The man walked in on the two people.
He was tall, broad and he had a strange figure that made Arthur shudder.
His cloak covered his figure making him a little shrunk.
His beard covered most of his mouth, he had strange black eyes.
"And who are you old man?" xin asked, looking at the man in distaste. As if he had stolen his daily bread.
The man chuckled. "What else mister, I am here for my son"
"Son?" Xin growled, looking at Arthur. "Are you sure he is your son or you are just trying to play tricks?"
The man laughed. "Of course he is. And I could also say, he is an awakened. He isn't a gouler"
Xin looked at Arthur. Assessing him with his bulky eyes. "Is it true boy?"
Arthur nodded. "Yes I am, I told you"
Xin breathed. "Ah God, another daily bread gone"
Arthur wondered what he meant.
But he didn't bother asking him since one mistake almost had him join Gouler group and be sent to the portal and used as bait for the monsters.
The man stepped forward. He grabbed Arthur by the arm.
"Well, I guess you should keep your kid in check, not to be poking his nose into other people's business". Xin growled angrily.
The old man bowed. "I am sorry. It my loss"
Xin waved his hand. "Go peasant"
The man dragged Arthur away quickly, before Xin could change his mind.
They walked outside of the church. Taking a quick turn into a street.
When they were sure they were out of the knight's gaze, the man dropped Arthur's hand.
"Who are you?" Arthur asked. The man pulled the beard he had under his chin out.
Arthur gasped.
"And I guess you should know by now" the man said looking at Arthur.
"The bread seller?" Arthur asked, dumbfounded.
" Yes" the man smiled. "I am sorry I was harsh on you a little while ago"
Arthur couldn't hide his shocked. The man who was harsh on him a few hours ago was the one who saved him.
The bread man cleaned his chin. "After I had chased you out of my shop. I saw you wandering away when a group of people pick you with them. I know they are the goulers scheduled for hole seventeen, and I decided to help you"
Arthur looked at the man. "Thank you"
The man nodded. "I am Bulgard, you can call me bull"
"Arthur," Arthur said.
"We are sure out of the knight gaze I am sure, I think this is where we part"
The sun was already setting. The street was least busy and vendors and artifact sellers are already closing.
"Anyway why did you rescue me?" Arthur asked Bull.
" i just felt like it, arthur. You shouldn't poke your nose into someone else's business anymore. It dangerous"
" But I can't just ignore it. I can't. This world is just….."
"Different, yeah I know and that what got my son killed" Bull yelled turning to face Arthur. "My son was like you. Weak, broken but he still feel bad for goulers, he was an awakened. Yet he got into one of the portals to help a gouler escape and died. He …"
Arthur looked dumbfounded at Bull.
He had a son who was like him and died assisting a gouler.
Bull cleaned his eyes. "It only got worse in this world Arthur. You might not know it, but there is nothing you can do, the nobles rules this world. We the commoner are just going to turn to goulers one way or the other so forget it and move on"
"So you help me because I look like your son?"
Bull nodded. "You reminded me so much of him. And I can't let what happened to him also happened to you"
"But I can't just still back out. Your son died for a good cause. I can't just sit down and watch the noble torment the weak I can't just let it pass" Arthur pressed on.
Not what he had passed through in his past life.
The goulers kept reminding him of his past self.
Bull looked at Arthur, his eyes behind something, confusion.
Then he nodded.
"You are just stubborn" Bull said. "Okey let play this bet, if you win I would believe in you but if you lose give up on hope"
Arthur almost fall from his cane. "What do you mean?"
"Are you ready to accept?" Bull asked looking at Arthur.
Arthur stood dumbfounded.
Bull looked so creepy, yet he rescued him.
"Yeah I agree" Arthur said.
"Okay" Bull straightened his hand, and pointed to the end of the street.
There in the dark, laid against the stairs of the house, covered in rags and a sack were a old woman. Breathing against the wall.
She curled up in her small abode.
Arthur looked at Bull. What did he want with her?.
"If in an hour someone comes and help her, then you can go on hoping for a bright days. But if otherwise an hour passes and no one comes to help her then just give up you can't change anything"
"What?" Arthur gasped. An hour.
{1 hour remaining}
The screen floated before his face again.
In an hour, he has to find his purpose to fulfill this quest.
And in an hour he had to make a bet.
He looked at the floating screen of the system, then at Bull and then the old woman.
He had choice to make now.
If Arthur had wished for anything it would be the system quest to find his purpose, but now, he had to make something come true.
He had to choose, what would it be?..
Should he choose his quest to pull out of the bet, or bet instead of the quest.?
His eyes twitched. His finger trembled.
Then he breathed, he raised his head.
I don't care about the system punishment anymore. If I can't complete the quest and get thrown into another realm, so be it.
I am sorry eclas.
I don't have choice I have to make a bet to change everything.
He don't want a wicked life like he had lived. He wants a good one.
Yet he can't help but put the system quest aside.
He had to prove himself.
"Yeah a bet?" Arthur agreed.
Bull smiled and took off his cloak and spread it on the floor and took a seat.
Arthur sat beside him.
Then together they watched what the world future would be.
Fifteen minutes passed, no helper. The street had dulled.
No one was on the street anymore.
Twenty minutes, No one came to help the woman.
Twenty five minutes, still no one.
Fifty minutes, Arthur looked around hoping for someone to come.
But no one came.
Bull stood up. "I guess you lose the bet Arthur, nothing can change in the next ten minutes. You lose the bet"
No, I can't lose.
No…..
"A bit longer bull" Arthur pleaded.
Bull sighed. He sat down.
Please, Arthur pleaded in his mind.
Please don't let it all be for nothing.
I am losing my freedom and getting tossed into another realm in the next ten minutes.
It shouldn't be for nothing.
Seven minutes passed and still nothing.
Bull stood up. "Give up Arthur. I am sorry but you lose. So go back home, to your academy and live your life"
Arthur clenched his fist. It shouldn't all be for nothing.
He couldn't believe he had lost.
He had always lost.
Bull turned and began walking away.
Then a shadowy figure walked over to the old woman, he bent down to her side then spoke for some minutes.
Arthur couldn't hear what they are saying.
But the man stood up and stretched his hand for the woman who took it and they walked away together.
"Look bull, look" Arthur called. "She is helped, I won"
Bull smiled.
He couldn't believe Arthur won the bet.
This was not how this world works.
Just who is this boy?
"You have won Arthur, you won" said
{Quest completed: you found your purpose.}
{ Purpose: you have vowed to protect weak, and help them change the way of this world}
Arthur
stared at the glowing screen.
This is the system punishment?.
He couldn't believe it.
{New title: cultivator}
You are no more a player but a cultivator with a purpose, welcome cultivator.}