Chapter 4
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Once again, Jake was left alone inside the empty house. This time, he had a plan in mind. He, too, followed after Ethel's footsteps and walked out of the house. He breathes in the somehow familiar air of Earth and put on a smile.
Jake's university was the Tokyo University, a famous university in Japan. He started living in Japan because of his mother's influence. The young woman was a die-hard fan of Japanese animation and decided to move out of her country, solely to learn more about the country, known as Japan.
The terrain of the country has changed a lot from what he remembered. Fortunately, he owned a cell phone with a GPS function. The keyword was entered on the search engine of the application and showed the location of the university. It was unexpectedly close, around a 30-minutes walk from his current position.
The streets were filled with people walking. Some wore a standard white collar shirt while some wore middle-ages clothing, a scale armor and such. They were walking towards a single direction.
Soon, Jake arrived at the university's gate. A resolute expression appeared on Jake's face as entered the premise.
"Jake!"
An abrupt shout, calling out his name, came from behind him. It was a familiar and nostalgic voice to him.
Jake turned around with a smile. He was nervous and excited at the same time to see his two best friends after years. The appearance of the duo made him sigh in relief while waving his hands towards the two. Their respective action and gaze were greatly similar to what he remembered.
"Yo! Lee, Kana"
Lee's appearance doesn't have any difference from Jake's photo. His standard hairstyle, combined with his black hair could cause anyone to mistake him for someone else. Luckily, he had a handsome face which was hard to forget even if one wanted to. Lee's build was similar to Jake's but contained a bit more muscle.
Besides Lee, Kana had a gentle smile on her oval face. Her black hair was tied into a ponytail, revealing her pure white nape. She held a book in her left hand, resting it on her body as a support.
Both of their eyes showed a hint of teasing as they walked towards Jake's position.
"Did you wake up with a hangover yesterday?"
Lee slapped Jake's shoulder while asking.
"No…?"
"Stop lying! You got so drunk last time! You even went inside a fried chicken restaurant to ask if they sold a laptop in their shop before losing consciousness. Really! Lee and I have to carry you home"
"Eh… really? I didn't remember anything"
It was the truth. Jake didn't have any recollection of that incident. It may be a different 'Jake' that have interacted with Lee and Kana of this Earth. The thoughts made him wonder about what happened to the 'Jake' of this Earth. Did he just vanish?
"Damn right! You should be thankful to us."
Kana nodded her head in affirmation to Lee's sentence.
"So? What are you doing here? It's still the holiday"
"I'm here to request my resignation. You?"
Jake's nonchalant answer left Lee and Kana's speechless. The content of his sentence was too shocking for both of them. Their eyes turned wide as they stared at Jake. Kana was the first one to regain her composure.
"What? You're going to drop out? Why?!"
"Hm… I want to try to start a business. A shop, like a convenience store! Nice idea, right? Haha"
The answer, once again, left the duo speechless. The matter was too sudden and random. They never thought that Jake was capable of taking a huge risk. Kana, was especially gloomy after she heard the reason behind Jake's withdrawal.
"Are you serious?"
"Yeah!"
"Do you know just what kind of place you're heading towards? Do you know what it takes to be successful on that path? Do you have the resolve to put your everything in developing the shop?"
Kana gave out a barrage of questions, which surprises Jake. He never knew that Kana knew so much about the world of business. This might as well be the definitive proof that he was no longer on the Earth he once knew. However, his gaze stayed stern as he gave a positive answer.
Kana gave a slight frown like something was bothering her. Silence descends between the three of them. Lee was placed in an awkward position between Jake and Kana.
"L-let's go to a nearby store to talk it out, okay?"
The trio walked towards a family restaurant near their location and sat down after ordering some beverage. Kana still looked a bit conflicted as the awkwardness continued on for some time. Lee tried to salvage the situation by initiating a conversation. However, only Jake had any reaction towards him.
Their orders came, followed by a deep sigh from Kana. The hesitation she had in her eyes was gone and was replaced by a resolute expression, similar to Jake's.
"Jake. Then I'll help you out. However, you have to promise me one thing."
"Yes?"
"Don't be reckless and plan all your actions beforehand. If there's something that bothers you, come and seek our advice. I don't know about Lee, but I could probably help you."
'Oi!' Lee shouted in his heart.
"I also have a friend that needs a job, I'll introduce you to her. Maybe she can help out in the shop. She is currently working as a part-timer, but the pay's not so good and she was prepared to quit at any time. So, do help her out for me. In exchange, I too will help you out in managing the shop. How's that?"
The sudden advice from Kana left Jake perplexed. The shock, once again, came from Kana's broad knowledge of managing a shop. Jake held his impulse to ask Kana as to why she understood so much of the shop's matter. Instead, he gave a nod with a smile on his face. An extra hand was always welcomed.
"Oy oy, don't leave me out! This great Lee will also help! I have a friend that deals with property. I'll ask them if they have any good and cheap place for your shop. You probably haven't got a land yet, right?"
"Ha-ha… Then, I'll trouble you. Thanks, Lee"
The awkward atmosphere left the trio as they began to chat. Their main topic was how to develop the shop and what kind of business Jake intended to do. Jake calmly explained his plan and received the advice from Kana.
From the conversation, Jake could figure out that Kana's knowledge came from her father and mother's influence. She kept on saying 'my father said' or 'according to my mother' to support her claim. However, the identity of Kana's parents was still unknown to Jake. In his memory, Kana's parents owned a bakery. It doesn't explain the knowledge Kana received from them. He will be sure to ask Lee or Ethel about it later on.
"Oh? Look at the time! I've got to go. Jake, don't forget to notify me if there's an update in our plan. Lee, too, hurry and contact that friend of yours."
"Got it!"
Kana left with a smile. Her steps were somehow hurried as she went through the shop's door.
Jake used this chance to asked Lee about Kana's parents. As expected, Lee showed a surprised expression, saying 'you didn't know?'. He explained Kana's circumstances to Jake.
Turned out, Kana's parents was the owner of <Titanium>, a giant glass company that even Jake knew of. Their banner was all over the streets, advertising their products. However, one day, her father was cheated by his trusted partner and gave up most of his share to the company. Enraged, her father was determined to get back what he lost. However, he lost even more in the process. The family now lost their wealth and used the remaining 1% share of the company for a living.
The revelation caused Jake to be enraged. A new determination sprouted from his heart as he vowed to defeat the giant company.
"By the way, aren't you going to the admission office? It's gonna close soon."
"Right! I almost forgot. Let's go!"
Jake approached the cashier to pay for the food. Fortunately, he still got the remaining $50 to pay for the food.
The resignation process was completed without any trouble. As expected, the university required Jake to wait for the refund of his admission fee. Although reluctant, Jake left obediently, hoping for the matter to be settled quickly.
"Lee, how about we go hunting?"
At first, Lee was perplexed but immediately agreed. It was Jake's first time inviting him to go hunting. However, he was a bit worried for Jake as he never set a foot inside a hunting ground before. The attributes he possessed must be on the lower end.
*
The duo soon arrived at their destination, the hunting ground. It was a place called Mt. Odake. The appearance of Mt. Odake was different from what Jake remembered. The mountain was almost as five times as large.
Lee figured that Jake won't have any hunting equipment and brought him into a weapon store nearby.
Jake chose a Japanese Katana as his weapon. Naturally, Lee bought it for him since Jake didn't bring enough money. Lee said that it was a gift for celebrating his decision to open a shop.
With a flip of his hand, a pair of gauntlets appeared on Lee's hand. Jake could sense the flow of mana coming out of Lee's watch when the item appeared. He was surprised to see an item with an imbued skill, <Storage>, within it.
"Let's go"
Jake and Lee proceed to line up to enter the hunting grounds. On their way, Lee explained the mechanism of hunting.
The defensive walls surrounding Mt. Odake was erected by the current government to prevent any monster from entering the city. From a hundred years ago, a monster could randomly appear at a place with low human population and the enormous Mt. Odake was one.
Due to maintenance purpose, the citizens were allowed to enter the premise after paying a small fee of $10. However, they won't be responsible for any loss or deaths inside the hunting ground. It was a bit irresponsible but was required to increase the strength of an aspiring citizen.
After entering, Jake heard a familiar mechanical voice from his head.
[Generating mission…}
[A new mission has been generated]
==
Hunt!
Kill 10 Goblins
Reward: (Skill) Storage
==
Jake was enticed by the mission reward as he inquired about the goblin's whereabouts from Lee throughout the hunt. Unfortunately, they only encountered a monster with a wolf-like body. Its fangs were protruding from its mouth, forming a crescent shape. The mere appearance was very intimidating for a beginner.
To Lee's surprise, Jake didn't show any cowardice and rushed towards the wolf, brandishing his sword in a smooth arc. The wolf's head was quickly separated from its body.
"Wow! Where did you learn to wield the sword?"
"Haha, self-practice"
Another pleasant notification rang out of Jake's head.
[You have performed the skill <Blade Aura>]
[Registering skill…]
==
Blade Aura [1]
Manipulates the mana in a way to surround the entire sword, enhancing its lightness and sharpness.
==
It was the name of Jake's technique that he used to kill the wolf. It was a familiar name to him as he did possess the exact same skill in Aestes.
Their journey continued and finally, Jake encountered that specific monster.
Multiple humanoid figures were walking at an intermediate pace alongside the river bed. Their green body was bent forward slightly. A great amount of saliva was dropping out of their mouth as they walked.
It was the goblins, it was awfully similar to the monster in a fantasy MMORPG game in Jake's world. Each goblin was holding a short, thick stick in their hands. The goblins' party numbered 7, slightly short of what Jake needed. However, it was not a problem.
Jake and Lee exchanged a glance as they began to ambush the goblins.
A light flashed, followed by the sound of something falling. A severed head lied on the ground.
The goblins plunged into chaos as they recognized the danger coming from the two humans. Another head was sent flying by a simple punch from Lee.
The rest of goblins regained their composure and began to run in all direction.
"As if I'll let you run!"
Lee and Jake chased the fleeing goblins and managed to kill them all, except one. The smallest goblins seem to have quick feet as it managed to outrun the duo. It was caused mainly because Jake and Lee don't want to waste the monster core from the already dead goblins.
"Let's track him down. Maybe, he will bring us to its nest."
The duo began to track the steps of the goblin and soon arrived at the entrance of a large cave. The cave was well-hidden behind within the forest. Its entrance was covered by long vines growing from the nearby vegetation.
Lee was excited to see the cave as he rushed inside the cave, thinking that it might be the base of the goblins. As far as he was concerned, goblins are a low-leveled monster that he could kill at any time. He had the confidence to 30 goblins by himself.
"Wait! Lee! Don't be reckless"
Jake's warning was too late as Lee has entered the cave. Lee's figure disappeared at the entrance, strengthening Jake's guess. The cave turned out to be a dungeon.
Jake, too, went inside to drag Lee out of the dungeon. However, he was stunned by the mechanical voice in his head.
[You have found an undiscovered dungeon]
[A new mission has been generated]
==
Goblin King
Duration: 24 Hours
Defeat the Goblin King
Reward: 7 AP and 1 SP
==
[A mysterious power has sealed the exit of the dungeon. Entrance is permitted, but the exit is forbidden. Please exercise extreme caution.]
"Shit!"
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
Once again, Jake was left alone inside the empty house. This time, he had a plan in mind. He, too, followed after Ethel's footsteps and walked out of the house. He breathes in the somehow familiar air of Earth and put on a smile.
Jake's university was the Tokyo University, a famous university in Japan. He started living in Japan because of his mother's influence. The young woman was a die-hard fan of Japanese animation and decided to move out of her country, solely to learn more about the country, known as Japan.
The terrain of the country has changed a lot from what he remembered. Fortunately, he owned a cell phone with a GPS function. The keyword was entered on the search engine of the application and showed the location of the university. It was unexpectedly close, around a 30-minutes walk from his current position.
The streets were filled with people walking. Some wore a standard white collar shirt while some wore middle-ages clothing, a scale armor and such. They were walking towards a single direction.
Soon, Jake arrived at the university's gate. A resolute expression appeared on Jake's face as entered the premise.
"Jake!"
An abrupt shout, calling out his name, came from behind him. It was a familiar and nostalgic voice to him.
Jake turned around with a smile. He was nervous and excited at the same time to see his two best friends after years. The appearance of the duo made him sigh in relief while waving his hands towards the two. Their respective action and gaze were greatly similar to what he remembered.
"Yo! Lee, Kana"
Lee's appearance doesn't have any difference from Jake's photo. His standard hairstyle, combined with his black hair could cause anyone to mistake him for someone else. Luckily, he had a handsome face which was hard to forget even if one wanted to. Lee's build was similar to Jake's but contained a bit more muscle.
Besides Lee, Kana had a gentle smile on her oval face. Her black hair was tied into a ponytail, revealing her pure white nape. She held a book in her left hand, resting it on her body as a support.
Both of their eyes showed a hint of teasing as they walked towards Jake's position.
"Did you wake up with a hangover yesterday?"
Lee slapped Jake's shoulder while asking.
"No…?"
"Stop lying! You got so drunk last time! You even went inside a fried chicken restaurant to ask if they sold a laptop in their shop before losing consciousness. Really! Lee and I have to carry you home"
"Eh… really? I didn't remember anything"
It was the truth. Jake didn't have any recollection of that incident. It may be a different 'Jake' that have interacted with Lee and Kana of this Earth. The thoughts made him wonder about what happened to the 'Jake' of this Earth. Did he just vanish?
"Damn right! You should be thankful to us."
Kana nodded her head in affirmation to Lee's sentence.
"So? What are you doing here? It's still the holiday"
"I'm here to request my resignation. You?"
Jake's nonchalant answer left Lee and Kana's speechless. The content of his sentence was too shocking for both of them. Their eyes turned wide as they stared at Jake. Kana was the first one to regain her composure.
"What? You're going to drop out? Why?!"
"Hm… I want to try to start a business. A shop, like a convenience store! Nice idea, right? Haha"
The answer, once again, left the duo speechless. The matter was too sudden and random. They never thought that Jake was capable of taking a huge risk. Kana, was especially gloomy after she heard the reason behind Jake's withdrawal.
"Are you serious?"
"Yeah!"
"Do you know just what kind of place you're heading towards? Do you know what it takes to be successful on that path? Do you have the resolve to put your everything in developing the shop?"
Kana gave out a barrage of questions, which surprises Jake. He never knew that Kana knew so much about the world of business. This might as well be the definitive proof that he was no longer on the Earth he once knew. However, his gaze stayed stern as he gave a positive answer.
Kana gave a slight frown like something was bothering her. Silence descends between the three of them. Lee was placed in an awkward position between Jake and Kana.
"L-let's go to a nearby store to talk it out, okay?"
The trio walked towards a family restaurant near their location and sat down after ordering some beverage. Kana still looked a bit conflicted as the awkwardness continued on for some time. Lee tried to salvage the situation by initiating a conversation. However, only Jake had any reaction towards him.
Their orders came, followed by a deep sigh from Kana. The hesitation she had in her eyes was gone and was replaced by a resolute expression, similar to Jake's.
"Jake. Then I'll help you out. However, you have to promise me one thing."
"Yes?"
"Don't be reckless and plan all your actions beforehand. If there's something that bothers you, come and seek our advice. I don't know about Lee, but I could probably help you."
'Oi!' Lee shouted in his heart.
"I also have a friend that needs a job, I'll introduce you to her. Maybe she can help out in the shop. She is currently working as a part-timer, but the pay's not so good and she was prepared to quit at any time. So, do help her out for me. In exchange, I too will help you out in managing the shop. How's that?"
The sudden advice from Kana left Jake perplexed. The shock, once again, came from Kana's broad knowledge of managing a shop. Jake held his impulse to ask Kana as to why she understood so much of the shop's matter. Instead, he gave a nod with a smile on his face. An extra hand was always welcomed.
"Oy oy, don't leave me out! This great Lee will also help! I have a friend that deals with property. I'll ask them if they have any good and cheap place for your shop. You probably haven't got a land yet, right?"
"Ha-ha… Then, I'll trouble you. Thanks, Lee"
The awkward atmosphere left the trio as they began to chat. Their main topic was how to develop the shop and what kind of business Jake intended to do. Jake calmly explained his plan and received the advice from Kana.
From the conversation, Jake could figure out that Kana's knowledge came from her father and mother's influence. She kept on saying 'my father said' or 'according to my mother' to support her claim. However, the identity of Kana's parents was still unknown to Jake. In his memory, Kana's parents owned a bakery. It doesn't explain the knowledge Kana received from them. He will be sure to ask Lee or Ethel about it later on.
"Oh? Look at the time! I've got to go. Jake, don't forget to notify me if there's an update in our plan. Lee, too, hurry and contact that friend of yours."
"Got it!"
Kana left with a smile. Her steps were somehow hurried as she went through the shop's door.
Jake used this chance to asked Lee about Kana's parents. As expected, Lee showed a surprised expression, saying 'you didn't know?'. He explained Kana's circumstances to Jake.
Turned out, Kana's parents was the owner of <Titanium>, a giant glass company that even Jake knew of. Their banner was all over the streets, advertising their products. However, one day, her father was cheated by his trusted partner and gave up most of his share to the company. Enraged, her father was determined to get back what he lost. However, he lost even more in the process. The family now lost their wealth and used the remaining 1% share of the company for a living.
The revelation caused Jake to be enraged. A new determination sprouted from his heart as he vowed to defeat the giant company.
"By the way, aren't you going to the admission office? It's gonna close soon."
"Right! I almost forgot. Let's go!"
Jake approached the cashier to pay for the food. Fortunately, he still got the remaining $50 to pay for the food.
The resignation process was completed without any trouble. As expected, the university required Jake to wait for the refund of his admission fee. Although reluctant, Jake left obediently, hoping for the matter to be settled quickly.
"Lee, how about we go hunting?"
At first, Lee was perplexed but immediately agreed. It was Jake's first time inviting him to go hunting. However, he was a bit worried for Jake as he never set a foot inside a hunting ground before. The attributes he possessed must be on the lower end.
*
The duo soon arrived at their destination, the hunting ground. It was a place called Mt. Odake. The appearance of Mt. Odake was different from what Jake remembered. The mountain was almost as five times as large.
Lee figured that Jake won't have any hunting equipment and brought him into a weapon store nearby.
Jake chose a Japanese Katana as his weapon. Naturally, Lee bought it for him since Jake didn't bring enough money. Lee said that it was a gift for celebrating his decision to open a shop.
With a flip of his hand, a pair of gauntlets appeared on Lee's hand. Jake could sense the flow of mana coming out of Lee's watch when the item appeared. He was surprised to see an item with an imbued skill, <Storage>, within it.
"Let's go"
Jake and Lee proceed to line up to enter the hunting grounds. On their way, Lee explained the mechanism of hunting.
The defensive walls surrounding Mt. Odake was erected by the current government to prevent any monster from entering the city. From a hundred years ago, a monster could randomly appear at a place with low human population and the enormous Mt. Odake was one.
Due to maintenance purpose, the citizens were allowed to enter the premise after paying a small fee of $10. However, they won't be responsible for any loss or deaths inside the hunting ground. It was a bit irresponsible but was required to increase the strength of an aspiring citizen.
After entering, Jake heard a familiar mechanical voice from his head.
[Generating mission…}
[A new mission has been generated]
==
Hunt!
Kill 10 Goblins
Reward: (Skill) Storage
==
Jake was enticed by the mission reward as he inquired about the goblin's whereabouts from Lee throughout the hunt. Unfortunately, they only encountered a monster with a wolf-like body. Its fangs were protruding from its mouth, forming a crescent shape. The mere appearance was very intimidating for a beginner.
To Lee's surprise, Jake didn't show any cowardice and rushed towards the wolf, brandishing his sword in a smooth arc. The wolf's head was quickly separated from its body.
"Wow! Where did you learn to wield the sword?"
"Haha, self-practice"
Another pleasant notification rang out of Jake's head.
[You have performed the skill <Blade Aura>]
[Registering skill…]
==
Blade Aura [1]
Manipulates the mana in a way to surround the entire sword, enhancing its lightness and sharpness.
==
It was the name of Jake's technique that he used to kill the wolf. It was a familiar name to him as he did possess the exact same skill in Aestes.
Their journey continued and finally, Jake encountered that specific monster.
Multiple humanoid figures were walking at an intermediate pace alongside the river bed. Their green body was bent forward slightly. A great amount of saliva was dropping out of their mouth as they walked.
It was the goblins, it was awfully similar to the monster in a fantasy MMORPG game in Jake's world. Each goblin was holding a short, thick stick in their hands. The goblins' party numbered 7, slightly short of what Jake needed. However, it was not a problem.
Jake and Lee exchanged a glance as they began to ambush the goblins.
A light flashed, followed by the sound of something falling. A severed head lied on the ground.
The goblins plunged into chaos as they recognized the danger coming from the two humans. Another head was sent flying by a simple punch from Lee.
The rest of goblins regained their composure and began to run in all direction.
"As if I'll let you run!"
Lee and Jake chased the fleeing goblins and managed to kill them all, except one. The smallest goblins seem to have quick feet as it managed to outrun the duo. It was caused mainly because Jake and Lee don't want to waste the monster core from the already dead goblins.
"Let's track him down. Maybe, he will bring us to its nest."
The duo began to track the steps of the goblin and soon arrived at the entrance of a large cave. The cave was well-hidden behind within the forest. Its entrance was covered by long vines growing from the nearby vegetation.
Lee was excited to see the cave as he rushed inside the cave, thinking that it might be the base of the goblins. As far as he was concerned, goblins are a low-leveled monster that he could kill at any time. He had the confidence to 30 goblins by himself.
"Wait! Lee! Don't be reckless"
Jake's warning was too late as Lee has entered the cave. Lee's figure disappeared at the entrance, strengthening Jake's guess. The cave turned out to be a dungeon.
Jake, too, went inside to drag Lee out of the dungeon. However, he was stunned by the mechanical voice in his head.
[You have found an undiscovered dungeon]
[A new mission has been generated]
==
Goblin King
Duration: 24 Hours
Defeat the Goblin King
Reward: 7 AP and 1 SP
==
[A mysterious power has sealed the exit of the dungeon. Entrance is permitted, but the exit is forbidden. Please exercise extreme caution.]
"Shit!"
Once again, Jake was left alone inside the empty house. This time, he had a plan in mind. He, too, followed after Ethel's footsteps and walked out of the house. He breathes in the somehow familiar air of Earth and put on a smile.Jake's university was the Tokyo University, a famous university in Japan. He started living in Japan because of his mother's influence. The young woman was a die-hard fan of Japanese animation and decided to move out of her country, solely to learn more about the country, known as Japan.The terrain of the country has changed a lot from what he remembered. Fortunately, he owned a cell phone with a GPS function. The keyword was entered on the search engine of the application and showed the location of the university. It was unexpectedly close, around a 30-minutes walk from his current position.The streets were filled with people walking. Some wore a standard white collar shirt while some wore middle-ages clothing, a scale armor and such. They were walking towards a single direction.Soon, Jake arrived at the university's gate. A resolute expression appeared on Jake's face as entered the premise."Jake!"An abrupt shout, calling out his name, came from behind him. It was a familiar and nostalgic voice to him.Jake turned around with a smile. He was nervous and excited at the same time to see his two best friends after years. The appearance of the duo made him sigh in relief while waving his hands towards the two. Their respective action and gaze were greatly similar to what he remembered."Yo! Lee, Kana"Lee's appearance doesn't have any difference from Jake's photo. His standard hairstyle, combined with his black hair could cause anyone to mistake him for someone else. Luckily, he had a handsome face which was hard to forget even if one wanted to. Lee's build was similar to Jake's but contained a bit more muscle.Besides Lee, Kana had a gentle smile on her oval face. Her black hair was tied into a ponytail, revealing her pure white nape. She held a book in her left hand, resting it on her body as a support.Both of their eyes showed a hint of teasing as they walked towards Jake's position."Did you wake up with a hangover yesterday?"Lee slapped Jake's shoulder while asking."No?""Stop lying! You got so drunk last time! You even went inside a fried chicken restaurant to ask if they sold a laptop in their shop before losing consciousness. Really! Lee and I have to carry you home""Eh really? I didn't remember anything"It was the truth. Jake didn't have any recollection of that incident. It may be a different 'Jake' that have interacted with Lee and Kana of this Earth. The thoughts made him wonder about what happened to the 'Jake' of this Earth. Did he just vanish?"Damn right! You should be thankful to us."Kana nodded her head in affirmation to Lee's sentence."So? What are you doing here? It's still the holiday""I'm here to request my resignation. You?"Jake's nonchalant answer left Lee and Kana's speechless. The content of his sentence was too shocking for both of them. Their eyes turned wide as they stared at Jake. Kana was the first one to regain her composure."What? You're going to drop out? Why?!""Hm I want to try to start a business. A shop, like a convenience store! Nice idea, right? Haha"The answer, once again, left the duo speechless. The matter was too sudden and random. They never thought that Jake was capable of taking a huge risk. Kana, was especially gloomy after she heard the reason behind Jake's withdrawal."Are you serious?""Yeah!""Do you know just what kind of place you're heading towards? Do you know what it takes to be successful on that path? Do you have the resolve to put your everything in developing the shop?"Kana gave out a barrage of questions, which surprises Jake. He never knew that Kana knew so much about the world of business. This might as well be the definitive proof that he was no longer on the Earth he once knew. However, his gaze stayed stern as he gave a positive answer.Kana gave a slight frown like something was bothering her. Silence descends between the three of them. Lee was placed in an awkward position between Jake and Kana."L-let's go to a nearby store to talk it out, okay?"The trio walked towards a family restaurant near their location and sat down after ordering some beverage. Kana still looked a bit conflicted as the awkwardness continued on for some time. Lee tried to salvage the situation by initiating a conversation. However, only Jake had any reaction towards him.Their orders came, followed by a deep sigh from Kana. The hesitation she had in her eyes was gone and was replaced by a resolute expression, similar to Jake's."Jake. Then I'll help you out. However, you have to promise me one thing.""Yes?""Don't be reckless and plan all your actions beforehand. If there's something that bothers you, come and seek our advice. I don't know about Lee, but I could probably help you."'Oi!' Lee shouted in his heart."I also have a friend that needs a job, I'll introduce you to her. Maybe she can help out in the shop. She is currently working as a part-timer, but the pay's not so good and she was prepared to quit at any time. So, do help her out for me. In exchange, I too will help you out in managing the shop. How's that?"The sudden advice from Kana left Jake perplexed. The shock, once again, came from Kana's broad knowledge of managing a shop. Jake held his impulse to ask Kana as to why she understood so much of the shop's matter. Instead, he gave a nod with a smile on his face. An extra hand was always welcomed."Oy oy, don't leave me out! This great Lee will also help! I have a friend that deals with property. I'll ask them if they have any good and cheap place for your shop. You probably haven't got a land yet, right?""Ha-ha Then, I'll trouble you. Thanks, Lee"The awkward atmosphere left the trio as they began to chat. Their main topic was how to develop the shop and what kind of business Jake intended to do. Jake calmly explained his plan and received the advice from Kana.From the conversation, Jake could figure out that Kana's knowledge came from her father and mother's influence. She kept on saying 'my father said' or 'according to my mother' to support her claim. However, the identity of Kana's parents was still unknown to Jake. In his memory, Kana's parents owned a bakery. It doesn't explain the knowledge Kana received from them. He will be sure to ask Lee or Ethel about it later on."Oh? Look at the time! I've got to go. Jake, don't forget to notify me if there's an update in our plan. Lee, too, hurry and contact that friend of yours.""Got it!"Kana left with a smile. Her steps were somehow hurried as she went through the shop's door.Jake used this chance to asked Lee about Kana's parents. As expected, Lee showed a surprised expression, saying 'you didn't know?'. He explained Kana's circumstances to Jake.Turned out, Kana's parents was the owner of Titanium, a giant glass company that even Jake knew of. Their banner was all over the streets, advertising their products. However, one day, her father was cheated by his trusted partner and gave up most of his share to the company. Enraged, her father was determined to get back what he lost. However, he lost even more in the process. The family now lost their wealth and used the remaining 1% share of the company for a living.The revelation caused Jake to be enraged. A new determination sprouted from his heart as he vowed to defeat the giant company."By the way, aren't you going to the admission office? It's gonna close soon.""Right! I almost forgot. Let's go!"Jake approached the cashier to pay for the food. Fortunately, he still got the remaining $50 to pay for the food.The resignation process was completed without any trouble. As expected, the university required Jake to wait for the refund of his admission fee. Although reluctant, Jake left obediently, hoping for the matter to be settled quickly."Lee, how about we go hunting?"At first, Lee was perplexed but immediately agreed. It was Jake's first time inviting him to go hunting. However, he was a bit worried for Jake as he never set a foot inside a hunting ground before. The attributes he possessed must be on the lower end.*The duo soon arrived at their destination, the hunting ground. It was a place called Mt. Odake. The appearance of Mt. Odake was different from what Jake remembered. The mountain was almost as five times as large.Lee figured that Jake won't have any hunting equipment and brought him into a weapon store nearby.Jake chose a Japanese Katana as his weapon. Naturally, Lee bought it for him since Jake didn't bring enough money. Lee said that it was a gift for celebrating his decision to open a shop.With a flip of his hand, a pair of gauntlets appeared on Lee's hand. Jake could sense the flow of mana coming out of Lee's watch when the item appeared. He was surprised to see an item with an imbued skill, Storage, within it."Let's go"Jake and Lee proceed to line up to enter the hunting grounds. On their way, Lee explained the mechanism of hunting.The defensive walls surrounding Mt. Odake was erected by the current government to prevent any monster from entering the city. From a hundred years ago, a monster could randomly appear at a place with low human population and the enormous Mt. Odake was one.Due to maintenance purpose, the citizens were allowed to enter the premise after paying a small fee of $10. However, they won't be responsible for any loss or deaths inside the hunting ground. It was a bit irresponsible but was required to increase the strength of an aspiring citizen.After entering, Jake heard a familiar mechanical voice from his head.Generating mission}A new mission has been generated==Hunt!Kill 10 GoblinsReward: Skill Storage==Jake was enticed by the mission reward as he inquired about the goblin's whereabouts from Lee throughout the hunt. Unfortunately, they only encountered a monster with a wolf-like body. Its fangs were protruding from its mouth, forming a crescent shape. The mere appearance was very intimidating for a beginner.To Lee's surprise, Jake didn't show any cowardice and rushed towards the wolf, brandishing his sword in a smooth arc. The wolf's head was quickly separated from its body."Wow! Where did you learn to wield the sword?""Haha, self-practice"Another pleasant notification rang out of Jake's head.You have performed the skill Blade AuraRegistering skill==Blade Aura 1Manipulates the mana in a way to surround the entire sword, enhancing its lightness and sharpness.==It was the name of Jake's technique that he used to kill the wolf. It was a familiar name to him as he did possess the exact same skill in Aestes.Their journey continued and finally, Jake encountered that specific monster.Multiple humanoid figures were walking at an intermediate pace alongside the river bed. Their green body was bent forward slightly. A great amount of saliva was dropping out of their mouth as they walked.It was the goblins, it was awfully similar to the monster in a fantasy MMORPG game in Jake's world. Each goblin was holding a short, thick stick in their hands. The goblins' party numbered 7, slightly short of what Jake needed. However, it was not a problem.Jake and Lee exchanged a glance as they began to ambush the goblins.A light flashed, followed by the sound of something falling. A severed head lied on the ground.The goblins plunged into chaos as they recognized the danger coming from the two humans. Another head was sent flying by a simple punch from Lee.The rest of goblins regained their composure and began to run in all direction."As if I'll let you run!"Lee and Jake chased the fleeing goblins and managed to kill them all, except one. The smallest goblins seem to have quick feet as it managed to outrun the duo. It was caused mainly because Jake and Lee don't want to waste the monster core from the already dead goblins."Let's track him down. Maybe, he will bring us to its nest."The duo began to track the steps of the goblin and soon arrived at the entrance of a large cave. The cave was well-hidden behind within the forest. Its entrance was covered by long vines growing from the nearby vegetation.Lee was excited to see the cave as he rushed inside the cave, thinking that it might be the base of the goblins. As far as he was concerned, goblins are a low-leveled monster that he could kill at any time. He had the confidence to 30 goblins by himself."Wait! Lee! Don't be reckless"Jake's warning was too late as Lee has entered the cave. Lee's figure disappeared at the entrance, strengthening Jake's guess. The cave turned out to be a dungeon.Jake, too, went inside to drag Lee out of the dungeon. However, he was stunned by the mechanical voice in his head.You have found an undiscovered dungeonA new mission has been generated==Goblin KingDuration: 24 HoursDefeat the Goblin KingReward: 7 AP and 1 SP==A mysterious power has sealed the exit of the dungeon. Entrance is permitted, but the exit is forbidden. Please exercise extreme caution."Shit!"
