Chapter 19
The Thieves' greatest weapon was their numbers.
They didn't have any special skills or outstanding gear.
They were just a mob of starving people gathered for plunder.
"Damn it, what is that now!"
"A Shield? He's using strange magic. Watch out!"
Their reaction was faster than expected.
The Thieves noticed my presence and gradually began to turn their attention this way.
Standing alone holding a Shield of rippling blue water.
It was a sight that would catch my eye, too.
Were there a good twenty of them? They lacked trained combat skills and magic, but their numbers were overwhelming.
Still, I knew exactly what I had to do.
"One by one... one at a time...."
I muttered to myself, as if hypnotizing myself.
There was nothing more important than whittling down their numbers.
My role on this battlefield was the shielder.
However, the Shield I used wasn't an ordinary one.
Smack!
"Gah-!"
I pushed away a charging Thief with my Shield.
One fell, and Carl, who was trying to strike my body, bumped into the Shield and bounced off.
"Watch out! That bastard hits with his Shield!"
Someone shouted. It was a natural reaction.
The Thieves swarmed in because of the conspicuous Shield.
Smack!
"Ugh!"
Another one was hit by the Shield and stumbled back.
All I did was push them away and defend.
Honestly, there was nothing else I could do.
"You son of a bitch!"
One Thief aimed for my side with a Dagger.
I twisted my body and thrust the Water Shield forward.
Clang!
"Why is it so hard- urgh!"
"A Thief bastard thinks he can ignore me?"
Of course, I wasn't alone either.
Once I pushed forward, my allies took care of the enemies.
My role was clear.
Hold up the Shield to block the front, absorb enemy attacks, and open a path.
In gaming terms, I was an aggro tank.
"You idiots! Just ignore that bastard!"
"Fuck! Then who's going to stop him!"
But could they really ignore me?
I was also holding a Dagger, so I could be a threat at the very least.
The fatigue building up in my body gradually blurred my mind, but there was no time to collapse.
The biggest threat to me on this battlefield wasn't the Thief right in front of me.
An Arrow.
Arrows flying from afar were aiming for the gaps in my Shield.
Thwack!
"Watch out!"
The archer shot an Arrow high into the air.
For a moment, there was no time to dodge.
The speed at which that Arrow headed toward me was faster than expected, flying at me with no room to evade.
Swoosh-
"Damn it-!"
I hurriedly spun my body around.
Clang!
The moment the Arrow struck the Water Barrier, a heavy impact was transmitted straight into my body.
My body swayed backward, pushed back by a step.
'It is okay. I am fine....'
The Water Barrier blocked most of the impact, but not all of it.
Pain wrapped around my body, spreading like gentle ripples.
My strength slowly drained away, and my limbs refused to listen.
However, my mind was still very much alive.
That thin veil of water blocking my front was the last lifeline allowing me to hold on.
"Seems like this bastard is exhausted too, right?"
But the enemies in front of me were getting closer and closer.
One of them swung a Two-handed Sword at my Shield and screamed.
"Die!!"
"Urrgh- fuck!"
As his Greatsword smashed into my Water Shield, a tremendous shock coursed through my entire body.
My body staggered, and I took a step back.
Clang! Clank!
Splash!
The relentlessly swung Greatsword hacked away at the Shield in rapid succession.
In the end, the Shield shattered.
Water splashed, and the final strike broke through my defense and slammed directly into my body.
Crash!
"Keugh–!"
I fell backwards just like that, rolling on the ground.
My breath hitched, and a crushing impact washed over me.
...But I was alive.
The shock to my torso reverberated all the way to my bones, but thankfully, I had the Brigandine.
The steel plates embedded in the armor didn't tear; they dulled the impact and protected my body.
If it weren't for this... I might have had a new breathing hole in my stomach.
Lying on the floor, I tried to draw up my mana.
But I felt absolutely nothing.
My consciousness gradually faded.
The only sensations left were the cold ground and the fading sounds.
'Is this it...'
Gripping my Dagger with trembling hands.
I barely managed to glare at the approaching silhouettes of the Thieves.
That was when it happened.
Someone charged in from behind the Thieves.
The sound of clashing steel, heavy breathing.
The Mercenaries had broken through the front lines, tearing across the battlefield.
"Kill all these Thief bastards!"
"Uwaaahhh!"
Is it finally over?
The Thieves collapsed one by one right before my eyes.
The remaining ones fled in terror, and only then did the battle finally end.
I wanted to feel the joy of victory.
But my body was already sprawled on the floor, unable to move another inch.
Gasping for air, I opened my mouth one last time.
"I pulled... my weight...."
Those words were all I could leave behind.
***
Opening my eyes in a somewhat hazy state, I realized the space I was in was dark.
'Phew, I guess I'm not dead.'
As I realized I was still alive, the remaining fatigue hit me all at once.
I lay there on the floor, staring at the ceiling and lost in thought.
'Why the hell are there so many battles?'
The fights I had gone through so far flashed through my mind.
It hadn't been long since I arrived in this world, yet I'd already fought five times.
And every time, I barely managed to survive.
Was there some incident that caused Thieves to run rampant?
No, maybe everything I experienced was just such an event.
Because in this world, things like this... must be just an everyday occurrence.
'Should I try to learn about the state of the world?'
Honestly, if this world was always like this, it's a bit grim.
I felt the need to gather some information at least once.
I was tired of getting caught up in things without knowing anything.
Just as those thoughts surfaced one after another in the dark room.
[You have reached a milestone. Please select a perk.]
A familiar voice rang in my ears.
It isn't an enhancement this time.
There probably are separate conditions for it.
'Right, let's put complicated thoughts aside... and just pick this.'
Flash-!
__________________________
[Maximum Strength Increase]
[Maximum Mana Increase]
[Equipment Item: Weapon]
__________________________
"Crazy..."
The moment I saw the card appear, an exclamation naturally slipped out.
It was surprising that it was a new type of card, but what caught my eye even more was its color.
The color of the [Equipment Item: Weapon] was, surprisingly, 'blue'.
'Could it be a rare grade?'
I wasn't completely sure.
But among all the cards I had seen so far, this was the first to emit such a vivid blue light.
And above all, an 'Equipment Item'.
Usually, stat enhancements or magic were everything, so I never expected a weapon to appear.
Perhaps the Wealth Increase I saw last time was foreshadowing.
'What kind of weapon is it? It wouldn't be something I can't use, right?'
The moment that thought crossed my mind, I felt a little anxious.
If it happens to be something like a hammer or a Greatsword... that would be really troublesome.
I briefly skimmed the description written at the bottom of the card.
[A weapon suited to the user will be provided at random.]
"...Ah, fuck. It's random again?"
A curse popped out of my mouth automatically.
The only saving grace was the phrase 'suited to the user'.
'They wouldn't say this and then give me something like an ultra Greatsword, would they?'
I felt uneasy, but at the same time, my expectations were high.
Right, it's not like I can just skip it.
I tapped on [Equipment Item: Weapon] just like that.
The card that usually seeped into my hand condensed in the air this time.
Crackle-!
A blue light flashed right before my eyes.
Soon after, something fell in front of me with a thud.
I quickly ran over and bent down.
Half curious, half anxious.
I slowly lowered my head and looked at the dropped item.
"...A staff?"
It was a long, smooth, black staff.
At the tip, a round blue Crystal Ball was embedded.
The handle was neatly wrapped in leather that felt good to grip.
I wasn't sure what kind of wood the black frame of the staff was made of.
However, it had a delicate, rippling pattern carved into it, giving off an elegant and mysterious vibe.
It was an odd design mixed with a strangely modern sensibility.
Even so, it definitely looked like a magical item.
And strangely... I felt like it would fit perfectly in my hand.
'It's cooler than I thought.'
I stared at it for a moment, then reached out and carefully picked it up.
The staff, which was half my height, was lighter and sturdier than expected.
As I held the staff, a card appeared before my eyes.
[Equipment Item: Droplet Staff]
[Grade: Rare]
[Description: Slightly improves control over blue magic. Stores water with a certain probability when using magic.]
"...Oh."
An exclamation naturally slipped from my lips.
A staff. This was an item that suited the current me perfectly.
Yeah, a staff is the standard for a Magician.
Plus, it stores water with a certain probability?
I didn't know what the probability was, but it was a fairly helpful option.
'Things like this actually come to me too, huh.'
I wanted to yell yahoo in my heart, but my body was exhausted from the battle I just had.
As I gave in to the fatigue, my consciousness gradually faded.
***
When I opened my eyes, I was lying inside a Carriage.
My head was dizzy, my body ached, and I was crushed by fatigue.
As I slowly opened my eyes and assessed the situation, my memories finally returned.
The battle with the Thieves, and the moment I collapsed as my Water Shield shattered during it.
And... the memory of selecting the system reward at the end of that battle.
'Right, there was something I received as a reward...'
However, no matter how much I looked around, the staff was nowhere to be seen.
What is this, did I get scammed?
I tilted my head and slowly stood up.
Just then, the Tent opened and a voice called out.
It was a familiar voice, Barret's.
"You're awake. Thank goodness."
He poked his head into the Carriage and said.
"We've taken care of all the Thieves, and we're cleaning up the rest."
"Ah, is everyone safe?"
"Thanks to your efforts, Riv, the Carriage and the Merchant Guild members are safe, but two of our men...."
Seeing his gloomy expression, I finally realized my mistake.
Well, everyone surviving would be too much like a storybook.
The only silver lining was that at least Barret was safe.
He checked on my condition briefly, then immediately went back outside to handle the aftermath.
The inside of the Carriage remained quiet.
Outside, Barret's orders flew back and forth, followed by the sounds of bustling activity.
Just as the relief of the battle's end set in, fatigue and pain belatedly washed over me.
A heavy ache lingered in my shoulders and elbows, and my fingertips occasionally twitched.
I had hoped for a level-up recovery reward, but it wasn't what I expected.
It seemed I would need a bit more time to fully recover.
"Are you doing alright?"
Barret briefly approached and asked. A worried look flickered across his face.
"You must be very tired, so please rest a bit more."
"I'm fine."
I answered in an exhausted voice.
A fleeting look of concern crossed his face, but he soon nodded.
"You pushed yourself too hard this time. Make sure you get plenty of rest."
At his words, I quietly shook my head and closed my eyes again, surrendering my weary body.
Outside, Barret's instructions continued as they wrapped up the battle's aftermath.
How much time had passed?
When I opened my eyes again, the sounds outside the Carriage had faded, and a brief silence fell.
Turning my head toward the window, I saw Barret walking this way with something in his hand.
He approached the Carriage door and silently held out the item in his grasp.
It was none other than the staff I had received as a system reward.
"I found this."
Barret handed over the staff with a serious expression.
"It belonged to the Thief boss. Since you, Riv, played such a huge role, it is only right that you take it."
I numbly accepted the staff.
...Was it supposed to be distributed like this?
No matter how I thought about it, it was strange for a mere Thief to have such a luxurious-looking staff.
Besides, handing it over just like that because I helped out a bit?
The system definitely manipulated causality here.
As if forcibly piecing together the flow of the story.
As that thought crossed my mind, an inexplicable chill ran down my spine.
'Perhaps, the one who brought me to this world was...'
But I quickly shook off that thought.
What mattered right now was surviving.
To survive, I had to use whatever I could.
I gripped the staff firmly again and offered Barret a quiet smile.
"Thank you."
When I said that, Barret gave a slight nod.
"Please rest. It is really time for you to take a break."
The Carriage slowly began to move again.
Drifting in and out of sleep from the lingering fatigue, the sun was already setting.
The red evening sunlight filtered through the Carriage window, and the surrounding scenery changed alongside the darkening sky.
The road became much more peaceful and quiet, and the Carriage was nearing the end of its final journey to the village.
The scenery outside the window became clearer, and the lights of the village gradually appeared.
The lights drawing closer from the distance signaled the village's borders.
And within that light, the silhouettes of people could be seen.
The Carriage gradually slowed down, and the village entrance came into view.
A wooden gate appeared, and beyond it stood neat rows of small houses.
The atmosphere of the village was still tranquil, looking as if people were wrapping up their evening activities.
As the Carriage reached the center of the village, I pulled myself up.
A moment later, the Tent of the stopped Carriage was pulled back, and Barret's voice rang out.
"We have arrived. This is the village of Delhar."
Finally, we had arrived at the village.
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