Kenji and Kaede were ecstatic, both enjoying the elevated feeling they got from the raw increase in stats. Only a moment later the duo came back to earth, taking deep breaths to calm themselves down, finally capable to speak with some semblance of peace, though excitement was still clear in their voices as they did.

  "So this is how it feels above the first threshold." happily hummed Kaede, her intelligence having gone past it. "It feels as though I could cast two spells at the same time, especially with the speed my mana is gathered thanks to the chime."

  "What's the current intelligence stats you have if you don't mind me asking?" Jack questioned.

  "Twelve." Kaede answered immediately, not the least bit worried.

  "Hold off of it for now. Once you reach thirteen should be fine to start practising that dual casting, but no sooner, and even then only the most basic spells you have. Nothing more advanced. I have this feeling it might have more negative side effects than positive should you try otherwise." Jack warned and advised, playing his knowledge off as an intuition of the Virtuoso, something Kaede was more than willing to listen to. Jack had zero reason or motives to see her harmed or stifled in growth after all. He did rely on them after the tutorial.

  "I got new skill thanks to the stats I gained." Kenji joined in and beamed as well.

  "Go on, what is it, done keep us in suspense?" Jack urged the boy, allowing him to get his own moment to shine as well.

  "It's called 'Forced combat'. It forces enemies in a certain radius to attack me instead of whoever they want. The smarter the opponent the less effect, though it grow stronger with my vitality stat."

  "A protector indeed." Jack smile as he patted the boys shoulder. "I don't have to tell you when and how to use the skill. As a gamer you know what to do I trust."

  "Indeed brother. Tanking like a boss."

  "And you even have your own pocket healer as well. Someone is set up for success." Jack grinned at the duo. "More protective gear will have to wait though. My reserves of materials are kinda dry after these, though with the three of us we should have enough to start solving that problem as well. What say you guys? Ready for some hunting?"

  "Just say the word!" the duo exclaimed, more than ready to test out their new stuff on some green shits or whatever else roamed the forest and beyond.

  "That's the spirit. Let's eat something and then head out. I can't deny you two much longer than that, not when there is so ,uch enthusiasm in your voices." Jack smiled and ruffled their heads, walking towards the table and sitting down, glancing in Kaedes and Kenji's direction.

  "Sorry, coming right up." Kenji apologised and dashed towards the kitchen area that was specially reinforced and outfitted with a simple metal stove. There he grabbed a pot of still steaming food, the result of his and Kaede's joint effort while Jack was crafting.

  "Time to dig in!" Jack smiled thanked the duo as they all enjoyed their meal, once again earning a thumbs of from Jack and the same comment about a proper cook making the most of his spices.

  With their meal done though, the trio headed out for a few hour hunting session, running into Chiyo on their way out who seemed to have been waiting for them. The girl glanced at the clearly brand new items on Kenji and Kaede, recognizable because they had been together from nearly the very start, but her gaze did not linger there for long. She locked her eyes on Jack who was at the front of his group and spoke.

  "We would like to talk, but Kenji told you were busy last few days. When would it be convenient for you?"

  Jack looked at the couple and raised an eyebrow. "What do you think? Should we give them the time?"

  "We don't mind if that is o-okay with you." Kaede stamered just a bit, her timidness rearing it? head with a familiar person in sight.

  "Evening at our place then. Make sure the other guy is not there." Jack shrugged but said nonchalantly, though added the second sentence with more stern voice, his stance clear.

  "Don't worry about that brother. Hanzo is no longer in their group."

  "Oh? You listened to my advice. Smart choice. So? Did you off him?"

  "What? No!" Chiyo was flustered and exclaimed quickly, clearly bewildered by the question, her calm demeanor momentarily broken,quickly replaced by a flush of embarrassment when she noticed the smirk on Jack's face.

  "He." he smirked "Evening. We are leaving." he finished and gestured for the duo to follow, leaving Chiyo behind on her own. She did hear a couple of giggles that belonged to Kaede though, accompanied with a few words.

  "Meanie!" Kaede giggled.

  "And proud!" Jack shot back, their group disappearing from her senses soon enough, clearly having left the village boundary. She too turned around and left to inform her group of the information she received and to start preparing for the talks in the evening.

  As Jack and his party left the village, its shabby gate becoming smaller and smaller as distance grew, he was asked a rather important question by Kenji.

  "Why postpone that conversation to evening though? We could have headed out for some hunting tomorrow as well, no?"

  "We could have, yes, but our eagerness would put us in a spot where they could, and likely would assume we need them, which is factually incorrect." Jack calmly replied.

  "You have a guess as to what Chiyo and the girls wants?" Kaede asked.

  "No doubt to acquire my services, one way or another. The description on my class alone should tell just enough about my value within the tutorial. If they are smart, they would definitely try and gain as much advantages as they can. I doubt anyone who had paid attention to the things happening would believe that just surviving for some time in the conditions that we are dealing with now is all there is to it."

  "The big bad must be coming, si what you are saying?" Kenji confirmed.

  "Yep. Izumi san should have come to a similar conclusion. That is also additional reason why they got rid of that Hanzo fellow. I assume they would propose some sort of a contract, facilitated by that Emi girl in their group."

  "How did you know?" asked Kaede, well aware that particular information was not shared.

  "I am a crafter and a rare class at that. If I did not have an appraisal of sorts, how could I even function and learn about materials and other stuff?" Jack laughed as he explained.

  "Right, that does make sense."

  "I know right? The question though is different now though." Jack added, his tone becoming serious once again "It? clearly a calculated move. So, why should I help them out? There is nothing they can offer me that would interest me and I don't like being used to boot. Cost benefit ratio is skewed in the wrong direction a tad, no scratch it, a lot in the wrong direction and I don't make losing deals."

  If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

  "What about us then? Are we not a losing deal as well?" Kaede asked calmly, though there was a hint of worry in her voice, barely perceptible.

  "Different cases. You two give me a different feeling. People bound by honor and ethics. Favour once received would be remembered always and returned with overabundance. Helping such people is never wrong, or a bad investment. Call it your positive karma coming back to you. And I think I told you too, I saw potential in you. And to round thing up, I have to say, you too are just too cute together." Jack laughed as he said the last sentence again, causing the duo to blush a bit, though their large smiles showed just how happy they were as well.

  "Oh? I sense party incoming team! Get ready!" he spoke suddenly, the group taking combat stances with their weapons drawn, preparing for their first encounter of the day.

  --------------------------

  Hanzo was ticked off, annoyed, seething really. His mood had been growing sourer and sourer with each passing hour. Who did those bitches thought they were? Throwing him out like that. 'Just you wait!' he exclaimed in his mind 'Once I am through with you, even cheap brothels won't take you! And even that will not be an end that you recieve. Heh.' he grinned wickedly as a sadistic and inhumane thought passed through his mind as he searched for a fate worse still. 'Yes, once I am done with you all, its goblins for you bitches.'

  ''He he he he" he snickered under his breath about the wonderful ending he had come up with as he thought- 'Or is it you for goblins?' Still, as fun as it was fantasizing about the things coming for Izumi and her group, he was well aware that he alone could not do shit. Not now, nor later, unless he found a group of similarly thinking individuals he could prove his worth and earn their assistance in resolving his issue. That would also require quite the payment, though he was sure he could manage something with time. There was no way Izumi would just roll over and drop dead after all, thus he had plenty of time.

  Hanzo had spent a bit of his own stashed food to rent a room for the night and had been moving around the village for a while, finding himself in front of two guys calmly lounging behind their own stall, a single, simple, two word sentence written on it in Arukian - Selling booze. As Hanzo was contemplating something, he heard a familiar language spoken in the distance, coming closer and closer.

  "And, what you did then?" one of the foreign guys asked, clearly interested in whatever story the other was telling.

  "What do you think? She was out cold by then. Did not last long though, that one. Quite lacking in the looks department so the rest of the guys at the camp went a bit too hard. Eh, happens. All good though, there is plenty more of toys around waiting to be picked up."

  "Hey fellas!" one of the two speakers exclaimed in Arukian, having stopped right next to the booze stall. "Gonna need a cask of your stuff, the boys at the camp, me included love this stuff. Here's the old barrel. had it washed and all." he continued and placed empty barrel next to the stall.

  "The same price as last time." spoke one of the brothers behind the stall, moments later a few, good looking pieces of meat appeared on the counter, placed there by the russian speaking fellows.

  "Just like last time." grinned the previous speaker.

  "Good doing business with you." nodded one of the shopkeepers and withdrew a cask from his storage, placing it next to the empty one. "Come back again." he grinned as his brother stashed the food away.

  Before the russian speaking guys could leave though, Hanzo spoke up, his russian a bit rusty, but still good enough to be understood, all thanks to his old man who had plenty of shady deals with the other nations underground.

  "Brothers, might I tag along? It seems that there are like minded people in this forsaken place after all."

  "Hoh? You speak russian? A bit off, but close enough. What was it you said?" asked the guy doing all the talking.

  "Overheard your conversation, and I have to say, I am positively intrigued in taking part in similar exercises. I might also have some useful information regarding some dangerous individuals that will no doubt become obstacles for our fun."

  "Like?"

  "Rare classes." Hanzo replied, his gaze shifty as if looking for spies who could understand him.

  "Follow along. Let's see what value you have."

  "Your group will not be disappointed." Hanzo grinned as he followed along. 'The first step achieved- find a group that could help me grow and maybe even achieve my goals sooner than expected.' Things were all of a sudden looking up for Hanzo.

  ------------------------

  "A power move, clearly." Huffed Fumiko once Chiyo had explained where she had run into Jack, Kenji and Kaede, and what their response had been to their request for a conversation.

  "And there is nothing we can do about it." Izumi sighed, realizing that the other sides eldest member was smart enough and at east somewhat capable of making their own powermoves "We are at a disadvantage here, that is clear as day. Alos, what was it you said about the change in Kaedes and Kenji's gear?"

  "Kaede has a new chime and Kenji's got a new shield and mace. Though the fighter weapons did not look all that impressive, boringly gray in their design, they felt strong. Kaedes new chime though, now that looked really valuable."

  "We can assume that they are rooted in Jack's group. The simple mindedness and their character would not let them do otherwise. While we are still stuck on the offer we can make. Urgh, I hate the lack of potions we have right now. If only there was anything but barter with food that sustained this places economy. Alas..." she sighed. "It's okay, I will figure something out." she shook her head as if clearing it from stray and unnecessary thoughts, the group walking around town and assessing the ever deteriorating situation. It was then that they heard distinctly female voice, though quite low in tone.

  "My, my. Having a girls outing are we?" the voice spoke, a clear image of a fat woman in her forties with blue, short hair and a few piercings in in each ear and nose surfacing in Izumi's group's minds along with a name- Velka.

  "Velka." Izumi replied, turning around to face the lard like person, her tone neutral, though her eye did twitch at the sight of a couple of guys with sunken faces and barely any flesh on their bones crawling next to her, a leash connecting their necks and Velka's gripping hand.

  "Oh? One of you lovelies seems to be missing. Did you ran into a trouble too big and lost her? Tsk, tsk, tsk. I warned it would happen. Should have listened to me and joined. I would have even allowed her to keep that nerd as her own, personal pet. Ho ho ho. Am I not magnificent? So, how about it? Finally want to join?" Velka smiled in what was supposed to likely be a friendly and sweet smile, waiting for the response.

  "Kaede is alive and well, thank you for the concern. And no, we are fine as is and have to unfortunately reject your offer. We will keep it in mind though."

  "My door is always open my lovelies. See you around." she laughed lightly and wobbled away, keeping the corner of her eyes on the girls pretty forms as he did so. Only when she was a fair distance away, ensured by Chiyo's scouting, did the girls shivered slightly. The way they were looked at by the land whale that had just left was unsettling to say the least.

  "I need some sort of a distraction now. A small patrol around the village?" asked Emi, proving just how disturbing the situation truly was. Something was wrong with that woman Velka. The way she so easily treated other people, males specifically in her case, like lesser beings ticked the girls off the wrong way in more ways than one.

  "Jea, I need to vent my head as well." Agreed Fumiko and the rest of the girls, spending the rest of the day until their meeting with Jack by patrolling around the village.

  ------------------------

  "Holy crap, this rocks!" exclaimed Kenji as he shield bashed another goblin, the loud 'crunch' of the sad creatures face caving in from the force of the strike resounding across the small clearing they were currently in. Then, once the goblin landed on the ground with a thud Kenji roared "Forced Combat!", emanating an invisible wave of magic, instantly causing every other monster in the clearing to shoot their gazes in his direction, giving enough time for Kaede to once again increase the distance between herself and whatever creatures had moved closer to her. She did have especially large taunt marker on her as the only female within the group. For goblins, that was quite the incentive to rushe her, each and every one of the green shits feeling an extra calling to get their extremities, and other body parts on, or in that particular form.

  "I got you Kaede!" Kenji called out as he blocked and parried a couple goblins that were already upon him and trying their damn best to create new holes in him.

  "I am good. Jack will be there soon, hold out a second!" Kaede called out as well once she was a safe distance away from the closest monster that was also rushing Kenji, though before anything else could happen that would endanger any of the party members further, the telltale sound of a halberd slicing through the air sounded near Kenji's back, followed by helpless few last gurgles.

  "Sorry, those hobs almost swarmed me! I am here now though!" Jack laughed as his weapon dismembered the goblins, all the while keeping track of his surroundings, paying special attention to Kaede and her surroundings. "Damn, might just have to give some serious thought to that offer we will receive in the evening. Already I can feel the loss I will incur on that." he complained as they finished off the last remaining goblins. "Kaede, are the boar bodies all good still? no goblin shit on them?"

  "All good Jack. That's quite some haul we have here." Kaede responded after ensuring that neither of them had any serious wounds on them.

  "Yea, that was quite the pack. It seems you were right, they are growing larger. Something big is coming." somberly agreed Kenji, the group moving around and collecting everything of value from the body filled clearing. Now that Jack was sure of the duo's affiliations, he had shared that he had a material storage of sorts, so all the metallic weapons and other non usable loot went to him, both as a payment for the gear he had already made and to allow him to outfit the trio with armour as well. And for all that he needed shitload of mats.

  Jack Raja(?)

  Age- 27

  Species- human(?)

  Level- 9

  Class- Twin aspect of Creation and Destruction(EX)

  Stats unassigned: +11

  Attributes:

  Strength- 17 (9+7+1)

  Vitality- 16 (7+7+2)

  Dexterity- 11 (5+6)

  Intelligence-7

  Spirit- 25 (20+5)

  Skills- Wisdom of Creation and destruction(EX), Choice of the creator(EX), Eyes of procurer(EX), Matter storage(EX), Arukain language(C)

  Spells- temporary spatial storage (shrinking)

  Titles(unlocked): The real Monster, Big Game Hunter, The brilliant rookie, The insane Solo.