Chapter Forty nine

Though stamina and fatigue were inversely related, they were seperate attributes. Stamina would tell how much strength you can use in every attack, normal or skilled. Even mages used stamina but they didn't go through like the melee players. Conversely, the stamina recovery was highest in melee players.

Fatigue was actually hunger and stamina and other hidden attributes working together. Increased fatigue meant your normal attacks will have less power, and skilled attacks would work even poorer. The deflect, defend portions would be lost just like that and players would become a snack for the monsters.

Artha undoubtedly had suffered so much that he was ready to choose probable death over chance of getting involved in the fight. A noob and a sissy. A coward. Call him whatever, but he didn't care actually.

Others, while playing the game actually enjoyed it. Even if the initial reason for joining was to make money or becoming famous. They would love playing the game, it's intricacy etc.

Artha loved the game because of money. He was close to NPCs because it could help him to make more money. That's why he didn't care if the monsters were wolf pups, bear pups or piglets or hogs. He focused on wrong things like the XP gained, the monster drops and multiplier bonuses. Each to his own.

He had to rent another room to dump the items he had collected. However, Vinzo was in good mood and he agreed to follow the previous rental agreement. After all, he didn't pay Artha for cleaning up garbage behind his inn. This can be considered a small compensation.

The village centre was in full bustle unlike before. After listening to the chats between the players he understood why.

" Love me, love my dog. Look, those bunch actually became members of Great Griffin guild."

" Is that all? I even saw expert from Great Griffin guild coming and signing contract with Fierce Panther. The guild would take all the expenditure till he becomes master blacksmith."

" Oh man! How I wish I get such contract. The amount spent will be in millions to make a single master lifestyle player. I heard that guild had started open recruitment for lifestyle players. Is it true?"

"Of course, it is. The first player in any lifestyle job could get same or similar package when joining. "

"Only the first player?"

"But of course. Don't you know the bonus for becoming first player to unlock the lifestyle path will get a huge bonus?"

" What is it? Tell me, tell me. I swear, my mouth will be locked and no details shall slip through my tongue."

" Don't know if it's true but I heard that the bonus for becoming first apprentice is a whopper. The completion rate will increase by 10%."

Gasp. Gasp. Shock. Wonder.

"Really. If it was not that doozy, would guilds wait for you like you are ancestor and follow every single order? Now that the chance of being first apprentice blacksmith is lost, others are trying their best to become first in other jobs. "

" That's why! That's why there are no stocks of items needed for tasks related to apprenticeship in the market."

" How can there be? I just saw a tycoon sweeping back and buy everything related by paying double the price quoted."

"Holy moly! I have few items that are part of such task. If I can't gather enough items, I think it's better to sell them now to get better price."

"Better sell now. Once apprentice in all professions are found, there will be no boom in the market and the prices might even fall a lot."

"Thanks a lot for advice, dear brother. Let's meet in evening. I have to rush now to sell my things."

Artha felt the pain in the bones. So much money! Alas, he could not even enter the rat race. His eligibility quest was doozy to the extreme, to say the least. Inspite of nearly half a day in high level maps, he had not collected enough items for any of the lifestyle jobs.

By the looks of it, he would not get the first apprentice bonus. Think big. Maybe if his evaluation in quest would be higher, so the bonus he would recieve would also be higher. Anything is possible.

Unfortunately, the boom would be only in the beginning. If he can't encash it, he won't have enough time to use his lifestyle jobs to make money before end of free trial in game and VR gear. So should he be even trying to complete the quest or just give up and try to make more money? Bad choice , bad choice. Which bad choice would be good then?

As the contract time was still ticking, he ran again towards high level maps.

He also sold some coins to Sun Lord for credits. Apparently, Sun Lord didn't want to give a list to him, atleast not so soon.

Artha really wanted to ask why premiere guilds like Dragon Slayers or Bloody Rose didn't not lobby for the first apprentice. A semblance of EQ stopped him. Then it was routine mana ball blast. Few reserves were very focused on leveling up and bettering their game play, so they didn't even move in the direction he was grinding. Few others were lively enough that they thawed after few hours of grinding and they also started teaching him. So unknowingly his skill improved. Not enough to be noticed by himself or others, but enough to be noted by game AI. Towards end of the third day, his regular customers started pre-ordering sleeping bags. Not much. Because Artha was not renting but selling for real credits, guilds and workshops who wanted their crew to be in tiptop condition but were to stingy to pay for rooms in the inn, decided to buy. The numbers were far too few. Five, eight, ten etc. Even a mosquito has meat, Artha would never say no to earn few more credits. So he started gathering resources in earnest before hightailing for village.