The peaceful campsite didn't stay quiet for much longer. Jason and Bernard started waking Alex up as they had arranged to take turns keeping watch. Suddenly, they felt something strange with their heightened senses. They quickly alerted the group to wake up and ready their weapons.
As they readied their weapons and got into defensive positions, a group of ten people emerged from the surrounding forest, cautiously stepping into the camp. The strangers were armed, and the tension in the air was palpable. Jason's heart pounded as he sized up the newcomers, unsure of their intentions.
At the front of the group stood a formidable figure, taller than the rest, with a commanding presence. He wore battle-worn armour and a determined expression. This man was their leader, and he approached the camp slowly, his hand raised in a gesture of peace.
"Easy now, we don't mean any harm," he called out, his voice firm but calm. "My name is Marcus, and we're just passing through. We saw your camp and thought it best to approach cautiously. We've been travelling for a while without getting any sleep since the integration, and our supplies are running low. We could use some help."
Jason kept his guard up, but he listened to Marcus's words. He glanced at his companions, and they exchanged wary looks but remained at the ready. "Why should we trust you?" Jason asked, his voice steady but guarded.
Marcus nodded, understanding their caution. "I get it. This world is dangerous, and trust doesn't come easily. But we're not looking for a fight. We're just a group of survivors, trying to make it through like you. We have skills and knowledge that could benefit all of us. We could form an alliance, share resources, and watch each other's backs. I've been thinking of starting a safe haven as well."
The tension in the air lessened slightly as Marcus's words sank in. The idea of a larger group offering protection and support appealed to the group, who had already experienced the harsh reality of this new world. They could use all the help they could get.
Bernard stepped forward, still cautious but willing to hear Marcus out. "What do you propose, then?" he asked.
Marcus smiled, relieved to see a willingness to negotiate. "Let's sit down and talk. We have food to share, and we can discuss the details. No tricks, just an honest conversation."
Before the man could continue, Jason summoned a Shadow Bolt and pointed it at Marcus, his voice firm and his face filled with determination. "Stay still, or I'll shoot this straight through your face, and I'm not kidding," Jason warned. The man initially had a joking smile on his face, but as he looked into Jason's eyes, he noticed the lack of hesitation or uncertainty. There was a purplish radiance in Jason's gaze that made him reconsider his approach.
Marcus replied calmly, "Now, now, there's no need for that. I'm just going to come over with Billy and John. I entered the tutorial with them." Unbeknownst to Jason, Bernard and Alex were exchanging concerned glances, drilling holes into Jason's head with their eyes. They didn't want a repeat of what happened before. They noticed the shift in Jason's personality and didn't want another outburst, especially in front of Caroline and the rest of the group.
Reluctantly, Jason lowered his hand and allowed Marcus, Billy, and John to approach. The tension in the air started to calm down as they cautiously made their way to the campfire. The rest of the group remained on guard, their weapons at the ready.
Once they reached the campfire, Marcus extended his hand in a gesture of peace. "Thank you for giving us a chance," he said sincerely. "We truly are just looking for safety and companionship in this chaotic world. We can explain everything and answer any questions you may have."
Jason's eyes still held a hint of suspicion, but he nodded, allowing the conversation to proceed. It was clear that trust needed to be earned, but perhaps there was a chance for unity among the survivors.
"As I said before, my name is Marcus, and this is Billy and John," Marcus began, confidently introducing his companions. "I'm a level 8 warrior, John is a level 5 mage, and Billy is a level 6 rogue." Jason couldn't help but notice that Marcus didn't reveal his subclass, which sparked his suspicion. He thought to himself, "The choice of subclass can say a lot about a person, so perhaps they're intentionally hiding their powers for some malicious reason."
Just as Alex was about to speak and introduce himself, Jason interrupted, jumping in with his own introduction. "Hi, I'm Jason, and I'm Level 5," he declared, casting a significant look at Alex. It was a subtle gesture meant to convey a message of trust.
Following Jason's lead, the rest of the group introduced themselves, stating their names and Level. Marcus, however, wasn't fooled by Jason's diversion. He politely asked, "Could you tell me what class you guys are?"
Jason responded with a sarcastic smile, "Why the sudden interest in our classes?." The response seemed to rattle Marcus, causing his beaming expression to twitch slightly. Marcus decided to cut straight to the point, dropping the smile entirely and fixing a piercing gaze on Jason. "Look here, all we're asking for is that healer over there"
Jason maintained his composure, the same smile still playing on his face. "Why do you need a healer? Just use your potions," he retorted.
"We already did," Marcus replied, his tone growing more serious. "As I said, I came with Billy and John, and we encountered a group of three right away. All of them were healers, scared out of their minds, practically pissing their pants. Then we got jumped by these little green things, looked like demonic midgets. After identifying them, it said 'Green Goblin.' We were fighting for our lives, and two of them got killed while the three of us were injured, desperately trying to keep the third healer alive. The funny thing is, those goblins just kept coming. And I'm not sure if you know this, but potions don't work back-to-back."
Jason and the group listened intently, their interest piqued by this new knowledge. "If you drink one potion, it will heal your injuries. But if you drink another one within an hour, it does nothing. We found that out the hard way when the third healer died from a goblin's arrow to the gut. Poor guy bled out," Marcus explained.
Jason was growing impatient, wanting Marcus to get to the point. "So, why do you need a healer? A group as large as yours should have a couple," he inquired.
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"Well, funny enough, most of these guys are warriors," Marcus hurriedly replied. "It seems to be the most common choice out here. And healers can keep healing, from what we've noticed. No cooldown or anything, as long as they have the mana."
Jason's realization hit him like a ton of bricks. He had been so focused on his own abilities and the strength of their group that he had overlooked the essential role of a healer.
Before Marcus could make his request for Maria, Jason stepped forward, blocking Marcus's view of her. His voice was firm as he addressed the leader. "Sorry, but you can't have Maria. She's with us," he declared, his determination clear in his eyes. Marcus's anger flared up, evident on his face, as he looked at Billy, John, and Maria.
"Your name is Maria. We can look after you. We'll help you level up, provide food and shelter, and offer you a respected rank among us," Marcus proposed, attempting to persuade her. He then turned to the rest of the group, extending the invitation to everyone. "You're all welcome as well, as long as the healer joins us."
Jason stood his ground, blocking Marcus's path to Maria. His voice resonated with a mixture of protectiveness and defiance. "You're not taking her, got it? We don't know you people, and..." Before Jason could finish his sentence, Marcus abruptly summoned a double-sided battle axe, anger emanating from his every word.
"I wasn't asking. We can do this the easy way or the hard way," Marcus threatened, his grip tightening on the weapon. "And just like you, I've had to cut down some people to get to where I am."
Before anything could escalate, Jason felt a hand touch his shoulder. "Why don't we talk as a group about this?" Alex asked honestly. Jason then looked at the group; all of them clearly not ready to fight a small army. He caved in and turned to Marcus. "Give us 5 minutes and some privacy," Jason requested. Marcus and the rest of his group put away their weapons, agreeing to grant them the requested privacy.
Alex, and the rest of the group retreated to discuss their options. They needed to come to a consensus, considering the potential benefits and risks of joining forces with Marcus and his group. However, Jason couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, thinking that Billy, the rogue, possessed a skill that allowed him to eavesdrop on their conversation.
As the group gathered in a small circle, Alex voiced his opinion. "I think we should go with them. We can't deny the advantages of having a larger group to rely on in this world. It's a chance for safety and support," he said earnestly.
"By the way, they are listening to us right now," Jason added, casting a knowing glance towards the direction of Marcus and Billy. "That rogue has a skill that allows him to listen in on our conversation."
The revelation caused the group to exchange wary glances, their trust in Marcus's group diminishing. “Just speak your mind about what you want,” Jason said.
Bernard spoke up, "If we go with them, we have to be cautious and keep an eye on them. We don't know their true intentions, and we can't let our guard down."
Caroline nodded in agreement, "I don't like the idea of being under someone else's control, but we can't deny that we need levels, and uniting together will be safer."
Dorothy chimed in, "We should trust our instincts. If anything feels off or dangerous, we leave immediately."
Maria, the healer in question, finally spoke up, "I'm only level 0, I haven't even levelled up so I do need the levels to survive, but I'll be going where Mark goes and I do believe it's a good idea to go."
Mark nodded in approval and stated, “As long as we stay in the forest, I'm happy. Also, they say that we can use this clearing to make a base as long as we don't start cutting up living trees.”
Jason looked at Steve, who simply nodded with a face that pretty much said, "Hey, I really don't care as long as I don't end up like a slave or die." Jason had always noticed that Steve was a quiet one; sure, he was rich, but he didn't seem like a condescending type. However, Steve never gave a hello or thanks to Jason and he remembered that.
With everyone's approval, Jason then looked over at Marcus, signalling that they had made their choice. Marcus, in turn, looked at Billy, which prompted a nod from him, telling Marcus that they were going to join the party. This brought a grin to Marcus' face, as he, like always, got his way.
As Marcus, Billy, and John approached them, Jason stepped forward, practically shouting to let everyone around hear what he had to say.
“Our group has decided to join yours, but I will not be coming with you,” Jason stated firmly. Following that statement, he walked forward, standing right in front of Marcus. "But if I find out that any of them died because someone in your party did something, so help me God, I will fucking torture the lot of you until you beg me for mercy, and then, and only then, I will end your suffering." Jason looked dead into Marcus' eyes, showing him that he meant every word he said. "Like I said, we can offer shelter and protection as long as the healer comes along." Despite Marcus sounding like everything was okay, he had a visible frown on his face, with a bulging vein practically about to explode out of his forehead.
"Wait, you're leaving us?" Alex shouted in sadness. "Yes, I am, but don't worry, I will be fine. My skills don't seem to relate well with others, especially the skill I picked up at level 5. It's very powerful and very potent. I don't want to accidentally harm or kill any of you just by being around you," Jason explained calmly.
Marcus's face twitched at this statement, as he was sure Jason was bluffing. He knew that the level 5 skill selection generally gave pretty powerful skills, but a skill of the caliber that Jason was describing didn't make sense to him. He thought to himself, "Yeah, he's bluffing for sure. There's no way he's got a skill like that." Jason noticed Marcus's facial twitch and smirked inwardly. Of course, he said this on purpose to try and tell Marcus that he's not one to be messed with. Whether Marcus believed it or not, Jason expected him to send people after him. If that happened, it would only reinforce the fact that Marcus saw Jason as a threat.
After bidding his goodbyes to the unhappy group, Jason set off into the depths of the dark forest. Marcus, however, was not content with just letting him go. He turned to Billy, the level 6 rogue, and gave his chilling command.
"Take three of your best men and deal with him," Marcus ordered. "I won't risk any potential threats to our group. Make it quick, and then return here."
Billy raised an eyebrow in doubt. "Do you really think he's a threat? He's just a level 5. Sending four men after him seems excessive."
Marcus's face hardened with determination. "I don't care. I'd rather be safe than sorry. Just do it, Billy."
Without hesitation, Billy rounded up three warriors, and they openly followed Jason into the forest. Alex and Bernard watched with worry on their faces. But Alex trusted that Jason had a plan; he always did.
In the heart of the forest, Jason felt the presence of his pursuers, and he stopped to confront them. As the warriors closed in, he faced them calmly, a sly grin spreading across his face. His fearlessness surprised the warriors, but they remained cautious.
"Looks like we've got ourselves a troublemaker," one of the warriors taunted.
Jason chuckled softly. "You could say that. So, what's the plan? Are you here to take me down?"
The warriors exchanged glances, uncertain of how to proceed. Jason's confidence seemed to unnerve them.
"Just do what you were ordered," Billy finally said, trying to sound tough.
Jason's grin widened. "Alright then, let's dance."