Chapter 7

My school day comes by quickly but there are things that most students awaits like school festival. This is also my favourite event in my school days because you have no classes for a whole week and have fun with your friends going around other classes booths and also there are SC organize games that can make you famous or earn something like title. It would be fun if it would also happen here, maybe not fun but you can earn something.

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My days playing and resting in real world is not that eventful. My routine is to play 2 mornings and 1 night then on the second night I log out to eat and take bathe or sometimes get outside the compound and stroll at the mall to buy some books for reading.

Most of my books are game related or machines and robots but I still got some miscellaneous books like agriculture or husbandry. I just buy them on a whim but it might be useful in one of my goals but I just let them be at the shelf for the time being.

I usually hunt on solo from plains to dungeon which is mostly subjugation. As one week past in real life that would be a month and 5 day on rough estimation but the thing that bothers me is that monsters keep increasing and also the arrival of high ranking guild members from different secs and races.

When I came back to go online, people around the guild building is on clamour so I got curious about this it also might be an event that will be release. On the balcony from the guild building there are 5 silver team besides Arth-sensei. But almost every day from last week there are arrivals of silver plated teams and going on western and eastern villages.

There will be an event i`m sure about this and it might be a hard one. Then Leyla appeared beside me looking anxious and when I ask her she said that they are warned to be cautions this time because of the arrival of swarms of monster and if they got in a pinch they are requested to use teleportation back to their kingdom.

I ease her anxiety and worries as I place her on my shoulder and pat her head giving her assurance that she won`t get hurt and also she ask me if I could help other guides about this. First I was reluctant but as I saw her face it show a different side of her usually ranting and energetic attitude so I reconsider it and agreed. I suspected that this swarm event did something to them to be so caution but I let it fly for now.

“Today as we all know that it will be the season of swarms or dungeon season but I as both mayor and guild master a sure to all of you that we will protect this town and keep everyone safe. As for all the members of 3 sections of the guild I’d invite all of you to participate this season but there are risk that is included but I will assign different quest or mission that is suited on you and your team’s capabilities.

We also have supports from this 5 silver teams besides me and they will also participate in this event to help me keeping this town safe so everyone please rest assured about this. Other information about the activities is posted on the guild and the town hall and if you got questions just as the attendant on both places to help you. That`s all and have a good rest because tomorrow will be the beginning of the season.”

As Arth-sensei finished his speech, most populace have their anxiety relieved while guild members feel more excited especially the players because of the event. My presence around town is now normal thing but my first week is hard because most people here are anxious about me but didn’t do anything just they stared at me. it`s hard to move around but when i`m inside the guild most people and players didn’t give a damn on me being clockwork or rare sight just a normal.

The most annoying thing that just happened are, one blacksmiths around keeps asking question that I didn’t answer because it is about the past that I have no clue even some ask if they can replicate me which I denied because I just don’t know. Second are kids, yes kids, they look at me with sparkly eyes like i`m a toy or something but none of the kids that I meet dare to approached me. third and most annoying is Leyla and her ego, it`s not that bad but if you’re a loser and you gain a big achievement you will definitely be a show off.

As I got out of my self-monologue and being shouted by Leyla, we proceed to the guild and find some request that can be done solo as usual and i`m an iron plate explorer now, I earned numerous quest with rating and all plus i`m on solo so it did really boost my capabilities. My weapons keep changing almost every week because of different enemies that is around the town like one on the depths of the mine shaft that most worker goes because it is abundant with ores but is regulated by the Arth-sensei but players can mine them if they pay for it.

As I got my subjugation quest from the guild which is rated as 2 bronze star and if you`re wondering the meaning it is the classification after the rating which chronologically arranged as bronze, silver, gold, platinum, and adamantium. The star rating might be the level limit and the coloration might be the difficulty but I never voice it out.

The subjugation that I take is farther north from the mines. The dungeon is called treasure mines because it produces different ores from time to time but the catch is that monsters living there are also consuming the ore as their food. Also there are times that this subjugation quest get up until 3 gold stars because of monsters in depths of that dungeon comes out and for iron plate teams that would be nightmare on both numbers and level difference.

As I arrived at the mine shaft I saw workers or slaves if they have collars, well I was my first time seeing slaves this many but from time to time I saw some people who do have collar in the town. I ask one attendant onee-san in the guild and she said that slavery are normal punishment for people offended the law some of them are just normal people that can`t pay the small tax of one silver but for me that is a bit far but it was already a law here and they have to work to pay the said amount being a slave and they are govern by the town treasury and guards besides their job are mostly physical work but the town hall didn’t really need more man power.

The next is criminal slaves and by the name itself they omitted crime and now working as a slave to pay for their sins but some are not on slavery because of the danger so they are lock down the dungeons of the town, or castle. I didn’t ask for more because if getting in my system but if it`s their law I will not detest it but still not a fan of this specially some people abused this system for themselves. But like I said i`m not a hero on a novel or manga but a traveller it`s still sting when i`m seeing them but I still continue our trip, Leyla is just sleeping on my broad shoulders after she arrives.

I saw the entrance after several minutes after passing the mine shaft and this place is like one of the wolf but most trees are like ores rather than metal trees. I keep scanning the trees that I pass by that are corrupted and when I saw a fruit bearing one the scanner showed up its properties thanks to metallurgy. It was like an apple but it`s inside are pack with silver in the center but normal stone in the outside. I keep picking silver apple on a tree then I saw a snake on this tree i`m picking apple. This scene looks familiar but i`m not naked and human after all so I just cut down the head of the snake then collect it`s skin that is also silver, jackpot.

After my apple picking and other random stuff like collecting flowers and weeds that have abundant metal property and leave the growing ones. I proceed to the entrance of the dungeon. Unlike the wolf dungeon den, this one doesn’t have a systematic hive just monsters on the same tribe goes on the ore they need to eat and doesn’t mind other monsters. I saw earlier that there are in fights also like a group of 5 spiders fight 3 beetles and they both have same property which is bronze on their exoskeletons. The beetles got it hard but they win amazingly because they can break the spider string that is made out of bronze. I really need that spider for my next body.

My subjugation quest is to eliminate treat on the second basement just a stair away from where I am. Leyla who is on my shoulders are now sticking on my neck shivering and when I asked her earlier she just said she`s not good on bugs and other creepy crawly. Well I just let her in the time being and proceed to the second floor, as I descend the temperature got lower by 2 to 5 degrees and the sound of munching and crunching of something increases.

What I saw just amazed me while Leyla is almost crying on my neck begging me to go out now. Well I will not let this opportunity go because of her because what i`m in right now is like heaven of insects like grasshoppers and cockroaches. And they do not attack each other like the one that I saw earlier plus their size is as big as a full grown dog, just imagine a cockroach that is as big as a dog it was just amazing.

Their levels are only ranging from 10-15 while bigger ones are on the 20`s but it doesn’t bug me….the puns. Well i`m level 18 now while other players are now on their late 20`s guess having high star really do matter on xp but I still wonder on how much xp do I need. I will really enjoy this quest as I take out my sledgehammer that`s as tall as me and the hammer head is a bit bigger than a dog but I didn’t mind this because I can easily lift this.

“Leyla support me i`m going now.”

I looked at her and asked her first, she level 23 now but I can’t see why she would shiver down on this just because they are bugs. Right, I forgot it was a girl thing. There will always be some fear on insects. Well she just nodded at me but she stayed on my back because she doesn’t feel like moving around.

The first monsters that approached me are the ones that finished their meal. But it was just like a walk in the park as I hammer them down destroying their heads only because the carapace and other parts are sellable to some extent. Even if they swarms at me I keep them at bay from taking a bite on me, I just keep evading buy jumping on one bug to the other while hammering the one that attack me and it just goes smoothly. What I really enjoyed is that Leyla keeps screaming every time insects appeared on my back but she just keep firing nature ball on desperation. Well insects and fear are girl things so I didn’t ask for more.

The troublesome one are the cockroaches that keeps flying around me and now I understand why people fear them and it was because they can just fly around and annoy you. It don’t give me the creeps what so ever cos i`m a freaking robot and besides they can just fly and I can easily hammer their heads when they descend down so no worries.

I keep this killing spree until monsters starts retreating back to their own nets or down the floor. There are still some resistance but it was just small fry. After the fun part of the killing mayhem which exhaust Leyla and keeps crying on me begging me to get us out of her but I just ignore her and dismantle the insects that makes a creepy sound every time I remove the carapace and other body parts that the guild might but. Most exoskeleton are metal oriented and most are bronze, copper and iron while on some rear ones have silver and a bit of gold.

I also just learned from last month that monsters that borne out of the dungeon have magic cores that looks like shards. I overlooked at this trivia on my wolf hunt but after I learned this it was also the proof I needed from all dungeon type quest I needed. After I finished my messy job we got outside but i’m having a tingling sensation just now before I finished dismantling.

While ignoring Leyla`s ranting about me and the insects I keep walking around the floor where I fight the insects because I got the strongest feeling from there. I scanned the ground trying to find something but it was hard because I haven’t upgraded the scanners. I keep that scanner upgrade for later and continue on walking and some quickly battle from roaming monsters.

Once I experience the sensation again I quickly stop and scan around me and I pick up a small light in one of the corner of the room. I didn’t have shovels or pickaxe so I improvise by making one by using the carapace as a shovel I began digging. And while I keep going deeper by at least a foot I hit something so I clear the surrounding dirty and what comes out is a jewel but after I scanned it, I just can believed what I just hit.

“Errmm… Raiser, I know you’re busy and all but can we get out of here right now please~.”

Well at least she`s not nagging me now but I was on the climax of the event so I let her know.

“I just hit a magic jewel Leyla so if you could excused me.”

I just said it to her nonchalantly and she looked dumbfounded. We all know those magic jewels are hard to find in the first place so her reaction is normal. She didn’t asked but just stared at me with sparkling eyes and glowing aura around her, well I got some peaceful time now.

First I thought it was just a small piece because from the first batch I retrieve but as I keep clearing the area it began to increase in size like from thumb size it goes to a palm size I can determine its properties so I keep it in one place for now. As my excavation continues I finally hit the last one and it was as big as a backpack and there are at least 3 of them.

After I finished surfacing the last one of the big jewels I lay them down and start counting and separating them by three sizes. From finger size, ball size and last was the backpack one. Leyla also help me but her eyes looks dangerous from the way it sparkles. Yep, women and jewels friendship also exist here.

I place the two sizes on my magic box that expanded on considerable size of 105 slots which is 5 slots per level plus the first 20 slot. But it still have weight limit depending on the users strength but it doesn’t bother. I`m able to store all of the jewels except the three big pieces so I put them on the cloaks and large cloth wrapping that I always bring.

After packing things up, we proceed outside but the thing is insect starts attacking me out of whim. They might be attracted to the jewels i`m carrying, it was nuisance but I just trampled them with my hammer one hand while I hug the jewels as I start running towards the exit. Leyla also provided support as she blast insects around me and screaming about jewels but didn’t bother listening to it and keep running until were out.

After we get out of that insects infested dungeon we are now finally at the guild building. Most monsters we encounter engaged at us but I quickly deal with them. These jewels might be a good thing for power levelling and monster hunting.

I reported my quest of subjugation and sell some loots but I keep some best parts. I requested to meet Arth-sensei which the attendant-san quickly relay this request to her senpai. I wait for a bit then he came down accompanied with some silver ranked teams. My sensors sending me so many warnings that my vision turn red now.

“Raiser, it is rare for you to ask for me so what can I do for a youngster like you.”

As always, Arth-sensei is cheerful and welcoming unlike that baka inu besides him who`s snorting at me giving me glares. There are a demon kin, a usagi kin, a human, and a troll. Usagi-chan is quite a beauty even if she in on full bunny form not likes a bunny girls on clubs. Demon-san and human-san looks refined by the looks but troll-san looks arrogant to me.

“I discovered something and I bet you already know it so let`s talk in private.”

Arth-sensei just nodded and proceeds upstairs being followed by the high rankers but usagi-chan gives me a wink and hopped upstairs. That makes Leyla fumes in range but when I asked her she denied my allegation of she cares about me or like me. Well i`m not so dense to not see her admiration or whatever she feels. Let`s just pray it won`t be develop to love.

“So how many have you retrieved and do you know the affiliation of the jewels?”

“Not really Arth-sensei, I can`t tell what it is besides it was a magic jewel. I would like to lay them on the floor”

Arth- sensei just nodded and lift the center table with one arm and give it to troll-san who`s standing behind him with the others. I place first the small one that range from as small as 1 cm to at least thumb size that is 50 pieces then then palm size and ball size that counts 34 pieces and last was what i`m still holding.

When I revealed three back pack size jewels their look astonishment and stared at the three jewels, even I can’t even believe it also. Arth- sensei I first to recover and laughed loudly while slapping his thighs.

“You never failed to amuse me Raiser, from your first subjugation that you get until now it was full of surprises.”

“Let’s say that i`m just torn between lucky and unlucky person. I now that you can apprised them Arth- sensei so what are they and their uses.”

He scratches his chin first before explaining them to one by one. First the magic jewels are concentrated mana that solidify and takes form of a crystal, second crystals can received affiliation according to their location like the ones I got them all got metal affiliation. Next it that they are used in various ways like making magic tools by using them as catalyst, wand and staff for magicians to boost their magic and some uses jewels that have same affiliation with their magic, last is that it can be used for dungeon making but on how to create dungeons are not widely known and kingdoms and chosen people are the only one that is allowed to learn them.

“So will you sell them all, you also know the danger that carrying one will attract monsters around you?”

He keep his beaming smile while aiming for my items like it was so rare but I have to haggle the price and keep some of it for future experiment, maybe I can even empowered my core with this jewels.

“Yes but I would like to know their classification specially these three. After I decided what will I keep I will sell them all.”

“Hhmm…you’re really interesting towards selling stuff, most items you sell are next to good ones like the one that you usually bring here from your escapades.”

“I like to keep the best ones that I know I have use for the future and you know that I can’t become stronger by training.”

“Okay then Raiser most of this are metal jewels and they are used for common magic tools and magic weapons and armour. Some are still pure mana jewels and they can be also use for magic tools but it was better than metal because it can change its affiliation but it will permanent.”

Arth- sensei arranged them by affiliation to make it easier for me. Hhmm…I need to secure a good prices and a good stock for my own. As I looked to my side I saw Leyla looking at me with pleading eyes. Okay, okay stop that act I will give you. *sigh*

“Leyla pick some jewels that you like”

Before i finish my sentence she quickly flew towards the jewels and start picking ones that she like the most but it was just on small pieces that she place near me. I tried to identify it by scanning but what I got is a download that is on my lower left. So if I fulfil some qualification I can learn some new skills like what I did when using NWA. The download speed was fast as long as I keep scanning and asking questions to Arth- sensei.

Mainly our topic comes down from uses to selling them to kingdoms. If there are places rich with mana there is a possibilities that a crystal will form but in some cases it turn to be a dungeon so most place to look for are dungeon because dungeon can produce jewels like this but takes a long time.

But he also stated that the swarm season cause the magic concentration on dungeons and other places will increase and most likely dungeon will produce jewels. And this swarm season only happened every five years so it was really high demand low supply. After our exchange my software download is also complete and it was an ability called ‘magic eyes’ but it changes to ‘mana scan’ after the system propose it because I don’t have eyes but a scanner.

Mana scan is just an identification ability that let me recognize mana flow, mana affinity but it consumes my mana energy that only Leyla`s magic can replenish. But this task also improve Leyla`s control towards mana and affinity. But scanning them eats around 2 ME per 10 sec and I have to choose between mana flow and affinity. Maybe I should learn things like magic and mana after this season.

I take a quick scan of the jewels around me and their affinity, i exchange some jewels Leyla got earlier and exchange it with higher ones mostly on 50-80% affinity. Also I take some high ones ranging from 80-100% which Arth- sensei winces about but I pretend I didn`t saw it. All in all Leyla have 5 mana and 5 metal small piece while I have 10 small and 10 ball size on equal ratio. I just keep one on both affinities that has almost perfect grades. The three big jewels got also almost perfect so I keep the two of them one mana and metal while the one left is also mana.

Arth- sensei opened his item box that really looks different from the one that I used and place a coin bag that contained almost 50 gold coins. He also fetches one coin that is rarely used, a mithril coin.

“okay so here is the payment 46 gold and 72 silver for all of this and one mithril coin for this one.”

Even his companions that are just watching us could not believe from what they are seeing right now. I have to keep my composure when dealing with this thing or I will be in trouble.

“Thank you Arth- sensei but I’m afraid about holding a mithril coin around town.”

I`m thinking all possible tragedies that might happened to me while having this big money while lay just keep hugging her jewelleries and murmuring something.

“I know that you will say that, well the town hall has a treasurer that is used by every kingdom across the land so you can use that to keep things safe but you have to pay fee for storing items and coins.”

I nodded and grab the coin bag and the mithril and place them in my item box. Well items from items box can be stolen and even from death, items can be drop according to the game info. After I collect all the jewels that we decided to keep, we proceed outside and bind goodbye to Arth- sensei but the guys behind him keeps silent the whole time.

After all the side strolls and a trip to the town hall where I deposit my items like mithril coin and jewels Leyla demand that she will bring them back to her place. Then I go back to the inn to end my day by experimenting one small jewel with low metal affinity. I’m still anxious about this but I shrugged it off and continue.

“Leyla what ever happened to me never panic ok, i`m other worlders so don’t you worry about me.”

Leyla looks scared from what I just said and approached me hovering over my shoulders.

“Okay but what will you do with that jewel.”

“Well I’ll try to integrate it with my core to see if something might happened but most likely I will experience pain or feel uncomfortable so take this jewels and go back to your kingdom okay.”

I place the small pouch on the side table and pat her head.

“I`m not that worried or anything besides you can repair yourself so do whatever you want. I will enjoy myself with these jewels.”

Not worried but you have teary eyes right now. But what does she do to the jewels anyway. Maybe for magic and accessories but most likely for accessories. After she disappeared after she hug my head I open my chest and pop out my core that is sealed tight inside me. I lie down the bed while my core is shining brightly, I found a case on my core that is bigger than the jewel I was holding. I braced myself for what ever happened as I place the jewel and push back the case.

I waited for a bit but nothing happened then I felt it again. It was a long lost feeling from before than I have stored a long time ago from that day I lost everything close to me. The memories keep surging inside my head as the pain creeps to every part of my body. I can’t speak nor move my body, I can’t comprehend what is happening to me but one thing is for use I feel the pain all over my body then my vision black out.

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A/N

kinda delay coz of RL problems but still working on things like i need to do to make it more appealing.

Also i will rewrite this series after 15 chaps to make it more readable and improve grammar as other said.

So stay tune and keep reading :D