Less than 3 months ago. Inside the log house built by the hand of Bob himself. They were having a little discussion, much later than usual. A small oil lamp stands in the middle of the table between the two. The tapping of the rain outside can be heard. It was gentle, shifting slowly to a drizzle.

“Argh! I just don’t get it.” The farmer scratched his head.

“Get what sire?” The scarecrow asks while tilting its head.

“All of it. Levels, skills, classes, rarity, items, prompts. Just all of it. They just don’t make sense to me. Are you sure that doesn’t have any story telling me the exact details that I would need?”

“For the last time there’s nothing of the sort here. Just be glad that Master Nesbitt left us such a handy book.” He replies before sighing and closing the book.

Bob stood up and looks out the window. The fireflies outside are hiding in the trees, emitting their beautiful lights under the leaves. Slowly flashing and almost synching with the rain. He lets out a small sigh before looking at the scarecrow sitting across the table.

“I understood some of it, like how you’re able to become sentient using the core and like how you can even read. It’s just… magic.”

“I understand. I’m sorry for pushing you to learn all of this immediately. I seem to have over-estimated my abilities.” Jack replied softly.

“It’s fine. I’ll learn all of those eventually. Someday… someday.”

The word ‘someday’ echoes inside Bob when he heard that Jack found something new. He walked closer to the scarecrow who’s holding something similar to the core that they are using. The glow is different as it gives of a soft yellow light.

“This here is mixed with the transported crystals from earlier.” Jack holds out his arm and handed it to Bob.

The core is similar in shape and size with the ones they have used before. Bob observed it while constantly panning it around his hand. He then looked at Jack who seems very eager for what he is about to say.

“Why not?”

Jack removes his leather coat, exposing the core from his chest. It is glowing a yellow light. Bob puts the core in his hand closer to Jack. Both of the core glowed as the one in Bob’s hand glow weaker and weaker and the other brighter in comparison. Soon the core in his hand became like a piece of rock, the same form as before but without the gleam.

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“How is it?” Bob asks.

“Much stronger sire.” Jack replied while bowing his head after putting on his leather coat.

“Let’s test it out then.” Bob grins then signals Agta to step back.

He removes the bow looping over his shoulder and the belt holding the machete. Placing it atop of one of the glowing rocks with his axe as well. Creating a fair distance from him and Jack he stretches his body, losing his shoulder and cracking his knuckles.

“Ready!” Bob shouted with his left foot forward and his hands up.

Jack glances at his direction while standing upright. He then lowers his head before charging towards Bob. It wasn’t an explosive run but he was able to close the distance quickly before making a high kick. Bob on the other hand was surprised with the speed but was able to avoid the first kick to his face by moving his head to the right.

He counters with a swing of his right hand that was blocked by both of Jack’s arms causing him to be blown back. Bob grins before rushing towards Jack who just recovered from the blow. He jumps in the air and did an overhead bash with both of his hand. Jack was able to evade by rolling away and didn’t noticed that he already had his back against the wall.

Without giving him too much time, Bob rushes at him again with a straight punch. Jack jumps to avoid it making Bob hit the wall behind. He then landed a hit on Bob’s head twice by turning his jump into a butterfly kick. After hitting Bob, he somersaults away, creating the same distance that they had before.

Bob remove his fist that had made a shallow crater on the wall.

“Ow” he said while shaking his fist and blowing wind at it. It had some cuts on it.

“Again!” He shouted at Jack.

This time he is the first one to rush at Jack. The speed is much slower than the scarecrow but he tries to make up for it with power. Mid way to his run, Jack dashes to his side to flank him and made a flying kick. Causing Bob to stagger. He follows up with a back kick that blown Bob back.

Not letting up he rushes towards Bob who barely got up and hit him with a spinning flying kick. Bob slightly tilts his body to evade and catch the incoming leg. He caught it and spins it before hurling Jack up in the air.

Being thrown in the air, Jack couldn’t do anything but wait as he saw Bob readies to make an uppercut. He covers his face with both of his arm and awaited the certain strike.

Instead Bob caught him and laid him down.

“Ha! I won again!” Bob shouted before lying down with his arm stretched out.

Jack stood up and tries to remove the mud that is painted all over his coat.

“Well done sire.”

“I almost lost… you’ve gotten stronger again.”

“All because of the core sire.”

“If you are not made of straw, do you think you could win?” Bob asks while still lying on the ground sweating.

Jack thought for a moment before replying.

“I believe so.”

Bob sighs as he closes his eyes while trying to recover from the fight. His fist is bleeding but he thought nothing more of it. The cold clay that serves as the ground makes him feel like he is recovering faster. As he lies on the ground, Jack went to where the golems resting.

“You could have caught my arm before I hit you.”

Jack looks back at Bob whose eyes are still close and still breathing heavily.

“While you were free falling. It would’ve been easy for you.” Bob glances at Jack standing near at a luminous crystal.

“I shall take it into consideration for the next fight.” Jack bows his head before going back to the golems.