《Godlea: World of Creations》 Goplamae "It''s been five years, huh." Archer Griffins looked up the blue sky, his brows knitted in a furrow. "I never knew I could enjoy life once again after dying from that horrible car accident." The memories were still vivid inside his mind when he was trapped in that car back on his way home. It was as if all his luck was sapped away from him and a series of unfortunate events happened, leading to his death due to a car crash. Luckily, he did not suffer due to the sudden collision. The next thing he knew, he woke up inside a dilapidated building. He had no idea about his situation when a gush of wind entered his head. Then, everything sank in. He finally understood. Indeed, he had been transmigrated into this divine world called Godlea, wherein its inhabitants were called Godlings. It was a special realm located at the center of the Godsverse and he did not know how he was able to arrive at such a fancy place. At first, he found it funny because the so-called divine Godlings were wearing familiar clothes comparable to Earthling wardrobes. Some were in denim while others in tight suits. Even the infrastructures were almost the same, except that this place was magical and ran by Holy Magic instead of fuel and electricity. Nevertheless, he was thankful because his life had a purpose once again - to become a Planet Creator himself. From the name itself, Planet Creators were the ones involved in creating dimensions, planets, and realms scattered across the entire Godsverse. This was the highest calling a Godling could seek, aside from replacing the Highest God himself. Only a Godling could become Planet Creators because they were the only ones who possessed God Essences inside their bodies. With this, Archer found a new job and he wasted no efforts to fulfill his dream. But after a few months, another major setback occurred to him because he found out that his body suffered from a rare disease called Dinepsia, wherein a Planet Creator lacked the necessary amount of God Essence inside his body to successfully create a world. It must be understood that every livable planet had its World Core as its source of life. It was also the originator of every inhabitant''s power and strength. Since the World Core was entirely created from the God Essence of a Planet Creator, it logically followed that a Planet Creator suffering from Dinepsia would not be successful in creating a liveable planet. But luck was on his side this time because he heard some good news. Planet Creators with Dinepsia could still create a liveable planet with the help of the Planetary Hall, a Holy place tasked to assist Planet Creators in modeling their chosen worlds. All it needed was the entire God Essence of the Godling as the source of the World Core. Other factors would then be covered by outside help. The disadvantage in using this App was evident but at least a new door was opened to him. With this, his energy was brought to life and he continued to study. After five years of nightless struggles and hardships, he was on his last schoolyear term and the only thing left for him to do was to create a liveable planet. Today was the day Archer was supposed to create his first planet. He was very early, all alone as he waited inside the Planetary Hall''s waiting area. Anxious, he checked his wristwatch and frowned. He was about to go to the lobby when he saw a familiar figure approaching him.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. "Manda! How dare you to come late for today?!" Archer stood up and gave Manda, his only friend, a high-five. "Can''t you see that this is very important to me?!" Manda Everett grinned and took out a piece of USB-looking gadget. "Well, here is the GSB. This ''World File'' you requested is the reason why I''m late. And you dare to scold me like that..." Archer grabbed the gadget out of Manda''s hand and scrutinized it. "Are you sure that you followed my notes to the tee?" "Yup. From nature essences down to the inhabitants, it''s perfectly done. You sure have some weird ideas, don''t you?" Manda extended his right hand and said, "Now, my pay. We''re friends but I''ve got to spend money on my needs, okay." Archer nodded and gave him a card. "Password is ''MONEY'', all in capslock." Manda smiled as soon as he received his payment and gave him a thumbs-up. "Just call me when you have questions. I''ll be waiting for you in the lobby. And I hope you succeed." "Sure. Thanks." Archer hugged his buddy, grateful towards his only friend. Even then, he did not wait for Manda to exit the room and pressed the button on his wristwatch. As soon as he did this, he disappeared in a blink of an eye. It only took a second before reappearing right inside a familiar glass chamber. He felt his pulse became chaotic, his hands clenched as he shouted, "GOD SYSTEM, I am ready!" Whirring sounds echoed inside the chamber, then it became quiet. After a few minutes of waiting, a mechanical sound replied, "Welcome, Godling applicant. Please stay still for the scanning procedure." Archer saw a beam of white light emerging right at the end of the room, enveloping his entire body. He felt drowsy and was about to close his eyes when a voice interrupted his mind. "Archer Griffins. Applicant #100900. Body condition, not fit and lacking in God Essence. Status confirmed - not eligible for the World Creation using the God Essence. Advising the applicant to use the Holy App. Please put the ''World File'' inside the scanner." Archer saw the scanner appearing before him and chuckled when he realized that it looked like an old-style CPU. He took out the GSB from his pocket and inserted it right at the only available port. As soon as he was done, the scanner disappeared in a flash and heard the mechanical voice once again. "Analyzing the ''World Profile''. Status - pass and feasible. If you are ready to proceed, please say the activation code." Archer took a deep breath before shouting, "Activate!" "As you wish." The chamber walls surrounding him were shining and a long, metallic wire with a helmet on its tip approached Archer. It conveniently attached the helmet on his head and his body felt warm from the inside. After a few minutes, the God system spoke once again. "Analyzing body condition. Status - eligible for the use of the Holy App. Merging the ''World Profile'' with your God essence. Process complete. Starting the creation of your world core, please give your planet a name." Archer remembered the details he had given to Manda and smiled in his thoughts. He was very lazy when it came to naming and just decided to combine the first syllables of the things he cherished in his second life and answered, "Goplamae." Goplamae, taken from the word Godlea, Planet, Manda, and Earth. Archer knew that his friends back on Earth would roll their eyes when they hear his unimaginative naming style. "Starting to create Goplamae. You cannot reverse the process anymore. You will be put into a deep sleep as the Holy App creates your world. Since you have deficient God Essence, you are not eligible to fine-tune the minute details in your world. Another thing, you cannot enter your world as soon as it is created because your God essence will be used up. Analyzing the accurate time to determine when your body is stabilized enough to enter your world safely. Answer - after a hundred thousand years. Please remember to call me as soon as you wake up. Initializing the world creation in 3, 2, 1." The last words Archer heard before he became unconscious were ''call God System''. God System ''Wake up, Applicant # 100900. Your body is now stabilized.'' Archer Griffins opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was the blue ceiling adorned with a flat lamp on its center. "Where...where am I? Did I hear someone calling me?" He checked his surroundings; the walls and the ceiling were painted in blue. Judging by how soft the surface felt, he suspected that he was currently lying in bed, and he was right. A small bed good for a single occupant. He scanned around; a freezer on the left, a TV with a PC on the right, and several cupboards at the bottom of each shelf. "Neat room. Just like how it was on Earth." Archer clenched his fists as tight as he could and his eyes brightened up. "Looks like my strength is back. Does it mean that God Essences inside my body was totally replenished?" Gathering his strength, he moved out of his bed and muttered, "Now, I can finally see the world that I''ve created. I''m very excited to journey outside. But first things, first. Call, God System." A familiar mechanical voice filled his mind. "Welcome to Goplamae, Archer Griffins. Congratulations on your success and you are on your way to your success. I hope that you can fully master your world and help boost its world ranking to the fullest to graduate with flying colors. Due to your condition, being Dinepsic, I will now activate the Built-in System the Planetary Hall created inside you, to assist you in utilizing your God Essence to the fullest. The navigation within the system page is easy, just use your mental strength." At once, a warm feeling enveloped Archer''s body, which almost elicited a moan from his mouth. This went on for about five minutes before everything went to normal. This time, he saw a screen which he suspected to be invisible from the outsiders, displaying a simple home page with a plain blue background. At the topmost part was the word ''Goplamae'' and right below it was four tabs: Status Screen, School Missions, Creation, and Maps. The rest was empty. Curious, he chose the Status Screen via his mental strength and several lines appeared right at the blank area.
Status Screen
Name: Archer Griffins Rank: Graduation Applicant Body Status: Dinepsic God Essence: 1
Skills: Indestructible Body - any of your creations could not hurt or put any damage on you because their powers were created from your God Essence.
Planet Name: Goplamae Type of World: Basic - Fantasy World Level: 1 Ranking: Not Available
"Interesting stuff. With an indestructible body, I can now walk on sideways like a crab, eh. I hope my strength is Godlike as well so I can easily do what I need to do." Archer proceeded to tinker with the page, this time on the School Missions tab.
School Missions
Main Quest: Create a stronger bond with the World Core. You can do this by using your God Essence from time to time, thereby making the World Core more receptive to you since it is made out of your God Essence. Reward: World Ranking Points
Side Quest (1) Increase the power rating system of Goplamae to a full level. Reward: Simulation Room (courtesy of Planetary Hall)A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Side Quest (2) Interact and gain the recognition of the leaders of Goplamae. Reward: Faith Machine (courtesy of Planetary Hall) Side Quest (3) Become an influential person. Reward: Dinepsia Pill (courtesy of Planetary Hall)
"Hah! Does the God System want to advertise the Planetary Hall that much?" Archer mused over the quests that he saw and weighed the options he had to plan things ahead. "I want immediate gains that can affect everything I do, so the Dinepsia Pill is a must-have for me. And it would be easier for me to attract the attention of these powerful organizations if I can show them my strength, whatever it is. So, it''s Side Quest 1 and 3 on my priority list." To his dismay, the Maps tab was empty, which made a lot of sense since he had not yet taken any step to venture outside. But what attracted his attention was the Exploration Level.
Maps
Exploration Level: 0% (Improves your World Ranking) Note: Every percent increases your bond with the World Core. This also stimulates the God Essence inside of you, which makes you stronger while you are within Goplamae. Automatically updates every time you visit new places (Courtesy of Planetary Hall).
"I need to investigate the nook and corners of Goplamae to reach a hundred percent. Traveling...that''s it. I will become a wandering Bard, a mysterious entity showering the inhabitants with goodwill." Archer laughed eerily as he mumbled, thinking about wonderful stories to tell since Powerleveling was boring. It was a fact that he was very lazy so he needed fun things to spice up his enthusiasm. "Now my mind is set, the only thing left for me to investigate is the Creations tab."
Creations
You can strengthen your bond with the World Core by using up your God Essence from time to time, thereby spreading your God Essence throughout Goplamae.
Artifact: The power of smithing. Turn any ordinary object into Divine Artifacts by filling it up with your God Essence. The higher the God essence used up, the powerful it becomes. Can use weapons, armors, materials Medicine: The power of alchemy. Turn any normal pills and food into Holy Medicines by infusing your God Essence. The higher the God essence used up, the powerful it becomes. It can have random effects. Creature: The power of summons. Turn any Goplamae inhabitants into Divine Beings. It can''t be controlled but has a higher affinity towards you. It can have random skills. God Essence: 5 (Healthy Godling have at least 50 God Essence inside the body. Measured by the Essence Detector, courtesy of the Planetary Hall)
"God System, do you know anything about Goplamae? Like who are the leaders and how the power ratings go?" ''Sorry. I am programmed to only aid you with the installation of the Built-in system created by the Planetary Hall. As for the rest, it is up to you.'' "Fine, thanks. Anyway, can you do me a favor?" ''What is it?'' "Can you tell Manda that I''m fine and everything is going well?" ''Sure. Any last words before I leave? This will be the last time I will contact you. The next time we''ll talk, it will be when your world will be tested if it fits to become a stand-alone or be regarded as reject and be demolished into oblivion.'' "Now, that''s cruel. I''ll make sure that it does not happen; I will not let my beloved Goplamae be destroyed." ''Okay. Whatever. Goodbye. I hope you don''t cry in the end.'' "Attitude!" Archer shook his head and investigated the nook and corners of the house. The current house was eerily similar to his house back on Earth. He wondered if the God System read it up inside his memory because if that was the case, then his past life was already an open book to the Planetary Hall. One thing for sure, he was ecstatic that his cupboards were always filled with food he loved. As long as he stayed here, he did not have to worry about things to fill his stomach. He went to the kitchen and started cooking. Time passed by but Archer was busier than ever. Even though he was lazy, time would not stop for him and he needed every bit of it to increase the World Ranking. Like right now, he was sitting on his bed, his eyes fixed on the Creations Tab. He wanted to become a wandering bard, so he needed to create anything that could aid him on his journey. The System did not explain how fast his God Essence would be replenished, whether if it is a daily replenishment or dependent on his Vitals. It needed an investigation but he wanted his first attempt to be meaningful. He searched inside the house and the best thing that he could find that could create some noise was two sticks. With these, he sat on his bed and activated the system.
Archer did not hesitate and press the yes button. A sudden rush of waves left his body, and he became weak. Luckily, he was on his bed right now, so he did not feel any pain when his body went limp. The two sticks were hovering in the air, enveloped within the God Essence. The next thing he knew, he passed out. Creations "Ugh...my head hurts so much..." Archer slowly opened his eyes, his hands busy massaging his temple. "Will this be a thing? Will I be unconscious every now and then? Such a weak body!" The pain subsided and he mustered his strength to stand up. The fact that he could still stand elated him and he became merrier when he saw the two sticks lying on the floor. He scurried his way and grabbed them greedily, and he opened the system to check his weapon''s status.
Two Sticks (Level 1) - a Holy Artifact infused with God Essence. Increases the wielder''s physical offense by 10 points. You can increase its effect, alter its form, and add new abilities with the use of God Essence. Reward: God Essence Pill x 1 (courtesy of Planetary Hall)
"Oh, this is good stuff. For now, I can afford to use more God Essence with the help of this pill." Archer checked his status screen to clear his doubts, and true enough his God Essence became 5 once again. He looked at his wristwatch and verified that he passed out for ten hours. "So to replenish my God Essence, I need at most 10 hours. I still have to do further investigations. But the heck with it, if I have to be knocked out every now and then to gain strength, so be it. I will just use my bed as my forge." Archer claimed his reward and the God Essence Pill appeared on his palm. It was a small yellow pellet. If others would see this pill, it would be treated like dirt because it exactly looked like that. No matter what, he knew its true use and he would not want to waste this thing. He calmed himself and started manipulating his God Essence to add new skills to his artifact. When everything was done, he studied the prompt for the last time.
Two Sticks (Level 1) --> (Level 2) Physical Offense (10) --> (11) Alter Form --> Tonfa Mode (Weapon) Alter Form --> Drum Stick (Support) God Essence Needed = 10
Create? (Yes) or (No)
Archer clicked the yes button and the familiar feeling of losing strength started to creep inside him. Without hesitation, he ate the pill and controlled his God Essence, only to find out the true effect of the God Essence pill. It increased his regeneration rate to a godly level instead of replenishing his God Essence right away. With this, the process was completed but the pill''s effect was still there. He just looked around and started creating Holy Artifacts out of the things he could find in his bedroom. Soon, the time passed by and the effect was gone, but Archer was ecstatic as he looked around the things he just created. But before he could do anything, he passed out once again. ======================= "Ugh! Fuck this shit!" Archer massaged his head until his agony had subsided before standing up. The first thing he did was check the time, only to find out that ten hours had passed. "Well, I will just have to strengthen myself until my body can support this type of stress. On the positive note, look at my babies! My wonderful babies!" In addition to the two sticks, there were five more artifacts laid before him: a pillow, a pen, a bedsheet, a pot, and his very own bed.
Two Sticks (Level 2) - Increases the wielder''s physical offense by 12 points. Two Sticks (Tonfa Mode) - Tip''s Penetration Effect +5, Body''s Bludgeoning Effect +5, can cause confusion when it hits certain parts If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.Two Sticks (Drum Stick Mode) - Increases the ally''s offense by 12 points. Decreases the enemy''s offense by 12 points.
Pillow (Level 1) - unlocks the Armament Skill. It allows the wielder to change weapons or armors instantly. Can store up to 5 weapons or armors. The higher the level, the more the wielder can summon simultaneously. Increases the wielder''s speed by 10 points.
Pen (Level 1) - unlocks the Summoning Skill. Anything that is drawn comes to life. The summoned creature''s strength is based on the artifact''s level.
Bedsheet (Level 1) - unlocks the Levitation Skill. Increases the wielder''s perception by 10 points.
Pot (Level 1) - unlocks the Bashing skill. The higher the artifact''s level, the longer the stun duration.
Bed (Level 1) - unlocks the Dreamscape skill. Can use dreams to alter reality. The higher the artifact''s level, the stronger its effect.
Note: All of this is possible due to Planetary Hall''s help.
"Good stuff. That pill was just my divine luck! Well, let''s do some practice." Archer held the bedsheet and tried using the Levitation skill. After his thorough investigation, it needed his mental strength to activate and maintain the Levitation effect. When he was done, he set the bedsheet on the desk and grabbed the pillow. At once, a prompt appeared before him, and he chose to store the pot, two sticks, a pen, and a bed for now. On his first attempt, he conjured the pot and it appeared on his right hand. Then, he activated the Armament skill once again, this time the pot vanished, and the two sticks replaced it. Once again, he deactivated the skill and the two-sticks disappeared. "Cool. Then let''s draw some stuff and let out the artist in me." Archer conjured the pen and tried drawing a spider on the table. Looking at his creation, he was even disgusted by his own works, because the spider looked like a pill with worm-like feet. Then he tried making one masterpiece after another, even incorporating his mental strength and physical energy to his drawings. After several attempts, he found out that his summons became stronger if he used his mental and physical energy as ink. The normal ones could last forever until it''s damage while the special ones acted like a living being with its own skills and abilities. Lastly, Archer laid down on his bed and slept. Then he felt his consciousness coming out of his body, like that of astral projection. When he tried going out, there was a solid barrier that was preventing him to do so. Another minus thing was he had to store people''s nodes so he could project his consciousness on its target, limited to 10 people. Storing people''s nodes meant taking their belongings and storing it via the Dreamscape skill. Archer was satisfied with his achievements. When he realized that his stomach was gurgling, he checked his time and it was exactly 9 pm. He prepared his dinner and ate with gusto. As soon as he was done, he took a deep rest because he intended to venture out tomorrow. ======================== "Hey, can you slow things down?! You''re messing it up!" Erica Carter threw down all the ingredients inside the pot, and a spicy aroma wafted through the kitchen. When she determined that it was sticky enough, she dropped the poultry meat and increased the heat. With continuous stirring, the consistency became clearer and the color slowly changed into gold. She dipped her spoon in the pot, took a few amounts, and placed it on her mouth. At once, her eyes brightened up. "Now this is the taste that I''ve been looking for." The door creaked open and a bearded guy with a ruddy complexion rushed inside, his nose sniffing out like that of a dog. "Hey, hey! Is that our breakfast, dear?" "Shut up, Melek! This is our special dish for today, Poultry in Spicy Sauce. Don''t you dare use your grubby hands or I''ll cut it up into pieces!" Erica bellowed as she transferred the pot''s content into the casserole and tightened its lid. "Come on, dear. Why don''t you cook another one and let me eat that meat?" "How about you sell yourself into slavery and you can use your money to buy the good stuff!" Erica set the casserole on the table and began cleaning up her mess. "Look, the inn''s about to open and you should prepare the tables and drinks. Got to earn more!" "Right away!" Melek scurried back to the dining area as fast as he could. "Man, she''s really grumpy today. Did she not enjoy our fight last night? Got to try harder!" The helpers did their job in cleaning the bar early in the morning, and the only thing left for him to do was to prepare the drinks. He whistled happily as he set the different liquors to their proper place when he heard the sound of the opening door. Melek turned around and was about to greet his first customer when he saw something strange. It was a man wearing a pillow on his back, a turban on his head, and two sticks inserted on his belt. Krabby Kraft Archer woke up early today and he planned to eat outside for a change. It was his first time walking outside his house and the fresh air lightened up his mood. Indeed, he just knew for the first time that he was currently living inside a secluded village called Krabby Kraft. According to the legends, the first man, or being, that discovered this small area was a talking crab who was called Krabby Kraft, hence the name of the village. It all started with a single house, and he started inviting his crabby mates to visit him. They all did go to his home and they enjoyed the simplicity and beauty of the surroundings, fixing their ideas to create their houses in this place as well. One thing led to another, and it became a crabby community. But terror set in, the humans invaded their village because unbeknownst to the crabs, the ground that they were stepping on was full of malachite ores. All the crabs were annihilated except for one, Krabby Kraft. He went missing and rumors start to spread about his possible vengeance. But people disregarded it, knowing that they were weak creatures who did not know anything except to make bubbles on their mouths. Up to this day, the villagers never changed its name, until it was finally accepted and recorded by the Kingdom of Atasia, thereby making it official. "An incredible story about a crab and his crap." Archer approached an old house with a ''Mug'' signage posted on its front wall. "Surely this is a tavern, right?" Slowly, he pushed the door open and saw a middle-aged man happily arranging his bottles on each shelf. He was about to call him when the man turned around, his expression rather weird. "Hello and good morning, sir. Do you offer breakfast here?" "Yes! Of course, heh! Sit down and make yourself comfortable." Melek got out of the counter and offered the menu list to him. "Choose whatever you like. We offer the best among the rest. The good among the food. The...the...cheapest among the..." "How about pest?" Archer suggested as he took hold of the menu. "Yeah. The cheapest among the pest...wait does not sound right at all." "Don''t take it too hard, man. Anyway, can you tell me what''s this so-called Special Dish?" Melek grinned and puffed up his chest. "Well, that''s the specialty of my dearest. You should check it out because it smells just like...just like..." Archer returned the menu to him. "Don''t worry. I can judge it myself once the food is before me. Please do get me this special dish." "An order of Special Dish coming up!" Melek walked toward the kitchen and told Erica about Archer''s order. It took only a minute for him to prepare the dish and the platter was set on the table. "Happy eating." The spicy aroma invaded Archer''s nose, making him hungrier. He could not wait anymore and started digging in. After a few mouthfuls, he looked at Melek and gave him a thumbs-up. "Good food." "Hah! Of course, that''s my wife''s cooking, you know?" Melek sat down on the other empty chair and stared at the pillow on Archer''s back. He could not resist any longer and he blurted out, "What''s the pillow for?" Archer stopped chewing. "Well, this is a memento of a special someone. I can''t afford to leave it so I carry it with me." "Oh." Melek then shifted his gaze upward, and asked, "Isn''t that a clothing used for beds?" "Oh, this." Archer nodded his head and ate a few mouthfuls before continuing, "It is also a memento of a special someone. And I can''t afford to leave it so I carry it with me." Melek stared at the two sticks. "Don''t tell me that they are mementos as well?"A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Archer shook his head. "It''s my weapon. Can''t you tell that I''m a wandering bard just by looking at me?" "No. I''ve never seen a bard that uses two sticks as his choice of instrument. Can you play a tune with that?" "I play drums." "Oh, then where is your drum?" "Anything that I can hit with my stick, then that is my drum." Archer finished the last morsel of poultry inside the bowl and burped. "Wow, this is satisfying, man." Melek smiled in satisfaction. "Of course, that''s my wife''s cooking. Nothing can beat that." Archer took out the money from his pocket and gave it to Melek. "Here''s the payment for a job well done. I would surely eat here the next time I visit Krabby Kraft." "Thank you, great customer." Melek grabbed the money and hid it inside his inner robe. Satisfied, he offered a handshake and said, "I''m Melek." "The Wandering Bard, Archer." Archer greeted him back as he accepted the friendly gesture. "Anyway, do you know where the Mercenary guild is?" Melek had a reminiscing look for a few seconds, his hands trembled slightly for a few seconds, then it became normal once again. "Why? Are you a mercenary as well?" Archer noticed the change in Melek''s expression but he did not expose him, and answered, "I''m not a mercenary but I want to become one." "I see." Melek went back to the counter and took a blank paper from the drawer and wrote something on it. When he was done, he approached Archer and gave him the paper. "Here. Take this. Just present it to anyone working inside the Mercenary Guild and they will accept you right away. This is in payment for your appreciation of my wife''s cooking." Archer grabbed the note and hid it inside his pocket without reading it first. "Thanks for the help. Don''t mind me asking but are you a mercenary?" Melek nodded his head first, then shook it right after. "Ex-mercenary." "Swordsman?" "Axeman." "Oh..." Archer was about to ask him another question when he heard a creaking sound. He looked behind him, and sure enough, there were visitors: a female in a skimpy dress, with a long V-line, almost exposing her cleavages, and a short freckled-faced man with a dagger on his belt. "Hey, garbage! Give me a drink for me and my partner here. Anyway, come here, Eloisa. Make yourself comfortable." "Yes, Hart." Eloisa looked around the tavern and snorted. "So this is how the champion earns his money nowadays. Poor thing." "Well, a customer''s a customer no matter if it''s a rat or a bitch." Melek returned to the counter and started wiping the bottles. "Just tell us your order so you can start eating and leave right away. Don''t wanna let my tavern stink early morning." Hart unsheathed his dagger and pointed it at Melek. "Fuck you! You are the rat!" Eloisa extended her hands, her palms blazing in red. "You talk one more time and I will show you who''s the real bitch here." Melek sneered. "Oh? Isn''t it obvious who''s the real bitch? As if nobody knows that you fucked most of the members of the Mercenary Guild, you whore..." Eloisa put her hands together, forming a huge ball of fire before her, and shoved it forward. The temperature inside the tavern went up a notch as the fireball zoomed toward Melek. Hart threw the dagger, which had a tint of green along its sharp tip, which flew faster than the fireball. His target was the same - Melek. Melek simply shrugged his shoulders as he summoned his battleax and swatted the dagger like a fly. He followed it up with a single thrust, hitting the fireball, which was bounced back to where Eloisa and Hart was. "You better make sure that you don''t damage anything here or I will tell your boss what you are doing behind his back." Eloisa''s eyes widened and looked behind her. "Hart, do something to quench the fireball!" Hart looked around and saw Archer standing quietly as if watching their battle as entertainment. "Why not use a spell to guide the fireball on that guy?" Eloisa nodded and extended her hands sideways, and gushes of wind, like a hurricane, covered her body. As soon as the fireball hit her spell, she clenched her fists and the rapid winds surrounded the fireball. She then guided it by pushing it forward, this time, towards Archer. Archer was still checking the System Page when he noticed the huge greenish fireball moving closer to him. He could just dodge it but if he moved, Melek''s tavern would be destroyed. Since he knew that he had an indestructible body, he opened his arms and hugged the fireball, blasting him backward. Luckily, the pillow acted as a cushion and eliminated the impact, thereby protecting the wall. Clouds of smokes were everywhere. Melek''s eyes narrowed in a slit when he saw Archer being hit by a spell. "Archer! Are you okay?!" Eloisa snorted. "Do you think that person is still alive, stupid?" "You killed an innocent person!" Hart rolled his eyes. "As if he is an important person. It''s his fault for being weak." "But he is my precious customer, shithead!" "Hey! What''s happening here?!" Erica exited the kitchen and noticed that the place was chaotic, and looked around until she found her husband standing behind the counter. "Dear, are you okay?" Before Melek could reply, he heard a familiar voice, saying, "Is it my turn this time?" Brutality "Is it my turn this time?" Melek''s eyes widened when he saw that Archer was unharmed at all, even his turban and pillow were clean white. He let Erica hid behind him and asked, "Are you okay, my friend?" Archer patted the dust off his pants. "Don''t worry. I eat pain for breakfast." "That''s good." Melek turned his attention to the mercenary duo and said, "You should say sorry to him." Eloisa folded her arms on her chest, her eyes haughty as she stared at her accuser. "Why should I? It''s his fault for standing like a fool when there''s a battle going on." "Yeah, there''s no price for being a fool," Hart added as he collected back his dagger and sheathed it on his belt. Archer''s eyes lit up when he heard of a possible way to earn money and changed his plan. "Don''t you know there''s a thing called collateral damage fee?" Hart shrugged his shoulders while Eloisa giggled like it was the funniest thing she had ever heard. "Why, what''s so funny about it?" Archer grabbed his sticks, both hands holding a piece. "I''m serious. You need to pay me collateral damage fees or I will go crazy." "Yeah, I believe you are a crazy fool. Okay, it''s enough," Eloisa dismissed him and looked at Hart. "We should go. I''m not in the mood to eat." "Okay." Eloisa turned around for the last time, this time facing Archer, and said, "Goodbye, fool." "Then you deserve a beating, a one, a two, a three, a four!" Archer sprinted as fast as he could, creating an afterimage on his previous location. As soon as he was a meter away from Eloisa, he swung his stick on her head while the other one was directed to her stomach. Then there was a loud clanging sound of metal. "What are you doing?!" Hart shouted as he parried both of Archer''s attacks, protecting Eloisa from harm. His eyes turned from black into green, and both of the daggers on his hands were covered with green substances. He did not wait for his enemy to react and threw one of the daggers at Archer, who was pushed backward because of the collision. Archer used his Armament skill, and the two sticks disappeared. This time, a glowing pot was on his right hand. He swiped the pot against the flying dagger, creating a loud sound. As soon as the dagger was blocked, he charged to where the weapon was thrown off and caught the poisonous dagger with his bare hand. "Don''t touch that! That''s poisonous!" Melek warned him but Archer did not listen. Hart snickered when he saw Archer''s action. When he noticed that Eloisa was about to hit him with a spell, he shook his head. "Don''t worry, this time he is surely dead from the poison. Dare to grab my weapon? Stupid man." Eloisa controlled her emotions and put away the flame that formed on her hands. "Foolish, indeed." Unbeknownst to them, Archer already knew that the dagger was poisoned but he knew he could not be harmed by anything, much more a poison. He secretly changed his weapon into a pen and drew lots of bugs on its blade and handle. Melek wanted to help him but he could not leave Erica alone. He scowled at the duo and shouted, "I''ll be visiting the Guild. Yeah, wait for me this time!" Eloisa snickered while Hart gave him a disdained look. After a few minutes, they saw that Archer was still standing, busily drawing many things on the dagger as if it was a canvass.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Hart knew that something was not right. He extended his hand and said, "Return." At once, the dagger struggled against Archer''s grip and became free. It flew back to his owner and settled on his right hand. Hart checked his dagger, only to find that it was spot-free. "What the hell?!" Eloisa shrieked and stayed far away from Hart, her hands pointing at him. "Hart! There''s something on your body!" Hart looked at his body and he could find nothing. "What are you talking about?" "Spiders! Your face is full of spiders!" Eloisa bellowed. "I don''t feel anything! What in the world are you - aaah!" Hart screamed in pain as hundreds of small spiders bit his face simultaneously. The feeling of burning agony spread from his face down to his chest and he started coughing sporadically. Slowly, his strength was being drained away, his body now kneeling on the floor. Being a thief, he knew this familiar sensation. "Aah! Eloisa, help me! I don''t know how but I''m...hak...poisoned!" Eloisa''s eyes widened. "But...but you are immune to poison, right?" "Hak! Hak! I''m just resistant! Not immune! Hurry up!" "Okay!" Eloisa was about to cast the Cure Poison spell when she saw Archer moving forward with a pot on his hand. She raised her right hand and she was covered with blue mists, which acted as a shield. No matter what, she had to save Hart first because she was helpless against Archer''s speed. But the spiders were still on her friend''s head and she did not dare touch it unless it was dead. "E...eloisa..hurry up...my vision is...failing..." Hart lose his consciousness and fell flat on the floor. "Hart!" Eloisa''s eyes narrowed into slits and formed a huge fireball on both of her hands and hurled it at Archer. "Die!" Archer flew up the ceiling and the fireball missed him. He took advantage of the situation and threw the pot at Eloisa''s direction. His target - her puny head! It was very fast that Eloisa failed to dodge the attack. And her vision became dark when the pot hit her head, creating a crunchy sound, which echoed across the tavern. Archer was not contented and he zoomed toward her like a missile. As soon as he was an armlength away from her, he conjured his pot once again and hit her head. As soon as they were rendered helpless, Archer summoned his pen and drew a thick rope on her clothes and tied her securely. He did the same thing with Hart. He also drew many spiders on their clothes to attack them in case they escape from the ropes. Melek witnessed all of this and his eyes almost popped out due to unbelief. Even his noisy wife was quiet this time, clinging onto his arms for security. Archer searched their bodies and discovered two satchels of gold hidden inside their clothes. "Well, now you paid your collateral damage fee. You can go now." The two were still sprawled on the floor, bounded like a kidnapped victim. Even then, nobody took pity on them because they understood that they deserved it. Archer took out a gold coin from his satchel and set it on the counter. "This made me hungry. Do you offer lunch here?" Melek scratched his head. "Well, you got to ask my wife." Erica smiled sweetly as soon as she saw the gold coin. "But of course. A friend of my husband is always welcome here. Please wait a minute." Erica entered the kitchen, leaving Melek and Archer on the counter. As soon as they were alone, Melek laughed boisterously, his hand clutching his stomach. "That was good! So good!" Archer smiled sheepishly. "Of course, I''m good." Melek laughed for a few minutes before stopping, and asked, "You''re a bard, right?" "A wandering bard." "I think you''re a bard of death. What''s with the pot?" "Oh, that''s also a memento and I can''t afford to leave it so I carry it with me." "I never knew a pot could be dangerous. That was sick!" "I''d say that was pot-smashing," Archer replied as he counted the gold he got from Eloisa and Hart. Melek smirked when he saw Archer''s actions. He was about to ask him something when he remembered a few things that happened a while ago. "Hey, I know it was you. Thank you for saving my tavern." "Huh?" "I mean, the thing when you fly past the fireball. A wall appeared, you know." Archer knew what he was talking about and nodded. "I know. That was nothing, just a wall painting." "Sure. Well, got to check my wife." "Go ahead. I''ll keep counting this gold." Melek went inside the kitchen while Archer continued what he was doing. Several minutes passed by and the couple returned with a bowl filled with meat. "Here, Erica''s Special dish. Beef stew." Archer nodded and collected the remaining gold scattered on the counter. He ate his meal fully satisfied and soon, it was time to say goodbye to his newfound friend. "Thank you for this referral, Melek. This really saves me a lot of time." Melek grinned. "Don''t worry. Don''t forget to visit us when you''re free." "Sure." Archer pointed at the two who were still knocked out. "What about them?" "Don''t worry about it. I''ll handle this." "Okay, bye." Archer turned around and left through the door. Guild "The Mercenary Guild? It''s just around the corner. You can''t miss it." "Thank you." Archer scanned the map he bought earlier and took a deep breath. "Looks like I''m not lost." True enough, maps were only reliable if one knew how to read it. He almost got lost because he had mistakenly read the wavy lines as a river, which should have been interpreted as a sea. Unknowingly, he arrived at the westernmost part of Krabby Kraft instead of arriving at the Central Square. Luckily, he noticed his mistake and returned to his original position. This time, after a long hours of walking, he finally reached his destination. The capital of Krabby Kraft, this seemingly small village was actually bigger than most cities back on Earth. Most merchants loved to come here because the taxes were small. Such benefits would not be missed by opportunistic individuals, and so different shops were being built from time to time. The economy was booming and even the renowned individuals from other villages would come here to buy their goods. As they say, when someone wanted to buy something, it could possibly be found in Central Square. Archer looked around and reminisced his past life on Earth. It was just the same, the only difference was the prevalence of magic. He garnered some attention from the crowd due to his weird outfit but he did not mind them at all. His only intention was to reach his destination. After passing a few blocks, he reached a dead-end. The right area was an empty space with a ''For Sale'' sign posted at the front yard. On the left was a 2-story building with a sword and shield logo posted on its front wall. Straight ahead was a big, fat wall. "Among these three, the left one should be the Mercenary Guild, right?" Archer strolled on the pavement and greeted some of the mercenaries who were coming out of the building. Some replied with courtesy while others ignored him. He reached the entrance and pushed the door. The first thing that caught his attention was the receptionist because she was not human. A fox lady with a cherry-colored hair on her head. He scanned the area and noticed that there were several people of different professions waiting in the lobby. Some of them were playing cards while the others were just plainly chatting. Archer approached the counter and smiled. "Hello, lady. I''m Archer Griffins. Can you tell me where I should go if I want to apply as a mercenary?" As soon as he said this, everyone inside the building looked at his direction. Archer ignored them and repeated his question. "Lady? I want to become a mercenary. Can you tell me where I should go?" The lady fox chuckled and answered, "Sorry, Sir Archer. I was just surprised that someone wants to register as a mercenary at this branch. Anyway, I''m Mitchelle Barcu, the Guild receptionist of Krabby Kraft Mercenary Guild." Archer took out a note he received from Melek and gave it to her. "Well, a friend of mine told me that I can join your Guild right away if I show you this." Mitchelle narrowed her eyes when she saw the ordinary paper. Even though she was suspicious because there were many cases of people using fraud to enter via the back gate, she still had given him a chance because of his good disposition. She opened it and her expression changed from suspicious to guilt, then finally, happiness. After reading the notes, she hid it inside her pocket. "So you are a friend of Sir Melek?"Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. "Yeah, I once saved his tavern from destruction." Mitchelle''s brows were raised as she said, "I didn''t know that a great axeman needs help. Anyway, please follow me." Mitchelle led him to the door just behind the counter and walked through the narrow hall. At the end was a spiral stair, and they continued climbing up until they reached another door. She knocked on it and shouted, "Boss, someone wants to become a mercenary! He has a referral from Sir Melek!" A few seconds had passed before a husky voice replied, "Let him inside." Mitchelle opened the door and both of them entered the room. The area was a simple office with many books on the shelves. It was a mini-library. "Boss, here is the referral." Mitchelle took out the note and gave it to the guild leader. Meanwhile, Archer saw the middle-aged man took the note from Mitchelle. Muscular, handsome, calm - a good character that was fitted to be a leader, that was his judgment as soon as he saw the guy. Then there was a painful silence. Archer knew that their mood was affected by the notes Melek had written on paper. No matter what, it was not his business to know. All he had to do was do his mission - gain influence. After a long time, the guild leader returned the note to Mitchelle and said, "You may leave." Mitchelle nodded. "Okay, Sir." She looked at Archer one more time before exiting through the door. The middle-aged man took a piece of paper and pen and started writing. After he was done, he folded the paper neatly and sealed it with wax. He picked up an envelope from his drawer and sealed the letter inside it with a spell. "So, You''re Archer Griffins, I presume?" "Yes, indeed. That''s my name." "I''m Garry Domino, the Guild Leader. Can you tell me why you are interested to become a mercenary?" Archer collected his thoughts before answering, "I want to gain influence." Garry paused for a bit as he stared at Archer, his lips curved in a smile. "I understand. But why a mercenary? You can just become a leader or a sect head and become famous as well, right?" "The thing is, I just don''t want to gain recognition in this place. Rather, I also want to spread my reputation all over the world. Being a mercenary can help me do the job easier because there are Mercenary Guilds in every city and they are interconnected, so the news spread faster. Does this reason satisfy you, Sir Garry?" "Reasonable." Garry opened one of his shelves, took a white crystal, and set it on his desk. As soon as he tapped its tip, it floated and shimmered like glowing lightbulbs. "This is just a recording crystal. Now, let''s do the interview." "Go ahead." "Profession." "Wandering bard." "Is that a special type of bard?" "No. It''s just a bard that loves to wander around." "Okay...weapon specialty?" "A stick, a pen, and a pot." "Oh, so you use them to inspire people through your music?" "No. I just use the stick to stab things. The pen to draw things. The pot to smash things." "Oh. Then...do you have any support skills at all? Because you''re the only bard available when you actually join this branch." "Well, I do have some support skills but they''re minor stuff. I can play the drum, lowering the enemies'' defense and increasing the allies'' offense." Garry finally smiled and clapped his hands. "Good, good. That''s very helpful. In any case, I am happy to inform you that you are one of us now, Archer. Mitchelle will do an orientation tomorrow. Just make sure you arrive at the Guild at exactly 8 am. Do you have any questions?" "Actually, there is one." Archer stared around the office, and asked, "Can I borrow your books?" "It''s good to meet someone with the same habits. Yes, by all means. Go ahead. Just make sure you register what you borrow, and return it in good condition." "No problem. Can I start now?" Garry gave him the go-signal and started reading a book. Archer searched the shelf, pausing from time to time as he picked up the books that caught his interest. When he was sure that he missed nothing, he set the books on Garry''s desk. "I want them." "History of the world...Royalties and their Genealogies...Professions 101...Magic: The foundation...The Art of fighting...Taxonomy...these are books with no relation at all." Garry cast the recording magic once again and urged him to leave the room. Archer carried them all and traced his way out to the reception area. ================================= Garry shook his head as he analyzed Archer''s intentions but to no avail. "That man is deep." "I agree." "I can see why you are interested in him, Melek. But I advise you to take good care and avoid involving too much with him. I don''t know but he is giving me a bad vibe." Melek chuckled. "I know. Your instinct never fails." "But why are you doing this?" "Because I trust my instinct as well." Gary shook his head. "No matter, welcome back to the guild."