In this chapter, Altar of Shadows, the double acted solely for two purposes: to make the expedition waste the Stone of Truth and, if that didn't work, to create disorder to reduce the size of the expedition. In that sense, there was a main suspect.
«What city are you from?»
Kyleman Parteian, the magician on Hans G's team who managed to cut the expedition in half. At first, I thought I had stepped on the mine by accident. It seemed that the wizard's team, including Hans G, did not know that the band of dwarves was from Noark.
«Dwarf, are you a double?»
He had relentlessly attacked the gang of dwarves to find out where they had gotten the equipment they were carrying in their backpack, what exactly the official had told them when giving them the identification tags, etc. I asked countless questions that the dwarf couldn't answer to make him look suspicious. However, at that moment, there was one thing that caught my attention. How did you think of the dwarf, perplexed by such an easy question, twice as easy?
It must have seemed strange to him. Later, he would have wondered why.
The double was inside the body of an intelligent magician. He would have gotten to Noark's truth through questions the dwarf couldn't answer. Maybe he was greedy too. Not only did his host have an object suitable for the situation, but if he used it well, it was easier for him to hide his identity.
«Has passed away».
The Doppelganger bastards knew how to play dead. That's how they beat me many times in the game. If it wasn't clearly an instant death, this son of a bitch would go into hibernation and maintain his life to fool the players as well.
«¡Keeeeeeeek!»
As soon as the potion was poured, the double stirred violently. If he hadn't known this, our only option would have been to use the Stone of Truth on Raven, even after he had beaten the other candidates to death.
«He's a doppelganger!» With his name finally cleared, Raven screamed in a voice happier than ever.
The doppelganger bastard denied it even as he screamed. «N-no! Hey! I am! Kiyeek!»
To what extent could someone be belittled? It was absurd, but arguing with a monster was just as ridiculous. I just grabbed him by the hair and walked towards the altar.
As the altar got closer and closer, the double's fight intensified. «How...?» Finally, he relented, making excuses and expressing his doubt.
I chuckled. In reality, the defining reason was another.
Why don't you practice your acting?
A mage's greatest weakness was hand-to-hand combat, but this bastard dodged the dwarf's ax that went straight to his head and instead received it with his shoulder. Unless he had foreseen a surprise attack, it would not have been possible. The fact that he died instantly from it was also ridiculous. Maybe it was due to excessive bleeding, but how could he stop breathing before the guide woman could give him a potion?
[You have successfully discovered the extortionist who lives in the body of a member of the expedition].
As soon as I pushed the double's head over the altar, a pure white light began to come out. At the same time, the forest vibrated as if there were an earthquake.
«¡Keeeeek!»
Something resembling a shadow came out of the wizard's head and shot through the trees, letting out a terrifying scream.
«Oh! He escapes!»
He disappeared in one direction. However, there was no need to worry. It meant that the third chapter was over.
[Only one Stone of Truth has been used. Seal unlock percentage: 10%.]
[Please track down and kill the extortionist before he regains his power.]
Now, it was time to fight the final boss.
«Bjorn, let's follow him!»
«Stop. We have to do something first». I calmed Ainar down, then checked Partean's status. Well, Raven did it. Not me. «How is?»
«His wound is almost healed, so he should wake up soon».
«Ya veo.»
As soon as I called her, Raven inspected Parteian. After that, he finally dropped down. It seemed like his sanity had returned and his legs were weakened. «Ugh...»
The hand-to-hand sisters and Mr. Bear approached with shy faces and each said a few words.
«Wow, so this guy was the doppelgangerrr...».
«I already told you. It's not me!»
«Ahem, still, you're a magician for a reason. Who would have thought that someone could still be alive in that situation?»
«Ha... what were you going to do if it really was me?»
«Aruru! You know me, right? I believed in you!»
«Yes, of course... and what the hell is Aruru?»
«What?! Could it be that you don't like Aruru?» Ainar seemed really hurt by that.
Of course, that wasn't going to work with Raven. «So would you like it? Arua Raven! Please call me correctly by my first or last name. I hate this kind of...»
«I wanted to call you by your first name, but it's hard to pronounce...».
When Ainar lowered his head, Raven finally fell silent and asked carefully: «Do you want to call me by my name? What do you mean?»
«You are a human magician, but also a beautiful teammate». Ainar spoke those catchy words without a single change in his expression.
«Ha, that stupid pronunciation...». Raven sighed in disbelief, but turned her head away from Ainar. «Nothing happens. Call me whatever you want».
«¿In series?»
«Yeah. Anyway, at school they call me about something similar, so I shouldn't be mad at you».
«Thank you, Aruru!» It was a comforting vision of friendship strengthening among teammates through overcoming adversity. Seeing that, I thought the following:
This girl, although it may not seem like it, is weak because of these things. You should use this the next time you make a mistake.
After making that note in my head, I ended the brief conversation and started managing the team. There were a mountain of things to do before the boss fight.
«You two, stop doing that and come here». First, I called the woman guide and the recovered blunt warrior. «I suppose you have found out about the situation».
«...We did it». It seemed that the fact that Hans G and the archer fairy were evil spirits had shocked them, as their eyes were still blank.
«Wake up. It's not too late for that after leaving here.»
«What can we do?»
«Tell me what you can do».
I checked the combat power of the blunt warrior: what essence he had, what form of battle he was capable of, etc. Normally this was information you would never tell a stranger, but as the situation had gotten here, the blunt warrior cooperated with me with a very submissive attitude.
«Well, what about you?»
«Except to find the way, I will be of no help in battle. I'm sorry.»
We had a rank 6 fighter and a non-rank guide.
«Even so, Partean will be of great help to you. He is a rank 5» mage.
«That? Rank 5?»
«That's right. Although he specializes in other aspects besides attack magic. He was the one who played the most roles on the team. You should listen to the details yourself when he wakes up».
I was really surprised, because Raven was still a rank 5 mage. How the hell did Hans get a talent of such caliber to work with him?
So it means that we have to catch the guardian with a total of seven people, including the rank 5 mage...
I still couldn't get an idea. I didn't have enough paint to draw the picture I wanted. So, as Partean recovered, I rummaged through the dwarven gang's loot.
«Check everything. If something sticks out, have Raven inspect it. Everything that can be used must be used».
I looked at the things that belonged to Hans G, the archer fairy, the swordsman beast, the dwarf, the sorcerer and the priest of Karui. The archer offered at the altar was converted into a spiritual state and his belongings could only be checked after the crack was cleared, so he passed.
«¡Arururng! What does this look like to you?»
«I feel mana here. But I don't read any magic formula so it can't be a magic device... It's very likely a numbered item.»
«Oooh! These shoes! They fit me perfectly!»
«These boots are made of half troll leather. They also have acceleration magic. They are expensive, so use them carefully. We have to add it to the settlement later».
Being experienced explorers, each one's bag revealed useful objects. It was like opening a treasure vault.
«Raven, can you check this out too? I know it's made of lithinum, but why is it made into a necklace?»
«It is due to the conductivity of mana. Even if you apply the same magic, the efficiency will be different. So let's see, this necklace...» As if he had found his fitness, Raven determined the values of all kinds of objects with lightning speed.
Still, this process took longer than expected and soon, Parteian woke up. «Uh, umm...»
Seeing the forest strewn with corpses of his companions and diverse equipment, the middle-aged wizard fell into confusion. I sent the warrior with blunt weapons to explain it to me.
«W-Do you mean the double was in my body?... Noark... Yeah, no wonder their bags were full of unused gear. It makes sense if they're from there... Were Chrisen and Meirin evil spirits?». As the explanation continued, the magician's complexion paled. Maybe it was the temperament of a magician, because even in this situation, he approached me and dedicated a few words of gratitude to me. «Thank you. If it weren't for you, something truly terrible would have happened».
«If you're grateful, go and help Raven. This is not the time to relax».
«I will.» After Parteian joined, the pace accelerated. Surprisingly, he was also an expert at this kind of thing.
«...Evaluation magic? Are you from the Narman School?»
«Come to think of it, we haven't even introduced ourselves. That's right.»
«I'm Arua Raven from Altemion School.»
«Haha, I'm aware. There is only one school with such a splendid symbol on its robes».
«Our Master may exaggerate a little...»
When Parteian, a wizard from the Narman School who was capable of making special assessments, joined, it was possible to classify numbered objects, of course, and also objects that previously could not be clearly identified. A lot of time passed like this.
«It seems we have all the useful things. Let's stop and meet».
After finishing the sorting work, we met and began temporary settlement.
«I tell you in advance, but everything you take now will be written down and duly paid later. If you want to continue using it, you will have to pay for it then. Understood?»
«Okay!»
«So Ainar, come here.» I looked at the organized list and transferred the items obtained to each person. My criterion was only one thing: for whom the article would be most efficient. «Give your shoes to Missha.»
«No way! They don't fit on your feet anyway».
«Don't worry. I have verified that they come with adjustment magic». My dogmatic decision was not without complaints, but that was what the leader's authority had to be used for. «Ainar.»
«Okay. I'll give them to you...»
Starting with Ainar, the rest of my colleagues took usable equipment, as little as one piece and as much as five per person. Gosh, how much money could we get for all this? Once you fought with another explorer, you felt from the bottom of your heart why everyone was looting so much.
«That's all, then». The remaining loot was divided and stored in Raven and mine's subspaces. It wasn't just for security reasons, there was simply too much.
I smiled.
Looking at my new equipment, I couldn't help but smile that kept peeking out. Indeed, this was Hans's law of reaction.
[You have the number 2,988, guard corps file. Your overall item level has increased by 1,485.]
[You carry No. 8,667, Outlaw of the Wildlands. Your overall item level has increased by +315.]
[You wear Idium Gaiters. Your overall item level has increased by +400.]
Bastard Doppelganger, you're dead.
***
[Bjorn yandle]
Level: 5
Physical: 555 (New +5) /Spirit: 198 (New +15) /Special Ability: 191
Item level: 3,068 (New +2,200)
Overall combat power: 1,731 (New +570)
Acquired Essences: Corpse Golem – Rank 7 /Orc Hero – Rank 5 / Ogre – Rank 3 / Manticore – Rank 5 (New)