Chapter 17 - Investment?

Saachi was mediocre gamer, especially when playing in manual mode. But he persisted. Occasionally, he cheated too (Come on, he is just a college going brat.) by using AoE spells, for which he had paid dearly with coins. He progressed in few follow-up quests, hit a snag in few others. With no wish to coop himself inside a room, he ventured further into forests, mountains and valleys.

The novice village in 'Escape' were tailor made for newbies and had monsters even beyond level 10 or level 20(Saachi was a bit wuzzy about this portion of grinding levels in his previous life). That meant the maps around the village were huge, super huge.

As he travelled, he could hear or see solo players, good players in groups, even elite players hogging an area as their area of grinding. This sort of peaceful hogging...he liked. He knew in his mind that this peace was only till the death penalty was not levied. Once it started, people's greed would reach new heights, and PK - player killing would become new norm. Because after death, a person would loose something from inventory bag or equipped things along with EXP. Getting weapons and more was very easy in this method.

The newly purchased inventory bag and bonus from tailor apprentice were the only worthwhile things he had. He looked so poor that even the beggars would feel pity. He had bunch of level 1 wands with variable durability as weapon and clothes, shoes from basic pack he had received before game. Was he lucky to get other resources while killing monsters or unlucky to kill only few and not receive other things. He had not even purchased rat fur cloak, level 2 shoes, any leg guards, gloves, arm guards, shoulder pads,helmet or accessories like rings or chains. Accessories were uber luxury items, but guards and cloak were necessity. They would give 1 or 2 points in physical defense.

He spent more time in foraging than killing as the former would give highest gains by multiplier bonus. That meant his levels were rising very slowly. As he was taking out Purple star bloom flower cautiously, an arrow narrowly passed him. This time his time spent inside game came to rescue, he continued taking the flower completely, not caring about the arrow or its purpose. Once inside the inventory bag, flowers increased in number, he no longer checked the amount of bonus.

He stood up to notice a hunter killing Kobo python. The arrow had pierced one of its eyes. He used 'identify' , a basic skill on hunter.

Kylie

Level 3

Physical way.

But his grab/ attire was actually that of hunter. That fine bow and bunch of good arrows were dead giveaway. But this cool looking young man in twenties was very ferocious, more ferocious than level 4 beserk Kobo python. The way he used his knifes was very poetic. Unfortunately, Saachi flunked "Culture" classes, including poetry.

As a overthought, he used record function to immortalise the fight. From the way he kept moving, he was authentic manual control player.

Killing a peak level 3 monster was not easy. Even after injuring it fatally, Kylie still had to take over 10 nail biting minutes. A great footage for Saachi, though.

"Brother," he called Kylie when it looked like he had completely looted monster.

"Not interested in trade," Kylie brushed off, he demeanor no less than MC in Wuxia setting.

"I don't want monster drops," Niyam's answer apparently stunned Kylie. (If Kylie had used identify skill, it would have shown - Niyam, Level 3 soul way.)

Saachi continued, " As you can see, I'm mage. I have no interest in poisons or antidotes." That was actually a lie. As an alchemist, he was very much interested in snake gall bladder and other stuff which were used to make poisons or antidotes.

Hunters and assassins, thieves and bandits - these were major users of poisons. Paralysis on first hit meant easy killing.

"As you can see, I have to forage and you want to kill snakes and pythons. The chances of these reptiles crawling out is high when foraging occurs. So you can hunt in this segment. All I ask is to save me from these monsters while I do the work. In return, I can pay you in potions or coins, your pick. But potions are preferred, because I can convince myself that I used it to save myself."

"I bet the real reason is that you don't have coins." " How did you know? Well, it doesn't matter. I don't want any drops from the monsters you kill too. I can make money using my foraging skills. I want to increase the level of forage, so that I can use it in high monster level area before death penalty starts. I don't want to waste time traveling from village after death."

The discussion went on and on before Kylie accepted babysitter job, sorry, bodyguard job after confirming that they would move farther away after half an hour and won't spend over an hour in each monster map. By this calculation, it would be possible to reach this place or be near Village when death penalty started.

Kylie got job which paid in potions. Saachi got a precursor of investment. They would see if this partnership or work relationship would work inspite of greed and other vices.