Eric gazed at the harvester in genuine admiration before turning to look at the mountain of neatly prepared cuts of meat and organs, massive plates of extremely tough lizard hide, a pair of crossbow quarrels, and a softly glowing grey orb he was almost certain was a beast core, before immediately putting everything back in storage.

“That was damned impressive.”

Jeffrey laughed. “The fact that you actually took that thing out… that’s what’s impressive, son.”

Eric smirked. “It was a team effort.”

Jeffrey flashed a jaded smile. "I was a sniper once upon a time, son. I know a well-placed kill shot when I see one."

Eric laughed. “Let’s call it a lucky hit.”

The hunter peered thoughtfully at him. “So, crossbows, huh?”

Eric winked, pulling out his Reverse Draw XL Gladiator model. "200-pound draw weight, with a bolt velocity of 450 feet per second. One down the throat, the other angled from the underside of its jaw when it was flexing. Also tore through all sorts of important bits, I imagine.”

Jeff whistled. “That would do it. Surprised you had time to get off a second shot. That's the advantage my bow has over yours… perhaps the only advantage.”

Eric shrugged, choosing to leave certain things out, such as his use of an Adept Tier Skill Perk, having no idea if it was as rare as gold, or common as glass. And though he was happy to play town hero with an ability that could so easily have passed for a forager or hunting profession’s class abilities, he felt no need to advertise his martial perks, or just what his ES Space allowed him to do. Especially not with what were now over a dozen people listening in. "I got lucky. The rhino-sized lizard got distracted, then took way too long to die."

The hunter nodded sympathetically. “I hear that, son. I know Alice lost a couple on her last run. Now I see why.” His eyes widened with surprise when he stumbled back, falling on his ass with a chuckle. “I think that last one sort of took it out of me.”

Eric flashed an understanding smile. “And I’m grateful for it. Believe me.” And he truly was. He hadn’t even been aware that beast cores were a thing, and he had absolutely no idea what to do with it. “So,” he said, choosing his words carefully. “What would be fair compensation to a hunter who just helped prepare meat and avoid spoilage for the whole town?”

The hunter smiled. "I'd be grateful for some meat, and I'd call you a true friend if you cared enough about this old hunter to share some of that extremely fine lizard hide. I get the feeling our leatherworker here would be able to craft some mighty miraculous things with it. And I wouldn't dream of asking for anything else," he said, Eric knowing without a word being said that the man was referring to the beast core. Then he shrugged. "But honestly, Eric, it was a pleasure just being able to pitch in for the town. Besides, you just netted me 3 levels in my harvesting profession." He chuckled softly. "So today's been a profitable day, any way you look at it."

Eric grinned, extending his palm. “A pleasure working with you, Jeffrey. I think you’d look pretty damned badass with a lizardskin vest of your own."

The man laughed, his powerful hand gripping Eric’s wrist in tandem. “Likewise, Eric. I think I would too.”

At which point the anxious-looking mayor breathlessly burst in between them. "You did it. You actually had ten thousand pounds of meat on you! What a miraculous Profession you got your hands on. Truly miraculous. Adept tier as well, I bet. Rare as gold, those Professions are. Rare as gold! Oh, I had no doubt in you, son. No doubt at all!” His smile turned to a worried grimace. “But I notice that you sort of put it back.”

Eric nodded. “I did.”

“Might I ask, well, why?”

Eric turned to Jeffrey. “Seriously?”

The hunter wisely just shrugged, the mayor just furrowing his brow. “Eric Silver, now’s not the time to be toying with the fate of this town! We need to organize and prepare the meat before spoilage sets in!”

Morlekai, his glare having turned to an approving smile as the blacksmith and leatherworker whispered urgently between one another, cleared his throat as the people present got to rapid work preparing the rat meat a short distance away. “Mayor Stibbs...”

The man clenched his eyes shut and sighed, seeming to deflate as he slowly nodded. “See me tomorrow, Morlekai. We will complete our… arrangement.”

Morlekai flashed a smile so genuine Eric couldn't help but feel a hitch in his chest, a sentiment seemingly echoed by everyone present. As if they had all been touched by the glory of a warm summer day, for all that they were stuck in a cave perpetually lit by brightly glowing moss, high above.

It was the smile of a prince. Of divine beauty inspiring them all with his grace.

And then it was just Morlekai, quirking a half-grin and tipping his tricorn hat to the mayor’s health.

But the short, rotund man was gazing almost pleadingly at Eric.

Eric sighed. "Do you really want ten thousand pounds of meat rotting in the caves, when it could be stored in my ESS without aging a minute?"

The mayor gazed at Eric for long seconds. “That’s a very good point,” he said at last. “I trust I can count on your continued grace in delivering daily quantities, until we can process the entirety of your extremely generous donation?”

Eric gave a slow nod. On the one hand, he hated the thought of wasting time when he could be developing himself, one way or another. On the other hand, the bardiches he had caught sight of fascinated him, especially now that he had access to a crew of professionals he genuinely admired. Men and women who, if they were willing to spar or train with him, would assure that his time would hardly be wasted at all.

Already he looked forward to embracing a completely new way of fighting, and one he sensed would come in pretty damned handy at chopping through the beasties of their brave new world. And maybe, just maybe, another boon in stat boosts, if he could evolve it all the way to Rank 10, and hit Journeyman tier in yet another skill. And it wouldn't at all hurt to learn his way around another weapon, even if he wasn't about to skill it up as quickly as he could weapons he had practiced with for hundreds of hours long before the world had transformed so abruptly. And perhaps more importantly than anything else, being able to catch foes off guard by pulling out of storage whatever weapon they were least prepared for, would be a priceless tactical advantage all its own.

To say nothing of having the chance to engage in extensive archery practice with not one but two experienced archers, and yes, maybe even trying to master that bloody longbow. If either path of training led to a Journeyman boost in any stat at all, it was time well spent.

Eric couldn't help but feel a certain tingle of excitement when he recalled the surprising sense of resilience he had sensed all but radiating from Fat Sam's bardiche. And the look in the blacksmith’s eye was definitely that of a man with a System sanctioned Profession. If there was any chance he could help Eric make genuine armor out of scales that had managed to deflect crossbow bolts at close range, at least those of a low-end recurve, then maybe he could help Eric out just as significantly on the offensive front. Because sure as anything, he would love one of those bardiches for his own personal use before putting his life on the line yet again. And for fuck's sake, what about a properly made spear that wouldn't bend and warp going against anything larger than a dog-sized rat?

But what truly mattered at that moment was that he was doing his part to help out nearly a thousand people far closer to starvation than he had ever been.

Eric's nod gained vigor. "That shouldn't be a problem, Mayor Stibbs. I'm happy to make daily meat deliveries for the lads to process." He even smiled. "It's nice to have the chance to play hero in the real world. Those opportunities are a damn sight harder to come by than in the movies," he said before wincing and shutting his mouth, silently castigating himself for saying shit that didn't matter. Not in this day and age. And if he got any more pitying looks from people who recognized the beautiful starlet he had once been, transformed to the scarred survivor he was now…

His cheerful mood instantly hardened. "If you'll excuse me?"

“Of course, of course!” Enthused the now ebullient mayor. “And thank you again, Eric Silver. The world could use more heroes like you!”

Eric wanted to cringe, especially with the animated whispers now at his back.

Fuck.

He really should have thought up an alias.