25 Hideout
*Clank clank clank*
"Strike harder, Put your backbone into it!"
*Clank clank clank*
"Stop being such a wuss, even my grandma can strike harder than you!"
... Some probably wonder what's going on here so I'll give a brief explanation after we arrived at soaring swallow we were greeted with a bustling scene of people buying or browsing equipment.
Our guide, Mahatma, then lead us to the back into the workshop. There a burly and average human height dwarf with short trimmed golden brown hair is over watching everyone works.
When he noticed us(or I should say, Mr. Leo) he greeted us with a bright smile, after a long chat with Mr. Leo he asked about who I am to him. after getting his answer and some details I couldn't hear over the hammering noise, he scrutinized me from top to bottom before pointing at me and declare that I'm weak.
I know I'm weak but having it spit out to your face would still annoy people and because so many ears are listening I denied his claim just for him to challenge me which at the time I did not know was a trap, I said I'll accept any challenge he'll throw at me.
And that leads us to where we are at the present, after giving me a book titled "Introduction to smithery for idiots" he gave me an hour to remember the content, which is more than enough actually.
Finishing the book, I gained three new skills, since it's a bother to explain let me just give you the system information.
– Smithery Lv1 (0/100) –
Type: passive
Effect:
1.) increase effectiveness during forging by 10%
2.) Increase the quality of the finished product by 5%
Description:
A must-have skill for every for a blacksmith to forge.
– Metallurgy –
Type: passive
Effect:
1.) Increase effectiveness during smelting, forging and repairing by 20%
2.) Increase the durability of metals created by 20%
3.) Increase the quality of metals created by 20%
Description:
A must-have skill for every blacksmith to smelt.
– Tinkering Lv1 (0/100) –
Type: passive
Effect:
1.) Increase effectiveness during repairing or maintaining an item or equipment by 15%
2.) Reduce failure chance during item creation by 25%
3.) 3% chance to give random effect to items during its creation
Description:
An uncommon skill some blacksmith have.
I was quite delighted with these skills before I had to sit here in front of a forge and anvil, hammering down metal after metal, blade after blade without rest for hours.
A couple of times I gave a pleading gaze for help towards my teacher but he only gave me a smile and mouthed "do your best" as encouragement.
"I said hit harder you spineless fool!"
'Teacher... Why won't you save me?'
with that unsaid question, he continues to hammer with his full strength which never seems to be enough for hours to end.
.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Varius family resident, first-floor storeroom.
"Ahh~" Vayne moan as he lay on the makeshift bed.
"Today sure is quite a torture, but the boon is worth it, I guess." Turning around towards the ceiling, he opens the system menu and checks his statuses.
— status—
Name: Vayne
Title: alchemy maniac
Race: Magical Puppet
Age: 6
Main Job: Apprentice Alchemist
Sub jobs: Apprentice Blacksmith
Lv 4 exp: 180/206
Hp: 102/134 | Sta: 7/80 | Mp: 105/105
Str: 18 | Vit: 16 | Agi: 15 | Int: 21 | Res: 14 | Cha: 14
Rewrite point: 50
Condition: exhausted
"Haha... What is this title... well whatever, it seems doing alchemy and forging counts as training looking at these stats."
— Skills —
Special skill: Rewrite, Devourer
Active skill: body fortification, basic concoction mixture,
Passive skill: Observation, barehanded combat Lv 1(3/100), basic alchemy knowledge, Herbalist, Hunter, Explorer, sword mastery Lv 1(12/100), pain resistance Lv 1(3/100)
"Huh... There are some skills I've never seen before, does this mean the system won't tell me any new skills, not from books?"
After looking for a while Vayne closes the menu, blew the candle at the side table and prepare to sleep.
"There's no use thinking too much, it'll answer itself someday."
Slowly he relaxed his breathing and his eyes grow heavier.
[Ding! Emergency quest triggered!]
.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
"Ngh~." Lucas Stretch his stiff body after getting out of the guard's Outpost.
"That sure took a while, think you can walk back? the potions don't replace blood loss after all. " He asks the person next to him.
"I still feel a bit weak and if you mean all the way back to the academy then no, let's head to the hideout it's closer and the gates probably closed already anyway," Elea said rubbing his chest.
Lucas nod at his suggestion and both head off towards the southern part of the town. There they walked towards the alley next to a warehouse with the number 5.
Lucas knocks on the warehouse wall and whispers something, after he did so the wall slide open, revealing a staircase. Lucas and Elea entered and the wall closes behind them.
After the wall closes, a cloaked person walks to the same wall and knock. They whisper the same thing Lucas did but instead of opening a small magic circle light up.
Before the person could evade, they were blown to bits of bloody pieces.
.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Reading the system notification Vayne jump up from his bed as if he got stung by electricity and quickly open the quest.
—Emergency quest: uninvited one—
An uninvited guest has entered the residents, he meant harm towards you, Dispose of him. Failure and face the consequences.
Kill the intruder (0/1)
Reward: all stats + 10
Bonus reward: ???
Failure penalty:
1.) Pain x 500% for two days
2.) Intense pain for two days
3.) All stat reduces to 1
4.) Erasure of all skills except specials
Status: incomplete
he feels shocked by the quest description but what shock him more is the reward and penalties of it, to him, the balance seems off.
grabbing the sword by his bedside he quietly creeps out of his room. when he reached the living room he sees the silhouette of a person carefully going up the stairs.
'they don't seem to notice me'
although the quest already said one person, Vayne still looks around to make sure there is no straggler around before turning back to the person sneaking halfway up the stairs and scan them.
Assassin A
Lv 9
Str: 21 | Vit: 24 | Agi: 32 | Int: 30 | Res: 28 | Cha: 22
'I could sneak up and kill him quietly right now or I could just confront him head-on but in the end, it makes little difference... I will have to kill...'
shaking his head Vayne put his hesitation and doubt to the back of his mind and activate [Rewrite].
'it's time to utilize the system feature.'
[ding! using Rewrite to increase status, current RP conversation ratio is 1RP: 1 status point]
[ding! adding 20 points to Strength, 10 point to Vitality, and 20 points to Agility. confirm?]
[ding! process rewrite... rewrite complete. showing new status]
— status—
Name: Vayne
Title: alchemy maniac
Race: Magical Puppet
Age: 6
Main Job: Apprentice Alchemist
Sub jobs: Apprentice Blacksmith
Lv 4 exp: 180/206
Hp: 212/244 | Sta: 57/130 | Mp: 105/105
Str: 38 | Vit: 26 | Agi: 35 | Int: 21 | Res: 14 | Cha: 14
Rewrite point: 0
Condition: tired
Vayne nods his head, satisfied with the results before he unsheathes as quietly as he can but the man must have heard him as he stops at the top of the staircase.
'It's now or never!'
leaving the hallway where he hides Vayne dash full speed towards the man, it takes a little over two seconds for him to reach him but that two seconds was enough for the guy to draw his curved dagger and face him.
using the built-up speed, Vayne thrust himself towards the man but he jumps back and throws something towards him.
Vayne felt something like ant bites on his right shoulder and chest but he ignores it and continues his charge.
as he got into range he swings his sword horizontally but only manage to cut the air as his opponent roll away behind him. the man stops into a crouch and propels himself into a backstab, seeing this Vayne spin to the side along with a slash of his sword.
seeing what happens the man also spin himself mid-flight and use his dagger to parry his opponent.
the two-weapon clash with a loud metallic sound and with his superior Strength Vayne manage to send the man up higher into the air. trying to take advantage of it Vayne chase after him.
seeing the boy chase after him, he quickly spins himself midair, positioning his feet against the ceiling and propel himself down with a long swipe.
Vayne using his smaller stature only lower his body slightly to evade, the dagger's tip left a long graze at his cheek but he manages to pass through the man defense and drive his sword through the man's chest.
the moment the boy stab him he could feel the life seeps out from his body, using the last of his strength he stabs his dagger at the boys back, missing his heart slightly, before darkness engulf his mind.
both bodies fall to the side drench in blood, Vayne wants to move but he can't, he wants to pull his sword but he can't, he wants to yell for help but he can't. he knows a beastkin hearing is sharper than human but the feeling of death drawing closer and closer scares him.
[ding! quest condition met, sending quest reward. bonus condition met, the...]
in the back of his mind, he hears the system cold, emotionless voice but he couldn't hear everything before the strong allure of sleep take him.
