From Player To Npc

Chapter 111: Gate inspection

Shingi was shocked by what Belly told him.

If Dormon was indeed a True Sorcerer, then that news was more than just disturbing.

Dormon was one of the Protectors who are rumored to be immortal.

As his title says, he was the one who conceived the Dragons, which are Ancient beings.

So if Shingi was able to take his Class, that meant that the one before him didn't have it anymore which there were only two ways to do so.

Firstly to earn a new Class, but that was impossible for one with True Class, and secondly for the person to die.

If Dormon was dead, since he couldn't die from natural causes, that meant that someone killed him.

One name came to the mind of Shingi; Mikhail.

He learned from Beliss that he wanted to become as powerful as a Protector, so killing one made sense.

"I know what you think, and I too think that most likely that powerful person you mentioned may be behind it. But I am confident Dormon isn't dead, at least not yet."[Belly]

"What do you mean? How can you be certain?"[Shingi]

Shingi knew that Belly wouldn't just assume things but only say something that had a high chance to be true.

"When one gets a True Class doesn't pass from Apprentice State. Being an apprentice means you need a tutor, and how can you have a tutor of something that only one person can have?"[Belly]

This was true for most cases, but there were some rare cases that you could pass Apprentice State without the need of a tutor.

But that being the case for one as powerful Class like True wouldn't make sense indeed.

"So you mean he is close to death that's why I am an Apprentice?"[Shingi]

"That is my theory, yes. There aren't any recordings of anyone who had a True Class to have it at an Apprentice State, but there were a few recordings of people passing part of their Class to people who they wanted to get it after their demise. You have drawn the attention of Beliss and Dormon, it seems. That is quite rare."[Belly]

Shingi wished he knew that earlier to ask Beliss if she knew anything about it possibly.

The last sight of Dormon seemed to be at Zephron since Shingi was confident that the figure on top of the Dragons was him.

"Any ideas what to do then?"[Shingi]

"Without information, we can't make any plans, and learning the whereabouts of Dormon was always an impossible task. But if the one you mentioned is indeed behind it, he most likely has captured Dormon and experimenting on the way to get his power. Locating that person is all we can do."[Belly]

Shingi mentioned that he knew that Mikhail seemed to stay somewhere in the Tower, but he wasn't sure which floor.

"Then we need to hurry on our exploration to the Tower. Thanks for your time, Belly. I want to stay and discuss more, but I need to move quickly."[Shingi]

Belly nodded as she understood the situation, even if she wanted to do some experiments herself on Shingi. Shingi was aware of her intentions, so he decided to leave before it was too late.

It was afternoon as he spent some time looking for the entrance and speaking with Belly.

His next stop was to find another person of importance that would be of help.

This time it was to gain knowledge on how to acquire some items.

In the lists, he gave at Ardent Scythe and Jax, there were mainly items or materials to improve the shop or create items and equipment.

There was some equipment that Volig, even with the help of Shingi and the Spirit Hammer, couldn't craft.

Those were considered artifacts, unique items that most were created long ago.

Ameanum had a few and knew a person who was researching them and kept track of information of possible whereabouts of those items.

He wasn't sure what happened to the ones he had as they weren't on him when he entered SPECTATOR MODE for the first time after becoming an NPC.

He doubted they got deleted and didn't think that the Dark Guild could have them, at least not a lot of them.

Most were working as the Spirit Hammer, of being with their owner until he or she dies. This made the Players careful when to have some artifacts on them because if they died, then the artifacts would disappear even if the person would respawn.

A lot of his equipment back then was artifacts, like his armor and shield.

He knew first hand the difference those items could make, and he could use any help.

Fortunately, the person tented a shop in a nearby town, and it wasn't public knowledge of his secret research.

The town was quite large and at the edge of being a city. It was an NPC-made one, but a few establishments were belonging to Players.

Shingi reached the gate, where there was a queue of people waiting to get in.

It seems that a caravan of what looked to be some entertainment group, as Shingi could see most of them have a musical instrument by their side.

There were some guards by the gate who were inspecting their wagons and asking them questions.

The youngest of the guards, who didn't seem to be more than twenty years old, was the one who was talking with the one who probably was the leader of the traveling group.

One could clearly see that the young guard was out of his comfort zone because of the person he had to talk to.

The leader of the group was a female elf wearing clothing that exotic dancers would wear, which probably was her part of the show.

The climate around was quite cold at they were north, but she didn't seem to mind it.

Some small tattoos on her body of different runes were barely noticeable, which seemed slightly changing if one continued paying attention to them.

She was a great beauty, and the fact of her wearing clothes showing her curves hadn't helped the young guard ask what needed to ask while the other guards were doing the inspection.

"Do you mind continuing with your questions? I like the weather, but the rest would prefer to get inside. Also, we have a performance in a few hours, so we have to get ready."[Female Elf]

"Oh, yes, certainly. Sorry miss...."[Young guard]

He was looking at a notebook he was holding, which he had to fill with information about the people they inspected.

"Meyana and we are the Strings of Four Seasons."[Meyana]

The guard wrote it down.

"So you are here for business?"[Young guard]

A man from the group behind Meyana had lost his patience from waiting and shouted at the young man.

"No, we are here to pay a visit to your mother. OF COURSE, WE ARE HERE FOR WORK. SHE JUST SAID IT."[Male Entertainer]

Some of the guards, which inspected the wagons, turned towards the man and seemed to get ready to draw their weapon, but Meyana stepped in, motioning that everything was alright.

She quickly slapped the back of the man's head, who after that was looking at the ground, ashamed of his behavior.

"Sorry about his attitude. He had a long travel, and we are tired, so we would appreciate it if we could finish this as soon as possible. What is your name, young man?"[Meyana]

The young guard didn't expect this question, but he gave his answer swiftly, afraid of angering the group once again.

"The name is Hem, my Lady."[Hem]

Meyana laughed at his response. Her laugh was sweet in the ears, like a great melody played to relax the audience.

"I wouldn't call me a Lady as I am not one with a title. So are there any more questions you need to ask me, Hem?"

Hem seemed to be charmed by her speaking to him by using his name.

An older guard who stayed by the gate and watched everything, most likely the one in charge of this post, coughed loudly to make Hem snap out of it.

"Oh, eh.... oh yes, well, if you can tell me the number and names of your group. Nicknames are accepted for your case since you are entertainers."

Meyana told him what he asked for, and he wrote everything down.

"Hmm... that is weird."[Hem]

"What do you mean, Hem?"[Meyana]

Hem looked at each of the people in front of him one after the other.

"There seems to be one extra person."[Hem]

Meyana turned and, for the first time, noticed Shingi. She seemed surprised at him being there, but Shingi could tell it wasn't because she recognized him.

Shingi waited near them for their inspection to be over, so probably the guard who also didn't notice him getting here thought he was with them.

"I am by myself and not traveling with them."[Shingi]

Even if the guard wasn't shouting when talking to Meyana to Shingi, it was like he did.

"Oh, I see. Could you then move a little more to the side for their inspection to end?"[Hem]

Shingi didn't mind, and he found a big rock he could use to sit on while waiting.

He noticed that Meyana talked with the man who shouted at the young guard before, and he seemed to try to keep track of Shingi secretly, but it was clear as day for Shingi of what he was doing.

Shingi didn't mind it as they hadn't shown any ill intentions toward him.

He had heard of their group in the past and their leader, who he recognized as a Seasonal Elf.

Elves tend to be an Innate Magical race, and there were different types of Elves depending on their source of that Innate Magic.

Seasonal Elves' source of magic was nature itself, and their power seemed to change depending o the season. This change of power could also change their appearance and even their personality in some rare cases.

Meyana tattoo runes were part of these possible changes, and there were stories of her dancing style, which she was famous for changing depending on the season.

Ameanum had seen her in the past but never interacted with her or any of her group, and he doubted that she would remember him as she had danced for thousands of thousands of people over the years, and he wasn't the only person watching her dance back then.

Their inspection was over after a few minutes, and one of the guards left with them, presumably to lead them to their destination.

Shingi stood and made his way in front of the young guard looking in the direction of the wagons and, more specifically, where Meyana was.

"*cough**cough* Can my inspection start then?"[Shingi]

Hem turned towards Shingi, angry at first for someone interrupting him but then ashamed of his behavior while on duty.

"Name."[Hem]

"Vangel."[Shingi]

He wasn't going to let his true identity known, and he knew that they wanted the names just to check they weren't in any of the dangerous people lists. But ut wasn't like a dangerous person would use his real name or come through the gate either way.

He continued answering some more questions, and the young guard was writing everything down.

As the inspection was over and Shingi was ready to get through the gate, the person who seemed to be in charge made him a signal to stop.

"Is there a problem?"[Shingi]

The older guard looked Shingi in the eyes, as Shingi could hear the young guard Hem behind him to be anxious as he thought he did something wrong.

"You are Garry's boy, aren't you?"[Older Guard]

Shingi was surprised by the question.

He wasn't looking much like Garry even now that he had grown, so he doubted one would assume he was related to him just by looking at him.

Shingi nodded as he wasn't reading any ill intentions by the man in front of him.

"I was told you might come here someday, but I didn't think it would be that soon. You look older than I thought you would be, but the eyes are just as they were said to be. Red is quite unique."[Old guard]

Shingi was surprised once more as he had found some time ago by asking others that they couldn't see the actual color of his eyes and looked to be black at them.

He was amazed that the older man in front of him could see while people like Aneta, Benjamin, or Belly were unable to.

"Follow me. I have something important to show you. Name is Harbin by the way."[Harbin]

Shingi followed him in the town leaving behind a confused young guard who also seemed to be a bit relieved.