«They're frozen!»
Well, that was confirmed. «Abman!»
«Ah, just say it!» Mr. Bear seemed ready too.
Once I sounded a short signal for a surprise attack, I asked Raven for one thing. «Raven, turn off the voice control magic».
«Excuse me?»
«Hurry.»
«Is off.»
Once the team's voice magic was disabled, I spoke to Clown. «Hey.»
«Oh?» He looked at me with curious eyes.
However, I continued. «Do you know the two ways to make someone angry?».
«I'm not sure. I've never heard of it».
Oh, foreigners. I knew I wouldn't have done it. «The first is to stop talking in the middle of a sentence».
«I see. Which is the other?» Clown nodded in understanding.
«It's...» I interrupted myself and deactivated Gigantization.
[Abman Urikfried has released Improvement.]
[Abman Urikfried has released Dangerous Material.]
An arrow containing all of Mr. Bear's abilities shot through the widened passage.
CRASHHHHHH!
The cave trembled as if it had been shaken by an earthquake.
Whoosh!
Seeing the other side clogged by flames that rose in an instant, I screamed more passionately than ever: «What are you doing? Run!»