Translator: Lizz
Editor/ Formatting: A s h e s
Proofer: Saphira
Please also check out the Originals, and [similar to FPS]!
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I was heading west from the camp on foot. There weren’t any roads, leaving us to walk through the woods to our destination. Since I didn’t know where exactly our destination was, I simply followed the two women of my party.
“So, Schwarz, what can you do, nya~?”
Mitche asked me. Her long red-and-brown striped tail flicking side to side.
“What can I do huh? As mentioned before we left, I’m a Manuke. I basically can’t use magic or magical items. But…”
“Manuke, nya! Its the first time I’ve ever met a Manuke, nya! but you’re a D-rank, right, nya? What did you do to get that rank?”
“I have many different skills that don’t need magic. That’s why I was able to get my rank.”
“So, what can you do with these skills, nya?”
“Mitch, don’t talk about the subject. The mission requires us not to disclose his skills. That also means we shouldn’t inquire too much into it.”
Frau said while eyeing me suspiciously. She walked beside Mitche, wearing a magician robe and carrying a long wooden staff.[1] It seemed like Frau had a lot on her mind, but didn’t probe because of the mission requirements.
“I also have questions. The Sasanqua you mentioned earlier, what is it?”
“It’s our clan.”
“Sasanqua is a female-only clan, nya~. It’s a mid-level clan based in the Royal Capital, nya~.”
‘Clan’ here most likely similar to my world. A gather of like-minded people and comrades. I also belonged to one in FPS called “P0wDer”. That’s why I picked it as my family name in this world.
“So a clan name, I see. Do many Adventurers join clans?”
“Beginners can’t join clans, nya. To be recognized as a member, you have to be at least D-rank, nya. But I’ve never heard of a Manuke being allowed in a clan, nya.”
Being a part of a clan had many benefits. For missions too difficult for solo-ers, you could form a team with other clan members. Thus, lowering the Difficulty level. Making a party with non-clan members also had the same perks. Also, missions requiring a large-scale party, such as a raid, it’d help lower it as well. But in those cases, the reward is still split among the participants. So the larger the party, the fewer rewards each individual got.
In the case of a Clan, the reward would be considered community property, and your payment secured. This was one thing a non-clan team couldn’t provide.
Furthermore, there still the fact that the Sasanqua clan was female-only. I wasn’t aware of what kind of social positions women in this world had compared to mine. Just thinking about it though, they’d have to not only pay attention to the mission – they’d also have to be wary of their male counterparts. So it was a better option to join a female-only clan.
While on the topic of clans, the entrance to the Labyrinth gradually came into view. It was similar to Wolf Fang, with a wide hole unnaturally in the middle of nature, an eerie draft coming from the darkness.
“Here we are, nya. Schwarz, you take the lead from here, nya. We’ll return to camp in 4 hours so start exploring, nya.”
“Understood, let’s go in.”
I pulled the P90 off my back to my front then mounted both the tactical light and silencer from my waist pouch. I also mounted the 5.7’s silencer and pulled down my head goggles. Thus, I was ready.
“What, ny?! What’s growing out of your helm, ny?! And what’s with that short stick, ny?! What can it do without magic, nya?!”
…
Ms. Cat brimmed with curiosity, her tail flicking wildly with sparkling eyes… Staring at my submachine gun… I could only reply “it’s a secret.” and move on.
Inside the Emerald Demon’s Labyrinth, it was quite different from Wolf Fang. While Wolf Fang felt like a dirt tunnel, this place felt like an underground passage with stone bricks. The passage was 6m’s wide but was only 3m high. With stone arches and paving, it felt more like a European dungeon rather than a place were monsters and hostile races lurked.
However, due to the confined spaces, it was a difficult place for melee fighters with swords and longer weapons. Even the White light from coming from the white flowers, the passage was dark. I turned on my rarely used tactical light, which was a mini-weapon mounted flashlight and switched to my NV Mode.[2]
” ~~~,~~~~, light.”
It sounded like Frau. I turned around and floating before her staff was a ball of light. As expected, I couldn’t understand the magic-charged words while she chanted since I was a Manuke. I thought Mitch would make a fuss about my light, but as expected of a B-Rank. Her expression changed the moment we entered. She was calming surveying the surroundings… Ah, no. Her tail was still flicking wildly.
“First, let’s head towards places that haven’t been explored yet. It’s a waste of time to survey what’s been mapped.”
"Understood, nya."
They simply said and followed behind a few meters. Varold had given me a small version of the incomplete map that I checked while walking. Using my HUD to identify the differences between the map and the actual passage, I headed towards the unmapped parts. I also made sure to spread the White Light seeds around as I walked.
“There are 3 just beyond the left turn ahead.”
“You know, nya?”
“Mitche, did you catch that?”
“Haven’t smelled anything yet, nya.”
“Their footsteps are light. I think they’re just ordinary goblins.”
My earpads caught their low voices perfectly. I gently switched the P90’s selector from safe to full auto. Quickly leaned on the left corner and peeked out. As I thought, they were goblins – same look as the ones I met before. There weren’t any other dots on the map.
“3 Goblins confirmed. Attack?”
“Eh, Schwarz, what are you doing from over there. nya?”
“Once they see my light, they’ll come. Attack them.”
There were almost no light sources in the passageway. My tactical light and Frau’s orb were pretty eye-catching. The moment they spot our light, they’ll rush us. Before that, we could strike first from this distance
Mitch didn’t reply, only smacking her tail against my legs.
The goblins came into my crosshairs. Their ugly faces zoomed closer with the long-range function. Seeing my light, they shouted something. Not caring what they said, I squeezed the trigger and fired at them. 3 shots in each one. I was in good form today, firing 3 neat consecutive shots. Smoothly gliding the crosshairs left to right, leaving holes in each of the goblins’ heads.
“Three down, let’s move on.”
Glancing at Mitche and Frau for…
“what’s that, nya —–!”
And I didn’t.
[1]. Reworded with connected sentence removed ->magician-like robe
Connected sentence-> No doubt she was a magician.
Reason: Because fucking obviously.
[2]. A s h e s – Night vision goggles cannot work in complete darkness. They require ambient light to function, even a small source such as an IR, Infrared light not visible to humans. I don’t own one, though I hope to in the future – along with a Thermal sight for my rifle – I read that very rarely they won’t see in complete darkness as objects give off radiation, The radiation from bananas measures out as 3,520 picocuries per kilo.
Though, he wouldn’t need a tactical light if his goggles had an IR light attached.