Dark Fantasy Guide for the Summoner - Chapter 4

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Episode 4.
Special Circular Train Armand IV
A Shadow in the Forest of Shadows is an entity that represents the concept of shadow itself.
Not exactly a world-ending threat that appears constantly—
but one that makes a forceful impression in the game’s opening sequence and then resurfaces whenever you’ve nearly forgotten it, troubling the player.
‘The Shadow’s true nature?’
I don’t know either. Even with seventy percent of the game completed, I still can’t discern their origin or purpose.
Which suggests their identity connects to something fundamental about FoSh—the game’s core theme, or perhaps its ending.
But really, there’s no need to overthink it.
Shadows are annoying, finicky monsters that ratchet up the game’s tension.
When I was playing, that much awareness was enough.
* * *
I’d defeated two Shadows, but this time neither dropped a Raw Stone.
Hardly surprising.
The drop rate for that item is abysmal to begin with.
‘Of all times for my intuition to level up.’
If only my body had risen instead, the last fight would’ve been far smoother.
Not that this is much consolation, but I did acquire some other useful items.
[Obtained: Worn Bandage.]
[Obtained: Old Disinfectant.]
“Phew… there we go.”
I’d finished basic first aid.
Applied disinfectant to the gash in my side where blood was seeping through, then wrapped it with bandages.
Even this much made an enormous difference.
Before, breathing alone felt like it might drive me mad.
Of course, I’d picked up several other items as well.
[Obtained: Loose Leather Armor.]
First, the armor itself.
It was a bit oversized, but manageable enough to wear.
If I’d had something like this on earlier, I’d never have been cut by Derek’s fingers.
[Obtained: Old Leather Pouch.]
I stuffed the remaining bandages and disinfectant into the small leather pouch, holes riddled through it though it was.
[Obtained: Rope.]
[Obtained: Blunt Knife.]
Tying the blade—dull as it was—to the end of my spear seemed to boost its lethality somewhat.
Where did I find such precious items, you ask?
I picked them up.
From where?
Really now, what a question.
Same place as with Derek.
[Obtained: Tattered Wrist Guard.]
[Obtained: Glass Bottle of Water.]
[Obtained: Pantry Storage Key.]
[Obtained: Iron Cage Key.]
I looted the corpses. Thoroughly, this time.
At first I felt a twinge of guilt, but when pain sears through you sharply enough, such scruples dull quick.
I grew more convinced it was simply necessary for survival.
Squelch.
I pressed forward, gathering every useful item I could find.
Possible because bodies lay strewn not just through Car 12, but Cars 11, 10, 9, and beyond.
‘Most of it’s junk, though.’
Still, compared to my near-naked state at the start, things had improved considerably.
‘In the game, a single point of defense could mean the difference between life and death.’
There was one thing I regretted slightly.
Among the passengers were Delvers—Forest explorers—so I’d hoped to find decent weapons or potions from them.
Though relying on luck in this game is about as foolish as it gets.
‘Since even those tricks didn’t work in FoSh.’
Recovering equipped items from ally NPC corpses was possible…
but retrieving gear from unrelated corpses, things they’d worn in life, was not.
‘…So this really is reality.’
The game has become reality, and with it the dangers have multiplied—but in exchange, the choices available to me have widened as well.
Just as I’d broken a mop handle and fashioned it into a spear.
Clatter……!
Still, this is hardly a time to afford complacency.
Every time I sensed the slightest disturbance, I raised the spear and shifted into a defensive stance.
I had no way of knowing where enemies might be hiding…….
‘And I don’t know exactly when the train will overturn.’
Creak.
Moving at a brisk pace, I soon reached Car 6.
There were almost no people or corpses here anymore.
Instead, there was far more wreckage than in other cars—as if a pitched battle had taken place.
Likely those who’d been here had quickly joined the others forward without getting caught up in the chaos that erupted inside the train.
‘……Damn them.’
If only they’d slow down a bit.
Once I link up with the Delvers, my chances of dying on this train drop to nearly zero.
Maybe I should have rushed to meet them instead of wasting time looting corpses.
‘Am I insane?’
It’s a foolish thought.
The Delvers aren’t going to guarantee my survival either.
In a sense, they’re something I need to be even more wary of than monsters.
In this wretched dark fantasy world, the only one who can guarantee my life is me.
Of course, it was undeniable that despite thinking this way, my pace was steadily quickening.
With no corpses to loot, I pushed straight forward to the next car…….
“Oh.”
“Huh?”
“…….”
At last, I came face to face with living people.
‘They are people, aren’t they?’
I paused for a moment, then examined their faces while maintaining my guard.
Five in total, and judging by their attire, they’re Delvers.
Their specific classes, though……I can’t quite tell.
What I can discern is that they’re arranged in three at the front and two at the rear.
I’d guess two melee dealers, one tank, one ranged dealer at the back, and one support—roughly speaking.
“What? There’s someone alive back in the earlier cars?”
“How do you know he’s human?”
“Just look at him. His complexion is fine, he’s not drooling. Sure, he’s covered in blood, but so are we.”
“The thing we killed earlier was the same—perfectly human-like right up until we put it down. These creatures are masters of mimicry.”
“Really?”
The man who’d been grinning—apparently the group’s leader—spoke to me.
“Hold on, stop right there……what exactly are you?”
“I’m human.”
From his expression alone, I could tell my answer had gotten nowhere.
A man with a cynical cast to his features—likely a rogue—spoke up.
“You have any way to prove it?”
“How about you?”
“What?”
“How am I supposed to believe you’re all human?”
“……You’re a stupid bastard. We have a group. We’ve been together the whole time since this started. Your situation is different.”
……Well, that’s true enough.
Of course, what I meant to say was that someone who’s been touched by a Shadow has no way to prove their innocence.
Low-ranked Delvers like these couldn’t possibly know the nature of Shadows.
“I dealt with a couple of creatures wearing human faces on my way here.”
“What did they look like?”
“Both had eyes completely blackened. One had its tongue hanging down to its chest. There are corpses in the rear cars—go check if you don’t believe me.”
I showed them the spear, now drenched in blood, and they exchanged uncertain glances.
A man in robes standing at the back spoke hesitantly.
“Could he be telling the truth? Those creatures didn’t seem like they killed their own kind…….”
“I suppose. But I can’t believe it until we see the bodies.”
“Should I go check?”
“What if this is a trap to lure us in? Besides, the people in the cars behind Car 6 are mostly civilians with no combat ability. How did he manage to survive that chaos intact?”
They’re clever bastards, aren’t they.
Won’t be easy to convince them with a line or two, like game NPCs.
Before suspicion could harden in their eyes, I opened my mouth.
“I was in the rearmost car. The monsters didn’t reach that far. They were probably drawn toward where the passengers were.”
“Then whose blood is that?”
“Handled a few small-timers on the way here.”
“That so? Hmm… wait, hold on.”
The thief narrowed his eyes.
“You came from the rearmost car? Then you’re…?”
“A Stoker.”
Their gazes turned cold all at once.
Damn. I knew this was coming.
A train Stoker was the lowest rung among the Armand IV’s passengers, after all.
The thief spoke with a sneer.
“Ah, you’re a furnace worker. Didn’t notice with your look and demeanor. But why do you talk like that?”
I answered his jab with indifference.
“What, you a noble or something?”
“What?”
“Or shut up. Don’t be a cripple picking at stupid details.”
“…You son of a bitch.”
The thief let killing intent show, but I just stared him down.
Though inside, I was tense.
Why talk back so sharp? Because it wouldn’t help to have these Delvers look down on me.
We stared at each other for a moment before the man who seemed to be the leader stepped forward.
“Kal. That’s enough. His point isn’t entirely wrong. In this situation, what does it matter if he’s a Stoker or a slave?”
“…”
“What’s your name?”
My name…?
“K-kay, Kaye, Cake, K, Kay! Kaindel! Hehehehe!”
I recalled the dead one-eyed Derek calling me that.
“Kaindel.”
“All right. Kaindel. I’m Alec. What was the situation like in the back?”
The way he spoke, he did seem competent enough to lead a party.
Since his face wasn’t familiar, he didn’t seem to be a named NPC though.
“No survivors.”
“You’re certain?”
“I am.”
“Hmm.”
“Can I ask a question on my end now?”
“Go ahead.”
“Why are you staying here?”
The question was why they hadn’t moved further forward to join the others.
When Alec heard my question, his expression flickered with discomfort before he answered.
“Because the door ahead is locked.”
I already knew that much.
From Car 4 onward, the train carried some of the most exceptional talents among its passengers.
With their sense of superiority, the passage between Car 4 and Car 5 was supposedly kept locked tight with a padlock at all times.
‘The lock is silver, though.’
It poses no real harm to humans.
In other words.
“You could just break it open.”
The Delvers here were strong enough to smash it with pure physical strength.
“Have you lost your mind? The people in Car 4 are first-rate Delvers. If they took offense…”
“Offense? Is that more important than their lives?”
Perhaps I’d touched a nerve.
The leader’s expression hardened.
“…That’s an overstatement. It’s a terrible situation, but nothing that would cost us Delvers our lives. You wouldn’t understand, being a Stoker.”
“…”
So he too had put on colored glasses the moment he heard the word Stoker.
‘…How do I handle this?’
These guys don’t look like they’d change their minds easily.
‘Is Car 5 even safe?’
I scanned the Delvers before me.
Their faces, the names Alec and Cal—none of it rang a bell in my memory.
‘Rank D or below, at best.’
In other words, these were NPCs who’d die in droves after the train derailed.
Staying with them meant my own odds of death were climbing fast.
‘Damn it….’
My decision crystallized.
I couldn’t trust my life to these people.
I was about to speak when—
-Attention, passengers. This is an announcement.
The public address system crackled to life again.
We fell silent, ears locked on the voice.
-The operational delay that occurred moments ago has been fully resolved. The train is now operating normally. We deeply apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your patience and understanding.
“Ah. Looks like it’s sorted itself out.”
“I guess? Thank goodness.”
“…….”
My mind went white-hot in an instant.
Are these bastards out of their minds?
They’re actually swallowing that garbage?
‘Scratch the “intelligent guys” assessment.’
Sure, this event never happened in the game, but even skimming it raised a dozen red flags.
First, when that many people die, you take a casualty count—the dead and wounded first.
Then you issue clear orders to survivors—
The broadcast hadn’t even mentioned what caused the delay.
‘…Right. This is how the world works.’
A savage place, where tens or hundreds can die meters away and nobody spares a glance.
-Hello? Is anyone there?
Another voice cut through.
For a moment I thought it was the broadcast, but it wasn’t.
The voice came from beyond the inter-car passage—from Car 4.
Alec’s face lit up.
“Yes! We’re here!”
-Oh, thank goodness. There are still unharmed people. How’s the situation there?
Alec thumped his chest and spoke in a cheerful tone.
“We’re all fine. No one’s hurt.”
-That’s great to hear. Say, could you come over here for a moment? We’re short on hands in this car.
“Of course!”
Something’s off.
“Wait—”
Before I could finish, eager Alec strode toward the passage, drew his sword, and slashed the lock clean off.
What happened next was instantaneous.
[Shadow: The seal on ‘Black Octopus That Binds and Crushes’ has been released.]
Crack!
The door burst open. From within, a mass of dark, writhing tentacles erupted, coiling around Alec’s entire body in a heartbeat.
“Wh—what is this—?”
Alec’s panicked face vanished beneath a tangle of tentacles.
Crunch.
The sickening sound of bone splintering echoed through the car.
“Alec!”
“You bastard!”
I shouted at the two armed men.
“Stop! It’s already too late—”
“Shut up!”
More camaraderie than I’d given them credit for.
The rogue and the warrior charged without hesitation.
Crunch, crunch—!
Before their eyes could blink, they were sharing Alec’s fate.
“No, this can’t—!”
The man in the robe reached out his hand, while the woman standing beside him stared at the creature with vacant eyes.
‘These pathetic bastards?’
I hooked both their napes without looking back and bolted.
‘Damn it!’
My arms felt like they were about to tear off.
Even with a body superior to any flesh in the real world, dragging two adults through this sprint seemed to be pushing beyond my limits.
‘And my shoulders are throbbing too.’
That must be from when the man who greeted me with an embrace had grabbed me earlier.
On top of that, I felt fresh blood seeping from my side where I’d barely stanched the wound with a bandage.
Still, I couldn’t stop.
Crash-crash-crash-crash-crash-crack!
What kind of scene was unfolding behind me?
The sound of something being destroyed and crushed never ceased.
‘Stop and I die!’
Clinging to that single truth, I ran on.
How far did I run?
Only when the pursuit echoing behind me began to fade did I notice it.
“Ah…….”
I’d made it all the way back to Car 13.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————