Chapter 52: Souls Gatherer

“A free soul is better than a chained god,” Nikolai said, and the old gunman slapped his thigh with an approving nod.

“Well said!” Conan shouted. “You are mature, kid. However, do you have the ability to back those words?”

“I can only hope.” Nikolai shrugged. “Thank you again for helping me and for the badge too.”

“You’ve earned both of those too.” Conan stood up and leaned on his cane. “My offer stands, boy. Come to me if you want to be the best gunman to have ever lived.”

***

Nikolai weighed the case of enchanted bullets that he received with great worship. Nothing was more precious than good bullets for a gunman.

[Enchanted Effect: Mana Amplification.]

A giant red phrase spanned the black case from side to side. This effect was the one Nikolai chose. His mana wasn’t a lot, and this was the best effect he could obtain. There was the effect of anti-ethereal, which worked against a range of ethereal monsters, including spirits.

He left the Gunmen League and worked through the alleys to reach the city’s gate without being seen. He used the leaving crowd to slip through without drawing too much attention.

After covering his face as soon as he left the city, Nikolai ran toward the Forbidden Forest directly while most others went to the other side of the stream, the Alm Forest.

He kept an eye on the stream until he saw the lights again, shining in a straight line toward the forbidden parts. He stopped running and crouched beside the lights.

[Choose a response.]

[Action: Follow the Lights.]

[Action: Leave.]

Nikolai looked over the stream and saw the abandoned bridge that connected the two sides. He ran across the bridge as it squeaked beneath him. The middle panel of his system glowed brightly before disappearing, being replaced by a different one.

[Quest Began: The Lost Soul of Rohan.]

[Quest Description]

[Before he ascended to Celestia, Val had many servants. One of the souls lost its way. Being trapped by the other spirits, it can’t leave the forbidden area of the Alm Forest. Free the soul to finish the quest and quite possibly, learn more about the God of Lost Souls.]

[System Rewards: 50 Fate Points.]

[Other Rewards: Unknown.]

Nikolai’s eyes gleamed as he read the description. A servant of Val, the God of Lost Souls. This spirit might know where another statue is. If Nikolai could obtain that information, then he can become Val’s Champion earlier than planned.

‘The ability to rule over the dead.’ Nikolai grinned to himself. If he could obtain this power, then he will become more than a guild master. He will have his undead army and maybe even an undead kingdom.

He knew that The Fate System wasn’t an empowering system but a supportive one. It made things easier for him, but it didn’t give him power directly. It gave him knowledge of the future and the ability to change it.

Nikolai wanted to rule over the dead because he can trust them. They won’t betray you for their self-gains, and they will forever be loyal to you. That’s because they were dead.

Nikolai reached the point where the lights in the stream ended, and they pointed toward an ominous spot of the forbidden area. There was not a soul in sight. Well, that phrase might not be accurate.

Nikolai could hear the wailing of spirits as they roamed the forest. Their cries sent shivers down one’s spine because they resonated directly to the soul. Nikolai took a deep breath and loaded his gun with regular bullets.

Nikolai followed the path of the light until he reached the edge of the forest. He turned around and saw that the light that guided him here was gone.

‘Was it the system aiding me, or was it the lost soul?’ Nikolai wondered as he turned toward the forest.

There was a face in front of him.

A morbid and disfigured face of a roaming spirit glared at him with its round and hollow eyes. The skin has festered and blistered beyond recognition.

“AAA!” The spirit screamed and lunged toward him. Luckily, Nikolai already had his gun in hand and only needed to aim it upward and fire his mana-infused bullet.

The bullet passed through the spirit’s robes and chest, disturbing its ethereal form using mana. The monster screamed and soared away as it began condensing again.

‘Sigh, that was quite the scare.’ Nikolai looked around him. Spirits were bothersome because physical attacks didn’t work on them, and they couldn’t be perceived. ‘I need to be careful here.’

Nikolai walked through the forest as memories of his past adventures returned to him. The anticipated danger, the odds against you, and the desire to emerge victoriously.

He held his gun with both hands as he walked through the trees and their branches. His eyes were laser-focused on anything that would move.

As soon as a spirit appeared from beyond the trees, Nikolai fired his gun, and the spirit’s head disappeared. It wailed before running away. Nikolai advanced, starting his venture into the forbidden area.

***

The forest was, as Nikolai remembered it to be, a death trap for adventurers who didn’t focus on mana. Luckily for Nikolai, he could infuse his bullets with mana to disrupt the spirits enough for them to leave him.

As he kept walking on the edge of the forbidden area, Quest Clues began appearing. The first was an empty frozen field, where signs of battle laid everywhere.

‘Are there other people here?’ Nikolai wondered to himself as he looked at the sword slashes on the ground. The signs of battle weren’t fresh, and there were no traces of any fallen humans or spirit dissipation. ‘It was either a tie, or one side fled.’

Nikolai walked into the empty frozen field, looking around. As he reached the center, a system announcement arrived.

[You have entered the Quest area.]

“Ah, Ra, Nee,” A singing from a distant place reached his ears, prompting Nikolai to look at the spirit that appeared in the middle of the field. “Fa, La, Cee.”

‘An elemental talking spirit.’ Nikolai slowly took out the enchanted bullets’ magazine from his belt. Slowly, he inserted it into his gun. ‘Is this the one trapping the lost soul?’

As if answering his question, the spirit swayed to reveal a clear pendant around its neck. Seeing it, Nikolai realized how the soul had been trapped here. This pendant was a Souls Gatherer.