"The Price of a New Life"
"I think the most prudent option would be to wait until dawn," said Bert, breaking the silence while everyone sat around the campfire, evaluating their next move.
Lua remained standing, listening without speaking, though her expression had turned serious and focused ever since hearing that the mine was connected to a vast underground network filled with enemies.
"What's the problem?" asked Sig, glancing at Lua with curiosity.
"The reason demon beasts don't leave the forest is simple: the overwhelming concentration of mana within it. If any of them have emerged from there, it can only mean one of two things," Lua replied, her tone grim. "The first " and most optimistic " is that those caves are so full of mana stones they've become a new haven. The second… is that they were expelled from their territory after losing a power struggle."
"But if they were defeated, doesn't that mean they're wounded or weaker?" Loli asked quickly.
"Yes… and no. Losing a battle doesn't mean they were weak " it means they were strong enough to rule a territory in the first place. Even a defeated pack can be lethal," Lua said firmly.
"So… could there be one of those magic lions down there?" Loli asked, eyes wide with a mix of excitement and fear.
"I doubt it. The types of beasts that move in large numbers are usually low-level creatures that rely on overwhelming numbers, like horned rabbits. But if they were pushed out… it means there must be a huge number of them," Lua explained, crossing her arms.
While the group silently processed this, Sia spoke directly into Lua's mind:
"Boss, don't even think about interfering. You need to let the players handle it."
"Why not?" Lua frowned.
"Because if you go, a single spell would be enough. And then they won't gain any experience " not in combat, nor in growth. It's better to leave this to them."
Lua sighed softly, clearly annoyed, but the logic made sense. She turned her eyes back to the group.
Alfred and Ganfall had joined the conversation. Bert, meanwhile, was drawing new plans in the dirt with a stick, using the maps Alfred had copied with almost artistic precision. They were deeply focused, discussing strategies and possible routes.
For the first time in ages, Lua let a small smile slip.
Bert turned toward her with purpose.
"Miss Lua, we're going to need a large number of talismans. Do you have enough materials to make them?" he asked seriously.
"I have no problem making more," Lua replied in her usual calm tone.
"Then we'll need as many as you can produce. Preferably, most of them should be explosive-type," said Bert with unwavering firmness.
Lua nodded without hesitation.
"Sig, I need you to send one of your spiders to check for any visible entrances from the forest," Bert requested.
"Got it," Sig replied, pulling a small puppet spider from her bag. With a few quick gestures, the creature scurried off, and a magical screen appeared beside her, allowing her to control it remotely.
"How many rabbit horns do we have left?" Bert asked, turning to Alfred, who was in charge of inventory.
"120 horns. And 170 pieces of leather," Alfred answered calmly.
"Perfect. I've got a plan," Bert said, his mind brimming with ideas.
As the strategy meeting continued, a figure emerged from the forest shadows.
"Sorry to interrupt… but what should I do with all of this?" Edward asked as he approached. Behind him, exactly 300 slimes followed closely, carrying heaps of glowing and smoking items.
"You were hunting at this hour?" Loli gasped, surprised. Edward nodded slowly.
"But… the enemies get stronger at night!" she added, torn between concern and amazement.
"Yeah, I noticed " after I finished off the last dozen rabbits," Edward replied like it was the most normal thing in the world. "Still, I got a pretty decent haul."
"How many horns did you get?" Bert asked, eyes sharpening.
"Around 36. Also 40 pelts, 20 kilos of rabbit meat, 30 mana fragments, 6 mana stones… and 7 blood vials," Edward said, as his slimes began to gently place the items in front of the group. "Oh, and this too." He pulled out a rolled-up scroll. "Puppet recipe: Horned Rabbit."
"What!?" Sig exclaimed, stepping away from her spider screen to rush toward him. "You got a puppet recipe!? Let me see it!"
Still a little bewildered, Edward handed her the scroll.
[Recipe: Ragged Horned Rabbit]
Type: Magical Recipe (Combat Puppet)
Quality: Low
Requires Profession: Puppeteer (Rare Profession)
Description:
Recipe to create a puppet resembling a horned rabbit, with a single protruding horn. Its body is made of stitched leather, reinforced with a basic core and animated through magic. Its erratic movements mimic those of a wild rabbit. Though its damage is low, it can disorient enemies through speed and unpredictability.
Crafted Puppet Effects:
• Damage: +2
• Speed: +5
• Durability: 400
Required Materials:
• Leather
• Horned Rabbit Horn
• Wood
• Magical Thread
• Puppet Core
⚠️ Only those with the rare profession "Puppeteer" can learn and use this recipe. Attempting to use it without the profession will destroy both the recipe and materials.
"I'll buy it! How much do you want for it?" asked Sig without thinking, practically glowing with excitement.
"What?" Edward looked even more confused.
"Do you want mana stones or real-life vials? I can pay in both!" she insisted, clearly thrilled.
"Uh… I'm really confused right now," Edward admitted, backing slightly away from the enthusiastic puppeteer.
"Forgive her," Alfred said, stepping in and placing a hand on Sig's shoulder to calm her, while Loli held her waist " she knew well how excitable Sig could get. "My lady has that profession and is extremely interested in the recipe. Would you consider selling it?"
"Can I… can I sell it for mana vials in real life?" Edward asked cautiously, looking at Alfred.
"Where do you live?" Alfred asked, still composed.
"Port City North."
Alfred nodded, his expression turning more thoughtful.
"We're from Student City Central. We could send the vials to you by courier, but… your area is under gang control. Anyone passing through has to pay heavy taxes."
"Yeah… I figured. It's a mess," Edward said, his enthusiasm deflating a little.
As Alfred continued explaining the logistics, Sig leaned toward Bert and Loli and whispered:
"He looks like he needs those vials. What if we told him?"
"Are you sure?" Bert asked, his tone serious.
"Yeah. It's not a secret, and he'll find out eventually. Plus, if we're going to be a small group… it's better that we all get to know each other. And did you see his level?"
All three turned toward Edward.
Edward – Lv. 7 – Unstable Form
"Level 7… damn," murmured Loli, surprised. That player had nearly reached Bert and Sig's level in just one day. Sure, they usually stopped hunting at sunset and spent time on other tasks, but still " Edward's determination to hunt was undeniable.
"Even if he doesn't join us, I think we could build a good relationship with him. He could be an excellent supplier " beast blood, rare pelts…" commented Sig, the most professional when it came to such matters.
"You have a very good point," nodded Bert, seeing the logic in her words.
"We could also invite him to one of our missions. Even if the experience points get split, his slimes seem like a huge asset in combat," added Sig cleverly.
"Alright. Tell him," agreed Bert, nodding while watching the three hundred slimes surrounding Edward like a gelatinous honor guard.
As Edward silently considered how much he should ask for the recipe, Sig approached him with her usual businesslike smile.
"Hey. How about I give you one large mana stone for your recipe… and, at the same time, information that won't disappoint you?"
Edward looked at her, intrigued.
"Information? About what?"
"In this game, what many call 'energy stones' are actually mana fragments. Ten fragments make one mana stone. Ten stones make one large mana stone. And ten of those form a demon beast core." She paused, then lowered her voice a bit. "And those cores can be exchanged in real life for five high-quality mana vials. So one large mana stone is worth about 7.5 mid-quality vials… or 52 low-quality ones."
Edward froze, like his brain needed a reboot.
"Wait… what?"
"Yeah. You heard me right," confirmed Sig. "The cores can be turned into real-life mana vials. We've already done it. That's why everyone in our group is somewhat known in the real world " we managed to get a few cores recently."
From the shadows, Lua had been silently watching " until something she overheard made her frown.
"Mana vials?" she asked mentally to Sia.
"If I'm not mistaken… they're the currency used in their world. They're extracted from players' bodies at regular intervals," replied Sia, equally surprised.
"And they can extract mana from Drunai into Earth… with those computers?"
"...It seems so," Sia answered slowly.
"You didn't know this?" Lua asked, visibly irritated.
"Hey! I told you I'm learning as I go! This is my first time doing this. Before, all I had to do was help the host absorb energy and hand out quests!" Sia defended herself, mentally crossing her arms.
While Lua argued internally, Loli broke the group's silence.
"Why don't you ask Lua? She's the guide here. She must know if all this is true."
Everyone turned toward her. Lua stopped arguing with Sia and looked at them calmly.
"Is it true? Can beast cores be exchanged for real-life mana vials?" Edward asked seriously. It was a question that could change his entire life.
"It seems so," Lua answered in her usual composed voice " though internally, she was just as stunned. She had been watching the group obsessively hunt for mana stones and level up for days. Now everything made sense.
Edward's eyes widened, filled with wonder… and hope. He started calculating in his head:
"Today I gathered around 9 mana stones… plus the two large ones I got while cleaning up, though I'll count those separately. So, rounding up… that's about 10 stones. That's one large mana stone. If I spent the whole day just hunting… I could get one large stone per day. That equals 7 mid-quality vials. Seven! In just one day… I made the equivalent of nearly two months of real-life work."
He had to sit down. He was overwhelmed " first by euphoria, then fear.
He could change his life: escape the cramped room where he slept, eat proper food, wear decent clothes… But then he remembered a bitter truth. In his city, anyone who showed signs of prosperity was extorted. The gangs demanded "protection." And if they found out Edward was making real income through a game… they'd trap him. Force him to farm. Take everything from him.
It wouldn't be the first time. Where there's easy money, predators follow.
What if they force me into the game with them? What if they make me part of their network? For many, that would be an opportunity. But for Edward… it would be a prison.
Then, something sparked within him. He muttered, so quietly that only Lua, with her sharp hearing, could make it out:
"I'm submissive because I believe I am. I have to take a step… stop being who I think I am. Free myself. If I'm going to do it… I have to risk everything. I've got nothing to lose. And yes… a lot to gain. A real life."
He raised his head, eyes glowing with newfound determination.
"You said you live in Student City Central, right?"
They all nodded.
"Is it also controlled by gangs?"
"There are smugglers," admitted Sig. "But they don't bother civilians. The gangs just fight for sales territory. Our city has a lot of powerful people protecting its citizens."
And she wasn't exaggerating. Sig's father had formed alliances with respected groups and commanded over 200 men. Before the war, the city had been a center of academia, full of professors, scientists, and brilliant students. After the cataclysm, many of them had stayed and safeguarded their legacy.
In that city, the groups followed an unwritten rule: If you attack a citizen, everyone attacks you. Even criminals respected that " for their own safety.
"Alright." Edward nodded slowly, as if a weight had been lifted from his chest. "I'll give you the recipe. And all the materials I gathered… except the mana stones. In return, I want you to get me a safe place in your city. A home."
Sig looked at him for a moment, serious. Then she smiled.
"That's easy. Then… we have a deal." She extended her hand to him.
Edward took it firmly.
It was the first step toward his new life.