After he walked the guy back to his home, he learned from him that he wasn't from this city.
His name was Tyrak, and he was from a nearby city to the East called Tylsa. He was visiting his uncle with the rest of his family for the festival. Unfortunately, he was the only male cousin in that age range, and he was pretty bored and decided to go for a walk. But he was lost in the complex streets of the city until he found himself faced with that group in a certain alley.
He merely looked in their direction, and yet the leader of that group glared at him followed with an insult, clearly looking for trouble. Initially, Tyrak wanted to fight him, but the rest of the group ganged up at him and they started beating him up. Facing such a ridiculous turn of events, he could only escape, as humiliating as it felt for him.
Melvin was even more certain of his assessment of those guys when he heard that story, and so after bidding farewell to the bloodied guy he made way for the Plaza once again.
This time he had a plan in mind. He was going to enter that big building where a lot of adventurers gathered, his goal was to get information about the three people who tried to kill him. As for the priest, he was still set on that idea, but he changed his approach to one that was more foolproof, ethically speaking.
He quickly reached the plaza because he memorized the path he had been walking on, and so when he noticed that the crowd at the center had already dispersed, he knew it was time.
As he stepped into the plaza from the southern main road, he gauged the building's location to be beyond the Church, positioned to his right. In other words, it resided in the topmost right corner of the area. Towering over its surroundings, it ranked as the largest structure nearby, second only to the Church.
Following the narrow path flanked by buildings to his right, he swiftly reached the edge of the western main road and pressed on with a carriage to his left moving on the same path. The horse's hooves clattered on the brick, and a rhythmic percussion echoing down the cobblestone streets.
Directly ahead loomed a stately grey structure boasting intricate architecture. Its broad entrance buzzed with activity.
Unlike the church, there were no guards in sight, much to Melvin's relief.
Entering the building, Melvin's eyes were immediately drawn to the grand staircase to his left, spiraling upwards to unseen heights where the bustle of activity echoed from the upper stories. 'I feel like I'm in Harry Potter for some reason,' he thought amusingly.
In the center of the spacious wide hall, stone tables and chairs filled the area where armored figures gathered, loudly talking amongst themselves. He also noticed some beasts and birds sitting beside some of the groups.
Beyond them, at the edge of the hall, stood a bustling counter manned by several attendants both men and women wearing a white uniform tending to the adventurers.
To the right of the hall, was an exquisite wooden board that truly captured Melvin's attention. Covered in papers of various colors, it seemed to hold much information Melvin reasoned from the dozens of people standing before it.
Fortunately, his presence was very inconspicuous among these groups of people, he had realized that there were several cloaked figures just like him strolling around so he walked with his mind at ease.
He made sure to avoid walking beside the tables where the monsters sat, the incident that happened before was still fresh in his mind. Step by step, he zigzagged around the tables, and he quickly reached the big wooden board and stood behind the crowd.
He had already noticed that his eyesight was incomparable to how it was, the small characters a considerable distance from him could be easily seen. Even some small tiny holes in the paper that he reasoned must've been the result of the quill's tip poking through were noticeable.
'This must be because of my high Vitality points.' He pondered, that particular Stat had indeed confused him initially because it felt too similar to a video game. However, he soon understood that it was more so a quantifiable measure of the prowess, defense, lifespan, and capability of his physical body.
Quickly dismissing such thoughts from his mind, he began looking through the information provided.
- Join the Moonfang Expedition in the Silent Shadow Forest: We're going to hunt down the Moonfang wolves. For each kill, earn 1 gold coin. Bronze Rank Team Minimum. Preferablly: Cleric, Priest, Thief
- Blacksmith seeks rare material: Venture into the treacherous mines of Deepstone to retrieve the elusive Blackheart ore. Reward: 20 gold coins. Iron Rank Team: 2 members proficient in mining.
- Escort caravan through bandit territory: Safeguard the merchant convoy as it traverses the dangerous routes plagued by bandit raids. Reward: 100 gold coins upon safe delivery. Silver Rank Team Minimum: 4 members skilled in combat and navigation. (It starts in four days.)
- Herbalist seeks rare herb: Brave the depths of the Enchanted Grove to procure the elusive Starbloom herb. Reward: 20 gold coins. Bronze Rank Team Minimum: 2 members proficient in herbalism.
- Seeking a mentor to learn to fight and raise ranks: I am looking for a seasoned adventurer to help me improve my skills and raise my Rank. Reward: 50 gold coins/day. Novice Rank 1 Minimum.
- Recruit for Bamboo Forest dungeon delve: Join a party to explore the depths of the Bamboo Forest dungeon. Reward: Share of loot and treasure. Initiate Rank 8 Minimum. Preferably: Archer/Heavy Warrior/Priest.
'Fuck!!' Melvin shouted when he read through the information, and his mouth couldn't help but widen in sheer astonishment. 'These guys must be loaded!' He thought when looking at the rewards they would be getting.
Immediately after that, he clenched his fists in rage. Witnessing the sort of cool adventures these Adventurers were going through and the money they were getting, he felt endless frustration at his situation. He too wanted to go fight with monsters and raise his ranks, but here he was shackled into this city unable to even go out.
After going through those emotions for a while, he calmed down and comforted, 'I shouldn't be rash, one step at a time.' Melvin knew that though his stats were impressive for a Rank 2 Initiate, his skills were nothing to write home about. The fight from before quickly flashed through his mind once again, and he understood how important skills were.
That was why he was doing his best to get his hands on a Class Stone as he didn't have much hope for his Legendary Class to give him anything offensive this soon. 'But maybe something big will appear when I reach Rank 5?' He thought, heart filled with hope.
'Alright, what now?' Melvin thought after he read through the other missions. His eyes randomly scanned the hall once again, trying to get a clue. Fortunately, he had indeed noticed something interesting. There was a thin tall board in the right edge of the counters that had something, and so he quickly approached.
Premium Maps.
Monster Material Orders.
Mission Board.
Dungeon Guides.
Information Brokerage.
Resource Market.
...
The more he read, the wider his smile became. His teeth unconsciously bit his lower lip, in anticipation, 'Maybe they have it?' he thought.
What interested him the most was none other than the Resource Market, and from what he learned about the association thus far, it didn't seem that inconceivable for them to have a Class Stone.
His eyes quickly darted to the left, studying the attendants. He needed someone who he could ask about this, and so the moment he noticed a bald man with a mustache who didn't seem to have anyone for some reason, he approached.
"Hello," He asked, with a sunshine smile nodding towards the man who resting his face on his hands in boredom.
"How can I help?" Questioned the attendant, smiling faintly.
"Do you know if Class Stones are sold in the resource market?" Impatiently uttered Melvin, his mind alert, and his gaze unwavering as he looked at him.
"Ah that," said the man, scratching his nose, "I think, they do have it?"
'I think?' Melvin thought in some disappointment, 'That is too unreliable.' He didn't let anything show on his face as he continued his line of questioning, "Do you have any idea how much it sells for?"
The man's eyes scanned the ceiling, seemingly searching for an answer before he replied, "Ehh, I don't remember really. But I think it depends on the class. I only remember that one time I saw one that had Druid Class getting sold for 150 Gold Coins."
'Shit, that much?' Melvin cursed, at the same time the mention of the word, 'Druid', made him realize the importance of reading a book about the world to get a general idea. There was also a question that was very fresh in his mind although a day had passed.
Veering off track, he randomly asked the attendant, "Do you know how many stats Common Classes get with every Rank?"
This was a question he noticed when he received 11 distributed stats when he reached Rank 2, and he knew that the others must be getting less because of the difference between the grades of their classes.
Hearing the question, the attendant smiled but decided to entertain it regardless as he had nothing better to do, "They get 4 in general, and they get distributed depending on their class."
'Hmm, Just 4?' Melvin thought in joy, to him the weaker others were, the safer it would be for him.
He asked the attendant a couple of questions after that, but he quickly observed that he was getting annoyed and giving short answers so he thanked him and left.
He learned from him that the Resource Market wasn't exactly a market, but more so a place where you could sell resources yourself to the Association, and if you needed anything you could put in a deposit and order it there. As for its location, it was in the first story up, and that's where the Information Brokerage was as well.
Although he was still puzzled about what the Iron and Bronze teams were, he decided to ask someone else. It wasn't like he couldn't make a guess judging from the name, but he wanted something more specific.
Melvin used the same path around the tables and quickly reached the stairs climbed to the first story and began studying it.
He noticed that there was a stark difference between this place and the bottom level. Instead of stone tables, this story was filled with sofas, but just on the right side. To the left, there were several exquisite open rooms, with windows to the outside. But much like the first level, there was an exquisite counter manned by two women at the end.
Although there were several people here as well, it wasn't as crowded as where he had just been. Thus when he approached the counter, he was directly behind the only customer in that line. A big man wearing a bronze full-armor and a giant hammer that swayed to his side.
Being very curious about the world and absorbing any knowledge he could get his hands on, he began eavesdropping on their conversation.
"You don't have it?" Asked the armored man with a sigh, "When was the last time was it available for sale?"
The older woman behind the counter had a neutral expression as she replied to everything he asked, "Three days ago." She said, but then she noticed the man's relieved expression and smile saying, "But before that, three months."
True to her expectations, the man's face contorted in a grimace of pain when he heard that. He then began to ponder before he gritted his teeth and said, "I understand, just file the order." He then put down a light red pouch filled with coins and left.
After he walked the guy back to his home, he learned from him that he wasn't from this city.
His name was Tyrak, and he was from a nearby city to the East called Tylsa. He was visiting his uncle with the rest of his family for the festival. Unfortunately, he was the only male cousin in that age range, and he was pretty bored and decided to go for a walk. But he was lost in the complex streets of the city until he found himself faced with that group in a certain alley.
He merely looked in their direction, and yet the leader of that group glared at him followed with an insult, clearly looking for trouble. Initially, Tyrak wanted to fight him, but the rest of the group ganged up at him and they started beating him up. Facing such a ridiculous turn of events, he could only escape, as humiliating as it felt for him.
Melvin was even more certain of his assessment of those guys when he heard that story, and so after bidding farewell to the bloodied guy he made way for the Plaza once again.
This time he had a plan in mind. He was going to enter that big building where a lot of adventurers gathered, his goal was to get information about the three people who tried to kill him. As for the priest, he was still set on that idea, but he changed his approach to one that was more foolproof, ethically speaking.
He quickly reached the plaza because he memorized the path he had been walking on, and so when he noticed that the crowd at the center had already dispersed, he knew it was time.
As he stepped into the plaza from the southern main road, he gauged the building's location to be beyond the Church, positioned to his right. In other words, it resided in the topmost right corner of the area. Towering over its surroundings, it ranked as the largest structure nearby, second only to the Church.
Following the narrow path flanked by buildings to his right, he swiftly reached the edge of the western main road and pressed on with a carriage to his left moving on the same path. The horse's hooves clattered on the brick, and a rhythmic percussion echoing down the cobblestone streets.
Directly ahead loomed a stately grey structure boasting intricate architecture. Its broad entrance buzzed with activity.
Unlike the church, there were no guards in sight, much to Melvin's relief.
Entering the building, Melvin's eyes were immediately drawn to the grand staircase to his left, spiraling upwards to unseen heights where the bustle of activity echoed from the upper stories. 'I feel like I'm in Harry Potter for some reason,' he thought amusingly.
In the center of the spacious wide hall, stone tables and chairs filled the area where armored figures gathered, loudly talking amongst themselves. He also noticed some beasts and birds sitting beside some of the groups.
Beyond them, at the edge of the hall, stood a bustling counter manned by several attendants both men and women wearing a white uniform tending to the adventurers.
To the right of the hall, was an exquisite wooden board that truly captured Melvin's attention. Covered in papers of various colors, it seemed to hold much information Melvin reasoned from the dozens of people standing before it.
Fortunately, his presence was very inconspicuous among these groups of people, he had realized that there were several cloaked figures just like him strolling around so he walked with his mind at ease.
He made sure to avoid walking beside the tables where the monsters sat, the incident that happened before was still fresh in his mind. Step by step, he zigzagged around the tables, and he quickly reached the big wooden board and stood behind the crowd.
He had already noticed that his eyesight was incomparable to how it was, the small characters a considerable distance from him could be easily seen. Even some small tiny holes in the paper that he reasoned must've been the result of the quill's tip poking through were noticeable.
'This must be because of my high Vitality points.' He pondered, that particular Stat had indeed confused him initially because it felt too similar to a video game. However, he soon understood that it was more so a quantifiable measure of the prowess, defense, lifespan, and capability of his physical body.
Quickly dismissing such thoughts from his mind, he began looking through the information provided.
- Join the Moonfang Expedition in the Silent Shadow Forest: We're going to hunt down the Moonfang wolves. For each kill, earn 1 gold coin. Bronze Rank Team Minimum. Preferablly: Cleric, Priest, Thief
- Blacksmith seeks rare material: Venture into the treacherous mines of Deepstone to retrieve the elusive Blackheart ore. Reward: 20 gold coins. Iron Rank Team: 2 members proficient in mining.
- Escort caravan through bandit territory: Safeguard the merchant convoy as it traverses the dangerous routes plagued by bandit raids. Reward: 100 gold coins upon safe delivery. Silver Rank Team Minimum: 4 members skilled in combat and navigation. (It starts in four days.)
- Herbalist seeks rare herb: Brave the depths of the Enchanted Grove to procure the elusive Starbloom herb. Reward: 20 gold coins. Bronze Rank Team Minimum: 2 members proficient in herbalism.
- Seeking a mentor to learn to fight and raise ranks: I am looking for a seasoned adventurer to help me improve my skills and raise my Rank. Reward: 50 gold coins/day. Novice Rank 1 Minimum.
- Recruit for Bamboo Forest dungeon delve: Join a party to explore the depths of the Bamboo Forest dungeon. Reward: Share of loot and treasure. Initiate Rank 8 Minimum. Preferably: Archer/Heavy Warrior/Priest.
'Fuck!!' Melvin shouted when he read through the information, and his mouth couldn't help but widen in sheer astonishment. 'These guys must be loaded!' He thought when looking at the rewards they would be getting.
Immediately after that, he clenched his fists in rage. Witnessing the sort of cool adventures these Adventurers were going through and the money they were getting, he felt endless frustration at his situation. He too wanted to go fight with monsters and raise his ranks, but here he was shackled into this city unable to even go out.
After going through those emotions for a while, he calmed down and comforted, 'I shouldn't be rash, one step at a time.' Melvin knew that though his stats were impressive for a Rank 2 Initiate, his skills were nothing to write home about. The fight from before quickly flashed through his mind once again, and he understood how important skills were.
That was why he was doing his best to get his hands on a Class Stone as he didn't have much hope for his Legendary Class to give him anything offensive this soon. 'But maybe something big will appear when I reach Rank 5?' He thought, heart filled with hope.
'Alright, what now?' Melvin thought after he read through the other missions. His eyes randomly scanned the hall once again, trying to get a clue. Fortunately, he had indeed noticed something interesting. There was a thin tall board in the right edge of the counters that had something, and so he quickly approached.
Premium Maps.
Monster Material Orders.
Mission Board.
Dungeon Guides.
Information Brokerage.
Resource Market.
...
The more he read, the wider his smile became. His teeth unconsciously bit his lower lip, in anticipation, 'Maybe they have it?' he thought.
What interested him the most was none other than the Resource Market, and from what he learned about the association thus far, it didn't seem that inconceivable for them to have a Class Stone.
His eyes quickly darted to the left, studying the attendants. He needed someone who he could ask about this, and so the moment he noticed a bald man with a mustache who didn't seem to have anyone for some reason, he approached.
"Hello," He asked, with a sunshine smile nodding towards the man who resting his face on his hands in boredom.
"How can I help?" Questioned the attendant, smiling faintly.
"Do you know if Class Stones are sold in the resource market?" Impatiently uttered Melvin, his mind alert, and his gaze unwavering as he looked at him.
"Ah that," said the man, scratching his nose, "I think, they do have it?"
'I think?' Melvin thought in some disappointment, 'That is too unreliable.' He didn't let anything show on his face as he continued his line of questioning, "Do you have any idea how much it sells for?"
The man's eyes scanned the ceiling, seemingly searching for an answer before he replied, "Ehh, I don't remember really. But I think it depends on the class. I only remember that one time I saw one that had Druid Class getting sold for 150 Gold Coins."
'Shit, that much?' Melvin cursed, at the same time the mention of the word, 'Druid', made him realize the importance of reading a book about the world to get a general idea. There was also a question that was very fresh in his mind although a day had passed.
Veering off track, he randomly asked the attendant, "Do you know how many stats Common Classes get with every Rank?"
This was a question he noticed when he received 11 distributed stats when he reached Rank 2, and he knew that the others must be getting less because of the difference between the grades of their classes.
Hearing the question, the attendant smiled but decided to entertain it regardless as he had nothing better to do, "They get 4 in general, and they get distributed depending on their class."
'Hmm, Just 4?' Melvin thought in joy, to him the weaker others were, the safer it would be for him.
He asked the attendant a couple of questions after that, but he quickly observed that he was getting annoyed and giving short answers so he thanked him and left.
He learned from him that the Resource Market wasn't exactly a market, but more so a place where you could sell resources yourself to the Association, and if you needed anything you could put in a deposit and order it there. As for its location, it was in the first story up, and that's where the Information Brokerage was as well.
Although he was still puzzled about what the Iron and Bronze teams were, he decided to ask someone else. It wasn't like he couldn't make a guess judging from the name, but he wanted something more specific.
Melvin used the same path around the tables and quickly reached the stairs climbed to the first story and began studying it.
He noticed that there was a stark difference between this place and the bottom level. Instead of stone tables, this story was filled with sofas, but just on the right side. To the left, there were several exquisite open rooms, with windows to the outside. But much like the first level, there was an exquisite counter manned by two women at the end.
Although there were several people here as well, it wasn't as crowded as where he had just been. Thus when he approached the counter, he was directly behind the only customer in that line. A big man wearing a bronze full-armor and a giant hammer that swayed to his side.
Being very curious about the world and absorbing any knowledge he could get his hands on, he began eavesdropping on their conversation.
"You don't have it?" Asked the armored man with a sigh, "When was the last time was it available for sale?"
The older woman behind the counter had a neutral expression as she replied to everything he asked, "Three days ago." She said, but then she noticed the man's relieved expression and smile saying, "But before that, three months."
True to her expectations, the man's face contorted in a grimace of pain when he heard that. He then began to ponder before he gritted his teeth and said, "I understand, just file the order." He then put down a light red pouch filled with coins and left.
