Walter's POV

They had just come back from that world. When Durante first told him about his powers he was slightly skeptical but didn't show it, besides he didn't even need to lie to him, he assumed at most it was a joke. His experience in that world was exciting and he enjoyed every bit, well except where he was worked too the bone at the blackSmith's and only receiving 40 copper coins, Durante finished early and he even caught him flirting with the girl at the inn. He was pretty bummed St receiving the class lackey, but during his journey around, so many people were looking down at him that he had recorded a ton of skills, he couldn't get skills he had before, but more interesting was the fact that he had received a skill, puppet from the village chief, it allowed him to temporarily link his mana to an inanimate object and control it.

“That was quite invigorating, let's rest for a day, are you interested in going next tomorrow?”[Durante]

“Of course I will” he responded, his body felt stronger and sturdier, maybe it was all the stat gains he got. He picked up a pin from the pin cushion and tried pricking himself, the needle pricked his hand but he could tell his skin had gotten tougher, and soon enough the red dot had vanished, it seems him levelling there affected here as well. He relayed his new finding to Dante who looked slightly confused as to what Walter was doing.

“Ah I see, I was told going into the game will help me, and completing this gold quest will make sure I surge bounds, I didn't know it had effects like these.” [Durante]

“Wait you still haven't told me what the quest is?” [Walter]

“Oh it's quite a simple one, slay the false messiah” He said matter of factly.

Walter's jaw dropped. He had expected something like found a village or something. But this, this was…

Gonna be one hell of a ride! Durante had left by now. Time hadn't moved by even a second during the time they were out. He called Ashley and invited her over to dinner, he had met her through Durante, he had made sure Durante was cool with it and all, he seemed totally okay, according to him she wasn't his type, Durante had never disclosed his type, Walter wondered if he (Durante) even knew his type.

“Wait so you're telling me you and Dante spent the day playing a game” Ashley asked while giggling.

“Yup” He had relayed the day's events too her, cutting off the parts about Durante's powers.

“Wow, and he is meant to be preparing for our test tomorrow, I've been reading all day for that.”

“Ah cool, but I'm sure he'd have no problems with that” Walter smiled knowingly.

“Hmm okay then, you're quite a good cook you know”[Ashley]

“Of course I'm the only child, my parents impress different skills onto me”[Walter]

“Hmm I have two sisters and one brother, maybe that's why I can only boil water”[Ashley]

“I could always give you some pointers you know” He said while grinning.

“Why don't you start now, you seem to have loads ingredients in your apartment”. So he tried teaching. After a few hours, he could successfully say she new hot to boil rice now. It was already 9pm and he needed to walks Ashley back to her dorm. Most students lived in dormitories, Walter was given the choice of having a car or an apartment, he quickly chose the apartment, he wasn't quite a fan of people, but as he walked back he started to really think if he should have chosen the car. On the streets, they could see college students being college students. The air had an acrid smell, he tried his best to ignore it, They saw Dante trying to get phone numbers. and waved at him.

“That guy is quite a player, huh”[Ashley].

“Well he did spend all day engrossed in a game” Walter said while laughing, He stopped laughing when he saw one of Ashley's coursemates come over, The dude came over and ignored him completely, held Ashley's upper arm and began talking to her. Walter would have let it slide on a normal day, but this guy had the guts to start caressing her arm with his thumb. Normally this would have caused Walter to engage in a fight with him, and Walter having to take a ton of painkillers, the other guy was built like a truck after all. But this time was different. He had survived death and become stronger, he remembered he learnt a skill from a stone mason, ‘push’ he figured the mason needed it to push boulders around. Walter put one arm on the dudes chest, and thought of push. He waited, and nothing happened, The dude feeling quite awkward that this Walter had decided to touch his chest, lunged a punch at him. For Walter whose senses had improved, easily dodged this, held the arm and threw him on the grassy fields quite a few meters away, making sure he put enough force when throwing him down, enough to take him out. A Lot of guys had been after Ashley and he hoped this could send a message. Durante had quite some sway in his department so this prevented most trouble, but blockheads like him would always be blockheads.

“You didn't need to do that, I was about to smack his hand off you know…”[Ashley]

“Oh I see…” Walter walked her back to her dorm without incident, he kissed her forehead and wished her a good night. On his walk back he wondered why the skill didn't work, he was going to try the other skills and see how they did. He couldn't check his mana, so he thought a nap of 2 hours in between could do it. He hadn't enjoyed throwing that guy, he was normally passive. But if Ashley was involved. He always thought he could do anything for her.