System Change

After handing out the scrolls and removing oaths from everyone, Derek went on to tell them about Edgar inviting him to go to the raid dungeon, along with everything else it entailed, including the fact that he could possibly be away for two or three years. The table was silent for a while once he finished his explanations.

“Go.” Malorie spoke up as the non-official second in command. Well, maybe she was the official second in command. “You have already done so much for each and every one of us. If it is something you want to do, nobody here will tell you not to do it. And by the way it sounds, it’s an opportunity that doesn’t come around often.”

Derek looked around the table to see everyone nodding their heads along with Malorie’s words. He didn’t quite know what to say.

“Make sure you bring back a lot of really cool materials.” Brandi spoke with a sparkle in her eyes.

“I’ll do my best at the Academy while you’re gone. You don’t have to worry about me,” Thomas said.

Then Derek shifted his attention to Jacks and Rayna.

“If not for everything that has happened over the years, leaving me at such a low level, I would do everything I could to go on an adventure like that.” Jacks sighed. “Unfortunately, I’m still a ways away from my strength reaching where it would need to be.”

“I guess I’m not as needed as I thought I was,” Derek chuckled.

“That’s not it at all,” Rayna hurriedly interjected.

“Bring back good meat,” Silvi’s voice came from the crystal on her collar.

Derek looked at the bunny. “Aren’t you coming with me? You won’t take up a slot, and it would be nice to have somebody there to watch my back.”

“And leave my kitchen? For… years…” Silvi’s voice was aghast. “I just got it. Can’t do that. So many things to eat…” she rambled on. “I’ll stay. Need to keep everyone safe. That’s it. Can’t leave beautiful delicious… friends…”

Derek did his best to hold in his laughter as he listened to Silvi make excuse after excuse not to go on the raid with him. He couldn’t fault her. He knew she enjoyed fighting and hunting, but she had found that she really enjoyed cooking more than even that. He didn’t want to take her away from it, so he didn’t push.

“That’s good,” Derek said. “You’re strong. It will put my mind at ease if you’re here to make sure everyone is safe.” He gave the bunny an out.

“That’s exactly what I was thinking.” Silvi’s childlike voice rang out once again.

“We’ll be in your care,” Malorie smiled at Silvi, causing the small bunny to puff up her chest.

“You’ll be safe with me,” the bunny said.

Derek clapped his hands. “Good. I’m glad that’s settled,” he said. “Now, I’m starving. What do we have to eat?”

With that, Silvi and Malorie broke out dish after dish and everyone sat and had a breakfast fit for a king while idly chatting away. Once the meal was over, Derek stood.

“That was delicious. It would be amazing if you could make a few things for me to take with me on the raid,” he told Silvi. “That would more than make up for your absence.”

The bunny’s eyes shone purple, and she quickly hopped off her perch on the table. “I’ll get right to it.” In a flash, the silver-purple ball of fur was gone, and the door between the kitchen and dining room was swinging shut.

After that, Derek checked the system time to see that it wasn’t quite time for his meeting with Walter and Clare at the Adventurer’s Guild, so he decided to head back to his room to sort through his things before the raid. He stood up and began to leave, but before he left, Rudy grabbed his attention.

“If you need a contract made for going into the raid dungeon with everyone, let me know. That should be worth some good experience,” the man said.

“I’ll be sure to think of you if I need something like that. But I don’t really think I’ll need to sign anything with Edgar being the leader,” Derek replied. Rudy nodded, and Derek left. He went to his room, sat down, and began sorting through everything.

Close to noon, Derek left his shop and headed toward the Adventurer’s Guild to meet with Walter and Clare for some sparring. He arrived directly at noon to see the old man and girl waiting outside the guild for him.

“Am I late?” Derek asked as he walked up to the duo.

“Not at all. Clare was so excited, so she dragged me here too early.” Walter answered.

Derek looked at the young girl, who lowered her and looked to the side. “If I would have known that, I would have gotten her earlier.” He pat the girl on the head, then motioned for them to follow him inside.

The inside of the Adventurer’s Guild was less populated than normal, as the city was still in an uproar and more interested in the previous day’s auction. Still, there were a few people inside looking for or turning in missions. However, everyone was gossiping about the auction.

Immediately after entering, Derek led Clare and Walter up to the receptionist’s desk, where Judy was going over some papers.

“Hey Judy!” Derek said, causing the woman to look up.

“Mr. Hunt,” Judy said. “How are you today?”

“We’re good. How are you and Shae?” Derek asked, and Judy rolled her eyes. I guess Shae’s still in the doghouse after all that drinking, he thought.

“We are fine,” she finally said. “What can I help you with today?” She looked behind him. “Thomas isn’t here with you today?”

“Nope. I’m not sure of his schedule. He’s been handling it quite well by himself,” Derek said. “Anyway, I need a room for a couple of hours. Any room available is fine.”

“Any room?” Judy verified, and Derek nodded. “Room 28 is available. It’s not overly equipped, though.”

“That’s fine. We’ll take it.”

“Very well. That will be eight gold an hour.”

Derek threw twenty gold coins on the desk with her. “We’ll take it for two and a half hours.” It was a very good rate based on the prices he’d seen. I guess being onyx-ranked is good for something… After paying the money, Derek led Clare and Walter to the training room.

Derek walked to the center of the room and turned to Clare. “Alright… show me what you’ve got.”

Without any hesitation, Clare leaped forward. Because of the height difference, her first punch went directly toward Derek’s midsection. It was a very sharp punch. For someone who hadn’t even unlocked the system yet, Clare was surprisingly nimble.

Derek moved his hand down and blocked the first punch with the back of it. When her fist was stopped, Clare pivoted and threw a spinning kick aimed at Derek’s chest. Once again, Derek was taken aback. Before, she was a very scrappy fighter with just her fists, now she was throwing combos with her feet.

After getting her foot pushed away, Clare fell back into a fighting stance. The two continued sparring like this for some time. Clare actually fought for much longer than Derek expected before she ran out of steam.

“Okay, stop. Take a break,” Derek said. He led her over to where Walter was standing, watching.

Clare sat with her back against the wall, gasping for breath. Since she didn’t have an unlocked system yet, she wasn’t able to use Meditation to recover after fighting.

“She’s good,” Derek said to Walter.

“She has improved much faster than I thought she would.” Walter agreed. “She is very impressive.”

Derek then turned to Clare. “Your Endurance is higher than ten, isn’t it?” he asked.

“It’s… 13.” she managed to say through her deep breaths.

Derek nodded, then held out his hand toward her. In the center of his palm was a storage ring. It was the ring that Edgar left with him when he gave the scrolls over. It wasn’t a big storage ring, only providing a few square feet worth of space, just enough to hold all the skill scrolls Edgar had to deliver.

Clare looked up while panting and saw the ring on Derek’s palm. “Take it,” Derek said, and she did.

Even without the system unlocked, one could channel enough mana into a magic tool such as the storage ring, or the mana clippers that Thomas had previously used, so it wasn’t odd for her to have a ring.

“Have you ever used a storage ring?” Derek asked, and Clare shook her head. “Concentrate, channel your mana into it.” He walked her through activating the ring. “You will also get better at controlling your man by using a storage ring. A communication crystal would work as well.”

Clare nodded and began intensely concentrating. After a few seconds, she smiled, then her eyes went wide. She whipped her head over toward Derek. “This? These are mine?”

“All yours,” Derek replied.

“What is it?” Walter leaned over and asked.

Inside the ring he prepared for the girl were the same things he gave to everyone else. There was a decent Void Beast meal, a Potion of Physical Permanence, and six skill scrolls. He had given her Cleaning, Basic Repair, and Telepathy, just like everyone else, but he also gave her a few combat scrolls.

The most expensive one was called Aqua Veil. It was a water based defensive skill. When used, a thin layer of flowing water appeared as sort of a second skin over the user. This water would then redirect and absorb both physical and magical attacks, lessening damage.

He also provided her with Geyser and Heavy Blow (Unarmed). They were both pretty basic skills, and he got them for cheap.

Clare took out the items from the ring one by one and examined them.

“I’m not sure if it’s better to use the meal and potion now or after you unlock the system. I doubt it would make a difference, so it may be best to use them sooner rather than later, so others don’t get any ideas. As for the scroll, you’ll have to wait until you unlock the system.” Derek explained.

At that point, even Walter was staring wide eyed at the items. “Are you sure about this?” he asked. “You’ve already done so much for us.”

Derek shrugged. “I have the things to spare, and Clare has been working very hard. She should be rewarded. Don’t think anything of it.”

With that storage ring, everything he wanted to give out had been gifted. He still kept many potions and meals in his storage for himself and Silvi, though. He wasn’t completely selfless.

After Clare put everything away, the two of them continued sparring until their training room time was up. Clare had a beaming smile the entire time.

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