Theodore shot a final glance at his barbarian avatar. The muscular figure, clad only in startlingly white boxers, headbutted the wall repeatedly. Stationary, the barbarian seemed to be ramming into the barrier while busting some dance moves. Theodore had seen such movements in Viking-themed films: compact, efficient movements that were more about martial readiness than actual dancing. These were the kind of moves that spoke of ancient warriors, ready for a sudden skirmish or a stealthy advance.
Tonight, he expected to see similar gyrations at the corporate bash. ‘Caprice’, the trendy eatery, was a short walk away, and he figured it was more fitting to stride there rather than grab an Uber.
After giving his mom a quick peck on the cheek, Theodore double-checked the stove and faucets, and filled the kettle. A quick preen in front of the mirror - it would do. His jeans had seen better days, and his shirt bunching up in spots.
“Here’s to natural charm,” he mused to himself. Not that he was on a girl hunt, but... you never know, right? Maybe he’d bump into someone interesting and hopefully single.
Trudging through the slushy Boston streets, Theodore’s mind was on stabilizing his finances. Just enough to cover the utilities and groceries, a Netflix subscription for his mom, and her meds. His current dream? A pair of Ecco boots he’d eyed in an ad - perfect for these wintry streets, a far cry from the clunky work boots you’d see in rural America.
And what about his in-game quest in ‘Rakuen’? He needed to offload that mythical pickaxe for a decent sum and focus on the real world. It was surely worth more than a mere hundred bucks, considering the Invincible Gladiator’s vague offer, and that Seb had snagged the ‘blue one’ for five hundred.
Passing through a quaint park, local entrepreneurs had set up a line of eateries and cafes. The tantalizing scent of barbecue made Theodore’s stomach rumble in anticipation.
The ‘Caprice’ restaurant’s neon sign beckoned in the distance. All his immediate hopes seemed tied to this place. Nearing it, he figured he should shoot a text to Seb to avoid any entry hassles.
Seb greeted him with a terse “Hey,” eying Theodore’s attire but held his tongue. They stepped inside, and once Seb’s old classmate had stowed his coat, he asked, “Everything okay?”
“Not bad,” Theodore responded, sensing something off with Seb. “What’s up with you?”
“My ex just called. She wants to patch things up.”
“That’s good, right?”
“I guess. But she called before the party, so if we reconcile, she’ll lord it over me that I came solo.”
“You thinking of getting back together?”
“Probably. Don’t have the energy to start over, and everything with her is... familiar. Plus, I’m done with takeout and microwavable dinners. No more heartburn for me.”
“Gotcha,” Theodore replied, trying not to sound disappointed. He retrieved his coat ticket from his jeans and approached the cloakroom attendant, an elderly woman who seemed less than thrilled to fetch his coat.
Seb’s mood had visibly brightened. Alone and plagued by heartburn at a corporate gig with an old college pal, and now possibly reuniting with his ex, anticipating home-cooked meals and a regular partner.
Theodore couldn’t help but contrast his life with Seb’s as he stepped back into the cold Boston night. Here he was, scraping by, while Seb seemed on the verge of slipping back into a comfortable routine. Theodore cinched his coat tighter, feeling the chill more intensely.
“Oh, Sebastian!” a man in a double-breasted suit slurred slightly. “And who’s this, your plus one?”
“Definitely not, Mr. Barrington!” Seb snapped to attention. “This is Theodore Robinson, a fellow law school alum.”
“And your real date?”
“She’s en route,” Seb answered. “I’m just waiting to escort her in.”
“Makes sense,” Mr. Barrington nodded. “And your friend here?”
“He needed some quick legal advice,” Seb covered smoothly.
“Yeah,” Theodore chimed in, playing along. “Sebastian’s insights are invaluable. He was the sharp one in class. Thanks, man, you really helped me out.”
Zipping up his jacket, Theodore shook Seb’s hand, nodded to Mr. Barrington, and headed for the exit, bummed about missing the free food. His stomach voiced its protest loudly.
“Hey, Theo, hold up!” Seb called after him. Catching up, he offered awkwardly, “Sorry, this is weird. Want a nicotine-free vape? They’ve got some cool flavors.”
“No thanks,” Theodore declined, not much into vaping.
A few puffs later, Seb’s voice, strained with concern, broke the silence. “So, how are things really? We haven’t caught up in ages...”
“Just okay, you know. Job hunting. If you could, maybe mention me to your boss?”
Seb winced. “We actually talked about you,” he admitted. “Mr. Barrington is my boss. After what just happened, I doubt he’ll be keen to hear more about you. I appreciate you trying to boost my image, but it might’ve backfired for you.”
Theodore let out a soft chuckle, laced with a tinge of frustration. “I thought he was some tipsy, old-school businessman in that throwback suit. Had that aura of a classic movie character, like a stoic driver or a no-nonsense bouncer.”
“Yeah, he’s our head of legal. His office nickname is actually ‘Grumpy’. But don’t stress, I’ll see if there’s something open with our partners. By the way, what’s the latest with ‘Rakuen’? Did you cash in on that find?”
Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
Theodore hesitated before admitting, “I landed something big, but it’s still unidentified. Wasn’t sure if spending on identifying it was the right move…”
“WHAT?” Seb’s voice hit a higher octave. “A legendary item?”
“Seems like it. This warrior in the game wanted it, unidentified and all.”
“And you sold it? Dude...”
“Just hold on,” Theodore interjected. “I was about to, but then my character glitched, and the deal fell through.”
“Man, that’s a lucky break!” Seb exclaimed, relief evident in his tone. “That thing could’ve been worth a small fortune!”
Theodore shrugged, deciding not to dive deeper. To Seb, he was the newbie who almost squandered a rare in-game treasure.
“Forget it. I’ll find a way through. Take care, Seb.”
Seb, still preoccupied with the thought of the ‘lost’ legendary item, barely managed a goodbye. As Theodore walked away, he glanced back to see Seb kicking at a snowdrift, probably venting his frustration.
Theodore’s phone rang as he walked. It was Aram, a moving crew boss.
“Need to earn some cash? We’ve got an office move tonight,” Aram stated bluntly. “Can you make it?”
“Now?” Theodore asked, surprised.
“It’s an office, man. They want to be operational by morning. Can you get here in thirty?”
“I’m on it. Send me the address.”
Aram hung up. Theodore checked his phone – the location wasn’t far. He could make it. Zipping his jacket against the biting cold, he slipped on his gloves and headed out. His sneakers, a poor choice for icy sidewalks, skidded with every step. And he was still hungry, having skipped dinner in anticipation of the party.
As he walked, Theodore couldn’t shake thoughts of ‘Rakuen’ and the potential value of his in-game find. Pulling out his phone, he googled: “Item gradation in Rakuen”. The search confirmed his suspicions. He had stumbled upon a top-tier item. But what was the catch? He couldn’t remember the exact details.
“I’ll sort it tomorrow,” he decided, focusing on the night’s work ahead. He phoned his mom to tell her he’d be late, or maybe not back till morning. When he finally reached the job site, his mind was solely on the task at hand. The physical exertion of moving heavy office furniture from the fifth floor wiped out all other thoughts…
Arriving home in the early morning, frustrated by the inadequate pay, frozen, famished, and exhausted, Theodore found his mom awake and worried. He reassured her and sent her back to bed. After warming his hands and grabbing a bite, he remembered ‘Rakuen’.
An unpleasant surprise awaited him. His laptop screen was blank. “Mom, did you touch the computer?”
“No, honey. The power went out,” she replied, puzzled. “Maybe that’s why?”
“When?”
“About an hour and a half ago.”
“Great,” Theodore thought sarcastically. Despite his exhaustion, he rebooted the system and relaunched ‘Rakuen’, hoping his character had leveled up in his absence. Logging in, he found his level 2 barbarian, Theo, stretching his neck, oddly positioned in the center of the training ground. Maybe his mom had accidentally bumped the controller. Without any logs, he could only guess at his avatar’s progress.
Theo, a Human, Level-2 Barbarian
Primary Characteristics:
Strength: 16
Agility: 9
Endurance: 18
Intelligence: 1
Wisdom: 1
Spirituality: 6
Charisma: 1
Luck: 1
Skills:
Athletics: 12
Theft: 1
Stealth: 3
Dance: 9
The achievements tab had updated:
‘Blood and Sweat’ Achievement advanced to 2nd Rank!
You’ve earned 10 points in primary characteristics through training.
Next rank at 100 points.
Reward: +25% effectiveness in physical training.
‘Apprentice’ Achievement advanced to 2nd Rank!
You’ve earned 10 points in skills through training.
Next rank at 100 points.
Reward: +25% effectiveness in skill training.
The progress was noteworthy. ‘Strength’ surged by +8, ‘Agility’ by +3, and ‘Endurance’ impressively by +12! Surprisingly, even ‘Spirituality’ climbed by +4. As expected, ‘Intelligence’, ‘Wisdom’, ‘Charisma’, and ‘Luck’ stagnated, not exactly the forte of a dancing, log-lugging barbarian.
But his ‘Athletics’ and ‘Dance’ skills had skyrocketed! Theo was now a prime contender in any virtual contest for athletic, stealthy dancers.
Theodore directed his barbarian towards another pile of logs, ready for more training, but then he noticed a flashing envelope icon near the game’s clock and mini-map. He clicked it—a message popped up:
Subject: Incident 484762-12272030-XXIW (Unfair Play)
Hello, Theodore!
We’ve noticed unusual activity with your character (Theo, level 2 barbarian) suggesting unfair play. Our review found that your non-VR connection to “Rakuen” gave your character unexpected skill and attribute growth.
We’ve corrected this. Characters without gaming capsules can no longer train for attribute development. Our apologies for any inconvenience. We recommend these VR capsules from reputable brands…
The Silver Lining: Your character’s levels achieved thus far have been preserved.
Theodore’s relief was palpable upon realizing “The Primordial Pickaxe of the Mistress of Copper Mountain” remained in his inventory, untouched by the developers.
Sleep was now a distant thought. The developers’ email had him mentally bidding farewell to both his character and the primordial item. But then, a spark of curiosity ignited as he pondered over the pickaxe’s main feature: “This unassuming miner’s pickaxe can obliterate any item, potentially absorbing one or more of its properties. Cumulative effect on similar characteristics.”
Absorption of properties, huh? Intrigued, Theodore guided his barbarian to the city hall. There, he bluntly stated to the attendant, “I’m a miner. Lost my pickaxe. Need a replacement.”
The attendant, without any question or payment request, handed over an “Aged Pickaxe.”
Aged Pickaxe
Type: Tool | Two-Handed Weapon | Pickaxe
Damage: 1–2
Durability: 9/10
“It’s seen better days,” the attendant confessed. “But it’ll do for now.”
“No worries,” Theodore replied, hiding his excitement, and sought a secluded spot.
He eventually settled behind the temple, in a dim, forgotten corner of the city. Ensuring no players were around, he withdrew the primordial pickaxe from the auction list and laid the “Aged Pickaxe” on the ground. With measured strikes, he started tapping the old tool with the primordial pickaxe. Each hit reduced its durability until it finally shattered, vanishing into thin air.
Destroyed Item: “Aged Pickaxe” (Properties: 1)
Absorption Chance: “Damage: 1–2″ – Successful
New Property Absorbed
The primordial pickaxe emitted a brief, white glow, nearly imperceptible. Theodore double-checked the logs, then, smacking his forehead in disbelief, opened his inventory. There it was, the upgraded pickaxe:
The Primordial Pickaxe of the Mistress of Copper Mountain
Type: Tool | Two-Handed Weapon | Pickaxe
Quality: Primordial Mythical Item
Damage: 2–4 (Enhanced)
This seemingly ordinary miner's pickaxe has the ability to destroy any item and, with some probability, absorb one or several of its properties. If the pickaxe already possesses similar characteristics, their values are cumulatively added.
Absorbed Properties: 1
Durability: 998/999
The pickaxe’s damage had increased, simply by adding the stats from the destroyed tool. Theodore’s excitement was tempered by the realization that absorption was not guaranteed. A failure meant losing the item without any gain, and the durability of the primordial pickaxe had decreased slightly. Each repair would eventually lead to its destruction.
Deciding that “morning is wiser than the evening,” Theodore logged off, his mind swirling with strategies for the primordial pickaxe, despite the break of dawn.