Chapter 18: The Growling Thunder (Part I)

[LOADING...]

[SAVE-POINT LOADED]

They looked around seeing that the Player’s were shoving themselves to get to them in a rush. They stopped when they were far enough from their range of attack, ‘Maybe~ best to not let them know that my range is... far?’

They placed Food before them and it was mostly something disgusting looking, like Worms and Bugs. Clearly these Player’s don’t know a thing about them and now they are just noisy and shoving random things in their face.

‘EW! It touched me!’ They threw the plate away surprised that these creatures would even think that they would like something alive and wiggling! The bugs were no different and they wondered where they got this idea from, then remembered the Angry Player’s.

The little Slime’s bounded toward them playfully and used each other to climb up on top of them. The ones that were left on the ground hopped around them happily, the Slime Warrior’s came closer gently nudged them in a show of Respect. The little ones seizing this opportunity they jumped to the Slime Warrior and bounced between them as they played Tag with each other. The Slime Warrior sighed but let it continue defeated, while they gently bounced happy to see the little’s playing without a care.

“Why are you encouraging this behaviour?” The Slime Warrior asked when the little’s finally settled down.

“Why not? I love seeing troublemakers,” they said and chuckled as a few Slime’s slide down or rolled down in slumber.

“It seems the old tales were true about you bringing peace to Slime Hope, we can be here without worry. You have tamed these Monsters.”

“I wouldn’t let your guard down just yet. Some of them are still learning, and I love when they want to learn the hard way.” The Slime Warrior laughed and remained in silence while they were suffering from the Player’s trying to shove items in their face.

When the little’s woke up they were taken to Slime Hope while they still rejected the Player’s, sighing they wondered where the calm ones were. Clearly these ones were too much to handle on the daily basis. When night decided to arrive it got quiet again and just when they were about to enjoy the silence that they didn’t get-

[SAVING...]

[SAVE-POINT SAVED]

[LOADING...]

[SAVE-POINT LOADED]

It seems this time is just like last time, minus the little Slime’s playing on them. The Player’s were more pushy then ever as they shoved some more questionable food in their face. Seeing behind them, the Player’s were falling over and landing in the gross food that they had brought. They didn’t get a chance to laugh at the chaos behind the First in Line Player’s as they were now trying to push a few of them off.

They were tempted to use Thorn Armour but after what’s happening now they should attempt to control themselves a bit. ‘Wonder if I can eat a Player whole?’

They got their wish as a Player fell towards them, opening wide and the Player practically exploded into EXP when they closed their mouth. They didn’t get a Level Up screen but they received a new Skill from the Player that would be useful later.

[Skill ILLUMINATE learned]

[ILLUMINATE: Deep within let the darkness win before unleashing the blinding light. Lowers Accuracy greatly, Blinds Enemies.]

The Player’s backed off after that and only got close when they have to, but that didn’t stop them from eating a few more Player’s and gaining new Skills. They bounced happily when the Player’s started shoving away from them, they smiled when a few Player’s tried to push others towards them.

“Look, if you had one shot, one opportunity. Would you capture it? Or just let it slip?” a Player said pushing someone forward a Mage of some kind and they landed in front of them. ‘So they think it’s a game now? Typical. Illuminate!’

[Skill ILLUMINATE activated]

[Area surrounded by a blinding light]

A chorus of screams sounded and they laughed at the sound of misery. ‘Oh what a glorious day!’

They watched as Player’s started walking into each other holding their eyes and yelling, asking what was going on. “You made me mad, that’s what’s going on. Now yell more and fill my heart with your misery and anguish! Hahaha haha!”

A few walked closer to them and they opened their mouth wide so they could wander in of their own accord. Slowly closing their mouth they ate happily and repeated it until all the Player’s were swallowed up. Sighing in content happiness they relaxed against the tree and decided that sleeping was the next step.

[SAVING...]

[SAVE-POINT SAVED]

[LOADING...]

[SAVE-POINT LOADED]

They woke up to the sounds of crickets chirping and the darkness of the world, the occasional hoot in the far distance and random yells and screams. They tensed as another series of yelps echoed from the woods and screeching from animals and howls. They looked around and nearly jumped away from their Core as they seen an oddly shaped orange Slime with a jagged mouth and strange eyes.

Sighing and wanting to hit the Slime for scaring them they noticed that it wasn’t the usual Slime behaviour. They looked around some more and seen paper bats hanging from the skeletal trees and the occasional chilly wind blowing past catching some leaves in its haste. The Sign post was normally a wooden stick with boards attached to it but instead it was cloaked and as the wind blew past a skeleton head poked out from the top of the cloth and a hand pointing in different directions.

‘What is going on? What is happening to Midnight World?’

[Halloween]

‘Huh?’

[Don’t tell me you never celebrated The Day of the Dead? Halloween? All Hallow’s Eve? Candy? Dressing up?]

‘No, I celebrated by killing Virgins and drinking their-’

[Gross]

‘I’m just surprised, isn’t it too early for this?’

[Not at all! Don’t tell me you just left Candy out on the porch and called it a night]

‘I’d be working’

[What are you a Police Officer?]

‘I am...’

[Oh... uh... so what are you doing playing this game?]

‘I don’t like that tone.’

[Sorry... wait a minute! Are you messing with me?!]

‘Yes and no, so what else is new for this Update?’

[Well... you have to solve a mystery... You’re gonna use your Police knowledge to cheat aren’t you?]

‘I would never... I would actually. By the way, what did you find out about the Coin situation?’

[There was no problem with it. I gave you 5 Coins and it said that you have 12 Coins in your Inventory.]

‘I see then I must have misread it, I don’t like reading so much.’

[Noted]

‘You’re fine! Come back!’

[Solve the Murder of Draven Flabbergasted, you have a Side kick named Early Earthwax.]

‘Who is the Murderer?’

[Zaggle- whoa! Hold on now that’s cheating!]

‘I have my first clue, thanks Early Earwax.’

[EARTHWAX]

‘Yeah, yeah now shoo. I’m hot on the Perps heels.’

[Sure you are have a Doughnut]

[Received DOUGHNUT]

‘Free items, nice!’

[Shoot!]

‘WHERE!?’

[... uh-uh, leaving you to it.]

‘Tsk. No sense of humour.’ Looking around again the noises died down thankfully and it’s just wind blowing and crickets chirping. There was no Player’s to bother them but it was best to let the Player’s think that they were a Pumpkin for a little while why they got to do some running around.

[Skill STEALTH FOOT activated]

They started bouncing towards the Gates and went to the skeleton hand indicator that appeared when they entered. They went to the house marked as [Boiling Scaldron] and went in. Looking around they were met with a Text.

[Welcome to the BOILING SCALDRON! Please have a seat.]

They went up to the bar stool and sat, a Bartender slid a drink to them and it landed perfectly in front of them. Nodding at the impressive move they took a sip from the drink.

“You must be the Detective,” the Bartender said as they washed a cup, “Not many men here wear that kind of get up.”

[“I’m Looking for a Man.”]

[“What can you tell me about the Town?”]

[“Just needed a Drink.”]

Looking at the options they weren’t as clever with it, ‘Wonder if I can break from the options?’

[Are you trying to break the Game?]

‘No... yes.’

[Stick with the Game!]

‘So that means I can make my own decisions!’

“How’s life normally in this Tavern?” they asked before the System has a chance to stop them.

“It’s mostly rowdy, but ever since the happenings in town it grew quiet.”

“Happenings? Has it put this place off the map?” The Bartender looked at them for a moment and shook their head.

“You’re a strange one, no one would be worried about my business. But to answer your question it’s at a standstill but nothing we can’t recover from. Just get this problem solved quickly and everyone can come back.”

“I understand, I’ll get on it soon. I just want to ask a few more questions, what happened before the incident?”

“Before? Just a normal night.”

“Anyone out of the ordinary?”

“Everyone was out of sorts that it’s normal ‘round here.”

“I understand, anyone memorable that stood out to you?”

“Well there was one, a little on the skittish side over in that corner,” turning to the pointed out corner they seen that it was against two walls. ‘If anything they would be watching the door for their target. Now what kind of grievance did the Target cause to this Skittish fellow?’

“Did you see when they retired? Or left?”

“Mah, sometime after 10 I suppose. Got rowdy then, a few fights were getting outta control that the Guards had to step in.”

“Anything get broken? It seems everything is intact,” they said looking at the tables and chairs that looks as if they were barely moved.

“A few broken chairs and a broken table, threw those out back.”

“You mind if I take a quick look around? I won’t touch anything if you don’t want me to.”

“Nah, that’s fine, look around all you like. I’ll be making a meal for myself soon as you leave.”

“I won’t keep you long then, thanks for the drink.” They placed a Coin on the counter and hopped off to look around the Tavern.

“No problem... you know how much you gave me?”

“Nope, if it’s too much then just keep it. I don’t want to bother with small change right now,” they looked in the corner and looked towards the door. Looking under the table they found a small symbol of a spiral.

“I can’t take this much just for one drink...” they moved away from the corner seat and went about the room picking out places where other people could be sitting.

“Just take it, you’ll need it later anyways won’t you?” They found a spot that sees the corner and the door perfectly and figured that someone if anyone working with the Assailant, the went to the next spot that the other corner could see.

“Thank you kindly, this will truly help me out. If you ever need any information on anyone you can talk to me, I’ll give you whatever you want.” They looked from the new corner, seeing the door that was next to them, they looked to the furthest corner across from them then to the other corner where the Perp perched.

“Appreciated, kind sir.” They had looked under the tables and each held the same spiral symbol.

“That spot belongs to Sharp Gutter, he’s a grumpy old fool and hates anyone that looks at them. The other spot belongs to Shiver Shrivel, a kind of quiet fool, orders bread and cheese as soon as they sit down and down Ale like it was the last thing on earth.”

“Hm, what kind of people are they? What are their classes?”

“Sharp is an Archer or was. He retired a long time ago. Shiver is a Mage, get him talking about magic he’ll never shut up.”

[To be Continued...]