A Big Catch

Zeon, Li, and the boy fishing on the riverside while talking to each other.

Zeon: "So.. Do you want to introduce yourself right now to us? We can be good friends, you know."

Li: "Tsk.. Friends with this weird kid? No way right.. Zeon, you should rethink about it."

The boy: "I don't remember.."

Zeon startled after hearing his answer.

Zeon: "Did you lose your memory? Since when?"

The boy: "I don't know.. It's been like this since I opened my eyes, maybe around 2 or 3 years ago.. I just walked ahead until I found this nice place near the riverside. Sometimes a really nice uncle or aunt who passed by after fishing here will give me some food. Maybe it's not that bad living like this."

Li: "Why don't you go to the church, the church usually has the initiative to take a lost person or orphan."

The boy: "I don't want to be a burden and I don't trust people easily."

Zeon: "So what did grandpa talk to you about that made you change your mind and interact with us?"

The boy: "The pope.. I've seen him on the news in many huge screens around the empire sometimes. He's a good person. But it's not because of that I'm here, it's because of this."

Li: "A bread?"

The boy: "No you don't understand edgy meatball, it's not just an ordinary bread, it's roasted to perfection! Moreover the outer part is so crunchy when I bite into it. The aroma is so fragrant and the filling also blends perfectly into the salty bread. The best salty and sweet combination I've ever tasted! Where did you buy it, Zeon? One day when I make some money I'll also buy it myself."

Li gulped while looking at the food in the boy's hands.

Li: "Zeon, we are friends, right? Do you still have another one of those kinds of bread you share with the weird kid? I also need to taste that delicacy, as a food enthusiast I need to try it for research purposes."

The boy: "Can I have another one too?"

Zeon: "Did it taste that good? Well.. I made it myself. Sorry, it's the last supply. I usually only made that for my breakfast."

Li: "Such a pity.."

The boy: "What's the name of this food?"

Zeon: "I call it Coffee Caramel Toast!"

The boy: "I see that's it, you can call me by that name."

Li: " Coffee?"

Zeon: "Caramel?"

The boy: "I would prefer if you call me Toast"

Zeon: "Of course! Nice to meet you, Toast. Hahaha.."

Li: "Yeah, definitely a weird kid."

===

In another place, the pope bought some barbecue utensils and some ingredients for an afternoon picnic with his grandson.

A person wearing a white coat with a cardinal badge comes running to meet him in the store.

The pope: "Good afternoon, Cardinal Samael, have you mobilized all the church personnel to every area along the river?"

Cardinal Samael: "Yeah, they have been allocated and hiding on top of many buildings around the river, are you really sure about this father Auguste?"

After paying, the pope put all his baggage into the dimensional pocket and walked out with cardinal Samael.

The pope: "I'm not too sure."

Cardinal Samael walking beside the pope while looking at him, worry can be seen on Samael's face.

The pope: "But, I trust them."

Cardinal Samael: "Who?"

The pope: "My grandson and a boy around his age who we just met when fishing today."

An unbelievable expression can be seen on Samael's face.

'Maybe the pope is already too old for all of these things.'

Cardinal Samael: "So, are you really going to inform the Federation and other places too, what are you going to say to them father Auguste? That you get coaxed by a kid's joke.. That's what those people would say."

The pope: "It's okay Samael, I'll take full responsibility, I've been through worse a week ago, for the safety of humanity as a whole I will stand at the forefront to protect all of you. Other people can insult me however they want, but I still have all of you. I've been protecting the empire for a long time, I already consider all of you as a family that I need to protect no matter what!"

The pope smiled trying to encourage Samael.

The pope then opened the group communication to call the Federation, Grapheon Kingdom, and Xenolith Principality.

The call connected and some blurry hidden black figure showed on the screen.

The pope: "Good afternoon, everyone. There's some important news that I need to explain to all of you. The empire spotted some footsteps similar to murloc near the eastern watergate that bordered the sea last week. We thought that it was the doing of some criminal organization Darkwave to create diversion, but it doesn't seem like it, a week passed by without any news of some important resource being stolen. I went fishing with my grandson today, and we met this young boy who lives on the riverside. He said that the river is dangerous. I didn't detect any lie on his face when he told that information to me. I'm very sorry to have to inform these gentlemen, but a new enemy is coming, a murloc that can live in freshwater should be behind those weird footsteps that our empire found a week ago. I don't know how much has already come, but we can expect the worst because the sea is connected to every water area in the whole continent."

One of the hidden figures: "Are you sure about this?"

The pope: "I'm not too sure, but I trust the young generation of our empire. I'll take full responsibility!"

The communication closed and silence descended on the pope's side.

===

On the riverside the three young boys are still having a nice time fishing.

Li: "Zeon, don't you think that there are fewer fish in this area? Maybe we should change our fishing spot."

Zeon: "No, it's good here, a fewer fish in one area means a bigger one is in there."

Li: "Really? maybe you are right.. But it's weird, there are no people at all since some time ago, usually a few uncles will fish at this time, some aunts will jog and walk their dog, maybe they are busy."

Toast looking at Li while eating some food slowly.

Zeon: "So did you still have the gun in your dimensional pocket, Li?"

Li: "Huh? Why did you ask? Did you see any bad people following us? It's okay, don't worry Zeon, I'll protect you."

Zeon: "Hahaha.. I feel reassured with you here, Li. Toast, Li is our church's most talented youngest deacon. He will protect us if something bad happens."

Toast: "I don't need his protection, I don't want to be a burden, I'll protect myself, do you have any weapon you don't use ?"

Zeon: "Here wear this light armor first, how about a shield and some elemental bomb?"

Toast: "Okay, it will do for now."

Li: "Did I live on another planet? I understand what you are talking about, but at the same time I don't, are we going to war?"

Zeon: "No Li, but we got a really big fish to catch, here they come!!!"

Li: "What?!!"

Zeon, Li, and Toast looked at the river which suddenly made a lot of waves, and a water torrent suddenly surging from the river. A monster popped out from the torrent into the riverside near them.

Li: "For the holy one sake, what is that?"

Toast: "A big fish? Can we eat it?"

Zeon: "It's a new breed of murloc, the one who can live in freshwater. Unfortunately no toast, its meat is full of poison, so we can't actually eat it."

Li: "So you know this will happen a week ago? Why don't you inform everyone? Did it just me who didn't understand what happened at all?"

Zeon: "Actually I'm not too sure a week ago, I've become more convinced today after hearing Toast warning. I don't inform anyone because who would believe a 6 years old? We also need bait to catch a big fish right?"

Li: "Right.. Right.. So we are the bait!? I know I look juiced, but.. whatever, this is crazy. What's next, are we going to fight it?"

[Generating Choice]

[1.Fight a freshwater murloc. Reward : +0.5 STR]

[2.Injure a freshwater murloc. Reward : +1 STR]

[3.Kill a freshwater murloc. Reward : +3 STR]

[Countdown Time Begin]

[60.. 59.. 58..]

'Can we kill it? Nah, impossible, no protagonist near here, and here's exactly beside a river.'

Zeon chooses 2 and prepares himself for his first real fight!

Zeon: "Yes we are, are you afraid Li?"

Li: "No, who would be afraid of facing a murloc beside a river full of water, nope not me!!!"

Zeon: "I'll tank on the front, Li will deal range damage, and Toast will protect Lee and throw elemental bomb when he see the chance, make sure you choose other element beside water, and Toast please also observe the lake, if another one come we'll run away! Alright, here we go."