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Ahí se pueden encontrar 6 capítulos adelantados para los mecenas.
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"Más vale que empieces a decir algo interesante, o te dejaré solo y me iré a explorar por mi cuenta" le digo, interrumpiendolo.
"No me eches amenazas vacías, chaval." dice el anciano, bostezando y estirándose mientras levanta la parte superior de su cuerpo para sentarse "Ya me di cuenta que, aparentemente, no puedes hacer esto sin mi. Todavía no se porque es que hay monstruos a los que te rehúsas a rematar, y estoy seguro de que no me daras la razon aunque te pregunte, pero ahora más que nunca tengo en claro que me necesitas."
"Estas imaginando cosas, viejo." digo, molesto por lo perceptivo e inteligente que es para algunas cosas este charlatán, y cambiando de tema rápidamente para distraer al anciano "pero hablando de imaginar cosas... Me pareció que la recepcionista reaccionó de mala manera al enterarse de que eras un Chamán ¿porque?"
"Ahh, eso..." dice riendo, mientras se pone de pie y salta para coger una manzana de una de las ramas del árbol en el que estamos descansando, tras lo cual vuelve a sentarse "Es la actitud normal de los de mi raza ante esa clase. Supongo que seria lo mismo si tuviera la clase Artista marcial o Paladín, aunque tengo entendido que la primera es muy difícil de conseguir ya que requiere años de entrenamiento, y la segunda es prácticamente imposible para cualquiera de mi raza ya que tendría que ir al País del cielo para hablar con la diosa de los Avian"
'Paladín... Esa es una clase que no conocía... Aunque es irrelevante para mi si no puedo obtenerla'
"¿Y eso porque es?" pregunto, sin terminar de entender a que se refiere.
"Porque son clases que se originaron en las otras razas. Es similar al desprecio que tiene mi raza por la magia... Y ya viste la cara que tenía esa chica al inicio, cuando vio que eras un Hechicero. Por esa misma razón no utilice mis tatuajes hasta que se fue el guerrero que nos trajo a este piso" dice, mientras pule la manzana con una tela, tras lo cual le da un bocado.
"¿Crees que Jackal habría intentado atacarte, o algo así, solo por ser un Chamán?" pregunto sorprendido.
"Nah... Pero probablemente su actitud hacia nosotros habría cambiado bastante..." dice el anciano, mirando pensativamente su manzana "Que te puedo decir, ya he tenido bastantes experiencias desagradables por mi clase, y por eso me he acostumbrado a esconderla en frente de otras personas. No es la gran cosa, la verdad"
'Pero sigue siendo una mierda que los demás te desprecien solo por ser quien eres...'
"Ahh ¿y como es que tu tienes esa clase?" pregunto, con curiosidad, ya que no entiendo la razón por la que un orco querría obtener una clase que es sabido que le va a acarrear el desprecio de los otros miembros de su raza.
"Eso es asunto mío..." gruñe el anciano en un tono sombrío que me sorprende.
"¿No eras tu el que decia que teniamos que hablar sobre nuestro pasado?" digo en tono de burla, pero cambio rápidamente de táctica al ver la mirada furibunda que me dirige "Pero está bien, no me interesa cómo la conseguiste realmente. Lo que quiero saber es ¿puedes ayudarme a conseguirla? También me interesa la clase Ingeniero. ¿Podría adquirirla si me compro un arma de fuego?"
'No sé qué efectos tendrán esos tatuajes, pero a Kaelion le sirven para ser más rápido, por lo que supongo que yo podría intentar conseguir ese mismo beneficio. Y aunque sigo pensando en que las armas de fuego son un tipo de arma que no me gusta, adquirir dos nuevas clases significaria el tener acceso a un montón de puntos de estadística extra, ya que los primeros niveles de las clases son muy fáciles de subir. Y una vez que consiga la clase ya no tendré ninguna necesidad de usar ese tipo de arma, gracias a mi habilidad pasiva para subir de nivel todas las clases independientemente de la acción que genere la experiencia'
"Haa..." el anciano suspira largamente y vuelve a recostarse, tras lo cual comienza a hablar con su tono habitual "El chamanismo es una clase distinta a las demás... Al subir de nivel no aumenta ninguna característica del individuo por encima de las demás. Por ejemplo, la clase Hechicero aumenta especialmente las capacidades mentales, Guerrero funciona igual pero con las capacidades físicas. Sin embargo, Chamán aumenta todas las capacidades de manera equilibrada. Otra distinción es que sus habilidades permiten a las personas utilizar los tatuajes para afectar el espíritu de aquel que los tiene, y así alterar momentáneamente la forma en que están balanceadas las capacidades de la persona que los usa. Yo, por ejemplo, tengo tres tatuajes. Uno que incrementa mis reflejos y mi velocidad, otro que aumenta mis capacidades físicas, y otro que aumenta mis resistencias físicas. Todos a costa de un poco de mis capacidades mentales, ya que mi clase Ingeniero aumenta casi exclusivamente esas capacidades." mientras el anciano habla con voz adormilada y sigue dándole mordiscos a su manzana, yo escucho muy interesado en la nueva información "También, el que estos tatuajes afecten mi espíritu no quiere decir que yo necesite tener afinidad con la magia espiritual para obtener o utilizar la clase, pero si se que el tenerla facilita mucho su utilización. En suma, es una clase complicada en más de un aspecto, pero creo que podría ayudarte a adquirirla... Como sea, los tatuajes son una cosa que requieren ciertos materiales caros, y ahora mismo estoy algo corto de dinero..." dice, bostezando "Gracias a cierto personaje principal en el que estoy invirtiendo. Y lo mismo va para esa idea de comprar un arma de fuego.... Es cierto que con lo que sacamos hoy podríamos obtener el suficiente dinero, supongo, pero la asociación generalmente tarda varios días en pagarle a los aventureros... Es una estrategia asquerosa que usan para quedarse con el dinero en caso de que la persona muera en el laberinto. En fin, esa es la ley y solo podemos adaptarnos, al menos por ahora..."
"¿Cuanto tiempo tardan en pagar?" le pregunto, después de esperar varios segundos y ver que Kaelion no tiene pensado decir nada más al respecto.
"Aproximadamente solía ser una semana, aunque hace años que no venía a la asociación... Podría haber cambiado para mejor, o para peor, lo cuál veo como lo más probable" dice, el anciano, volviendo a bostezar, y arrojando lejos el carozo de la manzana.
'Mierda... Yo quería intentar conseguir esas dos clases cuanto antes. Eso me ayudaría enormemente para fortalecerme rápidamente y que la ausencia de Azur no se note tanto... Espera... ¿No había dicho la loca recepcionista que me pagaría instantáneamente por el botín del laberinto que le llevará? Hmm, parece que sí que voy a tener que ir a su casa'
"Kaelion, voy a necesitar que me acompañes a cierto lugar cuando salgamos del laberinto. Creo que se como podría conseguir algo de dinero rápido, y así podríamos comprar todo lo que necesitamos" digo, rogando internamente para que el anciano no empiece de nuevo con sus estupideces sobre el amor, y que se yo que mierda más, cuando se entere de a qué lugar pretendo ir.
"Hmm, ok... ¿Y cómo es que tu conoces la ubicación de un lugar de la capital?" pregunta, mirándome con curiosidad con los ojos entrecerrados.
"No sé la ubicación... Solo tengo este papel con la dirección, así que vas a tener que guiarme" digo, mostrándole el trozo de papel que me dio Rinka.
"Esta letra es muy bonita... Hmm, creo que la he visto hace poco... Ahh, entiendo... Así se hace, chico" dice el anciano, al caer en la cuenta de a donde quiero ir, mientras una sonrisa asquerosa se extiende por su rostro.
'Que vas a entender tu... Pero ya me da igual lo que pienses'
...
Cuando salimos del laberinto, ya está empezando a anochecer, por lo que Rinka ya debe estar yendo de camino hacia su casa.
Salimos del edificio de la asociación, y yo dejo que el anciano me guíe por la capital hacia la dirección que aparece en el papel. Tras más o menos media hora de caminata, llegamos a una pequeña casa de tres pisos de aspecto refinado, que es el clon perfecto de todas las casas que hemos visto desde hace unos cinco minutos. Todas ellas son exactamente iguales, pequeñas de tamaño base pero alargadas hacia arriba, y todas construidas de forma contigua apretadamente. Algo impensable en la capital de Liones, donde cada casa y edificio es diferente, y donde la mayoría de las casas suelen ser considerablemente más grandes.
'Supongo que tiene lógica que se contruyan grandes cantidades de casas de la misma manera si el diseño es efectivo... Pero me sigue pareciendo muy extraño..."
...
Cuando tocamos a la puerta, fue bastante evidente que la muchacha pareció desanimarse al ver que yo venía con un acompañante, pero que intentó disimularlo lo mejor que pudo y acepto comprarnos el botín del laberinto, aunque no nos quiso hacer pasar al interior de su casa e hicimos la transacción en el umbral de su puerta.
En total sacamos 7 monedas de oro, lo que está bastante bien teniendo en cuenta que mayoritariamente luché yo solo, y que no estuvimos durante mucho tiempo en el interior del laberinto.
Eso es más que suficiente para comprar los materiales para los tatuajes, según Kaelion, pero mi intención de comprar un arma de fuego va a tener que esperar.
Author Note:
I have a Pat reon page. If you want to support my work, please visit it. There, you could find six chapters in advance for patrons.
https://www.pat reon.com/finlegost
You can find the character concepts here:
https://www.insta gram.com/finlergost
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We have been in the labyrinth for five hours now, and we are looking for a safe room for Kaelion to get out of the labyrinth.
The ancient orc intends to leave the labyrinth early to go and buy the necessary materials for my tattoo and to investigate the prices of available accommodation near the labyrinth, as it would be inconvenient for us to continue staying in a place that is in the outlying area of the capital.
Those were the reasons he gave me, but I also realize that he wants to go out to rest.
Surprisingly, his fighting abilities and instincts are not bad at all, and they get better and better the more time we spend in the labyrinth.
So I get the impression that he used to be a fighter of some sort.
Labyrinth explorer is for sure he wasn't, since he told me before that he came very little in the past, so he was most likely a soldier of the empire or some kind of mercenary.
In any case, he gives the impression that it's been many years since the elder orc's fighting days, and he's now quite out of shape.
The problem with our current objective is that there are really very few safe or challenge rooms on these upper floors, and while asking people for directions can help, it can also be dangerous.
We have been tricked once so far, and since then we are quite cautious about who we ask for information.
The deception was an apparent piece of advice from a small group of 5 people, which led us to an ambush of 30 people.
We got out alive thanks to Kaelion, who dropped bombs that emitted a blinding light that momentarily incapacitated our attackers.
And thanks to that distraction tactic, I was able to slaughter them at full speed with my sword and magic.
In any other context, their numbers might have been a big problem for us.
Probably none of them had the strength to be on these floors, but being in such a large group makes a difference.
The good thing is that there was little point in their numbers if they were all blinded at the same time.
I thought it would be impossible to find such large groups in the labyrinth, as the limit to which you can enter the labyrinth in a group is 10 people, but I guess it is always possible to meet up after entering.
They probably have some method for that, because otherwise I see it as quite difficult to do, given the vastness of the labyrinth.
"Good! It looks like the indication was reliable this time, though it's a pity it's a challenge room and not a safe room," says the elderly orc, approaching the threshold adorned with bright reddish characters.
"Never mind. I can manage on my own if I have to, although it would be nice if you had some more toys like that shiny one you used earlier, just in case." I say, starting to analyze the pattern of the threshold to see if the difficulty of the room might change as a group enters.
"I'd like that too, but those were my last blinding bombs. And the materials to build them aren't cheap..." says the old orc, leaning against the wall of the corridor and letting himself fall into a sitting position.
"...When I get out, I'm going to see if I can buy the materials to create a couple more, but it shouldn't be a resource we abuse."
"It's alright, Kaelion. They won't be necessary. You haven't seen all I'm capable of yet..." I say, with a smile, "... Hmm, I believe we can both go in without fear of being split up or the difficulty of the challenge increasing."
"Haa... I wish you could be certain that's the case, but I guess I can't complain since I don't know how to interpret those patterns myself. I could have learned it, but I was never interested in this place..." says the old orc, reluctantly standing up.
"...But, changing the subject, frankly, I don't know what else you could show me so far. I've already seen your great skill with the sword, how you can set your weapon on fire, and how you can fire projectiles of magic that are as lethal as bullets from my rifle. And that's not to mention your absurd speed and strength."
"You still haven't seen my mana bombs." I say, grinning wider.
'Nor Azur... But for him, I don't think neither the elderly orc nor I will see Azur for a long long while.'
Since yesterday, when I told him he'd better not get in my way if he didn't want me to die because of him, my companion has been completely silent.
It is only after concentrating for several minutes that I can feel a faint trace of his consciousness.
...
"Shit! They're pushing me back because I'm tired. Kaelion! Give me another mana potion. I'm running dry again," I say, and the old orc hurries to give me a mana potion to drink.
We have to do this because I have had both hands full for the last half hour or so, emitting uninterrupted bursts of magical fire against the mindless horde of goblins and hog-goblins that keep coming towards the entrance of our shelter.
The atmosphere of this challenge room is that of a huge cavern, in the typical shape of goblin lairs.
Normally, this type of challenge would be easy for me to beat, but the number of enemies is absurd at levels I've never seen before.
Within seconds of appearing on the scene, we were spotted by a goblin who quickly raised the alarm before I could get rid of him.
And that was the start of our current dilemma, as thousands upon thousands of enemies began to pour in from all sides, so that we barely had time to find a room with only one entrance to barricade ourselves in.
As soon as the enemies reached the threshold of our shelter, I began to cast pure, unrefined mana in the form of a flare from my hands to stop them.
The problem is that, while this technique requires very little concentration as it is not really a spell, it consumes considerably more mana than any of my spells, and its damage and range are rather mediocre, reaching only about 10 meters and doing little more than a third of the damage I could do with a mana bullet.
This is exactly why I've already consumed six mana potions so far.
'It's a pity I can't perform the focused flare from my mouth, as it's something I've only been able to do when fused with Azur...
That kind of attack does a higher amount of damage, has a longer range, and wouldn't consume as much mana as this thing I'm doing now...
But I have to be able to manage this without any help.'
Luckily, the damage and range of the mana streamed from my hands are good enough against goblin-level enemies.
I only have to watch as the endless green horde rushes towards me to receive an instant death.
My flames burned them to ashes in a matter of seconds.
…
A few minutes after consuming the seventh mana potion, the horde of enemies finally comes to an end, whereupon I fall to my knees on the ground and remove my mask, storing it in my inventory so I can breathe easier.
I then lean against the cave wall to rest, as the throbbing in my head from the excessive use of mana makes me feel dizzy and nauseous.
"You sure don't want to go out with me, boy? You've got a bad look on your face. You look like you could pass out at any moment," Kaelion says, approaching with concern as he sees my face.
The elder orc had come out to see the large pile of ash that was left as the only evidence of the horde of enemies.
Since the loot they dropped was surely incinerated and destroyed as a result of being exposed to my flames for so long.
"Nah... I-I just n-need a few minutes of rest..." I say, making an effort to keep my voice from shaking and trying to relax my mind.
"...But having faced so many enemies has made me think of one thing... Why didn't we see any monsters during our journey to the capital? is it .... normal that there are no monsters outside the labyrinth on this continent?"
"Yes, but that's only nowadays. In the old days, the continent was plagued by monsters in the uninhabited areas, as they reproduced at a high rate..." he says, looking at me with a frown.
"...But our race can also develop very fast, unlike the other three thinking races on the continent. That was the main factor that allowed us to take control of the entire continent and practically eradicate monsters from most of it. The only exceptions are some very complicated areas to explore, like the Krag-an jungle, which was the former reptilian country, and the great green forest, current avian territory."
"Ahh," I say in response, combining the response with the involuntary exclamation of pain that escapes me due to another twinge in my head.
'This must be how Sofía must feel at all times now that Lilian and I are not around to help her with the mana supply to the magic academies....
How can anyone put up with such a thing on a continuous basis? No wonder she was so generous to me when she first met me.'
"Are you sure you don't want to go out with me? You're too pale," he says, kneeling down beside me as he pretends to touch my forehead, but I slap his arm away.
'The last thing I need right now is to have to worry about my curse.... I have to make him go away'
"No! Go away. You're a pain in the arse if I have to take care of you because you're exhausted. Go buy what you need for my tattoo...." I say, trying to make my voice sound as firm as possible.
"...I'll stay here for a while resting and see about exploring for a couple more hours when I can."
"Haa... I wish I could change your mind, but I know you well enough by now to realize that's not going to happen. And I also don't have the strength to protect you if I decide to stay, so I guess I'd better get going. Sometimes it's really bad to be old and weak..." he says in a grim voice, standing up with a groan but never taking his eyes off me.
"... Just don't get yourself killed, kid. It would be really sad if the main character of the story I plan to write dies before he does something really epic.... Besides, I still haven't decided what could be more epic for a story like this..."
"Yeah, don't worry. Your story is safe," I say, stifling a grunt as I feel a twinge in the back of my head. "It's not in my plans to die in the labyrinth."
'At least for the time being.'
And with that answer, the orc figure suddenly disappears from the room, leaving me alone in the now-safe room.
"Haa... It couldn't be a room like the one we rested in yesterday.... No! It had to be a bloody cave...." I say, closing my eyes and trying to relax my mind without falling asleep.
Otherwise, I would be at the mercy of anyone else entering the room.
"... Well, at least this cavern has torches on the walls.... A lot of goblin dens don't even have that..."
"....Azur. Don't you want to help me by keeping watch for a few minutes? So I get some sleep, at least," I say into the air, waiting to see if there is some sort of response from my companion, but I only sense the silence of the cavern as any answer.
'I thought so... But it didn't hurt to give it a try'
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