Case 7: Gamble.
[Yes]
[ -- had joined your party. (3/4)]
''Oh, you already have partied with someone else?''
''Huu~!''
''It's Ariel.'' I respond.
''That's impressive, my lady. Ariel won't usually stick with someone like this.''
''Don't call me 'my lady'. Aurora.'' I narrow my eyes. ''You have [Inspect] too.''
''Understood, Lady Aurora.''
''...''
This guy...
''Anyway, what's your relationship with Ariel?'' I ask.
''...I don't know, Lady Aurora.'' It replies after a pause. ''She was with me when I woke up here a long time ago.''
''How long?''
''...Very, very long.'' It looks up at the ceiling. ''More than that, Lady Aurora, would you like to listen to my story?''
The skeleton brings the old chair and gestures for me to sit.
''By the way, are you a male or female?'' I ask, walking towards the chair and then sit down.
''I think I was a male, although my memory is still fuzzy.'' He stares at the bookshelves and replies. ''But don't worry, that instinct doesn't exist in me anymore, else I wouldn't have been so calm facing a fair lady such as yourself.''
Ew, go away. You talk like Chloe.
''Do you have clothes?'' I narrow my eyes.
''I do have a spare robe, Lady Aurora.'' He reaches for a black robe sitting on one of the bookshelves. After dusting it a few times, he puts it on the table. ''Please use it.''
Nice, now I'm not an exhibitionist anymore.
''Thanks.''
Hm, this one is pretty comfortable... But I can still use some underwear. Well, I guess I don't have such luxury.
''Now, speak.''
''As I've said before... I woke up in this place, not knowing who I was, not knowing what was going on outside, unable to escape...'' He fiddles with his robe. ''I just want to get out, Lady Aurora.''
He looks straight at me, and eyes meet 'eyes'. The light in his sockets seems calmer than ever.
''...And how can I help?''
''During the time I was confined here, I experimented.'' He walks over to the entrance. ''With how this particular barrier works.''
thud
He punches the entrance, and strangely, his fist collides with seemingly nothing, sounding a loud thud reverberating through the room.
''Physical force cannot break it. There's a possibility that I'm just not strong enough though.'' He says calmly. ''So I tried blasting it with mana, but still no luck. I tried [Teleportation] as well.''
''How did you know that you had that skill in the first place?''
''I just knew. I can remember things like the system, skills, and general knowledge, but never specific things.''
''Hm... Continue.''
''Teleportation failed. This barrier prevents any interference in space-time from the inside.''
''Do you know why only you are locked in here?''
But now that I think about it again, what's the whole deal with me not being able to see the [Help] function? Is it glitching?
Hmm... I'll have to ask that skeleton about everything regarding this world later.
''Phew...'' I let out a small sigh.
...And now that I've calmed down a bit, what should I even do in the future? Even if I were to survive this forest and get out to a potential civilization outside, there would be no horror stories - My source of entertainment for me to watch anymore. There's no Chloe as well. It's only been a day or so, but I miss her already.
But according to Chloe's ramblings about transmigration stories, some have managed to get back to their worlds, so let's set my goal to 'get back to Earth' for now, I suppose.
As I am thinking that, it seems like we've finally reached our destination.
''Hu.'' Ariel points to the large entrance in front of us.
Looking to the left, I can see another path leading to this entrance as well. So the two paths from the earlier fork all lead to this one? What's the point then?
Anyway, peeking into the entrance, I can indeed see a giant yellow golem with a red core on its chest standing before a glowing dark purple magic circle of sorts, in the middle of which is a medium-sized blue crystal-like rock, which is probably the core.
And I assume the gauntlet on the stand there is the item?
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Gauntlet of Severance
Enable the user to modify the range of one
skill according to the amount of mana used.
Cost: 1.5 MP/ 1 meter extension.
Duration: 5 seconds.
CD: 10 seconds.
When Equipped: +0.2 STR.
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Okay, wow, that is impressive. I can't even imagine how easy it would be to ambush an opponent with this, even if the activation cost is a little bit high.
Now, onto the golem.
[Inspect].
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Name: --
Race: Guardian Golem Title: --
Level: 15
HP: 60/60 MP: 43/43
STR: 4.0 INT: 5.0
AGI: 3.0 STA: 7.0
Skill: [Pain Immunity Lv.10],
[Status Condition immunity Lv.10], [Acceleration Lv.4],
[Detection Lv.3], [Smash Lv.2], [Self-destruction Lv.1].
State: Dormant.
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That one is pretty strong... Wait.
[Detection: Enable the user to sense nearby physical changes. Range: 50 meters] [Rare]
''!!''
The golem's core flashes bright red and the giant begins to move. Each of its small gestures makes loud creaking noises, like a rusty old machine.
And it turns right toward me.