Job Interview

Masamune dragged Jaybird by the arm toward the furnaces where the other man was waiting and Jaybird could only sigh and keep up with him as his steel-like grip brooked no escape.

As he got closer to the other man, Jaybird realized that he knew who he was. He'd seen him enough times in some of Ath3na's streams.

The black armor with the fur lining on the collar and the ridiculously huge black sword strapped to his back. Yes, Jaybird knew who he was — Black Howler, the player currently viewed as the number one solo player in the Abyss.

Also, the player tag that momentarily appeared above his head indicated to Jaybird that he had guessed right.

Masamune pushed Jaybird forward in a manner that was gentler than when he'd dragged him across his shop. He positioned the new player directly in front of Black Howler who looked as confused as Jaybird was.

As Masamune placed both hands on Jaybird's shoulders, the player felt a chill on his skin that reached all the way down to the small of his back. It wasn't just that the vampyre's touch was cold, but fear was beginning to creep into his chest as he wondered what sort of dastardly scheme these two planned for him.

"Create an item for this one, and consider your request, I will," Masamune said.

"Eh," the word escaped Jaybird's lips, and he glanced from one face to the other in confusion. "Wh-what's going on?"

"Teach him the art of smithing, my friend, Black Howler, has asked," Masamune explained.

A light bulb lit up inside Jaybird's brain.

"The new profession update is supposed to go live today…" he realized.

His gaze turned to Black Howler who was now frowning at him so intensely that Jaybird was forced to gulp in reflex.

"So… I help him and you'll teach me, correct?" Black Howler repeated.

Masamune nodded. "If satisfied by your work, I am, then accept you as my apprentice, I will."

Black Howler's frown deepened.

"But I can't smith yet," he answered.

"Help with that, I believe Maestro can," Masamune replied as he sent a sideward glance at the door that had just opened.

Jaybird also recognized the man who'd just stepped into the smithy. He was the same NPC who'd given Jaybird his [Rusty Iron Rod] — Maestro, trainer of heroes.

"Seems busy around here," Maestro noted as he strolled across the smithy's stone floor to where the others waited. "What exactly do you want my help with?"

After a brief explanation from Masamune, Maestro rubbed his hands together in what seemed like obvious delight.

"You're a real go-getter, aren't you, Howler," he chuckled. "The [Profession] menu isn't even available to you yet."

"The early bird gets the worm," Black Howler chuckled back right before his face turned deathly serious. "I heard Masamune would only be accepting one apprentice… There's no way I'm giving up this spot to Ath3na."

"Ah, and so the competition between you two rages on, I see," Maestro chuckled again right before his own face turned deathly serious as well. "I don't mind helping Masamune out but are you sure, Howler?"

Maestro pointed to the corkboard next to the shop's counter. On it were several fliers that Jaybird had already seen on the A.B.B. One in particular was a teaser for the Deathly Challenger's Cup.

"If you take on this quest before the others, you might not be back in time for the big event," Maestro warned.

Jaybird watched as the lines on Black Howler's brow deepened, and he realized that the other player was conflicted by Maestro's words. Eventually, though, Jaybird saw the determination appear on Black Howler's face, and he wondered inwardly if he could join whatever crazy adventure the other player was about to undergo.

"Alright," Maestro answered. "I understand what Masamune wants."

He turned his gaze on Jaybird next, causing the player to stand up straighter.

"Yo, we meet again, new reaper," Maestro said in a jovial tone. "Looks like you've gotten caught in something interesting, huh?"

Jaybird nodded nervously. "I'm not so sure what I've gotten into, sir."

Maestro's eyes traveled down to the rod strapped to Jaybird's sash.

"A weapon worthy of the shop's name should do the trick, right, Masamune?" Maestro confirmed.

Masamune nodded wordlessly.

"Then maybe you can share a schematic for these guys to look at," Maestro prompted.

Masamune also looked down at Jaybird's rod right before he asked, "A spell, you have?"

"O-only one so far, sir," Jaybird answered nervously. "Firebolt."

In response to his answer, Masamune strolled over to the counter. He riffled through a stack of papers lying on top of the counter and chose one from near the bottom of the pile. Then he strolled back to where the others were and laid the paper down on the workbench in front of the furnace.

Curiosity overcoming his anxiety, Jaybird walked closer to the workbench so he could see what was on the paper, and his eyes widened at the sight of what was written on it.

It was a schematic of what Jaybird guessed was a staff. Five feet in length and two inches across, the scribbles on the margins read that it would be made of fell iron, the go-to metal used by smiths in town. Its tip was a dragon's head whose jaws clamped down onto a clear crystal sphere about the size of a baseball. A tiny flame was drawn inside the sphere.

"Interesting choice," Maestro said as he looked at the schematic from over Jaybird's shoulder. "I assume it's because Jaybird chose a fire spell for his complimentary ability?"

Masamune nodded. "Extension of one's will, weapons are… Strengthening that will, is the goal of a capable smith."

He turned his scarlet eyes on Black Howler who was still busy looking at the schematic, and Jaybird noticed a distinct twinkle in both men's eyes. And he was almost certain that the call to adventure had finally arrived.

"So you want me to fetch the ingredients myself," Black Howler asked.

Both Maestro and Masamune nodded.

"I know you can buy some of these materials in town but the quality varies from one you find in the wild," Maestro explained.

"Indeed," Masamune agreed. "Fel iron mined from the deeps of the Fel Rock Cavern, much stronger than what is available in Adventour."

"So, you'll need to get at least three materials from outside of town yourself," Maestro tapped on the air in front of him almost as if he, an NPC, had access to a menu himself.

A popup window appeared in front of Black Howler. Weirdly enough, this same notification appeared before Jaybird too.

He raised his hand in confusion. "Um, sirs, why am I getting a quest prompt too?"

"Why not?" Maestro chuckled. "It's your item he'll be forging. You should at least help him gather the materials, right?"

"B-but, I'm just a noob… I might get in the way," Jaybird replied in a tiny voice that he wished no one would hear.

"I don't think that will be a problem, right, Howler?" Maestro asked.

Jaybird faced Black Howler who was looking back at him with the frown once more set on his face.

"I work alone," he said, his brow furrowing even more. "But… I guess I don't mind letting the boy tag along."

Black Howler's eyes rose to the top of Jaybird's head.

"Jaybird… like the blue jay?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

Jaybird nodded enthusiastically. "I-I was lost once during a school trip… but a blue jay appeared in the trees above and guided me back to my class… it's been my spirit animal ever since."

"Spirit animal, huh," Black Howler's frown suddenly turned upside down. "Okay, you can come with."

Black Howler offered Jaybird his hand, and as he shook it, for the first time in a very long while, Jaybird thought he'd finally found a place he could fit into. Then, with his anxiety falling away, he tapped on the [YES] button and accepted the quest. The call to adventure had come and he did answer.

---

"Quick you've become in making quests, Game Master," Masamune noted minutes after the players had left his shop.

"McCloud was listening in on the conversation since I walked into your shop as I figured something like this was afoot," Leo explained as he read through the quest details on Black Howler's new quest. "He's the one you should be praising."

[[QUEST: MASAMUNE'S APPRENTICE] [RANK: C] Earn Masamune's favor by constructing a weapon for one of his customers. Succeed, and earn the chance to learn smithing from the Vampyre Smith of Legend. [QUEST REQUIREMENTS: Mine 10x Fel Iron ore from the deep within the mines of Fel Rock Cavern in the Western Abyssal Plains, cut 3x small logs of Spell Bark from the Sorcery Pine Grove in the heart of the Dark Forest, obtain the heart of a Salamander from the remains a mature salamander in the southern banks of the River Styx.] [REWARD: NEW PROFESSION: APPRENTICE SMITH]]

Leo swiped away the window and turned his attention back to Masamune. "What was that?"

"Regret it, you won't?" Masamune asked. "Front runner for the Challenger's Cup, he was. But far he must go and challenges he must tackle for the materials we requested. Weeks it'll certainly take to gather all."

"Sure, it's a waste not to see him and Ath3na finally go toe-to-toe. But I've learned not to sweat it when it comes to Black Howler," Leo chuckled. "The man does things at his own pace and things always end up getting interesting because of it."

Leo made his way over to the front door, but as he pulled open the front door, a new notification window appeared in the space before him.

[ATTENTION! THE DEATHLY CHALLENGER'S CUP WILL BEGIN SOON. ALL PLAYERS ARE INVITED TO ATTEND THE ANNOUNCEMENT AT THE TOWN SQUARE.]

"Ah," Leo chuckled.

He rotated the Deathly Ring on his finger twice around, and immediately afterward, his form shifted from Maestro to the red robed Game Master the players had gotten used to.

"It's show time!" Leo breathed.

---

"Um, don't you want to check it out first, Black Howler, sir?" Jaybird asked.

The pair of them had just crossed through the gate and out of town while everyone else was suddenly in the midst of running in the other direction.

Jaybird watched the back of Black Howler shake his head.

"I'd lose my nerve now if I went to town square," he answered. "I've already decided that getting that apprenticeship is more important long-term."

He looked over his shoulder at Jaybird.

"Besides, you said it yourself," Black Howler added. "We don't say no when adventure comes calling."

Then he walked onward, and Jaybird, following in his wake, grinned a wide and satisfied grin.

"No, we don't," he agreed.