The Drunken talent

The system had shut down the previous day, putting Bowen in a strange situation. He couldn't cultivate or use his skills to capture the Raven Gang for at least three days now. After finishing his work at the sweet shop, Bowen decided to spend his free time strolling around Aswalt Town. He walked through the park, eating the skewer in his hand. He fed the birds, listened to street musicians, and even bought some books and clothes with the money he earned from working at the sweet shop. It was then that he realized how busy he had been since he got the system and missions, never finding time to relax. For the first time in four months, he was truly enjoying his life as he wanted. It was the same in his past life, where he was too immersed in gaining knowledge and conducting research until his death. Who knew his life would end up being so short? Now that he had a chance, he would fully utilize it and enjoy his life as a carefree child in this fantasy world.

As he continued walking through the busy market, severe vibrations rang inside Bowen's head. It was his T-compass vibrating heavily. He took out the compass to take a look, and the pointer pointed to his left. Bowen followed the direction in which it pointed and found a dirty drunken man annoying people.

"Yu'know wha'? hic u'think I'm lyin'? 'Cause let me tell ya, there ain't no one gr'ter th'n me, Manson from Juba!jubaaaaa! hic I'll show ya my prowess, jus' gimme some munny! ssss Yesssir! Gr'tness personafied! Gimme whatev'r ya got, coppr or whatev'r! hic Lisn to me, I'm the gr'test!" The drunken man seemed to be stopping people from nearby and asking for money. Bowen very well remembered this drunkard form his previous trip from Aswalt when he came with Theodre.

"Why is the pointer pointing at him? The color of the pointer is green now. Blue means treasure, and red means threat. So, green must mean talent. But can this drunkard really be a great talent?

When Bowen First got the T - COMPASS he had asked system if there was a chance for the compass to point in the wrong direction?

"No, host. Such cases are impossible. The direction of the pointer is 100% correct. It is a flawed product because it does not work all the time," was the answer he got. 

And that is why he cannot neglect this drunkard now. 

Bowen turned the compass in various directions, but the pointer consistently pointed to the drunkard man. "Darn it. Let me just go with the flow," Bowen decided and chose to investigate the drunkard. He followed behind the guy for a short time, observing as the man barged into shops and rudely asked for alms. Bowen didn't know what was special about him. He kept on thinking while hiding in a corner and looking at his back. Suddenly, the drunken man stopped in his steps and turned to look at Bowen, startling him.

"Uu..cum.here,..hearmee..cummcum to uncle..common,..cumm" he motioned bowen to come near him with his strengthless hands. His body swayed in air unsteadyly. Bowen slowly walked to him cautiously.

"What is it, uncle?" he asked innocently.

U…ummm you! Why u foloog me why? Folloshwing uncle for loooggloognggg timshmme? Asked the drunkard startling bowen.

[! How did this guy find out that I am following him among this crowd of people? It's a busy market, and one can easily get lost if not careful. Even in such circumstances, he found me! Moreover, he is drunk to the brim! How is it possible?]

"Neverrh mind gotcha coopperr.?.cutie.got moannay? Do yaa? Hic..hmm see little poket..kind..boyy are yaaa..lookish give money for uncle. Hansomeeish..sh boysss..hic…&&&6$$3!" The drunken man kept on blabbering when he saw Bowen standing silently there.

Bowen thought for a while and said, "I will give you money if you tell me about yourself."

"Immmee? whaHIC..unclee no timee..go go wana here storrry..jeeezh kids..thsss daysz! Hic Bad..thu..bad kiddzs! Uncle want..money no storrryh..! Only couppoeer. Moneyyy"

The drunken man pushed Bowen aside and started walking towards another store, thinking that Bowen, a small child, had come to him for stories and he couldn't get money from him.

Bowen stopped the drunkard and forcefully placed a bronze coin in his palm. "Broonzzeee!" shouted the drunkard with wide eyes full of happiness. The most anyone had given to a drunkard like him was 10-20 coppers. Even wealthy people paid him only in copper coins. The drunkard suddenly fell to the ground, head down, and started kissing Bowen's legs.

Bowen found the act perverted and disgusting. Moreover, some people started to gather around due to the commotion caused by the drunkard. Annoyed, he pulled the drunken man up.

"Follow me," Bowen said and started walking quickly.

The drunken man, with his stumbling legs, somehow caught up with Bowen and kept following him with a perverted smile, blabbering something like, " 'he hee iaaamm lukish..heehic lukkyy masoon..u lukisyy..good child..nooo, hic goood good..young mashesshtr! hic"

Once Bowen reached a short alley without people, he stopped. The drunken man waited for Bowen to speak, showing all his teeth.

"So, you want money?" Bowen asked.

" Yessh yes hic ss! Young masteraa uyessh!" replied the drunkard immediately, without any hesitation.

"What are you going to do with the money?"

" Aloholl the gretish! Moson luvee alchool!"

Bowen took out a small silver coin from his space bracelet and showed it to the drunkard. The drunkard's eyes widened with joy, his smile becoming even more perverted. He was barely able to control his breath, swallowing his saliva as if he had been offered the tastiest treat in the world and kept drooling.

"I will give you this if you obey me," Bowen said, as if now the drunken man was a child and Bowen was a stranger offering him candy.

"Yesh! Yesh! Young mahstera! Yessh! I doo anyyygthing," said the drunkard immediately, without a moment of hesitation.

"Become my slave," Bowen said, startling the drunken man.

" Slaav? Mason? Buatt..mason only lik alcohol noo mason the gretesh! Never can't driink alcohol no alcohol nohic.. Can't liv hic!" The drunkard seemed to think that being a slave meant he couldn't drink alcohol. After all, who would like a useless slave who always drinks and harasses people?

"You don't have to worry. I will buy you lots of alcohol, even the expensive ones. In addition, I will give you lots of money to buy anything you want."

"Huhh? Relly?"

"Yes, really. You can keep on drinking as much as you want while doing the work that I tell you to do. How does that sound?"

" Hic if younggg masher give alcahoolol then massshon becomsh hic, young masherr slave. Hic rich young masher belvie mashon. Promise!"

"Good, get ready," said Bowen to the drunk

[System bind this man to me as my second slave.] Bowen ordered in his mind, only to be met with complete silence. That's when Bowen remembered that system was in upgrade. He slapped himself for forgetting something so simple. Just then he remembered the words of the system that it said few days ago

"I bet you won't survive without me, even when you become a powerful entity,"

Bowen's face flushed with shame as he came to the realization that he had been overly dependent on the system in recent times. Nevertheless, he resolved to carry this humiliating incident with him to his grave.