[Emergency Quest: Dead Or Alive. Importance: Significant. Difficulty: Average. Progress: 0/3, Reward: 1 Gold and 5000 Exp. Tank asked for your help in hunting down the remaining bandits. This task has no time limits and is available because of your positive standing.]
"Wait wait wait a second, are you sure?"
He can't be serious right?
Average difficulty my ass. Well, they said that about the main mission too, and look how average that was.
"Those guys were tough. They would have got me without that lucky shot."
"Lucky shot? So you even fought them and survived to tell the tale? You are the right man for the job then."
Tank slaps the character's back and it's a miracle it didn't cause any damage, almost ending up on the ground.
At least the HP bar didn't change.
"Ugh, yes, one of them fucked up right before the ambush. A snapshot got him with the bow, and he died right away."
Then they almost stomped the avatar, and only a lucky stun effect allowed the escape.
Of course, he doesn't need to know that.
Still, to go back and fight them?
No, dear Tank, you have a crazy mace and muscles for days, you do it.
They're over my weight category, even the name is Noob.
It might be too early to praise the NPCs if he suggests suicide missions now.
"No wonder Selena thinks she won our bet, did you tell her? It was a mistake to underestimate you, boy, even though you have potential. Fighting bandits alone, when it looked like you didn't have the guts. Lead me where you saw them, and get a reward." He keeps insisting.
So what does he want?
To fight them without a backup, or leading him there and running away while he deals with them?
The second option sounds much better for a coward.
Shit, if the main quest weren't pushing for time, even dying there could be worth it.
That one gold reward is tempting, sure.
It's ten silver, and all the hoarded fortune so far is three hundred coppers.
The five thousand experience points look nice on paper too.
Except it's like ten of those better ratting jobs and those never even caused damage.
The first strike from the bandits took out half the HP bar.
The rats gave five Exp and the lucky shot gave a hundred.
No, no, no, those guys aren't in the same weight class, he must be joking.
And mentioning the Guild Assistant, yes, that's a good excuse why it's impossible.
"Ah, the promotion exam starts soon. Sorry, it wouldn't be cool to make them wait."
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This has to work. Selena said, to be on time, although she didn't know about the bandits. Would she react the same?
"The Guild refused to give zombie jobs, and those guys are easy."
"Well, I'm not with the guild but know their Guildmaster, and he would love to hear about the bandits too." He pauses, pondering for a moment.
"Yes, we should take him too. So don't worry, you won't go alone. Still, you know where to find them, so please help us."
Please? Do this and do that, Arnim, that's what you're good for. Please isn't a word that comes up often.
And now he says he'll be there, and the Guildmaster too, so it's not a solo suicide mission after all.
Okay, it's still risky, but it sounds better.
It's only the sixth level, still far from halfway in clearing the fed's mission.
Yet if this ends up in the dumps, it means starting over. Would enough time remain for that?
With the better ratting tasks, it's possible.
And what about the exam? If the Guildmaster is there, it shouldn't matter.
Why is it so hard to say no to him, after dropping a please?
Why is this stupid head trying to convince me to accept his offer?
That's treason, you idiot, care about yourself first, not him.
He must see the reluctance because his next sentence gives the final push.
"This might be over your rank, and worries you for a good reason, but let me tell you something." He pauses, looking deep into my eyes.
"The exams exist to convince the Guildmaster you can do the jobs. If he sees you fight bandits, that's a guaranteed promotion."
No, he has no mercy, he even adds.
"Bandits are B-rank criminals, what's your exam for? F-rank? Fighting B-class opponents by him will grant you the E-rank, no questions asked."
Oh no, he's good. With E-rank, the Guild will give out zombie contracts, so no more stupid ratting.
"If anything goes bad, it will be your fault."
It's better to warn him up front and have him reactivate the tutorial.
"And it's on the condition that you keep training me a bit longer. There were a lot of things bothering me without a clear answer."
It must be the controller's doing, but this came out, rather than saying 'Restart the tutorial'.
A term more in line with the lore and immersion for the same thing.
Do they censor what you can say to the NPCs like this, or help the players make up presentable terms?
"Sure, Noob, I'm happy to answer all your questions after this mission, as long as you pick your first class."
In game terms, he'll keep the tutorial running until the avatar reaches the tenth level.
The system doesn't allow entry to the training grounds after that, so it's a good offer.
"All right, but don't expect me to fight at the front."
If this will make the system answer the metagaming questions and give good hints, it'll be worth the risk.
More than the Exp reward and the gold.
It's funny how the system messages seemed annoying until they stopped.
"Let's get the Guildmaster from the Tavern, and you'll be the guest of honor for a pint. And a good meal after we catch those bastards."
A pint he says? Like beer? Doesn't he know that I'm a minor?
It's not like it would matter in the system, and it sounds tempting.
This might end in tears, for whatever reason.
There is this unshakeable bad feeling about it.
No, stop with the negativity, Arnim, it will be a three versus three, and this team has Tank and the Guildmaster.
They are mighty strong people, at least the Trainer is.
The other's title sounds ominous too.
You should be strong, like an A-rank adventurer to become the guild's master, right? Selena never mentioned him, which is odd.
And she's only an assistant but could even do magic. Her superior must be even tougher.
The hopes fall apart when Tank runs to the nearby tavern.
He calls out to the most unassuming, fragile-looking guy in the place, drinking alone in a corner.
No, that must be some friend, unrelated to this quest, he didn't say Guildmaster.
"Gavin, old friend, this boy has news for you."
He yells, and no, that's wrong. We have news for the Guild's Boss, not some random skinny dude. What the hell, Trainer?
"He's G-rank in your office and killed a bandit near the village. Can you believe it?"
His office? No, no, no, this nerd can't be the Guildmaster.
Could he even lift a sword? The Thin often made me wonder how he could move his body without muscles.
He's skin and bones for spending all his money on weed instead of food, and this guy looks much worse.
"A bandit, here? I'm the one drinking, and you got drunk instead?"