51 Promoting Synergy

Both the baron and the tax collector were bound, using small vines, that restricted their movement like shackles. Their physical injuries had been healed, but the trauma they suffered was still fresh, evidenced by how fearful they were.

Cowering, they folded under pressure, worried at what he might do to them. They answered the questions Zanir had for them, hoping he might spare their lives.

"It was the tax collector's men! When they first saw you, they didn't run off completely. One of them had a looking glass, they were able to see you take some of the rabbits. When we heard that rabbits were part of the goods sold in Trostin, we made the connection."

Seeing that he was fully convinced the tax collector kept going.

"That wasn't all, after that we had someone use divining magic. They were able to confirm the event's truth. After that, we got too greedy and made the decision to blackmail you."

Flashing a cold smile, he let them know, that he didn't intend to take their lives.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you. You're worth more to me alive, though you'll never leave this world."

Now that he had his answers, he had his men take them off, they'd be assigned to help out in the mines. The citizens would have them push the carts of ore over to the storehouse, it was one of the only hard jobs in the spatial world.

Bringing his family and friend to senior Lee's tent, he introduced them briefly. Discussing the various missions, they looked over what was available. Something that was close would be preferred so that he could complete his first mission quickly.

While his parents and senior Lee were discussing which mission would be the safest, he spoke with Dante, to find out more about his strengths and skillset. After talking, he discovered that Dante's system gave him masterful control of swords.

Looking at the party screen, he saw that Dante's main quest had updated, he would have to help Zanir complete a quest. A side quest had appeared, replacing the last one he completed. It said that he would have to reforge his sword.

"Dante, let me see your sword for a second."

Looking over at Zanir like he had grown a third eye, Dante was scowling at him.

"A true warrior can never part with his weapon."

"Alright, so you don't want me to improve it. You even have a side quest for that."

Hearing the offer, he couldn't help but stop, with a rare serious look.

"You wouldn't joke around about that right? I'll trust you, bro, just be careful with it alright."

Carefully, he handed the katana over. Once he received it, Zanir let it go, as it slowly floated into the air. Dante watched nervously, as the katana split apart into its components. The blade rapidly heated up, becoming molten liquid metal.

Reshaping itself, the impurities were cast out, as the metal was reforged. With a redesign, the handle molded into a perfect shape, covered in a pattern that would provide a waterproof grip. Snapping back together, the parts fused back into a solid sword.

Watching the event take place, right before his eyes, Dante was stunned. As the blade floated back over, he reached out to grab hold of it. His hand slipped onto the grip, immediately giving him a sense of comfort and strength.

Lightly swinging the sword, to and fro, a huge grin could be seen on his face. Looking around, he seemed eager to test it out.

"Do you have any large boulders? I want to see what this can do. It feels lighter, yet somehow, even stronger than before. Your ability is amazing bro!"

"Let's head over to an empty field, we can test it out there."

In a nearby empty field, he waved his hand to summon a giant boulder out. The massive stone was even larger than Bruce. Easily weighing in at a few tons, this thing would be hard to move, if not for the system.

Seeing the large boulder, Dante grinned, giving a thumbs up. Motioning for the nearby observers to move back, he grabbed the handle of his new katana. A blur was all that everyone saw, as he pulled the sword out, flying past the boulder.

A crisp slicing sound rang out, a few seconds later, the massive boulder split into two parts. Cut at a forty-five-degree angle, the top part of the boulder slid down. Crashing onto the ground, the nearby people who'd stopped to look, started clapping and cheering.

Since forming the party, he could see the notifications that were streaming in. Dante got a few points, from everyone who saw him cut the boulder in half, with Zanir giving him the most. He also completed the sidequest for reforging his sword.

It blurred away, being replaced by another side quest. Dante would need to acquire an authentic Yumi style bow. It was a tall bow made of bamboo, wood, leather, and rattan. Without any bamboo, he couldn't make one for him.

Seeing the side quest, Dante browsed a few things in his system. Noticing that bamboo was greatly marked down, he purchased it for a few points. Once the seeds appeared, he gave them to Zanir. Absorbing them, he added them into the system, having it plant a section of bamboo.

There were various uses for the plant, ranging from scaffolding for construction to cooking applications for the bamboo shoots. With the system, the already fast-growing bamboo seemed to sprout up visibly, before slowing down on its growth.

Returning back to senior Lee's tent, he saw they appeared to have reached a consensus. They would head to Trostin, finishing up the deals there, before moving on to the first mission. They were going to target a nearby crypt.

Senior Lee had discovered it years ago while exploring a nearby cave. The exploring party he was with, had blocked off the entrance, sealing the numerous undead inside. He remembered the undead were unable to leave the crypt, something that could be exploited.

Agreeing with the plan, he spoke to his parents. They would come with him, saying it was easier to just absorb the entire home. That way, they could stay in the world, helping him run things. Being able to stay in the space, they could relax, taking a well-earned vacation.

With the plan decided, they sprung into action. They would pack up and absorb the entire family farm. He'd offer the farmhands gold if they wanted a severance package, or if they wanted to sign up, they could join the Dragons Den Trading company.

Having attacked several local figures, it was probably for the best, that they leave quickly.