RE:WRITE

16.0 Candela_Chapter 4: Zwischenzug

I'd always known how important it was to stay calm and collected, so I never let anything surprise me. Even back on Earth, nothing could break my poker face. Frank Stone could attest to that.

But that day shattered my poker face so badly that I couldn't piece it back together again.

After leaving the Dark Kingdom, I finally managed to make my way to the Southern Continent by joining a merchant caravan. The caravan went all the way to the capital of the Light Kingdom, Cerena.

When I saw the glittering white city slowly emerge from the horizon, I praised its masterfully designed outer wall and the long spires and tall towers of the King's Castle that seemed to rise up into the clouds.

Of course, I only praised it inside my head. Something of this scale couldn't faze me at all. In fact, I was mostly impressed by the fact that the city looked almost exactly like it did in the game, since that meant that the game developer's initial design had lasted for nearly a thousand years.

The first thing that surprised me that day was an accident.

I was leaving the market after buying some food when I bumped into a hooded figure wearing brown robes. Although my level had risen to 463 by then, this hooded figure managed to push me back!

I quickly checked their status and was instantly flabbergasted. Just what kind of a coincidence was this? Was this Fate?

I walked into an alley outside the entrance to the market and waited. When she finally came out, I checked her status once more to be sure.

At first, I felt a strong urge to jump out and kill her but I managed to calm myself. After all, this was an opportunity!

I followed her as she left the city.

-

I made sure to stay hidden while following her down the rocky plateau. Although the difference in our levels should have made it impossible for her to notice anyway.

Along the way, I began to formulate a 'grand strategy' that would win me back my Kingdom.

I wasn't strong enough to defeat Azoth and his followers on my own and finding a lot of powerful allies would be nigh impossible. Therefore, I needed to play this game a little...differently.

A loud roar interrupted my thoughts. I stopped and hid behind a tree and began watching the Hero confront a Light Ogre.

Based on her movements, I determined that she was already very adept at using her power. Even though she was only level 235 and the ogre was several levels above her at 273, she still managed to swiftly dodge its attacks while retreating.

This made my urge to kill her even stronger.

I can slice off her neck while she's distracted by the ogre. It'd be so easy...

No! The plan, remember the plan Runir!

While I was arguing with myself, she started fleeing backwards. Or rather, she started coming towards me.

Did she find me? How is that possible?

I was surprised for the second time that day and that was already a personal record.

I stepped out to to save the Hero and began the first stage of my grand strategy. I made it evident that I was far stronger than her and shocked her by revealing that I knew she was the Hero.

She seemed easy enough to manipulate so I tried to approach her, but her gaze flitted down to a very...vulnerable place so I immediately stopped in surprise.