[Hours Later… In A Blacksmithing Shop In Town]
BANG BANG BANG
"Get up, Lad! It's time for work, time to earn ya keep!"
"Gah!" Crow shot up, panic on his face as he put his arms up defensively, he looked around in a dazed confusion of where he was before the memories came flooding back in, "Oh yeah…"
The front of his head was pounding, and his body was begging him for more rest.
He gazed at the window which had only black leaking through, 'It's still so late, or rather this early.'
Yet, another sound came at the door.
BANG BANG BANG
"Don't make me repeat myself, lad! Or best be sure I'll get the slave dealer to come look at ye, today!"
Hearing that, Crow was immediately sobered and leaped off his bed, and opened his door to give a wide forced smile, "Oh, hello, I've been up, just… tidying the room up."
The robed figure looked over the boy's shoulder to a messy, unmade bed and an unpacked bag atop the table, then back at the boy's forced smile, "Come this way."
The pair walked down the stairs and into the smithing part of the store, where the boy was instructed on how to clean and prep the gear for today's work.
Next was mopping and sweeping the entire 1st floor, then polishing the weapons and counters, and making sure everything was in order.
After what felt like 2-3 hours, daylight finally started to seep through the front windows.
The front door was wide open, and a steady stream of people began to walk to and fro down the streets, livening the area.
Crow was still dressed in the same grey rags of clothes he came with, so he slumped his elbows onto the counter, resting his chin atop his hands, and waited for the day to pass.
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The day passed without any unexpected hiccups; both NPCs and Players alike came and visited the store.
Some NPCs questioned Crow's identity upon not recognizing him, to which he gave the same response he gave to his employer, "From out of town."
The players were all new to this town and didn't give NPCs much thought to begin with.
After the shift was over, the sky had begun to dim, and Crow felt the jitters in his body increase from his relatively stagnant position in front of the counter.
So he went to the back of the store and asked his boss, "Umm, hey, the last customer just left."
"Hmmm," The cloak figure confirmed as he kept hammering away.
Crow stared at the steady yet powerful motion, gulping down his hesitation before he continued to speak, "Soooo… It's cool if I head out?"
The robed figure stopped midswing.
The mighty hammer that looked like it could squash the boy into a squished grape, effortlessly obeying its user's command.
The figure gazed up at the boy, his crimson eyes piercing the dusky room, "Where to?"
Crow didn't break his gaze, "To hunt."
"Pshhhhh, hahahahHAHAHAHAH!!" The figure erupted in full laughter, "After what you gave me last time? You should be more concerned about paying off your debt." He scoffed out as he began to hammer once more.
Yet, Crow's eyes furrowed, and he balled his fist as he responded, "Even if that happened, I can't just let myself fall behind!"
The figure's laughter grew even louder, "OHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! What? Do you want to become like the Blessed lad?"
Crow balled his fist as a hateful gaze filled his eyes, "No, I'd rather kill those Blessed!"
The robed figure paused, his fiery red eyes now holding a cold, analyzing gaze as he stared at the boy, "I understand…"
The figure slowly stood up from his seat, "C'mere."
"O-Ok?" Crow agreed as he walked over.
WOOOOOSHHH!!
Before Crow could respond, the man swung his fist at the boy's stomach.
"UGHHH!!"
Crow's eyes bulged as the fist sent him a few feet off the ground before he flopped onto the floor on all 4's, lurching on the ground.
BLEUGHHHHH
The figure cast an empty gaze on the boy, emptying his already bare stomach.
"Do you know why I did that?"
Yet, Crow could barely breathe, much less respond.
As if knowing that the figure continued, "Being strong isn't just something you can do for fun or without reason; there needs to be a clear purpose. Whether that be to protect someone or to gain something, it doesn't matter."
He then cast his gaze onto Crow, "The speed of the punch I just did was about the speed of a 'Newbie Rabbit'.
Crow shot a confused glance, but then he thought of those rabbits that had evaded him the whole day yesterday.
Seeing the realization on the boy's face, the figure's eyes creased underneath his robes, "If you understand that, then you know why I tested you just now."
Crow up to this point had recovered a bit and could only slightly nod his head, "Good, then if you want to go out and get stronger, pay back your debt 1st. Then feel free to throw your life away."
Hearing this, a look of shame and defeat crept up the boy's face.
Yet, the robed figure paid no mind to it as he walked past the boy, "Clean that mess you made up, and then follow me. It's time to eat."
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15 minutes later, 2 figures arrived at a bustling building filled with booze, banter, and boobies, and of course, food as well.
As the 2 entered, Crow caught sight of players and NPCs alike chatting among their own groups and enjoying their meals.
On the far left of the room were stairs that led up to an indoor balcony overlooking the downstairs, filled with party members chatting and eating.
On the far right were stairs that led further up with doors, most likely the rooms for an overnight stay.
The usually cold, stoic figure Crow came with spotted his drinking buddies and gave a hearty cheer as he made his way over, but not before handing Crow some spending money to buy a dish.
Taking the meager funds, the boy found a seat and ordered a cheap dish as he honed in and listened to the conversations around him.
Besides being a place for food and resting, taverns like this were always where the best gossip was spread. 'With this, I won't fall too behind the information that players find.' Crow creased his eyes with a suspicious smile, even rubbing his hands together as he did so, which gave those around him a feeling of 2nd hand embarrassment.
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Hours later, after finishing his meal and listening in on key gossip, Crow was prepared to head back, but seeing as how his boss was still drinking, he was shooed away and told to wait.
As the boy waited, he thought back on some of the knowledge he had heard being discussed.
1st was the fact that the body of players when they log off stays where they left it, meaning that the importance of safe lodging is even higher.
Yet, most importantly, was the strange power structure of this world.
Apparently, there were no levels, but terms dividing the power levels called [Realm] and [Stage], and apparently, even killing monsters didn't cause players to level up, making it all the more confusing to Crow for how a player is supposed to grow stronger in this God-forsaken game.
Shaking those thoughts out of his head, Crow couldn't help but bitterly chuckle to himself, 'Though that doesn't seem to really affect me, seeing as how I can't level up or respawn.'
His mind began to drift as he eavesdropped on the surrounding conversations once more…
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[Sometime later...]
"C'mon, lad, ya ready?" a gruff voice called out.
"Huh?!" Crow's head shot up, his arms in a defensive stance.
The boy dazed around in confusion to the tavern that was less active than a few hours ago, yet still lively nonetheless, "When the hell did I fall asleep?"
"Heh, you sleepin' here kept me waiting. Let's go."
0_0
Finally, the 2 arrived back and without exchanging a word more, Crow dragged his body upstairs and into his room, took the flower Lóa had given him out of his bag, and tucked it under his bed, before falling asleep without another thought.
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BOOM!!
"Wake up, lad!"
"GAHHHHH!!" Crow screamed out and fell on the floor as the robed figure burst into the room.
The boy's mind was racing, 'Fuk, was I so tired I forgot to lock the door?!' What's going on? It shouldn't be time for work yet; I know that there should at least be a few more hours. Oh wait…'
Crow slowly looked up, locking eyes with the robed figure who spoke, "Follow me."
Sighing in his heart the boy ignored his body's plea for rest and took the flower from under his bed and gently slipped it into his bag before slinging said bag over his shoulder and following behind the robed figure, 'Sigh, I didn't think I'd get signed into slavery this early, I'd try to run if not for seeing what he did to other players.'
The 2 finally came down the stairs and to the smithing room, yet the boy looked around and, with no one else in sight, much less a slave dealer, his mind raced, 'Wait, what's going on?'
The cloaked figure walked up to the anvil and stood in front of it, "C'mere, boy."
"O-okay," Crow murmured out as he walked up to the anvil and stopped before it, unsure of what to expect.
"Watch," the figure curtly spoke.
For the next 10 seconds, the hammer cascaded down onto the piece of square black metal, ebbing and melding it till it no longer resembled its original shape.
Now reduced to a small, perfectly round ball.
'Woah." Was all the boy could let out.
"This will be your task," the figure said.
"Oh, but before that," the figure got up, letting the hammer drop to the floor with a CLANG.
"Stay put here," he spoke as he lumbered up the stairs.
Around 5 minutes later, he came back with what looked to be arrow targets.
"Since you will be crafting, it's only right you make sure your weapons are up to snuff."
He then set around 3 targets on 1 side of the room near the stairs and then turned to look back towards Crow.
"Ahhh, one more thing."
The figure then walked up the stairs once more before coming back with a wooden doll.
"Ahhh." The figure let out with satisfaction as he released the doll onto the ground, "This will be your teacher starting tomorrow, as you know I've got a store to run, so you'd best pay attention today."
Crow's eyes bulged at this as he took a 2nd glance at the wooden doll on the floor.
It was about 2ft(0.6m) tall with normal human ratios, even shorter now that it was "sitting."
Its face was just blank, and its hands and feet were just 2 balls.
Thoughts surfaced in the boy's mind as he observed this, 'The old man must be meaning that if I don't take in all the knowledge today, I'm done for…'
With that, the boy gave an enthusiastic nod, and the 2 began their 1st day of teaching.
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[Later That Night In a Small Smithy…]
"Ughhh…" Crow groaned out as he lay face up on the floor.
His clothes were drenched and stuck to his body like glue.
Every muscle in his body was aching.
The cloaked figure had already left for the Tavern, seeing as how Crow was in no condition to come with him, and so begrudgingly, the boy could only stare at the ceiling.
"D-damn this fukin hurts!" he barely managed to sputter out, "But… if this is what it takes to become strong…" a toothy grin beamed from the boy's mouth, "Then so be it!"
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