Chapter 008 - Magician of the dead

Karito sat down on the stairs that led to the roof. Besides himself, everyone else were busy, going back and forth in preparation against the Alwina Army invasion. Being unable to endure the boredom anymore, he stood up to find a place where he could be alone, resulting in his arrival at this desolated place.

Guards were assigned on the rooftops which made him barely alone. As a result, he arrived at this half baked place.

He guessed that he would just give up and go back to Reona’s room when the next shift of guards comes.

“............ but, honestly it was a little bit regrettable isn’t it?”

He remembered Reona’s temptation and felt heat rising up his body. He cursed himself for turning into self-destruction mode instantly. .

There was no way denying that he’s frustrated! Even if it was the other side who seduced him, there was no way he could attack her while her younger sister was sleeping on the side. It was way too crude by the common-sense!

For time being, he’s starting to regret a little bit.

“Anyways, it is quite the trouble for my weapon to break when I can’t use the shops anymore.”

Weapon destruction are common in <WBGO>. It would occur randomly when hit by a bullet or explosion at close range, and to counter this issue, they could pick up a spare weapon or weapons dropped by dead enemies in the area.

But, the definition of weapons in <WBGO> was considerably wide, beside guns, bombs and knives, as long as it displays on the weapon icon, be it an iron pipe, a bottle, a brick, or even a chair, it will be considered as a weapon too. Within the game, there are even eccentric players who would obtain certain titles from using an unusual weapon or fighting with a weapon that could only be made by local materials.

For the time being, Karito already completed the titles and skills for it, the main effects resulted in the improvement of close-ranged attacks, long-ranged throwing attacks, and it also unlocked exclusive combos with the weapons made from local material.

Setting that aside, if one choose not to discard the unusable destroyed weapon and instead store it in their item box , it could still be put out for repair by connecting to the shop through the PDA. However, ever since Karito arrived to this world, the PDA could not be used, aside from changing his equipment and storing and taking out items.

It was suppose to be like that.

“Even though I have obtained unlimited money in my hand, has it become useless....?”

Karito’s grumblings stopped abruptly as he operated his PDA.

On the screen, an icon indicating some kind of update was being carried out flickered.

It was the first change since he came into this world. Karito’s body slightly stiffened and he immediately tapped on the icon.

<<A fixed BP(Battle Point) has been saved. The Shop will be unlocked. You are now able to purchase various equipment through the Shop. When more points are accumulated, support request option will be enabled.>>

BP equals to experience points in <WBGO>, it can be earned when you succeed on missions in the Mercenary Mode and by defeating enemies or reaching special objectives. In addition, by allotting BP into various parameters it can be used to reinforce the players’ abilities, and in accordance to the accumulation, you will also be able to unlock various kinds of restrictions, making possible to buy a high end equipment and strong support in the Shop.

However, that wasn’t the important point for Karito..

The reason why the Shop which was unusable when he was in the mountain hut can be used now. The difference between that time and now was the amount of points he had accumulated.

“Is it because I have killed enemies over there?”

That was the only reason he could think of. Inside <WBGO>, the shop will only be useable after clearing the practice mission received after the basic operation tutorial. He could only guess based on that.

For instance, ‘isn’t there a clue for me to return to my original world?’ this flashed through his mind?

As the points accumulate, a special privilege will unlock, and he may be able to finally return to his original world now――――

Such expectations immediately disappeared after he looked at the log of how much points he had acquired with his PDA. As expected, it was at the time when he killed the Alwina soldiers that he earned those points.

He didn’t notice anything about the points when he made his first kill to help Reona and Rina, because Karito has turned off the settings when he was in the mountain hut, that was why the message about the points did not notify him at all.

“Damn it, is this some kind of joke......!”

A real killing on a real battlefield, it was made exactly like the game and with that being reflected into reality, was somewhat disturbing that it isn’t laughable.

Seized by impulse to throw the PDA at the wall, Karito gritted his teeth and managed to somehow endure it and persisted to operate it.

After opening the shop, item purchases and repairs, as well as some support request became available. As the result of Karito’s many years of play and having collected almost all of the items from events and limited time rare equipments at an infinite amount, there were no new benefit for Karito.

Fortunately, the equipment repair was made possible. Although a period of time will be consumed before it was possible to use it again, with the essential money in infinite amount, it was possible to repair an armor like Juggernaut MK3. With this, as long as he did not abandon the broken weapons, Karito was grateful that he wouldn’t have to lose more weapons anymore.

The problem was the Support Request. The contents of the support request was divided into two kinds, one was the supplies support that summons the special equipments and weapons itself, and the other one was for support attacks where once the request is accepted, the attack will be executed out of nowhere towards the appointed target .

This type of supports that could be requested by paying money at the present was only for basic stuffs, but in this fantasy world where the level of civilization was only in the Medieval Era, even Karito vaguely understood how outstanding it could be.

Even if the other support request couldn’t be used at the moment, as battle accumulates, other options would probably be available naturally...... but, Karito didn’t have any intention to participate in battles for such a reason.

At least for now.

“But, I am grateful that the support request is possible now, I wonder if it can be activated properly.”

As expected he couldn’t possibly try it here, he might try it later when there is an opportunity.

When he heard voices and footsteps from the top of the stairs, he decided to return back to his assigned room. Because of how he left the room, it was harder to return to it now, he vowed not to be taken by Reona’s pace this time.

As expected, the soldiers were all busy as he passed them, he followed the route that he already memorized back to his room, feeling ashamed. There he saw the shadow of a person dressed in a robe standing by the door that was left open. It seemed to be a visitor, but Karito couldn’t identify what kind of person it was since the whole body was covered in a robe from head to toe.

Karito managed to approach behind the person covered in robe quickly. The person didn’t seem to notice even after he was already at a distance where he could touch her if he were to stretch his hand. Looking inside the room from behind, Reona seemed to be talking with Ordy, his back facing the door.

The one who noticed first wasn’t Reona but Ordy.

“Aah, I am glad that you decided to return”

“Mn? Who are you――――”

Karito realized that the person dressed in robes was a women not by her voice but by the sense of her touch.

Despite that the jet black robe seemed to have been cut out from darkness and was made from a fairly thick fabric, the feeling of the soft skin that had transmitted over was definitely of a women. Rather it would be more surprising if it was a man instead.

“Uoou!?”

The person in robes jumped up in surprise. Due to the jump, the hood that hid the head slipped down and her face was instantly revealed.

To be honest, she was a beauty to the extent that you can’t help but stare once you had taken a glance of her.

Her eyes, the bridge of her nose, and the shape of her lips gave off the strong impression of an intellectual being .

On other hand, the atmosphere that she gave off was far from sharpness, but instead was one that gave Karito the illusion that he was standing in front of a proud millennium old large tree.

However there were two distinct features of her beauty.

One was the color of her skin. Her skin was so pale that shet looked like an ice statue that just came alive. It gave the feeling that blood was no flowing inside her.

The other one was her eyes. Her pupils were dull white. She was blind.

“Umm...... who are you? I mean, do you have any business with Ordy-san?”

“Apparently this person wants to talk with you. She intended to look for you alone, but I guided her as well since I have business with my daughter.”

“Is that so. I am sorry that I left the room without permission when you came to visit――――”

“Please excuse me for a while.”

“Yes? Wa, it is cold!?”

No sooner she said that, the finger of the beautiful blind woman dressed in robe, stretched from inside her robe and touched Karito. Both of her hands groped Karito’s upper part body as if she wanted to check it, part by part. Her fingers creeped upwards to his face without hesitation. Her fingertips were cold, like ice.

“Well, this is surprising. This is the first time I witness such an existence. The face is not bad at all.”

“May I ask who are you!?”

“Oh, I am sorry for my rudeness, I became engrossed since you’re such an unusual person. My name is Marian Angelheart. Even though I look like this, I am a pretty good magician.”

“What is with the ‘pretty good’. Listen Karito, this person here, is called the walking dictionary of the Belcania Allied Nations and is also the best national class magician around .”

“I am just a human who died long ago. Don’t exaggerate it like that, I am just a woman who should have died in an epidemic but still failed to die.”

“In regards to various words that I’ve missed out .”

The strongest class magician, well, looking at her magician like robe, at a glance it does gives off the impression of a high quality item, surely the magician’s robe give a powerful status buffs. The woman herself vibrated a presence that any ordinary person would not.

When he said that she was a walking dictionary, it was possible that she was older than her appearance suggested, here being the world of magic, it wouldn’t seem odd that a medicine to restore youth and perpetual immortality exists. It would be rather disappointing for Karito if reality was to set and she would look like her real age. Yet as long as she has the face of a young beautiful woman, whether she was five hundred or a thousand years old, Karito will not care.

However, when he heard her say ‘I have been dead long time ago’ and ‘I should have died suddenly but still failed to die.’ he couldn’t simply ignore this statement.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t follow your story.......”

“Ee, could you have be a spiritual being by any chance? I heard stories from my father, but this is my first time seeing the real thing.”

“O, onee-chan don’t say it like that, that is rude.”

“Rina is right. You aren’t permitted to speak like that in front of a superior human being! Moreover this is your first meeting.”

[TL: superior here is not in racist thing, but more someone who have higher status, like how you difference high elf and normal elf.]

A dull sound of fist and a dog like scream echoed. Immediately after that, Karito asked a fundamental question.

“.... what is a spiritual being?”

“Spiritual beings are people who had been sent into the underworld yet to once again be revived to the living world. Even so, only a few renowned magician did this after fulfilling several conditions.”

“What are the conditions?”

“First of all, that person has to be a powerful spirit magician...... and it seemed to be limited to human magicians too. There are terms for the cause of death too where it should not be caused by a wound from battles or death from poisoning.”

“In other words, only a master magician who had died by natural death and diseases can become a spiritual being .”

“That is almost correct. The point is that the spiritual beings are essentially the same as a living human, except that the body is moved by the power of spirits instead of blood. One will not feel any pain nor heat or cold, even if a sword was to penetrate the body, blood will not flow just like a dead person. The only benefit of becoming a spiritual being is that unless the body is completely destroyed, one would obtain a pseudo immortality, but if they are already tired of living, then this benefit would only be a pain to them.”

Only someone who had experience it like Marian could calmly state it with importance and intensity.

The sorrow of longevity that surpassed any ordinary person, was a story that has been going around since the creation of the earth. Even Karito somehow had grasped the idea of what the pseudo beautiful zombie right in front of him had experienced.

“It must have been hard for you.”

“I am still having a hard time. In addition, there are some old fashioned fools who wanted to wage a huge war and pick a fight with this country. I have thought numerous time that I should have just retired to some mountain and spend my life quietly.....”

“I understand that, but why are you touching me again!?”

“It can’t helped since my eyes can’t see. When I was young I was infected by a common epidemic and after three days and three nights of fever I finally collapsed. However, you sure are a strange one ―――― that reminds me I still didn’t know your name. Can you tell me please?”

“Wa, Watari, I am called Watari Karito. Watari is my surname and Karito is my given name.”

“It is a strange name. Where did Karito came from?”

“..... In short, I came from a distant place. To be frank, maybe it can be called another world.”

“Another world hm. I see, then I am convinced. That explains why even my ‘eyes’ are unable to see it.”

While speaking out her thoughts, Marian nodded her head repeatedly, the others tilted their heads in confusion.

The other people didn’t seem to have notice it, not even Karito himself, but only she was aware of the difference.

“Is there something wrong with Karito-san....?”

“That is, I can’t feel any sign of spirit from this Karito boy at all. That is why my spiritual eyes can’t see the figure of this boy.”

“Kun Kun..... it hurts. Then, what is this spirit eyes?”

The 2nd ironfist of love fell.

“Fumu. I have already said it a while ago that I turned blind because of an illness that I contracted when I was young. But, I was blessed with magic talent as compensation instead, and had the ability to see the spirits of living beings and inanimate objects.”

“According to her, she sees the silhouette of person and things like grains of various colours in darkness.”

Karito had heard stories that when someone loses one of the five senses, the remaining senses will become more sensitive.

There seemed to be a woman who was visually impaired. Although she can’t see she was able to visualize the scenery in her brain artificially by sharpening other senses to the extreme. Marian’s case was like the fantasy version of it.

“Later, I named it the ‘Spirit Eyes’ since it enables one to see the power of the spirit living in a person with the spirit eyes. I had thought of such a simple name but it had made things easier. With this, I am able to see objects on the other side of a wall and able to sense anyone approaching from behind to some range immediately. In addition, the scale of spirit flow I am able to see is more accurate than when you see with naked eyes. It had became more enjoyable that I was improving magic more efficiently. Before I realized it, I was chosen as a Royal magician in the royal palace. In those days, I innocently rejoiced.”

“How long ago is that story?”

“N, how long was it? was it 500 years ago? No, was it 600 years ago?”

Aside from the complexion of her dead body, this beauty already 500 years old (estimation) huh. Un, this is fantasy after all.

....... No, in this case isn’t he the one who is a stranger in this world, an existence of fantasy instead? Karito seemed seriously troubled for a moment

“Well, if I’m able to go through to this world, have I not already fall into an acceptable range.”

“What are you talking about?”

“No, I’m just mumbling .”

“Let’s return back to the topic, I wasn’t able to notice Karito’s existence until I was called out, the reason was because I couldn’t feel the flow of spirit from him. As though he had came from a place where ......... magic doesn’t exist. .”

Everyone’s eyes focused on Karito at once. Under the intimidating attention from all the stares, Karito felt like faltering.

“...... I am very sorry to question a benefactor of my daughters in this way. But I want you to tell me clearly now――――who are you?”

He wanted to give an honest answer if he could. Even though Karito was exuding such a troubled ambience, under Ordy’s intimidating stare that can even stop the crying children, Karito wasn’t able to withstand it anymore.

“―――――― In other words you had strayed into this world before you notice it?”

“If you put it simply, it is like that.”

“Then I am able to comprehend it to some extent. Since you came from a world where neither spirit nor magic exists, I can understand why I can’t feel any signs of spirits in Karito boy at all.”

“When I first saw the weapon you called ‘gun’, I thought it was some kind of magic item, but indeed to be able to create such a complicated weapon like that with only steel and without magic, the technology of your world is truly amazing .”

Eventually, Karito confessed the details of how he had arrived in this world from the beginning, to the events till now to some degree.

The content of his story was is 60% lie and 40% truth. He said that he was a soldier from a country called ‘Japan’ in the world called ‘Earth’ where magic does not exist, he was fully armed since he was training for an actual battle before he noticed that he slipped into this world.

To be honest, he felt extremely uncomfortable to tell a lie, in fear of other people finding out (Especially Ordy), Karito was quite perturbed by it.

It will be quite confusing to explain about <WBGO>, especially about the VRMMOFPS stuff, in the world where even the concept of video games does not exist, it would be useless to explain it.

In this situation where the people of the alternate world to be in the middle of a real war that was about to happen, Karito had to surrender to such methods as to defend himself and not displease them by revealing himself as someone who is addicted to the entertainment of a Battlefield simulation experience

For now, it seemed like Ordy and other had readily believed on Karito’s circumstances which had more lies than the truth. And by such response, Karito’s conscience was tormented even more .

“Well. Even though you are from different world, as long as you’re a soldier I would like to ask for your help but...... No, I shouldn’t be involving you more than this. Karito, Reona and Rina too, listen to me please .”

“Yes, what is it Father?”

Ordy squat down to match his eyes with his younger daughter, and placed his hand on the shoulder of his older daughter, stating with serious face.

“You will leave this town with Karito at tomorrow’s dawn. The Alwina Army should reach here on the day after tomorrow. You guys have to escape before that.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[TL:This is the author Q&A with the reader]

>By the situation, the invading army is like a cornered rat as well.

The situation is similar to the Soviet Union force in WW2

>You don’t have to mind the impressions too much, just do your best!

Thanks for the heartwarming words.

But I tend to be easily swayed by the words of others.

>Don’t just fight directly from the front, what about setting traps too?

For this Citadel Battle, we’ll have the main character join the guerilla fight for the town.

>Could he carry a 106 mm anti tank as he wears the power suit?

Of course I wouldn’t have him wait as a Bush Master after having him wear the strengthen exoskeleton armour. I’m sorry to have not meet your expectations.