Under the silent and shocked gazes of players and NPCs alike, Akuma walked forward with the slow creep of death itself. Behind him, the bodies of four Mannequins kneeled in submission and respect to their better.

Under the watchful eyes of hundreds, Akuma merely looked inward as his smile slower settled into place. Happiness, true excitement, bubbled within him. Even now, as the fight finished, Akuma couldn’t stop the twitch of his fingers that longed to release his sword from sheath and fight again. Afterall, the Mannequins had brought him something he hadn’t felt in much too long a time. The ability to fully and totally let himself loose.

Still, to Akuma, the battle had shined a light on a number of defects that he would soon have to remove. Bad habits and inability of action built up from his time in shallow suffering.

Yet while Akuma felt only disappoint in his ability, the crowd saw nothing but perfection. The positioning of his body, the deadliness of his blade, the grace of his steps, and the mocking smile that gleaned with something much fiercer... They didn’t possess the words to describe his ability, so they watched. Numb and dumb.

“Hahahaha! Did you see? Did you see my boy? My recruit? Hahahaha!”

Darting forward with lumbering strides, Gronk ran to meet Akuma at the entrance of the Trail Arena. Behind him, gathered the rest of the NPC trainers who looked warmly upon Akuma. While Gronk was proud to uncover such a gem, the rest of the trainers were merely happy that one with so much potential was in their Order of the Warrior.

“Truly a great spectacle boy’o. A great spectacle indeed. Many will not soon forget your prestige that has graced this arena floor.”

Gronk, giddy like a schoolgirl as he bounced from toe to toe in excitement, beamed a dazzling smile at Akuma before he began violently pounding on his back with his large mitts. It only lasted for a brief moment before Akuma’s already weakened form was nearly sent toppling. Seeing it, an embarrassed smile graced his scarred face before he stopped his actions and turned serious.

“Akuma, my young friend, your efforts and actions have showed your prowess and ability. As is customary, here is your reward for your mastery and achievement. Everything is as you earned for overcoming the hardest challenge.”

The Quest [ Training for Dummies ] has been completed

* You received 950 Experience

* You received the item [ Copper Claymore ]

* You have received the skill [ Cleave ]

* You have received a Skill Point

You’ve Reached

LEVEL 3

* 5 Attribute Points available for distribution

After a flash of gold enveloped Akuma, signaling the fact that he increased in level, Gronk came forward once more. This time, in his hands, rested an envelope with the sigil of the Order of the Warrior. In the center of the wax seal, glow in dark light was a shield with a sword behind it.

“Take this young Akuma, and deliver it to Captain Monty. He has been looking for a talented young recruit to assist in his duty here. Do not fail and bring shame unto our Order.”

The Quest [ Oh Captain, My Captain! ] is available

Quest Description

Deliver the letter to Captain Monty of The Guard

Quest Difficulty

F Rank

Quest Reward

50 experience

Unknown

Accept Decline

Akuma, glad to have a sizable reward even though the battle itself was reward enough, nods to Gronk with the utmost respect while accepting the quest. As he raises his head, he salutes Gronk in the same manner that he has seen the other NPCs do, with a clenched fist over his left chest.

“I will deliver it. Thank you Instructor Gronk, for your teachings.”

As Gronk heard Akuma’s voice devoid of emotion, yet sincere in his words, the serious visage that Gronk maintained all but disappeared. With a bashful wave of his hands and a heart laugh Gronk merely laughed merrily at the comment.

“Hahaha, boy’o! It was all you! All you. However, you are correct to praise the mighty me. But, before you go, you must promise me to come back boy’o. Once you reach Level 10, return to the Training Grounds. Your talents would be wasted otherwise. Promise me now.”

The Quest [ Gronk’s Promise ] is available

Quest Description

Once you have reached Level 10, return to the Town of Hayton and reunite with Instructor Gronk.

Quest Difficulty

F Rank

Quest Reward

Unknown

Accept Decline

Accepting the quest, albeit with a little confusion as to what Gronk could want, Akuma nodded to the instructor before he trudged off. Watching in satisfaction at having his quest accepted, Gronk smiled all the more happily as he walked back to the group of NPC instructors with some more peep in his step.

The same satisfaction though, could not be had for the surrounding players.

“Ah! You! You! Mr. Swordsman, don’t go yet!”

“Bro, you have to teach me. I will call you Master or Sensei or Daddy...whatever you want. Just teach me bro!

“Hey handsome. Looking to group up with anyone? I would love to see you in action...”

“Akuma! Do you have a guild? Join ours, the Hundred Hands guild. We are a fun and loving guild that-”

“Piss off peasant. He don’t want to join no Hundred Hands. You should join our guild, The Burning Raven of Dauntless Achievement, Victory, and Piracy”

“Is...is that even a guild name?”

“Who knows brotha.”

Annoyed, at the pest like people that swarmed and mobbed him with their comments and needs, Akuma remained stoic as he moved forward through the pushing mob of people. Luckily, Ascension Online doesn’t allow for other players to restrict or control another’s movement unless the player agrees to go along with it. That being said, Akuma simply walked forward and the game mechanics pushed the people out his way.

As he moved forward, driving a path through the growing crowd of players that were made up of all Class types and Levels, Akuma couldn’t help but reaffirm his hate for crowds. Still, one step at a time, he trudged forward.

Outside the Majestic Duck’s Inn, Akuma hobbled forward with gritted teeth. For over thirty minutes now, he had followed the yellow arrow in front of his vision towards the location of Captain Monty. For thirty minutes, he agonizingly moved his feet in a shuffle across the dirt and cobblestone roads of the Town of Hayton with single minded focus.

It was not the actual walking that was grating on him. Rather the mental strain. Ever since the accident, he hadn’t even taken a single step. Now though, in a single day, he had walked more and done more than most people do in a week. It was more than he had done in a single year! But where others would’ve quit, he only sought more. He wanted to walk, to run, to dash and charge across a field of battle. But, nothing of note or worth was ever accomplished with ease. One step at a time, he would reach that level of strength once more.

For now though, he stubbornly moved forward. Eyes ignoring the constant stream of blinking notifications from random people. It wasn’t until another five minutes passed in arduous movement that Akuma turned a corner off of one of the main streets. As he did, he saw his prize.

Fifty armoured men and women, equipped in varying degrees of high-level equipment that were all painted blue and grey with the symbol of a blue sparrow painted on their tabards. It was the symbol of the Town of Hayton, and the symbol which recognized these fifty as members of The Guard.

Seeing his target, Akuma continued his trek forward, moving through the street before he entered their ranks. Before he could pass the through the wooden gate that separated The Guard’s barracks from the rest of the town though, two figures appeared from thin-air. Clothed in grey leather that overlapped in a typical rogues attire, the duo’s armour left wisps of smoke and ash hovering in the air as they leveled their daggers at Akuma.

““You are trespassing Traveller. Speak your business or move on.””

The two, one man and one woman, spoke simultaneously as they watched beneath their ninja-like hoods.

In turn, with nary a flicker of fear or emotion, Akuma showed the letter that Gronk had given him as he spoke reassuringly. “I was sent by Instructor Gronk to speak with Captain Monty.”

As Akuma showed the letter, the duo looked it over before looking over Akuma himself.

“”Enter.””

Finished speaking, the two disappeared once more. Turning invisible without a single trace of their existence, even Zero couldn’t feel their presence around him. However as he walked forward, he faintly spotted the depression in the grass as the two mirrored his movements. In a sense, it was comforting. For as he walked through the barrack grounds filled with hardened killers and their steads, the rest of the The Guard merely stepped aside without impeding Akuma.

It wasn’t until he reached a lone wooden and concrete building that the duo of Rogues appeared once more with their blades criss crossing in front of Akuma.

““Mind your tongue when speaking to Capt. If not, you will lose it.””

Their warning was useful, if not irrelevant as Akuma had no plans to anger the man. In fact, he briefly wondered if anyone would actually anger an NPC that would no doubt be one of the main powers in this town. Unperturbed, Akuma entered the lone building. In it, he found the man known as Captain Monty.

Surprisingly though, instead of a Warrior or Hunter or some other combat class, Akuma was greeted by an elderly looking man in Priest robes. Standing before a table that had an immense map of the area on it, the man’s bald head glistened in the glow of the Mana Lamps within the home.

“Ah?” As Akuma entered, Captain Monty raised his head to glance with a peaceful expression towards him. Seeing Akuma, a homely smiled appeared on the man’s lips as he stepped forward. The robe, embedded with pieces of metal that conformed around the man’s thin frame, clattered with a wind chime’s harmony. “Hello young Traveler. What brings you to my humble home?”

“Greetings Captain Monty. I am Akuma, and was sent by Instructor Gronk.”

Formal, yet with the everpresent frosty and chilly tone that pervaded his speaking, Akuma greeted the Captain and presented the letter. As he did so, Captain Monty gingerly took it before opening the seal. Nodding as he read, Captain Monty finished the letter in a few brief moments.

“Well,” his grandfatherly voice broke the silence as a white light illuminated in his hands and burned the letter to a crisp, “it seems that Instructor Gronk of the Order of the Warrior has spoken highly of you. So highly in fact, that he believes you are fit for the mission I am in dire need of. The question is though, my young friend Akuma, do you think you are?”

The Quest [ Oh Captain, My Captain! ] has been completed

* You received 50 Experience

* Quest continuation available

The Quest [ Forest Reconnaissance ] is available

Quest Description

The Town of Hayton is being pushed back and overrun by Corrupted Creatures. Captain Monty and the leader of the town, Count Dray, believe that the increase in activity is a result of magic corruption from some unknown forces in the Corrupted Forest. You are tasked to investigate the increased number of creatures, by traveling into the Corrupted Forest and finding the source of the spawns

Quest Difficulty

E Rank

Quest Reward

2,000 Experience

Increased Reputation with the Town of Hayton

[ The Artifact of Corruption ]

Accept Decline

“So, what say you Akuma? Interested?”

Akuma only smiled in response.