Chapter 17: Asking the Middle Boss to Join My Party [P5]
(Nero)
Let's move back a little before continuing the story. About one year ago, in the 1st area. Before meeting Eilania in the Tower.
I will explain about what happened when I met the first three Heroines in the 1st and in the 2nd area, and also about the "Liking Rate" simulation system.
In the game, in order for the player to invite a Heroine or asking them to join the Hero's party, they first need to increase the Heroines Liking Rate. Just like in some other simulation games, or in Otome Games, where they show the rate bar of the character's interest.
The Hero will meet all the Heroines in his journey, and when they meet for the first time, a new chapter or a new quest will start to appear that is related to the Heroine. If the player succeeds on completing the quest, then he will get a chance to invite the Heroine to join the Hero's party. But there is a condition to that. The player must complete the quest with the best Score. If the quest was complete in a good way, then the Heroine's interest will increase to 50%. But if his scores are low, then the Heroine's interest will be below 50% making her uninterested in joining with the Hero.
....
In the 1st Area
The first Heroine I met was Liz, the craft master. She is a supporter who is good at crafting items, potions, and artifacts. She is even very good at handling business negotiation and can help the Hero's party at managing their funds. If you have her in your team, she can reduce the price of anything you want to buy by 20%. Unfortunately, she is the weakest one between the other Heroines in battle.
I visited a small town in the 1st area, and then went to her shop where she sells her stuffs that she crafts.
*Ring-Ring!*
"Hello customer. How can I help you?"
She had a brown hair and brown eyes. But if you want a short description for her, she is Short.
I told her that I want to buy a Detector item, and that triggered the Main Quest for the Heroine.
[Heroine Quest: Help Liz in gathering materials]
Like in the game, she said that she doesn't have it because it was sold, but she can make another one if I brought her some monster's materials and some rare drop items from the wild. She then began giving me the list of the material that I needed to look for.
I took the paper list and looked at it for a moment, before taking out the same materials that was mentioned in the list from my inventory.
*Dropping all the materials on the table*
She looked at the items in shocked and with her mouth opened wide.
"Now you can make the item, right?" I asked in a stoic face.
After that we began to negotiate on the price, but I argued and told her to teach me about Crafting, instead of paying money. At first she hesitated, but then I took out More rare materials from the inventory.
*More materials drops!*
Again, her mouth was open wide in shock.
"If these are not enough, then I will Leave".
"It's Enough! It's Enough. Please don't Take It away!"
One of the things that is known about Liz is that, she is a crazy lover for items and materials.
And with that, I spent about 2 months with her, learning about Crafting. And I was able to acquire the Crafting and the Negotiation skill.
In the last day, as I was about to leave the town, Liz was calling for me from behind while running.
"Hah!... Hah!... your leaving without saying goodbye?!" She tried to catch her breath.
"What do you want?" I asked with lazy eyes.
She took some times before talking, and I saw her blushing for some reason.
"... Please, let me join you in your journey!"
I raised my eyebrows in suprise, and looked at her Liking Rate for the first time.
[Liking Rate: 71%]
I was a little shocked to see it reach more than 60%.
Normally in the game, when the player completes the Heroine quest, their Liking rate would increase from 50-60%. Sixty percent is the max rate before joining the Hero's party.
This means, she sees me as a friend??
But I don't remember being Friendly to her.
I asked her why, and she answered that she want to look for more new materials and explore the world, instead of just staying in the town.
"A-and... I would like to go With you..." she said while playing with her hair.
"...." I looked at her with a stoic face.
[Liz wants to join your party!]
[Accept/Reject]
"No"
I quickly turn around and left after saying that. Liz looked completely shocked like a stone rock anime.
"W-wait! Why can't I join you!"
I heard her running towards me again. I stopped and turn my head to look back at her.
"Because you are Short."
*CRACK!*
(Emotional Damage x100)
She fell down on her knees after she heard that. I didn't say anything more and left.
What?
I am just being honest. Just so you know, during my staying here while studying from her, she was annoying. She always asks me to go out looking for a monster's materials in the wild or in a dungeon for her. And she even tried to trick me by making me pay her taxes and for the foods bills when she goes eating in the restaurant. Basically, she was using me to pay for her. What a Lazy Brat. Still, I am kinda confused how did her Liking Rate reached more than 60%
The "Liking Rate" system is divided into 5 faces.
Rate 50-59% is for "Interest". Meaning that the Heroine sees the Hero with an interest.
Rate 60-69% is "Companion"
Rate 70-79% is "Friend"
Rate 80-89% is "Partner"
Rate 90-99% is "Love interest"
When the Heroine joins the party, the liking rate will increase along the journey, and with the interaction between the Heroine and the Hero. In order for the Hero to raise the Liking rate, or in another world, 'Capture' the Heroine's heart, the player needs to make the Hero talks to her everytime, whenever there is a new dialogue between them. Or by Gifting the Heroine an item or something. Or by increasing her level up.
The more the Liking Rate increases, the more Exp she can get, and sometimes, it can give the Heroine one extra skill point as a reward.
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(3rd POV)
In the 2nd area. Nero met the second Heroine in a large town called Gray Town. Her name was Sierra, and she is an adventure Mage. Her role in the game is a supporter that can buff the Hero and the others too. She can fight some low level monsters, but she is not strong enough to fight in the front line.
Nero met her at the guild. She was doing a quest to investigate a new dungeon with other four adventures, and Nero was one of them. The other three were just some mob Extras, who accepted the quest just for money.
They then all went to investigate the dungeon. The three Extras men were trying to flirt with Sierra, who doesn't like it so much because her character is a sensitive and vigilant to strangers. Meanwhile, Nero was acting cold and unsociable to them, as if he doesn't care. Like a silent edge Lord.
As they walked deep inside the dungeon and defeated all the monsters on the way, they reached an empty room. But then, Sierra discovered a hidden button which unlocked a hidden door that lead them to the Treasure Room. The room was full of golden coins and artifacts.
It was then that the three Extras drew their swords and pointed them at Nero and Sierra.
"What the Hell do you think you're doing!" She screamed in rage.
"Sorry, but we can't let you two have Any of this, nor can we let you leave Alive." The leader of the Extra grinned like a villain.
Sierra's eyes was filled with angry and fear, while Nero looked at them with a stoic face, as always.
Like in the game, the Hero and the Heroine would get betrayed by them, and they will try to work together to defeat them, but there was something else next after. After they are defeated, a large hidden monster will appear because of the sound of the battle.
Nero plans to wake up the deadly monster instead of fighting the Extras. He grabbed a golden shield that was on the ground and unsheathed his sword.
"Hey You! What are you trying to do?!"
Nero ignored the Extras, and began hitting the shield with his sword to create a loud sound.
*CLANK! CLANK! CLANK! CLANK! CLANK!*
They all covered their ears from the sound. After Nero have stopped, one of the Extras shouted in rage.
"WHAT THE F$%# DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!"
Nero didn't answer and just smiled at them. This enraged the Extras, and they were about to attack him. But then they heard a weird voice coming from above.
*GRRRRRRRRRRRRR-!*
After they all understood the source of the scary voice, including Sierra, the hidden monster came down crashing from the ceiling, behind the three Extras. And the moment they saw it's appearance, they all pale in horror.
The monster resembles a large black lizard with two tails, like the scorpion. It quickly killed the Extras in a horrible way. Sierra, who saw the seen was in shock and in fear. Her legs was shaking.
The monster's eyes then turn to her and dashed towards her for a kill. But luckily, she was saved by Nero who grabbed her by the waist and jumped to the side, before escaping to a hidden area outside.
"Are you okay?" Nero asked.
Sierra was surprised by how fast Nero was able to dodge from the monster's attack. Her eyes met with Nero's eyes in surprise and attraction... (Because they were very close).
"I-I-I am fine." She blushed a little.
"Can you move?" He asked in stoic face.
"... a little."
"In that case, go there and Hide"
Nero pointed at a large pillar, and she understood that he wants her to hide behind it.
"B-But I can fight!"
She tried to be helpful to him, but he declined. He removed his hand from her waist and went back inside the treasure room where the monster is.
Sierra was annoyed and a little frustrated because of the rejection, but after she heard the sound of the battle coming from the room, she decided to take a peek inside.
When she reached the entrance of the room, her eyes widened in shock by what she saw. Nero was slashing the monster with incredible speed that can't be followed by her eyes. She saw the monster screaming in agany as its tails were cut off by Nero's sword. Sierra was mesmerize by the scene.
The monster then tried to escape after learning that the opponent it was facing was alot stronger. Sierra was surprised to see the monster was heading towards her, because she was standing next to the entrance. It was about to slash her with its claws, but it was stopped by Nero who appeared above it's head, and stabbed his sword into its skull.
*Bang!*
The monster fell down on the ground dead, right in front of Sierra who was laying on the ground in shock.
"Didn't I tell you to hide?" Nero looked at her in annoyance.
She scratched her hair in embarrassment before saying sorry to him.
After they both left the dungeon and went back to the guild, Sierra reported everything that happened to the guild master. The guild master thanked Nero for his help, and for protecting Sierra who was like a daughter to him. Nero then received the money for completing the investigation quest, and he also got a notification for completing the Heroine's Quest.
[Heroine Quest: Join Sierra on her investigation]
[Quest Completed. Result: S]
[Rewards:...Exp...Skill...Artifact...]
When Nero was about to leave the town, he was stopped by Sierra. She asked him if she can join him on his trip, and make a party with him.
Nero looked at her with a stoic face and asked Why? Her answer was because she saw how strong he was back in the dungeon, and she wanted to get stronger if she traveled with him. But the main reason is because she got intrested in him.
[Liking Rate: 60%]
[Sierra wants to join your party...!]
[Accept/Reject]
"No" he answered with a cold tone.
".... W-w-why?!"
Nero turned his back to her and answered, in a cool edge Lord way.
"I work Solo"
The Hero then disappeared like a shadow in front of her eyes. Meanwhile, Sierra stood there with a dumbfounded expression.
(A/N: Crow...Rejected...crow...Rejected.....)
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Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone