CH2.4

"You are uncomfortable in this very human world. I know the feeling. Increase your charisma through pleasant conversation daily, and you will find it easier to interact and hide amongst the humans." Slither said.

Was that true was the best way to blend in and even develop my charisma by talking with people and hiding my true self? Red didn't seem to care how others looked at him. He was loud, powerful, and completely unapologetic. The man was more like a thunderstorm than any human I've ever met.

A crashing sound and the winney of horses alerted him to the return of Red. The man looked pleased by his progress, more than enough to give a pleasant nod through his helmet.

"Here, wear these; they'll help you get stronger in the time we need. If I'm not wrong, they will also help you develop a relationship with your mana." Red said.

Red's metaphor was still very much in my mind. "Like a mage, Elementalist, or druid?" I asked.

The lizardman priest perked up at that. "I feel like I am missing a very interesting metaphor. Care to clue me in." Red happily repeated himself as he had before. "After hearing that, I can only assume that the druid sees nature as a teacher and forms a sexual relationship with her that makes everyone uncomfortable," Slither asked.

"What kind of relationship am I going to have with my mana?" I asked.

"Your scrolls, adventurer." A lizardman wearing priestess robes said. It looked just like the priest, with no features I could detect that were different.

"An Elementalist type would learn every little thing there was to know about their mana, including cutting a hole in the outhouse to watch her pee in the morning. A mage is all about the transaction, picking mana up and taking her out for the girlfriend experience. Be ready to spend tons of MP in that case. The druid style is something special; you're going to let your mana take charge, and maybe you'll learn a lesson but never be in real control." Red said.

I missed Black Rei already. She might have sounded funny, but at least she didn't use insane metaphors. There were so many questions I could ask, but I barely had any context for any of them. Classes were more than specialties like professions; they were relationships with women, and how I tried to get to know them determined the give back or lack thereof. My lightning mage class sounded like something right out of a story, but in reality, I was paying my class for her time every time I used her. Or was this a metaphor that meant something completely different? How far did the metaphor really stretch? Sometimes, Red sounded like a drunk straight out of a tavern.

The armor I wore was a mismatch of items not part of a set; something I forgot to ask about went into my inventory. Out of the black bag Red handed me I pulled a shirt over my head and some trousers.

Black Sabbath Training Gear 

Shirt 

DEF: 10 

Weight 20lbs

Effects 

Strength Gain: Gain 1 additional strength whenever a point of strength is gained. 

Set Bonus: +5% Physical stat gain speed per piece. 

"As I thought, the patches are gone. I bought shirts a larger size up for each one until you hit XXXXL. If you pay attention to the training gear, there are no soft caps on the gear pieces that can be equipped. That means by wearing suspenders, we can pile on the pants, shirts, scarves, and wristbands. Since you're an NPC, you don't have a portrait to equip your gear." Red said.

"I won't be able to move," I said.

"We are going to dress you to your limit and put the rest in your inventory for now. Trust me, kid, you're going to get so many stat points before the days are over. Oh, and drink this." He handed a can labeled Mountains of Dew Vault.

Mountains of Dew Vault

Description: A legendary potion crafted and named by one of the top ten players, Red. Drinking this potion will increase stat growth rates by 400%, regenerate stamina loss, and increase skill gain chances by 100%. Stat growth effect limit 1000. 

Time Limit 24hrs. 

The bubbling vial was surprisingly not hot to the touch but cold, as if chilled. I downed it, and the countdown started immediately. A pleasant spike of satisfaction flowed through me, and I suddenly had a burning question. "How strong is 1000 strength?" I asked.