A few more days had passed since confronting Ryan and the other children. As far as Pep-Ri began to see Ryan had taken to shadowing Father Patrick and asking him about how to become a knight. He has also taken to defending some of the weaker children from a few bullies. Or so it seemed from the massive wets Ryan now sported.
Pep-Ri continued to build up relationships with the children and their mothers at a snail’s pace though. At first he could barely get any of them to talk to him let alone listen to anything he’d have to say about men. After all who wants to listen to some stranger rant about what is wrong with men in the world today.
“Sir Pep-Ri!! Sir Pep-Ri!!”
Turning around Pep-Ri saw Steven one of the kids who had been playing the circle game with Ryan.
“We just invented a new way to play Circ! We thought that maybe since you had wanted to play with us maybe you’d like to try it out?” Looking expectantly at Pep-Ri, Steven’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
“You know what I’d love to join. Let me find someplace to put Divine down… I wish we had a crib, or at least a stroller to put her in.”
Confused about the strange words he was hearing Steven grabbed onto Pep-Ri’s empty arm and pulled him along. “We may not have one of those things, but we do have the Nursy”
“Nursy? What’s a Nursy Steven?”
Stopping cold Steven looked about ready to burst out laughing. “A Nursy is a room where the younger kids can play together and be watched. Some of the moms leave their babes in there when they need to go to the market.”
“Steven don’t you mean a Nursery?”
“Yeah a Nursy.”
‘Sometimes they change the names of stuff here. I wonder why’
“Okay Steven Let me drop her off and we can play circ.”
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Fifteen minutes later after setting Divine off into a room of almost pure chaos [Running little kids on steroids]. Pep-Ri was surrounded outside by more children than he had seen so far.
“Now Mister to make the game fair we brought in more players than we usually play with as adults are faster. So I hope you don’t mind… We’ll send out 5 kids to tag you and the rest of us will act as the barrier. If you get to close to us though we can tag you. As for the rules 1. You can’t leave the circle 2. You can’t do anything but run and dodge and 3. After a bit something interesting will happen. 4.You have to not get tagged for one minute to win. If you can do that then you’ll learn something cool.”
Ready.
Set.
Go.
All of a sudden five kids jumped out of the circle to chase Pep-Ri he ran around evading their hands. He did this for about ten seconds keeping his eyes on all five of the kids when he got tagged from behind by one of the kids who he had thought stayed on the circle.
Looking back at the kids who’d just tagged him Pe-Ri got annoyed. “Hey I thought you said only five kids would be chasing me.”
Steven called out, “Well at first sure. But as time passes we can send more kids in. See I told you something interesting would happen.”
“Well doesn’t that mean that eventually I would have to avoid all of you? How can I stay in the circle then?”
“……”
Steven looked around and then down at the floor. “Guys we need to rethink this and change the rules… See ya later Mister”
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
A few more days passed by as Pep-Ri continued in his quest to show everyone at Juno’s what a father and a man need to be. In many ways he was successful as he built up a friendship with many of the women who began to gush and begin to chatter when he would pass by carrying Divine on his hip. Many of them seemed to adopt him into their number as a fellow mother. Despite the fact he was a man…. Sort of…
On the other hand Agatha still beat his brow every time she saw him. It was as if seeing him amongst the children and women was no more than a wolf in with the sheep. She was constantly suspicious of him and constantly questioned his midnight runs. Talking about how decent folk should be sleeping and not consorting with thieves and ruffians. Not that he had ever done such a thing.
Once a week a group of thugs and strong arms did come around to the temple and to the shelter for money. Apparently the soldiers demanded protection money from the temple to keep the gangs away and the children and women safe. Despite Pep-Ri’s various protests Patrick would always hand over the money with little to no complaint.
“Pep-Ri I know you have a kind heart. I know that you have been through much and may not understand why these things happen. But I am telling you. No good can come from showing resistance. We here at Juno’s have no army, no soldiers, and only a few female paladins and priests. Our only protection is these men who are barely more tolerable than Grang-sook and his gang of rapists and murderers.”
“Then why can’t you contact the other temples? Surely it can’t be like this throughout all of the kingdom! Can it?”
Looking through his thick eyebrows Patrick sighed. “The order of Juno is small and under appreciated throughout the entire continent. Juno the Mother let her children take her rightful place as leaders among the gods. Her love for her offspring has caused her glorious light to become nothing more than a glimmer of power within the shadows caused by the powers of Freya and the rest. We are nothing more than a few scattered shelters and temples that help provide for all whom we can. So no Pep-Ri we can’t just reach out for help. In order to protect and serve we must fall on our stomachs to whoever carries a big stick. Otherwise we would be shortly be overrun.”
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Sitting outside after His and Patrick’s most recent argument, Pep-Ri decided it was about time for there to be a change at Juno’s. Obviously the Soldiers needed to be corrected in how they were acting but that doesn’t mean he can just go up and command them to stop lining their pockets with the temple’s coin. That would most likely end with the solder’s refusing to protect the temple if one of the gangs showed up. Which they regularly did in order to forcibly recruit a few of the kids now and then into a life of crime.
As he sat we watched as one of these recruiting parties made their way past the temple into a nearby alleyway Pep-Ri got up and followed them. Once in the alleyway he say the thugs surrounding someone.
“I said no to you guys yesterday and the day before! I means to be a paladin someday and I can’t join youse. “
“Well kid, we aint lookin to be adding a paladin around here. So either you join up with us or you is dead.”
Hearing the threat Pep-Ri started forward only to see the thugs jump forward with their knives in hand stabbing towards whoever was in between them.
“Catch him!”
A figure darted out from the men and ran past Pep-Ri. Glad whoever it was got away Pep-Ri activated his skill patience and waited until the thugs ran past. Tripping each of the men in step, Pep-Ri slid deeper into the shadows of the alley and activated illusionary haze.
The men jumped up and began searching for whoever had tripped them up only to find an empty alleyway.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
The frequency in which the thugs began to show up at Juno’s steadily increased as they found it harder and harder to recruit brats into their ring of pickpockets and watchers. The kids seemed more reluctant than usual and for some reason their men kept falling down stairs and getting hurt or occasionally dying mysteriously when no one was around. Sure the guards and soldiers would kill them if they were caught but you typically didn’t find many men in their ranks dumb enough to get caught.
Some of the men began to think the temple of Juno had set a curse on them as each day they lost more and more men, and more importantly more and more money. Grang-sook was not happy when his men began reporting hints at this curse. He was a superstitious man if not a greedy one. He had risen to the top of the local gangs due to both. Well that and his trusty hammer which helped him leave a mountain of corpses he always left behind him.
Honestly though if he and his men were cursed then he would need to confront the ones responsible. Looking at his left hand man Will he called out.
“Gather up all the men you can we are going to purge this supposed curse. Tell the men we are going to ransack Juno’s temple and take as many women and brats as we want tomorrow. Be sure they are prepared to kill off the Guard.”
With a sneering smile Will left the room imagining the fun he would be having. “Yes sir”
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
It didn’t take long the next morning for Grang-sook and his men to gather up the guards who were not already on his payroll. There were only three of them after all. The rest played at chasing them, arresting them, etc. But never actually did anything except put on a show so they could line their own pockets with the cities gold.
Striding towards Juno’s Grang-sook called out to the measly temple for them to remove the blasted curse they had set on him and his men.
Looking through the windows Patrick replied from inside, “What curse do you speak of? I nor my people have ever set any curse. We are a peaceful people who only wish to help the women and children you put in danger.”
“Those brats and whores can live all they want as long as they do what I say. I care not for them as long as I get what I want. And right now I want this curse lifted.”
Appearing beside Patrick a small petite man began talking to Patrick. Apparently the one who had placed the curse. With the look of shock and fear that came upon Patrick obviously that must be it. After waiting for a bit the pixie stepped out of the temple doors and walked towards Grang-sook. As he got closer Grang-sook was shocked to see that it was a lowly pixie with his wings torn off that was making his way forward. A pixie! A vermin was more like it, where pixies went trouble followed.
“I am Pep-Ri and I never set any curse on you or your men. I have merely been protecting come kids from your….. Recruiters shall we say. You could say they have been tripping over themselves as of late.”
Looking into the pixies eyes which where delighting in some small joke or another Grang-sook decided that obviously this was the one who’d placed the hex. Pixies were notorious for pulling pranks and messing with people plans. Everyone knew pixies had been too ashamed to do anything since the fairie wars, yet here stood a pixie delighting in himself. A soon to be dead pixie.
“I am Grang-sook the leader of over 300 men. You are a little pixie who has gotten into someone else’s business for no reason other than to fulfill the desire for mischief your kind revels in. That is you have gotten into my business. A profitable business which you have caused damage. Now I mean to get my money’s worth from you and that temple.”
Waiting untill the pixie was within arm’s reach Grang- sook reached out to grab the pixie by the scruff of the neck. Dashing past Grang-sook’s arms Pep-Ri dodged. Pulling out his hammer Grang-sook laughed.
“This one is mine boys. Sit back and watch the show.”
Crouching lower to the ground in his rush forward he barely dodged the hammer blow that was aimed at his head. In fact you could hardly call it dodging as in all reality Pep-Ri was only about waist high to begin with.
‘Wha… ? I actually dodged that? How did that happen? Whether it was luck or whatever I need to attack.
Still crouched down Pep-Ri swung his fist forward connecting brilliantly with Grang-sook’s stomach. Swinging his other arm forward he continued to rain as many blows as possible on his enemy until all of a sudden Grang-sook began to laugh.
“Hahaha not only are you puny but your fists feel like they haven’t even reached the power of a small child’s.”
“Shut up now I know your just bluffing”
*tring*
You have successfully completed a continuous 7 strike combo. Each strike receives X’s 1.5 dmg
17.5 Dmg dealt.
………………………………………………………………………..Flashback…………………………………………………………………
Earlier when Father Patrick had pulled Pep-Ri aside he had asked all about his strengths and weaknesses. Afterall why send out someone who had zero chance of survival when you can give them at least a 1% chance of winning.
“Look Pep-Ri I know that you are doing this for the children but please think is there anything you can actually do against these men? They are all trained ex-soldiers! If you go out there with no plan then obviously you can’t win. So out with it! Do you have any combat skills you can use to defeat these men?”
“Well… I am not too strong but I can turn invisible I used it in my fight with a bunch of kobolds. At most I can hoId it for thirty seconds if I am at full mana. I have been reading in the temple’s library so I can also teleport freely now. But it drains my mana so fast I can hardly use it three times at this point. Even after I distributed all my stats into agility intelligence and wisdom this is a barrier I haven’t been able to pass.”
“Wait did you just say agility? I have indeed seen you playing tag now and then with the children, and you go out on your runs but how fast would you consider yourself to be?”
“What do you mean how fast? What use is running and dodging when you can’t deal any damage, magical or physical?!?”
Suddenly a shout came from the front gate “Hey get out here Patrick or else were going to burn your Temple down!”
“Sorry father I have to go now.” Turning to exit the sanctuary Pep-Ri walked towards what was sure to be the end of his life.
“Wait before you go just remember speed isn’t all about how fast you can move your feet”
……………………………………………………………………….End of Flashback…………………………………………………………..
‘F#c(……. Why are my hits so worthless?!?!?!? And seven blows only comes out to only 17 points of damage?!? How is that even possible?’
Backhanding Pep-ri with his shield arm Grang-sook almost fell over as he continued his laughing fit as Pep-ri was sent to the ground with barely any effort.
*Tring*
-40 pts
“For all your high and mighty talk about what it means to be a man you sure are the weakest little thing I have ever met. If it wasn’t for how pissed off I am right now I might have let you just walk away. But you threatened the wrong man today. So what is about to happen is all on you.”
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Grang-sook let his hammer fall to its full length as he held on only to the pommel at the bottom of grip. Arching himself up onto the balls of his feet Grang-sook brought his hammer down in with a mighty bellow using all his strength. A short sharp cry was heard but little else as a dust cloud formed around Grang-sook due to the might of his blow.
“Hahaha that was simple enough now wasn’t it. Now that goody too shoes is taken care of why don’t we hea…..”
Suddenly from behind him and in front of him and from the side he felt a thousand tiny stings as if his armor was reflecting a thousand arrows.
*Tring
You have successfully completed a continuous 4 strike combo. Each strike receives X’s 1.5 dmg
9.5 Dmg dealt
*Tring
You have successfully completed a continuous 6 strike combo. Each strike receives X’s 1.5 dmg
15.5 Dmg dealt
*Tring
You have successfully completed a continuous 9 strike combo. Each strike receives X’s 1.5 dmg
23 Dmg dealt
*Tring
You have successfully completed a continuous 13 strike combo. Each strike receives X’s 1.5 dmg
29.5 Dmg dealt
“Oph….”
The dust cloud which had appeared just as soon as Grang-sook’s hammer fell was now swirling around him like a miniature dust storm.
“Wha… So you were still around you stinking fairy reject? You can h….. hit me as ma….ny times a…as you want….. argh!!!!!! Stay still you little runt so I can show you what a real punch feels like!”
Swinging wildly Grang-sook charged out of the dust storm looking no worse for all that had happened within the past thirty seconds. Suddenly the dust cloud stopped spinning and as it settled the young pixie stood with his eyes shining in triumph.
“You seriously think that your puny punches can harm me? I have hunted the mightiest beasts within this land! I wear the armor of the Glorious bandit group Great House!!! I haven’t even lost 2% of my health so just quietly die.”
Charging forward Grang-sook now swung his hammer from the side only to meet what little resistance the air provided. Seeing Pep-ri crouching low yet again Grang-sook kicked forward hoping to bash into the weakling. Unfortunately for Grang-sook Pep-Ri had been standing right in front of the pole used to tie a horses reigns to. Unfortunately that pole is just about waist high and Pep-Ri dodged to the side. Bending over due to the intense pain Pep-ri was surprised to see yet another pop up saying he had just dealt a critical hit worth five hundred damage.
‘Sh*%... I can barely dodge this guy. He may look old and fat but his speed and power are no joke. I obviously can’t win in a fist fight but I have no attack spells either. Why did I ever have to challenge this guy? I don’t even have a proper weapon!! By the way how long was that pole there?’
Taking out a stone he found while he was on the ground Pep-Ri threw it as hard as he could. The stone flew forward as fast as a bullet trailing blue glitter as it hit Grang-sook square on the forehead.
*tring
Critical shot!!! 13 points of Dmg and enemy is now blinded and confused for 10 seconds.
“Sh^%. What did you do you stinking runt? What did you do to my eyes?”
Not giving up on his stroke of luck Pep-Ri rushed forward to attack Grang-sooks back for another critical combo series of hits.
Throwing both arms out Grang-sook threw Pep-ri backwards and rubbed his eyes clearing what appeared to be sand from his eyes.
‘Wait didn’t I have some kind of passive where I could get bonus effects from projectiles and magic spells? What was that again? Pixie shot? Oh sh^%.’
Dodging to the side Pep-Ri barely avoided Grang-sooks hammer as he appeared to discard it. Yet all of a sudden the hammer flew sideways and a chain wrapped around Pep-Ri. Leaving the Hammer to swing wildly in a circle until it fell to the ground.
*Tring
You have been caught and you are incapable of moving. You had best hope you have a reliable party to back you up.
“F you operating system! I don’t need your sarcastic remarks right now!”
*Tring
F you too player
……….
……….
……….
‘Did I just piss off the AI????’
Suddenly Grang sook started glowing and his hair changed color while he shouted to the sky “Wrahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!! Wrahhhhhhhhh!!!! Yeahhhahhahahahahahaha
I feel More powerful than ever!!! It must be the holy blessings of Freya. The famous blessing that gives the bearer a power exceeding that of over nine thousand!”
*Tring
System Admin communication established
A loud and annoying voice suddenly reverberated through Pep-Ri’s skull , “Jk Jk sorry this is the Admin from when you set up your account. I was told to send you confirmation that you could now delete your character anytime you wanted. But when I logged in I saw your fight I couldn’t resist taking over the notifications and messing with you a bit. I hope you don’t mind a little blessing on your enemy BTW. Oh you might want to brace yourself.”
“Whaaaaaa…….Argh oppph….unhhhh” Using the chain and the hammer as leverage Grang-sook had just picked Pep-ri into the air and swung him around and slammed him into the ground.
*Tring
Due to major impact your -400 pts. Left arm is now broken and cannot be used effectively. It may need immediate medical attention. Less than 8% life left.
“Ouch that looks like it hurt… And it looks like you don’t have all that much health left either…. Where is your party?”
“Huff huff huff….. What party? It is just me”
“Wait your taking on a level D quest by yourself. Don’t you know how stupid that is? Especially at your level?”
“What is so special about that? I have already beaten a level C quest….. Anyways how would you know what my level is?”
“……… You’ve got to be lying, I mean you’re not even level 20. Rank C quests shouldn’t be accessible or defeatable till at least 3 in game years….. Hey seriously you don’t have anyone with you?”
“…….Nope……….”
“Sweet!!! I love my Admin status…I mean how else would I be able to hog boss kills if not for this!!! Log in Character ID Ragnarok Slayer.”
Suddenly a knight in shining armor appeared behind Grang-sook and swung a broadsword that looked like it was made out of a steel beam instead of folded iron. The golden gleam that had surrounded Grang-sook disappeared as he was hit but he somehow managed to survive.
“Whaa. You bastard how dare you attack me from behind!”
“Whahaha only justice can prevail evil doer. There is no way a mini boss character like yourself could ever defeat an Admin whose level is already 93!!!!Die Die Die HAhahaha.”
*Tring
For abusing Admin status on multiple occasions Player ID Ragnarok Slayer has been reduced to level one. He has also lost all armor and weapons along with any Admin privileges. Character race has been reverted from classified hidden race to human. And character has been reduced to classless without the ability to ever take on another class. New characters created by this user will permanently be incapable of gaining a class. You will also be permanently labeled with a PK symbol.
P.S If you didn’t get the memo you’re fired.
Suddenly the knight disappeared and in his place was a noob who had a shining red arrow on his forehead. Releasing Pep-Ri from the chain Grang-sook whipped the hammer around his head a few times before throwing it forwards. The hammer flew into Ragnarok Slayer so hard that almost as soon as the hammer made impact the man flew backwards and died instantly.
“It seems Freya’s blessing did not favor me for long but now I know that what I do. No matter how evil. I am the chosen and must be seen as righteous! Why else would Freya choose to bless me with one of the most coveted blessings we know of?!?!?!? Hahahahha! So much for an Admin Status…… Whatever that is.”
Laughing his way merrily he started walking back towards Juno’s house.
“Hey open up in there! I am now the chosen of Freya. No matter what you have to say against me now, surely a minor goddess like Juno could not compete with Freya’s chosen? So if I want a girl you give me a girl! If I want a runt to shine my sword you will give me a runt! You are here only by my grace. If you refuse even one more time I will destroy your church, rape your women, and kill each of these runts as you watch Patrick.”
“Imm…imm…impossible. Freya would never chose one so vile such as yourself to become her chosen.”
“Uh?”
Turning around Grang-sook saw the young pixie getting up off the ground. A fire could be seen within his eyes. A fire of pure uncontrollable rage.
“I don’t care if a stinking admin came here just to mess with me! I don’t care if this world turns on me!! I don’t care how much you break my body or how often you kill me!!! I will never. Ever! Allow you to harm one more woman or child. They are why we men fight!!! They are why we strive for a better tomorrow. They are what makes life worth living for.
A black fog seemed to seep from the pixie as it began to stumble forward. Backing up against the wall due to some unknown reason Grang-sook found himself standing in a defensive position.
“Yet you….. You the scum of the world want to take advantage of them. To use and abuse them. You see them as nothing but a means to an end. A moments pleasure to be discarded. I can no longer tolerate your existence or the existence of any coward such as yourself. So just die.”
Suddenly disappearing the pixie became a blur. All that could be seen was a hazy shimmer within the air. A thousand pinpricks began to work around Grang-sooks guard as unseen blows came at him in tens, and in hundreds and by the thousands. Shortly though the shimmering stopped and the pixie could be seen moving impossibly fast as he threw blow after blow. Each one as worthless as a needle’s prick, yet combined they became a whirlwind of pain Grang-sook could not escape.
The pain was merciless and agonizing as if it would never end in the torment. It quickly overwhelmed Grang-sook’s senses as he gave himself a brief moment’s recess in oblivion as he passed out. Only to wake again as the pain broke through his consciousness. Over and over and over Grang-sook experienced this pain as he cursed himself and the little blur of a pixie which was the cause of his suffering.
On and on Pep-Ri ran throwing punches and stabs at the thoroughly beaten man who he circled. He lost track of how many blows he sent into the abdomen, chest, hips, and sometimes face of Grang-sook.
That is until the pixie suddenly stopped…
*Tring
You are severely exhausted due to extended rapid movement within a short period of time. You have completely run out of stamina and no more health can be drained as you are now at 1% health. You can no longer move or support yourself.
*Tring
You have completed a continuous 132 strike combo. Due to sever exhaustion damage has been minimized.
213 dmg dealt
*Tring
You have gained the title Fastest Attacker Around for completing a continuous combo of over 100 in under 1 minute.
Title bonus gives +5% speed to all attacks and physical attributes when equipped.
Falling to his knees and then onto his stomach, Pep-Ri gasped for breath as he attempted to bring oxygen into his faltering body. Sitting there in complete failure Pep-Ri watched as Grang-sook stood up from where he had fallen. As he straightened his back and looked over towards Pep-ri, Grang-sook yelled in triumph.
“You little pipsqueak. You thought you could defeat me? You thought that your tiny little punches could every truly kill me? At most they have caused some pain but no lasting damage! You thought you had me broken? I feel like I am still at 80%!!! Your string of blows was no more than a passing migraine. I am Freya’s newly chosen. From now on no man can kill me!!!!”
“I am no man.” Through the open door Agatha stepped out of the building and beheaded Grang-sook with a single slash of a blade.
Passing out Pep-Ri watched as children and their mothers poured out the doors and began beating the members of the gang into submission.
Connect to Chapter 10? Yes | No