Jon and Fay didn't take long to arrive at the hunters' guild to receive the money for cleaning the sewers of the city of Caerleon. The duo was excited to get paid.
"What are you going to buy with the money?" the shooter asked his friend to find out what he would spend his share on.
"Upgrade part of my leather armor to a better quality one. Defense is very important," Fay replied. "Are you going to do anything besides buying the monster book and the potions?".
"I'm going to try to invest in more protection too. I'm not a person who is adept at close combat," Walker said. He had a question in mind as he thought about some things in this world and also how he would spend his time. "Should we take a day off tomorrow? I want to try to explore the city while I do my shopping".
"Yeah, I don't want to be working all the time. I have to enjoy life a little," Fay agreed.
The young hunters went to the counter where Luna was after coming to the conclusion of taking a short break to rest after the exhaustive work of the last few days.
"Go ahead and order the food for our table while I do the report for Luna," Jon said.
"You said the best part".
The time spent with his friend in the last few days had made Jon realize that Fay hated doing any kind of paperwork and was also a bit lazy in other areas; he was only not lazy when it came to fighting or training.
"You two make a great pair," Luna commented.
"Yes, Fay is a good friend, and we have good synergy when we fight," Jon replied. The smile on his face was obvious when he spoke of one of his first friends upon arriving in this world.
"It doesn't even seem like you've only known each other for a few days. It looks like a friendship formed over years".
"It was forged in blood and sweat. Not just anyone will stand by your side in hardship and near-certain death". A nagging doubt appeared on his face as he thought about the previous fight against the goblins and her reaction when he selected the quest papers. "Why didn't you try to stop me from choosing that goblin mission even though it was very dangerous?".
Luna touched her chin as if she were thinking, even though she had the answer on the tip of her tongue. "Rookies like to think highly of their own strength; overestimating themselves is their standard. I've given them a lot of advice and I'm tired of it". "If they want to kill themselves, then they'll go and kill themselves". The guild employee made a point of saying this right in his ear with a very cold expression; the freezing chill in her eyes was very clear.
"Cold comment," Jon noted.
"Any other questions?".
"Are you really human, or are you an ice monster?".
"Get out of my sight". The receptionist seemed a little angry as she puffed out her cheeks cutely while the shooter went to the table with his friend for dinner.
"Did you order anything good?".
"The order was pork with a few mugs of beer".
"I don't really like alcohol, but it's good for getting into the mood".
"That's the spirit!".
The two spent a lot of time talking and eating. The late afternoon seemed to last a long time until the moment they said goodbye to return to their own homes.
A woman was waiting at the entrance of the Hotel Styx, looking at the people coming and going; she wasn't interested in anyone in particular.
"Are you looking for someone, Isabel?" Jon asked.
"I'm just observing the beautiful scenery before I go home".
"You don't live at the hotel?".
"No, I have my own house".
Jon wanted to spend a little of his time before going to bed. The beautiful lady in front of him seemed like good company in his head.
"Is it the same routine every day? The same acquaintances?".
"No, the guests are usually hunters. There are times when they don't come home. It's very sad".
"It must be difficult to be such an empathetic and competent person".
"I hope for the best in your adventures. I don't want to have to be sad for you".
"I'm not going to die, believe me".
Isabel was looking the hunter in the eyes; the words she had just heard caught her attention.
"Promise?".
Walker was a little startled to hear these words from the hotel employee and quickly realized what had happened.
"A guest died?".
"Not just a guest, a friend died. An important one". Her tears were falling to the ground as she thought about her deceased friend, the conversations and happy moments they had lived.
"Would you like to tell me about him or her? I'd like to know the incredible person capable of making Isabel cry like this, because they must have been a great person to be able to get into that big heart". Offering a friendly shoulder to a friend was a gesture of courtesy given to important people in his heart.
"He was a cheerful and fun person. He helped me a lot when I started working at this hotel...". The brown-haired woman talked more and more about that dear friend, how he made a difference in her life and also at her job.
"I won't die," Jon repeated.
"Are you really going to make that promise?".
"Yes, I will come home to tell stories of my adventures".
Moments like this were when he remembered his family; sadness also hit him hard when he thought of those three dear people.
"Sorry for taking up your time," she said.
"It's nothing".
Courtesies were exchanged between the two before each went their own way to their beds, as night had fallen and it was getting too late to be on the street.
"System, increase my wisdom stat," Jon commanded. The blue screen appeared in an instant with three white dots to show the loading signal.
"Does the user really wish to make this choice?".
"Yes".
The screen closed as soon as the order was given to carry out the instructed command. It didn't show the result after adding the reward, as he could already feel his mana capacity increasing.
"I'll increase the quality of my mana next time and then focus on agility". His final thoughts were spent on how to best evolve his own strength, the best distribution of points.
Dawn came as quickly as the time to sleep itself. The sun's rays irritated him as they hit his face, making him turn the other way. It took some more time for him to wake up after all this; he was a bit of a heavy sleeper.
"I'll visit Dimitri to buy some things and ask for a recommendation". The young hunter quickly got ready and then brushed his teeth so he could go to the shop of his first friend in another world. His excitement was quite high as he looked at the path taken to reach his chosen destination; people of various races and cultures enchanted his spirit.
Dimitri was cleaning the front of his shop while greeting the passersby in front of him.
"Do you need anything for your adventure?". The happiness in seeing Jon was not just because of the money spent in his shop, but because of the friendship cultivated between the two in these few days.
"I'd like to buy a black cloak with a hood. I'd like a very nice one".
"I will show you the examples". The merchant laughed as he saw the hunter looking for him to buy some things.
"I want a black mask too".
"I'll bring some".
It didn't take long to bring the black clothes with hoods and also the masks to choose from. The chosen model was the one that most resembled a trench coat with a hood and reminded him a lot of his old world.
"Are you going to use this for camouflage on missions?".
"I'm always fighting in dark environments or at night, so it's better to wear a suitable outfit for these moments," Jon explained. "They won't know where my shots came from with this outfit and the right movements". Black boots were also purchased as he remembered the need to be fully camouflaged to hide. The black mask didn't hide his eyes, only his nose and mouth.
"I feel much better".
"And you really look it". Dimitri didn't spare any compliments when he saw the young hunter with black clothes all over his body. The combination was too good not to be complimented; the type of clothing was visually beautiful and tactically useful.
"Where are you going now?".
"I wanted to stop by here also to ask for a recommendation for a good blacksmith and alchemist". "My healing potion ran out on the goblin mission and I need a new one".
"There's a very good alchemist for making potions in the city. The forge is next to her tent...". The directions on where to buy potions and other things were valuable for the young man starting on the path of hunters.
"I spent 40 bronze coins here, and I also spent 20 bronze coins on dinner with Fay yesterday. I only have 3 silver coins and 40 bronze".
The entrance to the alchemy shop was very normal for any shop entrance, a very beautiful two-story establishment that seemed to have been built with white stones.
"Hello, do you sell potions here?".
The interior was a bit dark, and the floor seemed to be dirty because of the residue of materials wasted in the alchemy process; they ranged from monster remains to valuable plants.
"We sell potions and many other things. I'm Sibyl, the owner of this shop". The product tables were filled with many potions and other unexplainable things for the limited knowledge in alchemy of a beginner iron-rank. The voice seemed to be female and belonged to a very beautiful woman with long black hair. Her figure, with large breasts and a perfectly sized hip, was quite charming.
"I would like to buy a healing potion".
"That'll be 50 bronze coins".
The potion was placed on the table to be seen and it seemed to be the same one used in the goblin hunt, so he had no doubts about making the payment.
"Are books about monsters also sold in this establishment?".
"You seem to be a smart boy for seeking information about monsters". The alchemist was laughing as she saw that boy looking for information about various types of monsters and not just throwing himself into missions like many hunters did.
"1 silver". The book seemed to have more than 300 pages, a very intense study material. Flipping through the pages quickly showed several images of monsters, and he was happy with the glimpse.
"I'll be back here more often".
"I'll be looking forward to your money".
The place he should go now was the forge where the blacksmith worked. Dimitri had given high praise for that person's skills. The blacksmith's shop was very close to the alchemy shop, so it only took a few steps to reach the chosen destination. The atmosphere seemed heavier because of the heat when entering that shop with an exterior very similar to the alchemist's. The interior had several swords and spears on the wall; armor was also present to be looked at.
"Hello".
The blacksmith was a brown-skinned man with no hair on his head. His eyes seemed like fire, and he had a goatee. His clothes were light because of the strenuous work.
"I'm Dunstan, the owner of this shop. Do you have an order to place or something to request?". His smile was that of a very honest person, one who had no impurities or had already thrown them away.
"I would like to buy a chainmail shirt, head protection as well, and a simple dagger".
"Your outfit is focused on stealth, so I can't give you heavy things," the blacksmith quickly noted the type of outfit his client wore and also the products to be sold. "What is your budget?".
"1 silver coin and 90 bronze".
"You can buy something with that".
The items were brought to the table to be evaluated by the client: the chainmail shirt, the dagger, and a black leather hat. A piece of equipment to cover the rest, made of the same material as the chainmail, was also brought.
"I'll only charge 1 silver coin and 50 bronze".
"Thank you". Jon was happy with the discount being given even without asking for anything, because he knew the value of the items; the price was higher than his budget. "I'll be back to buy more things later". A wave was given as he said goodbye to the cheerful and kind blacksmith after the payment.
Happiness overflowed from his body after making the purchases and being perfectly armed for an adventure.
The rest of the day was spent helping Isabel with her work; the employee still seemed to be very hurt by the death of her long-time friend. The evening was the time taken to meet with his friend to discuss how they spent their time and also to choose the next mission for the following day. Fay was sitting at a distant table with his appearance also quite changed because of the reward received. The leather parts of his armor had been replaced with metal parts.
"It seems I'm not the only one who's changed," Jon smiled as he saw his friend sitting at the table in his new outfit, which would bring him much more security than the previous one.
"Now we really look like adventurers".
"Yes".
Walker was looking at his friend's helm; the material was metal and seemed to cover his entire face. Memories of a very difficult game to beat were triggered in his mind.
"Looking closely, you almost look like an assassin".
"You look like a knight".
"So neither of us looks like a hunter".
"True". Laughter was shared by both as they felt the reality of the facts, as their current outfits made them look like different things.
Status:Strength: F-
Dexterity: D-
Magic: F+
Agility: F+
Wisdom: D-.