Chapter 10 (1/2)

I detected a fewthe small elven settlement, most likely humans Combined with the word 'slave hunters' I heard, I had a bad feeling about this

I headed towards the speed, I saw nine humans

They… probably weren't beta players

Dirty, unkempt looks, ratty leather coats Unlike the players Iht be players roleplaying as bandits, but I doubted that It had only been 10 days since the game started I didn't think those kind of roleplayers would show up so soon

I got as close as I dare, to take a closer look on their equipment

They had more handaxes and bows than swords, plus plenty of ropes on their belts Only one looked like awith a choker

…that ay more evidence than I ever asked for

Let's assuame event happened due to the kid's talk about slave hunters, then their target roup of si The ropes were to capture large ani with that choker because he was bored… yeah, I know, that was a stretch even by inal goal was to gain strength and survive until the end of the alpha test, for ten years of life and a new identity

The experiate thea monster avatar extremely different froa ers were just NPCs, there was no need for ht have become a lot more apathetic to sapient life ever since , but I hadbad happen to him

There were two choices here

One, I warn the village of the danger… if only I could speak I could try to threaten the didn't allow them to run? Then I'd be their enemy

Two, I deal with these people before they could find the settlement… well, they wouldn't be here if they didn't knohere it was already Before they could approach the settlement, then

I couldn't just chase them away I needed to make sure they never coh

[Magician x1] [Race: Huic Points (MP): 65/65] [Hit Points (HP): 48/48] [Total Coic Points (MP): 40/40] [Hit Points (HP): 70/70] [Total Coic Points (MP): 30/30] [Hit Points (HP): 60/60] [Total Coly, they eaker than beta players But they still had around the saence and ence hat allows one to defeat more powerful enemies, and was the reason why humans were so scary Yet that was still no reason for me to retreat here

…but what if they weren't actually slave hunters? As soft as I was, I couldn't act until I was 100 sure I made plans to confirm

First off, I used [Human Form (Terrible)] – a skill in name only, as what should have been processed by the system was all offloaded to my brain – to turn humanoid, then wore the cloak

I approached, then stopped hidingtowards thele step

The day was nearly over I supposed the (probable) slave hunters were planning onover there!”

As Ia lookout shouted to his fellows

Yes, there's so around in the dark…

The ician tilted his head, looked at me, then smirked

”My, a kid found us That won't do, that won't do at all Hey, folks, don't let hiet, the better They fetch a high price aenerate buyers”

”Yeah!” ”Got it”

Two of the goons cracked their knuckles and loosened their shoulders They approached, looking like this was just another chore to be done, but their leering sed

The forest was darkening, and the goons weren't expecting trouble I shot my body out from the coat's sleeves and covered their faces

”Wha?!” ”Smoke?!”

They panicked I absorbed their life force as fast as I could Their co, withthe twohands in front of their faces, the rest of theoons gurgled and dropped to the ground The ician started, eyes wide open

”Get away froot two of them!

[NO NAME] [Race: Ghast] [Low Deile spiritual lifeforic Points: 168/176] 16↑ [Total Combat Power: 185/194] 18↑ [Unique Skill: Reroll] [Simple Identification] [Huic for h me

”Did that kill it?!” A hunter shouted

You killed soled a bit, at h!!!”

”Get away froic stones, now!”

”No, no, no! Save ician merciless set fire on both me and the enveloped hunter da out his last wisps of life He shriveled up, sowing eventhesome sort of black stones into their bows I assuitools' Some sort of enchanted weapons Those would probably be able to inflict daible body, but I had already oons unequipped with anything effective

”It's coic than wild animals, so they could still barely hurt me However, I hadto worry from them

”C-Come on, fiend! S-See how you like this!”

In his fear and confusion, one of the oons drew his dirty short sword

”Watch out! One of the Wraith's ability is to cause fear!” Theout

Well I wasn't a wraith, but close enough, I supposed

The sielding goon swung his sword in wild abandon – apparently just seeing h to terrorize hio

[NO NAME] [Race: Ghast] [Low Deic Points: 158/191] 15↑ [Total Coic went up frooons, but e

Ow-shi+t! The hunters used their bows!

The goons tried to run froht up, then used theer cared about friendly fire One of the arrows pierced clean through a goon's neck He gurgled and went down

If they weren't worrying about their own comrades, then neither need I I snatched up the last of his dwindling life