Legend of the Awakened Goblin [Tower Climbing LitRPG]

A light flickered. It was eerie, but if anyone was nearby, she would already know. It was impossible to sneak up on Kikuno Itou. She sat in a small room deep in the Security Regime's headquarters.

Sai sat on the other side of the small table with her report held in nervous hands. She looked everywhere but at Kikuno.

Kikuno finally relaxed. There was no way for people outside to hear or spectate the conversation. The room was truly secure.

"You can talk," Kikuno said.

Sai visibly relaxed and set her paper on the tabletop. "I was really worried there."

"I am sure someone is trying to listen despite my warnings. We won't spend more time than we need to. Tell me what you found." Kikuno sat back. The spider legs protruding from her back were wrapped tightly around her torso, acting like a cross body harness. Her hat was hanging on a hook by the door, leaving her hair to poof out freely.

Sai, meanwhile, had jaw-length shoulder black hair which she tucked behind her ears as she read over her report. "I have some concerns."

"Share."

Sai looked up. Her dark eyes were serious. "Every report has been a lie." She picked up the stack and flipped through. "There isn't one of these I would say I actually believe."

"Owin this. Goblin that. Every person in Atrevaar believes the goblin started the battle and is solely responsible for the destruction of Atrevaar." Kikuno pointed to the report. "Something like that?"

"Like that, yes." Sai leaned on the table, getting closer as if to whisper something. "I don't get it. People I spoke with that certainly couldn't have seen the fight exclusively blamed the goblin. I don't wish to suggest a conspiracy."

"But there is strong evidence to support the idea."

Sai nodded.

"When you asked about Sofia Halaby?"

Sai flipped through her report and stopped on a page near the back. "Security Regime—" She stopped, looked around the room, huffed, then continued. "Officers suggested that Sofia attacked Veph unprompted and when people came to assist in the fight, Sofia used a Security Regime officer to cast the Power 7 spell. Now, we know Veph was already a shard above Sofia, so I cannot imagine why Veph would need assistance."

"Especially from the military. Their stance is the same as anywhere else. Protect against collateral damage. If they swarmed Sofia in a battle against a stronger hero, they would have given her the fuel and reason to use Power 7." Kikuno rubbed her forehead. "Regardless, we need to see where these stories first emerged. Void Nexus or the Security Regime."

"I . . . did some digging." Sai turned to her last page, turned the paper around, and slid it toward Kikuno.

She read over the report and felt her heart hammer harder. Not only were there likely spies from the other hero companies present, there were high ranking officers from other militaries in Atrevaar.

"It wasn't a conspiracy by Void Nexus or the Security Regime," Sai said.

"It was the whole fucking world."

Sai pressed her lips together and nodded once.

Kikuno pushed the report back to Sai. "Why hire us to investigate? What would the Security Regime gain from our report?"

"Ma'am." Sai picked up the packet and wrinkled the edges as she gripped firmly. "Your association with the Three Headed Hero Company and Magna Regum has put the idea in their minds that you are going to go along with their reports."

"To the public, it will look like I'm a third party confirming the general fear of Owin and now Sofia." Kikuno's upper spider leg uncurled from her shoulder, bent down to her bag beside the chair, and pulled out her tome. Worms wriggled over the pages. Some liquids from within leaked onto the table.

Sai frowned and pulled the report away. "We're going to need to fight our way out."

"If we want the real report to exist outside Atrevaar. We cannot bring it to Althowin. Public perception of the 7 Shard Hero has already dropped and will continue to drop as she associates herself with the goblin and Sofia. If I bring Althowin a report the public already believes to be false, more people will distrust Althowin and use it as a fuel for this foolish crusade."

"Where do we bring it?"

"We need an organization that believes in us and that the public believes in."

Sai held up her hand. "Void Nexus is out." She put down one finger. "Magna Regum will not help." A second finger down. "The Three Heads might try to kill you." A third finger lowered. "The Golden Bulls are under control of the Three Heads." A fourth finger down. "And the smaller hero companies are all the same. Nobody cares much about any one of them. The Spelunkers could say all the things they want and nobody outside of Kriergow would care a bit."

Kikuno lifted the worm tome. It opened on its own and radiated power into the room. "I will prepare us before leaving the room. We will share your report to the fullest."

"If they take it or destroy it?"

"I have my own report."

"Ma'am." Sai pulled her report to her chest. "Mine are written better."

Kikuno used her free hand to pull a report from her bag. "We give them mine. Fine."

Sai swapped the reports and watched closely as Kikuno slipped it into the safety of her bag.

"Collect yourself." Kikuno stood, slipped her bag over her shoulder, and unlatched the rest of her spider legs. They maneuvered, letting the bag fall into place on the middle of her back.

Sai just stood, smoothed her jacket, and waited.

"Protection and speed," Kikuno said. Her arm shook as the tome poured its cursed power through her body. Her fingers cracked and twisted in painful, jerky movements as the spell shot out of the tome. Two wisps of light lifted and smashed into their chests. Protection was difficult to feel from the cursed tome, but the speed made one's movement as light as a feather.

Sai drifted closer, hardly stepping at all. "What's our sign?"

"If I stab someone, fight back."

"Yes, ma'am." Sai pulled a knife hidden within her jacket, checked the tip, and slipped it right back inside. "Do you think they will actually attack? No Shard Heroes are in the area now that Veph left."

Kikuno felt her book squirm in her grip. Its power tried to whisper in her mind, but she had long since learned to shut it out. "No. Is that an excuse to leave ourselves open?"

"No, ma'am."

Kikuno unsealed the door and pulled it open. Her senses helped her hear Security Regime officers scurry away. They wouldn't have heard anything, even with soldier hearing. She still didn't like the attempt.

Sai passed through first, still holding Kikuno's report. She bowed her head and offered it to a Security Regime officer. The woman was a 1 Shard Hero that Kikuno had known for years. Not personally. She had few personal relationships.

"This . . ." The woman flipped a page. "This—"

"Is not what you want it to be," Kikuno said. Her tome wriggled in her grip, held to the side. She didn't need any weapon readily available to handle a 1 Shard Hero, but the tome didn't want to be free of her grip.

Lower ranked Security Regime personnel stood along the walls, watching their superior with close, worried gazes. Nobody looked like they were ready to show how brave and idiotic they were. It was always possible that could change from a single comment.

It often did.

"Every report—"

"Lied," Sai said confidently. Most people would never suspect that Sai was nervous only moments before. Her composure was that of a statue. Sai squared up to the Security Regime officer. "I do not tolerate lies in my investigations."

The woman scowled. "Lies? You're the liaison. You're not an investigator."

"Sai is my right hand." Kikuno stepped forward. Security Regime personnel backed up if they were able. One berserker smacked his head against the wall in an attempt to distance himself from Kikuno. "Is that a problem?"

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

A shard shakily rose from the officer's shoulder. That alone was not an act of violence or a challenge. It was instinct for most Shard Heroes to activate their shards upon feeling threatened.

"Put it away," Kikuno said, voice quiet, yet firm.

The shard sunk back into the woman's shoulder.

"This is the report you are getting. The Void Nexus hero known as Nikoletta Olah attacked Owin the goblin in a trap set by Vephthru Veriss. When Owin won, Vephthru Veriss moved to attack the goblin. It was only Sofia Halaby's intervention that stopped Veph from murdering the goblin. Void Nexus and Security Regime heroes conspired together to stop the goblin's escape, and when Sofia was surrounded, she used a Void Nexus hero to cast a Power 7 spell with the singular goal of survival. You pushed her into this by conspiring with Void Nexus. As far as I'm concerned, you are both at fault for every single death in this city. Both organizations are corrupt." Kikuno reached back, grabbed her spear, and pulled it free. She slammed the butt of the shaft on the ground. Cracks slithered through the stone floor. "Do you accept this report?"

The woman looked at the paper, frowned, and took a deep breath. She had been given specific orders, and there was an obvious level of fear behind the words she knew she had to say.

"I do not accept this fabricated report."

Sai scoffed.

Kikuno angled her spear down, just a bit. "And who do you speak for?"

"I have the authority to speak for Atrevaar." She looked up, finally meeting Kikuno's eyes. "Your report is declined."

Sai brushed hair from her eyes and carefully tucked it behind one ear. "Why hire us?"

The woman nodded toward the door leading to the rest of the Security Regime compound. The other personnel quickly filed out.

Kikuno ground the spear into the stone as she waited, staring at the door until it slammed shut. "Will you stop wasting my time?"

"I was told you had an understanding with the hero companies," the woman said.

Sai looked like she was about to reach for the knife just to stab the woman and be done with it.

"I do not associate with any hero companies. How else am I to remain a neutral third party if I make associations with hero companies or militaries? I take the bounties that seem truly dangerous, and I investigate Shard Hero crimes. Nastya, Olena, and Isaak had their conspiracies that I declined to hear out, and now Isaak lies dead. Sofia Halaby committed one of the gravest crimes in Verdantallis, but she is no more guilty than Vephthru Veriss. I will find someone who believes me, regardless of what you do with that report."

The woman rolled it up and stuck it inside her uniform. "You may go." She folded her arms. "Do not return to Atrevaar."

Kikuno took a step closer and leaned in. "I will go where I please." Luckily for the Security Regime, she currently wanted to go to Kriergow.

The Security Regime officer stepped aside.

"Next time you have a bounty, remember you will not have access to me or Sofia." Kikuno walked to the door, stopped, and gripped her book tightly. "Good luck."

***

Desert Dungeon

Sixth Floor

Two Shards Active

Owin jumped from the bottom of the staircase and landed gently. Shade ran up the stairs, tripped, and fell on his face at Owin's side.

"According to the current list of Shard Heroes, there are seven possibilities," Shade said. He stood up, looked around at the small tent they were inside, and took off his head to readjust it.

Owin opened his own index and sighed at the names. "I don't know most of them," he said.

"Oh, like Everard Bauldry? Or Imizael Traslar? Or Kikuno Itou? Because I've never heard of them either. No, I was thinking more of the whole Vephthru Veriss or Egnatia Lucan part of that."

"Olena Vasiliev and Nastya Sidorov are part of the Three Headed Hero Company that Althowin fought," Owin said. "It could be them too." Owin grabbed the skeleton's hand and dragged him away from the stairs. "It doesn't matter right now. We need to get to the end of the floor before Chorsay so we can be there to help when he arrives."

They were in a small tent with the sides blowing wildly all around. The two flimsy tent poles were partially bowed and wobbled with each new ruffle of wind. Shade closed his index and watched the tent poles move about. There was a lull and Owin couldn't imagine what he could say.

There were only seven 5 Shard Heroes in the entire world, and one of them was right behind them. Most heroes on the list probably wanted Owin dead.

"We should leave," he finally said.

"Chorsay is going all the way to the next floor." Shade pointed out of the tent into the bright sunlight beyond. "We can leave with him on the next floor."

A knot formed in Owin's stomach. "I've heard this all before."

Shade walked back and dropped to a knee. He grabbed Owin's shoulders and squeezed tightly. "It might be fine."

"And if it's not?"

"We make sure Chorsay gets out."

"Okay."

Owin led the way out of the tent and immediately stopped as his vision was assaulted by floating black words.

New Quest

A Loose Bolt

Reward: Passage to the 7th floor

Note: Check the Journal for more information

Owin sighed.

"A quest when we're in a hurry?" Shade opened his index. "Oh. A story."

Owin opened his own and changed to the journal.

A powerful lehboa alchemist created a golem meant to protect the last people of the once-great city of Amnopis. Soon after finishing her creation, the alchemist died of mysterious circumstances, and the golem was set loose upon all creatures, friend and foe, in the lands that once held Amnopis. Within days, all lehboa who had fled the city with the powerful alchemist were dead, killed by their protector.

Knowing the golem was too powerful to be bested in combat, the alchemist had created an artifact capable of shutting down the creature's mana core. The artifact disappeared with the alchemist's death, and now, with the golem returning to the lands of the lehboa, the only hope to stop it is to find the lost artifact.

"Is the quest to stop the golem?" Owin asked.

"What's a bolt?" Shade asked.

"Find the artifact," Torban said.

Owin and Shade both looked at the bag.

"The artifact is a bolt," the bag said.

Owin closed his index and looked over the sandy, dusty horizon. Everything before them was sand. Just wind and sand. A few tents stood around the one they had emerged from. Boxes and barrels with other bags of supplies were stacked between tents, protecting them from some winds and sand.

"Is this all?" Owin asked.

A rumble passed through the floor. Sands on the dunes beyond shook. Another whip of wind passed and nearly took the tenets with it.

"What's a bolt?" Shade asked again.

"If I had one, I'd puke it up for you," Torban said.

"Don't puke anything." Owin inched away from the tent and squinted to see through the intense winds. His shards hummed quietly above his shoulder. They had been active long enough that he didn't notice the difference in power, but if he looked far enough to the right, they shone oddly in the light just at the edge of his vision.

"I won't give you weapons."

Owin held a hand out in front of the bag's mouth. "I need weapons, Torban."

"You said I can't puke."

"If you're the reason I die, I'll be angry."

"You won't be anything if you're dead."

Owin grunted.

"Oh, really? Then what am I?" Shade asked.

A tent flap opened and was immediately caught in the wind. A squinting lehboa stuck its head out. "Is someone out here?" They stopped Owin and Shade and shielded their eyes to see better in the bright sun. "A goblin out here?"

Owin raised his metal hand and waved. "Hello," he said, loud enough to be heard. "I'm Owin."

Another rumble passed through the floor. Stronger winds visited shortly after.

"Come, come." The lehboa waved toward the tent and disappeared back inside.

Owin didn't wait for Torban or Shade to voice their opinions. He hurried across the rumbling sands and ducked inside the tent. Shade followed behind and yanked the tent flap behind him. The skeleton fumbled a bit to tie it down, but managed and soon joined Owin and a few lehboa on a carpet that was weighted down in the middle of the tent. The sides still whipped wildly like the tent they had emerged into.

"Who are you?" Owin asked.

"We're from a city called Kisisu." She looked uncertainly between the five other lehboa. "We came here as archaeologists. The old legend . . ." She shook her head quickly. "We never thought it was real."

"The golem?" Owin said.

A hush fell over those gathered. Only the whipping of canvas in the wind filled the silence.

"I, uh." Shade leaned forward, placing his hands on the carpet. "I think I'm confused. Are we quiet because Owin mentioned the golem?"

The lehboa who had spoken gave a single nod.

Shade dropped his voice to a whisper. "If we don't speak about it, will it leave us alone?"

"We pray," she said quietly.

Another rumble shook the floor. All the lehboa squeaked and ducked their heads, as if they could hide.

Owin waited for the sands to stop shaking and the renewed wind to ease a bit before speaking. "Is that what's causing the shaking?"

A slight nod.

"And what's a bolt?" Shade asked.

He was shushed with such speed and ferocity that Owin almost pulled a weapon. He may have if Torban had offered one, though the bag had been silent and calm.

"The Bolt," the lehboa started at a whisper, "is the Great Alchemist's artifact. If the . . . if it exists, so does the artifact."

Two quick rumbles passed through the ground beneath them.

"We're running out of time," she said.

"Have you looked?" Owin asked.

A quick nod. "We arrived with a whole company of archaeologists and assistants."

"How many is a full company?" Shade asked.

"Fifty," she whispered.

"Oh."

"Why don't I just fight it?" Owin asked. He felt Torban move.

"It can't be defeated."

Owin felt the familiar grip of the Incandescent Blade push against his palm. "Are you sure?" He pulled the sword free and a new silence fell upon the lehboa.

"Butcher," one whispered.

Shade's eye sockets widened as he tried to gesture at the sword.

The led lehboa's face contorted in anger. "You carry the Butcher's Blade."

Flames ignited along the Incandescent Blade.

"An enemy of the lehboa."

"Oh," Owin said. The flames vanished. "I see what I did wrong. I could use a different sword. My bag—"

The ground shook with more power, forcing the tent flap to come loose and blow aside. Sand and wind blew into the tent and caused the lehboa to shield their eyes. Owin turned, squinting, and spotted a massive silhouette against the bright sunlight.

"Enemy Detected."