10 Chapter 14

"Ah, shit. Here we go again."

Those mob characters are the second most annoying for Janus. If he says they are everywhere, it means they are literally everywhere! Janus almost became their victim once while playing the Valkyeria Rozea before. At first, he thought they are just a group of players who decided to have a temporary friendship inside the game.

The character designs of those thieves are similar to the avatars they are using in Valkyeria Rozea because of their clothes. Fuck, they even have an IGN above their heads too. So when they cornered him and start initiating a conversation with him, Janus thought they are just a bunch of losers who teamed up and bully the newcomers or the players they thought weak and defenseless.

Fortunately for Janus and with his thousands of experiences in simulation games and RPGs, he is always prepared in every situation he encounters in the game world. When those thieves started to become aggressive towards him, Janus threw powdered grass called Makarila on their faces. Marakila is a rare grass that can only be found inside the Rozea Dungeon.

While those thieves were distracted, Janus ran in the other direction as fast as he can. Soon, the nearby army of slimes quickly surrounded and attacked the thieves. The slimes were attacking those thieves because they can smell the Makarila grass on their bodies. Janus discovered a long time ago that Makarila grass can make those slimes aggressive and high.

While those slimes were busy attacking the thieves, Janus had already escaped from them and he successfully kept the valuable things he earned while exploring the Rozea Dungeon inside his backpack aka his virtual storage box. Janus did not know if those thieves died or escaped the slimes. He just shrugged it off and he ended up at a conclusion that the slimes probably ate them alive.

The second time Janus encountered those thieves again, he was trying to finish a mini task which can upgrade his storage box as a prize. Those thieves said the exact lines they told him while trying to push him on a corner. That was when Janus realized those thieves were part of Valkyeria Rozea to make it more difficult and challenging for the players. As usual, he dealt with them by throwing powdered Makarila grass on their faces again and fed them to those armies of jiggling slimes.

Janus swears that whoever created their character designs and roles are just pure evil. He sometimes wonders how many players became their victims in the game. They probably added misery to those struggling gamers who just want to finish the game.

Who would have thought Janus will encounter them again. But this time, they will see those nasty thieves face to face. Logically, those thieves are considered as humans too even though they are mob characters placed inside the game. It only means they are not similar to those creatures around them who are afraid to show their presence in front of him who is now a powerful Valkyrie without wings.

It is no problem for Janus to encounter them again. But it is different if they will encounter Goliah and attempts to rob the things he has and fights him. Janus is trying to minimize his actions as long as he can. He still has some doubts and questions about his current existence in the game and Janus does not want to create unnecessary trouble or problem that will be hard to solve later on.

Clicking his tongue in irritation, Janus shakes Goliah's body to wake him up. The big guy just stirs a little before moving a little to find a comfortable position. Janus tries to wake him up again but Goliah is really a deep sleeper. His system notified him that the thieves will arrive at exactly twelve minutes if they will stay in their current location.

"Damn it, big guy! Wake up!" Janus said in a loud voice while shaking Goliah's body with a bit of force.

Janus accidentally pulled Goliah's shirt and it suddenly ripped into two pieces of torn clothes. Janus blinked twice first before he gently tucked the torn fabrics under Goliah's armpit. Janus will just say that he accidentally ripped his clothes while moving a lot to find a good sleeping position. No one can also accuse him since he is the only witness there. His system is not counted since he is the only one who can hear, see, and talk with it. After accidentally ripping Goliah's shirt, Janus holds his arm tighter and moves the big man's body with much force.

"Damn it, Goliah! Wake up!" Janus loudly said.

Pa!

Cannot control his irritation anymore, Janus slapped Goliah's forehead with his free hand. But he still makes sure not to put too much power on his hand. He does not want to accidentally kill his newfound friend though.

When Janus's hand landed on his forehead, Goliah's eyes snapped open when he suddenly feel an itchy pain on his forehead that jolted him out of his sleepiness. With a slight haziness on his eyes, Goliah looked around and saw Janus who is looking at him with a frown on his face.

"W-What? H-Huh?! Ah..."

"Goliah! Goliah, are you okay?" Janus asked in concern.

" H-Huh?"

"You are squirming and clutching your shirt tight. I guess you are having a nightmare?" Janus asked as he gently rubs Goliah's back.

Goliah looked at his shirt and saw that his shirt was torn in half. It seems like someone grabbed it with much force which tore the fabric of his clothes. Goliah still looks lost and unaware of his surroundings when his hand subconsciously touched his forehead. It feels hot and he can feel an irritating itch mixed with a stinging pain on it.

"What happened?" Goliah asked.

"...You hit your forehead when you were squirming on the ground earlier." Janus answered.

"I—What?"

Goliah cannot understand. Did he have a nightmare? But can't he remember any of it? And besides, Goliah is a good sleeper despite living five of his years inside this hellish dungeon. Goliah rarely gets a nightmare unless the memories of his family flood his mind too much.

Janus will never say the truth. He suddenly feels glad that it is rare to find a mirror inside this dungeon. He will never reveal to Goliah that his red handprint is on his forehead. Nope. Never.

"Goliah, I think you—"

[Seven minutes before the group of thieves arrives in front of you, Janus.]

"Ah, fuck it."