Chapter 8: Altor's First Job

King! Kang! King! Kong!

Those sounds from the pick axes digging reverberated throughout the mines of Quart Crystals, that would be as manufactured as materials to hold magic, to be used in Magic Tools, still marks it's presence. That was the harmony that build the character of the mines, but now it's laden with a heavy atmosphere of, I would say, total awkwardness and wary.

((Brace yourselves.))

Of all the ones that was working there, Altor really is standing out. He swing and hits his pick axe to dig for the crystals, like a diligent worker would do. And he is doing a fine job there, more than fine. His load is starting to pile up even more than most of the workers, to their awe and dismay. Like he wanted to take more of their share in profits. A sick plan indeed, that's some of the workers have been thinking. Makino, on the other hand, has a different objective to why he has taken this job.

King! Kang! King! Kong!

A large piece of Quart Crystal broke away from the mine wall as Makino is swinging his pick axe. He was in amazed to this.

'So this is how strong I was. By looking at the other workers, my swings are much more stronger if they can break such huge chunks of this crystals.' Makino observed as he looked upon his hand.

Makino continued to swing his pick axe to dig in order to meet his quota.

((Even though he's way past his quota.))

'It's a good thing I got a job here at this company as I can test my strength here, to know what this new body's limits and also the other tasks here that I can participate so I can gather more information.' Makino thought while swinging, his goals at place.

Arlandy, meanwhile, sees Altor doing his job spectacularly and can't help but to fill in with frustration and wondering, on why is he doing it really.

'Ugh! This really sucks. Firstly, this is gonna sure hit my paycheck, as meager as it is, for Altor~ here is hogging all the crystals for himself. Secondly, that boss~ of ours surely would gonna gawk us more because Altor~ here is working harder~ while the rest of us are like broken up Merandi. That would be thing he will repeatedly say to us! It's getting infuriating! Is this really his goal? Diabolical!' Arlandy infuriatingly thought.

Makino looked on them, as he starting to feel the heavy atmosphere. Response from Arlandy and the other workers: dread.

'Gih! Ugh, he looks so intimidating! I hope I didn't give him a bad impression! His armor and face really invoke terror. So dark and unknowable. I can't even read his expression due to his visor and mask. Why, I had no idea, but still. That was terrifying.' Arlandy put much more effort on his digging along with the other workers sharing his previous frustration and now terror.

((The competition is on?))

After an admittedly awkward and competitive digging, all of the workers are now finished on their shifts and preparing to go to their homes, but not before the distribution of paychecks. Everyone was lining up as Kadoji started to give up their paychecks in the form of magical bags constructed by magic with coins inside them.

The workers recieved their pay, which put a some sourness in their faces as, while the coins are not that few, it is still a meager wage. And there is no other extra tasks that they can take for today, this is only what they get for now.

"Gah! What a measly pay for crying out loud! This wont do for my living and I'm living alone." Arlandy cried in quite frustration in his salary.

Almost all of the workers has taken their pays except for Makino, intentionally taking the last place in the line.

"Oh, Sir Altor. Sorry for the wait, but now here's the pay for the contributions you have done for us." Kadoji said to Altor formally and handing him a huge magic bag with a lot of coins inside.

At that sight, Makino felt a distaste. He then looked at the workers behind him, their faces and moods started to fuel sourness.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

"Boss, this is too much for me. I'm only taking what I really earned and for the extra coins, give them to the others."

This invoked a surprise to all of them.

'Wha- What did he just said!? He said give those to us! This is quite unthinkable to an Armanben to do. They don't just not take anything that was given to them, let alone give them to a lower class like us. This is really unthinkable. That mech must have been crazed.' Arlandy thought on this very strange event.

Kadoji was also surprised at this.

'Oh Regulus! He must be crazed. He's such an enigma. Why is he doing all of this in the first place? I hope this bode well to our jobs.' He thought as he is also now sharing in Arlandy's worries.

((But... it's not on what you think he did that.))

Makino did this deed just mostly because the stares of the other workers are worrying to him that he is now attracting unnecessary attention now. Just being here did attract some attention, but still manageable. But this might cross the line.

And it all proceeded as he said: his pay lowered to what he earned and given the surplus to everyone. Everyone was totally stunned and puzzled, but there is no denying to them that they do felt glad to the extra cash. This act wil surely leaves a mark to all of them and it would surely not be the last.

((Heck Yeah you said it!))

Makino took off with his pay, pondering in his thoughts.

'Armanben, huh? Hmph! I'm not gonna play on their rules! You get that, you devils! I will gonna change everything and I would not be bamboozled by your silly decrees. Just you wait. Mark my Words!' His passion burning inside.

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Arlandy is walking home, still quite puzzled after the bizzare thing that happened in the company. But the results is not entirely unwelcome.

"Regeez! I haven't have this quite many coins in a normal day of job before. That Altor maybe crazed, still creeps me out, but this is not bad at all." Arlandy happily smiled looking at his magic bag of coins.

Some thoughts about Altor trinkled in his mind, but it seemed ridiculous to begin with. The thought that he maybe doing it in good intentions was just preposterous. He might he really crazed. But that thought wouldn't just dissappear in his mind, no matter how ridiculous it is.

Arlandy then started to run off, hoping that he make it in time to his home and not be tangled in another mess while taking a shortcut, a risky one at that.

"Gotta get fast. I hope those trash walkers are not around here now."

He run off into an alleyway leading to the main road. He continued on this path, but he bumped into something he didn't expected, something that he wouldn't want to expect.

Bump!

"Oof!!" Arlandy fell down, his money bag in the ground too.

"Well well well. Looks who came bumping for a good time. And looks like he has spare change for a party."

Arlandy looked up and he cursed his bad luck. It was the same goons from the last night and they were hungry for some payback. He saw them looking at his money bag and tried to to hide it behind his back.

Arlandy immediately stand up and tried to run away but one of them discreetly do something.

"Mando Yunti"

Then, a lasso producing magic appeared and binded his left leg.

Slam!

"Ugh!"

"Hey hey, Arlandy, why did you just trip on yourself like an idiot. Come on, let's help you up." The leader maniacally spoke to Arlandy and signaling his subordinates to restrain him immediately.

Arlandy was restrained by the two Magistoids. As he struggled to escape their grasp, he saw the looks of the other Magistoids walking in the street. Either were scared or apathetic, it wasn't a surprise to him. It was just the way here.

'Yeah. It is really that way.' Arlandy gloomily thought.

The goons look up to the other pedestrians and signalled his henchmen to go.

"Let's go somewhere discreet, shall we?" The leader quietly whispered it to Arlandy and started to drag him in the alleyway.

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