13 You Get One Item...

As Rizz reached the end of the creation options, he felt a swell of anticipation crash against his mind. "I thought you said I can't start with anything busted?"

"That's exactly what I said. And that's exactly how it will go." The Sage brushed the robot's fingers away.

Meanwhile, Rizz was scrolling through all of the items listed in his old character's inventory. He happily chose his custom legendary armor, all three pieces. They materialized in his robotic hands, filling Rizz with jubilance. He eagerly deposited them in the inventory of his new character. 

Bzz, Bzz.

All three pieces of armor were immediately ejected from the new body's inventory without any warning, reappearing in the old inventory. 

"If you think I'll let you start with an entire set of legendary armor, then you're misunderstanding the challenge before you," the Sage jested, shaking his head. "You should be lucky that I'm offering any form of item transfer at all. And you try to take advantage of it from the get-go."

"I wouldn't be an achievement junkie if I didn't take advantage of this!" mocked Rizz, searching for the next item to try. 

Bzz, Bzz… Bzz, Bzz.

"Were my words not enough of a hint for you? No legendary items, including your familiar." 

Rizz didn't bother looking back at the cocky Sage. He just proceeded to try a mythic-grade item instead of a legendary one. 

Bzz, Bzz.

"Mythic isn't even that good!" Rizz complained. "I should call you the Stooge at this rate." 

Bzz, Bzz… Bzz, Bzz.

"Not even unique or epic items? Don't tell me I can't take anything rare! What would be the point if I can't take at least that."

Bzz, Bzz. Bzz, Bzz. Bzz, Bzz…

Rizz let his twiddling fingers clatter against the side wall. If he had eyebrows, they would've been furrowed long ago, pointed directly at the stingy Sage. 

"Really? You think this is funny?" 

There was a chuckle hidden within the Sage's calm reply, "Well, yeah. I can't believe you haven't figured out what you can and can't take–"

"I can only take common and basic shit. That's all?" Rizz blurted in rebellion. "I might as well not start with anything at all." 

Rolling his eyes under the shield of shadows, the Sage shook his head. "But you haven't even tried anything from your guild inventory. If you're as crafty and capable as you claim, then even a basic item should be broken in your hands. Or am I wrong?" 

Rizz leered at the mysterious Sage from his peripheral vision. "... So I'm allowed to take legendary guild items. Whoopty doo. If only I could actually use any of them without first recruiting hundreds of people to the guild I won't have." 

Shrugging, the Sage sighed, "Come on, Rizz. I'm sure you can come up with something useful. Don't prove yourself unworthy before you even start."

"Then tell me, great Sage, only one item can be taken from my inventory. But does it have to be me that holds it?" 

The Sage steadily straightened his back. Through the veil of shadows, the robot Rizz could feel the man's piercing, pensive stare. 

"... Go on," snickered the Sage. "What crazy bargain are you wanting to strike?" 

"If you truly exist, and I'm going to the same worlds as the game, then that means the other gods exist too," Rizz verbally deduced. "Can I leave my one item with one of the gods instead?" 

The Sage put one arm across his torso while the other stroked his hidden chin in thought. "Hmm… You do realize what risks might be involved in such a deal–"

"If you're insinuating that I won't be able to get it back from then, I don't care. I'll get it back. No matter what it takes," Rizz proclaimed. "And you're saying it's possible, right?" 

"... Just because you know of the worlds from the game doesn't mean everything will be the same," stated the Sage. 

Rizz just nodded, repeating himself, "So it's possible?" 

The Sage cheekily nodded. "Yes and no. It would depend on the god you have in mind–"

"Thilea, my one and only." 

… A pregnant pause lingered there. And Rizz didn't need to see the Sage's face to imagine his giggling face. 

"Pfft, ha, ha, ha!" The Sage slapped his leg and kept a hand pressed against his bouncing chest. "Ohhh… I shouldn't have doubted your determination. I'll give you that…

"Very well. I shall allow you to deposit a single item into Thilea's care. And I'll wish you the best of luck in getting it back." 

"Thank you, Sage, but I won't need luck." Not needing to look, the robot reached and pulled a ring out of the old inventory screen. "Because the Rizz is undeniable." 

The robed man accepted the ring, holding it in his palm for a moment. "A ring? What, are you trying to sneak shit into the world or are you proposing?" 

"That's a win-win, either way." Rizz brazenly stuck out his thin chest. "I'd trade that ring for her hand any day! And I'd make her the happiest woman in all the worlds of Trodar!" 

Covering his laughter with a hand, the Sage kept control of himself. "Alright, alright. I'll make sure she gets the ring. But only after you empty its contents." 

"... Fiiiiine."

Rizz took back the ring. He proceeded to retrieve item after item from inside, throwing it all back into the holographic inventory screen. And, after two minutes of inventory swapping, Rizz handed the ring back to the Sage.

"Rizz," the Sage spoke in a warm, lecturing tone, "both storages need to be emptied."

"Okay, already…" Rizz groaned and swiped the ring. This time, he didn't drag it out. The ring was put into the storage screen and dumped using the menu. Next, a tsunami of beasts, pets, and riding gear swelled through the old inventory screen.

"There. Are you happy?" Scoffing, Rizz tossed the empty ring to the robed man. 

The Sage caught the ring and nodded. "Yes. And you should be too. Be happy that I'm letting you sneak a legendary storage ring into the world in the first place. I can't wait to see how you plan to get it back."