Book 1 Chapter 3

I'll definitely complete your dream, Solomon! I'll unify the realm and defeat those seventy-two demons! Drake opened his eyes and took in the world, confidence and motivation fueling him. His smile, bright and wide, froze when he saw his surroundings.

The grey sky dyed everything in a depressing light, while the ground was alarmingly filled with pitch black dirt. In front of him stood a shabby village, its walls no more than a broken down palisade. The smell of blood was overwhelmingly powerful, and Drake could spot patches of red leading towards the village. He even sensed a sliver of killing intent directed at him from the village. He gulped. Uh, might as well find someplace better.

Drake turned around, only to freeze once more. Ahead of him was a world of death. Trees as black as night loomed over him, their branches warped and twisted. Wind passed through the maze of branches, creating an ominous and eerie sound. Hehe, nevermind, nevermind. Drake turned back around and headed towards the village as fast as walking would allow. A message ingrained itself in his mind as he neared the village.

You have discovered (Village) Bandit Hideout.

That makes sense. Drake was a little amused as he entered the village. The only reason why he felt somewhat safe in entering the dangerous looking place was because he was familiar with the games Anna made. For at least five years, as long as he was training with his dad, he was following the rise and fall of celebrities. Many chose to livestream or upload videos of their adventures. Over the various cycles, there were too many videos to watch, so there were businesses that compiled these adventures into movie length documentaries. Drake lost count of how many he had watched.

To sum it up, in every game Anna made, some systems stayed the same, with a few differences here and there. As Drake had literally just started, there was no way the game would send him to his death. This village, while dangerous, would offer ways for him to navigate this new and unfamiliar world.

Drake spotted several NPCs and users wandering the village. It was easy to spot the difference, because whenever he looked at an NPC, the message in his mind said their name and level, while when he looked at a user, it only said a user's name.

(Common) Bandit - Level 5

Dillweed

The NPCs all had one thing in common: they all minded their own business. The users on the other hand, well, they were as obnoxious as obnoxious could be.

Dillweed, a middle-aged man, stood in the path of a bandit. "Excuse me, where can I learn how to fight?"

"Huh? HUH?" The Bandit spat a glob of spit at the ground before abruptly pulling out a dagger and slicing Dillweed's throat.

Dillweed clutched his neck as he fell backwards. Drake watched wide-eyed as Dillweed bled to death. Several moments later, Dillweed vanished in a flash of light. Far off in the distance, Drake saw a user suddenly appear from thin air. It was Dillweed wearing a frustrated expression.

Drake rubbed his chin. So we respawn instantly at this village, huh?

The users, Drake included, used Dillweed's encounter as a learning experience. These bandits were mean and weren't afraid to kill. It was every man for himself in this village. Drake lamented at his situation as continued to explore while giving the NPCs a wide berth. My adventure is off to a bumpy start. He sighed. Why'd I get this village? It's alignment is clearly neutral or evil.

The muffled scream of a girl suddenly came from the building to Drake's left. His heart clenched at the sound, his body moving instinctively. Just before he entered the large two story building, he spotted a sign hanging overhead that said 'Nightgale Tavern'.

The inside of the tavern was dimly lit with only a few candles here and there. Three cloaked figures were hunched over a table discussing something quietly, while another figure could be seen sitting in the darkest corner of the tavern. Drake spotted a set of stairs leading to the second level and a door that led to what he assumed was the kitchen. Unsure of where to go, he heard a slap, followed by a muffled cry coming from the kitchen.

His gait was steady as he slammed the door open, frowning at what he saw. A young girl no more than ten years old lay sprawled on the ground. She clutched her cheek with one hand while supporting herself with the other. On the dirty floor next to her was a broken plate surrounded by steaming hot food. A grisly middle-aged man shouted angrily as he raised his hand. "You brat! That food is worth more than what I make in a day. How dare you ruin it!"

(Common) Bandit Chef Grix - Level 10

The girl flinched as Grix swung his hand. Before it reached its target, Drake made his move. He expertly clasped Grix's wrist and twisted. Grix gasped as he was forced into an awkward position. Glancing up at Drake, Grix's surprise turned into anger. "You punk, just what do you think you're doing? Let go of me this instant!"

"How DARE you hit a defenseless girl!" Drake roared with rage.

"She's my daughter!" Grix spat. "It's my right to punish her as I see fit!"

Grix's response only served to fuel Drake's anger. In that moment, Grix noticed that the hand clasping his wrist was a bit too… weak? Ashamed that he was caught by surprise, Grix grunted as he slammed the full weight of his body into Drake.

Drake reacted as soon as he saw what Grix planned to do, but the speed at which Grix moved was far beyond what Drake could respond to. Drake helplessly flew through the air with such force that he broke apart the kitchen door on impact. He instinctively rolled along the ground upon landing and jumped to his feet, only to see the world blur around him. Damn he's strong! Stronger than a fully grown man. Drake realized that a level 10 NPC, or at least Grix, had the strength of three grown men or more. That was far beyond what Drake could defeat with the pitiful strength of his current body. If he had a weapon, however, things might be different.

Grix stepped over the broken door with irritation. "Punk, now you even went and broke my door. You're dead for sure."

Drake's body was wracked with pain as he wiped the blood from his mouth. "That's your own flesh and blood, Grix. How could you do it? Don't you have any feelings? Are you a monster?"

Grix paused, Drake's words stirring something deep within him. He glanced back at his daughter, at her tear filled eyes and frail body. They stared at each other for a moment before she fearfully looked away. The reaction made Grix's heart drop. A wave of guilt overcame him. "Honey, babe, I'm sorry."

Drake's anger lessened when he saw the genuine regret on Grix's face. Grix slowly made his way over to his daughter and picked up the dirty food and broken dish. After tossing it in the trash, he picked up his daughter and gave her a hug. "I'm sorry, Lucy, I just get so angry sometimes. I just can't think straight when I'm like that."

The little girl, Lucy, hugged her father silently. The regret in Grix's heart grew when he felt his daughter trembling in his arms. His face hardened with resolve as he said. "Lucy, let's get outta here. This village is making me crazy."

"Mm." Lucy smiled brightly when she heard that.

Grix gently set Lucy down and made his way over to a crack in the wall. He reached inside and pulled out a heavy pouch, then grabbed a large sack and piled in a bunch of food. When the sack was full, he took a butcher's knife in one hand and Lucy's hand in the other. Together, they strode out of the kitchen and prepared to leave the tavern.

Drake received multiple messages in his mind.

Hidden Quest: (F) A man and his daughter has been completed.

Reward: 100 experience.

Ding! You are now level 2.

Reward: 1 stat point.