We made our way through the stained wooden arch way that held up a sign that said ‘Kami Town’ must be what the town is called.

“Miko, is this some god town or something?”

Kami meant God where I was from, thinking back, that squirrel lady did say something about a faction leader living here, maybe that was why.

“Floor 2 is home to Tenjin of the Tamer’s Guild, Tenjin is a faction leader”

Tenjin huh? That was a god that was known for his academics and scholarship of learning.

We walked in, the stone street lamps where lit up like a light bulb, but it seemed to have a symbol on the posts, it was probably a magical symbol that lit up the post during night. Some of the shops where still open, luckily, we headed towards the armour and weapon shop which was right in front of the gate.

“Hello? You guys still open?”

Miko and I walked in and looked around, the shop was filled with some poor looking bronze swords, wooden shields and worn leather armour.

“Oh, customers, you’re here quite late, what can I do for you?”

An interesting character appeared from the door leading to the back of the shop, his voice was husky and he was quite tall, maybe 6’5 if I took a rough estimate, he was full of thick brown fur, his belly was the size of a sumo wrestler and he wore a black leather vest, he had 2 black bull horns coming out the sides of his forehead, he also had hooves for his feet and wore brown weathered shorts with holes in them, his tail swatted back and forth as if excited to see us. I know what this creature is…It’s a bull beastman, he doesn’t have the look of a Minotaur and his not half human like the other Bull Demi-Humans I was beaten to a pulp by.

“We’re leaving.”

I took one look at him and turned my back.

“Huh? But Master Udon, we need a map”

Miko surprised by my decision to leave just as quick as we arrived, turned to me in a panic.

“Uhh, you ok bud?”

The Bull Beastman walked around the counter and approached Miko.

“I don’t want to do business with you thats all, Miko lets go.”

Miko still unsure of what to do started to follow me slowly.

“Hmm, did something happen to you bud? Run into trouble with that Blood Horn Gang?”

I stopped on the stop, Miko looked at me a little confused and worried.

“Are you there leader then?”

My manner change into a somewhat violent one, I was ready to chop this Beastman’s head off right here and now, I turned to him and glared, my hand ready to grab Miko’s dagger.

“Settle down bud, I have nothing to do with that criminal gang, but it seems they had a little fun with you I take it.”

He wasn’t their leader then, still didn’t change the fact he was the same species as them, even if it was only half.

“Uhh Master Udon, this is a beastman you know? I don’t believe you could take one on at your current level.”

Damn it Miko! You can’t just say I’m weak in front of an enemy. I glared at her and she looked away somewhat frightened.

“Now, now, I don’t want a lovers squabble in the middle of my shop.”

The Bull beastman put his arms up and made his way over to us.

“Huh!? A l-lovers squabble!? W-we aren’t l-lovers!?”

Miko shouted in a high pitch voice, her arms waving side to side and her face grew beet red. Wow, I know I’m not the nicest thing to look at but I didn’t need a reaction like that.

“Hmm, is that so”

The Bull Beastman scratched his fur on his chest as he looked down at Miko.

“Well then, I’ll introduce myself, my name is Lack Odenne, I’m the towns Blacksmith,”

Lack gave a warming introduction of himself and waved to Miko and I, I wasn’t buying it, even if he wasn’t apart of that Blood Horn gang he was probably buttering us up to get us to buy one of his crappy weapons or armour, Miko on the other hand waved back with a warm smile.

“My name is Miko and this is Master Udon.”

Miko introduced both of us and waved back to Lack.

“What brings you two to my small shop at a time like this?”

“We are looking for a floor map, can you help us out?”

Miko asked for what we came here for, but we still didn’t have any money with us, I was hoping I could trade some of my medicinal herbs for it.

“Hmm a floor map, if you two are players shouldn’t you get one for free at your guild.”

Lack now stroked his fur on his chin suspiciously and looked me up and down, damn it, this isn’t going well, he’ll see my gem and accuse me of a crime I didn’t do.

“Well, you see, we are players but not in a guild yet.”

Miko stepped in as she saw the tension between Lack and I start to grow, I didn’t trust this man and it was obvious he had his suspicions about me.

“Interesting, normally players would have at least joined one guild to trial before making their way to floor 2, is there something else going on here?”

Lack not confident in the answer Miko gave took a step towards me, I stood back a bit and took a defensive stand.

“You seem quite strange bud, where are you from?”

Huh? I’m from earth, but I can’t tell him that or it’ll bring more unwanted attention to me. The two of us glared at each other not moving an inch, this isn’t going to end well, I need to get out of here now, Miko needs to read the room and move behind me or I can’t protect her.

“Miko, behind me now”

I told Miko as she just stood there, she got my hint and ran behind my back, she had a hand on her dagger, Lack couldn’t see it behind my back, it would be a good surprise move and then we could make our escape. We glared at each other until a loud hysterical voice came from the back of the shop.

“ARHHHHHHH! Lacky! Help!”

“Huh? What is it honey?”

A panicked woman burst through the door behind the counter, she was milk white but had black dots scattered around her body, she wore blue jean overalls with a white and black spotted shirt, she had hooves for her feet and hands, you could tell by how she waved them around something had happened. Her ears were quite big, bigger than Lack’s, she had a gold circular earring on her left ear and big light grey eyes, her chest was large then average as well, large enough that you’d think it’d cause back pains, her tail was up in the air and as stiff as a stick. She was a Cow Beastman, she must have been Lack’s wife.

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“It’s Betty, she just collapsed!”

Betty? Was Betty also a cow, ha! That would be quite ironic, Betty the Cow. Lack rushed back into the back room with his wife and left Miko and I alone in his shop.

“What was that?”

Miko asked worried about what had happened.

“Don’t care, lets get going before he comes back”

Now was the perfect chance to leave.

“Master Udon, what if they need our help? Shouldn’t we help them? They aren’t human if thats what you’re worried about.”

Shut it Miko! Far out, it’s true that they aren’t human but the massive bull beastman would have squashed us if he saw my gem, I wasn’t going to give him another chance.

“We’re leaving Miko, thats final!”

I raised my voice at her, she turned to face the door the cow and bull beastman ran through, she still looked worried.

“Bud, Miss! You are in fact players right? Not non-players? You have a Guild Gem?”

The loud husky voice rang across the shop as Lack come running back in, what was he on about now?

“You have a Guild Gem right! Quick I need you to save my daughter”

Save his daughter? What does that have to do with a Guild Gem.

“Uhh, yes Master Udon has a Guild Gem.”

Miko spoke up and stepped forward ready for action. What the hell Miko!

“Bud, I need your help! You need to save our daughter!”

Lack was shouting even louder than before, why did he need me to save his daughter.

“Master Udon, you can unlock the Basic Arcana skill and create some medicine with those herbs you gathered”

So thats why Lack asked if we were players and not non-players, since I have the ability to unlock more than one trade.

“Hmmm, what’s in it for me?”

I looked at Lack with a stern look, I wasn’t going to do this for free, and I didn’t owe him or his daughter anything, I couldn’t care less if she recovered or died.

“Master Udon?”

Miko said softly, she was a little surprised at my response or was it disappointed?

“What do you want? I’ll give you anything!”

Lack was desperate huh? Thats the perfect chance to get what I want.

“I’ll sell you my medicine for a floor map and 1 Silver shark Coin.”

A silver Shark Coin was the second highest currency coin that I knew of, it would most likely keep me comfortable for the lower floors.

“Is that all!”

Lack shouted again, damn it, I could have asked for more?

“No, Miko and I need a place to stay tonight, we would like to stay in a spare room or even in this shop.”

I needed a place to sleep tonight, even if Miko and I took turns keeping guard the whole night, it was safer then the open fields.

“Ok, thats fine, now please, save my daughter!”

I followed Lack into the back of his shop with Miko right behind me with that worried expression, she was way to soft. We walked into a back room and saw a small, pale looking cow beastman girl lying on a wooden bed, the light blue bed sheets were soaked in sweet, she had a wet bandage over her forehead trying to cool her down, her muscles were having short spasms and her breathing was loud, it was obvious she was struggling to breath.

“What happened to her?”

Miko asked, while she gets the run down I’ll unlock my basic arcana skill.

Arcana [Locked] ▼

-Basic Arcana: Level 1 Skill, 2 SP Required: Create low quality medicine and potions

That doesn’t seem very comforting, low quality medicines? This little girl won’t be any better with low quality medicine.

“Skill unlocked-Basic Arcana (C)”

Basic Arcana: 0/10 Mastery-Level 1 Common Skill, Unlocked: Create low quality medicine and potions

Recipes:

Aloe Vera Herb Potion >

Gingko Medicine >

Valerian Medicine >

None of these medicine or potions will help this little girl, the Aloe Vera Herb is for light burns, the Gingko Medicine will help her breathing but if I don’t know what the problem is, it’s useless and the Valerian Medicine helps someone calm down.

“Betty was out gathering some herbs for us when she was attacked by a mischief of undead rats, an undead rat bite has poison in it and causes the bite mark to get infected immediately.”

The mom explained what had happened, hmm, I could possibly make something to help.

“Master Udon can you help?”

Miko looked at me, her worried expression had changed into one of sadness, what is with this girl? She had no trouble knocking me out but a sick little girl was enough to bring her to tears?

“Why can’t you heal her with your magic? It would be quicker and easier.”

I had wondered why Miko hadn’t offered, maybe she wanted me to fail and look bad, was this her plan? Was she going to backstab me here? I stepped back a little, putting my guard up, no one seemed to notice though.

“I’m not going to hurt you”

Miko said softly looking me in the eyes, huh? She must have seen me back up, I felt guilty, why?

“My healing magic isn’t up to a level that will help this condition, please Master Udon, you’re the only one who can help”

Miko snapping back to herself explained why her magic wouldn’t help.

“Can you help her Udon!?”

“Please bud, you have to help her!”

Both Lack and his wife were beside themselves, it did seem like their daughter was about to die, everyone around me were in tears, I on the other hand, really couldn’t care if she lived or died. I did need a place to stay though and the floor map along with some money, it was beneficial to me if I helped her out.

“I can’t promise anything, but I’ll help.”

“Thank you Udon!”

“Thank you Bu…”

Lack stoped talking and I caught him staring at my clear gem. Damn it! I stared back at him, his stare made his way up to mine, we stood still and once again glared into each other, his expression seemed to slightly change from sad to angry, this man didn’t even know me and I had just told him I would help his daughter!

“Lacky! Betty, please!”

Lack’s wife saw my clear gem as well but didn’t seem to mind it at the moment and brought her husband back to reality.

“Master Udon, quick”

Miko sensing the situation snapped me out of it and encouraged me to hurry up.

Lets see, if she has an infection from a bite maybe the Feverfew leaves could help, the Chamomile flower should help with her muscle spasms and the Echinacea root should help with the flu she has. If I mix in a little bit of the purple slime goo to counterattack the undead rat poison it could work like anti-venom, it seems to attack other poisonous creatures Miko had told me, so maybe it’ll attack the undead rat poison, thats only if the purple slime poison is stronger then the undead rat poison. Once it removes or defeats the poison, Betty’s body should be strong enough to eliminate the poison goo. I laid out all the ingredients and smashed the Feverfew leaves and the Echinacea root into a powder with the mortar bowl and pestle stick that Betty’s mum had grabbed for me, the Chamomile flower I ripped into little bits keeping the bulb in-tact, I mixed all ingredients with the purple slime goo and added some water and put it into the small glass vile Betty’s mum also brought out, after a little tinkering, mixing and mana infusion.

Healing Medicine successfully created!

Healing medicine: quality: poor, expels low poison and helps infected bites, helps muscles relax while curing high fevers.

“Skill created-Pharmacists-unlocked (U)”

What was that? Skill created? I haven’t seen that one… that doesn’t matter now, this medicine is to low in quality to heal this little girl, damn it! She’s going to die unless I do something but what!

“Why help this girl? You don’t owe her anything, her life is meaningless. Let her die! Kill her parents and take what you want by force!”

That dark voice was back, did it want me to kill Lack and his wife? They haven’t done anything to me, I had no reason to kill them.

“He’s seen your Gem, he’ll try and kill you once you save his daughter, let her die!”

Damn it! The voice had a point but I can’t leave now, and I need Miko to move up floors, I can’t kill them!

“Do you wish to save her? Or kill her?”

I need to save her, she is beneficial to me, I need her to move forward!

“A little girls life is in your hands and all you see are the items you so desperately need, well done, I will help your selfish needs.”

That didn’t seem like it was very helpful…

*Magic Spell Learnt-Practitioner-Shadow Magic-Atone Spell-0/10

Spell Weaver Mastery-1/10

“Is that a magic spell?”

A spell popped up into my vision, is this the help that voice was giving me?

“Master Udon?”

Miko looked at me confused, I held the medicine vile in my hand and stood still.

“I need to cast a spell on it, stand back”

I put the medicine on the floor and held my palm over the small glass vile.

“A spell?”

Miko now more confused tilted her head, to be fair, when she checked my stats I had no magic spells, and now I had one out of the blue, it seemed more than weird.

“Hear my words dungeon, I ask to be surrounded, filled and illuminated with the dungeons flowing energy, hear my plea ‘The Power of the Shadows’ Practitioner”

My hands were engulfed in a black and purple smog, the smog covered the small vile of medicine. This doesn’t feel right, I felt my head spin, my eyes couldn’t focus, I could feel sweet dripping off of my forehead and I felt so cold, I was blacking out, I knew this feeling, damn it! That damn spell! They’re going to kill me if I black out! I can’t lose consciousness. The black and purple smog disappeared and I appraised the medicine vile.

Healing Medicine successfully upgraded!

Healing medicine +5: quality: divine, expels any poison and eliminates infected bites, helps muscles relax while curing any fevers.

Expiry Time: 30 seconds

I did it, I actually did it, why did the vile change? It looks like a flower blooming, did I do that? Huh, no! Stay awake!

“Master Udon!”

Miko’s scream was the last thing I heard, I fell to the ground and blacked out.