Absolute Craft-Chapter 83: Anonymous House (2)

Chapter 83: Anonymous House (2)

<Welcome to A Birchshade Village(0-15)>

Because Blake had visited this tutorial zone before, he could return anytime without another ticket. In other words, he had cleared the checkpoint and was now free to come here whenever he wished.

He appeared in a simple shirt and pants, wearing the uncomfortable boots he had received on his first day. Yet, from the neck up, he looked unchanged—his face was still masked.

It was a newly designed mask meant to attract less attention. It only covered Blake’s eyes and held his brown hair pulled back, completely altering his hairstyle. When he’d asked Beatrix for her opinion, she’d nodded without hesitation. She must have liked it.

The fact that Joel took so long to recognize him, even with the mask, said something, too—although it was likely due to Blake’s usual appearance in full armor, making his current casual attire quite unexpected.

"I didn’t recognize you, big bro!" Joel said. "Since you didn’t change your avatar, you really should hit the gym! Haha!"

"You too," Blake replied.

Joel grinned. "That’s why we’re going to the sports park this weekend!"

He had planned this pep talk ever since Blake told him they’d be meeting today. Joel was eager to go, determined to ensure Blake joined him. Little did he know Blake viewed this as a challenge—and had no intention of backing down.

Before long, their conversation returned to the game world.

"I’ve figured out how the NPCs got here," Joel said.

Because these tutorial zones evidently had more depth than people realized, Blake wanted to know how the NPCs were faring. None seemed overly concerned about The Rotten Leviathan’s resurrection; they continued running their villages as usual.

"How?" Blake asked.

Joel smirked. "They got a system prompt!"

In other words, a window had popped up, letting them open shops or even establish a village for player respawns. It was a lucrative chance, so many NPCs seized it.

Vargar had also mentioned that he was told he’d meet a specific player in Blake’s tutorial zone—namely, Blake himself. He must have stumbled on the zone or received the system prompt some other way. That hinted at a route leading to Blake’s land somewhere.

Blake mulled it over. His new mask, styled like a fox festival mask, gave him a menacing look whenever he narrowed his gaze. Joel swallowed nervously, standing ready to help.

Blake shook his head, deciding he’d only worry about it if someone actually uncovered the path to his home.

"There are two things I need to do before we join the guild," Blake said, catching Joel’s attention.

Only then did Joel realize Blake was alone. He didn’t have his little companion or the lady of the house lurking in his shadow, nor was he wearing armor.

He wanted to avoid attracting unnecessary notice.

"Why the mask, bro?" Joel asked.

Blake shrugged. "You’ll find out eventually."

Joel mulled it over, then assumed Blake had botched his avatar. Whatever the real story was, Joel saw no need to pry—he’d learn soon enough.

Before long, they entered a modest clothing shop where a handful of players spent their hard-earned copper on basic gear. Across from the entrance, an old man sat behind the counter, reading a newspaper and puffing on a worn pipe. He wore a small black hat.

Blake walked up and stated his request. "Good afternoon. I need two robes, preferably black, to hide our identities."

"Oh? Dis’ so straightforward that I’m intrigued," the old man sneered, letting his pipe rest between his lips.

Blake smiled. "I’d rather not beat around the bush on something so important. If you have anything that offers extra anonymity, I’m willing to pay more."

The old man laughed, rolling up his newspaper and slipping it beneath the counter. Standing, he rummaged through his storage, then returned with two long black robes that almost dwarfed his small frame.

He dropped them onto the counter and sat back down. "Have a look. You players don’t need to worry about exact sizes—your inventory systems handle that."

Blake thought, ’Actually... I never considered that.’

He’d been taking measurements for Beatrix, while all she could do was store her equipment in her system—something akin to a player’s. Even so, he preferred precise sizing to craft perfect pieces with fine details.

<A Raven Robe (Uncommon) (Durability: 100/100) (1 Skill)>

<+10 DEX, +10% Movement Speed>

<Raven’s Night (Uncommon) (Passive)—increases your movement speed by 500% at night outside combat. The passive ends immediately when you deal or receive damage.>

He had come here to buy robes for himself and Beatrix so they could move around town discreetly. Not only did he fulfill that aim, but he also stumbled on quite a gem. This item might prove handy!

"I’ll take them," Blake said. "Know a good leatherworker around here? I’ve got a valuable item that needs some tweaking."

Puffing on his pipe, the old man licked his lips. "Ye."

In a different shop, Blake met a middle-aged man. He showed him the Winter Scabbard, an epic item and the final part of his White Oni set. Once made usable, it might grant Blake an extra skill and solid stat boosts.

As soon as he touched it, the man exclaimed, "Excellent workmanship and quality!"

Blake wanted him to reshape the scabbard’s design to align with his katana. When the man asked to see it, Blake performed a swift trick, producing Oni’s Avalanche in the blink of an eye.

Its sudden appearance seemed to chill the air. The blade’s blue hue suggested it had been forged from something akin to eternal ice. The instant the man gazed into its unusual blade, he heard a roaring presence gnawing at his psyche. A proud beast, akin to a white lion, demanded a home—and wouldn’t accept no for an answer.

"As you wish," the man murmured, trembling.

<Oni’s Avalanche (Katana) (Legendary) (Att: 110–280) (Durability: 277/300) (5 Skills) (1 Enchantment)>

"I’ll do my utmost," the leatherworker added.

This formidable weapon deserved 110% of his attention!