Matheus wasn’t sure what was prompting everyone in the city to start talking to him, but he wasn’t liking it.
He recognized the girl immediately. She had had one of the highest levels when he first got to the city, and a quick analysis showed him she was now level 14.
Without doubt, she was one of the strongest people around.
What the heck did she want with him?
“I’m sorry?” was all Matheus managed to say.
“I asked why are you wasting your time with someone like him?” the girl asked again, pointing at the general direction that Rick went.
“It’s not really by choice. I am just trying to do the best with what I got,” Matheus said with a shrug.
“Meaning?”
Maybe Matheus was too tired, maybe all the day’s frustration had finally gotten over to him, he didn’t know for sure. But something snapped, and he ended up acting in a way he hadn’t in a long time.
“Meaning it’s my business and I don’t really have to explain it to you.”
The girl looked surprised, and Matheus feared he had gone too far. Did he just make a person 6 levels above him his enemy?
To his astonishment, she smiled.
“That’s true. Sorry if I came on too strong. Let me start again,” she said, reaching out to him with her right hand. “I’m Sophie.”
Matheus hesitated, taken by surprise. She waited patiently, hand outstretched.
“I’m Matheus,” he finally said after a moment, shaking her hand.
“I mean no offense, Matheus, but I think you are wasting valuable time hanging around someone like Rick.
“I know. Believe me, if I had a better alternative, I wouldn’t be doing it.”
He really didn’t want to explain his curses to anyone. That subject was too close to the Contest for him to be comfortable talking about it.
Besides, it was just painful. Who liked talking about their limitations and failings?
Thankfully, she only nodded and didn’t enquire further.
“I can understand that. We all need to play with the cards we have, right?”
Matheus said nothing, and started feeling uncomfortable. He just wanted to go to his bed and forget about the world for a few hours.
“Can I ask what quest you are trying to complete?”
“Hunt the Gold Deer.”
Sophie nodded thoughtfully “I remember that one. If you want, I could help you with that, and we split the prize in half. It’s 24 coins, right? 12 to each.”
Matheus grimaced.
“I’m sorry, I wish I could agree to your offer, but I can’t. I’ve already promised 20 coins to Rick.”
Besides, he was cursed, and there was no way she would be considered a loser. But he didn’t see the need to say that.
“20 coins for helping you? Really?” she asked, raising her left eyebrow.
Matheus didn’t answer, and to his surprise, she accepted that.
“Fine. Let me keep the other 4, and I’ll help you catch the deer. Do we have a deal?”
Again, Matheus was astonished. He couldn’t understand why she would make such an offer.
“I can’t really add you to my party.”
She looked extremely curious, but didn’t question him.
“That’s fine. You’ll have to be the one to kill the deer, then. Otherwise your quest won’t be completed.” Sophie answered, extending her hand again.
Matheus didn’t go for it immediately, trying to figure out what was going on. In the end, he didn’t. But that was the best opportunity he had since coming to this city.
And he knew he would be a fool to refuse it.
“Deal,” he said, shaking her hand one more time.
She smiled, and her grip was stronger this time.
“See you on the morrow, Matheus,” Sophie said, leaving before he could answer.
He stayed in the same place a while longer, processing what had happened.
Captain started complaining from his hood, anxious to eat dinner.
Matheus finally went to grab his food, took it to his room and then ate together with his cat. After finishing his meal, he emptied his mana creating Bubble Balls on the open window, and went to sleep soon afterwards,
For a few hours, he rested on peace.
Then before the sun was fully in the sky, Matheus was up again.
He stretched, thinking about the day tasks. He wanted to go to his safe cave and try his new ingredient before going hunting with Rick and Sophie. Maybe he could practice with his Parkour skill on his way there. And his Sneaking too.
He startled, a knock coming from his door.
Opening it, he found Sophie standing outside, hands on her hips.
“Ready to go?” she asked with a friendly smile.
Matheus couldn’t think of an excuse, so he asked for a few minutes, organized his inventory and met her outside.
Together, they grabbed their share of the morning portion and ate in silence. Captain was on the floor between them, munching while looking at Sophie suspiciously with his only eye.
“Do you always share your food with the cat?” she asked in a casual tone.
“His name is Captain,” Matheus shrugged. “I am not that hungry.”
Sophie accepted his answer and after a few seconds picked a piece of her own food and threw gently into Captain’s direction. Matheus’ familiar went eagerly at it, visibly relaxing.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
“So, where can we hunt this gold deer?” Sophie asked after they finished.
“We still have to find Rick.”
“Are you sure? We could go without him.”
“No. I made a deal with him.”
She didn’t seem happy, but nodded.
“I know where he is. Follow me.”
She guided him to a nearby pub, where they found Rick sleeping lying over a table.
Matheus almost shot a Bubble Ball on his face, but thought better of it and only called for him until the young man finally woke up.
He was clearly hungover and had fallen asleep while drinking.
“Do we really have to do this this early?” he complained, rubbing his eyes.
“Yes, “ said Matheus, turning to go. They both followed him.
Even having been asleep just a few minutes ago, it didn’t take long for Rick to gather his energies and start talking again. Soon he was babbling about some of his accomplishments, like Matheus and Sophie were his audience.
She ignored him their entire journey.
At one point, Matheus noticed he was telling the same story as yesterday, but this time he’d added another monster to it, making the fight even more unbelievable.
“So, how can we find the deer?” Sophie asked when they stopped walking.
Matheus pointed to Captain, who yawned.
“Radar.”
There is 1 monster on a fifty meter radius of your position.
Radar has reached level 2.
“Oh, very useful,” Sophie commented.
Matheus blushed with the compliment, then quickly recovered and started walking.
“This way.”
He guided them until they were face to face with another one of those sentient coconuts full of arms.
This time, Matheus didn’t waste the opportunity to analyze it.
One-Legged Coconut! - Level: 7
One leg is all it needs to punch you to death.
Health: 14/14, Mana: 0/0
Their husks are extremely resilient. If you let it get too close its many fists will get to you.
Sophie gestured with her hands for them to go ahead.
“Without being in a party, we can’t share the experience,” she said.
“Cover your ears,” Matheus said, putting Captain on the ground and walking towards the monster.
Matheus noticed the tingling sensation of extra strength being added and was glad to know the body he had on his inventory counted for his Skull Collector skill.
When the creature noticed him, it jumped straight into his direction, but Matheus was faster to react this time.
“Echo clap,” he said while the world vibrated.
It took him a few seconds to regain his feet afterwards, and he could hear Rick cursing from behind. The monster screamed in confusion and pain.
“DUBAGUGAGUGA.”
Matheus cut its only leg off, then started to work on its arms. This monster was probably weaker than the first one he faced, because it died before he’d finished cutting them all.
“Nice work,” Sophie said, “though I have to say I wasn’t a fan of your skill.”
“Don’t do that again!” Rick complained, ‘I swear, my ears are still ringing.”
“Shall we keep going?” Sophie asked.
“Wait, I…” Matheus hesitated. “I need the head.”
“Again with this head talk?” Rick asked incredulously, “does this thing even have a head?”
Sophie said nothing, and waited patiently while Matheus severed the rest of the monster’s limbs and stored his new skull.
They went on their way, repeating the same process until finally they found the deer.“Alright, now let me do it.” Sophie said, slowly getting closer to the deer’s position. Once she was about thirty meters away from it, she took her bow from her back and took aim.
The arrow started emanating a soft yellow glow, and Matheus could see she was whispering something. He tried to hear it, but couldn’t understand the words.
He noticed her eyes were glowing yellow too.
She released it, a loud twang resonating from the vibrating string.
Matheus watched in awe as the arrow flew in a wide arc, getting higher and higher. When it started falling, it suddenly greatly increased its speed and hit the deer almost as fast as a bullet would have.
It pretty much shattered the deer’s back legs, craving deep on its flesh.
Rick started laughing.
“Now, that’s a true skill!” he said enthusiastically.
Matheus fully agreed. He had nothing that compared to that.
“Remember, you need to be the one who kills it. I’ve targeted its legs so it wouldn’t get away,” Sophie said.
Matheus gulped. He’d forgotten. And he wasn’t looking forward to doing it.
He walked towards the injured deer, feeling like a butcher. He had been beheading monsters for a while now, however the deer had been the closest thing to a real animal from his planet.
Most other things he’d killed so far had been too crazy and weird for him to associate with normal living beings.
The creature yelped in pain, fear clear in its eyes. It tried to get away, but it couldn’t. It still tried, almost breaking its other legs in the process.
Matheus got close enough to slice the deer’s throat in a single stroke.
Slash has reached level 3!
You’ve leveled up!
Captain has leveled up!
Quest updated! Bring the deer’s body back to Tartaros.
