The rant went on, more for Joey to release everything that had been pent up in him over the past few days. James took it all with a smile on his face, happy that his friend was lightening up. It was a far cry from the haunted, exhausted Joey who had greeted him upon waking up.

As Joey continued to wave his arms and emphasize every exaggerated complaint, James had a moment to reflect. He couldn’t deny the fear that merging with Frank might fundamentally change his relationships, make him somehow "less James." But as Joey ranted on, James realized that despite his memories from Frank's life, his reactions still felt authentic—just more nuanced, like he'd gained another layer of understanding. The merger wasn't overwriting him; it was expanding him, making him a fuller version of himself.

James tuned back in just in time to hear Joey wrap up his tirade.

“…and you always get the cool stuff! It’s just not fair. You think you’re so great, huh?” Joey puffed out his cheeks, a comical expression of indignation that made James laugh.

“I don’t know what to tell you, Joey. I’m just better, I guess.” James shrugged, trying to suppress a grin, which only seemed to further infuriate Joey.

“Yeah, well, I have two abilities, and you have none.” Joey stuck out his tongue like a triumphant child.

“Actually,” James said, holding up a finger with a sly grin, “I already have an ability: {Trident Proficiency}.”

Joey’s jaw dropped, his eyes widening. He stared at James like he’d just grown another head.

“How?! You couldn’t have been awake for more than five minutes! I swear I was just fighting off that salamander right out front, and I didn’t leave you alone that long!”

“Honestly, it was just there, ready to be accepted when I opened my status,” James replied. He rubbed the back of his neck thoughtfully. “Might be because I used it before I got my status, which seems to have triggered something.” He gestured toward the trident lying by his side. “Turns out you were right—I tried to lift it before I took the skill, and it was like trying to lift a boulder.”

“SEE! I told you!” Joey stomped his foot, crossing his arms with an exaggerated huff. “I don’t trip—you trip!” He pouted a bit clearly thinking to the last snipe James took at him before breaking into a grin.

“Only if it’s while I’m fishing,” James shot back, mirroring Joey's grin. He shifted slightly, his stomach rumbling audibly. “Speaking of which, what have you been eating? I’m starving.”

Joey rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “Uh, well, those glowing mushrooms? I’ve been eating those. I think they’re edible. I mean, they haven’t killed me yet, so that’s good, right?”

James chuckled. “Probably better than raw fish. But I think we should try to catch some fish anyway. We could use the meat.

Joey nodded enthusiastically. “I’m glad one of us can use that trident. I wasn’t about to punch a fish with the snapping creature in the stream. Speaking of punching…” Joey’s eyes lit up, and his grin returned, this time full of pride.

“Oh, right! You mentioned a skill?” James asked.

Joey's grin widened. “Oh, yes. I was like one of those great masters, you know? Like the sage monks the minstrel sang about during the Festival of Alms.” Joey took a deep breath, puffing out his chest dramatically. “It all started when I realized my best friend was dying—nay, already dead! There I was, fighting against impossible odds…”

James smirked as Joey launched into his theatrical retelling. He spoke of his “valiant struggle,” his “desperate plea to the universe,” and the “miraculous manifestation of power.” According to Joey, the cosmos itself took pity on him, bestowing upon him the mighty {Iron Fist} to defeat the “great dragon”—which, as James remembered it, was a salamander not much bigger than a large dog.

Despite himself, James couldn’t help but be captivated by Joey’s telling. It was ridiculous, overblown, and so far from the truth—but it was good. James found himself clapping by the end, laughing until his sides hurt.

“In other words,” Joey said, now dropping the bravado, “I kind of lost myself, climbed on its back, and started punching it until the head caved in. Check this out, though!” He pulled up his status screen, proudly telling of his new skill.

- Active - Iron Fist (Ashen Level Three)

- Tempered by iron and forged in the crucible, your fists are more maul than fist.

- Infuse your fist with metal mana to drastically increase the weight and damage of unarmed attacks.

- Use of hands feels normal despite increased density.

“And that’s not all!” Joey added, barely containing his excitement. “I got my affinity revealed too!"

Affinity- Iron (Saffron 87%)

"Check it out it even changed my body skill!”

Passive - Variable - Bronze Skin (Saffron Level Two)

- Your skin becomes hardened with metal mana, increasing durability and enhancing defense.

Joey struck a pose that looked like something straight out of a bodybuilding magazine from Frank’s world. James snickered.

“I don’t quite know how to adjust everything yet,” Joey admitted, trying to hold the pose, “but if I pump more mana into it, I get stronger.”

James grinned. “Man, I’m glad we’re on the same team,” he said, shaking his head. “Are you going to seclude yourself in the mountains and become a monk too, oh wise one?”

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

“As long as you remember you called me wise,” Joey shot back, both of them breaking into laughter.

After the laughter died down, James grew more serious. He looked at Joey with a calculating expression. “Okay, jokes aside. We need a plan if we’re going to get out of here.”

Joey nodded, his demeanor shifting as he noticed James taking a different tone. “Right. What do you have in mind?”

"Well you have been fighting the salamanders and I see we have loot, what did we get?"

"I think you mean What did I get" Joey corrected him.

"Okay, what did you get?"

"Well I could tell you or you could use your newfound status to see for yourself. Turns out we need the skill {Identify} to get more information but the name of the items kinda helps to give an idea of what they are."

"Okay lets see,"

James got up and took a look at the small pile of things,

- Helmet of Confusion (Ashen)

- Use {Identify} for more information.

- Spoon of Perfect Temperature (Saffron)

- Use {Identify} for more information.

- Donut of Satiation (Ashen)

- Use {Identify} for more information.

This was all encircled by a small pile of the "Mushrooms"

- Luminous Shroom

- Use {Identify} for more information.

James studied the items, feeling a strange mix of excitement and disappointment. “Well, the randomness of this dungeon is something else. A spoon that keeps things the perfect temperature? Not sure where that’s going to help us. Unless we end up running a restaurant down here,” he said, picking it up and twirling it thoughtfully.

Joey snickered. “Hey, don’t underestimate good tools. Who likes cold soup, anyway?”

“Who likes soup at all?” James retorted with a grin,

"I didn't know what the Donut of satisfaction is, never heard of it, seems like its fragile and kind of smells good. maybe a bait?" Joey asked.

"Satiation," James corrected automatically about to explain before he was cut off

"Thats what I said,"

"Oookay, well I heard my dad talking about it once when he was ordering from the capital bakery," James spun a story to explain how he knew about it. "it’s not just a snack. My dad mentioned something like this once, when he was talking about an order from the capital’s bakery. He said it’s magic food—one bite is supposed to be enough to fill you up like you had a full meal.”

Joey’s eyes widened. “Wait, this is food?” He looked aghast. “I’ve had it for days! And I’ve been eating glowing mushrooms!” Without a moment’s hesitation, Joey snatched up the donut and took a huge bite.

“Wait, Joey!” James reached out, but he was too slow. Joey had already shoved most of the donut into his mouth. “I don’t think you were supposed to eat it all at once…”

“Mmmf, waow, that’s so good!” Joey mumbled, still chewing, a blissful look on his face. He swallowed, a satisfied grin plastered across his face. “See? My loot, my rules. And I left you some crumbs.” He gestured vaguely to the tiny remaining piece of the donut.

James frowned. “I’m telling you, that thing’s magic. You probably shouldn’t have eaten it all. If it works like I think, just a bite would have been enough for an entire meal.”

Joey’s grin slowly faded. He put a hand on his stomach. “Uh, James… I don’t feel so good.” His face paled as his stomach let out an ominous gurgle.

“Joey…” James sighed, shaking his head. “You always have to learn the hard way, don’t you?”

Joey groaned, curling up on the ground. “I gotta lay down, man.” He activated his skill {Bronze Skin}, his skin taking on a subtle metallic sheen that barely stood out in the dim light, sweat beginning to bead on his forehead. “Water. Need some water. Careful with the helmet. It’s got a hole.”

James took a deep breath, grabbed the helmet and the trident, and made his way to the underground lake. As he dipped the helmet in, he couldn’t help but chuckle. “Only Joey…” he muttered to himself, shaking his head.

The air around the lake was damp and cool, carrying an almost electric sensation that prickled against James's skin. It was eerily beautiful, with soft light reflecting off the still waters and mushrooms casting a dim green glow. James took a deep breath, the earthy scent of the cavern mixed with the faint, almost metallic tang of the water. There was something strangely calming about it, even amidst the dangers. a faint "mew" could be made out against the steady drips. filling the helmet James left it for another time.

Returning to their small alcove, James knelt beside Joey, offering him the water. Joey drank deeply, and after a massive belch, his eyes drooped, and he fell into a deep sleep, his stomach still letting out uncomfortable gurgles.

James sighed, settling himself against the wall, looking down at his friend. The irony wasn’t lost on him—here he was, going from being taken care of to taking care of Joey in a matter of an hour. The glowing mushrooms cast faint, eerie shadows around the alcove, and the quiet dripping of water echoed in the distance. It was peaceful in a strange, disquieting way.

“Hopefully, I’ll be as brave as you if something shows up,” James murmured, gripping the trident. He tried to shake off the unease settling in his gut. The rift was far from safe, and though Joey had managed to hold his own, there was no telling what else lurked in the shadows.

James leaned his head back, staring at the dark ceiling of the cavern. He could hear faint scuttling noises echoing from somewhere deeper in the cave system, and the dripping water played a maddening rhythm against the stone. It was hard to relax in such a place, where every shadow seemed to promise danger. But despite the fear, despite the aching muscles and gnawing hunger, James found a strange sense of comfort here. This was a test, a challenge that he had to overcome. It was what Frank would have wanted—what he wanted.

Minutes later, just as James was starting to relax, a faint scratching sound reached his ears, echoing from somewhere deeper in the cave. His body tensed, his fingers tightening around the trident.

“Uh-oh,” he whispered, heart pounding. He cast a quick glance at the sleeping Joey, then turned his eyes towards the darkness beyond their alcove. “Here we go.”

The scratching grew louder, a sound that reminded James of claws against stone. His palms grew slick with sweat as he adjusted his grip on the trident. He peered into the darkness, straining his eyes to see anything beyond the dim glow of the mushrooms. Shadows seemed to shift, a creeping sense of movement in the blackness, and the dripping of water was drowned out by the sound of his own heartbeat.

James’s thoughts raced. He needed a plan, something that would let him keep Joey safe while handling whatever was out there. He bit his lip, considering the trident, the small pile of glowing mushrooms, the helmet with a hole in it. Improvisation wasn’t his strong suit, but necessity had a funny way of bringing out hidden talents.

“Alright, James… think. What would Frank do?” he muttered under his breath. He glanced over at Joey, who had turned in his sleep, still clutching his stomach. If Joey was awake, he’d probably try to punch whatever was out there—straightforward, but not ideal for someone currently half-conscious and suffering from magical indigestion.

James suddenly remembered something Frank used to do when faced with a stressful situation—use the environment. Never mind it was often to hide under his bed from his moms boyfriends but nonetheless, he reached over and grabbed a few of the glowing mushrooms, breaking them free from their spot. The eerie glow intensified as he gathered more of them, arranging them around the alcove to create a clearer view of what was ahead. It wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing.

The scratching grew even closer, and a pair of glowing yellow eyes flashed in the darkness, their gaze locking on James. He swallowed hard, keeping his trident ready.