Ch.3Chapter 3. Convenience Store Worker Becomes a Totem (3)

Chapter 3. A Wage Slave Becomes a Totem (3)

[FullPlay: Good luck everyone. Let’s survive] (5)

[HellBrown: If you’re going to possess someone, why not possess my main character] (3)

[Bramanda: Can’t we kill the animals outside and go back into the cave?] (4)

[SamuraiJackson: I don’t have a sword and shield, but dual swords?] (2)

[Doron: My starting weapon is a mace. Maybe weapons are random] (4)

Reading through the rest of the posts, there was nothing about “Loa.”

No one seemed to question that “a paladin who fell from Earth into a cave in another world” was a member of the community.

As if being possessed as a paladin was natural.

I must be a special case.

Maybe I was the only one possessed as a Loa because of the email I sent when I was young.

– …

I’m not sure if I should consider this fortunate or unfortunate.

It might be better than others who have to fight for their lives from the start.

I continued reading the next posts, focusing on ones with many comments.

[DabuDabu: I was bitten on the neck

I fought hard, but they were too fast.

Maybe I got slower because I was tired…

I managed to kill them all, but I can barely move my body.

Did you know you can write community posts just by thinking?

I just found out now haha;

Now that I think this is the end, I have many regrets.

I should have bought my daughter more of the chicken she loves.

I should have bought it for her at least once a week. I said I didn’t like chicken because it’s unhealthy, but the truth is I couldn’t afford it.

I’ve been thinking a lot while alone in this cave.

I have many regrets, but what can I do? I just hope this isn’t the end.

Maybe when I open my eyes, I’ll be back on Earth?

I’m Kim Do-hyun, 37 years old, living in Anyang, Gyeonggi-do.

My daughter’s name is Kim Hana, and her mother’s name is Cha Yeon-seo.

My home address is xxxx, xxxx-xxxx.

If you who are reading this ever return to Earth, please check if my daughter is doing well.

These are my last words to the community.]

[JackieLantern: I was caught by devil worshippers.

I should have listened to George. I was too arrogant.

I shouldn’t have gone down toward the village to spy.

Now I’m hanging on something like a cross with the tendons in my arms and legs cut.

They seem to be planning some kind of ritual with me. I’ll die soon.

Let me give you one tip before I die. Devil worshippers look like ordinary people.

If you see a living person, slightly cut their fingertip with a blade.

If green blood comes out, kill them immediately. Don’t be stupid like me and get tricked]

…Two people died in such a short time.

Both had been posting since the beginning of the community.

I was lost in thought when:

“Malak, Priestess Paya has awakened!”

It happened already? Time flies even though I haven’t done much.

This is why the community is dangerous.

I shifted my eyes (or whatever serves as eyes) forward.

A muscular man (probably the chief) stood before me. With him was a short woman.

This woman must be the priestess.

“It is an honor to meet you, Loa Malak. I am Paya, daughter of Find and Ula. I serve as priestess of the Blue Moss tribe. Thank you for answering my call.”

The woman spoke and knelt down.

A woman with black hair and brown eyes.

Paya wasn’t a muscular monster like her brother. Rather, she seemed shorter than the average adult woman.

She wore clothes made from long feathers of an unidentifiable bird, and had painted the area around her eyes and cheeks with black pigment, like camouflage cream.

She looked like a Hispanic woman dressed as a harpy.

After Paya finished speaking, her brother stepped forward.

“Forgive my late introduction. I am Kanto, son of Find and Ula, chief of the Blue Moss tribe.”

Then Chief Kanto also knelt before me.

…What should I do now?

Looking through the community didn’t tell me what I should do.

I had no choice but to ask questions that seemed like statements.

– Speak.

It was Kanto who opened his mouth.

“As Malak surely knows, demons summoned by foolish civilized people are disrupting the world. The hands of evil forces are reaching for our tribe’s territory. It is time for all tribes to unite under the name of the Loa. Great one, please lead all tribes and protect the mountains, plains, and forests.”

So that’s the setting.

If the goal of those possessed as wandering paladins is like a game, it would be survival and demon extermination.

For me, it’s probably uniting barbarian tribes, securing followers, and exterminating demons?

But it still wasn’t clearly explained what a Loa can do and what they are.

I had to ask as solemnly as possible. So they wouldn’t think I was asking because I didn’t know.

– What do you think a Loa is?

“Uh…that…I’m sorry!”

My question was so unexpected that Kanto blinked a couple of times in confusion before pressing his head to the ground.

– I do not ask to scold you. Speak.

Tell me. Please tell me.

You speak well. Intelligent barbarian warrior Kanto.

“Ugh…”

Kanto, sweating profusely, took something out of his pocket.

It was a dirty piece of parchment, which he stared at for a while before raising his head again.

Wait, did he write a script or something?

I should cancel the “intelligent” part of intelligent barbarian warrior.

“Loa Malak, protector of the Blue Moss tribe! All spirits on earth are suffering! The-“

“Malak, may I answer instead?”

Paya stepped in, seemingly unable to bear watching her brother’s nonsense.

Seeing how Paya glared at her brother, I could tell what kind of relationship they had.

The relationship between siblings remains the same whether in the modern world or a game world. That script was probably written by Paya.

– I don’t mind.

“You are great beings who protect us and bestow blessings. Among them, Lord Malak is special. You answered my prayer and descended to earth directly.”

Blessings, huh. So I’m a support class?

My role might be to buff these tribe members.

I checked the “available blessings” list I saw earlier in my status window.

It was 0, wasn’t it? I checked my status window again.

Indeed, 0… what’s going on?

[Name: Malak]

– Available Blessings: None

– Available Points: 30

– Servant: Paya

– Enter Community

My available points increased from 0 to 30.

I’ve done nothing but browse the community… maybe these barbarians did something.

I’ll ask about this later.

Paya said I was special compared to other Loas. The reason being that I descended to earth directly.

– Are there other Loas who have descended directly besides me?

I might hear “You’re a Loa and don’t know that?” or “Shouldn’t you know that better than me?” so I added a few words.

If I mess up and they start asking “Are you really a Loa?” things would get difficult.

– I sacrificed much to help you. I am gradually recovering, but my memory is not complete, so answer with what you know.

“Lord Malak… you went that far for us insignificant beings…”

“So that’s what happened…”

Paya’s eyes welled up with tears, and Kanto nodded in understanding.

It’s not a lie that I sacrificed a lot.

I sacrificed my limbs, freedom of movement, my life on Earth, and my job.

Though that’s not your fault.

“According to records, it happened occasionally in ancient times. In the era of our distant ancestors. You bestowed many blessings for our prosperity. But not anymore.

The Loas, unable to bear the corruption of the earth, fell silent. You are the only one who has answered prayers and descended directly. That’s what this young and ignorant priestess Paya knows.”

The more I hear, the less hope I have. Let’s assume I’m the only Loa for now.

Now I need to find out why my points increased to 30.

– Chief Kanto. What did you do when Paya was unconscious?

“I went hunting with the tribe’s warriors to get medicine for Priestess Paya. We caught a mountain python. …I will bring the next offering by tomorrow.”

Next offering? Are they going to pile up more animal carcasses?

– What will you do with the animals used as offerings?

“Of course we will burn them. We cannot take what Malak has taken, that is the law.”

So they mass-slaughtered wild animals that won’t even be eaten. A meaningless waste.

I’m not someone who pursues ethical correctness, but it still made me uncomfortable.

Hunting… I think I understand a bit.

Let me form a hypothesis.

Just as knights have experience points, I, as a Loa, have points.

Knights gain experience when they directly kill demon-related things.

Then what about my points? Could it be that I receive points when my followers hunt or kill something?

My points increased because the mountain python they killed was worth 30 points.

The first offerings this tribe presented to me were used to summon me, so they didn’t count toward my points.

I don’t know what the points are used for yet, but they must be related to blessings somehow.

Just as accumulating experience raises levels, accumulating points might enable me to do something.

…Doesn’t this encourage the practice of offering sacrifices?

After brief consideration, I decided on my answer.

– How close are the demons?

Paya spoke.

“They’ve taken over everything below the mountain. Beasts mutated by evil forces roam around. We’re at the mountain peak so they haven’t climbed up yet, but it’s only a matter of time.”

So the situation isn’t that relaxed. Anyway, I have a plan now.

– I cannot bestow blessings upon you now. I need more power.

I need to establish this first.

Basically, I lost my power because of you. Do you understand?

– Eliminate the beasts infected by their energy. As my followers defeat evil, my power grows. Then you will receive blessings.

Kill diligently.

If paladins are in an RPG game, I’m in a real-time strategy game.

Let’s try something.