CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Roari Gets Her Class!

They found the martial arts master Lorel in a tavern. Seated next to him was a gentleman in a flamboyant dress. The old man had been partaking in a mountain of fried fish and seafood when they found him.

“It’s barely been a day!” He exclaimed after Roari handed him the jewel. “I know I said to do me proud, but isn’t this a bit too fast?”

Roari moonlighted in his astonishment. She nodded sagely as Lorel lavished praise upon praise upon her, but refrained from mentioning the details of her victories.

“You have done well. Very well, but alas, I had not planned for this outcome.”

“Say what?”

“Look girl. I gave you a foolhardy quest to make you give up. To kill two people with over a thousand fame and infamy in a week? Even if you were to garner the support of a companion, you yourself would have to still land the finishing blow.”

“But I finished it?”

“You did. It was commendable, but you still can’t become a martialist. But tell you what. Since you did such a good job, how about I treat you to lunch? The food here is delicious.” Lorel gestured towards the mountain of fried seafood before him, and while it did smell good, Roari was not satisfied.

“Will you treat me to lunch for the rest of my life?”

“Well… that is a bit much…”

“Then this is a scam! You lied to me!”

Without regard for Lorel, Roari retrieved a clean plate from a nearby table before stacking half of Lorel’s food onto her own. She ripped into a deep fried oyster viciously while glaring at the old man.

Of course, Roari didn’t know that the old man was strong enough to crush her with a pinky, else she would understand just how benevolent he was to excuse her rudeness.

“Ahem. It’s not that I don’t want to give you such a class if I could, it's that I can’t. You don’t have the foundation to be a martialist. As you know. All martialists are martial artists but not all martial artists are martialists.”

“Then give me the martial artist job. I’m not picky.”

“That's the dilemma. The task I gave you was already beyond what is required for a simple martial artist class. As such, I would have to give you extra rewards as well.”

“I don’t mind getting extra stuff.”

“But-- even if we were to forgo all that, I would not recommend you specialize as a martial artist either. And there’s a very good reason for it too.”

Lorel paused to take a breath as the flamboyant man next to him eyed the conversation with interest. Meanwhile Roari was beside herself, trying not to give the old man a bloody lip.

“In short, your body is shit.”

“That's not...what?”

“Your martial aptitude aside, there is no future for you in the world of martial arts. I don’t know exactly what's wrong, but your muscles are held together about as firmly as a corpses. Hell, I’ve seen zombies tougher than you. Unfortunately for you, if you proceed with this path, you will eventually reach a plateau.”

The old man sighed, as if it were truly a pity. He liked Roari, yes, but it was because he had some fondness for her that he didn’t wish for her to pursue such folly. It was strange. Normally he wouldn’t become attached, yet for this random person, he wanted all the best for them.

“I thought you told Roari that martial arts has always been overshadowed by people with monstrous constitutions. Isn’t refusing her entry to the class a complete contradiction to your words?” Pale murmured as he sidled into a seat beside Roari. Amidst all of his sisters bragging, he had caught a few snippets of information about the so called ‘martialist’ class.

“And I stand by my words. But even so, there requires a bottom threshold to learn martial arts. One that neither Roari, nor you for that matter can attain.I am truly sorry for leading you on, but I can give you a referral to almost any other pavillion.”

“Are you saying my body is not good enough for you?” Roari slammed the table, drawing the attention of everyone present.

“No, I’m not say…” Lorel’s words caught in his throat as he realized how this was all looking.

“Were all your honeyed words and promises nothing more than lies? Did I put my faith in the wrong man?”

“Wait...Wait!!” Lorel sputtered as he drew angry glances from the tavern patrons around him.

“Did--”

“Stop! Don’t make it worst!” Lorel hushed Roari while the flamboyant man on the side gave off a small wry smile.

“I told you I didn’t want you to pursue such folly, but you didn’t listen. Can I really be blamed if I can’t make miracles happen?”

“Oho! This old man has some balls. You think you can just flake out of giving me what I want? I’m telling you, I know where your stash is. If you don’t play nice, Imma have my criminal brother set your whole geek room on fire.”

“Hey…”

“What appeal does the martialist class even hold for you? I’m sure with your tenacity, you can do well in almost anything else.”

“It doesn’t have any. But I chose it, and I would rather die than back down from my choices.”

“That is the most childish and preposterous thing I’ve ever heard!”

“Bite me. I do what I want!”

The vein on Lorel’s temple bulged as if he found himself chewing on a dead frog. Somehow the piles of seafood didn’t taste quite so good anymore as he spat into a napkin. Inwardly, he was contemplating just handing Roari a few sacks of gold to just get her to back down.

However just as Lorel was about to make a counter offer, a low guttural laugh rang from the flamboyant man sitting next to him.

It was so out of place that the Storm siblings found their attention drawn to him.

“Ha Old Lore, you really done got yourself into a pickle this time. Issuing quests and not even giving out rewards. Ha!”

The flamboyant man was garbed in a motley brigandine with a fur eyepatch and a skeletal parrot squawking on his shoulder. He looked completely out of place, even as Lorel angrily gave his rebuttal.

“Not now Gar. I was just getting to that point! I will make sure you are rewarded. Truly.” Lorel said as he turned back to Roari.

“Hmmph. If you won’t give me what you promised, then I want to take whatever I please from your collection.”

“Oi. Don’t get ahead of yourself girly. Lorel doesn’t own any of that.” The flamboyant man growled. “All of those items are only being loaned to him for storage. They are all my property.”

“And you are?”

“Me? I’m Gar Netz. A treasure hunter. Me and Old Lore go way back. How long has it been anyways? Three decades? Four?”

“Thirty Seven years this Winter.” The old man grumbled.

“That’s right! Anyways, I believe I have a solution to your little problem. See when it comes to martial artists, Old Lore is pretty much a fanatic. So if he says something is the case, it generally is. Of course, that doesn’t mean the path of the martialist is closed to you.”

“...Yes?” Roari prodded as Gar took a large bite out of a hunk of fish. His voice was thick through a mouthful of fish and grease as he continued.

“See, if your body is crap, all you need is another body!”

“...”

“...”

“Brilliant!”

“Hey Hey! Don’t look at me like that. I’m not kidding. Speaking from experience, there are countless treasures that can transform one’s flesh and bone. The most famous and common being the flower of Eternity. That said, there are complications from the procedure including soul damage and what not, but if it's the path you want to take, then so be it.”

Roari seemed startled by the option laid out by the flamboyant treasure hunter. Although she was adamant about becoming a martialist, the whole step by step process seemed like a whole lot of work. Hell, just how long would she have to wait before she got what she wanted?

“So...if I did that, I still wouldn’t get the martialist class now…”

“Well no, but despite what Lorel says, your body isn’t ‘that’ bad.”

Roari’s eye twitched and Gar cleared his throat noisily.

“Ahem. What I mean to say is that even if you do pursue mastery in martial arts, you won’t reach the plateau any time soon. Not to mention, its not as if there aren’t many paths to becoming a martialist. What you are asking for right now, is to acquire the class of legends without putting any work in. It's shouldn’t be unexpected that you can’t get it right away.”

“So the old man lied!”

“Yes. He lied. But it's not all bad. After all, I can reward you in his stead. Have you ever wanted to be a treasure hunter?”

“Nope. No thank you.”

“Hey! I’m trying to be nice here.”

“Fine.”

“...This little.” Gar’s face momentarily grew red as he began panting.As if resisting the impulse to strangle the little girl, he continued speaking with a smile on his face. “See, just by completing Old Lore’s little test, I can already tell you’re full adventurer’s spirit and have the resourcefulness to get things done. Those are some good qualities for a treasure hunter.”

“While we don’t really have any set specialization, I suppose you can consider us like a jack of all trades, as literally anyone can become a treasure hunter and a treasure hunter can become anyone. As you might expect, the role of a treasure hunter is to find treasure. To discover new areas or artefacts of old for fame and glory. ”

“Wow, never coulda guessed.

“Your presumptuousness precedes you. I am actually quite famous around these parts. A master dungeon diver if you will. With many of my successes on display in various museums or holy temples. The only reason Old Lore has some of my discoveries is because I want to let him revive his martialist legend and dreams.”

“I see…”

“That’s the benefit I’m extending to you. While martialists are at the utter peak of martial artists, there is no need to charge non stop towards your goal. Why not join the treasure hunters league and make a few discoveries along the way? I can assure you, nobody ever regrets it.”

When Gar finished making his proposal, Roari was silent. Honestly, this entire thing felt like a set up to a massive ponzi scheme, but Old Lorel quickly interjected to back Gar up.

“Yes! It’s a good idea. Trust me. Not only is it notoriously difficult to enter the treasure hunter’s league, but it would aid you in finding bodily transforming treasures. From treasures that can affect your muscles, bones, tendons, skin, and organs, there are numerous, but all of them are as rare as water buffalo. Don’t squander this opportunity.”

“Just hold up!” Pale interrupted. He noticed Roari’s eyes getting progressively shinier as she latched onto the idea of becoming a treasure hunter. “Just how is becoming a treasure hunter different from any old Joe Schmoe diving a dungeon to look for treasure himself? This whole thing seems very suspect.”

“Physically? Absolutely nothing! Except for one thing.” Gar smiled as he removed the fur cloth from his eye patch. Behind it, was a perfectly normal eye...at least until he reached into his socket and popped it out.

Roari recoiled as the eye twitched irregularly in Gar’s palm.

“Gross!”

“It is, but should you join us, you’ll get one as well!”

“Pass!”

“No wait! For you see, this is called a Lucky Cat’s Eye. A specific body modification that only Treasure Hunters can obtain. Depending on the type, you can see all sorts of things. From secret entrances, traps, varying freshness of produce, etcetera. Of course, you would normally buy such an eye only after joining our faction, but if you sign up with me, I can give you the one on my person. This one can help you find valuables. Anything worth a monetary value of more than ten gold will glow blue when you’re wearing this eye.”

“Oh really? Pass!”

“Now look here you little c--”

“What Gar means to say is that is not all. After becoming a treasure hunter, you also get first hand information about tombs and all sorts of unexplored locations. For fledgling adventurer’s like you, it would be a great boon.”

“It is! Actually, for your assignment, I was planning on giving you a simple treasure map of a tomb. There are undoubtedly many goodies for you to find there.”

“Trust me. This is no scam. I truly want the best for you. Actually, I can also give you this golden bird insignia. With it you can visit any of the martial halls across the land and get basic tutelage.”

‘The fuck is going on here.’ Pale stiffened as he watched the two men continuously sweeten the deal. Were all NPCs such pushovers? Just what was up with all the people in this game that they would bend over backwards to help his little sister. Actually, wasn’t he one of those people too? Dear god. What was happening to him.

“It’s not that…The terms actually sound pretty great” Roari slowly replied.

“Then what is it!”x2

“Well. To transplant that eye. It’ll hurt right?”

“...”x2

“Hey...What was your name again?”

“Pale?”

“Yes, Pale. Can you do us a favor?”

“Sure.”

Seeing the sly smiles amongst all the old men, Roari couldn’t help but get shivers down her spine.

“Hold her down! Hold her down! I’ll get the spoon!”

“Pale you traitor! How can you do this to me?”

“Don’t worry! It won’t hurt! I’ll just pop it out then put it back in!”

“Um Sirs. You are making a scene. Also is this legal?”

“Just put it on my bill.”

“Ahhh! Ahhhhhhhhhhh!”

Roaring Storm has successfully become a Treasure Hunter!

“For your first assignment, you’ll have to go near the capital of the White Kingdom. Near it, you will find an island which is supposedly the last resting place of the Meteor Knight, Meteos. Don’t ask about the name. We think its stupid too.

Anyways, twenty years ago, he was a rising star. With his fists alone, he managed to pulverize everything into dust. He was given the monicker, ‘Human Battering Ram’ as on one occasion, he single handedly knocked down a castle gate. He was a most notable figure at the time, however, he met an untimely demise and the whereabouts of his death had long remain unknown…until now.”

Lorel sighed as he briefed Pale and Roari on the details of their first assignment. The former was listening on intently while the latter was sniffling while pinching her brother in anger.

If one looked closely, they would notice that one of Roari’s eyes were now a brilliant sparkling blue with a smiley face pupil.

Gar pulled out a dusty old map and slid it across the table. The paper was blotched by grease stains, making Pale wrinkle his nose in distatste.

“I was planning on collecting the remains myself, but since Meteos was never an especially famous character, it is not a big loss if we were to forgo the booty and let a couple juniors try their luck. Of course, thats not to say that it’ll be easy, but seeing as how you’ve finished Old Lore’s quest so quickly, I’m sure you’ll be able to handle it.”

“Also as the events were not too long ago, his equipment should still be in excellent condition. As one of the old knights of the White Kingdom, his equipment should be of superior quality. And even if you don’t wish to use it, I will be glad to purchase it from you for a high price.”

"What? You couldn’t even give us the grave of someone important?"

"Keep complaining, and I'm taking back the map."

"I'm sorry." Roari instantly shut up, suddenly becoming bashful as she twiddled her fingers together. Perhaps after understanding the shamelessness of these men, she was no longer in the mood to provoke them.

"Don't misunderstand. This can also be considered a test. If you do well on this and then turn in the remains, then perhaps you would be qualified to collect other legacies of ancient heroes for me."

It was rather amazing how quickly his tune turned from domineering to supplicating to domineering again. The remnants of fallen heroes seemed to be the catalyst in which he would be driven into a frenzy.

"We shall see. I must warn you however that the catacombs will be exceedingly dangerous for someone of your strength. I highly recommend training a bit before undergoing such a trial."

Quest: Legacy of the Falling Star

Recommended Level: 37+

The suspected resting place of Meteos Sanderson has been overrun by the forces of darkness. Free his legacy and let the world see once again, the invincible fists of destruction.

"Sanderson? What kind of name is Sanderson?" Roari nodded. While she was still sore over her shady alleyway surgery, a special quest that promised gear certainly made her feel better about the whole ordeal. The massive level requirement did intimidate her a little, but as the quest had no time limit, it would be something they could tackle at their leisure.

After receiving the quest, it seemed that Gar and Lorel had become sick of their shit, and promptly kicked them out of the tavern.

Thus, there they stood. Out on the street with no sense of direction.

“So… I guess we’re going treasure hunting now?” Roari asked as she rubbed her newly transplanted eye.

“Yes, but there’s one thing we have to do first.” Pale said sternly. From then on, their new destination was going to be another city. They would need supplies and fresh gear. But most importantly they would need a way to break through the level thirty seven quest requirement. To do that, they would first have to do one thing.

“Apologize to Dawn?” Roari suggested curiously.

“Hahahahaha. No.”