[Sylvar] So, as you requested, I turned that Midnight Tiger pelt into quite the piece of clothing.
[Crafter] And I made those majestic claws into a nice pair of bracelet bands.
Laid on a crafting table in the center of the room lies two metallic black bracelets and a black fur tailed vest.
[Sylvar] I know you requested a coat, but a fur coat would've made it much harder for you to move around, so I opted for a vest instead.
[Sakyo] I see, but it looks a little big.
[Sylvar] That's because of something else I threw in for you. Try it on.
Sakyo picks up the vest and puts it on. At first, it appears oversized and made for an adult, but it suddenly shrinks to fit his body like a glove.
[Sylvar] {Auto Sizing}, it's a special enchantment that resizes your equipment to always fit you perfectly. I figured you wouldn't want to worry about outgrowing such a nice piece of equipment too quickly. You're lucky I'm so generous, this enchantment is a tailor's worst nightmare.~
[Sakyo] It feels nice, so warm yet still breathable.
[Sylvar] And I didn't forget about the {Auto Repair} you wanted. No matter how much you tear it up, it'll always fix itself as long as the base is intact. I also threw in a little {Shock Absorption} for extra protection.
[Crafter] Alright, enough bragging about your work. It's my turn to show off these bands. You gave me enough claws that I was able to make two. They've got the same enchantments as your vest along with that {Mana Absorption} enchantment you wanted.
The crafter hands Sakyo the two bracelets. Upon further inspection, his eyes are drawn to the claw markings surrounding a mana stone in their center.
[Crafter] Ah, I see you noticed my special addition. That mana stone you see there is the core. The {Mana Absorption} enchantment you asked for is a special one that needs a way for absorbed mana to escape. With that mana stone, you'll have a replaceable outlet to store all the absorbed mana for later use. They'll start out red and turn white when they're full.
[Sakyo] They're perfect, I can feel them absorbing my mana already.
[Sylvar] I still don't get why you wanted such an enchantment. With something like that, it's practically a cursed item.
[Crafter] Oh, hush now. You always worry too much.
[Sylvar] Maybe you're right, but it's easier for you to say. I'm the one who had to enchant everything.
Having equipped his new gear, Sakyo is ready to leave soon. However, before he can turn to the door, he can't help noticing Garm eyeing some soft looking fabrics behind them.
[Sylvar] You looking to get something made too?
[Garm] Oh, no. I do not require anything special.
[Sylvar] You don't have to hide it. I noticed your limp since you walked in here. Thrain, take a look at this guy's leg for a minute.
[Garm] That is really not necessarily.
[Sakyo] It's ok Garm, just let them have a look.
With his master's permission, Garm takes a seat, removing his wooden prosthetic.
[Thrain] This is some pretty nice work. Personally, I would've added a little more support around the knee and ankle, maybe take away some lasting back pains.
[Sakyo] Would you be able to fix that?
[Thrain] Of course, it's a simple adjustment. I can have it done by the end of the day.
[Sylvar] Ah, I see another problem right here. This sock is made from such cheap materials, it's chaffing your stump and digging into you.
[Sakyo] Can you make him a few new socks that wouldn't do that?
[Sylvar] I've got a few fabrics that should do the trick. Why don't you take a look and pick out some that you like?
[Garm] That really is not necessary. I am able to live just fine with...
[Sakyo] Garm, you won't be able to serve me effectively if you're always in pain. Just let them help you.
[Garm] Yes, Master.
With an almost defeated look, Garm finally gives in, pointing to the fabrics that caught his eye earlier.
[Sakyo] I'll leave you here to go over everything. I need to stop by the guild before I miss my quota. If I'm not back by sundown, just head home without me.
With that, Sakyo leaves Garm in the hands of the two professionals, but not before leaving two more gold coins for them.
...
[Sakyo] Alright, got my first quest and I'm ready for adventure... Yeah right, some adventure. I'm just going into the northern woods to exterminate some slimes. (It's not much, but I'll really need to save some money if I'm gonna start a village for everyone. Since I can't train with the knights anymore, I'll just focus on getting a bit of experience with monsters.)
After walking a bit further, he comes up on a group of standard blue slimes.
[Sakyo] Alright, finally found some.
Each slime only takes one hit to be defeated, expelling small crystals from their now motionless bodies.
[Sakyo] These must be those slime crystals I gotta bring back to prove I actually did this job. Not a bad deal though. I'll get one small copper coin for each pair of crystals. That's already three small copper right now. To get full credit, I'll need to exterminate at least twenty slimes, so I should probably look a bit further. Still, I don't want to leave all these slime bodies just laying here. I'll just put them in my system storage, maybe I can do something with them later.
After gathering the crystals and slime bodies, Sakyo heads further into the woods. A few hours pass as he collects even more slime materials.
[Sakyo] This vest really is perfect for me. Even though it's made with fur, I don't feel overheated at all. And these bracelets are working great. It's like I can feel the mana being sucked out of my arms. I'm hoping this will help me get a better feel for how to use mana. Maybe I'll even be able to learn some crafting from those two guys.
Further and further, Sakyo keeps going deeper into the woods, not noticing a sign that reads "Danger Ahead Do not Pass".
[Sakyo] This is pretty refreshing. Maybe I should take Lumi for a walk out here sometime. She mostly just enjoys sleeping in my room. It'd be good for her to get some fresh air.
As he continues further, a thin layer of fog begins to fill the woods around him.
[Sakyo] Hmm? Crap, did I go too far? I really gotta stop wandering so far on my own. I should head back before I trigger some kind of event.
GGGRRRRROOOWWWWLLLLL
[Sakyo] (facepalm) Why did I have to say that?!
The low growling grows louder and louder as something approaches. Sakyo can barely see through the fog as it grows thicker with every second. Just then, his instincts scream at him to jump back.
Listening to them, Sakyo barely avoids a wide slash of huge claws. Once he gets away, he sees the figure of a large bear standing right in front of him.
[Sakyo] What is it with me? Do I just attract apex predators or something? Woah!
Once again, Sakyo barely dodges another attack. This time a strong crushing claw from above.
[Sakyo] You're strong, but compared to a certain Midnight Tiger, your attacks are way too slow. (No, it's not just its movements. I've also gotten stronger since then. This time, I won't just aim to neutralize it, I'm aiming for a win here.)
Sakyo charges towards the bear, leaping onto its large back. He reaches for his waist, grasping at his short sword, but...
[Sakyo] Crap, I didn't bring any weapons! I was so focused on getting my new gear, I completely forgot about buying my own blade! Ack!
Sakyo can't even curse himself before the bear crashes him against a tree. He falls to the ground, but is able to get up just in time to avoid another body slam.
[Sakyo] (Damnit, I won't be able to deal any good damage without a weapon, but I'm able to take a few hits from it. This must be that {Shock Absorption} the tailor was talking about. I should give them some extra payment when I go pick up Garm. Still, this is a really bad situation. I can't deal any damage to this thing, but it's able to kill me with just a few attacks.)
The constant exchange between dodging and running continues. Despite being faster than the bear, Sakyo can't take advantage of it without a weapon to pierce its thick hide.
[Sakyo] Come on, there's gotta be something I can do. Hey Diabolos, if you're there, can I get some kind of OP ability now?
...
[Sakyo] Oh come on, you gave me one when I was about to die with the Midnight Tiger. What's so different now?!
...
[Sakyo] Fine, I'll do this myself! (But what can I do?)
In a moment of hesitation, a sharp pain runs across his chest as he's slashed by the bear's mighty claws.
[Sakyo] AAARRRGGG!!!
While his vest repairs itself, his wound cuts deep. His blood stains the ground with more dripping as he moves.
[Sakyo] (huff huff) (It hurts! Is this it? Am I really going to die?)
Despair begins to take over his every thought as the realization hits. This could really be the end, he could actually die here.