Absolute Craft-Chapter 53: A Friend (2)

Chapter 53: A Friend (2)

For the rest of the day, Blake kept thinking about the question he had asked Joel.

It seemed straightforward to aim for the top: sharpen your skills, join an ambitious guild, and grind levels every day. If you were clever about your approach, you could even monetize your in-game progress.

But Blake wanted to become a better person.

He couldn’t see himself sticking to this path forever. He planned to keep honing his crafts, ultimately creating The Aegis, once feared by the entire world—a self-sufficient system that required only one individual to operate.

’That’s not The Aegis’s true origin,’ Blake thought. ’It’s just what The Hollow King twisted it into... which means I should shape The Aegis my way.’

So far, his pursuit of power had been both fruitful and enjoyable. Blake knew he’d learn even more if he stayed on course. Even so, he wanted a concrete endgame in mind—or at least a follow-up goal once The Aegis came to be.

What would his Aegis look like?

Countless ideas popped into his mind. Some were exciting, others more realistic. In the end, he still couldn’t picture the final product. More importantly, he needed to determine whether he could make a living from his crafts. Only then could he devote himself fully to what he truly wanted.

At the end of his shift, Joel came up to him. "Wanna walk home together?"

"I live close by," Blake said.

Joel grinned. "Me too."

’Oh, I didn’t realize that,’ Blake thought.

They packed their things and left the mall side by side. With their backpacks and youthful appearance, they could’ve passed for school friends. Even Blake felt that way, recalling his school days before becoming a beta tester.

"You found your answer?" Joel asked.

"Answer to what?" Blake asked.

"Your future in Ashen World Online," Joel replied with a chuckle.

That question had given Joel a convenient way to approach Blake. He made it no secret that he wanted to learn from him and possibly play together. Admitting his own shortcomings, Joel promised to follow Blake’s lead. Yet, he also wanted to know Blake’s plans. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

"I’ll just do my own thing... hopefully it works out so I can quit this job," Blake said.

"I want to make big money in the game too! Invest it... open a huge savings account so I’m set for life! I did a bit of research..." Joel said, sounding like he knew what he was talking about.

Blake didn’t know much about investments, so Joel suddenly seemed quite knowledgeable.

Although their homes were close to the mall, the two stopped at a playground and sat on a bench. Joel did most of the talking—mostly about himself.

He was in a situation similar to Blake’s. Joel had no friends to hang out with since everyone else was either working or studying. Even if they played the same game, they rarely made time for him; they preferred hanging out with coworkers or classmates.

Joel had never been good at school—his personal bane—which prompted him to start working at sixteen. He believed it was the best move for him at the time. Unfortunately, it landed him in a minimum-wage job, scraping by on low pay. Even so, he stayed optimistic, convinced he’d find a breakthrough in the gaming world. And if that didn’t happen, he’d come up with something else later.

"Check out these beta testers, mate," Joel said, taking out his phone to show Blake several well-known beta testers who thrived in both the beta and official releases. "There are Houses—like alliances—once you clear the tutorial zone. On our server, three main Houses each have guilds led by beta testers. Mr. Alan is in The House Of Order, which dominates thirty percent of the server’s lands and is mostly human. Then there’s The House Of Peace, which holds a similar share but with more diverse races, like dwarves!"

He tapped on The House Of Peace and showed a guild called No Respawn. One of its prominent members was someone Blake knew well.

"They’ve got the main healer of Cerberus—Feather Butterfly," Joel pointed out.

A cold gust passed by.

"I heard she’s been complaining a lot," Joel added.

’That’s unlike her,’ Blake thought. "I wonder why."

"No clue. Only her guild seems to know," Joel said. "The last one is The House Of War. They’re a motley bunch—humans and different races—itching for conflict. Have you decided which house you’ll join? It’s worth it for the perks."

Joel would likely avoid The House Of Order out of jealousy toward Mr. Alan, while Blake wanted to steer clear of Feather Butterfly, nudging him away from The House Of Peace. Then again, it was impossible to avoid everyone from his previous guild; he was sure at least one member was in each House. Worrying too much over it was probably pointless. Besides, the dwarves were affiliated with The House Of Peace, and he definitely wanted to visit their lands eventually.

Blake shook his head. "I’m not planning to leave the tutorial zone anytime soon."

"I wish we could meet there and play together! Maybe the matchmaking will line us up!" Joel said with a laugh.

His words reminded Blake of a ticket he’d received for one of the tutorial zones. He could use it to drop into Joel’s zone and clear a few dungeons with him.

By now, Blake recognized Joel’s potential. The man paid close attention to his advice during their shifts, always asking questions.

’It might not hurt to have him as a teammate,’ Blake thought. Joel might also teach him a thing or two about socializing.

After some thought, Blake decided to take the plunge.

"All right, we can meet in your tutorial zone," he said. "Add me as a friend."

"Sure! What’s your nickname?" Joel asked, visibly excited.

Blake answered, "Superbia."

Joel’s phone slipped from his grip as his eyes flew open in shock.

A wave of anxiety washed over Blake, stronger than anything he’d felt in the last year.