Aurelia casts her buffs on me, giving me more HP and magic potency.
I look at the adventurer who is confronting me in the eyes. If Karina is telling the truth, I have a chance. But I would prefer to stay out of this, this whole mess of a situation.
He is fighting against me for a bounty on my head.
Adventurers are more powerful than other NPCs. The game generates a list of adventurer NPCs you can meet in your adventures, talk to, start relationships with, recruit, invite to your base, or even fight. They are ranked on a list from F to SS, based on their fame and levels. I reached A+ rank before this all started and was already touching S.
"You understand you are not taking the bounty, even if you defeat me?" I warn him.
He looks at Aurelia, who is sitting on the roof with her legs crossed.
"Yo!" She waves her hand to him.
"You were always hiding tricks." He says.
The problem is I don't have any of those tricks. I never used exploits or secret cheats to become powerful; I just studied the systems of the game to the point that I can build everything I want, and I had some very broken items.
FLASH!
He is in my face.
"I have them too!"
I activate [Magic Barrier] and I am forced a few steps back and closer to the edge for a big fall.
What makes adventurers dangerous is that they have items that are at least Rare and very often at least a Mystic. In S Rank, it is always Godly.
I respond with a barrage of [Firebolt] against him. I cast it several times as my magic allows, not worried, thanks to Aurelia's buff helping my regeneration. The six bolts fly towards him. He manages to move in the last second, but fails in the last bolt, hitting his arm.
[Human Adventurer is severely damaged (-3260)!]
I do that without using Bloodless's secret skill.
And the System did not show his name... It seems based on my knowledge. This is just making this situation more awkward, like when you meet someone, they tell you your name and then you cannot remember it, and you feel that you will offend them by asking again? Yeah, like that, because he seems to have known me for a while now.
"You are weaker... Normally, those cause more damage..." He comments.
"How did you know I was here?" I ask him.
"Huh?"
"How did you know?"
From my perspective, the Kingdom should believe I was dead.
He pauses for a second, looks around himself. Maybe he believes he is being set up for a trap, but I have genuine curiosity.
"I heard the guards talk about you and a possible bounty for around 400.000 Gold." He finally says.
400.000?! That is a big amount! Not even S-rank adventurers get marked like that! And Godly items in auctions and stores cost around that! Hell, you should be able to afford a small villa with that money!
But that made me realize how they knew I was here... The bank probably fired an alarm when I tried to access my account to withdraw. The catgirl who gave us service probably told the guards.
...
I wonder if...
"Aurelia! When we are done here, we are moving north!"
"You are the boss!" She answers.
"North? Are you going to the Federation?" Karina asks
I simply nod.
"Let's finish this."
"So, running out of the Kingdom's grasp to their sworn rivals? I wonder how that will go!" The adventurer says.
Seems he is excited about what is happening, or at least, his smile that is slowly forming is what is telling me that.
He jumps to the side and throws several daggers in my direction. I reposition myself, moving to the side when I see the objects going towards me. Three daggers bounce without harm, a fourth one breaks the barrier but loses momentum, and a fifth manages to hit me.
[You have been severely damaged (-2350)!]
That took around 50% of my HP.
I need to finish this quickly. Even with health regeneration from the buff, his DPS is higher, so he can contest it with ease. And that is not considering that it takes a couple of seconds before the regen starts. In the game there were a few turns based on your speed to act, but here it is in real time.
But... I know how to win this.
I fire a few firebolts to keep pressure, holding Bloodless with a tight grip. He can dodge them with ease, moving from side to side in jumps. And he keeps his distance, using his crossbow and daggers to attack. Maybe he is afraid of Bloodless.
Why would a mage be using a sword?
Every time one of his daggers falls to the ground, it disappears and reappears on his belt.
If they had any magic damage, they would be dangerous.
He counters, but I keep [Magic Shield] up as long as I can and move out of the way when possible.
Based on this fight... This is an F-ranked adventurer. Anything higher, I would have a hard time following.
"Done," I say when I manage to read his jumping distance.
I cast a [Fire bolt] knowing it will miss, and then use an [Ice Bolt] where ge is going to land.
The ice bolt causes the portion of the roof where he is landing to turn into ice and he fails to keep balance and trips.
I move forward.
I cast [Inferno]
The cone of fire engulfs him and throws him against the bell tower, complaining in pain when he lands.
He tries to stand up and look up at me, but the damage notification shows it caused a large amount, over 8700 points of damage.
Again, if this were a higher-level adventurer, I would be toast.
"Y-you always fight dirty..."
"That is dirty?" I always did it in the game; it is a simple tactic. "I just did what I need to survive. We are moving."
"Wait, I have something to-"
CRASH!
The whole roof shakes and makes me fall. I turn around and see something has fallen on it.
More like... Someone.
"Hahahaha! So this is what the commotion is! No one else than Amber, the Mage!" The new person says.
He had a beard on his chin, his hair was brown and short, brown eyes. He was in full plate armor that covered his whole body, and was using a claymore that was as big as him. And I think I see an orange aura coming from under him.
"Time for you to face justice for attempting to kill Miss Orianna, vulpin!"
This cannot get worse.