The Skill Collector

There is an unusual custom in the village.

The village existed in the land that went further behind the land called the secret border.

Taking the secluded area, where only demons were said to exist, to the back of the woods while ravaging demons, we reached a village lined with crude houses called straw roofs on the walls of Marutai...... no, it was better to call it a settlement.

The inhabitants of the village are human beings or demons. Or wild with a mixture of humans and demons.

When I visited, I poked my weapon without question and received a great welcome to strike simultaneously.

The experience of being attacked by natives in an undisclosed land is unusual or irrelevant now, but it was fresh at the time.

The common language didn't make sense, but I managed to communicate my intentions with some demonic words and gestures, and after beating down half of the villagers, I became relatively adult and listened to people.

Villager clothes are just for smoothing animal and demonic skins, drilling holes and weaving feathers, and the lower abdomen of both men and women is just wrapped around the leather like a waist minotaur.

The cultural level was quite low and its own culture had been established.

The oddest of them all was the demons and animal skulls sitting over their heads.

In this village, by wearing the strongest prey you've ever defeated instead of a hat, you show your strength around you. So if you look at your head, it's easy to find the fierce in this village.

There was a villager who defeated the dragon, but in that case, the bone was too big to be worn, and the dragon horn was processed and worn like a hat.

It seems this outfit is only in the village, and they just take it off when they go hunting.

The villagers were only dawning in battle and had high combat-related skills, and I thought this was deserving as a business opponent, and years after going on and on, I was welcome.

When you carry supplies that smell like civilization, your interests as a pedestrian will also be considerable because you will gladly trade them for precious demonic areas.

Bartering was the rule in this village, but I also bought only one level of skill instead of goods. That's just for good extended skills, too.

Too much buy-in leads directly to death in this village in harsh environments.

Sometimes I sold my skills, but that was limited to something peaceful that I could use in my internal affairs, not my combat system.

Because if you don't, the power map will change in this village where power says things.

Oddly enough, this is how this village has lived for years. Outsiders should not be out of balance without darkness.

The products were also just tools that would make them a little more convenient, and I was trying not to sell magic items.

I honestly believed in the negotiations because they were all villagers without greed, and even when I hung up the value, I honestly seemed to believe them, but my conscience blamed them, so I never uttered a lie or a lie to them.

That kind of interaction continued, but suddenly the interaction with them was interrupted.

Because a powerful demon appeared near the village and the country that took a heavy look at things built a sturdy fort on the only street that was connected to the village.

As a result, the way to travel to the forest on the border is lost.

Using his skills, it was not impossible to get through the fort and through the woods to the village, but he was unluckily caught up in trouble at that time, making his freedom unfavourable for a while.

By the time it was all cleaned up, the forest was devastated and the village was devastated... and I stopped even stopping near my assumptions.

It's been a long time since I've heard rumors about that village lately.

"I think it was around here."

It was a few decades ago, so I can't remember.

The sense of direction is lost in the woods, and everywhere looks the same.

There are still signs of a fairly large demon raging, but the natural restorative capacity is significant, with weeds thriving and young trees turbulent.

"What is happening now?"

When I'm traveling alone, my soliloquy gets zero out of my mouth.

I'm used to traveling, but this is how I talk about my mood. I guess there are only a few feelings of loneliness, but more than that, there is a strong desire to keep your mouth familiar so that you can have a conversation without delay when you encounter people.

Back in the day, when I lived without talking to anyone for nearly six months, I didn't get a word out of my mouth when I met people for a long time. I try not to be indispensable to talk to myself about that as a lesson.

- It's pre-construction, but it's actually just a spare time.

I saw a familiar tree. Is that alive, thank goodness?

There's a beast path to the right of that tree.

"Oh, the road is better than before."

From the middle of the road the ground changed to a flat and weed-free path. Apparently, besides the roadless path I was on, there exists a path that leads to that village.

It makes me want to spill my stupidity as to what the struggle has been, but I'm sure it can be easier. Let's be honest and thank you for the maintained path.

Straight from there...... I see it.

"Whoa, this is..."

My voice leaks unexpectedly.

A splendid stone wall surrounded the village, making it so splendid that it could not be compared to a crude Marutai fence like before.

"And isn't it getting bigger?"

More than when it was a Marutai fence, it just doubled as far as I could see...... it looks like there are more grounds than that.

There's an open, heavy, double-open iron door and two gatekeepers standing, but the outfit is armed with a spear on the iron armor, and there's nowhere to shadow the crude clothes back then.

"Surprising progress, I'd say evolution when we get here."

I heard rumors, then gathered information, and to some extent I was prepared, but I didn't know things had changed so far.

"I guess no one remembers me"

There will be little chance of survival in an old familiar villager. If you are an elf or dwarf with a longer life than a person, however, the life expectancy of a demonic mixed child should not have been significantly different from that of a human.

I don't even recognize the face of a gatekeeping armored soldier.

Several people are being judged in front of the gate, so I decide to line up behind them.

I activated 'Listening Ears' to eavesdrop on their story.

"What brings you to this village?"

"Yes, I made it easier to bring luggage to the store here"

I'll check my stuff.

"Go ahead."

It's like I'm checking the carriage carrier, but it doesn't look like I'm serious.

Just tap the crate and turn the cloth appropriately, and your eyes are all the way to the man you were talking to.

"Oh, I was. This is just a feeling. Please accept."

When a man gently grips a small bag at the gatekeeper, the gatekeeper distorts his nigga and passes through the carriage with the man softly.

Where did all the barbaric but pure ideas go? It's secular by the time it's stunning.

"Next, the pedestrian there"

"Yes, it's me"

I put a thin smile on my face because I was called in.

"What brings you to this village?"

"Recently I heard that this village is thriving, and it depends on my visit to see if there are any money making stories"

"Ho, deaf ears. Indeed, we are employed everywhere as mercenaries. I get a lot of money every time there's a war."

He also has a nasty grin on his mouth, but he laughs differently than the old villagers.

They were laughing furiously, voicing their emotions, if strangely. I don't laugh this dirty.

I'm glad the villagers survived, but I'm half happy to see this situation.

According to the information gathered in advance, this village was unbeaten by demons even after I stopped visiting it, and seems to have survived a harsh environment.

Nevertheless, the damage to the village was severe, and they began to do something for the future.

In order to earn roadblocks to rebuild the village, he chooses to use his arms to enter the war as a mercenary regiment.

The strength of the villagers who had continued to fight demons and hone their skills was remarkable. If you're an adventurer, the people who are stepping into the advanced ranks will flock and attack you. Nor can the average soldier be the enemy.

I don't follow one country, I'm hired by any country as long as I get money.

There is no good or evil in them, hunting if there is prey. Even if it's human.

They also touched civilizations in various countries like that, and their thoughts gradually changed. For better or worse.

Passing the soldier under his sleeve and creeping through the gate, there was not a single house that matched his previous memory.

I don't see any coarse houses that just connected Marutai. There are a number of mansions lined up like you wouldn't think in a normal village.

There are also a few shops, but they don't look like a village on the border. A shop-like appearance of a noble opponent in the capital of the kingdom. Beyond the glass on the giant single board I could see garments and jewels that looked fancy.

In the past, the roads that were just uneven without grass were even and well maintained.

"I didn't know it was developing so far"

The people who want to go also see only a few villagers, and it can be seen that the majority are not from this village.

He must be the one who gathered for the money earned by the villagers. Or the people who came to hire you as mercenaries.

It is easy to distinguish between those who come from outside and the villagers. Because that custom remains.

If you look over your head, there's a skull there.

Unlike in the past, it seems to have become fashionably decorated with paint or something carved into the bone.

Honestly, I think it's a worse hobby than before, but it won't be for outsiders to talk either.

It's just... just one thing, it's not going to be acceptable.

Pushing and killing such emotions, he spoke to a flexing man wearing a golden skull.

"Hello, I'm a visitor to this village today."

"What. A merchant?"

It sounds like a beautiful common language. Although my attitude and way of talking is not bad.

"Yes. I'm a stubborn pedestrian. From what I saw, you seemed to be the strongest in this village, so I let you speak."

"Ho, don't you have eyes to see"

He puts his hand on his chin and looks unmannered.

There is no mistake that this man is strong because he confirmed his skills in the 'appraisal'.

"You have a brilliant head bone decoration"

- It's a bad taste, though. and the words that follow only whine in my heart.

"You bet! It's the bone of the toughest, strongest opponent I've ever defeated. Spray it with gold powder and carve a sword and shield on the side!

He speaks proudly against his chest.

He smiled and nodded constantly, but there was mild frustration inside.

Because the skull was a human head.

I can tell at a glance from the skeleton that it is not a demon. They are delighted to have the human skull they have killed on their heads.

These changes are also convincing because the object of being a mercenary and hunting changed from a demon to a human being. I'd say it's a natural flow.

But just because I can understand it doesn't mean it's offensive or not.

The old ones are nowhere to be found anymore. The savage, but simple, carefree people who were proud to hunt demons.

For them who lived without knowing the luxury, the world would have looked brilliant. They may have been pleased to learn that they would gain anything if they were strong.

Even those who were born and raised in a civilized society often get a lot of money and change people. It's because I'm a simple, pure villager here......

Look further up than the man's overhead skull as he listens to the still ongoing martial arts tradition.

Skills were displayed there and there was plenty of combat-based skills. Look at the highest level of skill among them and sigh so the man doesn't find out.

I also turned my gaze over the heads of the villagers on the road and checked their skills.

Still seems to have the highest level of that skill.

"Greed."

Skills nobody owned before.

Now the majority of villagers owned 'greed' at a high level.

This is when you realize that you are immortal. The course of time is sometimes gentle and cruel, and decades change everything.

Villages, customs, people.

I have completely lost interest in buying and selling skills in this village. I can't motivate myself enough to say that my combat skills are competent.

He seems to have a lot of money, so I know if he sells his skills, he'll buy it for a lot of money.

"- I mean. Well, that's the thing, staying away from those guys out of the village. They're fools who don't make progress from the past."

Listening appropriately, the story was changing course.

There's something I'm really worried about right now.

"What kind of people live outside the village?

"They stick to their old customs. Don't be a mercenary, you're hunting only demons around the village. I'm allowed to stay because I contribute to the security of the village, but unlike us, my earnings are insignificant. Nothing good about being a merchant."

I was more interested in villagers outside the village than the man in front of me, and I leave the place early when I sell cheap necklaces for a high price.

As we continued down the path taught us, the maintained path turned into an uninterrupted wasteland.

There are all these crude buildings lined up around the area.

"I miss you."

Looks like this is the only place that cut off the old landscape.

There are several villagers around the houses just connecting Marutai.

Exactly. The outfit is decent, albeit rustic, than it used to be.

But I can see a different part from the villagers just now. Undecorative demonic bones on top of your head.

I guess they live an old-fashioned hunt without losing their pride as hunters.

Life is easier and more luxurious for those who are mercenaries. But their presence seemed honorable to me.

"Excuse me. My name is Collector. I was buying skills I didn't need."

He looks at me like I'm freaking out when I talk to him.

Such a gaze upwards from their faces. Looking further up from the demonic skull, there were many skills lined up there.

In it - 'Greed' does not exist.