Rise Online: Return of the Legendary Player

Kaizen realized that what he was hearing about 'The Cave' could be an important clue to finding information about Adohorn. So he decided to get closer to the group of mages who were talking about it, because he couldn't hear them very well with all the discussions about different topics going on around him.

Kaizen left the table he was sitting at in the corner of the tavern and approached the group of mages, trying to look casual and inconspicuous. Positioning himself close enough to hear the conversation, but not so close as to attract attention, he heard one of them say:

"I had always heard legends that 'The Cave' was guarded by terrible monsters, and I always laughed when I heard that, but when I looked at the other people in that place, I felt like a mere rabbit among lions."

"Yes... It's painful to admit this, but I'm not strong enough to compete with the monsters that roam this place every day."

"HAHA! You guys are exaggerating! We got out alive and sold the items we needed. There is no reason for you to be so tense! Come on, drink some more!"

The group of mages was a bit strange. They wore clothes that one would expect from mages, but there was something unusual about the physiognomy of each of them.

One of them was a drow, with pointed ears, white hair, stringy muscles, and unlike Ricroar, very dark skin.

Another was an almost normal human, only with a nose bent forward like a witch's.

There was also a Tiefling, who showed off his huge pair of curved horns and his sadistic smile.

The other three looked more normal, except that they all had unusual facial features, such as strangely round ears or strangely sharp teeth.

I have to take advantage of the fact that these guys are almost unconscious to get them to say more revealing things about this place, and I see no other way than to talk to them myself. Kaizen thought.

He immediately approached the table of this group of mages and said:

"Sorry to interrupt your celebration, but I overheard you talking about 'The Cave'. Can you tell me more about it?"

All the men at the table were aware enough to find this odd. They looked at Kaizen suspiciously, afraid to talk about anything except that the Drow was too drunk to think. He slammed his hand down on the table angrily and stood up, showing how much taller and more muscular he was than Kaizen.

"Who are you and why are you interested in the cave?" The drow inquired, a little flushed from the alcohol.

Kaizen hadn't expected such an explosive reaction, and it was impossible not to notice how the entire tavern suddenly fell silent, obviously paying attention to the situation. Kaizen knew that if he made a mistake now, it could end the mission. So he swallowed his pride and took two steps back, raising his hands to look innocent.

"Easy, I'm just a fanatical story person and I've always heard a lot about 'The Den', but I've never met people who've actually been there. I think you guys are amazing for doing this!" Kaizen fawned over them.

The other mages at the table exchanged confused glances. But before they could say anything else, a huge smile appeared on the drow's face, and this time his face turned red with embarrassment:

"AH! We are not that great!"

"Yes, you are, and I would love to hear more about your adventure if you want to tell me about it!"

"I don't think you'll have a problem if it's just for you. It's okay for us to tell you, isn't it, boys?"

The drow seemed to be the strongest mage among them, if not the most conscious, for all the other mages nodded to the giant mage without a second thought, except for the tielfling, who smiled mischievously as he raised his right hand to speak.

"I suggest something better. A game, how about it?"

This devilish looking NPC made Kaizen's face darken. He was on the verge of getting what he wanted, but he stopped him short.

"Say what you will, Kaste. My new friend wants to hear our stories and I want to tell them, so why should we play right now?" The drow inquired.

"Yes, I also like to tell and hear stories. But there is nothing like having a little fun while doing so. This young, story-loving mage before us is not against fun, is he?" The tiefling dragged his thick fingernails across the wooden table as he spoke, making a dull noise.

At that moment, Kaizen smiled pleasantly, knowing that he was facing someone with a personality similar to his own.

"All right, I accept the game, but I want to play against you, after all, you are the one who suggested it."

"Oh, that sounded like a challenge. I like that. All right, if you beat me, we'll tell you about 'The Cave,' but if you lose, you'll have to give us your Grimoire."

The tiefling's proposed condition made everyone in the tavern sigh in surprise. After all, everyone understood that a mage's grimoire was as important as his own life, and this feeling was even more pronounced in this town where everyone was a mage. Nevertheless, Kaizen didn't hesitate to shake hands with the devil and make a deal, which made everyone in the tavern excited.

"Did he really take it!? Is he stupid!?"

"A bet with a grimoire? That boy has balls of steel!"

"He must be very confident!"

"Or he's an idiot."

A bet involving a grimoire was a very rare thing, and probably only nobles with slaves could do such a thing, but there was no record in all of history of anyone betting their own grimoire, let alone in a stinking tavern like this.

...

Edited by: DrHitsuji

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