Marlon climbed the stairs to the surface quickly, tears still streaming down his cheeks as he thought about the murder he had just committed, shreds of hysterical laughter escaping from time to time from his lips that tasted of blood. He had killed several players before, but only those who had been threatening or people who had attacked him. He had never yet killed someone who had helped him, who had saved his life.

He had never lost the battle against his mind, thinking he had a firm grip on his mind. He had just been proven wrong, and Marlon figured that Jacob had been right about a lot of things when he had told him about his...worries.

He sat on the ground, clutching his head in his hands and leaning his back against the wall as his thoughts formed a chaotic, unpredictable whirlwind. His heart was beating wildly and he bit his lips to keep from letting out a cry of despair.

"Take a deep breath, kid. After all, all you did was move toward your goal a little bit more. Not in the cleanest way possible, but remember why you're doing all this, why I'm here with you."

The words of Loki calmed down somewhat the tremors of Marlon who felt an attack of panic. It slowly subsided and he refocused on his desires, thinking about his mother, the death she had had, and the sons of bitches who had done this to him.

Instantly he calmed down and his mind quieted, the tormenting thoughts fading from the horizon of his consciousness.

The AI was right. He was fighting to avenge his mother, to conquer this world made of magic and other things he had never expected to know in his entire existence.

If his path had to be paved with blood, so be it. If he had to slaughter hundreds, no, thousands of other players, so be it.

All he had to do was not to become friendly with them, to consider them as targets, only.

"Only the players, and those who threaten my life. I don't want to become like those who inflicted this pain on me," he says to himself.

"No worries, kid. I'm here to support you anyway. And it's not like you broke that rule, no matter what you think. Xin was a player, and he brought you something interesting. I can't wait to see what you can do with this rune."

Marlon stood up, taking a deep breath before turning around and putting his hand on the metal lever sticking out of the wall. His resolve strengthened and became clearer, more present.

Loki, for his part, remained silent, happy to have succeeded in diverting Marlon's thoughts but worried about the rapid progression of his madness.

Luna stood behind him and rubbed insistently against his leg.

He remembered the guard's instructions for getting out of the catacombs, so he lowered the rod, ignoring the chimera for the moment, and immediately hearing mechanisms being set in motion inside the walls. He had not perceived any of this when the guard had opened the door with his magic.

Was it a formula that he said to trigger the opening? Or to activate a rune of some kind? The workings of magic were still a great mystery to Marlon, who was only beginning to grasp the Runes he had at his disposal. He would have to go see that famous Runist mage at the Tower very soon, but his priority was to replenish himself and invest in his professions.

The rock door swung open, revealing the place from which he had arrived, except that the sun had long since set, and the place was now illuminated by five-meter-high street lamps. They looked very much like the ones on earth, except that they were not powered by electricity but by magic.

The white light that came out gave a pallid look to the guards protecting the entrance of the catacombs, their dark armor contrasting with those clear faces.

All of them had small engraved rocks on their belts that rose to the height of their faces and shot an intense beam of light at the young man as soon as they noticed him. The young man didn't recognize the runes, but they looked eerily similar to the ones he had seen engraved on the teleportation artifact Drevos had used.

Of the four guards present, only one seemed familiar to Marlon, and it was he who spoke up as they all turned to watch the young man coming out of the underground access.

"You were quick!" commented the guard he recognized, a surprised look on his face.

They raised their weapons, relaxing as they saw that the newcomer was a human and not one of the hairy creatures the swordsman had been sent to hunt. The little flying rocks went back into what appeared to be their storage pouch and the inquisitive lights went out at the same time.

Marlon breathed the clean air of the city again, his worries swept away as the scent of rot and sewage was replaced by the much more bearable smell of the city.

"It wasn't a walk in the park, but I preferred to cut it short given the work setting..." joked Marlon limply, who couldn't help but look with interest at the glowing pebbles now at rest.

They all nodded their heads, fully understanding the young man's vision. What Marlon didn't know was that all these guards had as their first mission, and as a hazing especially, to kill at least one rat-man in the catacombs.

This helped to limit the infestation and especially to toughen up the new recruits, so they all understood very well what the young warrior had just gone through, except for the killing of Xin, of course.

But they couldn't help but wrinkle their noses as the stench of putrefaction and other unpleasant notes from Marlon's clothes reached their nostrils.

"I suggest you wash up before you turn in your quest. Your scent is quite...intense."

Marlon laughed at the guard's remark and glanced at the fountain, shaking his head as he repressed the easy idea that had just crossed his mind.

"Is there an inn offering baths not far from the adventurers' guild?"

"Better yet, before you get to the guild, you'll see a white two-story building with a rain emblem. This is the public baths, and they are open at all hours of the day and night," replied one of the quartets, pointing in the direction of the baths.

Marlon raised an eyebrow at the mention of the building. He had indeed passed by it on his way to this place, but he had not paid attention to it.

He thanked the guard and headed without further ado to the baths, happy to wash his body encrusted with dried blood and sweat, among other things.

Even his chimera seemed to keep a good distance from him, and not downwind. Surely to avoid the olfactory inconveniences linked to his state of cleanliness.

The streets were much quieter than during the day. He had no idea of the exact time, but it must have been quite late, because no merchant's carts were passing by, and the few pedestrians present were much more discreet than those he had met during the day.

He saw couples making out in the alleys, drunks pouring their guts out into the drains when they'd had too much to drink, but nothing unusual for a city of this size, which surprised him greatly.

The air was cool, and he quickened his pace, eager to get cleaned up. He was going to have to get a change of clothes quickly because wearing the unappetizing frusks he had on after a bath would be...well, counterproductive.

A few moments later, the matter was happily resolved for the night. He had entered the bathhouse and a rather gruff man at the front desk, who nearly gave up the ghost when he smelled the adventurer's perfume, offered to wash his gear for five copper Amecareth.

Marlon gladly agreed and followed the man to a single room where a metal tub stood. The man lightly touched a set of runes engraved on the tub, and water-filled the metal tube, clear and steaming, as a blue rune glowed, heating the water in the metal tube.

The young man undressed, gave his clothes to the man who always seemed to have his stomach in a twist, and sank into the hot water with a happy sigh.

It took him almost an hour to get out of the bath, and the water in it was no longer appealing when he left. He had wanted to wash Luna, but a bunch of scratches later, he had given up, thinking that her behavior was really similar to that of an earth cat.

The man had returned in the meantime and put his clothes on a wooden table next to the bathtub before leaving, nodding to Marlon.

Feeling the freshness, and with his clothes back on, the young man moved with a much lighter step towards the Adventurers' Guild. This dip had done him a lot of good, both physically and mentally. His mind had lightened and it was almost as if the day's events had been a strange dream.

"And most importantly you don't scare people away from within ten yards of you anymore, haha!"

Marlon grumblingly ignored Loki's sarcastic jab and about ten minutes later he was in front of one of the guild counters, which also seemed to be open non-stop.

A few other adventurers were present, but in much smaller numbers than before. The guild owner's clone once again handed him the black ball that had revealed his class and asked him to put his hands on it. He did so without question and a few seconds later she nodded.

"Your quest has been validated. Here is your reward, along with a message from our original body. Enjoy the rest of your evening, Mr. Revenge."

"Co...how can you be sure that I have done this quest? You're not asking for any proof?"

The big smile the hostess gave seemed anything but natural, but she explained to the young man how the black ball worked anyway.

"This tool allows us to see your status, classes, but also all the events related to one or more chosen quests. This prevents malpractice, fraud, or any form of trickery to avoid doing the chosen quests properly. Any other questions, sir?"

Marlon shook his head, intrigued by how this tool worked, and he could feel Loki's interest in it in a corner of his mind as well, but he couldn't help a shudder at the implications of what she had just said.

He picked up the bag containing the ten silver Amecareth and the common jewel, putting them in his bag before reading the note left by the boss of this branch of the guild.

"Well done. Come back to me when you've seen the Runist Mage, I'm intrigued by this magic that gives you runes when you kill."

The young man felt a chill run through his body, so the black ball was really revealing everything that was related to the quest. So she knew about the murder and the Rune of Life.

"She doesn't blame you, quite the opposite. I think that's good news. You might be able to trade some knowledge for some top-notch information. Interesting!"

So the young man put aside the disturbing fact that the Multiplier already knew all about his quest in the catacombs and headed for the giant slate.

"I need to find another quest. The materials sold in the job guilds required minimum Silvers Amecareth. I wouldn't go far with what I have on me."

"I think the same thing. If you want to keep progressing, that's a good way to go, too. You'll definitely find other players to cut your teeth on."

"The problem is that I can't tell the players from the natives..."

"You just have to ask them. If they're average gamers, they'll still think they're in a game and will definitely answer you. If they don't respond to the mention of Neo-Life, they are natives. Or chosen ones..."

"I'd rather avoid falling into the last category if I could."

The people around him looked at him strangely as he seemed to be talking to himself, but he didn't pay attention.

Marlon was already absorbed in the different quests displayed on the giant board, looking for something that wouldn't take him too far and would still be profitable. There were plenty of proposals, but many of them required him to join a group and he wanted to avoid that for the time being.

A quest caught his eye. Not requiring a group, available for Bronze to Silver ranks, it asked to hunt two different types of creatures.

He should hunt Forest Wolves and Major Arbols. The hunting area was located in the Forest of Cronande. And above all the reward was one silver coin per creature hunted, without limit of number, as well as a potion recipe. This could be very profitable for the young man, in every possible way.

He turned back to the hostess and asked where the Forest of Cronande was located, Loki being unable to tell him. She raised her eyebrows at this question, which she considered very basic, but answered, all the same, letting her astonishment show in her voice.

"It is a forest that is located half a day's walk east of Delia. It is a very large valley wedged between the mountains leading to Forgeciel. Walking through it would take one to two weeks, depending on the pace, and the creatures are very varied."

Marlon thanked her and thought inwardly that he really should get a map of this world. He was really starting to need one.

Half a day's walk would probably be less for him, with the enchantment of his leather armor, so he validated the quest by writing his name on it. The familiar sound of the system echoed in his mind and he looked at the message distractedly before validating it.

Ding

Cronande Hunt Quest accepted

The Forest Wolves and the Major Arbols are swarming in the forest of Cronande. The guild asks you to control their infestation and will reward you for each creature hunted.

Reward: 1 Silver Amecareth per creature killed, Basic antidote recipe. Experience according to hunting score.

Limit: None.

He didn't hang around the guild building and headed straight for the professions. He needed some materials before embarking on the quest, and he had learned his lesson from the catacombs.

Two hours later, the sun was rising over the city of Delia and Marlon was leaving the Artisans' district. The shutters opened on all sides without anyone handling them, seeming to react magically to the sun's rays, and he could even see people leaning on their balconies as chairs unfolded without any help before they sat down on them.

The magic never ceased to impress him, and he had only one desire, to master it as well as possible to exploit it as he wanted.

He had bought back some scrolls so that he could prepare a few runes, about a hundred or so. It was a hard bargain, but he went from two copper coins to one coin per scroll, provided he took a considerable stock.

His backpack, fortunately, had many pockets, and the scrolls did not take up much space, which also allowed him to buy some more comfortable equipment for sleeping outdoors. Nothing fancy, but a sleeping bag much more comfortable than what he had before, for twenty copper coins, and two antidotes that he had negotiated for forty Amecareth of copper each.

In terms of hunting equipment, he had invested three silver coins for a wooden bow, not having been able to keep the one from his training with Jacob, as well as about fifty basic arrows, quiver provided.

"Go to the Herbalists' Guild. You should buy a book there that helps you improve your knowledge of local herbs and plants, it might also help you make some money."

Loki's advice was of course wise, so he spent another fifty copper coins on a book detailing the more or less rare finds that could be made in the Delia region.

His last visit was to the alchemists' guild, where he bought about twenty metal vials for one silver Amecareth, in anticipation of the refueling he would do in the forest. With the ones he already had, he had about thirty vials. Twenty-seven were empty, three filled with the blood of rat-men.

He, therefore, had three silver coins left, which he decided to keep in case of a possible failure or an unforeseen event that would force him to return to the city before he could make his quest profitable.

He hadn't bought anything else, counting on taking advantage of his quest to slaughter the creature en masse and make a much bigger nest egg.

What's more, he still had the two wolf traps he'd recovered near Takpes, and the basic knowledge he possessed in his five professions would allow him to survive much more easily in the forest.

He had calculated that to get all the basic material related to his different professions, he would need at least eighty Amecareth of money. Only the basics, of course.

He would have chosen only one, he could have equipped himself now, but he was thinking big, so the initial investment was much more substantial, but the return would also be undoubted.

It was thus filled with a new serenity that he headed towards the eastern gate of Delia, simply following the various signs on the way.

People were starting to wake up and life was returning to the streets of the capital, carts passing more and more by the young man, the few shops not yet open finishing to put out their various articles on the square.

He noticed things that had not previously caught his attention, and he marveled once again at this world full of mysteries.

Some passers-by did not walk but seemed to levitate a few centimeters above the ground, a glittering bracelet encrusted on their arm. Surely an artifact allowing them to perform this feat.

Here, a merchant was offering water bottles that filled automatically with water thanks to runes printed in the metal of the container.

Some scrolls automatically drew a map according to the places one explored, something that Marlon found very useful, very similar to his interface, and that had no use for him.

He had preferred the tranquility of the night, and he told himself that in the future he would have to organize himself to avoid the compact mass of people circulating during the day. The ambient hubbub and the constant excitement of the capital exhausted the young man, who needed to be alone much more often than he had thought.

It took another forty-five minutes to cross the city, and Marlon passed many more wonders he never thought possible.

He saw stores selling pets, some looking like miniature dragons floating in the air, others like gigantic turtles that could carry several people.

Curious, he asked for the prices but left with his head down when the seller told him that the starting price was more than ten gold Amecareth. He had to level up quickly to be able to afford this kind of mount. He was tired of walking across the city, it was an incredible waste of time.

Even Luna meowed in frustration as the cobblestones of the road began to heat up from the sun.

Another store interested him strongly, but his budget was again a bit low. It sold storage artifacts, something Marlon had again only seen in video games in the form of the famous inventory system.

He almost took a ring and ran away, but he knew that the guards would catch him quickly and make him pay heavily for this act of vandalism. What's more, the security of the store was very high, with guards looking like dogs following his every move.

The salesman barely glanced at him and disdainfully explained that the smallest storage ring cost at least ten gold Amecareth. Dejected, Marlon left with his head down, telling himself that he would only be able to afford this kind of object in the very distant future, given the amount of money needed.

He had asked some merchants to carry him, but they had given him condescending looks as they ignored him and continued on their way.

When he finally arrived at the eastern entrance to the city, which was similar in every way to the one through which he had arrived in Delia, he felt a certain relief at leaving the constant bustle of the streets of the capital.

He gave a distracted salute to the soldiers guarding the gate and they nodded in response. They were apparently not paying attention to people leaving the city, preferring to control the carts and pedestrians coming into the capital than those leaving.

The change of scenery was not immediate, as, on his arrival, the various buildings and paths present at the exit of the heart of the city were not so different from the others, if it were not a progressively more important spacing whereas his steps moved away from the imposing walls of Delia.

On his left, after five minutes of walking, he noticed a strange structure, resembling two huge slides whose end could not be seen and which continued into the mountains stretching to the horizon.

Each of them was two to three meters wide and Marlon could see some kind of flatboats going from the one on the right up the wooden structure, contrary to everything the laws of physics dictated. Loads were present on these boats and Marlon noticed that the second structure had the same boats coming in the other direction.

Intrigued, he asked a passerby what it was, and the passerby looked at him in amazement. It seemed to be something that everyone in the area knew about.

"This is the Forge Way, come on, the Lock! That's where all the artifacts of Forgeciel come from, as well as the precious ores that the capital needs. And it's from there that the various resources demanded as payment for their creations leave. It has been in existence for hundreds of years and has never stopped for anything other than maintenance work! Pretty impressive, right?"

Marlon nodded and thought to himself that he should visit this city one day. This was the second time he had heard that name since he arrived in Delia.

Ten minutes later, he began to run, no longer afraid of colliding with other people, as the flow of passers-by had thinned out, and he was glad to feel the wind whistling in his ears as the buildings around him grew sparser and nature took over his surroundings.

The few cariole drivers he passed looked at him nonchalantly, accustomed to seeing stranger ones on the outskirts of Delia, and very quickly he arrived at what seemed to be the edge of the Cronande forest.

He did not go directly into the green expanse, looking for a comfortable and well-placed place to set up what would be his camp for the next few days.

Quickly, he found the perfect spot. A flat place, where only green grass was growing, covered by the shade of trees, a small stream flowing a few dozen meters away. He had a big smile and Loki could not help but make a slightly mocking reflection, but where one could feel a slight impatience.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the hunt is on!"