Chapter – 03
Because this city, Harundel, was built right on top of an ancient ruin.
The water supply and sewage system of the ancient ruin was still functioning perfectly. It purified the wastewater generated by the citizens before discharging it into the sea, while providing clean water to the populace.
The problem, however, was that this sewer system boasted such an absurdly massive and grand scale that all sorts of monsters lived inside it.
Even though these creatures were periodically hunted down and killed, they would constantly reappear from somewhere, settle down, and breed. There were even rumors that a driven-mad warlock or a summoner had taken up residence somewhere in the sewers and was continuously summoning them.
In truth, if you looked at the wider continent, there were several of these ancient, massive sewage systems. The imperial palace of a certain empire possessed such facilities, and so did the royal palace of a certain kingdom. So, it wasn’t particularly surprising.
It was just that when Tei first learned about the existence of this sewer, he had simply commented, “That sounds exactly like something out of a convenient RPG game…”
And honestly, none of that really mattered right now.
What mattered more to Tei at this very moment was the fact that he was facing a rat-man right before his eyes in this very sewer.
“Kaaaah!”
Six rat-men holding rusted longswords and crude spears were rushing toward him.
Confronting them, Tei held a round shield the size of a human torso in one hand and a longsword in the other.
Normally, if six of them had appeared at once, he would have screamed, “Oh, shit!” and bolted on the spot. Tei himself was neither a grand swordsman nor a warrior.
The only reason he wasn’t running away right now was because of the reliable ally perched on top of his helmet.
“What crude living organisms. Are they the surface-dwelling Ratman race?”
“Hey! Don’t act so laid-back! We’re in a combat situation right now!”
The distance between the enemy and Tei was now about 80 meters!
For a human, it was a distance that could be closed in just over ten seconds. Although the rat-men were small, they were quick and could charge at a similar speed!
“Since the contractor seems anxious, I shall conclude my observations here. Adhering Flame.”
The monocle-wearing butler imp hopped down from Tei’s helmet to float right before his eyes, gesturing lightly.
With that, a flame thrown from his hand flew through the air and collided with one of the rat-men.
And then—
Whoosh! Sizzle!
“Kieeeeeek!”
Just like its name suggested, the flame clung to the rat-man, refusing to go out as it continued to burn relentlessly. The creature began to flail and roll around frantically.
A desperate struggle to put out the fire! However, it wouldn’t extinguish!
The other creatures charging alongside it hesitated. It also helped that the thrashing rat-man was blocking the path.
“Wow. That’s incredible.”
As expected! Is this the power of a demon summoned by a warlock? It was powerful!
“As I mentioned before we entered this filthy sewer, the burning duration of that flame varies depending on the target’s magic resistance. For a low lifeform like that, it should last about 10 minutes.”
Ten minutes!
That meant the creature would be continuously burned by the flames for that long. Furthermore, since the fire was about the size of a human face, the pain would be beyond imagination. If it had clung to its face, the creature would have already suffocated to death.
In fact, even now, it looked like it might die from shock. The creature’s entire upper body was engulfed in flames as it rolled frantically on the ground.
Then, it threw itself into the flowing wastewater of the sewer.
However.
Astonishingly, the flames continued to burn even underwater.
The creature writhed in agony before being swept away by the sewer’s current.
“It is a flame from the underworld. It does not extinguish easily.”
“A flame from the underworld… I wonder if I can learn that too?”
“I shall assist you as your contractor, but teaching you magic is beyond the scope of our contract, so it is impossible. Please remember, I only work within the bounds of what we contracted.”
“Really? What if I steal the knowledge and learn it myself? No problem with that, right?”
“A human stealing and learning a demon’s magic? If it were possible, it wouldn’t be a breach of contract. But… could you truly pull that off?”
[The Optics of Madness has been activated.] [You have acquired the Magic Spell: Adhering Flame.]
He learned it!
“It is not that humans cannot use demonic magic altogether, but learning it is no easy feat. Surely, you did not think my magic would be simple just because I am an imp?”
The imp seemed offended.
Yet.
Tei had learned it!
“Look at those Ratmen. The reason they have stopped in their tracks and are hesitating is precisely due to my magic. You must realize that demonic magic possesses this much might. Stealing and learning it? It is impossible.”
“I see. So it’s impossible.”
But he had learned it!
He had gone and learned it completely!
He didn’t know how it was possible either, but the point was that he had learned it!
“And furthermore, demonic magic is highly perilous for humans. Every time you cast it, you are exposed to the malice of the Nine Hells, causing your sanity to crumble.”
“Is that so? How terrifying.”
Oh, really? But I think I’ll be fine since I have Madness Accumulation.
Tei couldn’t bring himself to say that out loud, so he had to respond half-heartedly. Instead, he was worried about something else.
Man… what is he going to say when he sees that I’ve stolen and learned the magic?
“Now then. I shall handle the remaining Ratmen.”
“Uh… wait a minute. Can you hold on a second?”
“Do you have other business to attend to?”
“Well, you see… I think I’ve stolen and learned it.”
“Ha?”
A bewildered scoff escaped the imp.
The imp crossed his arms and spoke.
“You are talking nonsense. How could you possibly have learned a magic you have only seen once?”
“Um… well…”
Indeed.
How did he learn it? It must be thanks to the almighty Hunter System, right?
“I don’t know how either. But I learned it.”
“Then demonstrate it.”
“I was planning to do just that anyway. Here, watch. Adhering Flame.”
Fwoosh!
A dark red, somewhat viscous flame ignited above Tei’s hand.
The expression on the cold-faced, gender-ambiguous, handsome imp changed into something truly ‘worth watching.’
So he can make a face like that too!
Admiring the expression, Tei thought to himself:
If only I had a phone, I would’ve taken a picture! What a waste!
Then, he threw the flame.
Swish.
Upon seeing this, the hesitating rat-men screeched and began to flee at full speed. However, the merciless flame caught up and clung to one of the fleeing creatures.
“Kieeeeeek!”
One rat-man shrieked and rolled frantically on the ground.
Unlike the first one, this creature crashed against the wall, thrashed wildly, and then slammed its head hard against a corner before slumping over.
It looked like its skull had cracked. Though the flames were still burning on its corpse, it was definitively dead.
Meanwhile, the surviving rat-men could be seen fleeing deeper into the shadows, shrieking all the way.
Hmm… the power is good, but this might not be the most practical magic to use here. Since it deals damage over time… I can’t make any money.
Subduing sewer monsters.
To receive a reward, one had to cut off the monster’s ear as proof. If there was no ear, they had to bring some other form of evidence.
However, because the monsters didn’t die instantly, the only ear he managed to harvest from the previous encounter belonged to a single creature—the one that had slammed its head and died.
He couldn’t make money like this!
“How… how did you learn it?”
“I hate to brag, but I can learn magic the moment I see it.”
The Optics of Madness.
This ability made it possible. It didn’t work in his past life, but it worked in this one! How marvelous!
“Fascinating. I have never seen a human like you. Is it a unique bloodline ability?”
“I’m not sure myself. Could be, right?”
A bloodline ability.
It referred to a mysterious power passed down through lineage. A power that manifested through atavism if one had a demon, a dragon, a divine entity, or an extraterrestrial being among their distant ancestors.
In Tei’s case, it was actually a Hunter ability brought over from his past life, so it wasn’t a bloodline trait, but it served as a convenient excuse for now.
Slice.
Tei cut off both ears of the rat-man and placed them in his pouch.
It was filthy and unsanitary, but he had to do what he had to do to make a living.
“I came in here relying on you, but at this rate… I think I can handle the DPS myself.”
“What is DPS?”
“It means I’ll do some attacking too.”
The intelligent, monocle-wearing butler imp kept his arms crossed.
Ignoring the gaze of the imp, Glashalabolas—abbreviated as As—Tei walked forward.
Fortunately, this was the entrance area of the sewer, so light radiated from ancient magic installed on the walls. Today, he intended to lightly scout just this area before heading back out.
To go deeper, he would need torches or companions.
Thus, the novice warlock Tei and his companion Glashalabolas pushed onward into the sewers.
“Demon-demon! Kill-ki… Kieeeek!”
They encountered another rat-man, burning it to death.
“Kik! Demon. A demon. Warlock. Dangerous!”
They ran into a goblin and killed it as well.
Slither. Squish. Squelch.
They encountered and defeated a sewer wastewater slime.
“Kaaaah!”
They met a centipede the size of a human torso and burned it to death.
Besides those, they slaughtered all sorts of miscellaneous creatures.
Walking mushrooms, sewer spiders, big rats (different from Ratmen; just oversized rats), sewer venomous snakes, and so on and so forth.
The endless stream of uninvited guests reached a point where even the imp, Glashalabolas, was left utterly flabbergasted.
“Is this truly a major city where humans of the Middle Realm reside?”
“Yeah.”
“Then why on earth are there so many of these trivial creatures?”
“Honestly, I think the same thing. What kind of metropolis sewer has all kinds of random monsters living in it… though I am making a living off them.”
Tei sliced off every part that could be turned in for money and stuffed them into his pouch.
As the pouch grew quite heavy, he was just thinking about heading back.
That was when voices echoed from up ahead.
“I’m telling you! Why the hell did you pull back from there?!”
“My shield’s durability is dropping, you bastard.”
“Is your damn shield what’s important right now? I almost died!”
“You wouldn’t die from just that.”
“Bullshit!”
The sound of loud, boisterous bickering.
It was another band of mercenaries clearing out the sewers.
