Ranking System



"Joanne. Wake up!!!"

Monsters of the unknown already surround us. The unknown was a dark place filled with negative energy, as I thought. Filled with a gloomy atmosphere and covered in fog, it was hard to tell what lay ahead.

The system that everyone usually had was gone. This world was different from the one in which I usually was. I also learned that the system didn't bind our skills. It would be good news if the system were to collapse one day.

"Joanne. I'm going to grope you if you don't wake up!"

Hearing my words, Joanne jumped off me and stood away. She then realized we were surrounded and returned.

"Let's beat them quick."

Joanne took her staff and fired light magic toward the monsters. They consisted of skeletons and ghouls.

"That was easier than I expected."

Both of us only needed one hit to finish off these monsters. The monsters that were here are now gone.

"Charles. Do you have a general idea of where your lover is?"

"No, I don't."

The tracker I placed on Constance was gone, and I couldn't decide where to go. I looked at Joanne and decided she had a better sense of direction.

"Why don't you pick? As an explorer, you must have many methods of traveling."

"Then we'll head straight."

Even with my ability to check everywhere, it was impossible to do in this fog. Following Joanne's lead, she took my hand and walked straight forward.

"It's easy to get separated in a place like this."

"I heard this place had a lot of fog, but this is too much. We had only just entered."

While the fog had blinded our vision, it wasn't impossible to see what was ahead.

"I wonder how people could find treasure in a place like this."

"There should be treasures in a place like this. I heard that people that die here would give more loot than they originally had."

"Does that even make sense?"

If that were the case, it would be like people were treated like RPG monsters. I could test it when I find the chance to do so, but I doubt Joanne would let me do so.

"That's why this place is called the unknown. Too many mysteries could be found in a place like this."

I couldn't argue with her there. Anyway, due to the fog, we had to tread through slowly. I needed to find Constance to relieve my worries.

"Joanne. There is something up ahead."

With my powers, I could easily search around. Just like I thought, even my maximum distance wouldn't be enough to see through the size of this world.

There were some places where I could see, but with a presence ahead, it was time for us to be on guard.

"It's a reaper!"

Reapers are spiritual creatures that harvest the lives of others. The more life it harvests, the stronger it becomes. What made these creatures a nuisance was their ability to be immune to pure physical attack.

"Joanne, let's attack all at once."

"Ready when you are."

Before we could prepare, the reaper swung its scythe on my neck. It was a close call when its speed was something I hadn't expected. I dove down, and it had only cut the top of my hair.

"I will gladly take your power..."

I muttered to myself and felt the reaper tremble. If I kill creatures with my curse, I will absorb part of their strength.

With the reaper stunned, Joanne launched a ray of light, which weakened the reaper by a significant degree. I then finished it off and felt its power rush into me. The power I absorbed wasn't much, but it would increase over time.

"Charles. Can you freeze all your enemies? It will be great if that keeps happening."

"It depends on the strength of my opponent. If it was someone insanely powerful, I don't think I could. Look, the reaper dropped something."

Explaining what I could do, I picked up the scythe from the dead reaper. It was an artifact, but I had no system to appraise what this weapon could do.

"An artifact from a monster? No wonder the people here could earn money easily."

It was typically impossible for monsters to have an artifact. I guess the rules don't apply to this world. Should we hunt more monsters? No, I have to find Constance first.

"Charles. There should be a village nearby."

"How do you know?"

I couldn't see anything, so I wondered how my traveling companion knew.

"It's part of an angel trait. We can sense faith."

Angels were worshipped as god's servants. Due to their higher racial talent and beauty, it was judged that they were a race on a higher level. It wouldn't be surprising if the gods granted them this power.

"Do you sense any faith in me?"

"We all know you don't have any faith. I wouldn't be surprised if you serve a demon god."

I simply said that as a joke, not hoping Joanne would answer, but she said it without caring. What she said was right. I had no faith in anyone but those I was close to.

The gods could kill themselves for all I care. They haven't done much for me; I doubt I would need to do anything for them.

"We are almost there. I wonder what the villagers are like."

With us approaching a place where people are capable of speech, we saw a town instead of a village.

"It seems there aren't as many believers as I thought there would be."

"Is it below average or something?"

"Yes. I would think that the amount would be five times as much with a place this big."

If that were the case, then there would be many believers in gods in a world like this. It may be just this city, but we didn't have enough information. Before we could enter the town, we would have to deal with the guards. I wonder if they would cause us any trouble.