He smiled at me as he changed the bandages and washed my body with a hot towel. After that, he gave me clothes. It was slightly larger than I am yet it suits me. It was a slightly green tunic s.h.i.+rt. I couldn't be more grateful to him.

"Why? Why did you save me?"

"Because they told me."

"Those traitors did?"

"Traitors?" He laughed. "If you put it that way then alright. But that's not the only reason."

I scratched my head and took a sip on the tea he had served. It contained various herbs and medicine though so it didn't taste well. I was able to endure it, the trick was pinching my nose.

"What's the other reason?" I asked him.

"You remind me of my son."

I got confused. What part of me reminded him of his son?

"Eeh? I don't know what you see in me that reminds of your son."

He laughed as he poured a tea for me again. He was enjoying my company and I couldn't help but smile. He was ready to tell me his life story.

"Everything about you. You remind me of him."

"Really? So he must suck in his life too."

He angrily stared at me but then suddenly laughed. He patted my back and drank his rum. He had a happy look in his face like he just remembered something.

"Yeah, your right. He did suck. He wanted to be the best in anything, he ended up spending all his money just to get strong and he did."

"Where is he now?"

He looked at me with a grin.

"He's in the other world now."

He smiled. I didn't see any hint of loneliness. I guess both him and his son spent their life together, fully and did everything that didn't leave his son some regrets.

"He's a lot like you. He was hardworking and always cried. But he always kept on living. Eventually, he did became strong and saved the whole village from the other-world dragon."

"At least he had achievements. Look at me. I'm pathetic."

"He didn't obtain it immediately, you know? It took him years to achieve his strength."

I drank the tea and almost upchucked it, it tasted bitter. I forgot to cover my nose.

"I see. If he's so strong, why did he die? Being able to defeat a dragon is very perilous you know."

I remember in RPG games that dragons are legendary monsters that are hard to defeat. If you think of it that way, his son must be well known.

He drank again his rum and poured tea in my cup.

"He did. But his life was the price that he paid in order to slay that menacing dragon. Wanna know what he said before he died?"

He grinned again but a tear fell on his eye.

"A hero never cries."

He laughed and tapped the floor with his hand. He finished off his rum, took another barrel and poured into his wooden mug.

"Want some?"

"I don't drink."

"Alright."

"He really said that?"

"Yeah. Pretty stupid ain't it? Gets me laughing every time I hear it."

So those words are the reason he was able to move on. Those were his comfort. I can understand that he was mature. It's obvious anyway since he is old, he might have many sad-ridden experiences.

He took care of me and eventually I was able to stand again on my feet. I restored my health yet I still get terrified each time a visitor came in his house. I ended up cowering in corners and hiding in hidden places. He would then always find me and talk to me. He took care of me.

"Yakiro kiddo, come here."

It was still dusk and I had just finished cleaning the house. I still had bandages on my head and went there to see what he called me for. It was a demon mask you see in j.a.panese temples yet this mask had a sad look on the demons face.

"We're going down."

I s.h.i.+vered and fell b.u.t.t first on the ground. I'm still afraid. Even after everything he had done. I still couldn't trust him.

I'm afraid he'll sell me out or even worse. I hid below the table, s.h.i.+vering in fear I covered my head.

I'm afraid. I'm afraid of getting hurt. I'm afraid of suffering. I'm afraid of this world.

He walks towards the table I am under in. Each step made me gasp and fear began filling my chest.

He crouched and took the mask from the bag.

"Don't worry. You can trust me. Wear this mask so that no one will notice you."

He held it out towards me and I reluctantly took it. It had a strange power in it.

"It contains concealing magic in it. It conceals your aura and your ident.i.ty as you wear it. Although, you won't be able to use combat skills. Well, it doesn't matter if it's you, you don't have any anyway."

He laughed and scratched his head. Am I supposed to be happy about it?

Even though, I had to trust in him. I have to learn. I had stayed here for a couple of days now so maybe he needs me with groceries or something.

So I put in on my face and it adhesively stuck on my face like glue. I tried pulling it off but it didn't budge. Fear started to fill my chest again and I panicked, sending the table flying towards the corner.

"Wha... What is this! Take it off! Take it off!"

The old man was basically trying to calm me down. He stayed composed and observed the situation. He sat on the floor and told me to relax.

"Y..."

"I didn't betray you so listen to me."

I gasped. I sat down in front of him and he suddenly karate chopped my head.

"Iih! That hurts! What's the meaning of this?!"

"When we go down, you should keep your composure, yes?!" he angrily yelled at me, slamming his hand on the floor.

"Y-YES SIR!"

"Then relax! Wouldn't it hurt to trust someone who just saved you? Sigh..."

"S-sorry... I'm trying..."

"Don't you see anything strange?"

"What do you mean?"

"In your system vision. Don't you see anything?"

Come to think of it, there is an icon in my vision. It had an exclamation mark on its upper right. I opened it and a panel appeared.

-Concealing Mask-

It showed me rules about it and how to use it. It was an item used to hide user data and information. The one that VIPs use in MMORPGs to hide their account from anyone so that no one will bother them.

*Choose Fake Name and Fake Cla.s.s*

It said on my screen.

"It probably says there to choose a fake name and a fake cla.s.s. You can do anything with the fake name but put in the fake cla.s.s as an a.s.sistant blacksmith. Alright?!"

"Y-yes, sir!"

Let's see... What should I say?

Hmm...

Kiri...

No that would give me trouble.

How about A...

No, I would still get trouble about it.

Hmm...

I guess I'll go with Blacksmith. Then I'll lock my fake cla.s.s as a.s.sistant Blacksmith Cla.s.s. Yes. This is amazing.

Blacksmith Level 15

a.s.sistant Blacksmith Cla.s.s

"Ah!"

He karate chopped my head again.

"WHY BLACKSMITH AS NAME YOU STUPID KID? THAT'S SUSPICIOUS YOU MORON!"

"Eh! Forgive me!"

We ended up walking down the forest. We took a break and hunted Prirara by the river bank and cooked it by the fire. We ate it and went back on our way.

We stumbled upon a crater and there were knights everywhere. I was about to scream when the old man grabbed my shoulder.

"Don't do anything out of the ordinary. Keep your composure."

"Y-yes..."

"Then walk behind me."

We walked towards the crater and a knight called out on us. My shoulders started to s.h.i.+ver and I hid my arm inside my pocket as I clenched my fist.

"State your business here in Flinn Forest."

"Oh, we're just pa.s.sing by."

The knight glanced on his back and took a glance on me. He raised his eyebrow.

"You seem suspicious, ey?"

I gulped.

"Oh? Him? He's just a loyal apprentice following his teachers step in learning the way of blacksmiths. Then well be on our way."

We started to walk again and I pa.s.sed him by. He suddenly grabbed my right shoulder.

"We were finding a murderer named Yakiro. He had his right arm cut off. And you had the same arm missing. You must be..."

I felt my sweat dripping down behind my mask.

"Oh. I'm sorry that I judged you, Mr. Blacksmith. Then have a nice trip."

HE BOUGHT IT!

I heard the old man snickered. We started to walk and stopped right next to the crater. This was where the pillar fell.

"Listen to me boy. We came here so that you could obtain your collective rewards. Don't be too suspicious or we'll get in trouble."

He whispered at me and I nodded in response.

A panel appeared before me saying:

=Claim Your Collective Rewards=

Below were some slots that contained the items that I earned. It had gold and experience too. I claimed it and experience started to firework in my eyes.

Blacksmith (Nas.h.i.+ki Yakiro) 349 Exp Gained

Blacksmith (Nas.h.i.+ki Yakiro) 287 Exp Gained

Blacksmith (Nas.h.i.+ki Yakiro) 547 Exp Gained

It went on and on like credits you see in every ending of a movie. It was basically blinding but since this was my system, it didn't really affect my eyes since it was not physical.

I ended up obtaining 47 pieces of Gold and 408 pieces of silver.

My experience gained acc.u.mulated about 7,929 experience and my exp bar rocketed to several levels.

-Level Up!-

Blacksmith (Nas.h.i.+ki Yakiro) Level 30

"Waaaaah!"

"Shhh!" The old man hit me by his elbow and I swallowed my saliva. A knight walked towards us and asked.

"Is there any problem?"

"Oh no! My apprentice here, named 'Blacksmith'..." He stared at me when he said that name.

"Just had a stomach ache. No worries."

"Then be on your way. No one is allowed to stay here. A murderer named Yakiro escaped several days ago."

"I see. If I see him, I'll report him to you." He shot a smug look at me, which made me tremble.

"Then I thank you. Be careful now."

"We will."

The old man pushed me on my back and we started to continue walking. People were staring at me but not in a suspicious way. I guess it's normal here to wear a mask, some adventurers were wearing ones too. A child even approached me and told I looked awesome but I just ended up being afraid.

"Even a mere child? Couldn't you just relax?"

"I-i couldn't. I don't trust anyone anymore... Except you, old man."

He smiled and patted my back. I guess he took it as a compliment.

We arrived by his weapon shop and led me behind the room. He measured my left arm as he unraveled a measuring tape and entwined my left arm by it.

"What are you going to do?"

"Making an arm for you of course."

"But I don't have money."

He stared stoically at me and pointed at me.

"Didn't you just claimed your reward? I'm not doing this for free you know. Materials don't just grow on trees."

That's right. I have money on me right now. I realized that my backpack had been heavier and my pocket had been filled with something heavy. I opened it only to find pieces of silver and gold. It sized about a penny and fitted my pocket perfectly.

My bag has been filled with battle loots and stuff. Mostly, they were bones and broken pieces of armor also weaponry.

"How much for this old man?"

"I'll take 10 pieces of gold and parts of your battle loot."

It was a great deal.

If I remember correctly...

100 bronze pieces are equivalent to one silver piece.

500 silver pieces are equivalent to one gold piece.

Hey! I'm rich!

He took all the broken armor from my battle loot and started melting them. They were drenched in black and had strange magic in it.

He started melting the armor. He took some wooden box that reached like a walking stick and expanded like a normal box. He filled some sand in it and started shoving out parts of it. It looked like a sculpture. Maybe it was for casting the metallic arm. He placed some bones in it and took the melted metal as he pours inside of it. It radiated a fiery light which lighted the room.

I went back to the shop and sat by the chair.

The door creaked open and there, my eyes widen, I saw them.

I hid behind the table of the counter and covered myself with a brown sack. The old man walked out from the backdoor to greet them.

"Ayumi, Koneko. How may I help you?"

"How is he?..."

"He's fine. But he turned in somewhat of a coward."

"I see..."

Suddenly I heard steps of a cat walk over the table. It started sniffing.

"He's here... Master Yakiro is here!"

Koneko jumped down by the table and...

Puff!

"Master!"

She lunged with open arms at me but I kicked her in the face sending her by the wall and pieces of armor fell on her head.

I panicked and I started to run. Ayumi leaped behind me and grabbed my shoulder.

Blag!

I responded with a punch and sent her lying on the floor. She held her cheek and glanced with a wincing look on her face.

"Ya... Yakiro... It's me."

I only responded with trembling shoulders and locked myself behind the door. I sat on the floor as I leaned on the door, trying to calm myself. I found myself s.h.i.+vering with terror in my eyes.

They're going to sell me out. They're going to report me. They're going to betray me!

I rocked back and forth, trying to calm myself.

"You should leave him."

I heard them started talking.

"He still hasn't gained his appet.i.te well and he has trouble trusting people now."

"I see... Then maybe we should go."

"It's for the best."

I felt my eyes welling up in tears but I held them back. I'm afraid of crying again. I'm afraid of getting hurt.

Knock Knock

"Hiiiiiiie! G-go away!"

"It's me, kiddo. They left."

I opened the door and he held my head as he rubs it.

"Relax, kiddo. Everything is going to be fine."

He returned to work and started forging metals. I rested on top of the shop. There was a bed on the upper floor and I rested my chest in there.

By the next morning, it was already finished.

*ARM EQUIPPED*

-Pillar Metallic Arm-Black-

Special Bonus: Offense, Damage and Attack up +10

Special Bonus: Armor +15

It wasn't very strong but it was comfortable. It had magic inside of it which allowed it to read brain waves. I was able to control it easily and it felt real. I ran my hand through its metallic surface and I was able to feel. It was a magnificent piece of work.

"Looks good on you. Here, I made an extra breastplate from the leftovers."

I wore it and it seemed light. It enhanced my defense but not that high. He even threw another cape for me. But this time it was white and had dark edges. It has designs and b.u.t.tons inlaid with the same metal used in my arm and breastplate.

"You look terrifying with that mask."

He said with a haughty voice.

"If you can't conquer fear, then become fear."

He said with a smile.

We returned by to his house and by the time we arrived there it was already dark. The night had covered the skies and the sun had sunk in the horizon.

"Eat up."

I wanted to eat but I lost my appet.i.te. It was because I saw them.

I ate about two spoons and took a rest. I remember that I leveled up.

I looked at my status and basically, everything was S and my luck had remained the same. It wouldn't change since the maximum luck stat that this world can give is ten points.

I also obtained two skills.

Pillar Blade and Cathedra. However, there was a condition on it that I didn't understand since it was written in another language. I wasn't able to cast it even though I screamed the skill name several times.

-Special Skill Point 2-

I had two special skill points which I could upgrade my octagonal skill tree. It gave me amazing skills- Stride and Burst.

I decided to save it. Maybe it would forcefully consume again and give me new skills. Saving me from a dangerous situation. Seems logical to me, hehe.

I stayed here in this house and before I knew it, several days had already pa.s.sed.