Surviving without God

— Slept well.

— Gunther! Good morni— huh?

While the daughter of the merchant guild master, who had been about to greet him, blinked in surprise, he quickly finished his business.

[I invest 2 free stat points into “Endurance”]

[Endurance 18 -> Endurance 20]

[Endurance has reached 20 points]

[Your body becomes even sturdier. You will not feel severe fatigue even if subjected to excessive physical exertion for half a day]

The difference in stats becomes striking when they cross each threshold of 10 points. The moment Endurance reached 20, Gunther’s condition sharply improved, and his body filled with energy. To survive for long in the chaotic mêlée of battle, endurance was a mandatory requirement. Next was....

— Khah!

He slightly sidestepped Eddie, who, as always, tried to ram his shoulder into him with hostility. But this time, unlike in the previous life, his body reacted reflexively. It did not stop at a simple dodge. Gunther’s leg slid between the legs of the stumbling Eddie and—

— Ugh!

Crash—!

In an instant, Eddie lost his balance and smashed face-first into the ground.

“...Huh?”

[The King of Ninety-Nine Defeats smiles faintly]

The reason became clear quickly. It was judo. Knights do not use only swords in battle. Distance control with an opponent, situations without weapons, enemies in heavy armor—to respond to various variables, the study of grappling techniques is also mandatory. That was why the technique transmitted to him by the King of Knights was deeply interwoven with high-level unarmed combat mastery.

“.......”

But the surprises did not end there. While Eddie, burning with shame, tried to pretend he had fainted, a hazy figure, like a residual afterimage, floated above him.

[“The Sender of Love Letters That Never Return” stares intently at you]

It was the god Eddie had contracted with. In the past, Gunther would have seen only system messages, but seeing the actual image had been impossible. However, thanks to the Stigma, a kind of “divine intuition” had taken root within him.

“Wait, does this mean other people can also see or sense you?”

[The three gods shake their heads]

[They say that you are an exception, as you are connected to them not by a normal contract, but by a special case through Karma]

“...Sounds like, unless I reveal it myself, no one will know that I’m a contractor?”

[The three gods nod]

That was good. Gunther smiled in satisfaction and looked at the gradually fading god with the long and ridiculous name.

“By the way, I thought your nicknames were the dumbest, but this one’s impressive too.”

[The three gods stare at you simultaneously]

Leaving behind the numb people (though Ryan, of course, was laughing at the top of his lungs), Gunther stepped out of formation.

“Anyway, let’s talk.”

There was a lot he needed to ask before the holy host arrived.

***

There were about 5 minutes left until the attack. Gunther asked questions tirelessly. About the return and about Karma. ...But unfortunately, most questions went unanswered.

[The three gods remain silent]

[A strange force compels them to keep their mouths shut]

A restriction. Something was preventing them from answering. Gunther’s eyes narrowed at the unexpected result.

“Could this be the work of the higher gods?”

In , there was a clear difference in power and hierarchy even among gods. Phenomena where higher deities oppressed weaker ones were fairly common. Naturally, Gunther, a mere human, had no way to resolve this problem. In the end, he was only able to get answers to simple questions:

Q: What is Karma, if you show such favor toward it?

A: Think of it as a currency that gods can use to great advantage.

Q: Do other gods besides you desire Karma?

A: Most likely. But you must be careful not to reveal the fact of return or the existence of Karma to other gods.

Q: Do other gods know about my return?

A: They do not. However, an extremely small portion of the higher deities might have noticed.

“.......”

[......]

Gunther silently stared at the status window, which no longer updated. The doubt that followed was only natural. Perhaps they had known about his abilities from the very beginning, and that was why they had grown close to him? Having realized in advance that he was a “returnee” and a ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) user of Karma?

[Alphonse of Red Street whistles and averts his gaze]

[The Drug-Addicted Saint suddenly shows intense interest in knitting, which she had forgotten]

[The King of Ninety-Nine Defeats checks the sharpness of his blade once more]

“...I see.”

Gunther let out a short breath. He had been with them for over two years already. During that time, the gods had done everything they could to help him. In critical situations they never spared advice, and when he collapsed from exhaustion, they encouraged him with jokes and comfort. If not for them, he would not have survived to reach this place. Even if his suspicions were correct, there was no reason for resentment.

[Alphonse of Red Street wants to change the subject]

[He suggests discussing measures to prepare for the upcoming attack]

“...Yes, good idea.”

Gunther nodded slowly. The message followed immediately, as if they had been waiting for it.

[You are asked to whom you plan to offer the next collected Karma]

At present, 15 units of Karma had been collected. That was far too little to obtain a new skill. Gunther planned to repeat the cycle of life and death several more times to accumulate Karma, and he had already decided how to use it.

“The next one is also the King of Knights.”

A brief silence followed.

[The Drug-Addicted Saint, shocked by your unfairness, turns a graduated cylinder in her hands]

[Alphonse of Red Street pulls his pants down slightly and expresses disapproval]

[The King of Ninety-Nine Defeats nobly reproaches his companions, urging them to wait their turn]

[...But he is smiling]

I feel sorry for those two, but it can’t be helped. The Saint and Alphonse have a high probability of granting support skills or auxiliary Stigmas. That much is clear from the kind of advice they usually gave.

The Saint is definitely healing. Alphonse—stealth or charm. Right now, this was the moment when combat skills were needed most.

“If I had a contract with another god, that’d be one thing. But as things stand, of course it’s the King of Knights.”

[The King of Ninety-Nine Defeats asks how much more Karma you plan to collect and offer]

“...I was just about to ask that.”

Gunther recalled the status window from his previous life.

[The amount of Karma offered is negligibly small]

It had said that 100 was little. Because of that, the Stigma had been inscribed only partially, and the acquired skill had been weakened.

“Is it more efficient to offer a large amount of Karma at once rather than giving it little by little?”

[The King of Ninety-Nine Defeats nods]

[He answers that the larger the single offering, the higher the efficiency]

Gunther immediately asked in return:

“Then tell me. How much do I need to collect so I can resolve the current situation?”

[You are asked to clarify what kind of “resolution” you need]

“I need to kill the paladin before he kills the caravan master. Even better—defeat him with overwhelming advantage.”

This silence was a little longer.

[The King of Ninety-Nine Defeats spreads five fingers]

“.......”

Gunther blinked for a moment. That’s not fifty, right?

***

— Ryan.

— Huh?

— Do me a favor.

Ryan looked at Gunther with a puzzled expression. The enemies were already practically at their doorstep. The Gunther he knew was the type who would focus rather than chat at a time like this.

— A favor, out of the blue? Say it.

— Due to circumstances, I’ll need to push myself a bit.

— ...Push yourself?

— Cover my back.

The moment he said that, Gunther changed completely. Both in skill and in demeanor.

— ...Seven!

— You lunatic! Take care of yourself!

Ryan barely managed to keep up with Gunther. He had always known that Gunther possessed outstanding skills for a mercenary. They had been partners for almost a year. He knew Gunther was an incredible hard worker who improved day by day.

“But this is already....”

This went beyond a mercenary. Ryan stared at the corpses underfoot with a stunned expression.

“Did he become a contractor or something?”

...Moreover, Gunther was strangely obsessed with “finishing off” enemies. He even carefully sought out and killed those crawling on the ground at death’s door. Of course, finishing an enemy was normal—but not in the middle of a general mêlée. Because of such risky actions, Gunther was often put in danger and—

— Ah, my sin is having a friend like this!

Ryan had to act as a living shield to protect his companion. Height 195 cm. A brute weighing over 100 kg, whose muscles were built for wielding his main weapon—a two-handed hammer. When he shouted and began swinging the hammer behind Gunther, a significant portion of the threats was neutralized.

— Thanks. I’m earning pretty well thanks to you.

— Ear... earning what? Have you swallowed drugs or something?

— Well, the sensations are similar.

Surprisingly, Gunther was smiling faintly. Ryan couldn’t understand it.

— A-a-a-a-a!

Because several dozen meters ahead, the defensive line desperately formed by Eddie and a few guards was collapsing in real time. Soon it would be their turn.

— Not long now! Kill them all!

— Filthy pagans!

There were already more enemy soldiers around them than allies. Even Ryan, who feared nothing when beside Gunther, felt his whole life flash before his eyes, his legs starting to give way.

“Madman. I knew he was brave, but to this extent...”

But Gunther was calm not because he failed to grasp the situation. He knew. He knew that inevitable death was approaching.

“So what.”

He would revive anyway. Yes, it would hurt. But now was not the time to tremble before impending pain—it was time to think about how to collect 500 Karma as efficiently as possible.

“I need to die as rarely as possible.”

A clear goal—to accumulate as much merit as possible in a single life. The confidence that if he did not give up, the goal would be reached. That was enough for Gunther, scorning death, to plunge into the thick of the enemies.

— Forward!

— ...Damn it, here goes nothing!

Both of them charged ahead with a shout.

.

.

.

[Alphonse of Red Street laughs cheerfully, saying it’s the first time he has seen a human rush toward death so joyfully]

[The Drug-Addicted Saint looks at your numerous wounds with sunken eyes]

[The King of Ninety-Nine Defeats admires your courage, which does not bow its head before strong enemies]

— Alive? — Bare... ly brea... kh... thing. I’ll croak soon, of course.

Ryan. This guy really was an excellent partner. The raw power emanating from his enormous body, towering a head above the rest, paired perfectly with Gunther’s sharp and precise swordsmanship.

“At least I earned far more than in the previous life.”

Thirteen. Gunther counted the number of enemy soldiers he had killed. It was an incredible figure for a mere mercenary. Knightly swordsmanship helped, but Ryan’s role—supporting him selflessly during the frenzy—was enormous.

“Probably earned around 30.”

Ah, and by the way—

[Level 28]

[Agility 20 -> Agility 21]

The level had gone up as well. Gunther patted Ryan’s shoulder gratefully. This was what he loved about Ryan. It wasn’t just skill—if you gave him an end goal, he would ensure an excellent process. If you asked him to cover your back, he would stand to the death, no matter what.

— I’ll definitely save you later, so don’t worry and die.

— Uh... I don’t know what nonsense you’re spouting, but fine, deal.

Gunther and Ryan, leaning back to back, smirked. At that moment—

Tap.

Heavy footsteps cut through the noise of battle. At the same time, the enemy soldiers surrounding them all increased their distance at once.

Tap—

Even Ryan, who had been smiling, darkened under the weight of the intangible pressure. Gunther slowly stood up. Endurance and mana were at zero. Even this single movement was difficult, but he had no intention of dying without resistance.

“Well, this time at least I’ll see his face before I go.”

Into the naturally formed empty space of the circle stepped a man with a twisted face.

— A lot of people fell before dealing with this trash.

It was the paladin who had already finished off all the other allies in Bedland.