Nameless King

Chapter 28 The Bartender

Sven calmly said, "Voids are hazardous areas, which are home to powerful creatures, as well as not simple climatic conditions. Moreover, in these areas often occur a variety of natural disasters. But the higher the danger, the higher the rewards. Wain, how did you get into the test room?"

Wain shrugged and answered, "I went into a strange crypt, killed almost half a thousand huge ants, and then headed into the room where a chest was waiting for me. I thought I would get a reward, but it was a trap, for it was not a chest but a Mimic. Then as I understand it, the trial of the World of Darkness began."

Sven was surprised, "Yeah, that's not the usual situation. Trial of the World of Darkness sometimes appears in Dungeon territory, but you still met Mimic. You're really out of luck."

Wain nodded weakly and said, "Sven, what do you know about Dungeons? This is the first time I've encountered something like this."

"I don't think I'll tell you any more than you know. Dungeons are areas created because of a large accumulation of Soul Essence in one place. Dungeons are very similar to Voids. Only they are more frequent and less dangerous. Dungeons are altered places or spaces influenced by Soul Essence.

Sven sighed and continued, "Dungeons can be destroyed as you did. In that case, after eradicating all the monsters, the remaining Soul Essence will gather in one spot and become your reward. This can be anything. Depends on the amount of Soul Essence and luck. The same goes for Voids. Only as I said before, the difficulty is much higher there, and these territories tend to be bigger."

"What happens if a Dungeon, for example, appeared in a deep forest and no one found it?" Wain asked. He was curious about this.

"In that case, the monsters would come out of the Dungeon and gradually increase their territory of influence. The Dungeon will constantly get stronger and bigger. Sometimes this can lead to a real catastrophe. Of course, if you destroy a sprawling Dungeon, the reward will be appropriate." Said Sven.

"Damn, in that case, I'm really out of luck. I met Mimic and the test of the World of Darkness at the same moment in my first Dungeon." Said Wain.

Sven nodded and said, "Yes, but usually, meeting a Mimic is huge luck. These creatures are unique. They can absorb the souls of others and store them within themselves. Thus increasing the total Soul Essence of the entire Dungeon. This means that if you manage to defeat Mimic, the reward will be better than usual. However, you have passed the test of the World of Darkness, and that is the most important thing."

Wain took a cigarette out of the pack and lit it. He blew out a puff of smoke and said, "Dungeons are exciting things. It might be better to let some Dungeons evolve properly before destroying them."

Sven said, "Most people would like to destroy all Dungeons. Your thoughts are rather cynical."

Wain grinned and said, "They're cowards, but I'm not the only one. I'm sure that soon some Dungeons will be protected instead of destroyed. It might even become a real business. Sven, so how do I find Voids?"

"Usually, Voids are either in dungeons or hidden places that are hard to get into. Unlike Dungeons, the entrance to which is a crypt, maze, or ruin of some kind. Normally the entrance to a Void is like a dark door made of ink. The entrance to a Void is mostly hidden in space gaps." Sven said calmly.

Wain nodded and asked, "How do I get into the Void, and what can I get if I destroy everyone there?"

"It's simple. You need the Seal of Darkness, and that's it. When you come to the entrance of the Void, your seal will activate, and you will be able to pass into the space where the dark door is. Getting the reward is the same way as in Dungeons. A large amount of leftover Soul Essence will turn into some item or even a soul. However, in Voids, you can find a lot more than one good reward at the end."

p Sven sighed and continued, "In Voids, you can find various ores, powerful monsters, and their souls, as well as other rewards. Moreover, in some Voids, you can find neutral creatures in addition to monsters. They may bring you some benefit."

"I see." Calmly said Wain and asked, "This bar, is it a Void too?"

Sven smiled and said, "Yes, unlike Dungeons, where there are always monsters, sometimes the Void is a neutral zone. This Void is very small. It's a very ordinary bar. These are special zones that are very rare to find. But, the first time, after getting the Seal of Darkness, everyone gets into such, safe zones."

'I see, so there are other places besides this bar. I wonder what other neutral zones there are. These Voids look like something very curious.' Wain thought.

"Then, who are you?" Asked Wain.

Sven smirked, "Isn't it obvious? I'm just a simple bartender. But, I'm also a part-time informer and trader."

"You're not a bad bartender. What do you sell?" Asked Wain.

"Lots of things, but you can hardly buy anything now. The World of Darkness uses one common currency. It's not money or materials of any kind. It's souls, but not ordinary souls. The currency of the World of Darkness is called Void Soul." Sven muttered.

"And how do I get Void Soul?" Wain asked.

Sven smiled and quickly answered, "It's simple. You have to trade your souls and get a certain amount of Void Soul for them. But, I should warn you, you might need more than a few hundred souls to get just one Void Soul."

Wain nodded and said, "Then how much Void Soul can I trade my souls for, and what can I buy from you with it?"

"I trade a variety of goods. But, for starters, put your hand forward. I need to know exactly how many souls you have and how strong they are. Don't worry. I won't be able to see the souls that are in your Soul Altar." Sven said quickly.

"Good," Wain replied briefly and reached forward.

Sven grabbed his hand, after which a faint, blue glow appeared. Sven's eyes lit up, and after a few seconds, he let go of Wain's hand.

At that moment, Wain thought, 'Hmm, he looks calm, so he's not fooling me. He really hasn't seen my Soul Altar. That's good.'

"Wain, you really destroyed an entire Dungeon yourself. Impressive, since it's been less than a day since the apocalypse began. All your souls are enough to get one Void Soul." Sven said.

Wain was surprised and said slowly, "You weren't joking when you said Void Souls are hard to get. They do cost a lot of money. What can I buy with one Void Soul?"

Sven smiled and gestured with two fingers, "Even with one Void Soul, you can buy several things, but I think there are two of the best options. The first is this."

Said Sven and the ring on his hand glowed the next moment, and a black bomb with many silver cells appeared in the palm of his hand.

"What is it?" Wain muttered.

"It's a special bomb that gets stronger from the number of souls inserted into the cells. There are only a hundred cells. The more powerful the souls, the stronger the explosion will be. If you put in enough rare souls, you can create an explosion more powerful than a nuclear bomb."