Far From Vanilla: Modded Game Reincarnation

 “For a mining outpost, there sure are a lot of people.”

 There were plenty of people in uniform, thick jackets, heavy gloves and yellow painted hard-hats made from steel helmets. They were pretty much bowls with leather buckles painted yellow, but it made them stand out enough.

 From a glance, there were three major teams of Excavator Crew members surrounded by fleets of heavily armored adventures.

 But there were more to what met the eye.

 If they really were a mining expedition, why was one team the only one with heavy mining equipment? To be exact, why was the central group the only one with a steam powered vehicle?

 It was the size of a truck head, the same ones used by cross-country haulers. For its shipment, the trailer of the machine was the drill itself. 

 “They’d have to put it into reverse before the operation can begin. It seems that we’re here a little too early.”

 That was a good thing. I did not have any intention of following after the large group anyway. There wouldn’t be anything to gain. 

 They were here for monsters, obviously, and I was apparently here for ore. Originally.

 I expected a small raid party to handle an infestation of sorts, but considering the kind of monster that has to be killed, a large group is needed.

 But this group is way too large. Their goal is something besides just eradicating the infestation.

 “A dungeon, huh?”

 A spider dungeon, to be exact. They’re trying to clear it. Sly bastards.

 “They’re putting so many people at risk, under the pretense of protection.”

 But hey, they’re smart about it at least. I wonder how much that drill cost to manufacture? The engineering behind a vehicle like that must have been extensive, and all of it was used as a smokescreen.

 Smart, very smart. 

 And because of this, many people were going to die.

But their lives are not my concern.

I put on my hood before entering into the crowd. I made my way to the front and admired the lare structure before me.

The dungeon entrance was grand, but old, the palace-like carvings and decorations on the stones have eroded to the point of ruin. It was a very old structure, and even its entrance was ominous.

There were three entrances, the holes big enough to comfortably fit one of Ironhold’s main road traffic with ease. 

I chose the one with the most amount of details, the center pathway. Carved spiders the size of adults adorned the walls of the entrance, some even resting on cobwebs carved from the stone itself.

 “Hey, where do you think you’re going!?” 

 I turned to the adventurer that called out to me. I had made my way to the front of the group, easily slipping underneath the tape.

 I raised an eyebrow at him, pointing at the entrance of the dungeon. “In, obviously?”

 After answering him, I turned back to the entrance and continued to step forward. But a sword stopped me from moving one more step.

 “He asked you a question.”

 In a flash, a woman appeared in front of me. She was covered in leather armor, her hood and face guard masking her appearance. She pointed a dagger at me from about an arm's length away.

 It was quick, but I stopped just in time for her dagger to come short. 

In that instant alone, I confirm two things.

 One, others had ‘skills’ and it was not just unique to me.

 And two…

 “Did I ask?” I grinned at the woman, “Step aside.”

 What my skill was. What I've have experienced were simply not just hallucinations, but something else...

Something very useful.

But like games, rewards and achievements can only be acquired when a list of prerequisites is fulfilled.

The reason as to why I am here in the first place was not just ore, that was just the disguise, to get me into the premises. 

The prerequisites of this particular skill, as I've observed, is combat.

 [ You have been enlightened! ] [ You reached the conclusion. ] [ Your unique Racial Skill has been unlocked! ]

So I coveted more battle experience. 

What better place would there be than a hotspot of people driven by greed? 

The workers and the adventurers are cut from the same cloth. I have no doubt in my mind that they’ll soon point their swords at their own people for the sake of material gain. 

All I had to do was to swoop in when they are at their weakest.

 The woman’s features furrowed at my words, her mouth contorting to a frown behind her mask. She tilted her weapon up and aimed at my head.

 “Who are you? Identify yourself!”

 “Sure.” I reached for my nametag and tossed it to her. 

She caught the item and looked at it. “Richa–uhhh”

 Pow!

 My fist collided with her throat. The blow was effective.

 “Allisa!” The same adventurer from earlier called out.

 I grabbed the blade she dropped and made a run for the inside of the ruin. I didn't need the necklace back, because that name tag was from one of the two thugs I killed. 

I have the other on my person as well.

***

 The adventurer watched as the mysterious figure soon was swallowed by the darkness. He turned to his companion, on the ground, clutching her neck for air. “Allissa, are you okay?”

 “Ben…” Alissa wheezed, shaking her head. She made a gesture to her throat.

 “I know, I saw.” Ben nodded, “How did he catch you off guard? You have the fastest reflexes out of the party.”

 Alissa shrugged while coughing. She mouthed the words to him instead. Richard, dangerous. No face, only hood.

 “I understand. Richard, is it? I’ll ask the foreman to check the registry records.”

***

 My bait worked it seems. I turned my head to look behind me. In the distance were the silhouettes of two people conversing.

 Since they think they have my nametag, or so they think that it's mine, they won't pursue me. Because of common sense.

 But their common sense isn’t my common sense.

 [ Profile: Hyun / Race: Demon / Profession: Adventurer, Scholar, Civilian / Level: 6 ]

[ Strength: 11 (+3) / Speed: 11 / Constitution: 18 (+2) / Intelligence: 20 (+2) / Wisdom: 20 (+4) ] [ Unique Racial Skill: Precognition ] 

[ All information within a spherical range of all bodily senses will be used to predict an incoming and immediate event ] 

In this world, everything about a person disappears when they die, after a certain period of time. People simply vanish into puffs of smoke, like the monsters do, so in a world where time is seemingly infinite… puffs of smoke dissipate in an instant. 

Those clouds of air disappear faster than one can think. 

So It isn’t strange to wish for something tangible to be left behind in your death.

This is the reason as to why there was not a graveyard inside the city. I can guess the same for other settlements too.

“Ironic, isn't it?” I laughed. It wasn’t joyful, but almost regretful. Granny just wanted those thugs to return to smoke faster, I guess. Or was it a personal grudge? 

They did beat Cody.

In exchange for an ‘immortal’ life, you leave nothing in death– Not even a corpse –in a world where it doesn't matter how long you lived, your life wouldn’t amount to anything beyond the passing morning fog.

And so, taking the name of another…

The nameplate, the proof of one’s life…

Is a capital crime.

Not just because you did not just steal a necklace of metal, but you stole the proof of someone’s entire existence.

Buy what does that matter to me? 

“Not that I give a fuck.” They tried to kill me and failed. I’ll do whatever I want.

Even if they cross referenced my appearance, there wouldn’t be anything defining about me that would set me apart from the people gathered here today.

So I’m safe. There wasn’t a crime if there isn't proof. 

 I looked around me, the light of the entrance no bigger than a snow globe, and I felt the air blowing past my body. I looked in front of me and made out three different wind currents.

Infront and on either side

 I was at a crossroad, but it was still too dark to make anything out. 

I was forced to consider my options, when I heard the hissing of monsters.

In my disgust and fear, I brought out an unlit torch that I has prepared and struck it alight with a flint shard against my armor.

I was met by an amalgamation, a fusion between a spider and a zombie.

“bleh-” I gagged. 

I had a faint idea of what a spider the size of a toddler would look like, and this was much, much worse.

I gripped my axe, my torch on my left hand, and clenched my mouth shut. “I wanna throw up.”

I hated this place already.