Absolute Craft-Chapter 58: Evolution (2)

Chapter 58: Evolution (2)

Finally, people stopped pestering Blake about his pet. Some had the bright idea to invite him into their parties for leveling, but that clashed with his plans—plans he couldn’t abandon because of Joel’s shortcomings.

Stepping away from the respawn point, the group of four (with Joel still oblivious to Beatrix hiding in Blake’s shadow) ventured down the main road of Birchshade Village.

True to its name, the village was built atop birch-type trees, their bark patterned with black tiger stripes. To avoid looking like a hidden ninja stronghold, the villagers polished their wooden homes until they had a pale sheen that stood out against the lush forest background.

Enclosing the village were towering Birchshade Trees in full bloom, some rising above the stone walls like natural watchtowers. High overhead, the sun shone brightly, suggesting this region was enjoying a warm summer.

The main street bustled with activity. Blake saw players haggling with NPCs, as well as residents advertising their wares—valuable resources, gear, and tasty food that players couldn’t find in their real world.

The newly formed team made a beeline for the alchemist’s shop.

Inside, an old lady sat behind the counter with another player by her side. She greeted Blake—encased in dark armor—with a warm smile as he stepped in.

"Looks like we have a special visitor today."

Blake returned the smile with a polite nod. "I’d like a full stack each of health, stamina, and mana potions."

"Certainly," the old lady said.

Right on cue, the player next to her opened her system menu, connected to the shop’s storage, and withdrew three stacks of potions, all neatly packaged.

"Oh my, is that a little dragon? How adorable!" the player exclaimed, noticing Sol squirming beneath Blake’s arm, clearly eager to fight monsters. He was definitely not interested in her cooing.

Blake suppressed a sigh.

This time, though, the NPC stepped in. "Please, don’t disturb our customer."

Hearing the firmness in her voice, the other player backed off, more concerned with her own quest than with Sol.

After thanking the old lady, Blake turned on his heel and left the shop.

Immediately, Joel started talking again. "Sol draws so much attention."

He paused and glanced over his shoulder before catching up. Lowering his voice, he informed Blake that someone was following them, likely looking for a player kill.

Having experienced his share of stalking and ambushes, Blake barely batted an eye at the news. He was more intrigued by how Joel noticed their pursuers so easily.

"I’m not sure," Joel said. "I can just feel it when someone watches me with dislike or bad intentions."

Blake looked at Joel’s floating nickname and narrowed his eyes. "No doubt, ’The Chosen One.’"

Joel let out a sheepish chuckle.

For all his talk about legendary treasures and being ’the chosen one,’ Joel showed genuine promise. The longer he spent with Blake, the more natural skill he revealed—suggesting he might grow quickly.

"You ever kill anyone in this game?" Blake asked.

Joel nodded. "Yeah, I did."

Some players struggled even with killing monsters, let alone other players. It often boiled down to personality or psychology. Blake was relieved Joel didn’t need coaching on that front and could enjoy the game as intended.

Before long, Blake’s team left the village behind, venturing into a forest teeming with monsters and players. So many, in fact, that finding a quiet spot felt like hunting for a needle in a haystack.

No wonder players in this zone quickly resorted to fighting each other.

Within five minutes, Blake and Joel found themselves surrounded by ten players. Leading them was the same man who’d once offered a million dollars for Sol. He didn’t look like a frontline fighter—more like someone who stayed in the back, giving orders.

Standing behind his tank seemed to confirm that impression.

"Sure, your armor’s fancy," he sneered, "but our gear is from the Abandoned Village dungeon, up to level fifteen. With our numbers, it’s better for you to accept my offer and hand over that pet."

Blake turned slightly and said, "I’ll handle eight of them. You take one by yourself. Don’t try anything fancy—just stick to the basics: thrust, cut, slash."

"Got it!" Joel said, his faith in Blake unshakable.

Before Joel could blink, Blake vanished. He reappeared in front of the arrogant man, propelled by Prideful Step. Channeling the momentum into his katana, he drove the blade into the man’s stomach, slicing through armor and deep into flesh.

The dash’s force carried both of them forward until the man was pinned against a tree, feet dangling helplessly as Blake lifted the blade.

Spinning around, Blake left the katana embedded like a nail and caught Sol, who landed beside him. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Cradling his little dragon, Blake shouted, "DRAGON’S BREATH!"

Sol’s jaws gaped wide, unleashing a torrent of solar-hot flames at the nearby tanks. Their faces were engulfed in a blinding inferno, preventing any immediate counterattack.

When the rest converged, Blake simply swung Sol in their direction, spraying another stream of flames. Capitalizing on their confusion, Blake tossed Sol upward and dashed in with precise kicks to shins and faces.

He couldn’t officially ’stun’ them in MMO terms, but in such an immersive game, real-world logic still applied.

"He’s playing with us! Stun him!" one of them howled.

"I can’t see him!" another shouted.

"He’s behind that tree, you morons!" their leader roared, still pinned.

At his words, Blake and Sol peeked around the trunk, unleashing another blaze that tore through the enemy ranks.

It wasn’t about damage. It was about pride...

After all, Blake and his little pet were simply toying with them!

Meanwhile, Joel turned to face his own opponent. He wanted to watch Blake’s plan from up close, but he couldn’t afford to disappoint him either. He had to earn his place next to Blake! To achieve this goal, he focused as much as he could—even more than he had ever done before. No fancy movements, just the raw basics Blake had taught him!