Volume 2 Chapter 5: Part 4: Reminisce Of Her

"Those kinds of quests are way out of your league, Onyx. You're going to die if you'll do it." Oliver warns him. There are quests that will give out high coins.

But that means the risks involved will increase as well. Having faced Onyx, he knows the child's limits. It would be suicide to let him go.

"I can handle it. I'm just going to get a quest for the forest of death. You don't have to worry about me." Onyx knows he can do it. He passed through there once. He can do it again.

"No, you can't. You have no idea of how dangerous the forest of death is. You only cut the surface of what the center really is."

I only cut through the surface? What does Oliver mean by that?

"I'm still going to go." Judging by his expression, Onyx knows Oliver isn't lying when he says this.

"..." Oliver narrows his eyes, "Let me ask you something; is it worth it to throw away your life like that? You've only met that girl once. And that was through a glance!" With Onyx so adamant about this, Oliver feels he's making a huge mistake.

The kid only met with Rena one time.

That in itself is something Oliver can't understand. How can he have such a strong feeling for somebody he just met.

Onyx has so much potential. He's about to throw it all away for a stranger. Oliver can't let him abandon everything.

"Yes. Everything is worth it if I can save somebody else's life!" Even if Onyx didn't understand what Oliver was getting at, he still wouldn't care about it. The moment Rena gives him a resemblance to Irene, he won't give up on her.

"You know everybody will call you a fool for risking your life over some random girl." Oliver can already tell people will scorn him for doing something like this.

"So? Who cares about what other people have to say about me? The only thing I care about is getting her out of there. And nobody is going to stop me." So what if people talk about him?

He was always scorned by the guys because he was close to Irene.

But they never would say it to his face.

If those people didn't dare to say it to his face, they were not worth fighting.

"..." Oliver's expression is indescribable right now. He's just like him. Is this why that silver fox sent him here?

"I'm not going to stop no matter what you say to me, Oliver."

"You know I can revoke your guild licenses right now." This is Oliver's final warning. Revoking his guild license will stop Onyx from doing any quests.

"Then so be it." Without a shred of hesitation, Onyx gave back his guild card to Oliver. If he loses his guild license, it won't be the end of the world for him. He'll just have to work around it.

"..." Oliver sighs as he grabs his head, "You're really stubborn, you know that."

"I get that a lot." His family members, friends, and Irene. They had all said that to him before. He would usually compromise over the same things to make everybody happy. But when he wanted something badly, he would go to heaven and earth to get it, like a child.

Oliver just slaps himself on the head, "Screw it!"

"?" Hmm? Onyx tilts his head.

"If you're not going to stop even after all of this, I'll just have to help you!" If you can't beat him, then join him. Oliver is in a losing battle. I'm not going to win against a stubborn mule.

"Really?!" Onyx's expression turns bright when he hears that.

"Yeah, yeah. Stop acting so happy. This will be the only time I'll condone something like this." If he lets his adventurers do something crazy every time, what kind of guild master is he?

"So take back your guild license. You're going to need it."

"Ahh, yes." Onyx takes back the card. He knows if he loses it, it'll cause problems for him later on.

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"Come back tomorrow. And bring your gear and money with you as well. Before you go, you need to prepare."

"Understood." Onyx quickly bows his head and leaves the room.

This child is going to be the end of me. Oliver has been sighing too many times to count. He slumps down on a sofa. He feels like his life span is shaved every time he has a talk with Onyx.

"Tsk tsk, will you let the kid die, huh?" "Aren't you playing favorites?"

Opening the door came Gilbert and Michelle. Gilbert shakes his head in disapproval while the latter smiles from ear to ear.

Oliver looks at them, "You guys heard all of that?"

"How could we not? You brought him to the room next door?" Yes. Oliver just brought Onyx to the office room right next to the one where the two are.

"That boy will die if he ventures off into the forest of death like this," Gilbert mutters, ignoring Oliver's question. He's more focused on what Onyx is planning to do. There's no need for anybody to say anything.

Everybody knows what happens in the forest of death. The number of people who died is just enormous.

"He won't. With me around, I won't let the boy die." Vargar sent Onyx here. So it is his duty to watch over him now.

"But ain't that kid 15? Can he really get 20 platinum coins in a month?" 20 platinum coins are not something you can get so quickly. Especially not in 2 months.

Excuse me?! Weren't you the one who suggested making him pay 20 platinum coins?! The two guys gave Michelle a look that said it all.

Michelle's expression turns wry. She knows she messed up, as she explains, "I didn't think the kid would really do it." She was just testing to see whether he would back away.

But never did she expect Onyx would take her words seriously.

"Whatever the case, the boy's goal is set. Nobody can stop him now." Oliver shakes his head. They're just asking for trouble if they try it.

...

The next day, Oliver is waiting outside the guild building.

"Sorry about the wait, guild master." Onyx arrives in front of the guild building, "So what are we doing?"

"First off, We're not going to be doing anything dangerous today. And second,"

"Guild master! Where are you going?!" Before Oliver could finish his sentence, the scream behind him made him freeze. He quickly picks up Onyx like a sack of potatoes.

"Well, let us go now!" Oliver dashes off before the person screaming comes out of the building. Getting farther away now,

"Oliver, did you not finish your work when you left?" Onyx says.

"I'm just taking a break! Can't the guild master take a break?!" Oliver looks away as he says this.

So you're playing hooky. Onyx just shakes his head, "So what did you say before?"

"Yeah, today we won't do anything crazy. Rather, you'll be preparing for your adventure. We're going to a blacksmith shop for your armor."

Oliver knew Onyx's gear was probably banged up over the last few days. Going through the forest of death was already dangerous enough.

And then fighting with a thunder bear variant. The armor took the brunt of it.

"Here's the first shop." Onyx looks up and notices the shop name, Ironhilde. As the two walk in, Onyx sees rows of weapons. Wow. Onyx is surprised. Compared to the shop he went to with Vargar, this one is much larger.

The selections were varying.

What's more, the weapons are expensive too! Holy! It cost 8 gold coins for a dagger like that?!

Onyx looks over to a dagger being displayed. He rubs his eyes, wondering if the words are wrong. He can't believe a weapon costs this much!

"Yo Charles, is the old man around today?" Oliver walks over to the person at the counter. He looks to be a little older than Onyx. He has red burgundy hair with freckles around his face. His entire face was covered in soot.

Charles nods, "Yeah. He's in the back. I'll go get him" As he walks into the back, Oliver explains,

"This place here is the best blacksmith shop advent city has to offer."

He can tell from just a glance at the weapons. They are well-honed and sharp.

"Why is that bastard here again?!" A loud and exploding voice explodes out. Onyx turns his head in wonder. While Oliver grabs his head. Here he goes again.

What came out from the back was a large man. Large, not from height. He's more wide than tall. But he was not fat. But really muscular.

His arms look like two giant tree trunks. And he got a white beard showing off his age.

"Yo, it seems your nasty personality is still there." Oliver shrugs his shoulders and explains, "Onyx, let me introduce you to the owner and best blacksmith in advent city, Gus Shepard. And he's a dwarf as well."

Ahh, a dwarf. This is the first time he has ever seen one before. Onyx bows slightly, "Hello, my name is Onyx."

Gus squints his eye slightly and then turns to Oliver, "So what do you want?

"Can you not be so uptight? And stop acting so cautious. What have I ever done to you?"

"Whenever you come here, you somehow cause trouble."

"Relax." Oliver waves his hand, "I'm not causing trouble today. And I'm not the one who needs something from you. He does." Oliver says as he points at Onyx.

Gus raises one of his brows and then looks at Onyx up and down again.

"What do you think?"

Gus looks back at Oliver, "This kid? Are you joking with me?"

"No, I'm not."

"Haven't I told you before, who does my shop sell for?"

Oliver rolls his eyes, "Not this again."

"I only sell my work to worthy people. And a half-pint like him isn't cut out for my weapons. Does the guild have a shortage of promising rookies or something?"

Gus was frank with every word he said.

"Have your eyesight grown old from all these years? This boy here is the best of the best. He can easily become one of the strongest later on."

"Hah? This half-pint? I think you're the one who's going dull. You've brought some promising rookies here.

The last two, the one red cat and the blue dog were promising. But this kid here is nothing more than a loose cannon. He won't be alive after a day." That's what he thought when he looked at Onyx.

"..." I can't deny that. Oliver doesn't say anything as he agrees with what Gus said.

"Look." Onyx cuts between the two, "I'm not here to buy another weapon or new armor. I'm only here to have you fix my armor and sword for the next journey. Can you do that?" His chimera armor and his sword are good enough. He doesn't need to change his weapon.

"If you want your weapon tuned up, don't look at me! Charles!"

"Yes!"

"Sharpen the half-pint's weapons and armor."

"Understood." Charles walks in front of Onyx, and Onyx drops the bag into his hand.

"Sorry about that old geezer's personality. Dwarfs can be stubborn."

"It's fine." Onyx isn't concerned about what others have to say about him. Not right now. His priority is to get all his weapons maintained for his next quest.

As he was thinking of this,

"What the!" In the back, Onyx and Oliver can hear Charles screaming out loud. Gus walks over to him and frowns,

"What's wrong? Why are you screaming so loudly?!"

"Master! The buffer wheel won't grind the armor down!" Charles realized how loud he shouted too. But he couldn't help it. Never did he expect the armor to be this sturdy.

Huh? It didn't grind down? Gus doesn't believe it. But when he looks at the armor, his eyes go wide.

"Gimme that!" Gus takes the breastplate. As he slowly examines it, he stares back at Onyx,

"Where did you get this?!"

"I killed one, of course." Onyx is frank as he says this.