HC: Pacifist | Ch. 281 - Old Acquaintances (Patreon)

Roth's character sheet stretched endlessly.

CHARACTER INFORMATION

Name: Pax

Class: Pacifist

Race: Zoomorph (Human Form)

Profession(s): Broker, lvl. 32 | Ecotailor, lvl. 20 | Light Trapper, lvl. 10

Level: 48

Guild: Ogres

Guild Museum: 

[Black Bear King’s Paw] | +10 strength; +50hp

[Claw of the Fury Falcon] | +10% speed

[Astronomer’s Telescope] | +10 wisdom; +40ep

[Broken Stopwatch] | +5 intelligence; +3% cooldown reduction

[Horomani’s Hammer] | +5% crafting success rate

Guild Flags:

Flag of the Fire Spitters | [Burning Fury]

Flag of the Lava Bear’s Castle | [Magmatic Might]

Flag of the Ruby Scorpions | [Ruby Skeleton]

Pets: Leafies, Lin, Lua

Affinity: Fire (1/100); Darkness (10/100); Light (724/1000); Nature (431/1000)

Alignment: Meek (554/1000)

Positive relationships:

Badgers (2512/8000); Boars (2372/8000); Crocodilians (412/1000); Corvids (2341/8000); Cyborg Union (541/1000); Dogs (572/1000); Dwarves (2201/8000); Flock (260/300); Foxes (2373/8000); Golden Mountain Inc. (1894/2000); Greenleaf Inc. (1831/2000); Hilsford Garrison Soldiers (133/300); Lizards (8000/8000); Moles (569/1000); Moon Garrison of Sapphira (112/300); Moonlight Herd (2013/8000); Oli, the Cat Burglar (151/300); Peace Corps (143/300); Ratans (4895/8000); Silkworms (30/100); Snakes (3421/8000); The Table (63/100); Treeants (2349/8000); White Onyx Inc (612/1000)

Titles: [Alpinist]; [Art Enthusiast]; [All-Nighter]; [Beast Master]; [Creature of the Night]; [Darksbane]; [Dearly Beloved]; [Discoverer of Species]; [Energy Tycoon]; [Entitled]; [Friend of Crocodilians]; [Friend of the Elements]; [Expert]; [Friend of Dwarves]; [Friend of the Herd]; [Grand Explorer]; [Hero of Ages]; [First of a Kind]; [Jumper]; [Lizard Race Patron]; [Marathonist]; [Martyr]; [Microman]; [Mindfulness]; [Omniglot]; [Overachiever]; [Pioneer]; [Richling]; [Single Minded Craftsman]; [Speedster]; [Stat Prodigy]; [Sweatshop Worker]; [Swimmer]; [Thousand]; [Triathlete]; [Weighs a Ton]; [Well-read]; [Wordly Drifter]

STATS

Hp: 2543

Energy: 2413

Damage Reduction: 94%

Status Resistance: 35.6%

Cooldown Reduction: 51%

Running Speed: 633.2%

Weight: [Light] - (90.2/586.5 Kg) (+20%)

STATS

Strength: 251 (+10%)

Dexterity: 211 (+13%)

Intelligence: 279 (+22%)

Wisdom: 248 (+10%)

Endurance: 339 (+27%)

Charisma: 401 (+28%)

Resilience: 131 (+13%)

Insight: 91 (+10%)

Subterfuge: 134 (+10%)

Perception: 87 (+10%)

EQUIPMENT

Right Hand: [Flag of the Woodland] | +10% to all stats; [Blessing of the Green Country];  [Monarchic Grace]

Left Hand: [Flag of the Eight Spires] | +50 strength; +50 resilience; +50 endurance; +200hp; [Hulking Titan], [Toxin Immunity], [Fury of the Eight Spires]

Shoes: Lacertian Boots | +20% movement speed; +3% dexterity; +3% resilience; +10% damage reduction

Bottom: [Lacertian Bottom] +10% to your highest stat; +5% to your second-highest stat; +20% damage reduction; +300 hp. [Chip Slot]; [Chip Slot]

Top: [Lacertian Chest Piece] |+5% cooldown reduction; +10 to your highest stat; +10 to your weakest stat; +10% damage reduction; +500 hp; [Chip Slot]

Gloves: [Lacertian Greaves] | +2% cooldown reduction; +10% damage; +15% crit. chance; +10% damage reduction

Head: [Lacertian Helmet] +3% to your highest stat; +2% to your second-highest stat; +1% to your third-highest stat; +5% status resistance; +100 hp

Cape: [Forest Lambswool Cape] | +1% cooldown reduction; +10 intelligence; +5 charisma; +3% running speed

ACCESSORIES

[Iron Wood Earring] | +8 intelligence; +2% cooldown reduction

[Blue Caterpillar Earring] | +5 subterfuge; +10 wisdom

[Witness Protection Mask]

[Time Berlock Necklace] | +1 to all stats; +5% cooldown reduction; +5% status resistance; +50 hp

[Iron Wood Belt] | +4 intelligence; +4 wisdom; +4% damage reduction; +2% cooldown reduction

[Blue Caterpillar Ring] | +8 subterfuge; +5 intelligence

[Iron Wood Globe Ring] | +8 intelligence; +2% cooldown reduction

SKILLS:

Stat Bonuses: [Beyond the Obvious]; [Bronze Skin]; [Call of the Wild]; [Chita’s Sprint]; [Convincing]; [Copper Bones]; [Eidetic Memory]; [Enthralling]; [Explosive Might]; [Fast Hands]; [Foresight]; [Good Character]; [Inner Light]; [Intuitive]; [Lethal]; [Love for Life]; [Nimble Feet]; [Nimble Hands]; [Perfect Timing]; [Quick Witted]; [Slower Heart Rate]; [Speed of Light];.

Profession Related: [Beaming Eyes]; [Beveling]; [Cart Pulling]; [Convex Alignment]; [Energy Efficiency]; [Exasperate]; [Increased Discount]; [Leeway]; [Linen’s Will]; [Novice Hiring]; [Plenty of Fiber]; [Quadrangular Trap]; [Rib Stitch]; [Saddle Stitch]; [Stockinette Stitch]; [Supplier's Loyalty]; [Tailors Supply Bag]; [Triangular Trap]

Passive: [Blessing of the Green Country]; [Blessing of the Lion King]; [Cobra Slither]; [Farsight]; [Flag Bearer]; [Forest Lambswool Set II]; [Horrific Glow]; [Ratan Sprint]; [Second Wind]; [Taunting Bellow]; [Toxin Immunity]

Active: [Blink Blink]; [Camouflage]; [Fury of the Eight Spires]; [Hulking Titan]; [Inspiration]; [Miniaturize]; [Mouseketeer Dash]; [Peace Decree]; [Peace Treaty]; [Screeching Terror]; [Search]; [Solar Warmth]

He had come a long way since he first started the game. His character sheet had grown so long and complex that he always found a stat bonus he forgot or a title he overlooked. Especially after gaining [Monarchic Grace], which made his attributes scale based on his charisma, his strength had risen to another level.

He opened the details of his new title.

Friend of the Elements (Epic)

Description: Your mind becomes attuned to reality around you.

Effects: You can sense reality.

Conditions to unlock [Friend of the Elements]:

Unlock four affinities.

After eating the ashberry and unlocking fire affinity, he no longer needed element-specific enablers. Thanks to [Friend of the Elements], he could probably learn the next affinities much more easily. He liked the title and the fact that it was epic spoke for its value.

However, he was filthy rich now. The gold he received from players joining the lizard race and his trade route kept pouring in. He also had access to the Ogres’ trade channels and their guild’s vault now. He could easily purchase statboosters with similar effects to [Ashberry] to unlock more affinities. 

That’s why, out of the last several titles he had unlocked since the patch, he preferred two others. The best one, by a mile, was [Omniglot].

Omniglot (Epic)

Title description: You’ve learned so many different languages that, based on your incredible vocabulary and deep-seated knowledge of linguistics, you can extrapolate how to speak all the other.

Title effects:

+5 wisdom;

+5 intelligence;

You can speak all languages;

Voice-related skills are much more effective.

Conditions to unlock [Omniglot]:

Learn ten languages inside the game {complete};

Learn telepathy {complete};

Learn an advanced language {Felinian - complete}

After learning Horsian and Felinian, he unlocked this epic title. He didn’t have to go through the wringer to learn new languages. He could instantly communicate with all factions and gain added charisma with them. That’s how he had befriended the dwarves so quickly. Once he did, he also received another of his favorite new titles.

Friend of the Dwarves (Rare)

Title description: Dwarves have been mistreated and been the target of prejudice from other humans. To tear down those walls and befriend them is impressive.

Effects:

+5% crafting XP from all sources.

Condition to unlock [Friend of the Dwarves]

To reach revered status with the dwarves {complete}.

This title would help him climb in tailoring and lightrapping much faster.

Roth closed his character sheet and opened the rankings instead. He hadn’t climbed one single spot. 

He clicked his tongue. Even after spending his hard-earned reputation points buying the [Lacertian Set], leveling up to 48, including many factions in his peace treaty, and joining the Ogres to gain access to their resources, he still couldn’t climb higher in the ranks. It was becoming harder and harder to progress. What else could he do? How could he grow even stronger?

He tried focusing on Mel’s assurance that he’d be OK and that everything would work out, but that did little to calm his anxious heart.

“You didn’t even ask if I wanted some of that,” Lin’s complaint awoke him from his self-pity. After having Roth ignore him for so long after returning, Lin finally took the initiative to talk to his human.

“Did you?” Roth asked.

Lin looked away.

“My promise still stands. If I find you a fish statbooster, it’s all yours,” Roth assured. “But if it’s a fruit or a vegetable, it’s mine. I need it, Lin. I need to grow stronger.”

“I still don’t get it. I could just pluck all the greenhouses clean alone, you know? I’d even bring you all the fruits. No need to ask for help from the ants,” Lin said, pouting.

Roth glanced over his shoulder toward Lin. After spending a day helping Lua complete her quest and then a few days digging for the Leafies, it looked like Lin was feeling overlooked. Roth walked over to him and patted him gently. “I told you, Lin. Your time will come. You will play an important part in this quest soon.”

That seemed to appease the kitten. 

“I’ll be right back, Lin. I have a meeting with Godsfried and someone from headquarters.”

“Godsfried? Not going. Nyah!” Lin yawned and lay in bed, signaling he would stay here and relax.

“What did he ever do to you?”

“He never plays with me!”

Roth stared helplessly at his brazen kitten. Lin hadn’t liked the dwarf jeweler for some reason. Not even after they did the dwarf quest together did Lin warm up to him. Maybe it was jealousy, but Roth dared not ask his moody pet directly.

“So be it. Rest up, buddy” Sighing, Roth exited the room.

“Good morning, Light trapper!”

“Good morning, Light trapper!” 

“Hello, gentlemen.” Roth greeted the two patrolling dwarves and turned right, heading toward the meeting room where he was expected. Seeing the dwarves back into a city they had carved on the canyon had a beautiful symmetry, and they looked genuinely happier than when he found them in the village in the mountains.

After Red and his friends were unjustly accused of neglecting their work protecting their vault, they were ostracized by the other dwarves and exiled to Green Country. When Roth joined the Ogres and shared his ongoing quests with BlueFire, he immediately contacted Godsfried, who had been stuck on a similar quest for months. Their quests turned out to complement each other. 

They journeyed together to the dwarf village in the mountains. After three days of questing, Roth and Godsfried provided evidence to the dwarves that the theft was part of a series of misunderstandings orchestrated by the slavers to drive a wedge between the different dwarf clans. After clearing the good name of the dwarf exiles, Godsfried’s quest kicked in, and they escorted all the dwarves in the village and those in exile here to Sapphira.

“Light trapper!” 

Hearing the familiar voice, Roth’s face broke into a smile. “Red!” The old dwarf was unrecognizable compared to when he had first met him in the Green Woods. Back then, he had looked impoverished, old, and downcast. But after Roth cleared his name, Red rediscovered his vigor and smile. He now wore exquisitely embroidered silken robes and rode a dark coyote. “I fixed it for you,” Red said, handing over the vacuum maker.

The previous broken and scratched cubical machine was polished and looked as good as new. Roth blinked a few times, surprised. “Already? But I only gave it to you yesterday!”

“Haha. You haven’t spent enough time around us, dwarves. We can’t resist a broken piece of machinery—especially something incredible like this. When my colleagues realized I was working on it, they lined up to help.”

Roth inspected it to find if it was still limited to light traps level ten or lower. The results exceeded his expectations.

Vacuum Maker (Rare)

This machine applies an adhesive over an engraving and sucks the air out of it, creating a vacuum. This machine has been fixed and has regained its full functionalities. With the right precious materials, it can still be improved, though.

Effects:

Can seal light traps level 50 and lower.

“If you can run into some moon titanium, we can make it even better,” Red offered.

“Thank you! This will do for now.”

“I have to go back to work. See you around, friend.”

“Good seeing you, Red.”

Roth checked the time and gasped. He was late. He sprinted past the many passing dwarves and finally reached the meeting room. He opened the door, and the two people in it whirled toward him. 

“I’m sorry, guys! Sorry for keeping you waiting!”

Roth approached Godsfried, the jeweler from the Ogres. Compared to when they first met, not much had changed except for a couple of rings that had received an upgrade. One was a reward for completing the quest they had done together. They shook their hands heartily. “How are you doing, Godsfried?”

“Hi, Pax. As I told you, we’ll have someone else from the guild join the operations here. Meet Galatheel. He’s one of the best craftsmen in the game.”

“I’ve heard a lot about you,” Roth said, smiling. Galatheel was the first player from the Ogres that he had added to the VIP roster of the Union. Since joining the Ogres, he kept hearing praising whispers about this man. Especially after teaming up with Godsfried, Galatheel’s name started coming up in more and more conversations. After all, he was the only other dwarf in their guild.

Galatheel had dark eyes and bushy eyebrows. He wore a large, shiny hammer strapped to his back. The hammer’s head was almost translucent, as if crafted from a diamond. A manta ray that Roth would have assumed could only be found underwater floated next to him. His gear was top-notch, with shiny effects that looked even cooler than his set’s. His plate armor was encrusted with precious gems and had mesmerizing, elegant patterns. 

“Hello, we meet again,” Galatheel greeted.

“I’m sorry. Have we met?”

“You don’t recognize me, Slayer?” Galatheel teased.

Only people who knew him from his time in New Earth addressed him as the Slayer. Roth squinted, trying to identify Galatheel. He had never met a Galatheel before. He was pretty sure he’d remember that name. This player had to use a different tag in New Earth. His physical appearance had no extraordinary features, but something about his demeanor rang a bell in Roth’s memory. He had an air of defiance, and his mouth twisted into a grin as if he was laughing at a joke that no one else could hear.

Roth felt his face redden, and his eyes widened. “J-JackofDiamonds?”

Ch. 280 - 82nd Floor

INDEX

Ch. 282 - Jack of Diamonds