Slashing

Slashing (9998/10000)

On the forty-first day since coming underground, Heka's progress had far exceeded his expectations. He had completed his original goal ahead of schedule.

Looking at the entries on the panel, Heka continued swinging the dagger in his hand.

Proficiency +1

Proficiency +1

Heka let out a long breath, returned the dagger to the sheath at his waist, then focused his mind and dragged the menu over to the skills section.

[Skills]

Theft (7180/10000)

Slashing (Deals an additional 20% damage when using a dagger/short sword)

Sleight of Hand (729/10000)

Valin (212/10000)

Valin had come from Tuft of Hair's instruction, but it was somewhat different from skills like Slashing, which could be improved through repeated practice.

Heka's Valin had hit a bottleneck. Although he still reviewed it every day, his progress showed no sign of advancing.

Heka checked his backpack. They had enough food left for around ten days, but their drinking water had already run completely dry.

He had to go out and stock up. He might as well take a look around while he was at it. Hopefully, the matter had already blown over. After all, most people on the streets had poor memories.

The previous night, Heka had packed his backpack while Tuft of Hair was fast asleep. This time, he did not need to bring food. If he was caught, it meant death—there would be no suspended sentence.

Heka hid the dagger on his person, placed the two crossbows in the backpack's top slots for easy access, and left most of the food behind. He kept only a few pieces of cheese as emergency rations.

After covering himself with a cloak he had originally stored in the miscellaneous box and hiding his face, Heka checked his backpack and prepared to leave.

[Backpack] (10 slots)

Simple crossbow in ready-to-fire condition ×1 Simple hand crossbow in ready-to-fire condition ×1 Poor-quality empty water bucket ×9 Small piece of cheese ×5 Valin copper coins ×412 Valin silver coins ×67 Huika gold coins ×23 Miscellaneous box ×1 Hand crossbow bolts ×14

If he got the chance this time, Heka planned to use silver coins to try to buy a high-quality short sword, along with two or three heavy crossbows.

After he had actively stored the Huika gold coins, the coins in his backpack now had their countries of origin displayed before the copper and silver coins as well. It seemed the backpack was becoming internationalized.

Although reaching the maximum level in Slashing had granted him a noble percentage-based damage increase, Heka understood that his current Strength was only 0.260. Even though it had improved considerably compared to before, it still had not reached the average level.

For now, his safest option was to use crossbow bolts and combine them with the backpack's storage and retrieval function to catch his enemies off guard.

"If I haven't returned by the end of the day, go down and follow the left side forward. Turn left twice in a row, then go up to the surface. There's a carriage house there. If you're lucky enough, you might be able to leave this place."

Heka handed a small money pouch to Tuft of Hair. It contained five silver coins and fifty copper coins. Gold coins were too conspicuous—if they were exposed, it would mean death—so Heka had not left any for him.

"Boss, I'm coming with you."

Tuft of Hair did not take the pouch. Instead, he raised his head and looked seriously at the peer standing before him.

"You'd only slow me down. Besides, it's not as if you've never gone up there before."

Heka opened the pouch, letting Tuft of Hair see the five gleaming silver coins inside.

"We stole too much money from the last person. He was most likely a tough customer. If we hadn't made it into the sewers, we would already be dead.

"Only forty-some days have passed, so this matter isn't over yet. If we go up now, someone will definitely be waiting for us. With you slowing me down, I won't get far. When that happens, I'll have no choice but to abandon you up there."

Heka looked at him, then shook the pouch in his hand.

There was one thing he had not said. Since Tuft of Hair knew this place, if Heka escaped, he could never allow Tuft of Hair to fall into the enemy's hands alive.

"This trip may be troublesome. I might be gone for a while. If I haven't returned within a day, I'm most likely already dead, and this money will be meaningless. When you reach the carriage house, just find any carriage and sneak aboard.

"Don't negotiate with the person in charge. Go straight to the driver.

"The fellow who escaped last time used this method. The fare should be around ten copper coins.

"There are two checkpoints along the way. One is at the city gate, and the other is at Apple Town. You can bribe the soldiers when leaving the city—twenty copper coins should be enough. I don't know how to get through Apple Town, either.

"Perhaps you can get off midway.

"This information is from forty days ago. If you're lucky, after I'm caught, the gang might lower its guard a little. You'll only get one chance.

"Also, remember to bring some food before you leave. Don't eat anything anyone else gives you on the road.

"Cover yourself up completely and don't show your face. Try not to speak. Dwarves and halflings aren't much taller than you even after reaching adulthood. Do your best to make people think you're a dwarf or a halfling."

After listening to Heka's instructions, Tuft of Hair finally accepted the money pouch. Heka pressed his lips together and wanted to pat his head, but because of the lump on it, he ultimately only patted him on the shoulder.

"There's a cloak inside the box. You can use anything in there."

After finishing his arrangements, Heka quickly climbed the rope ladder to the main passage. When he looked up, he saw Tuft of Hair standing there and watching him.

Heka waved, signaling him to hide himself well, then continued forward through the sewers.

A long time ago, Seapeak Port had possessed an underground dungeon. Like most of the dungeons on this continent, after adventurers had explored it extensively, it gradually lost the ability to continuously refresh monsters.

About a century ago, this dungeon was conquered for the final time. Afterward, it completely became part of the city.

This was the foundation of Seapeak Port's underground world. Following the principle of making full use of everything, the rulers of Seapeak Port built the sewers within it, eventually forming the entire system.

The sewers at present were only a small portion exposed near the surface. Farther below lay a great deal more, including even deeper levels.

According to the bards, there were also cities built directly inside dungeons that had lost the ability to refresh Demonic Beasts. Heka really wanted to see one.

Heka followed the main passage for a while. Just as he was about to enter the section where homeless people began to appear, he immediately turned aside. There was a narrow cave there. From it, he could bypass the area ahead and directly reach a place with a shaft leading to the surface.

No one could survive in the sewers. It was far too damp, and there was almost no lighting farther away.

Fuel was the most important resource after food. The penniless homeless could never possibly consume large amounts of fuel merely for illumination.

The most important thing about the shelter Heka had found was not its terrain, where one man could hold off ten thousand enemies. It was the few thin rays of sunlight that fell through the shaft connected to the surface.