Resurgence Of The Rogue Blacksmith

Raphael licked his lips as he gazed at the stunned Aged Wild Boar.

'I got chased around by a Level 1 Uncommon Beast? Ha-hah! So this is what it's like to complain about a free meal!' he thought with elation, his lips curling up, as he angled himself up.

The Thief was in a sorry state. His gray hair was messy and clinging to his face from the sweat, a few dead leaves and branches having made their way into it. Raphael ran his hand through his hair, trying to get rid of the annoyances.

'Feels like I needed just a few more rolls and I would have been the proud owner of a nest-like hat,' he joked, as his eyes examined the state of his equipment. Even without actually fighting, the clothes on his back seemed a bit coarser. His cloak, in particular had lost its left edge somewhere along the way. Thankfully, an item's durability did not affect the bonuses it gave, unless it dropped down to zero.

The rusty dagger was embedded in the ground next to him. As he reached down and tugged at it, Raphael's gaze was locked onto the still-unconscious monster. He was blessing his lucky stars, as this was the best outcome he could have hoped for.

Fate was a fickle thing, and in most cases for anything good that happened to a person, an equivalently bad thing would also occur. This was part of the mentality that the Origo developers had taken, when they had been brainstorming the mechanics of the game. There must be balance, whether in the path of the individual or that of the kingdom they inhabited, otherwise there would be stagnation. Hence, every time a player had a fortuitous encounter, he would soon after be met with tough challenges - whether in the form of near-impossible quests, overpowered monsters popping out of thin air or even bounties being offered for his head for no apparent reason.

Most people would be greatly disheartened by such events and this was what was considered the dividing line between casual and professional gamers. In his previous life, Raphael had often wondered what amazing thing he had received to be followed so closely by bad luck. Yet, despite that, he never really complained, as nothing was insurmountable and every cloud had a silver lining.

Having a bounty on one's head would be daunting, until one realized the opportunities it offered. Most often evil organizations and clans would be the culprit, so players would receive chain quests in order to save themselves, which offered bountiful rewards. In much the same way, fearsome monsters would allow one to better their skills, while tough quests would reveal information that is more valuable than all of the loot and experience in the world.

This was why Raphael was currently elated. He knew very well that he would encounter a dangerous event on his way to the beginner's village, even more so as he had found the dull c.h.e.s.t. Yet, even with how good his luck had been, he had at most expected a Level 0 or maybe, just maybe, a Level 1 Common Monster. An Uncommon Beast was akin to fields filled with succulent corn, ready to be boiled and eaten with p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e!

Raphael removed the cloak and threw it to the side, tensing his muscles as he prepared himself mentally for the fight. The difference of a single level was not to be underestimated, especially when he was against an Uncommon - an existence that had far better attributes than a monster of the same level.

His lithe figure, although a bit on the scrawny side, was revitalized by the prospect of gains. In the blink of an eye, he dashed towards the Aged Wild Boar, the air whistling by his ears. As he came within a meter of the beast, Raphael jumped forward, clutching the dagger's handle with both hands.

Without warning, as he was sailing through the air, the boar underneath him clambered up, its crimson eyes still unfocused. A frown appeared on Raphael's face, as he realized that his perfect plan was now twice harder. He had wanted to quickly dispatch the boar, while it was still in a Stunned state.

"IN FOR A PENNY…," he yelled, as his feet landed on the boar's back, a grotesque crunch sounding out. The Aged Wild Boar collapsed, clearly injured from the weight that had hit against its spine, but somehow it was still alive. The haze in its eyes seemed to dissipate, as it angrily turned its head around and snapped its jaws at Raphael's feet. Its tusks were long and sharp, and would easily be able to puncture a feeble human.

Raphael jerked to the side, cautious of the teeth aimed at his calf. The content smile that had plastered itself to his face was suddenly exchanged with a look of pain, as he registered an excruciating pain in his arm.

Blood was seeping out of his left forearm, which was somehow nicked by the boar's tusks. Raphael hastily escaped to the side, tearing away a part of his left sleeve and tying it around his arm. His HP had fallen down to 62, just from a glancing shot!

'Stupid Raffy! You're a Thief now, not a darn Paladin, stop trying to attack it as if you're a damn tank!' The Aged Wild Boar was still attempting to get up, as the Thief chastised himself.

His right hand, still holding the dagger, flew into his pocket and he pulled out a ration bar, gulping it down in a second. He was currently in a Combat state, so any food he ate would have its effect reduced by 80%. On top of that, it would take twice as long for the rations to do their magic. Despite that, he unhesitatingly ate it, as it would restore 10HP within the next 20 seconds.

Droplets of blood seeped into the ground, as they cascaded down his forearm and dribbled off his fingers. Raphael felt that his left hand had grown weaker.

The boar was even worse for wear. It had tried to stand up a couple of times and failed to do so, its back injury being more than its body could take. It laid in the same spot, grunting as it chomped towards Raphael.

The Thief hesitated for a few moments, trying to see whether the beast was faking its injury, but he quickly gave up on the idea. He had grown used to the spectacular intelligence of higher-leveled monsters, but this was just an ordinary Level 1 Uncommon Beast. It relied on its instincts and had no thought patterns whatsoever. If it saw a yummy little Human prancing around its domain, of course it would go and have a bite. If it was uninjured, it would not bother with wasting time.

Dagger in hand, Raphael approached the lying boar, carefully maneuvering himself towards its back. While it could not stand up, its tusks and head still had a degree of mobility, and he would prefer not to be further injured. With a swift swing of his arm, the dagger lodger itself deep into the boar's neck, a final cry leaving its throat as its body spasmed. With a sudden twist of the handle, the dagger tore through the cervical vertebrae, severing the connection between the boar's brain and body.

Its spasms ended as abruptly as they had started, the boar now finally out of its misery.

Raphael sighed, as he leaned on the remnants of the nearby tree. His body felt as heavy as lead. Even a lucky and short fight like this one was more than he could handle.

A chime rang out, as a notification popped up.

▸▹▸ Congratulations! You have leveled up! ◂◃◂