Looking at the passing carriage with five strong horses. Sen notices a peculiar sign or logo perhaps, attaching to everything, that includes the horse saddle, the rider hat, the carriage, you get it.

The logo is engraved with a sign reading Perman II in squiggly nice penmanship pattern and a lady who seem to put on weight and wearing a luxurious costume beneath it.

Sen believes that the logo was done by a very skilled crafter, and that the sign is actually made out of gold.

How did sen know?

It was brilliantly shining under the sun, a pure brilliant yellow. That’s how he knows.

Finishing off the apple in his hand, Sen throw the leftover in his inventory and listen in on the crowd. Eavesdropping on the lady right next to him” It’s Perman, I heard they were here to help us by bringing us food and water, It was then I found my first love, riding a white horse and a shining silver armor, he talks to me in a loving tone. He said to move or I will have to be forced to do something unbecoming to you, and after hearing that I couldn’t help but brush, he disappear though after I regain my senses. Basically, these noble intentions seem pure but then I heard from my friend in the city side saying that it was their king that make some kind of agreement with this noble faction to help us.”

After that, Sen stop eavesdropping because the lady seem to be repeating of her first love encounter and that bug Sen to no end.

A man off in the distance is shouting among the cacophony of noises. ” All hail Alex Perman! ”

After that is a round of cheer and applause.

(This is complicated, but why would the king help this run down town? Probably an alliance or a contract clauses that require so. I don’t know, I am having a major brain fart! I will just go around and try to find any pieces of information that can make my life a bit more easier.)

The crowd dispersed slowly after the event of the carriage passing by, and Sen blended in into this flow of the crowd sneakily.

Not wanting to admit, but he may have got pickpocket a few time. All blank though, but still proof that he is a vulnerable target to theft.

Sen *sigh*

(Let just look at this area maybe I will find something.)

A millisecond later after the thought.

(There! Not even a second later and now I find a place selling a jade ornament. I wonder if I could turn it into something in the Minecraft slot?)

Walking right to the shop, a middle age female is behind the counter talking with someone across her about something. Sen got closer and closer until the whispers of voices become a whisper in his ear. Hearing a supposedly ’ king ’ from the conversation, Sen decided not to interrupt and eavesdrop on the conversation that is going on.

The Middle age woman who owns the jade store said with a sunken eye, ” Sigh, I don’t get any profit today, I wish I could just buy the whole store out and be done with it. The noble is very aggressive nowadays, so you must be very careful with your store too, ok Birch? They come today and took what interest their eye for free. Even though my business may seem unfair in price, but honestly I am selling it at the market price, now without profit, because of these despicable noble, I will just shut down the store. ”

Birch replied, ” No pet! You can still do this, I mean you always do. Don’t even worry about anything physical, because regarding that matter, I will not let anything harm you! ”

Pet annoyingly said, ” Birch stop calling me on my nickname, I know that you like me, but it’s just not possible, I have three brothers and sister to take care of. You better lose your head, if you didn’t try to find another woman in this life time. ”

Birch, ”… ”

After the awkward silence, Pet suddenly smiled and continued speaking, ” Well, we don’t have to worry about surviving for long, I think the king of harmony city will sort that out, just like sending the food and water successfully through the arrogant noble clan faction, who in spite of helping us was a clan that doesn’t care about a commoner life at all. Being able to convince them is a suspicious point, but we should at least keep the decency of not doubting the king intention. ”

” Right right ”, Birch agreed, bobbing his head up and down.

Hearing enough and bored out of his wit, Sen decided to step in and say hello.

” hello ”, Sen initiating the conversation.

” Hello ” a cheery voice from pet replied back

” what do customer here wanted today? Everything is half a price, you came at the right time. ” a comfortable voice flow out of pet that seems to cleanse Sen soul.

Is that some kind of magic?, Sen thought. If it is then it is so potent to be able to influence me. Or another option is that her charm stat is too high, going by the knowledge that we have a status and a system now.

” I want the blue jade over there. ” pointed, Sen.

” Ok! That’s will be ten gold ” the store owner replies.

Hearing that, Sen heart couldn’t take the shock. Even his senses are screaming ’ Dun- Dun- Dunn!! ’

Involuntary, Sen bit his teeth and speak out, ” Can I trade? I got pickpocket in the crowd looking to see the noble carriage and now my pocket and wallet are gone. I was hoping to buy something cheap with the small change I had. But if you insist that it is these price, then can you trade? I will buy it at its original price if that is the case. ”

After hearing that, Pet seems to contemplate for a bit, but then struck a deal anyway, ” Be grateful customer, in normal time I will no doubt not accept this kind of proposal, but since my store is going to go down the hill soon, I will just try this method of conversions to feed my experiences and maybe my pocket if it happens to not be a scam. ”

Sen smiled and hurriedly replied, ” Don’t worry about the scam, I never scam a beauty such as you. Just give me a second to turn around. ”

Turning around, Sen reaches into his inventory to pull out the Pokeball.

however, after a second of pulling it out, he put it back in.

(Phew, almost did something dumb there. A ball that can capture anything in existence? Nah. Better keep it low.)

Getting the half-eaten apple out, Sen performs custom NPC on it.

Putting in the following.

Name: Golden Apple

Appearance: Made of gold, solid.

Function: Act like a golden apple in Minecraft, edible if try.

And hitting confirms, now what lay in Sen hand is not the pitiful skinny apple, but now a full fresh golden apple.

Smiling, Sen is about to give the apple to the merchant lady when his vision suddenly bracken, his muscle suddenly relaxes but tense, and then he plummets raggedy with a thud onto the hard, cold stone floor.

Hearing the fading soft voices of the merchant calling for help, and then soon after, hearing the eternal silence.

(Am I going to die?)

His thought disarray and then with the passing of a second, his mind flip and disconnected. Floating out of his body for a split second, Sen saw a city floating on top of the cloud, with people all around, meditating. On top of the tallest white steampunk tower, a man in his late forties is also meditating, but what makes him different is that he was staring, not to space or to the air, but directly at Sen.

All of this happens in seconds, before Sen consciousness…. Fade.

Awoken from the slumbering dream and the nary nights, Sen related to the event or the pain he went through before it happens, just like a flash of thunder, of lighting of the wild roaring of the tiger, it becomes apparent, the intense pain in his rib, coming from his legs up to his rib. Piercing through the deepest of heart and the deepest of his mind.

It is dark and cold, damp and murky. The sticky feeling in his lung and the fading of his eyes. The light going out and the color being more and more distorted in his view.

He remember dying, maybe death, true death. Looking around for a cue, a sign perhaps that would confirm his doubt, he awaken. First his eye adapt to the nary light, his round pupil stare into the space before him, the supposedly empty space just like everything and everywhere around him.

He is standing above nothing yet also weirdly in some sense below. Looking at the flashing screen that is naked to all eye except one, it read…

You DIED

Respawn or quit

The died part is in bold and capitalized letter, and the option intrigued Sen deeply, with all his heart he ponders the question of quitting life. Will it be the end of life or just the beginning? Will the moon rise again or be a crack in the star. Will the green pervade his skin or will his fresh sunken once more like it did last?

He don’t know, and not yet satisfied. The overwhelming feeling to return bore into him, the bored conquest, that he knew is pointless. The torch he made is an omnipotent item, a world for its own and the world for its creator. It defies everything. Yet, it work, the temptation and selfishness of his request disgusted Sen deeply so. He want to wipe away the memory it exist, but it continue to stay. He want to wipe a part of the world, but it continued to stay.

It will stay as long as his mind will. A human mind that couldn’t be devoid of temptation, of life or material need. He want to throw all that away.

In the silence of the void, madness and craziness overwhelmed the entire being of Sen. He sweats more and more, feeling his mind being converted into something more. He was being disillusioned but if however, it is not an illusion, if it is the truth of the world or that this meaning meant nothing more than a perceiving reality to Sen?

Pressing the respawn button, Sen knew his mind is entirely broken and beyond repair. The world around him no longer a night and day to him, but the record of life and pain that stay stuck in him.

The past no longer meant more than a sand to him, tip it over and it will start over again and again and again. Being dead is a simple endeavor to become enlighten. To feel the needs and desire in himself burst through in his last moment. He knew he died of mana exhaustion, a pitiful meaningless death, or meaningful to something essential in the change for him.

Dies as it might, the flame of the torch will continue on. An unending will that never cease, an immortal and fierce soul that will never extinguish, can never stop exerting it’s view.

Sen got the experience, one that allows him a new standpoint in the world, to take a step back and observe it in a new perspective. This simple power meant everything to Sen because it is a power own by him, his own superpower.

To end suffering, how can he end suffering?

With this corrupted power, it will just bring more suffering.

With power to do anything one so desire, it will just engrain more suffering.

Dragon, magic, status, all is great, all is good. The passing cloud in the skies tell the night is near. He rise from the mud and look around the unfamiliar surrounding, but a familiar orange sun in the sky. He can now see color, better than before. He can now taste inanimate object…

Chaotic mindset…

( Never done that before )

Taking a deep breath and exhaling, Sen felt better and more alive.

The refreshing air and the smell of fresh clean free pollution air cleanse his soul. The comfortably warmth in his mouth and the warmth in his skin make him relax.

Sen got out of the mud.

The dark landscape with ruined tree, the owl on the perch with it beautiful yellow eyes stare carefully, scanning at Sen. “ I meant no danger. “, Sen jokingly replied. Going through the maelstrom of events where it will break apart a normal man to pieces and more, Sen is unfazed and at peace. He just felt calm from knowing, not panic or despair others once thought.

Closing his eye, he breathed in the deep fresh air, a deep quality of art the earth provides for all who live on it.

Walking out of the forest, Sen step on broken branches and leaf, scurrying all the way out. The sound of dread that attract beast and monster to those who make it. Sen, however, is an exception, the green fire among its own kind who will never need to breathe and never died for any thirst he would satisfy or any rust time may spread among him.

The dark silent night echoed along the wind making a whoosh sound, shuffling up the leaf and the unnoticeable glimpse of salt to the air. Every time the wind past, a ding echoed loudly inside Sen mind, interrupting him from his serene thoughts about life and death.

You Gain enlightenment + 1 int

You Gain enlightenment + 1 int

You Gain enlightenment + 1 int

…