HC:Pacifist | Ch. 72 - RPGs for Dummies (Patreon)

Gary studied his current skill set-up and equipment. To get enough insight to see through the disguise offered by the [Thief’s Mask] Roth was probably wearing, he had to sell some of his rare equipment and was now using common-grade junk.

What infuriated Gary was that he had to delete two of his precious skills to make room for two new passive ones that gave him extra points in his insight. Even with the added skill slots from being a Rogue, deciding which ones to keep and which to toss was a constant struggle.

With his insight being over 100, he had unlocked a new stat bonus that would help him see through most disguises:

Congratulations. Your insight is over 100. You've unlocked a new bonus: [Intuitive].

Intuitive (Stat Bonus)

Bonus description: Your life experience and many battles have given you powerful observation skills that pierce through the shadows of deceit.

Bonus effects: You can see through some disguises.

The worst thing was that some of the money had to be funneled into Xana and Wilson’s characters for them to be able to get a similar bonus. He would rather have them buy their items but had to build goodwill with them. After what had happened with Shirley and Brian, his every decision was met with fierce opposition and distrust.

After they were forced to waste their savings in teleporting between cities, they were all incensed, especially Xana. Whatever. Items could be repurchased, and he could form another team later. What was important now was to figure out Roth’s precise location.

After seeing that Roth was probably a warrior, Wilson was planted in a location that gave him a good view of the entrance to the garrison and the North gate. With Xana’s new drones, her range had been considerably widened, and she kept one drone in range of the auction house and the other in front of the East Gate.

As for Brian, he kept an eye out for the South Gate. With this, they had the three main gates of the city covered and the two most likely locations to find Roth. Even if he got someone else to do his shopping for him, there was no way he could stay away from the fortress for long. Whenever he went to turn in a quest or left the city to hunt, they would find him and end this once and for all.

*

In the academic district, the air quality was significantly better than in the slums or the commercial district. After spending so much time down here, Roth had found the time to come up with different theories as to why even the stench of the sewers below a district was testimony to the social stratification of the city above.

Perhaps it was a purely technical explanation. Some rivers upstream were diverted into canals below the city to push the sewers down until they again met the river downstream. The closest upstream the sewage was, the cleaner and the less smelly. Or perhaps, it resulted from the Raviolis constantly ordering Mario to clog the sewers that served their enemies. It was Most likely just a random decision made during game development.

Roth was almost finished with an exploration of the sewers under the Garrison. He heard the now familiar scraping sound with the powerful rhythmic clank and felt Constance, the constrictor guiding him, tensing and squeezing more powerfully in his coil.

"It's OK. Don't be scared," he tried to say, Roth, even though Constance was squeezing him.

"Are you sssure?"

"Yes, they won't attack you while you're with me."

Soon enough, the familiar drone came hovering in from around the corner, detecting Roth and Constance. Came closer, shooting beams of light that scanned them from top to bottom. Roth's scanner started beeping and soon the drone stopped and turned the other way.

"You see? Nothing to be afraid of!" The coil relaxed and Roth was able to take deep breaths again.

When Mario gave Roth a scanner, he also gave him an ID chip. He installed it into the scanner before giving it to Roth. New Earth equipment had slots that could be fitted with gems giving bonuses to equipment. It was remarkable that in AstroTerra, technologically more advanced equipment received bonuses from being fitted with chips.

After discovering this, he immediately checked his equipment to check how many slots would be filled. To his surprise, none of his equipment had slots. Roth presumed that either meant that his equipment was all a pile of crap or that this feature became more available as players advanced in level. After all, there was no point in spending money upgrading a piece of equipment you'd only use for half a day. As levels increased and the time between each level-up became longer, Roth guessed this feature became much more helpful.

"I think I've got everything I need from here, Constance. Thank you for keeping me company."

The snake slithered down and jumped into the canal, disappearing under the murky water. With this, Roth's exploration of the sewers under slums, the academic district, and the garrison was complete. He checked his map. It was sitting at 71%. All that was left was the commercial district. But it was time to start the day, so he turned toward the slums.

After Drake had come to join him in Hilsford, Roth's life had settled into a well-established routine. Since there was no sleeping or waking time, and he was out of touch with the sun in the 'upworld', as the sewer-inhabitants called the surface, for Roth, his day started when he met Drake for a briefing at Mario's lab.

He went to one of the most discreet entrances to Mario's lab and waited for a few minutes, trying to see if anyone was looking. When he was sure the coast was clear, he went to the hidden platform, searched for the lever, activated the elevator, and came to the lab.

Drake was already there, waiting for him.

"Hi there, Lil' Roth."

"Hey, Drake. How are things?"

"Well, I've been chiefly down here studying and reading on different things. I've bought a few more guides I'll share later."

"I've been meaning to ask you... where did you get all that gold you've been throwing at the forums?" Drake kept methodically polishing the cog in front of him with one hand.

"It was a donation."

"A donation?"

"Your friend Brian was kind enough to give me all his equipment and gold." Roth gulped. How had Drake convinced him to pull that off?

"Voluntarily?" Drake flashed him a warning glance.

"Of course!" Roth believed him. Drake had a silver tongue when he wanted to. He wasn't sure of how he did it, but he could talk people into doing anything. He wasn't sure if he used guilt, threats, logic, or sincerity, but he'd seen him accomplish impossible things with that silver tongue of his.

One time a warden had given him a beating. It had been in the beginning of Roth's journey with the rageaholics and it had taken every ounce of energy in his being to not beat the man into a pulp. When he showed up for the next meeting and Drake saw what the warden did to him, he told Roth not to worry.

After the following week, the warden was nowhere to be seen. When Roth asked around, other prisoners told him that the warden had resigned and had decided to change careers. After digging a little deeper, a few prisoners reported seeing Drake speak to him at different times during the week. When Roth asked him if he was the one that made the warden resign, all he said was, We just talked.

He wondered what Drake said to Brian, but that was unimportant.

"Thanks. Please mail them to me. You can never have too much information."

"Ready to start our briefing?"

What Drake called a briefing was more of a RPGs for dummies lesson. Drake was a brilliant man, but he was utterly clueless about how to play an MMORPG. He'd never been much in gaming, and he had been in prison almost as long as Roth was alive.

Although it presented an interesting challenge, and it felt good to speak to a friend and share his knowledge and experience with him, things quickly became frustrating.

"...four basic classes. Warriors, Rogues, Medics, and Espers."

"But why do I even want a class?"

"They give you bonuses and access to better skills and equipment."

"Do you have a class?"

"Uhh... no."

"Then why do I need one?" Roth slapped his forehead. He had never thought he would see a day in which he had to explain to someone what a stat was, what XP points were, and the difference between a passive skill and an active skill.

"How did you even get to level 10?" asked Roth, exasperated

"I paid someone to lift me with Brian's money."

"Carry. Carry you!" corrected Roth.

"Fine. I paid someone to carry me. I told him what I wanted to do; they helped me to reach level 10 and then showed me to the teleport gate. They also taught me how to use the map and compass. That's how I got here."

"Harmless! Those tools won't clean themselves!" protested Mario from the side. Roth didn't know how he did it, but Drake had unlocked some weird questline with Mario. He kept giving him little tasks like polishing drones, cleaning tools, or passing him components as he repaired things. When Roth had asked Drake how he'd done it, Drake shrugged.

"He just asked me how I lost my arm. When I told him, he started giving me little jobs. I don't know why." Roth wondered if there was some empathy on the part of the alligator. After all, he, too, was missing one of its arms.

Roth was kind of happy about it. Drake still had much to learn about the game before making himself useful. Roth shuddered at the thought of sending him to the auction house right now to buy stuff for him because of how clueless about the game he was.

"Any news on the Sargeant?" asked Drake.

"He's trying to get here but chose a city on the other side of the woods. It will take him a few days to travel to get out here."

"Better return to work or the old cyborg won't stop pestering me. Be careful on your trip."

"I will. I should be back in a couple of days. We'll stay in touch."

"Before I forget, here. Your mom sent you this."

The best part of getting back in touch with someone on the outside was that Roth could start exchanging letters with his mom again. Drake had her write emails, copied them to in-game, and forwarded them to Roth.

Dear Roth,

I'm so happy to hear you're OK. Oh baby, what they've done to you. How could they do that to you? I want you to know that your friend, Drake, is taking good care of us. He keeps us well-organized and ensures we don't raise any suspicions about that awful man doing this to us.

I'm sorry I can't help you over there, honey. I'm sure that we'll find a way out of this. Drake has told me that the nice man who sent me a letter is also willing to help you. Don't lose hope, and don't compromise on your principles! Stick to who you've learned to be, and make your papa proud.

Your brothers say hi. You will love to meet your nephew once you're out of there.

With love,

Mom

Every day, Roth sent his mother a letter and got one back. He'd often take it out and read it at different times of the day. He felt like a thirsty man in the desert being given a cool glass of fresh water. Being able to talk to his mom, even if only indirectly, felt like little flakes of snow cooling down the flames of despair consuming his heart.

Roth finished reading the letter and let a tear roll down his cheeks. The fact that his mother had said his father would have been proud of him meant a lot to him.

"That's not shiny enough! And only having one arm is no excuse!"

Roth's thoughts were interrupted as the alligator cyborg chastised Drake, who stoically kept polishing the tools with only one hand. He chuckled and, checking his map, marked the entrance to the sewers closest to the Soros merchant association. It was time to prepare things and leave.

Ch. 71 - Toilet Diving

INDEX

Ch. 73 - Bad Feeling