Clip! Clop! Clip! Clop!
"Shall we go to Azm and the others, my friend?" Jasper whispered, leaning forward against the horse's warm muscled back.
BRRRRR!
The horse's chest vibrated beneath Jasper as it snorted, nostrils flaring wide and lips fluttering in agreement. Understanding that spending the night with barbarians was far better than becoming a monster's midnight feast.
"By the way, Armbrace, There is a question puzzling me." Jasper mused, his fingers absently stroking the coarse mane "If the monsters are this strong, why haven't they overrun us already?"
… (silence) only the steady clip-clop of hooves and the soft creak of leather saddle could be heard
"Is it impossible to answer?" Jasper asked.
It's not impossible But answering your questions I'm afraid will lead to you starting to make hasty decisions from now on.
"Me? Make hasty decisions? Even my birth took its time—if it hadn't, my mother might've survived it."
If so, let me give you a quick enlightenment. The analysis indicates that monsters exhibit greater intelligence as their tier increases. However, high-tier monsters are relatively scarce due to their low hunting rates—a relationship governed by proportional dynamics.
Jasper's face gradually shifted as the system's voice continued its relentless explanation. A cold sensation crawled up his spine as the premonition of danger clouded his thoughts.
High-tier monsters typically avoid confrontation unless provoked, as they only proliferate when their existence is threatened. These creatures conceal themselves in the deepest reaches of the wilderness, making encounters with them exceedingly rare.
That said, a warning must be issued: as kingdoms escalate their hunting operations, the frequency of monster attacks has begun to rise. If this trend continues, the wilderness could become perilous within a few years—or even months, in the worst-case scenario.
"What?" The word exploded from Jasper's lips. His casual posture vanished instantly—spine straightening, shoulders squaring, every muscle in his body coiling. His carefree question turned to be dangerously serious, "We should move quickly—we can't lag behind while others progress. Better to ride the tide than be swallowed by it. If that monster grows too strong for us to handle, we won't just be its prey—we'll also end up as fodder for the ones who moved faster." The horse felt the sudden change, ears pricking forward nervously.
Clip! — Clop! — Clip! — Clop!
The horse's strides slowed as they neared their destination. Then—rustling. The bushes trembled, too deliberate to be the wind. Their huge build hindered their stealthy ambush.
"Relax," Jasper called, raising a hand. "It's me."
The barbarians emerged from their concealment. Their massive forms seemed to absorb the pale moonlight, sheathing their weapons. Their white teeth flashed in genuine grins as they recognized their visitor. "Ha! Didn't expect visitors at this hour," one called out
"Neither did I," Jasper smirked. "If I didn't come here, I would have slept by the city gate like every common vagabond would do."
Inviting him to join them for dinner, the barbarians' camp was a bit deep into the forest. They didn't want to expose their working location with fire and the scent of the food. As they walked, they told him how the work was going. Jasper was astonished by their rapid progress, they had nearly finished digging half of the tunnel—and, to his surprise, it was even wider than he'd expected. Logically, it was an obvious outcome, especially considering the workers were giant barbarians. "Good job, brothers"
Seated by the fire, Azm grilled meat from his day's hunt. He turned at the sound of laughter. "Well, brother! What brings you here at this hour?"
"Am I not welcome?" Jasper smirked.
"Oh, come on—you know what I mean," Azm said, gesturing for him to sit.
"Heh. I was out on business," Jasper replied, settling beside him. "When I got back, the gate was already shut. Figured I'd spend the night here." Fat dripped into the flames with satisfying hisses, sending up fragrant clouds of smoke that made Jasper's mouth water uncontrollably.
Under the vast starry night they shared a heartwarming meal, exchanging stories and some adventures. He even told them about the probability of the monsters increasing in tier. The barbarians were eager to grow stronger, after all, their most powerful individuals are around tier 5. Their hunt will start to be difficult and tricky and they have to adapt.
Knowing that, Jasper was delighted knowing that he has a strong ally. But the monsters are still stronger and he can't rely on his connection all the time, he needs to grow his force faster. That will pave the path for him to grow his personal strength.
At dawn, the first light crept in slowly, gently reaching for Jasper as if trying to coax him awake. Before he even opened his eyes, he felt the chilly embrace of the early morning settle on his skin. His ears caught the melodic chirping of birds on the tree branches—it seemed cheerful, yet at the same time, it felt like they were laughing at the lazy people still asleep.
He raised his trunk into a sitting position, feeling as though all his limbs and bones had merged into a single, stiff entity. Sleeping on the ground was as tiring as he remembered, especially after growing accustomed to a comfortable bed.
Slowly standing on his feet, "Ugh," he groaned aloud, stretching his arms above his head until his joints popped in a satisfying cascade of small explosions.
A few seconds later, the barbarians woke up all at once, as if they had a natural alarm in their heads. Azm turned his gaze toward the standing silhouette—bit by bit, his vision cleared. "Jasper… Good morning, brother."
Jasper turned to the voice's direction and smiled. "Good morning, brother."
"Are you in a hurry to leave?" Azm asked.
"The others expected me back yesterday. They're probably panicking by now."
A few moments later…
Falcon was enjoying his dreams in his small haven; he couldn't even hear Jasper calling behind the gate's bars.
Falcon was lost in pleasant dreams, completely deaf to Jasper's calls from behind the gate's bars. After several attempts, "Falcon! Open the dam* gate!" Falcon stirred, half-dead with sleep. He barely cracked one eye open to see who it was before shuffling toward the gate, eyes still shut.
Yaaaaaaawwwwwwnn!
"Hmm… Boss, I was so worried when you didn't come back yesterday," he mumbled, fumbling with the gate.
"Yeah, I can see clearly how worried you were," Jasper said, his tone was sarcastic.
Falcon chuckled. "Heh heh, sorry, boss. What's the point in worrying? You're stronger than all of us combined."
'Stronger my ass,' Jasper thought.
"Go back and continue your sweet dreams. In your state, you wouldn't even notice a dragon sneaking in."
"Thank yoawwwwnnnu, boss." Falcon didn't need to be told twice—he was already turning back toward his comfortable bed.
Entering the silent guild hall, it felt like stepping into a tomb, every sound swallowed by the stillness. Everyone was dead asleep.
Jasper sighed resignedly, "and here I thought they wouldn't even bat an eye waiting for me."
Without a second thought, he headed straight to his room and collapsed onto his comfortable bed. Slowly, he reclined on his back and spread his limbs comfortably. "Power on."
Crossing the roads, Jasper returned to the Hungry Apple Wood Forest—specifically, the southeast region—searching for the alchemist. As he walked between the trees, he stumbled upon a cottage in a small clearing. He approached the door, intending to enter, but his character knocked instead.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
?????:
"Who's knocking? Only monsters live around here."
'And clearly, you're one of them,' Jasper thought.
Pushing the button [Talk]:
"I'm here to seek your guidance in alchemy. I heard you are the best in this field."
"Oh, so he is not a monster. Then you can understand if I tell you I'm not accepting apprentices, right?"
"If I tell you yes, I'd be rejecting myself. If I say no, you would call me too stupid to be your apprentice. So, I ask you in human language to accept me as your apprentice."
"Ha ha ha ha, what a sharp young lad we have here."
"Hey, grandpa, I think I know this voice." A childish voice entered the conversation and somewhat felt familiar, it made Jasper's blood boil without him knowing.
"Really?"
The door opened, and the young kid who gave Jasper the quest to save the nearby village emerged from the door.
[Mute]
"Caught you, fu**er." Jasper grinned. Eager to repay the child for his virtuous manners last time.
[Unmute]
Young Kid:
"Grandpa, I was right. This is the brave warrior I told you about."
Old man:
"Oh ho ho! I already liked you, young lad, just from the way you answered my question. But now, to hear you're the very one who saved the village? My, my—I like you more and more!"
'You are so lucky, you little brat,' Jasper thought. "Ahem, it's my honor to help others in need."
"It would be my honor too to accept a righteous person like you as my apprentice. Come on in."
The alchemy training session proved invaluable. The old NPC's knowledge seemed way too advanced—his techniques far more sophisticated than anything Jasper had encountered elsewhere in the game. Two hours passed in focused concentration as he tried his best to absorb every detail: every subtle gesture and precise measurement. But it wasn't easy, as many of the new terms were unfamiliar, and some of the mathematical equations were so painfully difficult to understand that they left his head spinning.
As he was practicing, he heard the voices of the others rising one after the other, and the fragrant scent of breakfast reached his nose. He stood up. "These ingrates don't care about me. They're living their lives and casting me aside."
"Power off."
Descending the stairs felt like entering a completely different world. The guild hall had transformed from the silent tomb of early morning into a warm, lived-in space filled with the comfortable sounds of family life. Conversations flowed around the breakfast table, punctuated by the gentle clink of silverware against ceramic plates and the soft thunk of wooden mugs being set down on the table surface.
Every head turned as his footsteps announced his presence on the wooden stairs.
"Master!" The voices rose in unison.
"Where?" He made an exaggerated show of looking left and right, scanning the area as if searching for someone. "I can't see any master here, you ungrateful bunch! You don't even care about me, sleeping under the open sky last night after finding the gate locked. And when I came in at dawn, expecting my most trusted companions to be waiting anxiously for my return, what did I find? All of you were sleeping peacefully without a care in the world!"
"Were you even outside, Master? I thought you were in your room the whole day yesterday," Ivar said with barely contained laughter, his eyes twinkling with mischief.
"Really?"
"Hi hi hi!" Ivar bounded from his chair to Jasper's side with a cat-like reaction, appearing there so quickly it seemed like Shunpo "Don't take it to heart, Master. I was joking with you. At first, the girls were genuinely nervous, but when I told them about your legendary strength, they relaxed. Though Breeze here," he smirked while directing a pointed look across the table, "didn't even seem to care about your absence."
"Hey, don't make me look heartless!" Breeze protested, "I know he's capable of handling any danger, so it's meaningless worrying about him."
"Come on, even the strongest warrior will feel pleased knowing that someone is thinking about him, guys." Jasper complained.
Lina stood up in a quick motion. "I was really, truly worried about you, Master." Her small hands pressed flat against the table as she leaned forward earnestly.
Jasper's expression immediately softened as he approached her, gathering the small girl into a warm embrace that lifted her feet from the floor. "I knew you were the only one thinking about me, little Lina." But he quickly let her go, realizing she was a bit heavy for his weak body to carry.
"Liar! She was the first to sleep last night, Master," Ivar announced with an accusing finger pointed at her.
"Gasp! No, I wasn't the first to sleep—" Lina's voice became smaller and smaller as she tilted her head down, both index fingers pointing toward each other in a gesture of childhood guilt. "probably I was the one who fell asleep first, but I was definitely the most worried about you, Master."
Every eye in the room turned on Ivar with varying degrees of disapproval, the scene darkened and the temperature seemed to drop several degrees.
"Ivar! You can't speak like that to a little girl," Mina scolded.
"But I was—" he tried to defend himself, but a more intense glare from Mina silenced him. "Sigh, my bad."
As they gathered at the breakfast table, a sharp knock on the door disturbed their peace.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
"Come on in!" Jasper called out, knowing that no one but Falcon would be at the door.
Falcon stepped through the doorway, his morning drowsiness finally shaken off, only for Lina to abandon her breakfast and race toward him with the unbridled enthusiasm that only children possess. Her small feet pattered against the floor before she jumped into a hug.
"What's wrong, Falcon?" Jasper asked.
Falcon swept the little girl up in his arms with ease, his face breaking into a genuine smile as she giggled. But when he looked back at Jasper, his expression grew more serious. "Boss, you have a visitor—a girl named Jessica."
Screeeech—THUD! The wooden chair nearly toppled as he shot up, sending a clink-clank jingle of utensils skittering across the table.
Gulp!
"Escort her in." his voice carefully controlled despite the chaos of emotions churning in his chest.
Everyone looked at his sudden reaction in confusion. They knew that Jasper had received a marriage proposal from Heinrich, but they didn't know his daughter's appearance—or even her name.