บท 11: The Recruit
Kashi woke up with sheer excitement, as he recalled all the items he had obtained before he slept off. Now was the perfect time to see what he had Obtained
"Inventory." He called. The window opened and he clicked on the Recruit's set.
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Recruit's Boots [Rare]
Durability: 30/30
Awarded to those who completed the Basic Training Program.
These boots boast better Agility than those found in shops.
Equip:+10 AGI; +10 DEF
Limits: AGI 30+; VIT 35+
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Recruit's Pants [Rare]
Durability: 33/33
Awarded to those who completed the Basic Training Program.
These dark pants provide protection from enemy attacks.
Equip: +10 DEF
Limits: VIT 35+
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Recruit's Gloves [Rare]
Durability: 30/30
Awarded to those who completed the Basic Training Program.
These gloves grip your weapon tightly, ensuring you do not miss your target.
Equip: +10 DEX
Limits: DEX 40+; VIT 35+
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Recruit's Shirt [Rare]
Durability: 30/30
Awarded to those who completed the Basic Training Program.
These shirts provide better protection from the enemy than its shop counterparts.
Equip: +10 DEF
Limits: STR 20+; VIT 35+
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Recruit's Hood [Rare]
Durability: 30/30
Awarded to those who completed the Basic Training Program.
Provides protection from the elements.
Equip: +10 DEF
Limits: VIT 35+
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For starter level gear, their stats were quite impressive for a combined total of +40 DEF, +10 AGI and +10DEX. These stats were more impressive than they seemed; The entire set attire was one a level ten who had not raised his stats like he did would dream of having. This was the benefit of having a complete set of rare gare at the beginner level.
For reference, gear and loot were categorized into five levels, namely, Common, Uncommon, Rare, Epic and Legendary. A magically enhanced gear would have an added tag of Mystic while a gear enhanced by runes would have a tag of Runic. Any gear which was both magically and runic enhancement would have a tag of Mythos.
FInally, there were two extra levels, Divine and God-Tier, but the chances of acquiring either of these two was so low most didn't even bother mentioning them, at least not in the early stages of the game.
Kashi equipped the boots (he had been walking barefoot since the dungeon), but decided not to equip the rest yet. He did not desire to stand out, which his gear would certainly do.
He closed the window and pulled out the map. Like he had thought, only a few areas had been mapped. Major travel routes to some nearby towns and the surrounding area was all that was present. It was more than plenty though. With the major routes marked, one could avoid monsters if they wanted to travel.
Ho ho... this would sell for quite a bit.
The last item on the list was the recruit's bow, but he decided to check it out when he went to the fields. Satisfied with his preparation, Kashi left the room, locking it behind him and went to the entrance hall.
Serti and the two other residents were sitting down, chatting and having a cup of something that smelled delicious. Serti saw him come out the secret passage and smiled, waving to him. "Kashi-kun, would you mind joining us for a cup?"
You need to ask?
"It would be my honour." Kashi sat down. The second resident, a tall bulky man whose biceps were bigger than his head poured him a cup of the mixture. "Many thanks," he said and took a sip. Pure bliss! The sweet caramel tea warmed his insides, the joy spreading to his face.
Serti chuckled at his reaction. "Yugo makes the best tea this side of the continent."
"May I inquire as to the ingredients of this masterpiece?" Kashi asked.
"You could not make it even if I gave you the recipe. You need a high cooking skill. But I suppose you deem that beneath you?"
"Nonsense!" Kashi retorted. His rash tone caught the trio off-guard; they had gotten rather used to his politeness. "To say that cooking is beneath one is utter rubbish." Of course, all of this was a deliberate act; one which he played well. "A tru adventurer should be able to cater to basics such as food and repairs. Any who says otherwise is, sorry for my tone: an utter fool!" he made a show of catching his breath to calm himself down.
"Ho. I am touched by your passion. If you feel so strongly then you can have this." Yugo handed him a book, which he accepted with exaggerated shaky hands.
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Skill: You Learned How to Cook
You received Beginner's Cook Book
You learned 10 new Cooking Recipes.
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"If you wish to be a handyman speak to Bert. He's a quiet one but he'll give you what you need." Serti instructed. The one called Bert was a fox-man, one of the beast tribe and the only one Kashi had seen so far. His fur was bright orange, which was the direct opposite of his gloomy character.
"I will do that," Kashi confirmed.
"So, have you decided on what class you want to be yet?" Serti asked.
"Not yet. I cannot seem to think up something suitable."
"Anything in particular stand out? I might be of some assistance."
"My primary aim is to fight with the bow. But I do not wish to have to rely on others; I prefer to fight alone you see. I wish to have the ability to strike swiftly and deadly at a distance or engage in a frontal assault should I feel so inclined. Yet I do not wish to be at
a disadvantage in close combat either. A sword or dagger would probably remove this disadvantage but I feel it would stain the honour of my bow if I resort to them."
"Ah, I see. A tough choice indeed. Not many solo adventurers would pick a bow as their primary weapon. Yet you increase the burden by restraining yourselves from using a sword. Hmm..."
"Direct him to Fladnag," Bert said, speaking up for the first time. He had quite the soft voice, which was surprising.
"Fladnag?!" Yugo who had been cleaning up the bar dropped a bottle and it crashed to the ground. "Do you want to get him killed?!"
"Fladnag..." Serti tapped the side of his cup in thought.
"Hey Serti, surely you don't mean to..."
"If I may, who is this Fladnag person?" Kashi asked, interrupting them.
"A crazy old wizard with too much-"
"Yugo!" Serti chided. "That's enough. It is not our place to decide." His expression softening, he turned to Kashi. "Forgive my friend. We've lost some of our brethren to his antics."
"It is no trouble really. This one understands the pain of loved one." Kashi lowered his eyes towards the creamy mixture; it was slowly losing its warmth. "Alas, it is an inevitable part of one's journey as an adventurer."
"Yes it is..."
A moment of silence passed as each person recalled their losses.
"Fladnag made his home in the forests south of here. It's not far, but I would recommend leveling up some more before you attempt to pursue this path." Bert spoke up breaking the silence. "The monsters that roam his forest are wild, bloodthirsty beasts, nothing like the rabbits in our pleasant meadow. If you make it to him alive and he does not kill you, you should be able to find what you seek."
"What is it that is so great about him?"
"He's a survivor from the old world." Serti replied.
"Old world?"
"Ah, you know not of the creation story do you?"
"I'm afraid I have never heard of it."
"To put it in the simplest of terms. There were two gods in the beginning: Aethir, giver of life and Ferulic, her beloved husband creator of worlds. The two loved each other deeply; While Ferulic created worlds, Aethir created life on those worlds. The two had several children which they placed in charge of several parts of creation.
This system worked until the creation of humanity. Aethir was so enthralled by them, that she slowly distanced herself from her husband, until centuries would pass before she remembered him, at which she just greeted him briefly. Enraged over losing his wife, Ferulic who till then had no interest in Aethir's living puppets cried out when he saw the flawed creatures his wife had picked over him.
He placed a curse on humanity; that of death. Till then they had lived immortal lives, but soon they began to fall to the passage of time. Aethir wept at the sight of her creations perishing and begged Ferulic to release his curse. When he refused, she chose to go to war.
Ferulic held no desire to enter combat with his wife, so he left their home in the heavens and created a new realm for himself. One we have come to know as Merta or Hell. He promised Aethir that those worthy would join her in the afterlife for eternity, but those he deemed unworthy would suffer in the pits of hell. This proposition pleased Aethir and she agreed.
Despite her agreement, she loathed the creations of Ferulic which were formed from the twisted souls of humans he had punished in Merta. Time after time she would call upon a champion to end the demon race, but time after time they always perished.
The cycle continued unchanged until roughly ten millenia ago, a champion of hers rebelled against her and challenged her rule; he was know simply as Destroyer. He was so terrible that for the first time in eternity Aethir wished someone dead, and removed the blessing she had put on him. When he finally perished, Ferulic did not throw him into hell as she had expected but raised his soul, crowned him as a soul brother and put him in charge of his entire domain.
For the first time in eternity, Ferulic had chosen someone else over Aethir and it saddened her so much she wailed for a millennia, destroying the world in the process. Very few survived the catastrophe and it is said that they still possess her blessing till this day. Soon after, Aethir retreated from the world into her home, leaving behind only one instruction "Live No Evil". No one has heard from her since, and her blessing of eternal life has never been granted to anyone ever again."
"Quite the story. What was the Destroyer's name" Kashi said, astonished.
"It is not recorded in any books. But, Fladnag is one of those who survived, though it seems to have driven him quite mad. So... Will you accept?"
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Fladnag the Mad
News reached your ears of an eccentric wizard living alone in the Nama woods, home to the ferocious Dire-wolves
Difficulty level: E
Quest requirements:
Close friendship with the three residents in the Archery training Center.
Joined the Hunters' Brotherhood
Achieved Bert's acknowledgment as a reliable adventure
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Holy Devil!
Kashi tapped rapidly on the teacup to prevent himself of jumping up and down in song.
He could tell this was an Ultra-rare quest, because the requirements were next to impossible to meet.
To start with, very few adventurers would actually go to a training hall when they start.
Not when there was a whole unexplored world of monsters to conquer. Then out of the few who actually went, Kashi was sure he was the only one crazy enough to keep firing arrows for three weeks straight, snacking on nothing but stale bread.
Even if all the requirements were met, you had to have had a specific conversation that led to the quest. All in all, it was like picking the one straw in a pile of hay that had a tiny dot on it marking it as the ticket for a billion yen.
"I shall humbly accept," Kashi said.
You have accepted the Quest!
"Good, take these as well." Bert placed a wooden stick and a book on the table which Kashi humbly accepted. "If you show the branch to Fladnag, hopefully he won't kill you. The book is a gift."
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You received Rosario's branch
You received Handyman's Guide to the World
Skill: You learned how to repair
You learned Item Identification
You learned 10 new designs.
Passive Skill: You learned Handicraft
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"This one cannot thank you enough for your kindness. I promise to repay you all someday," Kashi said with genuine gratitude.
"If you wish to repay us, become a splendid adventurer and make us proud." Serti smiled at the young elf.
"I promise."
"Finally, I noticed you have been eating stale bread. Here's two silver coins. Consider them an investment in your future."
That takes care of my feeding for the near-future.
"Again, I thank you for your help."
After a short chat, Kashi prepared to leave.
"Ah, one more thing. A short while after you left, a forest elf began using the training ground. She's been going non-stop like you, though she returns to the other world to rest instead of sleeping here. Would you like to meet her?"
Kashi considered it. "I do not wish to distract her. If she is planning on doing the same thing I did, every second counts."
"Okay, then. See you when you return," Serti said. Yugo waved wildly behind him, and Bert even managed a short wave goodbye.
"Thank you very much for your guidance." Kashi bowed and left the practice room.
"Will he be okay?" Yugo muttered, worried.
"If you do not watch it, that monster will surpass you soon," Bert answered ad returned to sleep.
******
Meanwhile, inside the training room, the elf fired off arrow after arrow at the target. She hated the bow, and till then she never used it in the virtual world. But as she fired another perfect shot, sweat glistening on her tired arms, she recalled the boy who had suddenly gone missing.
Somehow, she knew the bow was the only way she would find him.
Thwack!
Another perfect shot, fired from a stance so graceful, it had earned her medals.
She hated the name 'Archery Princess' more than anything...
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