Biter

“Just a single gauntlet?” The apron toting blacksmith(?) behind the counter asked. Setting whatever book she was reading down, the elf lady leans forward to the strange redhead.

“Well, just for now, I don’t have much worth of money, probably 5 silvers after today?” Bloodied, disgusting, and slightly wounded is the redheaded copperplate.

“You’re Ito Jella’s friend right?”

Cringing, Sebas makes a complex expression when approaching the question, “I wouldn’t say… friend friend…”

The elf laughs softly, “The name is Jenva Fayeth.”

“Sebas…” the boy says, blushing slightly. “Anyway, do you reckon a gauntlet with sharp fingers, like claws or horns could be done?”

“Well…” the elf says, before a loud thud from the door behind the counter brings the attention to an extremely short and stout dark skinned male with graying black hair.

“Oh, Gis, you gotta stop with the forge’s temperature…” Jenva says, licking a pair of fingers, putting out a few small fires smoldering on the dwarf’s head.

“What’s this pebble want?”

“He wants something, kind of unique?”

“Kind of unique how?”

“Gauntlet for stabbing instead of protecting.” Sebas says, interrupting the couple(?).

The dwarf sizes the young human adventurer, looking over the entirety of his body, the dwarf goes around the counter with a hand on his chin, Sebas looks over the small man.

He holds a toolbelt around a pair of thick faded brown pants. Large white apron that’s completely charred and covered with soot, while his upper body is ridiculously muscular, his lower body is a rotund mess in comparison. Despite appearances, the man wears a golden merchant plate.

“Your arms are too short for a proper hand weapon to reach your enemies, plus your hands are simply so small that holding a dagger would outdo your reach entirely. You appear sickly and atrophied from something, and I cannot recommend such a weapon.”

Sebas seems eerily distraught at the man’s words. “So, what should I do then, I can’t exactly use a sword, out of everything I have, I thought a gauntlet would be cheapest to use and modify.”

“Well… it isn’t one of the most popular things to modify… how old are you?”

“16, 17 in a week’s time.”

“Oho, so this isn’t all the mighty human race has to offer?”

The elf speaks out to her… husband? “Don’t be mean about the boy, half the things said were rude, some of which he cannot help.”

“The facts don’t care, the boy’ll die if he goes into close combat fights.”

“I’ve been in plenty of fights, thugs, rabbits, shopkeepers, and the like.”

“Oh? Is that right? You think that makes you special, boy?”

“Gis!” The elf yells, in shock at her… acquaintance?

“Are you two married?”

Silence fills the room, an awkward moment brought on by a child’s curiosity.

A boisterous laughter sounds from the dwarf, who yells, “d’ye’really just ask something so controversial? A dwarf and an elf? Me ancestors would be digging outta their own graves!”

The elf smiles softly, while the dwarf whispers to Sebas, “between you and me lad, the answer is no, for now”

“Oh.” Says the dull adventurer.

“Come with me now, let’s see if we can’t do nothing about yer petty little arms.”

Sebas is practically dragged by the back of his shirt by the large handed dwarf, the elven lady mouths the word “sorry” as he begins to go limp and start sighing.

“Why are you wrapping a ribbon around my arm?” Sebas asks, while trying to hold still.

“Why’s an uninformed kid know what a ribbon is but not what a measuring tool is?” The dwarf says without batting an eye.

“Why?”

“‘Cause your hands are small, if you wore one of my gauntlets, your hands would be crushed… or it would fall off…”

“Oh.”

The old dwarf wrote a few lines down every different measurement, sometimes squinting at Sebas. He flipped to a new page, writing some sort of list.

10x Steel Shelled Locust Exoskeleton

50x Gigarat Claws, Fangs OR 5 Alpha Horned-Rabbit Horns.

5 Horned-Rabbit Pelts OR 1 Gigarat Broodmother Pelt

“What’s this?”

“That’s yer shopping list, if you don’t have the money, bring me 10 silver and all of that.”

“7 silver”

“I should beat your ass.”

“8 silver…”

After being thrown face first out of the shop, Sebas makes his way to the guild, staring at the piece of paper.

Strange materials, most alien to him, he figured that the strange merchant would be the best individual for a guide to the strange world of unknown materials.

“..-ow sir! For a level-less adventurer, you’re surely a cut above the crop! All of your stats are equivalent to one at an additional 2 levels!” A guildmaiden says to a black haired adventurer that holds the back of his head in embarrassment… humility?

Surely, you are joking? So what, the kid got some trait to give him better stats, Sebas thought, waste of a trait if you ask me, fighting monsters is enough to get you a ton of stat points.

[No free stat points available.]

You hush

Sebas’ staring caught the eye of the favored child of today’s celebration. The strange boy, who bears no airs of nobility, smiles at Sebas. Sebas, compelled by the boy’s inadequacy, slings his head up in a nod, recognizing the boys strange greeting.

“Ito, look at this.”

“Yes yes…. Very good, I'll give you 2 coppers for this customer!” The silver bastard claims the price with no shame.

“You leech, no I need it, I need these things!”

“Oho, a shopping list, I see…” a quick glance over takes a time for a single moment before the silver haired merchant wrings his hands once again, a horrible smile screams “free money.”

“Yes, yes… yes! Dear customer, delightful.” He says, pulling out a small tool, seemingly made of beads, even holding a small scale atop. Loud clacks smack back and forth go in and out as a magical sack is infiltrated by the merchant’s hand, an entire dog-sized insect carcass, along with random pieces of monster materials.

Sebas looks down at the merchant, and the black-haired wannewbie adventurer with the “hot status window”. The strange boy even pokes the tip of a rabbit horn, gaining a slap on the wrist by the merchant.

“Well customer, the items we don’t have are alpha variant parts, nor broodmother pieces, now the total will bring you to 1 gold, and 20 silver coins… dear customer.”

“ 12 silvers, “ Sebas says, monotonously.

Strangely, the merchants face lights up in a bloody crimson, biting his lower lip, he closes his eyelids and twitches slightly.

“… yes… customer…” the obviously angry merchant says

“Oh really? That would be great if-“

“LIKE HELL I WILL!” Ito Jella screams, startling the newbie, and begins slinging punches at Sebas’ forehead.

Name: Sebas Aren

Species: Human [Lv. 5]

Class: [Unlocked at Level 10]

Strength: 10

Dexterity: 11 (+2)

Constitution: 9

Intelligence: 1

Wisdom: 1

Charisma: 1

Free Stat Points: 0

Skills: [Bite Lv. 2] [Lowest Rank Swordsmanship Lv. 4]

While defending himself from the freakish merchant’s attacks, Sebas collects his information about his God Panel, without much shock, everything is exactly as he expects it.

Holding onto the merchant’s wrists, Sebas looks down at the somewhat shorter human with black hair. “Why are you following me around newbie?”

“Your hair looks amazing! I was wondering if you could teach me as my senior brother!” The bright black pupils of the strange boy lock with the dead black eyes that drastically contrast the fervor.

“No, absolu-“

Sebas looks down at the list of items below, curiosity brought forward by the prospect of future events.

“Hey kid? Have you got a weapon yet?”

“No sir!”

“You want to go with me, why?”

“The nice lady at the guild booth, ms. Raven, told me that you’re the most recent member, but you’re already a copper plate, so you’re surely a great adventurer!”

Sebas, in a most likely exploitative manner, cackles himself as a wicked smile grows onto his face, stopped by a guildmaiden who addresses the two of them.

“Are you two going to become a party, Sebas?”

“How do you know who I am?” Sebas asks the worker.

“That’s ms. Dana, she said she helped you sign up a few days ago”

How does this kid know everything, what is he an (Oracle,) I swear.

“I was considering it, us… newbies have to stick together.” Sebas lied, scratching at the scar on his left cheek.

“Wonderful!” She clapped her hands together, miss Rana? Who are you? People need to introduce themselves formally around here… “I can assist you two with the party process!”

“There is a party process?” Sebas asked.

“Yes, you just have to use the identification stone together, it allows you to connect your windows to each other, and see each other’s information.”

“Neat… come on you, let’s do the party thing.” Sebas says to the ashen boy, dragging him along like everyone else has done to him.

Name: Adam Rynard

Species: Human [Lv. 0]

Class: [Sealed]

Strength: 2

Dexterity: 2

Constitution: 1

Intelligence: 2

Wisdom: 3

Charisma: 2

Free Stat Points: 0

Skills: [Item Box Lv. 1 ]

Traits: (Weapon Mastery ) (Looter)

The vein popping up on his temple makes the guildmaiden uncomfortable, as Sebas begins to sigh for a few seconds straight. He puts his hand forward and speaks. “Nice to make your acquaintance, Adam.”

The starry eyed young plateless adventurer smiles widely and grabs Sebas’ hand, shaking it vigorously before saying “Yes! The same to you Sebas.”