Jack Talbot Race: Human Level: 4 EXP: 450/486 Health: 434.7/434.7

Stamina:434.7434.7

QI: 319.33/319.33

Mana: 318.17/318.17 GP Unallocated: 0 QI Efficiency 66% Mana Efficiency 30.5% Stats Base Total Modifier GP Allocated Strength 17 22.46

0

48%

1

Constitution 22 31.74

0

48%

1

Agility 20 27.60

0

48%

1

Intelligence 19 19

0

0%

2

Wisdom 11 17.33

6.33

0%

0

Health regen 20 Per Min 33.12 Per Min

0

20%

0

Stamina regen 21.5 Per Min 35.60 Per Min

0

20%

0

Qi Regen: 25.03 Per Min 37.17 Per Min

0

48.5%

0

New Skills Acquired Skills Level Description Effect {Qi Detoxification} 1

To detoxify all harmful physical toxins from inside the users or another body

10 Qi Per Min

Higher base Qi requirement base on the difficulty of toxic

{Mana Concealment} 1 Hide mana signature on the physical plane.

N/A

{Qi Concealment} 1 Hide Qi signature on the physical plane

N/A

{Sneak}

1

Your ability to escape detection by others through reducing your visibility and noisiness

N/A

{Danger Sense}

1

To sense impending danger coming in your direction.

Trust your 6th sense; it will serve you well.

N/A

Mana Sight

N/A

This allows the user to see the ambient mana with the naked eye

1 Mana Per Sec

Dagger mastery

1

N/A

5% Increase in all dagger techniques

(1% increase per level)

Keen Sight

N/A

Physically enhances the user's eyesight

1 Qi Per Sec

{Corrupted Qi Augmentation}

Changed Into

{Passive Corrupted Qi Augmentation}

1

Combination of Artificial Qi Vessels & Corrupted Qi Augmentation.

-5% Qi storage to sustain Passive Corrupted Qi Augmentation

Increase Qi Efficiency by 10%

(1.5% increase per level)

Qi Channeling

N/A

Allowers user to channel their internal Qi into themselves or the physical environment

N/A

External Mana Manipulation

1

Allows the user to manipulate the ambient mana always surrounding all life.

5% increase in Qi Regen

5% increase in Mana Efficiency

(.5% increase per level)

Map

N/A

Gives access to map areas.

N/A

Looking over my new skills, I could see the array of options I now had. Every day I gain strength, but my reserves just can't keep up for long, for the obstacle I overcome, a new one must show itself, it seems, so be it. Looking back towards the duo, I could see them diligently use every piece of monster. From the hide, internal organs, even the green blood being drawn and contained by the apprentice. With the dwarf what looked like telepathically calling for his tool. Dropping and throwing them any place he seemed fit while in mid-fall, they stop and gently be placed back at his workplace. His focus was on the masterpiece in front of him, with my gear being a set of green padded leather, with the studs being what I could only guess to be bone and fangs. I have no free metal for me. He uses what he has no more, no less.

The green orb was still sitting on the pedestal from before. As I watched the two work, I could see what I thought was inconsistent in whatever the two were doing. Danger sense wasn't going off, but I know not everything in this world is of face value. Activating {Mana Sight} I peered at the two, but again nothing changed. Until I noticed the stranger formation of an unusually dense purple mana encapsulated around me, I could see mana had no rhyme or reason in my astral form. It flowed naturally with the world around it. When I applied my will on it, it seemed to come towards me, but this was just unnatural. Stagnancy is the best word for this. Again the realization hit me. Magic was being used on me.

Goddamnit, does no one trusts anyone, first Maricela, now these two fuckers are showing me a damn illusion. I had two options: either wait or act. I chose to stay. They don't want me to learn some crafting technique by studying their art for all I know. There must be a reason that shops like there have extended spaces. They could be of significant help to me in the future, almost blowing it earlier with dropping the cooshee on the dwarfs' stall. Patience is a virtue in this aspect, at least.

ArTek and Alfred POV:

"Master, he seemed to have sat back down. Should I keep the illusion up or slowly dissolve it?"

"Keep it up. I want to know how long this boy is gonna go looking at a repeating loop. He knows it's a scheme at this point. I could sense his mana a few minutes ago. We'll talk after we're done. Pass me the orb. The equipment should be ready for now"

"Yes, sir."

Jack Pov:

An entire hour passed as I watched the repeating loop continue from start to beginning. I could only guess the time since I didn't have a watch, but it sure as hell felt like it. Picking patience might not have been the best solution until I saw the veil around me start to fade away into the air slowly, and the real world is shown to me. The first one I noticed was the dwarf from earlier.

"Have fun, boy, watching repeat for an hour" He gave a hearty laugh as he spoke. I could tell he had fun fucking with me. Payback for stall from earlier, I know.

"HAHA, to be frank, it was the most relaxing time of my life" He gave me a look watching over me, trying his best to pick me apart. Then he walked away. "Come on, boy, time to show you the gear."

We walked back over to the crafting area. A full set of gear there was of fantastic quality, and it shocked me truly. The one truth from that illusion was the fully padded green leather body armor, with an arrangement of slots for small knives. Next was the cetus. They had a full wrist and arm support being more of a mini gauntlet but still having the lightweight design I wanted. The first portion having green metal with protruding spikes coming from it. The design was superior in every way from my copycat. Everything was just perfect, from aesthetic form and function.

"How did you make all this? I was barely expecting the cetus but to have the full set of armor with accessory pouches. I can't afford all this. This has to be more than 1 Gold."

"I didn't add any materials that weren't already there. I used a couple of skills to convert materials like the blood to metals, reformulate organ tissue into the hide, etc. A true craftsman leaves nothing to waste. Alfred over here created the cetus for you. You said he needed experience, and you were right."

"Thank you, Alfred. I never received your name. I'm Jack Talbot."

"I'm ArTek, the 4th craftsman master of the Venzhier Clan, but Artek is good enough for me. Fancy titles mean nothing to me."

"Thank you, ArTek" I needed help, and this man saw that with him being a master craftsman, this job must have been nothing for him, even going as far as to say he must be A rank or higher. This explains why he wanted me to read his sign earlier to get me to leave. Debts must be repaid. Hogard taught me that. "If there's anything I can do for all this, tell me, you didn't have to do this much, and I appreciate the generosity."

Easy pickings ArTek thought, "My apprentice Alfred needs a supplier. All you have to do is bring him monsters to work on. Maybe Get you some knives for the pouches. I ran out of blood to transmute, so came up short on that end. Promise me that, and you can come here for free equipment repair and gear creation. We can talk about contracts and deals, later on, trial run first."

The offer was too good to be true. Without a second thought, I accepted. "Deal ArTek, I'll need time to prepare. I'm on a pretty important task, but I'll be back." I offered my hand out to confirm the deal. He grasped at my hand, and with an iron grip, he slowly crushed my hand. I could see my bones caved in under pressure. With nothing more than a handshake, he brought me towards my knees and eye level with him. He had no expression, just observation as before. What the fuck!! That was all I could think.

Two could play this game. I narrowed my eyes and lock eyes with him. Folding to this wasn't an option. "Thought you would be stronger, being a master craftsman" As I said those words, I activated skills and dumped my Q into my lower body. As I forced my body to move, he didn't lighten the load, no resistance, that blank observant face. Cold sweats were pouring down my face and drenching my whole being. These Atherions have real fucking problems. I rose slowly but steadily as I finally reached my full height. I looked down on the short dwarf and simply smiled. He could tear my arm off, and this all I could. A bloody smirk popped up on his face. He released his grip then spoke.

"Heal the boy Alfred" As Alfred came over to my badly broken and bruised hand just as Chole healed me early. A green ball of light encased my hand combined with my natural health regen in a mere matter of seconds, I was fully healed, with that, the pain receded. I wasn't done yet.

"What the fuck that Artek!" I had rage boiling in my system. I need to know what the fuck is wrong with these people on Atherion. "Does everyone on Atherion crush, mangle, and slice up other's hands just for the hell of it, your the third person to do this."

"He just looked at me and then spoke, "Take it as a compliment, something for you to learn, boy. Is that everything you are has a connection to your spirit. I can tell your green as fuck probably don't know shit about our culture or way of life."

"That still doesn't expl-"

"Be quiet. I'm talking." He said it with such commanding tone I couldn't resist but to shut my trap

"Everyone you meet from now on will test you. Stats, Skills, Spells, and everything else don't mean shit at some point. It's the spirit of the person that matters. I wanted to see what you would do when confronted with something greater than you. Either succumb or conquer. I saw a glimpse of the man you were, and I'm impressed. For that, I would be proud to have you work with my apprentice."

I was stunned for a second looking back, I could clearly see the past signs. Everyone in this world is looking to gain something from me, and they have to test me out some way or another. Everyone here is brought up in an environment where they MUST fight for survival. Being able to judge another through such simple means would mean a lot. When my life or my friends' is on the line, will you run or fight by my side. I opened my mouth and spoke, "I understand." I kept it short for what else I can say to a man who has probably seen hundreds, probably thousands of fledglings like me come and go. To be washed away in fear of what's to come in this world. Never pushing forward because their spirit died before their body.

ArTek spoke again, "We're about to close up shop. The equipment has an auto-adjust function. It can fit anyone from an adult male orc to a pipsqueak gnome. Take it home and try it out. Alfred will assist you in leaving the extended space."

"What about the green/blue orb you pulled from the monster? Are you going to keep that exactly is that?"

"Ahh yeah, the monster core, I'm gonna keep that for now. It would be a waste for you to use it now with your unstable foundations. I won't use it. It'll be here at the shop. No one would dare to steal it."

Slightly defeated but also reassured, I accepted it. "Thank you for everything you've done. I won't forget this."

As I said those words, Alfred walked beside me and started guiding me toward the exit. He seemed to be a meek man, one of few words but like his Master. Has serene calmness to him, definitely instilled into him by ArTek.

Before I could forget, I needed one last question answered, "Alfred?"

"Yes, Mr.Talbot"

"Just call me Jack, but where can I buy flowers? From I would like to buy some for the recently deceased, I only have 15 silver left. I don't know the prices currently around here yet.

"His face was slightly surprised, but he understood the sentiment. He used the Map skill and shared the new mass gravesite and apothecary location to carry what I'm looking for. The price should be 1 silver, after all.

"Thanks, Alfred, next time I'm here, I'll have some parts for you to craft away with with"

"Until then, Jack."