Chapter 9 The Volume 1

(here are the fonts used to differentiate and to help readers understand)

Thought or think

[digital or robot or digital communication voice]

{telepathy}

Big or loud echoing voice

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6 months later.

An alarm clock rings just right beside him, waking Dave from his slumber. He groans and turns over, the soft cotton sheets caressing his skin. The sunlight streaming in through the curtains is bright and warm, and it takes him a moment to remember where he is. Ah, yes. Vale. The large city on the western coast of the former Kingdom of Vale. He stretched lazily and sat up, yawning.

The alarm clock is still ringing loudly, and Dave glances at it with irritation. He sighs, realizing he only has a few minutes to get ready for work. He quickly jumps out of bed and heads to the bathroom, starting the shower. As the warm water cascades down his body, he begins to plan his day. It's been 6 months since events on the continent of Anima, the place close to the kingdom of Mistral, where the events of the bandit camp and saving the village happened.

After all the bounty and all the loot he gains from all the corpses, he cells them back when he was at Argus before going here in Vale. He has saved up enough money to rent a small apartment in the bustling city of Vale. That was 4 months ago. As he tries to get accustomed to life in the big city, he meets a few neighbors, and here and there, he doesn't have a place to work. Since he is not from this world, he doesn't have a place to work; he can't work. As Dave thought to just do what he wanted, he opened a shop called 'dust till dawn' which is a funny name for Dave. He remembers a similar quote from his world.

Dave saw the shop is close and says it's for sale, luckily, he has enough money to buy it, so he does. The shop is a small store in the city, dusty and dirty, but it has potential. He cleans it up, puts some of his stuff there, and hangs a sign saying, 'Smithy & Fix'n' As he changed the place up into a workshop, but since it would be too boring to make it the average workshop,... Dave thought of turning it into a cafe, and so he did, mixing a cafe-like aesthetic with forging stuff on the other side. Dave always wanted to have his own cafe back when he was in this world, and so he added another part of the name of the sign, 'Smithy & Fix'n Cafe! '.

So he renovated the place, making it a cozy and inviting cafe as well as a smithy. The smell of freshly brewed coffee and hot metal mingled in the air, creating a unique aroma that was both invigorating and comforting. Dave put up a sign with a charming logo designed by a local artist. The menu featured a variety of coffee drinks, teas, and light fare, as well as an assortment of weapons and armor that he crafted himself.

He separates the cafe from the front and forges it at the back with reinforced filters for the safety of customers.

But since he thought it wasn't enough, he then put magazines and books there for people to read while enjoying their drinks and food, he even put a large table with a chess board on it and a shelf for board games. The cafe was a place where people could socialize, unwind, and indulge their interests, all while enjoying the delicious offerings. Dave's hard work and dedication paid off, as the cafe quickly gained a loyal following of regulars who appreciated its unique atmosphere and the owner's passion for his craft.

In the thought of a good job in the store, he even decided one more thing, since this place is comfortable, to add a second floor as his personal home since he doesn't need to worry about rent anymore. After all that work, he finally finished the second floor, a cozy and comfortable living space with a small kitchenette and a bathroom. He furnished it with a one-person-sized bed, a small writing desk, and a comfortable armchair by the window, where he could relax and enjoy the view of the bustling city below.

That's what he did in his four months.

Now he is just getting out of his shower, getting ready, and going down stairs to the ground floor to get ready for the stroke to open, but then he stops as he looks at the calendar and says, "Ah, it's Sunday... Right," it's the only day that the cafe is closed, so he takes it easy and decides to take a walk.

"Orion, how are you doing?" A neighbor calls out Dave's fake name, Orion. It was Mrs. Jenkins, an elderly woman who lived in the apartment building across the street. She was out for her morning walk, her gray hair tied up in a bun and a gentle smile on her face.

"Been well, ma'am." Dave walks past her and continues his stroll.

"I see! Oh! I must thank you so much for helping out with my groceries yesterday. I'm afraid I can't pay you back just yet, but once I'm on my feet, I promise to treat you to a nice meal at your cafe!" Mrs. Jenkins smiled warmly, her wrinkled hands clasped together.

"It's nothing, ma'am, just take good care of yourself." Dave passes her by. That's right, after loving in the city for 6 months, he also made a name for himself, not meant to be on purpose. Since He has the power of gaming system and has quests when helping the people, despite the fact that the quest sometimes can be mundane, but since he keeps hearing some problems and having quest screens pop in front of his face, he just can't help it, because he can atleast get item chest as rewards, despite only common or uncommon.

It's good for the grind.

And also at least increasing his stats from time to time from training and reading, as well among other ways to increase his stats, and because he keeps helping the people that come over to his cafe, he has become a fixer of sorts, the go-to guy for solving problems, small or big. He doesn't charge them for anything, because the rewards can speak for itself, it's all for the grind, after all.

So it's a win-win.

"Ah, Orion, hello! Thanks for the repair you did on my washing machine yesterday, it's been running like a charm today!" A young man in his twenties called out to Dave as he walked past him. His clothes were damp and he was carrying a laundry basket, indicating that he had just come from the laundromat.

"None taken, sir." Dave walks by the man.

"Oh, hey, Orion! Thank you so much, as for the other day, I was able to get a hold of my ex and sort things out. I really appreciate it!" A young woman with a cheerful demeanor waves at her.

"No problem," Dave waved at her and walked by, as he then noticed a screen in front of him pop up.

[Player obtain 1 charisma due to your action]

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Oh, and Dave was doing it because he can increase his ability scores through certain actions or training. The first time he tries to train charisma was the time he tried to act cool in the mirror, which he failed, but as time goes by, it was to be able to socialize, and it's the pain in the ass asan introvert like Dave himself, but he was able to gain at least overall a 13 charisma, which is by far one of the hardest ways to train in all other ability scores he has ever had.

Dave swipes the screen in front of him as he then continues on his peaceful stroll. As he does so, he notices a wan coming towards him and asks, "Hello, Orion. Thank you so much for taking care of the car repairs a week ago. My husband and I are very happy for it."

"It was no problem," Dave said, and he noticed her expression was a bit worried, and he asked, "Does there seem to be a problem, ma'am?"

"Well, it's my son, remember him? He always likes to play with you," said the woman, looking a bit worried. "He hasn't been around lately. I was just wondering if you had seen him or anything."

As Dave was about to answer, a screen popped up in front of him, and it was a quest notification.

[Quest: Track down the missing child.]

[Description: The missing child is a 10-year-old boy named Jack. He has short brown hair and usually wears a blue t-shirt and jeans. He is known to be quite active and enjoys playing games.]

[Most probable location: Emerald Forest]

[Would the player accept the quest?]

"The Emerald Forest..." Dave said in his thoughts. As he sees the screen in front of him and its description, she looks back at the woman and then asks her, "Has he ever mentioned or perhaps a reason why he is gone?"

The woman's nodding "He... he mentioned that he wanted to become a huntsman and wanted to fight the grimms; I remember he always goes around swinging a wooden sword and dreaming about being one. But he never told us where he'd be going. We thought he was just playing with his friends." She looked visibly worried. "Have you seen him, Orion? Maybe he's just at your place playing games?"

"I think I know where, he couldn't be that far," Dave said, reassuring the mother, and then stretching his neck. He looks back at the screen in front of him and looks at the acceptance question. He then clicked on the accept button on the screen.

Dave looks back at the woman. "I'll go somewhere and bring him back," he says, not letting her worry about the details.

30 minutes later.

Meanwhile, the kid. Jack was walking in the forest, the wind brushing through his hair and his wooden sword on his side. He was humming a cheerful tune as he walked, completely oblivious to the dangers that lurked in the shadows. Suddenly, he heard a rustling sound coming from behind a bush. Curious, he slowly crept closer, his wooden sword at the ready.

As he rounded the corner, he came face-to-face with a large, furious-looking wolf. The beowolf let out a menacing growl, baring its teeth. Jack's heart raced in fear, but he tried to remain calm and brave. He raised his wooden sword, preparing to defend himself.

As a sudden iron hatchet flew by and passed by the child, aiming at the beowolf as the blade engulfed in the ice element before striking the beowolf, the wolf was stunned and then frozen solid, the ice covering the wolf's fur and its body as the ice spread to the wolf's legs and then tail, and then the wolf fell over. A figure then emerges from behind a tree, revealing himself to be none other than Dave himself, and in his leather armor and golden mask, ruffling his voice, "There you are, kiddo, look everywhere."

The child felt a little family in the voice but couldn't tell from the ruffled voice, "Is that you, Uncle Orion?"

"It's just Orion, not Uncle Orion, I'm not that old," Dave said with a grunt, looking at the frozen Beowolf. "Good, you are safe, now we should get going back home, your mother was worried sick about you," he said, looking at the boy. The boy nodded and then looked at the frozen beowolf.

And then he looks back at Dave. "Uncle Orion, I never thought you could fight," he said, since Dave mostly stays in the café shop, not doing any physical activity.

"This is nothing," Dave said with a hint of boredom as he then pulled out his dust-bound Iron Hachet, riased his axe, and then swung it towards the frozen Beowolf. The ice melted, and the axe then cleaved through the wolf, sending its pieces flying as the wolf's body parts tumbled on the forest floor.

And of course, a sudden screen opens in front of him.

[You killed Beowolf, 60 exp.]

"Just some practice," he said with a yawn, showing no emotion at all. "Come on, kiddo, let's get you back home," he then said as he turned around, walking away from the scene of the battle.

After a 20-minute walk back to the city, Dave and Jack finally arrived at the café. The mother rushed out to greet them, her eyes filling with tears of relief. "Oh, thank goodness, I was so worried!" She hugged Jack tightly. "Where were you, sweetie?"

"I was just playing in the forest, Mom," Jack said, looking up at her. "But uncle Orion—I mean, Orion found me and helped me fight off a wolf."

"It's Beowolf, and no, you were about to die." Dave put down the hatchet behind his desk and then crossed his arms.

"Thank you so much for finding him and bringing him back safely, Orion," the mother trailed off, her voice filled with gratitude. Dave just nodded in response, his expression unreadable behind his golden mask. "I owe you one again," she added.

"As I said before, you don't have to worry about it," Dave waves his hand.

"Alright, well, we will be leaving then," the mother said as she carried her child's hand, walking to the exit of the café, and Dave is alone in the café.

[Quest complete]

[Reward: item chest]

[Quality: Uncommon]

[Would the player like to claim? Yes/no.]

"Another item chest, aye?" Dave sees the screen as it appears in front of him and then presses yes, opening the chest. A small wooden box appears on the counter, its lid creaking open to reveal a blueprint for a mining drill. "Ah, this blue print, isn't this a mechanical drill in mindustry?" Dave said, remembering the game from his original world as he looked at the blueprint. "At least this time it's a useful item compared to the previous items I got from item chests back then," he said as the chest disappeared once he got an item.

He then puts away the blue print for safekeeping and then goes to the second floor to his home floor, rests on the chair, and then mumbles "status."

[Dave Lvl 21]

[Race: Human]

[Class: Jack Of all Trades]

[Title: Outlaw Slayer]

[HP 20/20]

[Free points: 120]

[Strength: 150]

[Dexterity: 37]

[Constitution: 70]

[Intelligence: 23]

[Wisdom: 40]

[Charisma: 13]

[Inventory: 3000 lien (currency), scroll of elemental burst]

[Skills:]

[Versatile Memory Lvl. Max]

[Adaptive Instincts Lvl. Max]

[Axemanship Lvl 11]

[Marksmanship Lvl 6]

[Artisan's Mastery Lvl 7]

[Brewmaster's Blend Lvl 4]

[Titles attained:]

[Survivalist]

[Genocide killer]

[Outlaw Slayer]

Dave looks at his stats, satisfied with his progress. He has become stronger to protect himself in this world, and he doesn't have any ambition to be super strong or anything, he is already comfortable with his strength. He thinks about the blueprint for the mining drill and wonders if he should use it now or save it for later. He decides to save it for now.

The day goes by as tomorrow is Monday and his'smithy & Fix'n cafe! ' is busy as usual, he takes a moment to sit at his desk and think about the mining drill blueprint. It would be useful for his mining business if, for now, he could use it for his own benefit. "I'm in need of my own ore for my armor and weapons, and this could help with that," he thinks to himself.

Though he doesn't have the skill in machinery, he decides that he can use his point store from his system, and he mumbles, "Open point store."

A new screen pops up in front of him.

He hasn't used this new function, but he can understand what its function is. It's basically getting a new skill by selling ability points at it, so he skims through the store until he finds the skill he needs and looks at it.

[Mechanical Mastery]

[Description: This skill represents the player's expertise in understanding and manipulating mechanical systems, be it repairing a malfunctioning robot, disarming a complex security device, or modifying a machine for a specific purpose. This skill enhances the player's ability to interact with and utilize mechanical objects in various situations.]

[Cost: 20 intelligence and 10 strength points.]

He cringes at the price, though it's not expensive, but it's just that he is literally buying skills by selling his strength, it's just that he needs this skill so badly. He takes a deep breath and then clicks on the "Purchase" button, spending his 10 strength and 20 intelligence points. After the purchase, a new skill appears in his skill list; it's level 1, but it's going to be useful. And so his intelligence is now in 3, which is bad, and he can slowly feel becoming dumber, and so he quickly adds another 20 using his extra free points he always hasn't used.

"I'll have to start using this, give it a try, and make some little basic machines later tonight," Dave said to himself as he put the thought of the mining drill aside and focused on other things, like his daily routine and tasks at his shop.

"Hey Orion! The usual, please!" Dave heard that small, squeaky voice and could tell it was Ruby Rose, a regular in his cafe who is a 15-year-old child who just orders milk and always looks at the magazine that can be found in the corner.

"Sure, take a seat, I'll prepare it." Dave smiled professionally. He is used to Ruby's routine by now, and he is fine with it. He grabs a glass and pours some milk for her, then places it on the counter along with a small bowl of cereal, just in case she wants some. Ruby nods in thanks and sits at her usual table, already reaching for the magazine. Looking at guns and mechanized weapons is her favorite pastime.

"Ah, weapons, I see. I want to be a weapon girl, huh?" Dave asked as he leaned against the counter, watching Ruby flip through the magazine.

"Well, I want to be a huntress!" Ruby replied, a bit of excitement in her voice as she flipped through the magazine.

"Ah, no wonder," said a simple tone in Dave's voice. "I see you're interested in that."

"Well, duh! I want to go beacon! You know, one of the four acedmies of all the four kingdoms! Eeeek! I'm so excited! Too bad I couldn't be part of it now, but when I'm old enough, I'm going to sign up!" Ruby spoke with great excitement, forgetting about the cereal and milk for a moment.

"That's so, huh?" Dave said as he cleaned the counter, not really sure what to say to the child's dream. "So what is the age for you to go beacon acedemy?"

"Oh! It's 17, I'm still taking classes in signal acedemy back in patch, but once I graduate, I can join beacon right away!" Ruby beamed at the thought. "I'm going to be the best huntress they've ever seen! Just wait and see!" She finished her milk and got up to leave, grabbing the empty glass and bowl on her way out. "Thanks for the milk, Orion! See you tomorrow!" And with that, she skipped out of the cafe, her squeaky footsteps fading into the distance.

"Well, good for her," Dave said. He then continues running the cafe as well as the customers that come in and out. The day went by without many events, and time slowed down once it became night.

The reason a lot of people like his cafe/forge shop is because it opens 24/7. It's because, due to his gaming powers, he doesn't need to sleep but sleeps just out of habit and laziness. So, he sits on his desk looking at his scroll (a phone basically) and starts to browse the web. He notices that the door of his shop opens with the bell hitting, and his eyes turn in the direction with a hint of boredom as he sees Ruby. "Heya kiddo, what are you doing here in the middle of the night?"

"I got some things to do, but since I was just nearby your cafe,..." Ruby then looks at the magazines on display on the wall. "Hey, you wouldn't mind if I took a minute... and looked around before I went home."

Dave just shrugs and then returns to look at his scroll. "Knock yourself out," he says, going back to his work, leaving Ruby to browse the magazines. Ruby looks around, finding the magazine section, and flips through the pages, admiring the weapons and armor. She can't help but wonder what it would be like to wield some of those weapons and suit up in that armor. Her mind drifts off as she continues to flip through the pages, lost in thought, while also putting on headphones and playing them on a portable cassette player.

As a few minutes pass, Dave hears the door open and then sees seven people. One of them wears a top hat and a white suit, is smoking, and has orange short hair. He is a distinguished fashion gentleman, but his face is squinting, and he looks around as the six others are wearing black suits like bouncers, probably henchmen. Ruby, who's still flipping through the weapon magazines, is not noticing the newcomers and continues to flip the pages.

The gentleman in the white suit seems to take an interest in the weapon displays, studying them intently. The bouncers, on the other hand, seem to stand around idly, almost as if they're just here for show. The gentleman with his top hat and his cane, with his white suit, looks at Dave, who is scrolling on his scroll. "Ahem?" he said, a bit irritated.

"Hm, what can I do for you?" Dave said with a bored look in his face, not taking his eyes off of his scroll.

"Can you see we are here to take your dust?" the gentleman with the top hat and white suit said, his voice dripping with sarcasm and disdain. "We are here to take your dust, your dust is what we came for." The gentleman motioned one of the henchmen with his cane, and one of them pulled out his gun and aimed at his head. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a dust shop?"

Dave sighs, turns off his scroll, and then stands up and looks at the men with his bored eyes. "This shop doesn't sell dust, well, not yet anyway." Dave looks at them and slowly lets his hand slide, pulling his hat at the ready. "So why don't you all leave? Or do we have to get things messy?"

The gentleman in the white suit chuckles softly, shaking his head. "Oh, really? Well, perhaps we should conduct a thorough search, then." He turns to the bouncers. "Go on, boys. Start from the back and work your way forward." With that, the henchmen disperse throughout the shop, beginning their search. The gentleman in the white suit leans casually against the counter, seemingly unconcerned by the tension in the air.

Dave sighs, but he doesn't want to go beat up since it's a hassle, and even though they tried, there isn't any dust they can find anyway. But then, as Dave waits, a sudden glass breaks as one of the bouncers gets tossed out of the cafe. As soon as Dave and the rest of them see Ruby Rose, she just beat up one of the six henchmen and tossed him outside as Ruby pulled out her weapon from a sniper and mechashifted into a Scythe-Sniper, and turns off her cassette player as she looks at them with a smug.

"Okay.... get here," the orange-haired gentleman said as he observed the 15-year-old girl, a huntress in training, effortlessly handling one of his men. Impressed by her skills, he directed his two other henchmen to challenge the girl in combat, recognizing her strength and determination. Beaming with confidence, the young huntress prepared for the ensuing battle, eager to prove her mettle against the new opponents.

Dave entrusted Ruby with handling the situation independently, recognizing her capability to manage it proficiently. He believed in Ruby's competence and felt confident that she could effectively address the issue without assistance.

As he focuses on the task at hand, his attention is abruptly drawn to a flashing screen that unexpectedly materializes before him, revealing urgent information, an emergency quest has been triggered, requiring his immediate attention and swift action.

[Emergency quest: Stop the group that is invading the player's shop!]

[Description: In the heart of the bustling city, a peculiar group of men can be spotted sneaking around, driven by an enigmatic mission to unearth elusive dust and rare dust crystals. As the player navigates this mystery, they must safeguard their beloved shop from the clutches of these ominous intruders, using quick reflexes and strategic prowess to fend off the encroaching evil forces.]

[Men kicked out: 1/7]

[reward: item chest (very rare)]

"Oh, that's new," Dave said with surprise evident in his voice. The highest tier he typically encounters after completing a quests and getting an item chest is either common or uncommon, receiving a rare item chest was quite unexpected. As he examined the description that read 'very rare,' Dave speculated that this particular chest might indeed be one rank above the elusive rare item chest that usually eluded him.

[Would the player like to accept the quest?]

[yes/no]

"Of course." Dave accepted it without a second thought, showing his unwavering confidence in the decision.

As only three of the henchmen are left, Dave takes the opportunity. Dave's quick reflexes allowed him to capitalize on the opening presented to him as his gaze met the man who was pointing his gun towards him. With the man momentarily diverted, Dave acted decisively, delivering a forceful blow that sent his adversary hurtling into the unforgiving wall. Turning to face the second opponent, Dave brandished his dust-bound iron hatchet, infusing it with an ethereal chill that seemed to slow the very air around him as he brought it down with expert precision. The blade left a trail of frost in its wake, encasing one foe in a frozen grip. Swiftly transitioning, Dave saw the other henchmen. Dave seamlessly flowed into a masterful series of well-timed strikes, each one hitting its mark with calculated intent. Through a display of controlled and practiced technique, Dave incapacitated his adversary with a finesse that underscored his dominance in the high-stakes confrontation, asserting his strategic advantage in the tense and escalating situation.

Dave, displaying remarkable strength, effortlessly removes the three henchmen from his cafe premises before dignifyingly dusting off his attire with a few sharp claps of his hands. His gaze then fixates on the peculiar orange-haired man sporting a top hat, and in a moment of tense confrontation, he firmly grips the man's shoulder, delivering a stern message with just two words, "You're next." This assertive display of authority solidifies Dave's position as a force to be reckoned with in his cafe.

Dave tosses him out of the cafe with a dismissive wave of his hand.

Ruby skillfully took down the remaining two bouncers, her movements were precise and controlled. As she turned, her eyes caught sight of Dave effortlessly throwing out not just the three bouncers but also the orange-haired man. Her surprise was evident, as she remarked, "Woah, I never thought you would be a fighter, mister Orion."

"Meh," Dave responded to Ruby's remark with a nonchalant shrug. "Well, you know... sometimes you just have to do what you have to do." 

The orange-haired man landed with a loud thud, cursing under his breath. The man's face was a mix of anger and humiliation as he landed on the ground, struggling to regain his composure. He then stands up, dropping his cigar and swiftly crushing it beneath his fancy cane. The sound of approaching police sirens escalates in the background. 

"Well, Red, I think we can all say it's been an eventful evening, and as much as I'd love to stick around..." with a calculated move, he raised his cane, surprising onlookers as the bottom opened to unveil a hidden rifle complete with a precision cross-grid sight. "...I'm afraid this... is where we part ways."

The top-hat-wearing man with vibrant orange hair dramatically unleashes a powerful red blast towards Ruby using his cane, cleverly disguised as a gun. In response, Ruby swiftly reacts by firing her sniper or scissor into the ground, using it as a launching pad to elegantly leap over the impending danger. Meanwhile, Dave casually adjusts his position to the right as he dodges it with ease. As Ruby gracefully lands and scans her surroundings, she notices the absence of the enigmatic top-hat, orange-haired man, who has astutely ascended a ladder on a nearby building.

Ruby turned her head slowly, her piercing gaze locking onto the onlooking cafe owner, Dave, who stood there in place. Looking directly at him, she asked, "Are you okay if I go after him?"

"Go ahead, but you come back here and pay for the shatter glass wall," Dave responded to Ruby with a casual tone, as if she were asking about the weather. Ruby nodded and dashed out of the cafe in pursuit of the elusive top-hat-wearing man.

The rooftop was a battleground, the night air thick with tension as Ruby and the top-hat orange-haired man, whose name is Roman by the way, faced off. Their confrontation crackled with the energy of impending conflict.

"Hey!" Ruby's voice rang out, determined.

Roman halted at the rooftop's edge, his smirk evident even in the dim light. "Persistent..."

Anticipation hummed in the air as Ruby prepared to engage, her muscles coiled like a spring. But just as the clash seemed inevitable, a bullhead swooped in, its hatch opening to welcome Roman inside.

Turning back to face Ruby, Roman brandished a crimson dust gem, a cruel glint in his eyes. "End of the line, Red," he taunted before hurling it at her feet, triggering a deafening explosion.

"Whoa-ho-ho-ho!" Roman's laughter was short-lived as his gaze caught something unexpected on the rooftop. "Huh?"

A figure cloaked in purple, her presence commanding, stood before Ruby. With a graceful wave of her wand, Glynda Goodwitch cast a protective circle around them, a barrier against Roman's onslaught. Ruby watched in awe as streaks of purple energy lashed out from Glynda's weapon, targeting the bullhead.

Inside, Roman was tossed about by the force, struggling until he reached the cockpit. There, another woman, cloaked in red, grappled with the controls.

"We've got a huntress!" Roman's voice echoed through the chaos as he seized control of the craft.

Glynda's form seemed to shimmer with power as she aimed another blast above the Bullhead, conjuring a dark storm cloud that loomed menacingly overhead.

"The hell...?" Roman's confusion was palpable as jagged hailstones hammered down, pummeling the jet. The windows shattered, narrowly missing Roman's head.

In the back of the craft, the woman in red ignited with fiery energy, her arms and chest blazing like a furnace. With a burst of power, she aimed an attack at Glynda, who deftly blocked it. But the explosion that followed, a searing burst of flame, threatened to engulf them.

Glynda somersaulted out of harm's way as the explosion ripped through the roof, sending debris flying. With a wave of her hand, she gathered the shards, shaping them into a formidable arrow, which she launched at the bullhead.

The fiery woman countered, blasting the arrow into fragments. But Glynda was relentless, conjuring more arrows that circled the jet menacingly. Undeterred, the woman summoned glowing rings of energy, expanding them to obliterate the deadly shards.

Finally, Ruby sprang into action, transforming her scythe into a rifle. Shots rang out, each expertly aimed at the fiery woman, who deflected them with ease. Undeterred, she created blazing circles that closed in on her adversaries.

Glynda acted swiftly, using telekinesis to push Ruby to safety as she rolled out of the path of the impending explosion. As the fiery woman continued her assault, Glynda watched with steely determination.

The bullhead's hatch closed, the craft lifting off into the night sky, leaving Ruby and Glynda on the rooftop, the echoes of battle fading.

Breathless, Ruby turned to Glynda with wide eyes. "You're a huntress!"

With a mixture of excitement and reverence, she couldn't help but ask in a hopeful tone, "Can I have your autograph?"

Of course, Glynda, as she was impressed by the young girl in front of her, acted recklessly and didn't wait for assistance or wait for actual professional hunters or hunstmen. As she was about to scold, she stopped as she saw Dave walk up to them and ask, "What about my cafe?" He crossed his arms with a chill look.

"Oh! Mister Orion! Umm... Yes I'll try to get the payment... But I'm sorry! I don't meant to cause trouble! And... Umm I don't want my dad and my sister to know...." Ruby laughs nervously, looking at Dave.

"Well, someone has to pay," Dave sighs, and then looks at Glynda and looks at her from top to bottom. "You, huntress, right?"

"Thats right, and as well, a professor and the headmistress at Beacon Academy." Glynda looks at Dave as she makes herself more professional.

"Ah, Headmistress, aye?" Dave raises his brow and then points at his cafe from the roof. "Then can you cover this for that girl for me?"

"Uh.. well yes but that shoul-" Glynda was then cut off.

"Well you are also a headmistress so you shouldn't have problems isn't it?" Dave said

Glynda was a bit surprised, as no one asked that bluntly about her position, "Well, of course, I can help fix your cafe with my semble-" but Glynda was cut off by Dave again.

"Great, but I need to make sure you're paying the damages." Dave pulls out a pen and long contract paper from his pocket. "Sign here and initial there," he hands it to Glynda. Ruby looks at them with a nervous look. Dave looked at Ruby and then back at Glynda. "Come on, she can't do that, you're a huntress, right?"

"I umm..." Glynda hesitated for a moment, her gaze shifting between the paper and Ruby, uncertainty clouding her features.

"What? Can't sign it? Hmm I supposed I can't relay on you guys, perhaps your your probably all just pay up first and money on head no?" Dave said, with a hint of sarcasm. Dave's words stung, insinuating a lack of trust in their abilities. 

Feeling a surge of defiance, she shot back, her irritation evident in her tone. " "excuse me? Fine give me the pen, I'll sign it" "Excuse me? Fine, hand me the pen. I'll sign it." With a swift, somewhat forceful gesture, she took the pen from his outstretched hand, her signature a bold declaration only did she realized that she let her temper get the best of her.

"Great thanks, hope you fix that, and that money to fix it up" Dave looks at the signed paper.

Due to her fiery temper, Glynda found herself in a situation where she impulsively signed a contract without fully comprehending its terms. Consequently, she inadvertently committed to renovating the cafe, which was not her fault as it had been damaged by someone else. Subsequently, she was burdened with the responsibility of covering the repair costs, despite her lack of involvement in causing the damage. Struggling with the unforeseen predicament, Glynda faced the daunting task of restoring the cafe to its former glory, all the while grappling with the reality that she had inadvertently taken on this responsibility without intending to do so.

Basically a huge misunderstanding.

She takes a deep breath and sighs. "Well, I guess we can work something out."

"Well, then I'll be going then," Dave says as he walks back down the ladders from the roof, leaving the two girls alone.

Ruby scratched her head in confusion, her brow furrowed in uncertainty. Slowly tiptoeing away, she murmured, "Well, I guess it's time for me to head home-" However, before she could make her escape, Glynda's firm grip grabbed hold of her, halting Ruby's retreat. Glynda's stern voice pierced the air, demanding, "Where do you think you're going?"

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"Well, that went well," Dave said as he entered his cafe/forge, surveying the aftermath of the destruction with a mixture of relief and exhaustion evident in his sigh. "I guess I can use this as an excuse to put my mechanical mastery skill to the test," he mused, glancing around the now chaotic space. As he looked around, a sudden notification flashed on the screen right in front of him, making him stop in his tracks. The familiar screen system he had come to depend on displayed a message, informing Dave that he had successfully completed the emergency quest.

[Congratulations]

[Player complete the emergency quest!]

[Emergency quest: Stop the group that is invading the player's shop!]

[Description: In the heart of the bustling city, a peculiar group of men can be spotted sneaking around, driven by an enigmatic mission to unearth elusive dust and rare dust crystals. As the player navigates this mystery, they must safeguard their beloved shop from the clutches of these ominous intruders, using quick reflexes and strategic prowess to fend off the encroaching evil forces.]

[Complete]

[Men kicked out: 7/7]

[Complete]

[reward: item chest (very rare)]

[Would the player like to claim reward?]

[Yes/no]

With out a second thought he then presses yes and then sees the item chest of the very rare quality is suddenly materialized infront of him and he catches it and with out further a do. He quickly goes up to his second floor and gets inside of his room, and then goes to the chair and takes a sit and place the C'est on the table.

With his greedy hands he then creaks it open and then sees two very familiar items, in which he pulls it out and the chest disappears upon the items taken out. "No freaking way...."

With the time on his palm of his hand, a screen pops infront of him to notify what he just holds.

[Intertwined fates x2]

[Description: A fateful stone that connects dreams. Its glimmers can entwine fates and connect dreams, just as how its glimmer links stars into the shapes of a heart's desires.]

[How to guide: in order use it, place item or items on the ground and say 'summon']

Throughout Dave's entire life, he finds it impossible to put into words the sheer magnitude of excitement and nervousness that his heart can endure. The emotions swirling within him are so intense that even he struggles to comprehend the depth of what his heart carries.

The only things he can say is... "H.O.L.Y S.H.I.T.... please be Barbara..."

To be continued....

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